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This article researched/written by Erica (erica@netcon.net.au)
Zen is able to receive and send signals from and to Federation ships,planets etc. He can run all transmissions through the translator units sothey are intelligible, both to him and to the crew.
Examples:
AVON: Oh, wait a minute. There is something we could do. We could take out the program in the autonavigational unit, link it into our own computers and take a reading on planet of origin, the course and the destination.
BLAKE: How are you getting on with that? AVON: I'm still waiting for the decoders to work out the notational system. It's taking rather longer than I thought.
ZEN: Olag Gan. Basic decoding of projectile's autolog is now complete...
ZEN: Navigation computers are receiving interrogation signal from Space City traffic approach control. BLAKE: It's about time. Request standoff position. Cally, stand by on the teleport. Jenna, get on the communicator and see if you can contact your friend Largo. Gan, Avon, get ready as well. ZEN: Vector coordinates received and laid in. BLAKE: Execute.
AVON: Zen, are you still receiving the signal? ZEN: Confirmed. AVON: Is it genuine? ZEN: Full-range analyses confirm the signal is from the original message source. AVON: Can you trace that source? ZEN: The signal is being redirected and boosted through a communications satellite. Trace to origin is not possible. Identifying call sign has ended. Message transmission has begun. AVON: Put it on audio. No, hold that. [Glances over shoulder] Give me direct visual readout at my flight console. ZEN: Confirmed. AVON: [He reads unintelligible gibberish.] Is that all? ZEN: Transmission has ceased. AVON: Use the frequency listed. Acknowledge receipt of message and advise I will cooperate. ZEN: Confirmed. AVON: Have you got the new locations? ZEN: Confirmed. AVON: Program the navigation computers. Get us started. ZEN: Confirmed.
It appears also that Zen can scan the bandwidth for transmissions andintercept.
Examples:
[Incoming message in coded beeps] BLAKE: Zen, what was that, permission to land? ZEN: Affirmative.
ZEN: Atlay shuttle docked at conference center. CALLY: Activate scanners to intercept local transmissions. ZEN: Activated.
ZEN: Distress signal from Auron. CALLY: Details. ZEN: Signal faint and intermittent. CALLY: Come on, come on. ZEN: Requesting urgent help. Requesting medical facilities.
AVON: So that all communication between Federation units is sent by hyperspace sub-beam, that originates here and here. [indicates areas on device] All messages are converted into zeta three particles and then scrambled. [Blake enters in background.] They in their turn become an unbreakable code. BLAKE: Unbreakable unless you have one of those. AVON: As soon as I get this linked into our communications setup, we should be able to read every message that the Federation puts out.
The cipher machine is an important addition to the Liberator's systems butit is a code-breaker and nothing more; Zen is still required to use his owncommunications capabilites to intercept Federation transmissions.
ZEN: The freighter is on course for the only habitable planet in Zone Nine.BLAKE: Which is? ZEN: Code-named Horizon.BLAKE: "Horizon"? AVON: Code-named by whom? ZEN: Data was obtained via Federation cipher. Data also suggests that it is visited annually by a Federation supply freighter.
Presumably this means that Zen got the information through the stolen ciphermachine before the Federation changed their codes. Or maybe:
AVON: Zen, what was that? ZEN: A message from the Federation freighter on the planet Horizon.AVON: What did it say -- decode. ZEN: It is in Federation code nine...
How does Zen know the Federation codes? Almost certainly the Federationwould have changed their codes by now; this is long after the cipher machinewas stolen. Unless there exist a set of codes which are standard and usedall the time and everyone knows them; they are not used for the purpose ofsecrecy but just to encode the message so it can be sent.