Benteen
Benteen was a 24th century Starfleet officer who served as adjutant to Admiral Leyton, who later granted her command of the  as part of his plot to execute a military coup d'état of Earth. ()

In 2372, while serving as Leyton's adjutant and holding the rank of commander, Benteen assisted the admiral in implementing sweeping security enhancements at Starfleet and Federation Headquarters, in an attempt to combat the threat of Changeling infiltrators. ()

Later, as he was preparing to take over, Leyton promoted Benteen to captain, and granted her command of the Lakota. When Leyton learned that the  was en route to Earth, carrying proof that Leyton had been manufacturing evidence of a Changeling threat, he ordered Benteen to intercept and destroy them, claiming that the entire Defiant crew had been replaced by Changelings. The Lakota engaged the Defiant, but was unable to disable her due to the Defiants ablative armor. Benteen subsequently contacted Leyton for further instructions, and was told to utilize the Lakotas quantum torpedoes to destroy the Defiant, but ultimately chose to defy orders, upon becoming convinced by Captain Sisko's impassioned argument that Leyton had been deceiving her. Benteen ordered the Lakotas weapons deactivated, and escorted the Defiant to Earth, averting Admiral Leyton's attempted takeover. ()

Appendices

Background information 
Benteen was played by actress Susan Gibney, who also played TNG character Leah Brahms. According to the script, Benteen's first name was Erika.

Benteen's captaincy of the Lakota was an in-joke by Ira Steven Behr; there was a  who was in command of a 7th Cavalry battalion under the command of Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer when Custer and his battalion of men were decimated by Lakota Sioux.

Apocrypha 
Erika Benteen is a playable character in the computer game Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Dominion Wars and, according to her bio in the game, she was demoted to Lieutenant Commander for her role in Leyton's conspiracy.

The Star Trek: Starship Creator and Star Trek: Starship Creator Warp II games spell her name as Ericka. According to the game, Benteen was born in Atlanta, Georgia to parents Monique and Beaumont Benteen. She has a brother named William. Benteen is a captain again by the Battle of Sector 001, commanding the USS Appalachia.

External link 
 

bg:Ерика Бентийн
de:Erika Benteen
fr:Erika Benteen
it:Erika Benteen
Humans
Starfleet personnel (24th century)
Starfleet command personnel
Starfleet captains