In 2369 Picard was captured on Celtris III during a covert mission and was tortured by Gul Madred while Captain Edward Jellico commanded the Enterprise-D.
In 2369 Starfleet sent Picard, Worf and Beverly Crusher on a secret mission to Celtris III to destroy what intelligence believed was a Cardassian laboratory developing metagenic weapons. Captain Edward Jellico took temporary command of the Enterprise-D. The laboratory turned out to be a trap set to capture Picard, and Worf and Crusher escaped without him.
Gul Madred interrogated and tortured Picard, trying to learn Federation defense plans for Minos Korva and to break his will, at one point insisting that Picard see five lights where there were only four. Jellico discovered Cardassian ships hiding in a nebula and mined them, forcing the Cardassians to withdraw and release Picard. Picard later admitted that he had come close to giving in.