Time Squad
by Terry Nation

(c)1977 by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Series created by Terry Nation. This is a complete dialogue transcript for research purposes and is not for sale under any circumstances. Format (c)1993 by Micky DuPree and Ruth Hanson.

Dramatis Personae

Roj Blake
Jenna Stannis
Kerr Avon
Cally
Vila Restal
Olag Gan
Zen
Alien 1
Alien 2
Alien 3

[Exterior. Liberator moves through a star field]

[Interior. Liberator flight deck. Blake is at the main pilot's console. Jenna is beside him. Gan, Vila and Avon are at their usual flight positions.]

BLAKE: (manipulates controls) Check.
JENNA: Right, one more time. Cut primaries, reverse thrust.
BLAKE: Check.
JENNA: Stabilize and trim back to stationary.
BLAKE: Check.
JENNA: (to Avon) Negative anti-gravs. (Avon presses buttons) Compensate for orbital drift and hold. (points to button) Hold.
BLAKE: All confirmed.
JENNA: Good.
BLAKE: Right. Let's check with the expert. Zen, report status.
ZEN: Liberator is stationary and is stabilized in an anti- orbital posture.
VILA: Whatever that means.
BLAKE: It means we got it right.
JENNA: Together we can fly this ship manually.
GAN: I think we make a good team.
AVON: Well, hurray for us.
VILA: What's eating you now?
AVON: I'm just wondering how long we're going to live to enjoy our new found skills.
BLAKE: Zen, three sixty degree survey. Put etheric detector beams on maximum. Report any space vehicles within range. Vila, put visual survey on the screen.
ZEN: Negative on all systems. There are no space vehicles within detector range.
JENNA: We've lost them.
VILA: So much for federation pursuit ships.
GAN: At least we know we can outrun them.
VILA: Outrun them, in this we can out stroll them.
AVON: Don't get too relaxed about it. They'll keep on coming.
VILA: We have the whole universe to hide in.
BLAKE: Except that we're not going to hide. Very soon now the Federation ships will know exactly where we are. Or at least where we've been.
VILA: I don't follow you.
AVON: Oh, but you do. And that's the problem.
BLAKE: Up until now we've only been a minor irritation to the Federation. I think it's about time we hurt them.
JENNA: I don't like the sound of that.
AVON: Neither do I. I thought it was agreed we wouldn't do anything without discussing it thoroughly.
BLAKE: True. It was also agreed that anybody could opt out at any time. Just tell me when you want to leave.
AVON: Oh, I will. But in the meantime I think we have a right to know what it is you're planning.
BLAKE: Zen, set a course for Saurian Major, speed standard by two.
ZEN: Speed and course confirmed.
AVON: That falls a little short of my idea of a thorough discussion.
GAN: We can talk and travel. We're safer on the move.
AVON: Another one who's prepared to let Blake do his thinking for him.
BLAKE: Enough, Avon.
VILA: Saurian Major?
BLAKE: Zen, visual star sector four two point six one. It's there, on the edge of the system. One of the early self-governing colonies subsequently annexed by the Federation. When the settlers declared their independence again, the Federation crushed them with typical efficiency.
JENNA: How typical?
BLAKE: Half the population were butchered. The other half were rounded up and transported to frontier planets. A few managed to escape to the hills and form guerilla bands.
VILA: Why are we going there, though? I mean I feel for them. But we've got problems of our own.
BLAKE: They've built a vast transceiver complex there. All Federation signals and navigation controls are beamed into Saurian Major, boosted and redirected. It's a vital nerve center in the Federation space control system. Destroy that, and you blind, deafen and silence them. That's what we're going to do.
AVON: A blow for freedom.
GAN: Yes, our freedom. For a clever man you're not very bright. Deaf, dumb and blind how are they going to catch us?
AVON: I'm sure Blake will manage it somehow.

[Exterior. Liberator moves through a star field]

[Interior. Liberator flight deck. Jenna is at one of the flight
positions. Blake is dozing on the forward seating. A steady
beeping noise is heard.]

JENNA: Blake.
BLAKE: (half asleep) Hmm.
JENNA: Are there any artificial satellites on our course?
BLAKE: I don't know, I'll check. (presses a variety of controls on the console next to him.) Well, none to be seen. Are you getting something?
JENNA: Yes, something.
BLAKE: How long has it been registering?
JENNA: Couple of minutes. Signal's getting stronger.
BLAKE: Zen, visual detector scan and computer analysis on grid one one five, please.
ZEN: The signal is mechanical. It emanates from a space projectile of unidentified origin. Translator units categorize the signal as a distress call.
BLAKE: Estimate the projectile's speed and course.
ZEN: No indication of motive power. The projectile's movement is only subject to space drift and orbital influence.
JENNA: If they've lost power, they're in real trouble.
BLAKE: We don't have much option then, do we? (to Zen) How far away are they?
ZEN: One million seventy three thousand spacials and closing.
BLAKE: Well, re-program course and speed to rendezvous with the projectile. Lock off on one hundred spacials.
ZEN: Speed and course confirmed.
BLAKE: You better tell the others.
JENNA: All right. (walks toward the passage off Liberator flight deck, then stops)
BLAKE: Problem?
JENNA: Putting out a false distress signal. It's a trick used by space pirates.
BLAKE: Well then, we'll have to be careful.
JENNA: I'll get the others. (Jenna leaves Liberator flight deck)

[Exterior. Liberator still under way]

[Interior. Liberator flight deck. Entire crew is present]

AVON: There's nothing coming back except the same distress call. It must be on a mechanical repeater.
BLAKE: Do you recognize the type?
AVON: No. Primitive. Too small to sustain a full life support system by the look of it.
JENNA: Doesn't seem to be any heavy armament.
BLAKE: Could be a high speed transporter.
JENNA: To transport what?
VILA: Do we care?
JENNA: (slight laugh) Getting nervous?
VILA: No, I've been nervous all along. I do not like the look of that thing.
BLAKE: Zen, have the sensors picked up any sign of life?
ZEN: No information can be given.
BLAKE: That is not what I asked. I want to teleport across there.
ZEN: There is room.
BLAKE: And life support?
ZEN: There is life support for a (pause) limited (pause) period.
BLAKE: I'll go and take a look then.
JENNA: I'll come with you.
BLAKE: Avon.

[Blake and Jenna leave the Liberator flight deck]

ZEN: (with difficulty) It is in... in... in...
AVON: I'll have to overhaul that (pause) thing.
ZEN: (drawn out) ...sane.

[Avon leaves Liberator flight deck]

GAN: I wonder. It's almost as if Zen has a limiter.
VILA: A limiter?
GAN: Something that stops him from helping us too much. Or maybe it's someone who stops him.
VILA: Gan, if you're trying to scare me, you're succeeding.

[Exterior. Liberator approaches the alien craft.]

[Interior. Liberator teleport room. Avon is at the console.
Blake and Jenna are preparing for teleport]

BLAKE: Let's see just how precise you can be.
AVON: Are you sure you can trust me?
BLAKE: For as long as we're useful to each other. We'll keep the voice channels open. (to Avon) All set?
AVON: Ready.
BLAKE: Sure?
AVON: As I'll ever be.
BLAKE: (to Jenna) All right?
JENNA: (nods)
BLAKE: Right. Put us across.

[Avon teleports Jenna and Blake]

[Interior of the alien projectile. Blake and Jenna materialize. The interior is cramped. There are three oblong containers visible, taking up most of the available space. To the rear is a hatch to another compartment]

BLAKE: More by luck than judgment.
JENNA: Ah, don't tell him that.
BLAKE: (into communicator) Thank you, Avon. (to Jenna) You ever seen anything like this before?
JENNA: No.
BLAKE: (examines the lock on the rear compartment, then moves forward) Well?
JENNA: Controls are very basic. Just enough instruments to make a safe landing. Everything's manual.
BLAKE: Why put manual controls in an unmanned craft? What's that?
JENNA: Distress relay. Probably cuts in automatically when a major fault develops. Ah, here it is.
BLAKE: What?
JENNA: The fault. Circuit tracer. There's a malfunction reading on the auto-navs. That's what must have activated the cut outs on the propulsion units.
BLAKE: Well, that explains why they're drifting. But you don't put circuit tracers in an unmanned craft. There must have been a crew on board.
JENNA: Well, the locks on the inner hatch are still secure. (indicates rear compartment) What about this one here?
BLAKE: It's locked.
JENNA: So if there was a crew ....
BLAKE: They're still here. (Opens the outer cover on one of the containers. There is a male alien in it)
JENNA: Blake, look. Look at his eyes. He's alive. (They bend over and look into the container. Blake touches the outside surface of the unit and draws his hand back quickly.) What is it?
BLAKE: It's cold, it almost took the skin off my fingers.
JENNA: That's it. This is the same process they used centuries ago on the early deep space flights. They subjected their crew to extremely low temperatures to suspend the aging process. This is a cryogenic capsule.
BLAKE: (Opens the outer cover on the other cryogenic capsules. One of the occupants is dead; the other, alive.) There's not much we can do for them here. Re-animation will be a slow process.
JENNA: We can't just leave them here.
BLAKE: Yeah, we'll worry about that when we get back. Our air is running out, in case you hadn't noticed.
JENNA: I hadn't wanted to worry you.
BLAKE: (Into communicator) Avon, do you read?
AVON: (v.o.) I hear you.
BLAKE: Bring us back. (Pause) (v.o.) Bring us back.

[Interior. Liberator teleport area. Avon is at the console. Gan
is there]

AVON: I can't. The teleport control is burnt out.

[Vila enters Liberator teleport area]

JENNA: What did you do?
AVON: (v.o.) Not a thing. It blew all by itself.
BLAKE: (v.o.)Can you repair it?
AVON: No need. There is an automatic repair system and it's working.
BLAKE: (v.o.) How long?
AVON: I don't know.
BLAKE: (v.o.) Why not?
AVON: Zen won't tell us.
BLAKE: Our air is running out.
AVON: (v.o.) Yes, I was afraid of that. How long?
BLAKE: Minutes. Get Zen to maneuver the ship 'round and bring the entire projectile on board.
AVON: I'd already thought of that. Zen refuses to do it.
BLAKE: (v.o.) Then you'll have to.
AVON: That's very chancy, Blake. If Liberator so much a nudges that ship--
BLAKE: (v.o.) Then you'd better get it right.
AVON: (To Vila and Gan) Shall we get on with it?

[All three exit to Liberator flight deck]

[Interior. Alien projectile]

BLAKE: Why didn't Zen warn us?
JENNA: I think he tried to.
BLAKE: I'm sorry.
JENNA: I'm all right.


[Interior. Liberator flight deck. Avon is at the main pilot's console; Vila at the flight position to his left, Gan to his right]

AVON: Lock the inner hatches, positive pressure.
VILA: Locked.
AVON: Equalize the lower hold pressure.
GAN: Equalized.
AVON: Open the main locks.

[Exterior. View of Liberator hold opening]

AVON: Visual. (A view of space from the interior of the hold is displayed on the main viewscreen.)
VILA: Ramp fully open.
AVON: Good. Moving to line up. Right lateral, minimum power.
VILA: Too much. You're overshooting.
AVON: Left lateral. That's enough. Hold.
VILA: Square on.
AVON: Give me a fall line projection. Good. We're aligned and we're ready to go. Do you two know what you have to do?

GAN: Uh huh.
AVON: I hope so. Commencing docking procedure (pause) now.

[Interior. Alien projectile]

BLAKE: He's taking his time.
JENNA: It's delicate maneuver. He'll get there.
BLAKE: I'm breathless with anticipation.
JENNA: (laughs)

[Exterior. Liberator moves closer to alien projectile]

[Interior. Liberator flight deck]

AVON: That's very good. Gently. Easy. Easy. Good. Alignment is exact.

[Exterior. Projectile veers out of alignment with Liberator]

[Interior. Liberator flight deck]

VILA: She's turning.
AVON: Right lateral.
VILA: Quickly.
GAN: She's drifting under the laser projection.
AVON: Down degree point zero one.
VILA: You're too close. She's going to hit the ramp broad side on.
GAN: Get around.
AVON: Down another point. More lateral.

[Interior. Alien projectile. Blake and Jenna]

[Interior. Liberator flight deck.]

VILA: You're too close. Pull away, Avon.
AVON: No time. She's coming 'round. Gan, when the tail is on the laser projection, I'll go straight in.
GAN: NOW!

[Exterior. Projectile is brought on board Liberator]

[Interior. Liberator flight deck]

VILA: You've done it. You've done it.
AVON: Close the main locks. Zen, transfer to inner hold number five.
ZEN: Transfer process commenced.

[View from hold. Outer doors close]

[Interior. Liberator flight deck]

GAN: Hull re-pressurized.
VILA: Inner hatches released.
AVON: Switch the visual.

[Main screen view changes to projectile at rest in inner hold]

VILA: Very delicate. You know, with hands like that and a decent upbringing, he might have made a respectable pick pocket.
AVON: Yes. We better go down and check that they're all right. Keep a watch, Gan.

[Avon and Vila leave Liberator flight deck]

[On board projectile. Jenna and Blake open outer hatch. They step out of projectile into inner hold]

VILA: (entering hold) There you are, you see. Nothing to worry about. What have we here?
BLAKE: Take a look.

[Avon enters hold]

BLAKE: (to Avon) Thank you.
AVON: Glad to be of help.
JENNA: You don't sound too sure about that. Thanks anyway. Nice flying.

[Blake goes to intercom]

GAN: (v.o) Gan.
BLAKE: Blake. See if Zen's back on our side yet.
GAN: (v.o) I don't think he ever left it.
BLAKE: Tell him to resume course for Saurian Major, speed standard by two.
GAN: (v.o.) Understood.
BLAKE: (to Jenna) Anything?
JENNA: (examining hull of projectile) Most of it's been scraped away.
BLAKE: Must of been in space a long time.
JENNA: I wonder where it came from.
BLAKE: (laughs slightly) More interesting is where it was going and why. Let's see if Avon's got any ideas.

[Interior. Alien projectile]

BLAKE: (to Avon) What do you think?
AVON: (seated at flight controls) It's an old ship. Or from a technologically backward culture. Sublight drive. So obviously the destination was outside the star system from which it was launched.
VILA: (sitting beside Avon) Obviously. Why?
AVON: They wouldn't bother to put the crew into suspended animation unless the journey was likely to last longer than the natural life span of a man. The cryogenic system halts the aging and the decay. These two are probably hundreds of years old.

BLAKE: Is there any idea of where they were going and why?
AVON: No, but they weren't planning on coming back. All the instruments are set for landing. There's nothing for take off.
BLAKE: There'd be no point in going back. The world they left would be dead years ago.
AVON: No sign of any weapons. In fact there isn't much equipment at all. Either they were headed for a civilized destination where they expected a friendly reception or ... we are missing the point entirely.

[Avon rises and moves back to the cryogenic capsules]

VILA: It all seems a bit single minded to me.
AVON: I've cut in the re-animation unit. It will take a little while, but these two should come out of it and then they'll be able to tell us what it's all about.
BLAKE: Can we speed it up?
AVON: It's programmed. Interfere with it and you could kill them.
BLAKE: Well, there's no point in waiting around. We'll take a look at them in a couple of hours.
AVON: Oh, wait a minute. There is something we could do. We could take out the program in the autonavigational unit, link it into our own computers and take a reading on planet of origin, the course and the destination.
BLAKE: It's worth a try.

[Avon moves back to flight controls. Inside one of the capsules,
the alien moves his hand.]

[Exterior. Liberator is once again under way.]

[Interior. Liberator flight deck. Jenna is at the main pilot's
console, Avon and Vila at their usual positions. Blake enters]

BLAKE: How are you getting on with that?
AVON: I'm still waiting for the decoders to work out the notational system. It's taking rather longer than I thought.
BLAKE: Has anyone been down to see our guests lately?
JENNA: Vila went down a little while ago.
BLAKE: And?
VILA: Thawing nicely. Couple of hours, we should be able to talk to them.
ZEN: Liberator is now in stationary orbit one thousand spacials from the surface of the planet Saurian Major.
BLAKE: Then it's time we went. Vila, I shall want you down there with me.
VILA: Oh. Right.
BLAKE: Bring your bag of tricks. Avon?
AVON: Isn't he enough?
BLAKE: Their detectors are concentrated on neutral space. We came in from Federation territory. They won't have spotted us yet. But they will, sooner or later, and I can do what needs to be done faster with your help.
AVON: No doubt.
BLAKE: Jenna will teleport us down.

[Interior. Liberator teleport area. Vila and Gan are loading
box. Blake, Avon and Jenna enter teleport area.]

BLAKE: (to Jenna) Put Zen on constant scan. I want to know immediately if those Federation ships come into this system.
JENNA: Of course. (goes to teleport controls)
BLAKE: Gan, help Jenna keep an eye on those aliens. And remember, one of you must be on standby at all times we may have to get off Saurian quickly.
GAN: Don't worry.
JENNA: How long are you going to stay down there?
BLAKE: Depends on what we find. Saurian day is about thirty six hours that should be all we need. (to Avon) Are you ready? [Avon, Blake and Vila move into teleport alcove] Right. Put us down.

[Jenna teleports Avon, Blake and Vila]

[Exterior. Surface of Saurian Major. The ground is rocky.
There are strange plants dotted here and there around the area.]

VILA: (touches plant, then draws his hand back) Ehyeh.
AVON: Did it sting you?
VILA: It's warm. Clammy. A bit like flesh.

[Avon reaches out to touch plant]

BLAKE: You have to be careful of the planet life around here. Some of it's carnivorous.

[Avon draws hand back quickly]

BLAKE: Some species even have an intelligence rating.
VILA: That's a comfort. I should hate to be eaten by something stupid.
BLAKE: (holds up pocket chart) Now look. This is thecommunications complex. This is where we are.
VILA: Looks like a long trek.
AVON: How do you intend to make contact with the rebels?
BLAKE: If they're any good, they'll make contact with us. We won't make any secret of ourpresence. Just set up camp and wait.
VILA: And if the security forces get to us first?
AVON: They won't patrol this far from the complex.
BLAKE: A small fire first, I think.

[Avon and Vila move off]

[Interior. Liberator flight deck. Jenna and Gan are present]

JENNA: No sign of pursuit ships yet.
GAN: Oh, they'll find us. Sooner or later.
JENNA: And then we'll fight.
GAN: Yes.
JENNA: I keep wondering whether it wouldn't be better to optout of all this. Find a safe planet. Hide.
GAN: They'd still find you.
JENNA: I suppose.
GAN: But if you wanted to leave, you know Blake wouldn't try to stop you.
JENNA: No, I know. What about you? Are going to stick withhim?
GAN: I have to. I... I want to stay alive. And to do that I need people I can rely on. I can't be on my own.
JENNA: What do you mean? (pause) Gan?
GAN: I killed a security guard. They said it was murder. But he had a gun. I was unarmed. You see, he killed my woman.
JENNA: That must have been terrible.
GAN: I'm sorry, my head aches. I'll be all right in a little while. I suppose I should go and look at our frozen friends.
JENNA: Relax, I'll go.
GAN: Thanks.

[Jenna leaves Liberator flight deck]

[Interior. Liberator hold five. Jenna enters and climbs into projectile. She closes the outer cover of the cryogenic unit containing the dead alien]

JENNA: (looking at the other units) Surely we left these open.

[Jenna opens the outer cover on one of the units. The inner cover is fogged. She opens that as well. She reaches down and feels the pulse of the alien inside. His hand moves and grabs her wrist. She frees herself. She opens cover on the remaining unit. It is empty. She checks the lock on the rear compartment, then climbs out of the projectile into the hold.]

JENNA: I know you're here. We're not going to harm you.
JENNA: (walks cautiously around) There's no need to hide. Can you understand me, we're not going to harm you.

[An object is thrown and hits Jenna. She grabs her arm and moves to the communicator. It has been smashed. Jenna runs for the exit. The alien pursues her. As she steps through and closes the door, alien grabs for her. She bites his hand. Alien screams. Jenna slams the door and locks it.]


[Interior. Liberator flight deck. It is empty. Jenna runs in]

JENNA: Gan, one of them... Gan where are you?

[Gan enters Liberator flight deck from opposite direction]

GAN: What's happened? What's the matter?
JENNA: Gan, one of them attacked me. I tried talking to him but I couldn't make him understand.
GAN: It's all right, you're safe now. Where is he?
JENNA: He's in the hold. I've locked the door. He threw something at me. I think he's practically broken my arm.
GAN: Let's take a look at it, eh.
JENNA: (Jenna rolls up her sleeve, to reveal bruise. She sighs in pain) I tried to get you on the communicator, but he'd smashed it. Then he rushed me.
GAN: He's probably frightened.
JENNA: No, he didn't look frightened. He just looked murderous.
GAN: Could be, he's been asleep for centuries. Then, he wakes up in a strange place. Not knowing what's happening. (applies healing pad to Jenna's arm) Or why.
JENNA: He could be confused, I suppose. We have no idea what mental damage can be done by long term cryogenic suspension. (Looks at her healed arm) That's amazing. Thank you.
GAN: You stay here. I'll go and sort him out.
JENNA: Gan. (hands Gan a gun) Be careful.

[Gan leaves Liberator flight deck]

[Communicator chimes]

JENNA: Jenna.
BLAKE: (v.o.) Blake. We haven't made contact with the rebels yet. We're moving. Reference three three four zero. I'll call in again when we get there.
JENNA: Right.
BLAKE: Anything happen with the crew of the projectile.
JENNA: One of them... They're recovering. Everything's under control.

[Exterior. Saurian Major]

BLAKE: Good. I'll check with you later. (into communicator) Blake, either of you found anything yet?
AVON: (v.o.) Not a thing.
VILA: (v.o.) Several plants with designs on my body. Apart from them, there's nothing else in sight.
BLAKE: All right, come on down. We'll try somewhere else.

[Blake begins to put out fire. From behind a red-clad figure knocks Blake off balance. Blake rolls down hill. Cally slides down after him, and plants a foot in his chest.]

CALLY: (telepaths) Who are you? (pause) Will you answer my question? Who are you? I ask you for the last time, who are you?
BLAKE: Do you mind if I get up. (lunges at her)

[Cally quickly goes around him and knocks him flat again.]

CALLY: (telepaths) Try that again and I'll blow your head off. Now what are you doing here?
BLAKE: My name is Blake. I'm trying to make contact with the resistance group.
CALLY: (telepaths) How did you get here?
BLAKE: We came from.... (looks quickly to the side).

[Cally also looks to the side. Blake grabs her and throws her over his head. Blake disarms her. Points the gun at her on the ground]

CALLY: May you die alone and silent.
BLAKE: Well, you can talk then. You may be telepathic but you certainly can't read minds or you never would have fallen for that, would you.
CALLY: I will tell you nothing.
BLAKE: I'm not with the Federation security force.
CALLY: I do not need to read minds to know that you lie.
BLAKE: I came here with two of my crew a few hours ago.
CALLY: I keep a check on the landing area. Nothing has come in or gone out.
BLAKE: I'm hardly likely to use the landing area am I? I need to contact the resistance fighters.
CALLY: Your words are meaningless to me.
BLAKE: We came here to destroy the communication center. Your people have information that would be invaluable to us.
CALLY: Oh, it is quite clear that you seek information.
BLAKE: (disables the weapon) I'll make contact some other way. Take it. (puts the gun down in front of her) We'll manage without you. (walks away)
CALLY: (picks up gun and gets to her feet) Can you prove what you say?
BLAKE: If I can get inside that center I'll prove it with the biggest explosion you've ever seen.
CALLY: I might be able to help you. Perhaps.
BLAKE: Well, make up your mind I've got no more time to play games.
CALLY: (restores weapon function) What is it you want to know?
BLAKE: Let's start with who you are.
CALLY: Cally, my name is Cally. (crouches and spins toward a noise, gun raised) Out.
VILA: (comes out with hands raised) No need for belligerence, pretty lady. I'm harmless. (moves down the slope to join them) Quick, isn't she?
CALLY: Is he one of your crew?
BLAKE: One of them.
AVON: And he's useless as he said. (comes out from cover) I've had a gun on you the whole time. You were dead as soon as you broke cover. (Avon comes to join them)
VILA: Harmless was the word I used.
AVON: You couldn't even get that right. (to Cally) How do you come to be telepathic?
CALLY: I am from the planet Auron. I was sent from there to aid the freedom fighters of this planet. But my people are the Auronar.
AVON: And they are telepathic.
CALLY: And quick. I would not have died alone.
VILA: Why can't you read our minds?
CALLY: Because you are not telepathic.
VILA: Could I read yours?
CALLY: You could receive my thought if I wished you to.
BLAKE: Cally, how do we contact the resistance force?
CALLY: There is no resistance force. They're all dead.
BLAKE: All of them?
CALLY: We were getting stronger. The security forces kept hunting us, but we knew the hills and jungles too well. We made an attack on the main generating plant. And for the first time, they saw us a real threat.
AVON: What happened?
CALLY: They released poison from the sky. All the fighters died, except me. Perhaps because I am alien to this planet.
BLAKE: You've been working alone ever since.
CALLY: My work was in communications. But there will be companions for my death. I plan to raid the complex. To destroy until I am destroyed.
BLAKE: Well, our aim's the same. But I wasn't planning a suicide mission.
VILA: I should hope not.
CALLY: He fears death?
VILA: I plan to live forever. Or die trying.
BLAKE: If you can get us inside that complex, we'll provide all the destruction you want. And still get out safely.
AVON: Or die trying.
CALLY: (telepaths) I will guide you. (starts away)
BLAKE: (follows Cally, then turns back to Avon and Vila) She said yes.
[Avon and Vila exchange glances and follow]

[Jenna enters Liberator teleport area, looking for Gan. The lights dim, then resume normal operation]

JENNA: (into intercom) Gan, are you all right?

[Interior. Various areas of the Liberator]

JENNA: (v.o.) Gan, respond please. Report your location.

[Interior. Liberator hold five. View of broken communicator.]

JENNA: (distorted v.o.) Report your location.

[Interior. Liberator teleport area]

JENNA: Gan, where are you?

[Jenna draws her gun and begins making her way to the hold. She reaches the hold, opens the door and enters.]

[Interior. Liberator hold five. Jenna enters.]

JENNA: (whispers) Gan.

[There is a heavy cable connecting the projectile to the main power supply in the hold. Jenna goes to the projectile and looks in.]

[Interior. Alien projectile. Jenna is visible through the open hatch]

JENNA: (whispers) Gan.

[The sound of a door slamming shut. Jenna moves away from the hatch. A hand reaches up from inside one of the cryogenic units.]

[Interior. Liberator hold five. Jenna is moving back toward the exit. Alien drops down from above. They struggle. He draws his knife. Jenna shoots him. Gan climbs out of projectile and slumps down]

GAN: (groans)
JENNA: (moves to him) What happened?
GAN: Jenna, couldn't stop them. Couldn't stop them. Implant.
JENNA: What!
GAN: (groans)
JENNA: Brain implants.
GAN: Limiter. Not possible for me to kill now.
JENNA: Gan, what happened in the projectile.
GAN: Never wanted to. They kill. Anyone, everyone who isn't theirs.
JENNA: One of them is already dead.
GAN: The other one. I saw his face. Jenna, despises us.

[Exterior. Saurian Major, outer edge of the communications complex. Blake, Avon, Vila follow Cally]

CALLY: (telepaths) It's clear.

[They move on. They penetrate the interior of the complex. It is heavily guarded. Arrive at heavy door.]

BLAKE: This is it. The control room for the paraneutronic generator. If we can sabotage the limiter settings, the chain reaction will blow this entire complex off the planet.
AVON: We'll need to blast the door. That will alert the guards before we've even started.
VILA: (to Avon) Listen fingers, computers are yours, doors are mine. Right?
BLAKE: You can open it?
VILA: One side please. (picks the lock) There you are.
BLAKE: (opens the door) Good, Vila. Very good.
VILA: It was almost nothing.

[They begin to move through the open door. Guard spots them and yells]

BLAKE: Everybody inside. Come on, quick.

[An alarm sounds. All run down the inner corridor and into the generator room]

[Saurian Major. Interior. Generator room]

AVON: Vila.
BLAKE: (closing door) Avon, can you do it?
AVON: (crouching near control panel) Five minutes. (pause) I know. Make it two.

[Liberator teleport area. Jenna enters. Second alien attacks her. They fight. He is about to kill her. Gan comes in with gun, but cannot fire. Alien takes gun from Gan. Jenna fires and kills alien.]

JENNA: (coughing) It's all right. We got them. Everything's over.

[Saurian Major. Interior. Generator room.]

AVON: Adjuster. (Cally hands him a tool)
BLAKE: The door won't hold much longer.
AVON: I'm nearly finished. Magnetic probe.
VILA: That's running up into the danger level.
AVON: I have to neutralize the safety circuits. Otherwise it will close down the reactor.

[Saurian Major. Interior. Guards in the corridor are firing at the door.]

BLAKE: (gives Cally teleport bracelet) Put this on.
CALLY: (takes bracelet) What is it?
BLAKE: Our way out. Put it on.

[Cally puts on bracelet]

[Interior. Liberator teleport area. Jenna and Gan. The lights dim again]

JENNA: Gan, the aliens have linked their ship to our power source. I'm getting a very heavy power loss. I'll have to disconnect. You'll be all right, won't you?
GAN: (nods) Yes.

[Jenna leaves Liberator teleport area for the hold. Gan leaves for the Liberator flight deck.]

[Interior. Liberator flight deck. Gan comes down the stairs and falls.]

ZEN: Olag Gan. Basic decoding of projectile's autolog is now complete. Occupants are identified as programmed guardians. They are conditioned to eliminate any life form which could be a threat to the brood units and genetic banks contained in the rear section of the projectile. Liberator crew are such a threat and will be attacked. There are four guardians. Repeat, four guardians.
GAN: (Gasping for breath) Jenna. (gets up and starts back out) Jenna.

[Interior. Liberator hold five. Jenna is inspecting the power hookup]

[Interior. Liberator teleport area. Gan enters, moves guardian's body.]

GAN: (yells) JENNA! (passes out)

[Interior. Liberator hold five. Jenna begins to disconnect power cable.]

[Interior. Alien projectile. A hand unlocks the rear compartment]

[Saurian Major. Interior. Guards in the corridor continue their barrage.]

[Saurian Major. Interior. Generator room]

AVON: (pulls out a part of the control mechanism) Got it. Reaction's building. Nothing can stop this generator now. (smashes the part with his foot)
BLAKE: (into communicator) Jenna, we're ready. Stand by to bring us up. (pause) Control.

[Interior. Liberator teleport area. Gan regains consciousness, pulls himself up, trying to reach teleport controls]

BLAKE: (v.o.) Control. Now! Jenna. Gan. Teleport NOW. (Gan makes another attempt at the controls) Can you hear me?

[Saurian Major. Interior. Generator room]

AVON: It's going. It's going up.
BLAKE: Teleport now.

[Interior. Liberator teleport area. Gan operates the controls]


[ Saurian Major. Interior. Generator room. The group is teleported. The security forces break into the room. The control unit explodes, killing the guards.]

[Interior. Liberator hold five. Jenna is still working to disconnect the power cable.]

[Interior. Alien projectile. Rear compartment is opening.]

[Interior. Liberator teleport area]

BLAKE: Where's Jenna?
GAN: Jenna. In the hold.
BLAKE: Look after him. (runs out of Liberator teleport area)

[Interior. Liberator hold five. Guardian creeping up on Jenna, his knife drawn. Blake enters]

BLAKE: Jenna!

[Jenna falls. Blake pushes alien. Alien falls against power panel and is killed]

[Interior. Liberator flight deck. Entire crew and Cally are present. Main screen on, explosions]

BLAKE: That should give them problems for a while.
CALLY: (telepaths) You have my thanks.
BLAKE: Pleasure. (pause) Do you wish to return to Auron?
CALLY: I cannot return to my people. I have failed.
BLAKE: Then stay with us.
CALLY: Thank you.
JENNA: What are we going to do about the projectile.
BLAKE: Dump it in deep space.
JENNA: Thanks a lot.
GAN: I don't like the sound of that. It's murder.
AVON: Would you rather it was hooked back into the power system. You heard Zen. A single cell from those genetic banks can be incubated into fully grown adult in one point six minutes.
VILA: We could be up to our armpits in homicidal maniacs within the hour.
BLAKE: Maybe that's why Zen was so uncooperative.
JENNA: It seems to me it should have taught us something. Something about the wisdom involved in bringing aliens aboard.
BLAKE: Seven of us can run this ship properly.
VILA: Six surely.
BLAKE: You forgot Zen.
AVON: You're not counting that machine as a member of the crew.
BLAKE: Oh, what do you say to that Zen?
ZEN: Please state course and speed.
BLAKE: Very diplomatic. Set a course for Centero, speed standard by two.
ZEN: Confirmed.

The Web"
by Terry Nation

(c) 1977 by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Series created by Terry Nation. This is a complete dialogue transcript for research purposes and is not for sale under any circumstances. Format (c) 1993 by Ruth Hanson and Micky DuPree.

Dramatis Personae

Roj Blake
Jenna Stannis
Kerr Avon
Cally
Vila Restal
Olag Gan
Zen
Saymon
Geela
Novara
Decima

The surface of an unnamed planet. A forest path lead to a clearing. In the center of the clearing is a laboratory complex.

SAYMON: (V.O.) They must come. They must. They must. They must come. They must. (Interior of the laboratory complex). They must. They must. They must come. They must come. (Another room in the same lab. A power unit is nearly exhausted) They must. (Another room. A male figure is
seated on a lounge chair). They must. They must come to us. They must come. (The same room from another angle. A second figure, female, is seated on another lounge chair.) They must. They must. They must come. They must. They must. (Another room in the same complex. A shrunken humanoid form is suspended in a life support tank.) They must come to us. They must come. They must.

Flight deck of the Liberator. Jenna presses intercom switch.

BLAKE: (V.O.) Blake.
JENNA: Jenna. Sorry to wake you, but I think you should get down here.
BLAKE: (V.O) What's wrong?
JENNA: Our speed is increasing.
BLAKE: (In his cabin, lying on cot.) Can't you compensate?
JENNA: (V.O) It's not an external influence, it's us. The primary drive is accelerating.
BLAKE: All right. I'm on my way. (Rises)

Interior of hold three. Door opens, Cally enters. She is armed, carrying a rectangular device and a tool pouch. She moves to access duct, attaches the device to the panel and presses the activator. The timer activates. She exits the hold.

Flight deck of the Liberator. Blake enters from the passageway, buttoning his shirt.

BLAKE: Well?
JENNA: Speed standard by three and building.
BLAKE: How quickly?
JENNA: If it continues like this it will be off the scale in about twelve minutes. Zen says the automatic repair service should have it under control by then though. Seems to be a malfunction in the PN overrides.
BLAKE: Zen, estimated repair time.
ZEN: Eleven point three zero two minutes.
BLAKE: Whew! That's cutting it a bit fine. What caused the malfunction?
ZEN: The malfunction was deliberately induced.
JENNA: (Whispered) Deliberately induced?

An intersection of passageways aboard the Liberator. Cally moves down the passageway. From an intersecting passage Vila enters.

VILA: Cally. (Waits) Cally, what do you think of the outfit.

Cally stops, pauses and turns. She advances on Vila.

VILA: Cally?

She strikes him on the head with the tool pouch.

Flight deck of the Liberator

JENNA: Speed standard by four and building.
BLAKE: (Depresses intercom switch) Avon.

Teleport area. Avon is working over an equipment console.

AVON: Yes.
BLAKE: (V.O.) I need you on the flight deck.
AVON: I'm busy
BLAKE: (V.O.) NOW, Avon.

Flight deck of the Liberator

BLAKE: Zen, how are the repairs going?
ZEN: They are proceeding on schedule.
BLAKE: What caused the malfunction? (Pause) Well?
ZEN: Involvement is not permitted.
BLAKE: If the ship's blown up, lofty disinterest won't save you.
JENNA: Speed standard by five and building.
BLAKE: Forward detectors on maximum. Full scan. Abort course programs. Key all navigation systems to anticipate potential collisions and neutralize.

ZEN: Confirmed.
BLAKE: (Depresses intercom switch) Avon.
AVON: (Still in teleport area) All right!
BLAKE: (V.O.) If it was all right, I wouldn't need you here.

Cally enters teleport area. Watches Avon from entry. She moves forward when he notices her presence.

AVON: Our leader seems a bit piqued.
CALLY: What are you doing?
AVON: A little private research.
CALLY: (Moves to stand next to him) Why?
AVON: All knowledge is valuable.
CALLY: (Touches her temple as if listening) Which are the forward detector links?
AVON: What? (Pause) Oh, uh (Pause) Those two there. Why do you want to know that?
CALLY: I'm interested in your work.
AVON: (Pause) Yes. (Pause) Well, I suppose I'd better go and see what it is that Blake wants.

Avon exits. Cally moves to detector comp and unrolls tool pouch.

Flight deck of the Liberator

AVON: What exactly are you accusing me of?
BLAKE: I'm asking if your researches have included the PN overrides.
AVON: I haven't been anywhere near them. (Sits down)
JENNA: Speed standard by six and rising.
ZEN: There is a partial malfunction on the forward detectors.

In the teleport area, Cally continues to tamper with the detector comp. It shorts out, burning her hand.

Flight deck of the Liberator

ZEN: Forward detectors are now dysfunctional. Navigation computers have switched to theoretical projections.
BLAKE: Now we're blind as well.
JENNA: But who?
AVON: Cally.
BLAKE: What?
AVON: It's Cally. (Rises and moves to passageway)
BLAKE: (To Jenna as he follows Avon) Warn Gan and Vila.

Blake and Avon exit.

JENNA: (Depresses intercom switch) Gan.

Gan is reclining on a cot in his cabin

JENNA: (V.O.) Respond please.
GAN: Yes, Jenna. What is it.

Teleport area of the Liberator. Avon and Blake enter and stop. Cally is facing them, weapon in hand.

CALLY: I should regret the necessity to kill you.
BLAKE: Why are you doing this, Cally.
SAYMON: (V.O.) They must come.
CALLY: (Advances on Blake and Avon) Move back to the flight deck.
AVON: Look at the burns on her hand.
BLAKE: She must be in agony.
CALLY: (Continues to advance) I will kill you if you do not obey.

Flight deck of the Liberator. Blake and Avon enter, Cally is not immediately visible behind them.

JENNA: Speed standard by seven. Speed seems to be increasing by (breaks off when she catches sight of Cally). So it was you.
CALLY: (Steps forward and motions Jenna away from flight controls. Jenna hesitates) Must you invite death?
JENNA: (Joins Blake. Cally moves to the console and begins altering settings) Navigation computers can't cope with a change of course. We're running blind.
CALLY: (Gan enters stealthily from other passageway). Don't move.
BLAKE: Jenna's right, Cally. This ship's out of control. We're as good as dead now. (Pause) Zen, what's our speed?
ZEN: Standard by eight point six five.
AVON: (Steps forward) If you're trying to steal the ship, there are other ways.
JENNA: You're not Cally, are you.
SAYMON: (V.O.) They must come.

Cally makes a move as if to shoot Jenna. Gan yells and grabs her hand. Cally cries out in pain and struggles with the crew, then blacks out.

The surface of the planet.

SAYMON: (V.O.) They must come to us. They must. They must. They must come. (Interior of the lab.) They must come to us. They must. They must. They must come to us. They must. They must. They must come to us. They must come.

Flight deck of the Liberator. Avon and Jenna are at the flight controls. Blake and Gan are standing nearby. Cally is lying on the deck. She regains consciousness and attacks Blake. Gan restrains her and she collapses again. He holds her.

JENNA: (Moves from controls and slaps Cally). Whoever you are, it's over.
CALLY: (V.O. telepathically) Thank you, Jenna.
AVON: (Pulls Cally's head around to face him) What was all that about? (She faints again)
BLAKE: (To Gan) Better keep her sedated.
AVON: And locked up or dumped.
JENNA: You should never have brought her on the ship.
AVON: (To Vila as he enters) And where have you been hiding?
VILA: All I said was what do you think of the outfit.
ZEN: Repair monitors report explosive device attached to primary power channel.
BLAKE: Where?
ZEN: Hold three, access duct seven.
BLAKE: Can the automatics neutralize it?
ZEN: No.
BLAKE: Why not?
ZEN: There is no damage.
AVON: Computer logic. Until the bomb explodes there is nothing for the repair system to repair. Zen, can you reprogram the automatics?
ZEN: Preemptive interference in crew activity is forbidden.
BLAKE: Oh, he'll clear up after us, but he won't stop us making a mess. (Exits, running down passageway)
AVON: (Moves to follow him) You made this mess.
JENNA: We're all in it, Avon.
AVON: (Over his shoulder from the passageway) Yes, aren't we.

Interior of hold three. The device attached to the access duct continues to tick.

On the flight deck of the Liberator

JENNA: (To Gan as he carries Cally out) You better lock her in.
GAN: I will.
JENNA: (To Vila) Anything on the detector scanners?
VILA: Not a thing.
JENNA: Speed's up to standard by ten. Drive repairs, how long?
ZEN: One point two five minutes.
VILA: Can you stop us then?
JENNA: If we don't hit something first. Forward detectors?
ZEN: Repair monitors are assessing the damage.
VILA: A bomb was all we needed.

Blake runs down passageway and skids to a halt before the door to hold three. He enters hold and moves to examine the device. Avon enters behind him.

AVON: Be careful of that thing. If the light goes out you've got about three seconds. (Blake touches the device, the light goes out.) Look out. (He lunges at Blake and pushes him out of the way. The bomb detonates).

Flight deck of the Liberator

ZEN: Major disruption of primary power channel. All systems switched to auxiliary power. All drive units are dysfunctional.

The interior of hold 3. Blake and Avon are still on the floor.

BLAKE: Thank you. (Pause) Why?
AVON: Automatic reaction. I'm as surprised as you are.
BLAKE: I'm not surprised.

Blake and Avon get up from floor. Blake exits, Avon stays and examines damage. Surface of the planet. Then the interior of the laboratory complex.

SAYMON: We must make ready. We must make ready. Ready. Ready. Ready. (The two figures rise and move into another room.) They approach, drawing closer. Closer. Closer. Closer. Closer. We must make ready. We must make ready.

On the flight deck of the Liberator.

JENNA: It wasn't what she was doing. It was the way she was. If you looked into her eyes it wasn't her looking back at you.
GAN: Avon says that's because she's an alien.
VILA: Everyone's an alien to him.
BLAKE: He's certainly more at home with machines.
ZEN: The navigation computers have completed a theoretical projection of Liberator's position.
BLAKE: And?
ZEN: This star system is largely uncharted.
VILA: Oh, that's marvelous. We're not sure where we are, but if they were sure they wouldn't know where it was anyway.
ZEN: Repairs to the primary power channel are complete. All drive units are now fully functional.
BLAKE: Reduce speed to standard by point five.
JENNA: Reverse primaries. Speed now standard by point five.
BLAKE: Put up navigation projection.

Main viewscreen shows a series of six circles.

ZEN: Circles indicate projected planets. Positions are unconfirmed.
BLAKE: Well, put up our estimated position. (An additional circle is added to main viewscreen close to one of the existing circles) That's too close to something we can't see.
JENNA: And we're not sure is there.
BLAKE: What about the detectors?

ZEN: Partial malfunction is still not traced. Repair monitors are in phase two reassessment.
BLAKE: Gan, see if there's anything you can do to help Avon. Tell him we need those detectors now.
GAN: Right. (Leaves flight deck)
ZEN: Hull sensors indicate a major gravitational field within Liberator's ambit.
BLAKE: Jenna, compensate the gravitational drift.
JENNA: Our speed's dropping.
BLAKE: Field drag?
JENNA: Field strength's only three point five. It must be something else.
ZEN: Limited range forward vision is available should you require it.
VILA: Why couldn't you tell us that before.
BLAKE: Put up forward vision.

Main viewscreen shows strands of white in the path of the Liberator. Density of fibers increases.

VILA: What is it?
JENNA: Meteorite dust?
BLAKE: Strands like that? Look there's more of it.
JENNA: It's rubbing across the hull.
VILA: And it's getting thicker.
JENNA: It's like a spider's web.
VILA: Some spider.
JENNA: That's what's pulling our speed down.
BLAKE: Increase power to compensate.
JENNA: It's getting worse all the time.
BLAKE: If there is a planet there we should be close enough to get signals now. Vila, go and see how Cally is, will you.
VILA: Must I?
JENNA: It's not catching.
VILA: It brought my head out in lumps.
BLAKE: Get a move on.
VILA: Right, I'm going. (Leaves flight deck).

In the teleport area of the Liberator

AVON: (Examining a portion of the detector equipment). Nothing wrong with that.
GAN: What are you trying to do?
AVON: Bypass the detector comp and use another of the systems to receive the signal.
GAN: Can it be done?
AVON: Of course. It's just a matter of finding the link. Some of this technology is a little more advance to that which I'm used. I'm having to guess at some of it.
GAN: What about the automatic repair system.
AVON: Oh, it'll do the job. Eventually. It's very methodical. (Begins linking wires to Liberator systems). It starts at the beginning and it works its way through. It's slow. You should appreciate that problem. (Throws a switch. Circuit boards short and burn.) No, that wasn't the one.
GAN: It'll take days to repair that.
AVON: On any ordinary computer system. But this isn't any ordinary computer system. A malfunction of that size would have registered on the autorepair. It should cut in about five seconds. Watch. (Pause, looking at his watch) It will be cutting in about (Pause) now. (Autorepair restores the circuitry.)
GAN: That is fantastic.
AVON: Yes, isn't it. (Disconnects a wire) As a matter of fact it is. We could make a fortune with it if it wasn't for
Blake.
GAN: In what way?
AVON: There's always a market for technology like this.
GAN: I don't think Blake would agree to that.
AVON: There will come a time when he won't be making the decisions. (Avon smiles)

On the flight deck of the Liberator. Cally and Vila enter

BLAKE: Cally!
VILA: It's all right. She doesn't remember a thing.
CALLY: How did I burn my hand?
BLAKE: It was an accident. (Takes hold of her arm) Look, we're very close to a planet but we don't know what it is. I can't find any transmission sources. Will you please run the checks for me. (She moves to communication position. Blake follows.)
ZEN: Sensor indicate increasing density of silica based organic material adhering to the hull.
VILA: About spider's webs.
BLAKE: Hmmm, what about them?
VILA: They're used for trapping food.

The exterior of the Liberator, moving through the increasingly dense strands.

The flight deck of the Liberator

BLAKE: (to Cally) Anything?
CALLY: I've tried all recognized systems but there is nothing. No transmissions of any kind.
BLAKE: We'll move out. Go back the way we came.
JENNA: Without detectors? Blind backtracking is a good way to run into pursuit ships.
BLAKE: We've no choice. If we get clear then we can outrun them if necessary.
ZEN: Sensors register increasing gravitational influence. Field strength now eight point six.
BLAKE: We're moving closer into the planet. (He moves to the navigation position) Vila, I want a new course. Locate the center of that gravitational field. I want an attitude that takes us directly away from it.
VILA: Right.
BLAKE: Jenna, stand by to bring her round. (Pause) How much reserve power is there? Jenna. (Jenna is immobile, her hand extended toward the controls, eyes unfocused. Cally moves down to join Blake.) Jenna? What's wrong?
CALLY: What is the matter with her?
BLAKE: I don't know. Vila, give me a hand. We'll take her to her quarters.
SAYMON: (V.O. speaking through Jenna) We have waited for your coming for many years. Welcome. It pleases us that you are here.
BLAKE: Who are you?
SAYMON: We will meet shortly and then we shall answer all your questions. For now, it is only important that you understand the danger of your situation.
BLAKE: Danger?
SAYMON: Your ship is trapped. You cannot free yourselves.
BLAKE: We can free ourselves at any time we wish. You underestimate the power of our ship.
SAYMON: On the contrary. You overestimate it. We have examined your ship most carefully through our daughter Cally. You would require to sustain your maximum power for one hundred and sixty hours to break out of orbit. Your energy cells would be exhausted in less than one hundred. Gravitational attraction would draw you back to your present position before your cells would be recharged.
BLAKE: If we are trapped, then by whom?
SAYMON: We do have some influence on your safety in that it is within our power to release you from the web. That we can and will do in return for assistance from you.
BLAKE: What do you want from us?
SAYMON: In a few moments we will transmit a homing signal. It will give you a precise landing position. We will talk again when you have landed.
BLAKE: Listen.
CALLY: (Touching her temple) It has left her. Blake, that could've been one of the Lost.
BLAKE: Well, don't be mystical Cally. Explain.
CALLY: It is the legend of my people. They were cast out. Unfit to share the soul of Auronar.

A signal begins broadcasting to the Liberator. Cally moves back to the communications position.

CALLY: Yes, it is a beacon signal.
BLAKE: Get a fix on it.
VILA: Are you going down?
BLAKE: Not if I can help it. I don't like the sound of anything I heard. Let's try to pull her out of here.
JENNA: (Recovered, unaware of passage of time) Ready to go about?
BLAKE: Jenna? Are you all right now?
JENNA: Yes. (Pause) Of course, I am.
BLAKE: Yes. Vila is the course set?
VILA: Uh, on the panel now.
BLAKE: Lock onto it Jenna.
JENNA: She's responding very slowly. Coming round. That's it. Locked onto course.
BLAKE: Right. Give it all we've got. Full thrust.
JENNA: Coming up. Full power.
BLAKE: Speed?
JENNA: Standard by one half.
BLAKE: Cut in the auxiliaries.
JENNA: That's helped at bit. We're now up to standard by one and one half and building but slowly.
BLAKE: Vila.
VILA: Yes.
BLAKE: It's time to use the neutron blasters.
VILA: At last. I've been looking forward to this.
BLAKE: Take it easy. It might blow us all up. Se if you can blast a hole through that web. Fire.

Vila attempts to fire. An alarm sounds.

ZEN: Neutron flare shield has not been activated.
VILA: Which one's that?
BLAKE: Activate the neutron flare shield.
ZEN: Confirmed. Blasters are cleared for firing.

Vila fires. Main viewscreen shows the blasters clear a hole in the web. it begins to close up again immediately.

VILA: I did it.
JENNA: We're picking up speed.
BLAKE: All right, now keep it going.
VILA: It's closing up.
JENNA: We're getting drag again. We're slowing down.
BLAKE: Fire again, Vila.

Vila fires again with similar result.

ZEN: Power banks one and two now exhausted. Energy drain exceeds recharge capacity.
VILA: Every time I blast a hole in it, it just knits up again.
BLAKE: How long can we sustain this rate of power loss, Zen?
ZEN: Standard drive plus auxiliaries can be sustained for ninety hours. Each neutronic discharge reduces that capacity by three hours.
BLAKE: How much distance have we covered?
ZEN: One hundred spacials.
BLAKE: We're not going to make it. All power off.
JENNA: All off.
CALLY: What will you do?
BLAKE: We don't have much choice.
JENNA: We're drifting in again.
BLAKE: Let her go. Cally, get an exact fix on that beacon. Tell Avon and tell him to stand by. I'm going to have to teleport down. Vila, I want an atmosphere and gravity check.

Surface of the planet. Decimas are wandering through the compound.

SAYMON: There is little time left. They will come to us, but it must be soon. There is little time left. (Interior of the lab. Saymon suspended in his life support tank) They will come to us, but it must be soon. It must be soon. It must be soon. (View of Decimas, outside the lab, pounding on the windows.) Soon. Soon. Soon. Soon. There is little time left. Soon. Soon.

In the teleport area of the Liberator

BLAKE: Set?
AVON: Ready.
CALLY: (Enters, carrying surface gear) I must come with you.
BLAKE: No.
CALLY: But you can trust me.
AVON: Really?
BLAKE: I know we can. Whatever's down there can control you. It's already demonstrated that.
CALLY: I was unprepared.
AVON: So were we.
BLAKE: It's better that you stay here. (Moves to stand by teleport console. To Avon) If I call for backup get down there fast.
GAN: We'll be ready.
BLAKE: Gan, keep an eye on Cally. (Gan gives thumbs up sign)
AVON: What if something should happen to you and we can't get you back?
BLAKE: Then all you have to do is get everybody else out of this mess. (Stands within teleportation area. Avon smiles slightly) All right put me down.

Avon teleports Blake. Cally leaves the teleport area, followed by Gan. On the surface of the planet Blake materializes in a wooded area. There are thick strands of a white substance clinging to the foliage. Light colored round objects are scattered throughout. He starts toward the clearing. From cover a Decima throws a crude spear. It strikes Blake in the hand. He draws his weapon and moves quickly toward the laboratory complex. At the main entrance to the laboratory an unarmed Decima approaches Blake.

BLAKE: Keep back.
DECIMA: Help us. Help us please.

The door opens and Novara steps out. He raises his weapon and touches the Decima in the chest with it. The weapon discharges and kills the Decima.

NOVARA: Come inside. There are more of them in the compound.

Blake and Novara step inside the lab. Geela is waiting just inside.

GEELA: You are hurt. Come, I will treat the wound.

They move through to another room. Geela begins cleaning the wound on Blake's hand.

BLAKE: (To Novara) Why did you kill him, he was no threat.
NOVARA: One of them obviously was, but don't worry it was only a Decima.
GEELA: You were lucky. It could have been much worse. We've had groups of more than fifty of them in this area. (Pause) Can you close your hand?
BLAKE: (Closes hand slowly, painfully. Sharp intake of breath)
GEELA: The tendons are not cut. (Geela extracts an organism from a container and places it on the wound.)
BLAKE: What is it?
GEELA: Don't be alarmed. It's a simple enzyme culture. Tissue regeneration will take only a few moments.
NOVARA: I'm sorry this happened. The Decimas are becoming a problem. When we have full power again we will reduce their numbers.
BLAKE: He was asking for help.
GEELA: Don't waste your sympathy. They want help to destroy us. Stupid they may be, but they know that our power is diminished. That we are at our most vulnerable. There only hope for a future is to wipe us out.
NOVARA: They've made several full scale assaults on the lab. They can't do too much harm of course. Their weapons are too primitive. But they are a threat. And they will have to be suppressed.
GEELA: There, you see it's dead. (Brushes away the desiccated remains of the organism)
BLAKE: (Examining his healed hand) That is astonishing.
NOVARA: A useful technique for small wounds.

They move into an adjoining room.

BLAKE: I've never seen anything like it before.
NOVARA: Our mission has specialized in tissue creation and regenerative processes.
GEELA: Among other things.

They all sit down.

NOVARA: I am Novara and this is my sister Geela.
BLAKE: Blake.
GEELA: We are happy to see you. We thought your ship would land. How did you come here?
BLAKE: We have a teleportation process.
NOVARA: Fascinating, perhaps you would explain it to us.
BLAKE: I thought you had already examined our ship.
NOVARA: Not all of it.
BLAKE: You used Cally to sabotage us and force us to come here.
GEELA: Would you have come otherwise?
BLAKE: Perhaps.
NOVARA: In that case, we apologize.
BLAKE: You communicated with us through another member of my crew.
NOVARA: A simple mental process known to the ancients. We have developed and refined it. It is more reliable than mechanical transmissions.
BLAKE: You said you have a way to free us from the web.
GEELA: That is correct. We created "the web" as you call it.
BLAKE: What is it?
NOVARA: It is a silica based life form. A mutation not unlike fungus. Its spores germinate rapidly and it has enormous tensile strength. It can trap and hold the most powerful ship.
BLAKE: What's it for?
NOVARA: It was a line of research which got out of control.
BLAKE: Then how do I release my ship?
GEELA: We developed a fungicide that can be projected by a beam. It will clear a corridor through the web. You will be able to move freely.
NOVARA: However, that is where the problem lies. The problem is both yours and ours.
BLAKE: And so presumably the reason why you brought us here.

They stand up.

GEELA: Let us show you. Come.

They move to another room where a power control unit is operating. You recognize this?

BLAKE: Power cells?
NOVARA: Flutonic power cells. As you can see from the registers one of them is totally exhausted. The other almost so.
BLAKE: And you have no means of recharging them.
GEELA: No, when we have used what remains our life support systems will fail and we will die.
NOVARA: But perhaps more significant from your point of view, we do not have enough power to project the fungicide.
BLAKE: So you want me to provide fully charged energy cells. And in return ...
GEELA: We provide clear passage out of orbit.
BLAKE: (Examining the unit) I don't know that we have this type of cell. I dare say we have something that can be adapted.
NOVARA: Then you agree?

Outside the lab, Decimas scream and pound on the windows.

BLAKE: Dwarves?
GEELA: Decimas.

Geela and Novara move to one side of the lab. Blake moves to the other side of the lab and looks out the door. He sees a circle of Decimas removing their dead comrade. A few moments later, Geela and Novara join him.

NOVARA: The attack was a diversion so they could move their dead.
GEELA: Stupid creatures. Taking of life seems to affect them. Almost as if they had emotions.

The Decimas begin to throw rocks at the door.

NOVARA: The changes in them are astonishing. The earlier generations showed no indication of aggression. (Pause) Are you going to contact your ship?

BLAKE: Blake.

Flight deck of the Liberator.

CALLY: Cally.
BLAKE: (V.O.) Tell Avon I need two fully charged flutonic power cells.
CALLY: I will tell him.

In the laboratory complex.

BLAKE: Call me when he is ready to bring them down.
CALLY: (V.O.) Understood.

Flight deck of the Liberator.

VILA: Ask him what's happening down there.
CALLY: No, he's gone. He didn't sound as if he was in trouble.
JENNA: He'd have found a way of letting us know if he was.
CALLY: But the Lost have great power.
VILA: Why would they need these cells then? (Pause) I'll go and tell Avon. (Exits)
GAN: Flutonic power cells.
ZEN: The detector malfunction has been rectified. Full function on all systems is now available.
JENNA: Run immediate navigation check and pinpoint our position, then a maximum range orbital scan.
ZEN: Detectors indicate unidentified craft at extreme range.
JENNA: Put them on the screen.

Main viewer displays graphic of five federation pursuit ships in close formation

CALLY: There they are.
JENNA: Pursuit ships. Don't they ever give up.
GAN: Zen, are they coming this way?
ZEN: If they maintain present course and speed they will pass at a range not exceeding two million spacials.
JENNA: Their detectors'll pick us up at that distance. That's too close.
CALLY: Shall I tell Blake?
JENNA: There's nothing he can do till we're out of the web.
CALLY: But he should be told.
JENNA: If he's bargaining it will weaken his position.
CALLY: You're very practical.

Decimas are exploring the area immediately outside the laboratory. Inside, Geela is making adjustments to the console.

GEELA: Complete. The beam is now aligned to your ship. When we have full power this control will project a ray that will clear a route through the web. It will take three hours to close in again.
BLAKE: Should be enough time.

They move back into the adjoining room.

BLAKE: What was the original purpose of the project?
NOVARA: Genetic engineering. The main aims were to halt the aging process in humans. To find a way to maintain continuous life.
BLAKE: Immortality.
NOVARA: And to create a new species of animal. Creatures that would be able to perform simple menial tasks. Animal machines that cost nothing to produce and little to maintain.
BLAKE: (Laughs). Experiments like that have been banned for centuries.
GEELA: Which is why we had to establish our laboratory on an uninhabited planet.
BLAKE: Were any of these creatures made?
NOVARA: Yes. We engineered an efficient four function animal. Using the same basic genetic form we then increased it to ten functions. The Decimas.
BLAKE: You made the Decimas?
GEELA: The prototypes. They breed naturally, but a mutant strain has become dominant. They seem capable of thought. They exhibit primitive emotions, weaknesses we thought we had eradicated.
NOVARA: They will all have to be eliminated so that we can be certain the mutant strain is destroyed.
BLAKE: They're intelligent, living creatures. You can't just wipe them out.
GEELA: We gave them life. We have the right to take it from them. Please don't concern yourself. They're simply laboratory constructed animals as are we.
BLAKE: You? You are made?
NOVARA: We were genetically engineered, allowed to grow to maturity, then our aging processes were stopped. We have no lives of our own. We are simply flesh and blood creatures operated by our creators.
SAYMON: (V.O. speaking through Geela) (Laughs) You seem confused my friend. We had intended not to meet with you. However, you will be leaving us shortly. No harm can come from your knowing us. Geela will bring you.
GEELA: Come with us, please.

Blake follows Geela and Novara back through the room and into the lounge area. His communicator chimes.

BLAKE: (Into communicator)Blake.
AVON: (V.O.)Avon.
BLAKE: You ready?

In the teleport area of the Liberator

AVON: One of the flutonic power cells is fully charged. The other will be ready in precisely two minutes.

In the laboratory.

BLAKE: Get them down here as soon as you can.

In the teleport area of the Liberator

AVON: There's something else. The detector banks are now fully functional. They've located the pursuit ships and they're coming this way.
BLAKE: (V.O.) Have everybody standing by. In the laboratory We'll move out as soon as we're both back on board.
AVON: (V.O.) Good.
BLAKE: (to Geela) I'm sorry.

The three climb a few steps and enter a room Blake has not seen before. The room is dominated by a tank containing the shrunken body of a being suspended in fluid and hooked to a life support system.

SAYMON: You must excuse me. I have not spoken with these lips in a long time. My name is Saymon. That is the name by which this body was once known. I am a corporate identity. We exist through this body.
BLAKE: We?
SAYMON: We were from Auron. There were six of us when we set off on this project. Unfortunately our knowledge was not far enough advanced then to eliminate death. But we did possess the power to keep alive our thoughts and ideas. The bodies reverted but the minds lived on.
BLAKE: Cally's people. The Auronar.
SAYMON: Yes. We were from the Auronar but not of them as Cally is.
BLAKE: That's why you were able to control her.
SAYMON: That is why we had to control her. She would not have accepted us freely.
BLAKE: You are the only one of the six that is left?
SAYMON: Mechanical aids sustain this body. Through it all six of us continue to live. Our combined mental powers generate Geela and Novara to carry out all physical operation in our experiments.
BLAKE: (Looks at Novara and Geela) They have no life of their own.
SAYMON: None. If our life support should fail, they would simply wither away. Thanks to you and your energy cells that will not occur.
BLAKE: So that all I have spoken to them about, all they have told me, that was you talking not them.
SAYMON: Correct.
BLAKE: And did you mean what you said? You're going to destroy the Decimas.
SAYMON: It would have been wiser to have done so before they became so numerous. But to discharge a lethal level of radiation required more power than we had available.
BLAKE: But the cells I'm providing will give you that power?
SAYMON: Of course.
BLAKE: No. I can't let that happen.
SAYMON: Without that power you cannot escape the web.
BLAKE: Then we must come to a new understanding. You won't get those cells until we do. (In the teleport area of the Liberator) (V.O.) Avon stay on board until you hear from me.
VILA: This is Vila.
BLAKE: (V.O.) Don't teleport Avon until I say so.
VILA: I just did. (In the laboratory) (V.O.) I put him down about ten seconds ago.
BLAKE: (To Saymon) He'll be in the compound now.
SAYMON: If the Decimas reach him, he'll be in danger. Those power cells must be protected.
BLAKE: I don't give a damn about your power cells. There's a friend of mine out there.

He turns and runs for the main entrance of the complex. Geela and Novara intercept him near the exit.

NOVARA/GEELA: (Simultaneously) We will help.

Outside the entrance to the lab, the three survey the compound.

BLAKE: (To Geela) You take that side. (To Novara) You take that side. And I'll go straight on.

The separate. Novara moves through the area followed by Decimas. Geela moves in the opposite direction also followed by Decimas. Blake moves toward the area where he first teleported down searching for Avon.

AVON: (From behind Blake) I've been looking for you. What's going on?
BLAKE: Let's get under cover first. (They move behind some undergrowth and crouch down) Got the cells?
AVON: (Indicating a box in his hand) What do you think these are, field rations?
BLAKE: Listen, these's a problem. If we let them have those, they'll use them to wipe out an entire race of creatures, people here.
AVON: If it concerns you, don't give them the cells.
BLAKE: No, there's more. They've got a carrier beam which projects a fungicide which'll clear a way through the web for us. It doesn't work without this power.
AVON: Ah well, if it's between the creatures and us there's no argument. Even your irrational conscience should be able to cope with that. (Pause) What do you want to do?
BLAKE: Hold off long enough to make a deal.
AVON: You're going to have to be quick, Blake. Those pursuit ships are coming this way.
BLAKE: I'll hide these cells. (Conceals power cells in the undergrowth). They can have them when they agree to our terms.
AVON: What ARE our terms?
BLAKE: They can use lethal radiation to kill everything out here. If they allow us to destroy the radiation equipment at least the Decimas will have some form of chance.
AVON: Why should they agree?
BLAKE: They need the power. They can't survive without it.
AVON: Neither can we.
BLAKE: I'll bear that in mind. (Tosses empty box away.)
AVON: Don't worry. I'll remind you.

Novara and Geela approach. Blake and Avon rise. Avon draws his weapon.

NOVARA: Let's get back inside quickly. Where are the cells?
BLAKE: He didn't bring them. We'll get them when we've talked.
GEELA: You are lying.
BLAKE: You will get them when you agree to our terms.
NOVARA: (To Avon) Put your weapon down. (Avon looks at Blake) Do it! (To Blake) You. Now, the cells.
AVON: I didn't bring them.
GEELA: (Touches Avon's hand with her weapon. She releases his hand.) Minimum power. A full charge would cut you in half.
NOVARA: Understand. Your lives are totally unimportant to us.
BLAKE: All right.

Blake retrieves the energy cells.

NOVARA: Quickly.

They all move back into the laboratory building.

GEELA: (Just inside the main door) The cells.

Blake surrenders the cells to Geela. She hands them to Novara. He goes through to the power unit without securing the main door and begins installing the cells. Blake, Avon and Geela follow him.

NOVARA: (Completing installation) I will irradiate.
BLAKE: No! Novara.

Decimas who have been quietly entering through the open main doorway attack Geela and Novara, but leave the members of the Liberator crew unharmed. During the confusion, Blake moves to the power console and activates the fungicide beam.

BLAKE: Right, that's the beam.

Avon and Blake move to the stairs leading to Saymon's sanctuary.

AVON: These are what you wanted to protect.
BLAKE: They're fighting for their lives.
AVON: Who isn't.

They step inside the room.

Exterior of the Liberator trapped in the silica web. A pulsing light beam strikes the web and the ship. The web begins to dissolve.

On the flight deck of the Liberator. Jenna, Gan and Cally are waiting.

JENNA: Look.

Main viewscreen shows the web dissolving.

GAN: He did it. We're free.
JENNA: Not yet.

Interior of the laboratory. The Decimas continue their attack. They are destroying equipment. Geela and Novara are dead. The Decimas attack their remains.

AVON: (Back on the stairs) Let's get out of here.
BLAKE: (Into communicator) Blake. We're ready. Bring us up.

They step back into Saymon's room and teleport field envelops them. Saymon screams. The Decimas move into the room and begin to destroy his life support tank.

Flight deck of the Liberator

BLAKE: Navigation computer to evasive action strategy. Key course and speed to optimum escape probability. Basically, lose them, Zen.
ZEN: Confirmed.
AVON: One thing they proved back there.
BLAKE: What?
AVON: Biological machines will never replace the real thing. They're far too unpredictable.
BLAKE: At least the Decimas stand a chance now. You can't separate living creatures. Being alive involves them together.
AVON: I couldn't agree with you less.
BLAKE: It's a fact of life. Zen, when we've lost the pursuit ships, resume course for Centero.
ZEN: Confirmed.
AVON: I'll tell you a fact of life, Blake. Change is inevitable.
BLAKE: Why else'd we fight, Avon.


END

"Seek-Locate-Destroy"
by Terry Nation

(c) 1977 by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Series created by Terry Nation. This is a partial dialogue transcript for research purposes and is not for sale under any circumstances. Format (c) 1992 by Tommy Persson, Susan Beth Schnitger, Didi Johnson, and Micky DuPree.

Dramatis Personae

Roj Blake
Jenna Stannis
Kerr Avon
Vila Restal
Servalan
Cally
Travis
Olag Gan
Zen
Prell
Bercol
Rontane
Rai
Escon
Eldon

Uncredited:
Male voice (Public Address)
Second male voice

[Planet Centero. Outside what looks like a manufacturing plant.]

P.A.: Attention, please. This is planet Centero communications base control. Routine robot surveillance is now in operation.

[A mobile robot rolls by, swivels its head, then moves on. Blake materializes, looks about then runs to take cover. He moves deeper into the building as he hears the robot approaching, brushing by a hanging cable as he goes. The robot shoots a stream of flames onto the still swinging cable just seconds later.]

BLAKE: [into bracelet] I'm down and safe. I'm somewhere inside the main complex. Is Vila ready?

[Liberator teleport room. Jenna is at the controls, Vila is standing near her with his open box of tools. Gan and Cally are nearby.]

JENNA: [into comm] Hold on, just checking. [to Vila] Are you ready?
VILA: Tell him I've just worked out a completely new strategy. It's called running away.
JENNA: He's ready.
BLAKE: [v.o.] Put him down.
JENNA: [into comm] Standby.

[Vila is putting some tools back inside his box and fumbling with the lid.]
GAN: Come on, Vila!

[Vila gets the box closed and moves into the teleport bay.]

JENNA: Ready? [Vila nods resignedly.] I'm putting him down -- now.

[Vila dematerializes.]

[Centero. Vila materializes in the same place as Blake had earlier. He looks about, then starts running in the exact opposite of the direction Blake took.]
BLAKE: [beckoning] Vila, over here.
[Vila runs to join him.]
VILA: Where are we?
BLAKE: Shhh, no noise. There's a security robot patrolling the area. As far as I can tell we're in the outer compound. Top security section should be back that way. Now, stay close to me and keep your head down.
VILA: [hopefully] Why don't I stay here and keep watch?
BLAKE: Come on. [They run, pass alongside a wall and come to a gate in a chain-link fence. A sign on the gate reads "TOP SECURITY."]
BLAKE: There it is. That must be the way in. Can you open those gates or are we going to have to climb them?
VILA: You won't get over it. That'll have every detector device you can imagine, and a few more besides. I'll have to get a closer look at the locking system.
BLAKE: All right, I'll keep watch.
[Vila moves over to the gate, pausing first to try a set of locked doors nearby. He shrugs at Blake who motions him on to the gate. Vila eyes the gate, opens his box and applies a tool to the inside of a panel he opens. There is a large electric spark and the end bit of his tool is burnt off. Vila looks at it in disgust and replaces it in his box. Blake hears the robot approaching and flattens to the ground.]
BLAKE: [calling softly] Vila, take cover.
[Vila keeps working on the panel.]
BLAKE: Vila!
[Vila reaches into his box. The robot passes by. Blake looks over at the gate -- no Vila in sight. Blake runs over to the gate and looks around.]
BLAKE: Vila?
[Vila sticks his head out of the doors he'd checked earlier.]
VILA: Has it gone?
BLAKE: How did you get in there?
VILA: There isn't a lock I can't open -- if I'm scared enough.
BLAKE: Are you scared enough for that one?
VILA: What do you think?
[Both move over to the gate and look at it. Vila sets back to work with a couple of tools.]
BLAKE: How does it work?
VILA: Anybody authorized to go through the gate has a physio-psycho pattern registered in the central computer. [Hands one of the tools to Blake.] Hold this. When he wants to go through, this scans him and feeds the reading back to the computer. All you've got to do is intercept the feedback from the computer. [Vila holds one finger on a component inside the panel.] Now, you stand in front and I'll press the scan button. [Vila presses a red button with his other hand. Blake's face is illuminated by a red light.] Retrieval system, no record, refusal signal, now. [Vila pulls his hand away from the panel. The light on Blake's face changes to green, there's a buzz, and the gate swings open.]
BLAKE: Nice going.
VILA: Any very talented person could have done it.
BLAKE: Come on.
[Blake enters. Vila starts to follow with his tool box but hears a beeping from the gate controls so pauses to close the panel he'd opened. They run inside, slipping safely behind a patrol group. They see two guards at a door. Blake whispers to Vila who nods, then approaches the guards.]
VILA: Hello there. How are you? Excuse me wandering about your premises but I wonder if you can help me. I'm an escaped prisoner. I was a thief but recently I've become interested in sabotage, in a small way you understand, nothing too ambitious, I hate vulgarity, don't you? Anyway, I've come to blow something up. What do you think will be most suitable? [Throughout this babbling the guards have been looking back and forth at him and each other in disbelief. Blake slips up behind them from the other side and takes out one of the guards. Vila bashes the other with his tool box.]
GUARDS: Agh!
[Blake runs inside. Vila starts to follow then stays with the guards.]
VILA: Blake, don't leave me.
[Blake moves down corridors, draws his weapon and looks around. Back at the door, Vila arranges the two unconscious guards into a seated position leaning against each other, then enters the building. He looks around in a corridor.]
BLAKE: [calls softly] Oy. [Vila jumps as Blake comes up behind him.]
VILA: Oh, you gave me such a shock, you did....

[Teleport room. Avon and Cally are holding mines which Gan packs into a
carry bag, Jenna is at the controls.]
AVON: All you've got to do with these is find a metal surface and they'll stick fast.
GAN: Right.
CALLY: They're taking too long.
AVON: That's the trouble with heroics. They seldom run to schedule.
JENNA: They'll find it. There's not going to be a sign up there saying "This way to the cipher room."
GAN: They may need help.
CALLY: I think so, too.
AVON: They would have called in.
JENNA: Avon's right.
AVON: [looks over at Jenna] I usually am.
JENNA: Blake says wait so we wait.

[Corridor outside Cipher Room. Blake and Vila move cautiously down the corridor then duck into cover as Prell wheels a dolly out of the room. He leaves it in the corridor and returns inside. Blake mouths something to Vila then bursts into the room and points his weapon at the technicians and guard inside.]
BLAKE: Stand still! Vila, get his gun. [Vila takes the gun from the guard and herds the others with it.]
VILA: All right, all of you, over there, against the wall, quickly.
BLAKE: [into bracelet] Jenna, we found it. Standby.
[Teleport room]
BLAKE: [v.o.] Phase one is now complete. Get an absolute locator fix on my signal. As soon as you are set, put them down.
[Gan, Cally and Avon move over to the teleport controls.]
JENNA: Right.
AVON: It had better be right. A fraction out and you could put us down in the middle of the security barracks.
JENNA: Don't tempt me.
[Jenna is using a panel with an indicator light.]
JENNA: Blake, can you give me a voice check?
BLAKE: [v.o.] Reading out. [The light moves as he speaks, then comes to a stop.] One, two, three, four. One, two--
JENNA: Right, that's it, got it. Locked on. [to others] Ready? [Avon, Cally and Gan enter the teleport bay.] Good luck. I'm putting them down -- now.

[Cipher room. Avon, Cally and Gan materialize.]
BLAKE: [to Avon] Now do you know what you're looking for?
AVON: [shortly] Yes. [Moves off towards the equipment.]
BLAKE: [to Gan] All the equipment here?
GAN: All here.
BLAKE: [into bracelet] Down and safe. Well done, Jenna.

[Teleport room. Jenna smiles and sits back, making notes on a pad.]

[Cipher room]
BLAKE: Vila, back down to the entrance: keep the door covered. Cally, Gan, get the prisoners out of here, find somewhere to hold them. Cally, you stay with them. Gan, when you've started setting charges come back in here.
GAN: Right.
[Gan and Cally leave, herding the techs and guard before them.]
AVON: Blake! [Blake joins Avon, and looks inside an opened panel.] This is it.
BLAKE: You're sure?
AVON: It's been updated since the last one I saw, but it's still the same basic instrument.
BLAKE: You're absolutely positive?
AVON: Yes.
BLAKE: Good, disconnect it.
[Avon starts to work.]

[Storage room with shelves of bins, etc. Cally and Gan herd their prisoners inside.]
CALLY: Move on, move on, stand facing those racks. [Gan pushes the men up against the rack, pats their arms into position.] And keep your hands up.
GAN: Can you handle it, Cally?
[Cally nods, Gan leaves the room.]
CALLY: Now then. Don't move.

[Corridor. Gan sticks two mines to walls and activates them.]

[Cipher room. Avon is working, Gan comes in quickly startling Blake who aims his weapon at him before recognizing Gan.]
GAN: I've set the charges down the corridor.
BLAKE: All right, set a couple in here.
GAN: Two? One would be sufficient.
BLAKE: I want total destruction so nothing can be recognized. If they sort through the debris and find the cipher machine is missing all they'll do is change their code and we'll have wasted our time.

[Storage room. Cally moves over to the door and peers out. Prell reaches one hand slowly towards a canister on the shelf before him but puts it back up empty when Cally moves towards the prisoners again.]

[Cipher room. Gan is starting to attach a mine to a wall.]
BLAKE: Way over there. [Indicates the other side of the room and Gan sets the mine.]
AVON: Gan. [Gan moves over to help Avon who hands him a tool.]

[Outside the door. One of the guards has come to. Vila sees the robot approaching and takes cover. The guard runs to trigger a switch. Vila chases him and knocks him out, but too late to keep the alarm from going off.]

[Cipher room. Blake is standing at the open door. The alarm can be heard.]
BLAKE: That's done it. Gan, watch the door.
[Blake shuts the door, Gan moves over to it as Blake crosses to Avon.]
BLAKE: [to Avon] How are you doing?
AVON: [grunts] Well, the main holders are released but I still can't get it free.
BLAKE: Here. [He tries in vain to pull the cipher gizmo free.]
AVON: It's secured by something that I can't quite fathom. Gan!
[Gan joins them]
GAN: You better stand back. [He reaches into the panel and grapples with the device, grimacing with strain.]
BLAKE: Avon, keep an eye on the door.
[Avon moves over to the door.]
BLAKE: [Checks his timer] Come on, Gan, hurry it up, hurry up.

[Storage room. Vila pops in.]
VILA: Cally.
CALLY: What?
VILA: I've just been spotted. The alarms are ringing. I thought you ought to know. [exits]
[Cally sees Prell reaching toward the shelf, and moves toward him. He withdraws his hand.]
CALLY: I thought I told you not to move.

[Cipher room. Vila bursts in, Avon aims his weapon at him.]
AVON: What are you doing here?
VILA: What do you think?
BLAKE: Lock the door!
[Vila slides a bolt just as a guard reaches the door.]
BLAKE: Get down, both of you.
[Blake blasts the guard through the door. Blake, Vila and Avon push a cabinet in front of the doorway to block it.]
BLAKE: [to Gan] How are you doing?
GAN: I've broken two connections, just two to go.
BLAKE: You've got one minute left. [into bracelet] Stand by, Jenna, we may have to get out of here very fast.

[Storage room. Cally moves in front of a set of shelves. She looks over at the door when she hears some guards running past, and Prell grabs the canister and throws it at her, knocking her back.
PRELL: [to other prisoners] Come on, get her!
[They rush her, and Prell grapples with her, holding her until the guard knocks her out.]
PRELL: [to guard] Right, you watch her. [to other techs] You three come with me.
[They exit. The guard removes Cally's gun.]
P.A.: Attention, please. This is base control, red alert! All security personnel to report to number one command post immediately.

[Outside building. A squad of guards jog by.]

[Storage room. Cally attacks the guard. They fight, she wins and knocks him out. She realizes her bracelet has come off and starts searching for it, around and behind the racks.]

[Cipher room. Gan bends back a sheet of metal and pulls the cipher device free.]
GAN: Got it!
BLAKE: Right, everything into the bags. [into bracelet] Jenna, stand by to bring us up in, about, twenty seconds. [Shots of Cally still searching, overlaid by the timer on a mine ticking down.] Now! [Blake, Avon, Vila and Gan dematerialize.]

[Shots of Cally still searching, the timer reaching zero, explosions, fire, Cally's body lying behind the fallen rack, her bracelet lying beside her.]

[Teleport room]
JENNA: [lays device on control panel] So you got it.
BLAKE: It was close though.
AVON: Too close. Another few seconds we'd have all been blown up.
VILA: Well, it wasn't my fault.
AVON: Well, whose fault was it? I thought you were supposed to guard the corridor.
VILA: You were supposed to disconnect that thing, not rely on Gan tear to it loose with his teeth.
JENNA: All right, all right, now calm down. Are you sure this is it? [picks up the device] It doesn't look like much.

[Flight deck, empty except for Blake.]
BLAKE: Zen, retaliation status report.
ZEN: Detectors confirm massive launch of long range interceptor rockets. They have locked on to Liberator's course and are in pursuit.
BLAKE: How long before we outrun them?
ZEN: Battle computers estimate seven hours to outrange interceptor tracking systems.
BLAKE: Maintain optimum evasive strategy.
[He exits the flight deck, the next line coming as he walks away down the corridor.]
ZEN: Battle computers confirm, optimum evasion strategy committed.

[Teleport room]
AVON: So that all communication between Federation units is sent by hyperspace sub-beam, that originates here and here. [indicates areas on device] All messages are converted into zeta three particles and then scrambled. [Blake enters in background.] They in their turn become an unbreakable code.
BLAKE: Unbreakable unless you have one of those.
AVON: As soon as I get this linked into our communications setup, we should be able to read every message that the Federation puts out.
JENNA: Any sign of the interceptors?
BLAKE: We picked up a whole flock of 'em. But we should outrun them in seven hours.
JENNA: It's almost too easy, isn't it?
BLAKE: A lot can happen in seven hours so I suggest we get back to business. Avon, I want you to make a start with that. Cally can help you. Where is Cally? [Everyone looks about.] Anybody see where she went? [Pause, no one speaks.] Has anybody seen her since she came back on board?
GAN: I haven't seen her.
VILA: Neither have I.
BLAKE: Then she's still down there. We've got to get back.
JENNA: We can't. The interceptors.
BLAKE: We can't just leave her there!
AVON: Blake, listen. If she didn't come back up, then she must have been in the building when the charges blew. She's dead.
VILA: And anyway, the place will be crawling with security forces by now. They'll be on full alert.
AVON: We'd never even get through their interceptors. [Grabs Blake's arm.] Listen! [Blake yanks free.] If you turn this ship round, you will kill all of us.

[Federation Space Headquarters. Servalan's office.]
RONTANE: Which is why the President has asked me to come here personally; to express his own very grave concern over this matter. The destruction of the communications center has far-reaching political consequences. Controllers from some of the Outer Planets, whose loyalty to the Federation is, uh, delicately balanced, have been openly critical of the Administration's defense system. There are even one or two radical voices that speak of withdrawal from the Federation.
BERCOL: My department has done all in its power to suppress information about Blake and his actions -- there is a total blackout on all reports concerning him -- but still the stories get out. They spread by word of mouth, by whispers, by rumour; each time the story is told it is elaborated upon. Any damage to the Federation is attributed to Blake. The smallest incident is exaggerated out of all proportion until it becomes a major event. Blake is becoming a legend. His name is a rallying call for malcontents of all persuasions. He must be stopped.
SERVALAN: Gentlemen: I share the President's grave concern. And I am aware of the danger should Blake become a legend. But let us keep this matter in its correct perspective. It is true that Blake has command of a superb space vehicle, but he is just a man, backed by a handful of criminals, and that is all. He is not invulnerable, nor is he superhuman. He is just a man, who has been extremely lucky to evade capture --- so far.
RONTANE: With respect, Supreme Commander, we are aware of the facts. They are simply that with all the resources that the Federation can call upon, this one vulnerable, lucky man is still free to cause havoc.
SERVALAN: You have some criticism of my handling of this matter, Secretary Rontane?
RONTANE: Not at all, I hoped merely to convey the concern shown by the President when he briefed me for this visit.
BERCOL: It would be very helpful to all of us if we knew --- if you could indicate what action you will NOW be taking against Blake.
SERVALAN: Very well, Councillor Bercol. You may tell the President that I am appointing a Space Commander to take absolute control of this matter. He will be exclusively concerned to seek, locate, and destroy Blake.
BERCOL: Oh, excellent, excellent.
RONTANE: May we know the officer's name?
SERVALAN: Yes, you may. Space Commander Travis.
RONTANE: I understood that Travis had been suspended from duty pending an inquiry into the massacre of the civilians on the planet Auros.
SERVALAN: And I have satisfied myself that Travis acted correctly in this matter. The civilian deaths on Auros were unavoidable.
BERCOL: Uh, there are other incidents on his record, um, unfortunate incidents.
RONTANE: He has caused the Administration some political embarrassment in the past. In dealing with even minor insurrections, he has been, ah ... overzealous?
SERVALAN: Oh, don't be afraid of the word, Secretary. Ruthless. Committed. He does his duty as he sees it, and he sees it clearly. He has no time for the dirty gray areas of your politics.
RONTANE: [chuckle] I'm sure you're right, and of course the appointment is made on your judgement and your responsibility.
SERVALAN: Responsibility is something I have never evaded, Secretary.
RONTANE: Ah. May I then tell the President that you are confident that the Blake problem will be solved, soon?
SERVALAN: You may tell him to prepare a statement announcing that Blake has been eliminated.
BERCOL: Thank you for your reassurances, Supreme Commander.
RONTANE: Goodbye.
SERVALAN: A safe journey back to Earth.
[The two men exit.]
SERVALAN: [into comm] Where is space commander Travis? He was due here one hour ago.
VOICE: [v.o.] His ship is locked into the station's flight grid. He will dock at precisely eighteen-twenty-three.
SERVALAN: Good. [She opens a window and looks out at space. View shifts to the Liberator in space as her voice speaks] Your time is running out, Blake. Your time and your luck.

[Flight deck. Jenna, Avon and Gan are working to install the cipher device. Blake is moving about restlessly, Jenna goes over to him.]
JENNA: [rests hand on his shoulder] There's nothing you could have done. It wasn't your fault.
BLAKE: And whose fault was it? I should have checked.
JENNA: Cally wasn't a child.
BLAKE: Wasn't she?
JENNA: She knew the risks. She accepted them. She even welcomed them.
BLAKE: She was ashamed to go back to her own people because she had survived when the rest of the freedom fighters were massacred.
JENNA: Well, that wasn't her fault.
BLAKE: Shame like hers is an emotion, Jenna. It isn't rational.
JENNA: Exactly, and so is guilt like yours. That's not rational, either.
BLAKE: It's ironic, isn't it? She was the only one of us who wasn't a convicted criminal.
JENNA: She convicted herself. You can't live like that. You've got to make peace with yourself, Blake, if you want to survive.
[Blake moves over to Avon.}
BLAKE: How are you coming with that?
AVON: The primaries are hooked into the main instrumentation, I just have to link up to a read out.
ZEN: Attention. Liberator is now out of range of the interceptor's scanning systems. Detectors indicate the rockets have begun to self destruct.
BLAKE: Have the navigation computers put in a course for the planet listing K-Fourteen.
ZEN: Course laid in.
JENNA: That's a Federation repair and supply base, isn't it?
AVON: Yes, for their deep space cruisers.
JENNA: Are we going to attack it?
BLAKE: One for Cally. [pause] Because I want to survive.

[Servalan's office.]
SERVALAN: [into comm] Yes?
VOICE: Space commander Travis's ship has just docked.
SERVALAN: Have him report to me immediately. [pause] No, have him wait outside until I send for him.
SERVALAN: [Knock on door] Come in.
RAI: Central Intelligence transmitted the records you asked for, ma'am. I have the microtapes.
SERVALAN: Thank you, Rai. Leave them there.
RAI: I am told that Travis is docked.
SERVALAN: So I understand.
RAI: [takes formal stance] May I speak, Supreme Commander?
SERVALAN: Yes, of course. But why so formal, Rai? What can be so important that we can't discuss it in a more relaxed way? Oh, Rai, come here.
[She beckons him to join her on a couch.]
SERVALAN: [stroking his shoulder] Rai, I thought we were old friends.
RAI: I value our friendship a great deal.
SERVALAN: [smiles] Yes. Well?
RAI: Senior echelon officers all know that Travis is coming.
SERVALAN: But I've made no secret of it.
RAI: Is it wise? They know that he has been stripped of his rank and authority. That he has no status now and that he stands a good chance of being dismissed the service.
SERVALAN: Rai, [touches his hair] Space Commander Travis is the subject of a military inquiry. He was ordered to suppress an attack on Auros.
RAI: The man is a butcher. He continued with his attack after the total surrender. The death toll was horrifying.
SERVALAN: [stands up and returns to stand behind her desk, Rai follows her and stands in front of it] Travis is an advocate of total war. He carries out his orders with meticulous thoroughness. An enemy does not cease to be an enemy simply because it has surrendered.
RAI: That's the philosophy of an assassin, not a Federation officer. [pause] I must tell you that there are those among your officers who will not serve with Travis or take orders from him.
SERVALAN: And you may tell them --- whoever they are --- that Space Commander Travis's rank and authority have been fully restored by my order. I have also appointed him Senior Executive Officer of this station. Is that clear?
RAI: Yes, Supreme Commander.
SERVALAN: Let them know, too, that any lack of cooperation, any hesitation in responding to an order, will be treated as mutiny. Let them know I have said this. Dismissed. [Rai clicks his heels and exits. There is a bleep from the comm. Servalan ignores it, looking pensive. The comm bleeps again and Servalan reacts this time.]
SERVALAN: Yes?
VOICE: It's Commander Travis. I told him he was to wait but he just pushed past me. He's on his way up. I tried to stop him--
SERVALAN: Very well. [Door opens and Travis enters. He moves to just in front of her desk and stands with his hands on his hips.] Space Commander, it is good to see you.
TRAVIS: Your aide said I was to wait. He was obviously mistaken. He doesn't realize the urgency of the matter. [Servalan lays a folded sheet of paper on the desk before him. Travis picks it up and reads it.] These are your orders?
SERVALAN: Destroy Blake.
TRAVIS: Depend on it.

[Flight deck]
AVON: It's working.
JENNA: Well done.
AVON: Now let's see how well. Jenna, see if you can isolate the Federation's signal beam.
JENNA: [Jenna uses a tool on the device as the pitch of the signal shifts.] That's it.
AVON: Now, feed that into the cipher control . . . and there it is. [Zen's display screen shows shifted lines of cryptic characters.]
BLAKE: Well done, Avon.
AVON: Under the circumstances, it would have been a great pity if it hadn't worked. Gan, basic unscrambler? [Gan hands him a set of headphones. Avon and Jenna listen to the earpieces.]
BLAKE: What are you getting?
AVON: Just routine movement orders, statistical information. I'll rig a selective data link into their battle computers, it'll be useful background information.
JENNA: We should monitor what we're getting, we'll need a rota of some sort.
BLAKE: Yeah, good idea. [laughs] We should know more about the Federation than the president.
[Jenna laughs.]
BLAKE: I presume there's a recall record?
AVON: It's all going on to microtape.
BLAKE: You've done a good job, Avon. Thank you.
AVON: At least I'll know what the _Federation_ is planning. [Gan grins] Just a minute.
BLAKE: Something?
AVON: A message beamed into Centero.
JENNA: But we've just destroyed their communications base.
AVON: They're using emergency frequencies.
BLAKE: What's the message?
AVON: Some flight clearance. Priority spaceway for a ship going in from Space Headquarters. The Supreme Commander requests that all personnel give maximum cooperation to the incoming officer.
JENNA: Does it give his name?
AVON: Space Commander Travis.
BLAKE: Travis!
JENNA: Do you know him?
BLAKE: I thought he was dead. I was sure I'd killed him.

[Cipher room. A group of technicians are rifling through the debris when Travis enters.]
TRAVIS: Stop! [to Prell] What are these men doing here?
PRELL: Well, I didn't think it would matter if we made a start on clearing up the worst of the damage.
TRAVIS: My orders were that nothing was to be touched in this room, nothing. [to the technicians] Get out! [Most start to leave, one is slower about it. Travis grabs him by the arm and shoves him towards the door.] Out! [to Prell] Go through the sequence of events.
PRELL: From the beginning, sir?
TRAVIS: Well, naturally.
PRELL: Well, two armed men came through the door. From the description you've given me, one of them was certainly Blake.
TRAVIS: Go on.
PRELL: Well, we were made to stand against the wall. Then a minute later, three more of them just appeared.
TRAVIS: Appeared?
PRELL: Well, materialized, sir. My men and I were taken out by a man and a girl. It was the girl who kept us prisoner in the equipment store. We overpowered her, the demolition charges went off, sir. Well, we were lucky to get out alive.
TRAVIS: How long were Blake and his men in here?
PRELL: Five, ten minutes, not more.
TRAVIS: Five or ten minutes? They could have set demolition charges in thirty seconds. What were they doing in that extra time?
PRELL: Perhaps they had trouble getting them to work, sir.
TRAVIS: And why did they take you and your men out of here?
PRELL: I suppose they thought it was safer with us out of the way.
TRAVIS: No. No. There's something missing. I'm missing something. [pause] Do you still have the original construction plans for this room?
PRELL: They'll be on record, sir.
TRAVIS: And detailed diagrams of all the circuits?
PRELL: Yes.
TRAVIS: Good. I'm sending in a forensic team. I want a full catalog of every item in this room.
PRELL: But, sir--
TRAVIS: Everything must be accounted for.
PRELL: But, sir-- [breaks off as Travis turns to stare at him coldly.] Well, that could take months, sir, if it's possible at all.
TRAVIS: Prell, if I were you I'd make it possible. I want that catalog in twenty hours.
PRELL: Sir. [There is a ringing. Prell uses a handheld communicator, holding it alternately to his ear and throat] Yes? Right!
TRAVIS: What is it?
PRELL: They found something, under the rubble. I think you'd better come along.

[Storage room. Eldon is examining the body of the dead guard.]
PRELL: Where is it?
ELDON: It's over there, sir.
[Prell goes behind the fallen rack and touches Cally.]
PRELL: It's the girl who was holding us prisoner, sir.
TRAVIS: Is she dead?
PRELL: I'll check, sir.
ELDON: [Hands Cally's gun to Travis] We found this, sir.
TRAVIS: Hmm?
PRELL: Sir.
TRAVIS: Hmm.
PRELL: She's alive.
TRAVIS: You, get a medical squad. Move!
ELDON: Yes, sir. [exits]
PRELL: She'll pull through all right, sir, she's lucky.
TRAVIS: No, we are. Her luck ran out when she didn't die. The medics are to give her emergency treatment and put her into a life support capsule. I take off for the space station in one hour.
PRELL: Right, sir. [exits]

[Servalan's office. Travis is scanning through pictures of Blake on a wall screen.]
SERVALAN: Shouldn't you rest now?
TRAVIS: Is this all the information we have on Blake?
SERVALAN: I checked with Intelligence personally. It's all there.
TRAVIS: Have you approved my requisitions for personnel and equipment?
SERVALAN: The ships you want, the Starburst class, I'm not sure I can get them.
TRAVIS: What?!
SERVALAN: There've only been three of them built so far, and they've already been assigned to the Galactic Eighth Fleet.
TRAVIS: Well, get them reassigned to you. Look, from what we already know about Blake's ship, it's vastly superior to anything we've got. If I'm to stand even a reasonable chance of taking him, I need those three high-range pursuit ships.
SERVALAN: You'll have them.
TRAVIS: What about my crew?
SERVALAN: Already assigned. Why mutoids particularly?
TRAVIS: Why mutoids? I've always thought that individuals with a high bionic rebuild were more reliable, less likely to let emotion interfere with judgement or duty. I give a mutoid priority over a man every time. [Points to his left hand] Or perhaps it's this that gives me a fellow feeling.
SERVALAN: Does it still trouble you?
TRAVIS: Well, not in the way you mean. The surgical mechanics did a perfect refit. I had the Weaponry Division make a few ... adaptations. They built in a laseron destroyer, more powerful than any sidearm. No, the hand is fine, better than the original. It only troubles me because it's a constant reminder that the man who caused it, is still alive.
SERVALAN: Blake. That's why I choose you.
TRAVIS: Oh?
SERVALAN: I've read all the reports, of course. But none of them said what happened. None of them explained about your face.
TRAVIS: What about my face?
SERVALAN: It was patched up by a field medic.
TRAVIS: Man saved my life.
SERVALAN: But why did you never let the surgeons finish the job?
TRAVIS: [Chuckles] What are you suggesting, cosmetic surgery? I'm a field officer, not one of your decorative staff men.
SERVALAN: You're certainly not decorative.
TRAVIS: You find it repulsive?
SERVALAN: I find it ... unpleasing.
TRAVIS: But memorable. You wouldn't mistake me for anyone else.
SERVALAN: Hardly.
TRAVIS: Mm. Neither will Blake. Even after all this time, he'll know me, and remember what happened at our first meeting.
SERVALAN: Tell me.
TRAVIS: It was quite early on. Blake had only been involved with the dissidents for a short while, but he already had a following. He organized some attacks against some of our political rehabilitation centers. Released some of the prisoners who were having indoctrination treatment. I was assigned to deal with the matter. We got information that Blake was planning another raid. We knew the location of the meeting point. I made my plans well in advance.

[Flight deck. The crew are all sitting on couches in the pit. Vila and Jenna are holding cups, more are on the table. Jenna sips from her cup at one point during Blake's story.]
BLAKE: The group had arranged to meet in a sub-basement. There were about thirty of us. I was very particular about security. I had our people watch the entrances and exits for a full twenty-four hours before we were supposed to meet. No Federation forces came anywhere near the place. I was absolutely sure that we were safe. That night we were assembled and about to begin, and Travis and his men suddenly appeared from nowhere.
AVON: Didn't you post any guards?
BLAKE: Of course I did. Travis was already there. He'd been hiding in that basement for more than two days. We made no attempt to resist arrest. There was no point, we had no chance. I said to Travis, "We will offer no resistance." And he just stared at me. And then he ordered his men to open fire. Everybody was diving for cover that wasn't there. I, I ran, I found myself grappling with a guard, and I managed to get his gun away from him, and then I was hit in the leg. But as I went down, I saw Travis. And I fired. I saw him fall. I was sure I'd killed him.
JENNA: What happened then?
BLAKE: Oh, they did a memory erase on me, set up a show trial, had me confess, made me explain that I had been misled, that my political ideas were mistaken. Enough people believed me. The whole resistance movement collapsed. After that the Federation kept me around as a, a reformed character, a sort of ideal model citizen exhibit. Of course, I didn't know that at the time. No, it's only since almost exactly the same thing has happened again that the memory erase has begun to fade and I can remember.
AVON: Do you remember enough to recognize Travis again?
BLAKE: The man who killed twenty of my friends? Oh, yes. I'll recognize him.

[Note from transcriber: the person I have labeled "DOCTOR" in the following scene is not listed in the credits and only his hand and part of his leg is ever seen.]

[Medical lab. Cally is lying on a bed/medical capsule, with a mask over her eyes, attended by a doctor. Travis's image is displayed on a wall screen.]
TRAVIS: What is her condition?
DOCTOR: [removes her mask] There's some superficial bruising, a slight respiratory problem, other than that she's virtually unharmed. There's really no need for her to remain in the life support capsule.
TRAVIS: No, she'll stay where she is for the moment. It'll make her more responsive to interrogation later.
DOCTOR: She's not yet well enough to submit to intensive questioning. She must have rest--
TRAVIS: Yes, thank you very much indeed, Doctor, you are relieved of your responsibility for the prisoner. She is now the property ... the concern of the interrogation division. [The doctor exits. To Cally] We'll want to know about Blake, the ship, his crew, his plans.
CALLY: Your words are meaningless to me. Who is Blake?
TRAVIS: I think you'll remember, quite soon. Oh, there may be a little pain, a little discomfort, but you will remember.
CALLY: I will tell you nothing.
TRAVIS: I'll come back later. By that time you may have answered my questions. [to someone offscreen] You may begin. [Scenes of a liquid being poured, Cally grimacing in pain, flashing lights.]

[Cipher room]
ELDON: [shows piece of debris to Prell] What do you make of this, sir?
PRELL: Where did you find it?
ELDON: It was embedded in the wall.
PRELL: [takes it and looks it over] Strange, it looks like part of the inner workings and yet the surface scoring would suggest that it was exposed at the time of the explosion.
ELDON: Hmm.
PRELL: Check its code number.
ELDON: [puts on a visor with an attached single lens] Fourteen twenty- nine.
PRELL: [checks against paper listing] Fourteen twenty-nine, relay boost, prime link is to component fourteen thirty. What have we salvaged for that classification?
ELDON: [goes to check against something] Nothing.
PRELL: Nothing?
ELDON: Not a fragment.
PRELL: Of course, it's obvious, obvious. [gestures for comm]
ELDON: [Passes him the handheld communicator] What is it?
PRELL: [Into communicator] Priority message to Space Commander Travis.
Delivery by Category One courier. Message begins ...

[Servalan's office. She and Travis are listening to a recording of Prell's
voice.]
PRELL: [recording] ... thorough check of salvaged material reveals no trace of parts used in manufacture of component fourteen thirty. It is virtually certain therefore that the instrument was removed before the explosion. Component-- [Travis turns the recording off]
TRAVIS: Blake got the cipher machine.
SERVALAN: He's able to read everything we transmit. Forward planning movements, security, everything.
TRAVIS: That's right.
SERVALAN: I must advise Central Security. [Crosses to comm] We have to introduce a new code system immediately.
TRAVIS: No, no. If the code system is changed Blake will know we are on to him.
SERVALAN: That's not important. What matters is that our security is wide open. [Reaches to comm but Travis blocks her hand.]
TRAVIS: Listen to me. We know that Blake is reading us. If we transmit a message in the normal routine way he'll intercept it, hm? Now what if that message was something he wanted to hear? Something that we know would bring him to a particular place.
SERVALAN: A place where we would be waiting for him.
TRAVIS: Exactly.

[Flight deck. Jenna is alone, monitoring the Federation transmission with the headphones when something makes her react.]
JENNA: [into comm] Blake, can you get down here fast? [starts making notes on a pad]
[Blake hurries in, followed by Avon and Vila.]
BLAKE: What is it?
JENNA: This just came through on the cipher.
BLAKE: Read it.
JENNA: Space headquarters priority. Injured female prisoner taken after attack on communications base planet Centero to be held for treatment and interrogation.
BLAKE: She's alive.
VILA: I knew she wasn't dead.
AVON: No, you didn't.
VILA: No, I didn't. I'm going to tell Gan. [exits]
AVON: Treatment and interrogation, that doesn't sound too promising.
BLAKE: She's alive. That's all that matters. Zen, immediate course change. Direct route to Centero speed standard by six.
ZEN: Confirmed.
BLAKE: I want a repeat readout of everything in the databanks concerning Centero. The whole lot again.
ZEN: Confirmed.
BLAKE: I want it now.
AVON: Blake, what are you planning? What exactly have you got in mind?
BLAKE: I'm not sure yet.
JENNA: We could make a really fast strike. They wouldn't be expecting anything.
AVON: Oh, I admire your confidence.
JENNA: Well, surprise is the only thing we've got on our side.
BLAKE: Yes, well, however we do it, one way or another we are gonna to get Cally out of there. [exits]

[View of Liberator in space, turning.]
ZEN: [v.o.] The banks have collated the required information. Liberator is turning onto new course heading, now.

[Multiple scenes of guards taking up stations around Centero base. Shot of Cally's unconscious body being dragged along the floor by her feet.]

[Room at Centero base. Travis is sitting at a table.]
ESCON: Base Commander Escon reporting, sir.
TRAVIS: Yes, Base Commander?
ESCON: I've escorted the prisoner to the interrogation room and my men have been briefed to keep out of sight until you give the signal.
TRAVIS: Good. Blake is to get right inside the building before anybody makes a move.
ESCON: Understood, sir.
TRAVIS: Sit down, Base Commander.
ESCON: Thank you, sir. [sits]
TRAVIS: How are your units deployed?
ESCON: We have the whole area circled. Squads on every roof, destructors with wide firing spread around every wall. Once they're inside there's no way they're going to get out again.
TRAVIS: Good. Space watch reports?
ESCON: An unidentified ship entered our upper atmosphere about an hour before you arrived.
TRAVIS: Blake's?
ESCON: We assume so.
TRAVIS: Why?
ESCON: Because it came in close and then raced back out again. Our guess is that it was doing a fast ground survey.
TRAVIS: Seems reasonable. Where is it now?
ESCON: In fixed orbit, about a quarter of a million out.
TRAVIS: Quarter of a million? They won't be able to use their teleport at that range. They'll have to come in closer. And they can't do that without our knowing it. Which leaves just one chance factor: exactly where they'll teleport down. The odds are against them being able to zero in on the interrogation room.
ESCON: I think we have that beaten, too, sir.
[Next couple of lines are delivered v.o. over shots of technicians monitoring some screens in another location.]
TRAVIS: Oh?
ESCON: My research people have rigged up the entire complex with an
MSD.
TRAVIS: What?
ESCON: A molecular shift detector, sir. Apparently there's an enormous kinetic potential set up by teleport communications. A rough analogy would be the, the static buildup during an electrical storm.
TRAVIS: Yes, well, I'm always grateful for a rough analogy. What does it do?
ESCON: It tells us exactly where and when they land.
TRAVIS: It's perfect.
ESCON: He still may not come.
TRAVIS: Oh, he'll come. He wouldn't abandon the girl. Not Blake. Right, it starts now. Get under cover.
ESCON: Sir.
TRAVIS: Oh, and Base Commander, remember: Blake is to get right inside the building. Let him find me and the girl before anybody makes a move. Is that clearly understood? ESCON: Understood, sir. [exits]
[Travis leaves through a door in a different direction.]

[Interrogation room. Cally is held in a chair by metal bands over her forearms. Travis enters.]
TRAVIS: I hope you're not too uncomfortable. It won't be long now.
CALLY: You're wasting your time. Blake will not risk his ship and his crew just for me.
TRAVIS: I've studied that man till I know him better than I know myself. He has one reliable flaw: loyalty. He'll come for you. I'll stake my life on it. [Beep. Into comm] Yes?
VOICE: No movement yet from Blake's ship. Still holding fixed orbit.
TRAVIS: Let me know the minute it starts in.
VOICE: Yes, sir.
TRAVIS: I'm sorry about this, but I don't want you doing anything foolish like shouting out for help. Now this won't hurt. [Travis throws a switch on the wall and Cally stiffens with a little moan.]

[Scenes of Travis walking down a corridor, looking over guards outside, shots of apparently deserted exterior of base, Travis walking back down the corridor.]

[Interrogation room. Travis enters, goes over to the chair which has its back to the door and swings it around to reveal it is empty. Blake grabs him from behind, holding an arm about Travis' neck in a choke hold while holding his gun to his head.]
BLAKE: A trick I learned from you, Travis. I got here first. Take his gun, Cally.
[Cally takes a small gun from Travis and points it at him.]
CALLY: Know this, your interrogators caused me much suffering. I should like a reason to kill you, one small movement will be enough.
BLAKE: [into bracelet] I got her, Jenna. Bring the ship to teleport range.
JENNA: [v.o.] On our way.
CALLY: Now, Travis, your turn. [gestures] You get in the chair.
[Travis sits down, carefully resting his real hand on the artificial one.]
BLAKE: Don't feel too badly, Travis. After all, it was an ambush technique you devised.
TRAVIS: You're not out of this yet.
[Cally closes the restraint bands over Travis' arms.]
VOICE: [v.o.] Blake's ship is moving, coming in very fast.
BLAKE: We'll be leaving you in about three minutes. I should use the time to think of an excuse for your failure.
TRAVIS: You'd better kill me, Blake. Until one of us is dead, there'll never be a time when I won't be right behind you.
BLAKE: If not you then somebody else. Killing you'll change nothing. You don't matter enough to kill, Travis.
[Blake turns away to look out the door. Travis uses his thumb to twiddle with the ring on his artificial hand. Cally notices this and where his hand is pointed.]
CALLY: Blake, get down! [Blake ducks, Travis fires, missing Blake, Cally swings his chair around, Blake smashes Travis' hand, sparks fly from the hand and Travis cries out.]
BLAKE: The door, Cally! They'll be coming. [into bracelet] How long, Jenna?
JENNA: [v.o.] Ninety seconds.
BLAKE: [into bracelet] Make it faster.
CALLY: Coming.
BLAKE: Get down.
[The guards fire, blasting down the door.]
TRAVIS: [to guards] Take them.
JENNA: [v.o.] In teleport range now.
TRAVIS: [to guards] It doesn't matter about me.
JENNA: We're bringing you up.
TRAVIS: [to guards] I order you to take them! [Cally and Blake dematerialize. Some guards enter] Don't stand there, you idiots! Launch the interceptors.

[Teleport room. Blake and Cally materialize.]
VILA: Welcome back. We thought you'd decided to stay.
BLAKE: Bit close that time, Jenna.
VILA: Anyway, we're glad you are safe, aren't we? [Looks over at Avon who is standing silently.] Aren't we?
AVON: Yes, I'm glad you're all right.
BLAKE: Those interceptors will be lifting off any minute now. Let's get on with it. [into comm] Gan, get the ship moving. Full interceptor evasion.

[Flight deck. Gan is at the controls.]
GAN: Check. Zen, battle computers to interceptor evasion. [Vila, Avon, and Jenna enter and move to their stations.] Then take us out. Speed standard by six.
ZEN: Your instructions are confirmed. Speed is now standard by six.

[Teleport room. Blake takes off his gun, lays it on the control panel and has started to leave when Cally's voice stops him.]
CALLY: Blake, thank you.
BLAKE: Too many of my friends are already dead, Cally. I can't afford to lose another one. [He looks down at her hands, which are cradling Travis's gun.] Travis's gun. I'll take that.
[Both exit.]

[Interrogation room. A technician is fiddling with Travis's mechanical hand. Travis grimaces and strikes him away.]
TRAVIS: [soliloquy] Run, Blake. [shot of the Liberator is show over the next two lines.]Run. As far and as fast as you like. I'll find you. You can't hide from me. I am your death, Blake. [smiles]

** the end **