Nechayev: This meeting is called to order. By directive of the Federation Council, I am briefing you all on the finalized Federation-Cardassian Treaty. As of stardate 47738.5, the treaty has been ratified, bringing an official end to hostilities between the Federation and Cardassian Union. To ensure an ongoing peace, new territorial boundaries have been negotiated. Also establishing a Demilitarized Zone along our shared borders encompassing sectors that have seen too much conflict in recent decades.

Nechayev: That demilitarised zone will come into full effect in one month's time, both the Federation and Cardassians have been given this grace period to transport colonists that now reside outside their borders to new homes. While the Federation has made territorial concessions to establish the Demilitarised Zone, the Federation Council and the Office of the President believe this will foster lasting peace. I must emphasize the historic nature of this agreement. It frees many worlds and Starfleet from decades of conflict, providing them and us with the opportunity to rebuild.

Paris: With all due respect, Admiral Nechayev, I must protest. This treaty is a mistake—a dangerous gamble. I served during the Cardassian War on the Al-Batani. I experienced their methods first hand, their ruthlessness, their complete disregard for life. To offer them legitimacy and concessions is suicide.

Paris: Our citizens in this Demilitarised Zone will face harassment, intimidation, and worse. The Cardassians won’t honor this agreement—they’ll exploit it at every turn. If we allow them this foothold, we leave ourselves defenseless against an aggressive species with no regard for peace. The opportunity here wasn’t to appease them but to cut them off at their knees.

Ross: Admiral Paris raises a valid and difficult concern, one we’d be foolish to ignore. The Cardassians are opportunistic, and their record of deceit and aggression cannot be overlooked. The risks to Federation citizens in the Demilitarised Zone are very real, and I don’t believe for a second that the Cardassians won’t test the limits of this treaty.

However, we need to ask ourselves—what’s the alternative? Another war? Starfleet doesn’t have enough resources to wage a war and prepare for the next Borg attack, the cost of a larger conflict would dwarf the risks we’re facing now. This treaty isn’t perfect—far from it. But it provides a framework, a chance to stabilize the quadrant and, most importantly, to buy us time to regroup and strengthen our position.

I ask this room. Should we risk a perpetual state of conflict, draining Starfleet’s resources and weakening our position across the board? Or should we take this imperfect opportunity, seize the breathing room it offers, and prepare for whatever comes next?

It’s a gamble, yes, but peace always is.

Admiral Paris is right to sound the alarm, but we cannot let fear dictate our strategy. This is about playing the long game.

Leyton: Admiral Paris, Owen, I understand your outrage—believe me, I do. I’ve read every casualty report from the Cardassian War, and I’ve seen the damage they’ve inflicted on our colonies and our people. But let me be perfectly clear: war is a luxury we cannot afford right now.

Starfleet is stretched too thin, and every resource we pour into an unwinnable conflict is a resource we don’t have to protect the Federation’s core worlds or address the growing instability in other regions. This treaty may not be perfect, but it offers us something we desperately need—stability. It gives us the chance to regroup, rebuild, and strengthen our defenses, instead of bleeding ourselves dry fighting a war of attrition.

Yes, the demilitarized zone evacuation will be a challenge and the Bajoran sector will probably require even more support as well. But those are manageable problems, far more manageable than the cost of perpetual hostilities with Cardassia. We cannot keep fighting on every front and expect to survive intact.

We must focus on the bigger picture. This treaty isn’t just about peace with the Cardassians—it’s about securing the Federation’s future. And for that, I will take an uneasy truce over another war every single time.

We don’t have to like the terms of this treaty, but we damn well better make it work. Because the alternative is worse than anything the Cardassians can throw at us...

Henry: With all due respect James, this isn’t just about resources or convenience—it’s about responsibility. The Federation isn’t simply stretching itself thin; we’re outright abandoning our citizens in the DMZ. These aren’t just hypothetical risks. Up until this point we’ve been receiving almost daily Starfleet Intelligence reports showing harassment, skirmishes, and intimidation by the Cardassians in contested zones.

Henry: We’re sacrificing their safety, their livelihoods, for the sake of political expediency. You call it an uneasy truce. I call it capitulation. The Cardassians won’t respect this agreement—they’ll see it as a weakness, as permission to continue their aggression under the guise of diplomacy. If we can’t protect our own people, then what in the name of the Federation are we even doing here?

Hayes: Thomas, I disagree. The Demilitarised Zone isn’t abandonment. It’s a calculated step toward diplomacy. Look at the bigger picture. This treaty isn’t perfect. None ever are! But the Cardassians have made significant concessions. Some of their worlds have ended up on our side of the border. They’ve agreed to a demilitarized zone. These are real gains, and they didn’t come lightly.

Peace isn’t won in a single stroke. It’s a process, built incrementally, one step at a time. And yes, that process comes with risks, but it’s better than the alternative. A galaxy at war, bleeding resources and lives. All while greater enemies lurk in the shadows. Waiting for the right time to make their strike. The Federation has always been about hope, about fostering cooperation even when it seems impossible. If we don’t give this treaty a chance, we’re not just condemning our citizens in the Demilitarised Zone, we're condemning the entire quadrant to endless conflict.

Are there risks? Of course. But Starfleet exists to manage those risks, to safeguard the Federation while we build a better future. That’s our duty, Thomas.

Jaresh-Inyo: Ladies and gentlemen, I appreciate your passion. Your dedication to the Federation’s principles and the security of its citizens is evident, and I commend you for it. However, I must remind you of a critical fact: the treaty is signed. The time for debating its terms has passed. Both the Federation and Cardassia have agreed to it, and it is now Starfleet’s duty to enforce the resolution ratified by the Federation Council.

This treaty represents more than just a document. It reflects our commitment to peace. Not only for the Federation but for planets like Bajor that are still reeling from the long lasting impacts of occupation and the quadrant as a whole. The Council weighed every concern raised here today, and while it is not a perfect solution, it is, in our view, the best course forward.

As for the demilitarised zone, let me be perfectly clear. Any discussions regarding Starfleet’s involvement must align with our core principles. We can help establish and secure trade routes in and out of the zone, as well as respond to any humanitarian emergencies. But armed starships must not enter. If an armed presence is required for any reason entrance to the zone must be negotiated with both the Federation Council and the Cardassian Central Command. The citizens in the zone, Federation and Cardassian, deserve our respect and support—not interference.

Nechayev: The President has made the Council’s position clear. The treaty is in effect, and Starfleet will comply with its terms. It is now our responsibility to execute this agreement while safeguarding Federation citizens in the DMZ. We must ensure that this opportunity for peace is not squandered.

I have requested the Enterprise, Bradbury and Malinche report to starbase 310. I will brief them all on the treaty when they arrive, and each will be assigned to evacuate one of the worlds that we are handing over to the Cardassians. By force if necessary.

Nechayev: This meeting is adjourned. Dismissed.