[Patricia Sokol]

[spoiler]Good point – maybe they just didn’t have time to mount an exodus. They really wouldn’t have needed anything, though, since the planet was up and running. They had to get on with things and unfold space so Adantia could move on, though. [/spoiler]

-Pat.

[Patricia Sokol]

I’m thinking it is just a coincidence after all, then. Stock photos and all.

Ah, well.

-P.

[Patricia Sokol]

:laugh: Well, Ultra, [b][i]that [/i][/b]answers [b][i]that[/i][/b]! If it were Meta, that would be one thing (the whole Message to Moonbase Alpha connection). But this is something completely different. Curioser and curioser.

-Pat.

[Patricia Sokol]

And if I ask if it is a coincidence that the planet on the alternate cover art looks like Meta from Breakaway, will you answer? :huh:

[Patricia Sokol]

I’d like to ask about “The Creative Process”. Maybe this is too philosophical, or whatever, but, how do the authors get into the characters heads? I mean, the writers guides for the series were sketchy and inconsistent (Y1 vs. Y2), and some were only present for one year of the series. Even so, two years isn’t really much time for character development.

How, then, do you folks manage to portray them so that we, as fans and readers, can identify with a story and a character? And do it consistently so that David McIntee’s Koenig is the same as John Muir’s is the same as Bill Lathams’s… This seems especially challenging when your considering “off-duty” time, because the episodes, naturally, always dealt with some kind of crisis or another.

Is this what the editor does? If so, what do [b][i]you [/i][/b]draw from? Just your knowledge and love of the series?

I suppose, though, that this is what makes a writer a writer.

Thanks!

-Pat.

[Patricia Sokol]

Then there’s that other Greek myth…Oedipus. As I recall, he acted rashly on the basis of some shaky information, too B) . Heeding the half-true rantings of a drugged – if not just plain schizoid – (wo)man sitting on a rock is never a good thing.

Have a good week-end; I know I will.

-Pat.

[Patricia Sokol]

Awww….Missed that one!! The cyclops Polyphemus that eats people and is defeated by whacking him in the eye!

Efxaristo, Homer.

-P.

[Patricia Sokol]

Actually, if you want to get freaky-geeky, pre-Powys, hair-splitting about it: In the scene in “The Exiles” where they explaining to Cantar why they can’t bring down any more capsules, Helena says they can’t permit any [b]new [/b][i][/i]births (had to check my horrible laser-disc to video copy to verify this). This is also the position in Michael Butterworth’s original novelization (although in the Y2 Omnibus, the phrase is changed to any [i]more [/i]new births…). Did the screen writer intend to imply there had been births? Don’t know, but this is what happens with 35 years to analyze something ad infinitum.

-Pat.

[Patricia Sokol]

Koenig and Helena are discussing this as far back as [u]Resurrection[/u], right towards the beginning of the second chapter. Then, at the end, he makes a remark to her that would surely soften any girl’s heart :blink: Sorry, but that last scene always brings to mind a cattle pen. Her response to him, though, actually makes it workable and rather dry humor.

-Pat.

[Patricia Sokol]

:ohmy: Just out of curiosity, I looked up [u]Survival [/u]and [u]Resurrection [/u] on Amazon and Amazon.uk. Powys – I think there is a market for re-releases, especially if you can format for Lulu to do the printing. Potential legal issues w/ changing printers notwithstanding, of course. I am sold on Lulu. Have you seen the asking prices for these books? My husband asked if I would therefore be selling my copies. *cough*sputter* Yeah, right.

-Pat.

[Patricia Sokol]

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Dear Powys and accomplices,

With much coaxing and coaching, and feeling like a blind fool, I “talked to the hand”. I’m usually pretty good at these things, but I still sit here feeling chagrined. As I was composing an email last evening, my son asked when the next book was due. I told him June, He said that was too bad, because I seemed to be enjoying them.

Unbelievable.

Now I am not sure what to think. One great, big, heck of a deal, as they say in Minnesota.

My only complaint? If time lines remain consistent, I won’t be here Saturday.

Unbelievable.

Pat.

[Patricia Sokol]

:dry: Still getting a 404 Not Found error. Then again, sometimes, I need to be taken by the hand and led down a path.

And BL…? You’re more than welcome.

-Pat.

[Patricia Sokol]

:unsure: Thanks for changing the message title to include the spoilers. Should’ve thought of that…

-P.

[Patricia Sokol]

My initial thoughts about Omega…

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Where to start? As a Space: 1999 novel – riveting. As an arc continuing on to a full circle – well, one of the first things I thought was “Lost” in Space, to turn a phrase. As an end to the Alphan saga – say it ain’t so – there were so many loose ends that even my nerves are frayed. This CANNOT be the end of the story.

The thing about Omega is that we had no idea how it would end. [u]Resurrection[/u], [u]The Forsaken[/u], [u]Survival[/u], and even, to some extent, [u]Born for Adversity[/u] – we knew where they were headed. [u]Resurrection [/u]was a great stand-alone story, and it introduced us to “the one about the Commander who heard voices on the surface of the moon.” It showed, or reinforced, how Bergman and Helena Russell were very strong individuals who were themselves willing to sacrifice all, not only for the base, but for a single man whom they both loved. We knew Paul Morrow and Tanya Alexander had to get off the base somehow, and thus, [u]The Forsaken[/u], which was a bridge between “Space Brain” and [u]Omega[/u]. Likewise, “Spider’s Web” provided the link between [u]Survival [/u]and [u]Omega[/u]. One has to admire the co-ordination among the authors and editors to get everything into a tidy package. Real vision and dedication.

[u]Omega [/u]itself. Uh. You can’t do this to us. William Latham can’t be remembered as the person who managed to kill off John Koenig. I know, I know, it may have been Koenig’s decision –[i] if indeed it did happen[/i]. He was tired, but he’d finally reached equilibrium in his life. His spousal equivalent was expecting (intended or otherwise), he was thinking of stepping down (yeah, right – after what he confessed in [u]BfA [/u]about being so tied to the moon), and he knew it was killing him/aging him/making him something other than he was. But in these things, too, he was almost resolved to it.

Hope is better than despair – we were led to believe that. Thus, I can’t accept that all three of the principle factions winked out in an instant when Paul touched the symbol. I have to believe that they are all still alive (hey, even [i]dead [/i]people are alive again) and that Mr. Latham has another brilliant novel up his sleeve. If we accept “Message from Moonbase Alpha” as canon (I think we do…don’t we…?), we have to believe things worked out OK, at least for some, if not all.

The synaxis of past and near past colleagues was explained well in the context of the over-all arc which has been created. While I realize that writing [u]Omega [/u]began long ago, it reminded me a lot of the end of Season Four of the current incarnation of Dr. Who. However, in [u]Omega[/u], it was more of a culmination than a convenience. Not sure if any of you are familiar with the prose poem “Desiderata”, but there seemed to be an influence of that, too, in [u]Omega[/u]. Not even sure if the author is even familiar with the poem. It just struck me as I was reading Koenig’s conversation with his “mother”. Interesting how both Koenig the Elder and Koenig the Younger use the term “Mom”. Cute. Also, shades of Stargate: SG-1 and Stagate: Atlantis. That’s OK, though.

One of the wonderful things about the written medium is that you get to know what characters are thinking and feeling. The Greek Chorus being out of vogue in modern productions, we are only allowed as much insight as a character states in a performance. Sure, we can see expressions, but, would that tell us that Helena makes an effort to shut Koenig out of her mind so she can go on, while he opens his mind to her so he can continue? And, I did enjoy his recollection of their first kiss.

So, my perspective on characters…

John Koenig – The story really pivots around him. One has to wonder that he’s not nuts by now, or dead from a heart attack. He is essentially given the same choice he is given in “Collision Course” (CC) and “War Games” (WG) – whom to trust? In CC, we thought it was all good. We trusted in Koenig. He was the hero – how could he have made a bad choice? In WG, he made what he thought was the right choice, but given the opportunity to reconsider. Oddly – or ironically – enough, it was a glance at Helena at the end of WG that made him change his mind. However, there was no reset button in [u]Omega[/u]. And if he made a choice, we don’t know what it was. Regardless of what his choice was, others acted. His last(?) thoughts were of Helena, which may suggest he did or didn’t do whatever he did or didn’t do for her sake and the sake of their child. [i]Too noble for it to mean his demise in our comfy little universe, though[/i]. C’mon, Mr. Latham, everybody else came back… There was also an awful lot of foreshadowing of his death; both Koenig and Helena almost seemed to anticipate it. That doesn’t make it right. Depending on the author, either the paving stones were being laid for it to happen, or making us believe that it was inevitable, only to have it not be so.

Mama Doc – When my left brain is active, I try not to be too much of a “ ‘shipper”, but, awww. An absolutely wonderful juxtaposition in the first two scenes of the book. The thoughts going through Koenig’s head before we knew what she was scanning was a fantastic set-up. Our first jaw-dropping moment. A scan so early in pregnancy means 1) it was Nature’s Little Surprise; 2) they’d been reeeealy workin’ on it; 3) because she can. HOWEVER – William, the poor woman. How many times can she lose a spouse, on whatever planet? Lee, twice; Koenig, two…three…even four times…? The universe may not be fair, but this is downright nasty. Cut the lady some slack. Essentially retreats back into her shell of work therapy. Guess her secret is out at the end, but is that enough to make up for Koenig’s (?) loss? RK must’ve come back from the future, meaning that she, and by extension the universe, survived. However, it could have been more manipulation by “Mike Ryan”. What better way to manipulate the present than by presenting a possible future? And what better messenger than the child of the one person who is MIA, not DOA? My brain hurts. Plus, there is that unresolved scene in the Other Earth where “she” is looking at Carter. Who is “she”? We could infer. I don’t remember if Helena actually died in “Another Time, Another Place” as filmed. In the novelization, I believe she did. In the televised version, I’m not so sure.

Victor(s) – Was surprised to see him so early in the book. His intuition saved the base one more time. His answer to Sandra’s question in WG (“Why is all this happening to us, Professor?” or something to that effect) is prescient, because that’s exactly what it is/was. Victor and Other Victor seemed to be able to co-exist. Maybe because they were not in direct contact. Sorry about Yendys. That really stinks (but that’s another book, anyway). Seemed younger in this novel than I remember him. Or much older, depending on which one, though, natch.

Tony Verdeschi – Disliked him less. Not a lot to say about his character development, really, except he’s a good tactician, despite not having practical experience. I like that he regretted not being married, at least in This Time, This Place. He’s an honorable fellow after all. Darn it, did you ruin it at the end? Who was that young fellow? Was your youthful impetuousness an asset or liability? Will Helena ever forgive you, if that were the only chance of getting JK back? Would she even know? Still think Carter would’ve made a better second-in-command, but we’re dealing with the realities of a TV show, aren’t we?

Maya – Disliked her less, too. Not sure her metamorphic abilities would have mattered. There wasn’t much she could have done, especially in the very limited time frame. This was all a game of wits, and there didn’t seem too much that science could do, aside from save their skins. And anyway, Bergman had most of that covered, already.

I’ll come clean, here. I really started to dislike Maya at the end of “AB Chrysalis”, where she makes Koenig look inept by challenging him with math a 12-year-old could do. Egads, he was proud of himself for being able to do addition? I HATED that scene. In Season One, he was a bright, capable astronaut and Commander. IRL astronauts are not idiots. Blech. She also makes Helena act like a school girl (“The Exiles” and “One Moment of Humanity”.) Helena doesn’t giggle – she just doesn’t. Laughing at a drunk Taybor – well, that was different. Seeing Helena as anything other than level-headed makes me uncomfortable.

I feel better now.

Carter – Still love him. Tony thinks he’s the only one with the off-world sweetie? Look at Carter – Rhoda (not canonical, I know) – Sahala, Eroca. The guy’s got it. It’s the swagger.

Sandra – Not the shrinking violet who fainted when Mike Ryan first disappeared. Bravo.

MUFs – Machiavellian, amoral, SOBs. Olympic in the sense that they don’t give a tinker’s dam about mortals. Their motives make the whole of both Y1 and Y2 make sense, which is what we wanted from [u]Omega[/u]. Yeah, Alphans are those gnats that you can never seem to get rid of. You swat at them, but they still fly into your eyes. Dragons and brell = insecticide that you spray all over just to get some peace, at least for a short time. Nevertheless, these are OUR humans, dammit, and I don’t like seeing them messed with so much. Evil Arra? One had to know she would at least be mentioned, if not show up, but didn’t see this one coming.

Cmdr. Robert Koenig – Had to come not only through space, but time. If NotMike was running out of umph, could he have brought somebody through time? I doubt it. Victor frowned, as if he knew this wasn’t right. NotMike knew Helena was expecting when it was still unannounced. he’s been probing their minds. I have no doubt she truly is expecting; the very human scene where she is sick reinforces that. However, it’s just a bit too convenient and manipulative. Alphans have had their senses tricked recently (“Futility” and “Dead End”.)

Paul Morrow – Oh, jeeze, you didn’t just go and ruin everything, did you? Or did you save the day?

Helena references a number of years between the end of [u]BfA [/u]and [u]Omega[/u]. So, I hope we can anticipate more adventures.

Anybody else?

Pat.

[Patricia Sokol]

My copy shipped Tuesday – I watched as the postman stuffed bills and a newspaper into the mailbox today, and felt blue. Maaaybe tomorrow…

Pat.

[Author]

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