| abstract | - Script for The Keeper by Allan Prior (c) 1979 by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Series created by Terry Nation. This is a complete dialogue transcript for research purposes and is not for sale under any circumstances. Format (c) 1993 by Eddie Clark, Frances Teagle and Micky DuPree. Dramatis Personae Roj Blake Gareth Thomas Kerr Avon Paul Darrow Jenna Stannis Sally Knyvette Vila Restal Michael Keating Cally Jan Chappell Servalan Jacqueline Pearce Travis Brian Croucher Zen Peter Tuddenham Gola Bruce Purchase Rod Shaun Curry Tara Freda Jackson Old Man Arthur Hewlett Fool Cengiz Saner Patrol Leader Ron Tarr Walk-ons: Steve Kelly Jan Murzynowski Jeff Howard Paul Taras Ridgewell Hawkes Eileen Brady Eric French LIBERATOR'S Flight Deck - Blake, Jenna and Vila are preparing to land on Goth. VILA We're not even sure that Lurgen was here. BLAKE Docholli had no reason to lie. VILA Some people don't need a reason. AVON True, but let us assume that the keeper of the secret is somewhere down there on the planet Goth, and that the keeper is a royal personage. JENNA Lurgen's brain print is on a thong around a chief's neck. That's what Docholli said. CALLY Or he said it was Lurgen's brain that was on a thong. That might not be the same thing. AVON If you find the brain print, and consequently the location of Star One, what then? BLAKE Finish what we started. AVON Destroy it? BLAKE Of course. And the entire Federation with it. Does that bother you suddenly? AVON Star One is the automatic computer control center for the entire Federation. BLAKE Get to the point, Avon. AVON That is the point. Through Star One we could control everything. The Federation could belong to us. VILA I could be president. AVON Ah. VILA Or we can take it in turns. BLAKE You ready to go, Vila? VILA Why not? Now that would be worth the risks we're taking. AVON Blake is afraid that power would corrupt him. BLAKE That sort of power would corrupt anyone. CALLY Which is why the location of Star One has been kept such a secret. JENNA Travis could change all that, and I doubt if he has your scruples. BLAKE Then the very least we can do is make sure that he doesn't find the secret. [Blake, Jenna and Cally head for the teleport room] VILA Now there is something that worries me, how do we know that Travis isn't down there now? AVON You don't. [exits] [Teleport room] CALLY ... But there are noxious gases. Anyone who lives above ground will die sooner or later from toxic lung infections. Also your eyes will be affected. BLAKE So anyone who lives on Goth, lives underground. JENNA If he's wise, he does. VILA And if he's not, he's dead. BLAKE All right, put us down Cally. [They transfer to Goth, landing in a wooded gorge.] BLAKE [Into communicator] Down safe. Proceeding on bearing of zero-two-nine. VILA Hey, the air is a bit niffy. JENNA Hmm, sulphur. Rots your lungs eventually. VILA Marvellous, I can hardly wait. Shot of entrance to the Goths' cave, with standards and a sentry. A patrol of 3 or 4 Goth warriors comes out. External shot of a Federation pursuit ship. LIBERATOR Flight Deck ZEN Main detectors report Federation pursuit ship, bearing one three two, course two seven six, leaving the planet and entering orbit. AVON Put it on the main screen. ZEN Affirmative. [pursuit ship appears on screen] AVON Are we in range of its detectors? ZEN Negative. AVON Plot us a course to intercept. ZEN Affirmative. CALLY You're not going to attack? AVON Don't you recognize it? THAT is Travis' ship. CALLY But if we leave here, we leave Blake and the others out of teleport range. AVON This is our chance to finish off Travis. He is at our mercy. CALLY Perhaps, but you can't just -- ZEN Course for intercept, zero-seven-three, speed, Standard by Four, strike range in four minutes ten seconds. AVON We've got him cold. We'll be there and back within ten minutes and Travis will be dead. Steer zero-seven-three, Cally. CALLY Avon, I'm -- AVON ZERO-SEVEN-THREE!! CALLY All right. [Liberator turns - shot of pursuit ship on screen] AVON This time we have him. Zen, put up the radiation flare shields, clear the neutron blasters for firing. ZEN Confirmed. CALLY Avon, I hope you know what you're doing. ZEN Neutron blasters are cleared for firing. AVON Can you think of a better way to stop Travis finding Star One? [External shot of Liberator in motion] ZEN Target will be in strike range in exactly two minutes. CALLY No indication that he's seen us. AVON Good. I have no objection to shooting him in the back. ON GOTH - Blake, Jenna and Vila are walking between overgrown rocks, heading into a deep narrow cleft - an overhead shot shows the Goth patrol lying in wait] VILA All right to visit, but I wouldn't want to live here. Seems deserted, shame about that. [The Goths attack, leaping down on them] Avon, teleport! [Jenna is captured and Blake knocked out. Vila offers no resistance but surreptitiously calls the ship] Teleport! [Left alone for a moment, he runs off and hides in a crack in the rocks] Avon! where are you! [As the Goths search for him, the sulphur fumes make him sneeze and he is discovered. Blake recovers, picks up a branch and brains the Goth standing guard over him and escapes. Shot of Jenna and Vila being lashed to litters.] BLAKE Avon, teleport now. Avon! Avon! LIBERATOR - shot of pursuit ship on main screen. CALLY Why doesn't he move? AVON How should I know? Just so long as he doesn't... [An electronic signal is heard] CALLY What's that? He's transmitting. Who to? AVON Who cares? Stand by. CALLY His detectors must warn him soon. AVON We are going to get as near as we can, Cally. [Exterior shot of Liberator stalking pursuit ship.] AVON Goodbye, Travis. [Presses button - other ship blows up] Got him! [Main screen shows the explosion] CALLY So much for Travis. Mind you, you could hardly miss at that range. AVON What did you want me to do? Give him a sporting chance? CALLY Zen, take us back into planetary orbit, Standard by Twelve. GOTH BLAKE [coughing] Avon! Avon! [dives for cover as Goths fire explosive bolts with their crossbows] Liberator! Liberator! LIBERATOR AVON We've solved one of Blake's problems for him. Let us hope that he can handle the rest as easily. CALLY Coming into stationary orbit now. SURFACE - The hunt for Blake - he is cornered by Goths who aim their crossbows at him] BLAKE Teleport now! [he vanishes as the explosive bolts strike the rocks] LIBERATOR AVON What the hell happened? What happened to the others? CALLY Let him drink this first. [hands Blake a drink] AVON Where are the others? BLAKE The Goths have them. AVON How? BLAKE Ambush. CALLY Are we going down to get them out? BLAKE I am. [furiously] And where the hell were you? AVON We just got Travis for you! BLAKE What!!! IN THE CAVES - Vila and Jenna are led into a large cave containing several richly decorated tents. VILA Well, how much further is it? GOTH Move!! VILA All right, there's no need to push. GOLA'S TENT - a harper is playing, Gola is sitting in his throne on a dias, he is wearing an amulet. His fool is juggling, he muffs a trick. GOLA Fool, you do not amuse me as once you did. [The fool goes over to Tara's chair and crouches beside her where she bends over a steaming pot on a tripod.] TARA Gola, you frighten him, that is why all his tricks go wrong. GOLA Silence witch. [The fool tries to entertain him with handstands.] TARA I could tell you better tricks. I could show you things in the future. GOLA You can show me nothing! All that talks is your drug. In the end you will inhale too much and it will kill you. TARA Nothing will kill me, I shall live for ever. GOLA Tcha! [Travis enters] Kick that fool as you pass him. Possibly I might smile at his pain. [Travis does, they both laugh] GOLA Travis, my friend. You'll take wine? TRAVIS Thank you, oh Charl. GOLA My sister here has all kinds of mind-bending potions if they are more to your liking. [they laugh] TARA [Looking into the vapour] I see... I see: a man and a woman. The man is a fool, the woman is beautiful to behold. Here, in the Tents of Goth. GOLA You see? She is not of this world. [more laughter.] PATROL LEADER [Off screen] In there! VILA [Off screen] All right! [Vila and Jenna are brought in] TRAVIS You! Where is Blake? VILA [To Jenna] They haven't got him. PATROL LEADER Silence!! GOLA [to Travis] You know these people? TRAVIS Yes, oh Charl. They are enemies. Of myself, of Servalan, and also of Lurgen who mended your wound and took away the terrible pains. GOLA Truly a magician, that Lurgen. Real magic, not foolery and potions. It's a pity he's gone from us. [fingering a red scar on his forehead] Without his cure, I would be wishing for death. You say these people are his enemies? TRAVIS They pursue him to kill him. GOLA A beautiful woman! And a fool. VILA Eh?! TRAVIS These two I leave to your mercies, oh Charl. GOLA A beautiful woman - indeed she is so. [Vila and Jenna exchange nervous looks, the Fool scowls jealously] LIBERATOR - teleport room AVON We had to stop Travis getting to Star One first. Well now he is stopped. BLAKE IF he was on the pursuit ship. AVON It seemed a reasonable assumption. BLAKE If I'm not back in six hours, come down. Both of you. CALLY That's a long time to stay in orbit. Stationary, we are an easy target. BLAKE No one knows we're here. Unless you've alerted them. Put me down Cally. SERVALAN'S TENT - she is lying on a couch eating fruit TRAVIS [Entering] It's them! It's that fool Vila and the girl, Jenna, they're here. SERVALAN What? Is Blake here? TRAVIS No. [into transmitter] Pursuit Ship Four, Travis here. Reply. SERVALAN The Liberator has obviously destroyed it. TRAVIS Yes. Blake must be one step behind us. We know the keeper of the secret is on Goth. We know he is a royal person. Perhaps Blake knows that too. SERVALAN But which royal person? There is the Charl and there is his sister. TRAVIS It has to be one of them. SERVALAN But which one? TRAVIS You will soon know, and when you do, you could control the Federation, you and I. SERVALAN Don't be ridiculous, Travis. TRAVIS Look, Star One is the computer control center. It controls the climate on more than two hundred worlds, communications, security, food production, it controls them all. It is the key to our very lives. Think of all that power. SERVALAN You can see why the Council themselves don't know where Star One is. In the wrong hands -- TRAVIS Yes, but in the right hands: yours and mine. SERVALAN Be very careful you don't overreach yourself, Travis. TRAVIS There'll come a time when such ideas seem unambitious. One day, Servalan -- SERVALAN Yes? What are you talking about, Travis? [he sits down] TRAVIS I must alert the nearest Federation flotilla to attack the Liberator. I can't do it from here on this thing. I'll have to use your ship. SERVALAN The Liberator may pick you up. TRAVIS It's a chance we'll have to take unless you're prepared to risk Blake getting to the secret before we do, well? SERVALAN All right. How long? TRAVIS Three hours. SERVALAN That long? TRAVIS You could have the secret by then, it has to be one of those two, the chief or his sister. Don't you trust me? SERVALAN No, of course not. TRAVIS Then trust my ambition. You will be the new keeper of the secret. SERVALAN Yes. LIBERATOR - teleport room BLAKE [Over the intercom] ...at the moment, ground bearing one-two-zero. AVON Is he all right? CALLY So far. ZEN Main detectors report ship leaving planetary orbit. AVON Identify. ZEN It is a modified Class One Federation pursuit ship. AVON Grid reference? ZEN Grid reference B-three-seven-two-one AVON Modified Class One ... that must be Servalan. Zen, have they detected us? ZEN Negative. AVON Cally, set a course to intercept. CALLY What? AVON A course to intercept. CALLY No. AVON Yes. CALLY If we leave here we leave Blake alone again. AVON This is an ideal opportunity. CALLY Not this time. AVON She will be out of range in one minute. We will never get her. CALLY All right, then. We'll never get her. AVON Cally, listen. CALLY NO! GOTH - The woods. Rod is being dragged along by four guards with his arms lashed to a wooden yoke behind his neck. ROD Let me go you dogs! Let me fight you one by one. [a guard strikes him] BLAKE Hold it! [ducks as a Goth throws a tomahawk at him, then fires a shot and drops the guard] I said leave him! [He fires again, dropping another guard, the others run away] ROD [laughs] Thank you, whoever you are. [Breaks the yoke] You are a friend. BLAKE Who are you? ROD My name is Rod. Greeting. BLAKE Greeting. [puts his blaster away] ROD And what is that? BLAKE Er - nothing. ROD You say that it is nothing, yet men fall. It is magic. You are for the Tents of Goth? BLAKE Yes, when I can find the way. ROD Hmm, they are underground. So! I will take you there. Your name? BLAKE Blake. ROD [Laughs] And whom do you seek? The ones called Servalan and Travis? BLAKE [Short laugh] They are no friends of mine. ROD Nor mine. So! I will help you defeat them. I like your machine but I will not kill you for it, you saved my life. My brother, he would kill you for it. That is the difference between us. GOLA'S TENT GOLA [Contemplating Jenna] Very beautiful. [Begins an arm wrestling bout with a henchman] You know Lurgen has gone? JENNA We do not mean him any harm. GOLA Then why are you here? JENNA We come to help the Federation. GOLA The Federation means nothing to me, I live as my ancestors have lived. We are a warrior people [wins the bout, his followers applaud] we fight to live and we live to fight. What can the Federation offer us but slavery? [reaches out to touch her face. Vila sneaks forward in an attempt to get a look at his amulet] You are of Goth blood, I know it. Proud, fit mate for a warrior Charl. [Notices Vila and slaps him away.] JENNA If you do not want Federation servitude, why do you harbour their lackeys? GOLA You talking about Travis? He's a refugee from the Federation. JENNA Where is Lurgen? GOLA If you wish to kill him, why should I, I who am his friend, who bless his name, why should I tell you where he is? JENNA I've told you, we mean him no harm. GOLA You come from a spaceship. My guards capture you, or else by now you would have killed us. [holding up teleport bracelets] What are these? You - fool! What are these? VILA Just bracelets, Oh King. [Gola puts them on] Gola: Do me a trick, Fool. VILA What? Now? GOLA Now! VILA Ermm - a trick ... I take this chain from about my neck and place it in my fist, like so -- it's gone! GOLA Ah-ah! VILA The chain now travels up my right arm, across my chest, down my left arm [dropping it into Gola's hand] and into my great king's noble hand. GOLA Splendid! Better than my own fool. [The Fool creeps to the foot of the throne and produces a knife - Gola kicks him away] The next time, I'll kill you. TARA He is jealous. He thinks you do not love him any longer and he feels badly about it. GOLA He'll feel much worse if I send him below - eh Fool? FOOL No! Not below! GOLA Why not? I have a better fool now. FOOL Great Charl, Leader of the Goths, greatest and strongest warrior of them all, have mercy on a fool that's lost his magic! GOLA Behave and maybe I will. Tara, what do you think of the girl? TARA You think to take her to pair-bond. GOLA How do you know that? But you're right - I need a line to follow me. I need sons, to kill my brother if he kills me first. TARA He will try that, that is as certain as our eyes. GOLA If you say that once more, your head is forfeit! [Tara laughs] I mean it, sister or not, if you say that once more ... TARA I say - I say that he will kill, but he will die. GOLA We will kill each other then? TARA That I do not know. GOLA [kicking over the stand] Woman, you are addled with that stuff. [to Jenna] Come, sit by me. [she takes the seat on his left, a gold tiara is placed on her head] You like that? JENNA Well --- yes. It's very nice, very nice indeed. GOLA Good. CAVE ENTRANCE - Blake and Rod appear above as a sentry comes out. Blake jumps him. LIBERATOR AVON Zen, any sign of Federation pursuit ships on the main detectors? ZEN Negative. AVON Any activity whatever? ZEN There is no activity on the main detectors. AVON What about the extra-range detector? CALLY You know that puts a heavy drain on the energy banks. ZEN Negative on the extra-range detector. CALLY Satisfied? AVON No. I think we're in real danger, hanging around here in stationary orbit. GOTH - The dungeons, Road and Blake enter ROD Stay here. Wait for me, I will be back. BLAKE All right. ROD I will then take you to the tents. Wait for me. [He goes. Blake shines his torch through one of the cell doors.] TARA'S TENT - It contains her occult paraphernalia, including a totem of skulls decorated with beads. Tara is looking into the vapour - a shot of her amulet. TARA Your name is what? JENNA Jenna. [she is now richly dressed in a red and gold gown] TARA You are of what tribe? JENNA I come from Earth. TARA Earth - then you must gain my approval earthwoman, or no pair-bond. JENNA You remember Lurgen, the man who made your brother well? He will speak for me. TARA He had magic, certainly. JENNA He is one of the best cyber-surgeons in the whole of the Federation. TARA But he is no longer here. JENNA Oh? TARA [Looking into the vapour] He is gone, far away. JENNA Where? TARA The vapour does not tell me that. JENNA Lurgen left behind him a secret, what does the vapour say about that? The keeper of the secret may not even know that he, or she, is the keeper. TARA And you are asking me who the keeper is? JENNA Yes. TARA And if I could tell you, what then? JENNA Ask for anything in the whole galaxy, and it is yours. TARA [Chuckles] It must be a very important secret, this thing you ask about. JENNA It is. TARA Yes, you are very beautiful, I can see why my brother wishes to pair-bond with you. JENNA This secret, I am told, is on a person of royal blood. TARA Ahh! JENNA It hangs from the neck of such a person. TARA Like the one I wear? Like the one my brother wears? JENNA Perhaps. TARA Well? JENNA Yes. TARA Mmmm - and you would like to look at it, eh? JENNA Yes, may I? [she reaches for it, but catches Tara's hypnotic stare and is immobilised] I can't move my hand. TARA No. [takes her hand, releasing the spell] JENNA Was that some of your magic? TARA Does it matter? JENNA You must have great powers. TARA I do know some of the mysteries handed down from the lost time. I can speak with my people of my own blood. [considering Jenna] Yes, you are very lovely. I think my brother will pair-bond with you. The vapour tells me how deeply he desires this. JENNA I don't think you need the vapour to tell you that. You don't want me to bond with him, do you? You would rather I left Goth and never returned. TARA Possibly. JENNA If I stay, you're afraid that I might take some of your powers away. TARA Hmm... The vapour says that if you remain here, you may die. JENNA Once I know who the keeper is, I will go, I promise. Would you help me? TARA Yes, I would help you to go, IF I knew who the keeper was. JENNA Isn't it you? TARA You may touch the amulet now. I will not stop you. [Jenna turns it over, it is blank] JENNA There is nothing on it. TARA No. You are disappointed. JENNA I thought it might be you. TARA Hmm ... now? And now? JENNA And now I have to stay. TARA Why is that? JENNA You know why. There is only the chief, he is the only other person of royal blood. [Tara laughs uproariously] GOLA'S TENT - More wrestling - Gola wins and the loser is dragged out. GOLA Wine! [The Fool tastes the wine and hands it to him] Where is the girl? [The Fool pretends the wine is poisoned, then laughs - Gola shoves him away.] Ah! there you are. [Jenna enters, smiling] Come and sit next to me, I feel low, this fool is not amusing me. Music! [the harpist strikes up] So, you do not hate me now? JENNA I have never hated you. GOLA Ah! That's good. You'll pair-bond with me whether you like it or not, you know. JENNA It is an honour. GOLA Ahhh...good. More wine. JENNA You are truly a most remarkable man [attempts to touch his amulet, he repulses her] I am sorry, it looks interesting. GOLA Do not touch a Charl's person. JENNA I am sorry. GOLA Humility is good in a woman. THE DUNGEONS - Blake is sat waiting. OLD MAN [Appears at a cell door - moans. He is wearing an amulet.] BLAKE Who are you? OLD MAN Go away, go, go, go. BLAKE Look, I'm not going to harm you. Who *are* you? OLD MAN Go away, leave me to die. Go away ... LEAVE ME! BLAKE Quiet! You'll bring the guards. OLD MAN Not the guards! Not the guards! BLAKE Then keep quiet. [Old Man drops out of sight.] GOLA'S TENT - He is playing chequers with Jenna, Servalan is watching. GOLA There! I win! [they laugh] SERVALAN She let you win. GOLA What? SERVALAN She is a superior-grade citizen of the Federation. Her IQ is very high. She let you win. GOLA You are a friend of Lurgen's, or I ... SERVALAN What? GOLA I'd send you down below. SERVALAN You lay a finger on me and the Federation battle fleets will blast you to ashes. You and all your tents. GOLA We are a long way under the ground. Do not be sure any bomb would reach us. SERVALAN There is not a hole deep enough for you to hide in. GOLA Silence! I am Charl here. I do not wish your presence in my tent. Go. SERVALAN Very well, but I must speak to you alone, in one hour, in my tent. It would be wise for you to be there. GOLA You will come to me. SERVALAN [shakes her head] Uh..uh. [She leaves. Tara laughs] GOLA What are you cackling at? TARA She represents the Federation and you are afraid of her. GOLA No I am not. TARA HE would not be afraid of her. GOLA Shut up about him! JENNA Who is she talking about? GOLA Nobody. You didn't let me win, did you? JENNA Of course not. VOICE [Sounding very like Vila] Oh yes she did. JENNA Vila! VILA Eh? JENNA [Under her breath] Be quiet! VOICE But she did! She let you win. GOLA What did you say? VILA Eh? GOLA You said she let me win. [The Fool turns and winks at Tara] VILA No I didn't. I didn't say anything. JENNA [In an urgent whisper] Vila, shut up! VILA But I didn't say anything. GOLA Guards! You are going down below. VILA But I said nothing. GOLA You do not insult the Charl of the Goths - BELOW! VILA [carried off by guards] But I didn't speak. Honestly, I didn't. You've got to believe me. I said nothing - I said nothing! [he is hauled out protesting as Jenna tries to intervene] JENNA Gola, please! GOLA No, no, you must learn. JENNA Gola, don't kill him, please. [Vila is heard shrieking protests off stage] GOLA We'll see, we'll see. THE DUNGEONS - Blake hides as Vila is dragged in. VILA But you don't understand, it's all been a terrible mistake! Put me down! I didn't say one word, really! You've got to believe me! I did not speak, I'm telling you, I didn't say a word. PATROL LEADER Come along, we know where you've got to go. Come along. [opens cell door] In you go. [shoves him inside] Behave! VILA I was behaving. [Guard locks door and leaves] Ah, don't leave me here, at least leave me a torch. I don't like the dark. I like to see what I'm scared of. BLAKE Vila. VILA Huh! Blake! BLAKE Shhh, quiet. VILA Am I glad to see you. What are you doing here? BLAKE Is Jenna all right? VILA Only pair-bonding with the chief. BLAKE Good. VILA Well, come on, get me out. BLAKE I can't, not for a while. You'll have to stay here for a bit. VILA Marvelous. OLD MAN [Groans] VILA Who's that? BLAKE He seems harmless. VILA He smells horrible. BLAKE Well, so would you if you'd been here for as long as he has. VILA Well let's not think about that. BLAKE Tell me what's going on out there - everything. SERVALAN'S TENT - Jenna enters, followed by two guards. JENNA Where is Travis? SERVALAN I can see you have the run of the place. JENNA I am betrothed to the Charl and I have his protection. SERVALAN I still may kill you. JENNA I only have a minute. Where is Travis? SERVALAN Oh, he'll be back. JENNA I think not. I think he already knows the location of Star One and he's on his way there already. SERVALAN Really? And who do you imagine told him? JENNA The only person who knew: Lurgen. SERVALAN Lurgen was gone before we arrived. JENNA Was he? Are you sure. SERVALAN Travis knows better than to trick me. I've already told him he's dead if he tries. JENNA With all that power at stake, do you think that he really cares? GOLA [Off stage] Jenna! Where is Jenna? SERVALAN [Laughs] I may not kill you after all. A lifetime with Gola would be very educational for you. GOLA'S TENT - Jenna is dancing with the Charl when she sways and reels into his arms] JENNA I feel strange - dizzy. It must have been the wine. GOLA The wine? Seems all right. JENNA I must sit. [Sits on a couch] GOLA [Rounding on the Fool] YOU gave her the wine. FOOL No, no! GOLA I saw you give it her. You gave her a potion. One of HER potions. FOOL No! I swear I did nothing. GOLA Guards! You are going down below. FOOL Not below! GOLA While I decide how you will die. Get him out of here! FOOL I did nothing! I did nothing! [carried off protesting just like Vila] GOLA Are you all right, my love? JENNA [Lying on couch] Yes, I think so. I did not drink too much. Gola, please release Vila. GOLA What? JENNA He was telling the truth. Your fool tricked him by throwing his voice. You see how much he hates us. Oh, Gola, please - or else you will have no fool to entertain you. GOLA Guards, bring the other fool back up. Be well my love. [To Tara] Will she be well? TARA [Keeping a straight face] Oh yes. GOLA Good. JENNA [Looking at the amulet again] Oh, I'm sorry, it is forbidden. GOLA No, no, please my love. [She turns it over, it is blank. Tara laughs triumphantly] DUNGEONS VILA It has to be Gola, it's not his sister, so it has to be him. OLD MAN [Feebly] No... VILA Shut up, will you. Who is he anyway? BLAKE I don't know. Look, I'm going up there, soon. VILA What about me? BLAKE Shh, quiet! [The guards bring the Fool down, Blake hides] FOOL No! Don't put me down there, please! I didn't put poison in her drink, I didn't, I tell you. I didn't put poison in her drink, I didn't! [They shove him into Vila's cell and haul Vila out] VILA Hey! What's going on? PATROL LEADER You're free - orders of the Charl. VILA Eh? PATROL LEADER You're the new fool. If you aren't funny, you'll be back. VILA Wonderful. [They leave] FOOL [Moans] I knew it would come to this in the end. OLD MAN Who is it? FOOL It's I, your fool. OLD MAN Who? FOOL You've forgotten. Never mind, we'll all die and be forgotten down here. It's a sad life, that of a fool. GOLA'S TENT - Gola is lying with Jenna on the couch. VILA [Demonstrating a trick] He loves her! GOLA [Unenthusiastically] It's quite good - quite good. [Tara offers him a drink] A drink from your hand? [pushes it away, they both laugh] he is the fool, not I. VILA And now - for my next trick [he juggles, they applaud] DUNGEONS - Rod enters laughing BLAKE I thought you were never coming. ROD My men are already in the tunnel. BLAKE You going up alone? ROD I have business with my brother. BLAKE Who is your brother? ROD Come. [they leave] OLD MAN [Groans - the Fool fills a cup with water.] FOOL Drink master [hands it through the bars] Water. [The old man drinks.] A CORRIDOR - Rod and Blake enter - they hear Gola laughing. BLAKE I thought you said they'd all be asleep. [they continue] GOLA'S TENT - Vila is playing a cat's cradle game with Jenna. VILA In this trick, the captive ring is liberated without breaking the rope. Watch closely, is there a break above? [looking Jenna in the eye] or a Blake below? And - one - two - three. [pulls the ring free] GOLA Splendid! Your friend is a good fool. I will keep him here with me forever. Like you, eh, my sweet pair-bond partner. JENNA Of course. GOLA Tara, tell us the future. I'm in a mood to know. Will I be happy with my sweet pair-bond partner? TARA No. GOLA What?! TARA You will not have her. GOLA You talk nonsense. TARA The vapour sees a duel of the blood. GOLA No! TARA Yes, a duel of the charls - tonight! GOLA How can that be? TARA It is! GOLA [With a roar, he kicks over her tripod] ROD [Entering] Leave the woman! Try your strength with a man. GOLA Rod! ROD Brother - I will not call you Charl. GOLA Then I shall make you. [Blake enters] JENNA Blake! BLAKE Shhh! GOLA Who is this? ROD This is my second. GOLA I see, where's my second? [to Vila] You, fool! VILA What? I don't ... GOLA [To henchman] and Master of the Duel - you! TARA It is written he will kill you. GOLA You called him back, didn't you? TARA Yes I did. GOLA Why? TARA Because you betrayed the tribe. You seek to take her to pair-bond and she is not of the Tents of Goth. The vapour has prophesied that if you take her to pair-bond, you will die by your brother's hand. GOLA I am not afraid of your vapour. TARA Hmm - we shall see. [preparations for the duel overseen by the Master of the Duel. Rod and Gola's left wrists are linked by a six foot chain.] BLAKE [To Vila] That is Rod, Gola's brother. Now that's his brother... VILA I see what you mean. BLAKE Now is not the right time. [Master of the Duel signals a start, a gong strikes.] ROD He who lives be Charl GOLA He who lives be Charl. [The duel begins. Gola kills Rod by strangling him with the chain and stabbing him, gong strikes to mark end of duel] GOLA The victory is mine. I am Charl here. [applause - Tara hands him a cup] BLAKE Vila! [Vila checks Rod's amulet, it is blank] GOLA [drinking triumphantly] Your vapour lied. [The drink is poisoned, he starts to choke] JENNA Gola! GOLA Aaaaargh... [collapses and dies. Blake comes across to check his amulet] JENNA No, it's not him. BLAKE Then who is there left? TARA Ask the true Charl, the greatest leader of them all. BLAKE Who is he? TARA He who is most magnificent, the greatest truest charl of the Tents of Goth, [turning to Vila] your companion of the cells. VILA What, that old man? TARA Their father. They deposed him, and then quarrelled between themselves as to who should be the new charl. BLAKE Their father? That old man? TARA Go now. Take this key and take the bracelets. Leave this place. Go! BLAKE All right. Come on. [They go. Tara mounts the dias, the Master of the Duel places a fur cape on her shoulders and she sits on the throne, laughing triumphantly.] DUNGEONS - Blake, Jenna and Vila enter. FOOL Let us out. [Blake unlocks his door, then the old man's. He is lying on his bed.] BLAKE Who is the keeper? FOOL Leave him - let my master die in peace. BLAKE Who is the keeper? FOOL [Singing] I sing you of the Tents, my Master, Charl of the Goths, I sing you of the golden tents Where your fathers wait to greet you... BLAKE [Examining the talisman] It's gone, the brain print's gone! FOOL You seek the talisman the brain of the healer. The man with the eye patch took it. BLAKE Travis! Old man, old man, Lurgen, the healer, did he talk of Star One? Did he speak to you of anything? OLD MAN [virtually inaudible] A fool knows everything and nothing. [dies] FOOL He's dead! [pushes Blake away and croons over the body] I sing you of all the wise charls I sing you of all that Your life, your death, Brought honour to the tents... VILA That's it then. Long live President Travis. We might as well lock the door and stay where we are. JENNA Did he say anything to you Blake? BLAKE He said "A fool knows everything and nothing." [louder] A fool knows everything and nothing. FOOL [In a mechanical monotone, his eyes rolling] The location of Star One is at grid reference C-one-seven-three-two-zero in the Eleventh Sector. VILA Eleventh Sector? That must be in the middle of nowhere. BLAKE Shut up. FOOL The location of Star One is at grid reference C-one-seven- three-two-zero in the Eleventh Sector. BLAKE Lurgen must have planted it in his brain. VILA A man with a sense of humour. BLAKE A fool knows everything and nothing. FOOL [in the background] The location BLAKE Yes, that must have been the trigger phrase. The fool to keep a secret that Lurgen never wanted in the first place. of Star One is at grid reference C one-seven-three- JENNA All we have to do now is find it. two-zero CALLY [Intercom] Blake, this is Cally. Do you read me Blake? in the eleventh sector... BLAKE Yes Cally, bring us up. [They teleport] LIBERATOR - They enter the flight deck. AVON Another few seconds and I would have left you, Blake. BLAKE Course for evasion Zen. ZEN One eight nine, standard by ten. BLAKE Jenna! JENNA One eight nine, standard by ten - and on, with luck, to Star One. [Liberator gets under way.] Script Index Back to B7 Top
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