''What?'' Blake exclaimed in utter shock as Orac repeated the message.
''That is all there is'' Cally explained after it had ended. ''Orac says it was stopped mid transmission, which is worrying in itself.''
Vila frowned. ''I see what you mean'' he put in nervously. ''He must have been re-caught sending the message, and I don't want to know what they do to escaped prisoners in the federation.''
''Exactly'' the telepath replied uneasily before continuing. ''It was sent from the planet Deta 8 around four and a half hours ago.''
Jenna had also been called down to the flight deck to hear the transmission and she frowned in thought. ''Yes, I know it. Deta 8's not far from here in the third sector but I didn't know there was a federation base there.''
''None of us did until now'' Cally pointed out with a shrug.
Blake was hardly listening, his mind reeling from the new piece of information he had been given. ''He's alive'' he breathed slowly, thinking out loud. ''Avon is alive! it hardly seems possible.''
''No'' Vila agreed, reacting to Blakes surprise. He paused. ''Is it?'' he added uncertainly.
Jenna looked sceptical. ''Perhaps not'' she observed warily. ''Blake, the most obvious cause for that message is that it's a trap, you must see that.''
Blake looked up, genuinely surprised. ''Why?'' he asked, puzzled by her response. Though the whole situation seemed somewhat fantastical and certainly unexpected; he could see no reason to doubt the authenticity of the message. ''If it were a trap why wait this long? and anyway, that message was sent directly to Orac. Who else could do that except Avon?''
''Anyone, if Avon told them how before he died'' The pilot pointed out, her tone grim.
Sensing the disagreement starting to build between Blake and Jenna, Cally turned to Orac for more answers. ''Orac, do you have any information on the base?'' she asked, drawing attention back to the computer.
He whirred for a moment before replying. ''Verry little. Available data suggests it is some form of secret facility either for research or for the interrogation of high value prisoners.''
That, at least, seemed to fit fairly well with the idea that, if Avon were still alive, they might be holding him there.
''Can you access their computers?'' Blake asked hopefully, knowing that if he could, there might be information there relating to any current prisoners being held on the base.
Orac seemed somewhat affronted by the question. ''Of course,'' he responded tersely, ''but it will take some time.''
''Right then,'' Blake turned to Zen. ''Zen, set a direct course for the planet Deta 8 in the third sector. Speed, standard by ten''
''CONFIRMED''
Jenna stepped forward to object, unconvinced by the wisdom of this sudden course of action and thinking there should, at least, be some form of discussion. ''Blake, we should talk about this first'' she pointed out in a way that to her seemed perfectly reasonable.
''We can talk on the way'' Blake responded, brushing her objections aside. ''Zen, what's our arrival time?'' he added, turning back to the ship's computer.
''AT THIS COURSE AND SPEED, WE WILL ARRIVE AT THE PLANET DETA 8 IN 6.35 HOURS''
Jenna sighed in frustration. ''Blake!''
Having finished giving Zen his instructions, Blake turned to face her. ''What is there to talk about, Jenna?'' he asked, challenging her for a reasonable response. ''If Avon is alive then he's been in the hands of the federation long enough. We are getting him out of there today.''
''That's a big if Blake'' she told him practically, still far from convinced. ''He might not even be down there.''
''Then what would you suggest instead?'' the rebel queried, wanting to hear her views, even if he chose not to listen to them.
The pilot thought for a moment then shook her head. ''I don't know, going there might be too great a risk.''
''But one we must take'' Cally observed determined, aghast at the idea of leaving one of their own in the hands of the Federation. ''I agree with Blake. We cannot leave him there if there's a chance, he is still alive.''
''So do I'' Vila piped up to everyone's surprise including his own. He frowned.
''Good, because that's exactly where we're going'' Blake decided, brushing away any more thoughts of discussion. ''Now, we've got several hours until we arrive at Deta 8 so that gives us time to think up a plan in advance.'' he paused, looking expectantly around the faces of his crew. ''So, any ideas?''
When Avon awoke, the first thing he noticed was the painful throb at the back of his skull and the dull ache in his ribs. The second was that he was back in Tarrat's interrogation room. Things, it seemed, had not gone entirely to plan. He had intended to get out, transmit a message to the Liberator and get back to his cell before he was missed. The guard would have been a problem, of course, but he never actually saw anything so if their prisoner were still in confinement, they would have no reason to suspect him as the trooper's attacker, and certainly no way to prove it if they did. Now of course, things were somewhat different.
''So, you're finally awake'' came the rather impatient voice of Prell Tarrat from behind him. Waiting, clearly, was not one of his strong suits. ''An escape attempt after all this time Avon, I'm impressed.''
Avon turned his head to look at him as he stepped into view but the moment he did, the world started to spin, nausea rising in his throat and he closed his eyes, fighting against it. Either the blow to the head had been more severe than he thought or the effects of the drug were getting worse.
''I do my best'' he ground out sardonically, the hatred he felt for Tarrat clear in his voice.
The torturer grinned, his smile cruel and sadistic as he spoke, but beneath that there was something else, a sense of urgency that had not been there before. There was only one explanation, they knew Blake was coming and that thought made Avon smile as well.
''I've been holding back Avon, these last few weeks'' Tarrat explained, casually examining the array of tools layed out on the metal table beside him. ''Servalan said you'd be hard to break and that it'd take time, so I had to be careful not to kill you too quickly. Now it seems unlikely I'll get that time after all so it's just a matter of extracting everything I can from you before your friends arrive, or before you die, whichever comes first.''
Several hours passed and finally the Liberator found herself in stationary orbit above the planet Deta 8, just at the edge of teleport range. The journey, though relatively short compared to what it could have been, had seemed agonisingly long to the ships 4 remaining crewmembers. After a basic plan of action had been decided on, Blake had spent the rest of the time pacing backwards and forwards silently on the flight deck, willing the ship to go faster. Vila said he needed a drink but Jena and Cally had both been happy to point out the foolishness of that idea given the circumstances, so he had remained depressingly sober the entire way.
Now they had arrived, the four of them stood on the Liberator's flight deck, examining the inhospitable world below them on the main view screen.
''Deta 8, well it doesn't exactly look like much'' Jenna commented critically, assessing the planet for likely sites of a federation base. ''Zen, what are the surface conditions?''
''APTMOSPHERE THIN BUT BREATHABLE WITH LOW OXYGEN CONTENT. TEMPERATURE VARIES BETWEEN - 20 AND - 60 DEGREES CELCIUS''
Vila shivered at the thought, grateful he had only been given teleport duty for this mission. ''Well, I'm glad I'm not going down'' he decided, suddenly thankful for the warm, temperature-controlled flight deck. ''That doesn't sound very inviting.''
Blake agreed. ''No, that's why the majority of the base will probably be located underground.'' He turned to Jenna who was still standing at her station, watching the screen in thought. ''Jenna, take over from Cally and see if you can locate any energy signatures that might indicate habitation, we need to find this base before we can teleport down.''
''Right'' the pilot replied efficiently, taking over from Cally's station and getting to work.
''What about me?'' Cally asked, walking over to stand beside Blake. ''What do you want me to do?''
He turned to face her; his expression thoughtful. ''I know it's a long shot but I want to know if Avon's really down there'' he explained. He knew it was a big risk going down to the base and he wanted to be as sure as he could be that it was for a good reason. ''See if you can sense him, contact him if you can, all right?''
Cally nodded, though she looked a little uncertain. It was a long way down to the planet and she had no way of knowing where he was, or if he were even down there at all. And, of course, it was harder to locate a non-telepathic mind. ''Of course, I can try'' she agreed, closing her eyes and lifting her hand to her forehead in concentration.
Avon... Avon can you hear me? I'm here with Blake, we've come to get you out... Avon
Blake waited for a few moments watching her, the telepaths brow furrowed as she focussed intently on the planet below. ''Anything?'' he asked hopefully but she shook her head.
''No, nothing... '' Then she paused. ''wait, yes, I think...Ahh.'' She cried out in pained surprise as a sudden stab of agony shot through her.
Blake jumped forward, grabbing her shoulders to steady her as she gasped, closing her mind to the pain.
''Cally what is it, what's wrong?'' he asked worriedly, his face full of concern.
She took a moment to steady herself, taking a dep breath before she replied, her eyes meeting Blake's with a concern of their own. ''It's Avon, I felt his pain. He must be in agony.''
The concern in Blakes face deepened at the thought of what could be happening down there, of what they were doing to Avon, but he felt something else too, a sense of relief. ''Then he is down there,'' he checked, needing to be sure, ''he's alive.''
''Yes'' Cally nodded, suddenly certain. ''Yes, for now, anyway.''
That was it, all the confirmation Blake needed to set his plan into motion, not that he would have done any different had Cally not been able to reach him but it was good to know for sure he really was down there, waiting to be rescued.
''Jenna, have you found anything?'' he asked and the pilot looked up.
''Yes, I think so'' she replied, flicking a switch on the console before her so the picture on the viewscreen changed, zooming in on the west side of the planet's equator. ''There, energy msignatures large enough to emanate from a decent sized facility if it were built underground.''
''Right then, we're going down now'' Blake told them decisively, turning to Vila. ''Vila, I want you down by the teleport, Cally, get ready, we'll teleport down in 10 minutes, Jenna, keep an eye out for any approaching ships.''
''Right'' she agreed, glancing at the scanners. '' And Blake, be careful'' she told him with a slight but warm smile. ''It's a big risk you're taking going down there.''
Blake returned it reassuringly. ''I know'' he replied, his voice determined. ''But don't worry, we'll be back soon... all three of us.''
Avon gritted his teeth as he fought against the pain, trying to block it off from his mind. True to his word Tarrat had proved far freeier with his methods, and with his Sarantax, than in any previous session. He had made it abundantly clear that, now things had changed, he held no regard for his prisoner's long-term existence and, given the circumstances, Avon had very little doubt that he meant it. Shadows danced at the edges of his vision as it began to blur, the welcome oblivion of unconsciousness becoming him until another lancing spasm of pain tore him violently back to reality.
That was when he heard it, a distant voice somewhere at the back of his mind, kind and reassuring. A voice it seemed to him he had not heard in a very long time. Cally...it was Cally. For a split second he thought he was imagining it, that it was a hallucination brought on by the drugs or his exhaustion but no, it was real, it had to be. Blake was coming. The sentimental fool had believed him after all. Despite the pain, Avon smiled.
Oblivious to what was going on within his prisoner's mind, Tarrat eyed his sudden smile with suspicion. ''How do we take the ship!'' he demanded, frustrated by his captive's continued resistance. ''Tell me now, and I can end the pain!''
Blinking the sweat from his eyes, Avon lifted his head wearily to look his tormenter straight in the eye, his gaze hard and defiant. ''Go to hell'' he spat through clenched teeth his voice, though hoarse, was cold as ice.
Tarrat glowered, his temper wearing exceptionally thin as he fought the urge to throttle his prisoner there and then. ''Oh no, but I'll bet that's where you'll be headed come tonight'' he guessed, consoled somewhat by the thought as he reached for another dose of Sarantax. ''Even if your friends do come for you, they'll probably be too late.''
Avon did not bother to respond, there was no point. Whatever happened now was out of his hands either way, all he could do was wait. Now, though, he knew Blake was coming, and that all he had to do was hold out a just little while longer until the demonstrative fool finally arrived.