“You can’t make this up, Wren.”  The face of Captain Helena Dread of the Daedalus was filled with annoyance as she sat in her ready room on the screen.  Captain Wren Walton was seated in hers, resigned to the news that her squadron Deputy Commander had brought to her.

“Any communication from the colony?” She hoped that cooler heads would prevail and they’d avoid a security incident.  She didn’t want to have to call her Task Force command to explain how they let two young lovers derail the stable peace between the two colonies.  There had been a change in command, and she was keen to make any first impressions with the new faces just as good as they had been with Fontana.

Dread shrugged. “They’re not happy and not listening much.  They’re still banging on about a proportional response – we’re estimating the ships will launch in two hours.  Parica’s still with us, and we’re trying to determine what to do with him.”

Wren warned, “If he gets any ideas of asylum, the trouble we’re in will seem like a kitten compared to the rabid tribble coming for us.”  She leaned back in her chair, her mind wandering and wondering.  “I’m going to see what we can do to slow things down here.”  The channel closed.

“This is highly irregular, Captain.”  The colony’s council of three administrators sat at their table, startled as Captain Walton had entered moments ago, trailed by commanders Park and Hargraves.

Walton spoke plainly, “I’m here because we’re trying to balance the equation of what’s going on.”

A tall Cardassian administrator scoffed, “We’re aware of the attack forces.  This meeting is our strategy session to respond to their impending actions.”

Charles Hargraves stepped forward, “I’d like to propose another option if you will allow me.”  The three looked at each other and then at the Chief Diplomatic Officer indifferently.  He took that as acceptance in Cardassian body language.  “There are two parties to this situation.  One is Kartika, one of your own.  The other is Parica, a Bajoran.  We propose we take this case to what we call ‘Family Court’ where all sides would be represented and have equal access to present their case, call witnesses.”

The shorter of the three asked, “And who would be the deciding judge?”

Hargraves took a deep breath before he revealed, “It would be a three-judge panel.  One impartial person from each colony, and the third would be someone from diplomatic operations – myself.”  He watched the three of them turn and discuss in whispers at the table.  He turned to Wren and Park, “You think the Bajorans will go for it?”

Park shrugged, “If we can convince them this is better than open war and dead bodies to collect, then yes.  Stopping either of these groups from wanting to spill some opposition blood isn’t going to be easy.”

The one woman in the Cardassian group motioned that they were ready.  She stood, “We are open to this solution.  If this proceeding becomes deadlocked, we reserve the right to resume our war footing.”

Walton didn’t need to think.  An agreement from a Cardassian on principle was better than quibbling on the what-ifs that might come later.  “We accept.  I’ll confirm with the Bajoran Delegation.”  She tapped her badge, and they vanished in the light of the transporter.