Commander Charvanek

From the classic Star Trek episode "The Enterprise Incident" comes the other Romulan commander, from whom Kirk and Spock stole a cloaking device. Commander Charvanek is one of those handy dual-personnel-types, an OFFICER with SCIENCE skill, who can also add a variety of other personnel types with standard equipment cards. Her scientific skills provide versatility for mission-solving, with the relatively unusual Physics for space and the Romulan-abundant but always useful Archaeology for planetary work. Diplomacy rounds out her regular skills.

What makes Charvanek a real standout is her special skill. Once she is in play, the point value of Patrol Neutral Zone missions is no longer dependent on the number of Neutral Zone missions on the spaceline - each is worth a flat 30 points, even if it was solved for 60 points prior to Charvanek's reporting. The effect lasts for the rest of the game, so Brain Draining or assassinating her won't help. Your opponent may find it's a bit more trouble to complete four missions' worth of dilemmas than the two he had planned, keeping you out of the Neutral Zone all the while.

Combos:

• Commander Charvanek + Patrol Neutral Zone: With Charvanek, you can benefit from a single Patrol Neutral Zone mission in your deck - 30 points for a single Leadership skill and only one location where you'll need to chase the opposing ships away.
• Commander Charvanek + Devidian Door: Any affiliation can cut those 60-point PNZ missions down to size with Charvanek in the Tent and a Devidian Door to report her without regard to compatible facilities.
• Commander Charvanek + Balancing Act: With those six PNZs worth only 30 points each, it'll be a lot harder to make up that 50-point hit.