Laris was a 24th century Romulan female who worked as a housekeeper in the service of Jean-Luc Picard, alongside her husband Zhaban. She served in this capacity at least since Picard's retirement in the 2380s.
Biography[]
Her name meant "A New Day" in the Romulan language. (PIC: "The Star Gazer")
She was a close friend of Picard, and they truly cared for each other.
Laris and Zhaban were promised to each other at birth, in accordance with Romulan tradition. Prior to her relocation to Earth, Laris had been a member of the Tal Shiar, and part of her duties at Château Picard included Picard's security. As a young Tal Shiar operative, her handler, Zhaban's mother, once revealed to her details about the rumored Zhat Vash organization and its hatred of synthetic lifeforms. In 2399, she revealed this information to Picard. (PIC: "The Star Gazer", "Maps and Legends")
She was a skilled cook and she also seemed to have a decent understanding of at least basic medicine. (PIC: "Remembrance")
She demonstrated extensive experience with forensic analysis, which she employed in 2399 to reveal details of the attack on Dahj Asha at her apartment in Greater Boston and of Dahj's correspondence with her sister, Soji, off-world. (PIC: "Maps and Legends")
After Zhaban's death in 2400, Laris' affection for Jean-Luc Picard became deeper, and she hoped to develop a romantic relationship with him, but his sense of duty left him unable to reciprocate, despite clearly having romantic feelings for her. When Picard suggested that nothing had to change between them following her confession, Laris responded that ruing would be awkward she was too old for awkward. (PIC: "The Star Gazer").
During Picard’s trip to the past Laris arranged for the solarium of Chateau Picard to be restored to its former glory. She also began preparing to leave the chateau for good. Before Laris left, Picard returned home. Having come to understand the origin of his difficulties regarding long-term relationships, Picard admitted his foolish behavior and asked Laris for her forgiveness and a second chance. Laris agreed. (PIC: "Farewell")
Later, that year, Picard retired from Starfleet again and made preparations to accompany Laris to Chaltok IV where she would be setting up diplomatic security. However, the plan changed when he received an encrypted message from his old friend, Beverly Crusher, pleading for his help. He played the message for Laris and asked her opinion. Laris stated that could see that Crusher looked both terrified and injured. Laris speculated that Picard and Crusher's past history on the USS Enterprise-D, which included an attempt at a romantic relationship, lead Crusher to see Picard as the only person she could trust. Laris stated that, from her viewpoint as a former Tal Shiar operative: Crusher's fear was genuine and not the result of paranoia. She was out of options, which led her to turn to Picard, and only Picard, for help. Both realized he would have to go to answer Crusher's call. Before leaving, Laris promised to save him a seat at a bar at Chaltok IV. She also advised Picard to mind himself, kissed him, and departed alone. (PIC: "The Next Generation")
Alternate timeline[]
In an alternate timeline created by Q, Laris was still married to Zhaban, where together they were the leaders of the Free Romulan movement during the Romulan uprising. Both were killed at the gates of Romulus. General Jean-Luc Picard had encountered Laris before her death.
In 2401, after Admiral Jean-Luc Picard found himself in the alternate timeline, he asked the General's valet Harvey about the whereabouts of Laris. Later that day, Harvey answered Picard's question and he learned about this timeline's Laris. Harvey suggested that he could make an inquiry with the Museum of Conquest to see if they might have tribute photos of Laris in the museum's files as he knew that his Picard enjoyed looking at the photos. Picard declined the offer. (PIC: "Penance")
Appendices[]
Appearances[]
Background information[]
Laris was played by Orla Brady.
While Laris more closely resembles Romulans of the Original Series era, who are physically indistinguishable from Vulcans, Zhaban possesses prominent brow ridges like the Romulans which appeared during The Next Generation era series and movies. Laris calls Zhaban and a Zhat Vash agent with similar ridges a "Northerner." (PIC: "The End is the Beginning")
Apocrypha[]
Zhaban and Laris reveal their identities to Picard and Raffi Musiker (2385)
Before her first onscreen appearance, Laris was featured in the Star Trek: Picard - Countdown prequel comic book, alongside Zhaban. According to the comic, before the supernova, she and Zhaban were agents of the Tal Shiar who fell in love, and then defected to aid Picard. In issue #3, a Tal Shiar commander addresses her as "Agent Avem".
External link[]
- Laris at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works