There!
There it is. The Federation ship bringing in prisoners.
- Prisoners? - New souls for the faith.
How long before we make planet fall, Mr Artix?
I'll run a check.
- Are the prisoners quiet? - Yes, sir.
48 minutes 30 seconds.
We're dosing the air supply with suppressant vapour and they're under constant scan.
Security have put on double guards and I've armed all the crew as well,
just as you've instructed.
All a bit late in the day, too.
It doesn't look very hospitable, sir.
What?
Cygnus Alpha. It doesn't look very hospitable, sir.
I want you to send this report.
Beam it to the nearest Federation base for relay to Earth.
It's not going to do much for my promotion prospects, sir.
You can live down your part of it. You're young.
Send it, Mr Artix.
This is Civil Administration Ship London in transit
from Earth to Cygnus Alpha, transporting prisoners to the penal colony.
We have sustained crew casualties during an attempted mutiny by prisoners.
Five dead, including Sub commander Raiker.
Three prisoners escaped in a spacecraft of unknown origin.
Prisoners Blake, Stannis, and Avon.
The London is again under authorised control and proceeding to destination.
Message ends. Retransmit to Earth on priority circuit. Confirm please.
We have confirmation. Will they go after Blake?
They have no choice.
They'll never find him out there.
I said, sir, they'll never find him out there.
They won't have to. He'll find them.
- Everything ok? - I think so.
Whoever they were, they certainly knew something about engineering.
I'd feel a lot happier if we knew what had happened to them.
Blake, what do you make of this?
- Some sort of storage space. - Possibly.
Careful.
Handgun?
It's a bit elaborate for a toothpick.
Depends how elaborate their teeth were.
That one's hot.
No it isn't. That one is, though. Jenna?
- What is it? - Seems to be an armoury.
Take that one there.
- Be careful though. It may be hot. - No, I don't think so.
- No, it isn't - Single function isomorphic response.
What?
I think what he means it will only let us have one gun each.
It certainly gives one a feeling of independence.
- What does? - This.
- You're a free man. - That's right. So I am.
How does she handle, Jenna?
A bit scary. It's almost as if she were alive.
Well, I must say all this technology has an organic feel about it.
It's not just advanced. It's...
- ...conceptually alien? - Yes
There are a lot of controls that I haven't dared touch yet.
Well, I doubt whether we'd understand the manuals, so go ahead and try one.
Don't blame me if it's self destruct.
I doubt if I'll ever speak to you again.
Ok, here we go.
That was quite a trip.
There was certainly a lot of power in it. Did you get a blackout effect?
- Yes. - So did I.
Negative hyperspace.
You mean we crossed the anti-matter interface?
- That's impossible. - That's what they said about the light barrier.
Well, which one next?
Try that one.
Something of an anti-climax.
- Blake, I can't move my hand. - Don't touch her.
It's as though my hand was part of something.
It's mixed with something else. It's...
it's in my head. Something in my mind. Asking. Answering. No.
It's so peaceful, it's beautiful,
to be completely known. It's like innocence.
Welcome, Jenna Stannis.
Who is it?
Zen. Welcome, Roj Blake.
Where are you? Show yourself.
Your species requires a visual reference point.
Blake.
This is your reference point.
- You're a computer. - As you say, Kerr Avon.
Who owns this ship? Where are they?
The navigation units will accept your spoken commands.
Please state speed and course.
I want a course for the Earth Federation penal planet, Cygnus Alpha.
Galactic centre coordinates are confirmed.
- Speed? - Standard?
Standard speed
Confirmed.
That's done it. It seems we're on course now.
It did not answer any of your questions.
More than that it deliberately ignored them. A computer can't have a will of its own.
You'd better tell Zen that.
Let's look around the rest of this ship and find out exactly what it is we've stolen.
Salvaged.
Why don't we just interrogate Zen?
- Even if he'd answer... - I'll make it answer.
I'd still prefer to find out for myself
I'm not sure I entirely trust a computer with a mind of its own.
I don't think it means us any harm.
It has no feelings about us at all. It's just a machine.
- If you say so. - Either way, it'll keep. Come on.
Go to Him and tell Him new bounty has come
from the darkness.
I will go to the place of rebirth.
Berthing sequence automatic committed.
17-16-15.
Landing beam alignment confirmed.
14-13-12.
Check main retro drive.
11-10.
Entering silo.
We have ground zero contact. All off.
All off, sir.
Right, disembark the prisoners, Mr Artix.
Maintain full security until they're in the holding bay.
I'll program the computer for the return. We lift off in D plus 30.
30 minutes? Sir, we've been in space now for 8 months.
I wouldn't mind stretching my legs a little.
Not on this planet Mr Artix.
Now get the prisoners off and let's get home.
Yes, sir.
We have sustained crew casualties during
attempted mutiny by prisoners.
Five dead including Sub commander Raiker.
Three prisoners escaped in a spacecraft of unknown origin
Prisoners Blake, Stannis and Avon.
Avon. What do you think?
Before I decided to put my talents to more profitable use...
And got arrested,
I handled the computer analysis for a research project into matter transmission.
It was based on a new alloy.
- Aquitar. - That's right.
- Yes, I worked on that project too. - Small world.
Large project.
I didn't work on it.
The molecular structure of Aquitar appeared to contain
the key to the reduction and transmission of matter as pure energy.
Instant transportation.
Send solid objects like radio signals. Trouble was it seldom worked.
And on living matter it never worked.
Put a living creature into one end, take a dead creature out of the other, or nothing at all.
So you think that is what all this is for? Matter transmission?
These bracelets contain Aquitar, or something very like it.
What's that?
Check it, would you?
The question is, have they solved the problem of living matter?
And if they have, could we teleport down to the surface of the planet
without ever having to land the ship?
Too many "ifs" for my taste.
Presumably these are part of the recall system.
This looks like a communicator.
Hello. Testing One Two Three. Seems to work all right.
Tuned to transmit directly to the ship. Let's ask the computer how the system works.
- Blake I think you'd better come. - What's happened?
We've stopped. Everything's gone dead.
Zen.
Please state speed and course.
Cygnus Alpha, standard speed.
Completed The Liberator is in stationary orbit,
one thousand spacials above the planet's surface.
I see.
The "Liberator"?
He got that from me. It was something I was thinking.
- Your thought was accepted. - Show us the planet.
- You require the remote visualisation unit? - Yes.
Please look at the screen.
So that's where we would have spent the rest of our lives.
What now?
We've got to go down there and rescue the others.
You're not going to try and land this thing?
What's the alternative?
Leave. I'm free, and I intend to stay that way.
And I need a crew. Zen, how does the teleport system work?
Would its function be injurious to our species? Have you the necessary data?
Wisdom must be gathered, it cannot be given.
Don't philosophise with me you electronic moron. Answer the question.
- Zen! Zen! - I don't think he likes you, somehow.
I think I may have to reprogram this machine.
That still won't make you likeable.
Avon's right, we can't land the ship.
I'm going to have to risk the teleport system. Come on.
Come on, move it. Hurry. Move it.
Guard, make a double check that the rest of the prisoners are secure.
Yes, sir.
Move it.
What happens now, then?
This is nice, isn't it?
What a miserable hole. If we all complained do you think they'd give us a refund?
Shut up.
Can't you see the funny side of it? Have you heard this one?
There was a young lady from Cygnus, who thought that...
Are you going to shut your mouth, or have I got to do it for you?
Only if you're lying down, cause if you touch him again,
I'm going to break your arms and legs off.
Why do you suppose they put us down here?
Just a holding area. They'll release us soon. Don't worry about this place.
It's what's on the other side of that that bothers me.
What do you think it will be like, Arco?
How should I know? It won't be good will it?
They don't put penal colonies on easy living planets.
What about guards, authorities?
Why should they bother? It's a long walk back.
- Well, why are they keeping us here? - Relax.
This is probably the nicest place on the planet. Listen.
They're getting ready to lift off.
- Can you see anything? - Some sort of passage.
Cold as a corpse's armpit. What's that smell?
- It's like something rotting. - Dinner probably.
Release prisoners.
What now?
What else is there? We don't have much choice do we?
- There's someone there. Look. - Where?
Someone is beckoning. Do you see it, Gan?
It's gone.
I didn't see anybody.
- You must have done. - I tell you I didn't.
You're so scared your brain's curdling.
Did you see it?
I saw something.
There you are.
We're going to have to see what's out there sooner or later.
Let's all go. No, on the other hand, let's all stay.
I'll take a look.
Gan You all right? Gan?
He might be in trouble. Come on.
Shouldn't we wait a bit longer? He might be all right.
If he isn't, what chance do the rest of us stand?
Come on.
Look, wouldn't it be better if we all stayed together?
Arco. Great oaf. Why couldn't he stay here?
Arco!
Gan. Gan. What is it?
What is it?
- You got it worked out yet? - Educated guesses I can't be certain.
Now is the time to see how educated your guesses are.
I still think this is a stupid risk.
Which I'm taking. So let's get on with it.
Give me 4 minutes.
After that, start making educated guesses as to how to get me back again.
Good luck.
All right, Avon, let's get started.
Jenna, it appears to have worked. Start counting.
4 minutes.
A deserter. Kill him.
I wish we could be sure that's the right one to bring him back.
We can't be sure, can we?
30 seconds.
Time's up.
Keep it pressed down.
I am keeping it pressed down.
- Well, it can't be the right one. - Then which one?
I don't know. Try that one.
- We got you back. - It works.
I was so worried.
- I had a few sweaty moments myself. - Well, what was it like?
Well nothing at all really. It's a bit like your property when Vila's around.
Suddenly it's somewhere else.
This would be worth a fortune to the Federation.
It actually got you down there, onto the surface of Cygnus?
What do you think this is? Moon dust?
Did you see anything while you were down there?
Not much. Now we know the system works,
I'll go back down and bring back anybody who wants to come.
From the little I did see, they won't take too much persuading.
Wait. There's a building.
Cosy.
What do you think it is?
The architectural style is Early Maniac.
We need food and shelter.
But do we need them that badly?
Listen, we...
Who are you?
I am the servant of your God. Kneel.
Welcome, brothers. Come. Follow us. God has prepared a place for you.
Well?
I like God's taste in servants.
Shut up.
I think we've got it worked out now.
Transmit and receive are quite straightforward.
All the other controls are directional.
A little more practice, we should be able to put you down with precision.
- Got everything? - I'm all set.
How long do you want this time?
4 hours should be enough.
Testing. Any change and I'll contact you on this.
If something happens to you If we don't hear or we can't get you back?
You must decide for yourselves. But I wouldn't want you to leave too soon.
Oh, come on, Blake. Do you really think we'd leave you down there?
No, we wouldn't.
No, I don't think you would. Right, shall we get started?
All right. Ready? Go.
His blessings are upon you. Speak and He will hear you.
I am thy true servant.
The souls from the outer darkness are amongst us?
They are in the place of the novices.
A true bounty. Have they been touched by the Death?
The Curse of Cygnus is upon them all.
Then let them know His mercy.
You will teach them the first law: "Only from His hand comes life"
"And from His wrath comes death"
"We obey Him and give thanks for His mercy"
He is the giver of salvation.
Salvation.
His power drives out the ravening beast that is death.
Death.
It is He who must be obeyed.
We thank you.
- Is there a maximum range on this? - Of course. I don't know what it is though.
What would happen if you teleported somebody beyond the maximum range?
They would appear momentarily in space,
then their atoms would be scattered to the solar winds.
Why don't you go and do a little exploring? I'll keep an eye on things here.
You wouldn't be trying to get rid of me would you?
I have to get rid of Blake first. You're next on my list.
That would have been very disarming, if I didn't know that you meant it.
- Avon. - Yes?
Could you kill someone? Face to face I mean.
I don't know. Could you?
There's one sure way of finding out.
The sickness will end soon. When it does, He will come to them.
With other souls to do His work, there will be a chance for me,
for the faithful to rise to the priesthood.
He will not fail you. You will be rewarded.
Have faith, Laran.
Vila. Vila.
Gan. Gan.
Blake?
- What's the matter with everybody? - How did you get here?
Never mind that now. What's wrong?
A disease, something in the atmosphere. All new arrivals get it.
Can it be cured?
The priests have given us a drug. They say we'll be over it soon.
Why are they keeping you prisoners?
We're not prisoners. We're just confined 'til we're well again.
Listen.
No, the priests, they've been very good to us, Blake.
They've given us food and drink. Treated us well.
Listen, I've got a ship. I can take you and the others off this planet.
We can't leave here.
What are you talking about?
The sickness. We're all infected.
You said you've had the drug.
You don't understand, Blake. To survive we have to be treated with the drug
every day for the rest of our lives. If we leave here, we die.
Everybody?
Everybody. The priests call it the Curse of Cygnus, and no one is immune.
Well then why haven't I got it?
You will have. We all came down with it about 2 hours after we arrived.
But I've been here for nearly that long.
Then it's already in your system, Blake, you can't go back to your ship.
I'll talk with the leaders. I'll get them to give us a supply of the drugs,
or at least tell us how it's made.
In return I can offer some of them a chance to get off here.
They might agree. It's worth a try.
Well, I'll have to persuade them. You rest, now I'll be back.
Avon. What do you think?
I'm glad to see you haven't been wasting your time on frivolities.
- What have you done? - Just looking.
- If we can't get Blake back. - Where did you get the clothes?
I found a room full of them down there.
Why don't you go and have a look?
Perhaps I will, just out of curiosity.
You can take over here, can't you? That is the recall button.
- Avon. - Yes?
There's another room you should see while you're down there.
At the far end. You might find it interesting.
You are recovered?
Just about.
An interesting design. A hand weapon of some kind.
You will instruct me in its use.
I'm not too certain about it myself.
Your possessions are forfeit. I found these... fascinating.
Some sort of body adornment I thought at first.
And then I wondered why a man would carry so many.
Perhaps to use in trade, in barter.
And then I thought again and that didn't seem to be the answer either.
They have no value in themselves.
How did you get here?
I was a prisoner on the Federation ship.
That is untrue.
The prisoners were observed from the moment they landed.
All are accounted for.
So, when a new star was in our heavens,
then I understood. It is a spacecraft, isn't it?
- Don't destroy any more of those... - Answer me!
It is a spacecraft. I was a prisoner on the Federation ship.
With 2 others I escaped and we took control of a ship.
It seems unlikely, but it has the ring of truth.
I am the supreme power here. My word is law.
My followers obey without question. They worship me.
- Or fear you. - The two are inseparable.
Why you?
I am directly descended by the true and chosen line. Mine is the power by right.
This planet was uninhabited until the Federation
brought the first batch of 50 criminals here.
Is that the noble line from which you stem?
My ancestors came here on that first shipment.
They had nothing. The federation gave them no tools, no supplies.
So they worked together. They worked hard and made a community.
There were children born here.
They were settlers trying to build a new world on a new planet.
Later, more Federation prisoners came. There were disagreements.
The community began to break up. They fought and killed.
All that they had achieved was being destroyed.
And it was my great great grandfather who found a way to unite them.
He gave them a religion.
Brought them together in the love and fear of God. That is the line I stem from.
That is what gives me the right to rule.
Forgive me for my ignorance I was wrong to question your authority. I apologise.
You are wise. Unbelievers perish in His wrath.
I came here only to find my friends. They have a disease.
I understand you have a drug which will combat it.
They will require it each day for the rest of their lives.
I ask that they be allowed to choose whether they come with me.
I ask that you give me a supply of that drug.
No.
I need those men I must have a crew.
No! This society needs people. New blood, muscle and sinew to work the land.
Human souls are the only currency. Our God is bankrupt without them.
Will you trade them then? There must be something on my ship that you need.
Toys like this? And these? Is that what you offer me?
- What do you want? - Power.
That you already have.
Here, yes. But to take the Word beyond.
To gather followers in new worlds,
new disciples bound together and obeying the one true God.
That is what I want. That is what you will give me.
- How? - Your ship You will give me your ship.
No.
I command it. You will contact your ship and order it to land.
I can't do that.
You are mistaken.
He has defied the Word.
Teach him what happens to unbelievers.
Teach him!
Is it a sign?
It tells us that the time is come to take our truth out into the universe.
New worlds shall honour the power of the Word.
- Lord Vargas. - Yes, Laran.
The unbeliever will not submit.
Kara, go to the place of novices.
Speak to those who have newly come to us.
Tell them what happens to those who disobey.
You found it then?
Do you know how much is in there?
Millions, millions! And this is just a sample.
There must be almost as much wealth in that room
as there is in the entire Federation banking system. Look at it!
You could buy a lot of freedom with this.
You could buy anything with this.
Think of it Jenna, there isn't anything you couldn't have.
- But what about Blake? - What about him?
No.
- We could own our own planet. - We're not leaving him there.
We have to. He's a crusader.
He'll look upon all this as just one more weapon to use against the Federation.
And he can't win. You know he can't win.
What do you want to be, rich or dead?
We might never have this opportunity again.
An hour. We'll wait an hour. If he's not back by then we'll leave.
Why? Why wait?
Because that way I can convince myself that we gave him a fair chance.
If he's not back by then.
All right.
Give us a hand, will you?
Thank you. What's the matter with you? Selman? Arco? Vila?
You've got to give them what they want, Blake.
Oh, really? That madman wants the ship. Give him that and we're finished.
We're finished already.
They're not going to give us the drug unless you do as they order.
Without it we die.
Tell him the rest.
If you delay, one of us will be chosen for sacrifice.
We're not going to let that happen, Blake. If they can't convince you then I will.
You're pathetic. I should leave you to rot.
You want to live like slaves? Live or die at the whim of a madman? Fine.
But you're not taking me down with you.
I'm getting out. I'm better off without you.
Even if we got away, we wouldn't have the drug.
- I know where it's kept. - How long will it last?
That ship up there is the most advanced design I've ever seen.
There are medicines on board, there's a laboratory.
We can...We can analyse the drug, make it ourselves.
That's what you say.
Very soon now they're going to come and take one of you away
and there is nothing you can do to stop that happening,
because there is no way I am going to order that ship to land.
The choice is very simple.
You can either fight or you can die. Well?
Well, I'm with you.
Anyone else?
Only from His hand comes life. And from His wrath comes death.
We obey Him and give Him thanks for His blessing.
It is time. Bring the chosen one to the place of sacrifice.
They're coming. Ready?
It's your last chance. All right?
Let's get down.
Oh, come on. There's no point in waiting any longer.
There's still six minutes.
We've made our decision. Let's just get out of here.
Six minutes. We'll wait.
The novices made attack on us. We were able to overcome them.
They will be punished. Come, prepare the sacrifice.
Oh, Lord of our people, in offering up this sacrifice we crave Your blessing.
Oh, Lord of our people, we dedicate this sacrifice to You.
Now! Get the bracelets.
Get us up, Avon. Quick. Make it fast!
We lose it all.
- Vila, where's Selman? - He's dead.
Gan.
Don't just stand there, Vila. Run!
Gan, come on.
- Gan, can you hold them? - As long as the door doesn't break.
- Did you see? They killed Arco. - There's no response from the ship.
Perhaps these bracelets don't work any more.
And we can't hold out much longer.
That's certain. And they'll be getting reinforcements.
Look, there's only one way for it.
You and Gan run. Hide among the rocks.
At least in the dark you've got a chance. I'm going back in to get the gun.
They'll kill you.
Gan, when I give the word, let go of the door.
- Blake, we'll all be killed! - Gan, do as I tell you Now!
Come on.
No.
We've got no choice.
Get me up. Make it fast.
Get the ship moving.
Get over there. All of you.
You'll take this ship down to the surface.
- We're already moving away. - Then get it back.
If you kill us, there's no way you can run this ship.
You're getting further and further away from your precious drug.
There is no drug! A simple compound.
The disease is a mild poison that clears itself.
But for centuries the followers have believed in the disease,
believed in the cure just as you have believed.
So you, and those before you, built your power on fear and ruled them with it.
I ruled a small prison planet with never more than 500 people.
But with this... with this, I could rule a thousand planets.
For that prize, do you think I would hesitate to kill you?
Now take this ship back to Cygnus Alpha. Now!
I was their priest. I shall return to them... A God!
Information. Sensors register that Liberator has been scanned by detector beams.
A fleet of ships is approaching and has changed course toward this system.
Put them on the screen.
There they are.
Identify.
Available data classifies them as Federation pursuit ships.
Set a course to take us away from them. Maximum speed.
Course and speed confirmed.
With our speed we'll probably outrun them. This time.
But they'll keep coming.
Pushing us, tracking us. They'll never give up.
Nor will we.
When we can handle this ship properly, we'll stop running.
Then we'll fight.