Synopsis
From the VHS release:
President Sarkoff is a prisoner of the Federation and while Blake and Cally try to return him to his own planet, the Liberator runs into deadly trouble...
Plot
Blake and Cally are on a Federation planet, investigating the residence of the exiled former president Sarkoff. They see Sarkoff and his young assistant Tyce arrive at the residence and sneak inside. The morose Sarkoff believes they are assassins but Blake reveals they actually intend to return him to his home planet, Lindor. Sarkoff opposed the planet entering the Federation but resigned after a vote of no confidence. Blake reveals the vote was rigged by the Federation: Lindor is on the verge of civil war, which the Federation intend to use as an excuse to annexe the world and install Sarkoff as a puppet ruler. Only Sarkoff has a chance of uniting his people again.
Meanwhile, the Liberator picks up a distress call from a nearby spaceship. Gan offers to teleport over alone to see if it's a trap. He later calls back to say the call is genuine. Zen informs Vila that Gan's voice was faked but he is too late to stop Avon and Jenna teleporting someone aboard.
Unable to contact the Liberator and with the Federation troopers on full alert, Blake decides they need to leave the residence. Tyce is keen but Sarkoff refuses until Blake threatens to destroy his antique collection. They make their escape in a vintage road vehicle and are teleported aboard just as the troopers are about to catch them.
The teleport chamber is empty and, when Blake checks the flight deck, it too is deserted. Returning to the teleport chamber, he runs into Jenna, who tells him everyone else is dead. He is then gassed unconscious by a robed figure. He recovers to find himself imprisoned with Avon, Vila, Cally and Gan. They explain the Liberator has been taken over by Amagon bounty hunters and Jenna has changed sides. The group are fitted with collars that the Amagon can explode by remote control.
Sarkoff and Tyce, also fitted with collars, are being held on the flight deck. The Amagon leader, Tarvin, an old acquaintance of Jenna, releases her from her collar but is still unsure whether he will turn her over to the Federation with the others. Jenna suggests he could earn more profit by keeping the Liberator and the riches onboard. Tarvin refuses to change course but instructs a guard to check out her story. Once out of view, Jenna knocks the man unconscious.
Vila manages to release Blake from his collar and Avon opens the door. Blake hurls his collar at their guard as he triggers it and the explosion kills the man. Leaving Vila to free the others, Blake heads off and saves Jenna from another guard, teaming up with her.
Tyce tries to draw a concealed weapon but Tarvin sees it and overpowers her. Sarkoff picks up the gun and aims it at Tarvin but Tarvin threatens to trigger Tyce's collar if he doesn't surrender. Tyce, in reality Sarkoff's daughter, urges him to fire. Blake and Jenna appear and the distraction allows Sarkoff to kill Tarvin.
Some time later, Blake, Jenna and Cally teleport Sarkoff and Tyce down to Lindor, with Tyce telling Blake he will always be welcome there.
Cast
- Sarkoff - T.P. McKenna
- Tyce - Carinthia West
- Tarvin - Marc Zuber
- Cheney - Mark York
- Amagon Guard - Derrick Branche
Crew
- Stunt Co-ordinator - Frank Maher
- Production Assistant - Pauline Smithson
- Production Unit Manager - Sheelagh Rees
- Film Cameraman - Ken Willicombe
- Film Recordist - John Gatland
- Film Editor - M.A.C. Adams
- Series Videotape Editors - Sam Upton (Uncredited), Malcolm Banthorpe (Uncredited)
- Visual Effects Designer - Ian Scoones, Mat Irvine
- Electronic Effects - A.J. Mitchell
- Graphics Designer - Bob Blagden
- Studio Lighting - Brian Clemett
- Studio Sound - Tony Millier
- Special Sound - Richard Yeoman-Clark
- Costume Designer - Rupert Jarvis
- Make Up Artist - Marianne Ford
- Music By - Dudley Simpson
- Series Devised By - Terry Nation
Story notes
- This is the second of two episodes in which Zen refers to Gan by his full name of Olag Gan, the other being "Time Squad".
Ratings
9.6M
Filming locations
Waterloo Tower, Quex Park, Birchington, Kent. Blake Park, Fulmer, Berks.
Production errors
To be added.
Continuity
- The Liberator crew learned of the Federation's plans for Lindor from the cypher information they recorded in "Seek-Locate-Destroy".
- When Avon agrees with Vila's opinion on the distress call, Vila murmurs "Makes it all seem worthwhile." This becomes a recurring theme between the two characters, with variations on the line being used by one or the other in "Gambit" and "City at the Edge of the World".
Quotes
Blake: Don't take any stupid risks. We're taking enough of those down here.
Vila: I'm entitled to my opinion.
Avon: It's your assumption that the rest of us are entitled to it as well that is irritating.
Vila: I told you I couldn't do it.
Avon: I believed you all along.
Tarvin: You talk too much.
Sarkoff: Yes, it's an occupational hazard.
Home video releases
DVD cover
- Original BBC video release (Volume 6) in 1991.
- Fabulous Films video reissue (Volume 6) on 22 June 1998.
- DVD release as part of the Series 1 box set on 1 March 2004.
External links
To be added.
References
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