Avel Durken

Avel Durken

Avel Durken was a Chancellor of Malcor III in the 2360s. He prided himself on looking forward and had championed social reforms that he believed were instrumental in leading his people out of the dark ages. A family man, Durken appreciated diplomacy and its nuances. His skills in this area were put to the test in 2367 when the existence of alien life was revealed to the Malcorians.

That year, William Riker, who was on the planet overseeing the final steps before the Federation initiated First Contact, was injured and treated at a medical facility. The physicians soon discovered his alien nature and alerted the authorities, including Durken, Mirasta Yale, and Minister Krola.

The exposure of Riker's mission necessitated premature first contact, and Jean-Luc Picard met in secret with Durken. Though the Chancellor himself accepted the situation, saying that though he had left his home that morning as the leader of the universe he would return as a small voice in a chorus, he feared that most Malcorians would not understand. Ultimately, based in no small parts on the actions of Krola, Durken asked the Federation to leave and not return to Malcor III until the Malcorians were ready, but not before he shared a glass of Chateau Picard with Captain Picard aboard the Enterprise. (TNG: "First Contact")

Durken was played by actor George Coe. The script of "First Contact" describes Durken as "in his fifties, slight in stature, no Ronald Reagan here, there is a gentle, Woodrow Wilson quality, thoughtful, brilliant, committed."