posted
I would guess that 'Z' probably refers to rotation around the Z axis...
------------------ "Back in the 14th century, stair-stepping to the oldies was not considered manly." -John Scalzi, on the longbow as the best weapon of the second millennium
posted
And more specifically, Z refers to rotation around the vertical axis of the ship, not of the galaxy.
So what Valeris was doing was to turn the ship to starboard five degrees without banking or otherwise twisting the ship. A sensible maneuver, and one where it is more practical to use specific instructions like this than to simply give a heading in XXX mark YYY and let the computer select a suitable attitude (as Dax quoted from the TNG TM).
The XXX mark YYY system should be reserved for headings and bearings, with fine maneuvering and attitude control either 1) left to the computer, 2) handled by the helmsman in silence, without micromanaging from the captain or 3) directed using command language radically different from the XXX mark YYY nomenclature, to avoid confusion.
posted
Of course, the writers apparently don't know sometimes what the x mark Y system even is. Like when the Y value is between 90 and 270. Or when either of the numbers is greater than 360...
"Ensign, set a course of 875 mark 0. Mabe spinning the ship around a few times will confuse them..."
------------------ "'...This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased. Deny it!' cried the Spirit stretching out its hand towards the city. 'Slander those who tell it ye! Admit it for your factious purposes, and make it worse. And abide the end!'" -Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
Saltah'na
Chinese Canadian, or 75% Commie Bastard.
Member # 33
posted
In Star Trek VI, Chang's BoP launched a torpedo from below the Enterprise, which rose up and smashed vertically into the Enterprise Saucer Section. Which meant that the BoP was at a 90-degree angle to the Enterprise.
*I always loved that shot.....*
------------------ I can resist anything....... Except Temptation
posted
Or the torp could've altered course so that it would hit the flat side of the saucers. But this was a battle condition so all the ships were likely moving around alot. It's probably a combination of the two.
posted
This thread especially the bits about Star Trek: VI has made me remember Kirk's Line back up back UP! and the E reverses... and the klingons wonder if they have been spotted... it strikes me as ironic - it was this OPPOSITE mentality that got Kirk out of the clutches of Kahn... or this linear nature i.e. forward and reverse that got Kahn killed.
------------------ "Its a CLOCK!" - Sisko, "Dramatis Personae" DS9.
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