33. "Children of Auron"
by Roger Parkes
(c) 1979 by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Series created by
Terry Nation. This is a complete dialogue transcript for research
purposes and is not for sale under any circumstances. Format (c) 1992
by Micky DuPree and Nicole Vifian.
Dramatis Personae
Kerr Avon
Servalan
Vila Restal
Cally
Del Tarrant
Dayna Mellanby
Orac
Zen
Deral
Ginka
Zelda
Patar
C.A. 1
C.A. 2
Clinician Franton
Pilot Four-Zero
Uncredited:
Module Six Voice
Medical Section Voice
*? = indistinct
[Exterior, Servalan's ship in space]
VOICE: All scanners operating.
SERVALAN: [vo] Maintain full alert.
[On board Servalan's ship, flight deck]
VOICE: Maintaining. Contact. Auron bound contact.
SERVALAN: Captain Deral to the Command Cabin. Identification.
VOICE: Small. Looks like a patrol vessel. Coming onto visual - now.
[Servalan hits button, patrol ship comes up on screen]
SERVALAN: From Auron?
VOICE: Yes. One of their C-type patrollers.
SERVALAN: Crew?
VOICE: Solo.
SERVALAN: Good. Ideal. Ah, Captain Deral. [into comm] Ginka! Activate
ionic beams.
GINKA: [on screen] Activated.
SERVALAN: Obtain target coordinates from control.
GINKA: Very well, Madame President.
DERAL: Ionic beams only?
SERVALAN: Just to disable, cause minimum damage. [into comm] Clinic,
bring the disease pathogens now. [to Deral] I want that
pilot alive. Alive and vulnerable.
[On Liberator flight deck. Cally enters.]
CALLY: Course, Zen.
ZEN: Course eight two eight zero four. Destination is the planet
Earth.
CALLY: Why Earth?
VILA: Why not?
TARRANT: Anywhere else in mind?
VILA: The Himalayas are quite tall at this time of the year.
CALLY: Feeling homesick, are you?
[Vila nods.]
TARRANT: As it happens, it's his idea. There's someone there he wants
to eliminate.
AVON: Execute.
CALLY: What?
TARRANT: One of the Federation's para-investigators. Notorious thug
known as Shrinker.
AVON: One of his victims was a young woman called Anna Grant. She
was important to me.
CALLY: So it's just revenge you're after?
AVON: Just and sweet. [moves game piece on triangle board]
CALLY: You two, you approve of this?
TARRANT: In the absence of a more pressing engagement.
AVON: I am not asking THEM to kill him.
CALLY: But pointless revenge, it doesn't achieve anything.
VILA: We're going home ... to Earth. Does it have to matter why?
[Tarrant moves game piece]
[Servalan's ship brings one man patrol vessel into bay]
GINKA: [on screen] Docking arm secured.
SERVALAN: Good. Bring the pilot straight up.
DERAL: Are you sure we're totally immune?
[Servalan mixes liquids in a beaker.]
SERVALAN: I'd hardly be doing this if we weren't.
DERAL: The man may suspect. Don't forget, all Aurons are
telepathic.
SERVALAN: Not, Deral, after being hit by an ionic beam.
DERAL: Let's hope not.
[Pilot brought on deck. Drinks liquid handed to him by Deral.]
SERVALAN: Ah, pilot four zero.
PILOT: Loss of power. Systems failure. Total cutout.
SERVALAN: You were hit by a random ionic reef.
PILOT: Ionic reef?
SERVALAN: Probably a residual from the war.
DERAL: We ran into it too. [pours more liquid in glass]
SERVALAN: But with force shields up.
DERAL: More? [hands pilot glass]
PILOT: Thanks. [drinks]
SERVALAN: Ginka, how badly damaged is the Auron patrol ship?
GINKA: Its control systems are burnt out, the auxiliary power unit
is functional, but for manual operation only. I'm continuing
with further checks.
SERVALAN: Manual only, I'm afraid.
PILOT: I'll manage.
DARAL: With reduced power?
PILOT: Auron isn't so far off. Can you supply me with the course
coordinates.?
SERVALAN: Naturally. I only wish we had time to diverge --
PILOT: No. Since the war, the Federation breakup, our people are
more cautious than ever. Isolationists.
SERVALAN: Very prudent of them. There are so many unscrupulous fortune
seekers at large.
GINKA: Checking's completed.
SERVALAN: Good. Set course coordinates for Auron.
GINKA: Right away, Madame.
PILOT: Right. I owe you my life.
SERVALAN: Just be sure and get home safely.
CALLY: Since when has a personal vendetta been a good enough reason
for going anywhere?
AVON: The trouble with the people of Auron is that they all suffer
from a superiority complex.
VILA: You should get on well with them, then.
AVON: Too good to become involved with the rest of humanity.
CALLY: That's not true. Just because we happen to be neutral
doesn't necessarily --
AVON: Neutrality or passivism, it all boils down to the same
gutless inanity.
CALLY: You're wrong.
VILA: "Gutless inanity." I like it. What's it mean?
CALLY: Some of us wanted to participate in galactic affairs.
AVON: Yes?
CALLY: Yes.
DAYNA: So what happened? Were you overruled?
AVON: The great passive majority psyched them into line.
Telepathic communion is a wonderful thing. [Smiles]
CALLY: I joined a group of freedom fighters.
TARRANT: On Auron?
CALLY: No, defending the planet Saurian Major from the Federation.
TARRANT: The Federation won, of course.
CALLY: Yes. I do try, though. We're not all gutless, you see.
VILA: And the Aurons punished you for your defiance, didn't they?
TARRANT: Were you exiled?
CALLY: Yes. Why do you imagine I've never gone back? Affection
for him?
[Auron control centre]
PATAR: Auron control to pilot four zero, make contact please. Auron
control to pilot four zero. Not receiving you, four zero.
Repeat, not receiving you.
CA-2: Still nothing?
PATAR: He's totally on his own. We have you on visual, four zero,
but we are not hearing you. Apply retro thrust. Do you copy?
CA-2: He'll burn up if he doesn't do it soon. CA-1.
PATAR: Pilot four zero, you must apply retro thrust. Repeat, apply
retro thrust.
CA-2: Do you think he's slowing?
PATAR: Could be. Full retros, four zero.
[pilot in shuttle, sores on face, hard landing. pilot dies]
PATAR: [vo] Well done, four zero. Stand by for hookup, stand by.
VOICE: Hook up completed.
PATAR: Very smooth, retriever one.
VOICE: Standing by for docking.
PATAR: Full emergency procedures operative, retriever one.
CA-1: Patar, arrange a debriefing with the pilot, please. CA-2,
with me.
PATAR: A signal for you, four zero; [vo] remain in the patroller
for priority debriefing with CA One and the Deputy. Repeat,
remain in the patroller for priority debriefing with CA-1
and Deputy. Over.
[yellow liquid dribbles out of pilot's mouth]
SERVALAN: They have their priority, all right. Survival.
DERAL: They aren't all going to die, are they?
SERVALAN: Deral, we must rebuild the Federation.
DERAL: But Auron has always been neutral.
SERVALAN: Yes. And so long as it was politically expedient they were
left to their pathetic little ideals. But the war has left
us with a different situation: general disunity and anarchy.
So, different imperatives prevail.
DERAL: What about their powers of telepathy?
SERVALAN: They'll have their narrow little minds on other things now.
An epidemic of alien pathogens.
CALLY: [preoccupied, echo effect.] Death. Dying.
AVON: [passes hand in front of her unresponsive face] Cally.
[snaps fingers] Cally.
DAYNA: What's wrong with her?
CALLY: [normal voice, still preoccupied] They're dying ... all
dying.
AVON: Who? Who is dying?
TARRANT: Here, try her with this. Should snap her out of it.
VILA: That stuff would snap an asteroid out of orbit.
DAYNA: Cally.
CALLY: [recovers] They're all dying. Dayna, they're all dying.
[Auron control]
PATAR: Orderlies, here! [orderlies remove stumbling man]
CA-2: Report, Module six.
VOICE: It's here, we've got it here.
CA-1: Oh, no.
CA-2: Details.
VOICE: First case was a hour ago. It started with the children.
CA-2: Next, the young adults. Thank you, module six.
CA-1: Any response to the distress calls?
CA-2: Not a whisper. Appeals out on all channels, nothing.
VOICE: Medical section reporting.
CA-2: Yes.
VOICE: Negative trace. Non-bacterial, Non-viral. Must conclude
disease pathogen of alien origins.
CA-1: Ah, yes. From their insane Intergalactic War.
VOICE: What else?
CA-2: So why aren't we affected? We were exposed to the disease
first, longer than anyone.
VOICE: It's your generation. YOU still have a resistance to the
infection.
CA-2: Unlike the youngsters. So what do we do?
CA-1: Evacuation.
FRANTON: It's probably Auron's only chance now.
CA-1: Why aren't you at the replication plant?
FRANTON: Off shift, unfortunately.
CA-2: Oh, I'm sorry.
FRANTON: There's still my assistant, Zelda.
[CA-1 and Franton go to comm screen]
CA-1: Are you all right? No symptoms?
ZELDA: [on screen] The plant is fully sterile, sir.
CA-1: Zelda, prepare a full range of genetic stock. Get them
packed immediately, ready for evacuation.
ZELDA: I have a different priority, sir.
FRANTON: What is it, Zelda?
ZELDA: To contact Cally.
CA-1: Oh, that young rebel.
ZELDA: The Liberator must be our best hope.
CA-1: Look, we already have distress calls out on constant
transmission. Just obey orders!
FRANTON: With respect, sir. You and Cally are from the same sibling
group, aren't you?
ZELDA: Yes, Cally's my twin.
FRANTON: Identical brain scan.
ZELDA: Optimum telepathic affinity.
CA-1: Yes, well, forget all that and just do as I say--
FRANTON: Keep trying Zelda, keep at it. But for you our people might
have had some natural resistance. Your precious dream of
isolation --
CA-1: That policy was agreed upon in council.
FRANTON: And those in opposition were simply ignored. My father tried
to warn you, and so did Cally. And look how you've thanked
her.
CA-1: She deserved to be exiled.
FRANTON: You'd better just hope Zelda can get her back now.
[Liberator flight deck]
ZELDA: ['path voice] Cally. Help us, Cally. Help Auron.
CALLY: [Repeating to the others] "Help ... help Auron."
[Tarrant gives Avon a sign for a council behind Cally's
back. They move off together.]
TARRANT: Let's go.
AVON: Can we trust them?
CALLY: Yes. Zelda would never trick me.
VILA: Zelda?
DAYNA: Her identical sibling.
VILA: Eh?
DAYNA: There are plenty more like her on Auron, apparently.
CALLY: This is not a trap.
AVON: Not knowingly, perhaps.
TARRANT: Zen, reroute to planet Auron.
AVON: Just like that?
TARRANT: A democracy. You're outvoted, Avon. Three to two.
VILA: Four to one. I like to stay with the winners whenever
possible.
ZEN: Confirm course changing to zero three one zero. Destination:
the planet Auron. State speed.
TARRANT: Standard by Six.
ZEN: Confirm.
CALLY: ['path voice] I'm coming, Zelda. I'm coming home. I'm
coming home.
[Servalan's flight deck. Servalan and Deral watch a screen]
SERVALAN: Their bio-replication plant. Auron's most elegant
achievement. Synthesised placenta unit, each capable of
gestating a batch of identical siblings.
DERAL: Of - ?
SERVALAN: Foetuses, Deral. Offspring.
DERAL: They look quite human.
SERVALAN: They are. The man who perfected the process, Franton,
achieved spontaneous cell differentiation.
DERAL: No need for fertilisation.
SERVALAN: That's right. Pure genetic replication.
DERAL: Your own cells, unmated. One parent only.
SERVALAN: Exactly. And now, since the untimely destruction of the
Clonemasters, it is exclusive to Auron.
DERAL: Exclusive? So this is your reason. Nothing to do with
rebuilding the Federation. You simply want to reproduce.
SERVALAN: It's as well for you that just now I happen to need men like
you and Ginka: loyal, unquestioning, not prone to
interfering in matters of strategy.
DERAL: Even so, does seem a little -- excessive? To afflict a whole
planet merely to indulge --
SERVALAN: Indulge nothing! This, Deral, this is merely a bonus. My
primary object for Auron's affliction, as you call it, is to
seize the Liberator.
AVON: This is crass stupidity.
TARRANT: Not from Cally's side of the scanner.
AVON: Emotional ties - we cannot risk the Liberator for sentiment.
TARRANT: As long as Cally is part of this crew, she has full call on
your loyalty and support, no matter what the risks.
AVON: You are forgetting that the Aurons rejected her. They sent
her into exile.
TARRANT: You were exiled from Earth.
AVON: I go back as an executioner.
TARRANT: And you really believe revenge should rate a higher priority
than mercy?
AVON: All right. We will consult Orac. [they walk together to Orac.
Avon inserts key]
SERVALAN: Signal Auron Control. Offer medical facilities.
GINKA: [on screen] Do we go in and dock?
DERAL: I give your orders, Ginka.
GINKA: My apologies, Captain. Do we go in and dock, sir.
DERAL: You'll get your or--
SERVALAN: Yes. With full quarantine precautions. Say we're afraid of
cross infection. Under the circumstances, they shouldn't
find that hard to believe.
GINKA: True, Madame.
DERAL: What if the Liberator's out of range of Auron's distress
calls?
SERVALAN: You're forgetting Cally.
DERAL: Her telepathy?
SERVALAN: Exactly. And I'm quite sure she's capable of persuading the
others.
CALLY: ['path voice] Soon. We're coming. Tell them they must not
despair. The Liberator is on its way. Zelda, we will be
together again. Be strong. I'm coming home, Zelda. I'm
coming to help you.
PATAR: Sir. Your message received, jig nine. Hold please.
CA-1: It's a reply.
PATAR: Requesting quarantine dockings.
CA-2: Who are they?
PATAR: It's an ex-Federation cruiser.
CA-1: All right. Confirm.
FRANTON: Just a minute. Suppose it's a trick.
CA-1: How?
FRANTON: This whole epidemic. They could have intercepted our patrol
ship and infected our pilot.
CA-1: For what reason?
FRANTON: Conquest.
CA-1: That's ridiculous.
FRANTON: Surely it would be safer to wait for the Liberator. At least
we can trust them, and we know they're coming, Zelda heard.
CA-1: But not when. Do you know how long it'll take? Heh?
Exactly. All right. Confirm docking. Full quarantine.
PATAR: Auron control to jig nine.
GINKA: [on screen] Madame, docking facilities open.
SERVALAN: Quarantine?
GINKA: As specified.
SERVALAN: Tell them to have specimens ready for analysis.
GINKA: Right.
SERVALAN: No. Tell them to have a patient ready. Specify Clinician
Franton. Tell them he's to wear protective suiting to
withstand radiation scanning.
GINKA: Clinician Franton?
SERVALAN: Yes. Their replication expert.
ORAC: Reproduction by Clinician Franton's method of group cloning
has resulted in highly developed psychic faculties,
telepathy being the most obvious example. These faculties
are, of course, limited to the young since cloning was
developed relatively recently.
AVON: We know all that.
ORAC: Since I lack sensors to assess what is or is not in your
mind, I cannot assess what is or is not already known to
you.
TARRANT: Listen, Orac, what about the disease epidemic Cally's
talking about.
ORAC: It's a high probability that because Auron has had a policy of
neutrality and isolation, the planet has now been kept
completely free of all disease for more than three decades.
TARRANT: A sterile environment.
AVON: Without disease there would be no natural resistance to
infection.
ORAC: Precisely.
CALLY: Checking up?
AVON: Why not?
CALLY: There's nothing Orac can tell you that I can't.
AVON: Maybe not, but dispassionately, without prejudice or
emotion.
CALLY: So what's Orac's dispassionate assessment? A trap?
AVON: We haven't got that far.
ZEN: Distress signal from Auron.
CALLY: Details.
ZEN: Signal faint and intermittent.
CALLY: Come on, come on.
ZEN: Requesting urgent help. Requesting medical facilities.
[Franton in treatment chamber]
GINKA: Diagnostic scan complete. Remove helmet for treatment.
Grasp the support. Keep as still as possible. Feet on
the marks.
[Franton shudders]
DERAL: Ginka, that is not clinician Franton.
GINKA: It tis, sir.
SERVALAN: Rubbish. Ginka, who is this woman?
GINKA: She's Franton's daughter, in charge of the bio replication
plant since her father's death several years ago.
SERVALAN: Daughter? Surely the man would have replicated in his own
image.
GINKA: It seems she was born while he was still developing the
process.
SERVALAN: Ah. Born of natural birth.
GINKA: Evidently. Excuse me, Madam. [Franton's sores disappear.
She is released from treatment unit.] There's a mirror to your
left.
DERAL: Shall I have her brought in here, Madame?
SERVALAN: Please don't interfere, Deral. I've already given Ginka his
orders.
VOICE: Excuse me Madame. Control. Liberator is on visual.
SERVALAN: The prize, Deral. The way to re-establish the Federation
more quickly. The single most powerful fighting ship left in
space. With that, we can command the loyalty of all
factions.
[Ginka enters flight deck with Franton]
GINKA: Clinician Franton.
SERVALAN: No longer infectious.
GINKA: Total cure.
FRANTON: Your therapy unit is miraculous.
SERVALAN: Thank you. Installed shortly before the Intergalactic War.
FRANTON: Auron's people will be saved if we can reprogram our medical
units.
SERVALAN: I only wish that were possible. Explain, Ginka.
GINKA: It's a pathogen introduced by the aliens during the War.
Treatment is linked to the patient's individual tissue
pattern.
FRANTON: Individual?
GINKA: The best we can offer is for your people to come on board
wearing protective clothing in batches of six.
FRANTON: Six? Our entire planet's infected. If we could at least take
the unit out to our medical centre-
GINKA: No question of that. Batches of six, in suits.
[Six white suited figures stagger down a hall]
CA-2: Six at a time.
CA-1: Well, even if only a few dozen can survive...Where's
clinician Franton?
CA-2: She's gone back to the plant to prepare for evacuation of
the genetic stock.
PATAR: Liberator arrival imminent, sir.
CA-2: At last!
CA-1: Patar. Offer immediate docking facilities.
PATAR: I did, sir, but they -- they said they're using teleport.
[Liberator teleport room]
CALLY: We're wasting valuable time, why don't we dock now?
AVON: Security.
CALLY: But this is a mercy mission, not a war.
VILA: Those bugs could hit us too, you know.
TARRANT: We can dock once we've assessed.
VILA: Uh, volunteering for teleport duty up here.
AVON: We should leave two.
TARRANT: Dayna can bring one of them straight back up for analysis.
DAYNA: OK.
CALLY: It would be quicker if we took Orac down with us.
AVON: It would be stupid to compound the risk.
CALLY: Risk! They're dying down there, dying by the thousands,.
TARRANT: Orac stays, Cally.
DAYNA: Come on.
VILA: Good luck. [operates teleport]
DERAL: Ginka.
GINKA: Yes, sir?
DERAL: Stand up.
GINKA: Sir.
DERAL: You are addressing a superior officer, stand up!
GINKA: As you wish, sir.
DERAL: Yes, Ginka, as I wish. I'm tired of your insubordination.
I'm tired of your not very subtle attempt to undermine my
authority.
GINKA: Is this an official reprimand, sir? If it is, then I have
the right to the presence of another officer to whom I may
state my case.
DERAL: What exactly is your case?
GINKA: Do you mean you don't know?
DERAL: Is it because you were passed over for command?
GINKA: You admit that I was passed over then.
DERAL: Clearly, since I was made captain and you were not. A fact
you'd do well to bear in mind.
GINKA: Oh, I do bear it in mind, sir. I bear it in mind all the
time.
DERAL: Then act accordingly, or I shall have you up in front of a
court martial.
GINKA: I don't think the president would go along with that. Sir.
DERAL: You think she has some special regard for you, is that it?
GINKA: I think she recognises a good officer, even if he doesn't
have the right connections.
DERAL: As I have?
GINKA: Surely. Since you were made Captain, and I was not.
DERAL: Get on with your work.
[Six white suited Aurons enter treatment chamber]
GINKA: [on screen] The first six have arrived, Madame.
SERVALAN: Get them out of those suits.
GINKA: Should I proceed with the scanning process first?
SERVALAN: There is no point. They have to die anyway. See to it,
Ginka, and get two of those suits up here. Deral and I will
need them.
GINKA: At once, Madame.
SERVALAN: Control, is the Liberator docking?
VOICE: No, Madame. It is in stationary orbit.
SERVALAN: Ah. Then they're using teleport.
[Cally and Dayna manoeuvre Patar to be teleported.]
DAYNA: Is he strong enough, do you think?
CALLY: Yes. Come on.
DAYNA: Teleport, Vila. [they teleport out]
AVON: So, one of your pilots was infected with an alien pathogen.
CA-2: That's right.
AVON: Why didn't he report the sickness, warn you to have
quarantine ready?
CA-2: His communications were defective, auto systems as well.
He managed the reentry on manual, but died during docking.
AVON: Defective, how?
CA-2: Ionic particle dislocation.
AVON: Didn't that strike you as odd?
CA-1: No doubt yet another residue of annihilation from your war.
AVON: Impossible. No warfare pathogens or ionic reefs could have
drifted this far, not so quickly.
CA-1: Well, they evidently have. And our population is, is
decimated.
CALLY: At lease Dayna has taken your traffic controller up to our
ship.
CA-1: One man.
CALLY: Well, we have to start somewhere. He'll be scanned for both
diagnosis and treatment.
CA-1: And then what? How many can you possibly save? Everyone's
infected.
AVON: Including us, by now.
CA-2: What about the genetic tissue? There are five thousand on
standby for immediate dispatch.
TARRANT: Five thousand? All uninfected?
CA-1: Yes, of course.
AVON: How can you be sure?
CA-2: It's in storage at our bio replication plant.
CALLY: Is Zelda there?
CA-2: Yes. With Clinician Franton.
[At bio replication plant]
ZELDA: There's someone in decontamination.
FRANTON: Carry on, Zelda. [speaks thru door] Strictly no entry.
SERVALAN: [through door] Let us in, please.
FRANTON: The infection risk.
SERVALAN: You obviously have cleansing procedures. Besides, we are
not diseased in any way.
FRANTON: What do you want?
SERVALAN: A small matter of payment, in return for our medical
services. I wish to use one of your gestation units.
FRANTON: Replication?
SERVALAN: That, I believe, is their function. Is it so much to ask?
FRANTON: We're preparing for evacuation.
SERVALAN: No longer necessary. Thanks to us. And the Liberator.
FRANTON: But the disease pathogens will still be infecting the
planet.
SERVALAN: No problem. After the gestation process is complete, our
medical unit can simply induct specific resistance into
the...babies. The quicker you oblige, the quicker I can
return to my ship and allow the treatment to continue.
FRANTON: The price of mercy.
SERVALAN: Elementary commerce. [Zelda decontaminates them]
AVON: How do you feel?
TARRANT: I just hope Orac can fix it.
AVON: [Into bracelet] Liberator. [Beat] Idiot, where are you?
TARRANT: Vila!
AVON: [vo] This is not untypical. [Vila mouths answer in helmet]
Vila, come in.
VILA: [Vila removes helmet] Yes.
AVON: [vo] Where were you?
VILA: Precautions.
AVON: Against what?
VILA: [vo] Plague.
TARRANT: Has Orac got any results yet?
VILA: [vo] No.
CA-2: The first batch are just coming back from treatment.
CA-1: Good. Get the next six ready.
AVON: Treatment?
CALLY: Where?
CA-1: From the other ship.
CALLY: What other ship?
CA-1: The one that answered our distress call shortly before you
arrived.
[Ginka suddenly enters with Federation troopers]
GINKA: Absolutely still, Tarrant! Bracelets off -- and guns.
Quickly!
CA-1: Who the hell are you? I give the orders here.
GINKA: Not anymore. I'm in charge. On the floor, double quick!
CALLY: ['path voice] Zelda. Zelda, listen. We're trapped in the
Control Centre. We're trapped in the Control Centre.
FRANTON: Zelda! Prepare a placenta, please.
[uses needle to extract Servalan's blood]
DERAL: Is that all it takes, then? A sample of blood?
FRANTON: It's the genetic print we need. All body cells with a
nucleus carry that. The white cells are here. As long as
they're capable of differentiation, they're capable of
growth, into another you.
SERVALAN: Excellent. My blood line, Deral.
FRANTON: Or gene stock.
SERVALAN: Yes. [Franton drops blood on solution in tray]
Where can I speak to your control centre?
FRANTON: Over there.
DERAL: Do you need me, mum?
SERVALAN: No, Deral, you can wait for me here. [leaves]
ZELDA: Cally's trapped in the C--[Franton stops her as Deral
approaches, then he picks up the tray]
DAYNA: Relax, Vila. Orac's found the cure.
VILA: Quite sure?
PATAR: It's even better than the other ship.
DAYNA: What?
VILA: What other ship?
PATAR: The ex-Federation that answered our distress call.
VILA: Now he tells us! [Into comm] Cally, Avon, Tarrant. Tarrant.
Answer, Tarrant.
DAYNA: I'll go down.
VILA: And land us into whatever mess they're in down there? You
stay here until we know the score. [Into comm] Tarrant.
Answer, Tarrant.
PATAR: What's going on?
SERVALAN: [over comm] Hello, Vila. [Vila mouths, "Servalan."]
[Servalan's flight deck] Time to surrender. We have your
compatriots, Vila. Surrender the Liberator and they live.
Resist, and they die.
[vo] However, having some degree of personal regard for you,
Vila, I am prepared to make you an offer.
VILA: I'm listening.
SERVALAN: A position of senior rank.
VILA: Such as?
SERVALAN: Say, a governorship? A planet of your choosing. Earth, if
you wish it.
VILA: Earth?
DAYNA: [sotto voce] Lies!
VILA: Uh, I think I'll have a chat with Orac. [Breaks off]
DAYNA: We may have one advantage.
VILA: Really?
DAYNA: Us. [Indicates herself and Patar] It's just possible she
doesn't know we're here.
CA-2: Why? Why have you done this?
CA-1: Yes, why? Why have you brought this on us? I just can't
believe it. I can't believe that anyone can be so --
SERVALAN: Successful? Well now you know. [To Ginka] Take them out and
shoot them. [They are escorted out by three guards]
CA-1: I'm sorry.
CA-2: You're not to blame.
CA-1: Aren't I? I should have listened to Franton after all.
CA-2: You did what you thought was right at the time.
DAYNA: Go on, Vila.
VILA: Uh, Orac says to come up here and negotiate.
SERVALAN: Does it really?
VILA: [over comm] A question of trust. Orac can only assess
veracity in person.
SERVALAN: I'll send a deputy.
VILA: All right. But unarmed.
GINKA: Let me go, Madam. I'll take the Liberator!
SERVALAN: No. I think Deral would be a more suitable representative.
DERAL: Without a weapon?
SERVALAN: Have one. [She hands him a gun.] But hidden. It's only Vila
up there and he's a coward. Get control of that teleport,
and the Liberator is ours. [into bracelet] My deputy is
ready. His name is Deral.
VILA: One moment. [motions Dayna and Patar out of teleport room]
All right.
DERAL: Teleport. [Deral teleports]
VILA: Um, welcome aboard.
DERAL: Sit down. [points gun at Vila]
VILA: Over here? [sits at teleport console]
DERAL: Mnn hmm.
DAYNA: [enters with gun on Deral] Keep still! [takes his gun]
VILA: So much for trust. Disarming, isn't she?
DAYNA: Over there.
VILA: [into comm] You tried to trick us, Servalan. Naughty.
One hostage to us.
SERVALAN: And three to me.
ZELDA: But listen, I have to go.
FRANTON: Set foot outside this building and you'll be instantly
infected.
ZELDA: But not dead. I can still -
FRANTON: I'm immune now Zelda, cured. One of us must stay and
complete the packing. The genetic material must be ready
for evacuation. It's Auron's only chance, now.
ZELDA: But -
FRANTON: Ah, I'll manage.
ZELDA: But -
FRANTON: You stay and alert Cally. Tell her to be ready.
DAYNA: Where is Servalan's ship?
PATAR: Down on the quarantine ramps.
DAYNA: Threaten it, Vila.
VILA: [into comm] You're cut off, Servalan. We have a neutron
blaster sighted on your ship.
SERVALAN: [over comm] Destroy it, and you destroy your three
compatriots.
VILA: They're not on board.
SERVALAN: True, Vila, true. But they are infected with the disease.
And the only cure happens to be on my ship. I think it quite
safe to return. Ginka, bring the bracelets. Watch them.
DAYNA: Is she telling the truth, Deral? Can she really cure them?
Well?
DERAL: If I help you, I'm finished with Servalan.
VILA: Friend, you're dead meat to her anyway.
[Cally sees Franton in door window.]
CALLY: [telepaths] Avon, Tarrant, look.
[they look at her, then at the door. Franton knocks.
Guard shoots at her. Guard One goes down the corridor in
search of Franton. Guard Two starts after. Tarrant jumps
Guard Two. Avon goes out into the corridor. Guard One
fires at him, and Avon ducks back inside. Cally knees
Guard Two and gets the gun away from him. Tarrant tosses
Guard Two out into the corridor. Guard One fires and kills
Guard Two.]
AVON: Nice shot. [Guard One heads away.] I'll take him. [Grabs the
gun from Cally and starts off.]
FRANTON: [Breaks cover. Avon takes aim at her.] I'm Franton. The
guard's gone. You'll never get him now.
AVON: He'll alert Servalan.
CALLY: How far away is their ship?
FRANTON: Close.
AVON: As soon as she knows, she'll blast us.
TARRANT: Exactly. There's no point in staying here.
CALLY: Where shall we go, then?
FRANTON: There is one place that's safe.
AVON: From those projectiles of hers?
FRANTON: Simply because of what's in there. The replication plant.
Come on.
SERVALAN: Fool. [crumples cup, throws it at guard] Arm
projectiles. Prepare to fire.
GINKA: Target?
SERVALAN: The Control Centre. [the control centre explodes]
FRANTON: The centre. Come on.
SERVALAN: The control centre?
GINKA: Demolished.
SERVALAN: Good.
GINKA: Our sensors are detecting movement.
SERVALAN: Sector?
GINKA: Northeast.
SERVALAN: [sees them on screen] They're heading for the replication
plant.
GINKA: Ready to fire.
SERVALAN: Wait. Use mark fives only.
GINKA: But, Madame!
SERVALAN: Ginka, I don't want that plant damaged.
[Avon, Tarrant, Cally, Franton run across large expanse of
concrete, bombs explode]
FRANTON: Not much further. Hurry!
[more bombs explode]
ZEN: Projectile attack in proximity of main control centre.
DAYNA: Attack?
VILA: They stand about as much chance as a bubble in a black hole.
DERAL: Unless they head for the replication plant.
VILA: What?
DERAL: It's the one possible sanctuary.
DAYNA: Why?
[more bombs]
FRANTON: Zelda!
SERVALAN: No closer. Cease firing.
GINKA: Firing ceased.
SERVALAN: Take in a ground force. You command.
GINKA: But Madame--!
SERVALAN: Ginka! Do as I say.
[Zelda decontaminates Franton. She enters biorep]
FRANTON: They're diseased, Zelda. [closes door]
ZELDA: No.
TARRANT: [in corridor outside biorep] They've stopped firing.
AVON: I wonder why.
FRANTON: [through door] Because of these. They're implanted
with her cells.
TARRANT: Servalan's?
AVON: Her surrogate womb.
TARRANT: Birth by proxy.
AVON: After infecting the entire planet in the first place.
TARRANT: You must be Zelda.
ZELDA: That's right.
TARRANT: Cally? [Cally approaches door. She and Zelda place a hand
each on glass of door]
AVON: So. Those little monsters give us a breather.
TARRANT: Not that it'll do us much good without bracelets to get us
up to the Liberator.
DAYNA: Could be. If they've somehow found out about Servalan's
urge to breed.
VILA: But how?
DAYNA: Cally won't be short of telepathic vibes. Her sister's
there remember.
VILA: Yes, but --
DAYNA: But it's the only possible lead we have.
VILA: But if it's wrong! If he's lying!
DAYNA: Just be ready to bring me straight back up! All right,
down. [Vila operates teleport]
VILA: [to Deral] You'd better be right.
SERVALAN: I told you to take in a ground force.
GINKA: I know. But I think you are mistaken, Madame.
SERVALAN: About what?
GINKA: The replication plant. Cally, Avon, and Tarrant - they must
die now.
SERVALAN: Not in there.
GINKA: Why not? Surely you are not that concerned for Captain
Deral's offspring.
SERVALAN: Deral? What are you talking about?
GINKA: Did you know he persuaded the woman Franton to remove some
cells from one of the placentas and replace them with his
own.
SERVALAN: Whose cells did he replace?
GINKA: You were with him all the time, weren't you?
SERVALAN: No. I left him alone there, when I went to give you you're
orders. The firing point - now! [Ginka smiles]
[Franton and Zelda prepare boxes for evacuation
Dayna hands out bracelets to Avon, Tarrant and Cally]
DAYNA: You don't look well.
TARRANT: I just hope Orac can sort us out.
DAYNA: Relax! Orac did a grand therapy job on their traffic
controller.
TARRANT: [through door] Franton. Zelda. You'll have to evacuate
with us. They'll be here soon, Zelda, and it won't just
be bugs they're bringing.
FRANTON: He's right, Zelda. [opens door. Avon, Tarrant, and Cally
enter. Cally and Zelda embrace]
DAYNA: [hands bracelets to Franton and Zelda] Get them on.
Ready, everyone?
FRANTON: Wait! The gene stocks. [runs to grab boxes]
DAYNA: Ready?
ZELDA: [hears beeping] I think it's the nutrient flow balance.
DAYNA: What are you doing?
ZELDA: I have to adjust it.
AVON: There isn't time for that.
FRANTON: Leave it, Zelda.
ZELDA: But the foetuses will die.
AVON: They're going to die anyway. Vila, get us out of here.
[Zelda removes bracelet. More beeping]
CALLY: Zelda! [Zelda adjusts settings on machine]
GINKA: Ready to fire.
SERVALAN: Fire.
CALLY: [telepaths] You must get out of there, Zelda. Put the
bracelet on.
ZELDA: [telepaths] Even Servalan's children must have a
chance, Cally. [works at unit] Servalan! [looks up]
Cally! [explosions, Zelda screams]
[On Servalan's flight deck, Servalan watches screen as biorep is bombed.
She jerks, shudders and weeps. In Liberator teleport room Cally faints.
Dayna picks her up and carries her o.o.s]
FRANTON: Servalan must have destroyed the plant. Why would she do
that? Why kill the babies? Even her own babies.
SERVALAN: Ginka. Ginka!
GINKA: We got them!
SERVALAN: You lied. You lied to me. They were mine. I felt them die.
[presses button on small unit. Ginka screams, writhes, dies]
AVON: Deral. [snaps teleport bracelet onto Deral's wrist]
DERAL: What? [Avon pushes Deral onto teleport platform]
AVON: Tell Servalan she missed us.
PATER: It was for nothing. All of it was for nothing.
FRANTON: And tell her Auron's children will return.
DERAL: You can't!
TARRANT: No? [he teleports Deral] Happy landings.
SERVALAN: Deral. Well?
DERAL: No! [she kills him using the small unit]
[Dayna and Vila on flight deck couch. Tarrant enters]
DAYNA: Feeling better?
TARRANT: Yes, thanks to Orac.
VILA: Did you look in on the others?
TARRANT: Yes, they're fine.
VILA: And Cally?
AVON: She'll be all right, she's sleeping. Zen, course.
ZEN: Course zero three two zero for the planet Kaarn.
AVON: Kaarn?
ZEN: It is within the specified parameters. An uninhabited earth
type planet capable of supporting an Auron colony.
TARRANT: Flight time?
ZEN: Forty hours at present speed.
AVON: Increase speed.
TARRANT: No, Avon. Let's not rush it.
AVON: Why not?
TARRANT: The gene stocks that Franton has contain the potential for
five thousand children.
DAYNA: Franton and Pater are going to be busy on Kaarn.
TARRANT: Maybe we should let them rest.
AVON: Maybe we should. It's likely to be the last rest they get.
Zen, maintain present speed.
DAYNA: What about Cally? Do you think she'll want to go with them?
AVON: Cally will stay with us. We are closer to her than they are.
Besides, a nursery of five thousand, would you want to go
with them?
[all laugh, Dayna passes tray, Vila and Tarrant take wafers]
** end **