Monday, 14 August 2023

Forever Avon

  









 
 
 
[Exterior of Liberator]
 
[Teleport section]
 
AVON 
If I go alone, can I pilot 
The Liberator indefinitely?
 
ORAC 
With the help of the automatics,
of course you can.
 
AVON 
I know that.
 
ORAC 
Then why did you ask 
The Question?
 
AVON [Smiles]
 I didn't. How long can 
I maintain myself?
 
ORAC 
Is that A Question?
 
AVON 
Yes.
 
ORAC 
We have concentrated food for one 
person for a thousand years.
 
AVON 
And Our Power is 
self-regenerating.
 
ORAC 
Affirmative.
 
AVON 
Can you plot courses to keep out of
the range of any known spaceship 
manned by The Federation?
 
ORAC 
The battle and navigation computers 
can handle that perfectly adequately.
 
AVON 
I asked if YOU could.
 
ORAC 
Of course, should 
it be necessary.
 
AVON 
Failing that, we are powerful enough 
to resist all but an attack by three 
Federation pursuit ships at once.
 
ORAC 
Is that A Question?
 
AVON 
No. If we go now, we can sail The Universe
for as long as we like in reasonable safety,
provided we keep out of everybody's way
and we do not do anything rash.
 
ORAC 
No data available to answer The Question --
if it was A Question.
 
AVON
I put it to you as a possibility :
I request The Odds.
 
ORAC
The odds would be 3.5:1 on Survival.
 
AVON
Therefore I do not need Blake,
I do not need any of the others ...
 
ORAC
Is that A Question?
 
AVON
... I do not need anybody at all.
 
ORAC
Is that A Question?
I -- I --
I must ask you to
be more specific.
 
AVON
Shut up, Orac.
 

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