Commander Perkins

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Commander Perkins is a German Science Fiction series by H. G. Francis (i.e. Hans Gerhard Franciskowsky), which appeared partly as audio play and partly as novel series. The audio plays and novels are all written in German language.

Contents

[edit] Fundamentals

The series is set approx. 50-100 years in the future. Mankind has settled the [[moon], where the moon base Delta-4 is a central setting, while the rest of the solar system is being explored. The scientist character of Professor Dr. Arthur Common has created(with the assistance of his daughter Cindy) the Dimension Transmitter. With this device, users can overcome arbitrary distances without time delay. Via an enormous energy expenditure from the Transmitter, the Time/Space dimensions break open to allow small groups of humans to visit alien Planets without transport. Based on this premise, in this series, The Protagonist Commander Randy Perkins and his friend and colleague Major Peter Hoffmann undertake voyages into alien worlds, often involving the ill-prepared Earth in intergalactic events.

[edit] The Main Characters

  • Commander Randy Perkins, an experienced officer and main protagonist
  • Major Peter Hoffmann, Perkin's best friend, tends to panic during action, but makes characteristic humorous and sarcastic remarks. hehas a crush on Cindy Common.
  • Professor Dr Arthur Common, scientist, is the inventor of the Dimension Transmitter
  • Cindy Common, his daughter and assistant, has an impulsive character
  • Ralph Common, the 12 year old son of the professor, has telepathic abilities
  • Oberst G. Camiel Jason, in command of the moon basis, an unsympathic character
  • Camiel, individual class robot, brings humor into the series
  • General Basil Lucan Crinian, the chief of the Armed Forces of Earth

[edit] The Series

[edit] The Wega Series

The first series consists of six audio plays, was produced in 1976-1978 by Europa (audio play). Directed by Heikedine Körting, scripts written by H. G. Francis. The playing time of the individual audio plays varies between 35 and 50 minutes.

Episodes:

  1. The Gate to a Different World (1976)
  2. In the Tide of Infinity (1976)
  3. The Secret of the Ufos (1977)
  4. Bordon, The Immortal (1977)
  5. Saturn Calls Delta-4 (1978)
  6. Expedition Into the Past (1978)

Starring

Also Starring: Andreas Beurmann, Volker Bogdan, Volker Brandt, Werner Cartano, Peter Kirchberger, Ernst von Klipstein, Lutz Mackensy, Rolf Mamero, Christian Mey, Hella von der Osten-Sacken, Jochen Sehrndt, Horst Schick, Heinz Trixner, Claus Wilcke.

The Plot

The Dimension Transmitter is still in the experimentation stage. However there was already a contact to the 8th planet of the Wega system. With cameras and probes, data were collected from that planet. On the moon base, Ralph Common is lured into the Dimension Transmitter by a telepathic voice. He can overcome all safety locks and is transported to the Wega planet, there he gets lost. Professor Common asks Commander Perkins and Major Hoffmann to bring back his son to the moon. They succeed, however Ralph Common tells them that there must be a connection between Earth and Wega, since there are maps showing the area of the Mediterranean Sea. However, a communication with the Wegans is not yet possible, with the exception of the Telepathic Voice. The Wegans realize that there is set up a dimension portal between the worlds. They send an emissary to the moon who however is killed by accident. In an attempt to mediate, Perkins and Hoffmann take another trip to the Wega. They fail, Perkins is captured. A release attempt succeeds, however apparently the commander was brainwashed and remains in a kind of awake coma. When Perkins awakes at last after half a year at the same time a Wegan spaceship appears on Earth, this however is accidentally shot down by humans. Wegan survivors try to reach the Dimension Transmitter in order to return to their homeworld. Professor Common wants to let the Wegans go, but military wants the extraterrestrials to cross-examine. While transporting them back to the Wega head over heels an error occurs: Perkins, Hoffman and the Wegans are hurled not just in space zo the Wega planet but also into the past, where the two Humans are blamed for a murder they (of course) did not commit. In the last second Professor Common finds the two men and can bring them back. Meanwhile clues were found that the Wegans had something to do with the Biblical disaster of Sodom and Gomorrha. Since on the Wega all men of the shot spaceship are declared dead, the Wegans send a space fleet to Earth in order to take revenge. The destruction of mankind seems inevitable ...

[edit] The First Novels

  1. The Red Fog (1979)
  2. Planet of the Soulless (1979)

1979 for the first time the Franz Schneider Verlag published two Commander Perkins novels. Interestingly enough Francis does not take any refences to the audio plays in those two books. With the second novel a new character, Camiel, the robot is introduced.

The Plots

The Red Fog

A red veil deposits itself around Earth which lets humans disappear when it lowers to the ground. It is found out, the fog came from the Dimension Transmitter as a small ball came and damaged. After the repair Commander Perkins, Major Hoffmann and Ralph Common travel to the planet Empty, from which the fog came and investigate, how to fight the strange substance, threatening all life on Earth ...

Planet of the Soulless

Ralph Common and all the Psi talented humans on Earth lie in dying, a telepathic power of the planet Psion seems to destroy their brains. In the last second Ralph can be protected with a special helmet against the psi attack. Commander Perkins, Major Hoffmann, Ralph Common and the robot Camiel travel to Psion investigating the cause of the attack. They determine that on the strange planet, all inhabitants act like soulless machines ...

[edit] The Arrow Trilogy

The second series consists of three audio play episodes, which appeared 1980 under the direction of Heikedine Körting under the label Europa. The scripts were again written by H. G. Francis. A 4th and 5th episode were announced, however they never appeared. H. G. Francis also never wrote scripts for those. Why those episodes did not appear is not completely clear. However low sales figures of the first three audio plays might have been decisive. The action placed around the planet Arrow and The Middle Eye is incomplete. Unfortunately, H. G. Francis used elements from the Arrow Trilogy in the Copanian plot, which resulted in some inconsistencies in the novels. The playing time of the individual audio plays is approx. 33 minutes each.

Episodes:

  1. Lost in Infinity (1980)
  2. The Galactic Weapon Master (1980)
  3. The Middle Eye (1980)

Starring

Also Starring: Volker Brandt, Peter Buchholz, Werner Cartano, Wolfgang Jürgen, Harald Pages.

The Plot

Professor Common discovers a planet, which is scattered with spaceship wrecks all over the surface. Military among Colonel Jason have primarily interest to save weapons from the destroyed spaceships. During the exploration, the Humans are scared by highly sophisticated people, trying to locate Earth by the Dimension Transmitter. An evakuation takes place immediately, however documents remain on Arrow, determining the galactic position of the earth. With a salvage attempt Perkins and Hoffman are taken prisoner by The Middle Eye, an intergalactic empire, and their galactic weapon masters, which prevail over Arrow. to cross-examine the two Humans. Right in time Professor Common can transport them back to the moon. But Polcor, a weapon master, strikes back and sends a Sun Annihilator to Earth ...

[edit] The Copanian Series

The third series consists of four novels

  1. The Forbidden Star (1980)
  2. Land of the Green Sun (1980)
  3. Lost in Infinity (1981)
  4. In the Spell of the Glowing Eyes (1981)

1980 and 1981 the Franz Schneider Verlag published four further books with a continuous plot line. There was no reference to either the Wega or the Arrow series although The Middle Eye again has an important role.

The Plot

Dr John Lightfire has discovered a planet which exhibits best living conditions. After an examination too swift Humans begin to colonize Lightfire. On a tour with Ralph Common and his friend George Croden Commander Perkins discovers an ancient robot. The machine tries to attack them, collapses from age weakness however. But Ralph and George start to age rapidly. Humans determine Lightfire ist a sacred planet which must not be set foot on by threat of annihilation of the whole race of the tresspasser. In the hasty evacuation the Copanian high priest Arentes manages to smuggle himself to Earth. He finds Humans interesting and wants to study them to find out, whether they might be worth to be spared. Meanwhile the Humans successfully deceive the Copanians into attacking a different uninhabited planet instead of Earth. Closer investigations determine the bait planet to be consumed by a Copanian controlled black hole is inhabited after all. Feverishliy, the Humans try to safe the doomed planet and its inhabitants ...

[edit] The Seven Columns Series

The fourth series consists of three novels

  1. The Third Moon (1983)
  2. The Mystery of the Seven Columns (1984)
  3. The Time Trap (1984)

1983 and 1984 the Franz Schneider Verlag published the last three novels. These formed the prelude to the Seven Columns series. At least a further novel was in preparation, however no more appeared. Therefore also this plot line is unfortunately unfinished.

The Plot

On planet Phart Perkins, Hoffmann, Camiel and Cindy Common discover a buried sleeper ship. On board is a martial people for whom the planet is meant to be a prison. Humans wake these warriors not knowing what grave danger for other planets they evoke. The ship takes course on the planet Canyoura around it to attack. Perkins and the others go to Canyoura to warn ist population. They are not believeed however, because nobody would dare to attack the planet, because one of the Seven Columns is there. When Humans research after the meaning of these columns, they are taken prisoner and trained to become gladiators for Canyouran entertainment. On the run Perkins and Hoffmann discover the secret of the First Column: Immortality ...

[edit] The Audio Plays Based on the Novels

The audio play publisher Maritim produced new audio plays based on the first four novels by H.G. Francis. These appeared however under the name Das Sternentor (The Stargate), since Europa still holds the rights of the name Commander Perkins. The fifth audio play was to appear in October 2005 but the demise of one of the starring actors delayed production. They are now announced for July or August 2006.

Episodes:

  1. The Red Fog (2002)
  2. Planet of the Soulless (2003)
  3. The Forbidden Star (2003)
  4. In the Land of the Green Sun (2004)
  5. Lost in Infinity (announced for July or August 2006)

Starring

Also Starring: Peer Augustinski, Tanja Dohse, Sabine Hahn, Michael Harck, Günther Lüdke, Reent Reins, Charles Rettinghaus, Ursula Vogel, Pia Werfel, Claus Wilcke.

[edit] German weblinks

  • [1] Commander Perkins fan PAGE
  • [2] The original German Wikipedia entry
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In other languages