We are currently in the 11th season of Star Trek Online: New Dawn. This is accompanied by a new campaign, whose announced opponent is the Terran Empire of the Mirror Universe. But what is it all about? It is not a recurring enemy of all series and movies like the Klingons or the Romulans. They also haven't weighed in on series like the Cardassians and Bajorans for Deep Space 9 or the peoples of the Delta Quadrant for Voyageur. Basically, this is only one episode of the original series. Yet it impressed enough that authors made mention of it in derivative (non-canon) books. Deep Space 9 has used this universe in a number of episodes, Star Trek Online has also taken a look at it in the chapter dedicated to this part of the universe. After the end of Deep Space 9, we must add a series of novels (still not cannons) written by William Shatner (Captain Kirk himself) where the Terran Empire set out to conquer the classic Star Trek universe. But how are they different from this universe? The credits of the dedicated double episode of the Enterprise series already give an example.
As a reminder, the classic credits of the Enterprise series showed images of the space race, letting the image of adventure hover in the direction of the unknown. The Mirror Universe therefore shows a duplicate of the Star Trek universe (nicknamed Prime) much more violent and where the warrior instincts of humanity have pushed them to conquer rather than negotiate alliances. During First Contact of 2063, Zefram Cochrane assassinated the Vulcan captain who came to Earth and looted his ship's technology. The founding planets of the Federation have been conquered one after the other. Many commanders reached their posts by planting daggers in the backs of their superiors. It was by force that Jonathan Archer (from the Enterprise series) and James T Kirk (from the original series) seized their command. The first known contact between the two universes is the appearance of the exploration cruiser USS Defiant. Lost in the middle of the Tholien sector, its passage had known as a bonus a temporal phase shift. He had arrived a century earlier. A weapon of choice for Captain Archer who wanted to use this superior technology to become the new Emperor (in the Prime universe, he was President of the Federation). But he was poisoned by his lieutenant Hoshi Sato who took over the plan on his own.
In the original century of the USS Defiant, a teleporter incident sent several members of the USS Enterprise to the ISS Enterprise. Impersonating his double, Captain Kirk searched for a way to regain his universe and managed to only get noticed by one person. The Spock-Mirror was the crew member least different from his counterpart, he agreed to help them. Kirk tried to convince him not to be content with what he had and to change things. He was listened to. Spock's rise took him to the highest levels, where he could influence the direction of the Empire. It was the basis of many more peaceful and egalitarian laws. He was also declared responsible for the disaster that followed. In the 24th century, the enemy Klingon allied with the Cardassians and the Alliance crushed the Terran Empire. This one was dismembered, destroyed and its people reduced to slavery. For the survivors, Spock became the one who weakened them and thus routed them. The great responsible for all misfortunes. Was this the end for the Terrans? Not far from here.
The costume on the right is inspired by Spock-Miroir.
Within the Klingo-Cardassian Alliance, the Bajor system and its formidable Terok Nor station have become an important point between the two powers. The Bajorans were able to use it to increase their prestige and importance. And the master of the sector became the steward Kira Nerys. Arrogant, self-possessed, she let her favorite Terran Benjamin Sisko form a pirate fleet in complete freedom and act as he wanted as long as he paid her a tribute. After meeting people from the Prime Universe, he too began to want to make a difference. Its crew became the base of the Terran Resistance. In his organization, the alien races had the same place as the others. His movement survived him. His second Miles "Smiley" O'Brien continued his work. His lieutenants succeeded in seizing Terok Nor and seizing Regent Worf, leader of the Klingons. They had thus created a sufficient base to resuscitate the Terran Empire.
Since the death of Smiley O'Brien, assassinated by her son, the rising star of the new Terran Empire is Bajoran Leeta. In the Prime-Universe, this former waitress is the holographic muse of Dabo Ferengi, as well as the wife of the Grand Nagus of the Ferengis (their head of state). Here, she rose through the ranks of the Terran Resistance and then of the New Empire to the rank of captain. She has interacted with the Prime Universe before by doing some business with the Cardassian True Path movement. But above all, she experienced an impressive rise to the rank of admiral during the war against the Iconians. The Prime-Universe got out of it by being united and united. The Terran Empire won out of sheer brutality. Admiral Leeta is now the commander of Terok Nor. And with this new technology at hand, she said to herself that she would like to seize a second universe ...
