Romulan Question

[JediKnightButler]

In In By Inferno’s Light, the Romulans show up at DS9 to make a stand against a likely Dominion invasion, yet by the end of season, they’ve made a non-aggression pact with the Dominion, which holds until Sisko brings them into the war later. My question is, why did the Romulans decide to do a non-aggression pact with the Dominion if they were initially going to fight the Dominion? I believe that they had also actually wanted to destroy DS9 and the wormhole because they were so worked up over the Dominion. Was this shift in strategy ever really explained or just something to be taken as a matter of fact political/military decision? Founder infiltration?

 

[Turtletrekker]

Perhaps, to quote Captain Sisko, "they saw which way the wind was blowing and switched sides".

 

[DonIago]

In In By Inferno’s Light, the Romulans show up at DS9 to make a stand against a likely Dominion invasion, yet by the end of season, they’ve made a non-aggression pact with the Dominion, which holds until Sisko brings them into the war later. My question is, why did the Romulans decide to do a non-aggression pact with the Dominion if they were initially going to fight the Dominion? I believe that they had also actually wanted to destroy DS9 and the wormhole because they were so worked up over the Dominion. Was this shift in strategy ever really explained or just something to be taken as a matter of fact political/military decision? Founder infiltration?

I don't believe it's ever explained. For all we know the Romulans went through a change in leadership in the interim.

 

[somebuddyX]

The Romulans thought the fleet was coming and figured if this was going to be the Dominion War they might as well get patriotic for the Alpha Quadrant and go make a stand. Then it turned out it was all a ruse and a Vorta went and laid down the idea that it was only the Feds and the Klingons they were after so why not get their treaty on. The Roms weren't buying it but they hoped they could sit back and let the two sides destroy each other.
It's funny though, after "Way of the Warrior" revealed that the destruction of the Obsidian Order led to democratic Cardassia, I'd assumed the same thing that had happened to Romulus and when this episode aired I thought it proof of it.

 

[FanST]

Perhaps, to quote Captain Sisko, "they saw which way the wind was blowing and switched sides".

 

[kkt]

In In By Inferno’s Light, the Romulans show up at DS9 to make a stand against a likely Dominion invasion, yet by the end of season, they’ve made a non-aggression pact with the Dominion, which holds until Sisko brings them into the war later. My question is, why did the Romulans decide to do a non-aggression pact with the Dominion if they were initially going to fight the Dominion? I believe that they had also actually wanted to destroy DS9 and the wormhole because they were so worked up over the Dominion. Was this shift in strategy ever really explained or just something to be taken as a matter of fact political/military decision? Founder infiltration?

Or, the Romulans made the reasonable decision to wait and watch for a while. They saw the Dominion doing very well against the Federation and the Klingons, and they saw the Dominion keeping their word to the smaller powers with which they made non-aggression pacts. So non-aggression pact looked like the way to go.

 

[DS9forever]

"That could have been our sun..."

 

[at Quark's]

Realistically though, what would have made the Romulans so certain the Dominion would stop with the Federation and the Klingons? After all, these powers really didn't do that much to provoke the Dominion. They explored the Gamma Quadrant a bit and tried to initiate diplomatic and trade relations with some species, nothing more. (Bajor set up a colony there, but I don't recall the Federation doing so). The Romulans were way more aggressive than that, even if some events were manipulated by Founder infiltrators. (e.g. trying to blow up the Founder homeworld).

It should have become clear to them quite quickly that the Dominion and the Federation wouldn't bleed one another dry - obviously the Federation was no match for the Dominion, not even when allied with the Klingons. And hadn't it been for the intervention of the wormhole aliens the war would have been over much sooner. (Even though the Romulans wouldn't have known what actually happened inside the wormhole). After that, the Romulan empire would have been one of the Dominion's next conquests. Joining the alliance was their only slim hope for survival.

Yet, it still took Sisko lying and cheating to manipulate them into the war.

 

[Dee1891]

And they never found out, because the franchise didn't really bother to follow up on this particular arc.

 

[johnnybear]

The main thing is the Dominion warned the Federation to keep out of their territory and they even destroyed the USS Odyssey in a show of strength but the Federation ignored them and still kept coming in and luckily for them it was a long time before the Jem 'Hadar struck back!
The Romulans had had centuries of trouble with the Federation themselves and probably were quite happy to see them get their butts kicked by another alien power! And ever since 2271 the Romulan Empire had been engaging the Klingon Empire over border disputes and the balance of power so much so that it was deemed a blood feud by both! so I can quite understand why they sat back and let the Dominion crush their long standing enemies!
JB

 

[at Quark's]

And they never found out, because the franchise didn't really bother to follow up on this particular arc.

True, though the number of people in the know was probably extremely low. Only Garak and Sisko really knew about it on the station, though some others may have suspected some things (dr. Bashir for example). We also know Sisko had some kind of permission from Starfleet, but I would suspect that there, too, only a very few top ranking admirals would have known about it. In all likelihood it would have remained one of the best-kept Federation secrets of the entire war, decades after it ended.

 

[DonIago]

Given the potential shit-storm that would ensue if the info fell into the wrong hands, that seems eminently likely.

That and the truth about Discovery and how to make a Genesis torpedo.

 

[Geargoose]

In In By Inferno’s Light, the Romulans show up at DS9 to make a stand against a likely Dominion invasion, yet by the end of season, they’ve made a non-aggression pact with the Dominion, which holds until Sisko brings them into the war later. My question is, why did the Romulans decide to do a non-aggression pact with the Dominion if they were initially going to fight the Dominion? I believe that they had also actually wanted to destroy DS9 and the wormhole because they were so worked up over the Dominion. Was this shift in strategy ever really explained or just something to be taken as a matter of fact political/military decision? Founder infiltration?

First. Romulans haven't got enough information about the Dominion, so they're aware of diplomatic and trade relations being created between Federation and the Dominion itself, and trying to support the war against Dominion.
Later, Romulans understand that such relationship between Dominion and Federation is impossible, and they try to avoid conflict between them and the Dominion. The worst-case scenario is neutral relationship between Rom and Dom, the best - Federation is weakened enough to be unable to resist against Romulans.
Finally, Romulans understand:

the Romulan empire would have been one of the Dominion's next conquests. Joining the alliance was their only slim hope for survival.

 

[somebuddyX]

This is nothing, but having read a reddit post yesterday that pointed out that originally Bajor was to have been occupied by the Romulans and Rick Berman asked them to change it to the Cardassians, I can't stop thinking the Romulans turning up at DS9 is this episode as metacommentary on them realising they were cheated out of a regular spot on the TV show and wanting back in.

 

[STEPhon IT]

Or, the Romulans made the reasonable decision to wait and watch for a while. They saw the Dominion doing very well against the Federation and the Klingons, and they saw the Dominion keeping their word to the smaller powers with which they made non-aggression pacts. So non-aggression pact looked like the way to go.

How cool it could've been if there were episodes where the crew discover there were Romulan spies on the station which could explain why they were dormant?

 

[Geargoose]

How cool it could've been if there were episodes where the crew discover there were Romulan spies on the station which could explain why they were dormant?

Romulan spies are to professional to be caught

 

[kkt]

Romulan spies are to professional to be caught

Maybe... they apparently never caught Garak when he was operating in their capital...

 

[DGCatAniSiri]

During the roleplay that Sisko and Dax do during In The Pale Moonlight, she offers a reasonable justification - so the Klingons and the Federation deplete their forces and the Dominion is weakened from the bloody nose they’ve been given, allowing the Romulans the chance to come into a fight with the Dominion fresh. Sit back, let both sides go at each other, follow the direction of the wind when the fight wraps up.

The pact gave them an extra year to prepare for battle with the Dominion, while nominally claiming to be an ally, and with the way that they immediately enter the war with an attack on multiple Cardassian bases, it seems likely they were planning to enter the war, with the question just being the side.

Romulans consider subterfuge their national pastime, of course they planned to be a part of the war. They just wanted to ensure they’d be on the winning side.

 

[fireproof78]

Romulan spies are to professional to be caught

They just wait for the dramatic reveal because there are no consequences from the Federation!

 

[johnnybear]

Even when debating attacks upon the Chin'toka system with their Federation and Klingon 'allies', the Romulans under Senator Letant couldn't resist arguing and bating with their blood enemies!
JB