Rai tr'Torre'vnau

From a first impression, Rai is awkward and clumsy, but it is clear he means well. He tends to be curt with his answers, but deep down he cares a great deal for his colleagues. He is a proud Romulan and has dedicated his life to serving his people. Once the very proud and sure of himself Navy commander, aboard a Starfleet vessel he finds himself utterly lost and confused not just by the newness of the ship, but by the customs and cultures of the diverse crew. He wants to learn more about his new crew members, but often struggles to express himself.

## Appearance

Rai stands at 7 feet (215cm), a bit above average height for a Romulan. He has dark brown skin, freckles that cover his cheeks to the tips of his ears, and light grey eyes.

He has brown hair and monolid eyes, the same shape as his brother’s. He has all the normal Vulcanoid features, pointed ears and slanted eyebrows and Romulan v-shaped forehead ridges. He has full (green) lips and is rarely seen without a full face of makeup. Under his make up he has a skin condition called the “Cehlaer Ehrhe (Galaxy Skin, aka. Nevus of Ota in human terms)”, which affects the left side of his face around his eyes and cheeks.

He has brown hair, although his natural colour is a more common black of Vulcanoids. He has one part of his upper right eyebrow shaved and on his right ear he has an industrial piercing that goes through the top cartilage. He wears two studs on his left ear lobe.

Rai’s build is fit and athletic, he does strength training daily. He has prominent abs and muscular arms. He has an average frame, but his sheer muscle mass makes him appear on the larger end. On duty he usually wears the Romulan Republic uniform with rank pips.

## Early Life

### Age 0-5: 2372 - 2377

Rai was born to Sirrai and Kaleek into the prestigious Torre’vnau and Khellian families. He was born on Remus where he spent most of his early childhood. It was decided soon after Rai’s birth that he would be the heir to the Torre’vnau family as they were currently without an heir. There were a couple other factors involved, mostly involving Kaleek’s family (Khellian) not being too fond of the rough and rowdy child. Despite his silliness as a young boy, Rai was always one step ahead of his peers and made friends with a lot of his family’s Reman servants. He was quick to pick up language and learn how to read. He always preferred the more communal and welcoming Remans, but he was Romulan and there was a status quo. He was close with his father’s fiance, a man named Cerrub, who often supervised him and let him play with the Reman children.

As the heir to the Torre’vnau family, Rai was arranged to marry Ranka i-Dartha t’Kota and later on in life he would cancel the engagement.

### Age 10-15:  2382-2387

Rai never spoke about his father’s death to anyone. Him and Kaleek, his mother, never discussed it either. He continued staying with Kaleek’s family on Romulus to continue his education as if nothing had changed. Rai’s attitude was much different though, he worked twice as hard and his teachers were impressed with the complete 180. Rai had a new goal now; to work hard and rise through the ranks of the Romulan military to #FreeRemans.

### Age 15: 2387 Hobus Supernova

When Rai was 15, Cerrub took him to Remus to help evacuate the Remans who were set to go to Cretaris. That meant all of Rai’s friends were leaving and he was going to say goodbye. For the first time in his life, Rai sobbed. He clung to his Reman brothers and promised them he would find them again. Their goodbyes were brief, but the image of the Romulan guards pushing his friends through the airlocks onto the shuttles was something that would be burned into his mind forever.

When Rai reunited with his father, he noticed Cerrub was holding a small Reman boy. He didn’t ask questions at that point though, and Cerrub, Kaleek, the strange boy, and Rai, got onto the transport and headed to Rator III.

### Age: 15-18: 2387 - 2392

On Rator III Rai continued with his education, but he had a second job; take care of his new brother. The strange Reman boy with fluffy black hair was the result of a union between Cerrub and one of the Torre’vnau’s Reman servants. Solait, as the boy was named by Cerrub, did not speak Rihannsu and Rai was in charge of teaching him as he was fully bilingual in both Rihannsu and Havrannsu.

The two boys had a strong working relationship, although Rai had little to no hobbies and Solait had more than his fair share of struggles in school. Plus, the 10 year age gap made it difficult for them to relate to each other. Rai protected Solait when he could, but only three years later, Rai enlisted in the Romulan military.

Right before Rai left for the academy, he told his stepfather that he wanted Solait to be the next “Heir of House (Eri'hfirh)”. This also led to the cancallation of his engagement, so he was  #FreeRai.

## Why The Free State Navy?

Rai grew up as a proud Romulan and has always wanted to see his people prosper. At the time, he believed joining the Free State was the best way to serve his people as all the other factions were small and he had firmly believed that what would unite the Romulan people was the Free State. Although he didn’t agree with everything the Free State (and the Tal Shiar) stood for, he thought if they could unite the Romulan people, then they could work on fixing the moral and societal issues that still ran deep within their ranks.

## Life in the Free State Academy

Rai was passionate and dedicated from day 1. He excelled in his studies and worked as hard as he could to ensure he could achieve high marks. Rai was never Academically gifted, but he was no doubt a diligent worker. He would stay up late studying and often forego social events to spend time in the library. He chose to go into tactical because he had a natural knack for strategy and he liked the idea of serving on the front lines of battle. He saw tactics as a form of dance, a game of chess. Rai was also not very good at any of the other divisions; he did not have the patience to tinker with machines, he struggled to focus when it came to science experiments, and he was too awkward and clumsy for medical.

## Free State Postings

### IRW Aehallh:  2394 - 2398

Rai started his service in the Romulan Free State Navy (Tal Shiar aligned) as an Uhlan (Ensign) onboard the T’Varo class warbird IRW Aehallh, where he served in a fleet to protect Rator III. He was confident and reliable despite having a lot of hate towards his superiors. Rai’s motto was always ‘keep your friends close, but your enemies closer’.

In the first assignment on the Aehallh, Rai and his crew were tasked with trying to pursuade a colony to join the Free State. He staged a mutiny when his superior officer was found out to be sending secret communications to an enemy colony. At first, Rai believed the officer was a dirty traitor until he realised the colony he was communicating with was a newly founded Reman colony. His commander was really going to sabotage their whole mission so that he could protect the Remans. This was an event Rai would never forgive himself for as if he had known, he would have willingly sacrified them so the colony could have enough time to evacuate. He relinquished command to the second offier once the mutiny was over, but got promoted to Erein (Lieutenant). The crew agreed returning to the Free State was not an option and instead travelled around gathering allies from the outer Romulan colonies.

This mission lasted 6 more years and the second officer was killed in battle, the captain appointed Rai as second in command despite his lower rank. All seemed smooth until a spy was caught amongst their ranks. In a turn of events, the spy and the captain had a shootout resulting in the captain’s death. The spy gave Rai two choices; he rejoin the Free State, or everyone, including his allies, dies. Rai agrees but only if he can work to defend Romulan space, not attack innocent lives. The spy agrees.

### Borg Reclaimation project: 2398 - 2402

Rai worked alongside Starfleet officers on the Borg reclaimation project for four years as a tactical advisor for the defensive fleet and found the experience enlightening. He had a few chances to interact with Starfleet officers and thoroughly enjoyed their honesty and opennness. In particular, he met with a human named San Bing and a half Vulcan half human named Valeriya Abdulov. He wondered why his own countrymen could not adapt an attitude in their own society. Despite his feelings, he rarely spoke to Starfleet officers off duty and much preferred the company of other Romulans. This posting planted the seeds of what would be a fascination for the ‘world outside Romulan space’.

During the last year of his duties as a defensive advisor, he was tasked with the job of helping train liberated Romulan drones to serve in the military. His work alongside Starfleet officers earned him his second promotion to Enarrain (Lieutenant Commander, Tal Shiar rank since he was still in the Free State navy). Rai found this promotion very odd and very odd it was indeed because he was put in command of a ship right after.

### IRW Yhaes:  2402 - 2410

After helping with the reclaimation project, Rai got command of his own ship, Valdore Class IRW Yhaes. He was given the task of annexing Romulan colonies once again, but this time Rai was smarter and decided to do that. But not in the way the Navy wanted at least. The first place he was sent to attack was Llaiir Prime, home to a certain Romulan officer who would later serve onboard 777 and also call his brother ‘brother’. However Rai had a different idea– midway through the attack, he ordered his officers to turn against their own Tal Shiar fleet. Naturally they were outmatched, but they crippled the fleet before fleeing. Rai, with his crew, continued to pull this bullshit until the Iconian War, attacking Tal Shiar vessels and all that. Rai continued to march to the beat of his own drum, uniting colonies using little force. The allies he gained were loyal to him, and not the Free State, which would be important during the Iconian War.

### The Battle of New Romulus: 2410

Rai served on the frontlines of the Battle of New Romulus on the Yhaes. He showed off his strong tactical abilities and was given a promotion at the end of the battle to Aendeh (Commader). This battle was also the first time Rai ever witnessed the Allied Fleet and the image of a multi-species fighting force made quite an impression on him.

## Why the Romulan Republic?

After the conclusion of the Iconian War, Rai joined the Romulan Republic on Mol’Rihan. After seeing how much Starfleet could assist his people, he realised Romulans weren’t going to get stronger by ignoring outsiders and all of the development happening outside of Romulan space. He kept his rank (although now he was called Erei'Riov, Commander) and commanded the RRW Tenakruvek, the ship had a mix of Romulan and Reman officers. Also under the Republic he decided to take a second name, the Reman name S’Kivux to match his brother who also had a double name so he became Erei’Riov Rai-S’Kivux.

## Romulan Republic Postings

### RRW Tenakruvek: 2410-2412

Rai continued to serve under the Republic and stayed in Romulan space. He visited his family on Mol’Rihan when available. He stayed mostly on the Romulan side of the estate though, too scared to be out of his comfort zone even if he loved the Remans. He spent a lot of time helping out Tiravurik or Onusuk in the gardens whenever he was around.

## Exchange Programme

In 2412 he was told he would be traveling to Starbase 777 to speak with a possible transfer from Starfleet to the Republic. He visited Starbase 777 and spoke with the candidate who ultimately decided not to switch factions, but the trip was not for nought. Rai was impressed by everything he saw on 777, he loved the diversity even if it scared him a little. Rai had never been one for change (too focused on Romulans helping Romulans), but being on 777 made him want to try more experiences.

After his time on 777 he returned to Mol’Rihan and requested to be put into consideration for the Officer Exchange Programme. He was placed on the USS Rapture to be the Chief Tactical Officer.

### USS Rapture: 2412-2413

Rai spent his first seven months on Rapture serving as the Chief Tactical Officer. He struggled a lot at first trying to understand all of Starfleet’s cultural quirks. He made a lot of good friends from all divisions and ranks. Rai still struggled a lot with socialising with others as such things were not very welcome on Romulan ships.

In April of 2413, Rai was recommended to fill the spot of Commanding Officer on Rapture as the current CO and XO were being transferred to the Allied Fleet Service. Rai agreed and on April 2nd, 2413, Rai S’Kivux ir-Biscae tr’Torre’vnau was put on indefinite exchange from the Romulan Republic and the new Commanding Officer of the USS Rapture NCC-93818.

### Starbase 777: 2413 - present

Upon hearing that Rapture was going to be reassigned for a deep space mission, Rai was prepared to go back home to the Republic. However as soon as the news came, he heard he would be offered a position as the CO of Starbase 777’s docked ship, the Eventide. Rai gladly took the position and eagerly awaited being able to serve alongside his brother and close to home. As much as he enjoyed exploring space, he liked the idea of being able to go home in just a matter of hours.