The Time Tunnel s01e02 Episode Script

Two American scientists are lost in the swirling maze of past and future ages, During the first experiments on Americas greatest and most secret project, the Time Tunnel, Tony Newman and Doug Phillips now tumble helplessly toward a new, fantastic adventure somewhere along the infinite corridors of time, This is Mission Control, We are at launch minus 45, Launch minus 40 and counting, Minus 35, - Its a rocket! - Minus 30, Tony.
if this is one of those early Canaveral jobs.
we could be blown up - right here on the pad, - Twenty-five, Minus 20 and counting, - Fifteen, - Its no use.
Its locked off.
Get down here.
quick.
Off your feet.
Ten, 9, 8, 7 Were coasting at zero gravity.
Were back to one G.
This capsules spinning to create its own gravity.
- Then theres someone else aboard.
- Theres no doubt about it.
Artificial gravity.
That means this is a pretty sophisticated model.
- M.
E.
M.
- M.
E.
M.
Tony, thats Mars Excursion Module Were on an expedition to Mars.
- Escape velocity? - Negative, - Inform Mission Control.
- Cant raise them.
Skipper.
Weve been out of radio contact since liftoff.
Keep trying.
Beard.
what do we lack? - Seventy-five knots.
- Doc? Whats the computers analysis of the failure? Were carrying excess weight in the service module.
- 335 pounds.
- Thats beyond our safety factor.
Seal off the module.
Cut it loose.
Were gonna blow it up.
- Youre not gonna scrub the mission.
- Can you think of a better choice right now? Yes.
we can wait and see if we attain escape velocity.
We wont.
Were past due now.
Nazarro.
See if you can get that information to Mission Control.
- M.
E.
M.
4 is scrubbed.
- Yes.
sir.
M.
E.
M.
4 to Mission Control.
M.
E.
M.
4 to Mission Control.
Weve got an overload problem and cannot reach escape velocity.
Colonel Kane has ordered us to jettison the service module and destroy it.
We are going to fire our retros and attempt reentry.
Mission Control.
do you read? Service module- thats us! - They dont know were in here.
- We gotta stop em.
- Hey.
let us out! - Mission Control.
I say again we are about to jettison the service module and attempt reentry.
If you read me, stand by for destruct of service module, Stand by.
Let us out! Dont cut us loose! Any further identification, Ray? Its definitely the M.
E.
M.
flight series.
That puts the time ten years in the future.
Exactly what I reported to Washington.
- To Washington.
General? - Yes.
of course.
Theyre extremely interested.
Vice Admiral Killian of the new Department of Space is being rushed down here to observe.
Ann.
what kind of response? Not the best.
Im afraid.
But I think we can hold it.
Easy.
easy.
Lets not lose picture before Killian gets here.
Stand by to jettison the service module.
Nazarro.
give me a ten-second countdown.
Yes.
sir.
Mark.
Ten.
9.
8 - What was that? - Velocitys increasing.
Minus 20 and rising, Were gonna maKe it, Escape velocity: we made it.
I gave no order to fire the boosters.
- It was an accident.
- How did that happen? Well.
all I know.
sir.
is we reached escape velocity.
Theres no longer any reason to scrub the mission.
- Doc.
give me a fuel reading.
- That was a 20% expenditure.
Twenty.
We cant brake for the Mars landing and expect to lift off again.
We could use the backup plan.
sir.
All right.
Well interrupt the flight and land on the moon.
- Nazarro? - Yes.
sir.
Have you been able to reach Mission Control yet? Negative.
Not a peep out of them.
Could they be receiving us.
even though we cant read them? Thats possible.
but theres no way to check.
Make a report.
Tell them were landing on the moon to refuel from the lunar stockpiles.
- Then were proceeding with the Mars flight.
- Yes.
sir.
M,E,M, 4 to Mission Control: We are not, repeat, not going tojettison the service module, We are reducing voltage to recharge power cells, The Mars mission is still go, Flight plan now is to soft-land on the moon and refuel from lunar stocKpile, The Mars mission is still go, Do you read me.
Mission Control? Do you read me? Doc.
give me a hand with the hatch cover.
- Theres our excess weight.
- Get up here.
Both of you.
Who the devil are you? Where did you come from? Nazarro.
see if theyre armed.
- Howd you get on board? - Im Dr.
Newman.
This is Dr.
Phillips.
- From the Time Tunnel Complex.
- I dont know what youre talking about.
What year is this? - 1978.
of course.
- Then you must have heard of us by now.
Were time travelers.
We started ten years ago.
- It was top secret then, but now- - Theyre insane! Were not.
Time Tunnel is a government project.
and were part of it.
Were actually traveling in time, We wound up here, ten years in the future, - What do you mean.
the future? - Its our future but its your present- Only.
were part of it now.
Never mind.
Tony.
They wont listen.
Of all people.
youd think theyd understand.
- We understand.
- You didnt expect us to believe a wild story like that.
did you? Wait a minute.
Its a wild story.
all right.
but you know.
it just could be true.
A few years ago, a friend of mine- we went to medical school together- got transferred out west to some hush-hush government project.
- Did he say what it was? - Not in so many words.
- But I gathered it was in Arizona.
- Go on.
Thats all there is.
Except that some of the remarks that he let slip seemed pretty odd- but theyd make good sense if there were such a project as.
uh- - What-Whatd you call it? - Time Tunnel.
- And it does make sense.
because its true.
- Sorry.
I dont buy it.
- Well.
were here on this ship.
You cant explain that away.
- I can, Were in the middle of the biggest race in history.
A race to put the first men on another planet in the solar system, Other governments would do anything to make sure we dont win that race.
- Thats for certain.
- Ask em to prove their story.
Papers.
- Identification, Anything, - All right.
Lets have it.
If wed had identification.
we would have shown it to you before this.
- That does it.
- Even if you dont believe us.
were here.
What can you do about it now? - What do we do with em.
Skipper? - Lock em up! Come on.
Tony.
- Now what? - I dont know.
Every answer I come up with is impossible.
Has it occurred to you to accept their explanation? Time travel? I wouldnt believe that in a million years.
Thats a funny statement.
under the circumstances.
Here we are in space, headed for the moon, And Mars.
beyond that.
- Is their story any more fantastic than ours? - It is to me.
Doctor, these men are stowaways, Probably foreign agents, - Its as simple as that.
- No.
it isnt.
If theyre stowaways.
howd they get on board? - You know the security at the launching pad.
- All right.
All right.
Maybe we cant explain how they got on board.
Actually.
what difference does it make? The one really important fact is.
they are here.
- Thats what weve got to deal with.
- But how - when we dont know what or who they are? - I know one thing they are.
Over 300 pounds of additional weight.
Now.
weve got a tricky maneuver coming up.
a soft landing on the moon.
You want to tackle that with this handicap? I sure dont.
Neither do I.
but thats something were stuck with.
Is it? In my book.
theres a simple solution that will take care of everything.
Throw them off the ship.
Set them adrift.
Ray.
havent you regained contact yet? Not yet.
General.
We expect to momentarily.
Certainly hope so.
These are the gentlemen from the Space Department.
I want you and Ann to meet them.
Dr.
Brandon.
Dr.
MacGregor and Dr.
Swain.
- Doctor.
- If I appear bewildered.
I am.
- This is a most impressive complex.
- And this is Admiral Killian.
- Im honored.
Admiral.
- Thank you.
Dr.
Swain.
- May I present my aide.
Ensign Beard? - How do you do? - How do you do? - Dr.
MacGregor.
I dont care what your figures say.
Beard.
You cant be serious.
Im perfectly serious.
You mean.
youd put those men outside the ship? - Theyd die in seconds! - Immediately and painlessly.
- Their troubles would be over and so would ours.
- You sure about these facts? - Well.
that is a preliminary estimate.
- Well.
make a thorough check.
I want to know exactly what to expect if we attempt a landing with them on board.
- Yes.
sir.
- You cant listen to him.
Its outrageous.
- Its inhuman! - I know how you feel.
Doc.
But Ive gotta think about the safety of the whole ship.
- And of the mission.
- I warn you.
I wont let you do it.
Youre a little out of your area.
arent you.
Doctor? You dont have to worry about that.
Excess baggage is our problem.
Kane.
listen to me.
Ever since the space program started.
weve put a premium on human life.
- Nothing was of greater importance-nothing,! - This is a special case.
Were sacrificing two lives to save four.
That makes sense.
It maKes no sense at all, and if you could reach Mission Control theyd veto this crackbrained plan of yours.
hands down.
Im not so sure of that.
What do you think.
Skipper? No word from Mission Control? No.
sir.
Im still trying.
The question is.
Colonel.
can we make a soft lunar landing with two extra men on board? Now, I dont thinK we can, lets face it.
Colonel, If we dont get them off the ship, were all gonna die.
I cant believe it.
Is that me? You.
10 years from now.
- I dont believe Im saying those things.
- Well.
Im afraid its true.
You just cant tell about the future.
There they are, Ann.
what are you trying to do? Im going to transfer them.
while I still can.
You cant do that.
Its too dangerous.
Were not certain of the fix yet.
- Ray.
hes planning to jettison them.
- To save the mission.
Their added weight could make a soft lunar landing impossible.
Thats a point Id like more information on.
- Ray, how can we get it? - I think theres a way.
General.
With the help of Admiral Killian and Dr.
Brandon.
Gentlemen, together we could compile enough data on the M,E,M, flight program to give our computer something to worKon, That way.
we could tell whether the landing is possible.
Will you do it? - Of course.
Doctor.
Wed be glad to.
- Certainly.
Good! We can start at once.
- Right this way.
- Very well.
Ray.
Ray.
I dont care what data you process.
We cant just sit here and let Doug and Tony be killed.
Ann.
we wont.
If the computer indicates that a soft landing is impossible well risk shifting them in time.
whether we have a good fix on them or not.
- How are you coming? - Getting along.
Ill have the answer for you in a minute.
If theres the slightest chance of being able to make a soft lunar landing.
I want to know.
Right.
- Anything? - Yes.
sir.
I think so.
Well? Look here.
This coil.
and several others in there.
have been eaten through by some sort of a slow-working acid.
It severed our connections to the aft antenna.
- Any way to fix it? - Not without getting out on the hull but even then.
I doubt if I could do much- this has done a pretty thorough job of severing communications completely.
- Sabotage.
- Well.
its the only possible explanation.
- Those two? - That would be my guess.
yes.
sir.
Mine too.
I think Beard may have a point.
- Go down and get them.
And take a gun.
- Yes.
sir.
Doc.
give me a hand with this hatch cover.
- What now? - All right.
Skipper wants to see you topside.
Small meteor on intersecting course.
- Can we avoid it? - No time.
Were gonna be hit.
Hold on! Meteor.
Were losing all our air.
When its gone.
were dead! Here.
Space suits.
Put em on.
quick.
Its the service module.
all right.
The atmosphere is draining fast.
- Nazarros trapped with those other two.
- Our space suits are down there.
Lets see if we can get them.
We cant open the hatch now.
The air in there is gone.
Well.
that solves all our problems.
Your stowaways are dead now.
And so is Nazarro.
They never had a chance.
How do you turn this darn thing on? Its on.
We hear you.
- Can you hear us? - Loud and clear.
How bads the hull damage? - Its pretty bad.
Skipper.
- Tell us how to maKe repairs, - Well follow instructions, - Its not as simple as you may think.
Were both trained physicists.
We know how to follow directions.
Well manage.
You must have some Kind of sealant stored in here, Where is it? Its in a locker at the forward end.
Behind the hatch ladder.
Nazarro will show you.
- Hes got it.
Now what? - I told you it wasnt simple.
Its a double hull.
Both sides have to be repaired.
One from where you are and the other on the outside.
Youre not gonna let those two walk that hull! - Beards right.
Theyre untrained.
- Nazarros trained.
- Nazarro cant do it alone.
- All right.
Fine.
Whats the alternative? - Give up? - Hes right.
Trained or not theyre gonna have to do it.
Now.
listen.
Youve got to walk out on the hull.
You cant fall.
Youre moving with the same velocity as the ship.
Youre weightless.
Theres no up or down for you out there.
Were going out! Well fix it! How much longer before they finish? In a few minutes.
if they finish at all.
After what theyre doing.
youre not gonna have them jettisoned are you? No.
Not after this.
And suppose their weight makes a soft landing impossible? - Do your figures tell you that? - Im still working on it.
What if we cant make a soft landing? Then we orbit the moon.
head back to Earth.
And lose the race to Mars.
I thought that was the most important consideration of all.
We wont lose the race if we turn back.
Beard.
It doesnt matter which one of our crews win, This isnt a race for personal glory, Our backup team can be ready to lift off in less than two weeks.
Ill take a look at the aft antenna.
Maybe I can rig up something to restore communications.
You all right out there? What progress? Were finished, The hullss patched, and we are coming in, Full atmosphere restored in the service module.
Nice work.
You can get out of the space suits now.
Your compartment now has normal atmosphere.
Here are the results.
We can compensate for the added weight.
Landing is go.
Very well.
Well commit ourselves to the landing.
- Whats happening? - Theyve got a favorable estimate.
- Theyre going to try for the soft landing.
- They cant do that.
- Why not? - Weve just finished an estimate of our own.
- If they try to land.
theyll crash.
- Cant you do something? No response.
I cant move them.
Too fast.
Were descending too fast.
Cant you veer off? Change into an orbit? No.
Were committed.
Weve got to set down now.
- Nazarro.
you and Doc get the space suits.
- Yes.
sir.
- I want all hands to put em on.
- Why space suits? If any part of the hull cracks when we hit the surface wearing a space suit is the only possibility of survival.
- There are only four suits down there.
- I know.
You better pray the hull withstands the landing.
Its your only hope of staying alive, Theres no stopping it now.
Theyve got to crash.
Were going to impact! Hang on and pray! I dont know how it happened.
Were still airtight.
Any casualties? It wasnt a soft landing.
but at least it was a landing.
Weve been very lucky.
Weve maintained the integrity of the hull.
which is a miracle.
Once weve made some minor repairs and refueled.
we can lift off again for Mars.
Lets not waste time.
How far to the fuel dump? Now our point of impact is right here.
In this quadrant of the Mare Nectaris.
The fuel dump is located here, No more than a half mile to the west.
Now our main problem is time.
If we cant refuel and lift off in precisely 22 minutes we cant maKe it, I go for fuel while repairs are being made.
- I agree.
Nazarro.
you check the hull and the aft burners.
- Right.
Ill need someone to help me with the fuel.
Doc Harlow? - Okay.
Skipper? - It is! Go with him.
Doc.
That takes care of everyone but us.
What can we do to help? Well.
now.
thats a problem.
You still dont suspect us of being agents.
do you? Frankly.
I dont know who you are.
And its a pretty academic question at this point.
You cant go outside the ship, There are no more space suits, - Can we do anything to help? - You can help by obeying orders.
You two will stay here.
where I can keep an eye on you.
Theyll be heading for the fuel dump now.
- Ive got a clear fix on them now, - Switch them.
- How many will we need? - Four.
Well each take two.
Two? They must weigh a hundred pounds apiece! Thats on Earth.
Up here.
we divide by six.
Remember.
Doc? - Oh.
Hard to get used to.
isnt it? - Yeah.
You ready? Yes.
Doctor.
Im quite ready.
- Lets go back to the ship.
- Oh.
theres no rush.
You see.
this is the end of the M.
E.
M.
flight.
- The end? I- I dont understand.
- You will.
Doctor.
You will.
Did you hear that? Sounded like a scream.
- Nazarro.
Are you all right? - Still worKing on the hull, SKipper, - Beard.
Do you read me? - Loud and clear, - Ask him about Harlow.
- Has anything happened to Major Harlow? - He had a little trouble with his intercom.
but hes okay.
- Well be bringing fuel in now, - All right, As soon as you can, - Are you satisfied? - No.
- Neither am I.
Beards lying.
- What makes you think so? A little matter of two and two.
We know somebody sabotaged your communication system.
It wasnt your radioman.
Hes the one that discovered it, And I doubt that it was Major Harlow, - And we didnt do it.
so that leaves Beard.
- Why? Doesnt make any sense.
It does to me, Now somebody hired Beard to make sure that America loses that race to Mars.
Beard.
an agent? I dont believe it.
Hes done everything he could to keep me from aborting this mission.
Naturally.
If you return to Earth.
your backup crew would leave immediately for Mars.
- They still can.
- Not until Mission Control finds out what happened to this crew.
Now thats basic policy.
And by the time they do if ever.
itll be too late to win.
Come on.
Admit it.
You see it as clearly as we do.
What am I expected to do about this? Get out there and find out what Beards doing.
Now.
before its too late.
And leave you two with the run of the ship? All right.
Then give us your suit.
One of us will go.
No dice.
gentlemen.
If there are any agents on this mission Im looking at them right now.
Dont let him near that intercom.
Tony.
I dont want him to warn Beard.
All right.
Colonel.
Get out of that space suit.
- What do you think.
Ray? - Oh.
well get it fixed.
of course.
Were lucky nobody was hurt.
- How did it happen? - We cant tell yet.
It was an accident.
wasnt it? Im not so sure.
Stand up.
Dont touch that intercom button.
Where are the other three? If I told you.
I wouldnt be very bright.
would I? Two of them have to be in the capsule.
There are only four space suits.
That still leaves one man unaccounted for.
doesnt it? - And you dont Know where he is, - Ill find him.
Will you? He could be anywhere.
He could be right outside that door.
- Youre in a lot of trouble.
Beard.
- Youre the one in trouble.
Ive got enough provisions to last me for six months, Im gonna kill all of you.
And wait.
Wait? Wait for what? For our own Mars flight.
- Theyre gonna pick me up.
- You dont really believe that.
do you? Once your job is done here.
why youre expendable.
All right.
Dont move.
Excuse me.
gentlemen.
SergeantJiggs has just come from our security center with some very distressing news- Sergeant? - Will you please repeat what you just told me? - Yes.
sir.
At 1400 hours.
my security section received a call from Central Intelligence.
They informed me that for some time now, theres been an enemy agent worKing within the Space Department, They have reason to believe one of you three visitors may be that agent.
- Why.
this is outrageous- - Im sorry.
Admiral.
but I really have no choice.
You gentlemen will be taken to our security center for questioning.
- Look here.
General- - Please.
Doctor.
Carry on.
Sergeant.
Yes.
sir.
- All right.
hold it! - Brandon.
what in the name of- I said hold it.
Admiral.
All right.
Sergeant.
Ill take that gun.
Over there.
You too.
Over there.
- Thats better.
- What are you trying to do.
Brandon? Dont be naive.
General.
I cant let you live now.
Nobody move.
Ray! Take Ann out of here.
Steer clear of this area until we tighten down.
Jiggs! Sound a full security alert! Freeze.
Take your hand off that mike.
Things arent going quite according to plan.
are they? - You should have heard from your friend by this time.
All right.
get over there.
You dont know who that is coming in.
do you? I said.
get over.
Now give me a hand with the hatch.
- Nazarro! Give a warning on the intercom! - Help! Command Module to- - I wouldnt.
- And theres our missing man.
Now if youre smart.
you wont try anything.
- Hes gonna open the outer door! - Secure the hatch.
quick.
Tony! Tony.
can you hear me? This is Kane.
Whats going on out there? This is Doug Phillips.
Harlows been murdered by Beard here in the depot.
- Murdered? - He was gonna try and blow up your spaceship, - How much time left? - Just under 12 minutes.
- Well.
get ready to blast off.
- We have no fuel, Im bringing it! - Wheres Beard? - I left him back at the depot.
I dont know whether hes alive or dead.
but frankly.
right now I dont care.
I brought your fuel bacK, Lets get ready to taKe off, - Wheres Tony? - He went to look for you.
Tony? Im aboard the ship.
Were getting ready to blast off.
Get back here immediately.
- Tony! Can you read me? - He must have his intercom switch off.
Weve got to lift off.
We cant wait.
Im going back to get him.
- Can you two maneuver this craft alone? - If we have to.
All right.
then.
Get ready to blast off.
get your fuel in.
- How much time do I have left? - Only a few minutes.
Ill try to get him back here on time.
If I dont.
you take off without us.
do you understand? I think I do.
Finally.
Here.
You may need this.
Well.
theres no way he can leave this level.
- Only a matter of time before we take him.
- Brandon.
I just cant believe it.
One of our best men.
They often are.
You three men.
work your way around.
cover that section.
The rest of you take that area.
Okay.
Beard.
Get up! Move out of there.
Come on! The ships blasting off!.
Weve gotta get back! Brandon! Brandon? Its Beard.
- You havent got a chance.
- Ive got one chance.
You.
Youre trapped.
Brandon.
Theres guards everywhere.
Its your job to protect me.
Remember my importance to the organization.
I have to think about the mission.
The mission will be completed.
Now look.
Im gonna hide out here.
You lead them away from me.
Then when things cool off- All right.
Ill try.
Gimme a gun.
I may need it! Give me a gun! Brandon? Well- M.
E.
M.
Come in.
M.
E.
M.
The lunar depot has been destroyed.
Beard is dead.
Repeat.
Beard is dead.
M.
E.
M.
4.
calling M.
E.
M.
4.
Kane.
do you read me? Can you read me? Whats wrong? Why cant they hear us? Look! - Were too late.
- Were stranded.
Weve only got enough air for a couple of hours.
- After that, how do we survive? - Maybe we dont.
- Try for a time lock.
Quick.
Before we lose them.
- Power.
all units! Tony! - Wheres the rest of the crew? - Trapped.
Trapped! Over 200 ofem.
All trapped.
This way! Its blocked off here.
Go the other way.
Hey.
you! Get out of here! Hold on! - Whats happened? - There are men trapped back there.
- How many? - Must be 200.
You better get out of here.
Therell be more explosions.
- Weve got to get them out! - No! Thats my job! Now you get out of here!