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The quotes pages contain transcripts of all the scenes featuring or mentioning Travis. Sources of the material are the Blake's 7 Script Transcripts. All Travis, all of the time ...
SERIES ONE - Seek-Locate-Destroy (A6)
SERVALAN: Very well, Councillor Bercol. You may tell the President that I am appointing a Space Commander to take absolute control of this matter. He will be exclusively concerned to seek, locate, and destroy Blake.
BERCOL: Oh, excellent, excellent.
RONTANE: May we know the officer's name?
SERVALAN: Yes, you may. Space Commander Travis.
RONTANE: I understood that Travis had been suspended from duty pending an inquiry into the massacre of the civilians on the planet Auros.
SERVALAN: And I have satisfied myself that Travis acted correctly in this matter. The civilian deaths on Auros were unavoidable.
BERCOL: Uh, there are other incidents on his record, um, unfortunate incidents.
RONTANE: He has caused the Administration some political embarrassment in the past. In dealing with even minor insurrections, he has been, ah ... overzealous?
SERVALAN: Oh, don't be afraid of the word, Secretary. Ruthless. Committed. He does his duty as he sees it, and he sees it clearly. He has no time for the dirty gray areas of your politics.
RONTANE: [chuckle] I'm sure you're right, and of course the appointment is made on your judgement and your responsibility.
SERVALAN: Responsibility is something I have never evaded, Secretary.
RONTANE: Ah. May I then tell the President that you are confident that the Blake problem will be solved, soon?
SERVALAN: You may tell him to prepare a statement announcing that Blake has been eliminated.
BERCOL: Thank you for your reassurances, Supreme Commander.
RONTANE: Goodbye.
SERVALAN: A safe journey back to Earth.
[The two men exit.]
SERVALAN: [into comm] Where is space commander Travis? He was due here one hour ago.
VOICE: [v.o.] His ship is locked into the station's flight grid. He will dock at precisely eighteen-twenty-three.
SERVALAN: Good. [She opens a window and looks out at space. View shifts to the Liberator in space as her voice speaks] Your time is running out, Blake. Your time and your luck.
RAI: Senior echelon officers all know that Travis is coming.
SERVALAN: But I've made no secret of it.
RAI: Is it wise? They know that he has been stripped of his rank and authority. That he has no status now and that he stands a good chance of being dismissed the service.
SERVALAN: Rai, [touches his hair] Space Commander Travis is the subject of a military inquiry. He was ordered to suppress an attack on Auros.
RAI: The man is a butcher. He continued with his attack after the total surrender. The death toll was horrifying.
SERVALAN: [stands up and returns to stand behind her desk, Rai follows her and stands in front of it] Travis is an advocate of total war. He carries out his orders with meticulous thoroughness. An enemy does not cease to be an enemy simply because it has surrendered.
RAI: That's the philosophy of an assassin, not a Federation officer. [pause] I must tell you that there are those among your officers who will not serve with Travis or take orders from him.
SERVALAN: And you may tell them --- whoever they are --- that Space Commander Travis's rank and authority have been fully restored by my order. I have also appointed him Senior Executive Officer of this station. Is that clear?
RAI: Yes, Supreme Commander.
SERVALAN: Let them know, too, that any lack of cooperation, any hesitation in responding to an order, will be treated as mutiny. Let them know I have said this. Dismissed.
[Rai clicks his heels and exits. There is a bleep from the comm. Servalan ignores it, looking pensive. The comm bleeps again and Servalan reacts this time.]
SERVALAN: Yes?
VOICE: It's Commander Travis. I told him he was to wait but he just pushed past me. He's on his way up. I tried to stop him--
SERVALAN: Very well. [Door opens and Travis enters. He moves to just in front of her desk and stands with his hands on his hips.] Space Commander, it is good to see you.
TRAVIS: Your aide said I was to wait. He was obviously mistaken. He doesn't realize the urgency of the matter. [Servalan lays a folded sheet of paper on the desk before him. Travis picks it up and reads it.] These are your orders?
SERVALAN: Destroy Blake.
TRAVIS: Depend on it.
BLAKE: Something?
AVON: A message beamed into Centero.
JENNA: But we've just destroyed their communications base.
AVON: They're using emergency frequencies.
BLAKE: What's the message?
AVON: Some flight clearance. Priority spaceway for a ship going in from Space Headquarters. The Supreme Commander requests that all personnel give maximum cooperation to the incoming officer.
JENNA: Does it give his name?
AVON: Space Commander Travis.
BLAKE: Travis!
JENNA: Do you know him?
BLAKE: I thought he was dead. I was sure I'd killed him.
[Cipher room. A group of technicians are rifling through the debris when Travis enters.]
TRAVIS: Stop! [to Prell] What are these men doing here?
PRELL: Well, I didn't think it would matter if we made a start on clearing up the worst of the damage.
TRAVIS: My orders were that nothing was to be touched in this room, nothing. [to the technicians] Get out! [Most start to leave, one is slower about it. Travis grabs him by the arm and shoves him towards the door.] Out! [to Prell] Go through the sequence of events.
PRELL: From the beginning, sir?
TRAVIS: Well, naturally.
PRELL: Well, two armed men came through the door. From the description you've given me, one of them was certainly Blake.
TRAVIS: Go on.
PRELL: Well, we were made to stand against the wall. Then a minute later, three more of them just appeared.
TRAVIS: Appeared?
PRELL: Well, materialized, sir. My men and I were taken out by a man and a girl. It was the girl who kept us prisoner in the equipment store. We overpowered her, the demolition charges went off, sir. Well, we were lucky to get out alive.
TRAVIS: How long were Blake and his men in here?
PRELL: Five, ten minutes, not more.
TRAVIS: Five or ten minutes? They could have set demolition charges in thirty seconds. What were they doing in that extra time?
PRELL: Perhaps they had trouble getting them to work, sir.
TRAVIS: And why did they take you and your men out of here?
PRELL: I suppose they thought it was safer with us out of the way.
TRAVIS: No. No. There's something missing. I'm missing something.
[pause] Do you still have the original construction plans for this room?
PRELL: They'll be on record, sir.
TRAVIS: And detailed diagrams of all the circuits?
PRELL: Yes.
TRAVIS: Good. I'm sending in a forensic team. I want a full catalog of every item in this room.
PRELL: But, sir--
TRAVIS: Everything must be accounted for.
PRELL: But, sir-- [breaks off as Travis turns to stare at him coldly.] Well, that could take months, sir, if it's possible at all.
TRAVIS: Prell, if I were you I'd make it possible. I want that catalog in twenty hours.
PRELL: Sir. [There is a ringing. Prell uses a handheld communicator, holding it alternately to his ear and throat] Yes? Right!
TRAVIS: What is it?
PRELL: They found something, under the rubble. I think you'd better come along.
[Storage room. Eldon is examining the body of the dead guard.]
PRELL: Where is it?
ELDON: It's over there, sir.
[Prell goes behind the fallen rack and touches Cally.]
PRELL: It's the girl who was holding us prisoner, sir.
TRAVIS: Is she dead?
PRELL: I'll check, sir.
ELDON: [Hands Cally's gun to Travis] We found this, sir.
TRAVIS: Hmm?
PRELL: Sir.
TRAVIS: Hmm.
PRELL: She's alive.
TRAVIS: You, get a medical squad. Move!
ELDON: Yes, sir. [exits]
PRELL: She'll pull through all right, sir, she's lucky.
TRAVIS: No, we are. Her luck ran out when she didn't die. The medics are to give her emergency treatment and put her into a life support capsule. I take off for the space station in one hour.
PRELL: Right, sir. [exits]
[Servalan's office. Travis is scanning through pictures of Blake on a wall screen.]
SERVALAN: Shouldn't you rest now?
TRAVIS: Is this all the information we have on Blake?
SERVALAN: I checked with Intelligence personally. It's all there.
TRAVIS: Have you approved my requisitions for personnel and equipment?
SERVALAN: The ships you want, the Starburst class, I'm not sure I can get them.
TRAVIS: What?!
SERVALAN: There've only been three of them built so far, and they've already been assigned to the Galactic Eighth Fleet.
TRAVIS: Well, get them reassigned to you. Look, from what we already know about Blake's ship, it's vastly superior to anything we've got. If I'm to stand even a reasonable chance of taking him, I need those three high-range pursuit ships.
SERVALAN: You'll have them.
TRAVIS: What about my crew?
SERVALAN: Already assigned. Why mutoids particularly?
TRAVIS: Why mutoids? I've always thought that individuals with a high bionic rebuild were more reliable, less likely to let emotion interfere with judgement or duty. I give a mutoid priority over a man every time. [Points to his left hand] Or perhaps it's this that gives me a fellow feeling.
SERVALAN: Does it still trouble you?
TRAVIS: Well, not in the way you mean. The surgical mechanics did a perfect refit. I had the Weaponry Division make a few ... adaptations. They built in a laseron destroyer, more powerful than any sidearm. No, the hand is fine, better than the original. It only troubles me because it's a constant reminder that the man who caused it, is still alive.
SERVALAN: Blake. That's why I chose you.
TRAVIS: Oh?
SERVALAN: I've read all the reports, of course. But none of them said what happened. None of them explained about your face.
TRAVIS: What about my face?
SERVALAN: It was patched up by a field medic.
TRAVIS: Man saved my life.
SERVALAN: But why did you never let the surgeons finish the job?
TRAVIS: [Chuckles] What are you suggesting, cosmetic surgery? I'm a field officer, not one of your decorative staff men.
SERVALAN: You're certainly not decorative.
TRAVIS: You find it repulsive?
SERVALAN: I find it ... unpleasing.
TRAVIS: But memorable. You wouldn't mistake me for anyone else.
SERVALAN: Hardly.
TRAVIS: Mm. Neither will Blake. Even after all this time, he'll know me, and remember what happened at our first meeting.
SERVALAN: Tell me.
TRAVIS: It was quite early on. Blake had only been involved with the dissidents for a short while, but he already had a following. He organized some attacks against some of our political rehabilitation centers. Released some of the prisoners who were having indoctrination treatment. I was assigned to deal with the matter. We got information that Blake was planning another raid. We knew the location of the meeting point. I made my plans well in advance.
[Flight deck. The crew are all sitting on couches in the pit. Vila and Jenna are holding cups, more are on the table. Jenna sips from her cup at one point during Blake's story.]
BLAKE: The group had arranged to meet in a sub-basement. There were about thirty of us. I was very particular about security. I had our people watch the entrances and exits for a full twenty-four hours before we were supposed to meet. No Federation forces came anywhere near the place. I was absolutely sure that we were safe. That night we were assembled and about to begin, and Travis and his men suddenly appeared from nowhere.
AVON: Didn't you post any guards?
BLAKE: Of course I did. Travis was already there. He'd been hiding in that basement for more than two days. We made no attempt to resist arrest. There was no point, we had no chance. I said to Travis, "We will offer no resistance." And he just stared at me. And then he ordered his men to open fire. Everybody was diving for cover that wasn't there. I, I ran, I found myself grappling with a guard, and I managed to get his gun away from him, and then I was hit in the leg. But as I went down, I saw Travis. And I fired. I saw him fall. I was sure I'd killed him.
JENNA: What happened then?
BLAKE: Oh, they did a memory erase on me, set up a show trial, had me confess, made me explain that I had been misled, that my political ideas were mistaken. Enough people believed me. The whole resistance movement collapsed. After that the Federation kept me around as a, a reformed character, a sort of ideal model citizen exhibit. Of course, I didn't know that at the time. No, it's only since almost exactly the same thing has happened again that the memory erase has begun to fade and I can remember.
AVON: Do you remember enough to recognize Travis again?
BLAKE: The man who killed twenty of my friends? Oh, yes. I'll recognize him.
[Medical lab. Cally is lying on a bed/medical capsule, with a mask over her eyes, attended by a doctor. Travis's image is displayed on a wall screen.]
TRAVIS: What is her condition?
DOCTOR: [removes her mask] There's some superficial bruising, a slight respiratory problem, other than that she's virtually unharmed. There's really no need for her to remain in the life support capsule.
TRAVIS: No, she'll stay where she is for the moment. It'll make her more responsive to interrogation later.
DOCTOR: She's not yet well enough to submit to intensive questioning. She must have rest--
TRAVIS: Yes, thank you very much indeed, Doctor, you are relieved of your responsibility for the prisoner. She is now the property ... the concern of the interrogation division. [The doctor exits. To Cally] We'll want to know about Blake, the ship, his crew, his plans.
CALLY: Your words are meaningless to me. Who is Blake?
TRAVIS: I think you'll remember, quite soon. Oh, there may be a little pain, a little discomfort, but you will remember.
CALLY: I will tell you nothing.
TRAVIS: I'll come back later. By that time you may have answered my questions. [to someone offscreen] You may begin.
[Scenes of a liquid being poured, Cally grimacing in pain, flashing lights.]
[Servalan's office. She and Travis are listening to a recording of Prell's voice.]
PRELL: [recording] ... thorough check of salvaged material reveals no trace of parts used in manufacture of component fourteen thirty. It is virtually certain therefore that the instrument was removed before the explosion.Component-- [Travis turns the recording off]
TRAVIS: Blake got the cipher machine.
SERVALAN: He's able to read everything we transmit. Forward planning movements, security, everything.
TRAVIS: That's right.
SERVALAN: I must advise Central Security. [Crosses to comm] We have to introduce a new code system immediately.
TRAVIS: No, no. If the code system is changed Blake will know we are on to him.
SERVALAN: That's not important. What matters is that our security is wide open. [Reaches to comm but Travis blocks her hand.]
TRAVIS: Listen to me. We know that Blake is reading us. If we transmit a message in the normal routine way he'll intercept it, hm? Now what if that message was something he wanted to hear? Something that we know would bring him to a particular place.
SERVALAN: A place where we would be waiting for him.
TRAVIS: Exactly.
[Room at Centero base. Travis is sitting at a table.]
ESCON: Base Commander Escon reporting, sir.
TRAVIS: Yes, Base Commander?
ESCON: I've escorted the prisoner to the interrogation room and my men have been briefed to keep out of sight until you give the signal.
TRAVIS: Good. Blake is to get right inside the building before anybody makes a move.
ESCON: Understood, sir.
TRAVIS: Sit down, Base Commander.
ESCON: Thank you, sir. [sits]
TRAVIS: How are your units deployed?
ESCON: We have the whole area circled. Squads on every roof, destructors with wide firing spread around every wall. Once they're inside there's no way they're going to get out again.
TRAVIS: Good. Space watch reports?
ESCON: An unidentified ship entered our upper atmosphere about an hour before you arrived.
TRAVIS: Blake's?
ESCON: We assume so.
TRAVIS: Why?
ESCON: Because it came in close and then raced back out again. Our guess is that it was doing a fast ground survey.
TRAVIS: Seems reasonable. Where is it now?
ESCON: In fixed orbit, about a quarter of a million out.
TRAVIS: Quarter of a million? They won't be able to use their teleport at that range. They'll have to come in closer. And they can't do that without our knowing it. Which leaves just one chance factor: exactly where they'll teleport down. The odds are against them being able to zero in on the interrogation room.
ESCON: I think we have that beaten, too, sir.
[Next couple of lines are delivered v.o. over shots of technicians monitoring some screens in another location.]
TRAVIS: Oh?
ESCON: My research people have rigged up the entire complex with an MSD.
TRAVIS: What?
ESCON: A molecular shift detector, sir. Apparently there's an enormous kinetic potential set up by teleport communications. A rough analogy would be the, the static buildup during an electrical storm.
TRAVIS: Yes, well, I'm always grateful for a rough analogy. What does it do?
ESCON: It tells us exactly where and when they land.
TRAVIS: It's perfect.
ESCON: He still may not come.
TRAVIS: Oh, he'll come. He wouldn't abandon the girl. Not Blake. Right, it starts now. Get under cover.
ESCON: Sir.
TRAVIS: Oh, and Base Commander, remember: Blake is to get right inside the building. Let him find me and the girl before anybody makes a move. Is that clearly understood?
ESCON: Understood, sir. [exits]
[Travis leaves through a door in a different direction.]
[Interrogation room. Cally is held in a chair by metal bands over her forearms. Travis enters.]
TRAVIS: I hope you're not too uncomfortable. It won't be long now.
CALLY: You're wasting your time. Blake will not risk his ship and his crew just for me.
TRAVIS: I've studied that man till I know him better than I know myself. He has one reliable flaw: loyalty. He'll come for you. I'll stake my life on it. [Beep. Into comm] Yes?
VOICE: No movement yet from Blake's ship. Still holding fixed orbit.
TRAVIS: Let me know the minute it starts in.
VOICE: Yes, sir.
TRAVIS: I'm sorry about this, but I don't want you doing anything foolish like shouting out for help. Now this won't hurt. [Travis throws a switch on the wall and Cally stiffens with a little moan.]
[Scenes of Travis walking down a corridor, looking over guards outside, shots of apparently deserted exterior of base, Travis walking back down the corridor.]
[Interrogation room. Travis enters, goes over to the chair which has its back to the door and swings it around to reveal it is empty. Blake grabs him from behind, holding an arm about Travis' neck in a choke hold while holding his gun to his head.]
BLAKE: A trick I learned from you, Travis. I got here first. Take his gun, Cally.
[Cally takes a small gun from Travis and points it at him.]
CALLY: Know this, your interrogators caused me much suffering. I should like a reason to kill you, one small movement will be enough.
BLAKE: [into bracelet] I got her, Jenna. Bring the ship to teleport range.
JENNA: [v.o.] On our way.
CALLY: Now, Travis, your turn. [gestures] You get in the chair.
[Travis sits down, carefully resting his real hand on the artificial one.]
BLAKE: Don't feel too badly, Travis. After all, it was an ambush technique you devised.
TRAVIS: You're not out of this yet.
VOICE: [v.o.] Blake's ship is moving, coming in very fast.
BLAKE: We'll be leaving you in about three minutes. I should use the time to think of an excuse for your failure.
TRAVIS: You'd better kill me, Blake. Until one of us is dead, there'll never be a time when I won't be right behind you.
BLAKE: If not you then somebody else. Killing you'll change nothing. You don't matter enough to kill, Travis.
[Blake turns away to look out the door. Travis uses his thumb to twiddle with the ring on his artificial hand. Cally notices this and where his hand is pointed.]
CALLY: Blake, get down! [Blake ducks, Travis fires, missing Blake, Cally swings his chair around, Blake smashes Travis' hand, sparks fly from the hand and Travis cries out.]
BLAKE: The door, Cally! They'll be coming. [into bracelet] How long, Jenna?
JENNA: [v.o.] Ninety seconds.
BLAKE: [into bracelet] Make it faster.
CALLY: Coming.
BLAKE: Get down.
[The guards fire, blasting down the door.]
TRAVIS: [to guards] Take them.
JENNA: [v.o.] In teleport range now.
TRAVIS: [to guards] It doesn't matter about me.
JENNA: We're bringing you up.
TRAVIS: [to guards] I order you to take them! [Cally and Blake dematerialize. Some guards enter] Don't stand there, you idiots! Launch the interceptors.
[Interrogation room. A technician is fiddling with Travis's mechanical hand. Travis grimaces and strikes him away.]
TRAVIS: [soliloquy] Run, Blake. [shot of the Liberator is shown over the next two lines.] Run. As far and as fast as you like. I'll find you. You can't hide from me. I am your death, Blake. [smiles]
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Blake's 7 characters and concepts are copyright Terry Nation, programmes are copyright of the BBC. All copyrights and trademarks implied and acknowledged. This is a fan site dedicated to the show and makes no profit (commission donated to charity). This site uses CSS and should degrade legibly for non-CSS browsers. Last update May 4th 2002.
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