Zack Marshall-Bennet

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Revision as of 16:10, 28 September 2007

Template:Command Division CharacterZack Alexander Marshall-Bennet was the captain of the first fully fledged starbase to be constructed outside of Sol by Starfleet since the end of the Borg War, Deep Space One. He now serves as commanding officer of the Federation flagship USS Enterprise-F.

In his role as Deep Space One’s station commanding officer he was assigned the duty of keeping an open diplomatic dialogue on behalf of the Federation to the Ba'ku, Son'a and several other key races within range of the Briar Patch. He has taken on a key role in the re-exploration of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants by re-expanding the Federation’s presence. He has re-established contact with numerous species including the Bajorans, Cardassians, Klingons and Yridians.

Since taking command of the Enterprise he has also been responsible in aiding the Vulcan T’Plana-Hath Movement in their attempts to re-unify the Vulcan people with the teachings of Surak. He has made diplomatic contact with both the governments of Andoria and Tellar Prime. Zack is also accountable for preventing the second relocation of the Ba’ku inhabitants, returning members of Project Harmony together for the Starfleet Corps of Engineers, for discovering the conspiracy that nearly brought Vulcan in to a civil war, however this resulted in hostilities starting between the Federation and Vulcan, being the Federation’s representative for re-admitting Bajor as a member world, the collapse of the Orion Syndicate in the Borderlands, defending the Federation against several Klingon incursions and engaging the first active Borg cube since the end of the war, however this mission was classified by the Federation President to prevent a widespread panic among the Federation.

Family

• Mother: Admiral Judith Marshall-Bennet
• Father: Ambassador Nicholas Marshall-Bennet (killed in action)
• Brother: Commander Johnathan Marshall-Bennet, (Younger)
• Sister: Lieutenant junior grade Hannah Marshall-Bennet, (Younger)

Personality

Zack is known for his open book attitude towards any situation which approaches him. He prefers to asses the situation before make a decision he knows will have an effect. He enjoys his career in Starfleet and does not regret making the choice to follow in his mother’s footsteps as a Starfleet Officer. He in fact sees it as his duty to carry on the proud tradition of serving Starfleet which has been part of his mother’s family for generations. He is one of only a few officers left from the Borg War who is passionate about exploration and peaceful contact among all peoples of the galaxy. Since his late teenager years he was seen as a ‘natural’ leader, understanding and becoming aware of the 'line' between a leader and those they led. As a keen sportsman, he is confident and willing to lead in any given situation.

On a personal note he does become quite protective of those relationships that are important to him. He is known to of got in a few fights defending friends or family members. This type of ‘protection’ from Zack remains with those he leads. It is one of his qualities that makes him a fine commanding officer.

Personal Background

2366-2381

Zack was born on 21st March 2366 to Judith Marshall-Bennet, an accomplished Starfleet captain and Nicholas Marshall-Bennet a renowned diplomat. Zack's early life was exciting as he grew up on the Excelsior class starship USS Britannia with his parents and younger brother, Johnathan Marshall-Bennet.

In 2370 both his parents decided to they required an extensive leave of absence to allow their sons time to grow up on Earth and have a normal childhood on the home planet. In 2374 the Dominion War broke out and both their parents were recalled to serve the Federation.

Zack was left with his brother on Earth to be cared for by one of their mother’s cousins. Both his parents were heavily involved in the Dominion War one way or another. When he was fifteen Zack was known as the sporty one out of his family, he was the captain of the football squad and captain of the school basketball team. At this age his parents called it his maturing stage, he became very protective of his younger brother, Johnathan. At one time he stood up for his brother in getting in to a fight with two older teenager boys at his school. His brother never found out but Zack had suffered from several bruises, a broken jaw and a torn ligament in his knee (when he had jumped kicked one of the bullies and landed awkwardly). Before his parents arrived at the school he had already been treated for most of his injuries though he was able to harm the older boys and made them think twice from harassing Johnathan again.

For his sixteenth birthday his mother took him on his first trip outside of Earth and, took him to Mars to see the Utopia Plantia Shipyards. Zack had always believed that day was his most memorable. When he was preparing to leave high school he was offered positions at a number of sporting colleges on Earth. He attended one in the south of France for several months before deciding to quit at the horror of his parents who both thought it would be the greatest experience for their keen sportsman of a son. When he told his parents what he wanted to do, it split them both up on the choice of his new career. He wanted to join Starfleet Academy. His mother already a long serving Starfleet Officer encouraged it however his father was not best pleased. This led to several arguments between father and son, ending with Zack not talking to his father for over five years.

Starfleet Career

2381-2384

Entering Starfleet Academy in 2381 was a great time for the new cadet as the Federation was in a stage of new exploration and continued peace. At the academy he became interested in his science lessons, mainly cultural anthropology, languages and an interest in Starfleet History. He remained active with his sports by becoming the captain of the velocity team and he even resurrected basketball as a sport to be played at the academy. Cadet Zack Marshall-Bennet led many of the groups he was part of for his various subjects, which impressed his instructors and professors. He was persuaded in to taking his command lessons at a more advanced and intense level. After the Academy he was sent straight to Starfleet Command School for one year.

In late 2384 Zack received news that he was to be an older brother again when his mother gave birth to his new sister, Hannah Louise Marshall-Bennet.

2384-2390

On September 5th 2384 Zack was assigned to the Excelsior Refit class starships USS Tucker NCC-44277 under the command of Captain Benjamin Hoffman XI. Zack had been made a lieutenant junior grade and assigned as assistant chief communications. The assignment wasn’t an exciting one which led him to taking on another position on the request of the XO. The vessel hadn’t been assigned any diplomatic personnel, and Captain Hoffman was a man who preferred to bounce many of his ideas between his crew. Zack was later given the title of Chief Diplomatic Officer and also resumed his duties as assistant chief communications officer.

In 2386 tragedy struck Zack as heard word from home that his father had been killed when the Borg had attacked DS9. Zack returned to Earth for a year and half to help his mother and baby sister. In mid 2387 Zack returned to his posting on the Tucker.

He proved to be quite useful to his commanding officer, as Zack joined him on a diplomatic mission to Cardassia in 2389. The Tucker had been sent to mediate a minor dispute between the Cardassian and Klingon governments. During the mission a Romulan agent was captured but not before he injured Captain Hoffman, preventing him from mediating the mission. Along with the XO, Zack was able to mediate the situation and prevent relations from the two major empires from faltering. The following day the captain was impressed with the young officer’s skills and ability to calm the situation he promoted Zack to lieutenant. Zack was fully assigned as the ship’s diplomatic officer and took on the minor duties as Second Executive Officer.

2390-2394

With Captain Hoffman’s recommendation Starfleet assigned Zack to Starbase 001 in 2390 as its chief diplomatic and liaison officer. His assignment was to be Starfleet’s voice to the new officers joining the base from other races joining the Federation and its fight against the Borg. Zack mainly dealt with Klingon and Romulan officers alongside several other new species who sought refugee in the Sol sector. He excelled well in his duties for three years, and was noted by a number of new officers at how well he led them in their transitions in to Starfleet regulations, rules and protocol.

On October 12th 2393, Zack was being transported back from Utopia Plantia on board the Defiant Class vessel USS Brewster NCC-90025. The ship was preparing to leave when a lone Borg Tactical Cube entered the system. Zack had been in combat with the Borg before, while he was on the Tucker. However those engagements were swift skirmishes with Borg Probes which always ending with the Tucker being victoriously. The Brewster was called to engage and assist the Federation fleet, assigned to guard the shipyards. The battle had commenced, but by the time Zack had reached the bridge a majority of the bridge crew were killed. There were only a few young inexperienced officers left. Forced to assume command Zack led the Brewster crew in the fight. The ship was damaged but the rest of the crew survived the battle. Zack was given the field promotion to lieutenant commander, awarded the Christopher Pike Medal of Valor, with clusters and given the Brewster as his own command.

2394-2398

In May 2394 Zack commanded the Brewster as it participated in assaulting the Borg shipyards in Cardassian space. The vessel engaged several Borg ships, and participated in destroying at least four Borg vessels of mix size. Only a few of the Brewster crew were injured and with their return to Earth, Zack was promoted to the rank of Commander. During mid-battle Zack ordered the Brewster to emit fake warp Federation signatures to fool Borg sensors temporarily away from the Romulan flagship as it dealt the Borg shipyards a crippling blow to its power reactor. For his actions he was awarded the Starfleet Star Cross and the Romulan Star Navy Combat Ribbon of Honour.

The ship participated well in the Battle of Sol, working alongside Romulan forces that were defending the rest of Utopia Plantia and Mars. The vessel was heavily damaged when it assisted in the final destruction of a Tactical Cube. The crew was forced to abandon ship and were all beamed on board the USS Archer NCC-44276-B, a Sovereign Class starship under the command of Admiral Tom Paris. The Brewster crew remained on the Archer assisting the crew in fighting the Borg. For his excellent work during the fight, Zack was promoted by Admiral Paris to the rank of captain.

2398-2401

Captain Marshall-Bennet at Starfleet Command in 2399

With the Borg War over Zack was stationed on Earth to assist with co-coordinating the Starfleet Re-Exploration Initiative. He worked hard in pulling enough resources to prepare the first few ships to leave Earth and re-explore what was left. It seemed the former commanding officer of the Romulan flagship who Zack had saved from destruction from a previous battle, had kept a keen eye on Zack. Zack soon started to work heavily alongside the Romulans in the rebuilding phase and was appointed an honorary member of Romulan Star Navy in 2400 by Admiral Donatra, after a successful covert mission he was involved with.

2401-2405

One year later he was offered a command of his own by Fleet Admiral Jean-Luc Picard. He was provided command of the first starbase built outside of the Sol sector, Deep Space One with its support ship the USS Enterprise NX-1701-F (DS1: “Back To The Final Frontier”). Months later Zack led his first mission to re-establish contact with Bajor. The mission was a success and he ended up making contact with the Bajorans and with the Cardassians too (DS1: “The Best Is Yet To Come”).

In 2402 Zack opposed the movement by several Federation Councillors to use the metaphasic radiation from Ba'ku to rejuvenate Earth. He was lucky to persuade President Spock to halt the Ba’ku re-location movement (DS1: “Just In Time”). In 2403 while visiting Earth again, he met with Commodore Bryan Cash who promoted him to the rank of Fleet Captain of the new Fourth Fleet assigned to the Re-Exploration Initiative (DS1: “The Miracle Workers”). It’s at this time that Zack makes his chief science officer, Commander T’Val his first officer. He was also ordered to take the Enterprise to Vulcan to locate important scientists in re-forming Project Harmony, two of them being a Professor Anthony Starling and another, a Vulcan woman called Julok. While at Vulcan the flagship became stuck in an internal matter which cost the vessel being attacked and boarded by ships from the Vulcan High Command. After the hostilities were calmed down, both Starling and Julok joined Enterprise to continue with its travels. However this incident led to the Vulcans entering a stage of seclusion from the Federation and minor conflicts, something which Zack blames himself for (DS1: “The Vulcan Connection”).

After the ship is repaired at Andoria, Zack meets with the Andorian chancellor and other Andorian officials regarding the recent events on Vulcan as well as with them providing support with his continued mission to find the members of Project Harmony. One of the scientists residing on Andoria, a Professor Sh’avern th’Teris is captured and kidnapped. Enterprise soon gives chase. During this time when the professor was taken a bomb was set off, unknown to the captain he suffered from a concussion and other head traumas from the explosion, he passes out on the bridge to be caught by his brother and T’Val who get him to sickbay. One of ship’s Medical Holographic programs, Alex Corday submits a possible treatment to help the captain recover from the neurological trauma he has suffered from. A number of the neural pathways in the captain’s brain were damaged due to the heavy concussion he received to his head. It was a brutal trauma, one that his mind wasn’t able to protect him properly from. Corday believes she can do this with modified Borg Nanoprobes. They would be programmed to repair the damage and make sure the pathways are no longer damaged. After consulting with Counsellor Stevan Tallarico, the Enterprise’s only Betazoid counsellor on the procedure Doctor Corday presents her recommendations with Doctor Novak’s support to Commanders T’Val and Marshall-Bennet. The procedure also includes using the nanoprobes in Johnathan’s mind to record how his body will react to the nanoprobes intrusion. With the commander being only a year younger then his brother he can provide Corday with adequate information before the treatment is carried out on the captain, regarding their similar physiology. T’Val approves with the treatment with Johnathan’s consent. Corday begins the treatment and it turns out to be a success, until the nanoprobes begin to regenerate in to their original state of assimilation and begin to create Borg implants in both brothers. Corday is able to stop the infection with Novak’s help and stable their patients. A few hours later and the captain awakes from his coma. Corday is deactivated by Tallarico after believing the hologram was creating a security threat to the ship. But when the captain reads the reports of his treatment he has words with Tallarico to make the counsellor understand he had no right to deactivate the hologram’s program without her full consent. After returning to duty Zack, and the rest of the crew discover that Professor th’Teris was being held on Weytahn, an old Andorian colony close to the Vulcan border. After leading an away mission the crew finally recover the professor as well as other members of Project Harmony that were being held against their will by the former head of the Romulan Tal Shiar, Admiral Alak tr'Kervek. It turns out that this Romulan had planned to get rid of the Federation once and for all after the Borg had nearly wiped them all out, and he had support from Loval, the former head of state of Vulcan. With help from other Starfleet vessel as well as the Vulcan flagship, both men and their supporters are arrested. Zack also takes this time to discuss the current tension with his counterpart on the Vulcan flagship between their two governments; both agree to help ease things on both sides (DS1: “Along The Stream”).

Fleet Captain Zack Marshall-Bennet in the Enterprise's observation lounge in 2404‎

Returning to DS1, Zack is ordered to lead the Federation as a representative during the talks to bring Bajor back in to the Federation as a member state. Once the membership accord is signed the station is attacked by a Klingon battle group, declaring the return of a new stronger empire, who has returned to its old ways of expansion through conflict and war. The station is defended however is heavily damaged and Starfleet finally decides to assign Zack as the commanding officer of the Enterprise and have him sent to the Klingon Empire to attempt to find peace with their former allies (ENT-F: “A Good Day To Arise”).

Zack continues to captain the flagship while it gains vital intelligence reports on the Klingons and also answers the distress call of the USS Achilles. Zack becomes good friends with the Achilles’ captain, Samantha Reynolds and she agrees to assist them in their mission towards the Klingon Empire (ENT-F: “A Good Day To Defend”). In 2404 the ship aides in bringing down the last remains of the Orion Syndicate in the Borderlands While in the Borderlands, Zack makes contact with the government in the Verex System, as well as meeting an Orion business woman by the name of Nicovaler. (ENT-F: “A Good Day To Fight”).

Both Enteprise and Achilles diver to the Archer system where they detect what could be the prelude to a Klingon invasion of the Federation system. While there Zack makes official contact with the governor of Archer IV, Charles Keaton who requests the aide of both ships in defending the system from the Klingons. Within a short amount of time the Klingons do invade, however during mid-battle retreat and divert their forces elsewhere. Zack orders a pursuit course and soon discover the Klingons attacking the Vulcans, where the Klingons believe the Vulcans are still member of the Federation. Both sides end the battle by nearing destruction of each others forces, however the Klingons pull out as the soon discover they can not fight the Vulcans and occupy Vulcan (ENT-F: “A Good Day To Die”).

2405+

Alternative Timeline

In 2404 after the Klingon attack on Archer IV and Vulcan, the Enterprise participates in a transwarp drive test, however the lead scientists who created the transwarp drive for the ship actually created a device enabling him to send a probe back in to the past preventing the Borg War from occurring. During this timeline Zack only reached the position of commanding officer of the Enterprise in 2405 and only held the rank of captain. He had also commanded the Excelsior class, USS Archer before taking on the Enterprise. Zack was known in the Federation for finding the Xindi, and re-establishing contact with them. This timeline was resolved after the Enterprise was used to destroy the temporal rift that had fractured subspace and which originally brought the probe from the future with all the information on it to prevent the Borg War from happening. Zack died commanding the Enterprise as he detonated the ship’s warp core to seal the rift (ENT-F: “The Continued Mission”).

Interests

• Soccer
• Basketball
• Swimming
• Hiking
• Velocity
• Cultural anthropology
• Languages
• Starfleet History

Awards

• Christopher Pike Medal of Valour, with clusters
• Starfleet Star Cross
• Romulan Star Navy Combat Ribbon of Honour
• Starfleet Decoration for Gallantry
• Kathryn Janeway Medal of Distinct Service

Former Assignments

• Assistant Chief Communications Officer, U.S.S. Tucker NCC-44277, 2384-2385
• Chief Diplomatic Officer and Second Executive Officer, U.S.S. Tucker NCC-44277, 2385-2390
• Chief Diplomatic and Liaison Officer, Starbase 1, 2390-2394
• Commanding Officer, U.S.S. Brewster NCC-90025, 2394-2398
• Re-Exploration Initiative Coordinator, Starfleet Command, 2398-2401
• Commanding Officer, Deep Space One, 2401-2403