The leader of Malcor III who chose to delay his people's contact with the Federation after learning of their existence.
Durken is the chancellor of Malcor III, a world on the verge of developing warp drive. Thoughtful and progressive, he meets Picard and Troi after the Federation reveals itself, and is intrigued by the prospects of joining a larger galactic community.
In First Contact, the discovery of a disguised and injured Riker in a Malcorian hospital stirs fear among Durken's officials, and his security minister Krola tries to provoke a crisis. Durken concludes that his people are not yet ready to learn they are not alone, and he asks the Federation to withdraw while he slows his planet's space program.