Difference between pages "Copernicus Class" and "Former Demilitarized Zone"

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{{icons|bfc|fed|sf}}{{Specification
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{{icons|bfc|card|fed}}
| image = [[File:Copernicus.jpg]]
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{{Region
| displayName = Copernicus Class
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| name = Former Demilitarized Zone
| name = Copernicus Class
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| image = [[File:Former Demilitarized Zone.png|375px]]
| affiliation = [[United Federation of Planets]]
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| major powers = *[[United Federation of Planets]]
| operator = [[Starfleet]]
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*[[Cardassian Union]]
| status =
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| minor powers =  
| role = Frontier Outpost
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| important places = Hakton VII
| type =
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| quadrant = Alpha
| precedingClass =
+
}}
| succeedingClass =
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The '''former Demilitarized Zone''' (or DMZ) between the [[Cardassian Union]] and the [[United Federation of Planets]] is a region that was once the border between the two powers. The area includes other worlds traded between them, though all of these systems are now under Federation control. Due to their contested history, the region has a large number of Cardassian citizens in residence, sometimes in integrated settlements, but including several fully Cardassian colonies. Authority over the region formally falls to Starfleet, though the recent chaos brought about by the violence of the Cardassian True way and the [[New Maquis]] has led to a taut dynamic with the Cardassian Union to restore stability.
| succeedingClass1 =
 
| succeedingClass2 =
 
| dateEntered = 2380
 
| productionEnd =
 
| retired =
 
| expectedDuration = 100 years
 
| expectedRefit = 30 years
 
| timeResupply =
 
| crewComplement = 2,000
 
| emergencyCap =
 
| civilians = 4,000
 
| populationCap = 8,000
 
| flightCrew =
 
| passengers =
 
| length =
 
| width =
 
| diameter = 1800m
 
| height =
 
| decks =  
 
| propulsionSystem = 16 maneuvering thrusters
 
| cruiseSpeed =  
 
| maxSpeed =
 
| emergencySpeed =
 
| energyWeapons = * 8 Type-XII phaser arrays
 
* 16 Type-X retractable phaser banks
 
* 24 Rotary Defense Turrets
 
| torpLaunchers = * 12 primary torpedo launchers
 
* 12 retractable torpedo launchers
 
| torpPayload = * 3000 photon torpedoes
 
* 1000 quantum torpedoes
 
| shields = Regenerative Shielding System
 
| dockingfacilities = * 3 large docking pads
 
* 3 small docking pads
 
* 3 small starship/shuttle bays
 
* 6 runabout pads
 
| shuttleBays =
 
| shuttles = 16
 
| runabouts = 6
 
| fighters =
 
| aux =
 
| msd =
 
| templatemode = allthecats
 
}}The '''''Copernicus''-class station''' is an outpost designed by [[Starfleet]] for deployment along the [[Federation|Federation's]] frontiers. With a configurable design, the ''Copernicus'' is capable of serving a variety of roles depending on the area and Starfleet's needs. As such, it can provide an effective platform for scientific research and exploration missions beyond Federation borders, or support and facilitate local diplomacy and commerce, or act as a defensive outpost in regions expecting only mid-level hostilities, depending on its deployment configuration. A relatively modern design, it is a fairly common sight on less-fortified borders.
 
  
==Mission Parameters==
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==History==
''Copernicus''-class stations are built with six configurable modules, which allow each starbase to be constructed with capabilities and facilities to support the needs of its deployment. While there are many modules of different types, some being exceptionally mission-specific, Starfleet usually builds the ''Copernicus'' to fit one of the following mission profiles: research facility, trade and diplomatic outpost, or border patrol hub.
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The establishment of the Federation-Cardassian Treaty in 2370 included the creation of the Demilitarized Zone and the redrawing of the borders of both powers. As a result, some colonies of both governments fell within the DMZ, while others were passed between the two governments, settlers forced to relocate. This move was hugely unpopular, leading to some Cardassian colonists defending themselves and the birth of the Federation extremist faction the Maquis. For three years, the region was the home of small-scale warfare as both Cardassian and Federation colonists waged conflict against each other and their governments. This ended in 2373, where the Cardassian Union’s alliance with the Dominion resulted in the Jem’hadar seizing the DMZ and wiping out the Maquis.
  
===Research Facility===
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With the Treaty of Bajor, all worlds of the DMZ and any colonies the Federation had once ceded to the Union were restored to Federation control. Many Federation citizens retained or returned to their former homes. However, a large number of Cardassian settlements had been established over the years, and the Federation was mindful of past mistakes in forcibly relocating populations. It was agreed that these Cardassian colonists and their family would have the right to remain in these settlements, citizens of the Union but residents in Federation territory. The border with Cardassia overseen by Starfleet was generous in permitting Cardassian trade and investment to cross into the old DMZ, though very little further.
A ''Copernicus'' contains basic scientific facilities in its main hull, but with the modules can boast extensive research and laboratory space. These stations are usually built near regions of unexplored space or stellar phenomena where Starfleet expects years of possible study. With the modules, the laboratories available can be hyper-specialised to support whatever research priority the station needs to meet. It is also not uncommon for at least one module to be a dedicated auxiliary craft bay, able to support additional runabouts or shuttles if the station expects to perform more survey work. These are often some of the loneliest assignments on a ''Copernicus'', the station more likely to be built on quieter frontiers far from busy Federation territory, as they are hardy and support themselves and their mission well. Starships may visit en route to the regions the starbase is studying, but with the ''Copernicus'''s limited capacity to support the larger vessels of exploration, these stop-offs are usually for brief shore leave or to exchange research data. This gives these stations a focused, collegial atmosphere, with a large crew of dedicated science officers.
 
  
===Trade and Diplomatic Outpost===
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The Attack on Mars and the subsequent Federation focus on internal affairs scaled back Starfleet presence in the region. The Federation brokered new agreements with the Cardassian Union, allowing them to send ships across the border in response to requests for aid from Cardassian citizens. This agreement was considered nothing more than a diplomatic ploy allowing the Federation to claim they were ensuring the safety of the region; all sides knew the Cardassian Union was in little state to worry about anything beyond its own borders. This withdrawal led to the former DMZ becoming largely self-regulating, systems and worlds looking after their own interests and security. This suited many of the populace, who were mindful of past betrayals by their and the neighbouring government, and preferred to go it alone.
On busy but reasonably safe borders or transport routes, a ''Copernicus'' makes an excellent choice for a Starfleet outpost. Traffic needs tend to dictate the suitability of a ''Copernicus''-class on such trade routes, as the station cannot easily support larger ships or a massive volume of docking ships, unlike the [[Canopus Class|''Canopus''-class]] or larger. But on trade routes traversed by mostly mid-sized vessels, a ''Copernicus'' can provide a useful commercial hub or border checkpoint. This is often the configuration of a ''Copernicus'' expected to provide local diplomatic services, internal or external. In regions with multiple Federation members of vying needs and interests, the station can provide a hub where Starfleet can facilitate discussion, both as mediators and by offering facilities. This configuration of station is also a good choice on borders with friendly, or at least communicative, local powers, where a significant portion of Starfleet's responsibility is to liaise with their counterparts across the border on matters of law enforcement, research, and so forth. It has facilities to welcome even high-ranking diplomatic representatives, and host everyday meetings and important negotiations including multiple delegates alike. The modules in this configuration are usually given over to additional housing for the many transient visitors, diplomatic facilities including meeting rooms and VIP quarters, additional recreation facilities, and increased capability to house and support visiting freight and diplomatic vessels. Stations of this configuration have been quite common along regions such as the border with the [[Klingon Empire]], where local challenges such as the [[House of Mo'Kai]] necessitate both security and a joint response from Starfleet and the Empire.
 
  
===Border Patrol Hub===
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In early 2399, an attack on a Starfleet ship at Hakton VII and later a Cardassian survey station on the border ended this rugged peace. A group of Cardassian anti-Federation extremists called the True Way claimed responsibility, making it clear they wished to restore Cardassian territory to Cardassia and that they saw both the Federation and the Detapa Council as their enemies. For two years, cooperation between the Cardassian Union and the Federation allowed joint operations to try to root out this insurgency.
For more dangerous regions, the ''Copernicus'' can be deployed with increased capabilities of self-defence and to house more auxiliary ships. This is better for areas where the station itself does not anticipate a significant direct assault, though it is more than capable of defending itself, but rather where Starfleet sees a need for a consistent and wide-ranging presence that can be provided through runabouts and shuttles, including the away teams they can carry. These stations provide significant auxiliary craft to patrol a border or fraught region, extensive sensor equipment for long range scans, and where necessary house an increased number of Starfleet officers suitable for deployment on away missions. This does not always mean security officers, as such a ''Copernicus'' may be deployed to a fraught region with complex needs, like ongoing humanitarian aid or diplomatic intervention. The exact configuration usually depends on what the region needs, such as a medical module with extensive hospital facilities, but often includes space for additional auxiliary craft. More of these ''Copernicus''-class deployments have been seen on the Romulan borders with the collapse of the [[Romulan Neutral Zone]], to protect the border from warlords or provide support to refugee worlds.
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[[File:Dmzattacks.jpg|thumb|Hostilities in the former DMZ reached a fever-pitch with attacks against settlements by insurgent groups]]
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In mid-2401, the destruction of a Starfleet outpost, Outpost C-91, was blamed not only on the True Way, but the Cardassian Union. Central Command was accused of, if not sending ships directly to destroy the outpost, then providing its new military technology to the True Way. When Cardassia denied this, diplomats sought a resolution, only for a new insurgent group to show itself and strike against Cardassian residents: Federation citizens calling themselves the Maquis.
  
==Layout and Design==
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==The DMZ Today==
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===The Federation===
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Many Federation citizens who live in the DMZ remember that they or their neighbours were forced to abandon their homes thirty years ago, and they have largely not forgiven the Federation and Starfleet. This has not been a problem for recent years, with limited government presence and no inciting events. However, new outbreak of violence has returned Starfleet to the region. Many Federation colonies are fiercely self-sufficient and disinclined to help or receive help from Starfleet. While they may or may not tolerate their Cardassian neighbours on both sides of the border, and are potential targets of the True Way’s raids for resources, they often prefer to resolve these situations themselves.
  
The ''Copernicus''-class has a central hull not dissimilar in shape to the 'mushroom' of the [[Spacedock Class]] and other Federation starbases. Much smaller in size, it has fewer curves and more stark lines of support struts to maximise space. Protruding from the upper dome and the bottom of the hull are six modular 'pads' - three from the upper, three from the lower. These are circular segments each with a landing pad that can hold a large runabout. The central hull has a standard configuration containing all essential station operations, key facilities, crew quarters and civilian housing. The pad modules give the ''Copernicus'' its versatility, as different configurations of modules are available to allow each ''Copernicus'' to be constructed with a different mission profile.
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With the increase in violence, more and more Federation residents are sympathetic to the new Maquis. Many feel that Cardassia’s clear desire to recover the region was entirely predictable, and feel Starfleet abandoned them for twenty years and cannot be trusted to maintain their safety. As such, locals taking matters into their own hands are much more trustworthy, for many, than Starfleet, whose promises mean little.
  
===Central Hull===
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===Cardassian Residents===
 +
The Federation was loath to forcibly remove anyone from the former DMZ after the Treaty of Bajor. Any Cardassian who could claim residency of the region was allowed to stay or return, and their families also allowed to settle. This required some restrictions after the first few years, when it became apparent that some Cardassians were using the DMZ as an immigration loophole to escape the resource-starved Union for Federation territory, where they would be better regarded. Still, these residents have been permitted to travel to and from the Union and have largely made comfortable and settled lives for themselves these past thirty years. These residents are more volatile in their dealings with Starfleet; some welcome their support with open arms, while others resent their homes being under Federation rule. The majority seek to be left alone as much as the Federation citizens do.
  
The dorsal section of the main hull houses large antennae farms, facilitating powerful communications systems that can keep these sometimes-distant starbases in contact with the rest of the Federation and act as a communications relay hub for nearby ships or outposts. Shield generators are nestled above them, flush with the dorsal stem of the hull, to provide protection for the whole station. The station's two fusion generators, providing the whole of the facility's power, are housed directly above this spire.
+
Some settlements are integrated between Cardassians and Federation citizens; some worlds share homogenous settlements, but the majority of Cardassian colonies are Cardassian-exclusive. These colonies come in all shapes and sizes, from people getting on with their lives to Cardassians resenting having to live under Federation rule. There is also a growing population of Cardassians who wish for democratic and liberal reform of the Union, which they are able to plan and campaign for safely from within Federation territory.
 +
[[File:Dmzattacks2.jpg|thumb|388x388px|Cardassians stayed in the DMZ to not abandon their homes - but life in the borderlands has been made dangerous by attacks from both the True Way and the Maquis]]
 +
The True Way treats these Cardassians as allies or traitors, with nothing in between. They expect Cardassians to provide them with resources or even membership, or they are complicit in the abandonment of Cardassian worlds to the Federation. The Maquis, conversely, view these Cardassians as, at the least, grounds for the Union to legitimise its involvement, and at worst actively involved in the Union’s military ambitions for the region. Attacks by the Maquis on Cardassian residents, or their infrastructure, are not uncommon, with the Maquis claiming a settlement is a forward outpost, supply depot, or surveillance outpost for the Union or the True Way. More and more, Cardassian residents are reaching out to the Union for assistance, not trusting they will be protected by Starfleet. But they will not lose their homes - they have lived there for generations, after all.
  
The lower section of the main hull contains the primary computer cores and the majority of the station's facilities for its permanent population, particularly its Starfleet crew. This includes enough scientific laboratory space, medical facilities, cargo space, and other equipment to support general operations - specialised or additional equipment and facilities are contained in the modular pods, depending on the ''Copernicus''' mission profile. Most housing, including visitor housing, is at the very top of this section, closest to the recreational facilities above.
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===Starfleet===
 +
Starfleet largely withdrew from the region after the Attack on Mars. It returned on a mission of diplomacy to stop the True Way, working with the Cardassian Union and trying to restore peace and confidence in Starfleet among the locals who distrusted the Federation. This has been almost shattered by the new outbreak of violence.
  
The topmost decks of the upper hull form a narrower ring, which is dedicated to space to support visitors, including limited guest quarters but especially the majority of the station's recreational and social spaces. The promenade stretches across two decks and runs the circumference of the upper hull, and in many places directly overlooks the docking bay doors to allow up-close sights of starships arriving and departing.
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Starfleet cannot stand by idly while the True Way or the Maquis attack Federation or Cardassian citizens; nor can it allow the Cardassian Union to pursue justice unilaterally against Federation citizens in Federation space. Forces are, however, stretched thin after [[ma:Frontier Day|Frontier Day]] and with new tensions arising with the [[Klingon Empire]]. Starfleet cannot afford direct conflict, and knows that too strong a hand may trigger it with the wrong encounter. As such, Starfleet has tried to apply as light a touch as possible, sending ships on limited patrols and otherwise dispatching them to respond to specific problems. Wherever possible, they must attempt to resolve encounters with diplomacy.
  
At the topmost level is the Operations division, generally referred to as Ops. This includes not only the central command and control facilities for the entire station, but offices for senior staff, meeting space, and other essential facilities to support key Starfleet personnel.
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===The Cardassian Union===
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The Cardassian Union has some authority in the former DMZ. Once-empty treaties empower them to cross the border in response to requests for aid from Cardassian citizens who are residents in Federation space. Those treaties now enable the Union to involve itself directly in the chaos.
  
===Modules===
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The Detapa Council tries to discourage this at all points, seeking diplomatic solutions and cooperative missions with Starfleet. It is not uncommon for a Cardassian ship to notify Starfleet before it responds to such a request for aid; if Starfleet does not send a ship to resolve the matter or accompany them, then they go on alone. Central Command is much more eager to demonstrate Cardassian might and show they, and not the Federation, can maintain order and safety in the old DMZ.
The modules on ''Copernicus''-class stations are usually two to six decks in height, though by the 25th century most bases are deployed with the larger pads. Circular in shape, they are attached to the station by limb-like connectors, into which are built all passageways and turbolifts, passenger and cargo, to facilitate travel between them. Such transitions are normally seamless, with the modules acting as an easily-accessible wing of the station. Once a station has been built, it is rare for these modules to be changed or removed, as the process is highly-intensive; they are designed to enable different configurations of station upon deployment, rather than ongoing flexibility.
 
  
===Docking Facilities===
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If Cardassian ships enter the DMZ, they need a stated purpose - almost always a direct request for aid from a Cardassian resident of the DMZ, or a response to a specific threat. Captains have often twisted this, expressing the general state of crisis to be a request for aid, or considering ‘the Maquis’ a specific threat. The Detapa Council usually looks dimly on such exploitations of diplomatic agreements, but resolutions between politicians come once confrontations are over; they rarely end them.
Much of the space in the upper hull section is given over to the interior docking space, which has room for several small starship ships no bigger than 200 metres in width, such as [[Reliant Class|Reliants]] and [[Steamrunner Class|Steamrunners]]. Four large docking doors grant access. Additional facilities for ship maintenance and support are also located here. With multiple doors for access and egress of several ships at once, this can also act as a launching bay for the station's smaller auxiliary craft, such as its shuttles and workerbees.
 
  
The station's six runabouts, however, are housed in the six module pads. Each includes a single interior bay for any craft up to the size of a [[New Atlantic Class|''New Atlantic''-class]] runabout, with bay doors immediately above for a vertical launch to conserve space. These pads are normally reserved for Starfleet ships or visitors on special business, as they are normally in proximity to the specialist facilities of the modular pads. It is common for the runabouts with a mission-specific configuration to be assigned to the relevant module - runabouts configured for medical transport at a medical pad, those configured for scientific surveys at the science pad, and so forth. This makes the use of these landing facilities for mission operations, not general station or visitor business, a matter of practicality as much as security.
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Formally, the True Way are enemies of the Cardassian Union, renegades who were stirred to action by their hatred of the government’s perceived weakness. Many Cardassian officers view them as traitors and instigators. Others may be more sympathetic, while others still may abhor them, but consider them a lesser evil than the violent Maquis or even Starfleet, and turn a blind eye to their activities.
  
==History==
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===The True Way===
The ''Copernicus''-class was designed after the Dominion War, both in response to the changing nature of borders and Starfleet's desire to return to more missions of exploration. Initially it was conceived of as a purely scientific outpost, with the modules intended to allow specialised facilities according to regional needs. Throughout the late 2370s and early 2380s the starbases were deployed on the edges of explored space or in proximity to phenomena like the Typhon Expanse. The Attack on Mars and ensuing shift to border priorities brought the ''Copernicus''-class back for review, and additional modules were designed to give it more of a role on interior deployments for trade and commerce, or to provide a permanent facility on borders Starfleet now viewed as both more dangerous and more fixed. By the start of the 25th century, as Starfleet is once again looking to the wider galaxy, the ''Copernicus'' offers a versatile platform for permanent facilities with only a modest investment of resources, far more modern than many stations of its size.
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Born from the ranks of the disgruntled military leaders abandoned by Central Command to bridge a new accord with the Detapa Council, the True Way started out trying to bloody the Union’s and Federation’s noses in the name of Cardassian pride. Now they find themselves in an increasingly-violent frontier as the main instigators of chaos. They continue to pass no comment on their role in the destruction of Outpost C-91. It is also unclear if there is any truth to the claims they were funded by Central Command, but it seems increasingly likely that, since the escalation, they have found themselves powerful benefactors.
  
==Station Life==
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They seek, above all, to destabilise Federation control over the DMZ by attacking infrastructure and causing chaos. More and more, they go head-to-head with the Maquis. While they primarily employ insurgency tactics, they have ships of their own, though these are enough to threaten freighters and shuttles - not a starship.
Life aboard a ''Copernicus'' depends heavily on its configuration and location, but it is large enough to always provide a sense of a small, bustling town. Even isolated science facilities which rarely receive a significant influx of visitors have a crew of a couple of thousand people, and this builds a collegial atmosphere of study and research, like a thriving university town - though some crewmembers have said this can either cultivate closeness and cooperation, or a certain cut-throat territorialism over the research opportunities available. Most other ''Copernicus''-classes receive considerably more visitors. The trade hubs have a constant cycling of civilians and guests passing through to keep the station alive and ever-changing, and the border protection stations usually have guests of local law enforcement or people in need brought aboard to receive aid.  
 
  
Quarters are usually large and comfortable and are rarely shared rooms. On any ''Copernicus'', it is not uncommon for Starfleet officers to bring their family, with quarters large enough to suit - even a border protection station is expected to be relatively safe from direct threat.
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===The New Maquis===
 +
Formally just called ‘the Maquis,’ this organisation follows in the footsteps of the one formed and destroyed in the 2370s fighting for the rights of Federation citizens abandoned by treaties with the Cardassian Union. With Starfleet perceived as ignoring the region anew after Mars, and Cardassian violence and involvement increasing through the True Way, locals of the DMZ have once again taken up arms for their home. Many of them express that Starfleet spent the last two years more interested in playing nice with Cardassia than uprooting the True Way as they killed Federation citizens, and now it’s time to strike back.
  
Because of these different needs, a ''Copernicus'' always offers recreational facilities suitable to its needs - either a large population is expected to spend months away from the rest of the Federation, with high morale important to support work, or it regularly sees civilians passing through in need of entertainment and support. The promenade on the upper hull is always a hub of activity, and workers in these eateries and entertainment venues are the backbone of a station's permanent civilian population. With the numbers of families aboard, most stations have schools to educate children of varying ages, often with civilian teachers.
+
They consider the presence of many Cardassian residents of the DMZ to be an ideological threat or a direct security risk. While they do not target civilians directly, they are prepared to sabotage their way of life enough to drive them out. Primarily, they strike against any target they consider could provide a military advantage to the True Way or the Cardassian Union. They have also not limited their operations to Federation space, making increasing forays across the border to sabotage Cardassian military infrastructure.
  
==Gallery==
+
While they only have a small array of ships, largely used for transport rather than combat, and are incapable of facing any but the True Way head-on in a fight, it is unclear from where the Maquis have gathered their equipment. Starfleet Intelligence suspects malcontents have spent the past decade stealing Starfleet equipment, unsecured under lax security protocols during the downturn, in anticipation of a return to hostilities.
<gallery>
 
File:Copernicus1.jpg
 
File:Copernicus2-1.jpg
 
File:Copernicus3.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
  
 
==In Play==
 
==In Play==
* A ''Copernicus'' can be one of the most dynamic and exciting assignments for a station of its size, depending on an officer's interests. Scientists sent to a research station can expect constant intrigue and research opportunities, though this may be very boring for a security officer or the like. Trade hubs or border outposts are usually thriving and ever-changing, though are often not at the heart of regional affairs - big decisions tend to be made on larger starbases, or by officers above the commanding officer's grade.
+
* The former Demilitarized Zone is Federation territory largely left alone for over fifteen years. It is a disparate region of people who feel they owe the Federation little and would prefer to go their own way.
* Due to its size, a ''Copernicus'' is never deployed in regions where serious or consistent support is needed for larger starships. It is excellent at supporting small vessels and especially civilian vessels. As such, it is usually built where Starfleet's needs are modest and where the ''volume'' of civilian ships passing through is not especially high. This still means it is valuable on all but the most major trade routes.
+
* Now it has become a powder-keg, with insurgent groups clashing, civilians caught in the middle, and the Cardassian military eager to demonstrate they, and not the Federation, can keep the region safe. While many people can traverse it safely, insurgency attacks are not uncommon from either the Maquis or the True Way.
* Smaller than the ''Canopus''-class, a ''Copernicus'' has a regular crew of a few thousand. Outposts on trade routes can see an average population of sometimes approaching double that number of transient civilians.
+
* Cardassians who live in the DMZ are an unknown factor for any Starfleet captain. They might prefer life under the Federation or want protection from the True Way or Maquis and cooperate. Or they might resent living under Federation rule and sympathise or actively support the True Way. Proceed with caution.
 +
* Federation citizens in the region remember they or their families were betrayed by Starfleet before. They refuse to let it happen again, and so are often unwilling to accept or give help, and in many cases are sympathetic to the new Maquis. Starfleet wants to restore their confidence in the Federation to cut off the Maquis’s support structure.
 +
* The True Way sees anyone who does not support returning these worlds to Cardassian control as the enemy. They will steal resources from civilians, attack Starfleet and the Union alike, and try to recruit from Cardassian residents.
 +
* The Maquis seek to drive Cardassians out of the DMZ. While this mostly applies to Central Command, this can also include Cardassian residents. They rarely target civilians but may try to make their lives difficult to drive them back voer the border.
 +
* Cardassian Central Command is eager to involve itself in the DMZ. Ships with the slightest diplomatic excuse will cross the border to help Cardassian residents or particularly to hunt down the Maquis, or even the True Way. While this may lead to cooperative missions with Starfleet, some Guls may try to go it alone and enforce Cardassian justice.

Latest revision as of 09:45, 13 March 2024

This article is official Bravo Fleet canon.

CARDicon.png Federation Faction








Former Demilitarized Zone.png
Former Demilitarized Zone
Powers
Major powers
Points of interest
Places

Hakton VII

Template:Region

The former Demilitarized Zone (or DMZ) between the Cardassian Union and the United Federation of Planets is a region that was once the border between the two powers. The area includes other worlds traded between them, though all of these systems are now under Federation control. Due to their contested history, the region has a large number of Cardassian citizens in residence, sometimes in integrated settlements, but including several fully Cardassian colonies. Authority over the region formally falls to Starfleet, though the recent chaos brought about by the violence of the Cardassian True way and the New Maquis has led to a taut dynamic with the Cardassian Union to restore stability.

History

The establishment of the Federation-Cardassian Treaty in 2370 included the creation of the Demilitarized Zone and the redrawing of the borders of both powers. As a result, some colonies of both governments fell within the DMZ, while others were passed between the two governments, settlers forced to relocate. This move was hugely unpopular, leading to some Cardassian colonists defending themselves and the birth of the Federation extremist faction the Maquis. For three years, the region was the home of small-scale warfare as both Cardassian and Federation colonists waged conflict against each other and their governments. This ended in 2373, where the Cardassian Union’s alliance with the Dominion resulted in the Jem’hadar seizing the DMZ and wiping out the Maquis.

With the Treaty of Bajor, all worlds of the DMZ and any colonies the Federation had once ceded to the Union were restored to Federation control. Many Federation citizens retained or returned to their former homes. However, a large number of Cardassian settlements had been established over the years, and the Federation was mindful of past mistakes in forcibly relocating populations. It was agreed that these Cardassian colonists and their family would have the right to remain in these settlements, citizens of the Union but residents in Federation territory. The border with Cardassia overseen by Starfleet was generous in permitting Cardassian trade and investment to cross into the old DMZ, though very little further.

The Attack on Mars and the subsequent Federation focus on internal affairs scaled back Starfleet presence in the region. The Federation brokered new agreements with the Cardassian Union, allowing them to send ships across the border in response to requests for aid from Cardassian citizens. This agreement was considered nothing more than a diplomatic ploy allowing the Federation to claim they were ensuring the safety of the region; all sides knew the Cardassian Union was in little state to worry about anything beyond its own borders. This withdrawal led to the former DMZ becoming largely self-regulating, systems and worlds looking after their own interests and security. This suited many of the populace, who were mindful of past betrayals by their and the neighbouring government, and preferred to go it alone.

In early 2399, an attack on a Starfleet ship at Hakton VII and later a Cardassian survey station on the border ended this rugged peace. A group of Cardassian anti-Federation extremists called the True Way claimed responsibility, making it clear they wished to restore Cardassian territory to Cardassia and that they saw both the Federation and the Detapa Council as their enemies. For two years, cooperation between the Cardassian Union and the Federation allowed joint operations to try to root out this insurgency.

Hostilities in the former DMZ reached a fever-pitch with attacks against settlements by insurgent groups

In mid-2401, the destruction of a Starfleet outpost, Outpost C-91, was blamed not only on the True Way, but the Cardassian Union. Central Command was accused of, if not sending ships directly to destroy the outpost, then providing its new military technology to the True Way. When Cardassia denied this, diplomats sought a resolution, only for a new insurgent group to show itself and strike against Cardassian residents: Federation citizens calling themselves the Maquis.

The DMZ Today

The Federation

Many Federation citizens who live in the DMZ remember that they or their neighbours were forced to abandon their homes thirty years ago, and they have largely not forgiven the Federation and Starfleet. This has not been a problem for recent years, with limited government presence and no inciting events. However, new outbreak of violence has returned Starfleet to the region. Many Federation colonies are fiercely self-sufficient and disinclined to help or receive help from Starfleet. While they may or may not tolerate their Cardassian neighbours on both sides of the border, and are potential targets of the True Way’s raids for resources, they often prefer to resolve these situations themselves.

With the increase in violence, more and more Federation residents are sympathetic to the new Maquis. Many feel that Cardassia’s clear desire to recover the region was entirely predictable, and feel Starfleet abandoned them for twenty years and cannot be trusted to maintain their safety. As such, locals taking matters into their own hands are much more trustworthy, for many, than Starfleet, whose promises mean little.

Cardassian Residents

The Federation was loath to forcibly remove anyone from the former DMZ after the Treaty of Bajor. Any Cardassian who could claim residency of the region was allowed to stay or return, and their families also allowed to settle. This required some restrictions after the first few years, when it became apparent that some Cardassians were using the DMZ as an immigration loophole to escape the resource-starved Union for Federation territory, where they would be better regarded. Still, these residents have been permitted to travel to and from the Union and have largely made comfortable and settled lives for themselves these past thirty years. These residents are more volatile in their dealings with Starfleet; some welcome their support with open arms, while others resent their homes being under Federation rule. The majority seek to be left alone as much as the Federation citizens do.

Some settlements are integrated between Cardassians and Federation citizens; some worlds share homogenous settlements, but the majority of Cardassian colonies are Cardassian-exclusive. These colonies come in all shapes and sizes, from people getting on with their lives to Cardassians resenting having to live under Federation rule. There is also a growing population of Cardassians who wish for democratic and liberal reform of the Union, which they are able to plan and campaign for safely from within Federation territory.

Cardassians stayed in the DMZ to not abandon their homes - but life in the borderlands has been made dangerous by attacks from both the True Way and the Maquis

The True Way treats these Cardassians as allies or traitors, with nothing in between. They expect Cardassians to provide them with resources or even membership, or they are complicit in the abandonment of Cardassian worlds to the Federation. The Maquis, conversely, view these Cardassians as, at the least, grounds for the Union to legitimise its involvement, and at worst actively involved in the Union’s military ambitions for the region. Attacks by the Maquis on Cardassian residents, or their infrastructure, are not uncommon, with the Maquis claiming a settlement is a forward outpost, supply depot, or surveillance outpost for the Union or the True Way. More and more, Cardassian residents are reaching out to the Union for assistance, not trusting they will be protected by Starfleet. But they will not lose their homes - they have lived there for generations, after all.

Starfleet

Starfleet largely withdrew from the region after the Attack on Mars. It returned on a mission of diplomacy to stop the True Way, working with the Cardassian Union and trying to restore peace and confidence in Starfleet among the locals who distrusted the Federation. This has been almost shattered by the new outbreak of violence.

Starfleet cannot stand by idly while the True Way or the Maquis attack Federation or Cardassian citizens; nor can it allow the Cardassian Union to pursue justice unilaterally against Federation citizens in Federation space. Forces are, however, stretched thin after Frontier Day and with new tensions arising with the Klingon Empire. Starfleet cannot afford direct conflict, and knows that too strong a hand may trigger it with the wrong encounter. As such, Starfleet has tried to apply as light a touch as possible, sending ships on limited patrols and otherwise dispatching them to respond to specific problems. Wherever possible, they must attempt to resolve encounters with diplomacy.

The Cardassian Union

The Cardassian Union has some authority in the former DMZ. Once-empty treaties empower them to cross the border in response to requests for aid from Cardassian citizens who are residents in Federation space. Those treaties now enable the Union to involve itself directly in the chaos.

The Detapa Council tries to discourage this at all points, seeking diplomatic solutions and cooperative missions with Starfleet. It is not uncommon for a Cardassian ship to notify Starfleet before it responds to such a request for aid; if Starfleet does not send a ship to resolve the matter or accompany them, then they go on alone. Central Command is much more eager to demonstrate Cardassian might and show they, and not the Federation, can maintain order and safety in the old DMZ.

If Cardassian ships enter the DMZ, they need a stated purpose - almost always a direct request for aid from a Cardassian resident of the DMZ, or a response to a specific threat. Captains have often twisted this, expressing the general state of crisis to be a request for aid, or considering ‘the Maquis’ a specific threat. The Detapa Council usually looks dimly on such exploitations of diplomatic agreements, but resolutions between politicians come once confrontations are over; they rarely end them.

Formally, the True Way are enemies of the Cardassian Union, renegades who were stirred to action by their hatred of the government’s perceived weakness. Many Cardassian officers view them as traitors and instigators. Others may be more sympathetic, while others still may abhor them, but consider them a lesser evil than the violent Maquis or even Starfleet, and turn a blind eye to their activities.

The True Way

Born from the ranks of the disgruntled military leaders abandoned by Central Command to bridge a new accord with the Detapa Council, the True Way started out trying to bloody the Union’s and Federation’s noses in the name of Cardassian pride. Now they find themselves in an increasingly-violent frontier as the main instigators of chaos. They continue to pass no comment on their role in the destruction of Outpost C-91. It is also unclear if there is any truth to the claims they were funded by Central Command, but it seems increasingly likely that, since the escalation, they have found themselves powerful benefactors.

They seek, above all, to destabilise Federation control over the DMZ by attacking infrastructure and causing chaos. More and more, they go head-to-head with the Maquis. While they primarily employ insurgency tactics, they have ships of their own, though these are enough to threaten freighters and shuttles - not a starship.

The New Maquis

Formally just called ‘the Maquis,’ this organisation follows in the footsteps of the one formed and destroyed in the 2370s fighting for the rights of Federation citizens abandoned by treaties with the Cardassian Union. With Starfleet perceived as ignoring the region anew after Mars, and Cardassian violence and involvement increasing through the True Way, locals of the DMZ have once again taken up arms for their home. Many of them express that Starfleet spent the last two years more interested in playing nice with Cardassia than uprooting the True Way as they killed Federation citizens, and now it’s time to strike back.

They consider the presence of many Cardassian residents of the DMZ to be an ideological threat or a direct security risk. While they do not target civilians directly, they are prepared to sabotage their way of life enough to drive them out. Primarily, they strike against any target they consider could provide a military advantage to the True Way or the Cardassian Union. They have also not limited their operations to Federation space, making increasing forays across the border to sabotage Cardassian military infrastructure.

While they only have a small array of ships, largely used for transport rather than combat, and are incapable of facing any but the True Way head-on in a fight, it is unclear from where the Maquis have gathered their equipment. Starfleet Intelligence suspects malcontents have spent the past decade stealing Starfleet equipment, unsecured under lax security protocols during the downturn, in anticipation of a return to hostilities.

In Play

  • The former Demilitarized Zone is Federation territory largely left alone for over fifteen years. It is a disparate region of people who feel they owe the Federation little and would prefer to go their own way.
  • Now it has become a powder-keg, with insurgent groups clashing, civilians caught in the middle, and the Cardassian military eager to demonstrate they, and not the Federation, can keep the region safe. While many people can traverse it safely, insurgency attacks are not uncommon from either the Maquis or the True Way.
  • Cardassians who live in the DMZ are an unknown factor for any Starfleet captain. They might prefer life under the Federation or want protection from the True Way or Maquis and cooperate. Or they might resent living under Federation rule and sympathise or actively support the True Way. Proceed with caution.
  • Federation citizens in the region remember they or their families were betrayed by Starfleet before. They refuse to let it happen again, and so are often unwilling to accept or give help, and in many cases are sympathetic to the new Maquis. Starfleet wants to restore their confidence in the Federation to cut off the Maquis’s support structure.
  • The True Way sees anyone who does not support returning these worlds to Cardassian control as the enemy. They will steal resources from civilians, attack Starfleet and the Union alike, and try to recruit from Cardassian residents.
  • The Maquis seek to drive Cardassians out of the DMZ. While this mostly applies to Central Command, this can also include Cardassian residents. They rarely target civilians but may try to make their lives difficult to drive them back voer the border.
  • Cardassian Central Command is eager to involve itself in the DMZ. Ships with the slightest diplomatic excuse will cross the border to help Cardassian residents or particularly to hunt down the Maquis, or even the True Way. While this may lead to cooperative missions with Starfleet, some Guls may try to go it alone and enforce Cardassian justice.