Sevencyclopaedia - M

M16 ASSAULT RIFLE

(A-9: PROJECT AVALON

Chevner carried a weapon of this type or very similar, and killed at least four troopers with it in the escape from the detention block.

The M16 is a 5.56mm weapon developed from the AR-15 assault rifle designed in 1959. Over 4 million have been manufactured, and it remains the standard NATO sidearm. Relatively light, weighing only 3.64 Kg, it has a muzzle velocity of 1,000m/s and a fire rate of 800 rpm.

MACHETES

(A-8: DUEL) by Murray Smith

Broad, heavy knives or cutlasses, originating in the Central American and Caribbean regions of Earth, used both as tools and weapons. Blake and Travis were given one each by Sinofar and Giroc in Duel, to assist them in their duel against each other.

MAGDALEN ALPHA

(A-12: DELIVERANCE) by Murray Smith

A star system unmentioned in any Old Calendar record, the destination in five hundred Earth years of the rocket Avon launched from Cephlon in Deliverance. The only information given about the system was the report that four of its planets had compatible biospheres for the survival of the new community of people that would be produced by the rocket's fertility cells.

The system, or perhaps the constellation of which it was part, was either named after St. Mary Magdalene, or someone or something named after her. She was, according to the Bible, a follower of Jesus Christ who, after being freed by him from seven devils, was one of those who assisted him and the Apostles, providing for their material needs (Luke 8.2-3).

She was a witness to the crucifixion and burial of Jesus (Matthew 27.55-56, 61; Mark 15.40, 47; Luke 23.49-56; 24.10). In the Gospel of St. John she stood by the cross with Jesus's mother and the Beloved Disciple (John 19.25-26).

She was the first to see the empty tomb and the resurrected Christ (John 20.1-2, 11-18; Mark 16.9-11), who personally told her to report His Resurrection to His brothers (John 20.16-18). Her feast day is on 22nd July.

This reference to St. Mary Magdalene was one of the few explicit references to Christianity in the series.

See also CHRISTIANITY.

MAGNETIC BARRIER

(B-4: HORIZON)

Defence mechanism around the planet Horizon. Any ship without a demagnetised hull was atomised on contact. Liberator only survived because the force wall was activated prior to contact. Three pursuit ships were destroyed penetrating the barrier whilst moving in against Liberator; Blake reasoned that since Zen had no information about the defences, the pursuit ship commanders wouldn't either, and so he ordered the ship to stay put to lure the Federation flotilla into the barrier.
Blake followed this frieghter through the barrier

MAGNETIC PROBE

(A-4: TIME SQUAD)

Tool used by Avon on the paraneutronic generator on Saurian Major.

MAGNETIC STORM

- see SPACE PHENOMENA

MAGNETRIX TERMINAL

(D-3: TRAITOR)

A communications terminal, apparently serving an entire planet and of vital strategic importance. Terminal 4006 (at one point noted as Terminal 406) was on Helotrix, and the focal point of Hunda's activities. Igin and then Hunda both entered the city to see if flood levels (from reservoirs blown in the early stages of the fighting) had dropped sufficiently to lay charges beneath the terminal and destroy it, thus isolating Federation forces on the planet. Practor was informed by Leitz that he had direct access via the magnetrix terminal to Federation headquarters: Practor noted that such access was hardly direct if it had to be via the terminal.

MAGNOLOCK

- see LOCKS

MAIN DRIVE STABILISER

(C-4: DAWN OF THE GODS)

The fragment of a space craft Vila collected on Crandor was the main drive stabiliser of a Type 6 survey ship.

MAJA

(A-1: THE WAY BACK)

Probably Tel Varon's wife, she helped him uncover the truth about Blake's trial, bribing the duty officer at the Public Records Computer with her brooch to gain access to Central Clinic admissions data. She later picked up records of the treatment of the three children involved and joined Tel in a trip to the scene of the massacre reported by Blake. Like Tel, she was shot dead by security personnel outside the city.

MAJOR

(B-6: TRIAL)

Rank within the Federation. Thania and Grenlee were both Majors. Possibly the same rank as Space Major, or a rear echelon equivalent. Provine on Albian held the rank of Space Major. Jarvik was temporarily made an Acting Major. In other forces, Hunda on Helotrix held the rank of Star Major, and Quute guessed that Hunda had given himself this rank.

MALL

(C-2: POWERPLAY)

A Primitive of Chenga, who assisted Lom in helping Vila evade the Hitechs When Lom was hit by a tranquillising dart, Mall carried him away, accidentally leaving Vila behind in the process.

MALODAR

(D-11: ORBIT)

The planet to which Egrorian fled with Pinder to complete his development of the tachyon funnel. The atmosphere was mainly of nitrogen, methane, and argon, with traces of free ammonia and sulphur compounds. Surface temperature was -90 to -100 degrees (presumably Celsius). Escape velocity was Mach 15, which for Earth would indicate a gravity of about 0.44, but since the speed of sound depends on atmospheric density and temperature this is hardly applicable to Malodar.

A biodome installation was present on the surface, with no indication as to who first installed it. Its construction may have been funded by Egrorian with the money he stole when he fled the Federation.

No meaningful information was given regarding the location of Malodar, save that it was 17 light years away from Porphyrus, a lunar satellite in a neighbouring constellation.

MANDRIAN

(A-7: MISSION TO DESTINY)

A crewman of the Ortega. He became aware of what Sara was doing and tried to persuade her to give herself up, so she murdered him in the filtration plant with a dagger. Sonheim was initially accused of the crime. Mandrian voted against giving Blake the neutrotope to take to Destiny.

MANGON

(D-7: ASSASSIN)

Stew made from fungus, given by the slavers of Domo to their captives. Avon was not impressed by it, and freely gave his ration to Nebrox. It was Nebrox's reference to mangon, and Piri's failure to understand, that led her to kill him in case he should guess that she was not what she claimed to be.

*MARAVIK

(D-2: POWER)

Chief of the Hommiks before Gunn-Sar, and their commander at the time of the final assault on the Seska from his AF Hill headquarters. Maravik offered surrender terms which were rejected by the Seska. Dayna dated this at about twenty years prior to Liberator's destruction. Gunn-Sar said that Maravik was 63 when he died and "had it coming anyway".

His name was occasionally given as "Mavarik".

MARCOL

(B-13: STAR ONE)

Male technician on Star One, replaced by an alien from Andromeda.

MARQUIN

(D-2: POWER)

Hommik who challenged Gunn-Sar's right to rule, last seen falling off a cliff. His body was never found, and the council ruled him as "missing".

MARS

(A-2: SPACE FALL / C-13: TERMINAL)

Mars was mentioned twice. As the London prepared to leave the Solar System, Artix told Leylan "We have a clear on Mars beacon". In Terminal it was noted that the artificial planet had originally been built out towards the orbit of Mars.

MARYATT

(A-12: DELIVERANCE)

Space Surgeon with the Federation's Medical Corps. He saved Travis' life at some point, probably after Travis was severely injured by Blake. He travelled with young Ensor to Aristo, where he was to replace the micro-power cells that powered Ensor's heart implant. On the way he was forced to abandon ship over Cephlon when Servalan's bomb exploded, and was found dead on the surface in his impact life capsule by Gan and Jenna. According to Blake, Maryatt was probably dead before the capsule was launched.

Maryatt had a Double A security pass for access to any area in Space Command. Blake, searching through his effects, also found photographs of a woman, presumably his wife, and two children: Travis made reference to them going into slavery on one of the frontier worlds, apparently normal procedure in a case of desertion.

MACLIN ALPHA

(A-12: DELIVERANCE)

The destination of the rocket launched by Avon from Cephlon, carrying genetic banks and brood units. It was estimated that the rocket would take five hundred years to complete the journey. There were four planets in the system that had biospheres compatible with human life.

MAX

(C-12: DEATHWATCH)

Employed by the Diplomatic Corps of the United Planets of Teal, he was assigned to Deeta Tarrant for the duel with Vinni. It was Max who told Del Tarrant about the sensornet transmitters receivers implanted in Deeta's skull. He later colluded with Avon and Tarrant to avenge Deeta's death and prevent the outbreak of real war. Avon left him with enough information to alter the rules of engagement and prevent further abuses of the Teal-Vandor Convention.

MAYDAY

(D-10: GOLD / D-12: WARLORD)

This present day distress call was heard to be used by Captain Kennedy on the Space Princess, requesting a ship to take Dayna back to Zerok, and by Zukan after an explosion aboard his ship.

MEASUREMENTS

(various episodes)

The units of measurement mentioned in the series can be divided into two main categories: those produced by civilisations either at their pre-spacefaring or spacefaring stages, before or after they reached the stage of using space flight, by themselves or through others, as a regular means of communication with other civilisations.

In the case of civilisations of Earth origin, such as the Terran Federation, this division was not difficult to see, many units mentioned being familiar to a late twentieth century inhabitant of Earth, such as many time units, and imperial or metric ones. In the case of other civilisations, this division was more difficult. It was compounded by the fact that, not only did other spacefaring civilisations know the units of measurement of others; they might have adopted and used certain ones, whatever their origins, either by custom or by international agreement.

See Very Expanded Notes about Measurements.

See also FEDERATION, SPACIAL, TIMELINE, SUBSEC.

MECRON II

(D-8: GAMES)

Located in Sector 9, and one of very few planets on which feldon crystals were to be found. Federation mining operations had begun at least twelve years before Avon's visit to the planet, under the direction of Belkov. The planet had a breathable atmosphere, at least two moons, and was inhabited by the Mecronians.

Pictures of Mecron II

MECRONIANS

(D-8: GAMES)

Inhabitants of Mecron II, described by Belkov as an ancient civilisation. The Federation used them as labour for mining feldon crystals. They regarded the crystals as a sacred symbol of power: Belkov had to convince them he was sent by the gods in order to get them to extract the crystals for him, killing six priests in the process. They took their religion very seriously, and anyone who trespassed on holy ground was killed with triangular throwing knives, which they could deploy with deadly accuracy. The high lethality of these weapons suggests that they may have had poisoned blades. At least one Mecronian was burned alive in the explosions by which Belkov covered his tracks, but they seemed to inflict more casualties than they suffered: at least five of Servalan's men fell victim to Mecronian knives.

MEDICAL CORPS

(A-12: DELIVERANCE)

The Federation had a medical corps (it may have had a more proper title, but Blake referred to it as such) of which Space Surgeon Maryatt was a senior figure.

MEDICAL COUNCIL

(B-7: KILLER)

When Dr Bellfriar reported difficulties in identifying the virus introduced from Wanderer K47, Tynus threatened to report him to the Federation Medical Council.

MEDICAL UNIT

(B-13: STAR ONE/C-4: DAWN OF THE GODS) Written By Murray Smith.

In 'Star One', Avon asked the injured Blake why he didn't stay in the 'medical unit' instead of being on the flight deck. As the name suggests, it was presumably a room aboard the Liberator used to treat sick or injured crew members. No indication was given in the series as to its relationship to the surgical unit, nor was it consciously shown, although it might have been the room where Cally was placed in a resuscitation capsule in 'Dawn of the Gods'.

See also RESUSCITATION CAPSULE, SURGICAL UNIT, TREATMENT UNIT.

MEDI-CAPSULE

(D-6: HEADHUNTER)

Scorpio was fitted with a medi-capsule, which appeared to be little more than a basic cryogenic freezing unit to keep a patient alive until proper medical facilities were available. The android Muller was placed there when he "died" after Vila hit him to rescue Tarrant.

MEEGAT

(A-12: DELIVERANCE)

An inhabitant of Cephlon, waiting "all my life, as those before me have waited" for someone to bring Deliverance to her people. She spoke of "less than a hundred" of her people left, though did not say if they were awake and waiting as she was. No information was given regarding her birth, upbringing or education, although she was intelligent, well-spoken and graceful. She welcomed the crew of Liberator as gods, and centred most of her attention on "Lord" Avon, who described his coming as "a poor reward" for her vigilance. She rescued Avon, Vila and Gan from the scavengers by opening the door to her retreat, told them of the legend of Kashel the Wise, and directed them to the scavengers' camp to rescue Jenna. She remained on Cephlon after the launching of the rocket carrying the genetic stocks, and appeared unaffected by the high radiation levels on the planet (her bunker may have been shielded).

Hal MELLANBY

(C-1: AFTERMATH)

Father of Dayna Mellanby. He trained with Hower at the Federation's Central Science Complex, and later led a revolt against the Federation on Earth, which Servalan remembered as taking "three weeks to quell". When the rebels attempted an honourable surrender, they were massacred, Hal's wife among them. Hal himself was captured and tortured, during which time his optic nerves were destroyed. His blindness was compensated for by a chest-mounted vision amplifier, and he consoled himself by saying: "Most men see only what they want to see. The difference in my case is that I know that my vision is limited". Hal escaped and fled with Dayna to Sarran: back on Earth he was branded a coward. A price of 3 million credits was placed on his head. After some early trouble with the Sarrans, Hal settled down in his new home, a space vehicle grounded on the sea bed, and raised Dayna and also Lauren, a Sarran girl he adopted as a baby. He arranged for tutors to visit the planet to give his daughters an education, one of these being Justin.

He welcomed Avon, saying that he considered Blake and his crew 'magnificent' and explained that he had been hearing reports of the Liberator for "the last couple of years". He was less pleased at Servalan's presence, recalling that she came to power "some years after my defection". He was eventually murdered by Servalan, who took some time to remember who he was. She first shot away his vision amplifier and then killed him. His body was left in his retreat when Avon and Dayna left Sarran.

Further mentions of Hal Mellanby occurred in Volcano, when Dayna visited Hower; in Death-Watch, in reference to Servalan's killing of Hal; and in Animals as a former friend of Justin.

MERCURY DIME

(13 episodes from A-1: THE WAY BACK to A-13: ORAC)

A silver ten-cent coin, issued by the US treasury between 1916 and 1945, also known as a Winged Liberty Head dime. Jenna wore a ring figuring such a coin.

METEORS

(various episodes)

A navigational hazard encountered in deep space. References as follows:

MICROPOWER CELLS

(A-12: DELIVERANCE / A-13: ORAC)

Blake's description of the energy cells young Ensor was taking to his father on Aristo. They were necessary to power the artificial heart with which Ensor had been fitted after his heart attack forty years earlier.

MICROTAPE

(A-6: SEEK-LOCATE-DESTROY)

Rai delivered microtape records from Central Intelligence to Servalan. Blake decided that intercepted messages decoded by the stolen cypher machine should be transferred onto microtape.

MICROWAVE TRANSMITTER

(A-11: BOUNTY/ C-8: RUMOURS OF DEATH)

The device Tarvin used to detonate the explosive collars fitted to the crew and also Tyce. Jenna's collar was removed by Tarvin, and Blake's by Vila. Blake threw the collar at an Amagon activating the transmitter, killing the Amagon in the explosion. Another microwave transmitter was mentioned in Rumours of Death, as part of the surveillance system around Residence-1. Balon, posing as a security squad leader, claimed that the transmitter had malfunctioned because a squirrel was building a nest in it.

MIDA

(D-12: WARLORD)

One of the planetary leaders involved in Avon's alliance, together with Zukan, Chalsa, Boorva and Lod. Mida represented Lovus, and spoke in favour of accepting Zukan's offer to join the alliance.
Mida with Avon

MILUS

(C-3: VOLCANO)

A Pyroan of Obsidian who handed Servalan a message, presumably from Bershar. He and his brother Natin were then killed on Servalan's command.

MINING

(various episodes)

Mining operations appeared in or were referred to on a number of occasions.

In Project Avalon the native subterrons were used as a slave labour force to extract ice crystals for use in heavy duty lasers.

In Bounty, Tyce suggested that Blake hide in abandoned mine workings about twenty miles from the residence.

In Weapon Coser reckoned that the planet he fled to was abandoned when raw materials ran out.

In Horizon the native population were used as slaves to mine monopasium-239.


Blake and Vila Mining monopasium-239
In Voice from the Past, Asteroid P-K118 was moved out of Ceron orbit and urite ore extracted by a "mining company": the asteroid was worked out after two years.

In Animals it was mentioned that Bucol-2 had been abandoned after mineral deposits had been exhausted.

In Games the Mecronians were used as labour to extract feldon crystals for the Federation.

Soolin noted in Blake that the farmers of Gauda Prime were forcibly displaced to make way for mining operations.

MISSILES

- see WEAPONS

MODULAR TIME SHIFT

(C-11: MOLOCH) By Murray Smith

Possible setting of Liberator's faster than light drive. Zen suggested a transfer to this from 'linear progression' as the ship's present course had no material end. After Avon rejected this, Cally asked how long it would take to get somewhere using 'maximum time shift', perhaps short for 'maximum modular time shift', and was told by Zen that it would take 159 Earth years, after which the 'time shift mechanism' would cease to function.

MOLECULAR KEY

(A-7: MISSION TO DESTINY)

Dr Kendall's safe in which he kept the neutrotope aboard the Ortega could only be unlocked by a molecular key and secret combination code.

MOLECULAR SHIFT DETECTOR

(A-6: SEEK-LOCATE-DESTROY)

Explained by Escon to Travis as a means of locating Blake's arrival point if he teleported down. The device detected the kinetic energy displacement that occurred when someone arrived by teleport. Blake presumably put down before the device was operational, since he was undetected. It was never seen to be used again, and might have been improvised to cope with what was, after all, an unprecedented situation (or it may have been in common use and thus explain why the crew often teleported down outside a complex rather than inside it).

MOLOCH

(C-11: MOLOCH)

The master computer on Sardos, all-seeing, all-knowing. Created by Astrid, it was the result of putting a computer projection of the Sardoans' evolution over two million years through the energy/mass transformer. A life-support system was integral to his survival, but not to Moloch himself, and when he teleported aboard the Liberator he died almost instantly.

Moloch was diminutive, with one central eye and vestigial limbs (as Avon said, in evolutionary terms "what you don't need you lose"). He had an apparent sadistic streak, telling Grose to give Poola to his men. He imitated Tarrant's voice to persuade Cally to teleport him up. He was also responsible for the deaths of Doran and Chesil. Astrid earlier tried to destroy him, and was placed into sentient suspension as a punishment.

MOLOK

(B-8: HOSTAGE)

A crimo employed by Travis on Exbar, who tortured Inga to persuade Ushton to cooperate with Travis. On Liberator he described himself as having a "high intelligence quotient" but enjoyed "inflicting pain" and warned Cally and Jenna not to underestimate him. When he attempted to take Cally back down to the surface, she attacked him and broke free, leaving Jenna to teleport Molok into deep space where he promptly exploded.

MONARCHY

(various episodes) by Murray Smith.

A state with a form of government vesting the supreme authority in a single person, or the form of government itself. Monarchies developed independently on the various continents of Earth. Most appear to have begun with some form of election, the succession later becoming hereditary, usually by male primogeniture. In many states, the monarch was seen as possessing some form of religious significance, as seen in the doctrine of divine right, where the monarch's right to rule was based on divine sanction.

By the late twentieth century, most Earth monarchies had become 'limited', with the monarch's powers being limited by constitutions, elected legislatures, and governments. In such cases, these monarchs were viewed as neutral symbols of the state.

In the B7 universe, five monarchies were seen, bearing some resemblance to those in Earth history:

1. Cygnus Alpha: The first monarchy encountered in the series was that of Vargas on Cygnus Alpha. It was a theocratic monarchy, the state governed by a priestly order, with their deity's laws regarded as the laws of the state. Heading the order, and worshipped as the representative of the deity, was Vargas. He was a hereditary monarch, directly descended 'by the true and chosen line' from his great-great-grandfather, who founded a religion to unite the prisoners, therefore 'Mine is the power by right'. He was also an absolute monarch, telling Blake that 'I am the supreme power here. My word is law. My followers obey without question'.

2. Horizon: Ro's monarchy on Horizon. He said that 'I rule this planet' and was referred to as the ruler, although his rule was nominal, due to the Federation. Like Vargas, he was a hereditary monarch, having succeeded his father, Movo. He also posessed what, by twentieth century Earth standards, would be regarded as the usual monarchical trappings of a palace with a throne room.

3. The Keeper: Gola's monarchy on Goth. This was the first monarchy where the ruler's title was known, Gola being Charl of the Goths. It was also the first monarchy for which familiar twentieth century terms were used, Vila addressing Gola as king, and the adjective 'royal' being applied to the latter and his family. While the succession was hereditary it was also somewhat uncertain, with no primogeniture; because the previous Charl, Gola's father, was deposed by him and his brother Rod, who quarreled over the succession. As the result of a plot by their sister, Tara, both brothers died, leaving the way clear for her to succeed. Like Ro, Gola posessed what appeared to be a throne.

4. Aftermath: Chel's monarchy on Sarren. Apart from him being the leader of the Sarrens, we know nothing of his monarchy.

5. Power: Gunn-Sar's monarchy on Xenon. His title was Lord (or Chief) of (all) the Hommiks. He ruled by 'right of challenge', as well as 'by the strength of my right arm and by my left arm', having killed his predecessor, Mavarik, in single combat. His right to rule was based on this and on his continued success in dealing with any challengers; instead of a line of ancestors, he had a 'tally of challenges': 25 dead and 1 missing. Also, before starting his fight with Avon, Gunn-Sar said that when he dies 'the victor is lord'. Presumably, a high tally of challenges would deter many would-be challengers until the Lord grew sufficiently old and feeble, explaining why Mavarik remained in power until 63 years of age.

Of the five monarchies, three of the monarchs had titles. Regarding the succession, three monarchies were hereditary - although that of Goth was more uncertain - while that of the Hommiks was based on the 'right of challenge'.

See also CHEL, GOLA, GUNN-SAR, RO, ROD, TARA, VARGAS.

MONEY

(various episodes)

Most references were to the Credit as a unit of currency, but the vem was also in use in the 6th Quadrant and possibly elsewhere. The actual form that money took was rarely seen: in Shadow Blake used precious stones in his attempt to buy Largo's services. In Gold Keiller made a reference to "computer link-up", suggesting that most credit transfer was by computer, although the Federation and others used bullion for some payment with frontier planets. Servalan paid ten billion credits for the gold stolen from the Space Princess, and this was given in bank notes of what appeared to be one million credit denomination. This was Zerok local currency and rendered worthless by Zerok joining the Federation. Indeed, the stolen gold's cited value of "seventeen billion" may well have been in Zerok currency rather than the Federation Credit. Many other worlds presumably had their own local currency and exchange rates. In Aftermath Avon mentioned "considerable sums of various currencies" in the strongroom on Liberator.

The use of precious stones and jewellery for barter and the abundance of such things in Liberator's strongroom, implies that cash might well have been rare, and that most legal transactions involved computerised credit transfer. It is not impossible that cash may have been illegal in some societies.


In Shadow
Apart from the bank notes in Gold, the only money seen would appear to be in Gambit, where Krantor was paid by Servalan with small, brown, rectangular plaques, presumably representing credits. They may have been a form of cash, but more likely some form of computerised credit, perhaps untraceable to their owner. No denomination was given, but presumably fairly high since Avon and Vila could comfortably carry their ten million credits in two small boxes. Interestingly enough, the money Servalan paid Krantor for Travis (presumably four million credits) also fitted in two small boxes.

Avon in Death-Watch remarked to Servalan that Orac was worth "every penny you almost paid for it" - presumably an idiomatic expression.

See also CREDIT, VEM.

MONOPASIUM-239

(B-4: HORIZON)

Horizon was one of only two planets known to have a rich seam of monopasium-239, a radioactive substance which the Federation needed for their hyperspace ships. The mineral was extracted by slave labour, Ro noting that "only 10% of the workers die" and that they were "primitives" anyway. A lethal dose could be absorbed in 30 "time units". Mined ore was collected annually by Federation freighter. Mining operations presumably ceased when the Federation personnel on the planet were wiped out and Ro restored as a ruler in his own right.


Blake and Vila mining monopasium-239
A relatively stable atom with an atomic mass of 239 would need an atomic number of 90-94, these being thorium, protactinium, uranium, neptunium, and plutonium. Monopasium-239 should therefore be an isotope of one of these elements (most have many isotopes, protactinium having 12. Pu-239 is the fissile isotope of plutonium). Plutonium, like neptunium, is artificial, at least on Earth, the other elements occurring naturally. It could thus be inferred that "monopasium" is an alternative name for one of the actinide elements rather than a new element in its own right: artificial elements such as nobelium (atomic number 102) and lawrencium (at. no. 103) have atomic weights of 250+ and even then are extremely unstable: nobelium-255 has a relatively long half life of 3.5 minutes.

MONORAIL

(D-3: TRAITOR)

The only monorail mentioned was on Helotrix, and that had been in disuse for about a century. Hunda planned to enter the city through the monorail tunnel, which was then promptly set with charges after Leitz informed the General of Hunda's plans. Dayna and Tarrant discovered Leitz's treachery, and Hunda entered by another route. The charges were blown and the monorail tunnel destroyed.

MOON DISC

(B-2: SHADOW)

Native to Zonda, described by Zen as species Alpha 7/5, "a xerophyte of the genus Corla", which Avon took to mean "a cactus!". They were collected to near-extinction, prized for their partial telepathy and ability to move. They also provided the raw material for the addictive drug shadow. Moon Discs avoided direct sunlight, and kept in the shadows, hence the name of the drug. The Federation, under the guise of the Terra Nostra, harvested Moon Discs on Zonda, supplying them with shade. Some if not all of these plantations were destroyed by Blake in one of Liberator's rare uses of its surface strike capability. Whether this rendered the species truly extinct is unclear: Blake said that it "won't hurt [the President] much, but it'll sting a bit", but this is rather vague. Avon suggested that Moon Discs in the plantations were collected from deep desert. The plantations were protected by the President's personal security force.

Cally, telepathically isolated by the Darkness, was given enough strength by the Moon Discs to overcome her loneliness and deactivate Orac by telekinesis. She took a Moon Disc back with her to Liberator (although she was not seen to be carrying one when she teleported aboard). Moon Discs normally died when taken from their native planet, but Cally told Avon that "you have to talk to them". This specimen was never seen again.

MORA

(A-1: THE WAY BACK)

A patient admitted to the Central Clinic on Earth on the same day as the three children Blake supposedly assaulted.

Alta MORAG

(A-1: THE WAY BACK)

Worked for Justice Department on Earth, and was prosecuting counsel at Blake's trial. Unlike Varon, standing for the defence, she was well aware of the way the evidence against Blake had been manufactured, being the one who had suggested doing so in the first place.

MORI

(C-3: VOLCANO)

Federation officer under Servalan's command after the Intergalactic War. His rank was never specified. She offered to make him her Supreme Commander if he succeeded in taking Liberator. Mori and his men landed on Obsidian, killed Milus and Natin on Servalan's command, took Dayna and Tarrant prisoner (he was refrained from killing them by Bershar), and then teleported aboard the Liberator. Cally was taken back to Obsidian as a hostage, along with Orac,and held prisoner on the edge of the volcano.
Mori died when the blast from a grenade thrown by Dayna hurled him into the active volcano's crater.

MORPHENNIEL

(C-2: POWERPLAY)

When Avon returned to the Liberator after the Intergalactic War, Zen informed him that Jenna was on a neutral cargo ship headed towards Morphenniel. No more was heard of Jenna until Blake told Tarrant of her death on Gauda Prime.

MOUNTIES

(D-11: ORBIT) by Murray Smith.

Nickname for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). That force was founded in 1873 AD as the North-West Mounted Police, to bring the authority of the new Dominion of Canada to the latter's newly acquired North-West Territories. The NWMP was given the 'Royal' prefix in 1904 by King Edward VII; and, in February 1920, it absorbed the Dominion Police, then responsible for policing in eastern Canada, was renamed the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and became Canada's national police force.

On Earth in the twentieth century, the 'Mounties' became the one of the most distinctive Canadian institutions, recognisable due to their ceremonial uniform, particularly the red jacket and wide, flat-brimmed Stetson hat. The red jacket, based on the standard British military pattern, was used to differentiate the NWMP from the blue US military uniforms of that period.

It appears from Orbit that this distinctive red jacket ensured the continuing survival of the 'Mountie' nickname. In the episode, Vila speculated that using the Tachyon Funnel against the Federation, they could have 'whatever we want'. Among the things he wanted were a bodyguard of 'a thousand handpicked virgins in red fur uniforms', whom he would call 'Vila's Royal Mounties'.

See also this link to the RCMP's official website: www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

MOVO

(B-4: HORIZON)

Father of Ro, who ruled Horizon before Ro was installed as the Federation's puppet. Possibly trained by the Federation's Colonial Service, Movo proved recalcitrant and was personally killed by the Kommissar. Ro believed he had died in an accident, but Cally telepathically told him the truth whilst under interrogation. She had obtained this information from Orac.

MULLER

(D-6: HEADHUNTER)

Genius in the field of cybernetics, taught at an early age by Ensor. This tuition instilled the driven pace at which Muller conducted his work for the robot development cartel on Pharos. He created an android remarkable for its kind, which could influence circuitry over a distance, was "as powerful as Orac" (according to Avon) but had the capacity to enslave all of humanity. Restraining circuits were needed and built, but the android killed Muller before they were fitted, ripping off its creator's head to pose as Muller. By some means unspecified, the android was able to effect facial movement and speech in the head.

A woman named Vena came to Xenon some time before Muller: Avon described her relationship with Muller as "recreational". She may have been Muller's wife, though this was never explicitly stated - Tarrant referred to her as "Muller's lady".

See also ANDROIDS.

MUSIC

(various episodes)

Music was heard in a few episodes.

In The Way Back the suppressent-dosed citizens of the dome city on Earth tottered through the corridors to the sound of quiet background muzak. The duty officer at the Public Records Computer was seen listening to something rather livelier, but unheard since he was wearing headphones and a pair of tinted spectacles that might have been video accompaniment of some sort (glasses like these were also worn by Gan in The Web, Servalan in Project Avalon, and Cally in Deliverance).

In Cygnus Alpha monastic-style chanting was heard as Blake entered the church. A gong was sounded prior to the planned sacrifice of Gan.

In Bounty President Sarkoff played two (very scratchy) 20th Century records, Singing The Blues by Tommy Steele and Blow The Wind Southerly by Kathleen Ferrier.

In Deliverance Cally appeared to enjoy listening to something which can only be described as tasteless: she was wearing a pair of tinted spectacles as noted above.

In The Keeper a lyre-like instrument was played, as were drums.

In Sarcophagus both Dayna and her menial predecessor played an electronic lyre-like instrument. Dayna also sang a short song, possibly of her own composition, as follows: I left my world to wander in this endless midnight sky,

For space is just a starry night where no suns ever rise. No other suggestion of her interest in music appeared in any other episode.

In Moloch one of the prisoners from Kalkos was heard playing a harmonica on the T-16 transporter, and later on Sardos, where he provided accompaniment to a song from his colleagues which went as follows:

It's great to be free;
It's great to be free;
It's great to be free from the law....
It's great to be free,
And we all agree...
We're not going back any more.
In Games a Mecronian religious ritual was accompanied by monastic-style chanting.

In Gold there is continual background muzak on board the Space Princess.

MUTANTS

(B-10: VOICE FROM THE PAST)

When Blake investigated the mining plant on Asteroid P-K118, Vila suggested that mutants might be present down there. Servalan later transmitted a signal on "pre-revised cyphers" saying: "Behold the mutants shall wither". The destination of this transmission was unspecified.

MUTOIDS

(various episodes)

Travis specifically requested mutoids to crew his ships in Seek-Locate-Destroy, and two were seen on Travis' command ship in Duel, one male, the other female with her previous name given as Keera. These were the first mutoids seen in any episode. At least 11 mutoids were seen on UP-Project Avalon, only two discernibly male.


Keera

This is from Project Avalon, it might be Glynis Barber
Travis entered the Control complex on Earth with two female mutoids. After his escape in Trial he was given a ship by Servalan with a mutoid replacement crew (though when next seen, on Exbar, he was accompanied by Crimos). Three female mutoids accompanied Servalan to Exbar.

Servalan's cruiser in the 3rd Season usually had four mutoids present on the command deck. Jarvik crewed three pursuit ships with mutoids when he planned his attack on the Liberator, being unwilling to let men die in what he knew would be a suicide assault. Servalan's aide on Sardos was a mutoid, killed by Lector.

Mutoids appeared only once in the 4th Season, again accompanying Servalan on her visit to Bucol-2. Avon and Soolin each shot one, the third apparently left with the ship. All three were female, and of a "model" not seen in previous episodes. The earlier model had a tall, black headpiece which may have contained communication equipment; the later model had blonde wigs.

Travis expressed a preference for mutoids, citing their "high bionic rebuild" as making them "more reliable, less likely to let emotion interfere with judgement or duty". Keera and the mutoid that attacked one of the Subterrons working with Avalon both exhibited exceptional physical strength. Other mutoids on UP-Project Avalon responded spontaneously to a transmitted signal, suggesting implanted receivers being a (possibly standard) fitment. The mutoids given to Travis in Trial were ordered to be "blanked" and programmed to respond to the first person to use the trigger word "outlaw".
In Hostage
Mutoids used blood serum to supply their nutritional needs, a process described by Keera as "a functional convenience". Serum bottles were housed in a chest unit. Keera was also fitted with a hypodermic device for extracting blood, mounted on her right wrist. She attempted to use it on Jenna, but was ordered to stop by Travis. Opponents of modification apparently referred to mutoids as "vampires".


In Volcano
Mutoids claimed to have no memory of their past lives, and believed that this information was not held on any computer record. Travis, however, did manage to obtain information on Keera from the Central Computers.

Rashel in Weapon noted that a disobedient slave could be modified, possibly a reference to mutoid modification. Travis conjectured in Duel that a mutoid dismissed the service would probably cease to exist, although there seems no obvious reason why such a mutoid could not simply be reprogrammed (though this would, in a sense, be ceasing to exist for the dismissed personality). Keera at least held an officer's rank and was threatened with a court-martial.


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