Ensign Ro

TNG Season 5 Episode 3
Air Date: October 7th, 1991

With a Federation colony attacked, Admiral Kennelly sends the Enterprise to the Cardassian border to try to find a Bajoran terrorist that is believed to be responsible named Orta. Kennelly assigns Ensign Ro Laren to the Enterprise on temporary assignment, but both Picard and Riker immediately question the decision. Ro's record shows she was sent to prison for negligence that cost the lives of the away team she was on and that no Starfleet officer would want to serve with her.

Picard is ordered to work with her and the first encounter between the two was very confrontational. Ensign Ro does not want to be there either. We do learn an interesting tidbit about Bajoran names, specifically that the family name comes first.

When they find Orta, Ensign Ro transports down without authorization, a move that leads to Picard and the away team being captured (sound familiar?). But with some negotiation, Picard finds out that Orta wasn't the terrorist that attacked the colony as he doesn't even have ships capable of warp. He decides to send an unmanned ship on autopilot to another planet to simulate trying to help Orta escape the Cardassians. The Cardassians enter Federation space and Picard is ordered by Kennelly to let them destroy the Bajoran vessel.

After it is destroyed Picard tells Kennelly that the ship was empty and that he knows Kennelly was in on the Cardassian attack on the Federation colony which leads to Kennelly's court marshal. Picard offers a permanent position on the Enterprise which she can't refuse.

This episode is our introduction to Bajorans and their fight against Cardassians. It is a prelude to Deep Space Nine which would air just over a year after this episode.

Quotes

"She doesn't belong here. She doesn't even belong in the uniform, as far as I'm concerned." - Lt. Cmdr. La Forge
"Really?" - Guinan
"Really." - Lt. Cmdr. La Forge
"Sounds like someone I'd like to know." - Guinan

"Who-who are you?" - Ensign Ro
"My name is Guinan. I tend bar, and I listen." - Guinan
"You heard anything interesting?" - Ensign Ro
"Everyone's talking about you." - Guinan
"Heard anything interesting?" - Ensign Ro

"Ensign Ro has some things she'd like to talk to you about." - Guinan
"Ensign Ro has been confined to her quarters." - Captain Picard
"Well, she can go back to her quarters when she's done." - Guinan
"Guinan, I don't know why you are involved in this, but" - Captain Picard
"She's my friend." - Gainan
"Please sit down. Guinan is very selective about whom she calls a friend." - Captain Picard

"When I was seven years old, I was given a piece of sugar candy. And I was led by a Cardassian into a room where my father was sitting. And he looked at me with eyes I'd never seen. The Cardassian began to ask him questions. And during the next two hours, as I was forced to watch my father was tortured until he died. And I remember feeling, so ashamed of him as he begged for mercy. I was ashamed of him for being weak. I was ashamed of being Bajoran. Later I began to understand how misguided those feelings were, and yet somehow, they have remained a part of me. I don't want to be ashamed of my heritage any longer, Captain. I serve the Federation. But I am Bajoran. A Starfleet admiral presented me with an opportunity to help my people in their fight against the Cardassians. I had to accept it." - Ensign Ro