Where were [...] during the Dominion War?
- Thread starter Arpy
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I don't see how the Gorn could've come into things at all. They're not that big or powerful, and they're mainly concerned with their own space. Not really helpful for either side (unless you could convince them that Cardassian space was theirs? But I think they're supposed to be all the way on the other side of the Federation, anyway)
The Guardian of Forever would've been a very dangerous thing to use, especially if you accidentally led the Founders to find out about its existence. But I could see Section 31 trying anyway if they had access to it. Take the anti-founder disease to the founder homeworld tens years in the past so the Dominion crumbles before the wormhole is discovered. That's assuming someone knows how to direct the Guardians focus, of course.
I can't really remember off the top of my head what the Talarians were about.
Other things that could've come into play?
Obviously, there's a lot of technology that fell by the wayside for no clear reason (except of course that keeping it around would make everything too easy). The phase cloak would've been very useful. The ability to heal or de-age people in the transporter. The ability to duplicate people with a transporter. General slingshotting around a star time travel (send the whole fleet back in time a few days and prevent the fall of DS9). The klingon 'fire while cloaked' design.
As far as other species that could've been put to use - the Zakdorn ought to have been in some strategy meetings. Betazoid interrogators would've been very useful. The First Federation would've made impressive allies. The Ferengi theoretically ought to've been more active as well (Ferengi Marauders are apparently seriously powerful ships, even if the Ferengi don't like to fight; and the Dominion was a major threat to them just like to everyone else). Wesley crusher should've had some impressive abilities he could contribute (though I suppose he simply might not have been around at that point).
The Guardian of Forever would've been a very dangerous thing to use, especially if you accidentally led the Founders to find out about its existence. But I could see Section 31 trying anyway if they had access to it. Take the anti-founder disease to the founder homeworld tens years in the past so the Dominion crumbles before the wormhole is discovered. That's assuming someone knows how to direct the Guardians focus, of course.
I can't really remember off the top of my head what the Talarians were about.
Other things that could've come into play?
Obviously, there's a lot of technology that fell by the wayside for no clear reason (except of course that keeping it around would make everything too easy). The phase cloak would've been very useful. The ability to heal or de-age people in the transporter. The ability to duplicate people with a transporter. General slingshotting around a star time travel (send the whole fleet back in time a few days and prevent the fall of DS9). The klingon 'fire while cloaked' design.
As far as other species that could've been put to use - the Zakdorn ought to have been in some strategy meetings. Betazoid interrogators would've been very useful. The First Federation would've made impressive allies. The Ferengi theoretically ought to've been more active as well (Ferengi Marauders are apparently seriously powerful ships, even if the Ferengi don't like to fight; and the Dominion was a major threat to them just like to everyone else). Wesley crusher should've had some impressive abilities he could contribute (though I suppose he simply might not have been around at that point).
Looking at my post in this thread, I'm seeing the First Federation, the Tamarians, and maybe the Sheliak as comparable powers, and if I'm Federation president, I'm going to pick up the space-phone and give them a call during the war. The Talarians, Tzenkethi, Jarada, Gorn, Nausicans, and others were lesser powers and ones that should be terrified of a new superpower rising that's about to conquer Cardassia, the Federation, the Klingons, and maybe the Romulans.
Did they all sign non-aggression pacts with the Dominion like the Tholians, Miradorn, and Bajorans? I didn't see any of their ships in the Federation Alliance armadas cutting into Cardassia, so what gives?
My guess with hyperpowers like the Metrons and even the Guardian is that they choose to stay out of such things, but as with the Iconian gateway the Jem'Hadar were after, I think every ancient tech was used or attempted to be used wherever possible. Maybe there should be a novel about a Preserver array that the Klingons blew up a star-system to thwart. Re slingshotting around a sun, I think there must be some reason it isn't as easy as it seems, or you'd think any average criminal would do it to steal stuff, let alone any nation to conquer any other.
Did they all sign non-aggression pacts with the Dominion like the Tholians, Miradorn, and Bajorans? I didn't see any of their ships in the Federation Alliance armadas cutting into Cardassia, so what gives?
My guess with hyperpowers like the Metrons and even the Guardian is that they choose to stay out of such things, but as with the Iconian gateway the Jem'Hadar were after, I think every ancient tech was used or attempted to be used wherever possible. Maybe there should be a novel about a Preserver array that the Klingons blew up a star-system to thwart. Re slingshotting around a sun, I think there must be some reason it isn't as easy as it seems, or you'd think any average criminal would do it to steal stuff, let alone any nation to conquer any other.
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I think they were all sipping Earl Gray with Picard on the Enterprise-E.
Given the size of their ships, my guess is that the First Federation are kind of an older power that for the most part is focusing on its own separate development apart from some of the younger powers. They're not Metrons or anything like that, and they'll trade with others, but they can take care of themselves and prefer to keep apart. I think the Dominion would certainly pose a threat to them, but they just never thought things were quite dire enough to turn back.
The Gorn are either now part of the Federation (Cestus III I think is a Federation world), were conquered by the Klingons (that'd be pretty cool so show them as tough, and their empire a multi-special one), or went extinct.
The Sheliak are too far away to care and corporate negotiations were taking too long. They, like their fellow non-humanoid Tholians, decided to wait it out. Maybe they'd attack later when all sides were weakened.
The Tzenkethi and the Jarada were waiting to see which way the wind was blowing before committing. They feared the Dominion but were also being wooed by it. The Tzenkethi especially liked the Dominion's genetic-engineering techs (see DS9 Relaunch novels), and the Jarada the highly respectful overtures of the Vorta.
The Nausicans are more mercenaries and mobsters than soldiers. They deal with civilians, not militaries.
The Tamarians were a little far off and communication still an issue there. They kept to themselves and their neighbors unsure how the larger game would play out. Federation diplomats got them to send aid and maintain regional order but they didn't commit to war.
The Talarians did fight on the side of the Federation Alliance but on the Breen front, away from Cardassia.
The Gorn are either now part of the Federation (Cestus III I think is a Federation world), were conquered by the Klingons (that'd be pretty cool so show them as tough, and their empire a multi-special one), or went extinct.
The Sheliak are too far away to care and corporate negotiations were taking too long. They, like their fellow non-humanoid Tholians, decided to wait it out. Maybe they'd attack later when all sides were weakened.
The Tzenkethi and the Jarada were waiting to see which way the wind was blowing before committing. They feared the Dominion but were also being wooed by it. The Tzenkethi especially liked the Dominion's genetic-engineering techs (see DS9 Relaunch novels), and the Jarada the highly respectful overtures of the Vorta.
The Nausicans are more mercenaries and mobsters than soldiers. They deal with civilians, not militaries.
The Tamarians were a little far off and communication still an issue there. They kept to themselves and their neighbors unsure how the larger game would play out. Federation diplomats got them to send aid and maintain regional order but they didn't commit to war.
The Talarians did fight on the side of the Federation Alliance but on the Breen front, away from Cardassia.
The First Federation may be powerless. They seem to have depended on their big scary ball to frighten off enemies. Maybe that blew the entire defence budget. Maybe there is no First Federation. Maybe Balok made it up...
The Organians are disgusted by the very idea of interfering, and only did so before because they seemed to have no choice, since all the bad people wouldn't just go away and leave them alone...
The Organians are disgusted by the very idea of interfering, and only did so before because they seemed to have no choice, since all the bad people wouldn't just go away and leave them alone...
Re the Organians, Metrons, and other higher powers, I wonder what their "territory" is like. Usually Trek maps show the midlevel powers' territory. Lower, pre-warp no (as they likely don't have but a star system or two), but what's the deal with higher ones? Where are the Organians if they don't light up half the galaxy?
Most of the middle sized powers near the Federation probably signed non-aggression pacts with the Dominion early. The Dominion wanted to face one enemy at a time.
It seems likely at some point the Organians got annoyed or bored of keeping the peace and either shut up shop or just plain left. They had almost Q-like powers, no reason to stay on one planet or worry about territory.
Overall, maybe everyone just leaves well alone? If told to get knotted, the Federation would. The Klingons would not find "honourable" deaths in getting instantly vapourised without firing a shot. The Romulans would be too pragmatic.
The Borg would have a go at assimilating the Metrons maybe, but how many thousands of cubes would they waste? They seem to never be able to spare many to deal with the Federation, and their losses in the hundreds of cubes to species 8472 were a considerable worry, so they only have thousands of ships, not millions.
They'd all just discovered Internet porn and were busy.
They were all busy fighting a group of Sovereign and Intrepid class vessels.
I think most Alpha/Beta quadrant powers would be rooting for the Federation/Klingon/Romulan alliance. Even the fascists or isolationists [Tholians for example] would probably prefer the status quo rather than the Dominion. It should be clear to any species with any sense that the Dominion won't stop with just defeating the Federation/Klingons/Romulan alliance. Plus, the 'big three' squabbling as usual is probably better for a lot of the 'weaker' races than a single Dominion spanning 3 quadrants.
So what were they all doing? Well, I have two main thoughts on that:
1. We don't see everything that happened during the war in DS9. It's a big, huge war. Because we aren't told what a race is doing does leave the door open for them to be helping or doing something. I can't imagine, realistically, that many races sat back and twiddled their thumbs [Antennae, Claws...] as the result of the war would have vast consequences.
2. I think WW2 is the best example of what the Dominion War would have been like. It's such a huge conflict that everyone would be affected by it regardless of formal DOW's or not. Perhaps some species sent supplies to the Alliance, or perhaps others allowed volunteers from their fleets to go and fight [Spaniards fought in the Western front for Germany, Irish troops fought for the Allies but both nations were neutral]. While some may have flirted with the Dominion: there could have been secret agreements between races I.E: "If Earth falls and victory looks assured, then we will jump in on the Dominion's side but not before."
Hmm, in any conflict, neighbouring powers tend to have a big influence on proceedings as well. We never see an offical Star Trek map but...whoever neighbours the Breen/Cardassians can't be thrilled with the prospect of those two powers becoming major players post-war if the Dominion win.
I'd also assume there are a million cool stories we just have to fill in with our imaginations. Hero captains, daring raids, amazing strategists...hell, Picard and the Enterprise probably got into some interesting scenarios during the war.
So what were they all doing? Well, I have two main thoughts on that:
1. We don't see everything that happened during the war in DS9. It's a big, huge war. Because we aren't told what a race is doing does leave the door open for them to be helping or doing something. I can't imagine, realistically, that many races sat back and twiddled their thumbs [Antennae, Claws...] as the result of the war would have vast consequences.
2. I think WW2 is the best example of what the Dominion War would have been like. It's such a huge conflict that everyone would be affected by it regardless of formal DOW's or not. Perhaps some species sent supplies to the Alliance, or perhaps others allowed volunteers from their fleets to go and fight [Spaniards fought in the Western front for Germany, Irish troops fought for the Allies but both nations were neutral]. While some may have flirted with the Dominion: there could have been secret agreements between races I.E: "If Earth falls and victory looks assured, then we will jump in on the Dominion's side but not before."
Hmm, in any conflict, neighbouring powers tend to have a big influence on proceedings as well. We never see an offical Star Trek map but...whoever neighbours the Breen/Cardassians can't be thrilled with the prospect of those two powers becoming major players post-war if the Dominion win.
I'd also assume there are a million cool stories we just have to fill in with our imaginations. Hero captains, daring raids, amazing strategists...hell, Picard and the Enterprise probably got into some interesting scenarios during the war.
I just had a nice thought-- as the war looks more and more hopeless for the Feds etc., it becomes a continuity fan's wet dream, as every single option such as those in this thread is pulled out and pursued. It all escalates. Every God-like TOS alien is wooed. They dig up Gary Lockwood. Charlie X's and Trelane's folks are pleaded with. Eventually a god army is assembled out of what few beings thought it was a good idea. Some though think the Dominion is more fun, and sign up with them, so the Universe is destroyed by both sides' god surrogates, while Starfleet higher ups vacation on Risa.
There is a fun novel "The Battle of Betazed" about them getting involved in liberating Betazed, one of the better novels set during the Dominion War and before you had to buy ten books to read one story.
Most of them kept their distance whilst the big powers did their fighting for them. Not very satisfactory in some senses but it makes sense to do it. As long as your little power was quiet what they did didn't effect you. Worst case scenario you play nice to the Vorta that got assigned to look over your shoulder.
I would have loved to have seen an epic melodramatic tussle between a Gorn and Weyoun. 
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