Dominion cold war

The Dominion cold war is the unofficial term for the period of time from the "official" Federation First Contact with the Dominion in late 2370 to the outbreak of the Dominion War in late 2373. During this time the powers of the Alpha and Gamma Quadrants attempted to destabilise each other through subterfuge and outright military action.

First Contact

With the discovery of the Bajoran wormhole in 2369, starships and other vessels from the Alpha Quadrant began exploring the new frontier of the Gamma Quadrant. Throughout 2370, rumors of a power known as the Dominion were heard from several sources, but it was not until late 2370 that first contact with Dominion personnel was made by Starfleet commander Benjamin Sisko on a Gamma Quadrant planet.

This contact was not accidental, but instead part of a coordinated introduction and warning by the Dominion. The Dominion had been collecting intelligence on the Alpha Quadrant and vessels coming through the wormhole "anomaly". In addition to Sisko's detention, and planned escape aboard the USS Rio Grande which would've placed a Vorta spy in the Alpha Quadrant, Dominion forces attacked and destroyed several vessels in the Gamma Quadrant, along with the Bajoran colony on New Bajor. A Jem'Hadar fighter was sent through the wormhole, and Jem'Hadar soldier Third Talak'talan boarded the station to deliver news of the attacks and deliver the Dominion's warning.

The Odyssey fires on a Jem'Hadar fighter.

A short time later, the Template:ShipClass USS Odyssey under the command of Captain Keogh arrived at Deep Space 9. Along with the runabouts USS Mekong and USS Orinoco, the Odyssey entered the Gamma Quadrant under orders from Starfleet Command to investigate the Dominion threat and attempt a rescue mission of Commander Sisko, who had been reported alive by the Jem'Hadar.

The destruction of the Odyssey.

The Starfleet force was intercepted and attacked by three Jem'Hadar attack ships. These attack ships were equipped with phased polaron beams that could easily cut through the shields of Starfleet vessels. Sisko and the Rio Grande were retrieved and the Federation vessels were withdrawing, but a Jem'Hadar attack ship broke for the Odyssey and rammed her amidships, resulting in the total destruction of the vessel. (DS9: "The Jem'Hadar")

This Emmy nominated battle sequence was orchestrated by Visual Effects Supervisor Glenn Neufeld and his VFX team. According to Ira Steven Behr, the Jem'Hadar warship, a vessel capable of destroying a Template:ShipClass starship, was introduced to show the viewers that "these guys were not to be taken lightly."

Over the next two years at least three more Starfleet vessels operating in the Gamma Quadrant were lost: the USS Maryland, the USS Proxima, and the USS Sarajevo. (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow")

Overtures for peace

The destruction of the Odyssey caused Starfleet to take a different approach to the Dominion. The USS Defiant, a Federation warship designed to fight the Borg, was assigned to Deep Space 9 with orders to seek out the Founders and convince them that the Federation posed no threat. Negotiations with the Romulan Star Empire resulted in a special amendment being made to the Treaty of Algeron allowing the Federation to install a cloaking device on the Defiant in support of the mission. In return the Federation promised to share all intelligence gathered on the Dominion. (DS9: "The Search, Part I")

The Defiant successfully located the shapeshifting Founders, though the attempt to make peace was unsuccessful. The Founders proved to be a xenophobic species focused on the accumulation and consolidation of power. While the Founders' desire to control the newly-found solids of the Alpha Quadrant was obvious, neither side was yet prepared for war. In the context of this reality, both the Federation and the Dominion began a strategic buildup, entering into a formative cold war. (DS9: "The Search, Part I", "The Search, Part II")

Pre-Emptive Strike

See also: Battle of the Omarion Nebula

The joint Tal Shiar - Obsidian Order fleet

Throughout the Alpha Quadrant the Dominion was recognized as a major new threat that had to be handled. To that end Enabran Tain, former head of the Cardassian Obsidian Order, contacted the Romulan Tal Shiar to form an alliance to destroy the Founders. When the Dominion learned of this alliance, they used their infiltrators and subterfuge to encourage the two agencies to follow through on making a preemptive strike to eliminate the Founders' homeworld in the Omarion Nebula. A fleet of Romulan and Cardassian vessels were constructed by the intelligence agencies throughout 2371 and sent into the Dominion's trap at the Battle of the Omarion Nebula. When the trap was sprung, the Tal Shiar was crippled and the Obsidian Order ceased to exist entirely. (DS9: "The Die is Cast")

Intrigue and Manipulation

See also: Klingon-Cardassian War and Federation-Klingon War (2372-73)

The Dominion was preparing for the conquest of the Alpha Quadrant, but had no wish to wage war against a united quadrant. Thus Dominion subterfuge was employed to try to ensure infighting among the Alpha Quadrant powers. The destruction of the Obsidian Order and crippling of the Tal Shiar had furthered that goal.

Shortly after the Omarion Nebula incident, the Dominion attempted to create a hostile situation between the Tzenkethi and the Federation by causing the Defiant to launch attacks on Tzenkethi space. (DS9: "The Adversary")

Soon thereafter in early 2372, as an indirect result of the Omarion Nebula incident, the civilian Detapa Council overthrew the Central Command as the governmental force on Cardassia Prime.

Upon discovering the coup on Cardassia Prime, Klingon concern over the possibility of Changeling involvement in the coup led them to invade the Cardassian Union.

The Federation Council condemned this act, and in response the Klingon Empire withdrew from the Khitomer Accords, temporarily ending the alliance between the two. The Klingons pushed deep into Cardassian territory, destroying much of the Cardassian fleet and fortifying their positions. When Sisko rescued the Cardassian Detapa Council, the Klingons attacked the station, leading to a new round of hostility between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior")

The USS Defiant engages the USS Lakota.

The Federation, meanwhile, was also in a state of high suspicion and paranoia. Founders had infiltrated Earth, and certain Starfleet elements within Federation government attempted a military coup d'etat in mid-2372. The effort was repulsed, but tensions remained high. (DS9: "Paradise Lost")

In 2373, tensions between the Federation and Klingon's over the Archanis sector briefly erupted into full blown war. After learning from Deep Space 9 security chief Odo that Chancellor Gowron was possibly a Changeling infiltrator, Starfleet dispatched a team led by Captain Benjamin Sisko to expose the Gowron-changeling. In the end, it turned out that it was actually General Martok who had been replaced, and that this Changeling had used his position to influence Gowron to invade Cardassia and withdraw from the Khitomer Accords. After the Changeling was killed, Gowron declared a cease-fire and returned the Klingon Empire to the negotiating table with the Federation, although occasional skirmishes continued until the Khitomer Accords were reinstated later that year. (DS9: "Apocalypse Rising", "Nor the Battle to the Strong", "By Inferno's Light")

Dominion Foothold

The Dominion invades the Alpha Quadrant.

With the Alpha Quadrant destabilized, the Dominion began making its move. The Dominion gained a physical foothold in the Alpha Quadrant through an alliance with Gul Dukat and the Cardassian Union, arranged in mid-2373. They immediately began sending fleets of warships and supply vessels through the Bajoran wormhole and into Cardassian territory on a weekly basis. The Klingons could not stand against such a foe, and soon were forced to withdraw from Cardassian space. Also, the Dominion invaded the Demilitarized Zone and wiped out the Maquis. With the Dominion threat now on everyone's doorstep the Khitomer Accords were re-signed by Chancellor Gowron. War was inevitable, and only the Federation-Klingon alliance stood against the forces of the Dominion. (DS9: "By Inferno's Light")

The Second Fleet prepares for war.

The fortification of the Cardassian Union, combined with the securing of non-aggression treaties with notable powers such as the Miradorn, Tholians, Bajorans, and most importantly the Romulans made Dominion intentions clear. The Federation was forced to act, but could not present the aggressive stance of something so bold as a preemptive strike. Instead, the decision was made to mine the Bajoran wormhole to prevent further Dominion reinforcements from arriving. (DS9: "Rapture", "Call to Arms")

The maneuver was sure to provoke the Dominion into attack, and this end was achieved. The Dominion attacked Deep Space 9 and attempted to prevent the activation of the minefield. They failed, and as the minefield became active, the Federation-Klingon alliance dispatched a task force to attack the Dominion shipyards at Torros III. Although their mission was successful, the Dominion ultimately won the Second Battle of Deep Space 9 and the conflict between the Federation, Klingons, and Dominion became full blown. (DS9: "Call to Arms")

The Dominion War had begun.