Meanwhile, down on Gauda Prime....

A Robot turned Golem is on the horns of a dilemma. Oh, technically Giskard (that's the guy's name) really needn't worry about it, really. The only thing that would actually suffer would be his sense of ethics. Not any real physical compulsion. See, back when Giskard had been a Robot (ala Asimov) he was under those Laws. You know, the safeguards on Robots that basically protects the human owner. Ah, well basically they are summed up here:

The problem here is that our new Golem here thinks he's still bound by the three laws here! So right now here's the problem! A human being....

Is in DANGER!!

Giskard, still somewhat disoriented from finding himself within sight and hearing of a confrontation. See, unknown to Giskard (but perhaps known to the reader) is the final scene from a Blake's 7 episode called "Blake"! Yes, it's the final scene in the final episode in that classic British scifi TV show, Blake 7 (go here for a bit of info on the show and the major charactes: http://www.sdc.org/% 7Eragan/Blakes7.html)! It's not too much of a spoiler so feel free.

If nothing else, it'll explain who the next speakers are here. So, anyway, this scene is taking place on an Earthlike world called Gauda Prime, in a "hi-tech" room one would "typically" find (if anything like that word can be used for that show).

So, after disaster after disaster, the gang has finally been able to track down their long lost friend, Blake. However...

VILA: It's him.

TARRANT: He sold us, Avon. All of us. Even you. [Avon lowers the gun and approaches Blake.]

AVON: Is it true?

BLAKE: Avon, it's me, Blake. [starts to move forward]

AVON: Stand still! [Blake does] Have you betrayed us? Have you betrayed me?!

BLAKE: Tarrant doesn't understand!

AVON: Neither do I, Blake!

BLAKE: I set all this up!

AVON: Yes!

BLAKE: [starts forward again] Avon, I was waiting for YOU. [Avon brings the gun around and....]

Avon (this reality's Avon) suddenly has a fit of uncharacteristic clumsiness and the his gun slips out of his hand and thumps against the ground at a surprised (and a bit confused) Blake's feet.

Rather clumsy, eh? But would you be too surprised to hear that it was a little telepathic "trick" that causes Avon's nerve impulses to his hand to misfire, causing this "accident". He used telepathy because he's too far away physically intervene (as what a good Robot could/would do).

So this, instead. In a "low level" and deniable fashion.

....

Hey, Giskard the former Robot turned Golem got this talent accidently when his owner (a very talented young woman) a bit earlier tinkered with his positronic mind's inner workings to something much more advanced than the regular, run of the mill Robot out on the market. Something on par with another Asimov Robot named Daneel (but that's another story). Bottom line, though, is that Giskard would rather keep those secrets secret (it's his life otherwise). His human creator's, the "Spacers" of the Asimov novels, would dissect his mind in order to find out all about it (if not just destroy him in order to prevent a Robot from having such power as telepathy)...

He believes that he successfully did this without detection, by the way, so isn't too worried. However, a machine intelligence named Orac (who cannot use his telepathic powers himself without a "psionic bomb" blowing him to pieces) detected him. Orac cannot safely "send", but he can "recieve" (and detect) just fine!

And then there is that one psionic chap mentioned over here on the Internet, a Private Carl Jenkins (M.I. - Special Ops: Telepathic Reconnaissance), in the Roughnecks (re: http:// misterhook. tripod.com/ roughnecks/ characters .htm). More on him in a bit (which'll be important)!

Anyway, he did it to delay this incipient ugly (and potentially deadly) scene just long enough to let what happens next happen.

"Stop!" screams another Avon (the Doctor in a close second),running into the room, recognizing this place (and what it all means). "STOP!! "

1. He cannot stand going through this a SECOND time....

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