Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihlts.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!ihlts!rjnoe From: rjnoe@ihlts.UUCP (Roger Noe) Newsgroups: net.startrek Subject: Re: prefix codes Message-ID: <397@ihlts.UUCP> Date: Mon, 19-Mar-84 13:59:56 EST Article-I.D.: ihlts.397 Posted: Mon Mar 19 13:59:56 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 20-Mar-84 01:52:39 EST References: <137@cosivax.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 53 >> What is the purpose of the Prefix code used to drop the >> Reliant's shields during the first encounter with the >> Enterprise? The only explanation (that in the event of a >> mutiny/rebellion/etc., the good guys could use the prefix code to >> capture a rogue ship easily), has a few problems . . . I don't think that's the ONLY explanation. There could be many times when you would want two (or more) starships under the control of one. In a concerted attack formation, for instance, you would not necessarily want the commanders of each ship to have to communicate by words what they are doing. Better to allow the ship's computers to all talk together and coordinate the attck that way. Even better is not just communication of a ship's actions from ship to ship, but CONTROL of the other ships by one computer (this would have been great for M-5). This would also be ideal in the case of a disabled crew or vessel. >> . . . you would expect knowledge of the code (or even its existence) >> to be kept secret (so the bad guys wouldn't change the code, as Spock >> implied they could). If so, then why did the Enterprise have access to >> another ship's prefix code. It the time, the Enterprise was a training >> vessel, not a fleet command vessel. Indeed existence of the code is secret, but is contained somewhere within the ship's library computer. Spock got it quickly because he knew where to look, what to look for, and how to get it. Spock was saying that because of Khan's high intelligence, he might be able to discover the existence of the prefix code and how to change Reliant's. I assume finding another ship's prefix code would be harder than finding one's own. Sure, Enterprise was on a training mission, but it would be silly to expect it to not be ready for any action a starship should be ready for. If you assume that, why don't you also assume they wouldn't have phasers or photon torpedoes on this cruise? >> Second, since no starfleet vessel have ever mutinied (I seem to recall >> Spock saying this during one episode), and during a rebellion you >> would expect some of the bad guys to have knowledge of the code, it >> seems to be of little use (save for saving overage admirals). And it >> does represent a large danger...if a klingon learned it during a battle >> scratch one Federation starship. >> Any ideas ? --David Pugh (uofm-cv!cosivax!dep) Spock did say in "The Tholian Web" that no Federation STARSHIP crew has ever mutinied, but Captain Garth's crew mutinied when he went insane ("Whom Gods Destroy"). When Janice Lester took over Kirk's body and ship, the Enterprise crew (technically) mutinied (in "Turnabout Intruder"). If you discount these events, what about "This Side of Paradise" when Kirk is left alone on the Enterprise and all of his crew are on the planet (Omicron Ceti 3)? It does not endanger a well-trained starship crew because it can be overridden. What made Kirk able to hurt Khan and Reliant was the fact that they were not an experienced crew and were not able to quickly find the override and regain control of their shields. That's a hell of a lot of secret information for Klingons to obtain, anyway. It sounds to me like a feature, not a bug. Roger Noe ihnp4!ihlts!rjnoe