The Catacombs The Character Guide
by Martin Willey

David Kano (Technical Section)

Matter Of Life And Death
Character Name David Kano
Played by Clifton Jones
Sex M
Approx. Age 32
Section Technical
Episodes 23 episodes
23 end credits

Matter Of Life And Death David Kano
Black Sun David Kano
Ring Around The Moon David Kano
Earthbound David Kano
Another Time, Another Place David Kano
Missing Link David Kano
Guardian Of Piri David Kano
Force Of Life David Kano
Alpha Child David Kano
The Last Sunset David Kano
Voyager's Return David Kano
Collision Course David Kano
Death's Other Dominion David Kano
The Full Circle David Kano
End Of Eternity David Kano
War Games David Kano
The Last Enemy David Kano
The Troubled Spirit David Kano
Space Brain David Kano
The Infernal Machine David Kano
Mission Of The Darians David Kano
Dragon's Domain David Kano
The Testament Of Arkadia David Kano

The Last Enemy

Age 32, born 1967. He is usually addressed by his surname. He took part in an experimental programme on Earth to link the memory and calculating ability of a computer to the thinking ability of the human brain. A complex of fibre sensors was implanted in the cortex of his brain: the other 3 subjects ended up as cabbages, but Kano was the success story (Guardian Of Piri).

Kano is the computer expert (replacing Ouma in Breakaway). He addresses the computer as "she", and is defensive of others criticising computer errors: Black Sun, Guardian Of Piri, The Last Sunset, The Testament Of Arkadia. An Eagle pilot in The Full Circle. He takes Paul Morrow's seat in The Last Sunset and he assumes command in Mission Of The Darians.

In the early episodes, he is normally stood by the computer wall in Main Mission. In Missing Link he gained his own desk, on a rotating pedestal. It is the only desk, apart from Koenig's, with a screen (never seen in action).

Kano's other interests include chess, which he has programmed computer to play: he plays Mathias in Black Sun and Koenig in Dragon's Domain. He reveals a temper in Missing Link.

Kano featured in 23 episodes of Year 1 (not Breakaway).

In the Powys novels, Kano appears in Operation Deiverance as Ouma's night shift relief. He is beaten and drugged so mutineers can reprogramme commlocks. Ouma is killed and Kano takes his job. Kano is the one who destroys Main Mission after they have moved the computer core to Command Center. Some months before they encounter Psychon, Kano links up to the computer again repeatedly; he dies at the start of Children of the Gods. His consciousness has entered the computer, but is unable to communicate, until the events of Born to Adversity. At the end of the episode he interfaces with Psyche to save the Alphans, and restores Main Mission for them.

In the Big Finish audio stories, Amaka Okafor plays a female version of the character, Dashka Kano. She is married to Mary Page, who is killed (and briefly resurrected) in the story The Siren Call

"Commander. Alpha cannot survive without computer." (Black Sun)
"You clumsy fool! Is it so difficult to carry a tray of coffee?" (Missing Link),
"I swore I'd never go through this again" (Guardian Of Piri),
"Computer never tells stories." (The Last Sunset)
"I hate back-seat drivers." (The Full Circle)
"Destruction of Alpha..imminent" (The Infernal Machine),
"Computer's not a crystal ball, Commander. She can only predict on specific data." (The Testament Of Arkadia)
"Don't worry, it can only get worse." (The Testament Of Arkadia)

Matter Of Life And Death Kano is at the command conference, checks the Terra Nova fruit, and calculates the planets they will pass. Matter Of Life And Death Matter Of Life And Death
Black Sun Kano talks to Bergman in the computer room. When the forcefield is activated, he says "It will cut through fish scales". He plays chess with Mathias. Black Sun Black Sun
Ring Around The Moon Kano is thrown across the room by Clifford. He finds out what the Triton probe is extracting from computer. Ring Around The Moon Ring Around The Moon
Earthbound Kano's list of names isn't short enough. Earthbound
Another Time, Another Place An alternative Kano lives on Earth Another Time, Another Place
Missing Link Kano gets a desk, tells of June and argues with Paul Morrow. Missing Link
Guardian Of Piri Kano gets told off by Koenig, plus his brain into computer, and vanishes. Koenig embraces him on Piri, but he won't leave. Guardian Of Piri Guardian Of Piri Guardian Of Piri
Force Of Life Kano is monitoring the temperature drops. Force Of Life
Alpha Child Kano gets a space suit and blaster, but doesn't get to fire. Alpha Child
The Last Sunset Kano takes Paul Morrow's seat. Koenig is angry at him. The Last Sunset
Voyager's Return Kano is at his desk apart from a command conference. Voyager's Return
Collision Course Kano tries to restrain Koenig Collision Course Collision Course Collision Course
Death's Other Dominion Kano is at his desk Death's Other Dominion
The Full Circle Kano flies Bergman to the planet. He hates backseat drivers. The Full Circle The Full Circle
End Of Eternity Kano's desk gets destroyed. End Of Eternity
War Games Kano helps clear Medical Centre. He listens to Bergman's farewell to Alpha. War Games
The Last Enemy Kano types in Dione's instructions. The Last Enemy
The Troubled Spirit Kano is in the front row of the concert. He is part of the seance that invokes the spectre. The Troubled Spirit
Space Brain Kano gets in a spacesuit for the second time. Space Brain
The Infernal Machine Kano is hit by the torture beam in Main Mission The Infernal Machine
Mission Of The Darians Kano is left on Alpha, in charge. Mission Of The Darians
Dragon's Domain Kano plays chess with Koenig. Dragon's Domain
The Testament Of Arkadia Kano plays backgammon with Paul Morrow. Ferro points a laser at him. The Testament Of Arkadia

Copyright Martin Willey