For two decades, Chrystovia has been pursuing a grand social experiment, where three of its four planets follow a different socio-economic structure in an attempt to experimentally determine which system would best suit Chrystovians going forward. The world of
Kyo researched a laissez-faire market system with minimal government oversight.
Bellae went in an opposite direction, instead testing the benefits of a communal planned economy using powerful computers and statistical algorithms. And
Eathzor went in a direction that to some degree mixed, testing a laissez-faire approach to biological and technological augmentation along with an even more advanced integration of technological oversight into the economy.
While the project began to yield interesting results, some political leaders and junior researchers on Bellae, following the charismatic Dr. Zergev Agrosolov, began to voice concerns. Firstly, they felt that the experimental controls were not allowing them to practice a 'sensible' vision of the sociopolitical ideology that informed the Bellae experiment. The controls directed them to follow through on the concept of a withering away of the state apparatus. The experimenters were concerned that, even if initially successful, this could lead to increasingly complex algorithms ruling the lives of Chrystovians with no strong oversight. In addition, they felt the experiment was unfairly stacked to benefit Eathzor, which would have a central government and the leeway to be flexible in how they organized their economy. There was, essentially, nothing to stop Eathzor from implementing Bellae's economy, with central control,
and getting radical augmentations. The Bellae leaders believed that the experiment was therefore unfairly tilted, a subtle means of signalling the Chrystovian government's real intent and bias.
But more than that, experimenters and leaders on Bellae and Eathzor alike had significant concerns about Kyo. In the initial stages of the research, things were going well for the populace, and the Kyo leadership had not yet succumbed to the worst excesses of industrialized market economics. However, critics pointed out that certain structural factors were emerging that could eventually lead to the kind of sophont suffering experienced in a Pre-Union Orion Sphere. They believed that the Kyo experiment would lead to two outcomes: either it would become a welfare-state market economy, and thus not be truly testing its principles; or to follow through on those principles would condemn millions on Kyo to terrible suffering, both physical and psychological.
As the experiment on Kyo progressed, and the welfare system was shrunk in favor of charity as per the experimental regulations, the opposition movement grew more active and strident. Chrystovian leadership, scientific and political, debated strenuously on the capital world. In the end, the decision was made to stay the course. We believe Dr. Agrosolov and his sympathizers in the Bellae research team then chose to follow the Tellarite maxim that 'War is politics by when the other guy needs sense bashed in with a rock.'
We were aware of Bellae dissatisfaction after they made contact with the United Federation of Planets, but were skeptical of our ability to help 'force' the matter on Kyo, due to the Prime Directive. Our former Ambassador notes that Dr. Agrosolov, openly expressed admiration for how Cardassians had turned around a society with widespread starvation, and brought political stability to nations like the Goshawnar. But of course, he stated that he would only support democratic transition. About this time, we believe he started training militias in secret on Bellae, and he is now a senior member of the Ashalla-appointed government. All other senior Bellae researchers are believed to be imprisoned. We believe Agrosolov transitioned from a critic of the government policy, to directly working for the Cardassians to recruit Cardassian-sympathetic intellectuals and leaders across Chrystovian space. There are rumors that he actually reached an agreement with the Cardassians pre-invasion, ostensibly in order to end the alleged future suffering on Kyo and to ensure a smooth transition to prevent violence.
The Chrystovian government found itself dealing with an influx of Cardassian-sponsored media, aimed at sowing division among the electorate, and highlighting the possible future plight of Kyo, making explicit reference to the Orion Union, the Celos Corporate Republic, and Gaeni institutes. The Chrystovian government struggled to counter the rhetoric, strongly believing the government should not interfere in free speech and the marketplace of ideas. The Chrystovian government was either unaware of, or unable to combat, Cardassian infiltration into its political classes. As more conventional Cardassian 'intervention' loomed, they struggled to reunite the Chrystovians, and also contain the rogue social scientists like Dr.
Garon Thomsev, who thought the society-wide experiment was not radical enough, or saddled with too much societal baggage. Instead, they chose to experiment on vulnerable prewarp populations. These scientists, focused only on research, did not realize they were providing the Cardassians with ample political ammunition to step in for 'galactic safety.' In preparation for the inevitable, the Chystovian government began training and equipping citizens to prepare for a brutal, long-lasting insurgency. However, others, spurred by Cardassian media, began to believe that a negotiated settlement would be preferable. Dr. Chrysia Novod, now the nominal leader of the Chrystovian occupational government, believed brutal resistance would only lead to crackdowns like those experienced by Bajor. She advocated approaching the Cardassians for voluntary membership in the Ashalla Pact, avoiding a costly war. She also strongly advocated that even in the event of an invasion, the government's primary duty after military defeat was to provide services to its citizens and keep them safe and healthy. A protracted resistance movement, according to her, would only cause harm.
