Benjamin Edwards
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Benjamin Edwards is a celebrated Federation Starfleet officer, diplomat, and strategist serving during the latter half of the twenty-fourth century. The highlights of his recent career center around assignments as Executive Officer of the Eleventh "Pegasus" Fleet and Commanding Officer of the USS Intrepid. In these roles, Edwards not only witnessed major events involving the Elyshan Cold War, the Hobus Disaster, unrest in the Romulan Empire, and growing awareness of the Yang Zutal, but played a key role in them also. He currently serves as Commanding Officer of the Intrepid-class USS Intrepid.
Contents
Physical Description
There are many who would say that Benjamin has aged gracefully despite the physical stresses he has endured throughout his career. If asked, he will attribute his good health and physical stamina to healthful habits developed during his childhood. Like many who have worn the uniform for so long, Benjamin has developed a keen sense best noticed in the warm gaze he often uses to survey the world around him.
Personality & Traits
General Overview
COMING SOON!
Strengths & Weaknesses
COMING SOON!
Ambitions
COMING SOON!
Hobbies & Interests
COMING SOON!
Family
| Father: | Michael Edwards |
| Mother: | Lisa Edwards |
History
Early Childhood
Benjamin was born in early 2332 to parents Michael and Lisa Edwards. Much of his childhood was spent in and around San Fransisco, where his mother was an officer at Starfleet Command. Meanwhile, his father owned and operated a coffeehouse not too far from the Academy grounds that was often frequented by Starfleet cadets.
From the time that he could barely walk, his family took regular trips into the American wilderness. Each year, they focused on a different part of the country, making sure to visit historical and natural sights along the way. As he grew older, Ben took a greater interest in these family trips, often looking forward to the next one as soon as they made it home from the last.
While he wasn’t off adventuring with his parents, he helped out in his father’s coffeehouse. This brought him into frequent contact with both officers and cadets. Add in his mother’s occupation at Starfleet Command and everyone figured that he was destined for a career in Starfleet. This sort of “predetermination” did not sit well with Ben and he did everything in his power to shake that image.
In 2344, Ben’s mother was appointed as a member of Starfleet’s representation to the Federation Council. Following a brief family meeting, it was decided that they would move to Paris to be closer to the Federation compound there. Understandably, Ben was not too happy about the move. His father, having already found the perfect location for a new establishment, attempted to woo his son with promise of the upcoming family adventure. This time, however, they’d be touring the great sites of Europe.
The vacation was indeed a success, which eased Ben’s reservations, but he still missed his friends back in San Fransisco. When he graduated from high school in 2350, he moved back to San Fransisco and decided to take a year off to sort out what he wanted to do with his future. During the interim, he took over management of the original coffeehouse that he had grown up knowing so well. A year became two and then three. Many of Ben’s friends were well on their way toward Starfleet careers or other occupations. Meanwhile, he sat spinning his wheels, not quite sure of where he wanted to go.
In 2353, his mother was elected to the Federation Council and her increased responsibilities prevented the family vacation from taking place that summer. Under pressure from his father, Ben finally got himself moving and signed up for Starfleet Academy. Despite being three years behind others his age, Ben put himself wholeheartedly into his work. This had the immediate effect of impressing his instructors and fellow cadets with his dedication.
Early Starfleet Career
Hard work and good work ethic had always been important in the Edwards family and Ben applied that in all that he did. Graduating with honors in tactical planning and galactic history, Ben’s first assignment was as a tactical officer aboard the Ambassador-class USS Delphi. His first tour of duty was spent on the frontier of the Federation, exploring new territory and participating in first contact with two species.
During one encounter with an Orion smuggling operation in the Laos Sector, the Delphi was caught between to Syndicate strike craft. Ben was serving as the secondary tactical officer on the bridge at the time. During the engagement, the chief was incapacitated when his console overloaded. Ben immediately assumed the station, sized up the situation, and located a tactical weakness in the Orion’s pattern. Two well placed torpedoes opened a hole in the Orion defenses and allowed the Delphi to gain the upper hand.
For his quick thinking, Ben was granted a promotion to Lieutenant JG. He continued his service as tactical officer aboard the Delphi for two more years until they were assigned to participate in the salvage of the Soyuz-class Harriman. The ship had been abandoned when the crew feared a reactor breach during an engagement with the elusive Cardassians. No such breach had occurred, but the remaining crew had been unable to return to the ship.
Ben was assigned as part of the salvage team sent to get the Harriman up and running. The team had barely gotten main power back online and primary systems up when a mysterious vessel appeared, claiming salvage of the Harriman for itself. When the captain of the Delphi refused to turn over the Harriman, the unknown vessel opened fire on both ships. Ben immediately assumed tactical aboard the old Soyuz and, in combination with his superior aboard the Delphi, managed to drive off the unknown scavengers.
The Harriman was escorted to Starbase 226 where Ben was ordered to report to the USS Kelvin as assistant chief security/tactical officer. Having had experience leading tactical as well as security teams aboard the Delphi, Ben found the transition to assistant chief to be rather easy to grow accustomed to. Aboard the Kelvin, Ben often found himself in charge of diplomatic contingents rather than the frontier exploration he had seen aboard the Delphi.
In 2361, Ben was serving as diplomatic escort during negotiations at Joliet II. The negotiations were attacked by insurgents who did not wish to see the situation settled in such a manner. Communications cut off with the ship, Ben was forced to take charge of the situation. He led his fellow officers and local security forces in establishing a secure perimeter, but the mob outside was growing stronger and Ben knew that, without support from the Kelvin, they would not be able to hold out.
On the third day, the mob broke through the front gate of the compound and began to pour into the buildings. Ben and several other Starfleet officers took up position in the main negotiation chambers, attempting to put up a last defense for the ambassadors and their aides. One of the aides, however, was a spy and had been the one to feed information to the insurgents outside. Ben had to make an instant decision to take a shot meant for one of the ambassadors. Unfortunately, his efforts were futile. The insurgents overran the compound and executed the negotiating parties.
The leader of the insurgency was merciful and allowed the Kelvin to retrieve the Starfleet personnel and leave in peace. Out of twenty four officers, twenty returned to the Kelvin alive. Ben’s actions earned him meritorious award and a promotion to Lieutenant. His injuries healed, but his sense of failure took time to recover from. He turned down two offers for reassignment in the next two years. Finally, the captain could no longer ignore Ben’s sudden lack of motivation. He ordered the man to consult with the ship’s counselor.
Two months later, Ben had managed to overcome his regret and his fellow shipmates saw a noticeable improvement in his duties. He served another three years aboard the Kelvin before being transferred to the USS Intrepid as Chief Security/Tactical Officer in 2366. Along with his new position came a promotion to Lieutenant Commander.
The old Excelsior-class vessel had a long history of service. She was unable to participate in the engagements with the Borg, but she saw plenty of action during the Cardassian conflict. As the Intrepid’s chief security/tactical officer, Ben oversaw a number of engagements with Cardassians. There were some, like Ben, who doubted the sincerity of the Cardassian Treaty that brought an end to the conflict, but he stood by the oath he had sworn. Perhaps the most devastating blow was the defection of the Intrepid’s first officer, Commander Luke Sanders, to the growing Maquis movement in early 2369.
Ordered to pursue and apprehend the ship’s former XO, the Intrepid tracked the Maquis cell to one of the numerous disputed regions along the DMZ after six months of cat and mouse. Unfortunately, the Maquis were waiting for them. Unwilling to go quietly, Luke Sanders used his knowledge of Starfleet regulations and the Intrepid’s operation against them. The plan worked too well. The Cardassian Gul in the region believed the Intrepid to be collaborating with the Maquis and opened fire on the weakened starship. The old girl was no match for the Cardassian warship and the captain was forced to give the order to abandon ship. Their distress call was responded to by the USS Julliard three days later.
Once again, Ben could not believe that he had been taken advantage off. It seemed to be a recurring theme in his career. As before, his captain stepped in and got him back on track in time for their new assignment to the next USS Intrepid, first of the new Intrepid-class starships. Part of the captain’s vested interest was his desire to have Ben as his right hand. Honored, Ben accepted the position and was promoted to Commander.
As tensions between the Federation and the newly discovered Dominion began to increase, the USS Intrepid was among hundreds of vessels that began to be diverted from purely scientific exploration to more logistical roles. Missions such as border patrol, convoy escort, supply transport, and diplomatic envoys slowly began to replace those of exploration and colonization. War eventually broke out between the Federation and the Dominion in 2373. The Intrepid would see action along the frontlines and defending Federation convoys.
The Dominion War
In 2374, the Intrepid arrived at Betazed along with a Federation supply convoy. When the Dominion assault fleet arrived, the Intrepid was forced into action. Outnumbered and outgunned, Captain Delios refused to back down. He hoped they could hold out until the tenth fleet arrived, but it was not to be. Overwhelmed by the assault, the Intrepid suffered heavy damage. Captain Delios suffered fatal injury when a support beam collapsed. Ben immediately assumed command and ordered the helmsman to withdraw. Remaining would have been suicide.
Granted a battlefield promotion to captain, Ben was ordered to remain in command of the Intrepid. Following a priority repair, the Intrepid was dispatched to the Argolis Cluster to prevent the creation of a Dominion supply line that would have enabled their forces reach toward Vulcan. Along with her task group, the Intrepid was successful in disrupting Dominion operations in the region.
By the close of the Dominion War, Starfleet was impressed with the actions of the Intrepid. They made Ben’s field promotion official and assigned the Intrepid to exploration on the Federation frontier, something Ben was all too happy to get back to. In her first month, the Intrepid catalogued sixty different spacial anomalies.
Eleventh Fleet
In late 2385, the Intrepid was brought in for an extensive refit. It was during that time that Captain Benjamin Edwards was approached by Vice Admiral Roman Sanchez with an offer to serve as his XO in Pegasus Fleet, which patrolled the frontier between the Klingon Empire and the Tholian Assembly. Ben agreed and was given a brevet promotion to Rear Admiral in conjunction with his new assignment. He and the Intrepid were stationed at Pegasus Fleet’s base of operations on Cestus III for much of 2385, assisting in the establishment of the 11th Fleet and a Starfleet presence in the region.
Romulan Internal Affairs
After only a year on Cestus III, Ben was ordered by Starfleet Command to lead a small task group along the Romulan border. There were those at command who were growing increasingly concerned with the internal strife that was growing within the borders of the Romulan Empire. They felt that the presence of experienced officers in the region would help to ensure that the situation did not get out of hand. For his part, Ben agreed that a greater Starfleet presence in the region would be beneficial to both Federation and Romulan interests.
Ben accepted the assignment which meant voluntarily relinquishing his brevet rank of Rear Admiral. To him, it was more important to serve where he was needed than to hold a rank that would keep him from his one true passion, a command of his own. Ben returned to the bridge of the Intrepid and proceeded to his new assignment along the Romulan Neutral Zone. Their purpose would be to assist in humanitarian efforts to the Romulans, to ensure security for Federation citizens and Starfleet interests, and to promote stability in the region.
Service Record
| Year | Placement | Rank | Assignment |
| 2353 | Starfleet Academy |  Cadet |
Cadet (First Year) |
| 2354 | Starfleet Academy |  Cadet |
Cadet (Second Year) |
| 2355 | Starfleet Academy |  Cadet |
Cadet (Third Year) |
| 2356 | Starfleet Academy |  Cadet |
Cadet (Fourth Year) |
| 2357 - 2359 | USS Delphi |  Ensign |
Tactical Officer |
| 2359 - 2360 | USS Delphi |  Lieutenant JG |
Tactical Officer |
| 2360 - 2361 | USS Kelvin | Lieutenant JG |
Assistant Chief Security/Tactical Officer |
| 2361 - 2366 | USS Kelvin |  Lieutenant |
Assistant Chief Security/Tactical Officer |
| 2366 - 2369 | USS Intrepid (Excelsior-Refit-class) |
 Lieutenant Commander |
Chief Security/Tactical Officer |
| 2369 - 2374 | USS Intrepid | Commander |
Executive Officer |
| 2374 - 2375 | USS Intrepid | Captain (Provisional) |
Commanding Officer |
| 2375 - 2385 | USS Intrepid |  Captain |
Commanding Officer |
| 2385 - 2386 | USS Intrepid Eleventh Fleet |
 Rear Admiral |
Commanding Officer Fleet Executive Officer |
| 2386 - Present | USS Intrepid | Captain |
Commanding Officer |
| Preceded by: None |
Eleventh Fleet Executive Officer 2385 – 2386 |
Succeeded by: Rear Admiral Roger Wellington |
| Preceded by: Captain Walter Emick |
Commanding Officer of USS Intrepid 2374 – Present |
Succeeded by: Incumbent |