23-25 Feb 2001 - Ashford, Kent

This is my personal recollection of the enjoyable weekend. Easy trip by train to Ashford after work. Settled in and reported for stewarding duties. Murder of Sheridan during opening ceremony, finger points to the other contestants to the Ruler of the Universe election. Sat with the Clangers party, promising Blue string soup today. Must get a Blake 7 expert on our team for the pub quiz. The other candidates being Servalan, Londo Mollari, Citizen Gkar, Spike (rights for the Undead), Spock and Ares (God of War).

Discuss the role of the military in sci-fi, how gravity works over breakfast and arrange to attend the telepaths meeting. Discussion with Andy Lane does Science fiction drives Science or does science lead sci-fi. Must be consistency within books/series.
Joe Nazzaro then shows us what new in the states. Andromeda still evolving. Look out for Jules Verne and the new 6 hour Dune mini series. Roger Corman's Black Scorpion looks back to the 60's Batman with comic book females. Simple entertainment aimed at teenage boys.

After lunch, is telepathy desirable or possible? Few want it to exist against most feel that it could exist. It could depends on your genes and how your mind is wired. Like-mined brains would find it easier to read/transfer thoughts or feelings. Similar to instincts, read strong emotions rather than send more likely.
Does Space travel require a central world government or federation or large corporation to exist for the masses? It appears that it does in most sci-fi futures. Utopia: is it possible or desirable? Will it not exclude people who want different things? It is difficult to describe complex political systems in the visual media. Only possible with care in books.
There were many Babylon 5 conspiracy stories. Jane Killick must read Vir B5 script which was accepted and then rejected. Most stories revolve round the stars, the produce and money. JMS inconstancy and in his belief in his version of his own theories create interest. Only on JMS death and the publishing of the original concept may explain the differences between what was planned and what was seen.

Sat evening help solve the film flyer line quiz which are posted all over the hotel, include "Trust the few, fear the rest"
Either side of late night stewarding duty, saw the first and last two hours of the new Dune mini series flown over from the states. Which UK channels will buy and show this. Worth watching.

Sunday morning starts with a what happening presentation by a director of Transorbital.com part of the Artemis project. (see www.moonsociety.org) The plans for commercial and tourist return to the moon. The XRace competition is designed to provide a cheaper re-useable space launch. Bigelow is designing a space cruiser. Transorbital will produce the first high definition map of the moon. There will be regular trips to the moon and habitats on the moon for tourists and mining.
Do watch out for the new European TV game show (www.space-commander.com) with a chance to fly to the new space station. Other links include www.space.com, www.spacer.com and www.hobbyspace.com and www.asi.org.

After a Tribble hunt with the Klingons and Dalek racing, saw a repeat showing of the Blake 7 bloopers and then voted in florida ballot for the next ruler.
Finished with Michael Sheard's views and comments of years of playing villains and talk about First Frontiers, which recently finished filming and will show the pre-release footages at the Belfast sci-fi convention in the summer. Gareth Thomas answered questions about stage and film acting. His wish to play Othello (even if not PC) and Lear. After interruption by Major Sheard still trying to drill his troops in front of Brig Thomas, shown rush clip of Possession which wrapped up on the previous Wednesday.

At closing ceremony, watched the blue peter film version of Blake 7 and alliance against the Space Octopus using the chaos models made yesterday.

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Robert Walker