In 2371, the observatory was raided by Romulans, searching for trilithium stolen by Klingon outlaws Lursa and B'Etor. The only survivor of the attack was an El-Aurian scientist, Dr. Tolian Soran. The USS Enterprise-D answered the distress call and investigated the attack. Soran then revealed he was allied with the Klingons, kidnapping Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge from the observatory and launching a trilithium weapon which collapsed Amargosa and destroyed the system. (TNG movie: Star Trek Generations)