(c) 1977 by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Series created by Terry Nation. This is a complete dialogue transcript for research purposes and is not for sale under any circumstances Format (c) 1993 by Micky DuPree.
Transcription: Malcolm Mladenovic.
Proofreading: Dave Owen.
Dramatis Personae:
| Avon | Paul Darrow |
| Cally | Jan Chappell |
| Vila | Michael Keating |
| Servalan | Jacqueline Pearce |
| Tarrant | Steven Pacey |
| Dayna | Josette Simon |
| Zen | Peter Tuddenham |
| Klegg | Michael Sheard |
| Harmon | Doyne Byrd |
| Lom | John Hollis |
| Mall | Michael Crane |
| Zee | Primi Townsend |
| Barr | Julia Vidler |
| Nurse | Catherine Chase |
| Receptionist | Helen Blatch |
|
[scene - Liberator teleport section, Avon, Dayna, Tarrant present]
| |
| TARRANT | Summary execution is the usual punishment for boarding a Federation ship without authority. What are you doing on my ship? |
| AVON | Your ship? |
| TARRANT | That's right. [Klegg, Harmon and three other guards enter] |
| KLEGG | You were supposed to have searched the ship. These two should have been found. Where were you hiding? |
| DAYNA | We weren't hiding. We've... |
| AVON | We've only just realized there was anyone else on board. We were in a civilian ship that got caught up in the battle. We managed to dock our life capsule alongside this ship and come aboard. |
| KLEGG | Just the two of you? |
| AVON | We were exhausted and settled into a cabin. We've been sleeping for hours. |
| TARRANT | Have your men make another search and this time see they do it properly. |
| KLEGG | Harmon, you heard the officer. [Harmon and the other guards leave] |
| TARRANT | What's your name? |
| AVON | My name is Chevron, this is my wife, Dayna. |
| KLEGG | You have identification? |
| AVON | We lost everyhting when our ship was hit. |
| DAYNA | We were lucky to get out with our lives. |
| TARRANT | We've all been lucky, not many of our people survived the battle. Captain Del Tarrant. |
| KLEGG | Section leader Klegg. [scene - Liberator flight deck] |
| AVON | [off-screen] Is this the way? |
| TARRANT | [off-screen] Straight ahead. [Dayna, Avon, Tarrant and Klegg enter] |
| KLEGG | When you came aboard was there anyone else on the ship? |
| AVON | No. |
| TARRANT | Does the name Blake mean anything to you? |
| AVON | Blake, it seems to me I know the name. He was a political agitator, wasn't he? |
| TARRANT | How about you? |
| DAYNA | No, the name means nothing to me. |
| KLEGG | Jenna Stannis, Kerr Avon, Vila Restal? |
| AVON | Never heard of them. Are they important to you? |
| TARRANT | Very. |
| AVON | Why? |
| TARRANT | Because this was their ship. |
| DAYNA | I thought you said it was yours? |
| TARRANT | Prize of war. |
| AVON | What do you want now, a deed of transfer, perhaps? |
| TARRANT | In a way, you see we can't navigate this ship. It's operating on computer programming and we can't get an override to manual control. |
| DAYNA | You mean the ship is doing whatever it wants? |
| TARRANT | That's right. Our guess is that before Blake and his crew abandoned the computer was instructed only to respond to recognised voice prints. If Blake or any of the others have survived they'll use a communicator link. The computer will identify the voice and then direct the navigation units to take the ship within teleport range of the transmission source. |
| AVON | You need one of the original crew back on board to put the ship under your control. |
| KLEGG | That's exactly right. |
| DAYNA | Have you heard any transmission yet? |
| TARRANT | Thousands of them. The communication channels are thick with distress calls. But there is one, one special one, keeps coming in every hour or so. It's a long way off, a very weak signal. But every time we hear it the computer registers a power surge as if it was reacting to the voice. |
| AVON | If your theory is correct, it could be a member of the crew. |
| TARRANT | We think so. The ship's gone into direct line flight now, it could be homing in on the signal. |
| KLEGG | But just before it settled on this flight path the ship went through some very precise manoeuvres which took it close to a planet. |
| AVON | A navigational check, presumably. |
| KLEGG | Yes, maybe. But shortly after that you two appeared. |
| AVON | Coincidence, pure coincidence. |
| KLEGG | I do not believe in coincidence, pure or otherwise. |
| AVON | I don't care what you believe in, why should you doubt me? |
| TARRANT | You'll find Section Leader Klegg doubts everything. He even questions my superior rank. |
| KLEGG | I accept that your rank places you in authority, sir; but my reports will show that my men and I boarded this ship before you. |
| TARRANT | Oh, don't worry, you'll get all the credit you deserve. |
| KLEGG | Thank you, sir. Now in the meantime and with your permission I suggest we confirm that neither of these two are members of Blake's crew. |
| TARRANT | You have my permission to try. |
| KLEGG | You will each speak a line into the computer's audio command circuit. If the computer does not recognise the voice it will not respond. |
| TARRANT | Would you mind? |
| AVON | As a matter of fact I would. I am getting a little tired of these insinuations. Loyal Federation citizens do have certain rights. We will not submit to being interrogated like common criminals. I warn you, I have a number of influential friends. |
| KLEGG | [points gun at Avon] Over here. You will say "Indicate if my voice pattern is registered in the memory banks and confirm identity." [To Dayna] You say it. |
| DAYNA | Indicate if my voice pattern is... |
| KLEGG | Is regisistered in the memory banks... |
| DAYNA | Is registered in the memory banks and confirm identity. |
| KLEGG | You're clear. [to Avon] You.. say it.. [fight - Avon and Dayna are both knocked out by Tarrant] |
| KLEGG | Why did you do that? |
| TARRANT | He was reaching for a gun. |
| KLEGG | She could've killed me. |
| TARRANT | She wasn't exactly gentle with me. [Harmon and a guard enter] |
| GUARD | What happened? |
| TARRANT | He went for a gun. He wasn't going to chance taking the voice test. |
| KLEGG | There are no weapons on him, he's unarmed. |
| TARRANT | Are you sure? |
| KLEGG | There's nothing! |
| TARRANT | I must be getting jumpy. |
| KLEGG | We've still got to check his voice print. |
| TARRANT | Not yet, he's out cold. [To guards] Lock them up somewhere. [Harmon and guard drag out Avon and Dayna, still unconscious]] |
| KLEGG | If you'd been a bit less sudden we'd have known the truth by now. |
| TARRANT | Or you might have had the back of your head blown off. |
| VILA | [on communicator] Zen, do you read me, Zen? Please respond if you are receiving. |
| TARRANT | It's him, same distress call, same frequency. |
| KLEGG | Still a long way off. |
| VILA | [on communicator] Oh come on, Zen, say something will you? Look, I'm in bad trouble. I need help. |
| TARRANT | Look. The computer's responding. |
| VILA | [on communicator] Look, it's very lonely where I am, wherever it is. I'm cold and I'm miserable and I'm hurt and I'm hungry. |
| TARRANT | Instruments are registering a change of course. The ship's locking on to the signal. |
| KLEGG | We were right, it is one of Blake's people. |
| TARRANT | And we're heading towards him. |
| VILA | [on communicator] Now be reasonable. All I ask is that you let me know that you're getting my signal. I don't want a long conversation. I'm not interested in the latest news, just confirm that you hear me. Come in! |
| KLEGG | All these instruments are reading. The ship's transmitting back to him. |
| TARRANT | But he's not getting it, maybe a fault in his receiver. |
| VILA | [On communicator] Call yourself a computer? You're an idiot, Zen. You should have been melted down for scrap years ago. [scene switch - to Vila on surface of a planet] You electronic moron. Ooh. Help me will you, Zen. I'm in bad trouble. [Pause. A growl in the undergrowth] [to himself] Sounds big and bad tempered, I just hope it's vegetarian. Is there anybody there? There's something moving out there, men. Keep your weapons ready. Yes sir. Now don't be nervous men. There are ten of us, and all heavily armed. I just hope that whoever's out there has the good sense to leave us alone. I'm going to give them ten seconds to get away from here. One, Two, Three, ... Hold your fire men. I'm a humane man. I'm going to give them another ten seconds. The poor devils don't know that it's certain death if they attack us. One, [Notices Lom's spear next to his head] Two. Aghh, Ahh, ohh oh oh. |
| LOM | You are hurt? |
| VILA | Yes, it's my arm. I think it's broken. |
| LOM | It has affected your mind, I think. |
| VILA | My mind? |
| LOM | You were talking to yourself in different voices. |
| VILA | Ah no. No, no, no, no. I was talking to my men. Communicator. My men are positioned all around here. I give them their orders through this and I can hear them answer. |
| LOM | We've been watching you. You are alone; and you do not need to explain to me about communicators, I am quite familiar with them. |
| VILA | Oh. Well that seems to cover everything. |
| LOM | You were in a space accident? |
| VILA | Accident? It was a full scale war. There was this alien battle fleet... |
| LOM | [interrupting] I would like to hear more about it when you are rested and fed. Are you hungry? |
| VILA | Starving. |
| LOM | [Whistles] Let me see your arm. My name is Lom. |
| VILA | I'm Vila, pleased to meet you. Ooh. |
| LOM | Yes, you are right, it is broken. It will have to be set. |
| VILA | Will that hurt? |
| LOM | A little. |
| VILA | Oh, it's just I'm not very good with pain. It's not that I'm a coward or anything. It's just that I have a very low pain threshold. Hardly a threshold at all, actually. [Mall arrives] |
| LOM | Vila, this is Mall. [to Mall] He's very hungry, give him something. I have to mend his arm. I think when this is done it would be safer if you come back with us to our camp. There are hunters in this area. |
| VILA | Hunters, what are they after, big game? |
| LOM | No. Us! Hold him. |
| VILA | Oaahhh! [scene - a cabin on the Liberator] |
| DAYNA | I'm sorry, I let you down. |
| AVON | Let me down? |
| DAYNA | There were only two, I should have been able to kill them both. |
| AVON | We all have our off days. Anyway there were four other guards hanging around. |
| DAYNA | I could have dealt with them. |
| AVON | I'm sure you could, but it's not all bad. If I had spoken, Zen would have identified me. This way we've bought ourselves a little more time. |
| DAYNA | How do we use it? |
| AVON | To start with we get out of here. |
| DAYNA | And once we're out? |
| AVON | This is my ship. [scene - guard outside cabin door, rises and nods to someone approaching] [scene - inside the cabin again, Avon is picking the lock] |
| DAYNA | You want me to try it? |
| AVON | Are you any good with locks? |
| DAYNA | No, but then neither are you, by the look of it. |
| AVON | You should never judge by appearances. |
| DAYNA | I don't, I judge by results, and you're not getting any. |
| AVON | Wrong again. [opens door - they find a dead guard outside with a knife in his back] |
| AVON | That's a difficult way to commit suicide. |
| DAYNA | Maybe he was cleaning it and it went off. [exeunt, Klegg and Tarrant arrive] |
| TARRANT | He's dead - killed with his own knife. |
| KLEGG | Do you still doubt that our friend is one of Blake's men? |
| TARRANT | No. Let's find them, get your men. [scene - a passageway in the Liberator, Avon and Dayna enter, Avon opens an inspection hatch] |
| AVON | Quickly. [they climb down through the hatch and put it back in place above them. Tarrant enters, sees hatch; it is clear he is suspicious] |
| TARRANT | I want every inch of this ship checked. Right, move! [scene - Dayna and Avon in inspection channel] |
| TARRANT | [off screen] Search everywhere, every possible place. |
| DAYNA | What do we do now? |
| AVON | These inspection channels link up all over the ship. A little narrow in places, but we can get almost anywhere we want. |
| DAYNA | They're not going to give up on us. |
| AVON | They might, with a little encouragement. We have to take the pressure off so that I can talk to Zen. |
| DAYNA | Is it worth the risk? |
| AVON | The way the ship is acting it's obvious we're on our way to pick up another one of the crew. |
| DAYNA | And you need to know who and where. |
| AVON | Last word I got Blake and Jenna were still alive.
There was nothing on Vila and Cally but that does not
necessarily mean that they are dead. [scene - a fish-shaped hospital ship; Cally lying on a bed, a nurse enters] |
| NURSE | Don't be alarmed, we're going to make a surface landing. |
| CALLY | More survivors from the battle? |
| NURSE | Just one, apparently. We picked up a voice signal a couple of hours ago. We're homing in on it now. It will be a quick touchdown and immediate lift-off. The local inhabitants are hostile, apparently. Ah, let's see how your burns are healing. |
| CALLY | How many survivors have you picked up now? |
| NURSE | This will make sixty-four. Feel any discomfort there? |
| CALLY | No. |
| NURSE | Yes, sixty-four. We're almost at capacity, we'll be on our way home after this pickup. Does that hurt? |
| CALLY | A little tender. |
| NURSE | I'm not surprised. When we pulled you out of your life capsule you were badly scorched. |
| CALLY | It was lucky you found me. |
| NURSE | Hm, that's what we're here for. You're doing fine. The new tissue's forming up. A few hours and you'll be able to take the regen mask off for good. [ship touches down in a barren, rocky landscape.] Absurd. No matter how many flights I make I'm always relieved when we touch down safely. Not very inviting is it? |
| CALLY | Not very. I imagine that survivor must be quite pleased to see us. |
| NURSE | Let's hope we were in time. Hm, we'll soon be on our way home. |
| CALLY | Where is home? |
| NURSE | Our planet, you mean. It's called Chenga. It was settled about two hundred years ago. |
| CALLY | Was it aligned to the Federation? |
| NURSE | No, neutral. We keep to ourselves. |
| CALLY | Well then, why are you getting involved now, why are you picking up survivors? |
| NURSE | That's quite enough talking. You still need to get plenty of rest. We're lifting off. |
| CALLY | That was fast. |
| NURSE | We had a very precise locator reading. I'll go and see what sort of state our new visitor is in. [The Nurse leaves, then returns with Servalan] |
| NURSE | We have a new guest. [to Servalan] You can settle in
there.
|
| SERVALAN | You're very kind. And now if you would be good enough to tell your Captain I would like to see him. I have a great deal to do and very little time. So please see to it, immediately. |
| NURSE | I'll see he gets the message.
|
| SERVALAN | Good. That will be all for the moment. [scene - the forest on the planet's surface] |
| LOM | We will rest. |
| VILA | Much further to go? |
| LOM | Not far. [to Mall] Scout the ground ahead. [To Vila] The hunters are out. |
| VILA | Who are these hunters? |
| LOM | They live to the north. They come to the forests to search for us. |
| VILA | Yes, but why? |
| LOM | Some treat it as a sport, most do it for the bounty. |
| VILA | Bounty? |
| LOM | The administration pays very highly, that's why there are many professional hunters. They are the most dangerous. |
| VILA | You mean they get paid for killing you? |
| LOM | Killing? No, it is far worse than that. |
| VILA | Worse! |
| LOM | Down! There. [ominous lights moving under the trees] [scene - inspection channel on the Liberator, Avon and Dayna] |
| AVON | Sounds quiet enough. Are you ready? [She nods] [they move out of inspection tunnel and hurry off] [Harmon and a guard enter and spot handles left up on cover] |
| HARMON | We've found them. Keep it covered - I'll get the
others.
[leaves, someone else arrives]
GUARD 2: We've got them. [scene - another corridor, Klegg and a guard present, Harmon enters] |
| HARMON | We've found them. Section leader, we've found them. They're hiding in an inspection channel under the floor. |
| TARRANT | [entering] Right, let's get on with it. Lead the way. [scene - AVON and DAYNA in escape capsule launch area] |
| AVON | I was afraid it might have been used, but it's all right. I shall have to check it for damage. |
| DAYNA | Check what? |
| AVON | Watch the corridor. |
| DAYNA | Avon, what are you doing? |
| AVON | In a way, I am making us invisible. [scene - the corridor with the hatch, Tarrant, Klegg, Harmon and a guard] |
| TARRANT | Lift together. Now.
[shot from Klegg's rifle down into the inspection hole] [scene - life capsule launch control area] |
| AVON | All in perfect working order. |
| DAYNA | How much longer are you going to be? |
| AVON | If you were them where would be the last place you'd expect to find us? |
| DAYNA | I don't know. |
| AVON | What about the room they locked us up in, would you think of looking there? |
| DAYNA | No, I don't think I would. |
| AVON | When I give you the signal fire two shots. I don't
want anyone to miss this. [scene - back to corridor] |
| TARRANT | A little sudden, Klegg. |
| KLEGG | It's not my fault, he was already dead. |
| TARRANT | From the wound on his head he was probably just unconscious. |
| KLEGG | I can't be held responsible. |
| TARRANT | All right, Section Leader, you were too quick with your gun, but I'll see the report shows you were not to blame. |
| KLEGG | I shall be writing my own report on this. [2 shots are heard] |
| TARRANT | Stay here! [scene - Tarrant arrives at life capsule launch controls] |
| TARRANT | They've launched a life capsule. [scene - the cabin] |
| AVON | That should take the pressure off. |
| DAYNA | For a little while, anyway. What do we do next? |
| AVON | I must talk with Zen, find out what we have to do to
help the others. [scene - the corridor, Tarrant, Klegg, Harmon and the remaining two guards] |
| KLEGG | They made fools of us, we had them and they get away; killed two of us and escaped in a life capsule. None of that is going to look good on either of our records, sir! |
| TARRANT | Thank you, Klegg. I'm aware it's not likely to bring instant promotion. Still, we do have the Liberator. |
| KLEGG | Do we? Are you sure it's not the other way round? It's doing what it wants, going where it wants. Are you sure it hasn't got us? [All but Tarrant leave] |
| TARRANT | [to himself] I'm not really sure about anything. [scene - surface of planet] |
| LOM | They're moving away. |
| VILA | Isn't that what we should be doing? |
| LOM | Shh. [Mall arrives. To Mall] You saw them, are they just the two of them? [Mall holds up four fingers] |
| VILA | Who are they? What are they? |
| LOM | We call them hi-techs - we must go. [Lom is shot with a suction dart, Mall throws his spear] |
| VILA | [to Mall] Is he dead? [Mall picks up Lom and hurries off, Vila gets lost following him] |
| VILA | Where are you? Where are you? [Vila is caught] |
| ZEE | He's not a primitve. |
| BARR | He was with them. |
| ZEE | Look at his clothes, he's not one of them. |
| BARR | It's not important, anyhow. |
| ZEE | Oh, the poor thing's hurt. |
| BARR | [To Vila] Here, let me help you. |
| ZEE | Can you understand what we say? |
| VILA | Oh yes. Yes, yes yes - every word. My ears're all right, it's my arm that's the trouble. |
| BARR | He speaks our language. |
| VILA | Are you from Earth? |
| ZEE | Our ancestors came from Earth |
| VILA | Oh, that's nice to hear, so do mine. Do you mind if I sit down? |
| ZEE | Of course. |
| VILA | Oh. |
| BARR | Are you hungry? |
| VILA | Well now you mention it, my last meal was interrupted. |
| BARR | I'll get you something. |
| ZEE | What's the matter with your arm? |
| VILA | Broken, nothing really. |
| ZEE | Let me see if I can make it more comfortable for you. |
| BARR | When you're ready we'll take you to the Centre. You'll get expert medical attention there. |
| VILA | That's very kind of you. You know, I thought I was going to be killed. |
| ZEE | We don't kill, our guns fire tranquilizing darts. We try to catch the primitives so they can be taken back to a more civilized way of life, so they can be of use to the whole community. |
| VILA | Well, there's nothing wrong with that. |
| BARR | We need the primitives. They're very important to us. Just as you are. |
| VILA | That's nice to hear. I can only tell you that after
all I've been through it's nice to know I'm safe at last. [scene - elsewhere in the forest, Lom and Mall] |
| LOM | Vila, the hi-techs got him? [Mall nods] May his soul
rest in peace. [scene - on the hospital ship] |
| CALLY | [telepathically] Vila, Vila, can you hear me? [scene - in the forest] |
| ZEE | You'll hardly feel this. |
| VILA | Ohh. [scene - on the hospital ship] |
| CALLY | Oh.
|
| SERVALAN | Are you all right? |
| CALLY | Yes.
|
| SERVALAN | Cally. What a delightful coincidence. I'm glad to see you came through more or less unscathed, fit to be brought to trial. |
| CALLY | Trial, by whom, Servalan? From the reports I've heard
the Federation is finished. You lost control when Star
One was destroyed.
|
| SERVALAN | After a war of that scale there was bound to be some disruption. But things will be under control again very soon. Don't ever doubt it. You and Blake and all the other traitors from the Liberator will be dealt with. |
| CALLY | But don't you understand, it's over. You're finished.
You don't have power any more.
|
| SERVALAN | You think not? |
| CALLY | We're on a neutral ship heading for a neutral planet. Try giving some orders and see who obeys you. |
| NURSE | We're approaching home base and shifting into an entry
orbit. We'll be on surface soon.
|
| SERVALAN | You told the Captain I wanted to see him? |
| NURSE | He's busy preparing for touchdown at the moment. I gave him your message, but I'm afraid he does have more pressing priorities. |
| CALLY | Not exactly jumping whenever you snap your fingers are
they?
|
| SERVALAN | Not yet, but I've enjoyed authority too long to give it up easilly. I'll be giving orders again, and they'll be obeyed. When that happens I shall give a very special priority to you and your friend, Avon. |
| CALLY | Avon?
|
| SERVALAN | We met; briefly. |
| CALLY | Then he's alive.
|
| SERVALAN | The condition I hope is purely temporary. [scene - cabin on the Liberator] |
| DAYNA | Must you do that? |
| AVON | It won't fit into any logical pattern. |
| DAYNA | What won't? |
| AVON | Who killed the guard and why? |
| DAYNA | Whh, he's just one less to deal with, do we care why? [pause] But why leave him sitting there? |
| AVON | To delay discovery and give the murderer a chance to get away. |
| DAYNA | A personal grudge, one of the others has been waiting for a chance to settle an old score? |
| AVON | That's a possibility. |
| DAYNA | Can you think of another? |
| AVON | Yes. Just one. There's someone else on this ship that neither they nor we know about. Stay here and stay quiet. |
| DAYNA | I'll come with you. |
| AVON | I can do it faster on my own. |
| DAYNA | Do what? Avon, why do you keep everything to yourself? Why so secretive? |
| AVON | Perhaps I'm shy. [Goes to leave] Anybody comes through
this door, kill them. Anybody that isn't me, that is. [scene - Harmon coming from store room, seen by Avon] [scene - Liberator flight deck, Klegg, Tarrant and a guard] |
| KLEGG | Any deviation in the flight path? |
| TARRANT | Not for more than an hour. There's nothing on this heading except the planet Chenga. That's got to be where we're going. |
| KLEGG | Chenga? Never heard of it. |
| TARRANT | It's a neutral, small population. I'll check the references to see if there's anything especially significant. [Avon sees them and stays out of sight outside] |
| KLEGG | I'm going to take another look at that teleport system. If anyone comes aboard, that's the way they'll arrive. [Klegg and guard leave, followed by Tarrant, Avon enters] |
| AVON | Zen, I want a status check. Keep it down to basics, I don't have too much time. |
| ZEN | All systems are fully operational. Computers are responding to a program of search, locate and recovery. |
| AVON | Have you anything on Blake's whereabouts? |
| ZEN | His last voice transmission reported that he is safe and well and en route for the planet Epheron. |
| AVON | Epheron? |
| ZEN | It is a planet of the system Lauritol. It has several primitive life forms. |
| AVON | Don't give me the whole thing, I'll punch up the reference. What about the others? |
| ZEN | Jenna received superficial injuries in a life capsule malfunction. |
| AVON | Is she all right? |
| ZEN | She reports she is well and aboard a neutral cargo carrier in transit to the planet Morphenniel. She advises that her situation requires no priority treatment. |
| AVON | Cally? |
| ZEN | No contact. |
| AVON | Vila? |
| ZEN | He is injured and according to his last transmission in grave peril. Accordingly his recovery has been given maximum priority. |
| AVON | Where is he? |
| ZEN | The planet Chenga. Teleport range will be achieved in precisely three hours and eight point five minutes. |
| AVON | All right, continue recovery program. [Avon leaves the flight deck, an unconscious Dayna is dragged in by Klegg and a guard.] |
| KLEGG | Bring her round. [scene - the Chengan forest] |
| VILA | I really don't understand what the primitives are so afraid of. |
| ZEE | When the planet was first colonized the settlers broke into two factions: those who wanted to live what they called the simple, natural life, growing their own food, building their own homes. |
| VILA | And the other faction? |
| BARR | Wanted to use every new scientific development to make life easier and more comfortable. To stamp out sickness and disease and create a safer, happier, prosperous environment. Through the use of high technology. |
| VILA | High technology - hi-techs. I see now, that's your side. |
| ZEE | That's right. |
| VILA | And the primitives are the others. |
| ZEE | Well, you've seen where their philosophy has taken them. They live like animals, half starved without proper food or medicines. |
| BARR | They'll never willingly give up their way of life. That's why we try to catch them with our drug guns. And when we do they make an invaluable contribution to our society. |
| VILA | It's a shame, they just don't know what they're missing. |
| BARR | Soon we'll reach the city and you'll be safe then. [scene - Avon outside cabin on the LIberator] |
| AVON | Dayna? [he enters] |
| HARMON | Stand! Face that wall. Put your hands against it. [Harmon searches Avon for weapons] |
| AVON | May I turn round now? |
| HARMON | Carefully. |
| TARRANT | You got him. Good. A very impressive performance, I didn't believe anyone could stay out of sight for so long, but then you did have the advantage of local knowledge, didn't you Avon? |
| AVON | My name is... |
| TARRANT | Your name is Avon. |
| AVON | How did you know? |
| TARRANT | When we first came face-to-face. I said "What are you doing on my ship?". There were a dozen ways you could have answered, but you said "Your ship?". An innocent stranger wouldn't question who was in command. |
| AVON | Unless he was here first as I said I was. |
| TARRANT | No, Klegg's men would have found you. They had to make sure no one else was on board in order to claim the salvage prize money. Greed makes very efficient troopers. No, if you were here then you must have been hiding. I repeat, an innocent stranger wouldn't question who was in command. |
| AVON | I congratulate you, that's very nicely reasoned, a stupid lapse of concentration on my part. |
| TARRANT | Oh, don't blame yourself too much. |
| AVON | I'll try not to. |
| TARRANT | I imagine you've been under considerable stress. |
| AVON | I had hoped for a more inspiring epitaph. |
| TARRANT | So, after realizing you were one of Blake's people it was simple. You weren't Blake, I'd have recognized him. |
| AVON | And too intelligent for Vila. |
| TARRANT | It was an even bet. |
| AVON | Quite. |
| TARRANT | I still don't know who the girl is, though. |
| AVON | Her name is Dayna, she's not one of us. Where is she, by the way? |
| TARRANT | Do you care? |
| AVON | She did save my life. |
| HARMON | Shouldn't we take him to the flight deck, sir? Section Leader Klegg will want to question him. |
| TARRANT | When I'm ready, Harmon. |
| AVON | Klegg doesn't strike me as a subtle man. |
| TARRANT | He isn't. |
| AVON | So when I refuse to answer his questions we'll get into the dreary process of subjecting me to extreme pain and suffering. |
| TARRANT | Barbaric, but frequently effective. |
| AVON | Before we get into that there's something I think you should know. |
| TARRANT | Go on. |
| AVON | One of your men was murdered. |
| HARMON | Two. Two of our men were murdered. |
| AVON | Oh better than I thought. I wish I could say I was sorry. What I can say is: we didn't kill them. |
| HARMON | He's lying. |
| AVON | I think I know who it might have been. |
| TARRANT | Yes? |
| AVON | [indicating Harmon] Him. |
| HARMON | Why, you ly... |
| TARRANT | Easy Harmon. |
| HARMON | They were my friends. |
| TARRANT | Let him finish. |
| AVON | I saw him coming out of one of the sections, he was nervous, uneasy. I couldn't make anything of it until I remebered what was housed in that section. This ship carries considerable sums of various currencies, rare metals, precious stones and the like. He was coming out of the strong room. |
| HARMON | I was following orders, I was searching for you. |
| AVON | Show him the bag you have in your pocket. [they fight, Tarrant shoots Harmon as he is about to kill Avon] |
| AVON | The others must have known what he was up to. He didn't want to share with them. [Tarrant searches Harmon, finding and emptying a bag of gems.] |
| TARRANT | You made a good case, Avon, there was only one thing wrong with it. |
| AVON | What was that? |
| TARRANT | He didn't kill those men. I did. [Gives Harmon's rifle
to Avon] You'll need that if we're both to come out of
this alive. [Closes door] [scene - Chenga. Barr leaves a dome and meets Zee and Vila in the forest.] |
| BARR | There, that's all done. I've checked you in and registered you. |
| ZEE | The staff will look after you. You just ask for anything you want. You'll find they're most obliging. |
| VILA | But I'll be seeing you and Bar again, won't I? |
| ZEE | That's not allowed, I'm afraid. |
| BARR | Zee and I have work to do. |
| VILA | Oh, I'm really sorry I won't be seeing you both again and I want to thank you for everything you've done. Without you, I don't know what would have happened to me. |
| ZEE | It was no trouble and remember we get a reward for bringing you here. |
| BARR | Two thousand credits. |
| VILA | You get paid for helping me? That's what the primitives meant when they said that you get a bounty. You see, they've got it all wrong, they just don't understand. |
| BARR | You'd better go now, they're expecting you. You're going to make an enormous contribution to our society. |
| VILA | Well, it's little enough after all you've done for me.
You look after yourselves and thanks once again. I
really, really mean that. [scene - inside the dome, Vila enters] |
| VILA | Excuse me, er, Zee and Barr sent me. I think I'm expected. RECEP- |
| TIONIST | And most welcome. |
| VILA | You know, those two are really nice girls, really nice. RECEP- |
| TIONIST | They've brought in over twenty primitives in the last two years. |
| VILA | You don't surprise me, they're all heart those two. RECEP- |
| TIONIST | Now, if you'd like to follow me. |
| VILA | Lead on, lead on. Cally! |
| CALLY | Vila! |
| VILA | Oh, Cally, what a relief. I thought I'd never see you again. |
| CALLY | It's good to see you. I knew you were still alive because I felt your pain. |
| VILA | Oh, you've no idea what I've been through. |
| CALLY | How is it? |
| VILA | Well, it's all right if you don't count the agony. |
| CALLY | I tried very hard to contact you. |
| VILA | Things got a bit hectic. Are you all right? |
| CALLY | Yes. |
| VILA | The others? |
| CALLY | I don't know. I think Avon's alive. |
| VILA | He would be. NURSE 2: We have to move on to health reception. You can go together if you wish. |
| VILA | Oh, thank you. |
| CALLY | We'd like that, thank you. NURSE 2: This way. |
| VILA | Thank you.
|
| SERVALAN | [Initially off-screen] You - come here. My name is Servalan. I want to see a senior official immediately. RECEP- |
| TIONIST | I'm afraid that won't be possible.
|
| SERVALAN | I am President and Supreme Commander of the Terran
Federation. I want to see a senior official. I want to
see him here and I want to see him now. [scene - Guard approaches cabin, Avon and Tarrant are talking inside] |
| AVON | [Through the door] Del Tarrant - who are you? [scene switches to inside] |
| TARRANT | I've been on the Federation wanted list for quite a while. I had my own ship. I was running contraband, getting myself mixed up in other people's wars - you know the sort of thing. Naturally I heard something of what Blake and the rest of you were doing. |
| AVON | We tried not to keep it a secret. How did you get here? |
| TARRANT | Like you, I went in against the aliens, unlike you I barely survived the first salvo. I was picked up by a Federation ship - that's how I came by the uniform. When she was hit and we abandoned my life capsule homed in on the Liberator. She was still in bad shape but the repair circuits were beginning to make headway. |
| AVON | Were Klegg and his men already here? |
| TARRANT | Yes, so I had no choice but to bluff it out and pretend I was Federation. The man I got the uniform from outranked Klegg and I trained as a Federation Space Captain so it wasn't too difficult. |
| AVON | You certainly convinced me, especially when you cracked me over the back of the head. |
| TARRANT | Yes, sorry about that, but I knew if you spoke the computer would identify you. [scene switch to guard] |
| AVON | Were you planning to kill all of them? [switch back] |
| TARRANT | Yes, if necessary, it's not quite as callous as it might seem, almost but not quite. Klegg and his men are the Federation's death squad, they have a record of brutality hard to match. |
| AVON | You don't have to apologise to me. |
| TARRANT | I wasn't. [they hear the sound of movement from outside the room] |
| AVON | Just one thing. When we launched the life capsule, why weren't you convinced we had gone? |
| TARRANT | It convinced Klegg, but not me. |
| AVON | I thought it was a good idea. |
| TARRANT | It was, but that's how I knew you had faked it, it's the sort of idea I would have had myself. [Avon opens the door but the guard runs off] |
| AVON | Pity - it would have been better if they still thought you were on their side, but there are only three of them now. |
| TARRANT | It's not quite that straightforward, Klegg's holding
your friend Dayna. [scene - Chenga medical facility] |
| RECEPTIONIST | If you'll swallow these - they're trace elemnts to help the instruments make a complete analysis. |
| VILA | Of course, anything we can do to be helpful. |
| CALLY | Thank you. |
| RECEPTIONIST | Now if you'd like to relax someone will come to see you shortly. |
| VILA | You know, I think our luck has finally changed. |
| CALLY | Yes, I'm not quite sure just which way. |
| VILA | You're not serious. I tell you, given the choice between all this or sitting out there with a broken arm I know which I'd choose. |
| CALLY | Well, there's something not quite right about all this. |
| VILA | Not right - I've never known such hospitality. |
| CALLY | I think I'm going to try and contact the Liberator. |
| VILA | There's no rush is there? At least tell them not to hurry. Tell Zen to give the others priority. |
| CALLY | Cally calling Liberator. Liberator, are you receiving
me? Respond please. [scene - Liberator flight deck] |
| AVON | Zen, where are they? |
| ZEN | In-board sensors registering movement in the teleport section. |
| AVON | We have to get them out of there fast. If Vila
teleports aboard they'll have him cold. [scene - teleport section, Avon and Tarrant are just outside it] |
| AVON | Now is a good time to start getting ideas. |
| TARRANT | Do you have grenades on board? |
| AVON | We can't chance damaging the teleport. |
| KLEGG | [offscreen] Do you hear me out there? |
| AVON | We hear you. |
| KLEGG | You come in here, unarmed, or I kill the girl. |
| AVON | [offscreen] Not a chance. |
| KLEGG | She will die slowly and very noisily. |
| DAYNA | Don't count on it. |
| KLEGG | Well? |
| AVON | [offscreen] We'll think about it. |
| KLEGG | You've got five minutes. |
| TARRANT | You'd better come up with something fast. [scene - Chenga medical facility] |
| VILA | You know, I wouldn't mind settling down here, nice planet, nice people, meet a nice girl, raise a family. |
| CALLY | What would you do for a living? |
| VILA | There're always opportunities for a top class thief. |
| SERVALAN | [off screen] Where's section area twenty-two?
|
| PERSONNEL | [off screen] Through there. |
| VILA | Servalan. [Servalan enters] |
| SERVALAN | Two of you now. Even better than I thought. I came to say goodbye. I shall be leaving shortly. |
| CALLY | Goodbye? |
| SERVALAN | You see you were wrong, Cally. The Federation does still carry influence. I had to arrange for a considerable payment of goods and equipment to be made, but in return I am to be given transport back to Earth. |
| VILA | Wonderful, we were worried about you. Your welfare really concerned us. |
| SERVALAN | We won't meet again. |
| VILA | Sounds good. I told you our luck had changed. |
| SERVALAN | Ah, not for the better, I'm afraid. You see I know what this place is now. I know why they went to all the trouble patrolling the battle area, picking up survivors. |
| CALLY | Why? |
| SERVALAN | They need humans. I suppose you two just about qualify. |
| VILA | Qualify for what? |
| CALLY | Servalan, what are you talking about? |
| SERVALAN | Unofficially the staff call this place the slaughterhouse. It's an organ bank. They store living tissue - all the vital organs for spare part surgery. |
| VILA | I can't move. Cally, I can't move. |
| SERVALAN | Don't be too alarmed. It's all quite painless and
humane, I understand. [a nurse arrives with a stretcher] [scene - Liberator teleport section] |
| AVON | I am ready to talk. |
| KLEGG | I talk - you listen. We take over the ship. You program the computer to respond to my voice commands, I want complete control. |
| AVON | What do we get? |
| KLEGG | You'll be teleported onto the surface of the nearest planet. You can build your security into the computer program. It won't respond to me until you are safely off the ship. |
| DAYNA | Don't do it, Avon. |
| AVON | Well, I wouldn't, Dayna, but I can't think of any alternative. |
| KLEGG | There is no alternative. One more thing. Tarrant is not part of the deal, he stays. I have things to settle with him. |
| AVON | He won't go along with that. |
| KLEGG | Convince him. |
| AVON | All right. Take the magazine out of your gun and give it to me. When I give you the signal fire one shot, then get ready to take him when he comes in. |
| DAYNA | No, Avon! |
| KLEGG | Very neat. I don't think I'd like you as a friend, Avon. |
| AVON | Let's get it over with. [shot] |
| AVON | Tarrant! I've got them Tarrant! [Tarrant enters and is captured] |
| AVON | There are so few people you can trust these days. [scene - the organ bank] |
| NURSE | There'll be no pain, we ensure that all life is
extingushed before surgery begins. [scene - Liberator teleport section] |
| KLEGG | Where are you going? |
| AVON | To reprogram the computer. |
| KLEGG | Not alone, you're not. I'm coming with you. |
| AVON | Now! [fight - two of the guards are dealt with by Dayna] |
| TARRANT | She's very good. |
| AVON | Promising, quite promising. [scene - the organ bank] |
| NURSE | They're ready for them in surgery - extinguish life. [The teleport operates just in time] |
| DAYNA | She's alive, it looks as though she's been drugged. |
| AVON | That one's Cally. I'll introduce her more formally
when she wakes up. This one is Vila. I should really
introduce him now, he's at his best when he's
unconscious. [scene - Liberator flight deck] |
| AVON | Go ahead. |
| DAYNA | My name is Dayna, Dayna Mellanby. |
| AVON | Now you. |
| TARRANT | I am Del Tarrant. |
| AVON | Register the voices, Zen. From now on you will obey their requests and commands. |
| ZEN | Confirmed. |
| AVON | Welcome to the Liberator. |
| VILA | And you are, welcome to it. |
| CALLY | Oh, given the choice would you rather be a load of spare parts down there? |
| AVON | Or one spare part up here?
|