Down and Unsafe #6

Review By Julia Jones

As usual, a very fat digest zine, packed with fiction and the odd bit of non-fiction - one interview, two sets of cartoons and a couple of pieces of poetry. All of the fiction is at least reasonable, and there are a couple of excellent pieces. Dayna fans should note that there's a long story focusing on her, and there's also one that should please Servalan fans.

Payment in Kind - Jean Graham

Tarrant has been abandoned in port by Avon after a quarrel. He can't return to Xenon base in a hired ship without giving away the position of the base - or risking the base defences. Taking up an offer of a piloting job from an old friend is risky, but seems better than sitting around waiting for Avon to relent and collect him. It's a bad decision...

Nice characterisation, and a suitably grim tone for fourth season, even though Tarrant is safely reunited with the crew.

A Few Minutes More - Rebecca Ann Brothers

Brief conversation between Blake and Avon after the end of Countdown.

Corner of the Circle - Leigh Arnold

Vila is reconciled with Avon post-Orbit, courtesy of a treasure hunt and a mysterious old man. Doesn't quite tie in with canon, where Vila is still not happy with Avon by the time of _Blake_, but nicely written.

In Passing - Virginia Turpin

The thoughts of the crew the morning after on Terminal. I personally don't think that Avon was going mad by then, or that Cally had been propping him up, but it's competently written.

Season 1 - the shows - cartoons by Kathy Hanson

There's a fairly good chance you'll find something that *you've* thought when watching an episode once too often to take it seriously. :-)

Soul and Mind - Terri Black

_Weapon_ from the point of View of the clone. Intriguing and well-written.

Means, Motive, Opportunity - Greame Buckley

After the Andromedan War, the new President has time to attend to her non-military Presidential duties - including the Terra Nostra. A novel explanation of Servalan's driving motivation, but it ties into canon very well. Excellent story for Servalan fans. Recommended.

The Froma - Sheila Paulson

Part 4 of the Jabberwocky stories. I haven't read this version, as I prefer to read the edited collection volumes. 32 pages, but the zine has 146 pages of fiction, etc, so it's not too big a chunk if you already have another copy of this story.

Scott Fredericks interview - Kathy Hanson

The creator of the delectable Carnell was interviewed at the Scorpio 4 con in 1986.

Season 1 - Enter Kerr Avon - cartoons by Kathy Hanson

A less than romantic look at our favourite embezzler >grin<.

Art of Persuasion - Jean Graham

One of the scenes we didn't see on screen - just how did Blake persuade Avon to hold the gap against the Andromedans?

The Sounds of Earth - Vanessa Kelly

The crew encounter an ancient space probe, which turns out to be more familiar than they expected. A nice look at how people from a post-Apocalypse culture might react on encountering the recordings of a vanished environment from the NASA space probes.

Debt of Dishonour - Kathy Hanson

Action-adventure focusing on Dayna. Dayna is impatient to try out a new weapon she's designed, and ignores Avon's orders to wait before testing it. The resulting accident leaves Vila recovering from a potentially lethal radiation dose, and a burnt-out component vital to the full functioning of the Star Drive. The quest for a replacement part takes them to a Federation base, where a guilt-stricken Dayna surrenders herself to the base commander in exchange for the part. Only there's a little more to it than that.

Nice to see a story focusing on Dayna, and there's an excellent original character in the form of the base commander. It also provides some backstory for Hal Mellanby and Servalan. Some minor flaws in the execuation, but recommended.

Contents

Editor/publisher: Kathy Hanson (Christchurch, New Zealand)
Date: First edition: July 1987

Fiction:
Jean Graham, "Payment in Kind" (S4; A-Ta)
Rebecca Ann Brothers, "A Few Minutes More" (S2; post-Countdown; A-B dialogue)
Leigh Arnold, "Corner of the Circle" (S4; A-V)
Virginia Turpin, "In Passing" (S4; Rescue; C)
Terri Black, "Soul and Mind" (S2; Weapon; B clone)
Graeme Buckley, "Means, Motive, Opportunity" (S2; Se)
Sheila Paulson, "The Froma" (Jabberwocky #4; alt-S4)
Jean Graham, "Art of Persuasion" (S2; Star One; A-B)
Vanessa Kelly, "The Sounds of Earth" (S1)
Kathy Hanson, "Debt of Dishonor" (S4)

Nonfiction:
Kathy Hanson, "D & U Looks at the 1st Season, Part 1: The Shows" (cartoons)
Kathy Hanson, "Interview: Scott Fredericks"
Kathy Hanson, "D & U Looks at the 1st Season, Part 2: Enter Kerr Avon" (cartoons)
Zine ads
"Meet the Contributors"
Kathy Hanson, "Enditorial"

Poetry:
Virginia Turpin, "No Strings"
Denise Habel, "A Final Reckoning"

Art:
Kathy Hanson front c. B, J
p. 1 hand with clip gun
p. 2 Ta; illo for "Payment"
p. 10 Ta; illo for "Payment"
p. 15 A-Ta; illo for "Payment"
p. 19 A-B
p. 22 V
p. 26 A; illo for "Corner"
p. 31 A; illo for "Corner"
p. 34 illo for "In Passing"
pp. 37-42 "1st Season" cartoons
p. 43 B & clone
p. 49 B-clone, Rashel
p. 53 illo for "Means"
p. 57 Se
p. 60 Jabberwocky
p. 68 illo for "The Froma"
p. 79 A-V; illo for "The Froma"
p. 92 Scott Fredericks
p. 98 illo for "No Strings"
pp. 99-104 "1st Season" cartoons
p. 105 A-B; illo for "Art"
p. 110 A on GP
p. 111 B; illo for "The Sounds"
p. 118 A-D; illo for "Debt"
p. 123 illo for "Debt"
p. 130 illo for "Debt"
back c. Ta


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