The scale of the map isn't based upon dialogue, but it is given as a graphic for the RNZ map as being a sector. If it's a standard sector as we would consider them today in modern Trek, it's 20 ly across.
The width of one grid square on that map also coincides with the thickness of the RNZ. What to think of that? In TNG "The Enemy", it takes a top-of-the-line Romulan warbird in a hurry some five hours to cross the Zone. In TOS, no actual crossing appears to take place yet, though. Twenty lightyears for a grid square side would appear fine, then. But it then also means the Outposts are separated by vast distances, and cannot effect a blockade at the border, not on their own (but perhaps they control swarms of drones?).
Amusingly, the map also has as "scale bar" that features tick marks for 2.5 square lengths and attaches to that the legend "5000". A single square would then be 2000 units wide - corresponding to 20 lightyears?
Since we cannot get an internally consistent interpretation of the episode no matter what, we can just as well pick and choose TNG-consistent sectors here...
Timo Saloniemi
Amusingly, the map also has as "scale bar" that features tick marks for 2.5 square lengths and attaches to that the legend "5000". A single square would then be 2000 units wide - corresponding to 20 lightyears?
Since we cannot get an internally consistent interpretation of the episode no matter what, we can just as well pick and choose TNG-consistent sectors here...
Timo Saloniemi
I think Lord Other was saying that the whole map was ~20 ly across, so, each grid square would be ~1 ly across. Even at 1 ly per square, the Enterprise is shown both in dialog and map display("8 min. from Outpost 4" when the view screen shows them at about 8 squares away, and if you time the blip on the map with a watch) crossing the distance at about 1y per min. That's booking at ~500,000 c. Wow! At 20 ly a square, that's ~10,000,000 c. Even More Wow! Nah to both.
Sorry for the double post, but I wanted to add to my above comments: The map used in BoT did an excellent job to familiarize the audience with the sense of orientation of the upcoming battlefield; "here are we" and "there are they". It graphically showed that the Enterprise was moving "very fast", will get there "soon", "we're almost there", "we're now there", "we're going over there". Even after my many anal calculations and measurements, I realize the production staff never meant for it to be technically and dimensionally accurate. I think the graphic map was one of the best plot concepts used in the TOS series. Even after 50+ years that map has inspired countless discussions/debates, and there really isn't any one right answer which truly shows how awesome its creators were at the time.
True but if you don't look too closely its a great episode.
