Missive to the Proconsul on the Occasion of the Pretender's Escape

From:
Jiana t'Charvon,
aka G'essatra ir'Virinat t'Prell,
Praetor and Fleet Admiral,
Tal Diann
Chief of New Romulan Military Intelligence

To:
Proconsul D'Tan

Jolan'tru, Ehkifv Temjahaere.

When the logs of the "interrogations" of the Pretender were sent to me, I informed you that, in my professional opinion, the civilian government was poorly equipped to deal with her, that the people who were conducting the "interrogations" were not following proper intelligence interrogation procedures and methodology, and that she should be turned over to the JAG Corps of the Tal Diann.

To repeat what I said at that time: the very locations of the so-called "interrogations" were inappropriate. The setting should have been a featureless room completely darkened except for a light over the prisoner casting a small circular light on her and around her. The interrogator should have remained in the darkness. She should have had no reading materials, no technology, no contact with the outside world, no amenities which might offer a trace of solace beyond what any sentient being should be afforded, that her counsel should be a trained and experienced Tal Diann JAG barrister.

Now we see the results of allowing inexperienced civilian personnel to deal with so treacherous and dangerous a prisoner of war. I trust that you will listen to my counsel more closely in the future when dealing with war criminals. We have already conducted courts-martial of such criminals successfully, and I was wrong to concede to the request of Riov t'Jarok that the Pretender be turned over to the civilian government. At the time, however, it seemed like a good idea (although my initial impulse was to shoot the Pretender where she stood, as noted in my report of the incident).

Tal Diann Security forces are now on full alert. Our Special Operations Wing is engaged in a dragnet operation in hopes of locating and recapturing the Pretender. However, they have all been ordered to take her "dead or alive." It matters little to me whether she survive to stand trial or no. In fact, as I have already told you, if I locate her myself, I will not hesitate to execute her on the spot. No matter what information she may or may not have about the Ikonnsu, it cannot be worth allowing her to go unpunished for her crimes against peace, her crimes against Romulanity, and her crimes against Remanity. Since you gave ear to what I said, but offered no reply, I will assume that you do not wish to officially approve my plan, but privately have no objection to it. As such, I will proceed as I advised at that time.

In response to an inquiry from one of your staff, let me clarify my position: by no means would I desire for martial law to be imposed; the civilian government is proper. Your leadership is the leadership our peoples need. My support for your government has not wavered. However, it is my contention that war criminals should be judged, not by the civilian justice system, but by the Military Internal Affairs Wing of the Tal Diann(specifically, our JAG Corps), and that interrogations of such prisoners should be left to the Military Intelligence Wing of the Tal Diann. These are, after all, two of the primary functions of the Tal Diann.

I trust you are well, and I hope to personally deliver news of the Pretender's death to you shortly.

Ahr'Lleiset mnhei'sahe mnei.

New Romulus Rising

ch'Mol'Rihan Vailiu'enh

The R.R.W. Khallianen, a Deihu Science Command Warbird, current flagship of Fvillhu Jiana t'Charvon

Paying Our Respects to Spock's Memory

A few of our personnel on ch'Mol'Rihan to pay our respects to Ambassador Spock's memory:

(L-R) Saruk, Ko'lina, Praetor Ji'ana t'Charvon, Kara t'Charvon, Arina, and Aisha Imperia Vi Terra, at the Monument to Spock on ch'Mol'Rihan.

Proclamation from the Praetor of the Tal Diann

Twenty-three years have come and gone since Spahkh went missing in his successful attempt to spare more worlds the fate which the Tal'Shiar in their insanity brought upon ch'Rihan and ch'Havran.  Spahkh gave his life so that others might live.  While he was unsuccessful in petitioning the Vulcan Science Academy to take action in time to prevent the destruction of ch'Havran and ch'Rihan, nevertheless, he did succeed in saving the lives of many Rihannsu and Havrannsu (as well as others).  A man of deep wisdom, keen intellect, and heartfelt compassion, Spahkh is worthy of honor.  He did much work in the movement to heal the wounds of The Sundering.

A friend to our peoples, Spahkh was more than a friend to me.  Among other things, he trained me in Vulcan disciplines, sharpening my latent psionic talents so that I have become a highly skilled telepath.  In the time that he was on ch'Havran (where I had gone due to events on ch'Rihan) before the Murder of the Eisn system by the Tal'Shiar, we became very close, having first met over an hundred years prior aboard my flagship, the ch'R Memenda, in 2268.  Now in 2410, the Federation's Starfleet has declared him dead.  Although I hoped that some means of rescuing him could be found through the use of temporal sciences, the event was already so flooded with chronitons that no further alterations to the timeline were possible.  I will treasure his memory, and the time we shared.

In honor of Spahkh, and having cemented my position in the New Romulan Republic, my loyalty to Proconsul D'Tan and the Republic beyond question, I have chosen now as the appropriate time to reveal my identity.  Those familiar with Romulan history may have already guessed as a result of my reference to my former flagship (if not as a result of numerous hints in previous briefs and the like which can be found in the archives of this web-embassy), but for those who have not, I will state the truth.  My birthname was Di'on t'Charvon.  I later took the nahi (a name used in Romulan society to conceal one's true identity), following my exile and the ceremonial cursing of my birthname, Liviana t'Charvanek, and became known as Fvillhu Thea following my marriage, in 2344, to Fvillhu Devoras Narviat, with whom I shared the office of Fvillhu (Praetor) of the Romulan Star Empire until his untimely assassination, in 2373, at the hands of the Tal'Shiar.  I am well aware that skeptics will doubt.  I offer DNA test results as evidence.  In those test results will be found also evidence of how I have survived so long, and how I am bodily younger today than I was prior to my disappearance from history in 2380.  A hint has already been given in my earlier reference to temporal sciences.

From this day forward, to honor the courage of Spahkh, I will no longer hide my identity from the public, although, due to the ceremonial cursing of my birthname, I have instead adopted the new name Ji'ana t'Charvon.  The Republic may rest secure in the knowledge that, although I have claim by blood to the Throne of the Raptor Star, I have no ambitions to be Empress or even Praetor of the Star Empire, nor of the Republic.  Indeed, I took the nahi of Jessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell (in Virinat dialect:  G'essatra ir'Virinat t'Prell) precisely because I have no designs on those offices and wished to avoid public adulation which might have led to a movement to install me in one of those offices.  I am more than content to remain Chief of New Romulan Military Intelligence and Praetor and Fleet Admiral of the Tal'Diann and the Tal-Diann.  Any attempt to put me on the throne will be met with violent resistance.

My loyalty is to D'Tan and the people of the Republic, and political office should not be hereditary.  Competence and ability are not genetic;  mere blood relation to a great leader does not qualify one to be a great leader.  Some of my relatives are perfect examples of this truth, and should not be followed merely due to family connections.  I proved myself again, in the Republic, without any reference to my family.  This is how it should be.  With great power comes great responsibility, and only those who have demonstrated merit on their own strengths should be put into positions of power, lest their irresponsibility lead to disaster.

Spahkh lives on in our hearts.  Let us do only what would honor his memory.


--------------------------------
G'essatra ir'Virinat t'Prell
(aka Ji'ana ir'Vastam t'Charvon,
aka Liviana t'Charvanek,
aka Thea),
Praetor of the Tal Diann