Vash Vash was a Human archaeologist and former member of the Federation Archaeology Council in the 24th century and considered by many to be a profiteer . Career . Vash ' s primary goal was not to gain knowledge about ancient cultures , but to sell their artifacts for a profit . To this end , she frequently used methods that were considered unscrupulous by the scientific community , including visiting many archaeological sites that were barred to outsiders such as Sarthong V . ( ) Her shady ethics , and consistent sale of priceless artifacts , twice got her membership suspended from the Daystrom Institute Archaeological Council . Her professional choices were also the reason she was not welcome on several worlds . Vash was banned from the Royal Museum of Epsilon Hydra VII , was a " persona non grata " on Betazed and had a " dead or alive " ( preferably dead ) warrant issued for her on Myrmidon because she had stolen the Crown of the First Mother . Though Professor Woo would offer her reinstatement to the Council and a lecture position at the Daystrom Institute in 2369 , Vash made it clear that between knowledge and profit , she would choose profit every time . ( ; ) For five years in the middle of her career , until approximately 2366 , Vash worked as the personal assistant to Dr . Samuel Estragon while he devoted his life to searching for the legendary " Tox Uthat " . After his death in the 2360s , Vash continued the search using his notes and ultimately found the " Tox Uthat " in 2366 on the planet Risa where it had been hidden by its creator . ( ) Romance with Jean - Luc Picard . It was on Risa that Vash also met Captain Jean - Luc Picard , himself on shore leave from the . After initial conflict the two found themselves kindred spirits of a sort and began a romantic relationship . Vash took advantage of Picard ' s presence to distract and foil Sovak , a Ferengi , who had occasionally been employed by Estragon for certain purposes – not always legitimate ones . Sovak was determined to recover the " Tox Uthat " for himself in order to sell it , in addition to being infatuated with Vash . Unknown to Sovak , and for a time to Picard , Vash had uncovered the " Uthat " before either of them had arrived . Picard eventually discovered the deception and was instrumental in the ultimate fate of the " Uthat " . Picard and Vash parted , recognizing that their lifestyles were incompatible . But their attraction was heartfelt , and each continued to remember the other fondly . ( ) A year later Vash reappeared in Picard ' s life when she attended the annual Federation Archaeology Council symposium hosted by the USS " Enterprise " in orbit of Tagus III . Her unannounced visit surprised Picard , who greeted her warmly . However , the warmth between them faded slightly when Vash found that Picard had never mentioned her to his colleagues after meeting her on Risa . Picard visited her quarters to give her an explanation , but their reconciliation was side - tracked when he discovered archaeological equipment and a map of the Taguan ruins , which she wanted to explore . The ruins had been off - limits for non - Taguans for the past one hundred years and the realization that Vash intended to explore them illegally while a guest of the " Enterprise " angered Picard . At the same time , the entity Q appeared on the " Enterprise " claiming he wanted to settle a debt to Picard , who had protected Q on a previous occasion when he had been stripped of his powers by the Q Continuum . Picard resisted Q ' s attempts to " do something nice " for him , but when Q discovered Picard ' s relationship with Vash he took matters into his own hands . Q staged a Robin Hood fantasy in which Picard was forced to choose between rescuing Vash , herself forced to play the part of Maid Marian , or letting her die at the hands of Sir Guy of Gisbourne . Picard was ultimately successful in his rescue , and the fleeting bitterness of their earlier reunion faded as the two rekindled their affection for each other . ( ) Partnership with Q . During the course of the drama in Sherwood Forest , Q became fascinated by Vash , finding her full of deceit and duplicity . Genuinely curious about her , Q offered Vash a chance to accompany him exploring the universe . Though Picard warned her against accepting the offer , she agreed and after Picard demanded Q guarantee her safety as payment of his debt . Vash kissed Picard goodbye and left the " Enterprise " with Q . ( ) For the next two years Vash and Q explored some of the most splendid archaeological sites in the galaxy . They visited numerous sites that no Human had ever seen before , including Errikang VII , , and Erabus Prime where Vash was almost infected by a local insect though she was saved by Q ' s intervention . In 2369 , Vash broke off her partnership with Q while in the Gamma Quadrant and was found by Jadzia Dax and Pauley a short time later and returned to Federation space with the . When she arrived at Deep Space 9 , she did not come empty - handed . One of those artifacts was a crystal with a high molecular refraction index that resembled Promethean quartz and converted the runabout ' s power sources into graviton s . Power levels of the runabout were nearly zero , life support was down and they barely reached the station where they were rescued by Miles O ' Brien and Dr . Julian Bashir . In order to sell the artifacts she had brought back with her , she partnered with Quark . Quark found a kindred spirit in Vash , who expertly manipulated him with her feminine charms and an ear massage . Quark arranged an auction for some noted Gamma Quadrant artifacts , including a Verathan statue , assorted gems , a gold necklace , and an exceptional gold dagger . However , the crystal ' s presence on the station resulted in focused graviton pulse s , causing random hull breach es . The resulting graviton field even moved the station towards the wormhole , bringing it into grave danger . Fortunately , Lieutenant Dax , Commander Sisko , and Major Kira tracked down the problem and beamed the crystal into space . There it turned out that the crystal was an embryonic lifeform , which now could return to the Gamma quadrant . Vash ' s presence on Deep Space 9 did not go unnoticed by Dr . Bashir who made advances towards her ; nor by her former partner , Q . Q attempted to lure her back to him by enticing her with the possibility of more adventures to exotic locales such as the Teleris Cluster , the Lantar Nebula , and Vadris III . She turned down Q ' s repeated entreaties , much to his disappointment ; though she did seem to retain some level of partiality to the entity . Vash briefly considered becoming a lecturer at the Daystrom Institute , which was interested in her because of her time spent in the largely still unexplored Gamma Quadrant . However she was convinced by Quark to continue her journeys , with him as a backer and business partner . Quark kissed her affectionately on the hand as they walked away discussing their plans . ( ) Memorable quotes . " " Look , I don ' t mean to appear rude , but I am not seeking " jamaharon " . " " " " All right . But you really should try it some time . " " " " If I " try it " , it will be at a time of my own choosing . " " " " That ' s fine with me . It ' s not as though I was offering to help you find it . " " " " You mean you came alone ? " " " " Yes , now let ' s . . . " " " " What kind of plan is that ? " " " " An excellent one if you ' d only hurry up . " " Appendices . Background information . Vash was named after Susan Vash , a casting director whom Ira Steven Behr worked with on the television series " Once a Hero " . ( " " ) Her name was changed into Viriad in the French version , because Vash sounds like the French word " vache " , which means cow . Vash was played by Jennifer Hetrick . Recalling how she adapted to the part for , Hetrick said , " " I just used my own imagination and what I know of myself and found her very adventurous and conniving to a degree , but also vulnerable and committed . " " ( " " , p . 195 ) Vash is one of only two serious romances that engaged Captain Picard through the course of , the other being with Nella Daren . Following her appearance in , Ira Steven Behr considered bringing Vash back to . Shortly after the sixth season of the show began , he commented , " " I ' d like to see her back but so far inspiration has not struck . " " According to the script for " Captain ' s Holiday " , Vash ' s name was pronounced as " VASH " . " " Apocrypha . Vash is a major character in the " " novels . In the first book in the series , she is responsible for the discovery of the Red Orbs , an action that ( in an alternate future ) led to the destruction of Deep Space 9 . In that future , she subsequently accompanied an elderly Picard , now crippled by Irumodic Syndrome , and an older Nog into the past , where the three of them became fabled figures in Bajoran mythology , and wrote ' prophecies ' that detailed the events of that timeline up to the point where they left it . It was also hinted here that she regards Picard as her ' best love ' , although she briefly displays an attraction for Jake Sisko and Julian Bashir as well .