Simon Tarses Crewman , First Class Simon Tarses was a Human / Romulan hybrid male who enlisted and served in Starfleet during the late - 24th century . He had a brother who lived at the Mars Colony . History . Born on Mars Colony , Tarses had long been interested in serving in Starfleet , but had decided to enlist as a normal crewman rather than applying for the Academy , as he doubted his ability to cope with the pressure of Starfleet Academy . He eventually enlisted , serving as a medical technician at several outpost s before stardate 43587 when he was assigned to the under Doctor Beverly Crusher . In 2367 , an explosion in the " Enterprise " - D warp core led investigators to discover that J ' Dan , a Klingon exchange officer on board the ship , had been involved in smuggling secrets to the Romulans . J ' Dan admitted to his espionage , and hinted that there were co - conspirators on board the " Enterprise " - D as well . Tarses , who occasionally administered a medicinal hyposyringe to the Klingon traitor , was extensively questioned by a Starfleet board of inquiry . After initial questioning , the scope of the inquiry was widened . This was due to Admiral Satie ' s Betazoid aide to staff sensing that he was hiding a secret . When questioning continued , Commander Riker was assigned as his legal counsel for his " own protection " During questioning , Simon was confronted with evidence that proved that he was a quarter Romulan and not a quarter Vulcan , as he had falsely claimed on his Starfleet entrance application . Commander Riker quickly advised him via a whisper in his ear to invoke his right against self incrimination which he did . His falsehood threatened to end his Starfleet career , although Captain Jean - Luc Picard , after having gotten to know Simon personally , spoke in Tarses ' defense when he was later put on trial himself , arguing that Tarses ' only crime was concealing his Romulan heritage and he had done no other harm . ( ) Memorable quotes . " " This hearing is convened on Stardate 44780 as a continuing inquiry into the activities of Crewman Simon Tarses . Mister Tarses , for your own protection , I have assigned a counsel to you in the person of Commander William Riker . " " < br > " " Thank you , sir , but I don ' t need protection . I have not done anything wrong . " " < br > " " Isn ' t it true that the paternal grandfather of whom you speak was not a Vulcan but was in fact a Romulan ? That it is Romulan blood you carry and a Romulan heritage that you honor ? " " < br > ( William Riker whispers in Simon ' s ear ) < br > " " We ' re waiting , Mister Tarses . " " < br > " " On the advice of my counsel I refuse to answer that question , in that the answer may serve to incriminate me . " " < br > " " All my life I wanted to be in Starfleet . I went to the Academy ' s training program for enlisted personnel . I took training as a medical technician and I served at several outposts . The day that I was posted to the Enterprise was the happiest day of my life . " " < br > " " No . I was eighteen , and eager . The last thing I wanted to do was spend four years sitting in classrooms . I wanted to be out there , traveling the stars . I didn ' t want to wait for anything . And now it ' s done , isn ' t it ? My career in Starfleet is finished . " " < br > " " Not if you aren ' t guilty , Simon . " " < br > " " It doesn ' t matter . I lied on my application , and that mistake will be with me for the rest of my life . " " < br > Appendices . Background information . Simon Tarses was played by actor Spencer Garrett , in his first of two " Star Trek " appearances . The script for " The Drumhead " describes Tarses as simply " " a mild - figured humanoid . " " This episode established in dialogue that Tarses was an enlisted crewman who had not gone to the Starfleet Academy ; therefore , he wore a blank collar . This lack of rank insignia for crewmen and non - commissioned officers was used throughout and , although chief petty officer s were assigned different insignia . It was not revealed what punishment , if any , Tarses might receive for lying in his documentation . It was only mentioned it might mean " the end of his career . " Apocrypha . Simon Tarses has appeared in a number of non - canon works . In the novel " Sins of Commission " , set in 2368 , Tarses comes to terms with his Romulan heritage when the " Enterprise " - D encounters telepathic aliens from the planet Lessenar . The " Star Trek : The Next Generation " novel , " Infiltrator " , set in 2370 , mentions that Tarses ' career was over as a result of lying about his bloodlines . " " and later novels ( see below ) ignore this reference . Simon Tarses appears as a selectable crew member in the video game " " , in which his computer record states he is the son of Marya and Tarvek Tarses and was born on the Martian Colonies in the year 2344 . He has a brother named Joseph . The personnel file goes on to say that he attended a special training course for enlisted personnel as his reason for attending Starfleet Academy and , following the completion of his training as a medical technician in 2363 , he was posted to an infirmary on Outpost Sierra VI . After several months on Sierra VI , it says Tarses then transferred to the infirmary on Outpost Seran T - 1 . Following a year at Seran T - 1 , Tarses transferred to the medical facility on Ivor Prime in 2365 , and under the direction of Doctor Lu Chen Chow , he assisted in isolating an alien prion pathogen that had caused an outbreak of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy on Icor IX . As a reward for his assistance , Tarses was promoted to crewman first class . After the events of " The Drumhead " , Tarses received a six - month suspension before going back to work . Shortly after , on encouragement by Captain Picard , Tarses enrolled at Starfleet Academy and in 2372 , graduated with the rank of lieutenant . He was then assigned to the as a nurse . Lieutenant Tarses appears in the novel " Do Comets Dream ? " , set in 2371 , where he becomes romantically involved with a Thanetian , after helping to save her world from destruction by a collision with an artificial comet . In the " Star Trek : Deep Space Nine " two - part relaunch novel " Avatar " , set in 2376 , Doctor Simon Tarses is assigned to Deep Space 9 under Julian Bashir , who leaves him in charge of the station ' s Infirmary while Bashir conducts a three - month mission in the Gamma Quadrant aboard the in " " . Tarses appears again in the " Deep Space Nine " novel " Warpath " , set in 2377 , where he develops an innovative treatment involving nano - technology , genetronic replication , and cybernetic regeneration that repairs the injured spine of Lieutenant Ro Laren after she is brutally assaulted by a rogue Jem ' Hadar observer named Taran ' atar . In " Fearful Symmetry " , Tarses is responsible for Ro ' s physiotherapy during her recuperation . According to the " " novel " Gods of Night " , Tarses is assigned as chief medical officer on the USS " Aventine " under Captain Ezri Dax in 2381 . While the " Aventine " is investigating the wreck of the NX - 02 " Columbia " , Doctor Tarses and a medical team have to investigate the horrific deaths of two engineering crew members , Yott and Komer , who had been killed for sustenance by a member of the Caeliar species , who had hidden aboard the wreck for almost two hundred years . Although the scene is gruesome , Tarses learned at medical school to suppress his gag reflex while operating on cadavers . He also leads the medical team that performs the investigation on a third death in the shuttle bay of the " Aventine " , determining them to be related .