10 No-Win Scenarios In Star Trek (And How They Were Resolved)
8. A Collaborator's True Identity Could Break Bajoran Society
Scenario: A Bajoran collaborator has returned to Deep Space Nine, bringing him with the knowledge of a much higher ranking collaborator in Bajoran society. Exposing them could destroy the little unity their people have managed to find while covering it up would keep the peace, but place someone far worse as Kai.
Resolution: Kira Nerys is forced to choose, what she feels, is the lesser of two evils. While her lover, Bareil Antos, was an almost certain bet for the next Kai of Bajor, he is slowly implicated in a massacre of a Bajoran resistance cell, with evidence pointing to his providing information to the Cardassians. Worse than this, he refuses to exonerate himself, which leaves the path clear for Kai Winn.
Once Kira discovers the truth, she sees the dilemma. The former Kai, Opaka, was a symbol of strength and unity for Bajor. Many credit her as the only thing that got their people through the Occupation. She is also the one who provided the information to the Cardassians, sacrificing one resistance cell to save thousands more. However noble her intent, the revelation of Opaka as a collaborator would destroy Bajoran unity.
Kira and Bareil keep their silence, while Winn becomes Kai - leading to some of Bajor's darkest days.