BLAKE'S 7
43. "Stardrive"
by Jim Follett
(c) 1981 by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Series created
by Terry Nation. This is a partial dialogue transcript for
research purposes and is not for sale under any circumstances.
Format (c) 1993 by Susan Schnitger, Micky DuPree and David
Skerrett.
Dramatis Personae
Kerr Avon
Vila Restal
Del Tarrant
Dayna Mellanby
Soolin
Orac
Slave
Dr. Plaxton
Atlan
Bomber
Napier
[Scorpio flight deck]
TARRANT: I have it.
AVON: Sector eight?
TARRANT: Sector eight.
SOOLIN: That's the asteroid?
AVON: That asteroid is our passport into the Altern system
and [shot of irregular, rotating asteroid] out again
when we've finished, right under the noses of the
Federation.
TARRANT: Converging velocity, Standard by One.
DAYNA: Avon, what's the mass of that asteroid?
AVON: About two billion tons, I would say.
TARRANT: Range one hundred thousand and closing.
DAYNA: Well, then I say the whole scheme's crazy.
AVON: Why?
VILA: Two billion? Training manual rule one: Never play with
asteroids. They're what Murphy's Law's all about.
DAYNA: Murphy's Law?
SOOLIN: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
AVON: The crews of any Federation patrols will have been
taught the same lesson.
TARRANT: Range ninety thousand.
SLAVE: I, uh, don't wish to speak out of turn but we're on a
converging collision course with a large--
AVON: We know.
SLAVE: I'm sorry, Master, but as asteroids go--
AVON: Don't be sorry, be quiet. [crosses from near Slave to
join the others.] If we want to keep this heap of
ironmongery operational, we have to visit Altern Five
in order to recover selsium ore to make fuel crystals.
Hitching a ride into the Altern system on that
asteroid is the only way we're going to get past any
Federation patrols and within teleport distance of
Altern Five. Now if anyone has a better idea, I'd like
to hear it.
VILA: I wish I'd kept my mouth shut.
TARRANT: Range sixty thousand.
SLAVE: Thirty seconds thrust at maximum power, vectored at
three seven zero will match our course and velocity
through the Altern system with the asteroid.
TARRANT: Thrust vector six. Stand by and override monitor.
AVON: Standing by.
SOOLIN: Just how close are you planning to get to that thing,
Avon?
AVON: Fifty yards.
VILA: Fifty yards!? [Gets up from his station and approaches
Avon] Oh, come on, Avon--
AVON: Near enough to be in its radar shadow without the risk
of being damaged by its spin. Slave, we shall need the
precision guidance subsystems on-line for the final
approach.
SLAVE: Yes, Master. Precision guidance on-line and stand by.
Main drive thrust condition green for activation on
your command.
VILA: Do we have to go that near? That spin won't just
damage us if we overshoot, it'll tear the ship apart.
TARRANT: [Joins them] Vila's right. We need a safer stand-off
distance --
AVON: The closer we get, the less risk there is of our being
detected by a Federation patrol.
TARRANT: Range?
SOOLIN: Five thousand.
DAYNA: [Stands up] There won't be anything left of us to
detect unless we match velocity and course now.
AVON: Sit down! Thirty seconds. [Dayna sits down.]
TARRANT: We can't risk leaving it that long. Maximum thrust
will wreck the main drive.
VILA: He's right!
AVON: We can't risk a patrol detecting plasma radiation from
sustained thrust. There are times when even the most
cynical must trust in luck. [They approach the
asteroid.] Now! [Tarrant engages main drive.
Something blows.]
TARRANT: Precision guidance lost.
AVON: Slave, initiate the backup system.
SLAVE: I'm very sorry about this, but that WAS the backup
system.
[They graze the asteroid, sustaining damage, and
pandemonium ensues. The next three sets of line are
delivered nearly simultaneously.]
VILA: It's coming apart, Avon, I told you--
DAYNA: [unintelligible] ... explosion ... [unintelligible]
TARRANT: The flight level redundancy programs are blown,
there's nothing left.
AVON: [Thumps the deck with his fist, picks himself up] Slave!
Damage report!
SLAVE: Main drive lost.
AVON: We know that. What about the outer hull?
VILA: [Comes up to Avon] Look, Avon, I know I suggested it,
but I told you it wouldn't work, not under these
conditions --
AVON: [Waves him off] Be quiet. [Vila moves away.]
SLAVE: No external or internal sensors are functioning in the
main drive plasma chamber or the main thrust tube,
therefore damage to the ship's stern must be
considerable. I'm sorry, Master.
SOOLIN: HE'S sorry?
AVON: Check the dark side.
TARRANT: Chances are we've wrecked the main drive's focusing core.
AVON: We carry a spare.
TARRANT: What use will that be? The main drive chamber can't be
pressurized. How do you carry out a delicate repair
operation wearing a spacesuit and gauntlets?
VILA: I don't.
DAYNA: Nobody does. It's impossible. It's like using an
asteroid as cover to enter the Altern planetary
system. Maybe next time you'll listen to reason, if
there IS a next time, which seems unlikely.
AVON: Slave! What is our life support capability?
SLAVE: One hundred and fifty-five hours, Master.
SOOLIN: Oh! By the time the oxygen runs out, we'll be bored as
well as dead.
VILA: Look, Tarrant, I told him it wouldn't--
AVON: Be quiet! Let us check ALL the systems. I would prefer
to be sure that dying is the best option we have.
[Shot of Scorpio in space, unmoving.]
[Scorpio flight deck. Tarrant, Dayna and Soolin are moving about,
checking the controls. Avon is standing lost in thought.]
VILA: [enters] Hello there! Anyone for a party? I'm afraid
you'll have to bring your own booze 'cause I've
already drunk my own. Anyone got any booze? Huh?
[stumbles slightly as he crosses to the station next
to Soolin] And how about my cold, calculating Soolin?
I'd like to see you unbend [Soolin moves to a
different station] just a little before we're all ...
all ...
DAYNA: Sometimes, Vila, you can be quite disgusting.
VILA: Not so, my lovely. I can be disgusting all the time.
It's easy. Easy as colliding with an asteroid, eh,
Avon? [Avon's head comes up.] You know, they say all
your life passes in front of you when you're about to,
about to... y'know. It's what's happening to me now.
All my past life....
AVON: That's one misfortune we don't have to share.
VILA: Fourteen I was when I was first sent to a penal
colony. Ship was hit in the main drive by a meteoroid,
bang! Y'know what they did to repair it? [Avon and
Tarrant begin to look at Vila. As he continues they
move in, listening to him.] Activated the force wall
and generated an atmosphere inside the force wall so
the repair team could work in a vacuum without
spacesuits, 'cause it wasn't a vacuum any more if you
see what I mean. Very clever, those old prison hulk
skippers.
AVON: Slave, activate force wall. Pressurize it with our
air reserve.
SLAVE: That would be most inadvisable, Master. I'm terribly
sorry but our force wall generator is in a poor
condition.
TARRANT: Slave's right. We'd lose the lot.
AVON: It's a great pity we didn't bring Orac.
SLAVE: But I could manage a small force wall, a blister force
wall, around the damaged part of the hull.
AVON: Then do it!
TARRANT: Let's go. [Avon and Tarrant exit.]
VILA: [claps] Hurray!
SOOLIN: Out of the mouths of drunks ...
VILA: [all "drunk mannerisms" vanishing instantly] 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. [Dayna and Soolin
laugh.] 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.
[Main drive chamber. A jagged hole ripped in the hull leaves it
open to space. The door opens, Avon looks at Tarrant then Tarrant
gestures for Avon to go first.]
TARRANT: [into communicator?] We're in the main drive chamber.
It's gonna take about an hour.
SOOLIN: [v.o.] Right. We'll stand watch.
TARRANT: See if you can sober up Vila.
SOOLIN: [v.o.] We'll try.
TARRANT: It's weird. [Avon and Tarrant look out through the
hole in the hull.] Like being in space without a
spacesuit.
[They don safety glasses. Avon points a large device
at the hull. The gash is gradually filled in until the
hull looks normal.]
AVON: Regeneration will take about twenty minutes, while we
deal with the coil.
[Space. Shot of three ships in formation.]
[Scorpio flight deck]
SLAVE: I'm very sorry to disturb you, but I think I've detected
a patrol.
[Soolin puts view of the ship on the forward screen.]
VILA: If they detect us, I have this feeling that the last
thing they'll do is surrender.
[Main drive chamber]
SOOLIN: [v.o.] Avon, Tarrant! We got company. Three ships,
possibly interceptors, range two hundred thousand and
closing fast.
AVON: Have they detected us?
[Scorpio flight deck]
DAYNA: It doesn't look like it, they're not on an interception
course.
AVON: [v.o.] What class are they?
SOOLIN: That's just it, none of us are sure.
VILA: But they're maintaining a standard Federation patrol
pattern.
[Main drive chamber]
AVON: We can't leave what we're doing.
[Scorpio flight deck]
AVON: [v.o.] Make a recording of them. We'll look at it
later.
DAYNA: Right. Hologram recorder rolling. Slave, keep the
recorder sensors zeroed on those ships. [The three
ships explode, one by one in quick succession, shaking
the Scorpio.]
[Main drive chamber]
AVON: Soolin, Dayna what's happening?
SOOLIN: [v.o.] The three ships just exploded. [Avon starts
rushing to complete the repair.]
TARRANT: They what?
DAYNA: [v.o.] I know it sounds crazy but they just blew up by
themselves.
AVON: Well, it should get us back to base, anyway.
TARRANT: Sounds good to me. [They exit]
[Scorpio lands at Xenon base]
[Scorpio flight deck. Orac is now present. They watch a replay of
the explosion.]
AVON: Well, Orac, what do you think?
ORAC: I think you have brought back a most fascinating recording.
AVON: We are looking for conclusions, not critical acclaim.
ORAC: Two conclusions. First, the Federation have
reestablished their shipbuilding program ahead of my
prediction. Second, the early design of the main
drives indicates that they have lost their top
designer.
TARRANT: Orac, we'd worked that out already. What we want to
know is how three ships can suddenly blow up by
themselves.
ORAC: If that had happened I would want an answer to the
same question.
AVON: So what you're trying to tell us, Orac, is that those
ships did NOT blow up by themselves.
ORAC: I am not TRYING to tell you anything. I am simply not
interested in attempting to compensate for your
amazing lack of observation.
AVON: [grimaces slightly] All right, Dayna, play the
recording again. This time at half speed. [They watch
the explosions again, more slowly.]
VILA: So what's that supposed to tell us?
AVON: That recording told Orac something. If we want to know
what it is, we have to check every frame.
DAYNA: [Disbelieving laugh] What, at ten thousand frames per
second? It'll take us hours.
AVON: So?
SOOLIN: So let's at least patch through a link to the crewroom.
DAYNA: And do it in comfort.
AVON: A waste of time and effort. We will do it here, and we
will do it now.
VILA: All of us?
AVON: We'll take it in shifts. You may as well start, [pause] Dayna.
DAYNA: Thanks a lot.
[Scorpio flight deck. Shot of Dayna, alone, watching screen.]
[Scorpio flight deck. Shot of Soolin, alone, watching screen.
She straightens suddenly and adjusts the controls.]
SOOLIN: [into communicator] Avon, I've found something.
[Scorpio flight deck. The others have joined Soolin.]
SOOLIN: Look, there, at the bottom of the screen. [Several
frames showing a crossing space chopper.]
AVON: From it's movement across the frames it's possible to
calculate its velocity.
TARRANT: About Standard by twelve at a guess.
VILA: In real time? That's not possible.
ORAC: Standard by twelve decimal six, to be precise.
DAYNA: Well, as Vila says, nothing can travel at that speed
in real time. It is impossible.
ORAC: Nothing COULD and it WAS impossible. It is necessary
for your statement to be rephrased, using the past
tense.
SOOLIN: So whatever it is, it fired three bolts at those ships
before it passed in front of our sensors.
VILA: And at Standard by twelve, they never knew what hit
them.
SOOLIN: Just as well it left us alone. So what is it?
TARRANT: Single-seater space chopper. They were a teenagers'
craze two centuries back, until the Federation
outlawed them.
DAYNA: [snorts] Not surprising if they could do Standard by
twelve.
AVON: They couldn't. Which means that that one has been
fitted with a new form of main drive unit.
ORAC: Which also means that the photonic space drive has
been finally perfected by Dr. Plaxton.
VILA: Who?
TARRANT: But Orac, Dr. Plaxton was head of the Federation Space
Drive Research Center.
ORAC: At the time of the Federation's collapse, the doctor
was developing a new space drive system that used
light to exert thrust instead of plasma: the photonic
drive or the Stardrive machine, as it's known.
AVON: Was the prototype small enough to be fitted into a space
chopper?
ORAC: Certainly.
VILA: Hey, just think. If we can get hold of one of those
drives and swap it for the clapped out unit on our
ship--
AVON: That will be our immediate objective. Where is Dr. Plaxton
now?
ORAC: Presumably with the owners of that space chopper. It's
all a matter of observation.
AVON: Bring that thing into close-up. [Shots of the space
chopper, getting larger and larger.] Closer.
Concentrate on the pilot. I want a close-up of his
helmet. [Shot of helmet revealing red silhouette of a
rat.]
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.
TARRANT: 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 fellows are
just as bad. We had a couple in the penal colony
once. They were always trying to frighten me.
DAYNA: [Laughing] And they never succeeded, of course. What were
they imprisoned for?
VILA: Breaking into transport museums. When the Federation
banned all leisure transport, they went in for
stealing anything on wheels or could fly. They were
speed crazy, and I do mean crazy.
AVON: Speed is the key. Find the Space Rats and we find Dr.
Plaxton. That's exactly what we're going to do.
VILA: Now look, I've tangled with just about every ugly in
the book since I got involved with you lot, but I draw
the line at Space Rats.
TARRANT: Go on.
VILA: Well, they have no respect for life. They're based on
an ancient Earth sect of unbelievable viciousness.
AVON: Orac, where can we find these Space Rats?
ORAC: Their last known base was Caspar, an Earth-type planet in
Sector Five.
AVON: Sector Five?
SOOLIN: We'll never make it with the state the ship's in.
DAYNA: What are our chances, Orac?
ORAC: One hundred percent better than your chances of
getting anywhere else if you don't obtain a new space
drive for the ship within three months.
DAYNA: Thank you, Orac, that's a great help.
TARRANT: It'll take time to get the ship ready.
AVON: Better get on with it then.
SOOLIN: I'll get the lights on for a start.
VILA: Can't we think about this?
AVON: As much as you like, once we're underway. Slave, set a
course for Caspar in sector five.
[Shot of reddish planet, seen from space.]
[Scorpio flight deck]
TARRANT: Synchronous orbit around Caspar established and locked.
VILA: Supposing they come at us with one of their space chopper?
AVON: There's no point in worrying about that.
VILA: No? After what happened to those Federation ships?
AVON: Because we won't know anything about it. Try again,
Soolin.
SOOLIN: [into communicator] Caspar, Caspar, this is civilian
freighter Scorpio calling Caspar. We are not hostile,
repeat, not hostile. We wish to negotiate an alliance
against the Federation. Caspar, Caspar, this is
Scorpio. Do you copy?
VILA: You're wasting your time. They won't have radio. The
only technology they're interested in is on wheels or
flies or goes bang. You know what they're up to right
now?
DAYNA: What?
VILA: Right now they're trying to make up their minds which
piece of nastiness they're going to send up to zap us
with.
DAYNA: Oh, surely they won't risk an attack without finding
out first what it is they are going to attack.
VILA: Oh, that's the logical way of thinking. But those
psychopaths down there are Space Rats. Their
philosophy is simple: if it moves, zap it.
AVON: As you know so much about their philosophy, you would
seem to be the ideal person to teleport down to talk
to them.
VILA: Me? But I've just told you what they're like.
TARRANT: Get permission for us to land Scorpio.
AVON: Dayna will go down with you, just to keep an eye on you.
DAYNA: [Nods] Yes, all right.
VILA: You don't seriously expect us to talk to them?
AVON: Just check the place out. Make sure we're right.
TARRANT: Scorpio's in no condition to make unnecessary
landings, Vila. [lifts Vila out of his seat.]
AVON: Soolin, set teleport coordinates.
VILA: [He and Dayna don guns.] And set them properly. Not in
the middle of a lake or something.
SOOLIN: The state the final guidance is in you'll be lucky not
to end up in space on a reciprocal coordinate.
DAYNA: Ready.
[Sand pit on Caspar]
DAYNA: [materializes alone and looks about] Vila? Vila!
VILA: [calling from rocks higher in the pit.] Dayna, I'm
stuck! [Tries vainly to pull his arm from where it is
wedged in a crack.] Oh. Oh. [Dayna climbs up to join
him.] I'm stuck.
DAYNA: So am I, Vila. With you. [Pulls him free.]
VILA: Oh, my back, my back. Oh--
DAYNA: Shut up! Be quiet! [Sound of engines approaching] What is
it?
VILA: How should I know?
[Two Space Rats approach on three-wheeled ATV's.]
DAYNA: What are they?
VILA: THEY are the Space Rats.
DAYNA: What are they riding?
VILA: Oh, I dunno. If it moves on wheels, they steal it, and
if it doesn't move on wheels, they zap it. They don't
like complications.
[The Space Rats stop the ATV's and get off. They look
around for a while, using binoculars, then remount the
ATV's. Vila draws his gun and fumbles it, repeatedly
trying to catch it, but the gun finally slips from his
grasps and falls down the hillside. Its clatter is
covered as the Space Rats restart their ATV's and
drive off. Dayna and Vila climb down and Vila recovers
his gun.]
VILA: Seems like luck is on our side today.
DAYNA: Think so? [indicates security camera pointed in their
direction.]
[Lounge in Space Rat quarters. Some of the Space Rats are
watching Dayna and Vila on a large view screen.]
VILA: [on screen] That's one of the most ancient closed
circuit television cameras I've ever seen. Chances
are, it hasn't been working for years.
[Scorpio flight deck]
TARRANT: Descent from orbit begins in forty-five seconds and
counting.
AVON: Check.
SOOLIN: You never intended to wait for Vila and Dayna to
report back, did you? You're just using them.
AVON: Vila and Dayna are useful diversions.
SOOLIN: IF they get caught.
TARRANT: Which is fairly likely.
SOOLIN: I wouldn't count too heavily on that. Dayna's sharp
and she handles a gun quite well, considering her
sheltered upbringing.
TARRANT: Tune the detectors to the radio spectrum and you'll
discover about fifty radiation sources dotted around
that area, caused by leakages from badly maintained TV
surveillance cameras.
AVON: That is in addition to the radiation from the cliff
face itself, which is at a level you would expect from
a high energy research laboratory OR a test chamber
for a new space drive.
SOOLIN: So. You've let Dayna and Vila walk into a trap.
AVON: [flatly] We need the space drive.
[Research lab. Two Space Rats are lolling off to the side.]
PLAXTON: Particle driver control?
NAPIER: Particle driver right.
PLAXTON: Well you'd better double check. I'm going to take the
drive up to twenty-five percent today.
NAPIER: In here, Doctor?
PLAXTON: Don't argue with me, Napier.
NAPIER: [fiddles with controls for a few seconds] Particle
driver satisfactory, Doctor.
PLAXTON: Uh-huh. Place the photon shield in position. [The two
Space Rats begin to roll an upright panel across the
lab.] Stop! How many times do I have to tell you, you
wear gloves in here. [holds gloves out to them]
BOMBER: No worry. We're only moving a flagging shield, isn't
it?
PLAXTON: I don't care. I am not going to have three thousand
hours of work put at risk by a couple of freaks who
never take a bath.
BOMBER: [waves off gloves] Don't need a bath -- sweats regular.
PLAXTON: [drops gloves on the table] Out!
BOMBER: Now look--
PLAXTON: Go on, get out.
NAPIER: I'll do it. [to the Rats] You'd better go. [The Rats
exit] They'll complain to Atlan.
PLAXTON: What the hell do I care? How I ever came to be mixed
up with a bunch of psychopathic killers--
NAPIER: 'Twas your decision, Dr. Plaxton, and one you were
happy enough to make at the time, as I recall.
PLAXTON: It was three years ago, Napier.
NAPIER: Everything's ready for the test. Do you fetch him or
shall I?
PLAXTON: I'll go. [exits]
[Sand pit. Dayna and Vila run to some rocks. Dayna looks about
with binoculars.]
VILA: We've made a mistake. There's nothing here.
DAYNA: They must hope that everybody thinks as you do,
including the Federation.
VILA: Eh? [Dayna gives him the binoculars. Using them, he
spots two doors.] Concealed entrances.
DAYNA: Right.
VILA: Well, at least we've got the advantage of surprise.
[Rim across the sand pit. A Space Rat is watching them through
binoculars. He exits.]
[Space Rat lounge. The Rats are eating lizard-like animals and
drinking and cuddling. The viewscreen shows Dayna and Vila.]
PLAXTON: [enters] Atlan, I'm ready to begin the test on the
Mark Two drive. Now.
ATLAN: Brigg, watch that. [indicates viewscreen] Bomber. [no
reaction] Bomber! [grabs hold of the lizard Bomber was
gnawing on.] Two gooks outside. Fetch, but don't bend,
I might want to talk with them. [keeps the lizard as
Bomber leaves. Notices that Plaxton is still there.]
Well? What are you doing hanging around? [Holds the
lizard out to her, mockingly] Do you wish to join us?
[Plaxton looks revolted and exits. Atlan bites off a
mouthful of lizard.]
[Sand pit. Dayna and Vila hurry to the entrances. Dayna open one
and they enter. Just after the door closes behind them a Space
Rat rides by on an ATV.]
[Underground hangar]
DAYNA: Vila. This place is like some kind of underground maze.
VILA: We seem to have hit on some sort of a hangar. This is
not a good place to be, Dayna.
DAYNA: [indicates large object draped with a covering] See
what's under there.
VILA: Why?
DAYNA: Just do it! I'll cover for you. And very quickly. We
haven't much time. [Vila pulls back the drape and
Dayna does the same with another.] This is a
spacechopper.
VILA: So's this.
DAYNA: I think we've seen enough. We'll report back to the
ship and then get out of here. [into bracelet] Avon!
AVON: [v.o.] Go ahead, Dayna.
DAYNA: Orac was right. This is where the new space drives
come from. We've found two space choppers and we
think the main workshop is in the west cliff. We're
now ready for teleport.
AVON: [v.o.] Teleport is out of commission.
DAYNA: What?!
VILA: [grabs her wrist and speaks into her bracelet] What do
you mean "out of commission"?!
[Sand pit]
AVON: Not working, Vila. Keep your heads down. We'll be in
touch. Out. [He moves off. They cross the sand pit,
with Avon repeatedly moving ahead, looking about, then
waving the others on to join him.]
TARRANT: [indicating security camera] There's another one.
[They duck behind a rock as the camera pans towards
them.] Well, that's useful. Saves having to find a
marker for the grenade. [Holds out grenade as Avon
adjusts the controls on another device.] Right. It's
primed. [Tosses grenade near camera. They wait until
the camera isn't pointed in their direction.]
AVON: Come on! [moves off]
[Underground hangar]
DAYNA: You've got to find somewhere safe to wait.
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?
BOMBER: [pointing gun at them] Tell you what this does --
gook. It goes bang. And you go splat.
[Sand pit. Avon and the others watch as Bomber marches Vila and
Dayna over to and into the other entrance.]
AVON: We'll be attacking by the time Vila tells them we're
still on the ship.
[Entrance to Space Rat area. Dayna notices the labeled door
control, then Bomber shoves her along in.]
[Research lab. There is a loud hum and a glowing column of light
is rising from the star drive.]
ATLAN: More. More. [pounds on the table] Come on, more!
PLAXTON: There's no point in overloading the Mark Two prototype.
ATLAN: Doctor Plaxton-- [crosses to her, kicking a chair
aside. To Napier] Out of my way, idiot! [to Plaxton]
Without my Space Rats scouring a dozen worlds for your
raw materials there would be no Mark One or Mark Two.
PLAXTON: And without my brains you would have no--
ATLAN: [grabs a fistful of hair at the nape of her neck]
Which I might decide I can now do without. So, let's
see what it can do, eh? [Reaches towards the controls.
Plaxton blocks his hands. He grabs her around the neck
and kisses her violently. He lets her go and leers
maniacally at Napier.] Now, more.
[Space Rat lounge. Vila is shoved in, stumbles and falls. Dayna
attacks Bomber. They fight, and Dayna gets the worst of it.]
[Sand pit. Avon, Soolin and Tarrant hurry along.]
[Space Rat lounge]
VILA: What's the noise?
BOMBER: Nothing to the noise you gooks will soon be making.
[Sand pit. Avon, Tarrant and Soolin are still moving along. They
reach door, Tarrant opens it and they all enter.]
[Research lab. The light column is much taller now, and the noise
is louder.]
ATLAN: What is it now?
PLAXTON: Seventy-five percent. We must close down now. Atlan,
the shield's melting. [Atlan nods. Plaxton turns the
drive off.]
ATLAN: What was the simulated speed?
PLAXTON: Fifteen.
ATLAN: Fifteen! Fifteen! TD FIFTEEN in real time! My Space
Rats will be knocking out Federation heavy cruisers
next.
PLAXTON: If they've any left.
ATLAN: Oh yes, they have, but not for long. How soon can this
be fitted to our space choppers?
PLAXTON: Napier. [Napier exits.]
ATLAN: Well?
PLAXTON: What's wrong with the Mark One? It gives your space
choppers TD twelve.
ATLAN: Not as good as fifteen. No Space Rat likes to put up
with second best.
PLAXTON: Speed and violence. That's all you Space Rats think about.
ATLAN: As you well know, I am not a Space Rat. But so long as
I give them what they want, they accept me as their
leader.
PLAXTON: Mindless destruction of Federation ships. It's
mindless -- you don't have a plan.
ATLAN: Maybe the Space Rats haven't got a plan, Dr. Plaxton.
But WE could have: total control over all the space
trade routes.
PLAXTON: I want no part of that. All I want to do is to develop
my space drive.
ATLAN: Fine! So how soon can this be fitted to our space
choppers?
PLAXTON: It can't.
ATLAN: Why not?
PLAXTON: Because this is the only one.
ATLAN: So build more! [pounds table] We've provided you with
enough raw material to build five hundred!
PLAXTON: I am a scientist, not a production engineer. And the
other reason why this can't be fitted to your space
choppers is quite simply it won't fit!
ATLAN: Why not?!
PLAXTON: Because the only way to increase the power was to
increase the size of the photon generator chambers.
This drive was intended to be installed in a real
spacecraft, not in toys driven by a bunch of murderous
psychopaths.
ATLAN: Our agreement--
PLAXTON: OUR agreement was that you provide me with the
resources to continue with my work. Well, that's
exactly what I have done.
ATLAN: [grabs her, holds a gun to her head] You will start
modification work on the Space Drive NOW, Dr. Plaxton.
If you refuse, I will tell the Space Rats that you are
depriving them of speed, and I will let them deal with
YOU in their own fashion.
[Underground hangar. Avon, Soolin and Tarrant enter and look
about.]
AVON: If the readings are anything like accurate, this
should be-- [consults handheld scanner] connecting
wall. You'd better get on with it.
[Tarrant uses a beam-type weapon on the wall.]
[Space Rat lounge]
ATLAN: [entering] Hey, Bomber, Johns! We're going to the
hills for some hunting. [Sees Dayna and Vila] What's
this?
BOMBER: The gooks.
ATLAN: Gooks?
BOMBER: Yeah.
ATLAN: [looks them over] Don't look like Federation to me.
DAYNA: [struggling in vain] We're not.
ATLAN: Ok, bend them. [Bomber starts to take them away.]
VILA: What does that mean?
ATLAN: You'll find out.
[Underground hangar. Tarrant is still using the weapon.]
TARRANT: Talk amongst yourselves. This could take some time.
[Space Rat lounge]
DAYNA: Wait! [struggling] Wait! Before you kill us, you might
let us see Dr. Plaxton.
ATLAN: Stop! [gestures to Bomber to bring them over] You know
Dr. Plaxton?
DAYNA: Of course we do.
VILA: Old friend.
ATLAN: From where, gook?
VILA: Oh, uh, [Atlan grabs the front of his tunic] way back.
DAYNA: We were students of the doctor once.
ATLAN: Studying what?
DAYNA: Space drives, the photonic drive in particular.
ATLAN: [to Vila] You, too, gook? [Vila nods] Clever student?
[Vila nods harder] In that case, we had better take
you both to see the Doctor.
DAYNA: Thank you.
[Underground hangar. Tarrant is still beaming the wall.]
[Research lab]
ATLAN: [enters] Bomber! [Bomber ushers in Dayna and Tarrant.]
DAYNA: Dr. Plaxton, how marvelous to see you again. [hurries
over to her, shakes her hand.] Do you remember us,
Dayna and Vila, your best students. [Vila shakes her
hand.] We thought we'd never see you again after you
left the academy.
PLAXTON: [to Atlan] Is this some sort of trick? I've never seen
these people before in my life.
DAYNA: [laughs] Your memory hasn't improved. Do you remember
the time when you, you lost your ground car and
reported it to the police as having been stolen?
[moves over to the space drive] Oh, and this must be
your new photonic--
PLAXTON: I don't know you.
DAYNA: --space drive. Why it doesn't look anything like as
sophisticated as the prototype you were working on at
the academy, but that's only to be expected having to
work under these conditions.
PLAXTON: I, I do not know these people.
ATLAN: DO not or WILL not?
[Underground hangar. Tarrant is still beaming the wall.]
[Research lab]
ATLAN: [to Dayna and Vila] Could you two work on the
development of the photonic drive?
DAYNA: Of course.
PLAXTON: This is my project.
ATLAN: Not for much longer it seems.
PLAXTON: How dare you take away my authority on this project,
it--
ATLAN: I will do a lot more than that, Dr. Plaxton, if you
prove to be of no further use to me. [Vila draws
Dayna's attention to the patch of wall which is
starting to glow.]
DAYNA: I'm sure we'll be able to help you, Atlan, but first
we'd better see if this thing is up to standard. [goes
over to drive again] How do I start it?
PLAXTON: Leave it alone.
DAYNA: We have to see how it performs.
ATLAN: [to Plaxton] Start it up.
[The wall is glowing more brightly and the sound of
the beamer is getting clearer.]
VILA: We need more power.
ATLAN: Why?
VILA: Uh, well, if, if we're to make a proper assessment.
[An opening appears in the wall.]
ATLAN: Well, what do you think of it?
AVON: [Enters through hole] Very nice. [Points gun at Atlan]
It will be even nicer if you stand absolutely still.
SOOLIN: [enters through hole, points her gun at Atlan] Hold it!
AVON: [to Vila, indicating the drive] Is this it?
VILA: Yes.
AVON: We'll take it with us.
[As Tarrant enters, Atlan trips him, grabs Soolin and
uses her as a shield as he backs towards the door. He
shoves her away and runs off.]
DAYNA: The door control. [Runs after Atlan.]
AVON: Tarrant, give Vila a hand.
[Entry to Space Rat lounge. Dayna works the door control.]
[Space Rat lounge.]
ATLAN: [entering] Space Rats! We are under attack! [Gets guns
from chest, tosses one to Bomber] Follow me! [Dayna
tosses a gas grenade into the room and leaves as the
door starts to close.] The door! [He and Bomber try to
force it open.]
[Research lab]
DAYNA: [enters] I've done it.
PLAXTON: Whoever you are, take me with you. I'm dead if I stay
here.
AVON: We take you and your photonic drive. Let's go.
[Tarrant and Vila pick up the drive. All exit]
[Space Rat lounge. Atlan uses his gun on the door.]
[At outside door. They all emerge.]
AVON: Let's go. Over there. [Two Rats on ATV's approach,
Soolin shoots them. A Space Rat fires at them from the
rim. Avon shoots him. A Space Rat drives towards them
in an eight-wheeled open wagon. Avon shoots the
driver.] We'll cover you. [indicating wagon] Take
that.
TARRANT: Come on!
[Research lab]
ATLAN: [enters, sees that it is empty] Bomber! [exits]
[Road from sand pit. They ride off in eight wheeled open cart.
Three Space Rats on ATVs pursue them. When they pass the security
camera Avon detonates the grenade. There are three explosions,
blowing the Rats off their ATVs. Avon tosses the controller away.
They continue driving along until a Space Rat shoots out one of
their tires from a hillside.]
AVON: [indicating Scorpio nearby] There it is! [Everyone
runs towards the ship.]
[Scorpio flight deck]
AVON: [to Plaxton, indicating a seat] There. [To Tarrant and
Vila] Secure that and let's get the hell out of here.
VILA: [to Tarrant] Put it on the back of the counter. [They
do so, and hurry to their seats.]
AVON: Emergency lift station. Check functions. Dayna?
DAYNA: Check!
AVON: Vila?
VILA: Check!
AVON: Soolin?
SOOLIN: Check!
AVON: Tarrant?
TARRANT: Check!
AVON: All right, go! [Scorpio lifts off] Slave, activate all
sensory systems. Set course three nine zero at maximum
drive. We'll give you a navigational program once we
are clear of this planetary system.
SLAVE: At once, Master.
[Space. View of three ships in formation.]
[Scorpio flight deck]
SLAVE: I'm sorry to have to report, Master, that three
Federation ships are approaching on an intercept
course of zero three zero zero seven.
AVON: Dayna, put them on the rear screen.
[They turn around to look.]
DAYNA: Range: two hundred thousand.
SLAVE: Their signals traffic indicates they think we're from Caspar.
AVON: The state our main drive is in we will be within their
cannon range within an hour.
PLAXTON: What's the matter with your main drive?
TARRANT: It's a museum piece.
PLAXTON: Standard fiber optic control connections?
AVON: Very standard.
PLAXTON: Then why not let me install this now? [Indicates the
Stardrive] One burst from this and we'd put a lot of
distance between us and those ships.
AVON: How long will it take?
PLAXTON: Fifty minutes.
DAYNA: If it's to be done, it'll have to be done in forty-five.
PLAXTON: All right. You can pressurize your main drive tube so
I can work in there?
AVON: Yes. Come with me. [Hands her goggles, picks up the drive.]
PLAXTON: Fine. [they exit]
DAYNA: Forty-four minutes, fifty-five seconds, and counting.
[Main drive chamber. Plaxton is working on the drive connections.]
DAYNA: [V.O., over intercom] Two minutes, ten seconds.
PLAXTON: Just the main ignition controls now.
[Scorpio flight deck]
AVON: One minute precisely, Doctor.
[Main drive chamber. Plaxton is still working.]
PLAXTON: Two more connections. Not long now.
[Scorpio flight deck]
TARRANT: They're in range!
AVON: Time is up, Doctor.
PLAXTON: [V.O., over intercom] Almost done.
VILA: Plasma bolt fired.
SOOLIN: Thirty seconds to impact.
PLAXTON: [V.O.] One more connection to-- [Her voice is cut off
as Avon pushes some buttons.]
TARRANT: [To Avon] What are you doing?
AVON: Programing 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.
AVON: We can outrun that bolt. She's dead either way.
[Main drive chamber. Plaxton stares at the approaching ships.]
[Scorpio flight deck]
SOOLIN: Ten seconds and counting. Nine, eight, seven, six--
[Main drive chamber. Plaxton makes the final connection and
screams. Scorpio puts on a burst of speed and races away.]
[Scorpio flight deck]
AVON: Good enough. [To Vila] At least now we can outrun the
opposition. That should make you happy.
DAYNA: What about Dr. Plaxton?
AVON: Who?
** the end **