Romulans

The physiology is subtly different from Vulcans, but enough so that surgery on a severely injured Romulan is difficult for Dr. Crusher. Romulan ribosomes apparently do not match those of humans or, surprisingly, Vulcans — but can match those of Klingons. The race still believes in discarding genetically or physically inferior infants, and that it will conquer the galaxy. They view the Federation as exploitative and short-sighted, according to Jarok. Their metabolism — or at least his — appears to be faster than human standard; the higher rate will help his treated skin burns heal faster. Throughout their long history of war, Romulans have rarely attacked first, opting instead to test their enemies' resolve — a chess game, Captain Picard calls it.

A very moral people with an absolute sense of right and wrong, enemy and friend — a purposeful, passionate commitment a young Ensign DeSeve found attractive when he defected but lost faith with over time. Many ordinary Romulans, even those in the military, have horror stories about treatment by the Tal Shiar — a military service which appears to operate above the standard empire. Natives learn quickly to be secretive and not to volunteer information. Women as well as men can climb high in both the military and the Tal Shiar, as evidenced with Deanna Troi's capture on stardate 46519.1 in which she posed as a Romulan from the Tal Shiar successfully. Its leaders had no information about Klingon dishonor in being captured, so Tokath thought he was being kind in letting the Khitomer survivors be kept alive. A Romulan ship was shadowing the competing Cardassians, Starfleet and Klingons all along in the race for the last clues in Galen's ancient DNA puzzle. As a rule, they claim to have invented every technological breakthrough before any other culture.