Trumari wasn't particularly surprised when Tuvok came for her. What she was surprised about was being taken to see the Captain, in her ready room. She'd expected an escort to the brig.

"Sit." The human woman told her, "I'm a bit of a loss as to what to call you. Your former rank hardly seems appropriate, and we certainly aren't on a first name basis. I can't confirm your identity as Agent Rumar for certain, and I certainly can't pronounce that tongue twister of a Romulan house name."

"It's actually Vulcan, sir. Trumari will be fine."

"Captain will do then. How does a Romulan come by a Vulcan name? Do you have more recent Vulcan ancestry? I see you don't have the ridges."

"The ridges are a genetic trait, found in both the Romulan and Vulcan gene pools. They are simply more common among the Rihannsu. My birth clan is one of those mostly without the gene. As for the name, I obtained it when I married."

"You married a Vulcan."

"I did. He was V'tosh katur." Janeway looked to Tuvok.

"Without logic. Vulcans who embrace the expression of emotion, in varying degrees." Tuvok explained.

"I see. Well, that explains that. I suppose you have some idea why you're here."

"Yes, Captain. You wish to evaluate the threat I pose to you and your crew. As I anticipated having this conversation in the brig, you must be considering the possibility of allowing me to remain aboard."

"I'm really not sure what I'm considering. Your arrest warrant is pretty damning."

"Oh, is it an arrest warrant now? The last thing I saw was a bounty offered for my corpse. I suppose that's an upgrade."

"The Federation doesn't offer bounties for corpses, Trumari."

Trumari looked at the captain steadily. Oh, to be so naïve. "It seems you would be surprised what the Federation does. I suppose you think they don't frame and abandon people they find inconvenient, either? Or possibly orchestrate the assassinations of their families? I have to admit, I don't know whether the Empire or the Federation is responsible for that one, or if it was just bad luck. They're dead, any which way."

"It sounds to me like you have a rather interesting tale to tell, Trumari."

"Interesting, yes, I suppose it is. I have to warn you, the ending's a bit disappointing."

"Go ahead. Keep in mind, both Tuvok and I are well aware that you happen to be a professional liar."

"Oh, wasn't I though? I was so good at it. Now the best I can manage is biting my tongue until it swells up, whenever I've got a secret. Sundered Cardassians." Trumari swore and then sighed.

"Well, I was born in the Empire. My family served the Empress personally, as her poison guard. We prepared most of the imperial family's meals and tested everything for poison, from food to the gifts people sent her, even the air.

Anyway, when I was a child, the Praetor sent someone into the kitchens to poison a snack meant to be served with the Empress's evening tea. He walked right in, and traded out some biscuits that had already been tested, without anyone else seeing him. I couldn't convince anyone on duty at the time of what had happened, and knowing someone in my family would die if the Empress was poisoned, even non-fatally, I did what I thought was necessary.

I can only remember coming up with a plan to eat them in front of the Empress, but not carrying it out. I am told it happened much as I designed. I left the kitchens with the biscuits and went to where I knew the Empress would be entertaining the Praetor. There I found the man who had brought the biscuits, standing in the servants position, attending the Praetor, clearly visible to everyone present.

I pretended he had given them to me as a gift, thanked him extravagantly and began eating them, very fast. The Empress thought I was quite cute, and had a tendency to indulge me a bit, so she thought my absurd behavior was amusing. Right up to the point, of course, where I dropped to the floor and started twitching.

Fortunately for me, the poison was a rare one that was less deadly for children than adults. If the Empress had eaten even one, as the Praetor planned, she'd have died. Slowly. Well, I'd managed to both implicate and embarrass the Praetor with my little stunt, which was rather dangerous for my family. The Empress felt that honor demanded she protect us. She could hardly keep us safe from the Praetor in his own Empire, so she sent those of us in the most immediate danger the only place he might not be able to reach us."

"The Federation. Clever." The captain remarked.

"Yes. We were given strict instructions to offer our services and loyalty to the Federation whole-heartedly, until we should be recalled, perhaps generations later. It was her wish that we fill a diplomatic role once the Praetors had been deposed and a true peace had been achieved."

"You certainly appeared to have done."

"Oh, yes. We immigrated to Vulcan as refugees, and those of us who were able even began training in logic, mental disciplines and so on. Anyway, it's not terribly relevant. I assimilated as best I could into Vulcan culture, but I found that even though I could maintain a cultural appropriate demeanor most of the time, it wasn't really me. I began associating with the V'tosh katur to fill my social needs. I met and promised myself to Nerit then. His betrothed had already made it plain she would not have him." Tuvok nodded his understanding of the implications, but didn't elaborate for the Captain.