The Space Administrators are assembled in the conference hall, Supreme Commander.
You are 8 minutes behind schedule.
I left orders that I was not to be disturbed. I will not see or speak to anyone.
- But the conference. - Cancel it. It will be reconvened when I am ready.
Yes, Supreme Commander.
Surveillance tracer transmitting. Computer visualisation of Space mastership is on line.
- Take a look up there, Maryatt. - What is it?
That's the planet Cephlon, which means that we're on course and speed.
Six more days and we'll be at our destination.
You keep saying "our destination". Just where is it? What's its name?
- You'll find out. All in good time. - But why the secrecy now?
We're on our way. There's nothing to lose by telling me where we're going.
Security's become a habit with us. It's become second nature.
Because of it we've enjoyed thirty odd years of complete independence.
That's something we value.
- Is there anything down there? - There was, once.
Yes, once it was the trading and cultural centre for this entire star system. Very important, once.
Not any more.
- Well, what happened? - War. Reversion to primitive.
Nobody's certain if there's any people left down there. At one time it.
What's wrong? What's the matter?
We're getting trajectory shift. Compensators aren't holding us up.
Going over to manual.
Come on, pull us back Come on!
- Come on! - We're picking up speed.
Yes, it's gravity drag from Cephlon. I must have misjudged and got too close.
- Can you get us out? - I'm on three quarter boost. She's not responding!
I'm going to maximum.
It's all right. She's slowing. Compensators beginning to hold.
Come on, that's my beauty.
That's it. Come on. Pull us back, pull us back.
All right, she's coming back. We're all right.
Don't do that too often, will you? I'm a very nervous passenger.
I'm a very nervous pilot.
What's happened?
There was an explosion. Could have been a power unit burnout.
Zen located her about five minutes ago. We put her on the scanner to run a security check.
The ship is a Spacemaster, Series Five.
Four neutron power units with a maximum thrust of four by six.
Does she carry life capsules?
Standard equipment specification lists two high impact, unpowered survival modules.
She's entering the atmosphere. Beginning to burn up.
Maryatt! Maryatt! Get yourself out, lad!
The life capsule!
Come on, Maryatt, you've got to get out!
Navigation computers estimate six minutes to impact.
They've ejected!
Zen, lock tracers on to those capsules. I want to know exactly where they land.
Trace locked on.
Surveillance tracer has ceased transmission. The ship has exploded.
Surface conditions?
The planet Cephlon has a breathable atmosphere with a high oxygen content.
The radiation level is in excess of normal tolerance levels,
and prolonged exposure could result in tissue damage.
Massive variations in temperature levels. Gravity is 1.25 G.
Life forms?
There is no current information.
Logic units suggest that remaining life may have mutated through exposure to high radiation.
None of which sounds very promising. You're sure you want to go down?
Are you afraid that I'll be able to cope with it better than you?
- No. - Well, perhaps you ought to be.
- Down and back as fast as you can, right? - Naturally.
We're going to have to make this fast.
The chances are that any survivors won't have come through the landing impact anyway.
- I disagree. They may well be alive. - That's why we're going down.
If we run into any kind of trouble we teleport back up immediately. All right, Cally?
Do you know what we're looking for? I've never seen an impact life capsule.
They're bullet shaped, built to be energy absorbing.
Theoretically they could free fall from the edge of the atmosphere
onto solid rock without even bruising the people inside.
- Is there a life support system? - Basic respirator, that's about all.
The co-ordinates place both capsules within one square mile.
We're going to put you down in the centre of the search area.
- Co-ordinates set. - One of us will stay by the teleport. Be careful.
All right. Put us down.
That must be the wreck of the ship. No point in checking it.
We'll split up into pairs to search.
Jenna and Gan, cover that area. Vila, you're with me.
No tacks. Can't be in regular use, anyway. I wonder what's behind it?
Half the hill, probably. Come on, let's go and look for those capsules.
Let's get it open.
He's dead.
- Avon. - We've found one of the capsules
but the man inside is dead.
See if you can find any identification on the body.
Then seal up the capsule.
- Right. - One down, one to go.
That's all there is.
There!
- He looks pretty far gone. - There's nothing we can do for him here.
- We must get him up to the Liberator. - Will he live through the teleport stress?
We'll just have to take that chance. Give me your bracelet.
Gan.
We found the second capsule and the man's alive.
We're going to get him up to the Liberator. Stand by for teleport.
Ready.
Bring us up, Cally.
- Is he still alive? - Just about.
Get him to the surgical unit.
- Easy. - Compensators.
- All right. Okay. - Not holding.
Here we are now. Here we go.
- Out of the way. - Okay.
Respirator.
- I found this on the other man down there. - Uh-huh.
- Jenna's not back yet. - Where is she?
- Gan. You were with her. - She was right behind me when we teleported.
Cally, look after him. You three come with me.
Jenna, this is Liberator. Do you read me?
We'll go back down. I think you'd better.
This way.
I left her here.
The ground's scuffed about. And there's a footprint. A large footprint.
That's Jenna's.
Obviously somebody, or something, attacked her.
- And obviously it won. - She might have made a run for it.
She would never have taken off her teleport bracelet. Therefore somebody else must have.
Do you think they've killed her?
Probably not. If they've robbed and killed her, why drag off the body? Why not just leave it?
- So, she's a prisoner. - So let's find her.
- We'll do it a lot faster if we work separately. - Agreed.
- Well? - Bit of a risk, though.
With the radiation level on this planet, just being here is a risk.
Let's get started.
Unless one of us finds something, we'll meet back here in an hour.
- They should have found her by now. - They will.
It's just a matter of time. They'll find her.
- What about him? - I don't know.
He's in a great deal of pain What's that?
- Gan found it on the man in the other capsule. - Who was he?
His name was Maryatt.
According to his ID he was a Space Surgeon in the Federation Medical Corps.
He's got a double A security clearance!
He's got a pass for any area in Space Command!
He must have been very important. Anything else?
No. Some pictures, a woman and two children. Let's see if he's got any identification.
- What are those? - I don't know.
They look like micro power cells. I've never seen that type before.
Help help me. Help me.
You're quite safe. We've given you something to ease the pain.
You're going to be all right.
Maryatt? What happened Maryatt?
We found his body. He was probably dead before you left your ship.
- Energy cells. - They're here. They're quite safe.
Must get to my father. Without them, he has only a few days to live.
Gently, gently. Shhh.
He'll die. Don't you understand? He'll die without them.
- Now stay calm. - You get to him. Promise. Promise!
We'll do everything we can.
What was your destination?
- Planet Aristo. - Where?
Navigation log give all flight details you need.
All right. We'll run it through our computers.
When you reach him tell him.
Federation have agreed all terms.
Will pay 100 million credits for Orac.
What is Orac?
- He's having a spasm, quickly! - He won't take the shocks. It'll kill him.
Without it he'll die anyway. Come on.
- He's coming through. - That was close.
Must get started.
Yes, we'll do everything we can. Now you must relax.
- Must go. Now. So little time. - We'll leave as soon as the others get back.
No. Can't wait. Go! Now!
You must rest.
- Anything? - Not a single trace. You?
- So what do we do now? - Start again.
Liberator.
This is Avon. Do you hear me, Liberator?
- Avon. Have you found her yet? - No. We're going to start searching again.
- Is there anything we can do? - I'm open to suggestions.
If you haven't found her in four hours, you come back. Cally and I will take over.
- Whatever you say. - Just don't give up on her.
No. We won't do that. Not yet. We'll be in touch. Let's get started.
Must go. Now. If we delay any longer, we'll be too late.
One of my crew is lost on that planet. Right now finding her is all I care about.
But he'll die, if I don't get to him. Don't you understand? My father will die!
Liberator is ten times faster than the ship you were travelling in. We will get there in time!
- But I can't risk that! We must go! Now! - No! We're staying here for as long as it takes.
Keep back! I'll kill her. I mean it.
Now you get this ship started Co-ordinates 11, 2, intersect 5, 9.
Not a chance! Do you think I'll abandon my crew, leave them on the surface?
That's their problem. Now you do as I tell you.
I don't want to harm either of you, but I will. I'll kill her, and you. Her first, and then you.
Don't force me to do it. Get it started. Now!
Do it!
In flight and on your course.
- Check it, on your computer. - Don't you trust me?
Computers can't lie. Put it online.
Zen, confirm course.
Liberator is on flight course coordinates 11, 2, intersect 5, 9.
- Good. - Are we to stay like this for the whole flight?
I've got no choice. I'm sorry about that.
The drugs I gave you keep back the pain. How long will you last once they wear off?
- I'll manage. - You'll get tired.
The pain will start eating into you.
Sooner or later you'll lose concentration. We'll need one second and then we'll take you.
Perhaps. But pick that second very carefully.
Misjudge it... you'll both be dead.
There's no signal. No response at all. Try yours.
Liberator? Blake? Cally? Do you read our signal? Respond!
Nothing.
There can't be a fault on both communicators. They must have moved out of range.
Without warning us? Why?
I wish we could ask them. There could be Federation ships in the area, I suppose.
Meanwhile we're stuck down here. That's largely academic at the moment.
Let's hope they're back when we find Jenna. We'll cover the ground again, in that direction.
- Yes? - Space Commander Travis is here.
Send him in.
You sent for me?
You've lost some of your fire, Travis. Whatever happened to your pride?
My pride, Supreme Commander?
I ignored you. A calculated insult.
You obviously recognised it as such.
I did.
And yet you remained silent.
There was a time when you wouldn't have taken an insult like that from anyone.
Not even me.
True. I want my command back.
To get it I'll do whatever's necessary. If you think my silence is weakness, you mistake me.
Better. I was afraid that the suspension,
and the inquiry into your mishandling of the Blake affair might have broken your spirit.
I don't break that easily.
You were expected to resign the service. Why didn't you?
I've told you, I want my command back.
- It's the only way I can catch... - You really are obsessed with Blake, aren't you?
It's my right.
It's my intention that you should get another chance to exercise that right,
and at the same time redeem your somewhat blemished record.
However, there are more important things than Blake.
Not for me.
More immediate, then. Orac, for example.
Orac?
There've been rumours about it for years. A scientist called Ensor has been working on it.
Despite considerable investigation, we've never been able to locate him.
- And you want me to find him for you? - It's no longer necessary.
A little while ago, Ensor's son came to see me.
His father was ill. He needed medical help and equipment.
While he was here, he showed me plans of his father's creation Orac.
It is a brilliant achievement. There is nothing else like it in the universe.
And he wanted to sell it. Expensive, Travis. He wants 100 million.
100 million? Are you sure whatever it is, is worth that much?
- It's worth ten times that much. - Oh.
- So I agreed to buy it. - Do you have the authority?
No. Listen Travis, I've told no one of this.
Ensor and his father live alone on the planet Aristo.
He made it clear that if there was any attempt to take Orac by force, he would destroy it.
- Would he do that? - Oh, yes. He thought it through very carefully.
He wouldn't even reveal the location of the laboratory until I'd agreed to all his terms.
Which were?
A Space Surgeon was to go with him. I sent Maryatt.
- How much did you tell him? - Only what his orders were.
He's a good man.
Maryatt was to remain with Ensor as a hostage until the transaction was complete.
I was to take the 100 million in an unarmed ship, and in return I'd get Maryatt and Orac.
So now all you have to do is to persuade the Federation to let you spend 100 million.
That could take years.
- You have an alternative? - Yes.
It occurred to me that if Ensor didn't get back in time,
then in a very little while his father would die.
So I took the precaution of placing a small explosive device in his ship.
You said Maryatt was on board.
Yes, that was unfortunate, but unavoidable, I'm afraid.
- Don't you see? - Orac is ours for the taking.
- When do we leave? - Start making arrangements, maximum security.
No flight plan is to be filed. When we do leave it must be in total secrecy.
However long it takes, Travis, you must cover our tracks completely.
No one must know anything about it.
Right. You're almost as ruthless as I am.
You underestimate me, Travis.
It begins to look that way.
- What's the matter? - Maryatt.
- What about him? - His disappearance...there may be questions.
In 12 hours I shall have him posted as a deserter.
And his family go into slavery on one of the frontier worlds.
- It is the normal procedure in a case of desertion. - Of course.
- Maryatt was the medic that saved my life. - You're wasting time. Does it matter?
No.
No, only Blake matters now.
- And Orac. - Right.
Let's get out of here!
There's hordes of them! And they don't seem to like us much!
How can you tell?
See if you can open the door.
I can't do it!
Gan!
Who are you?
And you shall answer.
- My name is Meegat, Lord. - "Lord"?
- You opened the door? - I opened the door.
We're grateful. We seem to have made a few enemies outside.
That my Lord might find safety from his enemies.
- Well, she seems to be on our side. - Yes, but the poor woman's insane.
Not necessarily.
Get back in your place.
I will describe the way to the scavengers' camp so that you may rescue your follower.
My follower? I never really thought of her in those terms.
Are you alone here?
Yes, Lord. Everything is as it was written. One waits.
- For what? - For you.
- I told you she was mad. - How long have you been waiting?
All of my life, as those before me waited.
But it is I who welcome you. Welcome, Lord, welcome!
Yes, well, let's not start all that again.
- You've hurt her feelings now. - I have offended you.
- No, you haven't offended me. - Forgive me!
I forgive you.
You're enjoying this, aren't you?
Probably. How many of your people are there?
Less than 100 now. Our numbers grow smaller. More die.
- And the scavengers? - Perhaps twice as many, but they too are dying.
We expected you to come long ago.
Most of this stuff looks operational. There's no sign of any damage.
You have a technology like this and still get your light from those?
- Technology? - All this.
- But it does not provide light. - Well, it could, Meegat, if it was working.
Of course. That's why they were waiting for us.
All things are known to you. You are truly Lord.
Counting yourself, that makes two people who think you're wonderful.
Tell me about the prophecy.
The ancients promised that strangers not of this world would be the means of our deliverance.
Meegat, we're not really gods from the skies, you know.
We're just men from a spacecraft.
- With problems of our own. - You have come. The waiting is over.
As it was promised, the Lord Avon will save our race.
Look at this.
A chemical rocket in launch position.
He shall recognise deliverance and speak its name.
He shall speak its name as a thing known and understood.
As to him all things are known and understood.
Been alone too long, definitely.
- Is there a legend of deliverance? - Yes, Lord.
- Tell me about it. - But you know it.
Well, tell me about it anyway.
Our fathers fought a Great War, and Kashell the Wise dreamed that all life would end in this place.
- Seems he was right. - So Kashell sought a way to preserve our race.
A way for it to survive in a new place among the stars. And the way was found.
That ship couldn't carry enough people to establish a new community.
It could carry dormant cells.
Genetic banks and brood units. Like those in the projectile we took on board the Liberator?
The same principle, yes. These seem to be a little more advanced, though.
But did they do it?
"And the way was found" Does it go on?
Deliverance was prepared. And Kashell the Wise was satisfied that it was good.
If there are cells on that ship, would they still be viable?
I mean, could they be incubated into a new race of men after all these years?
Theoretically the fertility span would be unlimited. The brood units would activate on landing.
If they set it up right, there's no reason why it shouldn't still work. Go on.
All that was needed to complete deliverance was the word of Kashell. But our fathers killed him,
and the word was forgotten. And so we wait for a new word from beyond the stars.
We wait for deliverance. We wait for the nameless Lord whose name shall be spoken
by the one who waits. Meegat speaks his name. His name is Avon.
Avon!
- It's an active power source register. - That's what I thought.
The automatics have closed it down.
Well, if we could find the manual override we should be able to reactivate it.
Output control is locked.
There's a circuit breaker here. Try the output control now.
- It's free. - This alpha scale is registering.
- Take it to level one, see what we get. - No, nothing's showing.
Then there must be a secondary fail-safe.
Try it again, Gan.
- It's coming in! - Take it to level two.
Level two, and we have power.
Let me see now.
Telemetry and guidance are holding systems rebalance
fuel and ignition capability is green
inboard computers are green and functioning. Programs are stable.
It's coming in!
Payload environment is solid and stable. Count is T-minus sixty and holding.
telemetry and guidance are green and balanced.
Behold, deliverance!
- Secondary stage is go for count. - Payload is go for count.
Meteorology checks confirmed, go for count.
Gantry systems are cleared, green, and stable count is T-minus
Do you really think we could launch that ship?
If the people who built it did their job properly, I don't see any reason why not.
And it does seem we have a reputation to live up to.
Oh, you certainly do, Lord Avon. I wonder why she picked on you?
Well, now, you are hardly the stuff that gods are made of.
- And you are, I suppose? - Apparently.
Look, before we try to fulfil any more prophecies, could we...
Yes. We must find Jenna.
I've put the energiser onto automatic.
If I let it go, it will spring back and the gun will fire.
If I pass out, the gun will fire by itself.
Now you make certain that I don't go to sleep.
- If she is alive, you will find her. - If she is alive.
- Well, are we ready? - We're ready.
I will await your return.
You'll wait up there by the door?
- If we make it, we'll be back. - The Lord Avon will protect you.
- Meegat. - Lord?
Make sure that it is us before you open the door. The scavengers know about it now.
Vila and I will go round and take a closer look. You stay here.
If it comes to killing, remember my limiter implant.
I'll stay up here if you like.
You keep a watch. I'll try and find her.
There's shelter this way. We'll be safe there.
That was close!
No respect. They obviously didn't realise who you were.
Thank you.
You all right?
You know, Vila, for a minute out there, I was actually beginning to enjoy myself.
You're as mad as Meegat.
Cally!
You all right? Yes. Yes, I think so.
He's almost gone.
The micro cells get to father Orac.
He's dead.
What is Orac?
I don't know. If we deliver these, perhaps we'll find out.
Got to get the others first.
Zen, direct route for the planet Cephlon. Maximum speed.
Confirmed.
Avon, look at this. It's a sub beam communications system.
- It's an interesting antique. - Look at the range scales.
Yes. Liberator can receive and transmit sub beam. Try it.
Right. I think everything is functional. We are ready for countdown.
Liberator, this is Jenna. Do you read me, Liberator?
- We read you, Jenna. Are you all right? - I'm safe and well. What happened to you?
A slight detour. We'll tell you when we see you. We'll be in teleport range in about four hours.
We'll be waiting. In the meantime, Avon's about to become a legend.
- What? - Out.
- They're on their way. - So are they.
Ten Nine Eight Seven Six Five Four Three Two One...
We have lift off
Meegat, I'm sorry you've waited so long.
Our waiting brought you.
That seems like a poor reward, somehow.
The rocket is now beyond sensor range.
Have the navigation computers made a projection?
It is calculated that the rocket will make planetfall in the system Magdalen Alpha.
How many suitable planets are there in that system?
There are four with compatible biospheres.
Flight time?
Five hundred earth years.
You won't be a legend in your own lifetime, then.
Fertility cells wouldn't know about us, anyway.
Meegat does. Did she really think you were a god?
For a while.
- How did it feel? - Don't you know?
Yes. I don't like the responsibility, either.
Now we have another. Ensor's father. Zen, have you laid in a course for Aristo?
Course for the planet Aristo is computed and laid in.
Speed standard by six, Jenna.
Standard by six.