In the mirror universe, the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance was a coalition government formed by the Klingon Empire and the Cardassian Union in the 2290s as a counter to the Terran Empire, as neither power alone possessed the strength of arms to defeat the Terran Starfleet. The key to such an alliance between these two nations was the Republic of Bajor, whose role as a power-broker ensured a level of equality that otherwise would not have been able to exist. The Alliance defeated and conquered the Terran Empire, already weakened by the reforms of Spock, and condemned all non-Alliance races and cultures to slavery.

In 2370s, the Alliance was the dominant power in the Alpha and Beta Quadrant region. The Alliance suffered a set back in 2370 when the Terran Rebellion was formed by Benjamin Sisko. The rebellion continued to be a problem for the Alliance, successfully gaining and holding Terok Nor in 2372 and capturing Regent Worf in 2375. (DS9 episodes: "Through the Looking Glass", "Shattered Mirror", "The Emperor's New Cloak")

In the TNG novel: Dark Mirror continuity, there is no Alliance, and the Terran Empire remains intact until at least 2367.

Emperor TiberiusEdit

In one version of the mirror universe, the Alliance was forged by Emperor Tiberius to conquer the Terran Empire following his ousting by his Prime Minister, Spock. No one else had thought that pairing possible, for while it was in the Cardassian nature to seek alliances, it was not a common Klingon trait, except under exceptional circumstances. In 2375 agents of the Alliance began replacing members of Starfleet and stealing designs of Federation starships in retaliation of what they believed was the Federation aiding the Terran Rebellion of their own universe through their possession of a Defiant class ship. The Alliance's plans were foiled when Tiberius' agents compromised their operations in the Goldin Discontinuity. (ST - Mirror Universe Trilogy novel: Spectre)

Regent GorkonEdit

In another version of the mirror universe, the Alliance was created in 2293 by Regent Gorkon, Son of Toq and Legate Renar following the Khitomer conference after attempts by the Klingon Empire to ally itself with the Terran Empire were rejected by Emperor Spock. The Praxis Disaster had left the Klingons crippled economically to the point where they could no longer conquer the Terrans single handedly and so needed a partner. In 2295 The Alliance conquered the Terran Empire, now known as the Terran Republic, using a fleet of Klingon Bird of Prey's which could fire while cloaked. (TOS novel: The Sorrows of Empire)

The Alliance came close to defeat in 2371 when a Borg ship entered Klingon space on a course for Qo'nos, a fleet comprising of Klingon, Cardassian, Bajoran and Ferengi ships failed to stop the Borg, however, the timely arrvial of Luc Picard with an Iconian probe which infected the Borg ship, destroying it, and saved the Alliance from assimilation (TNG novel: Glass Empires: "The Worst of Both Worlds").

Within the Alliance the Klingons held more political and military influence due to their Empire being the more powerful at the time of the Alliance's formation, many Cardassians were unhappy with the smaller influence they held and members of their government, such as Skrain Dukat have worked to increase Cardassia's power by gathering support with Bajor, the other influential member in the Alliance. By 2375 following the capture of Worf, Martok had taken over as Regent, the same year the Alliance scored a major victory over the Terran rebellion when they destroyed the Empok Nor shipyard and the 12 Defiant class warships being built there, a Romulan cloaking device was also captured. (DS9 Novel: "Saturn's Children")

MAJOR SPOILERS
WARNING! This article contains MAJOR spoilers for the recently released novel Rise Like Lions. Caution is advised.

The Alliance continued to struggle with the increased might of the Terran Rebellion, and eventually the two organizations signed an armistice. Formerly Alliance-occupied worlds, such as Earth, were liberated from Alliance control. Furthermore, a neutral zone was established which kept the newly formed Galactic Commonwealth safe from the Alliance. (ST novel: Rise Like Lions).

External linksEdit

• Klingon-Cardassian Alliance article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
• Klingon-Cardassian Alliance article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.