Bravo Fleet
Relations between the Cardassian Union and the Breen have never been this tense. Prior to the Dominion War, the Breen preferred to keep to themselves, rarely pushing against the Federation and Cardassian borders or allowing anyone inside theirs. The war changed many things, including emboldening the Confederacy. When the war ended, though the Breen was forced to concede territory to the Federation and the Union, the Cardassians were left in a bitter situation.
The Breen and the Federation clashed multiple times over the next decade as the Breen tried to reclaim the sectors they conceded, only to fail at each turn. Their inability to win a simple conflict has downgraded their status on the intergalactic stage. The Domo of the Breen Confederacy has been disgraced and replaced by Gor who is a veteran of the Dominion War. Gor saw the Breen Crisis as a mistake and even stated such, but he didn’t make any moves against the crisis since he saw the conflict as a way to get rid of his enemies.
In the aftermath of the conflict and the appointment of the new Domo, the Confederacy has been weakening. Various intelligence agencies across the galaxy have made a note that the Treaty of Bajor and now the Treaty of Valoris, the Breen Militia was scaled down to a third of its operating force, making it one of the smallest defense/military forces in the Alpha Quadrant for a major power, if one can still call the Confederacy that.
Meanwhile, the Cardassian Union has been rebuilding its military and fleet. As it grows, so do differing ideologies. Several believe that the Union should keep to itself and expand in the sectors to the west. Others, like the Order of Twelve, which has been discovered among all Cardassian elements, including the Central Command, seek to claim sectors that the Romulans have desired, or even planets in the Demilitarized Zone. Ignoring the Federation for now, the Union began to stretch into the unclaimed Gavarian Corridor, clashing with the Romulan Empire who is looking to stabilize a shaky empire. The Order, showing its strength, began to operate openly. It’s boldness inspired many Cardassians, who’d been silent since the war, to display their patriotism of their own and began to unify the Union.
To demonstrate its regained strength, on October 10, 2388, the Cardassian Union reached into Breen space with the Second and Fifth Order, retaking two systems (Dozaria and Portas) that the Dominion gifted to the Breen during the War. Sentek and Garzel few shortly thereafter.
A week later, the Breen Militia sent several ships in an attempt to retake the Dozaria System, only to be completely decimated by the Fifth Order. The next day, the Fifth Order advanced to claim two more systems.
Publicly, the Cardassian Central Command has said little of the matter, claiming only that it the Union was becoming whole again. Privately, those opposed to Cardassia’s attempts to regain what was rightfully theirs were one by one removed from power. In their place was installed a patriot, ready to build upon the Union’s pride.
In November, the Federation’s attention was turned towards the Inconnu Expanse following the destruction of Deep Space Seven. While the Federation has maintained its border with the Union, the Cardassians still push against the Romulans and the Breen, claiming as many systems as it can. The Ravagers, looking to show their strength against the slave-hungry Breen as well, push against the Breen border, dividing the struggling Confederacy’s resources.
The unexpected soon occurs. Ferengi Marauders arrive at several Federation Starbases, each carrying a Breen Thot seeking Federation aid and willing to establish an armistice, an agreement to cease hostilities in exchange for fortifying their borders. These Thots carry surprising news, that the Order of 12 has reached into several Breen colonies and causing uprisings within their slave labor camps.
While Cardassia continues to stretch its arms, the Federation, Romulans, and Breen are still left scrambling not just for intelligence, but means to get in front of the Cardassians, especially since Starfleet’s defenses along the Cardassian border are starting to thin as Task Force 72 is still recovering from their losses in the Inconnu Expanse…
Out of Character: This release is an update to the Cardassian Advance of 2388, which was publicized in January 2017. Since that release, the Cardassian Union has claimed four more systems and is preparing to take more from the Confederacy. Yet to occur in-character in this canon are the Breen Thots beginning to seek aid. I know Deep Space 12 is looking to move forward with this bit of the arc, and there are opportunities for Thots to show up in other systems.
More canon updates will come in the coming months, especially with the Inconnu Expanse, the Tzenkethi, and more.