"Pay-back".

The planet K2...Federation Scientific Facility.

-PROFESSOR SALADIN-VORE...RELIEVED OF POSITION...REPLACEMENT FOUND...DRUG DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMME BACK ON TRACK-

Tolland looked up from the monitor in the scientific board meeting on K2. There was other leading scientific staff sat around the polished conference table.

The room was circular and airy with shiny reflective walls and indent oval elcoves where troopers stood on guard.

"Saladin-Vore has made contact with the rebel leader Xherphi on Izeptha 7...he states that he can strand the traitor on Zeta Minor leaving the the rebel base on Izeptha 7 wide open..."

"With a tall story about finding Ensor's prototype?", said another scientist called Rembus.

Tolland nodded, " Saladin-Vore has lead them to believe he is just a neutral scientist that wants to forge a deal...he wants to remind us that high ranking scientists of this facility here on K2 were incorrect of relieving him of his position...and it stands up...since his replacement has been in place, the program may be back on track, but production levels have greatly fallen"

"but blackmailing a high ranking member of staff wasn't exceptable...he was refused his demand so he went against another to force the issue...he was lucky to be suspended...he COULD have been sent to a slave world and worked hard labour for his efforts", pointed out Rembus.

"The board knew he was far too useful to be sent there...they knew that in time, they would ask him back", said Tolland.

"Just as long as the Federation's high ranking military personnal don't accuse us of doing their job"

Tolland laughed and sat back, "Well...at the moment Saladin-Vore is getting results...if he pulls this off, then his plan and his alone would see Xherphi's rebellion crushed for good"

"and we just give him back his position here?"

"Yes...he would more than deserve it...infact...I'm sure that the high council would be more than willing to offer him a more senior position...who knows Rembus, he might come back here ranking over you..."

XXX

The planet orbited the furtherest known star. Zeta Minor was also the most uninviting world to land upon.

Professor Saladin-Vore pushed his way through the tangle of alien undergrowth and stared around the bubbling pool of thick sluggish water.

Jet was at the perimeter of the pool with the water containers from base-camp.

"It should be safe to drink once we've boiled it through a couple of times"

Saladin-Vore nodded and held back. They were being watched through the trees. Jet filled up the first container and screwed the lid back on, she then grabbed the second one and started to fill it up with the small pump.

Suddenly a creature came crashing out from the alien jungle. It roared out loudly sending Jet to fall over on to her side.

She screamed out as the green shaggy creature that had yellow glowing eyes loomed over her and pawed her with it's razor sharp claws.

Saladin-Vore tripped back and picked himself up, he made for the undergrowth and turned around to see Jet scrabble to the pool and jump in.

The strange water on this world was like treacle, she tried to stay afloat but she found her self sinking to her doom.

The creature roared again and turned it's great shaggy head to focus it's glowing yellow eyes into the direction of Saladin-Vore.

He turned and clawed his way through the jungle back to base camp. Feral was waiting for him at the entrance hatch.

As the professor approached, Feral looked towards where he had come from, "Where's Jet? Where is she?"

Saladin-Vore turned as they hurried into the safety of base camp and closed the door, "one of those creatures attacked her at the pool...she through herself in and...you KNOW what that water is like she never stood a chance...it was either that all get mauled to death by that thing"

Feral ran a hand through his hair, "We should never of come here"

The professor clicked his tongue, "But it's all been set...I'm not backing out now...yes that piece of junk there is useless to us...but I've put out the signal and I know he is coming"

"Who is?"

"Xherphi...he's on his way...I have sent a signal to him deliberately informing him that I want to sell him CARO"

Feral frowned, "the rebel freedom fighter? But it's just a piece of junk...why would he be interested in buying this? I mean...what is it anyway?"

Saladin-Vore sat down in an old battered chair and looked over the scattered technical objects that littered the worktop.

"CARO was built by Ensor"

"Ensor?", asked Feral screwing his face up.

The professor enlightened him, "Ensor was a computer genuis...he was the developer of the tarriel cell...a component in all known computer technology, but Ensor went further...he built ORAC...a brilliant computer that can tap into the 5th dimension...and can read any other computer"

Feral looked skepitcal and nodded towards the junk scattering the work top, "and this is ORAC?"

"No...this is project CARO...a prototype if you like built in all the aspects of ORAC...or it could be if it was true"

Feral laughed, "I remember now...but I thought this Ensor was killed"

Saladin-Vore stood and circled him, "We don't need Ensor...we just need to make it believable that this is CARO...and when Xherphi is here...then the Federation can crush those that have remained at their bolthole and WE strand him here and take his ship since ours is one step from useless..."

Feral made eye contact, "you've done all this further your career?"

"Yes...I will be put back on K2 where I belong and develop further the drug...having betrayed the rebels, they will see that I am too good of an asset to ignore...and with members there on my side, I'm sure I'll go back with a more senior position and have revenge on those who turned against me"

"You have it all worked out don't you"

"Yes...and if you are lucky Feral, I'll make sure everything works out for you too"

XXX

On board the slow moving wanderer-class planet hopper, Roj Blake sat at his position staring at the small monitor, he was taking in the data it was churning at him in big green letters.

"Zeta Minor? THAT is Zeta Minor?"

Krestal who sat infront of him turned and nodded, "yes...how anyone would want to be down there must need their heads testing"

Blake ignored him and stood and approached the bigger screen on the wall, "scan for lifeforms Zola"

Zola flipped back her curly hair and tapped in some data, "hostile", she breathed.

Another male sitting to Zola's right looked up his name was Doss, "Blake...how can there be people down there...we are trying to scan for recruits...there's nothing down there"

Blake was quiet and staring at the screen, Zola raised her eyebrows at him, "Blake WHY are we here? We are not here for recruits at all are we?"

Blake turned around and decided it was time to come clean, "alright...here it is...I've been tracing the signal for three months and it's coming from down there...", he nodded to the planet on the screen.

Doss looked at him, "and what's down there?"

"Ensor's prototype...you see, when I was with the Liberator, we took aboard Ensor's masterpiece ORAC, a computer that could tap into just about everything...there was NO limit to it's abilities...just think if we can have another ORAC at our disposal"

"If our computer genius hadn't died on Volton 4 then we wouldn't need this prototype, argued Doss, "I cannot believe a computer is more useful to us than a man"

Krestral agreed, "he's right...anyway, what makes you believe that you can trust this signal anyway?"

Blake leaned on the unit towards Krestal, "I don't need reminding what we lost on Volton 4...THIS is all the reminder I need", and he pointed to his scar on his face.

He then looked over to Doss, "If anyone wants out...just say...you DON'T have to follow me if you don't want to..."

Doss shook his head and glanced at Zola, "We are with you Blake..."

"good...now manage the controls will you, and put us down"

"Tailored deception"

On Zeta Minor , Professor Saladin-Vore looked up to see the Wander-class ship arrive over the jungles. It stopped not too far away from base camp, at a clearing and touched down.

Feral came out from the cabin and heard the ships exhausts die down from behind the alien trees.

He looked at the professor questioningly, "Is that him?"

Saladin-Vore nodded, "That'll be him, I'll not expecting anyone else...come on, we better meet him at the ramp"

Fighting their way through the tanglements of the alien undergrowth, they headed towards the ship.

XXX

Inside the ship, Zola pressed a button on her dash area and looked up, "Blake...I am picking up lifeforms approaching the entry hatch"

Blake looked at her, "THAT should be Saladin-Vore...it was HIM who sent out the signal"

Doss handed him a gun from the racking as Blake approached the entry hatch, "If this place is as hostile as those instruments tell us, then you will need this"

Blake took the gun and pushed the door release, he turned and glanced at Krestal at the flight controls, "aren't you coming?"

Krestral remained in the comfort of his seat, "I'd rather sit this one out if you don't mind"

XXX

Saladin-Vore stepped forward and shook Blake's hand no sooner he was down the ramp, "It's good to meet you last last Xherphi, the stories I have heard about you liberating so many worlds"

"As I have heard already so many times - thank you anyway - now where is this prototype?"

"Straight down to business...I like your style", remarked Saladin-Vore pointing the way through the jungles.

Blake glanced about him as he pushed his way through the trees, "I don't care to like this place very much - the sooner we do business the sooner I can leave..."

XXX

Blake looked on in horror at the clutter of junk that littered the base camps work top, "is THIS IT? Is this the answer to my prayers?"

Feral looked at him from where he stood nearby, "It was never advertised as in good condition"

Saladin-Vore licked his lips and then raised his gun from the doorway behind them, Blake turned when Feral leapt forward, "but WHY? I helped you!"

"You are nobody...now I must leave"

Blake stepped forward and pulled his gun out and aimed it at the professor.

"Drop the weapon Blake...or I will simply cut down poor Feral here in cold blood"

Blake did what he was told and dropped the gun.

"You called him Blake?", said Feral confused.

Saladin-Vore laughed, "Yes I did, didn't I...I've seen enough Federation records to recognise Blake when I see him...rumour were said that you were missing presumed dead...and it seems that taking on somebody elses identity is what you are all about these days..."

Blake nodded towards the junk on the side, "There was never a prototype, was there?"

The professor nodded, "No there wasn't...ORAC was the life and sole of Ensor's life and the ONLY computer he created...no, all this is nothing but life long aroded space junk that some lost expedition left behind...it's all beyond any natural repair"

Blake was shaking his head in disbelief that he had been duped yet again, "but YOU said it was in FULL working order and that it can put a trace on Federation..."

"...transmissions? Blake, I sent out the signal to trap you here...I am not as neutral as I made out...you see, I was suspended from my position...and by stranding you here and have your base and people wiped out on Izeptha 7, they dare NOT to take me back"

"so you are a federation scientist?"

"Yes...you see, I was apart of the science team that was putting the Federation back on track..."

Blake shook his head, "I know...by using the drug Pylene 50...they used similiar methods when I was on Earth"

Saladin-Vore smiled, "did you know I was one of the scientists who created that drug"

Blake turned around and crashed his fist down onto the cluttered work top making Feral flinch.

"You set ALL this up...made up the whole story to trap me...that's why you had MY science team on Volton 4 killed...you KNEW that THEY would have known that Ensor had NO prototype"

"and that's why your science team had to die..."

Blake swung around angrily, "it was YOU whom informed the Federation death squad that they would be there...they massacred too many good people...men, women fighting the cause"

"Your cause Blake...or Xherphi's since you've become him...it took a long time to plan and set up...but it has all fallen into place...and as we speak, your rabble left behind on Izeptha7 are no doubt being executed"

Blake closed his eyes, he felt deeply betrayed AGAIN, "I was so close...I was so close...I had it ALL worked out, with that prototype I could have contacted ORAC...gained the Liberator..."

Saladin-Vore laughed at him, "have you been living in the dark Blake? Haven't you kept your ears to the ground? The Liberator is GONE...destroyed, and so are your friends"

Blake looked like he had been hit by a force. His too trusting nature and naivty was relentless. Crushed again and again.

"No you lie...", he managed to mutter, although he did try and resort to it being truth.

Saladin-Vore almost felt sorry for him, "No Blake...it's ALL true...and now I must go. Natually I will be taking YOUR ship...mine is not that space worthy...not anymore...you better get used to calling this place home"

Blake did have some hope, "the others will stop you!"

Saladin-Vore paused at the door and glanced around, "Ah...I don't think so...Krestal was the one who helped me set all of this up behind your back...he MADE the transmissions possible and YOU fell for it...shame...you really don't know who to trust anymore, do you Blake?

And with that, he was out the door.

Feral ran out after him, "What about ME? YOU can't just leave me behind, you just can't...you promised me...YOU said you'd make it work out for both of us"

Saladin -Vore mocked him, "I lied...why would I want to be associated with a smithering fool like you"

Within minutes, Blake's ship blasted off without him, leaving him sitting alone dwelling on how naive he had been - too trusting - that was always his trouble.

Feral bolted back inside urging Blake too get off his backside, "So WHAT are we gonna do now?"

Blake met his gaze and then jumped up to his feet forcing his somber mood to the back of his mind, "Well, I don't know about YOU, but I am not staying here...the transmitter, show me where it is"

Feral laughed at him, like he should know it already, "There is NO transmitter, not anymore...HE destroyed it"

Blake refused to believe he would be stranded on this hostile planet, "there MUST be a way off this world!"

"Death", countered Feral.

Blake looked at him coldly, "for YOU maybe...I on the other hand am a little MORE optimistic...now this ship of his...show me where it is..."

XXX

Six days passed. Feral was on the verge of going completely insane as he dodged the savage creatures that prowled the alien jungle. Blake on the otherhand had found some useful equipment in Saladin-Vore's abandoned spaceship. The professor had been right about it being not space worthy any more, it seemed on closer inspection that the main stardrive had been completely ripped apart not to mention the main booster being drained of power.

Feral managed to out chase another one of the savage creatures when he found Blake at the transmitter site. Blake stood up and looked at him, there was a tool in his hand.

"You've fixed it!", Feral exclaimed looking down to the transmitter beacon.

Blake shook his head and with his hand wiped the sweat off from his browe, "No...I have just modified it with some equipment Saladin-Vore left behind on his ship"

Feral looked up with hope glowing in his eyes, "Then we can call for help?"

Blake shrugged, he wasn't really that confident, "I hope so...the only thing is , it's pretty much a one way transmitter...it's sending out a signal...", he smiled at him, "...lets hope it's to the right people..."