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Ro Laren

'Ro Laren' is a fictional character on the television show Star Trek: The Next Generation. She served aboard the Enterprise D as an ensign under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard during the 5th-7th years of their mission.

Of Bajoran descent, she had a great dislike for Cardassians. Initially a criminal, Picard gave her a second chance and made her one of his crew. She made friends with several people including Geordi LaForge and Commander William Riker. Although Picard had great faith in her, her hatred for the Cardassians won out over her loyalty to him. While on a mission with Commander Riker she defected to the Maquis, a group that was fighting against the Cardassians.

She joined the crew in the fifth season of the series as a troubled young Bajoran officer who had been court-martialled for disobeying orders on an away mission that led to eight deaths.

In the episode "Ensign Ro", she is given her freedom and a pardon in exchange for going on a secret mission to help stop dissident raids to protect a treaty with Cardasia. Her character was intoduced in the Next Generation series and designed to help help launch the new Deep Space Nine series.

In "The Next Phase", Ensign Ro and Geordi apparently die in a transporter accident but rematerialize aboard the Enterprise and are invisible and save the ship from cloaked Romulans.

In "Preemptive Strike", Lt. Ro is asked by Starfleet to infiltrate the rebel Maquis who are undermining the federation treaty with Cardassia. Laren becomes increasingly sympathic to the plight of the Maquis and is tempted to join them.

Ro Laren was played by Michelle Forbes.