Star Trek: Enterprise
"Exile"
Air date: 10/15/2003
Written by Phyllis Strong
Directed by Roxann Dawson
Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan
"Son of a bitch!" — Trip, as the shuttlepod floats away
In brief: Quite respectable, although not transcendent.
"Exile" is a tale of two lonely people — one far lonelier than the other, although the other might be more lonely than she would ever admit to anyone, including herself. The concept reminded me somewhat of Voyager's third-season outing "Alter Ego," in which an alien taps into a holodeck character and through virtual reality becomes enamored with Tuvok. That episode might be more relatable to the real world, since the Internet has turned many of us into virtual conversationalists. "Exile" has more extreme (and ultimately less relatable, since it's clearly a fantasy) implications, because here an alien is able to tap directly into Ensign Sato's mind and read her thoughts.
With all due respect to my guilt-inducing three-star award to last week's all-execution, no-content "Impulse," the hour that is "Exile" is a much better, more rounded, more respectable three-star-rated episode, with actual storytelling and characters and advancement of the larger story arc ... and yet still only a three-star show. Funny how that works. This show is in no danger of transcending its material, although the material itself is clearly better than that in "Impulse."
I guess I have a soft spot for Hoshi. She's probably this series' most down-to-earth character, and seems like someone whom not only might you actually meet in the real world, but would want to. She's a real person with a real-world mix of vulnerability and strength (although she's certainly more brilliant than most when it comes to linguistics), and when there's a show focusing on her (all too rare, I would argue), you can be reasonably certain it will be a worthy character outing and not simply a testosterone-fest where people are thrown into holding cells and then freed in convoluted firefights. "Exile" plays like a throwback of sorts to kinder, gentler Trek, when manners could actually triumph over action sequences, rather than the other way around.
In "Exile," Hoshi is contacted by a telepathic alien who lives a life of seclusion on a desolate world. His mansion stands tall among a landscape of mountains and windy nothingness. The alien's name is Tarquin (Maury Sterling), who first appears on the Enterprise to Hoshi in her mind, leading to a series of familiar Hoshi-themed scenes pointing in the direction of That Darn Hoshi Is Imagining Things Again. These scenes remind us of similar scenes in "Vanishing Point" (a vastly underrated episode, in my opinion), where the only person convinced that something strange is happening here is the victim herself. These scenes are thankfully brief, and not overplayed, allowing us to quickly move forward with the story.
Meanwhile, sensors detect another storm of violent anomalies like the one encountered in "Anomaly," only stronger this time around. T'Pol runs a vector analysis of the distortion fields, or however the technical explanation goes (I draw the line at revisiting technical dialog), which indicates that the mysterious man-made sphere found in "Anomaly" — theorized as the source of the anomalies in that episode — might have a nearby sibling. This is an interesting discovery that plays as good continuity, and it should be noted that the jargon and computer graphics used to explain the discovery come across as straightforward, sensible, and refreshingly plausible. Captain Archer's response to T'Pol's discovery is a genuinely refreshing dose of understated excitement; he's able to show some enthusiasm in seeing a possible piece of the puzzle slide into place. It's nice to see his tone lightened when appropriate.
So the Enterprise briefly detours away from its new destination of this sphere to stop by Tarquin's planet. Tarquin has told Hoshi that he may be able to use his telepathic powers to help the Enterprise crew find the Xindi's homeworld (and, indeed, what he ultimately finds — a colony where part of The Weapon might be under construction — keeps the plot arc moving forward). Tarquin, however, has a very specific interest in Hoshi, and makes it a condition that she remain as his guest while he conducts his telepathic Google search. Meanwhile, the Enterprise ventures ahead to investigate the sphere.
At the crux of "Exile" is that Tarquin, who has been reading Hoshi's mind for several days, has come to know her quite intimately, leaving Hoshi at an extremely uncomfortable disadvantage. Tarquin knows things that she has never admitted to anyone. Furthermore, Tarquin is actually looking for a new companion; after years of loneliness (his previous companions have died of old age), and centuries of exile from a population that expels its telepathic minority, he has found Hoshi, whom he says has a "unique mind."
This begs the question: Isn't Tarquin's telepathic invasion of Hoshi's privacy ... well, just plain creepy? Let me tell you: If someone were reading my thoughts at will and knew things that I'd never confessed to anyone, I'd feel extremely violated, even if it was by a really attractive person who said she wanted to sleep with me (which, by the way, Tarquin is not). Much has been made of this story's "Beauty and the Beast" parallel, but that's not really much of an issue here (aside from Tarquin's seclusion and the fact that he has a nice dining room setup).
It is perhaps a measure of the story's civility, performances, and direction that we accept Tarquin's telepathic invasions at the level that Hoshi does — one of mild, rather than massive, discomfort.
Tarquin, as performed by Sterling, comes across as a well-intended but desperate man in need of a cure to his loneliness. Despite Michael Westmore's intentionally extreme makeup design, we never see Tarquin in anything but emotionally human terms — which is the point here. Given his powers and his predicament, Tarquin is as restrained and benign as he probably can be under the circumstances — and while he becomes aggressive in his attempts to persuade Hoshi to stay with him, he never pushes so far as to turn completely unsympathetic. Hopelessly unrealistic, yes — but not unsympathetic. (Although, the way he threatens the Enterprise at the end is probably pushing us to the limits of our sympathy; I could've done without the jeopardy notion altogether.)
What's also interesting here is that the episode gets into Hoshi's own personal feelings, which Tarquin cites in his efforts to convince her that he has something to offer her. It would seem that Hoshi is somewhat self-isolated; she doesn't feel that she's truly understood by many people and as a result is somewhat closed-off. Linda Park turns in a good performance in an episode where Hoshi listens far more than she's required to take action. She is patient and careful with Tarquin even in the face of what must be sheer awkwardness — sort of like being on a date with someone you are desperately waiting for the right opportunity to feed the line, "Let's just be friends."
It's perhaps worth noting, however, that the episode doesn't venture as far as it could've and perhaps should've. For all of Tarquin's dialog about Hoshi's repressed feelings, Hoshi herself is mostly silent on the subject. I'd have welcomed a reflective coda aboard the ship where Hoshi talks about all this, but we don't get it; the episode would rather scratch the surface of Hoshi's character without venturing too deep into her feelings. It's a bit of a shame. But even though we don't reach quite a satisfactory conclusion, the interaction between Hoshi and Tarquin works because of solid performances. Scenes like the dinner-table scene between Hoshi and this alien-looking but human-seeming person are the types of conceptual scenes that Star Trek is known for.
The B-story also works, and turns out to be of significant story-arc interest. Tucker equips a shuttlepod with Trellium shielding, permitting Archer and Tucker to investigate the sphere in a region where the unprotected Enterprise cannot venture. A mishap disables the shuttle's sensors and forces them to land on the sphere to make quick repairs.
This prompts an admittedly irrelevant but nevertheless great scene that's kind of brilliant in a Three Stooges kind of way. Trying to fix the sensors, Trip inadvertently triggers a thruster on the landed shuttlepod, which then begins to lift away from the surface of the sphere as Trip and Archer look on with surprise. They must then shoot down the shuttle by knocking out the thruster with a phaser beam. My thinking was: This is something I haven't seen before. It's a thoroughly fresh and amusing take on the uh-oh situation, warranting the best yet invocation of the Tuckerian exclamation, "Son of a bitch!" — which pretty much says exactly what needs to be said, and in the best way one could've said it.
T'Pol's subsequent analysis of the shuttle data indicates that these spheres are a part of a vast network of at least 50 spheres throughout the expanse. This conclusion in turn leads to the inevitable and sensible theory that perhaps the entire Delphic Expanse was artificially created by these things. And since this is the prequel to a Star Trek where the Delphic Expanse apparently does not exist, one could conclude that this series will at some point document how the spheres are turned off and the expanse is effectively dismantled. That, I must say, is a pretty neat story idea, with clues set up nicely here and in "Anomaly." Now all they have to do is execute it.
"Exile" represents a good balance between standalone storytelling and advancement of the ongoing story arc. Both story threads work on their own and within the larger context. If "Extinction" was an example of how not to plot this season of Enterprise, then "Exile" is an example of being on the right track.
Next week: A rerun of "The Xindi," and thus a week for me to slack off already.
Previous episode: Impulse
Next episode: The Shipment
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49 comments on this post
Fri, Jul 11, 2008, 9:19pm (UTC -5)
Thu, Jan 7, 2010, 1:39am (UTC -5)
He didnt get paid and all footage of him is of the time he thought he was gonna get paid.
He resigned when it was clear he was never getting any payment.
Thats why he has nothing to do,there simply isnt enough material and they had to strecht the little they had for over 4 years.
Fri, Jul 16, 2010, 12:28pm (UTC -5)
I liked this episode because Linda Park is the sexiest woman in all the Star Trek series. Just one man's opinion. :-)
Mon, Aug 1, 2011, 6:19pm (UTC -5)
Sun, Aug 5, 2012, 3:26am (UTC -5)
She looks like a 12 yo girl...eh, whatever floats your boat I guess. Seven of Nine for me, that's a woman (and Jeri Ryan is an awesome actress).
This episode was throwing off a very strong Beauty and the Beast vibe (each term being relative of course) and it worked for me. I always find it such a disturbing idea if someone could read my thoughts. 99.9% of the things people conjure up in their brains wouldn't be appropriate to be known publicly. Heck sometimes the things I think even scare me and I say to myself "Where the hell did that come from?!"
Mon, Sep 10, 2012, 2:44pm (UTC -5)
Sun, Oct 21, 2012, 10:44pm (UTC -5)
One of the reasons my enjoyment of Voyager dropped was because of Seven. Her character was great as well as her acting but the catsuit had to go. Then Enterprise does the same thing with T'Pol catsuit which became more colorful as if the grey wasn't attention grabbing enough. The show became the Seven of Nine show and Enterprise seems to be the T'Pol show.
I don't blame the actors. I am not sure what the writers, directors, and producers were thinking with this show.
Trying to finish out the series since I made it this far.
Sat, Nov 24, 2012, 7:02pm (UTC -5)
His place reminded me of Trelane's in TOS.
Nice to see Hoshi get a story (and I was kind of hoping she might retain some telepathy, give her something interesting to do apart from translate) and wonderful to learn so much about her... it's really helped to flesh her out. But unfortunately Travis remains a complete unknown apart from his cargo freighter history.
An entertaining hour, and also liking that there's some progress with the arc.
Tue, Jan 1, 2013, 7:47am (UTC -5)
With the A story, I like what they were going for with lonely alien and Hoshi but it just falls flat for me.
I love that mind-reader dude cannot figure out the right things to say to Hoshi. If you could read someone's mind you'd think you'd know what they want to hear and mount a more persuasive argument. The story gives Hoshi and no reason to stay on the planet with this guy, relegating the drama to Voyager-like irrelevance.
Also nice how Hoshi realises pretty early on that this dude is creepy and may be interested in her yet decides to throw on a skimpy dress and heels.
2 stars.
Fri, Jan 4, 2013, 11:55pm (UTC -5)
What was up with her choice of outfits? She knows this guy fancies her. She's has to spend the night at his house for work. It's weird that she would bring sexy outfits and nightclothes. The situation was uncomfortable to begin with, but she escalated it. I can't understand why she got out of uniform.
Sun, May 19, 2013, 4:29pm (UTC -5)
>> I don't blame the actors. I am not sure what the writers, directors, and producers were thinking with this show.
>> I can't understand why she got out of uniform.
The producers were clearly selling sex on this show (and the later Voyager) which was just dumb. But even the original series had sexy girls, you say? Yes. And that was dumb too. Clearly, this approach didn't help either series.
>> She looks like a 12 yo girl
Not.
Thu, May 30, 2013, 12:20pm (UTC -5)
Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 3:42pm (UTC -5)
This ep didn't do much for me either...
Mon, Sep 16, 2013, 6:51pm (UTC -5)
And I guess this is as good a place as any to say that I hate the new version of the theme. As the show gets darker, the theme gets peppier? Mmmkay.
Tue, Nov 26, 2013, 12:12pm (UTC -5)
Fri, Dec 13, 2013, 4:51am (UTC -5)
Anyway: Linda Park is a much better actor, her character has shown minor signs of development and there just seems to be more that the writers can do with her. I agree that Tarquin is presented in a creepy way and there is no way Archer would have let Hoshi stay with him, nor would Hoshi have any reason to do so, especially not if she had to do it with her legs out.
That said, yet again this is an episode which builds a good atmosphere, it's just a shame Tarquin came across so badly as it made the events of the episode seem forced.
Fri, Jan 31, 2014, 9:59pm (UTC -5)
Wed, Jan 28, 2015, 11:49am (UTC -5)
T'Pol: About 75,000 kilometers
Reed: Pfft! Might as well be 75,000 light years!
A subtle hat tip to Voyager there? That's how far from home they were at the beginning of the series.
I'm a Hoshi fan, so 3.5* from me on this one! But I kept thinking "Phantom of the Opera" all the way through it, not "Beauty and the Beast."
Mon, Feb 9, 2015, 6:53pm (UTC -5)
Tue, Apr 7, 2015, 5:55am (UTC -5)
Mon, Jun 22, 2015, 1:39pm (UTC -5)
I agree with Jammer that if the 50 spheres revelation leads to a master artificial design of the Expanse that gets dismantled conclusion, then I'll be happy for continuity's sake and it would make sense then that we had never heard of it before. Let's see what happens...
2.25 stars for this episode.
Sun, Jul 19, 2015, 3:37am (UTC -5)
Yes there were a few juvenile "tee-hee" moments in this series but not nearly to the extent it's made out to be. Sometimes a cigar is, in fact, just a cigar. I guess I just tend to find enjoyment in things because I'm not in a constant state of sexualizing everything I see.
Sat, Jan 9, 2016, 12:24pm (UTC -5)
Yawn.
Still undecided if the problem is a crap character or a crap actress.
Probably a bit of both.
1 star.
Wed, Apr 27, 2016, 1:46pm (UTC -5)
I do like the increased continuity - references to previous episodes are made without context, which at least feels like we're part of a bigger story - and the 50-sphere revelation at the end was a good moment, but the B-story never offered anything else and to me there wasn't much to the A-story either. 2 stars.
Fri, Sep 16, 2016, 9:39pm (UTC -5)
Fri, Apr 7, 2017, 11:50am (UTC -5)
Sun, Apr 16, 2017, 3:32am (UTC -5)
This isn't BAD. I didn't skip it on re-run after the opening scenes, like a Grand Negus episode of DS9 or a Troi's mother episode of TNG - but the main story, like a couple of others lately, was just unremarkable and irrelevant to the main plot, or at very best contrived as a vehicle for the story arc while mainly providing padding.
This is the main problem: the bits of the episode which were actually intrinsically germane to the main story arc are relegated to the episode's B-story. If the episode had been mainly about the Enterprise hunting for the second sphere and subsequent discoveries, with a B-story about Hoshi's telepathic contact with an alien (or anything, really) things may have gone a lot better.
I'm now sadly coming to the conclusion that B&B went into this season under-prepared; that the concept was thrown together near the end of season 2 and not thought through in enough detail to permit the season premise to directly occupy sufficient screentime. Babylon 5 this ain't.
Funny, I have seen this before, and my recollection was that this season was a big improvement. Maybe that's still to come, or maybe I'm thinking of season four. But at the moment, on second viewing, it seems to me that far too much time is being wasted on filler which is either non-essential (this episode) or utterly irrelevant ('Extinction').
Sun, Apr 16, 2017, 4:53am (UTC -5)
Wed, Jun 21, 2017, 4:46pm (UTC -5)
Thu, Nov 9, 2017, 2:09pm (UTC -5)
Lupe makes a good point above; the season DOES seem to be frittering away its potential after a mostly promising start. I've yet to see anything since 'Anomaly' that engages me on a level I would expect from a Star Trek series. I can handle pedestrian storytelling; I put up with plenty of that during Voyager ... for a year or so, anyway. What's really getting on my nerves is the cheesecake. As a man, I don't particularly object to seeing attractive women in silky outfits, but as a Star Trek viewer, I don't need to see that. It's not the reason I'm watching the show and I don't believe for a second that Hoshi would dress like that while staying with some creepy alien she barely knows. Even more so than during Voyager, UPN seemed to think every week was sweeps week and they had to showcase a half-naked woman to grab attention. It's okay now and again, but when they do it in practically every episode it gets old fast. Despite the new storyline, ENT still looks like a series that's drifting in network limbo with no particular reason to exist except that "Star Trek shows get high ratings, so let's do another one."
Fri, Jan 19, 2018, 4:15pm (UTC -5)
Tarquin's mind-reading is definitely creepy, Hoshi gets pissed off about it but not to the extent that I think she should. Surprised Archer doesn't get a testosterone overload and try and intimidate Tarquin only to return with his tail between his legs.
Predictable that the exiled Tarquin would try to convince Hoshi to stay with him. In a way, he reminds me of Flint in "Requiem for Methusalah" with his palatial mansion and old artifacts. Maybe he should learn to build android women. Hoshi wandering around with minimal clothing won't help her cause in his palace.
Of course Tarquin is a tragic figure, but with incredible capabilities. Clever that Hoshi got his magic crystal ball and put an end to his shenanigans, otherwise the Enterprise would be screwed.
Trip/Archer spend some time in the shuttlepod goofing around on the sphere in a minimal B plot. But the important thing is all this intelligence gathering gets them to the conclusion that the whole expanse with its anomalies was artificially constructed with like 50 spheres. That's a pretty cool thing to consider for what aliens have created. ENT is dreaming big with this season-long arc, so that much is good.
2.5 stars for "Exile" -- bit of an unusual episode for ENT with the Tarquin A-plot being a good character exposition for Hoshi. The B-plot is more standard ENT advancing the main arc but with an intriguing conclusion that builds up the scope or scale of what the Enterprise is up against, so that's good.
Mon, Jun 4, 2018, 4:20am (UTC -5)
Oh and everyone who says that Hoshi is 'escalating' the situation through her clothing - please stop it. People's bodies are their own, to dress as suits them. No outfit makes a person act badly. Tarquin's creepy behaviour is entirely on him.
Sat, Jun 9, 2018, 9:21am (UTC -5)
Wed, Jun 27, 2018, 5:26pm (UTC -5)
... Things just became a bit too much when telepathic talents were not enough for Tarquin and had to be added storywise by sort of demi-god powers, as to switch off all energy on a ship in orbit.
A guy with such capabilities and no ambition to take over the ship Archer should make one of his crew members, a win-win-win situation indeed:
(1) Tarquin no longer lonely and has some adventure
(2) Archer gains a joker card working by telepathy and super powers for the mission and maybe beyond (alien lives for hundreds of years)
(3) Hoshi finds time on board to learn to appreciate his character just as he does hers. Without the dire circumstances of the creepy hideout on the planet. I think she was not rejected by his looks, more by his infiltration and obtrusion. He is quick to apologize and withdraw, so there is something to play with....
--
Just some ideas. :) And for whatever reason I don't miss Mayweather content.
Tue, Jan 15, 2019, 5:47pm (UTC -5)
Here we have a powerful but very lonely alien (“Who Mourns for Adonis?”) by himself in a sort of Renaissance/Victorian castle (“Squire of Gothos”) and wanting desperately to win the live of an earthling who won’t be too put off by his possessive nature and the lack of privacy a psychic bond entails (the Companion from “Metamorphosis”). Of course, it’s all inspired by the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast, and the writers made it work within the developing Xindi storyline.
On top of that, we get a story focused on Hoshi, who is an appealing character. I loved this one! It may not be strikingly original, but the pacing, atmosphere, and allusions to familiar stories I enjoyed all made for a very pleasant viewing experience.
Fri, Mar 22, 2019, 11:26pm (UTC -5)
Tue, Dec 17, 2019, 3:57am (UTC -5)
But, this time as soon as I saw Tarquin I was certain it was the same actor who played Laas, the Changeling who tries to talk Odo into abandoning DS9 in 'Chimera'. I would probably still believe this had I not bothered to check.
Mon, Aug 10, 2020, 7:22pm (UTC -5)
Sat, Aug 22, 2020, 4:27pm (UTC -5)
Sun, Dec 6, 2020, 2:50am (UTC -5)
But then again, Hoshi's attitude toward him was standoffish even before he showed this. Odd behaviour on both of them
I think the expanse's perilous conditions are the one thing that to me save continuity. I mean, like the "Briar Patch" of Insurrection, I can see this sector of space not being mentioned before in the sense that why would someone go to it if it is so inhospitable. I like to tell people that I've been all over Canada in my travels. Now obviously, not every time, just like Starfleet would never travel every square meter of even Federation space-there's just to much of it (I mean empty space, not star systems). But still, when I say I've traveled all (most) of Canada, I don't mean Nunavut! Especially the northern islands! So, it is possible Starfleet has never been back here again (or has had a very limited travel thru it)
**Note-like I said, it's been awhile since I've seen this. If the Expanse is cleared or destroyed or something before series finale, disregard all of that**
Sun, Dec 6, 2020, 2:55am (UTC -5)
I also don't understand why people feel uncomfortable if their minds are read. I feel that if someone is doing nothing wrong, it doesn't matter. Actually, that might help some to curb bad thoughts!
Sun, Dec 6, 2020, 3:06am (UTC -5)
--I don't think Tarquin lusted after Hoshi. It was more of a mind thing
--I totally agree about Hoshi's inappropriate attire. But sadly, in the world we live in, it is seen as normal to dress immodestly (look at 7 of 9, and T'Pol-or honestly, look at the way people dress and carry themselves in real life), so it isn't surprising. I will be glad when this changes, but until then, I limit my tv viewing, and just have to endure it
--I agree about Tarquin still being kind of a sympathetic character. I still think that the whole possessive issue could have been left out. And especially the Enterprise in danger threat. That didn't even seem to make sense. Actually, if he was lonely, a much better way of handling it would be to ask the Enterprise crew to take him with them.
--I don't think Hoshi looks 12. Actually, besides Crewman Cutler, I think Hoshi is the prettiest girl on the show (and probably of all 5 shows that I can think of at the moment)
--Someone mentioned Tucker's swearing. I have a program that eliminates bad words. If you want it, let me know!
Mon, Jan 4, 2021, 2:50pm (UTC -5)
"Bad Words"
Tell me, @Sean J Hagins, are you a religitard, or just trolling to be one? Or just a precious oversensitive snowflake?
Wed, Jan 13, 2021, 5:11pm (UTC -5)
I had not thought to connect this episode's theme with the real-world consequences of online dating. Very good catch, and more relevant today in 2021, given the rise of dating apps and social media, than it was when it first aired in 2003.
Today, everyone posts their whole daily lives online to an obscene degree and with often no concept of basic security such as creating unique usernames for each social media platform. This can lead even an...ahem...halfway decent amateur sleuth who knows his way around Google to learn a great deal about almost anyone based on only a first name and a city of residence...much like having Tarquinesque "psychic powers" would. But I digress.
Overall, the episode barely held my interest. It's only value (to me) was in the story lines that can connect to the modern world. I agree Tarquin is a weirdo/incel, and I found his attempts to make us empathize with him only made me despise him more. The confidence in his tone/demeanor when he confronts Hoshi with private information about when she almost left Enterprise early in its mission (and his attempts to connect her decision to stay on Enterprise with the situation he was placing her in) made me clench my jaw. Man, Strong/Dawson knew just what they were doing and who they were mocking with his character's flux between "socially awkward loner" and "overconfident stalker". Well done.
Ultimately, though, for all his powers, Tarquin's been exiled by his society and ends up as alone at the end as he was at the beginning. All he has are his memories of past "successes". A cautionary tale for basement-dwelling redditors and beta males everywhere.
It's always nice when the show holds up a mirror to the worst of their fan base. But will the fan base dare to take a good look?
Sun, Mar 7, 2021, 12:38am (UTC -5)
Wed, Jun 9, 2021, 1:53pm (UTC -5)
In the best of Trek tradition, this episode turns a spotlight on an overlooked and even easily derided aspect of the human condition. While we feel relieved for "the Beauty" Hoshi, we cannot but feel the plight of "the Beast" Tarquin yearning for some company. The fairy story has a real-world ending, and just like the real world, the ending is pre-ordained making the pathos more palpable.
= = = =
@Leif: Yes, it was not obvious that the spheres are causing the Delphic expanse. Especially because of the livable-but-deserted-space-station that the first sphere was shown to be. It suddenly makes the Delphic expanse exciting (much more than the cardboard-villainish Xindi).
Sat, Jun 12, 2021, 3:12am (UTC -5)
As for the shuttlepod scene. I thought it was poor visual effects plus I was scratching my head. Did the sphere have gravity? If not, disabling the thruster wouldn't bring it back to the sphere; the pod would keep moving in the direction it was heading. Guessing I missed that detail about the sphere as no one else has mentioned it.
Thu, Aug 26, 2021, 7:07pm (UTC -5)
* No gravity - the shuttle wouldn't have come back after they shot the thruster.
* Gravity - the shuttle would've spun/rolled around on the ground while the thruster was doing its thing, since the thruster was on the side of the shuttlepod.
Thu, Nov 4, 2021, 8:45pm (UTC -5)
g = G*M/R^2
where
G - is the Universal Gravitational Constant
M - is the total mass of the body
R - is the radius of the body (in this case 19km /2 = 9.5 km)
The total mass is
M = rho*V
where
rho - is the density of the body
V - is the volume of the body
In this case V = 4/3*pi*R^3 (volume of a sphere)
Substitute rho*V in for M in the first equation, and you get
g = (4/3)*pi*rho*R
So all we need to know is the radius and *density* of the sphere. We know the spheres are hollow, so they are probably less dense than a rocky planet like Earth. But we can use Earth density as an overestimate. The radius of the sphere is 9.5 km (compared to Earth's 6400 km radius. So if you feel 1g on Earth's surface, you'd feel on the surface of the sphere
(9.5 / 6400)g = 0.0015g
So based on normal physics, the sphere surface gravity is only 0.15% of gravity on Earth's surface, or less than 1/600 of what it is on Earth. If you weigh 200 lbs on Earth, you'd weigh less than 1/3 of lb (i.e. 5 oz) on this sphere. You'd be effectively weightless in the vicinity of this body. The people shouldn't have been able to walk around on its surface, let alone the shuttlepod 'falling' back down after the thruster stopped firing.
Of course, in the story the spheres generate gravitational (or "gravimetric") distortions, so I"m sure some fans will just handwave this away by saying that the sphere was generating artificial gravity greater than just the gravity associated with its mass alone. :p
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