Episode 6: X-Bomber Goes Forth!
UK Video: The Thalian Space Wars
US Video: Volume 2: Revenge of the Robot
DVD: Star Fleet - The Complete Series - Disc 2
X-Bomber returns to it's Moonbase home. While the crew relax Star Fleet command take the decision that X-Bomber will try to follow the Skull to gain more information about F-01. However before the ship's designated launch time Commander Makara attacks again and X-Bomber is forced to launch early and help fighters from Mars base defend Earth. When Commander Makara retreats X-Bomber commences it's stated mission bidding Star Fleet command farewell. However they are then attacked again by Commander Makara. While manoeuvring they find themselves driven off course, caught in the grip of a black hole which suck X-Bomber into a graveyard of space where it collides with a meteorite.
For various reasons this has always been a bit of a nothing episode for me. It's..... just there. I've got it on tape somewhere with episodes 2, 4 & 5 and while the others got regular listening to, this one rarely did. OK it was missing it's very end but.... And although I've said it appears on The Thalian Space Wars compilation in reality it's just the last few minutes from (roughly) where X-Bomber gets pulled of course (but possibly slightly earlier during the battle) which is tagged onto the end of episode one replacing the crash sequence that left X-Bomber stranded on the moon.
Remember the PC on the Pluto Base fighter pilots helmets in episode 1? Here we have MC on the Mars base pilot helmets. As X-Bomber moves away from earth this is the last time we see additional Star Fleet vessels for a long, long time. Similarly it's the last time for a while we'll see General Kyle and Star Fleet command. And it is the last time we see Moonbase and X-Bomber's Crater base home, save for brief shots on the end titles.
Because this is the last time we'll see him for a while in his credited role we aught to mention Kevin Brennan who voices General Kyle. When I did my Star Fleet site he was one of the few actors I could find out nothing about. Now it's a little easier in the age of Wikipedia & IMDB (though three of the cast are missing Wikipedia entries still!) I've actually seen at least 3 of his film appearances: Get Carter, Mutiny on the Buses & The Spaceman and King Arthur, but not his first genre appearance in Doomwatch: The Human Time Bomb as Sir Billy Langly. I own his appearance in The Professionals season 2 episode Blind Run as the Minister but don't recall what he looks like.
We *nearly* get to see the Dual Cannon within X-Bomber's neck fired for the third time and the second time in two episodes. Here it gets referred to as the Direct Laser Blast. Unfortunately the Alliance runs away before it can be used.....
Black Holes..... Now most sci fi watching children in 1982 would have known what a Black Hole was courtesy of the 1979 (1980 in the UK?) Disney Film The Black Hole. In particular what we knew about black holes was they sucked things in and you couldn't escape. Star Fleet's version conforms to this but beyond that the physics just goes to pieces. Just check your brain in for the end of this episode and all of the next!
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