Space: 1999 s01e03 Episode Script

Eagle Two Nine approaching asteroid, Commander.
Eagle Ten descending with nuke.
Eagle Ten to Alpha.
Nuclear charge in place.
Mission completed.
Returning to base.
Eagles Ten, Eleven and Twelve have laid their charges and are returning to base, sir.
What's happened to Alan? Still nothing from Eagle One.
- Kano.
What's happened to Eagle One? - Eagle One's in trouble.
Yeah.
The problem's in the main booster.
I can't get the speed.
He's got to make it.
We need twelve nuclear explosions to guarantee the chain reaction .
.
that will destroy the asteroid and avoid a collision.
We're losing the time-line, Commander.
Alan needs a minimum of a hundred and ten seconds to get out before we detonate.
Delay the blast forty seconds.
Can't do it.
We've gotta destroy that asteroid.
Timing's vital to avoid being caught in radiation from the blast ourselves.
Delay the blast forty seconds! Alan, we must detonate those nukes in two minutes.
Can you make it? All the way, Commander.
Alan.
Don't worry about perfection, just get in and get out.
The release mechanism's jammed.
Time's running out.
Alan.
We've got to have it there.
Or else we'll all die.
She's going.
She's gone! - We've lost the time line.
- Blast in ten seconds.
Nine.
Eight.
- Delay ten.
Blast now T minus fifteen.
- Alan.
You've got another thirteen seconds.
- Thanks.
Good luck.
Red alert.
Activate radiation screens.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Activate.
SPACE 1999 SEPTEMBER 13TH 1999 COLLISION COURSE Eagle One, do you copy? - Come in, Eagle One.
- No, he didn't stand a chance.
No.
I want damage reports from all sections.
Getting them now, sir.
Come in, Eagle One.
Eagle One, do you read me? - Alan, do you read me? - Radiation screens at full power now.
- Full power confirmed.
- So we just wait for the screens to crack? - Let's be grateful we've got this far.
- Thanks to Alan.
Come in, Eagle One.
Come in, Eagle One.
- Alan, do you read me? - John.
That's not helping any of us.
Sandra.
I want a scanner report.
I am trying, sir, but these readings do not make sense.
- It is the radiation.
- What about the orbital satellites? Their transmissions cannot penetrate the radiation cloud.
Structural damage in Maintenance Section B four.
Computer reports power failure in Residence Buildings C and D.
- Medical section reports fourteen casualties.
- Radiation? - No.
Conventional injuries only, so far.
- Keep calling Alan.
- Come in, Eagle One.
- It may help him to know we're still alive.
- Alan, can you hear me? - John, please Victor, if you're trying to tell me I made the wrong decision, tell me that.
If you're trying to tell me that I'm wasting my time trying to reach Alan out there.
.
.
.
through that radiation cloud, tell me that.
But if you're .
.
telling me that you don't think Alan is alive out there I don't want to hear that.
It was a human decision, John.
None of us would have decided any other way.
- But now we've got a new situation to face.
- Yeah, but very few facts.
Eagle One, do you copy? Alan, can you hear me? Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
There it is.
We're still getting our own orbital satellite identification signal.
Yes.
But that is on the interstellar frequency band.
Exactly.
Which Alan doesn't have.
But if we equip an Eagle with one and send it up through the radiation cloud .
.
we can establish three way contact between it, Alan and Alpha.
Paul, I want you to prepare an Eagle for the job.
If Alan's anywhere out there we're going to find him.
Commander, we are at risk from radiation here on Alpha.
If you fly an Eagle through that radiation cloud .
.
Alpha has radiation screens and so do the Eagles.
Effective against certain classes of radiation that we know about .
.
but out there is a kind of radiation we know nothing at all about.
Victor.
If he's not out there I want to know it for a fact.
Paul.
Put an Eagle on Pad Two.
- Pad Two's damaged.
- Pad Four might function.
Make it function.
I have four warning lights here.
On the secondary systems.
But they're minor.
- I say we disregard them.
- I agree.
Otherwise we're ready to lift off.
- Clear to go.
- Good.
Main Mission.
This is Koenig.
We have lift off.
Visibility nil.
No instruments, visibility nil and he has no idea where Alan is .
.
or even if he is alive at all.
- It defies logic.
Yes.
It's a thing called faith.
Hello, Eagle One.
Hello, Eagle One.
Eagle One, do you copy? - Keep trying.
- Come in, Eagle One.
Eagle One, do you copy? Can you give me your last position, Alan? We're on our way to bring you in.
Come in, Eagle One.
Eagle One, do you copy? Are you feeling better? You're quite safe now.
Come in, Eagle One.
Eagle One, do you copy? Can you hear me? Speak to them.
Hello, Alpha.
Alpha, this is Eagle One.
He's alive.
Paul, did you hear that? He's alive.
Alan, this is Paul.
We're up here in Eagle Four.
Steer us to your position.
Alan, this is Paul.
Did you get that? Eagle One, do you copy? - He's not receieving us.
- Paul.
Fix his position.
Give us a course.
Your friend is at orbital reference .
.
three four nine.
- Course computed and programmed.
- I haven't got his position yet.
I have.
There he is.
Hello, Alpha.
We've found Eagle One.
It's drifting just outside the plasma cloud.
- Not too much damage.
- Well done, John.
- We're moving in now to dock.
- Good luck.
Docking procedure checked and programmed.
Check docking procedure and program.
Confirmed.
Docking secure.
Check.
Well done, sir.
Yeah.
He handled that docking beautifully.
I don't think he's too badly hurt.
You hold her steady, I'm going in there.
Your own people will take care of you now.
Who are you? A friend.
- Paul? - How is he? He's alive but unconscious.
The effort of that docking must have been too much for him.
- My God.
.
! - Commander? Commander, what's wrong? Commander? Commander.
- Return to base.
- Why? Another collision course.
Only this time it's a planet.
A massive planet.
There's no getting away with this one, Paul.
Thanks, Paul.
Stay with him till the medics arrive.
Then report to my office.
- Decontamination procedure? - Forget it.
We're running out of time.
- Medical.
- Yes, John? Skip the radiation check.
We're in trouble.
It won't take a moment.
Medical Team is standing by.
Look, you can't keep me here, I've got lots to do.
Doctor.
He's clear.
Carter's in Eagle One, with Morrow.
Kano.
Process this information from the on board computer.
Give me a report as quickly as you can.
- Victor, we're in trouble.
- Yes, but if you hadn't gone out there .
.
we wouldn't have known anything about this planet till it hit us.
We never would have known.
Probably been better off.
- Well I've been thinking.
- It's the best news I've had today.
- How's Alan? - Clean as a whistle.
- No radiation? - No radiation.
What are we going to do about it? One thing's for sure.
We won't be able to destroy it like we did the asteroid.
- My guess is it's thirty times the size of the Moon.
- Thirty four.
And it is on a collision course.
Impact will be in one hundred and five hours and some thirteen minutes from now.
I'm worried.
- Well, the Eagles have radiation screens.
- Yes, I know.
But he spent three hours in that cloud.
I'd be surprised if he wasn't affected in some way.
- How about this? - Mm? We alter our own trajectory by setting up a blast on the other side of the Moon.
- Julie.
- Yes.
- Go on.
We recreate by design the accident that originally blasted us out of Earth's orbit.
Save the planet the trouble by blowing ourselves up.
- We survived it once.
- By a miracle.
- Isn't that exactly what we're asking for!? - Fine, but don't ask computer to work it.
Easy, come on.
We're trying to come up with a realistic plan to avoid disaster.
- We've no time for this.
- Just a minute, John.
The, ah, the principle of Paul's suggestion is dead right.
We've gotta alter our trajectory relative to the planet .
.
but perhaps we can do it another way.
Now, suppose we make a force between ourselves and the planet.
We could put down a chain of nuclear charges like mines moored in space .
.
and make a shockwave between the Moon and the planet .
.
which might force them apart.
Change their trajectory.
- It makes a lot of sense.
- I think it's the only possibility.
All right, Victor.
Get to work on it.
I'd like to see a detailed plan.
- Sandra, what have you learned about the planet? - It has an atmosphere.
- Go on.
- But it is not ideal.
- Breathable? - I think we could survive.
Temperatures range from a high of approximately ten degrees centigrade to minus thirty.
So it is almost certain that some kind of life could exist there.
Yeah.
The question is what kind of life.
We'll bombard that planet with every kind of communication we can devise.
Paul, you've overlooked something.
We're still isolated by that radiation cloud.
All the information we've gotten has come from the on-board computers on my Eagle.
If we want to glean more information from that planet it means a reconnaissance flight.
John.
If that planet is habitable, even though conditions may not be ideal .
.
we could evacuate all our people to the far side.
Yeah.
The question is can that planet withstand a collision with the Moon? How long is a piece of string? All right, Victor.
I'll tell you what.
I'm going to go out there and take a look at that planet.
Meantime you start Operation Shockwave.
If I find that planet's habitable .
.
we'll have to make a spot decision as to whether we chance an evacuation.
- Who are you? - A friend.
Why have you come to me? - Where have you come from? - You are quite safe now.
Who are you? Who .
.
are you? Alan.
- No.
Where are you? Come back.
Don't leave me now.
- Nurse.
Take me with you.
Take me with you! Take me to your people! - Bob.
- Where are you? It's all right, Alan.
It's all right.
You'll be all right now.
- Give him sedative will you? - What's all this about? Hallucination, disorientation.
Classic symptoms of radiation sickness.
He has been affected.
Well, that's not possible.
The instruments cleared him.
Well, they're wrong, and they're probably wrong about you too.
Helena.
Look.
The man's been unconscious.
Dreaming.
Maybe having a nightmare.
- That was no nightmare.
- Now how the hell can you be so sure? Because I know my job.
Look, except for Alan, both you and Paul have had the greatest exposure.
Look, I'm not hallucinating.
Okay, maybe maybe my reactions were a bit hasty, but so was your assessment.
My assessment is based on experience.
And with no help from the clock.
Extensive tests take time, John.
Look, I think he has been affected, and if I'm right .
.
then you've gotta be suspect.
- Now look, Helena Yes, Paul? Reconnaissance Eagle ready on Pad Four.
Copilot Pierre Daniel is standing by.
- Thanks Paul, but I'm going alone.
- You're not going out again? Don't worry.
I'll wear my galoshes.
Main Mission.
This is Koenig calling on interstellar frequency.
- How do you read? - Very loud and very clear.
Looks like the radiation cloud is dispersing.
Sandra's data from your on-board computer confirms that.
We're receiving it's information and we copy.
How's Operation Shockwave coming along? Professor Bergman's made his first computation.
- Looks possible.
- Good.
Soon as Victor's happy with the plan .
.
I want you to start placing the nuclear charges in position.
Alpha Main Mission, we copy.
Well, Professor.
Are you happy? Far from it, Paul.
I suppose it makes some sort of sense.
Then we go ahead.
I think so.
- There is life on the planet.
- We read you, Commander.
Punch in long range cameras.
A mammoth spaceship.
Heading right towards me.
Tremendous velocity.
I'm taking evasive action.
It's dragging me towards it.
Retrorockets ineffective.
Why doesn't he open fire? If it's strong enough to drag him towards it, it could be strong enough to stop his lasers.
Eagle Four.
Come in, Eagle Four.
This is Main Mission.
Do you copy? - Eagle Four, come in.
- There is no communication at all.
I am getting nothing from the on-board instruments.
Well, what do we do? There's a slim chance he may have survived, even within that other ship.
- So we can't attack.
- What can we do? Their technology is much more advanced than ours.
Operation Shockwave, do we go on with it? Ah, we must at least go on with the preparations.
Okay.
The planning meeting for Operation Shockwave is brought forward.
We'll start it right away in the Commander's office.
Keep calling, and if you hear anything - anything at all - let me know.
Moonbase Alpha, do you read me? Main Mission.
This is Koenig.
Do you read me? Do you read me? I have waited a long time to meet you, John Koenig.
- Who are you? - I am Arra - .
.
Queen of Aetheria.
- Aetheria? The planet whose course has so terrified you and your people.
We have expected you for many millions of years.
You see your destiny has always been our destiny.
But.
.
how can that be possible? It was only a matter of time before we met, John Koenig.
It seems to me we are here by accident.
Our Moon was blasted out of Earth's orbit by a nuclear explosion.
No one could have forseen that.
Oh, poor John Koenig.
How you belittle yourself in the scheme of things.
And yet how small you are to be so great.
I should very much like to know my place in the scheme of things.
Our two planets have met in the body of Time .
.
for the great purpose of mutation.
We shall change utterly .
.
and the change will reverberate .
.
through the galaxies and universes of eternity.
You and I are two vital drops .
.
in the boundless ocean of Time.
We have met with purpose.
We must not fail our destiny.
On this question of the destiny of Man.
Please be more specific.
What will happen to us? You shall continue on Your odyssey shall know no end.
You will prosper and increase in new worlds, new galaxies.
You will populate the deepest reaches of space.
And you? Oh.
The gene of which I and my people are a part .
.
shall mutate.
We shall take on another form.
Unrecognisable.
Spiritual, if you like.
But once changed .
.
we shall become immutable .
.
for time inconceivable.
And what must I do to help you achieve all of this? Nothing.
I'm afraid I'm right.
Whether intentionally or not .
.
the alien spaceship's parked itself in the exact position where we plan to lay our mines and create shockwave.
How much time do we have? Well, the Cargo Eagles carrying the nuclear charges should be leaving now.
Tanya.
Give all cargo carrying Eagles lift off clearance.
- Yes, Paul.
- John is still inside that alien spaceship.
There's no need to state the obvious.
Main Mission to all Cargo Eagles.
Move towards the alien spaceship.
Coordinates for the nuclear charges will be transmitted shortly.
- No other way? - Not that I know of.
Your friends are dangerously concerned about you.
They are making elaborate plans which could destroy this ship.
- How can you know that? - I can hear their thoughts and words.
And the unthinking calculations of your computers.
This activity must cease.
They must do nothing.
Are you asking me to tell them to do nothing? How can I do that? They'll need facts, logical explanations, they're all all of them, logical men and women.
There is a way.
If you come with me, Arra.
You could help me to persuade them just by your presence.
I cannot come with you.
We both have our parts to play.
Yours is to do nothing.
I I have much to do.
What you've told me sounds magnificent here, in this chamber, and from your lips But how will it sound in the cold light of Moonbase Alpha? They'll never believe me.
They already think I'm suffering from radiation sickness.
They simply will not believe me.
That is the test of your command.
Are you unfit to play the part .
.
for which you have been destined since the beginning of time? - I have faith in you, John Koenig.
- And I have faith in you.
But what is faith against the fact of imminent collision? I'll need to know more.
I'll need to know what you are going to do.
I go to shape the future of eternity.
And I need your help.
Arra? I go to shape the future of eternity.
And I need your help.
Your help your help your help.
Paul! - Main Mission.
Main Mission.
This is Koenig.
- We read you, Commander.
Are you all right? I'm fine.
Suspend all operations immediately.
- Repeat, sir.
- Repeat.
Cancel Operation Shockwave.
Pull those Eagles out of there.
And most important, do nothing until I return.
Repeat.
- Nothing.
Until I return.
- Yes, sir.
You don't believe me.
I know it's incredible.
But I trust her, I believe her! Commander, the radiation cloud has cleared now.
The readings we are getting are accurate.
David has double checked them with the computer .
.
and the fact is we are going to collide with that planet in less than seven hours.
Unless we let shockwave go ahead.
The charges are in position, Commander.
The countdown's underway.
- It would be madness to stop it.
Is that what you want? - Exactly.
That's what I want.
- Then you are mad.
- Paul! Commander, it's an open and shut case.
We either make some attempt to save ourselves or we die.
Anyway, what's so different about this situation to any other danger we've been in? Arra.
Then tell us what she's going to do? - I don't know.
- You don't know! Now look, Paul.
There have been two constant factors in all the troubles we've been through.
One, we've survived them all.
Two, John Koenig has been commander throughout.
Now I see no reason to doubt his command now.
- But it's absurd - Is it? You didn't see Arra.
She has convinced John Koenig .
.
and as far as I'm concerned I see no reason to doubt his command now.
- It's against every fact and calculation.
.
- Facts, calculations .
.
you're beginning to talk like a computer.
Hmm.
Of course, reason and fact are against Arra.
But then the commander's case is not based on reason or fact.
But on faith.
- And I think we should have faith in him.
- But you set up Operation Shockwave.
Yes I did.
And now I believe it should be cancelled.
Paul, cancel Operation Shockwave.
This meeting is closed.
Paul.
You'll have to take over now.
Radiation sickness.
Hallucination, disorientation.
Same symptoms as Carter's.
- Is it permanent damage? - I don't know.
Alan is still affected.
John's going to have to be confined to his quarters - .
.
and mildly sedated.
- Do we continue with Shockwave? Countdown is six hours and thirty two minutes.
- And you'll look after John? - Yeah.
- Security.
- Security.
Identify.
Doctor Russell.
Have two guards report to me in Medical Centre immediately please.
All generators are working at minimum capacity.
Activate radiation shields to medium power.
Technical Section.
Seal all launch pads.
Evacuate maintenance areas and decompress.
Yes sir.
Nuclear charges fused and ready to detonate.
Your friends have betrayed you, John Koenig.
Betrayed? Computer, lock my door.
Alan Carter.
It is I, Arra.
We need your help now.
Arra.
Arra.
Doctor Mathias.
Arra.
She called.
Where is she? You saw her too? Alan, I need your help.
Here's what I want you to do.
Arming nuclear trigger.
Two minutes fifty nine to detonation.
No! Gravitational pull increasing to strength four.
Hold it! Go on, move in there.
Sandra.
Tanya, get away from that button.
Computer.
Close and lock Main Mission doors.
- Two minutes, thirty eight seconds.
- Commander.
Where is Arra? She's with her people, on the planet Aetheria.
They're waiting for our two worlds to touch.
When that happens they'll be transformed into a higher form of life.
- Or death.
- Now listen, you've got to believe me.
This is our only chance of survival.
Operation Shockwave will destroy us .
.
unless we wait and do nothing! - John.
Give me the gun.
- Helena.
You tried to ignore and deceive me.
But you couldn't deceive Arra.
Operation Shockwave will not take place! Then we'll die for certain.
Gravitational pull increasing rapidly now.
We must detonate.
John.
Please.
Let me help you.
You think I'm suffering from radiation sickness, don't you? - Both you and Alan - It wasn't radiation.
Arra saved Alan.
Just as she'll save all of us.
- John.
Believe me.
The medical facts - Helena.
Why don't you believe me!? Helena.
If it's a choice.
Paul! We're all going to die in a minute.
I'll take my chances a few seconds early.
Shoot me, if you choose.
Helena! No! Please! Trust me! Trust me! Too late! Arra! Arra, where are you? Victor, I believed her! Victor, I believed her! Come on.
Quick.
Get those fires out.
Sandra, Kano, keep monitoring.
To your posts everyone.
Attention all sections Alpha, report your damage.
Technical Section, issue damage control equipment to all sections.
Medical Section, prepare to receive casualties.
John.
I'm sorry.
You were right.
Totally right.
If you'd done anything else I'd want to know why.
- But - But nothing.
Helena.
If you went out to that spaceship and came back with a crazy story like I did .
.
I'd be a fool not to lock you up.
How could anyone possibly know that That a planet on a collision course .
.
would not collide.
But simply touch.