"Check." "Right, one more time." "Cut primaries, reverse thrust." "Check." "Stabilise and trim back to stationary." "Check." "Negative anti gravs." "Compensate for orbital drift and hold." "Hold." "All confirmed." "Good." "Right Let's check with the expert." "Zen, report status." "Liberator is stationary and is stabilised in an anti orbital posture." " Whatever that means." " It means we got it right." " Together we can fly this ship manually." " I think we make a good team." " Well, hurray for us." "What's eating you now?" "I'm just wondering how long we're going to live to enjoy our newfound skills." "Zen, three sixty degree survey." "Put etheric detector beams on maximum." "Report any space vehicles within range." "Vila, put visual survey on the screen." "Negative on all systems." "There are no space vehicles within detector range." " We've lost them." " So much for Federation pursuit ships." " At least we know we can outrun them." " Outrun them?" "In this we can out stroll them." "Don't get too relaxed about it." "They'll keep on coming." "We have the whole universe to hide in." "Except that we're not going to hide." "Very soon now the Federation ships will know exactly where we are." "Or at least where we've been." " I don't follow you." " Oh, but you do." "And that's the problem." "Up until now we've only been a minor irritation to the Federation." "I think it's about time we hurt them." "I don't like the sound of that." "Neither do I. I thought it was agreed we wouldn't do anything without discussing it thoroughly." "True." "It was also agreed that anybody could opt out at any time." "Just tell me when you want to leave." "Oh, I will." "But in the meantime, I think we have a right to know what it is you're planning." "Zen, set a course for Saurian Major, speed standard by two." "Speed and course confirmed." "That falls a little short of my idea of a thorough discussion." "We can talk and travel." "We're safer on the move." "Another one who's prepared to let Blake do his thinking for him." "Enough, Avon." "Saurian Major?" "Zen, visual star sector 42 point 61." "It's there, on the edge of the system." "One of the early self governing colonies subsequently annexed by the Federation." "When the settlers declared their independence again, the Federation crushed them with typical efficiency." "How typical?" "Half the population were butchered." "The other half were rounded up and transported to frontier planets." "A few managed to escape to the hills and form guerrilla bands." "Why are we going there?" "I mean, I feel for them, but we've got problems of our own." "They've built a vast transceiver complex there." "All Federation signals and navigation controls are beamed into Saurian Major, boosted and redirected." "It's a vital nerve centre in the Federation space control system." "Destroy that, and you blind, deafen and silence them." "That's what we're going to do." "A blow for freedom." "Yes, our freedom." "For a clever man you're not very bright." "Deaf, dumb and blind how are they going to catch us?" "I'm sure Blake will manage it somehow." "Blake?" "Hmm?" "Are there any artificial satellites on our course?" "I don't know, I'll check." "None to be seen." "Are you getting something?" "Yes, something." "How long has it been registering?" "Couple of minutes." "Signal's getting stronger." "Zen, visual detector scan and computer analysis on grid one, one five, please." "The signal is mechanical." "It emanates from a space projectile of unidentified origin." "Translator units categories the signal as a distress call." "Estimate the projectile's speed and course." "No indication of motive power." "The projectile's movement is only subject to space drift and orbital influence." "If they've lost power, they're in real trouble." "We don't have much option then, do we?" "How far away are they?" "One million seventy three thousand spacials and closing." "Re-program course and speed to rendezvous with the projectile." "Lock off on 100 spacials." "Speed and course confirmed." " You'd better tell the others." " All right." "Problem?" "Putting out a false distress signal." "It's a trick used by space pirates." " Well then, we'll have to be careful." " I'll get the others." "There's nothing coming back except the same distress call." "It must be on a mechanical repeater." "Do you recognize the type?" "No." "Primitive." "Too small to sustain a full life support system by the look of it." "Doesn't seem to be any heavy armament." "Could be a high speed transporter." " To transport what?" " Do we care?" "Getting nervous?" "No, I've been nervous all along." "I do not like the look of that thing." "Zen, have the sensors picked up any sign of life?" "No information can be given." "That is not what I asked." "I want to teleport across there." "There is room." "And life support?" "There is life support for a limited period." "I'll go and take a look then." "I'll come with you." "Avon." "It is in in in..." "I'll have to overhaul that thing ...sane." " I wonder." "It's almost as if Zen has a limiter." " A limiter?" "Something that stops him from helping us too much." "Or maybe it's someone who stops him." "Gan, if you're trying to scare me, you're succeeding." "Let's see just how precise you can be." "Are you sure you can trust me?" "For as long as we're useful to each other." "We'll keep the voice channels open." "All set?" " Ready." " Sure?" " As I'll ever be." "All right?" "Right." "Put us across." " More by luck than judgment." " Ah, don't tell him that." "Thank you, Avon." "You ever seen anything like this before?" "No." "Well?" "Controls are very basic." "Just enough instruments to make a safe landing." "Everything's manual." "Why put manual controls in an unmanned craft?" "What's that?" "Distress relay." "Probably cuts in automatically when a major fault develops." "Ah, here it is." "What?" "The fault." "Circuit tracer." "There's a malfunction reading on the auto navs." "That's what must have activated the cut-outs on the propulsion units." "Well, that explains why they're drifting." "But you don't put circuit tracers in an unmanned craft." "There must have been a crew on board." "Well, the locks on the inner hatch are still secure." "What about this one here?" "It's locked." "So if there was a crew." "They're still here." "Blake, look!" "Look at his eyes." "He's alive." "What is it?" "It's cold, it almost took the skin off my fingers." "This is the same process they used centuries ago on the early deep space flights." "They subjected their crew to extremely low temperatures to suspend the aging process." "This is a cryogenic capsule." "There's not much we can do for them here." "Re animation will be a slow process." "We can't just leave them here." "We'll worry about that when we get back." "Our air is running out, in case you hadn't noticed." "I hadn't wanted to worry you." " Avon, do you read?" " I hear you." "Bring us back." " Bring us back." " I can't The teleport control is burnt out." " What did you do?" " Not a thing." "It blew all by itself." " Can you repair it?" " No need." "There is an automatic repair system and it's working." "How long?" " I don't know." " Why not?" "." "Zen won't tell us." " Our air is running out." " Yes, I was afraid of that How long?" "Minutes." "Get Zen to manoeuvre the ship 'round and bring the entire projectile on board." "I'd already thought of that." "Zen refuses to do it." "Then you'll have to." " That's very chancy, Blake." "If Liberator so much as nudges that ship." " Then you'd better get it right." "Shall we get on with it?" "Why didn't Zen warn us?" "I think he tried to." "I'm sorry." "I'm all right." "Lock the inner hatches, positive pressure." "Locked." "Equalise the lower hold pressure." "Equalised." "Open the main locks." "Visual." "Ramp fully open." "Good." "Moving to line up." "Right lateral, minimum power." "Too much." "You're overshooting." "Left lateral." "That's enough." "Hold." "Square on." "Give me a fall line projection." "Good." "We're aligned and we're ready to go." "Do you two know what you have to do?" "Uh huh." "I hope so." "Commencing docking procedure now." "He's taking his time." "It's a delicate manoeuvre." "He'll get there." "I'm breathless with anticipation." "That's very good." "Gently." "Easy." "Easy." "Good." "Alignment is exact." "She's turning." " Right lateral." " Quickly." " She's drifting under the laser projection." " Down degree point zero one." "You're too close." "She's going to hit the ramp broad side on." "Get around." "Down another point." "More lateral." "You're too close." "Pull away, Avon." "No time." "She's coming 'round Gan, when the tail is on the laser projection, I'll go straight in." "NOW!" "You've done it." "You've done it!" "Close the main locks." "Zen, transfer to inner hold number five." "Transfer process commenced." " Hull repressurised." " Inner hatches released." "Switch the visual." "Very delicate." "You know, with hands like that and a decent upbringing, he might have made a respectable pickpocket." "Yes." "We'd better go down and check that they're all right." "Keep a watch, Gan." "There you are, you see." "Nothing to worry about." "What have we here?" "Take a look." " Thank you." " Glad to be of help." "You don't sound too sure about that." "Thanks anyway." "Nice flying." "Gan." " Blake." "See if Zen's back on our side yet." " I don't think he ever left it." "Tell him to resume course for Saurian Major, speed standard by two." "Understood." "Anything?" "Most of it's been scraped away." "Must have been in space a long time." "I wonder where it came from." "More interesting is where it was going and why." "Let's see if Avon's got any ideas." " What do you think?" " It's an old ship." "Or from a technologically backward culture." "Sub light drive." "So obviously the destination was outside the star system from which it was launched." "Obviously." "Why?" "They wouldn't bother to put the crew into suspended animation unless the journey was likely to last longer than the natural life span of a man." "The cryogenic system halts the aging and the decay." "These two are probably hundreds of years old." "Is there any idea of where they were going and why?" "No, but they weren't planning on coming back." "All the instruments are set for landing." "There's nothing for take off." "There'd be no point in going back." "The world they left would be dead years ago." "No sign of any weapons." "In fact there isn't much equipment at all." "Either they were headed for a civilised destination where they expected a friendly reception or we are missing the point entirely." "It all seems a bit single-minded to me." "I've cut in the re-animation unit." "It'll take a little while, but these two should come out of it and be able to tell us what it's all about." " Can we speed it up?" " Interfere with the program and you could kill them." "Well, there's no point in waiting around." "We'll take a look at them in a couple of hours." "Oh, wait a minute." "There is something we could do." "We could take out the program in the auto navigational unit, link it into our own computers." "and take a reading on planet of origin, the course and the destination." "It's worth a try." "How are you getting on with that?" "The decoders are still working out the notational system." "It's taking longer than I thought." "Has anyone been down to see our guests lately?" " Vila went down a little while ago." " And?" "Thawing nicely." "Couple of hours, we should be able to talk to them." "Liberator is now in stationary orbit 1,000 spacials from the surface of the planet Saurian Major." "Then it's time we went." "Vila, I shall want you down there with me." "Oh." "Right." "Bring your bag of tricks." "Avon?" "Isn't he enough?" "Their detectors are concentrated on neutral space." "We came in from Federation territory." "They won't have spotted us yet." "But they will, and I can do what needs to be done faster with your help." "No doubt." "Jenna will teleport us down." "Put Zen on constant scan I want to know immediately if those Federation ships come into this system." "Of course." "Gan, help Jenna keep an eye on those aliens." "One of you must be on standby at all times." "We may have to get off Saurian quickly." "Don't worry." "How long are you going to stay down there?" "Depends on what we find Saurian day is about." "36 hours that should be all we need." "Are you ready?" "Right." "Put us down." "Eeurgh!" " Did it sting you?" " It's warm Clammy." "A bit like flesh." "You have to be careful of the planet life around here." "Some of it's carnivorous." "Some species even have an intelligence rating." "Well that's a comfort." "I should hate to be eaten by something stupid." " Look." "This is the communications complex." "This is where we are." " Looks like a long trek." "How do you intend to make contact with the rebels?" "If they're any good, they'll make contact with us." "We won't make any secret of our presence." "Just set up camp and wait." "And if the security forces get to us first?" "They won't patrol this far from the complex." "A small fire first, I think." "No sign of pursuit ships yet." "Oh, they'll find us." "Sooner or later." " And then we'll fight." " Yes." "I keep wondering whether it wouldn't be better to opt out of all this." "Find a safe planet." "Hide." " They'd still find you." " I suppose." "But if you wanted to leave, you know Blake wouldn't try to stop you." "No, I know." "What about you?" "Are going to stick with him?" "I have to." "I want to stay alive." "And to do that I need people I can rely on." "I can't be on my own." "What do you mean?" "I killed a security guard." "They said it was murder." "But he had a gun I was unarmed." "You see, he killed my woman." "That must have been terrible." "I'm sorry, my head aches." "I'll be all right in a little while." "I suppose I should go and look at our frozen friends." " Relax, I'll go." " Thanks." "Surely we left these open." "I know you're here." "We're not going to harm you." "There's no need to hide." "Can you understand me, we're not going to harm you." "Gan, one of them." "Gan where are you?" "What's happened?" "What's the matter?" "Gan, one of them attacked me I tried talking to him but I couldn't make him understand." "It's all right, you're safe now." "Where is he?" "In the hold I've locked the door." "He threw something at me." "He practically broke my arm." "Let's take a look at it, eh?" "I tried to get you on the communicator, but he'd smashed it." "Then he rushed me." "He's probably frightened." "No, he didn't look frightened." "He just looked murderous." "Could be." "He's been asleep for centuries, then wakes up in a strange place not knowing what's happening." "Or why." "He could be confused, I suppose." "We have no idea what mental damage can be done by long term cryogenic suspension." "That's amazing." "Thank you." "You stay here." "I'll go and sort him out." "Gan?" "Be careful." "[COMMUNICATOR CHIME]" "Jenna." "Blake." "We haven't made contact with the rebels yet." "We're moving." "Reference 3340." "I'll call in again when we get there." "Right." "Anything happen with the crew of the projectile?" "One of them..." "They're recovering." "Everything's under control." "Good." "I'll check with you later." "Blake." "Either of you found anything yet?" "Not a thing." "Several plants with designs on my body." "Apart from them, there's nothing else in sight." "All right, come on down." "We'll try somewhere else." "Who are you?" "Will you answer my question?" "Who are you?" "I ask you for the last time, who are you?" "Do you mind if I get up?" "Try that again and I'll blow your head off." "Now what are you doing here?" "My name is Blake I'm trying to make contact with the resistance group." "How did you get here?" "We came from..." "May you die alone and silent." "You can talk then." "You may be telepathic but you certainly can't read minds or you wouldn't have fallen for that." "I will tell you nothing." "I'm not with the Federation security force." "I do not need to read minds to know that you lie." "I came here with two of my crew a few hours ago." "I keep a check on the landing area." "Nothing has come in or gone out." "I'm hardly likely to use the landing area am I?" "I need to contact the resistance fighters." "Your words are meaningless to me." "We're here to destroy the communication centre." "Your people have information that would help." "Oh, it is quite clear that you seek information." "I'll make contact some other way." "Take it." "We'll manage without you." "Can you prove what you say?" "If I can get inside that centre, I'll prove it with the biggest explosion you've ever seen." "I might be able to help you." "Perhaps." "Well, make up your mind." "I've got no more time to play games." "What is it you want to know?" "Let's start with who you are." "Cally." "My name is Cally." "Out." "No need for belligerence, pretty lady." "I'm harmless." "Quick, isn't she?" " Is he one of your crew?" " One of them." "And he's useless as he said." "I've had a gun on you the whole time." "You were dead as soon as you broke cover." ""Harmless" was the word I used." "You couldn't even get that right." "How do you come to be telepathic?" "I am from the planet Auron." "I was sent from there to aid the freedom fighters of this planet." "But my people are the Auronar." "And they are telepathic" "And quick." "I would not have died alone." "Why can't you read our minds?" "Because you are not telepathic." "Could I read yours?" "You could receive my thought if I wished you to." "Cally, how do we contact the resistance force?" "There is no resistance force." "They're all dead." "All of them?" "We were getting stronger." "The security forces kept hunting us, but we knew the hills and jungles too well." "We made an attack on the main generating plant." "And for the first time, they saw us a real threat." "What happened?" "They released poison from the sky." "All the fighters died, except me." "Perhaps because I am alien to this planet." "You've been working alone ever since." "My work was in communications." "But there will be companions for my death." "I plan to raid the complex." "To destroy until I am destroyed." "Well, our aim's the same." "But I wasn't planning a suicide mission." "I should hope not." "He fears death?" "I plan to live forever." "Or die trying." "If you can get us inside that complex, we'll provide all the destruction you want." "And still get out safely." "Or die trying." "I will guide you." "She said yes." "Gan, are you all right?" "Gan, respond please." "Report your location." "Report your location." "Gan, where are you?" "Gan?" "Gan?" "[THUD]" "[LASER BLAST]" "What happened?" "Jenna." "Couldn't stop them." "Couldn't stop them." "Implant." "What?" "Limiter." "Not possible for me to kill now." "Gan, what happened in the projectile?" "Never wanted to." "They kill." "Anyone, everyone who isn't theirs." "One of them is already dead." "The other one." "I saw his face Jenna." "Despises us." "It's clear." "This is it." "The control room for the paraneutronic generator." "If we can sabotage the limiter settings, the chain reaction will blow this entire complex off the planet." "We'll need to blast the door." "That will alert the guards before we've even started." "Listen fingers, computers are yours, doors are mine." "Right?" "You can open it?" "One side, please." "There you are." "Good, Vila." "Very good." "It was almost nothing." "Everybody inside." "Come on, quick." "[ALARM]" "Vila." " Avon, can you do it?" " Five minutes." "I know. "Make it two"." "[LASER BLAST]" "It's all right." "We got them." "Everything's over." "Adjuster." " The door won't hold much longer." " I'm nearly finished." "Magnetic probe." "That's running up into the danger level!" "I have to neutralise the safety circuits." "Otherwise, it will close down the reactor." "[LASER BLASTS]" "Put this on." "What is it?" "Our way out." "Put it on." "Gan, the aliens have linked their ship to our power source I'm getting a very heavy power loss." "I'll have to disconnect." "You'll be all right, won't you?" "Yes." "Olag Gan." "Basic decoding of projectile's auto log is now complete." "Occupants are identified as programmed guardians." "They are conditioned to eliminate any life form, which could be a threat to the brood units and genetic banks contained in the rear section of the projectile." "Liberator crew are such a threat and will be attacked." "There are four guardians Repeat, four guardians." "JENNA!" "[LASER BLASTS]" "Got it." "Reaction's building." "Nothing can stop this generator now." "Jenna, we're ready." "Stand by to bring us up." "Control?" "Control, now!" "Jenna?" "Gan?" "Teleport NOW!" "Can you hear me?" "It's going." "It's going up." "Teleport now." "[TELEPORT WHINE]" "[INCREASING WHINE OF REACTOR]" "[EXPLOSION]" "[TELEPORT WHINE]" "Where's Jenna?" "Jenna." "In the hold." "Look after him." "Jenna!" "[ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE]" "That should give them problems for a while." "You have my thanks." "Pleasure." "Do you wish to return to Auron?" "I cannot return to my people." "I have failed." "Then stay with us." "Thank you." "What are we going to do about the projectile?" " Dump it in deep space." " Thanks a lot." "I don't like the sound of that." "It's murder." "Would you rather it was hooked back into the power system?" "You heard Zen." "A single cell from those genetic banks can be incubated into fully grown adult in 16 minutes." "We could be up to our armpits in homicidal maniacs within the hour." "Maybe that's why Zen was so uncooperative." "I think it should have taught us something about the wisdom involved in bringing aliens aboard." " Seven of us can run this ship properly." " Six surely?" " You forgot Zen." "You're not counting that machine as a member of the crew?" "Ooh!" "What do you say to that Zen?" "Please state course and speed." "Very diplomatic." "Set a course for Centero, speed standard by two." "Confirmed."