Human and Golem Introductions. . . .

"Oh my God," Crichton swears softly, who by now the Doctor has come to realize watched way too much television whilst a child, knows the beginning of the tale of Blake’s 7. "You’re a father of one of those kid’s who’s minds got frelled with, making them believe that Blake had molested them!"

No mention of any possible reasons for a basis for this crime was mentioned. No rumors about Blake being possibly "gay" (which the Feds could have twisted about to include this deviation by Federal moral standards into the much darker crime of child molestation) are mentioned, and for that both Betty and the Doctor are glad. The Roughnecks are too outraged at the immensity of this crime as it was, but that said frankly the last was none of their business. That and quiet possibly that possible part of history might have never rolled out.

That and there was something else about Young....

"Yes," the pilot (ironically named Rodger Young, ironic considering the name of the ship that the Roughnecks were billeted in) says softly, pained expression flashing across his craggy features. "My boy was one of them. A pawn useful for . . . for the Feds to use to ruin Blake's reputation and alienate him from many sympathetic possible allies.

"Had to leave Earth soon after," he continues, in a haunted voice. "Get my boy offworld and away from the new vultures who kept bothering us to stir up hatred against Blake and sympathy and support for the Fed. Got him to some underground psyches who I knew and trusted. Ones I could afford and trust not to report his and my whereabouts to the powers that be and start the intrusions all over again."

He goes onto recount how one particular psyche, in trying a session to help his son cope with his memories, had accidentally cracked the shell of the false memory implants and bring the truth forth. Thus bringing about Young going over to Blakes side, despite lingering bad feelings over . . . things (he might have known that Blake wasn't the monster the state controlled media put him out to be, but it would take a long time for his heart to . . . well, you know). Wounds take a long time to fade...

The Doctor, when he hears this name, realizes quiet a bit more about Young than what he's telling. While he has little to do with this particular time period as possible, he knows about the Freebooter who'd stalked and killed Severlan after the fall of Blake's Federation in his universe. He had heard, second hand, just why he had done it. Revenge, but up until this moment he hadn't realized just what was the cause for his seeking revenge.

Quietly, Betty takes up the task explaining what she knew of Blake and his seven, best summed up here at her internet sight (warning, possible spoilers within):

http://www.sdc.org/% 7Eragan/Blakes7.html

Shaken and now ill at heart, it was little wonder the room was quiet for a moment except for Avon's rasping breath after Betty finishes up.

Finally, the medic of the Roughnecks (Corporal Richard "Doc" LaCroix) breaks the silence in directing attention back to Avon (who's still out cold).

"About this Shadow drug," Corporal LaCroix coughs, "is it very addictive? Shouldn't we let his withdrawal run it's course to free him of it?"

That one brings a barking laugh from Young and a fierce shake of his head.

"Only way to be 'free' of Shadow addiction once you get it is to die," he answers. "You either die from long term use, when the drug uses you up. Or you die in horror and living nightmares from withdrawal. One taste and it's only a matter of time . . . That's why it scares the Hell out of me and I was . . . less than pleased to find out that Avon had brought a stash of it aboard my ship!"

Later, he'll tell how he'd learned that Avon's enemies (still many despite Blake's Federations demise) had slipped him Shadow into his food, cosigning him to an eventual and (but for whatever the Champions can do) unavoidable death.

"We don't have any up here," Betty says softly, looking worried.

"That's . . . not good," Young says slowly, using a vast understatement. "The stress he faced below hasn't help matters for him and...."

He shakes his head, throwing up his hands as if to wash them on the whole matter. Basically, he thought that Avon was good as dead. Not the first time for others to figure Avon was done for, but turned out to be wrong.

"Well, we'd better put him into medical stasis in Sickbay," the Doctor sighs, "it should keep him long enough for us to either get him more Shadow OR . . . if getting that bloody stuff fails to be possible . . . . get him to some folks I know who might be able to cure him."

"Cure him?!" Young laughs. "I told you there's no cure!"

"I know people," the Doctor says back, and not elaborating at all beyond that. See, the Doctor also remembers that Young will be credited for two Earthshaking discoveries he'll say he salvaged from an unknown ship he'd come across. He'd been coy on details, but the worth of both can't be downplayed. First, he'd discovered a viable treatment for Shadow addiction, which guaranteed his name in medical history. The Doctor figures that perhaps a sample of Shadow can be taken to some folks he knows in Star Fleet for analysis for that treatment to come about (and for the Timelord to give to Young, secretly). Second, he'll come back with a means to a transmat system even more advanced than what Blake enjoyed on the now vanished Liberator! Yes, no transporter bracelets needed.

"It's time for humans to have transmat technology again," the Doctor says softly to himself as Avon is dragged to sickbay (a place that Betty and the others had found and used after Kirk had gotten knocked out by D'Argo back on the Bridge).

....

Oh, and before we forget to mention it, Kirk was now down in a Security cell, stripped of everything but his skivies. See, despite Betty and Ragan arguing otherwise, those up on the Bridge had come to the conclusion that Kirk was more of a liability than an asset and thus it would be best that he be put out of the way for the duration. Later, he'd be released and free to go about his business AFTER the Farscapers had gotten back down to Moya (and away from those down there who were still after Crichton and friends)! No, after pulling a weapon on the Farscapers upon first contact they'd pretty much pegged Kirk as a somebody who they could do well without. A man who would and could get in the way, so best to put him OUT of the way. Thus, the Security cell was very useful. Being that the Farscapers were not fools, they made sure that Kirk had nothing that he could use to slip out of the Cell. Frankly, stripping him to his underwear was excessive, but....

Nevermind. For now he's not a factor. An angry non-factor, yes, but he's not a factor right now.

As another aside, in passing, Betty voices a regret that it was too bad that Vila hadn't been able to come aboard with the others here (trapped though they were at the moment). She'd have loved to see how Vila and the Chianas would have gotten together! As it was, the Doctor is just as well glad to have foregone that fun. . . . frankly. While the interaction might be fascinating to watch, he really did not care to imagine how much stealing would have happened between them all. He'd rectified Rygel's pilfering back on the TARDIS and "his" Chiana (now with a Dragon's taste in treasure) had found (so far) everything his other Companions had beneath her taste (not valuable enough compared to what she had at her fingertips back in Sigin's and her Hoard)....

Eventually, the Doctor manages to get the Roughnecks and John to take Avon down to the Medical Bay (gaining the trust of the Roughnecks in that wonderful way that Timelord has), which is good. See, he and Betty wanted some time alone with the new Golem. Get to know him and all that...

"Hello," the Doctor begins, easing into conversation. "Let's get off on the right foot here, shall we? I am known as the Doctor and this is my Companion, Betty."

"What is your name?" Betty asked the wary Golem softly.

1. "My designation is Giskard," he finally says.

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