Transcription: Malcolm Mladenovic
Proofreading: Sue Clerc, Dave Owen
Dramatis Personae:
| Blake | Gareth Thomas |
| Jenna | Sally Knyvette |
| Avon | Paul Darrow |
| Cally | Jan Chappel |
| Vila | Michael Keating |
| Gan | David Jackson |
| Zen | Peter Tuddenham |
| Ensor | Derek Farr |
| Servalan | Jacqueline Pierce |
| Travis | Stephen Greif |
| Phibians | James Muir/Paul Kidd |
[Scene: Gan enters a room on the Liberator. He is obviously unwell. He takes what appears to be some kind of medication.] [Scene: Liberator flight deck: Avon, Jenna, Vila are at the controls, Blake enters.]
| |
| BLAKE | How are you feeling, Jenna?
|
| JENNA | I'm managing.
|
| BLAKE | Zen, give me full recall of my supplementary to the flight
log data. Vision suite, line one.
|
| ZEN | Line one is linked and ready to accept.
|
| BLAKE | Avon, I want you to listen to this.
[Blake and Avon move to a small table and chairs in an
alcove.]
|
| AVON | What is it?
|
| BLAKE | Just watch and listen. [On a recording play-back] Flight
log entry four-three-one. Time co-ordinate six-six-two.
Liberator was in range of the planet Cephlon. Scanner
systems located a space vehicle which was clearly out of
control. It was put on routine security surveillance and
was identified as a Spacemaster series five. Retrieval
pictures confirm. There was an explosion on board and the
ship went out of control. Cephlon's gravity pulled her down
into the atmosphere and she started to burn up. Two life
support capsules ejected from the ship and our tracers
followed them to impact. Vila, Jenna, Gan and Avon
teleported down to the planet in an attempt to find the
survivors. Both capsules were found. In the first the
crewman was already dead. In the second a man called Ensor
was badly injured. We teleported him to Liberator. Before
he died he gave me a box containing micro power cells. He
insisted that we should take these to the planet Aristo,
since without them his father would die. He also spoke of
something called 'Orac' and claimed the Federation was
willing to pay one hundred million credits to obtain it.
Verbal supplementary closes.
|
| AVON | Well?
|
| BLAKE | Well, if the Federation is prepared to pay one hundred
million credits then Orac must be fairly important.
|
| AVON | Unless, of course it's a magnificent swindle, but I suppose
that's too much to hope for. [He winces as if in pain.]
|
| BLAKE | You all right?
|
| AVON | Ah, yes. I, I just felt a little dizzy, that's all.
|
| BLAKE | My point is there's something we're missing in all this.
|
| AVON | Well, I can't think what, it all seems straightforward
enough. We know from the ship's log that it was returning
to Aristo from Federation Space Headquarters, that the
other passenger was a doctor and that they were carrying
medical supplies. It all tallies with what Ensor said.
|
| BLAKE | I don't know. I think it's the importance the Federation
is placing on Orac that bothers me
|
| JENNA | [To Blake] I've switched to automatics -- there's something
I want from my cabin.
|
| BLAKE | All right, Jenna. [To Avon] Let's take another look at the
pictures of that ship on the main screen.
|
| AVON | They're not likely to show us anything that we don't
already know.
|
| BLAKE | Maybe not, but let's check anyway. Zen, run the scanner
file from the moment we picked up visual contact with the
Spacemaster ship.
|
| ZEN | Confirmed. Retrieval systems operating.
|
| AVON | What exactly are you looking for?
|
| BLAKE | I'm not sure yet. [Avon bends forwards] You quite sure
you're all right?
|
| AVON | Yes, of course I'm all right. [Scene: A corridor. Jenna walks slowly along and stops just as Cally comes round the corner.]
|
| CALLY | Jenna, what is it? what's the matter?
|
| JENNA | I don't know. I, I feel terrible. One minute I'm all right,
and then, then it comes over me again.
|
| CALLY | Oh, you've obviously got a fever. Come on, I'll get you to
your cabin. [Scene: Return to Avon and Blake on the flight deck, watching the playback of the explosion of the Spacemaster ship. Vila is also watching.]
|
| BLAKE | Zen, hold it there. Now then, play it back, slowly. There!
That's it, that's what's been bothering me.
|
| VILA | I don't see anything special.
|
| AVON | It's in the wrong place.
|
| BLAKE | Exactly. The explosion's in the forward section. Now, you
thought it was a neutron burn out but that's nowhere near
the engine housing.
|
| AVON | All right, but it doesn't make any difference, does it?
|
| BLAKE | Zen, I want a sensor reading for that moment. Full spectrum
analysis.
|
| ZEN | Confirmed.
|
| VILA | What are you trying to prove?
|
| BLAKE | Ensor went to Federation Space Headquarters. He wanted
medical assistance. He also wanted to sell something of
enormous value.
|
| VILA | Orac.
|
| BLAKE | Right.
|
| AVON | Whatever that is.
|
| BLAKE | We can presume the sale was made because he told us they're
prepared to pay a fantastic price for it. Now, they start
on the return journey....
|
| ZEN | The data you requested is now available.
|
| BLAKE | All right, let's have it.
|
| ZEN | Sensor readings for selected moment are as follows. The
explosion registered one point three. Disturbance peaked at
one one five. Spectral analysis of residual vapour
confirms presence of geritan explosive.
|
| BLAKE | Conclusion?
|
| ZEN | Probability is that a small explosive device was detonated
in the gravity compensator controls.
|
| AVON | Sabotage.
|
| BLAKE | Yes.
|
| VILA | But why?
|
| AVON | Presumably so that the Federation could get their hands on
Orac without paying a hundred million.
|
| BLAKE | That's the only thing that would make sense.
|
| VILA | So they'll be on their way to pick up Orac as fast as they
can go, and that's fairly fast actually.
|
| BLAKE | Yeah, not as fast as us.
|
| AVON | Ever the optimist.
[Cally enters.]
|
| CALLY | Blake.
|
| BLAKE | What is it?
|
| CALLY | Jenna is very sick. Gan is, too. They've both got the same
symptoms.
|
| BLAKE | What's wrong with them?
|
| CALLY | I want to make a test. [She walks over to Avon and Vila]
Avon, give me your hand. [She runs an instrument that
sounds like a Geiger counter over the back of Avon's hand.
It clicks noisily.] [To Vila] Now yours. [She does the
same with Vila, with the same result.] The same as the
others. They've all absorbed heavy doses of radiation.
|
| VILA | Radiation! All of me?
|
| CALLY | The four of you went down to the surface of Cephlon, but
you stayed down too long -- far beyond the tolerance limits.
You need treatment and you need it quickly.
|
| VILA | Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get to the surgical unit.
|
| AVON | Relax. We'll all go onto a massive dose of decontaminant
drugs. In a week or two we should all recover.
|
| CALLY | Not possible.
|
| BLAKE | Why not, Cally?
|
| CALLY | There are no decontaminant drugs on the ship. I've checked.
There is nothing that will counter radiation sickness.
|
| BLAKE | Are you sure?
|
| CALLY | I'm sure. [Scene: Gan is in a cabin. We see him listen to the following conversation over the intercom.]
|
| BLAKE | Our only hope is if they have a supply on Aristo.
|
| VILA | But if they don't?
|
| BLAKE | They will have.
|
| VILA | But if they don't?
|
| BLAKE | They will have.
|
| AVON | There's no point in hiding it, our condition will
deteriorate rapidly. If we don't get drug treatment very
soon, we shall die. [Scene: Switch back to the flight deck.]
|
| VILA | Die? I can't do that.
|
| AVON | I'm afraid you can. It's the one talent we all share, even you.
|
| VILA | I think I'm going to ... [He rushes off.] [Scene: a laboratory/living quarters. An old man, Ensor, is looking at some fish in a tank. There is a loud sound of bird song.]
|
| ENSOR | [chuckles] Hello, my little ones. Hmm, ah, you hungry then,
are you? Let's give you something to eat, then, mmm? [He
chuckles again and turns his attention to the plant next to
the tank.] Oh dear, you're a bit dry, aren't you, mmm? [He
turns on a water spray for a few seconds.] That's better.
That's better, that's better. [He winces in pain.] Ooh!
Ugh! [He reclines in a chair. Almost immediately a buzzer
on his watch goes off and he gets back up again. He crosses
to a hanging bird cage that contains a metal bird. He turns
off the bird song and then fits some kind of connector on
the end of a cable to a plate on his chest. A meter
registers about halfway -- just into the green.] Oh. Not
good, not good at all. Very little time left. Ohh. [He
picks up a glass of blue liquid. There is a sound of
something electronic starting up.] Oh, yes, what is it?
Have you something to report?
|
| ORAC | A space vehicle has made a surface landing about seven
miles inland.
|
| ENSOR | My son's ship?
|
| ORAC | No.
|
| ENSOR | Ah, stupid question, I apologize. Had it been his he would
have contacted us by now. Have you identified the ship?
|
| ORAC | Federation. Two passengers now disembarked and proceeding
on foot towards this section.
|
| ENSOR | Is the defense zone operating?
|
| ORAC | Yes.
|
| ENSOR | Then they won't get far. Anyway, ensure that security
regulations are fully maintained. Ah! Can't be too careful
in my state of health. [He switches the bird song back on.]
Ohh. Uggh. Sleeping seems to reduce the energy drain
fractionally. Might as well prolong me life to the very
limit. [chuckles] One clings to it, clings to it. Keep your
eye on the two from the Federation ship.
|
| ORAC | They might attempt entry through the tunnels under the old
city.
|
| ENSOR | Oh, they can't us reach that way you know that, those
tunnels are crawling with phibians.
|
| ORAC | I was suggesting it might be more humane to warn them of
the danger.
|
| ENSOR | Had they been friendly they would have tried to make
contact before landing. They didn't. Therefore they are not
friends. Therefore they are enemies. What could they want
here, hmmm? Ha. Only one thing. You, Orac, my friend, you.
Oh no, let the phibians have them. [Scene: The planet's surface, on the sea shore. Travis passes an obelisk and examines a plant.]
|
| SERVALAN | Travis -- here!
[He comes over and opens a trap-door amongst the rocks.]
|
| TRAVIS | There must be an easier way to get into the laboratory than
this.
|
| SERVALAN | The surface force barrier is impenetrable. We must go under
it.
|
| TRAVIS | Let's see the old man's map again.
|
| SERVALAN | We go straight along this passage, turn right at the
junction, and then straight on.
|
| TRAVIS | Yeah, they begin to run below sea level there. Let's hope
they're not flooded.
|
| SERVALAN | Well, let's get started.
|
| TRAVIS | Right.
[They go down some steps into a tunnel. Travis looks
around.]
|
| SERVALAN | Travis!
|
| TRAVIS | Huh?
|
| SERVALAN | It's this way.
[They walk through wet tunnels, there are loud breathing
sounds in the background.] [Scene: Liberator: Avon is watching a planet go past. He reclines in a chair. Gan is also resting in the room. Blake enters.]
|
| BLAKE | I've had Zen run through the reference banks. A remarkable
man this professor Ensor -- very impressive list of
achievements.
|
| AVON | Yes, I know. When he was eighteen years old he developed
something called a Tarriel cell. It led to a whole new
generation of computers. Every computer in the known worlds
now contains Tarriel cells. He also engineered and
developed a lot of radical new concepts in computer
technology, so that even the most advanced computers are
based on his work. It's a surprise to me that the
Federation ever let him go.
|
| BLAKE | They didn't -- well, not exactly. [Cally enters.] [To Cally.]
How are they?
|
| CALLY | Well, much the same. Until they get treatment the only
change can be for the worse.
|
| BLAKE | Who's at the controls?
|
| CALLY | Jenna is.
|
| BLAKE | Well, we're nearly there, another hour.
|
| AVON | It's ironic isn't it -- we are racing to deliver medical
supplies that will save a man's life in the hope that he
will have medical supplies that will save ours.
|
| BLAKE | Zen gave me something else that would explain why he needs
those micro power cells. Zen, report -- medic information
'Ensor'.
|
| ZEN | It appears that Ensor took a vacation on a frontier planet.
While there he suffered a massive heart attack. Medical
facilities were primitive. The only available transplant
was a mechanical heart powered by microcells. They have a
life of about forty Earth years.
|
| BLAKE | All of which happened about forty years ago.
|
| CALLY | But didn't they substitute an organic unit once he got back?
|
| BLAKE | That's just the point, he never did get back. He
disappeared. He and his four year old son simply vanished.
They've never been heard of since.
|
| AVON | Until now.
|
| CALLY | And all the time they've been on Aristo.
|
| BLAKE | Cally, we'd better get ready to teleport down. [Scene: Liberator flight deck. Jenna is at the controls, Blake enters.]
|
| BLAKE | D'you think you'll be up to handling things in here?
|
| JENNA | Ohh, assuming you don't take too long.
|
| BLAKE | Zen, surface conditions?
|
| ZEN | Tolerable. The land masses are arid and support only
primitive plant life. Nine tenths of the planet is covered
by water which is highly acidic. The level of the oceans is
constantly rising and they now virtually cover all traces
of the cities built by early civilizations.
|
| BLAKE | Life forms?
|
| ZEN | Life is evolving in the oceans. An amphibian species have
begun to develop.
|
| JENNA | Anything else?
|
| ZEN | This constitutes all available data.
|
| JENNA | Well, at least there won't be too many natural hazards for
you to deal with.
|
| BLAKE | I'll go and get kitted up.
|
| ZEN | Data amendment. Retrieval systems have located further
information. There has been one exploratory expedition put
down on Aristo. Neither of the two members ever returned.
Their disappearance remains unexplained. Amendment ends.
|
| BLAKE | I wonder what happened to them? [Scene: The laboratory. Ensor is reclining with his eyes closed.]
|
| ORAC | An unidentified space vehicle is maneuvering to take a
fixed orbit which threatens our security zone. What action
do you wish taken? [pause -- There is no response from
Ensor.] In the absence of further instructions I shall
institute full security procedure. [Scene: Liberator flight deck. Jenna is at the controls.]
|
| ZEN | Transit complete. Liberator is in stationary orbit within
teleport range of the planet Aristo. All circuits are. All
circuits are. All circuits are. All circuits are.
|
| JENNA | Zen!
|
| ZEN | [Zen's voice slows and trails off.] All circuits are. All
circuits are. All circuits are.
|
| JENNA | [Into intercom.] Blake, quickly!
[Blake and Cally enter. Blake fiddles with some controls.]
|
| JENNA | I've done all that.
[The background lighting turns red.]
|
| ORAC | [Through Zen.] You will identify yourselves and state
clearly the purpose of your intrusion.
|
| BLAKE | Specify recognition code.
|
| ORAC | I repeat, identify yourselves and state the purpose of your
mission.
|
| BLAKE | This is the spacecraft Liberator. We have medical supplies
for someone on this planet.
|
| ORAC | You will explain the circumstances governing your previous
statement.
|
| BLAKE | We went to the aid of a crashed spaceship. Before he died
the pilot asked me to deliver some micro power cells. He
said they were vital to save his father's life.
|
| ORAC | Your explanation is satisfactory. I am aware that you have
teleport facilities. I will set co-ordinates for a surface
landing. On arrival you will await further instructions.
That is all.
|
| BLAKE | That is all! Jenna, institute a thorough check of the
circuits.
|
| ZEN | All circuits are now free of interference and full function
is restored.
|
| CALLY | What happened?
|
| ZEN | Preliminary research indicates that all computer functions
were temporarily under external control.
|
| JENNA | But that's impossible!
|
| ZEN | Logic units concur that it is impossible.
|
| BLAKE | But it happened anyway.
|
| ZEN | Logic units concur that it happened. Investigation of this
paradox is continuing.
|
| JENNA | I don't like it. A force that can take over the computers
could easily take over the ship.
|
| BLAKE | We're not going to find out about it standing here. Are you
ready, Cally?
|
| CALLY | Yes, I'm ready.
|
| BLAKE | [Into intercom.] Avon, can you handle the teleport?
|
| AVON | [On intercom.] What's going on?
|
| BLAKE | Just get down there. Jenna, switch to automatics, then go
and rest in your cabin. Come on, Cally. [Scene: Liberator teleport section. Cally and Blake enter, followed by Avon.]
|
| AVON | Blake!
|
| BLAKE | What is it?
|
| AVON | Look at the locator.
|
| BLAKE | It's setting the co-ordinates.
|
| AVON | By itself. It looks as if our computers are being
over-ridden again, being programmed from another source.
|
| CALLY | Perhaps we should move out while we've still got a chance.
|
| AVON | While some of us have still got a chance.
|
| CALLY | Oh, I forgot. I'm sorry, Avon.
|
| BLAKE | Frankly, I doubt whether we could even if we wanted to.
From what we've seen already it's obvious that machine
could totally immobilize us.
|
| AVON | Then let's get on with it.
|
| BLAKE | [To Avon.] If you feel well enough, could you try and stay
by the teleport?
|
| AVON | I have no plans to go anywhere else.
|
| BLAKE | All right, put us down. [Scene: The planet's surface. Blake and Cally land near the obelisk.]
|
| BLAKE | Some sort of obelisk, I suppose.
|
| CALLY | Well, what should we do now?
|
| BLAKE | Wait for further instructions -- there's not much else we
can do. Let's take a look around.
|
| CALLY | Blake!
|
| BLAKE | What is it?
|
| CALLY | Look. [She puts her hand up to show some sort of barrier.
Blake does the same.]
|
| BLAKE | It's a force barrier. The question is are we on the outside
unable to get in or....
|
| CALLY | On the inside unable to get out.
|
| BLAKE | Yeah. [Scene: The tunnels. Travis and Servalan are moving through them.]
|
| SERVALAN | Travis.
|
| TRAVIS | Uh?
|
| SERVALAN | Listen. What is it?
|
| TRAVIS | I dunno, but it's been behind us since we started.
|
| SERVALAN | Let's keep going.
|
| TRAVIS | Look, the tunnel's blocked.
|
| SERVALAN | Well, can we get through?
|
| TRAVIS | I'll go and check.
[He goes forward to inspect the blockage, then returns.]
|
| TRAVIS | The roof looks as though it may cave in at any moment.
|
| SERVALAN | Well, we knew there would be risks.
|
| TRAVIS | Well, let's hope they're justified.
|
| SERVALAN | They are. When we deliver Orac to the Federation they will
be very grateful, and very generous, and it will be our
success, ours alone.
|
| TRAVIS | Keep watch, I'm going through.
|
| SERVALAN | Right. [Travis moves off -- Servalan looks uneasy as she
hears various 'roars' from the tunnels.] Travis! Travis!!
[Suddenly a clawed hand is placed on her leg.] Agh!!
Travis! Travis, help me! [Travis shoots the creature.
Servalan is shaking]
|
| TRAVIS | Are you hurt?
|
| SERVALAN | [Still shaken.] No. What is it?
|
| TRAVIS | I dunno -- some kind of lizard. We can get through. You have
to crawl, but it widens out again later. The rewards and
credit, remember? I'll go first, shall I?
|
| SERVALAN | No, Travis. You will follow me.
[They continue on. Cut to the surface and then back to the
tunnels. Servalan is looking round, then stops and stares
suddenly. We see a pair of skeletons.] [Scene: The surface. A bright object approaches the camera over the sea. It is a ball-shaped object previously seen in Ensor's lab. It approaches Blake and Cally who are sitting next to the obelisk.]
|
| ORAC | You will stand up. You will stand up! [They do so.] You are
carrying weapons, you will remove them.
|
| BLAKE | We'd prefer to keep them with us.
|
| ORAC | You will remove them.
|
| BLAKE | No!
[There is a small explosion on the ground in front of
them.]
|
| BLAKE | We will remove them.
|
| ORAC | You will make greater speed. Hurry. Hurry.
|
| CALLY | How do we get through the barrier?
|
| ORAC | You will follow me.
|
| CALLY | Versatile, isn't it?
|
| BLAKE | Let's hope it's still around when we want to get out of here.
[Blake raises his communicator.]
|
| ORAC | It is too late to contact your ship. You are now inside the
barrier. Signal transmission through the energy screen is
not possible. You will follow me. [Scene: Liberator. Jenna enters the teleport area where Avon is seated at the controls.]
|
| AVON | You were told to stay in your cabin.
|
| JENNA | Any word?
|
| AVON | Nothing since they called in to say that they were down
safely and waiting.
|
| JENNA | How long ago was that?
|
| AVON | A little over two hours.
|
| JENNA | We should have heard by now.
[There is a groan from nearby. Avon moves the teleport
bracelet holder to discover Gan behind it.]
|
| AVON | Not you as well. What are you doing down there?
|
| GAN | I don't like being on my own. Especially if I'm about to
die.
|
| JENNA | That's cheerful.
|
| GAN | Sorry.
|
| AVON | Is Vila on his way as well?
|
| GAN | No, he's doing his best to convince himself that he feels
fine. Says we'll just remind him that he doesn't.
|
| AVON | Sometimes he shows distinct signs of intelligence. Why
don't you return to your quarters. I'll let you know the
moment I hear anything.
|
| JENNA | I'll stay. I think it's better if there are two of us
standing by.
|
| GAN | Better still if there are three of us.
|
| AVON | Better still if you... [He stops abruptly. They look at
each other and then all settle down to continue waiting.] [Scene: The surface of the planet. Blake and Cally are walking along. A black cylinder rises from the ground.]
|
| ORAC | Make haste and approach the transporter.
|
| BLAKE | Transporter!?
|
| ORAC | Move forward. [They approach it.] You will now enter the
transporter. [Blake walks around it.]
|
| BLAKE | There's no door.
|
| ORAC | You will enter the transporter.
|
| BLAKE | Look, I'm getting fed up with taking orders... How are we
supposed to get inside this thing?
|
| ORAC | The girl will go first. Move to the other side of the
transporter.
[Cally moves to the other side of the cylinder, but when
Blake follows her she has vanished. Then it opens with her
inside.]
|
| BLAKE | I thought you started without me. [He steps in.]
|
| CALLY | So did I. [The door closes.] I said that thing was versatile.
|
| BLAKE | Maybe we should try and capture it. Perhaps Avon would like
it as a pet. [The transporter sinks down some distance and
then stops.] We seem to have arrived. [The door opens and
closes after they exit. They move along a corridor to a
junction.]
|
| CALLY | Shall we split up and search?
|
| BLAKE | No, we'd end up looking for each other as well as Orac and
Ensor. Come on. [Scene: Travis and Servalan still in the tunnels.]
|
| TRAVIS | Let's check the map.
|
| SERVALAN | We're almost there. [Scene: Blake and Cally reach a closed door]
|
| CALLY | It looks similar to the transporter. [It opens.]
|
| BLAKE | And just as disconcerting.
[They enter the laboratory and look around.]
|
| CALLY | Blake, look. [The ball-shaped mobile is on a table.]
|
| ENSOR | [Entering.] Ah, at last. The energy cells, have you
brought the energy cells?
|
| BLAKE | Yes, yes, yes, we've got them. Now, are you all right?
|
| ENSOR | Well, of course I'm not all right. If I was all right I
wouldn't need you. It's certainly taken you long enough to
get here. Ah, it's typical of you morons in physical
medicine.
|
| CALLY | Oh, look, you don't understand.
|
| ENSOR | Always has to be a mercy dash, doesn't it? Not enough to
simply arrive, do your work, and then get out, ooh no, no,
it has to be a drama.
|
| BLAKE | We got here as quickly as we could.
|
| ENSOR | I don't want to hear your feeble excuses. Now let's get on
with it. I've developed a system of electronic anaesthesia
that I shall administer myself. Shan't need your filthy
drugs. Now, you can start carving me up as soon as you like.
|
| CALLY | Look, you must listen to us, we...[drowned out by Ensor]
|
| ENSOR | Press the red switch, will you. [Blake presses the red
button.] The RED one! [Blake presses the green one.] Now
you'll have to work quickly. An implant operation can't be
done in ten minutes you know. The last time I checked it
showed there was very little in reserve.
|
| BLAKE | Professor, what are you doing?
|
| ENSOR | The instrument isn't entirely accurate, but it does give a,
an indication. Well, I suppose you enjoy this sort of
thing. Hmm? Boosts your egos to have the power of life and
death, adds to the mystique with which you medics like to
surround yourself. All right, now, which of you is the
surgeon? Oh, come on, speak up, which of you is the
butcher?
|
| BLAKE | We are not medics, I'm afraid.
|
| ENSOR | What?
|
| CALLY | We went to the aid of a spacecraft that had crashed, one of
the crew was already dead and the other man was dying, but
before he died he asked us to get these to you.
|
| ENSOR | Both men dead, you say?
|
| CALLY | Yes.
|
| ENSOR | One of them was my son.
|
| CALLY | I'm sorry. He tried desperately to reach you. He did
everything he possibly could.
|
| ENSOR | Oh, such a waste. He had a good mind. Death is such a
waste. You were with my son when he died?
|
| CALLY | Yes.
|
| ENSOR | It's always too late, isn't it? I wonder if he knew how
much I loved him?
|
| BLAKE | I think he did.
|
| ENSOR | Oh I, I'm sorry if I snapped at you. It's, it's just my
way. Thank you, for doing all you could to help.
|
| CALLY | We were hoping you might be able to help us.
|
| ENSOR | Mmm, what is it you want?
|
| BLAKE | The four of my crew who went down to help your son suffered
from high doses of radiation. Now, unless they get
decontaminant drugs they also will die.
|
| ENSOR | Ah, couldn't be easier. Whole cabinet of drugs over there
round the corner -- you'll see it. Take all you want, help
yourself. [Cally goes off in the indicated direction.]
Can't stand them, myself. Filthy things, drugs. Ohh.
|
| BLAKE | Listen, how long have you got before these power cells run
out?
|
| ENSOR | Thirty minutes, at the very outside a couple of hours.
|
| BLAKE | Well, then there is still a chance. If we can get you back
to our ship then we may be able to perform the implant
ourselves. I mean, it's a relatively simple operation -- our
computer can instruct us.
|
| ENSOR | You have the facilities to perform an operation?
|
| BLAKE | Liberator has one of the finest surgical units you've ever
seen.
|
| ENSOR | Might be possible, I suppose.
|
| BLAKE | Well, come with us, you've got a chance, stay here you'll
die certainly.
|
| ENSOR | I'll do it. I'll do it. Ahah, it will be strange to leave
this place, you know. I, I haven't been away for over forty
years.
|
| BLAKE | [Handing him a teleport bracelet.] Put this on.
|
| ENSOR | What is it?
|
| BLAKE | Well, if you can, er, get rid of that force barrier then we
can teleport you directly from here.
|
| ENSOR | Ah, it's not practical.
|
| BLAKE | Why not?
|
| ENSOR | Oh, if I were to disconnect it now it would be, ooh, five
hours before its dissipates and I haven't got five hours.
No, no, we've got to get to the surface.
|
| CALLY | [Returning.] Blake, I think I've found enough for everybody.
|
| BLAKE | Oh good, at least the others will be all right.
|
| ENSOR | Well, I'm ready, shall we get started?
|
| BLAKE | Well, wait a minute. There is something else.
|
| ENSOR | What?
|
| BLAKE | What about Orac?
|
| ENSOR | Orac. Of course, yes, I can't leave Orac here.
|
| CALLY | That was the message we were to give you. Your son says
'The Federation is willing to pay a hundred million for
Orac'.
|
| ENSOR | [chuckles] They're willing to pay are you? Well, he's worth
ten times that much. Now, come on you, help me, help me,
help me. I'm gonna get him out of here. Quick. Quick. Come
on. That's it. Careful. Careful. Careful. Put him over
here, yes. Now, you should be able to carry him between
you.
|
| CALLY | This is Orac?
|
| BLAKE | A hundred million for that?
|
| CALLY | Is it a computer?
|
| ENSOR | It most certainly is not. It is a brain, a genius. It has a
mind that can draw information from every computer
containing one of my cells. Orac has access to the sum
total of all the knowledge of all the known worlds.
|
| BLAKE | You mean it can draw information from any other computer
without a direct link?
|
| ENSOR | Precisely that, yes. Now are you going to stand there and
listen to a lecture or might you consider it more important
to try and sustain my life? Now, will you put him in there?
|
| BLAKE | Oh, yes, I'm sorry.
|
| ENSOR | Careful, careful, careful. That's right. You better take
that. Right. Ahh, just a minute. You'd better take that.
|
| BLAKE | What is it?
|
| ENSOR | It's a simple on/off device that activates Orac. Use it and
Orac will advise you of every detail of the operation you
intend to perform. Now, shall we go? [They leave the room,
but Ensor turns back to his plants] Ahh. Just a minute,
just a minute. Ah. [He waters plants.] Yes, goodbye my
plants, goodbye. I shall miss you. The only real vegetation
on this whole benighted planet.
|
| BLAKE | Ensor.
|
| ENSOR | Huh? Oh, yes. [He heads for the door, then turns back yet
again to feed the fish.] Ah. [chuckles] I nearly forgot
you, my little ones, there you are, oh ho ho that will have
to do. That will ha...
|
| BLAKE | [Interrupting] Ensor!
|
| ENSOR | I shall be back soon -- goodbye, goodbye. [Scene: Travis and Servalan next to a hatch]
|
| TRAVIS | It's not good, it won't shift. It's solid.
|
| SERVALAN | What are you going to do?
|
| TRAVIS | I'm gonna use a charge. Right, let's take cover. [Scene: Ensor, Blake and Cally in a corridor]
|
| ENSOR | No. This way, this way. [Scene: Switches back to the charge on the hatch, which goes off]
|
| ENSOR | What was that?
|
| BLAKE | Get back to the lab. [He goes off.]
|
| CALLY | Can you help me carry this?
|
| ENSOR | Yes, yes all right..
|
| CALLY | Come on.
|
| TRAVIS | Come on. [He steps through as Blake turns the corner into
the corridor] Blake! [He fires and misses. He and Servalan
follow Blake] Which corridor did they take? [Scene: Blake, Cally and Ensor back in the lab]
|
| BLAKE | Weapons?
|
| ENSOR | I disapprove of weapons.
|
| BLAKE | So do I, but I disapprove of dying even more.
|
| CALLY | Is there another way out of here?
|
| ENSOR | No, oh, yes, there is, we could go by the tunnels under the
old city.
|
| BLAKE | Well, let's go then.
|
| ENSOR | But it isn't safe.
|
| CALLY | But it might be safer than here. Show us.
|
| BLAKE | All right, this way. Oh, it's locked.
|
| BLAKE | Well, get it open.
|
| ENSOR | Key, now where did I put the key? [Scene: Servalan and Travis reach the laboratory door]
|
| SERVALAN | Blast it open.
|
| TRAVIS | Right, stand back. Keep clear. [The door is blown and they
enter.] There, they've gone through another door. He's
getting away! He's getting away!
|
| SERVALAN | Travis, forget Blake -- find Orac, although they've probably
taken it with them. [They search the room.] Travis. Look.
|
| TRAVIS | What is it?
|
| SERVALAN | [Pointing to a map she has found.] Now, this is where we
are. In order to get to a surface exit they have to go back
along this passage, along here up there and there's your
surface exit. Now, if we go back the way we came, along
here, we'll get there first and we can be waiting for them.
Let's go. [Scene: Blake, Cally and Ensor in the tunnels]
|
| BLAKE | How much further?
|
| ENSOR | Oh, some way yet. I, I shall have to rest soon.
|
| CALLY | We should keep on moving, they could be right behind us.
|
| BLAKE | Yes, without weapons we don't stand a chance. Look, you
keep going. I'm going to stay here and try and bring the
roof down -- block them off.
|
| CALLY | Perhaps it would be better if we all stayed together?
|
| BLAKE | Let me do it my way, Cally.
|
| ENSOR | Come on. [Scene: Teleport area. Avon raises his head and checks his watch. He activates the intercom.]
|
| AVON | Vila. [Scene: The scene switches to Vila in a cabin, reclining in a chair.]
|
| VILA | What is it?
|
| AVON | [On communicator] How do you feel.
|
| VILA | You woke me up to ask me how I feel?
|
| AVON | [On communicator] Can you walk?
|
| VILA | Why should I want to?
|
| AVON | [On communicator] Meet me in the teleport area in your
surface clothes, and hurry.
|
| VILA | [Opens the cabin door and bangs his head] Ohhh! [Scene: Teleport area. Gan is asleep on the steps. Avon, in surface gear, enters and drops a gun on the console. Jenna wakes up.]
|
| JENNA | What is it, what's the matter?
|
| AVON | Cally and Blake -- they've been down on the surface for far
too long. They must have run into some kind of trouble, see
if you can wake Gan up.
|
| JENNA | Gan, Gan, come on, wake up.
|
| GAN | What, uh, what's wrong, Jenna?
|
| JENNA | Blake and Cally, something's happened to them.
|
| VILA | [Entering, in surface gear.] Where is he?
|
| JENNA | We don't know.
|
| VILA | He woke me up.
|
| GAN | Blake woke you up?
|
| VILA | Avon.
|
| AVON | Vila.
|
| VILA | What are you up to now?
|
| AVON | You and I are going down to the surface. [He thrusts a gun
at him.] Put that on.
|
| VILA | Are you out of your mind -- I'm finding it hard enough just
to stay on my feet.
|
| AVON | Then crawl, but put that on! Gan, you stay here with Jenna.
Make sure that one of you stays conscious long enough to
beam us back up again.
|
| GAN | Right.
|
| JENNA | Listen, Avon, there's nothing you can achieve by going down
there.
|
| AVON | I don't intend to sit around and wait to die. Get ready to
put us down. [To Vila, handing him some pills.] Take these.
|
| VILA | What are they?
|
| AVON | [He throws the remaining pills to Jenna.] They will help,
for a while anyway.
|
| JENNA | Ready?
|
| AVON | Get on with it.
[Vila is still not completely dressed, he is holding one
boot.] [Avon and Vila materialize on the planet's surface. Vila's bootless foot is in a puddle.]
|
| VILA | Ohughhh. I've got a wet foot now.
|
| AVON | Come on. [Scene: The tunnels. Cally and Ensor are carrying Orac.]
|
| ENSOR | Wait, wait. Wait a minute. I have to rest.
[There is a roar from the tunnels.]
|
| CALLY | What is that?
|
| ENSOR | Uh, there are some creatures that live down here.
|
| CALLY | Are they dangerous?
|
| ENSOR | Oh, I don't think they'll harm us. [Scene: Cuts to Blake still trying to bring down the roof of the tunnel, then switches back to Cally and Ensor.]
|
| CALLY | Will you be all right for a minute? I'll be back. [Scene: Cally leaves Ensor alone and goes back. She is attacked by a phibian.]
|
| CALLY | Arghhh, ...
[Blake hits the phibian over the head with a rock and it
collapses, he and Cally then return to Ensor.]
|
| BLAKE | Cally, check the way ahead's clear.
|
| CALLY | Blake, look! [She points to some stairs at the top of which
light is visible.]
|
| BLAKE | Ensor! Ensor! [Ensor is dead].
|
| CALLY | I am sorry. Just a little longer and we might have saved you. [Scene: Blake and Cally are on the beach. Blake closes the trap-door and puts a rock on top of it, then rejoins Cally.]
|
| BLAKE | Call Liberator. [There is a small explosion nearby.]
|
| TRAVIS | [with his gun-arm raised] Goodbye, Blake.
|
| SERVALAN | Wait.
|
| TRAVIS | I have waited. Too long.
|
| SERVALAN | He's the bonus, Travis. Orac is the prize. [To Blake] Where
is Ensor?
|
| BLAKE | Ensor, like his son, is dead.
|
| SERVALAN | It was to be expected. He survived longer than we thought
was possible. That box -- Orac -- that's what we came for. If
it does only half of what was promised it will give the
Federation greater power than it's ever known.
|
| CALLY | What are you going to do?
|
| TRAVIS | What do you think I'm going to do?
|
| BLAKE | I think you're going to kill me, Travis, with or without
orders from the Supreme Commander.
|
| SERVALAN | With orders, Blake. All right, Travis, go ahead. [Avon
shoots Travis' gun-arm]
|
| TRAVIS | Ah! Ah!
|
| AVON | Don't move.
|
| BLAKE | Good shot, Avon.
|
| AVON | I was aiming for his head.
|
| VILA | You took your time, what have you been up to?
|
| CALLY | We had a few minor problems.
|
| VILA | Did you bring the decontaminants?
|
| CALLY | Yes, we've got them.
|
| BLAKE | Tell them to bring us up.
|
| VILA | Jenna, stand by.
|
| TRAVIS | Well what are you waiting for? Come on, man. Why don't
you kill us?
|
| BLAKE | No, I've got a better idea: we'll get a message through
to the Federation, tell them that you let us take Orac.
I'm sure they'll be quite fascinated by your explanation.
[Blake, Cally, Avon and Vila teleport.]
|
| SERVALAN | You're in a lot of trouble, Travis. [Scene: Flight deck.]
|
| BLAKE | The other end's connected.
|
| AVON | You want to give it a try?
|
| BLAKE | Why not? Vila, switch to automatics. [Blake, Avon and Vila
head for the couches where the rest of the crew are seated
around Orac.] Oh, Activator. [He hands it to Avon who
inserts it into Orac. The computer hums.]
|
| JENNA | Well, for a hundred million credits you'd expect something
a little more spectacular than that.
|
| VILA | Try kicking it.
|
| GAN | Are you sure it's fully switched on?
|
| ORAC | Of course I'm properly switched on. Having depressed the
activator button what else would you expect?
|
| CALLY | It's his voice.
|
| BLAKE | It's exactly as though Ensor were speaking.
|
| ORAC | Surely it is obvious even to the meanest intelligence that
during my development I would naturally become endowed with
aspects of my creator's personality.
|
| AVON | The more endearing aspects by the sound of it.
|
| ORAC | Possibly. However similarities between myself and Ensor are
entirely superficial. My mental capacity is infinitely
greater.
|
| JENNA | Modest, isn't he?
|
| ORAC | Modesty would be dishonesty.
|
| VILA | What's wrong with being dishonest?
|
| ORAC | Is that a question?
|
| VILA | Yes.
|
| ORAC | The question is futile. Were I to say that I am incapable
of dishonesty how would you know if I was being dishonest
or not?
|
| BLAKE | A question for a question. Well, you're capable of evasion,
anyway.
|
| VILA | I think I've heard enough. I don't like him. Orac, be a
good junk heap -- shut up.
|
| CALLY | I agree with Vila.
|
| ORAC | Define the words 'Shut up.'
|
| BLAKE | Stop talking. Do not speak. Be silent.
|
| ORAC | That is better. Our relationship will be best served if
your statements are free of ambiguity.
|
| GAN | Let's switch him off and go back to work.
|
| BLAKE | No, wait a minute, let's find out what he is capable of.
Orac, what are your limits?
|
| ORAC | They have not yet been defined. My knowledge is virtually
infinite. My secondary ability is to logically process that
knowledge and make accurate predictions.
|
| CALLY | Are you saying you can see into the future?
|
| ORAC | The words future, present, past are meaningless.
|
| AVON | Define 'meaningless'.
|
| ORAC | I have the capacity to predict events that have not yet
taken place.
|
| AVON | That is not what I asked.
|
| ORAC | In the circumstances the question is meaningless.
[Avon laughs.]
|
| BLAKE | Now, that's ridiculous. Give us a demonstration.
|
| ORAC | Demonstrate as a command is insufficient.
|
| GAN | What does he mean?
|
| AVON | He means, like Zen, that he requires specific instructions.
|
| ORAC | Instructions are not needed if commands are succinct.
|
| VILA | I'm getting tired of this. Go on, predict something.
|
| ORAC | I will project an image on your scanner screen.
|
| JENNA | Go on then, show us.
|
| GAN | Hey that's us.
|
| VILA | It's Liberator.
|
| BLAKE | It's not much of a prediction, just travelling through space.
|
| ORAC | It is not a prediction; it is an immutable certainty. Space
vehicle will be destroyed.
|
| JENNA | What!
|
| VILA | You're not given to practical jokes are you, because that's
not funny.
|
| BLAKE | When's this supposed to happen?
|
| ORAC | The event is not far distant.
|
| BLAKE | How far distant?
|
| GAN | There must be some way of making him tell us when.
|
| AVON | Be more precise.
|
| ORAC | The event is now even less distant.
|
| VILA | I don't believe it.
|
| JENNA | Zen, system status.
|
| ZEN | All systems are functioning normally.
|
| VILA | Yes, but Zen's only a machine.
|
| AVON | So is Orac. [He removes the activator and throws it across
the flight deck.]
|
| VILA | That's all right, that's fixed Orac.
|
| BLAKE | No, it hasn't.
|
| JENNA | What do you mean?
|
| BLAKE | We've forgotten something. The prediction has still been made.
|
| JENNA | Blake!
[the on-screen ship explodes]
|