Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek content.

   

NOVEL
Lesser Evil
Attribution

On their way home, Vaughn and the crew of the Defiant make a shocking discovery. Meanwhile, Kira pursues Shakaar's supposed assassin to Trill, while Ro, Admiral Akaar and General Lenaris investigate why Hiziki Gard assassinated the Bajoran leader.

Summary

From The Back Cover:

SINS PAST

Chaos erupts aboard Deep Space 9 ™ as the crew begins a desperate search for a killer in their midst, catapulting Colonel Kira Nerys on a dangerous chase into the heart of the Federation. But the crime she seeks to avenge is part of a plot more ancient and far-reaching than anyone suspects, and that secret, if exposed, could divide worlds throughout the Alpha Quadrant.

Meanwhile, as the Starship Defiant makes its way back toward the wormhole and home to DS9, a startling discovery shakes Commander Elias Vaughn to his core and brings to light the truth behind the most tragic mission of his long life. As the crew struggles with the implications of what they've found, their captain's judgment comes into question...and casts doubt on the final outcome of their historic voyage through the Gamma Quadrant.

Characters

Regulars

Leonard James Akaar • Asarem Wadeen • Julian Bashir • Sam Bowers • Taulin Cyl • Ezri Dax • Ekosha • Hiziki Gard • Seljin Gandres • Girani Semna • Kira Nerys • Lenaris Holem • Akellen Macet • Lirisse Maz • Morn • Nguyen • Nog • Keiko O'Brien • Miles O'Brien • Kirayoshi O'Brien • Molly O'Brien • Odo/Wex • Opaka Sulan • Quark • Ro Laren • Jake Sisko • Joseph Sisko • Taran'atar • Prynn Tenmei • Ruriko Tenmei/Kree Omiturin • Charivretha zh'Thane • Thirishar ch'Thane • Treir • Shakaar Edon • Elias Vaughn • Weyoun • Kasidy Yates • Yevir Linjarin

2340s, 2350s and 2369

Madred • Sotak • T'Prynn • Cren Veruda

Gryphon crew

Benitez • Savitri Bhatnagar • Croth • Grigoryeva • Hallerman • Elaine Mello • Alex Montenegro • Spillane • Mei Ling Xiang

Other

Hava • Hegel Ytrin • Lankford • Judith Sisko • Solok • Gabrielle Vicenti

Referenced

Candlewood • Beverly Crusher • Curzon Dax • Jadzia Dax • Richard Daystrom • Skrain Dukat • Demarest • Gordimer • Hetik • Hughes • Jalarin • Mikaela Leishman • Perez • Jean-Luc Picard • Christopher Pike • Presley • Gregory Quinn • Richards • Rom • Gerda Roness • Rowatu • Selok • Jason Senkowski • Sh'Raazn • Noonien Soong • Benjamin Sisko • Jennifer Sisko • Rebecca Sisko • Sarah Sisko • T'rb • Charlie Whatley • Worf, son of Mogh

References

Locations

Deep Space 9

Earth • Golden Gate Park • New Orleans • San Francisco • Sisko's Creole Kitchen • Toscana

Gamma Quadrant • Idran system

Kora II

Vulcan • Gol • Mount Seleya

Uridi'si

Referenced only 

Ashalla • Badlands • Bajor • Bajoran wormhole/Celestial Temple • Berengaria VII • Bourbon Street • Bradbury City • Capella IV • Cardassia • Delta Quadrant • Dublin • Europa Nova • Ferenginar • Garon II • Gemworld • Idran • Mars • Monac shipyard • Monac system • Portland • Rondac III • Starbase 51 • Trill • Trill system • Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards

Starships and small craft

USS Defiant • USS Gryphon • USS Polaris • Sagan • USS Sagittarius • USS T'Kumbra • USS T'Plana-Hath • USS Valkyrie

Referenced only 

USS Budapest • USS Defiant • USS Enterprise • Li Nalas • USS Rutledge • Trager • USS Voyager

Starship classes

Akira-class • Defiant-class • Jem'Hadar fighter • Nebula-class • Norway-class • Paladin-class

Referenced only 

Borg cube • Runabout

Species

Andorian • Bajoran • Borg • Capellan • Cardassian • Changeling • Ferengi • Human • Jem'Hadar • Lurian • Orion • Parasite • Tellarite • Trelian • Trill • Vorta • Vulcan

Referenced only 

Bolian • Cheka • Elaysian • Inamuri • Klingon • Ktarian • Prophets • Romulan • Species 8472 • Tholian • Tzenkethi

States and organizations

Bajoran Militia • Cardassian Guard • Cardassian Union • Dominion • Oralian Way • Starfleet • Trill Defense Ministry • Trill Diplomatic Corps • United Federation of Planets

Referenced only 

Council of the United Federation of Planets • Ferengi Alliance • Ferengi Commerce Authority • Klingon Empire • Martian Philharmonic • Obsidian Order • Ohalavaru • Orion Syndicate • Pathfinder Project • Starfleet Academy • Starfleet Corps of Engineers • Starfleet Intelligence • Tal Shiar • Vedek Assembly

Other

2304 • Alligator • Artificial intelligence • Assimilation • Astronomical unit • Attainder • Bajoran religion • Baseball • Battle of Sector 001 • Blessed Exchequer • Burning Hearts of Qo'noS • Calaiah vel D'nai • Cayenne papper • Cloaking device • Commandant of Starfleet Academy • Crenshaw melon • Denevan cherries flambé • Dominion War • Eelshark salad • The Early Years of Baseball • Emissary of the Prophets • Ferengi Rules of Acquisition • Grand Nagus of the Ferengi Alliance • Holocube • Hull plating • Iced tea • Isoboramine • Isolation suit • Jambalaya • Jefferies tube • Jurassic • Kanar • Kligat • Kudzu • Mardi Gras • Nanite • Nanoprobe • Nanotechnology • Occupation of Bajor • Orb of Unity • Orbital habitat • Pleasure maze • Poker • Quadrotriticale baguette • Regeneration alcove • Repair scaffold • Servo • The Silmarillion • Spinach frittata • TR-116 • Transponder • Transwarp • Transwarp conduit • Vault of Eternal Destitution • Wormhole relay station • XENO-02884/1

Information

• The idea for Vaughn's wife to be found alive yet assimilated was an idea Robert Simpson and Marco Palmieri had pitched to the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine writers, with Jennifer Sisko being the one who had been assimilated. (Voyages of Imagination)
• T'Prynn would later appear as a main character in the novel series Star Trek: Vanguard, set during the time of the the original series.

Related stories

• Audrid Dax and Christopher Pike's encounter with the parasites took place in The Lives of Dax short story Sins of the Mother.
• Bashir recalls meeting Kira Nerys in "Emissary".
• O'Brien tells Joseph and Judith about the events of "Battle Lines". The events of that episode are revisited in Rising Son, the end of which takes place during the events of this novel.
• Nog and Bowers reference the events of "The Adversary", where a Founder took control of the Defiant.

Connections

• Lesser Evil article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.