Today s Profile lets us meet Petty Officer Ben Maxwell.

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Rhoda Johnston
5 years ago
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Good morning readers, following on from feedback regarding our Profiles series today we leave the officer s mess on the USS Galaxy and meet one of the many Enlisted crew who are the backbone of

WHAT S YOUR FULL NAME AND DOES IT MEAN ANYTHING? WHO NAMED YOU, OR DID YOU CHOOSE IT? My full name? Benedict Maxwell, although I prefer it if people just called me Max (shuffles in his seat slightly).

I picked Max as my nickname because I always hated hearing my first name, or the one variation that my family seems intent on calling me. HOW OLD ARE YOU? I'm almost 35.

1 Good morning readers, following on from feedback regarding our Profiles series today we leave the officer s mess on the USS Galaxy and meet one of the many Enlisted crew who are the backbone of Starfleet. Today s Profile lets us meet Petty Officer Ben Maxwell. GOOD MORNING MR. MAXWELL, OKAY THEN, LET S START WITH A LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT YOU. WHAT S YOUR FULL NAME AND DOES IT MEAN ANYTHING? WHO NAMED YOU, OR DID YOU CHOOSE IT? My full name? Benedict Maxwell, although I prefer it if people just called me Max (shuffles in his seat slightly). As for who named me, my paternal grandmother gave me my first name. I picked Max as my nickname because I always hated hearing my first name, or the one variation that my family seems intent on calling me. HOW OLD ARE YOU? I'm almost 35. Gonna party hard on that day, too! BIT OF A PARTY ANIMAL EH? On special occasions I can be (chuckles). WHERE WERE YOU BORN? I was born on Earth, in a town called Flushing in New York. WHAT ARE YOUR PARENTS LIKE? WHAT DO THEY DO? My parents are...well, that would take a while to get into. But they are very good people, and did the best they could considering some of the circumstances over the years. As for what they do, my mother is a doctor and also recently put in command of the U.S.S. Jarvik hospital ship. My father is with the Diplomatic Corps...but he's been missing for about two years now. MISSING? WHAT HAPPENED? I'm not certain. He was on an envoy mission to the Gamma Quadrant, and not long after they went in, the status reports stopped. So far, nothing else has been found regarding his envoy's status.

ANY OTHER FAMILY? Well, I have a son named Connor, and there are a few cousins and of course both grandmothers, one on Earth, the other still traveling the galaxy. IS YOUR SON WITH YOU ON SHIP?

2 ANY OTHER FAMILY? Well, I have a son named Connor, and there are a few cousins and of course both grandmothers, one on Earth, the other still traveling the galaxy. IS YOUR SON WITH YOU ON SHIP? No, he's with his mother on Mars, but I will be seeing him the next time I swing by Earth. AND ANY IDEA WHERE YOUR GRANDMOTHER IS RIGHT NOW? (An expression crosses his face resembling mild embarrassment)...um...i think she's vacationing on Risa now. Well...more like partying. I CAN SEE WHERE YOU GET YOUR PARTY ANIMAL PERSONALITY FROM THEN [CHUCKLES], SO, WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? WHAT WAS IT LIKE? I spent half of my childhood between Flushing, NY and San Francisco, CA on Earth. It was an interesting childhood, especially the near death experience I had. It forever changed the way I saw life, and cemented what I wanted to do with it. Otherwise, I guess that other than the sibling rivalry between my deceased sister and I, my childhood was fairly unimpressive. A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE? WHAT HAPPENED? I was on a shuttle trip back from San Francisco to New York City. Some kind of malfunction caused the shuttle to crash. The pilot and nav officer were killed, and I bled out. Not to mention that I lost use of my legs from the injuries. The last thing I remembered before passing out from the hypovolemia was a search and rescue team putting me on a spinal immobilization device. The next thing I knew, I was awake at Johns Hopkins in Maryland. The rest, as they say, is history. OUCH... ANY SIGNIFICANT OTHERS? ARE THEY WITH YOU ON SHIP? Well, there's this redheaded nurse on board who is probably the only person who keeps me sane. I really don't know where I would be now without her. (looks off into the distance wistfully). TELL US ABOUT HER? She's a unique woman who means the universe to me. And she's older than me (breaks out in a Cheshire Cat-style smile). She's beautiful in so many ways that I couldn't even begin to describe. And I truly love her. SO WHEN S THE HAPPY DAY? (Smiles broadly) I'll make sure you get the scoop on that one! WE LL BE WAITING, ANY PETS? Nope. Pets are high maintenance, no matter their size or species. I can barely take care of myself, sometimes, ha ha.

3 NOT EVEN A HOUSE PLANT? Well, there is that Vulcan cactus plant I have. Very low maintenance, and every couple of years, it's supposed to blossom this beautiful flower. I think I have a few more months to go, and I'm looking forward to it. OKAY, MOVING ON, WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO JOIN STARFLEET? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN STARFLEET? I...experienced a few things while I was a freelance Medic serving with Medics Without Borders (shifts uncomfortably in his seat, face appearing equally uncomfortable). But it was a move that I was glad to make. I've been in Starfleet now for six years. WHAT SORT OF THNGS HAPPENED WHILE YOU WERE WITH THE MEDICS WITHOUT BORDERS? ANYTHING YOU CAN SHARE? Medics Without Borders was an interesting lifetime experience. Unlike a Federation Hospital Ship, we had a lot more leeway as to where we went. In a way, this made us more effective in delivering care in emergent and catastrophic situations. But we were also at greater risk... (shakes head and smiles)..then again, we did have a group of mercenary soldiers working with us for defensive purposes only. One of the more memorable experiences was when we went to Cardassia to help who were continuing to suffer from the post-effects of war. It was a sad time, but then again it was equally rewarding. I hated to see innocent children suffering like that. HOW DID YOU LIKE THE ACADEMY? Well, it was actually Starfleet Basic Training for me. See, I'm enlisted, so I actually work for a living (smiles malevolently). Boot camp was an experience unlike any other, and did well to prepare me for the things that I would experience in the ensuing years. Made some good friends, too, that I keep in contact with to this day. AH, THE ETERNAL ENLISTED VS OFFICER JOKE, HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED JOINING THE OFFICER CANDIDACY TRAINING PROGRAM Yeah, I know, right? I'm actually in line for that program, Just waiting for my department head to sign off on the fast-track program. GOOD LUCK Thanks, I'll need it, I think. SO WHERE ELSE HAVE YOU SERVED? I've served on board the Nobel, as well as the Miranda. Both were good ships with good crews. WHAT DO YOU DO CURRENTLY ON SHIP? WHAT MADE YOU PICK THAT SPECIALITY? Well, my official capacity is that of a Paramedic Practitioner as well as the NCO in charge of the Emergency Medical Response Teams. I'm also a "pipeline" student working on getting my MD. I picked my current specialty because it was a natural segue from when I was a civilian Medic. I already knew how to do the job, and learned how to expand my repertoire. The main reason that I do what I do is because I actually enjoy it. Medicine has always fascinated me, and there's always something knew to explore. Space is not exactly the final frontier, as they say.

4 MUST BE HARD KEEPING ALL THE DIFFERENT SPECIES BIOLOGIES SEPARATE IN YOUR HEAD, DO YOU FIND IT DIFFICULT? It can be a challenge, yes, but as long as I keep current on the journals and my own practice then I don't have too many problems. HAVE YOU FOLLOWED ANY OTHER CAREER PATHS IN THE FLEET? WHY DID YOU SWITCH? I haven't followed any other career paths since I've been in the 'Fleet, although I've been subject to some wooing. I didn't switch because at the time it would not have been convenient. WHO WAS WOOING YOU, AND FOR WHICH DEPARTMENT? I'll just say that it was a job in Intel... WHY WASN T IT CONVENIENT? (Shrugs) Let's just say that sometimes you are better off not traveling down certain roads. Besides, I wasn't a fan of that potential boss...to slithery for me. ARE YOU HAPPY WHERE YOU ARE? I'm happy enough to continue doing what I'm doing where I am, but I can be happier when I become a doctor. ARE YOU AIMING FOR THE BIG CHAIR? STARSHIP? AND IF YES OR NO, WHY? WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMAND A The Big Chair? I never really gave much thought to that. I suppose if I stayed in Starfleet long enough, especially as an officer, it wouldn't be out of the question. But if I accepted a command, it would be a hospital ship. I would not want to get too far from being a doctor. HOW LONG HAVE YOU SERVED ON THE GALAXY? I've served on the galaxy since 2384, got on as a survivor of the battle of Deep Space Five. TELL US ABOUT DEEP SPACE FIVE? (Looks down on the deck)...um...i'd rather not talk about that, if that's okay. Let it suffice to say that it was hell. OKAY THEN, OUTSIDE OF YOUR DUTIES WHAT DO YOU LIKE DOING? I have a few interests outside of work, like playing Terran music on electric and bass guitars, I'm an avid practitioner or Tai Chi, as well as a few other arts. I also have a deep interest in Terran naval history. Did you know that there is a working replica of the U.S.S. Cheyenne submarine on Alpha Centauri? (looking excited) I've always wanted to take a ride in it! A SUBMARINE, YOU VE NEVER CONSIDERED A TOUR WITH THE FEDERATION NAVAL CORPS, THEY PLAY WITH TOYS LIKE THAT EVERY DAY ON WATER WORLDS. (Brightening up) I haven't actually, but since you've mentioned it, it might be a fun idea. I'll definitely look into it!

WHAT S YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT OF SERVICE ON THE GALAXY? My most memorable moment? That's a tough question. I guess it would be while operating a field hospital during the height of the Triad War.

5 WHAT S YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT OF SERVICE ON THE GALAXY? My most memorable moment? That's a tough question. I guess it would be while operating a field hospital during the height of the Triad War. I can't go into details with you news guys, you understand, but it was a time when we really had to get down and get the job done...no matter what. WHAT IS YOUR WORST MOMENT ON THE GALAXY? (A somber smile crosses his face). My worst moment was when I didn't reveal something I knew about a crewmember's condition. But you have to understand that my thinking was along the lines of helping her long term. YOU DIDN T REVEAL SOMETHING? WAS IT BAD? It was...it was info that other parties felt could have been used in their own research. My CMO was pissed off that I didn't tell her about it, and the way I came about getting that info. HOW MANY GALAXY CAPTAINS HAVE YOU SERVED UNDER, AND WHICH WAS YOUR FAVOURITE? AND WHY? If you count Lt. Commander Iniara and Commander Elessidil stepping in, it's four. Otherwise, I've officially served under two: Captain Darren M'Kantu and Captain T'Vara. Captain T'Vara was a good captain, but I liked Captain M'Kantu because I felt that he better understood his crew. In short, he truly is good people. DO YOU HAVE ANY UNIQUE OR SPECIAL TALENTS OR ABILITIES YOU D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US? I'm pretty handy with a skillet and just about any kind of meat you want cooked on it, ha ha...oh, and I'm telepathic, although I wouldn't really call that a unique or special talent. I mean, there are several dozen species that can be named right off that are telepathic. BUT NOT MANY HUMAN TELEPATHS, WERE YOU BORN WITH THE TALENT? No, I suppose that there aren't many human telepaths. As for whether I was born with it, I suppose I had the latent ability for it. No one actually looked for it, I guess. A series of incidents made it...manifest. SO IT S FAIRLY RECENT THEN? IT IS HARD TO CONTROL? Yeah, I guess you could say that. I'm still learning the ropes. ANY PET HATES? While I wouldn't say I hate this particular kind of pet, I have an aversion to cats. I'm allergic to them. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF? As simple as that question sounds, it's probably one of the hardest ones a person can answer without sounding full of themselves. I guess for the most part I could be considered a "what you see is what you get" kind of person, but I do have some layers to myself as well. I love life, I love adventure, but most of all I love helping people.

6 A GOOD SORT OF MINDSET FOR A MEDIC TO HAVE I GUESS. (Nods) I think so. But there are many types that are medics, and very good ones at that. ANYTHING ELSE YOU D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US? Poker at my place on Thursdays! WHAT ARE THE STAKES? (Smiles) Gentleman wagers, of course... THANK YOU MR. MAXWELL.

CONGRATULATIONS FOR AVOIDING BOTH. SO HOW OLD ARE YOU? Umm, still quite young. Average Man'de'harians live to around one fifteen, one twenty.

CONGRATULATIONS FOR AVOIDING BOTH. SO HOW OLD ARE YOU? Umm, still quite young. Average Man'de'harians live to around one fifteen, one twenty. And a good day to all our sentient readers out there, (and a big HELLO to all those emerging semisentients who will be able to catch up once their brains have evolved a little more) Today, hot off the