Preemptive Strike
- FIRST SHOWN (US)
- 16 May 1994
- ON
- First-run syndication
- STARDATE
- 47941.7
- DIRECTED BY
- Patrick Stewart
- PRODUCTION NO.
- 276
WRITTEN BYTeleplay by René Echevarria; story by Naren Shankar
Fresh from advanced tactical training, Ro Laren is sent undercover into the Maquis, but the closer she gets to the rebels, the harder her mission becomes.
Red alert: the full plot, ending included. Haven't watched yet?REVEAL SYNOPSIS
Ro Laren returns to the Enterprise newly promoted after advanced tactical training. With Maquis rebels attacking Cardassian targets in the demilitarised zone, Picard and Admiral Nechayev send her undercover to infiltrate a Maquis cell. As a Bajoran with her own grudge against the Cardassians, Ro is quickly accepted and grows close to Macias, a gentle older rebel who becomes a father figure. To win the group's trust, she helps them steal medical supplies from the Enterprise. Picard then plans to have Ro lure the Maquis into attacking a convoy, where Starfleet ships will be waiting. Before the raid, Cardassians kill Macias, and Ro's doubts deepen. Picard sends Riker to keep her on course. At the critical moment, Ro warns the Maquis of the trap, then leaves Riker and joins them. Riker tells a stricken Picard that she seemed sure of her choice, and regretted only letting him down.
- 01Patrick Stewart's last directing job on the series.
- 02Michelle Forbes's sixth and final TNG appearance. She turned down a regular Deep Space Nine role, which led to the creation of Kira Nerys, and played Ro again in Star Trek: Picard in 2023.
- 03The episode built on the Maquis storyline from “Journey's End” and Deep Space Nine to help set up Star Trek: Voyager.