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The Romulan War: Beneath the Raptor's Wing

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About the book, about the author.

Michael A. Martin’s solo short fiction has appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction . He has also coauthored (with Andy Mangels) several Star Trek comics for Marvel and Wildstorm and numerous Star Trek novels and eBooks, including the USA Today bestseller Titan: Book One: Taking Wing; Titan: Book Two: The Red King ; the Sy Fy Genre Award-winning Star Trek: Worlds of Deep Space 9 Book Two: Trill -- Unjoined; Star Trek: The Lost Era 2298—The Sundered; Star Trek: Deep Space 9 Mission: Gamma: Vol. Three: Cathedral; Star Trek: The Next Generation: Section 31—Rogue; Star Trek: Starfleet Corps of Engineers #30 and #31 ("Ishtar Rising" Books 1 and 2); stories in the Prophecy and Change, Tales of the Dominion War , and Tales from the Captain's Table anthologies; and three novels based on the Roswell television series. His most recent novels include Enterprise: The Romulan War and Star Trek Online: The Needs of the Many. His work has also been published by Atlas Editions (in their Star Trek Universe subscription card series), Star Trek Monthly, Dreamwatch , Grolier Books, Visible Ink Press, The Oregonian , and Gareth Stevens, Inc., for whom he has penned several World Almanac Library of the States nonfiction books for young readers. He lives with his wife, Jenny, and their two sons in Portland, Oregon.

Product Details

• Publisher: Pocket Books (February 22, 2011)
• Length: 576 pages
• ISBN13: 9781451605822

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The Romulan War: Beneath the Raptor's Wing

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Publisher Description

With nothing left to lose, the Romulan Star Empire engages in all-out war against humanity, determined once and for all to stop the human menace from spreading across the galaxy. At the start of the twenty-first century, unconditional war swept across the Earth. A war that engulfed the great and the small, the rich and the poor, giving no quarter. Each side strove for unconditional victory, and as battle built upon battle, the living began to envy the dead. Chastised by the cataclysm that they had unleashed, the governments of Earth came together. Humanity vowed to put an end to war and to strive for the betterment of every living creature. A united Earth created Starfleet, an interstellar agency whose mission was to explore the cosmos, to come in peace for all mankind. It was a naïve wish that was battered by interstellar realities, yet man persists in the belief that peace is the way. Banding together with other powers to form a Coalition of Planets, humanity hopes that the strength each can offer the other will allow for peaceful exploration. However, the rise of the Coalition strikes dread within the Romulan Star Empire. They feel its growing reach will cut them off from what is rightfully theirs. The Romulans know that the alliance is fragile, that the correct strategy could turn allies into foes. Perfecting a way of remotely controlling Coalition ships and using them as weapons against one another, the Romulans hope to drive a wedge of suspicion and mistrust between these new allies. One Starfleet captain uncovers this insidious plot: Jonathan Archer of the Enterprise. Determined not to lose what they have gained, outmanned and outgunned, the captains of Starfleet stand tall, vowing to defend every inch of Coalition space until the tide begins to turn.

Customer Reviews

I really enjoy this story.

And I'm speaking of the entire series of books that close the Enterprise cannon, But I could do without the author's blatant display of his political persuasions, namely his overt insertions of homosexuality- gay Klingons (and others) Really? It just seems to go away from established Star Trek characters...that bothers me (& i say that as a ST fan) - I realize that ST has always touched on social commentary issues but never like this. It seemed really out of place. Otherwise, the story rocks!

Star Trek: The Romulan War

A little slow in the beginning - easy to put down. But picked up the pace about a third of the way through & finished strong. Good read. Can't wait to read the sequel.

This book is unfocused and a mess

I felt like I read two books. The first half of the story is all over the place and introduces many new secondary characters and side stories that are unnecessary to the main plot. The second half of the book the story starts to focus back to the main through line of the Romulan War. The author was trying to write war story on the level of the Honor Harrington series and completely failed at it. I will be reading the second book just to see what happens and get the set up for Christopher L Bennett's Federation series which I have been told is a solid read. I hope the second Romulan war novel is a better read than this was.

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ISBN: 1451607156

The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm (Star Trek: Enterprise)

(part of the star trek: enterprise (#14) series , the romulan war (#2) series , and star trek - enterprise: relaunch (#6) series ).

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The Romulan Star Empire engages in all out war against Earth, determined once and for all to stop the human menace from spreading across the galaxy. Earth stands alone. The Coalition of Planets has... This description may be from another edition of this product.

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Earth-Romulan War

• View history

The Earth-Romulan War , also known as the Romulan War , was a major interstellar conflict fought from 2156 to 2160 between the forces of United Earth and those of the Romulan Star Empire . Its conclusion, which was marked by an Earth/ Andorian / Vulcan / Tellarite alliance decisively defeating the Romulans at the Battle of Cheron , led to the establishment of the Romulan Neutral Zone and immediately preceded the incorporation of the United Federation of Planets . ( ENT : " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II "; TOS : " Balance of Terror ")

• 2 Open conflict
• 3 Aftermath
• 4.1.1 Spaceflight Chronology (1979)
• 4.1.2 Federation - The First 150 Years (2012)
• 4.2 Apocrypha
• 4.3 External links

Prelude [ ]

Major Talok , a Romulan operative assigned to Vulcan in the 22nd century

A Romulan drone ship, used in the campaign to destabilize the Alpha Quadrant in 2154

In the early 2150s , Earth began to make impressive diplomatic and military advancements in the Alpha Quadrant . Major conflict between the Vulcans , Andorians , and Tellarites had for the most part ended thanks to diplomatic intervention by United Earth and the starship Enterprise , under the command of Captain Jonathan Archer . The Romulans saw this newfound peace in the region unacceptable, and thus began a carefully crafted campaign to destabilize the region and maintain the status quo of conflict between the quadrant's major powers.

At some point prior to 2154 , a reunification movement began to become popular among some Romulan and Vulcan citizens. In that year, the Vulcan High Command , under the leadership of Administrator V'Las , planned to launch a preemptive strike against Andoria , citing that the Andorians were developing weaponry based on Xindi technology. Additionally, the Earth embassy on Vulcan was bombed prior to the attempted execution of these plans, prompting involvement by United Earth and Starfleet . Although V'Las's plans were halted and his involvement with the bombing was exposed, his connection with a Romulan operative who had been working on Vulcan with V'Las for several years remained secret. ( ENT : " The Forge ", " Awakening ", " Kir'Shara ")

Later that year , the Romulans attempted to incite a war between Andoria and Tellar by using automated drone ships to attack Andorian and Tellarite targets. Unfortunately for the Romulans, this had the opposite effect of what they were hoping to achieve; instead of destabilizing and dividing the region, the attacks resulted in a successful allied effort to stop the drone ships and return peace to the region. ( ENT : " Babel One ", " United ", " The Aenar ")

In early 2155 , the consolidation of interests among Earth and some of its neighbors reached a new milestone, when a conference to form a Coalition of Planets was convened. It included participants from the later war allies and Federation founders, i.e., Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar, in addition to United Earth. ( ENT : " Terra Prime ", " Demons ")

Open conflict [ ]

A pair of 22nd century Romulan Birds-of-Prey

In 2156 , Earth forces and the Romulan Empire entered a state of war. It ultimately continued until 2160 . ( ENT : " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II "; TOS : " Balance of Terror ")

In 2266 , Spock categorized the weaponry generally used in the Earth-Romulan War as atomic in nature, and fairly primitive at that. He also characterized the ships in use as primitive, and designed in ways that did not permit quarter or captives.

Romulan starships were painted to resemble a " bird of prey ", a tradition kept through the mid- 23rd century . Ship-to-ship visual communication between Earth-allied ships and Romulan-allied ships did not take place during the war or during the peace negotiations.

Among the casualties during the course of the war included several members of the Stiles family , including one Captain Stiles , two commanders and several junior officers . ( TOS : " Balance of Terror ") A number of MACOs also fought in the war, including Balthazar Edison . ( Star Trek Beyond )

The Battle of Cheron in 2160 is generally considered the decisive battle that marked the end of the Earth-Romulan War. Both sides recognized the major victory achieved here by a Human/Vulcan/Andorian/Tellarite alliance as a humiliating defeat of the Romulan military. This event established long-term political effects within the Romulan Empire that went on to last well into the 24th century . ( ENT : " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II "; TNG : " The Defector ")

Aftermath [ ]

The peace treaty following the war established the Romulan Neutral Zone

Despite the Romulan's 2154 campaign of destabilization and the war that followed, Earth and Romulus learned little of each other in the 22nd century. In fact, it would be over a century before any Human would even see what a Romulan looked like. ( TOS : " Balance of Terror ")

Following the Battle of Cheron, the two sides negotiated a treaty via subspace radio . Among other things, it established a neutral zone , entry into which by either side would constitute an act of war. Earth set up at least eight outpost stations on asteroids along its side of the Neutral Zone to monitor Romulan activity.

From a 23rd-century Human perspective, the Neutral Zone represented an area "between planets Romulus and Remus and the rest of the galaxy ." Some Humans still harbored resentment over the war after over a century of peace, including Lieutenant Stiles of the USS Enterprise . ( TOS : " Balance of Terror ") As acknowledged by Saru , the Romulans were still considered enemies of the Federation well into the 2250s . ( DIS : " Unification III ")

Despite these Human attitudes, until 2266 the Neutral Zone served its purpose and the treaty had remained unbroken. In fact, one might say it served its purpose too well, as there were limited or no contacts between Earth and the Romulan Star Empire from the conclusion of the war until the mid-23rd century. ( TOS : " Balance of Terror ")

During the Dominion War , two centuries later , Captain Benjamin Sisko alluded to this war when he warned the Federation President Jaresh-Inyo of " the thought of a Jem'Hadar army landing on Earth without opposition. " Adding that, " They don't care about the conventions of war or protecting civilians . They will not limit themselves to military targets. They'll be waging the kind of war that Earth hasn't seen since the founding of the Federation. " ( DS9 : " Paradise Lost ")

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

A viewscreen graphic seen in "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II" depicting an excerpt of the Starfleet historical archive, including details about the Romulan War

The details of the Earth-Romulan War have remained canonically vague. As Spock said about the war, " As you recall from your histories, this conflict was fought, by our standards today, with primitive atomic weapons and in primitive space vessels which allowed no quarter, no captives. Nor was there even ship-to-ship, visual communication; therefore, no Human, Romulan, or ally has ever seen the other. Earth believes the Romulans to be warlike, cruel, treacherous... and only the Romulans know what they think of Earth. " The exact dates for the war and several details above are derived from a viewscreen graphic seen in the Star Trek: Enterprise episode " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II ". The graphic was comprised of data points from an outdated version of the Star Trek Chronology .

Prior to this, a behind-the-scenes newspaper clipping titled It's Federation Day! , which was among the collection found in the Picard family album from Star Trek Generations , dated "11 Oct. 2161 ", stated that the war ended "a little more than a year" prior to the final declaration of peace and the foundation of the Federation . This source also stated that the war ended with the Battle of Cheron in early 2160 . This information did not appear on screen.

Michael and Denise Okuda wrote in the Star Trek Chronology , " " Homefront " ( DS9 ) seemed to imply that the Romulan Wars actually reached Earth. "

Some evidence indicates that Earth itself commenced the conflict, as Data remarked in "The Defector" that " in their long history of war, the Romulans have rarely attacked first…. They prefer to test their enemy's resolve. " In other words, Earth may have been provoked into acting first, either intentionally or possibly inadvertently. However, it may have been one of the few occasions on which the Romulans did attack first, such as the events that transpired in " Balance of Terror ".

The fourth season of Star Trek: Enterprise began to show the very early beginning of the coming conflict with the Romulans. Writing couple Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens kept what had and hadn't been established about the war in mind during the writing of the Babel Crisis trilogy of episodes (namely, " Babel One ", " United ", and " The Aenar "), including the fan expectation that the Federation had been formed in the aftermath of the conflict. In fact, while the trilogy was in development, very little had been confirmed about the timing of the war. Recalling the little evidence available from canon, Garfield Reeves-Stevens commented, " All we know is that the Romulan Wars occurred about the same time the Federation occurred in – we know the year the Federation occurred in but we don't know what year the Romulan War occurred in or how long it lasted. We know it was fought and we know they never met each other. So we typed up memos with these key points that everyone should keep in mind in developing stories, and one conversation we had was that in the original series it was never called the Romulan Wars, it was called the Romulan Conflict, and everyone was concerned with how you could have a war where the antagonists never meet. We came up with the idea that what if it was a phony war and the Romulans were sending out robotic ships. " These concepts never made it into established canon but did influence the trilogy and inspired the invention of the Romulan drone ships. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 39-40)

Had Enterprise been renewed for a fifth season, it would have continued to show the whispers of the Romulan War and eventually allow the conflict to be realized on screen. Additionally, according to rumors at the time, Rick Berman and Brannon Braga considered making " Future Guy " a Romulan. However, this was simply a "red herring": Braga intended "Future Guy" to be a future version of Jonathan Archer . [1] [2]

An early concept for a proposed eleventh Star Trek film – Star Trek: The Beginning – would have revealed the beginnings of the Earth-Romulan War. However, this concept, which included Romulan drone ships in the conflict, was scrapped for the film Star Trek .

In the Star Trek Star Fleet Technical Manual , Franz Joseph offered a one-page version of the subspace peace treaty that concluded the war. It was signed by "Christofur Thorpe" for Earth and "Praetor Karzan" for the Romulans.

There are several points of ambiguity involved with this time period. For more information on those topics, please see cloaking device , Romulan Bird-of-Prey (22nd century) , and Romulan Bird-of-Prey .

Spaceflight Chronology (1979) [ ]

A starchart depicting the locations where the USS Muleskinner and the Diana were attacked

In the reference book Spaceflight Chronology , more detailed accounts are given of the events that led to the war and the war itself. Fourteen years prior to the actual war, the Romulan Star Empire began a campaign of attacks disguised as random space pirate activity. The first of these attacks was the hijacking of the ore freighter USS Muleskinner . Two years later, the Delta VII outpost was attacked. Five years after this, the commercial transport Diana was attacked with its cargo stolen and crew killed. Four years prior to the actual war, the reports on piracy attacks were, for the first time, perceived as possibly being organized. Three years before the war, Starbase 1 , in Sector 3A, was destroyed by what was still believed to be an act of space piracy. Romulans were, for the first time, identified as the culprits. All transports were given military escorts at this time. Two years before the war, the Romulan threat became apparent. A year before the war, Romulans made a number of hit-and-run attacks on several sectors.

The actual war began when a full Romulan invasion fleet, advancing on the Rigel system , was encountered by the destroyer USS Patton . In the second year of the war, Romulans managed to destroy a mining complex in Sector 5B. A Romulan armada was completely destroyed in Sector 7. In the third year of the war, Romulans attacked Alpha Omega. Victory in the war was credited to advanced ship-mounted laser weaponry, developed only two years before the war as a response to the destruction of Starbase 1. The dates of these events in the timeline of the Spaceflight Chronology differ from the canonical timeline. Also, the major difference between these accounts and canonical accounts is that the war is stated to have been fought by the Federation, not the allied forces as was established later on in the viewscreen graphic from " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II ".

Federation - The First 150 Years (2012) [ ]

According to the reference book Star Trek: Federation - The First 150 Years , Praetor Gileus led the Romulan Star Empire into the war against United Earth by ordering a surprise attack on Starbase 1, on Algeron. During the conflict, Denobula tried to remain neutral, but in 2158 a Romulan fleet attacked the planet in order to use one of its orbital space stations as staging ground for an attack on the Sol system ; fortunately for Earth, Starfleet assumed as much and was able to prepare defenses, turning the eventual assault into a Midway -esque catastrophe from which the Romulans would never recover. Although this occupation only lasted a short time, three million Denobulans were killed by orbital strikes, causing them to be more skeptical and to not join the Federation immediately, in 2161.

The Battle of Cheron was ultimately won by Earth when the starship Lexington , combined with a small fleet of Denobulan ships, set a course for Romulus. Gileus, fearing that the impending attack would threaten his power, prematurely ordered his fleet defending Cheron to return to Romulus mid-battle, allowing Enterprise and Atlantis to destroy the shipyards there. Shortly afterwards, the Romulans sued for peace, and the Neutral Zone was established.

Apocrypha [ ]

The Pocket ENT "relaunch" arc by Michael A. Martin , which is consistent with the Star Trek: Destiny series of novels by David Mack, covers the events from the end of Enterprise to the Romulan War. It starts with Trip Tucker faking his death so he can spy on the Romulans, who are attempting to create a warp -seven capable ship. This reinterprets the events shown in " These Are the Voyages... ", moving them to 2155 . According to the series, the Romulans started the war out of fear of the birth of the Coalition of Planets , by attacking proposed member Coridanite (thus delaying their entrance into the alliance until The Original Series ) and then by attacking a number of Coalition ships using a telecapture device and destroying the Kobayashi Maru as seen in the novel Kobayashi Maru . The novel series Star Trek: Enterprise - The Romulan War details the war proper. According to the novel Last Full Measure as well as the older novel Starfleet: Year One , the Federation was born as a result of the conflict.

In DC Comics ' The Mirror Universe Saga , the Earth-Romulan War marks the point of divergence for the mirror universe ; in the mirror universe, Earth lost the war, was occupied by the Romulans, and the resistance that eventually fought them off took control of the planet and proclaimed that Humanity would now be the conquerors, not the conquered. This was later on established not to be the case in the Star Trek: Enterprise episodes " In a Mirror, Darkly " and " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II ", that establish that, if there was a divergence point, it was somewhere before the 16th century .

According to the 2006 game Star Trek: Legacy , a Vulcan scientist named T'Uerell supplied the Romulan Star Empire with metagenic weapons to use against Earth colonies. Earth used the radiation from nuclear reactors in the Tyburn system to halt a large Romulan force from reaching Earth – explaining the use of atomic weapons. The Last Unicorn Games book Among the Clans: The Andorians makes reference to a series of Earth-Romulan wars , taking place during roughly the same time as the single canonical war.

Diane Duane 's 1987 novel The Romulan Way , published fourteen years before Star Trek: Enterprise aired, gives an entirely different version of events. In this version, the Romulans were still a pre-warp people when the Federation discovered them. The Romulans mistook the exploration vessel for a precursor to invasion and quickly created a fleet of primitive, sublight warships which they used to capture the next Federation ship to approach Romulus. From it, they reverse-engineered a number of technologies, including warp drive . Things escalated from there, and the Federation eventually negotiated the Treaty of Alpha Trianguli entirely by subspace radio , setting up the terms of the Romulan Neutral Zone and designating a swathe of space surrounding the Romulus system as the Romulan Star Empire.

During this time, Romulans were supposedly using ships that did not have warp drive, as stated in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode " Balance of Terror "; later on, in Enterprise , Romulans clearly possessed warp drive, after using the Romulan drone ship in an attempt to destabilize the Alpha Quadrant. The drone ships were modeled after a modified Romulan warbird and already possessed warp 5 capability , well prior to the war itself.

External links [ ]

• Earth-Romulan War at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Warp Drive and Romulan History  at Ex Astris Scientia : a discussion of warp drive and Romulan ships
• 3 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Who Is Doctor Vellek? TNG Romulan In Star Trek: Discovery Explained

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 1 - "Red Directive"

• Dr. Vellek's discovery of Progenitors' technology kicks off a galactic treasure hunt in Star Trek: Discovery season 5.
• The Romulan scientist kept the location secure with a paper diary hidden in a puzzle box on his 24th-century ship.
• The Progenitors' technology holds the power to create and destroy, potentially changing the galaxy forever.

In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 1, "Red Directive", the USS Discovery's mission takes Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) to an 800-year-old Romulan starship containing the belongings and the remains of a long-dead Romulan scientist named Doctor Vellek (Michael Copeman). Vellek has been entombed in his ship since the 24th century, when Star Trek: The Next Generation takes place. Dr. Vellek's notes contain key information on the galaxy's greatest treasure: a mysterious, ancient, and very powerful artifact that the United Federation of Planets' mysterious Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg) prioritizes recovering before it falls into the hands of the villainous Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis).

In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 6, episode 20, "The Chase", Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) follows in the footsteps of his recently-deceased archeology mentor, Professor Galen (Norman Lloyd), by picking up a trail that Galen had long been pursuing. Picard forms a tenuous alliance with Klingons and Cardassians pursuing the same mysterious goal , discovering clues that lead to the uninhabited planet Vilmor II. Upon arrival, however, Picard, Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn), and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), along with Klingon and Cardassian representatives, beam down to find a crew of Romulans that have beaten them there. Star Trek: Discovery season 5's premiere reveals more about one of those Romulans, Dr. Vellek.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

Who was doctor vellek in star trek: tng’s “the chase”, star trek: discovery reveals the romulan doctor vellek's tng connection..

Doctor Vellek is a Romulan scientist with the crew that has already arrived at Vilmor II in Star Trek: The Next Generation's "The Chase" , establishing how Discovery season 5 connects to TNG . Instead of joining in the collaborative effort with the Federation as the Klingons and Cardassians did, the Romulans simply monitored communications as the USS Enterprise traveled from site to site, unveiling clues at each destination that led to the next. Everyone present is equally privy to the information revealed by a hologram of an Ancient Humanoid (Salome Jens) that their race seeded life throughout the galaxy, so all humanoid species share a common ancestor, which Star Trek: Discovery has dubbed the Progenitors.

Dr. Kovich already knows what's been "classified for centuries" when telling Captain Burnham about Vellek's own discovery of the Progenitors' technology.

The Klingons and Cardassians drop the spirit of cooperation that led them to this point, balking at the idea that they're related in any way. But the Romulans, who essentially copied the Federation's homework to arrive at Vilmor II, contact Captain Picard with hope of an alliance between the Romulans and the Federation. This implies Vellek had been in contact with the Federation while leading the search for the Progenitors' technology in the 24th century , because in Discovery 's 32nd century , Dr. Kovich already knows what's been "classified for centuries" when telling Captain Burnham about Vellek's own discovery of the Progenitors' technology.

Why The Progenitors Technology Is Star Trek: Discovery’s Greatest Treasure

"a few thousand years ago, we'd have called them gods.".

The Progenitors' technology is Star Trek: Discovery 's greatest treasure because it holds the answers to scientific and philosophical questions about the nature of life as we know it, and also has the power to create life essentially from scratch. The site of Progenitor technology could explain the ancient humanoids' motives beyond what was revealed in Star Trek: The Next Generation , fundamentally altering societies at their very core. With that kind of information and the power of creation, the user of Progenitor technology could become the most powerful force in the galaxy , especially if the power to create also holds within it the power to destroy.

The Romulan in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 1 , "Red Directive", Dr. Vellek, understood the importance of keeping information about the Progenitors and their technology as secure as possible. Vellek attempted to keep the location of Progenitor technology out of the wrong hands by keeping a paper diary, which can't be hacked, and hiding that book within a Romulan puzzle box, itself within a cloaked vault aboard his 24th-century Romulan ship. Even then, Dr. Vellek's diary isn't the treasure itself, but a clue that kicks off Star Trek: Discovery 's galactic treasure hunt, destined to change the galaxy irrevocably.

Star Trek Discovery season 5 streams Thursdays on Paramount+. Star Trek: The Next Generation is streaming on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

Cast Blu del Barrio, Oded Fehr, Anthony Rapp, Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Wilson Cruz, Eve Harlow, Mary Wiseman, Callum Keith Rennie

Writers Alex Kurtzman

Where To Watch Paramount+

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Cast Michael Dorn, LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Wil Wheaton, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden

Writers Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller, Rick Berman, Brannon Braga, Ronald D. Moore

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Star Trek: Romulans: Pawns of War Paperback – March 2, 2010

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• Print length 164 pages
• Language English
• Publisher IDW Publishing
• Publication date March 2, 2010
• Reading age 13 - 16 years
• Dimensions 6.6 x 0.4 x 10.2 inches
• ISBN-10 1600103693
• ISBN-13 978-1600103698
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Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ IDW Publishing (March 2, 2010)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 164 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1600103693
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1600103698
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 - 16 years
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.2 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.6 x 0.4 x 10.2 inches
• #6,832 in Media Tie-In Graphic Novels
• #7,128 in Science Fiction Graphic Novels (Books)
• #198,201 in Science Fiction & Fantasy (Books)

About the author

John Lindley Byrne (born July 6, 1950) is a British-born American comic-book writer and artist. Since the mid-1970s, Byrne has worked on many major American superheroes. Byrne's better-known work has been on Marvel Comics’ X-Men and Fantastic Four and the 1986 relaunch of DC Comics’ Superman franchise, the first issue of which featured comics' first variant cover. Coming into the comics profession exclusively as a penciler, Byrne began co-plotting the X-Men comics during his tenure on them, and launched his writing career in earnest with Fantastic Four (where he started inking his own pencils). During the 1990s he produced a number of creator-owned works, including Next Men and Danger Unlimited. He scripted the first issues of Mike Mignola's Hellboy series and produced a number of Star Trek comics for IDW Publishing. In 2015, Byrne and his longtime X-Men collaborator Chris Claremont were inducted into the comic book hall of fame.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Corey Bond from United States (John Byrne. Cropped prior to upload.) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons.

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Screen Rant

L’ak’s star trek: discovery identity reveal was foreshadowed in season 5’s premiere.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 solved the mystery of what species L'ak is, but a big clue was dropped in his first scene in the premiere.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 5 - "Mirrors"

• L'ak is revealed as a Breen in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, which is foreshadowed in season 5's premiere.
• L'ak's remark about disliking his helmet in Discovery season 5's premiere was a clue that he is a Breen.
• L'ak and Moll need to find the Progenitors' treasure in hopes the Breen will lift their blood bounty in exchange for it.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors," revealed L'ak (Elias Toufexis) is a Breen, but it was foreshadowed in the season 5 premiere. Written by Johanna Lee and Carlos Cisco and directed by Jen McGowan, Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 sends Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) into interdimensional space after L'ak, Moll (Eve Harlow), and the next clue to the ancient treasure of the Progenitors. The foursome are stranded on the derelict ISS Enterprise from the Mirror Universe where Burnham and Book learn L'ak is a Breen without his helmet.

The Breen were introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation but became cult fan-favorite alien villains on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . The Breen allied themselves with the Changelings in the waning days of DS9 's Dominion War, and the fearsome adversaries even attacked Earth. The Breen are recognizable for their distinctive helmets, refrigeration suits, and their unique language . Before Star Trek: Discovery season 5, no one had ever seen what a Breen looked like before, but it turns out audiences have been watching a Breen - L'ak - all along since Discovery season 5's premiere .

The Breen also appeared in an episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks .

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

Star trek: discovery season 5’s premiere foreshadowed l’ak is a breen, l'ak really doesn't like helmets..

Star Trek: Discovery season 5's premiere, "Red Directive," cleverly foreshadowed that L'ak is a Breen. When Moll and Lak first arrived on the 24th-century Romulan starship of Doctor Vellek (Michael Copeman) seeking the first clue to the Progenitors' treasure, the lovers were wearing spacesuits with helmets. When Moll and L'ak shed their headgear, Moll complained about the smell of the ship, but L'ak replies, "It's better than wearing a helmet."

L'ak violated one of the Breen's fundamental laws when he showed his true face to Moll.

L'ak's remark flew over audiences' heads at the time, but it was the seed planted for Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5's revelation that L'ak is Breen. In fact, L'ak is the nephew of the Breen Primarch Ruhn (Tony Nappo), who relegated L'ak to working in the shuttle bay. L'ak fell in love with Moll, who was a courier selling dilithium to the Breen Imperium, but L'ak violated one of the Breen's fundamental laws when he showed his true face to Moll, an offworlder and a "lesser being" according to the Breen.

Star Trek: Discovery’s Breen Bounty On Mol & L’ak Explained

Moll and l'ak are desperate for the breen to lift the erigah.

The flashbacks in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors", told the backstory of Moll and L'ak's romance, and why they are seeking the Progenitors' technology. Moll and L'ak are a forbidden love , and L'ak turned his back on the Breen for Moll. Worse, when they were discovered and confronted by Primarch Ruhn, L'ak defended Moll and shot his own uncle. For his crimes, the Breen placed an Erigah - a blood bounty - on Moll and L'ak's heads. This is an irreversible condemnation, and it means that the Breen will never stop hunting Moll and L'ak.

All L'ak wants is to be free to live his life with Moll without the Breen hunting him.

L'ak and Moll are actually desperate to find the Progenitors' treasure, which they hope to turn over to the Breen in exchange for them lifting the Erigah . There is no guarantee that the Breen would abide by this request, but it's the only chance Moll and L'ak have to be free. L'ak already had conflicts with the Breen's laws and culture, and it's unlikely L'ak would ever be allowed to return to the Imperium, not that he wants to. All L'ak wants is the freedom to live his life with Moll without the Breen hunting him. L'ak's dislike for his helmet in Star Trek: Discovery season 5's premiere was a hint of his true story as an outcast from the Breen Imperium that was told in "Mirrors".

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 stream Thursdays on Paramount+

Den of Geek

Star Trek Just Addressed One of Deep Space Nine’s Biggest Unanswered Questions

The Star Trek: Discovery episode "Mirrors" includes a HUGE reveal about the Breen, an odd alien species from Deep Space Nine.

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This Star Trek: Discovery article contains spoilers.

“I wonder what the Breen look like under those helmets?” asks Ezri Dax in the Deep Space Nine season seven episode “‘Till Death Do Us Part.” That’s a strange question, given that Ezri and Worf had been captured by the Breen and interrogated for some time. But despite their close and uncomfortable contact with the hostile alien species, neither hostage learned much about them.

“They say no one has ever seen one and lived to speak of it,” Worf answers.

Ezri continues in her usual lighthearted manner. “Maybe they’re all furry. It’s supposed to be very cold on Breen.”

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“One thing is certain.”

“They’re horrible cooks?”

“They are dangerous,” responds Worf, with even greater gravity than the Klingon usually assumes. “They do not tolerate incursions into their space. During the Second Empire, Chancellor Mow’ga sent a fleet of Klingon ships to conquer their homeworld, and they were never heard from again.”

Until today, that bit of dialogue encapsulated everything that Trekkies knew about the Breen. First mentioned in The Next Generation, the Breen appeared most prominently in the final season of Deep Space Nine , in which the Breen presented a threat that undid whatever gains the Federation had made in the Dominion War.

When the Dominion first entered the Alpha Quadrant through a wormhole from the Gamma Quadrant, they threatened to immediately overwhelm the Federation. As a result, the Federation had to align with longtime antagonists the Klingon Empire and the Romulan Star Empire. That confederation was more than a match for the Dominion/Cardassian alliance, but then the Dominion upped its hand by enlisting the terrifying Breen. It would take a miracle for the Alpha Quadrant forces to win. Fortunately, the Federation had a miracle on its side in the form of the Prophets (and the morally flexible Section 31 ) and won the war.

The Breen rarely appeared after Deep Space Nine concluded, and it’s easy to see why. They felt like they came from another universe, even moreso than the alien oddities that often appeared on Star Trek . With their monocular helmets and gravelly, indistinguishable voices, they felt like something out of Star Wars — specifically, they felt like riffs on Princess Leia’s bounty hunter disguise at the start of Return of the Jedi . Although they get a couple of nods in Voyager and, of course, Lower Decks , the Breen were largely relegated to a handful of non-canon novels.

That is, until the Star Trek: Discovery season five episode “ Mirrors .” In that episode, we finally learn that L’ak, a courier who has been chasing past Discovery in a search for Progenitor tech with his partner Moll, is a Breen who doesn’t wear helmet that hides his face, showing us for the first time what the species actually looks like under the armor. That’s a surprise because L’ak appeared to be just a regular green-skinned alien, a little lizard-esque in appearance, almost like a Reptilian Xindi from Enterprise .

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In fact, “Mirrors” does a lot more than just show us the face of the Breen. We also learn more about their culture, getting a sense of why they refuse to use a Universal Translator in conversation with other races and of their political system. In a move that recalls another Star Wars property, The Mandalorian , the Breen consider their helmets their true faces, and in fact have a transparent look when they remove that helmet.

But as L’ak makes clear, the Breen have the capacity to change, something hinted by the warmth and softness performer Elias Toufexis brings to his imposing character. Not only has L’ak made his skin non-translucent, but he’s adopted Federation Standard (aka English) and moved beyond his hierarchical culture.

Those changes are a good thing, because the Breen have always created problems for Star Trek canon. As many fans have noted, although Worf insisted that no one had seen the Breen under their costumes, Kira and others stole Breen uniforms to move behind enemy lines at one point on the series. They must have gotten a glimpse of the Breen then, right?

For Ronald D. Moore , one of the key creatives during the ’90s Star Trek era, that’s not necessarily the case. “There’s nothing in those helmets. I don’t think there’s a guy in there, which is something we never got around to saying,” Moore said in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion . “Or maybe there’s a little slug, some tiny little creature in there. I never wanted them to be humanoid in any way.”

“Mirrors” goes against Moore’s wishes then, but that shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Discovery started its life by radically altering the Klingons. Looks like it will be ending its life by radically altering the Breen. But this time, it’s for the better.

Star Trek: Discovery is streaming now on Paramount+.

Joe George | @jageorgeii

Joe George’s writing has appeared at Slate, Polygon, Tor.com, and elsewhere!

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Published Apr 26, 2024

RECAP | Star Trek: Discovery 505 - 'Mirrors'

No matter how bad things get, the one thing you always have is a choice.

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains story details and plot points for Star Trek: Discovery.

StarTrek.com

Previously, in " Face the Strange ," Moll and L'ak unleash a time bug aboard the U.S.S. Discovery, designed to paralyze them and keep them stuck as they're randomly cycled through time. Once they're ahead of Discovery and on to the next clue, they can escape the bounty on their heads and finally be free.

In one time loop, Zora informs Burnham and Rayner one of the outcomes they feared had come to pass — the Breen gained control of the Progenitors' tech and destroyed everything, leading the Kellerun to believe the Breen must be the ex-courier's highest bidder. Thankfully for the crew, they're back in the mix and only lost six hours. Plus, they discovered a warp signature matching Moll and L'ak.

In Episode 5 of Star Trek: Discovery , " Mirrors ," Captain Burnham and Book journey into extra-dimensional space in search of the next clue to the location of the Progenitors' power. Meanwhile, Rayner navigates his first mission in command of the U.S.S. Discovery , and Culber opens up to Tilly.

• Cleveland "Book" Booker
• Michael Burnham
• Paul Stamets
• Sylvia Tilly
• William Christopher
• Dr. Hugh Culber
• Moll (Malinne Ravel)
• Breen Primarch

• U.S.S. Discovery -A
• Discovery shuttle
• I.S.S. Enterprise
• Breen warship

In his quarters aboard the U.S.S. Discovery -A, Cleveland "Book" Booker contemplates advice given to him by his mentor and namesake, "No matter how bad things get, the one thing you always have is a choice." Book gazes at a holo of Moll — real name Malinne Ravel, the daughter of his predecessor — certain that she is capable of turning things around just as he had. Aware that Cleveland Booker IV saved his life, Book believes he owes it to him to do the same for his daughter.

With Discovery at Moll and La'k’s last known coordinates, Book makes his way to the Bridge, where Captain Michael Burnham gives the stage to Commander Paul Stamets and Lieutenant Sylvia Tilly. Though it appeared as if the couriers' ship left a warp trail which disappeared into empty space, adjusting the viewscreen to compensate for the Lorentzian coefficient in high-energy spectra reveals the presence of a fluctuating wormhole. Stamets states that it leads to a pocket of interdimensional space and is collapsing and expanding due to matter-antimatter chain reactions, likely caused by the Burn.

Captain Burnham surmises that the next clue resides within the wormhole, and Tilly notes that Moll and L'ak are probably in there, as well. Lieutenant Gallo, Commander Rayner, and Lieutenant Christopher brief the captain — sensors can’t penetrate the aperture, the opening isn’t large enough to fit Discovery’s saucer, and there’s no guarantee that they’ll be able to maintain comms contact. Burnham nods, ordering Lieutenant Linus to prepare a shuttle with boosted comms and fortified shields before requesting that Lt. Commander Gen Rhys place a security team on standby.

"Mirrors"

The captain's declaration that she will accompany Book on the away team draws Rayner's interest, and the two senior officers convene in the Ready Room. The Kellerun first officer expresses his view that he should be the one risking his life to lead the mission. She assures Rayner that she needs him on the ship and refuses to bring additional security with her, citing that the implied threat of armed guards would undermine Book's personal connection to Moll. Recalling the devastating future they had witnessed during the time bug ordeal, Rayner observes that it was only one possible outcome.

Captain Burnham senses there is more to Rayner’s unease and quotes the Ballad of Krul , " Serve it without a grum of osikod ." Though impressed by his captain's reference to Kellerun culture, Rayner still holds back. Burnham theorizes that his concern is related to taking the conn while she's away, and he begrudgingly admits it has been some time since he took the chair from another captain. The first officer makes eye contact, confessing that he doesn’t want his tenuous rapport with the crew to jeopardize the mission. Burnham reassures Rayner that she believes in him, leaving the demoted captain to swallow his protest.

Book joins Burnham to embark on their journey and pilots their shuttle away from Discovery . Relaxation floods the former courier's expression as he notes the craft is "purring like Grudge when she’s killed something." Hoping to emphasize his connection to Moll's father in the event they locate her, Book playfully shifts the conversation to the captain's temporal escapades when the time bug overtook the ship. Burnham makes a "my lips are sealed" gesture, only willing to disclose that she encountered some surprises.

The shuttle approaches the aperture, and Book plans to charge the impulse capacitance cells and release them into the drive coils to give the vessel a boost. Book offers a saying from his own culture, Never return from a hunt without enough bait for the Carrion Reaver . Burnham laughs off the "catchy" phrase, and the shuttle launches toward the wormhole's pulsating light. Turbulence causes the ship to tremble, and a bright flash overwhelms the two occupants.

Commander Rayner observes from the Bridge and is initially greeted by static. Burnham's voice cuts through the interference, informing the first officer that they made it through. Rayner’s relief is short-lived, as Discovery loses the shuttle's comm signal. He orders Stamets to the Science Lab in a bid to boost comms and conveys confidence as he takes the ship to Yellow Alert.

Meanwhile, in the wormhole, exotic matter has rendered the shuttle's sensors and holopadds inoperative. Book and Burnham narrowly dodge debris — "debris is not a good sign" — and spot the smoldering wreckage of Moll and L'ak's ship, or at least half of it. The nebulous environment clouds their vision, and Book wonders if the couriers survived. Burnham stands as she spots another vessel through the murkiness, its I.S.S. markings indicating it originated in the Mirror Universe. Shock envelops the captain's face as she reads its full designation — I.S.S. Enterprise* — and postulates that how the vessel arrived in interdimensional space must be "one heck of a story."

Book sees the Constitution -class starship's battered hull as evidence that it became trapped during a battle, and Burnham declares that it must have been ages ago — crossing from the Mirror Universe has been impossible for centuries. A shipwreck in a hidden wormhole sounds like a secure place to hide the next clue, though the captain is only acquainted with her brother Spock's U.S.S. Enterprise . They glimpse the other half of Moll and L'ak's broken vessel and assume that, if the couriers are alive, they must be on the Terran ship.

Back on Discovery , Tilly tracks an EPS conduit to a panel in Sickbay — after having followed it across three decks, including through the quarters of a new ensign who keeps a Cardassian vole as a pet. Sensing that Dr. Hugh Culber feels troubled, Tilly lets him know that she's always available to talk — at least until Stamets chimes in over the comm system to check on the status of her work. Culber maintains that he is fine and promises to find Tilly later, though his demeanor leaves her unconvinced.

In the Science Lab, Stamets notices that Ensign Adira Tal is undergoing some uncertainty of their own while working on their graviton pulse idea. The ensign rechecks their calculations for a third time, prompting the astromycologist to tell them that the time bug was not their fault. Rayner strolls in with confidence and requests an update on attempts to boost the comm signal. Stamets begins to explain, but the commander interrupts and states that he does not need to know how the cake is boiled. Adira is taken aback by the Kellerun culinary insight — Rayner assures them not to knock it until they try it — but Stamets presses forward with a proposal to hold the interdimensional aperture open. Unfortunately, there's a 43.7% chance that a graviton pulse would cause the aperture to close with the captain and Book still inside. Visibly frustrated, the first officer urges them to get the comm signal back.

Phasers drawn, Captain Burnham and Book enter the I.S.S. Enterprise 's bridge, which is adorned with Terran insignia and dimly illuminated by flickering lights and control panels. Intent on using the ship's sensors to track quantum signatures from the Prime Universe in order to locate Moll, L'ak, and the clue, Burnham pauses when she realizes that Book is standing at the science station — her brother's station, at least on the U.S.S. Enterprise . Though she had never met Spock's Mirror counterpart, she assumes he was just as ruthless as the Terrans.

Using a hack Book had previously applied on an Andorian transport ship, the captain successfully accesses the Enterprise 's sensors, and — after the former courier elicits words of praise from her — they detect that the intermix chamber has been ejected from the warp drive, all shuttles and escape pods are gone, the captain's log was erased, and the crew had apparently abandoned ship. Evacuation is a last resort in Terran culture, but the starship's damage was not terminal. The situation leaves them puzzled, but they turn their attention to the three Prime quantum signatures located in Sickbay — Moll, L'ak, and the clue.

En route to their quarry, Burnham and Book spy bedding, blankets, clothes, and other objects one wouldn't expect to find on a warship strewn about in the transporter room. Book gets a glimpse of the I.S.S. Enterprise 's dedication plaque, which itself bears an unorthodox phrase for Terrans, " Light of hope shines through even the darkest of nights. " The inscription describes the starship’s story, and Book relays that the new Terran High Chancellor had been killed while trying to make reforms. The crew mutinied, escaped, and attempted to shuttle refugees from the Mirror Universe into the Prime Universe, and a Kelpien slave-turned-rebel leader helped them. As she listens to the tale, Burnham picks up a locket and places a piece of her uniform inside of it. The mention of the Kelpien — likely Mirror Saru — catches her attention, and she supposes the crew fled when the ship got stuck within the aperture.

The pair continue on and move through the Terran ship's sparking corridors, only to be confronted by a batch of Moll and L'ak holo-doubles whose phasers are pointed toward Sickbay's entrance. Unable to determine which Moll and L'ak figures are real or target the room's holo emitter from their location, Book and Burnham rush their opponents and dodge a storm of phaser fire. They take out several holographic doubles before striking Sickbay's emitter, and the two couriers' true forms are revealed. Everyone heads for cover, but Burnham's diplomatic appeals don’t sway Moll or L'ak.

Book steps out from his concealed position. The captain follows with her phaser up, but Book tries to relate to Moll via their shared connection with her father. Moll grimaces with pain and anger as she states that Cleveland Booker IV was garbage, and L'ak holds up their bargaining chip — a device containing the next clue. Moll pitches a compromise; if she and L'ak are given a ride out of interdimensional space, they’ll let Starfleet replicate the clue. Burnham counters, bluntly replying that the couriers don’t have the clue. Referring to the decoy stanzas on Lyrek, the captain displays the locket she had procured and notes it has a Prime quantum signature.

The standoff remains steadfast, and Book draws Moll's ire when he guesses the couriers would not risk each other's lives over latinum. The exchange intensifies, and Moll contests that not even the Federation could lift an Erigah . Burnham recognizes the term, stunned to learn that the mysterious L'ak is actually Breen. An Erigah is a Breen blood bounty, and Moll and L'ak clearly hope to exchange whatever is at the end of the clue trail for their freedom. Book questions Moll about what they did to receive such a sentence, and the courier reflects…

…back to one of her regular visits to a busy Breen space station some years ago, where two helmeted Breen investigated one of her deliveries. Moll is unafraid when a third Breen approaches, introducing herself by quipping that she enjoys latinum and long walks on the beach. The Breen responds through his helmet's metallic speech processor, but rather than using the Breen sounds deemed unintelligible by most species, he speaks to Moll in her own language and accuses her of cutting her dilithium shipments with impurities. The human denies the accusation levied by "Green Eye," and the two square off in hand-to-hand combat.

Moll's lighthearted conversation persists even as they fight, and she points out that the Breen's belt insignia indicates he is royalty. Rumors have swirled that the Primarch's nephew — an independent thinker named L'ak — has been demoted to shuttlebay duty. Moll suggests that she can help L'ak get payback and admits she does cut the dilithium, leading the Breen to place her in handcuffs. Moll never relents, pitching that having a partner on the inside would make her operation go smoother. She senses L'ak is intrigued and faces him — she knows what it's like to be on the outside and alone — before slipping out of the cuffs. L'ak ponders why Moll would make a deal with someone she didn't know anything about, and Moll resolves to change that unfamiliarity.

Back in the present, Moll refuses to disclose what she and L'ak did to receive their bounty. Captain Burnham cautions them to not let love lead them down the wrong road, but Moll and L'ak opt to open fire once again. An errant phaser blast strikes a control panel, raising a containment field that traps Burnham and L'ak in Sickbay while preventing Book and Moll from re-entering the room. Book intends to resolve the dilemma with the Bridge's security controls and requests Moll's assistance. She agrees to the temporary truce, but threatens to dust Book if he makes one wrong move. They depart, but L'ak and Burnham stay put and keep their weapons drawn.

In another memory from their time on the Breen space station, L'ak receives payment from Moll and declares that her dilithium is clean. She quietly asks if he’d like to inspect her ship again to make sure she didn’t smuggle any tribbles on board, but L'ak's needs to shine his boots in anticipation of his uncle's upcoming inspection. The Breen clarifies that this isn't a euphemism, as the Primarch really likes their boots to be shiny. Moll thinks his uncle sounds like an asshole and brings up the promise that "Green Eye" had made during her last visit. L'ak delays, but Moll is adamant that he show her what he looks like. Though she has seen his face, she wishes to view his other face. L'ak seems self-conscious, and Moll maintains that both faces are a part of him. L'ak concedes, holding his breath and retracting his helmet to reveal his translucent green features. Moll greets him with warmth…

...however, aboard the Enterprise , Moll's demeanor is icy. She walks defiantly through the ship's corridors and rejects Book's appeals about her father. Aware that Cleveland Booker IV left Moll and her mother, Book shares that his mentor made the difficult choice to stay away from them in order to keep them safe. Moll emits a strained laugh, believing that Book must have his own "daddy issues" to have believed her father's story. Even though her father had promised to get his family off of Callor V and take them to a safe-haven colony in the Gamma Quadrant, he eventually just stopped coming home. Her mother was forced to get a job in the rubindium mines, ultimately falling victim to the harsh conditions when Moll was 14. Left alone, Moll tearfully emphasizes that L'ak is now the only person who matters to her.

Down in Sickbay, L'ak and Burnham retain their suspicious stares. Seated, yet still aiming their phasers at each other, they discuss the "power beyond all comprehension" that the Romulan scientist's diary and the subsequent clues would guide them toward. The captain warns L'ak what could happen if they Breen acquired that technology, and her observation that the Federation is all about second chances seems to resonate with him. Though Burnham promises she'd advocate for Moll and L'ak to serve their time together, L'ak is emphatic — he'd rather die than be separated from Moll.

On the Enterprise 's Bridge, the security system's firewall prevents Moll and Book from accessing the containment field. Moll pounds the console in frustration, but Book takes the opportunity to compare Moll and L'ak’s bond with the one he had shared with Burnham. With the exception of Grudge, who bites him when he doesn't feed her, Michael was the first friend Book made after Cleveland Booker IV died. He apologizes for what Moll endured because of her father and explains his troubled relationship with his own father, though Moll's thoughts continue to drift to L'ak…

…and to their time on the Breen space station. Concealed by a force field among the cargo containers, Moll and L'ak kiss. The human pauses, hesitant to mention that she received a new contract in Emerald Chain territory. L'ak calls Osyraa a butcher, but Moll responds that the Breen Imperium's faction wars don't make this region much safer. Her pursuit of higher paydays is a byproduct of her desire to discover the peace and freedom of the Gamma Quadrant paradise that her father had described. L'ak confesses that he only stays in Breen space because he has nowhere else to go, prompting Moll to propose he leave with her. The sound of footsteps interrupts the tender moment, and the Breen Primarch marches in with two Breen soldiers by his side. He disables the privacy field, his visored face locking eyes with the human.

With the memory of that confrontation fresh in her mind, Moll comes to attention on the Enterprise 's Bridge and knocks open a panel underneath the con. She creates a power surge to burn through the security system and short out the containment field, but her actions cause violent explosions to rock the ship. The Sickbay force field drops, though Burnham’s attempt to block L'ak's exit results in another round of fisticuffs that shatters glass and takes its toll. Book reports that impulse engines are overloaded and nav systems are fried — they have no control over the ship. Discovery 's shuttle becomes dislodged, tumbling away from the Terran ship and leaving the Enterprise eight minutes from impacting the aperture.

Book tries to develop a plan, but Moll aims her phaser at him. Nevertheless, Book is still determined to not let anything happen to Burnham or Moll. As a Kwejian, he lost his planet — everything that he cared about is gone. Though Cleveland was a "shit dad" to Moll, he was a great mentor to Book. In a heartbreaking tone, Book informs Moll that she is the only family he has left. He carefully picks up his phaser but chooses to hand it to her. She reacts with suspicion and directs both weapons toward him. Moll wrestles with indecision but opts not to kill him, a choice which elicits a sigh of relief from Book.

Burnham and L'ak's physical confrontation rages in Sickbay, but the Breen's reliance on a bladed weapon proves to be a tactical error. The Starfleet officer subdues him and retrieves the clue — the locket was a decoy. However, L'ak was inadvertently stabbed with his own blade during the attack. Moll runs in at this unfortunate moment, filled with concern for her partner and rejecting Burnham's plea to get L'ak to Discovery for treatment. Now a mere five minutes from colliding with the aperture, Book and Burnham speed off to the Bridge, leaving Moll to assist L'ak in Sickbay…

…and remember the moment when the Breen Primarch caught them together. As a guard holds L'ak, a second Breen strikes Moll. The Primarch prevents his nephew from intervening, then airs his grievance — L'ak carries the genetic code of the Yod-Thot, they who rule . While the Primarch campaigns for the throne of the Imperium, L'ak has been consorting with "lesser beings." His uncle describes L'ak's use of his more humanoid face as an insult to his heritage. The Primarch retracts his own helmet, gesturing to his translucent visage and proclaiming, " This is Breen." L'ak argues that their ability to change is a sign that both faces are a part of them, but his uncle claims they have evolved past a need for that form — holding it makes L'ak unfocused, inflexible, and weak.

The Primarch reseals his helmet and hands L'ak a weapon. His nephew must kill Moll to gain redemption. Resigned to her death, Moll tells "Green Eye" that their relationship was fun while it lasted, but L'ak elects to shoot the Breen guards instead of her. His uncle allows L'ak to place the phaser at his chest. Swayed by the fact that the Primarch raised him, L'ak only wounds his uncle. Alarms blare through the cargo area, and L'ak urges Moll to flee so that he will know she's safe. The blood bounty that L'ak just earned does not dissuade Moll from wanting him to join her. Holding onto his face, she says they can be happy together. L'ak voices his love for Moll…

…which snaps her back to the present, where L'ak reiterates his love for Moll in the Enterprise 's chaotic Sickbay. However, she is unwilling to give up and vows to get them out of this predicament. Meanwhile, Burnham and Book burst onto the Bridge and intend to activate a tractor beam. Book brightens the Terran light panels — "can’t save the day if we can’t see" — and winks at the captain as he takes the helm.

On Discovery 's Bridge, Commander Rayner asks Christopher for an update on comms. Naya interjects, reporting that something is happening at the aperture. A tractor beam can be seen emanating from within the wormhole, and it is oscillating with a repeating pattern: 3-4-1-4. Rayner grins in understanding and calls Stamets, Adira, and Tilly to the Bridge. The first officer doesn’t just need them to hold the aperture open, he also wants them to make it bigger — large enough for a starship. Discovery isn't going in, but their captain is coming out.

Stamets and the senior staff are perplexed by Rayner's announcement, and the Kellerun's reference to the Ballad of Krul doesn't give them any additional insight. Returning to the task at hand, Tilly affirms that such a procedure would require more energy than the entire ship can safely produce. Rayner pushes them for ideas, promising a cask of Kellerun citrus mash for whoever lands this solution. The Bridge is abuzz with chatter — inverting the deflector array would take too long, discharging the spore reserve would leave them unable to make an emergency jump, and pulling power from gravitational systems would cause everyone to float around… but replacing the photon torpedo payloads with antimatter would add fuel to the reactions already present in the aperture! Adira confirms that hitting it precisely with a sequential hexagonal pattern should keep it open for approximately sixty seconds. Rayner questions why it must be hexagonal, but Stamets points to him in a mischievous manner and notes, "It doesn’t matter. It’ll work." Satisfied, the commander awards the citrus mash to the entire Bridge crew and trusts that they'll make their only chance to succeed count.

As Captain Burnham sits in the I.S.S. Enterprise 's center seat, the ship's computer pronounces that only 60 seconds remain until impact with the aperture. Driven by the perilous countdown, she confesses to Book that he was one of the surprises she encountered while ensnared in the time bug's grip. She reflects on how nice it felt and how happy they seemed. Book offers an appreciative nod, but the pull of the aperture shakes the Enterprise .

On Discovery , Rayner orders a volley of torpedoes to be launched at the wormhole, and their detonations cause the opening to expand and generate even more light. The Enterprise 's tractor beam rattles the ship as it makes contact with Discovery . Book awaits Burnham's order to act and asks if he should "hit it." Captain Christopher Pike's signature phrase draws a quizzical and bemused look from Burnham, who replies, "Feels weird. Let’s just fly." The Terran ship's saucer section begins to emerge from the aperture, and its secondary hull clears it just before it collapses and releases a radiant surge of energy.

A relief-filled Captain Burnham communicates her thanks to Rayner over the comm channel, but she and Book then notify Discovery about a Terran warp pod being fired by the Enterprise . Scans detect two lifesigns and sickbay equipment aboard — Moll and L'ak. The pod launches and jumps to warp before it can be captured, though Rayner hopes to follow their warp signature and put out an alert throughout the fleet.

As the I.S.S. Enterprise and U.S.S. Discovery station themselves opposite one another in deep space, Rayner accompanies Burnham on a stroll through Discovery 's halls and compliments her on her "3-4-1-4" signal. The captain's message had referred to Section 4, Verse 7 of the Ballad of Krul , in which Krul calls to his war brothers for rescue with a repeating drumbeat of three taps, followed by four, one, and four. Although impressed, Rayner has doubts about how the mission played out. Burnham encourages him to take the win and relays that she is ordering Commanders Owosekun and Detmer to head a team and fly the Enterprise back to Federation HQ storage.

Discovery 's crew takes some much-needed downtime in Red's, where Culber follows through on his promise to confide in Tilly. The doctor leans beside her at the bar, and Tilly remarks that the day has left her feeling as if she has been through a gormagander's digestive tract. Highlighting the unique experiences he's had — dying, being resurrected, and staying present in his own body while Jinaal Bix inhabited it during the zhian'tara — Culber can only classify these events as "weird." Coupled with their current quest to find the technology that created life, Culber has found these questions to be both impossible to grasp and exhilarating. Since Stamets hates the unknown, Culber isn't sure how to talk to his partner about these emotions. Tilly advises him that the intellectual and the spiritual are not that far apart in the sense that they each bring understanding and can take you to new places. Initially taken aback by Tilly's use of the word spiritual, the doctor lets his friend's words sink in.

Captain Burnham welcomes Book into her Ready Room as she finishes reading a file on the Progenitors. There's no news about Moll and L'ak's whereabouts, but every ship in the sector is on high alert. She extracts a vial of liquid from the device containing the clue and shares that Stamets is preparing to do a full chemical analysis on it. Burnham secures the third object alongside the other two clues, which Book observes always seem to be presented hand-in-hand with a lesson. The ordeal with the itronok on Trill demonstrated that they valued lifeforms different from their own and the necropolis planet evoked the importance of cultural context, so why did a scientist leave the third clue on a Terran warship? 

The query draws a smile from Burnham, who discloses that the scientist had been a Terran named Dr. Cho — the junior science officer aboard the I.S.S. Enterprise . The captain had Zora search for the names from the vessel's manifest, and most of them had turned up in various Federation databases. The crew did make it to the Prime Universe and started new lives, and Cho herself became a branch admiral in Starfleet. The Terrans had hope, found freedom, and overcame the odds. Burnham supposes that those qualities were the reasons Cho returned to the aperture and concealed the clue on the Enterprise . Perhaps the lesson is that they can shape their future in the same way the Terran refugees had.

Book catches sight of the Enterprise getting underway outside of the Ready Room's viewport, prompting the captain to turn and gaze at the vessel. She brings up the time bug secret she had shared with Book when death appeared imminent, but he grins and acknowledges that they had been happy. Stamets' voice rings out over the comm system to let the captain know he is ready for the vial. Burnham grabs the container and makes her way to the door, but Book wonders what happens when they finally put these clues together. Captain Burnham concedes that she doesn't know, but she can't wait to find out.

* " Mirror, Mirror " — The I.S.S. Enterprise was last seen in this Original Series classic when a transporter malfunction sends the U.S.S. Enterprise crew into a mirror universe.

• Written by Johanna Lee & Carlos Cisco
• Directed by Jen McGowan

"Mirrors" features a dedication:

In loving memory of our friend, Allan "Red" Marceta

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Jay Stobie (he/him) is a freelance writer, author, and consultant who has contributed articles to StarTrek.com, Star Trek Explorer, and Star Trek Magazine, as well as to Star Wars Insider and StarWars.com. Learn more about Jay by visiting JayStobie.com or finding him on Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms at @StobiesGalaxy.

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4 are streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Seasons 2 and 3 also are available on the Pluto TV “Star Trek” channel in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. The series streams on Super Drama in Japan, TVNZ in New Zealand, and SkyShowtime in Spain, Portugal, Poland, The Nordics, The Netherlands, and Central and Eastern Europe and also airs on Cosmote TV in Greece. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.