Rupert Smith

Lieutenant Commander Rupert Smith, a tall, lean black man in his mid 30s, commanded the Erthumoi ship Inside Straight on an expedition to the Crab Nebula, attempting to recover an artifact of the Hidden Folk. When he arrived within sight of the artifact, a Samian ship was already there, and exhibited very unusual behavior. Although the Samians were famous for being a good-natured and happy-go-lucky race (partly due to their indestructibility), the incoming radio message threatened to fire on the Inside Straight should it come too close.