| Kira Nerys | |
| Gender: | Female |
| Species: | Bajoran |
| Born: | 2343 |
| Occupation: | Bajoran Militia |
| Rank: | Colonel |
| Father: | Kira Taban |
| Mother: | Kira Meru |
| Brothers: | Kira Reon Kira Pohl |
| Actress: | Nana Visitor |
Kira Nerys was a major in the Bajoran Militia, following years in the Bajoran Resistance during the Cardassian Occupation. She served as Bajoran liaison officer on Starfleet station Deep Space 9 and later assumed command of the station. Kira was integral in the survival of the Cardassian Rebellion against the Dominion.
Childhood
Kira Nerys in 2346.
Kira Nerys was born in the Dahkur Province on Bajor and lived a large part of her life in a Bajoran refugee camp. In 2346, her mother, Kira Meru was taken to Terok Nor to serve as a comfort woman to the Cardassians. At three years old, she was too young to understand this and would not learn the truth until 2374. After her mother was taken, Kira and her brothers began receiving better food. Though many Bajorans (including Kira herself) viewed comfort women as collaborators, her father Kira Taban felt Meru was making a great sacrifice for her family and often told his daughter that her mother was the bravest woman he'd ever known. (DS9: "Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night")
Kira would get into trouble as a child because of her interest in annoying the adults.
At the age of thirteen, she could often be found at the Shakaar base camp, in the hopes of becoming a resistance member. By doing so, she would achieve her goal of helping bring an end to the suffering caused by the Cardassians' long-standing occupation of Bajor. (DS9: "Duet")
Bajoran Resistance
By the end of that year, 2356, Kira was running errands, cleaning weapons and doing various other tasks for the Shakaar Resistance Cell. When they planned an ambush and required more infantry, Kira immediately saw her opportunity and volunteered for the mission. Although everyone thought she was far too young, Lupaza stood up for her and told her she had the heart of a sinoraptor and that they had no other choice but to accept her help. When Furel made a joke about Kira, he was often hit by Lupaza for doing so. The decision of whether Kira was old enough to carry a phaser rifle was Shakaar Edon's, the leader of the Shakaar resistance cell. Eventually, he approved and Kira became the cell's newest recruit. (DS9: "Shakaar")
First mission
The ambush was her first mission, one she would never forget. She was scared, cold and kept biting her fingers to keep the blood flowing while the group waited on a mountain ridge. She was most afraid that one of the other Shakaar members would notice her doing so. After three to four hours, the skimmer they were waiting for appeared. When the hatch opened and the first Cardassian emerged, she opened fire and kept shooting until the power cell was empty. When it was all over, she was giddy, grinning and relieved that she had not let anyone down. Later, Lupaza crafted a Bajoran earring out of some of the metal of the destroyed skimmer, which she gave to the younger Bajoran. Kira would wear the adornment throughout the rest of her life. (DS9: "Shakaar")
Having proven herself, Kira was now regarded as a member of the Bajoran resistance. (DS9:"The Darkness and the Light)
Deep Space 9
After the Cardassian Withdrawal in 2369, Kira joined the Bajoran Militia with the rank of major and was appointed the position of Bajoran liaison officer on Deep Space 9. She was torn between her loyalty to Bajor and to the fact that she knew that the Federation's presence was needed to secure her home's safety; when she first met Sisko, she told him outright that she did not feel the Federation had any business on Bajor. However, while Kira and Sisko would disagree on a number of issues, she would become his trusted right arm. (DS9: "Emissary", "The Homecoming")
Thana Los, a former Bajorian resistance fighter, is rescued when his ship is attacked by the Cardassians. They insist he is a member of a terrorist group, but he asks for asylum. Kira persuades Sisko to grant the asylum. Sisko does not trust him, but Kira believes in him. However he is a terrorist who intends to explode a powerful bomb in the wormhole, which he believes will drive both the Federation and Cardassians out of Bajoran territory. Kira is able to disarm him and arrest him. (DS9: Past Prologue)
When the station is infected with a virus and causes aphasia in the crew threatening the station, it is discovered that this was a booby trap left behind by the Bajoran Resistance. Kira was able to track down Surmak Ren, who helped plan the virus, and an antidote was found. (DS9: Babel)
She would become a pawn, literally, in a new game that the Wadi made Quark play to teach him a lesson about honesty. Quark though that if he lost his friends would die, but it was only a game. (DS9: Move Along Home)
In addition to her duties on Deep Space 9, she was called upon to act for Bajor on a number of issues. She evacuated an elderly man named Mullibok from his home to make way for Bajoran development. (DS9: Progress)
Kira would suffer a great loss when Kai Opaka arrived on the station. She along with Sisko and Bashir would take Opaka on a trip through the wormhole. They became stranded on a planet were eternal war takes place. People die, only to revive and fight again. During the crash, Opaka would die, but later would regenerate. When the force field on the planet was broken, Opaka would decide to stay and help try to end the fighting. (DS9: Battle Lines)
Kira and Sisko would come in conflict when she leads a mutiny against him. An energy matrix which contained an archive of a power struggle of an ancient race had destroyed a Klingon ship by causing the crew to re-enact the battle. It was brought by the sole survivor who landed on the station, but killed himself. It was now affecting the crew, with Kira as the murderous leader of the opposition. After Odo beamed the matrix out into space the crew returned to normal. (DS9: Dramatis Personae)
At the end of the year, Kira would be confronted by a Cardassian who commanded the notorious Gallitepp labor camp. The Cardassian had Kalla-Nohra which was caused by a mining accident at the camp. Kira charges him with being a war criminal. He states that his name his Marritza, and that he was a file clerk at the camp. After examining pictures of the camp they find that he is Gul Darhe'el, the commander of the camp.
He admits it and begins to debate with Kira and horrifies her, bragging about the camp and deaths he caused. He accuses her of being a war criminal, since her terrorist activities killed innocent Cardassians. Odo continues to investigates and finds that Darhe'el is really Marritza who had cosmetic surgery to look like Darhe'el. He wished to be caught and stand trial so that the crimes would be exposed. He hoped that Cardassians would be shocked and admit their guilt so that a new government could be put in place. He is released but is killed by a Bajoran on the station. (DS9: Duet)
2370-2371
Kira would rescue Li Nalas in hopes that he would unite the different factions on Bajor. She fought on the Federation's side against the Circle, a radical Bajoran group who attempted to overthrow the Bajoran government and drive the Federation from Deep Space 9. She was captured by them and tortured, but refused to divulge any security secrets about the station to them. After learning that the group was being financed by Cardassia in order to cause turmoil, so Cardassia could re-occupy Bajor, she traveled to Bajor and presented the evidence to the council of ministers, helping to end the threat. (DS9: "The Homecoming", "The Circle", "The Siege")
She became an opponent of Kai Winn. She believed that Winn was responsible for the assassination attempt on Vedek Bareil. Kira supported Bareil in his bid to be elected Kai. Although Winn would be elected when Bareil withdrew. He did this in order to keep a secret concerning Opaka's conduct during the occupation. Kira opposed Winn's attempt to take over the secular government. She supported Shakaar who would defeat Winn. (DS9: "In the Hands of the Prophets", "The Collaborator", "Shakaar")
When a Bajoran named Vatrick Pallra attempted to have Quark murdered after he retrieved a list of Bajoran collaborators. This reopens a five year old murder case of her husband that Kira was a suspect. She first met Odo at this time, and even though much of the evidence pointed to her, she told Odo that she did not kill him, because she was in the underground and was sabotaging a different part of the station. Odo believes her and does not turn her in. After he solves Quark's attempted murder, he realizes that Kira did murder the husband becuase he was a collaborator. (DS9: Necessary Evil)
Refugees called the Skrreeans from the Gamma Quadrant would arrive on the station believing that Bajor was their long lost paradise. They wished to settle on the planet and Kira supported their effort. They were refused because the government which was rebuiling from the occupation feared any more population increase. As they leave, Kira realizes that the Skrreeans are accomplished farmers who could have cultivated the land and helped end the famine on Bajor. (DS9: Sanctuary)
She was with Odo when he discovered that his people were the founders and headed the Dominion. In 2371 she was kidnapped by the Cardassians. They surgically altered her to look like a Cardassian, and tried to convince her that she was really a spy, named Iliana Ghemor, daughter of Legate Tekney Ghemor, who was planted in the Bajoran Underground. She was rescued with the help of Garak. Later that year she became involved in Thomas Riker's plot to attack Cardassia on behalf of the Maquis. (DS9: "The Search, Part I", "Defiant")
She was also one of the first of the Deep Space crew to visit the mirror universe, where she met her mirror image, "the Intendant", one of the most evil people in the Alliance. (DS9:"Crossover")
2372-2373
Kira helped repel the Klingon Invasion of Deep Space 9. The Klingons believed that the fall of the military Government and rise of a civilian alternative on Cardassia was the result of Changling infiltration. She helped Dukat rescue his daughter from the Breen. She also taught Dukat how to fight as a resistance fighter against the Klingons who had attacked the Cardassian Empire. All of this was evidently distressing, as Dukat was her sworn enemy during the occupation of Bajor. (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior", "Indiscretion", and "Return to Grace")
The members of Kira's resistance group are being killed one by one. She investigates and is captured by a Cardassian named Silaran Prin. He was disfigured in a terrorist attack by her group. She kills him in order to save her life. (DS9: The Darkness and the Light)
In an alternate timeline she would be killed in the crash of the Defiant which would travel two hundred years in the past, become stranded on a planet and the crew would father a whole new generation of descendants. The Defiant would discover the planet and the descendants told them that in two days the crash would happen. The future Odo still be in love with Kira, prevent the crash, and the timeline is restored and the descendants are erased from history. (DS9: Children of Time)
The Dominion War
Odo and Kira Nerys in a Starfleet Commander's uniform in 2375.
After the Dominion captured Deep Space 9, Kira remains on the station to represent the Bajoran Government. (DS9: Call to Arms)
While at first she cooperates with Cardassians and Dominion officials to protect Bajor, Kira begins a resistance against the Dominion on Deep Space 9. Vedek Yassim confronts her and tells her she is a collaborator and must fight evil. When Yassim kills herself in protest, Kira begins her resistance movement. (DS9: Rocks and Shoals)
She would foment trouble between the Cardassians and Jem'Hadar. She finds out that the Dominion is going to bring down the minefield at the mouth of the wormhole which is blocking Jem Hadar reinforcements. When Rom is caught he is sentenced to die, and Odo refuses to help. (DS9: Behind the Lines)
She along with Rom, were condemned to die, until Quark rescued them. Kira, along with Quark, Rom, Jake, and Odo helped disable the weapons system which helped the Defiant retake the station. (DS9: Favor the Bold, Sacrifice of Angels)
During this time after the retaking of the station, Bar'iel, or rather his counterpart from the mirror universe beams onto the station rekindling feelings in Kira. He wants ayslum, but really is a lover to the Intendant, Kira's, evil counterpart, and wants to steal the orb of time. He falls in love with Kira, saves her from the Intendant and leaves the orb where it belongs. (DS9: Resurrection)
Kira's body would be taken over by a prophet, when a Pah-wraith takes over Jake's body. The Pah-wraith wishes to cause the day of reckoning when it will be determined if Bajor will enter into a golden age, or the evil ones will ravage the planet. The battle is terminated before a conclusion because of Kai Winn flooding the station with radiation that drives out the spirits. (DS9: The Reckoning)
In 2375, Kira would confront the Romulans, who were allies against the Dominion, over the placing of weapons on a hospital planet in the Bajorian system. Before that, a Pah-Wraith possessed Dukat had killed Jadzia and closed the wormhole, shaking belief that the war could be won. Sisko would re-open the wormhole with the Orb of the Emissary, and Kira would back the Romulans down. (DS9: Shadows and Symbols)
She would take a break from the war to participate as a member of Sisko's baseball team against his Vulcan rival. She also helped to restore Vic Fontaine's casino after it had been taken over by Chicago gangsters. (DS9: Take Me Out to the Holosuite, Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang)
She would be captured by Dukat and his cult of Bajorans loyal to the Pah-Wraiths. One of her teachers, Vedek Fala was a member of the cult. When Kira attempts to expose Dukat, he announces that the cult including him must give themselves to the Pah-Wraiths by committing suicide. Kira saves the cult by exposing that Dukat's suicide pills are fake. But disillusioned, Fala kills himself. (DS9: Covenant)
In 2375 Kira was asked by Captain Sisko and Admiral Ross to help Legate Damar to better organize the Cardassian uprising and teach them the finer art of guerilla warfare due to her extensive experience in the Bajoran Resistance. She was given a battlefield commission of Starfleet Commander by Captain Sisko when she left with Odo and Garak to join Legate Damar at the Cardassian Liberation Front headquarters. (DS9: When It Rains...)
Although Damar welcomed her assistance, Gul Rusot was still harboring resentment toward Bajorans,and thought she only came to kill more Cardassians. In the days to come, Kira would have to keep a close eye on Rusot. Once at Damar's resistance headquarters, Rusot would make a mistake in challenging Kira, resulting in himself facing injuries. And during a mission to capture a Breen energy dampening weapon, Rusot wanted to kill Kira, but he was fortunately killed by Damar. (DS9: "Tacking Into the Wind")
During the final battle of the Dominion War, she, Garak, Damar, and two other soldiers from the rebellion stormed the Dominion command center on Cardassia Prime. Damar and one of the soldiers were killed, but Garak and Kira managed to make it to the command center, kill Weyoun and capture the Female Changeling.
After Sisko entered the wormhole to stay with the Prophets, she assumed command of Deep Space 9. (DS9: "What You Leave Behind")
Personal relationships
Friendships
Benjamin Sisko
Kira first met Sisko when he came to take command of Deep Space 9. They got off to a rocky start, and their relationship was further complicated when he was revealed to be the Emissary of the Prophets. At one point Kira was infected by an energy imprint of a culture that destroyed itself led a mutiny against Sisko. Odo was able to disperse the energy and everyone returned to normal. (DS9:"Dramatis Personae") However, the two did manage to form a good working relationship, and they even got to be friends in later years.
Despite their working relationship, Kira always kept her relationship with Sisko more formal than did other members of the DS9 crew. She did not realize it but Sisko's status as the Emissary of the Prophets in her religion made her feel uncomfortable with the thought of a true friendship. This changed when she had to keep watch over him during a mission in which the Defiant was nearly destroyed. All but alone with him on the bridge, Kira tried to keep talking so Sisko would not lose consciousness, as he had a concussion and risked falling into a coma if he did so. This brought them closer together, and after the ordeal, they even went to a baseball game in the holosuite together, where she was introduced to hot dogs. (DS9: "Starship Down")
Jadzia Dax
Kira would form her closest friendship with Jadzia Dax. They would confide in each other often, especially about their romances. They would also discuss problems and seek each others advice. Although Kira did not like Jadzia's choice of men and sometimes Jadzia would let slip some of the details of Kira's romances.
Jadzia also got Kira to loosen up a bit. Kira hated holosuites, but did participate in them with Jadzia. Kira continued her friendship with Dax once Jadzia was killed and Dax had taken Ezri Tigan as its new host. Ezri considered Kira as one of her closest friends. (DS9: "Duet", "The Way of the Warrior" (original broadcast), "Crossfire", "Blood Oath")
Tekeny Ghemor
Kira would form a strong friendship with Tekeny Ghemor, one of the leaders of the Cardassian Government. They first met when Kira was kidnapped by the Cardassians, surgically altered to convince her that she was Ghemor's daughter who was a agent for Cardassia. Ghemor realizing the truth helped her escape and became a leader in the Cardassian Underground who opposed the military government.
In 2373 he would seek refuge on Deep Space 9 after the Dominion along with Dukat took over Cardassia. He was dying and Kira took care of him until he died. During this time he provided information to the Federation concerning the Dominion and Cardassia. He also revealed to Kira his part in the occupation of Bajor. He had taken part in a massacre of Bajoran civilians. Dismayed, Kira still felt that no one should die alone and stayed with him until the end. (DS9: "Second Skin", "Ties of Blood and Water")
Family
Kira's mother and father were Kira Meru, and Kira Taban. She had two siblings, Kira Reon, and Kira Pohl.
Kira Meru was selected as a comfort woman and willingly became the consort of Dukat in 2346. She did this so her family would receive special favors in the internment camp ensuring the survival. She remained his consort until her death seven years later. Kira's father told his children that their mother had died in the camp. Kira became aware of the truth when Dukat revealed this to her in 2374. Kira would use the orb of time to travel back to 2346 to see if this was true. When Kira saw the truth she participated in a plot to kill Dukat and her mother. In the end she understood what her mother was doing and warned them before the bomb went off. (DS9: "Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night")
Kira and her father remained in the internment camp, until she joined the resistance. When her father was dying, she left to complete a terrorist mission, and missed being with her father when he died. She never forgave herself. (DS9: "Ties of Blood and Water")
Romance
Bareil Antos
Kira first became involved with Vedek Bareil when he visited Deep Space 9 to help mediate a dispute between Vedek Winn and the Federation over the school Keiko O'Brien was running. (DS9: "In the Hands of the Prophets") Their relationship would strengthen when after Kira was replaced as Bajoran liaison to DS9, Bareil invited her to spend time at his monastery. He also helped her and Dax reveal The Circle's plan to take over Bajor by allowing them to dress in religious robes so they could safely make their way to Bajor's Council of Ministers. (DS9: "The Circle", "The Siege") In 2370 during the time of the election of the Kai, the romance had progressed to a love affair. (DS9: "The Collaborator")
The relationship would end on a sad note when during a shuttle accident when was mortally wounded. He was kept alive by Dr. Bashir and may have survived, but a crucial meeting had been scheduled with Legate Turrel, with whom Bareil had been negotiating in secret for months. Although Kai Winn took over the negotiations, no one knew Turrel the way Bareil did and she required his advice. When the negotiations were over, Bareil asked that all artificial life support be stopped. He died in Kira's arms. (DS9: "Life Support")
Shakaar Edon
Kira and Shakaar, who became the head of the Bajoran Government, were lovers for a year. He was her resistance leader during the occupation of Bajor. She would meet him again when she was sent by Kai Winn who had assumed the role of head of the government after the death of Kalem Apren, to reclaim soil reclamators from the farmers in his province. Government troops would refuse to attack their old leader, and Shakaar following Kira's advice would return to the capital and run for the head of the government, which he would win. (DS9: "Shakaar") The relationship would heat up during a visit to the station by Shakaar when he arrives to negotiate Bajor's admittance into the Federation. (DS9: "Crossfire") He was at Kira's bedside when she gave birth to the son of Miles O'Brien. (DS9: "The Begotten") They would end the relationship in 2373, but they remained friends.
- Kira's transition from Vedek Bareil to future First Minister Shakaar led fans (as well as Dukat in "Return to Grace") to speculate that she was attracted to powerful Bajoran men.
Odo
The relationship between the two was long and tumultuous. They had first met during the occupation of Bajor when Odo suspected her of murdering a collaborator. (DS9: "Necessary Evil") Over the years of working together, Kira and Odo began to fall in love. The feelings they had for each other withstood the other romances Kira had. With the help of Vic Fontaine, Odo was able to express his feelings and found out that Kira felt the same way, which culminated in a very passionate kiss in front of Quark's Bar. (DS9: "His Way)") They remained lovers until after the Dominion War, when Odo returned to the Great Link to save his people and lead them on the path of peace. (DS9: "What You Leave Behind")
Chronology
- 2343
- Born in Dahkur Province on Bajor.
- 2346
- Mother "died".
- 2355
- Joined the Shakaar Resistance Cell.
- 2357
- Helped liberate the Gallitep labor camp.
- 2365
- Assigned to find list of Bajoran Collaborators.
- 2365
- First met Odo.
- 2369
- Bajor liberated. Joined Bajoran Militia. Assigned to Deep Space 9.
- 2369
- Piloted the runabout Yangtzee Kiang in a Gamma Quadrant mission; its crash landing killed Kai Opaka. The Kai was resurrected but could not leave the moon.
- 2370
- Began dating Bareil Antos.
- 2370
- Was given the privilege of encountering the Orb of Prophecy and Change.
- 2371
- Bareil Antos died.
- 2371
- Kidnapped and taken to Cardassia where she was surgically altered to look like Iliana Ghemor, a Cardassian operative from the Obsidian Order.
- 2373
- Surrogate child Kirayoshi O'Brien born.
- 2374
- Using the Orb of Time traveled back to 2346 on Terok Nor and discovered that her mother didn't actually die when she thought. Kira Meru became Gul Dukat's consort to gain special treatment for her family.
- 2374
- Began dating Odo.
- 2375
- Promoted to Colonel. Given temporary Starfleet commission as a Commander. Joined the Cardassian Rebellion. Odo left for the Great Link. Given command of Deep Space 9.
- Kira is apparently promoted directly from major to colonel, thus skipping the rank of lieutenant colonel (or field colonel, as the Bajoran rank is called). This raises the question of whether the writers really intended to make her a full colonel, or just a lieutenant colonel. Either way, of course, she would still be adressed simply as "colonel" most of the time. Her temporary Starfleet commission as a commander could be taken as an indication that her Bajoran rank was, in fact, lieutenant colonel, since these ranks are equivalent. This would be inconsistent, however, with the Bajoran field colonel rank insignia established in season two (DS9: "The Siege"), which differ from that worn by Kira throughout season seven.
Apocrypha
In the DS9 Relaunch novels, Kira is shunned from Bajoran religion after helping spread a secular interpretation of the Prophets. After many months the decision is reversed. Kira becomes a Starfleet captain after Bajor is admitted to the Federation. The same year, in the Worlds of DS9 story about the Dominion, she gets brutally attacked by the Jem'Hadar elder Taran'atar, and at the end of the story, it is unknown whether or not she survived.