Duras, son of Ja'rod

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Duras
Species:	Klingon
Gender:	Male
Eye color:	Brown
Home planet:	Qo'noS
Affiliation:	Klingon Empire
Position:	Member of the Klingon High Council
Portrayed by:	Patrick Massett

Duras, son of Ja'rod (played by Patrick Massett) is a character in the fictional Star Trek universe. A Klingon, Duras is the leader of the House of Duras from his father's death until his own demise in 2367. Before his death, Duras was a politician who served on the Klingon High Council.

1 Khitomer controversy
2 Vying for leadership
3 Aftermath
4 External links

[edit] Khitomer controversy

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

For many years, the truth behind the Romulan massacre of the Klingon colony on Khitomer remained a secret. In 2366, the Klingons were able to capture a Romulan vessel which had records of Romulan activities during the surrender. This included revelations that a Klingon had sent the colony's defense codes to the Romulans and destroy the colony; 4,000 Klingons died. Among the casualties were Mogh - father of Worf and leader of the House of Mogh - and his wife. Ja'rod also died during the attack. The council found out that it was Ja'rod who betrayed the colony to the Romulans.

Following this revelation, ordinarily Duras and the rest of his family would have been held responsible for Ja'rod's crimes. But the Duras family was politically powerful. The council feared that if Duras was held to account it would split the council and cause civil war. As a result, Duras and the council conspired to find Mogh guilty of the crimes, and judge Mogh and his family traitors.

Worf's brother Kurn - who had not gone to Khitomer with the rest of the family - came to Worf through an officer exchange program. He revealed to Worf that he had been raised by a friend of Mogh's as this friend's son. He also told Worf of the council's decisions regarding their father. The USS Enterprise-D came to Qo'nos so that Worf could challenge the council's ruling, even though it meant Worf would pay with his life if his challenge failed. Duras then tried to have Kurn - who agreed to stand with Worf as his Cha'DIch, or his second - assassinated. Kurn was seriously injured in the attempt. Worf then asked Captain Picard to be his Cha'DIch. Picard was able to uncover a witness to the massacre when Duras sent assassins to kill Picard. Picard however was able to defend himself.

Picard brought the witness - Worf's nursemaid Kahlest - to the council chambers. Chancellor K'mpec demaded that Worf, Picard, Duras, and Kahlest join him in his office. Despite finding the truth that Mogh was not a traitor, K'mpec was still unwilling to clear Worf's name. Worf decided that he would accept discommendation to prevent a civil war on the condition that Kurn's true bloodlines would remain hidden.

Worf accepted discommendation, but not before striking Duras and telling him that he was the son of a traitor. Once the discommendation was complete, Worf returned to the Enterprise.

[edit] Vying for leadership

Soon after Worf had challenged the council's ruling, someone began spiking K'mpec's Bloodwine with small amounts of the poison Veridium Six. Over several months the poison built up in K'mpec's system until reaching toxic levels. It was suspected, but never proven that Duras had poisoned K'mpec. Because K'mpec's killer had not shown his face, but resulted to using poison, the death was considered a dishonorable act. Realizing that he was dying, he set out to meet Captain Picard. He told Picard about the poisoning, and asked him to be the Arbiter of Succession. Picard was initially reluctant to do so, until he learned that one of the two strongest candidates to succeed K'mpec was Duras; a short while later K'mpec was dead.

Duras and Gowron met the Enterprise. During the Sonchi ceremony, in which the candidates, Picard, and K'Ehleyr met to establish legally that K'mpec was dead, Duras set off a bomb in an attempt to assassinate Gowron.

Later K'Ehleyr began to discover the truth about Duras' actions. Duras soon learned that she was attempting to access restricted council information, and set off to confront her. He attacked and fatally wounded her, then returned to his ship. With her dying breath, K'Ehleyr was able to tell Worf that Duras had attacked her.

Worf went abord Duras' ship; he challenged Duras to combat - claiming the Rite of vengeance as K'Ehleyr was his mate. In the fight that ensued, Worf soon got the better hand. Worf soon struck a killing blow against Duras with his bat'leth.

Worf maintained that he had acted within Klingon law and custom, as did the Klingon government - who regarded the act as a lawful killing. Picard however issued a formal reprimand against Worf for his actions. Even though Duras died in disgrace, Mogh and his family were still officially held responsible for the Khitomer Massacre. Picard asked Worf why he continued to remain silent, but Worf said it was not the time as the entire council had taken part in the conspiracy against his family.

[edit] Aftermath

Even though Duras was dead, his family would continue to be influential over the course of the next year. As the year 2368 approached, Duras' sisters Lursa and B'Etor came forward and announced that Duras had an illegitimate son named Toral, and maintained that Toral had a claim to the Chancellor's office. Picard dismissed the Duras family's claim, and installed Gowron as the new Chancellor. This caused a brief civil war within the Klingon Empire.

At first the Duras family seemed to have the upper hand. It was because Lursa and B'Etor were receiving secret help from the Romulan Empire. Starfleet was able to expose the Duras family's Romulan support. With that the Duras family lost nearly all their support within the Empire.