"This morning, Tinker thought he had the biggest broadcasting coup of all time when we appeared, now we're under guard and kept out of the way. We're not exactly making the ratings whilst out of view"

"That would seem to be true..." Maddox pondered.

"How about this...we're already a ratings hit and we suspect Tinker of ordering the murder of the star of a top rated show. That would make us a prime target for another network...we need to get a message to one of them. Or maybe, the other networks are on their way to get us?"

"Surely you're not suggesting we just sit around down here and hope another company will see fit to break us out?" DeCoursey asked the doctor.

"I don't know..." the captain was thinking back a bit, "but remember what Tinker said just before the guards brought us down here? He said his audience wanted to see more of us. I wonder what that means?"

Maddox went to the bars of the cell and looked down the corridor toward the main entrance where the guard was stationed.


"I have an idea that might just get us out of here now gentlemen." Maddox smiled, "Follow my lead doctor."

The captain went over to the bunk and laid down, then, curling up into the fetal position, he began to moan loudly as he clutched at his stomach...

"Ugh, my stomach hurts, something's wrong..." he said with a wink to DeCoursey and Chadwick.

----------------

"Do you really think I could be a star?" Leah said smiling. "I mean, what girl doesn't dream of being a big famous star? Can you make that happen for me?"

"Oh very good sweetheart." Tinker laughed and gave a little clap, "That's quite a performance..."

The network president moved over to the table where the landing party's gear had been laid out after it had been confiscated. He looked the communicator over with interest, turning it over and over in his hand.

"I don't believe for one instant that you would turn on your own people so quickly." he thumbed a switch on his desktop console and the screens behind him changed to a series of various views of the cells. She could plainly see Maddox and the others in their cell.

He finally looked back up at Ashby, "I'm going to make you a star my dear, even if it kills you."

Starlet

Leah resited the urge to frown. She knew this guy was infatuated with her, probably for a million reasons, and she knew she would have to use that to her advantage. She didn't know how yet.

Think Leah think her inner voice repeated.

What she really wanted to do was yell at this guy. How could he claim they weren't prisoners when he had them trapped down here? And why? For ratings? It all seemed unbelivably absurd to Leah. How could he act as if he was civilized when he acted like this?

But no, Leah had to remain in control of herself and her emotions. She was the key to the freedom of the three men. She had to accept that responsibility and make sure they were safe. Then Leah came up with an idea.

"Do you really think I could be a star?" Leah said smiling. "I mean, what girl doesn't dream of being a big famous star? Can you make that happen for me?"

Let the mountain come...

Chadwick was leaning against the cell wall, deep in thought. He started to speak, to form an idea out of the random thoughts that were criss crossing his mind.

"The governments of this world function as entertainment networks and nations. Tinker's got rivals, rivals that would want to see his network dethroned as #1..."

He noticed that the others were looking at him, trying to see where he was going with this.

"...This morning, Tinker thought he had the biggest broadcasting coup of all time when we appeared, now we're under guard and kept out of the way. We're not exactly making the ratings whilst out of view"

He stood upright and began to pace the cell.

"How about this...we're already a ratings hit and we suspect Tinker of ordering the murder of the star of a top rated show. That would make us a prime target for another network...we need to get a message to one of them. Or maybe, the other networks are on their way to get us?"

Tools?

"We're going to need some tools: Even basic ones such as screwdrivers or soldering lasers...irons if they don't have them here. Someone's going to have to scrounge for some... someone with considerably better 'charm' skills"

"Hmmm," Maddox looked around the cell, "okay so, that seems out of the question. So our next option... really our only option as I see it seems to be to escape."

"But to where?" DeCoursey asked, fiddling with the television remote.

"Well, if we can get back up to Tinker's office, that's where the guards left all our equipment. We have to, at the very least, get access to our communicators again so we can contact the Endurance."

"We'll need a plan gentlemen," Maddox's mouth twisted into a mischievous grin, "any suggestions?"

Dammit, Sam...

Chadwick took a deep breath and said "Well, we're doctors, not engineers but.......let's see what we can do"

It wasn't that long ago that DeCoursey and Chadwick rewired an old Victorian style telegraph system to contact the Endurance...this television was more advanced but they still lacked something.

"We're going to need some tools: Even basic ones such as screwdrivers or soldering lasers...irons if they don't have them here. Someone's going to have to scrounge for some....someone with considerably better 'charm' skills"

Chadwick looked to DeCoursey but also thought that Leah would be ideal as she was everyone's favourite on this planet.

MEANWHILE IN ORBIT:

Sorry for the great pause in the episode everyone. I am completely to blame.

My heavy reenacting season kicked in, which is typically September to November or even as late as December... then the holidays. Seems like I just couldn't keep every plate spinning! :)

Hope you all are doing well and have had a great holiday season. For a look at what I've been up to in the (quasi) real world... skip on over to my OTHER blog:

TEMPUS FUGIT

"Still no answer Mr. Bryant." the red headed communications officer turned from her shiny black console, hand poised on her earpiece. She removed it briefly to speak with the new engineer who was seated in Captain Maddox's chair.

"I've been monitoring broadcast communications on the planet," she continued, "but our proximity to their satellites is causing interference. From what I can make out from their news broadcasts, I think the party's been taken prisoner."

"That would explain why they missed the last check-in." Bryant frowned.

"What can we do Mr. Bryant?" she asked.

"Keep trying Lieutenant." he swiveled in the big-chair to face the kid at the science station, "Make yourself useful and see if you can get a fix on them will you?"

"Aye sir!" the interim science officer in the yellow jersey turned and got to work.

--------------

On Viden II:

Maddox had been so engrossed for the past few moments, he hadn't heard much of what his fellow officers were saying to him. The cell was sparse, but they had been given one of the television sets that seemed so key to everything on the planet. He sat on the bunk and flipped through the channels via the small, handheld control unit.

"You've got to see this," click, "they've got," click, "a million channels on this thing." click.

Such a wide range of 'entertainments' available, it made him wonder how the people of this world got anything real accomplished. He finally turned it off and tossed the remote down beside him.

Chadwick stopped searching the room and stood up, deep in thought. "He's playing for time...but what for?"

"I'm not sure..." Maddox mused, "we've been little more than a source of entertainment for them so far, perhaps that's Tinker's angle?"

He turned his attention back to the television set.

"DeCoursey, Chadwick, do you think we might be able to rewire these sets to contact the ship?"