Tom Markel

Tom Markel was a Human male, a Starfleet officer and lieutenant commander serving aboard the SS (survey ship/scout) in the 23rd century.

History
In 2269, the SS was on an assignment to survey Lactra VII. Three of the six members of the crew went missing on the surface. Markel, the senior officer aboard, decided to abandon ship with officers Nancy Randolph and Randi Bryce to rescue their lost crewmen. Markel recorded a ship's log entry detailing the decision. But the missing officers had died and the rescue team was trapped by Lactrans in the Lactra VII zoo.

Six weeks later, a landing party from the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) was similarly captured. Together they were able to get released. 

Markel's actions violated Starfleet protocols requiring at least two people to take the ship out of orbit and report their circumstances to a starbase. He, Randolph and Bryce had been captured at night. Markel speculated that the Lactran city extended far underground. Markel said every possible means of escape had been tried, and confessed that they had considered suicide. Lactrans occasionally allowed them to "play" with their equipment and had a communicator when Captain James T. Kirk signaled them. Markel thought a tracking signal would have a better chance of getting past the Lactrans than a verbal reply, but their communicator was confiscated quickly nonetheless.

Markel savored his freedom at finally being able to move beyond the habitat, cherishing each piece of equipment as he picked it up, as to him they had become symbols of his freedom. 

Background

 * In the episode, Tom Markel wore a gold uniform shirt with sciences division insignia and commander stripes. In the novelization he was named Louis Markel.
 * It was unclear if he was the CO of the Ariel prior to arriving at Lactra VII. The vessel's captain could have been one of the three casualties.
 * Ariel personnel wore the Enterprise delta assignment patch. Markel's height and weight were estimated from silhouettes of the officers standing side-by-side at the end of the episode.