TOS: The Red Ensign by DRGIII - January 2013

[Mr. Laser Beam]

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.

 

[Christopher]

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.

 

[Yevetha]

I hope it features Sam Lavelle. The character has some potential.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

On the other hand, there was no pun intended in the TNG episode title "The Ensigns of Command."

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.

 

[JoeZhang]

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).

 

[Christopher]

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.

I hope it features Sam Lavelle. The character has some potential.

Uhh... in an original series novel?

 

[RPJOB]

What, Trek doesn't have time travel?

 

[Yevetha]

I hope it features Sam Lavelle. The character has some potential.

Uhh... in an original series novel? [/QUOTE]


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

 

[Saul]

Maybe it will be like that Austin Powers movie where we get to see that the henchman Powers kills has a life and family.

 

[Sci]

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.

 

[Sho]

Or the Queen in the bridge chair?

 

[Sci]

Or the Queen in the bridge chair?

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?

 

[Therin of Andor]

Nevertheless he should have his own novel or series.

Sam Lavelle was a featured character in the TNG "Dominion War" duology.

 

[Paper Moon]

Nevertheless he should have his own novel or series.

Sam Lavelle was a featured character in the TNG "Dominion War" duology.

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?

 

[Unionized Elf]

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?

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.

 

[Christopher]

^"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.)

 

[Paper Moon]

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?

While a title change is certainly a possibility, 99% of the time a Trek book title is usually finilized by the time the public learns about it.

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!

 

[Christopher]

^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.

 

[Sho]

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.

 

[Paper Moon]

^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.

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?