ALTERNATE HISTORY Thread - What would happen if...

[Danoz]

Here's how this works:

I'll start with a simple twist. The genetically enhanced quartet in "Statistical Probabilities" somehow succeed in transferring copious amounts of sensitive Federation information to the Dominion (outposts, shield frequencies, security information, etc.)--- What happens next? (how does this change the timeline?)

Reply with a paragraph describing the outcome, character paths (whatever you want). Then, RESET BUTTON: Come up with your own change in the timeline for the next poster.

 

[Admiral Shran]

The war goes extraordinarily badly for the Federation Alliance. The Dominion conquers the Klingon and Romulan Empires and pushes the Federation back to the core worlds of Earth, Vulcan, Andoria and Tellar. They again set up their military command center on DS9. In the final push toward Earth, Sisko commands what little remains of Starfleet. All looks hopeless until the Prophets take Sisko to the Celestial Temple and he convinces them to spew their rage out of the wormhole. Deep Space Nine is utterly destroyed and all Dominion forces suddenly disappear into nothingness. Sisko then completes his role as Emissary and stops Dukat and Winn in the Fire Caves.

RESET BUTTON!

What if Section 31 had succeeded in their attempt to wipe out the Founders?

 

[Rush Limborg]

The Jem'Hadar commit suicide en masse--but not before fulfilling their collective fantasies of ridding themselves of those slimy, honorless Vorta (I'm speaking from their perspective, Vorta fans!). After their moments of satisfaction, they all fall on their (figurative) swords for failing to defend the Founders (as, indeed, "The Ship" indicates they would). Julian Bashir begrudgingly admits that maybe Section 31 is in the right after all--and joins them, Ezri in tow. The duo goes on all sorts of glamorous adventures in which they save the universe from larger-than-life archvillains, eventually marry each other, and so on....

RESET BUTTON!

What if Jadzia Dax had admitted to Julian her romantic feelings for him, before Worf came along, and our big "might have been" couple had a relationship?

 

[Finn]

Jadzia was still struggling with how distant Julian gotten since they got married. Ezri had come aboard to help sort things out. However, Jadzia did not realize she had married the changeling Bashir. They decided to get a divorce. Jadzia started to move on and fell for Worf.

RESET Button!

What if Jennifer had lived, but Jake was killed at Wolf 359?

 

[Vulcan Princess]

The loss of their only child destroyed their marriage, and they divorce. Ben takes some time off from Starfleet to find himself. When he returns, he is sent to a backwater outpost in orbit of Bajor...

Reset button.

What if Kai Opaka had survived the shuttle crash?

 

[Thestral]

Bajor's spiritual leader prevents the Circle Crisis and advocates closer ties with the Federation, leading Bajor into membership after the destruction of New Bajor by the Dominion. The Federation treats the Dominion fleets as a violation of their space and a shooting war breaks out in the Bajor system before the wormhole is collapsed with Sisko and Opaka inside trying to plead the Prophets' intervention. Bajor withdraws from the Federation in protest and ejects Starfleet from Deep Space Nine.

RESET BUTTON

What if Li Nalas had not died during the Circle Crisis?

 

[Vulcan Princess]

Li Nalas returned to Bajor after the Circle crisis. Wanting a quiet life, he decided to take up farming, and he settled in, becoming friendly with his new neighbors, Shakaar, Furel, and Lupaza. During the soil reclamator crisis, Shakaar is killed. Li reluctantly runs for the position of Prime Minister, beating Winn in a landslide.

Reset Button

What if Bareil had been elected Kai instead of Winn?

 

[Rush Limborg]

Kai arranges for an assasin to plant a bomb on the ship in "Body Parts". This leads her to assume the role of Kai--and her "success" with the Cardassians (with the dying Kai Bareil's help) caused the Vedek Assembly to allow her to keep the title. Kira, suspicious of how convenient it all was, slowly uncovers the conspiracy, and she hits the jackpot upon encountering one of the Winn's henchman, who turned on the Kai due to a disagreement with what she's done since. This leads to a major scandal, which eventually results in civil war. Amid all this, the Klingons and then the Dominion eventually cause the Federation to recall Sisko and crew to a more stable strategic location--after collapsing the wormhole. Thus, the Cardassians re-conquer Bajor.

RESET BUTTON!

What if Ensign Ezri Tigan had been the counselor who helped Miles O'Brien recover from the events of "Hard Time"?

 

[Thestral]

Ensign Tigan remains on the station to provide long-term care for Chief O'Brien and as a general counselor for a far-flung outpost with the tension that has been rising. She becomes good friends with Jadzia Dax, who she looks up to as a "big sister" despite her disinterest towards being Joined, and Jake Sisko, who she begins a romantic relationship with (yes, I WILL work that ship it... ).

Tigan accompanies Dr. Bashir and Jake Sisko to Ajilon Prime after the medical conference; during the chaos of the Klingon attack, Bashir is killed in action. With no Bashir to operate on him and Ben still refusing surgery until the last moment, Captain Sisko dies from the B'Hala visions. An embittered Jake Sisko leaves Deep Space Nine to return to Earth; Ensign Tigan remains on the station, with everyone unaware that she is the one who's been replaced by a Changeling. Lt. Commander Dax is promoted to full Commander and given temporary command of Deep Space Nine before it is transferred to William Ross.

Admiral Ross orders a cloaked Defiant to the Gamma Quadrant under Commander Dax to look for survivors of the Romulan/Cardassian Fleet. The time spent to prepare for a rescue attempt on Interment Camp 371 matches the time spent in the OTL for Garak, Worf, and Bashir to escape - Tigan and Martok are rescued, but without Defiant in the Alpha Quadrant, Changeling Tigan's plan goes through - Bajor's sun is supernovaed, destroying Deep Space Nine, Bajor, and the combined Federation/Klingon/Romulan fleets.

RESET BUTTON

What if the Siskos, Quark, and Nog decide not to take that camping trip in the Gamma Quadrant after all?

 

[Finn]

Few months later, Starfleet decides to send Captain Keogh, an old mentor of Chakotay's, and the Odyssey to the Badlands to search for the whereabouts of Chakotay and his ship. It disappears. Few months later, Sisko was invited by an old friend, Commander Cavit to take Voyager to the Gamma Quadrant where they are attacked by the Jem'Hadar.

Voyager is destroyed, but Sisko and few others manage to escape by shuttlecraft (unlimited supply). Two weeks later, the Dominion invade the Federation for sending them Voyager.

RESET BUTTON!

What if Worf was aboard Deep Space Nine during the events of "If Wishes were Horses"

 

[Danoz]

Worf manifests a diverse array of beasts and enemies from Klingon mythology, including Kahless, and is forced to battle them in the cargo bay with the legendary leader and Jadzia Dax by his side. Julian's advances become even more futile, as this experience ends up with Dax and Worf in a committed relationship. Kahless tells them they have warrior hearts, and disappears, giving their relationship his blessing.

RESET BUTTON!

What if Ro Laren joined the Bajoran Militia and was assigned to DS9 in place of Kira, who was recalled to Bajor shortly after "Emissary" for an intelligence post?

 

[DonIago]

Things are much smoother on DS9 during S1 despite some resentment from the Bajorans over a Starfleet officer, even a Bajoran, serving as first officer while the station is also commanded by a Starfleet officer. There is no religious or other tension between Sisko and Ro.

In S2, things take a turn for the worse. Ro sympathizes with the Maquis, and assists them in procuring weapons and supplies through her access to DS9. Odo contains the Maquis on DS9 but fails to uncover Ro's role before she flees the station.

When the Dominion occupies DS9 Odo rejoins them. Desperate to atone for her mistakes, Ro returns to the station as a Bajoran citizen and joins the resistance cell. She is later executed along with Rom, Jake Sisko and Leeta. Though Defiant reaches the wormhole and Sisko convinces the Prophets to remove the Dominion fleet from our continuum, upon returning to the AQ Defiant is destroyed by Deep Space Nine's weaponry with all hands lost. Consequently the Federation loses the Dominion War.

RESET BUTTON!

What if Kira had joined the Maquis?

 

[TerokNor]

Kira would not have the possibility to mature, but would have continued to live in hate. She would first operate secretly from DS9 for the Maquis, trying to get them what they needed, but the other Niners would have found out quickly. They would have been shocked and dissapointed. Kira would have gone into hiding with other Maquis and live out her revenge against the Cardassians. However the Maquis would not have been more successful with her, in the end they would have been wiped out as well and Kira had died. Depending on who the replacement was for Kira on DS9 her death could have been bad for Damars development, without Kira asking the bold question in his weakest moment, he might have decidet to let Rusot live and kill Garak instead and Rusot would have killed the other Bajoran, Odo might not have been there at all... if Odo would not have been there, the mission of getting the hands on a Breen ship might not even have been taken place and the Federation would not have the possibility to develop a way against the Breen weapon.

RESET BUTTON!

What if Damar had not killed Ziyal?

TerokNor

 

[DonIago]

Dukat doesn't go crazy. Events are largely unchanged, but with Ziyal's encouragement Dukat comes to realize that the Dominion is marginalizing Bajor. In the end Dukat, Ziyal and Damar join the Cardassian resistance. Ziyal and Damar are killed storming the Dominion Command on Cardassia Prime. Dukat vows to create the Cardassia that he believes Ziyal would have wanted....and then Garak kills him for letting Ziyal get killed instead of sending her to DS9 to be safe.

RESET BUTTON!

What if Garak remained within the Obsidian Order and Dukat was abandoned on DS9 when the Cardassians withdrew?

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

RESET BUTTON!

What if Damar had not killed Ziyal?

Darn...I wanted this one! I'd actually written a fanfic with that very premise.

What if Garak remained within the Obsidian Order and Dukat was abandoned on DS9 when the Cardassians withdrew?

Dukat is immediately sent to a war crimes tribunal on Bajor, where he is executed according to Bajoran law over the thunderous protests of the Cardassian people. Over the course of a few years, his death--and the removal of his influence--emboldens resistance leaders on Cardassia like Tekeny Ghemor, Natima Lang, and Aamin Marritza (who had been considering a drastic plan to force Cardassia to face up to its crimes, but felt that it was no longer necessary after Dukat's death). When the Dominion is discovered on the other side of the wormhole, the Obsidian Order and Tal Shiar still try to take on the homeworld in the Omarion Nebula, and Garak dies leading the battle as Tain's "general." In this power vacuum, the Ghemor-Lang-Marritza coalition takes power and initiates reforms. But this time, when the Klingons try to invade, the Federation offers much more than a halfhearted defense: they defend the reforming Cardassia both with intelligence showing how long this emboldened resistance movement has been acting, and with military force. Confronted with this evidence, the Klingons are forced to back down lest they lose face.

Instead of facing a divided quadrant where they can gain a beachhead, the Dominion instead faces a united quadrant. They attempt to continue sowing paranoia through acts of sabotage, but ultimately the reality is that they are trying to fight a war against a quadrant to which they have only one access point, which is mined over Bajoran objections. Once the minefield is deactivated, the Federation--instead of having to worry about a Cardassian front--can instead think about taking the fight to the enemy in the Gamma Quadrant, allowing them, after a bitter, grueling war, to deal out a more decisive defeat.

P.S.: Dukat's daughter is eventually found on Dozaria by Major Kira, and formally adopted by Kira when it becomes clear that because of her father, no one else is willing to care for her.

RESET BUTTON!

What if Odo were executed for treason by Major Kira, for conspiring (and co-mingling) with the Female Founder?

 

[Thor Damar]

The execution of Constable Odo by the Bajoran Republic had unforeseen ramifications for the future of the Alpha and Beta quadrants.
Several years after Odo's death a deadly virus tears through the Great Link. Despite the best efforts of the Vorta the contingent eventually kills all the founders in the most horrific manner. The Dominion, enraged by such a unseen and cowardly attack on their Gods, launch a full scale kamikaze assault upon all non-jem'Hadar lifeforms including the Cardassians.

After several bloody months and the lost of many worlds things and finally brought to an end by Legate Damar who manages to poison the White, killing all the soldiers of the Dominion and leaving the Vorta open to reprisals from an enraged galaxy. None survive for long and those that do have a very, very painful few years left.

The shattered remnants of the Federation Alliance desperately try to rebuild their civilizations with the last few Cardassians eking out a pathetic existence in the wilds of space as pirates, outlaws and madman.

Then, in 2381, the Borg returned....


RESET BUTTON

What if the Depta Council had actually acted upon the intelligence about the Klingon fleet movements in the Cardassian Union obtained by Gul Skrain Dukat and Major Kira Nerys after their capture of a Klingon Bird of Prey?

 

[infinix]

The Cardassian Union deals a preemptive strike to the Klingon fleet, completely destroying it and decisively cripples the Empire. Chancellor Gowron, blinded by his rage, blames the Federation for the defeat and turns its anger against Starfleet. He mounts an all out assault on the Federation but is again defeated. Gowron is murdered and the Klingon Empire plunges into a civil war. Worf resigns from Starfleet, returns to Kronos to help end the civil war.

Federation and Cardassia signs a new peace treaty, against the protest of Bajor. Bajor withdraws its application to enter the Federation and ends all diplomatic relationships, taking back sole control of DS9. The Dominion enters the picture and Bajor is overwhelmed and annexed almost immediately. The Federation/Cardassia Alliance is drawn into a long battle against the Dominion who has complete control over the Bajor system and the warm hole. The Romulan and the Breen joins forces with the Dominion and the tides of war turn against the Federation and the Cardassian Empire.

After 2 years of bloody war, Worf regains control of the Klingon Empire, and throws the last of the Klingon fleet into the fray. But it was too little too late. Federation is on the brink of total defeat. Until the Borg invades the Dominion in the Gamma Quadrant. The Dominion is forced to withdraw from AQ to focus on dealing with the Borg threat. The AQ is left in utter ruins as the Federation, Klingon, and Cardassians continues to fight against the Romulan and the Breen to re-establish control and order. The war goes on for nearly a century. Bajor is devastated beyond repair and the Bajorans are forced to re-settle. The Prophets closes off the worm hole since its people are no longer anywhere near them.

RESET BUTTON:

Half way through the Domion War, the Jem'Hadar develops a resistance to the White addiction and gains freedom from the Vorta and the Founders. What happens now?

 

[TiberiusMaximus]

The Jem'Hadar are split into two camps, those taking advantage of their newfound freedom and those who remain loyal to the Founders. The Free Jem'Hadar consider it their mission to slay the false gods who once enslaved them and help the Federation and it's allies defeat the Dominion. The Jem'Hadar go much further than the others would and exterminate the Great Link and the Vorta. There is a short period of peace, but the free Jem'Hadar grow restless and soon begin attacking everything and everyone they can. Eventually, a small group of Jem'Hadar attack a truly worthy opponent: a cybernetic hive-mind made up of individuals from many species. The Jem'Hadar attract the notice of the collective and are assimilated en masse.

RESET BUTTON!

What if Winn Adami did not intervene and the Pah-Wraith possessing Jake Sisko had defeated the Prophet possessing Kira Nerys?

 

[Finn]

Winn begins a life on the run moving from star system to the next, with Odo chasing after her. Meanwhile, Jake Sisko leads a violent Bajor into an era of dominance across the quadrant.

Reset Button!

What if Bashir left a padd giving the location of the Bajoran wormhole on the original Enterprise?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The Federation discovers the wormhole a century early, and thus first contact - and war - with the Dominion quickly ensues. Around this time, the events of "The Doomsday Machine" take place. The doomsday machine attacks and destroys a Jem'Hadar fleet; the Dominion panics and flees back into the Gamma Quadrant, thinking (thanks to strategically placed fake intel, created by Section 31) that the machine was actually Federation technology. The Dominion is never seen or heard from again, and the Federation is allowed to explore the GQ at will.

RESET BUTTON!

What if Admiral Leyton's coup had succeeded? (Homefront/Paradise Lost)