millenia ago by the reclusive Founders who control hundreds of planets. Although the Founders
themselves were almost never seen, Dominion power was brutally exercised by the Jem'Hadar,
insuring compliance with the Founders' rule. For example, when a planet in the Teplan system
resisted Dominion control in 2172, the Jem'Hadar punished the planet's population by unleashing
a disease, called the blight, that caused terrible suffering for centuries
The Dominions military is
largely made out of their most ferocious soldiers, the Jem'Hadar, which
is a race of tall lizard-like
beings genetically engineered by the Changelings, and bred only for
combat. The administrative
side of the Dominion empire is managed by the Vorta, which coordin-
ates relationships between
the Changelings and the membership worlds.
In 2370, the Dominion invaded and concuered planet Yadera Prime, and the T-Rogorans in 2370.
The Dominion planted agents
in the Alpha quadrant, so by late 2370, these agents provided the
Dominion with tactical intelligence
on the Federation and other Alpha quadrant powers, Such
agents, often Founders posing
as members of other species, also worked to destabilize the Alpha
quadrant, as an ongoing
prelude to a Dominion invasion. The Dominion objected to the incursion
of
Alpha quadrant cultures
into the Gamma quadrant. In late 2370, they made their displeasure
known by destroying a number
ships and wiping out the New Bajor colony.
Dominion operatives captured
several members of the Defiant crew in 2371 in an effort to learn
how strongly life-forms
in the Alpha quadrant would resist a Dominion incursion into that part
of
the galaxy.
In 2373, the Dominion entered
into an alliance with Cardassian Union, giving the Founders a
significant stronghold in
the Alpha quadrant. Gul Dukat brokered the agreement after secret
talks.
