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| - Script for Bounty Written by Terry Nation Directed by Pennant Roberts (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) 1992 by Susan Schnitger and Micky DuPree. Regular Cast: Roj Blake Gareth Thomas Jenna Stannis Sally Knyvette Kerr Avon Paul Darrow Cally Jan Chappell Vila Restal Michael Keating Olag Gan David Jackson Zen Peter Tuddenham Guest cast: Sarkoff T. P. McKenna Tyce Carinthia West Tarvin Marc Zuber Cheney Mark York Amagon Guard Derrick Branche Uncredited: Two male voices Walk-ons: Doug Charlton Rex Browne Bob Sutherland Ronald Nunnery John Aston Paul Berry Bernie Lawrence Keith Norrish Derek San-Sellus Andy Dempsey Geronimo Sehmi Neville Rofaila Roberta Gibbs [Cally looks around cautiously in a wooded area. She hides as two Federation guards walk by. Blake is approaching her and carrying a box.] CALLY [V.O., telepathing] Guards! Don't speak or make a sound. [Blake quietly crouches beside her, and they watch as the guards confer and then depart.] CALLY My reflexes are dull. They almost fell over me before I heard them. BLAKE I've forgotten how useful telepathy is. CALLY Oh, I must practice that, too. BLAKE No sign of him. CALLY Just patrols, lots of them. BLAKE I think I've found where he's being kept. CALLY Is it as we were told? BLAKE It's certainly very strange, the weirdest prison I've ever seen. CALLY Listen. BLAKE Keep down. [They watch as Sarkoff, Tyce and a guard pass in an old-style open automobile.] CALLY What was it? BLAKE I don't know. But in the back position, that was Sarkoff, wasn't it? CALLY That was President Sarkoff, yes. BLAKE Come on, let's go. [They enter the compound and unknowingly pass a sensor.] [A field. Cheney and some other Federation guards.] CHENEY [Into communicator] Yes? VOICE [V.O.] I think we've got some intruders. CHENEY Are you sure? VOICE [V.O.] Electronic surveillance is usually reliable. VOICE Our electronic surveillance is usually reliable. CHENEY Very reliable, yes. Last time it turned out to be a local rodent digging a hole under one of your listening devices. We spent two hours chasing our tails on that occasion. VOICE [V.O,] That wasn't our fault. CHENEY All right, give me the coordinates. VOICE [V.O.] Five one .... [Blake and Cally continue walking through the woods.] CHENEY If they are there then they've already penetrated two of our security perimeters. VOICE [V.O.] Have you got them all? CHENEY Yes. Subcommander Cheney to all units. This is a red alert. I repeat, this is a red alert. Electronic security reports intruders in Sector Three. All units are now on Red Standby. Out. [To surrounding guards] At the double, move it. [The car reaches a building that resembles a small castle with the Eiffel tower grafted onto it.] SARKOFF Thank you, Tyce. You may put the automobile under cover now. TYCE Don't forget the base commander's gift. SARKOFF Ah, yes, it was very courteous of the base commander, don't you think, to spend part of his leave getting this and then to bring it all the way from Earth. TYCE He values your friendship. SARKOFF Yes, I think he does. TYCE And he's a social climber. Probably works your name into every conversation. "My friend, ex-President Sarkoff." SARKOFF Tyce, that is a most ill-mannered remark. TYCE It's the truth. SARKOFF Civilization has always depended on courtesy rather than truth. And I need civilization. Now, more than ever. [Sarkoff enters the building. Blake and Cally have been watching from the nearby trees.] CALLY He looks older. BLAKE He is older. It's seven years since he came into exile. [Into bracelet] Liberator, come in, Liberator. [Flight deck of the Liberator] GAN [Repeats three times in the background] Liberator to space craft. Liberator to space craft. Can you hear us? JENNA Looks like some sort of cruiser. AVON Not making much headway. BLAKE [V.O., over communicator] Blake to Liberator, do you read me? JENNA We read you. VILA Do you think he's ready to come up? BLAKE [V.O.] We've run into more security than we expected. It's going to take longer. JENNA Listen, Blake, we've got a problem. There's an unidentified ship moving in on our position. BLAKE [V.O.] Federation? JENNA Zen says not, but Gan can't make a voice contact. Seems to be closing in all the time. BLAKE Well, what do you want to do? JENNA [V.O.] Investigate. BLAKE Well, be careful. AVON We can handle things. If it turns out to be hostile, we'll do a part orbit and lose it. JENNA We can't just wait for it to close in. BLAKE Well, if you've got to move off-station, you've got to, but be as quick as you can, and don't take any stupid risks. We're taking enough of those down here. JENNA Don't worry. BLAKE [V.O.] Well, I will if you're not back in time to get us out. JENNA We'll be here. BLAKE [V.O] Good luck! JENNA You, too. VILA I don't like the look of that. GAN Not again, Vila. VILA I'm entitled to my opinion. AVON It is your assumption that we are entitled to it as well that is irritating. JENNA What do you think? AVON As a matter of fact, I don't like the look of it either. VILA [To himself] He agrees with me. AVON The flight path is too erratic. VILA [Still to himself] Makes it all seem worthwhile somehow. AVON It looks deliberate to me. JENNA It could be an injured pilot. AVON It could be a trap. GAN It's not a very good one, then. We're suspicious of it already. AVON The test is not whether you are suspicious but whether you are caught. JENNA Then we'll make sure we're not. Vila, clear the neutron blasters for firing. Zen, put up the radiation flare shields. ZEN Confirmed. JENNA [To Gan] Keep trying to establish a voice contact. I'll fly her on manual. [To Avon] If you'll read the detectors and scanners. AVON First sign of trouble, we get out, right? JENNA Goes without saying. AVON I only wish it did. [In woods near the castle. Blake rejoins Cally after scouting the area.] CALLY We attack the guards or climb. BLAKE There's a door on the ground floor, it's the only entrance. There is an open window round the back but it's high up. We've got to get onto that roof. CALLY We climb. BLAKE We don't want to risk raising an alarm. Come on. [In woods. Cheney and the guards are examining some footprints.] CHENEY It's not a burrowing rodent this time. Looks to be two intruders, two at least. [Into communicator] Cheney to all units. Red Standby Alert is now Red Mobilization, repeat, Red Mobilization. All units to move in on the residence. [Flight deck] GAN Liberator to spacecraft, Liberator to spacecraft. AVON You're closing too fast for me to get an accurate scan. JENNA All right, I'll reduce speed. AVON Thank you. GAN Liberator to spacecraft. Can you hear us? VILA Blasters are ranged and ready to fire. AVON No sign of any external damage. Carries no heavy armament. GAN I'm getting a voice, very faint, lot of static. JENNA Boost it to the main channel. AMAGON [Static] ...Star Queen. General distress call, general distress call. This is the civilian cruiser Star Queen. If anyone can hear me, we need help. Please help us. General distress call, general distress call [Fades] GAN Zen, are we in teleport range? ZEN Liberator will be within teleport range of the civilian cruiser Star Queen in seven minutes. GAN Good. AVON No. GAN They need help! AVON Do they? GAN Well, you heard him. AVON It's not quite the same thing. JENNA Avon's right. We need more information. GAN Let me go across and get it. If it is a trap I'll warn you. Then Vila can open fire. VILA With you on board? GAN If necessary. VILA You feeling all right? GAN Fine. AVON You would give the instruction for your own death -- you expect us to believe that? GAN Yes. I expect you to believe that. [Base of the castle wall. Blake gets some climbing rope and a grapnel hook out of the box.] BLAKE Cover me whilst I climb, then hide the box. [Blake scales the wall. Cally spots a guard heading their way] CALLY [V.O., telepathing] Blake! A guard is coming! [The guard reaches the part of the wall where they were. No one is there, but then he looks up and spots Cally. She drops down on him and knocks him out.] CALLY [V.O.] You must get to Sarkoff. I will hide this one and then follow you. [Vila is alone on the flight deck.] VILA [To himself] Come on, Gan. What's taking so long? AVON [V.O., over communicator] His time's nearly up. Stand by to fire on that ship, Vila. VILA I still don't think this is such a good idea. AVON [V.O.] I didn't ask for your opinion. Are you standing by to fire? VILA We don't want to do anything hasty. AVON [V.O.] Vila! VILA Yes, I'm standing by. [Avon and Jenna are in the teleport room.] GAN [V.O., over communicator] This is Gan. It's all right. You can bring me back across now. There's no danger to us, but they need our help all right. 'I've got all the details. Bring me back. [Vila starts to exit the flight deck.] ZEN Information. Analysis of voice print confirms that was not Olag Gan speaking. VILA [Into communicator] Avon! Avon! JENNA All right, bring him up. [Avon initiates teleport.] VILA [V.O.l] Avon! Avon! Avon! Answer me! [Normal] Avon! It's not Gan! ... Avon? Jenna? Now don't let's be silly. Answer me, one of you. [To himself] I shall come out in a rash. Zen, has something happened to them? ZEN Data is not available. VILA I don't want data, I want to know what's happening. ZEN It will be necessary for you to make a personal investigation. VILA Oh, you're a big help. "Personal investigation." [Straps on a weapon] "Personal investigation." The next time Avon wants to make a personal investigation on how you work I shall make a personal point of handing him the instruments, personally. [Leaves the flight deck, reluctantly] [A room in the castle. Blake enters and surveys the relics from "old Earth" that fill it. He is touching a display box of butterflies when Sarkoff enters.] SARKOFF Beautiful, aren't they. Earth insects of the order Lepidoptera. BLAKE Butterflies. SARKOFF Ah, so you're an historian, are you? BLAKE No, but I did study some natural history. SARKOFF It's interesting, isn't it, that when that term "natural history" was originated, it referred to the study of living things. It was much later that it came to mean the study of things long since past and dead. History in its more conventional sense. BLAKE You don't seem surprised to see me. SARKOFF I've been expecting you. Oh, not you, specifically, but someone. Do you know, uh, what this is? [Picks up a phonograph record and places it on a victrola.] BLAKE Why are you expecting someone? SARKOFF Assassination has always been a legitimate tool of statecraft. Its respectability and public acceptance has varied from civilization to civilization, but its practical application has remained remarkably consistent. [Starts the record playing.] BLAKE I -- SARKOFF Echoes of a more civilized age. BLAKE I didn't come here to murder you. SARKOFF [Shushing him] You know [Stops and removes the record] this is the finest private collection of Twentieth Century Earth objects anywhere in the galaxy. Even on Earth itself you would find no collection like it. This building is a replica of a typical residence of that period, set in an authentic Earth garden. BLAKE I said, I'm not a murderer. SARKOFF I'm grateful for your semantic precision. Political assassination I can ... live with. To be murdered would the final, sordid indignity. [Picks up a gun.] Now my educated friend, do you know what this is? BLAKE Uh, it's a projectile weapon. SARKOFF It's called a revolver. Explosive charge here, projectile emerges with great force and considerable accuracy, over short distances anyway. Primitive, but [Cocks the hammer] efficient enough for my purposes. [Points it at Blake.] BLAKE President Sarkoff, I must speak with you. Will you listen to what I have to-- SARKOFF [Pulls the trigger, producing nothing more than a click.] EX-president. [Lowers gun] BLAKE I haven't got time for the niceties of this game that you're playing. SARKOFF Just time for a hasty rationalization. BLAKE I just want you to listen. SARKOFF I've wasted my life listening, listening to people who are arrogant, or vacuous, or just plain vicious. I smiled and acquiesced in the face of prejudice and stupidity. I've tolerated mediocrity and accepted the tyranny of second-class minds. But now all that is over. I am ready to die, here among the things I value. I am ready to let you kill me but I am not ready to listen to you justify the act. [Tyce has entered quietly, and holds a gun to Blake's head.] TYCE Quite still. [Removes Blake's weapon, picks up and holds a second gun on him as well.] BLAKE [To Sarkoff] Very good. SARKOFF I meant what I said. Put those down, Tyce. [Blake turns to confront Tyce.] I'm afraid they do work. [To Tyce] I said, put them down. TYCE I heard what you said, I heard every feeble, self-pitying word. Why should they send assassins for you, you're already dead, Sarkoff. [To Blake] Before I kill you, who are you and what do you want? BLAKE I came here to take President Sarkoff back to his people. My name is Blake. [Outside the castle, Cheney and three guards are in front, Cally at the back.] CHENEY Idiot, why didn't you report this to me immediately? You two, around the rear. [Cally climbs the rope and pulls it up just before a guard would have seen it.] [In the castle.] SARKOFF I won't do it. No, Blake, what you ask is impossible. It would be a mistake for me and the people of my planet. I am NOT the same man. BLAKE To them you are. SARKOFF I am no longer a politician. But if I were, I would tell you that your timing is wrong, anyway. BLAKE And if I were, I would tell you that if you wait any longer it will be too late. SARKOFF You don't understand. TYCE [Brings Cally into the room at gunpoint.] Blake? BLAKE She's with me. CALLY I did tell you that. TYCE Are there any more? BLAKE No, just Cally. CALLY Something has alerted the guards. Are we safe in here? TYCE Yes. But I'll go and check. [Exits] BLAKE Did you hide the box? CALLY Of course. Is he ready? SARKOFF Well, Cally. Must I listen to you, too? CALLY No. SARKOFF Have you no opinions? CALLY None. You are needed to unite your people. SARKOFF I see. Facts, not opinions. CALLY Would we have risked our lives for an opinion? SARKOFF What do you think of my collection? CALLY Ah, it is most ... ah, impressive. SARKOFF "Impressive", only? Ah, but then your people don't originate from Earth, do they? CALLY My people are the Auronar. SARKOFF Yes, I remember in my last years of office, we received an ambassador from Auron. His name was -- CALLY -- Lehan. SARKOFF Yes, Lehan. I remember how alone he seemed. CALLY He did not return to us. BLAKE Because he failed. SARKOFF Because I failed him? I wanted that alliance. CALLY So did we. To resist the Federation. BLAKE You seem to have shifted your ground somewhat since then. SARKOFF I was leader of the planetary government on Lindor for five years. During that period I resisted political pressure to join the Federation, even from factions within my own party. Eventually I decided to settle the issue by trying to get a vote of confidence. So I called elections. TYCE And he was beaten. BLAKE Of course he was beaten. SARKOFF My friend, I was totally annihilated, complete rejection. And no precise decisions followed my political disgrace. Lindor did not join the Federation. You see, it wasn't a rejection of my policies, the vote was merely a rejection of me. TYCE So he ran away and hid, here on this empty, nameless planet which the Federation so generously provided. CALLY Together with a security force. TYCE And you're right, something has stirred them up. Since there's nothing else that's any threat to them, they must know you're around here somewhere. SARKOFF I'm afraid that Tyce has never been able to accept that I am no longer important. BLAKE It's a very impressive bodyguard for someone who is no longer important. SARKOFF Courtesy. Besides it would be politically embarrassing for them if I were to be killed while I was their guest. BLAKE Not unimportant, then. Not naive, either. I mean, surely you must realize you're a prisoner here. TYCE Of course he does. Don't you see it, Blake, he relies on them keeping him here. SARKOFF No, no that's not true. CALLY [V.O., telepathing] Blake, we're running out of time. BLAKE President Sarkoff, your planet is in total chaos. There are dozens of factions fighting for power. They're on the brink of civil war. SARKOFF That cannot be true. I get regular reports. BLAKE When the fighting starts, the Federation will move in a peacekeeping force. They'll take over the administration and the government and your planet will have lost its freedom. Just swallowed up into the Federation. All quite legitimate and not a single voice raised in protest. SARKOFF That cannot happen. I know the situation on Lindor. I get regular reports-- BLAKE From the FEDERATION communications, yes? SARKOFF Yes. But I have proof of their authenticity-- BLAKE The Lindor Strategy. That's what they called it. It began with the rigged elections which removed you from power and will only end when you return to your planet as the puppet leader of a subjugated people. TYCE I knew! SARKOFF Nonsense. BLAKE No. We captured a Federation cipher machine. Now before they changed the code, we picked up a lot of information. Our computers have been unravelling it ever since. One of the things they came up with was the Lindor Strategy. We have checked. It is happening. SARKOFF Why should I believe you? BLAKE Well, what have I got to gain by lying? CALLY You are the only man who can reunite your planet. If you act now, you can save it from war and from the Federation. BLAKE Well? [Sarkoff walks away.] TYCE He won't go with you. BLAKE He must. TYCE He was broken, can't you see that? If you'd known him before, you'd understand. He was a very special man, brilliant and proud. Failure never occurred to him. CALLY But the elections were rigged. TYCE It was still failure. BLAKE [To Cally] That's something you should understand. TYCE I thought I could help him. BLAKE He must come with us, by force if necessary. TYCE I know. You will take us both? BLAKE Put this on. [Fastens a bracelet on her wrist] And put one on him. [Hands another bracelet to her.] CALLY I'll go and check where the guards are. [Leaves] BLAKE [Into bracelet] Liberator, are you back on station yet? Respond, please. [V.O.] Liberator, do you read me? Respond, please. [Normal] Liberator, do you read me? SARKOFF [Holding a bracelet] What is this? BLAKE It's a teleport device. L-- SARKOFF Something to do with getting me to your ship? BLAKE Yes, when I can contact them. SARKOFF Well, I shan't need it. I'm not coming with you. [Puts the bracelet down.] BLAKE I'm sorry. SARKOFF So am I. It's too late, Blake, it's been too long. Defeat has become a habit. TYCE [Handing Blake a cylinder] Blake, if you ignite this it explodes. I thought it might be useful. CALLY [Enters] The whole of the front is cordoned off and there are two men searching the woods at the back. BLAKE Looking for the missing guard. Do you think they'll find him? CALLY Well, I should think so. SARKOFF Very soon they'll check in here, too. You two must go now while you still have a chance. BLAKE Liberator's still not back on station. CALLY Well, perhaps we'd be safer on the move. BLAKE It depends how long they take to get back. TYCE There is a place you could hide, safer than this. Deserted mine workings. BLAKE How far? TYCE About twenty miles. CALLY Well, that's too far. BLAKE That vehicle you use-- TYCE The automobile? BLAKE Yes. Can you get to it without being seen? TYCE I think so. BLAKE All right, come with me. Cally. [Blake, Cally and Tyce leave the room. Sarkoff puts another record on the victrola ("Blow The Winds Southerly") and listens to it. After a minute, Blake returns. He checks outside and then checks his watch.] SARKOFF What are you planning to do? BLAKE Escape. SARKOFF I wish you hadn't involved Tyce in whatever it is-- BLAKE She is coming with us. [At base of castle wall. Cally and Tyce climb down the rope.] [Room in the castle. Blake commences looking at his watch.] SARKOFF I should have realized. BLAKE Realized what? SARKOFF That Tyce wouldn't stay with me, not now. BLAKE Does it make any difference? SARKOFF To my decision? Of course not. BLAKE No, of course not. [Checks watch a final time then looks up] Right. Stay here, please. [Exits] SARKOFF Where else would I go? This is all I have left. [On the castle roof. Blake throws and then shoots the cylinder that Tyce gave him. It explodes.] [In front of castle. Cheney and three other guards.] CHENEY [Alerted] The rear, quickly! [At the car. Cally and Tyce climb in and drive off.] [Room in the castle.] BLAKE [Enters] Right. Come on. [Sarkoff doesn't react.] You must come with us. SARKOFF No. BLAKE [Removes the record from the victrola and smashes it, then picks up the butterfly collection] All of it. Piece by piece. [Makes as if to drop it] SARKOFF No! No, please! All right. All right. All right, I'll come. BLAKE [Holding a bracelet out to him] Put that back on. [Outside the castle. Blake and Sarkoff exit the front door as Cally and Tyce drive up in the car. The engine dies as Sarkoff gets in.] SARKOFF The starting handle. [Tyce gets out and tries to crank over the engine.] [Behind the castle, Cheney and other guards.] CHENEY It's a trick, the front, they're at the front! [Front of the castle] BLAKE [To Tyce] You get back inside. Let me try. [Starts the car just as Cheney arrives. Blake crouches behind the car.] CHENEY Hey! Get out. Everybody get out. [Blake slips up behind him and knocks him down, and they all drive away.] CHENEY Cheney to all units, this is Blue Mobilization, I repeat, this is Blue Mobilization. [Driving along in the car.] BLAKE [V.O.] Liberator, this is Blake. Do you read me? Respond. Liberator, respond please. Liberator! Do you read me? Come in! [Into bracelet] Liberator, we need teleport, now! [They vanish just seconds before the now-empty car crashes into a roadblock.] [In the teleport room, empty except for the party that just teleported up.] CALLY Where are they? BLAKE I don't know. TYCE What is it? BLAKE Stay here with them, Cally. [To Tyce and Sarkoff] Wait here, please. SARKOFF [Surveying his surroundings] Yes. Well, it's faster than the automobile but, uh, not as amusing. Ah. [He hands the box to Cally.] [The flight deck] BLAKE [Enters] Where are they, Zen? ZEN Please specify question more precisely. BLAKE The others. My crew. Where are they? ZEN Their absence from the flight deck is the only data available. BLAKE Thank you, Zen. [Exits] [The teleport section.] BLAKE Jenna! Where are the others? JENNA They're all dead. BLAKE Dead? JENNA I still don't know what happened -- there was a distress call and.... [Covers her mouth and nose with her hands] BLAKE Yeah, but I mean ... how did all the ... what, are you all right -- [Whirls and an Amagon sprays him with a gas. He falls and loses consciousness.] [In a room aboard the Liberator, being used as a cell. All the crew except for Jenna are there, wearing neckbands. Blake comes to with his hands cuffed behind him.] BLAKE That was stupid. AVON None of us showed conspicuous intelligence on this occasion. VILA [Working on Blake's cuffs. Blake wriggles.] Keep still. BLAKE Who are they? CALLY They're Amagons. BLAKE Amagons? I thought smuggling was the Amagon speciality. AVON It is, but they also manage a little robbery, piracy, murder... VILA Anything to turn an honest profit. [Frees Blake's hands] There. BLAKE Thank you. GAN This lot are headhunters. VILA [Fingering his neckband] I wish you wouldn't call them that. GAN Bounty hunters. They're going to sell us to the Federation. BLAKE But how did they get on board? AVON Gan? VILA It wasn't Gan's fault. GAN They used me and a voice synthesizer. It was very well planned. BLAKE Was Jenna behind it? AVON No. But when it was clear that we had lost, THAT is when she changed sides. [On the flight deck] TARVIN [Removes Jenna's neckband and tosses it aside] Good to have you back with us, Jenna. [Touches her] JENNA [Walks away] This is purely a business arrangement, Tarvin. TARVIN You weren't always so cold. JENNA You weren't always a bounty hunter. TARVIN Have you forgotten Zolaf Four? JENNA Is it worth remembering? TARVIN Just the two of us in the mountains. JENNA And three hundred customs guards. TARVIN You saved my life. JENNA We all make mistakes. TARVIN I thought you liked me. JENNA Oh, I did. Then. TARVIN Have I changed so much? JENNA One of us has. TARVIN [Detonates Jenna's discarded neckband] I just saved your pretty neck. JENNA I didn't like the price. TYCE You paid it. TARVIN [To Jenna] What's Blake to you? We'd have got him anyway. JENNA I don't think you would. TYCE You just made it easy for them. As betrayals go, it was really rather ordinary, wouldn't you say? [Jenna starts to leave.] TARVIN Jenna! Stay here. JENNA Don't you trust me? TARVIN I trust you. HERE. JENNA Then shut her up. TARVIN [To Sarkoff] Keep your woman quiet, or I'll do it. SARKOFF Don't presume on my gratitude too much, Tarvin. TARVIN [Laughs] I wonder if there's a price on your head anywhere? SARKOFF No. But I imagine there is on yours, though. TARVIN [Laughs] I'd be ashamed if there weren't. Computer, how long before we rendezvous with the Federation ships? ZEN Two hours and seventeen minutes. [In the cell] VILA [Fiddles with Blake's neckband] I can't do it, Blake. BLAKE Keep trying. VILA Look, there are two ways to set this thing off. One is that control box they all carry-- AVON Microwave transmitter. Just point it in the direction of the neckband and press the button. VILA The other way is to force the lock -- BLAKE You're not going to force it, are you?! VILA -- and if I get it wrong, bang, no head. BLAKE I trust you. VILA And if it blows up and I'm right behind you -- ! BLAKE That's why I trust you. [Avon exposes the insides of the door lock, removes his right shoe, takes a device out of the heel, and goes to work on the lock.] [On the flight deck.] TARVIN Computer, give me a visual. We ought to be in range by now. [Zen shows a scanner image, no ships in sight.] I suppose I can wait a bit longer. JENNA Tarvin, how much are the Federation paying you for this? TARVIN Thirteen million credits for the crew and ship intact. Or, twelve million if I don't give them you. JENNA Supposing I made you a better offer? TARVIN You're a pretty woman, Jenna, but not THAT pretty. JENNA If you hand over this ship, you'll lose a fortune. TARVIN Me? How can I lose? JENNA Oh, I'd expect a share. TARVIN Of what? JENNA Three hundred million credits. Give or take the odd ten million. TARVIN You always did underestimate me, Jenna. It seems that now you take me for a fool. JENNA Oh, no. I think you show great public spirit, giving up all that wealth just to bring Blake to justice. TARVIN You can prove what you say, of course? JENNA Of course. TARVIN You mean it's actually on the ship, this fortune of yours? JENNA Naturally. Why else do you think that I'd remain with Blake and his friends? TARVIN [To Amagon Guard] Go with her. JENNA No one is going with me. TARVIN Do you think I should let you run around loose? JENNA Now you take me for a fool. Do you think that I'd show him where the money is? TARVIN Then stay here. I'll be satisfied with thirteen million credits. Or twelve million, if the fancy takes me and I decide to keep you. JENNA Very well. Come on. [Jenna and the Amagon Guard leave the flight deck.] ZEN Information: Federation ships are now within scanner range. TARVIN Where? [Zen displays a scan showing three Federation ships.] Yes. Look! It's almost done. [In the teleport room. Jenna overpowers the Amagon Guard and takes his gun.] JENNA [To herself] Tarvin underestimates me. [Places the gun behind the teleport console and exits] [In the cell. Gan hurls some manacles to the floor in frustration. The others jump. He mouths, "Sorry."] VILA I told you I couldn't do it. AVON I believed you all along. VILA Nobody could open it. AVON I thought you could open anything, that's always been one of your more modest claims. VILA I could open that door in two minutes. AVON This door is not quite the problem at the moment, is it? VILA It seems to be a problem to you! BLAKE Keep your head, Vila! That way I might have a chance at keeping mine. VILA Yes. Avon? AVON What? VILA Shut up. Please. [On the flight deck.] SARKOFF Blake is finished, I'm afraid. TYCE You really want to believe that, don't you? SARKOFF I want you to recognize a fact. TYCE Why? SARKOFF Because I'm afraid for you. TYCE Don't be. SARKOFF Accept it, Tyce, or it will destroy you. TYCE You gave up. You were wrong. You are still wrong. SARKOFF Tell me, Tarvin. You Amagons recognize facts. TARVIN You talk too much. SARKOFF Yes, it's an occupational hazard, I'm afraid. What then is your reality? TARVIN Wealth. TYCE Is that all? TARVIN What else? SARKOFF Well, as the rallying cry for a crusade, it lacks a certain... inspiration. TARVIN [Indicating scanner display] There's my inspiration. The Federation are coming to me. I summoned them. I'm going to sell them a crusader. SARKOFF You'd sell your grandmother, wouldn't you? TARVIN I did. She was going to sell me, I got in first. [In corridor. Another Amagon Guard spots Jenna.] AMAGON You! Stop! What are you doing here? JENNA Tarvin sent me to check on the others. AMAGON Why? JENNA Why don't you go and ask him yourself. Well? AMAGON I'll come with you. [They reach the cell door.] JENNA Open it. [He does. She enters the cell. He covers her from the doorway.] GAN Hello, Jenna. [The prisoners are sitting around the walls, with their hands behind their backs as if still bound. Jenna walks about the cell, "inspecting" them. She comes across the discarded manacles, pauses, and moves on.] JENNA I'm glad to see that you are all behaving yourselves. Tarvin doesn't want you damaged, unless necessary. BLAKE We're touched by his concern. JENNA It'll be more impressive if he can hand you over alive. GAN A man who takes pride in his work. CALLY What do you take pride in, Jenna? JENNA Survival. AVON At the expense of your friends? JENNA I didn't know that you cared, Avon. VILA He didn't. And he was right. [Jenna exits.] AMAGON Wait. [He relocks the cell.] JENNA Tarvin gets impatient. Shall I tell him that you delayed me? AMAGON I'll come with you and tell him myself. JENNA Why? AMAGON Move. JENNA You'll regret this. [Inside the cell.] CALLY [Listening at the door] They've gone. [Avon goes back to work on the door lock.] VILA [Works on Blake's neckband] I wouldn't have thought it of Jenna. BLAKE I'm still not sure that I believe it. AVON What does she have to do to convince you, Blake -- personally blow your head off? VILA If this goes wrong she won't get the chance. [In the teleport room. Jenna and the Amagon Guard reach the body of the first guard.] JENNA Something's happened. [He moves to examine the body. Jenna overpowers him and rearms herself.] JENNA [To the unconscious guard] I told you you'd regret it. [In the cell.] GAN I wonder how long before they make contact with the Federation? CALLY Soon. GAN If I could just get close to some of them-- CALLY The one called Tarvin, for example? GAN Right. What's that expression of yours? CALLY Companions for our death? VILA That's a bit morbid, isn't it-- I've done it! I've done it! BLAKE Gently, gently! VILA Now that is genius. [Unfastens Blake's neckband] BLAKE You could well be right. [Takes the neckband off] VILA You want more proof? [He crosses to the door and gestures Avon aside.] Excuse me. AVON It's done. VILA [Skeptically] Oh, yes? [The door opens] Oh. Yes. [A guard outside aims his detonator at Blake.] BLAKE Get down! [Throws his neckband at the guard, who is caught in its explosion. He leaves the cell. Cally and Gan follow.] No, you stay back. Keep out of sight. Get him in there. [Gan carries the body into the cell.] AVON Vila. VILA What? AVON Take this off. VILA Well, that's all very well, but who's going to take mine off? AVON Get on with it. VILA [Plaintively] Who's going to take mine off? CALLY And, Vila, do be quick. I'll be next. [In a corridor. Blake meets with yet another guard. Jenna rushes in and grabs his gun. Blake knocks him out. She hands Blake the extra gun.] BLAKE Thank you. JENNA Come on, we haven't got much time. [On the flight deck.] TARVIN They're almost here now. SARKOFF I must congratulate you, Tarvin. It looks as though you have accomplished what no one else has been able to do: you have taken Blake and his crew alive and his ship intact. TARVIN I will be a prince among my people. SARKOFF Oh, at the very least. TARVIN Do not mock me, old man! SARKOFF Nothing was further from my mind. I welcome Blake's capture. TARVIN Why? What's he done to you? TYCE He didn't give up. He fought. Blake shamed him. SARKOFF And in the end lost, it was inevitable. TARVIN Inevitable. I am the better man. TYCE You? Selfish, greedy, vicious-- TARVIN I WON. SARKOFF Yes, my dear, you see, it's a, it's a paradox. He won because he is not the better man. TARVIN What?! SARKOFF And yet by winning, it seems, he becomes a prince among people. TARVIN Among MY people. SARKOFF Does it matter which people, Tarvin? Do you care? [Blake and Jenna make their way through the corridors.] TARVIN [Into communicator] Tarvin calling Federation patrol. Tarvin calling Federation patrol. Do you read me? Tarvin calling Federation patrol. VOICE [V.O., over communicator] Report. TARVIN Tarvin calling. We will be at the rendezvous point in seven minutes. Request you have a boarding party standing by. VOICE [V.O.] Confirmed. Out. [Tyce pulls a gun from her boot.] TARVIN Jenna was obviously lying. THIRTEEN million credits, I think. TYCE [Points the gun at him] Turn the ship round, Tarvin. TARVIN [Amused] Is that a weapon? TYCE Guess. Turn the ship round. TARVIN We'll die together. SARKOFF Be careful, Tyce! [Tarvin moves his hand slowly towards his belt.] TYCE Leave it! TARVIN You think I'm afraid? TYCE No, but a dead prince, where's the fun in that? TARVIN [Laughs and looks at Sarkoff] Sarkoff! [Knocks the gun out of her hand, knocks her down, and points his detonator at her. Sarkoff grabs the gun.] TYCE Shoot him. TARVIN We don't have a quarrel. TYCE Shoot him, now. TARVIN Throw it away. You couldn't kill me in time to save her. A reflex, a dying spasm, and she's gone. TYCE Shoot him, father. You owe it to me. You owe it to our people. TARVIN Put it down, Sarkoff, you can't win. You haven't got the will for it. TYCE Do it! BLAKE [Enters with Jenna] Tarvin. [Tarvin whirls and vainly tries to detonate Blake's neckband. Blake laughs. Tarvin whirls back and Sarkoff shoots him. Jenna kneels beside his body.] SARKOFF So it really means that much to you? TYCE Aren't I President Sarkoff's daughter? Perhaps I just sounded as though I meant it. SARKOFF Then perhaps I'd better sound as though I mean to be President Sarkoff. JENNA The Amagon's dead. BLAKE Take us out of here, Jenna. [In the teleport room.] SARKOFF I should thank you, but I'm not sure I have anything to be grateful for. TYCE I have, and I do thank you. SARKOFF But as I'm supposed to be a politician, I will thank you anyway. BLAKE Well, if ever you have need of our help again-- SARKOFF I think you've helped enough. Goodbye, Blake. CALLY If you see Lehan ... SARKOFF I have work for Lehan. He and I have an alliance to put together. CALLY Then tell him he can go home to Auron. SARKOFF Goodbye, Jenna. JENNA Goodbye. TYCE Goodbye, Blake. You'll always be welcome on Lindor. SARKOFF Yes, we may have need of thirteen million credits-- TYCE Over my dead body. SARKOFF I hope you're not going to make a habit of that particular threat. Ready! JENNA Would you move back, please. BLAKE Good luck. [Sets the controls and pauses] TYCE Goodbye, Blake. JENNA [Keys the teleport] I had the feeling she didn't mean all of us. CALLY Yes, I had that feeling. BLAKE Well, don't just stand there. Script Index Back to B7 Top
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