Sevencyclopaedia - U

ULTRA

(C-10: ULTRAWORLD)

The three custodians of Ultraworld, dedicated to the service of the Core, which they obeyed without question. They first appeared to Avon, Dayna and Tarrant, apparently from out of nowhere. Claiming to be non-hostile, they explained something of the nature of Ultraworld, and claimed to have encountered millions of species. Their true intentions soon became manifest. Two were "killed" by Tarrant, the third disintegrated with the final collapse of the Core.

ULTRASONIC FUSES

(D-1: RESCUE)

Mentioned by Avon as the probable way in which explosives placed by Servalan in the underground complex on Terminal were triggered by the detonation of those in the abandoned spacecraft left by Servalan.

ULTRAWORLD

(C-10: ULTRAWORLD)

An artificial planet which, according to the Ultra, "built itself", possessing consciousness and self-awareness and "alive by any meaningful definition of the word". Shielded by an unspecified means preventing all radiation leakage, it was first detected through reflections off its surface as a signal "regular enough to be a pulsar". Avon recognised germanium circuitry as an integral component of Ultraworld. Maintenance required a labour force of menials, described by Tarrant as "walking dead", and the remains of captured individuals who had undergone transference were either used as such menials or fed into the Core. Tarrant was intended by the Ultra to become such a menial. Orac"s destabilisation of the Core apparently led to the destruction of Ultraworld.

See also CORE.

UNDEAD ALIEN

(C-9: SARCOPHAGUS)

A being of an unspecified alien race, who claimed to come from "a world it would take more than your lifetime to reach". Her (humanoid) body was found aboard the Sarcophagus by Avon, Cally and Vila, and Cally secretly took a ring from the corpse's finger, along with an ovoid artefact she later surreptitiously activated. As the alien took physical shape, modelled on Cally, it became clear that Cally had come under her psychic influence soon after the Sarcophagus was first encountered. The alien stated that her people had learnt to boost their psychic power with high technology, her ring being an example of that technology. Her powers were indeed formidable: she almost killed Cally, draining her of her life energy to complete her physical form; drained large quantities of power from the ship, shutting down Zen; prevented weapons from functioning; and could stun or injure by thought - Dayna was rendered unconscious, and Tarrant immobilised by pain. Even before the artefact was switched on, she managed to interfere with the teleport system. Telekinetic activity was also seen before she made her first appearance, and she projected an image into Tarrant's mind.

She stated that for her people, death was an interim state, and in her previous life had been waited on by "intelligent menials", including a warrior, a musician and a fool. These roles could be fulfilled by Tarrant, Dayna and Vila respectively, and she claimed that this had been predicted. This was, however, after she had nearly killed Vila by stranding him on the Sarcophagus. Avon challenged her by counting on Cally's loyalty preventing the alien killing him. This enabled him to retrieve her ring which he then destroyed, robbing her of her power. The alien's physical shape promptly faded to nothing, but she at least believed her mind would live on, senseless but sentient even without her ring.

UNICORNS

(C-4: DAWN OF THE GODS)

Cited, along with dragons, by Cally as mythical material equivalent to Auron's legend of the Thaarn.

UNITED PLANETS

(C-13: TERMINAL)

A regime mentioned by Zen, a consortium of whose scientists constructed the artificial planet of Terminal, 411 years before it was visited by Avon. As that planet was originally positioned in solar orbit out towards Mars, it is reasonable to assume that the regime was a predecessor of the Terran Federation.

UNITED PLANETS OF TEAL

(C-12: DEATHWATCH)

One of the two systems tied to the Teal-Vandor Convention, and bordering on Federation territory. Referred to as a "system", suggesting a single solar system, it may have been somewhat larger in extent since defeat in a war entailed the surrender of three planets. More than a few consecutive defeats would swiftly lead to a whole single system being taken over. Population was, like Vandor, about 20 million people. The Champion of Teal for four years was Deeta Tarrant, eventually killed by the android Vinni. Del Tarrant stood to become the next champion of Teal, but teleported away before this could be ratified.

UNMODIFIED

(A-8: DUEL)

Keera told Travis that she would not normally replace a blood serum vial in the "presence of an unmodified", meaning him. She then referred to "opponents of mutoid modification". Rashel in Weapon pointed out that a disobedient slave could be modified. All this points to an "unmodified" being a mutoid's term for a non-mutoid.

UNNAMED DEVICES

(Various episodes) Written by Judith Proctor

Many gadgets and things used during the series were not given a name.

See also GADGET.

UNNAMED PLANETS

(various episodes)

A number of planets visited by the Liberator and others were never named. They were, in order of appearance:

UP-The Web: The planet to which the Lost fled after being cast out from Auron. At least part of its outer atmosphere was thick with strands of a silicon-based fungus-like organism, an experiment in genetic engineering that went out of control. Patches of what seemed to be the same stuff were evident on the surface. Saymon and the collective minds of the Lost were housed in a compound on the surface, monitored by Geela and Novara. At least fifty Decimas were also present on the planet. It was visited by Blake and Avon.

UP-Duel: Described by Jenna as "Earth-like right across the range", and apparently very isolated, not listed in Zen's data banks. Its star was described by Jenna as G2. Electrical storms were noted in the atmosphere. Travis made a reference to it being in another galaxy, a statement apparently at odds with the rest of the series. The race that had formerly inhabited it was wiped out in a thousand years of war - the surface was compared by Jenna to the effects of a fusion bomb. Blake, Jenna and Gan found a graveyard stretching out to the horizon. The Power of the race was guarded by Sinofar and Giroc, who arranged a duel between Blake and Jenna on one side and Travis and Keera on the other.

UP-Project Avalon: The planet on which Avalon was active before she asked Blake to take her to a safer base of operations. The northern hemisphere had a winter eight and a half Earth years long, known locally as the Long Cold. The Federation used the native Subterrons as a slave labour force for the mining of Ice Crystals, and had established a large underground complex beneath the surface. Visited by Blake, Jenna, Vila, Travis and Servalan. Subterrons named were Chevner and Terloc, and Distar, Hend, Kalor and Pelar were probably Subterrons also.

The planet was in a region noted for dissident activity: Avalon referred to thirty planets in this sector defying the Federation.

UP-Bounty: The planet on which ex-President Sarkoff of Lindor was housed by the Federation whilst they prepared to return him to Lindor as a puppet ruler. Tyce referred to abandoned mine workings, indicating habitation elsewhere on the planet or previous settlement. Visited by Blake and Cally.

UP-Weapon: The planet to which Coser and Rashel fled on leaving the Federation's Weapons Development Base (itself on an unnamed planet). The only buildings on the entire world were industrial, and Coser surmised that previous settlement had finished when raw materials ran out. Visited by Blake, Avon, Gan, Servalan and Travis. Coser said that the planet was not a Federation colony.


UP-Clonemaster: The planet on which the Clonemasters had their living city. The Clonemasters had been established here for generations. Visited by Servalan and Travis in Weapon to acquire a clone of Blake.

UP-Gambit: The planet on which Freedom City was built. The atmosphere was breathable and Krantor mentioned a species of reptile, from the distilled venom of which pataki cakes were made. Visited by Blake, Jenna, Cally, Avon, Vila, Servalan and Travis,

UP-Sopron: The planet from Avon and Vila collected a specimen of Sopron in The Harvest of Kairos. The planet had a permanent dark side, although conditions included Earth temperatures. Avon and Vila wore respirators but not space suits, implying the presence of an atmosphere but not a breathable one.

UP-Sarcophagus: the undead alien encountered in Sarcophagus originated from a planet she described as "a world more beautiful than any other".

UP-Death-Watch - the duel between the champions of Teal and Vandor took place on an unnamed planet. There was at least one city on the surface, and Max and Deeta were seen to travel from the spaceport by sub-surface shuttle. It would seem reasonable to assume that the planet belonged neither to Teal nor Vandor, and was probably a neutral independent, but very little information was given.

URITE

(B-10: VOICE FROM THE PAST)

A mineral, mined on Asteroid P-K118 for two years until reserves ran out. Urite would appear to be an invention of Roger Parkes, but the name suggests something with a high nitrogenous content.

URSA PRIME

(B-3: WEAPON)

In Weapon Servalan threatened to send Travis to a slave pit on Ursa Prime. No further details given.

USHTON

(B-8: HOSTAGE)

Blake's uncle, sent to the penal colony of Exbar for an unspecified but apparently not too serious crime. Blake visited him as a boy, suggesting Ushton had been there for 20 years or more. His daughter, Inga, may have been born on Exbar.

Ushton collaborated, albeit reluctantly, with Travis to secure Blake's capture, but only to secure Inga's release. In the process he captured and threatened Vila before handing him over to Travis. He later joined Blake and Avon against Travis, and disposed of two crimos single-handedly. He remained on Exbar with Inga after Blake's departure, and declined to go with him when offered the chance.

UTILISER

(D-7: ASSASSIN)

The codename used by Servalan in a message to Cancer, intended to be picked up by the crew of Scorpio. The message was first heard by Vila.


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