Sevencyclopaedia - S

STAR ONE

First mentioned by a dying Provine as the new location of the Federation's Control complex, the hunt for Star One involved Blake, Servalan and Travis each with their own reasons for finding it. It turned out to be located on a single planet circling a white dwarf well outside the galaxy proper, and thus the first star to be encountered by anyone travelling between the Milky Way and M31. The Fool on Goth gave its co-ordinates as "grid reference C17320 in the 11th Sector", a position Jenna later described as imprecise. The planet itself was cold, temperatures rising above freezing point only around the equator during the day. The computer complex was underground, and shielded by some unspecified means. The teleport could not work through this shield, though this was probably coincidental. Orac was able to access Star One's computers, since he mentioned making a cursory analysis of the systems concerned with the antimatter minefield.

Control was moved from Earth, according to Travis in Pressure Point, some thirty years before Blake's attack on Earth, but Travis also later reported, on Freedom City, having seen Docholli "two years ago". Lurena, one of the technicians on Star One, was young enough to have had to have been a child when Control was moved from Earth, as were most of the other technicians seen there. Perhaps she had spent some of her time in suspended animation (to extend the period of time over which she and her colleagues would be present?), or Control was moved from Earth to an interim location whilst Star One was under construction. Alternatively, Travis might have been misinformed or lying.

Many of the technicians

Docholli operated on thirty technicians who had built Star One (other cybersurgeons may have operated on additional personnel, but this is never indicated). Those that chose to remain there were possibly different people altogether. At least twelve people were present at the complex when Blake arrived, although all but one was in fact an alien infiltrator. Named technicians were Stot, Parton, Lurena, Marcol, Leeth and Shokov. Blake killed "Stot", Avon killed "Parton" and one other, Lurena killed "Shokov" and was herself killed along with four others by an explosive device planted by Blake. At least three other aliens were unaccounted for.

Star One was, from what Durkim said, responsible for climate control on many frontier worlds (Sooni, Vilker, Palmero, Carthenis and Heeron were mentioned) and for Computer Flight Co-ordination, sabotage of which caused the collision of the Nova Queen with an unmanned ore carrier above Keldon City. It also maintained and monitored the antimatter minefield sown by the Federation to keep out the threat of an invasion from M31. Durkim referred to no rain on Sooni and continual rainfall on Vilker for 60 days, suggesting that alien interference in Star One's systems might have begun about this time. Travis in The Keeper said that Star One "controls climate on more than two hundred worlds, communications, security, food production... it is the key to our very lives."

Avon on the surface

Travis acquired the location of Star One from the brainprint left on Goth by Lurgen. Blake found the information hypnotically planted in the Charl's Fool: by travelling at Standard by 12 he arrived hours, if that, ahead of Travis, who may have acquired one of the aliens" ships along the way (it was of a type Jenna could not recognise). Blake, Avon and Cally teleported down. Entrance

Blake abandoned his intention to destroy Star One when the alien threat became apparent, and Liberator remained in the vicinity to hold off the alien fleet until Federation reinforcements could arrive. Federation Battle Commander Squadron 6 reported the aliens destroying Star One during a surprise counterattack at some point during the war.

Liberator in front of Star One

Cally pointed out that "many, many people" would die with the loss of Star One, a toll Blake was prepared to accept. The after effects of its destruction, however, were never remarked upon after the War except in Aftermath, when Servalan told Avon that "half the civilised planets" were now left to their fate.

STAR ORBIT BURIAL

Suggested by Tarrant for Vila, after his apparent death on Crandor.

STAR QUEEN

The civilian cruiser from which Tarvin and at least four Amagons boarded the Liberator, using a voice synthesizer to transmit a reassuring message from Gan after he teleported across. Although described as having no heavy armament, it might not have been a civilian cruiser at all, but a ship adapted for piratical purposes.

STASIS FIELD

Sinofar told Blake and Travis that their ships were held in a stasis field and would remain so until the duel was complete. Jenna later mentioned the effect as being like that of a stasis beam, suggesting that "stasis technology" might not have been unknown in Blake's era.

Tommy STEELE

Tommy Steele's recording of Singing the Blues was played by Sarkoff on his gramophone, and described as "echoes of a more civilised age".

Singing the Blues entered the UK singles chart on December 14th 1956 and spent one week at number one in its thirteen week chart run, alternating with Guy Mitchell's recording of the same song. Steele had no less than 17 chart hits, including seven top-tenners. They included Butterfingers, Nairobi and the unforgettable Little White Bull. If Sarkoff had that last in his collection he deserved to be exiled.

STEER CONTROL UNIT

Control unit on Liberator, damaged during the attack by eight Federation cruisers above Obsidian.

STOCK EQUALISATION ACT

Legislation that ensured that all races from Earth were represented whenever a new planet was colonised. It was only mentioned in reference to Helotrix, and Tarrant spoke of it in the past tense, implying that it had subsequently been abandoned. Almost all the people encountered by the crews of Liberator and Scorpio were caucasian, and other races were conspicuous when present. At least three of Ven Glynd's aides on Asteroid P-K118 and Atlay were black, as were Hal and Dayna Mellanby and one of the adapted Helots seen on the concourse when Hunda launched his attack. Of the warlords assembled by Avon for his anti-Federation alliance, Chalsa and Lod were also black. Ginka was clearly of oriental extraction, but he was very much an exception rather than the rule.

STOT

One of the technicians remaining on Star One after its construction, effectively marooned for life with no hope of ever leaving. At some point he was replaced by an alien infiltrator. The substitute Stot acted as the senior technician present, so presumably the real Stot fulfilled this role. "Stot" welcomed Blake to Star One believing him to be Travis. He was later killed by Blake.

STRONTIUM GRENADE

Powerful grenade, thrown by Travis in what looked like desperation to try and stop Blake escaping from the Central Control complex on Earth. Servalan tried and failed to stop Travis using it. The ensuing explosion brought about severe structural damage, trapping Servalan, Travis and two mutoids deep within the complex. Gan was killed as a result of the explosion, although the rest of the crew escaped unharmed.

SUB-43

The doorway out of the dome city on Earth through which Blake went with Richie and Ravella to meet Foster. Later used by Varon and Maja, it was said to be on the north side of the city.

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