Ok why Babel-17?

Well first of all it has nothing to do with Babel Fish

It actually comes from the title of a book by Samuel R. Delany,

circa 1966, nearly 20 years before DNA wrote HHGTTG.

Babel-17 is the name given by the 'Earth Alliance' for a coded

language used by people/aliens called the 'invaders'

(it is never clearly explained who or what they are, they are just the invaders)


A poetess called 'Rydra Wong' is entrusted with the task of deciphering
the code so she gets together a motly assortment of genetically
and surgically modified/altered personnel to help her on her quest
which ranges from the Alliance War Yards at Armsedge
to the outer reaches of the Galaxy

Jools.