The Bloodstained Hands of the Star Empire

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.

2409 -- The Tal'Shiar, with approval from Sela, launches unprovoked attacks on peaceful and loyal colony worlds such as Virinat, Crateris, Rhi, and others.  With Sela's support, again, they perform experiments using Borg technology on citizens of the Star Empire.  With or without Sela's support, they allow the Elachi, a fungoid species from subspace, to turn citizens of the attacked colonies into food for their young.


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.

Our Legacy Cannot Be Lost to Villains!

"What we knew ... is gone. Our home, our lives, all that we were ... Dust! Blasted across empty, heartless skies... "But we live! Our legacy lives! Within every ship we fly, upon every world we touch! In our hearts, in yours! "There will be challenge, you will know fear! But you will overcome! You will survive! And answer vengeance with blood! "You will do as you must! Rule cannot be handed to the faithless! Our legacy cannot be lost to villains! Bury the past to face the future! In enemies, find allies! "There is no price we have not paid! No loss we have not felt! Our dead world! Our long suffering! "These are not ends! We are not ended! For your crew, for your people, for this new home! "We must face all doubt! We must break the strong who would destroy us! We must overcome the impossible! We must fight, against any, and all! "We must, we will! For
WE ... ARE ... ROMULAN!"

-- Temer

Temer, Riov s'Kreh'dhhokh Rihanai

Apply to the Tal'Diann and fight for Romulan and Reman freedom against the faithless villains.

Apply here.

Heritage

"The Romulan Star Empire did not always stand for tyranny and humorlessness.  We remember that past and seek to emulate the Honor of those brave men and women who were Commanders and crew in a time before the Tal'Shiar rose to power.  This Honor is part of our Heritage, and a part we will not discard, a part which will be included in the Legacy we leave to our descendants, along with our love of Freedom."
-- Ji'ana ei't'Prell t'Charvon (aka G'essatra ir'Virinat t'Prell),
Praetor of the Tal'Diann/Tal-Diann

The poster was inspired by a US Navy recruiting poster.

((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.