Script for Children of Auron

by Roger Parkes

(c) 1979 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) 1992 by Micky DuPree and Nicole Vifian.

Dramatis Personae

Kerr Avon
Servalan
Vila Restal
Cally
Del Tarrant
Dayna Mellanby
Orac
Zen
Deral
Ginka
Zelda
Patar
C.A. 1
C.A. 2
Clinician Franton
Pilot Four-Zero
Uncredited:
Module Six Voice
Medical Section Voice
*? = indistinct

	[Exterior, Servalan's ship in space]
VOICE	All scanners operating.
SERVALAN	[vo] Maintain full alert. [On board Servalan's ship, flight deck]
VOICE	Maintaining. Contact. Auron bound contact.
SERVALAN	Captain Deral to the Command Cabin. Identification.
VOICE	Small. Looks like a patrol vessel. Coming onto visual - now. [Servalan hits button, patrol ship comes up on screen]
SERVALAN	From Auron?
VOICE	Yes. One of their C-type patrollers.
SERVALAN	Crew?
VOICE	Solo.
SERVALAN	Good. Ideal. Ah, Captain Deral. [into comm] Ginka! Activate ionic beams.
GINKA	[on screen] Activated.
SERVALAN	Obtain target coordinates from control.
GINKA	Very well, Madame President.
DERAL	Ionic beams only?
SERVALAN	Just to disable, cause minimum damage. [into comm] Clinic, bring the disease pathogens now. [to Deral] I want that pilot alive. Alive and vulnerable. [On Liberator flight deck. Cally enters.]
CALLY	Course, Zen.
ZEN	Course eight two eight zero four. Destination is the planet Earth.
CALLY	Why Earth?
VILA	Why not?
TARRANT	Anywhere else in mind?
VILA	The Himalayas are quite tall at this time of the year.
CALLY	Feeling homesick, are you? [Vila nods.]
TARRANT	As it happens, it's his idea. There's someone there he wants to eliminate.
AVON	Execute.
CALLY	What?
TARRANT	One of the Federation's para-investigators. Notorious thug known as Shrinker.
AVON	One of his victims was a young woman called Anna Grant. She was important to me.
CALLY	So it's just revenge you're after?
AVON	Just and sweet. [moves game piece on triangle board]
CALLY	You two, you approve of this?
TARRANT	In the absence of a more pressing engagement.
AVON	I am not asking THEM to kill him.
CALLY	But pointless revenge, it doesn't achieve anything.
VILA	We're going home ... to Earth. Does it have to matter why? [Tarrant moves game piece] [Servalan's ship brings one man patrol vessel into bay]
GINKA	[on screen] Docking arm secured.
SERVALAN	Good. Bring the pilot straight up.
DERAL	Are you sure we're totally immune? [Servalan mixes liquids in a beaker.]
SERVALAN	I'd hardly be doing this if we weren't.
DERAL	The man may suspect. Don't forget, all Aurons are telepathic.
SERVALAN	Not, Deral, after being hit by an ionic beam.
DERAL	Let's hope not. [Pilot brought on deck. Drinks liquid handed to him by Deral.]
SERVALAN	Ah, pilot four zero.
PILOT	Loss of power. Systems failure. Total cutout.
SERVALAN	You were hit by a random ionic reef.
PILOT	Ionic reef?
SERVALAN	Probably a residual from the war.
DERAL	We ran into it too. [pours more liquid in glass]
SERVALAN	But with force shields up.
DERAL	More? [hands pilot glass]
PILOT	Thanks. [drinks]
SERVALAN	Ginka, how badly damaged is the Auron patrol ship?
GINKA	Its control systems are burnt out, the auxiliary power unit is functional, but for manual operation only. I'm continuing with further checks.
SERVALAN	Manual only, I'm afraid.
PILOT	I'll manage.
DARAL	With reduced power?
PILOT	Auron isn't so far off. Can you supply me with the course coordinates.?
SERVALAN	Naturally. I only wish we had time to diverge --
PILOT	No. Since the war, the Federation breakup, our people are more cautious than ever. Isolationists.
SERVALAN	Very prudent of them. There are so many unscrupulous fortune seekers at large.
GINKA	Checking's completed.
SERVALAN	Good. Set course coordinates for Auron.
GINKA	Right away, Madame.
PILOT	Right. I owe you my life.
SERVALAN	Just be sure and get home safely.
CALLY	Since when has a personal vendetta been a good enough reason for going anywhere?
AVON	The trouble with the people of Auron is that they all suffer from a superiority complex.
VILA	You should get on well with them, then.
AVON	Too good to become involved with the rest of humanity.
CALLY	That's not true. Just because we happen to be neutral doesn't necessarily --
AVON	Neutrality or passivism, it all boils down to the same gutless inanity.
CALLY	You're wrong.
VILA	"Gutless inanity." I like it. What's it mean?
CALLY	Some of us wanted to participate in galactic affairs.
AVON	Yes?
CALLY	Yes.
DAYNA	So what happened? Were you overruled?
AVON	The great passive majority psyched them into line. Telepathic communion is a wonderful thing. [Smiles]
CALLY	I joined a group of freedom fighters.
TARRANT	On Auron?
CALLY	No, defending the planet Saurian Major from the Federation.
TARRANT	The Federation won, of course.
CALLY	Yes. I do try, though. We're not all gutless, you see.
VILA	And the Aurons punished you for your defiance, didn't they?
TARRANT	Were you exiled?
CALLY	Yes. Why do you imagine I've never gone back? Affection for him? [Auron control centre]
PATAR	Auron control to pilot four zero, make contact please. Auron control to pilot four zero. Not receiving you, four zero. Repeat, not receiving you. CA-2: Still nothing?
PATAR	He's totally on his own. We have you on visual, four zero, but we are not hearing you. Apply retro thrust. Do you copy? CA-2: He'll burn up if he doesn't do it soon. CA-1.
PATAR	Pilot four zero, you must apply retro thrust. Repeat, apply retro thrust. CA-2: Do you think he's slowing?
PATAR	Could be. Full retros, four zero. [pilot in shuttle, sores on face, hard landing. pilot dies]
PATAR	[vo] Well done, four zero. Stand by for hookup, stand by.
VOICE	Hook up completed.
PATAR	Very smooth, retriever one.
VOICE	Standing by for docking.
PATAR	Full emergency procedures operative, retriever one. CA-1: Patar, arrange a debriefing with the pilot, please. CA-2, with me.
PATAR	A signal for you, four zero; [vo] remain in the patroller for priority debriefing with CA One and the Deputy. Repeat, remain in the patroller for priority debriefing with CA-1 and Deputy. Over. [yellow liquid dribbles out of pilot's mouth]
SERVALAN	They have their priority, all right. Survival.
DERAL	They aren't all going to die, are they?
SERVALAN	Deral, we must rebuild the Federation.
DERAL	But Auron has always been neutral.
SERVALAN	Yes. And so long as it was politically expedient they were left to their pathetic little ideals. But the war has left us with a different situation: general disunity and anarchy. So, different imperatives prevail.
DERAL	What about their powers of telepathy?
SERVALAN	They'll have their narrow little minds on other things now. An epidemic of alien pathogens.
CALLY	[preoccupied, echo effect.] Death. Dying.
AVON	[passes hand in front of her unresponsive face] Cally. [snaps fingers] Cally.
DAYNA	What's wrong with her?
CALLY	[normal voice, still preoccupied] They're dying ... all dying.
AVON	Who? Who is dying?
TARRANT	Here, try her with this. Should snap her out of it.
VILA	That stuff would snap an asteroid out of orbit.
DAYNA	Cally.
CALLY	[recovers] They're all dying. Dayna, they're all dying. [Auron control]
PATAR	Orderlies, here! [orderlies remove stumbling man] CA-2: Report, Module six.
VOICE	It's here, we've got it here. CA-1: Oh, no. CA-2: Details.
VOICE	First case was a hour ago. It started with the children. CA-2: Next, the young adults. Thank you, module six. CA-1: Any response to the distress calls? CA-2: Not a whisper. Appeals out on all channels, nothing.
VOICE	Medical section reporting. CA-2: Yes.
VOICE	Negative trace. Non-bacterial, Non-viral. Must conclude disease pathogen of alien origins. CA-1: Ah, yes. From their insane Intergalactic War.
VOICE	What else? CA-2: So why aren't we affected? We were exposed to the disease first, longer than anyone.
VOICE	It's your generation. YOU still have a resistance to the infection. CA-2: Unlike the youngsters. So what do we do? CA-1: Evacuation.
FRANTON	It's probably Auron's only chance now. CA-1: Why aren't you at the replication plant?
FRANTON	Off shift, unfortunately. CA-2: Oh, I'm sorry.
FRANTON	There's still my assistant, Zelda. [CA-1 and Franton go to comm screen] CA-1: Are you all right? No symptoms?
ZELDA	[on screen] The plant is fully sterile, sir. CA-1: Zelda, prepare a full range of genetic stock. Get them packed immediately, ready for evacuation.
ZELDA	I have a different priority, sir.
FRANTON	What is it, Zelda?
ZELDA	To contact Cally. CA-1: Oh, that young rebel.
ZELDA	The Liberator must be our best hope. CA-1: Look, we already have distress calls out on constant transmission. Just obey orders!
FRANTON	With respect, sir. You and Cally are from the same sibling group, aren't you?
ZELDA	Yes, Cally's my twin.
FRANTON	Identical brain scan.
ZELDA	Optimum telepathic affinity. CA-1: Yes, well, forget all that and just do as I say--
FRANTON	Keep trying Zelda, keep at it. But for you our people might have had some natural resistance. Your precious dream of isolation -- CA-1: That policy was agreed upon in council.
FRANTON	And those in opposition were simply ignored. My father tried to warn you, and so did Cally. And look how you've thanked her. CA-1: She deserved to be exiled.
FRANTON	You'd better just hope Zelda can get her back now. [Liberator flight deck]
ZELDA	['path voice] Cally. Help us, Cally. Help Auron.
CALLY	[Repeating to the others] "Help ... help Auron." [Tarrant gives Avon a sign for a council behind Cally's back. They move off together.]
TARRANT	Let's go.
AVON	Can we trust them?
CALLY	Yes. Zelda would never trick me.
VILA	Zelda?
DAYNA	Her identical sibling.
VILA	Eh?
DAYNA	There are plenty more like her on Auron, apparently.
CALLY	This is not a trap.
AVON	Not knowingly, perhaps.
TARRANT	Zen, reroute to planet Auron.
AVON	Just like that?
TARRANT	A democracy. You're outvoted, Avon. Three to two.
VILA	Four to one. I like to stay with the winners whenever possible.
ZEN	Confirm course changing to zero three one zero. Destination: the planet Auron. State speed.
TARRANT	Standard by Six.
ZEN	Confirm.
CALLY	['path voice] I'm coming, Zelda. I'm coming home. I'm coming home. [Servalan's flight deck. Servalan and Deral watch a screen]
SERVALAN	Their bio-replication plant. Auron's most elegant achievement. Synthesised placenta unit, each capable of gestating a batch of identical siblings.
DERAL	Of - ?
SERVALAN	Foetuses, Deral. Offspring.
DERAL	They look quite human.
SERVALAN	They are. The man who perfected the process, Franton, achieved spontaneous cell differentiation.
DERAL	No need for fertilisation.
SERVALAN	That's right. Pure genetic replication.
DERAL	Your own cells, unmated. One parent only.
SERVALAN	Exactly. And now, since the untimely destruction of the Clonemasters, it is exclusive to Auron.
DERAL	Exclusive? So this is your reason. Nothing to do with rebuilding the Federation. You simply want to reproduce.
SERVALAN	It's as well for you that just now I happen to need men like you and Ginka: loyal, unquestioning, not prone to interfering in matters of strategy.
DERAL	Even so, does seem a little -- excessive? To afflict a whole planet merely to indulge --
SERVALAN	Indulge nothing! This, Deral, this is merely a bonus. My primary object for Auron's affliction, as you call it, is to seize the Liberator.
AVON	This is crass stupidity.
TARRANT	Not from Cally's side of the scanner.
AVON	Emotional ties - we cannot risk the Liberator for sentiment.
TARRANT	As long as Cally is part of this crew, she has full call on your loyalty and support, no matter what the risks.
AVON	You are forgetting that the Aurons rejected her. They sent her into exile.
TARRANT	You were exiled from Earth.
AVON	I go back as an executioner.
TARRANT	And you really believe revenge should rate a higher priority than mercy?
AVON	All right. We will consult Orac. [they walk together to Orac. Avon inserts key]
SERVALAN	Signal Auron Control. Offer medical facilities.
GINKA	[on screen] Do we go in and dock?
DERAL	I give your orders, Ginka.
GINKA	My apologies, Captain. Do we go in and dock, sir.
DERAL	You'll get your or--
SERVALAN	Yes. With full quarantine precautions. Say we're afraid of cross infection. Under the circumstances, they shouldn't find that hard to believe.
GINKA	True, Madame.
DERAL	What if the Liberator's out of range of Auron's distress calls?
SERVALAN	You're forgetting Cally.
DERAL	Her telepathy?
SERVALAN	Exactly. And I'm quite sure she's capable of persuading the others.
CALLY	['path voice] Soon. We're coming. Tell them they must not despair. The Liberator is on its way. Zelda, we will be together again. Be strong. I'm coming home, Zelda. I'm coming to help you.
PATAR	Sir. Your message received, jig nine. Hold please. CA-1: It's a reply.
PATAR	Requesting quarantine dockings. CA-2: Who are they?
PATAR	It's an ex-Federation cruiser. CA-1: All right. Confirm.
FRANTON	Just a minute. Suppose it's a trick. CA-1: How?
FRANTON	This whole epidemic. They could have intercepted our patrol ship and infected our pilot. CA-1: For what reason?
FRANTON	Conquest. CA-1: That's ridiculous.
FRANTON	Surely it would be safer to wait for the Liberator. At least we can trust them, and we know they're coming, Zelda heard. CA-1: But not when. Do you know how long it'll take? Heh? Exactly. All right. Confirm docking. Full quarantine.
PATAR	Auron control to jig nine.
GINKA	[on screen] Madame, docking facilities open.
SERVALAN	Quarantine?
GINKA	As specified.
SERVALAN	Tell them to have specimens ready for analysis.
GINKA	Right.
SERVALAN	No. Tell them to have a patient ready. Specify Clinician Franton. Tell them he's to wear protective suiting to withstand radiation scanning.
GINKA	Clinician Franton?
SERVALAN	Yes. Their replication expert.
ORAC	Reproduction by Clinician Franton's method of group cloning has resulted in highly developed psychic faculties, telepathy being the most obvious example. These faculties are, of course, limited to the young since cloning was developed relatively recently.
AVON	We know all that.
ORAC	Since I lack sensors to assess what is or is not in your mind, I cannot assess what is or is not already known to you.
TARRANT	Listen, Orac, what about the disease epidemic Cally's talking about.
ORAC	It's a high probability that because Auron has had a policy of neutrality and isolation, the planet has now been kept completely free of all disease for more than three decades.
TARRANT	A sterile environment.
AVON	Without disease there would be no natural resistance to infection.
ORAC	Precisely.
CALLY	Checking up?
AVON	Why not?
CALLY	There's nothing Orac can tell you that I can't.
AVON	Maybe not, but dispassionately, without prejudice or emotion.
CALLY	So what's Orac's dispassionate assessment? A trap?
AVON	We haven't got that far.
ZEN	Distress signal from Auron.
CALLY	Details.
ZEN	Signal faint and intermittent.
CALLY	Come on, come on.
ZEN	Requesting urgent help. Requesting medical facilities. [Franton in treatment chamber]
GINKA	Diagnostic scan complete. Remove helmet for treatment. Grasp the support. Keep as still as possible. Feet on the marks. [Franton shudders]
DERAL	Ginka, that is not clinician Franton.
GINKA	It tis, sir.
SERVALAN	Rubbish. Ginka, who is this woman?
GINKA	She's Franton's daughter, in charge of the bio replication plant since her father's death several years ago.
SERVALAN	Daughter? Surely the man would have replicated in his own image.
GINKA	It seems she was born while he was still developing the process.
SERVALAN	Ah. Born of natural birth.
GINKA	Evidently. Excuse me, Madam. [Franton's sores disappear. She is released from treatment unit.] There's a mirror to your left.
DERAL	Shall I have her brought in here, Madame?
SERVALAN	Please don't interfere, Deral. I've already given Ginka his orders.
VOICE	Excuse me Madame. Control. Liberator is on visual.
SERVALAN	The prize, Deral. The way to re-establish the Federation more quickly. The single most powerful fighting ship left in space. With that, we can command the loyalty of all factions. [Ginka enters flight deck with Franton]
GINKA	Clinician Franton.
SERVALAN	No longer infectious.
GINKA	Total cure.
FRANTON	Your therapy unit is miraculous.
SERVALAN	Thank you. Installed shortly before the Intergalactic War.
FRANTON	Auron's people will be saved if we can reprogram our medical units.
SERVALAN	I only wish that were possible. Explain, Ginka.
GINKA	It's a pathogen introduced by the aliens during the War. Treatment is linked to the patient's individual tissue pattern.
FRANTON	Individual?
GINKA	The best we can offer is for your people to come on board wearing protective clothing in batches of six.
FRANTON	Six? Our entire planet's infected. If we could at least take the unit out to our medical centre-
GINKA	No question of that. Batches of six, in suits. [Six white suited figures stagger down a hall] CA-2: Six at a time. CA-1: Well, even if only a few dozen can survive...Where's clinician Franton? CA-2: She's gone back to the plant to prepare for evacuation of the genetic stock.
PATAR	Liberator arrival imminent, sir. CA-2: At last! CA-1: Patar. Offer immediate docking facilities.
PATAR	I did, sir, but they -- they said they're using teleport. [Liberator teleport room]
CALLY	We're wasting valuable time, why don't we dock now?
AVON	Security.
CALLY	But this is a mercy mission, not a war.
VILA	Those bugs could hit us too, you know.
TARRANT	We can dock once we've assessed.
VILA	Uh, volunteering for teleport duty up here.
AVON	We should leave two.
TARRANT	Dayna can bring one of them straight back up for analysis.
DAYNA	OK.
CALLY	It would be quicker if we took Orac down with us.
AVON	It would be stupid to compound the risk.
CALLY	Risk! They're dying down there, dying by the thousands,.
TARRANT	Orac stays, Cally.
DAYNA	Come on.
VILA	Good luck. [operates teleport]
DERAL	Ginka.
GINKA	Yes, sir?
DERAL	Stand up.
GINKA	Sir.
DERAL	You are addressing a superior officer, stand up!
GINKA	As you wish, sir.
DERAL	Yes, Ginka, as I wish. I'm tired of your insubordination. I'm tired of your not very subtle attempt to undermine my authority.
GINKA	Is this an official reprimand, sir? If it is, then I have the right to the presence of another officer to whom I may state my case.
DERAL	What exactly is your case?
GINKA	Do you mean you don't know?
DERAL	Is it because you were passed over for command?
GINKA	You admit that I was passed over then.
DERAL	Clearly, since I was made captain and you were not. A fact you'd do well to bear in mind.
GINKA	Oh, I do bear it in mind, sir. I bear it in mind all the time.
DERAL	Then act accordingly, or I shall have you up in front of a court martial.
GINKA	I don't think the president would go along with that. Sir.
DERAL	You think she has some special regard for you, is that it?
GINKA	I think she recognises a good officer, even if he doesn't have the right connections.
DERAL	As I have?
GINKA	Surely. Since you were made Captain, and I was not.
DERAL	Get on with your work. [Six white suited Aurons enter treatment chamber]
GINKA	[on screen] The first six have arrived, Madame.
SERVALAN	Get them out of those suits.
GINKA	Should I proceed with the scanning process first?
SERVALAN	There is no point. They have to die anyway. See to it, Ginka, and get two of those suits up here. Deral and I will need them.
GINKA	At once, Madame.
SERVALAN	Control, is the Liberator docking?
VOICE	No, Madame. It is in stationary orbit.
SERVALAN	Ah. Then they're using teleport. [Cally and Dayna manoeuvre Patar to be teleported.]
DAYNA	Is he strong enough, do you think?
CALLY	Yes. Come on.
DAYNA	Teleport, Vila. [they teleport out]
AVON	So, one of your pilots was infected with an alien pathogen. CA-2: That's right.
AVON	Why didn't he report the sickness, warn you to have quarantine ready? CA-2: His communications were defective, auto systems as well. He managed the reentry on manual, but died during docking.
AVON	Defective, how? CA-2: Ionic particle dislocation.
AVON	Didn't that strike you as odd? CA-1: No doubt yet another residue of annihilation from your war.
AVON	Impossible. No warfare pathogens or ionic reefs could have drifted this far, not so quickly. CA-1: Well, they evidently have. And our population is, is decimated.
CALLY	At lease Dayna has taken your traffic controller up to our ship. CA-1: One man.
CALLY	Well, we have to start somewhere. He'll be scanned for both diagnosis and treatment. CA-1: And then what? How many can you possibly save? Everyone's infected.
AVON	Including us, by now. CA-2: What about the genetic tissue? There are five thousand on standby for immediate dispatch.
TARRANT	Five thousand? All uninfected? CA-1: Yes, of course.
AVON	How can you be sure? CA-2: It's in storage at our bio replication plant.
CALLY	Is Zelda there? CA-2: Yes. With Clinician Franton. [At bio replication plant]
ZELDA	There's someone in decontamination.
FRANTON	Carry on, Zelda. [speaks thru door] Strictly no entry.
SERVALAN	[through door] Let us in, please.
FRANTON	The infection risk.
SERVALAN	You obviously have cleansing procedures. Besides, we are not diseased in any way.
FRANTON	What do you want?
SERVALAN	A small matter of payment, in return for our medical services. I wish to use one of your gestation units.
FRANTON	Replication?
SERVALAN	That, I believe, is their function. Is it so much to ask?
FRANTON	We're preparing for evacuation.
SERVALAN	No longer necessary. Thanks to us. And the Liberator.
FRANTON	But the disease pathogens will still be infecting the planet.
SERVALAN	No problem. After the gestation process is complete, our medical unit can simply induct specific resistance into the...babies. The quicker you oblige, the quicker I can return to my ship and allow the treatment to continue.
FRANTON	The price of mercy.
SERVALAN	Elementary commerce. [Zelda decontaminates them]
AVON	How do you feel?
TARRANT	I just hope Orac can fix it.
AVON	[Into bracelet] Liberator. [Beat] Idiot, where are you?
TARRANT	Vila!
AVON	[vo] This is not untypical. [Vila mouths answer in helmet] Vila, come in.
VILA	[Vila removes helmet] Yes.
AVON	[vo] Where were you?
VILA	Precautions.
AVON	Against what?
VILA	[vo] Plague.
TARRANT	Has Orac got any results yet?
VILA	[vo] No. CA-2: The first batch are just coming back from treatment. CA-1: Good. Get the next six ready.
AVON	Treatment?
CALLY	Where? CA-1: From the other ship.
CALLY	What other ship? CA-1: The one that answered our distress call shortly before you arrived. [Ginka suddenly enters with Federation troopers]
GINKA	Absolutely still, Tarrant! Bracelets off -- and guns. Quickly! CA-1: Who the hell are you? I give the orders here.
GINKA	Not anymore. I'm in charge. On the floor, double quick!
CALLY	['path voice] Zelda. Zelda, listen. We're trapped in the Control Centre. We're trapped in the Control Centre.
FRANTON	Zelda! Prepare a placenta, please. [uses needle to extract Servalan's blood]
DERAL	Is that all it takes, then? A sample of blood?
FRANTON	It's the genetic print we need. All body cells with a nucleus carry that. The white cells are here. As long as they're capable of differentiation, they're capable of growth, into another you.
SERVALAN	Excellent. My blood line, Deral.
FRANTON	Or gene stock.
SERVALAN	Yes. [Franton drops blood on solution in tray] Where can I speak to your control centre?
FRANTON	Over there.
DERAL	Do you need me, mum?
SERVALAN	No, Deral, you can wait for me here. [leaves]
ZELDA	Cally's trapped in the C--[Franton stops her as Deral approaches, then he picks up the tray]
DAYNA	Relax, Vila. Orac's found the cure.
VILA	Quite sure?
PATAR	It's even better than the other ship.
DAYNA	What?
VILA	What other ship?
PATAR	The ex-Federation that answered our distress call.
VILA	Now he tells us! [Into comm] Cally, Avon, Tarrant. Tarrant. Answer, Tarrant.
DAYNA	I'll go down.
VILA	And land us into whatever mess they're in down there? You stay here until we know the score. [Into comm] Tarrant. Answer, Tarrant.
PATAR	What's going on?
SERVALAN	[over comm] Hello, Vila. [Vila mouths, "Servalan."] [Servalan's flight deck] Time to surrender. We have your compatriots, Vila. Surrender the Liberator and they live. Resist, and they die. [vo] However, having some degree of personal regard for you, Vila, I am prepared to make you an offer.
VILA	I'm listening.
SERVALAN	A position of senior rank.
VILA	Such as?
SERVALAN	Say, a governorship? A planet of your choosing. Earth, if you wish it.
VILA	Earth?
DAYNA	[sotto voce] Lies!
VILA	Uh, I think I'll have a chat with Orac. [Breaks off]
DAYNA	We may have one advantage.
VILA	Really?
DAYNA	Us. [Indicates herself and Patar] It's just possible she doesn't know we're here. CA-2: Why? Why have you done this? CA-1: Yes, why? Why have you brought this on us? I just can't believe it. I can't believe that anyone can be so --
SERVALAN	Successful? Well now you know. [To Ginka] Take them out and shoot them. [They are escorted out by three guards] CA-1: I'm sorry. CA-2: You're not to blame. CA-1: Aren't I? I should have listened to Franton after all. CA-2: You did what you thought was right at the time.
DAYNA	Go on, Vila.
VILA	Uh, Orac says to come up here and negotiate.
SERVALAN	Does it really?
VILA	[over comm] A question of trust. Orac can only assess veracity in person.
SERVALAN	I'll send a deputy.
VILA	All right. But unarmed.
GINKA	Let me go, Madam. I'll take the Liberator!
SERVALAN	No. I think Deral would be a more suitable representative.
DERAL	Without a weapon?
SERVALAN	Have one. [She hands him a gun.] But hidden. It's only Vila up there and he's a coward. Get control of that teleport, and the Liberator is ours. [into bracelet] My deputy is ready. His name is Deral.
VILA	One moment. [motions Dayna and Patar out of teleport room] All right.
DERAL	Teleport. [Deral teleports]
VILA	Um, welcome aboard.
DERAL	Sit down. [points gun at Vila]
VILA	Over here? [sits at teleport console]
DERAL	Mnn hmm.
DAYNA	[enters with gun on Deral] Keep still! [takes his gun]
VILA	So much for trust. Disarming, isn't she?
DAYNA	Over there.
VILA	[into comm] You tried to trick us, Servalan. Naughty. One hostage to us.
SERVALAN	And three to me.
ZELDA	But listen, I have to go.
FRANTON	Set foot outside this building and you'll be instantly infected.
ZELDA	But not dead. I can still -
FRANTON	I'm immune now Zelda, cured. One of us must stay and complete the packing. The genetic material must be ready for evacuation. It's Auron's only chance, now.
ZELDA	But -
FRANTON	Ah, I'll manage.
ZELDA	But -
FRANTON	You stay and alert Cally. Tell her to be ready.
DAYNA	Where is Servalan's ship?
PATAR	Down on the quarantine ramps.
DAYNA	Threaten it, Vila.
VILA	[into comm] You're cut off, Servalan. We have a neutron blaster sighted on your ship.
SERVALAN	[over comm] Destroy it, and you destroy your three compatriots.
VILA	They're not on board.
SERVALAN	True, Vila, true. But they are infected with the disease. And the only cure happens to be on my ship. I think it quite safe to return. Ginka, bring the bracelets. Watch them.
DAYNA	Is she telling the truth, Deral? Can she really cure them? Well?
DERAL	If I help you, I'm finished with Servalan.
VILA	Friend, you're dead meat to her anyway. [Cally sees Franton in door window.]
CALLY	[telepaths] Avon, Tarrant, look. [they look at her, then at the door. Franton knocks. Guard shoots at her. Guard One goes down the corridor in search of Franton. Guard Two starts after. Tarrant jumps Guard Two. Avon goes out into the corridor. Guard One fires at him, and Avon ducks back inside. Cally knees Guard Two and gets the gun away from him. Tarrant tosses Guard Two out into the corridor. Guard One fires and kills Guard Two.]
AVON	Nice shot. [Guard One heads away.] I'll take him. [Grabs the gun from Cally and starts off.]
FRANTON	[Breaks cover. Avon takes aim at her.] I'm Franton. The guard's gone. You'll never get him now.
AVON	He'll alert Servalan.
CALLY	How far away is their ship?
FRANTON	Close.
AVON	As soon as she knows, she'll blast us.
TARRANT	Exactly. There's no point in staying here.
CALLY	Where shall we go, then?
FRANTON	There is one place that's safe.
AVON	From those projectiles of hers?
FRANTON	Simply because of what's in there. The replication plant. Come on.
SERVALAN	Fool. [crumples cup, throws it at guard] Arm projectiles. Prepare to fire.
GINKA	Target?
SERVALAN	The Control Centre. [the control centre explodes]
FRANTON	The centre. Come on.
SERVALAN	The control centre?
GINKA	Demolished.
SERVALAN	Good.
GINKA	Our sensors are detecting movement.
SERVALAN	Sector?
GINKA	Northeast.
SERVALAN	[sees them on screen] They're heading for the replication plant.
GINKA	Ready to fire.
SERVALAN	Wait. Use mark fives only.
GINKA	But, Madame!
SERVALAN	Ginka, I don't want that plant damaged. [Avon, Tarrant, Cally, Franton run across large expanse of concrete, bombs explode]
FRANTON	Not much further. Hurry! [more bombs explode]
ZEN	Projectile attack in proximity of main control centre.
DAYNA	Attack?
VILA	They stand about as much chance as a bubble in a black hole.
DERAL	Unless they head for the replication plant.
VILA	What?
DERAL	It's the one possible sanctuary.
DAYNA	Why? [more bombs]
FRANTON	Zelda!
SERVALAN	No closer. Cease firing.
GINKA	Firing ceased.
SERVALAN	Take in a ground force. You command.
GINKA	But Madame--!
SERVALAN	Ginka! Do as I say. [Zelda decontaminates Franton. She enters biorep]
FRANTON	They're diseased, Zelda. [closes door]
ZELDA	No.
TARRANT	[in corridor outside biorep] They've stopped firing.
AVON	I wonder why.
FRANTON	[through door] Because of these. They're implanted with her cells.
TARRANT	Servalan's?
AVON	Her surrogate womb.
TARRANT	Birth by proxy.
AVON	After infecting the entire planet in the first place.
TARRANT	You must be Zelda.
ZELDA	That's right.
TARRANT	Cally? [Cally approaches door. She and Zelda place a hand each on glass of door]
AVON	So. Those little monsters give us a breather.
TARRANT	Not that it'll do us much good without bracelets to get us up to the Liberator.
DAYNA	Could be. If they've somehow found out about Servalan's urge to breed.
VILA	But how?
DAYNA	Cally won't be short of telepathic vibes. Her sister's there remember.
VILA	Yes, but --
DAYNA	But it's the only possible lead we have.
VILA	But if it's wrong! If he's lying!
DAYNA	Just be ready to bring me straight back up! All right, down. [Vila operates teleport]
VILA	[to Deral] You'd better be right.
SERVALAN	I told you to take in a ground force.
GINKA	I know. But I think you are mistaken, Madame.
SERVALAN	About what?
GINKA	The replication plant. Cally, Avon, and Tarrant - they must die now.
SERVALAN	Not in there.
GINKA	Why not? Surely you are not that concerned for Captain Deral's offspring.
SERVALAN	Deral? What are you talking about?
GINKA	Did you know he persuaded the woman Franton to remove some cells from one of the placentas and replace them with his own.
SERVALAN	Whose cells did he replace?
GINKA	You were with him all the time, weren't you?
SERVALAN	No. I left him alone there, when I went to give you you're orders. The firing point - now! [Ginka smiles] [Franton and Zelda prepare boxes for evacuation Dayna hands out bracelets to Avon, Tarrant and Cally]
DAYNA	You don't look well.
TARRANT	I just hope Orac can sort us out.
DAYNA	Relax! Orac did a grand therapy job on their traffic controller.
TARRANT	[through door] Franton. Zelda. You'll have to evacuate with us. They'll be here soon, Zelda, and it won't just be bugs they're bringing.
FRANTON	He's right, Zelda. [opens door. Avon, Tarrant, and Cally enter. Cally and Zelda embrace]
DAYNA	[hands bracelets to Franton and Zelda] Get them on. Ready, everyone?
FRANTON	Wait! The gene stocks. [runs to grab boxes]
DAYNA	Ready?
ZELDA	[hears beeping] I think it's the nutrient flow balance.
DAYNA	What are you doing?
ZELDA	I have to adjust it.
AVON	There isn't time for that.
FRANTON	Leave it, Zelda.
ZELDA	But the foetuses will die.
AVON	They're going to die anyway. Vila, get us out of here. [Zelda removes bracelet. More beeping]
CALLY	Zelda! [Zelda adjusts settings on machine]
GINKA	Ready to fire.
SERVALAN	Fire.
CALLY	[telepaths] You must get out of there, Zelda. Put the bracelet on.
ZELDA	[telepaths] Even Servalan's children must have a chance, Cally. [works at unit] Servalan! [looks up] Cally! [explosions, Zelda screams] [On Servalan's flight deck, Servalan watches screen as biorep is bombed. She jerks, shudders and weeps. In Liberator teleport room Cally faints. Dayna picks her up and carries her o.o.s]
FRANTON	Servalan must have destroyed the plant. Why would she do that? Why kill the babies? Even her own babies.
SERVALAN	Ginka. Ginka!
GINKA	We got them!
SERVALAN	You lied. You lied to me. They were mine. I felt them die. [presses button on small unit. Ginka screams, writhes, dies]
AVON	Deral. [snaps teleport bracelet onto Deral's wrist]
DERAL	What? [Avon pushes Deral onto teleport platform]
AVON	Tell Servalan she missed us.
PATER	It was for nothing. All of it was for nothing.
FRANTON	And tell her Auron's children will return.
DERAL	You can't!
TARRANT	No? [he teleports Deral] Happy landings.
SERVALAN	Deral. Well?
DERAL	No! [she kills him using the small unit] [Dayna and Vila on flight deck couch. Tarrant enters]
DAYNA	Feeling better?
TARRANT	Yes, thanks to Orac.
VILA	Did you look in on the others?
TARRANT	Yes, they're fine.
VILA	And Cally?
AVON	She'll be all right, she's sleeping. Zen, course.
ZEN	Course zero three two zero for the planet Kaarn.
AVON	Kaarn?
ZEN	It is within the specified parameters. An uninhabited earth type planet capable of supporting an Auron colony.
TARRANT	Flight time?
ZEN	Forty hours at present speed.
AVON	Increase speed.
TARRANT	No, Avon. Let's not rush it.
AVON	Why not?
TARRANT	The gene stocks that Franton has contain the potential for five thousand children.
DAYNA	Franton and Pater are going to be busy on Kaarn.
TARRANT	Maybe we should let them rest.
AVON	Maybe we should. It's likely to be the last rest they get. Zen, maintain present speed.
DAYNA	What about Cally? Do you think she'll want to go with them?
AVON	Cally will stay with us. We are closer to her than they are. Besides, a nursery of five thousand, would you want to go with them? [all laugh, Dayna passes tray, Vila and Tarrant take wafers]

Script Index

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