Synopsis:
The Scorpio has picked up a signal from the icy planet of Malodar where renowned scientist Egrorian (John Savident) wants to do a deal with Avon. Despite Avon’s insistence that Tarrant and Dayna pay a visit, Egrorian demands that Avon sees him alone. Avon rejects the order, since Egrorian has an assistant, an old man called Pinder (Larry Noble). Eventually, Egrorian agrees to Avon and Vila, but rather than teleport, they must travel to his bio-dome in his own shuttle craft. Agreeing, Avon and a reluctant Vila travel to Malodar.
Tarrant is suspicious though. It was rumoured that Egrorian, once an outlaw of the Federation, was assisted in his getaway by someone at the highest level. Like Servalan…
Egrorian greets Avon and Vila, although Pinder oddly greets Avon as “Ma’am”. Egrorian offers Avon a deal. He allows Avon mastery of the galaxy with a Tachyon Funnel machine that is capable of destroying anything at the press of a button. In return, he wants to see the Federation crushed after his enforced exile on Malodar, and also Orac, which he wants for his own research. Before Avon can agree, Pinder, who has been playing chess during this banter, claims checkmate, even though he apparently couldn’t tell the difference between men and women. A suspicious Avon can only look on as Egrorian tortures Pinder, and then agree to his deal.
Flying back to Scorpio to collect Orac, Vila is dreaming of power and hand picked virgin women. Avon is still bothered about the way in which Pinder called him “ma’am” and suggests that it was a line that he had been trained to say – to Servalan, for example?
Sure enough, Servalan is hearing of how Egrorian fooled Avon into accepting the deal. Promising both Orac and the deaths of Avon and Vila, Egrorian wants a relationship with Servalan, who is less than keen at this proposal.
Avon, in the meantime, has learned two interesting facts about Egrorian and Pinder. Tarrant tells Avon that Egrorian is power mad, and has been from his earliest days. The ruthless scientist has cheated and killed to get what he wanted. More significantly is Pinder, who disappeared with Egrorian 10 years ago when he was 18 – a young prodigy, who is now apparently 28…
With the utmost caution, Avon and Vila return to Malodar, where they present Orac to Egrorian. He is also handed the reports on his behaviour, and starts to evidently panic, even mentioning Servalan’s name by mistake. As Pinder helps Vila wheel out the Funnel, Egrorian explains that at 18, Pinder was accidentally subjected to a short blast of Hoffal’s Radiation, which caused him to age 50 years in 50 seconds. With the Tachyon Funnel aboard, Avon and Vila return to the shuttle – to the real Orac. Avon had given Egrorian a fake Orac, which he had built for a contingency such as this. Egrorian discovers this too late – much to Servalan’s fury.
Unfortunately, Avon and Vila hit a snag. The journey back to Scorpio is unattainable, because some heavy force is dragging them back to Malodar where the ship will crash. With only minutes left, Avon strips the shuttle of all excess weight down to its bare components (including the Tachyon Funnel too). With only 73 kilos left, Orac tells Avon that Vila weighs 70 kilos…
Almost against his will, Avon hunts for Vila with a gun. Avon climbs down to the hold to find Vila, who is hiding in tearful fear in a hidden compartment. Avon finds a cube of plastic, which he realises contains the weight holding back the shuttle – a speck of neutron material. Avon struggles to push the plastic out and after jettisoning it, hurries back to the flight deck to pilot the ship back to Scorpio. A sobbing Vila emerges from his hiding place.
Egrorian is aghast when his plan fails miserably. Servalan abandons Egrorian to reflect on what could have been. Pinder, who overheard Egrorian’s plan to abandon him with Servalan, reverses the control room fields in a manic fury. A protesting Egrorian pleads with him to stop, but Pinder hits the “Red Is Dead” button, causing the room to be flooded with Hoffal’s Radiation. Pinder instantly rots away to a skeleton, while Egrorian ages rapidly to an old man, collapsing to the floor, dead.
Avon and Vila, now safely back on Scorpio, muse over Egrorian’s plan and their loss of a valuable weapon. Vila is obviously devastated by Avon’s attempt to kill him, even though Avon enigmatically reaffirms his earlier promise that Vila is safe with him…
Cast
Roj Blake - Gareth Thomas
Jenna Stannis - Sally Knyvette
Vila Restal - Michael Keating
Guest Stars: John Savident (as Egrorian), Larry Noble (as Pinder)
Credits
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Episode Information
Originally Broadcast: on BBC1
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