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| - Script for Volcano by Allan Prior (c) 1978 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 Hill and Micky DuPree. Dramatis Personae Avon Cally Vila Tarrant Dayna Zen Orac Hower Bershar Mori Mutoid Battle Fleet Commander Robot Milus [Volcano eruption Tarrant and Dayna teleport to Obsidian's surface.] TARRANT Safely down. [Teleport area] CALLY Keep us informed of what's happening. TARRANT [v.o.] Right. Out. [Obsidian surface] TARRANT What's that? DAYNA The volcano. [Dayna looks at hand-held sensor which beeps continuously.] DAYNA I think we've come down on the wrong side TARRANT Terrific. [They begin to climb rocks at the base of the volcano.] TARRANT When were you last here? DAYNA I've never been here before. TARRANT You said you had. DAYNA I didn't. I said one of the people here knew my father. TARRANT Then let's hope they remember him. [They have reached a plateau and look down into the volcano.] DAYNA Zen told us it was here. TARRANT He didn't tell us how big it was. I don't have much faith in Zen, or anything else on the Liberator. DAYNA Then why didn't you stay up there and leave this mission to me? TARRANT I don't trust anyone except my self. That's why I'm still alive. Which way? DAYNA Zen's groundplot said due north. And don't look so warlike. TARRANT Coming from you that's almost funny. DAYNA These people are our friends. TARRANT So you keep saying. [Camera tracks to a detector set in the rock wall.] [Obsidian base] [Hower and Bershar are looking at Tarrant and Dayna on a monitor.] HOWER Who are they? You know? BERSHAR They mean trouble. Look at their weapons. HOWER I thought we'd kept them at bay. The Federation High Command know our position as far as their foolish wars are concerned. BERSHAR These people look more like mercenaries. HOWER Obviously they come from that ship. [The Liberator appears on the monitor.] The satellite's got a clear picture now. HOWER Do we know anything about this type of ship. BERSHAR Nothing. Looks powerful. Shall we approach these mercenaries? HOWER They're heading towards us, anyway. BERSHAR Excuse me. [He leaves the room.] [Robot brings Hower a drink and a tablet.] [On volcano slope] TARRANT [To Liberator] No contact so far. We're following Zen's groundplot as agreed. [Teleport area] CALLY Understood. TARRANT [v.o.] It all seems quiet enough if you don't count the volcano. I should let Orac take over. I think its going to be some time before we find these friends of Dayna's. CALLY All right, but keep in touch. Heroic rescues can be embarrassing if you're not actually in danger. TARRANT [v.o.] Right. CALLY Orac, operate teleport as instructed. Orac? ORAC Yes. CALLY Did you hear what I said? ORAC Teleport operation is a menial task much more suited to one such as yourself. CALLY Just do it please, Orac. ORAC Very well. [Flight Deck. Avon is fiddling with bits of equipment, ignoring Vila.] VILA It is odd, though ,isn't it? An unusual phenomenon. We haven't come across it before, have we? I said it's odd, isn't it. CALLY [coming onto flight deck] What is odd? VILA That damn great volcano right in the middle of the planet. The only active one in the entire place according to Zen, sitting there bubbling away. CALLY What, Zen? VILA The volcano. CALLY Well, Zen also said it has been bubbling away for at least twenty years. VILA Just the same, sooner them than me. Does anyone know why this planet...what's it called? CALLY Obsidian. VILA Obsidian. Even the name sounds nasty. Do you know why it escaped the galactic war? CALLY If it did. VILA Well, Zen says there's no sign of any battle fleet wreckage on the surface. CALLY Not as far as we can see. VILA Nobody wanted it, that's what I reckon. And very sensible, too. AVON Let us settle this neurotic little worry. Zen, do you have sufficient information to be able to tell us when the next major volcanic eruption on the planet Obsidian is to be expected? ZEN Federation report one zero sub five, date code three zero three... VILA That's a long time ago. ZEN Atmospheric and ground tests undertaken by Federation assessment team, collated in Federation teletext predicted no heavy volcanic activity for some years. VILA How many years is some years? ZEN No more detailed prediction was made. VILA Wonderful. And why did the Federation assessment team stop bothering, does anybody know that? Zen, do you know? ZEN That information is not available. VILA Very helpful. CALLY Avon, those Federation assessment teams were always followed up by invasion and colonization. AVON Usually. CALLY Do you know of another case when they weren't? AVON No, and the phrase 'some years' is meaningless. Perhaps it was meant to be. The Federation came and looked at Obsidian and decided it wasn't worth colonizing, simple as that. CALLY But if you are right those two are wasting their time down there. AVON That's always a possibility. Dayna says the people are friendly, but then sometimes one's friends can be more of a liability than one's enemies. VILA They're gonna check out that rumor too, don't forget. AVON That Blake was here? It's getting to be a fairly common rumor. We could spend the rest of our lives chasing down the ones we've picked up so far. CALLY Still, now we're here. AVON Oh, yes, now we're here. [Tarrant and Dayna are walking in a meadow. Bershar and two others are on rocks above Tarrant and Dayna. Bershar shoots liquid from some sort of gun.] TARRANT Can it be raining? DAYNA I don't know. [Bersharr shoots again; Dayna and Tarrant fall to the ground.] [Flight Deck] VILA Maybe we should tell them. CALLY Tell who what? VILA Tarrant and Dayna about the Federation not wanting the planet. AVON Why? VILA Because there's something wrong about it. I think we should tell them. AVON I think you should get back to recalibrating the weaponry systems. CALLY They'll be reporting in soon, we can tell them then. VILA That could be too late. [Avon and Cally ignore him.] VILA All right. [Tarrant and Dayna lie on a bed, unconscious. Hower examines their faces, then turns their heads. When he releases the heads Tarrant and Dayna turn them back as before.] HOWER Was it necessary to treat them like that?. BERSHAR Of course it was, father. You know what these people are like. HOWER They are victims of their own aggressive instincts. They have not learned to control them, that is all. BERSHAR That doesn't make them any the less dangerous, Father. HOWER No, true. [Tarrant and Dayna sit up.] TARRANT [To Dayna] So. These are your friends. [To Hower and Bershar] Where are our guns? HOWER We do not allow offensive weapons on Obsidian. DAYNA And our wrist communicators. HOWER All six of them Why so many, I wonder? TARRANT Replacements. They break down easily. HOWER Oh. They will be returned to you when you leave. TARRANT Oh, we will be leaving? At least that's something. HOWER Why should we harm you? You have done us no harm. TARRANT Who are you? HOWER My name is Hower, I am first citizen on Obsidian. This is my son, Bershar. He has special duties. TARRANT Like capturing us. HOWER Do you feel ill, or upset in any way? DAYNA No. What was it, some kind of narcotic spray gun? HOWER Something like that. Quite harmless, I assure you. TARRANT I'm glad to hear it. BERSHAR Who are you? Why are you on Obsidian? TARRANT I was a Federation captain, a long time ago. We are survivors of a galactic war. BERSHAR If you are looking for somewhere to hide we cannot shelter you. TARRANT [Looks at Dayna.] Maybe you'd better explain it to them. DAYNA Hower. HOWER Yes? DAYNA I am Dayna, the daughter of Hal Mellanby HOWER Oh, are you? Your father... DAYNA My father is dead. HOWER Oh dear. BERSHAR Then how do we know you are his daughter? DAYNA You studied with him at the Federation Central Science complex. [Holds up medallion around her neck.] This is his graduate medallion. You have one like it. HOWER I used to have one like it. But unlike your father I lost faith in that sort of scientific development. I think that homo sapians have reached a point where further technological development is useless. TARRANT And you are at that point? HOWER I believe we are. BERSHAR Never mind that. Tell us who the people are in that ship and why you are here. [Tarrant and Dayna look at each other.] BERSHAR What do you want here? [Servalan's ship] SERVALAN Here are your instructions. That is the target to which you are being taken. [Points to chart.] That is the Liberator in orbit over the planet Obsidian in the sixth sector. You will go there, get the Liberator, and bring it back. MORI You make it sound very simple... Madam President. SERVALAN It is very simple. Two of their party are already on the planet. MORI How do you know that? SERVALAN That is not your concern. They are there. MORI Why should they land there? I mean, what's so special about the planet Obsidian? SERVALAN They are investigating its strategic value, which is real. And a rumor, which is not. Obsidian is at a vital point in the sixth sector. It could control command and supplies and be a real acquisition for us. But, your immediate mission is to capture the Liberator and bring it back. MORI And those on board? SERVALAN Kill them. [Flight Deck] CALLY Orac hasn't picked up anything. They've been out of contact for an hour now. I think it's time to start worrying. VILA I've been worried all along AVON We agreed to wait for them to contact us. CALLY But not this long. AVON We don't draw attention to the bracelets without a good enough reason. CALLY I think this is a good enough reason. AVON Zen was picking up a signal from the ground. It could have been some kind of beam approach detector. CALLY You didn't say anything at the time. AVON No, I didn't. CALLY Why was that? AVON Because I wasn't sure. CALLY That wasn't the reason, Avon. AVON No, it wasn't. VILA You gonna let me in on the secret? AVON You wouldn't understand it if we did. VILA My classification might be grade four ignorant but I'm not stupid. I bought that classification from a friend at the testing center. I didn't want to be a space captain now, did I? And I was right. They all ended up getting killed, didn't they? CALLY Tarrant survived. VILA Oh, yes, Tarrant says he was a space captain, but then he says a lot of things, and you don't have to believe it all, do you? AVON I'd be more inclined to believe that he was a captain than that you could have been. VILA Well, never mind about me. But it's Tarrant you should be worried about. And not just because he's been out of contact for an hour. CALLY And what about Dayna? Don't you trust her either? VILA Dayna's a different case entirely. CALLY Well, she's pretty, for one thing. VILA Pretty? Yes, I suppose she is. I hadn't really noticed. AVON We've seen you not really noticing, frequently. [Obsidian base] BERSHAR How many are you? TARRANT There aren't many of us yet, but we do have an advantage that no one else has: the most powerful fighting ship in the galaxy. Our armament, offensive and defensive, is better than any other mercenary group can muster. BERSHAR The why do you come here? TARRANT Surely we're not the first. BERSHAR What do you mean? DAYNA A man called Blake. Hasn't he contacted you? We heard he'd been here. BERSHAR No one has been here. TARRANT We need a planet as a home base, somewhere that's not been ruined by the war, and we need recruits. This might do. You are situated in a very important strategic position. BERSHAR Obsidian, this is to be your base? TARRANT Temporarily, if you were to agree, naturally. BERSHAR And what would you offer us for this favor? TARRANT A portion of any spoils, and there will be spoils, once we're strong enough to take them. HOWER You were once a Federation space captain, you said. TARRANT Yes, I was, for a time, until I deserted. HOWER You still sound like one. TARRANT And you, sir, with great respect, sound like somebody who doesn't realize the danger he's in. DAYNA Tarrant! Be careful. These are friends. TARRANT Then they deserve the truth. How they've escaped occupation by somebody before now is beyond me. HOWER Perhaps we are cleverer than you think, Captain Tarrant. BERSHAR What is the this danger to us that you speak of? Where does it come from? TARRANT Any petty warlord, any mercenary, anybody with enough ships and weaponry to take you over. DAYNA What Tarrant is saying is that your pacific attitude is all very well in theory, but not much use against a battle fleet with ruthless leaders. BERSHAR And you are not in this category? DAYNA No, we're not. If you say no to us, then we will go peaceably--won't we, Tarrant? TARRANT But I hope we can convince you, things being in the state they are, that you need friends. HOWER Who are you afraid of, Captain Tarrant? TARRANT I'm sorry. HOWER You must be afraid of somebody. People who need recruits, allies, whatever. They wouldn't need them if they didn't have enemies. Who exactly are your enemies? [Servalan's ship] MUTOID Long range sensors are registering a slight volcanic tremor from the planet Obsidian. SERVALAN That's all right, it's normal. MORI You're quite sure about that, I suppose? SERVALAN Of course I'm sure. I'm going there, aren't I. SERVALAN Approach planet Obsidian on a bearing of one four five. And prepare for planet fall on grid reference zero one three seven. MUTOID Approach bearing zero one four five. Planet fall on grid reference one three seven. MORI What's so special about that bearing and grid reference? So we don't land in the volcano? SERVALAN So the Liberator does not pick us up as we approach. MORI Are the people down there likely to give us trouble? SERVALAN Most unlikely. MORI They were right in the middle of the war zone where some of the greatest battles of the galactic war took place, yet the planet survived untouched. Why? SERVALAN I promise you it had nothing to do with fear of the inhabitants. You'll be safe. MORI I don't doubt it. SERVALAN You'll have no problem with the Pyroans. They have outlawed war. MORI Oh, really, how interesting. SERVALAN Mori, it is because they have outlawed war that they are still alive. MORI Well, let's hope we are at the end of it. SERVALAN Remember, you will be my supreme commander, if you succeed. And your ship will be the Liberator. MORI That, Madam President, is why I am going at all. That and my personal loyalty to you. SERVALAN Quite MORI With that ship, the Liberator. SERVALAN So. Careful at first, then you know what to do. MORI Yes. [Slight bow to Servalan.] [Teleport area] CALLY Respond, please, Tarrant, Dayna, this is Cally, respond please. VILA It could be a communications blind spot. The volcano. CALLY They are not wearing the bracelets. AVON It would seem that Dayna's friends are not so friendly after all. Have you set the coordinates? CALLY Yes. I still think you're too near the volcano. AVON At least I know what to expect from that. VILA A bootful of burning lava. AVON If they have been picked up, perhaps I won't be. [Stands in teleport bay.] VILA I'd rather be picked up than burned up. CALLY Ready? AVON Yes. Put me down. [Obsidian surface, near volcano] AVON Down and safe--well, just about. I'm going to make my way to where Dayna and Tarrant came down. [Looks at sensor.] [Teleport area] CALLY Avon, repeat that. Message indistinct. Repeat that. VILA Communications blind spot. Or maybe he landed in the volcano. CALLY No, I think he's all right. VILA Yes, of course he is. There isn't a volcano alive that would dare to swallow Avon. CALLY Be quiet Vila. VILA He's cold enough to put out the fire anyway. CALLY Look, why don't you go down and keep an eye on those long range detectors?. We aren't the only ship in space, you know. VILA Zen's got it covered. CALLY Well, Perhaps he'd like some help. VILA His trusty battle computers never sleep. CALLY Avon, confirm contact, confirm contact. [She turns up gain on communication equipment.] [Obsidian surface. Servalan, Mori and three troopers walk toward some rock.] MORI That volcano sounds pretty active to me. SERVALAN I'm told it's a regular small tremor, nothing to worry about. MORI What about those over there? Are they something to worry about? [Two Pyroans approach from a distance. They appear and disappear; each time they reappear they are closer.] SERVALAN Let me speak to them. [to approaching Pyroans] We're friends. MORI Must be more of them. [Troopers surround Pyroans.] SERVALAN Are either of you called Milus? MILUS I am Milus. This is my brother Nettin. SERVALAN I am Servalan. You have a message for me. MILUS Yes, it is here. [He hands a small object to Servalan.] SERVALAN Thank you, Milus. [She fits the object into a blue device she takes from a trooper.] [To Mori] Kill them. MORI What? [To Pyroans] Well, run, go on. [Pyroans don't move. Mori shoots them.] They didn't run. they weren't even scared. They're like tame animals. [Obsidian base] HOWER I am very sorry to hear of your father's death. If there is anything I can do for you I will. [Takes drink and tablet from robot.] But you will not get any recruits here. DAYNA Your son seems interested. HOWER Oh, no, he isn't. [Tarrant and Bershar are in another part of the room.] TARRANT Your levels of volcanic activity are high. BERSHAR Not dangerously so. We monitor the volcano constantly. TARRANT Could you control it, if it became necessary? BERSHAR It a way, if it became necessary. Come, let me show you our operational complex. And then perhaps you will see we are not as helpless as we seem. You will excuse us, Father. HOWER Yes, of course. [Tarrant and Bershar leave.] HOWER My son, like the rest of us, hates war, conflict, aggression. DAYNA Who doesn't? But as the galactic war has just demonstrated, aggression seems to be programmed into the human psyche. HOWER It can be programmed out, perhaps. DAYNA Would that be wise, even if it could? Would homo sapians be able to live without conflict? Wouldn't they just die from lack of excitement? HOWER We have not found it so. It is our belief that every man is at war with himself. His reason is at war with his instinct, his animal and his spiritual natures clash together and the brain of homo sapians has developed too much for the animal to bear. DAYNA You mean your people have become passive because you have reduced their brain power? Is that it? HOWER On the contrary. We have taught them peace from the cradle, and we have blocked, usually with a minute electric shock, every tendency towards an aggressive act. Plus of course, daily psychological propaganda. DAYNA Does it work? HOWER We have no war, no fights among ourselves, no lawlessness, no crime. Our people devote themselves to creation and not destruction. We are at peace here on Obsidian. DAYNA No violence at all? It's breathtaking, if it's true. HOWER The truth is absolute. [Obsidian surface. Avon finds bodies of Milus and Nettin. Calls Liberator.] AVON This is Avon. [Teleport area] CALLY Avon, are you all right? AVON [v.o.] Yes, but I think there is a Federation patrol down here somewhere. CALLY Why do you say that? AVON [v.o.] Because I've seen people killed with Federation handguns before. Stay by the teleport, Cally. Out. CALLY Federation patrols. How would they have got there? VILA Probably survivors from the war. We're not the only ones looking for a home base you know. [Obsidian control room] BERSHAR We have an efficient detector system. We picked you up very early in your approach. TARRANT Look, I know you have to toe the party line with your father, but can I talk to you independently? BERSHAR Go on. TARRANT You have responsibility for the defense of Obsidian. BERSHAR That is so. TARRANT I don't think you're as idealistic as your father is, or am I wrong? I don't think you believe in your heart that you are safe here on Obsidian forever. BERSHAR Perhaps not. TARRANT Look, there's a sizeable remnant of the Federation battle fleet still functioning. We need a base and you need protection. Is it possible to do a deal of some kind without involving your father? BERSHAR It will be difficult, but not impossible. TARRANT Let me tell you what I can offer you. BERSHAR You talk of a battle fleet. Do you know a woman called Servalan? [Obsidian surface] MORI What now? SERVALAN Follow the tone. [hands Mori the blue device.] As it gets louder you're closer to the point. When you get there, everything will be as I told you. MORI It's too easy. SERVALAN There will be difficulties. I expect you to overcome them. MORI And you? SERVALAN I shall return to the cruiser. [Avon is hiding behind some rocks and sees Mori and three troopers.] AVON Cally, bring me up, quickly. [Teleport area] CALLY What happened? AVON Still no contact with Tarrant? CALLY Nothing. AVON Keep trying Servalan is down there. CALLY Servalan! AVON And a patrol. VILA Why? AVON Ask her, but something big is happening. Tarrant and Dayna are probably prisoners. VILA But these Pyroans are supposed to be friendly. AVON That is what I mean. [Obsidian surface. Mori and troopers approach door in the rock, using the blue device.] MORI This is the place, and this is the time. [All hide nearby.] [Tarrant, Dayna and Bershar come out of the door. Bershar is carrying four teleport bracelets.] BERSHAR We do not come to the surface any more than we have to. The air is not very pleasant. TARRANT I've noticed. [Troopers come out of hiding, guns drawn.] DAYNA [Looks as Bershar] You? BERSHAR I'm afraid so. I had no choice. MORI If you even so much as move an eyelid you're dead. Have you got the bracelets? [Bershar drops bracelets at Mori's feet instead of handing them to him. He is now carrying the gun used on Tarrant and Dayna earlier.] MORI Four? BERSHAR They were recruiting. TARRANT You weren't quite what we had in mind. [Servalan's ship] MUTOID Computers confirm that we are clear of the planet's detectors and screened from the Liberator's detectors by the planet itself. We are maintaining relative orbital position as instructed. SERVALAN Where is the battle fleet? MUTOID Battle fleet is holding at nine eight six grid four awaiting instructions. SERVALAN Good. Patch me into the battle fleet commander. MUTOID Command frequency is open. SERVALAN This is Servalan calling Federation battle fleet commander. COMMANDER Battle Commander. SERVALAN Your position is confirmed. Maintain until further instructions. COMMANDER Very Well, Madam President. But I would remind you I do have fuel problems. Can you bring me nearer the objective? SERVALAN We cannot risk them detecting your presence. Hold position until advised. It won't be long, commander. Out. [Trooper ties Dayna and Tarrant.] DAYNA Why are you doing this? BERSHAR As I told you, I have no choice. TARRANT I suppose you're going to kill us? MORI Yes. DAYNA So much for your principles. All that was just talk, was it? BERSHAR No killing. They will remain with me. You know what to do, do it. MORI My orders were to.. BERSHAR Do it, or I alert the Liberator. I mean it. MORI Very well, you can argue it out with Servalan. [To troopers] Come. [Servalan's ship] MUTOID Signal from the planet Obsidian on channel four. MORI [v.o.] Mori here. First stage of operation accomplished. Second stage begins now. SERVALAN Very well. We'll begin approach now. Estimate units will be in firing range in approximately seven minutes forty seconds from...now. [Flight deck] AVON Zen, have the detectors registered any firing on the planet surface? ZEN Negative. AVON Is there any weaponry activity of any kind registering on Obsidian? ZEN Negative. AVON None whatsoever? Run the scan again. ZEN Scan completed. Data is confirmed. The Liberator's present geostationary orbit makes the far side of the planet permanently inaccessible to the detectors. Data therefore refers to approximately half the planetary surface only. AVON I am aware of that. [Teleport area] CALLY Tarrant, Dayna, respond please. VILA You're wasting your time. The friendly hostiles have probably eaten them. And I'm not joking. There's been cannibalism on some of the planets. [v.o.] Teleport. Teleport. CALLY Tarrant? [v.o.] Teleport. CALLY Tarrant? VILA It's them. CALLY I don't know. VILA What's the matter? CALLY I don't know. Something's wrong. VILA Of course something's wrong. They're in trouble. Bring them up. [Vila works the teleport. Four troopers appear in the teleport bay.] [Flight deck] AVON Zen, there were three major battles in this sector during the galactic war. [He takes off his gun belt and puts it on the couch.] Is that correct? ZEN That is correct. AVON Did either side land survivors or damaged ships on the surface of the planet Obsidian? ZEN Available data suggests that they did not. AVON That's what I thought. Zen, do you have any information as to any neutral status accorded the planet Obsidian? ZEN No official neutral status was accorded the planet Obsidian. AVON Then what have they got that protects them? ZEN Information. Medium range detectors indicate eight Federation cruisers approaching at attack speed from orbital blind side. [Teleport area. Troopers advance toward Cally and Vila.] VILA We're under attack. MORI Quick of you to notice. CALLY Who are you? [She backs up.] MORI The winner and new champion. That's far enough. VILA We are under attack. MORI I know. VILA Friend, that means you are under attack as well. MORI Who's operating this ship? [Flight deck] AVON Put them on main screen. ZEN Confirmed. AVON Speed of approach. ZEN Time distort eight. AVON How long before they reach their attack range? ZEN Two minutes. AVON Put up the radiation flare shields. Clear the main blasters for firing. ZEN Main blasters are cleared for firing. AVON Battle and navigation computers on line. ZEN Confirmed. AVON Compute an initial evasion course to take the flank ship in delta seven out of line and into strike range. ZEN Grid one zero four, standard by six. AVON Execute. Stand by the force wall. ZEN Confirmed. [Teleport area. Vila and Cally are bound and gagged.] CALLY [v.o.-telepathing] Avon, please listen to me. [Flight deck] AVON Cally, Vila, where are you? Fire main blasters. [A Federation ship is destroyed.] [Command ship] COMMANDER Servalan, I have a ship destroyed. Do I continue the attack? [Servalan's ship] SERVALAN Yes, but do exactly as instructed. I repeat, do not deviate from your instructions. [Command ship] COMMANDER Will comply. Out. [Flight deck] CALLY [v.o.-telepathing] Avon, listen. The enemy are on board. Avon. AVON Are they maintaining formation? ZEN Affirmative. AVON When will they be in range? ZEN They have been in range for one minute, eight seconds. AVON Then why aren't they firing? ZEN Plasma bolt launched and running. AVON Should have kept my mouth shut. How many bolts? ZEN One only, running true. Five seconds to strike. AVON Activate the force wall. [Bolt strikes the Liberator.] Are they all in range? ZEN All hostiles are in range. AVON Then why aren't they all firing? ZEN Battle computers can offer no explanation. AVON They must be holding back for a concerted effort. They are all going to fire at once. [Mori and a trooper enter flight deck, holding guns on Avon.] MORI Wrong. If they did that they would destroy the ship, and we don't want that, do we Avon. That battle command is coming in to corner you and if you don't let him I'm gonna kill you. CALLY [v.o.-telepathing] Avon, there are three of them. AVON What do you want? MORI I want you to get away from that control panel. ZEN Battle fleet, seven elements, closing fast. AVON They will ram us. MORI No they won't. Where's your open channel? [Finds communicator and speaks into it.] This is Commander Mori. I have taken control of the Liberator. Do not fire. SERVALAN [v.o.] Message received. Battle fleet, withhold action. [Two troopers enter, one carrying Orac.] AVON Servalan's people, aren't you? MORI I ask the questions. So, this is your magic computer, Orac, isn't it? ORAC I assume your use of the word magic means that I am incomprehensible to you. While that may well be the case, your use of the word is inappropriate. MORI What? ORAC Your use of the word magic is inappropriate. I am simply the sum of the thousands of data stores which are available to me. MORI Impressive. AVON Yes, he's very efficient., but then so is the whole ship. [Begins walk toward Zen.] The greatest single factor is our armament, together with our main computer, Zen, as targets bear, main blasters will fire. Nine zero, full thrust. ZEN Confirmed. [Liberator fires. Federation ships return fire. As bolt strikes the Liberator Avon grabs his gun from the couch and shoots one trooper, then ducks behind couch. Mori shoots at Avon and misses. Avon rises and shoots another trooper. Mori shoots again, hitting Avon in the right arm. Avon falls.] MORI They'll blast us. Grab that. Come on, get out of this. [Trooper grabs Orac and he and Mori leave.] ZEN Targets bearing one zero. [Zen fires again, destroying another ship.] [Teleport area] MORI Teleport us down. [Unties Vila and frees Cally's feet. Pulls Cally toward teleport bay.] Get up. Teleport us down. VILA All right, all right. CALLY [v.o.-telepathing] Vila, no. VILA [Puts bracelet on Cally.] Be reasonable, Cally, you'll be safer down there. MORI Come on. VILA Teleport, now. [He moves teleport levers; Cally, Mori and trooper with Orac teleport] I just hope I was right. [Flight deck] ZEN Two plasma bolts struck midsection. Force wall was not penetrated. Target bearing one five one. [Avon stirs on the floor.] [Command ship] COMMANDER Battle Fleet Commander to Servalan. I am breaking off the attack. [Servalan's ship] SERVALAN What has gone wrong? COMMANDER [On viewscreen] Liberator is still firing. I'm retreating out of range. All ships take evasion course. I repeat, all ships disengage. SERVALAN This is Servalan calling Commander Mori. Are you still on the Liberator? [Flight deck] SERVALAN [v.o.] Servalan calling Commander Mori on open channel. Are you on the Liberator? Reply. VILA No he isn't but I am. What can I do for you, Servalan? SERVALAN Vila, are you in command of the Liberator? VILA For your information, Madam President, we are all here, ready and waiting. I think I can see you on the screen. Yes, I know exactly where you are. You are at grid reference one three seven zero. Better start running. [He drops to Avon, who is sitting up.] AVON Awww. VILA Where does it hurt? [Servalan's ship] SERVALAN Eight ships. Picked men. [To mutoids] Course for space command headquarters. Speed time distort ten. MUTOID Course computed and laid in. Speed, time distort ten. SERVALAN Without that ship we've lost a strategic advantage. MUTOID Madam? SERVALAN But, no one else has gained it. Without Blake the Liberator's no immediate threat to our plans. MUTOID No, Madam President. SERVALAN Well the crew have no political ambitions. MUTOID They are merely criminals. SERVALAN So they'll keep. Until the rule of law has been restored. Until my rule of law has been restored. [Flight Deck. Vila has a drink, Avon's right arm is bandaged.] AVON What's happening? VILA All gone. AVON Orac? VILA Gone as well. Cheers. (he takes a drink) AVON The battle fleet? VILA Ran away. Expect they'll be back. AVON Cally? VILA They took her when they took Orac. AVON A mess. VILA Never mind. We're still here. [Avon touches the bandage on his arm.] VILA It's not serious. The pad'll take care of it, if you don't fiddle with it. You did very well there, I must say. AVON Must you? VILA Here, go on. [Offers Avon his drink.] Adrenalin and soma. It's very relaxing. AVON No thanks. [A panel at one of the stations explodes with a lot of sparks.] I need my wits about me. VILA If you say so. [Obsidian control room] TARRANT So, no battle fleet. BERSHAR They'll be back. TARRANT How do you know? BERSHAR You're not the only one who wants Obsidian. Servalan will regroup and rearm her battle fleet. DAYNA You made a mistake, Bershar. You backed Servalan and you lost. BERSHAR Not yet, not yet. DAYNA You know what Servalan is. BERSHAR And are you any better? Out of my way. [Starts to leave the room.] HOWER [Entering through the door Bershar is trying to use.] You are not going anywhere, my son. BERSHAR Let me go. HOWER You somehow overcame your peaceful conditioning. When you were a child the therapists said that you were at risk. I welcomed this possibility, because I needed, I thought, one man who could think aggressively like my enemies. BERSHAR I have not renounced the theory of peace. Servalan is more powerful than these people. Tomorrow or the next day they will go, and Servalan will be back with her battle fleet. TARRANT Guided here again by you, no doubt. It is very plain what has happened Hower. BERSHAR My choice was to make Servalan our ally. I never took these people seriously, nor should you Father. I don't want to die. HOWER You have taken the vow. BERSHAR What choice did I have? What choice have any of us had? You've turned us all into peace puppets. We're at anybody's mercy, and I tell you, Servalan will return. HOWER Then the vow will be put into effect. BERSHAR You're mad. You're all mad. We've no way of keeping the vandals out. We must defend ourselves or we'll die, all of us. I don't want to die, not for a stupid ideal that can never work. Homosapians cannot be changed, don't you understand that? HOWER My son, the animal rules you. [Bershar backs away.] BERSHAR Oh, no, for pity's sake. [Robot shoots Bershar with silver gun similar to that used on Dayna and Tarrant.] HOWER Before you ask, it was a lethal dose. DAYNA You heard what he said. Servalan will be back. HOWER Release them. [The robot emits a purple ray that loosens the bonds]. Give them their bracelets. [Two Pyroans bring the guns and last two bracelets.] You are free to go. If you stay any longer you will be in danger. Come. TARRANT What is this vow you spoke of? HOWER We are all dying, very slowly. The whole planet is contaminated with radioactive fallout. DAYNA But you've had no wars here. HOWER There is a nuclear device buried deep in the heart of the planet. One touch of that button and it blows. DAYNA You'd never do that. HOWER Yes, we would. We warned the Federation of it and we warned Servalan of it. How do you think we survived the war? We warned any fleet that landed that we'd blow them up and ourselves with it. So they never landed. DAYNA But you'd never do it. HOWER We would, it is the truth we live by. TARRANT But this radioactive fallout, why? The device in the core of the planet, is it seeping, is it defective? Is that why you are all dying? Is the volcano spraying it out? HOWER No more questions. You must go while you can. TARRANT Goodbye, and good luck. [Tarrant and Dayna leave.] HOWER My son was wrong. There must be peace. [Outside the door to Obsidian base.] DAYNA What now? Back to the ship? TARRANT Have we still got a ship to go back to? [Flight deck] TARRANT [v.o.] Tarrant to Liberator. AVON Yes, are you all right? TARRANT [v.o.] Yes, are you? AVON Not really, we took some heavy shots. Our steering control is damaged and the energy banks almost exhausted. Zen got a little over-enthusiastic. [Obsidian surface] TARRANT My information is that the battle fleet will be back, possibly reinforced, possibly very soon. Are you in a position to take them on? [Flight deck] AVON I will be very lucky to be in a position to run. Suggest you come back aboard immediately, except.. TARRANT [v.o.] Yes, what? AVON The Federation commandos got Orac and Cally. [Obsidian surface] TARRANT Where did they teleport? AVON [v.o.] About two miles due north of your present position. TARRANT That brings us near the volcano. AVON [v.o.] What do you want to do? TARRANT We'll look for them. [Flight deck] AVON All right, but you haven't much time. If you are not back here in an hour I shall have to consider the safety of the Liberator as the first priority. Do you understand me? [Obsidian surface] TARRANT Yes, I do. One hour. DAYNA Let's move. [Tarrant and Dayna climb rocks at the base of the volcano.] DAYNA I hope that old man's wrong about homo sapians. [A cave near the volcano. Cally is tied but not gagged. Mori and one trooper are also there, as is Orac.] MORI I don't know why we brought you. CALLY I'm useful as a hostage, aren't I? If the Pyroans get you, you'll be killed. MORI They wouldn't kill us; they wouldn't kill anybody. Besides, no one's gonna come this close to that. [Indicates volcano.] We know that Servalan is coming with more reinforcements. We know that we're safe here until she does. We also know that we're going to get at least a million credits from her for this little toy. So, Orac, I'm talking to you. You can provide Servalan with a flight path that evades the long range detectors on this planet. That will come in very useful. Can you do that? ORAC I have access to the necessary data banks. It is really quite simple. If an attacking force comes in at zero three seven degrees approach they will find the blind spot in the detectors and thence can use tactical missiles with impunity. [Servalan's ship] MORI [v.o.] If you come in that approach, you will find no detectors to pick you up, and no opposition. SERVALAN Excellent. We will regroup immediately and approach on that bearing. MORI [v.o.] Right. And don't forget us. SERVALAN How could I? [Turns off speaker.] You have Orac. SERVALAN Battle Fleet Commander, You heard that. COMMANDER [On viewscreen] Yes. SERVALAN I think it's time we tested the determination of the Pyroans. COMMANDER [On viewscreen] I agree. SERVALAN Use limited tactical missiles. You should get a ninety percent kill on the first strike. COMMANDER [On viewscreen] Thank you for the honor. We will not fail you this time. What about the Liberator? Is it damaged beyond possibility of repair in the time? We can destroy it for you, Servalan. SERVALAN No. Yes, destroy it, Commander. Destroy it completely. [Flight deck] AVON Zen, correction thirteen twenty seven on steering calculation. Is function restored yet? ZEN Autorepair systems are still operating. AVON What is the state of the energy banks. ZEN One fifth of capacity only. AVON Using emergency booster, can I set a course? ZEN Negative information AVON All right. That means I have to take a chance. Zen, put all emergency circuits into action. AVON Zen, do you hear me? Put all emergency circuits into action. ZEN Emergency circuits are not yet available. [Cave near the volcano.] MORI What's that? [Goes out of cave.] I thought I heard someone. Come on, or we'll have no room to maneuver. Outside. [Other trooper gags Cally, then follows Mori.] CALLY [telepathing] By the rim. They're waiting by the rim. [Above the volcano. Dayna and Tarrant take cover amid the rocks.] CALLY [v.o.--telepathing] By the rim. By the rim TARRANT Is this it? DAYNA Round here, yes. They can't last long in this heat. TARRANT They can if coming out means they're dead. Come on. CALLY [v.o.--telepathing] They are waiting by the rim. DAYNA Just a minute. TARRANT What? CALLY [v.o.--telepathing] By the rim. By the rim. DAYNA I can hear something, a voice. TARRANT No, it's the heat. DAYNA No, can't you hear it? TARRANT Not a thing. DAYNA I can. Maybe it's in my mind... Cally? TARRANT What does it say, this voice? DAYNA It-it says to go forward, there. CALLY [v.o.--telepathing] By the rim. TARRNAT That's towards the center of the volcano. DAYNA To the rim, that's what the voice says. TARRANT All right, that's what we'll do. [They start forward] CALLY [v.o.--telepathing] Look out, to your left. [Mori and trooper appear and shoot at Tarrant and Dayna.] TARRANT [clutching his leg] Aaaah! [Tarrant and Dayna scramble for cover in the rocks.] DAYNA Are you all right? TARRANT Don't mind me, get them. DAYNA Right. You only had to ask. [Takes grenade from her boot and throws it at troopers, felling one and knocking the other into the lava.] TARRANT [Standing above volcano.] Cally? Are you there? [Teleport area. Tarrant, Dayna, Cally and Orac appear in the teleport bay.] VILA I get an eerie feeling every time Orac does that. You're just in time, we've company coming. TARRANT What? VILA The battle fleet's on its way, it's been moving for two minutes. TARRANT Why aren't we moving? VILA Because we can't. [Flight deck] AVON Zen, flight status? ZEN The energy banks still require two minutes before power will be available to make navigation speed. AVON We'll be dead by then ZEN One minute fifty nine seconds AVON We are sitting here waiting. TARRANT We'd better take our combat positions. DAYNA Look, one of them's peeling off. It's the lead ship, it's gonna make an attack on Obsidian. ZEN Voice contact from the planet Obsidian AVON Put it on the main speaker. HOWER [v.o.] Hower calling Liberator. TARRANT This is the Liberator, go ahead. [Obsidian control room] HOWER My friends. The Federation have launched an attack. We do not intend to give in. We will not be colonized by the federation or by anybody else. We will honor our sacred vow. Withdraw immediately. We bid you farewell. [Flight deck] AVON What was that about. TARRANT Zen, put up the force wall. ZEN Confirmed. [Hower pushes button. Planet Obsidian explodes. Force waves shake the Liberator.] TARRANT They did it. They really did it. DAYNA Rather than live as slaves. TARRANT They were gonna die anyway, remember. VILA Servalan's battle fleet's moving away. TARRANT Any damaged? VILA Hard to tell. AVON Zen, flight status. ZEN Energy banks are now at the lowest workable capacity TARRANT Well, let's go, while we can. AVON Execute preprogrammed course. ZEN Confirmed. DAYNA I didn't believe they'd do it. TARRANT Neither did Servalan. AVON She just didn't care. Her options were to take it or to destroy it. Either way, she won. CALLY I don't think so. She lost, and we lost. Only the Pyroans won. VILA If that's winning, I'll take losing every time. Script Index Back to B7 Top
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