A Few Reminders from History
2384 -- Praetor Tal'aura is assassinated. Factionalism results in opportunistic finger-pointing. Tal'aura's Proconsul, Sela, is blamed by some, while others blame the Tal'Shiar, and others blame an alleged coalition of noble Houseclans; for her part, Sela blames the Remans and the Reunificationists.
2386 -- The Tal'Shiar launches a persecution of the noble Houseclans on the pretense that the noble Houseclans were involved in a plot to assassinate Tal'aura, with the actual motivation being a seizure of wealth by the Tal'Shiar in order to further their own power. Sela is exiled following the assassination of the head of the Tal'Shiar.
2387 -- The Eisn system is destroyed by the Hobus supernova, later found to have been an artificial event caused by the Tal'Shiar. Any evidence pertinent to the assassination of Tal'aura is lost. Billions of Romulans are killed. Civil unrest subsequently results in numerous groups vying for power, leading to schisms and civil war.
2391 -- Sela meets with Hirogen representatives to solicit their support for her future bid for power. Taris is named head of the Romulan Star Empire.
2392 -- Taris expresses support for the idea of a Romulan monarch.
2393 -- General Tebok is willing to sacrifice Romulan colonies in order to focus on the core worlds of the Star Empire, but Taris insists that they must fight for every world in their territory.
2396 -- In the Kevatras system, a colony of the Star Empire, an epidemic of Bloodfire (lethal to several species including Rihannsu, but curable if treated promptly) breaks out. Taris, who a mere three years earlier, had advocated fighting for every world in the Star Empire, is now willing to sacrifice the colonists on Kevatras, and quarantines the system. She orders the Imperial Star Navy to enforce the quarantine with a military blockade. Thousands of loyal citizens die.
2397 -- Kevatras declares independence. Taris orders General Tebok to put down the insurrection with force. He refuses and the Senate supports him.
2399 -- Tebok's warbird is lost with all hands to a computer virus. Taris orders all fleets to report to her directly until a new commander of the fleets can be appointed. Velal, an ally of Tebok, apeals to the Senate, which calls for Senate approval for all high level military appointments.
2400 -- By now the Senate is so distrustful of Taris that they proceed with a plan to limit her authority. The exiled Sela has been making overtures to Velal.
2401-2403 -- Velal joins forces with Sela and they successfully cause Taris to flee.
2403 -- With Sela's warbirds and Hirogen allies in orbit, the Romulan Senate votes to invest her with the office of Praetor. As payment for their support, Sela allows Hirogen to hunt in the territory of the Romulan Star Empire (which, for the obtuse and the blind loyalists, means she allows them to hunt her own citizens).
2407 -- Sela has been using subterfuge to promote the idea of a Romulan monarch.
2408 -- Sela is crowned Empress, does away with the office of Praetor, and declares that the Senate will serve at her pleasure; she increases security as a show of force to intimidate the Senate and the citizens.
Sure, you can trust the leaders of the Romulan Star Empire. Just witness the evidence. Oh, wait ...
In fact, before Shinzon's rebellion, the government of the Star Empire was so corrupt that leaders sought only to benefit themselves, without regard for the welfare of the citizens -- indeed, more often than not using the citizens as pawns or stepping-stones for their rise to power. The government of the Star Empire has not been stable since Shinzon's rebellion. Instead, whichever individual or faction has had the daring and opportunity to slip a blade into the back of whatever person is in power has further destabilized the government for their own ambitions. Since Shinzon's rebellion, the situation has deteriorated to the point that there is now no faction or individual which cares at all for the citizens except as subjects to be lorded over and sacrificed if necessary to the preservation of imperial power. Loyalty is no longer a safeguard; loyal citizens have been murdered or sacrificed by the ambitious, without regard for any mnhei'sahe other than the lust for personal power. This is what the Star Empire stands for. This is what the Imperial Romulan Fleets of the Imperial Star Navy now support. Not the uplifting of the Romulan or Reman people, but their subjugation to and exploitation by whatever thug manages to seize power and hold onto it long enough to act. There is no more honor in the Star Navy. Honorable warriors, such as our people once were, do not support dishonorable leaders.
Another point of contention, but only for those who do not know the history of our people, young children, who have never known any Romulan government but an oppressive one, and have no memory of why we were once justifiably proud. Children who now eagerly give the imperial salute, without any knowledge of our honorable past, eagerly deny qualities which were once characteristic of our people, and are ignorant even of the few rights which the Star Empire once enshrined in the Statement of Rights.
Look to the record of the leaders of the various Romulan polities since the Murder of the Eisn system and billions of Romulans at the hands of the Tal'Shiar.
Donatra had some promise, but she reconciled with the Star Empire and was subsequently removed from the game of thrones -- exactly how has not yet been determined, but someone managed to see that she was assimilated by the Bhorgsu.
What has Sela done? Covered her own behind (and usually not with great success), failed to discharge command responsibility over sociopaths like Hhakhifv, allowed unprovoked attacks on peaceful and loyal colony worlds, allowed Romulans and Remans to be hunted by Hirogen, allowed Romulans and Remans to be made into food for Elachi young, acted as a sometimes-absentee Empress over the Star Empire in its death-throes, been "captured" (or rescued) by Ikonnsu, and generally strutted around trying to appear tough while speaking in condescending tones to everyone.
By contrast, what is the record of D'Tan, the Proconsul of the New Romulan Republic? In the space of a year and a half, he has presided over the discovery of a new homeworld for the Romulan and Reman peoples, abolished slavery, led our peoples to a restored position of power (thereby preserving "Romulan" as one of the three major powers of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants), given his military commanders sufficient rein to drive the Star Empire and/or Tal'Shiar back to a rapidly-dwindling token of territory, been instrumental in the Jenolan Accords which led to a cease-fire between the Feds and the Klinks, started the building of a Capitol City on New Romulus, helped form the Delta Alliance, ...
Sela is an incompetent, narcissistic, Machiavellian maniac, and not a leader in any sense, Donatra has yet to be liberated and is now a cog in the machine species which seeks to assimilate all, and D'Tan has demonstrated leadership qualities consistently.
Those in the Imperial Romulan Fleets should consider the facts of history, and make the honorable decision, the decision which will benefit our peoples, and not kowtow to a handful of incompetent thugs. Defect to the Republic today. You may even have the opportunity to prove your worth to the most elite branch of the Romulan military, which was among the first to leave the Star Empire and help establish the Republic. Contact the Tal'Diann today, and cast off the yoke of those who care only for themselves and their own illusory and transitory power, whose only care for you is to use you up and cast you aside when you are of no further use. Fight not for those whose passion is for themselves. Fight for our people and our legacy.
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