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Jil Orra was a Cardassian female born in the mid-24th century.

The daughter of the Cardassian military officer Gul Madred, Jil Orra routinely visited him during his work, sometimes taking her pet wompat along.

She visited Madred during his interrogation and torture of Starfleet Captain Jean-Luc Picard in 2369, when she asked him if Humans had parents. Madred said that they did, but that they didn't love their children like Cardassian parents.

After she left, Picard expressed his surprise at Madred for allowing his daughter to witness the interrogation. Madred responded that from the time she could crawl, he had taught her about the enemies of the Cardassians and that these enemies deserved their fates. Picard responded that children who where taught to devalue others eventually are able to do so with anyone, even the parents that taught them the lesson in the first place. (TNG: "Chain Of Command, Part II")

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Background information[]

Jil Orra was played by actress Heather Lauren Olson. She is the first female Cardassian to appear in Star Trek.

The script for "Chain of Command, Part II" describes Jil Orra as "an angelic young girl of seven." This would put her birthdate in the year 2362. [1]

Apocrypha[]

The Pocket TNG novel Ship of the Line states Jil Orra was born on Cardassia Prime in 2358. Some years later, an older Jil Orra helps Captain Picard rescue Starfleet officers being held prisoner by her father, having become disgusted with her father's methods after she witnessed him torturing Picard.

A mirror universe version of Jil Orra (β) exists in the Star Trek: Mirror Universe novel The Worst of Both Worlds!. Madred has to disappoint his daughter by failing to attend her birthday party in 2371, as he has to leave Celtris III to deal with the Terran rebel Jean-Luc Picard. When Picard tells Madred what might happen to Jil if the Borg are left unchecked, Madred tells him to never speak of his family again.

The The Sky's the Limit short story "Four Lights" renders her name as "Jelora".

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