Unusually for the Chief Medical Officer aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, Joseph M’Benga is not just a physician, but someone intimately familiar with violence. He fought hand-to-hand on the front lines during the Federation-Klingon War, and has a secretive past as a Starfleet special forces operative known as “the Ghost.” In particular, he played a key role in the infamous Battle of J’Gal, where he used his self-developed combat drug, Protocol 12, to single-handedly kill the Klingon battle commanders. Although General Dak’Rah, known as the “Butcher of J’Gal” for reportedly slaying his own commanders, managed to escape. Later, M’Benga met Dak’Rah aboard the Enterprise, at a time when the Klingon was now a celebrated ambassador. The two exchanged heated words, M’Benga unhappy that Dak’Rah had built a career as a peacemaker, off the back of the blood on M’Benga’s own hands - since he had been the true Butcher of J’Gal. They fought in sickbay, and M’Benga’s Klingon knife, which he’d also used to slay the commanders on J’Gal, found its way into Dak’Rah’s chest. He died on the spot. Although the instigator of the fight was unclear, as was how the knife wound up in Dak’Rah’s chest, M’Benga’s loyal friend and staff member, Nurse Chapel, claimed to have witnessed the whole thing, and vouched for his innocence. This exemplifies how M’Benga’s medical expertise, combined with his military experience, makes him a valuable, if unorthodox asset, as the Enterprise continues to boldly go into an uncertain future.