Star Trek Picard: Every Easter Egg & Hidden Reference From 'Maps And Legends'

Back at Château Picard, the former Admiral learns from Laris and Zhaban about a secret Romulan police, the Zhat Vash. The Zhat Vash are apparently even more secretive and deadly than the previously seen secretive and deadly Romulan spy agency, the Tal Shiar.

Laris and Zhaban are themselves former Tal Shiar (revealed in the Star Trek: Picard Countdown comics). The Romulan Star Empire's intelligence service was first seen in TNG's "Face of the Enemy" and referenced throughout Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (see "The Die is Cast" and "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges").

Laris tells Picard the Zhat Vash have infiltrated major powers in the Star Trek Universe including the Federation, the Klingon Empire, and the Gorn Hegemony. The Gorn were first seen in the TOS episode "Arena", in which Kirk fights off a terrifying, rubber lizard man. "Arena" was famously shot at Vasquez Rocks near Los Angeles - more on that later.

Picard and Laris return to Dahj's apartment in Boston, seen in the previous episode, and use some Romulan tech to search for clues. It's not specifically mentioned, but Picard isn't a stranger to detective work, his pastime in the holodeck playing Detective Dixon Hill is well documented in TNG and even Star Trek: First Contact.