Black Lance Questions

[PSJaguar]

Thank you all for the replies. Much to consider and re-consider.

Initially, the detachment on the Lexington was simply studying captured Kilrathi technology (think a future equivalent of Operation Lusty). There were fifteen-odd Kilrathi fighters and a squadron of Hellcat and Thunderbolt testbeds.

They were studying a variety of Kilrathi technologies. One that's mentioned is a device in the wing root of a Dralthi that channels energy directly from the ships drives to its weapons. They did have 'Black Hellcats', which were a sort of precursor to the Lances (but of course the matte black paint schemes *were* Confederation colors...).

Do you think this was really true, though? I've always wondered if this was no-more than a cover story to tell Eisen right before they turned him away from the door. I don't doubt they had some Kilrathi tech, like that Dralthi IV wing-root they conveniently wheeled out to the other bay to run diagnostic scans on, but do you really think there were 15 Cat fighters and twice that in testbeds mingled in with The Project's stuff?

The detachment on the Princeton was to be ferried to Axius, but it was flying combat missions in the interim (including, possibly, the gen-select attack on Telamon).

Really? Not to say I doubt you, but what source has them flying combat missions? I can't seem to find any mention of Project forces taking part in the battle at Speradon, where you think they would have at least launched in defense of the Princeton.

Would that be Hellcats with black paintjobs or 'Black' Hellcats with experimental weaponry etc?

I haven't read the novel.

By all appearances, they were stock Hellcat frames in a matte black scheme. I don't think they had any markings, either.

 

[Bandit LOAF]

True, I did hear that, and that the Lance may have in fact outperformed the already-powerful Excalibur. Still, do we know where its Dragon moniker comes from?

Yes, it was the "usual" callsign for the fighters (according to Pliers). Think 'Dragon Flight' made up of 'Dragon 1', 'Dragon 2', 'Dragon 3', etc.

Do you think this was really true, though? I've always wondered if this was no-more than a cover story to tell Eisen right before they turned him away from the door. I don't doubt they had some Kilrathi tech, like that Dralthi IV wing-root they conveniently wheeled out to the other bay to run diagnostic scans on, but do you really think there were 15 Cat fighters and twice that in testbeds mingled in with The Project's stuff?

I don't think there's any indication that it *isn't* true; Eisen says he isn't allowed onto the other deck, but he seems to have full knowledge of what's going on and (in terms of 'how' he tells Blair) the equipment being used. (I would also assume that transporting three squadrons of fighters aboard and then operating them off a carrier isn't something that can be a secret from the captain -- anyone in the conning tower is going to see those testbeds and Kilrathi ships coming and going, even if it's a classified project that reports directly to Tolwyn; think Flash and the Excalibur in WC3).

I think, narratively speaking, the point there isn't that the research is covering up anything but that it's connecting a more vast conspiracy to Tolwyn. At this point in the novel we've already been told that the mystery fighters have "Kilrathi style" cloaking devices and that the Vesuvius is integrating Kilrathi technology... we're supposed to connect everything to Tolwyn. (The book has a few POINT AT TOLWYN threads like this, some more obvious than others--like how both Blair and Seether have an inner monologue that Tolwyn/'the old man' (respectively) call convincing their subordinates of things 'come to Jesus conversations'.)

Really? Not to say I doubt you, but what source has them flying combat missions? I can't seem to find any mention of Project forces taking part in the battle at Speradon, where you think they would have at least launched in defense of the Princeton.

When they board the Princeton, Ellison tells Blair that the mystery pilots "ran a bunch of missions off the starboard deck while we were officially still on training cycles".

 

[Mancubus]

The official name is the F-107 Lance.

Calling the organization the 'Black Lance' is a similar nickname, which comes from the fighter (and its classified nature). A more proper name would be the 212th Special Operations Squadron... or (in the novel) 'The Project' (capitalized as a proper name).

I haven't read the novel but in his speach in Axius base (in game) Tolwyn directly calls them "(...)you, the Black Lance(...)"

 

[Quarto]

I haven't read the novel but in his speach in Axius base (in game) Tolwyn directly calls them "(...)you, the Black Lance(...)"

That's correct - the game does differ in this regard to the novel. The game always refers to the organisation as the Black Lance, and their ships as the Dragons.

However, while I do think the author of the novel deserves a really, really solid beating for pointlessly confusing us all with the changed organisation name and ship name, at least he provided an explanation that allows us to accept both novel and game as being more or less correct and non-contradictory.

 

[Bandit LOAF]

However, while I do think the author of the novel deserves a really, really solid beating for pointlessly confusing us all with the changed organisation name and ship name, at least he provided an explanation that allows us to accept both novel and game as being more or less correct and non-contradictory.

More than that, there's a story out there that I want to know. Very few people remember, but the Wing Commander IV novelization was actually delayed some months due to Origin requesting changes in what was supposed to be the finished version... so what the heck was the original version like?!