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From: kyrimis@tilt.FUN (Kriton Kyrimis)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: Prefix numbers, or how to destroy a federation starship
Message-ID: <299@tilt.FUN>
Date: Fri, 31-May-85 01:09:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: tilt.299
Posted: Fri May 31 01:09:03 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 31-May-85 23:54:41 EDT
References: <297@tilt.FUN> <342@moncol.UUCP>
Organization: Princeton University EECS Dept
Lines: 36

> 
> Also, the existence of the prefix codes presents a whole new series of
> inconsistencies into the Trek universe. Since Kirk assumes Khan know about
> the prefix codes, they must have been used 15 years earlier during the
> events of "Space Seed". Khan would have learned about them when he learned
> everything else about a starship. If we accept this, then we can ask a
> whole series of questions, such as: "Why didn't Wesley use the codes to
> drop the Enterprise's shields in 'The Ultimate Computer'?" or "Why didn't
> M5 use the prefix codes to blast everyone in that episode?" or even "Why
> didn't Styles use the Excelsior's computer to send the prefix codes to stop
> Kirk and company from stealing the Enterprise?" (God, this could go on all
> day!)
>

Not necessarily. When I said that the federation was in for a surprise, I was
hinting that prefix numbers are a new invention, something that did not exist
at the time of the tv episodes. This would take care of all but the last of
the above inconsistencies. This can be dealt with by assuming that since prefix
numbers are such a security risk, only high-ranking members of starfleet
command know of their existence (remember Saavik's surprise?), and only they
are allowed to use them. Now the Exelcior wouldn't happen to have a spare
admiral on the bridge, would she? And by the time the starbase was alerted,
the Enterprise had warped away...
This assumption can even do away with the other inconsistencies, if prefix
numbers existed during the time of the tv episodes, since I don't believe
that any admirals appeared in any of the episodes mentioned above.

Now, if the above is true, how did SPOCK know about prefix numbers?
Maybe he found out about them by being "understandably curious".

--------
Pick five numbers. If they form the prefix number of this week's starship,
you win a medal and a commission to the Klingon fleet.
-- 

	Kriton	(princeton!tilt!kyrimis)