Gul Ranor was a Cardassian military officer, who was assigned to command the Galor-class warship Kraxon. In 2371, his ship was the closest to the USS Defiant after it was stolen by the Maquis. When the leader of the Maquis, Thomas Riker, agreed to surrender, Ranor was ordered to protect the Defiant from two Keldon-class warships operating under the Obsidian Order.