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Preemptive Strike (TNG episode)
Encyclopedia
"Preemptive Strike" is the 176th episode
of the science fiction
television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
.
. In this episode, the recurring character Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes
), a court-martialed Starfleet
officer who first appeared in the episode “Ensign Ro”, finds her loyalties divided between Starfleet and a group of resistance fighter
s who oppose the Cardassian
Union, as she and her fellow Bajoran
s once did.
. Meanwhile, newly promoted Lieutenant Ro Laren arrives in Ten-Forward to attend a welcome back party after recently graduating from Starfleet Advanced Tactical Training class.
The Enterprise responds to a distress call from a Cardassian warship under attack by the Maquis
, a paramilitary
organization of Federation citizens who have taken up arms against the Cardassians. The Enterprise uses a spread of Photon torpedo
s detonated between the Cardassian and Maquis ships, causing them to break off their attack and withdraw. Later the Enterprise has its rendezvous with Vice Admiral Alynna Nechayev's Excelsior-class
ship and she expresses Starfleet's concern about the Maquis, who are jeopardizing the Federation-Cardassian peace treaty. She advises Picard that Starfleet has decided to infiltrate the Maquis using Ro Laren.
Ro finds her way to a bar where she is contacted by members of the Maquis. After verifying her cover story, they quickly accept her into their ranks. She forms a bond with Macias, who Ro obviously sees as a father figure. Alarmed by this news that the Cardassians are arming their citizens with biogenic weapons, the Maquis plan a preemptive strike, however, Macias points out they are critically short of medical supplies. Ro offers to steal the needed supplies from the Enterprise, which she manages with some covert help from the crew.
Returning to the Enterprise for a debriefing, Ro tells Picard of the Maquis strategy and Picard plots to manipulate the militant’s paranoia in order to set a trap for them, hopefully eliminating, or at least crippling, their organization. Although Ro is troubled by this, she returns to the planet and is able to convince the Maquis leadership to plan an attack on the convoy supposedly carrying the components for the biogenic weapon, so the Federation fleet can attack from nearby nebula. However, disguised Cardassian militiamen attack the community which the Maquis cell is part of, and Macias is killed. As he dies, he tells Ro his death is not important as other Maquis like her will step forward to carry on the fight in his place.
Shortly thereafter a very unsettled Ro meets with Picard as she’s having second thoughts about the mission, asking him to call it off, saying that the Maquis cell she belongs to isn’t all that militant and may not even rise to the bait of the decoy convoy. Picard decides to send the ship’s First officer
Commander William Riker
, back to the Maquis with her to keep an eye on her and assure nothing interferes with the mission.
The day for the operation against the convoy arrives and as the Maquis fighters close in on it, Ro decides she can’t go through with the operation. She fires a low intensity particle beam into the Nebula, exposing the Federation attack force, and the Maquis ships break off their attack, frustrating the Starfleet plan. With great regret, Ro asks Riker to apologize on her behalf to Picard and beams to another Maquis ship. Back on the Enterprise, Riker files his report with Picard in the captain's ready room, adding that Ro seemed very sure of her decision, her only seeming regret being that she had let Picard down.
Episode
An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...
of the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
.
Overview
"Preemptive Strike" concluded the plotline involving the character Ro LarenRo Laren
Ro Laren is a recurring fictional character on Star Trek: The Next Generation, played by Michelle Forbes.Ro Laren was also planned to be a main character in the two following Star Trek television shows, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager...
. In this episode, the recurring character Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes
Michelle Forbes
Michelle Renee Forbes Guajardo , known professionally as Michelle Forbes, is an American actress who has built a career of work in television and independent film and has acted in productions in both the United States and in the United Kingdom...
), a court-martialed Starfleet
Starfleet
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...
officer who first appeared in the episode “Ensign Ro”, finds her loyalties divided between Starfleet and a group of resistance fighter
Resistance movement
A resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to opposing an invader in an occupied country or the government of a sovereign state. It may seek to achieve its objects through either the use of nonviolent resistance or the use of armed force...
s who oppose the Cardassian
Cardassian
The Cardassians are an extraterrestrial species in the Star Trek science fiction franchise. First introduced in the 1991 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Wounded", the species originating on the fictional Alpha Quadrant planet Cardassia Prime...
Union, as she and her fellow Bajoran
Bajoran
In the Star Trek science-fiction franchise, the Bajorans are a humanoid extraterrestrial species native to the planet Bajor. They were first introduced in the 1991 episode "Ensign Ro" of Star Trek: The Next Generation and subsequently also featured in episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and...
s once did.
Plot
The Enterprise is en route to a briefing concerning the current situation along the border of the Cardassian-Federation demilitarized zoneDemilitarized zone
In military terms, a demilitarized zone is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers , where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice, or other bilateral or multilateral agreement...
. Meanwhile, newly promoted Lieutenant Ro Laren arrives in Ten-Forward to attend a welcome back party after recently graduating from Starfleet Advanced Tactical Training class.
The Enterprise responds to a distress call from a Cardassian warship under attack by the Maquis
Maquis (Star Trek)
In the American Star Trek science-fiction franchise, the Maquis are a 24th Century paramilitary organization or terrorist group first introduced in the 1994 episode "The Maquis" of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, who subsequently also appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation and...
, a paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
organization of Federation citizens who have taken up arms against the Cardassians. The Enterprise uses a spread of Photon torpedo
Weapons of Star Trek
The Star Trek fictional universe contains a very large number of weapons. As with most science fiction franchises, the series focuses primarily on energy weapons...
s detonated between the Cardassian and Maquis ships, causing them to break off their attack and withdraw. Later the Enterprise has its rendezvous with Vice Admiral Alynna Nechayev's Excelsior-class
Excelsior class starship (Star Trek)
The Excelsior class is a fictional class of starship in the science fiction franchise Star Trek. The USS Excelsior was designed by Industrial Light and Magic's Bill George for Star Trek III: The Search for Spock...
ship and she expresses Starfleet's concern about the Maquis, who are jeopardizing the Federation-Cardassian peace treaty. She advises Picard that Starfleet has decided to infiltrate the Maquis using Ro Laren.
Ro finds her way to a bar where she is contacted by members of the Maquis. After verifying her cover story, they quickly accept her into their ranks. She forms a bond with Macias, who Ro obviously sees as a father figure. Alarmed by this news that the Cardassians are arming their citizens with biogenic weapons, the Maquis plan a preemptive strike, however, Macias points out they are critically short of medical supplies. Ro offers to steal the needed supplies from the Enterprise, which she manages with some covert help from the crew.
Returning to the Enterprise for a debriefing, Ro tells Picard of the Maquis strategy and Picard plots to manipulate the militant’s paranoia in order to set a trap for them, hopefully eliminating, or at least crippling, their organization. Although Ro is troubled by this, she returns to the planet and is able to convince the Maquis leadership to plan an attack on the convoy supposedly carrying the components for the biogenic weapon, so the Federation fleet can attack from nearby nebula. However, disguised Cardassian militiamen attack the community which the Maquis cell is part of, and Macias is killed. As he dies, he tells Ro his death is not important as other Maquis like her will step forward to carry on the fight in his place.
Shortly thereafter a very unsettled Ro meets with Picard as she’s having second thoughts about the mission, asking him to call it off, saying that the Maquis cell she belongs to isn’t all that militant and may not even rise to the bait of the decoy convoy. Picard decides to send the ship’s First officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
Commander William Riker
William Riker
William Thomas Riker, played by Jonathan Frakes, is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe primarily appearing as a main character in Star Trek: The Next Generation...
, back to the Maquis with her to keep an eye on her and assure nothing interferes with the mission.
The day for the operation against the convoy arrives and as the Maquis fighters close in on it, Ro decides she can’t go through with the operation. She fires a low intensity particle beam into the Nebula, exposing the Federation attack force, and the Maquis ships break off their attack, frustrating the Starfleet plan. With great regret, Ro asks Riker to apologize on her behalf to Picard and beams to another Maquis ship. Back on the Enterprise, Riker files his report with Picard in the captain's ready room, adding that Ro seemed very sure of her decision, her only seeming regret being that she had let Picard down.