Introduction
- In our universe, a Cardassian sleeper agent—Iliana Ghemor—was once surgically altered to resemble and replace resistance fighter Kira Nerys, future Starfleet captain and hero of the planet Bajor's liberation. That plan never reached fruition, and the fate of the agent remained unknown...until now.
- Robbed of the past sixteen years, Iliana Ghemor is back with a vengeance. Over a decade and a half of imprisonment and abuse by her former masters has brought her to the brink of madness, sustained only by the twisted belief that she is, in fact, the real Kira Nerys. She has already made one near-successful attempt on the real Kira's life, but instead of assuming the identity of the woman she was intended to replace, Ghemor has set her sights on the most unexpected target of all: Kira's other double, the malicious Intendent, Bajor's iron-fisted ruler in the alternate reality commonly known as the "Mirror Universe." But far more is unfolding in the Mirror Universe than Ghemor realizes, and the heroes of Deep Space Nine somehow must stop the false Kira without derailing the delicate flow of history that must unfold if both universes, and countless others, are to survive.
- Parallel stories following Iliana Ghemor and the real Kira Nerys reflect and build upon each other in this Two-in-One "Flip Book," the continuation of the ongoing DS9 saga.
Summary
Sisko experiences a vision where various alternate versions of himself tell him that the Prophets opened the gateway to the mirror universe so that he could inspire his counterpart to become that universe's Emissary.
Kira investigates the claim of the mirror universe's Iliana Ghemor that her counterpart has traveled to the mirror universe and replaced the Intendant. Using the Orb of Memory, she discovers that during the occupation she was captured by the Cardassians and held for a week at Elemspur Detention Centre, where she was released by Dukat after her memories had been implanted into a surgically altered Iliana, her death faked and her memory of her capture wiped.
What she doesn't remember is that Dukat blackmailed Entek with the fact he allowed the Bajoran bombing attack on the home of Gul Pirak, causing the death of Illiana's fiancé and enticing her into the Order, without authorization. He then had Illiana, believing herself to be Kira, imprisoned on the Cardassian moon Letau for his own enjoyment, while the Order mistakenly believed the real Kira was Illiana. Illiana escaped with a group of other prisoners at the end of the Dominion War, discovering her true identity and recovering her memories but also retaining Kira's.
The Deep Space 9 crew contact Terok Nor to consult with the resistance but an attack by Alliance ships led by Illiana cuts off communications. Kira transports to the mirror Bajor and Sisko persuades Vaughn to accompany her, supposedly to find his still alive counterpart.
References
Characters
- Julian Bashir • Sam Bowers • Calas • Cenn Desca • Trekal Darhe'el • Ezri Dax • Skrain Dukat / Anjohl Tennan • Corbin Entek • Etana Kol • Elim Garak • Kaleen Ghemor • Tekeny Ghemor • Danig Kell • Kira Nerys • Akellen Macet • Mazagalanthi • Morn • Fellen Ni-Yaleii • Lisa Neeley • Nog • Opaka Sulan • Morad Pirak • Quark • Ataan Rhukal • Ro Laren • Rokai • Selzner • Shing-kur • Benjamin Sisko • Tarrik • Simon Tarses • Telal • Prynn Tenmei • Mindur Timot • Treir • Trepar • Dakahna Vaas • Elias Vaughn • Yandu Jezahl • Kasidy Yates • Zhag
- Mirror universe characters
- Iliana Ghemor • Iliana Ghemor • Keiko Ishikawa • Miles O'Brien • Ezri Tigan • Michael Eddington • Luther Sloan
- Orb experiences
- Alu • Bakka • Bre'yel • Skrain Dukat • Furel • Gantt • Kira Taban • Klin • Latha Mabrin • Lupaza • Mobara • Ornak • Roku • Shakaar Edon • Ambassador Benjamin Sisko of the UFP Diplomatic Corps • Fleet Captain Benjamin Sisko of the Terran Empire • Doctor Benjamin Sisko of the Daystrom Institute • Colonel Benjamin Sisko of the Celestial Union • Admiral Benjamin Sisko of the Federation • Sisko of Borg • Benjamin Sisko (alternate) of the Federation • Yeln Arvam
- Referenced only
- Tret Akleen • Alenis Grem • Danar • Dava Nikende • Curzon Dax • Jadzia Dax • Michael Eddington • Gint • Kira Meru • Lankford • Lenaris Holem • Nemra • Odo • Oluvas Del • Drune Omek • Omet'iklan • Silaran Prin • Remata'klan • Ghel Rhukal • Krissten Richter • Sigol Rusot • Jake Sisko • Joseph Sisko • Luther Sloan • Rebecca Jae Sisko • Enabran Tain • Taran'atar • Trakor • Vaatrik Drasa • Strell Vekeer • Weyoun
- Mirror universe references
- Bareil Antos • Julian Bashir • Tekeny Ghemor • Kaleen Ghemor • Nog • Quark • Ataan Rhukal • Rom • Benjamin Sisko
Locations
- Bajor • Ashalla • Dahkur Hills • Elemspur • Hedrikspool Province • Kendra Valley
- Bajoran wormhole
- Cardassia • Cardassia City • Imperial Plaza • Pra Menkar • State Museum of Natural History
- Deep Space 9 • Habitat ring • Operations center • Promenade • Quark's • Infirmary • Security office • Wardroom
- Letau
- Terok Nor
- Referenced only
- Akorem's Rock • Ananke Alpha • Bestri woods • B'hala • Gallitep • Grennokar • Harkoum • Hathon • Jinara • Kendra Valley • Kiessa Monastery • Musilla Province • Pullock V • Rakantha Province • Sidau • Terok Nor • Tempasa • Tilivus Gallery • Vekobet • Vekobet • Wolf 359
Starships and vehicles
- Referenced only
- Aldara • USS Defiant • USS Enterprise • Kamal • IKS Negh'Var • USS Rio Grande • USS Saratoga • USS Yolja
Races and cultures
- Bajoran • Borg • Cardassian • Cardassian • Efrosian • Ferengi • Human • Human • Jem'Hadar • Kressari • Lissepian • Orion • Romulan • Trill
- Referenced only
- Breen • Hebitian • Prophets • Talarian • Tzenkethi • Vorta • Vulcan
Ranks and titles
- captain • colonel • dal • dalin • Emissary of the Prophets • fleet captain • glinn • gul • inquisitor • intendant • kai • legate • major • Regent of the Klingon Empire • vedek
States and organizations
- 4th Order • Bajoran Militia • Bajoran Resistance • Borg Collective • Cardassian Union • Celestial Union • Central Archives • Daystrom Institute • Dominion • Federation Diplomatic Corps • Klingon-Cardassian Alliance • Obsidian Order • Pra Menkar University • Shakaar Resistance Cell • Starfleet • Terran Rebellion • United Federation of Planets
- Referenced only
- Bajoran Intelligence • Bamarren Institute for State Intelligence • Central University • Circle • Cult of the Pah-wraiths • Dekaris Institute • Detapa Council • Ferengi Alliance • Kohn-Ma • Maquis • Memory Alpha • Obsidian Order • Romulan Star Empire • Starfleet Command • Surjada • Terran Empire • Vedek Assembly
Animals and plants
- Batos • Hara cat • Onyx beetle • Riding hound • Taspar • Vole
Other references
- 2357 • 2361 • 2375 • acoustic guitar • ad astra • Age of Emergence • allied protectorate • artificial heart • Ascension • Bajoran liaison officer • Bajoran prophecy • Bajoran religion • Bajoran religion (mirror) • Battle of Cardassia • bone carving • Cardassian Institutes of Higher Education • Cardassoid • copal • dabo • desegranine • Dominion War • Federation-Cardassian War • Ferengi Rules of Acquisition • fish juice • foraiga • fusionstone • Galor Banner • Great River • guitar • holoframe • hunter-prey • isotolinium • Jumja • Kanar • karma • kellipate • Kendra Valley massacre • ketracel-white • khest'n • kosst • linnipate • mirror universe • moba • multidimensional transporter • The Never-Ending Sacrifice • oceanleaf tea • orb • orb experience • Orb of Memory • Orb of Souls • Orb of Time • Paghvaram • phekk • piano • plasma grenade • quantum resonance signature • ratamba stew • retinal scanner • rodinium • Saurian brandy • sensor tower • shatterframe • Shri-tal • skimmer • sleeper agent • synthale • transport inhibitor • tuna salad • tuwaly pie • uridium • warlord • wheelchair • Yarim Fel Syndrome
Appendices
Background
- The book is formatted as a "flip book," containing two parallel tales.
The flip book cover, crediting Leanna Morrow
- This book was originally announced to be written by a new Star Trek author Leanna Morrow, scheduled for release in April 2007. The release was then pushed back to August and later taken off the schedule. In July 2007 it was announced the novel’s authorship had been transferred to Olivia Woods with a new release date of July 2008.
- Early cover releases also indicated the book would be released under the Star Trek: Mirror Universe banner. The final publication did not reflect this.
- A comment made by Corbin Entek in this book states that Gul Danar has similar morphologies as some Humans, Klingons, and Romulans (i.e. he looks like people of those species). This is in reference to the fact that Vaughn Armstrong (who played Gul Danar) has played characters of those species through Star Trek history.
- The quotes from Dukat at the start of both sides are from "Ties of Blood and Water" and "Waltz".
Related stories
- References to Second Skin and Ties of Blood and Water.
- The first story picks up a week after Warpath.
- The second story begins in the middle of Night of the Wolves.
- Bashir references Worf's experiences in "Parallels"
Timeline
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous novel: Warpath |
DS9 novels (Post-finale) |
Next novel: The Soul Key |
| Previous novel: Saturn's Children |
DS9 novels | Next novel: The Soul Key |
| Previous story: First publication |
Stories by Olivia Woods | Next story: The Soul Key |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous Adventure: Star Trek: Special Exercises in Futility |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next Adventure: The Soul Key |
External link
- Fearful Symmetry article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.