Iden Morr
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| Iden Morr | |
| Basic information | |
| Species |
Bajoran |
| Gender |
Female |
| Assignment | |
| Affiliation | |
| Template:Character | |
Iden Morr is a celebrated politician, former cabinet member, and current President of the United Federation of Planets.
Contents
History
Personal History
Iden Morr was born September 18, 2324 at a small, local medical center in the Tozhat Province on Bajor. Her parents, Vaas and Prel, were farmers who lived on and cared for some acreage of land near a small village outside the regional capital. They were relatively simple, hard-working folk who did what they could to provide for their family.
Much of Iden’s early life was dominated by the Cardassian Occupation. Its impact was readily apparent in almost every aspect of their lives from labor in the fields to daily interactions with others. In addition to the rules and restrictions all Bajorans were required to follow (which were always changing), her parents were also expected to meet certain production quotas every season. These seemed designed intentionally to be just beyond their reach. The first fruits of their harvest went to the occupational government while they had to make do with whatever was left behind afterwards.
Faith played a major role in how they survived, serving as a counterbalance to the oppressiveness of the Cardassian regime as well as a framework through which to view and understand the world. They worked hard to instill in Iden the deep values of this faith as well as the importance of living them out in their daily lives. This was perhaps most noticeable when it came to their insistence on welcoming the stranger and caring for the most vulnerable. Despite having little themselves, Iden’s parents were always ready to offer their hospitality to a neighbor, traveler or unexpected guest who stopped by. This did not come without its cost, however, and at times made their lives even more challenging.
As Iden continued to mature, she came to appreciate the relationships she had with others. She loved her parents dearly and helped them out where she could – picking stones out of the fields, feeding livestock, and tending to other chores as she was able. She made friends with the neighbors and often kept an eye on her younger brother so that he wouldn’t get into trouble. These relationships grounded her and helped her to stay focused on the present moment. She knew it was ultimately the people, and not the material belongings, that truly mattered. They made living in such dark and difficult times a little easier to bear.
Government restrictions and Cardassian interference meant access to education wasn’t always the most reliable. Yet, Iden’s parents felt it was important enough that they scraped together what they could to see that both their children were able to attend school in the nearby village. Iden looked forward to every day, not only because it gave her a chance to connect with others, but also because it opened up possibilities of a life beyond the farm. Armed with this growing body of understanding, she started to take more notice of the injustices she saw happening around her and felt increasingly compelled to do something about it.
When she was only fourteen, Iden learned several young men who worked as day laborers on some of the surrounding farms had been rounded up and put in jail. This was not unusual, as the authorities often arrested people without any real cause at all, other than the fact that they could. Iden marched down to the constable’s station. Using what she’d learned from her own reading, she argued the young men were being held unlawfully. It took several hours, but she was eventually successful in getting the whole group released. This was a blessing and a curse, however, as it both earned her respect among the community but also put her on the map as someone the authorities needed to keep an eye on.
Iden continued to use her relationships and her growing knowledge to try to help her fellow Bajorans (as she’d learned to do from her parents). On more than one occasion, it resulted in her spending a night in jail herself, but this did not deter her. She got involved with non-violent protests and engaged in spirited debates with people from across the spectrum of the issues. More importantly, she learned to really listen to others, especially those with whom she disagreed. Yet, none of it prepared her for the day her brother chose to join up with the resistance or the day they found out he’d been killed in an attempted raid on a Cardassian supply depot. The tragedy she’d witnessed in so many other people’s lives had finally struck close to home.
Tragedy found its way into her life again a few years after she was married to Arlan Sur. The couple had been trying unsuccessfully since their wedding to have a child. After several failed attempts, Iden learned that she was pregnant. However, there was an unexpected complication and the child died before it was born. The loss profoundly impacted both Iden and Arlan who each dealt with it in their own way. Iden threw herself into her efforts to help care for those hardest hit in her community, particularly the children. A few years later, they decided to try again. This time, she successfully gave birth to a daughter, Iden Ayea. The Prophets had, at last, smiled upon the young family.
Early Political Life
In 2369, the Cardassians finally withdrew from Bajor. A provisional government was formed and Iden was elected to be one the first representatives on behalf of Tozhat Province. Amid the chaos and uncertainty of those early days, Iden was hard-pressed at times to keep faith in her fellow citizens. It didn’t help that many were openly questioning how long the new government would last. Recognizing her responsibility was to the Bajoran people, however, she did her best to act accordingly. When the question of whether to seek protectorate status from the Federation came before them, Iden advocated strongly that they should do so. She firmly believed the key to Bajor’s future lay in their ability to build relationships with the rest of the intergalactic community.
That belief continued to shape Iden’s understanding of her role as she rose steadily in prominence among the members of the council. There were times when she led the charge, as she had on the matter of their initial overtures to the Federation, and times when she found herself on the losing side. Her opposition to the Ilvian Proclamation later that same year did not earn her many favors. In the end, however, it was her ability to listen to those of differing beliefs that allowed her to build relationships and to flourish as a politician.
Iden used those relationships to her advantage, building bridges and negotiating compromises in order to meet the needs of the Bajoran people. She was especially concerned with helping Bajor to recover from the lingering systemic harms inflicted by the occupation. All the while, she continued to advocate for the deepening of ties with the Federation. Her support for Federation membership, however, was put to the test in 2373 when the Emissary suddenly warned Bajor not to join. Trusting the Prophets were working through their Emissary for the good of her people, Iden voted with the majority to delay their application. Not long afterward, she reluctantly voted to sign a nonaggression pact with the Dominion to protect Bajor from the coming conflict.
War followed. An attack on Deep Space 9 forced Starfleet to withdraw from the system and yield control to a combined Cardassian-Dominion fleet. As if this was not bad enough, the retreat was a personal loss for Iden. Her daughter and new son-in-law, Ranjit Kumar, were among those who had to evacuate or risk becoming prisoners of war. Iden remained on Bajor and continued to carry out her duties as a member of the Council of Ministers. In this capacity, she spoke out against the new occupation and brought forward a bill condemning the deteriorating behavior of the occupying forces, an act which led to her being placed under greater surveillance by Dominion authorities.
Federation Membership
After the war was over, Iden turned her attention back to the matter of Federation membership. Bajor had played a rather significant role during the conflict as a point of strategic interest. They’d been at the table with the major allied leaders and had hosted the final negotiations resulting in the peace treaty that ended the war. Iden pushed her colleagues in the council to take the next step, support the First Minister’s effort, and ratify the membership agreement. Her hard work paid off and, within a year following the cessation of hostilities, Bajor became a full-fledged member of the Federation.
Iden’s role in helping obtain Federation membership raised her standing among the general populous. It also drew the attention of some beyond Bajor who started to take an interest in her career. However, this was not the determining factor for those living in Tozhat Province. They were much more interested in her continued emphasis on relationship, collaboration, and people before partisanship. This resulted in them re-electing her to another term with the Council of Ministers in 2376.
Almost immediately, Iden began advocating that Bajor take on a greater leadership role in the Cardassian Reconstruction. This quickly proved controversial, however, and she faced significant push-back from the traditionalist members who felt they owed nothing to the Cardassians. Yet, she persisted. She argued this was a chance for them to show they were different from their oppressors and to help set the Cardassians on a path toward a brighter future. After much debate, the council voted to accept Iden’s proposal. They soon began sending aid to Cardassia and other Cardassian-held worlds.
Secretary of Interplanetary Development
In 2379, Iden was approached by Esperanza Piñiero, Chief of Staff to newly elected Federation President Nanietta Bacco. Piñiero had first become aware of Iden’s political career during the push for Bajor’s entry into the Federation and was impressed with the consistency of Iden’s advocacy work. Iden’s emphasis on the value of cooperation also fit well with where the new administration hoped to lead. An offer was made and Iden accepted appointment to the position of Federation Secretary of Interplanetary Development.
Her role within the Bacco Administration was an important one, albeit not always as present on the minds of the general public. She was responsible for overseeing and coordinating the development of essential infrastructure across the Federation, especially in regions of new growth, as well as working closely with other executive departments on the Cardassian Reconstruction effort. The position took on even greater significance in 2381 when the Romulan Star Empire admitted to the threat of an impending supernova in their space and requested assistance. Iden joined with other key voices in advocating full support for the evacuation and moved quickly to free up the resources necessary to make it happen.
These efforts were soon complicated by a growing resistance within the Federation. Representatives from several worlds along the neutral zone spoke out publicly against the Romulan evacuation and called for a full inquiry. A complete audit of the entire operation was led by Councilor Olivia Quest to try to cast doubt on whether it was the best use of Federation resources to be helping their “oldest enemy” instead of their own member worlds. Despite Iden’s attempts to reach out and understand their concerns, the objections continued and only grew louder. Some even began talking about leaving the Federation altogether.
It all came crashing down on April 5, 2385 when a number of synthetic workers went rogue and attacked the Utopia Planetia Fleet Yards on Mars. They destroyed the facility itself as well as the rescue fleet that was being built there, killing tens of thousands of people and setting fire to Mars’ atmosphere. The attack was a devastating blow, both politically and logistically, in terms of their ability to continue the operation. It also was deeply personal for Iden as her daughter and son-in-law were among those killed.
Support for the relief projects evaporated almost overnight. Although there were some who were willing to press on, enough of the public had turned. They longer had the will to continue. Besides, the rescue fleet was gone and so was a vital piece of infrastructure that would have allowed them to build another. Those who might have been on the fence about the evacuation now openly questioned whether the efforts could (or even should) be sustained. Iden was successful in helping the administration save reconstruction, due largely to the fact that it had already been winding down when the attack happened, but there was no way to bring back the evacuation.