The neutrotope
Igin was killed by a neutron strike on Helotrix, and reference to "launchers 3 and 17, 50 metre bracket pattern" indicate a form of missile.
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Described as an "energy refractor" and taken to Destiny in the care of Dr
Kendall. The neutrotope was to be placed in orbit around the planet where it
could add new wavelengths to the sun's emissions, thus destroying the
fast-growing fungus sweeping across the planet. Kendall showed Blake the
neutrotope and later entrusted it to his care, but in between it was stolen
by Sara. It was recovered in due course and taken aboard the
Liberator to complete its journey to Destiny, presumably arriving
intact.
| The neutrotope |
 The box carrying the neutrotope |
The neutrotope consisted of three cylinders about 30cm long, a small device
for such a grandiose purpose, and so might have been a vital component of
something larger. The neutrotope was probably similiar to the plutonium and uranium used in modern nuclear warheads. That would explain why it was so rare and expensive. Its source was not specified, nor its price, but was highly valued: Kendall said that buying it had bankrupted his people's economy and mortgaged their future. It was not the only neutrotope known to exist, but there were very few others. Kendall called them "the most valuable objects in the galaxy", with plenty of ready buyers. |
Blake told Gan, on arriving at the rendezvous point on Earth, that all churches were destroyed by the Federation at the beginning of the New Calendar. No specific time period was given. Fan lore places the series in the third century of the New Calendar.
See FEDERATION.
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In Star One, the battle cruiser Newton reported its position as
one hour and seven minutes from the Andromedan fleet. It seems reasonable to
assume that this ship was named after Sir Isaac. Newton's laws of motions
were cited in a discussion between Avon and Tarrant in Dawn of the
Gods. The scientist, mathematician and astronomer Sir Isaac Newton was born in 1642 and died in 1727. |  |
The wife of Gunn-Sar on Xenon. Formerly a Seska, described by Pella as "a great Seska", seen on Xenon base's chronicle discs by Dayna and Tarrant relating the events of Maravik's last attack twenty years previously and presumably operated on by one of her predecessors, since at the time of Avon's arrival she was performing the necessary surgery on captured Seska herself. She removed the dynamon crystal and collar from Luxia, last of the Seska to be operated on in this way. She also let Kate escape from the Hommik stronghold. She told Gunn-Sar she remembered Pella being born. Despite his treatment of her, she mourned his death, and vowed to lead the Hommiks far away to a new home.
Forbus had fitted the pylene-50 production plant on Helotrix with 700 kilograms of "triglyceryl nitrate", which Dayna described as "a bit outdated". Nitroglycerin, it transpired, was all he could make with his limited resources. Detonation was from a hand-held trigger, but Sleer killed him before he could press it.
Inhabitant of Keezarn, and apparently the only figure of authority there. It was Norl who enticed Bayban into trying to open the vault door with the cryptic message that the vault contained "this world and the next". He later persuaded Bayban to secure Vila's services, although negotiation with Tarrant was apparently handled through Norl. He later described Vila as "a clever man, and brave", and granted Vila and Kerril permission to join his people on their new home. He was last seen stepping through the vault door with Kerril.
Norl was fluent in Terran, strange since the computer on the Keezarn ship apparently had to translate the recorded message into Terran for Vila and Kerril's benefit. The voice on this recording was identical to Norl's.
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A slave of the Altas on Space World, who was rescued by Blake when he
collapsed at work. Norm-1 was later involved in the announced revolt of
slave group 7, and hid Blake in a forgotten service shaft. He killed or
destroyed Alta-2, but was later shot in the back aiding Blake's crew in their
escape.
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| A prisoner on the London, convicted of unspecified crimes. He was eager to help Blake in taking over the ship, but was suffocated by sealing gel after the ship was holed as he worked his way through the service tunnels. |  |
| A passenger liner, destroyed by collision with an unmanned ore carrier when computer flight co-ordination from Star One was sabotaged. The crew and 4,000 passengers were killed instantly, and more casualties followed when the ship's neutron drive unit came down on Keldon City. The incident was reported to Servalan by Durkim. |  |