Mordan Ness

**Mordan Ness** was a Braidan male who served as a doctor in Starfleet during the late 24th century. In the 2380s, he held the rank of lieutenant and was chief medical officer aboard the USS *Helena*. (*Star Trek: The Helena Chronicles*)

## History

Mordan Ness was born on Braida in 2350. Like all Braidan children he was quickly outfitted with biomechanical implants and taught to use them in order to survive Braida’s hostile environment.

Though his parents were geologists, Ness found himself drawn more to the field of biological and biochemical research. He was studying under colony medical personnel when Braida reestablished contact with the Federation in 2368.

Ness left Braida in 2369 to join Starfleet Academy, despite the protests of both his family and peers.

After overcoming Borgphobic attitudes of classmates and teachers, Ness gained popularity for being able to party harder than anyone else at the Academy. He excelled at both academics and athletics, though he refrained from physical competitions, citing what he’d decided was an unfair advantage.

The same recklessness he applied to recreation he also applied in the labs, and often scared his instructors by eschewing safety protocols in order to speed up his assignments.

Following graduation from the Academy, Ness applied to, and was accepted by Starfleet Medical, where he continued to alarm professors by taking his work home with him, usually by swallowing it.

After several early assignments following medical school, he applied for duty in the Briar Patch. In late 2382, he was assigned as chief medical officer aboard the USS *Helena*. During his time there, he formed a unique friendship with Chief Engineer Arvin Rockney, both of them outsiders among the crew. (*Star Trek: Helena Chronicles*; *Star Trek: Odyssey: "Tossed Upon the Shore")*

## Medical record

*Excerpt*:

*Ness has suffered everything from acute radiation sickness to amputated limbs. He once gave himself measles because he thought it might make him more attractive to a Trill who’d caught his fancy. Given his ability to flush toxins completely from his system, rapidly regenerate almost any kind of tissue, and survive hazardous environments, Ness supplements his diagnostic training by attempting to give himself symptoms identical to those of his patients. Since he carefully documents each and every experiment, it’s possible that Ness is simultaneously the healthiest and most unhealthy officer in Starfleet history.*
## Personal profile

*Excerpt*:

*Coming from an isolated culture, and often facing prejudices based on his perceived similarity to a Borg, Ness tends to keep to himself. Biochemical experiments take up the bulk of his time when not on duty. When he does choose to socialize, Ness overcompensates by trying to be the life of the party, and he’ll indulge in almost any vice because he considers himself to be immune to the detrimental effects.*
Ness’s sexual prowess was a subject of much discussion during his time at the Academy, though any lovers he did have were either too discrete or too overwhelmed to give truth to rumor.

Aboard *Helena*, crewmembers found Ness’s personal recklessness to be somewhat discomforting, though he did form a tenuous friendship with chief engineer Lieutenant Commander Arvin Rockney.

## Appendices

### Appearances

* *Star Trek: The Helena Chronicles*

* 1.01: "Sanctuary Lost"
* 1.02: "Obsessions"
* 1.03: "Letter of the Law"
* 2.01: "The Minstrel Boy"
* 2.02: "Red Sky At Morn"
* 2.03: "Leashed Thunder"

* *Star Trek: Odyssey*

* 3.01: "Tossed Upon the Shore"

Dr. Ness was played by Ben Euphrat in all of his appearances in *The Helena Chronicles* and *Odyssey*.

### External links

* Mordan Ness article at ***Star Trek Expanded Universe***, the fanon and fanworks *Star Trek* wiki.
* Mordan Ness at the *Hidden Frontier* Encyclopedia - Internet Archive Wayback Machine