Post by Sir Wearer of Hats on Feb 1, 2016 22:37:02 GMT
I rather like the "Doctor Who reimagined" thread, so thought B7 deserves one as well.
what follows is my attempt at a reboot, combining Way Back with Rescue.
(there are gaps, Im still wrestling with some bits)
Sallow faced with grey bags around his eyes, Dorian leaned back and rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. “The Kerr Avon?” He spoke, not to his statuesque blonde companion Soolin, she rarely favoured him with a reply but rather himself. He was, although he's not admit it, impressed. First the smuggler Stannis and now a computer expert of Avon’s calibre. Cygnus Alpha was turning out to be a cornucopia for him. “Anyone else standout Slave?” It was both a command and a request, direct, again, not at his female companion but rather a tower in the corner of the flight deck. Inside the tower was s split sphere nearly half a meter in diameter suspended by wires and tubes. The sphere and attached console were the interface for a complex, if deeply obsequious to the point of oleaginousness, computer, named by Dorian in a fit of pique at its grovelling nature “Slave”, it was a fitting name because all the Scorpio’s systems were slaved to the computer. Slave’s most recent instruction was to scan a file appropriated at great cost by Dorian and compile a report on the contents. Already it had identified two prospective recruits for Dorian’s needs, one a smuggler named Jenna Stannis, arrested, tried and sentenced under suspicious circumstances and one of, of not the, foremost computer programmer and hacker in the Federation, Kerr Avon. Both rich pickings for a prison planet like Cygnus Alpha. “If I may humbly suggest another name Master,” Slave said in its almost mumbling tones. “Vila Restal,” Slave finished, uploading the relevant file to Dorian and Soolin’s screens. Dorian was rarely impressed by prisoner files, they were after all litanies of failures on the part of person in question, but the sheer volume of reports and arrests and charges laid against this Vila Restal staggered him, but it was a single entry, relatively early in his career gave him pause. “He was arrested with Kirkergard?” Dorian asked, rhetorically. “I apologise profusely master if the screen resolution was too poor for you to clearly see. Yes Master on date…”
“Shut up Slave,” Dorian interrupted.
“Yes Master.”
“They said Kirkergard trained one last apprentice before he was executed. If this Restal is his last apprentice, that could explain how he constantly escaped imprisonment.” Dorian decided to take the risk on this Vila Restal. Three people taken from one prison planet shouldn't attract too much attention from the authorities. “Very good Slave. Prepare guest suites at Xenon Base for three people.”
“As you command, Master. Your wish is my whole desire, however Master there is one final name I think you should be aware of.”
“No. We don't want to draw any unnecessary attention from the Federation” Dorian rose and headed towards Scorpio’s refreshment facilities. “Master, I….” Slave began.
“Are your logic circuits failing again? I said no.”
“Actually,” Soolin said her voice soft, “you might want to listen. It’s found someone connected to the Montgomery Project.” She let the implication hang.
“Teleportation… “ Dorian suddenly looked energised, his pet project and dream was a working Teleporter. “Who?”
“Roj Blake,” Soolin said.
“The politician?” Dorian couldn’t imagine the firebrand political renegade being connected in any way to something as sensitive as the Montgomery Project. “Master, I’m sorry to inform you most of the file on Roj Blake is heavily redacted and encoded. However I was able to decode one small part of the file, it mentions the Montgomery Project and correlates to known information on the Project” Slave sounded almost pleased with itself. “Teleportation….” Dorian said wistfully, “Slave, make that four suites at Xenon Base” he added eventually.
***
Gan hefted Dorian’s limp body in his massive arms with all the care a father would have for a small child. Blake and the others raced towards the landed Scorpio and the promise of freedom.
***
Blake was watching his companions closely, so he noticed Avon picking up two knives from the tray as he passed. Without changing his expression in the slightest, Avon concealed one of the knives up his sleeve, seeing that Blake was watching Avon shrugged subtly, a calculated look in his eyes. Blake mentally kicked himself for not having a similar thought, Cygnus Alpha taught that you'll never know when you'll need a weapon.
As they finished their shared meal, Blake once again noticed someone concealing one of the knives, this time Jenna. Blake nodded at her, a sign that he both saw and approved, she returned the nod. Maybe, Blake thought, we can all get along after all. Sadly, this thought was short lived. “Now now,” Dorian’s mocking tone came across the table “who is trying to pilfer my silverware? Surely not you, Mister Restal?” Dorian leaned forwards from where he was sitting and leered at Vila. Vila fidgeted, clearly trying to avoid being questioned, but at the same time trying to avoid breaking the criminal’s code of not informing on a fellow. Blake wondered, once again, how much Vila observed and how fast his mind worked behind that façade of the fool. Jenna as well versed in playing the odds as Vila and as adept at reading people as Blake courtesy of her experiences as a smuggler realised she was outplayed, but she had one last trick up her sleeve. Instead of simply placing the knife on the table, she threw it with contemptuous ease at Dorian’s hand. The knife thunked into the table inches from his outstretched fingers. Vila flinched explosively, nearly falling out of his chair, Avon reacting with a raised eyebrow, mentally filing away another fact about his companions and Dorian, strangely didn't so much as flinch.
***
Vila wandered Xenon Base, seemingly aimlessly. If anyone asked he'd say he got lost, which was reasonable, or if they didn't believe that that he was looking for a drink. He peered in doorways and down corridors, tested lift buttons and generally got the lay of the land. Most doors opened, and opened onto storerooms or living or sleeping spaces. What intrigued Vila though, were the doors that didn't open. “Never trust a man who only locks some of his doors,” his old mentor drilled into him, “someone who locks all their doors is paranoid, and paranoid is dangerous, someone who locks none of them has their secrets hidden elsewhere. Someone who locks some of their doors has something to hide.” Vila wondered what Dorian had to hide, and hoped whatever it was was small enough to fit in a pocket and something he’d not miss for a long time.
“A gilded cage is still a cage,” Avon said, looking not at Blake, but rather over the railing down towards where Scorpio was berthed.
“You want the ship?” Blake said, he knew Avon well enough to know he hated the idea of being reliant on anyone else, especially someone like Dorian. “Tell me you don't, and I'll call you a liar,” Avon answered, as always turning the conversation away from himself. Blake was becoming used to the tactic, so instead asked “can you reprogram that computer of his?” Avon regarded him steadily but didn't answer.
“Very well,” Blake found himself conceding, his conversational gambit of getting Avon to become an active participant rather than opportunist seemingly failing. “Can you get through the door?”
A third voice intruded into their hushed conversation, “you don't get through doors like that. You open them if you're careful and clever. Well, you don't open them. I open them,” Vila said, a smirk on his face as he walked up to them. Blake was surprised to notice the small man made next to no sound on the gantry. “So, that's three of us,” Blake said, Vila nodded and Avon simply raised his eyebrows, as inscrutable as ever, “what about Jenna and Gan?”
“The smuggler will chose whichever side she thinks will win. The meathead will follow whoever tells him to follow. The mercenary, she's going to be the issue. Could you kill her Blake?” Avon, as ever, summarised the situation cynically, cruelly and succinctly.
***
“I don't care.” Soolin was utterly calm, despite the armed people surrounding her. “Dorian pays well. If you can match that, then I'll make myself scarce.” Avon looked at her appreciatively, Soolin’s mercenary nature something that he clearly found appealing. To Vila’s obvious relief, Blake nodded and holstered his weapon. Soolin rose from the couch, smiled thinly and sauntered out of the room, pausing at the door she said “if he asks, I'll kill you all. Nothing personal. I'll just make it hard for him to defund me in order to ask.” With that, she left. Gan rumbled “class woman.”
“Clever woman,” Avon corrected, “she either gets rid of an employer she despises or she doesn't and has no connection to us should we fail. I'm actually impressed.”
“A cold fish, why aren't I surprised you find that attractive Avon?” Jenna took the opportunity to have a dig at the usually aloof Avon. Blake wasn't so sure it was attraction, he thought it was more like the mutual respect two apex predators have for each other. “She's not my type of woman,” Avon said stalking away. Jenna didn't let the comment pass “so what is your type? Let me guess, damsels in distress” Vila decided to take a chance at annoying Avon and attempt to build rapport with Jenna, “Maybe he likes them matronly.” Jenna chuckled, and Gan’s brow creased. “Leave him alone,” Gan said eventually.
“I don't need you to fight my battles for me,” Avon sneered and left the room. Jenna and Vila continued to trade barbs at Avon’s expense. Gan approached Blake and said as softly as he could, “I heard Avon’s reply,” Blake wasn't quite paying attention, he was already considering their next move, so simply said “hmm?” Gan realised he was being ignored, again, and so just walked off, but he really was the only one who heard Avon’s reply to Jenna’s mocking question. He had said “dead”.
***
“Slave, open the door,” Dorian commanded. When nothing continued to happen after a minute, Dorian realised what had happened. “You've made your move have you? I'm genuinely impressed that you got to Slave. Which means you've probably gotten to Soolin as well. Ho hum.” His smile was enough to freeze the blood of anyone who saw it. Blake had compared Avon and Soolin’s mien to apex predators, they had nothing on Dorian in that moment. He was enjoying himself, and was going to continue enjoying himself.
***
“Gentlemen, lady, welcome to my secret,” Dorian said in mockery of his welcome to Xenon Base. Blake wondered what course to take, Avon took the decision out of his hand when he snapped up his gun, aimed at Dorian and pulled the trigger. Dorian cackled wildly as nothing happened.”My guns Avon. Pay more attention to the ammunition in the future. Well… In the next life,” he took his time to line up a shot. Avon handed something to Jenna, who smiled coldly. As Dorian fired, Gan’s hand thumped into Avon’s back and Jenna threw the blade Avon has slipped her. Dorian twisted around as the knife thudded into his chest, he fell silently. As silently as Gan fell. Vila called out Gan’s name.
***
Gan lay in Xenon Base’s Medicare facility. None of them had any medical training, but much of the equipment was controlled by Slave who had a full medical database to access as needed. As he lay between life and death, the others debated their future. Blake wanted to use Xenon base as the foundation of a resistance to the Federation. Vila wanted to be safe. Jenna was prepared to support Blake, she had her own vendetta with the Federation apparently. And Avon, mercurial as ever, said he had reasons to stay and reasons to leave, but at the moment his reasons to stay outweighed his reasons to leave. As they filed out, Avon took a moment to bend over Gan’s recumbent form and whisper “I do not thank people often. It is not in my nature to be beholden to people. Do not die before I can repay you.”
Whats what's missing is Vila discovering why Dorian is interested in thrm (basically a brain draining machine). Blake recruiting the others and a game of cat and mouse sround Xenon Base, Blake et al being rescued from Cygnus Alpha and some other little character moments.
what follows is my attempt at a reboot, combining Way Back with Rescue.
(there are gaps, Im still wrestling with some bits)
Sallow faced with grey bags around his eyes, Dorian leaned back and rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. “The Kerr Avon?” He spoke, not to his statuesque blonde companion Soolin, she rarely favoured him with a reply but rather himself. He was, although he's not admit it, impressed. First the smuggler Stannis and now a computer expert of Avon’s calibre. Cygnus Alpha was turning out to be a cornucopia for him. “Anyone else standout Slave?” It was both a command and a request, direct, again, not at his female companion but rather a tower in the corner of the flight deck. Inside the tower was s split sphere nearly half a meter in diameter suspended by wires and tubes. The sphere and attached console were the interface for a complex, if deeply obsequious to the point of oleaginousness, computer, named by Dorian in a fit of pique at its grovelling nature “Slave”, it was a fitting name because all the Scorpio’s systems were slaved to the computer. Slave’s most recent instruction was to scan a file appropriated at great cost by Dorian and compile a report on the contents. Already it had identified two prospective recruits for Dorian’s needs, one a smuggler named Jenna Stannis, arrested, tried and sentenced under suspicious circumstances and one of, of not the, foremost computer programmer and hacker in the Federation, Kerr Avon. Both rich pickings for a prison planet like Cygnus Alpha. “If I may humbly suggest another name Master,” Slave said in its almost mumbling tones. “Vila Restal,” Slave finished, uploading the relevant file to Dorian and Soolin’s screens. Dorian was rarely impressed by prisoner files, they were after all litanies of failures on the part of person in question, but the sheer volume of reports and arrests and charges laid against this Vila Restal staggered him, but it was a single entry, relatively early in his career gave him pause. “He was arrested with Kirkergard?” Dorian asked, rhetorically. “I apologise profusely master if the screen resolution was too poor for you to clearly see. Yes Master on date…”
“Shut up Slave,” Dorian interrupted.
“Yes Master.”
“They said Kirkergard trained one last apprentice before he was executed. If this Restal is his last apprentice, that could explain how he constantly escaped imprisonment.” Dorian decided to take the risk on this Vila Restal. Three people taken from one prison planet shouldn't attract too much attention from the authorities. “Very good Slave. Prepare guest suites at Xenon Base for three people.”
“As you command, Master. Your wish is my whole desire, however Master there is one final name I think you should be aware of.”
“No. We don't want to draw any unnecessary attention from the Federation” Dorian rose and headed towards Scorpio’s refreshment facilities. “Master, I….” Slave began.
“Are your logic circuits failing again? I said no.”
“Actually,” Soolin said her voice soft, “you might want to listen. It’s found someone connected to the Montgomery Project.” She let the implication hang.
“Teleportation… “ Dorian suddenly looked energised, his pet project and dream was a working Teleporter. “Who?”
“Roj Blake,” Soolin said.
“The politician?” Dorian couldn’t imagine the firebrand political renegade being connected in any way to something as sensitive as the Montgomery Project. “Master, I’m sorry to inform you most of the file on Roj Blake is heavily redacted and encoded. However I was able to decode one small part of the file, it mentions the Montgomery Project and correlates to known information on the Project” Slave sounded almost pleased with itself. “Teleportation….” Dorian said wistfully, “Slave, make that four suites at Xenon Base” he added eventually.
***
Gan hefted Dorian’s limp body in his massive arms with all the care a father would have for a small child. Blake and the others raced towards the landed Scorpio and the promise of freedom.
***
Blake was watching his companions closely, so he noticed Avon picking up two knives from the tray as he passed. Without changing his expression in the slightest, Avon concealed one of the knives up his sleeve, seeing that Blake was watching Avon shrugged subtly, a calculated look in his eyes. Blake mentally kicked himself for not having a similar thought, Cygnus Alpha taught that you'll never know when you'll need a weapon.
As they finished their shared meal, Blake once again noticed someone concealing one of the knives, this time Jenna. Blake nodded at her, a sign that he both saw and approved, she returned the nod. Maybe, Blake thought, we can all get along after all. Sadly, this thought was short lived. “Now now,” Dorian’s mocking tone came across the table “who is trying to pilfer my silverware? Surely not you, Mister Restal?” Dorian leaned forwards from where he was sitting and leered at Vila. Vila fidgeted, clearly trying to avoid being questioned, but at the same time trying to avoid breaking the criminal’s code of not informing on a fellow. Blake wondered, once again, how much Vila observed and how fast his mind worked behind that façade of the fool. Jenna as well versed in playing the odds as Vila and as adept at reading people as Blake courtesy of her experiences as a smuggler realised she was outplayed, but she had one last trick up her sleeve. Instead of simply placing the knife on the table, she threw it with contemptuous ease at Dorian’s hand. The knife thunked into the table inches from his outstretched fingers. Vila flinched explosively, nearly falling out of his chair, Avon reacting with a raised eyebrow, mentally filing away another fact about his companions and Dorian, strangely didn't so much as flinch.
***
Vila wandered Xenon Base, seemingly aimlessly. If anyone asked he'd say he got lost, which was reasonable, or if they didn't believe that that he was looking for a drink. He peered in doorways and down corridors, tested lift buttons and generally got the lay of the land. Most doors opened, and opened onto storerooms or living or sleeping spaces. What intrigued Vila though, were the doors that didn't open. “Never trust a man who only locks some of his doors,” his old mentor drilled into him, “someone who locks all their doors is paranoid, and paranoid is dangerous, someone who locks none of them has their secrets hidden elsewhere. Someone who locks some of their doors has something to hide.” Vila wondered what Dorian had to hide, and hoped whatever it was was small enough to fit in a pocket and something he’d not miss for a long time.
“A gilded cage is still a cage,” Avon said, looking not at Blake, but rather over the railing down towards where Scorpio was berthed.
“You want the ship?” Blake said, he knew Avon well enough to know he hated the idea of being reliant on anyone else, especially someone like Dorian. “Tell me you don't, and I'll call you a liar,” Avon answered, as always turning the conversation away from himself. Blake was becoming used to the tactic, so instead asked “can you reprogram that computer of his?” Avon regarded him steadily but didn't answer.
“Very well,” Blake found himself conceding, his conversational gambit of getting Avon to become an active participant rather than opportunist seemingly failing. “Can you get through the door?”
A third voice intruded into their hushed conversation, “you don't get through doors like that. You open them if you're careful and clever. Well, you don't open them. I open them,” Vila said, a smirk on his face as he walked up to them. Blake was surprised to notice the small man made next to no sound on the gantry. “So, that's three of us,” Blake said, Vila nodded and Avon simply raised his eyebrows, as inscrutable as ever, “what about Jenna and Gan?”
“The smuggler will chose whichever side she thinks will win. The meathead will follow whoever tells him to follow. The mercenary, she's going to be the issue. Could you kill her Blake?” Avon, as ever, summarised the situation cynically, cruelly and succinctly.
***
“I don't care.” Soolin was utterly calm, despite the armed people surrounding her. “Dorian pays well. If you can match that, then I'll make myself scarce.” Avon looked at her appreciatively, Soolin’s mercenary nature something that he clearly found appealing. To Vila’s obvious relief, Blake nodded and holstered his weapon. Soolin rose from the couch, smiled thinly and sauntered out of the room, pausing at the door she said “if he asks, I'll kill you all. Nothing personal. I'll just make it hard for him to defund me in order to ask.” With that, she left. Gan rumbled “class woman.”
“Clever woman,” Avon corrected, “she either gets rid of an employer she despises or she doesn't and has no connection to us should we fail. I'm actually impressed.”
“A cold fish, why aren't I surprised you find that attractive Avon?” Jenna took the opportunity to have a dig at the usually aloof Avon. Blake wasn't so sure it was attraction, he thought it was more like the mutual respect two apex predators have for each other. “She's not my type of woman,” Avon said stalking away. Jenna didn't let the comment pass “so what is your type? Let me guess, damsels in distress” Vila decided to take a chance at annoying Avon and attempt to build rapport with Jenna, “Maybe he likes them matronly.” Jenna chuckled, and Gan’s brow creased. “Leave him alone,” Gan said eventually.
“I don't need you to fight my battles for me,” Avon sneered and left the room. Jenna and Vila continued to trade barbs at Avon’s expense. Gan approached Blake and said as softly as he could, “I heard Avon’s reply,” Blake wasn't quite paying attention, he was already considering their next move, so simply said “hmm?” Gan realised he was being ignored, again, and so just walked off, but he really was the only one who heard Avon’s reply to Jenna’s mocking question. He had said “dead”.
***
“Slave, open the door,” Dorian commanded. When nothing continued to happen after a minute, Dorian realised what had happened. “You've made your move have you? I'm genuinely impressed that you got to Slave. Which means you've probably gotten to Soolin as well. Ho hum.” His smile was enough to freeze the blood of anyone who saw it. Blake had compared Avon and Soolin’s mien to apex predators, they had nothing on Dorian in that moment. He was enjoying himself, and was going to continue enjoying himself.
***
“Gentlemen, lady, welcome to my secret,” Dorian said in mockery of his welcome to Xenon Base. Blake wondered what course to take, Avon took the decision out of his hand when he snapped up his gun, aimed at Dorian and pulled the trigger. Dorian cackled wildly as nothing happened.”My guns Avon. Pay more attention to the ammunition in the future. Well… In the next life,” he took his time to line up a shot. Avon handed something to Jenna, who smiled coldly. As Dorian fired, Gan’s hand thumped into Avon’s back and Jenna threw the blade Avon has slipped her. Dorian twisted around as the knife thudded into his chest, he fell silently. As silently as Gan fell. Vila called out Gan’s name.
***
Gan lay in Xenon Base’s Medicare facility. None of them had any medical training, but much of the equipment was controlled by Slave who had a full medical database to access as needed. As he lay between life and death, the others debated their future. Blake wanted to use Xenon base as the foundation of a resistance to the Federation. Vila wanted to be safe. Jenna was prepared to support Blake, she had her own vendetta with the Federation apparently. And Avon, mercurial as ever, said he had reasons to stay and reasons to leave, but at the moment his reasons to stay outweighed his reasons to leave. As they filed out, Avon took a moment to bend over Gan’s recumbent form and whisper “I do not thank people often. It is not in my nature to be beholden to people. Do not die before I can repay you.”
Whats what's missing is Vila discovering why Dorian is interested in thrm (basically a brain draining machine). Blake recruiting the others and a game of cat and mouse sround Xenon Base, Blake et al being rescued from Cygnus Alpha and some other little character moments.