Overall, it's pretty similar to what I had in mind! I went back and forth between whether this would be a sci-fi space royalty situation or an all one planet/more standard royalty AU. I ended up somewhere between the two, with everyone except the Founders/Dominion being on one planet and the Founders being a looming interstellar villain set on taking over the planet.
I imagine Cardassia is a neighboring country of Bajor, who invaded and occupied Bajor for 50 years. The Bajorans eventually dispel the Cardassians, but the original Bajoran royal family was killed early in the occupation and there is no clear-cut heir to inherit the throne. Sisko is a noble (Maybe a duke or earl? I don't want him to be as high up as a prince.) from the neighboring country Terra, whose mother was a lesser member of the Bajoran royal family who married into the Terran royal family prior to the occupation of Bajor. Despite his reluctance, it's decided he will act as regent for Bajor while the country gets back on its feet and figures out who will ultimately become king/how governance will be handled going forward.
Jake, Dax, Miles, Keiko, and Julian are part of Sisko's court that join him in Bajor. (Dr. Bashir wasn't Sisko's choice to bring, but someone owed Julian's father a favor, and the young doctor has been keen to practice medicine in another country.) Worf is the head of the castle guard. Kira is his head Bajoran advisor who is very not keen to have a regent who has never even set foot in Bajor before. She warms up to him after he shows he has good judgement and has the best interests of the Bajoran people at heart. The two of them also get closer as Kira shows him Bajoran culture and Sisko starts to feel more connected to his mother, who died in childbirth and he never met. Odo is his national security advisor. Quark owns a local tavern, and they let him get away with petty crime in exchange for him relaying information about possible threats to the country.
General politicking and such happens, but then the Founders show up and decide they're going to run the whole planet now, so everyone has to band together to defeat them.
I really like your bit about Nog being Jake's commoner BFF with a knack for sneaking him out of the palace! And if Worf was head of the castle guard, it would drive him absolutely crazy lol! Thanks for sharing this!
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I imagine Cardassia is a neighboring country of Bajor, who invaded and occupied Bajor for 50 years. The Bajorans eventually dispel the Cardassians, but the original Bajoran royal family was killed early in the occupation and there is no clear-cut heir to inherit the throne. Sisko is a noble (Maybe a duke or earl? I don't want him to be as high up as a prince.) from the neighboring country Terra, whose mother was a lesser member of the Bajoran royal family who married into the Terran royal family prior to the occupation of Bajor. Despite his reluctance, it's decided he will act as regent for Bajor while the country gets back on its feet and figures out who will ultimately become king/how governance will be handled going forward.
Jake, Dax, Miles, Keiko, and Julian are part of Sisko's court that join him in Bajor. (Dr. Bashir wasn't Sisko's choice to bring, but someone owed Julian's father a favor, and the young doctor has been keen to practice medicine in another country.) Worf is the head of the castle guard. Kira is his head Bajoran advisor who is very not keen to have a regent who has never even set foot in Bajor before. She warms up to him after he shows he has good judgement and has the best interests of the Bajoran people at heart. The two of them also get closer as Kira shows him Bajoran culture and Sisko starts to feel more connected to his mother, who died in childbirth and he never met. Odo is his national security advisor. Quark owns a local tavern, and they let him get away with petty crime in exchange for him relaying information about possible threats to the country.
General politicking and such happens, but then the Founders show up and decide they're going to run the whole planet now, so everyone has to band together to defeat them.
I really like your bit about Nog being Jake's commoner BFF with a knack for sneaking him out of the palace! And if Worf was head of the castle guard, it would drive him absolutely crazy lol! Thanks for sharing this!