The Unification movement, also known as the Romulan-Vulcan Unification movement, Romulan underground movement, or simply the Romulan resistance, was the name of an underground group that existed within the Romulan Star Empire. (TTN novels: , Taking Wing)
History[]
The Unification movement consisted of Romulans who were against the militaristic nature of the empire and wished for a re-unification with their Vulcan cousins. The movement was a powerful force but one that was suppressed by the Romulan authorities. (TTN novel: Taking Wing)
By 2292 unification was discussed both in Vulcan society and within the Empire. In the Empure it was however not to be discussed in the public. (TOS novel: Lost to Eternity)
D'Tan's family kept Vulcan toys, handing them down for generations. These included dice-like learning tools for teaching the Vulcan language. (TNG episode: "Unification II")
During the Khitomer Conference in 2293, Captain Spock of Starfleet stuck up a friendship with the progressive Romulan politician Pardek, of the Krocton Segment on Romulus. In the 2360s decade, this led now-Ambassador Spock to leave Federation space to visit Pardek on Romulus. The senator introduced to the Romulan underground, including those with a passion for the Vulcan way of life. (TNG episode: "Unification I")
The group was a charismatic force within Romulan society and was led by Ambassador Spock. It was nearly quashed by Commander Sela during the attempted invasion of Vulcan in 2368, but still operated as of 2371. It was one of the many factions that competed for power after the collapse of the Romulan Senate during Shinzon's coup. (TTN novels: , Taking Wing, TNG episode & novelization: Unification, TOS - Spock: Reflections comics: "Issue 1", "Issue 4")
Spock's Unification movement was made a legal organization in 2381. Spock left the movement after he came to see that the Romulan people were against reunification. The movement had been instrumentalized by the praetor to facilitate the reunification of the Romulan Star Empire and the Imperial Romulan State. (ST - Typhon Pact novel: Rough Beasts of Empire; ST - Typhon Pact novel: Plagues of Night)
In that year, Spock returned to Federation space as the movement grew. Xiomek worked with the movement seeing the Remans and Unification members as allies, both exploited by the Romulan government. On stardate 59480.33, a formal aid request was made by Spock to the Federation Council and the matter was taken into consideration. (ST website: The Path to 2409)
2382 saw the movement petition Tal'aura to be represented (along with the Remans), but she ignored it. After this, Spock brought their case to the Federation Council who formally took up the matter. The issue was tabled after Councilor T'Los influenced the council with logic stating the separation would likely continue and in order to "protect the Vulcan way of life".
The following year, Spock returned to Romulus and the group decided to continue their peaceful ways of achieving their goals. Sela blamed the movement for the death of Tal'aura in 2384. It was thought that this may eventually lead to war. (ST website: The Path to 2409)
Following the Hobus supernova, Kererek, a Romulan naval officer, reached out to D'Tan, a prominent Unificationist leader, in hopes of finding a way to counter the growing influence of the Tal Shiar in the remnants of the Empire. The two forged an alliance that grew into the Romulan Republic, which in 2409 was recognized by the Federation and the Klingon Empire as an independent state. (STO missions: "Voice of the Voiceless", "Turning Point")
D'Tan, Proconsul of the Romulan Republic, worked to gain recognition for the Romulan Republic after New Romulus was colonized. The Reman Resistance under Colonel Obisek was part of the Republic's power structure. D'Tan espoused the ideal that only equality between Romulans and Remans could facilitate a unification with the Vulcans. When Starfleet agreed to help the New Romulans at their colony, Admiral Varoth, a Vulcan Starfleet officer, was stationed on New Romulus. He told officers arriving to help that he believed in Ambassador Spock's vision of Unification. (STO - New Romulus mission: "New Romulus Aid")
The Romulan Republic emerged as an equal partner to the Federation and Klingon Empire in the Khitomer Alliance. (STO - Solanae Dyson Sphere mission: "Sphere of Influence")
At some point after 2387, Romulans settled on Vulcan. Vulcans adapted their culture, including dropping some maxims and proverbs, to welcome the newcomers. The planet's society diversified to include Vulcan purist sects, Romulan populations, and regions with Romulo-Vulcan hybrids. The planet was renamed Ni'Var, and its symbol became a winged IDIC. (DSC episode: "Unification III")
First Splinter Timeline[]
In 2382, members of the Unification movement went to support and advise the Kinshaya Devotionalists, who protested the Holy Order's orthodox regime and sought to replace it with a more populist government. The group, led by Yeffir, departed Glintara and traveled to the planet of Janalwa, meeting the Devotionalists in the capital city of Rashtag. Although the Unificationists strongly urged the protest movement to rely on non-violent means, an initial public rally ended in conflict after several Kinshaya and Romulans clashed with local Inquisitors and Breen troops. The government hoped to place the blame on the offworlders and splinter faction at a second larger rally the following day, but they stood calm and unarmed in the face of aggression. Hundreds ended up dead, but footage and news of the Niamlar Massacre spread across the Holy Order, and the other Typhon Pact members issued statements condemning the actions and placing diplomatic and economic pressure on the Kinshaya Pontifex Maxima. The Unificationists remained on the planet to assist in in the transition. (ST - Typhon Pact novel: The Struggle Within)
Alternate timelines[]
In the Kelvin timeline, Senator Pardek was the founder of the movement. Following the Destruction of Vulcan, Ambassador Spock went to speak with Pardek. However, the Praetor and Senate had them arrested, tried, and sentenced them to be executed. However, other members of the resistance save them stealing a shuttle. Despite the risk, Pardek chose to stay behind. Before Spock left with Cyrano Jones, Pardek gave him information on the Romulans' plan to attack the Vulcan survivors at Ceti Alpha V with the red matter. (TOS - Legacy of Spock comics: "Part 2", "Part 3")
Members[]
Prime universe[]
- D'Tan
- Stefan DeSeve
- Jaron
- M'ret
- N'Vek
- Spock
Kelvin timeline[]
- Pardek
- Ador
- Belia
External links[]
- Vulcan-Romulan history, Unification movement article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- Romulan underground movement, Unification movement article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- Romulan_Republic article at Star Trek Online Wiki.