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In the begining of "Birthright. Part I" episode (Star Trek Next Generation 6x16) an Yridian tells Worf about a prison camp on Carraya IV

were Worf's father is kept alive (apparently not killed in Khitomer Massacre) as hostage.

But later, in the end of this episode and in the begining of "Birthright. Part II" we learn, that

there is absolutely no chance for anyone to leave the camp. Camp itself is placed on a remote plantet, forgotten by "entire universe" and no information ever leaves its borders. Anyone, who enters borders of the camp can either stay there for the rest of his/her life or be executed.

If that's so, then how could Yridian learn about this prison camp? I'm looking only for a canonical or at least logical explanation (if any of such exists), not about speculations.

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According to this, not everyone who knew about the camp was a permanent resident as it quite clearly states that...

Supply ships made regular stops at the world.

If everyone who came to the planet was required to stay permanently, the supply runs would have, most likely, ceased after the first handful of runs. After all, who would want to make a supply run from which no one ever returned?

According to this, Shrek was an information dealer. It's likely he did business with the supply ships or with one of their other trading partners and found out about the planet that way.

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In the script, Jaglom Shrek (the Yridian) is unwilling to share that information with Worf (or us):

WORF : How did you learn of this camp?

SHREK : That is not important for you to know.

TNG : Birthright, Part 1

However, at the end of the two-parter we learn that the camp actually receives visits from a supply vessel, suggesting that it's far from being completely isolated:

WORF : You must promise them -- that you will never reveal their secret. No one must know of this place.

Parents and young people talk. Toq hurries to Worf.

TOQ : There's a supply ship due in a few days. They will take us...

TNG : Birthright, Part 2

Based on the fact that the Yridian has clearly never been there in person (note his supposed reticence at entering Romulan space), the fact that his information is somewhat out of date and that he identifies himself as a "broker of information", it's likely that he simply bought the details and maps, either from someone who was involved in building the camp or, more likely from someone involved with the camp's regular supply drops.

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  • Side question: I think, that when Picards decides to go after Shrek (in "Birthright. Part II"), Riker says, that according to DS9 logs, Yridian visited three planets since departure with Worf, of which two were in Romulan space. So, either he was constantly visiting Romulan space or this would seems like a bug in script: Not visiting some part of space at all and refusing to enter it and then suddenly visit it two times in short period of time. Am I right?
    – trejder
    Commented Jan 22, 2015 at 17:41
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    @trejder - I'm thinking that maybe he was using the fact that it was in Romulan space as an excuse not to accompany Worf. Either that, or certain planets inside their space are safer to visit than others.
    – Valorum
    Commented Jan 22, 2015 at 17:42

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