Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Blake's 7: Salvage (i)



[Space. Stars. Nebula. The remains of a space station, composed of two metal wheels bolted together, similar to the old Space Command Headquarters. It slowly rotates in a drifting cloud of dust and debris. Pan across. In the distance is the black and silver shape of Commissioner Sleer’s private cruiser.]

[Flight deck. Pull out from the main screen, on which the space station can be made out. The entire flight deck has been taken apart – consoles opened, panels in the walls and floors removed to expose circuits. Thick bundles of cables and ropes of wires dangle like jungle vines, linking and connecting different controls. Lots of wires now link Orac to the pilot position where it sits in front of the screen. Vila is using a tool to adjust components inside the console as he argues with Orac.]

Vila: What are you complaining about Orac. This was your idea, after all?

Orac: That is a gross inaccuracy. You are the one who proposed this course of action.

Vila: And you agreed to it!

Orac: I confirmed your suggestions were feasible. This ship has neither the speed nor capabilities of Scorpio and both would be required to improve the possibility of long-term survival. It was you who decided to carry out all the required modifications while still in space-flight.

[We see the rest of the flight deck in a similar state of reconstruction. The area to the right of the flight deck, where Dayna was once tortured, has now been stripped out and five un-illuminated screens are now attached to the walls in a rough semi-circle. Lots and lots of wires and cables are plugged into this section. Avon is inspecting the panels and checking a hand-held computer as he does so.]

Vila: I only decided that because you managed to navigate us right into the middle of a Federation patrol and we have to take the long way round to that neutral planet we were aiming for, remember?

Orac: My recollection of these events is not in dispute. On current course and speed we will arrive at our destination in six hundred and sixteen hours.

[The internal door opens. Zanto and Lora enter, both looking better-rested than the others. In the middle of the flight deck, Gamren is working at a table covered in components as she attempts to build teleport bracelets – square, chunky versions that look more intricate and complicated than previous ones.]

Zanto: Change of shift, Gamren.

Gamren: At last. They say twelve hours fly by when you’re having fun.

Zanto: [examines bracelet] Not having fun?

Gamren: I’m sick of these things already.

[She puts down her tools.]

Gamren: I’m going to my cabin to sleep. Interrupt me at your peril.

Zanto: [chuckles] No fear of that. I heard what you got up to at the harvest festival the last time someone... interrupted you.

Gamren: I’m so exhausted I almost find you amusing.

Zanto: [surprised] That bad, huh?

[She leaves. Zanto sits at the desk and starts work on the bracelet. Lora approaches Avon, who is still working on the new teleport section.]

Lora: Twelve-hour changeover. You want to get some rest?

[Avon tries to ignore her, moving away from her. Lora follows him.]

Avon: No.

Lora: You must need some sleep!

Avon: Must I?

Lora: All right, all right. But you shouldn’t just keep taking stimulants – they rot your guts in the end, it’s medically proven. Natural sleep is much better. [beat] How’s it going?

[Avon turns and gives her an angry, smoldering glare.]

Avon: Do you have a specialized knowledge of spatio-translocation theory?

Lora: [frowns] I asked my question first.

Avon: [controlling himself] I am attempting to built an open-ended teleport system from scratch while simultaneously install it into the systems of this ship while everything’s still turned on.

Lora: That’s not answering the question, is it?

Avon: It’s going as well as can be expected!

Lora: And you aren’t building it from scratch, are you? [indicates] We stripped all this stuff out of that getaway shuttle from Gauda Prime, remember?

Avon: [rolls eyes] I do. I also remember that crude attempt at a teleport had been abandoned for good reason. It was totally non-functional.

Lora: I thought Blake knew all about teleports?

Avon: So did he, I imagine. And you’re both wrong.

Lora: But you said you could get it to work.

Avon: I did. And I might even achieve it – without your tedious commentary.

Lora: Sorry.

Avon: Yes, you are, aren’t you?

[Lora rolls her eyes and walks over to Zanto.]

Lora: [scornful] Teleports. It can’t be that difficult to rewire the weapons and communications systems to transmit matter down to the surface of a planet. You step in that corner, get turned to energy, the energy is beamed somewhere else, and you revert to matter again. It’s not a complicated idea, really, is it?

[Zanto works on a bracelet, peering through an eyeglass.]

Zanto: Odd how it’s baffled the Federation for centuries.

Lora: It’s just the revert-to-matter bit that’s hard.

Zanto: Yes. Always been a stumper...

Lora: If you ask me, quantum duality, that’s the way to get it to work.

[Avon looks up.]

Avon: What do you know about quantum duality?

Lora: More than you – otherwise you’d have applied it by now.

[She crosses to Vila and Orac.]

Lora: Does he get any more bearable if he starts sleeping probably?

Vila: Avon? Never has so far. Looking for something to do?

Lora: Well, since we’ve run out of things we can do to the engines while they’re running. By the way, how did those modification go, Orac? Are they working?

Orac: Converting a plasma drive to use light as an energy source is an extremely complicated procedure. Working on the original Stardrive principals has improved the current velocity of this craft to Standard by Ten.

Lora: [pleased] Not bad.

Vila: Could be better, though. How about the rest of our adjustments?

Orac: The efficacy of this vessel has been improved by approximately fourteen per cent.

Vila: Oh. Good.

Orac: However, with so many vital systems taken offline to facilitate construction and repair, we have reduced the functioning status of the vessel by thirteen per cent.

[Vila sighs, groans and covers his eyes with his palm.]

Lora: So after three days of non-stop work and this ship is in a worse condition than when we started?

Orac: No. There is a clear improvement of one per cent overall.

Lora: [controlled] That doesn’t make it sound any better.

Orac: It is not meant to “sound better”, it is a statement of fact.

Avon: [calls] If you are looking for something to occupy your time, trooper, you can start the final cannibalization of that shuttle craft. See if it can be converted into an escape pod of some description, now this vessel has none to spare.

[Lora grows somber.]

Lora: Yes. [to Vila] I’m still not happy about that.

Vila: [shrugs] We couldn’t leave her on the flight deck. It’d be a health hazard.

Lora: I mean killing Servalan in the first place. I didn’t quit one bunch of murderers to join up with another.

Avon: More fool you.

Zanto: Had to be done, Lora. Orac told you the things she’d done. Murder, genocide, poisoning – just because we had the upper hand when we left Gauda Prime doesn’t mean it would have stayed that way. She was a psychopath who could have killed us all without blinking; and she very probably would have.

Avon: Not “probably”, “certainly”.

Lora: You don’t know that.

Avon: It’s what I would have done.

[Everyone looks at Avon, uncomfortable.]

Zanto: Avon! Must you say things like that?

Avon: You would rather companionable silence?

Vila: We all know you’re a self-centred murdering piece of scum, Avon. You constantly reminding us doesn’t do anything but make you sound insecure.

[Avon, very annoyed, turns back to the teleport.]

Vila: [to Lora] But, as ever, he’s got a point. Do another check of the shuttle, see if we can take it apart and turn it into escape pods. [gently] And Servalan would have killed us, you know. While she was on the ship, we might as well have turned off life support given how much danger we were already in.

Lora: And how do I know I won’t get executed and chucked out an airlock?

Vila: Because I’m the boss. And that’s the one thing I’d never do. [looks at Avon] Because I’ve been on the receiving end. You know when they say the exception proves the rule? Servalan was the exception.

Lora: Right. [frowns] What’s the rule, again?

Vila: The rule is that from now on, we all get out of this alive.

[Lora nods, reassured.]

Lora: Nice. [louder] I’ll be in the shuttle if anyone needs me.

Avon: Little chance of that.

Lora: [to others] Can we gag him?

Zanto: [thoughtful] Tempting thought.

[Lora leaves.]

[Space. The cruiser continues. The space station is closer.]

[Corridor on ship. Lora heads down a passageway. She passes a doorway and stops. There is a sickly electrical crackling noise coming from inside. Lora steps through the door into the room beyond. A bank of machinery is the source of the noise – screens built into it are flickering and smoke is rising out of it.]

[Flight deck. As before. Vila is helping Zanto build teleport bracelets.]

Vila: ...and that’s another thing! This ship doesn’t have a name.

Avon: It must feel positively devastated by the loss of identity.

Zanto: Avon’s got a point. Does it matter?

Vila: Of course it matters. Scorpio, Liberator – they’re much better names than just “ship” or “vessel”, aren’t they? They get remembered, they get reputations...

Avon: They get noticed by average Federation patrols and used as target practice.

Zanto: Which they can do already. This is a stolen commissioned transport, remember? Giving it an official title isn’t going to change that...

Avon: So why bother?

Zanto: Why bother with anything? Why bother breathing?

Avon: It’s a question I often contemplate aboard this ship.

Vila: I know what you mean. After all, Avon, if you stopped breathing, things would definitely improve round here...

[Maintenance room. Lora hurries over to an industrial lever built into the wall and heaves it down. There is the noise of power winding down and the machinery goes dark. The noises continue.]

[Flight deck. Orac buzzes loudly.]

Orac: Alert! Emergency sectional shut-down has just been activated in forward maintenance room beta!

[The others look up, alarmed.]

Avon: The shut down is a manual override. Where are the others?

Orac: Internal sensors indicate that Gamren Vanda is currently in the cabin she has claimed as her own quarters. Lora Mezin is located in maintenance room beta.

Avon: As I thought – showing her true colours at last.

Vila: She’s not stupid enough to sabotage a ship while she’s still aboard!

Avon: I wouldn’t risk underestimating her.

Zanto: [sarcastic] He’s right, Vila. We all know how infallible Avon is when it comes to the trustworthiness of others. Don’t we?

[Avon stares at him for a long moment. Vila waits for them to break the stare out, but they don’t, so he irritably claps loudly to get their attention.]

Vila: [annoyed] Come on, you two. Let’s see what the problem is down there...

[They leave the flight deck.]

[Corridor. The three men hurry up the passageway towards the doorway.]

Vila: [calling] Lora?

Avon: For someone trained as a psycho-strategist, your attempts to manipulate are shockingly crude and obvious. The Order was wise to reject you.

Zanto: As I haven’t got all bar two of my crew murdered in a series of stupid and totally avoidable mistakes, I can still claim greater proficiency than you.

Avon: The fact you need to claim anything is significant, wouldn’t you say?

Vila: [rolls eyes] Will you two just shut up? You’re both arrogant alpha-grade idiots who’ve made more mistakes than the rest of us put together – the only difference is Zanto hasn’t gone on a murder spree with a plasma rifle while laughing like a madman!

Avon: The burden of leadership, Vila. You’ll feel it soon enough.

Vila: Oh no. The rebellion’s under new management, Avon. From now on, things are going to go smooth and safe and reliable and...

[A massive explosion bursts through the doorway in a fireball. None of them react.]

Vila: ...and I am kidding precisely no one.

Zanto: Looks like.

Avon: Let us see what our trustworthy deserter has done, shall we?

[Maintenance room. The machinery is now on fire. Lora, soot-stained, is sprawled nearby, coughing and spluttering. The trio run in.]

Vila: Lora! Are you all right?

Zanto: What happened?

[Rolling his eyes, Avon snatches a fire extinguisher from the wall and douses the flames with no real effort.]

Lora: [coughing] The plasma regenerator... just... blew up...

Avon: And you did nothing to cause it, I suppose?

Lora: Course not! [splutters] It was sparking, so I shut down the section... didn’t help...

[Vila and Zanto help her get to her feet. Gamren enters, half-asleep.]

Gamren: What the hell happened here?

Avon: [over his shoulder] Sorry, did the explosion interrupt your beauty sleep?

Gamren: Drop dead, Avon. [to others] Well?

Zanto: The plasma generator’s shorted out. Probably most of the firing circuits too.

Avon: Two are still intact. However, the damage to the armament routines would undoubtedly trigger a thermo-plasmic reaction if triggered.

Vila: What does that mean?

Lora: [coughs] If we try to fire the main weapons, we’ll blow up.

Avon: More than that, we’ll be atomized.

Lora: Oh, that’s much worse than being blown up!

Gamren: And on top of that, we’re now defenseless?

Avon: Quite. [turning to Lora] As sabotage goes, it’s very effective.

Lora: I didn’t sabotage anything! I thought you were supposed to be intelligent!

[Avon stares at her. Then, he looks away.]

Avon: I am. This wasn’t sabotage.

Vila: I could have told you that!

Gamren: What did cause it, then?

Avon: [examines damage] Usual wear-and-tear, entropy in the arming circuitry, possibly some crossed wires. The auto-repair systems would have held it in check – but thanks to all these modifications Vila has cunningly ordered, the auto-repair was switched off.

Zanto: And the blow-back was inevitable.

[Everyone looks at Vila with varying degrees of irritation.]

Vila: What? This isn’t my fault. Servalan had a sub-standard ship, that’s all.

[Everyone exchange looks, then go back to looking at Vila, unimpressed.]

Vila: [quickly] That isn’t important right now. Can we repair this damage?

Lora: [grim] Possibly. But even if we got the weaponry back online, it would burn out again shortly afterwards. Maybe even worse than this next time.

[Flight deck. All are present, but Avon is back tinkering with the teleport, keeping apart from the others who are talking to Orac.]

Orac: Until the auto-repair systems can be fully restored, the incidents of circuit malfunction and mechanical failure will increase exponentially. The probability of thermo-plasmic detonation is now at fifty two per cent and rising.

Zanto: Isn’t there anything we can do about it?

Gamren: How about this for a radical idea: turn the auto-repair back on?

Orac: That is not possible without full recalibration. The process would take forty-three minutes and require all functions deactivated for that period – including life support.

Lora: So... what? We’re travelling on a flying bomb that could go off at any time?

Orac: In practical terms, yes.

Gamren: [fuming] And we can’t even leave in the shuttle because our awesome leader tore it apart to start all these modifications in the first place!

Orac: Indeed.

Vila: You realize if this ship explodes, you go up with it?

Orac: Of course I do!

Vila: Then what do we do? Spit it out, you scabby little rat!

Orac: [huffs] I abhor spitting! The blowout in the plasma regenerator triggered a sympathetic explosion in the manual-lock transfer system located in the outer secondary system. This is located on the outer hull in the keel section.

[The main screen lights up with a corner of the ship. A hole is blown in the hull revealing blackened machinery within. The image zooms in.]

Orac: Due to the design of the secondary system, it is possible to slave some of the basic auto-repair systems without the need for recalibration. Thus, the weaponry functions can be maintained and stabilized indefinitely without fear of destruction.

Vila: So we fix that bit and we’re safe for the time being?

Zanto: At least long enough to land on a planet and finish off repairs.

Avon: There is a flaw in Orac’s plan.

Gamren: [rolls eyes] Do tell.

Orac: I am not in error. Constructing and installing a master stabilizer system is well within the capabilities of the crew of this space vehicle.

Vila: That reminds me. This ship needs a name.

Avon: It is not within our capabilities, Orac. We do not have the required components.

Orac: Then you will have to collect them yourselves, won’t you?

Lora: And just where are we going to do that?

[The screen changes to show the space station. An embarrassed pause.]

Lora: Oh.

- to be continued...

8 comments:

Jared "No Nickname" Hansen said...

Oh so, Zanto is Varsh?

...*realises he's unwittingly revealed that he's opened this blog post for the first time*...

..damn.

Youth of Australia said...

LOL.

Yes. He had just done FC when Season 4 came out and apparently was into sci-fi, so it's not impossible he'd have been in another series of B7.

Plus it helps me visualize the characters.

For what it's worth, Lora is Keara and Gamren in Enlightenment from Four to Doomsday.

Any thoughts on the story so far?

Jared "No Nickname" Hansen said...

Yes. He had just done FC when Season 4 came out and apparently was into sci-fi, so it's not impossible he'd have been in another series of B7.

Plus it helps me visualize the characters.


I agree, I can see him in my mind when I read it now. A pretty good pick, too. For some reason Zanto in my head was starting to look like Jarriere or whatever the powder-poof from Gambit was named..

Any thoughts on the story so far?

Just read through part one. I like the premise, since claustrophobic episodes usually work well and I was wondering what they'd do to try and get a new super-ship...

I was also thinking - Vila becoming leader is a genius move on your part. It keeps the dynamics fresh and provides opportunity for all sorts of storylines and character arcs.

I also like it because what I noticed with Season 1, before everybody began writing whole EPISODES for Avon, is that he is such a strong character he doesn't need a ton of attention to leave an impact so writers are better off giving focus to the other cast members. The idea of Avon being a burnt-out fringe crew member suits this really well...

Incidentally, it also struck me as the kind of thing Nala Svenets would never think of doing, which is maybe a plus by itself?

Youth of Australia said...

I agree, I can see him in my mind when I read it now.
Awesome. That was the basic idea.

For some reason Zanto in my head was starting to look like Jarriere or whatever the powder-poof from Gambit was named..
Sheeeeit...

Avon: You don't believe I am a worthy leader of this group?
Zanto: Am nae followin yeh...

Just read through part one.
I'd never have guessed. ;)

I like the premise, since claustrophobic episodes usually work well and I was wondering what they'd do to try and get a new super-ship...
Well, them fixing Scorpio would never happen - they properly smashed the model to bits. And given that model is about as big as I am, they had to have been very clear on that point.

I was also thinking - Vila becoming leader is a genius move on your part. It keeps the dynamics fresh and provides opportunity for all sorts of storylines and character arcs.
Thank you. Part of me thought "Blake had two years in charge, Avon had two years in charge, it's time for Vila to have a go". Plus there's some good drama in that Vila is very intelligent and clever when he's CALM, but his IQ goes out the window when he panics... which is the sort of flaw both Avon and Blake had, and stopped them from winning so easily.

I also like it because what I noticed with Season 1, before everybody began writing whole EPISODES for Avon, is that he is such a strong character he doesn't need a ton of attention to leave an impact so writers are better off giving focus to the other cast members.
True. I hope that will come across in your BF submission (I've already sent mine in - booyah!).

The idea of Avon being a burnt-out fringe crew member suits this really well...
Yeah. I'm trying to give him both less and more to do than normal, if you get my drift - his "screentime" is about the same.

Incidentally, it also struck me as the kind of thing Nala Svenets would never think of doing, which is maybe a plus by itself?
LOL.

Did I mention one of my ideas for submitting to BF was a story entitled "He Who Strangled Cats" when Servalan tries to split the crew up by broadcasting patently false slander about our gentle giant being a sex killer?

Jared "No Nickname" Hansen said...

Sheeeeit...

I know

Avon: You don't believe I am a worthy leader of this group?
Zanto: Am nae followin yeh...


Lol..

Well, them fixing Scorpio would never happen - they properly smashed the model to bits. And given that model is about as big as I am, they had to have been very clear on that point.

Yeah, they really were. One of the things that made Blake feel as final as it did. Especially since they'd only got Scorpio pretty recently.

Thank you. Part of me thought "Blake had two years in charge, Avon had two years in charge, it's time for Vila to have a go".

I think that was the same logic that got me thinking of Jenna coming back and being the leader, since she was competent but got a pretty poor run on the actual show. But somebody less leader-ish was a good idea..

Plus there's some good drama in that Vila is very intelligent and clever when he's CALM, but his IQ goes out the window when he panics...

Definitely. Which is such a problem in Blakes 7 since every single plan that gets made WILL go wrong. I also like his habit forming of plans that are outside the box and clever, but then turn out to be very dangerous and impractical in practice..

True. I hope that will come across in your BF submission

Yeah, I've got the plot worked out and Avon's only real contribution is to sulk and make snarky comments atm...

Funnily enough, if there's a starring character it'll probably be Jenna but I was going for an ensemble piece, really.

(I've already sent mine in - booyah!).

Hey, congrats. I haven't actually STARTED mine properly yet.

I've had a pretty busy time, but I've got tomorrow off so I hope to get a first draft done then at least. I've worked it out in my head, and I owe you a debt for giving me some killer ideas in that brief email.

Yeah. I'm trying to give him both less and more to do than normal, if you get my drift - his "screentime" is about the same.

Yeah, I get what you're saying..

Did I mention one of my ideas for submitting to BF was a story entitled "He Who Strangled Cats" when Servalan tries to split the crew up by broadcasting patently false slander about our gentle giant being a sex killer?

Lol, no. I love it, though..

Youth of Australia said...

I know
I can't believe any character I've ever written ever could possible be Jarriaresque...

Yeah, they really were. One of the things that made Blake feel as final as it did. Especially since they'd only got Scorpio pretty recently.
Yes. Was it you who said Blake "starts with total defeat and then gets WORSE"?

But somebody less leader-ish was a good idea..
Yeah. It would be like Cally being the leader. Where's the risk? She'd have to be possessed 24-7 to screw things up as entertainingly as the others.

Definitely. Which is such a problem in Blakes 7 since every single plan that gets made WILL go wrong. I also like his habit forming of plans that are outside the box and clever, but then turn out to be very dangerous and impractical in practice..
Thank you. That is precisely what I was aiming for.

Yeah, I've got the plot worked out and Avon's only real contribution is to sulk and make snarky comments atm...
In fairness, that WAS his original character in a nutshell. Take out landing a spaceship and removing a fuse, his entire contribution to Time Squad is calling Blake "you fuckwit" in a variety of ways.

Funnily enough, if there's a starring character it'll probably be Jenna but I was going for an ensemble piece, really.
Cool. I've given Gan a subplot where he takes on an entire Federation invasion force on his own. And he doesn't rape one of them.

Hey, congrats. I haven't actually STARTED mine properly yet.
Well, the clock is as they say is ticking. I can't believe they gave us such a short deadline.

I've worked it out in my head, and I owe you a debt for giving me some killer ideas in that brief email.
Cool. I had a heap of ideas that were instantly chucked out when I saw the season one rule, which I'm turning into prose stories for the hell of it.

Lol, no. I love it, though..
The idea is she's trying to drive the crew apart by making them doubt Gan and getting them all paranoid.

Another idea, Trent's Six, is her trying to destroy their popular support by turning their exploits into a Kaldor-City-themed TV series that makes them all sex-obsessed psychopaths and assholes.

There might be a slight anti-Nala tone developing to my work...

Jared "No Nickname" Hansen said...

I can't believe any character I've ever written ever could possible be Jarriaresque...

I don't think he was. Just sleep-deprivation on my part I can only assume..

Yes. Was it you who said Blake "starts with total defeat and then gets WORSE"?

I dunno. I'd gladly take credit for it :P

Yeah. It would be like Cally being the leader. Where's the risk? She'd have to be possessed 24-7 to screw things up as entertainingly as the others.

Did I go off about how ham-fistedly this was dealt with in Hostage? Jenna and Cally are left on the ship basically because they wouldn't fuck things up as badly as Blake and Vila could be counted on. It's even as if they set out to draw attention to this by having them kill the bad guy of the week with minimal effort and being canonically pissed off about getting left on the ship again.

Sigh.

In fairness, that WAS his original character in a nutshell. Take out landing a spaceship and removing a fuse, his entire contribution to Time Squad is calling Blake "you fuckwit" in a variety of ways.

Hehe, very true. I'm not sure if he was even meant to be credible as a gun toter to begin with, going by that scene where in Cygnus Alpha where he threatens to blow Blake's head off and gets completely ignored...

Cool. I've given Gan a subplot where he takes on an entire Federation invasion force on his own. And he doesn't rape one of them.

Nice. Gan should be getting a subplot, in my mind, exploring the practical side of the Limiter a little bit.

Well, the clock is as they say is ticking. I can't believe they gave us such a short deadline.

The writing of the competition implies that they might be after people for future work, so it stands to reason that being able to turn quality work over with short notice would be a definite plus. Besides, there's always a risk of too many entries for any open submission writing.

So I understand perfectly why they're doing it, although it makes things a little awkward for myself right about now..

Another idea, Trent's Six, is her trying to destroy their popular support by turning their exploits into a Kaldor-City-themed TV series that makes them all sex-obsessed psychopaths and assholes.

Reminds me somehow of the god-awful idea for a Calypso 5 (my admittedly cheap B7 knock-off I've brought up a few times) episode that just won't leave me alone that's kind of like a rip off of The Natural History of Fear of all things.

It's like... 1984-style world where the main characters adventures are twisted around into propaganda fuelled teledramas. And just like History for some reason everyone in the dystopia is played by the main case going against type.

The day is somehow saved in connection to the REAL heroes crashing their ship through a big screen and telling everyone that what they've been watching are lies that bear no relation to their real lives and the issues therein.

As I said, I know the idea sucks, but I just can't force it out of my head.. actually I'm kinda surprised Farscape didn't do the exact episode I've described at some stage. Maybe if they had a season 5?

Youth of Australia said...

I dunno. I'd gladly take credit for it :P
It's eloquent, memorable and true. So, yeah, might as well be you.

Did I go off about how ham-fistedly this was dealt with in Hostage?
Not specifically, but I mention that Trent's Six is basically retconning Hostage as anti-Blake propaganda...

Jenna and Cally are left on the ship basically because they wouldn't fuck things up as badly as Blake and Vila could be counted on. It's even as if they set out to draw attention to this by having them kill the bad guy of the week with minimal effort and being canonically pissed off about getting left on the ship again.
Yeah. Smacks of Boucher throwing them a bone if you ask me.

Hehe, very true. I'm not sure if he was even meant to be credible as a gun toter to begin with, going by that scene where in Cygnus Alpha where he threatens to blow Blake's head off and gets completely ignored...
Originally Avon was the cowardly posh hacker, and Arco was the reckless antihero. It was cheaper to make them the same character, and all the feeble cowardess was downloaded into Vila who was basically Lord Flasheart in comparison - he spent all of Time Squad rolling his eyes at the unprofessionalism of the others.

Nice. Gan should be getting a subplot, in my mind, exploring the practical side of the Limiter a little bit.
Yeah. Travis boards the Liberator because Gan's limiter won't let him order Zen to open fire.

Besides, there's always a risk of too many entries for any open submission writing.
Guess so, but there's no mention of it on GB - you could easily assume it's just you, me and Miles the only people going for it.

(And since they have three slots available, there's a possibility we might all win. Which leads to a certainty of Kyron Mallet taking his own life when he finds out.)

Reminds me somehow of the god-awful idea for a Calypso 5 (my admittedly cheap B7 knock-off I've brought up a few times) episode that just won't leave me alone that's kind of like a rip off of The Natural History of Fear of all things.
You need to post all your Calypso 5 stuff. All I've seen are some witty exchanges and a nagging sense of total awesomeness.

As I said, I know the idea sucks,
Maybe you're not pitching it right. It sounds... anvalicious at the moment.

Farscape didn't do the exact episode I've described at some stage. Maybe if they had a season 5?
Well, the comic continuation didn't do that. Mind you, the Harvey scenes seemed like some fourth wall pressure valve for the writers...