(c) 1979 by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Series created by Terry Nation. This is a partial dialogue transcript for research purposes and is not for sale under any circumstances. Format (c) 1992 by Micky DuPree and Susan Hill. Corrections and addition by David R. Sanderson - 1994.
Dramatis Personae
Roj Blake
Kerr Avon
Jenna Stannis
Vila Restal
Cally
Servalan
Travis/Shivan
Orac
Zen
Ven Glynd
Governor Le Grand
Nagu
Uncredited:
Male voice
| Rest Room. The crew are practicing relaxation exercises. A high pitched tone can be heard. Blake twitches | |
| CALLY | What's wrong? |
| BLAKE | That sound -- I keep hearing it. |
| AVON | Hypertension. |
| BLAKE | A sort of tone oscillation. |
| CALLY | I heard it, too. But it was very faint. |
| BLAKE | Very probably. [Exits] |
| AVON | These exercises of yours, Cally, do not appear to
improve the temper. [Flight Deck. Vila is on watch as Blake comes in] |
| VILA | Blake, I've just been checking on Del Ten. It's an ultra planet, fantastic mountain scenery, and the gravity's so low you can practically fly. |
| BLAKE | Switch to manual. |
| ZEN | Confirmed |
| VILA | Also the galaxy's richest known source of atmospheric beta particles. It's paradise. |
| BLAKE | Resume automatics. |
| ZEN | Automatics are confirmed. |
| VILA | Ever been to Del Ten before, Blake. Blake? [Blake exits] |
| VILA | No, Vila, I've never been to Del Ten. And in bad need of a dose of the betas, as are we all. Zen, destination time to Del Ten. |
| ZEN | Del Ten course aborted. New course. Destination asteroid PK One One Eight. Arrival one eight five five. |
| VILA | What? |
| ZEN | Del Ten course aborted... |
| VILA | All right, I heard, I heard. I just don't believe it. [Liberator turns in space] [Rest Room] |
| VILA | Hey, where's Blake? |
| JENNA | Why? What's wrong? |
| VILA | This course change, that's what. We're heading for some nowhere asteroid. |
| JENNA | Del Ten. |
| VILA | Not anymore. Blake's just switched. |
| AVON | He What? |
| VILA | Blake! [Group enters flight deck with Blake] |
| VILA | What about Del Ten? |
| CALLY | What about the beta particles? |
| BLAKE | They can wait. |
| JENNA | Well, why this asteroid? |
| AVON | Zen, details of destination. |
| ZEN | Asteroid PK One One Eight has diameter of zero point one zero two spacials. It was removed from serial orbit five years ago for heurite ore extraction. Mined out in two years and discarded in Beta region. Life support systems installed by mining company presumed still functional. |
| AVON | Presumed? |
| JENNA | Blake, what about Del Ten? |
| AVON | Why are we diverting to some discarded rock? Any reason, Blake, or simply a whim, a guessing game, perhaps? |
| BLAKE | Priority mission. |
| AVON | Whose? |
| VILA | Why? |
| AVON | Objective? |
| BLAKE | I command this ship. |
| AVON | Do you indeed? |
| JENNA | You lead. We don't take commands. |
| VILA | You've always explained, given us reasons for things. |
| AVON | When he had any. |
| BLAKE | This time I choose not to. |
| JENNA | But, Blake, if you... |
| BLAKE | For once just try trusting me. [Exits] |
| CALLY | What is this priority of his? |
| AVON | Exactly. He's used a number of ploys to get his own way, but, "Just try trusting me," that's weak even by his standards. |
| JENNA | But why? Is he sick do you think? |
| VILA | What? |
| AVON | Space fatigue? |
| CALLY | No symptoms of hallucination. |
| AVON | Well, he's certainly not normal, not even for Blake.
Let's find out. Come on, Cally. [Rest Room] |
| VOICE | Renounce, renounce. |
| BLAKE | No, never. The cause of freedom... |
| VOICE | False, an illusion. |
| BLAKE | No. Freedom. The right to free, the right... |
| VOICE | The right course is Federation. |
| BLAKE | Federation? No, the right -- right! |
| AVON | Cally, what's wrong? [Cally shakes her head] |
| VOICE | Renounce dissidence. Renounce Freedom Party. |
| BLAKE | Renounce. |
| VOICE | Renounce dissidence. |
| BLAKE | Renounce. |
| VOICE | Renounce Freedom Party. |
| BLAKE | Renounce. |
| VOICE | Renounce dissidence. |
| BLAKE | [Snaps up] Renounce! |
| AVON | [Restrains Blake] Blake. |
| BLAKE | Renounce! |
| AVON | Easy, easy! |
| BLAKE | Renounce! |
| AVON | [To Cally] Tranquilizer pack! |
| BLAKE | Renounce! [Cally administers the tranquilizer pack. Blake subsides] |
| CALLY | No more nightmares. [Avon and Cally prepare to leave] |
| CALLY | [To Blake] You can sleep now. [Flight Deck] |
| AVON | You could follow more of that than I could, yes? |
| CALLY | Well, the dreams seem to involve some sort of persuasion process. |
| AVON | Another name for it is indoctrination. It's enough to give anyone nightmares. "Renounce, renounce...." |
| CALLY | Also something about a "Freedom Party." |
| JENNA | Well, that's what they called themselves -- the group that Blake joined up with. |
| VILA | And then he did renounce them. |
| AVON | But not before he had been subjected to the brainwashing that he now seems to be reexperiencing in his dreams. |
| VILA | But what's this got to do with the asteroid? He wasn't asleep when he rerouted us. |
| JENNA | Well, maybe that's not related. |
| CALLY | Well, Jenna, remember there was something else -- earlier, in the rest room. |
| JENNA | Complaining of some sort of noise. |
| AVON | A sort of tone, he said. |
| CALLY | Oscillating. It was there again just now. |
| AVON | As a part of his nightmare? |
| CALLY | Yes, I think so. |
| AVON | And he heard it just before he rerouted us, right? Zen. |
| VILA | What are you doing? |
| AVON | If the tone is in some way related to the dream, we must change course back to Del Ten. |
| JENNA | No, Avon, try Orac first. |
| AVON | For? |
| JENNA | A fuller diagnosis. [Rest Room] |
| CALLY | This is the sensor link |
| AVON | What now? |
| CALLY | Wait for the tone. Switching into audio. |
| AVON | Is that it, the tone? |
| CALLY | Yes. |
| AVON | Orac, what do you make of it? [During the short time they have the tranq pack off him, Blake chants, "Renounce," in a low voice] |
| ORAC | Records show audio frequencies related to this range are commonly used by crimino therapists. |
| AVON | Of course, as trigger signals for hypnotic states, used to condition convicted offenders for memory revision. [Cally puts the pad back on Blake] And they would hypnotize them with a combination of drugs and one of these trigger signals. After a little while, a few days, they would no longer need the drugs, the signal itself would be sufficient to keep them under. |
| CALLY | So could Blake be somehow hypnotizing himself? He goes to sleep, he dreams, he hears the tone, and... |
| AVON | ...and then he awakens under the influence. It doesn't make for the most dependable of leaders, does it? Random course changes to random asteroids. |
| CALLY | Orac, can this trigger signal be canceled out? |
| ORAC | Emergency treatment data recommends dual therapy. |
| AVON | Dual? |
| ORAC | Of course, with another human being. |
| AVON | What? |
| ORAC | Who must remain conscious so as to monitor approximation to stress threshold. |
| AVON | You, Cally. |
| CALLY | Very well. |
| ORAC | Suggest Jenna. |
| JENNA | Me? Why me? |
| ORAC | Closer origins. |
| CALLY | Well, I'm not all that alien. Come over here, Jenna. |
| JENNA | Heartless calculator. |
| AVON | That's just the problem: no heart. |
| CALLY | Put your head back. [Cally attaches sensors to Jenna] |
| JENNA | Don't I even get a tranquillizer pad? |
| AVON | The object of this exercise is that you remain conscious. Then you can tell us when he is getting near. |
| JENNA | Getting near what? |
| AVON | Threshold. |
| JENNA | Of insanity you mean. |
| AVON | Don't overreact. Remember, this is for your beloved leader. |
| JENNA | Well, I hope Blake appreciates this. |
| BLAKE | Renounce. Renounce. |
| ORAC | Renounce what? Tell us what. |
| BLAKE | Freedom. Freedom Party. |
| ORAC | Your party. You formed the Freedom Party. |
| BLAKE | No. Guilty. Guilty. |
| VOICE | Guilty to all charges. Sentenced to confinement, penal colony Cygnus Alpha, for life. Life, life, life... [Trails off] |
| BLAKE | No. Must speak, must listen to me. False. False. |
| ORAC | False what? False evidence? False trial? False verdict? |
| BLAKE | No. Guilty. |
| ORAC | Not as charged. You must believe that, Blake. Believe your innocence. |
| BLAKE | Guilty. |
| ORAC | No. Conditioned under hypnosis. |
| BLAKE | No. No. |
| ORAC | Yes, Blake. Standard hypnotic procedure, audio pulse signals with visual support... |
| BLAKE | False. |
| ORAC | ...diminishing your control so as to wipe out memory. |
| BLAKE | No. Renounce. False. Renounce. False! Renounce! [Snaps up. Avon tries striking him, but to no avail] |
| BLAKE | False! |
| ORAC | Not false. Standard hypnotic procedure. [Jenna twists in pain, sharing Blake's stress. Cally holds her] |
| VILA | [Comes in the door] What are you doing, stop it. |
| AVON | [Trying to pull Blake back down in the recliner] Help me pull him back. |
| VILA | You've all gone mad. Stop it. |
| AVON | Tranquilizer pad. |
| CALLY | [Pointing] There, Vila. [Vila puts the pad on Blake's forehead. Jenna sighs in relief] |
| ORAC | A hypnotic illusion to eradicate memory. I repeat, a hypnotic illusion to eradicate memory. |
| AVON | That inspired intrusion of yours could have sent them over the edge. |
| VILA | They already were by the sound of 'em. |
| AVON | Orac, any progress? |
| ORAC | Conditioning deeply implanted. Abreaction commenced but interrupted. |
| AVON | Prognosis? |
| ORAC | Requires minimum of two hours eradication therapy. Maximum five minute treatment periods interspersed with one hour rest periods. Hence, minimum rehabilitation period of twenty-six hours. |
| JENNA | [Sighs] Oh, no. |
| AVON | One thing: we restrain HIM before we try again. Right, Orac? |
| ORAC | Agreed. Restraint is recommended for subject's safety.
Plus, constant supervision. [Flight deck] |
| JENNA | Zen, abort course for asteroid PK One One Eight and resume course for planet Del Ten. Confirm with arrival time. |
| ZEN | Arrival at planet Del Ten at zero four five plus one. [Liberator turns in space] [Flight deck. Blake is in a padded chair under restraint] |
| VILA | What is wrong with him? |
| CALLY | Space fatigue. |
| VILA | What? |
| CALLY | Related to the brainwashing they gave him before his trial. |
| VILA | Nasty. |
| JENNA | Especially for those privileged to share his nightmare trip with him. |
| CALLY | I think a hot drink and a rest. |
| JENNA | Until it's time for the next bout? [Cally and Jenna exit] |
| AVON | You stay here and keep watch. |
| VILA | You're in charge now, are you? |
| AVON | Can you think of anyone more suitable? Yourself, perhaps? [Exits] |
| VILA | And why not? [Shouts after Avon] I'm as good as you are. [Sotto voce] Better probably. |
| VILA | [Takes pad off Blake] Blake, you want some water? [Holds glass while Blake drinks] |
| VILA | More? [Blake shakes his head no] |
| BLAKE | Got us back on course for Del Ten, have they? |
| VILA | That's right. |
| BLAKE | Not just yet. You know what's happening, don't you? |
| VILA | Happening? |
| BLAKE | Avon and Cally. |
| VILA | What about them? |
| BLAKE | Paired up. Mutual affinities. |
| VILA | You mean? |
| BLAKE | Oh, it's been going on for some time now. I didn't realize it had gone as far as this. |
| VILA | As what? |
| BLAKE | Well, why do you think they're so keen to get us to Del Ten? |
| VILA | The beta particles. |
| BLAKE | Who said? |
| VILA | Well, you did. |
| BLAKE | No, AVON said. I didn't want to resist him, block him or it. Arouse his suspicion. I needed time to form a counter plan. |
| VILA | What are you saying? |
| BLAKE | Our only hope is this asteroid. Correction, our nearest hope. |
| VILA | But you're suggesting... |
| BLAKE | Oh, betrayal, treachery, piracy - call it what you will. That is what Avon and Cally are up to. |
| VILA | And Jenna? |
| BLAKE | No, not Jenna. I think she was probably duped by the other two. |
| VILA | How? |
| BLAKE | Space fatigue, is that what they're saying? |
| VILA | Yeah. |
| BLAKE | Well, It's obvious, isn't it? They gave me some form of drug, and then put on a show for you and her. |
| VILA | Wow, Avon has been excluding me a bit lately. |
| BLAKE | It's nothing to what he'll do when they get to Del Ten. |
| VILA | What? |
| BLAKE | He might allow you to stay on afterwards. He'd be stupid to reduce his manpower more than absolutely necessary. |
| VILA | Well, what do we do? |
| BLAKE | The first thing to do is to resume course for that asteroid. |
| VILA | Right. |
| BLAKE | One more thing, Vila. |
| VILA | Oh yes, sorry [Releases Blake] |
| BLAKE | Thank you. Asteroid PK One One Eight. |
| VILA | Right. [Vila moves in front of Zen] |
| VILA | Zen, abort course for Del Ten. Resume course for asteroid PK One One Eight. Confirm with arrival time. |
| ZEN | Arrival asteroid PK One One Eight at nineteen zero eight. |
| VILA | Just over half an hour. Blake?
[Blake is gone] [Liberator turns in space again] [Rest Room] |
| JENNA | The power's changed. |
| CALLY | Meteorite storm. |
| AVON | I'll go and check. [Blake is seen as door closes] |
| AVON | Blake! Blake! [Blake is destroying the door opening mechanism] |
| AVON | [V.O. through door] Blake, listen.. |
| VILA | [To Blake] What are you up to? |
| AVON | [V.O.] Blake, Blake. Blake, open the door. |
| BLAKE | There's no other way, Vila. You must understand that he will stop at nothing. |
| AVON | Blake, open the door! Vila, stop him. Blake! [Flight deck] |
| VILA | That'll teach 'em to pair up on the quiet. |
| BLAKE | Can't blame them for being human, Vila. How long before destination? |
| VILA | Just on thirty minutes. |
| BLAKE | Right. [Rest Room. Avon picks at the lock, trying to open the door. He stops in disgust] |
| AVON | We must be getting near that asteroid by now. |
| JENNA | But why there? What is it that's drawing him to this particular asteroid. |
| CALLY | It has to be somehow related to the dream. That hypnotic trigger pulse. |
| JENNA | But how? |
| CALLY | Artificial telepath transmission. |
| AVON | You mean controlled beaming. |
| CALLY | Yes. On Auron, we had a project group working on it. But before I left, two of the group completely disappeared. It was thought they might have sold their information to the Federation. |
| AVON | Could it have been perfected by now? |
| CALLY | Possibly. At least for the transmission of a basic signal. |
| JENNA | Like an oscillating pulse tone. |
| CALLY | Yes, that could be used as an hypnotic trigger.
[Avon returns to the lock] [Flight Deck] |
| ZEN | Destination immanent. Prepare for orbit. |
| VILA | Ready for teleport, Blake? Blake?
[Blake turns around. His eyes are stretched wide with
tension. As Vila calls his name his face relaxes] [Teleport Bay. Vila and Blake enter] |
| VILA | Yes, but leaving them trapped. |
| BLAKE | Only for a few days. Bring them to their senses. |
| VILA | But on a deserted asteroid, Blake. I don't like it. |
| BLAKE | I am going down there to check that the life support systems are functional. |
| VILA | Well, I just hope you're right. [Blake in space suit hold thumbs up as a signal that he is ready, and is teleported to the asteroid] |
| BLAKE | [V.O.] I can see the minehead now. I'm moving towards it, Vila. |
| VILA | Blake? What's happening down there, Blake? |
| BLAKE | [V.O.] Gravity's very low. Cover the ground fast,
if you can keep your feet. [Rest Room. Avon, Jenna and Cally look at the asteroid through the window] |
| AVON | Predictably barren. |
| JENNA | Wretched mining companies. No sense of aesthetics. |
| AVON | What do you want them to do, landscape? |
| JENNA | Well, they could make an effort. |
| CALLY | The point is if there is a telepathic transmitter,
there must be someone down there to operate it. [Asteroid] |
| BLAKE | [V.O. off screen] Standard minehead layout. Pitshaft, ore extraction plant, robotic maintenance, living accommodation. [Blake enters picture. Walks toward door] |
| BLAKE | Airlock's still functional. Entering living accommodation for checks. [Blake enters airlock. As outer door closes light comes on] |
| VILA | It must have a functional power source then. |
| BLAKE | [V.O.] It's only a couple of years since it was abandoned. Under terms of the interplanetary mining agreement the company was bound by law to leave fuel and other... |
| VILA | Blake, you alright? |
| BLAKE | [V.O.] It's an odd thing, Vila. The air system's already on, light too, and the artificial gravity field. |
| VILA | Blake, that must mean there's someone there. Mutants
or... Blake? Blake! [Blake takes off helmet as door opens to reveal Nagu holding a gun on Blake] |
| VILA | [V.O.] Blake. Come in, Blake! Not reading you. [Teleport Desk] |
| VILA | Blake? You read me Blake? I'm gonna have to get
the others to help. You realize this? [Astroid. Nagu gestures for Blake to come in. Five or six people are sitting on couches, including Shivan, wrapped in a complete body bandage] |
| SHIVAN | Ahhhhh. [Shivan is helped up from his chair] |
| SHIVAN | Is he come? [Rest Room Door (Interior)] |
| AVON | Vila, Vila, can you hear me? |
| VILA | [V.O.] Yes. |
| AVON | Is Blake still aboard? |
| VILA | [V.O.] No, he's teleported down and he's broken contact. |
| AVON | Vila, listen, this is some kind of a Federation trap. [Rest Room Door (Exterior). Vila is working on the damaged opening mechanism] |
| AVON | [V.O.] Get us out of here. |
| VILA | I'm trying to. [Asteroid. Ven Glynd enters] |
| GLYND | Let me see him. Welcome at last. |
| SHIVAN | Blake -- is it Blake? |
| GLYND | It is he. |
| SHIVAN | [Staggers to lean on Blake] Brother. [Rest Room Door. Vila gets it open and the others rush out] |
| VILA | And then he just stopped talking. |
| AVON | Why don't you follow his example? Cally, get a teleport fix to the inside of that airlock. |
| CALLY | Right. [Asteroid. Camera focuses on magenta circle on a chain around Shivan's neck] |
| BLAKE | That's emblem of liberty. |
| SHIVAN | Our cause. |
| BLAKE | Yours? I thought the cause of liberty... |
| NAGU | He must conserve his strength. [Helps Shivan to couch] |
| NAGU | The mind, still sharp, but the physic, as you see. |
| BLAKE | Who are you? |
| NAGU | He is Shivan, defender of truth. |
| BLAKE | Shivan? We'd thought he'd been killed in a Federation trap. |
| NAGU | A vile betrayal, and all but fatal. I managed to get him to the therapists in Outer Gaul. He lives now only to see the fulfillment of his cause. |
| SHIVAN | To strive -- as brothers |
| GLYND | It's two years since we met. Ven Glynd. |
| BLAKE | In a Federation court as I remember. |
| NAGU | The Arbiter General has defected. |
| BLAKE | What? |
| GLYND | In the name of justice. |
| BLAKE | Yours or the Federations? |
| GLYND | Humanity's. Oh, you're quite right to doubt me. A
participant in that mockery of a trial. But I had to
bide my time. And now, with your coming, the time is
right. [Avon and Jenna are in the teleport bay, armed] |
| CALLY | All set? |
| AVON | [Draws gun] Yes, go ahead. [Cally teleports them] |
| AVON | [V.O.] Down and safe. [Airlock of the Asteroid. Jenna draws her gun and turns as the door opens] |
| AVON | [Still talking into bracelet] Be ready in case you have to
pull us back. [Teleport Desk] |
| VILA | I just hope Avon and Jenna are all right. |
| CALLY | Why did you do it, Vila? |
| VILA | What? |
| CALLY | Let Blake go. |
| VILA | Listen, he said that you and Avon were... |
| BLAKE | [V.O.] Vila, are you there? |
| VILA | Blake. |
| BLAKE | [V.O.] Release the others. |
| VILA | I have done already, Blake. |
| BLAKE | [V.O.] I want them down here. |
| CALLY | Blake, this is a trap. |
| BLAKE | [V.O.] No Cally, far from it. This is our salvation. |
| CALLY | Blake, listen to me. |
| BLAKE | [V.O.] Hurry down here and you'll see. |
| CALLY | Blake. Blake? |
| VILA | What now? |
| CALLY | Avon? Jenna? [Asteroid] |
| AVON | Shivan? But... |
| BLAKE | Only a few survived. They managed to save him. |
| NAGU | To sustain the flame of liberty. |
| AVON | Some hope of that. |
| NAGU | Ah, but there is my friend, as never before. |
| BLAKE | Ven Glynd recently defected from the Federation, and with enough evidence to condemn Servalan and her friends to eternity. |
| GLYND | Ah, but only if we can reach that Governors' Summit Meeting. |
| BLAKE | Yes, of course, we must teleport immediately. Avon, Jenna, your spare bracelets. |
| JENNA | Now just a minute, Blake... |
| AVON | We agreed that there would be no access to the Liberator without clearance by Orac. |
| BLAKE | I'm giving them clearance. Look we've been on the run for a long time. What have we achieved? Access to Federation ciphers that have been regularly re-coded, a raid on Central, an empty pretense, talk of Star One, talk of an alliance. Talk, talk, talk. Until now. Shivan and his friends, a senior Federation official. A chance. Our first real chance. And, one free of violence and bloodshed. |
| JENNA | How do you mean free of violence? |
| BLAKE | His plan is perfect. |
| GLYND | Only if we can get to that governor's summit meeting. |
| AVON | This evidence... |
| BLAKE | You'll hear it the moment the Liberator's on course.
Your bracelets.
[Avon and Jenna reluctantly hand over bracelets] [Flight Deck of the Liberator] |
| GLYND | The evidence, my friends. [Holds tapes] Surveillance report on Supreme Commander Servalan's attempt to cheat the Federation of one hundred million credits in return for the supercomputer Orac. Confidential report on your trial, Blake, and the subsequent elimination of your defense lawyer when he discovered that the evidence against you had been falsified. Need I continue? [Closes case of tapes] Enough, as I have said, to convict the Terran Administration -- and Space Command. |
| CALLY | Only if you can achieve a fair and honest court hearing. |
| AVON | Which is, to put it mildly, improbable. |
| BLAKE | Ah, but it isn't. It isn't. Listen. |
| GLYND | Governor Le Grand of the Outer Gaul region... |
| AVON | The only sane one amongst them. |
| GLYND | No, there are others who will follow her lead. The majority, in fact. But not if it means bloodshed. Only if a solid legal case can be presented against the Terran Administration. A case backed up by just such physical evidence as I have here. |
| ZEN | Arrival at Atlay zone at twenty-one fifteen. |
| BLAKE | All right? |
| GLYND | Oh, time enough to liaise with Governor Le Grand. |
| JENNA | This meeting at Atlay...? |
| GLYND | The annual meeting of all the governors of the Federation. The ideal moment. |
| AVON | But why should they give you a hearing? |
| GLYND | They will hear Governor Le Grand. She knows to expect this. [Taps case] I would never have risked defection without her personal complicity. |
| AVON | Yes, but how precisely did Governor Le Grand assist you in... |
| GLYND | We must liaise with Le Grand just short of Atlay, and then go in with her delegation. |
| BLAKE | And herald at last the epoch of true freedom. [Space Command headquarters] |
| VOICE | [V.O.] Supreme Commander?
|
| SERVALAN | Yes? |
| VOICE | [V.O.] Governor Le Grand of Outer Gaul for you.
|
| SERVALAN | Le Grand. Well, well, well.
[Le Grand appears on the communicator screen]
|
| SERVALAN | Governor. |
| LE GRAND | Supreme Commander Servalan.
|
| SERVALAN | You wish some service? |
| LE GRAND | Merely a check on the security arrangements for
Atlay.
|
| SERVALAN | Ah, Yes, the summit meeting. Now let me see. That is in the hands of Deputy Commander Galt. Standard procedures. |
| LE GRAND | [V.O.] Thank you.
|
| SERVALAN | Why, your excellency? Have your some counter- information? |
| LE GRAND | No. Since I'm chairing the meeting I simply wanted
to check in person.
|
| SERVALAN | Of course. Your renowned attention to detail. |
| LE GRAND | A habit of office.
|
| SERVALAN | Quite so. Just as my habit was to suspect some threat of a plot. |
| LE GRAND | A plot?
|
| SERVALAN | [V.O.] We have heard rumors, nothing confirmed, of course, concerning the rebel Shivan. |
| LE GRAND | Shivan's still alive?
|
| SERVALAN | Severely incapacitated. A mere shell, in fact. But as we both have learned, while there's life, there's threat. |
| LE GRAND | A shrewd maxim, Supreme Commander.
|
| SERVALAN | The fugitive Blake is another. As long as he lives -- if only as a symbol to the malcontents -- security is threatened. |
| LE GRAND | A theme which, with your permission, of course, I
should like to stress at the Atlay meeting.
|
| SERVALAN | Oh, feel free, Your Excellency. From strength, as we say, to unity. [Breaks contact] One day, very soon, the crimino therapists will have their sport with you. [Presses button on console] |
| VOICE | [V.O.] Communications.
|
| SERVALAN | Transmit a message using pre-revised ciphers. Message
to read, "Behold, the mutants shall wither." [Flight deck. Shivan hands Blake the magenta circle he wears on a chain around his neck. Blake looks at it and hands it back] |
| BLAKE | No. |
| GLYND | Oh please, as a gesture of unity. To his followers, Blake, as evidence of your alliance. |
| BLAKE | I have no need. |
| CALLY | Is that man really Shivan? |
| ORAC | He could be. A voice scan is incompatible with that tracheal vent. But he conforms with records of size, weight, and gender. In the absence of a cell tissue scan... |
| AVON | What about Ven Glynd? |
| ORAC | Records confirmed his identity. Also his recent defection from the Federation post of Arbiter General. |
| CALLY | So, what is wrong? |
| ORAC | You deduced it yourself, earlier. |
| CALLY | I did? |
| ORAC | Space Command has long tried to perfect a course interceptor attuned to the circuitry of navigational computers and rational coordinators like Zen. The scientists of Auron, however, had the wit to aim for the weaker point. |
| AVON | The human brain. |
| ORAC | Correct. |
| CALLY | A telepathic order was beamed to Blake to force him to reroute to that asteroid. |
| ORAC | As you yourself foresaw. |
| AVON | So tell us something new. |
| ORAC | It is to Blake you should look for the new. |
| AVON | What's that supposed to mean? That they are still influencing him? |
| ORAC | Correct again. |
| AVON | But how? A device of that kind would need an enormous power source. |
| ORAC | Agreed. But now that they... |
| AVON | [Dawns on him] Now that they are close at hand: low power. Of course. |
| CALLY | So it's here on board. |
| AVON | Right. |
| CALLY | What do we do? |
| AVON | Locate and destroy it. |
| ORAC | And restore Blake to his senses. |
| AVON | The two don't necessarily follow. [Flight Deck] |
| ZEN | Intercepting Outer Gaul transporter. Slowing to maintain relative vectors for teleport. |
| BLAKE | At last. Vila, assemble the others for teleport. |
| VILA | Just rush over? All of us? |
| GLYND | Such humility, Blake. I see I shall have to tutor you in protocol. |
| BLAKE | But the Governor... |
| GLYND | ...will wish to express her homage. Oh, by all means, send your deputy to escort Her Excellency here. But as for going yourself -- no. [Shakes head] |
| BLAKE | Very well. You do the honors, Deputy Leader Vila. I'll teleport you myself. [Exits] |
| VILA | "Deputy Leader"? I like it. [Exits] |
| SHIVAN | Protocol for your puppet, eh? [Holds Glynd's case on his lap] |
| GLYND | Careful with that. |
| SHIVAN | Your precious box of tricks. |
| GLYND | Precious to us all. |
| SHIVAN | But most of all, Glynd, with this. [Takes out the control box] |
| GLYND | Leave that, Shivan! |
| SHIVAN | For you alone, you're the real master. |
| GLYND | Be careful. |
| SHIVAN | The eminence grise. You imagine I haven't smelt you out? |
| GLYND | Sharp of you. |
| SHIVAN | You think I am so damn enfeebled as to forget the rules of the game? Enthrone your puppet Blake to posture and proclaim whilst you enjoy the real fruits of power. |
| GLYND | [Snatches case] Governor Le Grand must be greeted. |
| SHIVAN | You still need me, brother. |
| GLYND | Did I deny it -- "brother"? [Teleport room. Ven Glynd can be seen lurking in the corridor] |
| AVON | You cannot pretend that it was coincidence that homed us onto that asteroid. They summoned you, Blake. They whistled you up like a service robot. |
| BLAKE | "They"? |
| AVON | I don't know. Ven Glynd? |
| GLYND | [Approaches from the background] Yes, Avon? |
| BLAKE | Nothing. Avon's just nervous, that's all. |
| VILA | [V.O. Over communicator] Blake, ready to teleport. |
| BLAKE | Teleporting, Vila. [Le Grand and Vila appear in the teleport bay. Vila bows to Le Grand, who advances to Blake] |
| LE GRAND | My homage to you. |
| BLAKE | Mine to you, Governor. |
| LE GRAND | No. It is to you only. |
| BLAKE | I don't understand. |
| LE GRAND | Did not the Arbiter General explain? For years now, the Arbiter General and I have prepared for this moment. He gathering evidence of the Administration's infamies, while I lobbied the support of my fellow governors. However, we could not challenge and discredit the Administration until we had found an alternative leadership, capable of uniting all factions. |
| BLAKE | Well, you, Governor. |
| LE GRAND | No. He who leads must be from Earth. Someone of renowned integrity, someone who has become a legend of hope to the great mass of the oppressed. A messiah. |
| BLAKE | Well, then, Shivan. |
| LE GRAND | I welcomed Shivan to Outer Gaul as a fugitive. I also had hopes. But -- as you see, his strength is spent. But when the Arbiter General acquired the course interceptor from our sympathizers on Auron, and with it the means of contacting you in person, our plans were at last complete. Of course Shivan will be with us to add his support to YOUR authority. Where is he? |
| BLAKE | Resting on the flight deck. This way, Governor. [They
exit]
[Avon and Cally looked worried] [Flight Deck of Liberator. Blake and Le Grand come in. Nagu bows to Le Grand] |
| NAGU | Your Excellency. |
| LE GRAND | NO, Nagu. Here [Indicates Blake] is your true leader. |
| NAGU | Of the Federation, perhaps. |
| LE GRAND | Dear Nagu. [Goes to Shivan] So, Shivan. I heard word of you from an admirer. None other than Supreme Commander Servalan. She still fears you. You and Blake. "While there's life there's threat," she told me. |
| GLYND | A fitting prophecy. |
| LE GRAND | If our destiny is to be fulfilled. Your hand, Shivan. [Takes Shivan's hand] |
| LE GRAND | Your hand, Blake. [Blake lays his hand on theirs] |
| LE GRAND | The triumvirate, my friends.
[Camera cuts to Ven Glynd] [Rest Room] |
| AVON | Le Grand referred to it as a course interceptor. |
| CALLY | Now in the possession of Glynd. |
| AVON | Can you counteract its transmission? |
| ORAC | I have specific programming against telepathic influence. |
| AVON | So you have. |
| ORAC | However, given direct access to its circuitry... |
| AVON | Oh, well done, Orac! |
| ORAC | Well, go and get it then. |
| AVON | If necessary, [Draws gun] by force. [Flight Deck] |
| LE GRAND | And as chairman I will of course make the opening address. I shall explain your presence, [Looks at Glynd] and call on you to speak. |
| GLYND | I will indite the Terra Administration, doubtless provoking an uproar. |
| LE GRAND | Any attempt to interfere will be countered by my security people. |
| BLAKE | Are you sure they can handle it? |
| LE GRAND | Why not? We have the element of surprise totally on our side. |
| ZEN | Approaching boundary of Atlay surveillance zone. Security force walls in operation. Prepare for teleport to Atlay shuttle. |
| LE GRAND | [Rises] To destiny, my friends. |
| BLAKE | To destiny. |
| GLYND | To destiny. [Avon and Cally enter, holding guns] |
| AVON | One moment. |
| BLAKE | Avon. |
| AVON | Listen to Orac. Just listen. [Slaps in Orac's key] |
| ORAC | Your dreams, Blake. |
| BLAKE | Yes. |
| ORAC | They were stimulated for you by means of a beamed telepathy transmission. |
| BLAKE | Telepathy? What about these people here? The Governor and the Arbiter General. Aren't they real enough for you? [Nagu comes up behind Avon and Cally with a gun] |
| NAGU | Your weapons. |
| LE GRAND | No, Nagu. Our two friends must be convinced without threats of force. No true bid for peace was born from coercion. |
| BLAKE | Agreed. Only from truth and trust. |
| AVON | All right. Then give us the truth about this so- called course interceptor from Auron. |
| LE GRAND | The Arbiter General will show it to you. |
| GLYND | Certainly. [Takes black box from his case] |
| AVON | That, according to Orac, has direct control over your mind. |
| GLYND | Well, a device was simply beamed into the circuitry of your navigational computer. |
| AVON | Well, In that case you won't mind leaving it here on the Liberator when you go down to Atlay. |
| LE GRAND | Which we must do without further delay. |
| AVON | You WILL leave it. |
| GLYND | Why not, it's already served its purpose in uniting us for the common cause. [Blake hands the box to Avon] |
| BLAKE | Acclaim it for that. |
| GLYND | But be careful not to tamper with it. At this close range it could cause serious damage to your computers. |
| AVON | Is that correct, Orac? |
| ORAC | No, Negative. Denied. Incapable of damage. |
| BLAKE | The surest way of protecting Orac from damage is to switch him off, is that correct, Avon? [Pulls Orac's key] |
| CALLY | Leave us the key. |
| BLAKE | Why? Orac's far too valuable for needless risk. |
| ZEN | Atlay shuttle on orbit vectors for teleporting. |
| BLAKE | Vila, Jenna. Teleport. Shall we go? [Glynd starts to help Shivan up] |
| SHIVAN | No, leave me, brother. Go. Go. |
| GLYND | As well we should. The strain could otherwise have proved excessive. |
| LE GRAND | Nagu, You will stay with Shivan. Minster to his needs. |
| NAGU | But, my place is with you, to protect you. |
| LE GRAND | Others can do that. |
| NAGU | My lady, please. |
| LE GRAND | No more delay. We cannot risk a security alert. |
| ZEN | Repeat, Atlay shuttle on orbit vectors for teleport. [Space Command headquarters. Servalan's office] |
| VOICE | [V.O.] Supreme Commander.
|
| SERVALAN | Yes. |
| VOICE | [V.O.] Signal from Deputy Commander Galt.
|
| SERVALAN | Yes? |
| VOICE | [V.O.] Reporting Governor Le Grand and deputies
embarked on Atlay shuttle. Docking on schedule at
conference center.
|
| SERVALAN | Acknowledged. Hold all channels open. [Shuttle is seen docking] [Flight deck] |
| ZEN | Atlay shuttle docked at conference center. |
| CALLY | Activate scanners to intercept local transmissions. |
| ZEN | Activated. |
| CALLY | Security force wall still in operation? |
| ZEN | Affirmative. |
| AVON | And negative on this. |
| CALLY | No controls? |
| AVON | And no Orac to penetrate it. [Corridor of Conference Center] |
| LE GRAND | You'll find the antechamber comfortable enough. How long you'll have to wait will depend on the persuasive advocacy of our Arbiter General. |
| GLYND | With this [Holds up case] it shouldn't take too long. [Flight Deck] |
| AVON | Trying electromagnetic pulses. [Metallic sounds] No. I could try frequency intervention, but.... [To Nagu] What do you want? |
| NAGU | [Staggering] My, my lady Le Grand. |
| CALLY | What's wrong? |
| NAGU | My lady.... [Falls of floor. He has been stabbed in the back] [Shivan is behind him, aiming a weapon. He pulls the bandages off his face to reveal himself] |
| AVON | Travis. |
| TRAVIS | One move, just one move. |
| AVON | So much for Blake's new epoch of peace. [Corridor just outside Conference Room] |
| GLYND | How are you feeling? |
| BLAKE | Excited. |
| GLYND | Not without cause. |
| LE GRAND | Your finest hour. |
| BLAKE | Good luck |
| LE GRAND | To us all. |
| VILA | I'll, ah, wait for you in the antechamber, all right? [Flight Deck] |
| TRAVIS | Oh, yes, of course. Le Grand and Glynd are traitors. Their futile subversion was monitored from the start by Servalan. It was her idea to send the incapacitated rebel Shivan as a fugitive to Outer Gaul. |
| CALLY | So you and the Supreme Commander are working together again. |
| TRAVIS | Let's just say our objectives coincide. |
| AVON | I wonder if the rest of Space Command realize that. |
| TRAVIS | To the teleport. [Gestures with his bionic hand] [Empty Auditorium. Le Grand's bodyguards stand at the back, looking puzzled. As Le Grand and Glynd enter the lights go out. A screen lights up and Servalan appears on it]
|
| SERVALAN | Governor Le Grand. You are completely surrounded.
If you wish to avoid bloodshed you'll instruct your
bodyguard to put down their weapons.
[Le Grand's eyes fill with tears]
|
| SERVALAN | Le Grand, the High Council have been aware of your
pathetic plot from the beginning. Our only surprise
is that you have come this far without realizing how
transparent your intentions have been. I repeat,
your bodyguard will put down their weapons.
[Lights come on showing Federation troopers]
|
| SERVALAN | Now. [Federation troopers open fire on Le Grand, Glynd, and the bodyguard. Glynd tries to run and is wounded. Le Grand is killed at once. Glynd and some bodyguards get out of the auditorium. Jenna and Blake help him down the corridors to the anteroom] |
| VILA | What's happening? |
| JENNA | Avon, Cally, teleport immediately. Emergency. [Helps
Vila put large machine against the door] Cally, Avon,
emergency. Teleport. Do you read me?
[Blake helps Glynd to a chair. A hypnotic tone begins.
Blake moans and holds his head] [Teleport Area] |
| JENNA | [V.O.] Teleport, emergency. I repeat, teleport, emergency. |
| AVON | No teleport, Jenna. Not possible. |
| TRAVIS | Don't touch those coordinates. Activate it now. [Atlay] |
| JENNA | Avon, what are you playing at? Bring us up immediately. |
| BLAKE | No, no, no. [Tears off his bracelet] |
| JENNA | Blake. [She tries to put the bracelet on Blake] [Teleport Area] |
| TRAVIS | Put me down there. DO IT. [Cally teleports Travis] |
| AVON | Get Blake up! [Atlay] |
| TRAVIS | Drop your weapons. |
| VILA | Travis. [Camera cuts to a surprised Glynd] |
| AVON | Come on, Cally, get them up. [Teleport Area] |
| CALLY | Get ready to teleport, now. [Atlay] |
| CALLY | [V.O.] Do you read me Jenna? Get ready to teleport. |
| JENNA | [Struggling to get bracelet back on Blake] No, Cally, stop. No teleport. |
| CALLY | [V.O.] Do you read me, Jenna? |
| JENNA | No, Cally, negative. [Takes off her bracelet] |
| VILA | Jenna! [Vila is teleported] |
| JENNA | Blake, come on! [She struggles to get the bracelet on Blake] |
| GLYND | You -- not Trevor. Betrayer! [Grapples with Travis] [Teleport Area] |
| VILA | Well, do something!
[Avon smashes the control box] [Atlay. Tone ceases, Blake calms down. Jenna forces the bracelet on him and puts on her own. Glynd and Travis continue to struggle] |
| JENNA | Cally, bring us up now.
[Travis shoots Glynd. Jenna and Blake are teleported.
Two Federation guards break in and hold their guns on
Travis] [Teleport Area. Jenna and Blake appear in the teleport bay] |
| CALLY | Are you all right? |
| JENNA | He's a hard man to rescue when he doesn't want to be rescued. |
| AVON | More to the point, are you yourself? |
| BLAKE | What happened? Why aren't we at Del Ten? What's going on, Avon. |
| AVON | Why don't you just say, "Thank you," nicely? |
| BLAKE | Well what are we all standing around for? Or has the Federation disappeared? Our problem is to find Star One if you haven't forgotten. |
| AVON | I'm sorry to have to inform you that he is himself all
right.
|