Acronym for Induced Molecular Instability Projector and Key. Developed by
Coser on the Federation's Weapons Development Base, and stolen by him when he
realised that his superiors were going to take all the credit for his work.
He thus destroyed all plans and blueprints, and fled with the bond slave
Rashel to an unnamed planet. IMIPAK was handed to Blake's clone, in the
belief that he was Blake, who then gave it to Servalan and Travis. It was
finally taken by Rashel and she opted to remain on the planet with Blake's
clone to guard the weapon.
| The IMIPAK projector |
Blake being marked by IMIPAK |
IMIPAK was first seen to be used against a predatory creature that attacked
Coser and Rashel in the night, though Coser had earlier used it against his
superiors. Servalan later killed first Coser and then one of her troopers
with it. Travis marked Blake, Gan and Avon with it, and Travis was marked by
Servalan, before she herself was marked by Rashel.
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IMIPAK worked by projecting an unstable potential onto any living thing. It
could apparently penetrate clothing in order to do so. The marked target
could then be destroyed at will by activating the key. Coser claimed that
IMIPAK had a range of a million miles, killing instantly over that range, and
extolled the weapon's versatility: it could be used simply to kill, or to
enslave, or to keep an individual away from a particular area. The only way
to defeat the weapon was to outrun it. Servalan killed her trooper after
Blake, Avon and Gan had been marked, indicating a selective target function
and/or variable range setter of the weapon. It could also be deployed
directionally - Servalan marked and killed the trooper when Travis (already
marked) was standing nearer to her.
| The IMIPAK Key |
The IMIPAK projector |
When Blake fled, he attempted to use the planet as a shield. Avon commented
that for this strategy to work, IMIPAK must use "a very primitive signal",
implying that he had at least some knowledge of how IMIPAK worked.
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In Bounty Blake asked Zen where his crew had gone to, and received a reply to the effect that no information beyond the flight deck was available. This suggests severe limitations on Liberator's inboard sensors. However, in Redemption Zen reported inboard sensors registering activity in the teleport area, and in Sarcophagus Zen reported first a build up of energy on the flight deck, and later the presence of an intruder on the ship, without specifying where.
Mentioned by Blake as an activity performed at the rehabilitation centres he attacked in his earlier period of dissidence. Possibly not unconnected with the work of criminotherapists.
Part of Scorpio's antigrav gyro system, which developed a fault after the ship was attacked when leaving Bucol-2. Vila twice had to enter the tanks to rectify the fault.
Department of the Federation, probably falling within the Civil Administration rather than Space Command. Senator Bercol was head of the Information Bureau, and as such was an ex officio member of the High Council.
The continued existence of the Information Bureau after the Galactic War is neither confirmed nor denied, although it probably did so. Central Intelligence Control was also known as "the Bureau" and the two bodies may in fact be the same. This seems unlikely, however, since CIC appeared to be a records department, whilst the Information Bureau sounds more like a state-controlled media organ.
Daughter of Ushton, and Blake's cousin. Blake said that Inga had "meant a
lot" to him once, though exactly where and when was unspecified. It was
never stated whether Inga had been born on Exbar, sent there with Ushton, or
had later opted to stay with him on the planet.
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Travis took Inga prisoner, threatening to kill her unless Blake came to him within "twenty five time units". Inga was also used to ensure Ushton's co-operation with Travis. Her attempt to escape from Travis failed, but she later worked with Ushton to convince Travis that she had got away, giving Ushton a chance to release Blake, Avon and Vila. Blake offered to take her away from Exbar, but she declined, preferring to stay and organise distribution of the food stocks stored in the communication tower. Blake promised to come back for her, but probably never did. |
In Rumours of Death Chesku refers to "Earth and the Inner Planets" being reunited. One of the Presidential titles recited by Tarrant was "Lord of the Inner and Outer Worlds".
Very few insects appeared in the series. President Sarkoff had a case containing dead tropical butterflies, which he referred to as creatures "no longer living"; Blake threatened to destroy it unless Sarkoff left the planet with him. On Fosforon, Tynus kept locusts and was seen sketching them on one occasion. Vila wondered if they would make good pets.
A spider isn't really an insect, but it's (vaguely) worth noting that the Chairman of the Terra Nostra kept a large spider or spider-like creature as a pet. |
Cutting tool mentioned by Avon as a necessary means of severing the power cable tampered with by Sara.