Roj Blake is summoned by an old friend to an illegal meeting outside of a city dome on Earth. The meeting is held by a ragtag band of citizens plotting the downfall of the Administration, the arm of the Terran Federation that governs Earth. At that meeting, Blake is told that he has been brainwashed and has been unwittingly drugged ever since five years ago, when he had been the leader of the anti-Administration group and was captured, put up to trial, and forced to confess. Federation guards arrive at the meeting and massacre everyone there except for Blake and a man called Dev Tarrant. Blake slips out and returns to the city under cover of darkness, and, upon entry, is arrested by more guards. Corrupt members of the Administration’s “justice” department decide to use mental-implantation techniques to brainwash three children and put false memories in their mind. The next day, Blake meets his attorney for the first time and discovers that his charges deal not with leaving the city or attending the meeting, but with child molestation. At his trial, Blake is hopelessly defeated with no chance for appeal and is sentenced to spend the rest of his life on the Federation penal colony, Cygnus Alpha. In a holding cell, Blake meets Jenna Stannis and Vila Restal and awaits further word from his attorney. When Blake tells his attorney of the meeting and the Federation slaughter, Varon and his wife leave the city themselves to check on it. They are about to return to the city with enough evidence to topple the Administration, but as Blake’s ship to Cygnus Alpha departs with him on board, defense attorney Varon, along with his wife and his evidence of the massacre Blake witnesses, are destroyed by Federation troops under special agent Dev Tarrant.
written by Terry Nation
directed by Michael E. Briant
music by Dudley SimpsonCast: Gareth Thomas (Blake), Sally Knyvette (Jenna), Michael Keating (Vila), Robert Beatty (Bran Foster), Jeremy Wilkin (Tarrant), Michael Halsey (Varon), Pippa Steel (Maja), Gillian Bailey (Ravella), Alan Butler (Richie), Margaret John (Arbiter), Peter Williams (Dr. Havant), Susan Field (Alta Morag), Rodney Figaro (Court), Nigel Lambert (Computer Operator), Garry McDermott (Guard)
LogBook entry by Earl Green