Star Trek: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Janice Rand
2. Expanded Media Granted Rand Extra Appearances (And Fixed Some Mistakes)
Though her screen time was relatively brief, Janice Rand appeared in a number of expanded media tie-ins with the series and films. The TOS novel Enterprise: The First Adventure by Vonda N. McIntyre establishes that Rand's Starfleet career began after her enlistment in the Starfleet communications core, then was quickly assigned to the Enterprise.
She would struggle in her first couple of years, then enrolled in Starfleet Academy, before returning to her role as Yeoman to Captain Kirk. According to the novel The Captain's Daughter, by Peter David, she took a leave of absence, during which time she became a mother to Annie Rand, though her child would die a mere two years later.
She would later be assigned to Starfleet Communications' HQ in Iceland, before returning to the Enterprise. Again she would leave the ship, taking up a posting at Starfleet HQ. By this time, she had graduated from Starfleet Academy, holding the rank of lieutenant by 2286.
By 2290, various tie-in media confirm that the newly promoted Lieutenant Commander Rand was handpicked by Captain Sulu to serve as communications officer aboard the USS Excelsior, though it was first revealed in the DC Comics story Test Of Courage that she was also Sulu's first officer. Finally, according to The Lost Era novel The Sundered, by Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels, Rand was promoted to full Commander by 2298 and would see out the rest of her career in her role of first officer and communications officer aboard the Excelsior.