Breen

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Thot Gor, representative of the Breen Confederacy (2375)

A Breen uniform in 2372

This article is about the Breen species. For information on the Breen homeworld, see Breen (planet).

"Never turn your back on a Breen"

- A Romulan saying (DS9: "By Inferno's Light")

The Breen are a reclusive, powerful, and warlike humanoid race, native to the planet Breen in the Alpha Quadrant.

[edit] History and politics

Shrouded in mystery, the Breen were one of the most underestimated races inhabiting the Alpha Quadrant.

Historically, the Klingons were among the first to discover the consequences of underestimating the Breen. During the Klingon Second Empire, Chancellor Mow'ga ordered an entire fleet of Klingon warships to invade and conquer the Breen homeworld. The fleet never returned and was never heard from again. (DS9: "'Til Death Do Us Part")

While the size of the Klingon fleet was unknown, it can be assumed that it consisted of a large number of ships, due to the fact that the Chancellor intended to invade deeply into Breen space and conquer the Breen home planet. This shows that the Breen were a force to be reckoned with long before the 24th century.

Even by the 24th century, much was still unknown about the Breen and their otherwise politically nonaligned government, known as the Breen Confederacy. The Federation, however, had limited knowledge of the Breen and was aware of Breen outposts located near a black cluster in 2368. In 2370, the Breen participated in a palio held at Deep Space 3, during which the Ferengi attempted to bribe the Breen pilot into throwing the race. In 2373, the Breen settlements on Portas V near the Demilitarized Zone dealt with the Maquis, supplying them with cold-storage units. It was noted by Ezri Dax in 2375, when captured by the Breen on a planet in the Goralis system, that they were a long way from Breen space. (TNG: "Hero Worship", "Interface"; DS9: "Penumbra", "For the Uniform")

Other species like the Ferengi had developed closer ties with the Breen by the late 24th century, as both species conducted trade negotiations in 2373. (DS9: "Ferengi Love Songs")

Breen privateers during the 24th century would often conduct indiscriminate raids against other Alpha Quadrant species. This includes the Breen attack and capture of the Cardassian transport Ravinok in 2366. The survivors of that attack were used for slave labor in the Breen operated dilithium mines on Dozaria. (DS9: "Indiscretion") In 2368, Starfleet feared the Breen might have attacked the science vessel SS Vico. Breen privateers also raided the Bajoran colony of Free Haven in 2372; they were, however, successfully driven away by the USS Defiant. (TNG: "Hero Worship"; DS9: "To the Death")

[edit] Alliance with the Dominion

In 2375, the Breen moved from a policy of low-level hostilities toward other major powers to one of open warfare when they allied themselves with the Dominion. They were then allowed access to the Dominion military database. According to the terms of the alliance, the Breen Confederacy received several planets in the Cardassian Union as compensation for joining the war. (DS9: "Strange Bedfellows")

The Breen may have been influenced to join the Dominion by a Changeling impersonator in the Confederacy's government, as an unidentified Breen was seen in Internment Camp 371, where several people who had been replaced by Changelings were placed.

Remains of San Francisco after the Breen attack during the Dominion War

Shortly after joining with the Dominion, the Breen attacked Starfleet Headquarters on Earth in the raid on San Francisco. A short time later they assisted Dominion forces in breaking the lines at Chin'toka. Under orders from the Female Changeling they allowed the escape pods to carry the Federation survivors to safety. This major battle, known as the Second Battle of Chin'toka, was won by the Dominion thanks to a unique Breen weapon, a form of energy dampening weapon system which could completely drain all the main power systems of a starship. Both of these defeats dealt a huge blow to the Allies' morale. The only ship immune to the Breen weapon was a Klingon Bird-of-Prey, which serendipitously survived thanks to an adjustment the chief engineer had made to the ship's tritium intermix in the warp core. (DS9: "The Changing Face of Evil", "When It Rains...")

Although the Klingon fleet was able to make the needed adjustments against the weapon, the Federation and the Romulans were still unable to defend against the Breen. When the Federation finally did create a defense against the energy-dampening weapon, they would force the Dominion fleet to retreat. Breen Thot Pran expressed an extreme distaste of surrender, and would require the reassurance of the female changeling that they were not surrendering, but were instead regrouping and attempting to redouble their shipbuilding and replenishment efforts. (DS9: "The Dogs of War")

With the necessary counter measures against the Breen's energy dampening weapon obtained, the Federation Alliance was able to go on the offensive once again, choosing to invade Cardassia Prime itself. In hopes of boosting the Breen's will to fight, the Female Changeling offered them control of Earth and Romulus if they succeeded in winning the battle. During the Battle of Cardassia, the Breen were still able to inflict major casualties on the allies, even without the use of their energy dampening weapon. Up to a third of the allies' entire fleet was destroyed during the battle, including the Romulan flag ship. The Breen continued to fight with the Dominion until the end, demonstrating a willingness to die for the cause that matched that of the Jem'Hadar. However, when the Cardassian forces switched sides mid-battle, the Dominion and Breen were forced to withdraw to Cardassia Prime. After Odo convinced the Female Changeling to surrender, the Dominion War ended. As allies of the Dominion, the Breen leaders were present during the signing of the Treaty of Bajor. (DS9: "What You Leave Behind")

[edit] Physiology

Breen physiology is among the most exotic for humanoid lifeforms, which may be due, in part, to their homeworld's climate. The Breen have no blood or other liquid circulatory system. The Breen brain is structured into four lobes; this protects them from the probing of some empathic species, such as the Betazoids, who are unable to detect the thoughts or emotions of the Breen. (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow"; TNG: "The Loss")

Breen appear physically more resilient than most humanoids. When Worf struck a Breen, the Breen proceeded to incapacitate Worf with a neural truncheon, seemingly oblivious to the assault. (DS9: "'Til Death Do Us Part")

It is possible this toughness was due, in part, to the Breen's armor rather than its physiology.

The Breen constantly wear refrigeration suits in order to maintain a cold temperature like that on their homeworld. According to Worf, no outsider had ever seen what a Breen looked like under their refrigeration suits and lived. Even after joining the Dominion, their appearance was unknown to their new allies. Weyoun couldn't help but wonder what they looked like. (DS9: "Indiscretion", "'Til Death Do Us Part", "What You Leave Behind")

In "Indiscretion", Kira and Dukat don Breen suits, and Kira also wears one in "What You Leave Behind". It is likely that they killed Breen and took their suits for these disguises, suggesting they saw the Breen unmasked in the process. Worf's statement, however, may indicate that the Breen have another suit underneath, preserving the mystique of their appearance.
Although it is often stated throughout the franchise that the Breen homeworld is a "frozen wasteland", Weyoun claimed the planet had a temperate climate, leaving one to wonder if the suits they wear are in fact to keep them cool. (DS9: "The Changing Face of Evil") However, the Cardassian Union was known at times to keep an embassy on the Breen planet, giving Cardassians knowledge of that world, and they did describe it as extremely cold. (DS9: "Return to Grace") (However, Cardassians prefer significantly higher temperatures than most humanoids, so a world they consider excessively cold may be more temperate by other races' standards.) Quark even compared Odo to being as "cold as a Breen winter". (DS9: "Crossfire") It is possible that the Breen created an elaborate deception to outsiders as to the true nature of their world, only revealing its true nature to their allies the Dominion, or Weyoun was employing some sort of ruse.

[edit] Society and culture

The Breen commonly produce offspring at a very early age, at about the equivalence in physical growth of Human third grade children. The Breen entertain their offspring with nursery rhymes. Breen nursery rhymes can be made up of a heterophonic, five-line verse with an alternating tetrameter and pentameter structure. These are nonsensical phrases strung together because they rhyme (at least to the Breen). Some Breen music, which can accompany these nursery rhymes, is written on a Lyxian scale. (DS9: "For the Uniform"; VOY: "Elogium")

It is unknown if this means a young average age for known humanoid species, or if the Breen have children at an age that would be considered young among Breen.

[edit] Treatment of prisoners

The Breen are known to use slave labor; and at least some of these slaves are captured in raids on other species. When the Breen were using Bajorans slaves to mine dilithium ore, there were always at least eight guards within the mines. (DS9: "Indiscretion")

The Breen are very prudent when dealing with prisoners. When capturing prisoners, the Breen typically stun them from long range with their disruptors, rather than approaching them and risking close combat. When Worf and Ezri Dax were discovered by the Breen on Goralis while sleeping, the Breen used this technique to subdue them. The Breen feed their prisoners a diet of algae paste, as well as hang them upside down to ensure they cannot escape. (DS9: "Penumbra", "'Til Death Do Us Part")

On board starships, the Breen typically send in three guards at a time when they wish to remove a single prisoner from a cell that is being shared with other prisoners. Worf's various attempts at escape always failed, including his attempt to persuade the Breen guards that Ezri was sick, as well as his attempt to short-circuit the door. When Worf attempted to attack the Breen guards, they used a type of neural truncheon to paralyze him. Even after he fell to the ground, partially paralyzed, two Breen guards continued to use the truncheons on him to ensure he would not get back up, before two guards removed Ezri from the cell. In another incident, Worf simply showed signs of anger towards Weyoun and was again shocked by the neural truncheon. (DS9: "Strange Bedfellows", "'Til Death Do Us Part")

To extract information from captives, the Breen use cortical implants, despite the severe pain and damage it causes to the recipient. (DS9: "'Til Death Do Us Part")

[edit] Language

See: Breen language

[edit] Mirror universe

Very little is known about the Breen of the mirror universe. Intendant Kira once told Benjamin Sisko that Breen icicles were warmer than Jennifer Sisko (DS9: "Shattered Mirror")

[edit] Science and technology

Given that most known humanoid species live on class M planets with an average temperature far above the supposed temperature of Breen, the Breen are largely thought to have had to develop refrigeration suits in order to co-exist with others. However, if the Breen homeworld is temperate as suggested by Weyoun, then their reason for wearing environmental suits, if they were environmental suits at all, was much more mysterious. (DS9: "The Changing Face of Evil")

It should be noted that while Weyoun suggested the planet to have a more temperate climate, this may be a personal opinion, as most other Alpha Quadrant species have suggested that the Breen planet is frozen over. It is possible that Weyoun was speaking in a relative sense, attempting to show off his knowledge of the range of habitable climates in the galaxy and his willingness to embrace the Breen. It may also however be a testament to the Breen's counter-intelligence, or another example of the Vorta's all-too-common tactic of being overly "diplomatic" with regard to those whom they feel might serve the Dominion's interests.

The Breen were known for their knowledge of sophisticated cold-storage units, summed up in Captain Sisko's statement, "If anyone knows how to keep things cold, it's the Breen." (DS9: "For the Uniform")

Breen warship

During the 2360s, the Breen were known for their development of organic technology, which they employed in the construction of their spacecraft. (VOY: "Scorpion") Some of their vessels were even believed to be fitted with cloaking devices. (TNG: "Hero Worship") During the mid-2370s, Breen warships utilized energy dampening weapons. (DS9: "The Changing Face of Evil", et al.)

The Breen were known to use type 3 disruptors, like the Romulans and Klingons. (Star Trek Generations) The Breen also manufactured a portable hand-held cannon, the CRM 114. It was designed to target moving objects and surface emplacements. It was among the weapons dealt by the Ferengi arms dealer Gaila in the mid-2370s. (DS9: "Business as Usual")

The Breen made use of memory probing technology in the form of cortical implants and neural truncheons for subduing prisoners. (DS9: "Indiscretion", "'Til Death Do Us Part")

[edit] Individuals

[edit] Planets

[edit] Appendices

[edit] Appearances

DS9:
- "Indiscretion" (Season 4)
- "In Purgatory's Shadow" (Season 5)
- "By Inferno's Light"
- "Penumbra" (Season 7)
- "'Til Death Do Us Part"
- "Strange Bedfellows"
- "The Changing Face of Evil"
- "Tacking Into the Wind"
- "The Dogs of War"
- "What You Leave Behind"
VOY:
- "Flesh and Blood" (hologram)

[edit] Background

When the Breen helmets were being designed for "Indiscretion", it was decided that they would give viewers the suggestion of a snout, like that of an Arctic Wolf. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)
Some of the stunt actors to have worn the Breen costumes are Cathy DeBuono, Todd Slayton, Max Omega, Wade Kelly, Dennis Madalone, and Tom Morga.
The Breen costume worn by Dennis Madalone is also labeled "M. Yamasaki".
Executive Producer Ira Steven Behr has said that the Breen's distinctive, scratchy voice was inspired by the guitar feedback on Lou Reed's album "Metal Machine Music". (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)
The model for the Breen helmet closely resembles the Ubese Bounty Hunter suit that Princess Leia wore to Jabba the Hutt's Palace in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.

[edit] External links

Breen at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
Breen at Wikipedia
The Breen System

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