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MIRROR UNIVERSE: 
THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY
CREDITS D E C I P H E R  I N C . PRESENTS A

M I R R O R   U N I V E R S E 
J E S S  H E I N I G  PRODUCTION

T H R O U G H  A G L A S S  D A R K LY
 
P r o d u c e d b y D E C I P H E R   I N C . D i r e c t e d b y J E S S   H E I N I G

D e s i g n e d b y R oss A . I saacs , C hristian M oore , O w en S eyler

A d d i t i o n a l D e s i g n b y M athe w C olville , K enneth H ite , 

S teven S . L ong , D on M appin

W r i t t e n b y M athe w C olville , K enneth H ite , S teven S . L ong ,  

D on M appin , C hristian M oore , O w en S eyler

E d i t i n g b y P A T R I C K G O O D M A N , C A R L O S P A R A D I N H A , J anice S ellers
S t a r Tr e k R P G C a m p a i g n D e v e l o p m e n t b y A N D R E A H E Y W O O D - L O B B A N

C r e a t i v e D i r e c t i o n b y C hristian M oore , O w en S eyler

P r o d u c t D e v e l o p m e n t , P a r a m o u n t b y J ohn V an C itters

Visual Creative Direction by D A N B U R N S

Art Direction and Graphic Design by K I E R A N  YA N N E R

Production Design by O W E N  S E Y L E R , K I E R A N  YA N N E R

A r t b y B lake B easley , P aul “ P ro f ”   H erbert ,  

N orman L ao , K ieran Y anner

B a s e d o n t h e O r i g i n a l C o n c e p t b y 
PA R A M O U N T  P I C T U R E S

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172.216.50.226
TABLE OF CONTENTS
C hapter 1 T he V ision in the M irror 4

C hapter 2 M irror P hysics 12

C hapter 3 S inister H istory 18

C hapter 4 L ife in the T err an E mpire 24

C hapter 5 T he I mperial S tarfleet 36

C hapter 6 I mperial S ecurity 52

C hapter 7 W orlds of the E mpire 62

C hapter 8 E nemies of the E mpire 74

C hapter 9 T he F all of the E mpire 86

C hapter 10 T he A lliance T riumphant 92

C hapter 11 W orlds of the A lliance 106

C hapter 12 T he T err an R ebellion 120

C hapter 13 M irroring Y our C har acter 128

C hapter 14 M irror U niverse C har acter C reation 132

C hapter 15 T he M irror T oolkit 140

C hapter 16 M ysteries of the M irror U niverse 152

 THE VISION
IN THE MIRROR I
The first and most important thing for players and Narrators to realize about the Mirror Universe is that it is not
the Federation Universe we all know and love. The Mirror Universe gleams with unfettered ambition, where the
darkest elements of Human (and alien) nature rule the day.
By dramatic fiat, the Mirror Universe encourages villainy and rewards ambition. The ideals of community, justice
and friendship often fail here. Players and Narrators alike must realize that the Mirror Universe is not a only a
squalid place, but a largely irredeemable one. Story dictates to nature here: Regardless of the best intentions of
the players, the Mirror Universe will always be moody, treacherous and ultimately destructive in the end.

Axioms of the Also, the inhabitants of the Mirror Universe don’t

concern themselves with concepts like the Federation
Mirror Universe Prime Directive. The Prime Directive of the Imperial
Starfleet is “maintain terror,” and “negotiation” pro-
Dramatically, the four axioms included here work ceeds at knife (or phaser) point. Landing parties don’t
as linchpins to the Mirror Universe. Narrators running meet peacefully with new species; they deliver an
a Federation Universe Crew through an episode or ultimatum, then kill anyone who fails to cooper-
two in the Mirror Universe should stress the differ- ate. Alliances, personal or otherwise, are a matter of
CHAPTER One

ences in axioms between the two settings. Both sides convenience, to be discarded at the first opportunity.
must remember that the Mirror Universe’s very nature Treachery is everywhere.
conspires to make these dangerous and often terrible Like the Federation Universe, technology in the
things true, often at the expense of the players’ char- Mirror Universe exists to support the needs of a good,
acters. Characters used to the Federation Universe may dramatic story. Weapons are spectacular and used
not have the innately treacherous nature necessary often. Everyone goes armed, ready for trouble at any
to Mirror Universe survival, while natives of the dark moment. Devices like agonizers and agony booths
reflection are enemies to one another just as dangerous exist to punish failure. The technology of the under-
as any outside adversary. dogs is always inferior, clunky, and prone to breaking
down. The technology controlled by the aggressors is
C inematic A ction superior, advanced, and coldly efficient. The most pow-
The Mirror Universe is a place of cinematic action, erful people control secret super-technologies like the
where the rule is “do unto others before they do unto Tantalus Field (see page 16). In all cases, technology is
you.” The Mirror Universe is even more action-packed simply a tool to express the axioms of the setting.
than the Federation Universe because in addition to
outside threats, there is always the concern of danger
 from within the Crew, from one’s own subordinates or
allies. Everyone in the Mirror Universe is a potential
enemy, and should be treated accordingly.
H uman A ction and F ree W ill I ndividual C ompetence
In the Mirror Universe, individuals can and do In addition to having the ability to chart their own
make a difference. Indeed, they’re they only thing that destinies, individuals in the Mirror Universe are highly
ever does make a difference. The ability to impose competent. This is even truer than it is in the Federation
one’s will on others is the goal of nearly everyone in Universe, since the Mirror Universe has a harsh way
the Mirror Universe. Individual actions are important of weeding out the incompetent: they end up dead.
in the overall scheme of things. Occasionally enslaved, but mostly dead. Incompetents
Vast, impersonal forces exist in the background of never make it far enough to actually gain any real power.
the setting. Nations like the Empire and the Alliance Of course the competence displayed by individuals
oppress vast populations, and carry out massive wars in the Mirror Universe differs from that found in the
of conquest. But the real action of the setting happens Federation Universe. Federation Starfleet officers and
on the personal level. Episodes focus not on the power other individuals devote themselves to personal bet-
of the Empire, but the ambition of a single starship cap- terment for its own sake. They pursue art, music, and
tain and his quest for power and glory; not on the poli- intellectual hobbies like archeology alongside athletics
tics of the Alliance, but the actions of the Intendant of and career training. Personal development in the Mirror
Terok Nor and how she deals with the Humans under Universe is focused entirely on the acquisition and use
her “tender care.” Likewise, the actions that decide of power. Imperial Starfleet officers are only interested
the fate of millions spring from individuals. Garth in art and archeology as an ability to appraise stolen art
of Izar rose to power through his own efforts. Spock treasures and help locate alien ruins that might contain
single-handedly changed the course of the Empire and useful technology. Literature and philosophy aren’t stud-
brought about its destruction. ied for their own sake, but for the ability to impress oth-
Of course, the key difference between the Mirror ers, and perhaps to learn enough about Human nature

The Vision in the Mirror

Universe and the Federation Universe is that things like to help manipulate people. Machiavelli’s The Prince, or
the greater good seldom motivate people in the Mirror Shakespeare’s Comical History of Richard III embody
Universe. They direct their free will toward goals like the Mirror Universe’s idea of “great literature.”
gaining personal power and the destruction of their Individual competence is also important to Mirror
enemies. A would-be Emperor might believe that his Universe denizens because the only person you can
rise to power is “for the greater good,” but he’s cer- ever really trust in the Mirror Universe is yourself. No
tainly not going to make sacrifices to benefit anyone matter how extensive a network of agents and under-
other than himself. lings a person may have, no matter how many allies,
if the individual is incapable of taking care of himself,
he inevitably ends up dead at the hands of one of his
“trusted friends.”


 T riumph of E vil Themes of the
This is the key axiom of the Mirror Universe. There
is nothing and no one that can stand against the appli-
cation of sufficient skill, determination, and treachery.
Mirror Universe
Sooner or later, ambition and self-aggrandizement The axioms are the basic laws that govern stories
always triumph in the Mirror Universe. Individuals in the Mirror Universe. Each story showcases these
fall to betrayal or plots by their underlings. Rebels are axioms in some way, both to provide dramatic effect
sought out and crushed by the power of the Empire—or and to highlight the differences between the Mirror
the rebels themselves become a new regime of terror. and Federation Universes. Themes provide the “why?”
The softhearted yield to the might of the strong willed. of the story, while the axioms describe how things hap-
The Terran Empire grew and prospered following this pen in the Mirror Universe. The theme thus provides
axiom. When the Empire abandoned its course of con- the driving motivation of the story itself.
quest, it was crushed by the Alliance, which took its Not every story has to have a theme, of course.
place. Attempts at reform and rebellion have created Episodes in the Mirror Universe can consist of the
temporary change, but nothing has altered the basic Crew killing their enemies, gathering booty, and plot-
view that power is the ultimate goal in life, and that the ting the demise of their associates, but themes serve to
strong must rule the weak. enhance the story and give it deeper meaning. Themes
One important factor affecting this axiom is its also help hold a series together and make it more than
occasional contact with the Federation Universe. In that just one “phaser ‘em dead” story after another.
case, the power of the Human spirit, acting in accor-
dance with the greater good, always triumphs over evil. E xploration and C onquest
That is why nearly all the “good” that has happened in The missions of vessels belonging to the Imperial
the Mirror Universe has been a direct result of the inter- Starfleet, or the Alliance fleet, are as much about per-
vention of people from the Federation Universe. Mirror sonal gain as they are about seeking out new worlds.
Universe people are simply incapable of acting self- The Empire and the Alliance explore solely to find new
lessly for the greater good. It may be that the influence worlds to conquer. They make contact with new spe-
of Federation Universe individuals like James Kirk and cies and civilizations to take control of them, and loot
Julian Bashir may lead to true change in the nature of the whatever valuable resources they might have. Planets
Mirror Universe eventually, but it hasn’t happened yet. are only of interest based on their value as targets.
Archeological ruins are explored only to find valuable
or useful artifacts. Unusual phenomena are investi-
gated only to discover how to use them as weapons,
or to understand them enough to prevent rebels from
using them against you. Exploration is a purely selfish
activity, not a quest for knowledge for its own sake.
This not only serves the expansion of the state, but
far more importantly, it increases the personal power
of the individuals involved. A skilled conqueror is
CHAPTER One

likely to parlay his or her skills into the ability to

make conquests at home as well as on the fron-
tier. Mirror Universe history records a number of
individuals whose personal power became so
great as a result of their conquests that they were
able to seize positions of power for themselves
with ease. Discovery of a unique resource or
piece of information can be the key to personal
ascension. Of course, it can also become the
key to personal destruction, if the secret falls
into the wrong hands, or if allies are willing
to betray you in order to seize your discovery
for themselves.


 Not all exploration and conquest stories have to be about new
worlds or alien cultures. The Crew can also explore the labyrin-
thine corridors of power, dig up carefully hidden conspiracies
(against the crew or others), discover and entice new allies, and
conquer enemies at home just as well as they can explore in the
depths of space. It is often possible to combine the two types of
exploration together into a single story.

S elf -A ggrandizement
The desire for personal gain is also a theme in and of itself.
Selfishness pervades the Mirror Universe, and everyone is
motivated by a desire for personal power and all that comes
with it. This theme can be as simple as seizing control of a
new world or resource to add to your personal power, or as
complex as an apparent sacrifice that can lead you to even
greater gains in the long run. The important thing to keep
in mind is the “angle.” Nobody does anything in the Mirror
Universe unless it benefits him in some way. The key is figur-
ing out how, before it’s too late to do anything about it.
Although all the inhabitants of the Mirror Universe are
ultimately out for themselves, that doesn’t mean people
can’t work together. For one thing, the smart ones realize

The Vision in the Mirror

there’s strength in numbers and it’s good to have allies.
Also, the weak tend to follow the strong, hoping to garner
a few crumbs of power. Patient and careful allies may even
be able to gather enough power to topple their superior
and take his place. As long as everyone gets something
out of the deal, things work smoothly. It’s when someone
inevitably decides they want a bigger piece of the pie
that it starts getting tricky.

D ilemmas of P ower
People in the Mirror Universe seek power, and are
usually willing to do whatever they have to in order
to get ahead. This includes betraying friends, family,
or other allegiances in the name of personal gain.
Ironically, one needs to cultivate such personal rela-
tionships in order to gain power, so people in the
Mirror Universe are constantly building up networks
of allies, knowing that everyone in these networks is
a potential traitor. The more powerful you become,
the more complex, and potentially treacherous, your
network of agents and allies becomes. Those who are
in the strongest positions of power are also the ones
who present the most tempting targets, so powerful
characters have to spend considerable time safe-
guarding their position.
Episodes involving dilemmas of power primarily
focus on roleplaying and dialogue between char-
acters. Such leaders seek to maintain their useful
relationships and protect their own positions while
others scheme against them and look toward
personal advancement, usually at the expense
of those superiors. The Narrator can use this
theme to foster a certain amount of group unity,
by presenting an outside enemy and forcing the

Crew to band together for mutual protection (See
 Mirror Universe Themes
Here are some story ideas that demonstrate some of the common Mirror Universe themes, and how they differ from their
Federation Universe counterparts:

Exploration and Conquest

• The Crew visits a new, unexplored, planet and must determine if it is worth conquering and how best to go about it.
• The Crew encounters a new life-form. Is it a possible threat to be destroyed or a possible asset they can use?
• A member of the Crew discovers a plot against him or her. Who is behind it, and why? More importantly, is it an erstwhile
ally, and how will it affect the individual’s network of “trusted allies”?
• The Crew hears about the promise of powerful alien technology in a lost ruin. Do they pursue it (and if not, why?), and
who seizes control of it?

Self-Aggrandizement
• A Crewmember is “offered” a dangerous mission. It has the potential for personal gain if successful, but disaster—blame,
maiming or the exposure of personal weaknesses or conspiracies—if something goes wrong.
• A breakdown in ship or station systems endangers the Crew. Was it sabotage? How can the Crew come together to fix the
problem when they don’t know who caused it and who they can trust?
• A Crewmember is threatened by an alien virus or infection. Is it an accident or an assassination attempt? Does the
Crewmember trust the medical officer or look for a cure on his own?
• The Crew spies or enters into a false alliance with a potential enemy in order to learn more about his plans and resources
before moving against him.
• A Crewmember plots the assassination of a superior officer to advance in rank.

Dilemmas of Power
• The Crew is offered the opportunity to assist a senior officer in a plot to overthrow his superior. Is it a genuine offer or
some sort of trick? How will the Crew insulate themselves from blame if the attempt fails?
• A Crewmember gains access to a “treasure map” that leads to some valuable resource. Trouble is, he can’t find it alone.
Who does he trust enough to ask for help and how much does he tell them?
• The Crew is dealing with a new and hostile species. Does the Crew seek to destroy them or try to cultivate them as useful
(if dangerous) allies?
• A superior officer is behaving strangely. Does the Crew turn against him, or is his odd behavior some sort of test or trick
to expose disloyalty among the Crew?

Free Will
• The Crew is captured by enemies and must cooperate in order to escape. In the fashion of the Prisoner’s Dilemma, each
individual Crewmember has the chance to make a lucrative escape if he manages to betray the rest while they support
CHAPTER One

him—but if more than one plots treachery, they are all doomed to failure.
• A Crewmember is given the authority to decide an important matter that may affect the Empire, such as wiping out a new
race or choosing to conquer them.
• An omnipotent being toys with the Crew, enforcing its will on them, until they surrender. It loses interest when they choose
not to “play.”

Might Makes Right

• The Crew is assigned to destroy a city or colony as an example to a world that has defied the Empire.
• A new world must be conquered and brought under control.
• A seemingly weak or undeveloped civilization secretly holds the key to a great source of power (whether or not they
know it).
• A Crewmember uses a newly acquired resource (from blackmail to alien technology) to advance in rank. How does the rest
of the Crew react?

10
 Sodalities, p. 35). On the other hand, Narrators
can also use this theme to foster more conflict
within the Crew, as they plot and scheme against
each other. (For advice on juggling this, see
Chapter Fifteen, The Mirror Toolkit.)

F ree W ill
In many ways, the Mirror Universe is a place
of ultimate free will, where you are only limited
by your personal power when it comes to getting
your own way and imposing your will on others.
Of course, everyone is trying to achieve “free
will” at the same time you are, and the dynamics
of power say that only a few are going to climb
high enough to have complete free will, while the
majority are bound to the will of those few who
rule. The key is to become one of the few rather
than the majority. Stories involving this theme are
about the struggle to gather the power you need to
carry out your will, instead of carrying out some-
body else’s.
Free will is also about decision-making, and the

The Vision in the Mirror

individual decisions of people affect the course of
history in the Mirror Universe. Your choices decide
whether you succeed or fail, and certain choices
can affect things for everyone. The more power
you have, the more your choices matter, because
they have the potential to affect everyone. If a low-
ranking Imperial Officer makes a poor choice and
dies, then he’s the one who feels the most direct
consequences of that bad choice. If the Emperor
makes a poor choice, then the entire Empire suffers.
Characters in the Mirror Universe value their free
will even more than their Federation counterparts—
it’s all that they can depend on.

M ight M akes R ight

In the Mirror Universe, free will and “legitimacy”
rest in the hands of those with the power to claim
them. The Emperor is always right because he says
so, and because he has the power to back up what
he says. Mirror Universe denizens see no hypocrisy
in this. In fact, they’re very open and honest about it.
To their point of view, it is more hypocritical to claim
that the opinions of the powerless masses matter in
the slightest.
Power rightfully belongs to whoever can seize it
and continue to wield it. If you are foolish enough
to let down your guard, even for an instant, then you
deserve exactly what’s coming to you. Of course, if
you are foolish enough to attack someone with agents
capable of avenging his death, then you also deserve
what’s coming to you. A person who advances through
ruthless, careful planning and action is to be admired
and feared, and ultimately plotted against. 11
 Mirror Physics
II
The Mirror Universe is a curious place. By many of the standards known to Federation science it should not
even exist at all, yet it does. Not only that, but it remains remarkably similar to the Federation Universe, down
to duplicates of individual people. The Federation’s few contacts with the Mirror Universe have given scientists
only a limited understanding of the physics involved in the creation and sustaining of such a parallel universe.
This chapter covers where the Mirror Universe “is” in relation to the Federation Universe, how to get there, and
(more important from a Federation standpoint) how to get back.

The Mirror Universe exists for the sake of drama. made up of probability fields that are the “height” and
While any number of justifications could potentially “width” of time. In essence, these temporal dimensions
explain the Mirror Universe, it’s really a place where encompass every possible past, present, and future that
we can let loose, play out what would happen if our could exist, and does, “elsewhere” in the continuum.
idealized heroes were really villains, and see the conse- In these higher temporal dimensions lie a poten-
quences of an advanced science fiction universe where tially infinite number of timelines, running parallel
terror, not enlightenment, rules the day. Ultimately, to the familiar Federation Universe. The amount of
that’s why all the rules of the Mirror Universe lead to divergence between universes—essentially the differ-
wicked drama: Because we say so. It’s only made more ence between their quantum signatures—determines
interesting by the participants’ ignorance of the fact, as how “far apart” they are in temporal terms. The Mirror
they struggle futilely against axioms that they cannot Universe lies quite “close” to the Federation Universe
overthrow. Except, of course, when our own heroes in a dimensional sense, one of the reasons that
of hope and destiny intervene—when the idealism Federation Universe personnel encountered it so early,
of the Federation Universe collides with its wretched and have returned to it so often.
counterpart. That’s where the most interesting stories
take place. Q uantum S ignatures
Everything in a particular timeline has a unique ener-
gy “signature” that can be measured on the quantum
THE Continuum level, and cannot be changed by any means known to
Federation science. This quantum signature is normally
The Mirror Universe, like all parallel timelines, is of little interest, since it is common to everything in the
believed to lie parallel to the Federation Universe in universe. However, objects from outside the universe
a six-dimensional continuum: three dimensions of have a different quantum signature. This includes people
space, and three of time. The dimensions of space and objects from a parallel dimension. A quantum scan
(height, width, and depth) are familiar. The linear can determine whether or not something is from the
motion of time (past-present-future) can be considered same universe as the scanner. If the quantum signature
one “dimension” of time. Time’s other dimensions are of the subject’s home dimension is known, then it can
 also be identified. This requires a Physical Science test are remarkably similar to the Federation Universe,
(TN 10), using the appropriate equipment (such as a tri- including the presence of certain individuals in both
corder). Success indicates the quantum signature of the universes. For example, when Captain Kirk and his
subject, which can be matched against the signature of crew first encountered the Mirror Universe, they acci-
the current universe or other known universes. dentally beamed on board an Enterprise that was an
Note that at present the quantum signature of the almost exact duplicate of their own, down to the pres-
Mirror Universe is not widely known in the Federation ence of an acid stain Dr. McCoy recalled from his own
and vice versa, so correctly identifying the universe of sickbay. Although the Terran Empire differed radically
origin for either requires some time and a computer from the Federation in terms of politics and culture, it
records search (a Computer Use (Research) test (TN 10) still had many of the same people.
in the Federation; a more difficult test (TN 20) in the With a history that diverged even decades previ-
Mirror Universe with its more paranoid and manipulat- ously, much less centuries, the odds of the Mirror
ed records). This difficulty might be even higher in early Universe having a duplicate Enterprise, with an almost
eras of Star Trek (such as the original series timeline), in identical crew, are astronomical. The odds of there
the days when the Federation has only vague notions of being a Benjamin Sisko and a duplicate crew of Deep
the Mirror Universe’s existence (and vice versa). Space Nine nearly a century after Kirk verges on the
impossible. The events described by Intendant Kira,
Q uantum F lux including the fall of the Terran Empire at the hands of
Although the quantum signature of matter can- the Alliance, should have so scrambled the Human
not be altered by any known means, it is possible to gene pool that Sisko and company should never have
place matter in a state of quantum flux. This causes been born. And yet they exist in the Mirror Universe,
the affected matter to become “unstuck” in the space- along with duplicates of many other people from the
time continuum, shifting “sideways” through time into Federation Universe. Why?
another dimension. Transporters have the potential The exact answer is uncertain, but Federation scien-
to place matter into a quantum flux state, and use a tists who have studied the phenomenon of the Mirror
component known as a quantum resonance oscillator Universe have offered a theory. They suggest that the
to keep the matter stream in the correct quantum state Mirror Universe represents some kind of “quantum
with relation to the rest of the universe, preventing it inversion field,” an almost literal reflection of the
from going into quantum flux. A failure of the quantum Federation Universe. The inversion field creates a uni-
resonance oscillator can lead to quantum flux, along verse that duplicates the Federation universe on a mac-
with a number of other high-energy phenomena. roscopic scale, while altering events and personalities
on a smaller scale. Take the example of looking at your
reflection in a mirror. The image looking back at you
The Mirror Universe appears nearly identical to you, but if you were to hold

MIRROR PHYSICS
up a book or a sign, the writing in the mirror appears
The Mirror Universe is unusual, even for a paral- backward. So it is with the Mirror Universe. The large-
lel dimension. Most parallel dimensions known to scale things are nearly the same: planets, people, and
Federation science are what might be termed alterna- even starships and space stations, but many of the
tive histories. They diverge from known Federation details, the “writing” of the universe, are the opposite
history at a particular place in space-time, known as of what they are in the Federation Universe.
the divergence point. From that moment on, they fol- This “quantum inversion field” theory implies a
low their own history, but before the divergence point, strong relationship between the Mirror Universe and
they are identical to the Federation Universe, save for the Federation Universe, a kind of interdependency.
a difference in quantum signature. Events in the Federation Universe may serve to dictate
Some parallels appear to have diverged from or at least influence events in the Mirror Universe. It
Federation history so long ago that it is difficult to may be that the Mirror Universe is only that, a reflec-
determine the divergence point. These parallels are tion of the Federation Universe. If the Federation
quite different from the Federation Universe, up to and Universe was destroyed, the Mirror Universe might
including vastly different life forms evolving on Earth, cease to exist as well. Of course, it is equally possible
Vulcan, and other planets of the Galaxy. The further the Federation Universe is actually the reflection, and
the divergence point is from the Federation present, the the Mirror Universe is the “real” one, or that they are
less likely it is for the parallel to have anything even both equally “unreal,” reflections of some “higher”
remotely resembling Federation Universe history. reality. Still, the strong relationship between the two
The Mirror Universe appears to be the exception. realities on the quantum level seems to be what makes
Although Mirror Universe history is quite different
from Federation Universe history, going back centuries
travel between them relatively easy compared to other
quantum phenomena.
13
at the very least, many aspects of the Mirror Universe
 Quantum
Flux Shifting
The only known means of travel
between the Federation Universe and the
Mirror Universe involves putting a subject
into a state of quantum flux matched to the
particular quantum resonance of the other uni-
verse. The affected matter shifts out of one uni-
verse and into the other. Returning to the original
universe is a matter of once again placing the
subject in a state of quantum flux and matching the
resonance of the original universe. This is somewhat
easier, since the subject’s natural quantum signature
always matches that of the subject’s home universe.
This technique was first discovered accidentally
Q uantum M irroring by the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise in 2267, when an
One result of this theory about the nature of the ion storm over the planet Halka caused a failure of the
Mirror Universe is what scientists call “quantum mir- quantum resonance oscillator in the ship’s transporter
roring.” This essentially describes the fact that events system. When members of the bridge crew attempted
and individuals often appear duplicated in both uni- to beam aboard, they entered a state of quantum flux
verses despite the larger-scale differences between and shifted into the Mirror Universe. At the exact same
them. For example, the lives of individuals from both moment, the bridge crew of the I.S.S. Enterprise shifted
universes are often extremely similar, even down to the into the Federation Universe. The two crews being on
smallest details, despite larger differences in personal- (essentially) the same mission, and beaming back to
ity and attitude. their vessels at the same moment, provides another
Dr. McCoy’s acid stain is a prime example. Although example of the quantum mirroring between the two
the Dr. McCoy from the Federation Universe was universes. Enterprise Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott
clearly a very different person from his Mirror Universe was able to reverse the quantum flux process to return
counterpart (who was described as “weak-willed” and the crew to their home universe, while at the same
prone to drinking excessively) both men experienced time the crew of the Mirror Enterprise was returned to
an identical accident that left an identical stain on their universe.
their respective workbenches. Likewise, the Benjamin Although some scientific investigation of the
and Jennifer Sisko from the Federation Universe and Enterprise mission took place, the Federation Council
their counterparts from the Mirror Universe were both decided on a policy of non-intervention in the Mirror
married, although the Federation Jennifer died during Universe. Although Captain Kirk’s actions in the Mirror
CHAPTER TWO

the Borg assault on Wolf 359, while the Mirror Jennifer Universe could be interpreted as close to being a viola-
separated from her husband and continued her work as tion of the Prime Directive, the Council decided that
a scientist. The list of similarities goes on and on. the Directive did not specifically cover interference in
Quantum mirroring somehow “synchronizes” cer- the history of a parallel universe—especially since Kirk
tain events between the two universes. Scientists are and his crew’s actions primarily impacted the Mirror
uncertain how this happens, or why certain events Empire, a post-warp culture. Captain Kirk’s actions
are mirrored almost exactly, while others are distorted were overlooked, and Starfleet placed a moratorium
or altered, and some events are not mirrored at all. upon further contact with the dangerous doppelgänger.
They speculate that it may be possible to influence Research into the nature of the Mirror Universe has
the events in the Mirror Universe through a greater been necessarily limited as a result.
understanding of the phenomenon, but to what degree
remains unknown. Q uantum F lux T ransporter
The primary means of access between universes
remains the quantum flux transporter. By modifying
the quantum resonance oscillator of a standard trans-
porter system, it is possible to place the matter stream
in a state of quantum flux, shunting objects into a dif-
14 ferent universe during the re-materialization process.
Targeting the transporter requires the quantum signa-
ture of the target universe; otherwise the subjects may
become lost in the space-time continuum.
 Making the necessary modifications to a transporter exactly, it is theoretically possible for a ship entering
requires a Systems Engineering (Transporter) test (TN a wormhole to travel to a parallel universe intention-
20), with a System Operation (Transporter) test (TN ally. Doing so would require a Propulsion Engineering
15) to operate it successfully. A failure on either test (Warp Engines) test (TN 20) to successfully modify the
means the transporter does not function as a means ship’s warp field. A failure on the test means the ship
of interdimensional travel, although no harm comes does not enter quantum flux, while a disastrous failure
to the subjects of the transport. A disastrous failure on can catapult the ship into another timeline altogether
either test results in the transporter sending the subjects rather than the desired destination.
to a random parallel universe, then burning out (leav-
ing no means for the travelers to return). Because of Q uantum S ingularities
the potential danger to the travelers, and the possible A quantum singularity is a point of incredibly
complications of contact with other parallel universes, intense gravity, so powerful that neither light nor nor-
the Federation and Starfleet restrict dimensional travel mal matter can escape from its pull. The gravity emit-
to times when it is absolutely necessary. ted by a quantum singularity can stress local space-
Apparently, the Terran Empire (and later the Klingon- time in such a way as to cause spatial and temporal
Cardassian Alliance) modified the quantum resonance distortions. Chroniton particle emissions are common
oscillators of their transporters systems to make quan- around quantum singularities, which may interact
tum flux transport impossible, most likely to keep with subspace to cause unusual phenomena. The
people from fleeing their grasp by escaping into paral- Romulans use a forced quantum singularity as a power
lel timelines. The existence of the Federation Universe source for their starships rather than a Federation-type
was kept secret from most people, out of concern that antimatter engine.
knowledge of parallel timelines might inspire hope and An encounter with a quantum singularity in deep
rebellion in subject populations. Still, residents of the space, or the failure of an artificial singularity like those
Mirror Universe have modified transporters to function found aboard Romulan vessels, could accidentally
as quantum flux transporters, and have used them to induce a state of quantum flux. For example, a battle
visit the Federation Universe. Like many Imperial (and between a Federation and Romulan vessel could lead
Alliance) regulations, those strong enough to break it, to the formation of a quantum fissure, or simple phase
do. Some Mirror Universe factions also use the tech- shift both vessels out of normal space-time into another
nology to keep an occasional eye on the “altruistic universe. Returning in such a case would require the
meddlers” of the Federation Universe, just to be sure cooperation of both vessels and crews.
that their enemies don’t cross in from another timeline A vessel might be able to channel the energies of a
to interfere in Mirror Universe affairs (as happened on quantum singularity, in conjunction with a warp field,
Deep Space 9). to place matter in a state of quantum flux. The Klingons
and Romulans experimented with a similar technique
W ormholes

MIRROR PHYSICS
to shift a cloaked vessel out of phase with ordinary
Normally, wormholes provide a “shortcut” to a matter, not only making the vessel completely unde-
different point in space-time. Thus far, all the worm- tectable by conventional scanners, but also allowing
holes known to the Federation connect different points it to pass through ordinary matter unharmed. All the
within the same timeline; that is to say, wormholes experiments ended in disaster and were abandoned by
appear limited to the three dimensions of space and both Empires. Two experimental phase cloak vessels
the linear dimension of time, rather than extending into vanished entirely, never to be seen again. It is possible
the “sideways” temporal dimensions. It’s theoretically they were phase shifted out of the universe entirely
possible, however, for a wormhole to connect two par- and into a parallel universe (although not the Mirror
allel timelines. Such a wormhole would most likely be Universe, apparently).
short-lived, formed by high-energy interactions in the Deliberately using a quantum singularity to phase
vicinity of strong subspace or forces of gravity (such as shift a vessel into a parallel universe would be a diffi-
an active warp field or possibly a black hole). A ship cult feat of Propulsion Engineering (Warp Engines) (TN
could use an interdimensional wormhole as a means 20) at best. Failure would most likely disable the ves-
of traveling from one universe to another. sel’s drive at the very least. A disastrous failure could
Experience has also shown that a resonant warp lead to anything from the disappearance or destruction
field applied to a normal wormhole can cause anything of the ship to strange temporal phenomena to a visit
inside the warp field to enter a state of quantum flux, to an undiscovered parallel universe (accompanied by
shifting it between universes. This occurred in 2370, a burnout of the main drive, making it very difficult to
when a Federation runabout carrying Major Kira Nerys get back).
and Dr. Julian Bashir suffered a warp malfunction inside
the Bajoran wormhole, sending the ship and its crew
15
into the Mirror Universe. By modulating the warp field
 The Tantalus Field:
Q uantum F issures
A quantum fissure is a weak point in the space-time
Shattering the Mirror continuum where different parallel timelines come in
One particular alien artifact deserves contact. It can be thought of as a kind of “quantum key-
special attention: the Tantalus Field. hole” between different universes. Normally, quantum
Discovered by the Mirror Captain fissures are extremely small and short-lived, of little
James Kirk in the looted laboratory concern to anyone. However, certain high-energy sub-
of a dead alien scientist, the Tantalus space interactions, particularly warp fields, can cause
Field granted the Captain much of his quantum fissures to grow and de-stabilize, creating a
power and fearsome reputation. more volatile interface between dimensions. Exposure
The Field consists of a small views- to such a quantum fissure can place objects in a state
creen and a few simple controls. By of quantum flux, causing them to shift between differ-
adjusting the controls, the operator ent parallel universes.
can call up a view of any point within In 2370, the U.S.S. Enterprise-D encountered an
orbital distance (up to 10,000 kilo- unstable quantum fissure, which caused hundreds of
meters away). No known screens or thousands of parallel universes to begin converging
other technology can block the Tantalus with the Federation Universe. The crew used a broad-
Field’s view. This ability alone is quite spectrum warp field to safely seal the fissure and return
useful for covert surveillance, but the the other timelines to their proper orientation in space-
Tantalus Field’s true power allows its time. Sealing an unstable fissure in a similar manner
user to “lock on” to anything in the requires a Propulsion Engineering (Warp Engines) test
device’s field of view and destroy it (TN 15).
with the touch of a button. A quantum fissure could theoretically be used as
The Tantalus Field operates on a a means of travel between parallel universes, but a
principle of quantum interference. It means of controlling the fissure and choosing a desti-
disrupts the target’s normal quantum nation would be required. A very precise application of
resonance signature. In essence, the warp fields might accomplish this, but any error would
target no longer “belongs” in nor- lead to a destabilization of the fissure. Such a tech-
mal space-time and instantly ceases nique should be nearly impossible (difficulty 25+) for
to exist, vanishing in a momentary civilizations with Federation technology. Alien technol-
flash of light. This is more than mere ogy—like that of the Iconians—might employ artificial
disintegration; the subject is banished quantum fissures as a means of dimensional travel.
from reality all together. There is no
known defense against the Tantalus A lternative M odes
Field; once it has you in its sights, you of T ransport
are as good as dead. The field has no There are a number of other possibilities for travel
CHAPTER TWO

Damage Rating or game statistics for between parallel universes. The options presented
this reason. It requires only a System here are plot devices rather than technologies the
Operation (Tantalus Field) test (TN Crew can rely on with any certainty. They are good
10) to destroy anyone or anything for “accidental” dimension travel stories or when the
within the field’s range. Narrator wishes to introduce a unique form of dimen-
The Tantalus Field remained in the sional travel into the series. Narrators should feel free
Mirror Kirk’s possession until the to expand on the ideas presented here for use in their
Mirror Spock discovered its exis- own games.
tence in 2267. With the aid of the
Tantalus Field, Spock seized power Warp Fields
on board the I.S.S. Enterprise. He Warp field and warp drive technology is an integral
used the Tantalus Field as one of his component to many of the modes of interdimensional
prime weapons in his own ascent to travel above. Warp fields have the ability to alter the
power in the Empire. Even the power properties of local space-time and, as the Traveler
of the Tantalus Field was no match has pointed out, the Federation’s understanding of
for the invasion of the Klingon- the relationship between warp fields and reality is in
Cardassian Alliance, though. The many ways only beginning. A static warp bubble once
16 Field has not fallen into the hands
of the Alliance, and its whereabouts
created an alternate reality, so it is quite possible an
application of warp fields might provide a means to
remain unknown. travel to parallel universe.
 Warp fields mixed with exotic phenomena like quantum shifter might have other business in a differ-
quantum fissures, singularities, cosmic strings, and so ent universe and only be around for a short time, thus
forth create a recipe for sending a starship nearly any- necessitating that the Crew find a way to convince the
where (and anywhen) a Narrator wants, including into alien to help.
a parallel like the Mirror Universe. Getting back may Any creature that learns quantum shifting on
involve duplicating the circumstances of the original a “normal” scale (a Human-like creature with the
accident—often involving a short-lived interstellar psionic abilities of some of the usual Alpha Quadrant
phenomenon, like an unstable wormhole or quantum Humanoid races) is unlikely to be able to shift more
fissure. Or the Crew may need to find another way to than a slight quantum distance, and such concentra-
return home. tion would probably require hours of work—a charac-
ter who somehow learns to quantum shift can’t just rely
Time Travel on it to shift through spacetime and avoid locked doors,
Time travel normally involves moving along the phaser fire and other plot-essential components.
linear dimension of time, but it is possible some
methods of time travel could—intentionally or acci- Artifacts
dentally—permit movement “sideways” through time “Artifacts” cover any advanced, alien technology
into a parallel universe. Experiments involving time that provides the ability to travel between dimensions.
travel and the nature of time, such as Paul Manheim’s The technology most likely comes from an alien race
experiment from “We’ll Always Have Paris” (Star Trek: that is long extinct, like the Iconians, the Preservers, or
The Next Generation), could open a “window” into the the mysterious builders of the Guardian of Forever. It
Mirror Universe, or simply catapult the scientist and is technology so advanced that Federation species are
the Crew into the Mirror Universe altogether, with or like cavemen in comparison.
without a means of getting back home. Most of these ancient races built their technology to
last (the Guardian of Forever is billions of years old, for
Psionics example). Generally, the instruction manuals haven’t
It may be possible to psionically induce quantum survived along with the device, so the Crew has to rely
flux in an object, causing it to shift from one universe on trial-and-error in order to make it work. Most often,
to another. Powerfully psionic races (ones developed an alien artifact is activated accidentally and shifts the
far beyond the limits of Vulcans, Ocampa and other Crew (and possibly their ship) to another dimension
player races) could use a Quantum Shift psionic skill before they can do anything to stop it. Getting back
to push themselves or other beings into different quan- requires figuring out how to make the device work
tum universes. The difficulty of a Quantum Shift Test is again, which isn’t always the same as what made it
based on the parallel universe the character wishes to work the first time.
visit. Parallels “close” to the Federation Universe have With advanced dimensional travel technology, it

MIRROR PHYSICS
a Moderate or better difficulty, while those “farther is quite possible an ancient species or two visited the
away” in a dimensional sense are more difficult to Mirror Universe (and other parallels) long ago. In fact,
reach. The difficulty also varies based on the local field the Preservers or Iconians of the Mirror Universe may
density and other phenomena, which may shift from have been the same race from the Federation Universe,
time to time, allowing the Narrator to make using this or perhaps the two parallel races were in contact with
ability more of less difficult as desired. A traveling alien each other. Of course, it’s equally possible the build-
could also wind up “stopping over” in a given universe ers of the Guardian of Forever went to war with their
to rest, taking small shifts one at a time instead of trying Mirror counterparts, resulting in the destruction of both
for a high-difficulty shift into a very distant universe. their civilizations.
Quantum shifting is best reserved for strange alien Like psionic dimension travel, alien artifacts fall
beings like the Traveler or the Q. A powerful quantum under the control of the Narrator, who can introduce
shifter could bring a Crew (or even a whole ship) them as plot devices to get the Crew to the Mirror
along for the ride. This offers a good way of getting the Universe and (possibly) back.
Crew to a parallel universe without necessarily giving
them the ability to get back (especially if Q isn’t feel-
ing particularly generous at that moment). Similarly, a

17
 SINISTER HISTORY
III
The Mirror Universe is not a divergent version of the standard, Federation Universe. You’ll look in vain for the
single, pivotal incident where its history forks off from the one we know. Instead, the Mirror and Federation uni-
verses stand in parallel to one another. Sometimes events in the two universes bear little relation to one another.
In other eras, as in the 23rd and 24th centuries, events in the parallel worlds more closely track one another.

The defining difference between the two realities lies

in the nature of the Human spirit: in the Mirror Universe, Earth Sinister
the enlightened values of the Federation don’t hold
sway—instead, the inhabitants of the Mirror Universe No planet’s saga is more relevant to the history of
embrace conceit, deception, narcissism, and violence. the 23rd century than that of Earth, spawning ground
Almost all of the other species of the Mirror Universe of the Terran Empire. Mirror Universe characters, unen-
show similar moral malformations. Vulcans use logic to cumbered by any weak-kneed rules protecting the
justify their personal agendas. Betazoids rely on their integrity of the time stream, may find reason to travel
telepathy to ferret out embarrassing secrets. Klingons to the past in search of information, plunder, or perfect
THREE

throw themselves into meaningless wars without any prisons for adversaries too useful to kill outright. This is
concept of honor. From time to time, a bit of self-inter- the past they’ll find.
CHAPTER TWO

ested motivation or true concern for others leads to a

moment of compassion—but that’s the exception, rather B efore the S pace A ge
than the rule. In the Mirror Universe, history belongs Earth embraced savagery and brutality long before
to the ambitious, the cunning, and the brutal. If your the 20th century advent of space travel. By that time,
characters are sufficiently bold and cruel, they can seize its war-like inhabitants had honed their talent for vio-
history and remake it as they wish, just like the greats. lence, exploitation, and deceit over four millennia of
Are they ready to join the ranks of Zefram “Slavekiller” recorded history.
Cochrane, Kodos the Wise, and James “General Order The savagery began during prehistoric times.
24” Kirk? If so, they should brush up on their knowledge Archaeological evidence shows that early Cro-Magnon
of the past, for as a philosopher of early 20th century man systematically hunted down and killed their
Earth once said, “Those who remember the past can Neanderthal competition. Mass graves strewn with
condemn their enemies to repeat it.” shattered Neanderthal bones attest to mankind’s primal
urge to genocide. Schoolteachers proudly lecture young
students on this long-ago slaughter; the story embodies
all of the species’ most valued traits. The Cro-Magnons
showed cleverness and teamwork in defeating physically
superior foes. They displayed greater hunger for survival
18 and dominance than the stupidly peaceful Neanderthals.
(“Neanderthal” is still used as a term of abuse for paci-
fists, intellectuals, and other socially backward types.)
Ruthlessly Primitive Conquerors quer the East. The emerging frontier became home to
Historical Mirror Terra faced many of the same disaffected rebels and malcontents who chafed against
challenges as its twin on its climb to civilization—but the Imperial seat of power, arguing that the Empire
ultimately came under the sway of cunning and tyran- always weakened because its titular head became so
nical Emperors, not a benevolent world government. entrenched in power that he became unchallengeable.
Egypt’s King Menes created the first great nation as Instead, these revolutionaries proposed that all people
he institutionalized his theocratic cult under the rule should have a hand in the government—both to make
of a twisted image of Anubis. By engaging the popu- the rulers strive to curry the favor of the masses, and to
lace in his own depravities he insured his continued allow power blocs to shift the government in coups that
popularity; the peoples’ wholehearted support of his didn’t always involve the total devastation of the land.
maltheism contributed to his own reign. The stratified In their system, Senators would vie for the favor of their
Egyptians—priest-kings on top, slave laborers on the followers, and thus would have support from allied
bottom—survived until the arrival of the bronze-age groups instead of having to wrest their resources from a
Greeks under Agamemnon. With logical philosophers ravaged populace. The people would be defrauded into
and analytical weaponsmiths, the Greeks brought thinking that they had a hand in their own governance,
intelligent tactics and warfare to bear against the and would willingly offer up their freedoms and their
more mystically-oriented Egyptians. Their successful possessions to the “elected government.”
campaign ended in the destruction of the pyramids Coup followed coup among the Senators, but by
and the devastation of the Egyptian culture. Over now much of the globe rested under the smothering
time, the Greeks, lacking a powerful outside enemy, hand of the Empire. Constant minor conflagrations
became complacent, and the Persians eventually chal- entertained the populace and kept up the appearance
lenged their rule of the Mediterranean. Both fell before of “security threats,” while Senators bickered and assas-
Alexander the Great, whose lust for conquest, aided by sinated one another, played by the very game their
his voracious appetite for literary examination (and the predecessors had created. Each Emperor sponsored
literati themselves), combined to make him not only a his own brand of “pet projects”—from the genocidal
ruthless warrior but a canny, educated one. Alexander manias of Pol Pot and Adolf Hitler to the dreams of
outmaneuvered the Persians and forged a Macedonian space conquest espoused by Jimmy Carter and his
empire. Unfortunately for him, his vision could not advisor, James Keeler. Eventually, though, the Empire
outlive his demise, and after his death his empire was fell under the grasp of one individual who recognized
swallowed by the emerging Rome. that in the technological world, rulership rested not in
In the Mirror Universe, the Roman Empire broke the hands of the greatest warrior or politician, but the
the cycle of conquest, maintenance, and decadence individual who controlled the very technologies that all
that had characterized its predecessors. Roman leaders Humans required in order to survive. Henry Starling,

SINISTER HISTORY
kept the Empire strong by actively recruiting the most an otherwise humble software engineer and computer
promising warriors and kings of the so-called barbar- scientist, cemented a grip on the world by producing
ian tribes of Gaul and Germany to stand at their sides. the computer languages and programs that every citi-
These chieftains became Romanized and thus joined in zen of the Empire used—and then threatening to bring
the backstabbing and intrigue of the capital. They rose the entire system down. Even the secret genetically-
to power not by conquering the Empire but by rising engineered super-soldiers and bionically enhanced
within its ranks. The Roman Empire turned potential Senators couldn’t compete with the man who had the
enemies into allies, except where they could not be tools to shut down all of the very computers that ran
suborned—where it paid its recruited outsiders hand- power, weapons, water and government.
somely to function as shock troops, as in the case of Unfortunately for Earth, when Henry Starling met
its quick and decisive war to quash the weak faiths of his demise, his computer programs did just that. The
Christianity and its parent, Judaism. Terran Empire fell into a new Dark Age.
The Roman Empire, of course, eventually gave way
to the establishment of a Germanic Empire. The con- D ark A ges and N ew C onquests
tinued spread of a domineering ethos and the drive to The demise of the technical apparatus of the 20th
conquer finally removed the last vestiges of national- and 21st century Terran Empire returned the planet to a
ism from Europe; people referred simply to the Empire, state of barbaric feudality, at least for a time. While the
without attachment to the despot of the generation. Federation Universe struggled through the aftermath
One ruler might fall, but the status quo had become so of its own petty wars and economic crises, the Mirror
entrenched that it was accepted as eternal. Empire’s Earth territories broke apart into feuding states
Reflecting the expansion of the Renaissance where once again might made right.
and colonial eras in the Federation Universe, the
Mirror Universe’s nascent Empire stumbled across the
The renewed dark age lasted for two generations,
as barbaric conquerors slowly re-seated their holds on
19
Americas in an attempt to find new sea routes to con- the territories of the Mirror Earth. Petty tyrants ruled
 over the remnants of the dormant cities until finally the

Sec ret s of the 20t h Cen tur y

few remaining scientists and computer criminals managed
to restore some of the power and computer systems of a
but deter-
Time travel played a secret
few major settlements. From these ashes came the rapid
h’s 20th
mining role in Mirror Eart
consolidation of primitive territories under the newly tech-
T. Kirk,
century development. James
nologically-enthroned leaders.
Enterprise,
piratical captain of the I.S.S.
By the close of the 21st century, two leaders emerged as
during an the predominant world powers—Colonel Green, a cunning
fathered James T. Keeler
dentally
incident in which he was acci
and charismatic man with a penchant for genocide, and
He saved
thrust back into the 1930s.
Lee Kuan, a barbaric tribalist who fused his empire’s reborn
d death
Edith Keeler from her destine
technologies with the hardened lifestyle of nomadic tribes-
and then
in an automobile accident
men. The two sparred warily, engaging their respective ter-
re history, ritories, for the better part of a decade, before enlightened
told her the century’s futu
together.
so that he and she could rule
self-interest finally resulted in a détente. Unwilling to risk
arted his
Although Kirk’s crew thw
their conquests on an uncertain battle, both commanders
by rescu-
plans for world domination
decided that a final cataclysmic clash would be too risky—
marooning,
ing him from his temporal
and so the two met in secret to carve up the remainder of
he’d given the world and rebirth the Terran Empire.
Keeler used the information
of his-
her to seek out the great men
tory and bend them to her will
. First Contact, First Conquest
Sing h’s
Alth oug h Kha n Noo nien
As Green and Kuan set about taming the remainder
demise of
treacher y helped speed the
of Terra, they stumbled across an unexpected bonus.
bloc, the
Keeler’s competing power
Hidden in a base off the coast of Hawaii, a maverick
Henry
eventual Emperor of the era—
inventor named Zefram Cochrane gambled his future on
ence from
Starling—acquired his influ
the development of the new warp drive. With his revo-
future.
his own knowledge of the
lutionary engine, Zefram Cochrane planned to colonize
to him by
These secrets were supplied
the Solar system, and then return to master Earth. Green
h cent ury
a Captain Braxton of the 30t
and Kuan discovered him before he could finish his
d Bra xto n
timeship Aeon. Starling kille
experiments, though, and his only recourse was to offer
h cent ury
after turning his own 30t
up his research in return for his life. Cochrane’s ship, the
in-s cann ing tech nolo gy aga inst him. Phoenix, broke the light speed barrier with the backing
bra
ripped out
He used the information he
of the Terran Empire.
one step
of Braxton’s cortex to stay
As it did in the Federation Universe, Cochrane’s experi-
to steer
ahead of competitors, and
ment attracted the attention of a Vulcan survey ship—the
the future
world events back toward
Ravok. This ship, though, was not a peaceful scientific
CHAPTER THREE

for Kirk’s
that would have been if not
survey vessel, but a spy ship designed to scout out places
unknow-
intervention. In doing so, he
where the Vulcans might emotionlessly harness and exploit
of history
ingly also moved the course
natural resources to their own benefit. After surreptitiously
wit h the
briefly into closer parallel
following the Phoenix, the Vulcans found themselves cap-
tured and tortured by their Human neighbors. Eventually
Federation Universe.
the Vulcans were executed, but not before the Humans
had learned of the location of the Vulcan homeworld
and stolen quite a bit of their technology.
The new Empire’s unified attempt to build an inva-
sion of Vulcan ultimately failed: The Vulcans arrived
en masse with a proposal. Terra would be too difficult
to conquer easily, the Vulcans opined, and could not
itself fight the technologically superior Vulcans with-
out both sides sustaining atrocious losses. Instead,
the two races joined together to exploit nearby pre-
warp cultures and the natives of Alpha Centauri.

C onquest , C onquest ,
C onquest
20 While Alpha Centauri proved a veritable
jewel of conquest, other planets still loomed
nearby, waiting to be plucked. The Empire’s
 improved war machine raged on, tackling the crafty
Tellarites and then subjugating the stubborn, ber-
serk Andorians. In both cases, the war effort cost
the Empire dearly—Tellarite engineering savvy and
Andorian bloodthirst both cost many lives. In the end,
though, the Empire won out; in the tradition of the
ancient Roman Empire, the Terran Empire offered the
defeated states “client status,” a privilege of continued
existence in exchange for placing their special skills at
the feet of the Empire. Tellarite engineering ingenuity,
backed by the threat of extinction of their homeworld
if anything should fail, caused the Empire’s technology
to rocket ahead, while the Andorians displaced their
fury by becoming shock troops in the Empire’s ground
wars and occupations.
Th e De vi l in th e De ta il
Recent Developments s
This chapter pres
ents only the outli
Throughout the burgeoning 23rd century, the Mirror Universe, ne of history in th
enough to give th e
Empire experienced rapid growth. Its colony worlds its direction. Reme e Narrator a feel
mber, events in th fo r
provided raw materials to support the bourgeois and are often a disturb e Mirror Universe
the warships of Starfleet. Dissidents and weaklings ing reflection of ou
history book can r own history; an
provide the core y
found themselves forcibly deported to harsh planets, timeline of the M inspiration for th
irror Universe wh e
there to eke out a living that would benefit the Empire Narrators should en suitably twist
remember that th ed.
in raw materiel—or in the death of another whiny, Universe history e fact that Mirror
isn’t completely
useless mouth. Everywhere it turned, the Empire found a good source of known to the Crew
dramatic tension is
another sentient race, ready for enforced servitude. either universe . Crewmembers fro
masquerading in m
The recalcitrant Bolians, psychopathic Betazoids and their knowledge the other may
of historical “fac find
biologically exploitative Trill were no match for the which can blow th ts” slightly skew
e lid off their de ed,
combined power of the Empire’s subject worlds, and transposed crewm ceptions. Similarly
an trying to take ,a
all fell in the fashion of the earliest Imperial conquests. “fact” may be in advantage of some
for a surprise—
Even the Axanari, a paranoid and secretive race with Captain Kirk certa the Mirror Unive
inly couldn’t exer rse
a will to power almost equal to the Terrans’, finally Federation Unive cise power in th
rse because, am e
fell after Imperial turncoat Garth of Izar took over the Federation Unive ong other things,

SINISTER HISTORY
rse counterpart ha his
Axanari resistance and used them as his own tool in In similar fashion d no Tantalus Fie
, the Narrator ld.
the ascent to Senatorial power. details as the plo should fill in th
t requires. There’s ese
After managing to subjugate a half-dozen races, the Mirror Universe not a hard-and-fa
history, but any st
Empire finally met enemies that it couldn’t completely one should have Narrator who ne
sufficient inspirat eds
subjugate. The enigmatic Romulans demanded that the gaps” with the he ion to “fill in th
lp of this chapter. e
Empire leave Romulan space as sovereign territory. In Remember, too,
that even if some
response, the Empire fought the Romulans to a stand- up, they’re easily inconsistencies po
explainable. The p
still. While Romulan spies and subterfuge provided an place of paranoia Mirror Universe
and secrecy—pe is a
early advantage, Starfleet’s overall technological prow- the Crew believe rhaps something
d was fact turns that
ess and numbers forced the hand of the Romulans. Also, since the M ou t to be a fabricatio
irror Universe ha n.
Threatened with annihilation, the Romulans offered a lar reflections, it’ s millions of near
s always possibl -simi-
truce—they would remain behind a wall of their own to find out that he e for a Crew me
’s not in the Mirr mber
space, patrolled by Starfleet, but they would sooner expected. Perhap or Universe that
s in one of the da he
destroy their own world than become subjects of the Empire never fell rk Mirrors, the Te
and the character rran
Empire. The Empire had no desire to continue drag- a horrific Starfleet encounters himse
despot—or mayb lf as
ging out a resource-costly war; the Romulans could Alpha Quadrant ov e the Crew finds
errun by the Mirr an
always be subjugated later when secret technological or Universe’s Borg
!
advancements made the cloaking device ineffective (or,
better still, put it into the Empire’s hands). In turn, the
Romulans had no desire to risk total cultural contami-
nation through an extended conflict.
In similar fashion, the Empire encountered the
brutal Klingons and engaged in immediate hostilities.
21
The Klingons, far less developed technologically, suf-
fered several losses until Starfleet finally made its way
 to Qo’noS, the Klingon homeworld. There the vessels against the wall. Cardassian colony worlds were steril-
of Starfleet carried out General Order 24, the order to ized and their homeworld threatened. Unfortunately
destroy all life on the world. The Klingons were scat- for the Empire, the principle “the enemy of my enemy
tered to the corners of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, is my ally” came into play as Klingon saboteurs, com-
but their stubborn and honor-driven lifestyle would bined with their limited space fleet, came to the aid of
never permit them to submit. In perhaps one of its the Cardassians, on the condition that the Cardassians
greatest mistakes, the Empire had martyred an entire open their surviving worlds and shipbuilding facilities
world, and the Klingons would not be satisfied with to Klingon use. The jump-start of Klingon technology
anything less than the total defeat of the Empire. combined with Cardassian resource ingenuity allowed
Finally, the Cardassians seemed at first to be much enough of a fleet build-up to grind the Imperial
like the Klingons—stubborn, proud, and aggressive, offensive to a slow stalemate; eventually, the Empire
but technically less advanced than the Empire. Imperial decided to regroup and consider the destruction of
operatives crushed the Cardassian fleet in a series of Cardassian colony worlds an effective victory. (The fact
quick and decisive encounters; superior sensor tech- that the Imperial economy was taking a downward turn
nologies allowed Starfleet to ambush the Cardassians also contributed to the withdrawal, as it became harder
and destroy them with impunity. Again, the Empire to replace damaged or destroyed ships.)
moved into Cardassian territory and demanded tribute;
the Cardassians stubbornly refused. Unwilling to let a Enemies New and Old
minor race rest—and needing an example to help stop With the other Alpha and Beta quadrant races deci-
unrest in the face of continued Klingon sabotage—the sively defeated, the Terran Empire turned toward inter-
Empire struck decisively and forced the Cardassians nal policing. The threat of constant terrorism by subject
CHAPTER THREE

22
races occupied a great deal of time and resources,

SINISTER HISTORY
while the lack of outside enemies allowed the Empire capture, the Empire lacked the united front to face a
to grow decadent, like its predecessors. By 2269, the stealthy enemy. While a massed fleet would certainly
Empire was already at the beginnings of its downward have galvanized the Empire to action, nobody took the
spiral—a descent pushed by Captain Spock, who took Alliance seriously until it was too late.
command of the I.S.S. Enterprise and from there used
the Tantalus Field to cement his own controls in place. G alaxy S inister
In an attempt to bring stability to the Empire, Spock Some of you may object to this chapter’s unrelent-
offered many subject races a chance at self-governance ing focus on the history of Earth, which suggests to
and disbanded large amounts of Starfleet’s military us that you need to be severely beaten and possibly
projects as unnecessary. Unfortunately, the Mirror thrown down a turbolift shaft. Everyone knows that
Universe has no mercy for the weak, and these actions only Earth’s history matters! Anyone who thinks oth-
would leave the Terran Empire defenseless in the face erwise is a fool and a weakling. However, those who
of an outside threat. wish to know what happened on Vulcan, Andoria, and
As a combined force, the Klingon-Cardassian other insignificant planets before the Terran Empire
Alliance managed to pull off some stunning coups— annexed them should consult chapter 15, Worlds of
including poisoning or destroying outright large por- the Empire, beginning on page 140.
tions of the Empire’s tribute supplies, thereby tightening
the noose around Terra and the core worlds. Starving
subjects vent their frustrations on the rulers, but with
Starfleet already lessening its forces and corrupt min-
isters grabbing for what personal power they could
23
 LIVING BY THE SWORD:
IN THE 
LIFE  TERRAN EMPIRE
IV
Life in the twenty-third century Empire is harsh—if you’re a pitiful weakling. On the other hand, if you’re some-
thing other than a pathetic little excuse for a sentient being, the Empire offers you everything you could ever
wish for. Power, if you are strong enough to seize it. Money, if you are smart enough to steal it. Sex, if you are
alluring enough to demand it. What else is there to want?

Government
Imperial citizens don’t really think of “the govern- The government is just a collection of people, all of
ment” in the abstract. The institutions of the Imperium whom are doing their best to get what they want any
and the Senate aren’t big, impersonal structures out way they can, just like you are. Anybody who expects
to squash the hopes and dreams of the average man. the government to treat people fairly and consistently
Everybody knows that they’re only masks for the per- is clearly an alien from some distant dimension or
sonal agendas of powerful leaders who’ve struggled something. It’s no different from the piratical private
THREE

their way up the ranks one backstab at a time. No one sector. In fact, the lines that separate the government
CHAPTER FOUR

grouses about the government when local tax collec- and private commerce are so blurry they might as well
TWO

tors come to ransack their homes on suspicion of non- be non-existent.

payment. Instead, you complain about that bastard Still, for the would-be climber of the turbo-lifts of
Nilz Baris over in the district revenue office, who you power, a few pointers on the structure of government
turned down when he came to ask permission to marry institutions might prove instructive. Two branches com-
your beautiful young ward. Well, actually, you don’t pose the Government: the Imperium and the Senate.
complain exactly; you vow revenge. You tap your own Again, the separation between the two branches is
best connections to find some way of screwing Baris more theoretical than actual. Smooth operators move
over. Maybe you know someone who knows someone between the two institutions all the time. Most new
who can blackmail him. Perhaps one of his superiors Emperors are Senators with fresh blood on their hands.
owes you a favor. Perhaps your misfit son who spends As always, keep in mind that there are two sets of laws
all his time down in the basement can build you a in the Empire: the written ones, and the real ones.
bomb to stick under the hood of his ground-trans- Anyone who expects the first set of rules to warrant
port vehicle. Whatever. The point is—the government more than a nod when the chips are down deserves
doesn’t do you dirty. Individuals do you dirty. Some what he gets.
of them boast power bases in government, that’s all.

26
T he I mperium of a different viewpoint on how to proceed in local
The executive branch of the Empire is headed, obvi- affairs (and usually has several executions in quick suc-
ously, by the Emperor. New Emperors are appointed cession as a result).
by an elected body, the Imperial Senate. Because
Emperors nearly always rise to office after killing their Emperor John Gill
predecessors, a naïve observer might conclude that The white-haired, patrician professor John Gill
all one must do to become head of state is to bump ascended to the throne after a Senatorial coup polished
off the man whose posterior currently warms the seat- off Garth of Izar. (The Senators showed their respect for
cushions of the throne. The Imperial Senate, however, Garth, who’d lived like a Caesar, by killing him like a
must confirm the power of any would-be Emperor. An Caesar. About a dozen of them joined in stabbing him
Emperor without Senatorial backing won’t last more to death on the Senate floor. He died with a grim smirk
than a few minutes. on his face.)
Typically, an Imperial pretender must have a strong The Senators had been worried that the trigger-
entourage to back up his claims. This means either happy ex-starship captain would be too quick to
coercing or bribing Senators into line, and having engage the new Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. They
the network of agents, killers and bureaucrats ready chose Gill as their compromise candidate, figuring
to sweep into place and seize the reins of power. that an academic would be both cautious and pliable.
Any former Emperor may have loyalists waiting in Evidently, they forgot his bloodcurdling tenure as head
the wings; it’s dangerous to let old loyalties cloud the of the Bureau of Interstellar Hegemony. As overseer
succession. Of course, one must be cautious of the of the subject states, he implemented an array of dra-
possibility of treachery—any agent could turn double. conian measures meant to make the maintenance of
Thus, an Imperial hopeful must be quick (to make order easier. Employing a theory he called Managed
sure he moves before he’s exposed), ruthless (to deal Culture, Gill imposed, with varying degrees of success,
with potential informants), cunning (to out-maneuver new laws and customs on the subject states. His office
Senators and the Emperor in an entrenched powerbase) dictated everything from the clothes subjects wore to
and strong (to command the loyalty of a large enough the songs they were allowed to sing. The bureau aban-
force to take over the reins of Empire). doned Managed Culture shortly after Gill’s resignation
in 2260, but now he wants to reinstate his pet project.
Imperial Power

LIVING BY THE SWORD
He’s also made noises about imposing aspects of his
The Emperor rules by fiat. Due to the support of the program on regular citizens of the Empire. The Senators,
Senate and influence over the Imperial bureaucracy, however, don’t like totalitarian thinking; they believe in
the Emperor simply issues edicts to various ministers unconstrained individual rights. Unfortunately, Gill has
and thereby changes the course of the Empire. Any consolidated his position surprisingly quickly, stack-
lone individual who defies such an edict places himself ing the Imperial Cabinet with staunch loyalists. The
at the tender mercies of every other would-be governor struggle to upend Gill will be a difficult one.
who hopes to curry favor and position. The stiff and formal Gill is a private man who lets
Typically, the Emperor oversees and directs the few know his secrets. The dearth of information on this
Ministry of War (responsible for Starfleet as well as the powerful man breeds many a rumor. Some of the juici-
prosecution of external threats and the acquisition of est speculations about Gill are as follows:
resources), the Security Ministry (which covers internal
affairs and “justice”), the Science Ministry (in charge • He’s a secret drug addict.
of co-opting valuable research and cracking down on
dangerous projects or companies), the Propaganda • He’s actually very ill; his right-hand man, Melakon,
Ministry (connected to the mass media and responsible is the true power behind the throne.
for indoctrinating citizens), the Ministry of Genetic
Purity (overseeing defense against invasive parasites, • Gill, who thinks three moves ahead of everyone
alien shapechangers and genetically-resequenced else, has planted false rumors of his infirmity to
criminals), the Revenue Ministry (in charge of the smoke out would-be coup plotters.
thugs who collect taxes and oversee the disbursement
of favors, graft and grants) and the Ministry of Vassal • Gill is having an affair with T’Pau of Vulcan. (This
Affairs (the office that coordinates issuing demands to rumor attaches itself to every Emperor.)
subject world governments). The Bureau of Interstellar
Hegemony also answers to the Emperor. It is the clos-
est thing to a representative arm for the various worlds
of the Empire, as it oversees local governments and
their funding, whether colonial or conquered. The BIH
27
sometimes opposes the Emperor’s directions because
 Gill’s Cabinet Dr. Tristan Adams, an even more fervent believer
Gill’s most trusted aide is Security Minister Melakon. in Managed Culture than Gill himself, promotes the
A tall, virile man attended by a harem of beauties, doctrine in his role as Propaganda Minister. A psychia-
Melakon hails from the subject world of Ekos. His trist and criminologist, Adams until recently served as
planet served as the proving ground for Gill’s Managed head of the Tantalus Penal Colony, where foes of the
Culture theories. The imitative Ekosians took to his Emperor often stay as special wards of the state.
highly-structured artificial society with zeal. The fiery Gill appointed the young Starfleet officer Raymond
Melakon showed more fervor than most. Gill took the Stiles to head the Genetic Purity Ministry, no doubt as
man as his protégé. Melakon served as Security Chief repayment of favors extended to him over the years
on various other planets where Gill later struggled to by the influential Stiles family. Some of Stiles’ ances-
repeat his successes on Ekos. Though he proclaims tors were among the few Human casualties of the
his absolute loyalty to Gill at the slightest opportunity, First Romulan War. Consequently, he tends to see
some seasoned throne-watchers suspect that he pro- Romulans lurking around every corner, convinced
tests too much, and that Melakon wants the throne that intelligence operatives of this defeated species are
himself. He’d have to buck some well-established pro- somehow responsible for every setback suffered by the
tocols to do it. Only one Emperor, Garth of Izar, has Gill regime.
hailed from anywhere but Earth. Melakon fully intends Although plucked from utter obscurity by Emperor
to become alien Emperor number two. Gill to serve as Revenue Minister, the rotund and ebul-
War Minister Matthew Decker rose up through lient Harry Mudd rapidly charmed his way into the
Starfleet ranks to his current top military post. His hearts of Senators. The road to their affection was no
men admire him for the insane glint that appears in doubt covered in a thick carpeting of graft. He dispens-
his eyes as he contemplates the destruction of his es favors like a man born to the job. More interested
enemies. The lone holdover in cabinet from the Garth in money than politics, he’s considered the most likely
regime, Decker has learned to moderate his views on current cabinet minister to survive a post-Gill purge.
the wisdom of a strike against the Klingon-Cardassian Lawyer Samuel T. Cogley serves as Minister of
Alliance. He no longer calls for an immediate wing- Vassal Affairs. His short stature and mousy features
and-a-prayer assault. Instead, he demands the greatest belie a razor-sharp legal mind. He uses his skill at
military buildup in the history of mankind, so that the creative treaty interpretation to dance rings around all
space-Huns and spoonheads might be wiped out to the but the most influential of vassal rulers. A petty and
last man. Unusually for a War Minister, he maintains vindictive man with a long memory for slights, Cogley
a ship, which he occasionally takes out on missions spends most of his free time vigorously pursuing per-
for old times’ sake. That vessel is the I.S.S. Doomsday sonal grudges.
Machine, a retooled version of an alien, unmanned
spacegoing weapon that Decker (and Spock) prevented T he S enate
from destroying the Rigel colonies. He looks forward to A legislative body called the Senate counterbalanc-
smashing a few planets with it when the inevitable war es the power of the Emperor. Most Emperors hail from
CHAPTER FOUR

with the Alliance commences. the Senate; years of walking the corridors of power
Science Minister Dr. Sevrin bears a peculiar resem- gives the opportunity to form the right allegiances for
blance to Melakon, despite his Tiburonese features. A an eventual ascension to the throne. Eligible voters
charismatic man who believes in technological solu- (that is, subject citizens with some modicum of wealth
tions to all problems, Sevrin enjoys good relations with and influence) decide on their Senators. Each world
the Senate. He believes that colonists should exploit has a seat on the Senate, although important core
planetary resources to the fullest, moving on to new worlds like Vulcan and Terra have a disproportionate
worlds when old ones are completely mined out. number of Senators (Terra alone can easily outvote the
rest of the Empire).
As one might expect of the Empire’s regressive
politics, incumbent Senators almost always retain
their positions. Term limits and election regulations
are unheard of—the only way to unseat an incumbent
Senator is to kill him and have a scheme in place
to replace him, or to arrange a scandal so hideous
that the Senator simply can’t overcome the publicity
(exploiting weaknesses or “reform sympathies” works
best; everyone knows that only the most ruthless
28 Senator in office can effectively push the agenda of his
prefecture, or voting area).
 Senators take and hold office not only through in relation to one slip of ludugial gold—which the
personal power, but also through manipulation and Empire considers equivalent to a single credit.
subterfuge. While Starfleet captains might rely on their
raw knife-fighting skills to keep order, Senators must C orporations
placate entire worlds. Thus, a Senator must be capti- Since the Empire still engages in monetary trade,
vating on video, bold in action and ready to promise corporations exert a powerful hold over individuals.
anything to the constituency. Voters must be promised Given many privileges because of the donations they
wealth and conquest with minimal risk—and while make to Senators, the corporations have a near-stran-
many people are sheep, the Senator must be convinc- glehold on technology, trade and resource exploitation.
ing enough to deflect the criticism of his opponents. Only the Emperor’s armed might and the Ministry of
Senators also exercise wide-ranging networks. A Science keep the corporations from capturing rule over
Senator achieves office based on supporters; these sup- the populace of Terra through the fact that they supply
porters receive promises, favor and graft. Of course, a the very goods necessary to continued survival.
Senator who reneges on these promises once in office Most of the major corporations of the Empire are
will quickly lose allies due to his treachery, so the privately held. What’s the fun of being a robber baron
Senator must be careful to build a network that has the if you have to answer to a pack of whining stockholders
strength to push him into office without turning him every four quarters? The Orions run a strange institution
into a puppet. called a stock market, on which a few Terran-owned
The most prominent benefit to a Senatorial position, companies are listed, but don’t look for really impor-
of course, is the filthy lucre. Senators oversee a wide tant companies there. The real titans of commerce all
range of legislation, including Imperial disbursements. belong to a handful of owners. Many are family firms,
Therefore, Senators have a great opportunity to line ownership having been passed down from father to son
their own pockets, as well as those of their allies. This throughout the generations. Others operate as partner-
in turn gives Senators greater ability to build allied ships between wealthy individuals.
networks. The crafting of legislation is almost inciden- Luckily for the ambitious, most existing corpora-
tal by comparison—“law” is only heeded as far as it’s tions of any size are run not by the family members or
bought and enforced, so a Senator’s reach is as long as partners who own them—they’re too wealthy to sully
his pocketbook, not his legal pen. their hands with daily operations—but by professional

LIVING BY THE SWORD
managers called Chief Executive Officers, or CEOs for
short. New hires without extensive inside contact start
Imperial Treasury out as a lowly employee performing mindless make-
work projects. Advancement usually comes by keeping
Unlike the Federation, the Empire still keeps a rigid a look out for an incompetent colleague who happens
trade standard. A person’s wealth measures individual to occupy a better job position. A combination of
value, speaks of competence and networking ability, and professional zeal and extensive documentation of the
allows the privelege of creature comforts. Basic neces- co-worker’s inadequacies paves the way for advance-
sities aren’t a right in the Empire, and those who don’t ment when the co-worker meets with a sad (arranged)
have the strength to take what they need, will die. misfortune. Once the co-worker’s out of the picture,
The basic currency of the Empire is the credit, show the evidence of superior talent (and the former
indicated by “Cr”. The credit is a virtual currency, co-worker’s ineptitude) to the current supervisor, with
traded electronically from one account to another. The a little bit of money slipped in. To become CEO, simply
Revenue Ministry backs the credit with its vast reserves repeat this process a dozen or so times until reaching
of ludugial gold. Ludugial gold is the Mirror Universe’s the top of the corporate ladder.
equivalent of latinum: a precious metal impossible to
duplicate. Well, supposedly uncounterfeitable.
Officers in undercover operations against enemy
powers may need to use their currency. The Cardassian Mirror Universe Currency
and Romulan governments forbid exchange of their C ulture B asic U nit of C urrency V alue
currencies into Imperial credits. Klingons discourage Cardassian Lek Cr0.03
trade with Imperial citizens. However, all three powers Terran Credit Cr1
allow conversion into another ludugial gold-backed Ferengi Komax Cr10
currency, the Orion dejebbit. Moneychangers use the Gorn Tokbar Cr4
dejebbit to turn credits into Cardassian leks, Klingon Klingon Darsek Cr0.4
darseks, or Romulan t’chaks. Currency values fluctuate Nausicaan Chiv’vig Cr0.18
all the time. The price of ludugial gold isn’t constant,
either. Still, the chart below should give you a rough
Orion
Romulan
Dejebbit
T’chak
Cr0.1
Cr0.05
29
idea of currency equivalency. Each value is measured
 For those without the resources or desire to lever-
Power, Prestige, and Possessions age a small corporation into prominence, a number
While money, sex, and power are the key values of of corporations offer lucrative benefits to their loyal
the Mirror Universe’s inhabitants, these are just raw employees.
things—and sometimes, it’s important to be able to
demonstrate your money, sex, and power through your Chronowerx Corporation
own unique idiom. In a replicator-driven society, where Despite its role in creating Terra’s second Dark
you don’t have to fight for food or basic survival neces- Age due to its mismanaged computer systems, Henry
sities, how do you show yourself to be head-and-shoul- Starling’s Chronowerx Corporation managed to restruc-
ders above your fellow primate (besides killing him)? ture and now has its claws wedged as deeply as ever
Simple—you own irreproducible, collectable originals. into the heart of the Imperial economy. Its operating
Owning a unique, original Andy Warhol or Van Gogh system long ago passed into the public domain and
painting, for instance, carries prestige because you have still serves as the basis for all computing in the Empire.
the only one, while everyone else wants it. The fact that Nonetheless, Chronowerx programmers retain a major
you can keep it means that you must have some measure advantage over their competitors when it comes to
of wealth and power—which is, not coincidentally, also creating new applications and maintaining current
sexy. If you have the only Tantalus field generator, then systems. They know the operating system’s secrets,
not only do you have a unique item, you have a unique having access to ancient documentation written by
item of power, and that’s even better. Now the only trick Henry Starling himself. Agents of the Science Ministry
is holding on to it… keep trying to uncover these old manuals and break
Chronowerx’s hold over the computer industry, with no
success so far. Consequently, even Starfleet’s computer

Sample Prices engineers must rely on contractors and consultants

from Chronowerx. As such, the corporation has made
The following chart gives you an idea of what ludugial gold will itself a mission-critical component of the Imperial war
buy these days. machine, and one hell of a lucrative enterprise.
Current Chronowerx owner Javiera Starling maintains
I tem or S ervice C ost in C redits a reclusive existence, never leaving her luxurious suite
Dagger Cr15 on the interstellar passenger ship Antheraea Polyphemus.
Tricorder, standard Cr25 (The cruise line is just one of dozens of Chronowerx
Phaser Cr50 divisions unrelated to its technology business.) Rumors
Phaser rifle Cr150 persist that she is no longer entirely Human.
A sumptuous non-replicated meal Cr300 Chronowerx CEO Peter Whiteside recently topped
Tricorder, medical Cr300 Fortune magazine’s annual “Ten Most Lethal Executives”
Environmental suit Cr500 list, after single-handedly dispatching six Gorn mer-
Impressive clothing Cr1,000 cenaries who boarded his shuttlecraft and held him
CHAPTER FOUR

Selection of exotic poisons Cr1,200 and his family for ransom. Despite the glowing press
Selection of antidotes to exotic poisons Cr12,000 coverage, Chronowerx insiders say that the incident
Services of Orion slave girl, one evening Cr500 left Whiteside shaken and tentative. If Whiteside is
Orion slave girl, one-year lease Cr125,000 replaced, a large-scale shake-up will certainly follow.
Orion slave girl, outright purchase Cr500,000
Slave laborer Cr25 Keeler Aerospace
Enslaved white-collar worker Cr100,000 One of the largest contractors to Starfleet, Keeler
State-of-the-art torture chamber Cr25,000 Aerospace builds Inquisition-class starships and the
Death trap (Ekosian crocodiles included) Cr50,000 DS-K series of prefabricated starbases, among other
Commission as an Ensign in Starfleet Cr200,000 basic building blocks of the imperial navy. For every
Assassination contract on life of prominent Starfleet vessel they produce at their Mars-orbiting
or well-protected citizen Cr1 million Dystopia Planitia shipyards, they build another five
Palatial estate Cr10 million civilian vessels elsewhere.
Runabout (Capacity 6 persons) Cr250 million The founding Keeler family hasn’t controlled the
Scout ship Cr455 million company since it was taken over by Chronowerx in the
Interstellar freighter Cr600 million early 21st century, and it’s changed hands several times
Series fund for Senatorial re-election bid Cr3 billion since then. The shadowy consortium that currently
Inquisition-class starship Cr4 billion owns it keeps its affairs out of the public eye. Rumor has
30 Starbase, decommissioned
Starbase, fully equipped
Cr13 billion
Cr40 billion
it that Revenue Minister Harry Mudd recently acquired
a minority interest in the consortium in exchange for
the forgiveness of a mammoth bill for back taxes.
 Something of a showboat, Keeler CEO Bryan inhibitions, their service is always utterly loyal. What’s
Woodlee gladly interposes himself between the con- the price of guaranteed top medical service with no
sortium he reports to and the spotlight’s glare. His mistakes or chance of betrayal from a bought-off physi-
many highly-publicized vacations alongside his recent cian? That’s negotiable—depending on the favors that
bride, debutante Lenore Karidian, have done little to Caduceus thinks it can extract.
distract him from the bottom line: he just rammed
a lucrative deal to research a successor craft to the Tal-Shaya Partners
Inquisition-class through the War Ministry’s Resource Although Vulcans found the Human sense of logic
Acquisition Bureau. to be deeply flawed in many ways, they did see a cold
and satisfying geometry in the structures of Terran
Caduceus Incorporated corporations. Since first contact, Vulcans have built a
Wherever interstellar parasites and mutant bacteria number of business enterprises capable of competition
dwell, the well-armed research teams of Caduceus with any Earth equivalent. The one that truly captures
Incorporated won’t be far behind. Intrepid scientists of the imagination is Tal-Shaya Partners, a banking empire
this pharmaceutical giant tirelessly comb the Galaxy that finances everything from starbase construction
for new diseases to cure. Naturally, the fruits of their to assassination schools. Be you Emperor, Senator,
research don’t come cheap. Caduceus CEO Michelle entrepreneur or mercenary, someday you’ll need to
Taunton earned admirable infamy during the Arkosi’s approach a Tal-Shaya loan officer for a little operating
Fever epidemic on Vagaria V, when she demanded— revenue. Be prepared for the squeezing of your life;
and got—Cr500 trillion for the formula to a vaccine her there’s nothing quite so uniquely terrifying as discuss-
scientists had developed. Even Starfleet medical offi- ing collateral with a Vulcan.
cers fear the phaser-backed zeal of Caduceus research Unusually, Tal-Shaya is still run by its founder, the
teams, who’ll stop at nothing to keep others from Vulcan philosopher Revok. His recent tome of finan-
cracking possibly lucrative pharmacological secrets. cial advice, Infinite Profit in Infinite Diversity, just
Caduceus also offers a rare and competitive service. completed its third year as the Galaxy’s best-selling
In exchange for a monstrous flat fee and a monthly business book.
percentage of income, Caduceus will supply neuro-
logically conditioned physicians to patients. While

LIVING BY THE SWORD
these physicians sometimes lack creativity and insight,
they’re fully competent to carry out routine medical
procedures, to diagnose and treat common disorders
and to perform surgery. Thanks to their implanted

31
 D istribution of W ealth S lavery
The richest ten per cent of Imperial citizens own Not everyone under bootheel is a willing par-
a full seventy per cent of the Empire’s resources. Of ticipant in his own degradation, alas. The Empire also
course, legislators and corporate moguls constantly depends mightily on the labor of billions of captive
work to change this, turning the percentage closer to laborers. The long, proud history of slavery proceeds
eighty or ninety. in an uninterrupted line from the days of the Pharaoh
The top dogs of the Empire—Senators, bureaucrats, Menes to the present. Charlemagne kept slaves;
tycoons, Starfleet officers—stand to earn and squander Gandhi kept slaves. So does every other man and
large sums of money. A small middle class schemes woman of means in the Empire.
energetically, hoping to make the leap up into the Slaves serve, obviously, many menial tasks, but
top bracket of earners. Beneath both classes, legions aside from working difficult, dangerous and demean-
of working men and women toil fruitlessly at various ing jobs, they are more prominently symbols of sta-
menial, meaningless jobs, hoping merely to put bread tus. Anyone can scrape together a handful of credits.
on the table. One might think they’d object to their Owning and maintaining a retinue of slaves, on the
lot, wanting to rise up and cut the throats of those other hand, requires real capital, managerial skill and
of us who freely enjoy the Empire’s abundance. And the constant income to back it up. By the same token,
certainly, the odd peasant revolt does erupt from time slave ownership marks a member of the gentry. A true
to time. But these are largely affairs of the subject and aristocrat doesn’t have to put his own clothes in the
vassal worlds, where individuals feel excluded from refresher or replicate his own meals—he has a slave
the Empire’s progress. Among Humans, even the most to do it for him. It’s a measure of personal authority
destitute scroungers feel like they’re a part of the gen- and the willingness to exercise power over others. In
eral prosperity of the Empire. Any competent citizen a sense, it is a microcosm of the Empire, and there-
might look at that grime-caked toiler coming home fore a source of Imperial pride as well as a symbol
from his shift at the sewage nutrient extraction facility of wealth.
and think that he has no chance whatsoever of rising in Naturally, slaves often find themselves in unenvi-
any significant way from his lowly station in life. able positions, ranging from indentured wage-earner
Luckily for the glitterati, that misbegotten drudge (rented out to a corporation or individual in order to
thinks otherwise. Every night he parks his tired behind provide even more profits to the owner) to pleasure
on a threadbare couch and stares at a procession of object. Since slaves have no personal rights and aren’t
audio-visual broadcasts, each providing him a tantaliz- considered legitimate beings in court, any owner can
ing glimpse of the power and privilege enjoyed by the kill, torture or use a slave with impunity.
elite. He thinks he has a chance to one day join the
ranks of the cruel and seductive people he sees on his In the Unfortunate Event of Your
screen. All he has to do is keep working on the inven- Being Enslaved
tion he’s been designing in his head for the last decade, Some people are born slaves; their parents were
find the right agent to read the screenplay he’s been slaves, so they are, too. Others become slaves during
CHAPTER FOUR

dreaming about, or win the lottery. Naturally, it helps adulthood. Some suffer enslavement as the outcome
that broadcasts routinely feature inventors plucked from of criminal court cases, or for triggering punishment
obscurity, suddenly celebrated screenwriters, and lucky clauses in civil contracts.
lottery winners. If someone were to propose to any of Ambitious people such as yourself sometimes suf-
these addled proles that the ruling class should redis- fer enslavement. Thus, it is wise to know what do in
tribute their wealth to grunts such as themselves, they’d this unfortunate eventuality. You may, for example, run
threaten him with a good sock in the jaw. No fair taking afoul of the Emperor and his ministers, many of whom
away the privileges they one day expect to earn, before (that is, all but the ministers of Genetic Purity and
they get their fair shot at them! Besides, the proles want Vassal Affairs) have the power to summarily enslave
their rulers to be mighty, to protect them from enemies. Terran citizens and inhabitants of subject worlds.
They don’t even mind the odd display of arbitrary and Likewise, the Senate may, by a two-thirds vote, enslave
ruthless power, so long as no one they know happens to any citizen other than the Emperor, one of his minis-
fall as its prey. The working man loves to see criminals ters, or a Starfleet officer ranked higher than Ensign.
and rebels viciously executed. He derives vicarious Slaves created by decree or Senatorial vote are
joy from the conquest of each new subject world. He immediately borne to the nearest auction house, where
believes that if he is only strong enough, vicious enough, bidders vie for possession both in person and via two-
smart enough and lucky enough, one day he can be the way subspace transmission. Rarely do more than a few
one on top of that system—and he’s not about to tear it hours pass between the decree and the exchange of
32 down until he attains his piece of the pie. ownership papers.
 Slavery need not be a permanent condition. Your After disposing of lunch, you’ll retreat to your
relatives or allies may buy your freedom from your club, from whose ostentatious antique chairs you can
owner; the traditional fee equals 150% of the origi- conduct your daily business. You can entertain clients,
nal purchase price. It may be negotiated up or down, make deals via communicator, or use your club’s
depending on the circumstances. Your owner may at computer console to check your books or survey your
any time simply give you your freedom. He will most inventory database. After a few hours of this kind of
often do so as a reward for exceptional service: you backbreaking work, the rest of the afternoon is yours.
might, for example, save his life. Owners customarily You can go to the stadium to watch the fights, head
free elderly and well-behaved slaves so that they can down to auction square to size up the latest shipment
enjoy a few years of retirement as full citizens. Finally, of slaves, or close your chamber doors to sharpen your
the Emperor or a Senate majority may command the command of the sensual arts. Traditionally, the dinner
release of a slave. In these cases, the Imperial treasury hour must be suffered in the company of your spouse,
disburses an expropriation fee equal to 200% of the children, and the various other toadies and hang-
original purchase price. (Some profiteers, thinking that ers-on you call relatives. The evening is reserved for
a particular, newly-enslaved noble will be pardoned gambling, arts events, the consumption of intoxicating
shortly thereafter, bid on him in hopes of doubling substances, and further carnal activity. As you finally
their money upon his freedom decree. This practice is lapse into unconsciousness, you can take satisfaction
known as “slave flipping.” You’ll be lucky to be pur- in the completion of another successful day.
chased by a slave flipper, since their profit depends on Naturally, your routine varies depending on your
warehousing their merchandise in good condition.) responsibilities to the Empire. Starfleet personnel face
Enslavement is shameful, but not cripplingly so. the regimented routine of naval life, expanding their
Emperors Sherman, Hitler, and Stephane Louvin were sensual boundaries only during shore leave. Senators
all slaves at one point or another; Hitler was even born must show up for the occasional vote, and so on.
a slave. Enslavement for political reasons is less disgrace- Lower-level bureaucrats and functionaries work for
ful than having been born to a slave mother. If you don’t more than a few hours each day, but still enjoy their
at least get threatened with enslavement now and then, own share of leisure activities from the gustatory to the
you’re probably climbing your way to power too timidly. sensual. They look forward to the day when they’ll live
it up as their superiors do now.
Slavery in Crime and Punishment

LIVING BY THE SWORD
Slaves and laborers face an existence of depriva-
The Empire imprisons only the most dangerous frac- tion, discomfort and spine-wrenching work best left to
tion of its convicted criminals. Jailing malefactors costs the imagination. They make possible the pleasures of
the state money that could be better spent on warships the patrician class. Without them, there would be no
or circuses. As slaves, robbers and swindlers earn their one to dominate, threaten, or exploit. And what fun
keep and more. Violent criminals go to reconditioning would that be?
centers for pharmaceutical and surgical rehabilitation
before being auctioned off. No soft-bellied patrician F ear I s the C oin of the R ealm
wants an untreated serial killer chauffeuring his young The exchange of favors forms the bedrock of all
wife around. Only the few incorrigible cases who don’t activity in the Empire. Lowly citizens rely on local
respond to the cranial realignment process, along with strongmen for jobs and protection from harm. Small
political prisoners, end up in penal colonies such as the bullies ally themselves with larger ones. Big bullies
notorious establishment on Tantalus V. pay tribute to protectors in the official power structure,
from revenue officials to Senators. The lowliest free
worker can always be connected to a Senator or high
Daily Life official by about six degrees of exploitation.
For example: the sewage plant worker we men-
As a member of the patrician class, your life in the tioned earlier fears the shift bully. He does favors for
Empire is good. You get up in the morning, summon- him and pays extortion money to avoid getting beaten
ing slaves and servants to attend to your toiletry needs. up. The shift bully fears the floor supervisor, doing the
You eat a delicious breakfast, painstakingly made from same for him. Likewise, the floor supervisor fears the
exotic ingredients ranging from pancakes with Hydran plant manager, who fears the regional director, who
berries to garlic-seared slices of targ bacon. Should you fears the vice-president in charge of operations, who
overeat, you need only visit your vomitorium before fears the CEO. The CEO fears the Senator and the sci-
heading down to the baths to lounge with your fellow ence Ministry Official to whom he owes his contracts.
kingpins, trading scurrilous gossip and offering backseat The Senator must please his backers and avoid the
advice on the prosecution of the Empire’s current wars.
At the baths, you and your friends wolf down the choic-
displeasure of the senior Senators of his faction. The
Ministry Official fears his superior, who fears the min-
33
est dishes from a buffet of staggering proportions. ister, who fears the Emperor.
 What You Can Get Away With Love, Lust,
With this system of accountability in place, “don’t and Domination
do anything I wouldn’t do” becomes society’s highest
law. If you know the person immediately above you on Two groups of people populate the upper reaches
the ladder of exploitation wouldn’t care about a given of the Empire. One uses power to get sex; the other
action and won’t stop protecting you if he finds out uses sex to get power. How symmetrical it all is!
about it, feel free to go ahead and do it. Denizens of the Mirror Universe boast (and may
For example, the Science Ministry wants results. It even actually possess) higher sex drives than their
doesn’t care what happens to your test subjects. So if counterparts in the standard universe. They also face
you’re a medical researcher, you can do whatever you virtually no social restraints in the public expression of
want to those foolish or desperate enough to sign up as that sexuality. What the Federation calls sexual harass-
guinea pigs for your experiments. For that matter, you ment is in the Terran Empire considered a popular
face no restraints against experimenting on patients activity enjoyed by men and women alike.
who come to you seeking cures for entirely unrelated Both sexes must attend to their pre-assigned roles
conditions. Even Starfleet medical officers follow this in the great game. Men must seem dominating, virile,
strategy—provided, of course, that their relationships and forever in pursuit of sexual conquest. Women
with their captains are strong enough. (Most of them apparently allow themselves to be acted upon; they are
look forward to the day when they can retire on royal- seduced, overcome, treated as objects.
ties from a drug they’ve discovered and kept from the Naturally, the reality of the situation reveals fur-
prying eyes of the admiralty and Science Ministry.) So ther complexity. The heedless males often turn out to
what if a doctor from another dimension thinks you’re be completely in the thrall of the supposedly passive
running a torture chamber? women who offer them sexual favors. Some men rec-
The trick, of course, is to ensure that none of your ognize this; others have no conception of how quickly
experimental subjects enjoy the protection of patrons their schemes would collapse without the tactical
with more pull than your own. Let’s say that you grow advice they receive in the guise of pillow talk.
a Klingon liver in the cerebrum of a patient who comes The official corridors of power are barred to
to you seeking treatment for a minor respiratory condi- women; they can’t be Senators or Emperors. Women
tion. Regrettable side-effects send the patient to another aren’t technically forbidden ministerial posts, but rarely
doctor, who finds out what you’ve done. If the patient’s attain them. They do, however, often excel as lower-
patrons are of no account, you have nothing to worry echelon bureaucrats.
about. But if she turns out to be the illegitimate daughter Still, most women can only exercise their power
of a Senator’s son, you’re suddenly in serious trouble. The behind the scenes. Ministerial secretaries, in fact, run
Senator outranks not only you, but the starship captain some departments. Few think that Revenue Minister
who protects you. The captain would have to be a fool Harry Mudd would have survived even a month in office
to put his hide on the line for you. He’ll cut you loose, without his briskly efficient secretary, Magda Kovacs. In
CHAPTER FOUR

claiming that your activities were completely unauthor- gratitude for her services, Mudd recently paid for cos-
ized. You’ll find yourself in the slave auction pen before metic surgery to make her stunningly beautiful. Magda’s
you can power down your tricorder. Take heart, though: new allure will give her another way of exercising her
maybe your new owner will have a suitably fatal condi- power; Mudd had better hope she doesn’t discard him.
tion, which you can cure in exchange for your freedom. Starfleet, an institution where failure means death
Once free, you can take grim revenge on the patient, the instead of embarrassment, can’t afford to arbitrarily
Senator, and that back-stabbing ex-captain of yours. deny itself the talents of half the population. Women
earn full responsibility there. Why, in a year or two,
there might even be more than a half-dozen female
starship captains. There might even be a female admi-
ral in the next couple of decades.

34
Race and Status
As long as one’s Human, skin color and ethnic
heritage don’t mean much in the 23rd century Empire.
Two thousand years ago, the Romans learned to
strengthen themselves by embracing the barbarians
who would otherwise have destroyed them. Today,
men are judged by their ability to dominate others, a
trait only a few cranks associate with a specific nation-
ality or racial group.
On the other hand, people do take strength from
their national heritage. They build statues to the fin-
est killers, wickedest generals, and most cunning
politicians associated with their ethnic groups. They
proclaim their national cuisine superior to any other,
follow customary sports and art forms, and use tradi-
tional holidays as an excuse for orgiastic revelry. This
is more a reflection of the Terran enthusiasm for fine
foods, public events, and orgies than it is an indication cheat the odds and live to a ripe old age, while
of any deep-rooted national feeling. still enjoying all of the Empire’s fruits. The secret is
simple: cultivate allies you can trust. Band together
A liens I n the E mpire with a small group of like-minded individuals. Never
While race matters little, species matters a great betray them for any reason, petty or grand. Behind
deal. Humans are clearly superior to all others; look every great man lurks a coterie of fellow conspirators
how many worlds they’ve conquered! Even members who’d sooner die than turn on one another.
of the proudest vassal race must keep their heads Imperial movers and shakers often belong to small
down when the Humans get to boasting of their innate groups called sodalities. Sodality members swear a

LIVING BY THE SWORD
preeminence. Non-Humans are still widely referred to secret blood oath to one another early in their careers,
as “aliens.” swearing to help individual members when they need
An alien can expect all of the Humans around it, for the benefit of all. Sodalities may be made up
to comment continually on his “foreign” status. of men from the same neighborhood, grade school
Even supposed Human friends will make continual, chums, classmates at Starfleet academy, entry-level
hackneyed jokes about alien appearance and habits. employees of a particular corporation, or paper-push-
Terrans in general base their expectations of alien ers in a department of the Imperium. Your sodality is
behavior on species stereotypes, rather than the ways only as strong as its individual members. Some prefer
in which a given alien has distinguished himself as an to join sodalities in which all members belong to the
individual. There are two choices: whine about this, same organization, so that they can concentrate their
or use it as an advantage. Subjected aliens bemoan efforts on pushing themselves up its hierarchy. Others
their state and struggle to get ahead in a system that want to bond with conspirators across a broad spec-
will always favor Humans. Successful aliens, on the trum of Imperial life, putting a much broader range of
other hand, play up their stereotypes and then sur- skills and contacts at their disposal.
prise opponents with their individual talents. While The sodality is a Human invention, but ambitious
it always feels good to be respected, sometimes it is aliens adopt the practice in hopes of evening the odds
more useful to be underestimated. against the omnipresent Terrans. Some calculating sodal-
ities, wishing to draw upon the widest possible scope of
experiences, include both Humans and aliens.
Sodalities If you don’t belong to a sodality already, find one
fast. Find other misfits and malcontents and forge that
So there you have it: An Empire where life is brut- bond of trust, before you get left behind. Not every
ish, nasty, and short—if you’re lucky. A place where no sodality is perfect. When a group does break up, the
one can be trusted, and betrayal is never less than a recriminations can be ten times more vicious than a
dagger-thrust away. conflict between strangers. But without one, you’ll
Having heard all this, you may be contemplating have no one to cover your back when you go in for
stealing a runabout and heading off to the mountains of
Halka to live as a hermit, subsisting on a diet of lichen
the kill. 35
and spring water. Don’t despair. There is a way to
 IMPERIAL 
THE 

STARFLEET V
So, you want to join the Imperial Starfleet? Excellent! Starfleet is one of the best routes to advancement and
personal power in the Empire… assuming you survive the experience. The Starfleet is a symbol of the Terran
Empire itself: strong, powerful, ruthless, and efficient, something that strikes terror into the hearts of our ene-
mies. To be a Starfleet officer is to uphold a long tradition of advancing the power of the Empire, while advanc-
ing your own power as well. More than one Emperor has risen from the ranks of Starfleet to supreme power
over the Empire itself.

Starfleet
and the Empire
To many subject worlds and species, Starfleet is Some might say that Starfleet is the true power
the Empire, or at least the only part of the Empire behind the Empire. This is true, but only partially.
they will ever see. Starfleet is the Empire’s strong right Starfleet is the enforcement arm of the Empire, but
THREE

arm, carrying out the commands of the Emperor and the Emperor is careful not to allow any Starfleet offi-
FOUR

ensuring that no act of rebellion against the Empire cers to accumulate too much power. The Emperor
TWO
CHAPTER FIVE

goes unpunished. Starfleet also explores the Galaxy, who allows Starfleet too much free reign is an
seeking out new worlds to conquer for the greater Emperor who is quickly replaced by an ambitious
glory of the Empire. It is with Starfleet’s help that the Starfleet officer, such as the case of Emperor Garth’s
Empire has grown, and the Empire relies on Starfleet rise to power. The Emperor and the Senate carefully
for its continued growth and protection. play the leading officers of Starfleet against each
As the Empire must rely on Starfleet, Starfleet other. More importantly, high-ranking officers must
holds considerable power. Starfleet officers are some always be on guard against ambitious subordinates
of the most influential people in the Empire, rank- looking to advance their own position through the
ing with Imperial Senators and other high officials. elimination of a superior. Despite military disciple
Admirals and even brash captains have shaped the and the need to work in groups to survive deep space
future of the Empire, like the glorious Captain Garth’s missions, Starfleet personnel must constantly remain
ascension to the Imperial Throne. That is why so vigilant about the threats behind as well as the dan-
many people seek to join Starfleet, because it offers gers ahead.
a route to greater power and influence, although this
is not always an easy road.

36
Starfleet T he J oint C hiefs
The Joint Chiefs are the heads of each major depart-
Headquarters ment of Starfleet. They make up a council that oversees
and controls Starfleet as a whole under the direction of
Starfleet Headquarters, built around the ancient the Starfleet Commander. Each individual department
Presidio Fortress in San Francisco, is a stronghold of chief has his or her own personal agenda to further,
Imperial might. It is from here that the Commander along with an extensive network of agents, henchmen,
of Starfleet issues orders to fleet officers, and it is here and allies to see that it is carried out. Of course, each
that the will of the Emperor is heard and transmitted chief also forms alliances with other chiefs to further
throughout the fleet. Starfleet Headquarters is a com- their mutual goals, while working against enemies
plex maze of activity and opportunity for those who among the other chiefs, in the Imperial Senate, and so
learn to navigate its labyrinthine corridors and its com- forth. These activities, along with their regular duties,
plex web of allegiances and plots. keep the members of the Joint Chiefs quite busy.
Most officers ultimately seek an appointment to For the most part, the Joint Chiefs are willing to
Starfleet Headquarters, where the true power of the cooperate on matters that further the cause of Starfleet
fleet lies. Once they are here they can begin working as a whole, although there is often disagreement on
their way up final rungs of the ladder, to the level of the what is and is not good for Starfleet. Along the way, the
Joint Chiefs and even the rank of Starfleet Commander. chiefs work to further their own plans, strengthen their
Ambition runs thick as blood through the corridors positions, and arrange the downfall of their enemies.
of the Headquarters as admirals scheme against one Some choose loyalty to the Starfleet Commander,
another, plotting the downfall of their enemies and the counting on the rewards that come from loyal ser-
elevation of themselves and their allies. vice should the Commander be elevated to a higher
In more recent years, some officers have questioned position. Others prefer to arrange the elimination of
to conventional wisdom of gaining power through a the Commander in an effort to take that position for
position at Starfleet Headquarters. Emperor Garth was themselves. Naturally, doing so requires a considerable

THE IMPERIAL STARFLEET
a field officer, after all, and he parlayed his power and amount of support from the rest of the Joint Chiefs and
influence in the field into support strong enough to enough power to back up such a claim.
allow him to take the throne. Many young officers are
following the Emperor’s example by building networks
of allies for themselves on the outskirts of the Empire, Starfleet
hoping to raise a powerful enough force to return and
claim power for themselves. They must take great care
Departments
not to draw too much attention to themselves, lest their Starfleet is a vast organization; it has to be in order
superiors consider them a possible threat and order to control an area as vast as the Empire. The Imperial
one of their subordinates to assassinate them and take Starfleet has several major departments handling all
their place. the various duties it carries out, from exploration and
conquest of new worlds to research into valuable new
T he S tarfleet C ommander technologies and day-to-day operation of facilities.
The Starfleet Commander is the supreme power
in Starfleet, answerable only to the Emperor and
the Imperial Senate. It is one of the most influential
positions in the entire Empire, and many Starfleet
officers aspire to hold it, enough to keep the Starfleet
Th e Mi rr or Ac ad em y Ser ies
Commander involved in fending off challengers for his Looking for an interes
ting twist on the Aca
position. The Commander-in-Chief’s bodyguard is the Series idea? Consider run demy
ning an Academy series
most efficient in Starfleet, and the Commander uses in the Mirror Universe, set
where Starfleet Academ
the considerable resources of Imperial Security to ferret just as ruthless and cut y is
throat as the rest of the
out and eliminate any potential challengers before they Cadets can struggle to fleet.
deal with their classes,
become a problem. threats from upperclas handle
smen and other cadets
The Starfleet Commander oversees the Joint Chiefs ing to get ahead by ma look-
king them look bad, and
of Starfleet, his subordinates, and most often the direct intended to weed out tests
the weak. Narrators can
challengers for his position as head of Starfleet. such a series as darkly play
humorous or deadly ser
Cadets that sur vive can ious.
“graduate” to a full-fle
Mirror Universe series dged
. See “The Mirror Toolkit
140) for more information
.
” (p.
37
 • Fleet Operations: Fleet Operations oversees the • Corps of Engineers: The Starfleet Corps of
deployment of starships to different sectors of the Engineers handles major construction projects
Empire, and handles things like personnel assign- throughout the Empire. Some of their most impor-
ments and assigning starships to various missions, tant work includes the design and construction of
as requested by other departments. Fleet Operations new starships and starbases. Although it is possible
is also responsible for maintaining the readiness of to gain considerable influence within the depart-
the Imperial Starfleet, ensuring that each vessel is ment, the Corps of Engineers is largely considered
properly maintained and ready to serve the Empire. a dead-end for personal advancement. For this very
As you may imagine, Fleet Operations is one of the reason, engineers are often indigent and choose to
most influential departments in Starfleet because lord what power they have over their subordinates
it controls the fleet’s vessels. The Chief of Fleet and those in need of their services. For a captain
Operations can frustrate the plans of other depart- in a strong position, Starfleet engineers are useful
ments by delaying their requests and tying them up toadies to get important work done. Those in lesser
in red tape, or simply ignoring them altogether. Of positions find the Corps of Engineers uncoopera-
course, a Fleet Operations Chief who turns the rest tive, arrogant, and petty. If you are a command offi-
of the Joint Chiefs against him isn’t likely to hold cer, value a good engineer, but don’t allow them to
the job for long, unless he has considerable sup- forget their station. If you are an engineer, use you
port elsewhere. power where you can, but don’t forget about the
enemies you may make along the way.
• Starbase Operations: The Office of Starbase
Operations oversees the Empire’s many starbases, • Science: The Science Department is like the Corps
deep space stations, and other permanent facilities, of Engineers in many ways; filled with arrogant
including border posts and monitoring stations. intellectuals who like to lord their superiority over
Although most tend to think of Fleet Operations anyone they can, but who generally grovel before
as the best route to power and influence through those with greater power or influence. Science pres-
the command of a starship, the commanders of ents more opportunities than engineering because
Imperial starbases should not be underestimated, scientists have been known to discover useful tech-
particularly those given control of newly conquered nologies or natural phenomena on distant alien
territory. These representatives of the Empire often worlds. Of course, they must ensure that credit for
rule entire worlds in the Emperor’s name, giving their discoveries goes to them and not their com-
them a strong power-base to work from. Of course, manding officer. A wise commander uses scientists
they must also face the possibility of rebellions and for the information they can provide, but doesn’t
have fewer opportunities to discover new and valu- allow them too much latitude. A scientist in control
able resources, but officers from this department of a valuable discovery can use it to go a long way
can wield considerable power. in Starfleet.
One of the most important branches of the
• Starfleet Security: Although agents of Imperial Science Department is the Starfleet Medical Corps.
CHAPTER FIVE

Security protect the Empire, Starfleet has its own The doctors and nurses of the Medical Corps are
Security department to protect the organization. charged with maintaining Starfleet crewmembers
Security officers are some of the most influential on in proper physical condition to carry out their
board starship and starbases, since they monitor all duties. They also study the many different threats
activities on board and report this information to to life found in the exploration of space, and how
the commanding officer or a designated subordi- these can best be used to the Empire’s advantage.
nate. Security officers also command some of the Starfleet doctors are rulers of very small fiefdoms
best-trained soldiers. Low-ranking security officers indeed—a sickbay or infirmary and no more—but
have the unglamorous job of being thrust in the they are absolute rulers. It is best to have a doctor
way of whatever dangers the officers may encoun- as an ally should you be injured or in need of their
ter. High-ranking security officers oversee political services but, as most Starfleet officers would advise,
correctness, indoctrination, and all of the plots that it is even better not to need them in the first place.
weave through a Terran ship or base. It’s important Leave your enemies to the tender mercies of the
to pay off the security chief, so that he’ll expose Medical Corps rather than yourself.
plots against you while turning a blind eye to your
own indiscretions. • Colonial Affairs: The Department of Colonial
Affairs oversees the Empire’s expansion and con-
38 quest, making them another of the most influen-
tial departments. They decide which worlds merit
immediate conquest, which should be taken over
 more slowly, and which worlds should be left P ositions
alone, at least for the time being. They also decide There are a wide number of duties on board a star-
which worlds should be annihilated rather than ship or starbase, requiring a large crew to carry them
conquered. Implementing their decisions is left up out. Starfleet routinely fields crews of 300 or more.
to Fleet Operations, so Colonial Affairs is often at Within this large crew are a number of important posi-
their mercy. Fortunately for them, Starfleet officers tions, primarily the commanding officers, department
are more than pleased to carry out their orders heads, and bridge crew.
when it comes to conquering a new world and
seizing its riches. Commanding Officer
The department also handles the Empire’s colo- The Commanding Officer is, of course, in com-
nization programs and the administration of sub- mand. It is the position all officers aspire toward,
jugated populations. This places Colonial Affairs and are willing to kill (many times) to achieve.
close to Starbase Operations, and the two depart- Commanding officers achieve their position through a
ments are traditional allies as well as rivals in their combination of skill, drive, and ruthlessness, allowing
mutual sphere of operations. Starbase command- them to overcome all obstacles that stand in their way,
ers and planetary governors must often deal with including their predecessors.
the demands of Colonial Affairs, and CA officers Some captains are content with their position and
are often dependent on the goodwill of a local spend their time maintaining it and enjoying the privi-
starbase commander when carrying out operations leges of their rank. Others have higher ambitions, to
in their area. achieve admiral rank or even higher. They use their
command to build the support and influence they need
• Strategic Operations: This department is to achieve their goals. In either case, a commanding
responsible for planning the strategic defense of the officer must be utterly ruthless in order to maintain
Empire against all enemies. It is a key department, discipline and guard against those who covet the posi-
both in the protection of the Empire as a whole, and tion for themselves.

THE IMPERIAL STARFLEET
as a potential obstacle for would-be Emperors and
other upstarts. Strategic Operations develops plans First Officer
to protect the Empire from invasion and enemy A first officer is the chief lieutenant and hench-
attacks, strengthening its borders and key strate- man of the commanding officer. Ironically, he is also
gic areas. It also issues recommendations on the the one with the most to gain from the commanding
deployment of ships and starbases and provides the officers sudden and unexpected demise. First officers
Emperor and the Joint Chiefs with regular reports on must carefully balance the two to work themselves into
the security of the Empire. Anyone planning a coup a position of authority and trust. Captains learn to find
or other action against the current order must care- a first officer they can trust, then never to trust them.
fully avoid the plans and watchful eyes of Strategic After all, most captains remember when they were first
Operations, or else have allies within the depart- officers, and how they got to be captains.
ment willing to look the other way. Sometimes it is The first officer is responsible for ensuring the crew
possible to catch Strategic Operations by surprise. functions in an efficient manner. This means the first
Captain Garth did so when he led his fleet to seize officer is usually responsible for maintaining discipline
control of the Empire. Now Strategic Operations is and punishments as needed (unless the commanding
more watchful for threats from within the Empire as officer is a “hands on” type). This makes the first officer
well as from without. feared by the crew, a useful tool. First officers can also
know more about how a ship or starbase really runs.
Learning the ins and outs of the crew and the assign-
Chain of Command ment can give first officers an edge when it comes to
dealing with their commanding officer eventually.
The most important thing for Starfleet officers is
to understand the chain of command, how to use it
to their advantage, and how to avoid trouble with
superior and subordinate officers. The bridge and cor-
ridors of a starship or starbase may be the most difficult
battlefield an officer faces—at least in comparison to
the Empire’s external enemies. Knowing how the chain
of command works can mean the difference between
success and death in an agony booth. 39
 Helmsman Science Officer
The helmsman is responsible for steering a starship, The Science Officer mans the science station on the
handling all flight control operations. Since helmsman bridge of a ship or starbase and handles sensor sweeps,
is a bridge position, it is often a good opportunity for library computer access, probes, and similar scientific
junior officers to work their way up the ladder. It is not and information functions. Science officers control
unknown for an ambitious helmsman to get promoted information, which is their sole resource and source of
to a higher position when misfortune befalls his supe- leverage. In general, science officers have few opportu-
riors. Still, helmsman is a fairly low position in the nities for advancement unless they move into the com-
hierarchy, and a smart helmsman watches out for the mand branch, such as with science officers who also
whims of his or her superiors. A helmsman who fails to serve as first officer. Otherwise, science officers are
perform to the commander’s satisfaction may be pun- best served to maintain the favor of their commanding
ished as a lesson in job performance. officer (or their next commanding officer if there is an
ambitious first officer waiting in the wings).
Navigator Still, science officers understand that knowledge
The ship’s navigator plots courses across space and is power, if it is applied correctly. Research into alien
often handles routine sensor sweeps and similar astro- worlds and technologies can turn up information and
gation information. Like the helmsman, the navigator is objects of extraordinary value. The trick is keeping this
generally a junior bridge officer with some opportuni- information from the rest of the crew long enough to
ties for advancement, provided he or she is clever and make use of it. This is a serious gamble; either turn the
careful enough. Navigators often work closely with the information over to the captain, earning his favor and
helm and may develop as allies, but all junior officers allowing him to take most of the credit and power. Or
have to remain wary of the ambitions of their contem- else keep the information to yourself and hope you
poraries unless they want to serve as a mere step in can use it before your captain finds out and has you
someone else’s climb to power. executed… unless you can eliminate him first.

Security Officer
The ship or station’s Security Officer maintains
security, handles intruders, and may also serve as tac-
tical and weapons officer, a vital role in battle (these
later functions are often controlled by the helmsman).
The life of a security officer is a true tightrope, walk-
ing between the opportunities for power and influence
presented by the position, balanced against the dan-
gers of choosing a side in an uncertain struggle.
In general, Security remains loyal to the captain,
and the security officer may serve as one of the cap-
tain’s personal bodyguard. It is well known that one of
CHAPTER FIVE

the most important steps in gaining control of a ship

or starbase is acquiring the loyalty of the Security per-
sonnel, or at least the security officer. Having Security
look the other way when a plot against the captain is
unfolding is vital if it is to succeed. Sometimes Security
can be distracted or otherwise convinced to stay out
of the way, even if they do not immediately change
their loyalties. Once the new commanding officer is in
place, wise Security personnel swear loyalty to him or
her in order to avoid the inevitable purge of those loyal
to the old order.
It is certainly not unknown for an ambitious Security
officer to take matters into his own hands when it
comes to the elimination of a superior officer, especial-
ly when a good opportunity presents itself. Sometimes
all a security officer has to do is look the other way. If
the coup attempt succeeds, you may gain in rank. If it
40 fails, you can claim ignorance, although that may not
save you from the wrath of an angry captain.
Communications Officer As a Chief Medical Officer it is wise to remain in
The Communications Officer handles all comm traf- the favor of your commanding officer, or to cultivate a
fic, both internal and external, on board a ship or station. patron to protect your interests. Medical officers have
This is a commonly overlooked position in the bridge only limited advancement opportunities in Starfleet,
hierarchy, since many consider the role of communica- unless you make an opportunity by plying a command
tions officer little more than that of a glorified assistant. officer with drugs or neurological treatments. Being the
Clearly such fools do not realize the power you can hold power behind the command chair can provide consid-
behind the scene, nor the value of information. erable freedom and protection from your enemies.
The Communications Officer is in a position to
know almost everything that goes on aboard ship. By Captain’s Mate
monitoring routine communications, you can learn An unofficial “position” in the ship’s crew that
a great deal about your crew and their activities. Of is tradition in Starfleet is that of the Captain’s Mate,
course, many will use personal communicators for more commonly known as the “Captain’s Woman” or
their clandestine messages, but even those transmis- “Captain’s Man” depending on the particular captain’s
sions can be detected. And communications off the tastes. The Captain’s Mate is a favored lover who holds
ship or station must always be routed through you. the captain’s interest and therefore earns certain spe-
The potential for blackmail is vast, as are the oppor- cial privileges. These include better quarters (often
tunities for passing information into the right hands, the captain’s own suite), finer luxuries and, of course,
for a price. the personal attention of the captain. Although they
are little more than playthings, Captain’s Mates can
Chief Engineer wield considerable power and influence behind the
The Chief Engineer oversees the engineering staff scenes, and crewmembers know better than to cross a
and maintains and repairs the systems of the ship or Captain’s Mate, since their transgression is sure to get
station. Engineers have a certain degree of influence back to the captain.
because of their responsibilities, but it does not extend Becoming a Captain’s Mate can be a fast way to

THE IMPERIAL STARFLEET
much past their own department. An engineer may be achieving power and influence, provided you find a
the absolute ruler of his engine room, but that power suitably generous officer to attach yourself to. Captain’s
ends when the captain calls down demanding to know Mates are usually Starfleet crewmembers, but are
why the warp drive is not operating at peak efficiency. sometimes civilians, particularly Orion slaves. Some
For this very reason, a Chief Engineer overworks his captains treat their mates quite well, lavishing them
subordinates while he uses his technical knowledge to with gifts as proof of their own abilities. Some are even
make problems sound more serious than they really foolish enough to trust their mates, believing a mere
are, so that he can take more credit when they’re fixed. pleasure toy could not possibly be a threat to them.
As a Chief Engineer, you can usually delegate most They often learn their error at the point of a knife or
tasks to your underlings and take credit for them later. phaser. Other captains treat their mates more harshly,
Just make sure you keep on top of what everyone in usually to keep them in line, while some have been
your department is doing. You wouldn’t want a particu- known to juggle more than one mate at a time. Captain
lar innovation to reach the attention of the captain or Janice Lester, for example, usually has two or three
first officer before you can claim credit for it. “Captain’s Men” to please her, and plays them expertly
off one another to keep any one of them from becom-
Chief Medical Officer ing a threat to her.
The Chief Medical Officer is in charge of keeping Despite the term “Captain’s Mates” are often found
the crew physically capable of performing their duties. in the company of higher-ranking officers as well,
Like the Chief Engineer, you can be the absolute ruler although rarely if ever attached to lower-ranking offi-
of your own domain (the sickbay) but you have little cers. A department head or first officer might be able
influence unless someone chooses to enter your sphere to easily attract a mate, but they rarely have the power
of influence. Of course, once they are in your sickbay, to given them any special privileges.
they are yours to do with as you please.
Starfleet doctors have almost endless opportuni-
ties to test out new techniques, treatments, and drugs
on their patients. They are also some of the first to
examine and vivisect new life forms for study, yielding
useful biological information. In some cases they are
permitted to dabble in genetic engineering and germ
warfare, although the Empire generally prefers to use
other methods to deal with troublesome species (such
41
as bombarding their planet from orbit).
 R ank
In the Imperial Starfleet, as in life, rank and posi-
tion are all-important. Your rank determines your
IM PERIAL STARFLEE T RANKS
authority, power, and influence in Starfleet. Attaining a Admiral
higher rank, and keeping it, are prime activities of any Commodore
Starfleet officer. Sometimes fate may favor you with an Captain
opportunity to move up in the ranks, such as the elimi- Commander
ander
nation of a superior for their own foolishness. Most of Lieutenant Comm
the time, you have to make your own opportunities Lieutenant
and arrange openings in the ranks above so you can Lie ut en an t (Junior Grade)
move into them. Ensign
The chain of command generally follows rank
and seniority, although personal influence can often
be as important as seniority. A ship or starbase has
a commanding officer and a first officer. If they are Agents and Henchmen
unavailable, command then falls on the most senior One of the ways higher-ranking officers ensure
commander on board. If no commanders are avail- their position is through the recruitment of agents and
able, command falls to the most senior Lieutenant henchmen. Henchmen are generally lower-ranked
Commander, and so forth. crewmembers who swear loyalty to you above all else
(including loyalty to the captain, unless you happen
Saluting to be captain). You know you can count on them to
Officers of the Imperial Starfleet salute each other a greater degree than you can on most crewmembers
by custom, as a sign of authority. Lower-ranked officers because they have a strong interest in seeing you
salute first, followed by the highest ranked officer pres- succeed. If you succeed, your henchmen know they
ent. The Imperial Starfleet salute is made by placing your will be rewarded. So long as you remain strong and
right fist over your heart, then extending your arm out, successful, your henchmen will remain confident and
hand open and palm out. Officers who are seated must loyal for the most part. It’s when you begin to look
stand before they salute. Failure to salute a superior offi- weak that henchmen begin looking for a way out, to
cer in a proper manner is punishable by agonizer, usu- avoid being dragged down with you. A weak officer is
ally carried out on the spot by the offended officer. often betrayed by his or her own henchmen, looking to
curry favor with a strong replacement.
Rank Hath Its Privileges A particular type of henchman is the bodyguard.
Imperial officers of high rank have many special No officer of the rank of Commander or higher would
privileges and opportunities open to them. They have ever be without at least one personal bodyguard. This
more spacious quarters, more luxuries, a greater share is an especially loyal henchman willing to defend you
of any booty taken on missions, and greater latitude against your enemies and watch out for attacks against
in spending it. They use their influence to attract and your person. Most high-ranking officers have several
CHAPTER FIVE

maintain their own personal bodyguards, agents, and bodyguards, particularly since they have a tendency
other henchmen to carry out their wishes. As you work to end up dead quite often. Crewmembers accept the
your way up through the ranks you can experience position of bodyguard because it is one of the surest
many of these privileges for yourself. ways of proving your loyalty to a patron and gaining
High-ranked officers have complete authority over their trust. Of course, some bodyguards later abuse
their underlings, dealing with them in any way they see their position or turn against their patron, so officers
fit. As a captain you literally have the power of life and never trust even their bodyguards completely.
death over your crew. You may have to answer for your Agents are more distant from their masters than
actions to a superior officer (who has power over you) henchmen. Agents operate behind the scenes, often
but otherwise you can do as you please with regard to concealing their true loyalties to better serve their
your inferiors. If a crewman offends you, you can have patron. Agents are often Starfleet personnel, but they
him tortured in an agony booth or even killed on the do not need to be, and many officers have civilian
spot. However, beware of an excess of cruelty toward agents serving them in a variety of ways. Although
your inferiors. The right amount of cruelty inspires fear they primarily serve to gather information, acting as
and respect, but too much casual killing of junior offi- their patron’s eyes and ears, agents carry out many
cers may lead them to unite against you and attempt to other duties. These include gathering evidence for use
replace you with a commander more to their liking. in blackmail, stealing items of interest to their patrons,
42 altering computer records or otherwise greasing the
wheels of the Imperial bureaucracy, and carrying out
missions of kidnapping, assault, and assassination at
the command of their patron.
 Agents are a powerful unknown quantity, since it Starfleet Command must still confirm promotions
is difficult to be sure how many agents an officer may gained through the elimination of a superior. Starfleet
have. While henchmen are usually well known, agents rarely refuses to confirm such a promotion, but it can
may be anywhere. An apparently loyal henchman may do so for reasons of its own, especially if the officer
in fact be an agent of your worst enemy. Many agents was sloppy or careless. Eliminating superiors in a way
are also fanatical enough to remain loyal to their that endangers a ship or its mission will not endear the
patron even after their patron’s death, and more than a officer to Starfleet Command, nor earn a reputation for
few assassins have found themselves targeted by their skill or efficiency. The truly promotion-hungry officer
victim’s agents, seeking to avenge his or her death. always arranges the demise of his superiors in a fashion
that leaves no doubt as to the real killer, but gives no
P romotion and A dvancement concrete proof. That is the ultimate in promotion in the
The pursuit of promotion is one of the most impor- fine Starfleet manner.
tant things in the life of a Starfleet officer and one of
the great opportunities Starfleet offers. Imperial citizens
who might not otherwise have any great power to
speak of can, through their own cleverness and skill, The Agent Series
rise through the ranks of Starfleet to become admirals…
An interesting option for a Mirror Universe series is
or even beyond. A crewmember may be able to earn
one where the players all take the roles of agents of
a promotion through diligent service to an influential
a particular patron, such as a high-ranking Starfleet
patron, working as a bodyguard or trusted henchman,
Commodore or Admiral, or even someone like an
for example. Some few promotions also come directly
Imperial Senator or the Emperor himself! Their patron
from Starfleet Command, as a way of recognizing ser-
uses them as elite “troubleshooters” to ferret out the
vice to the Empire, and often as a result of some influ-
plans of his enemies, gather useful information and
ence the officer is able to bring to bear to convince
materials, and carry out covert missions of sabotage,
Starfleet Command of his or her “worthiness.”

THE IMPERIAL STARFLEET
kidnapping, and assassination. The characters can
But a Starfleet rank and commission is for life (how-
be Starfleet officers, civilians, or a mix of the two.
ever long that life may last). Although some officers
Although they all serve the same patron, the charac-
managed to live long enough to retire, opening up their
ters can (and no doubt do) have personal agendas to
position so lower-ranked officers can advance, the
advance, and one or more of them may even be double
number of voluntary retirements is not nearly enough
agents working for someone else.
to satisfy the needs of Starfleet’s officers, so some
The agents can remain loyal to their patron or try
involuntary “retirements” must be arranged. Officers
plotting against him, perhaps at the instigation of a
advance in ranks through the elimination of the higher-
new potential patron. Or the agents’ patron might be
ups, forcibly making room for upward mobility.
killed, leaving them to decide whether or not to avenge
Most ensigns gain their promotion when a superior
his death. Of course, if the agents are reluctant to do
kills the ensign’s chief—someone has to take the lieu-
so, their patron might have taken steps to ensure their
tenant’s place, after all. An ensign attached to the right
compliance, such as a slow-release toxin or genetically
patron can guarantee a plum promotion each time
engineered retrovirus. Only by eliminating the assassin
another crewmember’s performance is fatally unsatis-
can they acquire the cure. Then they are left with the
factory. Higher ranking officers must do their own dirty
decision of finding a new patron or striking out on their
work, or arrange the services of their pawns. After all,
own somehow.
if an ensign manages to kill a foolish commander, then
both the ensign and his lieutenant commander patron
are in line for promotions. And, of course, a failed
assassin usually ends up dead, and tells no tales.

43
 Female Officer's Uniform Male Officer's Uniform Captain’s Uniform

U niforms T he P rime D irective

The Imperial Starfleet uniform is designed to show The first and most important regulation of the
its wearer’s rank, status, and position in Starfleet. The Imperial Starfleet, its Prime Directive, is “Terror Must
standard uniform consists of black trousers and boots, Be Maintained.” The Terran Empire rules the stars with
a colored tunic with rank insignia, and a gold sash an iron fist, and dissenting or rebel populations must
worn around the waist. The female uniform consists be reminded of the price they pay for defiance. The
of a colored skirt and halter-top, gold sash, and thigh- Empire cannot appear weak or else it will crumble, set
high boots. A service dagger is considered part of the upon by other civilizations like a wounded deer by a
standard uniform, and officers carry them at all times. pack of hungry dogs.
The color of the uniform indicates the wearer’s branch The Empire learned a harsh lesson about the neces-
CHAPTER FIVE

of service. Gold indicates command, blue for sciences, sity of maintaining terror among the masses. When the
and red for ship’s services. Officers commonly display I.S.S. Ranger went to claim Qo’noS for the Empire, the
medals and other indications of achievement on their captain of the Ranger felt the warlike and imperialistic
uniform tunic. nature of the Klingons would make them useful subjects
of the Empire, and powerful soldiers. He was half right,
and although the Emperor showed unprecedented
Regulations mercy in offering the Klingons the status of Praetorian
Guards, the Klingons fought on. Ever after, rather than
Although commanders exercise considerable lati- breaking the spirit of the Klingons, the Empire achieved
tude in their decision-making, the Imperial Starfleet is only a surface conquest. The surviving Klingons fled to
still an organization based on rules and regulations. the fringes of Imperial space, and are beginning to go
You may run your ship or station (or department) as from a nuisance to a potential threat against Imperial
you please, but you still have to answer to Starfleet power. It is for this very reason that the Prime Directive
Command for your actions. Violations of Starfleet was established. Mercy is the worst trait a starship cap-
regulations can result in various types of discipline, tain can show to a world because it gives subject races
ranging from momentary punishment with an agonizer and new species hope, keeping that spark of rebellion
to demotion, removal from duty, or execution. Bend or alive rather than crushing it utterly.
44 break the rules, if you wish, but be aware of the conse-
quences of your actions.
The Prime Directive is enforced with a policy of
zero-tolerance for rebellion or defiance of the Empire.
Planets that refuse the Empire’s requirements are bom-
 barded from orbit with phaser and photon torpedo G uidelines and T raditions
fire until they see the error of their ways and comply. As a military organization, Starfleet is full of unwrit-
Otherwise their civilization is reduced to smoking ten rules. Indeed, the rules you don’t find in the manu-
ruins, and their population is fit for nothing other than al are often the most important. Learning the unwritten
being taken away as slaves for the Imperial borite and rules of Starfleet is one of the things many cadets fail to
rodium mines. Pirates, raiders, smugglers, and other pick up at the Academy. Once you are in the field, you
criminals are hunted down and executed. Political need to learn them in a hurry if you intend to make it
dissidents must either recant their rebellion against the through your cadet cruise all the way to a full commis-
Empire (following a period of suitable punishment in sion. The officers who learn to navigate the unwritten
an agony booth) or they are executed, along with any rules as well as the standard regulations are the officers
that foolishly chose to follow them. who advance the fastest.
These punishments serve as examples to others of Here are some of the more important unwritten
the price of defiance, and teach them not to do so in rules and traditions of the Imperial Starfleet you should
the future. It is the foundation the Empire is built on. be aware of:

R egulations • Trust No One. Rule Number One of Starfleet

Starfleet’s standard regulations cover the perfor- survival. Of course it will be necessary to delegate
mance of the crew’s duties and all the day-to-day a certain amount of responsibility and authority to
operations of Starfleet. They describe what is expected others as you advance in power and influence. But
of each crewmember, which has access to particular do not trust even your closest allies and advisors too
information or areas of a ship or station, proper modes far, or you are likely to end up with a knife in the
of dress and comportment, and so forth. Regulations back, or simply vaporized by a phaser blast from
are strictly enforced on most Starfleet ships and facili- one of your “trusted friends.” Value allies for what
ties in order to keep the crew in line and ensure maxi- they are, but do not make the mistake of thinking
mum efficiency at all times. that anyone can ever be really trusted.

THE IMPERIAL STARFLEET
D irectives • Respect the Captain’s Mate. The Captain’s
Directives are orders coming from a superior offi- Woman or Captain’s Man has great influence, far
cer. Unlike regulations, they are not permanent rules outweighing whatever official position he or she
of conduct, but temporary requirements placed on a might hold. Learn who the Captain’s Mate is, and
Starfleet officer or crew. Directives have all the weight give him a wide latitude. If you can curry his favor,
of regulations, however, and ignoring an order from a that may be useful, but be careful about captains
superior officer is a sure way of earning swift and seri- who become jealous. If you intend to seduce the
ous punishment, depending on the level of the infrac- Captain’s Mate (or be seduced by him) make sure
tion. A directive can come from any level above the the captain doesn’t find out until he is as good as
officers who receive it; a captain can give a directive dead (and maybe not even then).
to any member of his crew, or even his entire crew,
while the Starfleet Commander can issue directives to • Avoid Sickbay. Pay close attention to your medi-
the entire Imperial Starfleet as a whole. cal skills training at the Academy and practice your
Starfleet officers have been known to get creative first aid and treatment skills. Do your very best to
when it comes to interpreting directives given to them. avoid having to go to sickbay, since the doctors
If you plan on twisting the wording or timing of a there are more likely to use you as a test subject for
superior’s directive to suit your own purposes, make their newest drug or treatment device, which prob-
certain whatever you are planning is successful enough ably has nothing to do with the original reason you
to allow your superior to overlook what you’ve done. went there in the first place. For medical treatment,
In this case you might only have to take a brief touch rely as much as possible on the one physician you
from an agonizer. Even better is when you can twist a can trust: yourself. In the meanwhile, do your best
superior’s orders to make yourself look good and make to make friends and curry favor with the medical
them look incompetent or foolish in the eyes of their officer and sickbay staff. If you are forced by cir-
own superiors. This can lead to the elimination of a cumstances to go to sickbay, it pays to have some
weak superior and an opportunity for advancement, influence there.
assuming that your superior doesn’t simply have you
executed for disobeying orders, of course.

45
 Making the Most of Your Opportunities: The Career of Captain James T. Kirk
A fine example of advancement in Starfleet is Captain James T. Kirk, commander of the I.S.S. Enterprise. One of Captain
Garth’s early proteges, the young Lieutenant Kirk used his mentor’s influence to arrange an assignment on board the I.S.S.
Farragut in 2254, immediately following his graduation from Starfleet Academy.
Kirk served on board the Farragut for three years until 2257, when Captain Garrovick was killed by a mysterious “vampire
cloud” creature near Tycho IV after Lieutenant Kirk “hesitated” to fire the ship’s phasers against the creature. Kirk moved up
in rank to Lieutenant Commander following the Tycho incident and arranged to be assigned to the I.S.S. Enterprise, under the
command of Captain Christopher Pike, where he made the acquaintance of Lieutenant Spock, a junior science officer.
While on a landing party, Kirk discovered the Tantalus Field in the looted laboratory of a dying alien scientist. With this device
at his command, Kirk began slowly and systematically working his way up the ladder of command on board the Enterprise.
By 2262, he was first officer on board the ship and later that year he arranged for the “disappearance” of Captain Pike and
assumed command of the Enterprise with Spock as his first officer. The ship departed on a five-year mission of exploration
and conquest in 2264.
The early missions of the Enterprise proved both successful and profitable for Kirk and his crew. Kirk put down rebellions
on the Vega IX colony and Gorlat. The Enterprise raided into Romulan space, providing a necessary show of force against the
Romulan Empire. In 2267 Kirk executed Chief of Security Ben Finney for plotting against him. Lt. (j.g.) Hikaru Sulu assumed
Finney’s rank and position.
Shortly after Finney’s execution, Lt. Commander Spock seized control of the Enterprise and directed it on a course for the
forbidden planet of Talos IV, after imprisoning Captain Kirk and Commodore Mendez of Starbase 11. This “mutiny” was actu-
ally a ruse by Spock and Kirk to allow the Enterprise to approach the planet and bombard it, in order to destroy the Talosians,
whose power of mental illusion posed a threat to the Empire. For his actions, Spock was promoted to the rank of Commander
and both men earned medals from the Empire.
Kirk ended the conflict between Eminiar VII and Vendikar by bombarding both planets until they were forced to surrender to
the Empire. He also dealt with a threat to Imperial mine workers on Janus VI, capturing the silicate creature stalking them,
and seizing its eggs for study. He put down a minor Klingon incursion into the Organia system before the Klingons could land
on the planet. Kirk also oversaw the conquest of Gamma Trianguli VI and Coridan as new subjects of the Empire. Only his brief
replacement by his Federation counterpart allowed Spock to overthrow him shortly after the Halkan mission.

• Never Show Weakness. Signs of weakness

include being merciful to your enemies as well D iscipline
as not having the strength of will and stamina to Maintaining discipline is vital to the operation of
carry out whatever tasks your superiors assign to Starfleet. Junior officers must know what is expected
you. Weakness invites attacks from all quarters, of them and what will happen if they fail to live up to
both superior officers who want to break you and those expectations. Violating regulations presents great
CHAPTER FIVE

inferiors who would like to have your position. opportunities, but an equally great risk of punishment.
It is like fresh blood in shark-infested waters. Do Like the policies of dealing with other worlds and other
everything you can to conceal any potential weak- species, discipline maintains the rule of fear in Starfleet
nesses or failures, shifting the blame to others when and serves as an example to all officers and crew of the
possible. penalties for failure.
Discipline rests entirely in the hands of superior
• While the Cat’s Away, the Mice Will Play. officers, who can handle routine discipline of their
It’s only a violation of regulations if you’re caught, crews as they see fit. Maintaining a suitable balance
and only then if it’s by a superior officer with the of fear and reward is the mark of a skilled commander,
ability to discipline you. The word of an inferior is who knows how to keep the crew in line, but is not
generally useless against yours, unless they have so harsh that the crew chooses to rebel rather than
some compelling evidence, and perhaps not even continuing to serve. The unfortunate truth is you can-
then, unless your infraction is something to concern not execute your entire crew, or even a large portion
the captain or first officer. Use the opportunities of them, or else you find yourself with no crew at all.
when your superiors have their attention elsewhere Fortunately, it rarely takes more than an occasional
to advance your own agenda and enforce the idea execution to keep any crew in line.
among your crewmates that you are a force to be
46 reckoned with.
Agonizers
Agonizers are the simplest way to handle routine
discipline and punish minor infractions. Before the
development of agonizer technology, such punish-
ments had to be carried out manually, usually with
beatings or whippings, crude techniques that threat-
ened to impair the subject’s ability to function. The
agonizer, on the other hand, is simple, elegant, and
highly effective.
Each crewmember in Starfleet carries a standard
issue agonizer on his or her person. It is a small
device, fitting easily into the palm of the hand. The
crewmember is expected to surrender his or her ago-
nizer to a superior officer upon request. It is consid-
ered traditional to use the individual’s own agonizer
to administer punishment. In this way, the agonizer
becomes associated with discipline, and carrying it
serves as a constant reminder of the penalty for dis-
obedience and failure.
The agonizer is usually placed above one of the
major nerve clusters in the chest, although it can be
used anywhere on the body, and works through nor-
mal clothing. It uses neural induction to stimulate
the body’s pain receptors, causing intense, burning
pain radiating out from the point of contact. The pain

THE IMPERIAL STARFLEET
becomes more intense over a longer period of contact,
but even the initial touch of an agonizer is enough to
render most Humanoids virtually helpless with pain.
Once the agonizer is deactivated, the pain vanishes
instantly, leaving few lingering side effects (although
the physiological effects of the pain, such as height-
ened adrenaline levels and so forth, remain). Agony Booths
The length of exposure depends entirely on the vio- More serious matters call for more severe punish-
lation and the whims of the officer applying discipline. ments. While the agonizer serves well for minor infrac-
Generally speaking, a few seconds (perhaps as many tions, serious discipline is carried out using an agony
as thirty or forty) is standard for most types of minor booth, several of which are installed in any Starfleet
infractions, with times upward of a minute for a true facility’s brig. The agony booth functions on the same
“object lesson.” As Academy cadets quickly learn, a principle as the agonizer, but its neural induction fields
minute of agonizer treatment feels like an eternity of affect the entire nervous system at once, producing
pain. But it is still nothing compared to the more seri- intense pain in every nerve in the subject’s body. The
ous punishments available. booth’s controls finely control the intensity and type of
pain inflicted, and Imperial “pain technicians” special-
ize in understanding the breadth and depth of pain it
is possible to inflict on Humanoid life forms. Booths
have transparent aluminum doors, to permit others to
observe the subject’s pain, often before being placed in
the booth themselves.
An agony booth monitors the subject’s pain thresh-
old, ensuring no permanent damage is done, unless
that is what the operator desires. A subject can be
tortured in an agony booth for hours without suffering
any permanent physical damage. Of course, it is also
possible to inflict enough pain that the subject’s nervous
system overloads, causing cerebral hemorrhages or car-
diac arrest. Although it’s possible to kill a person almost
instantly using an agony booth, booths are designed to
47
make death as slow and painful as possible.
 Execution
Agonize rs and Agony Booths : Game Terms The most severe penalty is, of course, death.
Agonizer Execution is the standard penalty for an attack on a
superior officer, and any disobedience that results in
Specifications: 5 x 5 x 1 cm, mass .1 kg
the death of a fellow officer, especially a superior.
Rules: The agonizer, when placed near the flesh of
Executions are usually carried out by agony booth,
almost any humanoid and turned on, causes intense
allowing the subject to suffer as much as possible
pain. If the subject is unwilling, this requires a
before the end, and serving as an example to others.
successful melee strike; the agonizer isn’t really
Officers have considerable latitude in carrying out
designed for use as a weapon. On a hit, the victim
an execution and may choose any method they wish.
suffers wound penalties as if he’d just taken 30
Execution by spacing (ejecting the offender into space
points of damage (see page 147 of the Star Trek
without a pressure suit) or by phaser were once quite
RPG Player’s Guide). The victim can make a Stamina
common in Starfleet, and are still sometimes used by
reaction test (TN 15) to lessen this to 15 points. This
traditionalists, but they are both generally considered
isn’t cumulative damage; if a healthy victim with a 7
too quick and merciful by modern Starfleet officers.
Health score suffers the agonizer for several turns,
he spends each of these turns at the same effective
Exile
wound level. This also isn’t “real” damage; one turn
Although serious violations of regulations are usu-
after the agonizer is removed, the character returns
ally handled by time spent in an agony booth or execu-
to normal.
tion, some commanding officers have been known to
Because of the wound penalties, a character under
merely expel offenders from Starfleet. While some may
the effects of an agonizer is often more susceptible
take this as a show of mercy, more often than not exiles
to various skills—so officers will often discipline
are marooned on distant worlds far from the refuge of
their subordinates with a tongue-lashing (and use of
the Empire, usually with little or nothing in the way of
the Influence skill) while the poor sod writhes in pain
resources to aid their survival. Even on Class M worlds,
on the floor, unable to resist.
such exiles are essentially sentenced to a slow death
Duration/Energy: 2,000 charges (1 charge per turn)
by starvation or exposure. Those few who manage to
Agony Booth survive have nothing to look forward to but a lifetime
alone, struggling to survive, and holding on to the faint
Specifications: Cylindrical booth 2.5 m tall x 1.5 m hope of rescue. Many would prefer even a lengthy
diameter; 210 kg. execution to such “mercy.”
Rules: The typical agony booth experience functions
similar to an agonizer, but it has an effect as 50
points of damage (25 if the subject makes a Stamina
reaction test, TN 20). Furthermore, an operator
Missions
can choose to overload the subject’s neurons and The Imperial Starfleet handles a number of differ-
inflict very real damage. In fact, this is a risk if an ent and vital missions for the Empire, ranging from
untrained operator uses the device; using the agony
CHAPTER FIVE

discovering and taking new worlds to protecting the

booth requires a System Operations (TN 10) test, and Empire from threats both internal and external, and
species medical modifiers apply (so a Vulcan operator studying the mysteries of space, seeking new resources
might “accidentally” push the settings too high for a the Empire can use.
Human and injure or kill him). A skilled user can set
the booth to inflict 1 point of damage per turn, or 1d6 E xploration
points of damage, if desired, although this is a bit One of the most important missions of the Starfleet
more touchy (TN 15). On a catastrophic failure, the is the discovery and exploration of new worlds for the
device either suffers a malfunction and breaks down, Empire. Starfleet uses various unmanned probes and
or else tunes the pain levels too high and causes the subspace telescopes to chart and study distant star sys-
victim’s system to overload and go into neuroleptic tems on the frontiers of Imperial space. Starfleet vessels
shock (which is almost instantly fatal). explore systems with promising qualities (such as an
Duration/Energy: Powered either by a Starfleet abundance of planets) or unusual features (particularly
vessel’s energy grid or a planetary power source, the Class M planets). If a system has anything of value,
agony booth effectively has unlimited energy as long then Starfleet claims it in the name of the Empire. If a
as its primary power source remains functional. system has something—such as a civilization or tech-
nology—that is potentially dangerous to the Empire,
48 then Starfleet is charged to deal with it.
 Exploration missions offer tremendous opportuni- the planet. Any remaining pockets of rebellion are
ties to Starfleet crews. Newly discovered systems may crushed, sometimes with the help of the planet’s own
contain a wealth of resources valuable to the Empire, a Security forces, but usually using the ship’s resources.
portion of which goes to the crew, encouraging them to The public executions of rebel leaders and government
seek out and explore the most valuable systems. More dissenters instill fear in the population. At this point the
importantly, exploration offers a crew the opportunity crew generally loots the planet of its most valuable and
to discover new Class M worlds, either worlds suitable portable resources, particularly artworks, examples
for colonization, or planets with existing civilizations of technology, and so forth. Over time, an Imperial
to conquer. government and garrison are put into place to rule the
Also, do not underestimate the value of explor- world in the Empire’s name.
ing so-called “dead” worlds, planets that once sup- The conquest of fairly primitive worlds like Gamma
ported life that has since become extinct. The ruins of Trianguli VI requires only a single Starfleet vessel.
alien civilizations offer the possibility of information More advanced civilizations may require additional
or technology more advanced than anything in the starships, sometimes even a small fleet, to conquer. Of
Empire. Loot unearthed from such places may serve course, once the Empire takes territory, it is necessary
simply to make a crew rich, or it may contain artifacts to defend it.
of tremendous power. Possession of an alien weapon
or defensive system may give an officer the power to
rise quickly through the ranks, perhaps even set eyes
on the Imperial Throne itself. Certainly, Captain Kirk’s
discovery of the Tantalus Field contributed greatly to
his meteoric rise to power.

C onquest
The other most important mission of Starfleet is

THE IMPERIAL STARFLEET
conquering new worlds for the Empire, allowing it to
expand its sphere of influence. Missions of conquest
carry the most glory and the greatest potential for
profit, but they are also the most dangerous. Although
conquering a less-developed species is a fairly simple
matter for the mighty starships of the Empire, do not
underestimate the cunning and resourcefulness or even
a primitive enemy. Orbital bombardment may reduce
cities to slag and rubble, and may crush any conven-
tional military forces, but the goal of conquest is to
capture a planet whole and intact, not reduced to a
burned-out cinder devoid of life. An especially defiant
world may need to be destroyed as an example of what
happens to those who defy the Empire, but that means
you have failed to conquer that world.
Ideally, a starship arrives at a new world and pres-
ents its government or governments with an ultimatum:
join the Empire or be destroyed. Some worlds capitu-
late almost immediately, but most choose to resist, at
least at first. For pre-warp civilizations, their weapons
and defenses are usually no match for an Imperial
Starship. After a few of their major cities are destroyed,
they realize the error of their ways and surrender.
For other worlds, it requires additional devastation to
ensure a complete surrender.
Once the world’s government has surrendered,
the captain of the ship can officially take control of

49
 D efense E mergencies
Starfleet is responsible for the protection of the Empire Starfleet is responsible for handling emergency
and its worlds from all enemies, external and internal. situations that arise in the Empire, including various
External enemies are primarily other interstellar civili- natural disasters and the results of terrorist attacks, such
zations, including the Romulan and Klingon Empires. as the grain famine caused by the Klingon sabotage of
Internal enemies are rebels, terrorists, and political dissi- the Imperial grain reserves. Starfleet vessels provide
dents, along with criminals such as smugglers and pirates, assistance as directed by Starfleet Command.
who threaten shipping and travel in the Empire. When dealing with non-Imperial worlds and inde-
The Empire stands strong against its external ene- pendent vessels, Starfleet is pragmatic. Imperial assis-
mies. The Klingons frequently raid Imperial space tance is available to other parties, at a price. In some
along the shared border with their Empire, striking cases this may be a substantial amount of money
at shipping, colonies, and sometimes even moving or similar resources, while in the case of threatened
deeper to attack settled or conquered worlds. The worlds it may require the local government to join the
Klingons represent the most serious border threat to Empire before Starfleet can “legally render them assis-
the Empire and Starfleet vessels are regularly called tance.” The impending doom of a civilization generally
on to repel Klingon incursions. The Klingon hatred for makes it quite reasonable in terms of negotiations with
the Terran Empire is undying because of the Empire’s Imperial representatives.
conquest of their homeworld Qo’noS. No matter how Starfleet vessels are also responsible for dealing
many Klingon vessels Starfleet destroys, and no matter with biological threats such as viral or bacterial infec-
how many Klingon terrorists and raiders it executes, tions, or infestations of dangerous lifeforms. Standard
the Klingons keep coming back for more. Imperial procedure in this case is to contain and
The Romulan Empire and the Cardassian Union sterilize the affected area with as little loss of territory
present less of a concern. The Romulans remain behind as possible. In some cases it has proven necessary
the Neutral Zone established at the end of the Terran- to eradicate entire colonies to ensure the elimina-
Romulan War in 2160. They make only furtive forays into tion of particular threats. The complete destruction of
Imperial space, which are easily handled by Starfleet’s the Deneva colony by the I.S.S. Enterprise is just one
bases and ships along the border. The Cardassians like- example; Captain Kirk destroyed most of the life on
wise shelter behind the Badlands regions, sending only the planet in order to guarantee the eradication of a
the occasional vessel into Imperial space. species of neural parasites. Kirk justified his decision
Of greater concern is the fact that both Empires based on Imperial policy, claiming that the fact that
support pirates and smugglers in Imperial space. The his brother Samuel lived at the colony, and that he
Romulans and the Cardassians provide these criminals and Samuel hated each other, had no bearing on his
with supplies, weapons, even ships, to use in their activi- actions. Likewise, the capture and study of dangerous,
ties. They then claim these resources were stolen from acid-secreting silicon-based life on Janus VI served the
them in order to avoid Imperial reprisals. The Romulan Empire’s “pest control” policies, while freeing up the
Tal Shiar and the Cardassian Obsidian Order both covert- miners there to continue their work.
ly support rebellions on Imperial worlds and funnel
R esearch
CHAPTER FIVE

resources to terrorists operating against the Empire. They

do so in such a way as to insulate themselves from any Starfleet’s exploration of the frontiers of Imperial
complicity. All efforts by Imperial Security to trace these space, along with its conquest of new worlds and
supply lines to their source have met with failure; agents civilizations, present many opportunities for scien-
of both Empires undergo neurological rewiring implants tific discovery. Starfleet and the Empire encourage
that cause them to suffer extreme agony when captured, this research, since they are aware that knowledge
and to die if they divulge any critical information. is power, and new scientific discoveries can lead to
useful technologies for expanding the Empire’s control
and sphere of influence.

50
 Starfleet vessels both explore new scientific phenom-
ena, and assist in the experimentation and develop-
ment of new technologies taking place at Imperial
research facilities.
The Galaxy is filled with scientific unknowns, many
of which may prove useful. Starfleet ships investigate
things ranging from collapsing planets to neutron stars to
learn more about them. Standard procedure is to ensure
a new phenomenon poses no threat to the ship or the
Empire. If it does, it is to be destroyed immediately. If
it does not, then the crew makes a careful study of the
phenomenon and how it may be useful to the Empire.
For example, the study of gravitational forces at Psi
2000 provided significant data about how tidal forces
can tear a planet apart. The accidental discovery of the
Psi 2000 virus proved an unexpected bonus (albeit a
bonus that nearly destroyed the Enterprise shortly after
its discovery).
Starfleet vessels also provide test platforms for new
technologies, from warp drive systems to improved
shields to weapons. Sometimes this can also prove
an opportunity for a clever captain, such as when the
I.S.S. Excalibur was destroyed by another Starfleet
ship during the testing of the M-5 computer sys-
tem. An investigation cleared Dr. Daystrom of any

THE IMPERIAL STARFLEET
complicity in the destruction of the vessel. (Dr.
Daystrom’s numerous Senate supporters, funded by
his tremendous personal patent wealth and will-
ingness to supply advanced computer technology
to his allies, certainly helped.)

T raining
Starfleet captains and station commanders
conduct regular and vigorous drills and training
exercises for their crews. Punishment for failure
encourages crewmembers to improve their per-
formance. Naturally, ambitious officers also train
on their own, and often in secret, to improve
their abilities and acquire skills useful to them.
Starfleet Command stages “war games” and
similar exercises from time to time to maintain
the tactical readiness of their personnel.
Training exercises may present you with an
opportunity to take action against an enemy,
either within your own assignment or on
board another starship. Starfleet training can
be quite brutal, and “training accidents” have
been known to happen, some of them fatal.
The exercise can serve to conceal a real
threat so the target underestimates the dan-
ger and doesn’t see your plan until it is too
late to react.

51
 IMPERIAL SECURITY
VI
The most feared organization in the Terran Empire—more feared than Starfleet, more feared than death itself—is
Imperial Security, the force that maintains order within the Empire and acts on the orders of the Emperor and the
Senate to deal with those who might threaten their power. If you have aspirations of attaining a higher rank at the
expense of your superiors (and who doesn’t?), you will have to deal with Imperial Security sooner or later. The
trick is to ensure that it is “later” rather than “sooner,” and that you can deal with Security on more equal footing
when the time does come. As many Emperors and Senators have discovered, the only trouble in relying on an
organization to guard your interests is who guards you against them?

Organization
Although it is often considered a branch of Starfleet, for dangerous or disloyal thoughts. They also reward
Imperial Security is an independent organization, anyone who collaborates to turn in potential traitors,
answerable only to the Emperor and the Imperial criminals, or terrorists, encouraging the local popula-
Senate, and not to Starfleet Command. This gives tion to police itself. For slaves who know nothing but
THREE

Imperial Security the authority it needs to police every work and misery all their lives, the promise of any sort
FOUR

aspect of life in the Empire, and ensure compliance of comfort or luxury is a strong lure, difficult to resist.
TWO

with the Emperor’s edicts and laws. It also makes the The lowest classes of the Empire have nothing
organization extremely powerful, and willing to use resembling a right to privacy, nor any other individual
CHAPTER SIX

that power for its own ends. rights, for that matter. Imperial Security can enter their
living quarters or work area at any time for surprise
P ublic S ecurity inspections. They may detain and interrogate any-
Most people in the Empire would consider the one they deem suspicious, or that might have useful
expression “public security” an oxymoron, since there information (as defined by the local IS commander).
is very little that is secure about the position of the Everyone fears being detained by Imperial Security,
lowest levels of Imperial society. This level of Imperial since it is well known they use torture and sanity-
Security really involves maintaining order in the Empire, destroying mindripper probes to get what they want.
and ensuring that the lowest levels of Imperial society The mere threat of detainment is usually enough to
do not threaten their betters. At the same time, secu- ensure cooperation from most people; although it is
rity ensures that the higher levels of the Empire do not usually less amusing, it is more efficient.
threaten their superiors. In essence, Imperial Security When dealing with the higher-ranking populace,
functions to keep everyone in his or her place. Imperial Security must move more cautiously. Although
For the masses, this is a fairly easy matter. Imperial they have the authority to detain and question anyone,
Security carefully monitors the populations of con- detaining an Imperial Senator or a powerful business
52 quered worlds using spies, surveillance equipment,
and mindsifter probes or telepathic scans to search
mogul without excellent cause is almost certain to
invite reprisals. More than a few Imperial Security offi-
 “Your Papers, Please.”
One of the duties of Imperial Security on occupied or conquered worlds is ensuring that everyone on the streets has some busi-
ness being there. To that end, the Empire often requires people to carry some means of identification, usually a small data-card
that fits into a pad-reader to display information on its screen. This information includes the person’s name, place of residence,
legal status, workplace, and any other important information such as affiliation with any known dissident organizations, or
a previous criminal record. Citizens under Imperial rule are expected to carry this identification at all times and present it to
any Imperial Security agent who requests it. Failure to carry proper identification results in arrest and detainment until the
individual’s identity can be positively identified, with a genetic or brain scan. In some cases, the Empire may require all subjects
of a specific type to wear particular markings or badges for prominent, easy discrimination—this most often happens as a
humiliation tactic against an ethnic subgroup.
Naturally, there is an active black market in the creation of forged identification data-cards for a variety of uses, and some
Imperial Security personnel earn a tidy sum on the side assisting such operations. Individuals with the appropriate contacts
or influence can acquire forged identification with the Narrator’s permission, perhaps requiring an appropriate skill test, such
as Enterprise: Streetwise (Locate Contraband) or Negotiate (Bargain). The difficulty will often vary with the location and the
credentials requested; it’s harder to acquire identification that lists the user as an influential person with access to secret files,
and it’s also harder to acquire forged credentials in places where there’s little market, like on prison worlds (as a rule of thumb,
the base TN is 10, with a +5 or +10 modifier on a distant or uncivilized world, and another +5 or +10 if the credentials would
supply unusual or extraordinary social class.)
Characters lacking such contacts—including people from the Federation Universe—may try to forge identification themselves.
This requires a Computer Use (Hacking) test. The result of the test is the difficulty for someone else to determine that the
data-card is a forgery. The Narrator may modify the difficulty based on the checker’s thoroughness; a checker with a lot of
time might be able to turn the check into an extended test against an aggregate difficulty (see p. 106 of the Star Trek RPG
Player’s Guide).
Example: Darren Keller wants to set up a fake identity for himself as Lemuel Durrant, a humble spice merchant. He acquires a
blank data-card and makes a Computer Use (Hacking) test to program the fake ID. He scores a result of 9 on his test. When
Keller… er, Durrant, is later stopped by an IS agent, the difficulty for the agent to detect that the data-card the “spice mer-
chant” gives him is a forgery is 9, the result of Keller’s Skill Test.

IMPERIAL SECURITY
cers have found themselves reassigned to dangerous
frontier regions of the Empire, while others have simply S tarfleet S ecurity
been assassinated in “incidents of random violence.” While Starfleet has its own security forces, Imperial
If you plan on charging or even detaining someone Security still oversees Starfleet operations. This gives
important, you had best have evidence usable as black- Imperial Security officers a bit more influence than
mail security in a safe location, or charges devastating most Starfleet officers of their rank, although not
enough to end that person’s influence. Otherwise, enough to protect them from a superior officer’s wrath
you’ll have to deal with the consequences. if they push too far. An IS agent cannot present charges
The most important task of Imperial Security in this against a superior officer if he is executed for insubor-
area is maintaining public order and the stability of dination first, or killed in an “unfortunate accident.”
the Empire by whatever means necessary. If they have Imperial Security agents operating in Starfleet there-
to publicly execute a dozen people in order to quell a fore walk a tightrope between their duty to IS and their
riot, or destroy the mind of an informant to get a vital duty to Starfleet and their superior officer. Failure to
piece of information, that is what they do. Imperial uphold either one could result in execution at the most,
Security isn’t answerable for their actions to anyone a loss of position and prestige at the least. Still, IS offi-
other than the Emperor and the Senate, and they aren’t cers have more influence to trade with potential patrons
interested in how the job gets done, so long as it gets and henchmen in Starfleet, using their outside connec-
done and doesn’t interfere with them. tions to get things done, or to have IS overlook certain
On Imperial-occupied worlds you can see Security matters to the benefit of their commanding officer.
agents everywhere, dressed in red shirts with gold Imperial Security is also a good place to work your
sashes. Their presence is a constant reminder of the way up through the ranks on board a starship or sta-
power and authority of the Empire. tion. The Chief Security Officer is generally third in
command, after the Captain and First Officer, so the
only things standing between you and the command
53
 chair are the two most skilled and ruthless people on I mperial I ntelligence
board. Overseeing Security affords you opportunities to The Intelligence division of Imperial Security is
make opponents look bad, or simply to allow them to charged with gathering information on the Empire’s
suffer from the results of their own carelessness while enemies and protecting the Empire against the spies
you “look on in surprise” as their enemies eliminate of other powers. They are aided in this mission by the
them for you. You can also arrange to frame enemies stratified and tightly controlled nature of Imperial soci-
for crimes they did not commit and otherwise arrange ety, along with advanced Imperial technology, which
reasons to arrest and either detain or execute them on makes it easier for them to pry information from less
the spot. Be careful that any such case you construct is than willing subjects.
airtight, otherwise it may come back to haunt you. Still, The espionage side of Intelligence spies on the
more than one skilled and clever Imperial Security various other interstellar powers of the Alpha and
officer has achieved the rank of Captain through the Beta Quadrants, including the Klingon and Romulan
elimination of those few officers standing in the way. Empires, the Cardassian Union, and the Ferengi
Alliance. The Klingons and the Romulans are the
S pecial O perations prime targets of Intelligence missions, although for
The Special Operations division of Imperial Security different reasons.
handles matters requiring a show of force, but with a Intelligence agents working to infiltrate the Klingon
surgical precision rarely found in the ranks of Starfleet. Empire look for information on new Klingon offen-
Special Operations agents are highly trained com- sives, fleet strengths, and covert ties between Klingon
mandos and strike-forces organized to deploy at a raiders and pirates and the Klingon government. They
moment's notice from IS or the Emperor to handle also keep a close watch on Qo’noS, cutting off supply
problems throughout the Empire. Special Operations lines to underground rebel factions that constantly try
deals with matters like counter-terrorism, natural disas- to retake and repopulate the world, and keeping infor-
ters, strikes against planetary targets where the use of mation on the happenings on the Klingon homeworld
orbital bombardment is inefficient, and assaults against out of the rest of the Empire. Agents within the Klingon
various enemies of the Empire, particularly under- Empire take every opportunity to weaken the Klingon
ground organizations and criminals like pirates. economy and government, particularly working to turn
Special Operations relies heavily on information the Klingon houses against each other. The more the
coming to them from other branches of Imperial Klingons are at each other’s throats, the less trouble
Security, particularly the Intelligence division. They they pose for the Terran Empire.
have a tendency to blame their failures on inaccurate Intelligence agents operating in and around the
or misleading information rather than any fault in their Romulan Empire work to pierce the veil of secrecy
own planning or execution. Oftentimes, they are cor- that covers everything the Romulans do and learn
rect, since other IS officers may have a personal interest more about what is happening on the other side of
in seeing a Special Operations mission fail, particu- the Neutral Zone. Although the Romulans are not as
larly if it is likely to uncover something incriminating. active in harassing the Terran Empire as the Klingons,
Misleading information can send a Special Operations they still remain a serious potential threat, and so war-
team on a suicide mission. rant careful watching. For their part, the Romulan Tal
Special Operations receives the most advanced Shiar is ruthlessly efficient in weeding out Terran spies
CHAPTER SIX

equipment available in the Empire. This includes among their populace, so Imperial Intelligence has
heavy weapons and body armor for assault missions, learned fairly little about whatever the Romulans may
including photon grenade launchers and phaser rifles. be up to.
They also use a variety of biotechnology available to The Cardassian Union is a similarly closed society,
Imperial Security to enhance the abilities of SpecOp although warranting less concern than the Romulans.
agents or disable their targets. Unfortunately, this bio- The Cardassians remain cloistered behind the Badlands
technology has dangerous or even lethal side effects. region, making a few forays near Imperial space.
For more information, see “Tools of Terror,” page 57. However, the Cardassian intelligence community,
For this reason as much as the opponents they known as the “Obsidian Order,” has a fearsome repu-
face, the life of a Special Operations agent is a danger- tation. The have certainly been extremely efficient in
ous one. Imperial Security considers SpecOps agents keeping Imperial Intelligence operatives away from
expendable, when necessary. (Actually, IS considers nearly all information about the Cardassian govern-
all agents expendable, SpecOps agents are just more ment, military, or economy that might be useful. In
expendable than others.) fact, the Imperial Security officer in charge of intel-
ligence operations within the Cardassian Union was
54 recently killed by his subordinate, who produced
evidence that his commander was in fact collaborating
with the Obsidian Order and passing information on
the Terran Empire to them. Whether this was of his own
free will or due to some form of Cardassian mental Operations
conditioning remains unknown. The new commander
of the office immediately ordered a purge to root out Imperial Security is charged with a number of differ-
any other Cardassian double agents in the ranks. ent tasks in the Empire. Their primary goal is maintain-
Intelligence operations involving the Ferengi ing public order and protecting the Empire’s interests.
Alliance are minimal, focused primarily on monitoring They do so using assassination, espionage, and terror
the loyalty of the Ferengi and keeping an eye on their as their tools. The major operations of Imperial Security
black market operations which might adversely affect break down into five main areas, described here.
the Empire. Imperial Security has arranged several
lucrative deals with the Ferengi in the past to ensure A ssassination
their business continues uninterrupted, with a healthy Often the easiest way to deal with a problem is to
payment to the Empire for their trouble. Ferengi loyal- remove the person causing it. “Cut off the head, and
ties shift whichever way the winds of commerce blow, the body dies,” is a popular saying in the Empire, and
so they are carefully watched. one Imperial Security wholeheartedly subscribes to.
Some of the finest assassins in the Empire work for
R esearch and D evelopment Imperial Security, masters of death; either swift and
The Research and Development (R&D) division of silent, or slow and public, as required by the situation.
Imperial Security studies and develops new technol- While sometimes it is most expedient for a problem to

IMPERIAL SECURITY
ogy. They focus primarily on technology useful to IS simply disappear and never be heard from again, the
agents, particularly surveillance, interrogation, assas- Empire usually prefers clear evidence of an individual’s
sination, and sabotage missions. Much of the technol- demise in order to send a message to that person’s sup-
ogy used by Imperial Security comes from the study porters.
of samples of alien technology acquired by Imperial Assassination also serves as a political tool, allowing
starships exploring new worlds, as well as technology ambitious Starfleet officers and politicians to advance
taken from conquered worlds or species. through the ranks and attain greater power. Although
R&D is particularly advanced in biotechnology most are not squeamish about carrying out an assas-
and interrogation techniques, due to their ability to sination on their own, setting up an enemy for death
experiment on those brought in by Imperial Security at the hands of Imperial Security can often remove any
for questioning or examination. Imperial interrogators chance that someone will trace the assassination back
regularly try out new techniques, experimental drugs, to you and choose to exact revenge against you.
and prototypes on prisoners, usually with an enthusi- Although the killers of Imperial Security are some of
astic R&D technician standing by to take notes on the the best, the true masters of the assassin’s art are gener-
prisoner’s responses for future research. R&D also uses ally found outside the organization. Some of these free-
subjugated populations as experimental subjects, par- lance assassins are in fact former IS agents who either
ticularly political dissidents scheduled to be executed. chose to “retire” and leave the organization, then dis-
Research & Development is a useful, if somewhat appeared, or who faked their own deaths in order to
dangerous, ally. They have access to the latest develop- pursue a separate career. A highly skilled assassin can
ments on Imperial technology, but many of these new command his or her own price in the Terran Empire,
developments are untested and dangerous even when but must be wary of other assassins looking to make a
perfected. If you are offered an opportunity to field-test name by killing a true master.
a new R&D development, balance the possible useful-
ness against the possible risk and decide for yourself. 55
 C ounterintelligence S abotage
Imperial Security is responsible for detecting and Imperial Security agents strike against the enemies
dealing with foreign spies in the Empire. The Klingons of the Empire through acts of sabotage and terror
present little problem in this respect. Although Klingon intended to weaken them. The assassination of key
undercover agents and terrorists do launch attacks figures is one of the most common forms of sabotage.
against Imperial targets, Klingons in general have little Others include the destruction of vital facilities such
talent or patience for espionage. Still, wily Klingon as government buildings, supply depots, shipyards,
leaders like Koloth have accomplished things like and key military bases and outposts. Imperial Security
the poisoning of grain from Sherman’s Planet largely agents plant bombs aboard ships and mine asteroid
because Intelligence underestimates the espionage fields and other areas to cripple shipping and trade
abilities of the Klingons. through an enemy region. Areas of the Klingon Empire
Imperial Intelligence does not underestimate the abil- are riddled with Imperial gravity mines and other
ities of the Tal Shiar or the Obsidian Order. Intelligence weapons designed to destroy Klingon ships.
keeps a close watch for agents from either of those orga- When dealing with planetary targets, the Terran
nizations. Tal Shiar agents commonly pose as Vulcans, Empire usually relies on Starfleet. The destruction of
although they rarely attempt to do so on Vulcan, where a few of a world’s major cities is usually enough to
they are ruthlessly tracked down and executed by the bring its inhabitants to heel. However, on occasion,
Vulcans themselves. The Obsidian Order prefers to work the Empire prefers a more subtle approach. In these
through intermediaries and double agents recruited cases a planet may be too well defended for a frontal
from the Empire’s citizenry rather than sending dis- assault, or a different sort of object lesson is required.
guised Cardassian agents, a more successful tactic the Imperial Security generally relies on the Empire’s
Romulans are also beginning to employ. advanced knowledge of biotechnology and bioweap-
ons to provide these object lessons to defiant worlds.
I nterrogation The destruction of a planet’s ecosystem can quickly
The abilities of Imperial Security interrogators are force the population into surrender, while the introduc-
legendary throughout the Galaxy. Everyone knows tion of a deadly plague can kill off the inhabitants and
that, once you are in their hands, you will tell them still leave the planet ready for colonization once the
whatever they want to know. It may take some time bioweapon itself dies out.
but, sooner or later, anyone can be broken, and
Imperial Security uses whatever means are necessary S urveillance
to get what it wants, including the most terrible forms “Imperial Security is watching” is more than just a
of torture imaginable. common expression in the Empire; it is a way of life.
Imperial Security relies heavily on advanced neu- Imperial Security monitors everything in the Empire
rotechnology, such as mind-sifters, to pry information to ensure loyalty to the Emperor and the maintenance
from prisoners (see below). They also use trained tele- of public order. They also keep careful watch on the
paths to read information from prisoners’ minds, either Empire’s neighbors, looking for signs of trouble and
covertly during an interrogation session, or directly seeking out weaknesses the Empire can exploit to bring
through a mind meld. With such abilities, it is virtually its enemies to their knees.
impossible to hide information for very long. Those Imperial Security tracks the activities of citizens
CHAPTER SIX

sought by Imperial Security have been known to com- and subjects of the Empire through a vast network
mit suicide rather than be captured and interrogated. of computer information systems. Nearly everything
Romulan and Klingon agents are particularly known in the Empire is computerized, so it is a fairly simple
for disintegrating themselves—and everyone else in the matter to track the daily activities of most people.
vicinity—in order to avoid capture. Computers monitor activity logs and alert Imperial
Security of suspicious patterns of behavior, allowing
them to bring suspects in for interrogation. IS agents
also conduct spot checks and surprise inspections of
homes and businesses to ensure compliance with the
Empire’s requirements.
Imperial Security gathers information on foreign
nations and individuals through its network of spies,
informants, and undercover agents. Starfleet vessels
and disguised IS ships perform scans along the borders
of the Empire, and Imperial Security maintains listen-
56 ing posts along areas like the Romulan Neutral Zone,
the Badlands, and the outskirts of the Klingon Empire,
keeping watch over the Empire’s enemies.
Tools of Terror
Imperial Security has a wide variety of technologies
at its command to carry out its missions. In addition
to all the technology used by Starfleet—such as phas-
ers, transporters, and agonizers—IS also uses special-
ized neurotechnology designed to gather information
and brainwash subjects, as well as biotechnology to
enhance the abilities of their agents and to kill or dis-
able their enemies.

N eurotechnology
Imperial neurotechnology is a key weapon in the
arsenal of Imperial Security. The most basic piece of
Imperial neurotechnology, the agonizer, is in common
use in Starfleet as a disciplinary tool, but the technol-
ogy in the hands of Imperial Security is even more
advanced, allowing IS agents to affect the minds of oth-
ers in nearly any way imaginable, given enough time.

Concealed Agonizers
Imperial Security agents operating undercover or
covertly outside the Empire often carry agonizers
concealed as other devices: pieces of jewelry, small
scanners, gloves, or other innocuous items. When
necessary, the agent can apply an agonizer’s lash to a
target, a useful last-ditch weapon to provide an agent
with an edge over an opponent. Concealed agonizers
are also used to conduct interrogations in the field,
although Klingons pride themselves on their ability to

IMPERIAL SECURITY
resist any level of pain.
Agonizer circuitry can also be built into chairs Mind-sifter
and manacles, used in Imperial Security interrogation Specifications: 2 cubic meters; mass 1 ton (includ-
facilities for the interrogation and control of prisoners. ing control console)
Agonizer bonds are generally set to activate if a prisoner Description: A mind-sifter uses neural scanning
moves a certain distance from a central transmitter, in technology to “read” information from a subject’s
order to prevent escape. They can also be triggered by brain, scanning the brain cells for certain chemical
remote control issued to the guards, allowing them to links and translating them into usable information.
disable any prisoner with the touch of a button. Mind-sifter technology is based on a study of the
A concealed agonizer has the same general func- telepathic abilities of Vulcans and Betazoids, but it
tionality as a normal agonizer (see page 48). Noticing is somewhat crude in comparison to the refinement
an concealed agonizer requires an Observe test (TN 20); and precision of a trained telepath. Still, it offers the
this gains a bonus if the character has specializations advantage of being usable by any trained operator, and
such as Interrogation or System Operations (Agonizer). the information it displays is less subjective and more
trustworthy than a telepath, so the device is in common
use in Imperial Security.
A mind-sifter scan is uncomfortable at best, as the
device’s scanning beams stimulate neural impulses.
Low-level scans cause discomfort and minor muscular
twitches, so subjects are usually strapped down for
a mind-sifter scan. At higher levels, scanning deeper
into the cerebral cortex, a mind-sifter can gather more
detailed information, but it begins to cause intense
pain and permanent neural damage as brain cells are
subjected to more intense scanning beams. A mind-
57
sifter at its highest level becomes a mind-ripper, totally
 destroying the subject’s higher brain functions and A large padded chair or couch, equipped with
reducing him to the level of a mental vegetable. restraints to hold the subject in place, contains the neu-
Rules: Operating a mind-sifter requires an tralizer mechanism. The neural scanning and output
Indoctrinate (Mind-Sifter) test (TN 15). The subject can pods extend up from the chair to rest near either side of
resist this just like resisting a psionic attack (using the the subject’s head. The process is most effective when
Willpower reaction and Mind Shield skill, if any). On the subject is conscious, since the lower levels of brain-
a failure the operator only succeeds in knocking the wave activity associated with sleep or unconsciousness
subject unconscious; on a complete failure the subject are more difficult for the scanners to detect.
loses 1d6 points of Intellect for the next week (suc- Imperial Security uses neural neutralizers to pro-
cessive complete failures cause the permanent loss duce double agents through careful brainwashing. They
of Intellect). On a success, the operator can force the also use behavior modification to produce “sleeper”
subject to divulge one piece of information. A patient agents, individuals with secret orders programmed into
with the Mind Shield skill, who manages to force a them that can be activated at a later time. This allows
draw, can screen his memories and give out only what undercover IS agents to pass surface-level telepathic
information he desires, and does not suffer any Intellect and mind-sifter scans without detection.
loss from failures. Rules: Use the rules for mind-sifters, above, for
At mind-ripper levels a mind-sifter inflicts 1D6+7 the neural neutralizer. Modifying a subject’s memo-
points of damage to the subject each round, minus ries or emotions instead counts as using the Empathy,
the subject’s Willpower (plus Mind Shield skill, if Telepathy or Mind Control psionic skills—treat the
any)—yes, subjects with a negative Willpower reaction operator as having 1 skill level (granted by the device).
suffer extra damage. Each wound level permanently Add a bonus equal to the amount by which the opera-
reduces the subject’s Intellect and Presence by 1 due tor made the initial Indoctrinate (Neural Neutralizer)
to neurological damage. This also reduces the subject’s test, halved if exerting the Mind Control skill. A psionic
resistance to further scans and neurological damage. operator can use his own Empathy, Telepathy, or Mind
Control skill instead and still add the bonus from the
Neural Neutralizer device. Again, the “patient” can use Willpower (with
Specifications: 2 cubic meters; mass 1.5 tons the Mind Shield skill) in an Opposed Test to resist the
(including control console) influence of the machine.
Description: Developed by Dr. Simon Van Gelder
based on mind-sifter technology, the neural neutralizer Telepathy
is capable of all the effects of a mind-sifter described Although the Empire has mind-sifting technology, it
above. In addition, the neural neutralizer can also edit has not yet replaced the abilities of trained and capable
the thoughts and memories of the subject, deleting or telepaths. Imperial Security often employs Vulcans and
modifying certain memories and implanting entirely Betazoids as special investigators and interrogators
new ones. This makes the neural neutralizer a powerful capable of quickly getting at desired information. The
tool for behavior modification and mind control. Mind Meld and Telepathy psionic skills are used to get
at a subject’s memories and surface thoughts. Most
telepathic interrogators prefer to begin with Telepathy.
With the right line of questioning (usually accompa-
CHAPTER SIX

nied by torture using an agonizer) the subject can be

forced into consciously thinking of whatever informa-
tion the interrogator wants. Subjects that manage to
resist this process (and there are very few who do) are
subjected to a mind meld to uncover the information.
Although telepathic interrogation is far more porta-
ble and efficient than a mind-sifter, telepaths are more
than capable of lying about the information they find
in a subject’s mind. For this reason, telepathic scans are
often conducted by more than one telepath, or verified
using mind-sifter technology. IS telepaths understand
this, and understand that the penalty for lying or other-
wise abusing their position is death by agony booth, so
they are usually as truthful and accurate as possible.

58
 becoming temporarily able to use the knowledge.
The Teacher However, this knowledge only lasts for approximately
Specifications: 1m. diameter, 25 cm height; mass 4kg. 2 hours. After that time, the bonus fades. Furthermore,
Description: Only a year after Captain Spock over- each time a character uses the Teacher, the player must
threw Kirk aboard the I.S.S. Enterprise, the Vulcan suf- make a Willpower reaction test (TN 10, plus 1 for each
fered a brief period of incapacity due to the thievery prior usage). On a failure, the character takes 6d6 dam-
conducted by an unusual alien entity. Although the age from neural overload.
Vulcan’s brain was gone, his crew went on to trace
the thief to the Sigma Draconis system, and there B iotechnology
forced the natives to use their advanced technologies Opportunities for Humanoid experimentation have
to restore Spock’s brain. (Captain Spock had wisely greatly expanded the bounds of Imperial biotechnolo-
kept important blackmail and ship operations codes gy, currently one of the fastest growing fields of Imperial
secret from his subordinates, and without his brain, the technology. Although genetic modification is looked on
Enterprise crew would be unable to function.) After his with a jaundiced eye (why create a genetic “superman”
brain was restored by one of the aliens, Spock ordered who is your superior and might replace you?), other
the removal of the “Teacher” unit that had given the forms of biotechnology are often employed as tools and
knowledge of how to complete the brain-transplant weapons by Imperial Security. Many forms of biotech
operation, deeming it too dangerous for these aliens to come from analysis of the biology of alien species or
retain such knowledge. Starfleet Security later obtained through studying the mistakes of species that wiped
the device during the Enterprise’s next spacedock, and themselves out due to their own lack of understanding
though it proved to have limited applications, it was about the dangers of biotechnology.
still useful for specific operations.
Deneva Parasites
The neural parasites of Deneva were ostensibly
destroyed when Captain Kirk of the I.S.S Enterprise
bombarded the planet, but Imperial Security has its
ways of making sure that interesting specimens wind
up in their labs. The Denevan parasites are difficult
to control, because they survive simply by using pain
induction in their hosts to force the host to do as they
command—typically, so that they can reproduce

IMPERIAL SECURITY
themselves. Nevertheless, releasing a group of the
parasites onto a humanoid colony can lead to chaos
and panic, as the parasites spread themselves through-
out the place and overtake the hapless settlers. Such
terror tactics are well within the Empire’s arsenal, and
the fact that the parasites are easily killed by intense
Because the Enterprise left the inhabitants of Sigma ultraviolet light—which usually isn’t discovered soon
Draconis without power, their civilization rapidly crum- enough by the victims—means that an infestation can
bled. Much of the Teacher’s data became inaccessible easily be removed once the Empire is ready to move
with its removal from the planet, but it still kept certain in and take over.
useful bits of knowledge in its residual memory banks. See Star Trek: Creatures pages 36-37 for specific
The Teacher resembles a metal dome-shaped head- information regarding Denevan neural parasites.
piece. Placed on the head of a humanoid, it can instill
various forms of knowledge, but these only remain in
the short-term memory and do not transfer to long-term
experience in the same fashion as real-world experi-
ence. The process is also somewhat dangerous, as most
humanoids have some level of incompatibility with the
neurology of the Morgs and Eymorgs.
Rules: The Teacher-unit, placed on the head, allows
the user to absorb specific knowledge. Typically, it can
improve any one Academic skill at a time by adding
a +4 bonus (because the Teacher has extraordinary
knowledge, this is on top of any ranks the character
may have, even beyond the normal 12 rank limit to
59
skills). Even an untrained character benefits from this,
 Elasian Tears tion last for anywhere from 2-7 hours (1D6+1 hours).
The tears of the women of the planet Elas contain When the effect wears off, the subject suffers 1D6
a unique biochemical that stimulates intense feelings points of damage.
of love, affection, and protectiveness in men who are Regular use of kironide also causes erosion of the
exposed to them. The biochemical can be reproduced body’s natural immune system. Kironide users lose vir-
synthetically, and Imperial Agents use “Elasian tears” tually all immunity to disease and infections. Even the
as a tool for behavior modification and slightest cut or an otherwise harmless illness can kill
mind-control. When used separately them. Although modern medical treatment can make
from an Elasian woman, Imperial up for deficiencies in the subject’s immune system, it
Security discovered the chemi- cannot protect them entirely. Kironide users must live
cal created strong feelings of lives of isolation, surrounded by physicians to ensure
love and protectiveness in both their continued health. They automatically suffer from
males and females, usually the effects of the Low Pain Threshold, Sickly and Slow
attached to the first person they Healing flaws.
saw after exposure. The chemical Kironide telekinesis functions like the
is absorbed instantly through the skin Psychokinesis skill (see the Star Trek RPG
and its effects are permanent, although Narrator’s Guide, page 219). Non-psionic
some individuals are able to resist its effects creatures have an effective Psi rating of
through sheer willpower and self-discipline. 4 when using kironite telekinesis and
A character exposed to Elasian tears must a skill of 1. Extended use can allow
make a Willpower test (TN 15) in order to resist the subject to train and improve
the lure of his or her new “beloved.” A character who this skill.
fails the Willpower test must act to protect and please When injected as a medical
the loved one above all other considerations. Success agent, a dose of kironide sufficient to
on the Willpower test allows the character to act nor- cause immediate telekinesis requires a
mally, although it does not cause the feelings to go TN 15 medical test to properly administer.
away. A further exposure to the tears can cause some-
one to fixate on a new “beloved,” but repeated expo- Pacifier Spores
sure can cause neurological impairment and even Native to Omicron Ceti III, these symbiotic spores
insanity as the individual deals with an onslaught of thrive on Berthold rays. They provide their hosts with
conflicting emotions. complete health and contentment, but also induce
Type: Contact; Onset: One round; Potency: +8 TN a passive state wherein the host wants nothing but
(use Willpower instead of Stamina); Treatment: N/A; relaxation. Those affected by the spores are non-
Effect: See text above; Secondary Effect: None; Stages: aggressive and calm, with little or no willpower.
0. So long as the character remains touching Elasian Extreme agitation and negative emotions from the
tears, he continues risking their effects. host can kill the spores, but hosts never display these
emotions on their own; such passions must be incited
Kironide Injections from an outside source. If a
Kironide is a chemical compound found in many host is incited to rage or ter-
CHAPTER SIX

of the plants on the planet Platonius. When sufficient- ror, make a Moderate (15)
ly concentrated in the brain, kironide provides many Willpower Test each round
Humanoid species (including Humans and Vulcans) to shake off the effects of the
with telekinetic abilities. The compound is absorbed spores.
naturally by eating native Platonian plants, but it Imperial Security uses
requires years to build up a sufficient level of pacifier spores primarily to
kironide in the body this way. Large doses of the set up prison colonies without
refined compound can be injected directly any concern for rebellion or resis-
into the bloodstream, having an effect in a tance. Facilities are located on worlds
matter of minutes. with high levels of Berthold rays like
While telekinesis is an extraordi- Omicron Ceti III. Anyone overcoming the
narily useful ability, kironide has some effects of the spores is exposed to lethal lev-
serious drawbacks. The first is that els of Berthold radiation. Without the spores’
direct injection of the compound (as protection, they quickly sicken and die, making
opposed to building it up slowly over rebellion and escape nearly impossible.
60 time) causes a shock to the body’s
systems, which try to purge the com-
pound. The effects of a kironide injec-
 Still, in that time a hyperaccelerated subject can do
a significant amount of damage, able to move almost
invisibly, and act faster than the eye can see. For all
intents and purposes, the rest of the world appears fro-
zen in time to a hyperaccelerated subject.
Since there is no known cure for the hyperaccel-
eration, Imperial Security uses Scalosian water only
for suicide missions. Agents are not informed of the
water’s true effects, and Imperial Security keeps the
true nature of the technology secret.
Note that normal characters subjected to hyperac-
celeration have very short lifespans, as their cellular
structure burns out due to the increased metabolism.
The effect also makes hyperaccelerated victims highly
vulnerable to injury. Should a hyperaccelerated char-
Psi 2000 Virus acter take damage for any reason, he must make a
First discovered on the dying planet Psi 2000, this Stamina test to resist fatigue each action round from
virus is a complex hydrocarbon that forms only in that point forward, so long as he remains hyperaccel-
areas of intensely fluctuating gravity. Capable of being erated. Each stage of fatigue incurred causes the char-
absorbed through the skin, the virus acts on the brains acter to appear to age by ten years, with all normal
of Humanoids like alcohol, causing intoxica- fatigue effects and continued tests to resist fatigue.
tion and severely impairing judgment. A When a character reaches the collapsed stage of
tiny dose of the virus is sufficient to cause fatigue (as per table A.8 on page 246 of the Star Trek
infection; even skin-to-skin contact with RPG Player’s Guide), the character dies of cellular
an affected individual is sufficient to breakdown. A low-Stamina or unlucky character
pass the virus on. Victims become so may be reduced from perfect health to death in six
irrational and impaired that they engage action rounds by this process.
in extremely dangerous activities with no
concern for the consequences, like open- The Venus Drug
ing an emergency hatch or shutting down a The so-called “Venus drug” serves to make
containment force field “just for fun.” Sooner users more physically attractive and sexually

IMPERIAL SECURITY
or later, victims of the infection end up dead appealing. It is not physically addictive, but
due to their own carelessness, especially in users become psychologically addicted to the
dangerous environments like a starship or on a beauty and influence it grants. A single dose
hostile planet. lasts a few hours (roll 1D6) and grants the
Imperial Security occasionally uses the Psi user the Confident edge for the duration, as
2000 virus as a weapon, releasing it in an envi- well as a +1 bonus to all social interaction
ronment to contaminate it. Its usefulness is lim- tests involving seduction. When the drug
ited by the fact that the virus does not discriminate wears off, the subject is at -1 die on all
in its victims, and it is easily spread by casual contact. Presence Tests for at least an hour. Imperial
Its use is forbidden on planets where the virus might Security sometimes gives the Venus
spread to other segments of the population. It is limit- drug to agents intended to seduce
ed to ships, stations, and other isolated environments, a particular target.
which are destroyed or sterilized afterward. (See also
the Star Trek RPG Narrator’s Guide, page 224.)

Scalosian Water
An unusual form of radiation permeates
the water of the planet Scalos. It causes an
extreme state of hypermetabolic accelera-
tion in Humanoids drinking it. The subject
experiences each second as if it were an
hour, moving too quickly to be detect-
ed by the unaided eye. Unfortunately,
subjects suffer rapid biological burnout
from the hyperacceleration, effectively
61
aging to death in a matter of hours.
 WORLDS 
OF THE EMPIREVII
What good is an Empire without conquered worlds? Whether you’re a fast-rising Human officer stationed to a
faraway planet, or an alien struggling to carve a niche for yourself in a universe stacked against you, you’ll need
the following intelligence on the Empire’s most dangerous and interesting planets.

Alpha Centauri
Alpha Centauri lies in ruins, a testament to the
efficiency of the Empire’s earliest colonial adminis-
trators. Once a world that reeked with delicate and
sinister beauty, Alpha Centauri’s most prominent cur-
rent feature is rubble. Thistles, vines, stinkweeds, and
stranglethorns poke up through the cracks in what
were once streets, laneways, and promenades. Its vast,
THREE
SEVEN

depopulated megacities house rats, needleworms,

CHAPTER FOUR

jabadillos, and a host of other swarming, disease-rid-

TWO

den vermin. Roving gangs of radiation-crazed scaven- Today, Alpha Centauri’s main use to the Empire is
gers, the last, desperate remnants of Centauran society, as a gigantic waste facility. Starfleet and various cor-
comb the rubble for things to eat. Sometimes they find porations use it as a dumping ground for radioactive
the odd treasure of Alpha Centauri’s artistic past. They waste and a range of toxic chemical by-products. Most
fight one another for the privilege of taking it to one of of the several hundred thousand free Centaurans still
the few remaining colonial administrators. He’ll give at large on the planet suffer severe psychoses brought
them a few cans of surplus rations for it, then sell it for on by exposure to these pollutants. Some are mutating.
thousands of credits. Personnel at a Terran research base study the mutants in
The Empire conquered the planet in 2074. Over case any of them sprout anything really cool, like ten-
the next several decades, Humans and Vulcans joined tacles or third eyes.
together to strip the planet of anything vaguely valu- A few Centaurans fled the invasion on hijacked
able. This included the majority of the population, who Terran vessels. Their descendants now wander the quad-
were enslaved en masse. Their descendants still make rant as stateless aliens. A few became notorious pirates.
up the biggest pool of slaves in the Empire’s auction The most infamous Centauran pirate is Gan Leikan,
houses. Enslaved Centaurans have been completely who uses captured Terrans as subjects of her classically-
deculturated; they know little of their heritage and are inspired art-murder performances. Thus she keeps the
resigned to their life of servitude. proud heritage of her vanquished people alive.
62
 For decades, the Andorians were grudgingly servile,
but a younger generation fanned the embers of the spirit
nearly extinguished by the war. In 2186, during a time
of Imperial instability, the Endilev clan led a bloody
uprising in a desperate bid for Andorian independence.
Striking coup after coup using little more than scav-
enged ships, antique weapons and the clan’s signature
form of drunken-style hand fighting, their early success
was shocking. In the end, however, they were still no
match for the empire. Louvin rallied the forces needed
to do the job, and their utter defeat at his hands was
turned into an instrument in his own bid for the throne.
What developed next surprised even Louvin. The
Andoria Andorians couldn’t survive the shame of a second crush-
ing defeat, so they refused to indulge in shame at all. A
Andoria is a frozen world orbiting a white subgiant religious and philosophical renaissance resulted in the
deeply coreward from the heart of the empire. Ruled by fusion of the popular Terionist religion with the teach-
a royal family descended from an ancient conqueror, ings of the latter-day prophetess Umarin. The new faith
the Andorians are passionate and artistic, but their made loyal citizens of the Andorians, who, en masse
favorite art is war. Personal squabbles are ultimately and over the course of only a few years, embraced the
settled with blood in public duels, where the stink of belief that the Human emperor was the reincarnated
death and alcohol mingle with screams and hearty embodiment of Krotus. They repented, feeling that they
laughter. Lusty warriors all, the Andorian rulers main- had been foolish to deny their destiny by fighting the
tain the fabric of their society by constantly engaging in ruler that they should have been serving all along!
warfare, the pursuit that brings all Andorians together as Louvin, amused, put this new development to use
brothers, and dutiful servants of the Emperor. when dealing with the newly-discovered Klingons in
Of all the vassal worlds, Andoria is the most open- 2218. Offering the Klingons the role of favored slaves

WORLDS OF THE EMPIRE
ly-worshipful of Humanity (or at least, the most notably and guards galled the proud Andorians seriously.
sincere about it). In Andoria’s cities and villages, every When it became necessary to extinguish the Klingons
street is decked in imperial regalia, and the Andorian once and for all, the Andorians were the most eagerly
fleet is one of the deadliest tools in the war machine aggressive attackers, swearing their lives to Starfleet
of the empire. After a resistant new alien world tastes for the first time in history, and slaughtering fourteen
the chaotic fury of the Axanari forward attack, the dis- Klingons for every Andorian lost. They were deter-
ciplined waves of death that follow frequently do so mined that they would be the favored warriors, not
at the hands of Andorian warriors. The Emperor values the upstart Klingons! Louvin, smart enough to reward
the passionate aliens, and these masters of the art of and cultivate Andorian passion, but hardly willing
combat love their role in the Empire’s growth. to keep them literally at his side, elevated Andoria
It was not always so. The Andorians of centuries past to vassal status. There they serve still, confident in
vainly named themselves the Andorian Star Empire, the knowledge that they are the instruments of their
a military state forged centuries before they had even ancient conqueror.
achieved space travel. All that is Andorian was built
in the name of Krotus, their legendary conqueror, who
brought all the disparate cultures of the frozen world
And oria n Lite ratu re: An Exce rpt
under his iron rule sometime in the 13th century. Shier i turne d Ghal ev’s corps e with her
foot to look
Determined to carry the legacy of Krotus to the at his froze n expr essio n of shock . She
grinn ed wick -
stars, the Andorians built a dozen thriving colonies, edly. “Fali n, we were brilli ant. To think
the little fool
and enslaved the primitive natives of nearby Menk II, trust ed us.”
before encountering Humanity in 2137. The resulting Falin held her close, thrilled at her atten
tion, the warm
war, fueled by Andorian certainty that they were des- satisfaction of the kill. “He could have
trusted us, if
tined to rule the Galaxy, was a costly exercise for the he’d only turned his talents to the Empe
ror’s service.
Emperor, as the powerful Andorian ships repelled wave His pride was wasted, misplaced.” He
stared down,
after wave of Imperial assault. Ultimately, the Andorians feeling a little sad for his former comrade.
were simply out-numbered and short on the resources He spoke as much to the cooling body as
to Shieri. “We
necessary for extended warfare, and they found them- are Andorians, the dagger of Imperial will.”
selves in a humiliating war of attrition. Worn down to
nothing, the proud blue warriors admitted defeat, their
Shieri kissed Falin softly. “The Senator
pleased, my love.”
will be so 63
morale crushed and their cities starving.
— Douglas Bell, Falin: a Novel of Ando
ria, 2253
 Seeing the population more as beasts of burden
than individuals, Elthur established a series of labor
camps in key mining areas and brought in advanced
Imperial mining technology to crack open the planet
and extract its minerals. Over the next 40 years, tens
of millions of Bajorans met their deaths in the labor
camps, executed for crimes ranging from insubordina-
tion to resistance activities; others succumbed to the
many epidemics that the Empire permitted to rage
unchecked among them. Gallitep quickly gained a
reputation as the worst of the labor camps; “disciplin-
ary cases” and other agitators arrived here to face their
final punishments. Forced to work in the most danger-
Bajor ous jobs, and subject to the harshest of punishments
for even minor rules infractions, Gallitep’s inmates
In 2255, when vessels of the Imperial Starfleet experienced the worst oppression and degradation the
first reached the region the Empire would eventually Empire could devise.
christen Bajor Sector, they encountered several unique Because Bajor’s atmosphere and environment
species. Two of them would play prominent roles in closely resembled those of Earth, the Empire forc-
the future history of the Empire. The first of these new ibly relocated millions of Bajorans to make room
species—the Bajorans—dwelt on the seventh planet for Human colonists. Faithful Imperial officers were
orbiting the star Bajor-B’hava’el. rewarded with homes on Bajor, where Bajoran ser-
At that time, the Bajorans existed as an aggressive, vants catered to their desires and made their lives truly
passionate species of farmers and craftsmen. Their civi- enjoyable. The world’s most picturesque regions saw
lization had subsisted basically unchanged for centu- the establishment of vacation resorts for Imperial offi-
ries, the spirited chronicle of Bajoran history stretching cials, with average Bajorans forbidden to enter those
back twenty thousand years. While the Bajorans did regions except as workers.
possess advanced energy weapons and warp capabil- The Bajorans did not suffer such misery quietly, of
ity, their space fleet and organized military remained course. An aggressive, often fierce people, they fought
much smaller than those of the Imperial Starfleet. In back whenever possible. After the conquest of their
short, they were ripe for Imperial conquest. planet was complete, they immediately established an
After assessing the situation covertly, the first underground resistance movement. Using weapons
Imperial exploratory vessel sent a subspace transmis- and equipment smuggled to them by other Bajorans or
sion to Imperial Starfleet Command. In response, a fleet purchased on the galactic black market, members of the
of warships commanded by Admiral Gorek of Andoria resistance waged a lonely war to free their planet from
CHAPTER SEVEN

arrived to take possession of the planet Bajor. The Imperial domination. They sabotaged mining equip-
steadfast Bajorans greeted the admiral’s arrival, and the ment, damaged and destroyed the homes of Imperial
accompanying show of Imperial might, with outrage citizens (and even, in one daring 2283 assault, vandal-
and refusal. The stubborn Bajorans refused to capitulate ized the Governor’s Palace itself), detonated bombs in
even after a minor planetary bombardment rendered areas frequented by Imperials, and conducted raids on
one area of the planet—now known as the “Bajoran labor camps to free prisoners.
outback”—uninhabitable by Humanoid species. At first, Governor Elthur (and, later, his successors)
The Bajorans fought back, but their efforts met considered the resistance little more than a ragtag
insurmountable resistance. Within a week the Imperial group of guerrillas who would soon be captured and
warships had demolished the Bajoran “fleet” and taken executed. However, as the years passed and the resis-
possession of the planet. Imperial forces rounded up tance grew and became more daring, Imperial officials
and disintegrated all Bajorans who fought against the realized they could no longer ignore the problem. In
Imperial forces, or who had publicly opposed Imperial 2286, in an effort to provide an example and cow the
rule in any way. In all, over 125 million Bajorans were rest of the rebels, Imperial soldiers executed 42 resis-
killed during the conquest. tance fighters captured in the Kendra Valley. Far from
The Empire soon found that it had taken a rich prize having the desired effect, the “Kendra Valley massacre”
indeed. Bajor was a paradise, a lush planet with a wealth only further enflamed the Bajorans; it gave the resis-
of mineral assets, including uridium and plenty of people tance its first true martyrs.
to mine it. The conquerors quickly installed a colonial
64 government, headed by Elthur of Vulcan. Emperor Garth
issued a clear and concise edict to the new governor—
squeeze as much wealth out of Bajor as possible.
 Betazed. Only about a quarter of Terrans on the planet
know the method. That’s a big enough percentage to
keep the Betazoids from probing into Human minds.
They possess no reliable way of telling those who know
the Beatty Method from those who don’t.
Once resigned to their conquered state, Betazoids
worked hard to elevate their status within the Empire.
By offering their thought-invading services to Starfleet
and Imperial Security, they sought to switch their clas-
sification from subject to vassal world. Beatty Method
or no, Humans remained wary of the eerie Betazoids,
withholding their promotion for nearly fifty years.
They became vassals in 2278. Their Senator took her
Betazed seat only after all of her Terran soon-to-be colleagues
passed their Beatty Method courses.
Mind-reading abilities make the maintenance of a Betazoid society is fiercely matriarchal. Women
police state a simple matter. Accordingly, the vassal command households, occupy the top spots in any
state of Betazed boasts the Empire’s most repressive organization, and demand sexual favors from men.
government. Betazoids want a government capable of Men shrink from the wrath of their mothers and wives,
maintaining control. These empaths and mind-readers perform menial duties, and meekly accede to the
desperately fear one another; any strong telepath pos- advances of predatory females. Betazoids perform their
sesses the ability to steal thoughts from weaker minds, orgiastic wedding ceremonies in the nude, drenched
or even turn enemies into brain-dead vegetables. in the blood of freshly-slaughtered animals, because
Every Betazoid grows up learning to shield her mind marriage is a battleground in which the woman must
from the attacks of others—and how to effectively continually renew her conquest over the man.
make those attacks herself. Thus the people with the Betazoids make a point of cruel honesty. They use
strongest minds come to rule others, just as the physi- gift boxes with talking faces to issue challenges to one

WORLDS OF THE EMPIRE
cally strong tend to rise to the top of other societies. another, or to gloat when they deal setbacks to rivals.
The state Security apparatus monitors the thoughts of They venerate the memory of Khrysara, the ancient
others, to identify possible henchmen, and to destroy man so mighty he became a woman. She forged the
minds mighty enough to challenge the current regime. Stygian Rings of Betazed, a legendary artifact said to
Betazed’s Supreme Leader, Loshana Kwol, creeps into possess the power to immolate the seven worst foes of
the dreams of her subjects at night, using a secret the Supreme Leader. Like her predecessors, Loshana
device to broadcast her psychic presence to billions Kwol employs teams of archaeologists to comb the
of sleeping minds. In these synthetic nightmares, she planet’s ruins for these lost items of power.
cows the timid, seduces the handsome, and tortures
those who would resist her indomitable will.
Betazed was conquered once before, during its
early days of space flight. A neighboring people called
the Terabian feared their telepathy and herded them
into concentration camps. The Betazoids used their
mind-control powers to slowly subvert the intentions
of their captors, eventually provoking them into mass
suicide. They did the same to certain Terran com-
manders after the Imperial conquest of their home
world in 2230. Their psychic resistance series scored
early successes, leading to the spectacular deaths of
several Terran administrators and their lackeys. But the
Betazoids had yet to fully confront the interminable
tenacity of the Human spirit. Starfleet captain Jack
Beatty developed a simple method of mental discipline
to protect himself from the mental attacks projected
at him by then-Supreme Leader Giliana Houn. He
exposed her invading mind to the full violence and
perversity of Human consciousness; she suffered a dev-
astating series of strokes and died on the spot. Starfleet
65
Academy teaches the Beatty Method to selected per-
sonnel, including civilian administrators headed for
 When the Starfleet invasion force arrived, led by
Robert April and his I.S.S. Enterprise, Presidents of the
Bolsean, Bolkian, and Bolran nations all offered to ally
with the Empire to help destroy the other two. April
told all three they were on his team, got his fleet into
perfect position, and betrayed them all, destroying an
impressive 97% of the Bolian fleet. Occupying forces
arrived not long after, and have remained in place ever
since. Knowing a good thing when they saw one, colo-
nial administrators left the shells of the three national
governments in place, after stripping them of all but
ceremonial powers.
Today’s Bolarus is a pitiful subject state. Imperial
Bolarus IX administrators harvest it for resources, enslaving
Bolians of all three nations. Remarkably, most Bolians
The blue-skinned, ridge-skulled Humanoids of direct their resentment not at the Empire, but toward
Bolarus IX have spent their entire history locked in war- their rival nations. Each nation excoriates the other two
fare with one another. The first Bolian clans battled for as craven collaborators. All three governmental delega-
hunting territory. When they discovered herding and tions toady relentlessly to local administrators, and to
horticulture, they raided one another for food. When the Empire, hoping to usurp the favored status they
food was abundant, they raided for vengeance. They’d believe one of their rivals currently enjoys. The Bureau
no sooner discovered the secrets of long-distance doesn’t have to work hard to inculcate this delusion in
ocean travel when they began building naval fleets the Bolians. If anything, they find the constant entreat-
to battle for command of the sea lanes. Strong men ies of the three delegations tedious.
established walled cities to control farmland and tax Conspirators favor Bolians as patsies because they
shipping; then the cities went to war. Cities conquered can be persuaded to do almost anything in the name
one another or banded together into nation states. By of national pride. Bolians are so methodical they seem
now you can guess what those nation states did. obsessive. Their scientists and engineers, many of
By the time of the conquest in 2246, the warring them privileged slaves, excel in rehabilitating places
Bolian states had consolidated themselves into three ruined by warfare. Their advances in anti-radiation
major superpowers, each occupying a large conti- technologies and biogenic rehabilitation outdo those
nent. Although an outsider sees virtually no differ- of any other culture. Bolians of the same nation work
ence between the cultures of the Bol’se, Bol’ki, and together splendidly, beginning to think and act as one
Bol’ra nations, the Bolians themselves regard each as after a short time together. Throw one of another nation
unalterably incompatible with the others. A Bolsean into the team, and they’ll turn on him like hyenas on a
CHAPTER SEVEN

would sooner die than occupy close quarters with a wounded antelope.
Bolkian or Bolran. Bolkian children grow up learning A few Bolians recognize that the presence of the
that all Bolseans and Bolrans are mindlessly impulsive Empire renders their old nationalism absurdly outdat-
creatures fit only for a prison camp. Bolrans believe ed. The Bolian Resistance, supposedly led by the shad-
that Bolseans and Bolkians smell bad, eat repulsively, owy Darthalo the Knife, distributes propaganda exhort-
and are invariably the products of multi-generational ing Bolians to come together as one nation, throw off
inbreeding. No amount of actual contact between these their oppressors, and conquer the Galaxy themselves.
nearly identical cultures serves to teach the Bolians They murder Terrans, sabotage their installations, and
anything. They’d sooner stick to their ancient prejudices mount a counter-counter-terrorism campaign against
than confront the evidence of their own senses. Starfleet intelligence. Darthalo’s resistance fighters hire
When conquered, the Bolians had nearly recovered out as mercenaries and smugglers to fund their opera-
from their fourth world war, the second to be fought tions. Mostly, though, they kidnap or assassinate Bolian
with nuclear and biogenic weapons. Their ascent from officials of the puppet government, singling them out
the ashes of World War Four took seven centuries, as traitors to the true, united nation of Bolarus.
during which the three nations developed ingenious
(but mutually incompatible) technologies to reclaim
irradiated territory, combat mutagenic plagues, and
restore damage to the planet’s protective atmospheric
layers. During that period, naturally, they engaged in
66 cold wars of diplomatic rhetoric, closed borders, and
low-scale terrorism.
 Galaxy had ever known. By the time the “captive” had
been borne to Imperial headquarters, he’d won the
life savings of the senior staff three times over—each
time returning his winnings to them as a gesture of
interspecies goodwill. Before the Emperor, he unveiled
a scheme to take Ferenginar for the Empire without its
having to fire a shot. Naturally, for his role in planning
and executing the coup, he’d expect a few small favors
in return. He would become the new Grand Nagus;
they’d designate Ferenginar a vassal planet, not a sub-
ject. Emperor Louvin readily agreed.
The coup, run by Azark and assisted by Starfleet
Intelligence, went off without a hitch. Excited both
Ferenginar by the ease of the operation and the generous secret
commissions Azark doled out to them, Imperial offi-
Throughout the Galaxy, people fear the merce- cers failed to note that the current Nagus escaped
nary acumen of the sharp-toothed and rapacious execution and was nowhere to be seen. Nor did they
Ferengi people. Observers whisper that the leaders of spot the rapidly-removed portraits of the old Nagus,
this rain-soaked, resource-poor world, especially the which depicted a man bearing at least a strong family
prodigiously well-lobed Grand Nagus Azark, oper- resemblance to Azark—if not Azark himself. Did Azark
ate much more independently than vassals ought to. arrange to replace himself as Nagus? The Ferengi claim
The Empire’s various Security arms suspect Azark of otherwise, despite mounting evidence.
numerous betrayals of Imperial interests, but can prove Azark quickly neutralized any inclination Emperor
nothing. Surely, though, all of those mysterious agent Louvin might have had to further investigate the mat-
deaths can’t be a coincidence. ter. He funneled much-needed ludugial gold both into
The Ferengi have always combined the science the Imperial coffers and into Louvin’s own accounts.
of war with the art of finance. As their first Rule of When Garth took over, Azark’s representatives rushed

WORLDS OF THE EMPIRE
Acquisition states, “Money is the only thing worth kill- to the scene to make a similar deal. Garth’s Senatorial
ing for.” The dozens of trade wars that raged across the assassins had Azark on board before Garth’s body was
mushy soil of Ferenginar before its discovery of space even cold.
flight hardened them into a tough people who’d sooner The Ferengi maintain their unique degree of auton-
suffer enormous pain than back down from a property omy because it is their business sense, not the inherent
dispute. When they saw the limitless opportunities for resources of their world, which enriches their Imperial
profit in space, they stopped fighting one another and patrons. Only Ferengi free to exercise their judgment
got to work as merchants, spies, assassins, smugglers, can generate the kind of revenues Emperors now
arms dealers and other practitioners of legitimate com- depend on for ongoing economic stability. While many
merce. Coining a new law of acquisition—“Middlemen Security officials remain suspicious of them, Emperors
outlive kings”—their then-Grand Nagus Olrak mar- love Ferengi. Career-minded secret police know better
keted a series of business tomes teaching Ferengi how than to target the Emperor’s favorites.
to survive in a hostile universe. They would avoid direct Lowlier schemers fear the Ferengi almost as much
conquest, instead putting themselves at the service of as the Vulcans: they’re nearly as sneaky as the pointy-
whichever power happened to currently hold sway in eared logicians and infinitely more charismatic. Legend
any given sector. Olrak taught that kings always need portrays a cadre of Ferengi assassins so skilled at infiltra-
cash to supply their armies and buy the fealty of sup- tion, camouflage, and silent assassination as to be virtu-
porters. So long as the Ferengi could convincingly ally invisible. They supposedly use secret technologies
promise any leader that he’d get more money over the to evade electronic surveillance. These so-called zakrim
long term by peacefully cooperating with them, they’d number among the foremost practitioners of the Ferengi
forever occupy a fun and lucrative market niche. martial art of pek. Pek relies on the Ferengis’ remark-
And in 2250, when a Ferengi vessel “salvag- able auditory and mathematical capabilities. Fighters
ing” communications equipment from an unmanned predict their opponent’s moves by listening to the air
Imperial starbase made first contact with Starfleet, that’s they displace, and triangulating accordingly.
just what they did. Mustering his entire supply of that Since their vassalage, Ferengi entrepreneurs have
famous Ferengi charm and suavity, the captain of the successfully taken over some of the Galaxy’s largest
vessel, a man named Azark, convinced his intercepting slave-trading, gambling, and munitions concerns. Azark
Starfleet counterpart to stand down. Azark promised
to not only pay reparations and punitive damages for
denounces criminal activity of any sort, but clearly
accepts donations from crooks. Although Ferengi often
67
his inadvertent property crime, but to lead the captain clash with the Orion Syndicate, they’re muscling in on
and his favorite officers to the biggest finder’s fee the territory, not stamping out crime.
 I nhabited P lanets
The Rigel System The balmy Rigel II, called “the Pleasure Planet”,
houses estates owned by the Imperial elite. Its circuses,
The star called Rigel (sometimes called Beta casinos, and joy domes provide the most fashionable
Orionis) boasts more inhabitable planets than any forms of recreation to the privileged few. While 50,000
other in the Empire. Although three separate races or so of its original inhabitants work here as servants or
call it home, Terran colonists now outnumber all three slaves, most were forcibly relocated in 2180, when it
of them combined. was declared an Imperial preserve.
The heavily-populated Rigel III serves the Empire
as a manufacturing and transshipment point. Many of
the Empire’s biggest corporations maintain big branch
offices here. The planet’s heavy industries demand a
steady supply of off-world labor to replace workers
killed in frequent industrial accidents. One of the
rising stars of the Bureau of Interstellar Hegemony,
an administrator named John Hengist, brilliantly
manages its complex economy. After investigators
connected him to a series of shallow graves in a
national park near Rigel III’s capital, he confessed
to history’s most infamous murders. He was, he
said, possessed by an immortal entity responsible
for the killing sprees of Redjac, Beratis, Kesla, and
Jack the Ripper. A fascinated public made him a
celebrity. The Emperor granted him a rare license
to kill. Reviewers praised his recently-published
memoirs as an inspirational manual destined
for classic status. Tight security now surrounds
Hengist, to keep groupies away from him. He
complains they make his job too difficult and
his hobby too easy.
Rigel V, once the jewel of the system, was
evacuated two years ago when an experi-
mental variety of artificial blood developed
sentience, mobility, and a predatory appetite.
Selected residents only had a few hours’
CHAPTER SEVEN

notice before being beamed to Rigel III by a

chain of ships operating a transporter relay
system. They left most of their valuables
behind. Heavily-armed extraction teams,
often funded by Ferengi salvage agencies,
periodically beam down to loot the planet’s
empty cities. These tense operations test
even the bravest man’s mettle; the blood
beasts, capable of sensing the bio-readings
of living beings, converge on intruders
within minutes. Fast-moving, capable of
changing shape or turning into a corro-
sive liquid, and immune to phaser blasts
or even old-fashioned gunfire, the blood
beasts often claim a team member or two
before the mission gets scrubbed. (Like
the Rigelian blood used as the basis for
the experiment, the creatures are green.)

68
 The Kaylar, a race of primitive hunter-gatherers, Powerful storms scourge the surface of the barely
called Rigel VII home until 2254, when a fight broke out habitable Rigel XII. A few hundred miners extract
between Kaylar warriors and crew members of the I.S.S. lithium from rich mineral veins beneath the planet’s
Enterprise, commanded by Christopher Pike. In retali- surface. Although lithium is no longer used in warp
ation, Pike bombarded the surface, destroying many engines, Imperial scientists still use it to power
Kaylar camps and religious sites. Over the intervening many of their experimental devices. Several research
years, slave traders captured about ninety percent of the bases cluster around the mines in order to access
Kaylar population. Kaylar slaves became fashionable in large quantities of comparatively inexpensive lithium.
aristocratic Terran circles; their culture reminded buyers Science Ministry Security teams protect and moni-
of noble savages from Earth’s ancient past. Kaylar men tor the researchers. The biggest base belongs jointly

WORLDS OF THE EMPIRE
serve as ceremonial guards; women, as pleasure slaves. to the Ministry and Keeler Aerospace. Rumor has it
A marginal group of Kaylar still hide in the deep forests that they’re working on a so-called “super weapon”
of Rigel VII. Terran colonists moved in to take over this or “planet smasher.” The Science Police recently
verdant planet, setting up industries to rival those of apprehended a trio of surgically-altered Romulan
Rigel III. Displaced residents of Rigel V were relocated agents attempting to infiltrate the mining camp; no
to Rigel VII two years ago. The Empire still hasn’t made doubt they were trying to gather intelligence on this
the necessary infrastructure adjustments to accom- top-secret project. The Cardassian government offers
modate an additional two billion people. Colonists a reward equalling about half a billion credits in
must resort to bribery, sneak thievery or hijacking just exchange for the planet smasher’s full schematics.
to secure adequate housing, food, and potable water.
Even government administrators find themselves engag- The Orions
ing in various scams to provide their families with the Orion origins remain murky. They claim to come
necessities of life. Awful living conditions embolden from Rigel VII, but the Kaylar evolved there, and it’s
ordinary people to speak out against the regime. Local rare for two sentient species to develop on the same
leaders, stuck in the same boat with them, turn a blind planet. They might come from Rigel II, the now-unin-
eye to their sedition. Imperial Security teams sent to habitable Rigel VIII, or any of half a dozen worlds in
crack down on dissent scarcely know where to begin. the Orion constellation. Orions like to cultivate an air
Although it would be cheaper for the Empire simply of mystery about themselves.
to supply Rigel VII with the resources it needs, hard- Orions are Humanoid; many of them have green
liners back home refuse to do anything that might be skin. An Orion sub-caste displays animalistic traits:
construed as giving in to malcontents. Imperial Security they’re larger, more hirsute, less intelligent, and more
launches periodic but half-hearted attempts to crack perceptive than the norm. These traits may appear on a
down, fearing planetwide riots of they push too hard. recessive gene; two normal Orions can sire an animal-
Meanwhile, troublemakers and dissidents from other istic child. Although Orions seem to mistreat and abuse
corners of the Empire have heard that they’ll enjoy near- their savage kin, they claim to view the birth of a wild
total freedom to operate if they relocate to Rigel VII. child as a sign that they enjoy the favor of their dread
Fugitives and traitors hide out on the planet, relying on deity, which they refer to only as Q.
a sympathetic populace to protect them. Its lawlessness
also provides cover for the Orion Cabal, a criminal cult
The Orion Cabal: About ten per cent of Orions
seem to actively and enthusiastically worship Q; this
69
described in more detail below. group is known as the Orion Cabal. As a show of devo-
 tion to their hungry, chaotic deity, the Cabal engages in god. Otherwise, they murder the agent, leaving behind
criminal activity ranging from unlicensed prostitution a horribly mutilated corpse.
to Human sacrifice. Their priests have no objection Cabal operations extend throughout the Galaxy,
to cabal members making a living. They even broker past the Empire’s borders. The Cabal’s ultimate goal
worshippers’ services as assassins, burglars, kidnap- is to release Q from his dimensional shackles. Q will
pers, and smugglers. However, cabalists also commit then ravage the known Galaxy, concentrating his wrath
outrageous acts of sabotage and terrorism for religious on Humankind. He will remake the very laws of phys-
reasons. They believe that their god wants them to add ics, changing his loyal worshippers into beings like
to the world’s supply of suffering, confusion, and fear. himself. Together, they will rule a shattered reality.
Orion legend has it that Q once walked among The Procurer’s Guild: Female Orions of the
men in the universe we know. This formless entity set animalistic persuasion are the most coveted pleasure
out to conquer Humankind, as it had done with so slaves in the Galaxy. You can’t just take a wild green
many other races. But the treacherous Humans found woman and expect her to live up to the legend. An
a secret—perhaps a god-like ally, or maybe an ancient extensive and esoteric training program is required
incantation—which they used to banish Q to an extra- to teach her not only the arts of love, but the restraint
dimensional prison. Now he is able to communicate required not to kill or injure her clientele. A cadre of
only to his chosen people, the Orions, and even then Orion procurers jealously keeps the secrets of the train-
only through certain ancient religious ceremonies. ing regimen, preventing others from muscling in on
Robed and hooded Orion priests gather together to their lucrative vocation. The Procurers’ Guild denies
preside over obscene rites, sacrificing to Q at least one any connections to the Orion Cabal, but anyone look-
of his favored animalistic children. For a few short min- ing at the right intelligence files can see that the two
utes, the luckiest worshippers feel the direct presence organizations do frequent business together.
of his ineffable evil. They hear him giving them orders. Senatorial interference protects the guild from a
They feel his power coursing through their bodies, serious investigation. Orion slave girls are not only
granting them powers incomprehensible to science. status symbols, but exert an almost addictive influence
With these allegedly supernatural powers, high- on men who spend too much time in their proximity.
caste Orions more than rival the Ferengi zakrim as ter- Several months ago, one zealous Security officer was
rifying killers. If you believe the stories, the Assassins enslaved by order of the Senate after he got too close to
of Q can turn invisible, walk through walls, dodge Procurer’s Guild’s secrets and refused to whitewash his
phaser fire, and survive unprotected in the vacuum of report. Now he’s scraping Bolrean barnacles off ship
space. Although popular imagination portrays them hulls on Bolarus IX.
as robed, chanting, green-skinned zealots stinking of Subtler minds have suggested a second reason
brimstone and incense, truly effective assassins don’t behind the protection enjoyed by the guild; Senators use
go around blatantly advertising their sinister intentions. procurers as go-betweens to hire Assassins of Q. When
That cowed-looking slave, bored maintenance worker, they need someone killed right away, they find it easy to
CHAPTER SEVEN

or pustule-covered beggar might well be a disguised forget that they’re enriching the Empire’s enemies.
Assassin of Q. If anything, many Senators’ chief grievance against
Not all members of the Orion Cabal are of Orion the guild revolves around a question of authentic-
origin. The sect does, however, screen out Terrans. ity. Guild members have been known to take normal
Vulcans, Betazoids, and Andorians, so races closely Orion females and subject them to a genetic alteration
aligned with the Terrans find it nearly impossible to process allowing them to mimic the animal women.
join. The greater your species’ grievance against the Although these counterfeits look just like the real thing,
Empire, the more likely you are to be accepted. and even exude the narcotic pheromones of true ani-
Imperial Security treats the Orion Cabal as a major mal women, not all of them can successfully simulate
threat. In a way, they’d have an easier job if more the necessary fervor in the bedchamber. The guild
Orions belonged to it. Then they could just detain denies that counterfeits even exist, but issues quiet
every Orion in sight. They may still do this if they get refunds if prodded hard enough.
desperate enough, but for the moment they’re stick- Ordinary Orions: Although most Orions enjoy
ing to the more cost-effective strategy of arresting and seeing their compatriots striking fear into the hearts
killing only bona fide cabal members. Even so, they of arrogant Humans, they’re otherwise uninvolved in
figure they eliminate three innocent or peripherally the cabal. Some, motivated solely by greed, might aid
involved Orions for every actual high-level worship- them in their illegal enterprises, or act as independent
per they nab. At the same time, the Cabal has proven criminals. The vast majority of them are ordinary peo-
itself adept at sniffing out undercover Security agents. ple who just want to survive; they’re no different from
70 If they can safely do so, they spirit captured agents
away for interrogation and eventual feeding to their
the average Terran citizen. As such, they have little
impact on galactic affairs.
 share a living chamber. Women no longer conceive
naturally; all Tiburonese births occur in the test tube.
Along with their immune systems, the Tiburonese
lost their sex drives. This happened even before they
donned the contamination suits full-time. True to form,
they developed a technological substitute for normal
sexual contact: exposure to orgone energy. Alone in
this chamber, they bathe in this curious form of radia-
tion, which bypasses the body to directly stimulate
the brain’s erotic pleasure centers. Other species can
take orgone baths, too, feeling the same sensations as
Tiburonese. However, those capable of making bodily
contact with romantic partners say that the experience
Tiburon pales in comparison to the real thing.
Orgone energy can be gathered only from other
The repressed and phobic Tiburonese tread ponder- Humanoid species. The more overtly sexual the species,
ously through the Empire’s walkways and corridors in the higher the quality of their orgone energy. Tellarites
their encumbering environmental suits. They allow their emit weak orgone fields. Tiburonese find exposure to
obsessive terror of contamination to rule their daily Human orgone energy intensely pleasurable. Green
lives. Even the bravest Terran can’t help finding these Orion slave women top the charts, second only to
wheezing vassals, with their steamed-up faceplates and Vulcans experiencing Pon farr. Vulcans orgones har-
torsos swaddled in interlocking wreaths of breathing vested at other times exert virtually no effect on their
tubes, creepy. If it weren’t for the advanced robotics and users. The orgone extraction procedure irreparably dam-
other industrial technologies they bring to the table, the ages the donor. Damaged orgone fields don’t regenerate
Terrans probably wouldn’t tolerate them at all. over time. Full orgone extraction reduces the subject to
Though it’s hard to get a good look at a Tiburonese a desiccated corpse. Because orgone technicians can’t
through the mask of his suit helmet, these Humanoids tap a donor more than once, the energy is an expensive

WORLDS OF THE EMPIRE
stand several inches taller, on average, than Humans. commodity tied to the price of slaves. Tiburon imports
They sport elaborately flanged ears and a pattern of thousands of slaves per month for orgone extraction pur-
small bumps on their foreheads. Tiburon is a once- poses. The orgone market now serves as the backbone
verdant world that has been entirely urbanized for of the local economy. Slave traders love Tiburon; it buys
centuries. By the time of their surrender to the Empire slaves too unhealthy or truculent to be useful anywhere
in 2130, the Tiburonese had colonized a number of else. Its insatiable demand for slaves keeps the supply
nearby Class-M planets as agricultural bases. They also tight and prices high. The enslaved, on the other hand,
occupy the planet Ucali. The Ucali and Tiburonese desperately fear shipment to Tiburon: you can’t be freed
were once separate species; they went to war when if you’re a dried-out mummy.
they first developed spaceflight. The warrior Ucali suc-
cessfully invaded and occupied Tiburon, but the deca-
dent and civilized Tiburonese won out in the end, con-
verting the Ucali to their materialistic ways. The two
groups interbred and are no longer distinguishable. Org one Extr act ion
The Tiburonese have always been irrationally pre-
ls his Vitality +
occupied with hygiene. During the last few centuries, A character’s orgone field strength equa
For each fifte en-minute peri-
their fears proved justified, as pollutants suppressed Presence + Courage points.
ction Cham ber, the player
their immune systems. In 2107, the first of several od spent in an Orgone Extra
ion test (TN 15) or the char-
plagues swept the Tiburon system. The Tiburonese must make a Stamina react
stren gth. He loses Courage
bent all of their technological know-how to conquer- acter loses 1 point of that
ity. Whe n Vital ity reaches
ing them, but bacterial strains mutated faster than the first, then Presence, then Vital
to orgo ne extr actio n do not
cures. The germ synthococcus novae causes the worst 0, he dies. Points lost due
may creat e a story line in
still-extant disease, which is slowly fatal and so far heal, though the Narrator
extr aord inary reme dy for
incurable. By 2122, all Tiburonese were wearing anti- which the Crew pursues an
, a chara cter trapp ed in
contamination suits from cradle to grave. They only the character’s loss. Obviously
prov ides a nice race again st
take off the suits in their own living chambers, each of an orgone extraction booth
assu ming that the poor fool
which is equipped with an advanced air filtration sys- time for a rescue scenario—
tem that seeks out and destroys airborne bacterium on
the molecular level. Tiburonese are so afraid of disease
has something of value to merit a rescu
e, that is.
71
that they never touch one another. Not even spouses
 Vega IX Vulcan
Vega IX is best known as the place where the The central question surrounding the Vulcans is
famous Captain Kirk faced the second great test of whether they joined the Empire out of a sense of weak-
his ruthlessness. This previously-uninhabited Class-M ness and self-preservation, or whether they decided they
planet in the Lyra constellation underwent Terran colo- could easily manipulate the impulsive Terrans as the
nization in 2230. The Bureau of Interstellar Hegemony true powers behind the throne. Either way, you can be
chose it for strategic reasons, even though its barren, assured that the decision they took upon first contact with
rocky surface offered little in the way of local resources Humans in 2063 resounded with unquestionable logic.
to prospective settlers. Vega IX perches on the edge of In the ancient past, the Vulcans were a warlike,
Klingon space; the Empire wanted a colony there in highly emotional people. Constant warfare between
order to make territorial claims in the event of a rene- nations, clans, and ideological groups kept the arid soil
gotiated peace settlement. of the planet Vulcan green the with the blood of the
In 2265, a meteor landed outside the main Vegan vanquished. Two thousand years ago, an unflinching
settlement, Orbis. It affected Orbis’ preadolescent chil- dictator named Surak arose. He proclaimed a new day
dren, giving them great powers of suggestion over their in Vulcan history by introducing the discipline of logic
parents and other adult blood relatives. The kids, agi- and emotional restraint. Armed with logic, the Vulcans
tated by 10-year-old ringleader Jason Dukes, demanded would live in an orderly society. They would fight oth-
that their families leave the planet in search of some- ers, if need be, but not other Vulcans.
where more fun. The parents applied for departure Rejecting this doctrine were the followers of Tellus,
permits en masse, prompting the Bureau to pass a law a philosopher who argued that a people who discarded
forbidding any colonist from leaving Vega IX for any their anger, recklessness and sense of vengeance made
CHAPTER SEVEN

reason. Under the psychic domination of the children, themselves ideal targets for conquering savages. Order
colonists staged a coup, imprisoning childless adminis- was a virtue, Tellus howled, but logic was not. He and
trators and declaring Vega independent of the Empire. his people fled the planet. They eventually became
Kirk’s Enterprise responded to distress calls. His Security the Romulan people. Since then, the two groups have
forces quickly rounded up the chief conspirators. It engaged in periodic warfare. Romulans still wish to prove
didn’t take Kirk long to realize that the children had Tellus right by destroying the Vulcans. Vulcans consider
psychically inveigled their elders into their rash move it illogical to allow a sworn enemy to live. None of their
against Imperial sovereignty. He therefore sent 5,000 wars proved decisive, although the most recent one, from
parents to the firing squad, to teach the children a les- 1939 to 2041, did more damage to Vulcan than to the
son about the responsibilities of power in a harsh world. Romulan Star Empire.
Having pacified the situation, he left, advising local Perhaps these military setbacks led the Vulcan leader-
administrators to ship the psychic children to Vulcan for ship to assume the supine position when dealing with the
study and possible training as intelligence agents and Humans. When first contact came in 2063, they offered
assassins. The transport ship taking Dukes and the others themselves up as vassals rather than full partners. The
to Vulcan veered off course and was never seen again. only one who knows for sure is T’Pau, who was then a
Inquiry into the incident revealed that the vessel’s pilot junior member of the diplomatic delegation and is now
was the illegitimate, probably unknowing, father of one head of state. Everyone else who was present is now dead
of the children. Since then, several sightings of the lost or missing. Such things tend to happen to those who
children have occurred on Vega IX. Remaining colonists know T’Pau too well.
72 now wonder what vengeance the children intend to
wreak on them.
At any rate, T’Pau has in the intervening years bril-
liantly managed her relationships with one Emperor after
another, always preserving her world’s position as vassal
among vassals. Now two hundred and twenty-two years
old, she doesn’t lure Emperors to her bedchambers like Other Worlds
she used to. A cadre of younger Vulcan seductresses
stalks the halls of the Imperial palace, bending Senators The Empire is much larger than the Federation. Many
and cabinet officials to their will, coaxing them into see- worlds not yet discovered by the Federation’s 23rd cen-
ing them the inescapable logic of their positions. tury explorers already writhe beneath the boots of the
Those immune to Vulcan charms learn to fear them. Empire’s 23rd century conquerors. Here we briefly men-
Wielding psionic powers subtler, yet more insidiously tion a handful of the Empire’s other worlds.
deadly, than those of the Betazoids, Vulcan mind-warp- Imitative Humanoids who style themselves as 20th
ers needn’t fear the Beatty Method (see p. XX). T’Pau’s century Humans fight for supremacy on Sigma Iota II.
enemies should also worry about the vast catalogue of Once, due to a slight misunderstanding involving an
ancient Vulcan poisons, many of which elude detec- early Imperial exploratory vessel, the Iotians took on the
tion to all but the most skillful coroners. Then there are style of Human gangsters from the early 20th century.
the dozens of Vulcan snakes, insects, and lizards, often Sociologists from the Bureau of Interstellar Hegemony
boasting nasty toxins of their own, who skitter about in introduced other texts to selected population centers
response to their trainers’ mental commands. as an experiment in social engineering. Now various
T’Pau lives a reclusive existence in a citadel on the gangs, each following its own eccentric interpretation of
desolate Plain of Tai-La. This imposing edifice confronts Earth’s most savage century, battle it out: madly scien-
those rare few who gaze on it with a vision of cruel tific Einsteins target totalitarian Stalinoids, while paranoid
beauty. Its multiple latticed roofs are each filigreed with Oswalds maintain surveillance on Carterian cyborgs.
gleaming liquid ludugial gold held in place by a force On Organia, a joint Tiburonese-Vulcan scientific
field. Musk-scented hallways snake confusingly through team maintains the sophisticated equipment that keeps
the structure, wending from torture chamber to treasury the Organians imprisoned. The Organians, noncorporeal
to pleasure gallery. Secret panels conceal elevators, stair- energy beings with god-like powers, fell prey to a team
cases, spy-holes, and spider crawlways. Eunuch servants, of Science Ministry researchers after first attempting
eyes and tongues gouged out, shuffle through the struc- to impose on the Empire a peace agreement with the
ture, navigating by clairvoyance. Alliance. The team now studies the Organian energy

WORLDS OF THE EMPIRE
T’Pau’s minions are everywhere. Only a fraction of matrices in hopes of granting pseudo-divine powers
them are Vulcans. Would-be lackeys come from the far to Humans and their allies. If that fails, they’ll use the
corners of the Galaxy to offer themselves to her, body and Organians as an energy source.
soul. She snares just as many unwilling servitors through The planet Husnock serves as a containment camp for
blackmail, mind control, and outright coercion. The an almost psychotically violent species of the same name.
dungeons of her citadel hold hostage dozens of people Their propensity for frenzied aggression had them mired
whose family members serve T’Pau, hoping to earn their in a pre-industrial stage of development when Imperial
freedom. Some say that her network of conspirators forces occupied the planet seventeen years ago. The
shapes every significant event within the Empire. Others Husnock would make superb ground troops if only the
wisely fear her but deny her quite that degree of omni- secret of taming them could be found. Imperial person-
presence. Senator Sarek maintains his distance from her, nel oversee various behavior-modification experiments to
doing her bidding from Earth. These days, he almost never attempt to bring discipline to the Husnock. A number of
travels to Vulcan. scientists recently died when their bases were overrun.
Vulcans follow T’Pau because it is logical to obey the Acamar III presents an example of a typical recent con-
strongest leader. Such leaders bring order, without which queree. Its clan-based society has always been wracked
there can be no logic. By the same token, they claim that by vicious feuds. After conquering it last year, Terran
it is eminently logical to follow an obviously superior occupation forces worked to exploit this inter-tribal vio-
empire, rather than be conquered. Whether you believe lence, keeping the natives at one another’s throats while
this or not depends on your assessment of T’Pau’s capa- they drain the planet dry of resources and treasure. When
bilities. Does she truly obey the Emperor out of perceived the people stop fighting one another, they’ll realize that
weakness, or is he always just a screen for her own mach- their economy has been devastated. Then they’ll be left to
inations? After all, it would be logical to have a figurehead toil in poverty, or forced to labor in Imperial factories.
attract attention—and assassination attempts—while one
ruled the Galaxy in seclusion.

73
 VIII
ENEMIES
OF THE EMPIRE
Good citizens of the Empire pursue a simple duty: they must seek out and smash Imperial enemies. Foes are
not difficult to find; anyone who does not bow down to the Emperor in willing vassalage fits the definition.
Of course, not all enemies are created equal. The Empire faces three major regional powers: the Romulans,
Klingons, and Cardassians. No single power represents a serious threat to its galactic hegemony, but the
Klingons and Cardassians recently allied with one another, and that gives pause to even the War Ministry’s most
fire-breathing warmongers.

Klingons
Like the barbarians who harried the borders of at Starfleet. Now that they’ve allied themselves with the
Imperial Rome, the Klingons strike from the fringes of the Cardassians, yoking their indomitable will to make war
Terran Empire, a constant source of both irritation to the to the Union’s industrial base, the days of jury-rigged
Imperium and danger to colonists on outlying worlds. vessels will soon be over. The Empire must ready itself
THREE

Human Emperors often compare them to fire ants; their for perhaps its greatest challenge ever.
CHAPTER EIGHT
FOUR

bite is painful, and they’re nearly impossible to eradi-

H istory
TWO

cate. The Empire conquered their homeworld, Qo’noS,

in 2218, but this simply forced the Klingons out into the Klingons regard history as too sacred to be written
rimward fringes of space. Captured Klingons make ter- down; they prefer to sing their great moments in stylized,
rible slaves; they refuse to eat, let alone work, starving operatic performances most other cultures find intoler-
themselves to death if held prisoner without chance of able. Thus it is hard to separate myth from history.
escape. Naturally, if there is a chance of escape, they Like their rivals, Klingons started out as barbaric
do so, fleeing to Klingon space, where they rejoin their tribesmen perpetually raiding one another for food
compatriots to steel themselves for further incursions and territory. The Klingons, though, defiantly hold fast
into Human territory. Terrans match Klingons in ferocity, to their ancient heritage, sneering at what others call
determination, and ruthlessness, and far outstrip them enlightened values. Every advance they’ve made has
in technology and access to supplies. The chief Klingon kept them true to their culture of savagery and con-
advantage over the Humans is the rapidity of their quest. Only once did they flirt with the civilizing influ-
breeding. For every Klingon warrior the Terrans kill, ences that, in their view, have made their opponents
another nine frantically train with bat’leth and disrup- weak and complacent. They tell the story like this:
tor, anxious to join the fray and prove their manhood. “Fifteen hundred years ago, a terrible tyrant named
If you strike off a Klingon’s leg but allow him to make Molor arose, aided by an army of unthinking minions,
it back to his home territory, beware. He’ll join the to conquer the warring tribes and unite the planet
74 legion of the maimed and elderly who, despite scarce
materials and inadequate facilities, manages to cobble
Qo’noS. Molor sought to change the Klingon people.
He wanted them to adopt a concept he called honor.
together one rickety bird of prey after another to throw It would replace the lust for conquest as the highest
goal of a Klingon warrior, forcing men to restrain their his father, whom he killed for the designs), and he’d
true urges. Luckily, where tyrants tread, heroes always volunteer his new warship for duty in learning about
come to defeat them. The hero of that time was Kahless and suppressing the Klingons. Archer’s plan worked; he
the Unstoppable, who fought and slew Molor, consign- vaulted into command of the most advanced Imperial
ing his false doctrine to the grave.” vessel of the day. Within only a few months his expedi-
Kahless may have hated Molor’s theory of honor, tion encountered a damaged Klingon vessel. He offered
but he liked the worldwide empire, and kept it in to rescue the crew if they would serve as slaves, but they
place. Throughout his reign, he put down near-per- refused; nevertheless, he managed to salvage the vessel,
petual revolts from regional warlords seeking to test enslave its occupants, and drop them off on a nearby
his strength. One of them finally killed him in single H-class (barely habitable) world. By the time Starfleet’s
combat, smashing his head in and throwing him off a slower ships could arrive there months later, his prison-
cliff for good measure. Superstitious Klingons believe ers were thoroughly broken, and Archer’s Vulcan science
that Kahless’ ghost sometimes materializes in the midst officer and pleasure slave T’Pol had cracked the Klingon
of battle, guiding the hands of the fiercest generals. technologies of shields and photon torpedoes.
Kahless’ slayer didn’t last long as world emperor. A By the late 22nd century, the new starship designs of
few months later, warlords loyal to the man he’d killed the Terran Empire were ready, and the Empire decided
stormed his stronghold and slew him. Then they fought to send a message to the raggedy Klingons. The I.S.S.
each other over the succession. Until the modern age, Ranger warped into the Qo’noS system and arrogantly
Klingon history swung like a pendulum between world demanded the Klingons surrender. The Klingons agreed,
government and utter anarchy. asking only the mercy of being allowed to surrender
Warfare drove Klingon scientific advances; warlords in their own sacred ceremony—a ceremony that the
hoping to become world emperor funded researchers Klingons soon revealed as a desperate ambush! Siezing
who promised them superior weapons and equipment. the Ranger, the Klingons rapidly decimated the econo-
They developed prewarp space vessels in the early mies of their slave worlds building copies, but even
20th century, spurred on by a world emperor named these ships and Klingon ferocity couldn’t stave off the
Kalok the Terrible. His sleeper ships put warriors in inevitable. Klingons hate to think of themselves as
a drug-induced state of suspended animation. Kalok ever being defeated, but the Starfleet campaign against

ENEMIES OF THE EMPIRE
planned for them to find new worlds to conquer, so them was so devastating that even they can’t deny what
that his warlords wouldn’t get restless and want to happened. The Terrans smashed their core colonies,
fight him. The explorers would report back, and then destroyed nine out of ten Klingon ships, and, eventu-
entire armies would be sent out on sleeper ships to ally even leveled and occupied the homeworld itself.
combat these new enemies. The Klingons pushed out Klingon survivors retreated to the fringe of colonies and
to other planets, building their space empire. Most of conquered worlds furthest from Terran space.
the worlds in close proximity to their own were just as
resource-poor as Qo'noS was. None of the races they R econstruction and R evenge
conquered had achieved industrial economies. Still, In the wake of their defeat, the Klingons retooled
the effort did what Kalok wanted, giving his generals their society to achieve one overriding goal: the
something better to do than challenge his supremacy. destruction of the Terran Empire. They want vengeance.
In the 22nd century, the Klingon Empire encountered They want their homeworld back. They’ve discarded
a much greater problem: the Terran Empire. A Klingon every tradition and custom that doesn’t somehow bring
warrior trying to return with evidence of alien interfer- them closer to these goals.
ence in the war of the great Houses wound up crash- Klingon females were once warriors, just like the
landing on Earth. The Terran security and intelligence males. Now any woman of child-bearing age must do
bureaus tortured him for information; under the influ- nothing other than breed. Post-menopausal women,
ence of various sedatives applied by the Denobulan Dr. along with the elderly and infirm, build Klingon star-
Phlox (who’d come to Earth in order to experiment with ships. Young men are no longer raised among their fami-
“holistic”—that is, theoretically unsound—treatments on lies. They’re gathered up as soon as they’re old enough
other species), the warrior gave up information about the to lift a disruptor and taken to military training camps.
Klingon Empire and its location. This contact prompted Klingons alone can’t build enough vessels to fulfill
Starfleet to finish its designs for more powerful warships, military requirements. They satisfy their need for labor by
something that had been on the back burner due to hijacking enemy vessels and enslaving everyone aboard.
budgetary infighting over the importance of suppress- They hit Terran slave transport vessels whenever they
ing local colonial revolts on nearby worlds like Alpha can: these contain more potential workers than other
Centauri. Faced with the prospect of a larger empire vessel types, and fight back poorly. Klingon overseers
with superior technology, the recently-promoted Captain
Jonathan Archer proposed a plan to the Emperor: Fund
fear sabotage of their vessels by hostile slaves, and relent-
lessly police their every move. The Klingon command
75
the completion of his warp five engine (stolen from devotes considerable resources to guard shipbuilding
 facilities. Starfleet has attacked Klingon shipyards several They also insist on officers fraternizing only with
times, both to degrade the Klingon capacity for war, and the most intelligent of women. The Klingons need to
to rescue Imperial V.I.P.s held in the labor camps. breed an elite corps of clear-headed officers to direct
Klingon society’s old feudal trappings have been the new breed of slow-thinking thug they’re so deter-
tossed aside in favor of a straight-up military dictator- minedly producing.
ship. (They think they borrowed it from the Terrans, Another problem the average Klingon can’t help
but they missed the fine points—there is an Emperor, thinking about is hunger. Between their focus on the
but no Senate, for example.) They used to despise war effort and the poor farming conditions of the worlds
sabotage, assassination, and similar intelligence opera- they now occupy, food supplies always run dangerously
tions as cowardly. Not any more. The new Klingon low. Raids for food supplement low agricultural pro-
intelligence agency, the Khak’ma, makes the Romulan duction, but aren’t enough to keep every Klingon belly
Tal Shiar look like a croquet society. With the aid of full. The Klingon hunger for battle is literal: when they
hired instructors from the Orion Cabal (p. 69), they’ve board a vessel or overrun a starbase, the first thing any
become the quadrant’s masters of covert operations. crew does is ransack the larders in search of food.
Their greatest triumph in this area was the recent poi- Officers keep their warriors in line with the prom-
soning of grain headed for Sherman’s Planet, which ise of loot. This means that they sometimes have to hit
precipitated famine throughout an entire Terran sector. targets of little military importance because they’re rich
Some of its best agents, like Darvin, mastermind of with plunder. Despite the effort to break down family
the grain poisoning, are Klingons surgically altered to ties, warriors still show great concern for their relatives.
appear Human. Most, however, are aliens of various They strip any battle scene of everything they can pos-
species paid to gather information. Khak’ma officers sibly trade for food for themselves and their families.
routinely fool their agents into thinking they’re working Until recently, looted goods from Terran vessels often
for conspiracies within the Terran government. Many ended up back in Imperial territory, after being sold by
people send information to Khak’ma believing they’re Klingons to Orion Cabal fences. The practice contin-
serving T’Pau or a Senator planning a coup. ues, despite officers’ attempts to crack down on it.
Young Klingons grow up hearing about nothing
but vengeance against the Terrans. The only way to A lliance
gain admiration and status is to participate in the Klingon Emperor Kor decided that his people would
war effort. Male youngsters who want to do anything never be more than a peripheral threat to the Terrans
other than fight are beaten until they’re bristling with unless they freed themselves from poverty. When,
hatred. Women of child-bearing age who refuse to in 2266, Khak’ma operatives informed him of Terran
act as breeding machines are executed as traitors. The plans to hit the Cardassian Union, his fleet intervened.
last thing they ever see is a throng of relatives, former Starfleet managed to deal severe damage to Cardassian
friends, and neighbors, all screaming for their blood. ships, communications, and industries before Kor
Noncombatants who won’t work in the shipyards face arrived and turned the tide against them. Still, the
the same fate. Even willing workers face execution if Cardassians were eager to show their gratitude. Kor
CHAPTER EIGHT

they perform their jobs poorly: if a ship suffers damage entered into a mutual assistance pact with Cardassian
in the field due to a manufacturing defect, the responsi- Legate Cascul not long after. The Klingons offered man-
ble overseer is beheaded. Overseers enjoy life or death power and information on the enemy. The Cardassians
powers over their underlings; they may summarily kill provide them with the funding and technology they
any Klingon or slave for incompetence, dereliction of need to build vessels better able to compete with the
duty, or insubordination. best of Starfleet. The Alliance is young, and the two
The Klingons now deny themselves most leisure proud species haven’t yet learned to understand one
activities. They may write, recite, and listen to epic another. The Klingons think that civilization has sapped
verse, so long as the poems concern great victories of Cardassian drive and aggressiveness. Klingons think
the past, the coming humiliation of the Terrans, or the that Cardassians look down on them because they are
paradisiacal glories of lost Qo’noS. Klingons may also desperate. They grumble that Cardassians have never
perform or watch operas on the same subject. They really known the kind of deprivation they’d have faced
may drink themselves into a stupor while off-duty, so if it weren’t for Kor’s intervention, and don’t show
long as their work performance isn’t affected. enough gratitude for it.
The Klingons also routinely practice some selective Right now the strength of the Alliance hinges on
breeding; officers have the pick of the smartest, most the personal admiration Kor and Cascul bear for one
ferocious women, while warrior-thugs tend to father another. Kor sees Cascul’s perpetual teetering on the
more warrior-thug children. The Klingons realize that edge of violence as eminently Klingon. Cascul admires
76 their ability to overwhelm the enemy with rank after rank
of roaring, berserk warriors is crucial to their success,
Kor’s strategic foresight as worthy of a Cardassian.

and deliberately select for such traits in their soldiery.

 it was the wholesale abandonment of emotion. Tellus,
P rominent I ndividuals founder of an opposing movement, preached that the
Emperor Kor wins wide admiration for managing Vulcan people were defined by the strength of their
to be simultaneously a calculating, forward-thinking passions. Instead of abandoning their emotions, they
strategist and a bloodthirsty, vengeful warrior. Beneath should use them as fuel, building a social structure to
his back-slapping, bloodwine-guzzling demeanor lurks channel their innate violence toward a common goal.
a steel-trap mind. Despite his men’s misgivings about Tellus’ ragtag group of émigrés wandered through
the Cardassians as a people, they support the alliance space until they found a new world, Romulus, and
because it is Kor’s idea. They’d follow him into the pits declared it the seat of a new empire. Their first few
of Klingon hell if need be. centuries saw little conquest; the Romulans, as they
His right-hand man, Kang, heads the Klingon mili- now called themselves, had to struggle just to survive.
tary. He maintains iron control over both his officers As they did so, Tellus and his intellectual heirs created
and the overseers of the Empire’s shipbuilding efforts. a code of behavior for the society’s elite. This code,
Every so often he orders a round of executions just to called d’chaat, provided strict rules forcing its adher-
keep people on their toes. ents to show passionate comradeship for one another,
A ferocious warrior known only as the Albino and vicious hatred for outsiders.
helms the Khak’ma. Never quite at ease among the As the Romulan economy developed, individu-
traditional officer corps, he’s found his true role in life als with the closest blood ties to the original émigrés
as mastermind behind the Klingon security apparatus. formed a ruling caste. Throughout centuries of tumul-
The deaths of numerous Imperial Security agents can tuous social upheavals, they maintained control over
be traced to the Albino’s machinations. Little is known an ever-growing peasant class. The rules of d’chaat
about his personality, though reports suggest he’s quite changed to meet conditions, but always remained rigid,
the sadist. and kept the officer caste, as it was now styled, united.

D’ chaat
Romulans D’chaat roughly translates as “reputation.” A
Romulan officer’s overriding concern is for the respect

ENEMIES OF THE EMPIRE
At first glance, the Romulans may appear admira- and affection granted him by his superiors and peers.
ble, at least in comparison to their neighbors. Romulan If he loses his d’chaat, he must act quickly to recover
officers uphold a strict code of conduct. They show it, or face permanent ostracism. If ostracized, the offi-
great gallantry to their women and children. When an cer is expected to do the proper thing and fall on his
officer gives his word, he’d sooner die than go back on sword, to prevent the taint of d’kavla (loss of d’chaat)
it. They scorn the casual betrayals that mark relations from spreading to his heirs. An officer who fails to
between Human or Klingon warriors; instead, officers rectify his state of d’kavla loses his commission; if he
swear eternal loyalty to one another, and mean it. remains among Romulans, his former cadre mates are
There is no better way for a Romulan to die than in an obligated to kill him on sight. They needn’t do so if they
attempt to save a member of the same cadre. encounter him off Romulan soil, though many will do
This is all fine and good if you happen to be a so anyway.
Romulan officer. If you’re a Romulan from a lower Every able-bodied young man or woman of the offi-
class, or a member of any other species, you’ll see cer caste is presumed to enter his career with a good
the true, sadistic face of their civilization. The officer’s reputation (unless one of his living parents is in a state
code allows them to do literally anything to you with- of d’kavla.) For the rest of his life, the Romulan officer
out fear of reproach. They may hunt you for sport. Or must take action to protect his reputation whenever it
wound you to see how long it takes you to bleed to is threatened. The most important rules of today’s code
death. Almost compulsively racist, they exterminate of d’chaat are as follows:
entire species in the name of hygiene. If it weren’t
for their obsessive and largely self-destructive effort • The officer must accept any challenge against his
to exterminate their Vulcan cousins, they’d have laid d’chaat made against him by another officer of
waste to an even greater swath of the Alpha Quadrant, good reputation. The two disputants resolve the
probably exterminating dozens of species. challenge by dueling—see below.

O rigins • The officer may not let any other officer call his
The Romulan nation was born in 379, when reputation, or that of his spouse/fiancée, children,
Vulcans who didn’t want to adopt Surak’s doctrine or ancestors, into question, without challenging
of logic and order fled the planet. They did so after
waging an unsuccessful terrorist campaign to destroy
him to a duel. 77
Surak’s movement. It wasn’t the order they objected to;
 • Upon graduation from officer’s training school, • He may not show cowardice or insubordination
the officer must swear an oath of mutual protec- while carrying out orders given him by a superior.
tion with a cadre of fellow officers called a projat.
A projat’s membership may not exceed thirteen • He may not allow aliens or inferior-caste Romulans
members, or drop below six. A projat may take on to publicly address him in a familiar manner, insult
additional members to replace slain officers. If its him, or question his authority or reputation. He
membership falls below six, the cadre disbands and may not permit them to touch him without express
its members seek new projats. Each officer refers to or tacit permission. One does not duel with such
other members of the projat as his fellows. riff-raff; one kills them outright.

• An officer cannot stand idly by while one of his fel- • An officer may not have sexual contact of any kind
lows is in danger, even if it means the sacrifice of with aliens.
CHAPTER EIGHT

his own life.

• He may not marry a lower-caste Romulan.
• He must similarly be willing to sacrifice himself to
come to the aid of any officer’s minor child, infirm • He suffers disrepute if he commits adultery in
parent or grandparent, or non-combatant spouse such a way as to make another officer aware of his
or fiancée. behavior.

• He may not insult a fellow, unless issuing a formal • If an officer learns that his or her spouse has com-
challenge for disreputable conduct. mitted adultery, he/she must murder the spouse and
challenge to a duel the officer who has cuckolded
• He may not steal from, or lie to, another officer. him/her.

• He may not do violence to another officer, except • If an officer’s daughter or female ward engages in
in the course of a duel, or in fulfillment of other premarital sex, he must murder her. If her deflow-
d’chaat requirements. erer is an officer, he must challenge the officer to a
duel. If not, he must murder him.
• He cannot witness another officer’s act of disrepute
without challenging him to a duel. If the malefactor • He may not touch garbage, decomposing flesh or
78 is a fellow, the duel must be to the death. other filth except in the performance of his military
duties. Neither may he willingly enter a quaran-
tined, vermin-infested, or disease-ridden area.
 in the best of times, a Romulan officer enjoys total
freedom to kill an alien (or for that matter, low-caste
Romulan) for any reason at all. Most casual killings of
this type occur when the Romulan fears that the victim
is “breathing on him” or “tracking in bacteria.”
In times of defeat or social unrest, Romulans may
target entire conquered species, herding them into
extermination camps for so-called “sanitary neutral-
ization.” Over the past three hundred years, they’ve
done this to seven races, including the Zontak, Rurun,
Skwahali, and El-Aurians.
With curled lip and raised eyebrow, Romulan offi-
cers proudly proclaim their racial and class prejudices
at every conversational opportunity. Their all-encom-
passing term for aliens, virikjsh, literally means “filth”.
They call their own lower classes ajaltho, or “dirt mon-
gers.” They call Humans raalar, after a particularly loud
and toothy ape native to Romulus’ rankest swamps.
Klingons are wuspsak, (“worm-eaters”); Cardassians,
sapha-phaa (“conjoiners with the dead”). Worst of all,
D ueling of course, are the Vulcans, who they call d’kavla-ot-
The recipient of a challenge to duel chooses the shik—“disreputable ones who must be eradicated.”
weapons. Officers raise their children to parrot these slurs.
He may opt for unarmed combat, in which case the Romulan disdain for other species has even affect-
duel is settled when one combatant is knocked uncon- ed the course of their technological development.
scious. Strict rules dictate the types of blows permitted Early in Romulan space development, a Romulan
in unarmed combat; they somewhat resemble the box- research scientist claimed to be able to build, in the-

ENEMIES OF THE EMPIRE
ing regulations of Federation Earth. Duel supervisors ory, a so-called “cloaking device” which would make
never call off a fight to protect a duelist’s health. It is Romulan ships invisible to their enemies. Offended,
not especially rare for one combatant to beat the other military high commanders argued that Romulan ships
to death. should not need to hide from filthy alien scum! The
Duel by beam weapon employs specially rigged aliens, they said, should always know that Romulans
disruptors capable of firing one shot apiece. The duel- are coming, to give them time to be overcome with
ists start back to back and walk thirty paces counted fear. One of the officers was so affronted by this sug-
off by the duel supervisor. When the countdown ends, gestion that he challenged the scientist, an ex-officer,
they turn and fire. The duelists repeat the procedure to a duel. The high commander killed the scientist.
until at least one of them is hit. Dueling disruptors are The Romulan Empire of the Mirror Universe never
set to Light Disrupt A. pursued the mythical cloaking device.
Blade duels typically use the chala, a long, thin
sword not unlike a rapier. Although a chala hit is more T he S tar E mpire
likely to scar than wound, a skilled or fervent swords- Because of their propensity for genocide, few sur-
man can quite handily kill with it. viving alien races live under the Romulan yoke. Most
of their several dozen worlds are colonies. Kirk wiped
C leanliness , R acism , out much of their industrial base during his 2265 attack
and G enocide against them. An arduous rebuilding process awaits
Romulans obsess over cleanliness, physical and them. Nonetheless, they’re diverting much-needed
spiritual. They attribute military losses to insufficient personnel, funds, and equipment to the extermination
cultural hygiene. After a major loss, such as Kirk’s of the Cl’cli’cl, a race of insectoid Humanoids whose
recent, devastating sally against them, they root out homeworld they conquered fifteen years ago. The
and destroy so-called unclean influences. Officers Cl’cli’cl, who were at the agrarian level of develop-
scrutinize each other’s behavior for telltale signs of ment when the Romulans took over, can by no rational
d’kavla. measure be held responsible for Kirk’s victory. But the
High-caste Romulans believe that filth originates Romulans are an emotional people.
among the lower classes and aliens, spreading upward The Romulans should be, but aren’t, grateful to
to taint them when their vigilance lapses. They imagine
all sorts of nauseating practices among these groups.
the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. Without them, the
Terrans would surely be pressing their advantage and
79
Aliens especially take the brunt of their neurosis. Even occupying Romulus at this very moment. They’re not
 doing so because it would leave them open for an Cardassian sector. By chance, however, the Cardassians
Alliance assault. In the meantime, the Romulan Star were spared—the Empire, already stretched and gorg-
Empire gets the breathing room it needs to survive. ing itself on its successes, has started to fall to its own
The Star Empire’s head of state is the Praetor. His internal viciousness.
post is hereditary. If he dies without an heir, the oldest
members of each of the sixteen ancient founding fami- H istory
lies gather in conclave to choose a new dynasty. The Of the four major powers, the Cardassians boast
Praetor’s reputation and cleanliness must be beyond the longest accurate history. Human civilization goes
reproach; should he dishonor himself, he falls on his back about 4,000 years. Vulcan history predates it by
sword so that an heir can quickly take his place. The less than a thousand years. Klingon recorded history
Praetor directly commands all branches of the civil goes back a long ways, but they rewrite at will, show-
government, as well as the Star Navy and Tal Shiar. ing little respect for the past. As explained in Culture,
The latter is the much-feared Romulan intelligence below, the Cardassian character is almost obsessively
agency. They are especially feared because their tight intertwined with this proud people’s sense of history.
camaraderie prevents the usual internal skullduggery Cardassian history commences in earnest during
and betrayal that wracks most covert agencies. the Gentaroc period, as farmer-raiding nomads made
themselves kings, building walled city-states and going
P rominent I ndividuals to ferocious war with one another. Cardassians recall
Sema, the current Praetor, squats arthritically on his this as their golden age. Mighty kings baptized their
massive, eagle-shaped throne, in an air-cycled cham- shields in the blood of the weak. Hoary-headed poets
ber swirling with a subtle greenish disinfectant mist. celebrated them in epics that to this day conjure up the
His personal guard all wear enclosed brown-and-steel sound of blades clanging against armor.
bodysuits with full face masks; any audience with the When one mighty ruler, Unthal Katret, conquered
Praetor includes the subtle background hiss of the all of his neighbors, the First Unthalian era began.
breathing apparatus and the venting systems. With his Cardassians learned to love peace and prosperity and
bald head, beakish nose, and near-constant twitching, the harsh justice of the Unthal Dynasty. The Global
he looks like an aging vulture given Humanoid form. Legates, as the Unthal Emperors were called, demand-
Although his body now fails him, his mind remains ed from their subjects excellence in all fields. Most
sharp. No one who stands to benefit from his demise especially they commanded that great works of art be
would dare hasten it. He’d surely find out and expose created to venerate the achievements of their ancestors.
them to irredeemable disrepute. Thus was born the great Cardassian love of art, which
Prince Thabian, his eldest son, stands to inherit the sowed the seeds of their cyclical destruction. At first,
eagle throne upon Sema’s death. Intense and wild- Cardassian artisans made the usual things of beauty to
eyed, he commands a warbird staffed by a fanatically adorn the houses of the rich: flattering paintings, glitter-
loyal crew. Thabian proved himself as one of the few ing jewelry, decorative dishware, and the like. But with
commanders to survive a direct encounter with Kirk’s no foes left to vanquish, the Cardassians channeled
CHAPTER EIGHT

Enterprise. He’s sworn vengeance against the raalar their innate ferocity into their artistic tastes. The triumph
of Starfleet, but Sema stays his hand. What they don’t of one style over another substituted for the old battles
want now is a resumption of the war. between city-states. Aesthetes fought one another in
The poised and well-spoken Princess Oreta person- the streets over modes of architectural decoration, verse
ally heads the extermination effort on the Cl’cli’cl home- structures in drama, or the relative value of tapestries
world. She’s inherited her father’s maniacal terror of versus paintings. The Legates smiled upon, even par-
bacteria. Her husband, L’mald, heads the Tal Shiar. Little ticipated in, these cultural wars. The only person greater
is known about him, but his smashed-in, bulbous nose, than an accomplished painter, sculptor or ceramist was
a reminder of the many duels he’s fought unarmed, sug- the wealthy collector who’d managed to accumulate
gests a pugnacious personality eager for confrontation. the best collection of that artist’s work. (He’d win even
greater acclaim if he managed to get his masterpieces
at bargain prices.) The Cardassian obsession with art
Cardassians ownership outlasted their interest in particular artists
and styles. The more they sought the new and exciting,
The reptilian Cardassians might seem, at first the more jaded they became. Artists increasingly fell
glance, to be more easy prey for the Terran Empire. At back on grotesque, hideous, and disturbing images to
first contact, the Cardassians had laughable technol- get a rise out of their audience. When freakish works
ogy compared to the Terrans’ weapons and sensors. got boring, too, people made their own lives into grisly
80 The Cardassians had only just emerged from their
own frenzied self-annihilation; the strength of the
performance art. They mutilated their bodies, defiled
old, passé works once considered beautiful, and lived
Terran Empire would have easily rolled over the entire in drug-induced hallucinatory states. That got dull, too,
so they turned to murder as an art form. The world’s
most perverse killers became its most celebrated art-
ists. Artists competed to outdo one another in acts of
aesthetically-motivated gruesomeness.
Toppling the faltering Unthalian Legates after four
thousand years of uninterrupted rule, the winners
became heads of state. They graduated from art-mur-
der to art-genocide. Throughout the Sedira Period—its
name translates as “The Killing Time”—successive mad
monarchs displaced one another as a death-crazed
public demanded ever more savage expressions of
their art.
The Sedira Period ended in about 6500 B.C. as
global government collapsed. A new dark age swept
the land. City-states went to war with one another
again. Literacy, art traditions, and basic technologies
fell by the wayside as Cardassia lapsed back into tribal
barbarism. The glories of the past were forgotten.
Cardassia’s history then begins to cycle. From bar-
baric origins, a civilization arises. Civilization breeds
warfare, which brings political unification when the
greatest general conquers the world. Unification brings
prosperity, which fosters boredom, which inspires art,
which gradually becomes boring too, until art again
breeds blood-letting. Art-related violence starts as G overnment
partisanship between supporters of different styles and Cardassians believe in total dictatorship as the only
escalates into aesthetically-inspired mass murder. This protection from their otherwise self-destructive pro-

ENEMIES OF THE EMPIRE
collapses the economy, throwing the Cardassians back pensity toward violence. A strong government contains
to their barbaric roots, from where the cycle can begin the bloodlust of its people, directing it outward to harm
all over again. only others.
However, one great Cardassian, Urrent Gar, sought The military rules; the head of the Cardassian
to bring the cycle to a close as he completed his world Central Command is also commander-in-chief of its
conquest in the mid-16th century. New art would be armed forces. The military enjoys a strong, trusting
outlawed. People could enjoy any old art that survived, relationship with its ultra-efficient intelligence counter-
and could take part in non-fatal reconstructions of clas- part, the Obsidian Order. A civilian watchdog agency,
sic old performances, but would have to concede that the Detapa Council, keeps an eye on the military and
the real thing was too potent. Cardassians loved art too intelligence arms to ensure that they’re taking suf-
much to enjoy it in moderation. Responding to Urrent’s ficient steps to crack down on dangerous freedoms.
strength and boldness, the Cardassian people agreed The fourth branch of government, the judiciary, tries
to accept tight restrictions on their passions. Those artists and other subversives. Once charged, criminals
who did not would be hunted down, put on trial, and face certain execution. The judiciary takes special care
executed. Urrent brought about the Cardassian dicta- that the public executions are exactly similar to one
torship we know today. another and can in no way be construed as art. Still,
First contact with the Bajorans showed Cardassians many secretly evaluate these state killings on aesthetic
that there was still something to do even if they grounds, yearning despite themselves for a return to
couldn’t trust themselves to make art any more: they the beautiful, gore-soaked old days.
could conquer the Galaxy. Bending their industrial
economy toward space flight, they threw themselves C ulture
into the project with typical fervor. The new Cardassian Cardassians derive a feeling of superiority from
Union colonized its first world in 1644, and conquered their long history, at least when inter-galactic affairs run
and enslaving its first alien planet in 1697. Since then, their way. When defeated, they retreat into melancholy
the Cardassians have expanded spinward and rimward. and bitter self-reproach, ashamed by their inability to
Due to the tenacity and defensive capability of many live up to the glories of their much-vaunted past. It is
of the native species of the sector, their Union is still the melancholy, not the confidence, that acts as their
only a third the Empire’s size, despite their much-lon-
ger window of opportunity. This statistic brings angry
secret weapon. When shamed, Cardassians are capa-
ble of summoning great reserves of determination.
81
shame to the brow of any Cardassian.
 Cardassians harbor ambiv-
alent feelings about their abso-
lutist government. They believe
wholeheartedly in the need to
repress their craving for artful
mayhem. On the other hand,
the temptation toward unfettered
fiendishness pounds like a tympani
in each Cardassian breast. In a way,
they are grateful for the threat the
Empire presents them with. With a
powerful enemy to focus on, they can
postpone their inevitable spiral into
self-destruction.

T he I ndividual
and the S tate
Alien dissidents who accuse the Empire
of being a police state should look to the
Cardassian Union for a real example of the
phenomenon. Imperial citizens may face
considerable scrutiny when they run afoul
of the rich and powerful, but are otherwise
left to pursue their ambitions in peace. On
Cardassia, the Obsidian Order monitors
the activities of every citizen from cradle
to grave. Each Cardassian must, at age ten,
turn over a molar to the Order, for genetic
fingerprinting.
Twenty years ago, Order researchers dis-
covered what they claimed was the gene that
marks profound artistic talent. It occurs in only
0.12% of the population. Children bearing
this gene are now executed by the state for the
crimes they are likely to commit if permitted
to reach adulthood. The average Cardassian
CHAPTER EIGHT

wholeheartedly supports this policy, fervently

hoping that the instinct toward great art will in
their lifetimes be eradicated from the popula-
tion. Unsurprisingly, families whose children
test positive react differently to the policy. It is
possible that testers have been bribed to cover up
the positive test results of children from influential
families. No doubt such children will carefully
disguise their artistic talent as they rise through the
Cardassian hierarchy.

R ecent E vents
In 2260, a Starfleet vessel, the Defiant, bom-
barded the surface of the Cardassian colony on
Setlik II, killing thousands. Nearby Cardassian ships
responded to the attack, engaging the Defiant but
failing to catch it as it escaped. Since then, Starfleet
has intercepted dozens of Cardassian vessels on
82 reconnaissance missions. Counterintelligence opera-
tions capture four or five Cardassian spies a year.
Starfleet’s own intelligence operations against the
 Cardassians reveal that they've learned a great deal
about the Empire from 2260 to the present. Like the
Empire, they’ve bent all available resources toward
a major military build-up. Throughout this period,
Cardassian vessels continued to spar with Starfleet
ships in various small engagements.
In 2266, the first wave of the long-planned full-
scale campaign against Cardassia suffered a setback at
the hands of the intervening Klingon Empire. During
its assault on Cardassia Prime, Starfleet fell victim to
a surprise flanking attack by a Klingon fleet led by the
Emperor Kor, in person. Starfleet rained destruction
on Cardassian shipyards and command centers before
accepting their weak position and staging a harrowing
retreat through encircling Klingon lines.

T he A lliance
Cardassia took a severe hit, but would have been
conquered outright without Klingon aid. In the wake
of Kor’s sally, the two powers embarked on a formal
alliance. Intelligence reveals that both sides are now They envy the way in which Klingons manage to pur-
frantically rebuilding, sharing technology and intel- sue their native art forms without driving themselves
ligence. In so doing, they’re integrating their econo- into a killing frenzy. Intelligence reports mention a
mies. Cardassians seem to get along extremely well sudden vogue for Klingon opera among high-ranking
with their new allies. In the Klingons, they see an officers of the Cardassian military.
echo of the great heroes of their own Gentaroc period. Still, fissures between the two camps exist, and
might be profitably exploited. Cardassians, seeing

ENEMIES OF THE EMPIRE
themselves as highly cultured, react angrily to the
Klingons’ arrogant denigration of their “effete” ways.
They also dislike what they see as the habitual Klingon
lack of discipline, especially their obsession with loot-
ing. They hope to teach the Klingons the virtue of a
more tightly policed society.

P rominent I ndividuals
The presiding head of the Cardassian Union is Legate
Cascul, a wiry man given to sudden outbursts of rage.
He attacks problems with a near-maniacal fervor that
strikes fear into the hearts of even his most trusted aides.
After the fight to defeat Cardassia Prime, Cascul earned
the respect of his Klingon allies by personally beating
to death an insubordinate starship captain. Even in his
quietest moments, Cascul seems to be seething.
Winara Rast heads the Obsidian Order. The young-
est person ever to lead the organization, she took
command after exposing her predecessor’s atten-
dance at an illegal arts event. Since most of his aides
were at the performance too, an entire generation of
Order officials went to the execution chambers, leav-
ing the field open for Winara. She plays the role of
a soft-spoken, somewhat naïve young woman who
made the best of a surprise advantage, but is not to
be underestimated. She takes a special interest in the
personal flaws of her foes, but herself leads an utterly
blameless and spartan life. Winara is celibate and an
abstainer from intoxicants of any kind. She doesn’t
83
even overeat.
 Cardassia’s equivalent of Captain
Kirk is Markwa Eeremet, a rail-thin
psychopath always ready to risk his
crew to inflict additional damage on
a fleeing vessel. Every intelligence
report on Markwa mentions the high-
pitched giggle that erupts from his
throat as he contemplates the undoing
of an enemy. He cracks down merci-
lessly on subordinates he suspects of
artistic tendencies.

Breen
During a recent roundup of suspected
Orion Cabal members on Mars, Imperial
Security forces arrested the denizens of a
tavern frequented by criminals. Among the
detainees were three Humanoids encased
entirely in armored environmental suits. The
officers’ universal translators would not process
the aliens’ language. Attempts to remove their
helmets to record their features proved unsuc-
cessful.
Under sustained interrogation, a Rigelian who
appeared to be a member of their party identified
them. They were Breen, members of a technologi-
cally advanced race of mercenaries from a distant,
unexplored sector. The Rigelian claimed that they
were attempting to sell exotic armaments through
the Orion Cabal. They also had a plan to establish,
in a remote Martian location, a facility to produce an
unknown chemical stimulant. From what the Breen
said, the informant figured that this was a drug used
not by the Breen, but by another unknown species.
CHAPTER EIGHT

They also allegedly spoke of acquiring rare minerals for

use in their “trans-warp conducer array.”
As Security forces waited for the arrival of a
Science Police team to modulate the universal transla-
tors, the Breen were, by methods unknown, transport-
ed out of a supposedly secure brig. Sensor readings
showed that the brig’s shielding, which blocks any
known form of transporter technology, remained in
place throughout the incident. This is all that is now
known about the Breen.

84
Tholians
The species known as the Tholians remain an
enigma. In 2268, they destroyed the I.S.S. Defiant.
According to a recording beacon salvaged from the
vessel’s wreckage, the Tholian commander identified
himself as Loskene and demanded immediate retreat.
Loskene appeared on the viewscreen as either an alien
wearing a helmet, or one with a faceted head. His
image was distorted, possibly by the same radiation to
which the beacon was exposed.
The Empire has always made a policy of sending an
expeditionary force out to retaliate against any military
that shoots down a Starfleet vessel. However, with
tensions running high due to the Cardassian-Klingon
Alliance, Emperor Gill took the advice of Captain
Spock (whose Enterprise recovered the Defiant’s bea-
con) and has held off on any reprisals against the
Tholians—for now.

Gorn
The reptilian Gorn inhabit a small cluster of plan-
ets near the former Imperial colony called Cestus III.
Fierce carnivores, they elicit fear from even the most

ENEMIES OF THE EMPIRE
battle-hardened enemies. There’s just something about
knowing your enemy intends to devour you after it
kills you that awakens a sense of primeval terror. Their
huge, clamping jaws and raking claws add to the
fear equation. Even so, despite their thick, scaly skin,
they’re just as vulnerable to phaser fire as any species,
as Starfleet forces learned during their retaliatory raid
on Gorn forces occupying Cestus III.
The raid was interupted by the materialization of
highly advanced aliens with god-like powers. These
beings, the Metrons, forced Captain Kirk and his Gorn
counterpart into single combat. Kirk won by fashioning
a makeshift gunpowder weapon, but paused before kill-
ing him. Kirk wanted to torture the Gorn for information
about his species before dispatching him. The Metrons,
however, interpreted his action as a show of mercy, and
banished Kirk and the Enterprise from Gorn space. As
they did so, they pronounced Humans too spiritually
weak to serve the Metrons in their “Grand Vocation,”
whatever that is. The Gorn, presumably, were selected
as being the more savage of the two species.
An energy barrier has since appeared around Gorn
space, preventing Starfleet from gaining more informa-
tion or conquering Gorn planets. Gorn have been spot-
ted on Ferenginar and aboard Klingon vessels. Starfleet
would dearly like to know what the Metrons and Gorn
are planning.
85
 THE FALL 
OF THE EMPIRE IX
If you’re playing in a 24th century series, the material in this chapter represents history as you know it. If you’re
playing in a 23rd century game, you might want to skip this chapter, to preserve surprises your Narrator may
spring on you. If you’re a Narrator, you should assume that your players have treacherously read this chapter
anyway, and therefore change the details of future history accordingly.

Just as you shouldn’t feel constrained by 24th Spock uses an anti-matter bomb to kill a giant space
century continuity when running a standard Star Trek amoeba that threatens to destroy the Vulcan-crewed
series, you needn’t force events in your 23rd century I.S.S. Intrepid. Its captain, Yevok, reasons that Spock
Mirror Universe series to conform to the history given must succeed T’Pau as ruler of Vulcan. Yevok returns
here. Let your players feel they can have as big an to Vulcan and recruits other minions of T’Pau to form
effect on history as Spock, Cogley, and T’Pau. Maybe cells in preparation for an eventual coup.
their help is what it takes to make Spock’s crusade a Spock makes his first post-conversion trip to the
success instead of an invitation to disaster. 20th century after encountering a space traveler named
To reflect the changeable nature of this chapter’s Gary Seven who claims to have been raised by aliens.
THREE

history, we’ve put it in the present tense. Spock tampers with the time stream when he meets
CHAPTER FOUR

Emperor Oswald and persuades him that the Empire

TWO
NINE

must moderate its savagery in order to survive for

Captain Spock another thousand years. Although this change seems
subtle, Spock finds a different Empire waiting for him
After killing Kirk, Spock accepts both a commission when he returns.
as Captain of the Enterprise and the gratitude of Emperor
Gill. Gill is glad to see the protégé of his predecessor, S ecret P oliceman S pock
Garth of Izar, out of the picture. As captain, Spock dis- Emperor Gill cuts short Spock’s Starfleet career in
tinguishes himself by cleverly disposing of numerous 2270, putting him in charge of a special branch of
threats to Imperial Security. He gains the confidence Imperial Security dedicated to rooting out an under-
of War Minister Matt Decker, aboard the Enterprise on ground dissident organization. The dissidents, called
an inspection tour, by using logic to short-circuit the Oswaldites, are mostly Terrans inspired by the reformist
computer intelligence of the Doomsday Machine. With writings of 20th century Emperor Oswald. The group
Scotty’s help, he redesigns the Doomsday Machine to was nonexistent before Spock’s trip back in time, but
make it into a usable vessel, turning it over to Decker in the rearranged history has existed for many decades.
for his personal use. On Pyris VII, he outwits, and Over the next year, Spock monitors the Oswaldites,
then strikes a bargain with, two non-Humanoid aliens, protecting them from punishment. Spock learns that
Sylvia and Korob, who possess powerful illusionary Vassal Affairs Minister Samuel T. Cogley heads the
86 abilities. He gains from them a transmuter power-wand
allowing him to create entire complex illusions capable
Oswaldites. The new Cogley is an idealist posing as a
cynical manipulator in order to change the system from
of fooling all six senses. within. Spock reveals his intentions to Cogley. Together
 they plot for Spock to replace Melakon as Security In 2273, a mid-level official at the Revenue
Minister. In 2271, they convince Emperor Gill that Ministry slips Emperor Gill a file containing the actual
Melakon plans to assassinate him. Melakon goes to the spending numbers. The official thinks it’s all a graft
execution chamber. Spock expects to take Melakon’s operation on Mudd’s part, a theory that Gill buys.
place, but events in deep space change his destiny. Thinking only that he should be getting a piece of
the action, Gill confronts Mudd privately instead of
V’G er having him arrested. The two unathletic men end up
An intelligent, extremely destructive interstellar exchanging blows on Mudd’s antique Centauran car-
probe that calls itself V’Ger enters Imperial space pet. Gill brains Mudd with a statuette. Magda Kovacs
and begins smashing vessels and star bases. The new bursts into her boss’ office and repeatedly stabs Gill
captain of the Enterprise, Will Decker, is assigned to with a collectible letter opener. Mudd lives; Gill dies.
investigate. War Minister Matt Decker can’t resist the After recovering from his concussion, Mudd becomes
urge to shepherd his son through his first crucial mis- Emperor, the official story casting him as Gill’s killer.
sion, and travels to the scene in the I.S.S. Doomsday Still seeing only the opportunities for personal profit,
Machine. V’Ger and the Doomsday Machine destroy he sticks to Spock’s program.
one another; War Minister Decker is killed along with Meanwhile, in the colonies, Spock’s loosening of
his entire crew. the purse strings brings on a sudden economic boom.
In turn, the newly prosperous become bolder in
demanding greater personal freedoms. The Oswaldite
War Minister Spock movement grows by leaps and bounds. People become
openly critical of the regime. Cogley’s Security appara-
Emperor Gill makes Spock Minister of War and tus cracks down on the dissidents in the most flagrantly
elevates Cogley to head Imperial Security. With Cogley rebellious colonies, but turns a blind eye to the activi-
to cover his tracks—and to give a free hand to the ties of more level-headed reformers.
growing Oswaldite movement—Spock can now begin
to implement his plans. He and Cogley persuade Gill

THE FALL OF THE EMPIRE
that the way to neutralize the Oswaldites is to make
some token gestures toward alleviating the misery of
average citizens on disadvantaged worlds, such as
Rigel VII. Gill announces that the treasury will divert
resources from the war effort in order to improve peo-
ples’ lives. Spock approaches Revenue Minister Mudd
and presents him with the plans for this infrastructure
investment program. Although it clearly spends tril-
lions of credits more than the Emperor envisions,
Spock persuades Mudd that it is nothing more than an
opportunity for a massive skimming operation. Excited
by the prospect of multiplying his bank accounts by
an order of magnitude, Mudd agrees. His eagle-eyed
assistant, Magda Kovacs, remains suspicious, and con-
fronts Spock, accusing him of Oswaldite sympathies.
Recalling a strategy frequently employed by Kirk,
Spock seduces the lovelorn woman. She becomes his
fiercest advocate.
In 2272, the massive spending campaign begins.
In 2273, Cogley catches and turns agents of both
the Khak’ma and Tal Shiar. Not wanting either the
Alliance or the Romulans to know he’s stepped
down the military build-up, he feeds both intelli-
gence agencies information suggesting the opposite.
Preoccupied with his mission to reform the Empire,
Spock misses the logical error in this stratagem.
Although the disinformation will, in the short term,
stop the Alliance from attacking, its long-term effect
will be to motivate them to step up their own ship-
building campaign even further.
87
 In 2274, Cogley and Spock convince Mudd to grant Spock, whose position depends on his relationship
a few cosmetic civil rights to the public. As they did to the Emperor, is left without a power base. He can’t
with Gill and the economic reforms, they downplay prevent the conservatives from selecting their own can-
the significance of the measures they plan to imple- didate: Kodos, the aide to Emperor Stephane Louvin,
ment. Before the Senate, Mudd announces plans to who’d escaped during the coup that brought Garth of
grant limited autonomy to some colonies, and to raise Izar to power. Spock and Cogley are arrested as traitors
about a dozen subject planets to full vassal status. to the Empire and told to expect execution shortly after
Conservative Senators, led by Sarek and Gav, stage a the coronation.
walkout, predicting disaster for the Empire if it relaxes Salvation comes from an unlikely patroness. The
even slightly its iron grip on outlying worlds. new Vulcan ambassador turns out to be Yevok, former
Since his decision to join Starfleet rather than the captain of the I.S.S. Intrepid, who swore fealty to Spock
ambassadorial corps, Spock’s relationship with his when saved from the space amoeba. Yevok seeks a
father has been strained. He speaks to Sarek, hoping to private audience with Kodos and enumerates seven
show him the logic of his position. Instead, the older different methods by which his mistress, T’Pau, could
man presciently foretells that Spock’s reforms will smother his rule in its infancy. Yevok demands the rein-
merely weaken the Empire, allowing an Alliance take- statement of Spock and Cogley to their posts. A shaken
over. Spock reluctantly concludes that he must assas- Kodos agrees.
sinate his father. Sarek removes any qualms Spock may Yevok visits Spock and assures him that she still
have about this by sending a team of Ferengi assassins means to betray T’Pau on Spock’s behalf.
to kill him. Spock uses the power wand he got from Kodos and the conservative Senators, now led
Korob and Sylvia to lead the assassins back to Sarek’s by Gav, do their best to dismantle Spock’s reforms.
chamber. Thinking Sarek is Spock, the assassins murder Meanwhile, Spock, Cogley and Yevok build a power
the elderly ambassador. base among the many other Senators Gav has annoyed
At the same time, a second team of Ferengi nakrim, over the years. Spock alters his infrastructure program
also sent by Sarek and his conservative faction, inter- so that graft flows toward his new senatorial allies.
rupt Emperor Mudd’s pleasure excursion off the Alaskan Kodos wins some battles, stripping certain colonies of
coast. They kill him and everyone on board his yacht. spending projects and newly-granted civil rights. Spock
wins others, as his senate bloc spares favored colonies
from Kodos’ budget-cutting campaign. Kodos wants to
reinstate military spending; Spock’s Senators want to
continue domestic expenditures. They compromise by
spending in both directions. This necessitates a massive
loan program. The Empire borrows heavily from the
Ferengi Grand Nagus. The value of the credit falls.
By 2277, Spock has a slim majority of Senators on
his side. He authorizes Yevok to assassinate Kodos.
Kodos is poisoned by a Vulcan scorpiopede. The
CHAPTER NINE

Senators select a pliable non-entity, Alex Danaher, as

Emperor.
Danaher is perfectly willing to resume Spock’s
reforms but two problems intervene. First, the Alliance
steps up its incursions into Imperial territory. Spock
must spend more, not less, on Starfleet, in order to
repel the Klingons and Cardassians. This means going
to the Nagus for more loans, which in turn depresses
the credit, which makes the rebuilding cost more,
which in turn requires more loans. Second, T’Pau
calls in the favor he owes her. Having saved him from
execution, she expects Spock to do her bidding. Like
Sarek before her, she realizes that Spock’s reforms
would bring about the Empire’s downfall.

88
 THE FALL OF THE EMPIRE
Showdown
With T’Pau
Spock and Yevok conclude that no progress is pos- The Alliance takes advantage of the Imperium’s
sible until T’Pau is removed from the equation. For the preoccupation with T’Pau, destroying a number of col-
next four years, they build Yevok’s Vulcan Underground, onies and facilities, including even the mining instal-
securing from hundreds of T’Pau’s minions a commit- lation on Rigel XII, in Earth’s backyard. Spock wants to
ment to switch sides when the time is right. hunt for T’Pau, but must instead concentrate on driving
In 2281, Spock undergoes Pon farr and mates with back Alliance forces. Starfleet does so, but at the cost
Yevok’s alluring sister, T’Jal. In doing so, he fails to of many ships. By the end of 2283, the Alliance has
account for the Human emotions of Magda Kovacs, retreated back to another cycle of rebuilding.
who continues to see herself as Spock’s lover. Kovacs, Starfleet gets no such opportunity. Piracy increases
still privy to his secrets, travels to Vulcan and reveals throughout Terran space. At first, this seems to be ran-
his treachery to T’Pau. T’Pau sends assassins to kill dom opportunism, but intelligence sources increasing-
Spock, Yevok, and Emperor Danaher. ly point to a single leader behind the attacks. It’s T’Pau,
Only Spock survives. He rallies his frightened operating from bases in Romulan space. The Romulans
Senators, convincing them that it is time to free the neither hinder her nor fight by her side. However, she
Empire from T’Pau’s dread influence. It is time Humans has another species to help her: the Metrons have lent
once again dictated the course of Terran history, Spock her the bulk of their Gorn fleet.
argues. He gains support from certain conservatives From 2283 to 2285, Starfleet fights T’Pau’s Vulcan
who hated T’Pau more than they did him. Another loyalists and Gorn warriors. Her forces strike gue-
colorless Emperor, John Cray, takes the throne. He rilla-style, quickly hitting shipping lanes, starbases and
declares T’Pau an enemy of the Empire, sending four colonial installations, then retreating to hidden bases
Inquisition-class starships to bombard her citadel on salted throughout the Romulan frontier. Attempts to
the Vulcan Plain of Tai-La. The citadel is destroyed, but chase them down put Starfleet in confrontation with
T’Pau’s body is not found among its wreckage. Using Romulan vessels defending their airspace.
information gathered by Yevok’s underground, Imperial
Security teams stage simultaneous, Empire-wide raids,
arresting or killing hundreds of members of T’Pau’s spy
89
network. Only her closest aides escape.
 Genesis Weapon T he P robe
The next year, the old Enterprise crew again joins
Spock commandeers the Enterprise when he learns forces to alter the timeline. A gigantic alien probe
that T’Pau’s pirates have occupied the Imperial research appears in orbit around Earth and begins to bombard it
base on Regula I. There Dr. Carol Marcus and her son with extremely damaging sonic radiation. Spock real-
David have been overseeing the Empire’s top-secret izes that it’s beaming a whale song at the planet, as
Genesis Weapon project. The Genesis Weapon can if expecting a reply from one of those extinct marine
destroy an entire planet by reducing it to subatomic mammals. The Enterprise goes back in time to 1986 to
particles. If desired, the target can then be remade as pick up some whales. Spock also takes the opportunity
a perfectly terraformed planet suitable for immedi- to further strengthen the doctrine of Oswaldism.
ate colonization. Spock and the surviving members When they return to the 23rd century, the probe
of the Kirk-era Enterprise crew (now all committed and whales interact. The whales, incited by the probe,
Oswaldites) battle T’Pau and a complement of slavering grow rapidly into armored leviathans that roam the
Gorn for control of the weapon. Spock ends up alone tsunami-swept oceans, destroying entire coastal cities.
in the weapon chamber with T’Pau and Magda Kovacs. Spock finds a way aboard the probe, where he shuts
Kovacs, equipped with an exoskeleton that gives her down its computer core. The creatures, now vulner-
twice the strength of Spock, fights him hand-to-hand, able to phaser fire, are destroyed by the Enterprise, but
seeking blood repayment for her romantic disappoint- the whale-beasts’ rampage, combined with the loss of
ment. T’Pau suffers an accidental blow from Kovacs’ power and the sonic damage from the probe, has left
exo-suit and is mortally wounded. In the course of the much of the planet’s industrial capacity in ruins.
fight, the Genesis Weapon is activated and aimed at
the uninhabitable planet of Ceti Alpha V. Kovacs falls E conomic C ollapse
into the beam and is scattered to atoms; the beam Needing credits to rebuild Earth, Emperor Cray
feedback destroys the weapon. A triumphant Spock again taps the Ferengi for help. Grand Nagus Narl
demonstrates to a dying T’Pau the illogic of her plans, refuses to lend him any more money. Spock threatens
and is then himself slain by phaser fire. David Marcus, the Nagus with invasion; if he won’t loan them the
illegitimate son of Captain Kirk, has taken vengeance money, they’ll simply take it. Narl says there’s no point;
for Spock’s murder of his father. the money he and his predecessor loaned them didn’t
Sulu kills David Marcus; his mother attacks Sulu really exist anyway. It wasn’t backed with ladugial
and is slain by Uhura. The schematics for the device die gold. And also, if they do invade, his new friends in the
with the Marcuses. McCoy presides over a tearful funer- Alliance will start a war and finish them off.
al for Spock; his body is placed in a coffin and shot onto Although Narl promises to keep the financial scan-
the surface of Ceti Alpha V. The revivifying energy of the dal secret, word leaks out in 2288, and an Empire-wide
Genesis Effect takes the DNA from Spock’s body and economic collapse results. Corporations go bankrupt.
replicates it. The Enterprise crew braves a combined Trillions of people lose their jobs. Food supplies dry up.
Klingon-Cardassian assault to rescue him. Alliance Famine claims millions of lives. Starfleet can’t even pay
CHAPTER NINE

forces briefly occupy the Enterprise but are destroyed its officers. Its military buildup stops dead.
by an array of booby-traps installed by Scotty.

90
 THE FALL OF THE EMPIRE
Conquest
The economic collapse affects even the Alliance. The remainder of Starfleet is smashed in its final
To the surprise of Klingon and Cardassian leaders, the defense of Earth in 2297. The Enterprise is one of the
galactic economy is sufficiently integrated to cause last ships to be destroyed, with Spock presumably on
bankruptcies and job losses throughout their territories, board. Just before it takes a direct hit and explodes
too. Still, they suffer much less than the Empire and in the vacuum of space, Sulu manages to maneuver
are able to complete their military build-up by 2293. the ship, its weapons system now crippled, so that a
Khak’ma bombs blow up Praxis, one of the moons of pursuing Cardassian vessel smashes into the Klingon
Qo’noS, wreaking havoc on the planet below. Klingon flagship. All aboard the Klingon ship are killed, includ-
ships strafe Qo’noS’ surface, killing the surviving ing Emperor Kor. The savage Humans resist occupation
Human colonists and reclaiming their homeworld. more fiercely than any other species, occasioning three
Alliance fleets quickly cut their way through demor- years of house-to-house fighting before the population
alized and ill-equipped Starfleet forces. The pace of is finally pacified.
their victory is slowed only by the Cardassian’s method- In 2305, a young man named Jean-Luc Picard is
ical desire to fully secure one world before moving on born a slave on occupied Earth.
to the next. Starfleet falls back to Earth, leaving only
local resistance forces to face the Alliance as it mows
over dozens of colonies, subjects, and vassals.

91
 THE ALLIANCE
TRIUMPHANT X
The events of the late 23rd and early 24th centuries radically turned the tables in the Alpha and Beta
Quadrants: the Terran Empire, once the unquestioned tyrannical ruler of hundreds of star systems and nearly
as many sentient species, and a significant threat to both the Klingon Empire and Cardassian Union, found itself
humbled by the combined might of the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. Accomplishing together what neither of
them could manage separately, the Klingons and the Cardassians smashed the Imperial Starfleet, conquered the
Empire, and enslaved Humanity and its principal allies.

History of the
Alliance (2305-2370)
Following its final, decisive victory over Imperial spacedock, governor’s palace, and administrative
forces in 2305, the Alliance moved to consolidate its building in the Empire. They subjected every Imperial
gains, eliminate possible threats to its new-found power technician and administrator whom they found to
base, and solidify its internal structure and political agony booths—interrogating them until they gave up
relationships. This involved three distinct operations. any Imperial secrets they possessed—prior to execut-
THREE

First, in order to ensure that it could hold onto the ing them. While some in the Alliance later criticized
CHAPTER FOUR

territory it had taken and that no remnants of Imperial this as a “short-sighted disposal of useful assets,” the
TWO

authority, power, or resistance remained, the Alliance policy apparently proved successful in its primary
conducted a thorough and ruthless military sweep of goal of ensuring unquestioned Alliance control over
Imperial space. The Alliance fleet—which remained all local and regional affairs within the bounds of the
largely intact thanks to its extensive ship construc- former Empire.
tion and repair programs—divided itself into working Since Cardassian and Klingon forces had been
groups and over the course of several years explored significantly depleted due to war casualties, other spe-
every Imperial system, seeking out the remnants of the cies belonging to the Alliance, especially the Bajorans,
Imperial fleet. In over a dozen systems the working stepped forward to assist with this stage of the con-
groups found ragtag “fleets” of a dozen or two dozen solidation. The Bajorans, who had joined the Alliance
ships, each hiding from the authorities (perhaps in the almost immediately after being freed from the Empire’s
hopes of regaining power, or at least becoming some clutches, saw an opportunity not only to gain influence
sort of renegade or outlaw power in their own right). within the Alliance, but to pay back the hated Terrans
In every case the Alliance sweep units destroyed these for forty years of misery, oppression, and exploitation.
holdouts down to the last shuttlecraft. Such “cleanup” Many Bajorans made their way into key positions of
missions played a key role in establishing Alliance authority throughout the former Empire, from which
domination of former Imperial space. they ground the Terrans down with a ruthless and
Second, to prevent localized rebellions or resis- unyielding fist.
94 tance movements from arising (as they had on so
many worlds when the Terrans held them), the Alliance
Third, but perhaps most importantly, the Klingons
and Cardassians formalized the nature of their political
moved quickly to occupy every major starbase, relationship, thus laying the groundwork for decades
 of rule. An alliance formed against a common enemy Alliance) to prevent such an unpleasant fate. By call-
in wartime does not, of course, guarantee smooth ing in a few favors, presumably from high-ranking
relations between the parties when the war finally Cardassian or Klingon officials, he arranged to have the
ends. Many in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants began matter dropped.
to predict a Klingon-Cardassian war, and a resulting Klingons throughout the Alliance voiced their out-
balkanization of the region, in the absence of a mutual rage. Not only had a Cardassian murdered a Klingon
foe. But, for all their bellicosity and temperament, warrior, he’d gotten away with it through coward-
the leaders of both species were able to look toward ice and deceit! This sparked unprovoked attacks on
the future and establish a system of government that Cardassians by bands of Klingons on many Alliance
has ensured the continuation of their alliance. As worlds. In response, Cardassian officials insisted that
discussed in greater detail below, the Klingon Empire the authorities investigate all such incidents thor-
and Cardassian Union merged their two forms of gov- oughly and punish those responsible for them. Where
ernment by combining powerful Klingon executives the Cardassians governed, that’s exactly what hap-
with an efficient Cardassian bureaucracy and a fully pened; where Klingons ruled, few arrests occurred.
integrated military, thus taking advantage of both spe- Cardassian charges of favoritism only angered the
cies’ strengths. Klingons further.
Thanks to the thorough and ruthless nature in which With one small incident after another, the situation
the Alliance eliminated all opposition during these continued to worsen. A barfight on Vulcan, a traffic
early years, no organized resistance of any significance accident that caused a riot on Dalvos IV, a lynching
could form on any of the conquered Imperial worlds. of a Cardassian merchant on Betazed—all fanned the
The minor rebellions that broke out on a few occasions flames of Cardassian-Klingon hatred and mistrust.

THE ALLIANCE  TRIUMPHANT
were so brutally suppressed that they never lasted long Matters came to a head four weeks after the initial
enough to achieve anything. All Terrans, Vulcans, and incident, when a report reached the core worlds of the
other members of the former Empire bowed beneath Alliance that a Cardassian vessel had fired on a Klingon
the Alliance yoke. ship in one of the outlying systems. The precise origin
By 2310, the Alliance enjoyed a complete and of this report has never been satisfactorily determined,
unquestioned hold on the conquered Imperial ter- nor has any such incident ever been conclusively veri-
ritories. Alliance forces located and destroyed all fied. But in the heat of the moment, such facts remained
remaining pockets of resistance, and established new hidden, and Cardassian and Klingon forces throughout
planetary authorities, with solid power bases, on the Alliance went on alert. Only rational thinking by
all inhabited worlds of the Empire. Alliance territo- several ships’ commanders, including one Klingon first
ries—encompassing not only the former Empire, but officer who killed his captain rather than let him fire
the former Cardassian Union and Klingon Empire as on a Cardassian vessel, averted the outbreak of a full-
well—entered its first tranquil period. This peace last- scale civil war. Both species seemed hostile and ready
ed, with only minor disturbances, for eight years. to defend themselves, but neither relished the blame
for starting a war.
T he Q’ aroth I ncident Since neither side desired an open conflict, Klingon
The first ripple of dissension in the Alliance occurred and Cardassian leaders eventually came together to
in 2318, when what should have been a minor inci- discuss ways to repair the rift. They negotiated appro-
dent dealt with through standard governmental chan- priate solutions for the various problems, and meted
nels escalated to the point where it nearly brought out necessary punishments (including several execu-
the Alliance to the brink of civil war. On Dalvos IV, tions) to the worst offenders. But the damage had been
a Klingon warrior named Q’aroth and a Cardassian done, and many members of both species no longer
administrator named Ghetros, both drinking in a bar, trusted the other. It took another crisis over ten years
bumped into each other. An exchange of insults fol- later to bring them back together, but even today there
lowed, and when Q’aroth drew his d’k tahg the two are some Klingons and Cardassians who can trace an
started to brawl. After several tense moments, Ghetros intolerance of or dislike for the other species to the
managed to wrest the knife away from Q’aroth and events surrounding the Q’aroth Incident.
fatally stabbed him with it (leading some historians
to suggest that Ghetros may have been more than a
simple administrator).
According to normal procedure, Ghetros should
have been arrested, interrogated, and perhaps pun-
ished for his role in the incident. However, Ghetros
chose to use his vesala (his “web of influence,” a sys-
tem of favors owed and due endemic to Cardassian
95
society which had come into use throughout the
 T he A lliance -R omulan W ar While wide-ranging battle zones and an extended
In 2332, following a long period of quiescence front patrolled by both sides characterized the initial
brought on by two defeats at the hands of the Terran stages of the war, after a year or two the disputed
Empire in the 23rd century, the Romulans once again region narrowed down to about a dozen systems. The
began to exert their power in the Galaxy. Since their Alliance’s numerical superiority and ferocity found its
disastrous conflict with Imperial Starfleet Captain match in Romulan treachery and strength. For much
James T. Kirk in 2266, they had remained behind their of the war the Romulans also enjoyed a small mea-
own borders, concentrating their expansion efforts in sure of technological superiority; the T’rax-class vessel
other directions and their research on improved star- remained the most advanced ship fielded by either
ship designs. With the development of the T’rax-class side, and proved a telling advantage in several battles.
warbird in the 2320s, and the increasing success of the For the next four years, until 2338, the war slowly
Tal Shiar at infiltrating Alliance society to gather intel- lost steam as both sides became increasingly tired
ligence, the Romulans decided to avenge some old of the conflict. The former Romulan ambassador to
defeats at the hands of the Klingons. Cardassia eventually broached the possibility of a
As usual, the Romulans began the offensive through truce, and talks began. After several months of negotia-
subtle maneuvering designed to provoke the Klingons— tions punctuated by frequent break-offs due to Klingon
a strategy that nicely manipulated the Klingon temper- tempers or Romulan intransigence and sarcasm, both
ament. The disappearance of several Klingon freighters sides reached an agreement. Although a few systems
near the Romulan-Klingon border, and a few similar exchanged hands, and the neutral zone between the
incidents along the former Terran Empire-Romulan two powers expanded, neither side ended up with very
Neutral Zone, prompted increased patrols of those much to show for six years of warfare and millions of
areas by Klingon ships. The Romulans then fell on their dead. Both retired to their side of the Neutral Zone to
foes in earnest, attacking each patrol vessel with sev- lick their wounds—and, perhaps, to prepare for their
eral ships to ensure its total destruction. next conflict.
When word of these attacks reached the head-
quarters of the Alliance, furious Alliance commanders T he I nter -W ar P eriod
ordered several fleets of ships to head for Romulan The period between the Romulan and Tholian wars
territory and destroy the attackers. Having planned for served as a time of rebuilding and strengthening for the
this eventuality, the Romulans initiated a long-range Alliance. The existence of a common foe had healed the
flanking maneuver and made a lightning attack on 2320s rifts between the two partners. The need to rebuild
Qo’noS itself! The Klingon homeworld escaped major their forces, repair damaged worlds, and improve their
damage, but the blow to Klingon pride was a formida- position within the quadrants kept them close.
ble one. Rather than attempt to extend their gains, the With the bulk of Alliance forces and security per-
Romulans contented themselves with continued raid- sonnel focused on the regions closer to the front dur-
ing, only to fall back into safe territory when Alliance ing most of the 2330s, resistance movements aimed at
fleets pursued them. freeing Terrans and their allies from Alliance oppres-
sion had sprung up on many worlds, including Earth,
Vulcan, and Andoria. After the war ended, the Alliance
CHAPTER TEN

moved swiftly to quash these young revolts and restore

order among the former Terran Empire core worlds. On
Andoria, Alliance forces obliterated over a dozen clans
known to harbor resistance members. The torture of
several Vulcan priestesses and the destruction of the
ancestral lands of four Vulcan great houses served to
uncover the names of the resistance leaders there,
who were soon captured and executed in public
in ShirKahr. The Alliance relocated many Terran
resistance suspects to prison camps throughout
Alliance space, such as the new Terok Nor sta-
tion orbiting Bajor, to labor on behalf of their
Cardassian and Klingon masters.
Once again, the Bajorans took advantage
of the relative weakness of the chief partners
of the Alliance, seizing the opportunity to
96 extend their growing influence throughout
the quadrants. Where Cardassian or Klingon
officials had been killed during the war,
 Bajorans stepped in to take their places. Where other time to fully analyze data gathered from previous
officials had shown incompetence by allowing resis- battles. It found ways to withstand Tholian weapons
tance movements to grow, Bajorans killed them and (for example, by remodulating Alliance ships’ shields
took their jobs. By the beginning of the 2350s, the to reduce the effectiveness of the Tholian pressweb).
Bajorans had achieved a position of substantial politi- These innovations allowed the Alliance to mount a
cal power throughout the Alliance. counteroffensive. Meanwhile, Alliance factories began
churning out fighters and other combat vessels as fast
T he T holian W ar as possible, so that the Alliance could meet the foe
In 2351, an Alliance vessel unwittingly touched with both strength and numbers.
off a disastrous 18-year war. While exploring beyond
the boundaries of Alliance territory, a science ves-
sel captained by a Cardassian named Melok entered
an unstable region of space. Unbeknownst to him
Te ro k No r
due to the destruction of Terran Empire records dur-
The Bajorans rec
ing the conquest, this area saw the destruction of the ognized that rich
still lay beneath mineral resources
I.S.S. Defiant, one of the most powerful vessels in the the surface of the
properly exploite ir homeworld; if
Empire’s fleet, years before. Upon entering the region, d, these resource
great wealth witho s co uld bring them
Melok’s vessel was confronted by a ship of the Tholian ut damaging the pla
Terrans had. Begin ne t the way the
Assembly, which informed him that he had intruded ning in 2343, wo
with Cardassian de rk ing in conjunction
upon the Tholian “territorial annex.” Offended by their signers, Bajoran en
ed a multi-level, gin ee rs construct-
rude demeanor, and unwilling to back down before an tri-radial structur
“wheel in space” e resembling a va
with elongated str st

THE ALLIANCE  TRIUMPHANT
unknown species, the commander fired on the Tholian uctures projecting
upward and down
vessel, destroying it. wards from the ou
it met the three “s tmost ring where
The Tholians issued a swift and devastating response. pokes.” The statio
to act as an ore pr n’s purpose was
In the face of a possible invasion threat, they swarmed ocessing and refini
the pollutants fro ng facility so that
up out of their homeworld in thousands upon thou- m such activity wo
itself. To the Allia uld no t affect Bajor
sands of small, powerful ships, destroyed the offending nce, it also served
prison camp for rec as an important
science vessel, and continued onward in a pre-emptive alcitrant Terrans.
After several year
invasion of Alliance space. s of joint effort by
Cardassian constru the Bajoran and
Having received only a routine message from a sci- ction teams, the
service in 2349. Th sta tion entered
ence vessel concerning the situation, the vehemence of e ore processors,
slaves, went onlin ma nn ed by Terran
the Tholian retribution caught the Alliance completely e almost immedia
stopped functioning tel y, an d have only
unawares. Tholian “pressweb” gravity weapons and for repairs since
liberated by the Re tha t time. Until
spatial disruption cannons quickly destroyed more than bellion, the statio
tation among the n earned a repu-
a dozen Alliance vessels, and damaged several plan- Terrans as a “dea
where slave labor th camp,” a place
etary settlements, before the Alliance could mount an ers died in droves
conditions and harsh due to the harsh
effective counterattack and temporarily halt the Tholian er overseers.
offensive. By that time the Tholians had reached five
Alliance systems—but instead of capturing them, the
Tholians simply drove off any approaching ships and
destroyed ground emplacements.

The Early War

While the majority of the Alliance fleet moved to
engage the Tholians, a small strike force embarked for
Tholian space to learn more about this powerful new
foe. That fleet, commanded by the Cardassian General
Yedok Crin, never surfaced again. One moment it was
transmitting a daily report, the next minute no trace of
it remained. It was as if Tholian space had somehow
opened up and swallowed the Alliance ships.
Laboring under an intelligence deficit, and faced
with fanatic foes whose crystallo-organic ships and
bodies seemed strangely resistant to many Alliance
weapons, Alliance forces had to withdraw and reas-
semble, surrendering several more systems. However,
97
this strategic retreat gave Alliance Forces Command
 The Road To... Victory? An Enigmatic Outcome
Following the initial punishing years of the Tholian In 2368, despite having never made any diplomatic
War, the Alliance regrouped, improving its position overtures toward the Alliance, the Tholian Assembly
logistically and strategically, and began striking back raised the possibility of peace. In light of the Klingon
at its mysterious foes. The first decisive Alliance victory Civil War and analysts’ estimates that the Tholians
came in 2357, in a major battle in the Choladra System, were about to introduce new, more powerful weapons
when a large, but still outnumbered, Alliance fleet into the conflict, the reasons for this proposal were
managed to halt a major Tholian offensive and destroy at best mysterious, at worst duplicitous. Many in the
the largest Tholian battleship seen in the war to date. Alliance argued for rejection of the overtures, and the
General Korex, who would go on to serve briefly as advance toward Tholian territory continued. However,
Regent before being slain by Worf, served as the com- in light of Klingon domestic difficulties, the casual-
mander of the Alliance forces at the Battle of Choladra, ties of 17 years of war, and the incredibly generous
and became a war hero overnight. The Alliance’s terms proposed by the Tholians, Regent Worf declined
morale problems began to improve as it realized that those suggestions. In 2369 he signed a treaty with the
victory over the Tholians might lie within its grasp. Tholians—Tholian forces withdrew to their original
Things took a turn for the worse when the Tholians territory and the Alliance formally recognized the
introduced a new, improved version of the pressweb. boundaries (including territorial annexes) claimed by
This version used what Alliance analysts described the Assembly. The Alliance claimed victory, but to this
as a “subspace variance charge” to overcome the day speculation as to why the Tholians decided to end
Alliance shield modulation and crush its ships with the war—and whether they could have won it had they
little effort. Several dozen Vor’cha-class ships were continued to fight—continues.
lost before it was discovered that beacons could be
configured to emit subspace “static” that interfered T he K lingon C ivil W ar
with the variance charge. In the midst of the Tholian War, a bitter civil war broke
During the 2358-2362 period, the war stalled, with out in Klingon space that greatly sapped the strength of
neither side making significant gains; the Alliance the Alliance and prolonged the War’s end by a year, if not
remained completely unable to penetrate Tholian more. Most analysts believe that, had the civil war not
space in any way. However, during this time the been quickly resolved, it could very well have led to an
Alliance built ships at a furious rate, turning them out Alliance defeat at the hands of the Tholians.
of its shipyards faster than it ever had before. These The civil war occurred because of deep, long-
accelerated production rates owed much to advance- standing divisions within Klingon local government
ments in replicator technology, which allowed ship- structures. Under the terms of the agreement that
yards to produce certain previously unreplicatable established the Alliance, both the Cardassians and the
parts. By 2363, Alliance forces had achieved decisive Klingons retained control of their own primary systems,
numerical superiority over the Tholians. although each of them adapted their local governments
From 2363 until 2367, the Alliance slowly pushed to one more closely resembling standard Alliance
the Tholians back toward their former borders. This models. Naturally, both Qo’noS and Cardassia Prime
effort cost the Alliance dearly, both in ships and in remained the two most important worlds within the
CHAPTER TEN

Klingon and Cardassian lives, but Alliance Forces Alliance, able to influence policy on a galactic scale.
Command recognized that the price reflected the The intendants of these worlds acted as the de facto
gains. The advent of the Klingon Civil War of 2367-68 leaders of their people throughout the Alliance, and
slowed, and almost halted, the Alliance advance, but traditionally served as close advisors to the Regent.
even that unfortunate distraction could not stop On Qo’noS, the Regent historically chose the inten-
the Alliance’s military progress entirely. dant from among the members of the Klingon High
Council, a body composed of the leaders of the most
prominent Klingon Houses. In 2367, following the death
by poison (from an unknown assailant) of Intendant
K’mpec, Regent Worf appointed Gowron as the new
Intendant of Qo’noS. The Regent’s reasons for this choice
remain unclear. While a popular warrior, Gowron and
his House were not among the most powerful on the
High Council, and he enjoyed no great popularity
among the members of that body. Most observers con-
sidered his chief rival, Duras (leader of the House of
98 the same name), the most likely candidate.
 THE ALLIANCE  TRIUMPHANT
The selection of Gowron immediately split the High and influence—one of his greatest assets—to co-opt
Council. A few Houses—perhaps a third—supported key members of the Duras forces. This strategy took
him out of fear of the Regent (or to curry favor with time, and in the interim Gowron’s ships and men
him). The rest backed Duras, who declared that he suffered extensive casualties. But by early 2368, the
would take the intendancy by force rather than let an maneuver began to pay off. Several important Duras
upstart remain in office. Ordinarily such a declaration ships defected to Gowron’s side; others suffered mys-
would have brought the Regent down on Duras with terious failures in key systems during crucial battles,
the full might of the Alliance behind him, resulting in resulting in their destruction.
the swift execution of everyone in the offending House. The turning point came when Duras’ sisters, Lursa
This time, however, Regent Worf declared the matter and B’Etor, distanced themselves from him. As if sens-
a local Klingon affair, decreeing that the two should ing the ultimate outcome, or perhaps wishing to influ-
decide the matter as warriors. Perhaps he simply want- ence it, the Duras Sisters withdrew from the conflict,
ed to ensure that the most powerful of the two assumed leaving their brother to stand or fall on his own. With
the intendancy, or maybe he did not want to draw any newfound momentum, the forces of Gowron won vic-
ships away from the war against the Tholians. Perhaps tory after victory, smashing the reduced Duras fleets in
he saw a chance to draw out two enemies and have several important battles. Near the end of 2368, Duras
them eliminate one another. Whatever his reasoning, found himself trapped in the Tolkath System along
his decision ignited a civil war. with his remaining fleet. There Gowron annihilated his
From the beginning, Duras’ supporters heav- enemy, bringing the civil war to an end.
ily outnumbered Gowron’s forces. While Gowron Since that time Gowron has served as the unques-
enjoyed a few powerful allies, such as the House of tioned intendant of Qo’noS, enjoying the full support
Mogh (the Regent’s House), Duras’ forces exceeded of the Regent. Rumors persist that Gowron resents the
his by as much as two to one in some areas. In the Regent’s refusal to support his own appointment (thus
grand tradition of underdogs throughout history, causing the war), and that he has plans in motion to
Gowron turned to trickery and treachery to accom-
plish what naked force could not. As his forces fought
eliminate the Regent and assume the throne himself! 99
a delaying action, he used his network of contacts
 T he R ise of the Eventually he began to entertain thoughts of over-
T erran R ebellion throwing the Alliance and returning Earth, at least,
Although it emerged from the Tholian War more to Terran control. After hearing rumors of similar
unified than ever, the ravages of war had substantially events in the Bajor Sector, he realized he could make
weakened the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. Losses his dream come true. Putting out subtle feelers into
during the Tholian War and Klingon civil war left the the underground, he found important allies in three
Alliance short on manpower and ships; those ships it persons: a popular labor camp leader named Riker,
did have were often damaged, or suffered from the a technician named LaForge, and a scientist named
chronic parts and equipment deficits so common in Janeway (who, like him, came from a privileged
wartime. This left an opening for the oppressed species background). The four of them formed the nucleus of
in Alliance space to rebel against their hated masters. what would eventually become a widespread anti-
In 2370, separate resistance movements sprang up Alliance terrorist conspiracy. Announcing their exis-
in several places, including Earth, Betazed, Andoria, tence and intentions with the detonation of a bomb
and the Bajor Sector. While no evidence suggests that that destroyed substantial portions of the Alliance’s
these groups functioned together, or even communi- Earth headquarters in Kolara (the former city of Paris),
cated with each other, they soon established channels they attracted many followers and have since become
of contact to share information and coordinate attacks a substantial thorn in the Alliance’s side. (See chapter
against their hated Alliance masters. Since Terrans Twelve for more information on the rebellion.)
quickly appeared at the forefront of this uprising, the
leaders of the Alliance began referring to it as the
“Terran Rebellion” (at least in private; in public they The Alliance
never acknowledged its existence).
Modern analysts place much of the initial resis-
Government
tance activity in the Bajor Sector. In the Bajor-B’hava’el Despite the recent rise of the Terran Rebellion,
System, Intendant Kira Nerys ruled from the orbital the Alliance remains one of the most powerful gov-
mining station Terok Nor. A riot there, apparently led ernments the Alpha and Beta Quadrants have ever
by a former technician named Miles O’Brien and a seen. In terms of personnel, ships, and territory, it
pirate named Benjamin Sisko (who was once Kira’s ser- dwarfs the Terran Empire, and likely the Romulan
vant and lover), grew into a widespread rebellion when Star Empire as well. Having withstood challenges
the rebels seized several small ships and fled into an from both the Romulans and Tholians, it has firmly
unstable region of space known as the Badlands. established itself as the preeminent power in this part
On Earth, the seeds of rebellion sprang from a most of the Milky Way Galaxy.
unlikely candidate: a balding, elderly scientist named
Jean-Luc Picard. Born in 2305 into a privileged family T he S tructure of the A lliance
whose members betrayed key Terran Empire defensive The Alliance is a militocratic autocracy. Its leaders
installations to the Alliance Forces in exchange for rule with a harsh, powerful fist, their power flowing
wealth and power in the new regime, Picard stud- from the military strength they can bring to bear on
ied at several universities and became a well-known anyone who challenges them. The Alliance responds
CHAPTER TEN

archaeologist. While not granted the freedom given to swiftly to any dissent or refusal to follow the com-
Cardassian and Klingon archaeologists, he was able to mands of its authorities, crushing such disobedience
study many sites and make some important discover- utterly. The punishment for any offense involving
ies. But despite his relative freedom, he yearned for disobedience, treason, or treachery is death. If the
more. He bitterly resented the restrictions placed on authorities feel merciful and the offender lucky, death
his movements and the petty indignities heaped upon comes quickly; otherwise the Alliance’s executioners
him by the Alliance oppressors. prefer to draw such events out for the entertainment of
their masters.

The Regent
The ruler of the Alliance holds the title of Regent.
Although he wields the powers of an emperor, the title
Regent connotes his true position—in theory, he repre-
sents the best interests of the Klingon and Cardassian
peoples, ruling on their behalf and in their name. So
the Articles of Alliance read, but in truth the Regent
100 can do whatever he pleases as long as he enforces
Alliance sovereignty. Per the terms of the Articles, a
Klingon always serves as Regent.
 The Alliance Palace, in the First City on Qo’noS, Command remains a distant and abstract entity most
serves as the Regent’s seat. The largest manmade struc- of the time, but intendants embody a tangible and
ture in the Alliance, its enormous façade stretches for ongoing presence (and, in some regions, exercise more
several kilometers, presenting a strength and majesty power throughout the sector than Sector Command).
representative of the Regent himself. The Regent also Strong and ruthless individuals who brook no chal-
maintains palaces on several key worlds, including lenges to their authority, they order executions, con-
Cardassia Prime, Earth, and Tellar, as well as a num- finement, torture, and other punishments as casually
ber of orbital facilities (including Ty’Gokor in Klingon as they order the gourmet food on which they feast.
space and the Saturn Fortress in Earth’s solar system). Some, such as Intendant Kira Nerys of the Bajor-
Each Regent typically constructs several secret head- B’hava’el system, use their position to satisfy their
quarters as well, which only his most trusted personnel perverse desires. Klingons, Cardassians, Bajorans, and
know about. other favored species serve as intendants.
As of 2370, Regent Worf of the House of Mogh rules
the Alliance. Large and strong, even for a Klingon, he
killed his predecessor, Korax, in a brutal melee; it is said The Allia nce Forc es
he finished his opponent by strangling Korax with his
The Alliance Forces—the empire’s militar y arm—
bare hands. Worf combines an unusually high level of form
the backbone of Alliance power. The largest armed
Klingon brutality with an almost Cardassian-like clever- force
in quadrant histor y, the Forces allow the Allianc
ness. Those who work near or with him constantly fear e to
project its strength wherever it pleases. As long
running afoul of his capricious, hair-trigger temper. The as the
militar y remains happy, the Regent remains in
tiniest slip may result in the offender’s execution. power
and the stewardship of the Alliance proceeds smoot

THE ALLIANCE  TRIUMPHANT
hly.
Sector Command When the militar y grows discontent, Regents fall
and
The Alliance divides its territory into sectors, cubic chaos often reigns.
The Regent serves as commander-in-chief of
areas of space roughly 20 light-years long on a side the
(but sometimes larger or smaller, depending on popu- Forces, but the Alliance Forces Command mainta
ins
day to day responsibility for most command issues
lation density, astronomical phenomena, and other . It
decides where ships go, what campaign to undert
factors). Examples include Qo’noS Sector, Earth Sector, ake
or strategies to use in various conflicts, and so
Bajor Sector, and Bolarus Sector. In many cases the forth.
Technically it also controls who gets promoted,
location and designation of a sector derive from old but in
most situations promotion issues resolve thems
Terran Empire records. elves
within a given crew by violent means; Command
A Sector Command controls each sector under the simply
direction of a Sector Commandant. Sector Commands rubber-stamps the outcome.
The Negh’Var—the largest, most powerful ship
derive their authority as much from the Alliance Forces ever
built in the Alpha Quadrant—serves as the flagsh
as they do from the government, since the Sector ip of
the Alliance Forces. Dwarfing even the D’deridex-cl
Commandants also command the ships and soldiers in ass
warbirds of the Romulan Star Empire, its weapo
their sectors and depend on such military support to ns can
govern effectively. obliterate entire planets. When the Negh’Var appea
rs
Sector Commandants hold important and power- in a system, the inhabitants tremble.
ful positions (especially in key sectors such as Earth
The Obsid ian Order
Sector or Bajor Sector), though their lofty status often
proves precarious. Lesser officials commonly target Whereas the Klingons have rarely had much use
for
Commandants for assassination or disgrace, since espionage, the Cardassians mastered such discipl
ines
traditionally whoever removes a Commandant from centuries ago. After the Alliance formed, the Klingo
ns
office assumes his position. Both Cardassians and allowed the Cardassians to form and operate the
new
Klingons serve as Sector Commandants. empire’s intelligence service, provided that they
used
the former Klingon Intelligence operatives in
their
Intendants preferred role as commandos and saboteurs (a stipula
-
Intendants govern specific star systems, such as tion the Cardassians were only too happy to meet).
To
Earth System or the Bajor-B’hava’el System. In regions simplify matters, the Cardassians simply adopte
d their
sparsely settled by Alliance citizens, an intendancy existing espionage apparatus, the ruthlessly efficie
nt
may encompass more than one star system; conversely, Obsidian Order, into the Alliance governmental structu
re.
heavily settled systems, such as the Rigel System, pos- While technically referred to on paper as the “Allia
nce
sess intendants for each inhabited planet, rather than Intelligence Service,” most Klingons and Cardas
sians
one for the whole system.
In most systems, the populace fears the intendant
continue to refer to it as the Obsidian Order. 101
more than any other government official. Sector
 The Intendants of Qo’noS F oreign R elations
and Cardassia Prime The Klingon-Cardassian Alliance maintains foreign
The intendants who rule the Qo’noS System and relations with relatively few other powers in the Alpha
Cardassia System—Gowron and Dukat, respectively— and Beta Quadrants. It typically considers diplomacy
enjoy a special measure of power. By Alliance tradition, a complete waste of time. If the Alliance wants some-
they act as the leaders of their respective people, even thing, it takes it, regardless of the wishes of its target.
though they technically wield no more authority than Still, despite this attitude it has found that maintain-
any other intendant. When Dukat speaks, he speaks ing diplomatic contact with certain other powers can
for the Cardassian people, and Gowron does the same prove useful, if for no other reason than to provide a
for the Klingons. When issues relating to the nature or cover for espionage activities on those worlds.
structure of the Alliance arise, the intendants of those
two systems meet with the Regent to resolve any prob- The Romulan Star Empire
lems. In short, after the Regent, these two intendants are Since the conclusion of the Alliance-Romulan War
the most powerful leaders in the Alliance. over thirty years ago, the Alliance has maintained an
embassy on Romulus, and the Star Empire on both
Planetary Governors Qo’noS and Cardassia Prime. For the most part, the
and Local Government two powers get along by ignoring each other—the
Governors govern individual inhabited planets. A Alliance doesn’t build major bases or settlements too
governor’s power depends largely on the importance of close to the Neutral Zone, and the Romulans respect
his planet, but even the weakest of them possess more Alliance space in the same fashion (no doubt prefer-
power and wealth than the average Alliance citizen. ring to concentrate their efforts on expansion away
Plenty of underlings await the chance to kill even the from enemy space). Romulan activity near the Neutral
least important governor and take his place. Zone increased during the Tholian War—probably in
Planets inhabited primarily by Klingons and an effort to exploit the fact that the Alliance’s attention
Cardassians may maintain whatever form of local gov- was directed elsewhere—but since the war’s end that
ernment they choose and their governor allows. Most activity has ebbed. In the post-war era the Alliance has
governors run relatively autocratic administrations, stepped up its patrols of the Neutral Zone region to
but some planets enjoy more democratic rule. A few discourage any Romulan thoughts of invasion.
governors have instituted truly bizarre forms of govern-
ment. As long as the planet pays its taxes to the Regent The Tholians
regularly and the governor keeps the populace in line, The treaty that concluded the Tholian War provided
the Alliance usually overlooks such deviance. for both powers to build embassies and exchange
Planets in former Terran Empire territory, or whose ambassadors. So far, both of them have taken only
populations do not contain a majority of Klingons or preliminary steps toward fulfilling this proviso; neither
Cardassians, follow a different model. The Alliance has even chosen an ambassador. Each seems content
installs and removes governors on such worlds at its to lick its wounds and glare at the other over a demili-
whim, with the people receiving little or no voice tarized zone. A few bold traders have tried to open up
in the matter. Typically the governor uses a standard economic relations, but that process has also proven
CHAPTER TEN

Alliance system in which he divides the world into slow and problematic.
“states,” installing a Commander at the top of each.
Within his state the Commander possesses unfettered K lingon -C ardassian R elations
discretion to rule as he sees fit, subject only to the Perhaps the most important relations issue for the
command of the Governor and other high-ranking Alliance comes from within—the interaction between
Alliance officials. its two principle members, the Klingons and the
Cardassians. As the incidents of the 2310s and 2320s
show, distrust and prejudice continued to fester beneath
the surface long after the two species formalized their
association on paper. A series of mutual threats—the
Romulans, the Tholians, the rebellion—combined with
the success of their governmental venture, has brought
the two species closer together than ever, and there
seem to be no serious problems on the horizon.
However, with two such haughty and temperamental
species, differences can easily arise and explode into
102 violence almost overnight.
 THE ALLIANCE  TRIUMPHANT
In large part, credit for the stability of the Alliance tendency toward impulsive, violent actions can be
rests with the Cardassian negotiators who helped to checked through bureaucratic manipulation—travel
frame it nearly a century ago. Recognizing that most orders mysteriously misplaced, delayed shipments of
Klingons didn’t care for the petty details of government fuel or crucial parts, “garbled” transmissions, and simi-
(desiring only to rule and fight), the Cardassians agreed lar “accidents.”
that only Klingons could sit on the throne as Regents; The extension of the Cardassian vesala system helps
the Cardassians would employ their skills as adminis- the Cardassians with their covert governmental work.
trators and organizers to keep the machinery of govern- Masters of influence-peddling since long before the
ment flowing smoothly. This suited the Klingons well, Klingons, Bajorans, and other Alliance partners adopt-
as did the Cardassian proposal to run the Alliance’s ed vesala, the Cardassians can “call in favors” when
intelligence service. necessary to keep the Klingons on a leash or direct
These early Alliance institutions created an fasci- their attention toward other, more important subjects.
nating balance of power—essentially, the Klingons Cardassian control of the Alliance intelligence appa-
unwittingly handed government control over to the ratus also bolsters their secret control of the Alliance.
Cardassians. While Klingons still hold many of the Obsidian Order agents spy on all prominent Klingons,
most important positions, including the Regency and maintaining extensive dossiers for purposes of black-
many military posts, the Cardassians control the mail (and, if necessary, assassination). Reports from the
bureaucracy. In the end, Regents and generals come Obsidian Order allow Intendant Dukat to manipulate
and go, but the bureaucracy (with its vast institutional many Klingon officials in subtle and indirect ways—most
memory) remains in place, controlling and manipulat- never even see the hand working their puppet strings.
ing affairs behind the scenes. Cardassians hold posi- Ultimately, Cardassian self-interest helps them main-
tions of outright rule and command less frequently tain good relations with their Klingon allies. With the
than Klingons, but they advise the Klingons, prepare Klingons, they rule the Alpha Quadrant and substantial
the reports the Klingons read, and control all the petty parts of the Beta Quadrant. Without them, they existed
details of daily government. only as a second-rate galactic power, bullied by the
The Cardassians prefer to keep the true extent of Terran Empire. As long as they maintain the Alliance—
their power a secret. Fortunately, Cardassians speak and their secret control of it—they remain powerful.
and flatter with great skill, allowing them to advise
Klingon leaders in such a way as to make them think
the ideas planted in their heads were their own. If
103
worse comes to worst, the Klingon temperament and
 Life in A n E mpire of L uxury
Klingons, Cardassians, Bajorans, and other Alliance
the Alliance member species live lives of luxury and ease (though
Klingon “luxury” doesn’t really fit Cardassian or
An individual’s quality of life in Bajoran definitions of the term). Member species enjoy
the Alliance depends on his spe- full use of replicators and other technological marvels,
cies and station in life. Favored maintain slaves to serve their whims, and can travel as
species enjoy luxuries and privi- they please. No law punishes them for crimes com-
leges; disfavored ones can only mitted against members of slave species, so they may
hope in vain for kindness and abuse, rape, and torture them with impunity. Many a
mercy from their overseers. Cardassian and Bajoran has taken advantage of this
fact to indulge their hedonism and perverted lusts.
Special “galactic tours” carry favored citizens from
one end of Alliance space to the other to see the sights
and experience new, exotic pleasures.
Klingons, on the other hand, often use slaves for
nothing more than live target practice. They have
also established an extensive network of gladiatorial
arenas where trained and untrained slaves fight for
their lives against Klingon warriors, strange beasts,
and each other. A successful gladiator may become
a “star” and a valuable commodity in his own right,
but in the end he’s still nothing but a slave. Some in
the Alliance criticize this practice, on the grounds
that slaves should never receive combat training or
weapons, but the Klingons seem confident that they
have the institution under control. After all, cannot
one Klingon warrior take on a dozen slaves at once
and triumph?

A n E mpire of M isery
For disfavored persons, life in the Alliance fos-
ters nothing but misery and despair. “Disfavoreds”
include virtually all races that once belonged to the
Terran Empire (though not its subject races, many of
whom, like the Bajorans, joined the Alliance), along
with any race conquered by the Alliance (such as
the Ferengi). Terrans, Axanari, Vulcans, Andorians,
CHAPTER TEN

Bolians, Betazoids, Tiburonians, Tellarites, and doz-

ens of other species now feel the sting of the Alliance
lash. Several, such as the Andorians and Tellarites,
have been rendered virtually extinct due to their
stubbornness and intractability; only a few hundred
thousand of each species still exist. Other, even
more difficult, species, such as the Tzenkethi and the
Sheliak, were simply exterminated.
The Alliance normally presses disfavored species
into slave labor. If there aren’t enough slaves in one
area—say, the Bajor Sector—Alliance “slave carriers”
ship them there like cattle. Slaves enjoy no rights or
legal protections whatsoever; they cannot fight back
if struck or abused by members of favored races,
travel freely, or own personal property of any kind.
Torture or death punishes disobedience.
 THE ALLIANCE  TRIUMPHANT
Vis ito rs Fro m the Oth er Sid e
The Alliance authorities kno
w all about Federation
Kirk’s visit to their universe
, and the results of his
“meddling.” Hoping to avo
id a similar fate themselves
they have established a stri ,
ct policy regarding all “visi-
tors”: they execute them
immediately. Most official
would obey this directive s
unquestioningly (after all,
failure to do so would resu
lt in their own execution,
if it was discovered), but
some might try to exploit
the arrival of “visitors” for
their own benefit. In fact,
Intendant Kira Ner ys’s atte
mpt to do just that resulted
in the creation of the Terr
The Alliance groups slaves into four categories, an Rebellion (a fact she has
kept well hidden). Furthe
each with its own alphabetic designation. The slaves rmore, the Regent or oth
high-ranking Alliance official er
who perform the most menial and dangerous jobs— s might even try to make
contact with the Federation
Lambdas—reside at the lowest level,. Slaves who do Universe for their own
gain—for example, to trick
not obey quickly enough, who attempt to escape, who someone into bringing them
cloaking technology or oth
sneak extra food for themselves, or who commit other er devices that the Mirror
Universe lacks.
such infractions consistently consign themselves to this
group. Kappas enjoy only a slightly better existence
than Lambdas. They receive better food (and more of
it), and work at less onerous jobs. Iotas continue the
slave hierarchy, and in some cases even qualify for jobs enjoy a range of privileges that other disfavoreds only
as personal servants. Many of them work as vehicle dream about. They eat good food and have limited
drivers, though the vehicles possess special remote replicator access; some even have their own personal
control devices which their overseers can use to pre- servants. They can travel, with some restrictions. They
vent escapes. The most trusted slaves of all, Thetas can attend universities and enter certain professions,
work as personal servants or hold jobs that do not such as the science fields. They cannot own property
require constant oversight or supervision. They receive or run businesses, but they can hold important posi-
the best food and quarters available to the slave class. tions within businesses. They cannot hold govern-
A few members of disfavored species rise above the ment office. Naturally, disfavoreds who work as slaves
slave system to what’s known as “privileged” status. In despise them (though that doesn’t prevent them from
most cases these persons belong to families that, long
ago, assisted the Alliance in its conquest of the Terran
trying to curry such favor themselves). 105
Empire—in short, their ancestors were traitors. They
 WORLDS
IN THE ALLIANCE XI
The Alliance includes over 500 major inhabited worlds, with hundreds of other colonies, frontier worlds, unset-
tled planets, and barren star systems within its space. Although Alliance influences have stamped out many dif-
ferences among various species (particularly among their slave races), many others remain, making each world
a unique and fascinating place. Cardassians, Bajorans, and other species so inclined take advantage of their priv-
ileged status to visit many of these planets, see their marvels, and experience all the pleasures they have to offer.
THREE
FOUR
CHAPTER TWO

BAJOR
Home to the third most powerful species in the kingdoms and principalities based around powerful,
Alpha Quadrant, Bajor remains a veritable jewel in the popular rulers. These realms often fought each other
heavens. Once a planet of misery and suffering, it has for land, resources, or simply for the joy of fighting.
become a legendary paradise where its people live in Other Bajorans channeled their passions into art, cre-
ease and splendor. ating a body of cultural works that most worlds can
Bajor possesses an extensive history. The Bajoran only envy.
civilization arose approximately 30,000 years ago Approximately 15,000 years ago, the first unification
according to some records, and by 20,000 years ago of Bajor occurred. A powerful young king, Tellan Jora,
106 had established most of the cultural institutions that
remain prominent today. Aggressive, passionate, and
conquered each of his neighbors. Then he expanded
outward, conquering kingdoms beyond his immediate
often fierce, the Bajorans organized themselves into region until he ruled first a continent, then two, and
finally the entire planet. Declaring himself and their allies. They desecrated the tomb
Emperor Jora I, he founded what Bajoran of Elthur of Vulcan, their first colonial
historians now refer to as the First Empire. governor, and paraded the head of the last
The First Empire endured for 8,000 governor, a Human named Nathan Kwan,
years. A succession of over a dozen dynas- through the streets of Theladria, the Bajoran
ties ruled it during that time, for periods capital.
ranging from three millennia to less than The Bajorans found that a place remained
three decades. Bajorans view this time as a for slave labor—Terran slave labor—on their
golden age, with food plentiful and suffer- world. Slaves from the former Terran Empire
ing nonexistent. Archaeological relics from arrived on Bajor to restore the planet they
the First Empire period—especially the first had once looted. Slave labor made ruined
three thousand years—remain quite rare areas green and beautiful again, cleansed
and valuable. polluted rivers, and rebuilt fallen structures.
The First Empire finally crumbled due to All unsightly or dangerous work, such as
neglect on the part of its rulers, who were ore processing, eventually moved off-world
more concerned with their harems and to orbital stations like Terok Nor.
other personal pleasures than the duties of
office. Powerful regional warlords began Bajor Today
fighting for the pieces, the victors setting Today Bajor once again appears para-
themselves up as localized kings or princes. disiacal. Its people, freed from the need to
This period of balkanization and constant work by replicator technology and slave
strife lasted for a millennium before one labor, engage in whatever pastimes they
of the kings, Kelmet Chonar, defeated his desire—they create artwork, administer
rivals and once again unified the planet. small businesses, pursue hobbies, or explore

WORLDS IN THE ALLIANCE

Scientific and technological advancements the realms of the senses and their own
in many fields marked this period, the imaginations. Only the restrictions imposed
Second Empire. The emperors’ feared secret by Alliance law limit their explorations.
police quashed dissent, forcing the aggres- Intendant Kira Nerys, who maintains her
sive Bajorans to channel their energy into offices on space station Terok Nor, serves as
work, sports, and art rather than warfare. the unquestioned ruler of the Bajor System.
The Second Empire lasted until 2255, Although kind and generous to those she
when the Terran Empire first discovered favors, the Intendant can be quite cruel to
Bajor. The Bajorans had never paid much those she hates. Hundreds, if not thousands,
attention to the universe beyond their of her “enemies” have gone to the torture
system, and so were unprepared for the chambers, the agony booths, or the scaf-
might and brutality of the Empire. A year fold—and she often considers anyone who
and 125 million dead Bajorans later, the denies her wishes an “enemy.” While she
defeated Bajorans became a colony of the professes to love her people, in truth she
Terran Empire. The Imperial Starfleet rav- loves only herself, and will sacrifice anyone
aged Bajor, establishing hundreds of mines or anything to achieve her ambitions.
and processing facilities from which to suck The Intendant knows many enemies,
the planet’s copious resources by means of ranging from her First Officer, Garak, to mem-
Bajoran slave labor. bers of the Bajoran Chamber of Ministers
When the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance who supposedly “advise” her. In reality she
freed Bajor from its Imperial shackles, it virtually ignores the Chamber, which angers
immediately joined the Alliance and fought some of the ministers immensely. At least a
to destroy its former oppressors. Bajoran dozen of them, if not more, would like to
soldiers took delight at avenging their peo- dispose of her and ascend to the position of
ples’ treatment at the hands of the Terrans intendant themselves.

107
 CARDASSIA PRIME
Like their neighbors the Bajorans, the them or gave them a choice between
Cardassians have existed as an established membership and obliteration. Members
civilization for millennia—in their case, had to provide raw materials to Cardassia
for about 18,000 years. Their early civi- Prime to keep it functioning.
lizations, including the First and Second This period represented the first flower-
Hebitian Empires and various periods of ing of Cardassian civilization in thousands
internal warfare among lesser nations, of years. Constant tribute from Union mem-
lasted until about a thousand years ago. bers freed Cardassia from the restrictions
By that time, Cardassia Prime, never a imposed by their world’s resource scar-
resource-rich planet like Bajor or Earth, had city, and the Cardassians began to cre-
been almost entirely stripped of its natural ate new structures, repair old ones, and
wealth, and desertification was taking over heal some of the scars they’d left on their
more and more arable land. Shortly after once-beloved homeworld. Following the
the magnitude of this problem became lead of renowned architect Tavor Kell, the
apparent, a military dictatorship took over Cardassians established their now distinc-
CHAPTER ELEVEN

the planet in the “Night of Talons,” a ten- tive arch-and-dome style of architecture.
hour planetwide wave of assassinations Cardassia’s period of growth and expan-
targeting key governmental officials—when sion came to an abrupt and unwelcome
dawn came after this bloody night, the mili- halt in 2255, when the Union encountered
tary assumed control. the Terran Empire for the first time. Faced
Their situation grim, the leaders soon with a potential competitor, the Empire
realized that they had to look outward, attacked, scoring several major victories
beyond their homeworld, to ensure (including the conquest of the valuable
Cardassia’s survival. Unlike the Bajorans, Bajor-B’hava’el System, which had been a
who preferred to remain insulated on “protected territory” of Cardassia but not a
their homeworld, the Cardassians began Union member). The Cardassians had never
exploring space as soon as it was techno- encountered so powerful a foe, or one pos-
logically possible (about 750 years ago). sessed of such ruthless focus. Mobilizing
After they developed warp capability, quickly, they managed to get enough ships
they began to search the heavens around on the line to temporarily halt the Imperial
them for other sources of raw materials advance into Cardassian territory.
and foodstuffs. They soon found dozens The conflict eventually settled into a
of other inhabited planets in the vicinity— war of attrition. The Terrans mined Bajor,
planets ripe for conquest. Within a centu- using its mineral wealth to construct new
ry the euphemistically-named Cardassian ships close to the front. Lacking the Empire’s
108 Union—actually a military dictatorship—
formed. Dozens of “members” (puppet
economic or technological resources, the
Cardassians slowly gave ground on several
worlds) joined after Cardassia conquered fronts. Finally, in 2266, after several bitterly
 contested battles, the Empire pushed the front back to not too easy, for the Union would not have its people
the Badlands—only a few light-years from Cardassia lose their strength through ease and indolence.
Prime itself. Before the Empire could regroup and, in all As of 2370, Legate Dukat serves as the Intendant
likelihood, conquer the Cardassians, a major Klingon of Cardassia Prime, and thus as the de facto leader of
raid led by Kor diverted the Empire’s forces and crippled the Cardassian people throughout the Alliance. Tall,
its logistical capabilities. strong, and handsome, Dukat enjoys immense popular-
The Cardassians sensed in the Klingons, a people ity among his people. That fact, coupled with his own
they had heretofore ignored as “savage barbarians,” the cleverness and network of influence, has allowed him to
allies they needed to oppose the Terran Empire. They remain in power for so long, since he has many enemies
quickly sent an embassy to Qo’noS, proposing an alli- who seek to elevate themselves to his position through
ance. Recognizing that the Terran Empire would crush treachery. First among these is his chief aide, Legate
each of them individually, the Klingons agreed, and the Damar. An alcoholic and a sybarite, Damar embodies
Alliance formed. Together their forces began to oppose brutality and spite; he resents the fact that Dukat, and
the Terrans effectively, and eventually to push them back not he, rules Cardassia Prime. To his way of thinking,
into their own territory. By 2305, Alliance forces had Dukat “cheated” him out of the intendant’s job, and he
conquered and occupied the entire Terran Empire. intends to rectify that injustice at the point of a knife.
Legate Darhe’el, the Overseer Prime of Cardassia,
C ardassia T oday also desires the intendancy. Charged with the impor-
After the war ended, the Cardassians used treasures tation, employment, and oversight of all slaves on
looted from the Empire and Terran slave labor to help Cardassia Prime, Darhe’el is a powerful man with one
remake Cardassia Prime. Repairing the ecological of the most extensive vesala networks in the Alliance.
damage done by millennia of exploitation and neglect He burns with jealousy for Dukat’s position, and plots
proved impossible, of course, but with the help of to remove him from office. In the meantime, he relieves
Terran science and labor the Cardassian engineers his frustrations by personally executing every slave
did what they could. Compared to the Cardassia of caught attempting to escape his work assignments.

WORLDS IN THE ALLIANCE
a hundred years before, it represented an extraordi- Finally, Legate Madred, one of the leaders of the
nary improvement. The Cardassian government moved Obsidian Order, moves in his shadowy circles to unseat
industrial facilities off-planet or to other worlds, thus the Intendant. He has ordered many of his operatives
allowing the air and water to be cleansed; made rep- to gather information on Dukat, Dukat’s minions and
licators (once rare on Cardassia) commonplace; and partisans, and anyone who might be competing for
established regular shipments of fresh food and non- Dukat’s job (such as Damar and Darhe’el). When the
replicatable supplies from the former Empire worlds. time appears right, he plans to use his assassin’s training
Life on Cardassia became simpler and easier, though to strike without hesitation.

109
 EARTH
A hundred years ago, Earth rested at the The Alliance set out to rebuild Earth
center of the feared Terran Empire, serving as a gigantic labor camp and prison plan-
as its capital. A proud, powerful, decadent et. Never again would it be allowed to
world where the strong prospered, the weak achieve any measure of dignity, comfort, or
were exploited, and the clever grew rich, power, except in the enclaves maintained
Earth’s long shadow covered the entire Alpha in Kolara (the former city of Paris) by the
Quadrant, and the Klingons, Cardassians, Alliance overseers and officials. In the
and Romulans all trembled before the might place of former cities, Earth’s new masters
of the Imperial Starfleet. constructed huge, hulking, ugly cities con-
But as powerful as it was, Earth fell vic- sisting of nothing but industrial plants, fac-
tim to its own weakness. Altered by reforms tories, and enormous slave dormitories. At
instigated by Commander-in-Chief Spock the center of each city, regional governors
toward the end of the 23rd century, it found erected enormous monuments celebrating
itself unable to defend against the attacks of Alliance victories and rule; edicts call for
the powerful Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. the execution of any Terran who fails to
CHAPTER ELEVEN

By the beginning of the 24th century, the bow to one of these monuments.
once-proud Terran homeworld lay in ruins, Today, after 70 years of Alliance rule,
her people enslaved and brutalized. Earth stands as a shadow of its former self.
Even the face of the planet changed Mining projects have stripped away its
during the awesome might of the Alliance mineral wealth with a thoroughness mak-
campaign. A new island continent, East ing the Terran operations on Bajor look slip-
Africa, was created when Klingon plane- shod. Alliance overseers ship “Earthers”—
tary bombardment cracked open the geo- reduced to weak, sickly slaves— through-
logic faultline running through the east- out the Alliance to perform the most dan-
ern part of Africa. Several existing islands, gerous and demeaning jobs. Hopelessness,
such as Ireland and New Zealand, were despair, and misery hang over Earth’s cities
shattered into rubble and tiny islets. like a fog; pain shows in every step a Terran
Alliance forces reduced the western half slave takes.
of North America to an uninhabitable des- But even amidst this miasma of degrada-
ert. All of Earth’s greatest structures and tion, tiny rays of hope have begun to shine
monuments—the Towers of Conquest, the through the gloom. Recently an unidenti-
Great Wall, the Faces of the Emperors, the fied group detonated an explosive device
Grand Canyon, the White Palace, Empire at Alliance headquarters in Kolara, causing
Plaza, and hundreds more—also met substantial damage to the installation and
their destruction. killing hundreds of Cardassians, Klingons,
110
and Bajorans. Word of the attack spread through the edge of this data purge, but rumors spread among the
Terran dormitories, labor camps, and factories like Terran slaves of hidden backup archives, buried deep
wildfire. Some spoke of a new enemy for the Alliance, in the Earth’s crust or sunk under its ocean beds. Every
one with enough potential power to weaken it and free once in a while, a slave comes up with an inexplicable
Humanity. But others, daring to hope, spoke of the pos- piece of equipment—anything from a food ration pack
sibility of rebellion. What if, they asked, some Terrans to an Imperial agonizer. While there may or may not
have finally found a way to build an underground be truth to the rumors of a rebellion network, nobody
resistance against their hated Alliance oppressors? If can deny that someone is spreading around bits and
such a thing has happened, thousands, nay millions, of pieces of things uncovered from the past, perhaps
Terrans would rush to aid the rebellion—but as yet no taken from a concealed vault designed for just such
one can prove the truth of the slaves’ whispers. an eventuality.
Despite the near-total devastation of Earth, the fates The Klingons survived the devastation of Qo’noS
of many cultural icons remain shrouded in mystery. and its orbital bombardment, and eventually returned
When the Alliance conquered Earth, the reformed their planet to its former homeworld glory. Perhaps the
Empire was well underway in the creation of its latest Terrans will do the same someday with Earth—if they
cutting-edge designs in starships and technologies, survive long enough to rise up against the Alliance.
complete with samples of a wide range of alien toxins, Some slaves barter with their overseers for better treat-
devices, and system maps. In some cases, these secret ment by demonstrating “proof” that they are beaten,
treasures were lost under the fierce Alliance bombard- secretly hoping that the Alliance will eventually turn
ment. Certainly a bombing that broke up continents its ire against a different enemy and leave them under
and created new seas was sufficient to destroy small, lax security. Others still sullenly (but secretly) plot
fragile samples of testbed technology. On the other the overthrow of their masters, having learned that
hand, despite their best efforts, Alliance spies and subtlety must suffice where force is insufficient. In any
special forces were unable to account for every miss- case, Humanity has overcome a great many trials and
ing piece. The sack of Imperial Starfleet headquarters tribulations in the past. This latest yoke seems to only

WORLDS IN THE ALLIANCE
showed that the Terrans had already taken precau- strengthen the Human fire; in a strange paradox, the
tions with their data—the computer systems, though Alliance finds the quirky Humans even more deter-
heavily damaged, seemed to have been purged of all mined to resist than ever. But, of course, the slaves will
their information before the bombing commenced. not be satisfied with mere freedom if they ever liberate
Captured Imperial Starfleet officers claimed no knowl- their homeworld…

111
 FERENGINAR
The Ferengi—best known as merchants, sels with whom one should have as few
traders, gamblers, and thieves— compose dealings as possible. Others, such as the
the third major species within easy warp Cardassians and Bajorans, disdain the
travel of Bajor. Short and weak compared Ferengi, but recognize that they hold some
to most humanoids, they have found that measure of value as snoops, fences, and
deceit and guile make better tools for them black marketeers.
than skill at arms. In fact, according to their Because of the general Klingon reaction
own historical texts, they first obtained to their presence, Ferengi often try to avoid
warp capability not by inventing it, but by the core worlds of the Alliance. They prefer
tricking some nameless alien explorer into to remain on the fringes of Alliance space,
selling it to them for a handful of semi-pre- where they can work their schemes and
cious gemstones. gouge their customers in relative safety. But
Ferenginar, the Ferengi homeworld, a profitable enough venture can tempt a
presents a dreary environment even by Ferengi to overcome his native cowardice
Alliance standards. Small, swampy, and and go just about anywhere.
CHAPTER ELEVEN

humid, it boasts few large animals and little The Terran Rebellion has taken note of
arable land. For this reason, trade and trade the fact that in some places, such as Terok
wars dominate the history of the Ferengi Nor, Ferengi have helped to smuggle
people. When a Ferengi wants something, escaped slaves out of Alliance space. Its
he’ll find a way to trade for it; if he can’t leaders wonder if they can make wide-
trade for it, he’ll try to steal it; if he can’t spread use of the Ferengi for such pur-
steal it, he’ll sneak up behind the owner, poses; an “underground railroad” opera-
knife him in the back, and take it. tion of this sort would help strengthen
Galactic opinion regarding the Ferengi their young organization. Assuming the
runs the gamut from mild dislike to utter Rebellion can afford Ferengi services,
loathing. To most species, including the such initiatives might help increase their
Klingons (who often kill them on sight), ranks significantly.
the Ferengi are untrustworthy little wea-

112
 GORLAN
The first official act performed by James sovereigns atop the cosmic hierarchy. The
T. Kirk when he became captain of the long road to ultimate victory requires faith,
I.S.S. Enterprise in 2263 was the destruction however. According to the priest-captains
of the planet Gorlan, which had rebelled who steer their ships, the hymns predicted
against the rule of the Terran Empire. Only that the Creator would send a “plague of
a few thousand Gorlans managed to escape destruction and fire” upon them to test

WORLDS IN THE ALLIANCE
their homeworld before the Enterprise’s them before they ascended to their rightful
weapons blasted its surface into rubble and position as galactic rulers. They say that
glazed glass, and then cracked the planet the destruction of their homeworld repre-
open like an eggshell. sents this “plague,” and that they have now
Today, a hundred years later, the Gorlan embarked on the final stages of their spiri-
have become nomadic bands of pirate- tual journey. For this reason, they refuse to
fanatics, traveling the spacelanes in small settle peacefully on some distant, hidden
groups to prey on Alliance shipping. Their world or to surrender when attacked; they
religion unites them, teaching Gorlan believe it their sacred destiny to fight, pil-
superiority over all other galactic species; lage, and ultimately triumph over their
their sacred hymns speak of the Millennial Alliance enemies. Despite the best efforts
Reign, a time fast approaching when the of the Alliance Forces, they remain a dis-
Gorlan will assume their rightful place as tinct thorn in the Alliance’s side.

113
 QO’NOS
Qo’noS is the homeworld of the belliger- on several occasions. The Klingons struck
ent, militaristic Klingons. Though they have back with raids deep into Empire space.
risen to lofty heights in the Alliance political Their hit-and-run tactics gave a breather to
structure, their past offers a decidedly less the beleaguered Cardassians, and the two
glorious image of this proud warrior species. groups soon formed an alliance.
The first several thousand years of Klingon Now able to oppose the Empire on a
history form an unrelenting chronicle of substantially more equal footing due to
warfare, bloodshed, and rage unequalled in strength of numbers, the fledgling Alliance
the Galaxy. In the face of such fury, some slowly pushed back the forces of the Empire
historians wonder how they came to devel- over the next several decades. Internal dis-
op advanced technology at all. The ancient sent among the Imperial elite, coupled with
Klingons fought over anything—land, power, radical reform proposals, began to weaken
women, insults real or perceived, or simply the aging Empire. Ultimately, the Alliance
for the sheer joy of battle. fleet flew unchallenged over a shattered,
This joyous ferocity and singlemind- defeated Earth.
CHAPTER ELEVEN

ed bloodthirstiness impelled the Emperor

Louvin to offer the Klingons a favored role Q o ’ no S T oday
in the Empire. It, along with the legendary Since the conquest, the Klingons have
Klingon bullheaded, stiff-necked, obstinacy reoccupied Qo’noS and built many large,
prevented the Klingons from accepting it— impressive cities (including their capital,
or from accepting defeat until Qo’noS itself First City). With the wealth of the quadrants
was leveled and the Klingons had become at their feet, they have gradually molded
a race of refugees. their home planet into a darkly majestic for-
Fortunately for the Klingons, once they tress-world—the mere mention of Qo’noS
fled Qo’noS the Empire let them alone— strikes fear into the hearts of Alliance sub-
until, that is, they began raiding frontier jects throughout the quadrant.
planets, starbases, and other settlements. Gowron, Intendant of the Qo’noS
Imperial efforts to wipe them out through- System, rules the Klingon people. In many
out the rest of the 23rd century proved fruit- ways he represents an unusual choice for
less; it seemed that for every Klingon raider intendant. Unlike Regent Worf, who fits the
killed, ten more stood ready to take his stereotype of the large, brutal Klingon war-
place harrying their despised conquerors. rior perfectly, Gowron relies more on clev-
Gradually, through a high birth rate and erness and subtlety. His enemies can never
clever use of stolen military technology, the be certain whether he’ll challenge them
Klingons began to grow more and more to single combat, find a way to blackmail
114 powerful. Beginning around 2270, the
Terran Empire initiated a concerted effort
them into supporting him, or simply send
an assassin to plant a kut’luch between
to destroy them, and nearly succeeded their ribs.
 Gowron enjoys the support and favor of most of the a system, everyone knows that some soon-to-be-dead
Houses on the High Council. The Duras Sisters, Lursa Klingon has offended the Intendant.
and B’Etor, form perhaps his strongest allies—their Still, despite Gowron’s power, the threat of civil
timely withdrawal from the fleets of their brother Duras war remains omnipresent on Qo’noS. Such wars have
became one of the decisive factors in Gowron’s victory been part of Klingon culture throughout history, and
in the recent Klingon civil war. Rumors on Qo’noS all it would take to start another one is some House’s
whisper that Gowron conducts affairs with both sisters, perception of a weakness on Gowron’s part. Gowron
and it’s well known that he uses them as enforcers from keeps a close eye on ally and enemy alike, and hides
time to time. When the mighty Duras fleets appear in his secrets carefully.

WORLDS IN THE ALLIANCE

115
 VULCAN
Like Earth, the Alliance conquered In the back alleys of the few Vulcan
Vulcan after extensive bombardment, and cities which the Alliance left standing,
much of Vulcan’s scant supply of water prisoners and Vulcans alike knife each
boiled away into the atmosphere under the other to death for cupfuls of water. Some
heat of Klingon disruptors. Today Vulcan have ghoulishly taken to killing people
burns more sere than ever, a wasteland and drinking their blood for the moisture.
even by the standards of the planet-ravag- Literally and figuratively, it is a hell-world.
ing Cardassians. Its harsh and unforgiving Despite the harsh conditions, many
environment makes it the perfect prison Vulcans chose to remain on their home-
planet for the Alliance. world after the conquest. They are well
Whenever the Alliance catches a mem- adapted to its environment and have an
ber of the Terran Rebellion, a criminal, a easier time surviving there than, say, Terrans
pirate, a dissident, or some other malcon- or Tiburonians. Vulcans run most of the
tent, it must decide whether execution or criminal gangs who control the planet’s
imprisonment serves as the most appropri- population (the Alliance has never both-
CHAPTER ELEVEN

ate punishment. Out of cruel “mercy,” a ered to station wardens there; it simply
prisoner may end up on Vulcan, his life monitors the planet to make sure no one
spared, though perhaps only temporarily. can escape).
On Vulcan daily survival becomes a fragile
hope at best. With very little water to go
around and a large population, a person can
easily die of thirst within a week as his body
tries to adapt to its new environment.

116
Worlds Outside “the Most Decadent Planet in the Galaxy,” Risa caters
to the boundless Humanoid desire for pleasure in all
the Alliance of its forms. Alliance citizens travel many light-years
to sample its exotic liqueurs, swim in its crystal-clear
For one reason or another, the Alliance has not oceans, gamble in its enormous casinos, and avail
conquered every world in the Alpha Quadrant. While themselves of the “services” provided by countless
it may influence those worlds in some way, it does harems of exquisitely trained sex-slaves. Whatever a
not rule them. Some of the worlds outside its direct person desires, from sporting events to murder-for-
control include: thrills, the Risans can provide.

B reen T he M irror D ominion

The icy Breen homeworld belongs to the enigmatic In the Mirror Universe, there are no Orbs, no
Breen people. Rabidly xenophobic, they want little Prophets—and no wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant.
to do with the Galaxy beyond their own system. On No wormhole means no contact with the Dominion,
those rare occasions when they do interact with other and no Dominion War. Narrators who want to run a
sentient species, they wear refrigerated suits that cover Mirror Dominion War can easily alter the facts to suit
them from head to toe. No non-Breen has ever seen their desires.
what a Breen actually looks like. Just because no one in the Mirror Universe has dis-
The Breen can maintain their isolation, and keep covered the Bajoran Wormhole doesn’t mean it’s not
the Alliance at bay, because they possess a significant there. When Major Kira and Dr. Bashir accidentally
military capability. The Klingons have tried to conquer traveled to the Mirror Universe, they came through the
them three times during their history, and failed every wormhole, and left via the same route. It didn’t look
time. Fielding large ships and equipped with strong quite the same as the Bajoran Wormhole known in
shields and powerful disruptors, modern Breen war- the Federation Universe (it opened slightly differently)

WORLDS IN THE ALLIANCE

ships also possess an energy-dissipation device against but it functioned identically. Assuming that a Mirror
which Alliance ships have no defense. The Alliance Universe ship entered the wormhole properly, it’s
would desperately like to learn more about the Breen entirely possible that it would find itself in the Gamma
(particularly about their military technology), and Quadrant—with the Dominion.
would pay handsomely for concrete information. While the Federation Universe Dominion stands as
a powerful, ruthless political entity, the Mirror Universe
M inos Dominion takes this power to even more terrible
Like the Breen, the Minosians have remained free heights. Its Jem’Hadar are bigger, stronger, tougher,
from Alliance domination thanks to their superior and even more suicidally devoted to their masters. Its
firepower. The foremost weaponsmiths in the Alpha Vorta are wilier and more vicious, often with enhanced
Quadrant, the Minos possesses a planetary defense telekinetic abilities to make them excellent assassins as
network that even the Negh’Var cannot penetrate. well as diplomats. Its Founders have no compunctions
However, the Minosians have established a profit- about ordering the extermination of entire planetary
able relationship with the Alliance as a supplier of populations. For example, in the Mirror Universe, the
weaponry and defensive systems. While they certainly Dominion didn’t bother to inflict the “blight” on the
won’t sell their most powerful systems to the Alliance people of the Teplan system; instead, it used a different
(since they use those for their own protection), they biogenic weapon, killing the entire population in less
provide the Cardassians and Klingons which just about than two weeks. Then they cracked open the planet,
any other type of weapon they desire. Sometimes they took its mineral wealth, and left it to drift through
trade weapons for shipments of slaves for use in weap- space as a mute testament to the Dominion’s power
ons testing. and brutality.
An encounter between the Alliance and the
R isa Dominion would inevitably lead to war. Both pow-
Although located within Alliance space, Risa has ers are large, aggressive, expansionistic states that
managed to maintain its independence through adroit don’t hesitate to conduct foreign relations at disruptor
political manipulation, bribery, and treachery. The Risan point. However, the Alliance would likely fare better
leaders mastered the Cardassian vesala system long in its Dominion War than did the Federation-Klingon-
ago, and use it to keep the Alliance from installing an Romulan alliance in the Federation Universe, for sev-
intendant to rule them. Those officials whom the Risans eral reasons. First, the Alliance is larger and more pow-
cannot bribe, it hires Flaxian assassins to eliminate. erful than the Federation and its allies. Second, since
In exchange for favors granted, the Risans offer a
powerful attraction of their own: the use of their luxu-
the Alliance includes the Cardassians, the Dominion
would have no Alpha Quadrant allies to assist it
117
rious pleasure planet. Labeled, with some accuracy, (unless it somehow convinced the Breen, Tholians, or
 Romulans to work with it, which is unlikely). Third, the Getting the Mirror Universe Borg involved with
Alliance is much more militarized and aggressive than affairs in the Alpha Quadrant shouldn’t prove too dif-
the Federation and its allies, who had to conduct their ficult. A clever Narrator can come up with many ways
CHAPTER ELEVEN

Dominion War according to their ideas of fair play. Of to bring the Borg to the Alliance, or an Alliance ship
course, the Dominion is more powerful and aggres- to the Borg. First, there’s the same method used in the
sive, too, so it wouldn’t be an easy fight for either side. Federation Universe—an ultra-powerful being or beings
Characters in a Terran Rebellion series could certainly who brings the two together. If you don’t want to use Q,
exploit a war situation to make gains in their quest there’s the Douwd, the Cytherians, or many other such
for independence. Perhaps they would ally with the beings. In the Mirror Universe, such beings enjoy not
Dominion, paving the way for a future Dominion that only immense power—they also use their power capri-
included the Terrans—at least until they decided to kill ciously, often with malicious intent. If it pleased them
their Founder masters and seize power for themselves. to do so, they’d arrange an Alliance-Borg encounter just
for the fun of seeing what sort of suffering resulted.
T he M irror B org Second, there’s that old Star Trek standby, the
Outside of the enigmatic claims of Orion mystics, no technological accident. A Borg transwarp drive set on
Q exist in the Mirror Universe—or at least, they’ve never overload, or an Alliance ship that somehow manages
chosen to reveal themselves to anyone there. Without a Q to generate energies like those of the Traveler, or the
to bedevil some Alliance Forces captain, no Alliance ship early invention of the quantum slipstream drive by an
will get thrown into the Delta Quadrant for a first encoun- enterprising Alliance scientist—any of these possibili-
ter with the Borg. Without that encounter, the Borg will ties could easily bring the two powers together, with
never learn about the Alliance or the many races that live predictably disastrous results.
within its territory. Thus, no Wolf 359, no Borg attempt to Third, you can alter history a little. Since this is the
use a timesphere to stop the Terran Empire from develop- Mirror Universe, not everything has to be exactly alike.
118 ing warp drive, and no threat of “assimilation.” At least
not unless the Narrator decides that he wants to use the
Maybe the Borg started an expedition to the Alpha
Quadrant decades or centuries ago—and the first wave
Borg in his Mirror Universe series. is just now arriving.
 Mirror Universe Borg are even worse
than their Federation Universe counter-
parts. They possess the same hive mind,
the same techniques of assimilation, the
same superior technology—but the resem-
blance ends there. Where the Federation
Borg are zombie-like automatons, Mirror
Borg are more proactively aggressive. Any
time they sense an intruder aboard one of
their ships, they attack with every resource
at their command—they won’t ignore an
unknown invader just because he’s “not
interfering” with them. They’re also much
quicker than Federation Borg. Thanks to
developments in Borg nanoprobes and other
technologies, Mirror Borg lack the stiff-legged
gait and awkward motion of Federation Borg.
With their skeleton and musculature enhanced
by Borg technology, they move very quickly.
Drawing a bead on them with a disruptor,
or avoiding their hand-to-hand attacks, often
becomes an impossible exercise. Their cubes
are larger, as well—10 kilometers on a side, or
more—and equipped with incredibly powerful
weapons capable of destroying a Vor’cha-class

WORLDS IN THE ALLIANCE
ship with a single blast. In short, it would take
every resource at the Alliance’s command to pre-
vent the Borg from assimilating every being within
its territory. Perhaps only a new, improved Tantalus
Field would save the day....

119
 XII
THE TERRAN
REBELLION
No one understands Alliance oppression better than the former citizens of the Terran Empire, whom the Alliance
reduced to a slave species. For decades, the Alliance rooted out and crushed even the faintest hints of resistance or
rebellion. Alliance forces and agents brutally executed any Terran, Vulcan, or other slave species who showed the
slightest inclination to disobey orders or plot treason.
But not even the Alliance could crush the hopes of Humanity. Throughout their former Empire, Terrans dreamed
of a day when they could cast off their Alliance shackles and deliver vengeance against their hated masters. At
long last, nearly a century after the Alliance first conquered them, their dreams at least appear within reach.
It all began with a man named O’Brien.

A History superiors. O’Brien ultimately decided to remain behind

with Sisko to help free his people from their Alliance
of the Rebellion shackles.
CHAPTER TWELVE

Miles O’Brien, known to some as “Smiley,” was E arly S uccesses and T roubles
THREE

a Terran Theta-class slave working on the space sta- O’Brien’s rebels retreated to the Badlands, a region
FOUR

tion Terok Nor. A skilled technician, O’Brien bore of space near Terok Nor where Alliance ships could
TWO

the responsibility for maintaining and repairing the not track them. From there they began to launch
station’s equipment. raids against Alliance targets, stealing equipment and
In 2370, O’Brien met a Terran named Julian Bashir. destroying enemy assets. Slaves on other worlds, such
Bashir claimed to have come to Terok Nor from another as Earth and Andoria, heard rumors of their success
universe, one in which he was a doctor and the Miles and started rebel groups of their own. Unfortunately,
O’Brien he knew served as chief of operations for the this caused the Alliance to retaliate by further oppress-
entire space station, a respected man with a family ing the Terrans and their former allies.
and friends who loved him. O’Brien, at first skeptical, Furthermore, the Alliance turned its best tactical
nevertheless felt a seed of hope and longing blossom and scientific minds to the task of tracking down and
within him. The thought of being a respected, powerful eliminating O’Brien’s rebel cell. In 2371, Terran scientist
person intoxicated him, and against his better judg- Jennifer Sisko, estranged wife of rebel Ben Sisko and
ment he began to believe Bashir’s claims. When Bashir daughter of one of Earth’s “privileged” families, began
finally found a way to return to his own universe, he to develop a transpectral sensor array. This sensor would
agreed to O’Brien’s request to take him along. work even in the Badlands. Realizing that this could
As the two were going to join Bashir’s companion spell the end of the rebellion, O’Brien planned to have
from the other universe, Major Kira Nerys, Alliance Ben Sisko convince her to abandon her work and join
forces captured them. All seemed doomed until anoth- the rebellion. But when an Alliance warship destroyed
120 er Terran working for the Alliance, pirate captain Ben
Sisko, who’d become increasingly frustrated with his
Sisko’s vessel, killing him and his entire crew, O’Brien’s
plan hit a snag.
lot in life after talking with Kira, turned on his Alliance
 Smiley found a simple solution: using his techno- had been killed, he felt that she might be able to con-
logical prowess, he rigged a transporter to take him to vince him to help the rebels. Upon finding out how
the Federation Universe, where he kidnapped Captain much Benjamin Sisko’s son, Jake, missed his mother,
Benjamin Sisko of space station Deep Space Nine Jennifer Sisko tempted the young man into visiting
and took him back to the Mirror Universe. There he the Mirror Universe, where he was, in essence, held
explained the situation and elicited Benjamin Sisko’s hostage to ensure that his father would work with the
help. While not pleased about this turn of events, rebels. Furious over the scheme, but recognizing the
Sisko recognized O’Brien’s need and agreed to help rebels’ need, Benjamin Sisko helped to prepare the
him. Temporarily assuming the mantle of leadership Mirror Defiant for battle. When the time came, he even
of the rebellion, he convinced everyone, even Ben piloted it against the Negh’Var, and demonstrated how
Sisko’s lover Jadzia Dax, that he was the Mirror Sisko a skilled and clever captain with the right ship could
and had miraculously escaped the destruction of his take on even an opponent like the Alliance flagship
ship. He established contact with Jennifer Sisko and, and inflict tremendous damage. Thanks to Benjamin
eventually, persuaded her to join the rebellion instead Sisko’s heroic efforts, the rebels retained control of
of exposing it with her transpectral sensor. His mission Terok Nor.
accomplished, a grateful O’Brien returned him to his Sadly, a single failure tainted their victory: the
own universe and the rebellion continued. escape of the Intendant. With some help from Nog,
Heartened by continuing reports of successes in the proprietor of Nog’s Bar on Terok Nor, whom she
the Bajor Sector and elsewhere, rebel cells on many later killed, Intendant Kira managed to flee the station.
former Terran Empire worlds recruited more followers During her escape she encountered and killed Jennifer
and began expanding their operations. Many of them Sisko. She spared Jake Sisko, claiming that this action
paid the price for their members’ lack of experience meant Benjamin Sisko would owe her a favor.
and blind hopefulness when the Alliance tracked
them down, butchered their members, and then pub-
licly executed the members’ families. But the luckier
or more experienced cells, such as those on Earth,
Betazed, Andoria, and Bolarus IX, escaped the hang-

THE TERRAN REBELLION
man’s noose and kept on fighting.

T he C apture of T erok N or
Despite the Alliance’s best efforts, it proved unable
to stamp out the rebellion; the pockets of resistance
continued to grow and rebel attacks occurred with
greater frequency. By late 2371 O’Brien’s group had
become large and powerful enough to mount an attack
on Terok Nor itself. Thanks to his in-depth knowledge
of the station’s systems, his forces triumphed despite
the odds against them. They captured Intendant Kira
and imprisoned her in the station’s brig; only First
Officer Garak escaped the disaster.
Determined not to let the rebels enjoy their victory
for long, Regent Worf headed for Terok Nor aboard
his enormous flagship, the Negh’Var. Knowing that the
rebels and the station were in no shape to resist an
attack by the Negh’Var and its support fleet, O’Brien
sought a way to even the playing field. His solution,
based upon analysis of data obtained from comput-
ers on Deep Space 9 during his visit there earlier in
the year, was to build a version of the Defiant for use
against the Alliance. Unfortunately, he didn’t have time
to perfect the vessel; only someone intimately familiar
with the Defiant could help him. That meant working
with Benjamin Sisko again.
To ensure that he could obtain Benjamin Sisko’s
willing cooperation, O’Brien arranged to send Jennifer
Sisko to the Federation Universe. Having learned from
121
their previous encounter that Benjamin Sisko’s Jennifer
 A C rumbling A lliance ? T he R egent ’ s N ew C loak
From 2372 until 2375, the Alliance continued In 2375, Regent Worf, acting on a suggestion from
to suffer from Rebellion raids and terrorist activities. the now restored Intendant Kira, hatched a plan to
During this period the disparate rebel groups solidi- obtain a Federation Universe technology unknown in
fied their early, crude contacts, forming genuine links the Mirror Universe: a cloaking device. He kidnapped
allowing them to coordinate their activities and plan the Federation Universe’s Grand Nagus and, through
grand strategies. In short, they began to function less the Intendant’s lover, the unjoined Trill Ezri Tigan,
like isolated groups of guerrillas and more like an arranged for Federation Quark and Federation Rom to
actual military force. steal a cloaking device. Ezri and her patsies succeeded,
In late 2373, the Rebellion fought its first pitched bringing the cloaking device to the Negh’Var. Quark
battle against Alliance forces near the Valo System. and Rom were imprisoned.
Nearly a hundred rebel ships, many of them captured Unfortunately, no one on the Negh’Var knew
from the Alliance fleets, faced almost twice as many enough about cloaking technology to get the device to
Alliance vessels, many of them powerful Vor’cha-class work. Reluctantly, they turned to Rom, who properly
cruisers. Thanks to the overconfidence of the Alliance installed the device—but made a few modifications
commander (Gul Evek), clever intelligence gathering, of his own. The cloak worked, allowing the Negh’Var
and not a little bit of luck, Rebellion forces scored a to get behind the Rebellion’s Defiant and prepare an
stunning victory. The outcome reportedly so angered ambush. But when it dropped the cloak, Rom’s modifi-
the Regent that he threw Gul Evek out of a two-kilome- cations activated—crippling every system on the ship!
ter-high window and ordered his entire crew butchered Helpless, Rebellion forces captured the Negh’Var and
by the Yan-Isleth. the Regent himself. (During the battle, Ezri killed First
Its success at Valo infused new life into the Rebellion. Officer Garak with an alcartic virus, allowing Quark
Rebel forces captured several dozen ships, giving them and Rom to return home; the Intendant managed to
a greater military capability than they’d ever enjoyed escape the ship before it was captured.) The Regent
before. Miles O’Brien generously distributed many was imprisoned on Terok Nor, and the Negh’Var
of these ships to rebels on Earth, Betazed, and other became the Rebellion’s flagship. Ezri, a former space
regions outside the Bajor Sector. Throughout the pirate and smuggler with few scruples and a passion
Alliance, slaves tried to escape to join the Rebellion. only for monetary compensation, recognized the evil
While Alliance forces captured and executed most of of the Alliance and joined the Rebellion.
them, the threat of punishment didn’t deter others from
trying, for they could see a light at the end of the tunnel W hither N ow ?
for the first time in their lives. The progress of the Rebellion from 2375 depends
The continued existence of the Rebellion caused on the Narrator. Many possibilities present themselves;
CHAPTER TWELVE

problems at the highest levels of the Alliance govern- while the Rebellion has enjoyed steady success for
ment. Regent Worf insisted upon an explanation, and several years, the Alliance remains powerful and could
every military official scrambled to place the blame on easily regroup and inflict some defeats on the upstart
someone else. Once again, racial rifts began to appear Terrans. Some of the possibilities include:
between Cardassian and Klingon, with each muttering
that the other was really to blame for the losses. Rebellion Triumphant
The Rebellion still has a long way to go. After all,
it took the Alliance decades of fighting to conquer the
Terran Empire, and the Alliance has grown bigger
and more powerful than the Empire at the height of
its glory. Rebellion leaders will have to repeat their
string of successes again and again to accomplish
their ultimate goal.
Thus, a Narrator who wants to maintain
the status quo can easily do so. The Terran
Rebellion can continue to score victory after
victory without destroying or even signifi-
cantly weakening the Alliance. Depending
on how the Narrator wants an episode
or series to play out, the Rebellion may
conquer a substantial region of space
122 and set up its own government, or they
could remain in their current cell
structure and just keep fighting the
 good fight in isolated groups. The battle may go back Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss
and forth, with the Rebellion gaining occasionally, and In this outcome, the Rebellion triumphs. Maybe
losing occasionally. But the basic facts of the Alliance’s it does so shortly after capturing the Regent (which
strength and the Rebellion’s existence won’t change. causes the Alliance to disintegrate, as above, but some-
No doubt Intendant Kira will launch another plot to how allows the rebels to pick up the pieces and estab-
bring herself back to power.... lish their own quadrant-spanning government). Maybe
it takes several years longer. In either event, the Terrans
Alliance Counterstrike finally have what they’ve dreamed of for so long—a
Despite its victory, it remains a dark time for government of Terrans, by Terrans, for Terrans.
the Terran Rebellion. Capturing the Regent and the What goes around, comes around, however. Now
Negh’Var does not a successful revolution make. The that the Terrans have regained control, they don’t
wily Gowron declares Worf dead and steps into his intend ever to lose their power again. They begin a
place, becoming the ruler of the Alliance. Somehow, systematic, methodical program of exterminating the
Intendant Kira manages to curry favor with him and Cardassians, Bajorans, Klingons, and all other mem-
win a place at his court, where she continues to search bers of the former Alliance. Perhaps they spare some
for ways to destroy the Rebellion and regain her rul- unfortunates for slave labor, but the rest are killed out
ership of Bajor. Lursa and B’Etor become the most of hand—the Terrans know full well that slaves can
powerful military commanders in the Alliance Forces, overthrow their masters, and they don’t intend to leave
tasked by Gowron with crushing the Rebellion once enough of their former enemies alive to make a rebel-
and for all. lion possible.
Where the Duras Sisters start their job depends on Characters from the Federation Universe will now
the Narrator’s desires. For an episode or series based in find that the shoe’s on the other foot. They’ve got to
or around the Bajor Sector, they’ll likely go after Terok stop the Terrans and help the Cardassians and Klingons
Nor and the Negh’Var. For other series, an attack on rebel against their masters! The folly here, of course,
Jean-Luc Picard’s Maquis resistance on Earth, Deanna is that it’s in the nature of Mirror Universe characters
Troi’s Betazoid terrorists, or any one of a dozen other and governments to kill, torture, enslave, and brutalize.
significant rebel groups may be the most dramatic story Federation Universe characters who hope to get all the

THE TERRAN REBELLION
to tell. The Duras Sisters aren’t fools. They know they different Mirror Universe species to co-exist peacefully
have to show results, so they’ll pick at least a couple are doomed to disappointment.
of targets they feel confident they can capture. Only
after making and consolidating some gains will they The Green Menace
turn their attention to the bigger fish. Alternately, they The Alliance’s enemies from earlier this century, the
may obtain a new super-weapon from the Federation Romulans, may view the success of the Rebellion to
Universe, the Minosians, or some other source, forcing date as an opportunity for the Star Empire to increase
the Rebellion to send a strike team (no doubt includ- its own power. They have several options. In traditional
ing some Federation Universe members!) to capture or Romulan fashion, they can covertly aid the Rebellion
destroy it. in exchange for future favors and obligations. Since
they’re smart enough not to trust the leaders of the
Reign of Chaos Rebellion to keep their bargains, that’s an unlikely
The rebel victories may prove too much for the Alliance option at best. But they may aid the Rebellion for a
to bear. Suffering from significant military defeats, a loss little while under pretenses of friendship, hoping to
of prestige, diminished morale, and increasing racial weaken the Alliance further.
tension, the Alliance splits apart. Cardassian turns on Another possibility exists—the Romulans could
Klingon; local warlords set themselves up as “emperors” take advantage of the Alliance’s weakness and losses
ruling over a system or three; trade routes break down. to launch their own attack. If the Alliance were forced
In essence, the Rebellion has won, since the Alliance no to fight a war on two fronts, it might quickly crumble.
longer exists and cannot devote any attention to recap- At the very least, the Rebellion could only hope to gain
turing Terok Nor, Earth, or any other territory now held from a Romulan invasion—though it might end up hav-
by the rebels. But this thrusts the characters into a very ing to face a newly-powerful Star Empire after it defeats
dangerous situation. Where once they had a single foe the Alliance....
to fight, now they have dozens—not to mention other
powers such as the Romulans and Tholians, who could
sweep in and conquer a lot of territory in the absence of
organized opposition. The characters must find a way to
hold on to their new power. 123
 Rebellion Organization
and Structure
While its genesis lay not with overarching military commands,
but rather with simple groups of freedom fighters, the Rebellion
has gradually evolved into a more sophisticated organization,
with appropriate administrative structures and hierarchies. Of
course, the group’s nature, purpose, goals, and origins heavily
influence its form of organization and chain of command.
The Rebellion divides its forces into groups based in or
around a particular planet, system, or sector. It applies no for-
mal title, such as “army” or “fleet,” to such groups; members
of the Rebellion simply refer to the “Andorian rebels” or the
“Betazed group.” The resistance group based on Earth and led
by Jean-Luc Picard forms the lone exception; it has adopted
the title of “Maquis” from an obscure historical French
rebel group (Picard, being a skilled historian and archeolo-
gist, chose the name to honor his own now-dead French
heritage). Bajor Sector (where the rebellion began and has
achieved its greatest successes), Earth, and Betazed boast
the largest and most organized groups.
Within a given group, the rebels divide themselves into
“cells” of three to ten persons depending upon personal-
ity compatibility, the types of missions performed, and
the orders of their superiors. In systems where the rebel-
lion hasn’t yet gained a strong foothold, the entire local
group of rebels may be no larger than a single cell in a
more extensive group.
Members of a cell typically isolate themselves from
all other cells by order from their commanders. Only
the cell’s leader, and perhaps his most trusted lieu-
tenant, knows how to contact other cells. That way,
CHAPTER TWELVE

captured resistance fighters can only betray a single

cell to the Alliance (while some rebels might hold out
under Alliance torture, the rebel leaders have no illu-
sions about the average rebel’s ability to withstand the
tender mercies of the Obsidian Order). Multiple cells
work together only for truly large missions or attacks,
such as the retaking of Terok Nor.
Cell leaders must contact their group’s leader at
least once a week. If this contact does not occur, the
group leader assumes the cell leader has been killed
and covertly makes contact with the cell to find out
what’s going on and, if necessary, re-establish com-
munications.
Leadership of a group or cell depends largely
on popular support—who do the local rebels
think would make the best leader? Who’s the
strongest or cleverest among them? Of course,
this being the Mirror Universe, any rebel who
thinks he can do a better job can try to assume
leadership of a group or cell by killing the cur-
rent leader. Only a leader powerful enough to
124 hold the job on his own deserves to keep it.
R ebellion F actions on with the Rebellion because it represents the under-
While all resistance groups possess the same dog and they’ll have plenty of opportunity to conduct
ultimate goal—the overthrow and destruction of the raids and battles against the Alliance. Former pirate
Alliance—the Terran rebels have many different reasons captain Ben Sisko embodied the fighter ethos; while
for wanting to achieve that goal. This has caused vari- he disliked the way the Alliance treated him, when it
ous factions to arise among the rebels; within a group came right down to it he just liked taking on the bigger
or cell you may have two or three different factions of guy and bloodying his nose from time to time.
rebels whose outlook on the Rebellion influences the
types of missions they want to perform. Fighters don’t Reformers
care much about the odds of victory, for example, and This faction, epitomized by the originator of the
may call for a battle or raid even when it’s not tacti- Rebellion, “Smiley” O’Brien, holds an unusually
cally sound to do so; Avengers don’t worry about the beneficent view of the revolution. They don’t want to
long-term goals of the Restorationists or Reformers. The re-establish the Terran Empire or any other government
rebel factions include: that enslaves and tyrannizes people. They only want to
free the Alliance’s oppressed peoples and then create
Anarchists their own, more enlightened, government where every-
Anarchist rebels don’t really care about freedom one remains at liberty and has a voice. Many former
for Terrans or other high and mighty goals. They just criminals and pirates like Ezri Tigan, who came to the
want the personal freedom to do as they please, and Rebellion after seeing the true evil and corruption at
hang everyone else. They undertake as few missions as the heart of the Alliance, fall into this camp.
possible (they’d rather not get killed) and always argue Of course, in the Mirror Universe “good guys” and
against any risky or dangerous actions. If they can “enlightened” carry slightly different meanings than
carve out a region of space where the Rebellion has they do in the Federation Universe. O’Brien is a rela-
full control and the Alliance cannot penetrate, that’s tively kind and understanding man, but he’s still willing
sufficient for them. to kidnap people to force them (or their loved ones)
to do something he needs done. Even an enlightened
Avengers Mirror Universe government would involve a good

THE TERRAN REBELLION
The Avenger faction wants to make every single deal of corruption; it just wouldn’t include slavery and
Alliance sympathizer pay for the decades of suffer- similar forms of degradation.
ing and misery they’ve inflicted upon Terrans. To the
Avengers, the Rebellion’s main purpose is to kill, Restorationists
maim, and torture as many members of those species Terran Empire patriots comprise this faction. Though
as possible. Gaining territory and scoring military vic- the Empire survives now only as a distant memory, the
tories remain important only insofar as they allow the Restorationists work diligently to restore its lost glory.
bloodletting to continue unabated. Members of this That means destroying the Alliance, rebuilding Earth
faction don’t care whether the Rebellion ever restores and its power base, and reconquering the worlds of
the Terran Empire; they just want to see the quadrant the former Empire (and perhaps more)—definitely not
run lavender with Klingon blood. Most of them would an easy task.
be happy to sell their lives for the chance to drag a The Restorationists form the largest faction within
few dozen of the enemy down with them. Members of the Rebellion. To them, the revolt against the Alliance
other factions typically regard them as loose cannons centers on making Terrans a feared galactic power
requiring close observation; only the Fighters truly once more. They’d be more than happy to turn the
seem to appreciate their “attitude.” tables and enslave every Klingon, Cardassian, and
Bajoran they could, but they’d settle for reducing those
Fighters three species to a point where they posed no threat to
Fighters aren’t really interested in overthrowing the the Second Terran Empire.
Alliance; they just enjoy a good fight. They’ve signed

125
 The Alliance has always maintained a significant
Rebellion Front presence on Earth because of its symbolic value and
large slave population. As a result, the Maquis use
The history related above mainly concerns the terrorist tactics more often than their counterparts in
Terok Nor front of the fighting, where the Rebellion Bajor Sector. The Maquis maintain relatively few ships
started and has enjoyed its greatest success to date. But (though their fleet was recently augmented by ships
rebels have opened up fronts in many other systems, captured by the Terok Nor group), and no permanent
and scored some important victories. bases like Terok Nor. Instead, they remain on-planet in
small cells, hiding out in the countless ruined build-
E arth ings that dot Earth’s urban landscapes. They strike at
To the Restorationists, certainly, Sol System—the the Alliance using a wide range of terrorist methods,
location of Earth, the Terran Empire’s homeworld and including stealthy assassinations, infiltration of key
former seat of power—represents the most important installations, and bombings. What vessels they do have
front. As described earlier, an aging, yet spry, archaeol- remain hidden in secret bases within the asteroid belt
ogist named Jean-Luc Picard leads the Rebellion there. between Sol’s fourth and fifth planets; Riker’s group
His rebel group, christened the Maquis, divides itself uses them in pirate-like raids on Alliance shipping.
st
into four “battalions.” Picard leads the 1 Battalion; So far, all of the Maquis’ victories have remained
his chief lieutenants Will Riker, Geordi La Forge, and small, but important—the destruction of key office
Kathryn Janeway lead the other three. In most circum- buildings and factories, the freeing of groups of slaves
stances each unit works well with the others, though (who almost always join them in the Rebellion), and
some tension does exist. The three lieutenants each the like. They have forged contacts with the Orion
think he (or she) should be the rightful leader of the Cabal and other underworld groups on Earth, but treat
Earth-based resistance, and each has plans in place to them warily, knowing they’ll sell the Rebellion out in
eliminate Picard when the time is right. a heartbeat if the rebels don’t keep some sort of sword
over their heads.
CHAPTER TWELVE

126
B etazed T rill
On Betazed, a woman named Deanna Troi started The Rebellion does not go well on Trill, and never
and continues to lead the resistance. A second-class has. Joined Trill remain the traditional leaders of the
citizen on Betazed due to her half-Terran ancestry and planet, and the Alliance bought most of them off long
consequently weaker psionic powers, Troi established ago with promises not to harm them or their precious
a history of troublemaking and criminal activity from a symbionts. Only a few nonjoined Trill fight to free their
very early age. Managing to escape severe punishment planet from the Alliance, and they have scored no sig-
through a combination of bribery, blackmail, emotion- nificant victories. These rebels almost always target the
al manipulation, and seduction, she gradually became Caves of Mak’ala, where the symbionts live, but the
more and more entrenched in the Betazoid under- Alliance guards the caves so heavily that each assault

THE TERRAN REBELLION
world. For reasons as yet unknown, her focus shifted has resulted only in scores of rebel dead.
from crime to rebellion in 2369 or 2370. Mobilizing
her criminal contacts with promises that they would V ulcan
rule the planet after an Alliance defeat, her new “resis- On Vulcan, Rebellion forces contain a mixture of
tance” began attacking Alliance outposts and facilities native Vulcans and prisoners sent to the planet as pun-
whenever possible. ishment. Selar, a former member of the Vulcan under-
“Intendant” Troi, as she sometimes jokingly styles world who rebelled when the Alliance killed her lover,
herself, concentrated her early efforts on stealing Saynok, serves as the de facto leader of the resistance.
Alliance vessels and sabotaging enemy defensive Appealing to the renowned logic of her people, Selar
capabilities. This strategy paid off handsomely in 2372, convinced many of them that they could not only free
when her forces bribed and killed their way onto themselves from the rule of the Alliance, but thanks to
the Alliance’s Betazed Orbital Construction Station their mental and physical superiority could triumph
and made off with several nearly complete Alliance over the Terrans and establish their own empire. Thus,
warships. Viruses implanted in the BOCS computers most Vulcan rebels are Restorationists—but with a
allowed the group to repeat its attack six months later definite twist.
and steal even more ships. Realizing that becoming trapped on Vulcan would
Using these ships, Troi’s group has managed to cap- spell the end of the Rebellion there, Selar managed to
ture, and hold, several planets in a system near Betazed. steal several ships. These vessels stay within or near
They have teamed up with the Terok Nor forces several the Vulcan system and make raids into the interior,
times to achieve military victories. Rumors persist that sometimes even down to the surface of Vulcan itself
Troi wants to seduce, then kill, Miles O’Brien and take to free more Vulcans and slaves. Over the past several
over leadership of the entire Rebellion. O’Brien scoffs years, Selar’s forces have grown to the point where she
at these tales. had to form cells and establish sub-leaders, something
Troi commands slavish devotion from most of her she loathes but cannot prevent. She watches her sub-
troops. Partly this has to do with her personal cha- leaders cautiously, knowing each of them covets her
risma, partly with the fact that she slits the throat of job for himself.
anyone whom she even suspects of plotting against
her. Competition among her ranking underlings for her
romantic affections has led to several deaths.
127
 MIRRORING 
YOUR CHARACTER XIII
Admit it. When you picked up this book, the first thought that came into your mind was “Hey, what’s my char-
acter like in the Mirror Universe?” The concept of an entire universe filled with capricious, self-centered people
all looking out for themselves does not, in itself, make the Mirror Universe so intriguing. Rather, the fact that the
Mirror Universe, as its name indicates, mirrors the standard Star Trek settings—it contains an “evil twin” for each
character you play, and every significant supporting cast member in your series—engages players and Narrators
in a moral dance of give and take unlike anything else.

So, as a player, you want to discover the motiva- The complex method rebuilds your character step
tions and desires of your character’s doppelganger—or, by step, as outlined below, but using the special Mirror
in a Mirror Universe series or story arc, perhaps even Universe versions of species, professions, development
play him. As a Narrator, you need to figure out how packages, and traits. This takes time, and you’ll have
THIRTEEN

to twist the NPCs to fit the new setting. This chapter to do your best to remember what Development pack-
provides guidelines for “mirroring” existing Federation ages you chose (if any) if you didn’t make note of them
Universe characters—altering them to create a Mirror during character creation. But in the end you’ll have a
THREE

Universe “twin” for each of them. You’ll only find better developed, better balanced, and more thorough-
CHAPTER FOUR

rules-oriented information in the sections that follow; ly self-involved character for your sojourns through the
TWO

for narrating guidelines and suggestions for how to Terran Empire and Klingon-Cardassian Alliance.
mirror characters for maximum drama and fun, refer
to Chapter Fifteen.
Two methods exist to mirror your Federation Universe Species
character: the simple way and the complex way. The first
method, useful for single Mirror Universe games where The first step in Mirror Universe character creation
you don’t want to spend too much time or effort on the is, of course, to choose a species. For the most part, the
task, simply translates an existing Federation Universe species presented here do not differ significantly from
character and his abilities into Mirror Universe terms. those used in the Federation Universe. The following
Go over the character’s sheet line by line, altering items sections note major changes. If no difference is noted,
based on suggestions in this chapter and the two that use the standard Species.
follow. For example, you’ll replace your Courage points
with Brutality Points, substitute a few skills, and per- B ajorans
haps change some Renown totals to better fit the Mirror The primary difference for the Bajorans in the
Universe’s views. In short, you’ll “eyeball” the changes, Mirror Universe lies in their cultural history; instead of
making them quickly and cleanly, but possibly at the being a weakened people formerly conquered by the
expense of some precision in terms of game balance. For Cardassians, they stand as a quadrant power that never
128 a one-shot or short-term Mirror Universe game, character
balance considerations become less important than just
suffered the horrors of the Cardassian occupation.
In place of Cardassian oppression, they experienced
playing and having fun. a brutal occupation and forced colonization by the
Terran Empire.
 Mirror Bajorans do not have pagh; they possess the in battle and the vicious, brutal, ruthless destruction of
same Brutality Points as everyone else. After all, since one’s enemies by any means possible (including assas-
they don’t know about the wormhole and have neither sination, poison, or treachery). A Klingon who does not
Orbs nor Prophets to worship, what does it matter act with dispatch to dispose of enemies or threats to his
that they’ve sold their souls for power? Instead of the person violates the code. Klingons who have joined the
Faithful Species ability, Mirror Bajorans are masters rebellion against the Alliance usually try to control these
of inserting themselves into bureaucratic systems and tendencies and lead a slightly less violent and tempera-
snapping up power vacuums. The new species ability mental life, but not always.
Manipulative grants all Mirror Bajorans a +2 bonus to
uses of the Knowledge: Politics skill. O campa
While the Mirror Universe Ocampa didn’t have
B etazoids a caring protector to defend them, they managed to
The domineering telepaths of the Betazoids practice eke out a living in the scientific labs of the Caretaker
mental mastery, not pacifism. Instead of the Peaceful and survive its brutal experimentation on their spe-
species advantage, Mirror Betazoids have the Dominant cies. Determined to break out, the Ocampa never had
advantage. Since all Mirror Betazoids study psionic the opportunity to expand with the help of any Alpha
invasion techniques from childhood, they all gain a +1 Quadrant species, but intervention from altered histo-
bonus to Mind Shield and Mind Control skill tests. ries could bring Mirror Ocampa into contact with the
rest of the Alpha Quadrant.
C ardassians

MIRRORING YOUR CHARACTER
The Ocampa Species advantages remain unchanged,
Cardassians player characters in a Mirror Universe although in the case of the Scholarly advantage, the
series should only appear if the Narrator runs an all- bonus stems not from Ocampa love of research, but
Cardassian or pro-Alliance series, or in the very rare rather from constant exposure to the tests and tri-
case of a disenfranchised Cardassian forced to work als imposed by the erratic Caretaker in his mazelike
in extreme circumstances (like Garak in the Federation research facility.
Universe). Because the Cardassians never fought with
or occupied Bajor in the Mirror Universe, as a people T alaxians
they bear no animosity toward the Bajorans (individu- Having survived the Metreon Cascade and turned a
als may differ, of course; Garak clearly hates Intendant copy of it against the Haakonians, the Talaxians remain
Kira, and perhaps all Bajorans). a broken species but one that emerged as the survi-
vor in their brutal war. Their Species advantages are
F erengi unchanged. As the foremost traders and slippery diplo-
Mirror Universe Ferengi have the same drive for mats of the Delta Quadrant, the Talaxians are renowned
profit and lobes for business as their greedy cousins for their ability to turn an adversary’s ideas and words
in the Federation Universe. Of course, the Ferengi (and sometimes even weapons) against him.
became enmeshed in the fall of the Terran Empire and
subsequent birth of the Alliance, but they have weath- T rill
ered these events largely unchanged. The Mirror Universe Trill never had a strong chance
of survival. Their own rigid caste society, with higher-
H umans ups gaining the benefits of joining while the unjoined
In the era of the Terran Empire, Humans stand at the remained as repressed proletariat, barely survived the
pinnacle of the Alpha Quadrant. They retain the drive stress of Imperial rule and finally crumbled under the
and advantages that gave them an edge over other pressures of the Alliance occupation.
species. Of course, the bonus Courage point from the Player character Trill from the Mirror Universe are
Human Spirit Species advantage instead becomes a not joined Trill. While the Mirror Trill are still Skilled
bonus Brutality point. as a species, simply due to the demands of survival,
By the time of the Alliance, Humans are a crushed they are also Rugged: Mirror Trill gain a +2 bonus to
people. Still, Humans remain determined to claim their all Survival tests, and a +1 bonus to any one reaction
lost Imperial birthright, and must continue to be tough of the player’s choice.
and adaptable as ever.
V ulcans
K lingons As with Mirror Klingons, Mirror Vulcans follow a
Klingon player characters in a Mirror Universe series slightly different Code of Honor than their Federation
should only appear if the Narrator runs an all-Klingon or Universe brethren. The Vulcan code of behavior signi-
pro-Alliance series. If allowed as player characters, the
Honor Species advantage changes. Instead of focusing
fies a devotion to logic coupled with self-interest: to
a Mirror Vulcan, it is logical to be selfish and attempt
129
on honor and the duties of a warrior, it promotes skill to acquire power and material possessions. Mirror
 Vulcans do not match the Federation Vulcan asceti- setting than a character’s ability to defend himself from
cism and denial of personal desires; like so many other attackers or manipulate his enemies).
things, Mirror Vulcans pervert these disciplines. (Of On the other hand, mirroring a Starfleet character who
course, during the era of rebellion against the Klingon- has joined the rebellion against the Alliance becomes
Cardassian Alliance, many rebel Vulcans may have one of the most difficult mirroring tasks. Since there’s no
rejected this philosophy in favor of the pure logic Starfleet in the 24th century Mirror Universe, there’s no
espoused by their Federation Universe counterparts.) way for them to obtain that type or level of training, and
in fact their personal interests and career paths often dif-
fer significantly from those of their Federation Universe
Professions counterparts. The Mirror Bashir isn’t a doctor, but an
acerbic criminal; the Mirror Sisko is a pirate captain and
Next, of course, you must choose a profession for sometime Alliance privateer/mercenary.
your character. While professions remain mostly similar In most cases, to Mirror a Starfleet character, use
to their Federation Universe counterparts, a few changes one of the following civilian professions instead of
are noteworthy. Most importantly, the rules remain the their Starfleet profession: Soldier, Merchant or Rogue.
same—a character still has the same choices of favored At the Narrator’s option, a skilled officer might have
abilities, spends picks on the same professional benefits, a different elite profession—the Mirror Sisko, for
and so on—but the underlying “feel” of the profession is instance, probably has the Smuggler elite profession
usually more selfish, violent, and cruel. in contrast to the Federation Sisko’s Starship Command
Officer elite profession. If the player comes up with
I mperial S tarfleet P rofessions a background for his Mirror Universe counterpart
During the era of the Terran Empire, Mirror that involves a different path into the rebellion—for
Universe characters belonging to the Imperial Starfleet example, a Terran character who starts out as an
use standard Starfleet Officer elite professions with Alliance scientist or worker, but eventually defects to
the changes noted in the following chapter, on pages the rebels—he can build him using the rules in the next
XX. (If you don’t see a given profession, assume that chapter, with appropriate adjustments.
it’s unchanged.)

C ardassian -K lingon Background

A lliance C haracters
If a Federation Universe character’s counterpart
History
serves the Cardassian-Klingon Alliance (like the Mirror Mirroring a character’s development requires a little
CHAPTER THIRTEEN

versions of Kira, Worf, and Garak), you can create her creativity on the part of the player. Most Development
using the appropriate Starship Officer profession with packages do not change, or change only a little, in
the necessary changes. the Mirror Universe. Most changes relate to the story
behind the package. In the Federation Universe, a
R ebels and C ivilians character who’s an Orphan probably lost his parents
In the Next Generation/Deep Space Nine era, many to an accident or epidemic. In the Mirror Universe, it’s
mirrored characters will find themselves in civilian rath- more likely that they were murdered, killed in a war,
er than military positions. Some may even have gotten or worked to death by Alliance overseers.
involved in the rebellion to overthrow the Alliance. Obviously, any package referring to Starfleet needs
Mirroring civilian characters—such as those nor- some alteration. During the era of the Terran Empire
mally found in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine—proves and Imperial Starfleet, most of these modifications
a relatively easy task. The Professions require few remain cosmetic, such as changing the names of
changes; abilities centered around virtue, contempla- packages or specializations. For example, a charac-
tion and cooperation instead become focused upon ter might take the Imperial Starfleet “Brat” Personal
intimidation, ruthlessness and depravity. The charac- Development package instead of Starfleet “Brat,” or
ters themselves become a lot more cutthroat—mer- Law (Imperial Starfleet Regulations) instead of Law
chants willing to hire mercenaries to rough up the (Starfleet Regulations).
competition, diplomats who obtain needed conces- Civilian characters may or may not have to make
sions through a mixture of negotiation, terrorism, and changes to their development packages. Many of them
assassination—but the basics of creating them remain translate into the Mirror Universe with changes only
mostly the same. Players may, with the Narrator’s per- to their personalities. For example, the Mirror Quark
mission, substitute skills such as Ranged Weapon, an remains virtually identical to the Federation Universe
130 Armed Combat skill, or Indoctrinate (Brainwashing)
for ones such as System Operations or Entertain
Quark; he’s just working in a more oppressive environ-
ment and acts, if anything, nicer than his Federation
(which often prove less useful in the Mirror Universe Universe counterpart. If players or Narrators find that
 the appropriate civilian packages in the next chapter even if it doesn’t initially appear that way. For example,
suit a character better than his Federation Universe assassinating a superior officer, currying favor, seduc-
packages, they may substitute them if desired. Similarly, ing innocents, committing crimes, cheating, or lying all
minor changes to a character’s Traits (substituting represent actions on which up to four Brutality Points
such Mirror Universe staples as Aggressive, Cruel, or may be spent.
Ruthless for less appropriate Federation Universe traits) Second, Brutality Points cannot compare to the
may suit the Mirror Universe better. strength of the Human spirit in the Federation Universe;
this is simply an axiom of the Star Trek cosmol-
ogy. Whenever a Mirror Universe character spends
Traits Brutality Points in an Opposed Test against a Federation
Universe character or group, the Federation Universe
For the most part, skills, edges, and flaws work characters can spend one Courage Point to negate the
the same in the Mirror Universe as they do in the effect of all of the Brutality Points spent. The characters
Federation Universe. Of course, some traits are more cannot spend any additional Courage Points to further
common in the Mirror Universe, and vice-versa; influence the test, though.
Armed Combat provides a good example of a skill
possessed more often by Mirror Universe characters. R enown
For notes on the application of skills, advantages, and Renown works identically for Mirror Universe char-
disadvantages in the Mirror Universe, including some acters. The Terran Empire, however, places different

MIRRORING YOUR CHARACTER
new Traits designed specifically for Mirror characters, values on reputation than does Starfleet. A character
please refer to the next two chapters. with a reputation for innovation, for instance, may
suffer penalties in reactions because his superiors see
B rutality P oints him as a threat, while a character with a reputation for
(C ourage P oints ) incompetence is likely to be enslaved or killed instead
Mirror Universe characters don’t use Courage of just mustered out of the service.
Points; they have Brutality Points. Generally, Brutality
Points work just like Courage Points: all characters start R ank
out with 3 Brutality Points; advantages that provide Mirror Universe versions of Federation Universe
extra Courage Points provide Brutality Points instead; characters will usually possess the same rank as their
characters can spend up to four Brutality Points per Starfleet counterparts, reached through very different
round to improve Tests, at the rate of +3 to the Test per means (assassination, treachery, etc.). Characters creat-
point spent. However, there are a couple of important ed specifically for Mirror Universe series set during the
differences between the two. Terran Empire era start with the rank of Ensign unless
First, Brutality Points represent just that: a character’s they choose the Promotion edge during character
ruthless nature and willingness to do anything to get creation. Alliance-era Mirror Universe characters also
ahead. If the character performs a selfless act—if he begin play with the rank of Ensign unless they choose
does anything to benefit someone else without even the Promotion advantage during character creation.
an indirect benefit for himself—he may not spend
more than one Brutality Point to assist that action. A W ound L evels
character may spend Brutality Points normally as long Mirror Universe characters calculate their Wound
as an action ultimately serves to benefit the character, Levels in the standard manner.

131
 MIRROR UNIVERSE
CHARACTER CREATION XIV
In the Terran Empire era of the Mirror Universe, characters take on roles substantially different from those of their
Federation Universe counterparts. In game terms, this requires slightly different Professions, Development packages,
and Traits. In many cases the changes, if any, are relatively minor; they help to emphasize the differences between
the two universes and to create the “feel” appropriate for the episode or series.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Players can select from a somewhat broader range of that character’s past with the Development stages.
character possibilities during the Alliance era. In addi- However, their choices for careers and Development
tion to playing Klingon, Cardassian, or Bajoran members packages often differ significantly from their Federation
THREE

of the Alliance Forces (which aren’t too different from Universe counterparts.
FOUR

Imperial Starfleet characters in most ways), they can play

TWO

members of the Terran Rebellion. Rebels typically follow

civilian professions, in that they’re not military personnel Professions
with high levels of training (and, thus, they are more like
characters built for a Deep Space Nine-style series than Players can use the various changes to Professions
a regular Star Trek or Star Trek: The Next Generation here as guidelines in how to modify Mirror Professions.
series). Many of them also come from disreputable back- Additionally, Terran Empire characters, unlike their
grounds, such as petty crime or piracy. Federation counterparts, have no restrictions on their
To create an Alliance-era character, first find out from Elite Professions—a Terran Empire Starship Medical
your Narrator what types of characters he envisions for Officer could conceivably enter the Assassin Elite
his series. If the episode or series focuses on the efforts Profession, if desired. As always, if a profession isn’t
of the Rebellion to win a major victory in the Epsilon listed here, assume that it’s unchanged in rules, if not in
Eridani System, playing Alliance officers or Obsidian spirit. A scientist, for instance, may have the same skills
Order spies probably isn’t a good idea. After you’ve as her Federation Universe counterpart, but would
arrived at an acceptable concept, choose a Species and hardly be in the business out of a desire for knowledge
Profession appropriate to your character, and take him or altruism.
through the Development stages described below.
Mirror Universe character creation follows the M ystic
same steps as Federation Universe character creation. A mystic relies on the fear and guilt inspired by
Players choose a Species and Profession to represent her religion, and upon the sense of spiritual superior-
the basic character they have in mind, then create ity imparted. Therefore, an Orion mystic doesn’t use
 proverbs to comfort, but to cow; a Vulcan kolinahru A Counselor of this type requires Inquire
shows the inferiority and flaws of his pupils in order to (Interrogation) 2+ instead of Inquire (Interview).
emphasize the strength of kolinahr instead of pointing Mirror Counselors substitute Indoctrinate for the
out ways to improve. First Aid skill, and replace Inquire (Interview) with
The Tier 2 ability of Inspiration allows the mystic to Inquire (Interrogation) as a professional skill.
refresh Brutality Points instead of Courage points, but The Counselor’s Tier 1 ability of Pathos is replaced

MIRROR UNIVERSE CHARACTER CREATION
otherwise functions identically. with Coercion: The ship’s counselor is an expert in
weeding out the fears of subjects and playing upon
S tarship C ommand them. When making an Inquire (Interrogation) skill test,
To obtain (and retain) a command position in the ignore all social penalties.
Imperial Starfleet often requires more than just suffi- The Tier 2 ability of Therapy is replaced with
cient rank and ability—the character must routinely kill Terrorization: Counselors deliberately use crew mem-
anyone who stands in his way. Accordingly, Command bers’ problems, anxieties and phobias to turn the crew
officers are usually skilled fighters as well as adminis- into balls of seething hate directed at the Empire’s (and
trators. The requirement of Administration (parent orga- the counselor’s) enemies. The Counselor can make an
nization) 4+ is reduced to 2+, but the Command officer Indoctrinate skill test (TN 15) to enrage the subject
must also have a 2+ in any weapon skill. and turn the subject’s anger and bitterness into active
A Mirror Universe Command officer learns to spite. This refreshes one Brutality point for the subject.
motivate troops through fear, not through loyalty or Such a session takes about a half hour, often involv-
“team spirit.” The Tier 3 Command ability functions ing an agonizer booth or psionic manipulation. The
based upon the character’s Intimidate skill for Mirror Counselor can work on as many patients as desired in
Universe characters, not based upon Persuade. a session, but each individual can only be worked over
once per session.
S tarship E ngineer
Players of Engineer characters may, if they wish, S tarship M edical O fficer
replace the Physical Sciences professional skill with In addition to being skilled surgeons, Imperial
Demolitions. Starfleet doctors act as adept interrogators as well.
Their study of anatomy lends itself to an expertise in
S tarship S ecurity O fficer torture. Furthermore, they have access to—and a ready
Security Officers must be on the forefront of battle willingness to use—a wide panoply of terrifying drugs
in the Mirror Universe. For some it’s by inclination; for and implants.
others, it’s a way to gain fame and recognition. The Tier The Tier 2 ability Diagnosis applies as a bonus not
2 Tactical Officer ability functions for Mirror Universe only on Medicine tests to treat a subject, but also to
Security Officers who lead from the front—that is, understand what’s happened and how to replicate
those who inspire their crew by charging into battle. It it—useful in learning to control a potentially useful
may not be smart, but it encourages the morale of the alien drug or parasite.
troops, and it also fulfills the Mirror Universe’s axiom The Tier 2 ability Rehabilitation is replaced with
of dramatic action. Entrenchment: Once a medical officer has his hooks
in a patient, he rarely lets go. A successful additional
S tarship C ounselor Medicine roll allows the officer to surreptitiously slip
Although the Terran Empire technically falls before a narcotic, implant or other substitute into the subject,
it would ever introduce “counselors,” some ships of thereby forcibly rendering the subject under his con-
the line might have “morale officers” who perform a trol—whether by threat of addiction or just the terror of
similar function. By the same token, both Terran and some unknown substance that only the medical officer
Alliance ships routinely had political officers, whose understands. If successful, the officer can add half of
job was to insure that the crew kept the best loyal inter- his Medicine skill as a bonus to all of his social tests
ests of the government in mind. Crossing a political or against that subject.
morale officer is a dangerous move—often, the crew The Tier 3 ability Immunization is replaced with
despises these officers, but they have powerful friends Test Subjects: The medical officer can prescribe a
in government positions. Any attempt at a mutiny must “routine treatment” that actually includes experimental
first deal with the political officer. For obvious reasons, drugs and supplements. With a Medicine test (TN 15),
the majority of political officers have some terrible the officer can create a compound that grants a +2 to
threat or blackmail hanging over them, to guarantee one ability for 1d6 hours. Unfortunately, these experi-
loyalty to the government. In return, these officers mete mental treatments also have negative side-effects, and
out unprejudiced malice to all other crew, subjecting
them to endless “loyalty tests,” “indoctrination ses-
the Narrator should assign either a –4 to the same
attribute for twice as long once the initial duration
133
sions,” and “character-building.” runs out, or else give the character a temporary flaw
 to represent the problems of the drug or implant. The
officer can make a batch of experimental material in a Development
half-hour with the use of a fully-equipped medical lab
or sickbay.
Packages
Instead of a blow-by-blow account of every package,
E lite P rofessions apply the following modifications to all of the develop-
Most elite professions remain largely the same in ment packages, both professional and personal:
the Mirror Universe. People who are good at killing Replace all instances of Federation with Empire, and
and blowing things up are, by and large, even better Starfleet with Imperial Starfleet. The same applies to
at this in the dark reflection; people who understand references to other species-specific groups—a Bajoran
motives and how to twist words are even more terrify- character would be unlikely to have a resistance back-
ing in their scheming. ground fighting the Cardassians, but might have Tactics
The elite professions in the Star Trek RPG Player’s (Terran) in order to better fight the Empire.
Guide remain unchanged, with the exception of the
ambassador. Ambassadors in the Mirror Universe rely S kill S ubstitutions
more on intimidation and propaganda than upon Mirror Universe characters rarely practice Entertain
goodwill and honest negotiations, as explained here. or Sport. Entertain skills like dancing and playing
music are left to aesthetic slaves. Sports are more often
A mbassador lethal matches of combat as opposed to games. For this
While diplomats handle delicate negotiations and reason, any package that includes Entertain or Sport
treaty violations, the ambassadors decide the fate of can choose to take those bonuses in Armed Combat
political boundaries and blocs of power. It’s through or Unarmed Combat instead. If the package already
the large-scale manipulation of voters, popular senti- grants a bonus to a chosen skill, the bonuses stack.
ment, government officials and even market forces that For instance, if a package normally grants Sport +1
ambassadors ply their trade. Able to affect the course and Unarmed Combat +1, a Mirror Universe character
of galactic events just based on their reputation for could take Unarmed Combat +2 instead.
cruelty, ambassadors may not live by the sword, but Because Mirror Universe characters have little love
they make sure that plenty of other people die by the or use for negotiation, they’re better at strong-arm
sword. tactics, intimidation and torture. For this reason, any
Mirror Universe ambassadors replace the require- package that grants a bonus to Persuade may instead
ments of Negotiate (Mediate) 4+ with Influence grant a bonus to Inquire. Any bonus to Negotiate may
CHAPTER FOURTEEN

(Intimidate) 4+. Most ambassadors have the Persuade instead grant a bonus to Indoctrinate.
specialty of Propaganda. A Mirror Universe character doesn’t have to take
While ambassadors may not have full “diplomatic the substitutions—a character could still have Entertain
immunity”—nobody would willingly allow an agent if desired—but would certainly be unusual (and prob-
of a hostile power to wander free—they do have a ably thought weak) by Mirror Universe standards.
remarkable ability to lay down such incredible cover Because of the changes in packages, some Mirror
stories that their enemies hesitate to move against Universe combinations might have more than 6 points
them, fearing some larger scale plot in motion. The of skills in certain combat skills, like Unarmed Combat.
ambassador in the Mirror Universe uses his Influence The usual limit of 6 levels of skill still applies to a start-
skill test to gain Diplomatic Immunity, instead of Law. ing character. Excess points are lost—this is the price of
Since all ambassadors will have Influence (Intimidate) ruthlessness compared to a philosophy of enlightened
of 4+, this ability’s prerequisite is moot, unless some personal development.
character uses a special edge to gain this ability.
The Master Negotiator ability of an ambassador is P ersonal D evelopment
replaced instead with Master Manipulator. The ability Mirror Universe characters have the usual run of
applies to Persuade instead of Negotiate. personal development packages. The packages below
represent some additional opportunities that are rather
more common in the Mirror Universe than in the
Federation Universe.

134
Falsified Credentials Pick 5 Skills: +1 to any professional skill
You managed to sneak into an organization such as Pick 1 Edge: Commendation, Command, Friendly,
the Imperial Starfleet through a combination of cun- Iron Willed, Likeable, Promotion, Resolute,
ning, ruthlessness, bribery, and forged papers—just Unyielding
hope that someone in a position of real authority never
finds out.
Mirror Skills

MIRROR UNIVERSE CHARACTER CREATION
Pick 1 Skill: Forgery +2, Impersonate +2, Influence
+2
Pick 3 Skills: Armed Combat (pick one) +1, Computer Generally, skills function identically in both the
Use +1, Conceal +1, Enterprise: Streetwise +1, Mirror and Federation Universes. Unless noted oth-
Persuade +1, Stealth +1, System Operation +1, erwise, the following information applies to Alliance
Unarmed Combat (pick one) +1 characters as well. Terran, Klingon, or Cardassian,
Pick 2 Edges: Ally, Contacts, Shrewd, Skill Focus they can all be equally cruel.
(Furtive), Skill Focus (Persuasive)
Flaw (Mandatory): Dark Secret E xisting S kills
The following material presents not only ways to
Former Slave implement different skills, but ways to showcase exist-
You were a slave for a long time, whether as a ing skills in a Mirror Universe fashion. Just because
prisoner of the Terran Empire or a bondsman to the two characters both have the Inquire skill doesn’t mean
Alliance. that they go about it the same way. Consider the differ-
Pick 1 Skill: Craft (pick one) +2, Entertain +2, ence in tactics between the Cardassians who Inquired
Persuade +2 into Jean-Luc Picard’s background during his capture,
Pick 3 Skills: Appraise +1, Armed Combat (pick versus Counselor Troi’s ability to Inquire into what
one) +1, Athletics +1, Construct +1, Influence motivates the crew.
+1, Observe +1, Sleight of Hand +1, Stealth +1,
Survival +1, Unarmed Combat (pick one) +1 Enterprise: Administration
Pick 1 Edge: Ally, Contacts, Everyman, Fit, Great A lot of planetary administration in the Mirror
Vitality, Sherpa Universe boils down to riot suppression and labor over-
sight. Coordinating suppression of a minor labor dispute
P rofessional D evelopment (one factory) or riot (a couple of city blocks) would be
To aid in their career development, counselors can TN 10. Working up a cogent plan to disperse a revolu-
use the professional development packages included tionary faction (an enemy factor in the government) or to
below. suppress a planetary revolt would be TN 25. Successful
use of the Administration skill allows the character to
Interrogation Officer (Counselor) work up a plan and connect with subordinates and
You learned the techniques to wheedle, cajole, superiors effectively. The coordinator’s final roll adds to
extort, and blackmail secrets out of just about anyone, the effort: Each point by which the Administration roll
and you use those talents to ensure the loyalty of your beats the difficulty counts as a point that the adminis-
fellow crew members. trator can choose to add to someone else’s roll while
Skills: Armed Combat (pick one skill) +1, Computer executing the plan. So, if an administrator scored a 17
Use (Retrieve) +2, Conceal +2, Indoctrinate +3, while trying to suppress a small uprising (TN 10), he
Influence +2, Inquire (Interrogation) +4, Observe would be able to split up 7 points of bonuses among
+3, Ranged Combat: Energy Weapons +1 the squad of crack security troops sent in to bust some
Pick 5 Skills: +1 to any professional skill skulls—allowing them to smack around several protest-
Pick 1 Edge: Competitive, Confident, Deliberate ers, or make one big push for the ringleader.
Attack, Exceptional Concentration, Promotion,
Resolute, Shrewd Enterprise: Streetwise
The oppressed peoples of the Mirror Universe use
Political Officer (Counselor) this skill to maintain a black market and conduct activ-
You are essentially a spy aboard a vessel, station, or ities away from the sight of prying government eyes.
outpost, there to guarantee the orthodoxy of the Crew Black Market and Rebellion Underground represent
and to report back any errors in judgment—which also two of the most popular specializations (though the
gives you significant blackmail power. rebellion naturally tries to control access to the latter).
Skills: Computer Use (Retrieve) +1, Forgery
(Detecting) +1, Indoctrinate +3, Influence +2,
Knowledge: Law +3, Knowledge: Politics +4,
135
Negotiate +2, Persuade +2
 Indoctrinate Tactics
A common skill among commanders, the Imperial An important Tactics specialization for Imperial
Starfleet version of this skill concentrates on keeping characters is Planetary Suppression, the skill of defeat-
subordinates in line. Most adept commanders use ing a world’s ground forces and retaining the territory
this skill regularly, if subtly, on their senior officers taken from them. The Narrator can call for a Tactics
and crew. A subordinate whose will bends favorably (Planetary Suppression) Test as a way of quickly resolv-
toward his commander is less likely to challenge his ing a large ground battle.
superior. Careful commanders often plant seeds of dis- When approaching the same problem from space,
sent among their senior staff early during a long mis- Mirror characters often use the Planetary Invasion &
sion; if trouble begins, the commander can activate his Bombardment specialization of the Tactics skill. This
“plants” when necessary, possibly diverting unwanted teaches them the best way to approach a planet with
attention or aggression away from himself and dispers- starships when you intend to conquer it, how to dis-
ing it among his crew. cern the weaknesses in planetary defense grids, and
how to use phasers, photon torpedoes, and other star-
Influence (Intimidation) ship weapons to attack a planet’s surface to greatest
Like Indoctrinate, Intimidation often appears in the effect. (Difficulty varies from TN 5, to coordinate the
repertoire of many Imperial Starfleet officers. Many invasion of a defenseless colony, to TN 25, in order to
combine it with the Inquire (Interrogation) specializa- find a blind spot in a homeworld defense grid and slip
tion, finding it useful when dealing with newly con- a ship through to a vantage point where it can bomb a
quered clients or subject species. central command site.)

Inquire
Obviously, in the Mirror Universe the favored spe- Mirror Traits
cialty for Inquire is Interrogation. Interrogation works
best when the subject is plied with painful motivation As with skills, most edges and flaws apply to
and drugs, but a skillful interrogator can work with just Mirror Universe characters in the same way they
a pair of handcuffs, a dirty chair under a lamp, and a apply to Federation Universe characters. Of course,
leering grin. certain edges and flaws reflect differently in the Mirror
Working over a subject with Interrogation usually Universe. In the Mirror Universe, ruthlessness and
requires an opposed test, unlike normal uses of the cruelty typically become desirable qualities—thus,
Inquire skill. The victim uses Willpower to resist. With edges represent these traits. Conversely, some aspects
CHAPTER FOURTEEN

a successful Interrogation roll, the questioner can gar- of a character’s personality, such as kindness or mercy,
ner a piece of useful information; on an extraordinary are poorly regarded or disadvantageous in the Mirror
success, the subject “breaks” and spills 1D6+1 pieces Universe. The notes below detail some of the changes
of useful information. Each session of interrogation to existing Traits, and provide some new ones just for
requires 1D6x10 minutes to complete, and inflicts Mirror Universe characters.
2D6 damage on the victim. On a complete failure, the
interrogator either accidentally harms the victim too E xisting E dges
much (causing double damage), or loses his own com- Many edges behave differently in the Mirror
posure (and thus cannot gain any further information Universe. The following rules demonstrate how these
from that subject in that day). Use of appropriate drugs differences manifest during play.
and devices can add +2 to +5 on uses of the Inquire
(Interrogation) skill. Ally and Contact
These advantages are not as common in the Mirror
Negotiate Universe as in the Federation Universe because allies,
Relatively few Imperial Starfleet characters pos- contacts, and the like are not to be trusted. Just because
sess this skill. After all, Imperial Starfleet officers don’t someone owes you a favor doesn’t mean he’ll actually
negotiate; they conquer and take. When such negotia- come through, or won’t try to stab you in the back
tions do occur, they normally constitute stall tactics or while he’s helping you. Some exceptions exist—dur-
forms of treachery, and as such involve Influence (Fast ing the Alliance era, Cardassian influences throughout
Talk) more often than not. the Alpha Quadrant have caused their vesala “web
of influence” system to spread into other cultures to
some extent—but many characters prefer to rely on
themselves alone. This isn’t to say that there are no
136 allegiances; it’s easy to round up a gang of roughnecks
with promises of glory and wealth. It’s just not wise to
leave them to their own devices and trust them not to
betray you.
Political Rank they have useful information like Contacts. Instead,
Individuals with important positions in the Terran the Minions basically act as muscle, ready to follow
or Alliance government may have Political Rank, the character if they think the spoils are ripe. A char-
which works similar to the Promotion edge. This edge acter typically has two Minions with the basic pick of
represents the character’s standing and office, but also this edge.
indicates that the character likely has some enemies See also the supporting cast notes in the Star Trek

MIRROR UNIVERSE CHARACTER CREATION
from along the way! RPG Narrator’s Guide, page 234, as a guideline to
the skills that minions will tend to have. As a guide,
Promotion minions aren’t super-competent; otherwise they’d be
Ranks in the Imperial Starfleet are the same as leaders, doing things for themselves.
those in the Federation Universe’s Starfleet of the same Upgrade: Each upgrade taken represents another
period (see page 136 of the Star Trek Player’s Guide). order of magnitude of Minions. Double the number of
Minions with each upgrade. A character with enough
N ew E dges Minions has a personal army!
The following edges are new for Mirror Universe
characters.

Aggressive
The character takes a forceful, even violent,
approach to solving most problems. Rather than seek-
ing a subtle solution or backing down in the face of
opposition, he charges ahead like a bull in a china
shop—or like a man on his way to the captain’s chair.
Effect: The character receives a +5 bonus instead
of a +3 bonus whenever he spends a Brutality Point
to force others to do what he says or accept his com-
mands, when he responds to an argument or dispute
with violence, or the like.

Cruel
The character enjoys making others suffer, and
in fact is quite good at it. From torture to emotional
manipulation to inflicting psychological pain, he can
do it all with skill, aplomb, and zeal.
Effect: Whenever he tries to make others suffer
(including most Intimidation Tests and similar circum-
stances), the character receives +5 per Brutality Point
spent instead of +3. (This bonus does not apply to ordi-
nary combat, but might if the character, for example,
used his forces to play cat-and-mouse with an inferior
foe, or if he deliberately tries to shoot someone not to
kill, but to cause pain.)

Minions
The character maintains a corps of loyal flunkies
who take orders from him and assist him with his
schemes (typically in the hopes of “riding his coattails”
as he climbs the ladder of command). The number of
minions, and their loyalty, vary with treatment and
their appraisal of the character’s chances. Most min-
ions should represent junior members of a ship’s crew
(typically ensigns); no minion can ever have a rank
equal to or exceeding that of the character.
Effect: With an appropriate social roll—often
Influence (10)—the character can parley his minions
into backing him up. Unlike Allies, Minions don’t go
137
off to do things for the character elsewhere, nor do
 Miraculous Survival E xisting F laws
For some reason, the character is damnably hard to Many flaws behave differently in the Mirror
kill off. Regardless of the death traps, backup plans and Universe. The following rules demonstrate how these
disintegrations involved, the character always seems to differences manifest during play.
crop up again at the worst possible moment.
Effect: When the character is killed in the course of Addiction
play, the player goes off to dream up a story develop- Addictive drugs and similar substances are quite
ment to account for his miraculous survival. The dead common in both the Empire and the Alliance, making
body might belong to a clone, an alternate universe this disadvantage similarly common. Plenty of Imperial
counterpart, or lifelike robot. It might be a disguised officers enjoy Saurian brandy and other fine drinks, and
alien, surgically-altered impostor, or energy being in more than a few indulge in even stronger substances.
mortal form. The entire death scene might have been
an illusion or hallucination. The Narrator vets the Arrogant, Intolerant, Proud
player’s explanation to preserve at least a veneer of Almost everyone in the Mirror Universe has one
plausibility, and to make sure it doesn’t contradict any these flaws. Any character can legitimately choose
important established plot elements in his series. The either of these flaws. Note that in many times and
only explanation he should flat-out reject is “it was places, these “flaws” are not regarded as character
only a dream.” defects by the general populace. Indeed, a character
The player conceals his character’s survival from the who makes a great deal of his one-sided views and
rest of the group. He either creates a new, temporary lives up to them—boasting of his amazing abilities and
character to play for a while, or pretends to create a then pulling off an incredible stunt, for instance—may
new character who is in fact the old one in disguise. even gain Renown.
Player and Narrator confer to choose the most enter-
taining moment to reveal that the character still lives. Dark Secret
The character delivers a monologue explaining, in Dark Secrets (revealed or not) are very common
flashback, the details of his miraculous survival. in the Mirror Universe. Most Imperial Starfleet and
Miraculous Survival is not a sure thing. The player Alliance personnel have a few skeletons in their
must expend all of his Brutality Points for the session in closets—secret betrayals, illicit affairs, forbidden tech-
order to survive by the skin of his teeth. If the character nology, severe breaches of regulations, and similar
is caught and killed while out of Brutality Points, then occurrences. It’s all part and parcel of life in the Mirror
this edge cannot save him. Universe, and sometimes gives rise to blackmail.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Once he uses this edge, the player must remove it Similarly, secret members of the rebellion may take this
from his character sheet. to represent the fact that their involvement in the revolt
Upgrade: You may purchase multiples of this edge; remains unknown to the authorities.
each one protects your character from a single death.
Enemy, Rival
Ruthless In a society with so many power-hungry, highly-
A character with this advantage has even fewer skilled individuals, it’s no surprise that they often end
scruples than the average Mirror Universe character up butting heads as they seek the same position, job,
when it comes to doing whatever it takes to advance or advantage. As a result, Rivals and Enemies abound.
or obtain something he desires. Without hesitation Mirror Universe Rivals try to kill their rivals, similar to
or remorse he will kill, betray, or steal to improve his Enemies—they’re just not as unrelenting or as serious
position. Fear of potential consequences represents the about it. A Mirror Rival will settle for humiliating or
only limitation on his actions. defeating a character; a Mirror Enemy must kill him, pref-
Effect: The character receives a +5 bonus instead of erably in some extremely painful or embarrassing way.
+3 whenever he spends a Brutality Point as he engages
in treacherous or deceitful actions designed to benefit N ew F laws
himself, such as the assassination of a superior (this The following flaws are new for Mirror Universe
bonus does not apply if he’s being cruel to help some- characters.
one else, or simply for the fun of it).
Hunted
Similar to Rival and Enemy, this flaw means that the
character has an adversary who actively pursues him
with the intent of killing or capturing him. A hunter is
138 more “proactive” than an Enemy; he devotes virtually
his entire life to tracking down and harming the char-
 acter (either by himself, or through hired proxies such character, for example—or it may be that the Watcher
as professional assassins). wants to maintain a complete file on the character “just
Effect: Unlike an Enemy, a Hunted flaw indicates in case.” In any event, it’s bad news for the character,
an individual with a grudge and some personal skill who will have difficulty conducting private meetings
but not necessarily a whole group behind him. Your and keeping things to himself.
character’s Hunted flaw means that an adversary Effect: The character has a dossier on file with “the

MIRROR UNIVERSE CHARACTER CREATION
roughly equal in power to the character shows up authorities” (be they legitimate or otherwise), which
about one session in six—the Narrator rolls 1d6 before can come back to haunt him in his dealings. Any time
each game session; on a 1, the hunter shows up to aid the character hatches a plot, tries to bury a secret or
the foes or thwart the character. otherwise conspires to cover something up, any enemy
A hunter has personal resources and a great thirst investigating the event gains the character’s Renown
for vengeance. While the hunter does not have the modifier as a bonus to the die roll on attempts to
equivalent of Promotion like an Enemy, the hunter typi- uncover the dirt. The more infamous and notorious the
cally has personal access to weapons and ships that character, the more widespread the knowledge of his
can at least match the character’s own. Savvy hunters dirty deeds becomes.
may even bribe or coerce the character’s allies into
turning against him.
Killing the hunter doesn’t necessarily stop the vio-
lence. Friends, brothers, supporters and admirers will
flock to take the hunter’s place unless you buy off this Mirror Universe Political Ranks
flaw with advancements. P olitical R ank T erran E mpire A lliance
Upgrade: For one upgrade, your hunter shows 1 Overseer Overseer
up more often—on a 1 or 2 on a 1d6. Also for one 2 Prefect Commander
upgrade, your hunter is not just an individual, but a 3 Attaché Governor
group of people with a grudge. Typically this indicates 4 Governor Intendant
three people, but it could be as many as a full bridge 5 Senator Sector Commandant
crew for a small ship that can give you a run for your
crew’s money.

Merciful
The character suffers from that greatest of Mirror
Universe weaknesses—kindness. He prefers to grant
mercy rather than ruthlessly exterminate his enemies.
Perhaps he’s squeamish, or maybe he honestly feels
some sense of kindness or remorse.
Effect: When in a situation where the character can
either grant mercy (without causing significant direct
harm to himself) or take punitive action, he must spend
a Brutality Point to resist granting mercy. Characters
who grant mercy regularly will almost certainly suffer a
hit to their Renown, and will certainly leave an enemy
alive at some unfortunate point.

Watched
The character is being watched or surveilled by
someone who is suspicious of, or hostile toward, him.
In the Mirror Universe, this typically means Empire or
Alliance Security forces, but it could also represent a
rival, an enemy political faction, or someone similar.
The Watcher will use any means at his disposal, from
physical surveillance to electronic “bugging” to track-
ing the character’s use of computer systems, to watch
the character.
A Watcher’s purpose is mainly to keep tabs on
the character and compile a dossier of information
on him. There may be a sinister purpose behind this
139
activity—collecting blackmail information about the
 XV
THE MIRROR 
TOOLKIT
Whether as an element in their regular Star Trek games, or as the setting of for an entire series, this chapter goes
behind the glass and shows you, the Narrator, how to use the Mirror Universe.

The Mirror
Universe In
Your Series
The Mirror Universe offers plenty of opportunities One way to do this is to trick them by making them
for fun gaming even if you intend to dip your toes only think they’re remaking a different episode. Start with
FIFTEEN

infrequently into its cold and acidic waters. You may one of the other classic Star Trek story types, and then
THREE

not want to interrupt your current Star Trek Roleplaying add a Mirror Universe twist.
CHAPTER FOUR

Game series to start anew in the Mirror Universe. Your

The Trial
TWO

players may like playing the good guys.

If so, use the setting as it was employed in “Mirror, Starfleet security officers arrest a Crew member
Mirror” and the various episodes that took the Star for committing mass murder during his shore leave.
Trek: Deep Space Nine characters to the dimension The crime was committed on a planet far distant from
where shadows reign. Like the Romulan Star Empire or the world where he was supposed to be enjoying his
Cardassian Union, it serves as a wellspring of antago- time off. The Crew member awakens with a fearsome
nists with which to vex your Crew. headache and no memory of his activities over the past
Depending on your players’ reaction to your first few days. Even he might think he might have done the
Mirror Universe episode, you can either leave it as a things he’s accused of. The other Crew members must
one-shot, as per the original series, or use the Mirror investigate to clear their friend’s name. Throw them red
Universe as a recurring element, as Star Trek: Deep herring clues that lead them to suspect possession by
Space Nine did. an alien entity. In fact, the crime was committed by the
mirror version of the arrested Crew member. Among
T hrough the L ooking G lass the victims were escapees from the Empire (or, in a
The last thing you want is for your players, upon dis- 24th century game, the Alliance). They built a device to
covering that you’re introducing the Mirror Universe, to travel to the Federation Universe, where they planned
nod knowingly and say, “Ho-hum, this week we’re remak- to seize a technology or person who could help them in
140 ing ‘Mirror Mirror’. How did Kirk get out of that one, does
anybody remember?” Your challenge is to introduce them
their bid for power back home. The mirror Crew mem-
ber works for Imperial Security or some other opponent
to the Mirror Universe in a new and surprising way. of his victims’ organization. He framed his Federation
 universe counterpart for the crime, to throw off Starfleet might be disappointed by the subterfuges listed above.
security as he tracks down the item or person his vic- Instead, you’ll want to hit them with as close a version
tims sought. of the original as you can.
Here’s a recap of “Mirror Mirror”: an ion storm in
Gladiators the Halkan system causes a transporter malfunction
Highly advanced yet amoral aliens kidnap the Crew that sends our Kirk, McCoy, Scotty and Uhura to the
to subject them to an experiment. They’re forced to I.S.S. Enterprise, while Spock and the other regulars
fight as gladiators in an arena. They fight several waves deal with their mirror counterparts on the U.S.S.
of opponents, each tougher than the last, while fruit- Enterprise. Our Spock has little trouble identifying the
lessly struggling to find a means of escape. Finally they mirror Kirk and company as doppelgangers, and orders
confront the foes their disembodied captors expect to them immediately confined to the brig. Kirk realizes
defeat them: their Mirror Universe counterparts. The that he’s in a twisted alternate universe. He escapes
Mirror versions possess something—information, an assassination by mirror Chekov, and makes mirror
item of technology—which, together with the work Spock suspicious when he hesitates before exterminat-
done by the Crew, would give both sides a way to ing recalcitrant aliens (the Halkans, who refuse to turn
defeat the god-like aliens and get out of the arena. The over to the Empire their supply of dilithium crystals).
Crew must convince their counterparts to cooperate Mirror Spock receives orders from Earth to kill Kirk
instead of killing them. and take over as captain. Kirk convinces him, and
the ambitious Captain’s Woman Marlena Moreau, to
Interdimensional Imperialism assist his crew members in altering the transporter to
Crew members crash-land on a primitive planet. allow them back to their own dimension. Before the
Contact with its people would normally be off-limits, Federation characters depart, Kirk plants in mirror
due to the Prime Directive. They find that another Spock’s mind the idea of replacing mirror Kirk and
advanced society is interfering with the locals’ nor- using his position as Enterprise captain to nudge the
mal development, pitting the tribesmen against one Empire toward a more enlightened state.
another in a war over valuable mineral deposits. At Your version of the episode should contain the fol-
first they find evidence pointing to their usual adver- lowing core elements:
saries, like Klingons, Romulans, or Ferengi. Ultimately
they discover that the mirror counterparts of the two • A plot device to switch half the Crew with Mirror

THE MIRROR TOOLKIT
closest friends among the Crew run the rival factions. Universe counterparts.
Their Mirror versions are sworn enemies who hate one
another with a passion. The Crew must defeat both and • A confrontation between Federation and Mirror
do their best to restore the tribal society to an undis- characters.
turbed path.
• A means for the Federation characters to return to
Endangered V.I.P. their own universe.
The Crew performs security duty at a Federation For the confrontation, you can stick with the current
symposium. An ambassador or other dignitary van- structure, setting the confrontation on the mirror version
ishes. Worse, surveillance data shows a Crew member of the Crew’s vessel. Or try this: each set of interlopers
holding him at phaser-point and escorting him into takes over a ship. Federation types aboard the I.S.S.
a shuttle bay. The character’s mirror counterpart was Your-Ship-Name-Here quickly stage a coup that wins
assigned by his superiors (or hired, or forced) to cap- them command of the vessel; their counterparts do the
ture the mirror V.I.P. alive. Unfortunately, the first kid- same on the U.S.S. Your-Ship-Name-Here. The conflict
nap attempt went awry, and the Mirror dignitary bit the resolves in the Federation universe, as the captured
dust. So the mirror Crew member took the Federation officers try to wrest control from the Mirror Crew mem-
equivalent of his quarry. He intends to brainwash his bers before they use the ship to do something awful.
victim in order to pass him off as the dead counterpart. They might plan to attack and loot a passenger cruiser,
The Crew must rescue the dignitary and clear their start a war with the Tholians, or destroy Starfleet head-
member of the crime. quarters. Or perhaps your dimension-crossing device
allows the entire I.S.S. Your-Ship-Name-Here to cross
Y our O wn “M irror M irror ” over to the Federation universe, setting the stage for
Some groups love to revisit classic Star Trek epi- hot pursuit and a culminating battle between the two
sodes, and would never dream of spoiling the fun by equally-matched vessels.
making yawning noises when they realize which one Conversely, player characters in command of the
they’re now doing. If your group fits this profile, they Imperial ship could stay in its universe, while mirror 141
 The Mirror
Conspirators vs. Crew Universe Series
The term “Crew” doesn’t always fit a Mirror Universe
series. Your characters may not belong to Starfleet or a Some Narrators experience problems getting their
similar organization. They may not belong to one organi- regular roleplaying groups to adopt the spirit of Star
zation at all. They might not even be working together. Trek. If your players started out with other roleplaying
So in the Mirror Universe, we use the term “Conspirator” games, they may find it hard to break old habits—espe-
as a synonym for “Player Character.” “Conspirators” cially if their formative games focused heavily on fight-
is, naturally, the term for all of the player characters, ing enemies and taking their loot. Some players role-
whether they’re allies or sworn enemies. play to feel powerful and to enjoy a fantasy of irrespon-
sibility. In an imaginary world, their fictional characters
can run roughshod over other, equally non-existent
characters in control of the Federation vessel could cross characters. They don’t have to follow orders, suck up
back over and try to capture them. The Empire could cer- insults, or accept limitations on their behavior.
tainly make use of a new Inquisition-class ship, after all. They may also let off steam in the direction of their
The basic setup of meeting one’s mirror counterparts fellow players. Some players enjoy having their charac-
so clearly leads to conflict that you’ll find this an easy ters steal from other PCs, or play humiliating practical
adventure to improvise. Just keep the above possibilities jokes on them. Humorous arguments between players
in mind. Decide what suitably sinister mission the dop- can turn into deadly fights between their characters.
pelgangers would be pursuing in their universe if not for Most Narrators, no matter what the game, hate it when
the sudden appearance of their Federation counterparts. fights break out within the player character group. It
If all else fails, they can keep trying to fulfill that mission takes the focus off the adventure, often stopping the
(in “Mirror Mirror,” they want to kill the Halkans and take action completely while the combatants wait to heal
their crystals), so that the Crew’s goal is to stop them. Of up after their fight. It also makes the story seem ridicu-
course, if the actions of the Crew give them an opening lous: the main characters on adventure TV shows don’t
to do something even more profitable, they’ll seize it. enter lethal combat against one another at the drop of
a petty insult.
F urther M irror E pisodes This style of play flies in the face of everything Star
However you introduce the Mirror Universe, you Trek is about. Star Trek extols the virtues of coopera-
can afterwards stage periodic sequels to that first tion. Starfleet officers act together for the good of all.
adventure. If you played the initial episode relatively They only rarely refuse orders, and when they do, it’s
straight, you’ll be able to squeeze more emotional the dramatic center of the movie or episode. Crew
range from the concept. Make the Crew’s doppelgän- members don’t fight one another. They don’t betray
CHAPTER FIFTEEN

gers genuinely creepy and nasty. Use them to play up each other, casually or otherwise. They value discipline
Crew members’ flaws in a way that makes the players over anarchic freedom of action. The Federation has
just a little bit uncomfortable. abolished greed; its people don’t work for money, let
The Mirror Universe can do other interesting things alone steal or connive for it.
for your game. Did your players maneuver you into So, the player whose chief interest is cathartic may-
a position where you had no choice but to kill off hem and rebellion and who doesn’t care if his character
your favorite antagonist? Now that he’s gone, do they is sympathetic may have a hard time playing a standard
grudgingly miss their arch-enemy? The Mirror Universe Starfleet character. Nonetheless, he might enjoy watch-
provides the solution to your problem. Just introduce ing the television shows and knows the setting well. He
the mirror counterpart of their late foe; naturally, this doesn’t mind watching noble characters on TV; he just
version is even more deceptive, tricky, and ruthless can’t make himself play one in your game. A Mirror
than the one from the standard universe. Universe series is tailor-made for him. He gets to mix
Don’t restrict this trick to the Crew’s enemies. Klingons and phasers with his weekly jolt of vicarious
Use appearances by mirror characters to confront anarchy.
Crew members with personal conflicts. The episode Even players perfectly capable of portraying honor-
“Shattered Mirror [DS9]” does this when it introduces able, disciplined Starfleet officers may remember ear-
Sisko to the mirror version of his late wife, Jennifer. lier days when they roleplayed in this free-for-all style.
They may enjoy a nostalgic excursion back to a simpler
gaming style. On the other hand, players who’ve never
known anything but even-tempered, sympathetic char-
142 acters in games free of nonsensical betrayals and pirati-
cal conduct face new roleplaying challenges. Advise
 them to think of your upcoming series as I Claudius nings, where he once again schemes for vengeance
with transporters, or Dallas with Vulcans. and a rise to power.
Your task, as Narrator, is to keep a continuing The Plot Is Afoot. This is the neutral position
Mirror Universe series entertaining, even though it from which all Conspirators begin the game. They
breaks many of the rules of fiction. The lead characters have—or should have—plans to elevate themselves.
may not be sympathetic. You may be rooting for them They may have resources, alliances, contacts, tech-
to fail, horrified by their goals. They may not live very nologies, a fortress, a ship, or other items needed to
long, creating a constant rotation in your cast. execute that plan. However, they haven’t put the plan
in motion yet. This represents the first step upward from
T he W heel of C omeuppance a previous humiliating defeat.
A Mirror Universe series is essentially a darkly Victory Is Nigh. The Conspirator is moving up in
humorous soap opera with science fiction elements the Galaxy, taking advantage of the successful execu-
and action-adventure sequences. Soap opera audi- tion of his plan—or the intervention of blind, idiot
ences root for the good characters but can’t help find- happenstance. He hasn’t achieved his goals yet, but
ing the manipulative or conflicted ones much more they’re within reach.
enthralling. Bad guys act out all of the dark impulses Gloating Triumph. The Conspirator has success-
we must suppress to live together in a civilized society, fully consummated his grand plan of the moment. His
and do it gleefully, with a sense of bravado. We vicari- enemies are dead or suffering humiliating defeat. People
ously enjoy their freedom, but at the same time yearn who once scorned him now flock to his side, offering
for them to be punished and to have their misused alliances and currying favor. Nothing could possibly
freedom taken away from them. We love to see a vil- sour this moment of supreme victory—except…
lain get his comeuppance, and the downtrodden good Over-Reaching. The Conspirator grows bored
character enjoy a last-minute reversal of fortune. Still, with his triumph. You can only gloat and enjoy the
no one likes to see an engaging villain kept down for fruits of victory for so long. He looks for new ways to
long. We want to see him escape from imprisonment, expand his power. He sees that unexpected obstacles
throw off the shackles of madness, or recover from his lie before him, but, driven by restlessness, can’t resist
injuries, in order to come back and once more threaten risking his position. He assembles resources, alliances
established order with his greed for absolute freedom. and so on in pursuit of a new and chancy goal.
In a world without good guys, where all of the The Worm Turns. The Conspirator suffers a

THE MIRROR TOOLKIT
characters are bad to one degree or another, our sym- reversal and plucks defeat from the jaws of victory.
pathies shift with the position of underdog. We don’t His humilated enemies climb their way up the wheel
like to see vibrant, powerful characters humiliated and of comeuppance and smite him down. Surprise devel-
deprived of the ability to act, even if they behaved opments blindside him. The people he stepped on as
despicably when they were on top. We want them to he ascended the wheel now show up to speed his
strike back at their tormentors, claw their way back to final descent.
the top, get revenge—and then overstep themselves, Humiliating Defeat. All of the Conspirator’s for-
bringing about another richly-deserved comeuppance mer glories and achievements go for naught as he
and another descent into humiliation. Once humbled, suffers a terrible and mortifying fate. Triumphant foes
we start to root for the character again, and the cycle strip him of all he worked for. He’s enslaved, tortured,
begins once more. maimed, or otherwise degraded. His enemies laugh as
Remember to juggle events in the game to keep he shakes his fist and vows bitter revenge. But in doing
the Conspirators moving through the cycle. If the plots so, they’re themselves beginning to overreach. One
aren’t moving, you need to shake things up. No player day the wheel will again turn, the Conspirator will be
wants his character to remain mired in humiliating freed from his shameful position, and the plot will once
defeat for session after session. Nobody should have again be afoot.
a character so invulnerable that he’s forever perched
atop the hill.

Stages on the Wheel

Each plotter starts at one position on the wheel, in
the stages listed below. Through the progress of plots
and plans, the character slowly inches up toward
the next stage, and the next, and the next. At last,
the character finds himself at the top of the food
chain—only to become the target of the next-lower
plotter, in a fall that drops him back into the begin-
143
 Moving Backward S tructures of T reachery
Conspirators don’t always move neatly along the There are two basic structures for Mirror Universe
wheel in clockwise fashion. They can suffer reversals series. Before you start, ask your players which one
at any time that send them backward. A Conspirator they’re interested in.
just released from prison might be discovered assem-
bling the resources for revenge against his captors and The Sodality Series
imprisoned again, moving from the plot is afoot back In this model, the Conspirators belong to a sodal-
to humiliating defeat. A Conspirator may be in the ity (see p. 35), a group of individuals who have sworn
throes of gloating triumph when he discovers a last- absolute loyalty to one another. Just like a standard
minute obstacle he hadn’t anticipated: he’s back to the universe Crew, they don’t betray each other. They work
verge of success, on the victory is nigh space. together to accomplish a group goal.
The advantage of this model is that it’s familiar. The
Pace of Movement Conspirators may be operating in a sinister universe,
Conspirators don’t skip steps, but can move through but they stick together, just like a regular Crew. In a
them very quickly. An unlucky Conspirator might get relentlessly hostile world, they can at least depend on
to gloat for only a scene or two before he overreaches other sodality members. Their mutual loyalty acts as a
and then sees the worm turn. redeeming feature that makes their characters seem at
Try to structure events so that the pace of move- least partially sympathetic, and worth rooting for.
ment through the wheel varies from session to session. Familiarity also serves you, the Narrator. You learn
If all Conspirators move multiple steps in the course of the Conspirators' goal and create adventures in which
each session, you’re going too fast. Your players won’t they face obstacles to that goal. By introducing one
have time to feel the emotional impact of their char- discrete episode after another, you control the pace.
acters’ continually changing fates. Glacial movement You know where the broader story arc of the series is
isn’t good either; players get bored if all Conspirators headed.
remain mired in one stage of the wheel for many ses- In a sodality series, the Conspirators all navigate
sions at a time. So mix things up; interweave sessions along the stages of comeuppance together The wheel
of gridlock, where each change in stage requires mam- is a supplement to the standard three-act structure for
moth effort on the part of all concerned, with periodic adventures, not a replacement for it.
lightning-paced episodes in which the wheel spins
with dizzying speed. The Free For All Series
In the Free For All, each player squares off against
the others as they compete for power. Even when
they form temporary alliances, each Conspirator
lusts after his own set of goals. As Narrator, you see
CHAPTER FIFTEEN

to it that their goals are mutually exclusive, forcing

them to do covert battle with one another as well
as with an array of Supporting Cast do-badders.
The Conspirators each get their own tokens on
the Wheel of Comeuppance. Keep them evenly
spaced throughout its steps whenever possible,
so that some Conspirators are up while others
are down.
The advantage of this model is that it’s
novel, offering challenging new ways of run-
ning a roleplaying game. Instead of scenes in
which all players participate, most sequences
feature one or two Conspirators. Players of
other Conspirators watch and enjoy as the
character(s) central to those scenes scheme
their way up the Wheel of Comeuppance,
or try to forestall their inevitable slide down
to defeat.

Soap Structure
144 Like a film editor, you “cut” from one
scene to another. When you reach a cliff-
hanger—or a pause where the active player
doesn’t know what to do next—shift focus to another possibilities. Before starting a session, make a chart
Conspirator and his ongoing element of the storyline. listing the Conspirators, their goals, their current wheel
Again, think of the soap opera as your model. Each positions, and possible developments of their storylines
episode of a soap opera develops a number of sto- this episode. The result, which we’ll refer to as your key
rylines in parallel, crossing one into the other only chart, might look like Table 15.1 (see below).
occasionally.
The great thing about this setup from the Narrator’s Narrative Irony and Detachment
point of view is that you need to do very little in the While you could send all of the players with “off-
way of preparation to create a series and keep it roll- stage” characters into another room while you run
ing. Structured adventures come into play rarely, if at scenes, that isn’t much fun. Most players would spend
all. Forget the three-act structure; instead you’ve got a the majority of the session banished to the kitchen.
number of parallel stories to advance a little at a time. Instead, allow players to follow the other storylines. They
The players control the types of events that occur in turn must sequester their knowledge as players from
in your series. They’ll have goals to pursue and plans what their characters know. You might think that this is a
to execute. All you have to do is decide how the other drawback in a game where the player characters may be
characters and forces in the Mirror Universe react to actively conspiring against one another, but actually it
their initiatives. As long as the reactions you describe adds to the fun. It encourages players to view their char-
are reasonably consistent with the setting, and provide acters with a sense of detachment. This is a good thing,
enough challenge to the Conspirators to put the out- seeing as their characters are, most likely, reprehensible
come of any action in doubt, you’re doing your job. wretches. The detachment gives you the sense of black
In scenes where Conspirators’ plans overlap, you may humor you need to make a Mirror Universe series fun
even find yourself leaning back in your chair bust- over the long run. Many times the players will be able to
ing a gut as the entire game is given over to hilarious see the impending comeuppance of a Conspirator long
exchanges between player characters. Don’t worry that before the character himself knows what’s coming to
you’ve lost control; this is exactly the sort of effect you him. They—including the Conspirator’s player—know
should be shooting for! everything that’s going on. In other words, they get
When scenes start to flag or fall flat, just look at to enjoy the game as an audience, as well as being
the stages of comeuppance and figure out which participants. In fiction, we call the enjoyment the audi-
Conspirator is due for a change. Introduce a plotline ence derives from knowing what the characters don’t

THE MIRROR TOOLKIT
designed to move that Conspirator in the desired direc- narrative irony. Detachment and narrative irony are the
tion. Don’t make the outcome a foregone conclusion, lifeblood of this type of series. Players have to enjoy see-
though. An especially clever player should be able to ing their own characters royally screwed over from time
reverse a reversal, surprising everyone by turning crisis to time—though naturally it’ll be the mortifying kind of
into triumph. Likewise, a Conspirator who does some- enjoyment you get from watching an I Love Lucy epi-
thing obviously doomed to fail can move backward on sode knowing Lucy is getting herself into terrible trouble
the wheel, even though you meant for them to jump once again. Though, of course, in this example, Lucy is
ahead a step. a Betazoid mind-bender, the trouble involves a twelve-
If you’re not used to improvising, you may want to legged Vulcan cobra, and the consequences are much
create an additional tool to help you chart out story more severe than a scolding from Ricky.

Table 15.1 Key Chart for I.S.S. Stalin Series

C onspirator (P layer ) G oal W heel P osition P ossible D evelopments
Captain Natalie Pays (Bruce) Avenge her father’s death Over-reaching New officer aboard her ship is cousin to her
father’s killer
Her first officer thinks of betraying her and
taking her place
Uvoc (Allen) Commit acts of sabotage to win status Humiliating Defeat Escape from Thuvran’s clutches
Find allies among the Gorn
Thuvran (Caroline) Corner the market in orgone energy Gloating Triumph Rival sabotages her orgone box, allowing
Uvoc’s escape
Senator Carpenter discovers her embezzlement
Senator A. Carpenter (Daria) Become most influential Senator Gloating Triumph Discovers that his bank accounts have been

raided
Grand Nagus calls in his loan (put up to it by
145
Sarek?)
 Secrets and Threats In this case, the choice is obvious: two Conspirators,
A free for all works best when the Conspirators are Thuvran and Senator Carpenter, were about to kill a
in conflict with one another. Although they shouldn’t third, Uvoc, by subjecting him to the orgone extraction
only be battling each other—otherwise you’ll soon process (p. 71). You lead with Uvoc’s daring escape,
have a scene resembling the end of Hamlet, and big as he moves up on the Wheel of Comeuppance and
chunks of session time devoted to creating new char- his tormentors move down. (Bruce, who plays a
acters—struggles between players make for memo- Conspirator far from the scene, watches as you play out
rable sequences. Here’s a technique to build connec- the escape, laughing at the funny parts. Unless his char-
tions between Conspirators to heighten their inevi- acter, Natalie, later learns of these events, Bruce can’t
table clashes. use his knowledge of this sequence in the game.) Uvoc
After character creation, write the names of the makes it to a shuttlecraft bay, dives inside one of the
Conspirators down on index cards. Create two sets waiting craft, and finds it full of Gorn. On this surprise
for each character. Mark one set threat and the other development, you cut away to Bruce’s character and
secret. Distribute one of each type to each player, mak- her plotline. Uvoc’s player, Allen, gets to bite his nails
ing sure that nobody gets his own Conspirator’s name. waiting to find out what’s up with the Gorn, at the same
Have each player describe his character to the others, time as he sits back and enjoys Natalie’s travails.
so they have enough information to do the following: “Meanwhile,” you say, “on the I.S.S. Stalin… When
Each player uses the cards to add to his Conspirator’s we last saw Natalie, she’d discovered Ensign Mann’s
background. He takes the character named on the family connection to Commander Weston, who killed
threat card and figures out why his Conspirator should her father.”
fear him. The subject needn’t know how he threatens “Never mind that,” replies Bruce. “I’ve been think-
the Conspirator. ing about the so-called Tholian we met in the bar three
The player then invents a secret about the char- episodes back. I think he knows where that cache
acter listed on the other card. It is something of great of ludugial gold is. I order the helmsman to lay in a
import to that character, but the Conspirator knows it course for Starbase 6.”
and he doesn’t. Because the player has introduced a new goal for
Vet the answers to each question to make sure his player, you set aside your plans to advance the
that they don’t totally alter a player’s conception of shipboard intrigue plotline this session. You cast your
his character. For example, a player can’t decide that mind back to the Tholian incident and quickly think up
somebody else’s character is secretly another species, a new set of obstacles to challenge Captain Pays as she
or an impostor claiming a false identity. quests for ludugial gold.
Conspirators keep these facts close to their vests When her sequence reaches a cliffhanger or lull,
until an opportune moment arises during play. Each you’ll cut back to Uvoc and the Gorn; he moves from
has a couple of aces in the hole to use in their struggle humiliating defeat to the plot is afoot when he learns
CHAPTER FIFTEEN

against the others. As with any secret weapon, players that the Gorn are on his side. You advance that scene
must calculate the best moment to use them. If they use until it hits a cliffhanger or pause, then move on to
them quickly and then find a better use for a secret or Thuvran and Carpenter. Their players want to pursue
threat, they may regret not having saved it. But if they Uvoc, so you follow that story thread and hold the
get killed with both still in hand, that’s a waste, too. “Carpenter discovers Thuvran’s embezzlement” idea in
abeyance until things get boring. You’ll use it when you
Example of Free For All Play figure the two characters need a good shaking up.
You have a few minutes before players start to Thus, with the help of the players and their goals for
arrive for another session of your 23rd-century Mirror the Conspirators, your game almost runs itself.
Universe series. If you were running a regular game,
you’d need to prepare a whole adventure. Here you M anaging the B ody C ount
need only recall existing plotlines and think of enter- On television, Mirror Universe episodes take advan-
taining ways to advance them. You do this knowing that tage of the opportunity to kill off major characters—that
the players may surprise you and go off in entirely dif- is, their mirror equivalents—on a regular basis. The
ferent directions anyway. You make your key chart (see setting certainly establishes the killing of rivals as a
p. XX) and place tokens on the Wheel of Comeuppance common route to power. However, what works for an
as they were at the end of last session. Remembering occasional Mirror Universe episode in a standard series
what was happening last time, you pick the most inter- poses problems over the long run of a Mirror-only game.
esting scene as the one to start with this week. It’s hard to develop an emotional connection to a series
if the characters routinely die like flies before you even
146 get to know them. Every Conspirator’s death should
mean something to the player group. Each should be a
surprising, intense development in your series.
Curses, Foiled Again Engineer the plot so that the Conspirators’ goals require
When characters you control threaten Conspirators, the continued good health of the other Crew members
use the conventions of pulp fiction to keep them alive. they most hate. Make sure that there are negative
In classic adventure storytelling, villains always seem consequences to any poorly thought-out murder. A
to find a reason to keep heroes alive for a while Conspirator may have friends in high places who’ll
before trying to kill them—giving them time to escape. push his killer back down the Wheel of Comeuppance.
Captured Conspirators may be kept around to test a A too-bold killing might offend local Security officials.
new death trap, for use in medical experiments, or Advise Conspirators how to protect themselves from
to be interrogated for information. Their captors may murder by other player characters. Tell them to cultivate
simply be overconfident and want to gloat before fin- allies, set aside credits for posthumous revenge funds,
ishing them off. and squirrel away files containing damaging informa-
Supposedly impregnable prisons never are. Don’t tion on their enemies for release after their deaths.
put a Conspirator into a trap you can’t think of at least Make players (not characters) aware of another
one way out of. (If players dream up equally good ways genre convention of Machiavellian soap opera: when
to get out, allow those to work, too, so long as their you dispatch one enemy, another, slightly more pow-
characters succeed at appropriate tests.) Elaborate death erful one always arrives to take his place. We simulate
traps are usually badly-tested prototypes with crucial this convention through the following rule: when
engineering flaws. Guards can be tricked, bribed, or a Conspirator is slain by another player character,
just plain overpowered. Other sodality members can his player creates a new character as normal. Then,
work to free captives as they languish in the enemy before entering play, he awards himself, and spends, a
citadel. Although you don’t want to over-rely on it, the number of experience points equal to the total accu-
surprise rescue by Narrator characters always provides mulated experience of his murdered character, plus
a handy last resort when Conspirators just can’t seem to 20%. (Make sure that you keep a grand total of all
escape on their own. This works best if the nature of the experience awarded to each Conspirator for easy refer-
rescuers surprises the Conspirator by introducing a new ence.) Slap down any player who volunteers to have
element to the story, as in the “shuttlecraft full of Gorn” his Conspirator killed by another in hopes of earning
incident in the example of play above. free experience points. Allow the murder to take place,
Allow Conspirators reasonable chances to then require the player to construct a character using
evade assassination attempts. Keep TNs modest for only the normal rules, with no added experience.

THE MIRROR TOOLKIT
Conspirators as they sniff out poisons, hear intruders’ Remind players that it’s perfectly acceptable for
footsteps or spot sabotaged transporter units. Advise them to create new characters bent on avenging the
players to invest early and often in the Miraculous deaths of their old ones. By doing so, they add coher-
Survival edge (see p. 138). ence to your story; the new Conspirator is already con-
Every now and then you can use exotic means nected to established events. (This is sort of like replac-
to bring back a Conspirator from certain death. The ing Jadzia with a new host for the Dax symbiont.)
Galaxy crawls with god-like entities for whom a timely More importantly, this practice provides a deterrent to
resurrection requires little effort. Naturally, the Metrons Conspirators who want to kill other player characters.
or priests of Q expect something in return after reviving They’ll still do it, but only when it really makes sense
a Conspirator’s corpse. The Genesis Weapon reversed in the story. Casual killings just to rib or annoy another
Spock’s premature demise; other exotic technologies player become too costly when you know an improved
can do the same for your Conspirators. Just make sure character, probably tailor-designed to address your
that the Conspirators never get their hands on a reli- own Conspirator’s particular vulnerabilities, will try to
able, repeatable method of bringing themselves back kill yours immediately afterwards.
from the dead. In some groups, this rule will temporarily encour-
age more blood-letting, It sets up a cycle of revenge,
Conspirator vs. Conspirator as characters pump themselves up by getting killed
It’s much harder for you to keep Conspirators alive and then go on to slay their murderers, whose own
when the people who wish to kill them are other replacements promptly continue the mayhem. Most
Conspirators. You can’t force your players to abide by players will bore of this quickly, allowing you to get
genre conventions and deliberately make mistakes to back to a more coherent series. If they find it end-
give their colleagues a break. If a player is determined lessly entertaining, you can either ask them to lay
to kill another’s character, he’s eventually going to off, or switch to another Star Trek Roleplaying Game
succeed. (If the victim has stacked up multiples of the series that doesn’t draw out their lunatic instincts.
Miraculous Survival edge, he may have to do it several Unless, of course, you’re equally tickled by that sort
times, but he’ll do it just the same.)
The trick, then, is to give Conspirators in-game
of thing. 147
reasons not to regularly kill fellow player characters.
 Idealism. The Conspirator genuinely believes that
his actions will make life better for people. His beliefs
may be laudable, but doomed; for example, he could
be an Oswaldite. Or he might follow a less sympa-
thetic ideology, but with sincere fervor.
Honesty. The character may do all sorts of nasty
things, but he never lies. His honesty, though some-
times cruel, is unswerving.
Loyalty. The Conspirator will happily backstab
anyone who gets in his way—except for one individual
or group, for whom he’s ready to die, if necessary.
Patriotism. The character believes in his home
culture and rigidly follows its ideals. Even when his
compatriots eagerly toss aside ancient mores in the
pursuit of momentary advantage, he’d sooner lose out
than contravene them.

S triking the R ight T one

The more you use the Mirror Universe, the campier
your treatment of it will probably become. “Evil twin”
episodes have been used so many times on TV series
and in other media in the years since “Mirror, Mirror”
first aired that the concept’s comic possibilities are
hard to resist. Indeed, the arc of Star Trek: Deep Space
Nine Mirror Universe episodes started out reasonably
seriously, but over time gave themselves up to the arch
gusto of Nana Visitor’s performance as kinky Mirror
Kira. The final Mirror Universe episode, “The Emperor’s
New Cloak,” used the setting as fodder for a Ferengi-
centered comic relief episode played as broad farce.
In a way, you may need to make the Mirror
Universe humorous if it’s the setting for a whole a
series, or even a bunch of episodes in a standard game.
Its implications are otherwise too grim and depressing.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Black humor allows us to enjoy the posturing of arch-

R edeeming V irtues villainous versions of recognizable characters, without
Another way to make your series more satisfying for focusing too much on the slavery, oppression, and
long-term play is to encourage players to invest their mass murder lurking in the setting’s background.
characters with redeeming virtues. Just as a character
in a standard series seems boring if he’s completely A G limmer of H ope
without flaws, a Conspirator without a single positive One syndrome that sometimes bogs down conspira-
trait is too one-dimensional to care about. torial games is player hopelessness. Because so many dif-
Here are a few redeeming virtues to suggest to your ferent forces are arrayed against the Conspirators, some
players: players grow discouraged and find themselves paralyzed
Love. The Conspirator is motivated by romantic when it comes time to make a decision. They see disaster
passion. He may seek conquest to appease his lover. as the only possible outcome of every option. Remember
He may protect a hidden object of desire who embod- that even though you know your villains’ weaknesses,
ies a purity and innocence almost unknown in the the players don’t. You may need to periodically remind
Galaxy. He may be tortured by unrequited love, seek- the players that their Conspirators are the main charac-
ing domination over others as a distraction from his ters in a world of treacherous adventure and therefore
emotional pain. have what it takes to routinely overcome impossible
Vengeance. Although the Conspirator’s actions odds. They won’t win by a cakewalk, but they aren’t
may be at times despicable, he’s driven by a need to doomed, either. The Mirror Universe belongs to the bold,
avenge himself against another who committed much not the indecisive. Have Narrator characters remind the
148 worse acts against him. Conspirators of this every so often. They can list the many
times in Terran history when a desperate, spur-of-the-
moment decision won an Emperor his throne.
 If your players lose hope, fine-tune your handling roring” the information about Vulcan culture can give
of the Wheel of Comeuppance. Allow them to savor the Narrator and players a lot of directions for a Green
victories a little longer. Let them relish their paybacks; Peril series; here are three potential bearings to chart
allow the occasional harebrained scheme to succeed course for.
brilliantly. Don’t be too heavy-handed with the details In the first series, Conspirators vie with other fac-
of humiliating defeat. For the Conspirators, the wheel tions of Vulcans to win T’Pau’s favor and avoid her
always goes back up. wrath. As one of her action teams, Conspirators must
carry out their assigned objectives while carefully
S eries T ypes maintaining the illusion that the Humans are still in
If you’re nervous about the wide range of possible charge. A frequent adversary might be that strangely
Conspirator actions in a Mirror Universe series, you may idealistic son of Senator Sarek. Can the Crew stop
want to limit players to certain types of characters. Here Spock from ruining T’Pau’s carefully stage-managed
are some possible themes for a narrow-focus series. conspiracy?
Alternatively, Conspirators might belong to a sodal-
To Seek Out New Life Forms — ity from Yevok’s Vulcan Underground—see p. 89. They
And Kill Them pretend to serve T’Pau, but in fact work to loosen her
All characters start out as 23rd-century Starfleet hold on power. They want Spock to become ruler of
officers serving aboard the same vessel. They may Vulcan—and, by extension, the Empire. They fear
belong to a sodality of brother officers, sworn to help exposure by T’Pau, as well as the machinations of
one another. If so, your series is much like a standard Spock’s many other enemies within the Empire.
one. The Conspirators encounters a new threat every Or the Conspirators could be free agents with feet
episode, which is structured according to the three- in both T’Pau and Spock’s camps. They obey Yevok
act model. However, instead of upholding the values when it suits them, while gathering evidence against
of the Federation, Imperial Starfleet officers follow him. They wait to see which way the wind blows in
orders to the extent they must and spend the rest of the T’Pau-Spock struggle, ready to step in to help rule
the time pursuing their own agendas. The first thing Vulcan when the identity of the victor becomes clear.
Conspirators think of when they meet a new species is
whether or not they should attack it. Unless they have
a specific reason to keep opponents alive, they leave

THE MIRROR TOOLKIT
their phasers on kill. Alien cultures may be interfered
with for profit or just for the heck of it. After defeat-
ing an antagonist who happens to be another Starfleet
officer, the Crew can summarily execute him—assum-
ing he has no powerful friends back at headquarters.
Looting follows any successful combat engagement. A
captain’s success is gauged by the amount of booty he
seizes and distributes to his crew.
A free-for-all game follows the same rules of engage-
ment, except that all of the Conspirators covet the cap-
tain’s chair. They wait for their superiors make mistakes,
so they can report them to headquarters, have them
killed, and take their place in the chain of command.
Officers regard their underlings with equal suspicion.
They assign unduly ambitious rivals to suicide missions,
expose their inevitable infractions of Starfleet code, or
trump up charges against them. You may declare this a
limited series with a specific victory condition: the first
Conspirator to become captain “wins” the series. Or
you may continue as Conspirators connive for com-
mand of a better ship, then scheme their way up the
ranks of the admiralty and into the War Ministry.

Green Peril
Most or all of the Conspirators in this 23rd-cen-
tury series are Vulcans. Portray T’Pau as clearly being
the Empire’s true great power. Conspirators may
149
follow her or struggle against her. Mentally “mir-
 Corporate Snakes and Ladders It’s All About The Credits
The Conspirators are all employees of the same 23rd The Conspirators belong to a sodality of mercenar-
century corporation, such as Keeler Aerospace. (See p. ies, owing loyalty only to one another and the almighty
29 for some other suitable corporations.) Conspirators credit. In the 23rd century, many Senators, CEOs, and
struggle against fellow employees, corporate spies gangsters have occasion to hire armed strike teams. In
from other firms, and rapacious Revenue Ministry offi- the 24th century, power players within the Alliance do
cials. They travel to distant branch plants to track down the same.
saboteurs and stifle labor unrest. They spy on rival cor- The Crew freelances, avoiding dangerous ties to
porations and try to steal technologies from them, or any one client. Small operations include kidnapping,
from independent researchers, the Science Ministry, or murder, and sabotage. Mercenaries might be hired to
alien species. They measure success by the size of their steal specific items, from art treasures to secret files. If
offices, the amount of money they earn and embezzle, they have a ship or command large numbers of ground
and the number of staff members they command. Top forces, they may be called upon to fight in the many
executives engage in insider trading, plot hostile take- localized wars that break out in the various Empires’
overs of other firms, and negotiate the terms of their distant corners. One month they might fight for an
defections to rival companies. Meanwhile, characters Empire; the next, for a beleaguered alien world fending
navigate the even more treacherous waters of their off Imperial invasion.
exotic personal lives, juggling spouses, mistresses, A hard-pressed power might even call on the
and objects of temporary affection. A sodality seeks to Conspirators to fight in its major battles. The Terrans
make one of its members CEO of the corporation. In a hired mercenaries to augment Starfleet during its wan-
free for all game, each Conspirator lusts for the CEO’s ing days, from 2288 to 2297. As they were suffering
office suite. from an economic collapse at the time, they sometimes
To truly emulate the genre, tell the players to create hired more mercenary ships than they could pay, hop-
characters who are all members of the same family. In ing that many of them would be wiped out in battle
this free-for-all, Conspirators struggle for control of the before presenting a final invoice.
family firm and their own libidos. They manipulate one
another through a network of servants, shady business Down These Mean Spacelanes
associates, handsome tennis instructors, black-sheep The Conspirators operate a private investigation
cousins, illegitimate children, and long-lost relations. agency. They may be underhanded sneaks gleefully
For this type of series, each Conspirator holds two snooping for the universe’s most sinister men, or cyni-
threats and two secrets (p. 146). cal moralists who manage to co-exist with the Galaxy’s
evildoers without themselves becoming tarnished or
afraid. They trail adulterers, root out evidence to
aid falsely-accused defendants, and solve murders
CHAPTER FIFTEEN

no one but the client cares about. Clients include

wealthy eccentrics, wronged lovers, corpulent insur-
ance company executives, and abashed blackmail
victims. During the typical investigation, Conspirators
interact with gangsters, stool pigeons, Orion cultists,
exotically-muscled goons, flat-footed secret police-
men, decadent party-goers, and the nymphomaniac
daughters of influential tycoons. They can expect to
be lied to, threatened, knocked out, shot at, seduced,
and occasionally spat on. They do it for a standard fee
plus expenses, and perhaps for the knowledge that,
ultimately, in a Galaxy of deception and madness, they
serve the truth.

All the Emperor’s Men

This series resembles “Corporate Snakes and
Ladders,” except that the Conspirators all work for the
Imperial Bureaucracy in Washington (23rd century ver-
sion) or the Alliance administration on Qo’noS (24th
century version). They strive against fellow government
150 officials (and, in a free for all game, one another) in
the vicious quest for promotions, graft, and influence.
They use Security agents under their command (or
 control) to investigate, harass, and even kill their rivals. Once Emperor, he must fend off all of the other
Now and then they must break from their scheming would-be Emperors, setting them against one another
to fulfill the actual duties of their department. These and pretending to be everyone’s friend. He bribes those

THE MIRROR TOOLKIT
assignments put them in conflict with legislators, mili- who accept his favor, and subverts or assassinates those
tary officers, and businessmen. Conspirators must also who can’t be bought. In the few moments he can spare
beware the countless alien spies who riddle their agen- from constant intrigue in Washington, he may turn his
cies, as well as the occasional energy being or space attention to intergalactic affairs and the Empire’s many
parasite roaming the corridors of power. enemies. If he can’t or won’t pay heed to these things,
that clever Spock fellow over in the Security Ministry
Mr. Oxmyx Goes To Washington will be only too pleased to do it for him.
The Conspirators serve as staffers to a 23rd-century
Senator. They work behind the scenes to build alliances Viva La Resistance
with other Senators, and to discredit their boss’ politi- The Crew constitutes a resistance cell dedicated to
cal rivals. Sometimes they have to leave Washington the downfall of the Empire (23rd century) or Alliance
to perform delicate tasks for the Senator’s patrons. (24th century). They may belong to a broader move-
They stay on guard against those who would try to ment or operate as independents. In the course of their
assassinate, blackmail, or kidnap their Senator. At the adventures, they sabotage government installations,
same time, they deploy intimidation, bribery, and the rescue political prisoners, assassinate especially cruel
occasional outright murder against the weak Senators’ or effective Security officers, and appropriate weapons
staffers to coerce votes for favored legislation. and ships for use in the struggle. While their worst
The ultimate goal of any staffer is to become a enemies are Imperial Security or Khak’ma/Obsidian
Senator himself. In his quest, he may work to destroy Order counterinsurgency officers, they must also avoid
the careers of other staffers, jump ship to the staff of the clutches of bounty hunters and misguided citi-
a more powerful Senator, or betray his boss on the zens loyal to the government. The Conspirators most
Emperor’s behalf. Once a Senator, he must balance the likely belong to a sodality. Betrayal is for the enemy’s
demands of his patrons for favors with his own desire camp—or at least something to hold off on until the
for graft. He’ll also immediately join the jockeying revolutionaries seize power.
for position of Emperor-In-Waiting. He may support
another candidate who he hopes will help him once he
seizes the throne, or go for the whole bowl of plomeek
151
soup himself.
 XVI
MYSTERIES OF THE 
MIRROR UNIVERSE
In this chapter, we present a number of open questions about the Mirror Universe. We suggest several pos-
sible solutions to each mystery. It’s up to you, the Narrator, to decide which answer pertains in your series.
For that matter, you could thwart treacherous Narrator-chapter-reading players by coming up with your own
answers to the mysteries below. We recommend that you don’t commit yourself to a particular solution until the
Conspirators actually encounter it in play. This keeps your options open to make the best choice for your story
at that time.

A nswer A: É migré
Spock Spock knew one hideout where no one in the
Galaxy would think to seek him: the Federation
SIXTEEN

Is Spock still alive in the 24th century? Of course! Universe. Aside from his top officers aboard the
How can someone as cunning and collected as Spock Enterprise, no living denizens of the Mirror Universe
THREE

not have had an escape plan in mind when his ship knew about its existence. Spock had seen to that years
CHAPTER FOUR

joined what was obviously a losing battle? before. He’d removed all reports on the original mir-
TWO

The Enterprise wasn’t destroyed at all. Spock saw ror universe incident from Imperial databases, and
the writing on the wall as the Alliance overran sys- arranged the assassination of the small handful of intel-
tem after system in its implacable drive toward Earth. ligence analysts familiar with the files. He assigned
Working with Scotty, he amplified the power wand he’d Scotty to study the modifications to the transporter
obtained from Korob and Sylvia so that it could beam a made by his Federation counterpart back in 2266.
powerful illusion light-years through subspace. Before Using the same amplifier technology he’d used to alter
the final invasion, the Enterprise positioned itself in the the power wand, Scotty created an energy field that
Rigel system. When the Alliance occupied Rigel, Spock connected the two universes just long enough for the
used the wand to make his ship invisible. He sent an Enterprise to fly through it.
illusionary Enterprise to join the final battle for Earth. The utter failure of Spock’s grand schemes triggered
Maneuvering the illusion cleverly, he even managed to an identity crisis. He’d predicated his life on the pursuit
crash a Cardassian vessel into the Klingon Emperor’s of logic—but his logic had proven to be completely
flagship, killing Kor and many of his top aides. He and wrong. Egged on by the badgering of Dr. McCoy, he
the Enterprise crew then safely decamped. admitted that his actions had been based on Human
The real question is what he’s up to now. emotion, not Vulcan logic. He pronounced himself a
failure and sank into a deep depression. Other crew
members experienced a similar sense of demoraliza-
152 tion. As a group, they decided to abandon the Enterprise
and seek new lives in the Federation. Applying the Spock devoted himself to rising in the Romulan
power wand’s technology one last time, Spock and hierarchy just as he’d done in the Terran Empire. As
Scotty designed small devices allowing the user to alter Notatek, he came to head the Tal Shiar. This position
his appearance. Each crew member received a single gave him much influence over Romulan foreign affairs.
Appearance Scrambler, as Scotty dubbed it. That way, Spock decided that the Romulans should quietly build
if they discovered that their doubles were active and their forces while waiting for the Alliance to sink into
well-known, they could adopt new, anonymous faces. inevitable decadence. No more economic or social
The Enterprise traveled through the fringes of Federation reforms for him. From now on, it would be warships,
space, covertly dropping off crew members at various warships, warships.
colonies and starbases. Spock, Sulu, Uhura, Scotty, and Spock ran into opposition when the headstrong
McCoy were the last to abandon ship. Unable to bear Prince Thabian, who wanted immediate war, became

MYSTERIES OF THE MIRROR UNIVERSE
the thought of its destruction, they put up the shields Praetor. So Spock captured Thabian and mind-melded
and parked it in continuous orbit around the moon of a with him. He then staged an accident in which it
planet far from any inhabited worlds. Spock calculated seemed as if Notatek was slain and Thabian injured.
that, barring a surprise asteroid hit, it would remain Spock used the power wand to assume the identity of
in good condition for 134 years, 15 days, 6 hours, the hereditary ruler of the Romulan Star Empire.
and 19 minutes. They took a long shuttlecraft journey Now Spock sits on the Praetor’s throne, patiently
to the nearest Federation base and mournfully parted playing 3-D chess against the Empire’s best supercom-
company. No forwarding addresses were exchanged, puter, waiting for the ideal moment to launch his strike.
because nobody knew where they’d head. He watches as the Terran resistance grows ever stron-
Spock changed his appearance only slightly, round- ger. The ideal moment, he knows, is coming soon.
ing his ears and eyebrows. Having failed as a Vulcan,
he would now pass himself off as Human. Over the A nswer C: T he V ulcan
years, he drifted from one distant outpost to another, B ehind the C urtain
reluctant to visit the heart of the Federation or risk an Spock changed his identity and lives as a supposed
encounter with his counterpart. He let his goatee turn addict named Shuffles on Gringus-A1—not in the
into a perpetual, all-over stubble. He drowned his sor- Federation Universe, but in the Mirror one. Under this
rows with a variety of intoxicants. unassuming cover identity, he continues to manipulate
Now a pathetic addict, he dwells on Gringus-A1, events throughout the Galaxy—just as he did when he
an independently-operated space station owned by orchestrated the collapse of the Terran Empire and its
a Ferengi named Gringus. The patrons of the base conquest by the Alliance.
treat him as a sort of mascot. They know him only as Spock knew all along that it was illogical to expect
“Shuffles.” Somewhere in his heart of hearts he yearns an entire ruthless Empire to suddenly become enlight-
to be Vulcan again, and to take the old I.S.S. Enterprise ened after brief experience of a handful of social
back to the Mirror Universe to make things right. But this and economic reforms. After his encounter with the
won’t happen until someone finds him and convinces Federation Kirk, he sat down and drew up a two-hun-
him this is more than the pipe dream of an old derelict. dred-year plan to reform not just Terran society, but
all of the major powers. Neither Terrans, Romulans,
A nswer B: R omulan P raetor Cardassians, Romulans, or even Ferengi would change
Spock left Sulu in command of the Enterprise, their ways unless first forced to taste the ashes of
departing on a shuttlecraft as the ship passed through defeat. They will not embrace peace and mutual coop-
the Romulan frontier for parts unknown. Once the eration unless made to see that such policies form the
Enterprise had safely cleared the area, he sent out a only logical basis for survival.
distress signal. As a warbird approached, he used the By Spock’s reckoning, the Terran resistance is right
illusion wand to assume the identity of a Tal Shiar oper- on schedule in its struggle against the Alliance. In a
ative called Notatek. Planning ahead as always, Spock few short years the Alliance will break apart, occasion-
had months before mind-melded with the real Notatek, ing a three-way battle between the great civilizations.
who’d been imprisoned by the Security Ministry after All will lie in ruins at its end. Free of colonial pow-
a failed assassination attempt. He was thus able to ers, independent worlds throughout the Galaxy make
perfectly imitate the man, a distant relative of the royal their own way. Worse dictators arise, seize power,
family. “Notatek” told of his harrowing escape from the grow decadent, and face the executioner’s axe. The
Security Ministry during the Alliance assault on Earth. Oswaldite movement grows on planet after planet, as
After a debriefing in which he provided the Tal Shiar people begin to see that old-style governments can
with much accurate information on the Alliance, Spock never break free from the galactopolitical wheel of
won promotion. comeuppance. This common ideology provides the
root of mutual understanding. By 2466, diplomats and
153
 leaders form a Federation of Planets, even grander than
the one Spock learned about from standard-universe
Kirk. Prominent members include Terra, Cardassia
Prime, Qo’nos, Romulus, Ferenginar, Bajor, and the
Breen homeworld.
Spock doesn’t just sit around in his fake identity
watching events unfold. He makes sure that his predic-
tions come true. During his decades in the Security
Ministry, he developed a network of agents spanning
the known Galaxy. Following T’Pau’s modus operandi,
he’s seen to it that the vast majority of his agents think
they’re working for someone else. Even the few thou-
sand operatives who know they work for Spock just
think he’s trying to regain power for himself. In the
present timeline, only his trusty Ferengi aide, Gringus,
knows his true agenda. Spock also enjoys the aid of
descendants who have yet to be born. He’s been to
the 25th century, met with his grandson, Federation
President Skotok, returning with technologies to help
him bring that ideal future into being.
Gringus-A1 appears to be a barely-spaceworthy
haven for criminals and mercenaries, but actually serves

Device: Appearance Scrambler

An appearance scrambler enables the user to alter his look through a complex illusion that fools most being’s senses of
sight, touch, smell, hearing, taste, and extra-sensory awareness. The device itself is a small polymer cylinder encasing a
small chip bearing alien-derived circuitry. The user need only touch the cylinder and think of the image he wants to project
around himself. The effect is instantaneously activated. The quality of the illusion depends on the completeness and com-
plexity of the user’s mental command. A skilled user can fool even most basic sensor scans. Only individuals trained in its
use can produce illusions of sufficient complexity to fool even a casual observer: they must have the Appearance Scrambler
skill (below.)
Skill: Appearance Scrambler (Int)
CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Academic; Trained
The character can use an appearance scrambler to create an illusion altering his appearance. (Because the device is exotic
and the training to use it consists of a series of mental exercises, this is not a specialization of the System Operation skill.
That skill provides characters no default chance of operating an appearance scrambler.)
Sample Specialties: Concealing Objects, Large Scale, Personal Imitation
Test: Make an opposed Test against your opponent’s Observation total to conceal your appearance. A foe who bests you
may realize that something is wrong, but individuals unfamiliar with the appearance scrambler and its technology only realize
the full nature of the illusion on a Dramatic Success.
Simple (5): Changing your hair color
Routine (10): Mimicking a member of another Humanoid species
Challenging (15): Mimicking a specific individual whose appearance is well known to you via personal observation or
study of a holographic image
Difficult (20): Mimicking a non-Humanoid life form
Virtually Impossible (25): Mimicking an inanimate object
Additional Modifiers: Extending the powers of the Appearance Scrambler to another creature or object within your line of
sight imposes a +4 TN modifier per extra target. Concealing a large and/ or faraway object may increase the TN further, or
even require special added technologies.
Affinity: The Impersonate skill grants a +1 affinity bonus, because the character already has some experience in assuming
an alternative persona.
Action Time: Usually full-round for a single change of appearance to the holder. Larger, more complex illusions may take
several minutes.
154 Extended Test: no
 as the nerve center of Spock’s interstellar network. Using Borg. He would be their ambassador to the new spe-
25th century electronic monitoring equipment, Spock cies they wished to assimilate, and provide them with
surveys events throughout the Galaxy. The subspace sig- guidance in understanding their new beliefs.
nals he sends to agents can’t be intercepted with present- Spock was changed, too. He accepted the logic of
day technology. He equips operatives with Appearance the Borg mission. By helping to assimilate every spe-
Scramblers but avoids giving them 25th century devices cies in the universe into one linked, Kolinahr-adept
for fear of their being captured and duplicated. Spock’s consciousness, he would complete what Surak had
network escapes the notice of intelligence organizations begun. He would bring peace and order to the Galaxy,
because his agents only rarely commit assassinations, acts one species at a time. Individuality was the source of
of sabotage, or conventional espionage. The purpose of the greed and savagery consuming almost every spe-
the missions Spock assigns his agents is often inscrutable. cies, including his own. It would be a good thing to

MYSTERIES OF THE MIRROR UNIVERSE
Minions may be dispatched simply to whisper a proverb sacrifice it.
in a man’s ear, change a relay cable in a museum’s com- Although at first he wanted to send Borg cubes
munications grid, or see to it that an actor is replaced straight to the Alpha Quadrant to assimilate Vulcan and
by an understudy. Each of these actions infinitesimally Terra, he quickly realized that this was an emotional
changes the way people think about their place in the impulse. It would be much more logical to systematical-
world, subtly making them more serene, receptive, and ly assimilate the species of the Delta Quadrant first. But
understanding. Over time, these tiny changes will bring that task is almost done, and soon Locutus of Borg will
about a revolution in consciousness. Only then will the appear in Alliance space, ready to herald the doctrine of
foundation for the Mirror Federation truly be laid. Infinite Diversity, Combined. Resistance is futile.

A nswer D: L ocutus of B org

As in the Émigré scenario, the Enterprise attempt- Tholians
ed escape into the standard universe. But Scotty’s
device failed and the ship instead ended up in the Who are the Mirror Tholians, and what do they
Delta Quadrant. The Enterprise prospered for a while, want? (See page 85 for everything known about them
spreading Oswaldite ideas to the quadrant’s many hos- in the heyday of the Terran Empire. The Alliance has
tile cultures. Then they met the Borg. The ship and its very little contact with them up until the Tholian War,
crew escaped, but not before the Borg beamed Spock on page 97.)
onto one of their cubes. They assimilated him, an act
that changed them forever.
Although the Borg had assimilated many spe-
cies steeped in spiritual or religious traditions, they’d
always discarded these beliefs as being devoid of
utility. However, Spock’s Vulcan traditions were differ-
ent. They provided the Borg a rigorous, almost math-
ematical form of spirituality that appealed irresistibly
to their cybernetic minds. The Borg became devoted
practitioners of Kolinahr, the Vulcan spiritual discipline.
In order to enjoy the full benefits of his spiritual attain-
ment, the Borg allowed Spock to preserve a remnant of
his individual identity. They designated him Locutus of

Other Enterprise Crew Members

Each of the above scenarios leaves the fates of McCoy,
Scotty and the others up to you. If any of them survived
to the days of the Terran resistance, they’d be very
old. But there are plenty of ways for an enterprising
Starfleet officer to extend his lifespan. Among them are
immortality drugs, bargains with energy beings, or inter-
action with temporal anomalies. Even if they’ve lived out
their natural lifespans, the crewmembers might have left
behind descendants, caches of equipment, or secret files
loaded with useful information. 155
 A nswer A: J ust A nother E nemy A nswer B:
The obsessively territorial Tholians represent just I nterphasic T holians
another threat to what passes for peace and security in There are no Mirror Tholians. The Tholians encoun-
the Mirror Universe. In Tholian society, an individual’s tered by the Mirror Universe Enterprise are exactly
worth is measured by the amount of land he owns and the same individuals that threatened its Federation
can protect from interlopers. Landless Tholians are little counterpart. The Tholians exist in interphasic space, a
more than slaves. Those with the greatest estates run the dimension that half-straddles each universe. Tholians
legislature, which controls the executive branch. Land are fiercely territorial because they can’t immediately
on the Tholian homeworld grants much higher status tell the difference between standard- and Mirror-uni-
than territory anywhere else. Thus the Tholians were verse ships entering their semi-dimension. They’ve
slow to colonize, even after developing warp-capable been attacked by several Mirror Universe species,
ships. Their eventual colonies were settled by losers and which they succeeded in driving off or destroying
outcasts. When the colonies got strong, they attacked only after taking heavy casualties. With this track
the homeworld so that their leaders could seize land record, they can only afford to assume that any ships
there. Civil wars raged through Tholian space until a approaching their borders have mayhem in mind.
few centuries ago, when a new compact recognized as The Tholians want only to be left alone, and will fight
equally valid all land occupied by Tholians for at least viciously to protect themselves. Unfortunately, many
three decades. That still left the Tholians as isolationists pirates, criminals, and renegades in both universes
with few incentives to expand past the worlds covered have begun to use the Tholian frontier as an ideal stash
by this grandfather clause. They think their own world for equipment, loot, and even full installations. They
is the best imaginable, and that all other species are figure they’re fast and sneaky enough to avoid Tholian
hopeless barbarians scarcely worth bothering with. patrols, and that other would-be pursuers are too wary
However, the old colonies are now running out of land to risk clashes with the Tholian fleet. The Orion Cabal
for ambitious young men to seize, and a new, hungry in particular has shown great interest in Tholian space,
generation looks toward Alliance space and sees innu- because it provides a portal to a dimension where their
merable worlds ripe for conquest. The Tholians wait in god is already free. Meetings between the Orion Cabal
the wings as the quadrant’s up-and-coming menace. and Syndicate are already taking place, and can lead
to no good for either reality. The Federation recently
succeeded in making peace with the Tholians. They’re
just as eager as their new partners to keep the border
between universes locked down. Mirror characters
entering the frontier can therefore expect confronta-
tions with the Tholians, Orions, independent ne’er-do-
CHAPTER SIXTEEN

wells, and the Federation.

A nswer C: T he H ate E aters

Tholians are in the process of evolving from biologi-
cal entities to energy beings. Their bodies, ships, and
equipment are only half-real. During this intermedi-
ate phase, they can no longer eat normal food, but
still need some kind of sustenance to survive. They’ve
learned to sustain themselves on the emotional back-
ground energy of the universe. Specifically, they live
on the psychic energy that most species expend when
they experience hate, avarice, or the impulse toward
violence. Tholians feed by long distance. Close prox-
imity to Mirror Universe residents proves overwhelm-
ing, burning their quasi-corporeal bodies. Prolonged
contact can be fatal. Hence their insistence on closed
borders. As in the previous scenario, Mirror Universe
renegades and criminals hide out on the frontier, hop-
ing that fear of the Tholians will shield them from their
enemies. They can’t use it as a gateway to the standard
universe, though. Conspirators may be forced to travel
156 there to recover items or people captured by the Orion
Cabal.
 Halkans
Mirror Spock met Federation Kirk while on a mis-
sion to threaten the Halkans, a people with a supposed
“record of total peace.” How could this be the case,
when the Mirror Universe is populated entirely by evil
species?

A nswer A: T he E xception
T hat P roves T he R ule

MYSTERIES OF THE MIRROR UNIVERSE
The Halkans are telling the truth. They have enjoyed
a history of total peace since their early evolution.
Almost all of Mirror Universe species are more selfish
and paranoid, but the Halkans are a true exception.
Such species are doubly rare because as soon as they
first encounter their neighbors, they show a marked
tendency to get exterminated.

If the conflict of the Mirror Universe is somehow A nswer B: B e P eaceful , O r D ie

lessened—for example, if you decide that the “Vulcan Sure, the Halkans are peaceful. Their rulers enforce
Behind the Curtain” scenario is the correct one, and peace with a network of psychic projectors that prevent
Spock gets close to establishing his Mirror Federation— people from even conceiving of their lot as unhappy.
these Tholians will need to take counter-steps to ensure A lucky few rule over billions of smiling, humming,
a continuing supply of hate and violence. Not wanting blank-eyed factory workers who contentedly toil to
their food supply cut off, they’ll work through inter- support their lives of obscene luxury. Perhaps one indi-
mediaries to destabilize the efforts of anyone trying to vidual in a hundred thousand is born immune to the
bring harmony to the universe. Halkan contentment-projectors. They’re easy to spot,
even as babies, because they cry. Blissed-out doctors
A nswer D: and nurses smother the unhappy babies and then tell
M irrors W ithin M irrors the mothers, who receive the news cheerfully. When
The weird interphasic energy of Tholian space acts as the projectors were first built, the ruling class wore spe-
a gigantic receptacle for the collective fears of the Mirror cial bracelets to immunize themselves from the effect.
Universe’s thousands of species. When people enter But their descendants came to envy the unrelenting
Tholian space, that energy works draws images from gratification enjoyed by their inferiors, and threw the
their unconscious minds and manifests them physically. bracelets away. Now Halkan peace is for everyone.
These energy manifestations then do what the intruders
fear most. in 2268, the I.S.S. Defiant crew encountered a
“Tholian vessel” while trapped in one of the many dimen-
sional sinkholes that pepper the region. Already in trouble,
they most feared an encounter with a cruelly indifferent
force that would make their problem worse. This mani-
fested in the form of the Tholian ship and commander.
Both were as real as the Defiant, at least temporarily, and
its comm system was able to record the Tholian transmis-
sion. Since then, everyone who’s reviewed Starfleet logs
on the incident before entering Tholian space has known
to fear territorial, helmeted foes. So their fears create
repeat manifestations. However, each set of “Tholians” is
slightly different than the last, according to the specific,
collective anxieties of the crews who encounter them.
The Orion Cabal, many of whose members are crazy
enough to be literally fearless, maintain hideouts on the
frontier, wondering why they never seem to encounter
any sign of the vaunted Tholian menace. 157
 A nswer C: A ncient C ontact Doctor
The 2266 crossover between universes wasn’t the
first to occur in Halkan space. A thousand years ago,
an ion storm blew a Halkan philosophy student named
Noonien Soong
Dation from the standard universe to the Mirror one. When Terra fell to the Alliance, Noonien Soong
Although a failure in his own reality, his drive and was a highly promising seventeen-year-old under-
ambition led him to connive his way to the top of graduate at Massachusetts’ Science Ministry Institute of
Mirror Halkan society. He became Emperor, with the Technology and Enterprise. What happened to him?
usual trail of bodies behind him. In his middle age he
felt remorseful, and began to introduce to his subjects A nswer A: P uppet of the O rder
the ethical teachings of his peaceful homeworld. As Secret Obsidian Order vessels swooped down on
has happened at least twice since, contact with the the SMITE complex. An infiltrator had already identi-
standard universe provoked a sea change in a thor- fied the most valuable scientists working there. He
oughly Darwinian society. Although Dation’s regime selected twenty subjects: nineteen top professors, and
collapsed and civil wars subsequently raged, later gen- Soong. The infiltrator covertly injected each of them
erations finally adopted his doctrines and began the with a substance that made them easy targets for trans-
era of uninterrupted peace they now brag about. porter locks. Order crews beamed their new captives
out just seconds before leveling the entire complex.
A nswer D: Y eah , R ight No one outside the Order knew that anyone on the
The Halkans were lying to Kirk, hoping to confuse university grounds survived.
him while they readied their retaliatory weapon, a The Order put the scientists to work on various proj-
tremendous radiation gun that would have blown the ects. Soong showed an interest in robotics. His masters
Enterprise to kingdom come. They’ve used the trick liked him because, unlike some of the other scientists,
successfully on other occasions. Usually an invading he didn’t seem to care how they used his work. They
commander, taken aback by boasts of peaceful behav- put him in charge of his own lab. Even after he trum-
ior, pauses to dream up especially cruel things to do to peted the completion of a positronic brain that turned
the Halkans. They take advantage of these moments to out not to function, they confidently kept him funded.
ready their impressive but cumbersome weapon. In 2333, Soong made his breakthrough, demonstrating
the first fully-functional android to top Order officials.
They ordered him to keep his success secret even from
colleagues, and gave him a new assignment: to design
androids to perfectly replicate the appearance and
behavior of specific individuals. It took Soong another
decade to write the behavior-replication algorithms.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The first individual to be duplicated was the then-head

of the Order, Dalerian Quast; the second was his sec-
ond-in-command, Enabran Tain. They intended to use
their android replicas as decoys in case of assassina-
tion attempts, and in operations where they needed to
be two places at once. Then they commissioned Soong
to duplicate their enemies within the Alliance. They’d
arrange for the quiet disappearances of high-level
officials, who would then be replaced with obedi-
ent androids. Quast and Tain overlooked one salient
point: the androids duplicated everything about their
originals, including deviousness and free will. In 2348,
Quast’s android duplicate killed him. Tain killed his
own duplicate and then Soong, hoping to put an end
to the android menace. Tain didn’t realize that Soong
had created a duplicate of his own to assist him in
his research. Some of the android duplicates escaped
Cardassia Prime with the android Soong. Others
remain in the Alliance’s top posts, awaiting the day of
the android revolution.
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A nswer B: D ata vs . L ore
SMITE scientists built a small, difficult-to-detect ves-
sel during the waning days of the Terran Empire. They Time Travel
used it to escape to an underground base on the former Why does the history of the Mirror Universe some-
colony of Omicron Theta, where they continued their times seem absurd? Why do its events so often turn
various projects. Soong resumed his cybernetics work, on unlikely escapes and bizarre coincidences? Possibly
designing the androids Lore and Data. He deactivated because its time stream has more holes in it than a block
Lore, his first attempt, after Lore annoyed fellow sci- of Swiss cheese. The Enterprise traveled back in time
entists by incessantly attempting to convert them to on numerous occasions. Both Kirk and Spock at differ-
the principles of Oswaldism. Data, less emotional and ent times used the opportunity to change the course of
therefore more stable than Lore, gained the admiration history from the 20th century onwards. No doubt their

MYSTERIES OF THE MIRROR UNIVERSE
of Soong’s colleagues. He promised to lead them to a Klingon, Cardassian, and Romulan equivalents do the
new Empire, run by scientists of all species. They swore same every chance they get. If you want to try out more
loyalty to the undying android emperor of tomorrow. than one answer to a mystery given here, use changes
They followed him to a distant world, where they work in the time stream to explain your switching from one
to build his invincible android army. Data tried several outcome to another in mid-series.
times in recent years to take over the Alliance, nearly The only factor preventing history from changing on
succeeding each time. a daily basis is the elusiveness of reliable time travel
Khak’ma operatives recently found and reactivated techniques. Trips through time are invariably the result
Lore, who promised to help them find and destroy his of freak accidents, space-time anomalies, the interces-
evil brother. His new Klingon allies have grown surpris- sion of god-like aliens, and other one-time-only events.
ingly attached to him. Having learned to better conceal Still, since every trip back in time results in an alteration
his Oswaldite tendencies, he’s slowly converting them to the time stream, one of the universe’s biggest mys-
to his way of thinking without their even noticing. teries is what history originally looked like.

A nswer C:
G host I n the M achine
Soong was mortally injured in the attack on SMITE.
He uploaded his consciousness into a positronic data A nswer D: D aniel vs . L awrence
storage device attached to the school computer. The Soong escaped Earth on a crowded refugee ves-
computer took a hit and, as it was programmed to do, sel that eventually established a colony on Galla V, a
transmitted its drive contents—including the simulation world far from Alliance space. He met and married a
of Soong’s consciousness—toward a data storage satel- fellow escapee, Juliana Tainer. Soong became one of
lite in Terran orbit. A Cardassian ship called the Eret- the leaders of the Galla colony. Without an Empire to
Ma, too damaged to keep fighting the battle for Terra, support them, its few thousand pioneers faced terrible
intercepted the transmission. It downloaded Soong’s hardships. Soong decided that people could only sur-
binary-encoded consciousness into its own computer. vive if they became more machine-like. He developed
Soong’s personality overtook the Eret-Ma computer. He a cybernetic chip that, if installed in a developing
revealed himself to the ship’s captain, Elvek Datnar, fetus, would result in a child whose brain mimicked
promising to make him head of the Alliance. Soong the cool rationalism of a computer. Soong and Tainer
then set about building a cohort of androids to do his tested the device on their first two children. Lawrence
bidding. Elvek died years ago, but Soong replaced Soong’s chip tormented him; he felt like a freakish
him with an android. He did the same with the rest of compromise between man and machine. He sought
the crew, carefully having his android captain choose solace in political activism, becoming an Oswaldite
detached duty and fabricating a story about a ship- outlaw seeking to overturn the colony’s authoritarian
wide web of vesala to avoid inspection and explain regime. Daniel Soong was more successful, becom-
why none of the crew members ever request a transfer. ing a fit, muscular man with a cool and malevolent
Soong once planned to have his androids infiltrate machine intelligence. He took over Galla V after his
the Alliance, but now means to control it directly by parents’ deaths; he also continued their work, creat-
merging his artificial consciousness with the Alliance ing a chip that can be installed even in the brain of a
communications grid. His plans for final domination mature individual. He intends to convert the Alliance
now near completion. to the use of his chip—unless his remarkably persistent
and resourceful brother Lawrence foils his plans, as he
has done many times before.
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FIN