Small metallic, multicoloured, glowing objects begin appearing
on Moonbase Alpha but when personnel pick them up they are injured.
In Command Centre a voice asks for permission to land and a space ship appears on the lunar surface. Suddenly,
a large, flamboyant man materialises in Command Centre and introduces himself as Taybor the Trader from Pinvith the Lesser.
He tells John Koenig that he hopes his gifts announced his honest intentions, but John says his 'gifts' have injured
members of Moonbase Alpha.
Taybor discusses trade with John, Maya, Tony Verdeschi and Helena over a meal and generous
amounts of Tony's beer. John Koenig asks Taybor how his ship appeared so suddenly without their sensors picking it up,
and Taybor tells them that their tracking devices cannot penetrate hyperspace. When John asks Taybor where hyperspace
is, Taybor tells him that it is everywhere that isn't space.
Maya asks Taybor what drives his ship, and Taybor answers that his ship can travel anywhere in
the universe by means of an intergalactic jumpdrive. John asks Taybor if he could use the jumpdrive onboard his ship
to take them back to Earth. Taybor says it is possible if John can give him the correct quadrant,
routing angles, subcluster or spindrift for Earth. However, John is unable to provide the information and
Taybor is unable to fix coordinates.
Taybor offers John a guided tour of his ship the 'SS Emporium', and both materialise onboard the ship.
John Koenig offers to trade Taybor anything he wants in return for the jumpdrive, which they can adapt to their Eagles, giving
the Alphan's the chance to return to Earth.
Suddenly the 'SS Emporium' vanishes from the Command Centre screen. Maya fails to detect any
sign of the ship and summises that Taybor and John must be in hyperspace. John demands to be returned to Alpha, and
asks Taybor what he wants to trade.
Taybor tells John that he wants to trade Maya for the jumpdrive, but John says Maya is not his to
give away. However, he offers Taybor an exact likeness of Maya, one who can travel with him everywhere in the universe,
one who can talk to him in Maya's voice, and one who will never grow old.
Helena Russell creates a duplicate Maya, and Taybor takes her back to his ship. Whilst
Taybor returns to the Moonbase to trade wares with the Alphan's, John Koenig attaches a limpet transmitter to Taybor's
ship. Before Taybor returns to his ship he gives Maya a beautiful necklace, which Maya
at once wants to show to Helena. Taybor offers to escort Maya, and when they are alone he transports them both
the the 'SS Emporium'.
Taybor contacts Moonbase Alpha before he leaves and John demands that he return Maya. Taybor
agrees but transports the duplicate Maya to Command Centre. Maya demands to be returned to Alpha and transforms into
a firece dog, but Taybor imprisons her in a glass cage.
John Koenig contacts Taybor and tells Maya that he has attached a
limpet transmitter to Taybor's ship. He says he knows they are in hyperspace and they can't get her back, but tells
her to remember that Taybor likes to surround himself with things of beauty, that is why she is there.
Maya understands Koenig's meaning and tranforms into an ugly woman, a reflection
of Taybor himself. Taybor is appalled and pleads with Maya to change, but Maya says she has locked herself in this form and
will remain with him forever.
Maya reappears in Command Centre and the Alphan's welcome her back. All over Alpha Taybor's
gifts are disappearing and the Alphan's own good are reappearing.
Episode Observations
Episode synopsis copyright Jeannine Hochet
