Rairen Caide

Gender: Male Race: Trill Rank: Lieutenant Occupation: Head of Shoals Starfleet Rangers Affiliation: Starfleet Starfleet Rangers

Lieutenant Rairen Caide is a Trill Starfleet officer that oversees Starfleet Rangers deployed into the Shoals. He currently heads the search for missing ranger Kehive na-Soldim, who was presumed to be taken by Tholians following a survey missing nearby Havley's Hope.

Caide is single-handedly responsible for the overhaul of the original Rangers directive—where before, officers worked either as special forces or hand-in-hand with planetary security forces in combat-orientated positions, Caide has now made it clear to officers that their current purposes are more civilian-orientated, for relief, exploration, and assistance with colony construction (be this with the technical aspects, or in other areas). Caide strives to set the Rangers back on "an honourable path", in which they provide service and support to the colonies on the outskirts on the Federation, where starships often cannot.

History

Born and raised on a colony world to two loving parents, Rairen Caide spent many of his early years aimless—unsure exactly of what he was meant to do or when to do it, though his education went well in general (quite well, really). He applied to Starfleet at twenty-four years old as an NCO—though he took time away from Starfleet to complete a BA in Sociology a few years later. Upon his return, he was offered a promotion to ensign, and a position within the Starfleet Rangers. For achievements on colony worlds and service to settlements with the Rangers, he would be promoted twice more over the course of his career, and is now a lieutenant.

Caide was briefly attached to the Duronis II Embassy in 2394 as a Ranger liaison, and spent time organizing the training of new officers joining the Starfleet Rangers—however, he is keenly aware of the lack of resources with the Rangers currently split between two separate divisions. The following year, Caide and other rangers are becoming increasingly frustrated by the disjointed chain of command the Rangers currently experience, and he begins to push for the reunification of all Ranger assets following an incident in the Leutra system involving a covert division of Rangers, though he would initially be unsuccessful.

A smattering of unfortunate circumstances within the organisational structure of the Rangers involving cases of gross mismanagement of resources and lack of clear departmental direction results in Caide's new charge of the Shoals division of officers (of which there are only a handful of). He is again offered another promotion for the position, but he refuses it, quoting a need for himself to be held accountable for any wrong-doing on the Rangers' part in their area of operation. Because of this, Caide is the lowest ranking officer to ever head a section of Rangers in the organisation's history, defying the traditional ranking and leadership structure of Starfleet—though he claims that this is to his benefit.

When the USS Astraeus breaches into the Shoals and surpasses the maximum warp speed (becoming 'banked' in the process), he contacts the nearest ranger and demands a full report regarding the incident. It's stated that he yells for what might have been a "good half-hour", and gives Sky Blake his blessing to arrest and subsequently had over Victor Yeager to the Colonial Coalition Marshals Service for joint charges.

Caide enlists the help of fellow ranger Sky Blake to begin the search for Lieutenant Kehive na-Soldim when he goes missing along the Tholian border in the Shoals. On their journey, Caide requests to stop by smaller settlements to check in with them and learn about the area in general. They arrive in Bupirninyirring and are greeted by settlement manager Keyri Largew, who explains that the water reclamators Tristam Core designed the year before have been having ongoing maintenance problems, and fears foul play—Caide offers to take a look at them. The next day, the two are assisting with menial tasks and learning about the settlement when Caide is involved in a minor accident involving Pierce Macnamara's horse and carriage, and incurs several injuries. The following evening, Blake locates the water reclamator saboteur, a colonist who wishes to move the minor settlement away from the Tholian border, and takes them to Largew.

Unable to treat Caide on Kidman, the two Rangers leave the area for the nearest outpost with medical supplies. They begin a tour down the Tholian border once Caide is healed and cleared for duty, and after four months, end up in the Roxburgh Sector with no lead on Kehive's location. Blake receives a request to return to the Veritas following the death of another Starfleet officer on Ketar V, and she leaves Caide to continue the search in the system to re-join her crew.

Caide is recalled to Ketar V upon notification that one of his rangers (Blake) was accused of breaking and entering the personal locker of the now deceased Lukaik. Shocked and disappointed in the behaviour, he berates Blake for poor conduct, though is interupted by Wil Ukinix. He leaves the Veritas to attempt to fight the criminal charges. Caide returns to check on Blake following her isolation to Sickbay to give her witness and case reports about their missing persons' case, and consoles her when she admits to feeling scared about her condition.