tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Dec 06 04:51:56 1996
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KLBC: Some Words :)
- From: [email protected] (Bill Willmerdinger)
- Subject: KLBC: Some Words :)
- Date: Wed, 04 Dec 1996 19:30:07
uu> Here's something we DO know: in space, Klingons can use # # # mark #.
uu> In Star Trek V, Captain Kirk says the Enterprise's coordinates are
uu> "zero zero zero mark two." (This is kinda stupid, since three
uu> dimensional space requires three coordinates to specify exact
uu> location, whether they be cartesian or angular coordinates).
This system is used for giving course headings. Waaaay back in TNG Season
One, they were quite explicit on this in "11001001". The computer, in
response to Picard's inquiry, gives both a three-coordiate position, and a
x-mark-x course. In later years, the writers became very sloppy about this.
uu> Captain Klaa hears this and says {He pagh pagh pagh DoD cha' yInab}
uu> "Set course zero zero zero mark two." Either the Klingons translate
uu> Federation coordinates into their own system, or they use the same
uu> system. Either way, they can use it to specify directions.
This is the simplest method of specifying a course in three dimensions. Why
make things more complicated?
uu> If you must give directions on a planet's surface, I suggest you
uu> simply eliminate the {DoD #} part. You might have to explain that
uu> north is {He pagh pagh pagh}, but besides that, normal compass
uu> directions should work.
Actually, it *could* work as a position, if you gave polar coordinates.
Polar coordinates use a circular graph, and measure position by degrees (or
radians, or grads) from an arbitrary zero line (say, a line from the North
Pole through Greenwich England) and *distance* from the pole. This works in
two dimensions on a flat map; for three dimensional space, you need two angle
measurements and a distance. For example, I could give the coordinates for
Wolf 359 as "7.19 mark 10.54 mark 7.6" (assuming that *you* know I mean 7.19
dergees declination by 10.54 hours right ascension at a range of 7.6
lightyears with Sol as the zero point).
>From a Federation navigation standpoint, this is probably not far off base,
since Earth is "Sector 001".... <g>
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