The first is the one I started posting here, then abandoned like.... okay no metaphor comes to mind. Sorry about that but I caught up with myself.
The second is a science fiction novel. There were many kinks in this story. Partly it was the fact that I wanted to tell a story across the galaxy. So I needed a place where many, maybe all, of the characters can go. This cannot be, metaphorically speaking, the Enterprise. Instead its a planet.
This planet is a port of call for diplomats, hustlers - all right it might have been influenced by Babylon 5. The problem with Babylon 5 is that it is so well done. What I mean by this is that as it is so well done it is difficult not to step on its toes when writing a story set in space.
For instance:
Rotating ships for gravity makes sense - artificial gravity might be possible but with current science we just don't know.
A place for people to meet and discuss culture also makes sense - we have the UN today, okay they don't discuss religion in the same way as B5 but their is the idea of cultures working together. Star Trek on the other hand seems to have very little idea of galactic politics.There is no feeling that the Cardassians and the Romulans have any official relationship. (There is the non-aggression pact in DS9 but thats about all.)
"Finally we shall place the Sun himself at the center of the Universe." Nicolaus Copernicus
*The above image is used in accordance with NASA's terms of use. I have no relationship with NASA.
