FUSS ABOUT RUSSELL

Ensign to the right of Janeway [#30 Alliances] complete picture shown here and below Right picture: Russell [TNG: Tin Man] complete picture shown here and below

It is known that Russell is a Starfleet engineer who served for five years aboard the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D, under Captain Jean-Luc Picard, as an ensign. His service career, and episode appearances, including dialogue support for his surname, are given below. However, acceptance that the particular Voyager crewmember is named the same man, i.e. Ensign Russell, is your choice, depending on whether you accept or reject the arguments given in this article. His rank (ensign) is assured by dialogue in [#30 Alliances]. I believe he can be accepted as being the same character, and therefore this character is denoted as Ensign Russell throughout the site, although with link-referrals to this article where relevant.

THE PROPOSAL AND ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST

PROPOSAL: In 2371, Russell was transferred into the command division and assigned to USS Voyager. With the change of division came the change in the uniform's division colour from gold to scarlet. He remained an ensign, as he is addressed as such by Chakotay in [#30 Alliances]. I am in favour of the proposal, and therefore this character is denoted as Ensign Russell throughout the site, although with link-referrals to this article where relevant.

Arguments for the Proposal
1. It seems to be expected that [Voyager] viewers have seen some or all of previous Star Trek including [TNG] and would have seen Russell, even if they do not recall his name, and are likely to recognise him in [Voyager].
2. Even if he is not menioned in any canon book sources, he is demonstrably there, visually evident on screen, in both [TNG] and [Voyager], and he is actually NAMED in [TNG] in [TNG: Tin Man]. Just because someone is not mentioned in canon book source(s), even accounting for them not being up to date to the end of the series, does not mean they cannot be canon. The term "canon" actually includes visual evidence and/or any dialogue on screen in an aired episode, which is why in this paragraph I specify by saying "canon BOOK sources". An example of a Voyager crewmember being accepted as canon is Ann Smithy whose name appears on the Bajoran handheld data device used by Teero Anaydis in [#150 Repression]. Another example is Ayala's transfer to command division which is not mentioned in dialogue but is evident from the different division colour of his uniform that is seen in [#170 Renaissance Man].
3. Chakotay addresses him as "Ensign." (indicating that he should blow the bo'sun's whistle at the memorial service for Kurt Bendera) in [#30 Alliances]. screenshot (also shown later on this page) That is significant in that it retains the rank that Russell held on the Enterprise-D, but that argument strengthens the case only if one really wants it to be Russell. If Chakotay had said a rank higher or a position lower than ensign it would introduce doubt to the argument, although whether only some doubt or certain doubt depends on the level of one's scepticism in identifying him as Russell in the first place.
4. The chronology is plausible. Season 7 of [TNG] is year 2370, about a year before Russell could plausibly be assigned a post on Voyager in early 2371.
5. It is nice to have as many crewmembers known by name as possible. The show's writers would want to encourage viewers to feel like we know the crew and thus identify more with them, and the writers would also know that fans would tend to do this even if it is not done on a very deliberate basis.
6. It is nice to have a 'crossover' crewmember, i.e. one who appears in another Star Trek series, and not just a main crewmember i.e. a member of an ensemble cast. In [DS9] and [Voyager], each show metaphorically receives the baton from the previous Star Trek series using the method of a main ensemble cast member appearing in the new series.
7. Following on from the above, it is nice to see 'lower decks' crew careers developing - by accepting the officer as Russell, we see that he has changed division, and is certainly happy enough in Starfleet not to resign or to reject-and-resign the posting to Voyager.
8. Whilst, as argued under 'Against', it is more implausible to change from engineering to command than, say, Ops to Command, as with Ayala (who is in command uniform in [#170 Renaissance Man]), it cannot be ruled out.
9. If the above points are convincing, then it is nice to have a named Voyager crewmember rather than having to refer to them as "an ensign" or "thingummy".

AGAINST THE PROPOSAL: There is no known Voyager crewmember whose surname is Russell. It is accepted that the person, who therefore must merely look like Ensign Russell from the Enterprise-D, is an ensign because he is addressed as such by Chakotay in [#30 Alliances].

Arguments against the Proposal
1. There is no mention of a Voyager crewmember surnamed Russell in any canon book sources, in particular there is none at all in Encyclopaedia including the Supplement (and I have checked all of it) that goes up to Season 5 (Russell appears in a number of episodes including being addressed in Season 2's [#30 Alliances]). I am keeping an eye open for any mention of him, i.e. as a Voyager officer as distinct from an Enterprise-D officer, in TOSTFF (which tends to follow Encyclopaedia), ST:M and other canon magazine and book sources, but so far have not found any such mention. If Star Trek writers or producers intended the Russell identification, surely there would be at least one mention, probably of his role in Bendera's memorial service in [#30 Alliances]?
2. The name Russell cannot be seen on the few and admittedly incomplete parts of Voyager's Crew Manifest that are seen in the show, as those are canon by virtue of appearing on screen in one or more episode (even if they can only be read by taking screenshots and looking at them in close-up, which I have done).
3. Russell was an engineer on the Enterprise-D. It seems rather implausible that he should change the nature of his profession to that of command because, if he is to be considered as Russell, on Voyager he wears the scarlet divisional stripe on his uniform that signifies the command division. A change from engineering to command is more implausible than changing from Ops to Command as with, say, Lieutenant Ayala in [#170 Renaissance Man].
4. Some background actors change identity e.g. Louis Ortiz who plays Dorado and Culhane, so we cannot be certain that the person who looks like Ensign Russell from the Enterprise-D (with appropriate aging) (i.e. like actor Carl David Burks) is indeed Ensign Russell.

Beam to CREW: MINOR CREW: Ensign Russell for detailed information about Russell's service on USS Voyager. Brief information only is given in this article here.

2366-2371: SERVICE AS AN ENGINEER
ABOARD U.S.S. ENTERPRISE NCC-1701-D

Russell may have been the engineer at the engineering station at the rear of the bridge when Picard was abducted by aliens and replaced by a doppelganger (an alien lifeform disguised), and passed by Worf as he exited the bridge to investigate Picard's disappearance and non-reply to hails. [TNG: Allegiance]

Russell [TNG: Allegiance]

He assisted his divisional superior, Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge, with repairs to the shields and later the sensor array after both systems were damaged during an encounter with Tin Man. During this time, La Forge addressed Russell by name:

La Forge: "Computer, reconfigure structural integrity power to feed inner deflector grid."
Computer: "Unable to comply. Requested re-route would compromise operational safety limits."
La Forge: "To hell with the limits. Override - authorisation La Forge theta-2-9-9-7."
Computer: "Re-routing structural integrity power supply."
La Forge: "Russell, watch the lateral grid balance. No, no, no, that's too much." Moving away so that Russell is no longer in sight. " We're going to have to do it manually."

La Forge addresses Russell [TNG: Tin Man]

Russell on the bridge. Data reports: "This is all that is left of the pod's computer system." [TNG: Transfigurations]

Russell was working at the engineering station at the rear of the Enterprise-D bridge when John Doe was brought abroad, and was working there later when the ship rendezvoused with a Zalkonian vessel . Like the rest of the crew, he experienced the suffocating weapon of the Zalkonians. [TNG: Transfigurations]

Russell on the bridge in the scene after Crusher and John Doe converse in Ten Forward; Worf reports a vessel on long-range scanners [TNG: Transfigurations] another screenshot

Russell on the bridge [TNG: Transfigurations]

Russell and the crew, starting to choking [TNG: Transfigurations]

Russell recovering from choking

[TNG: Transfigurations]

Russell [TNG: Transfigurations]

He was working in engineering when the Enterprise encountered a Borg cube in late 2366. He was sitting at a work station in the background when Riker, Shelby, La Forge, Data and Wesley Crusher had a discussion in engineering. and Picard was assimilated by the Borg. [TNG: The Best of Both Worlds]

  
Russell sitting at a work station [TNG: The Best of Both Worlds] and close-up

Russell walks past in the background (left to right), twice, when the Borg lock onto the Enterprise-D and La Forge attempts to modulate the shields [TNG: The Best of Both Worlds]

one of these shows Russell runing out of engineering after La Forge orders evacuation [TNG: The Best of Both Worlds]

engineering is being repaired; Picard signs off a report presented by Russell [TNG: The Best of Both Worlds]

 2367

In 2367, Russell was working in engineering when the Enterprise-D was rapidly approaching a cosmic string as it was dragged along by two-dimensional lifeforms. I have yet to verify this with screenshots. [TNG: The Loss]

Russell walks behind Data and La Forge [TNG: Clues]

He was on duty during the encounter with the Paxans, when the Paxans sought to erase the crew's memory of them completely, and he was in engineering when Data and Nelson performed a scan and La Forge entered and, all without arousing Data's suspicions that the senior staff were suspicious of him, spoke to him and then, when Data left, turned and addressed Nelson, wanting his help with the computer. [TNG: Clues]

close-up of Russell [TNG: Clues]

Russell walks over to a wall interface and works there while Data and La Forge talk, and he is still there when Data leaves and La Forge turns to talk to Nelson (Nelson is seen briefly at the start of the scene but not at the end when La Forge specifically addresses him) [TNG: Clues]

Russell was working in engineering when a spaceborne species called Junior attached itself to the hull of the Enterprise. He walks past La Forge whilst inputting or ascertaining data using a PADD. [TNG: Galaxy's Child]

Russell with PADD [TNG: Galaxy's Child]

Russell was on duty when Lwaxana Troi (mother of Ship's Counselor Deanna Troi) and her valet entered engineering with Mantickian pates for a small picnic. [TNG: Half a Life]

Russell is in the left of the picture, standing working at a wall interface, and is later blocked and mostly blocked by Dr Timicin [TNG: Half A Life]

Russell was working in engineering after Geordi La Forge, unaware he had been mentally programmed by the Romulans, returned from his trip to Risa. La Forge was very pleased with the work the engineers had done in his absence: "Well, if you guys keep running at this efficiency, I might as well go back to Risa for another week." [TNG: The Mind's Eye]

[TNG: The Mind's Eye]

2368

Russell was one of the crewmembers assigned to scan the debris of the Vulcan transport ship T'Pau. [TNG: Unification, Part One]

Russell is one of the two male engineers working in the background right. I am not sure which one is Russell. The hair and sideburn line including pointishness of the one at the front seem about right but not certain. The chin is one of the ways I identify him, and I cannot see it clearly on either man.
close-up - judge for yourself [TNG: Unification]

Russell was working in the shuttlebay when Geordi La Forge finished the repairs on the shuttle Magellan, and Commander Riker and the J'naii named Soren left the ship for a rescue mission. At almost the very beginning of the scene, Russell walked across the foreground, from right to left. [TNG: The Outcast]

above 3 screenshots: [TNG: The Outcast]

Russell was on duty in engineering when Captain Picard and Dr Crusher received the report from Data and La Forge about the possibilities of the accident caused by the Nova Squadron in 2368. The screenshot is of the moment just before Picard and Crusher enter. These are the only two persons seen in this scene who are not main crew i.e. ensemble cast members. [TNG: The First Duty]

Russell was in main engineering when the Enterprise-D supported a Romulan science vessel, during which operation his superior La Forge and Ensign Ro Laren accidentally became phase-shifted. Until they discovered a means to signal their presence, the pair were invisible to their crewmates including Russell. [TNG: The Next Phase]

Russell in engineering [TNG: The Next Phase]

2369

Russell was in Ten Forward and passed Guinan, who talked to Commander Riker, when the Enterprise-D was in orbit of Devidia II. I have yet to verify this with screenshots. [TNG: Time's Arrow, Part Two]

He was in main engineering when the Enterprise-D discovered the Dyson sphere and the crashed USS Jenolen on it. He was busy when the rescued Captain Montgomery Scott visited the main engineering. [TNG: Relics]

Russell in engineering, and a close-up [TNG: Relics]

Russell was on duty in engineering and working with Lieutenant Shipley when solanogen-based lifeforms were conducting medical experiments on the crew of the Enterprise-D. In a later scene, after Shipley reported: "EPS mains holding stable, sensor array online." Data and La Forge moveed to another part of engineering and Data asked to question him about his (Data's) earlier poetry reading. As they started to do that move away, Russell walked past, left to right. [TNG: Schisms]

  
Russell working with Lieutenant Shipley in the background, a second or two before La Forge says: "Lieutenant Shipley, let's get a triangulation on these sector points." Shipley then leaves the workstation. [TNG: Schisms]

later scene, Russell walks left to right [TNG: Schisms]

Russell was on duty when Geordi La Forge guided Amanda Rogers on a tour of the ship. Very shortly after she entered a cargobay with La Forge, Russell took her case. Later in the scene Amanda used her Q-powers to divert a falling piece of cargo telekinetically away from falling on Riker. [TNG: True Q]
above screenshots: [TNG: True Q]

above screenshots: [TNG: True Q]

Russell, wearing engineering overalls, was part of the engineering team that scanned the debris of the shuttlecraft Fermi in an Enterprise-D shuttle bay. He brought over a small sample case to La Forge, who was talking with O'Brien, so that a sample could be collected. According to La Forge's words: "That's not tritanium any more. Somehow the molecular structure of this alloy's been changed, broken down into its constituent elements. I want to get a sample of this down to Engineering and run a metallurgical analysis." All three then got up and La Forge left with the sample case. Later Russell was on duty in engineering. Later he was among a group of crewmembers ushered into a transporter room and into the transporter chamber to be beamed to the surface of Ligos VII by the group of renegade Ferengi who seized control of the ship. The final preparation for beaming and the beam-down were not seen. [TNG: Rascals]

above 4 screenshots: Russell and the sample case [TNG: Rascals]

	left and above: in engineering, Russell walks past behind Crusher and Riker as they, La Forge and O'Brien discuss what caused the transporter malfunction that re-constituted Picard, Keiko O'Brien and Guinan as children; Russell later starts to walk back the other way [TNG: Rascals]

above 2 screenshots: Russell and other crewmembers about to be transported off the Enterprise-D by the Ferengi [TNG: Rascals]. The final frame of the scene shows Russell about to turn to face the Ferengi and be transported; on the transporter pads, he is the person to the far right in the picture - screenshot

Russell was working in engineering when a malfunction of the connection between Data and the Enterprise-D caused problems aboard the ship, problems that were later solved within the environment of the holodeck. Russell was working at a wall interface while La Forge was examining Data, Riker entered and Data spoke in the language of the ancient Wild West including greeting him with "Howdy, Commander." [TNG: A Fistful of Datas]

above 2 screenshots: Russell in engineering, in the background, far right of picture [TNG: A Fistful Of Datas]

Geordi La Forge asked Russell if he could hear the music, which was played by Jean-Luc Picard and Nella Daren in 2369. They performed in a Jefferies tube and their music sounded through the ship. I have yet to verify this with screenshots. [TNG: Lessons]

Russell was working in engineering when Counselor Troi searched for her next present puzzle there, following a trail of romantic items left for her by Will Riker's duplicate. [TNG: Second Chances]

Russell moves from a wall panel (close-up) and walks away [TNG: Second Chances]

He was on duty in engineering when Lieutenant Commander Data was checked because of his "emotional" behaviour on Ohniaka III. I have yet to verify this with screenshots. [TNG: Descent]

 2370

Commander Riker ordered an away team, Ensign Armstrong (addressing him by name) and his companion who was Russell, to beam back to the Enterprise-D from a Borg-controlled planet. [TNG: Descent, Part Two]

Armstrong and Russell [TNG: Descent, Part Two]

  
Russell starts to move to the beam-up site [TNG: Descent, Part Two]

Russell inspected the Iyaaran shuttle when Captain Picard and Iyaaran Ambassador Voval returned with the shuttlecraft in early 2370. It may have been Russell who walked between Troi and Picard and the Iyaaran shuttle after it first arrived on the Enterprise-D. [TNG: Liaisons]

possibly Russell (left of picture) [TNG: Liaisons]

  
Russell and a female crewmember in the shuttlebay when Picard and Voval return in the Iyaaran shuttle; the pair walk away, passing behind the shuttle, and are not seen in the scene any more [TNG: Liaisons]

Russell was working in engineering close to the warp core around the time when Data was experiencing his first dreams early in 2370. I have yet to verify this with screenshots. [TNG: Phantasms]

He was working in engineering when the Enterprise was exploring the Hekaras Corridor. I have yet to verify this with screenshots. [TNG: Force of Nature]

In at least one parallel universe which security chief Worf experienced, Russell was working in main engineering. When Worf, Data, Picard and La Forge are at the island workstation (known to production crew as "the pool table", Russell walks past behind La Forge and Picard. In screenshots Russell is blurred as he moves quite fast. [TNG: Parallels]

Russell passes behind La Forge and Picard [TNG: Parallels]

Russell was on duty in engineering when, with Riker and Admiral Erik Pressman having retrieved a secret Starfleet experimental cloaking device, ship and crew employ it to escape through the substance of an asteroid to escape being trapped there by a Romulan warbird. As La Forge informs the bridge via comms: "we've routed the impulse engines through the plasma conduits, but you'll have to watch the intercooler levels. If they get too high, we'll blow the entire relay system." Russell walks past behind him toward the warp core. [TNG: The Pegasus]

La Forge and Russell [TNG: The Pegasus]

Russell was one of the officers of the Enterprise that the Boraalan named Vorin encountered when he accidentally left the holodeck and was bewildered as he had had no idea that he had been in a simulated environment for a time. [TNG: Homeward]

personnel Ensign Russell and another are surprised to encounter Vorin as he emerges from the holodeck, although they are not as surprised as he is [TNG: Homeward] (Vorin is played by actor Brian Markinson who also plays Dr Geiger in [DS9: In The Cards], and in [Voyager] Lt. Pete Durst in [#13 Cathexis] and [#14 Faces] and also Sulan in [#14 Faces])

Russell was on duty in main engineering when La Forge left, after the discussion with Ensign Taurik, and shortly before Sam Lavelle was promoted to lieutenant junior grade. [TNG: Lower Decks]

above 4 screenshots: Russell walks past, behind La Forge [TNG: Lower Decks] close-up of Russell   screenshot of Taurik, with whom La Forge is speaking (Taurik is played by Alexander Enberg who plays the Vulcan engineer named Vorik in [Voyager])

Russell was working in main engineering when Data was taken over by various D'Arsay personalities and Picard attempts to investigate by interrogating Data. [TNG: Masks]

above 4 screenshots: Russell in the background, behind La Forge [TNG: Masks] Data, to whom Picard is talking

Russell was on duty in main engineering shortly after Daniel Kwan committed suicide. At first he was in discussion with a female crewmember, then he walked back and forth several times in the background as Data and La Forge talked. [TNG: Eye of the Beholder]

	Russell leaves and walks to the right of the picture
above 2 screenshots: Russell then moves away to the right and out of frame, moving to Data's left
above screenshots: [TNG: Eye Of The Beholder]

Russell was working in main engineering when the crew was beginning to feel the influence of Barclay's Protomorphosis Syndrome, and Barclay, La Forge and Data discussed the matter in engineering. [TNG: Genesis]

above 3 screenshots: [TNG: Genesis]

Russell beamed down to Maranga IV, together with many other members of the crew of the Enterprise, to attend the Kot'baval Festival. I have yet to verify this with screenshots. [TNG: Firstborn]

Russell was on duty in main engineering when the ship was developing a mysterious emergent lifeforce in late 2370. I have yet to verify this with screenshots. [TNG: Emergence]

Russell was a guest at Lieutenant Ro Laren's 'welcome back' party in Ten Forward later that year. I have yet to verify this with screenshots. [TNG: Pre-emptive Strike]

Russell experiences an alternative timeline that was created when the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-C travelled forward in time. Russell passed Tasha Yar and Richard Castillo in a corridor during their visit to the Enterprise-D. Later Russell joined fellow-crewmembers in Ten Forward. I have yet to verify this with screenshots. [TNG: Yesterday's Enterprise]

2371-77: SERVICE IN THE COMMAND DIVISION ABOARD U.S.S. VOYAGER NCC-74656

Below is brief information, but beam to CREW: MINOR CREW: Ensign Russell for detailed information about Russell's service on USS Voyager.

Russell was transferred into the command division and, retaining the rank of ensign, accepted asignment to the U.S.S. Voyager, commanded by Captain Kathryn Janeway. Perhaps prior to reporting for duty on Voyager he had some shore leave, possibly on Deep Space 9 and embarked there, although this is entirely speculation by myself. On the ship's first mission (to the Badlands to search for and rescue the Maquis raider ship called Val Jean (see The Val Jean and Maquis ships) commanded by Chakotay, Voyager was taken into the Delta Quadrant by a massive displacement wave generated by a Sporocystian lifeform, a Nacene being known to the Ocampa as the Caretaker. Along with the surviving Starfleet crew, joined by Chakotay and his Maquis crew, Russell became stranded in the Delta Quadrant. With Voyager cut off from Starfleet, like the rest of the ship's crew, Russell has no way of letting loved ones at home know of his fate until the Doctor makes a short visit to the Alpha Quadrant in 2374 in [#82 Message In A Bottle] and, while there, briefs Starfleet Command.

Russell plays an important background role at the memorial for Kurt Bendera, held in early 2372 following his death from injuries sustained in a Kazon attack. When Chakotay finishes his eulogy of Bendera, the gathered crewmembers stand, and Chakotay refers to Russell by his rank, saying: "Ensign." whereupon Ensign Rusell blows the bo'sun's whistle signalling the respect of the crew and of the service for the deceased (although Bendera was originally a Maquis and not "of the service" i.e. not of Starfleet). [#30 Alliances]

Russell stands to attention behind right of Janeway [#30 Alliances]

Russell blows the bo'sun's whistle [#30 Alliances]

closeup of the above - Russell blows the bo'sun's whistle [#30 Alliances]

members of the crew at the memorial stay standing as Russell (not in view) blows the bo'sun's whistle [#30 Alliances]

In 2373, Russell is one of the crewmembers in Voyager's Messhall gathered to celebrate the success of the mission to preserve the timeline from alteration by Henry Starling and also to celebrate the return of ship and crew to their place in the Delta Quadrant in the 24th century. He is in a group of three personnel who are chatting in the background; the other male in the group of Crewman William McKenzie. (The scene is the final one of the story [#50 and #51: Future's End].)

Russell in the Messhall in [#50 and #51 Future's End]