Summary

In a series of flashbacks, Ro Laren recites experiences from her life, recalling her father's torture at the hands of Cardassians, her experience on Garon II that led to her court-martial, and her time imprisoned on Jaros II following this.

A seven-year old Ro Laren is led by a Cardassian down a hallway. Ro notes a leaking steam pipe, before she enters a room and is given a sweet by the Cardassian to calm her. She witnesses her father being bound and tortured, and feels a sense of shame at his weakness. She concludes that the man is not her father, once proud and broad-shouldered, and dissociates her emotion from the experience.

On Garon II, Ro notes that she sent "eight souls" (the away team of the USS Wellington) into a cave of "weapons and the kiss of steam". The location is described as a weapons bunker, which Ro is unable to enter due to becoming overwhelmed by fear of its claustrophobia, and particularly the steam in the air. She notes that she tried to warn her crewmates, including James and Lia, but they did not listen to her and failed to notice the "steam and thin line of light", which within a moment resulted in their deaths and covered Ro in their blood, implying they may have been killed by a booby trap or weapons fire within the bunker while following her orders.

On Jaros II, Ro tries to convince herself that she too died on Garon II, and considers whether to accept that witnessing her father's death caused her to panic in the weapons bunker. She concludes that this form of therapy (presumably writing down her past experiences in diary entry) is not helpful, and that she wishes to be alone.

References

Characters

James (USS Wellington) • Lia (USS Wellington) • Ro Gale • Ro Laren

Referenced only

Ro Talia

Starships and vehicles

Locations

Garon II • Jaros II

Referenced only

Cholla Flats

Races and cultures

Bajoran • Cardassian

States and organizations

Other references

hara cat • milaberry • palukoo

Chronology

Appendices

Related media

• TNG episode: "Ensign Ro"

Connections

Star Trek: The Next Generation collected short stories, novellas and short novels
Strange New Worlds	I: ("What Went Through Data's Mind 0.68 Seconds Before the Satellite Hit" • "The Naked Truth" • "The First" • "See Spot Run" • "Together Again, for the First Time" • "Civil Disobedience" • "Of Cabbages and Kings") • II: ("I Am Klingon" • "Reciprocity" • "Calculated Risk" • "Gods, Fate, and Fractals" • "I Am Become Death") • III: ("Whatever You Do, Don't Read This Story" • "A Private Victory" • "The Fourth Toast" • "One of Forty-seven" • "A Q to Swear By" • "The Change of Seasons" • "Out of the Box, Thinking") • IV: ("Flight 19" • "The Promise" • "Flash Point" • "Prodigal Son" • "Seeing Forever") • V: ("Bluff" • "The Peacemakers" • "Efflorescence" • "Kristin's Conundrum" • "The Monkey Puzzle Box" • "The Farewell Gift" • "Dementia in D Minor") • VI: ("The Soft Room" • "Protecting Data's Friends" • "The Human Factor" • "Tribble in Paradise") • VII: ("Life's Work" • "Adventures in Jazz and Time" • "Future Shock" • "Full Circle" • "Beginnings" • "Solemn Duty") • 8: ("Morning Bells Are Ringing" • "Passages of Deceit" • "Final Flight") • 9: ("Staying the Course" • "Home Soil" • "Terra Tonight" • "Solace in Bloom") • 10 ("Wired" • "A Dish Served Cold" • "The Very Model") • 2016 ("A Christmas Qarol" • "The Sunwalkers" • "The Seen and Unseen")
The Sky's the Limit	"Meet with Triumph and Disaster" • "Acts of Compassion" • "Redshift" • "Among the Clouds" • "Thinking of You" • "Turncoats" • "Ordinary Days" • "'Twould Ring the Bells of Heaven" • "Friends With the Sparrows" • "Suicide Note" • "Four Lights" • "'Til Death" • "On the Spot" • "Trust Yourself When All Men Doubt You"
Star Trek: Explorer	"Q and False" • "Quality of Life" • "Broken Oaths" • "Prey" • "Growing Pains" • "Pulaski 2.0" • "The Disavowed" • "Paghabi" • "The Expert" • "Scramble" • "Dignified Transfer" • "Attempted Break-in" • "The Simulation" • "Family History" • "Into the Cardassian Quagmire"
Misc. short stories	"The Captain and the King" • "Last Words" • "Bedside Matters" • "On the Scent of Trouble" • "Life Itself is Reason Enough" • "What Dreams May Come" • "Twilight's Wrath" • "Eleven Hours Out" • "Darkness" • "The Sacred Chalice" • "For Want of a Nail"
Misc. novellas & short novels	"The Other Side" • "The Worst of Both Worlds" • "Brave New World"

Timeline

published order
Previous story: The Promise	Strange New Worlds IV	Next story: Prodigal Son
Previous story: The Promise Strange New Worlds IV	TNG short stories	Next story: Prodigal Son Strange New Worlds IV
Previous story: One of Forty-seven Strange New Worlds III	Stories by: E. Catherine Tobler	Next story: most recent work
chronological order
Previous adventure: Prodigal Son Strange New Worlds IV	Pocket Books Timeline	Next adventure: Data's Day
The above chronology placements are based on the primary placement in 2367. The Pocket Books Timeline and Memory Beta Chronology place events from this story in 2 other timeframe(s):
Previous adventure: Pathways chapter 2, section 8	2347 Flashback	Next Pocket adventure: Mosaic chapter 6 Next MB adventure: Family History section 7 Star Trek: Explorer
Previous adventure: Angel One	2364 Flashthen	Next adventure: A Stitch in Time part 2: chapter 18