Post by magicmuggle01 on Oct 2, 2018 9:50:44 GMT
Cardassians.
Damar, a Cardassian male (2375)
Type:- Humanoid
Place of origin:- Cardassia Prime, Cardassian system (Alpha Quadrant)
Natima Lang, a Cardassian female (2370)
"It's not a good idea to stay too long on a Cardassian border without making your intentions known."
– Jean-Luc Picard, 2367 ("The Wounded").
"Cardassians are like... timber wolves – predators... bold in large numbers... cautious by themselves... and with an instinctive need to establish a dominant position in any social gathering."
– Edward Jellico, 2369 ("Chain of Command, Part I").
The Cardassians were a humanoid species from the Alpha Quadrant. They were native to the planet Cardassia Prime, capital world of the Cardassian Union. Known throughout the Alpha Quadrant for being extremely ruthless, the Cardassians became one of the greatest enemies of the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire, when the Cardassian Union joined the Dominion in 2373. Cardassians had a xenophobic attitude towards other species, which was well established throughout the quadrant after the Setlik III massacre during the Cardassian Border Wars, as well as when Cardassian atrocities during the Occupation of Bajor were revealed after they withdrew from the planet Bajor in 2369.
Physiology.
Cardassians preferred a darker, hotter, and more humid environment than Humans. (DS9: "For the Cause") Like other humanoid species, they evolved in a process influenced by the ancient humanoids. (TNG: "The Chase")
Externally, Cardassians were easily recognizable by each having light-gray skin, two thick, vertical neck ridges that receded back to the crown of their head, and an inverted tear-shaped ridge in the center of the forehead. The ridge was thickest immediately above the eyes, protecting them and creating an especially deep-set appearance. This trait earned them the derogatory nickname "spoon heads." Some Cardassians (such as Natima Lang) had another ridged feature, also in the shape of an inverted tear, in the center of their chests, while other members of the species (such as Rekelen) were missing this trait.
On Cardassian females, the ridge in the center of the forehead had a blue coloration, as did the second or third rung down on their neck ridges. This coloration may be a form of cosmetic make-up, similar to henna ink make-up and markings. Cardassians had straight hair that varied in color from dark brown to jet black, though the latter coloration was far more common.
Males typically slicked their hair back, while the women had more varying hairstyles. As with Humans, their hair turned white with age. However, some male Cardassians (like Enabran Tain) tended to dye their hair, instead of letting it show white. Furthermore, a Cardassian's hearing was not as acute as that of a Human. (TNG: "The Wounded", "The Chase"; DS9: "Profit and Loss", "Cardassians", "Distant Voices")
Cardassian neck ridges were sensitive to touch and massaging them stimulated pleasure. (DS9: "Profit and Loss") Odo was known to perform an act known as the "Cardassian neck trick." (DS9: "Necessary Evil").
Since scale patterns on Cardassian necks have been shown to change from appearance to appearance (Garak, for example), makeup artist Michael Westmore theorized, in a 2005 issue of Star Trek Insider, that Cardassians continually shed and regrow scales. See below for more information on the evolution of the Cardassian "look."
The Cardassians were known for their photographic memories, and some even had the ability to resist a Vulcan mind meld. Medical conditions to which Cardassians were susceptible included Rudellian plague, Coleibric hemorrhage, Kalla-Nohra Syndrome, Pottrik Syndrome, and Yarim Fel Syndrome. (DS9: "The Maquis, Part I")
Chemically, Cardassians had a toxic reaction to cobalt diselenide, but were immune to the toxic effects of trilithium resin. (DS9: "Rules of Engagement", "Duet", "The Wire", "For the Cause", "Ties of Blood and Water", "For the Uniform")
In common with many other humanoid species, Cardassians were able to produce offspring with a variety of species, including Bajorans and Kazon. Dukat was known to have two half-Bajoran children, including Tora Ziyal and another with Mika. Additionally, Seska had a son with the Kazon Culluh while stranded in the Delta Quadrant. It is also possible that Humans and Cardassians were able to cross-breed, as Seska nearly convinced Chakotay, who was Human, that the child was his. Furthermore, Gilora Rejal was willing to bear children fathered by Miles O'Brien, another Human, while she was convinced he wished to pursue a relationship with her. (DS9: "Destiny", "Indiscretion", "Covenant"; VOY: "Basics, Part I", "Basics, Part II").
Patrick Stewart once jokingly suspected the Cardassians smelled bad. He wrote, "The Cardassians, I am sure, were too foul to want to get close to. (Any Cardassian reading this, please don't take it personally.)" (Star Trek: Aliens & Artifacts, p. 9).
Society and culture.
Cardassian culture was hierarchical, with the State at the top in public life, and parents within the home. Cardassians valued advanced age as a sign of strength, power, and wisdom. In Cardassian culture, the thirtieth birthday was cause for celebration for a Cardassian, though the government may not have always been so open-minded in its policies. (DS9: "The Maquis, Part I", "Distant Voices") Cardassian architecture often reinforced established hierarchy by placing important individuals in physically high locations. (DS9: "Emissary") The emphasis on hierarchy and other factors were fertile ground for intense rivalries between individuals and families. As a result, Cardassians were generally suspicious and regarded those who were not as foolish. For instance, irony in the Human tragedy Julius Caesar was lost on Elim Garak, who thought Caesar a fool for not suspecting that Brutus would betray him. (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II"; DS9: "Cardassians", "Distant Voices", "Improbable Cause", "Indiscretion", "In Purgatory's Shadow", "Sons and Daughters") Organian scientists noted that Cardassians in the 22nd century showed concern for comrades afflicted with a fatal and contagious disease, but in the end, the Cardassians killed their infected crew members. (ENT: "Observer Effect").
Enabran Tain, an elderly Cardassian in 2370
Cardassian culture valued family highly, as demonstrated in a Cardassian saying that proclaimed, "Family is all," despite the obligations to the State that might make Cardassians choose the State over family. Cardassian homes were typically multi-generational and hierarchical, with male and female parents sharing authority. Cardassian culture emphasized family loyalty. Similar to some other cultures, Cardassians placed great value on the continuation of family lines, and as such were pro-natalist, though they were not known for having large numbers of offspring. Sometimes, Cardassian children would visit their parents at work to see what they did, even if their job involved torture. (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II") In contrast to the close-knit family unit, Cardassian culture did not regard orphans highly, and provided no obvious means of social welfare for them, though adoption was not unheard of. (DS9: "Destiny") When making a speech, the leader of the Cardassian Union may use the send-off "This I vow with my life's blood, for my sons, for all our sons." (DS9: "By Inferno's Light", "Statistical Probabilities").
Cardassian orphans left on Bajor after the Occupation
Neither of the two Cardassian genders is considered universally dominant over the other, though each tends to be dominant within certain specific fields within their society. Patrician Cardassian males lead a life focused on military and political service, and thus societal advances in technology and engineering have always been spearheaded by Cardassian females. Most Cardassian scientists tend to be females, or as Gilora Rejal put it, "Men just don't seem to have a head for this sort of thing.... That's why women dominate the sciences." (DS9: "Destiny") This does not mean that women are relegated to maintaining the Cardassian technological base, as there were various female ship commanders and political leaders, such as Gul Ocett and Archon Makbar. (TNG: "The Chase"; DS9: "Tribunal").
Two civilian female Cardassian scientists
Cardassians enjoyed debate and conversation in general. Cardassian meal time was as much about discussion as it was about eating. They would speak at length about a topic to show their knowledge, avoid saying something incriminating, or to obtain some piece of information from the person they were speaking to. Such was their love of conversation that it played a major role in their courtship. Courtship among Cardassians may include bitter, ferocious arguing, a fact not remembered by the confrontational Miles O'Brien, who engaged in repeated disputes with his female Cardassian co-worker Gilora Rejal, only to be shocked when it led to her becoming infatuated with him. (DS9: "Destiny") Pressing the palm of one's hand to another's palm was the equivalent of a kiss on the cheek, as demonstrated by Elim Garak and Tora Ziyal. (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow")
Aside from in the relations between O'Brien and Rejal, the Cardassian tendency of bitter arguing in courtship was not seen in other courtings wherein one or both participants were Cardassian.
Cardassian engineering standards were usually lower than Starfleet's. When Miles O'Brien ran a diagnostic of Deep Space 9's fusion power plant, it revealed that it was operating at 13% below peak efficiency. The station's computer, still running by Cardassian standards, explained that Cardassian specifications accepted operating efficiency within 20%. (DS9: "The Forsaken")
Cardassians were well known for genetic engineering, even allowing other galactic powers to study their creations, such as the Federation. To distinguish their own creations, Cardassians always built distinctive monoclonial links into the DNA they used. (DS9: "Babel")
A year after the conclusion of the Federation-Cardassian War, Worf stated, "Cardassians have no honor." Conversely, during the Klingon-Cardassian War, an officer aboard a Klingon Bird-of-Prey, the IKS Rotarran, stated that the Cardassians were honorable and formidable warriors in comparison to their Jem'Hadar counterparts. (TNG: "The Wounded"; DS9: "Soldiers of the Empire")
Cardassians were meticulous record keepers, using well-organized files and databases. Garak claimed that his people had instructed many other worlds, including Bajor, in their archival methods. (DS9: "Cardassians") Cardassians were known for their punctuality. They also valued cleanliness. (DS9: "Distant Voices", "Destiny", "Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night")
Cardassians were similar to Romulans in their xenophobic tendencies, and also shared a Romulan belief that there was no such thing as luck. Like the Breen, they treated their prisoners with little tolerance or sympathy, and had no qualms with using torture to extract information. Some Cardassians were even known to enjoy torturing their prisoners and to do it whether there was information to be extracted or not. (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II") Within the Obsidian Order, at any rate, the practice of torture was so much a cultural custom that having to torture someone closely acquainted with the torturer was sometimes used as a test of loyalty for those who wanted to join the Order or rejoin the organization. (DS9: "The Die is Cast") Additionally, Cardassians were similar to Ferengi, in that they were known for paying their bills. During the Cardassians' occupation of Bajor, many officers accepted bribes to overlook suspicious activities, for additional food, or for other "favors." To many Alpha Quadrant species, Cardassians were seen as nothing more than arrogant, cruel, cold-blooded killers. (DS9: "Cardassians", "Necessary Evil", "The Wire", "Distant Voices", "The Way of the Warrior", "In Purgatory's Shadow", "Call to Arms", "Behind the Lines", "The Changing Face of Evil", "The Dogs of War").
Education.
Cardassians considered their educational system to be unparalleled in the Alpha Quadrant, and educational attainment was regarded as a key asset in Cardassian society. Cardassian children were often put into intensive mind-training programs, from as early as three or four. It is because of these mind-training programs that some Cardassians were able to resist a Vulcan mind meld. Cardassians were also trained, during this time, to have photographic memories. A typical Cardassian view of how children should be raised was summed up in Dukat stating, "Education is power... joy is vulnerability." (DS9: "The Maquis, Part I") However, Cardassian children were also indulged with pets, trips to Cardassian amusement parks, and other pass times. (DS9: "Chain of Command, Part II", "Cardassians", "Defiant").
Religion.
Ancient Cardassian civilization exhibited vibrant religious practice; its rituals and structure were unknown. During this period prior to the establishment of the modern Cardassian Union, resource shortages, famine, and plague became rampant throughout the Cardassian homeworld, evidently killing large portions of the population. In order to survive, Cardassian society embraced a totalitarian police-state which would be strong enough to provide for the material needs of its citizens. As the ancient religion was a deviation from utter devotion to the government, the modern Cardassian Union was founded as a non-theistic society where loyalty to the State achieved profound importance. (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II")
Modern Cardassians seemed to regard the religions of other galactic species as anachronistic or backward, as evidenced by their actions during the Bajoran Occupation, though extenuating circumstances may have played a role in this. During the period in which Cardassia was a member of the Dominion in 2373, most Cardassians did not view the Founders as deities, instead focusing on their physical properties as shapeshifters. (DS9: "Waltz", "Tears of the Prophets", "What You Leave Behind") Rather than believing in luck, Cardassians believed that all outcomes are ultimately determined by each individual's strength or will. (DS9: "Destiny")
Modern Cardassians exhibited involved funeral practices. Funeral services were open to the entire Cardassian public, especially memorials for memorable figures such as Gul Darhe'el. Cardassian graves are believed to be only in ground burials, and are marked, especially those of high-ranking or famous people, such as war heroes or great scientists, with monuments of varying degrees of ornamentation and size. Cardassians considered viewing of their corpses by non-Cardassians taboo. (DS9: "Indiscretion", "Duet") A unique aspect of Cardassian end-of-life practice was known as Shri-tal, when a dying family member passed on all their secrets to their surviving relatives so they could use them against the dying one's enemies. (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow", "Ties of Blood and Water").
Philosophy.
"Confession is good for the soul."
Cardassian trials were publicly broadcast
The ideal Cardassian life was one of complete loyalty and servitude to the State and family. The Cardassian government was assumed to be omniscient, omnipotent, and benevolent. In a sense, when the Cardassians abandoned their spiritual ways and began their expansion throughout the Alpha Quadrant centuries ago, they simply applied a twisted form of their religion to their political philosophy. (DS9: "The Wire", "Second Skin")
A typical example of the Cardassian approach to life was found in their jurisprudence and criminal trials, in which the conclusion was always determined beforehand – the ruling of each case was a guilty verdict – and the purpose of the proceedings was not justice in the Human sense but bringing the offender to recognize the power and benevolence of the State. A trial, therefore, was an opportunity for the State to reveal how someone's guilt was proven by what they considered "the most efficient criminal investigation system in the quadrant." When Benjamin Sisko once asked Gul Dukat why bother with a trial at all, Dukat responded that the people demanded it, as they enjoyed watching "justice triumph over evil." The notion that they might try an innocent man by mistake was foreign to the Cardassians, as they believed in and always operated under the assumption that "Cardassians don't make mistakes." The typical Cardassian approach, therefore, was direct, simple, and ruthless, uncaring about how many aliens – or Cardassians – were trampled in the interests of the State. Cardassians prided themselves on their attention to detail and memories. They had no interest in science for its own worth, and demanded that scientific projects, like everything, serve military benefits. (DS9: "The Maquis, Part II", "Tribunal", "Destiny")
Cardassian philosophy placed a central value on strength; not necessarily physical strength, but strength of personal and collective will. When Dr. Bashir recovered from a mental attack by a Lethian, Garak held responsible Bashir's strength (rather than luck) for having enabled him to survive. (DS9: "Distant Voices") In general, Cardassians believed that the strong had a right to rule over the weak. While stranded on a planet with Benjamin Sisko, Dukat explained how the Cardassians justified the occupation of Bajor: "From the moment we arrived on Bajor, it was clear that we were the superior race. But they couldn't accept that. They wanted to be treated as equals, when they most certainly were not. Militarily, technologically, culturally – we were almost a century ahead of them in every way! We did not choose to be the superior race, fate handed us our role. And it would've been so much easier on everyone if the Bajorans had simply accepted their role." This kind of attitude, attributed to most Cardassians, was even enough to compel the Ferengi Quark into helping a resistance cell that Major Kira led against the Cardassians (and their Dominion allies), on the space station alternately known as Deep Space 9 or Terok Nor, in 2374. (DS9: "By Inferno's Light", "Favor the Bold", "Sacrifice of Angels", "Waltz")
Cardassian philosophy typically upheld the idea that the ends justified the means. After the Cardassians unearthed the burial vaults of their ancestors, which were filled with rare artifacts, they sold them to other species to pay for their own war efforts as well as to feed the starving population on the Cardassian homeworld. Additionally, the extraction of Bajor's natural resources was considered an appropriate means to feed Cardassia's population, despite the fact it required the occupation of the Bajorans' homeworld. Furthermore, in an attempt to help the USS Voyager make it back to the Alpha Quadrant safely, Seska (a Cardassian in disguise) was willing to sacrifice a Starfleet replicator to the Kazon-Nistrim in return for their protection, believing that Voyager's quick and safe return home would justify whatever actions were taken to attain that end. (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II"; DS9: "Duet"; VOY: "State of Flux")
In the aftermath of the Dominion War, the Cardassians were left in a state of almost-entire devastation, their homeworld completely ruined. One of the greatest questions facing the Alpha Quadrant was whether Cardassia would remain entrenched in its old, bloody system or if a reform to a more Federation-style democracy was possible. (DS9: "What You Leave Behind") The Detapa Council, however, was elected.
It is unclear if the election of the Detapa Council was by Cardassia's general populace.
Arts.
Arts, specifically literature and painting, were highly regarded in Cardassian culture. Cardassian literature often reflected Cardassian values, such as family, duty and the glorification of the state. Examples of Cardassian literature include The Never Ending Sacrifice, an epic tale spanning seven generations of the history of a Cardassian family which displays selfless obedience to Cardassia; Meditations on a Crimson Shadow, a novel by Preloc set in the future concerning a war between the Cardassian and Klingon Empires; and the enigma tales of Shoggoth, a series of mysteries in which all of the suspects are guilty but the trick is in figuring out of what (demonstrating the presumed infallibility of the Cardassian justice system). (DS9: "The Wire", "Distant Voices")
Iloja of Prim was a serialist poet who lived during the First Republic of the 21st century and had to spend an exile on Vulcan. (DS9: "Destiny")
Nanpart Malor was a painter who originated the Valonnan School art movement. (DS9: "Sons and Daughters")
Tavor Kell was a famous architect known throughout the Alpha Quadrant. He was quoted as having said every element had to be "of a piece, yet have a beauty all its own." (DS9: "The Muse").
Citizenry and the State
Cardassians gave their first molar to the Bureau of Identification at age ten.
Cardassian society had the most rigid and, to the Federation, incomprehensible of all legal systems. Every suspect was irrefutably deemed guilty before even appearing in court, their sentence already spelled out – almost always either death or imprisonment in a harsh labor camp. The criminal was given a Conservator, equivalent to a public defender, except that the Conservator was not supposed to win but to prepare the criminal for a moving confession of guilt on the floor of the court. The accused was also permitted an advocate, the Nestor, to advise them during the trial. The Chief Archon, or judge, of the court played to a televised audience, their duty not to judge the prisoner's innocence or guilt, but rather to give an emphatic display of the futility of crime on Cardassia and reinforce the public's trust in the judicial system. Charges against the accused were announced at the commencement of the trial itself, the execution date was set in advance, and only the offender's spouse as well as the court-assigned nestor and counsel could attend the trial. (DS9: "Tribunal", "The Die is Cast").
Makbar, Chief Archon
Military
The modern Cardassian Union employed a military made up of both males and females. The actual size and percentage of males and females serving was unknown, but it was primarily male. Ordinarily, the Cardassian military was a volunteer force, but during emergencies, Cardassians could be drafted.
Organization
The Cardassian military normally was administered by the elected Detapa Council. Under the Detapa Council was Cardassian Central Command, made up of career military, which often operated autonomously. In 2372, after the destruction of the Obsidian Order the previous year, actions of the Cardassian dissident movement restored the Detapa Council's authority. During Cardassia's membership in the Dominion, Gul Dukat appointed himself leader of the Cardassian people, eliminating civilian oversight. (DS9: "Defiant", "In Purgatory's Shadow", "By Inferno's Light") Under the Central Command were a number of semi-autonomous "Orders," which were roughly similar to a numbered fleet in function. Each order seemed to recruit its own members and, while no hierarchy existed, some orders were more prestigious than others.
Tactics
The Cardassian military made extensive use of booby traps, especially in retreat and tactical withdrawals. The Cardassian military tended to favor covert action and deception over direct confrontation. While making an attempt to take over Minos Korva, the Cardassians hid several vessels in the McAllister Nebula and waited to see if the Federation would trade the planet for the release of Captain Jean-Luc Picard before striking. During the Klingon-Cardassian War, the Cardassians were able to win many engagements against the Klingons by implementing decoys with sensor ghosts and holo-projections, before striking their confused enemies. When direct confrontation was unavoidable, the Cardassians employed a number of well-coordinated fighters in tight formation, in order to cover for any relative technological weaknesses. A typical Cardassian plan was complex and was said to consist of a "plan within a plan within a plan, leading to a trap." (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II"; DS9: "Armageddon Game", "The Maquis, Part I", "Soldiers of the Empire").
State intelligence
To ensure that the population remained completely loyal to the State, the Cardassian Obsidian Order – the Union's primary intelligence agency – watched over the people. It was said that a Cardassian citizen could not sit down to a meal without each dish being duly noted and recorded by the Obsidian Order. Like the military, the Obsidian Order was supposed to submit to the Detapa Council, but in practice, the Order had far more authority. Even members of the Cardassian military were not immune to Obsidian Order inquiries, although Legates could be well connected and protected from the Order's observations; Tekeny Ghemor was able to turn off Obsidian Order listening devices. Almost every Cardassian lived in fear of the Order, as its constant surveillance led to sudden eliminations of numerous "traitors." (DS9: "The Wire", "Defiant").
After the Battle of the Omarion Nebula, the Obsidian Order ceased to exist. However, after Cardassia joined the Dominion in 2373, the Order's role was replaced by the Cardassian Intelligence Bureau, which was just as effective. In fact, when Elim Garak attempted to contact some associates of his, who were on Cardassia Prime in 2374, every one of them was found and killed within one day of speaking to him. Garak called it "a testament to the effectiveness of Dominion security," adding, "One should admire such... efficiency." (DS9: "The Die is Cast", "The Way of the Warrior", "Rocks and Shoals", "In the Pale Moonlight").
Government
Insignia of the Cardassian Union
The governing body of Cardassia was the Cardassian Union. The elected Detapa Council had ruled for centuries. Over the years, the Council's power was usurped by Cardassian Central Command, the military branch of the government, transforming Cardassia into a police state. By the late 24th century, the Central Command's control was slipping, due to civilian protests and the Cardassian dissident movement. The Obsidian Order had been given limited autonomy and thus took a very active role in Cardassians' lives, but it was forbidden from raising an army and its autonomy could be revoked at any time. (DS9: "Emissary", "Defiant")
The latter half of the 24th century saw significant changes. A secret joint operation between the Obsidian Order and the Romulan Tal Shiar, intended to cripple the Dominion, raised an armada of ships equipped with cloaking devices. Led by Enabran Tain, the plan nearly succeeded but had been sabotaged by a Changeling infiltrator. The joint Cardassian-Romulan fleet was destroyed utterly at the Battle of the Omarion Nebula, and the staggering losses suffered by the Order, combined with public outcry, had caused its downfall. (DS9: "Improbable Cause", "The Die is Cast").
Without the Obsidian Order to keep the populace in line, the dissident movement grew and eventually succeeded in securing control of the government. A civilian uprising reinstated the power of the Detapa Council, but this drew the attention of the nearby Klingon Empire. Claiming that the Detapa Council was replaced by Changelings, Chancellor Gowron and General Martok (who was himself under the influence of a Changeling infiltrator) initiated the Klingon-Cardassian War, in a thinly veiled attempt to seize control of Cardassian territory. The invasion, combined with terrorist pressure from the Maquis in the Demilitarized Zone, resulted in utter chaos. In an attempt to restore Cardassia to its former glory, S.G. Dukat secretly negotiated Cardassia's entry into the Dominion. (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior").
When Gul Dukat completed negotiations with the Dominion in 2373, the Detapa Council ceased to exist altogether, just as the Obsidian Order had, two years prior. The majority of Cardassian affairs were thereafter handled by Dukat, since he was placed as the leader of the Cardassian Union and given the rank Legate, though he was constrained to work under the regulations of the Dominion. While the two groups were occupying Deep Space 9 during the first three months of the Dominion War, Dukat generally controlled the Cardassian and Dominion fleets, with Weyoun overseeing his decisions. The two individuals were able to maintain an equal standing with each other, though both were subject to the unquestionable authority of the Founders. Major Kira once noted, however, that the Cardassian and Dominion troops mutually hated each other. Subsequently, it proved relatively easy to turn the groups of opposing troops posted to DS9 against each other, with subtle manipulation on the part of the resistance cell operating on the station. (DS9: "The Die is Cast", "In Purgatory's Shadow", "By Inferno's Light", "Call to Arms", "A Time to Stand", "Favor the Bold")
Cardassian forces rebel against the Dominion
Because the death of his own daughter Ziyal caused Dukat to suffer a breakdown, the responsibility of commanding the Cardassian people (as well as holding the rank of Legate) was adopted by Damar. Since the new leader lacked the self-confidence and leadership skills of his former mentor and predecessor, however, Weyoun was able to take increasingly more control over the Cardassian people, with Damar becoming little more than a figurehead. Eventually, Damar had absolutely no say in any political decisions. This became blatantly obvious when Female Changeling made territorial concessions to the Breen in 2375, in order to convince them to join the Dominion. Eventually, the Cardassians revolted, and Damar defected to the Cardassian Rebellion as its leader. Legate Broca was installed as a figurehead, completely under Weyoun's control and subservient to the Breen. Weyoun ordered escalating atrocities against Cardassian civilians attempting to quell the revolt, which enraged the military. Near the end of the Dominion War, the Cardassian fleet turned on the Dominion, allowing the Federation Alliance to gain a decisive advantage during the Battle of Cardassia and eventually win the Dominion War. The Cardassians had opted for independence rather than Dominion governance. (DS9: "Sacrifice of Angels", "Statistical Probabilities", "Strange Bedfellows", "The Changing Face of Evil", "What You Leave Behind")
The political future of the Cardassians is left unknown at the end of the Dominion War, which concludes Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. However, Captain Braxton, a Starfleet officer from the 29th century, refers to a 1996Los Angeles police officer as a "quasi-Cardassian totalitarian" after being thrown back in time to the 20th century, in VOY: "Future's End". This would suggest that Cardassia did not abandon its tendency towards an aggressive, militaristic police state by the 29th century.
In the non-canon Deep Space Nine relaunch novels, Garak was the leader of a civilian restoration, working with Alon Ghemor, the nephew of Tekeny Ghemor. Keiko O'Brien also aided Cardassia in its reconstruction efforts.
Parallel universes
In the mirror universe, the Cardassians were a founding race of the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. (DS9: "Crossover").
In one quantum reality, the Cardassian Union had been overthrown by the Bajorans, who became increasingly aggressive towards the Federation, prior to 2370. By that time, the helmsman of the USS Enterprise-D, under the command of Captain William T. Riker, was a Cardassian ensign. (TNG: "Parallels")
Technology
By 2367, Cardassian technology had become notably inferior compared to newer classes of starships operated by the Federation, particularly Galaxy-class and Nebula-class vessels. A Cardassian warship was easily destroyed by the USS Phoenix, even when the warship had the ability to penetrate the Phoenix's shields. The Phoenix's use of photon torpedoes at long range gave the vessel superiority over the warship. Furthermore, Cardassians on board the USS Enterprise-D made several comments about the superiority of Federation technology, notably the ship's transporter technology, as well as the vessel's sensors, which were able to determine Cardassian transponder codes at long ranges, an ability that Cardassian sensors did not have at the time. However, the Cardassians did possess the ability to mask the contents of their supply ships from the Enterprise's scans. (TNG: "The Wounded")
A Cardassian warship destroying Federation fighters
Despite advances in Federation technology, the Cardassians remained formidable opponents. While their shield technology matched unfavorably against both Federation and Klingon weapons, Cardassian weapons were quite capable on their own terms. All Cardassian warships generally relied upon a single large, powerful, forward-facing phaser/disruptor-style weapon, similar to Klingon and Romulan ship design philosophy. However, the vessels also featured multiple dorsal phaser arrays to deal with attacks by swarms of smaller vessels, such as Maquis raiders and Federation attack fighters. In battle, Cardassian ships also employed missile weaponry similar to photon torpedoes. (TNG: "The Wounded", "Ensign Ro", "Preemptive Strike"; DS9: "Return to Grace", "Sacrifice of Angels")
Despite the Federation's production of superior vessels by the 2360s, the Federation-Cardassian War featured a stalemate between the two powers. After the conflict ended, Admiral Haden told Captain Picard that the Federation wasn't "prepared for a new sustained conflict" with the Cardassians, revealing that – despite technological advantages and new classes of superior ships – the Cardassians remained a legitimate threat to Starfleet. (TNG: "The Wounded"; DS9: "Sacrifice of Angels")
The bulk of the Federation fleet continued to consist of smaller, primarily scientific vessels, such as the Excelsior-class and Miranda-class, well into the Dominion War. The late entry of ship classes like the Galaxy-class and Nebula-class was likely one reason why the conflict ended in a stalemate. Furthermore, the end of the Federation-Cardassian conflict came during a period of threat from both the Borg and the re-emergent Romulan Star Empire, so it is likely that Haden's comment represented an overall consideration of the Federation's strategic position. The Cardassian Union itself never appeared to match the Federation in sheer scale, although it did appear to allocate much more time and resources towards its war industry. Finally, it is likely that the Cardassians were qualitatively and quantitatively inferior to the Federation, but represented a disproportionately dense concentration of military power, sharing a border with the much larger, but consequently more logistically demanding to guard, Federation.
During the Klingon-Cardassian War, the Klingons inflicted considerable damage on the Cardassian military due to their sudden, unprovoked invasion. Nevertheless, the Cardassians were able to sustain a stalemate after the invasion was blunted. Compensating for their ships' relative weaknesses, the Cardassians were able to win many engagements by employing unique tactics (see above). (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior", "Soldiers of the Empire")
Despite its increasing technological inferiority compared to newer Starfleet ships, the bulk of the Cardassian military continued to consist of Galor-class ships. While they remained inferior to the Galaxy- and Nebula-class vessels in one-on-one engagements throughout the Dominion War, the Cardassians tended to deploy these ships in attack groups of two or three ships, to compensate for their relative weakness. In 2374, a wing of Cardassian destroyers managed to destroy the USS Honshu. During the Second Battle of Deep Space 9, Captain Benjamin Sisko was forced to dispatch two wings of Galaxy-class ships to engage a group of Galor-class destroyers, which posed a serious threat to the Federation's smaller vessels. (DS9: "Sacrifice of Angels", "Waltz")
By the late 24th century, the Cardassians used beritium, dolamide, kelindide, rhodinium and uridium in the construction of their ships and military equipment. (DS9: "The Search, Part I", "Indiscretion", "Dramatis Personae")
Cardassian ships were slightly altered between Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. "The design of the Cardassian ships is a little grimmer," noted Robert Legato. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 24, Nos. 3/4, p. 105)
Illustrator Jim Martin designed several Cardassian tools, including a weapon and an eyepiece, the latter of which is worn by Garak in DS9: "Cardassians". Martin commented, "You do different Cardassian devices, and then you start pulling from those shapes." ("Deep Space Nine Sketchbook", DS9 Season 2 DVD special features).
History
In its ancient history, before Cardassia became a military dictatorship, the Cardassian society was known as the First Hebitian civilization. It was home to fine art and beautiful architecture. Once the Hebitian civilization fell into decay from lack of natural resources, millions of Cardassians were starving and the planet was subjected to utter chaos. Though the Hebitian society and way of life eventually became extinct, the remaining Cardassians turned to the military to solve their problems. This began the Cardassian policy of expansion into the Milky Way Galaxy, to provide the much-needed natural resources to sustain its population. (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II"; DS9: "Duet")
Cardassians were capable of interstellar travel by the middle of the 22nd century. At some point before 2154, Organian scientists observed a Cardassian starship crew that had been infected by a silicon-based virus found on the surface of an M-class planet. (ENT: "Observer Effect")
Cardassia Prime lies in ruins
During the 24th century, Cardassians were involved in three cataclysmic wars. The first major war was with the Federation in the mid-24th century, which ended in a turbulent peace treaty. (TNG: "The Wounded") A second war broke out when the Klingon Empire launched an unprovoked and unjustified invasion into Cardassian territory, after a successful rebellion had overthrown the military's rule. The Klingons believed the coup to be a result of Changeling infiltration, and therefore attempted to take over the Cardassian Union. The coup was in fact successful, due to the Obsidian Order having collapsed after the Battle of the Omarion Nebula. This war devastated Cardassian infrastructure, with a great loss of life and territory. (DS9: "The Die is Cast", "The Way of the Warrior").
The third and largest of these conflicts was the Dominion War. In order to drive out the Klingons from their territory, destroy the Maquis in the Demilitarized Zone and regain Cardassia's status in the Alpha Quadrant, Gul Dukat signed a treaty making Cardassia a member of the Dominion. Cardassian and Dominion forces proceeded to push the Klingon fleet out of Cardassian territory and wipe out the entire Maquis movement within a few days. (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow", "By Inferno's Light").
While initially the alliance with the Dominion seemed to be beneficial to Cardassia, in the long run, it resulted in an exponential loss of life. Near the end of the Dominion War, Cardassia Prime was struck by Jem'Hadar raids and orbital bombardment from Dominion and Breen forces in orbit of the planet, which attempted to wipe out the Cardassian species entirely for their betrayal. Nearly one billion Cardassians were killed in a few short hours. (DS9: "A Time to Stand", "What You Leave Behind").
Damar, a Cardassian male (2375)
Type:- Humanoid
Place of origin:- Cardassia Prime, Cardassian system (Alpha Quadrant)
Natima Lang, a Cardassian female (2370)
"It's not a good idea to stay too long on a Cardassian border without making your intentions known."
– Jean-Luc Picard, 2367 ("The Wounded").
"Cardassians are like... timber wolves – predators... bold in large numbers... cautious by themselves... and with an instinctive need to establish a dominant position in any social gathering."
– Edward Jellico, 2369 ("Chain of Command, Part I").
The Cardassians were a humanoid species from the Alpha Quadrant. They were native to the planet Cardassia Prime, capital world of the Cardassian Union. Known throughout the Alpha Quadrant for being extremely ruthless, the Cardassians became one of the greatest enemies of the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire, when the Cardassian Union joined the Dominion in 2373. Cardassians had a xenophobic attitude towards other species, which was well established throughout the quadrant after the Setlik III massacre during the Cardassian Border Wars, as well as when Cardassian atrocities during the Occupation of Bajor were revealed after they withdrew from the planet Bajor in 2369.
Physiology.
Cardassians preferred a darker, hotter, and more humid environment than Humans. (DS9: "For the Cause") Like other humanoid species, they evolved in a process influenced by the ancient humanoids. (TNG: "The Chase")
Externally, Cardassians were easily recognizable by each having light-gray skin, two thick, vertical neck ridges that receded back to the crown of their head, and an inverted tear-shaped ridge in the center of the forehead. The ridge was thickest immediately above the eyes, protecting them and creating an especially deep-set appearance. This trait earned them the derogatory nickname "spoon heads." Some Cardassians (such as Natima Lang) had another ridged feature, also in the shape of an inverted tear, in the center of their chests, while other members of the species (such as Rekelen) were missing this trait.
On Cardassian females, the ridge in the center of the forehead had a blue coloration, as did the second or third rung down on their neck ridges. This coloration may be a form of cosmetic make-up, similar to henna ink make-up and markings. Cardassians had straight hair that varied in color from dark brown to jet black, though the latter coloration was far more common.
Males typically slicked their hair back, while the women had more varying hairstyles. As with Humans, their hair turned white with age. However, some male Cardassians (like Enabran Tain) tended to dye their hair, instead of letting it show white. Furthermore, a Cardassian's hearing was not as acute as that of a Human. (TNG: "The Wounded", "The Chase"; DS9: "Profit and Loss", "Cardassians", "Distant Voices")
Cardassian neck ridges were sensitive to touch and massaging them stimulated pleasure. (DS9: "Profit and Loss") Odo was known to perform an act known as the "Cardassian neck trick." (DS9: "Necessary Evil").
Since scale patterns on Cardassian necks have been shown to change from appearance to appearance (Garak, for example), makeup artist Michael Westmore theorized, in a 2005 issue of Star Trek Insider, that Cardassians continually shed and regrow scales. See below for more information on the evolution of the Cardassian "look."
The Cardassians were known for their photographic memories, and some even had the ability to resist a Vulcan mind meld. Medical conditions to which Cardassians were susceptible included Rudellian plague, Coleibric hemorrhage, Kalla-Nohra Syndrome, Pottrik Syndrome, and Yarim Fel Syndrome. (DS9: "The Maquis, Part I")
Chemically, Cardassians had a toxic reaction to cobalt diselenide, but were immune to the toxic effects of trilithium resin. (DS9: "Rules of Engagement", "Duet", "The Wire", "For the Cause", "Ties of Blood and Water", "For the Uniform")
In common with many other humanoid species, Cardassians were able to produce offspring with a variety of species, including Bajorans and Kazon. Dukat was known to have two half-Bajoran children, including Tora Ziyal and another with Mika. Additionally, Seska had a son with the Kazon Culluh while stranded in the Delta Quadrant. It is also possible that Humans and Cardassians were able to cross-breed, as Seska nearly convinced Chakotay, who was Human, that the child was his. Furthermore, Gilora Rejal was willing to bear children fathered by Miles O'Brien, another Human, while she was convinced he wished to pursue a relationship with her. (DS9: "Destiny", "Indiscretion", "Covenant"; VOY: "Basics, Part I", "Basics, Part II").
Patrick Stewart once jokingly suspected the Cardassians smelled bad. He wrote, "The Cardassians, I am sure, were too foul to want to get close to. (Any Cardassian reading this, please don't take it personally.)" (Star Trek: Aliens & Artifacts, p. 9).
Society and culture.
Cardassian culture was hierarchical, with the State at the top in public life, and parents within the home. Cardassians valued advanced age as a sign of strength, power, and wisdom. In Cardassian culture, the thirtieth birthday was cause for celebration for a Cardassian, though the government may not have always been so open-minded in its policies. (DS9: "The Maquis, Part I", "Distant Voices") Cardassian architecture often reinforced established hierarchy by placing important individuals in physically high locations. (DS9: "Emissary") The emphasis on hierarchy and other factors were fertile ground for intense rivalries between individuals and families. As a result, Cardassians were generally suspicious and regarded those who were not as foolish. For instance, irony in the Human tragedy Julius Caesar was lost on Elim Garak, who thought Caesar a fool for not suspecting that Brutus would betray him. (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II"; DS9: "Cardassians", "Distant Voices", "Improbable Cause", "Indiscretion", "In Purgatory's Shadow", "Sons and Daughters") Organian scientists noted that Cardassians in the 22nd century showed concern for comrades afflicted with a fatal and contagious disease, but in the end, the Cardassians killed their infected crew members. (ENT: "Observer Effect").
Enabran Tain, an elderly Cardassian in 2370
Cardassian culture valued family highly, as demonstrated in a Cardassian saying that proclaimed, "Family is all," despite the obligations to the State that might make Cardassians choose the State over family. Cardassian homes were typically multi-generational and hierarchical, with male and female parents sharing authority. Cardassian culture emphasized family loyalty. Similar to some other cultures, Cardassians placed great value on the continuation of family lines, and as such were pro-natalist, though they were not known for having large numbers of offspring. Sometimes, Cardassian children would visit their parents at work to see what they did, even if their job involved torture. (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II") In contrast to the close-knit family unit, Cardassian culture did not regard orphans highly, and provided no obvious means of social welfare for them, though adoption was not unheard of. (DS9: "Destiny") When making a speech, the leader of the Cardassian Union may use the send-off "This I vow with my life's blood, for my sons, for all our sons." (DS9: "By Inferno's Light", "Statistical Probabilities").
Cardassian orphans left on Bajor after the Occupation
Neither of the two Cardassian genders is considered universally dominant over the other, though each tends to be dominant within certain specific fields within their society. Patrician Cardassian males lead a life focused on military and political service, and thus societal advances in technology and engineering have always been spearheaded by Cardassian females. Most Cardassian scientists tend to be females, or as Gilora Rejal put it, "Men just don't seem to have a head for this sort of thing.... That's why women dominate the sciences." (DS9: "Destiny") This does not mean that women are relegated to maintaining the Cardassian technological base, as there were various female ship commanders and political leaders, such as Gul Ocett and Archon Makbar. (TNG: "The Chase"; DS9: "Tribunal").
Two civilian female Cardassian scientists
Cardassians enjoyed debate and conversation in general. Cardassian meal time was as much about discussion as it was about eating. They would speak at length about a topic to show their knowledge, avoid saying something incriminating, or to obtain some piece of information from the person they were speaking to. Such was their love of conversation that it played a major role in their courtship. Courtship among Cardassians may include bitter, ferocious arguing, a fact not remembered by the confrontational Miles O'Brien, who engaged in repeated disputes with his female Cardassian co-worker Gilora Rejal, only to be shocked when it led to her becoming infatuated with him. (DS9: "Destiny") Pressing the palm of one's hand to another's palm was the equivalent of a kiss on the cheek, as demonstrated by Elim Garak and Tora Ziyal. (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow")
Aside from in the relations between O'Brien and Rejal, the Cardassian tendency of bitter arguing in courtship was not seen in other courtings wherein one or both participants were Cardassian.
Cardassian engineering standards were usually lower than Starfleet's. When Miles O'Brien ran a diagnostic of Deep Space 9's fusion power plant, it revealed that it was operating at 13% below peak efficiency. The station's computer, still running by Cardassian standards, explained that Cardassian specifications accepted operating efficiency within 20%. (DS9: "The Forsaken")
Cardassians were well known for genetic engineering, even allowing other galactic powers to study their creations, such as the Federation. To distinguish their own creations, Cardassians always built distinctive monoclonial links into the DNA they used. (DS9: "Babel")
A year after the conclusion of the Federation-Cardassian War, Worf stated, "Cardassians have no honor." Conversely, during the Klingon-Cardassian War, an officer aboard a Klingon Bird-of-Prey, the IKS Rotarran, stated that the Cardassians were honorable and formidable warriors in comparison to their Jem'Hadar counterparts. (TNG: "The Wounded"; DS9: "Soldiers of the Empire")
Cardassians were meticulous record keepers, using well-organized files and databases. Garak claimed that his people had instructed many other worlds, including Bajor, in their archival methods. (DS9: "Cardassians") Cardassians were known for their punctuality. They also valued cleanliness. (DS9: "Distant Voices", "Destiny", "Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night")
Cardassians were similar to Romulans in their xenophobic tendencies, and also shared a Romulan belief that there was no such thing as luck. Like the Breen, they treated their prisoners with little tolerance or sympathy, and had no qualms with using torture to extract information. Some Cardassians were even known to enjoy torturing their prisoners and to do it whether there was information to be extracted or not. (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II") Within the Obsidian Order, at any rate, the practice of torture was so much a cultural custom that having to torture someone closely acquainted with the torturer was sometimes used as a test of loyalty for those who wanted to join the Order or rejoin the organization. (DS9: "The Die is Cast") Additionally, Cardassians were similar to Ferengi, in that they were known for paying their bills. During the Cardassians' occupation of Bajor, many officers accepted bribes to overlook suspicious activities, for additional food, or for other "favors." To many Alpha Quadrant species, Cardassians were seen as nothing more than arrogant, cruel, cold-blooded killers. (DS9: "Cardassians", "Necessary Evil", "The Wire", "Distant Voices", "The Way of the Warrior", "In Purgatory's Shadow", "Call to Arms", "Behind the Lines", "The Changing Face of Evil", "The Dogs of War").
Education.
Cardassians considered their educational system to be unparalleled in the Alpha Quadrant, and educational attainment was regarded as a key asset in Cardassian society. Cardassian children were often put into intensive mind-training programs, from as early as three or four. It is because of these mind-training programs that some Cardassians were able to resist a Vulcan mind meld. Cardassians were also trained, during this time, to have photographic memories. A typical Cardassian view of how children should be raised was summed up in Dukat stating, "Education is power... joy is vulnerability." (DS9: "The Maquis, Part I") However, Cardassian children were also indulged with pets, trips to Cardassian amusement parks, and other pass times. (DS9: "Chain of Command, Part II", "Cardassians", "Defiant").
Religion.
Ancient Cardassian civilization exhibited vibrant religious practice; its rituals and structure were unknown. During this period prior to the establishment of the modern Cardassian Union, resource shortages, famine, and plague became rampant throughout the Cardassian homeworld, evidently killing large portions of the population. In order to survive, Cardassian society embraced a totalitarian police-state which would be strong enough to provide for the material needs of its citizens. As the ancient religion was a deviation from utter devotion to the government, the modern Cardassian Union was founded as a non-theistic society where loyalty to the State achieved profound importance. (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II")
Modern Cardassians seemed to regard the religions of other galactic species as anachronistic or backward, as evidenced by their actions during the Bajoran Occupation, though extenuating circumstances may have played a role in this. During the period in which Cardassia was a member of the Dominion in 2373, most Cardassians did not view the Founders as deities, instead focusing on their physical properties as shapeshifters. (DS9: "Waltz", "Tears of the Prophets", "What You Leave Behind") Rather than believing in luck, Cardassians believed that all outcomes are ultimately determined by each individual's strength or will. (DS9: "Destiny")
Modern Cardassians exhibited involved funeral practices. Funeral services were open to the entire Cardassian public, especially memorials for memorable figures such as Gul Darhe'el. Cardassian graves are believed to be only in ground burials, and are marked, especially those of high-ranking or famous people, such as war heroes or great scientists, with monuments of varying degrees of ornamentation and size. Cardassians considered viewing of their corpses by non-Cardassians taboo. (DS9: "Indiscretion", "Duet") A unique aspect of Cardassian end-of-life practice was known as Shri-tal, when a dying family member passed on all their secrets to their surviving relatives so they could use them against the dying one's enemies. (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow", "Ties of Blood and Water").
Philosophy.
"Confession is good for the soul."
Cardassian trials were publicly broadcast
The ideal Cardassian life was one of complete loyalty and servitude to the State and family. The Cardassian government was assumed to be omniscient, omnipotent, and benevolent. In a sense, when the Cardassians abandoned their spiritual ways and began their expansion throughout the Alpha Quadrant centuries ago, they simply applied a twisted form of their religion to their political philosophy. (DS9: "The Wire", "Second Skin")
A typical example of the Cardassian approach to life was found in their jurisprudence and criminal trials, in which the conclusion was always determined beforehand – the ruling of each case was a guilty verdict – and the purpose of the proceedings was not justice in the Human sense but bringing the offender to recognize the power and benevolence of the State. A trial, therefore, was an opportunity for the State to reveal how someone's guilt was proven by what they considered "the most efficient criminal investigation system in the quadrant." When Benjamin Sisko once asked Gul Dukat why bother with a trial at all, Dukat responded that the people demanded it, as they enjoyed watching "justice triumph over evil." The notion that they might try an innocent man by mistake was foreign to the Cardassians, as they believed in and always operated under the assumption that "Cardassians don't make mistakes." The typical Cardassian approach, therefore, was direct, simple, and ruthless, uncaring about how many aliens – or Cardassians – were trampled in the interests of the State. Cardassians prided themselves on their attention to detail and memories. They had no interest in science for its own worth, and demanded that scientific projects, like everything, serve military benefits. (DS9: "The Maquis, Part II", "Tribunal", "Destiny")
Cardassian philosophy placed a central value on strength; not necessarily physical strength, but strength of personal and collective will. When Dr. Bashir recovered from a mental attack by a Lethian, Garak held responsible Bashir's strength (rather than luck) for having enabled him to survive. (DS9: "Distant Voices") In general, Cardassians believed that the strong had a right to rule over the weak. While stranded on a planet with Benjamin Sisko, Dukat explained how the Cardassians justified the occupation of Bajor: "From the moment we arrived on Bajor, it was clear that we were the superior race. But they couldn't accept that. They wanted to be treated as equals, when they most certainly were not. Militarily, technologically, culturally – we were almost a century ahead of them in every way! We did not choose to be the superior race, fate handed us our role. And it would've been so much easier on everyone if the Bajorans had simply accepted their role." This kind of attitude, attributed to most Cardassians, was even enough to compel the Ferengi Quark into helping a resistance cell that Major Kira led against the Cardassians (and their Dominion allies), on the space station alternately known as Deep Space 9 or Terok Nor, in 2374. (DS9: "By Inferno's Light", "Favor the Bold", "Sacrifice of Angels", "Waltz")
Cardassian philosophy typically upheld the idea that the ends justified the means. After the Cardassians unearthed the burial vaults of their ancestors, which were filled with rare artifacts, they sold them to other species to pay for their own war efforts as well as to feed the starving population on the Cardassian homeworld. Additionally, the extraction of Bajor's natural resources was considered an appropriate means to feed Cardassia's population, despite the fact it required the occupation of the Bajorans' homeworld. Furthermore, in an attempt to help the USS Voyager make it back to the Alpha Quadrant safely, Seska (a Cardassian in disguise) was willing to sacrifice a Starfleet replicator to the Kazon-Nistrim in return for their protection, believing that Voyager's quick and safe return home would justify whatever actions were taken to attain that end. (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II"; DS9: "Duet"; VOY: "State of Flux")
In the aftermath of the Dominion War, the Cardassians were left in a state of almost-entire devastation, their homeworld completely ruined. One of the greatest questions facing the Alpha Quadrant was whether Cardassia would remain entrenched in its old, bloody system or if a reform to a more Federation-style democracy was possible. (DS9: "What You Leave Behind") The Detapa Council, however, was elected.
It is unclear if the election of the Detapa Council was by Cardassia's general populace.
Arts.
Arts, specifically literature and painting, were highly regarded in Cardassian culture. Cardassian literature often reflected Cardassian values, such as family, duty and the glorification of the state. Examples of Cardassian literature include The Never Ending Sacrifice, an epic tale spanning seven generations of the history of a Cardassian family which displays selfless obedience to Cardassia; Meditations on a Crimson Shadow, a novel by Preloc set in the future concerning a war between the Cardassian and Klingon Empires; and the enigma tales of Shoggoth, a series of mysteries in which all of the suspects are guilty but the trick is in figuring out of what (demonstrating the presumed infallibility of the Cardassian justice system). (DS9: "The Wire", "Distant Voices")
Iloja of Prim was a serialist poet who lived during the First Republic of the 21st century and had to spend an exile on Vulcan. (DS9: "Destiny")
Nanpart Malor was a painter who originated the Valonnan School art movement. (DS9: "Sons and Daughters")
Tavor Kell was a famous architect known throughout the Alpha Quadrant. He was quoted as having said every element had to be "of a piece, yet have a beauty all its own." (DS9: "The Muse").
Citizenry and the State
Cardassians gave their first molar to the Bureau of Identification at age ten.
Cardassian society had the most rigid and, to the Federation, incomprehensible of all legal systems. Every suspect was irrefutably deemed guilty before even appearing in court, their sentence already spelled out – almost always either death or imprisonment in a harsh labor camp. The criminal was given a Conservator, equivalent to a public defender, except that the Conservator was not supposed to win but to prepare the criminal for a moving confession of guilt on the floor of the court. The accused was also permitted an advocate, the Nestor, to advise them during the trial. The Chief Archon, or judge, of the court played to a televised audience, their duty not to judge the prisoner's innocence or guilt, but rather to give an emphatic display of the futility of crime on Cardassia and reinforce the public's trust in the judicial system. Charges against the accused were announced at the commencement of the trial itself, the execution date was set in advance, and only the offender's spouse as well as the court-assigned nestor and counsel could attend the trial. (DS9: "Tribunal", "The Die is Cast").
Makbar, Chief Archon
Military
The modern Cardassian Union employed a military made up of both males and females. The actual size and percentage of males and females serving was unknown, but it was primarily male. Ordinarily, the Cardassian military was a volunteer force, but during emergencies, Cardassians could be drafted.
Organization
The Cardassian military normally was administered by the elected Detapa Council. Under the Detapa Council was Cardassian Central Command, made up of career military, which often operated autonomously. In 2372, after the destruction of the Obsidian Order the previous year, actions of the Cardassian dissident movement restored the Detapa Council's authority. During Cardassia's membership in the Dominion, Gul Dukat appointed himself leader of the Cardassian people, eliminating civilian oversight. (DS9: "Defiant", "In Purgatory's Shadow", "By Inferno's Light") Under the Central Command were a number of semi-autonomous "Orders," which were roughly similar to a numbered fleet in function. Each order seemed to recruit its own members and, while no hierarchy existed, some orders were more prestigious than others.
Tactics
The Cardassian military made extensive use of booby traps, especially in retreat and tactical withdrawals. The Cardassian military tended to favor covert action and deception over direct confrontation. While making an attempt to take over Minos Korva, the Cardassians hid several vessels in the McAllister Nebula and waited to see if the Federation would trade the planet for the release of Captain Jean-Luc Picard before striking. During the Klingon-Cardassian War, the Cardassians were able to win many engagements against the Klingons by implementing decoys with sensor ghosts and holo-projections, before striking their confused enemies. When direct confrontation was unavoidable, the Cardassians employed a number of well-coordinated fighters in tight formation, in order to cover for any relative technological weaknesses. A typical Cardassian plan was complex and was said to consist of a "plan within a plan within a plan, leading to a trap." (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II"; DS9: "Armageddon Game", "The Maquis, Part I", "Soldiers of the Empire").
State intelligence
To ensure that the population remained completely loyal to the State, the Cardassian Obsidian Order – the Union's primary intelligence agency – watched over the people. It was said that a Cardassian citizen could not sit down to a meal without each dish being duly noted and recorded by the Obsidian Order. Like the military, the Obsidian Order was supposed to submit to the Detapa Council, but in practice, the Order had far more authority. Even members of the Cardassian military were not immune to Obsidian Order inquiries, although Legates could be well connected and protected from the Order's observations; Tekeny Ghemor was able to turn off Obsidian Order listening devices. Almost every Cardassian lived in fear of the Order, as its constant surveillance led to sudden eliminations of numerous "traitors." (DS9: "The Wire", "Defiant").
After the Battle of the Omarion Nebula, the Obsidian Order ceased to exist. However, after Cardassia joined the Dominion in 2373, the Order's role was replaced by the Cardassian Intelligence Bureau, which was just as effective. In fact, when Elim Garak attempted to contact some associates of his, who were on Cardassia Prime in 2374, every one of them was found and killed within one day of speaking to him. Garak called it "a testament to the effectiveness of Dominion security," adding, "One should admire such... efficiency." (DS9: "The Die is Cast", "The Way of the Warrior", "Rocks and Shoals", "In the Pale Moonlight").
Government
Insignia of the Cardassian Union
The governing body of Cardassia was the Cardassian Union. The elected Detapa Council had ruled for centuries. Over the years, the Council's power was usurped by Cardassian Central Command, the military branch of the government, transforming Cardassia into a police state. By the late 24th century, the Central Command's control was slipping, due to civilian protests and the Cardassian dissident movement. The Obsidian Order had been given limited autonomy and thus took a very active role in Cardassians' lives, but it was forbidden from raising an army and its autonomy could be revoked at any time. (DS9: "Emissary", "Defiant")
The latter half of the 24th century saw significant changes. A secret joint operation between the Obsidian Order and the Romulan Tal Shiar, intended to cripple the Dominion, raised an armada of ships equipped with cloaking devices. Led by Enabran Tain, the plan nearly succeeded but had been sabotaged by a Changeling infiltrator. The joint Cardassian-Romulan fleet was destroyed utterly at the Battle of the Omarion Nebula, and the staggering losses suffered by the Order, combined with public outcry, had caused its downfall. (DS9: "Improbable Cause", "The Die is Cast").
Without the Obsidian Order to keep the populace in line, the dissident movement grew and eventually succeeded in securing control of the government. A civilian uprising reinstated the power of the Detapa Council, but this drew the attention of the nearby Klingon Empire. Claiming that the Detapa Council was replaced by Changelings, Chancellor Gowron and General Martok (who was himself under the influence of a Changeling infiltrator) initiated the Klingon-Cardassian War, in a thinly veiled attempt to seize control of Cardassian territory. The invasion, combined with terrorist pressure from the Maquis in the Demilitarized Zone, resulted in utter chaos. In an attempt to restore Cardassia to its former glory, S.G. Dukat secretly negotiated Cardassia's entry into the Dominion. (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior").
When Gul Dukat completed negotiations with the Dominion in 2373, the Detapa Council ceased to exist altogether, just as the Obsidian Order had, two years prior. The majority of Cardassian affairs were thereafter handled by Dukat, since he was placed as the leader of the Cardassian Union and given the rank Legate, though he was constrained to work under the regulations of the Dominion. While the two groups were occupying Deep Space 9 during the first three months of the Dominion War, Dukat generally controlled the Cardassian and Dominion fleets, with Weyoun overseeing his decisions. The two individuals were able to maintain an equal standing with each other, though both were subject to the unquestionable authority of the Founders. Major Kira once noted, however, that the Cardassian and Dominion troops mutually hated each other. Subsequently, it proved relatively easy to turn the groups of opposing troops posted to DS9 against each other, with subtle manipulation on the part of the resistance cell operating on the station. (DS9: "The Die is Cast", "In Purgatory's Shadow", "By Inferno's Light", "Call to Arms", "A Time to Stand", "Favor the Bold")
Cardassian forces rebel against the Dominion
Because the death of his own daughter Ziyal caused Dukat to suffer a breakdown, the responsibility of commanding the Cardassian people (as well as holding the rank of Legate) was adopted by Damar. Since the new leader lacked the self-confidence and leadership skills of his former mentor and predecessor, however, Weyoun was able to take increasingly more control over the Cardassian people, with Damar becoming little more than a figurehead. Eventually, Damar had absolutely no say in any political decisions. This became blatantly obvious when Female Changeling made territorial concessions to the Breen in 2375, in order to convince them to join the Dominion. Eventually, the Cardassians revolted, and Damar defected to the Cardassian Rebellion as its leader. Legate Broca was installed as a figurehead, completely under Weyoun's control and subservient to the Breen. Weyoun ordered escalating atrocities against Cardassian civilians attempting to quell the revolt, which enraged the military. Near the end of the Dominion War, the Cardassian fleet turned on the Dominion, allowing the Federation Alliance to gain a decisive advantage during the Battle of Cardassia and eventually win the Dominion War. The Cardassians had opted for independence rather than Dominion governance. (DS9: "Sacrifice of Angels", "Statistical Probabilities", "Strange Bedfellows", "The Changing Face of Evil", "What You Leave Behind")
The political future of the Cardassians is left unknown at the end of the Dominion War, which concludes Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. However, Captain Braxton, a Starfleet officer from the 29th century, refers to a 1996Los Angeles police officer as a "quasi-Cardassian totalitarian" after being thrown back in time to the 20th century, in VOY: "Future's End". This would suggest that Cardassia did not abandon its tendency towards an aggressive, militaristic police state by the 29th century.
In the non-canon Deep Space Nine relaunch novels, Garak was the leader of a civilian restoration, working with Alon Ghemor, the nephew of Tekeny Ghemor. Keiko O'Brien also aided Cardassia in its reconstruction efforts.
Parallel universes
In the mirror universe, the Cardassians were a founding race of the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. (DS9: "Crossover").
In one quantum reality, the Cardassian Union had been overthrown by the Bajorans, who became increasingly aggressive towards the Federation, prior to 2370. By that time, the helmsman of the USS Enterprise-D, under the command of Captain William T. Riker, was a Cardassian ensign. (TNG: "Parallels")
Technology
By 2367, Cardassian technology had become notably inferior compared to newer classes of starships operated by the Federation, particularly Galaxy-class and Nebula-class vessels. A Cardassian warship was easily destroyed by the USS Phoenix, even when the warship had the ability to penetrate the Phoenix's shields. The Phoenix's use of photon torpedoes at long range gave the vessel superiority over the warship. Furthermore, Cardassians on board the USS Enterprise-D made several comments about the superiority of Federation technology, notably the ship's transporter technology, as well as the vessel's sensors, which were able to determine Cardassian transponder codes at long ranges, an ability that Cardassian sensors did not have at the time. However, the Cardassians did possess the ability to mask the contents of their supply ships from the Enterprise's scans. (TNG: "The Wounded")
A Cardassian warship destroying Federation fighters
Despite advances in Federation technology, the Cardassians remained formidable opponents. While their shield technology matched unfavorably against both Federation and Klingon weapons, Cardassian weapons were quite capable on their own terms. All Cardassian warships generally relied upon a single large, powerful, forward-facing phaser/disruptor-style weapon, similar to Klingon and Romulan ship design philosophy. However, the vessels also featured multiple dorsal phaser arrays to deal with attacks by swarms of smaller vessels, such as Maquis raiders and Federation attack fighters. In battle, Cardassian ships also employed missile weaponry similar to photon torpedoes. (TNG: "The Wounded", "Ensign Ro", "Preemptive Strike"; DS9: "Return to Grace", "Sacrifice of Angels")
Despite the Federation's production of superior vessels by the 2360s, the Federation-Cardassian War featured a stalemate between the two powers. After the conflict ended, Admiral Haden told Captain Picard that the Federation wasn't "prepared for a new sustained conflict" with the Cardassians, revealing that – despite technological advantages and new classes of superior ships – the Cardassians remained a legitimate threat to Starfleet. (TNG: "The Wounded"; DS9: "Sacrifice of Angels")
The bulk of the Federation fleet continued to consist of smaller, primarily scientific vessels, such as the Excelsior-class and Miranda-class, well into the Dominion War. The late entry of ship classes like the Galaxy-class and Nebula-class was likely one reason why the conflict ended in a stalemate. Furthermore, the end of the Federation-Cardassian conflict came during a period of threat from both the Borg and the re-emergent Romulan Star Empire, so it is likely that Haden's comment represented an overall consideration of the Federation's strategic position. The Cardassian Union itself never appeared to match the Federation in sheer scale, although it did appear to allocate much more time and resources towards its war industry. Finally, it is likely that the Cardassians were qualitatively and quantitatively inferior to the Federation, but represented a disproportionately dense concentration of military power, sharing a border with the much larger, but consequently more logistically demanding to guard, Federation.
During the Klingon-Cardassian War, the Klingons inflicted considerable damage on the Cardassian military due to their sudden, unprovoked invasion. Nevertheless, the Cardassians were able to sustain a stalemate after the invasion was blunted. Compensating for their ships' relative weaknesses, the Cardassians were able to win many engagements by employing unique tactics (see above). (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior", "Soldiers of the Empire")
Despite its increasing technological inferiority compared to newer Starfleet ships, the bulk of the Cardassian military continued to consist of Galor-class ships. While they remained inferior to the Galaxy- and Nebula-class vessels in one-on-one engagements throughout the Dominion War, the Cardassians tended to deploy these ships in attack groups of two or three ships, to compensate for their relative weakness. In 2374, a wing of Cardassian destroyers managed to destroy the USS Honshu. During the Second Battle of Deep Space 9, Captain Benjamin Sisko was forced to dispatch two wings of Galaxy-class ships to engage a group of Galor-class destroyers, which posed a serious threat to the Federation's smaller vessels. (DS9: "Sacrifice of Angels", "Waltz")
By the late 24th century, the Cardassians used beritium, dolamide, kelindide, rhodinium and uridium in the construction of their ships and military equipment. (DS9: "The Search, Part I", "Indiscretion", "Dramatis Personae")
Cardassian ships were slightly altered between Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. "The design of the Cardassian ships is a little grimmer," noted Robert Legato. (Cinefantastique, Vol. 24, Nos. 3/4, p. 105)
Illustrator Jim Martin designed several Cardassian tools, including a weapon and an eyepiece, the latter of which is worn by Garak in DS9: "Cardassians". Martin commented, "You do different Cardassian devices, and then you start pulling from those shapes." ("Deep Space Nine Sketchbook", DS9 Season 2 DVD special features).
History
In its ancient history, before Cardassia became a military dictatorship, the Cardassian society was known as the First Hebitian civilization. It was home to fine art and beautiful architecture. Once the Hebitian civilization fell into decay from lack of natural resources, millions of Cardassians were starving and the planet was subjected to utter chaos. Though the Hebitian society and way of life eventually became extinct, the remaining Cardassians turned to the military to solve their problems. This began the Cardassian policy of expansion into the Milky Way Galaxy, to provide the much-needed natural resources to sustain its population. (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II"; DS9: "Duet")
Cardassians were capable of interstellar travel by the middle of the 22nd century. At some point before 2154, Organian scientists observed a Cardassian starship crew that had been infected by a silicon-based virus found on the surface of an M-class planet. (ENT: "Observer Effect")
Cardassia Prime lies in ruins
During the 24th century, Cardassians were involved in three cataclysmic wars. The first major war was with the Federation in the mid-24th century, which ended in a turbulent peace treaty. (TNG: "The Wounded") A second war broke out when the Klingon Empire launched an unprovoked and unjustified invasion into Cardassian territory, after a successful rebellion had overthrown the military's rule. The Klingons believed the coup to be a result of Changeling infiltration, and therefore attempted to take over the Cardassian Union. The coup was in fact successful, due to the Obsidian Order having collapsed after the Battle of the Omarion Nebula. This war devastated Cardassian infrastructure, with a great loss of life and territory. (DS9: "The Die is Cast", "The Way of the Warrior").
The third and largest of these conflicts was the Dominion War. In order to drive out the Klingons from their territory, destroy the Maquis in the Demilitarized Zone and regain Cardassia's status in the Alpha Quadrant, Gul Dukat signed a treaty making Cardassia a member of the Dominion. Cardassian and Dominion forces proceeded to push the Klingon fleet out of Cardassian territory and wipe out the entire Maquis movement within a few days. (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow", "By Inferno's Light").
While initially the alliance with the Dominion seemed to be beneficial to Cardassia, in the long run, it resulted in an exponential loss of life. Near the end of the Dominion War, Cardassia Prime was struck by Jem'Hadar raids and orbital bombardment from Dominion and Breen forces in orbit of the planet, which attempted to wipe out the Cardassian species entirely for their betrayal. Nearly one billion Cardassians were killed in a few short hours. (DS9: "A Time to Stand", "What You Leave Behind").
