Two quickies...on the tech of the "Patriot" ship...please, once again,
bear in mind that that was passed along mainly for the fun of it. The
designer who came up with it isn't a scientist, and was engaging in a bit of
"rubber science." The main thought there was the idea of a range of weaponry,
most of it extensions of either modern stuff (projectile weapons) and
futuristic stuff. BeLIEVE me, anything we finally come up with -- and it may
bear no resemblance to the ship discussed -- will go firmly through the hands
of the tech people who'll check and double-check for this stuff.

As to keeping around Laurel Takashima...believe me, I have every
intention of doing so. The reason Pilot was killed off in C.P. was due to the
actress's desire to take on some film roles and leave the show. So I decided,
"Okay, if we're going to lose a character, let's not wimp out and have her
transferred, let's kill her, but kill her in a dramatic way that changes not
only the characters, but the nature of the show itself." Which is why, when
she went, she took the whole base of operations of our main characters with
her. (Season Two would've been completely different from season one, with our
guys on the run, no permanent base of operations.)


The problem with episodic series is that, after a while, you know what
the parameters are. You know THIS character won't ever be killed, and THAT
base has got to remain, and THIS can't change. And you fall into a habit and
into regular expectations. I *love* to blow up those sorts of expectations.
Find the one thing that NO ONE thinks you're ever going to do in your
show...and do it. It keeps EVERYBODY on their toes. If you can tune in and
never know for sure what's going to happen, knowing that everyone and
everything is fair game, it makes the tension in the show far more real. The
reaction when Pilot/Jennifer Chase was killed off was astonishing...and when
the base was destroyed with her. I was at a con when it was shown, and one
person finally broke the stunned silence and said, "Jesus, they're not kidding
around, this IS a war." Which was exactly the right response.

How this will affect B5...wait and see.

And here's a little something to consider. Some have noted the location
thing...speculated on other aspects of the show...but much of what you need to
know about what will eventually happen in the course of the B5 story arc is
already available to you. In any decent desk encyclopedia.

What, you thought I pulled the name Babylon out of a hat? Let's just say
that there are going to be some interesting historical parallels....

jms