Jacqui wrote re Space Fall:

Vila when introduced does not come across as a regular news broadcast

viewer/listener - but he is more aware of Avon's crime than who Blake is (or was). While his knowledge of what Avon did might be partially professional - they are both thieves of a sort - his remarks to Blake imply that Avon's embezzlement was 'big news.'<

Not necessarily. Possibly the Federation wanted to keep the crime secret and gave no publicity to his trial and conviction. Vila could have heard about it on the prisoners grapevine.

(Avon is probably thinking along the lines of 'I'm cooped up with another

door to door political salesman - and I can't foist him on another of his ilk and amuse myself by seeing them tie each other in knots.')<

This theme was used by Judith Proctor in her very amusing story "Rebel Quartet". (IIRC it's in her website library.)

Marian