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Memory Alpha

Lieutenant Commander Dmitri Valtane was a science officer aboard the USS Excelsior under Captain Hikaru Sulu during the late-23rd century.

From 2290 to 2293, Valtane served during the Excelsior's three-year mission cataloging gaseous planetary bodies in the Beta Quadrant. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)

Valtane was the bunk-mate of Ensign Tuvok in 2293. They worked during the gamma shift and shared common quarters with two other gamma shift officers, on Deck 7. As an eager young officer, Valtane expressed both approval and surprise regarding Captain Sulu's recklessness in attempting to rescue Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy from Rura Penthe. When Tuvok expressed his negative outlook on Humans, Valtane did not take any personal offence and at the end of the conversation merely remarked that Tuvok's determination to resign his commission in the future would be "his loss".

It is unclear why Valtane, as a fairly high-ranking officer, would share quarters with Tuvok and other junior officers, although it could be a consequence of the dense crew populations of (relatively small) 23rd century starships, as hinted at in DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations" and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

Following Captain Sulu's abortive attempt to rescue Kirk and McCoy, the Excelsior came under attack while attempting to enter Klingon space. Gravely injured during the attack, Valtane, while in a state of clinical death, unwittingly transferred a memory virus to his attendant crewmate Tuvok. (VOY: "Flashback")

Background information

Valtane was played by actor Jeremy Roberts. His character, who had no first name in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, appeared to die in "Flashback". However, one might speculate either that something other than death may have triggered the memory-virus transfer to Tuvok or that Valtane was resuscitated in sickbay shortly afterward (or perhaps Tuvok's memory wasn't quite perfect). Any of these would explain Valtane's otherwise contradictory appearance, alive and well, on the bridge during the departure shot of the Excelsior's crew at the end of Star Trek VI.

As a child, Valtane was portrayed by an unknown actor.

The costume worn by Roberts as Valtane in "Flashback" was auctioned off in the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. [1] [2]

Apocrypha

The novel The Fearful Summons, by Denny Martin Flinn, gave the departing Valtane the first name of Masoud.

Peter David's novel The Captain's Daughter stated that Valtane was the Excelsior's first officer; the novelization of Star Trek VI also stated this. However, DC Comics had a story arc, collected in Tests of Courage, by Howard Weinstein in their second TOS volume that instead had Rand as first officer.

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