Sevencyclopaedia - T

Pictures
Letter Index
All
1 Entry
10 Entries

TRACER

(C-6: CITY AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD)

A transmitting device, in the shape of a small green disk, that was to be swallowed by Vila in City, in order that Orac, using the locator, could tell the Liberator's crew exactly where he was on the planet Kezarn. Avon told Vila that the tracer was 'perfectly harmless', and would 'dissolve eventually'. Despite this, Vila was so 'scared witless' by Tarrant, in the latter's words, that he palmed the tracer and left it aboard the Liberator.

In Traitor, a similar device was used by the Federation on Helotrix in a similar manner, but for a different purpose. Igin, attached to the Fourth Column of freedom fighters under Hunda, was captured and 'adapted' using Pylene-50. After being given 'a tracer to swallow', he was sent back to report to his column. When it was believed that he had got back to base, a neutron strike was ordered against his position.

See LOCATOR.

TRACTION BEAMS

(C-4: DAWN OF THE GODS / D-8: GAMES)

When Liberator moved off course in Dawn of the Gods, Tarrant speculated on traction beams being responsible, and ordered Cally to conduct a "telemetric band sweep" as a result. Avon noted that "no known power in the universe" could operate a traction beam over a range of 20 million spacials. Cally stated that the traction beam had not yet been developed on Auron. It was later noted that traction beams produced "straight line movement".

In Games Belkov threatened to hold Scorpio in place with a series of force fields, which Avon analysed as a reference to "multiple traction beams". Tarrant expressed incredulity that traction beams could be powerful enough to pull a ship out of orbit.

TRANQUILLISER PAD

(B-10: VOICE FROM THE PAST)

Part of the medical equipment aboard Liberator, tranquilliser pads were used to subdue Gan in Breakdown. Two were placed on his arms. Another kind was seen in Voice from the Past, somewhat thicker and attached to the forehead, which was used on Blake. Both types were discoid in shape.

TRANSFERENCE

(C-10: ULTRAWORLD)

Term used by the Ultra to refer to the process by which they extracted the memory of intelligent beings they captured. Avon and Cally were subjected to transference (said to be "quite painless"), although their memories were later restored by Tarrant.

TRANSIT CELL

(A-1: THE WAY BACK)
A prison cell, where a sentenced Federation prisoner was held for the period between the pronunciation of his sentence and its execution. It was described by the arbiter in Blake's trial in 'The Way Back' as 'an area of close confinement'; and, as seen in that episode, it could hold a number of prisoners awarded the same sentence: transportation for life to Cygnus Alpha.

TRANSFER TUBE

(A-2: SPACE FALL)

A flexible tube-like walkway that allowed one ship to connect with another. Used by the London to establish access to Liberator, and used by Wallace, Teague, Krell, Blake, Jenna, Avon and Raiker. A second tube was sent from the Space Princess to link with Scorpio's freight bay 2. Unlike that from the London, this was a solid structure. It was used by all of the crew (except Vila) as well as Keiller and a hapless guard.

TRANSLATOR UNITS

(various episodes)

Zen was fitted with translator units, enabling it to speak to the crew. They broke down in Terminal and Zen uttered something indecipherable in another language. Translator units were also fitted to the starship to which Vila and Kerril were taken in City at the Edge of the World: the onboard translator units identified their language as Terran.

TRANSPORTER

(various episodes)

Generic term for a variety of spacecraft. References include the transporter that brought Governor LeGrand to the Liberator in Voice from the Past, and the transport for kairopan (which was unmanned and computer controlled, the Federation not trusting anyone with so valuable a cargo).
The kairopan transport

TRANTINIANS

(B-11: GAMBIT)

Chenie arranged for Docholli to leave Freedom City on a Trantinian planet hopper. It was never specified exactly what "trantinian" meant, and the pilot of the craft looked human enough. Trantinians might have been inhabitants of an unnamed planet, possibly called Trantinius or something similar.

TRAVIS

(13 episodes from A-6: SEEK-LOCATE-DESTROY)

Federation officer with rank of Space Commander, number given in Trial as "Alpha 15105". Orac noted in Voice from the Past that he was of similar size and weight to the rebel leader Shivan. Travis himself stated in Trial that he had "been in the service all my adult life".


In Seek-Locate-Destroy

In Duel
The earliest reference to Travis dates to Blake's earlier period of dissidence four years prior to his deportation to Cygnus Alpha. Travis discovered the location of a rebel meeting and hid there two days beforehand. When all the dissidents were gathered he and his men appeared, butchering most of those present. Blake shot Travis and thought he had killed him, but Travis survived, albeit without his left arm and eye. His life was saved by Maryatt, probably in relation to this incident, although Travis merely said that his face was seen to by "a field medic"; by the time of Deliverance Maryatt was a senior figure in the Federation medical corps, something of a heady promotion. Travis later expressed some regret on learning of Maryatt's death.

Shortly before his first appearance in the series Travis had been suspended from duty for the massacre of civilians on the planet Auros, and three years later was court-martialled under Section 3 of the War Crimes Statute Code for the massacre of 1,417 civilians on the planet Zircaster - it seems unlikely but is not not impossible that he was responsible for two quite separate massacres. In Seek-Locate-Destroy his rank was restored and Servalan appointed him senior executive officer of Space Headquarters.

His left arm was fitted with a lazeron destroyer, though few of the people he killed died by this weapon. See LAZERON DESTROYER for more details of its use.

His over-riding obsession was to kill Blake, and he almost succeeded in Seek-Locate-Destroy, Orac, Pressure Point, Hostage, and Star One, where Blake was severely wounded after a direct hit from Travis. He also wounded Avon in the arm in Hostage.

Known relatives: None. Blake also noted in Duel: "How do you illustrate the death of a friend to a man who hasn't got any?".

Bodycount: Travis' kills include a Phibian on Aristo, a clone of Blake, Olag Gan (with a strontium grenade), a trooper at his court-martial (shot with a handgun), Nagu (with a knife), Ven Glynd, and Cevedic and henchman (with a Federation pistol).


In Weapon
Captured by: Blake and Ushton in Hostage, and Krantor in Gambit. He was also held by Sinofar and Giroc in Duel, and trapped in Central Control in Pressure Point.

Notable brawls: Travis fought Blake hand-to-hand on UP-Duel, but lost. In Freedom City he was quickly overpowered by Cevedic's men.

Places visited: He was seen to set foot on Centero, UP-Duel, UP-Project Avalon, Aristo, UP-Clonemaster, UP-Weapon, Earth, Exbar, Asteroid P-K118, Atlay, UP-Gambit, Goth and Star One - a total of 13 planets.

After the failure of Project Avalon he was suspended from duty again. With Servalan he set out to collect Orac on Aristo, but was beaten by Blake. After this defeat he apparently needed drastic psychotherapy, and Rontane later described him as "a psychotic". After the debacle at the Control bunker on Earth he became an embarrassment to Servalan and was court-martialled in order to dispose of him before he could testify against her in an official enquiry. He escaped and became a renegade, later working unofficially for Servalan.
Waiting his court martial in Trial

In Trial
She promised to have him listed as dead if he helped her eliminate Blake. At some point, probably after his court-martial, he discovered or was contacted by infiltrators from M31, and raced against Blake and Servalan to find the location of Star One. He discovered the brain print left by Lurgen on Goth, and came to Star One intending to deactivate the antimatter minefield keeping the alien fleet at bay. He seemed to be aware of the aliens" intent to eradicate humanity, and actively sought some responsibility for the inevitable carnage. He was shot in the back by Blake after switching off one sector of the defence zone, and died after being shot again by Avon moments later, falling spectacularly into a circular well of unknown purpose.


Back to Sevencyclopeadia Intro

Back to Blake's 7 Top