'Achilles Heel' (2 Parts) by Roger Price

While approaching Earth, a small spaceship hits Spacelab, which is being used as a Watchdog Satellite. After Tim detects the collision, John, Mike and Elizabeth jaunt to investigate. The spacecraft, a Hiter Taxi, is piloted by Glip, who manages to stabilise the craft. His two passengers Yagon and Cantor, plan to mine a rare element called Barlumin from a shaft located near Loch Ness, which they will then put into a Photonic Bomb that, when detonated, will spread the Barlumin across the galaxy, inhibiting all telepathic abilities. Hsui Tai and Andrew jaunt to his father's Loch Ness hotel, where Hsui Tai is booked to sing, and Andrew to create a ghost. Dressed as in business-suits, Yagon and Cantor matter transport to Earth and register at the hotel, but while booking them in, Andrew is briefly knocked out when he touches Yagon’s ring, which contains Barlumin. Yagon and Cantor suspect Andrew of being a Galactic Federation agent. Later, when Andrew tries to create the ghost he discovers that his telepathic abilities have stopped. Meanwhile, John, Mike and Elizabeth have stopped the Watchdog Satellite from spinning, and have made it operational again. Tim starts a search for the spaceship. The next morning Yagon and Cantor set out to find the mine-shaft. Andrew’s telepathic abilities have returned, and he follows the two suspicious businessmen to where they have found the mine-shaft and the seam of Barlumin, and have set up an extractor beam. But while Andrew is watching the seam, it explodes and knocks him out. Tim finds the spaceship in stationary orbit above Central Scotland. Hsui Tai is worried when Yagon and Cantor return without Andrew, whom she is unable to contact telepathically. John, Mike and Elizabeth jaunt to the spaceship, just missing Hsui Tai as she jaunts to the Lab. Andrew comes to, but his telepathic abilities have vanished. John, Mike and Elizabeth are told by Glip that he is awaiting spares. Hsui Tai challenges Yagon and Cantor, but is stunned with Barlumin; Yagon contacts Glip, who warns him that there are Galactic Federation agents on board. Yagon and Cantor transport to the spaceship with an open Barlumin container, stunning John, Mike and Elizabeth. Yagon decides to explode the ship's Photonic drive to spread the Barlumin. Andrew returns to the hotel, and he and his father investigate Yagon and Cantor's room where they find Hsui Tai. Glip is tied-up by Yagon and Cantor, who plan to leave him on the ship when it explodes. Andrew telephones Tim, who sends him two Matter Transporter Bands, which he and Hsui Tai use to jaunt to the spaceship. Yagon attempts to stun them with the Barlumin, but it has no more effect. Instead, he tricks the Tomorrow people into giving up their stun guns, and then ties them up, before leaving in the escape pod. Andrew manages to pass his knife to John, who cuts him free. Directed by Glip, Andrew stops the engines overloading. Yagon and Cantor are captured and sent to a rehabilitation centre, while Glip is given a Vectar class spaceship in recognition of his help.



Nicholas Young (John), Elizabeth Adare (Liz), Michael Holoway (Michael Bell), Misako Koba (Hsui Tai), Nigel Rhodes (Andrew), Philip Gilbert (TIM / Timus), Dominic Allen ( Bruce Forbes), Hillary Minister (Yagon), Christian Rodska (Cantor, Stanley Bates (Glip), Ted Taylor (Accompanist)

Directed by Gabrielle Beaumont

TX:
'A Room at the Inn' - 23rd October 1978
'Everything to Lose' - 30th October 1978

Notes:
*Featuring John, Elizabeth, Mike, Hsui Tai, Andrew, Tim and Timus