Natasha Yar

Natasha Yar was a Starfleet officer and chief of security aboard the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) in 2364. She was killed in the line of duty by a creature known as Armus.

Early Life
Natasha "Tasha" Yar was born in the New Paris colony on Turkana IV in 2337 of Ukrainian/Lithuanian ancestry. (TNG episodes: "The Naked Now" and "Legacy", plus TNG novels Survivors and Ghost Ship)

In 2341, Yar's mother cut off Yar's knee-length braid of hair to attempt to disguise her femininity from the rape gangs plaguing Turkana (TNG novel Ghost Ship). Shortly after the birth of her sister, Ishara, in 2342, her parents were killed after being caught in crossfire between opposing cadre forces. Sadly, both the Yar children were already drug addicts, having been weaned on joy dust. Tasha's earliest memories were of withdrawal. For the next ten years, Natasha, Ishara and Natasha's pet ginger cat had to survive alone on Turkana IV escaping from rape gangs and avoiding the opposing cadre. (TNG novel Survivors)

In 2352, Ishara joined the Coalition and left Tasha alone. Her time alone was short-lived however, as while being perilously close to being caught by a rape-gang (which successfully killed her cat), she was rescued by an away team from the USS Cochrane, led by Darryl Adin. Following the return to Earth, 15-year-old Yar remained with Adin until 2355, when she was old enough to enter Starfleet Academy, sponsored by Adin himself. (TNG novel: Survivors and episodes: "Where No One Has Gone Before" and "Legacy")

Starfleet Academy
Yar entered the Academy in 2355. She entered security and tactical training out of gratitude and respect toward Starfleet and Darryl Adin for rescuing her. (TNG novel: Survivors and episode: "Code of Honor")

Early Career
Following her graduation from the Academy in 2359, Ensign Yar was assigned to the Nebula-class starship, USS Bellerophon, as a junior security officer. (ST game: Star Trek: Starship Creator).

In late 2360, Yar was the only survivor of a crash-landing on planet Priam IV, where she was captured by an Orion, discovering later on that undercover Starfleet officers on the planet have, genuinely, allied themselves with the Orion Syndicate. Yar was further shocked when these scenes dissolved. The Orion was Adin, and the whole set-up had been an Academy simulation. Apologising, Adin took her for a meal, where the two kissed. (TNG novel: Survivors).

In early 2361, Ensign Yar planned to marry Adin and for the two of them to be mutually assigned to a Galaxy-class starship and raise a family on it. This same year, a saboteur ripped apart USS Starbound's hand phasers, then allowed Orion pirates to attack the ship. Every officer died in the incident, except Adin, Yar and Dr. Trent. The Orions left with captured dilithium. When Starbound arrived at Starbase 18, Adin was mysteriously arrested on two charges of conspiracy, three counts of treason and twenty-one counts of murder and reduced in rank. After being found guilty, Adin turned his wrath on Yar, swearing to escape before rehabilitation and disappear. (TNG novel: Survivors).

From 2361 to 2363, Security teams trained by Yar won all the seek-and-protect exercises in The Fleet Championships(TNG novelisation Encounter At Farpoint, Parts I And II).

In 2363, Yar was awarded a citation for bravery following a mission to Carnel, where she entered a Carnellian minefield in order to rescue a colonist. During the mission, Captain Jean-Luc Picard observed her bravery and vowed to have Yar aboard his next command, the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D). (TNG episode: "Legacy" and game: Star Trek: Starship Creator).

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)
Newly promoted Lieutenant Yar was assigned to the Enterprise-D in early 2364, and one of her first assignments were to transfer Captain Picard to the Enterprise, docked at McKinley Station, via the shuttlecraft Galileo. Shortly after, the Enterprise set out for Farpoint Station to collect further crewmembers and to investigate the station. (TNG episodes: "All Good Things..." and "Encounter at Farpoint").

On a mission shortly thereafter to planet Treva, Yar was captured and kidnapped for real...by followers of an angry Adin, who had accomplished everything he swore to do. Lt. Commander Data discovered that the incident of Adin's arrest in 2361 was the result of Orions reprogramming the Starbase 36 computer, implicating Adin. The revelation then exonerated Adin. (TNG novel: Survivors).

On stardate 41590.8, Tasha was part of an away team to the planet Tigan, after uncovering a global conspiracy the team were attacked by Tigan security forces and Tasha and Commander Riker were taken into captivity. By reprogramming Riker's combadge to emit a high pitched whine the two were able to escape using the whine to confuse and induce pain in the numerous guards giveing the pair sufficient advantage to fight their way out. (TNG comic: History Lesson)

Alternate Timelines

 * Yesterday's Enterprise Timeline: