Karen Denali

Lieutenant Karen Denali was chief science officer of starship USS Chimera in the mid-24th century. (Star Trek: Outpost)

Starfleet career
Rachel Winston, M.D., was born Waychel of the House of Ranston, Keepers of the Revered Shawl, 25th in an unbroken line. Waychel was a 'Gammazoid', a Betazoid born without their empathic gifts. Her lack of empathic skills was a great disappointment to her family. Though they tried to make it appear as though nothing was wrong, Waychel sensed their disappointment, and it was painful for her, the scars running deep. Eventually, Waychel learned to close off and block other empaths, as well as interpolate emotions through body language, vocal patterns and dynamics. She got so good that other Betazoids took pity on her, thinking her skills were below average, rather than non-existent. But eventually, the pity and disgust from her fellow Betazoids became more than she could bear. Waychel left Betazed, never to return. After getting in touch with "The right people, Waychel of the House of Ranston became Rachel Winston.

After arriving at Earth, Rachel enrolled in Starfleet Academy as a pre-med student. She nearly flunked out her first year, not because she was academically deficient, but because she was so distracted by the intensity of non-empaths body language. Eventually, she acclimated, spending her time off travelling, or studying people back at the Academy. Rachel graduated, and completed med school and her residency, endiing up as CMO of the Oberth class starship USS Chimera.

For the most part, since her arrival, Rachel had kept mainly to herself. The only person knowing her background was Dr Wylothia from the station medical staff. Anyone else was only allowed to do a comparative scan only.

Following Chimera's rescue of the Ferengi ship Profitable Venture, Rachel gained an unwanted suitor, the ship's loadmaster, name of Goshen. Despite Rachel's repeated rejections, along with aversion therapy in the form of traction without anesthetic, emptied punch bowls and the threat of a Lobectomy with a dirty fondue fork. Goshen's amorous misadventures wouldn't abate. Eventually, Goshen gave Rachel a gift in the form a a miniature statue that she discovered was Escherrite in origin. Being a xeno-archeologist, the statue peaked her curiousity. With the concurrance of Chimera's Captain, Lieutenant Commander Gregory Torkelson, She, LT Exler, and Goshen undertook a covert away mission to The Enclave, a Trading post on the edge of the Pinchot Expanse. Barely escaping, the trio were returning to DS3 aboard Goshen's shuttle, the Successful Negotiiations, when they were attacked by the pirate vessel Solar Winds. The Caravelle and Chimera undertook rescue operations, but only Rachel and Goshen were rescued from the ship. Renova was rescued following Chimera's second battle with the Solar Winds, along with the recently reappeared Sayzar Tyrellian, though Captain Tyrellian succumbed to his injuries.

Rachel's past was brought to light on Chimera's next mission, to a world called Melnora, and contact with a possible offshoot of the Betazoid species. Chimera was carrying a small diplomatic detachment from Betazed, led by Ambassador Briz Nemon. The first meeting between Rachel and the Ambassador was, in a word, explosive. In the words of Medtech Giles, "I heard her. Through the bulkhead. After she chased the Commander and the Ambassador out of the burn unit, the Commander followed the Doctor into her office, where they had a brief, but loud discussion."

After arriving at Melnora, Winston led an away mission to observe ordinary Melnorans in their day to day lives. While in the marketplace, Rachel, Knox, and Randy Thomas came under attack by radical factions. Escaping with relatively minor injuries, The Melnoran planetary leaders Lord and Lady Ranteen, discovered an artifact from the marketplace (allegedly) stolen by Chief Knox. They determined resolution through the Ivory Throne, an artifact that amplifies empathic sense. Lord Ranteen discovered Rachel's secret, but agreed to keep it to himself. Under threat of the Chimera leaving orbit immediately, Ambassador Nemon conceded that her real intent was to assess the existence, and possible acquisition of the technology. She also related the story of how she came to know the existence of Melnora, and the legend of the Ivory Throne. At a reception later that evening, the animosity between the Ambassador and Rachel reached boiling point when Rachel dropped her empathic blocks and gave the Ambassador the full force of her hatred towards her former people. In retaliation, Ambassador Nemon revealed Rachel's secret, despite Renova's protests.

Medtech Johnson
Dr Winston was not aware of Johnson's desire to become an M.D. Though an excellent Medtech, she was weak on diagnosis. Due to the obsolesence of the station's sole holodeck, she was unable to run the diagnostics study program she wanted. Still, Dr Winston does have full confidence in her skills and service.

Dr Arban Breetal
Whenever the Chimera is docked at DS3, Dr Winston and her medical staff augments the station's sick bay, as Captain Buchanan's austerity policies have left the station's staff short-handed. under normal circumstances, this would not be a problem, given the light staffing of DS3. But the casualties from the Betazed shuttle attack threatened to overwhelm the staff were it not for Dr Hern-Chinz and the medical staff from the Remmington.

Dr Wylothia
Dr Wylothia is the only person on DS3's medical staff that is aware of Rachel Winston's true heritage. She is also the only one she goes to for any medical problems. Any other person she only allows a comparative scan.

Dr Hern-Chinz
Dr Hern-Chinz was the chief medical officer of the Miranda class USS Remmington. He and his staff filled in at the station sick bay while Remmington was docked at Deep Space Three.

Dr Tricant
Dr Tricant is part of Dr Hern-Chinz's medical staff on the Remmington. Like Dr Winston, He filled in at the station sick bay, augmenting Dr Breetal's staff while the Remmington is docked at Deep Space Three.

Lieutenant Renova Exler
Lieutenant Renova Exler is Dr Winston's closest friend and only confidant onboard the Chimera and the station. Renova is the only person other than Dr Wylothia to whom she has shared information about her Betazoid heritage. Rachel had been helping Renova deal with her grief over Sayzar Tyrellian's murder, but had only limited success.

Captain Buchanan
Unlike her counterpart on the station, Dr Arban Breetal, Dr Winston was held in contempt by the station commander, Captain Montaine Buchanan. On one occaision he walked into the Doctor's office, uninvited. When Winston offered, "There's a little button next to the door, Captain. When the door is closed you use that to announce your presence, and wait for an invitation to enter." The Captain smugly replied, "The Chimera is within my jurisdiction, Doctor. Sick Bay is not considered anyone's personal space. Therefore, I come and go as I wish. The only office on this station or this ship that I consider personal space. . . . is mine." Buchanan also exercises tight control over all outgoing reports to Starfleet. Those he cannot write himself, such as Dr Winston's are heavily scrutinized, and censored.

Lieutenant Commander Gregory Torkelson
Torkelson first met Dr Rachel Winston following the rescue of the Ferengi from the FMS Profitable Venture. She, along with Lieutenant Renova Exler are Commander Torkelson's closest confidantes after his reassignment. Their friendship was not without stumbling blocks, however. Dr. Winston had the persistent habit of finishing Torkelson's sentences for him. Torkelson and Winston also had a bit of a falling out following her introduction to Betazoid Ambassador Briz Nemon. In the words of Med Tech Giles, "I heard her, even through the bulkhead. Everyone in Sick Bay heard her. She practically chased Commander Torkelson all the way out of the burn unit. Then, he and the Doc retreated to her office, where they had a brief, but loud discussion." (Star Trek: Outpost: "One Step Forward, Two Steps Back")

Background
Dr Rachel Winston is played by Eleice Krawiec in all her appearances in Star Trek: Outpost.