The Hero's Companion (The Hunter Legacy) Read online

  An IR is the only anti-ship missile which can target and kill another missile.

  Or it was until the Mosquito system was developed. Designed to be an anti-missile missile, it is guided to its target by the same sort of guidance system used by the IR, but programmed by an AI. It can be launched individually, or one hundred at a time. The full firing takes a top of the line AI a full second to fully target to one hundred incoming missiles.

  Holographic systems

  Holographic systems were thought of as far back as the twentieth century. However, it wasn't until the twenty fifth century they became a reality. These days, almost anything can be duplicated holographically. After implanted PC's became popular, the holo tech was added to them, giving a person the ability to dispense with all forms of solid input and output mechanisms. The interesting thing is however, the original solid forms were never fully replaced, as many people still prefer to touch something. Hence pads are still commonly used, as are wall screens.

  Prophesy and the Keepers

  Little is known of the Prophesy called the "Coming of Darkness". A small group of reclusive people, calling themselves the 'Keepers', are custodians to prophesy, and guard its secrets.

  The first sign of this 'coming of darkness', is the birth of a child named Jonathon Hunter, to the family of the Hunter who captained the first explorer vessel from Earth, in the twenty first century.

  The second sign is the suffering of a recurring nightmare of the first coming of darkness.

  To date, there have been four Jonathon Hunters born, several hundred nightmare sufferers, and yet prophesy hasn’t been fulfilled.

  Further information has not been forthcoming from the Keepers.

  It is also not known why Prophesy the verb is used more often than not, instead of Prophecy the noun. Presumably, only the Keepers can explain this discrepancy.

  Amanda, Jane, and Sarah

  Amanda (Tapping) was the first name of the actor to play Sam Carter in the tv series Stargate SG1, and Helen Magnus in Sanctuary. She is one of the author's favorite actors.

  Jane was the middle name of Sarah Jane Smith, from the square screen tv series Doctor Who, now known as Classic Who.

  Sarah came from the same name.

  Walter Harriman

  Walter Harriman was a tech sergeant in the flat screen tv series Stargate SG1, responsible for the operation of the Earth Stargate.

  Breakfast

  The character Biggles, by W E Johns, never ate breakfast, as he said, he performed better on an empty stomach.

  The author also rarely eats breakfast, and food first thing in the morning quite often makes him feel queasy.

  Suzy Hurndall

  Suzy was the name of a lost child, a repeating message when docked at an X-Universe station, in the computer games X2 and X3, by Egosoft.

  Hurndall was the surname of the actor who played the first Doctor Who in the series The Five Doctors, as Richard Hartnell, the actor who played the first doctor, had passed away well before this time.

  Express Elevator to Hell, Going DOWN!

  From the square screen movie "Aliens".

  Centurion

  The Centurion was a heavy fighter in the computer game Wing Commander Privateer, one of 3 player flyable ships.

  Gunbus, Camel

  The Gunbus was one of World War One's first fighter craft, made by the British. It was a biplane, had a propeller at the rear, and a single gun at the front.

  The Camel was one of the best British fighters during World War One, a conventional biplane, with 2 fixed guns firing through the propeller.

  Talon

  The Talon was a light fighter, used by pirates and retros, in the computer game Wing Commander Privateer.

  Excalibur

  The Excalibur was a heavy fighter in the computer game Wing Commander 3, Heart of the Tiger, which was the first space based computer game to merge computer graphics with real actors. The player in the cut scenes was played by Mark Hamill, of Star Wars fame.

  Excalibur was also the name of the legendary sword wielded by King Arthur.

  By your command

  The response of a Cylon Centurion when given orders, in the original square screen Battlestar Galactica.

  Confirmed

  The response to being given an order, by the Zen computer of the space ship Liberator, in the square screen tv series Blakes 7.

  Mutant Ninja Turtle at the pizza counter

  From the square screen movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, whose favourite food is pizza.

  Jake the Peg

  Jake the Peg is a song by singer Rolf Harris. It tells the story of a man with three legs. He is generally portrayed as Rolf Harris looked at the time the song was first performed, with curly hair and full beard, plastic glasses on his face, and wearing a full brown trench-coat. The third leg was usually a wooden leg mock-up with sock and boot matching the other two worn, operated by the left arm, from within the trench-coat.

  Smith, Peck, BA, Murdock

  The A-Team.

  Colonel Hannibal Smith, Lieutenant Templeton 'Faceman' Peck, Sergeant Bosco 'BA' Baracas, and Captain 'Mad Dog' Murdock.

  One of the most popular square screen tv shows in the early 1980's, which ran for four and a half seasons. A prequel flat screen movie was made in 2010.

  Avatar

  The word may have been used later on, mainly because the author didn’t feel confident enough to use it now, given current associations of the name to a movie and his early copyright uneasiness, but it fits into the story here, where my avatar body was first created.

  The flat screen 3D movie of the same name, used the concept to join a human mind to a second body, which was called an Avatar.

  The word itself has been widely used, originating with the Hindu definition given in a later book.

  The author first came across its use as the name of a main character, in a computer game in the 1990's. He tried to play it, but was hopeless at it.

  This was later followed by the animated series Avatar - the Last Airbender, where the Avatar was the only person able to bend (magically use) all four elements (air, water, earth, and fire), and was thus a powerful being who tried to keep balance on his planet. Basically a different form of magic, and the most powerful practitioner of it. One interesting concept here, was all Avatars had a connection to all previous Avatars. But the connection went backwards, not forwards. All the same, something bound all the Avatars together, thus the name use does tie in with most other name uses.

  In the 2000's, the flat screen series Andromeda used a robotic body made to look like the projected image of the ship's AI. This was later developed to ensure balance of the AI, making it essential for ship AI, projection, and Avatar to all agree with a course of action, since they were all to some extent autonomous, while not. It was demonstrated several times that the Avatar could be completely autonomous from the ship, but was still the same entity.

  In the context used in this series, the core requirement is the Avatar is only an offshoot of the central controlling AI. Me.

  And since we are talking about me, it should be pointed out that I am software, using remote hardware. Were Jon to build an android like say Star Trek's Data, it would not be an Avatar, but an android.

  My new body, received on earth in the future, is still an Avatar, although the distinction between Avatar and Android is now blurred. While the Avatar is independent, it still is me the software, remotely using unique hardware.

  The distinction becomes apparent when coms are down, or an Avatar is out of coms range. Each Avatar becomes autonomous when it has to. When coms or direct contact are reestablished, the experiences of all, are reintegrated in all, so me stays me, only updated.

  Hunted Hero Hunting

  Sergeant Allen

  Name from a character in the square screen tv series Babylon 5, who was a security chief.

  One hand, Other hand, Gripping hand…

  From the book The Mote in Gods Eye, based on an al
ien with three arms. Two arms on one side, with fingers for detail work, and a single arm on the other side for gripping and lifting. The 'gripping hand' forms the early theme in the sequel, The Moat Around Murcheson's Eye.

  Jon's explanation: "Three armed alien, from a book I once read. It stuck in my mind, and it comes out whenever there are three options. The alien had two arms on one side of the body, both with tool using hands, and a single much larger arm on the other side, fitted with a gripping hand for heavy lifting. One hand," I waved my right hand high, "other hand," I waved my right hand low, "gripping hand," I balled my left hand into a fist."

  The author uses this quite regularly.

  Who

  The flat screen tv series Doctor Who, 2004 first remake version (New Who), which carried on where Classic square screen Who left off, which began in 1964.

  Centaur

  The Centaur is a Corvette sized ship in the X-Universe games by Egosoft, beginning with X2, and redesigned for each of the X3 trilogy. It was used by the author as the basis for Gunbus in the books. The image on some of the covers is from X3: Albion Prelude.

  266 Squadron

  266 was the squadron Biggles flew with during World War One, according to the Biggles books written by W E Johns. Biggles was short for James Bigglesworth. There was a book called 'Biggles of 266'.

  Algernon Lacey

  Algy Lacey was cousin to Biggles, and also flew in 266 squadron during WW1. He continued to be a companion for Biggles through the entire book series.

  Melissa Gordon

  Melinda Gordon was the name of the Ghost Whisperer.

  Melissa Gilbert played the wife of one of the main characters in the square screen tv series Babylon 5. But is better known for the square screen tv series Little House on the Prairie.

  Exterminate

  "For a moment, she turned into a familiar pepper-pot shape, swiveled the eye stalk in my direction and fired her gun at the view screen."

  What else, but a Dalek, from Doctor Who.

  What is thy bidding my master?

  Yes, my master

  Darth Vader: Square screen movie Empire Strikes Back.

  I'm sorry master,

  The Slave computer on the ship Scorpio: Blakes 7, series 4. It had been deliberately designed to be obsequious and constantly apologizing.

  Stopping it

  Richard, the long suffering husband of Hyacinth Bucket, in the square screen tv series Keeping up Appearances.

  Firefly

  Small freighter used by the crew of the square screen tv series of the same name. One of the few times when audience pressure resulted in a flat screen movie follow on, after the premature cancellation of a series, which later went on to achieve cult status.

  Privateer Laws

  Loosely based from the Vatta's War book series, by Elizabeth Moon.

  Trading Guild profit sharing

  Loosely based from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper book series trading rules, by Nathan Lowell.

  Amy Allen

  Journalist from the 1980's square screen tv series, A-Team.

  Sar

  The Golden Age of the Solar Clipper book series, by Nathan Lowell.

  The square screen movie, The Fifth Element.

  Roger Wilco

  The 80's square screen tv show Mash. As in 'Roger Wilco Hawkeye slob-san'. One of those things the author finds can never be forgotten.

  tall metal robot

  Cyberman from Doctor Who, 2004 remake series.

  'old British' Butler

  Inspired by the Doorbot in the computer game, Starship Titanic, by Douglas Adams.

  Norman Bates

  From the novel and square screen movie Psycho. The author couldn’t resist.

  I love it when a plan comes together!

  Favourite saying of Colonel Hannibal Smith, from the 1980's square screen tv series A-Team.

  Often used by the author.

  Cat Ball

  For many years, the author sold these as a retailer. They were named Weasel Ball.

  Bad Wolf

  From the Doctor Who reboot in 2004 (New Who). Season One had a recurring theme, where everywhere they went, Bad Wolf was written somewhere.

  Orion Heavy Bounty Hunter

  One of the player ships in the computer game Wing Commander Privateer. The only good thing about it was its thick armour, which was actually useless as long before the armour was breached, all the key systems were destroyed, meaning you couldn’t escape, or fight. The only use this ship had, was delaying the inevitable when you screwed up. It was like the game was punishing you for choosing a completely useless ship.

  I'll be back

  The classic line, said in a deep voice, from the square screen movie Terminator.

  The author uses this all the time.

  Retro

  From the computer game, Wing Command Privateer.

  Mustang

  The Mustang was the best fighter for the Americans in World War 2.

  Daniel O'Neil

  From two characters in Stargate SG1. Daniel Jackson and Jack O'Neill. O'Neil with one l, because in the series, the character makes a point of there being two, and we didn’t want the character to be mistaken for him.

  Send in the Hero

  Ship sizes

  Order of ship sizes, according to Jon: "Corvettes were the smallest type of Capital Ship. Frigates were bigger. Next up again was the Destroyer, with Cruiser bigger again. Beyond that were Battleships and Carriers, but there weren't many of them, since there was little need for them."

  Cave Troll

  From flat screen Lord of the Rings, part 1. Boromir is closing the door to try to keep the Orcs out, when he says "… and oh look, they have a cave troll!"

  Not even home and vigorously toweling off

  From the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams.

  Horse racing

  From the Heris Serrano trilogy, by Elizabeth Moon, which mixes Space Opera with Horse.

  Also from reading Dick Francis novels, which all have a horse theme.

  Ten decimal places

  From the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. Eddie the shipboard computer offers to analyze their personality problems to ten decimal places.

  Darius Jedburgh

  Jedburgh was a character in the miniseries square screen Edge of Darkness, which was also adapted into a flat screen movie.

  Stiletto

  Call sign of one of the female pilots in the computer game Wing Commander Prophesy.

  Maniac

  The original Maniac was Lieutenant Todd Marshall, whose first appearance was in the computer game Wing Commander 2, as an 18 year old kid straight out of flight school. There was something quite mad about him. The character lasted all the way through to Wing Commander Prophesy (5), and was played from 3 on by Tom Wilson, as comedy relief. "Chalk one up for the Maniac" was his kill statement.

  Cluster

  The cluster of ships has been used a number of times in computer games. Early on in Wing Commander Prophesy, and later in X2 and the X3 trilogy.

  Computer networking

  A central theme in the remake of Battlestar Galactica. The Cylons were able to disable Colonial ships through Wi-Fi network connections. Galactica survived because she had no networking of any kind, and Pegasus survived because her networks were all down at the time of the attack.

  What this is that?

  And variations. The author uses phrases like these in real life. A lot.

  Doh!

  The favourite expression of Homer Simpson. The author used this expression as a substitute to teach himself not to swear, during his spiritual healing phase.

  Oh my giddy aunt

  This was a favourite saying of the second Doctor Who, played by Patrick Troughton.