Ben Morton
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Ensign Ben Morton is currently a detective aboard Starbase 118. He is a Personal NPC of Nemitor Atimen.
Stats
- Full Name: Benjamin Morton
- Race: Betazoid
- Date of Birth: 236302.16 (unconfirmed)
- Age: 22
- Place of Birth:
- Gender: Male
Appearance
- Height: 170 cm
- Hair Color: Brown
- Eye Color: Blue
History
Birth and Youth
Ben Morton was born in space near the New France colony sometime around 236302.16. He was adopted by the Mortons, a family of farmers who lived in a small farming town on New France. Although they had suspicions about his origins, the Mortons raised Ben as their own, and he grew up human.
Fascinated with puzzles, people, and their problems, a young Ben spent most of his time trying to figure people out. He was often found trying to find lost items or play match-maker.
During adolescence finding things out about people began to become easier for Ben. What became 'hunches' turned into glimpses of their thoughts and feelings. In the beginning he hid these new abilities out of fear and tried his hardest to suppress them. He stopped trying to help people and focused on his studies, trying to ignore what abilities he had. He was unsuccessful, and by the time he was sixteen his adoptive parents brought him to the local doctor, who after a quick DNA test declared him Betazoid. Somehow the information was leaked to the press, resulting a short lived media storm.
Betazed sent in a tutor to help Ben better understand his abilities and the responsibility that came with them. The government gave him permission to graduate from secondary school early, in order to train with his new tutor. During these months, Ben had no visitors to his home; his friends had abandoned him. Soon through training, his tutor realized that Ben's focus was clear; he was training to control his abilities for the sole purpose of not using them.
Academy and After
Morton applied and was accepted to the regional branch of Starfleet Academy, where he trained in Security with a concentration in criminal investigation. His professors knew of his unwillingness to use telepathy in investigations, and often pressured him to keep his mind open. He refused, claiming he didn't need his abilities to do his job. After graduation, he was sent to Deep Space 17 to work as a detective. He was partnered up with Senior Detective Zach Odwald, who was his direct superior.
In early 2386 came the Nick Muller murder, which was the first big case for Morton. Being the only detectives aboard DS17, Odwald and Morton led the investigation into Muller's death, leading to the subsequent court martial of Lance Firestarter. Odwald, one of the few people who knew that Morton was not Terran, had asked Morton to prepare for a probe of Firestarter's mind in case he was to be uncooperative. Morton initially refused, although later agreed to if necessary. Luckily, there was never a need.
In late 2386, Odwald and Muller transferred to Starbase 118, where they are to work together in the base's investigative division.