Blake's 7: Heroes by Xanna Chown

Author:Xanna Chown [Chown, Xanna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
Publisher: Big Finish
Published: 2019-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

CONTAGION

BY TREVOR BAXENDALE

Set between ‘Moloch’ and ‘Deathwatch’

Even from this distance, the planet looked cold and ugly. Two vast continental plates had ground together amid a sea of volcanic acid to form a crooked spine of mountains from one pole to the other. Icy clouds haunted the peaks like ragged ghosts.

‘Uninviting, I call it,’ said Vila. There was no mistaking the despondency in his voice.

‘The correct name is Malorbis, according to the latest Federation charts,’ reported Cally from the navigation console. ‘Class two-seven planetoid orbiting a collapsing sun in the Delta Orion sector.’

‘Fascinating to any planetologist, I’m sure,’ said Tarrant, ‘but what’s in it for us? I agree with Vila. Bleak doesn’t even begin to describe it.’

‘I wasn’t suggesting a holiday,’ said Cally. ‘But Zen picked up a distress signal beamed directly from Malorbis about seven hours ago.’

‘It could be Blake,’ suggested Vila. ‘Or Jenna. We can’t just ignore it. Can we?’

‘I’ve checked the transmission frequency,’ said Tarrant from the comms station. ‘It looks like it’s a Federation signal.’

‘Does that answer your question?’ Avon asked Vila. ‘Zen. Course change. Sector seventeen. Standard by –’

‘Wait!’ Cally stood up. ‘Don’t we even get to discuss this?’

‘We’re not in the business of helping the Federation,’ replied Avon.

‘That’s not the point. The fact is someone is in trouble and we’re the nearest ship in space. We can’t ignore it.’

Avon clicked the activator key into place on Orac’s casing and the super computer buzzed into life with a tiny electronic yelp. ‘Orac. The distress signal beaming from the planet Malorbis. Identify source.’

‘I am more than a simple communications interface,’ objected Orac. ‘This is a complete waste of my processing power.’

‘You won’t even notice the processing power it takes to comply,’ Avon said, ‘so get on with it.’

‘Very well. The signal to which you refer is being transmitted in a code-regulated pulse beam from a science research base on Malorbis. The scientists stationed there are all affiliated to the Federation Science Council.’

‘So they’re not actually Federation people,’ Cally realised.

‘It doesn’t feel right to ignore a call for help,’ admitted Tarrant. ‘Especially if our assistance could embarrass the Federation.’

Avon offered Tarrant a tight, humourless smile. ‘Don’t try to be Blake. You haven’t got his intelligence or his idealism. And that is not intended as a criticism, by the way.’

‘It’s a cry for help,’ Cally said. ‘We should answer, whoever it is.’

Vila raised a hand. ‘I agree, for what it’s worth.’

‘Not much,’ Avon said.

‘Well I wouldn’t like it if no one answered my cry for help,’ Vila insisted.

Tarrant descended from his console position. ‘What kind of research is being carried out on Malorbis, Orac? It’s a long way from any major Federation systems.’

Orac whirred for a few seconds but said nothing.

‘Come on, Orac, that should be easy enough to find out. You pick apart Federation computers for fun.’

‘There is insufficient data available,’ replied Orac in his prissiest tone.

‘That sounds like someone avoiding the question,’ said Dayna as she came onto the flight deck. ‘What’s going on?’

‘Distress call from a Federation research base,’ replied Cally.

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