don't see that we have a lot of choice.
If we say no deal, Egrorian can destroy this ship
faster than you can snap your fingers.
And how do you guarantee he won't anyway
once you've delivered Orac?
We have no guarantee.
But if he tried that
he must know that we would kill them.
- But you've no guns.
- You haven't seen those two.
They are old and they are decrepit,
especially Pinder.
Vila could handle him on his own.
- Pinder's old?
- Late seventies. Why?
After you'd gone,
I got Orac to do us one last service.
This is a printout from central records,
all that's known about Egrorian.
- Interesting reading?
- Yeah, very interesting.
After he vanished, they started finding the bodies.
- He was never a simple scientist, Avon.
- What was he?
Power mad from his earliest days.
He was at the centre of a conspiracy
to take over the Federation.
This is the man who says he wants to spend
the rest of his life in the advancement of science.
- The other interesting thing is Pinder.
- What about him?
He was a mathematical prodigy apparently.
He was 18 when he disappeared with Egrorian,
10 years ago.
Now I'm not a mathematical prodigy,
but it seems to me that makes him 28.
(Communicator pinging)
Yes?
EGRORIAN: All is well, Highness.
The shuttle has just separated from Scorpio.
Good. I'll be watching on the monitor
when they arrive.
- Is everything prepared?
- Everything.
Including the loading-bay programme?
Has that been checked?
- Yes, Egrorian.
- You're sure, Pinder?
The automatics must work perfectly.
Once they've arrived we shall have no opportunity
to make corrections.
I am sure, Egrorian. Nothing can go wrong.
Nothing can go wrong.
Everything is planned to the last decimal place.
Then why, suddenly, do I feel uneasy?
Somehow, some way, he is going to
double-cross us. His whole history proves it.
- Then let's not give him the chance.
- What's in your mind?
Hit first. We carry Orac in, then jump them.
We break their necks,
grab the tachyon funnel, and out.
He will have thought of that.
We touch that thing before it's disconnected,
it is liable to blow up in our faces.
- Do you have any better ideas?
- Not at the moment.
Then start thinking.
We touch down in four minutes.
The last time we landed,
we came in on the ancillary pad.
The main pad is on the other side of the dome.
So? Nearly all these survival stations
were designed with two pads.
But the main pad is more convenient,
especially when handling cargo.
What are you getting at?
I'm just wondering
if the main pad is already occupied.
That could account for the fact
that we were directed to the ancillary.
Well, if it is you won't see much.
These things kick up far too much dust.
You're thinking of Servalan again.
She is never far from my thoughts.
Tarrant! There's a second ship down there!
What? Are you sure?
Yes, I just picked up a latent heat trace,
and it wasn't from the shuttle.
Then Egrorian's got company.
- Company that arrived before we did.
- The Federation?
Somehow I don't feel that's likely,
not after reading his record.
Look, was his connection with Servalan
mentioned in there?
It was just a rumour at the time.
If it ever got on the record, it's been erased since.
She'd have seen to that.
But you still think she could be behind Egrorian?
If she is, Avon's walking into more trouble
than he's bargained for.
Unarmed, Egrorian.
Admit them.
Hello, Pinder. How's the arm?
Come in, my friends!
Pinder, answer the question.
(Stammering)
Well. Thank you for asking.
Very good. Splendid.
Yes, his arm knitted perfectly
after a few minutes in the therapy chamber.
Goes in there regularly, I suppose.
Naughty boys must be punished,
mustn't they, Pinder?
- Is that Orac?
- It is.
Smaller than I imagined.
Nevertheless, you should have
put it on the cargo loader.
Come and put it over here.
Now, you realise I must satisfy myself
that it is the genuine machine.
Before we do that,