The Breen Confederacy remains an anomaly in the geopolitical order of the Alpha and Beta
Quadrants. Though undeniably a major interstellar power that for centuries has maintained at least
some level of contact with its neighbors, the reclusive nature of the Confederacy has left
every element of the Breen civilization shrouded in mystery. For seemingly every verified fact
concerning the Breen, some contradictory piece of information exists that places it into doubt.
The mystery surrounding the Breen Confederacy begins at the very physiology of the Breen species
themselves. In their dealings with outsiders, the Breen without exception, wear concealing
refrigeration suits, ostensibly to maintain an ultra-cold temperature the species requires to
survive. From this, it is speculated the Breen might be covered in a thick growth of hair, or in
some way resemble the other species of the galaxy that have evolved to live in such conditions.
Yet the Breen also have no blood or other form of liquid circulatory system, and their minds
appear impervious to telepathic or empathetic contact. It is therefore equally likely that
the Breen might be an entirely new form of life, one whose basic structural or metabolic functions
are not based on carbon compounds, but perhaps silicon, methane, or most likely, ammonia. If
such hypotheses are correct, it is possible that the Breen would boil alive or simply evaporate at
temperatures in which most other species would freeze. This remains purely conjecture however,
for in all recorded history, no foreigner has ever seen the Breen without their suits and lived.
Their language too is almost indecipherable without a universal translator,
resembling garbled electronic noises. Whether this is the Breen’s actual
vocalization or purely an effect of their suits, remains unverified.
The political and societal structure of the Breen’s primary governing body is likewise
largely unknown. While the term Confederacy implies a loose union of several sovereign states,
high ranking Breen officials have often made far-reaching unilateral decisions
resembling those of an autocracy or military dictatorship. If separate Breen states do exist,
they might only work in unison with one another during critical moments, such as in war.
“Confederacy” might also be something of a misnomer,
a translation error that fails to reflect the true foundation of Breen civilization.
The territorial claims of the Breen extend to a small collection of star systems
surrounding their eponymous homeworld. Though the true size of the Confederacy is ambiguous,
it is likely similar to that of the Ferengi Alliance, and well below that of the Alpha
Quadrant’s major powers; the Federation, Klingons, Romulans and Cardassians.
Even this however is subject to dispute. The few representatives of other species to ever
visit the Breen homeworld report that it was not a perpetually frozen world, as was speculated,
but instead resembled the M-class planets common across the galaxy. The Breen homeworld might
in fact not be their homeworld at all, but rather a colony in a larger empire.
Breen foreign policy is correspondingly inconsistent.
Though it maintains a scattered few embassies and consulates with certain other powers
and has even participated in various conferences and diplomatic summits,
it is the Breen military that is the primary expression of the Confederacy’s interests.
Initially the nature of this institution was thought to be decentralized; split between
various privateer and mercenary fleets. But during the single major galactic conflict involving the
Breen; the Dominion War, Breen armadas engaged in large scale fleet actions and displayed great
proficiency in such methods of warfare. An unnamed class of warship was the backbone of
the Breen navy in this era, and provided several key insights into the Confederacy’s technology.
Generally, the Breen are believed to be technologically on par with the
other major galactic powers, excelling in some areas, while behind in others.
Breen thermal engineering is likely the most advanced in known space, and they are one of
the few species known to incorporate organic components into their starships. Some of their
vessels might even be equipped with cloaking devices. Breen innovations in weaponry however
are often decisive. In addition to the disruptors and torpedoes commonly used across the galaxy,
the Breen employ advanced directed energy weapons in both their ground forces and naval fleets. The
Breen CRM 114 was especially popular among arms dealers, while a starship-equipped
energy dampening weapon proved devastating to allied fleets during the Dominion War.
The majority of the information concerning the Breen is derived from this conflict,
with only scattered details available before the war.
Accordingly, an internal history of the Confederacy is impossible.
Only through its external interactions can a rough account of the Breen be constructed.
The first major record of the Breen species occurred during the 22nd century after contact
was established between the Confederacy and the Second Klingon Empire. A brief war ensued in which
an entire fleet of Klingon vessels was destroyed during a campaign to conquer the Breen homeworld.
The Romulan Star Empire encountered the Breen at roughly the same time,
and an unknown incident between the two powers led to the saying “never turn your back on a Breen”.
By the 24th century, knowledge of the Breen was limited to the privateers and mercenaries that
conducted indiscriminate raids against many other species in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants
of the galaxy. Such attacks were believed to be in service of acquiring slave labor
for use in enviroments that the Breen themselves were unsuited. Only the Cardassian Union and
Ferengi Alliance maintained somewhat normal relations with the greater Confederacy,
though such a relationship did not make these neighboring powers immune to such raids.
The entry of the Breen Confederacy against the Federation Alliance in
the Dominion War was considered an astonishing development, ending centuries of isolationism.
How Dominion diplomats achieved this stunning reversal remains unknown, but as with other
powers, likely involved the replacement of key Breen officials with Dominion shapeshifters.
Within days of entering the war the Breen achieved a devastating victory against the Federation,
assaulting Earth directly and severely damaging Starfleet headquarters. Though the attacking force
was almost entirely destroyed, the boldness of the attack was nearly unprecedented. Breen weaponry,
for which the Federation alliance had no effective countermeasure, inflicted further losses
on alliance fleets and nearly single handedly restored the initiative to the Dominion’s side.
But the significant nature of the Breen’s intervention exacerbated lingering rivalries
within the Dominion. To ensure their loyalty to the Dominion’s war effort, the Confederacy was
promised territorial concessions that conflicted with those previously made to the Cardassians.
By the time the Federation alliance developed a successful countermeasure to the Breen’s weaponry,
a Cardassian rebellion was underway and any hope of a Dominion victory had vanished.
Much of the Breen’s leadership chose to die on the battlefield, before an armistice was signed.
With the end of the war, the Breen have returned to their traditional reclusive behavior, but the
impact they made on the galaxy, while brief, will be felt for generations. This isolationist nation,
underestimated by the traditional powers of the galaxy, achieved successes unequaled in warfare.
It humbled the Federation and nearly brought victory to the Dominion.
Why it chose to undertake this course of action and what it hoped to achieve in the post war-era,
like so many questions concerning the Breen, for now at least has no answer.