Original UK Transmission: | Monday 2nd April 1990, BSB Galaxy |
"Algol the ghoul, shining over murderers and madmen." - Chantal de Grecy
Finbow studies an enhanced recording of the abnormality, as he is still unable to find its present whereabouts.
In the common room, Sara, Herlinde and Mercedes discuss men. Sara is still talking about Bob's surprise. A call from Petra announces an imminent Earth call arrival for Herlinde.
Rosie tells Piers that Space City are worried that Victoria is developing Space Confinement Syndrome. Piers thinks it is merely that she is unsettled and needs some fun. Rosie reminds him that the last student with SCS had to be fully sedated just to get him on the shuttle to Space City. Cats arrives, but Rosie is frosty with him. He claims that it is Mercedes that is chasing him, but Rosie seems to blame her anyway.
Anna and Victoria talk in the Dome. Victoria becomes agitated at Anna's talk of God watching over her. She feels something malevolent is out there.
Finbow and Chantal cannot use the scanner due to electrical storms over Io. After they discuss Herlinde, they study the recording. Chantal believes there is more to it than an equipment malfunction, and agrees to do some computer modelling to predict the abnormality's behaviour.
In a study lab, Herlinde's mysterious Earth call comes through. It is Bob Horsefall, who needs her help for the surprise that he is planning for Sara. Victoria leaves, uninterested.
In the gym, Piers and James talk about Daedalus. Piers says that he might change his mind and go instead of James if all the women are like Mercedes. Timmy arrives, and they force him into doing his exercises.
Herlinde replies to Bob's call, but Sara walks in demanding an explanation. Victoria has told her who the Earth call was from, and she does not believe Herlinde's protestation that she happens to know another Bob Horsefall.
As Herlinde and Sara argue about the identity of the secret caller, Rosie asks them to cheer up Victoria. Victoria is still distressed that she can't contact her father because of the storms. She wants to get off the Ilea.
Rosie counsels Victoria and tells her how lucky she is to be a student at Columbus College but she breaks down in tears. Rosie takes her to the common room and threatens Timmy with some lettuce. Unable to see Timmy suffering, Fiona takes him to the gym and completes his exercise program.
In the Dome Cats tells Mercedes that it is Rosie that is chasing him, and tries to get her back to his cabin.
Sara discovers that the number Herlinde called was her Bob's. She is upset that he may have finished with her and is letting her down gently with Herlinde's help. She leaves, upset. Victoria insists to James that she has got to get off the ship.
Timmy thinks that he may be getting away with Fiona doing his exercises, but Rosie discovers the scam through Petra. Rosie discovers Cats and Mercedes in a passionate embrace in the lift, and loudly announces to all that Mercedes personal records does say that she is sexually hyperactive.
James has begun to cheer Victoria up, and she tries to convince him to return to Cambridge for his PhD and not go on Daedalus.
A shuttle carrying repair engineers to fix the crash damaged Centaur, docks with the Ilea. Chantal asks Finbow to join her in the physics lab to discuss her findings.
After scouring the ship to find Sara, Herlinde drags her to the common room, as a furious Mercedes complains to Piers and James about Rosie. Rosie comes to apologise, but Mercedes refuses accept it, saying that at least she doesn't go around panting after men half her age. As Herlinde finally manages to get Sara into the common room, DJ Ross announces that the first record request of the year is for Sara from Bob. Sara is quite overcome.
Finbow joins Chantal in the physics lab, and she is now certain that the abnormality is not an equipment malfunction. Its behaviour reminds her of some sort of predator gathering itself up and bounding after its prey. She wonders how any living creature could be seventy million miles across...