Well, I have been thinking of how the Mirror Universe could have developed. After all, it is very different from the standard Trek universe, but just similar enough to be scary.
It is clearly an alternate history centered on Earth, probably on the New World, if the emblam of the old Terran Empire is any indication.
1964: (Point of Divergance). Three changes create the Mirror Universe, with the exact dates unknown. #1)The U.S. military cancels a black project to create an orbital nuclear weapons platform. In standard Trek, this program led to the creation of the DY class ships, and visits to Saturn by 2003. In the Mirror Universe, these do not occur.
#2)Doctor Erik Haakonsson is not given permission to use experimental techniques of primitive genetic manipulation and hormone-based physical and mental enhancements on women and young children. These experiments led to the Supermen, who do not occur in the Mirror Universe. #3) The television show Star Trek is given the go-ahead to air. It did not air in the standard Trek universe.
1968: Gary 7 does not have to prevent the launch of an orbital nuclear platform, as none exists.
1975: Experimental atomic-drive spacecraft are not developed and made public, because the technology to build them, products of the aforementioned black program, is never invented.
1986: Human beings do not land on Mars, as in the standard Trek universe. Instead, the space shuttle Challenger explodes, setting the U.S. space program back by years.
1989-1992: The Collapse of Communism occurs, right on schedule. However, the genetic Supermen are not there to take advantage of the chaos, and take power in a large number of 3rd World and formerly Communist nations. The world stays peaceful, but does not move toward international cooperation.
1992-1996: There are no Eugenics Wars. Without the shock of massive fighting in the 3rd World, the U.S. grows more and more decadent, and also more and more avaricious.
The decadence will eventually reach the point that school shooters will become folk-heroes to many disaffected teens.
2000: George W. Bush becomes president of the United States. In standard Trek he never even ran. His policies lead almost immediately to tension between the United States and the rest of the world.
April 4, 2001: I write this message.
July, 2001: A short, undeclared aor war breaks out between the U.S. and China. The popularity of President Bush rises, as the United States wins an easy victory.
October, 2002: Another U.S.-Chinese air war, just before the election, leads to continued Republican ontrol of Congress.
February, 2003: Full scale war erupts between the United States and the European nations, over environmental and economic policies. President Bush uses limited nuclear force to bring about the surrender
of Europe. Giant demonstrations against the war break out in the U.S.
March, 2003: Bush declares martial law in the United States, suspends the constitution.
April, 2003: The United Nations are
re-organized, as a central ruling body, under the authority of U.S. President Bush.
July-October, 2003: The remaining portions of the Earth are brought under direct
U.S./U.N. rule. Some nuclear weapons are used.
2004: The United States' presidential elections are cancelled.
2012: Bush has himself declared Emperor George I, of the Terran Empire.
2019: The 1st Martian colony is established.
2071: Terrans develop warp drive.
2075: 1st Terran expedition to Alpha Centauri.
2079: Alpha Centauri added to Terran Empire.
And the rest was history. Which world do you think you are living in? (snort)
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Slan agat!
[This message has been edited by Aedh Rua (edited 04-04-2001).]
Better yet, let's hope dimension-hopping Starfleet officers enter the Mirror Universe, get thrown back in time to early 2001 and stop the whole damn mess happening in the first place! (And has Bush managed to get right down the throats of folks here in Europe? Oh, yeah! Even here in Britain, and we're supposed to have the "Special Relationship" with the U.S.!)
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"Captain Hunter, you are clearly outgunned. I suggest you surrender your vessel": Romulan Commander Terev, Imperial Warbird Senex
"Cmdr.Terev, you clearly have no idea we're carrying quantum torpedoes. I suggest you duck!": Capt.Matt Hunter, USS Tempest
Well, at least nobody can say he stole the election anymore, thanks to the Miami Herald's recount.
Odd thing is, if they'd done the recount the waty the Democrats wanted, Bush would have tripled his lead. If they'd done it the way the Republicans wanted, he might have lost by three whole votes.
Moral: What Democrats try to do always creates the opposite outcome of its stated intent. j/k
What you say is true, if they'd done the recount of the UNDERVOTES the way the Democrats wanted Bush would have won. And if they had done the recounts the way the Republicans wanted, Gore would have (barely) won. But it gets wierder:
In the recounts of the OVERVOTES, if they had used Republican standards, Bush would have won. And if they had used Democrat standards Gore would have won (by a much larger margin than 3).
Conclusion: The truth is complicated and quick and simple answers are not accurate in this case. However, that said, if someone takes something whose ownership is unknown and unknowable, it is stealing even if it is later determined that person would have got it anyway.
Hypothetical Example: A relative of mine passed away, and there was a diamond in the estate whose disposition would be determined by a sealed will. If I break into the house and steal the diamond and claim, "It's OK because the will will give it to me anyway", it would be a highly questionably act.
Mirror Universe History (long)
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j/k
