--- Natasa Tucev wrote:
For a while, I toyed with the idea that Blake did spend some time pre-series working for the military. I gave this up, because I think there's no way he'd be able to stand the discipline, but where did he acquire his considerable military skills? Where did he learn to be such an excellent strategist, fight space-battles (Duel and Hostage), improvise weapons and quarter the area looking for the enemy (Duel), build a fire (Time Squad)...?
I agree with Jacqui - Blake would have learnt the outdoor stuff on Exbar.
As far as being an excellent strategist goes he wouldn't necessarily have needed military training. Off the top of my head I can think of half a dozen great military strategists who didn't go to staff colleges - The Emperor Julian, Cromwell, Garibaldi, Trotsky. In fact I seem to recall that when I studied German History, one of the reasons suggested for Hitler's initial military success was that whilst the allies had been taught at staff college that they should dig trenches and set up machine gun posts, Hitler had been impressed by some bright young thing who had advocated the use of tanks. De Gaulle made a simillar suggestion in the 1930s which was pooh-poohed by the French military establishment.
The predictability of Travis strategy in Duel and the too intricate attack pattern in Hostage could be taken as suggesting that Federation Space Command was the equivalent of 1930s Sandhurst, whereas Blake not being shacked by recieved wisdom was free to invent strategies that actually worked.
Incidentally, I suspect Avon of having a military background. He knows about ciphers and explosives and his demeanour in Project Avalon reminds me of a staff officer briefing his CO (he also knows about guns). I suspect that he worked in military intelligence but didn't see active service (hence his remark to Jenna in Cygnus Alpha). He is also adept with a gun, despite his inexperience, which is consistent with his being trained but not having fired a shot in anger before the business with the visa sellers.
Stephen.
____________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.yahoo.co.uk or your free @yahoo.ie address at http://mail.yahoo.ie