From: blakes7-d-request@lysator.liu.se Subject: blakes7-d Digest V98 #24 X-Loop: blakes7-d@lysator.liu.se X-Mailing-List: archive/volume98/24 Precedence: list MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/digest; boundary="----------------------------" To: blakes7-d@lysator.liu.se Reply-To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se ------------------------------ Content-Type: text/plain blakes7-d Digest Volume 98 : Issue 24 Today's Topics: [B7L] Zine list: all-B7 erotica [B7L] Re: Liberator engine [B7L] Re: Thomas Covenant Re: [B7L] Harvest of Kairos, Average B7 Age, Clinton [B7L] Corgi Liberator Re: [B7L] Clinton [B7L] Casting the Young Ones in B7 (was "Carry on Blake") Re: [B7L] Re: Thomas Covenant [B7L] Cygnus Alpha 1/2 [B7L] Cygnus Alpha 2/2 (fwd) [B7L] Texas B7 club information re:[B7L]: Corgi Liberator Re: [B7L] Re: Thomas Covenant Re: [B7L] AB revealled Re: [B7L] Silmarillion Re: [B7L] Cygnus Alpha 2/2 [B7L] {B7L} Beards and Heartbeat Re: [B7L] Cygnus Alpha 1/2 Re: [B7L] Harvest of Kairos, Average B7 Age, Clinton Re: [B7L] Harvest of Kairos, Average B7 Age, Clinton [B7L] Re: Pages update ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 98 06:02:00 GMT From: s.thompson8@genie.geis.com To: space-city%world.std.com%inet01#@genie.geis.com Cc: blakes7@lysator.liu.se, randym7@bestweb.net Subject: [B7L] Zine list: all-B7 erotica Message-Id: <199801250611.GAA27803@rock103.genie.net> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" B7 ZINE LIST D ALL-B7 FICTION ZINES, SLASH, ADULT, AND MIXED Definitions, based on common fannish usage: gen = general audiences, all ages adult = heterosexual sex or romance, generally R to X-rated (non-explicit heterosexual stories are usually considered gen) slash = homosexual sex or romance, any rating (however, some gen zines include stories with non-explicit homosexual plot elements) [Alpha & Omega planned but never published; slash; US, 1995] ALTERNATIVE SEVEN #1 (adult; UK) ALTERNATIVE SEVEN #2 (adult; UK) ALTERNATIVE SEVEN #3 (adult; UK, 1978?) ALTERNATIVE SEVEN #4 (adult; UK, 1980?) ALTERNATIVE SEVEN #5 (adult; UK) ALTERNATIVE SEVEN #6 (adult; UK) ALTERNATIVE SEVEN #7 (adult; UK) ALTERNATIVE SEVEN #8 (adult; UK) AMARE #1 (mm?; adult?; UK) AMARE #2: Cross-Switch (novella by Ros Williams; adult; UK) [Angelfood planned but never published; slash; US, 1997] AQUATAR #1 (adult and slash; US, 1988.12) AQUATAR #2 (adult and slash; US, 1990.6) AVON, ANYONE? (adult and slash, mostly with Avon; US, 1987?) AVON CALLING I (slash and some adult; US, 1990) AVON CALLING II: AVON CALLS AGAIN (slash and some adult; US, 1991) AVON CALLING III: AVON CALLS ONCE MORE/PERCHANCE TO DREAM (slash; US, 1994.1) AVON'S GADGET WORKS (adult and slash; US) BEFORE AND AFTER (slash, all A/B; US, 1991?) THE BIG B7 ZINE (mixed gen, adult, and slash, but mostly slash; US, 1993) THE BIG BOY'S BOOK OF 1001 THINGS TO DO IN ZERO GRAVITY WITH A FEDERATION HAND BLASTER (assorted stories by Oriole Throckmorton; slash and adult; UK, 1983.8) BLAKE, RABBLE & ROLL #2 (mixed gen and slash; issues #1 & 3 are all gen; US, 1990.10) BLAKE'S SEVEN: THE OTHER SIDE #1 (adult and slash; one gen story; AU, 1986.3) BLAKE'S SEVEN: THE OTHER SIDE #2 (adult and slash; one gen story; AU, 1986.9) BLAKE'S SEVEN: THE OTHER SIDE #3 (adult and slash; AU, 1987.3) BLAKE'S SEVEN: THE OTHER SIDE #4 (adult and slash; AU, 1987) BLAKE'S SEVEN: THE OTHER SIDE #5 (adult and slash; AU, 1988.8) BLAKE'S SEVEN: THE OTHER SIDE #6 (adult and slash; AU, 1989) BLAKE'S SEVEN: THE OTHER SIDE #7: Old Friends (Moira Dahlberg; adult?; AU) BLAKE'S SEVEN: THE OTHER SIDE #8 (adult and slash; AU, 1992.5) BLAKE'S SEVEN: THE OTHER SIDE #9 (gen, adult, and slash; AU, 1993.2) THE BONDSTONE (novella by Paula; slash and adult; revised and reprinted from QUICKSILVER RISING #2; US, 1993.5) CARELESS WHISPERS (novel by S. Lewis, slash; US, 1992) A COMPANION FOR MY DEATH (novel by Tashery Shannon; adult; US, 1989.6) [Cross-Switch (Ros Williams) see AMARE #2] DARK WINE (novel by Tashery Shannon; adult AU; US, 1997.5) DEADLIER THAN THE MALE (mixed gen, adult, and f/f; US, 1997) DELERIUM (story by Janet Ellicott; adult?; UK, early 1980s) DIFFERENT DESTINIES #1 (slash and some adult; US, 1989) DOUBLE VISION (assorted stories by Adrian Morgan and Brendan O'Cullane, reprinted from various zines; mixed gen, adult, and slash, but mostly slash; US, 1993) E-MAN-UELLE #1 (slash; UK) E-MAN-UELLE #2 (slash; UK) E-MAN-UELLE #3 (slash; UK, 1984) E-MAN-UELLE #4 (slash; UK) E-MAN-UELLE #5 (slash; UK) E-MAN-UELLE #6 (slash; UK) E-MAN-UELLE #7 (slash; UK) E-MAN-UELLE #8: Puppeteer (Bryn Lantry; slash; UK); revised reprint in HOMOSAPIEN TOO (mm) and as a standalone, PUPPETEER E-MAN-UELLE: COMFORT (M. C.; reprint of serial from #s 1-3; slash; UK) E-MAN-UELLE: SHORT STORIES (reprint of other stories from #s 1-3; slash; UK) EVASIVE MANEUVERS (mixed gen and slash; US, 1994) FATAL COLLISION (novel by Mary Mozley Robert; adult; US, 1993) FIRE AND ICE #1 (slash, all A/B; US, 1990) FIRE AND ICE #2 (slash, all A/B; US, 1993.1) FIRE AND ICE #3 (slash, all A/B; US, 1995.5) FORBIDDEN STAR (adult and slash; UK, 1995.10) FORBIDDEN ZONE #1 (slash and some adult; US) FORBIDDEN ZONE #2 (slash and some adult; US, 1985?) FORBIDDEN ZONE #3 (slash and some adult; US) FROM THE OTHER SIDE (adult; AU, 1981.4) [Gimme Blake! planned but never published; US] INTRIGUING IDEAS (slash, mostly A/V; US, 1989.8) JABBERWOCKY, Vol. 5, Adult/Slash (stories by Paula; adult and slash stories in Jabberwocky series, reprinted from various zines; UK, 1997) LAIDBACK SEVEN #1 (adult; UK, 1982.6) LAIDBACK SEVEN #2 (adult; UK, 1983.1) LAIDBACK SEVEN #3 (adult; UK, 1983.4) LAIDBACK SEVEN #4 (adult; UK, 1983.7) LAIDBACK SEVEN #5 (adult; UK) THE LAUGHING MUTOID #1 (humorous adult; US, 1988) THE LAUGHING MUTOID #2 (humorous adult, and one slash story; US, 1989.1) THE LAUGHING MUTOID #3 (humorous adult; US, 1989) THE LAUGHING MUTOID #4 (humorous adult; issues #5-7 are multimedia; US, 1989) LIBERATOR DREAMS (slash; US, 1990?) THE LONG WAY BACK (novel by Melody Clark; slash; sequel to gen novel THE LAST, BEST HOPE; US, 1990?; reprint, UK, forthcoming) LOVE & SACRIFICE (slash; US, 1995) LUNATIC HEROES (novel by Natasha Solten; slash; US, 1989.6) MAGNIFICENT TAILS (adult and slash; US, 1988.2) MAGNIFICENT TAILS, TOO (adult and slash; US, 1989.2) THE MEASURE OF AFFECTION (novel by Ros Williams; non-explicit slash; US, 1992) MEMORY-PLAY (novel by Natasha Solten, slash; US, 1990.10) MINDFIRE (novel by Ermentrude Postlethwaite-Smythe; adult and implied slash; UK, unofficial circuit publication, ca. 1980; authorized reprint, UK, forthcoming) MOON DISC MELANCHOLIA/ONE WAITS (novella and novel by C.K. Smith; adult; US, 1988) NETWORK ENCOUNTERS (various stories by Candra Deneson; slash and some adult; US, 1993.5) OBLAQUE (slash; US, 1988.10) OBLAQUER (slash; US, 1989.2) OBLAQUEST (slash; US, 1989.10) OBLAQUE IV (slash; US, 1990.4) OBLAQUE V (slash; US, 1991.5) OBLAQUE VI (slash; US, 1993.1) [One Waits see Moon Disc Melancholia/One Waits] [Perchance to Dream see AVON CALLING III] PUPPETEER (novella by Bryn Lantry; slash; reprinted from HOMOSAPIEN TOO, revised from original version in E-MAN-UELLE #8; UK, 1995) QUICKSILVER RISING #1 (adult; UK, 1984) QUICKSILVER RISING #2 (adult and slash; UK, 1984) QUICKSILVER RISING #3 (adult; UK, 1985) QUICKSILVER RISING #4 (adult and slash; UK, 1986) REBEL 18+ #1: Shangri-La Love, Part 1 (novella by Elizabeth Everett; adult; UK, 1985.10) REBEL 18+ #2: Shangri-La Love, Part 2 (Elizabeth Everett; adult; UK) REBEL 18+ #3: Shangri-La Love, Part 3 (Elizabeth Everett; adult; UK) REBEL DESIRES #1 (slash and some adult; US, 1995.1) RESISTANCE #1 (slash; US, 1987.9) RESISTANCE #2 (slash; US, 1988.1) RESISTANCE #3 (slash; US, 1989.1) RESISTANCE #4 (slash; US, 1990.6) RESISTANCE #5 (slash; US, 1991.1) RESISTANCE #6 (slash; US, 1992) RESISTANCE #7 (slash; US, 1993.2) RESISTANCE #8 (slash; US, 1994.8) RETURNED FAVORS (story by Linda Knights[?], reprinted from unidentified zine; slash; US, 1997) SEVEN THE HARD WAY (assorted stories mostly by Carrie Hagen; mixed gen and adult; US, 1987.8) SONGS OF EXPERIENCE (continuation of SONGS OF INNOCENCE; mixed gen and slash, all with Blake; US, 1994.10) SONGS OF INNOCENCE (mixed gen and slash, all with Blake; US, 1993.5) SOUTHERN COMFORT #4.75 (slash and some adult, mostly with Vila; US, 1988.9) SOUTHERN COMFORT #5.5 (adult and slash; US, 1990) SOUTHERN COMFORT #6.5 (adult and slash; US, 1991.4) SOUTHERN COMFORT #7.5 (adult and slash; US, 1993.5) SOUTHERN COMFORT #8.5 (adult and slash; US, 1994.11) SOUTHERN COMFORT #8.75 (slash, all A/V; US, 1994.11) SOUTHERN COMFORT #9.5 (adult and slash; US, 1996.5) SOUTHERN LIGHTS SPECIAL #2.5 (adult and slash; US, 1986.3) SOUTHERN LIGHTS SPECIAL #3.5 (adult and slash; US, 1987.4) SOUTHERN LIGHTS SPECIAL #3.75 (slash, all A/V; US, 1987.9) SOUTHERN LIGHTS SPECIAL #4.5 (adult and slash; US, 1988.3) STRAIGHT BLAKE'S #1 (adult; US, 1988) STRAIGHT BLAKE'S #2 (adult; US, 1995) STRAIGHT BLAKE'S #3 (adult; US, 1996) STRATEGIES (novel by Jodara Morgan-West; adult; US, 1986) TEN-CREDIT TOUCH (humor; slash and adult; US, 1993) THIEVES IN TIME #1 (Macbeth Smith and O. Jones; slash) THIEVES IN TIME #2 (Macbeth Smith and O. Jones; slash) TRUST, LIKE THE SOUL (novella by Jean Lorrah; adult; US, 1988.3) VILA, PLEASE! (adult and slash, all with Vila; US) A WOMAN'S PLACE (Janet Ellicott; adult?; UK) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 09:32:48 -0000 From: "Sam" To: "Blakes7" Subject: [B7L] Re: Liberator engine Message-ID: <01bd2974$32ed4e80$LocalHost@swhsfzrw> Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0060_01BD2974.32ED4E80" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0060_01BD2974.32ED4E80 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable >>Paul asked: >>Was the green thing at the back part of the engines?=20 If I remember right (and it has been some time since I last saw Blakes = 7), wasn't there a difference between the Liberator and Federation = technologies? The Liberator's drive system actually prpoelled the ship at emormous = speeds, while Federation ships *warped* space to achieve such speeds. That would make the green thing the part of the engine that *thrust* the = Liberator forward. Sam ------=_NextPart_000_0060_01BD2974.32ED4E80 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>>Paul asked:
>>Was the green thing at the back part = of the=20 engines? 
 
If I remember right (and it has been some time since I last saw = Blakes 7),=20 wasn't there a difference between the Liberator and Federation=20 technologies?
 
The Liberator's drive system actually prpoelled the ship at = emormous=20 speeds, while Federation ships *warped* space to achieve such = speeds.
 
That would make the green thing the part of the engine that = *thrust* the=20 Liberator forward.
 
Sam
------=_NextPart_000_0060_01BD2974.32ED4E80-- ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 09:39:31 -0000 From: "Sam" To: "Blakes7" Subject: [B7L] Re: Thomas Covenant Message-ID: <01bd2975$2306c2c0$LocalHost@swhsfzrw> Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0069_01BD2975.2306C2C0" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0069_01BD2975.2306C2C0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Harriet wrote: >>I read one Thomas Covenant, though, and that was enough. More than. = Can't actually remember whether I finished it. I've read the first three and enjoyed them. Mainly because the leading = character was not your traditional hero. He was unlikeable, yet in the = other world he was to be the major player in its events. He was destined = to be that hero, no matter how hard he denied it. Sam PS If ever a series of books went on too long these did. Almost as bad = as taking Dune to 9 books. ------=_NextPart_000_0069_01BD2975.2306C2C0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Harriet wrote:
>>I read one Thomas Covenant, though, and that was = enough.  More=20 than.  Can't
actually remember whether I finished = it.
 
I've read the first three and enjoyed them. Mainly because the = leading=20 character was not your traditional hero. He was  unlikeable, yet in = the=20 other world he was to be the major player in its events. He was destined = to be=20 that hero, no matter how hard he denied it. 
 
Sam
 
PS If ever a series of books went on too long these did. Almost as = bad as=20 taking Dune to 9 books.
------=_NextPart_000_0069_01BD2975.2306C2C0-- ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 06:51:59 EST From: AChevron To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] Harvest of Kairos, Average B7 Age, Clinton Message-ID: <2b59d340.34cb2761@aol.com> Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Tom mentioned that Clinton should have remained a humble governor to have avoided the attentions of the FBI and others. (deleted the message, so I can't quote directly). Humble is a word that I have never associated with Clinton. And a simpler solution would have been for the man to keep his zipper up except when he went to the bathroom. On the other hand, it would make for an interesting crossover story on the space-city list...... Deborah Rose "Three guesses which political party I belong to" ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 12:02:32 +0100 GMT From: STEVE.ROGERSON@MCR1.poptel.org.uk To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: [B7L] Corgi Liberator Message-Id: <198341821MCR1@MCR1.poptel.org.uk> On Corgi Liberators, Paul asked: "I had about three but all of them broke, does anybody still have one?" Harriet replied: "Yes. Not selling!" I bought one in the auction at Fantasticon last year and it cost me ten pounds. There was also one on sale in the dealer room for the same price, so that seems to be the going rate, though I do remember seeing one a lot cheaper than that a couple of years ago but one of its spikes was missing. cheers Steve Rogerson Redemption 99 - The Blakes 7/Babylon 5 convention 26-28 February 1999, Ashford International Hotel, Kent http://www.smof.com/redemption/ Make your own tribble! Buy a hamster and cut off its legs ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 13:01:26 -0800 From: "J. I. Horner" To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] Clinton Message-ID: <34CBA826.1AF5@dial.pipex.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Adam L. Fuller wrote: > I also want to comment on Paul Darrow's idea that Avon parallels Bill > Clinton. He's got to be kidding! If not, I suspect that Mr. Darrow doesn't > understand our president very well. I don't see the connection. On the > surface of it, it looks like they are motivated by similar interests, but > they actually have extremely different interests. > I suspect this answer to be more of a light-hearted, off-the-cuff response given in a live interview situation, than a deeply thought out character analysis! The inclusion of Peter "Prince of Darkness" Mandelson in the comparison was probaly a bit closer to the mark though. Julie Horner ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Jan 1998 02:17:04 +1100 (EST) From: werry@netspace.net.au (John Werry) To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: [B7L] Casting the Young Ones in B7 (was "Carry on Blake") Message-Id: <199801251517.CAA16757@hurricane.netspace.net.au> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" "Roger The Shrubber" wrote >Barbara Windsor as Zil. Zil never stopped jiggling about either. > >For those who have seen Carry On Follow That Camel, Kenneth Williams could >easily play a camp-ish Travis. >Charles Hawtrey IS Vila ! >Hattie Jacques as Matron Servalan. >Joan Sims as Jenna. >Frankie Howerd as camp Guest Star of the week. >Sid James as Tarrant, the dashing, annoying pilot. Hmm ... for another irrelevency ... what about the Young Ones in the Roles of B7 For Blake try Mike For Avon try Vyvian For Vila try Neil For Cally try Jennifer Saunders For Servilan try Dawn French For Travis try Rik For Tarrant try Rik (see Flash in Blackadder 2 & 4) and Orac try Alexi Sayle :-p BTW many thanks for the answers to my initial Qns ... you have cleared up one of my fundamental questions with the series. Regards: John ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 10:28:29 -0500 From: Susan Beth To: blake7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] Re: Thomas Covenant Message-Id: <3.0.4.32.19980125102829.0069dbcc@world.std.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Sam wrote: > Sam PS If ever a series of books went on too long these did. >Almost as bad as taking Dune to 9 books. Which is why they are widely known as "The Endless Chronicles." (I forced myself through the first trilogy, but when book 4 appeared....No way!) Susan Beth (sbs@world.std.com) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 10:42:23 -0500 (EST) From: NWOutsider To: "Blake's 7 list" Subject: [B7L] Cygnus Alpha 1/2 Message-ID: Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII These comments on "Cygnus Alpha" are drawn from Rallying Call issue 15 (October, 1995) and substantially revised from the original which can be found at http://www.bgsu.edu/~sclerc/rc15.html This is the weakest of the 4 introductory episodes. The astonishingly bad editing of everything from the sacrifice scene on, some of the performances, the cliche of the religious cult leader, the whole thing really except for some cool scenes between Blake, Avon, and Jenna. Timing: Obviously there's no way Blake, Jenna, and Avon were on the Liberator for 4 months, the amount of time remaining in the London's trip to the planet. Therefore, the trip somehow magically shortened before the escape: they hit a wormhole or something and neglected to mention it in the dialogue we heard. Hey, Lorna Payne! What was your theory again? Since Blake is quite specific about there being a laboratory onboard though, it looks like they did have some time for exploration between the end of "Space Fall" and the start of this episode. Tired of London: One of the saving graces of "Cygnus Alpha" is the way Artix has changed since "Space Fall" from a hopeful, ambitious young man to a jaded, cynical young man. Pharmaceutical news: Artix says they're spreading suppressants through the air supply. In SF, Leylan says it's in the food. I suppose using the airborne suppressants would be impractical for the whole length of the journey unless the guards wore masks, but it would've been much harder for prisoners to avoid getting dosed. Starring Doris Day as the hypotenuse: IMO Vargas, Laran, and Kara may function as a negative parallel to Blake, Avon, and Jenna. The scenes at the beginning between Laran and Kara (discussing Vargas and rewards for the faithful) parallel the ones between Avon and Jenna later (discussing Blake and whether to leave), and Blake and Vargas parallel/contrast each other. Clearly, Blake is a good leader who doesn't want personal power (he wants to destroy the Federation not take it over) and Vargas is a bad leader because he does. But I'd have to say they are perfectly matched in their arrogance: Vargas thinks he has a right to rule and Blake bases his claim to the prisoners on his own need for a crew (although with Vargas, what was he going to do, argue that human beings has a right to self-determination and he should let them go for altruistic reasons?). In relation to their followers...Both rely on the force of their personalities in attracting and keeping followers. But Blake doesn't kill or torture people for disagreeing with him even if they're major pains in the ass like Avon, and the people with him can leave if they want. Laran and Kara also have choices but more limited ones (they're both high in the power structure which argues for efforts on their part to get a share of the power and keep it; they haven't tried to organize resistance to Vargas). Blake's leadership isn't based on lies or fear of disobeying him...and as far as we know, no one is required to kiss his feet. IMO, from Blake's p.o.v., Vargas is the Federation on a smaller scale: Vargas has absolute power; he has perverted his duty to protect and serve those who rely on him; he uses torture, death, and lies to maintain his power (and also drugs, although in a different way than the Federation); he doesn't care about the welfare of his people. "I need a crew": Sure, but why go after the prisoners? He could've told Avon and Jenna that they didn't want to leave or something else had happened, or even given in to Avon's desire to stay away from CA altogether, but Blake insists on trying to rescue the London prisoners at considerable risk to himself. Why? What's so special about them (aside from the actors already being under contract for regular roles)? Why not try to find people with skills and definite rebel politics? I believe in mixed motives and could probably manufacture unflattering ones for Blake here, but Blake's actions in other episodes support the conclusion that he's strongly motivated by loyalty. Opiate of the masses: "My great-great-grandfather...gave them a religion"..."For centuries the followers have believed in the drug" You know, if Vargas didn't use the word "followers" in the tirade in the teleport, the history line would be OK: the first group on CA figured out the compound centuries before, then 75-100 years before Vargas's time, his g-g-grandad got religion, and the two combined. But the way he says it implies the religion and the drug went together. But the generations don't add up to centuries unless the years on CA are very very short or people lived a lot longer and propagated a lot later than usual. Even with the shorter time frame, they've achieved very little: one big building, really bad clothes, and a bunch of Alka Seltzer tablets. Still, with no tools or supplies (can that be true?), and "never more than 500 people," what could they do. We don't see much of the planet and what we do see looks remarkably like a quarry, so how have they survived? How did they make the cloth for those horrid robes; they aren't made of animal skins. How did they make the metal for knives if they arrived without tools or supplies? What do they eat aside from rabbits? I'm curious about what sort of political negotiations and compromises led to this penal system where people are shipped off without tools or supplies, essentially left to die. Why not just kill them off? Or use the ploy Foster refers to in TWB: pretend to let them emigrate to a frontier planet and kill them on arrival? Or even dump them in space as rumor on the London has it? Presumably the pretense of humanitarianism figures into the theory somehow (see, we're not outright killing them, we're giving them a chance to start over...far far from us), but not in the execution, so to speak. What's going to happen on CA with? Vargas and Kara dead? What happened to Laran? Did Blake go back down after the episode ended and let them know about the tablets? If so, did he offer to take any more people with him? Sue sclerc@bgnet.bgsu.edu http://www.bgsu.edu/~sclerc/Blakes7.html ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 10:44:07 -0500 (EST) From: NWOutsider To: "Blake's 7 list" Subject: [B7L] Cygnus Alpha 2/2 (fwd) Message-ID: Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Gimme that Ol' Time Religion: To the extent that there is a big issue in this episode outside of crew dynamics, it's religion. Vargas's power is based on fear and lies, and the way he fondles the ancient gun while describing his ancestor's unification of the community implies to me that his g-g-grandad relied on violence to "convert" nonbelievers, a method Vargas himself fully endorses. And, of course, Vargas the very model of the cliche power-crazed cult leader that comes up in real life rather too often (Jim Jones, David Koresch, that Japanese dude). The question is whether TN meant to impugn all religions or just the kind that are dressing for personality cults. This episode also raises the issue of the place of religion within the Federation. In "Pressure Point", Blake says the churches were destroyed at the start of the new calendar and has to explain this to Gan, implying that churches and religion in general are not mainstream knowledge in the Federation at that time. Scrutiny of the screens in "The Way Back" suggests the series may be in the 2nd century of the new calendar. So there's a gap of about 100 years during which religion of all sorts was presumably underground. Some basic concepts have endured (Messiah, damn, hell are in the vocabulary) and secular celebrations of religious holidays also survive in some outposts (Mardi Gras). There's enough of the concept left for Vargas Past to use it. Some questions this brings to mind: did anyone really ever believe in the CA religion or was it, for everyone, just the system of power that was in place without any outside reality? Vargas seems to waver on this himself since he explains the practical genesis of the cult to Blake and then wants to spread the word. Laran does not believe, Kara might. If churches were destroyed, presumably religion was criminalized. Were some of the criminals sent to penal colonies or otherwise exiled outlawed because they continued to practice their beliefs in private? Are there colonies on the fringes of the Federation founded by members of religions, before or after the Federation banished the open practice of religion? Crew cuts: Both Jenna and Blake handle Avon expertly in this episode and both in similar ways--Blake walks away, just dismisses Avon really, when Avon holds the gun on him, and Jenna walks away to let him contemplate her willingness to kill someone face to face. Heh heh heh. I love Jenna so much in these early episodes--hugs Blake, gets in some great lines at Avon's expense, knows her business. But the decline is already in evidence as she changes from her Space Pirate outfit to the Space Bimbo velour jeans and smock top ("Pastels, Debbie?"--Morticia Addams). Missed opportunities: They should've doe more with Jenna's bond to Zen. Vila: Excellent and believable reaction to the bloody knife, but so incredibly irritating early on that I wish Arco had shut him up. Gan: As many people in the APA pointed out, giving him a limiter and sending him to Cygnus Alpha is overkill. Gan shows some leadership potential by assuming risks (much like Blake's style). Blake and Avon: In addition to the gun thing, there's the great toothpick exchange and Blake's interpretation of Avon's technobabble, learning that they both worked on the same project, and the scenes where Blake reaches out for something and Avon cautions him not to touch it. That's so...them. Blake, Jenna, and Avon: Talking to Zen, figuring out the bracelets, trying out the controls, etc...I like the three of them together a lot. I'm also intrigued by Blake's lying to them about what he saw on the planet. I guess he knew Avon would try to talk Jenna into leaving and Jenna would be more tempted to leave if they knew the danger he'd be going into since it increased the chance he'd be dead so why wait around. This moment stands out for me because Blake lies to them so rarely (that's what gives the other scenes their significance). Obligatory drooling: Blake in bondage! Blake tortured off-screen! Blake with that sweet little curl on his forehead! Blake getting one of his all too rare chances to be a smart ass with the guest villain! But I could've lived without the spitting and shouting in the cell and at the end. I understand the vehemence, and the idiots needed some good shouting at, but I prefer underplayed to overplayed. Attention K Mart Shoppers: Let's rename the episode The Cult Leader Wore Tennis Shoes and remake it with Kurt Russell in the lead. That thing Leylan uses to send his message looks like Lite Brite. I've already expressed my dismay at Jenna's transformation. Memories: Blake seems to recognize the teleport bay before he asks Avon's opinion on it. But when Avon mentions the matter transmission project, Blake looks like he's just remembering working on it. But he seems comfortable with identifying the aquatar to Jenna, like he'd already noticed it. What's bothering me is that the way the scene plays, it looks like Blake has recognized aquatar and the teleport bay and figured out what it's all about...but then looks like he'd completely forgotten the project that taught him all of that. Historian: Blake's grasp of Federation and ancient history comes out in several episodes, this is just the first: he knows the history of CA even though the other prisoners don't. Professional: "Whoever designed this knew something about engineering." The only thing that remains of the original idea of Blake being an engineer. Sacrificial Gan: Why doesn't anyone realize the voice that says they were attacked by the novices but overcame them is not one of the priests? Or is it a priest being forced to go along? How do the disguised prisoners know what to do when they come in? Worst moments: The fight scenes at the end of. All I can say is that they remind me of the end to Bride of the Monster, a movie by Ed Wood. Catch it on Mystery Science Theatre 3000 if you can. Favorite lines/scenes: AVON: It's a bit elaborate for a toothpick. BLAKE: Depends how elaborate their teeth were. AVON: Single function isomorphic response. [He walks away] JENNA: What? BLAKE: I think he means it'll only let us have one gun each. JENNA: Well, don't blame me if it's self-destruct. BLAKE: I doubt if I'll ever speak to you again. AVON: Before I decided to put my talents to more profitable use... JENNA: And got arrested. BLAKE: Yes, I worked on that project too. AVON: Small world. BLAKE: Large project. JENNA: I don't think he likes you, somehow. AVON: I think I may have to reprogram this machine. JENNA: That still won't make you likable. JENNA: Could you kill someone? Face to face I mean. AVON: I don't know. Could you? JENNA: There's one sure way of finding out. [She leaves teleport area] BLAKE: Is that the noble line from which you stem? Sue sclerc@bgnet.bgsu.edu http://www.bgsu.edu/~sclerc/Blakes7.html ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 10:45:01 -0600 From: Joe Isham To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: [B7L] Texas B7 club information Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19980125104501.00803290@onramp.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Kathryn Andersen wrote: >> In a message dated 98-01-19 12:23:51 EST, Joel Rollins writes: >> >> > ...Again I'm new to discussing this show.....around here...in Texas....it >> > seems that even fewer people know of Blake's 7 than know of Doctor Who >> > and that makes the number of people to converse with small indeed. >> >> Texas! Did you say Texas! Where in Texas? I thought I was the only B7 fan >> in Texas (Houston). A few more folks and we can have a Texas area Blake-a- >> thon!! > >But there's a very good Blake's 7 club in Texas, in the Dallas area, >called O*R*A*C. I used to be an overseas member, because they actually >had a decent newsletter. They seem to meet regularly, in members homes or >at particular public places. > >Tarriel Cell >newsletter of O*R*A*C - bimonthly >P.O. Box 566123 >Dallas TX 75356-6123 >USA > >That was the last address I had for them. I don't know who their current >email contact is, or who is the current editor of the newsletter. That would be me in both cases. :) ORAC is still around. We've branched out into other fandoms such as Babylon 5, The X-Files, etc., in addition to B7. We meet (usually) the first Saturday of the month at members' homes throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Annual dues are $12 in the US, US$13 in Canada, and US$18 elsewhere, for which you receive six issues of _Tarriel Cell_, a spiffy membership card, and a 10% discount at a local comics/SF/memorabilia shop. Drop me a note if you'd like more information. -- jisham@onramp.net : Joe Isham, Dallas TX : http://rampages.onramp.net/~jisham/ ============================================================================== Drop by the ORAC home page: http://rampages.onramp.net/~jisham/orac.htm ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 17:25:47 -0800 From: Jackie To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: re:[B7L]: Corgi Liberator Message-ID: <34CBE61B.47A3@termlow.co.uk> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit STEVE.ROGERSON@MCR1.poptel.org.uk wrote: > > On Corgi Liberators, Paul asked: "I had about three but all of > them broke, does anybody still have one?" > > Harriet replied: "Yes. Not selling!" > > I bought one in the auction at Fantasticon last year and it cost > me ten pounds. There was also one on sale in the dealer room > for the same price, so that seems to be the going rate, though I > do remember seeing one a lot cheaper than that a couple of > years ago but one of its spikes was missing. > > cheers There are THREE corgi liberators. White, Silver and Metalic Blue. Silver and Metalic Blue are VERY RARE (I paid 25 pounds for a metalic blue about 8 years ago, and a tenner for the silver one also about 8/10 years ago. If you are not bothered about whether the prongs are intact, there are numerous white ones around, if you have the time and patience. I was at a local car-boot sale not so long ago, and counted 5 in different stalls. However if you want a pristine boxed one your best bet are Sci-Fi fairs and such like. Bye for now Jackie ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 08:53:08 -0800 From: Pat Patera To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] Re: Thomas Covenant Message-ID: <34CB6DF4.7C2B@geocities.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sam wrote: > PS If ever a series of books went on too long these did. Almost as bad > as taking Dune to 9 books. Dune went to 9 books?! The first was a great read. By the fourth it was dull and confusing. The lesson is: Always leave 'em wanting more. Blakes 7 did this - and ended in a way that launched a thousand fan stories. Babylon 5 did not learn the lesson and continues to drag on long after the plotline (the Shadow War) ended. Quitting while I'm ahead, Pat P ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 10:42:59 -0800 From: Pat Patera To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] AB revealled Message-ID: <34CB87B3.5CDA@geocities.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Fran Myers wrote: re: homosexual indicators: >From a canonical viewpoint I agree with your takes on all those scenes. However, the passion of "/" fan writing can sway the most logical mind :) > Blake made Avon feel important. Blake made everyone feel important, and that is the gift of a good manager / leader. For power comes from numbers; no one soul, no matter how strong, can possess the power of the many. Blake has the gift of knowing the innermost needs of others. Avon needed validation of his skills and intelligence, so Blake consulted with him. Vila needed to feel 'real' so Blake assumed his competence and participation. Cally needed to belong, so Blake made her feel welcome. Jenna needed to express the feminine side of her personality - long suppressed while she lived her life as a hot shot fly-boy, so he made her feel beautiful (ok, the feminists will jump up shouting here, but I'm only looking at canon - what Jenna became while under Blake's influence). Zen even got "the right treatment" from Blake - I wonder how Slave would have prospered with Blake as its Master? And Gan? I never got a grasp on Gan; he was too dense for me to see into; dense both physically and mentally. No wonder Avon found Tarrant's gibes irritating. To the same degree that Blake made others feel important, Tarrant's arrogance over his own skills/strength/smarts made others feel unimportant. sadly unimportant Pat P ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 09:03:02 -0800 From: Pat Patera To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] Silmarillion Message-ID: <34CB7046.6EBB@geocities.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Harriet Monkhouse wrote: re: Silmirillion >Very Norse. The overall / lingering tone was near to the beauty / sadness of Blakes 7. The sadness of losing good and beautiful things to the constant, corrosive erosion of evil. Yet, the default is stasis. Stasis precludes change, creativity, striving again. If Blakes 7 were ever remade it should be done with a whole new cast of characters, who perhaps want to revive the glory of the past legend, but of course, can only remake it in their own image, for what's gone can never be regained. (except in Drek time anomalies - yeech) > > Trouble is, Christopher Tolkien eventually got into publishing the entire > contents of his father's wastepaper bin. Sadly so. However, one of the earlier works - perhaps published by the Senior himself - was a collection of short stories. One of them stays with me decades later: "Leaf by Niggle." It was a nothing little tale really, about a painter who envisioned a grand canvas of a many-leaved tree. He could envision its complete glory so perfectly - but what an endless task to paint each perfect leaf - and real life kept intruding: people always wanting him to do mundane stuff like help them fix their roof (i.e. work). Reminded me so of what it feels like to be a fanzine or novel writer: one envisions this glorious saga. Oh, but it is an endless task to create on paper each little bead of the necklace (each leaf) that makes up the tale (the painting). With that story, Tolkien spoke for all writers. Pat P ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 10:28:14 -0800 From: Pat Patera To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] Cygnus Alpha 2/2 Message-ID: <34CB843E.46A5@geocities.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sue Clerc wrote: re great lines: > JENNA: I don't think he likes you, somehow. > AVON: I think I may have to reprogram this machine. > JENNA: That still won't make you likable. > yes. oh yes. you go grrl! how sad that the writers quit writing her these quips. Jenna does find her lost sense of humor once more, at XK-47 (sp?) when the Fed Doc's young assistant says "The ship's full of pretty girls!" Jenna quips snidely and he responds, "I like a girl with a sense of humor." And Jenna counters along the lines of: "Yes, in your case I can see how that would be a great help." (i.e. I'm lafing at you). I can only hope that fan writers take the opportunity to pen more wonderful verbal jabs for Jenna. > JENNA: Could you kill someone? Face to face I mean. > AVON: I don't know. Could you? > JENNA: There's one sure way of finding out. This has to be my fave exchange from the whole series. I loved the moment so, it inspired me to write a 110,000 word zine, the whole storyline starting from that one exchange (Checkers - the perfect adversarial pair: Jenna in red, Avon in black). Any other story writers who launched a ship from a single set of lines? Pat P ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 21:04:36 +0000 From: Julia Jones To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: [B7L] {B7L} Beards and Heartbeat Message-ID: Well, having just watched the Heartbeat episode that Gareth's in, I'm going to distress both Iain and Judith - even Gareth can't manage to look cut in "Yorkshire farmer stubble". -- Julia Jones "Don't philosophise with me, you electronic moron!" The Turing test - as interpreted by Kerr Avon. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 19:32:04 +0000 From: Julia Jones To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] Cygnus Alpha 1/2 Message-ID: In message , NWOutsider writes >These comments on "Cygnus Alpha" are drawn from Rallying Call issue >15 (October, 1995) and substantially revised from the original which >can be found at http://www.bgsu.edu/~sclerc/rc15.html > > >Timing: Obviously there's no way Blake, Jenna, and Avon were on the >Liberator for 4 months, the amount of time remaining in the London's >trip to the planet. One of the more obvious idiocies in the first series :-) >Tired of London: One of the saving graces of "Cygnus Alpha" is the way >Artix has changed since "Space Fall" from a hopeful, ambitious young man >to a jaded, cynical young man. It's a very nice piece of work. One of the things I like about it is that it helps to suggest that many people, including Artix, aren't aware of how corrupt the Federation is. > I'm curious about >what sort of political negotiations and compromises led to this penal >system where people are shipped off without tools or supplies, essentially >left to die. Why not just kill them off? Or use the ploy Foster refers to >in TWB: pretend to let them emigrate to a frontier planet and kill them >on arrival? Or even dump them in space as rumor on the London has it? >Presumably the pretense of humanitarianism figures into the theory >somehow (see, we're not outright killing them, we're giving them a >chance to start over...far far from us), but not in the execution, so to >speak. The actual presentation was daft, but the general concept - well, look at the history of the British colonisation of Australia. Convicts were used, because it was a relatively humanitarian way (by the standards of the time) of dealing with prison overcrowding, and provided cheap, disposable labour that didn't have to be provided with decent food or equipment. Most of the free settlers used convicts as slave labour, and yes, the slavery included providing sexual services. -- Julia Jones "Don't philosophise with me, you electronic moron!" The Turing test - as interpreted by Kerr Avon. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 17:26:54 EST From: E van Looy To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] Harvest of Kairos, Average B7 Age, Clinton Message-ID: <50cea6fb.34cbbc30@aol.com> Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 98-01-24 16:11:40 EST, Lisa wrote: << I don't see Avon as wanting power at all. *Servalan* wants power. *Avon* wants to be left the hell alone. Power carries responsibility, and having to deal with people. Servalan doesn't mind that; Avon does. Wanting to escape from being in the power of others doesn't equate to wanting power over others for yourself. >> I don't know. It is true that Avon kept telling everyone he wanted to be left alone, but he did seem to enjoy the odd powergame himself (notably with Servalan). And then there was all this bragging about how he could kill people with one hand tied behind his back, and all that. Now you're going to want specific examples from the series and I can't really think of one right now. Anyway, it is rather a given in a lot of fanfic, that Avon is this efficient killermachine if he wants to, which always struck me as an odd reputation for a nerd (which was really what he was, canonically speaking). Elise ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 17:34:41 EST From: E van Looy To: blakes7@lysator.liu.se Subject: Re: [B7L] Harvest of Kairos, Average B7 Age, Clinton Message-ID: <1617427b.34cbbe04@aol.com> Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 98-01-24 20:39:05 EST, DCsquared wrote: << Perhaps he was just alluding to the fact that Clinton is "under attack" from all sides, and is in essence "fighting for his life". >> Ooh, Clinton standing in the middle of the Oval Office bathed in flashing red lights surrounded by FBI agents. He raises his gun, smiles and steps forward to straddle the body of...hmm, maybe we should not go there. Elise "I'm not signing this one!" ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 22:03:04 -0000 From: "Jenni-Alison" To: Cc: Subject: [B7L] Re: Pages update Message-Id: <199801252238.XAA15040@samantha.lysator.liu.se> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Yes! Yes! Yes! I'd love to come. Can I bring my man, who is a major Fan of B7, although not a mailing list member? Jenni P.s. How do we know who you are? do we all wear a red carnation or something? ---------- > From: STEVE.ROGERSON@MCR1.poptel.org.uk > To: space-city@world.std.com > Cc: blakes7@lysator.liu.se > Subject: SC: Pages update > Date: 24 January 1998 14:37 > > Only two weeks before the planned drink up at Page's Bar in > London on Saturday Feb 7. So far we have three definite yeses, > including Bill from Australia who just happens to be in London > that day (amazing), one strong maybe (Alison) and two weak > maybes. > > The plan is to meet up for an evening drink, but those in > London during the day can take advantage on the big sci fi fair > at Central Hall in Westminster, which runs from 11 to 4. This > is just round the corner from Pages, so time for a bit of food to > line the stomach before the serious drinking. > > Let me know if there are any more takers. > > cheers > Steve Rogerson > > Redemption 99 - The Blakes 7/Babylon 5 convention > 26-28 February 1999, Ashford International Hotel, Kent > http://www.smof.com/redemption/ > > Make your own tribble! Buy a hamster and cut off its legs -------------------------------- End of blakes7-d Digest V98 Issue #24 *************************************