INTAR SYSTEM — With the impending departure of USS Kumari, Captain Yineth Nikara arrived today to assume command of Starfleet forces in the area.
Hailing from the highlands of the Rakantha Province, Yineth Nikara was born during the Cardassian occupation of Bajor. The son of a member of Bajor’s ruling body, the Council of Ministers, he became an agent for the Bajoran Resistance at the age of eight, after the murders of his father and elder brother.
From Resistance Fighter to Starfleet Captain
In the years to follow, Yineth steadily rose to positions of leadership, ultimately commanding his own resistance cell, which was instrumental in the final defeat of the Cardassians at the Halera Pass, the event which convinced them to leave Bajor.
After several years commanding a brigade of the Bajoran Provisional Militia, he, along with his wife and two of his three children, retired to Pelion II, a Federation colony world near the Cardassian border, there hoping for a peaceful life.
That peace was shattered by the Dominion invasion of the Alpha Quadrant.
Yineth and his two daughters survived, though not without a break with his younger daughter. His wife and son did not. Shortly thereafter, he volunteered for Starfleet service through the Rapid Integration Program.
An Obscure War Record
Little is known about Yineth’s wartime service, as much of it is classified by Starfleet, but it is known that he was granted command of several small vessels during that conflict due to his prior experience. He participated in both the retaking of Deep Space Nine and the invasion of Cardassia, playing minor roles in both.
Captain Yineth Nikara
“I Just Needed to Get Away for a While.”
Shortly before the launch of USS Ernst Ruska (NCC-78507), a Nottingham class sister to USS Marshal Martz, the officer named to command the vessel unexpectedly resigned from Starfleet. Desperate for an experienced captain, Starfleet Command offered the ship to Yineth.
“It certainly came as a surprise,” Yineth explained, “but it seemed a good fit. I just needed to get away for a while, and the mission brief was just what I was looking for.”
Under the terms of the Treaty of Bajor, the Federation was given the right to travel through the Bajoran Wormhole, a passage between the Bajor System and a system in the Gamma Quadrant, on the other side of the galaxy.
“Starfleet wanted to create a relationship with the Dominion. I don’t understand how the Great Link works, but when Odo returned to it, it’s like they adopted his understanding of the Alpha Quadrant and its people. That, as much as anything, ended the war. And it was Odo who suggested Ernst Ruska be sent through to chart and explore an area of the Gamma Quadrant that the Dominion had never been able to conquer.”
In the year-long mission, eight first contacts were made, though two of them led to armed conflict.
A Requested Assignment
Upon returning through the Bajoran Wormhole, Yineth soon learned about the plight of the Three Peoples.
“It reminded me of Bajor when I was a boy,” Yineth said. “Sure, there are significant differences, but the… feel of a planet under siege is the same. That’s why I requested assignment here. I can’t abide anyone living under such a threat.”
In addition to his duties protecting the Intar system, Yineth hopes to build on the friendship that has been established.
“Unlike Kumari, Ernst Ruska carries families aboard,” the captain explained, “and they’re eager to learn about the Three Peoples, just as I’m sure you’re eager to learn about us.”
The Ernst Ruska arrived in orbit today, and a public reception welcoming Captain Yineth and his officers is planned to be held at the Laughing Man in Citadel later this week.
This is a reader-submitted article. Read more at Star Trek: Citadel. A fan-fiction project by John H. Harris, Star Trek: Citadel explores contemporary themes through the idea of a world where nearly everyone is what we would consider overweight.
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