Ataan Rhukal

Ataan Rhukal was a male Cardassian who lived in the 24th century.

Childhood
Rhukal was a childhood of Iliana Ghemor, her closest companion and friend throughout her childhood. He often played hunter-prey with her and often lost. Rhukal also dug for onyx beetles in the garden of Tekeny and Kaleen Ghemor and release them into the house. Kaleen would bathe him when he became dirty after digging for the insects. 

Family
Rhukal's mother taught political doctrine at the Central University. His brother Ghel was the first officer of the Aldara. 

Military career
Rhukal attended the Dekaris Institute and had completed his studies by 2357 and had obtained the rank of Glinn. In that year, he attended the reception for Trekal Darhe'el and Morad Pirak at the State Museum of Natural History in Cardassia City. Rhukal encountered Ghemor there and the two reconnected. The pair began a relationship, althought it was interrupted by his five year assignment to Bajor as part of Gul Pirak's security staff. Rhukal would send letters to Ghemor from Bajor over the next two years.

Rhukal lived in Gul Pirak's compound near Hathon. He was initially sympathetic towards the Bajorans, although he later began to dislike them when the Resistance killed more and more people and the ordinary people refused to accept Cardassian rule. Rhukal befriended the Bajoran liasion Oluvas Del and was shocked and saddened when he was murdered for working for the Cardassians. When several farmers refused to display the Galor Banner, Pirak ordered Rhukal to execute them.

In 2359, Tekeny Ghemor offered Rhukal a reassignment to Cardassia as part of his staff at Central Command, although Rhukal preferred to stay on Bajor to try and stop the violence against the Cardassians. This would cost him his life, as Rhukal was among those killed when the Shakaar resistance cell detonated an explosive at the Pirak compound.

Rhukal's death led to Iliana leaving Pra Menkar University and joining the Obsidian Order. In 2361, Ghemor took the assignment to replace Kira Nerys, as she discovered she was involved in Rhukal's death. Ghemor later discovered that Corbin Entek had arranged Rhukal's death by sabotaging the security grid, all to pursuade her to join the Order.