"Paul, take a copy of that." "Helena, you don't need one." "All right, just a minute." "Once again I've sat in at a Command Conference and listened to a cosy round of self-congratulations " ""Aren't we doing well..." "Adapting, adjusting, coming to terms..."" "And once again I am shocked that we've not discussed a serious attempt to locate Earth and return." "We can't waste time on something scientifically impossible." "Impossible?" "The impossible takes just a little longer, that's all, Commander." "Commissioner, we can't encourage false hope." "All of us have had to come to terms with life here on Alpha." "Hope is the key to morale." "We should maintain it, we should exploit it ruthlessly, in order to achieve what should be our sole objective - going home." "Commissioner, our priorities are survival and the search for an alternative place to live." "A return to Earth is out of the question." "'Commander Koenig, sensors detect a powered object approaching Alpha 'at speed three-point-seven-two, range four-nine-zero-three.'" "What kind of object?" "Indications are that it is a manned space craft, Commander." " Kano, when do we have a visual?" " Estimated a minute." " Radio contact?" " None, sir." "Keep all frequencies open." "Alan, Put Eagles 1 and 2 on a pad for immediate liftoff." "I want to show every welcome." "And if they're hostile, sir?" "You'll be the first to know." "Visual." " Data analysed and ready." " Let's have it." "'Subject, unidentified powered object." "'Object will orbit Alpha position at coordinates nine-zero-seven-nine.'" "Still no contact?" "None, sir." " Eagle 1?" " 'Commander?" "'" "Intercept space craft." "Lift off." "'Eagle 2, liftoff.'" "Space craft flight unstable." "They're in trouble." "They're not going into orbit." " Distress signals?" " None." "Follow it." " It's gonna crash." " 'Stand clear, Eagles 1 and 2.'" "Paul, order a crash unit to Launch Pad Three immediately." " Call Carter, I want him to fly it." " Yes, sir." "Tell Professor Bergman to meet us there." " Kano, any readings of life signs?" " Negative, Commander." "Paul, get security to join us." "Dr Russell, I'd like you to come." "Koenig, I think I'd better come too." "Commissioner, I need a doctor and a scientist there, not a politician." "Carter here, we'll be lifting off in five seconds." "All set?" " I can't believe it's just chance." " No, they picked us out, John." "A deliberate landing on Alpha." "They must know what they're looking for." "I wish we knew." "Looks like some kind of a hatch on the port side, Commander." "I'll put her down, see if I can get a connection." "Confirm complete contact, sir." "Vacuum chamber is ready for entry." "I'm returning Eagle to standby, Launch Pad One." "Victor?" "Any signs of life?" "The atomic structure of the metal is very dense." "But, ah... certainly no movement I can see." "Kano, can you get us the spectro X analysis?" "'Spectro X, Commander.'" "'Internal atmosphere zero, lunar gravity.'" "Helena, decompress." "Victor." "Looks like a central locking point." "That's it." "Stand back." " Suspended animation?" " Could be." "All right, we've got to start somewhere." "Tony, go back to the ship, bring back some lights and Dr Russell's equipment." "Paul, activate gravity control and atmosphere." "You have gravity and atmosphere, Commander." "I hope they know what they're doing." "None of us knows for sure, Commissioner." "Koenig could be in danger, why is there no visual linkup?" "Hold on, we're all breaking our necks for a look." "Visual coming up now, Commissioner." "'EKG and EEG both negative.'" "'There's absolutely no indication of life.'" "'If it was suspended animation, maybe the crash killed them.'" "'No heart function, no brain activity?" "'" "None as far as I can tell from radio microanalysis - the skin tissue shows no evidence of cell growth." "Who were they?" "Where did they come from?" "We can't learn any more without breaking this seal." "We've taken every possible precaution." "There's nothing else we can do." "Right, let's do it." " Stand by for biochemical analysis." " 'Main Mission standing by.'" "All our instruments indicated that life no longer existed." "Yes, we were convinced of it." "Only then did we break the seal." "Come on, come on, what the hell's the delay?" "Maybe they don't live by lunar time, Commissioner." "'Paul, have the crash unit stand by.'" "'They're going to fly the spaceship in on half power.'" "'Crash unit stand down.'" "Maintenance crew prepare to receive alien spaceship." "Security, stand by travel tube to alien spaceship and prepare for visitors." "Excuse me." "Well, Koenig?" "I think you should introduce us." "Captain Zantor, Commissioner Simmonds." "Your status, please." "I represent Earth authority here on Moonbase Alpha and in that capacity, may I say, welcome." " You represent Earth authority?" " Yes." "And may I first assure you that those responsible for the regrettable loss of your crew member will be brought to account." "Commissioner, I take responsibility." "Yes, you must, as operational commander." "We realise that the mistake which destroyed our comrade was from ignorance, not malice." "We do not require judicial revenge." "Captain, as soon as you've refreshed yourselves," "I suggest we meet to discuss our situation." "Dr Russell will see you to your quarters." "Be careful, Koenig." "They may not be as friendly as they seem." "Please accept these gifts as peace tokens from the people of Kaldor." "The libra bird was our symbol of peace and freedom." "But, like everything else on our planet, it ultimately became sterile." "When we left, there were only two surviving pairs." "And their eggs, when filled with gold, were greatly prized as memorials to our fading life." "Thank you, Captain." "We accept your gifts." "May I ask how long you've been travelling?" "Approximately three and a half of your centuries." "Our planet was dying." "Our people sent out many ships." "One to each planet we believed could sustain our kind of life." "And your ship was programmed to land on this moon?" "Only to orbit this moon." "Then we would reanimate and prepare for the final stage of our journey, to your planet, Earth." "You know our moon's not in Earth's orbit?" "Yes, I fear that random variations in your trajectory and velocity caused our computer to err." "And so we have crashed." "It's remarkable your computer has found us at all." "It was so programmed." "How could it do otherwise?" "Is your computer capable of calculating the present position of Earth?" "Yes." " And it's programmed to reach Earth?" " That is our prime directive." "It should be ours, too." "Unfortunately... some of us seem to have lost the will to achieve it." "So your hope is to settle on Earth?" "If we are welcome, yes." "But if you are not?" "Then we would submit ourselves to voluntary reduction." "In your terms, we would take our own lives." "May I suggest that I run some tests to determine if you and our people on Earth are medically compatible?" "I'll help to assess the damage to your ship." "I'll leave you in their hands." " We are grateful." " My pleasure, Captain." "A symbol of peace and freedom." "Perhaps the impossible doesn't take as long as we thought." "Their ship is bound for Earth." "Their computer is programmed for going home." "He just said so." "What are you suggesting?" "Oh, come on." "None of you thought we had a chance, this is it." "All we need is the courage, the vision... and the leadership to seize their ship." "And the Kaldorians?" "Expendable." "Cryogenic deep freezing we found to be inadequate for suspended animation." "The deterioration of the body can be slowed down, but life itself cannot be suspended in that way." "On Earth, you freeze food to keep it fresh, do you not?" "Yes, we do here." "But the flavour fades." "The problem's the same all over the universe." "Exactly." "The flavour of life itself is lost." "But our process is different." "We have found a way of accelerating energy to create a cycle which holds all the cell particles in stasis." "There is no reason why that process should not be adapted to human use." "I find you sufficiently human, Captain Zantor." "Then you will recommend we continue our journey to Earth?" "Yes." "Your beauty would be greatly enhanced by suspended animation, Doctor." "Thank you." "To be perfectly at peace..." "for seventy-five years." "That is the calculated time it will take us to reach Earth." "Seventy-five years?" "The time will pass like a dream - in an instant." "Commander, with your approval we wish to continue our journey." "In order to do that we must repair the ship and leave within 20 of your lunar hours." "It is impossible to reprogram the computer from its directive." " Dr Russell?" " They're medically clear." "Should you decide that we can go, there will of course be a vacant space on our ship." "So one of us can go home?" "The similarities between us are greater than the differences." "There is no reason why we should not suspend animation for one of you." "Thank you, Captain, it's a most generous offer." "Check out the process thoroughly and let me know." "Koenig..." "Captain Zantor, will you help us set up the experiment?" "I know, but if it'll work for one it'll work for others." "Now seize their ship and six of us can home." "Shut up." "Given any thought to what Earth will be like in 2074?" "Whatever it's like, it's still our home." "Our natural home." "Simmonds, if that suspended animation process works, the computer will make an unbiased choice of one passenger from Alpha." "You'll be eligible like all the others." " Including yourself, of course." " No." "Look, I ought to be the one to go." "I have no place here on Alpha, no function." "Believe me, if I could rig that computer it would shout out your name." "But you take your chance like the rest." "Kano." "I want Computer to select one person from Alpha to return to Earth." "The answer is to be confidential." "It'll take some time, Commander." "'John, serious emergency." "The spaceship, immediately.'" "There was every reason to believe it would work." " Both computers confirmed it." " Damn the computers!" "She is not dead, Commander." "Her life cycle is suspended in time." "If you're so clever with life and death, bring her out of it." "We're ready to try again." " Do you know what you're doing?" " Captain Zantor is in charge." "It's not working." "Commander." "I had Kano run the Kaldorian data through the computer." " What data?" " The relative position of Earth." "It's that a way." "Seventy-five years." "What's that in miles?" "Well, the computer passed that one up." "It's busy with other problems." " How are they doing?" " The ship will be ready on schedule." "Commander." "What's happening inside?" "Thank you." "'Attention Commander Koenig.'" "'Commander, could you return to the spaceship?" "We need your advice.'" "Dr Russell is in a deeper sleep than is right for the human metabolism." "Our mistake was to accept your computer's profile of her." "Our mistake was to allow her to try the experiment at all." "We overestimated your computer's ability to analyse the human spirit." "It does not seem to have understood it." "Does your computer understand it?" "Oh yes." "But in reanimating from so deep a sleep, there is a danger of cell damage to the brain." "The alternative is... death." "Captain." "John, we must trust him." "Commander?" "Go ahead, Captain." "Well, Captain?" "Paul." "The spaceship will be ready at 0900 hours." " So, one of us is going home." " Looks that way." "I have Computer's choice for the return to Earth." "Well, I see you all want to go home." "I asked Computer to choose one name." "It's given me three." "A classic case of computer buck-passing." "Yes..." "Supposing you just read the list." "No." "I'm not decoding this until Dr Russell convinces me the process is absolutely safe for us." "Well, I don't mind giving it a whirl." "Alan, even if it works it won't be a picnic." "Seventy-five years is a long time." "Yeah." "Keep talking, granddad." "Alan, we're not even sure the Earth still exists." "Even if it does... our families... those we've loved... won't be there any more." " Eight fifty-five, Paul." " Five minutes to go." " Have Captain Zantor come to see me." " Very good, sir." "On his way." "You're supposed to be Commander." "You shouldn't have left that choice to a machine." "The choice must be an objective one." "The choice is obvious." "As Commissioner I'm not part of your team of experts." "My work is on Earth." "One word from you and I can be on that spaceship." "I'll promise you only this." "If the computer chooses you, you go with my blessings." "And if it doesn't?" "Then you wave goodbye with the rest of us." "No, I've been a politician all my life." "I don't believe in chance." "Well..." "Welcome back to the land of the living." " How do you feel?" " No after-effects at all." "There remains only one question to be decided, Commander." "Who is going to accompany us to Earth?" "Helena, are you totally convinced it's safe?" "We're beginning to understand it." "The process works if the Captain's computer has a matrix of its human subject." "But if someone other than Dr Russell were to go?" "Then we shall have to make a matrix of the individual you choose." " Goodbye." " Commander." "Kano." "I want Computer to make the final choice." "One name." " Paul." " Commander?" "Begin the countdown." "Victor, if Computer chooses you, will you go?" "I don't know." "Maybe I've had enough of Earth and its so called civilisation." "What about you, Helena?" "I don't know." "It is a nice idea." "Kano!" "Simmonds has my comlock." "Now, you're going to do exactly as I tell you." "Simmonds went to the Maintenance Section and he's just entered the Power Station." "Deactivate that comlock and have Computer program another one for me." "Explain to the computer as best you can." "Sandra, put me through to the Power Station." "'Simmonds, we have you on visual.'" "'You can come out peaceably or we'll come and get you." "Your choice.'" "Open it." "Open it!" "Get Security to seal off the Power Station." "But no one moves in." " Sir." " Sandra, let's see what he's up to." "'Switch it off." "'And the other.'" " Simmonds!" " 'It's too late for talk.'" "Simmonds, you're trapped." "'Really?" "I know precisely what I'm doing.'" "Open UP" "Sandra, let's see that close up." "Switch to reserve power." " Stabilise that back-up power." " Trying to, sir." "Now, listen to me, Koenig." "This is my hostage." "'Those men are just stunned.'" "Now don't make me kill anyone." "No one on Alpha will live for thirty minutes without this unit in place." "Stabilise that power, Paul." "Now, I go on that ship or Moonbase Alpha freezes over." "It's up to you." "'What do you say now?" "'" "Commander, countdown is T minus 28 minutes." "Do I continue counting?" "Continue." "Simmonds, put back that unit." "Computer hasn't chosen yet." "Oh yes, I know my chances, Koenig!" "Now this way, I go for sure." "It's my decision." "You can't make that decision." "I got to be Commissioner by doing what's necessary, not what's right." "Now, you have 15 minutes to persuade your alien friends... or freeze." "Damn it." "Hold the countdown." " Get Captain Zantor here." " Captain Zantor to Main Mission." "If there's one man Alpha could do without, it's Simmonds." "I say let him go." "Any decision we make must involve Zantor." "We can't." "We can't let Simmonds jump the computer." "Moonbase systems are running down, Commander." "We must decide soon." "OK." "So let Simmonds think he's going, Commander." "We can take him on his way to the ship." "Especially if Zantor knows." "We can't play games with that converter." "It's wrong, John, but you've got to let him go." "Captain." "Commissioner Simmonds insists on returning to Earth with you." "Unless we agree, he'll destroy Alpha." "Is he capable of carrying out this threat?" "He is." "Then you must accept his terms." " I agree." " It's blackmail." "Let him go, Commander." "We'll be well rid of him." "Simmonds." "'Koenig." "Your decision?" "'" "We agree." "Give Simmonds restricted access from the Power Station to the spaceship." "Guarantees, Koenig." " 'My word.'" " Not enough." "Commissioner, you need our cooperation." "I will be your hostage." "I accept" "Captain." "Here you are, Simmonds." "You'll need this." "Thank you, Captain." "I understand your position." "The Commissioner is... diseased." "It is a tragedy that he should succeed through the use of force." "My thanks, Commander." "Professor." "You may now take your travel position, Commissioner." "The rest is automatic." "You first." "Hello, Earth." "Hello, Earth." "This is Commissioner Simmonds, returning home." "After seventy-five years." "'Hello Earth?" "'Earth Control, do you hear me?" "'Come in, Earth." "Hello Earth?" "'Earth?" "'Earth, can you read me?" " 'Hello Earth?" "'" " Commander." "Yes, Paul?" "'I'm getting a signal, sir, from the Kaldorian spaceship.'" " What kind of signal?" " 'From Commissioner Simmonds." "'He thinks he's approaching Earth.'" "'Hello Earth, can you hear me?" "'Earth?" "'Hello, Earth?" "'This is Commissioner Simmonds." "Can you hear me?" "'" " Zantor knew." "He must have known." " No, no." "Evidently Simmonds didn't give him a chance to make a matrix." "'Hello, Earth?" "Earth?" "'" "Earth, can you hear me?" "What's the matter with everybody?" "It hasn't worked." "It hasn't worked!" "Koenig?" "Koenig, can you hear me?" "Koenig!" "'You've got to help me!" "This hasn't worked!" "'You've got to help me." "Send someone to get me, Koenig." "'Koenig, help me!" "'" " There's nothing we can do." " 'Can you hear me?" "Koenig!" "'" "Koenig!" "Zantor!" "ZANTOR!" "ZANTOR!" "For God's sake!" "ZANTOR." "Help me, someone." "John." "Who did the computer finally choose?" "Simmonds."