Travis in his first few scenes in Seek - Locate - Destroy

INTRODUCING TRAVIS Travis is introduced in episode A6, Seek-Locate-Destroy. The build-up to his arrival at Space Command piques our interest, as details of his career and personality are discussed by Servalan with various parties (see the quotes page). Travis appears to make everyone nervous, with fellow officers very unhappy at the prospect of working with or near him; not surprising as details of his apparent overzealous killing of many civilians are revealed. He had been suspended from duty, but Servalan has restored his command for very specific reasons. When his arrival is announced to Servalan, we wait with bated breath to see just what this infamous officer is like; Servalan orders her aide to delay Travis until she is "ready", a typical example of her method of dealing with subordinates - they must know their place. However the next thing we hear is the flustered aide reporting that Travis refused to wait and is on his way - to Servalan's obvious annoyance.

Mere seconds later, Travis walks through the door and immediately draws all your attention. He is a tall, lean, lightly muscled figure, in classic Federation black leather; extremely self-assured, quite brusque in his manner. Hands on hips, he responds to Servalan's greeting : 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.

In those few moments we know that Travis means exactly what he says. He is extremely determined and focused, an officer dedicated to the Federation cause. He also apparently never minces his words, and doesn't play the common flattery game that one might expect subordinates in a very grade-conscious environment to do. Travis' dedication in dealing with the enemies of the Federation appears to be zealous to the point of murderous, if the various accounts of civilian massacres after uprisings are accurate. His original encounter with Blake left him with his crude eyepatch, and a replacement hand, and Blake has become something of an obsession with him a result. The hand has been fitted with laseron weapons, hidden inside ornate rings, and very powerful. Morals aside, I imagine if someone you knew was responsible for your disfiguring injuries was still alive and well, and also on the opposing side, it may well cause deep-seated resentment in you, bordering on the obsessive. Servalan picked Travis precisely because she knew from the records that he would go after Blake like a bloodhound :

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.

The story is continued by Blake on the Liberator - apparently Travis and his troops hid a full two days before the meeting, so Blake's surveillance for the twenty-four hours prior to it made him think they were safe. Travis and his men suddenly appeared from nowhere when the meeting was underway :

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.

<travis index :: background, character & motivation>

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