Star Trek Expanded Universe
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Mandel Morrison was a human Starfleet officer during the late 24th century. His most notable assignments were aboard the USS Horatio Nelson and the USS Lambda Paz.

Early life and childhood[]

Mandel was born in 2332 on Setlik III in the disputed region between the Federation and the Cardassian Union. He was 15 at the time of the massacre. During a Cardassian ambush, he becomes overcome with fear and fled. Afterward, he felt responsible for the deaths of fellow colonists he thought he abandoned. Starfleet rookie Miles O'Brien later convinced Mandel to enlist in Starfleet. (Star Trek: Lambda Paz: character biographies, "The Tides of War, Part I")

Starfleet career[]

Early years[]

Mandel followed Miles’s suggestion three years later when he entered Starfleet Academy. During his time there, he befriended roommate Ronnie Kozar, forming a friendship that would last over two decades. Upon graduating, he was assigned to the USS Rutledge under the command of Captain Benjamin Maxwell. Morrison came to admire Maxwell’s courage and grace under pressure during the many skirmishes with the Cardassians. (Star Trek: Lambda Paz: character biographies)

Aboard the Horatio Nelson[]

As a lieutenant, Morrison served as first officer and tactical officer of the Starfleet frigate, Horatio Nelson during the Federation-Cardassian border conflict. He was aboard the Nelson during the decisive Battle of Sector 21505 in 2366, a decisive victory in what had been a war of attrition to that point. (Star Trek: Lambda Paz: "Revenge a Dish Best Served Cold")

Aboard the Lambda Paz[]

First year[]

When the Dominion War began in 2373, Morrison was assigned to the Lambda Paz as chief security and tactical officer. Morrison was surprised by Starfleet Command's decision to name Limis Vircona captain over Ronnie Kozar. Kozar's resentment first became clear when Morrison ordered MACO's to prepare to search the ship for a Changeling infiltrator and Kozar countermanded the order, citing that no Changeling infiltrators had been reported since the Dominion established a foothold in the Alpha Quadrant.

Morrison experienced similar friction with Limis when Morrison disobeyed orders to abandon a rescue mission to retrieve Lieutenant Junior Grade Sara Carson, with whom he was romantically involved. Limis placed a formal reprimand on his permanent record. (Star Trek: Lambda Paz: "Revenge a Dish Best Served Cold")

Another instance of antagonism with Limis took place when Limis prepared to depart for Bajor on orders from Starfleet Intelligence. Kozar ordered Morrison to hack into Limis's personal database and learned that she received no such orders. He threatened to take this information to Kozar to blackmail Limis into accompanying her. She accepted the terms to show she had nothing to hide on the condition Morrison deleted the contents of the incriminating PADD. (Star Trek: Lambda Paz: "Divided Loyalties")

During the months after the First Betreka Nebula counterstrike, Morrison had been cited for several instances of dereliction of duty and trouble interacting with MACO commander Lisa Neeley. He had felt partially responsible for the death of Neeley's predecessor Jonathan Davis when he and Kozar decided to pierce a plasma coolant while fighting a Jem'Hadar boarding party in close quarters. Davis was then tackled by an unshrouding Jem'Hadar causing him to perish with the enemy soldiers. Morrison felt responsible, having fired the phaser that breached the tank. He was relieved of his duties as security chief and referred to a counselor. During those sessions, a holographic counselor deduced that Morrison had a habit of being too hard on himself, including for his actions on Setlik III. (Star Trek: Lambda Paz: "The Tides of War, Part I")

Post-War Hostage Crisis[]

Following the destruction of the Lambda Paz, Morrison was one of many crewmembers taken hostage by the True Way as part of an elaborate plan to have Castellan Alon Ghemor assassinated. When Gul Hadar freed the hostages upon learning what Gul Revok was planning, Morrison stayed behind to find Limis, who was Hadar's prisoner. A team later retrieved him and Limis from the USS Defiant. (Star Trek: War Aftermath: "The True Way")

Personal relationships[]

Friendships[]

Ronnie Kozar[]

Morrison and Ronnie Kozar had been friends since they were roommates at Starfleet Academy. Morrison had initially empathized with Kozar’s resentment towards Limis Vircona when she was named captain over Kozar. (Star Trek: Lambda Paz: "Revenge a Dish Best Served Cold", "Moral Dilemma")

Six months after the incident during the First Betreka Nebula counterstrike where MACO commander Davis died along with enemy troops, Kozar told Morrison he should not keep trying to punish himself for what happened. Kozar reminded him of the time a soldier lost his life by Kozar's own friendly fire during his first command. (Star Trek: Lambda Paz: "The Tides of War, Part I")

Limis Vircona[]

Some friction existed between Morrison and Captain Limis at the start of the maiden voyage, although he noticed Limis had an exuberance he found attractive. (Star Trek: Lambda Paz: "Revenge a Dish Best Served Cold")

Over the years, however, their relationship became more cordial. By 2376, he had enjoyed a friendship with benefits with the captain. Despite a mutual desire to not form a committed relationship, he wondered he would ever see Limis again when taken hostage on Cardassia Prime. (Star Trek: War Aftermath: "The True Way")

Romance[]

According to Kozar, Morrison was a notorious womanizer with a knack for mixing business with pleasure since their Academy days. (Star Trek: Lambda Paz: "Moral Dilemma")

Sara Carson[]

Morrison had become romantically involved with flight controller Sara Carson when the two of them were assigned to the Lambda Paz.

His relationship with Carson reached an impasse when she casually remarked, "The things we do for love," and he refused to say whether or not the feeling was mutual. Nevertheless, their relationship continued in the form of casual sexual trysts, one of which caused Carson to be late to one of her duty shifts. (Star Trek: Lambda Paz: "Revenge a Dish Best Served Cold", "Moral Dilemma")

When the Lambda Paz was docked at Deep Space 9 following Operation Return, Morrison and Carson had planned a holosuite visit in Quark's. Morrison then broke the rendezvous to accompany Limis on her mission to Bajor. Upon his return, Carson was waiting for Morrison in his quarters to announce she was breaking off the relationship. (Star Trek: Lambda Paz: "Divided Loyalties")

Lisa Neeley[]

MACO commander Lisa Neeley took a liking to Mandel Morrison when they began co-teaching a self-defense class for the crew. Their disagreements regarding various sparring matches created sexual tension between them, culminating in a sexual encounter in an empty cargo bay after they played a game of springball against each other. (Star Trek: Lambda Paz: "Midnight Ride")

They had a second intimate encounter after she had been rescued from an aborted attempt to pursue Doctor Aurellan Markalis. During a mission to rescue Markalis and Captain Limis Vircona from the custody of rogue operative Rhys Darcen, Morrison took a phaser hit for Neeley. Neeley later described that act as both heroic and foolish. After the mission, she confirmed to Morrison that their partnership was not a serious romantic liaison. (Star Trek: Lambda Paz: "A Cause of Greater Worth")

Service Jacket[]

  • LT (TNG)
    Yellow (TNG)
    First Officer/Tactical Officer, USS Horatio Nelson- 2366-2373
  • LCDR (DS9-VOY)
    Yellow (DS9)
    Second Officer/Tactical Officer/Chief of Security, USS Lambda Paz- 2374-2376
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