Glass Empires

Glass Empires is a Star Trek: Mirror Universe anthology – the first book in the series – written by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore (with Michael Sussman), David Mack, and Greg Cox. Published by Pocket Books, it was first released in trade paperback in .
== Summary ==
;From the book jacket
:There are moments glimpsed only in shadow, where darkness rules and evil incarnate thrives. You hope against hope that in your lifetime, evil is relegated to the shadows. But what if it wasn't?
:What if you lived in a universe where your life was measured only by what you could do for the Empire? What would you do to survive? Would you sell your soul to free yourself? If you were offered the chance to rule, would you seize it? If you could free your universe from the darkness but only at the cost of your life, would you pay that price?
: She seized power in a heartbeat, daring to place herself against all the overlords of the Empire. Empress knows the future that could be; now all she has to do is make sure it never happens. For her to rule, she must hold sway not only over the starship from the future but also over her warlords, the resistance, and her Andorian husband. As quickly and brutally as Hoshi seized power, imperial rule is taken from her. Her only chance to rule again is to ally herself with a lifelong foe, and an alien.
:Star Trek One man can change the future, but does he dare? , intrigued by the vision of another universe's Federation, does what no , no emperor, has ever done: seize power in one blinding stroke of mass murder. And at the same instant he gains imperial power, Spock sows the seeds for the Empire's downfall. Is this a form of Vulcan madness, or is it the coolly logical plan of a man who knows the price his universe must pay for its freedom?
: Humanity is a pitiful collection of enslaved, indentured, and abused peoples. No one dares to question the order, except at peril of their lives. One man survives by blinding himself to the misery around him. However, Jean-Luc Picard resists, just once. And in that one instant he unlocks a horror beyond the tyranny of the Alliance. Can a man so beaten down by a lifetime of oppression stop the destruction?
=== Contents ===
=== "Age of the Empress" ===
:Story by Michael Sussman, written by Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore; set in 2155, the story follows on directly from the end of .
Empress Sato I is quick to consolidate her power base after her assassination of and her arrival over Earth with the . The Terran Starfleet is vastly outgunned, and quickly capitulates.
In order to gain full control, Sato invites General Shran, commander of the Andorian Imperial Guard, to be her consort. However, Shran has his own agenda to follow – one that could lead to the downfall of the Empire. Meanwhile, T'Pol – having escaped from custody – joins with the Rebellion, and aids in uniting their disparate leaders into a coherent force. When the Defiant is drawn away from Earth long enough for the Rebellion to launch a devastating attack, Sato is secretly deposed, and eventually captured by the rebels. All this leads to a final confrontation, one which will change the shape of the quadrant.
=== "The Sorrows of Empire" ===
:Written by David Mack; set in 2267-2295.
Having received a vision of a peaceful Federation, Commander of the assassinates his captain, takes control of the Tantalus field, and proceeds to seize control of the Terran Starfleet, and then the Empire itself. With Marlena Moreau, his consort, at his side, Emperor Spock begins the process of converting the Empire into a Republic, a process he knows will lead to its destruction. At the same time, the Emperor prepares secret plans to preserve the knowledge of the peoples of the Empire, as well as his own burgeoning resistance movement. For Spock knows that the fall of the Empire will eventually lead to the end of his opponents' as well.
And that day may lead to the fulfillment of his vision for the galaxy.
=== "Sdlrow Htob Fo Tsrow Eht" (The Worst of Both Worlds) ===
:Written by Greg Cox; set in September 2371.
"Luc" Picard is seeking pieces of the legendary Stone of Gol for his patron, Gul Madred. After acquiring the second piece and returning with it to Celtris III, Picard encounters his former lover, Vash, who is now a member of the burgeoning resistance movement. Vash has a proposition for him: meet with an old scientist, and help the resistance track down and contact a mysterious cybernetic race – the Borg – whom they believe may prove powerful allies in their struggle against the Alliance. As Picard and the scientist – one Noonien Soong – follow a trail of destruction across the neutral zone between the Alliance and the Romulan Empire, Vash and her resistance cell attempt to destroy a deadly biological weapon.
However, both missions soon fall apart. The weapon is a ruse, and Vash barely escapes the ambush. Picard and Soong find the Borg, and soon discover their potential allies are a nightmare far greater than that of the Alliance. As the single Borg vessel cuts through Klingon space, heading for Qo'noS, Picard's own personal archaeological quest may prove to be the salvation for the Alliance.
== Background information ==
* The novels contained within this collection take their cue from the televised episodes featuring the mirror universe and contain events that contradict previous novels.
* The novel The Sorrows of Empire is an expansion of the story in this volume.
* The Sorrows of Empire and The Worst of Both Worlds feature the mirror universe counterparts of Chancellor Gorkon and Gul Madred, respectively. Both of these characters were played by David Warner. He played the former in and the latter in and .
== Characters ==
; : Empress of the Terran Empire.
; : Mirror counterpart to Arik Soong.
; : Mirror counterpart to Thy'lek Shran.
; : Half-Vulcan, half-Human first officer of the .
; : Mirror counterpart to Jean-Luc Picard, an archaeologist under the patronage of Gul Madred. Luc commands a runabout known as Stargazer.
; : Mirror counterpart to Noonien Soong.
; : Mirror counterpart to Vash.
== References ==
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== External link ==
* 
Category:Anthologies