S31 and the Maquis and the Dominion

[Photon]

Opinions solicited: Did S31 spy on the Maquis?
Were they sympathetic to the Maquis cause?


When did S31 start espionage work on the Dominion after 1st contact?
After Dax/Sisko discovered the Wormhole?
After the failed Tal Shiar/Obsidian Order attack on the Founders?
After the Dukat signed away Cardassia?

 

[Timo]

I'm not sure we should talk about S31 "spying". After all, S31 seems to be a cabal that takes "executive action" to protect the Federation, but works from within the Federation and has access to its resources. No doubt Starfleet Intelligence would be spying on the Maquis and the Gamma Quadrant all the time; S31 would simply get to see all the files, and would work out its sinister plans on basis of that. There would be relatively few S31 field agents, and they'd have better things to do than gather information that the cabal would get in any case.

Also, I doubt S31 would have had sympathy for the Maquis, as the cabal's aim is to protect the Federation and the movement's aim (or consequence) was to disrupt it by seceding. But S31 might not be all that concerned about the Maquis, either, understanding that the organization could not succeed in harming the Federation. They'd only dig their own grave by going against Starfleet and ruining their own public image, thereby strengthening the UFP and tarnishing all future secessionist movements.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Damask]

No doubt Starfleet Intelligence would be spying on the Maquis and the Gamma Quadrant all the time

Aye. Just look at Tuvok.

 

[Foxy]

I would have thought that S31 were looking at all info they could get on the Dominion as soon as they knew they existed.

I guess they would want to know the threat of a any new large empire and start thinking of ways to protect the Federation even before they knew what the Dominion might do.

If they sent an agent through the wormhole, it wouldnt have taken them long to figure out that action from them would most likely be needed at some point

 

[Timo]

I would have thought that S31 were looking at all info they could get on the Dominion as soon as they knew they existed.

And if they gained any intel that Starfleet Intelligence or the UFP Government did not already possess, they would probably send this intel to those organizations ASAP, through suitable channels. Hiding it would only make it more difficult for the Federation to prepare against the obvious threat, and S31 wouldn't want that.

If they sent an agent through the wormhole, it wouldnt have taken them long to figure out that action from them would most likely be needed at some point

Not after Starfleet (or, rather, a pair of bold Ferengi traders) had discovered the Dominion, no. But a S31 agent all by him-, her- or itself wouldn't be able to do much to actually discover the Dominion. It took numerous starships on a number of different missions to finally stumble onto the existence of this empire. S31 would need to rely heavily on such resources. Although perhaps there would be secret channels that S31 could use that would be closed to SF Intel, such as contacts with people the Federation officially doesn't want to be seen with. Say, S31 might form temporary alliances or other deals with bad guys more freely than even SFI does, using all sorts of really really unacceptable methods of payment or coercion.

Timo Saloniemi