7.24 Preemptive Strike

Rating: 3.5

The Enterprise responds to a distress call from a Cardassian ship under attack from Federation ships piloted by the Maquis. Ro Laren, having just recently rejoined the Enterprise, is chosen to infiltrate the Maquis because of her Bajoran heritage and her previous problems with Starfleet. But Ro may be torn between her allegiance to Starfleet and her growing sympathies for the anti-Cardassian cause of the Maquis. The cell leader of the Maquis becomes a father-figure to Ro and a strong bond forms; when he is killed by a Cardassian sniper, his deathbed wish is for Ro to take his place.

Comments

Ensign Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes) guest stars, returning to the Enterprise after a stint in tactical training. Picard mentions to her that she is in good shape, and there appears to be some chemistry between them. Ro is certainly outwardly grateful for Picard’s support.

Nits

It makes for a great scene, but just why does Ro choose to be a pretend prostitute to talk to Picard in the bar? Couldn’t they have come up with some other way of getting close enough to have a quiet conversation?

Because Picard does not trust Ro, he insists that Riker accompany her on the mission by saying that he is a relative. When next we see Riker, he has been surgically altered to look like a Bajoran. We saw earlier that Ro was not immediately accepted into the Maquis until her story was checked out. Is it plausible that the Maquis would not run some kind of security check on Riker to ascertain if he truly is a relative of Ro, or can we assume that because Ro has been accepted (merely a few days ago) that the Maquis will believe anything she says without question?

Memorable Moments

•    Picard and Ro’s scene of love and confrontation: Ro, posing as a prostitute, debates whether she can fulfill the mission, and Picard threatens with a court martial, all related in whispered caresses

•    Picard’s steely look of anger and disappointment at the conclusion

Quotable Quotes

Admiral Nechayev: No Balarian canape this time, Captain?
Picard: I thought twice was pushing it a little.

"But I’ve known since I’ve first met you, that in your heart, you’re one of us."
- Macias