GUL DUKAT'S CAREER
The most notorious leader ever to rise up through the
ranks of the Cardassian Central Command, Gul Dukat is known throughout the
Federation as a war criminal and a cold blooded enemy of freedom. Dukat runs the
occupation of Bajor with an iron fist, masterminds the fateful Dominion-
Cardassian alliance that costs millions of lives. The names of Dukat's seven children are rarely discussed
around others. Dukat has a young son, named Mekor. During a joint operation to
recapture control of the starship U.S.S. Defiant, from Maquis freedom fighter
Thomas Riker, Dukat reluctantly breaks a promise to Mekor to take him to the
amusement centre in Cardassia's Lakarian City, for his 11th birthday.
Dukat
believes; that this willingness to disappoint his son demonstrates that he is
prepared to sacrifice precious time with his family in order to ensure the
safety of all Cardassian people.
Outside of his home world, Dukat's affairs are no secret.
During his time as Prefect of Bajor.
He fathered a daughter with Tora Naprem, during the occupation of Bajor. The half
Cardassian Ziyal could not be sent to Cardassia to be with her
half-brothers and sisters, as any public acknowledgement of Dukat's affair with
Tora would cause an uproar. There is no doubt that Dukat cared deeply for Ziyal
and her mother, however, ensuring that they remained safe during the occupation.
He arranged to send them to Lissepia. Their ship was ambushed, by Breen raiders,
and the passengers were forced to work as slaves in a dilithium mine on Dozaria. Dukat suffers a severe demotion in position. He however
shoulders the blame for these events and does his best to keep Ziyal well,
transferring her to the charge of Major Kira on Deep Space Nine during the
conflict with the Klingons. His love for his half Bajoran daughter is laid bare when she is murdered by Damar,
during the retreat that signals the end of the Dominion occupation of Deep Space
Nine. Rather than escape. Dukat collapses,
weeping over his child Ziyal's corpse, and is later captured by
Starfleet, as a result of Ziyal’s death Dukat suffers a mental break down.
Gul Dukat
Yet there is another side to this ruthless Cardassian
leader, one which he displays only to his family and closest friends. Despite
the outwardly chilly aspect they show to other races, Cardassians possess a firm
commitment to their family, often having several children. Dukat married early in his military career, and has seven children by
his wife, all live on Cardassia Prime. Dukat's relationship with his wife seems
however, somewhat strained , and he hints on a number of occasions that she may be
having affairs with other Cardassian officers. Certainly, it is well known that
Dukat himself; has often enjoyed the company of other women, although his
marriage is important to him.
Dukat's
friendships are few; most of the
associations he makes are purely for his own advancement, or convenience. In
later years, as Dukat leaves Cardassia to pursue his own agenda. It is the
newly-promoted Legate Damar who helps him in his plans to take revenge on the
Bajoran people. In his own twisted way, Dukat also sees his adversaries Benjamin
Sisko and Kira Nerys as friends, though he later comes to see Sisko as his
nemesis. Sisko and Kira do not reciprocate his 'respect' for them, but Dukat
craves their esteem and makes futile attempts to win them over. In Sisko's case,
Dukat initially sees him as a fellow warrior, with whom he has much in common.
Dukat and Kira visit the penal colony and locate
Ziyal. It is too late for her mother, who has already died. Dukat briefly considers killing his daughter to cover up her existence,
but he overcomes his cold blooded nature and spares Ziyal's life. This honesty
about his his daughter eventually is the Gul’s undoing. Cardasian society might
well turn a blind eye to an affair conducted in secret, but Dukat's arrogance in
sending Ziyal to live with his family causes his wife to divorce him and depart
with their children. His mother also disowns him.
By the time the Cardassian mining station Terok Nor, was completed, in orbit of Bajor. Gul Dukat had already assumed the position of Prefect of the occupied world. With the station regarded as relatively safe from attacks by the resistance. Dukat chose to over-see the occupation from the comfort, security, and privacy of Terok Nor. Dukat had an office situated high above the main area of the station in Operations, positioned so that lower ranking officers would have to look up at the imposing sight of their Prefect. Dukat's duties were many and. varied.
In all aspects of his job, Dukat worked closely with a chief of security, first the Cardassian Thrax, and then, the Changeling Odo, whom Dukat personally selected to investigate the murder of the station's chemist. The decision to employ Odo was a particularly intuitive one, as the Prefect noted that Odo was trusted by both the Cardassian and Bajoran people. Unlike previous Prefects, Dukat claimed to empathise with the hardships of the Bajoran people. He attempted to raise the quality of life for those who had lived on the station, given them extra food. Few Bajorans however regarded the pitiful hand outs given to them as significant, for being held as slaves. Dukat was well aware that the Bajorans working in the ore processors might attempt to take over sections of the orbiting facility. To this end, he personally instigated a automated counter insurgency program that would urge the rebellious behaviour and surrender.
One of Dukats favourite comfort woman was Bajoran named Kira
Meru who he rescued from a drunken Gul, saying that he hoped she would not
condemn all Cardassians for the behaviour of one man. The Prefect came to love
Meru to the point where he even arranged for additional food and medical
supplies to be sent to her husband, and three young children. He also loved
another woman Tora Naprem. She was more than a mistress to Dukat the
relationship was a deeply passionate one, that saw the birth of a child, Tora
Ziyal. Twelve years later, aware that the news of his daughters existence, could
ruin his career. Dukat arranged for the child and her mother to be transported
to the planet Lissepia, where they could live out their lives in peace.
Gul Dukat vehemently opposed the withdrawal of the Cardassian occupational forces from Bajoran territory in 2369. He did, however, follow Central Command's decision that the station was cleared of all personnel and valuable equipment. His feelings about the Cardassian forces retreat are made clear when, in his dealings with humans and Bajorans alike, including those among 'the station's command staff. Dukat adopts a detached attitude, as if he is not overly attentive to events around him. But this is merely one of his countless layers of deception. Like most Cardassians, Dukat is wily and calculating.
Dukat clearly opposes the decision by Cardassia's civilian
leaders to end the Bajoran occupation. However, in a revealing example of his
political astuteness, Dukat also anticipates that he will someday experience
conflicts with those leaders, and sets in motion long-range plans against them.
One of his targets is among Cardassia's most prominent politicians, a man called
Kotan Pa'Dar.
At this time, Deep Space Nine also suffers severe damage. The station is methodically stripped of every component of value, leaving it with virtually no defences. On the last day of the occupation, four Bajorans die defending their shops on the Promenade from looting by Dukat's soldiers. Gul Dukat returns to Deep Space Nine only two weeks later and becomes the first Cardassian encountered by the station's new commander, Benjamin Sisko. At that meeting, Dukat stated that he had not been happy to leave Bajor. He also notes that the Federation's replicator technology is superior to Cardassia's, especially in its capacity to make onion soup. This proves to be the first of many meetings between Dukat and Sisko. Some of their encounters are civil others not.
Dukat’s devious self promotion is not always successful. When. he attempts to engineer the, downfall of Kotran Pa'Dar; ' long-time political rivals, the plan backfires, and Dukat is revealed as the instigator of the failed plot the signs show that Dukat is politically vunerable. Dukat once more displays his ability to bounce back when he manages to capture a Klingon Bird-of-Prey while commanding the Groumall. This display of strategic acumen gains him favour with the Detapa Council, who offer him his old position back. He refuses, however, when the council forbids him from engaging in any further combat against the Klingons. He elects instead to carry "the war to the Klingons, becoming a rogue Cardassian freedom fighter. This gains him popularity with many Cardassians who yearn for the days when their world was an important military force.
POTENT FORCE
The
Cardassian Union occupied the planet Bajor early in the 24th century,
plundering its resources for
more than sixty years. The military officer in charge of Cardassian forces at
the end of that occupation is Dukat, who holds the rank of Gul, an approximate
equivalent of the Starfleet , rank of captain. In
his dealings with humans and Bajorans alike, including those among the
station's command staff, Dukat
adopts a detached attitude, as if he is not overly
attentive to events around him. He focuses on minute details, and little occurs,
around him without him being aware, of it at all times, even while on Cardassia,
he receives, intelligence of events; on-Deep, Space Nine minutes after they
occur.
Dukat clearly
opposes the decision by Cardassia's civilian leaders to end the Bajoran
occupation. However, in a revealing example of his political astuteness, Dukat
also anticipates that he will someday experience conflicts with those leaders,
and sets in motion long-range plans against them. One of his targets is among
Cardassia's most prominent politicians, a man called Kotan Pa'Dar.
While Pa'Dar is
serving, as Exarch for a Cardassian settlement on Bajor, Dukat arranges the
kidnapping of the politician's four-year-old son, Rugal, leaving Pa'Dar to
believe the child has died in a Bajoran terrorist attack. Rugal is taken to a
war orphan center where he is adopted by a Bajoran family. After the occupation
has ended, Dukat moves to undermine Pa'Dar's leadership by revealing the child's
existence. So great is, the love of children on Cardassia that to abandon one is
an act of great shame, especially since, children without parents have no status
in Cardassian society. However the command staff on deep Space nine expose the
truth and shaming Dukat.
His loss of the post of Prefect of Bajor angers and disappoints him. In the wake of the withdrawal of the Cardassian Union's occupying forces from Bajor, the newly-liberated Bajoran Provisional Government turns to the United Federation of Planets. Bringing in Starfleet staff and Federation officers to Terok Nor to Dukat ‘s former posting is a further insult; piled upon the dishonour he feels at being the last Prefect of Bajor. As the years pass, Gul Dukat's preoccupation with Bajor, its people, and Sisko's crew continues to manifest itself, gradually becoming an obsession that leads him back to Deep Space Nine time after time. It is an example of Dukat's arrogance and conceit that he still in some ways considers Deep Space Nine to be 'his', property, often expressing concern over the station as 'a mask for his desire to rule over it - and Bajor once again.
Using spies and
intelligence systems in the employ of Cardassia Prime, Dukat continues to keep-a
close eye on his former command. Dukat's next visit to the station proves to be
a similarly frustrating experience for the Gul, as he and Sisko are abducted by
Maquis renegades. The developing threat of the Dominion, and the growing
political unrest within the Klingon Empire, leaves Dukat and his superiors at
the Cardassian Central Command with little time to worry about Deep Space Nine.
The once-powerful Cardassian Gul Dukat is a broken man following the death of his beloved daughter, Ziyal, and the loss-for the second time - of his command of Terok Nor. As a Starfleet prisoner, he becomes dangerously unbalanced, and after his escape he dreams of exacting revenge on Captain Benjamin Sisko and the Federation. The key to Dukat's vengeance is Sisko's status as the Emissary of the Bajoran Prophets. This leads Dukat himself with the Pah Wraiths these are energy beings banned by the prophets of the celestial temple long ago. Dukat studied the texts about the Pah-wraiths. In Dukats mind getting rid of the prophets will be the answer to Sisko’s defeat and that requires the prophesied restoration of the Pah-wraiths.
Dukat travels to Cardassia Prime to make use of some of the Bajoran artefacts appropriated by the Cardassians during the occupation. He recites a sacred incantation and symbolically breaks a small figurine over one of the stolen Bajoran Orbs. This releases the energy of a Pah-wraith within him, as he becomes the being's, willing vessel. The rogue, Cardassian then beams aboard Deep Space Nine; and releases the Pah-wraiths into one of the Bajoran Orbs in the shrine, Jazia Dax is worshipping there, and is killed, the Orb turns black and the wormhole closes, Dukat's successful mission was a dark day for Bajor , in a lucid moment he kneels over the fallen Dax and tells her he regrets she had to die.
This is not the end of Dukat; but the beginning of a huge
change that comes over him and he actually thinks the Pah-wraiths love him and
have been wronged by the Prophets. Dukat becomes a devout follower of the
Pah-wraiths and the leader of a cult on an abandoned Cardassian station Empok
Nor. This glory is short lived however as the old Dukat resurfaces. His
service to the Pah-wraiths over; he turns to Damar for help and receives
it in the form of transport, false identity
documents, and radical surgery that transforms his appearance to that of a
Bajoran. He travels to Deep Space Nine masquerading as Anjohl Tennan, a
farmer from Relliketh province, and gains an audience with Kai Winn. Dukat
unknowingly speaks the words that Bajor's supreme religious leader heard in a
vision given to her by the Pah-wraiths. Overawed by his knowledge, the Kai
accepts Anjohl, at face value and the pair become; confidantes.
Dukat uses his position to undermine the Kia's faith in the Bajors emissary , he slowly indoctrinates her into the creed of the Pah-wraiths, she is totally caught up in his madness, and even kills her aid when he tells her; Anjohl is in fact Dukat. Dukats arrogance is finally his undoing bringing the wrath of the Pah-wraiths upon himself when he tries to read the forbidden texts of the Pah-wraiths he is blinded. A scornful Winn casts him out to become a street beggar for a lesson in humility. The Pah-wraith's have not finished with the Cardassian however, and restore his sight. Together, Dukat and Winn travel to the fire caves to recite the incantation that will free the evil energy beings. Dukat is delighted when the Restoration of the Pah-wraiths is achieved, but has little time to enjoy his success. The Kosst amojan scripture demands a sacrifice, and Winn poisons him to provide it. The Pah-wraiths, however, reanimate their servant. and transform his features back to those of a Cardassian.
Dukats rebirth brings him untold power, and in total accord
with the Pah-wraiths and their power, he now feels he can face his old Foe
Benjamin Sisko . He knocks the Emissary to the ground with a flick of his wrist,
forcing Sisko to kneel before him it is this arrogance that is his final down
fall. His gloating allows Sisko the chance to launch them both into the raging
flames below. The Kosst amojan burns and returns the Pah-wraiths to the fire
caves. Dukat once said that death no longer bothers him, because he knows he
will be with the Pah-wraiths. In the fire caves on Bajor, at the hand of the one
man he wanted destroyed above all, he finally gets his wish.
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This Wonderful Character GUL DUKAT Is Played By MARC ALAIMO |
