"The year, 2020." "The moon has been explored and colonized." "And the next space goal is about to be reached." "The first landing by man on the planet Venus." "Scientists profoundly hope that life, similar to that on earth, may be found on this planet  where so many physical conditions are like our own." "Three rocket ships of an international space expedition -- the Sirius, Vega and Capella  after having successfully traveled two hundred millions miles  are in the final stages of their journey  rapidly approaching their destination." "What is it?" "What's happened?" "Capella, sir." "I'm afraid she's been hit by a meteorite." "Damaged?" "Completely destroyed, sir." "Contact the Sirius at once." "Yes, sir." "And almost there." "It seems so unfair." "There's no fair or unfair to a meteorite." "You get hit." "You die." "Seems so unreal." "I'd just spoken to them." "We joked." "It's Lunar 7, Commander!" "Patch it in." "Attention, crews of Sirius and Vega!" "We were deeply sorry to learn of the loss of the Capella." "Flight Path A, however, must still be followed." "Therefore, we request both ships to go into orbit and remain there til the arrival of Spaceship Esther  due to blast off here immediately." "Meanwhile, secure and relay instrument information about conditions on Venus." "That is all." "That's swell." "Orbit and wait." "For how long?" " Huh?" " Why complain?" "It's Hartman." "He's the one who built this baby." "And know when he says we should go fly all around Venus  it's precisely what'll happen." "Better plan on it." "There's more I can do than orbit and wait." "What do you mean?" "Look, the plan before was to land at one ship." "That's true, with the cybernetic machine." "You keep it!" "Why don't I pilot?" "But, Andre, the machine will study the land." "This I know." "But I'm more observant, more apt to see what's going on." "You don't wanna send a monster." "Venus must be seen by more than a robot!" "Alright." "Just suppose we go along with you, Andre." "What about Hartman's plan?" " Hartman would agree with me." " But we can't take that chance." "Then, what do we do?" "We contact Kern, and we ask him to have the robot computer landing plan for the auxiliary spacecraft." "Assuming he'll be out for it." "Awaken, John." "Awaken." "Go, John." "Monitor, John." "I hear you." "Preview us." "Be extra precise." "There are changes you must make in our present landing pattern program." "Plan now for Sirius and Vega." "You, me and Sherman." "On the same spaceship." "Commander Lockhart, Walters and Ferneau on the second ship." "First ship, Sirius." "Second ship, Vega." "Problem?" "Land on Venus and return." "Land three, and three." "Sirius return five, leaving one." "What man remains?" "Then one of six must remain." "That one shall be me." "Lunar Station 7." "Lunar Station 7." "This is command ship Vega calling." "Command ship Vega." "Come in, Vega." "We read you." "Professor Hartman, message from the Vega." "Alexandre Townman has computed a new flight plan." "We request approval for landing of Kern, Sherman, and robot in the auxiliary spacecraft." "They will seek a safe area on Venus to land." "Command ship Sirius with Lockhart, Walters and Ferneau." "I will keep the Vega in orbit, in order to ensure the safe return of the Sirius with our men." "We feel it unnecessary to have to wait for the arrival of the auxiliary." "This is Professor Hartman speaking." "Your plan is quite logical." "But I'm concerned about the possible psychological danger to you in remaining too long on the Vega." "Get the psychological tests ready." "Well, I had expected to land with the others, but..." "In view of the emergency situation, I feel this is a better plan." "Professor Hartman, I'm positive I can handle it." "So am I, doc." "Who's that?" "Sherman, professor." "Didn't anyone ever tell ya ladies are tougher than men?" "You're quite right, Sherman." "Perhaps I did forget." "Permission granted." "Thank you, Professor Hartman." "I will contact you again with a progress report at 0400 hours." "Commander Lockhart, Vega's calling." "Yes?" "We've received permission to land, to be followed by the Sirius." "Well, now." "And just how do you suggest we manage that?" " Marsha will stay and keep Vega in orbit " " It's her job." "But it sounds like it's all set." "Kern's robot calculated the details." "If you're sure, let's get moving on it." "Andre?" "I'm ready, Skipper." "I'm with you also." "Sherman, make room for a spaceship." "I'll join you there." "Maybe." "Good luck." "See you on Venus." "Pressure reading on planet's surface..." "Two and three." "No sign of opening." "Cloud formations, thirty percent ash content." "I see something." "A spot of red glowing with great brilliance." "Right through the spectrums." "Spot of red could be Hades." "We are now gathering all possible data in preparation for landing." "However, no observation from orbit can let us know the answer to the most important question  we've come to ask of Venus." "Does life in any form exist on this planet?" "And if so, what kind?" "I personally doubt if any does, my dear Marsha." "A planet of fire below us." "This is a new world, or will it consume us all?" "Suppose that vibrant spot could be a city or something?" "Attention, Sirius." "Attention, Sirius." "Sherman, Kern and Automaton John, ready to embark at 0100 hours." "I envy you, Sherman." "And you Kern." "To be the first humans to set foot on Venus." "We wish you all a success." "I envy you both." "Good luck." "Bon voyage." "It's about to hit the cloud layer." "She's moving well." "At any moment now." "Black clouds." "Lightning." "I don't like the looks of this." "I'm turning control over to robot John." "Ahead steep mountain." "I am going up." "Wow, close call." "We're watching on the location-finder." "The area is strange." "This is truly a prehistoric planet." " Prehistoric planet is right!" " Hey, there's a hard, level spot." "Right." "Attention, Sirius." "Your landing location is square 73." "We're now dropping our beacons." "Landing three hundred meters southwest of square 73." "Uh-oh, there's water beneath us." "We're drifting." "Commander Lockhart!" "Commander Lockhart, what happened?" "Marsha." "Don't be too worried." "The signal was only broken by the horizon." "I'm sure they've landed." "In an hour, when we pass in orbit, we'll contact them again." "Yes, sir." "Is there anything further you'd like me to do?" "Not for now." "We might as well all get some rest." "Sherman." "Kern." "Answer." "Kern!" "Sherman!" "Kern!" "Are you there?" "It's hopeless." "We've no choice." "Let's break orbit." "We'll prepare the ship." "You'd better bring her about and plan the course to find it." "Marsha." "Marsha, are you listening?" "Yes, Commander?" "It's likely they're in trouble and need help." "The responsibility's ours." "Yes, sir." "Listen to me." "If something should happen..." "Don't you be afraid." "I won't." "I promise." "Shall I sign off now?" "You can help us most  if you will be brave and keep faith." "I will." "Hello, Sirius!" "This is Professor Hartman speaking." "Hello, Sirius!" "This is Professor Hartman speaking." "We wish you to feel free to discontinue the expedition at your own discretion." "Don't take unnecessary risks." "Your lives are too valuable." "All the nations of Europe are eagerly awaiting the results of your exploration." "We wish you all success." "Switch." "Lunar 7." "My men." "The ship." "Are just about to break through en route." "The plan is to land approximately the plot area 73." "This should put us in position to contact Sherman and Kern or to give them help if needed." "My people are proud and privileged to be  chosen members of this expedition." "The first on Venus' surface." "Our special thanks to all people of Earth." "Well, my boy..." "All we can do now is wait." "What do you think they'll find, doctor?" "Your guess is as good as mine." "Let's just hope that they arrive there safely." "We're landed." "Voila." "Don't begin celebrating yet." "Ooh.." "Oh!" "Is our level okay?" "Yep, there it is." "On the button!" "Boy, it sure feels strange to have weight!" "Yes, it does seem strange." "That's sure." "But it's nice and solid." "Well, I don't know about you fellas..." "But I'd like to see Venus." "Open number 3 and hit the beam." "Paper." "Try the port viewer." "Telescreen gets it okay." "We'll pan port." "Formations of weird rock." "Something's there." "I'll switch on the outside sound pickup." "What is it?" " A human being?" " Hold it." "It's finished." "Transfer it to playback." "Meanwhile, you might check up on the atmosphere, Hans." "It better be good." "And you better get your spacesuit." "We'll move out." "Andre, I want you to attempt a contact with Sherman by radio." "If you raise them, tell them to report their position." "Then get yourself into a spacesuit and walk about." " I'm right behind you." " That'll be handy if I slip." "Get hopping now." "It's 4.7 on oxygen." "That's pretty close." "I thought we were lucky!" "Good solid rock." "I'll check out there." "Keep on the rope." "Don't get out of visual contact." " I just received a message." " What did they say?" " Marsha has radared Sherman." " Sherman?" "She can't be sure, but it looks like two objects, one metallic and moving in the area we expected to search." "Probably Kern and Sherman." "Come on, Andre!" "As soon as she knows for sure, she'll contact us." "Andre!" "It's got Andre!" "Cut 'em free." "Nothing's broken?" "Get a shot at that thing." "Careful, Andre." "Can ya imagine that?" "He's bashful." "Why don't we take one o' those things home to the zoo?" "You've got to be more careful, Andre." " If we hadn't heard you call me " " I didn't call." "You called out to us." "We heard you." "But I didn't call you." "It sounded like 'Lockhart'." " Let's be getting back." "Call Marsha again, Andre." "Made contact with crew of Sirius again at 0825." "They reported a perfect landing on square 73 as planned." "Marsha, this is Commander Lockhart." "Yes, Commander." "I'm afraid you haven't given us enough information about the location of the spacecraft." "I need to know their precise position." "I'm sorry." "I was so happy you'd made a safe landing, I forgot to tell you." "They're at square 107, about a mile from the red spot." "The direct distance from you is thirty-two miles across the bay." "We'll have to go by air." "Is the car ready?" "Lowered and ready." " Will the car make it there?" " It does, or we walk." "I'd sure like a four-lane freeway." "Bet that you get a flag." " Commander?" " Yes?" "What's happened to the robot?" "Marsha..." "Marsha?" "Have you been apprised at all about the robot?" "Well, apparently they're having some difficulty with him." "He was loaded aboard the ship partially disassembled." "I'm afraid they haven't been able to reassemble him yet." "Keep coming." "Come on, John." "Go and return!" "Look out!" "Here's another one!" "Behind you!" "Look out!" "Move John." "Adjusting..." "There." "There's one hundred and ten." "Secure yourself to that boulder, John." "Proceed." "Proceed!" "He's as shocked to find this place as we are." "I'm wondering if we should be here at all." "Why don't you catch a bus and go home?" "Don't think I wouldn't if I could find one." "There he is." "He's off." "Pull aside, he can hold it." "You'd better go first." "I'll come along after you." "Stop the car about here." "See what I see?" "Snoozing." "... he may want us for lunch." "I'll try for a blood sample." "I don't know." "Take the blood out of his tail!" " Stay out of his vision!" " Right!" "Make it straight now!" "Push back!" "He never even knew I was there!" "I told you he was snoozing." "What did Marsha say?" "They're all moving toward our present position now." "Very slowly." "Let's rest." "We have very little oxygen left us." "But they're on their way." " Looking for us." " Through this heat?" "They may not be able to make it through to us." "You better hope they'll get through it and spot us." "I'm beginning to feel like my head's swimming." "Of course." "It's your torn suit." "The infection is getting through." " Maybe we oughtta take some Quinsel " " No." "We'd have to rest after." "Must... keep  moving." "The shoreline's the best." "If we do, my friend, we'll never make it to 'em." "Fat chance there is of finding 'em." "That noise again!" "Hold off?" "Almost sounds like a girl." "A girl?" "Perhaps." "Or a monster." "It's a human sound." "Well, there are sure no humans here." "Well, we're humans." "Well, no one else has made it." "You better believe it." "But it sounds so human." "Sub-human, you mean, like that forty-armed plant that just grabbed you." "I still say it's a girl." "A girl!" "With blue scales!" "Could be he's on to something." "It's possible that before us, other men got here." "Especially in this age." "You ought to know that, Hans." "To a man of science, anything is possible until proven otherwise." "It wouldn't be surprising if maybe Andre'd find something." "Furthermore, this whole galaxy could be explored and inhabited." "Well, I can't imagine any people in their right mind exploring planet Venus." "Come on, Hans." "We're here." "And we're in our right minds." " Aren't we?" " Ha!" "Let's go." "To cross water." "My magnetism is in danger." "Need protection." "Alright, John." "Find shelter." "Don't stop." " We have to go on." " Come on up." "We can't stay here." "We'll be washed away." "Bring him this way." "There is no water." "Come on." "A little bit further." "There's a cave right over there." "Come on." "That's it." "Just a few steps further." "There." "There." "I don't think I can go much further." "John, stay with us." "Make sure they find us." "They should know." "Trust." "Must continue to work the laws of mathematics." "There's always a precise probability mathematics might prove  mathematics might..." "Marsha..." "Marsha." "Hear us." "Hear us, Marsha." "You... you must help us." "It's... it's close in here." "I await your orders." "I await your orders." "Help." "Find us." "John." "Kern, Sherman." "Kern, Sherman." "Come in, please." "Come in, please." "Kern, Sherman, answer, please." "Hans Walters, do you hear me?" "I sure do." "What seems to be the matter?" "What makes you think there's something wrong?" "I can always tell by the tone of your voice." "Oh." "Well, I can't seem to contact Kern and Sherman any longer." "I don't know what's happened to them." "We're on our way to them now." "So just keep trying." "Will do." " Lord save 'em." " What?" "No response from Kern or Sherman." "Well, we should soon be there." "Keep trying." "Maybe we can bring them in on the helmet mike." "Kern has an auxiliary." "I am." "I'm getting him." "A woman." "Must be Marsha." "Static's really awful." "Hear it?" "... has been slightly damaged." "... the frequency..." "Move it up." "Going to a point on the dial, we'll find them." "I'll try it." "Hello." "John, hello." "John, listen." "This is the command ship." "Are you there?" " Come in." " Up one more place." "Come in." "Better go to solar battery." "Much bigger reach." "I'm on it now." "Hello." "Hello." "Hello." "You must hear me, John." "Please open your mike and answer me!" "You must obey me, John." "No response." "Try another point." "One, two, five." "You have to readjust your frequency for transmitting, if you hear me." "I hear you." "I have adjusted." "Can you report your position and plot number?" "Over." "Square 40, in shelter." "Tell me what's outside." "Waterfalls above falling on large rocks." " That's square 40." " Not far." "Ask him about the men." "Hello." "We would like to know about Kern and also about Sherman." "They will not be safe to pass with." "How much time before we get there?" " Who knows?" " Commander, maybe the robot can help." "Try." "Keep an eye on the compass." "Drive out to them." "Hello, you will listen, John." "First, you will obey me and do precisely what I say." "You will listen." "Listen, John." "Obey my every command." "Remove container 2 from Kern's first aid kit." "Repeat." "Container 2." "Remove one tablet." "One tablet." "Then open his helmet." "I have one tablet." "Place the tablet in his mouth." "You must do this quickly." "Revive him with water." "Pour it over his face." "Quickly, then close his helmet." "At 0915 hours, I transmitted all data status from Venus to Lunar Station 7." "At 0130 hours, I passed, in orbit, over the aircar." "It was at that time about to embark on the Venusian Ocean." "At least we know they're alive." "Let's hope they stay that way." "Commander!" "Look there." "I'm ready for the action." "It's a kind of flying reptile!" "He may not see us." "He hit us!" "He's turning around!" "We're in for it now." "He knows we're here!" "Take it down!" "Here he comes!" "Don't miss him." "Marsha." "We're being attacked by a flying animal." "Aircar damage." "Transmit to Lunar 7." "Commander Lockhart, what happened?" "What shall I transmit?" "Here he comes again!" "Take 'em down." "They're gone!" "Lunar Station 7..." "This is Marsha Evans calling from Command Ship Vega." "Marsha Evans calling from Command Ship Vega." "Yes, Marsha, we read you." "I need emergency protection immediately." "Professor Hartford speaking." "What is it, Ms. Evans?" "I have now lost contact with both parties on Venus." "At last contact, Lockhart, Ferneau and Walters were being attacked in the aircar over water by an unknown flying animal." "They apparently have submerged and I'm afraid they may need my help." "Shall I land?" "Listen carefully, Evans." "It would be extremely " "Lunar Station 7?" "Lunar Station 7, I can't hear you." "Come in, please." "Hello, Vega." " ... your instructions..." " Come in, Vega." "What is it?" "What's happened with Vega?" "Just a moment, doctor, I'm checking the power." "Calling Vega." "Calling to Evans at Vega." "Attention, Marsha Evans." "Under no circumstances are you to leave orbit now." "This is extremely important." "I'm sorry, doctor." "We just can't get through to her." "I'm afraid there's a short in the power." "Find it and fix it!" "We simply can't allow it to go now!" "Dr. Hartman, come in please." "I just don't know what to do." "The aircar isn't fit for submerging." "If their suits aren't damaged, they could get out." "But maybe they're hurt." "And if they are, they need my help." "I can only land on the next orbit." "I'll have to wait an hour yet, before switching on the propeller." "A whole hour." "But I feel I must go to them." "I must!" "Let's put it down for a minute, take a rest." "It's not far to the beach, if our calculations are correct." "I hope this will run again." "Don't worry, it will." "Look, the cliffs are all in even rows." "Like streets." "I'll look around, just five minutes." "Might find something interesting." "Look." "That's a shark's tail." "Yes, but with the head of a dolphin." "Andre, don't go to far!" "Found a cave." "Only the entrance looked like it's been carved." "You've gone far enough!" "Why don't you come back now?" "Just a quick look." "Might find something." "Commander!" "Well, what do ya know?" "It's..." "It's a statue." "Andre!" "What's up?" "You just look here." " That's only a petrified tree." " Only?" "Why, it's a bronze statue!" "And much more, Hans." "Rubies." "You say rubies?" "Show me." "Simple." "The eye of an idol." "An idol?" "Yes, a reptile." "A reptile resembling that flying monster that attacked us earlier." "Up there." "You're right, Andre." "I'm not laughing anymore." " There was a civilization here." " And I'll bet ya there still is." "Look, Kern!" "Volcanic, foam-like metal!" "It absorbs oxygen!" "Pull harder, John!" "Harder!" "Can you imagine a home built out here in this beautiful valley?" "Looks nice." "Don't expect too many visits from me if you do, my friend." "I'm ready." "Look, we'd have fun fighting the lizard men!" "Look!" "The tree's falling!" "It'll soon have our bridge." "Good work, John!" "We are ready to cross now." "Play some music!" "To march across by!" "What would you like to hear, Mr. Kern?" "Anything you are programmed to play, my dear John." "We're here." "I couldn't've lasted much longer." "You're not alone." "Here we are, Skipper." "Good." "We'll need more fire." "Everything in the car is soaking wet." "Ah, feels good to sit." "How are the batteries, Hans?" "They stayed dry." "And the atom plant?" "Still hot." "You've got that worried look again, Hans." "You're right." "I've pulled and checked every wire in that darn radio." "It won't operate." "I've tried everything I know." "I tell ya, it's simply hopeless." "How 'bout a long string and an oatmeal box?" "Oatmeal box!" "The radio will dry out." "We know it's not a dead planet." "Not completely." "Our proof is the statue." "It will be." " And the woman." " She's probably somewhere." "What do you say?" "But the main thing is, there could be a whole race of people out there watching us." "Hiding, afraid that we'll observe them." "And bite 'em?" "We came from above." "Yeah, to them, we're probably some kind of monster." "What if they're human-shaped?" "They very well could look like us." "But mind you, I'm only advancing a little hypothetical science fiction." "'Cause nothing should be overlooked." "Let's face it." "They built the city that's now under the sea." "Hans, it must be true." "Many made it to shore from the sea." "Then, why didn't they build themselves another?" "We may find they did." "When we explore the planet." "Beautiful song and a beautiful girl." "She must've heard you." "Where is it?" "Everywhere." "Suppose it could be a woman?" "Or maybe she's helping us?" "If I could just see what she looks like." "Can the car make it?" "I'm sure." "Are you a lovely lady?" "Or a monster looking down on us with scorn, breathing fire?" "Andre!" "Andre!" "Thanks for waiting." "She'd take care of you!" "Stop teasing him, Hans." "He's in love." " Strange." "It's gotten suddenly dark." " Well, no wonder!" "What makes you say that?" "There's an ash cloud above us." "An ash cloud?" " A volcano." " Yes." "It's spectacular." "And beyond the volcano  it looks like the lights of a city." "The red spot Andre saw." " We must get a move on." " Not right away." "This might be our only chance to gather some samples!" "Lava and ash." "To take away with us." "Alright." "We'll go to a much better vantage point right now." " Sherman, come." " But look at the magnificence!" "No one on Earth has seen such a sight." "Hurry, we've got to move to higher ground." "I am hurrying." "Are you getting the spectra sample?" "Getting it now." "That's enough." "The lava is rising." "We've waited too long." "It's covered our path!" "Perhaps we could run a rope." " How?" " We did before." " With John." " There is no more time." " John?" " Yes, I hear you." "Carry us across the lava." "Climb on, quick!" "Audibility getting better." "Why's he talking?" "Giving radio assistance according to your request." "And determining distance, two miles." "It's Lockhart!" "I hope so, my friend." "I'm sure!" "They'll be by here any minute, yelling taxi." "A remarkable invention you have here!" "Nice to here you admit it, Allen." "Temperature for extremities, five hundred degrees." "My self-preservation mechanism says I must eliminate extra weight." "What now?" "Disconnect the mechanism." "Where?" "Open the door." " Here?" " Press panel." " Hurry, or we're dead for sure." " I have no wrench!" "Let me!" "I am forced to get rid of this weight." "He's gonna throw us off!" "Pull the wires!" " He's going through the lava." " Speed, Hans." "Press the tunnel!" "I have!" "I've done everything!" "Kern." "We must hold on!" "They'll be here!" "Wish me luck." "For God sakes, hurry." "He's here!" "Sherman!" "Kern!" "Commander!" " Andre!" " Here, let me help you out, my friend!" "I never thought I'd see your ugly face again." "We save 'em, and he insults us!" "We should've saved Kern's robot instead!" "Kern, you really did make it." "Is the robot finished?" "Yes." "Just a metal monster." "Yet, when his destruction was imminent..." "He called my name." "Looks pleasant and calm." "But frightening." "Yes, I suppose it does, if you use imagination." " We'll soon be home." " That's right." "But we'll leave a friend behind." "Come." "Join the rest of us." " Any luck?" " No." "No." "We'll be out of here soon." "How do you know that?" "What else is there to do?" "Well, we can look for Andre's girl." "Very cute, Hans." "Did you name them after us?" "Well, with triplets, it's better with numbers." "Looks to me like he's raising his own countdown." "Why not names?" "Might forget." "I'm worried about him." "So you really found proof there were people on this planet?" "Hard to believe." "Believe it or not, my dear Mr. Kern, it's true." "And they could still be here." "I don't go along with that." "Could a human survive in a place like this?" "You survived." "And man will almost always adapt himself in time." "And don't forget, in the dim past we all lived in water." "For centuries, our earth was toxic." "But that atmosphere evolved mankind's form." "Adjusting's the answer." "And I bet that these people on our planet couldn't live." "The air'd be poison." "Afraid I don't share your opinion." "You just can't close your mind to it." "We've found proof, proof of intelligent beings." "And those lizard men of Kern's." "That's proof." "Look, suppose they do look like lizards." "Couldn't they be people?" "Suppose they saw the ship." "Got frightened, then got their lizard costumes on..." "Then jumped up and down to spook us away!" "What possible story could explain it better, eh?" "Now, you're the winner." "Joking aside, my friend." "Man, lizard or what..." "I know there were or are intelligent people here." "If we just had time!" "I think they might come to us!" "Look, even you, Kern, said you thought you saw the lights of a city beyond the volcano." "I said they looked like, not were." "Here, you two." "Have some coffee and rest your voices." "That voice that comes to us now and then..." "What does she look like?" "If I could only see her..." "She couldn't be anything but beautiful." "Why do I keep thinking about it?" "I'll probably never know the answer." " Hey!" "Hey, watch that!" " Now, that's where you countdown!" "Better get out our locator, Andre." "She wants you to stay on path." " Just you wait." " I think perhaps we should be trying to find her." "And take her with us!" "I vote for that." "But she might not like us much anyway." "If we can explore beyond those hills, I'd bet ya money we'd find her." "And the city." "You've been reading too many comics." "Kern wouldn't believe she existed if she were sitting on his lap right now!" "Wanna bet?" "We're here." "Boys, I think we did a job we can be proud of." "Look at all the samples we got!" "There's gonna be a large headline when they see all these great things we're bringin' back to 'em." "This one's loaded." " Old man..." " Steady, child." "Bring the spectra." "That's the last." "Commander Lockhart, hurry!" "We have Marsha's recording from Vega!" "I hope the automatic recorders in Sirius will record this message." "I have been unable to contact Lunar Station 7 for further instructions." "I cannot wait any longer while my fellow astronauts are in need of my help." "I am therefore disobeying Plan 1 and landing on Venus." "The dial of the automatic control system is now indicating  that in one minute the propellants will be ignited." "I " "This is a mess now." "More than that." "Marsha's mistake was the worst." "The worst." "We'd better make a plan." "A good one." "No more can this go." "I hope she's still safe." "Hello, Vega." "Hello, Vega." "She may have crashed and burned." "I pray not." " We should notify Hartman." " We can only contact Hartman through Vega." "Men, we must act." "You Sherman, Kern, Andre, I suggest this." "Maybe she's there." "Hans and I must blast up in orbit." "We will try to locate Vega." "If we find her there at all, and I pray we do..." "We'll contact you and Dr. Hartman." " Yes, sir." " How do the rest of you feel?" "I'm for moving on just as fast as we can get airborne." "Quickly, Andre!" "Come on!" "This was all level ground when we landed!" "The stream's cutting a whole new channel above!" "Kern, look here!" "A crack running clear across!" "Widens any more and we'll all be lost!" "Quick!" "Lighten ship for emergency blast-off!" "Maybe we can beat it!" "Hurry, the weather station's next." "It's Marsha!" "Hans, when was the last transmission from Marsha?" "7:20." "I thought I heard you say you saw her." "I didn't, but radar did." "There's a record of her passing after that time." "She didn't land after all." "She's still up there." "You sure?" "Let's track her." "Marsha, hello." "Come in." "Marsha, what happened to you?" "I'm alright." "Professor Hartman reached me again." "Just as the ship was about to start." "He ordered me to wait, no matter how I felt." "He made me realize my responsibility." "I'm very grateful to him now." "But your orbit is " "Well, the propellant had already started and it changed before I could shut them off." "Now Hartman's plan makes good sense." "Hello, now give me your new orbit plot and position." "Attention!" "Everyone return to the ship." " What could it be?" " We've heard from Marsha!" "She's still in orbit!" "Marsha!" "Andre, throw the switch on the weather station!" "Yes, sir." "Hurry, Andre!" "Hurry, Andre!" "Just finished." "Look what I found!" "Hey!" "They're humans!" "Look!" "Look, her face!" "Commander, they're like us!" "Don't you see?" "They're like us!" "We must stay!" "We must stay!" "And so, man's search for intelligent life on other planets and in other galaxies  will continue." "For this is the heart and the meaning of that great adventure... the exploration of the universe."