The Zenas Expanse lies far from the traveled routes of much of the Alpha Quadrant. This cluster houses many bright young stars, and is an area brimming with energy and radiation. Currently, the Expanse is home to KDF Task Force Hurq Mevik and their headquarters, Starbase 151.
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LOCAL THREATS
BREEN CONFEDERACY
Despite their involvement in the Dominion War, little is known about this galactic power - mostly that they are ruthless, and not to be trusted. They are a humanoid species whose bodies possess no blood and evaporate when exposed to normal M-class atmospheres. This requires them to wear refrigeration suits to function outside of their regular environment. Latest reports indicate that the Confederacy is comprised of at least a dozen states, but of those, only four have been encountered so far: Silwaan, Fenrisal, Paclu and Amoniri. The territories of Fenrisal and Amoniri are nearest to the operational area of SB 151. While the Breen outwardly act as a unified force, each of these states has their own expansion plans and resources dedicated to the task.
Additional (canon) information about the Breen can be found on Memory Alpha.
AMONIRI CONFEDERATE STATE
Located north-northwest of SB 151, the Amoniri are not very active within the Expanse. They took heavy losses during the Dominion War, and what strength they have managed to rebuild appears to be occupied elsewhere; so far they have been content to conduct minor raids and scouting operations, leaving the rest to their local client race, the Almavian Protectorate. KDF forces managed to successfully sabotage the Amoniri/Almavian sensor network, "Ears of Dedicated Sentinel", by introducing a clever computer worm which allows the KDF to send false sensor readings when necessary. Amoniri raids brought them into open conflict with the Alarian Fiefdoms - a matriarchal military state located southwest of SB 151. At this point, KDF forces are patrolling the bordering territory and keeping an eye on Amoniri/Almavian raiding groups.
FENRISAL CONFEDERATE STATE
Located north-northeast of SB 151, the Fenrisal are the most expansionist of all the Breen states. Their Zenas Expansion Fleet, led by Thot Thel, was the main KDF adversary in the region until Hurq Mevik maneuvered them into an all-out attack on SB 151. This ill-advised assault led to the death of Thot Thel and the breaking of the Expansion Fleet. Despite this setback, the Fenrisal still hold the Drexian Planet-States. The KDF has managed to save some Drexian refugees, who are currently living in the largest mountain range of the Mal'laan colony. Liberation of the Drexian worlds was discussed by the High Council, but dropped due to the cost of mounting a proper invasion.
The Fenrisal have recently become active again, launching an invasion of Ventraxian space and creating a new problem for the KDF to deal with.
Located north-northwest of SB 151, the Amoniri are not very active within the Expanse. They took heavy losses during the Dominion War, and what strength they have managed to rebuild appears to be occupied elsewhere; so far they have been content to conduct minor raids and scouting operations, leaving the rest to their local client race, the Almavian Protectorate. KDF forces managed to successfully sabotage the Amoniri/Almavian sensor network, "Ears of Dedicated Sentinel", by introducing a clever computer worm which allows the KDF to send false sensor readings when necessary. Amoniri raids brought them into open conflict with the Alarian Fiefdoms - a matriarchal military state located southwest of SB 151. At this point, KDF forces are patrolling the bordering territory and keeping an eye on Amoniri/Almavian raiding groups.
FENRISAL CONFEDERATE STATE
Located north-northeast of SB 151, the Fenrisal are the most expansionist of all the Breen states. Their Zenas Expansion Fleet, led by Thot Thel, was the main KDF adversary in the region until Hurq Mevik maneuvered them into an all-out attack on SB 151. This ill-advised assault led to the death of Thot Thel and the breaking of the Expansion Fleet. Despite this setback, the Fenrisal still hold the Drexian Planet-States. The KDF has managed to save some Drexian refugees, who are currently living in the largest mountain range of the Mal'laan colony. Liberation of the Drexian worlds was discussed by the High Council, but dropped due to the cost of mounting a proper invasion.
The Fenrisal have recently become active again, launching an invasion of Ventraxian space and creating a new problem for the KDF to deal with.
ALMAVIAN PROTECTORATE
Almavians are a humanoid bat-like species under a communist (at least in name) government. After witnessing the brutal Breen conquest of their neighbors, the D'rexians, the Almavians realized that their own fleet would have no chance. Seeking to avoid the same fate, the Central Committee decided to ask to join the Breen as a tributary state. Somewhat surprised by this turn of events, the Breen accepted the proposition, sending their own representatives to Almavian planets as overseers. The Breen have given the Almavians a large degree of internal autonomy, and so far they have had no reason to revoke it. However, they maintain far stronger oversight over Almavian military forces. All Almavian bases and ships have at least one Breen officer attached, who can take total command of the entire facility/vessel if required.
As of late, the Breen have been impressed by the loyalty and cooperation of the Almavians, and if the situation continues, they are on the path to becoming a full member state of the Breen Confederacy. The Breen Amoniri government has allowed the Almavians to expand within the Zenas Expanse, as part of a long-term plan for their own expansion.
TRUE WAY / NEW CARDASSIAN REPUBLIC (NCR)
The New Cardassian Republic was formed by the alliance of two formidable True Way cells. They control two strategic locations - the mining and industrial center in the Sarayn System and the administration and agriculture center of Tiani Prime - as well as a few smaller colonies.
True Way forces in the Zenas Expanse were originally led by Gul Ranor Urnal. Though he wasn’t a part of the 2371 “Omarian Nebula” debacle, Urnal disappeared shortly after. Foreseeing the collapse of the Cardassian military government, he organized an evacuation of his contacts and allies (which included some military and civilian starship captains) and set up shop in the northern part of the Arawath Sector. Those contacts would be the foundation upon which he started building his small empire. Its remote location allowed Urnal to avoid the worst of the troubles that Cardassia endured over the next few years, siphoning off whatever resources and civilian refugees that escaped the Cardassian-Klingon and Dominion Wars, and the harsh conditions on Cardassia afterwards.
Calling for a return to military rule and opposition to the Oralian religious movement, the True Way movement emerged in 2383. Urnal re-established contact with Gul Madred and officially joined the True Way, receiving some military support in return. Despite membership in the movement, Urnal kept knowledge of most of his important facilities to himself and his own inner circle of officers. By avoiding direct conflict with the Federation and CDF and letting other True Way cells sacrifice their assets in their futile struggle, Urnal's small and distant fiefdom managed to remain off sensors. But when he began to expand his operations in the Expanse, they ran into a new player in the region - KDF task force Hurq Mevik.
At first Urnal believed his enemy was a single rogue Klingon house and their pirate allies, and prepared to crush them with one swift and deadly blow. While planning for this strike, however, he discovered that this task force had official KDF support. Not wanting to lose everything he'd built by refighting the Cardassian-Klingon War, he switched to subterfuge, gathering information from and allying with anyone else opposing these "interlopers." The Breen proved to be another distraction; seeing the True Way as an obstacle to their own expansion into the Expanse, they began raiding Urnal's operations, forcing him into an alliance with the more aggressive Gul Almar. A deal was struck - Urnal provided intel and the use of his facilities to upgrade Almar's vessels, and in return Almar would take the fight to the Breen. Urnal believed that he could let Almar handle the Breen while he focused on reaching out to other minor races and mercenary groups in the Arawath Sector.
However, Urnal soon made a couple of unpleasant discoveries. One, he was terminally ill; and two, he had underestimated Almar's charisma and leadership skills. After a series of victories for Almar, while his own condition worsened, many of his officers were ready to abandon him and throw in with Almar's cabal. Increasingly unstable, unwilling to let go of power, and unable to trust anyone but his daughter Latima, Urnal had himself cloned to create a cadre of loyal assistants. Finally, in the midst of a joint attack against a KDF-allied world, Urnal betrayed Almar, killing his rival and purging his ranks of the "disloyal". Withdrawing from the battle, he nonetheless declared it a great victory and that his territories and Almar's would henceforth be known as the New Cardassian Republic (NCR).
"Victory" was short-lived. Urnal's own clones, as quietly ambitious and cunning as their father, turned on him, Latima, and each other. Urnal was apparently killed in an attack on his headquarters in the Datel system, leaving Latima and the last two surviving clones - Gul Donal and Gul Lamar - deadlocked in an uneasy truce. Together, they share control of Sarayn, Tiani Prime, and the other worlds... for now.
BLOOD QUEEN MARAL
Leader of a small pirate fleet and criminal organization that's managed to remain independent of the Orion Syndicate, Blood Queen Maral has come to blows with the KDF over the death of her sister. This led to her temporary alliance with Gul Urnal, which fell through when neither side was satisfied by the results. After suffering the loss of her HQ and one of her main weapon production facilities, Maral temporarily withdrew from the Zenas Expanse while seeking new contacts and allies within the Cardassian Union and Orion colonies, operating through proxies and forming trade partnerships with other neutral factions with the Expanse. She absorbed the remnants of the Nausicaan Sagan Clan (which was decimated by KDF forces while working for Gul Urnal) and is plotting her next move...
NA'KUHL
Last year saw an increase in raiding and pirate activity in the Alpha Quadrant, attributed to a renegade Na’Kuhl faction. Little is known about this threat, but reports suggest they possess powerful starships on par with the Alliance, putting them far above standard local pirate groups. So far, Hurq Mevik has had no direct contact with this threat, but are alerted to its presence.
TZENKETHI COALITION
After more than half a century of isolation, the Tzenkethi have started a genocidal wave of attacks on planets throughout the Alpha Quadrant utilizing deadly protomatter technology. This prompted a quick response from the Alliance, which who mobilized local assets in the defense of their new allies, the Lukari and Kentari nations. High Command has ordered Hurq Mevik to prepare a sizable assault group in case of a new wave of Tzenkethi attacks.
NEUTRAL FACTIONS
Spoiler: Under revisionShow
ALARIAN FIEFDOMS
The humanoid elven-looking Alarians have organized themselves into a matriarchal feudal confederation, led by the Grand Marshall of Alarian Fiefdoms. Militaristic in nature, Alarians deploy powerful telekinetic abilities in combination with martial prowess, honed by millennia of inter-clan warfare. Only females are allowed to serve in the military, since males make up only 10% of the total Alarian population, and have mostly taken scientific and scholarly roles. Males gifted in a rare telepathic "farsight" ability form the prestigious Councils of Seers, and can observe things on a galactic scale. This makes it practically impossible for Alarian enemies to perform any kind of large scale ambushes or sneak attacks.
Alarians have expanded greatly during the last century, now controlling more than two dozen planets and maintaining have tense relations with practically all of their neighbours. Almavian expansion into the Zenas Expanse has sparked tensions and border conflicts between the two species. The Alarian Matriarchy has no love for the Breen either, having repelled multiple Breen raids in the past.
VISTANI COMBINES
A wiry and hard-working reptilian species hailing from the resource rich planet of Vistan IV, the Vistani have organized themselves into large industrial combines lead by Machinists who form the main ruling body of all Vistani – the Board of Directors. Vistani follow two basic rule systems – the "Workers Manifesto", which defines the duties and rights of every member of a Combine, and the "Law of Averageness", a belief system based on the achievements of society (The Masses) as a whole over individual success. Their combines churn out serviceable and affordable products sold all over the sector and refuse to "waste time and resources" on high-quality, expensive devices, be it household utilities or starships.
The Vistani have expanded to more than twenty systems, focusing on mineral-rich rather than organically-rich planets. They are therefore forced to import food to keep their growing population fed. They will trade with anyone who is not in a state of outright war with Combines, and care little for how their buyers use their goods (as long as they’re not used against the Vistani themselves).
SILONIAN THINK TANK
A humanoid species hailing from the low gravity world of Silonia, Sslonians resemble "little grey men" from old human alien conspiracy theories. Inquisitive in nature, Silonians were uplifted after contact with artifact structures from an older civilization that once lived on their world. This brought a stop to tribal warfare and brought an age of prosperity and rapid technological development. Silonians are now the most technologically advanced species in the Northern region of the Expanse. All Silonians are ruled by the Brain Trust, a gathering of the highest intellectuals and leaders of the most prestigious academies.
Silonian society is heavily automated, with machines doing all the hard work, leaving Silonians to their scientific and cultural studies. While they prefer a peaceful approach to all things, they maintain a small but professional military, utilizing the most advanced technology in the sector. Thus far, they have successfully defended themselves against the Alarian Fiefdoms and their attempts to conquer them. The Silonians currently control 5 systems, and all colonized planets are heavily terraformed to closely resemble the environment of their homeworld.
The humanoid elven-looking Alarians have organized themselves into a matriarchal feudal confederation, led by the Grand Marshall of Alarian Fiefdoms. Militaristic in nature, Alarians deploy powerful telekinetic abilities in combination with martial prowess, honed by millennia of inter-clan warfare. Only females are allowed to serve in the military, since males make up only 10% of the total Alarian population, and have mostly taken scientific and scholarly roles. Males gifted in a rare telepathic "farsight" ability form the prestigious Councils of Seers, and can observe things on a galactic scale. This makes it practically impossible for Alarian enemies to perform any kind of large scale ambushes or sneak attacks.
Alarians have expanded greatly during the last century, now controlling more than two dozen planets and maintaining have tense relations with practically all of their neighbours. Almavian expansion into the Zenas Expanse has sparked tensions and border conflicts between the two species. The Alarian Matriarchy has no love for the Breen either, having repelled multiple Breen raids in the past.
VISTANI COMBINES
A wiry and hard-working reptilian species hailing from the resource rich planet of Vistan IV, the Vistani have organized themselves into large industrial combines lead by Machinists who form the main ruling body of all Vistani – the Board of Directors. Vistani follow two basic rule systems – the "Workers Manifesto", which defines the duties and rights of every member of a Combine, and the "Law of Averageness", a belief system based on the achievements of society (The Masses) as a whole over individual success. Their combines churn out serviceable and affordable products sold all over the sector and refuse to "waste time and resources" on high-quality, expensive devices, be it household utilities or starships.
The Vistani have expanded to more than twenty systems, focusing on mineral-rich rather than organically-rich planets. They are therefore forced to import food to keep their growing population fed. They will trade with anyone who is not in a state of outright war with Combines, and care little for how their buyers use their goods (as long as they’re not used against the Vistani themselves).
SILONIAN THINK TANK
A humanoid species hailing from the low gravity world of Silonia, Sslonians resemble "little grey men" from old human alien conspiracy theories. Inquisitive in nature, Silonians were uplifted after contact with artifact structures from an older civilization that once lived on their world. This brought a stop to tribal warfare and brought an age of prosperity and rapid technological development. Silonians are now the most technologically advanced species in the Northern region of the Expanse. All Silonians are ruled by the Brain Trust, a gathering of the highest intellectuals and leaders of the most prestigious academies.
Silonian society is heavily automated, with machines doing all the hard work, leaving Silonians to their scientific and cultural studies. While they prefer a peaceful approach to all things, they maintain a small but professional military, utilizing the most advanced technology in the sector. Thus far, they have successfully defended themselves against the Alarian Fiefdoms and their attempts to conquer them. The Silonians currently control 5 systems, and all colonized planets are heavily terraformed to closely resemble the environment of their homeworld.
VENTRAXIAN MONARCHY
Humanoids who evolved from the plant life of their homeworld of Ventrax, the Ventraxi are resilient and durable but slow. They have a thick outer bark and can march for weeks without rest, but lack the ability or mechanism for quick bursts of speed. The Ventraxi are ruled by a Monarch, chosen from among the Noble Houses. The Monarch has almost total authority, and is assisted by the Council of Advisors, who hold positions similar to ministers.
The Ventraxi rule a dozen systems on the border between the Zenas Expanse and Breen space. Until recently they were at least two centuries behind the Klingon Empire and the Breen, technologically speaking, but in the last five years they have engaged in a series of crash research and reverse-engineering programs - a "leap forward" - which has halved that. The Ventraxi are territorial and prefer to be left alone, but the Breen have not given them that option.
Persons of note:
- General Mentar Xvisj: current military advisor to the Monarch,. He made a secret pact with Gul Urnal, gaining new technologies that he hopes will allow him to eventually depose the Monarch and gain full control of the Monarchy.
- Baron Fyls Trenk: deposed military advisor, saved by the KDF from Urnal's secret prison, now leads a "rebel" movement, trying to stop General Xvisj.
D’REXIAN PLANET STATES
Humanoid silicoid life forms hailing from the ice world of D'rex, the D’rexians are highly intelligent, altruistic beings that strive for perfection in all things. Their brains operate on a much higher level than most other humanoid species, allowing them to process information at an astonishing rate. This, combined with their nearly expressionless faces, often gives others the impression that they are like computers, completely without emotion. This is not so; they do feel, they merely do it "faster". The D'rexian focus on excellence caused them to develop quickly and expand to the stars, forming a loose alliance of planet states, each led by The Great Ones – a group of individuals with the greatest achievements of their respective fields and/or worlds.
Unfortunately, their days of glory were cut short by a Breen invasion, and, after a costly war, they were finally conquered by the Confederacy. Their planets are now essentially large concentration camps, but a quite active rebel movement remains, which the Breen have so far been unable to effectively deal with. Local KDF forces managed to rescue a runaway colony vessel carrying 90,000 D'rexians in stasis, and they were allowed to settle in the largest mountain range of the Widrab colony of Mal'laan in exchange for their service.
Persons of note:
- Emerald Epistate of the Will of the People: D'rexian diplomat and representative at SB 151.
- August General Clad in Rainment of Adamant: leader of D'rexian colonial military force, now assisting with defense of Mal'laan.