Kiada Ukinix

This article is about a character born in a future timeline.

Kiada Ukinix

Commander Kiada Ukinix is a Starfleet officer in 2442 and a former member of the Ninth House of Betazed. She is a disappointment to her overbearing mother, Keehani Ukinix, the ruthless and cold-hearted matriarch of the Ninth House of Betazed.

Joining Starfleet against her mother’s wishes, Kiada rose up the ranks quickly in a war-ravaged Starfleet, becoming first officer of the USS Anderson under the command of Captain John Carter.

Background

Kiada Ukinix was born into the illustrious Ninth House of Betazed, a noble lineage known for its political influence and unyielding ambition. Despite her privileged upbringing, Kiada felt stifled by the expectations placed on her as the heir apparent to the house’s matriarchal legacy. Rejecting her mother Keehani Ukinix’s expectations for her as "matriarch ascendant," Kiada sought a life of her own choosing, enrolling in Starfleet Academy.

During her time at the academy, Kiada excelled in xenobiology and starship operations, blending her natural telepathic abilities with sharp analytical skills. She demonstrated promise in leadership roles, but her early career was not without its challenges. The influence of her powerful family occasionally caused friction with her superiors and peers. However, Kiada’s decision to formally abdicate her noble status in 2436 finally allowed her to sever ties with Betazed politics and her mother's machinations.

Kiada’s early Starfleet career began as a science officer specializing in planetary surveys and interstellar phenomena. Her natural aptitude for quick decision-making and her ability to empathize with both her crewmates and civilians in crisis situations soon drew the attention of her mentors. After several successful missions, she was promoted to lieutenant and assigned to the USS Anderson as chief science officer and put on track for eventual command training.

Those lessons in command came more quickly than anticipated when Kiada suddenly found herself stepping into the role of the Anderon's first officer following the death of Commander Chang Weifeng during a mission to evacuate colonists on Tegra V. Despite the hardships of war and personal loss, Kiada is committed to forging a brighter future for Starfleet and the Federation. She hopes to prove to herself and others that she is worthy of the red collar, not through ambition, but by protecting the ideals of exploration and compassion that Starfleet represents.

Personality and Traits

Kiada is intelligent, resourceful, and deeply empathetic, though these qualities have been tested by her struggles during the Federation's war with the Lattice Alliance. As a Betazoid, she possesses telepathic abilities that allow her to sense the emotions and thoughts of others. While this has been invaluable in her career, it has also made her vulnerable to the traumas of war. The death of Commander Chang, the Anderson's previous XO and her mentor, in 2442 triggered "death echoes," phantom telepathic remnants of his presence that have haunted her since his passing. She manages these episodes with psilosynine inhibitors, a medication that suppresses her telepathic senses but leaves her feeling numb.

Key Relationships

• Captain John Carter: Kiada respects Carter as a seasoned and pragmatic leader. Their relationship is built on mutual trust, though she often wrestles with the pressure to meet his high expectations.
• Counselor Byhr Ch'rinen: The ship's Andorian counselor has been a steady presence in Kiada's life. While she finds it difficult to fully open up, Ch'rinen has become one of the few people she trusts with her vulnerabilities.
• Colonel Niev Galanis: As the head of the Anderson's marine contingent, Galanis represents the hard-edged, combat-oriented side of Starfleet since the war with the Lattice Alliance began in the 2420s. Kiada admires his experience and leans on him for insight during crises, though their personalities sometimes clash.
• Keehani Ukinix: Kiada hasn't spoken to her mother in six years. Keehani divorced Kiada's father Buxemi Gald was Kiada was just a young girl, and Keehani's selfishness and ruthlessness is everything Kiada despises about the Ninth House and its "politics."