Avon says that every computer in the known worlds contains Tarial cells. WasSpaceworld a "known world"? Certainly when the System people showed up in"Redemption" the crew had never heard of them.
Ensor is in Zen's data banks. Therefore the System at least knew about Ensorand, presumably, about his Tarial cells. So it is possible that Zen mightcontain such cells or something like them.
However see the following:
"Volcano"
AVON: Zen, there were three major battles in this sector during the galactic war. [He takes off his gun belt and puts it on the couch.] Is that correct? ZEN: That is correct. AVON: Did either side land survivors or damaged ships on the surface of the planet Obsidian? ZEN: Available data suggests that they did not. AVON: That's what I thought. Zen, do you have any information as to any neutral status accorded the planet Obsidian? ZEN: No official neutral status was accorded the planet Obsidian.Zen has information on Obsidian which has been updated since the galacticwar. In this case it appears to be Federation information. This suggeststhat Zen's data banks are not static (see Zen's Data Banks).
So it is possible that the information about Ensor was obtained after Zenwas built and that the System had no idea about Ensor and his work untilthen. It is also possible that the System developed the Tarial cell orsomething equivalent to it independently.
"Orac"
ZEN: Transit complete. Liberator is in stationary orbit within teleport range of the planet Aristo. All circuits are. All circuits are. All circuits are. All circuits are. JENNA: Zen! ZEN: [Zen's voice slows and trails off.] All circuits are. All circuits are. All circuits are. JENNA: [Into intercom.] Blake, quickly! [Blake and Cally enter. Blake fiddles with some controls.] JENNA: I've done all that. [The background lighting turns red.] ORAC: [Through Zen.] You will identify yourselves and state clearly the purpose of your intrusion.Zen has been taken over by Orac. We are told that Orac can interface withall computers containing Tarial cells. Therefore either:
(a) Zen contains Tarial cells or something close enough to them to make nodifference; or
(b) Orac is interfacing with Zen in a way that we don't know about. Maybe acomputer does not need to contain Tarial cells for Orac to control it. Butthat belongs in the Orac discussion....Similarly:
"Redemption"
ALTA 2: [At dome, it gargles] Circuitry disturbances are continuing. An outside influence has been analyzed.ALTA 1: [Normal voice] We will resume the questioning when the disturbance has been rectified. [Rises and walks towards the door]BLAKE: It's nice to know that computers can have their bad days, too.ALTA 1: The System is infallible. [Exits] BLAKE: [Under his breath] Orac!Here Orac is in contact with the System itself. So if Orac needs thepresence of Tarial cells in order to control a computer, then the Systemmust contain such cells or their equivalent. If the System contains thecells then it seems reasonable that Zen would too and vice versa.
"Orac"
ZEN: All circuits are now free of interference and full function is restored. CALLY: What happened? ZEN: Preliminary research indicates that all computer functions were temporarily under external control. JENNA: But that's impossible! ZEN: Logic units concur that it is impossible. BLAKE: But it happened anyway. ZEN: Logic units concur that it happened. Investigation of this paradox is continuing.So even though Zen has access to information about Ensor, he does not knowabout Orac and his control capabilities. Note that the impossibility ofexternal control did not bother Zen in Redemption when the System used thecommand code to access Zen (see below).
More bits where Orac controls Zen
"Redemption"
JENNA: Isn't there anything we can do to hold them off? AVON: No. Not unless we can regain control of the computers. I don't see any way of doing that.BLAKE: Let's try Orac again.JENNA: What good will that do?BLAKE: Maybe he can analyze Zen's programming and eradicate the override.JENNA: And bring Zen back under our instruction.BLAKE: [Inserts the key] Right. You will clear the receptor circuits to receive an emergency program. Confirm when ready. [No response] AVON: Confirm readiness. Come on, come on!JENNA: What's wrong? AVON: You tell me.JENNA: Maybe it's been taken over, too.BLAKE: No, that's not likely. Orac's systems are entirely independent of all the Liberator's.
ORAC: State your program requirements. They will be implemented when capacity is available.BLAKE: We want total analysis of Zen's override system and erasure of that control. Eliminate any links with an external computer. Key the voice systems to respond only to the commands of Avon, myself, and Jenna.The inclusion of the above assumes, of course, that Orac could do it if hewanted to.
"Shadow"
CALLY: Well where is Orac then? He's not in the teleport section; I just came from there. ZEN: In return for the remote activation of the teleport system, Vila conveyed the one called Orac to another part of the Liberator. CALLY: Which part, where? ORAC: Be silent. [Deck and Zen go dark for a moment, lights come back, but Zen does not] CALLY: Orac? Zen? Zen!Orac has taken over Zen, or at least is preventing him from responding to Cally.
"Aftermath"
AVON: Can you give me a direct voice link with the Zen computer? ORAC: Wait. [Several seconds pass] AVON: Come on, Orac, come on! ORAC: Communicators have locked on to your voice-beam channel. Transmission may begin.Orac is controlling Zen's communication channels to get them to lock onto the voice-beam channel.
"Dawn of the Gods"
AVON: Zen, increase the lighting. Zen! Increase the light! ZEN: Delay regretted. All commands now require prior verification. AVON: By what? ORAC: By me. It has been necessary for me to assume control of the ship.ZEN: All energy banks recharged. ORAC: Excellent. Excellent. There is now little point in further communications between us by audio channels. In future we will communicate by direct sensory link. ZEN: Confirmed.
Additional Speculation
Judith ProctorZen had tarial cells.
It's irrelevent whether Ensor's design had reached the System - they couldhave invented them separately.
The fact that Orac could control Zen tells us that tarial cells wereinvolved.
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