Daystrom Institute

There have been some theories posted here that make a lot of sense for the DS9 episode, "In the Pale Moonlight", such as:

The bio-mimetic gel was used to make a bomb

Garek already had an optolithic data rod

Garek killed Vreenak as a promise to his father

Garek didn't contact any of his old friends on Cardassia, they weren't killed

The Tal Shiar were involved in Vreenak's death, feeding information to Garek

However I would like to put forward a couple more theories:

A. Vreenak believed in Sisko's argument during the sit down, but it wasn't the right time to join the war. Explanation: Vreenak was part of the war plans council, he must have known about Sisko's argument about being surrounded after. Combined with the Romulans knew how the Dominion operated, they traded use of the cloaking technology for info on the Dominion in the gamma quadrant. Part of theat info was the Dominion using the quickening on planets that defied them.

B. Vreenak bluffed Sisko in annoucning the rod was a fake. Explanation: It didn't make sense for a highly valuable rod to be given to Vreenak, from the Federation's perspective who knew what Vreenak would have done with it, he could have discarded it or have been secretly working with the dominion. Why not escort the rod under heavy guard to Earth or to Romulus?

And I believe there is discussion for some more controversial topics:

I. The Dominion were a force for the greater good. The alpha quadrant will go on to have endless wars, if they were to all to fall under the Dominion there wouldn't be any wars. Explanation: Weyoun prevents Damar from reclaiming Bajor after attacking DS9 station.

II. The Alpha quadrant players are bad people that the founders need to be protected from. They tried to commit genocide against the founders.

III. The writers wrote this episode to leave room for compassion towards Sisko and how he acted. Conveniently it was Tolar the criminal that harassed the dabo girl, a cold Vreenak willing to let the Alpha quadrant fall and some nameless Romulan Guards that died. How would the audience react if the plot involved sacrificing Sisko's son and his wife? Probably a lot more negatively. How convenient that they are bad people that we can forget about. How convenient that Starfleet blessed the plan leaving Sisko able to wash his hands of everything.

IV. Sisko is hypocritical, he sentences Garek to jail for trying to take over the Defiant and trying to attack the Dominion but does not hold himself to the same standards over this episode. Should he sentence himself to jail, should he report everything up his chain and be court martialed, why does he get to escape punishment? War time scenario make him immune or is he protecting himself?