Jolan'tru: A Romulan in the Delta Quadrant

Author's Note: This is a Star Trek: Voyager fanfiction. I've done my best to interpret both the content guidelines, and the policies of of the copyright holders. If I've made a mistake, somebody, please let me know.

This fanfiction is inspired by a number of things. The much neglected and maligned minor character Vorik and his failed love life. The scene where we see that there appears to be a Vulcan woman on Chakotay's Maquis crew. The fact that this woman is apparently not a telepath, since she didn't have to hide from the Devore inspectors like Vorik did. The mysterious Ensign Trumari, whom we see in dialogue, but never onscreen. The name is vaguely Vulcan in form, especially written as T'Rumari, and then, that puts one in mind of the hedonistic pagan festival of Rumarie, from ancient Vulcan, a festival presumably worshiping gods the average Vulcan isn't interested in. To me, this just leads to one conclusion: There's a Romulan on Voyager. That's right, a Romulan. And the fun starts from there. How did she get there? What is she like? Would she and Vorik get along?

Now, some exposition.

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One by one, Captain Kathryn Janeway and her chief security officer had discussed the new members of the crew, the former Maquis. Their personal and criminal histories (bad), psychological profiles (even worse), the roles they'd filled on Commander Chakotay's ship, their professional qualifications (what on Earth will I do with these people?), to what extent Tuvok believed they could be trusted (nope. nope. nope. nope,nope,nope), what rank they'd be assigned, and in what department they would serve. It wasn't a particularly pretty picture. The Starfleet deserters and Academy dropouts were generally the best officer material, despite various crimes. There was Chakotay himself, who'd at least resigned his commission before running off after the Cardassians, and Torres, the engineer who was as hotheaded and insubordinate as she was brilliant. There were also a dysfunctional Betazoid, Bajorans who hadn't gotten the memo that the Resistance was over, including a teenager, a handful of people who'd been kicked out of Starfleet for crimes of severity from chronic insubordination to manslaughter. And of course the rebel civilians. Lovely.

Apparently, Tuvok had chosen to save the worst for last, someone they hadn't known was serving on Chakotay's crew, but nonetheless had files on, due to her being on the Federation's most wanted list. "Suspected political assassinations, espionage, treason, torture, smuggling, resisting arrest, escape from custody, murdering her family, it just goes on….Tuvok, she's a Romulan spy. When I offered the Maquis a place aboard, I never imagined something like this! Why didn't you warn me?"

"The urgency of this information was minimal."

"Minimal!?" Kathryn exclaimed. "She's a serious threat! The safest thing to do with her would be to beam her into space!"

Tuvok raised an eyebrow at Kathryn. "She is somewhat unstable, but her personal habits aside, I do not believe it will be necessary to beam her into space, or expel her from the crew."

"Personal habits? Like stabbing people in the back?"

Tuvok ignored the sarcasm and answered what he clearly considered the legitimate question. "She is thoroughly hedonistic. She indulges in the use of narcotics, is quite gluttonous, and is licentious as well."

"Lovely. Are you suggesting she won't murder us all if we allow her to carry on carousing? What use would she even be?" Seriously though, that didn't exactly sound like Starfleet material, even if Trumari had once held the rank of Lieutenant Commander. How had she managed that anyway?

Tuvok looked thoughtful. "Captain, are you familiar with the work of the intelligence agent Rumar?"

"Only in passing. Why? Do you know him? Do you think he'd vouch for her, if we had any way of contacting him?"

"Captain, Ar'cht N'ts Trumari is Rumar."

"The way I heard it, Rumar was one of the best, for all their career was only about a decade long! I can't believe all this time someone who was supposedly a hero was actually a double agent. It just doesn't make sense."

"It does not." Tuvok agreed. He was looking particularly enigmatic. So annoying when he does that.

Kathryn shot Tuvok a look. "What are you saying? Do you think she's innocent?"

"I think we lack critical information about her motivations. It is even possible that some or even most of this file is a deception."

"You think she might be undercover?" Now that was a thought.

"It is possible. She did tell me when I discovered her identity, both as a wanted person and as Rumar, that she was neither a traitor, nor on a mission for the Federation. I had no opportunity to obtain the particulars of her situation."

"Anything else at all?"

Tuvok hesitated. "My berth aboard the Val Jean was adjacent hers."

"That can't have been pleasant, with your hearing." Kathryn said sympathetically. Tuvok was far from a voyeur, he had to have been very uncomfortable.

"Indeed, it was not, but not for the reason you might suppose. She "caroused" elsewhere. No, those nights she spent in her own bed, she either spent weeping, or waking up screaming."

Kathryn contemplated this for a moment. "I suppose the question is then, guilt, or grief?"

"Guilt will not serve our purposes so well as grief, but either could suffice."

"I guess we're just going to have to ask."

"Yes. Shall I have her brought in?"

"Yes. We might as well do it today. If we have to get rid of her, the sooner the better."