The Dominion War - 31MAR2180 to 10FEB2181

The Dominion War was an internal conflict of the Militaristic Federation of the Sheika that lasted for 10 months and 10 days from 31MAR2180 to 10FEB2181. The first seven months were largely uneventful with no martial conflict but instead the spread of information from the Christian Supremacy movement, New Genesis Dawn. During this time, New Genesis Dawn spread information through it's manifesto, declaring that the Federation had become Godless and morally corrupt and needed to change it's ways. In August of 2180 the movement's leader, Pastor John Dean, made a bid for political office and lost by a small margin that he believed was a sign that his calling was just beginning.
On 01NOV2180, Pastor Dean declared that the time had come to end the governance of the Federation by Godless heathens. Five days later while Supreme Commander Long was in a meeting with his cabinet discussing ongoing operations in a rival nation, the Naval Chief of Staff made an assassination attempt on the Supreme Commander, shouting “Sic Semper Tyrannus!”. When interrogated about the attempt, the dishonored officer said only one thing; “Dominionism has arrived!”. The attempt marked the end of non-martial conflict and the beginning of a full on civil war between the Federation and New Genesis Dawn. The first few weeks were marred with surprising betrayals and ambushes with many commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted personnel volunteering to abandon the National Military to aid in the cause of New Genesis Dawn.
Conflict spread across the country like wildfire, and while it was initially presumed that the Federation would be able to make a quick recovery, each day proved otherwise as senior officials who helped to write the war-fighting doctrine were now leading the fight against the Federation. At the end of each day, Pastor Dean would address the nation through television, radio, and internet feeds; each would begin and end with a prayer and contain information about the day's events such as victories and testimonies from the faithful. These addresses continued until the journal of a martyred Federation officer had reached the Supreme Commander, who through an address of his own told the tale of those fighting for freedom and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in that fight. He read the names of individuals that the officer had mentioned and what they did until he wrote his last entry and passed the journal off to a lone surviving civilian.
The conflict largely remained in favor of the New Genesis Dawn movement, later reorganized into a martial unit known as the Dominion. City after city had fallen under the marching feet of the Dominion, with the only successful defeat against the Dominion coming at the cost of the destruction of an entire city. As a result, the Dominion intensified their strategy leading to a city-hoping campaign leading to the capital of the Federation, the city of Atlantis. The Battle of Atlantis on 30DEC2180 marked the first conventional battle between the two belligerent forces; the Dominion was on the attack leaving the Federation on the defense. In the outset of the battle, the Dominion held the advantage with missile emplacements placed at the rear echelon of the operation providing support for ground units. The defensive wall of Atlantis had come alive with turrets and manned fighting positions returning fire.
A hole in the city's wall nearly marked the end of the defense, until an experimental fixed-wing air craft squadron had made it's debut. Utilizing anti-armor weapons to mow down the advancing tanks and small arms fire to neutralize infantry personnel, the X-54 Predators were dispatched to eliminate the far off missile emplacements. Federation ground forces met with the Dominion and slowly turned the tide of the battle from a defense to an offense. The X-54 Predators managed to neutralize the missile emplacements and returned to the battlefield to help bring the battle to a close. It was once the Dominion had been defeated that it was discovered that citizens from surrounding nations who believed in the Dominion cause had crossed borders to aid in the Dominion's fight.
The successful defense of Atlantis marked the turning point in the war. Federation loyalists were now spurred on by the successful defense and new strategies to counter the traditional doctrine. In addition to new strategies, defectors from the Dominion or those who survived the religious army had come forward to offer information about the inner workings of the organization as well as the persecution of those who did not follow the Dominion. Religious leaders from all across the country called for an alliance with the support of the Federation; a Muslim Imam uncovered secrets about the Dominion leadership and broadcast the information to the general public. A Rabbi helped set up several successful ambushes, taking down some of the mid-level leadership of the Dominions forces. In spite of all this, the war had slowly shifted to a stalemate with neither side gaining any real advantage.
Enter the resistance, led by retired Federation General Braddock. Resistance cells across the country that had been separated by distance were now becoming united by the battle-hardened officers strategy and quick thinking. Citizens held in prison camps were liberated and if able added to the Resistance's ranks. The Resistance could strike the Dominion where the Federation could not, leading to victories in battles that had yet to take place. Finally, the fifth column of the Dominion made itself known to the Resistance, offering a chance to end the war once and for all. Careful planning and coordination, as well as a bit of dumb luck, eventually opened the door of opportunity presenting Braddock with a chance meeting with Pastor Dean's wife.
While brief, the meeting itself was vitally important for the Resistance and the Federation. A plan was in the works to capture Pastor Dean alive and bring him before the Supreme Court to face justice, and his wife would play a pivotal role in that plan. She agreed so long as General Braddock ensured her that he would face fair and equal justice for what he did. With her help, a member of the fifth column was able to retrieve a schedule of when and where he would be. The memorized schedule was relayed to the Resistance, which was then transferred to the Federation. On 31JAN2181, a daring operation was launched utilizing a special operations unit from Atlantis. In the early hours of 01FEB2181, the unit returned to Atlantis with all personnel, with some injured but still operational, with an additional person among them. Pastor Dean was successfully captured and put on trial for crimes against the Federation including treason and religious genocide.
9% of the population had been killed by Dominion forces, with an additional 3% lost in combat action. Pastor Dean was sentenced to death by firing squad for his crimes. After several days, the remaining leadership of the fading Dominion surrendered. Military personnel who abandoned the Federation in the name of the Dominion were permanently barred from military service and would never see any veteran's benefits regardless of their service history prior to the war. Citizens from other nations who joined the Dominion cause were returned to their respective countries if asked, while many were abandoned by their homelands and faced trial as illegal combatants.
In the end, the official stance on religion by the state of the Militaristic Federation of the Sheika remained the same; agnostic. Religious tolerance brought about the Dominion, but the Dominion's religious intolerance brought about the end of the war. While tragic, the events of the Dominion war united the Federation and made it stronger.