To Picard's surprise, Kennelly also orders the arrival of a new officer — Ensign Ro Laren — to assist Picard in his delicate mission. The crew warily welcomes Ro, a strong-willed Bajoran whom Kennelly released from prison to help with the crisis.

With Ro's help, Picard meets with Keeve, a member of the Bajoran resistance movement, who reveals Orta's whereabouts to the captain. But before the crew can meet with the rebel leader, they discover that Ro has mysteriously disappeared.

Tracing her to Orta's hideout, Picard and the Away Team are taken prisoner by Orta's men. Upon meeting Orta, the crew is stunned to find Ro, who pleads that she was only trying to help with the negotiations. Although Picard is furious with Ro for leaving the ship without permission, he is surprised when Orta announces that the Bajora did not attack Solarion IV. Orta also hints that Picard is being used by someone intent on eliminating the Bajora.

Upon returning to the U.S.S. Enterprise, Ro confides to Picard that Admiral Kennelly is using her as part of a plan to offer weapons to the Bajora in exchange for an end to terrorist activities. In return, Kennelly promised to keep Ro out of prison, where she'd been serving time after a court-martial.

Convinced that the U.S.S. Enterprise is embroiled in a conspiracy, Picard and Ro come up with a counter-plan. Picard informs Kennelly that the starship will escort two Bajoran carriers, containing Orta and his people, to their camp. The Cardassians, threatening to destroy the ships, demand that the U.S.S. Enterprise withdraw within one hour.

Captain Picard then confronts Kennelly, charging that the admiral used the U.S.S. Enterprise to smoke out Orta and the Bajoran terrorists. Kennelly orders Picard to withdraw, at which point the Cardassians promptly destroy the Bajoran ships. Believing that Orta is dead, Kennelly is shocked to learn that the destroyed ships were decoys. Picard informs Kennelly that the Cardassians staged the terrorist attack on Solarion IV, then used the admiral in the hopes of eliminating the Bajora once and for all.

After commending Ro on a successful mission, Picard invites her to remain in Starfleet. Ro accepts, beaming back aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise with her new commanding officer.

After appearing in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987) as Ro Laren, she was approached to play the same character in a starring role on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (1993). When she turned down the part, because she didn't want to commit to a regular TV role at that point in her career, a new Bajoran character, Kira Nerys, was created and Nana Visitor was cast in that part.

Prior to introducing the character of Ensign Ro Laren in episode 5.3, "Ensign Ro" of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987), she appeared in a small part in episode 4.22, "Half A Life" as the daughter of Dr. Timicin, played by David Ogden Stiers.

Moved to New York at the age of 16 to make it as an actress.

A Star Trek action figure was made in the likeness of Ensign Ro Laren, her character on the series.

In order to play the deaf character of Susan Metcalfe on the BBC series "Messiah", she learned British Sign Language within six days.