A Good Compromise

"A Good Compromise" is a Star Trek Online fanfic by StarSword, set in the Masterverse shared universe of fics. Though originally planned for Unofficial Literary Challenge #19: "Once in a Lifetime", due to real life interference in the author's schedule the story ended up as part of the redux prompt in ULC #20: "Coming Around Again".

The story is the second to feature Captain Tyria Sark, and is chronologically an interquel to her debut story "The Silence Ends".

Summary

Part One

Epigraph: "Sacrifice" by Jeff Williams and Casey Lee Williams, from the soundtrack to RWBY Volume 2

While vacationing with her husband Jolin Tabris, Tyria is called into the Starfleet satellite office in Leran Manev and ordered to head up a Starfleet expedition to establish Federation protection of the planet Yarmta, a Gamma Quadrant planet whose native Teplans had been subjected to a biological weapon in the 22nd century as punishment for rebelling against Dominion rule. Despite Dr. Julian Bashir having developed a vaccine to prevent further transmission of the blight, the Teplans were once again under threat from the Dominion.

Arriving in the system as the commodore leading a flotilla of twelve starships, Tyria meets with Lord Protector Julyeen and promises Federation protection, despite her orders to retreat if the Dominion is willing to make a fight of it.

Part Two

In the Teplan village of Kournaka, Prince's chief medical officer Commander Irim Valder takes cheek and blood samples from an infected Teplan boy whose mother insists she had been properly vaccinated against blight transmission.

Several hours later aboard Black Prince, S'ulluru reports to Tyria Sark that the fleet is ready to fight the Jem'Hadar if necessary. Then the crew learns from the Federation News Network of the Fek'Ihri invasion of Moab, and Dr. Irim calls them to the USS McCoy after discovering something: the Teplan blight has mutated and can now transmit to children of vaccinated mothers. The crew determines the vaccine can be adjusted to compensate, but it will take two weeks. Naturally, this is when a Jem'Hadar squadron arrives.

Part Three

Black Prince and its flotilla dogfight with the Jem'Hadar squadron, but neither side is willing to fire first. Tyria finally shouts down the Vorta and gets her to agree to a face-to-face meeting. After several minutes of recriminations, the two commanders begin to hash out an agreement.

Lord Protector Julyeen is furious to learn that Tyria has made a number of concessions to the Dominion to secure Teplan independence, including banning the Federation from fortifying Yarmta or transferring military technologies. Tyria counters that Starfleet is allowed to maintain a naval presence and that just because the Dominion is allowed an embassy doesn't mean the Teplans are required to listen to them. She also indicates that one of her previous hosts was involved in a project to develop biogenic weapons to fight the Jem'Hadar.

References

Characters

Hantra Faz • Brian Filipek • Cassandra Forbes • Edward • Fredegar • Dorothy Haylesworth • Irim Valder • Julyeen • Jessie Kahangi • Kilana • Nazariy Levchenko • Mai • Merdok • Adavithra sh'Quo • Gilad Ronson • S'ulluru • Sakoria • Tyria Sark • Azira Shelon • Jolin Tabris • Ruus V'shala • Jasmine Velasquez

Referenced only

Julian Bashir • Gaunt • Kern Dara • Jesu LaRoca • Adril Sark • Fillis Sark • Sameen Tabris • Min Zife

Events

Fek'Ihri invasion of Moab

Referenced only

Dominion War • Moabite raid on fluidic space

Fauna and flora

Referenced only

gorsefly • sweatbug

Locations

Earth (Geneva, Switzerland • Lagos, North African Alliance) • Gamma Quadrant • Trill (Leran Manev • Hamir's Bed & Breakfast, Port Ikrina, Moash) • Yarmta (Kournaka, Glastron Territory)

Referenced only

415 Belial • Bajor (Shikina Monastery, Ashalla) • Deep Space Station K-7 • Malastare • Moab III (Nha Tranh) • New Bajor • New Saigon • Qo'noS • T-Rogaran • Weller's Star

Races and cultures

Atticus Unlimited artificial intelligence • Bajoran • Benzite • Caitian • Denobulan • Fek'Ihri • human • Klingon • Jem'Hadar • Romulan • Teplan • Trill (Trill symbiont) • Vorta • Vulcan

Referenced only

Changeling • Ferasan • Karemma

Ranks and titles

cadet • captain • chief engineer • chief medical officer • chief of the boat • chief petty officer • commander • commodore • communications officer • doctor • ensign • first officer • gunner's mate • hospital corpsman • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • lieutenant junior grade • Lord Protector • maintenance engineer • petty officer • petty officer second class • quartermaster • rear admiral • senior chief petty officer • strategos • tactical officer

Referenced only

Founder • vice admiral

Starships and vehicles

Defiant-class tactical escort • Jem'Hadar attack ship • Jem'Hadar strike ship • USS Black Prince (Hephaestus-class multi-vector advanced escort) • USS Cape Town (São Paulo-class) • USS Crazy Horse (Excelsior-class heavy cruiser) • USS Croatoan (Dakota-class heavy cruiser) • USS Erbil (São Paulo-class) • USS McCoy (Olympic-class hospital ship) • USS New Samarkand (São Paulo-class) • USS Tlingit (Dakota-class) • USS Yar (Gryphon-class patrol escort)

Referenced only

Jem'Hadar battleship • Jem'Hadar dreadnought • USS Tiburon (Akira-class escort carrier)

States and organizations

Dominion • Federated States of Trill • Federation News Network • Starfleet (Starfleet Intelligence) • Teplan Protectorate • United Federation of Planets

Referenced only

Bajoran Militia • Moab Confederacy • Republic of Bajor • Society for Creative Anachronism • Yoyodyne Division

Technology and weapons

Alpha Red • biogenic weapon • multi-vector mode • transporter

Other references

amniotic sac • Bashir vaccine • Canticle of Kern Dara • contraceptive • dilithium • duranium • football (soccer) • lysogenic virus • repressor gene • Romulan ale • sex • shrimp cocktail • Teplan blight • Vulcan nerve pinch

Appendices

Trivia

• The title of the story is borrowed from a quotation by Larry David, which Tyria says verbatim at the denouement: "A good compromise is when both parties are dissatisfied."

External link

• "A Good Compromise" on the Arc Forums