Synopsis:
The battle is underway, but Star One is destroyed in the process. The Liberator is not faring much better, having come under serious fire. The teleport system and life support systems have been damaged, and so the crew members have to leave through life support capsules. Blake and Jenna have gone their own way, while Avon, Cally and Vila make their plans to escape. Avon is knocked unconscious by a piece of falling debris, so he is placed in one of the capsules along with Orac and launched into space. Vila and Cally only have seconds to escape before the life support system fails totally.
Avon, having recovered, instructs Orac to get them down to the nearest inhabitable planet, which turns out to be Sarran. Avon crawls out of the capsule, only to be confronted by a small group of bloodthirsty natives led by Chel. The Sarrans are diverted by a girl called Dayna who helps Avon to escape to a nearby cave. Dayna introduces herself to Avon and says that she will take him to her father’s base, which is a space vehicle grounded on a sea bed.
En route, Avon and Dayna meet Servalan, who has also landed on the planet. They are forced into an uneasy alliance after they are pursued by Chel and the Sarrans. They make their way to a hatch in the middle of the beach which leads them to the underwater base. Once there, Dayna takes Servalan to get fresh clothes, while in the meantime, Avon meets Dayna’s father Hal Mellanby another fugitive from the Federation. Servalan questions Dayna about herself and her father, and after Dayna has left the room, she suddenly remembers Hal’s name.
Hal is also telling Avon about himself and Dayna. Dayna is a weapons expert and has devised some innovative new forms of fighting, despite his concerns. Hal also explains that his sight was destroyed by over-zealous Federation troops after he was taken in for questioning. He now wears a special pair of shades that links in with a device that allows him partial vision. At this point, they hear repeated clanging and see on one of the monitors that Chel and his troops are attempting to break in. Hal, Dayna and Hal’s adopted daughter Lauren go to stop them.
Avon makes contact with Zen via Orac. Zen informs Avon that Blake is uninjured but his location can’t be fixed. Jenna is on a hospital ship and safe and well, but Cally and Vila are nowhere to be found. Avon instructs Zen to give them top priority in locating them. Zen also tells Avon that a space vehicle has docked beside the Liberator, at which point the communication channel goes dead with static. Servalan, who has been listening, attempts to tempt Avon into an alliance (now that the Federation’s power is shattered), even going so far as to kiss him. Avon, however, is having none of it. “Imagination my only limit? I’d be dead in a week.”
The Sarrans have been stopped by a painful power device. Dayna and Hal return to the base, while Lauren stays on guard a bit longer. However, Lauren is taken unawares and surprised by Chel.
As Avon gets some rest before his departure next morning, Servalan attempts to steal Orac. She is stopped by Hal, but Servalan tells him that she knows who he is. Hal had led a revolt that took three weeks to suppress and which had cost several Federation lives in the process. The Federation promised a fair trial, but instead murdered virtually all of Hal’s friends along with his wife. Hal took the chance of saving Dayna, but became known as a coward and despised. Servalan shoots Hal’s optic device, blinding him, and in the confusion, she shoots him dead. A dying Hal alerts Dayna and Avon. Avon discovers that Servalan has stolen Orac, while a devastated Dayna is left weeping bitterly over her father’s dead body.
Avon and Dayna set off to find Servalan and Orac. In the process, Dayna finds Lauren – dead, killed by the Sarrans and hung up from a rickety wooden frame. Servalan has been captured by Chel and the Sarrans – Avon and Dayna manage to rescue her and hide her in the cave where they initially hid. Avon demands to know where Servalan hid Orac – Servalan only agrees to reveal the location if she is given a gun and a teleport bracelet so she can be taken to the nearest planet. Reluctantly agreeing, Avon is led to the beach by the entry lock. Servalan is momentarily distracted by approaching Sarrans, and in the confusion, Avon and Dayna teleport back up to the Liberator.
Once on board, Avon offers Dayna a place aboard the Liberator, but before they can locate Cally and Vila, they are confronted by a curly headed young man demanding to know what they are doing on his ship…
Cast
Kerr Avon - Paul Darrow
Josette Simon - Dayna Mellanby
Vila Restal - Michael Keating
Del Tarrant - Steven Pacey
Cally - Jan Chappell
Vila Restal - Michael Keating
Guest Stars: Cy Grant (as Hal Mellanby), Alan Lake (as Chel), Sally Harrison (as Lauren), Richard Franklin and Michael Melia (as Federation Troopers)
Credits
Director -
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Episode Information
Originally Broadcast: on BBC1
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