+PLASMA BOLTS INBOUND AT VECTOR SIX EIGHT THREE+
Zen’s detached voice filled the flight deck, his measured tone at odds with the urgency of the situation.
+FORCE WALL CANNOT SUSTAIN A DIRECT HIT IN THAT SECTION. RECOMMEND EVASIVE ACTION...+
As a damaged Liberator drifts in the skies above, Blake, Vila and Jenna scope out the planet below. But what they believe to be an abandoned mining facility turns out to be less deserted - and more dangerous - than they could have known.
Meanwhile, the crew members left on board are facing problems of their own. Avon and Gan must work together to outwit Midrey Wraithe, a ruthless Space Commander who is willing to risk everything to get what she wants. And Cally lies unconscious on the flight deck, lost in a vivid dream of an innocent young boy, wandering the wastelands of a desolated planet...
Recorded on: May 2020
Recorded at: recorded remotely
Interview with the author, Niel Bushnell
Tell us about yourself
I’m an author and animator, and I’ve been writing science fiction and fantasy stories for many years. My science fiction series, The Arkship Saga, is an epic space opera which is heavily influenced by shows like Blake’s 7. When I’m not writing I’m animating and I have worked in the film & tv industry for more than twenty years. Recently I’ve been responsible for animating new effects for the Doctor Who Blu-ray range.
Why do you like Blake’s 7?
My love of Blake’s 7 goes all the way back to the original transmission which I saw at the impressionable age of seven. It gripped me from the first episode, and once I saw the Liberator there was no turning back. I’ve been hooked ever since, and I’ve wanted to play in the Blake’s 7 universe for a very long time. I was lucky enough to animate the intros for the DVDs but this is the first time I’ve written for Blake’s 7, so this is a dream come true for me.
Tell us a little bit about Chosen
It’s set between Mission to Destiny and Duel, so it’s early in their adventures. The crew is still getting to know each other when the Liberator is damaged in a flight through an asteroid field. Blake thinks a base might be a good idea, somewhere to conduct repairs and hide from the Federation, and he thinks he’s found the perfect planet. While he, Vila and Jenna teleport down to the surface to explore, the others conduct repairs to the failing ship. Cally accidentally activates a dormant defence system and she finds herself sealed on the flight deck, her mind flooded with images of a teenage boy growing up in a ruined city on an icy planet. As Cally fights her own personal battle for control of her mind, Avon and Gan struggle to save the ship from destruction. And Blake’s hope of finding sanctuary quickly turns into a battle for survival against a horde of killer robots.
What do you think people will enjoy about it?
I’ve really enjoyed pairing up the characters in ways we didn’t always get to see in the series. For example, Gan and Avon must work together to save the ship, and I really enjoyed exploring how Gan sees himself, and what he really thinks of Avon. There’s a raw undercurrent of tension between the two characters, which was a lot of fun to write. I think we also see a new side to Jenna when she takes over from Blake to give the orders. But the heart of the story concerns Cally… and I can’t say much more than that without giving anything away.
