by Tony Attwood
‘So you are the inheritors of Blake’s little visions?’
Tor turned to her brother. ‘We never did see eye to eye on political matters, did we? But to my followers you are our heroes. I don’t deny that I have got to the exalted position of leader of this revolution partly through happening to be your sister. The New Freedom Party will welcome the chance to pay homage to two of the men who stood beside Blake.’
‘That’s not all he did,’ said Vila quietly.
Tor seemed to relax slightly. She patted both men on the back. ‘Come on, I’ll get you some food and drink. And we can all offer explanations.’
‘You’ve come a long way since we last met,’ said Avon as they made their way to the higher levels.
‘I just chose an interesting field,’ Tor replied. ‘Neural and tarriel – an interesting combination which produced MIND. But don’t be fooled. MIND has never done a fraction of the things people say it has. Just as the real Blake’s 7 were never like the legend.’ They entered a refectory and sat down to a well stocked table.
‘You know what it was like?’ asked Vila nervously, helping himself to food and noticing the distinct lack of wine.
‘In afterlife images grow bigger. The people need them to help belief.’
‘You wanted Blake dead, and you wanted me to kill him,’ said Avon.
Vila spat out his mouthful of tranyel seeds in honey in surprise.
‘Seeing that you have been carrying around possibly the second most hated woman in the Galaxy for the past few months you’ve probably learned that the Administration used Blake as a pawn to keep the Federation extremists occupied. Blake had already turned into homicidal maniac, but a maniac with a massive following around the Galaxy which was a total embarrassment to the Federation. If people had started seeing what he had become we would never have held the Freedom Party together. When we heard that the Administration had got Blake on an outer world and were using him as a pawn we knew we had to stop the Federation pulling Blake in and showing him to the Galaxy in the state he was in. So I put MIND on Blake and on you, my dear brother.’
‘If Blake was being manipulated by both you and the Administration it’s no wonder he became unstable,’ said Vila.
‘Such is the price of fame.’
‘And when the shooting was over you used MIND to suggest to everyone within the Dome that they were under attack from all sides, and of course they evacuated.’
Tor smiled. ‘You are the great survivor, Kerr Avon. I’ve had you in my sights since the day you found Orac. MIND feeds into Orac – is boosted by Orac. Orac is the greatest aid to the development of neural deviance there has ever been. It was the greatest fortune that the person who should stumble on Orac was you, and not a thoughtless thug like Servalan. I realised that you were getting suspicious when you started chasing after Blake; it took you longer to realise it wasn’t the man that was the key but the machine. And even on Gauda Prime you couldn’t be sure which it was, so you had to kill Blake and let Orac go just to make sure you had eliminated all possible sources of neural deviance. Poor Blake. There was really no need for him to die at all.’
Suddenly Tor’s manner changed. She began to talk more slowly. ‘As a reward for your hard work you’ve become a hero of the people.’
‘So what do we get for our troubles?’ asked Vila.
‘Choose your positions,’ Tor announced. ‘When the revolution is over in a week or so you can name your place on the High Revolutionary Council. You’ll have to work of course; there will be no more creaming off the riches whilst the majority starve. But you will be respected.’
‘You mean spend life as a stuffed dummy being paraded in front of the crowds on Revolution Day, Independence Day and probably Tor’s birthday too?’ Avon said.
‘It needn’t be like that. This is a people’s revolution. We are breaking up the Federation. The way it was held together with fear and armies is over. All the drug-induced labour forces, hardly people at all, existing in domed cities. All the economic methods they used to rape a planet of its minerals, whilst forcing it to borrow from the central banks...’
Vila stopped drinking. ‘You’re going to change the money supply...’
‘It’s a minor detail. You’ll be given a hero’s apartment on Earth in Dome 4. You’ll be treated well and have power. But not the sort of power that Servalan wielded.’
‘Only an apartment?’ asked Vila. ‘I thought we might get something a little more spacious... Like a palace or two?’
Tor laughed. ‘This is the Freedom Party revolution. For two centuries the masses have lived in poverty while the few at the top have lived in total luxury. Those days are over.’
‘Another invention?’ asked Avon. ‘The way to end all poverty.’
Tor looked uncertainly at him, then went on speaking more rapidly. ‘The answer was on Skat all the time. Sygnum from the grass. And on Terminal – new ways of producing food. And with the Ghammarans, going off to find new food supplies. But you knew all that. It was there in front of you. The secret on which MIND is built. That is what I really found. A great universal constant on which all life depends. More fundamental than carbon or DNA. An indivisible constant that applies to life everywhere in the Galaxy. Tap into that and you tap into everything. You can communicate with all levels of life. Skat, Terminal, Ghammar, they all found it. On Skat they got sidetracked into looking into new dimensions, apart that is from when your own little box of tricks was creating mental images that blocked everything they were trying to do. On Terminal they let it get out of hand by trying to go too fast. And on Ghammar they only wanted to use it to help develop their sonic interference. They were all blind alleys! Tarriel and neural. That’s the only real battle now, and I shall use machine induced neural deviance for the people. With you by my side, brother, we shall win and I shall be recognised for what I am. The greatest computer genius in the Galaxy. Greater even than the famour Kerr Avon. Together we shall build the final link – a neural teleport.’
Avon looked at his sister curiously. ‘Are you sure you can win this war?’ he asked.
‘This ship is revolutionary and we have three more like it. We have dedicated troops, and most of the destructive work has been done by the rivalries between the various factions. Now the Ghammaran weapons have been dismantled by some counter beam worked from Earth we can move in.’
‘Yes, the counter beam was a fortunate development for your revolution,’ said Avon.
Tor refused to recognise fortune. ‘As heroes of the Revolution you must rest now, and prepare for our final advance on Earth. I’ll show you your rooms.’
They walked slowly through the huge ship to the dormitories high on the eighth level. As she left Vila looked at Avon. ‘She’s quite mad,’ he announced simply.
‘Quite probably,’ said Avon.
‘What’s all this business about talking with the plants?’
‘It’s been a possibility for a long time. There is energy in every life form, and all based on the same basic principles. Find an underlying force behind the principles and you are half way to harnessing the ultimate life force.’
‘What does this life force give her?’ Vila asked.
‘Power. Total power to control. As she says it is probably what is behind MIND itself – a fusion of this basic life force Tor has discovered plus her own computer genius. If it works she should have total control over every single living being in the Galaxy. Whatever she thinks, everyone can think. And like all political fanatics she’ll believe that what she feels is the right thing to feel. Blake’s ideals were never worth much at the best of times, but they’re unlikely to see the light of day under Tor’s rule. She will control an empire in a way that was never before imagined. Everyone, everything will live through her in the ultimate merging of carbon and silicon.’
‘That’s worse than Korell and her Administration,’ said Vila. ‘It’s even worse than Servalan. And you helped set it all up, Avon. They all used you.’
Avon made no reply. He picked up the small red and green striped box Vila had been carrying, and handled it very gently. It contained no control panels, just two small indentations. On Avon’s face was a broad grin. Slowly but inevitably it was turning into a long hard laugh.
Glossary
(From the Index, Terry Nation’s Blake’s 7: The Programme Guide compiled by Tony Attwood)
ADMINISTRATION – Section of the Federation that controlled Earth.
AVON – Native of Earth, one of the leading electronics and computer experts of the age, full name Kerr Avon. He attempted to embezzle 500 million credits from the Federation banking cartel, and upon the failure of the attempt was sent to a penal colony, en route for which he met Blake. Avon was certainly not above blackmail, shooting someone in the back, or even disposing of Vila if that was required for his own survival. His code of logic and practical necessity was heightened by the discovery that his girlfriend had betrayed him in his embezzlement attempt. His ambivalent attitude to Blake meant that he disliked him whilst twice being drawn back to him. Despite Avon’s dislike of Vila’s cowardice, he was known to admit that the inherent suspicion Vila displayed frequently made him ‘right.’ Towards the end Avon was clearly developing a form of paranoia due to the constant strain of living on the edge of death.
ROJ BLAKE – Native of Earth. An Alpha Grade engineer, he became leader of the Freedom Party and saw most of his friends murdered by Travis. After brainwashing he renounced his old beliefs at his trial. However after breaking through the mind blocks he was tried again and found guilty of various crimes against young children. After his escape from custody he used Liberator to continue his fight against the Federation, risking his own life and sometimes the lives of others for the cause. He was seriously injured by Travis on Star One but was reported uninjured by Zen after the Intergalactic War. He finally appeared on Gauda Prime, where he was killed by Avon. At least two Blake clones were made, and one remained alive with a slave girl on an unnamed planet after the Imipak affair.
CALLY – Native of Auron who was exiled because of her involvement in the fight against the Federation. She met Blake whilst planning a solo attack on Saurian Major. Despite the fact that the Auron do not normally have paranormal abilities beyond telepathy, her long association with the crew of Liberator led her to develop abilities of mindreading, precognition and telekinesis. She remained with Liberator in order to fight the Federation, and died on Terminal following the explosion set by Servalan.
EARTH – Base of the Terran Federation and home planet of all the crew of Scorpio and Liberator except Gan, Cally and Soolin. The inhabitants were kept inside giant domes, and attempts to go outside were considered serious offences. The water and air supplies within the domes were drugged in order to ensure the passive obedience of the populace. Space travellers had set out some 700 years before Blake to explore the galaxy, but Earth remained the most populated planet in the Federation.
ENSOR – Developer of the Tarriel Cell, which all computers on the known planets contained. He also developed a number of new concepts in computer technology and taught some brilliant students, including Muller, before disappearing to Aristo in order to continue his work unhampered. His final achievement was the development of Orac. His son died on board Liberator whilst attempting to force Blake to take the ship to Aristo.
FEDERATION – Abbreviated name for the Terran Federation. A fascist dictatorship set up in the aftermath of the galaxy-wide Atomic Wars, it controlled thousands of planets (divided into the Inner and Outer Worlds) and was governed by the President and the High Council. An uneasy balance existed between the President and the military wing, Space Command, until Supreme Commander Servalan overthrew the President and set up a military dictatorship. During Servalan’s absence on Terminal however, she was in turn overthrown and her supporters killed. There were constant attempts by Federation planets to rebel, but suppression was rigorously enforced. The Federation’s greatest problem was a surfeit of human beings below the privileged Alpha Class. Where possible (as on Earth), these people were kept docile through drugs in their air and water supplies. Personal freedom was non-existent under the Federation, and all religions banned. All citizens were required to register their residence and could not move without reregistering. Private transport was prohibited and interplanetary movement was forbidden without a permit. Worlds which were settled by people from Earth but were still outside the Federation were known as the Outer Planets. Once absorbed into the Federation, they became part of the Outer Worlds.
GAN – Native of Zephron. When he saw a Federation guard rape his girlfriend, Gan killed him, was certified insane and had a Limiter placed in his head to stop him killing again. Gan showed great courage and was always willing to use his great physical strength to help others. He also had a strong streak of common sense, although by his own admission he was not particularly bright. He died on Earth during the attempt to destroy Control – the first member of the ‘7’ to be lost.
GAUDA PRIME – Frontier planet, commonly known as GP. Home of Soolin, where her parents were murdered. It was an agricultural world declared an open planet in order to speed up the mining of resources.
ANNA GRANT – Girlfriend of Avon who, working under the name Bartolomew, betrayed him. She also used the name Sula and was married to High Councillor Chesku. Avon finally killed her on Earth.
JENNA – Native of Earth, full name Jenna Stannis. An expert space pilot, she was convicted of smuggling and sentenced to a penal colony, en route for which she met Blake. She clearly had a deep affection for Blake, although never adopting completely his political views. She went missing after leaving the Liberator in a life capsule during the Intergalatic War, and was reported by Zen as being on a hospital ship. On Gauda Prime, Blake stated that she died running a Federation blockade.
LIBERATOR – Space ship found by the crew of London, drifting after a space battle. Blake, Jenna and Avon were sent on board to investigate the ship and subsequently commandeered it. It was much faster than anything in the Federation – its maximum speed was about Standard by 12, at which it could run for about two hours before all energy banks would be drained. Known to its manufacturers (The System) as Deep Space Vehicle 2, it contained upon discovery a wealth of clothing, currency and precious stones. It also contained advanced medical facilities, a massive store of food, a rapid re-generating system and a highly developed weaponry system.
LINKS – Ferocious creatures living on Terminal. The result of the Terminal Experiment, they represented what mankind was to become in the future.
DAYNA MELLANBY – Daughter of Hal Mallanby, born on Earth and then taken back to Sarran after her father’s revolutionary group had fallen. Dayna developed an early interest in weapons technology. She rescued Avon from the warriors on Sarran and, after her father’s death, returned to Liberator with Avon. She apparently died on Gauda Prime.
ORAC – Computer invented by Ensor which had the ability to tap all other computers through the use of a standard component, also invented by Ensor, found in every computer in the galaxy – the Tarriel Cell. Orac used special communication waves that passed into a fifth dimension, the same dimension which allows thought transference. However, Orac had no consciousness in that dimension and was thus not telepathic. It enjoyed playing Galactic Monopoly, disliked work it considered unnecessary, loved gathering information and had delusions of grandeur. Orac could actually take over other computers and force them to obey its commands. Indeed according to its inventor, Orac was more than a computer; it was a brain. Nevertheless it had definite limitations to its capacity to take in information. Orac was severely damaged to the extent of ceasing operation in the explosions caused by Zukan on Xenon base, but was sufficiently repaired by Avon to be able to track down Blake to Gauda Prime. Orac was not seen during the final shoot-out on the planet, presumably having been left outside the base in a safe place.
PLASMA BOLTS – Main weapon used by Federation Pursuit Ships. Huge balls of glowing,
superheated fusion reaction power. Unprotected objects were instantly vapourised. The maximum number of plasma bolts ever fired at one time were the four fired by Travis in Series A Episode 8.
SCORPIO – Wanderer Class planet-hopper Mark II which underwent enormous modification under the direction of Dorian. It was taken over by Avon et al and used until it crashed on Gauda Prime. Unlike Liberator, pressurised doors sealed off all areas of Scorpio from the flight deck when in space. The ship was under the general control of the computer Slave.
SERVALAN – Native of Earth. Having started out as a cadet, she became Supreme Commander of Space Command. Prior to the Intergalactic War she ousted the President and installed herself total ruler. She was deposed during her enforced isolation on Terminal and adopted the name Sleer, having been rumoured killed during a rear-guard action on Gedden. Using drug control, she initiated a massive conquest of planets which Avon tried to stop.
SOMA – Intoxicating drink that played an important part in the ancient Vedic religion of India, taken from the juice of the plant Asclepias acida. It formed a constituent part of the liquid ‘adrenalin and soma’ much favoured by Vila on board Liberator.
SOOLIN – Two stories exist concerning Soolin’s origins. According to one, she was a native of Earth who moved to Darlon IV with her family, who were murdered 6 years later. Aged 17, she killed her parents’ murderers and left the planet to wander the galaxy, linking up with Dorian before becoming a member of Scorpio’s crew. In the other version, the events just described were said to have taken place on Gauda Prime, and there she was apparently killed along with Tarrant, Vila and Dayna.
TARRIEL CELL – Development by Ensor at the age of 18 which led to a completely new generation of computers, all of which contained one such cell. It was this unification of development that allowed Orac to tap any computer in the galaxy.
