How do you think Dukat and Seska were able to genetically alter their physiology?

[Tim Thomason]

This matches the fan theory that Bajorans and Cardassians are the same species, or at least did a whole lot of the interbreeding in the long, long ago that they are just very genetically compatible. Bajor is a 500,000-year-old civilization, older than almost any other civilization in Star Trek, save the Talosians and some of those non-corporeals, which boggles the mind when you realize that they are barely warp-capable by DS9 times.

Cardassians (Hebitians?) might be genetically engineered foot soldiers of the ancient Bajorans. Their version of Remans.

 

[Finn]

Empok Nor, they left elite soldiers in stasis pods, and one of them was damaged and failed

Oh right. The one where Garak freaks out-

This matches the fan theory that Bajorans and Cardassians are the same species, or at least did a whole lot of the interbreeding in the long, long ago that they are just very genetically compatible. Bajor is a 500,000-year-old civilization, older than almost any other civilization in Star Trek, save the Talosians and some of those non-corporeals, which boggles the mind when you realize that they are barely warp-capable by DS9 times.

Cardassians (Hebitians?) might be genetically engineered foot soldiers of the ancient Bajorans. Their version of Remans.

 

[Farscape One]

About the Bajorans... I've always thought that their belief in the Prophets rather hindered them to evolve much, which would explain why they are not so technologically advanced for such an old civilization.

I know races in the franchise tend to be a single religion for a whole species, which would be rather ridiculous, but given how much time we spent with the Bajorans, and how we know the Prophets do exist, I find that in this case it's very possible, even likely, that this single religion can be completely the one thing the whole species believes in, save for those few that go the Pah-Wraith route.

I think they were plateaued in their technological development because their spirituality overrode their sense of exploration. Of course, you've got those few who did both, which is why we saw solar sails. But overall, I don't think they ever saw a need to do much more... at least, until the Cardassians.

In an odd and horrible way, the Cardassian Occupation might have actually did Bajor a favor in the long run for them.

One other thing that could be a factor... warp drive. It's very possible the resources that make warp possible is either missing or in extremely small supply on Bajor and their system. Might be a reason why they invented solar sails to begin with.

 

[Tosk]

Or maybe they simply aren't interested in advancing their technology. It happens here and there when needed, but they have no drive to strive. They are aliens, and not everyone is gonna view advancement the same way.

 

[TommyR01D]

Nanites. Probably nanites.

I'd say a chameleon arch.

 

[Court_Vince]

This matches the fan theory that Bajorans and Cardassians are the same species, or at least did a whole lot of the interbreeding in the long, long ago that they are just very genetically compatible. Bajor is a 500,000-year-old civilization, older than almost any other civilization in Star Trek, save the Talosians and some of those non-corporeals, which boggles the mind when you realize that they are barely warp-capable by DS9 times.

Cardassians (Hebitians?) might be genetically engineered foot soldiers of the ancient Bajorans. Their version of Remans.

Wow, how far down does this fan theory go?

 

[kkt]

Wow, how far down does this fan theory go?

"All the way down" - Dax

 

[Bad Thoughts]

trek has always handled dna poorly
editing an adult's dna would not immediately cause physical changes, including already grown hair to change color

Kids, don't quote Star Trek on your science final!

 

[Bad Thoughts]

This matches the fan theory that Bajorans and Cardassians are the same species, or at least did a whole lot of the interbreeding in the long, long ago that they are just very genetically compatible. Bajor is a 500,000-year-old civilization, older than almost any other civilization in Star Trek, save the Talosians and some of those non-corporeals, which boggles the mind when you realize that they are barely warp-capable by DS9 times.

Cardassians (Hebitians?) might be genetically engineered foot soldiers of the ancient Bajorans. Their version of Remans.

And why couldn't it be that the Cardassians did not deliberately use medical/genetic techniques to force pregnancy? I know that some think it is unlikely, but (1) soldiers of some countries have deliberately impregnanted women through rape in order to change the genetic makeup of the oppressed population and (2) some Cardassians have shown a peculiar megalomania with regard to all matters, including sex, most notably one Gul Dukat. I don't think that there is any particular need to explain, for instance, the ability to interbreed, certainly not beyond anything that was already present in TNG's The Chase.

 

[Tim Thomason]

And why couldn't it be that the Cardassians did not deliberately use medical/genetic techniques to force pregnancy? I know that some think it is unlikely, but (1) soldiers of some countries have deliberately impregnanted women through rape in order to change the genetic makeup of the oppressed population and (2) some Cardassians have shown a peculiar megalomania with regard to all matters, including sex, most notably one Gul Dukat. I don't think that there is any particular need to explain, for instance, the ability to interbreed, certainly not beyond anything that was already present in TNG's The Chase.

I didn't mention anything about the interbreeding, although that's usually the primary reasoning for the one-species suggestion (although, I feel, taking in all we know from other episodes still supports this, even if we take out the two instances of hybridization).

War rape and comfort women are apparently a common occurrence in Cardassian operations, or at least those overseen by Dukat, and it wouldn't surprise me to speculate that Tora Ziyal was pre-planned. Really, in fact, Dukat was "in love" with Ziyal's mother, so he perhaps wanted to conceive a child with her. Dukat's a strange enough dude, that anything's possible with him.

The problem is, of course, with the Bajoran Mika's daughter being conceived almost certainly accidentally by her and Dukat. Maybe, just maybe, Cardassians might gene therapy themselves so they can conceive children with Bajorans without medical assistance. And perhaps other humanoid species in general (see also: the accidental Kazon hybrid that Seska while genetically a Bajoran).

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Got 'stache?

 

[Bad Thoughts]

I didn't mention anything about the interbreeding, although that's usually the primary reasoning for the one-species suggestion (although, I feel, taking in all we know from other episodes still supports this, even if we take out the two instances of hybridization).

No, you didn't, but it tends to be exhibit A when it comes to the case for Bajorans and Cardassians being fundamentally the same species. In particular,Tora Ziyal is the centerpiece of the argument (not that I can think of any other half Bajorans, half Cardassians).

Maybe, just maybe, Cardassians might gene therapy themselves so they can conceive children with Bajorans without medical assistance.

I could see that being an unfortunate evolution of the cruelty of war. Sudanese soldiers raped the women of Darfur in order that they would have lighter skinned children. Of course, the writers had neither science nor the evolution of warfare in mind when they developed the storyline of Dukat's affair with Tora Naprem, but if we are going to backdate the science, we can backdate the social science. Cardassian soldiers may well have affected the circumstances of their involvement with Bajoran in order to force them to conceive, whether by changing the nature of their gametes or that of Bajoran women, perhaps unknowingly.

 

[Tosk]

(not that I can think of any other half Bajorans, half Cardassians).

The baby from Covenant.

it tends to be exhibit A when it comes to the case for Bajorans and Cardassians being fundamentally the same species.

Which makes for pretty weak evidence. We already know several of the species in Trek can interbreed without being "originally the same species". Cardassian and Kazon, for example.

 

[Tim Thomason]

The baby from Covenant.

Which makes for pretty weak evidence. We already know several of the species in Trek can interbreed without being "originally the same species". Cardassian and Kazon, for example.

Plus, Cardassians were explicitly (alongside Humans, Klingons and Romulans therefore Vulcans) all genetically seeded by the Progenitors in The Chase, so perhaps they have a closer relationship to the core humanoid makeup and could interbreed more readily than more exotic species.

I prefer to think they can't (and that Vulcans need medical assistance, and there is some onscreen evidence of Klingons needing both assistance and not), and that it's delicious irony for Cardies to be an offshoot of the hinted at ancient Bajoran spacefaring race.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Which makes for pretty weak evidence. We already know several of the species in Trek can interbreed without being "originally the same species". Cardassian and Kazon, for example.

Which is what I wrote.

 

[Tosk]

Musta missed it.