I have a new theory based upon recent developments.
I think that perhaps the Founders/Changelings are now the victims and the tables have turned against them in a big way with them being framed by conspirators within Starfleet and beyond in a genocidal act of vengeance. A galactic conspiracy in scale that would eclipse the story in The Undiscovered Country.
I believe that Vadic and her crew are being coerced or threatened and that Changelings are being hunted down by a group of people who want vengeance against the Founders for the Dominion war 20 years ago in which millions of people lost their lives. The Maquis were also wiped out by the Dominion, so it would be a natural character progression for Ro Laren to be a part of this conspiracy as she had a passionate belief in the Maquis cause. It would be a bit like when Valeris was exposed as a conspirator in The Undiscovered Country.
Did you know that Valeris was supposed to be Saavik in the original script of TUDC, but the writers were not daring enough to make that connection to Spock’s protégé from the earlier film, who was also potentially the mother of his off screen child. Ro has been painted out to be very much a protégé of Picard, this will make the news all the more shocking to him when he finds out. Laren may have survived the shuttle craft explosion as the bomb which was left by the Changelings took a long time to go off, but luckily leaving just enough time for the shuttle to be pilot in to the enemy ships nacelle… and possibly for her to have beamed off and escaped. Just like in TUDC, some of the Changelings could be on the side of the conspirators as was the case with the Klingons.
Terry said that we would have sympathy for Vadik and her plight, even though she is an ‘enemy’, so my theory would make sense.
Of course, Ro Laren would not be working alone, another possible co-conspirator could be Captain Shaw. Shaw has shown prejudice against ex Borg as a result of Wolf 359… perhaps he also has a hidden prejudice against Founders/Changelings as a result of the massive losses in the Dominion War in battles such as that depicted in Sacrifice of Angels.
There good be a conspiracy within Starfleet to enact revenge on the Changelings and whatever has become of the Dominion, with Founders being hunted down and framed for the attack on the Starfleet Recruitment center. The Changelings could also be framed for the upcoming attack on Frontier Day. Picard and the TNG crew could also be being framed as Changelings too, part of Captain Shaw’s revenge for Wolf 359 against who he still sees as being Locutus. Shaw may have something bad in store for Seven of Nine too.
The Changelings in Picard do not quite look themselves in their gelatinous state, it is possible that they have also been infected with something in a similar way as to how Section 31 infected the Founders/Changelings with a Virus once before in season 7 of Deep Space Nine.
I have no idea as to how Picard’s son fits in to all of my speculation yet though. Seeing as the Bajoran’s are back, Jack could always be possessed by a Pah’Wraith with those red flowing eyes…