| Original UK Transmission: | Friday 4th May 1990, BSB Galaxy |
"James, we can't get into Petra, not in time anyway. We're going to have to launch the rockets even if it means half the ship gets blown off." - Chantal de Grecy
In the common room, everybody collapses as Petra vents the ship. The air supply is quickly reinstated, and people begin to recover. Victoria is discovered unconscious.
Fiona and Timmy begin to argue when they can't raise Petra. Petra comes back on-line again with strange messages, and Timmy says the systems are being saturated with protons and electrons. He again wonders if they are travelling down a wormhole, but Fiona warns him not to start.
In Medicom, Piers asks a very sick Victoria to describe her symptoms. Her legs and stomach hurt, and she doesn't want to go on. Sara tells her that they all have to go on.
Piers is trying to get Medicom on-line, but it is malfunctioning. James says that the lift is jammed and he can't raise Comcen. Piers grows increasingly frustrated with Medicom, and reveals that Victoria may have acute appendicitis. Chantal, who James thought was on the bridge, calls him on autosec. If she is trapped in the physics lab, who is running the ship?
Chantal tells James and Piers that the build up of negatively charged electrons is driving Petra mad, and that she is also unable to get in touch with Comcen. With Petra out of action, Chantal doesn't know how they are going to fire the electron gun.
In Comcen, Fiona wonders if they can counterjam the signals by blocking the entire electromagnetic spectrum. This should enable them to introduce simple commands of their own.
James tells Piers that they must fire the rockets in just over one hour. He suggests that someone get to Comcen via the maintenance shaft, manually open the doors to the physics lab and get Chantal to the bridge to fire the electron gun.
Anna tells Victoria she must have faith. She begins to gossip about her family and Sara tells her to stop talking as Victoria is in great pain.
On the bridge, Timmy orders Petra to block all incoming signals and reset all systems. Petra comes back on-line. The door to the physics lab opens, and Chantal rushes to the bridge.
Piers examines Victoria, and Medicom confirms her appendix is inflamed. Piers tells her that Medicom should now be able to prepare an antibody to fight the infection.
With Finbow trapped on Gantry 2, James tells Chantal that they are sending Mercedes along the maintenance shaft in order to program a course. Chantal tells him that they have just over thirty minutes.
In the common room, Mercedes discovers that a drunken Daniel has found Alex's stolen supplies. He tries to force himself upon her, but she fights him off.
Chantal orders Petra to prioritise the Comcen systems over everything bar life support.
Piers is unable to call up Victoria's GFP. Medicom crashes again.
Alex beats up Daniel for stealing his personal supplies, and touching Mercedes. He leaves, taking his loot.
On the bridge, Chantal overrides automatic control on the electron gun, but Petra will not allow her to increase the gun's maximum setting. Timmy attempts to break in.
Victoria is in agony. Medicom confirms appendicitis, but crashes again before it can produce an antibody.
There is only a few minutes left till the launch window closes for good. Mercedes, making her way along the maintenance shaft, is in trouble. She spots somebody ahead of her, blocking her way.
Chantal is telling James that they will be unable to get into Petra in time, when Timmy finally breaks in. Fiona programs Petra, using a maintenance crew ident, and they fire the gun. Finbow enters, having climbed down the shaft just ahead of Mercedes, and sets a course. As the engines go to full burn the crew celebrate.
In Medicom, Victoria is in great distress, as Piers, Anna and Sara look on. It seems they can do nothing.
Outside, the Ilea moves through the cloud.
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