Cretak family

The Cretak family is a well known family within Romulan society. The largest claim to fame was their Romulan Ale, which before the nova which destroyed their home world was considered the best among all ale. Since settling on the Yridian home world, Romulan Ale production has been challenging and a shadow of former glory for all who attempt it.

Before the nova, the Cretak family was primarily focused on ale production, and what political influence came with having the most reputable ale. As those who were left alive in the wake of the nova's destruction scrambled to find themselves and rebuild Romulan society, the Cretak family's political ambition grew under the leadership of Jarok. At first they attempted to use normal political means to achieve positions of power, but when the Praetor not only took power with a landslide election, but appeared so charmed that the Romulan people were behind him completely in everything he did, new plans were laid.

2396 saw a failed coup attempt, in part prevented by the Federation coming to the aid of the New Romulan Star Empire's government as part of their peace treaty, and a change of power occurred within the family. Katara grew tired of her younger brother's mismanagement and saw him killed so that she could ascend to the position of power their late father had been grooming her for. Under Jarok the family had stopped even the pretense of Romulan ale production, and Katara's first action before Jarok's body had even cooled, was to see that those efforts were restored even as she continued political scheming.

Though she'd been aware that her family had used a lot of Reman labor in their ale production, she had not truly understood how many of the family secrets had resided within those who had been bound to her family. Her brother had released them all as his attention had been focused on political aspirations, and when Katara had approached those she could find to return them to the fold, she'd been either rejected out of hand or was demanded wages she felt too high. Her poor view of Remans only made it worse, as she decided that anything they could do, a Romulan could do twice as well. The family still struggles to return to their original quality, and every day new competitors move into ale production. The empress's call for submissions for a contest to receive her seal of approval has only caused an explosion in ale production.

Rumors abound about the incident of cloning the praetor, and the clone attempting to assassinate the empress, with many blaming the Cretak family. Blame ultimately fell on the shoulders of Senator Taris, but before Taris could be brought to trial, she appeared to commit suicide in her jail cell. With nothing to connect Katara and her family to the incident, it has fallen to rumors only.