The Character Guide
by Martin Willey

David Kano (Technical Section)

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.

"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)

• Clifton Jones profile
• Dialogue
• Character profile (Technical Notebook in Cybermuseum)

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

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