A Mirror for Futility was the seventh of 11 TOS stories produced by Peter Pan Records. It was initially released in 1975 as an audio production along with three other stories. It was subsequently released along with a seven-page comic book. This was the last of seven stories set during Captain James T. Kirk's first five-year mission aboard the USS Enterprise and the fourth of six with an associated comic book.
In this story, the Enterprise encounters two ancient warships.
Introduction
- Ad for Peter Pan Record
- "Federation freaks will hail these full-length adventures as the hottest thing since Vulcan ear-muffs! "A Mirror for Futility," "The Time Stealer," "Logistics of Stampede" and "To Starve a Fleaver," all on a high-quality 33 1/3 RPM disc! Warning: do not play at Romulan sock-hops!"
Summary
- Captain's log, stardate 5470 : The Enterprise is on routine patrol on the outer fringes of Federation territory facing the intergalactic gulf. We are preparing to terminate the patrol. Nothing unusual has been encountered. Log concluded.
References
Characters
Starships and vehicles
- USS Enterprise • Red Worm • Renderer
Locations
- Referenced only
- galactic rim • Magellanic Clouds • Starbase 14
Races and cultures
States and organizations
- Starfleet • United Federation of Planets
- Referenced only
- Nax Empire • Unified Dray Peoples
Science and technology
- computer • deflector shield • phaser • photon torpedo • radiation • sensor • universal translator • warp speed
Ranks and titles
Other references
- bridge • captain's log • dreadnought • red alert • stardate • yellow alert
Timeline
Chronology
| Published Order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous story: The Logistics of Stampede |
Peter Pan Records | Next story: The Robot Masters |
| Previous story: The Logistics of Stampede |
Stories by: Alan Dean Foster |
Next story: Log Six |
Production history
- A Mirror for Futility was released five times, always with other stories. It was initially released in 1975 on Peter Pan TOS record #2 of 23, a 33-rpm LP, along with The Time Stealer, To Starve a Fleaver and The Logistics of Stampede. This album was re-released in 1979 as record #10 with TOS movie: The Motion Picture cover imagery.
- It was released on a 33-rpm LP, along with The Time Stealer, and accompanied by a comic book on record #8 in 1975 and on record #9 in 1979.
- It was also released with five other stories on record #22 in 1979.
Appendices
Background
- Neal Adams was credited with artwork for the cover and story. (Hasslein Books)
- Montgomery Scott was not drawn in the comic, but was heard in the audio over the bridge intercom.
- The story was set entirely on the bridge of the Enterprise.
- The inside cover of record #8 included line art from the back cover illustration as well as cover art from three other Peter Pan Records sets. One was a Neal Adams/Dick Giordano illustration of Sherlock Holmes lighting a pipe and wearing his trademark hat, a scene occasionally emulated by Data.
- Hikaru Sulu and Nyota Uhura were not drawn to resemble George Takei and Nichelle Nichols. This version of Sulu appeared on the cover of record #8.
Related stories
- VOY episode: "Prototype" – Automated Personnel Units built by the Praylor and the Cravic continued to fight each other after killing their creators.
- TOS episode: "The Doomsday Machine" – In 2267, USS Enterprise encountered an automated planet killer which continued fighting long after its creators had died.
- TOS episode: "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" – Last survivors of warring races on Cheron continued a futile battle after 50,000 years.
- TNG episode: "The Arsenal of Freedom" – The Echo Papa 607 Killer Drone continued to operate after similar devices slaughtered their creators on Minos.
Images
External links
- A Mirror for Futility article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- Peter Pan Records article at Sequart.
- A Mirror for Futility article at Curt Danhauser's Guide to the Star Trek Story Records.
