Time Squad
Graham Holland
I had forgotten just how bad some of the action scenes (and acting?)
had been. Having said that though, the script is still as sharp and
engaging as ever! It more than makes up for little things like
consoles moving when buttons on them are pressed (at the very
beginning of the episode) and the rebels on a seek and destroy mission
looking for all the world like they are on an outing for a picnic at
an ICI chemical plant. That was a cooler box Villa was carrying,
wasn't it?
BTW, does the crew really have a clue as to what 'standard' speed
actually is?
Graham
--
GRAHAM HOLLAND <za...@enterprise.net> Liverpool, England
uk.rec.scouting FAQ http://www.scoutnet.org.uk/uk_rec.htm
Did you know...? (#25)
Liverpool has the oldest Chinese community in Europe.
Ian Lay
Graham Holland <za...@enterprise.netREMOVE> wrote in message
news:38cb91e...@news.enterprise.net...
> Oh, don't ya just love it!
>
> I had forgotten just how bad some of the action scenes (and acting?)
> had been. Having said that though, the script is still as sharp and
> engaging as ever! It more than makes up for little things like
> consoles moving when buttons on them are pressed (at the very
> beginning of the episode) and the rebels on a seek and destroy mission
> looking for all the world like they are on an outing for a picnic at
> an ICI chemical plant. That was a cooler box Villa was carrying,
> wasn't it?
>
> BTW, does the crew really have a clue as to what 'standard' speed
> actually is?
Good question..... the only relationship know between Standard speed and
Time Distort is in the Programme Guide. It states in there that is believed
that Time Distort one is equivilent to 1000c (1000 times the speed of
light), TD2 is 2000c and so on. It the goes on to show this comparison
between Standard Speeds and Time Distort:
Standard by 1= TD4
Standard by 2= TD5
Standard by 3= TD6
.
.
.
.
Standard by 12 (Liberator's top speed) = TD15.
This works for the most part with a few exceptions. One example is in In
Hostage (series 2). It is stated that at one point the Liberator is
travelling at TD 20, which would be Standard by 17.
Of course there was probably no comparison made between Standard Speed and
Time Distort when Terry Nation devised the program.
It's also a funny thing to note that whilst most of the time the Federation
go on about "Time Distort" the Liberator crew go on about Standard Speeds".
Why do they not talk about speed in the same way?
--
Take care,
Taz
////
8-)
\\\\
Watford Internet Football Club
www.display.co.uk/watford/wifc
Pacific Cricket Club
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Alison Page
>It's also a funny thing to note that whilst most of the time the Federation
>go on about "Time Distort" the Liberator crew go on about Standard Speeds".
>Why do they not talk about speed in the same way?
IIRC Zen 'invented' standard speed as a convenient label in order to
communicate with Jenna (in the episode Cygnus Alpha). Which means that the
humans probably don't really know what it means in terms of movement in
space and time. Which is quite cool isn't it?
The real question therefore is why, in the later series, we get
non-Liberator personnel talking about 'standard speed' as if it was a
universal term. I can't remember where I've seen this now but it does
happen. er... doesn't it?
Alison
Barry Ruck
n.co.uk> sharpened a new quill and wrote :
shoulders and saying " Standard Speed ".
Of course I may be wrong !
Everything I say is a lie - I am lying.
Barry Ruck - Harlow, Essex. UK.
Julia Jones
Lay <i...@pacific-cc.demon.co.uk> writes
>
>Graham Holland <za...@enterprise.netREMOVE> wrote in message
>news:38cb91e...@news.enterprise.net...
>> Oh, don't ya just love it!
>>
>> I had forgotten just how bad some of the action scenes (and acting?)
>> had been. Having said that though, the script is still as sharp and
>> engaging as ever! It more than makes up for little things like
>> consoles moving when buttons on them are pressed (at the very
>> beginning of the episode) and the rebels on a seek and destroy mission
>> looking for all the world like they are on an outing for a picnic at
>> an ICI chemical plant. That was a cooler box Villa was carrying,
>> wasn't it?
>>
>> BTW, does the crew really have a clue as to what 'standard' speed
>> actually is?
>
>Good question..... the only relationship know between Standard speed and
>Time Distort is in the Programme Guide.
You'll find a detailed discussion under "Speed" in the Sevencyclopedia
(which seems rather slow to load this morning).
http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7/SevenCyc/S.html
--
Julia Jones
Redemption 01 - The Blakes 7/Babylon 5 convention
23-25 February 2001, Ashford International Hotel, Kent
http://www.smof.com/redemption/
Simon Slavin
"Ian Lay" <i...@pacific-cc.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> It's also a funny thing to note that whilst most of the time the Federation
> go on about "Time Distort" the Liberator crew go on about Standard Speeds".
> Why do they not talk about speed in the same way?
Why should they ? It's a miles and kilometers thing: the federation
have developed their system and whoever built the Liberator had a
different system. The dial on Jenna's console is calibrated in
'Standards', so that's how the Liberator's crew talk.
Ian Lay
Simon Slavin <slavins.at.hearsay.demon.co.uk@localhost> wrote in message
news:B4F5BDAF...@hearsay.demon.co.uk...
> Why should they ? It's a miles and kilometers thing: the federation
> have developed their system and whoever built the Liberator had a
> different system. The dial on Jenna's console is calibrated in
> 'Standards', so that's how the Liberator's crew talk.
When Zen first asks them about course and speed they ask for a heading for
Cygnus Alpha. Blake looks at Jenna and asks "Speed?", Jenna replies with
shrug saying "Standard". Then Blake says to Zen "Standard Speed". They
have only been on the ship for about 2 minutes (exaggeration I know), have
not been able to get the ship to go in the direction they really want, hence
getting Zen to set course. Now do you really think that they are going to
know what the aliens that built this ship used for speed measurements? Of
course not, therefore Standard Speed is a term used by Humans and therefore
by the Federation.
There is also no way that Standard Speed could be something that the
Federation know about if it's what the people of the Liberator built used
for speed as we will discover later that the people who invented the
Liberator have not come across the Earth before.
And if Jenny had looked at a console she is not going to see written in
English a big sign saying "Speed control in Intervals of Standard Speed".
.......and therefore my question stands.. why do the Federation Personel
talk in Time Distort.
It's a rhetorical question more than anything else really... there is
probably no answer to it.
Rob Wynne
:>> Why should they ? It's a miles and kilometers thing: the federation
:>> have developed their system and whoever built the Liberator had a
:>> different system. The dial on Jenna's console is calibrated in
:>> 'Standards', so that's how the Liberator's crew talk.
:>When Zen first asks them about course and speed they ask for a heading for
:>Cygnus Alpha. Blake looks at Jenna and asks "Speed?", Jenna replies with
:>shrug saying "Standard". Then Blake says to Zen "Standard Speed". They
:>have only been on the ship for about 2 minutes (exaggeration I know), have
:>not been able to get the ship to go in the direction they really want, hence
:>getting Zen to set course. Now do you really think that they are going to
:>know what the aliens that built this ship used for speed measurements? Of
:>course not, therefore Standard Speed is a term used by Humans and therefore
:>by the Federation.
Well, I think here, the word standard is a non-technical thing. Zen
asks for a speed, and they, not know what the ship is capable of, say
"go your standard speed" and let the computer set the velocity. IE,
it has no meaning, other than to the liberator crew, and it was
adopted by them to reference how fast they wanted to go.
:>There is also no way that Standard Speed could be something that the
:>Federation know about if it's what the people of the Liberator built used
:>for speed as we will discover later that the people who invented the
:>Liberator have not come across the Earth before.
If Feddie personnel used the word later, there's a couple of possible
explainations. (Ignoring, of course, the Doylist answer that "the
writers screwed up"). One might be that they picked it up from
transmissions from the Liberator crew, or perhaps from people who
came in contact with them. (Ok, so they aren't GOOD explainations,
but I'll always *try* to come up with a Watsonian dodge. *grin*).
:>And if Jenny had looked at a console she is not going to see written in
:>English a big sign saying "Speed control in Intervals of Standard Speed".
:>.......and therefore my question stands.. why do the Federation Personel
:>talk in Time Distort.
Because that is how the Federation, or at least the Federation military,
measures speed on their vessels.
:>It's a rhetorical question more than anything else really... there is
:>probably no answer to it.
More to the point, there are thousands of answers to it. Whichever one
lets you get past it and suspend disbelief is the right one for you!
Rob
--
Rob Wynne / The Autographed Cat / d...@america.net
The best original science-fiction and fantasy on the web:
Aphelion Webzine: http://www.aphelion-webzine.com/
Gafilk 2001: Jan 5-7, 2001, Atlanta, GA -- http://www.gafilk.org
Here among the madness, don't forget it's all for dragons and stars.
--Maureen O'Brian
Barry Ruck
cc.demon.co.uk> sharpened a new quill and wrote :
>
>Simon Slavin <slavins.at.hearsay.demon.co.uk@localhost> wrote in message
>news:B4F5BDAF...@hearsay.demon.co.uk...
>> have developed their system and whoever built the Liberator had a
>> different system. The dial on Jenna's console is calibrated in
>> 'Standards', so that's how the Liberator's crew talk.
>
>When Zen first asks them about course and speed they ask for a heading for
>Cygnus Alpha. Blake looks at Jenna and asks "Speed?", Jenna replies with
>shrug saying "Standard". Then Blake says to Zen "Standard Speed". They
>have only been on the ship for about 2 minutes (exaggeration I know), have
>not been able to get the ship to go in the direction they really want, hence
>getting Zen to set course. Now do you really think that they are going to
>know what the aliens that built this ship used for speed measurements? Of
>course not, therefore Standard Speed is a term used by Humans and therefore
>by the Federation.
>
But surely they are referring to Liberator's Standard Speed ? Which
would bear no relation to the Time Distort used by the Federation.
Unless, of course, someone has worked out a calibration factor.
>There is also no way that Standard Speed could be something that the
>Federation know about if it's what the people of the Liberator built used
>for speed as we will discover later that the people who invented the
>Liberator have not come across the Earth before.
>
>And if Jenny had looked at a console she is not going to see written in
>English a big sign saying "Speed control in Intervals of Standard Speed".
>
>.......and therefore my question stands.. why do the Federation Personel
>talk in Time Distort.
>
>It's a rhetorical question more than anything else really... there is
>probably no answer to it.
>
>
>--
>Take care,
>
>Taz
>
>////
> 8-)
>\\\\
>Watford Internet Football Club
>www.display.co.uk/watford/wifc
>Pacific Cricket Club
>www.pacific-cc.demon.co.uk
>
>
>
>
>
Reality is what you bump into in the dark. - Raymond E. Feist
Prof
>
>>
>> BTW, does the crew really have a clue as to what 'standard' speed
>> actually is?
Initially, no. Didn't Blake(?) make it up on the spot as a sort of test
to see how fast this alien baby went?
>Good question..... the only relationship know between Standard speed and
>Time Distort is in the Programme Guide. It states in there that is believed
>that Time Distort one is equivilent to 1000c (1000 times the speed of
>light), TD2 is 2000c and so on. It the goes on to show this comparison
>between Standard Speeds and Time Distort:
>
>Standard by 1= TD4
>Standard by 2= TD5
>Standard by 3= TD6
Err, hang on, that makes no sense at all - if Standard x 1 = TD4 then
Standard x 2 has to be TD8, etc...(?)
But hey, we're talking about people who actually think 'faster than
light' has a real meaning. :-)
Colin Russ
Ian Lay
Rob Wynne <d...@america.net> wrote in message
news:VrOB4.80$P41....@eagle.america.net...
>
> Well, I think here, the word standard is a non-technical thing. Zen
> asks for a speed, and they, not know what the ship is capable of, say
> "go your standard speed" and let the computer set the velocity. IE,
> it has no meaning, other than to the liberator crew, and it was
> adopted by them to reference how fast they wanted to go.
Sounds a very vague way of flying a ship to me. Would it not have been
easier to ask Zen how the Liberator calibrates it's speed in comparison to
Time Distort or Light Speed and then work it out for themselves. Let's not
forget that Jenna is an experienced pilot and Blake is a highly intelligent
person. Turning to Zen and saying "Just go at your normal pace Zen me ole
matE" is not very believable IMHO.
Avon also would never use something as vague as the Liberator's normal
cruising, keeping within the speed limit speed!! ;-) He'd insist on
something more precise. Which brings us back to where we were before.
> If Feddie personnel used the word later, there's a couple of possible
> explainations. (Ignoring, of course, the Doylist answer that "the
> writers screwed up").
LOL.. that's the best answer I think.
> One might be that they picked it up from
> transmissions from the Liberator crew, or perhaps from people who
> came in contact with them. (Ok, so they aren't GOOD explainations,
> but I'll always *try* to come up with a Watsonian dodge. *grin*).
LOL.
> Because that is how the Federation, or at least the Federation military,
> measures speed on their vessels.
Agreed. But why not use it on the Liberator. The way I thought it could be
is that TD is for military vessels and that Standard Speed is for civilian
vessels.
I think the real reason is that the writers wanted to come up with a
slightly different way of speaking speed on the Liberator to make it sound
cool and sophisticated.
>
> More to the point, there are thousands of answers to it. Whichever one
> lets you get past it and suspend disbelief is the right one for you!
LOL.
I think it's time to disengage my nitpicking mode......
Ian Lay
Prof <ru...@spamdeath.org> wrote in message
news:RiOBpMAy...@127.0.0.1...
> >Standard by 1= TD4
> >Standard by 2= TD5
> >Standard by 3= TD6
>
> Err, hang on, that makes no sense at all - if Standard x 1 = TD4 then
> Standard x 2 has to be TD8, etc...(?)
I know it doesn't make sense but I think it's not Strandard multiplied by 2
or 3 or 4, but Standard offset by 2 or 3 or 4. So Stnadard uis TD4 and
Standard by 1 is TD4 offset by 1 equals 5. I'm just quoting the Programme
Guide.
>
> But hey, we're talking about people who actually think 'faster than
> light' has a real meaning. :-)
>
It's interesting that. TD allows the ship to travel great distances by
taking the ship out of the normal space-time continium and therefore (like
warp speed) they don't actually fly faster than light. It's interesting to
note (spolier alert) that for the Scorpio the Stardrive could go TD15 9I
think) in real time.... ie it could go faster than light.
But hey they thought the sound barrier was unbreakable... they thought man
would never get to the moon...... we'll travel to the stars one
day...whether we;ll actually be travelling faster than light to do it.. well
you never know!! ;-)
Ariana
Ian Lay <i...@pacific-cc.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:954173038.16760.1.nnrp-
> But hey they thought the sound barrier was unbreakable... they thought man
> would never get to the moon...... we'll travel to the stars one
> day...whether we;ll actually be travelling faster than light to do it..
well
> you never know!! ;-)
And one of the conversations in "Cygnus Alpha" went as follows:
BLAKE: You mean we crossed the anti-matter interface?
JENNA: That's impossible.
AVON: That's what they said about the light barrier.
Ian Lay
"Ariana" <ari...@NOSPAM.ndirect.co.uk> wrote in message
news:38e11...@news.netdirect.net.uk...
> And one of the conversations in "Cygnus Alpha" went as follows:
>
> BLAKE: You mean we crossed the anti-matter interface?
> JENNA: That's impossible.
> AVON: That's what they said about the light barrier.
Yeah... good memory. What the hell is an Anti-Matter Interface when it's at
home though?! ;-)