From: lazarus@ug.cs.dal.ca (Chuck Turner)
Subject: Babylon 5/Ambassador of the Shadows
Keywords: gif pictures
Organization: Math, Stats & CS, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 10:55:53 GMT


In article <63946@cup.portal.com> Edward_Lee_Whiteside@cup.portal.com writes:
>The BABYLON 5 Frequently Asked Questions List
>
>Updated 8/12/92
>
>Compiled by Lee Whiteside
>
>
>Section II: The Babylon 5 Universe
>
>1.  What is Babylon 5 about?
>
>     BABYLON 5 is a five-kilometer-long space station in neutral space
>more or less central to all five of the different alliances, human or
>alien.  To get to one or the other, you have to pass through this sector
>of space.  Thus, Babylon 5 has been created as a sort of port-of-call for
>travelers, statesmen, emissaries, traders, refugees and other, less
>savory characters.  Five kilometers long and two kilometers wide, Babylon
>5 is divided into separate, discreet sections that rotate at differing
>speeds to provide different gravities to accommodate those who come to
>the station.  There are also sections with alternate atmospheres.
>
>     The station boasts living quarters, customs areas, docking bays,
>meeting areas, a casino, several bars/nightclubs, command and control
>spheres fore and aft, and a decent defensive grid.  In addition, each of
>the various federations has one official representative aboard the
>station (with the station's commander representing the Earth Alliance),
>so that it also functions as a sort of mini-U.N.
>
>     It is home to humans and aliens in various roles, some arriving or
>departing every day, others working there full-time.  They live on the
>very edge of the frontier, in the sense that if they get into trouble,
>there's no one who can arrive in time to help them.  Because of the
>nature of the travelers, they bring their stories with them to Babylon
>5 rather than having to seek them out.  The stories are of people in
>flight, seeking sanctuary; stories of smugglers, assassins, traders,
>mappers, dignitaries and others, all on urgent missions of one sort or
>another.
>

Hmmm...this description of the station sounds suspiciously similar to the
station described in the Valerian Graphic Novel AMBASSADOR OF THE SHADOWS,
in all respects other than size.  The station (the name of which escapes
me at the moment) was in neutral space basically central to all of the
alien races; was composed of sections for each race; and acted as a 
diplomatic centre to arbitrate disputes between the races...and was
currently governed by the Earth ambassador. 

Once again proving that there just aren't any original ideas left out there
worth exploring.  Well, I still wish you the best of luck, even if I won't be
able to see the finished product up here in Canada.

						Chuck

 _______________________________________ 
|                                       | '..err..of course I suck blood.' 
| "--whether you are quiet and ALIVE or | 'I don't believe you.' 
| quiet and DEAD makes no difference to | 'I've got a straw right here PAL! 
| Cerebus."                             |  You want a demonstration?!'
|       - Cerebus the Aardvark          |                   - The Tick 
|_______________________________________| Chuck Turner -> lazarus@ug.cs.dal.ca