Synopsis:
Servalan, for once, is worried. Recent events reported by Durkim - such as a fatal collision between passenger cruiser Nova Queen and an unmanned ore carrier and a lack of climate control on the frontier worlds – indicate that the unbeatable control and co-ordination center Star One is breaking down. Servalan refuses to believe this – simply because no one knows where it is.
Apart from Blake and the Liberator crew, who are voicing their doubts to their leader – especially since Star One is right out on the edge of the galaxy and not easy to find. Avon also attacks Blake’s plans for destroying Star One, saying that he can wade up to his armpits in blood if he likes – but all Avon cares about is finishing the job and taking over the Liberator. Cally also questions Blake’s plans, asking if they are fanatics, since without Star One, many people will die. Blake replies that if they do not destroy Star One, then everything that they have done will have been a pointless waste – and at least he can be certain that HE was right…
Servalan – now President of the Federation – orders Durkim to work harder on what has gone wrong with Star One. The former president and those whop could not grasp the enormity of the situation have been arrested, with Servalan taking on the leadership role. There are suspicions that someone has betrayed the Federation, and so complete unity is needed. Servalan tells Durkim that his former lover Lurena is one of a party checking and maintaining Star One – forever. Swayed by this bit of news, Durkim agrees to finding the root of the problem.
And there are problems on Star One. Lurena has escaped from the clutches of two other ‘Federation’ workers Stott and Parton. They are in fact – along with all the other workers bar Lurena – aliens masquerading as the crew. Lurena later finds their lifeless corpses hanging up in an abandoned room.
The Liberator crew has managed to find Star One, and Cally has pinpointed a ‘door’ to where Central Control is actually housed. Avon and Blake, however, work out that beyond Star One is the biggest antimatter minefield ever assembled, a defense zone either to keep mankind in or something else out.
Blake, Cally and Avon teleport down to where the door is. Blake and Cally enter, but are captured by Stott’s men. Cally mentally warns Avon that they have entered a trap, and tells him to remain outside. Blake is brought before Stott, who has apparently been expecting him – Stott believes that Blake is here to carry out “The Final Act”, a motion of unheard of treachery. But when Stott wonders what has happened to Blake’s eye patch, everything slips into place.
The real man with the eye patch – Travis – lands on the planet, and is held at gunpoint by Avon, who forces him into the main center However, Lurena jumps out at them at this crucial point, and in the confusion, Travis escapes.
Vila and Jenna are told by Orac that the minefield is also an alarm system, to keep any alien threats at bay. Orac suggests that a recent scout ship made contact with outsiders – such as Travis’ ship. Vila’s panic isn’t helped when they pick up hordes of aliens on the scanners – leaving them right in the firing line. There is only one thing for Jenna to do – warn the Federation. She instructs Orac to send a message to Servalan, informing her of the 600 or so ships about to enter Federation space.
Having dispatched Cally to place bombs around the control center Blake is shot by Travis. Servalan’s former henchman can now deactivate the defense zone, letting the invaders through. Cally meets up with Avon and Lurena, who tell her of what has happened. Avon gets to a wounded Blake, who nevertheless has still managed to shoot both Stott and Travis. Avon shoots Parton, but Travis gets to his feet with his hand weapon trained on Blake. Avon shoots him again, and Travis falls into the central nuclear reactor well, where he vapourises, screaming in agony.
Blake tells Avon, Cally and Lurena that the Federation must be warned, and that all of the bombs need to be removed and disposed of on the planet’s surface. They now face a race against time, since there’s only two and a half minutes. Cally and Avon locate all but one which they throw out onto the surface. Lurena has found the other bomb. While cornered by the remaining aliens, she holds it in her hand as it detonates, killing her and the aliens.
Having teleported back up, Avon explains to the others that he gave Blake his word that he would fight off the aliens until the Federation got there. Blake himself, still injured, offers to help, but is told by Avon to rest. Blake tells Avon that he has always trusted him – right from the very beginning.
With the aliens closing in, and only a minute to strike range, the remainder of the Liberator crew take battle positions. Despite Vila’s protests that this whole plan is stupid, Avon replies “When did that ever stop us?” and gives the order to fire…
Cast
Roj Blake - Gareth Thomas
Jenna Stannis - Sally Knyvette
Vila Restal - Michael Keating
Guest Stars: Jenny Twigge (as Lurena), John Bown (as Durkim), David Webb (as Stot), Gareth Armstrong (as Parton), Paul Toothill (as Marcol), Michael Mayard (as Leeth)
Credits
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Writer -
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Episode Information
Originally Broadcast: on BBC1
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