| Original UK Transmission: | Wednesday 18th April 1990, BSB Galaxy |
"Round and round and round it goes. Where it stops, nobody knows." - Eliot Creasy
In the common room, Sara and Herlinde tell Hartman that James is risking his life outside. Sara tells him that people might worry about him if he was a bit nicer. Hartman tells her that he's just here for the ride.
Daniel thinks that Hartman is laughing at them, but Jean-Francois tells him to ignore him. Daniel believes the miners nearly lynched Hartman on Space City. Jean-Francois warns him not to do anything stupid.
Herlinde and Sara refuse to let Melody sit with them. They eventually relent, telling her to help get Herlinde out of the mess she is in with Finbow.
Outside, James is having trouble. An upset Rosie leaves Comcen.
Jean-Francois visits Hartman to warn him that some of the students may be planning something against him. Daniel and a posse arrive, but Rosie stops them, telling Hartman that he is needed in Comcen. After he leaves, Rosie reproaches Daniel and tells Jean-Francois that she thought better of him.
Melody tells Sara and Herlinde that it was all just a joke. Herlinde decides that she will talk to Finbow after the mess they are in is sorted out. Sara wonders when that will be.
James is still having trouble with the replacement unit when he drops it just as his time is up. He attempts to retrieve it, but Eliot orders his immediate return. Hartman is finally persuaded to take another back-up unit outside.
Mercedes meets James from the airlock. Outside, Hartman discovers that the cover is jammed. Eliot decides to take a power tool out, but a suited up Mercedes bluffs them into thinking that she has EVA experience and goes out.
James arrives back on the bridge as Mercedes reaches Hartman with the laser knife. The replacement unit is quickly fitted. Eliot tells a dejected James that if he hadn't gone out there first, Hartman wouldn't be out there now.
The girls wonder how Hartman was persuaded to go out. Sara thinks that there may be some good in him.
Hartman tells Eliot that he wants his remission as promised, but Eliot tells him that he is not in a position to promise anything.
Finbow addresses a meeting of the students explaining the latest launch plan. Afterwards, Herlinde asks Finbow if he is okay. He believes things have changed because he saw her crying when she thought he was going outside. She tells him that they really need to talk this through.
Eliot tells Rosie that they will wait for the next launch window to Ganymede. She asks him what will happen if they are not where he thinks they are. Eliot tells her that they are still around Callisto and that he has agreed to move merely to reassure the students and stop the rumours.
As the students strap in, Eliot and Finbow prepare for launch. As Petra charges the ignitors, the ship is struck by an electrical discharge from the storm. There is minimal damage and Eliot tells everyone that there is no need for alarm and to remain at acceleration stations. As Petra restarts the ignition sequence, there is another lightning strike. Naiad 14, a storage module on Gantry 2 is ripped away from the ship with a burst of gas and water. As the ship goes into inbalance, Eliot orders an immediate shutdown of all non-essential systems. Petra informs them that the resulting inbalance with Gantry 4 threatens the stability of the ship, and proceeds to jettison module Naiad 10 - the girls accomodation! Finbow cannot override as the inbalance will pull the ship apart if it carries on much longer. Eliot orders an immediate evacuation.
Panic ensues as the girls try to escape. Eliot tells them to drop everything and run as they have only seconds left. Melody falls, but Alex goes in and carries her to safety just as the module is sealed and jettisoned.
Rosie informs Eliot that all the girls are safe. Eliot, in a state of shock, realises that they could have killed them all.
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