The lights came on automatically as the Science Officer and Data Officer entered the brand-new lab.

"Ah, very nice setup." Morgan remarked, examining the arrays of diagnostic equipment.

Artsy nodded, powering up sensor banks, scanner tables, and probe trays. "And our first patient is a real puzzle. Oh, set it over there, Lieutenant." Artsy said to a crewman pulling in an anti-grav pallet on which lay their strange find.

Morgan bent over and squinted at the stony artifact, which still reflected the same bright blue sky. Artsy picked up a small tool and carefully scratched the rock-like frame surrounding the reflective surface of the "mirror".

"It's strong, whatever it is." Artsy remarked.

"Well, let's run it through." said Morgan, pulling over an equipment-laden cart.

Two hours later...

Insane poked his head into Science Lab 1. "What's new?" he asked,
taking a look at the mysterious artifact, held upright in a
diagnostic frame.

Keiran sat back in his chair, discouraged. "It all reads as a piece
of volcanic rock."

"It's not a display device of some kind?" Insane asked.

Artsy sighed. "There's no radiation of any kind from it. The weirdest
thing, it's not even emitting photons, which is impossible otherwise
it'd be totally black, top, sides and bottom. But there it is."

Insane walked over, pulling a datapad stylus from his pocket.
"Exploring odd new worlds. At least we're fulfilling our
charter." He tapped the stylus on the reflective surface.

The stylus disappeared from his hand, and was suddenly reflected on
the mirror against the sky. Then, just as quickly, the stylus appeared
on the mirror again, seeming to bounce off the artifact and falling
onto the deck. Insane's eyes widened in surprise.

Keiran stood up from his chair as Artsy stared at the mirror, her
scanner already in her hand and performing another test. Insane
looked at the others, then picked up the stylus and tapped it against
the mirror again. Again the implement disappeared for the briefest
second, then fell with a clatter to the floor.

Keiran's face was frozen in thought. He picked up his datapadd, and
with a gentle movement, tossed it toward the 'mirror'. The padd
disappeared just as it hit the reflective surface, but remained in
the reflection for a couple seconds before being flung back out of
the artifact. Morgan tried again, scooping up the padd and then pitching
harder. On the mirror's surface, the padd seemed to shrink, as if being
propelled away, before quickly getting larger and appearing again on their side of the mirror.

Artsy half-smiled as she looked over the results of her new scan. "Dr.
Morgan, you're not going to believe this."

Keiran shook his head. "I think I have an idea already..."

The Spidermobile's senior staff assembled in the briefing room which adjoined the bridge. Everyone was seated around a table where they could get a clear view of the one exception, Keiran Morgan, who stood at the nead of the table as if giving a lecture. Milkshake observed that he didn't seem up to the task, and as the meeting progressed, he became sure of it.

"As I'm sure you know," Morgan began, "we found a mirror on the... planet."

He waited, maybe for someone to say they didn't know, maybe just because he wasn't sure what to say next. After a few seconds' awkward silence, he resumed. "After careful analysis, that is to say..."

Artsy stood up. "We ran several tests on the mirror."

"And the conclusion we reached was that it's, well... a sort of portal."

Artsy stood up again. "An access port to another dimension."

"We don't know much about the other dimension."

Artsy stood up again. "But it seems likely that it is what's called a mirror universe, that is, a universe which is in many important respects the exact opposite of ours. In the other universe it is likely that there is a mirror the same as our own, and both are connected, creating a bridge between dimensions."

Keiran nodded, mumbled some sort of thanks for the audience's attention... or more likely, for Artsy's contribution to his announcement, and sat down.

"You've made a fascinating discovery, Morgan, Artsy," said the Captain, "But I don't advise you try it out. We're already far from home, going into another dimension you know nothing about could just make our situation much worse."

Milkshake nodded his agreement. "If the mirror universe is the opposite of ours, it may be dangerous to even set foot inside it... matter from our universe may not be compatible."

"There's no risk of that," said Morgan.

Sensing that Morgan was unwilling to back this statement up, Artsy took over, explaining about how the scanner had, with no ill effects, managed to go through the mirror, then fall back into their own dimension. "It may be that the laws of gravity are different over there," she said. "Alternatively, it may be that the mirror in the other dimension is standing in a different position from ours. We still don't know enough about the other dimension to say anything for sure."

"Then going in would be a risk we have no need to take," Milkshake pointed out.

Tacoman, who had been silent up until now, took it upon himself to state his views. "Risk," he said dramatically, "is our business. As someone once said. Maybe it was me." He laughed.

"Your point?" Frangelica asked.

"This universe has evil short people in it, right?" said Tacoman. "Maybe the mirror one has good tall people in it, who are willing to help us. They'd be able to kick those short guys' rears, wouldn't they? Come on, let's find out!"

Frangelica shook her head. "I agree with Commander Milkshake on this one," she said. "It's too dangerous. And in the unlikely event that your hypothesis is true, you may expect to find over there another L.I.C.C., whose members, unlike us, are hardly paragons of all virtue. We'll take it back to Earth and we can study it in more depth there. This meeting is dismissed."

"OK, just as suggestion," said Tacoman casually, as the group disbanded. But something told Milkshake it wasn't a suggestion he was going to abandon quickly.

In the short corridor, adjoining the Senior Conference Room and the Main Bridge, Frangelica and Milkshake conferred quietly.

"I don't want any further delays, Commander. I want all repair teams reporting to Chief Tacoman, and him giving us regular status reports." Frangelica told Milkshake.

"That could be a little difficult, Captain. Tacoman's gone half the time, and it's not like the man is entirely..."

Frangelica shook her head. "He can work with others. He just prefers to persue his own interests, given the opportunity. Now, impress upon him the importance of our situation. We're hundreds of sectors from home in hostile territory, heavily damaged. Not the most auspicious shakedown cruise."

"No, it isn't, Captain. I'll do my best." Milkshake said.

Frangelica sighed. "I had hoped not to adopt most of the rules and regulations of most DoS groups. They all take too many pages out of the military's book..."

"Captain, with all due respect, the nature of this command requires proper decorum be maintained at all times. Informality could work with a trained, disciplined crew, but...some of our shipmates here are colorful personalities. It needs to be compensated for, otherwise we could have a breakdown of regulations at the worst possible time." Milkshake explained.

"I suppose you're right. Fine." Frangelica said. "Commander, you'll be effectively acting as my executive officer, in duty if not in title. I want to see you running this ship and crew like a well-oiled machine. I daresay you'd be the most effective officer for the job."

Milkshake quailed at the idea very briefly. Train these characters...but Milkshake was never one to shy from responsibility. "Understood, Captain."

"Good."

A soft rustle down the hallway signaled the approach of Morgan, still shouldering a satchel with his presentation equipment. "Captain, I'd like to speak with you further about our discovery." he mutters.

Frangelica gestured toward the bridge, and they proceedd. "Yes, Dr. Morgan?" she asked.

"To me, the scientific potential inherent in the mirror is astounding. If it fits our hypothesis, this could knock out Einsteinian physics once and for all. I just would like some further chance to study it...myself."

Milkshake smiled. "When we return to Terra, we'll have to turn it over to EarthSysGov, who'll probably put it in the charge of the Dawnstorm Institute or somewhere. That's what you're concerned about?"

Morgan nodded imperceptibly.

Frangelica pondered for the moment it took her to reach the command chair. "All right, Doctor, you may study it as you like. However, do not send anything through."

"Cap-"

"Nothing, Dr. Morgan, that is an order."

Milkshake chimed in. "It could be a potential security risk. I don't believe this idea of an alternate League any more than I believe in walking hot dogs, but we have no idea who's on the other side of the thing. I'll have Noonan post a detail around the lab to ensure security. It's for your benefit first, Doctor."

At that point in time, if Science Lab 1 had been occupied, or even been loitered near, one would hear sounds quite clearly in the general vincinity of the fantastic mirror. And if one possessed a UniTrans or some other helpful translation utility, one would overhear...

"Cripes, this planet is cold."

"Just go about your work, Slarsfar."

"Anything yet?"

"Nothing, and I'm half-finished."

"That's good enough. Give me the comm."

Chirp chirp.

A very rough, grating voice. "Go ahead."

"Sir, we've completed our scans. There's nothing of interest in this region either. Nothing valuable or useful on the entire rock."

"Understood. Return to the transport in 10 minutes or we leave without you. Out."

Bleep.

"I hate that guy."

"Know what you mean. Hope somebody will get rid of him, someday."

"Are you kidding, get rid of Tac-"

"Look!"

And on the mirror, two befuddled, human faces appeared, looking out from the surface.

"Some kinda room down there. Weird."

"No, it's not, look, I can move this thing. A display, or...give me back the comm. This might get us something."

"Hot rations, woo!"

0635. The Officer's Mess, deck 6.

Milkshake whistled as he entered the room. The room could easily accomodate three times the Spidermobile's complement of officers. Tacoman walked in right behind Milkshake, who asked "Are we planning to do a bit more hiring around here?"

Tacoman shrugged. "Just in case some of the officers get in a tiff with the others, we won't always have to sit together."

Milkshake narrowed his eyes a bit as he headed toward the replicator stations. "You see this being a problem?"

"Not really." said Tacoman.

Milkshake stared at his tray of food as he and Tacoman moved toward the tables. "I think it's all growing together."

Tacoman smiled. "Never order separate items, just ask for Breakfast One, Two, or Three. A lot easier on the computers."

"I don't doubt it." Milkshake glanced over. Tacoman's breakfast DID look better.

"Hey, there's Artsy. Looks like she's busy." Tacoman turned to the far side of the mess where the Data Officer was seated.

"Oh good, let's go and bother her." Milkshake said, a little confused.

Tacoman took no notice, sitting down across the table from Artsy, who was intently poring over several PADDS surrounding her untouched breakfast. Milkshake sat down beside Taco.

Artsy looked up, briefly. "Commanders."

Milkshake looked around in feigned alarm. "Where?! Oh, god."

Artsy's expression did not change, but a slight wave of orange moved through her hair as she looked back to her work.

"Whatcha working on?" Tacoman asked, through a mouthful of synthimeat bacon.

"The artifact Commander Milkshake brought back. The readings on its trans-dimensional qualities are fascinating."

"Think it's sentient-made?" Tacoman asked.

"Very little doubt it isn't, Commander."

Milkshake tried his cup of coffee and quickly set it back down. "Jackson, you haven't lost any fluids from Engineering, have you?"

Tacoman tasted his, swishing it around his mouth. "You're right, that's warp coolant."

"Very nice bouquet." Milkshake said.

"It should be, it's the Specialized Motors '67."

"Commanders," Artsy said testily, "If you wouldn't mind, I'm trying to concentrate a bit."

"Sorry, Artsy." Milkshake said. "It must be something fairly complex. I've seen you speedread whole sensor reports."

"It is a little complex." Artsy said, the irritation leaving her demeanor.

Milkshake tried his Something-Approaching-Eggs once more, then stood up, reached over and plopped his tray and inedible breakfast into a disposal slot. "Watching my waistline. I'll never fit back into my armor with the rich diet we get here." He said, taking a sip of coffee.

Tacoman was chewing happily. "You want my toast?"

"Naw thanks, I have to report to the Captain in a couple minutes. We've got to finish putting the ship back together if we're to launch today." Milkshake said, with a sidelong glance at the Chief Engineer.

Tacoman put down his fork and stared off into space for a minute. "I've been working on something a little more important."

"More important than hull breaches?" Milkshake asked.

Tacoman quickly turned to Milkshake. "You know why we lost that battle?"

"We got shot up?" Milkshake asked.

"We were outnumbered 12 to 1?" Artsy posited.

"Our crew's as green as they come?" wondered Milkshake.

"Shields!" Tacoman said, waving his spork in emphatic circles. "Our shields are just not up to snuff. They were not built to my specifications."

Milkshake looked down. "Jackson, you're getting hash browns in my coolant."

Artsy folded her arms in front of her. "Commander, if I recall, your shield designs called for more power than our systems could reasonably deliver."

"Come on, Artsy," Milkshake said, smiling, "I bet you know the exact numbers."

"1,265 megajoules over maximum safe limits." Artsy said.

"See?"

Tacoman dropped his untensils onto his plate. "That's what I've been working on. Our systems as they ARE can't deliver the extra jouleage. I'm tying the hyperspace engines into the main buses. You realize that with zero-point energy, I can deliver shields that will let us fly through a star?"

Milkshake groaned. "You're apparently forgetting your brand-new hyperspace engines smeared us halfway across the cosmos!"

"I know, and it was a mistake, I was a little too rash." Tacoman admitted.

"A lit-"

"Ah." Artsy shushed her superior officer. Milkshake raised his eyebrows.

"I'll be more careful." Tacoman said, returning to his food.

"Just make sure you run this by the skipper." Milkshake said, draining his coffee.

Tacoman nodded slightly, still lost in thought.

---

Milkshake quickly pored through status reports from the engineers. The situation wasn't terribly bad. Hull damage was the worst problem on the ship, and repairs had restored it almost as good as new. Quick-acting pressure bulkheads had prevented all but minor casualties, although Milkshake had heard of a new way to use forcefields to instantly seal breaches as they occurred. Maybe...

"Keerap!" came the shout from Conn.

"Something wrong, Lieutenant?" Milkshake asked.

"I'm working up a launch plan, sir, and it's giving me fits." Insane said.

"You handled pretty well out of Earth."

"Earth's gravity is as steady as a turtle's back, sir. This planet has got some super-heavy elements sprinkled throughout the crust. It makes for hairy suborbital manuevers."

"Yeah, I figured that when we landed." Milkshake said, remembering the painful jolt. "Talk to Lieutenant Rikard. See if we can have him use a shuttle as a tugboat and have him steady us on our way out of the atmosphere."

Insane blinked a minute. "That's a good idea, sir. I didn't know you were so familiar with starship flight."

Milkshake looked up from his reports. "I read a lot."

Insane shrugged, then dialed up a comm channel.