The Final Strike of the DOMINION WAR
By late 2375, the Federation Alliance (comprised of Starfleet, the Klingons, and the Romulans) had managed to score several tactical victories over Dominion forces. Tables began to turn in their favor following the successful invasion of the Chin’toka system as well as the Romulans joining the offensive.

The Dominion managed to counter these assaults by allying themselves with the Breen, who possessed an advanced weapon to easily disable Romulan and Starfleet ships. This new alliance raised the stakes of the war as the Breen managed a sneak attack on Starfleet Headquarters on Earth. Strangely unaffected by the Breen weapon, Klingon ships deployed to defend the Alliance borders while Federation and Romulan engineers worked fast to devise a means to prevent the new Breen weapon from affecting their ships. Meanwhile, things worsened for the Federation Alliance as the combined Breen/Dominion forces were able to retake the Chin’toka system.

Engineers were soon successful in adapting to the Breen weapon. While the Federation Alliance continued the offensive, the Dominion was struck another blow as clusters of Cardassian military officials began subversive resistance against them. Over the course of several weeks, this Resistance managed to eliminate several Dominion outposts and military installations.

Being attacked both externally and internally, the Dominion pulled it’s forces back into the core of Cardassian-held territory and consolidated their forces. The retreat was a short-lived victory for the Alliance as Federation tacticians predicted that it would only take two or three years for the Dominion to rebuild their entire forces and breed new legions of Jem’Hadar warriors.

The Federation Alliance leadership knew that if they were to ever defeat the Dominion, it would have to be as soon as possible, before the Dominion had a chance to rebuild. A bold strike plan was devised known as Operation: Broadsword. By late 2375, the plan was implemented and a massive force of Starfleet, Klingons, and Romulans began it’s final assault into Dominion-held territory.

By this time, Dominion forces had been successful in completely wiping out the Cardassian resistance. But an unexpected element arose shortly after. The Cardassian people themselves joined up in an open revolt against the Dominion. Two empires that were once united against the Federation Alliance were now at war with each other.

As the Alliance fought deeper and deeper into the heart of Dominion space, they soon found a new ally fighting at their side, the Cardassians themselves. Cardassian military commanders and starship captains were defecting in masses. Working together, the Alliance pushed Dominion forces back to Cardassia itself.

Faced with unbeatable odds as well as the opportunity to help saver her own dying people through the help of fellow Changeling Odo, the Founder in charge of all Dominion forces in the Alpha Quadrant agreed to end the conflict and stand trial for their crimes.

Aboard the space station Deep Space Nine, the final treaty was signed between Dominion and Alliance forces, ending the bloody conflict.

Immediate Aftermath of the Dominion War
Once the treaty was signed, Alliance starships began escorting the remaining Dominion forces back to the Bajoran wormhole so that they could return to the Gamma Quadrant. The terms of the treaty imposed a number of conditions on both the Dominion and the Cardassians, as well as the Breen:

Following the withdrawal of Dominion forces back to the Gamma Quadrant, Starfleet began assessing total losses of personnel, ships, and resources. When the final numbers were added up, Starfleet lost nearly a third of it’s forces. The Romulans were less affected by losing a quarter of it’s forces. The Klingons had collected the most damage by loosing nearly half of their forces.

Of all participants in the war, the Cardassians had amounted the most damage, having lost over 3 billion people. Most of those casualties occurred as the Dominion began decimating the rebelling Cardassian people. During this act, entire cities were leveled.

Long-term Effects of the DOMINION WAR
The end of the war was not the end of problems, but the beginning of new ones for many of the quadrant’s powers. In the year to follow the war, Starfleet (along with other monitoring forces) worked diligently to put down any remaining Cardassian former military leaders and warlords attempting to take advantage of the fallen Cardassian empire and amass power of their own.

Not only were fellow Cardassians trying to take advantage of their situation, but also were outside forces. For the Ferengi, doing business with the fallen nation proved extremely successful financially. But not all sought personal gain through legal means. Rogue factions of Mirdorn, Elasi, and others took advantage of the situation and raided numerous Cardassian colonies. The weakened state also lead to criminal elements such as the Orion Syndicate to have greater influence and set up many illegal trade routes.

Starfleet was unable to police much of the Cardassian territories, as they found many of their forces now scattered across the quadrant to make sure their own borders were secure. What ships were available to patrol Cardassian territory were responsible for maintaining the treaty and assisting colonies.

The following years after the war should prove interesting as the political climate of the Alpha Quadrant continues to change and develop.