Ayel Ayel was a Romulan miner and part of the crew of the " Narada " , where he served as second - in - command to Nero . When the " Narada " was thrown back in time to 2233 , creating an alternate timeline , the ship attacked the . Nero then had Ayel contact the " Kelvin " and tell its commanding officer , Captain Richard Robau , to board a shuttlecraft and join them on the " Narada " , ostensibly to negotiate a cease fire . When Robau was brought on board , Ayel spoke for Nero , questioning Robau as to the whereabouts of Ambassador Spock and . When Robau answered that he was unfamiliar with Spock , Ayel queried the stardate . The response spurred Nero to kill Robau and continue attacking the " Kelvin " . Twenty five year s later , in 2258 of the alternate reality , Ayel assisted Nero in the capture of Spock and his ship , and in the destruction of . Nero had Ayel prepare red matter from Spock ' s ship , which was used to create an artificial black hole in the center of Vulcan , devouring the planet and killing the majority of the Vulcan species . When and invaded the " Narada " as it attacked Earth , Ayel took down Kirk with a surprise attack , allowing Nero to assault and nearly kill Kirk . Upon hearing news that Spock ' s ship had been taken and the " Narada " s drilling rig had been destroyed , Nero left Kirk to Ayel . While grabbing Kirk by the neck , Ayel remarked he was surprised at how weak Human s were . Unfortunately for him , he was too busy gloating to notice that his " victim " had been able to grab hold of his disruptor ; when he offered Kirk his last words , Kirk chose , " " I got your gun ! " " and promptly shot him . Ayel ' s body fell from the platform he was standing on and dropped into the depths of the " Narada " . ( ) Appendices . Background information . Ayel was portrayed by actor Clifton Collins , Jr . In the script of " Star Trek " , Ayel urged Nero to allow him and their shipmates to return to Romulus , albeit that of the alternate year 2258 . He was disappointed when Nero refused , though initially hid his disappointment from Nero . Threatening him with a bladed staff , Ayel later protested Nero ' s plan to destroy Earth , explaining their revenge had been achieved when they destroyed Vulcan and that he as well as the rest of the " Narada " s crew wanted to go home . Nero understood Ayel ' s concerns and his crew ' s desire to return to Romulus , but wanted all involved in the destruction of their homeworld punished . Ayel was persuaded by Nero to stand down but was thereafter killed by him , using the bladed staff . Ayel was pictured on card # 70 , titled Romulan First Officer Ayel , of the virtual collectible card battle game " " . Apocrypha . does in fact use the scene in which Ayel threatens mutiny but is consequently killed by Nero . In the " " comic series , Ayel makes the same argument during the time between the destruction of the " Kelvin " and the Klingon capture of the " Narada " , but rather than execute him , Nero is able to convince Ayel of the necessity of their quest . In the prequel comic " " , an explanation is given for the tattoo s on Ayel ' s head and those of the rest of the crew , with the comic saying the tattoos were painted on their skin in a sign of unending mourning , in memory of their annihilated homeworld as well as their families and friends who had died in that incident .