Directed by George Spenton-Foster
(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 Kay Teel and Micky DuPree.
Dramatis Personae
| Roj Blake | Gareth Thomas |
| Jenna Stannis | Sally Knyvette |
| Kerr Avon | Paul Darrow |
| Cally | Jan Chappell |
| Vila Restal | Michael Keating |
| Orac | Peter Tuddenham |
| Servalan | Jacqueline Pearce |
| Travis | Brian Croucher |
| Guest cast: | |
| Krantor | Aubrey Woods |
| Docholli | Denis Carey |
| Chenie | Nicolette Roeg |
| Croupier | Sylvia Coleridge |
| Cevedic | Paul Grist |
| Toise | John Leeson |
| Jarriere | Harry Jones |
| Zee | Michael Halsey |
| The Klute | Deep Roy |
| Uncredited:
| |
| Thrills | |
| Unnamed henchman | |
| Unnamed male voice |
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: Within the body of the transcription, the speed chess moves are not recorded. However, appended to the transcript is a record of the speed chess games, thoughtfully provided by Eddie Clarke.
|
[A bar in Freedom City. Zee limps across the floor to Docholli's
table.]
| |
| ZEE | Get up!
|
| DOCHOLLI | Hello, Zee. So you're getting around. How's the leg?
|
| ZEE | You drunken butcher. Look what you did!
|
| DOCHOLLI | You're lucky to have it, my friend.
|
| ZEE | Lucky? You crippled me, Kline. [Puts hand on crippled
leg.]
|
| DOCHOLLI | When they brought you to me after that explosion you
had no leg at all. I built that out of pieces!
|
| ZEE | Get up!
|
| DOCHOLLI | Why?
|
| ZEE | [Produces gun] I want to see you fall down. All right,
I'm gonna count to three. [Points gun at Docholli.]
One... Two --
[Sound of a gun. Zee grabs his hand and shouts in
pain.] Ah!
|
| DOCHOLLI | Thanks. Next time don't leave it so late.
[Travis appears from the shadows.]
|
| TRAVIS | [To Zee] Get out.
[Zee walks off.]
|
| DOCHOLLI | Ungrateful scum! Have a drink, Travis.
|
| TRAVIS | One of us has to see straight. Better be me, I think.
[Travis departs.]
|
| CHENIE | So, you're a surgeon.
|
| DOCHOLLI | Used to be.
|
| CHENIE | I heard about that business on the Barlee.
|
| DOCHOLLI | A secondary burner blew out. I did what I could for
the survivors.
|
| CHENIE | And is he one of them?
|
| DOCHOLLI | Travis? No. He was a passenger, and now he's my
bodyguard.
|
| CHENIE | I see. And do all your ex-patients try to kill you?
|
| DOCHOLLI | Thirty of them have every right, Chenie. I should
never have done it. Never! [Drinks] [Teleport area on Liberator. Cally and Jenna are standing on the teleport pad. Vila is at the controls. Blake enters.]
|
| BLAKE | This is a picture of Docholli. He'll have changed his
name, of course. [Hands picture to Jenna and Cally.]
|
| CALLY | Well, he could have had a face job done by now as well.
|
| BLAKE | No, he hasn't had time. Servalan's been on his heels
from the moment he escaped with the location of Star One.
|
| VILA | Well, he's out of her reach now.
|
| BLAKE | Officially.
|
| JENNA | How do you mean?
|
| BLAKE | Well, Freedom City may be outside the Federation, but
that won't stop Servalan. Oh, she'll find some way of
getting to him, but if she gets to him before we do...
|
| VILA | Goodbye Docholli!
|
| JENNA | And goodbye to any chance of finding the Federation
control center.
|
| BLAKE | Right. You know what you have to do, Vila. I want you
or Avon on stand-by in the teleport the entire time we're
in Freedom City.
|
| VILA | Yes, you said.
|
| BLAKE | Right, let's go.
|
| JENNA | [Waves to Vila] Bye. [A casino in Freedom City. A floor show is beginning.]
|
| CROUPIER | Speed chess. The only game of skill in this
establishment. [Points her baton at the Klute.] The Klute
challenges all comers. [The Klute stands up and bows.] A win
or a draw gets you a million -- one million credits, _mes
amis_. Win or draw against the Klute. The biggest prize in
the galaxy. Now come on, all you space trekkers. Put your
life on the line and beat the Klute at speed chess. Win a
fortune! [At another end of the casino, Toise approaches Servalan, who holds a mask to her face. Jarriere sits next to her.]
|
| TOISE | Krantor will see you now.
[Servalan hands the mask to Jarriere.]
|
| SERVALAN | Wait here, Jarriere. [Krantor's room in the casino. Krantor is sitting at his mirror. He gets up as Servalan enters with Toise.]
|
| KRANTOR | Ah! Commander Servalan. Welcome, welcome, welcome! This
is indeed a pleasure. [To Toise] You may go, Toise.
We so rarely receive an emissary from the Federation here in
Freedom City. I am, Commander, transfixed with delight!
[Kisses her hand.]
|
| SERVALAN | Supreme Commander.
|
| KRANTOR | Ah! My apologies. Supreme Commander. Pray, be seated.
[Servalan takes a seat on the bed. Krantor joins her.]
|
| SERVALAN | You appear to have misunderstood my message, Krantor.
I am not here officially.
|
| KRANTOR | But of course. I understood -- perfectly. Discretion
and delicacy are the very watchwords of my organization.
Just tell me your requirements and I will see that you are
provided with the most sophisticated -- and subtle -- forms
of satisfaction.
|
| SERVALAN | You have misunderstood. I am here unofficially but on
Federation business.
|
| KRANTOR | Oh, how sad. Try a pataki cake. [Offers her a tray of
small cakes.]
|
| SERVALAN | A what?
|
| KRANTOR | They contain the distilled venom of a local reptile,
and the effects are highly stimulating.
|
| SERVALAN | No, thank you. [Takes tray from Krantor and puts it on
bed.] There is a man here named Docholli, a cyber-surgeon. I
am willing to pay two million credits for him, dead or
alive.
|
| KRANTOR | My dear commander, there are many wanted men here. They
come to Freedom City because we are outside the Federation.
|
| SERVALAN | Not very far outside.
|
| KRANTOR | I do hope that is not as threatening as it sounds. That
would be ... most unwise. Are you sure I can't tempt you?
[Offers plate of cakes.]
|
| SERVALAN | Quite sure.
|
| KRANTOR | Ah!
|
| SERVALAN | There's a second man here named Travis. He has an
artificial arm and an eye patch. I am interested in finding
him also.
|
| KRANTOR | [Laughs unpleasantly] An eye patch! Oh, how quaint.
|
| SERVALAN | Well?
|
| KRANTOR | Placed as we are, we must necessarily maintain a
position of strict neutrality.
|
| SERVALAN | And what does that mean, exactly?
|
| KRANTOR | You will not be impeded in your search for these men.
|
| SERVALAN | Krantor, I don't have time for that. It is vital I
find Docholli before certain ... insurrectionist elements
contact him.
|
| KRANTOR | Oh, I see. Insurrectionist elements?
|
| SERVALAN | Mm. A Federation problem which we intend to eliminate.
|
| KRANTOR | Really, Commander --
|
| SERVALAN | Supreme --
|
| KRANTOR | Supreme Commander, you make my blood run cold. I wonder
if I emphasized sufficiently how highly we value our
neutrality. I'm sure I must have done.
|
| SERVALAN | How highly?
|
| KRANTOR | Also, my casino ... very profitable ... four million
credits a week.
|
| SERVALAN | You have a suggestion?
|
| KRANTOR | Ten.
|
| SERVALAN | Eight -- for both Travis and Docholli.
|
| KRANTOR | My dear Com -- Supreme Commander -- I always say we are
sent to help each other. What is this life if we cannot be
of some service to our fellows? Give me two hours.
|
| SERVALAN | Thank you. [Gets up to leave, pauses at door.] I have
booked room one hundred at the terminal.
|
| KRANTOR | I know.
[She departs. Krantor stands as Toise enters.]
|
| KRANTOR | Well?
|
| TOISE | Travis came in on the Barlee's last trip. He spends
all his time down on the rink.
[Krantor makes an acknowledgment, then does a double-take.]
|
| KRANTOR | Toise, are you sure that head gear is part of the
uniform?
|
| TOISE | It is of the period, Krantor.
|
| KRANTOR | It looks a little heavy.
|
| TOISE | May I say that your own costume is ... is quite
magnificent. It really suits you.
|
| KRANTOR | Yes, it does, doesn't it? My designer tells me that it
is patterned upon the attire of someone called the Prince
Regent. Oh, what a pity that everyone doesn't enter into the
spirit of Carnival -- of _Mardi Gras_ -- as wholeheartedly
as you and I. [Suddenly serious] Docholli?
|
| TOISE | No record under that name, but there is a Kline who
carried out emergency surgery on board the Barlee after
an explosion there. He too stays down on the rink,
drinking heavily.
|
| KRANTOR | Worth investigation.
|
| TOISE | Mm.
|
| KRANTOR | [Sits on bed] The fact that Servalan was so willing to
pay so much in order to stop her political opponents from
contacting him ... Very interesting.
|
| TOISE | It indicates that he possesses some important Federation
secret. [Sits on bed.]
|
| KRANTOR | Which we can extract before giving her his body.
Krantor wins both ways. Rule of the house. [Feeds Toise
a cake.] [Teleport area on the Liberator. Vila is sitting at the controls. Avon sits on the steps. Orac is next to him.]
|
| VILA | They say it's wide open.
|
| AVON | What is?
|
| VILA | Freedom City.
|
| AVON | So I've heard. Wide, wide open.
|
| VILA | Got everything a man ever dreams of, they say.
|
| AVON | Space City pales by comparison, they say.
|
| VILA | You know, if it was a desert down there, so hot your
eyeballs frizzled, poisonous snakes under every rock --
|
| AVON | Blake would have sent us.
|
| VILA | You can bet on it.
|
| AVON | Bet! Why not? It's perfect.
|
| VILA | What is?
|
| AVON | There is a casino down there. It is called the Big
Wheel. No stake limits. Why don't we bust it?
|
| VILA | Because we're up here and the casino's down there.
|
| AVON | We go down there. We can get Orac to operate the
teleport. He can do it just as well from down there as
up here.
|
| VILA | You mean take Orac with us?
|
| AVON | Of course we take Orac with us. You dummy. You haven't
caught on, have you?
|
| VILA | What's on your mind?
|
| AVON | The Big Wheel is run by a computer that fixes the odds
at five percent in favor of the house, right?
|
| VILA | Right.
|
| AVON | Right. Orac reads computers.
|
| VILA | Ohhhh, that is beautiful! Avon, there are times when I
almost get to like you.
|
| AVON | Yes, well, that makes it all worthwhile.
|
| VILA | I mean, you give me a warm feeling right here, around
the money belt.
|
| AVON | We are going to need some kind of casing for Orac.
|
| VILA | Wait. Suppose Blake wants fetching up while we're on
surface?
|
| AVON | Oh, he'll be several hours looking for Docholli. We can
break that casino and be back up here inside of one hour.
He need never know that we were gone.
|
| VILA | I just needed convincing. I'm convinced.
|
| AVON | I'll get a casing for Orac.
|
| VILA | Just a minute. Look at Orac. I mean, look at it. It's
a bit on the bulky side for smuggling into a casino,
wouldn't you say?
|
| AVON | [Considers, then inserts Orac's key] Orac, are you
familiar with the theory of molecular reduction?
|
| ORAC | Am I to assume that you refer to a stabilized atomic
implosion?
|
| AVON | Yes. Vila and I were just discussing it --
|
| VILA | We were?
|
| AVON | -- and I was assuring him that the whole idea is an
absurd fantasy.
|
| ORAC | On the contrary. It is neither absurd, nor is it a
fantasy.
|
| AVON | Are you suggesting that you know more about the
subject than I do?
|
| ORAC | It is not a suggestion; it is a statement of fact.
|
| AVON | Do you seriously expect me to believe that you could
-- for example -- reduce your size without affecting your
function?
|
| ORAC | I could.
|
| VILA | For how long?
|
| ORAC | It would depend on the degree of reduction.
|
| AVON | [Sets his hands at roughly 1/4 Orac's size. Vila
compresses them to 1/8.] Approximately one-eighth of your
current size.
|
| ORAC | Two hours, six minutes.
|
| VILA | Talk's cheap.
|
| ORAC | Does that mean something?
|
| AVON | It means he doesn't believe you, and neither, as a
matter of fact, do I.
|
| ORAC | I take it you wish me to prove it.
|
| AVON | Why not?
[Orac shrinks. Avon and Vila shake hands.] [At Chenie's bar, Docholli has passed out. Travis and another man lift him. He grunts.]
|
| CHENIE | Put him in the back. [Travis and the man carry him off.
Travis returns.] Why does he do it?
|
| TRAVIS | He gets thirsty.
|
| CHENIE | You want a drink now, Travis?
|
| TRAVIS | I'll have a vitazade. [Sits.]
|
| CHENIE | Earlier tonight he said that thirty of his ex-patients
tried to kill him. What does that mean?
|
| TRAVIS | It means he gets drunk.
|
| CHENIE | Well, whatever he's got on his mind, it can't be that
bad. I hear he was quite a hero at the Barlee.
|
| TRAVIS | Perhaps he was trying to pay something back.
|
| CHENIE | They say he was one of the first in the burner. When
the fumes got too much for him, it was you who dragged
him out.
|
| TRAVIS | Oh, yes. I'm a hero, too.
|
| CHENIE | So. You've saved his life twice. Why?
|
| TRAVIS | It's my noble nature.
|
| CHENIE | Oh, yes, Travis. I can see. It shines from your one
yellow eye. Nobility?
|
| TRAVIS | [Slams down the glass] Thanks for the drink. [Travis is walking outside bar. Cevedic and a unnamed henchman are waiting for him. Cevedic holds a weapon.]
|
| TRAVIS | What's this about?
|
| CEVEDIC | You're being collected. We're Krantor's rubbish
collectors.
|
| TRAVIS | "Collected?" [He rushes at them. In the shadows we see him struck down.] |
| CEVEDIC | (off-screen): No. Don't kill him. Not yet. [In Servalan's room.]
|
| JARRIERE | Oh, you don't trust Krantor.
|
| SERVALAN | He is a despicable animal. When the Federation finally
cleans out this cesspit, I shall have that vulpine
degenerate eviscerated with a small and very blunt
knife.
|
| JARRIERE | Um, if the Supreme Commander feels like that about him
...
|
| SERVALAN | For the moment we need Krantor.
|
| JARRIERE | Even if he cannot be trusted?
|
| SERVALAN | Oh, he can be trusted to do anything for money. He'll
deliver Travis.
|
| JARRIERE | And Docholli?
|
| SERVALAN | I told him Docholli, dead or alive. Already he is
wondering why a corpse should be worth so much.
|
| JARRIERE | Then, ma'am, we are likely to get the corpse.
|
| SERVALAN | Yes.
|
| JARRIERE | After Krantor has learned the answer to that question.
|
| SERVALAN | Exactly. [Outside the bars, Blake, Cally and Jenna are walking.]
|
| BLAKE | Let's try the dives along there.
|
| JENNA | Shouldn't we split up? We may cover more ground.
|
| BLAKE | I think we'd better stick together.
|
| CALLY | But he's not likely to be here anyway.
|
| BLAKE | Why not?
|
| CALLY | The Federation's top cyber-surgeon? Why should he be?
|
| JENNA | She's right, Blake. He's led a privileged life. He's
got money.
|
| BLAKE | He's also been on the move for a long time.
|
| JENNA | But even so, a man with his skills can always earn it.
|
| BLAKE | Not enough. When you've been on the run for as long as
Docholli has, everything costs: false identity papers,
phony visas. I mean no one's going to stick out their
neck helping him unless they stick out their hand
first. No, I don't think Docholli's got much now. That
is why I think we'll find him somewhere like this. [Krantor's room. Krantor looks into his mirror. Servalan's face appears.]
|
| KRANTOR | Oh, Supreme Commander, how prompt you are. Such an
admirable, military virtue. The matter of which we spoke
earlier.
|
| SERVALAN | Get to the point, Krantor.
|
| KRANTOR | [Rebuffed] The first package is already on its way and
naturally I do expect payment on delivery.
|
| SERVALAN | Naturally. Travis, I imagine.
|
| KRANTOR | The second will follow in due course. But if you find
time is, um, dragging, I can provide some very original
forms of diversion which I guarantee will give you
immense pleasure.
|
| SERVALAN | Docholli is all I want from you, Krantor.
[Krantor "switches" off. Toise enters.]
|
| TOISE | Krantor.
|
| KRANTOR | One of these days, Toise, I am going to have Supreme
Commander high-and-mighty Servalan ravaged until
she does not know what month she's in. I'll have her
screaming for death. I --
|
| TOISE | Krantor! We have a trekker ready to challenge the
Klute.
|
| KRANTOR | Oh! And so early, too. It's usually much later, when
they're drunk, or desperate. I say, what a profitable start
to the evening. [The casino.]
|
| CROUPIER | Come on, my friends. Gather round. You are about to
witness the most important spectacle in the history of
sport.
|
| KRANTOR | Friends and patrons! We have here a young trekker as
you can see. His name is ... [Consults with the man]
Thrills. And he is challenging the mighty Klute at speed
chess. Your applause for his courage, please. [He leads
Thrills to the speed chess table.]
|
| CROUPIER | _Alors_. The rules of speed chess are _tres simple_.
[Explains] Simple. Each contestant has five seconds to
make his move. If he exceeds that time -- _tant pis_ --
he loses a pawn.
|
| KRANTOR | If Thrills wins or forces a draw, then he wins one
million credits which I myself will present him. If he
loses, he will never need money again, his chair being
connected to an electrocution key. And if the Klute wins,
he has the right to press that key. That is the Klute's
only reward. Ahhh. Please stand well back from the chair.
Are we ready now? [Addressing Thrills] Thrills! You have
the advantage of the white pieces and the first move.
[The chess game starts. Thrills becomes nervous as the Klute
remains calm. Thrills loses. The Klute laughs, and presses the
button. Thrills is electrocuted.]
|
| VILA | He must have been crazy, staking his life.
|
| AVON | Just risking money isn't always enough.
|
| VILA | What?
|
| AVON | If you're a gambler that's the biggest gamble you can
take. That's the real "kick."
|
| VILA | Well, he got his kick all right. Straight up the spine. [Krantor's room.]
|
| TOISE | [placing a box of money on Krantor's desk] Four million
credits.
|
| KRANTOR | Excellent payment for damaged goods. I take it Travis
was damaged?
|
| TOISE | You know Cevedic.
|
| KRANTOR | And now he is searching for Kline, who is probably
Docholli. [In Servalan's hotel room, Jarriere is inspecting an unconscious Travis.]
|
| JARRIERE | He's had a bad beating, Commander. Concussion, I
think.
|
| SERVALAN | He'll soon come round. Travis is very strong. [She
goes to inspect Travis.]
|
| JARRIERE | Oh, he once worked for you?
|
| SERVALAN | Yes.
|
| JARRIERE | And now he's an outlaw? Uh, what happened?
|
| SERVALAN | He outlived his value. [She finds a listening device
on Travis. She motions to Jarriere, who joins her. She shows
him the "bug" and replaces it in Travis's clothes.]
But now he can perform one last service for us.
|
| JARRIERE | In what way, Commander?
|
| SERVALAN | Travis has been here weeks. He will have found out
where Docholli is hiding.
|
| JARRIERE | Perhaps not, Commander, if he's no longer interested
in the affairs of the Federation.
|
| SERVALAN | I know Travis better than he knows himself. He has one
single dominating obsession. And that is to kill Blake.
|
| JARRIERE | The revolutionary?
|
| SERVALAN | The political criminal. And Travis knows that Blake
also is hunting Docholli.
|
| JARRIERE | Because he wants the information that only Docholli
has?
|
| SERVALAN | Exactly. And that is why Travis is here. Shadowing
Docholli, waiting for Blake to arrive.
|
| JARRIERE | If you're right, Commander, when he comes round, we
can force him to tell us where to find Docholli.
|
| SERVALAN | That might take too long. Travis has a high pain
threshold, and we don't have the proper facilities here. No.
I have a better idea. Disconnect that artificial arm. [Krantor is listening in. We hear Servalan and Jarriere through the "bug."] |
| JARRIERE (V.O.) | What are you going to do? |
| SERVALAN (V.O.) | Turn Travis into a walking bomb. Uncouple those neural relays, Jarriere. [Pause] Good. [Pause] Now pass me a nitro grenade. |
| JARRIERE (V.O.) | You're going to put it in his arm? |
| SERVALAN (V.O.) | Just draw the pin first. [Pause] There. [Pause] Now we put the arm back again. [Pause] Careful. |
| JARRIERE (V.O.) | What about the connections? |
| SERVALAN (V.O.) | Leave them. When Travis finds his gun arm isn't working, the first thing he'll do is go to Docholli to get it fixed. |
| JARRIERE (V.O.) | And as soon as he takes the arm off-- [Makes exploding noise.] |
| SERVALAN (V.O.) | Mm. |
| JARRIERE (V.O.) | They both die. That's brilliant, Commander. [Servalan's room. Travis is on a bed, waking up.] |
| TRAVIS | [groggily]: So you've arrived, Servalan. Where's Blake?
Is he heading here?
|
| SERVALAN | For once I'm not interested in Blake. I want Docholli.
|
| TRAVIS | I can't help you there.
|
| SERVALAN | You have Docholli staked out. You're waiting for
Blake.
|
| TRAVIS | I haven't seen Docholli in two years. [Starts to get
up.]
|
| JARRIERE | [Points gun at Travis] Just stay where you are.
|
| TRAVIS | That your new muscle, Servalan? Looks like a powder
puff.
|
| SERVALAN | Yes, well, let's forget the pleasantries. Tell me
where to find Docholli, I'll let you have Blake.
|
| TRAVIS | You haven't got Blake.
|
| SERVALAN | Travis. We could forget the past. Wipe it out. I'm
willing to help you again.
|
| TRAVIS | [Looks at his arm] My arm. What have you done to my arm?
|
| SERVALAN | Why? What's the matter with it?
|
| TRAVIS | Damn you, Servalan!
|
| JARRIERE | It must have been damaged when you were brought here.
|
| TRAVIS | [To Jarriere] Shut up! [To Servalan] So, you're working
with Krantor.
|
| SERVALAN | Just bought a little help. Travis, you know why I want Docholli. His mouth has to be sealed. Why don't we trade? [A beeping sound, then Krantor's voice bellows forth.] |
| KRANTOR (V.O.) | Good news, Supreme Commander! My men have just
collected the second part of your esteemed order.
|
| SERVALAN | You have Docholli? |
| KRANTOR (V.O.) | We believe so. He will be delivered as soon
as we are certain of his identity.
|
| SERVALAN | I can identify him. [Switches to Krantor's room. We see Servalan in the mirror.]
|
| KRANTOR | Not necessary, Commander. We have the most advanced
forms of questioning. ["Switches" mirror off.]
[To Toise] That may win us a little time. But she's as
perfidious and devious as a snake. Get word to Cevedic.
Forget Docholli for the moment. I want Travis found and
killed at once. [Servalan's room.]
|
| SERVALAN | Travis, we no longer need you.
|
| TRAVIS | So?
|
| SERVALAN | You're afraid I'm going to kill you at last. Probably
I shall if our paths cross again. At the moment, you are too
small to bother with. Get out. [Krantor listening in with device.] |
| SERVALAN (V.O.) | Before I change my mind. [Blake, Jenna and Cally sitting at bar. Blake sips a drink.]
|
| CHENIE | You just got in?
|
| BLAKE | Yes.
|
| CHENIE | Came by freighter, eh?
|
| JENNA | Was that a guess?
|
| CHENIE | Well there've been no passenger liners here in a month.
We're near the docking cradles, you see, so we know
everything that comes and goes. Even the planet hoppers.
|
| BLAKE | It's an interesting life you lead.
|
| CHENIE | You planning to stay?
|
| CALLY | For a while, maybe.
|
| CHENIE | Well you'll find no work here.
|
| CALLY | Who said that we wanted work?
|
| CHENIE | Well if you had money, you wouldn't have come by
freighter. So you need work.
|
| BLAKE | Suppose we do?
|
| CHENIE | Well you'll do better on the upper level. Try the Big
Wheel. The girls have got class. Krantor might hire them.
[Cevedic enters and stands between Jenna and Cally. He gulps down
a drink, then puts his hands around their waists.]
|
| CEVEDIC | Nice trade you're doing these days, Chenie.
|
| CHENIE | Until a minute ago.
|
| CEVEDIC | Stay around, girls. [Comes to face Chenie at the side
of the bar] Where's Kline?
|
| CHENIE | Who?
|
| CEVEDIC | Oh, you know who I'm talking about. The surgeon who
came in on the Barlee.
|
| CHENIE | Well how should I know?
|
| CEVEDIC | He drinks here, Chenie. Now where is he?
|
| CHENIE | I've no idea. He left here an hour ago.
|
| CEVEDIC | [Puts a hand on Chenie's cheek] Now you wouldn't be
lying to me, now would you, Chenie?
|
| CHENIE | No. I've no idea where he goes when he leaves here.
|
| CEVEDIC | [With both hands holding her face] 'Cause if you're
lying to me, I'll tear your face off. [Chenie slaps his
hands away, and goes towards the back room.] What's in
there?
|
| CHENIE | This is private, Cevedic.
|
| CEVEDIC | When Krantor wants somebody, nowhere's private. Now out
of the way.
|
| CHENIE | Look, I swear I don't know where Kline is. |
| OFF-CAMERA MALE VOICE | Cevedic.
|
| CEVEDIC | Chenie, I'll be back. [He leaves.]
|
| JENNA | Who's the ape man?
|
| CHENIE | Krantor's professional killer.
|
| BLAKE | The same Krantor that runs the casino?
|
| CHENIE | The same Krantor that runs Freedom City.
[Chenie goes into back room.]
|
| CALLY | She was lying, Blake.
|
| BLAKE | What?
|
| CALLY | About Kline. He's in the back.
|
| JENNA | And I'll give you any odds that he is Docholli. [At the casino, Avon holds his teleport bracelet to Orac.]
|
| ORAC | Fifteen black.
[At roulette table, Vila, holding his wrist with bracelet to his
head, bets. The wheel spins. He wins. Croupier looks at Toise.
Toise nods.] [Krantor's room.]
|
| TOISE | Krantor! Someone is having a run on the wheel.
|
| KRANTOR | A big win is good for business.
|
| TOISE | This fellow's hit seven shots in a row. He's riding
half a million credits!
|
| KRANTOR | You're right, Toise, that's too big. [Goes to mirror.]
Which is he? [Mirror shows Vila.] [Back room at bar. Docholli is coming out of his stupor.]
|
| CHENIE | Do you understand what I'm saying? Come on. Drink this.
[Gives him a drink.] You've got to get away from here.
|
| DOCHOLLI | [Drinks] Krantor ... no reason for him to be after me.
There's someone behind him. It could only be Servalan.
|
| CHENIE | Who?
|
| DOCHOLLI | Servalan. She represents some people I once worked
for. Augk. [Drinks] I knew they'd get me in the end.
|
| CHENIE | You've got to get out of Freedom City. Away from this
planet. You can't stay here now!
|
| DOCHOLLI | Don't worry, Chenie. I won't involve you.
|
| CHENIE | If I want to be involved ... Now listen. There's a
Trantinian planet hopper leaving here in a couple of
hours. I think I can get you on it.
|
| DOCHOLLI | Trantinian ship?
|
| CHENIE | The captain's a regular here. He owes me a favour or
two.
|
| DOCHOLLI | He'd never take me. I'm a Federation citizen ... was
... Trantinians would never accept me.
|
| CHENIE | This is a planet hopper, Kline! They'll drop you off on
some remote spot. You can completely vanish. No one will
ever find you.
|
| DOCHOLLI | [Laughs] To be safe! At last! [Embraces Chenie] Oh,
Chenie, I could never repay you!
|
| CHENIE | You don't have to. I told you, he owes me. Now, listen.
You know where the loading bays are. Well there's a ship
loading at Bay Ten. You'll have to hide there until the
ship's released from the cradles. The captain will collect
his clearance card, and then walk through the bay on his way
back. That's where you can join him. It's only fifty yards
to the ship. If anyone sees you, the chances are they'll
think you're one of the crew. Now, have you got all that?
|
| DOCHOLLI | Yeah. [Hesitates] Suppose he doesn't agree?
|
| CHENIE | Leave it to me. Now, come on, you've got to be on your
way. Go this way. It leads down to the rink. Oh, and good
luck, Kline.
[They embrace. He leaves through the back door. Chenie goes into
front barroom.] [Barroom.]
|
| CALLY | What did you call me?
|
| JENNA | A cheap little space tramp.
|
| CALLY | You slut!
|
| JENNA | A ten-credit touch!
|
| CALLY | What -- [Tosses drink at her]
|
| JENNA | You do that again, I'll break your --
[Catfight ensues.]
|
| CHENIE | Break them up.
[Blake sneaks into back room. He finds Docholli's surgical kit.
He replaces it where he found it and leaves through the back
exit.] [Cally and Jenna emerge from bar.]
|
| JENNA | And the same to you!
|
| CALLY | We've got news for you. We don't want to come back
anyway!
|
| JENNA | You can keep it!
|
| BLAKE | Jenna! Cally! Over here.
|
| JENNA | Did you find him?
|
| BLAKE | I missed him by a couple of minutes. There's a back
entrance. Something must have scared him.
|
| CALLY | Cevedic, presumably.
|
| JENNA | Well he could be anywhere by now.
|
| BLAKE | He's left his surgical kit behind. He may come back for
it.
|
| JENNA | Well, why?
|
| BLAKE | It's his living.
|
| JENNA | Well, right now I doubt he's thinking about his living
-- just keeping alive.
|
| BLAKE | Well, it's the only lead we've got. Chenie's obviously
befriended him. I think he'll be back.
|
| CALLY | So what do we do?
|
| BLAKE | Wait. [Servalan's room.]
|
| JARRIERE | It's over an hour, Commander. Krantor should have
delivered Docholli by now.
|
| SERVALAN | Krantor doesn't have Docholli. He was lying.
|
| JARRIERE | I don't understand.
|
| SERVALAN | Krantor had planted a bug on Travis. He overheard
everything that went on in this room.
|
| JARRIERE | Oh, yes, but I--
|
| SERVALAN | [Interrupting] He overheard us planning to use Travis
to kill Docholli. That pathetic little ploy was just an
attempt to gain time while his men find Docholli.
|
| JARRIERE | Oh, I see.
|
| SERVALAN | Do you, Jarriere? Do you see at all?
|
| JARRIERE | Umm. Krantor doesn't want Docholli killed until he's
learned what secret he carries.
|
| SERVALAN | Exactly.
|
| JARRIERE | It's a risk, Supreme Commander. Suppose Travis doesn't
get to Docholli first?
|
| SERVALAN | He probably won't. Krantor will try to kill him.
|
| JARRIERE | But if that's what you expected--
|
| SERVALAN | Not just expect, Jarriere. I want Travis killed.
Because that will establish, beyond doubt, Krantor's
intentions.
|
| JARRIERE | Ah, you mean ... uh ... I'm not following.
|
| SERVALAN | Krantor has Travis killed to protect Docholli. Later
he will send us Docholli's body. It will be obvious that he
has extorted the secret of Star One. Therefore Krantor
himself will be placed on the Council's death list. Now do
you see?
|
| JARRIERE | [Shakes his head]
|
| SERVALAN | The secret of Star One's location is of no use to a
criminal like Krantor. However, that knowledge can bring
about his death. Not only that. With any luck the Federation
will be finally convinced, as I have argued for years, that
we can no longer tolerate this pestilential rathole so close
to our own territories. Freedom City will be finally burnt
out.
|
| JARRIERE | And this was all in your mind before we came here,
Supreme Commander?
|
| SERVALAN | Eradicating this planet has long been in my mind,
Jarriere. Events, and Krantor, have played into my hands.
|
| JARRIERE | Then all that can go wrong, Excellency, is if Travis
eludes Krantor's men and reaches Docholli.
|
| SERVALAN | Even then, it won't go wrong. You see, I've allowed
for that possiblity, too, Jarriere. [In front of bar. A man walks toward Jenna, Blake and Cally, who are hiding in the shadows.]
|
| JENNA | It's Travis!
|
| BLAKE | Shhh.
[Travis walks past, stops, waves a gun. Seeing nothing, he puts
the gun away.] [Krantor's room.]
|
| KRANTOR | [Watching the mirror] I don't know how he's doing it,
Toise, but he's taking us.
|
| TOISE | He must be stopped, Krantor!
|
| KRANTOR | Watch him. Watch him, carefully. Every time, just
before he makes a bet, he moves his left hand up to his ear.
|
| TOISE | Or his head.
|
| KRANTOR | We must find out how he's doing it. [Casino.]
|
| AVON | [Speaking into bracelet] Vila, come on. Let's quit.
VILA (V.O., over bracelet): One last spin. We're nearly four
million up, Avon.
|
| AVON | All right, just once more. But after this, I warn you, I'm
walking out -- to be sick. [Vila is shown at the roulette table.] [Avon holds bracelet to Orac.]
|
| ORAC | Red fourteen. [Roulette table.]
|
| CROUPIER | Make your bets. _Messieurs et mesdames, faites vos
jeux. Rien ne va plus_.
[Vila bets. The ball stops on red fourteen on the roulette wheel.
Vila draws a pile of chips toward himself.] [Krantor's room.]
|
| KRANTOR | What do you mean, you can't find Docholli?
|
| CEVEDIC | He's gone to ground in that maze by the docking
cradles.
|
| KRANTOR | Cevedic, you know I don't tolerate failure. Your orders
were to kill Travis.
|
| CEVEDIC | As soon as it gets light, Krantor, I promise, he won't
survive an hour.
|
| KRANTOR | That may be too late. I want him killed tonight. We put an audio tab on him. That may tell us something. [Switches on listening device.] |
| CHENIE (V.O.) | He's not here, Travis. [Barroom.]
|
| TRAVIS | So it is true. Krantor has got him.
|
| CHENIE | Krantor? No. Why do you say that?
|
| TRAVIS | I heard. So, Krantor was bluffing.
|
| CHENIE | Things got too hot for him, but he's all right now.
I've found him a safe passage out. [Shows Krantor holding the listening device.] |
| TRAVIS (V.O.) | Where is he? |
| CHENIE (V.O.) | In a safe place. |
| TRAVIS (V.O.) | I must find him. You must tell me where he is. [Barroom.]
|
| CHENIE | He doesn't need your help, Travis.
|
| TRAVIS | All right, all right, Chenie, but I need his! My arm.
|
| CHENIE | What happened?
|
| TRAVIS | The neural circuits have gone. He's the only man who
can fix it for me.
|
| CHENIE | Oh, I don't know.
|
| TRAVIS | I'm crippled. Helpless. You can't leave me like this!
|
| CHENIE | I've never been sure of you, Travis.
|
| TRAVIS | Oh, for --- Chenie, do you think I'll give him away?
I've saved his life -- twice. The least you can do is tell
me where he is.
|
| CHENIE | Oh, all right. But if anything goes wrong, I warn you.
[Points finger at him.]
|
| TRAVIS | [Grabbing her wrist] All I want is my arm fixed!
|
| CHENIE | [Pulls her arm away] He's in loading bay ten. By the
docking cradles.
|
| TRAVIS | That's better.
|
| CHENIE | Oh, and Travis, if you want your arm fixed, you'd
better take his instruments. He left them in here. [She goes
to the back room.] [Krantor's room.]
|
| KRANTOR | Loading bay ten. You better hurry.
|
| CEVEDIC | Yes, Krantor.
|
| KRANTOR | And when you have disposed of Travis, don't forget to
bring me Docholli. [Cevedic departs.] Now, for our other
problem. [Looks at mirror.] Tell the croupier to shut the
wheel down, Toise. It has developed a mechanical fault. [Travis leaves bar holding Docholli's surgical kit.]
|
| BLAKE | That is Docholli's case he's carrying.
|
| CALLY | Are you sure?
|
| BLAKE | Let's go. Keep in the shadows. [In the loading bay.] |
| CEVEDIC | (off-screen whisper) Docholli's in there somewhere, but he's not a problem. First we get Travis. |
| UN-NAMED HENCHMAN | Okay.
|
| CEVEDIC | Over here behind the machine. [Casino. Vila is at the roulette wheel, surrounded by other customers.]
|
| VILA | Thank you, thank you. It's a pity the wheel broke down. I
was just hitting my stride. For you, my dear. [Offers
Croupier a chip. She slaps it away.] [Krantor's room.]
|
| KRANTOR | How much has he won?
|
| TOISE | Nearly five million, Krantor.
|
| KRANTOR | I want that money back, Toise. Have him picked up the
moment he leaves.
|
| TOISE | Unfortunately, Krantor, Cevedic took all the men when
they went to look for Travis. They're still combing the
city.
|
| KRANTOR | Well just don't stand there! Do something! [Casino. Vila joins Avon.]
|
| AVON | I expect you'll be leaving now.
|
| VILA | I'm just waiting for my winnings, old boy. Can't leave
them behind. Even if it is only money.
|
| KRANTOR | My dear sir, my congratulations! Five million! That is
a record. While your money is being, uh ... packaged, I
wonder if you would do Krantor the honor of joining him for
a little celebratory drink ... in my sanctum.
|
| VILA | Well, thank you kindly, Krantor. Thank you kindly.
[Vila goes off with Krantor.] [Loading bay. Docholli hides behind barrels. Travis enters.]
|
| DOCHOLLI | Careful, Travis! There's two of them.
[Travis sets kit down on a barrel. He draws his gun, and goes to
look behind barrels. Sound of gunfire. Switch to Blake, Cally and
Jenna as they hear the gunfire.]
|
| CEVEDIC | [Injured] Just luck. Ahhhh.
|
| TRAVIS | I went to a better school, Cevedic.
|
| CEVEDIC | You're a fool, Travis. You're going to die anyway.
|
| TRAVIS | Not as quick as you.
|
| CEVEDIC | Soon as they take that arm off -- kaputt.
|
| TRAVIS | [Grabbing Cevedic] What do you mean?
|
| CEVEDIC | They leave you like that, you die of gangrene. Take it
off and you die quicker. Oh, Servalan fitted you up well,
Travis.
[Cevedic falls to floor.]
|
| TRAVIS | (off-screen): Docholli. Where are you?
|
| DOCHOLLI | Over here. Who told you my name was Docholli?
|
| TRAVIS | I recognized you.
|
| DOCHOLLI | When?
|
| TRAVIS | First time we met.
[Blake, Cally and Jenna appear. Blake points a gun at Travis.]
|
| BLAKE | Just drop the gun, Travis.
|
| TRAVIS | Blake. I've been waiting for you. I knew you'd come.
|
| BLAKE | I'm glad I didn't disappoint you. Is Docholli there? I
want to see him.
|
| DOCHOLLI | What do you want with me?
|
| BLAKE | Roj Blake. You may have heard of me. I have a ship called
the Liberator.
|
| DOCHOLLI | Yes, I've heard of you, Blake. I repeat: what do you
want with me?
|
| BLAKE | One piece of information: the location of Star One.
|
| DOCHOLLI | Then you're going to be disappointed. [Krantor enters casino with Vila.]
|
| KRANTOR | Friends and patrons! Your attention, please. I have an
important announcement. Vila, this gallant sporting
gentleman, has agreed to end the evening with one final
wager. Friends, he has agreed to challenge the Klute at
speed chess!
[Avon, surprised, spits out his food.]
|
| KRANTOR | The terms of the game are: if Vila loses, he pays the
usual penalty, but if he wins or draws, then I have promised
to double his winnings. Yes, friends, he will leave here
with ten million credits.
[Avon joins Vila and Krantor.]
|
| AVON | [To Vila] Are you out of your skull?
|
| VILA | [Drunkenly] Ah, Avon. Good ol' Avon. And good ol' Krantor.
We're gonna have another game.
[They go to the speed chess table. Vila sits.]
|
| AVON | Vila, what happened?
|
| VILA | [Suddenly sober] What's going on? What am I doing here?
|
| KRANTOR | Vila. The Klute offers you the white pieces and the
advantage of the first move.
|
| VILA | That drink -- I've been tricked.
|
| KRANTOR | Did you say something?
|
| VILA | I don't want to play.
|
| KRANTOR | My friend, it is too late. The stakes have been laid.
If you withdraw now, I shall have no alternative but to
declare your five million credits forfeit.
|
| AVON | Play, Vila.
|
| VILA | What?
|
| AVON | Orac'll give you the moves.
|
| VILA | But the Klute isn't a computer.
|
| AVON | Play.
|
| KRANTOR | [To Avon] Stand aside from your friend's chair, sir. If
he loses the game, you might share his shock.
|
| CROUPIER | _Les jeux sont fait._ [Loading bay. Blake is standing beside Docholli, his gun aimed at Travis.]
|
| BLAKE | I find that hard to believe.
|
| TRAVIS | Why should he lie? He's out of the Federation now.
|
| BLAKE | You never knew the location of Star One?
|
| DOCHOLLI | I was a surgeon, Blake. I thought if I kept out of
Federation politics --
|
| TRAVIS | Docholli! My arm. You've got to fix it.
|
| DOCHOLLI | What happened?
|
| TRAVIS | The neural circuits. I brought your case.
|
| DOCHOLLI | A needle will do. Turn round.
|
| CALLY | But you operated on the people who built Star One.
|
| DOCHOLLI | The technicians, yes, thirty of them. I had no choice.
|
| JENNA | Then you must know where Star One is located. How could
you not?
|
| DOCHOLLI | I erased their brain prints, their lives. I left them
total amnesiacs. It was only towards the end that I ...
|
| BLAKE | Go on, Docholli.
|
| DOCHOLLI | As I came to the end I realized that Servalan would
never believe that I hadn't scanned the brain prints, that I
myself would be the last to be treated.
|
| TRAVIS | Docholli! Get on with it.
|
| DOCHOLLI | Somehow, it was only then that I realized the enormity
of my crime, can you believe that?
|
| TRAVIS | Docholli!
|
| BLAKE | Yes, I can believe that.
|
| DOCHOLLI | And that's when I decided to run for it. I faked the
operation on the last of my victims. Ah! [Opens arm up.]
What the devil?
|
| BLAKE | [Taking the arm] It's all right, it's not primed. Hmm!
So, Servalan thought we'd all die together. She must have
some other plans.
|
| TRAVIS | [Snatching the arm] All right, Blake, if you're man
enough, kill me now.
|
| BLAKE | Our quarrel is with the Federation, not with you.
|
| JENNA | Give me the gun, then.
|
| BLAKE | That would be mercy. Are you feeling particularly
merciful? [Avon holds communicator bracelet to Orac.]
|
| ORAC | Bishop takes pawn. Check.
[Vila and the Klute play speed chess. The Klute becomes anxious.
At last Vila smiles.]
|
| CROUPIER | The Klute offers a draw!
[Vila runs from chair, grabs the pile of money, and joins Avon,
who draws his gun.]
|
| AVON | Let's get out of here.
[They leave.]
|
| KRANTOR | I don't understand, Toise. What happened?
|
| TOISE | What happened?! I'll tell you what happened, Krantor --
you blew it! [Chenie enters the loading bay with a man in space gear.]
|
| CHENIE | What's going on?
|
| DOCHOLLI | It's all right, Chenie. They're friends. They're
friends.
|
| CHENIE | I didn't know you had any.
|
| DOCHOLLI | I have some, these last minutes.
|
| CHENIE | Well, get moving. Can't you see the man here is getting
worried?
|
| DOCHOLLI | Sure.
|
| BLAKE | Docholli. That last operation. You said it was faked.
Does that mean he can still remember?
|
| DOCHOLLI | As far as I know, Blake. I certainly hope so.
|
| BLAKE | Who is he?
|
| DOCHOLLI | His name was Lurgen. He was a cyber-surgeon like
myself. Perhaps that's why I changed my heart. Anyway, we
faked the operation between us. We didn't erase the brain
print, we took a copy of it, and then we both ran. He took
the copy with him. I heard that he'd gone to earth on a
planet called Goth. Later I heard that one of their tribal
chiefs had his brain print on a thong round his neck. Well,
either it was the print, or his head. They're a crude lot on
Goth.
|
| CHENIE | Yes, well, good luck, Kline, whatever your name is.
|
| DOCHOLLI | [Kisses Chenie on the cheek] I'll see you again,
Chenie.
|
| CHENIE | Maybe. [Liberator teleport area. Avon and Vila run to teleport panel. Vila unloads his winnings and Orac.]
|
| AVON | Quickly, Vila. Hide the money!
BLAKE (V.O. through communicator): Liberator, do you hear me?
|
| AVON | Reading you, Blake. |
| BLAKE (V.O.) | Bring us up, Avon.
|
| AVON | Bringing you up now. [Operates teleport.] Welcome back.
How did you get on?
|
| CALLY | We managed to reach Docholli.
|
| AVON | Oh, great. Wonderful. Terrific.
|
| BLAKE | We didn't get the location of Star One, though.
|
| VILA | [Comes from behind teleport panel carrying a small chess
set] I think it's my turn on call, Avon. [To Blake] Oh,
you're back.
|
| BLAKE | Vila, I don't like that innocent look. What have you
two been up to whilst we've been away?
|
| VILA | Me? Nothing. Had a little sleep.
|
| AVON | Played a little chess.
|
| VILA | Played a little chess.
|
| AVON | And that's all.
[They exchange glances, then look back at Orac (still small).
They turn to Blake. Sound as Orac changes back to full size.]
|
| VILA | That's right, Blake. We had a real quiet time.
|
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 f5 4. exf5 d5 5. Qh5+ Ke7 6. d4 exd4 7. Bg5+ Nf6
We don't see what happens for the next six moves but the position after move 13 is:
8 R . B Q . B . R 7 P P . . . . P P 6 . . P . . N . . 5 . . K P . p . q 4 . N b . . b . . 3 . . . . . n p . 2 p P p . . p . p 1 . k . r r . . . a b c d e f g h
Now we see them play:
14. Be3+ Kxc4 15. a4 Nxc2
We miss the next seven moves. The position after move 22 is:
8 q . . . . B . R 7 P P . . . . P P 6 . . P . B . . . 5 . . . . . . . . 4 p . . . P p . . 3 K . . . b . p . 2 . P . . . . . p 1 . k . r N . . . a b c d e f g hThen they play:
23. Rxe1 Bb4 24. Qxh8 Ba2+ 25. Kc2 Bc4We don't see the last moves but from the final position they are probably:
26. Rd1 Ka2 27. Qxg7 Bc3 mate
In the second game we don't see so many of the moves. Here is the position after Vila's 12th move:
8 R . B . . R K . 7 P P . . B P P P 6 . . . . P N . . 5 Q . . . b . . . 4 . . b . . . . . 3 . . n . . . . . 2 p p p . q p p p 1 . . k r . . . r a b c d e f g h
Up to this point the only clue to the moves is from Orac saying, "Bishop takes pawn check." This is what we see of the game:
12. ... b6 13. f4 Bb7 14. Rhf1 Rac8Position after white's 19th move:
8 . . R . . R . . 7 P B . . B P K . 6 . P . . P . . . 5 Q . . N . . . . 4 . . . . . p q . 3 . . n . . . . . 2 p p p . . . p p 1 . . k r . r . . a b c d e f g h
19. Qg4+ Kh8 20. Qh5+ Kg7 21. Qg4+ Kh8 22. Qh5+The Klute now offers a draw.
For reconstructions of the games, the reader is referred to the publication Gambit 9.