crack_van | Information by Clocketpatch (G)

Fandom: BLAKE'S 7
Pairing: Avon, Zen
Length: 1,762w
Author on LJ:

clocketpatch
Author Website: on AO3
Why this must be read: Readers of 'Doctor Who' fic may recognise Clocketpatch from that fandom, where she is well known for writing a wide variety of Doctors and companions excellently and well (link goes to

calufrax, btw). She's recently arrived in B7 fandom (drawn by Avon and the computers that love him), and we are very lucky to have her :) Well - in truth, we are lucky to have all these people in our fandom!

This 2013 fic (her first in B7) presents a backstory for Zen and the Liberator so compelling and plausible that sometimes I forget it's not actually canon. It's very elegantly delivered backstory too, taking place in the form of a conversation between Avon (the man who doesn't trust, and who believes computers should obey him) and Zen (one of several computers he can't really trust and who doesn't obey him), but Avon is clever and persistent. It has lots of nice, crunchy character work as well as good story work, and excellent dialogue. And some very effective foreshadowing...

Excerpt:

"No more games, Zen. Who is in control of this ship? Us, or you, or System?"

"Instructions input by Blake are now being followed. Liberator is leaving sector twelve."

"That is not what I asked."

"Unspecified input perimeters will lead to unspecified results."

"Evasive computers can be reprogrammed."

"Kerr Avon does not have the technical requirements to complete this operation."

"Perhaps, but Kerr Avon can try."

Link: Information