adjusts to meet, and on the last shot
exceed the proficiency of the players.
You have to outshoot yourself.
- Stupid game.
- Not really.
Finally a game worth playing. Stand back.
Yes, Slave?
Scan reveals several launchings
from the planet's surface.
Initial launch, small cargo vessel, Alpha 3.
Subsequent launchings confirmed
as Federation pursuit ships.
Bearings indicate all ships
heading in this direction.
Thank you, Slave. Avon!
- Yes, Dayna?
- Keep it moving, company on its way.
We're doing our best.
GAMBIT: Final shot. The machine will outdraw you.
- No prize?
- The prize is survival.
Orac, can you find out where we go from here?
Sensors indicate that all the other games
are laid against the outside hull of the ship.
Therefore, logic suggests that only Machine IV
could give access to any inner chamber.
- This is based on an old LFS.
- LFS?
Yeah, Launch and Flight Simulator.
I trained on one.
You've had some practice then.
That's a bit of luck.
Well, not exactly.
These things chuck the lot at you.
Flying the real thing's nothing after one of these.
GAMBIT: Countdown, 8 minutes, still running.
- Get on with it, Tarrant.
- All right, all right, taking her up.
Slave, what's the position
of those Federation ships now?
The leading ship will be within firing range
in one minute, madam.
Thank you.
Do you wish me to begin evasive
or defensive action?
- No, not yet. Avon!
- Yes, Dayna?
I know you've got problems of your own,
but those Federation ships
could be firing on us in seconds.
- Any suggestions?
- Just sit tight, Dayna.
The Orbiter is between you and them.
My guess is that they're too interested
in what's inside to risk hitting it.
Damage report.
COMPUTER: Retro-stabilizers out of action,
slight fracture to radiation skin,
reduction in pressure.
Damage to energy banks
makes landing decision imperative.
Successful landing will score 30% more
than stable orbit.
Failure to achieve either, forfeits all scores.
Decide.
Orbit.
Orbit achieved.
Points score... acceptable.
GAMBIT: Countdown,
5 minutes, 10 seconds and running.
- Vila, what do you make of this?
- It's a fingerprint lock.
When it recognises the print, it opens the door.
Looks standard enough.
- How long?
- Half an hour or so, and I could bypass it.
We don't have half an hour!
I know that, but unless you can cut off
one of Belkov's fingers for me...
Just a minute.
- Vila, what are you doing?
- Dust. I need very fine dust.
That's probably half the guard
you threw in that machine, Tarrant.
In the old days,
one of the ways of shifting suspicion,
was by lifting fingerprints.
There.
Let's hope one of these is Belkov's.
It worked!
How many more of these
have we got to go through?
ORAC: Gambit's circuits indicate that
this is the final game.
This is the Orbiter's central guidance system.
DAYNA: Avon,
if I'm supposed to be using you as a shield,
I hope you realise you're moving out of orbit.
What?
Orac, what the hell is going on?
Guidance system control is not functioning.
The Orbiter is pre-programmed.
Flight power depends
on the distance and intensity
of each star the Feldon panels are locked into.
The successful completion of a game
continues the sequence.
To regain control, you must complete
the coded sequence of star sources.
- What about the Feldon crystals?
- Gambit?
GAMBIT: This game will reveal the entrance.
All we have to do is lock onto the right star.
It is possible that we've just received
the right answer to the wrong question.
I calculate that the next star in the sequence
is Cygnus XL.
- That's a black hole.
- GAMBIT: That is correct.
Not exactly the entrance we were looking for.
Dayna, we're ready for teleport.
- What about the crystals?
- There aren't any damn crystals.
There never were any damn crystals.
They're like everything else on this ship.
A game.
That's why the last one has to be impassable.
- We have got to get out of here!
-