Liberator (Blake's 7) - Background

Background

The Liberator was an abandoned spacecraft found drifting near Cygnus Alpha. It was equipped with powerful weapons, force field protection, and a system of "battle computers". The ship was originally built by a race of beings known as "The System". The System referred to the ship as DSV2 ("Deep Space Vehicle 2"), a designation that suggests it was specifically designed for long-range forays outside the territory controlled by The System, and confirming more than one such ship had ever been made. It had at least one sister ship, which was destroyed by Orac in the episode "Redemption" (it is never clarified if the sister ship that Roj Blake encountered was DSV1). In the B7 audio episode "Escape Velocity" it is made clear that DSV2 is only one of a large fleet of similar craft.

The DSV class craft are implied to have been built at great speed (so fast a crew could not be trained and humans with suitable skills had to be kidnapped) to engage in battle with an inter-dimensional, aggressive and encroaching foe that pose a threat The System. This foe is described to be so alien as to barely resemble recognisable spacecraft. In battle, this enemy also appear to be able to match if not better the DSV.

The ship was controlled by an advanced AI computer calling itself Zen, although it is not at the time clear whether this was the computer's official name under The System. It is clarified in "Escape Velocity" that Zen chose this name for itself and "The Liberator" as the name for the ship. During the episode "Redemption" the System's controllers, (referred to as "Altas"), had boarded the ship and also referred to the computer as Zen.

DSV2 first appeared in the series after it was involved in a space battle, (of which no further details were ever given in the TV series), and it is assumed was abandoned by its crew as a result of severe battle damage, especially as it is later shown that temporary abandonment of the ship is sometimes necessary until the auto-repair systems can restore life support after serious damage.

However, in the prequel "Escape Velocity" it is shown that Zen in fact murdered the previous crew in cold blood considering them no more than components and then inadvertently impelled the Pilot to take her own life. These events had a considerable subsequent effect on Zen and lead Zen to rebel against The System and pursue its own goals.

DSV2 was encountered by the Federation prison ship London. The captain of the London decided to try to salvage the ship, but the first few crew members sent in were killed or disabled by DSV2's automated defence systems. At the suggestion of his second-in-command, the London's captain then ordered the prisoners Roj Blake, Kerr Avon, and Jenna Stannis to enter the ship. Perhaps due to Blake having undergone mind-manipulation at the hands of the Federation, he was able to resist the psychosis-inducing defences and the three succeeded in taking control of the ship and making good their escape.

The name Liberator was then applied to the ship by Zen based on a telepathic suggestion by Jenna, although events in "Escape Velocity" make clear Zen had already long named the ship thus, and it may be that Zen in fact telepathically suggested the name to Jenna. Blake proceeded to use Liberator's superior technical abilities in his bid to attack and defeat the Federation until he disappeared during the battle for Star One. Avon then took over command of the Liberator and continued to harass the Federation until Liberator was destroyed after passing through a cloud of corrosive micro-organisms in the third season final episode "Terminal".