Crewmember on the U.S.S. Enterprise-D. Deng was part of the team under the supervision of Nella Daren that set up thermal deflectors to protect a Federation outpost from a firestorm on planet Bersallis III in 2369. The firestorm came in quicker and stronger than expected, and eight of her fellow crewmembers died. But Deng and Daren survived by modifying their phasers to create resonant disruptions in the deflector field, which formed small pockets inside the plane of the field. While they themselves were protected, they could only stand there helplessly while crewman Richardson was engulfed by the firestorm.