Tal Shiar adapted starship

The Romulan Star Empire's secret police Tal Shiar^[1] adapted the cybernetic, nanoprobe-based technology of the Borg^[2] to outfit Romulan starships with advanced systems and weapons. This technology originated in the Vault space station. (TOS - TNG - Countdown comic: "Number Three", STO - Romulan Mystery mission: "The Vault")

In the 2400s decade, such vessels were classified as a Tal Shiar adapted starship. (STO - In Shadows mission: "Mind Game", STO website: Legacy of Romulus: Dev Blog #22)

History and specifications[]

24th century[]

Narada at the Vault — *Narada* at the Vault, 2387.

The Tal Shiar using technology co-opted from the Borg Collective enabled a select portion of their fleet to undergo a metamorphosis, incredibly becoming more powerful than their base configuration allowed. Although the techniques of this process were extremely dangerous, the Tal Shiar's enemies could not deny the potency of adapted starships. (STO website: Legacy of Romulus: Dev Blog #22)

The Tal Shiar, supported by the even more secretive Zhat Vash zealots, deployed enforcer cruisers in the 2380s decade. These were based on raptor-shaped Romulan warbirds but studded with claws and spikes. They were equipped with missiles. While smaller than a Federation Luna-class cruiser, enforcer cruisers were less maneuverable. In the year 2386, two enforcer cruisers were destroyed by the Starfleet ship USS Titan in the Battle of Sector 743-D. (PIC novel: The Dark Veil)

Following the destruction of Romulus in a supernova in 2387, Captain Nero took ship, the Romulan Mining Guild mining vessel Narada to a secret space station in the Haakona system^[1], the Vault. Commander D'Spal welcomed the fellow survivors, and the station's work bees transformed the Narada into a powerful dreadnought. (TOS - TNG - Countdown comic: "Number Three")

The Narada departed on a path of vengeance and destroyed a Klingon Defense Force fleet before it vanished into a black hole. (STO novel: The Needs of the Many)

The Vault was abandoned by the Romulans. (STO - Romulan Mystery mission: "The Vault")

25th century[]

In the 2400s, research resumed at S'harien Station in the Dimorus system. In 2409, the Mogai-class heavy warbird IRW Esemar was turned into an adapted starship by the Tal Shiar. Soon after launch, Starfleet tracked down the Tal Shiar in this system and destroyed the Esemar. (STO - Romulan Mystery mission: "S'harien's Swords")

Meanwhile, Colonel Hakeev transformed his D'deridex-class warbird IRW Khnial into a Tal Shiar adapted battlecruiser. It was destroyed by the Romulan Republic Navy in deep space near Hobus. (STO - In Shadows mission: "Mind Game")

In that year, the Lobi Crystal Consortium acquired Khnial-class adapted battlecruisers and Llaihr-class adapted destroyers. They were sold at Drozana Station to the Romulan Republic and their Federation and Klingon Empire allies. Rated as tier 5 vessels, these warbirds were powered by matter/antimatter warp cores instead of the customary singularity cores. (STO - Legacy of Romulus mission: "Spin the Wheel", STO website: Legacy of Romulus: Dev Blog #22)

In 2410, the Tal Shiar deployed the tier-6 rated Khlinae-class adapted battlecruiser and Mandukar-class adapted destroyer. This similarly found their way into the hands of the Khitomer Ally powers. (STO - Agents of Yesterday mission: "Explore the Flotilla", STO website: Agents of Yesterday: Tal Shiar Lockbox Stats!)

On stardate 84999.22 in January 2411, a rogue Excalbian simulacrum, Borg Queen Seven of Nine, used Excalbian assimilated matter-creation techniques to fashion a Borgified IRW Khnial back into existence. The queen and her fleet were destroyed in the Battle of Excalbia by a fleet of Federation legendary starships. (STO - J'Ula's Discovery mission: "The Measure of Morality (Part 1)")

Adapted dreadnought warbird — An adapted *Scimitar*-class warbird in 2411.

Following the conclusion of the Klingon Civil War of 2411^[3], the Tal Shiar adapted the Scimitar-class, originally a Reman warbird^[4]. The Romulan Republic Navy acquired this class as well, and deployed it as a tier 6 legendary starship combining intel starship features with dreadnought warbirds. (STO website: House United: Legendary Scimitar Intel Dreadnought Warbird)

Kelvin timeline[]

Narada over Vulcan — *Narada* over Vulcan.

The time-displaced Narada emerged in the year 2233 and destroyed the USS Kelvin, creating an alternate timeline running separate from the primary universe, and changing the course of the 23rd century. In this Kelvin timeline, the Narada destroyed a Starfleet task force and Vulcan in 2258 before being destroyed by the USS Enterprise. (TOS movie & novelization: Star Trek)

Some of the adapted technology and members of Nero's crew survived. (ST video game: Fleet Command)

In the year 2261, the rogue Federation intelligence agency Section 31 engineered the Khitomer Conflict between the Romulan Star Empire and the Klingon Empire to have them destroy their fleets mutually. The Klingon birds of prey were based on Tal Shiar adapted technology. (TOS - The Khitomer Conflict comics: "Part 1", "Part 4")

In 2263, the IRW Vi'dar was the first of the Vi'dar-class interceptors, and was fielded by the desperate Romulan Star Navy against the invading Borg Collective. (ST video game: Fleet Command)

Appendices[]

Connections[]

Tal Shiar adapted starships
Romulan Star Empire, rogue	adapted mining vessel: Narada
Romulan Star Empire, Tal Shiar	enforcer cruiser: lead enforcer • second enforcer • Khnial-class: IRW Khnial • Khlinae-subclass: IRW Khlinae • Llaihr-class: IRW Llaihr • Mandukar-subclass: IRW Mandukar • Mogai-class: IRW Esemar
Romulan Republic, Navy	Khnial-class: RRW Khnial • Khlinae-subclass: IRW Khlinae • Llaihr-class: IRW Llaihr • Mandukar-subclass: IRW Mandukar
Terran Empire (Kelvin mirror timeline)	adapted mining vessel: Narada (mirror)