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This article researched/written by Jessica Leenstra (hawkeye@saturn.apana.org.au).
SERVALAN: Very well, Councillor Bercol. You may tell the President that I am appointing a Space Commander to take absolute control of this matter. He will be exclusively concerned to seek, locate, and destroy Blake. BERCOL: Oh, excellent, excellent. RONTANE: May we know the officer's name?SERVALAN: Yes, you may. Space Commander Travis. RONTANE: I understood that Travis had been suspended from duty pending an inquiry into the massacre of the civilians on the planet Auros.SERVALAN: And I have satisfied myself that Travis acted correctly in this matter. The civilian deaths on Auros were unavoidable. BERCOL: Uh, there are other incidents on his record, um, unfortunate incidents. RONTANE: He has caused the Administration some political embarrassment in the past. In dealing with even minor insurrections, he has been, ah ... overzealous?SERVALAN: Oh, don't be afraid of the word, Secretary. Ruthless. Committed. He does his duty as he sees it, and he sees it clearly. He has no time for the dirty gray areas of your politics. RONTANE: [chuckle] I'm sure you're right, and of course the appointment is made on your judgement and your responsibility.
RAI: Senior echelon officers all know that Travis is coming.SERVALAN: But I've made no secret of it. RAI: Is it wise? They know that he has been stripped of his rank and authority. That he has no status now and that he stands a good chance of being dismissed the service.SERVALAN: Rai, [touches his hair] Space Commander Travis is the subject of a military inquiry. He was ordered to suppress an attack on Auros. RAI: The man is a butcher. He continued with his attack after the total surrender. The death toll was horrifying.SERVALAN: [stands up and returns to stand behind her desk, Rai follows her and stands in front of it] Travis is an advocate of total war. He carries out his orders with meticulous thoroughness. An enemy does not cease to be an enemy simply because it has surrendered. RAI: That's the philosophy of an assassin, not a Federation officer. [pause] I must tell you that there are those among your officers who will not serve with Travis or take orders from him.SERVALAN: And you may tell them --- whoever they are --- that Space Commander Travis's rank and authority have been fully restored by my order. I have also appointed him Senior Executive Officer of this station. Is that clear? RAI: Yes, Supreme Commander.SERVALAN: Let them know, too, that any lack of cooperation, any hesitation in responding to an order, will be treated as mutiny. Let them know I have said this. Dismissed.
AVON: Space Commander Travis. BLAKE: Travis! JENNA: Do you know him? BLAKE: I thought he was dead. I was sure I'd killed him.
TRAVIS: What about my crew?SERVALAN: Already assigned. Why mutoids particularly? TRAVIS: Why mutoids? I've always thought that individuals with a high bionic rebuild were more reliable, less likely to let emotion interfere with judgement or duty. I give a mutoid priority over a man every time. [Points to his left hand] Or perhaps it's this that gives me a fellow feeling.SERVALAN: Does it still trouble you? TRAVIS: Well, not in the way you mean. The surgical mechanics did a perfect refit. I had the Weaponry Division make a few ... adaptations. They built in a laseron destroyer, more powerful than any sidearm. No, the hand is fine, better than the original. It only troubles me because it's a constant reminder that the man who caused it, is still alive.SERVALAN: Blake. That's why I choose you. TRAVIS: Oh?SERVALAN: I've read all the reports, of course. But none of them said what happened. None of them explained about your face. TRAVIS: What about my face?SERVALAN: It was patched up by a field medic. TRAVIS: Man saved my life.SERVALAN: But why did you never let the surgeons finish the job? TRAVIS: [Chuckles] What are you suggesting, cosmetic surgery? I'm a field officer, not one of your decorative staff men.SERVALAN: You're certainly not decorative. TRAVIS: You find it repulsive?SERVALAN: I find it ... unpleasing. TRAVIS: But memorable. You wouldn't mistake me for anyone else.SERVALAN: Hardly. TRAVIS: Mm. Neither will Blake. Even after all this time, he'll know me, and remember what happened at our first meeting.SERVALAN: Tell me. TRAVIS: It was quite early on. Blake had only been involved with the dissidents for a short while, but he already had a following. He organized some attacks against some of our political rehabilitation centers. Released some of the prisoners who were having indoctrination treatment. I was assigned to deal with the matter. We got information that Blake was planning another raid. We knew the location of the meeting point. I made my plans well in advance.
[Flight deck. The crew are all sitting on couches in the pit. Vila andJenna are holding cups, more are on the table. Jenna sips from her cup atone point during Blake's story.] BLAKE: The group had arranged to meet in a sub-basement. There were about thirty of us. I was very particular about security. I had our people watch the entrances and exits for a full twenty-four hours before we were supposed to meet. No Federation forces came anywhere near the place. I was absolutely sure that we were safe. That night we were assembled and about to begin, and Travis and his men suddenly appeared from nowhere. AVON: Didn't you post any guards? BLAKE: Of course I did. Travis was already there. He'd been hiding in that basement for more than two days. We made no attempt to resist arrest. There was no point, we had no chance. I said to Travis, "We will offer no resistance." And he just stared at me. And then he ordered his men to open fire. Everybody was diving for cover that wasn't there. I, I ran, I found myself grappling with a guard, and I managed to get his gun away from him, and then I was hit in the leg. But as I went down, I saw Travis. And I fired. I saw him fall. I was sure I'd killed him. JENNA: What happened then? BLAKE: Oh, they did a memory erase on me, set up a show trial, had me confess, made me explain that I had been misled, that my political ideas were mistaken. Enough people believed me. The whole resistance movement collapsed. After that the Federation kept me around as a, a reformed character, a sort of ideal model citizen exhibit. Of course, I didn't know that at the time. No, it's only since almost exactly the same thing has happened again that the memory erase has begun to fade and I can remember. AVON: Do you remember enough to recognize Travis again? BLAKE: The man who killed twenty of my friends? Oh, yes. I'll recognize him.
JENNA: Who do you suppose he's got with him? BLAKE: I don't know, his pilot maybe. Must present our hosts with something of a problem. How do you demonstrate the death of a friend to a man who hasn't got any?
TRAVIS: Tell me something, do you remember who you were? MUTOID: I don't understand the question, Commander. TRAVIS: Yes you do - in your previous life before you were modified. Do you know who you were? MUTOID: Of course not. TRAVIS: Aren't you curious about it? MUTOID: No. TRAVIS: I find that hard to believe. MUTOID: Memory is an encumbrance. All trace of it is removed and with it all trace of identity. TRAVIS: And it doesn't concern you? MUTOID: Why should it? That identity doesn't exist, even in the central computers. TRAVIS: Yes it does. I know who you were. Your name was Keyeira, Keyeira. MUTOID: Keyeira. TRAVIS: You were very beautiful, very much admired. Shall I go on? MUTOID: As you wish. TRAVIS: [Obviously disappointed] This doesn't interest you at all, does it? MUTOID: How could it?
SERVALAN: I think you should know that there's been considerable criticism of your handling of the Blake affair. TRAVIS: What? SERVALAN: Well, so far your operation has been very costly and there have been no worthwhile results. TRAVIS: That's not entirely just. There have been two occasions where I could have destroyed Blake. It was only the Administration's insistence that the Liberator be captured undamaged that stopped me. SERVALAN: I have made that point in your defence but I can't go on making excuses. I've been under considerable pressure to replace you.
[Travis edges forwards and manages to catch the phial when the robot drops it.] SERVALAN: [To Travis] Project Avalon has failed totally. There will be a full inquiry. Until that time you are relieved of your command.
CALLY: Who was he? BLAKE: His name was Maryatt. According to his ID he was a Space Surgeon in the Federation Medical Corps. [Surprised.] He's got a double-A security clearance! He's got a pass for any area in Space Command! CALLY: He must have been very important. Anything else?
SERVALAN: I ignored you. A calculated insult. You obviously recognized it as such. TRAVIS: I did.SERVALAN: And yet you remained silent. There was a time when you wouldn't have taken an insult like that from anyone. Not even me. TRAVIS: True. I want my command back. To get it I'll do whatever's necessary. If you think my silence is weakness, you mistake me.SERVALAN: Better. I was afraid that the suspension and the court of inquiry into your mishandling of the Blake affair might have broken your spirit. TRAVIS: I don't break that easily.SERVALAN: You were expected to resign the service. Why didn't you? TRAVIS: I've told you, I want my command back. It's the only way I can catch --SERVALAN: You really are obsessed with Blake, aren't you?
TRAVIS: You said Maryatt was on board.SERVALAN: Yes, that was unfortunate, but unavoidable, I'm afraid. Oh, don't you see? Orac is ours for the taking. TRAVIS: When do we leave?SERVALAN: Start making arrangements, maximum security. No flight plan is to be filed. When we do leave it must be in total secrecy. However long it takes, Travis, you must cover our tracks completely. No one must know anything about it. TRAVIS: Right. [Starts to leave, then pauses.] You're almost as ruthless as I am.SERVALAN: You underestimate me, Travis. TRAVIS: It begins to look that way. [Pauses]SERVALAN: What's the matter? TRAVIS: Maryatt.SERVALAN: What about him? TRAVIS: His disappearance -- there may be questions.SERVALAN: In twelve hours I shall have him posted as a deserter. TRAVIS: And his family go into slavery on one of the frontier worlds.SERVALAN: It is the normal procedure in a case of desertion. TRAVIS: Of course. Do you remember the medic that saved my life?[Touches his eye patch.]SERVALAN: You're wasting time. TRAVIS: It was Maryatt.
"Weapon"
CARNELL: Welcome back, Supreme Commander. I apologize for not being here in person to greet you, but I think you'll appreciate my reasons. I overlooked the girl. Well, no, to be fair to myself, your people overlooked her. I know she was only a bond slave, but they should have realized she was gone rather sooner than they did. I might have adapted the strategy. Ah well, even a genius can make mistakes. Look at it this way, Supreme Commander, you haven't lost anything. Whereas I, well, I've lost my career, my position, the respect of my peers. Come to think of it, I haven't lost much, either. On the subject of losers, be careful of Travis. The catharsis he got by killing that first clone will have worn off by now. He's as mad as ever he was. But then aren't we all? One last thing, Supreme Commander. I must tell you this. You are undoubtedly the sexiest officer I have ever known. Goodbye, Servalan.
TRAVIS: You could spare yourself a lot of pain. KASABI: No doubt. TRAVIS: You are a very intelligent woman. KASABI: Don't tell me you're squeamish, Space Commander? TRAVIS: Not in the least. KASABI: Your reputation suggests that you enjoy your work.
TRAVIS: They'll dig us out eventually.SERVALAN: Oh, yes. They'll dig us out eventually. And then I'll bury you.
TRAVIS: I report for judgment, sir. SAMOR: Identify yourself. TRAVIS: Travis, Space Commander. Alpha one five one zero five. SAMOR: So recognized. You may stand at ease. [Travis does so.] Do you accept the authority of the Arbiter, the balance of the judgment program, and the competence of the defending officer? TRAVIS: [Pause] I do. SAMOR: Specify the inditement.COMPUTER: Space Commander Travis, you are charged under Section Three of the War Crimes Statute Code, Jenkin One, with the murder of one thousand four hundred and seventeen unarmed civilians on the planet Serkasta, Date Code Beta two zero zero one. SAMOR: How do you answer the charge? TRAVIS: I am not guilty.
BERCOL: Playing for time? RONTANE: And playing for Servalan. The computer will find Travis guilty, there's no doubt of that, but those three are responsible for the sentence. BERCOL: So? RONTANE: So, uh, after hearing all the blood-spattered details-- BERCOL: --they'll vote for the maximum penalty. SAMOR: Motion sustained. Victims names and causes of death will be specified. BERCOL: [Still privately to Rontane] Do you think that Travis knows what she's doing to him? RONTANE: A psychotic like Travis? Who can tell what he's thinking?
RONTANE: Servalan. BERCOL: Oh. RONTANE: We know that she's sending Travis to his death in order to keep his mouth shut, but she is doing it with such an impeccably honest and painstaking tribunal that her real motives can't even be hinted at. BERCOL: Has, um, a date been set for the Blake inquiry? RONTANE: Does it matter? Without Travis' evidence the mishandling of the Blake affair becomes a matter of conjecture. The inquiry becomes a formality. BERCOL: A Presidential stay of execution so that Travis can give evidence? After this, he should be more than willing. RONTANE: After this he'll be a convicted mass murderer.
SERVALAN: Three years ago, he committed a capital crime. Justice has finally caught up with him. How would you expect him to behave? THANIA: I wouldn't expect him to sit staring straight ahead, not moving, not reacting.
TRAVIS: Who is it? PAR: Do you remember me, sir? TRAVIS: Par. [Par enters.] What are you doing here, Trooper?
THANIA: Did you give it to him? PAR: Yes, Major. THANIA: I appreciate it. PAR: With respect, Major, I didn't do it for you. THANIA: You served a full tour with Space Commander Travis, didn't you? PAR: Five years. He was hard. THANIA: But fair. PAR: No, not often, anyway. But you could always rely on him not to get you killed unnecessarily. He never wasted troopers. THANIA: Oh, that's something, I suppose. PAR: Major, when you're up to your neck in slime and lasers, that's everything. THANIA: All right, Par. PAR: Major. [Starts to walk away.] THANIA: Trooper Par? Do you think he's guilty? PAR: No doubt about it, Major. He gave the order. We just did the shooting.
TRAVIS: A field officer, like myself, is frequently required to make fast, unconsidered decisions. You were all field officers, you know that's true. Time to think is a luxury battle seldom affords you. You react instinctively. Your actions, your decisions, all instinct, nothing more. But, an officer's instincts are the product of his training. The more thorough the training, the more predictable the instinct, the better the officer. And I am a good officer. I have been in the service all my adult life. I'm totally dedicated to my duty and highly trained in how to perform it. On Serkasta I, I reacted as I was trained to react. I was an instrument of the service. So if I'm guilty of murder, of mass murder, then so are all of you!
COMPUTER: Judgment program one oblique three. Conclusion: Space Commander Travis, you are guilty as charged. SAMOR: The tribunal will retire to consider sentence.
SAMOR: Space Commander, we have considered your sentence at some length. Your contention that what happened on Serkasta was a direct result of your training concerned us greatly. We accept that you are trained to kill. As are we all. What we cannot accept is that this training leads inevitably to the murder of innocents. Your behavior was not that of a Federation officer, but rather that of a savage, unthinking, animal.
We cannot find it in our hearts to absolve you in any way of the responsibility for these murders. The sentence of this tribunal is, therefore, that you should be stripped of all rank and privileges, that you be dishonorably dismissed the service, and that you then be executed for the common criminal you have shown yourself to be. Have you anything to say?
Space Commander Travis (Alpha 15105) [Alpha means Alpha grade??] is a highly trained career officer who has been with space command all his adult life. His name seemed to be well known within Space Command at least, being immediately recognised by Rai, Kesabi and Rontane. Travis carved himself out a reputation for ruthlessness in dealing with minor insurrections and had caused the Administration political embarrassment.
We know about three massacres that Travis was involved in. The first, over four years before the series began, was the one in which Travis met Blake. Travis ambushed Blake's resistance group and killed 20 of Blake's friends. In turn he was shot by Blake, damaging his hand and left eye. His life was saved by a field medic, Maryatt. Later Maryatt became a Space Surgeon in the Federation Medical Corps with a double-A security clearance pass for any area in Space Command. Travis had his eye crudely patching and eye. He had a laseron destroyer installed in his false hand. Maryatt was murdered by Servalan as part of her plot to gain Orac and his wife and two children sold into slavery.
The second was the murder of 1, 417 unarmed civilians on the planet Serkasta. Amongst the troopers under Travis' command on Serkasta was Par, who was later a guard at his trial. Par served under Travis for five years and had himself participated in the massacre. Despite Par being only a trooper and Travis being a field officer, Travis immediately recognised Par and remembered his name. Travis was capable of cultivating some kind of loyalty in his men, despite being unlikeable by not wasting their lives. Travis was brought to trial for this massacre three years later.
The third was on the planet Auros. Travis continued with his attack after the total surrender. Civilians were massacred. In the aftermath of this incident, Travis was the subject of a military inquiry and stripped of his rank and authority. Many people expected him to be dismissed the service but his rank and authority was reinstated by Servalan and he was appointed Senior Executive Officer of Space Command's Headquarters station. His mission was to hunt down Blake and capture the Liberator.
Councillor Bercol noted that there had been other unfortunate incidents.
Strangely, Blake was unaware of any of these incidents, still believing Travis dead.
Travis' career continued to be patchy. Following the failure of Project Avalon, Travis was relieved of his command, suspended and there was a full court of inquiry into his conduct of the Blake affair. [Note that a military inquiry would have reported to Servalan.] There is no record of this suspension being lifted [but it probably was]. After the affair at Control, Travis was put on trial by Servalan for the massacre on Serkasta in order to prevent him from testifying against her at an official inquiry into the Blake Affair. Travis was rescued by (of all people) Blake, his instincts enably him to survive Blake's attack on Space Command Headquarters. Travis became an outlaw, but still continued working for Servalan.
Ultimately, he obtained the location of Star One and betrayed the Federation to yucky aliens.
Travis was friends with Keyeira, before she was modified into a mutoid. Travis also befriended Docholli, becoming his bodyguard.
Travis' mental state was subject to comment by Councillor Bercol, who described him as a psycotic, and by Carnell, who considered him mad.
Travis had great courage, as evidence by his catching the virus bomb in "Project Avalon, " his quick witted escape to freedom during his trial and his rescue of people trapped by the explosion on the Bari.
Par's line from "Trial, " "No doubt about it, Major. He gave the order. Wejust did the shooting, " is one of the most chilling lines I can think of, because Par's casual denial of personal responsibility gives me a harrowingidea of what your average Fed citizen has been taught about authority.
It also occurred to me that since Par served with Travis for five years, he may well have been involved in the massacre of Blake's group as well.
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If you know of a piece of information we have overlooked, please let me know so I can include it in future updates.
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