Space: 1999 s02e23 Episode Script

'Moonbase Alpha, status report, 'Dr Helena Russell recording.
'Two days ago we made contact 'with an Earth-type planet in our West Quadrant.
'First reports indicate it can support our life forms.
'Our survey team is carrying out an investigation 'to substantiate this report.
'Until the tests are complete, Commander Koenig has imposed 'a quarantine on all food, water and minerals.
'The planet appears to be uninhabited, 'although word has come through that the survey team 'has discovered a mysterious structure.
' You've checked for life signs? The molecular bonding is sophisticated.
Sensor beams just bounced off.
There's got to be a way in.
'Tony.
' John, I was about to call in.
You should see this place.
It's fantastic! There's a valley here that's perfect for us.
'Hate to spoil the flow, but we've discovered signs of civilisation, 'some kind of sealed living area.
Tony, head back immediately.
'I'd like everyone in close until we check it out.
' Yeah, sure.
Here.
Come on.
Food, water Minerals.
The planet's a wonder! It's raw data.
We usually wait until the computer has processed it.
- But the computer's so slow.
- Only to a Psychon mind.
- I wish we were with them.
- Why should they have all the fun? (Beeping) (Electrical whining) Tony! (High-pitched whine) (Screams) Joe? (Joe chokes) (Whimpers) Joe? (Fires laser) Joe! (High-pitched whine) (Screams) (Koenig) 'Tony! 'Tony!' Laser wound.
How about those bruises? Fight? (Beeping) I'd say it adds up to a stupid accident.
They fell out, a weapon was pulled.
Maybe.
But why did Tony take off like that? He'd just killed a man.
Found it half a kilometre west of here.
West? Heading away from base camp.
The state he's in, he may not know where he's headed.
Take care of Lustig.
Let's go! (Whine) Welcome.
- They still haven't found Tony.
- They'll find him, Maya.
I feel so helpless.
I keep thinking about him.
Alone, perhaps hurt and suffering down there.
John won't give up until he finds him.
Yes I know.
(Breathes heavily) (Groans) It's 100 per cent safe.
Maybe, but orders are to touch nothing, at least until the quarantine period has elapsed.
All right, kill it! Any luck? We're not gonna force our way in, that's for sure.
How about Tony? - What about him? - Is it true he's cracked up? I don't know.
Ask a doctor.
Let's hope they find him.
If he's still alive.
Let's see if we can burn away some of this rock.
He can't be far ahead.
Let's go! Spread out, go that way! This way! - There he is! - I'll take him.
No! Make sure he doesn't double back.
- He's armed.
- I know, but I don't think he'll use it on me.
Go ahead.
- Entry mechanism? - Uh-huh, but no power.
Hmm, solar cells.
And there's a lot more of them.
(Beep) - Koenig.
- (Alan) 'I think we found - 'a way into the alien structure.
' - Good.
It's powered by solar cells.
If we're right, once they're charged, we should be in.
Let Travers handle it.
We've found Tony.
- Good news.
- 'We don't have him yet.
' You don't know his condition? No, but we will soon.
Alan, you and Spencer pick us up.
Tony! Tony, it's all right! (Groans) Easy! Tony, Tony! Easy, easy! Tony! No, Tony! Tony, no! Tony! (Moans) (Beeping) - He's lapsing into deep coma.
- Is there anything we can do? I've given him a shot to stop him sinking further, but without proper medical facilities, there could be brain damage.
All right, let's get him back to Alpha.
(Engines start) Maya, we found Tony.
Tell Helena we're bringing him in.
'Yes, Commander.
Commander' - How is he? - 'Sick.
Very sick.
' It's OK to drink.
Quarantine period is over.
How's it going? Another couple of hours should do it.
(Choking) - 'Moonbase Alpha from survey team!' - Go ahead.
'Raise the commander.
Tell him' Gerry! Gerry! My men, they're dead.
Commander, Gerry Travers called in from the alien structure.
The communications malfunctioned (Koenig) Stabiliser's gone.
Switching to back-up! We're holding.
Yeah.
Long enough to get to Alpha? I wouldn't bet on it.
Maya, we're having trouble with the Survey Eagle.
- 'Malfunctions.
' - Can you correct? We'll try.
If negative we'll head back and switch to Eagle One.
Moonbase Alpha to Survey Eagle.
Moonbase Alpha to Survey Eagle! - Moonbase Alpha to Survey Eagle.
- What's wrong? The Survey Eagle's malfunctioning.
They're checking the circuits.
- Are they in danger? - I don't think so.
Only Tony is if they don't get him to Medical Centre.
Let's hope they do.
We've lost contact, not only with the Commander, but the base camp communications are affected, too! (Beeping) Something's happening to that planet, Helena.
The atmosphere readings have changed drastically.
Maintain present altitude.
I'll check these circuits before we head for Alpha.
All the metal has corroded.
Get back to base camp! Quick.
They're heading back to the planet.
What's wrong? He's dead.
Poisoned.
It must have been the fruit.
That makes three.
Two of my men drank water from the rock pool.
I don't understand.
The fruit and water checked out safe.
And now they're pure poison.
Base camp coming up.
(Beeping) They're on touch-down approach.
All systems holding.
(Engine roars) John! Temperature increase.
Helena, the ship's on fire! John, she's going down! (Koenig) OK, I've got this one, Alan! John, I'll take over! Tony.
Come on.
Move it! They didn't make it, Helena.
Their controls disintegrated before touchdown.
Where are you going? To check on Eagle One.
We have to get them back to Alpha.
OK, but you need checking, too.
- So hurry back.
- Yeah, sure.
The medical kit.
Maya, how close were they before their controls broke up? Close.
Close enough to have survived impact? - I can't be precise.
- You can predict! I can tell you what we both want to hear! There's a chance.
Have the results of the computer scan come through yet? I'm analysing the data now.
Alan! Some landing! Yeah.
I have to admit it wasn't one of my best.
Tony - He's alive.
- We've gotta get him back.
Easy, Commander.
No one's going anywhere.
We're stranded.
Stranded? What about Eagle One? You can forget Eagle One.
It'll fall apart if we try to use it.
All the metals are corroded.
Something else.
Three of the survey team are dead.
- Dead? - Poisoned.
They sampled food and water which were classified safe.
It killed them.
What about Tony? A few bruises.
Probably as a result of his scramble with Lustig.
Nothing that could have affected him.
Something flipped him.
I examined Lustig.
It was the laser beam that killed him, but I found evidence of brain cell expansion - the kind of pressure that can first drive a man mad, then kill him.
- What caused the pressure? - I don't know.
Is Tony suffering from this pressure? I have a hunch that's what I'll find upon further examination.
If you do, can you help him? I don't know.
I wish we had him on Alpha.
Yeah.
Well, by now, Alpha knows we're in trouble.
Yeah.
If they try to help us, their Eagles will be torn apart the minute they enter the atmosphere.
What is it? The planet.
It's an ecological disaster.
The computer registers a massive build-up in poisonous elements.
That's not possible.
We checked and double-checked before our people went down there.
I know.
It was safe.
It started to change when they landed.
Their arrival caused this change? If the computer is correct, that's exactly what I mean.
Every circuit element has perished.
The metals have just disintegrated.
The plastics are holding up.
Great(!) We can't build a communicator out of plastic.
Wait a minute.
- Hey, metalline fibres! - Yeah, they're non-corroded.
Plastic, but one of the best conductors of energy we have.
Yeah, they'll conduct energy, but what energy? We don't have any a source of power.
Yes, we do.
There's a cluster of solar cells around that alien structure.
One set of solar cells, origin unknown.
One induction unit, performance doubtful.
And likewise, one transmitter.
All right.
Let's reconsider.
Maybe it IS the result of natural causes.
No.
Indications lead to a different conclusion.
- Intelligent life? - Intelligent, hostile and powerful enough to mobilise the natural forces of the planet to destroy us.
Where is it? Why doesn't it register on our instruments? I don't know.
Unless it's so unfamiliar, its presence can't register! Maybe it's hidden by that structure.
That's possible.
'Koenig to Alpha.
John Koenig to Moonbase Alpha.
' - John! We're receiving you.
- How's Tony? 'We can transmit, but cannot receive.
'Our situation is serious.
We are without ships and equipment.
' Three of our party have died 'and the condition of Officer Verdeschi remains grave.
'We now know this planet is hostile to our life forms.
' We will strive to effect counter-measures.
Until we do, I forbid any attempt at rescue.
'Repeat, no Eagles are to come down here.
' No Eagles are to come down here.
Should they try, their metals will disintegrate on contact with the atmosphere.
It was this phenomenon that caused the crash of Let's hope some of it got through.
The atmosphere will soon become impossible to breathe.
They won't have time for any effective counter-measures.
I have to go down there, Maya.
The problem is how.
We can't use the Eagles.
The glider.
The re-entry glider.
- Re-entry glider? - Yes, it's made of carbon fibre.
We can replace the metal seals on our spacesuits.
Right.
It has no power unit.
It would be a one-way trip, Maya.
- I know.
For two passengers.
- For two passengers.
(High-pitched whine) - He's cold.
- Yes, Commander.
What are his chances? He might not get through the night.
- Commander! We're in.
- Good.
Alert Carter.
(High-pitched whine) (Scream) Have you worked out our launch position? I've tried to assess all the relevant factors.
It's a big planet, Maya.
A small error could put us hundreds of miles from base camp.
Then we'll discover the joys of walking, won't we? There's more of those here.
It's a holographic recording.
The end has come.
Only I, Zoran, the leader of this expedition, survive.
But soon, I, too will be dead.
To you who come, as we did, to search for this promised land, cease your struggle.
There is only one way out of this pitiless world.
Death.
Dr Russell, atmosphere perimeter coming up.
Activate airlock.
Approaching extremity of atmosphere.
- Stand by to launch.
- 'Standing by!' (Helena) 110,000 feet Launch! There's a fault.
We haven't got release! I haven't released you.
I'm taking you closer.
The Eagle will break up.
You're risking your life.
That makes three of us.
Malfunction! You're on your own, girls.
Good luck.
- Stand by for re-entry.
- Standing by.
Survey reports indicate that this planet is ideal.
Our people have rejoiced in the good fortune that has guided us to this hospitable land.
But as yet, we have not located our mining party.
A further complication is the inexplicable breakdown of our most vital equipment.
(Beeping) He's gone again.
Let's try another disc.
Wait! He was interrupted.
He's coming back.
The natural resources of this planet have turned poisonous.
Half our number have perished.
Our own supplies are dwindling.
We are facing disaster.
stand by for turbulence.
We've got to get out of this turbulence! - We'll miss the base camp.
- That's right.
Yesterday, the survivors of the mining party were found in deep coma and suffering with a mysterious form of brain damage.
They regained consciousness shortly before death and were lucid enough to describe to us what had happened.
We are being destroyed by an immortal creature of awesome power.
A solitary being which yearns for contact with other forms of intelligent life.
It did not seek to deliberately destroy our mining party.
It wanted to communicate, to talk, to express the joy it felt at discovering a form of life other than itself.
But the means it chose inflicted insanity and violent death.
We must find a way to communicate with it.
We must make it understand! Commander, Tony's come round.
(Sighs) They regain consciousness just before death.
Yeah.
Alan, go through the records again.
Maybe we missed something.
Let's go.
Landing site? Yes, get it down quickly or we'll hit those trees.
John.
Hello, Tony.
- Howare we doing? - We're still a long way from home.
- Lustig! - Easy, easy.
I didn't kill Lustig.
- We'll talk about it later.
- No.
No, now.
Listen to me.
We got separated.
I heard a shout, I went back.
He was crazy.
He tried to kill me.
You tried to disarm him, the laser went off.
- Yeah.
- And then what? I was about to call in and I II heardsomething.
A weird, weird noise.
It seemed to be all around me.
Go on.
The noise, it was eating up my mind.
I tried to run and get away And I turned and I saw it! - Did it have a form, a shape? - No.
Justlight.
Intense patterns of energy.
Forming, changing.
For a second I I thought it would take on a definite form.
It seemed to be trying to do that.
But it didn't.
- That's all? - Yeah.
Somethinghit me.
My mind just burned up.
It confirms what we know already, Tony.
Hey, look! Helena! Maya! - John! - How did you get here? - Glider.
- Glider? I'll tell you later.
- Tony? - He'll wanna see you.
Come on.
(Beeping) There's no permanent brain damage, no other real damage.
Massive shock.
It's almost as if the will to live has been destroyed.
It's following a pattern.
First the madness, then the clear, lucid head, shortly followed by death.
Maya.
Do what you can for him.
We've found another disc.
It might help.
My attempt to communicate with the being has proved fatal.
Yesterday, I finally confronted it.
I was protected with a suit which was specially designed to block its destructive powers, but the suit was flawed.
A simple error in the eye section.
I looked at it and I was lost, insane.
Now I follow in the path of the others.
I am lucid.
I record these details, knowing that I am soon to die.
While you were away, we found this.
There it is.
(Beeping) It's still active.
So is this.
It must be a communicator.
If we increase the protection around the eyes - It's Tony's only chance.
- And ours.
(Koenig) That's where Lustig was found - through that arch.
If I'm lucky, I'll make contact with the being in that clearing.
Don't press your luck, John.
Please be careful.
And no matter what, don't take off this helmet.
Hey, better memorise the approach.
(Koenig) Yeah.
- Commander, do you read me? - 'Loud and clear.
' How do you feel? 'Like I'm in a hole a million feet deep! 'I wish I could see out of this thing.
' The only certain protection is to completely shield your eyes.
You've memorised the path? 'Right, just point me.
' Good luck, John.
Bear right.
Straight.
Duck! (High-pitched whine) I am not your enemy.
I am not your enemy! I don't want to harm you! (Being) I'm not your enemy.
I don't want to harm you! - (Koenig) I have no weapon.
- (Being) I have no weapon.
Please, I've got to talk to you.
We've got to communicate.
We've got to find a way to communicate.
Please, I've got to talk to you.
Communicate.
(Being) Communicate.
(Voice slows) Communicate.
Communicate.
Yes, please.
(Being) I have found the key.
We are in communication.
Who are you? What are you? I am I.
Who are you? What are you? A man.
- John Koenig.
- You are a voice.
(Koenig) I am a living being.
Like you.
There is none but I.
And I am I.
No! You are one among many.
(Being) You are more than a voice.
- Yes.
- Reveal that which is John Koenig.
(Koenig) Why? To know that you are more than a voice.
(Koenig) What about the others who looked at you? - Others? - The others who looked at you and went insane.
You don't know the power you possess.
You can look at me, John Koenig.
Reveal that which is you.
- No, John! - He's crazy - if he removes that mask.
- Don't remove your helmet! I trust you.
There is truly more than I.
Yes.
You are one among many, as I am.
- May I show you? - Yes Yes.
Helena! Maya! Alan! Show yourselves! But John Koenig, if I am not I, then what? That is for each of us to discover.
How is that done, John Koenig? I speak for myself, though I am one of many.
If we understand others, in time I believe we come to understand ourselves.
I sense death in your minds.
What is death? That which we humans fear most, the end of life.
And I have caused death? Yes, because you were unaware of life other than your own.
You brought me understanding.
And death was your reward.
I cannot support this grief that I feel.
- Will you help us? - Yes.
All will be well.
I that am I is no more.
I that will be has much to regret.
There's no one here.
The camp's deserted.
Somebody's taken all our gear.
Bill, why are you here? The corrosive elements in the atmosphere evaporated.
I got the all-clear and came in.
Everyone's in the Eagle.
Time's limited.
The moon's moving out of range.
Just when we find what could be a lovely home, we can't stay.
I know.
Bill, lead the way.
Tony.
Maya! Ready to go home? (Sighs) I really didn't think we were gonna make it this time.
- We had a little help.
- From a friend.