"'Professor Bergman." "it's Jim Nordstrom." "'We've just passed the laser barrier 'and will start the manual check on the radiation seals in two minutes.'" "All right." "Nordstrom." "we're watching you closely." "Eagle 1-4 from Monitoring Depot." "this is Dr Russell." "'Yes?" "' 'When will you finish?" "'" "'The last canisters are going in now." "About 10 minutes.'" "Steiner. when the ship lifts off begin a check on that radiation seal." "'Yes." "Doctor.'" " You're making a thorough check." " Yes." "I am." "So far their brain activity's normal." "So far." "'Moonbase Alpha from Eagle 2." "we'll be arriving on schedule.'" "'Eagle 2 from Moonbase Alpha. we copy.'" "'Commander Koenig. we'll be landing at 23.35 lunar time.'" " Coffee." "Commander?" " Thank you." "'Commissioner Simmonds is calling from Earth.'" "I'll take it." "'Ahh." "John." "Well. you're signed." "sealed and approved." "'The Space Commission's ratified you as Commander of Moonbase Alpha.'" "What about Gorski?" "'Oh." "I relieved him of his command an hour ago." "'He's not your problem." "'No. your job is to put man on Meta.'" "Any new information?" "'How do you like this?" "'The first close-up shot of the planet Meta." "'taken from the unmanned Spacefarer 9. just in.'" " Atmosphere." " 'Not only that." "'We're receiving signals. loud and clear. relayed from the same probe." "'There's no doubt about it." "'planet Meta could be supporting life as we know it." "'John. the Meta probe astronaut virus infection mustn't stop us." "'We must make a manned landing on Meta." "'Nothing must stop us." "'Nothing.'" "'Good luck.'" "'We're getting great pictures of the Meta probe launch platform." "'I'll put them up for you." "'There's the probe ship docking now.'" "Looks good." "But I'd like to see it on its way to Meta." "'That's the lot." "Professor." "It all checks out." "'There's definitely no radiation leakage." "'We're coming in now.'" "Good." "Steiner." "Thank you." "Increased brain activity." "Steiner." "Nordstrom's in trouble." "Security." "Get out there and bring Nordstrom in." "'Yes. sir.'" "'Doctor. he is in trouble." " 'I need help out here!" "'" " Get away." "Steiner!" "'I've got to get out of here!" "'" "Intensive Care. stand by." "We have a casualty." "'Gotta get out of here!" "'I've gotta get out of here!" "Agh!" "'" "Decontamination area. come on." "'Professor!" "He's gone berserk!" "'I can't hold him!" "'" "'Let go." "Nordstrom. don't...'" "'On final descent." "Commander.'" "Well." "John..." "Victor. still here?" "Yes." "I...uh." "I got caught." "Things are far more serious than I suspect you've been told." "What do you mean?" "People are dying up here." "John." "The virus infection?" "The virus infection." " Commander Koenig." " Commander Gorski." "I think we both know the situation." "I imagined you'd want to be left to settle in." "you've had a tedious journey." "Thank you." "If you want to talk before I leave." "I shall be in my quarters." "Good luck." "He's taking it well. considering the abruptness of his suspension." " I'm sure he'll survive." " I'm sure he will." " He's always been very flexible." " Hmm." " Commander." " Benjamin." " Happy to see you." " And you." " Commander!" " Michael." " Hello. sir." " Tanya Alexandria." "Hello." "Tanya." "Paul. good to see you." "All right. no virus." "Then what is it?" "John." "I just don't know." "It looks very much like radiation. but..." "But what?" "There is no radiation." "Victor. you know I won't ignore the fact that people are dying up here." "But the space flight of the century must not slip through our fingers." "Of course." "That planet is passing just close enough to make a landing." "But the problem here may affect the Meta probe." "Dr Russell has some ideas..." " Simmonds has told me about her..." " He couldn't have said much." "Commander Gorski refused to let her report her findings." "Oh." "Look. why don't you talk to her?" "Yes?" "'Dr Russell?" "'" " John Koenig." " Commander." "Dalmeyer. 1887." "As used by Louis Pasteur and Madame Curie. right?" "It's a replica. a college prize." "Doctor. when will our Meta probe astronauts recover from this virus?" "It's not a virus." "They have an unusual form of brain damage." "Their condition is critical." "So they're not going to recover." "What about the backup crew?" "Are they medically clear to fly this mission?" "They're as fit as Warren and Sparkman were before." " What does that mean?" " I saw the ninth man die today." "One moment he was fine." "the next he'd lost all control." "Here." "This is a thermographic plate." "A malignancy erupts." "There's immediate disorientation." "classic in radiation attacks." " You've had eleven cases so far." " Nine deaths." "But all of those who died were workers at Nuclear Disposal Area Two." "It's inconsistent." "The Meta probe astronauts never went near there." "I know." "And there are more inconsistencies." "No radiation leakage has been recorded there." "But the probe astronauts and backup crews have lived the same lives." "been through the same training program." "Are you saying the Meta probe should not be launched?" "I'm saying the backup crew appears to be fit." "but because of the unknown factors" "I can't guarantee that they won't be affected three days or three months out into deep space." "You're saying medically the risk is unacceptable." "The risk is great." "The decision. of course. is yours." "Doctor." "I'd like to see the men." "'Eric?" "'Frank?" "'It's John Koenig.'" " Fine. how soon can you do it?" " In about a week." " Carter?" " Commander!" "Nice to see you." "Good to see you." "Well. is she ready to go?" "Yeah. as soon as you give the word." "Every delay only reduces our chance of success." " How long to ready the backup crew?" " Seven days." " Backup crew?" "What do you mean?" " How long will it take?" "We can't do it." "Calculations. co-ordinates!" "You got a problem you're not telling me about?" "I'm here to get the Meta probe launched." " Crew excepted. are you ready to go?" " Yeah. we're ready to go." "'Ah." "John." "Well. how are you?" "Settling in up there." "I hope?" "'I just wanted your first impressions of the situation.'" "There was another death at the nuclear disposal area." "Dr Russell talks about a kind of brain damage." "caused by what she thinks is radiation." "'I've heard all about her theory from Gorski." "'No. she's a competent doctor in certain fields." "'but she's wrong about this." "'Dead wrong. so I'm sending you a team of top medical people...'" "Hold it." "I'm not that settled in." "Before we do anything I'd like to make sure there's no radiation leak." "'Those two Meta probe astronauts didn't go near that area.'" "Simmonds. nine men have died." "I want to find out why." "Tell you what you can do." "Stop sending atomic waste until..." "'You know I can't do that." "Atomic waste disposal is a big problem.'" "You assigned me up here to clear up this mess and I'm trying to do that." "All right." "Commissioner." "Let's trade off." "You stop sending waste." "I'll get your Meta probe launched." "Deal?" "'Well..." "A temporary delay." "'That's the best I can do." "'If that's what you need.'" "That's what I need." "Simmonds." "Why did you lie to me?" "'You mean those men are no better?" "'" "No. they're no better." "They're not going to get any better and you know it." "'Now. just a minute." "'We have to hold that story in." "'We have to." "'The International Lunar Finance Committee meet on the 15th 'to discuss the Meta signals and. in particular. our probe." "'Now. if one word." "one hint of failure leaks out 'they'll abandon their support for our whole project." "'So just remember that.'" " Paul." " 'Commander?" "'" "I'm going to recheck that nuclear disposal area myself." "'Yes. sir.'" " I'll need two volunteers." " 'Very good." "Commander.'" "That's Area One." "Collins." "I want to go to Area Two." "That's where we are going." "Commander." "We just use Area One as a turning point." "Navigation beacon Delta." "It's a landmark." "Some landmark." "Collins. move in closer for a good look." "Yes. sir." "There's no radiation." "John." "I've checked it out." "That was the first waste area." "Has it been used since I left?" "No. this one hasn't been used for five years." "In those days we had no synthacrete radiation covers." "How's it holding?" "All right." "according to reports." "All right." "Collins." "Thank you." " Let's move on to Area Two." " 'Yes. sir.'" "OK. let's go." "'Point One. check complete." "Radiation normal." "'No leakage." " 'We're going on to Point 48.'" " Fine." "Jackson." " It seems all right." " Hmm." "So far." "'Commander." "Point 48. check complete." "'Radiation normal." "No leakage." "'That's it. sir." "All OK out here.'" "All right." "Jackson." "Thanks." "Now get out of there as fast as you can." "That seems to prove the radiation count here's within safe limits." " So much for Dr Russell's theory." " Hmm." "Whatever affected the probe astronauts and killed the nine men was not radiation." "Seems not." "Damn it." " Commander." "I've got to get out." " All right." "Collins. we're leaving." "Now..." "Now!" "NOW!" "I'm getting out of here!" "You'll kill us all!" "Stun him!" "Ouma." "I want a breakdown of training flights of the probe astronauts." "Check it against Collins' Eagle flights." "Any correlations." "Immediately." "Dr Russell?" "'Commander." "Dr Mathias here.'" "What's the condition of the Meta probe astronauts?" "'Frank Warren died at 13.28.'" "And Eric Sparkman?" "'Dr Russell is with him now.'" "Computer." "please verify that last report." "'Cell life sustained by artificial life support systems only.'" "They died?" "Eric." "Frank." "Of what?" " I mean." "I was told..." " You were told lies." "They died of an illness no one can understand." "Earth Command wanted you to think it was a temporary setback." "But the Meta probe?" "Forget the probe." "Carter." "Before we do anything more." "I'm gonna find why those men died." "'There's no doubt about it." "'Planet Meta could be supporting life as we know it.'" "'But the problem here may affect the Meta probe.'" "'We must make a manned landing on Meta." "'Nothing must stop us." "'Nothing.'" "'I can't guarantee that they won't be affected 'three days or three months out into deep space.'" "'Your job is to put man on Meta.'" "'The giant leap for mankind." "'It's beginning to look like a stumble in the dark.'" "This is from the Eagle flown by Eric and Frank on their last training run." "The flight was recording perfectly and then suddenly everything went blank for two minutes. like that" "Then suddenly it started again. perfectly." "Where did it occur?" "Navigation beacon Delta." "on the far side." "Waste Disposal Area One." "Paul. check all the figures on Area One for the past ten days." "Sandra." "check Area One. please." "'Yes." "Paul.'" "Collins flew over Area One on his way to Area Two." "Does he always fly that?" "Several times a week." "It's a turning point. right?" "It's a clear landmark for going to Area Two." "The probe astronauts?" "They do their training flights there." " But they fly there regularly?" " There's a minimum altitude rule." "That's where the flight recorder blanked out on their training flight." "I had Collins fly low over that area this morning." "Paul!" "Commander!" "There is a steep rise in heat levels in Area One." "This is impossible." "Indications show that radiation is normal but the heat continues rising." "Victor. we've got a connection." " 'Right." "I'll be with you.'" " Bring in Area One on video." "It is incredible heat but still no radiation." "It's incomprehensible." "Heat without atomic activity." "Here. let's have a look at that." " Camera gone." " Second camera. please." "Visual contact lost." "Paul." "I want an Eagle on the pad." "We've got to see what's going on." "Approaching Area One." "Check data systems ready." "Data systems functioning." "It's getting more active." "I'm increasing altitude." "I'm in trouble!" "You getting data?" "The magnetic field's expanding." "get him away from there." "'Commander." "we'll blast you out.'" "Switch to onboard backup." "we're losing you." "Backup failing." "All systems out." "Rescue ship. move in." "'I'm at 4-9." "Altitude 3-5." "'Impact ten seconds.'" "Well?" "Minor physical shock." "We can't find anything else so far." "That's it." "Commander." "I told you I walked away from there." "there was no damage." "Commander!" "That is not the kind of damage I'm looking for." "You knew that that area was suspect." "you knew it had already affected the other astronauts in some way." "and yet you went right out there yourself." "We're looking for answers." "Commander." "Not heroes." "I didn't know you cared." "Hmm." "Look at this." "It's a monitoring device from the old Area One." "It recorded the magnetic output from the artificial gravity system there." "After that it had nothing to record for five years but now look." "A twenty-fold increase in the magnetic field." "And that's before it burnt out." "We've been obsessed with radiation." "Wrong." "This instrument's given me a lead." "I think we're facing a new effect." "arising from the atomic waste deposited here over the years." "Unprecedented magnetic energy." "Responsible for the flare-up at Area One?" "Causing brain damage?" "Something we didn't even check for." "but I believe it was a magnetic surge that wrecked your navigation system and blanked out the flight recorder." "The probe astronauts flew over there daily." "as did Collins." "Then we've all been exposed to it." "We've all been to Area Two and to get there we turn over Area One." " It could be cumulative." " There's a bigger problem looming." "Area One burnt itself out in a magnetic subsurface firestorm." "What worries me is that same thing could happen in Area Two." " How much time do we have?" " We need solid data." "I won't be responsible for any more men in these conditions." "Neither will I." "We equip an Eagle to monitor magnetic levels and do it by remote-control." "Straight ahead." "Easy..." "Straight as you go." "Good..." "That's good." "Paul." "Sandra. readings." "Radiation count normal." "magnetic field zero." "OK." "Paul. set her down." "Right." "Commander." "Easy does it." "Thrust her out of it." "Paul!" "A surge." "A magnetic surge." "Paul. contact Commissioner Simmonds immediately." "Pass emergency code Alpha One." "Yes. sir." "You were right." "Doctor." "it was radiation." "Magnetic radiation." "Now we're sitting on the biggest bomb Man's ever made." "Commissioner." "Commander." "My office tried to query you about your emergency code Alpha One." "You didn't seem to be available." "I am now." "Commissioner. the heat is rising on the interior of Area Two as well." "Now. it contains 140 times the amount of waste in Area One." "There could be a chain reaction." "What are the chances it could burn itself out. like Area One?" "Simmonds. you don't seem to understand." "we're sitting on top of it." "there is no chance." "Well. what's to be done?" "We could try and break the pile apart." "If we could disperse the mass over a wider..." "All right. come on. let's do it." "We do have limited time." " 'Commander Koenig?" "'" " Yes." "Paul?" "'Conversion on six Eagles completed." "they're moving in now.'" "All right." "Paul." " Paul. let's see it." " Yes. sir." "'Paul. this is Eagle 1-4." "I'm getting a flicker on the navigation systems.'" "'It's getting worse.'" "Ouma." "I want Central Computer updated with everything constantly." "Number 26. disperse to grid C-9." "'Repeat. disperse to grid C-9.'" "'Grid C is full now." "Paul." "I'm pulling over to C-10.'" "Well?" "We've had navigational failures on two of the ships." " The magnetic field is expanding." " Increase altitude." "All Eagles. increase altitude by 10." " Alan. is there an extra ship?" " No. sir." "Take the Commissioner's Eagle and report from orbit." " Right." " Readings?" "Heat level holding." "magnetic field fluctuating." "That's what worries me." "'We should go up another hundred." "Commander.'" " Eagle 1 to Alpha." " 'Go ahead.'" "Lift-off complete." "trajectory programmed." "I will be in orbit in four minutes." "All levels are holding steady." " Do we have it under control." "John?" " Too early to tell." "I must say." "it looks pretty promising to me." "Well done." "Now." "I have to issue a communique sooner or later." "It'll give us more time to consider our next move. you see..." "I see men risking their lives to avert total disaster." "Now. wake up." "Commissioner." "If this goes wrong there won't be anybody to issue a communique." "There will be no survivors." "Commander. it's going up!" "Abort!" "Abort the mission!" "Main Mission to all Eagles." "Return to base immediately." " No!" " Seal off all sections." "I can't move..." "G-force..." "We're moving!" "Alpha. can you hear me?" "Alpha. do you copy?" "Alpha." "I'm not receiving you." "maybe you're receiving me." "The Moon is going out of the Earth's orbit." "That explosion. it has pushed us out of the Earth's orbit." "'Alpha. can you hear me?" "'Repeat." "Alpha. are you OK?" "'Alpha. do you copy?" "'Alpha." "I am not receiving you.'" "'Alpha!" "Alpha. what's happening to you down there?" "!" "'You've lost contact." "'Can you hear me." "Alpha?" "'Alpha." "I'm open on all channels." "'If you're all right send out a radio. anything!" "'" "'Alpha!" "'We are moving away from Earth!" "'Alpha. do you copy?" "!" "'Alpha!" "'" "Carter. can you hear me?" "Commander!" "Thank God you're OK!" "What's happening down there?" "'We've got tremendous G-forces." "'We can hardly move.'" "Wait a minute." "we seem to be decelerating." " Are you all right?" " Yeah. you?" "We're down to three G's." "We're compensating." "The whole disposal area has acted like a gigantic rocket motor." "but if it's stopped fissioning we shan't be accelerating any more." "Carter might have a chance." "'Carter. do you read me?" "'" "Yeah." "I can hear you loud and clear." " 'Can you make it back to the base?" "'" " Yeah." "I can make it." "I'm closing now." " I can make it." " 'Good." "Captain.'" "Check out the base." "This is Main Mission." "All sections report." "'Security." "We have audio contact." "Video gone.'" "'Service." "Lost all power." "Operating on emergency systems.'" "Medical." "Paul." "Explosive decompression in two compartments." "Sufficiently operational to accept casualties." "Gloria. help Lou. please." "I'm getting a long-range video picture." "Can we make it back to Earth?" "Ouma... consult the Master Computer." "I want a readout on contingency plan "Exodus"." "Yes. sir." "Punch it up on the big screen." "Paul." "It affects all of us here. all of us." "Attention all sections Alpha." "'This is Commander John Koenig.'" "As you know. our moon has been blasted out of orbit." "We have been completely cut off from planet Earth." "As we are we have power... environment... and therefore a possibility of survival." "If we should try to improvise a return to Earth without travel plots." "without full resources it is my belief...that we would fail." "Therefore. in my judgement." "we do not try." "'The totally unforeseen accident on the lunar surface 'has caused very serious repercussions here on Earth." "'The gravity disruption." "'the earthquakes in the United States along the San Andreas Fault 'and in Yugoslavia as well as southern France." "'has caused enormous damage to life and property." "'The International Lunar Commission with its new chairman 'is in executive conference at this moment." "'deciding what steps might be taken to rescue 'the 311 men and women on Moonbase Alpha." "'Little hope is held that there are any survivors." "'It was thought a rescue might have been attempted from the Spacedock 'until that too was hurled out of orbit." "'It has now been established that the moon's acceleration 'has put it beyond the reach of any...'" "Scan all frequencies for any signal from Earth. anything." "Hold that!" "It's Meta." "Maybe that's where our future lies." "Maybe there." "'September 13. 1999." "'Meta signals increasing." "'Yes. maybe there.'"