Vila quotes from Blake's 7

You must be very clever.

Vila

That's what I keep telling everyone. They even believed me in CF One.

CF One?

Vila

A sort of academy, when I was a boy. They chose me as technical advisor for the escape.

Escape? From an academy?

Vila

Perhaps academy was the wrong word.

What is it, Orac?

You asked me to report any extension of the Federation Command Network. Magnetrix Terminal 406 is now programmed in.

What planet does the terminal serve?

Helotrix.

[Astonished] Helotrix?!

It is the main terminal for the planet Helotrix. The fact is checked and confirmed.

That means the Helots are back in the Empire. But they aren't the sort to cave in so quickly. It took the Federation years to subdue them on the first expansion.

Dayna

They've retaken Lubus and Porphia Major in the last few weeks. If Helotrix has gone, that means the Federation now control most of Sector 4.

Vila

If they keep expanding at this rate, Avon, we don't have as much time as you thought. They'll be knocking on the door in a couple of years!

How are they doing it?

Vila

I don't know. But maybe we should start running now.

Vila

Well, that's it. With those ships out there we can't wait.

Soolin

They might not be looking for us.

Vila

Are you crazy? You said yourself that was a search formation.

Soolin

They haven't picked up Tarrant, so why'd they assume a ship's out here?

Just a minute. Orac: that message from Space Centre - how was it relayed here?

Through Terminal Four-Zero-Six.

The terminal on Helotrix.

Of course, Avon. That is the nearest terminal to our position.

That's it. They must have intercepted the transmission.

Soolin

Computer logic, the nearest terminal.

Vila

So Orac's thick - we all know that. Let's move!

Soolin

[after Avon and Tarrant have left to put Vila's "force wall atmosphere" plan into action] Out of the mouths of drunks ...

Vila

[standing up, instantly sober] Drunk? Who's drunk?

Dayna

You are.

Vila

Show me how to get drunk on plain water and I won't waste time.

Dayna

Well then, why pretend?

Vila

Because, my lovely Dayna and Soolin, no one ever tells someone who's drunk to volunteer.

Vila

I don't like to work in main drive chambers! Especially main drive chambers that are separated from space by one of Slave's force walls.

Vila

It's a Space Rat!

Soolin

Friends of yours?

Vila

Friends? Space Rats? There's no such thing as a friend of a Space Rat - they even hate each other!

What else do you know about them?

Vila

They're maniacs, psychopaths! All they live for is sex and violence, booze and speed. And the fellas are just as bad.

Vila

Well, perhaps we could hide under here. [Pulls the drape off a Space Chopper, then picks up a small device from its cockpit] Wonder what this thing does?

(pointing gun at them) Tell you what this does - gook. It goes bang. And you go splat.

Vila

Plasma bolt fired.

Soolin

Thirty seconds to impact.

[over communicator] One more connection to--

[shocked] What are you doing?

Programming in the main circuit drive.

Dayna

You can't do that! That main drive will fire as soon as she makes the final connection!

Soolin

Fifteen seconds.

We can outrun that bolt. She's dead either way.

Vila

Why do I get all the dirty jobs?

Soolin

Typecasting?

Random fluctuations in circuit pulses.

Cause?

External influence.

[Over comm from Scorpio] We've nothing visible on the detectors or the scanners.

Dayna

Could they be faulty?

Detector and Scanner circuits record normal function.

So how is it external?

Dayna

A freak magnetic storm?

That would have been observed.

Vila

[Over comm from Scorpio, panicked] So what have you observed?

A paradox.

In other words, nothing.

Correction: the pulse influences are external to the circuits, but could be internal to the craft.

Tarrant, what have you got up there apart from yourself, a half-wit and a corpse?

A box.

[Discussing Academician Gerron] As well as being a respected geologist and an expert on mining techniques he's also greedy, avaricious and a crook.

Vila

Does he have any faults?

Four of our men have been killed with a knife like that.

Vila

You don't think - I mean, I'm not the violent type, really I'm not.

Then why do you carry that?

Vila

I found it.

Where?

Vila

It was stuck in one of your men.

[taken by surprise] Vila, what are you doing?

Vila

Dust! I need very fine dust! [shaking the dust from Tarrant's boot into his hand, before looking at it] That's probably half the guard you threw in that machine, Tarrant.

What?! (Shot of Orbiter moving away, disclosing Scorpio) Orac, what the hell is going on? Guidance system control is not functioning.

The orbiter is preprogrammed. Flight power depends on the distance and intensity of each star the feldon panels are locked into. The successful completion of a game continues the sequence. To regain control, you must complete the coded sequence of star sources.

Vila

What about the feldon crystals?

Gambit?

This game will reveal the entrance.

Soolin

All we have to do is lock on to the right star.

It is possible that we've just received the right answer to the wrong question.

I calculate that the next star in the sequence is Cygnus XL. That's a black hole.

That is correct.

Not exactly the entrance we were looking for. (Into bracelet, having deduced that Belkov has outmanoeuvered them) Dayna, we're ready for teleport.

Vila

What about the crystals?

There aren't any damned crystals. There never were any damned crystals. They're like everything else on this ship: a game. That's why the last one has to be impassable. We have got to get out of here!

I'm glad we didn't get too close.

Dayna

But after all that, we go home empty-handed.

Vila

Er, not entirely empty-handed. (He produces Belkov's necklace) Well, I saw it lying about, seemed a pity not to take it. After all, Belkov won't be needing it where he's gone.

Let me see that.

I have bad news for you, Vila. (He smashes crystals with his gun butt) It's a fake. (Savagely) End game to Belkov!

Orac, teleport.

Teleport? I am not programmed. Three squared to the principal.

Dayna

Oh, no.

I love you.

Vila

Orac!

My emotions are deeper than the seas of space. One times one is only possible in the ultra-dimensional.

Turn Orac off.

I love you.

Off!

We will be lovers for a little while, or maybe for a long while, who knows?

Soolin

I do. [Pulls key]