"One more." "Just one more, please, Dr. Meacham." "Hold it, please." "A little closer to the wing, sir." "A little more profile, Dr. Meacham." "Yeah, he wants to get that faraway, visionary look." "Cal, we know how tired you must be." "We'll make it as short as possible." "Fire away, gentlemen." "But I warn you, I am beginning to feel faraway and visionary." "How about your conference with the Committee on Atomic Power?" "Oh, not my conference." "Twenty engineers and scientists were there." "Twenty?" "Hardly a routine meeting, would you say?" "Yeah." "And look, Cal, we won't buy the Committee's getting you VIPs together for a cocktail party." "All right, boys, I'll tell you this much." "Under discussion was the biggest job we've ever tackled, the industrial application of atomic energy." "But that's not news, Cal." "We all know there've been several industrial reactors in work already." "Well, let us say then that, in the light of recent developments, those plants may already be obsolescent." "Electronics is your specialty." "How does that fit in with atomic energy?" "You boys like to call this a push-button age." "It isn't, not yet." "Not until we can team up atomic energy with electronics." "Then we'll have the horses as well as the cart." "How long has the Army been handing out jets, Doctor?" "One of the boys at Lockheed handed me this one." "I hope you taxpayers don't mind." "Cal, when do we get to this push-button age?" "When fellows like me stop talking about it and get back to our labs." "I'll see you gentlemen later." "Goodbye." "So long." "Cal." "Cal, are you working on anything along the lines you mentioned?" "Roughly." "Well, remember me, will you?" "I'm concentrating on the re-conversion of certain common elements into nuclear energy sources." "Huh?" "How's that again?" "What counts is how I make it work." "I see." "Good flight, Cal." "Thank you." "So long." "2xD341 calling Ryberg Control Tower, come in." "2XD341, this is Ryberg Control Tower." "Go ahead." "Okay to come in, Webb?" "All clear, Cal." "The drift's south, about 20 miles per hour." "Hi, Webb." "What's Cal's ETA?" "1410, but he's late." "Half an hour late." "That's my boss." "The only guy in the world who can travel by jet and still be late." "So you talk about me when I'm gone." "Where are you?" "Look out the window." "Cal, what's wrong?" "I have no control." "Cut loose, Cal." "Bail out!" "I can't." "I'm too low." "Jerking around must have caused a flame out." "No power." "No nothing." "Cal, you okay?" "Okay." "What happened?" "How'd you bring it in?" "I didn't." "Couldn't." "What do you mean, you didn't?" "Controls went out." "Huh?" "That's right, no controls, no power." "The plane died up there." "I should be dead..." "Cal." "I know everybody's seeing flying saucers and screwy lights up in the sky." "Well, you can put me in the booby hatch, too, because, so help me, I saw this ship turn a bright green up there." "Are you sure, Joe?" "Positive." "Did you hear anything?" "Yes." "A high-frequency howl." "Very high." "All the time your ship was..." "Green?" "Did Webb see it?" "Unless he's blind." "Check him." "Right." "Oh, and, Joe, until we find out what happened, all three of us were blind." "How's the little giant?" "Growing up." "Getting ready to astound the world." "Let's take a look." "I figured that." "She's all ready and waiting." "Lowering the cylinder." "Increase the rate of reaction." "Check rate of radioactive decay." "Positive." "The same it was the whole week you were away." "What did the Committee say?" "Oh, they were a little excited." "A little?" "Zero reading." "The XC condenser must have shorted out again." "Get the spare." "Burned out yesterday." "And don't ask me why I didn't order some new ones." "I did." "XC condensers in an envelope?" "Must be a gag dreamed up by the receiving department." "I ordered two XC condensers, and Supreme Equipment sent me these beads." "You say they're a gag, but they're condensers." "I checked one for capacity and voltage on the meter." "And blew it to bits." "Yeah." "After it held to 33,000 volts and no leakage." "If that were true, we could build a generator." "One that would supply electric power to run an entire factory." "It would fit in a matchbox." "It still read 33,000 volts." "I'll try one on voltage test." "I've got one set up for you." "Into thin air." "35,000 volts." "Call Pete Knowles at Supreme." "Okay." "Pete Knowles, please." "Pete?" "Cal Meacham." "I ordered two XC condensers and you sent me some beads." "Yes, beads." "Well, I am serious." "I just tested one bead for voltage and..." "Oh?" "Well, thanks." "Supreme didn't send them." "They're crazy." "Pete says they've had no condenser order from us in six weeks." "Here's the duplicate of the order" "I sent by teletype three days ago." "What's the address on the letterhead that came with the beads?" "No address." "Look." ""Dear Dr. Meacham," ""In place of the condensers you ordered," ""we are sending you our AB-619 model." ""We are certain it will interest you." ""Director, Electronic Service, Unit 16."" "I thought it was a subsection of Supreme." "Electronic Service, Unit 16." "Well, at least we can find out what they're made of." "A diamond drill, the hardest element we've got." "The bead isn't even scratched." "Experimental lab, Wilson speaking." "Yeah, sure." "Sam wants to talk to you." "He's at the hangar, he's been checking over the plane." "Good." "Hello, Sam." "Sam can't find anything wrong." "Did you double check the controls?" "Of course not, I..." "Now, look here, Sam..." "All right, Sam, you win." "Maybe I did have just a couple, but..." "All right." "Good night." "Maybe I should have had a couple." "Maybe I will." "Morning." "Morning." "Sign here." "Thank you." "What have you got?" "I don't know." "There's no return address." "Electronics Service, Unit Number 16." "A catherimine tube with an endiom complex of plus four." "What are they talking about?" "I don't know, but this outfit has them." "This isn't paper." "It's some kind of metal." ""Interocitor incorporating planetary generator." ""Interocitor with Volterator." "With Astrascope."" "Here's something my wife could use in the house, an "Interocitor incorporating an electron sorter."" "Although she'd probably gain 20 pounds while it did all the work for her." "You know, Joe, according to this, there's no limit to what it can do." "Laying a four-lane highway at the rate of a mile a minute would be a cinch." "Cal, maybe we've been working too hard." ""Complete line of Interocitor parts," ""incorporating greater advances" ""than hitherto known in the field of electronics."" "What exactly is an Interocitor?" "I don't know." "And I don't want to know." "Well, I do." "I want to know what it is and what it does." "Order the list of parts on these pages." "How are we gonna build it?" "These symbols, they're like a foreign language." "And anyway, we don't know the address." "Well, you ordered the condensers from Supreme by teletype." "Yeah?" "Which means that somebody intercepted that order and sent us those beads." "Here, try it again." "You're too darn smart." "I may be the dumbest man who ever walked this Earth, Joe." "Here's the invoice." "No charge and no address." "And listen to this," ""No Interocitor part can be replaced." ""Bear this in mind while assembling."" "Well, let's start unpacking." "There's 2,486 parts." "Each part is cross-indexed into a symbol pattern." "Shouldn't be too hard at all." "Sure." "A snap, maestro." "Only, where do we start?" "Right here." "You know what my kids would say." ""Dig this crazy, mixed-up plumbing!"" "Plug it in, Joe." "We'll see what happens." "Now what do I do?" "Clear your screen, please." "You can hear me?" "Of course." "Use the intensifier disk." "The one in your hand." "Place it in position on your right." "Now turn the control 18 degrees to the left." "You have successfully accomplished your task, Dr. Meacham." "You've assembled an Interocitor, a feat of which few men are capable." "Who are you?" "I'm called Exeter." "I'm a scientist like yourself" "Shall we say, a colleague." "My colleagues don't materialize out of strange machines." "They're flesh and blood." "And so am I, Dr. Meacham, as I hope you'll soon find out." "Although I admit at the moment, I do appear immaterial." "But no matter." "I represent a group which is seeking scientists of exceptional ability." "All prospects must pass an aptitude test, which you've just done." "I'm flattered." "Only I don't remember applying for any job." "You didn't." "I beg your pardon, Mr. Wilson." "Your camera will pick up nothing but black fog." "Images on the Interocitor don't register on film." "Put it away, Joe." "To continue, Dr. Meacham, we test out people without their knowledge." "We leave nothing to chance." "Except the chance that I'm not interested in you or your group." "Come, come, Doctor, it's not possible that a man of your scientific curiosity wouldn't want to find out who I am, where I come from." "Wouldn't give his right arm for more examples of our superior technical knowledge." "I think I can assume, Dr. Meacham, that you're sufficiently intrigued to come to an immediate decision." "We'd like you to join our team, as you might say, at once." "You'll make arrangements to leave immediately." "Wait a moment." "I didn't say..." "At 5:00 Wednesday morning our plane will land at your field." "It will wait exactly five minutes and then depart." "Whether I'm aboard or not?" "Place the catalog on that table with the blueprints." "Now stand aside, please." "You too, Mr. Wilson." "Just a minute." "Please step back or you maybe harmed." "Further back." "You okay?" "Okay, within reason." "If there is any reason around here." "There's no reading now." "Cal." "Yes, Joe?" "Whatever that Exeter is, I don't like it." "Don't you, Joe?" "He was right about one thing." "I'm gonna be on that plane." "Cal, won't you reconsider?" "I did, all night." "And as a committee of one," "I came to a series of decisions at exactly the fifth cup of coffee." "One, whatever scientific knowledge this Exeter character has should be in our textbooks." "Two, Joe Wilson, my able assistant, knows enough about a certain experiment to carry on without me for a while." "I'm not sure of that, Cal." "Look, Joe, my Committee decided I'm expendable." "Nothing you can say will change that." "You always were an obstinate..." "Oh, well, I'm not worried." "Not even a moth equipped with a lightning bug could fly in here this morning, so no plane is..." "He made it." "No pilot." "No windows." "Cal, you'll really be flying blind." "Please be seated, Dr. Meacham." "And welcome aboard." "A seat belt is not required, Doctor." "Please clear the stairs." "Thank you." "So long, Joe." "I'll be dropping you a card." "Cal, get off, right away!" "This whole thing smells to high heaven!" "Cal, I'm begging you!" "Don't go!" "Please, don't go!" "Good morning, Dr. Meacham." "Hope you slept well." "We'll be landing shortly." "Good morning." "Good morning." "Where am I?" "Georgia." "I kind of expected Neptune or Mars." "Exeter asked me to greet you." "I'm Dr. Ruth Adams." "Ruth Adams!" "But this is wonderful!" "I never expected." "Ruth, I'm Cal Meacham." "Cal." "Dr. Meacham, of course." "Four or five years ago, conference on thermal problems in nuclear reactors." "Boston, wasn't it?" "Vermont." "We were lecturing to a symposium of graduate students." "Summer, three years ago." "After classes we'd go swimming in a little river near the school." "You were an awful sissy about that icy water." "Oh, Ruth, don't tell me you've forgotten." "Dr. Meacham, all I can say is I'm deeply flattered, and maybe a little envious of the girl you've mistaken me for." "And now I think Exeter is waiting to greet you." "I'm sure you must be puzzled, Doctor." "I'll never forget my own feelings on the day of my arrival." "Exeter isn't exactly conventional in his hiring methods." "Or his choice of personnel." "I think that sounds like rather a personal dig." "Once you're at the club, I'm sure you'll like us much better." "The club?" "That's what we like to call it." "Exeter has spared nothing for our comfort or facilities for our work." "Inside looks better, Doctor." "They'll bring your bags in." "Your plane." "The elevators down to Exeter's slave quarters." "Our laboratories." "Our living room, social center, library." "This is Exeter's office and study." "Not exactly what you expected, Dr. Meacham, is it?" "Good morning, Doctor." "Morning, Doctor." "Good morning, Doctors." "Give me your coat." "Engelborg, from Munich." "The Doctor's out for his morning constitutional." "He's been here a week, but his English and my German..." "Who's that one?" "That's Brack, one of Exeter's assistants." "But you'll find them all very helpful." "What language do they speak?" "Anything you wish." "English, Hindustani, Congolese." "Anything." "Dr. Meacham." "Good morning." "Good morning." "Please come in." "Both of you." "Sit down." "Dr. Adams." "Oh, yes, Steve." "About that nuclear decay factor, Ruth," "I'm afraid my equation just doesn't seem to work." "I was hoping you could find time to go over it with me later." "I still think the basic principle is all right." "And maybe we can trust..." "Yes." "Well, thank you, Dr. Adams." "Oh, there you are, Dr. Adams." "I was just reminding Dr. Meacham that I had promised to produce some of his colleagues in the flesh." "May I use you as my exhibit A?" "I'm afraid Dr. Meacham isn't too happy with me." "At the airport, he was sure we were old friends." "Obviously I was wrong." "The lady hardly remembers me." "What is more important is..." "Who we are, what we're doing here." "Dr. Meacham," "I represent a group of scientists who work with but one purpose, to put an end to war." "Naturally, such a goal can't be attained without experts of superior ability, men of vision." "Men such as you, Doctor, gathered here, exchanging information daily, putting aside all thoughts of personal success." "We hope to achieve exciting new techniques, leap years ahead of the others." "I don't think I need tell you how effective our voices will be when the world learns of our achievements." "Well, there you have it." "Nothing new, perhaps, but then, what is?" "However, let me assure you, Doctor, that we are dedicated men and women, and as such we can accomplish wonders." "Well?" "What do you think of us?" "This all sounds great, Mr. Exeter, but why me?" "Dr. Meacham, we happen to know that you are on the threshold of discovering limitless amounts of free nuclear energy." "More specifically, the conversion of lead into uranium." "Dr. Adams here has been working along the same lines as you have." "Perhaps just a step behind you." "Although I might add that both of you are way ahead of anyone else in your field." "Be careful." "Exeter will flatter you to death." "The truth is never flattering, Dr. Adams." "Now, suppose you relax and think it over." "Suppose when I do, I find I can't go along with you?" "Naturally, we'll expect you to be discreet about what you've seen here." "Otherwise, you are free to leave, Dr. Meacham." "As free as air." "And now, suppose we continue your tour of inspection, right from our chairs." "Conserving energy is one of our primary concerns, isn't it, Doctor?" "Your laboratory, Doctor." "Immediately below this office, I believe." "Still under construction, but, in a few days..." "Well, we'll have some surprises for you." "Brack?" "Everything in order?" "Yes." "Thank you, Brack." "Any reason why you can't start in the morning, Doctor?" "No." "Another view of your laboratory, with your own Interocitor, of course." "In addition to which, we hope to provide you with..." "One of our other units calling, Doctor." "Other units?" "Yes." "We have several at strategic points throughout the world." "Please forgive me." "We'll have a chat at dinner, Meacham." "Excellent cuisine, by the way." "Like everybody here, the chef must be dedicated to his work." "You'll find the stairway through the living room and to your right." "Your room is at the top of the stairs." "Thanks." "Dr. Meacham." "I'm still sorry I wasn't the girl in Vermont." "Yes?" "Your progress report I find is unsatisfactory." "You are failing to meet the schedule as planned." "Why?" "Because certain methods imposed upon me by the Council have not been effective here." "I wish to discuss it with the Council." "Impossible." "The time element will not permit any dissenting opinions." "You will carry on with Plan A as instructed." "Now, please report on status of personnel." "With the arrival of Meacham, the personnel roster is complete." "Proceed with Plan A." "What do you think of Mr. Mozart, Exeter?" "I'm afraid I don't know the gentleman." "My mind must have been wandering." "Your composer, of course." "Our composer?" "He belongs to the world." "Yes, indeed." "The dinner, Exeter, was even more perfect than you promised." "Now, if you'll excuse me, I could do with some fresh air myself." "Would you care to join me, Dr. Adams?" "You, Dr. Carlson?" "Why don't you?" "Show him the grounds." "We won't start cracking the whip on Meacham until tomorrow." "That's quite a group Exeter has collected." "Quite." "That's Dr. Hu Ling Tang." "Tang's field is titanium, the same as Dr. Engelborg." "Dr. Marie Pitchener, U-235." "Dr. Blorfield, plutonium." "That puts all of us in the production of nuclear energy, doesn't it, Carlson?" "What are you getting at, Meacham?" "Why no biochemists?" "Electronic experts, mechanical engineers?" "People equipped to make practical application of the energy the rest of us produce." "I seem to remember that was part of Exeter's pitch." "We try to make it a rule around here, Doctor, not to discuss our work after hours." "Now, how about that fresh air?" "How about you and Dr. Adams showing me my laboratory instead?" "After all I've heard today," "I can hardly wait to add my little contribution to the good work." "This way, Doctor." "Your lab and my lab are in this wing." "Steve and the others are on the right." "This is yours, over here." "It's only Neutron." "We call him that because he's so positive." "Stay off Dr. Meacham's equipment." "Well, what do you think of it?" "It's not bad." "Should be able to get started very quickly." "Fine, but a word of warning." "Don't let Exeter push you too hard." "He's the kind of man who wants results yesterday." "This is the same size lead slab I use in my own lab." "I guess you're right." "I guess Exeter doesn't expect me to waste any time." "This is very interesting." "Now." "Standing here with the lead slab in front of us, the lead reactor panel behind us, we're shielded from nuclear rays." "Could be even from the prying eyes of Exeter's Interocitor." "What's your opinion, Doctors?" "All right, I'll spell it out for you." "The two of you walk around here as if you're scared of your own shadows." "Ruth's even afraid to admit she and I once might have held hands." "Well, that's okay with me." "But either I've got to figure I'm a little cracked, or that Exeter's cat has got both your tongues." "You ever stop to think that we have a right to throw a few questions at you, Meacham?" "What are you doing here?" "Look, I received a darn fool catalog." "I couldn't resist it." "I built an Interocitor, arrived on that trick plane and that's all I know." "But so help me, in the next 10 minutes, I'm gonna know a lot more." "I believe him, Steve." "Well, I guess I do, too." "Now we're getting somewhere." "To begin with, Cal," "I was the girl in Vermont." "Then why all of that..." "Because we couldn't take a chance." "There's always the possibility you spent a few minutes under one of Exeter's sun lamps before you got here." "Sun lamp?" "That's what it looks like." "Only instead of a sun tan, you get your brain cells rearranged." "Steve had a peek at one." "Yeah, it's similar to a lobotomy." "Renders useless certain areas of the brain." "Those areas controlling the power of the will." "Up until now, Steve and I have been spared." "We think Engelborg, too, but we haven't the slightest idea why." "And what about the others?" "Try talking to them." "Well, that leaves the big one." "Who's Exeter working for?" "We don't know." "All we do know is what you've already guessed." "Exeter is desperately trying to come up with new sources of atomic energy." "And we're the geniuses he's depending upon to deliver for him." "Well, he might get a surprise." "Why did you wait, Brack?" "You should have told me." "I was busy elsewhere." "If you're so concerned, why don't you let me use the transformer?" "The transformer is not the only answer." "The Council differs." "It says it's infallible." "The Council is wrong." "I told the Monitor so today." "The transformer is morally abhorrent to the subjects." "It sets up subconscious blocks which defeat our very purposes." "You're being sentimental." "I am being practical!" "No, Brack." "Use a machine to control a man's brain, you destroy his initiative." "You destroy his power to help us, as we need help." "We can both see it right here." "It maybe true, but are you sure?" "We're 30 miles from nowhere." "Steve and I know, we've tried." "And if we did get out, who'd believe all this?" "I don't blame you doctors for being excited about working for Exeter." "It's a rare privilege." "He's a rare man." "Our little Neutron gave us away." "He felt the impulses." "That cat, I could..." "Put Neutron under the thought transformer?" "Why not, Brack?" "And perhaps you'd like me to step in with him." "Turn it off, Brack." "Our friends won't be giving us any more information tonight." "And the log of236 plus 1.008 to the ninth." "It's an interesting equation." "I'll check it." "You may find it'll help you over some of the more difficult obstacles, Meacham." "And now, Doctor, I'd like to acquaint you with another of our accomplishments." "Notice that section of lead plate behind you." "Please bring it forward, about eight feet." "Now, please move back." "By the door, Doctor." "When your lead-to-uranium process is working properly, the effectiveness of this ray will be increased enormously." "Tell me, Exeter, why should a communication device be equipped with a destructive ray?" "Television waves can't penetrate mountains." "With the aid of neutrino rays, we can." "Neutrino rays?" "You've just observed one in action." "I suppose the neutrino could be described as the missing link between energy and matter." "Fascinating, if destruction is our goal." "On the contrary." "Just recently, one of our rays was used for quite another purpose." "More specifically, to save your life." "The green light?" "Exactly." "Picking your plane up in midair and conveying it safely to Earth." "After it first immobilized my controls." "Meacham, I must ask you to have faith in our ultimate aims." "I must also ask you to refrain from meeting with any of your co-workers again, except in our usual channels." "Any way you want it." "Very good, Doctor." "And your patience, I promise you, will be rewarded." "Here's a sketch of the Interocitor." "I also have rough notes on its working controls." "It's guesswork, mostly, but better than nothing." "And these are portraits of Exeter and Brack." "Do you notice the peculiar indentations in both their foreheads?" "Coincidental, no doubt." "And this is the one we're really proud of, Cal." "We discovered this about a week ago, two miles south of here." "The side of this hill has been hollowed out." "And here's an acre of canvas covering the excavation." "You tell me what's in there." "Steve wanted to go back and find out what was inside, but I guess I got cold feet." "Just like Vermont, still a sissy." "They're fine, Steve." "When we get out of here, I'll have them framed at my own expense." "If we get out." "He's just hungry." "Goodbye, Neutron." "Confirm, please." "Plan A abandoned." "Alternate plan in effect." "Correct." "Ourionization layer is failing rapidly." "We may need transportation." "Are you prepared to leave?" "We have been since your last communication." "Although Meacham and Adams are achieving positive results." "Can you give us another time period?" "Impossible, but it is hoped that you will be able to complete the project here." "Bring them." "Good." "You will keep in contact until moment of departure, then remove all evidence of installation." "That is all." "Take over." "What is it?" "Something I've seen before." "Get off the road, quick!" "They're playing with us." "We're sitting ducks in this thing." "If we're going to make the airport, we'll have to do it on foot." "When I stop, we'll pile out." "Take cover, fast." "Steve!" "Steve!" "We've got to get out of here." "Get down!" "Get away!" "We'll try and make the airport." "Let's go." "Is it flyable?" "It should be." "Exeter keeps it here for the staff." "They're pulling us up." "Remain here." "I want a report on temperature control immediately, and use extreme caution through the thermal barrier." "Our two passengers are very sensitive to heat." "The passengers are here." "Allow me to welcome you." "I'm sorry that our visit below had to be terminated so dramatically, but time allowed for nothing else." "I can assure you, we mean you no harm." "Like Steve Carlson and Engelborg?" "Like the others in that house?" "What happened was beyond my control." "What happened was mass murder." "We're not all masters of our souls, Meacham." "That's a nice little phrase, coming from you." "I learned it on Earth." "Look, the two of you are beginning a strange journey." "A journey that no Earth people have ever undertaken before." "Now, whether you consider me a devil or a saint is unimportant." "What is important is that you're here on this spaceship." "Suppose then, for the time being, we call a truce." "As scientists at least, Meacham." "Ruth, don't tell me that as a woman you're not curious about our destination." "Where are we going?" "To a planet we call Metaluna." "Metaluna?" "There's no such planet in the solar system." "Metaluna lies far beyond your solar system, in outer space." "The stellar scope will convince you." "Come." "Observer, prepare a view of the second quadrant, please." "I won't ask you to condone what we've done." "All I ask is that, when you understand the plight of my people, you try to have more sympathy for our deeds." "Earth." "It's being left far behind." "Cal, it's getting hard to breathe." "We're going through the thermal barrier." "I'm afraid you'll find the temperature unpleasant for a short time." "Prepare to leave Earth's orbit." "All conversion must be completed during this time period." "Follow me, if you will." "Exeter, what are you using for power?" "How are you controlling the fantastic temperature on this ship?" "What's to prevent us from floating around like a bunch of balloons once we get away from Earth's gravity?" "Well, to answer the last question first." "We create our own gravitational field, which means that no matter what position our ship takes in space, we here inside remain right-side-up." "But, at the moment, if we're going to get you to Metaluna alive, there's a little procedure you'll have to go through." "What are you doing to them?" "Metaluna's atmospheric pressure is like that in your greatest oceans." "If we entered Metaluna's orbit without conversion, we'd be crushed to death." "Then in going from Metaluna to Earth, the tissues of our bodies would dwindle." "We'd disintegrate completely." "Correct, Meacham." "If we're fortunate enough to return to Earth." "Brack!" "Yes?" "You will prepare the doctors for the tubes." "You'll change into clothes such as ours, especially conditioned for life on Metaluna." "Come with me." "Place your hands above the rails." "They're magnetized." "There's an intercom system in the tubes." "You may converse as long as you're able to." "Ruth?" "Yes?" "You okay?" "And you?" "Feel like a new toothbrush." "Cal." "Approaching enemy-control sector." "This is Master Control awaiting instructions." "We'll energize only as necessary." "Conserve power." "Avoid contact with enemy until safety of ship is in danger." "You'll feel stronger in a few moments." "Now, I know you both feel as though you could sleep for at least a thousand years, but then you would miss observing our approach to Metaluna." "And with your curiosity, you'd never forgive me for that." "I don't understand." "What don't you understand, Doctor?" "Those two objects, they appear to be comets, but their paths are identical, almost as though some intelligence were controlling them." "Your deduction is quite correct, Doctor." "Although the objects are not comets, they're meteors controlled by spacecraft of Zagon." "They're gonna hit us." "They're going to hit us!" "We've offered to make peace with Zagon, but to no avail." "Is Zagon a planet?" "A planet that was once a comet, as you can see." "Their spacecraft are actually guiding the meteors against us." "Now on fourth quadrant." "Metaluna contact in three time periods." "Observer, a closer view." "View in third quadrant." "Contact in two time periods." "View in second quadrant." "Contact in one time period." "View in first quadrant at ionization layer." "What you're observing may well be the beginning of the end for our world." "The Zagon meteors are beginning to get through our ionized layer." "That haze, a field of intense radiation." "As you can well imagine, such a screen requires the output of great amounts of atomic energy." "And you're running out, that's why you were sent to Earth." "And why you sent for us." "You need uranium." "In gigantic quantities." "Our own deposits are exhausted." "As our power diminishes, our protection fails." "That's enough, normal view." "Entering ionized layer." "Metaluna." "Brack, remove the equipment of our two doctors to turbine center." "Have it all set up for immediate use." "Oh, Brack, I'm sure personnel will need everyone." "Have the crew report immediately for reassignment." "Now, we must report to the Monitor." "Step in." "Our means of interior transportation." "Before the war forced us to move inside of our planet, these tubes covered the surface of our Earth." "Our educational complexes." "Now, rubble." "Over there was a recreation center." "This way." "The Monitor's structure." "Welcome, Exeter." "Observed your flight." "Almost counted you lost." "Your Earth creatures." "Dr. Adams." "Dr. Meacham." "The Monitor, the supreme head of our government." "Regrettable, there is no time for amenities." "I am certain your minds have difficulty grasping this transition from Earth to Metaluna." "I have given them as much indoctrination as possible." "Then you know that shortly we can expect Zagon to commence and sustain an all-out attack." "Our ionization layer must be maintained until our relocation is effected." "Relocation?" "To where?" "To your Earth." "A peaceful relocation." "We hope to live in harmony with the citizens of your Earth." "In harmony?" "Our knowledge and weapons would make us your superiors, naturally." "Then why haven't your superior brains solved the problem of synthesizing uranium?" "Most of our scientists are dead." "Our major laboratories, destroyed." "The war has reduced our population to a mere handful." "That is true, Meacham." "It is indeed typical that you Earth people refuse to believe in the superiority of any world but your own." "Children looking into a magnifying glass, imagining the image you see is the image of your true size." "Our true size is the size of our God." "Do you still insist, Exeter, that we can allow any of these Earth creatures to have free minds?" "I do." "I know them." "I have lived with them." "You have wasted our time." "Take them to the thought-transference chamber." "Please come with me," "I'm afraid you have no choice." "Interocitor control, hear me." "Ionization failing at prime sector." "Use emergency power and repel attack." "Power transfer will begin immediately." "Our Zagon friends seem to be hitting this prime sector quite regularly." "Is that where it is, in there?" "My mind is my own and nobody's gonna change it." "I'm not going into that room." "Nobody is, come on." "I'm sorry." "I'd hoped to have prepared you somewhat beforehand." "This is a mutant." "We've been breeding them here for ages to do menial work." "Well, actually, they're similar to some of the insect life on your own planet, larger, of course, with a higher degree of intelligence." "This one has been given orders to guard this corridor as long as we're here." "I beg of you, go inside, cooperate voluntarily." "If you do, I give you my word that you will not be harmed or your minds changed in any way." "You'd defy the Monitor?" "I already have." "Do you believe him, Cal?" "In this place, I wouldn't believe my grandmother." "Come on." "The travel cart, come on!" "Where are we going?" "The spaceship, at least it's safer there." "Don't you understand?" "Let it happen now." "Meacham!" "Ruth!" "Stand back, Exeter." "Meacham, believe me, I wanna help you." "Time is short." "Get into the car." "He appears badly hurt." "Stay close to me." "Stand back." "I command you, stand back!" "Cal!" "Are you badly hurt?" "I'll be all right." "Close off all hatches." "Control room, quick." "I'm all right." "Ruth, activate the stellar scope, right control, 45 degrees left." "Our ionization layer has failed completely." "Will we be able to get out?" "Depends on the amount of energy we have left." "If we have to ward off any heavy Zagon attacks, I don't know." "That may be the last of them." "Yes." "They're concentrating all their attention on Metaluna." "Those flashes of light, they're meteors, hundreds of them." "The intense heat is turning Metaluna into a radioactive sun." "The temperature must be thousands of degrees by now." "A lifeless planet." "And yet..." "Yet still serving a useful purpose, I hope." "Yes, a sun." "Warming the surface of some other world." "Giving light to those who may need it." "Now, into the converter tubes." "Ruth, you take the first tube." "You, the next." "What about you?" "I'll use the third tube." "Exeter, are these tubes strong enough to keep him out?" "Possibly, he's bleeding badly." "In a very few moments, the pressure should destroy him." "Oh, no!" "Run, Ruth, run!" "Our speed is diminishing." "We're now in the atmosphere of Earth." "Your plane is where you left it, in the cargo hold." "A conventional way for you to return to Earth, I admit, but perhaps the most practical." "Where are you going?" "Our universe is vast, full of wonders." "I'll explore, perhaps find another Metaluna." "A place inhabited by beings not unlike myself." "You see, I'm more adventurous than you imagined me." "Exeter, you're a liar." "You've used all your power bringing us here." "Even if you had a place to go, you couldn't make it." "Come with us." "We'll heal your wounds." "I'm afraid my wounds can never be healed." "You've things to teach us." "Thank you." "We're over your Earth now." "It's time for you to go." "Farewell." "Home." "Thank God, it's still here."