Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: notesfiles Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!tektronix!hplabs!hp-pcd!orstcs!richardt From: richardt@orstcs.UUCP (richardt) Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Shapechangers in ST/Space 1999 Message-ID: <7800021@orstcs.UUCP> Date: Tue, 9-Jul-85 22:34:00 EDT Article-I.D.: orstcs.7800021 Posted: Tue Jul 9 22:34:00 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 15-Jul-85 01:45:25 EDT Organization: Oregon State University - Corvallis, OR Lines: 29 Nf-ID: #N:orstcs:7800021:000:1912 Nf-From: orstcs!richardt Jul 9 18:34:00 1985 About the Suire of Gothos: He did NOT have outside power coming in. He was a pure energy being similar to the organians! In fact, he may have been a young Organian for all we know. However, I think that the Squire and the Organians (Oregonians???) should not be classed as shapechangers because neither had a true physical form in the normal sense. Both caused a physical form to appear by controlling energy patterns -- light energy waves patterned to form images, heat energy to form tactile impressions, etc. However, you have pointed up yet another 1999 inconsistency: Maya had to get the energy somewhere. She did not ingest an inordinate amount of food for a humanoid of her size and build. Where thedid she get the (considerable) energy to shapechange. There is one logical explanation: her body chemistry tapped the good old 3 degrees Kelvin beckground radiation of the universe. However, this implies a whole slew of abilities and attributes that were never mentioned or displayed in the show. 1) she must have complete control over her rate and spectral range of energy absorption. Otherwise, she would always cause the area around her to darken, acting as a natural EM silencer. She would also be apparent only as an area around her which had a lack of EM radiation -- a sphere of darkness! However, if she can regulate her energy consumption, she would be able to: 1) shield the crew and herself from ALL blast effects; 2) act as a portable radio, microwave, etc. jammer; 3) could hide in the shadows, and in fact create shadows!, at will. Thus, we fall back on the basic problem with S1999 ... the people writing the scripts didn't have the requisite basic science bacround to pull it off. About spindizzies: Thes little gadgets *propelled* the world or city; MoonBase Alpha just went cruising along on momentum. orstcs!richardt "If I'm human, what are *YOU*?"