"The Enterprise in Babylon"

Star Trek/Babylon 5 Crossover Rules & Guidelines

by

The Editor: UK Atheist & Science E-Zine

(based on a concept by Julian Cook)

Rules

1. Some ship vessels cannot be destroyed. This applies in particular to the USS Enterprise and EAS Babylon 5 but may also apply to others.
2. Certain characters may not be killed or permanently injured, others may be killed or injured if a particular plot justifies it. Characters which may not be killed include:
   • Jon-Luc Picard: Captain, USS Enterprise
   • William Riker: Second-in-Command, USS Enterprise
   • Deanna Troi: Empath, United Federation of Planets
   • Data: Commander, United Federation of Planets
   • Beverly Crusher: Surgeon, United Federation of Planets
   • John Sheridan: President, Interstellar Alliance
   • Delenn: Council Member, Interstellar Alliance
   • Susan Ivanova: Commander, EAS Babylon 5
   • Stephen Franklin: Surgeon, Earth Alliance
   • G'Kar: Council Member, Interstellar Alliance
   • Molari: Council Member, Interstellar Alliance
3. The Enterprise crew & ship are those that exist just following the film "First Contact". To put this in perspective:
   • The ship is the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E.
   • The story begins approximately 1 year following that film.
4. The Babylon 5 station & crew are those that exist at the end of series 4. To put this in perspective:
   • The Earth Civil War has just ended
   • Sheridan and Delenn are married and on their way back to Babylon 5
   • Garibaldi & Alexander are returning to Babylon 5 from Mars
   • B5 command crew (at the time of the Enterprise's arrival) is Ivanova, Franklin, Corwin & Allen.
5. The journey from Federation universe to Babylon 5 is one way. There is NO way back.

1. All known Federation technologies are fully functional in the B5 universe, however some may have surprising effects (plot devices - Ed!).
2. The Enterprise crew will be forced to adapt or invent technologies already familiar in the B5 universe in order to function as part of that universe. Some of these devices may not function as well as those native to B5 others may function as well, if not better.
3. Federation and B5 technologies will be, in many ways, incompatible but only for historical reasons. The following factors should be noted:
   • In physical & chemical terms the Federation & Babylon 5 universes are identical i.e. Hyperspace exists in Federation space but has never been discovered, warp drive is theoretically possible for B5 ships but, again, have never been developed.
   • The Enterprise is from a Federation universe some 120 years ahead of the B5 timeline.
   • The Federation & B5 universes share common history up to and including the year 2010.
   • The Federation & B5 universes have had 400 & 300 years respectively to develop along different timelines.
   Whilst many things are possible in terms of co-operation, logic dictates that complex Federation equipment would be relatively incompatible with that of B5. However, concepts and ideas can freely cross the tech barrier.
4. Despite claims, implied or otherwise, to the contrary (see "The Technology of Babylon 5, Part 1" and "The Technology of Babylon 5, Part 2" ) the Enterprise NCC-1701-E is an extremely powerful ship. Although smaller than many of its B5 counterparts it carries 7.2MW phaser strips & a full load of Quantum torpedoes. It is faster in normal space and has warp drive, it can track Minbari ships (whether in stealth mode or not) and, planet killers excepted, match any ship so far seen in the B5 series. Whether realistic or not (and we believe it is) it IS neccessary as a plot device.

1. Picard and Sheridan will disagree with each other on a number of key issues but (our opinion) they will like each and respect each other.
2. Troi will find that her empathic abilities have increased. One idea we've been bouncing around is that she might develop defensive & hallucinatory capabilities equivalent to, or greater than, a Psi-Corps P12 which, unlike other B5 "teeps", she will be able to spread to shield others from telepathic attack.
   Note: that her ability to attack telepathically is limited ... at most she would rate P2 or 3 in this respect.

1. Whilst not specifically ruling it out as a plot mechanism, unless expressly agreed by the UK Atheist editorial team no other Federation characters or constructs will transfer into the Babylon 5 universe.

"The Enterprise in Babylon" is a scenario for which we hope our readers will submit stories in the form of individual chapters. We have three, maybe four, chapters already under wraps and are looking for submissions further on in the story.

As the story is a sequential one in which it is possible that reasonably well-known, though not major, characters might die and events change the idea we have in mind is that readers will submit to us a short set of plot-points for a story which we will review. If it is acceptable (or close) we will reply giving you a chapter number, stardates & dates, minor modifications (e.g. such and such doesn't exist ... it was destroyed in Chapter "x") and a deadline (these deadline's are to keep the story moving ... we cannot afford to delay if Chapter "x+1" is wriiten but cannot piblish because Chapter "x" is two weeks late). If not we will tell you why not and, if possible, make suggestions that might help you.

We want to keep this procedure as informal as possible ... we do not wish to handicap any of our submitting authors, however we do need to protect the scenario and keep the story moving ahead as rapidly as possible.

1. Submit (to UK Atheist's Editor) a rough plot for a chapter (say around half a page to a full page of A4 or US Letter text).
2. UK Atheist will send back either "go ahead" or a constructive criticism.
3. Submitting authors writes the story around "plot points" (see "Plot Only") as agreed.
4. UK Atheist approves it and agrees to publish it.

Plot Only