Blake's 7, Episode 53: A New Hope

I begin to wake slowly... and then I see the two small people hovering next to me, and I sit bolt upright, reaching for a weapon I don't have.

The two strangers at my bedside don't flinch away, but neither do they make any threatening moves. The first thing I register about them -- other then their small stature -- is the fact that they are unarmed. The second is that they aren't human. Delicate features, pointed ears: not a species I recognize. But then, there are so few non-human species left in Federation space that I suppose it's quite likely that these people, whoever they are, are either from outside the Federation or have been very good at hiding.

"I'm Gilmuriel," says the male, "and this is my wife, E'eysha. You are quite safe here. We're friends."

Friends, I think bitterly. I'm not sure I even know the meaning of the term any more. Recent memories come back to me, bleak and painful.

"We rescued you from the Master," says the woman, E'eysha. "He is a truly evil man, and, believe us, whatever bargain he had made with you, he would not have kept it."

Well, that I can easily believe. "I didn't make any bargains with him," I say.

"We've also rescued your friends," she says. "Avon's people. They are alive."

I close my eyes for a moment, not quite knowing how to feel about this news. "All of them?" I ask.

"Yes," says Gilmuriel. "You may see them soon, if you wish. But first... We have an offer to make you..."

And they proceed, in a calm and seemingly straightforward manner, to tell me a frankly incredible story about travelling between universes, and about a group of retired extradimensional military experts who could be willing to aid me in my fight against the Federation.

I find it all difficult to believe, of course. Though there is something about these two that seems honest, solid, trustworthy... But that itself I don't trust. My own instincts have led me astray so often... On the other hand, distrusting those instincts has also led to disaster, hasn't it? If only I had followed them, had not convinced myself of the need to test that boy, Tarrant...

Well, I don't want to think about that at just this moment, but it seems to be a valid point all the same. And, besides, if this were all some trick, if these people were going to make up a story... Surely it would be a more believable one than this?

"All right," I say finally, almost surprising myself. "If -- if -- you can give me some proof of what you've been saying, then I accept your offer. But it must be on my terms."

The aliens -- or whatever they are -- smile at each other. "I think that can be arranged," Gilmuriel says.

"Now," I say grimly, knowing that it's the last thing I really want, but the most important thing I need to do, "let me see Avon."

1. Meanwhile...

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