Let the expert sort it out.
- SLAVE: Yes.
- Yes, sir!
- Sir.
- What's got into Slave?
ORAC: Random fluctuation in circuit pulses.
- Cause?
- External influence.
TARRANT: We've nothing visible on the detectors,
nor the scanners.
Could they be faulty?
ORAC: Detector and scanner circuits
record normal function.
So how is it external?
- A freak magnetic storm?
- That would have been observed.
- So what have you observed?
- A paradox.
- In other words, nothing.
- Correction.
The pulse influences are external to the circuits,
but could be internal to the craft.
Internal?
Tarrant, what have you got up there
apart from yourself, a half-wit and a corpse?
A box.
Describe.
Cuboid. Made of what looks like parafit,
roughly the size of a power unit.
- I found it in Muller's lab.
- Any idea what's in it?
- None at all.
- What's the matter, has Vila lost his touch?
- Give me just one minute.
- Vila, no!
Slave!
Course co-ordinates 152 by 018.
- 018, that's way out.
- Affirmative.
- Apply course correction. Priority!
- Negative.
- Are you there, Avon?
- What's happening?
Slave appears to have thrown off his chains.
Apply course correction, Slave, now!
Negative.
Right, that's it, finished.
We'll do without the useless thing.
He's right for once, Tarrant.
Take the Slave computer offline.
Do it now.
Trying to pilot this ship without a flight computer
is gonna be hard work, Avon.
At least we'll be heading in the right direction.
Do you really think Slave
is the source of the problem?
- It shows signs of malfunction, wouldn't you say?
- That's not what I asked.
At this distance, it's the best I can do.
I'm taking Slave offline.
On manual control, Orac. Confirm course.
Course 152 by 005.
A little hard work never hurt anyone.
How would you know?
TARRANT: Distance from base orbit?
- ORAC: 203.030.
- Good.
TARRANT: Avon, I suppose it has occurred to you
that without Slave we can't land Scorpio.
Set up a decent orbit
and you can leave Scorpio and teleport down.
- Muller can't.
- Well, we'll give him a refund on his ticket.
Just get that ship back, Tarrant.
We'll worry about the details then. Out.
ORAC: It would be prudent to worry
about the details now.
When did you start offering gratuitous advice?
It is not gratuitous.
I don't remember asking for it.
- How's the ship doing?
- It's holding course.
Drive unit and directional functions
remain operative when under manual control.
- Ask a stupid question.
- You did or want me to?
Orac, these worrying details. Be specific.
It will be necessary for me to operate
this teleport terminal in such a way
as to jam the teleport terminal on Scorpio,
thereby rendering it inoperative.
- What?
- We can't do that!
Why should that be necessary?
The cause of the circuit pulse fluctuations
in Scorpio's systems is, as yet, unknown.
So?
It is imperative
to establish that cause in isolation.
Quarantine. Your advice is to leave everything
up there in orbit until we find out what is wrong.
Exactly.
Including Tarrant and Vila.
They'll be needed up there anyway to run checks.
You're going along with that?
For the time being.
Scorpio to base. Stand by for orbit approach.
Scorpio, your approach is 160 by 330.
Standing by.
TARRANT: 160 by 330, confirmed.
Retro, four seconds. Full.
Scorpio, preset retro sequence
at four seconds at maximum thrust.
Four seconds maximum is preset.
Six-second count.
Scorpio, activate six seconds from my mark.
Check.
Mark.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Activate.
Retro sequence running and complete.
Looks good.
Orbit should be established in four minutes.
Pour two large drinks
and stand by with the teleport.
There's one small problem.
Just because Orac's got the jitters?
AVON: It's unusual enough to take notice of.
Especially when it's someone else
who's stuck in this scruffy bag of bolts
while he sits down there in comfort giving orders.
AVON: Reactivate Slave for circuit