TOS: The Red Ensign by DRGIII - January 2013

Discussion in 'Trek Literature' started by DarkHorizon, Apr 27, 2012.

  1. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    May 10, 2005
    Location:
    Confederation of Earth
    Although, the use of 'ensign' as a rank is a direct result OF its use as a flag, isn't it? Meaning: the word was originally used simply to describe the junior officer in a unit who carried the flag into battle. And was originally an Army rank, not Navy.
     
  2. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2001
    On the other hand, there was no pun intended in the TNG episode title "The Ensigns of Command." Maybe, like the writer of that episode, David is simply trusting in the literacy of his audience.
     
  3. Yevetha

    Yevetha Commodore

    Joined:
    May 8, 2011
    I hope it features Sam Lavelle. The character has some potential.
     
  4. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    May 10, 2005
    Location:
    Confederation of Earth
    Are you saying that was supposed to be a flag reference? I always thought it was a pun regarding Data - even though he is a senior officer, a LTCDR, he hasn't had an extended mission on his own where he was in command, so in that regard, he's as green as any ensign.
     
  5. JoeZhang

    JoeZhang Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2008
    I want the seals of power and place,
    The ensigns of command,
    Charged by the people's unbought grace,
    To rule my native land.
    Nor crown nor sceptre would I ask,
    But from my country's will,
    By day, by night, to ply the task
    Her cup of bliss to fill.

    (full piece here).
     
  6. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2001
    Ensign doesn't just mean a flag, it means a symbol, an insignia (you can see how the words are related to each other and to "sign"). The ensigns of command are the symbols of authority -- "the seals of power and place" like crowns and sceptres. The episode "The Ensigns of Command" was about Data proving his authority, earning the colonists' respect, and the title referred to that symbolically.


    Uhh... in an original series novel? :wtf:
     
  7. RPJOB

    RPJOB Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Apr 11, 2012
    What, Trek doesn't have time travel? :vulcan:
     
  8. Yevetha

    Yevetha Commodore

    Joined:
    May 8, 2011
    Uhh... in an original series novel? :wtf:[/QUOTE]


    I forgot the setting. Nevertheless he should have his own novel or series.
     
  9. Saul

    Saul Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2002
    Location:
    東京
    Maybe it will be like that Austin Powers movie where we get to see that the henchman Powers kills has a life and family.
     
  10. Sci

    Sci Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2002
    Location:
    Montgomery County, State of Maryland
    All I know is, I keep getting this image of a Constitution-class starship flying the British Red Ensign and then claiming this land in the name of the King.
     
  11. Sho

    Sho Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2006
    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    Or the Queen in the bridge chair?
     
  12. Sci

    Sci Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2002
    Location:
    Montgomery County, State of Maryland
    I mean, I was making an allusion to the era of English and British imperialism and conquest, during which time there was usually a King rather than a Queen Regnant.

    But there again, most of those ships would have been flying the White Ensign rather than the Red Ensign, soo....

    That does raise an interesting question, though. The Red Ensign is usually given to merchant vessels; the Blue Ensign to merchant vessels captained by members of the reserve officer corps, by special permission of the Admiralty; the Green Ensign, once upon a time, by Irish merchant ships under British domination; and the White Ensign by the Royal Navy itself. Does this mean that TOS: The Red Ensign will in some way focus on privately-owned vessels, or interstellar trade, in some sense?
     
  13. Therin of Andor

    Therin of Andor Admiral Moderator

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2004
    Location:
    New Therin Park, Andor (via Australia)
    Sam Lavelle was a featured character in the TNG "Dominion War" duology.
     
  14. Paper Moon

    Paper Moon Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2011
    Given what I remember from those two books, they were not that great. (And are also inconsistent with the Prime litverse now.) While I'm not crazy about the character of Sam Lavelle, it would be nice to see him again in stories that I found more interesting.

    I like Sci's idea about the Red Ensign focusing on privately-owned vessels and/or interstellar trade, although I'm a little hesitant to read too much into the title, since I would imagine it'll probably change before publication, right?
     
  15. The Wormhole

    The Wormhole Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2001
    Location:
    The Wormhole
    While a title change is certainly a possibility, 99% of the time a Trek book title is usually finalized by the time the public learns about it.
     
    Last edited: Apr 30, 2012
  16. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2001
    ^"Probably?" Why's that? True, titles sometimes change after they're announced, but not often enough for it to count as probable.

    (Oops, just beaten to it.)
     
  17. Paper Moon

    Paper Moon Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2011
    Oh, cool! :) I was remembering some confusion about Plagues of Night, Raise the Dawn, or the Cold Equations trilogy (I think it was them); wasn't one of those supposed to have "Prophets" in the title or something? But, yeah, I guess that would only have been one book. (Oh, and like, the "Chain of Destiny" stuff.)

    Heh, for some reason, knowing that this is almost definitely the final title and not a placeholder has suddenly made me a lot more excited about this book! :cool:
     
  18. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2001
    ^Well, it's not "almost definitely" yet. For all we know, it could be a placeholder. We don't know enough to jump to any conclusions one way or the other.
     
  19. Sho

    Sho Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2006
    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    One recently revealed title we know to be only a working title is The Stuff of Dreams, James Swallow's December ebook-exclusive TNG release.
     
  20. Paper Moon

    Paper Moon Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2011
    Ha, I admire your precision, Christopher. :) The world needs more people who think through things like that.

    A general question for the authors here (Trek and non-Trek), not necessarily related to The Red Ensign: when you submit a non-final title to your publicist, how often is it a title that is actually related to the material of the work, and therefore could end up being the final title? And how often is it just something random that you put down to call the work something for the time being?