passed in front of our sensors.
And at standard by 12
they never knew what hit them.
Just as well it left us alone. So what is it?
A single-seater space chopper.
They were a teenagers' craze two centuries back,
until the Federation outlawed them.
Not surprising if they could do standard by 12.
They couldn't. Which means that
that one has been fitted with a new form
of main drive unit.
ORAC: Which also means
that the photonic space drive
has been finally perfected by Dr Plaxton.
Who?
But, Orac, Dr Plaxton was head
of the Federation Space Drive Research Centre.
At the time of the Federation's collapse,
the Doctor was developing
a new space drive system
that used light to exert thrust instead of plasma.
The Photonic Drive or the Stardrive machine,
as it's known.
Was the prototype small enough
to be fitted into a space chopper?
- Certainly.
- Hey, just think.
If we can get one of those drives
and swap it for the clapped-out unit on our ship...
That will be our immediate objective.
Where is Dr Plaxton now?
Presumably with the owners
of that space chopper.
It's all a matter of observation.
Bring that thing into close-up.
Closer. Concentrate on the pilot.
I want a close-up of his helmet.
- VILA: It's a Space Rat!
- SOOLIN: Friends of yours?
Friends? There's no such thing as a friend
of a Space Rat. They even hate each other.
TARRANT: What else do you know about them?
They're maniacs, psychopaths! All they live for
is sex and violence, booze and speed.
And the fellas are just as bad.
We had a couple in the penal colony.
They were always trying to frighten me.
They never succeeded, of course.
What were they imprisoned for?
Breaking into transport museums.
When the Federation banned all leisure transport,
they went in for stealing
anything on wheels or could fly.
They were speed crazy, and I do mean crazy.
Speed is the key.
Find the Space Rats and we find Dr Plaxton.
That's exactly what we're going to do.
Now, look, I've tangled with just about every ugly
in the book since I got involved with you lot,
- but I draw the line at Space Rats.
- Go on.
Well, they have no respect for life.
They're based on an ancient Earth sect
of unbelievable viciousness.
Orac, where can we find these Space Rats?
Their last known base was Caspar,
an Earth-type planet in Sector Five.
- Sector Five?
- We'll never make it with the state the ship's in.
What are our chances, Orac?
100% better than your chances
of getting anywhere else,
if you don't obtain a new space drive for the ship
within three months.
Thank you, Orac, that's a great help.
- It'll take time to get the ship ready.
- Better get on with it then.
I'll get the lights on for a start.
Can't we think about this?
As much as you like, once we're underway.
Slave, set a course for Caspar in Sector Five.
Synchronous orbit around Caspar
established and locked.
Supposing they come at us
with one of their space choppers?
There's no point in worrying about that.
No? After what happened
to those Federation ships?
Because we won't know anything about it.
Try again, Soolin.
Caspar. Caspar, this is civilian
freighter Scorpio calling Caspar.
We are not hostile, repeat, not hostile.
We wish to negotiate an alliance
against the Federation.
Caspar, Caspar, this is Scorpio. Do you copy?
You're wasting your time. They won't have radio.
The only technology they're interested
in is on wheels or flies or goes bang.
- You know what they're up to right now?
- What?
Right now they're trying to make up their minds
which piece of nastiness
they're going to send up to zap us with.
Oh, surely they won't risk an attack
without finding out first
what it is they are going to attack.
That's the logical way of thinking.
But those psychopaths down there are Space Rats.
Their philosophy is simple, if it moves, zap it.
As you know so much about their philosophy,
you would seem to be the ideal person
to teleport down to talk to