Tumim

Federation Intelligence profile on Tal-Shiar agent Tumim

Name: Tumim (alias, real name unknown)

Species: Romulan - He has been genetically modified to pass as a Vulcan on all but the most advanced Federation Scanners.

Affiliation: Suspected Tal-Shiar Agent

Age: 29

History: Starfleet Intelligence believes he was raised on the Tal-Shiar Agent Training Facility on the planet Bajeke near the Romulan Neutral Zone. In his early teenage years he and his family replaced a Vulcan family travelling to Deep Space 2. At the age of 19 Tumim entered Star Fleet Academy where he was a mostly unnoticed student specializing in engineering. He served on Starbase 12 for five years before being transferred to the USS Carolina.

While aboard the USS Carolina he was caught making detailed scans of all the ship systems, especially of the Main Computer and its unusual alien altered AI. It is unknown whether he was able to transmit any of these scans, but he was placed in the Carolina's Brig until transfer to Starbase 27 for court marshal.

During the trial Tumim refused to testify, but it was proven that he was a Romulan and that he lied about his identity to Starfleet. There was not enough hard evidence to convict him of espionage. He was stripped of all rank and was sent to the Federation prison moon of Thalnos Beta. After serving two months of his sentence he was offered to the Romulans as part of a prisoner exchange and was returned to his people.

It is unclear whether he has had any contact with the Tal-Shiar since his return to Romulan Space.

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The bar was dark and not very crowded, which was just how the patrons liked it. Those that frequented this unassuming establishment generally preferred privacy. Unadecal Arado, former crew member of the USS Carolina, stepped through the doorway as he had done every day since arriving in this far corner of the Gamma Quadrant and waited a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dimly lit interior.

“Jolan Tru, Mr Arado,” said a voice from the shadows, “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”

He looked around in the direction of the greeting, perplexed at being addressed in such a familiar way. “Do I know you?” he asked cautiously.

“It’s been a while,” said the shape stepping out of the shadows, “For me it’s been two years. For you…I don’t know. How long since you were on the Carolina?”

As the man who addressed him moved into the light Arado at first thought he is talking with a Vulcan but then he noticed the Romulan uniform and a frown of confusion momentary passed over his face. Arado looked fixedly into the man’s eyes and slowly a memory began to form.

“It’s been…um…seventeen…” he began, “Wait. Who are you? What do you want?”

The other man raised an eyebrow in the characteristic Vulcan fashion and indicated a table where they could sit. “You can call me Tumim,” he said. “You may remember me as a Vulcan Ensign aboard the Carolina. That is, until they court marshalled me for being a Romulan. Not that I could help being born a citizen of the empire.”

Arado looked at the Romulan through narrowed eyes. “Tumim…yes…I remember you now…you were caught taking detailed scans of the ship. How did you find me?’

“Actually I’ve been looking for any member of the Carolina crew. I have been working on a listening post. Really I should say I am living out my disgrace as a lowly listening post operator.”

Arado grimaced in sympathy, knowing that for a Tal-Shiar operative who was bred specifically to serve as an undercover operative, menial duties in a listening post represented a punishment worse than death.

“I have overheard some things that could be of great importance,” continued the Romulan. “That is if you are interested in the Carolina staying in one piece.”

Arado’s eyes flick up and he stared at the others face, “And why do you think I would be interested in the Carolina after all these years?” he said coolly.

“If you aren’t interested I’ll find someone else who can help me,” said Tumim sharply, then his voice softened. “Look, I am in nobody’s good graces anymore. I am recognised as a Romulan in Federation space and my own people don’t trust me because I spent so much time among you Starfleeters. But I can tell you that our ‘beloved’ Tal-Shiar had found your Carolina.”

Arado thought for a moment before he answered. “You say the Tal-Shiar had found the ship. What do you need the old crew for? Why can’t you retrieve it yourself?”

Tumim leaned forward, “I don’t want your ship,” he said quietly. “I want to be free from this hell I’ve been placed in. My honour obligated me to lie to Starfleet, but that didn't invalidate the years of training and service as an officer. I liked my life, but my honour drove me to play the pawn in a game I did not understand. Now I am lying to the side of the board. I know I can never be a Starfleet Officer again, but to be a free citizen of the Federation is something I can't pass up.”

Arado listened intently to this uncharacteristic flush of honesty from the former operative. “So you want to be free” he said. “What makes you think that Seelowe will take you back? Exactly what are you offering?”

Tumim allowed the hint of a smile to raise the corner of his mouth. “I have a way to track the Carolina,” he said, enjoying the look of surprise that flashed across the Starfleet officers face. “The Tal-Shiar stumbled upon her merely by accident and she got away before they could catch her. But in listening to the recordings of the incident I heard a specific subspace signal.” He paused and looked closely at the other man. “She is calling to her crew, Mr Arado.”

Unadecal Arado let out at loud belly laugh. “Calling to her crew,” he spluttered. “That’s rich. Do you know what she did to me? To all of us?”

“No, what did she do to you?”

“I have been stranded here for the past seventeen years,” he said, leaning forward and stabbing the table with his finger for emphasis. “I had to assume a new identity and pursue a completely different career with the Bajoran Militia just to avoid any contact with the Federation that may contaminate the timeline. I could not even warn myself of what would happen if I ever accepted the posting to the Carolina.”

“So you are a prisoner of your honour too,” said Tumim quietly.

“Yes I am,” sighed Arado as he lent back in his chair again. “It's true that I have been very fortunate to have served on the Relliketh, and that I have had all these years to research ways to track the ship and crew, but I have not been able to come up with anything significant.”

Tumim nodded. “Her warp signature changes frequently. She knows how to throw off hunters. But she also is connected to her crew. Don't you feel it? I was only on her for a year and I feel the pull back to her.”

“I thought that was just my own mind playing tricks on me,” said Arado. “My own guilt.”

Tumim surreptitiously placed a Romulan tricorder on the table. “Listen to this,” he said. “Not the words of the Tal-Shiar agents, but the static in the background. Tell me if you don't hear that same calling every time you close your eyes at night.”

Tumim started the recording. Excited voices of Romulans attempting to corner and place a tractor beam on the Carolina play for several minutes. Arado closed his eyes and listened to the recording intently. The Romulan voices changed to arguing as they try to point blame for their failure. Then the playback ended.

“Play it again,” said Arado quickly.

“I've isolated the transmission from the Carolina. Let me play that,” said Tumim. He pressed some buttons on the tricorder and the sound became much more distinct. He watched Arado closely as he listened from across the table with his eyes closed. “I can’t be sure,” he said quietly, “but I believe that if we got enough of the crew together we might be able to attract her to us, or at the least decipher exactly what it is she is trying to tell us.”

Unadecal Arado frowned as he concentrated all his attention on the second recording, and he recognized the distinctive and familiar pattern in the low level hum on the recording.

“The question is,” continued Tumim. “Why would she be broadcasting that sound on a subspace channel? I believe it is because she wants to be found, but only by those she trusts.”

“The question is, “interrupted Arado. “How do we track down the crew? I have no idea where…or when anybody ended up.”

“Well I was lucky with you,” said Tumim. “I don't have access to the Federation Archives and despite what Starfleet Intelligence may believe I don't have access to the Tal-Shiar database. You were in the Bajoran Militia. Those records I was able to obtain... I won't bore you with the details of how I obtained them.”

“Of course you won’t.”

Tumim smiled and continued. “You should be able to find out what happened to any of the crew who were sent anywhere in the Federation. That is if they were close enough to their own timeline to be public about their return.” Tumim paused. “I do know where one other crewmember is, but, well it won't be easy to get to them.”

“Who is that?” asked Arado a little too eagerly as a pang of hope gnawed at him... wishing it to be who he hopes it is. Hoping it is the one person who can ease his constant guilt.

“Kappler is being held by the Tal-Shiar on the planet Bajeke.”

“Oh, Hladson....” said Arado trying not to let the disappointment show in his voice.

Tumim looked grim, “I remember the security procedures of the base from my childhood. If you are planning to get him, we will need help.”

“Then we'll have to trace other crew members first,” said Arado. “We'll need a ship too... What have you got?”

“I have a small Romulan Shuttlecraft. It's similar in size and functionality as one of your Runabouts.”

“Yes, I have come across them before... That just won't do. We need something with a slightly larger warpcore.... and decent weapons.”

“This shuttle has no weapons, but it can sustain warp 6.5 for several days.”

“We will need a better ship... Ideally a Galaxy class, or even a Defiant class... but I doubt that the Federation would just give us one.”

“And I doubt the empire would loan me a D'deridex”

Arado paused and looked meaningfully at the Romulan. “We may have to ‘liberate’ something then… and for that we will need the best pilot we can find. Hopefully, one with Federation training but who could feel just as comfortable on any ship... because we don’t know yet what ship that this pilot will have to drive.”

“Who have you got in mind?”

Unadecal Arado sighed. “There is only one person I know who would fit the bill... Miral DeCuir, unfortunately, she's slightly dead.”

Tumim raised an eyebrow in surprise. “I don't have the resources to time travel. If she's dead I don't see how she will be of much use to us.”

“I was just daydreaming...” said Arado wistfully. “We'll have to look see who else may be available... and we need to find a ship too. We need to plan this in more detail.... let’s meet up again in a few days.”

“I'll leave it to you to do some research then. I need to cover my tracks so that we won't have Romulans following us when we leave this station.” Tumim looked down at his uniform. “I should probably find clothing more suited to our cause. I think my Romulan Officer uniform stands out a bit.” Tumim handed Una a communicator. “You can reach me on this. It's encrypted so you won't need to worry about anyone listening in on our conversation. I trust you can watch your own back.”

Arado took the communicator and slipped it in his pocket. “I can handle myself just fine.”

“After all,” smiled Tumim as he rose to leave. “I am just a lowly listening post operator.”

“So you say,” smiled back Arado.