Bresasam s'Tal'Diann (Minutes of Tal'Diann Meeting, 2014-05-18)

Bresasam s'Tal'Diann
2014-05-18


Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell:  The Fleet Meeting is starting now.  First of all, I would like to express my gratitude and pride to the members of the fleet who have done so much recently to fulfill the requirements of the Fleet Holding Projects, and thank you again for holding down the fort while I was indisposed due to illness.  We have come a long way since we were reorganized under the Republic less than a year ago, and surpassed many older fleets.  There is yet some distance to go, of course, and I trust that I may rely upon your continued devotion to our fleet and its causes.

Arrehae ir'Mhiessan t'Kramdranel Sahull:  No doubt there are other fleets who have more reputation, more progress together, more interaction, but those will not compel me to seek them out instead.

Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell:  As to the matter of recent astropolitical events, our allied powers are no longer in open war with one another, and this can only bode well for the future, especially in light of our many common foes, and those yet to make themselves known.  I would urge everyone to remember that although this fleet is specifically allied with the Orion Syndicate and the Klingon Empire, the Federation is also the ally of the New Republic, and to be considerate when interacting with Starfleet personnel.  They are not all honorless targs.

Arrehae ir'Mhiessan t'Kramdranel Sahull:  Agreed, with the accursed Undine and the Iconians' continued threat, the Empire and the Federation may renew the Khitomer Accords again.  Considering the last time they were renewed, our unity defeated the Dominion from conquering the galaxy.

Galactica Val'danadex Trel t'Charvon:  *nods in agreement*

Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell:  I would like to see a new accord which includes our Republic as well, but these are matters we must leave to the civilian authorities.  I do advise D'Tan, but he is also my Commander, and he does not take orders from me.  For now, what we do as the Tal'Diann is largely military in nature, although it has implications for civil matters as well.  In particular, the Military Intelligence aspects of the Tal'Diann involve a four-part process.

Arrehae ir'Mhiessan t'Kramdranel Sahull:  Please explain, Admiral.

Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell:  The first phase of the process is Collection of Information.  This is not "intelligence" until the second phase of the process, known as Analysis.  The field agent gathers information and reports it, and then the analyst examines the information in light of other information, in connection with the reliability of the agent or asset, and looks for confirmation.  Unrelated information may also be used in Analysis, because it can often have hidden implications which bear on the information which has been gathered.  Once the Collection and Analysis are done, the next phase is Packaging.  This is where the intelligence is prepared for delivery to specific audiences, with a mind as to how best to present the intel to them in an effective manner.  To be more ... precise, Following the first two phases, critical vulnerabilities are then indexed in a way that makes them easily available to advisors and line intelligence personnel who package this information for policy-makers and war-fighters.  Vulnerabilities are usually indexed by the nation and military unit, with a list of possible attack methods.  It is in this phase where we have been ... dragging our feet, so to speak.  Packaging threats and vulnerabilities for decision makers is a crucial part of Military Intelligence.  A good intelligence officer will stay very close to the policy maker or war fighter, to anticipate their information requirements, and tailor the information needed.

Arrehae ir'Mhiessan t'Kramdranel Sahull:  What you say is true, Admiral.  I often see this in ground missions with the STF.  It disappoints me to see those who rush into battle without any plans nor intelligence gathered.

Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell:  We have been gathering info and analyzing it to make intel, but Packaging has been weak.  There are vulnerabilities to which the Undine are particularly susceptible, and not merely through the use of biomolecular weapons.  Other methods of attack and defense need also be considered, particularly in connection with attacks on their planetkiller shipyards, due to the globules of viscous material which can impede our ships' movements and so on.

Arrehae ir'Mhiessan t'Kramdranel Sahull:  There's an Earth term for such behavior based on a 21st century figure known as "Leroy Jenkins," who was notorious for rushing into a battle recklessly, which resulted in defeat for him and his entire team.

Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell:  Ah, yes, I am familiar with that foolhardy warrior.

Arrehae ir'Mhiessan t'Kramdranel Sahull:  More fool than warrior.

Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell:  Portals in the Fluidic Space also seem to be able to drain ship energies and shields.  We need to identify effective means of countering these things, and we must package our findings for Kererek and Obisek, that they may pass them on to their fleets.

Galactica Val'danadex Trel t'Charvon:  The rifts they open are particularly troublesome.

Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell:  The final phase of the Military Intelligence process is known as Dissemination, in which the processed intelligence is distributed through database systems, intel bulletins, and briefings to the different decision makers.  We have been doing this, but with less than ideal Packaging, so that some of our findings have not been emphasized sufficiently to make the necessary impact on the policy makers.

Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell:  While we are Military Intelligence, we are also Military Criminal Investigative Services, Internal Affairs, and Military Police.  Security is thus an important consideration.  I would like to recruit more Reman Shadowguards to assist with this, in particular as relating to Undine imposters, whom the Reman Shadowguards would be more likely to detect through their Psionic talents and disciplines.

Arrehae ir'Mhiessan t'Kramdranel Sahull:  I am pleased you mentioned the Remans, Admiral.  I shall be undertaking a mission to recruit one.

Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell:  We shall also begin monitoring traffic and communications on ch'Mol'Rihan and in the Mol'Rihan system, in real time, to scan for possible threats and identify additional sources of information who might be useful to our mission and causes.  Some of those might be amenable to being recruited.  There are other aspects of what we do, the Tactical, the Scientific Research and Development, the Temporal Sciences Division, the Medical Research, Engineering and Operations, but these are going along well enough at the moment and need no adjustments.  We should however be aware that the Military Intel aspects, and the Security aspects, have effects on at least some of these other activities.  That is all I have for this meeting.  Does anyone have anything else to offer for the good of the Tal'Diann and the New Romulan Republic?

[remainder of meeting minutes redacted due to security concerns]

Lakhraem Euhren u'Ouahhai (Defense of Planet and of System)

mh'Hnahfvierai Fvillhum s'Gessatra

na Rhihv:  Lakhraem Euhren u'Ouahhai
the Concern:  Defense of Planet and of System

My dear Proconsul,

Recent events have been fast and furious.  I need not brief you again on the what of those events.  What should be obvious, however, is that the orbital defenses of both Terrha and Krhonosh were woefully inadequate.  Both Earth Spacedock and the Qo'noS Orbital Shipyard were destroyed, in spite of patrols, active warships, and the armaments in the rubble of Praxis, to say nothing of the defenses of the shipyard itself, and all the various defenses in the Sol system.

By contrast, we have almost nothing in orbit around ch'Mol'Rihan.  A handful of small satellites, a transwarp gate, and whatever vessels happen to be in orbit at the time, some of which are not vessels of our Republic.  While that leaves little to be destroyed by a similar attack on our new homeworld, it does also leave no distraction for a foe like the Undine;  they would aim their planetkiller not at some orbital construct, but at our home itself.

We must rectify this situation at once!

Patrols of the system must immediately become regular and constant.  Orbital defenses must be constructed, maintained, armed, and staffed, ready at all times.  A station in orbit, or better yet, the Flotilla of the Republic itself, needs to be there to respond to any threat of such a nature.  Additional and upgraded weapons must be authorized for all personnel.

I will trust you to take this matter to the Deihuit, with the expediency and urgency necessary for a timely allocation of funds and the establishment of any programs necessary.

Bhaonev,
t'Prell

((Star Trek Online, Season 9: A New Accord [***WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!***]))

Star Trek Online,

Season 9:  "A New Accord"

The year in Terrhain reckoning is 2410.  A recounting of recent history is in order to ensure understanding.  In early 2409, peaceful colonies of the Romulan Star Empire were attacked by the Tal'Shiar and the Elachi.  Refugees of these attacks mostly joined with what was then named "the Romulan Republic," a faction vying for power in the wake of the destruction of Romulus and Remus in 2387, made up of a number of personnel from the Romulan Star Navy who had become stridently opposed to the overweening authority of the Tal'Shiar and the abuse thereof by Tal'Shiar agents.  They elected one of their own as their leader, a Romulan by the name of D'Tan, who had studied the teachings of the Vulcan philosopher Surak and joined the Reunificationist movement as a youth, under the leadership of Ambassador Spock of Vulcan.  Spock gave his life to save other worlds from the fate of Romulus and Remus, destroyed by the subspace spread of energy from the Hobus supernova -- a supernova caused, it was learned later in 2409, by the Tal'Shiar.  While still a Reunificationist, D'Tan did not push his personal views on others in the movement.  At the beginning of 2409, "the Romulan Republic" was merely a schismatic faction of Rihannsu, without any real territory to claim as their own.

In early 2409, the Romulan agricultural colony on the planet Virinat was involved in life as usual.  The Virinat variety of Romulan Ale had been brewed and had fermented in the casks long enough;  it was time for the Festival of the Tapping, when the Virinat Romulan Ale casks would be tapped and the colonists would spend the evening in revelry.  The Virinat style of making Romulan Ale had led to a popular variety throughout the Romulan Star Empire;  the colonists harvested nectar produced by Khellidir, insects native to the planet Virinat, and added it to the mix when the brewing process was completed, after which the ale would be poured into wooden casks at the time of the fulness of the Virinat moon and then left to ferment for five cycles of the Virinat moon.  Then the casks would be tapped, and a festival would ensue before the work of distributing the product to buyers throughout and beyond the Romulan Star Empire.  In the afternoon before the first Festival of the Tapping of 2409, colonists noticed that the normally peaceful Khellidir were strangely aggressive.  Investigation led to the discovery of machinery bearing a resemblance to Borg technology, but somehow different.  One of the elders of the colony suggested a connection to a race called "Elachi," who live in subspace.  The machinery having been disabled, however, and the Khellidir back to their typical behavior, further investigation was to be put off until after the festival.  As Malem, the Maiori of the Virinat colony, had just finished his oration at the opening ceremony and the fireworks were beginning to flash in the night sky, the colony was rocked by an explosion, and then another, and another ...

Virinat was under attack.  Colonists were abducted or killed.  A fortunate few managed to escape the planet's surface in shuttles, only to be confronted by Tal'Shiar drone ships and Tal'Shiar light warbirds.  Some colonists managed to get to older light warbirds in the system, relics of past service by the Maiori and other elders of the colony.  These colonists would fight off the Tal'Shiar drone ships and light warbirds, and even a more powerful Tal'Shiar vessel commanded by Colonel Hakeev, the Chief of the Tal'Shiar, the latter with assistance from warbirds of "the Romulan Republic" which warped in at a critical moment.  An Elachi vessel was also destroyed by the Colonists and the warbirds of The Romulan Republic.  Many of the Colonists chose to throw in their lot with the schismatic faction at this point.  Not long afterward, the unwarranted aggression was repeated in another place;  the peaceful Reman mining colony on Crateris was also attacked by Elachi and Tal'Shiar forces.  Fortunately for the Remans of Crateris, however, they had vessels in orbit, and some vessels from the Romulan Republic were also present to lend support, including ships commanded by refugees from Virinat.  A few months later, the Reman Resistance, under Obisek, allied themselves with the Romulan Republic.

Investigations conducted by the Romulan Republic's Militia Intelligence revealed the depths of Tal'Shiar crime and corruption;  a repetition of the offenses would be extensive, and is not necessary in this place, having been recounted elsewhere already, but among them is a practice of indoctrination and brainwashing using various chemical, physical, psychological, audio-visual, and other techniques.  The sycophancy, passive-aggressive tendencies, cruelty, capriciousness, and incompetence which result from successful indoctrination is very similar to symptoms of Damaged Personality Disorder, with an unhealthy dose of Paranoia tossed in.  Deprogramming efforts to liberate the psyches of subjects have not always been entirely successful.

In the first half of 2409, an expedition of vessels from the Romulan Republic rediscovered Dewa-III, a planet to which their ancestors had come after The Sundering and which they had settled before settling on the Two Planets in the Eisn System which became ch'Rihan and ch'Havran.  Important and symbolically potent artifacts from the first settlement by the ancestors were discovered and a new conference was called at Khitomer, where, after attempts to sabotage the proceedings were made by the Tal'Shiar and foiled by elements of the Romulan Republic's Star Navy and the Klingon Defense Force, the Romulan Republic was formally recognized by both the Klingon Empire (and thus the Orion Syndicate, which now secretly runs the Klingon Empire) and the United Federation of Planets.  Territory, including the Dewa System, was recognized as held by the Romulan Republic.  The planet Dewa-III was renamed ch'Mol'Rihan, or "New Romulus," and a Capitol City was constructed on the planet with assistance from the Federation and the Klingon Empire.  Although the Federation and the Klingons were still officially at war, the situation had come to the point of being primarily a cold war, with occasional minor territorial skirmishes, raids, and the like.  The two powers, and what was now "the New Romulan Republic," were faced with far more dangerous enemies, including the Tal'Shiar-Elachi alliance, the Hirogen, the Tholians, the Borg, the Breen, the True Way terrorists, the Undine, and the silent puppetmasters sitting concealed in subspace:  the Iconians.

With the discovery of a functional Iconian Gateway beneath the surface of ch'Mol'Rihan, a new season came.  The New Romulan Republic chose to power up the Gate and open it.  Representatives of both the Klingon Empire and the United Federation of Planets were present for the event, which was almost a catastrophe, but that potential was averted.  In the process, several persons from the three powers had to escape through the active Gateway.  They found themselves inside a Dyson Sphere.  A solanagen-based lifeform was present in the Sphere, as were Voth, a reptilian race which had originated on Terrha and was bent on exterminating anyone who challenged their fundamentalist pseudoscience.  The Solanae Dyson Sphere, as it came to be called, was capable of amazing things.  Among the discoveries was the fact that connecting to the Jenolan Dyson Sphere was possible.  Unfortunately, the Undine invaded the Jenolan Dyson Sphere and began plans to launch an attack on the powers of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants.  The three major powers of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, namely, the United Federation of Planets, the Klingon Empire (Orion Syndicate), and the New Romulan Republic, banded together to fight off these attacks, but Earth Spacedock and the Qo'noS Orbital Shipyard were destroyed.  A number of Undine who had infiltrated the Federation were revealed and died trying to kill citizens of the three major powers.  An Iconian appeared with a warning.

Following these events, the Klingon Empire (Orion Syndicate) and the United Federation of Planets agreed to call an end to their hostilities.  The Federation-Klingon War was over.  The threats to the peace of the three powers, and indeed the plenitude of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, from the Tholians, the Tal'Shiar-Elachi Alliance, the Hirogen, the Borg, the Voth, and the Undine continue.  The Tal'Diann stands ready and vigilant to these and any other threats to the security and freedom of the citizens of the New Romulan Republic.




Join us and fight for the New Romulan Republic.