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Monday, June 24, 2013

The Tal'Diann, part 2 (newly updated with more PICTURES!!!)

Virinat and Admiral t'Prell



Like many another of the far-flung colonies of Romulans and Remans after the Hobus Supernova, Virinat was a planet with a peaceful agricultural settlement.  That all changed one night, thanks to Colonel Hakeev's Tal'Shiar, the Elachi, and the Iconians, with the Empress' endorsement.

The colony was besieged.  The enemy was made up, on the ground, almost exclusively of Tal'Shiar agents and various constructed drone vessels, as well as strange craft which beamed people aboard and fled back into orbit.  In orbit and leaving the system, the enemy was once more primarily a Tal'Shiar fleet, although other vessels were seen.  At the time, those other vessels were of unknown provenance.  History records them by a name that came to be given to them after the siege of Virinat:  Elachi.  At this time, however, they were unknown aliens, to the people of Virinat.

The colonists on Virinat were farmers, engineers, scientists, diplomats, advisors, traders, and artists, but they were not soldiers.  A few old, retired military personnel were about, who did what they could, and some of the youth took up the mantle of command and resistance on that day.

Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell was one such Romulan who gathered survivors and helped evacuate the planet.  Flying away from Virinat in an old T'Liss Light Warbird, the orange imperial bird-of-prey heraldry on the underbelly intact, Gessatra t'Prell began a career which would, in time, bring her to the position of Tal'Diann galae'Enriov, Romulan Intelligence Fleet Admiral of the Fleet.

This T'Liss, which probably last saw active combat service a hundred years ago or more, was given the name "ch'Rihan," the name of the Romulan primary planet until the Hobus Supernova, and in the R.R.W. ch'Rihan and subsequent vessels, t'Prell and her steadily growing crew were involved, often in central roles, with many of the key events of more recent Romulan history, either prominently or behind the scenes (having done work as an Operative for Klingon Defense Forces Intelligence as well as an Asset and later Agent for the Tal'Diann prior to going on to even darker operations as a Saboteur and Spy).  The execution of Hakeev the Mad, the Iconian capture of the Empress Sela, the Rediscovery of Mol'Rihan, the Recovery of the Sword of the Raptor Star, the breaking of the power of the Tal'Shiar fleet, the repelling of the Elachi invasion, a cleanup mission on Nimbus III from the Orion Syndicate Intelligence Division, encounters with Devidians and the past on Drozana Station, skirmishes with True Way Cardassians and Jem'Hadar, a Dominion invasion from the past on DS9, battles with Borg and Undine and Breen, all of these and more actions has she faced as her career advanced.

Not long after earning the rank of khre'Enriov (Vice Admiral), t'Prell was commissioned as the galae'Enriov (Fleet Admiral / Admiral of the Fleet) for the Tal'Diann KDF-allied fleet, and Captain of the Tal'Diann Flagship, the R.R.W. LivianaCharvanek, a T'Varo Light Warbird Retrofit torpedo boat.  (In real world real time, 21 June 2013, 11:09:17pm, US CDT, as seen here, seconds after the event:  The Tal'Diann is reborn within the New Romulan Republic ) Stardate 91077.19 is recorded as the moment when the new order of the Tal'Diann began, in the New Romulan Republic (as opposed to the old Romulan Star Empire), with galae'Enriov Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell at the helm.

Fleet Admiral t'Prell in her office in the Tal'Diann Fleet Embassy on Mol'Rihan:
Fleet Admiral t'Prell remains vigilant in her watch against incursions from the Tal'Shiar and their dark masters, as well as any other threats to the security of the New Romulan Republic, the Fleet of the New Romulan Republic, and the Fleet of the Tal'Diann, continuing in the finest tradition of Tal'Diann women like Liviana Charvanek.






Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell and her First Officer, Tovan ir'Virinat Khev, in the early days of their military careers, in a Tal'Diann facility:




Gessatra t'Prell seated in a corner of the club area on Drozana Station, where she often runs psych ops missions:


A chronological list of Fleet Admiral Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell's personal commands
Starships
the R.R.W. ch'Rihan, a T'liss Light Warbird
the R.R.W. Senorix, a Dhelan Warbird
the R.R.W. Sirona, a Mogai Heavy Warbird
the R.R.W. Memenda, a Kamarag Battle Cruiser
the R.R.W. Senua, a D'deridex Warbird Battle Cruiser
the R.R.W. Ssaedhe, a Ha'apax Advanced Warbird
the R.R.W. Susse'Thrai, a Koro't'inga Battle Cruiser D7
the A.R.W. Sienae, a Mirror Ha'feh Assault Warbird
the R.R.W. LivianaCharvanek, a T'varo Light Warbird Retrofit
the A.R.W. Dhael'Temarhkh, a Mirror Ha'apax Advanced Warbird
Small Craft
the R.R.W. H'Levreinnye, a Tiercel Shuttle
the R.R.W. Ri-Hhvaeh, a Kestrel Runabout


Vessel name notes (names are Romulan unless otherwise noted):
The "ch'Rihan" is the "Romulus" -- it is the Romulan name of the Romulan Prime World, destroyed in the Hobus Supernova.
The "Senorix" is the "Ancient King" (Gaulish).
The "Sirona" is named for a Gallic star goddess.
The "Memenda" is named after the Romulan D7 Flagship of Riov Liviana Charvanek.
The "Senua" is named for a Gallo-Brittonic "Ancient One" goddess.
The "Ssaedhe" is the "Steadfast" (in Romulan).
The "Susse'Thrai" is the "She-Wolf" (or "Bitch").
The "Sienae" is the "Talon."
The "LivianaCharvanek" is named for the Riov (Romulan Fleet Commander) Liviana Charvanek, who led a squad of Romulan D7 Battle Cruisers in an effort to seize the Starfleet Flagship, the U.S.S. Enterprise N.C.C. 1701, then under command of Captain James T. Kirk, whose First Officer was Commander Spock, later Ambassador Spock.
The "Dhael'Temarhkh" is the "Nocturnal Bird."
The "H'Levreinnye" is the "Love-Devil" or "Lust-Devil" (a Romulan term of endearment).
The "Ri'Hhvaeh" is the "Spy" (more literally, the "Female-Spy," this is a term that can only be applied to a living being, so it seems odd that a spacecraft would be given this name, but the runabout was named for the woman commanding it, since Admiral t'Prell is herself "the Female-Spy").


Among her crew are:
 Tovan Khev (Chief Tactical Officer and First Officer, a Romulan male, friend to Admiral t'Prell since youth on Virinat)
Aeris (Chief of Security, a Romulan female, from New Romulus Command Center)
Satra (Chief Science Officer, a Romulan female refugee volunteer from the Suliban Helix)
Hiven (Chief Medical Officer, a Romulan male, rescued from a Tal'Shiar trap)
Veril (Chief Engineer, a Reman female, rescued from an Elachi-Tal'Shiar invasion)
Shendi'la'vri (Chief of Operations, an Orion female, from KDF Intelligence)
D'Vex (an older Romulan male, lived on Virinat at the time of the Elachi-Tal'Shiar invasion, rescued from an Elachi laboratory)
Sendo (a male Reman Science Officer, a Liaison Officer from Obisek)
Bollina (a female Romulan Engineering Officer, from New Romulus Command Center)
Each of these bridge officers bears the rank of erei'Riov (Subcommander).



The R.R.W. Memenda, a Klingon-manufactured Kamarag, one of the ships under Fleet Admiral t'Prell's command:



Gessatra demonstrating special weapons, the Ferengi Energy Whip in this case, for an ally:


Gessatra on subspace radio, communicating a plan to command:


The R.R.W. Susse'Thrai, one of the vessels under Fleet Admiral t'Prell's command, a Klingon-manufactured Koro't'inga Refit, built to the Admiral's specifications so as to appear as a D7:


The R.R.W. ch'Rihan, Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell's first command:


The R.R.W. LivianaCharvanek (outfitted with a Breen Absolute Zero set), decloaked (a rare sight, since this vessel has an Advanced Romulan Battle Cloak that is seldom turned off):

A more typical "view" of the LivianaCharvanek, when cloaked and the light hits at just the right angle to allow perception:

Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell, very early in her military career:

Fleet Admiral t'Prell on the bridge of the R.R.W. Susse'Thrai:


Another rare glimpse of the LivianaCharvanek, underway at full impulse:

Fleet Admiral t'Prell outside the Command Center on Mol'Rihan:






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The Tal'Diann



Romulan Star Empire ship logo as seen on the Memenda in TOS episode "The Enterprise Incident"


The Tal'Diann

From a previous post, at least a few of you will know of my fervent devotion to being a Trekker.


New Romulan Republic Tal'Diann logo
designed by Tal'Diann Fleet Admiral of the Fleet Gessatra ir'Virinat t'Prell
The symbolism is of alliance with Orion Syndicate and Klingon Defense Forces Intelligence,
and of hope for alliance with dissident Vulcans, with the New Romulan Republic at the center.

Yea, verily, forsooth, and in veritate.

I am that ultimate fangirl.

With that disclaimer out of the way, I shall now Trek out a bit.




The Tal'Diann is Romulan Military Intelligence.

The Tal'Shiar is, or was, the Imperial Romulan Secret Police.

The two have never been on the best of terms with one another.

The Tal'Shiar has always been under the control, supposedly, of the Empress or Emperor, but in reality, the Tal'Shiar has always served the Tal'Shiar, just as Sela has always served Sela.

The Tal'Diann is the Intelligence Branch of the Romulan Military.

Tal'Shiar vs. Tal'Diann ...  Spy vs. Spy.

Numerous examples from Romulan history might be provided, but in the end, the Tal'Shiar were led by a sociopathic fanatic, blinded by his devotion to the Iconians, as he ordered the destruction in Hobus, which led to the death of ch'Rihan ...

By this time, the Tal'Shiar were programmed -- conditioned, brainwashed.

Skip forward in time.  The madman at the helm of the Tal'Shiar has been executed, by the Tal'Diann Fleet Admiral of the Fleet, in the presence of Obisek, New Romulus Republic Fleet Admiral of the Fleet.  The Empress has been carried away by Iconians.  The former Praetor Taris has been taken from a maximum security Starfleet facility by Iconians.

In the ashes, from the far-flung embers, the smoldering coals came together under the Sword of the Raptor Star, and there arose a New Romulan Republic.

Old Alliances have been renewed.  New Alliances have been forged.

The Tal'Shiar remain in service to the Iconians.

The Tal'Diann remain in service to the New Romulan Republic's Military.

The Tal'Diann fleet is now working with the Orion Syndicate Intelligence Division, the Klingon Defense Forces Intelligence Branch, and disaffected Vulcans loyal to the KDF. 



The Tal'Diann have made use of "the Orion Method" in espionage.  A classic example is the case of none other than Riov (Commander) Di'on Charvon, the Captain of the Memenda, the lead Romulan D7 and Fleet Commander of the Romulan D7 fleet (in the TOS episode "The Enterprise Incident" -- the character was portrayed by Joanne Linville -- Joanne Linville at IMDB).  On this occasion, the Orion Method did not result in immediate desirable effects, but the seed was planted, and Spock went on to spend some time Under the Raptor's Wings and eventually established the Reunification movement.

Who is to say then, that Commander Charvon's mission was a failure?

For nigh a century, the identity of this early heroine of the Tal'Diann has been obscured by now-outdated interpretations of Mnhei'sahe, due to which she changed her name, but the time has come for her identity to be rescued from obscurity, in line with D'Tan's policy of greater transparency in the Republic.  She was born Di'on Charvon, the name known to history as the Riov of the D7 fleet which attempted to take the Federation flagship, a woman "disgraced" by failure and capture in this effort, a woman who nevertheless went on to perform many good works for the Tal'Diann and the Romulan people, whose "failed" mission may be better seen in hindsight than it was at the time.  In fact, Riov Di'on Charvon of the ChR Memenda was none other than Liviana Charvanek, niece of the Emperor Shiarkiek and the earlier Empress Ael t'Rllaillieu, and wife of Devoras Narviat, Praetor of the Romulan Star Empire.



Riov Liviana Charvanek:


The ChR Memenda, a Klingon-manufactured K't'inga D7, Riov Charvanek's flagship:



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Hey, CYA and NSFW and All That

Oh.

By the way, ...

you've probably already noticed this, but, ...

I would feel more at ease ...

if I post a CAVEAT LECTOR

and warn you all, gentle readers,

that this blog

may contain language which is rather libertine.

I should then also note

that this blog may also contain

content designated as "NSFW" by at least some person in some locale.

And maybe some might deem this blog's contents to be

Rated M for Mature.


So you've been warned.   CYA.





And speaking of CYA,

I am not responsible for the content of the blogs I follow.

Visit external links at your own risk.

You know, a word to the wise and all that.