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The Romulan Star Empire is the most enigmatic of the major races in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. Controlling a vast region of territory, the Romulans still remained a shrouded mystery even into the 24th Century.
The Romulans are an offshoot of the Vulcan people who were violently exiled from Vulcan two thousand years ago. Using their primitive space ships they found their way to the systems of Romulus and Remus and formed their new homeworlds. The Romulans embrace the emotions that their brethren have shunned and are a passionate people, but one steeped in arrogance and a history of violence.
The Romulan's history has been marked by several periods of extreme isolationism. After their war with Earth in the 2160's, the Romulans disappeared from the political scene until 2266 when a lone Romulan Vas'Hatham Bird of Prey crossed the Federation/Romulan Neutral Zone and began destroying Federation outposts along the border as a test of the Federation's resolve. Demonstrating the before unheard of cloaking technology, the Romulans were successful in showing the Federation that they remained a power to be reckoned with.
During the late 2260s, the Romulan and Klingon Empires entered into a brief alliance. The Romulans gave the Klingons cloaking technology while the Klingons gave the Romulans advanced warp engine technologies and sold them several Klingon warship hulls. By the 2280's, the Klingons were using vessels classed as "birds of prey", a traditionally Romulan designation in origin. This can only be a testimony to the amount of technological and cultural exchange the two races shared for that short period of time. It is unknown why the alliance crumbled, but mutual distrust between the powers is likely to blame.
Following the Tomed Incident in 2311, the Romulan Star Empire again went into an extended period of isolationism. This was broken on several occasions, notably when the Romulan Empire attacked the Klingon outpost on Narendra III in 2344. The attack devastated the Narendra colony, but the Romulans could not hold the world and were forced to retreat and resume their defensive stance from behind their borders. The event actually improved relations between the Klingon Empire and Federation due to the intervention of the U.S.S. Enterprise-C which attempted to aid in the defense of the Klingon colony. The Romulans again attacked the Klingons in 2346, this time striking at the important border outpost at Khitomer. The colony was razed, but again the Romulans were unable to hold the planet and were forced out of Klingon space. These strikes continued for several years until once more the Romulans retreated into complete isolationism.
The Romulans again began taking an interest in galactic politics in 2364 after a series of Romulan outposts were found destroyed near the Federation neutral zone. The Romulans most notably practiced excellent programs of covert operations and diplomatic subterfuge. During the brief Klingon Civil War (2367-68), the Romulans aided the forces of house Duras in its bid for control. If not for a Federation blockade utilizing a tachyon detection web was put in place along the Romulan/Klingon border the Romulans may well have been able to successfully place Duras' illegitimate son, Toral, in power, thus allowing them to use Toral and his aunts, Lursa and B'Etor, as pawns with which to control the Klingon Empire to Romulan advantage.
In 2368, the Romulans attempted to reinvade Vulcan under the guise of reunification -- a goal championed by Federation Ambassador Spock. The ruse was discovered by the Federation in time to intercept the Romulan fleet. However, it was the Romulans who then destroyed the Vulcan starships they had stolen and converted into troop transports, with the Romulan troops still onboard.
During the Dominion War, the Romulans initially signed a non-aggression treaty with the Dominion and were considered nominal Dominion allies. However, after Federation operatives managed to successfully plant falsified reports of Dominion plans to invade Romulan space, the Romulans joined the fight alongside the Klingons and Federation, both of which had already suffered heavy losses in the year of fighting. The Romulan investment in the war was telling, and the presence of their immense D'deridex Warbirds in battle helped to turn the tide of the war in the Allies favor.
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Tyrel Lohr at contact@tyrellohr.com.
All original content © 2024, Tyrel Lohr.
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