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Trilby Ardath's Blake's 7 Page
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Blake's 7 and so was I.
2nd January 1978, I sat down to watch a new TV series. The title came up on the screen, Blake's 7, and I thought that gave us something in common. The music was so stirring that I was unconcerned when I realised that Blake was not my age at all.
Blake was a hero. He said heroic things. He spoke about freedom and justice and was willing to oppose the all-powerful Federation to help the common man. That really appealed to the little zealot I was.
I disliked Avon at first. Nasty, cold, grumpy old thing.
Then the alien telepath Cally joined the crew. She seemed to like Avon. I began to see something good in him myself. Now I prefer Cally and Avon to Blake, although I love all the characters.
For anyone who doesn't know what Blake's 7 is, it's nothing like Star Trek. It's the story of a group of rebels, some of them (well, one) reluctant rebels. For the first two seasons, Blake led them, brave, noble Blake. Then, Blake disappeared. Suddenly Avon was in charge (a character whose mental health and general attitude to life is endlessly discussed). Avon was no faultless hero. Self-serving, calculating and ambitious, he despised Blake's "simple certainties".
Then came Tarrant, a hothead, challenging Avon's authority.
The rest of the crew were just as varied and the endless interplay of personalities is one of the strengths of the series. The dialogue is about as good as dialogue can be, with humour and depth blending beautifully. Everything that is good in British television came together in Blake's 7, including the ability to manage on a tiny budget. Yes, it shows, but the scripts, the acting and the design lift the series above the cheaply made sets.
In 1978, I fell in love with Blake's 7. It has never been supplanted in my affections. It is still the best SF series ever.
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My Blake's 7 Filk Songs
Fare Thee Well Cygnus Alpha
Tune: Enniskillen Dragoons.
Fare thee well, Cygnus Alpha, fare thee well for a while.
We've changed our minds on staying here. We're leaving in style.
And when the war is over, and the Feds are all dead,
We'll forget Cygnus Alpha and fly homeward instead.
Our sentences condemned us to be dumped on this rock.
The primitive conditions were too much of a shock.
We didn't like the look much of the life we had to make,
So we took a chance on freedom with a rebel known as Blake.
Fare thee well, Cygnus Alpha, fare thee well for a while.
We've changed our minds on staying here. We're leaving in style.
And when the war is over, and the Feds are all dead,
We'll forget Cygnus Alpha and fly homeward instead.
Now, Blake had a fancy ship, much faster than the rest,
A teleport that Blake himself was brave enough to test.
He came to Cygnus Alpha and he carried us away
And I sometimes wonder whether wiser heads would choose to stay.
Fare thee well, Cygnus Alpha, fare thee well for a while.
We've changed our minds on staying here. We're leaving in style.
And when the war is over, and the Feds are all dead,
We'll forget Cygnus Alpha and fly homeward instead.
We travel around the worlds and have a lot of fun.
There's lots of things you cannot try until you've got a gun.
And growing old in prison is a rotten way to die.
So I'll fight the Federation on the far side of the sky.
Fare thee well, Cygnus Alpha, fare thee well for a while.
We've changed our minds on staying here. We're leaving in style.
And when the war is over, and the Feds are all dead,
We'll forget Cygnus Alpha and fly homeward instead.
Gan was saved from Cygnus Alpha, lived a fine, heroic life,
Fought with Jenna, Blake and Cally in the never-ending strife
And when he found his way back to the world of his birth
He gave everything for their sake and he died there on the Earth.
Fare thee well, Cygnus Alpha, fare thee well for a while.
We've changed our minds on staying here. We're leaving in style.
And when the war is over, and the Feds are all dead,
We'll forget Cygnus Alpha and fly homeward instead.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sleer.
Tune: Rose of Killarney.
Sleer, Sleer, Sleer, you surprise me,
You know it's true.
So cool, such an enigma,
But who are you?
Sometimes I see, Sleer, a shadow of the past.
Better not say it, that slip would be my last.
Sleer, Sleer, Servalan maybe,
Don't I know you?
Travis would be quite suspicious now.
It's so lucky for you that he's dead.
No-one will listen to Avon's thoughts,
Not with that price on his head.
Sleer, Sleer, Sleer, you surprise me,
You know it's true.
So cool, such an enigma,
But who are you?
Sometimes I see, Sleer, a shadow of the past.
Better not say it, that slip would be my last.
Sleer, Sleer, Servalan maybe,
Don't I know you?
All those who knew Madam Servalan
Are now dead, scattered or live in fear.
In view of that, I'm so happy Ma'am,
To be a close friend of Sleer.
Sleer, Sleer, Sleer, you surprise me,
You know it's true.
So cool, such an enigma,
But who are you?
Sometimes I see, Sleer, a shadow of the past.
Better not say it, that slip would be my last.
Sleer, Sleer, Servalan maybe,
Don't I know you?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Avon's Teddy.
Tune: Edelweiss.
Avon's ted, Avon's ted,
Please give Avon a cuddle.
He won't say he's upset
All his heart's in a muddle.
Sweet teddy bear, take good care of Kerr.
Care for Kerr forever.
Avon's ted, Avon's ted,
Help hold Avon together.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blake.
Tune: Love Changes Everything.
Blake, Blake changes everything.
He's fanatical, a fool.
Blake, Blake changes everything.
Madmen all do, as a rule.
Blake can make a suicide
Seem a noble and a wise way.
Blake, Blake changes everything,
Live or perish for his fame.
How I wish I'd never even heard the name.
Blake, Blake changes everything,
Makes you question what is right.
Blake, Blake changes everything,
Makes the spectrum black and white.
Blake can make a cynic's heart
See the dreams he has forgotten.
Blake, Blake changes everything.
How I wish we'd never met!
He's the kind of influence I can't forget.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Delta, Going On Alpha.
Tune: 16, Going On 17.
I am delta, going on alpha,
I'm brighter than they think.
They all think I'm a boozing old fool.
That drives a man to drink.
I need someone braver than I am
That I can stand behind.
You are gamma, going on delta,
Come on, Gan, do you mind?
I am delta, running on soma.
I am a cunning thief.
List all my feats and clever retreats,
You'll find some beyond belief.
I need someone braver than I am
That I can stand behind.
You are gamma, going on delta,
Come on, Gan, do you mind?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Toast to Tarrant.
Tune: Drinking Song from The Student Prince.
Drink, drink, drink to pilots with sparkling eyes and a nice line in chat.
Drink, drink, drink to men who can land a ship when all systems are flat.
Here's a hope that that pilot will be equally expert in dancing with me,
May those eyes that are wild and bright soon dock with mine in candlelight.
Drink, drink, let the toast start!
Tarrant, my work of art!
Drink, drink, drink.
He's young and he's rash, but a hero at heart!
Drink, drink, drink to men who are warm and kind to a girl in distress.
Drink, drink, drink to men who admit mistakes and smile as they confess.
Here's a hope that his twinkle will be bright in his kind eyes and only for me.
All I ask is that he is near, if ever I should be trapped by fear.
Drink, drink, let the toast start!
Tarrant, my work of art!
Drink, drink, drink.
He's young and he's rash, but a hero at heart!
Drink, drink, drink to men who stand up to Avon and tell him what's what.
Drink, drink, drink to pilots who use the tricks that the others forgot.
Here's a hope that he'll never become Avon-like, cynical, worldly and numb.
May that star that is blazing high, rise up and up and never die.
Drink, drink, let the toast start!
Tarrant, my work of art!
Drink, drink, drink.
He's young and he's rash, but a hero at heart!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blake's Rabble.
Tune: Men of Harlech.
Look out, boys, here comes Blake's rabble.
Didn't I say look for trouble?
Soon we'll just be masks in rubble
If we don't watch out.
Hark, the screams are getting shriller.
That sweet blonde's a vicious killer!
You take Avon, I'll fight Vila.
I don't mind at all.
Look at them together.
Ties we cannot sever.
If they make it past the rest,
Stand up and shout out "Blake's 7 forever!"
Then we'll get out without dying.
Someone stop that trooper crying!
Change to mufti, time is flying.
"Blake for evermore!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Soolin's Revenge.
Tune: Sovay.
Soolin, Soolin, she lost her kin
To men most ruthless and quite dim.
Though still a child she swore to see
Those men destroyed for,
Those men destroyed for their villainy.
When she grew up and found her foes
She did not tell her tale of woes,
But let them think her an ardent fan
And so her training,
And so her training with guns began.
She shot the first two in the night
Which was no more than Soolin’s right.
For blood once shed will cry for more
And soon revenge finds
And soon revenge finds the killer’s door.
Next morning in the forest green
Young Soolin and her teacher were seen.
He saw her gun in her steady hand
Which made him fearful,
Which made him fearful of what she planned.
“Why do you shake, you silly old thing?
You gave no mercy to my kin.
Should I be troubled by your weak fear?
It is the pleading,
It is the pleading of them I hear.”
“Your friend is dead, soon you will be.
Don’t look for mercy now from me.”
He drew his gun, but was far too slow
And he fell dead then,
And he fell dead to the grass below.
Soolin was pleased with what she’d done
She left the body, left the gun.
She reached the spaceport at the right time,
“Farewell forever,
Farewell forever to Gauda Prime.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Travis in the Tree.
Tune: Titwillow.
Up a tree on a planet much blighted by war
Sits a dark-clad, unlovable killer,
And he hopes that he’ll soon have a good fight with Blake
And go on to hunt Avon and Vila.
He doesn’t want riches, he’s not so inclined.
He is half out his tree and quite out of his mind
And he’d love to kill Blake if a chance he could find
The killer, the killer, the killer!
There’s a mutoid beside him he tries to affect,
But his talk of the past doesn’t thrill her.
She’s thinking of Blake’s own companion out there,
And hoping that he’ll let her kill her.
He’s not good with ladies, he’s not great with men,
And few that had met him would choose to again.
And if he can kill Blake, what is left of him then?
The killer, the killer, the killer!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Federation Anthem.
Tune: Heart of Oak.
Come troopers, be ready for glory or death
And give of your best to your very last breath
For we are the guardians of life and of law
And we will not run from the perils of war.
We will fight for the right
And rejoice in our might.
Our strength is unfailing
See the foe paling
We’ll fight and we’ll conquer all over space. (Twice)
Come troopers enjoy all of victory’s store
For status and wealth are found fastest in war.
For glory we fight and more tangible things
And a good chance of spoils gives a victory wings.
We will fight for the right
And rejoice in our might.
Our strength is unfailing
See the foe paling
We’ll fight and we’ll conquer all over space. (Twice)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Technical Trouble.
Tune: Oh Dear, What Can the Matter Be.
Oh dear, what can the matter be?
Avon, what can the matter be?
Orac, what can the matter be?
Scorpio’s falling apart.
There’s strange grinding noises and whiffs of hot lubricant,
Holes in the hull that seem made by space elephants
Strange bits of fixing as useful as elegant
How does the bloomin’ thing fly?
Oh dear, what can the matter be?
Avon, what can the matter be?
Orac, what can the matter be?
Scorpio’s falling apart.
For mystery trips, try our incredible teleport
Landing this ship is a new kind of deadly sport.
Sometimes I think we’d be safer if we got caught.
Sleer won’t break down or explode.
Oh dear, what can the matter be?
Avon, what can the matter be?
Orac, what can the matter be?
Scorpio’s falling apart.
It’s rusty, it’s dusty and systems fail frequently.
Slave is more useless than I can say decently
All that we need is a rat that died recently
And a scrawled “Avon 4 Soo”.
Oh dear, what can the matter be?
Avon, what can the matter be?
Orac, what can the matter be?
Scorpio’s falling apart.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Love is Now a Rebel.
Tune: The Green Cockade
My love is now a rebel,
And travels with Roj Blake.
So many nights unsleeping,
I’ve suffered for his sake.
Ah, my Avon,
How badly I betrayed you!
Can we not meet again?
Will we not meet again?
My love’s dark eyes still haunt me
His scars afflict my heart.
I cannot hide from memories
With all an agent’s art.
Ah, my Avon,
How badly I betrayed you!
Can we not meet again?
Will we not meet again?
He thinks I died to save him.
I wish that it were true.
His Anna’s heart is breaking
Thanks to Bartolomew.
Ah, my Avon,
How badly I betrayed you!
Can we not meet again?
Will we not meet again?
I will not give up hoping
That someday we will meet.
The truth would bring him sorrow
The lie make us complete.
Ah, my Avon,
How badly I betrayed you!
Can we not meet again?
Will we not meet again?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sleep Softly, Dear Cally.
Flow Gently, Sweet Afton.
Sleep softly, dear Cally, find peace in your dreams
Your sorrow torments me, so dreadful it seems.
Sweet Auronar lady, as gentle as wise
Sleep until the shadows have fled from your eyes.
The death of your people, the loss of your race
Have lined with such sorrow your innocent face.
Our vengeance awaits us and won’t be denied
But sleep now in peace, I am here at your side.
Don’t tell them, dear Cally, if you know my mind.
To this, if to no other weakness, be blind.
I watch you in wonder, my Auronar dove,
And seeing you sleeping, can murmur my love.
Those who bring you sorrow will answer to me.
From their machinations I will set you free.
With you I feel human, with you I can feel.
Sleep softly, sweet Cally, for sleeping will heal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blake’s Band
Tune: Scotland the Brave.
Blake’s band are flash and daring
Jenna is brave and caring
Vila is skilful and more wise than he seems
Gan is a man of virtue
But he might really hurt you
You Federation dirt, you!
If you hurt Blake.
Cally’s a fighter true
And telepathic too,
Avon a man with more brains than he has heart.
Blake is their fearless leader
Great if you find you need a
Hero with wit to lead ya
Blake’s band are great.
They have the Liberator
Though they may lose her later.
Zen’s the onboard computer, wonderful thing!
Orac’s an acquisition,
Found on a mercy mission
And in his new commission
Being a pain.
Let’s go and join the crew,
Do what we’ve seen them do.
Fashion our dreams into more Blake’s 7 scenes.
Fighting the Federation,
All thanks to Terry Nation!
Still need an invitation?
Come, join Blake’s band!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dayna's Plans for Tarrant.
Tune: If I were a Blackbird.
I am a bold fighter, my story is sad.
I once lived on Sarren, a family I had,
A father and sister, beloved and kind
But both have been murdered and home’s left behind.
My home is a spaceship, my friends are its crew,
And Tarrant is lovely, but what can I do?
I love the adventure but Sarren remains
The home of my childhood though bearing bloodstains.
When first I met Avon, I thought he was sweet,
The best-looking fellow a young girl could meet.
But then I met Tarrant and I realised
That some men are more than a treat for the eyes.
He’s kind and courageous and knows how to fly.
Alright, he lacks prudence, so what? So do I.
He’s charming and funny, so witty and bright
And someone with whom you can have a good fight.
So Tarrant, be careful, the hunter is here.
I’ll chase you and catch you and keep you, my dear.
If Servalan seems an implacable foe,
Be ready for Dayna, I never let go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Sinister Raven
Tune: Eileen O'Grady.
There’s a sinister raven, his name is Kerr Avon
He seems quite impressive to me.
His moderate vices are very enticing,
He’s just what a consort should be.
He isn’t too hasty, he looks fairly tasty,
His values are so like my own.
So we must get together, my silk and his leather
For what fun is power alone?
Come, come, brilliant Avon, come and be rich with me.
Your wonderful mind and my cunning entwined, we could be ruling the whole galaxy.
Make up your mind, don’t be unkind, I am offering to share.
Put loyalty behind you, Blake will never find you
And come and be shown all my tenderest care.
Well, I thought he was bending, my artful befriending
Was bringing an outcome at last.
As I looked in his eyes I could see my rich prize
And I hoped he’d forgotten the past.
He tenderly kissed me then coldly dismissed me
By throwing me down to the ground.
He dared to resist me, and after he’d kissed me!
But soon I will turn it around.
Come, come, brilliant Avon, come and be rich with me.
Your wonderful mind and my cunning entwined, we could be ruling the whole galaxy!
Make up your mind, don’t be unkind, I am offering to share.
Put loyalty behind you, Blake will never find you
And come and be shown all my tenderest care.
Defeat has not ever seemed worthy or clever
To fail is no hobby of mine.
One day he’ll come calling and I’ll have him crawling
If he thinks he’s so high and fine.
I won’t be a fool for a man, that’s my rule.
I want Avon foolish for me.
I want him to worry and swear that he’s sorry
And then my forgiveness comes free.
Come, come, brilliant Avon, come and be rich with me.
Your wonderful mind and my cunning entwined, we could be ruling the whole galaxy.
Make up your mind, don’t be unkind, I am offering to share.
Put loyalty behind you, Blake will never find you
And come and be shown all my tenderest care.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Pretty Smuggler.
Tune: The Gypsy Rover.
The pretty smuggler made her own way.
Her contacts all seemed shady,
But she was loyal and clever too
And never less than a lady.
Ah di doo ah di doo da dey
Ah di doo ah di dey di
Jenna was the best of all her kind
And never less than a lady.
She stood by Blake through the worst of times
And never seemed to regret it
He’d saved her from Cygnus Alpha once
And she would not forget it.
Ah di doo ah di doo da dey
Ah di doo ah di dey di
Jenna was the best of all her kind
And never less than a lady.
She flew with skill and with courage fought,
Admired by friend and stranger
And Jenna was afraid of naught
And faced all kinds of danger.
Ah di doo ah di doo da dey
Ah di doo ah di dey di
Jenna was the best of all her kind
And never less than a lady.
She ran blockades after leaving Blake
Without friends to defend her
She hit the self-destruct at last
For she would not surrender.
Ah di doo ah di doo da dey
Ah di doo ah di dey di
Jenna was the best of all her kind
And never less than a lady.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
XK72
Tune: Red River Valley.
Are you leaving the old Liberator?
Are you walking away from your own?
Are you going to flee to your bolthole
And then try to survive on your own?
We need you and your technical knowledge
And I’m sure you need our help the same,
But I won’t hold you back if you’re going
Though I’m sure we’d all think it a shame.
Are you leaving the old Liberator?
Are you walking away from your own?
Are you going to flee to your bolthole
And then try to survive on your own?
If you’re leaving us, I wish you freedom,
The wealth you have always desired,
And safety in neutral locations,
So you live a long time retired.
Are you leaving the old Liberator?
Are you walking away from your own?
Are you going to flee to your bolthole
And then try to survive on your own?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Things That Go Wrong.
Tune: My Favourite Things.
Savage men who want to bully and harm me,
Avon and Blake going steadily barmy,
Dangerous androids incredibly strong,
These are a few of the things that go wrong.
Spaceships with faults and computers gone loopy,
Strange hull corrosion that turns the ship gloopy,
Lady gunfighters who will lead me on,
These are a few of the things that go wrong.
Alien creatures that take over Cally,
Strange beasts in tunnels and caves who aren’t pally.
Torturers choosing me, cos I’m not strong,
These are a few of the things that go wrong.
When the bolt strikes, when the guns fire,
Guess who’s in their way!
I look at the list of the things that go wrong
And wonder why I should stay.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't Shout at me Space Commander.
Tune: Don't Cry for me Argentina.
Don’t shout at me, Space Commander,
The truth is, I’m weary of you.
You used to be quite a mighty soldier
But now you never do what I told you.
Don’t give yourself airs and graces.
You’re lucky I still support you.
You’ve often failed me, made me look stupid,
And I’ve been struck by the anti-cupid.
I never thought you were perfect,
You had your uses, I kept you
But now you’re risking my splendid standing
I’d best betray you, and keep my hand in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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About Avon - Blake discusses the past with Deva on Gauda Prime
About Avon.
By Helen Wood.
Blake listened politely as Paras reported his reconnaissance in precise military fashion. He was a credit to his Federation training, in that respect at least. Finally the recitation ended and Blake nodded as much in relief as approval. “Thankyou, Paras. I think you’re right. We must watch the activity in those plantations. Perhaps you could organise more patrols.”
“Yes, sir.” said Paras cheerfully.
“You may go.” said Blake. Paras half-saluted and left.
“Keen, isn’t he?” said Deva with a twinkle in his eye. “Now, you were telling me about Avon.”
Blake relaxed, leaning back in his chair. “Yes. Where was I? As I said, I met him on the London. I should have taken an instant dislike to him. Everything that was bad about the Federation was right there in front of me. I’m not saying that I’ve never shown any Alpha arrogance myself, but he was a man as much a thief as Vila, on a small transport and all of us sharing the same fate. He just didn’t want to be involved. He behaved like a first class passenger who’s accidentally strayed onto the bargain decks and despises what he sees there.”
“Not touching anything, in case low status is infectious?”
“Exactly.”
“Sounds charming. But you needed him, you said. You needed his expertise.”
“Oh yes. I would have tried without him if I’d had to. I had little to lose. But I think we would have failed. I felt sorry for him too, misreading the man completely.”
“What do you mean?”
Blake smiled as he spoke, “He was a cable out of its housing. He barely spoke to anyone, but listened to everything that was said. He seemed unaccustomed to criminal company, or perhaps to non-Alpha company. I thought he must be lonely. If you’d ever met Avon, you’d know what a ridiculous idea that was. Avon doesn’t want friends.”
“Not even you?” asked Deva.
“Especially not me. I believe in things, and that makes me a fool. I care about people, and that makes me weak. I trust, and that makes me vulnerable.”
“I wouldn’t say you’re that trusting.” said Deva.
“No, not now. I wasn’t as naive then as he thought.”
“Did you trust Avon?”
Blake chuckled, “He never expected me to. He warned me not to, eloquently and often. Avon promised nothing. He would stay, he said, until he decided to leave.”
“He sounds unreliable to me.”
“Does he? He could have promised to stay and then vanished with the contents of the strong room. Many times he had the opportunity to leave. Once or twice, he could have taken the Liberator with him, and Orac. I sometimes think his endless sarcasm, his hints of dark plots were an attempt to save me. He saw me as fatally flawed, too quick to trust. He thought I would be betrayed and probably killed. He thought he could teach me not to trust.” He paused and shook his head, “Listen to me, Deva, I’m rebuilding Avon! No, I think he was just telling me what he thought was the truth. I think he even told himself that he would leave when it suited him. You see, he told me that, and he didn’t have to. That is why I trusted him.”
“He must have been difficult on the Liberator. Didn’t he challenge your authority?”
“More than that. According to him, I had none. He was difficult alright. It wasn’t that he wanted to lead, he just didn’t want to be led. We argued constantly. sometimes I provoked him. More often he disliked something I had said. He didn’t want to be identified with any cause but his own. He certainly didn’t intend to risk his life for mine. Sometimes he spoke as if I had imprisoned him on the Liberator. At times he sounded as if he wanted to kill me. I don’t know what I’d have done without him.” He watched Deva trying to make sense of that. He understood Deva’s problem. Everything about Avon was complex.
“Have I missed some minor detail?” Deva asked, “He was a divisive element, wasn’t he?”
“Yes and no. When he just spouted empty abuse of ideals and freedom, that was just Avon. Often the crew united against him. There was a defiant crusader in each of them, though Vila disguised it well. When he did have a rational argument, he made his points well. He made us all think, and sometimes we changed our plans. Even if we didn’t, the debate helped us to be sure of what we were doing. Only Cally was more effective in that regard. She saw grey areas more clearly than the rest of us, knowing which were darker grey than the others. Everything was a grey area to Avon. I loved arguing with him about it.”
“Is that why you provoked him, because you enjoyed the debates?”
“I suppose so. There was a practical side too. When learning how to argue, fight or play chess, you should always practise with someone who can beat you. On a good day, he could verbally incapacitate me.”
Deva grinned, “That I would like to see!”
“You will, when he comes to join us.”
“You’re sure that he will?”
“I know he will. I know Avon. He’ll come, hopefully with the others. Certainly Avon and Vila will come.”
“And Cally? We still haven’t been able to confirm her death. The Federation records we’ve seen don’t mention it.” Blake didn’t miss the kindness in Deva’s voice. He was offering comfort. The records may not have mentioned her death, but neither did they mention any recent sightings of her.
“Cally is dead.” he said, “I’ve known that since I woke with her cry ringing in my mind. We can find out how and why when Avon comes, but we already know when.”
“Avon and Vila will come and Cally is dead. You’re beginning to seem quite a prophet.” said Deva, smiling.
“Don’t say that to anyone else.” said Blake, “They’ll add another verse to the ballads.”
“And another legend to the spaceport folklore. Don’t you enjoy the adulation?”
Blake shook his head, “The higher the pedestal, my friend, the greater the fall. I’ve never claimed to be perfect, but there are those who make the claim for me, and I must try to live up to it, or fail you all. I often think martyrs have it easy. Once you’re dead, you can’t make any more mistakes.”
Deva spoke sincerely, “You’re doing well, Blake. A couple of years from now, you’ll be on Earth, with your own presidential palace.”
“Never, Deva. Someone else will turn up for that.”
“Avon?” asked Deva.
Blake laughed. “Hardly! He’d love it, but he’s not a man of the people. Jenna was more the type.”
“If she’d lived, I suppose you would have ruled together.” said Deva, a little sadly.
“She didn’t live.” said Blake firmly. “Deva, anything I felt for Jenna ... “
“I know. It has no bearing on Riann. You had accepted her death before you met us. Let’s forget the past and speak of he who is to come.”
“He’d like you. Lord Avon is fond of prophetic allusions.”
“Lord Avon?”
“I think that’s a story he should tell you. Anyway, as I got to know Avon, as far as anyone gets to know Avon, I liked him more and more. He was independent. You had to sway him with logic, or at least give him a rational excuse he could use. He was loyal too, though he’d have died before he’d admit it. He saved my life more than once.”
“You surprise me.”
“Avon surprised himself, I think. He always had an excuse ready, a reflex action, or needing somebody to help him tackle some pursuit ships. All I can say is that a man whose reflex action is to throw someone out of a bomb’s blast radius is a better person than Avon ever claimed to be. Avon always knew the risks, and if they exceeded the possible benefits, he liked to stay out of it, but he wouldn’t stand by and let any of us die. Whatever happened to Cally was obviously unavoidable. If he could have prevented it, he would, especially as it was Cally.”
“He and Cally ... “
“One of the great mysteries! I’m not sure. They were both very cautious, and neither made a habit of expressing their deepest thoughts, but there was some connection there, some level of mutual understanding.”
Both men looked up as Riann came in with a tray of drinks. Her practical camouflage flight suit could not conceal her good figure, but her chestnut hair was hidden under the hat she wore to break up her outline. She handed them a drink each. “Are you here for a reason,” she asked, “Or are you just chattering again?”
“Something might happen.” said Deva.
She smiled at her elder brother, “Just chattering.” She turned to Blake, “I thought I might include Paras and Beghan on the trip to Exbar. Beghan’s a good pilot and Paras needs to be kept out of your way for a while.”
“Why?” he asked.
She put the tray down and put her hand to his face. “Because you make fanatics of us all, my darling, and Paras would throw his life away in a second if he thought it would impress you. Tell him you have chosen him to escort us because you trust him to see your family safely to Exbar and back.”
Deva grinned, proud of his sister. “She’s good at this, isn’t she? She knows how to work with all of them.”
Blake nodded, “Give me the list of the ones you want and I’ll give them a fine speech about how I am putting my precious family in their trustworthy hands. It’s true, after all. I wish you’d wait so I could go with you.”
She kissed him. “I’d wait forever, Roj. You’re busy here. Someone has to go to Exbar, someone we can trust. We’ll be safe enough. Exbar is friendly territory. Besides, I want to see your family again.”
“What remains of them.” said Blake.
“None of us has the full complement now.” said Deva.
Riann fixed him with her hazel eyes, “Jan, don’t keep Roj talking all night.”
“Another five minutes.” said Deva, “He’s telling me about Avon.”
She nodded and left the office.
“We don’t know that Avon will live to reach us.” said Deva, “He’s not exactly keeping his head down, judging by the reports we’ve been getting. He’s involved in some high-risk activities.”
“Yes, but Avon has a finely honed survival instinct. If he’s taking risks, it’s because they’re necessary to his plans. He won’t do anything that gives him a less than even chance. Not willingly, anyway.”
“And you’re sure he can find us, on Gauda Prime, a planet so obscure some of the locals haven’t heard of it?”
“I’m sure Orac can find us.”
“And Avon will be looking.”
“He’ll come, Deva. It may take a while, but he’ll find us.”
“Maybe we should leave a clearer trail.”
Blake sipped his drink and put it down again. “Even now we are risking discovery. I realise the consensus is that I’ll end in a shoot-out with the Federation, but I’m really not eager to invite it. No, Avon’s bright and he has Orac. A clearer trail would just help our enemies to find us. Avon doesn’t need it.”
“We don’t know much about the others with him, do we?”
“No. Avon and Vila are the only ones I can speak for. However, if there’s one man I’m sure of, it’s Avon. He wouldn’t bring my enemies here.”
“And Avon will be useful?”
“Useful? I’d rather have Avon on my side than Orac!”
“Or me?”
“Will it come to a choice? I don’t see why it should.”
“I’m worried. Time changes people. What if Avon thinks more of the bounty on you than old loyalties?”
“He can’t claim it, can he, Deva? There’s a price on his head too. Avon is arrogant, cold-blooded and dedicated to his own survival, but he is no traitor. He’s not as mean-spirited as he’d like to think either.” he added with a smile. “I trust Avon as I trust you, Deva. No more, no less.”
“Well, nine times out of ten you’re right. Is Riann looking forward to meeting him?”
“Oh yes, very curious.”
“I’m more eager to meet Vila myself. He seems more my type of person from all you’ve told me.”
Blake smiled, “Yes, I think you’ll like Vila. It’s a pity you never met Gan. He had integrity. He was a good man, courageous and honest.” He finished his drink slowly. Then he said, “There are times when, whatever I’m doing, Avon is looking over my shoulder. ‘Don’t do that, Blake’ he seems to say, ‘my way is better.’ But sometimes, just once in a while, I know that he’d approve of something. I want Avon’s brutally honest criticism. I want his advice, his brilliance. Never tell him I said that! The only thing worse than a self-proclaimed genius is one who knows you’ve described him as one.”
Deva was about to reply when Riann came in. “It’s been a long five minutes, gentlemen. Jan, can I have my husband now? I want to spend some time with him before I leave tomorrow.” She was dressed in a long, green robe now, with a gold sash as a belt. Her long hair hung loosely down over her back.
Blake stood, “Riann, you look lovely.”
“I love you.” she said. His scars would have made a return of the compliment awkward. “I’ve put the little one to bed, but he’ll want you to go and say goodnight.”
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