Shepard, Benedito

PRC	STAR FLEET PERSONNEL COMMAND FILE  SECURITY RATING 3, CONFIDENTIAL

RETIRED
Benedito Dean Silva Shepard
Career Occupation
Position:	Medical Officer
Assignment:	USS Sheridan, DD-4086
Rank:	Ensign
Biographical Attributes
Species:	Human
Gender:	Male
Height:	185 cm (6 ft. 1 in.)	Weight:	81.2 kg (179 lb.)
Eye Color:	Deep Mahogany
Hair Color:	Black
Hairstyle:	Buzz-cut to very short
Physique:	Athletic. Due to the amount of time Ben spends on physical activity and the belief he can’t lecture people on health unless he is in peak health. As a result, he is in superb shape.
Complexion:	Mocha colored skin
Facial Hair:	Alternates between having a goatee, full beard (trimmed to match his hair), and being clean-shaven
Voice:	Smooth and Warm
Affiliation:	United Federation of Planets
Birthplace:	Earth, Rio de Janeiro
Born:	19108.22	Age:	22
Familial Relationships
Father:	Robert Rodriquez
Mother:	Maria Shepard
Status of Parents:	Both are alive and well but hold mutual disdain for each other; the reason for this is unknown to Ben. Mother is a famous vocal musician (soprano) on Earth and father is a noted Astrophysicist
Siblings:	Alexander Rodriquez (30), Adriana Rocha (28), Alessandra Rodriquez (24); all are alive, but Ben has no idea how they live their lives; does know Adriana is married
Marital Status:	Single
Children:	None

Personal History

===Early Childhood and Questions About Dad===

The earliest memory Ben has is his mother telling him that his father wanted nothing to do with them, and Ben should never bother him. This was always hard for him to accept, but Ben respected his mother’s wishes and at first never sought a relationship with his father or half-siblings. But as he got older his curiosity started to get the best of him and he wanted answers. So, he secretly tried to locate and identify his father. In his teen years he was able to get a name and found out he had siblings (he assumed half siblings). Shortly after finding out his absent family’s names he mistakenly left a list lying out that his mother found. His mother chastised Ben for going behind her back and against her wishes and begged him to think of and pursue the issue no further. The protestations just made Ben more curious as to why he needed to stay away, he was obviously on the right track, but he felt terrible for hurting his mother and promised not to pursue the issue further and he never would. The absence of Ben’s father was a constant attribute of his childhood. At a young age with kids being kids, Ben was often reminded by his peers he didn’t have a father and the reasons would run the gamut of childhood imagination: he wasn’t wanted, he was ugly, he was actually made in a lab. As he got older these insults eventually stopped as the other kids learned how hurtful their behavior was, but Ben grew accustomed to being alone and grew to enjoy that lifestyle.

This resulted in Ben spending a lot of time alone and with his mother. Though alone he was never bored, Ben buried himself in his imagination and the wonder that all children possess, and, as a means to satiate his bulging curiosity, developed a life-long love of reading. Eventually it his questioning and wondering nature became an ever-persistent part of his life, an extension of his existence and something that could not be ignored. This fixed character trait lead an 8-year-old Ben to one night while staring at the night sky promise himself he would explore the stars one day. Ben also developed a deep sense of compassion for people as a result of his early childhood bullying and would often find himself going out of his way to try and help people in need in any way he could, be it tutoring struggling students or picking up supplies for people. The other aspects of Ben’s upbringing were more atypical. Having a famous musician as a mother (who would affectionately call him Benny), he was drilled on the piano (his mother’s favorite instrument) and expected to become a famous musician. Ben would become a talented pianist, often called a prodigy, but Ben believed this to be child pleasing encouragement, and the not so subtle push from his mother). Ben’s mother also refused to eat replicated food (probably due to diva like behavior), so Ben was often forced to cook. While at first he was not happy about the task, it grew into a hobby that could express his creativity and introduced him to a sense of experimentation that he learned to enjoy more than almost any other task.

Things were not always so cumbersome. There were advantages to his mother’s profession. Due to her performance schedule, Ben often traveled to other planets and met different species, which only cultivated his curiosity and nurtured his imagination. Despite his mother’s fame, Ben still experienced the normal parts of being a child on earth. He played soccer (not very well), had to participate in school plays, and attended, and excelled, at school. Ben especially enjoyed his science and mathematic classes. He often found the meditation-like quiet of working out differential equations soothing and comforting and the mixing and manipulating of elements and compounds of his labs reminded him of cooking.

Teenage Years, Dr. Reid, and Star Fleet

As Ben turned 13 years old, he kept feeling the need to contribute to his neighborhood- to help others in someway. He learned of a local restaurant in need of a prep cook and with his years of experience at home, he applied and was given the job. He worked in that restaurant every day, and became a line cook at age 14. During this time Ben started to believe that being a cook for the rest of his life would be incredibly fun, and settled on this as his future career; however, soon that all changed. One night while working at the restaurant, an older man happened to stop by and ordered Feijoada, the most popular regional dish of Rio. The fates seemed to conspire as Ben, the least experienced line cook, was forced to make the dish during an exceptional diner rush. The older gentleman, thoroughly impressed by the dish, asked to meet the chef. The gentleman introduced himself as Dr. Reid (a medical doctor) and, upon learning it was a 14-year-old boy who wowed him, insisted on learning how the Ben learned to cook. Dr. Reid would continue to come back over the years, order Feijoada and talk with Ben and the two formed a friendly relationship. He would tell Ben of his medical procedures, major and minor. The stories enthralled Ben. The combining of laboratory work and the using of that knowledge to heal and help others seemed like the perfect profession to him. One day Dr. Reid offered Ben the chance to come observe and help at the hospital where he worked. Ben enthusiastically accepted and volunteered at the hospital as an assistant until the day he graduated from school.

Later as Ben approached his school graduation, he remembered his childhood ambition to ‘explore the stars’. He had already decided to pursue medicine as a career, but he couldn’t escape the romanticism of exploring space and encountering new life and civilizations. After trying to deny his curiosity and urge to explore the galaxy for years, he realized he couldn’t lie to himself and seeing only one way to pursue both his dreams decided to apply to Star fleet academy. He was able to get recommendations from his teachers (who considered his applying a natural step being one of the top students in his class) and Dr. Reid was more than happy to sponsor Ben, but his mother was a different story. When Ben told his mother his plan; she was devastated. She had worked for years to influence and push her son to become a musician like herself because it would lead to a safe and comfortable life. Ben knew his mother would not be pleased, she even scoffed at his suggestion of becoming a cook, and knew she only had his best interests in mind, but he couldn’t do what she asked- not this time. He knew this path was what would lead him to happiness and if he didn’t pursue it he would regret it and resent himself. He tried to explain this to his mother, but she refused to believe it and told Ben he was a disappointment to her. Ben, though hurt and emotionally shattered by his mother’s response, didn’t falter and applied to Star fleet Academy.

Star Fleet Academy

After passing the entrance exam, Ben began his studies at Star fleet Academy. Despite his reservations, the Academy turned out to be a very exciting and fun; as well as, challenging and educational. Ben studied hard and quickly developed a reputation as a gifted student in the incredibly competitive Star fleet medical program. While studying the history of Star fleet, Ben learned of Captain Benjamin Sisko and his infatuation with the long extinct sport of baseball. For reasons escaping Ben’s understanding he fell in love with the sport and would study, read, and play holo-simulations of the sport for personal enjoyment. This new obsession along with his reputation to ‘kill the curve’ in his courses led to his fellow cadets calling him ‘Bigs Ben’, with ‘Bigs’ being a vernacular term for the major leagues used in the 19-21st centuries on earth. Eventually it evolved to ‘Biggs’.

Ben also started to make real friends for the first time in his life, really coming out of his shell. He developed a reputation as something of a goofball for his light-hearted attitude, but was also known to be exceedingly forgiving and very kind to everyone, so much so that many cadets and professors tended to think him bit naïve. This was when he met Jeffery Baker, a cadet in the science department of the academy. The two of them became incredibly close friends. After being disowned by his mother, Ben felt alone in the world.

He remained in contact with Dr. Reid, which greatly helped him adapt to his new situation in life, but Ben was searching for a new place where he felt he belonged. Cadet Baker and the other cadets became a surrogate family of sorts for Ben. They kept him grounded and encouraged him to grow as a human being. Baker and Ben still keep in contact often, though neither has seen the other since graduation.

After graduating from the Academy at the top of his class, Ben received a commission as a doctor in Star fleet and was eager to begin his service.

Personality Profile

Academy Major(s): General Medicine and General Surgery
Academy Minor(s): Mathematics and Exo-Biology
Hobbies and Pastimes: Avid reader, exceptionally talented pianist (loves Jazz and the Blues), superb cook (especially in Brazilian and Latin America cuisine). Enjoys swimming, cross-country, mountain climbing, tennis, soccer (he is comically bad), and a love for Baseball
Short-Term Goals: To excel at his current post and be an invaluable member of his crew
Long-Term Goals: To develop a cure for Darnay's disease, to achieve the rank of Commander as a medical officer
Personality: Outgoing, kind, and warm. Has grown to really enjoy other’s company and make friends. Can seem childlike at times and live up to his goofball reputation, but can also be deathly serious at times.
Sense of Humor: Enjoys anything that makes others laugh, but his own humor tends to be dry, ironic, and full of sarcasm. Also enjoys pranks and practical jokes
Phobias: Snakes and spiders
Likes: Formality, recognition, Tea (especially green and white), cooking new foods, playing music, making others laugh.
Dislikes: Hubris, aggression, condescending behavior, perceived superiority, bullies
Pet Peeves or Gripes: Quitting when things get difficult, short sightedness, and clutter
Bad Habits or Vices: Gets tunnel vision at times, perfectionist, cracks his knuckles when thinking, when his mind is made up he’s committed to that course of action.
Achievements: Being accepted to Starfleet academy and graduating first in his class from Starfleet medical, being promoted to a line cook at a young age.
Disappointments: Thesis didn’t lead to a cure for Darnay's disease (he was certain it would), neither his father nor mother attended his Starfleet academy graduation and has not had contact with either for the last four years.
Illnesses: Nothing beyond the normal human childhood issues.
Strengths: Extreme focus, quick learner, analytical, inventive, remains very collected and in control during high stress situations, strong deductive reasoning skills, and intuitive.
Weaknesses: Takes failure very hard, feels uneasy in small groups, has periods of strong self-doubt, if he goes a while with out being recognized or doing meaningful work starts to think he’s a failure.
Fears: Failure, disappointing people, finding he is not as capable or talented as he wants to believe, and having to watch people suffer.
Prejudices: Looks down on ‘deadbeat’ parents or people who resent their parents for not being perfect or has a bad relationship with siblings for, what he feels, are dumb reasons. Finds people who reject medicine when available incredibly stupid.
Off Duty Clothing Tastes: Casual, light jackets and looser clothing (not too loose) likes to wear sweaters
Distinguishing Features: Smile that lights up a room, looks a bit lanky (long arms), has bright and full eyes
Pets: None, but is fond of cats
Friends: Jeffery Baker; both enrolled in Starfleet together with Baker joining the Science division. Baker is a very talented scientist and trusts Ben more than anyone he knows; Ben reciprocates this trust. Both often pushed each other in a friendly competition while at the academy.

Personal Paradigm Shifts

Most Painful Experience: Being told and reminded he can’t be a part of his father and sibling’s lives. Mother all but disowning him.
Best Time: When his cooking impressed Dr. Reid, any time he was able to help someone. His time at the Academy
Most Crucial Experience: Helping others when working with Dr. Reid, realizing he loved experimenting while cooking, when his academy classmates gave him the nickname Biggs.

Career History

Position	Assignment	Date(s)	Event
Medical Officer	Star Fleet Academy	21310.01	Star Fleet Academy Graduate Ribbon
Medical Officer	USS Sheridan, DD-4086	21310.01	Midshipman
Medical Officer	USS Sheridan, DD-4086	21310.01	Assigned
Medical Officer	USS Sheridan, DD-4086	21405.01	Role Player of the Month
Medical Officer	USS Sheridan, DD-4086	21406.01	Ensign

Medals Tally:

Service Medals Awarded
Image	Description	Qty.
	Star Fleet Academy Graduate Ribbon	1
Achievement Medals Awarded
Image	Description	Qty.
	Role Player of the Month	1

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