An unusually vivid nightmare gives Avon a horrifying preview of Servalan’s latest scheme. Using a jewel of alien origin, she can inflict her will upon others in a very limited fashion. A sudden escape from a Federation interceptor leaves Scorpio’s newly-installed stardrive drained. Since the stardrive’s advanced power cells can only be procured from a Federation installation, Avon decides to strike Servalan’s current hiding place, the planet Feron, where she is researching the origins and potential power of her new weapon. Avon and Vila eavesdrop in hiding as a scientist reveals the crystal’s secrets (and then condemns himself to a premature death by admitting that he knows that Servalan isn’t “Commissioner Sleer”). From that moment, the race is on to find a jeweled diadem whose telekinetic and telepathic properties would give its wearer more than enough power to topple the Federation. But when Avon learns that an even more powerful crown, of which the diadem is only a part, could give him the ability to rule the entire galaxy… why stop with just the Federation?
written by Barry Letts
directed by Brian Lighthill
music by Jeff MearnsCast: Paul Darrow (Avon), Jacqueline Pearce (Servalan), Michael Keating (Vila), Steven Pacey (Tarrant), Angela Bruce (Dayna), Paula Wilcox (Soolin), Peter Tuddenham (Orac / Slave), Pip Donaghy (King Gheblakon), Janet Dale (Jelka), Christian Rodska (Dr. Kapple), Simon Carter, Kim Durham, Cornelius Garrett, Susan Jeffrey, Katherine Mount, Graham Padden (Vledka), Rob Swinton
Original BBC Radio 4 broadcast: January 19, 1998
Timeline: this story takes place between the fourth season episodes Stardrive and Animals.