I recently gave some "what the Star Trek characters have been doing" updates on another forum, and it got me thinking, specifically about the upcoming five-year time-jump for the DS9 novels.
While I can sorta see DS9/Bajor itself striking a (relative) equilibrium for a few years (much as I'd love an "episodic" string of character-based DS9 stories a la CoE), the Gamma Quadrant situation could spiral into a Dominion civil war.
I've seen people say that Olympus Descending (when the Founders leave) would signal the collapse of the Dominion, but I don't think that's so clear-cut. I figured that the Dominion, as a political entity, still existed, just with Odo and Laas now being heads of state.
The Founders never seemed to be ubiquitous within the Dominion anyway; they seemed to delegate pretty much everything to the Vorta. Using Fridge Logic, I'm guessing there were numerous "grades" of Vorta, ranging from guys like Weyoun (who had personal contact with the Founders) down to ship commanders several steps down the chain of command (who might meet a Founder "accidentally" in the field, but would otherwise get their orders from other Vorta).
For most of the Dominion, I doubt the Breaking of the Great Link even registered. Most Vorta may not even know (I can see Weyoun and Odo keeping it quiet to prevent panic). The Jem'Hadar have probably figured out that something's up, but they're too disciplined to say or do anything. Then there are the "rebel" Jem'Hadar (like Kitana'Klan, or perhaps the "Alphas" born during the War), who would no doubt view the Severing of the Link as further disgrace --and may even blame Odo for the Dominion's failure in the War. If the Founders are their gods, then Odo would inevitably be the Devil. . .
I always figured that the logical outcome of Olympus Descending was that Odo and Laas would end up desperately trying to keep everything stable as word gradually got out. Odo would know that the government's collapse would lead to chaos (not just as a Founder, but as a lawman --one who lived through the Cardassian Withdrawal), and I can't see him letting that happen.
In fact, I can see Odo using this to fast-track some of the changes he's been wanting to make to Dominion society (i.e., to free them from blind obedience and slavery). I can see him instituting a Council, either based on the Federation or on the Bajoran Chamber of Ministers (if only because I'd expect Odo to be more familiar with Bajoran government than with the Federation's).
Maybe take a page from the Xindi and have two reps from each species. I don't know Laas well enough to guess what he'll do, but I know he and Odo don't always see eye-to-eye. For Odo, this would be an inevitable way to ensure his "brother" has a voice, but it could easily also work out in Odo's favour (Odo doesn't have enough political cunning/cynicism to do use Laas deliberately, but he could easily get "lucky" [and then feel guilty when he realizes how he's inadvertently manipulating people]).
It's easy to believe the Founders are gods when you only ever meet one at a time, telling you what to do, but seeing two Founders disagreeing and arguing over their vision for the Dominion would force even the Jem'Hadar to think about what they want. The fact that at least one of these Founders is willing to listen to their input (in a context where it's clearly invited and not potential insubordination), would itself be a huge step toward Jem'Hadar liberation.
(I think the main hurdle with Jem'Hadar liberation is the fact that Dominion society is built on the understanding that Jem'Hadar have no opinions. Even if someone does want to think for themselves, they have no real outlet other than open defiance.)
When Taran'atar finishes helping the Even Odds, he'd probably make a great representative (until Odo finds out about the "nearly killing Nerys" thing). Weyoun is a shoe-in, and that would put pretty much all our Gamma Quadrant characters in the same place.
He might even reach out to the Eav'oq, knowing that they wouldn't be inclined to kowtow automatically to the Founders/Vorta/Jem'Hadar --they'd be a neutral voice, and a logical species to build a diplomatic bridge with the Alpha Quadrant (because of both their link to Bajor and their uninvolvement with the war) .
Of course (and unknown to Odo), this would risk embroiling the Dominion in the Ascendants' War, which could turn out to be the first test of Odo's "new order." There might even be rebel Jem'Hadar who might well end up joining the Ascendants against Odo, seeing the Ascendants as new Gods to replace the "disgraced" Founders.
The fact that the Ascendants' armour/skin looks like flowing silver (compared to the Founders' liquid gold) also opens a wealth of potential "divine" associations.
While I can sorta see DS9/Bajor itself striking a (relative) equilibrium for a few years (much as I'd love an "episodic" string of character-based DS9 stories a la CoE), the Gamma Quadrant situation could spiral into a Dominion civil war.
I've seen people say that Olympus Descending (when the Founders leave) would signal the collapse of the Dominion, but I don't think that's so clear-cut. I figured that the Dominion, as a political entity, still existed, just with Odo and Laas now being heads of state.
The Founders never seemed to be ubiquitous within the Dominion anyway; they seemed to delegate pretty much everything to the Vorta. Using Fridge Logic, I'm guessing there were numerous "grades" of Vorta, ranging from guys like Weyoun (who had personal contact with the Founders) down to ship commanders several steps down the chain of command (who might meet a Founder "accidentally" in the field, but would otherwise get their orders from other Vorta).
For most of the Dominion, I doubt the Breaking of the Great Link even registered. Most Vorta may not even know (I can see Weyoun and Odo keeping it quiet to prevent panic). The Jem'Hadar have probably figured out that something's up, but they're too disciplined to say or do anything. Then there are the "rebel" Jem'Hadar (like Kitana'Klan, or perhaps the "Alphas" born during the War), who would no doubt view the Severing of the Link as further disgrace --and may even blame Odo for the Dominion's failure in the War. If the Founders are their gods, then Odo would inevitably be the Devil. . .
I always figured that the logical outcome of Olympus Descending was that Odo and Laas would end up desperately trying to keep everything stable as word gradually got out. Odo would know that the government's collapse would lead to chaos (not just as a Founder, but as a lawman --one who lived through the Cardassian Withdrawal), and I can't see him letting that happen.
In fact, I can see Odo using this to fast-track some of the changes he's been wanting to make to Dominion society (i.e., to free them from blind obedience and slavery). I can see him instituting a Council, either based on the Federation or on the Bajoran Chamber of Ministers (if only because I'd expect Odo to be more familiar with Bajoran government than with the Federation's).
Maybe take a page from the Xindi and have two reps from each species. I don't know Laas well enough to guess what he'll do, but I know he and Odo don't always see eye-to-eye. For Odo, this would be an inevitable way to ensure his "brother" has a voice, but it could easily also work out in Odo's favour (Odo doesn't have enough political cunning/cynicism to do use Laas deliberately, but he could easily get "lucky" [and then feel guilty when he realizes how he's inadvertently manipulating people]).
It's easy to believe the Founders are gods when you only ever meet one at a time, telling you what to do, but seeing two Founders disagreeing and arguing over their vision for the Dominion would force even the Jem'Hadar to think about what they want. The fact that at least one of these Founders is willing to listen to their input (in a context where it's clearly invited and not potential insubordination), would itself be a huge step toward Jem'Hadar liberation.
(I think the main hurdle with Jem'Hadar liberation is the fact that Dominion society is built on the understanding that Jem'Hadar have no opinions. Even if someone does want to think for themselves, they have no real outlet other than open defiance.)
When Taran'atar finishes helping the Even Odds, he'd probably make a great representative (until Odo finds out about the "nearly killing Nerys" thing). Weyoun is a shoe-in, and that would put pretty much all our Gamma Quadrant characters in the same place.
He might even reach out to the Eav'oq, knowing that they wouldn't be inclined to kowtow automatically to the Founders/Vorta/Jem'Hadar --they'd be a neutral voice, and a logical species to build a diplomatic bridge with the Alpha Quadrant (because of both their link to Bajor and their uninvolvement with the war) .
Of course (and unknown to Odo), this would risk embroiling the Dominion in the Ascendants' War, which could turn out to be the first test of Odo's "new order." There might even be rebel Jem'Hadar who might well end up joining the Ascendants against Odo, seeing the Ascendants as new Gods to replace the "disgraced" Founders.
The fact that the Ascendants' armour/skin looks like flowing silver (compared to the Founders' liquid gold) also opens a wealth of potential "divine" associations.
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