Maines was a 20th century human man who served in the United States Armed Forces during the 1940s decade.
Biography
On 5 December 1945, Maines flew aboard one of five TBF Avenger aircraft as part of the Flight 19 training squadron on a pre-planned route from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to the Bahamas and back. Not long after takeoff, the squadron disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle, having been seized by a wormhole and brought to the planet Alin. An alien artificial intelligence named Suben controlled the wormhole, and demanded that they not leave the area.
During their second week on the planet, the aviators added all their remaining fuel to an escape plane that would be piloted by Maines, with Lavalle serving as his crewman. During their third week on the planet, Maines launched the Avenger, but Suben used some form of shearing technology against the craft. Their port wing ripped off, and the plane spiraled down and crashed, killing both men.
In 2371, when the surviving Avenger aircraft were found on Alin, Starfleet awarded Maines and his Flight 19 crewmates the Federation Cross. (TNG - Strange New Worlds IV short story: "Flight 19")
