I know there are a lot of other threads about DS9 right now, but I want this focus to be a bit different. Ignore DS9 "catching up", ignore the Typhon Pact, and just think about the storylines running right now. I contend that this is a perfect time to do a huge jump forwards, because there are almost no short-term plots developed at the moment, but a ton of long-term ones.
Let's think about this.
1) Cardassia. We know about Cardassia from Destiny anyway. We know about the cultural movements so far from Never-Ending Sacrifice. There's nothing that could happen between Soul Key and Rough Beasts that would be a game-changer. We know this story already.
2) Trill. Trill is totally on hold until the symbionts regenerate, which we've been told will take years.
3) Andor/Shar. He said he'd be back "someday". The Soul Key is only a couple months after that. He'd clearly be coming back some years in the future. Plus, given the events of Destiny, we now have a beautiful story to be told about his lost time, potentially.
4) The Ascendants. Iliana just showed up, and they just started "gathering". There is no reason to assume that this would imply any kind of action on their part in the short-term; they're just getting organized! Foreshadowing has been done in many of the other novels for events far more in the future than 5 years, and I find an attack or aggressive action more plausible after some years than after some weeks.
5) The mirror universe. It's now off on its own anyway; doesn't need to be even mentioned.
6) Ezri. Ezri's arc, from Avatar > Soul Key, was perfect - she switched to command, slowly gained confidence, ended up commanding the Defiant, and realized she needed to leave. Her arc is done. We don't need a book just after the Soul Key with her leaving the station; we have the whole story already. And her relationship with Bashir is ended.
7) Vaughn. He's found his purpose, he's committed to being a Starfleet officer. He's decided to ignore Sisko. He's where he wants to be. End of his first arc, also.
8) Bajor / the Federation. Bajor has joined, the growing pains have been lived through. Nothing important need happen in the short term, unlike at the end of Unity, where there were several threads that needed to be resolved immediately.
9) Taran'atar. He's finally realized that he's been living under others' control, and is off to the Gamma Quadrant on what seems like a long journey of self-fulfillment. This would of course take a long time; we probably wouldn't hear from him for a few books anyway, just like Jake.
10) Sisko. He's settled into family life, as has Jake. He's been basically barred by Vaughn from interfering in Starfleet affairs. He's on vacation. There are things he could be doing in the short term, but nothing that must be resolved immediately.
11) The Dominion. They've disbanded. There's nothing happening there for a while, either. This may be the only thing on the list with the potential for a story right now explaining what's going on, but even that would have to be an encounter with one Founder, because they're all separate. I can totally see this being a more interesting development if we wait a while and see what the Quadrant is like with the Link dispersed, and everyone knowing about it.
So, all 11 of what I feel are the relaunch's major, ongoing storylines at this point are in a position where nothing is going to happen on any of them in the short term. 5 years may be a bit of a stretch, but if the next book had occurred even within a year of Soul Key, I would think they'd have had to ignore all of them, or stretch the timing in the other direction anyway. At WORST, it's completely plausible to extend the further developments in these storylines by 5 years, even if you don't agree it's better.
And I, personally, am much more interested in what happens after a few years in any of these stories than I am interested in what happens tomorrow.
Really, is there any story right now that is demanding, or even wanting, for any sort of short-term resolution?
Let's think about this.
1) Cardassia. We know about Cardassia from Destiny anyway. We know about the cultural movements so far from Never-Ending Sacrifice. There's nothing that could happen between Soul Key and Rough Beasts that would be a game-changer. We know this story already.
2) Trill. Trill is totally on hold until the symbionts regenerate, which we've been told will take years.
3) Andor/Shar. He said he'd be back "someday". The Soul Key is only a couple months after that. He'd clearly be coming back some years in the future. Plus, given the events of Destiny, we now have a beautiful story to be told about his lost time, potentially.
4) The Ascendants. Iliana just showed up, and they just started "gathering". There is no reason to assume that this would imply any kind of action on their part in the short-term; they're just getting organized! Foreshadowing has been done in many of the other novels for events far more in the future than 5 years, and I find an attack or aggressive action more plausible after some years than after some weeks.
5) The mirror universe. It's now off on its own anyway; doesn't need to be even mentioned.
6) Ezri. Ezri's arc, from Avatar > Soul Key, was perfect - she switched to command, slowly gained confidence, ended up commanding the Defiant, and realized she needed to leave. Her arc is done. We don't need a book just after the Soul Key with her leaving the station; we have the whole story already. And her relationship with Bashir is ended.
7) Vaughn. He's found his purpose, he's committed to being a Starfleet officer. He's decided to ignore Sisko. He's where he wants to be. End of his first arc, also.
8) Bajor / the Federation. Bajor has joined, the growing pains have been lived through. Nothing important need happen in the short term, unlike at the end of Unity, where there were several threads that needed to be resolved immediately.
9) Taran'atar. He's finally realized that he's been living under others' control, and is off to the Gamma Quadrant on what seems like a long journey of self-fulfillment. This would of course take a long time; we probably wouldn't hear from him for a few books anyway, just like Jake.
10) Sisko. He's settled into family life, as has Jake. He's been basically barred by Vaughn from interfering in Starfleet affairs. He's on vacation. There are things he could be doing in the short term, but nothing that must be resolved immediately.
11) The Dominion. They've disbanded. There's nothing happening there for a while, either. This may be the only thing on the list with the potential for a story right now explaining what's going on, but even that would have to be an encounter with one Founder, because they're all separate. I can totally see this being a more interesting development if we wait a while and see what the Quadrant is like with the Link dispersed, and everyone knowing about it.
So, all 11 of what I feel are the relaunch's major, ongoing storylines at this point are in a position where nothing is going to happen on any of them in the short term. 5 years may be a bit of a stretch, but if the next book had occurred even within a year of Soul Key, I would think they'd have had to ignore all of them, or stretch the timing in the other direction anyway. At WORST, it's completely plausible to extend the further developments in these storylines by 5 years, even if you don't agree it's better.
And I, personally, am much more interested in what happens after a few years in any of these stories than I am interested in what happens tomorrow.
Really, is there any story right now that is demanding, or even wanting, for any sort of short-term resolution?
I think I agree, it will be more rewarding to return to these story threads at a point some years distant, so actual and significant development can have occurred. At the moment, as you say, the immediate issues have been resolved (save Odo and Laas, whose story between 2377 and 2382 is one I definitely want to see in full). I also agree it will be more realistic and satisfying to have any big events involving the Ascendants, etc, taking place years after "The Soul Key" rather than weeks (they've still got the Dominion or what's left of it to plow through, for one thing). Thank you for this post. It serves as a very convincing defense of the decision to jump forward 
. I'm sure in the long run that the Ascendants won't be forgotten. It's been hinted at for years...
