Karsa Ven

Commander Karsa Ven is a 36-year-old Bajoran Starfleet officer and commanding officer of the USS Janus. While many Bajoran Starfleet officers have returned to their traditional naming convention of putting their family names first, Karsa is her given name, and she uses her family name Ven as her "last name," having done so since she was a child.

In 2400, Commander Ven and the Janus were ordered to supplement Amity Outpost's defenses when a large Hirogen gathering of ships was detected.

Background

USS Janus, Karsa's first command

Born in a refugee camp away from the Bajoran homeworld, Karsa moved from various planets along with her family for much of her early life until they finally found a permanent home on Delta IV, the homeworld of the Deltans. Although Bajor itself regained its independence from Cardassian rule in 2369, the Ven family decided against moving back to Bajor given the political instability at the time.

Coming of age in the Federation, Karsa was inspired to join Starfleet once she was eligible to apply to the academy. At the academy, she majored in psychology and studied abroad on Betazed for a semester. She graduated from the academy in 2386 with honors and began her career as a counselor. After she reached the rank of lieutenant commander, she developed an interest in command and took the bridge officer's exam in 2393. After serving then as both ship's counselor and second officer, she was recruited to serve as first officer of the USS Soval. She received her first command, the USS Janus, in 2398.