From: gt0754b@prism.gatech.EDU (John Richard Deyonke)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.starwars
Subject: Re: Update to Falcon In Tractor Beam
Keywords: how's this explanation?
Date: 27 Aug 92 06:35:47 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

In article <1992Aug27.052344.5840@udel.edu> darkstar@pecan.cns.udel.edu (The Janitor Of Anarchy) writes:
>Well, you could argue that what you see is the outside of the where 
>the escape shuttles are released.  Think of the round part as being
>a door or something that slides open.  (It may be stretching it, but
>we'll take some liberties, after all, the force is with us...)  Now,
>Han could be bold enough to actually fly around without any escape
>pods, after all the Falcon is as much a part of his as his arm.  Or,
>the pods could be rigged so that they appear to have been ejected.
>Now, I assume that Han has that bogus "ejected" log as a prefabricated
>precaution.

I can actually agree with the thought that the door or compartment slides
open and the pod is ejected that way, then the door shuts (let's say
so that the rest of the ship doesn't lose pressure and oxygen)
This would let me sleep easier with what the RPG says about the pods.
This doesn't contradict anything in the RPG about the MF.      
So we are making progress.  And no I wouldn't say we're stretching it.
Especially after I took another liberty to explain why the thing would
want to slide shut again.

I also like the idea that Han has the logs rigged for all kinds of scenarios
and with minimal effort he can create just what he needs.

I also like your thought that he could rig the pods so that they look 
like they've been ejected.  I can buy that.  And I know Han could do it.
Maybe that's part of his contingency plans with the scenarios we 
discussed above.  

Thinking further, I can see how Han can have everything rigged for any
scenario: fuel line problem, airlock problem, weapons problem,
hyperdrive problem :) :) :)  or whatever.  Then he can talk to the 
authorities and appear to be honest about his ship problems.  As I 
recall in the Zahn books, Chewbacca does exactly this to get out
of a jam with the authorities at one point.
(Can someone refresh my memory on the specifics?)

So we're 99% through with the arguement.  The "escape pod" line works,
the Imperials aren't complete idiots (Han has tricked them by rigging
the pods to appear to have blown) He had me fooled too.
There never is any pod blown so the Imperials don't detect it and
assume the log entry might be right since no pods came in with the MF
on the tractor beam.  They check the pods and they look blown. Great.
But for a  pod to look like it's blown  the pod must be gone.
So Han must've taken it out.  


Now the $64 question:
Does Han have the guts to fly around in his line of work with no
escape pods?       

I'll take a poll.  Responses appreciated.

If Yes then my questions are answered and I feel better.
I enjoy getting writers off the hook when serious fans think of
a saving reason for their possible storytelling mistakes. 

If No then we're close but there's still more thinking to do.
Who agrees with all this so far?


Jay

P.S.  An A+ to the Janitor of Anarchy for his response to a question that
I've had for 14 years.


-- 
John Richard Deyonke
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
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