The Mirror Question

Posted on Sat Jul 5th, 2025 @ 8:20pm by Captain Shran dh'Klar & Commander Jonathan Grayson & Commander Samantha Howard & Lieutenant Imik S'Niohun

1,285 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Wounds From the Mirror
Location: USS Washington

The bridge crew remained at stations as they waited for Sam to come up from sickbay. The situation was maddening, trying to determine who was who. For Shran, it was beginning to feel like the war all over again, when they had to use blood screenings to weed out changelings. He didn't think it would be as simple as a blood screening this time.

"I know this is probably a stupid question but in regard to the mirrors, would they have their internal organs on the wrong side? That is different from where ours are located?"

"Not according to all previous encounters. Physical appearance is generally a complete identical match, with minor exceptions such as a scar of facial hair, and internally they are indistinguishable between us with the exception of a quantum resonance trace as they are from a different universe than our own" Deanna answered. "I believe it was referred to as the Mirror Universe when first encounter by Kirk's Enterprise due to the general absolute identical nature of the universe, as if looking at a reflection in a mirror. Very few differences existed between the two universes, and in fact, they didn't truly diverse until one singular event, First Contact. I'm sure from an anthropological perspective it would be quite worthwhile to study that universe, see how different things are based on just a few choices."

"Very different indeed. They are a much more savage universe. According to the various reports that came from Deep Space 9 and their dealings with that universe, things seem to be pushing into a more peaceful manner. But I don't think peace will come easily to that universe" Shran suggested.

Sam arrived on the bridge, medkit in hand and determination on her face. She pulled out her tricorder, loaded with the very unique particulars from each officer's most recent scan, some as recent as last week.

"Alrighty, who wants to go first?" She had devised a scanning protocol which meant she should be able to differentiate between the mirror and her crew. Should, being the operative word.

Jon sighed, "I'll go first Sam. Do your worst." He said half seriously and really hoping that whatever tests Sam had devised wouldn't be painful.

"A simple medical scan shouldn't hurt too much" Deanna quipped.

"Just time consuming" Shran added.

Jon rolled his eyes at Deanna but grinned at her statement. "Alright Sam. Let's get it done."

"It won't take long, I promise" Sam smiled as she scanned Jon, working from the top of his head down to his toes, running through a checklist that measured the length of his hair follicles right down to the length of his toes and their respective nails. It took 2 minutes to complete the scan. "You're good, next up?" She glanced around the bridge crew. Seeing no obvious takers she merely picked her next subject and repeated the scans until the entire bridge crew had been completed, including the captain.

"From what I can tell you're all who you should be" she summarized.

"May I see your tricorder, Sam? I wish to scan you" Deanna requested.

Suddenly the lights on the bridge went out and emergency lighting took hold, reducing luminosity by 70%. L'Rissa exclaimed, "Captain, I've lost helm control. Shields are down!"

"Clever bastard" Shran mumbled. He looked to Jon, "He has the computer interlock codes. We have to regain control of the ship."

Deanna quickly returned to her station and began to try to undo what was being done. "Attempting to lock them out. They have control over helm, weapons, shields, sensors. I have halted the takeover, locking out the main computer."

Jon didn't waste time on a reply, he concentrated on locking out his terminal even as Deanna had stopped the takeover of the main computer. "Deanna, see about rerouting control so we can regain control of shields and engines." He looked at Shran. "I suggest we arm ourselves sir if we can't get shield control back. They may start transporting people on the ship."

"Or off" Shran noted. "Red alert. Imik, all security personnel to emergency positions. Secure the bridge and engineering."

As the red alert klaxons sounded, Deanna continued her work while providing an update, "I am locking out the firing protocols. They may control the weapons systems for now, but they won't be able to use them. We've regained partial control, critical engineering systems back under our control. Engineering is deactivating the engines manually."

"Commander, I believe they are using transporters, though I can't definitively say if they are beaming aboard or taking people off" Ibarra said from a secondary console.

"Imik, tell your people to assume we have intruders and to begin security sweeps, focusing on the high occupancy areas and critical system areas. I want security sent to protect the main computer core as well" Shran ordered.

Sam shoved her tricorder back in her pocket and made sure her phaser was on her hip. With the transporters being used they would undoubtedly be boarded. She would be able to determine who was who if it came to it, but if things went the way they had been going - telling duplicates from her own crew would be relatively easy. She moved to the rear of the bridge and took up the science and medical station, staying out of the way but reporting critical information as it came through for the captain.

Jon checked his phaser, ready to defend the crew and ship to the death if it came to that. He silently prayed that Callie and the children would be spared any harm.

"Imik, I have partial sensors. You definitely are going to have to deal with us being boarded" Deanna stated. "I am reading multiple beam in sites. I can't give specifics, but they are being all over the ship."

"Everyone grab a phaser. We need to be ready to defend the ship" Shran ordered.

Sam pulled her phaser out of its holster but kept working, trying to track the multiple transporter signals.

Jon had his phaser out, ready to use it in defense of the ship and if Deanna's readings were correct, he expected the bridge to be under attack at any moment.

The transporter beam appeared towards the back of the bridge and all hell broke loose.

Mirror Jon suddenly appeared next to Sam. One arm was quickly wrapped around her as the other pulled her comm badge off and tossed it on the floor where it was quickly followed by her phaser hitting the deck. His eyes sought out Jon, who he sneered at and then he and Sam were gone in a swirl of transporter haze.

Jon grasped at his 'twin' as he suddenly appeared next to Sam, grabbing her and then just as suddenly disappeared.

Lt Ibarra looked like she had seen a ghost. "Did we just see a twin of Cmdr Grayson?" she questioned in disbelief.

"I think this is a pretty good tell that they have managed to bring others into our universe" Deanna noted. "I shiver to think what other Mirror's have been brought over."

"Imik, we need to secure the ship and prepare rescue teams. They are obviously taking additional hostages" Shran noted.

Standing up, the Ojnas Security Officer bowed to her Captain. "I will instruct the SEJO to secure the computer core, while the Security Department will break into infiltration sections to liberate hostages and secure critical areas of the Washington. But the mirror aliens will cause problems in identity verifications, because they look identical to our own people."

"Do what you have to do. Once we have secured the ship, we will take the fight to the Mirrors. Let's get a move on" Shran replied.

 

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