It may be worth it and may not...

It may be worth it and may not...

An observation

In light of recent events, I have decided to write about something that I know about: Romulans.

Hi folks. It's Cirix.

I was recently asked a few questions about Romulans. More specifically about the Tal Shiar. You might be aware or not so aware of the growing internal
disharmony in that group. Possibly because you don't care. Or you dismiss it as a famous disagreement between Rpers. Or on the gripping hand, you didn't
know. What I will talk about is MY interpetations of the Romulans. My credetials are as followed: I have been rping off and on with a hybrid Romulan/Vulcan
Female for the last six years. Can't claim to be the first, nor the last. I have watched Star Trek quite Religiously since TNG came out...so I was eight at the
time. I think. I have read most of the star trek books, with more focus on TOS than any other. I have also read every single book out there about Vulcans
and Romulans. And I have encouraged those who have decided to RP Romulans to read these books. (A list will be submitted at the end.) And finally, I have
been at least somewhat loosely involved in all the Romulan major sims with the exception of SB23 recent one with Terrh.

Enough about me. Now about my opinions. Canon=the shows on TV Book=books-duh. I am going to start by quoting myself from a conversation.
Defintion Tal Shiar: "Tal Shiar was a canon idea in ST that was orignally an Intelligence Section, It later was converted to a secret police by a few senators and Praetors when things "got out of hand" You have your bullies and you have your creepers. In an intelligence agency, you are fitted to your role. In canon, they are ruthless, intelligent, and are always trying to perserve the empire, their interests, and their people. In that order. By books, the officers can be a wide range of personalities. Case in point:"The Romulan Way." and a TNG one called....[The Romulan Prize.]"

I will add to this. The Tal Shiar is a pure TNG idea. It was never TOS. Over the years, the Tal was given some new added facets. They became a secret police, but was always noticable was that it answered to a higher power. Always. It was never rogue, it was never section 31, and it was never, never a power over a government. Alright there were some people in the Tal that were kinda rogue, they never seem to answer anyone-but that is a foolish assumption. They always answered to someone...you never saw that someone.

Here is another thought, many of the books written for Romulans are in TOS. Particularly those by Diane Duane. She captured the scent of the romulans when
they were first introduced in TOS. Then the klingons and Romulans flipped flopped in TNG. And the Tal Shiar was thrown in. In fact, we see that the Tal
Shiar is predominatly the only face of the Romulans we see. Unification is an exception. (do not start to quibble) Note this, The Tal Shiar does not seem to
have an honor system. Or rather a code of Honor. They have a discipline, but that is different from a code. The old Romulans of TOS had a code of honor.
What happened?

Possible scenario: The TOS romulans still are around but they hold the powers of the government. Some honorably, others not so honorably. Those who did the side military projects that were not supposed to be around, perhaps they were drawn together and formed the Tal Shiar. Their game wasn't honor. It was
survival at any cost. Indeed. If you read what little there is about the first Romulan/Federation war...you will find that it was caused by fear, miscomminications, and survival of the Romulans and their homeworld. When the Tal formed, who knows and who cares. All we can say is that they appeared to be a military institution that did inteligence and secret police actions came some time later.

Also, Honor is an ideal that is, for the most part, political. Since only those who must deal with the government and its officials openly must deal honor as
honor is dealt. Honor in the military is a tricky idea. Its there or not. What should be there ultimately is discipline.

Here is a question that I asked and was never truely satisfied, why? Because no one knew, or if they thought they knew it was contested idea. WHO IS IN
CHARGE OF THE ROMULAN GOVERNMENT?

Oh...the Fvilha, of course....

Who? Where did this come from? Oh I see, this is the marriage and bastardization of a system that came from Duane. Fvilha is the Romulan word for Land-Owner or Praetor. Then you had the Senators. Now, Bookwise, I have come across three different ideas. There is the Seven. Six most important people in government selected and a head Praetor. Who is considered to be like a n emporer. The second version is just a Praetor of some great power...or there are several of them with such powers. The third is a tri-cameral system. The Senate, The Praetorate, and I forgot the third group. The senate was comprised of the ten most junior Praetors, and the Ten most senior Praetors. The Praetorate was consisted of members from every province on the two worlds. Land-Owners. Succession of any of these systems would be through natural causes, assissination, or even merit. And mostly through family ties.

Now, I realize that out of these three options, the small Seven group is the most, ah, attractive. You don't have that many rpers and you can come to a
consensus easily. As a result, you get a clear leader and a vague government system.

Uh, now Canon wise, if memory serves correctly, there is a Senate with Praetors and Consuls in it. And a Consul had considerable power-or one did. But little
is known.

Anyways...i just lost the momentum of this opinated document because I had to explain the intrigues of a chat room to my mom. She remarked that we have too much damn time on our hands. I agreed. Since I lost the momentum, I will end this and perhaps I will write more later. If anyone cares.

best, c.

Books to read for insight
My Enemy, My Ally-Diane Duane
The Romulan Way- diane Duane
Pandora's Box
The Romulan Prize
The Romulan Gambit
Spock's World-Diane Duane
There are two other rihannsu books also done by Duane,
but I forgot their names...two recent additions.