Revision as of 23:54, 12 August 2023

The Cardassian Union, sometimes derisively referred to as the Cardassian Empire, has a long and rich history. The Cardassians were originally a peaceful nation driven by spiritual and academic pursuits. When an economic downturn and resource depletion impacted the homeworld, the military offered a simple solution to the people and as such took the reigns of political power in order to drive efforts to gather off-world resources in the name of self-preservation. Cardassia went from peacefully co-existing with its neighbours to an imperialistic power in short order, something which would not change until the late 24rd century when Cardassia itself would become a colony of a greater power.

A prideful people now broken, Cardassians were forced to reckon with centuries of trauma they themselves had inflicted on others, and with the trauma inflicted on them at the cruel hands of the Dominion in the waning days of the Dominion War. Civilian control of the government was taken back, the Detapa Council reinstated and subservience of the military to the state restored. The act of accepting assistance in rebuilding would humble the Cardassian Union for a few decades, but centuries of ingrained sentiment would still make itself known.

As the century turns over, the Cardassian Union is no longer the war-broken state it once was. It is no longer the recipient of basic survival assistance either. Hard work and dedication from all elements of Cardassian society have lifted the Union up once more to stand on its own two feet. The modern Cardassian Union is a nation struggling to find its place in the modern galaxy, but not afraid to carve one out either. There are those who wish to return to the Old Ways, of conquering and expansion. Others seek to return to even older ways, exploring Cardassia's near-forgotten cultural heights. And others still who wish to see Cardassia emulate the powers that defeated it when it had the Dominion at its back, to become the peacemakers and union builders in their corner of the galaxy.

History - working on

The history of the Cardassian Union tends to consist of extremes. Once a peaceful and spiritual people, their planet’s poor resources proved unable to support their expanding population, and starvation and disease became rampant. Millions of deaths resulted, leading to a general breakdown in the government. The military forces of the planet staged a takeover and launched several wars against their neighbors in order to secure new resources. The Cardassian Union itself was formed under an agreement between Central Command and the Obsidian Order to share power.

The capital city of Cardassia Prime.

In 2346 the Cardassians invaded Setlik III, believing it to be a base to be used in an invasion of their own territory by the United Federation of Planets and a prolonged period of tension further heightened by hostilities resulted. In 2355 the Federation dispatched a starship in an attempt to make peace, but the Cardassians rejected the offer and forced the ship to flee. Hostilities officially ended in 2367, although the Cardassians remained less than friendly.

Dominion War - working on

In 2372 a civilian uprising deposed the military government. Suspecting Dominion involvement in the coup, the Klingons launched an invasion of Cardassian space and eventually Cardassia Prime, the Cardassian homeworld. The Federation opposed this action and was successful in forcing the Klingons to halt their advance towards Cardassia Prime. This destroyed the Federation-Klingon alliance and resulted in a short period of hostilities between those two powers after the Klingon Empire withdrew from the Khitomer Accords. Despite this, the Federation shipped considerable aid to the devastated Cardassian government.

Humiliated by having to rely on charity from a former enemy after a relatively quick and easy defeat at the hands of the Klingon Empire, Gul Dukat led a Dominion takeover of the Cardassian Union and was installed as ruler of the region in 2373. The Dominion were quick to upgrade the Cardassian fleet and introduce more advanced technologies into their shipbuilding techniques. Cardassian forces subsequently fought alongside the Jem'Hadar in the Dominion War with their leader, Legate Damar, who took power after Legate Dukat was presumed dead.

But the war took an extensive toll on the Cardassian people, who lost prestige with the Dominion following their alliance with the Breen and suffered losses of over 7 million troops by the war’s mid-point. This triggered Damar to instigate and lead a rebellion, which ultimately allowed the Federation Alliance to prevail in the war’s final battle at Cardassia Prime. However, the Dominion surrender came after they had ordered the genocide of the Cardassian people, 800 million of whom were slaughtered before the cessation of hostilities.

The United Federation of Planets extended a hand of friendship to the Union after the war in an effort to help them rebuild. While the Union was loath to accept that help there was little choice: the Cardassian Union had been devastated by the war and barely had the resources to rebuild Cardassia Prime, much less the rest of the Union. Three months after the end of the war, the first Federation assistance arrived on Cardassia Prime.

Recovery - working on

A fleet of Cardassian ships after the reformation of the Central Command following the Dominion War.

Post-Dominion War Cardassia, and the Union as a whole, is a ghost of its former glory. With their infrastructure obliterated by the occupation by Dominion forces, vast swathes of their population murdered, and survivors left starving and without the means to support themselves, the restored Detapa Council turned to the Federation for aid.

It did not come without conditions, such as an end to Cardassian territorial expansionism and limits upon military investment. The borders whose demarcation led to the Maquis less than ten years prior were drawn anew, the Federation reclaiming territory that they had once ceded. With some Cardassian settlements established on those worlds, some freedom of movement and rights to settle were permitted, but in further shame to the Cardassian people, security for that border fell to Starfleet.

This arrangement came to an abrupt end with the attack on Mars in 2385. Scrambling for resources and prioritising the needs of their own people, the Federation cut back on the relief arrangements that had been promised Cardassia. This loss of resources led to the ensuing decline of the Detapa Council.

A Turbulent Decade - working on

Within years, the absence of Federation support was keenly felt in Cardassian territory. The ensuing discontent and desperation was exploited by Central Command, the military leadership, sidelined by the Detapa Council and underfunded by Federation decree. Their return to old rhetoric of territorial expansion to solve Cardassian problems proved popular, though even a withdrawing Starfleet would not tolerate Cardassian aggression along the Federation border.

This led to quiet colonial expansion on their other fronts, seizing less resource-rich territory on their coreward and trailing borders. These resources were immediately poured into the military itself, but the public victory for morale was turned by Central Command into a mandate to claim further government assets and influence.

The response of the Detapa Council was to turn the reborn Obsidian Order on Central Command, who infiltrated its ranks and could staunch the military’s ascent. The years which followed were marked by these shadow wars, with the Detapa Council retaining formal authority over the Cardassian Union and using the Obsidian Order to keep Central Command in check. The military, in turn, has only grown in popularity outside of Cardassian core worlds, seen as the only entity capable of providing for the Cardassian people in wealth and pride.

The Federation Return - working on

By the mid-2390s, the Federation had stabilised its own situation somewhat and trade agreements were arranged with the Detapa Council. Central Command saw this could lead to possible victory for the civilian government, and secretly funded pirate operations to raid these transports and undermine the trade agreements. This only grew, and by 2398, ships clearly affiliated with the Union were conducting serious raids upon large trade convoys.

The Federation recognised the unstable nature of the Cardassian government and initially withdrew from any political relationship with the Union. But while Central Command viewed this as a victory, soon they would reap the consequences of their own actions.

The Way Returns - working on

In early 2399, ships of a Cardassian design attacked a Starfleet runabout on patrol at Hakton VII, a former world of the Demilitarized Zone now back in Federation territory. Starfleet’s initial response was to blame the Union, but Central Command denied culpability, and Obsidian Order assets confirmed this.

Before any further investigation could be launched, a second attack came, this time against a Cardassian military survey station on the border. This time a group claimed responsibility: the True Way, an old Cardassian anti-Federation extremist organisation that had been founded anew.

It became apparent the True Way consisted primarily of the forces once funded by Central Command in their initial secret raids on Federation trade ships. Cut loose of military support and resources, they had gone rogue and turned their eye on the Federation-Cardassian border, which still enjoyed extensive freedom of movement to contend with its diverse populace.

The Federation had no choice but to reopen discussions with the Detapa Council. The True Way was a threat to both governments, and risked disrupting the delicate balance of the old Demilitarized Zone. While neither government was in a position to dedicate extensive resources to the region, which had been left largely to its own devices for the past decade and a half, it was clear the True Way had to be answered lest they begin recruiting or inciting reciprocation from Federation locals who perhaps remembered their Maquis past.

As such, while diplomatic and trade agreements with the Cardassian Union remain limited, Starfleet and multiple wings of the Union government - including a highly reluctant and conflicted Central Command - have committed to cooperating in restoring stability and unity to the former Demilitarized Zone.

Culture - working on

It is an understatement to say that Cardassian society is in a state of flux. The Dominion War was an existential shock to their principles, and the thirty years following have provided little clarity of the best way forward. As such, Cardassians are a highly disparate people, some clinging to traditions for comfort and strength where others more aggressively seek political and social reform, as well as everything in between.

Family - working on

It is a common Cardassian saying that ‘family is all’. The parent is the highest figure in the familial unit, which is considered a cornerstone of Cardassian society. Their homes are often multi-generational, and Cardassians place great value on the continuation of the family line.

The ideal traditional Cardassian is expected to be dedicated to both the state and their own family. This is not considered an inherent contradiction; the Cardassian family is a unit of society that works together to keep all of Cardassian society strong and loyal to the state. The potential for conflict has of course fuelled many stories, but it is telling that the most famous of these end with loyalty to the state placed above all, with familial bonds that test this allegiance considered ultimately deviant.

There has traditionally been equality between the genders, though they are encouraged towards different societal roles. Men usually enter military or political service, while scientific research and technological development are commonly the purview of men. Outliers have not been generally prejudiced against, and many such individuals have succeeded in their careers.

The State - working on

The state is traditionally viewed as being all-seeing, all-powerful, and without fault. Loyalty to the state is seen as the most fundamental Cardassian value, and is considered synonymous with loyalty to one’s family and one’s community. Its presence has historically been felt throughout society, directly responsible for housing, education, and social support structures.

This permeating presence has been felt nowhere more keenly than in the criminal justice system, as-yet unreformed since the Dominion War. Routinely condemned by the Federation, trials always deliver a guilty verdict and exist to demonstrate the strength of the state and the victory of justice over evil. Its defenders maintain that its detractors in the Federation judge the system by their own standards. They argue that guilt and innocence are established by the robust Cardassian criminal investigation system ahead of time, that sifting through the murky details of proving guilt should lie with experts rather than be exposed to the public. Truth, they say, has already been established by the time the accused is brought to trial.

Reform - working on

The Treaty of Bajor re-established the Detapa Council, now a parliamentary democracy headed by its Chairman, who is also the head of state. With universal suffrage granted to all Cardassian citizens over the age of majority, this is the most significant political reform to come to the Union in centuries, and largely the result of Federation pressure at the end and during the aftermath of the Dominion War.

It has not been without controversy or limitations. The past thirty years have been beset with accusations of electoral corruption, especially since the Federation withdrawal from Cardassia in 2385. There have been difficulties with voter engagement, as many more traditional Cardassians dislike the idea they should dictate the state’s decisions. The democratic nature of the Detapa Council is also a part of Central Command’s agitation, as they believe it weakens the state.

However many Cardassians, especially younger Cardassians, have embraced the change and seek further reforms. Either from exposure to other ideas and cultures from Federation aid, or identifying the state as culpable for Cardassian suffering by allying with the Dominion, a significant proportion of society has turned away from the traditional loyalty to the state. Overall, as a people they are still communally and civically-minded. The most common state of mind for the progressive Cardassian is that it is their duty to serve the state by challenging and improving it, rather than the traditional perspective that the state was already infallible. This has brought about a new era, despite the extreme poverty in many quarters of society, of philosophy and literature to develop and perfect this image of what the ideal Cardassian should be.

While there are some who go further, championing individual freedoms and seeking even to turn from military influence and the current judicial system, they tend to be fringe figures. Often they live in the former Demilitarized Zone or near that border, and are considered to have been unduly influenced by the Federation.

Factions of the Union - working on

Detapa Council

The Detapa Council is the legislative branch of the Cardassian Union and the real power in day-to-day governance. A democratically elected governing body, based on Cardassia Prime, the Detapa Council represents the civil power of the Cardassian Union. In contrast to previous eras where the Detapa Council was often at the mercy of Central Command, the modern council viciously guards its power, position and authority.

While the Detapa Council represents the Cardassian people these days, giving voice to settled worlds, minority populations and a multitude of ideologies, it stands united in the dream of a better Cardassia. This unity is also the source of their most significant disagreements as one person's concept of a better Cardassia is another's blatant dystopia and return to the Old Ways of oppression by the tyranny of the majority.

Central Command

Central Command is the military leadership for the Cardassian Union, responsible for the defence of the state and its citizens and answerable to the Detapa Council, much to the chagrin of older members of Central Command who remember things very differently. With a multitude of vessels making up the mobile assets of the Union's defence forces, as well as responsibility for all fixed fortifications, be they starbases or planetary outposts, Central Command's primary responsibilities in the current era are border security, territorial integrity and trade protection. Secondary responsibilities include first-order exploration, reconnaissance and front-line diplomatic engagement with new and known powers.

Central Command is currently an organisation in the midst of rediscovering itself and its place in the New Cardassia. Traditionalists chafe at the leash of the Detapa Council and threaten to return the state to 'the glory days' of their youth. Modernists, pledged to be loyal servants of the state, buck for even wilder reforms and the throwing down of old structures. And in the middle are the Unionists, who currently hold the majority of the levers of power - survivors of the worst the Dominion War had to offer the Cardassian people, young men and women who have grown up with their trained pride and the trauma of war, striving to find the middle ground between the Traditionalist and Modernist.

Traditionalists

Typically older members of Central Command who managed to avoid the horrors of the Dominion War, these officers wish to return the Union back to its 'glory days' of conquering and a Strong Cardassia. They generally oppose relations with the Federation and Starfleet, or at least to the current degree and were actively against the decision by the Detapa Council to invite the Federation to establish a starbase within the Thomar Expanse.

Modernists

Generally, younger officers ascribe to the Modernist movement within Central Command, having grown up during the Dominion War and seen the aftermath during their formative years. These officers pledge themselves to the state to defend it, not expand it and agree to the belief of military subservience to the state, not the other way around. Centuries of smouldering to active conflict were because of Central Command and its policies and the Modernists believe peace should now be Central Command's primary motivation. These officers tend to also be more realistic in their assessments of interstellar politics and not blinded by 'Cardassian Supremacy', recognising power imbalances and how best to address them. Cooperation with friendly interstellar polities and their forces is seen as a high priority for Modernists.

Unionists

The Unionists are a cadre of officers who have managed to just barely maintain a plurality on the administration of Central Command, preventing either the Traditionalists or Modernists from seizing effective command of the military and ensuring a steady hand on decision-making. Moderate voices, Unionists seek a strong and independent Cardassian Union without outside assistance but recognise that currently technological, economic and structural issues make that a risky concept and therefore seek strong allies to ensure the integrity of the Union. They are also not oblivious to the need for participation in politics but don't seek the dominance that the Traditionalists desire. Their philosophy towards the Federation and Starfleet is receptive but cautious engagement. The Union needs to stand strong on its own, but there is no reason why it can't be respectful and engaging with its neighbours, especially if they can be of assistance in deterring more aggressive neighbours.

Civil Movements - working on

To come

Revisionists

Myth of the Honourable South or Honourable Wehrmacht

Reconcilers

We done bad, we should probably make up for it.

Make amends for the wrongs of the Union of yore
Return to Cardassia's pre-Central Command days of arts and culture
Some extremists call for the dissolution of the Union and worlds to seek Federation membership.

True Way

Move the True Way piece here?

Dying out as their recruitment source within the Traditionalists age out
See Revisionists as not going far enough
See Reconcilers as race traitors
Populace turning to the other factions have also made the True Way more and more of an outlier.
Central Command and Starfleet have done a pretty good job also dealing with their space-based assets

Isolationist

Lock the door, pull down the blinds, turn off the lights. Maybe the Federation will think no one is home and leave us alone.

The True Way - working on

The pirates that Central Command had funded did not come from nowhere. They were the most desperate of Cardassian society, former military, or people who had eked out a living on the border, or young Cardassians who had grown up with little, and all of them saw other powers, especially the Federation, as responsible for the Union’s weakness. In turn, they blamed the Detapa Council for engaging with these enemies of the state.

Central Command ceased funding them when the Federation closed relations and turned their gaze on unseating the Detapa Council. This left behind a paramilitary organisation with strong ideals that had been cut loose, Central Command no longer representing their interests as they remained embroiled in internal politics. But there was one clear outlet for their agenda: the former Demilitarized Zone, now largely Federation territory with a significant Cardassian populace and Cardassian civilian interests.

They have operated in the region for several months, striking against Starfleet border protection, raiding Federation civilian assets, and making attacks against Cardassian forces on the new border which in their eyes are complicit in Federation rule of what they believe should be Cardassian territory. It is suspected, but not yet confirmed, that they may be receiving or soliciting support from Cardassian residents of the former DMZ who may be sympathetic to their agenda.

Cardassian Territory

Core Worlds

The central worlds of the Union, including Cardassia Prime, hold the seat of government, most of the Union’s political and economic infrastructure, and is home to the majority of the population. They were also the regions that suffered the most at the hands of the Dominion in the final throes of the Dominion War. As such, the Detapa Council has ensured these worlds received the lion’s share of Federation support in the post-war years. Reconstruction has been extensive, leading to mass migration from border worlds. This region is largely stable and places its faith and support in the democratic government of the Detapa Council.

Border Worlds (Coreward and Trailing)

With the collapse of the Cardassian economy after the Dominion War and the funnelling of resources and opportunities to the core worlds, many Cardassians left their border colonies for the new prospects unfolding within the core worlds. Those who remained have found themselves largely forgotten by the Detapa Council, low on the government’s development priorities. While some chafe in this situation, others thrive while being out from under the government's watchful eye. Much like the core worlds, opportunity abounds.

These worlds did enjoy some attention in the post-war years as elements of Central Command led limited expansionist efforts to worlds beyond the claimed borders, looking to find a new frontier for the Cardassian people. However as Central Command reigned in these elements to preserve what strength the fleet had, efforts were wound down. It was undeniable the resource boon these efforts provided and it is a stated goal of the central government to return to them as soon as possible. As such these regions tend to favour more traditional views of Cardassian pride and position and have proven to be a wellspring of support for groups like the Revisionists and Traditionalists.

The Federation Border and former Demilitarized Zone

The border with the Federation fell closer to Cardassia Prime than ever before after the Dominion War, the Federation reclaiming territories surrendered in the treaty signed less than a decade earlier as well as the former Demilitarized Zone. However, the Federation was mindful that many Cardassian people had settled and made lives for themselves in this region, and had learned its lesson from forced resettlement. There was no appetite for a repeat of the Maquis movement.

As such, the border has been kept open for much of the quarter century. Cardassian citizens who settled or had family who settled on those worlds were allowed to live as residents within Federation territory. They were further granted freedom to cross the border with the Union for personal and professional reasons. This border was largely regulated and watched by Starfleet, though their presence has diminished over the past decade and most transiting the border will only have their first Federation encounter upon arriving at their destination.

In practice, Cardassians and Federation citizens alike have lived and worked alongside each other in the old Demilitarized Zone, ostensibly under Federation rule but with little government involvement or oversight in recent years. In some places, this coexistence has been peaceful. In others, old animosities have been hard for both sides to forget.

The region was troubled by the return of the True Way. Their assaults on Starfleet and Cardassian forces and raids on Federation worlds for resources did ramp up old tensions across the border worlds for a time. While the True Way has been pushed back out of the former DMZ by a combined Central Command and Starfleet anti-terrorism task force, tensions still remain.

Many people living in this region on both sides of the border are suspicious of both governments, who have previously shown little interest in their ways of life until recently. Residents consider both governments largely responsible for the past difficulties of the region. And still, there are Cardassian residents who resent living in their old family homes under Federation rule and find themselves sympathetic to the True Way’s agenda. Better that Federation citizens live under Cardassian rule, then Cardassians under Federation rule.

Cardassians In Play

The Cardassian Union lost a lot during the Dominion War, but are once more standing on their own two feet. Their primary agenda at this time is stability within their own borders and surrounding territory. Stability prevents conflict, which allows for continued growth and recovery. That stability however comes in a variety of flavours.
Political unrest within the Union isn't unheard of. The various factions across the Union vie for control on a regular basis, either to take power or to work to prevent another faction from taking power. The politics within the Union are active, vibrant and very robust.
Formal dealings with the Federation often relate to the former Demilitarized Zone and now the Thomar Expanse. Both sides are working with the stated goals of cooperation and peaceful coexistence, both to protect Cardassian and Federation citizens that are living in border territories as well as to maintain the status quo between them.
The divide between the Detapa Council and the various Orders of Central Command means that the tone of any encounter between Starfleet and Cardassian forces can vary considerably. Detapa Council aligned and moderately inclined Cardassian captains are more willing to be cooperative and assist in operations whereas members of more traditional Orders are typically antagonistic if not outright hostile.
Open conflict between Starfleet and the forces of the Cardassian Union is something a majority of both sides wish to avoid. With the Union in a period of heightened tensions with the Breen Confederacy, conflict with the Federation does not gain the Union anything. That doesn't mean to say there aren't outliers who would try to provoke such, but Central Command is good at spotting such individuals and reassigning them.

External Information

Cardassian Union at Memory Alpha
Cardassian (species) at Memory Alpha
Cardassia Prime at Memory Alpha

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