Dana said:

Steve asked:

...

How long then before it develops a different, more advanced civilisation?

It seems to have developed a different, more deteriorated civilization.

Not necessarily. It is not unusual for early civilisations to use some form of religion to bring order. As we can see all around us, religion or vestiges of it continues as civilisation advances. So it is quite possible for the colony on Cygnus Alpha over a period of, probably, generations to develop onwards.

What is also interesting is that religion is being used on Cygnus Alpha whereas it seems non-existent in the rest of the Federation.

Dana continued:

I bet the sticking point was transport--easy enough to take over, hard to go anywhere else. The Federation's POV may have been, OK, now you're in charge of a planet of convicted criminals. YOU try running the place. Knock yourself out.

However, if external forces break them out, then they have transportation. Many criminals have friends on the outside. If the London, which was pretty low tech in Federation terms, can make it to Cygnus Alpha, I'm sure there were ships about that could do it much quicker.

-- cheers Steve Rogerson http://homepages.poptel.org.uk/steve.rogerson

Redemption 03, 21-23 February 2003, Ashford, Kent Celebrating 25 years of Blake's 7 and 10 years of Babylon 5 http://www.smof.com/redemption