Blake's 7 (1978) s02e04 Episode Script

Thank you Tell me the bad news first Your headaches are from the same source as Vila's stomach cramps and Avon's back pains: over stress Rubbish I'm all right No, you're not None of us are We're all in an early stage of fatigue shock Too many crises Too many calls on our physical and mental reserves All of us are dangerously exhausted We're also a long way out and still running Why? We lost those patrol ships ages ago We lost everything ages ago Nothing comes this far out So we're free forthe time being anyway This is freedom? I'm going blind staring at these detectors Why are we here, Blake? We need rest soon Absolutely right What I wouldn't give for a week at one of the old Federation Rest Centres Sensory ecstasy hours, pleasure machines You have to accept these findings I accept them But where are WE going to find a centre that will take US in for a month's rest and rehabilitation? Well, that shouldn't be a problem What's the point of being famous if you can't get a last minute booking? Information Manual detectors are showing Federation freighter on collision course Vila Repeat Federation freighter on collision course He's right Zen, how far away? Five hundred spacials Course and speed for avoidance? Standard by one half Vector one one zero Jenna Standard by one half Vector one one zero Estimated nearest on that course, Zen One hundred and fifty spacials Willthe freighter have us on his detectors? Negative Freighter is operating minimum scan What's a freighter doing this far out? He's in Zone Eight already Where the hell is he going? Zen, plot of the freighter's course? Freighter's course is 104 grid That'lltake him into Zone Nine So we are free of the Federation Persistent, aren't they? Let's just get out of his way It was you that asked the question, ""Where are they going?'' We're hiding, already on the edge of the spiral rim He's going further out Zen, give us a course and speed where we can observe out of range of the freighter's detectors I'm sorry I mentioned it Aren't we all? The freighter's present course will take it into Zone Nine in four hours at present speed Where in Zone Nine? The freighter is on course for the only habitable planet in Zone Nine Which is? Code named Horizon ""Horizon''? Code named by whom? Data was obtained via Federation cipher Data also suggests that it is visited annually by a Federation supply freighter Carrying what? There is no information What are the surface conditions on Horizon? Negative information Population? Negative information Is there any information on Horizon? Negative Is the information on Horizon classified? Negative information Well, that was a whole load of nothing Course, please Maintain present course If you insist You're not going to follow the freighter allthe way to Horizon? Why not? I'm curious Oh, you are curious Well, I'm glad we have a worthwhile purpose Doesn't it interest you a little? No There's nothing out there We are on the edge Even Zen has nothing on it That could mean anything An experimentalwar zone, anything That freighter's gone to Horizon for some good reason Which is more than you can say for us How is the lesson? Difficult Well, Orac isn't exactly the idealteacher I'm not exactly the ideal pupil That is because you are too easily distracted Planet visual is now available Still holding course, Standard by Two Freighter's speed? Time Distort Six Freighter's planetfall? Twenty three minutes at present speed Any course correction? No, hold course as plotted Holding course as plotted Blake, I'm tired Can I go on automatics? No Who knows what we might run into? What's that? Whatever it is the freighter has sailed right through it It doesn't mean we will Pull back Blake The force wall is activated Zen, have you any information on Horizon's defences? Negative There's a surprise CLATTERING Orac, what's going on? The Liberator is being attacked The force wall has been activated We are quite safe, for the moment Glad you think so What is it? Judgment Day It's a magnetic barrier Get out now I told you it could be an experimentalwar zone Ohh, I think I've got the bends I have, I definitely have Zen, check systems status Confirmed The magnetic barrier must have triggered automatically The freighterwas impervious to it, its fuselage must've been demagnetised Ours hasn't If it hadn't been forthe force wall, we would be a cloud of agitated atoms I wish I was a cloud of agitated atoms Stabiliser shot Now keep still What was that? One third adrenalin, two thirds soma Soma, eh? I think I'll bottle it, make myself a fortune He'll be sleepy now for about half an hour That will be nice All systems intact Energy loss from force wall 0 1 7 COMMUNICATOR CHIME Jenna Do you need any help? How are you feeling? Fine but Stand by, I might need you DATATRANSFER CHIME Zen, was that permission to land? Affirmative It's all negative, the whole thing Jenna, stay on manual Speed Standard by half Right Are you going down? Not yet Zen, what's the freighter's position? Freighter approaching landing site on Horizon Scanner grid reference 1 1 4 He's landing Now we can be off, right? Jenna, stationary orbit Then switch to automatics Wrong Zen, plot us a standby course out of here You DO want a standby course out, don't you? Yes, of course I do Thank you, Avon Standby course being prepared Read out Confirmed Cally, what's the medical situation? I've told you: we're all over stressed We've been in space flight and space crises a long time What about the old adrenalin and soma? That's the trouble We're practically living on it What we need are some natural relaxants, non stress situations for a start You know, we still have nervous systems I wonderwhat Horizon's like It might be just what we need You're not going down there? Yes, I think I will Jenna, I want you to come with me Right Gan, take over, willyou? But I could come No Zen, take us to teleport range, two miles from the landing field at grid reference 102 What are the surface conditions? Detectors indicate that surface conditions are tolerable, breathable atmosphere COMMUNICATOR CHIME Teleport range is confirmed All right Gan Anything on the detectors? Not a thing We're all alone up here Make sure we stay that way I'lltry not to drop off Well, that's all right, assuming they haven't got a fix on us from the ground by now No, it'd be raining plasma bolts if they had Why exactly are we going down? The Resistance needs a base, Jenna Thank you Somewhere to operate from And this could be it? It's as good as any other We know the Federation only visit it once a year It's on the edge of the spiral rim Oh, hell, I'm tired of running, Jenna We must get at least one planet behind us And why are you taking me with you? I trust you to back me Thanks But there's more to it than that You were very deliberate Covering the angles How do you mean? Avon might run But not without a first class pilot He plays the percentages Unlike you I am ready if you are Put us down Down and safe Can't see anyone around Out Come on LOW HUM right when she says we're out of condition What? I said "Cally's right when she says we're out of condition " Guard Strangers in Theta Section Take them Yes, sir Theta Section, quickly Careful What are they doing? Mining, I suppose Liberator, there seem to be some sort of mines here Federation guards everywhere We'll keep in touch What are those things on theirwrists? Some sort of communicator, sir Bring them both to the palace Remove the communicators first Yes, sir What's happening? Nothing They should've called in again by now Maybe they found a Rest and Rehabilitation Centre and they're lying there, soaking up the sunrays You're fit again, I see Oh, I neverfelt better I'd be happier if this vitamin solution had a slug of soma in it Any chance, Cally? What? A slug of soma, from the medical supplies? I think they're in trouble You just think so? I feel it Wonderful We have allthe resources of Zen, Orac, the Liberator, and you FEEL that they are in trouble You do not FEEL it, you REASON it They have not called in; therefore they must be in trouble You don't have to be telepathic to know that Oh, come on, Avon, give the girl a chance I'd say she knows a few things that even you don't understand Well, I'd say so, anyway A fifth grade ignorant, and you would say so, would you? Well, I never had a chance, did I? I chose the wrong parents I'm going down You can't do that, Cally They are in trouble Someone must go down I'll go Gan'll go And Vila will go with me, won't you Vila? Will I? It'd be stupid to go on my own And you wouldn't want to send Cally in your place, would you? Probably not What about you? What about me? Why don't you go? YOU are expendable And you're not? No, I am not I am not expendable, I'm not stupid, and I'm not going I'll get the guns Ohh Who are you? Who are YOU? Why have you come here? I don't remember being given a choice Who are you? I'm Ro I rule this planet Do you? I thought it was a Federation colony I dislike the word ""colony'' Which word would you prefer? I rule here, and you're my prisoners I dislike the word ""prisoner'' Oh Are you all right? Blake Your name is Blake How did you get here? How did you get through the barrier? I'll ask you again Is this a Federation colony? I am my own man I'll have you killed unless you answer my questions You sound like a Federation man Are you against the Federation? What do you think? I think you are, yes Does the Federation frighten you? Of course not Then you must be part of it You're Resisters You are, aren't you? No one resists the Federation I don't want to hurt you You already have Others may do more You'd be wise to tell me Be sensible What others? The ones that came on the Federation freighter? What do you know about them? I've been stuck in this pesthole fortwo years Two somewhat unproductive years Not my fault You are the Colonial Service representative Ro is not easy to dealwith When he was a pupil at the C E C I found him quite malleable Yes? I think you may find he's changed a bit since then He's not exactly a pupil now And you're no longer a teacher I think you'llfind my relationship with Ro is unchanged To him I shall always be a respected tutor; just as to you I shall always be a respected superior Kommissar Ro It has been too long An unlooked for pleasure I welcome your return to my planet I would've come sooner, pressure of office And we are farfrom the Federation's heart? But not from mine, which pains me that all is not wellwith you In what way, Kommissar? The quotas have fallen far short of what we had hoped The Assistant Kommissarwill have put this to you, I think? He has Well, we can talk about that He also tells me you have visitors Yes Show me ALERT CHIME The man's called Blake How did the spaceship get here? Something triggered the shield It should've been destroyed Obviously, it wasn't Then plainly they have a force field of some kind, very advanced technically What do you suggest, Kommissar? What else have you found out about them? There are others on their ship I think they're Resisters Really? I've heard of people who resist I've never seen one before This could be interesting Let us begin With your permission, of course I take it I have your permission? Yes, of course Ah Sorry Down safe, in a sort of cavern We'll climb out and find a better view I'll call back every three minutes Out HYPNOTIC DRONE Look at me, Jenna Concentrate The whole idea is to disorient you It doesn't seem to help When they ask questions, pretend you're dizzy I AM dizzy Concentrate They can't keep this up for much longer Jenna All right, you can stop She's passed out So you're a Resister Some malfunction of the genes, I suppose It throws up a Resister about every hundred thousand Mostly they're detected in infancy I was a late developer And the young woman? Oh, don't force me to repeat the treatment Bring the girl round The damage to herwill be extensive and permanent You don't care, I see Very well Double the input of the disorientor It'll killthem Before we know anything about them They'lltalk before then Of course, the decision is yours We await your orders, Ro Hang on, Jenna What is it? I thought I heard something Oww All right All right, I'lltalk I'lltalk To you The people work in your mines as slaves What is the death rate? It's high But not unacceptable As you say, Kommissar Why do you listen to this man? He is a servant, a lackey of the Federation Send him home But the Federation are ourfriends The Federation have all planets in slavery You are their representative You don't understand The ore is important to them, that much I understand It's important to us all It's needed forthe latest hyperspace ships that will send men into new galaxies We're one of the only two planets with a rich seam of Monopasium 239 Oh, Monopasium 239 No wonder your workers die I wish it weren't necessary, but only ten percent die, the Primitives Aren't they human beings, Ro? The Primitives? Every one a Primitive, working at the mines this very moment Except When you're all dead, the Federation will use this planet to extend their empire further With their new ships, with yourfuel You are digging your own graves, Ro They code named this place Horizon It's a horizon you will never cross You see, Ro? You see how these people work? He tells you we are your enemy How can that be? Without us you'd be living in caves, as you were when the Federation first colonised you We may have lived in caves, but we did have our own culture And our own weapons, which still have their uses You have no part of that now You're one of us At the Central Educational Complex, you were my most able scholar The graduation order you wearwas my personal gift I've not forgotten I'm very proud of it, Kommissar Sometimes you don't behave as if you are Behave like a ruler, Ro, not a savage Now, I want details of the spaceship and crew, and I want you to tellthem to land Not a chance Sir I'll be back Oh, yes, Kommissar ""Yes, Kommissar No, Kommissar'' They've made you one of them You're bought and sold, aren't you? Well, I shouldn't be surprised I was told before I came here Who by? Who said that? One of your subjects, I presume He spoke of Monopasium 239, and he spoke of someone called Ro His name was Paura But he didn't callthis place ""Horizon'' Silmareno That's right The name's forbidden You can't cling to the past Paura shouldn't have spoken it Huh He probably thought he had nothing to lose, underthe circumstances Circumstances? He was on a Federation convict ship Paura? ? But I was told that What were you told? He was on a training course We were on the same course It led to a Federation prison colony Cygnus Alpha Only Paura never reached there He died They dumped his body in space He was my friend He must have misbehaved in some way That's not my fault I think it is You know it is Oh Jenna Oh, my head What is it? Plain water From a stream Probably full of lethal bacteria Thank you It tastes all right You want some? Thank you You are a human being after all My people are poor and ignorant I'm helping them to betterthemselves How did yourfather die, Ro? What? In a Federation prison colony too? No In an accident Paura told me that yourfatherwould never have made his people slaves as you have done You're lying Paura wouldn't have said that He was my friend He understood the needs of my people Perhaps betterthan you do Ro Two more have been taken They're being dealt with What about these two? Put them to work It'll soon bring them to their senses They'll be begging to help us before three time units are up What's your name? I'm Selma I'm not one of THESE people I was to marry Ro So what are you doing here? The Kommissar advised him to send me fortraining orwhateverthey call it I refused to become what they wanted so I was sent here How long have you got to stay here? Until I accept or until I die And I shall die In thirty time units from radioactivity Food Leave it One handful, one at a time You Now you I thought you'd forgotten her No Is it true my friend Paura died on a prison ship? No, of course not The Resister said so Yes, I heard the report How did my father die? You know how he died You wouldn't lie to me? Of course I wouldn't lie to you We are as brothers, you and I What about the othertwo? What did we get from them? One of them needed two darts There was no telling when he'd regain consciousness, so I had the guard hang him up as a warning The other one? He's in here He's a common thief, he confessed at once The spaceship is protected by a force field but the man is ignorant, he knows nothing of its technical capacity What are you going to do with him? Put him to work It seems he's never done any in his life Work? Orac, where did you get this information? I was instructed to obtain anything relating to the planet The data was obtained by cross referencing prisoner and execution lists It is standard procedure I don't see that it makes any difference now Blake could find it very useful A little late, surely? They aren't dead How do you know? I know Yes I tellyou, I know I think we should get out I have a standby plot I can put the ship on auto, Zen can fly us out We can get away, Cally I'm going down You're a fool Avon, I'm going down This information could be vital Listen The others have vanished They didn't even have time to call in The only possible conclusion to draw from that is that they are dead They aren't dead This is what I've been trying to avoid all my life Don't worry, it won't last forever So you say Down There's no sign of anyone else I'll keep in constant contact You've got thirty time units This stuff's radioactive What? Pick that up It's even worse than I thought Look Nothing to report yet Make it every half minute Right Orac, have you obtained any further information on the planet Horizon? No Why not? Is that a serious question? No Please do not waste my time Cally Are you there? Are you there? Cally And then there was one Orac, no further information is required on the planet Horizon I think it's time to leave Was it, was it you? Were you the executioner? Your companions are still alive I feel it You killed him You killed him because he would not obey you What is she talking about? She's a mystic, I think I've seen this amongst my own people Rubbish That stuff belongs to yourtribal past His father You killed his father We're wasting time No She's deranged It's the poison from your darts, it's affecting her How could she know about my father? She's never seen him, never heard of him How can she know he's dead? A guess Movo knew you forwhat you were She knows his name He killed yourfather He did it with his own hands And take great care; he will kill you unless you kill him first Take herto the others Let her use her mystic powers on them Treat her gently She has great gifts You know I sometimes think you're still half savage after all Perhaps I am She'll be dead soon They allwill Yes, I know I must make a decision about Selma If she is to die, it mustn't be there, like that She is a bad influence She was dismissed from the Federation Training Complex for disobedience She tried to make trouble here against the Federation It is best to leave herwhere she is You're forevertelling me to behave like a ruler, when I do you say I'm wrong Yes, that's true Very well Tellthem to release her But don't blame me when you find it's a mistake I will decide IF I decide she is to die, I'll order it to be done quickly Have you sent the girl off? Yes, sir She makes me uneasy Superstition Oh, I realise that Goes very deep with some, I know Then how did she know? Obviously she's had access to the records at some time Kommissar, why don't we report allthis to Federation Central Control? No It's the logicalthing Is it? Is it? Well, for one thing, they're out of signal range Allwe could contact from here are some units of Space Security They could relay your message They could There are certain to be details of these Resisters in the central data banks Then we would know what we are dealing with You're very thoughtful Simple loyalty, Kommissar I would not wish us to overstep the bounds of our duty here No We must not do that Then I think I must advise Central Control in all our interests No I don't need the central data bank I already know who they are Blake and his crew are the most sought after criminals in the galaxy You've known that all along? Of course Then why haven't you done anything? The reward for each of them is generous Almost as generous as the reward fortheir spaceship I have been out of touch Besides, I want to tame Blake myself If he breaks, the others will He will give us the spaceship It will be a great achievement And we get the reward? I get the reward What do I get? My continued support What about Ro? Ro will do as I say He's showing signs of rebellion He is not the man his fatherwas When do they let up? They don't You Come with me Where are you taking her? Does it matter? Can't be any worse than here Unless she's going to die I want to talk with the Kommissar If I go alone, can I pilot the Liberator indefinitely? With the help of the automatics, of course you can I know that Then why did you ask the question? I didn't How long can I maintain myself? Is that a question? Yes We have concentrated food for one person for a thousand years And our power is self regenerating? Affirmative Can you plot courses to keep out of the range of any known spaceship manned by the Federation? The battle and navigation computers can handle that perfectly adequately I asked if YOU could Of course, should it be necessary Failing that, we are powerful enough to resist all but an attack by three Federation pursuit ships at once Is that a question? No If we go now, we can sailthe universe for as long as we like in reasonable safety, provided we keep out of everybody's way and we do not do anything rash No data available to answer the question, if it was a question I put it to you as a possibility I request the odds The odds would be Therefore I do not need Blake; I do not need any of the others Is that a question? I do not need anybody at all Is that a question? I must ask you to be more specific Shut up, Orac As you see, Selma is restored to her proper status And she can stay here if she's willing to be sensible You, too, can be restored to civilisation if you're willing and sensible I'm glad for her And for you, Ro Congratulations I'm sure yourfatherwould have approved You asked to talk to me My assistant is ready to take a statement I've no statement to make, simply a proposition And what is that? Keep me Take me back to the Federation when you leave Horizon Let the others go Otherwise, Liberatorwill stay out there And when you try to get away in your slow freighter, it will destroy you Can you do that? Oh yes Let them go Let them all go They mean us no harm We are at your command, Ro Please, Ro, please No Not yet I am the ruler here Send him back to the quarry for now Come along You heard the ruler I'llthink about it I said I'llthink about it Well done, Ro They're brave people, and they've chosen their own way You were wrong about Blake, the Federation doesn't frighten him DATATRANSFER Zen, what was that? A message from the Federation freighter on the planet Horizon What did it say? Decode It is in Federation Code 9 Message reads, "Top priority signal to any Federation pursuit unit, from Kommissar, planet Horizon Request assistance Ruler of Horizon unreliable, am disposing of him Rebel spaceship at grid reference ten by thirteen WZ Request you destroy this spaceship at once Also inform Federation Central Control of this action Await confirmation " Has anybody else picked it up? Negative DATATRANSFER Decode From Federation Pursuit Flotilla Thirteen, to Kommissar, planet Horizon Message reads, "Coming to your immediate aid Regret cannot relay your message to Federation Central Control They are out of range Planetfall, two hours from now " How many pursuit ships in Flotilla Thirteen? Three pursuit ships What do these detectors look like? Logic would suggest they are camouflaged, in plants Does logic suggest somewhere you can put me down without my being detected? Difficult But? There is a place Then get on with it Activating Marvellous Well, well, well So I'm not alone after all Missed It's a fault on the scanner, that's all No, it's been switched off Allthe scanners in the palace are off, everyone has fled There is no electronic communication anywhere on Horizon You know what that means They've got everything under control Are you just going to let them killyou? And me? Who said we were going to die? Those people in the spaceship, Ro, you have one of their bracelets? No, guards at the mines have got them We must try and contact them; they're our only chance Ro No, I can't leave the palace You go But what about you? Go Now I can't You must I command it Orac, teleport us now What now? I want the exact teleport coordinates on that palace Ro Allthe scanners are off Why's that? So I can't call my guards for help? Selma tried to run away Did you know? Where is she? Here Let her go She's no good to you, Ro None at all You must be rid of her She should not have been brought back to the palace You are, I think, mistaken, Kommissar She means us no harm She knows things about the Resisters nobody else knows She's worked with them They've told herthings about the spaceship We can still capture it She knows nothing Ro, remember ourwork together, the theories I taught you, the strategies Now they must be practiced You know we must question her I tellyou she knows nothing we haven't already been told That we can find out If not What do want of me? Tell herto help us All right Why not? Now you're beginning to act like a ruler I try, Kommissar Of course you do I don't want to be a savage again Of course you don't This way Sit down, Ro The minimum No, please Ro told you about their communicators, didn't you, Ro? Yes, it didn't seem important Very well Now, Selma, when you were in the mine, what did the Resisters tellyou? Nothing We need the truth, Selma Nothing Nothing The truth, Selma Nothing They didn't tell me anything She'll die if we do more of this The pain will kill her, won't it? There's no organic damage, but the pain will kill her, yes Do you care? No You must have felt something You showed nothing That means you are learning Yes, I hope I am Have you got the coordinates yet? It takes time There may not BE much time Then stop distracting me You're right I've been foolish I belong to the Federation I'm glad you're coming round to the truth, Ro It would have hurt me to eliminate you You were thinking of that? Oh yes But we are as brothers Even so Forthe good of the Federation The Federation We should be getting back Of course Can I have a moment? I'm still shaking My hands are sweating It can affect one like that, the agony of an acquaintance Excuse me All right About time You will die It's the death serum You planned our deaths I thought you were one of us, Ro No, I'm not Seems I neverwas Blake, where are you? Those pursuit ships will be here in five minutes We have to be mobile to stand a chance We're a sitting target here One moment only, Avon What about the Federation? The last of their guards are dying now They'll send more, sooner or later We willfight I wish you luck, both of you Thank you You saved my life While I live, you'll be welcome on Horizon Still Horizon? You can't return to the past Liberator, teleport now Good bye Good bye, Blake About time More last minute heroics? I thought that was your strong suit I have a course ready to go Zen, position of those three ships on the main screen Four hundred spacials, closing at Time Distort Six, line astern Line astern? That's new A bright attack commander, lining up to hit us in exactly the same spot Zen, can we withstand a plasma bolt attack from those three ships? If they hit the same spot they could possibly destroy the Liberator Battle computers advise against allowing them to do so Let's get out of here Ready Wait We're already within strike range At least let's make it difficult forthem Twenty seconds, then hit it, Jenna They'll murder us Blake, they might be protected I don't think so And even if I'm wrong we still have a slim chance A slim chance, what more could we ask? Jenna, take us out on the standby course Where are we heading? Later Just clear Horizon It was pretty close there for a moment, Blake Playing the percentages again? Zen had nothing on Horizon's defences And Federation Control were keeping the place secret It was reasonable for you to hope that routine pursuit ships would be unprotected, but in future, I would prefer something a little more reliable than hope I mean, just sitting there If we'd got underway, they would have changed course And we thought we were tired before I'lltellyou this though: it beats work