Planning for The Pattern of Infinity began in Summer '88, when having watched Blake's Seven in its entirety, I became mildly obsessed with the notion of continuing it and giving it a satisfying ending. As to why, I can say that in all the science fiction, media and literary I had devoured in my misspent life there was nothing quite like B7. Star Trek's characters raged at each other, but Spock, even on his worst, most alienated days, never shot Kirk point blank. Star Wars characters spoke of the "dark side", but Terry Nation (and his fellow writers) came close to rubbing our noses in it. B7 took risks no other science fiction series has come close to. B7 was different. I started reading SF when I was a preteen for escape. This was not escape.

Having always been interested in writing science-fiction/fantasy but never having attempted a project anywhere near such a scope, I waffled between doing a full 26 episodes (2/year -- an idea quickly abandoned as utterly impractical), and a half dozen or so stories that would appear sporadically and somehow come to a conclusion. It was only when I began episode 1 that I realized a plot was needed, starting with how it would end (based on a comment by Terry Nation) and working back from there -- if the stories were to achieve the coherence and integrity I sought. In short, at some PoInt it would become a novel. The idea I worked from was that there was a "true" history behind B7 -- what we watched were the "made-for-TV" movies of that history. It would be my task to explore that history and from there craft one possible, and I hoped reasonable, continuation and conclusion. The plot model was WW II; the theme was redemption through the past. It would be a novel of people and ideas, thoughts and emotions. It was to be unlike anything that had ever been based on media-science fiction.

Those were the lofty goals. By the end of '88, and having gone through three drafts of the first story which was to enunciate the themes and set the stage for the whole of what was to come, I was able to sketch out a writing plan to peg the remaining episodes.

But no plan survives contact with the writing process. While I was able for the most part to adhere to the plan, I had to respect the fact that stories and their characters have their own life and logic. The starting PoInt for the tale was action, adventure, romance, but by episode VI it was clear the evolving story had become sufficiently grim an upbeat ending was not in the cards. By the time I came to write the last six episodes (counting the epilogue as one), I saw no alternative but to go with tragedy.

As a proto-novel the stories were planned as chapters, so they were not as self-contained as I would have liked. To be honest, while I kind-of-sort-of knew where I wanted to go with the stories at the beginning, it was not until the completion of episode II that I began to have a clear picture of this future universe, its history, society, institutions, and the implications for the people who inhabited it.

I am appalled by my early and many errors, not only in episode I, but in other episodes as well. My only excuse is that I was learning. Clearly the stories suffer from the usual first-time writer insecurities and inadequacies; undoubtedly more than usual. For the many and severe failings, please forgive. Having never written anything more involved and difficult than an essay or office memo, I was trying something new (for me) almost every time I typed a sentence.

I am grateful now for the opportunity to revisit, restore, and revise the first six episode so that a reader can have at last a coherent tale to read and a complete story arc that approximates the grand vision I hoped the novel would be. These early episodes cried out for restoration and correction in any event. So I have done what I can to make the terminology and incidents consistent, delete the lame humor, kill the cliches, and so forth, while leaving the essence of these stories intact.

The science and technology in PoI ranges from the stolen to the invented; from the rigorously solid (Nanotechnology? Count on it.) to the highly speculative (Physics of transfinite computation? Twistor drive in 10-dimensional flat/cold superspace? Maybe . . .). It was my intent that PoI stimulate thought, discussion, and exploration. We need that. As a work of science fantasy, PoI can only hint at and cannot possibly be a guide to the very real and labyrinthian technological and entwined social issues we will face in the near future.

The completion of the PoI stories closes a chapter in my life. Whatever else comes from this, it is time to move on. In future writings, I intend to pursue themes prominent in PoI (to have properly explored them would have required a novel at least twice as long as the 350K+ words I finished with). In characters, setting, and plot, however, these projects will be far removed from the universe of B7.

I am not disowning B7, as PoI is the foundation of everything I will write, but one cannot live in a foundation. So . . . no more media-based science fiction of any kind will be written by me. Ever.

Several people made critical contributions to The Pattern of Infinity stories over the years. I must acknowledge the exacting and patient work of my two editors and friends, Rebecca Reeves (Input) and Kristy Merrill (The Dark Between the Stars) who worked with me closely on the early versions of stories (I - VI). Their insights, criticisms, encouragements, and skepticism were vital and endlessly helpful to keeping me on track. It is hard to imagine how I could have even started, let alone completed the stories, without them. My deepest thanks to them both.

I also wish to acknowledge the contributions of S.E. Thompson, for alerting me to the fact there were indeed people out there who wanted to see the series finished, and Alicia Ann Fox for her considerable work in placing the stories on-line. Their support and encouragement in the final year and a half of writing were invaluable.

Finally, I must thank The Boeing Company for allowing me to experience for one hour the costly magnificence of a 747 cockpit simulator, crucial to describing Li's flight over Lindor in episode VI. It was very cool.

This novel is dedicated to the writers, directors, cast, and production people of Blake's 7. Together, they created perhaps the most dramatically compelling and psychologically deep science fiction series ever made. The characters stun with their intensity and reality. Nothing like it had been seen before, and sadly, nothing like it since. B7 may be a one of a kind triumph; it may even have taken the form as far as it can go. The series was uneven to be sure, but at its best it was as moving a statement of human limitations and ultimate self-destructiveness as has ever been set in a future universe. The late, great, Terry Nation deserves our deepest admiration and gratitude for the miracles he was able to accomplish on the barest of budgets.

[In PoI four episodes of B7 were used which I felt were among the best of the series and would serve to provide both a tie-in that would be familiar to B7 fans and be an integral part of the plot scaffolding. A special statement of respect and appreciation is therefore called for to: Terry Nation (naturally -- "Bounty" and "Terminal"), Roger Parkes ("Children of Auron"), and Chris Boucher ("The City at the Edge of the World"). ]

It is dedicated to Dr. Edward de Bono, whose brilliant invention of lateral thinking (mentioned twice in Dr. Who and implied at least once in an episode of B7), and his inspired work on perceptual logic and creativity in all its variants may yet permit humanity an escape from annihilation.

It is dedicated to B7 fans worldwide who have worked to keep the series alive in reruns.

A special dedication is offered to the fans of The Pattern of Infinity, a much smaller but no less determined group who encouraged me to persevere despite all manner of personal crises over the eleven years the stories were written and to complete the series almost on schedule. For those readers who stuck with PoI regardless, despite the flaws and the time gaps, who were drawn to the sincerity of what I was attempting, I cannot thank you enough.

Finally, it is dedicated to Molly, a singer and rebel in her own right who gave me the key to the character who would tie the saga together. I could only provide the words; it was Molly who provided the soul of the story and thus made it possible. My best wishes to her, always and forever.