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).

C is for Commander Benjamin Trainer

(Post 3 on my WIP)

Commander Benjamin Trainer is the head of the Time Police Academy, the father of Jamie Trainer and Jane Thomas’ stepfather. Extremely proud of Jamie and his friend Dylan, he nurtured the two boys through police cadets and in the development of time travel, advancing his own career in the progress. He realises the potential pitfalls of this new technology and seeks to do everything ‘by the book’, incidentally, the one that he writes himself.
He was Sergeant Trainer and on duty the day Angela Marsh disappeared. He was the one to find her body; according to the coroner she had only been dead for five minutes. Despite believing in the intelligence of Jamie and Dylan he never really thought that two teenagers would be responsible for inventing time travel. However, because after Angela’s death, fixating on that was the only thing that dragged Jamie out of bed in the morning he encouraged it, financially as well as with emotional support.
He has never had a strong relationship with Jane, who refused to take his name, instead holding up what he believes is an idealised vision of her father. He does care for her and it is only with his backing that she joins the academy and escapes jail or sectioning.

This is what he had to say at the start of the training year.

I manage the whole time academy and still maintain links with the local police force. The academy has around 20 staff in total and each one has been selected for being the best in their field, whether that’s Technology, Administration or Catering.

And when asked about this year’s group of trainees.

We take in just under 40 trainees a year, so far this year 7 stand out to me.

Petra is, according to Dylan, the female version of him. A technological genius.
Larry is a gentle giant, looks ferocious but has the people skills to never need to use his strength.
Freddy is determined to be as good, if not better than he was in the army.
Kyle is very cocky but his gift of the gab means he’ll always succeed.
Skye is a nice girl, maybe a little too nice for this type of work.
Gabrielle shows a lot of promise – she just needs a bit more heart if anything.
I know Jane has it in her, if only she’ll stop pushing against me.

And on his experiences of time travel.

Apart from the brief demonstration this year my last experience in the field was when I went to collect my son’s body; I prefer not to talk about that.

Don’t you think Colin Firth would make an excellent Ben (if we aged him up a bit), with his son Jamie played by Orlando Bloom? Hey, a girl can dream ;o)

Commander and Jamie Trainer?? (Image from imdb.com)