T’Rel shot an expectant look in the direction of Akaar, whose silent nod invited her to resume the prepared briefing. “Over the past two weeks, a number of rival political factions have gained prominence on Romulus.”
Two weeks,Troi thought, coming to a sudden realization about Akaar’s presence aboard the ship. No wonder the admiral has spent so much time alone in the stellar cartography lab since he came aboard.She reasoned that he must have been using it as a “war room” for modeling the volatile Romulan geopolitical situation—and that Akaar’s strangely unhurried attitude toward Titan’s departure date had a purpose behind it as well. Maybe he didn’twant to get us under way too quickly. Perhaps he preferred to allow Tal’Aura’s opponents some additional time to gather their strength—or wanted Tal’Aura herself to simplify the game by taking a few of her rivals out of the picture.
“These rival factions,” continued T’Rel, “had heretofore lived in fear of both the Romulan Senate and the late Praetor Hiren. Despite Tal’Aura’s emergence as the first praetor of the post-Shinzon era—she may have actually aided Shinzon in assassinating her Senate colleagues—these factions now seek to pick up the Empire’s pieces and seize the reins of power themselves.”
Sorok spoke next, as though the Vulcans had decided in advance to take turns during the presentation. “The most powerful of these factions is a breakaway party of former Senatorial backers. This group previously supported a ‘war hawk’ minority camp within the Senate, which endorsed preemptive attacks against both Vulcan and Earth. In the past, the Senate’s moderate majority kept them in check. I trust I needn’t explain how dangerous it would be to Federation security should this group gain any significant influence over the Romulan military. Pardek, a former Romulan senator, has emerged as the most visible advocate for these political hard-liners.”
“Pardek?” Will said, frowning. “I remember Captain Picard having some dealings with him. Pardek never struck me as a hawk, or as aggressive toward the Federation. I thought he was a peace activist, and a populist.”
“That may have been true at one time,” Sorok said with apparently strained patience. “Though he was always a loyal subject of the Romulan Star Empire, his participation in the Khitomer conferences of 2293 was instrumental in the creation of the initial peace accords between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. However, his attempt eleven years ago to disrupt the Vulcan Reunification movement on Romulus made plain that Pardek was far from incorruptible. And Starfleet Intelligence believes that he blames his daughter’s murder more than five years ago on alleged Federation–Tal Shiar intrigues. As a result, Pardek has become a staunch enemy both of the Federation andof his own Empire’s intelligence service.”
Stepping into Sorok’s brief pause, T’Sevek spoke next, apparently trying to keep the briefing moving along. “The Romulan military comprises the next faction. Intelligence reports that Commander Donatra and Commander Suran, both former followers of Shinzon, have emerged in co-leadership roles since the recent death of Admiral Braeg.”
Will allowed himself a grim smile. “Donatra. I’m glad there’s going to be at least one friendly face among the rival faction leaders.”
Troi recalled that Donatra had risked her own life—as well as the lives of her subordinates aboard the warbird Valdore—to help the crew of the Enterprisedefeat Shinzon.
“Do not count on Commander Donatra’s easy cooperation, Captain,” T’Rel said with a deep scowl. “She appears to have had a…domestic relationship with Braeg. Since Romulans are notably vindictive people—blood feuds are quite common among them—Donatra may therefore continue the late admiral’s bitter opposition to Tal’Aura’s praetorship.”
One of T’Sevek’s silvered eyebrows shot skyward at this. “Or she may not. All we know for certain about the military faction represented by Donatra and Suran is that it has yet to throw its support behind either Tal’Aura’s praetorship or the so-called ‘war hawk’ contingent.”
“The military faction may merely be waiting for its own chance to seize power,” T’Rel said.
T’Sevek shook her head. “I believe we should regard the fact that Donatra turned against Shinzon in order to assist the Enterpriseas a hopeful sign, an indication that the Romulan Empire—specifically its military—is capable of changing for the better.”
Obviously trying to dampen the rekindling of an old argument between his two colleagues, Sorok seized the conversation, speaking loudly. “The fourthmost significant faction is also the least visible one: the Tal Shiar, the Romulan Star Empire’s elite intelligence bureau. For many years this covert, semi-independent organization has been the most feared bureau in the Romulan government. The Tal Shiar seems to have been thrown briefly into disarray by the fall of the Senate. A man named Rehaek has figured prominently in recent Starfleet Intelligence reports on Tal Shiar leadership. As Tal Shiar director Koval’s successor-by-assassination, Rehaek’s importance in whatever power-sharing arrangement eventually emerges on Romulus cannot be overstated.”
Troi could not help but agree. Ten years earlier, Romulan dissidents had forced her to impersonate a Tal Shiar officer. Though a Romulan commander named Toreth had ultimately seen through her disguise and exposed her imposture, Troi had tasted in others the hot fear that a Tal Shiar operative could generate, even among hard-bitten Romulan military veterans.
“Two other important factions remain to be discussed,” T’Rel said. “The first of these has benefited hugely from the power vacuum created by the sudden removal of the Senate, as well as from the deaths of Praetors Hiren and Shinzon. I speak of the newly emancipated Remans. Formerly exploited by the Romulans as slave laborers in the dilithium mines of their all-but-uninhabitable homeworld of Remus, the Remans have used the current political turmoil to add to the pool of ships and weaponry they apparently began assembling quietly during the manifold distractions of the Dominion War. The Remans are quite angry, and their leader—one Colonel Xiomek, a decorated Dominion War veteran who fought for the Alliance alongside Shinzon—expects to accomplish a great deal of very rapid social change on his people’s behalf.”
Akaar spoke at this point, apparently surprising T’Rel and the other two Vulcans. “The final group has also taken advantage of the recent social upheavals in order to obtain political prominence.” The admiral fixed his gaze squarely upon Will. “I believe both you and your former captain are well acquainted with its leader.”
Will answered with a sober nod—and a single syllable.
“Spock.”
After Akaar signaled with a hand gesture that he was finished for the moment, T’Rel resumed the briefing. “This group, which was founded some thirty-five years ago and has since come to be known as the Unification movement, has been an underground, countercultural force until recently. Federation ambassador Spock assumed its mantle of leadership more than eleven years ago, and since that time the movement has come to venerate Vulcan logic above the traditional martial values of Romulus.”
Sorok chose that moment to make it clear that he did not share T’Rel’s apparent approval of the Unificationists. “Ambassador Spock’s faction claims to seek the cultural, political, and philosophical reunion of the sundered worlds of Vulcan and Romulus. It is Spock’s stated belief that this development represents the onlyviable path toward a permanent peace between the Romulan Star Empire and the Federation.”
“I take it you don’t exactly agree with Spock’s appraisal of Romulan-Vulcan relations, Sorok,” said Commander Ra-Havreii, a wry smile crossing the Efrosian’s usually melancholy countenance.