The Tal Shiar

 

 

 

 

The Tal Shiar is the Federal Intelligence Agency of the Rihannsu Empire. It name comes from Old Vulcan Meaning: Swift Death or Merciful Execution. They have have a broad scope of power, extending into all walks of Rihannsu life, and all citizens are assured in their saftey, 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 recieve, 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 recieve 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 unanimouse 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 embarrasing 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 porgrams 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 efficieny 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 clearence 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 driectly involved are aware of them.

 

It is also divided ino different divisions that perform different functions. There is some competition, but agents are transfered 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 accomplises or co-conspirators. This practice makes it diffficult 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 dissapear 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 witchhunts. It can arrest citizens at its discretion and detain them indefinately. 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, sonce 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 tendancy, 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 codebreaking 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 dmoestic 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 minmum amount of damage. Some interrogation techniques date back to Vulcan involving primitve 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 otherr 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 upo 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 clearence codes to shield information. They classify practically all information in the Empire with a security clearence code. Anything but the most basic information requires proper clearence. 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 clearence 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 wtih 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 consuption. 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 embarrasment 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 clearence.

 

 

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 sensitivemilitary operations. Examples: Acces 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 clearence in the Empire.

 

 

Ra'tar

 

Information personally classified by the Praetor. Access is restricted to those given access by the Praetor.