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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!nsc!voder!kevin
From: kevin@voder.UUCP (The Last Bugfighter)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Stupid Viewscreens and Dumb Captains
Message-ID: <768@voder.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 7-May-85 21:48:08 EDT
Article-I.D.: voder.768
Posted: Tue May  7 21:48:08 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 17-May-85 00:18:37 EDT
Reply-To: kevin@voder.UUCP (The Last Bugfighter)
Organization: National Semiconductor, Santa Clara
Lines: 36


   Speaking of that damn front viewer there's something that has always
bothered me about the Enterprise/Reliant battle in the Mutara nebula in
ST II.
   There's supposed to be so much static interference that the viewing
sensors are hoplessly overloaded, as such the main viewscreen is all but
useless.  We see the great Admiral Kirk peering intensely at the screen,
trying in vain for a mere glimmer of the enemy ship and his deadly opponent.
*Where are they?* he silently murmurs.
   Quick dramatic cut to an exterior view as the great starship Enterprise
sails by, COVERED FROM BOW TO STERN WITH WHAT LOOKS LIKE A HUNDRED WINDOWS
AND PORTS PLASTERED OVER THE HULL!  One can imagine the rest of the crew is
up forward, gathered around a port, watching the Reliant sail back and forth
while betting on whether or not the Captain will see it this time!
   Now don't tell me that we don't know that these are actually real windows
to the outside because we've seen them to be so in various episodes and have
read as much in various novels.  Besides, what about those huge ports on the
port side for the recreation/garden area?  We can even see inside them as
the ship passes.  
   How difficult would it have been to write into the script that Kirk orders
Scotty to send someone up forward to install an optical viewer in a port
and hook it into the optical fiber network to send the picture to the main
viewer?  At first they can't get a complete circuit through because of the
damage.  Then they find a good line and presto, the main viewscreen comes
to life showing the Reliant about 1.6 meters away.  Both ships fire and when
the Enterprise is hit not only do they loose that circuit but the guy at the
viewer is injured so they have to send someone else down.  This way you could
still have the intensity of Kirk not being able to know were the Reliant is,
and the dramatic impact when he finally sees it without having to be so stupid.
   Or am I just being picky, picky, picky?

---
Kevin Thompson   {ucbvax,ihnp4!nsc}!voder!kevin

"It's sort of a threat, you see.  I've never been very good at them
  myself but I'm told they can be very effective."