Vriha ir-ch’Barda t’Ehhelih
Female

Place of Origin: ch’Barda – border colony in the Romulan Star Empire

Height 5’9″
Weight 145
Hair Color Black
Eye Color Green
Physical Description: Strong but lithe build and a personal intensity that can make her seem larger than her fairly average (for a Rihanha) height and weight. She is somewhat exotic-looking as she lacks the noticeable brow ridges developed by most Rihannsu. This is not uncommon among the ship-clans, but after observing reactions from some in larger Rihannsu society, she attempts to obscure her ‘throw-back’ characteristics. She meticulously applies make-up to draw the eye to other aspects of her face and wears bangs cut longer than standard to cover her forehead. She also wears her hair long, though neatly tied back, so the bangs seem simply part of the style.

Voraciously curious with a keen mind and a passion for discovery and learning. Like her ruling element, Water, she can rush with new ideas like a flood (and sometimes, to use a human phrase, ‘feed you with a firehose’ when explaining them) but also wear away at barriers by slow patient erosion, seeking every crevice of insight to break through. She can also be as fluid, adapting to conform the constraints around her, or as hard and unyielding as solid ice. A ‘creature of extremes’ like most Rihannsu she is at once driven by a thirst for knowledge and unfettered inquiry and careful to conceal both the desire and its results, terribly aware that knowledge is power and misdirection a weapon, or a shield.

She has a strong belief in D’era, which dictates that Rihannsu are destined to be caretakers of the galaxy and rule the lesser races, although some of her (very privately held) views on it might be considered heretical by other followers.

Strengths&Weaknesses:

+ Highly intelligent, with broad-ranging interests resulting in expertise in many fields

+ Appreciation for what can be learned from other races, and an ability to consider concepts from scientific to cultural from such alien points of view

+ Adept at the martial art of Llaekh-ae’rl as well as close combat with blades

– Struggles with a sense of not quite fitting in, often finding it difficult to connect with others in casual social interaction. This is not unusual for a scientist, but is exacerbated for her by her appearance and background

– A distinctly un-Romulan xenophilic tendency. She is aware that it is suspicious and dangerous, and therefore does her best to conceal it, though it chafes to deny what seems good or admirable simply because it comes from outside

– Appreciates the science and design of disruptors and other such weapons, but feels a certain distaste toward using them

Interests: It would be easier to say what she is not interested in. However, she is especially fascinated by science relating to the natural world. She was very close to a pet fvai (child’s riding-beast and house-pet that resembles a cross between a Great Dane and a Shetland pony) when she was child and has a particular soft spot for animals

Hobbies: Games of strategy – in addition to Rihannsu games like d’elo, lhi, khariat and latrunculo, she is familiar with many forms of chess, including Vulcan 3-D chess and Klingon klin zha. She also practices latas’temovhshau, a form of calligraphic art similar to Japanese shodo.

Vriha was born the second daughter of Jaeih and Nveid t’Ehhelih, both scholars at the Academy on Bardat, a border colony on the outskirts of the Empire. Her clan were among the ship-clans exiled to the border colonies in the 2220s to break their political power. Though reduced in standing the clans were not so easily divested and retained connections in the Empire, as well as their loyalty to it. Indeed, by some measures, they became more determined to prove that loyalty. Vriha learned from an early age that loyalty to the Empire is paramount; however, loyalty to Empire should not be confused with loyalty to those in political power within it.

An exceptionally bright child, Vriha entered the Romulan training programs a year early and excelled in nearly every subject, but was especially drawn to the sciences. She also received additional tutoring from her family, particularly her great-uncle, Vaebn t’Sathe, who had served for many years in the galae. At first it was simply supplementary, building on the standard educational programs, but over time began to subtly include lessons her family considered necessary, especially considering her potential. Beyond their history as ship-clan, her house was known for scholars and scientists. Empires have always had an uneasy tension with academics and intellectuals, on one hand needing their skills and innovation to maintain a strong economy and military, and on the other wanting to control or suppress work that might challenge official policy. A distant cousin, Lai i-Ramnau tr’Ehhelih, was executed for publishing too honest an account of Rihannsu history; a lesson Vriha’s family did not forget.

As she entered the final years of her regular studies, Vriha began to consider many options for her future. However, with the Empire’s entrance into the Dominion War, her father joined the galae weapon’s research efforts and died during a protoype test accident. Then, shortly after the end of the war, her older sister was reported MIA. No details about the circumstances were ever released. It was a mystery Vriha found impossible to accept. She had begun to lean toward service in the galae, but the idea that by joining the galae she might find her sister, or at least determine what happened to her, solidified the idea.

Unfortunately, no sooner had she received acceptance to the Imperial War Academy than word came of the Reman coup. By the time she arrived on ch’Rihan, the crisis had passed but the planet was still in disarray and Federation ships were bringing aid. Like many Rihannsu, Vriha was not sure how she felt about the latter fact. There were competing senses that, given Shinzon’s heritage, the Federation owed them recompense and shame at having to accept aid from inferior races. For Vriha, seeing them in person also made her question, a little, assumptions about their inferiority. However, with Klingons taking advantage of the chaos by attacking border worlds, there was no time for philosophical reflection. Vriha threw herself into her in studies, determined to contribute to the galae effort to protect the Empire.

Upon graduation, she was initially assigned to the IRW Havraha patrolling the border, and in the aftermath of the Hobus supernova, found herself once again interacting with Federation ships supplying aid. This time she was in a better position to observe and could not help noticing that in some cases, particularly in the medical sciences, they seemed more advanced. Unfortunately, her notice did not go unnoticed by the Tal Shiar. The subsequent interview was …unpleasant… but she ultimately defended her interest as only motivated by commitment to D’era. Nevertheless, she was transferred shortly afterward to research base Khallianen where she focused on astrophysics and the effects of the supernova on the galactic and subspace environment. Once this work was nearly complete, she applied to once again be posted to shipboard duty and was initially assigned to the IRW Rovaran. However, a change in mission and command lead to other personnel changes, and Vriha was reassigned along with a crewmate, to serve as an exchange officer and observer for the Empire on a Federation vessel, the USS August.