That Which Is Reflected

Posted on Tue Feb 24th, 2026 @ 2:01am by Commander Kevin Lance

1,160 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Into the mirror
Location: Mirror Universe
Timeline: 2 Days after That Which Remains

on:
{Orion in the Mirror Universe}

Kevin sat between two Terran Empire security guards, his hands and legs restrained, aboard a shuttlecraft as it travelled over the lush vegetation of the Orion homeworld. The secrecy surrounding his confinement continued as the guards in his escort were the same as his jailors aboard the Emperor Norrus. Only the pilot of the shuttle was new to Kevin.

It was only a day and a half since he had been awoken in the medical bay and met Captain Nachthauser

Shortly after his conversation with the ship's Captain, Kevin had been transferred to a security holding cell. Although his joints were stiff from inactivity and he was a little light-headed upon standing, he didn't feel as though he was suffering from any muscle weakness which led him to determine that the medically induced coma he had been held in had been of short duration. He didn't feel the necessity to inform his captors of this fact, however, and feigned weakness by stumbling periodically as he walked.

The layout of the ship was very familiar with only slight cosmetic differences from the USS Norris. He could have made his way to the ship's brig without assistance but let the guard push, pull and drag him as he assessed their strengths and weaknesses. Like the Captain and medical officer, they worn sashes tied around their waist to which a type-II phaser was holster. Their uniforms were otherwise unremarkable aside from the dagger-thru-the-world insignia pin and a curious silver and red device clipped near the phaser.

When they reached the brig and the guard removed the wrist restraints, Kevin lashed out with his fist. He caught the guard completely unaware and sent the man sprawling but before Kevin could turn on the second, a sharp, agonizing pain suddenly exploded in his shoulder blade and radiated outward through the rest of his torso. He let out a scream but was otherwise unable react as his muscle constricted, locking him in place. It seemed like an eternity but as suddenly as the pain had come it was gone and Kevin crumpled to the deck.

He was able to turn his head and through the haze of the receding pain he saw the guard holding the red and silver device in one hand as she drew her phaser with this other. She ordered Kevin into the holding cell and after the force field was in place she lowered her phaser and turned to berate her companion as he recovered from Kevin's punch.

The escape attempt appeared to be a desperate, foolhardy move. Indeed, had he overpowered the guards there was still fifty or more crewmembers between himself and being able to commandeer the ship. But escape wasn't Kevin's intent. He wanted to know how they would react to the attempt. It was a valuable, if painful, bit of information gathering.

He had learned that he was being transported aboard this universe's version of a Defiant-class starship by a similarly small crew complement. The controls that he had been able to see in the medical bay, the corridor and the brig, were familiar and he was easily able to correctly discern their purpose and operation. Even the motions of the shuttlecraft pilot were predictable. Kevin was confident that if he had the opportunity, he could pilot the enemy ship with computer assistance.

The crew's equipment was similarly understandable, aside from the hand-held, silver and red device. It delivered excruciating pain but apparently no lasting injury. He was able to move his shoulder and arm without pain almost immediately after the device had been removed. The memory of the pain was strong but the skin had no tenderness. Likely it agitated the nerve endings without damaging them. An insidious weapon that could keep someone in a perpetual state of agony. In a second, half-hearted escape attempt, the guard had placed the device on Kevin's chest, so it required direct contact. Something that he could avoid.

They shortly arrived at gleaming structure that push back defiantly at the green Orion vegetation, landing on a shuttle pad in the middle of the facility. Captain Nachthauser ordered the guards to take Kevin out of the shuttle before herself and waited until the pilot departed as well before she followed. Didn't want anyone behind her, Kevin guessed. Paranoid much?

Surprisingly, the shuttlepad was devoid of any activity. On a base this size, there should have been ground crews, maintainers, and flight line personnel scurrying about servicing craft and ensure smooth operations. But not a soul beyond Kevin and his escorts were visible. It reinforced the feeling that Kevin was being carefully concealed from general view.

Once inside the central structure, four additional guards joined the escort detail from the Emperor Norrus. They verified Captain Nachthauser's identity and escorted her and Kevin deeper into the facility. The Norrus guards, as well as the shuttle pilot remained behind. Again, the Captain walked behind the group with no one at her back.

The path that the group took was direct and easy to map in his mind. They must not be concerned about my escape, Kevin thought. They did pass through several security check points that were curiously devoid of personnel, requiring one of the guard to unlock doors with a card held again a controller on the wall adjacent.

The group arrived in a large audience chamber with a single chair place on a dais extending from the center of the far wall. Even if they had wanted to sit, there were no chairs or benches or any thing to permit comfort. The and the group remained standing, shifting uncomfortably on their feet as the waited. After what seemed like an interminable wait, the large doors to the chamber opened wide. Another group of eight guards entered in two files. They stopped a little ways inside of the doors and faced in opposite directions, guarding against an attack from the flanks.

An ornately dressed woman passed between the line of guards then placed herself to the left of the file. Without preamble, she announced "Presenting the Liberator of Karagh, Admiral of the Red, Scourge of the Klingon, His Eminence the Emperor of the Terrans!"

The Norrus guards, and to a lesser extent Captain Nachthauser, braced to attention. A tall blonde human male in a command uniform with a knee-length slash that wound around his waist and over his left shoulder. A short sword was attached at his left hip and he walked purposefully forward to mount the dais. Behind him followed a bare-footed Orion woman carrying a small humanoid child. A metal collar encircled her neck.

From his position relative to the Emperor, Kevin was unable to get a good look at the man but he had a sinking feeling in his gut. When the Emperor turned to settle upon the throne, it was like looking into a mirror.

:off

Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris

 

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