Dark Mirror
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Real World article
(written from a Production point of view)
(written from a Production point of view)
 | |
| Author(s): | Diane Duane |
| Artist(s): | Keith Birdsong |
| Publisher: | Pocket Books |
| Series: | Pocket TNG |
| Published: | 1 December 1993 (hardback) 1 November 1994 (paperback) |
| Pages: | 337 |
| Stardate: | Unknown (2367) |
| Reference: | ISBN 0671793772 (hardback) ISBN 0671794388 (paperback) |
| Audiobook | |
| Narrator: | John de Lancie |
| Running Time: | 3 hours |
| Publisher: | Simon & Schuster Audio |
| Published: | 1 December 1993 |
| Reference: | ISBN 067187974X |
The ultimate terror lies within...
Contents |
[edit] Summary
While on a scientific mission at the edge of the galaxy, the USS Enterprise-D is pulled into another universe - that was first encountered by the crew of the original Enterprise a century earlier. Immediately after arrival, the Enterprise is infiltrated by a crewman from that universe's Enterprise, who steals a large proportion of the ship's tactical database and transfers it to the Imperial vessel. After a brief encounter with the ISS Enterprise-D, the crew determine that the best way to find out why they have been pulled to this universe and how to reverse it is to infiltrate the Imperial vessel. La Forge and Troi are selected to carry out the mission - La Forge because of his computer skills, Troi because her counterpart's position as "security officer" would allow them unfettered access.
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[edit] Background information
- This is a TNG-era sequel to TOS: "Mirror, Mirror". The Enterprise-D must prevent the Terran Empire (Called United Empire of Planets here) from conquering the Federation.
- Since the novel was written and published prior to DS9: "Crossover" (although the paperback release came after), it contradicts the history and development of the mirror universe as seen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, where the Empire had been conquered by the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. Fans rationalize that, as seen in TNG: "Parallels", many quantum universes similar to the mirror universe may exist and evolve separately; this helps explain the different versions of the mirror universe seen in books, comics and other media.
- The bridge of the ISS Enterprise-D seems to be influenced by the battleship Enterprise's bridge in "Yesterday's Enterprise".
[edit] Characters
- Jean-Luc Picard
- Jean-Luc Picard's mirror counterpart
- Captain of the ISS Enterprise-D. Assumed command on stardate 41124.
- Different versions of the mirror Picard appeared in later novels Spectre and Glass Empires.
- William T. Riker
- William T. Riker (mirror)
- Executive officer of the ISS Enterprise-D.
- A different version of the mirror Riker appeared in the later novel Dark Victory.
- Data
- Data was programmed with the Delphine language (with an Eastern intonation, as note by Hwiii). An analog of Data does not appear aboard the ISS Enterprise-D, as his creator was killed as a result of political purges in the mirror universe.
- Beverly Crusher
- Beverly Crusher (mirror)
- Captain's woman.
- Deanna Troi
- Deanna Troi (mirror)
- Ruthless security officer on the ISS Enterprise-D, similar to the 'political officers' of the ancient Soviet navy on Earth.
- A different version of the mirror Troi appeared later in Dark Passions, Book One.
- Geordi La Forge
- Geordi La Forge (mirror)
-
- A different version of the mirror La Forge appeared later in Dark Victory.
- Hwiii ih'iie-uUlak!ha'
- Addressed as "Hwiii" for short. A Delphine commander, native of Triton Two; a member of the Starfleet navigation research team, graduate of Harvard and La Sorbonne. An expert in hyperstrings, Hwiii had been on sabbatical researching so-called "clean" hyperstrings near the galactic rim when the Enterprise arrived for its patrol. After the "switchback", Hwiii immediately recognized that a dimensional transfer had taken place, causing him significant distress. Hwiii worked with Geordi La Forge and the Enterprise engineering staff to construct a replica of the ISS Enterprise switchback device, in order to return to the primary universe. He also derived the plan to send the Imperial vessel back to its home universe and prevent a further incursion/capture.
- Hwiii required specialized quarters, filled with water and decorated with aquatic plants.
- Similar adaptations are seen aboard the USS Titan in the Star Trek: Titan novel series.
- Wesley Crusher
- Wesley Crusher (mirror)
- Attempts to murder Picard, whom Wesley believes is the mirror version. As a result, is arrested and placed in the agony booth as punishment.
- Miles O'Brien
- Reginald Barclay
- Reginald Barclay (mirror)
- The chief bodyguard of Jean-Luc Picard (mirror).
- Worf
- Worf (mirror)
-
- A different version of the mirror Worf appeared later in DS9: "Shattered Mirror".
- The Laihe
- Lalairu leader. She warned the Enterprise of local hyperstring disturbances just prior to the "switchback".
- Mark Stewart
- USS Enterprise-D ensign, whose security clearance was used by his mirror duplicate.
- Mark Stewart (mirror)
- ISS Enterprise-D crewman forced to infiltrate the USS Enterprise-D. After transferring vital tactical data to the Imperial vessel, and being captured by Enterprise security personnel, Stewart dies from a time-delayed viral "bomb" placed in his system by the mirror-Crusher.
- Eileen Hessan
- Enterprise lieutenant.
- Mann
- Enterprise security lieutenant who operated the tactical console on the bridge.
- Wooldridge
- Enterprise ensign who reports Hwiii's loud cries to Riker.
- Brendan Ryder
- Security crewman, described as slim. He helped apprehend the mirror Stewart. Crusher asked him how his arm injury was healing.
- Brendan Ryder (mirror)
- Security crewman, like his duplicate. Successfully foils the mirror Wesley's assassination attempt on Picard.
- Mirish
- Security crewman, described as dark.
- Detaith
- Security crewman, described as blue.
- K!eeei
- Delphine poem performer. Their works were sources for the Delphine course on cetacean epic poetry.
- Keiko O'Brien
- Bob Rawlings
- Kolwalski
- Gaulgo
- Nassainen
- Ramirez
[edit] References
- Anthony Burgess
- Picard wished Burgess had assisted in programming translations of Lalairu communications.
- Enterprise, ISS (ICC-1701-D)
- A Terran Empire starship. The ISS Enterprise-D was a near-duplicate of the Galaxy-class USS Enterprise-D from the counterpart universe. It was described as "closer to Dreadnought-class" by William Riker (p. 301) and displayed marked differences from the primary universe vessel - hull a gunmetal grey, a deeper curve to the primary hull, larger secondary hull with warp nacelles raked further forward - a "cruel look, and intimidating" (p. 62). Her weaponry was also significantly greater than that of the USS Enterprise - more powerful phaser banks, photon torpedo launchers and deflector shields (primary and secondary), as well as weapons not seen on Federation vessels: "nova devices", "molecular disassociators" and various types of atomic weapons.
- Although the mirror universe seen on screen used the NCC registry prefix, this novel had the ships using the prefix ICC, as did The Mirror Universe Saga.
- molecular disassociator
- Tactical weapon used aboard Terran Empire vessels - a technology taken from the Romulans after the Earth-Romulan War of that universe.
- James Joyce
- Picard wished James Joyce had assisted in programming translations of Lalairu communications.
- Lalairu
- A "race" of nomadic space-faring species which roam the fringes of the galaxy. Also known for their erratic language.
- Merchant of Venice, The
- Play by William Shakespeare. In the mirror version, Portia successfully argues that Shylock has the same right to justice as any man, that his "pound of flesh" could never be received without blood being spilled. "The quality of mercy must be earned", she extols, and Antonio is killed as a result. In addition, Lorenzo betrays Jessica, who commits suicide using his sword.
- Pages 188-189 of the paperback "reproduce" a segment of Act IV, Scene i of the mirror-Merchant.
- See The Merchant of Venice at Wikipedia.
- mirror universe
- A "moral inversion" of the primary universe. Picard notes that Earth's literature appears to begin reflecting this change in ancient Greece, with Homer's Iliad being the oldest work he sees as altered.
- Stargazer, ISS (ICC-2055)
- Previous command of mirror-Picard. Destroyed after victory at the Battle of Maxia on stardate 33070.
- Terran Empire
- Formed from the ashes of the Eugenics Wars, where Khan Noonien Singh and his Augment followers were not defeated as in the primary universe, but instead established competing empires that eventually wiped each other out in nuclear holocaust, using atomic weapons delivered by ion-powered craft. The surviving governments eventually banded together to form the Empire of Earth, and began expanding into space - first terraforming Mars with a casual indifference (wiping out numerous artifacts and fossils in the process); then, with the development of warp drive, out into interstellar space. Alpha Centauri - already inhabited by colonists from another local system - was "cleansed" and taken. Eventually, contact was made with the Romulans, eventually leading to war. After the Romulan defeat at the Battle of Cheron, the Empire destroyed Remus and demanded the surrender of Romulus. The Romulan people committed collective suicide rather than surrender, and the Empire took over the planet. Not long after, the United Empire of Planets was formed.
- Spock did more than "consider" Kirk's parting message at the end of "Mirror, Mirror" and attempted to reform the Empire but was set up on treason charges and executed some twelve years after the original "crossover" incident, and the Empire continued to expand. By the late 24th century, it encompassed the entirety of the galaxy's Sagittarius Arm, and was now running out of viable systems to conquer - other regions of the galaxy separated from them by thousands of light years, distances beyond most starships. As a result, the Empire made plans to invade the primary universe and subjugate the populations there - a whole new universe to colonize and control.
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Novels Pocket TNG |
Next novel: Q-Squared |
[edit] External link
- Dark Mirror at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
