Cocoon Report
Attitude of Major Powers towards the Cocoon
Last update SD 8.0801
This policy outline is considered the guideline for missions.
Vessels are forbidden to enter or leave the Cocoon without explicit permission from Cocoon Fleet Command.
Situations and intentions of major powers
Overall
"It has to be clear to everyone that with the discovery of the new territory that encloses about one eighth of the Alpha Quadrant, a shift in the balance of power has taken place. It will gain momentum as the Federation or any other major power will be able to hold this space against the others and gain influence and loyalty throughout the sectors so long separated from the rest of the galaxy."Ambassador T'Preen before the general assembly of the UFP Council, SD 7.0903
Federation
In the words of the President of the Council of the United Federation of Planets before the general assembly after Juun was accepted as 304th member of the UFP:"The power able to gain the Cocoon will be the cornerstone to stability in the Alpha Quadrant for the next millenium. It is our duty to make sure that this power will be one of reason, peace and high ethics. It has to be the Federation at all sufferable costs - there is no alternative we could trust with this task."
President Aristides Qasr, SD 7.0903
Dominon
"The known strategies of the Dominion will apply and are expected to be observed. They will try to infiltrate the depths of the Cocoon as the least controlled area of the Federation due to the weak presence of Starfleet forces beyond the Portal Sector and the vastly unknown territory further into the neighbouring sectors."It is expected that the Dominion will try to gain access into the Cocoon to build bases and a fleet and eventually conquer the Portal Sector around Gaia from inside, which would give them an unconquerable fortress and nearly unlimited resources inside the Cocoon, a stronghold that would be the foundation to conquer the Alpha Quadrant. This must be avoided at all costs.
"Possible scenarios involve the support of opposing groups in the Juun Union to collapse the government, use the chaos of contra-Federation movements to invade the Cocoon after a large scale attack through the wormhole at Bajor and take further steps from such a position, taking advantage of the Federation's inability to fight a war with their side wide open to the Cardassians. Another possibility is the attempt to involve the Cardassian Union and use the Central Command's and Obsidian Order's natural aggressive stance against the weak peace between them and the Federation and the still existing grudge over the loss of Bajor.
"Also likely is a scenario that sees them harping on the Cardassian hate against the lasting Klingon occupation of former worlds of the Union, especially when Kronos will be allowed to enter the Cocoon and settle there, reinforcing their presence in the Alpha Quadrant and making future withdrawal more and more unlikely. The promise of support in a hard sweep to wipe out the humiliation is a threat not to be underestimated.
"Again, those possibilities are not tolerable for the Federation and prevent the major goal to be accomplished. Since the extent of the Dominion state of preparation to deal with the unexpected and profitable opportunity to intrude the Cocoon is unknown, no strategy as to the most effective countermeasures has been formed. It will be one of the tasks of cooperation with Juun and Bajor to learn about this and shape it.
"The Dominion strategy will be one of cloak and dagger. The Founders are known to be few in number yet their ability of impersonation and deception and the reputation that comes with it are an asset not to be underestimated and will bind significant resources to minimize their success in destabilizing the Federation foothold."
Vice Admiral Robert Anson Kirkpatrick, Starfleet Command, SD 7.0922
Cardassian Union
"The second biggest threat to the newly found territories is the Cardassian Central Command and their internal rival, the Obsidian Order. Both are striving to shift the power balance inside the Union to their favour and at the same time feel their grip on the Cardassian people slipping after decades of diminuished importance of the Cardassian Union in Quadrant policy, peaking in the war against the Klingons and the subsequent and still lasting loss of a number of planets near Bajoran space. Barely hidden internal grudges with the amount of resources the military is drawing from the exhausted empire instead of improving the situation of the people, are putting significant pressure on them to present significant achievements."The unique chance to gain access to virgin and weakly defended territory in an otherwise nearly unconquerable location might tempt more than one Gul to rip apart the thin fabric of the peace treaty and be the spearhead to the wave of the wealth-starving Cardassian masses. The very same applies to the Obsidian Order, with the addition of its unique sneakiness to make up for their lack of brutal military force. Both organized and renegade operations, while hard to tell apart in the light of past experiences, have to be anticipated and taken into account in all precautions for the security of the Cocoon. The possibility of a makeshift alliance with the Dominion or the Romulan cannot be excluded, either."
Captain Nodrek Manhon, Deep Space 6, SD 7.1121
Maquis
"A long time the movement of the colonists has been silent and only a number of nihilistic extremists stealing the name were heard of in terrorist attacks. With the grip of the Cardassian military tightening on the former Federation colonies again in an attempt to use them as a pawn in the demands for the Federation to assist in the removal of the Klingon occupation and a Cardassian share to the expected wealth of the Cocoon to compensate for the losses they suffered from the Federation's ally, there are rumours that a core of former Maquis and young colonists are shaping a new armed movement against these increasing hasslings. Also rumours have been reported that the Cardassian military has plans to move forces into the Demilitarized Zone to circumvent the Klingon main defense - the Federation currently cannot spare the resources to force them out again. Needless to say that this would have a major impact on both the former colonies and the region at large."It is our hope that Cardassia can be convinced that a lighter touch when dealing with the former Federation colonies will be of more advantage to them than alienating the one force in this quadrant that is able to exert some influence on the Klingon High Council and doesn't consider the occupation a fait accompli."
Commander Adrel Siv'ha, Office of Colonial Affairs, SD 7.1127
Romulans
"The Romulan Empire is suffering from the loss of power and influence in the Beta Quadrant after the devastating blow delivered by the Borg only a few months ago. They found themselves at the mercy of the Federation at one point in this situation and there is no Romulan in the Imperial Fleet or Tal Shiar who would have the desire to see something like that again, now or in the far future. The new treaty is a thorn in the side of those dreaming of dominance of the Romulan Star Empire; cooperation with the Federation is a slap in the face to them. Being official policy of the Empire, though, there is not much they can do... unless the Federation suffered a loss of influence that might bind their attention to places far away from the Neutral Zone. It is to be expected that renegade activity can take place in a desperately determined fashion to direct such a blow against this new prestigeous enterprise of Starfleet, most likely by providing the unique services of the Star Empire's sophisticated technology to a likewise determined or desperate enemy."Commodore Calvin A. DiFalco, CO USS FENRIS, SD 7.1219
Klingons
"The Klingon Empire, after settling down for the past ten years after the turmoils following the invasion and occupation of parts of Cardassian space, is watching the seemingly growing friendship between Romulus and the Federation with growing distrust, especially in the light of the misgivings the Federation had and has about the invasion still. Traditionalists are concerned that both diminuishes the grudgingly accepted role of the Klingon Empire in the alliance, and illogical old fears of being surrounded by enemies live up again. Finding themselves at the rim of the galaxy and unable to grow in any direction adjacent to the home territory makes them, irrational as the Klingons are, restless and frustrated. The possibility of expansion through the Bajor wormhole was mostly defeated by the amount of protection the colonies beyond require from the Dominion and the resources for that purpose are bound by the occupied territory in the Alpha Quadrant.""The refusal to return those invaded sectors was countered with the denial of access to the Cocoon until the situation is stabilized in favour of the Federation, mostly to pacify the Cardassians which is an essential point in balancing the whole region. It is just a question of time, though, until the Klingons will firmly demand passage and opportunity to colonize in their desire to reinforce their claim for a strong stand in the Alpha Quadrant outside their home territory. This, however, might prove useful as a way to channel the Klingon's illogical yet mostly predictable ambitions, ease the pressure against the nervous Romulan Empire and make them a cornerstone in the defense for the Federation if and only if a solution can be found to peacefully settle the Cardassian cravings for reparation. This, of course, has yet to be accomplished."
Commodore Sarvak, Red Fleet Executive Officer, Khitomer, SD 8.0108
"It is the opinion of the council that the Klingon Empire will bear a growing share in the outside security of the alliance, even more so with a weaker Romulan Empire and the Borg and Dominion threats. The main problem will be to involve them in a cooperative manner and keep their warriors at bay to prevent provoked confrontations that might draw all parties into avoidable wars. I do not foresee how we can solve the Klingon-Cardassian problem at this point, though."
Adoon Klarembra, Chairman of the Commitee of Defense, SD 7.0318
Ferengi
"Billions of customers! And they NEVER heard of us!"Damon Dok before the Ferengi Chamber of Commerce, SD 8.0110
Juun
"Their heritage Bajoran, we were not prepared to find them so alien and worldly in their philosophical attitude, nor would we have imagined to see the Prophets forgotten or their existance denied. It was troublesome to see where they went with their roots being the same as ours, considering we might have gone the same way, falling from the grace of the Prophets who chose to imprison them in this place and only now permitting them to be their children again, should they pass the examination."Vedek Mandraal, SD 8.0615
Na-Chem
"Nihilistic terrorists, with the single goal to destroy, murder and pillage. The sooner we bury them, the sooner we'll be able to take our place in the middle of the Federation's most valuable members. It is my belief that everything must be done to end this threat not only to the Union but also to the Federation."General Taing, Commander in Chief of the Juun Militia, SD 8.0529
"Those who wish for violent ways to the nonexistance of their opponents could be considered to have poor command of their logic or even poorer ethics. It might be fascinating to unveil the motivation for such mental disorder."
T'Poon, Assistant to Ambassador Kel, in a private comment, SD 8.0601
Mission leftovers
Mission leftovers that should not be found are:- unannounced activity outside the Cocoon that could lead to a confrontation (military, police operations, surveillance) with the Cardassian Union;
- Federation involvement in internal Juun policy;
- loss of Federation neutrality in the Klingon-Cardassian conflict;
- traceable support of enemy governments against the Federation that might lead to a confrontation;