Script for The Web

(c) 1977 by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Series created by Terry Nation. This is a complete dialogue transcript for research purposes and is not for sale under any circumstances Format (c) 1993 by Ruth Hanson and Micky DuPree.

Dramatis Personae

Roj Blake Jenna Stannis Kerr Avon Cally Vila Restal Olag Gan Zen Saymon Geela Novara Decima

The surface of an unnamed planet. A forest path lead to a clearing. In the center of the clearing is a laboratory complex.

SAYMON	(V.O.) They must come. They must. They must. They must come. They must. (Interior of the laboratory complex). They must. They must. They must come. They must come. (Another room in the same lab. A power unit is nearly exhausted) They must. (Another room. A male figure is seated on a lounge chair). They must. They must come to us. They must come. (The same room from another angle. A second figure, female, is seated on another lounge chair.) They must. They must. They must come. They must. They must. (Another room in the same complex. A shrunken humanoid form is suspended in a life support tank.) They must come to us. They must come. They must. Flight deck of the Liberator. Jenna presses intercom switch.
BLAKE	(V.O.) Blake.
JENNA	Jenna. Sorry to wake you, but I think you should get down here.
BLAKE	(V.O) What's wrong?
JENNA	Our speed is increasing.
BLAKE	(In his cabin, lying on cot.) Can't you compensate?
JENNA	(V.O) It's not an external influence, it's us. The primary drive is accelerating.
BLAKE	All right. I'm on my way. (Rises) Interior of hold three. Door opens, Cally enters. She is armed, carrying a rectangular device and a tool pouch. She moves to access duct, attaches the device to the panel and presses the activator. The timer activates. She exits the hold. Flight deck of the Liberator. Blake enters from the passageway, buttoning his shirt.
BLAKE	Well?
JENNA	Speed standard by three and building.
BLAKE	How quickly?
JENNA	If it continues like this it will be off the scale in about twelve minutes. Zen says the automatic repair service should have it under control by then though. Seems to be a malfunction in the PN overrides.
BLAKE	Zen, estimated repair time.
ZEN	Eleven point three zero two minutes.
BLAKE	Whew! That's cutting it a bit fine. What caused the malfunction?
ZEN	The malfunction was deliberately induced.
JENNA	(Whispered) Deliberately induced? An intersection of passageways aboard the Liberator. Cally moves down the passageway. From an intersecting passage Vila enters.
VILA	Cally. (Waits) Cally, what do you think of the outfit. Cally stops, pauses and turns. She advances on Vila.
VILA	Cally? She strikes him on the head with the tool pouch. Flight deck of the Liberator
JENNA	Speed standard by four and building.
BLAKE	(Depresses intercom switch) Avon. Teleport area. Avon is working over an equipment console.
AVON	Yes.
BLAKE	(V.O.) I need you on the flight deck.
AVON	I'm busy
BLAKE	(V.O.) NOW, Avon. Flight deck of the Liberator
BLAKE	Zen, how are the repairs going?
ZEN	They are proceeding on schedule.
BLAKE	What caused the malfunction? (Pause) Well?
ZEN	Involvement is not permitted.
BLAKE	If the ship's blown up, lofty disinterest won't save you.
JENNA	Speed standard by five and building.
BLAKE	Forward detectors on maximum. Full scan. Abort course programs. Key all navigation systems to anticipate potential collisions and neutralize.
ZEN	Confirmed.
BLAKE	(Depresses intercom switch) Avon.
AVON	(Still in teleport area) All right!
BLAKE	(V.O.) If it was all right, I wouldn't need you here. Cally enters teleport area. Watches Avon from entry. She moves forward when he notices her presence.
AVON	Our leader seems a bit peaked.
CALLY	What are you doing?
AVON	A little private research.
CALLY	(Moves to stand next to him) Why?
AVON	All knowledge is valuable.
CALLY	(Touches her temple as if listening) Which are the forward detector links?
AVON	What? (Pause) Oh, uh (Pause) Those two there. Why do you want to know that?
CALLY	I'm interested in your work.
AVON	(Pause) Yes. (Pause) Well, I suppose I'd better go and see what it is that Blake wants. Avon exits. Cally moves to detector comp and unrolls tool pouch. Flight deck of the Liberator
AVON	What exactly are you accusing me of?
BLAKE	I'm asking if your researches have included the PN overrides.
AVON	I haven't been anywhere near them. (Sits down)
JENNA	Speed standard by six and rising.
ZEN	There is a partial malfunction on the forward detectors. In the teleport area, Cally continues to tamper with the detector comp. It shorts out, burning her hand. Flight deck of the Liberator
ZEN	Forward detectors are now dysfunctional. Navigation computers have switched to theoretical projections.
BLAKE	Now we're blind as well.
JENNA	But who?
AVON	Cally.
BLAKE	What?
AVON	It's Cally. (Rises and moves to passageway)
BLAKE	(To Jenna as he follows Avon) Warn Gan and Vila. Blake and Avon exit.
JENNA	(Depresses intercom switch) Gan. Gan is reclining on a cot in his cabin
JENNA	(V.O.) Respond please.
GAN	Yes, Jenna. What is it. Teleport area of the Liberator. Avon and Blake enter and stop. Cally is facing them, weapon in hand.
CALLY	I should regret the necessity to kill you.
BLAKE	Why are you doing this, Cally.
SAYMON	(V.O.) They must come.
CALLY	(Advances on Blake and Avon) Move back to the flight deck.
AVON	Look at the burns on her hand.
BLAKE	She must be in agony.
CALLY	(Continues to advance) I will kill you if you do not obey. Flight deck of the Liberator. Blake and Avon enter, Cally is not immediately visible behind them.
JENNA	Speed standard by seven. Speed seems to be increasing by (breaks off when she catches sight of Cally). So it was you.
CALLY	(Steps forward and motions Jenna away from flight controls. Jenna hesitates) Must you invite death?
JENNA	(Joins Blake. Cally moves to the console and begins altering settings) Navigation computers can't cope with a change of course. We're running blind.
CALLY	(Gan enters stealthily from other passageway). Don't move.
BLAKE	Jenna's right, Cally. This ship's out of control. We're as good as dead now. (Pause) Zen, what's our speed?
ZEN	Standard by eight point six five.
AVON	(Steps forward) If you're trying to steal the ship, there are other ways.
JENNA	You're not Cally, are you.
SAYMON	(V.O.) They must come. Cally makes a move as if to shoot Jenna. Gan yells and grabs her hand. Cally cries out in pain and struggles with the crew, then blacks out. The surface of the planet.
SAYMON	(V.O.) They must come to us. They must. They must. They must come. (Interior of the lab.) They must come to us. They must. They must. They must come to us. They must. They must. They must come to us. They must come. Flight deck of the Liberator. Avon and Jenna are at the flight controls. Blake and Gan are standing nearby. Cally is lying on the deck. She regains consciousness and attacks Blake. Gan restrains her and she collapses again. He holds her.
JENNA	(Moves from controls and slaps Cally). Whoever you are, it's over.
CALLY	(V.O. telepathically) Thank you, Jenna.
AVON	(Pulls Cally's head around to face him) What was all that about? (She faints again)
BLAKE	(To Gan) Better keep her sedated.
AVON	And locked up or dumped.
JENNA	You should never have brought her on the ship.
AVON	(To Vila as he enters) And where have you been hiding?
VILA	All I said was what do you think of the outfit.
ZEN	Repair monitors report explosive device attached to primary power channel.
BLAKE	Where?
ZEN	Hold three, access duct seven.
BLAKE	Can the automatics neutralize it?
ZEN	No.
BLAKE	Why not?
ZEN	There is no damage.
AVON	Computer logic. Until the bomb explodes there is nothing for the repair system to repair. Zen, can you reprogram the automatics?
ZEN	Preemptive interference in crew activity is forbidden.
BLAKE	Oh, he'll clear up after us, but he won't stop us making a mess. (Exits, running down passageway)
AVON	(Moves to follow him) You made this mess.
JENNA	We're all in it, Avon.
AVON	(Over his shoulder from the passageway) Yes, aren't we. Interior of hold three. The device attached to the access duct continues to tick. On the flight deck of the Liberator
JENNA	(To Gan as he carries Cally out) You better lock her in.
GAN	I will.
JENNA	(To Vila) Anything on the detector scanners?
VILA	Not a thing.
JENNA	Speed's up to standard by ten. Drive repairs, how long?
ZEN	One point two five minutes.
VILA	Can you stop us then?
JENNA	If we don't hit something first. Forward detectors?
ZEN	Repair monitors are assessing the damage.
VILA	A bomb was all we needed. Blake runs down passageway and skids to a halt before the door to hold three. He enters hold and moves to examine the device. Avon enters behind him.
AVON	Be careful of that thing. If the light goes out you've got about three seconds. (Blake touches the device, the light goes out.) Look out. (He lunges at Blake and pushes him out of the way. The bomb detonates). Flight deck of the Liberator
ZEN	Major disruption of primary power channel. All systems switched to auxiliary power. All drive units are dysfunctional. The interior of hold 3. Blake and Avon are still on the floor.
BLAKE	Thank you. (Pause) Why?
AVON	Automatic reaction. I'm as surprised as you are.
BLAKE	I'm not surprised. Blake and Avon get up from floor. Blake exits, Avon stays and examines damage. Surface of the planet. Then the interior of the laboratory complex.
SAYMON	We must make ready. We must make ready. Ready. Ready. Ready. (The two figures rise and move into another room.) They approach, drawing closer. Closer. Closer. Closer. Closer. We must make ready. We must make ready. On the flight deck of the Liberator.
JENNA	It wasn't what she was doing. It was the way she was. If you looked into her eyes it wasn't her looking back at you.
GAN	Avon says that's because she's an alien.
VILA	Everyone's an alien to him.
BLAKE	He's certainly more at home with machines.
ZEN	The navigation computers have completed a theoretical projection of Liberator's position.
BLAKE	And?
ZEN	This star system is largely uncharted.
VILA	Oh, that's marvelous. We're not sure where we are, but if they were sure they wouldn't know where it was anyway.
ZEN	Repairs to the primary power channel are complete. All drive units are now fully functional.
BLAKE	Reduce speed to standard by point five.
JENNA	Reverse primaries. Speed now standard by point five.
BLAKE	Put up navigation projection. Main viewscreen shows a series of six circles.
ZEN	Circles indicate projected planets. Positions are unconfirmed.
BLAKE	Well, put up our estimated position. (An additional circle is added to main viewscreen close to one of the existing circles) That's too close to something we can't see.
JENNA	And we're not sure is there.
BLAKE	What about the detectors?
ZEN	Partial malfunction is still not traced. Repair monitors are in phase two reassessment.
BLAKE	Gan, see if there's anything you can do to help Avon. Tell him we need those detectors now.
GAN	Right. (Leaves flight deck)
ZEN	Hull sensors indicate a major gravitational field within Liberator's ambit.
BLAKE	Jenna, compensate the gravitational drift.
JENNA	Our speed's dropping.
BLAKE	Field drag?
JENNA	Field strength's only three point five. It must be something else.
ZEN	Limited range forward vision is available should you require it.
VILA	Why couldn't you tell us that before.
BLAKE	Put up forward vision. Main viewscreen shows strands of white in the path of the Liberator. Density of fibers increases.
VILA	What is it?
JENNA	Meteorite dust?
BLAKE	Strands like that? Look there's more of it.
JENNA	It's rubbing across the hull.
VILA	And it's getting thicker.
JENNA	It's like a spider's web.
VILA	Some spider.
JENNA	That's what's pulling our speed down.
BLAKE	Increase power to compensate.
JENNA	It's getting worse all the time.
BLAKE	If there is a planet there we should be close enough to get signals now. Vila, go and see how Cally is, will you.
VILA	Must I?
JENNA	It's not catching.
VILA	It brought my head out in lumps.
BLAKE	Get a move on.
VILA	Right, I'm going. (Leaves flight deck). In the teleport area of the Liberator
AVON	(Examining a portion of the detector equipment). Nothing wrong with that.
GAN	What are you trying to do?
AVON	Bypass the detector comp and use another of the systems to receive the signal.
GAN	Can it be done?
AVON	Of course. It's just a matter of finding the link. Some of this technology is a little more advance to that which I'm used. I'm having to guess at some of it.
GAN	What about the automatic repair system.
AVON	Oh, it'll do the job. Eventually. It's very methodical. (Begins linking wires to Liberator systems). It starts at the beginning and it works its way through. It's slow. You should appreciate that problem. (Throws a switch. Circuit boards short and burn.) No, that wasn't the one.
GAN	It'll take days to repair that.
AVON	On any ordinary computer system. But this isn't any ordinary computer system. A malfunction of that size would have registered on the autorepair. It should cut in about five seconds. Watch. (Pause, looking at his watch) It will be cutting in about (Pause) now. (Autorepair restores the circuitry.)
GAN	That is fantastic.
AVON	Yes, isn't it. (Disconnects a wire) As a matter of fact it is. We could make a fortune with it if it wasn't for Blake.
GAN	In what way?
AVON	There's always a market for technology like this.
GAN	I don't think Blake would agree to that.
AVON	There will come a time when he won't be making the decisions. (Avon smiles) On the flight deck of the Liberator. Cally and Vila enter
BLAKE	Cally!
VILA	It's all right. She doesn't remember a thing.
CALLY	How did I burn my hand?
BLAKE	It was an accident. (Takes hold of her arm) Look, we're very close to a planet but we don't know what it is. I can't find any transmission sources. Will you please run the checks for me. (She moves to communication position. Blake follows.)
ZEN	Sensor indicate increasing density of silica based organic material adhering to the hull.
VILA	About spider's webs.
BLAKE	Hmmm, what about them?
VILA	They're used for trapping food. The exterior of the Liberator, moving through the increasingly dense strands. The flight deck of the Liberator
BLAKE	(to Cally) Anything?
CALLY	I've tried all recognized systems but there is nothing. No transmissions of any kind.
BLAKE	We'll move out. Go back the way we came.
JENNA	Without detectors? Blind backtracking is a good way to run into pursuit ships.
BLAKE	We've no choice. If we get clear then we can outrun them if necessary.
ZEN	Sensors register increasing gravitational influence. Field strength now eight point six.
BLAKE	We're moving closer into the planet. (He moves to the navigation position) Vila, I want a new course. Locate the center of that gravitational field. I want an attitude that takes us directly away from it.
VILA	Right.
BLAKE	Jenna, stand by to bring her round. (Pause) How much reserve power is there? Jenna. (Jenna is immobile, her hand extended toward the controls, eyes unfocused. Cally moves down to join Blake.) Jenna? What's wrong?
CALLY	What is the matter with her?
BLAKE	I don't know. Vila, give me a hand. We'll take her to her quarters.
SAYMON	(V.O. speaking through Jenna) We have waited for your coming for many years. Welcome. It pleases us that you are here.
BLAKE	Who are you?
SAYMON	We will meet shortly and then we shall answer all your questions. For now, it is only important that you understand the danger of your situation.
BLAKE	Danger?
SAYMON	Your ship is trapped. You cannot free yourselves.
BLAKE	We can free ourselves at any time we wish. You underestimate the power of our ship.
SAYMON	On the contrary. You overestimate it. We have examined your ship most carefully through our daughter Cally. You would require to sustain your maximum power for one hundred and sixty hours to break out of orbit. Your energy cells would be exhausted in less than one hundred. Gravitational attraction would draw you back to your present position before your cells would be recharged.
BLAKE	If we are trapped, then by whom?
SAYMON	We do have some influence on your safety in that it is within our power to release you from the web. That we can and will do in return for assistance from you.
BLAKE	What do you want from us?
SAYMON	In a few moments we will transmit a homing signal. It will give you a precise landing position. We will talk again when you have landed.
BLAKE	Listen.
CALLY	(Touching her temple) It has left her. Blake, that could've been one of the Lost.
BLAKE	Well, don't be mystical Cally. Explain.
CALLY	It is the legend of my people. They were cast out. Unfit to share the soul of Auronar. A signal begins broadcasting to the Liberator. Cally moves back to the communications position.
CALLY	Yes, it is a beacon signal.
BLAKE	Get a fix on it.
VILA	Are you going down?
BLAKE	Not if I can help it. I don't like the sound of anything I heard. Let's try to pull her out of here.
JENNA	(Recovered, unaware of passage of time) Ready to go about?
BLAKE	Jenna? Are you all right now?
JENNA	Yes. (Pause) Of course, I am.
BLAKE	Yes. Vila is the course set?
VILA	Uh, on the panel now.
BLAKE	Lock onto it Jenna.
JENNA	She's responding very slowly. Coming round. That's it. Locked onto course.
BLAKE	Right. Give it all we've got. Full thrust.
JENNA	Coming up. Full power.
BLAKE	Speed?
JENNA	Standard by one half.
BLAKE	Cut in the auxiliaries.
JENNA	That's helped at bit. We're now up to standard by one and one half and building but slowly.
BLAKE	Vila.
VILA	Yes.
BLAKE	It's time to use the neutron blasters.
VILA	At last. I've been looking forward to this.
BLAKE	Take it easy. It might blow us all up. Se if you can blast a hole through that web. Fire. Vila attempts to fire. An alarm sounds.
ZEN	Neutron flare shield has not been activated.
VILA	Which one's that?
BLAKE	Activate the neutron flare shield.
ZEN	Confirmed. Blasters are cleared for firing. Vila fires. Main viewscreen shows the blasters clear a hole in the web. it begins to close up again immediately.
VILA	I did it.
JENNA	We're picking up speed.
BLAKE	All right, now keep it going.
VILA	It's closing up.
JENNA	We're getting drag again. We're slowing down.
BLAKE	Fire again, Vila. Vila fires again with similar result.
ZEN	Power banks one and two now exhausted. Energy drain exceeds recharge capacity.
VILA	Every time I blast a hole in it, it just knits up again.
BLAKE	How long can we sustain this rate of power loss, Zen?
ZEN	Standard drive plus auxiliaries can be sustained for ninety hours. Each neutronic discharge reduces that capacity by three hours.
BLAKE	How much distance have we covered?
ZEN	One hundred spacials.
BLAKE	We're not going to make it. All power off.
JENNA	All off.
CALLY	What will you do?
BLAKE	We don't have much choice.
JENNA	We're drifting in again.
BLAKE	Let her go. Cally, get an exact fix on that beacon. Tell Avon and tell him to stand by. I'm going to have to teleport down. Vila, I want an atmosphere and gravity check. Surface of the planet. Decimas are wandering through the compound.
SAYMON	There is little time left. They will come to us, but it must be soon. There is little time left. (Interior of the lab. Saymon suspended in his life support tank) They will come to us, but it must be soon. It must be soon. It must be soon. (View of Decimas, outside the lab, pounding on the windows.) Soon. Soon. Soon. Soon. There is little time left. Soon. Soon. In the teleport area of the Liberator
BLAKE	Set?
AVON	Ready.
CALLY	(Enters, carrying surface gear) I must come with you.
BLAKE	No.
CALLY	But you can trust me.
AVON	Really?
BLAKE	I know we can. Whatever's down there can control you. It's already demonstrated that.
CALLY	I was unprepared.
AVON	So were we.
BLAKE	It's better that you stay here. (Moves to stand by teleport console. To Avon) If I call for backup get down there fast.
GAN	We'll be ready.
BLAKE	Gan, keep an eye on Cally. (Gan gives thumbs up sign)
AVON	What if something should happen to you and we can't get you back?
BLAKE	Then all you have to do is get everybody else out of this mess. (Stands within teleportation area. Avon smiles slightly) All right put me down. Avon teleports Blake. Cally leaves the teleport area, followed by Gan. On the surface of the planet Blake materializes in a wooded area. There are thick strands of a white substance clinging to the foliage. Light colored round objects are scattered throughout. He starts toward the clearing. From cover a Decima throws a crude spear. It strikes Blake in the hand. He draws his weapon and moves quickly toward the laboratory complex. At the main entrance to the laboratory an unarmed Decima approaches Blake.
BLAKE	Keep back.
DECIMA	Help us. Help us please. The door opens and Novara steps out. He raises his weapon and touches the Decima in the chest with it. The weapon discharges and kills the Decima.
NOVARA	Come inside. There are more of them in the compound. Blake and Novara step inside the lab. Geela is waiting just inside.
GEELA	You are hurt. Come, I will treat the wound. They move through to another room. Geela begins cleaning the wound on Blake's hand.
BLAKE	(To Novara) Why did you kill him, he was no threat.
NOVARA	One of them obviously was, but don't worry it was only a Decima.
GEELA	You were lucky. It could have been much worse. We've had groups of more than fifty of them in this area. (Pause) Can you close your hand?
BLAKE	(Closes hand slowly, painfully. Sharp intake of breath)
GEELA	The tendons are not cut. (Geela extracts an organism from a container and places it on the wound.)
BLAKE	What is it?
GEELA	Don't be alarmed. It's a simple enzyme culture. Tissue regeneration will take only a few moments.
NOVARA	I'm sorry this happened. The Decimas are becoming a problem. When we have full power again we will reduce their numbers.
BLAKE	He was asking for help.
GEELA	Don't waste your sympathy. They want help to destroy us. Stupid they may be, but they know that our power is diminished. That we are at our most vulnerable. There only hope for a future is to wipe us out.
NOVARA	They've made several full scale assaults on the lab. They can't do too much harm of course. Their weapons are too primitive. But they are a threat. And they will have to be suppressed.
GEELA	There, you see it's dead. (Brushes away the desiccated remains of the organism)
BLAKE	(Examining his healed hand) That is astonishing.
NOVARA	A useful technique for small wounds. They move into an adjoining room.
BLAKE	I've never seen anything like it before.
NOVARA	Our mission has specialized in tissue creation and regenerative processes.
GEELA	Among other things. They all sit down.
NOVARA	I am Novara and this is my sister Geela.
BLAKE	Blake.
GEELA	We are happy to see you. We thought your ship would land. How did you come here?
BLAKE	We have a teleportation process.
NOVARA	Fascinating, perhaps you would explain it to us.
BLAKE	I thought you had already examined our ship.
NOVARA	Not all of it.
BLAKE	You used Cally to sabotage us and force us to come here.
GEELA	Would you have come otherwise?
BLAKE	Perhaps.
NOVARA	In that case, we apologize.
BLAKE	You communicated with us through another member of my crew.
NOVARA	A simple mental process known to the ancients. We have developed and refined it. It is more reliable than mechanical transmissions.
BLAKE	You said you have a way to free us from the web.
GEELA	That is correct. We created "the web" as you call it.
BLAKE	What is it?
NOVARA	It is a silica based life form. A mutation not unlike fungus. Its spores germinate rapidly and it has enormous tensile strength. It can trap and hold the most powerful ship.
BLAKE	What's it for?
NOVARA	It was a line of research which got out of control.
BLAKE	Then how do I release my ship?
GEELA	We developed a fungicide that can be projected by a beam. It will clear a corridor through the web. You will be able to move freely.
NOVARA	However, that is where the problem lies. The problem is both yours and ours.
BLAKE	And so presumably the reason why you brought us here. They stand up.
GEELA	Let us show you. Come. They move to another room where a power control unit is operating. You recognize this?
BLAKE	Power cells?
NOVARA	Flutonic power cells. As you can see from the registers one of them is totally exhausted. The other almost so.
BLAKE	And you have no means of recharging them.
GEELA	No, when we have used what remains our life support systems will fail and we will die.
NOVARA	But perhaps more significant from your point of view, we do not have enough power to project the fungicide.
BLAKE	So you want me to provide fully charged energy cells. And in return ...
GEELA	We provide clear passage out of orbit.
BLAKE	(Examining the unit) I don't know that we have this type of cell. I dare say we have something that can be adapted.
NOVARA	Then you agree? Outside the lab, Decimas scream and pound on the windows.
BLAKE	Dwarves?
GEELA	Decimas. Geela and Novara move to one side of the lab. Blake moves to the other side of the lab and looks out the door. He sees a circle of Decimas removing their dead comrade. A few moments later, Geela and Novara join him.
NOVARA	The attack was a diversion so they could move their dead.
GEELA	Stupid creatures. Taking of life seems to affect them. Almost as if they had emotions. The Decimas begin to throw rocks at the door.
NOVARA	The changes in them are astonishing. The earlier generations showed no indication of aggression. (Pause) Are you going to contact your ship?
BLAKE	Blake. Flight deck of the Liberator.
CALLY	Cally.
BLAKE	(V.O.) Tell Avon I need two fully charged flutonic power cells.
CALLY	I will tell him. In the laboratory complex.
BLAKE	Call me when he is ready to bring them down.
CALLY	(V.O.) Understood. Flight deck of the Liberator.
VILA	Ask him what's happening down there.
CALLY	No, he's gone. He didn't sound as if he was in trouble.
JENNA	He'd have found a way of letting us know if he was.
CALLY	But the Lost have great power.
VILA	Why would they need these cells then? (Pause) I'll go and tell Avon. (Exits)
GAN	Flutonic power cells.
ZEN	The detector malfunction has been rectified. Full function on all systems is now available.
JENNA	Run immediate navigation check and pinpoint our position, then a maximum range orbital scan.
ZEN	Detectors indicate unidentified craft at extreme range.
JENNA	Put them on the screen. Main viewer displays graphic of five federation pursuit ships in close formation
CALLY	There they are.
JENNA	Pursuit ships. Don't they ever give up.
GAN	Zen, are they coming this way?
ZEN	If they maintain present course and speed they will pass at a range not exceeding two million spacials.
JENNA	Their detectors'll pick us up at that distance. That's too close.
CALLY	Shall I tell Blake?
JENNA	There's nothing he can do till we're out of the web.
CALLY	But he should be told.
JENNA	If he's bargaining it will weaken his position.
CALLY	You're very practical. Decimas are exploring the area immediately outside the laboratory. Inside, Geela is making adjustments to the console.
GEELA	Complete. The beam is now aligned to your ship. When we have full power this control will project a ray that will clear a route through the web. It will take three hours to close in again.
BLAKE	Should be enough time. They move back into the adjoining room.
BLAKE	What was the original purpose of the project?
NOVARA	Genetic engineering. The main aims were to halt the aging process in humans. To find a way to maintain continuous life.
BLAKE	Immortality.
NOVARA	And to create a new species of animal. Creatures that would be able to perform simple menial tasks. Animal machines that cost nothing to produce and little to maintain.
BLAKE	(Laughs). Experiments like that have been banned for centuries.
GEELA	Which is why we had to establish our laboratory on an uninhabited planet.
BLAKE	Were any of these creatures made?
NOVARA	Yes. We engineered an efficient four function animal. Using the same basic genetic form we then increased it to ten functions. The Decimas.
BLAKE	You made the Decimas?
GEELA	The prototypes. They breed naturally, but a mutant strain has become dominant. They seem capable of thought. They exhibit primitive emotions, weaknesses we thought we had eradicated.
NOVARA	They will all have to be eliminated so that we can be certain the mutant strain is destroyed.
BLAKE	They're intelligent, living creatures. You can't just wipe them out.
GEELA	We gave them life. We have the right to take it from them. Please don't concern yourself. They're simply laboratory constructed animals as are we.
BLAKE	You? You are made?
NOVARA	We were genetically engineered, allowed to grow to maturity, then our aging processes were stopped. We have no lives of our own. We are simply flesh and blood creatures operated by our creators.
SAYMON	(V.O. speaking through Geela) (Laughs) You seem confused my friend. We had intended not to meet with you. However, you will be leaving us shortly. No harm can come from your knowing us. Geela will bring you.
GEELA	Come with us, please. Blake follows Geela and Novara back through the room and into the lounge area. His communicator chimes.
BLAKE	(Into communicator)Blake.
AVON	(V.O.)Avon.
BLAKE	You ready? In the teleport area of the Liberator
AVON	One of the flutonic power cells is fully charged. The other will be ready in precisely two minutes. In the laboratory.
BLAKE	Get them down here as soon as you can. In the teleport area of the Liberator
AVON	There's something else. The detector banks are now fully functional. They've located the pursuit ships and they're coming this way.
BLAKE	(V.O.) Have everybody standing by. In the laboratory We'll move out as soon as we're both back on board.
AVON	(V.O.) Good.
BLAKE	(to Geela) I'm sorry. The three climb a few steps and enter a room Blake has not seen before. The room is dominated by a tank containing the shrunken body of a being suspended in fluid and hooked to a life support system.
SAYMON	You must excuse me. I have not spoken with these lips in a long time. My name is Saymon. That is the name by which this body was once known. I am a corporate identity. We exist through this body.
BLAKE	We?
SAYMON	We were from Auron. There were six of us when we set off on this project. Unfortunately our knowledge was not far enough advanced then to eliminate death. But we did possess the power to keep alive our thoughts and ideas. The bodies reverted but the minds lived on.
BLAKE	Cally's people. The Auronar.
SAYMON	Yes. We were from the Auronar but not of them as Cally is.
BLAKE	That's why you were able to control her.
SAYMON	That is why we had to control her. She would not have accepted us freely.
BLAKE	You are the only one of the six that is left?
SAYMON	Mechanical aids sustain this body. Through it all six of us continue to live. Our combined mental powers generate Geela and Novara to carry out all physical operation in our experiments.
BLAKE	(Looks at Novara and Geela) They have no life of their own.
SAYMON	None. If our life support should fail, they would simply wither away. Thanks to you and your energy cells that will not occur.
BLAKE	So that all I have spoken to them about, all they have told me, that was you talking not them.
SAYMON	Correct.
BLAKE	And did you mean what you said? You're going to destroy the Decimas.
SAYMON	It would have been wiser to have done so before they became so numerous. But to discharge a lethal level of radiation required more power than we had available.
BLAKE	But the cells I'm providing will give you that power?
SAYMON	Of course.
BLAKE	No. I can't let that happen.
SAYMON	Without that power you cannot escape the web.
BLAKE	Then we must come to a new understanding. You won't get those cells until we do. (In the teleport area of the Liberator) (V.O.) Avon stay on board until you hear from me.
VILA	This is Vila.
BLAKE	(V.O.) Don't teleport Avon until I say so.
VILA	I just did. (In the laboratory) (V.O.) I put him down about ten seconds ago.
BLAKE	(To Saymon) He'll be in the compound now.
SAYMON	If the Decimas reach him, he'll be in danger. Those power cells must be protected.
BLAKE	I don't give a damn about your power cells. There's a friend of mine out there. He turns and runs for the main entrance of the complex. Geela and Novara intercept him near the exit. NOVARA/GEELA: (Simultaneously) We will help. Outside the entrance to the lab, the three survey the compound.
BLAKE	(To Geela) You take that side. (To Novara) You take that side. And I'll go straight on. The separate. Novara moves through the area followed by Decimas. Geela moves in the opposite direction also followed by Decimas. Blake moves toward the area where he first teleported down searching for Avon.
AVON	(From behind Blake) I've been looking for you. What's going on?
BLAKE	Let's get under cover first. (They move behind some undergrowth and crouch down) Got the cells?
AVON	(Indicating a box in his hand) What do you think these are, field rations?
BLAKE	Listen, these's a problem. If we let them have those, they'll use them to wipe out an entire race of creatures, people here.
AVON	If it concerns you, don't give them the cells.
BLAKE	No, there's more. They've got a carrier beam which projects a fungicide which'll clear a way through the web for us. It doesn't work without this power.
AVON	Ah well, if it's between the creatures and us there's no argument. Even your irrational conscience should be able to cope with that. (Pause) What do you want to do?
BLAKE	Hold off long enough to make a deal.
AVON	You're going to have to be quick, Blake. Those pursuit ships are coming this way.
BLAKE	I'll hide these cells. (Conceals power cells in the undergrowth). They can have them when they agree to our terms.
AVON	What ARE our terms?
BLAKE	They can use lethal radiation to kill everything out here. If they allow us to destroy the radiation equipment at least the Decimas will have some form of chance.
AVON	Why should they agree?
BLAKE	They need the power. They can't survive without it.
AVON	Neither can we.
BLAKE	I'll bear that in mind. (Tosses empty box away.)
AVON	Don't worry. I'll remind you. Novara and Geela approach. Blake and Avon rise. Avon draws his weapon.
NOVARA	Let's get back inside quickly. Where are the cells?
BLAKE	He didn't bring them. We'll get them when we've talked.
GEELA	You are lying.
BLAKE	You will get them when you agree to our terms.
NOVARA	(To Avon) Put your weapon down. (Avon looks at Blake) Do it! (To Blake) You. Now, the cells.
AVON	I didn't bring them.
GEELA	(Touches Avon's hand with her weapon. She releases his hand.) Minimum power. A full charge would cut you in half.
NOVARA	Understand. Your lives are totally unimportant to us.
BLAKE	All right. Blake retrieves the energy cells.
NOVARA	Quickly. They all move back into the laboratory building.
GEELA	(Just inside the main door) The cells. Blake surrenders the cells to Geela. She hands them to Novara. He goes through to the power unit without securing the main door and begins installing the cells. Blake, Avon and Geela follow him.
NOVARA	(Completing installation) I will irradiate.
BLAKE	No! Novara. Decimas who have been quietly entering through the open main doorway attack Geela and Novara, but leave the members of the Liberator crew unharmed. During the confusion, Blake moves to the power console and activates the fungicide beam.
BLAKE	Right, that's the beam. Avon and Blake move to the stairs leading to Saymon's sanctuary.
AVON	These are what you wanted to protect.
BLAKE	They're fighting for their lives.
AVON	Who isn't. They step inside the room. Exterior of the Liberator trapped in the silica web. A pulsing light beam strikes the web and the ship. The web begins to dissolve. On the flight deck of the Liberator. Jenna, Gan and Cally are waiting.
JENNA	Look. Main viewscreen shows the web dissolving.
GAN	He did it. We're free.
JENNA	Not yet. Interior of the laboratory. The Decimas continue their attack. They are destroying equipment. Geela and Novara are dead. The Decimas attack their remains.
AVON	(Back on the stairs) Let's get out of here.
BLAKE	(Into communicator) Blake. We're ready. Bring us up. They step back into Saymon's room and teleport field envelops them. Saymon screams. The Decimas move into the room and begin to destroy his life support tank. Flight deck of the Liberator
BLAKE	Navigation computer to evasive action strategy. Key course and speed to optimum escape probability. Basically, lose them, Zen.
ZEN	Confirmed.
AVON	One thing they proved back there.
BLAKE	What?
AVON	Biological machines will never replace the real thing. They're far too unpredictable.
BLAKE	At least the Decimas stand a chance now. You can't separate living creatures. Being alive involves them together.
AVON	I couldn't agree with you less.
BLAKE	It's a fact of life. Zen, when we've lost the pursuit ships, resume course for Centero.
ZEN	Confirmed.
AVON	I'll tell you a fact of life Blake. Change is inevitable.
BLAKE	Why else we'd fight, Avon.

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