Occasionally, mysteries from our past return — mysteries that can neither be explained nor ignored. How is it that Tasha Yar, a heroic young woman who met her fate in the line of duty, existed outside of her own time?

We do know that Yar was born on the failing colony world of Turkana IV in 2337, but both her parents were killed in the crossfire among the planet's cadre infighting just after her younger sister Ishara was born some 4 1/2 years later. After their foster care family abandoned them within months, the girls led a violent and harrowing life on the streets. Tasha and her sister had one comforting companion amid the chaos: a kitten.

Later in life, Tasha was singled out by Jean-Luc Picard for her brave, fearless nature. Her career in Starfleet was cut short when she was killed in the line of duty in 2364.

Discover the truth — as far as we know it — in "Galactic Mysteries: The Enigma of Tasha Yar." You can view the latest STARTREK.COM documentary by clicking on the link at the top left.