The Tal Shiar is the Federal Intelligence Agency of the Rihannsu Empire. Its name comes from Old Vulcan word talshaya, Meaning: Swift Death or Merciful Execution. They have a broad scope of power, extending into all walks of Rihannsu life, and all citizens are assured in their safety, knowing the Tal Shiar are everywhere, watching for disloyalty and/or threats to the Empire. They are considered above the law and are responsible for ensuring the loyalty of ALL citizens, even high placed government officials and military personnel.
The Tal Shiar sets its own budget, chooses its own personnel, and practices most of its duties behind the scenes, without anyone but the highest , most trusted officials in the government even knowing it happened. They expect, and usually receive, cooperation from all citizens of the Empire.
Citizens are supposed to be ever vigilant for signs of disloyalty so they can report the offender to the Tal Shiar. Most people are afraid to voice opinions against anything the government tells them. Speaking out in any way is often taken as a sign of disloyalty and one never knows where the Tal Shiar spies are hiding.
They also receive full cooperation from the government and military. An agent can commandeer anything he needs to complete his mission, even if he needs an entire Warbird! An agent's orders are to be followed immediately, without question. Questioning an agent of the Tal Shiar is also taken as signs of disloyalty.
By the same token, Tal Shiar are expected not to abuse their power. The Tal Shiar has a reputation for handling its own affairs, and any agent who abuses his power is promptly dealt with. In order to carry out their mission, they must, and do, maintain an image of infallibility.
Organization
At the helm of this organization is the Chairman. He is appointed by the Praetor and confirmed by the Imperial Senate, and can be removed from office with sufficient evidence of abuse of power, but it requires a unanimous vote of the Senate, which has never happened in the history of the Tal Shiar. It is a largely political position, and candidates are usually chosen from government or military officers, for their knowledge of the Empire and the law, or former Tal Shiar agent, for their knowledge of Tal Shiar Operations and their considerable field experience.
Most Chairmen use one of two ways to hold on to their position. They gather large amounts of embarrassing information for use as blackmail, or they will invaluable services for influential politicians. Sometimes they do both at the same time. The most skilled ones hide their power, appearing as humble servants of the Empire while controlling vast power behind the scenes.
The power of a chairman makes a large difference. A weak chairman allows the government to retain much control over the Tal Shiar. A strong one, however, can usually circumvent the government and institute programs on their own authority.
The Tal Shiar is arranged in a strict hierarchy, but it sometimes violates its own chain of command in the interests of efficiency or necessity. If a certain project requires high security, the chairman may assign it to an agent directly, bypassing all that agent's superiors. These situations occur rarely, but give the chairman considerable personal control over the Tal Shiar and allows it to respond quickly to the empire's needs. An agent's security clearance tells how much he knows about Tal Shiar operations. Some are fairly well known throughout the organization, others are so secret only the chairman and the agents directly involved are aware of them.
It is also divided into different divisions that perform different functions. There is some competition, but agents are transferred among divisions often in order to discourage it.
Internal Security Division
Most Rihannsu come into contact with the Internal Security Division. They monitor the general populace watching for disloyalty and threats to the empire. Internal Security agents have broad discretion in determining the definition of Disloyalty or Threat to the Empire. They will often overlook an offender in order to ferret out accomplices or co-conspirators. This practice makes it difficult for disloyal citizens to know when and where the agents will make their move, which creates an air of paranoia, and keeps all citizens alert. Even though they have many agents in place, Internal Security relies mainly on the help of loyal citizens, who watch their friends, neighbors, and co-workers closely for signs of disloyalty. Anyone who questions the decision of an agent about an offender is often labeled an accomplice and arrested as well. Citizens arrested on charges of disloyalty are generally taken to Tal Shiar controlled reeducation centers for conditioning to remove disloyal tendencies. More radical offenders often disappear without a trace, never to be seen again.
Some citizens think this division has too much power and uses unnecessarily brutal tactics. They say it prosecutes loyal citizens who are just speaking their mind, or that it conducts political witch hunts. It can arrest citizens at its discretion and detain them indefinitely. And it also employs ruthless methods of interrogation, from simple torture to sophisticated holographic deception. These methods were necessary in the early days of the Tal Shiar when new subjects had to be taught to respect the Empire. Today, the Tal Shiar maintains that they are merely efficient.
Military Affairs Division
The Military Affairs division serves two purposes. First, it watches the military in the same manner that the Internal Security Division watches the general populace. It has agents hidden among the ranks of the military, specially trained to maintain their cover and report to the Tal Shiar at the same time. Members of the military have become accustomed to having their every move watched by the Tal Shiar, even more than the Citizens have. They often fear the organization, since one word from it can ruin an entire career.
Second, the MA Division serves as a liaison between the Tal Shiar and the military. They often commandeer military resources with no explanation other than their authority as Tal Shiar. The division likes to give the illusion of working hand in hand with the military, they more often treat it as a group of pawns to be used at their whim. Because of the way they deal with the military, there is a strong feeling of dislike toward the Tal Shiar among the ranks of the military, especially in the Star Navy and the Tal Diann.
From the military point of view, the very existence of the MA Division is an insult to the oath of every military officer. It implies that the military is less than completely loyal. Officers dislike the Tal Shiar because the spy on their own people while the soldiers fight and die on the front lines for the greater glory of the empire. But, as much as they dislike them, the wise officers never voice their opinion of the Tal Shiar.
Special Operations Division
The official purpose of the SO Division is to handle emergency situations and serious threats to the Empire's security. Unofficially, it controls all operations outside the empire, especially those directed against other powers. It is the most secretive branch of the Tal Shiar because many of its operations are illegal, and in violation of several treaties that the Empire has signed.
Its primary task is gathering intelligence on civilizations and species outside the empire. It employs numerous agents for this purpose. Most of them are disguised to pass as non-Rihannsu, but some headed for the federation or near the Federation, undergo much training to repress their Rihannsu tendencies and pass as Vulcans. These agents will often use information they gathered to blackmail key people in order to gain greater access to information or to compromise the security of that world. The information provided by them is used to plan the Empire's Military strategies and operations.
The Special Operations Division seeks to test other civilizations and determine their readiness to fight the Rihannsu Empire. It also works to weaken powers seen as a threat to the Empire, like the Federation/Klingon Alliance. It uses subtlety instead of direct confrontation, as is the natural Rihannsu tendency, employing undercover agents or brainwashing techniques to create sleeper agents to carry out operations. They sabotage relations using misdirection and sowing paranoia and mistrust among enemies of the Empire.
Intelligence Analysis Division
The Intelligence Analysis Division takes the data collected by the other branches and studies it to sift the most important data and conclusions. It is expert in code breaking and decryption. Encryption experts from the IA Division set up and maintain the Romulan Information Network. The IA Division makes regular reports to the Chairman and the Senate, briefing them on the latest information concerning both foreign and domestic matters. Their reports are considered extremely accurate, but many believe a lot of information doesn't get farther than the Chairman's office, censored for the good of the people. They also work hard gathering data on the Borg Collective, considered a major threat to the Empire.
Research and Development Division
The R&D Division is responsible for developing and producing new technologies intended for use by Tal Shiar agents. Among other things they work on: Offensive & Defensive weapons such as more powerful disruptors, miniature disruptors, disguised disruptors, or disruptor offshoots like the extremely painful Veron-T type Disruptor which slowly tears a target apart from the inside molecule by molecule; improved cloaking devices like the planetary cloak and personal cloak; replications of foreign weapons for use in convincing other powers that a certain empire or federation has been selling weapons illegally; and espionage equipment like miniature, concealed sensors & computer systems, explosives, concealed body armor, incapacitating drugs & other chemicals. They also analyze scientific data and foreign technologies collected by agents.
Mind War Division
The Mind War division is responsible for developing new technologies and methods for interrogation, brainwashing, intelligence gathering, and psionic warfare. Originally a subdivision of the R&D Division, it grew so rapidly that it was made into a division of its own. Mind War and R&D still work together closely on developing new technologies.
Interrogation and Brainwashing
The primary work of the Mind War Division is in Interrogation and Brainwashing. They study the humanoid mind and psyche, specifically its construction, and they study psychology and sociology to better understand hot it works and how to manipulate it. Agents in this Division are masters of subtle and brute-force interrogation techniques, and usually find out what they want to know. Their techniques go anywhere from advanced holographic simulations and neural deceptions to plain old fashioned torture. They also study the effects of pain on the body and develop a comprehensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology. They know where to generate the maximum amount of pain with the minimum amount of damage. Some interrogation techniques date back to Vulcan involving primitive instruments and brutal physical treatment.
Propaganda
The Mind War Division is also responsible for controlling the propaganda that is sent out, intended to inspire loyal citizens and strike fear into the hearts of the enemy. They point to other versions of events as propaganda coming from other governments.
Psionic Warfare
The Psionic Warfare Subdivision researches deeply into the Rihanha's innate telepathic abilities as well as the possibility of creating psionic weapons like those used on Vulcan before Surak. When the Rihannsu left Vulcan, they abandoned their telepathic abilities in favor of more practical skills. Thus, even though the potential still exists, few Rihannsu have any real telepathic skills. Those that do are quickly snatched up by the Tal Shiar for study and training. Most Rihannsu telepaths are limited to close range, but they usually have formidable skills. This subdivision also studies potential defenses against telepathic attacks. The large number of Telepathic species in the Federation concerns the Tal Shiar. They do not trust the Federations good intentions and continue to study various options for providing mind shields for high ranking Military and government personnel.
Tal Shiar Security Codes
The Tal Shiar employ layer on layer of security clearance codes to shield information. They classify practically all information in the Empire with a security clearance code. Anything but the most basic information requires proper clearance. Their clearance codes also depend less on hierarchy and more on a need to know basis. This creates a seemingly chaotic information network. One report might be classified Secret but contain passages labeled Top Secret so that those with the proper clearance see only what they need to see and are not burdened by unnecessary information.
Joval Open Access
This information is open to anyone who can use a computer, but it is laced with propaganda to comfort citizens and misinform outsiders. Examples: Most economic or scientific data, routine government reports, and recordings of most senate proceedings.
Paval Limited Access
Paranoid about the information flow, the Tal Shiar targets data for certain groups of people. Paval access indicates information relevant to a specific group in society, for instance, information on tectonic plates would be open to geologists and planetologists.
Ruta Secret
This is data not meant for general consumption. Examples: Fleet strengths and movements, real economic data, precise weapons characteristics, etc.
Vay'Ruta Top Secret
This is information that would cause significant harm or embarrassment if it fell into the wrong hands. Examples: Key scientific data on military R&D projects, the Empire's overall strategic plans for invading the Federation, etc.
Gal'Ruta Ultra-Secret
This information could cause extreme harm to the Empire if revealed to unauthorized personnel. Examples: Identities of various Tal Shiar agents in the Federation and Klingon Empire, advanced theoretical weapons designs, and various unfiltered government reports.
Additional Security Classifications
The Tal Shiar also assign secondary classifications to further restrict/guide the flow of information. For instance, a report might be classified: Top Secret, Senate only. This would restrict that report to Senators with the Vay'Ruta classification clearance.
Alitok Senate
These reports, usually classified Ruta or Vay'Ruta, are authorized for Senators only. Giving it even to his closest staff member could result in charges being brought against a Senator. Examples: Sensitive documents on the progress of various military operations, economic production figures, and sensitive government reports.
Kal'ka'tar Military
Usually accompanied by the Ruta or Vay'Ruta classification, this information deals with sensitive military operations.
Examples: Access to command functions on all Rihannsu vessels, field progress reports, requisitions for manpower and materials, and strategic operations and tactical policies.
Tru Tal Shiar
For Tal Shiar operatives only, usually accompanied by Vay'Ruta or Gal'Ruta, this information concerns Tal Shiar operations and intelligence.
Shaya
Information personally classified by the Chairman of the Tal Shiar. Access is restricted to those given access by the Chairman. It is the second most sensitive clearance in the Empire.
Ra'tar
Information personally classified by
the Praetor. Access is restricted to those given access by the
Praetor.
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TAL'SHIAR ROMULAN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This is a section from the Romulan sourcebook at the following former website: http://www.romulanstarrepublic.org/state/talshiar.html
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Though the Tal`Shiar's exact origins are not known, it is known is that, at some point, an Emperor organized a small unit, which he named the Talshaya (the old Vulcan word for a form of execution.), and tasked them with intelligence, assassinations, and his own personal security. While its role barely changed, maintenance of the squad, or a similarly tasked unit, became common practice amongst the Emperors. In 2293, when the destruction of the moon Praxis caused a sudden political shift and opened the first peace talks between the Klingons and the Federation, Romulan Emperor Tiercellus tr`Rllailieu became extremely apprehensive. In the hopes of precipitating a war between the two powers, which would leave the Rihannsu free to defeat them both when their forces where depleted, he ordered that the Talshaya be combined with the most elite members of the Ta'Pakrsh and Tal'Diann to form a super elite intelligence force known simply as 'The Black Legion'. The 100 officers of the Legion worked with renegade elements of the Federation and Klingon Empire-- particularly in financing the operation, and supplying 'runners' and 'spotters' for operation information and logistics. Ambassador Nanclus (a member of the Talshaya) was part of this conspiracy, as was Federation Admiral Cartwright and Klingon General Cheng. However, Captain James T. Kirk and the USS Enterprise. this time aided by the USS Excelsior, foiled the plans. With Nanclus captured and the plans foiled, the Senate decided that while the Black Legion had been a good idea, it hadn't worked. In a very Romulan move, the Black Legion was increased in size exponentially, and became a full military branch. The new military branch was dubbed 'Tal'Shiar' (as a mix between the old Vulcan Talshaya and the Romulan phrase for 'Seeing Spear.') and thus 'The Agency' was born. The first task of the new Agency's was to deal with repercussions of the Federation and Klingon talks, the most major of which being the Black Legion operatives who had been stranded in SF and KDF space once the conspiracy fell apart. These operatives became spies at their locations, and the new Agency began its policies of infiltrating other races. Since then, The Agency has grown considerably. With its high level of prestige, and greater appeal of power, many citizens are eager to join the ranks of the Tal'Shiar-- even in the face of its highly selective screening process and training program.
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Please note that the use of erie (as in erie`Riov) is *never* capitalized, not even in the beginning of a sentence.
| Ranks are worn on the left hand collar of the duty uniform and on both front collars of the dress jacket. | ||
| erie`Eredh | Private / sub-Trainee | |
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A fresh recruit. Privates have no authority, nor are the generally allowed outside of the Agency academy. | |
| Eredh | Corporal / Trainee | . |
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A tenured student at the academy, a Corporal may (depending on their Section) hold an 'in field' post. | |
| EnEredh | Sergeant / Line-Trainee | . |
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A non-Officer rank, issued to students in their final year of academy. Sergeants primarily work on their 'final projects', or as teacher assistants at the academy, or as resident student aides to Corporals and Privates. An EnEredh has little to no authority. | |
| erie`Arrain | 2nd Lt / sub-Centurion | . |
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The first officer rank, and often the first time an agent has the chance to experience full field duty. 2nd Lt have relatively low access to Agency material, but may commandeer small craft (not warbirds) at their discretion. | |
| Arrain | 1st Lt / Centurion | . |
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The rank of department heads, Junior professors at the academy, competent Political Officers and PR aides. While a 1st Lt is not normally allowed to act as a spy, they hold a respectable amount of authority in the Agency and the greater Republic. | |
| Enarrain | Captain / Line-Centurion | . |
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The highest rank worn by Political Officers, the first rank of spies, and usually the first rank of CO level officers. | |
| erie`Aendah | sub-Major | . |
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sub-Majors CO and XO ships and even squadrons of ships in the M.A.D. Generally, they fill in for full Majors and Colonels when and where they may not be able to serve. | |
| Aendah | Major | . |
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Majors hold a tremendous amount of power in the Tal'Shiar. They are the majority of the Academy Professors, CO and XO ships, run major operations under their own authority, have access to the third to last of the circular halls of the Tal'Shiar main complex on ch`Rihan, and have level 5 access to all data- not just prevalent data. Majors are also allowed to seize control of military craft if it is a necessity. | |
| erie`Ssiebb | sub-Colonel | . |
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Though an erie`Ssiebb is only really supposed to CO a single ship or an Agency Squadron, they have commanded entire fleets of Naval craft in the past. As with their superior Colonels, may serve as Chairman of a group or department. | |
| Ssiebb | Colonel | . |
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Colonels are amongst the most connected and dangerous people in the galaxy. They have access to everything outside of the Generals' inner circle of the head quarters, level six access to everything, and they are even allowed to run the academies off the home world. A Colonel is at leave to formulate their own plots and plans, and is only under the generals in power. | |
| erie`Khrein | sub-General | . |
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erie`Khrein are most often found (on the few occasions when they can be found) running the Sections of the Agency. In the post of Minister, they are allotted a spot on the Senate floor, and are essentially unlimited in access to Romulan materials. | |
| Khrein | General | . |
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In reality, Generals have more authority than the senate, and do not need to inform it of anything unless they so choose. They Command fleets, formulate plots, organize the structure and goals of the order as a whole, and serve high posts in the Political structure of the republic. If anyone is lucky enough to ever meet one of them, they wouldn't even be aware of it-- Khrein are so secretive (aside from those in public spot light) that only the upper ranking of the Tal'Shiar and the government know who they are. |
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The Tal`Shiar's organization is very similar to the former Black Legion, in that it orders its resources in a clear, linear, operation system. Where the black legion's first order of business was to have an officer to select 'operations' and 'targets' to be carried out, so it is the same in the Agency, who's first section, 'Operations' and 'Administration' is focused. The process is mirrored all the way through. |
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| Section 1: Ministry of Foreign Affairs | . | The administrative section of the Tal'Shiar. Section 1 provides direction and organization for the rest of the Agency. The Director of the Tal'Shiar has his offices within Section 1. |
| Department of Strategic Operations | Administrative group that oversees and directs all classified operations. This includes but is not limited to personnel disputes, transfers, and promotions. In charge of keeping a directory of all Tal'Shiar departments. | |
| Department of Operations | Department that the public deals with. It is in charge of making available to the public any non-censored information. Essentially, it is the 'Information Desk' of the Tal'Shiar. It also releases census data. There is no real information to be gained from this department. | |
| Department of Special Operations | Smallest of the three departments. Administrative oversight group in charge of resource allocation. Where Strategic Operations sets the direction, Special Operations gives them the resources to do it. Special Operations knows the capabilities and limitations of the various resources, and is thus best suited to assess the resource allocation | |
| Office of the Director | This is where the Tal'Shiar director oversees the entire Agency | |
| Section 2: Military Affairs Division | . | . |
| Department of Strategic Fleet Operations | Maintains, oversees, and directs combat vessels in the Agency fleet. | |
| Department of Logistical Fleet Operations | Maintains, oversees, and directs courier vessels in the Agency fleet. | |
| Department of Military Personnel | Educates and allocates personnel into ship operations positions (basic crew roles) | |
| Department of Military Specialists | In charge of Spooks, Strikers/Commandos, Shock Troops. Spooks are soft contact, small number incursion units. Used for some espionage, some sabotage, some assassination, but mainly used for a small scale, efficient operation. Strikers/Commandos are utilized primarily for espionage and sabotage missions against bases and facilities. Hard contact, small number inclusion units. Shock troops are hard contact, large number units used for Agency occupation and security guard work. | |
| Department of Agency Training | In charge of all Tal'Shiar basic military training. Maintains facilities that educate all prospective Agents in the basics. | |
| Section 3: Internal Affairs Division | . | Oversees Tal'Shiar internal security and, to a certain extent, the security of all Rihannsu. In charge of making sure informants are truthful, and for making sure counter-informants are untruthful. |
| Department of Housing | In charge of housing classified prisoners. (i.e. Prisons) | |
| Department of Naval Observation | Oversees the Political Officers on the various Galae vessels. | |
| Office of the Chief Agency Executioner | If the Agency is executing someone publicly, he is the one to do it. | |
| Section 4:Civil Affairs Division | . | Deals with the census, and all public data collection. The Civil Affairs Division has many departments encompassing all varieties of data collection about the citizenry. The Census department is the biggest and most well known department. Maintains the Archives, but does not have access to it itself. This is mostly a clerk section that deals with data entry but does not have access to the collected data. |
| Section 5: Ministry of Data Collection | . | . |
| Information Collection Group | Deals with spies, plants, listening posts, sleeper agents, open observers, informants, and some connection to other Rihannsu intelligence gathering groups (the Tal'Diann and Ta'Pakrsh) | |
| Cryptology Division | Mathematicians in charge of decryption, encryption, and deciphering of any communication media. This includes code-breaking and tracking other forms of communication. Maintains a massive database of all communications within the Republic but also any intercepted messages, and has sophisticated computer algorithms that attempt to analyze each message for anything important. Anything marked as important is sent on to Data Analysis. | |
| Psi-Corps | Monitors psionic potential among the populace, and "retrieves" anyone of a high enough potential | |
| Section 6: Ministry of Data Analysis | . | Data Analysis maintains a large body of specifically trained individuals that are mainly interested in observation of various bodies of knowledge, and how they can be analyzed to the Rihannsu advantage. |
| Cultural Reference Group | Maintains database on foreign species and their cultures, governments, societies, etc. | |
| Military Reference Group | ||
| Science Reference Group | ||
| Technology Reference Group | ||
| Medical Reference Group | ||
| Economic Reference Group | ||
| Art Squad | Maintains an archive of stolen 'great works', great works and their true placements in time, etc. | |
| Section 7: Public Relations Division | . | . |
| Department of Education | In charge of educating the people in the Romulan Way, be it through lies, the truth, or some semblance in between. Also for educating those who are previously uneducated about certain fields. | |
| Department of Re-education | This department handles any people who need reprogramming, whether it be Romulan citizens who are useful to keep alive, or Starfleet citizens who need to 'forget' something that they have learned. | |
| Mind War Group | Deals with psionic manipulation of Romulan citizens and anyone else who needs to be manipulated in this most subtle of ways. A very small department. | |
| Department of History | This group releases the history for the Romulan citizenry. Unknown but suspected by the populace is that this department releases only the most favorable history, one that contains no censored elements. | |
| Department of the Archive | Maintains all real history of everyone. | |
| Department of Xenorelations | The department that makes sure the version of Romulan history that is released to aliens is the most appropriate one | |
| Department of Propaganda | A production agency and publication agency that spreads around various lies. | |
| Section 8: Ministry of Technological Development | . | This Ministry has many departments, but is responsible for the Tal`Shiar's R&D, tunneling, weapons building and testing, etc. |
| Applied Technology Group | Weapons development group, or utilization of old technologies for new uses. | |
| Section 9: Ministry of Research | . | . |
| Temporal Assessment Group | Group that makes sure that the current timeline is the most favorable one, whether it means tracking alterations to the timeline by external sources, or making alterations themselves. | |
| Department of Temporal Research | Department that does all manner of temporal research, including observing the past and future. | |
| Spatial Anomalies Group | Like the Temporal Assessment Group, but monitors special disturbances such as rifts and wormholes, and also monitors subspace integrity within the Republic. | |
| Section 10: Contingency Logistics Division | . | Akin to Starfleet's Section 31, this group exists within the Tal`Shiar's structure and charter, but its function is not exactly specified. Secretly, this is the Division that produces bioengineered weapons (i.e. soldiers) completely engineered to kill, blow things up, devour targets, or all of the above. |
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This is the major stopping point for all plants from exterior sources. To graduate from the academy, every student is required to undergo an intense screening process to continue in his or her studies. The screening process is psionic, mental, chemical, and medical. The TS Command takes this step very seriously, which is why no one (not even the famed SSS or Obsidian Order) has progressed very far in the Tal'Shiar. As it is necessary to have done all this to become an officer, it is impossible (with very few short lived exceptions) for an infiltrator to become an officer in the Tal'Shiar. Only one attempt by SF, which was aided by the underground, managed to plant Commander Troi as a Tal'Shiar Major on a Naval ship. This would never have worked on a Tal'Shiar vessel, and only lasted for a short time on the naval vessel. |
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Agency
Protocol 'Open door' By the command of sub-section head in charge of department twenty two, of Section 1, herein, vests the power and authority of said office and officer upon Specialist-Officer and project supervisor Enarrain 'Tjorn'. This operator-supervisor, as per protocol 57, under general order 22 (section 1, sub-set general orders, 2388.6) is provided discursion and leave, by the this office in the name of the first office, to use what facilities may be available on hand, or abroad, to pursue and complete the afore mentioned mission. Should this mission overlap other Agency matters, by way of same-space destination, or duplicative task planning, the operative is cleared to join such said potential element, but at leave to expose only as much, or as little, of the project to authorities as warranted. Signed, Department Supervisor, 11th Brigade, Department 22, Section 1As you can see, aside from the officer who is in charge of the operation, what that operation is, who is in charge of it from above, and so on are completely left out. This system allows Agents to pass through society, with orders and missions that are only known by them and those who watch them, but still allows for civil police forces to check and make sure the officer is, in the very least in name, cleared to do what they are doing. If the clearance was not there for the above, or if internal security noticed a request for clearance check where the operative was not supposed to be, the agency would then send out an operative to run an investigation, or more if they suspected a larger problem.'For no one's
eyes...' |
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Operational
practices: While the agency has a standing army large enough to assault and occupy a medium-sized planet, they very rarely deploy such forces in number, and more often than not, avoid combative engagements all together. Stealthy evasion and silent observation are the Agency's ways-- even when it is moved towards full engagement. Even when there has been a major security breach, or a major threat of one, the agency will not simply 'throw' troops at a problem. Such a move would be wasteful, and most likely futile. Spooks Shock troops Commandos
/
Strikers |
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Agency HQ
The Interior of the facility itself, is a simple 'ringed' affair. Each ring represents a rank-level of access with in the Agency, with 'student ranks on the outer most ring, and the generals nestled at its center. Each section has its own closed circuit computer core, which may access outer layers, but not inner ones. There are but two access points for each section, and these are always heavily guarded, and any admittant past the fourth gate is heavily screened. Furthermore, the floors are made from transporter-deadening materials, are shielded, and covered with beam-in scrambling devices. To date, only one federation agent has reached the 'Majors' circle, and did only then with the assistance of a Major, under very strange circumstances. The building itself, contains little actual intelligence, or facilities for research. The 'student ring', which is reserved for private to corporal ranks, has several semi-public Intel libraries, a few holographic training rooms, a vehicle-pool, and the public relations offices. The 'sergeants ring', is home to some academy facilities, teacher-aides meeting facilities, and several resource rooms (for 'senior student final projects).The third ring, open to 2nd Lts, has slightly more and more advanced materials around, but differs little from the outer rings. The 1st Lt's ring houses senior PR offices, and some assistant branch offices for Sections 1, 4, and 7, as well as an expansive 'historic' armory. The Captain's ring, which marks the end of medium (if it could be called that) security, is home to operations meeting rooms, a functional armory, and Department and Group offices for all sections. The Major's ring contains personal offices for officers of that rank, sub-senior department and group offices, and a referential library listing all Agency activities and priorities updated on a fifteen-seurenna basis (though these files are all in 'Agency-eese' and therefore relatively useless to spies and the casual viewer). The Colonel's ring holds senior offices for all departments and groups, and the central office for the Agency Academy and its records. This ring also contains a variety of facilities for interrogation, decryption' observation posts watching the rest of the compound, and another armory. The final ring, in fact a circle, is closed to all but the generals. It is for this reason, that it is rarely used (as it's admittance is no doubt observed by the Colonels, and therefor less secure than a General would approve of). In the circle there are a small bio facility, a pond with several rare fish, an old tree grown from seeds brought from Vulcan, a stone bench, and a small cubby, dedicated to the running of recording equipment aimed at all corners of the Galaxy. |
this section from the following former website: http://www.romulanstarrepublic.org/state/talshiar.html
______________________________________________________
TAL SHIAR SPECIALIST CLASS AS USED BY THE
ROMULAN STAR REPUBLIC
from: A support site for the RSR sim. http://www.geocities.com/llyriahtlhoell/misc.html
Please note that the use of erie (as in erie`Riov) is *never*
capitalized, not even in the beginning of a sentence. Also, the the word
commonly found on the net as "Daise" is spelled "D-a-i-s." in the RSR. No 'e'.
Tal Shiar Specialist-Class
G class (no equiv) - lit. trans. Private / 'grunts'
K class (no equiv) - lit trans.: Cpl / 'grunts'
S class (no equiv) - lit trans.: Sergeant / 'specialists'
R class (no equiv) - lit. trans.: 1st sergeant / 'elites'
V class (no equiv) - lit. trans.: Sgt Major / 'elites'
When an officer is taken out of
the Romulan Naval Academy (the Rei`Krannsu does not allow the Agency to
draw from its cadets) and entered
into the Tal`Shiar's
programs, they are
given the rank of sub-trainee. With this, they have access to the basic
class rooms of the Tal'Shiar
academy of their region (not necessarily
the
one on Romulus) and level one clearance to the computer core.
The Headquarters of
the Tal'Shiar, at least the official building in which section offices are
located, resides on the southern side of the capitol city, on ch`Rihan.
The facility stands like many others in the capitol: a simple tiered,
brown earth-crete, reinforced and shielded fortress, of which few aliens
have ever visited, and fewer have ever survived.
