F is for Forensics

(Post 6 on my WIP)

Just because these cops can travel through time, it doesn’t mean they don’t need to follow usual police procedures. As part of my research (and also just because I love studying, with The Open University in general) I took an Elements of Forensic Science Course. Just to show how good I would be at this if it was my career – I thought the hair on the front cover of the book was real and tried to pick it off – doh.
My mate Stacey over at It Takes a Woman had studied the course previously and Jay over at Jay’s Insight decided to take it at the same time as me – we even did some study together. The Forensics teacher in ‘Training Time’ I’ve called Dr Jaylin Stacey after the two of them. Not sure if they picked up on that when beta reading.

Kristin Scott Thomas could rock Dr Jaylin Stacey’s silver plait (Image from imdb.com).

….
I hope to integrate some of the technical aspects of Forensic Science into the novel without making it too much like regurgitating the textbook.

Does anyone have any advice on how to integrate research smoothly into your story?

E is for Ethics

(Post 5 on my WIP)

Travelling through time could easily become quite messy (think of the warnings Hermione gives Harry when they are using the Time-Turner in Prisoner of Azkaban) and so the Commander has drafted in Dr (of Philosophy) Grace Aire to teach the Ethics of Time Policing to the trainees. Their first assignment sees them select a scenario and apply the relevant ten ethical principles to this. Jane’s scenario proves to be a little more than simply hypothetical.

Could Cate Blanchett play Dr Grace Aire? (Image from imdb.com)

Ethics of Time Policing

1.    Time police should not use their position to their own personal advantage.
2.    Time police should be as sure as they can be of the guilt of a suspect before returning to the past scene of a crime to apprehend the subject.
3.    Time police should only use time travel to protect the lives of those they have been authorised to do so.
4.    Time travel is not to be used to protect property except when this has been identified as of national, world or universal significance.
5.    Time police should at all times display honesty in their dealings with members of the public and each other, expect in situations where honesty will pose a safety risk.
6.    Time police are not authorised to use terminal force except in the preservation of the life of themselves, a fellow time cop or an innocent bystander.
7.    Time police must identify themselves as such before apprehending a subject.
8.    Time police should respect the equality and diversity of all and not discriminate against anyone on the basis of age, colour, gender, sexuality, etc.
9.    Time police should not allow any authorised personnel access to time travel technology, including selling technological software, hardware and documentation.
10.    Time police report to the state and protect the city and time which they serve. Time police should obey all orders given by superiors unless they have sufficient evidence to suggest that an order contravenes one of the other nine directives.

Can you identify which of the ethical principles would you find it most difficult to uphold, and why?

D is for Dylan Roberts

(Post 4 on my WIP)

Jamie’s best friend has a background in quantum physics (self-taught of course) and he now teaches practical use of time technologies as well as further researching their advancement.

Jamie and I had been at the same school for years but we met at Police Cadets. Together we developed time technology; we were the first two scholarship cadets through the academy (yes we still had to go through the same regular training as everyone else) but we both made Sergeant within six months of graduating.
I’m more of a technologist but Jamie loved being out in the field and he sparked off the adventurer in me. Once we had more technologists trained up I partnered him in the field. It was on our third mission back to the sixties, that the incident happened. I don’t remember it. I only know I made it back alive, barely, and the commander had to go back to collect Jamie’s body. Both of us remain in the academy now.
It’s odd having Jamie’s little sister here, reminds me of all the times the three of us spent together. Reminds me of what we lost.

Christopher Gorham as Auggie in Covert Affairs reminds me of Dylan, though Dylan is not quite as much of a ladies man (image from imdb.com).