" Now, then, m'lad, how goes it?" " All right, Sergeant." "Got these on properly?" "Control Room say you keep going faint." "It's me voice, Sergeant." "From so-called song in the village boozer." "Your pal's not much better." "Now..." " Next subject's due any minute." " BEA plane to Glasgow." "I had him yesterday." "Oh." "You're going to learn all the targets off in advance?" "Useful if war breaks out!" " I never meant..." " Just keep your eyes on that radar tube." "And talk loud and clear." "I'm going to make ruddy BBC announcers out of you lot if I have to soften up your gullets with my bare hands!" "Here it comes now, Sergeant." " That's funny." " What?" "Where he's showed up." "Must be right off course." " Perhaps you learnt it wrong!" " It is." "No, that isn't a plane." "It's far too weak. 10,000 yards?" " No, less." " TC, calling Control Tower." "Wait a minute. 8,000." "Heading this way." " Quick, get Captain Dillon." " Eh?" "Control, is Captain Dillon there?" "6,500." " Captain Dillon, sir." "It's another of them." " Yes, the other cabin's getting it, too." "5,000 yards now." " Couldn't be a jet?" " No, nothing so big." "Nothing to be seen with these." "Can you get a fix?" "It must have hit about 2,500 yards from here." " Other side of the hill." " What was it, sir?" "Oh, probably nothing." "A jettisoned fuel tank." " Going at that speed?" " Are you an instructor on this course?" "Anywhere in that circle, sir." "I'll try to get it more exact." "Do it on the way." "My responsibility." "You carry on." "Report that plane when it shows up." "Nothing else." "Got it?" "Yes, Sergeant." "It's the one I learnt yesterday, Sergeant." "TC, calling Control Room..." " Going to manage that?" " Done all I can, sir." "Theoretically, it must have struck somewhere over that way." " I just hope we have some luck with this one." " Yes, sir." " It's the third, isn't it?" " Since we've been here." " Still think you've come across one before?" " Yes, sir." "Before you joined us, sir." "Down south, early last year." "I'd swear." " When that big flying objects scare was on?" " Yeah, that's right, sir." "All the newspapers full of stories." "Suicides, people thinking it was the end of the world." "One of those periodic alarms." "It blew over." " Things did fall." " They were all explained away." "Yes, sir." " See anything?" " Just sheep." "Once they'd got it all tidied up, they'd want to keep it that way." "That accounts for those... orders." "Orders?" "On UFOs?" ""Unidentified Flying Objects " ""all observations of, reports on or public mention of strictly forbidden."" "Don't want more bods shoving their heads in the gas oven." "Sir, there's something going on, this next field." " What?" " A woman, seems sort of excited." "Let's have a look." "Hello there!" "Oh, thank goodness." "Thank goodness you've come along." " What is it?" " Tell him to let it alone, to come away." "Tell him." "Tell him to come away." " Show us." " Through there." "My husband." "Tell him to come away." "You're soldiers, he'll have to take heed." " He'll have to, he'll have to." " Look." "He said it come down out of the sky, sir." "What is it?" "Is it something he didn't ought to touch?" "Tell him, sir." "It's a meteorite, I think." "You were here when this fell?" " Tell him to come away, sir." " One moment." "You found it like this?" "Broken?" "Broken." "Funny smell." "Like..." "Like old stables." "He's had a bit of a fright." "It must have been this we tracked." "Feel it." "It's still slightly warm." " Think it's an ordinary meteorite, sir?" " I suppose so." "If it wasn't against orders for us to go any further with this, sir, what might be done?" "Well, if..." "There's a man I know." "His name's Quatermass." "Quatermass?" " Heard of him?" " The rocket man!" "Well, Quatermass?" "You've checked for yourself now." "Satisfied?" "There's no spread of radioactivity outside the shielding." " Does that help us?" " No." "You're just trying to find a loophole, some way we might be wrong." " I'm afraid there isn't going to be any." " The whole nuclear motor." " Face it." "Exactly like the other one." " All the signs are there." "Now we can read them." "What you've just done, Bernard, was more than an examination." "It was a post-mortem." "Firing Base." "Yes, he's here." "I'll tell him." "Your daughter, sir." "She has the Australian film set up." "Go ahead, Leo." "I want to get out of this gear." "Sir, will there be any further tests?" "No, none." " Your father will be along in a minute." " How's he taking it?" " How do you expect?" " Outwardly, showing nothing." " No." " The worst way." "I expected that." "I suppose nothing much harder can hit one than a setback at an advanced stage." " We had no way of foreseeing it." " No?" "Now, at last, there's no doubt." " Everything tallies with what's in here." " Not a great deal, is there?" "All that survived the explosion." "And enough to have saved us." "Did you see this one?" "They kept the records straight to the last." ""Now certain nuclear motor in runaway reaction." ""No response from remote control." ""Evacuation proceeding." ""It now seems possible that con..."" "Con?" "Conditions, I suppose." "In the middle of a word when it happened." "Poor creatures." "Do you think they had any idea when they began?" "No." "Just a routine ground test." "Even when the fuel connector went, that might have meant danger, but not complete disaster." " That broken connection began it?" " Apparently." "We're full of wisdom after the event." "Sudden conditions were set up - temperatures, pressures." "Coupled with unsuspected instability of new fissile material..." " Unsuspected?" "Leo, why won't you admit it?" " Not entirely, then." "There was a remote mathematical possibility, but with... with normal precautions..." "The Australian research team, there was nothing they could do?" "Once the runaway reaction set in, nothing." "They were not testing a rocket motor any longer." "They were stoking up an atomic bomb." " Horrible." " Have I kept you waiting?" " No, of course not." " Ready, Paula?" "Let's see this thing." "It's very disjointed, according to the note." "Webster in Sydney did the best he could." "This is the Tarooma Range, Northern Australia." "That's Webster's voice." "All apparatus was transported overland, not without difficulty." "By the set date, all preparations were completed for the testing of the Quatermass II rocket." "Here it is on the firing base." "The chemical booster has been removed, exposing the nuclear motor for its first test at full power." "Normal precautions were taken and final checks carried out according to the practised routine." "Automatic cameras set in position to record experiments." "This time, only those furthest away were to survive." "Last shots of Control Centre shortly before tests began." "On duplicate instruments at a remote point - five, four, three, two, one, zero." "The rocket actually firing, caught by telephoto camera." "Shortly afterwards, remote instruments recorded a fault in the fuel supplies, a break which was followed very rapidly by the runaway nuclear reaction." "There is no visual record of the research team's attempt to evacuate the Control Room." "For this, refer to remote tape recording." "Those recordings..." "Two minutes 45 seconds after the commencement of the test..." "The blast was seen from the far perimeter of the range." "Next day, the devastated firing base was examined by squads of men in protective clothing." "Nothing remained of the rocket." "In the whole area of the blast, no one was found to be alive." "That's all." "Well, it's over." "How much of a hold-up will this be?" "Years." " It would be years." " Would be?" "I said it's over." "The Moon Project." "It was too ambitious, wasn't it?" "A fleet of rockets to build a colony on the Moon." "Carrying machinery there, piece by piece, in hundreds of flights." "To build pressure domes so that men could live in the world without air." "To do all that." "To be the first to do it." "Ever since the days of basketball satellites, that has been the dream." "It won't be easy, will it, to face the fact that we're... out of the race?" "Father, there have been bad patches before." "This is more than a patch." "The whole project depends on this rocket." "On its design, its special adaptability." "We can't even carry out ground tests." " You must go on." " The choice isn't mine." " What do you mean?" " The Ministry have backed me and for what?" "I gave them the first two-stage nuclear experimental rocket, manned." "Before your time." " You made a successful flight." " The crew died horribly." "Then the international agreement on radioactive fallout made the design obsolete." "A total loss to the Ministry." "And now this." "The first nuclear chemical rocket." "Two prototypes - one destroyed and the other useless." "More dead men." " The Ministry will draw a neat double line." " Finish?" "Of all this?" " They won't go on." " You're wrong." "No, Paula, the signs have been there - cuts, delays on vital expenditure." " You put your case?" " Until they're sick of me." "I suppose there's a wind blowing in a different direction." "New claimants for their favours." "New ideals, new white-headed boys." "I'll go up to London tomorrow, of course, and tackle them." "Bernard, remember you're not alone in this." "Sympathy, Leo?" "Not just now, please." "It might make me feel a little... tired." "And perhaps a little old." "Professor Quatermass's office." "Yes, speaking." "Who?" "There now?" "Oh, tell him to..." "No, I'll come through and meet him." "It's Johnny Dillon." "He must have got leave." "He sent no word." "Does he have to?" "Tell him to take you somewhere cheerful." " I might do that." " And don't keep him waiting." "Father, you won't start getting rid of me now?" "For my own good?" "Don't." "Darling." " You cheated me out of expecting you." " I'm sorry." "It was a rush." "Is your father here?" " Yes." " I'd like to see him." " You sound so..." "Is it something bad?" " I don't think so." "Probably nothing." "He'd know." "What have you got there?" " Just a box." " Come in." " Oh, hello." "How are you?" " Fair enough, sir." "And you?" "Dr Leo Pugh, Captain Dillon." " How do you do?" " Father, he wants to talk about something." "No, not that." "You're not getting rid of me." " Sit down." " Thank you, sir." " I've really no right to impose on you, sir." " No, go on." "Straight in." "I'm right, aren't I, that you people make a special study of meteorites?" "They're hazards a rocket meets in space." "Grit, dust, stones, boulders flying at 30 miles a second." "That needs studying." " He's the expert." " That's done it!" "From this moment I am to be revealed as a mass of ignorance." "What did you want to know?" "About a year ago, there was a general scare." "Do you remember?" " Reports of things falling." " A lot of that was imagination." " How can you tell?" " Our records." "It would have been some display." "There was nothing unusual." "People like these stories." "You get a lot." "Dr Pugh, how many meteorites reach the ground in one piece?" "It doesn't happen." "Perhaps one in a billion." "In a billion, mind." "And the odds against three of them striking an area 20 miles across in a single week?" "Perhaps you'd better explain." "I'm liable to court martial for this." "It's against orders, but..." "I had to find out." "We'll respect your confidence." "Meteoric fragments." "Found where?" "Near where I'm stationed." "My unit tracked the fall." " You got a signal off this?" " I didn't make myself clear." "This thing didn't break up until it hit the ground." " What?" "I told you it doesn't happen." " It did." "Assemble those pieces and you get a single smooth shape." "Have you got one, darling?" "I'm right out." "Thanks." "I've practically given myself the jitters." " Stupid, isn't it?" " Not stupid." "I still don't see how you tracked it." "The speed would be too great." " It was slower than a jet plane." " And there were others?" "Two on other days, but we couldn't find them." "Tell me, is that normal meteoric stone?" "Looks like one of the many varieties." "Enstatite, I think." "Mm." "Interesting shape." "Who else saw this?" "A sergeant instructor, the man who found it - a ploughman - and his wife." "That's all." "Really?" "Somebody outside this odd army order." " How long will it take us to drive there?" " A couple of hours." "Can you spare the time?" " I'm sorry, darling." "We'll celebrate another time." " Of course." "I'd like to look into this further." "John..." " Be careful." " Why did you say that?" " I don't know." " Captain Dillon!" " Are you sure you've got all the fragments?" " Yes." "Why, Leo?" "In that case... it's hollow." "I bet you never breathed it like I said." "Afraid it would do you some good!" "That's a car, isn't it?" "You just keep your feet in that mustard bath till I see if it's the parson." "Nay, it's strangers." "Lost their way, perhaps." "Good evening." "We met yesterday." "Remember?" " Why, of course." "Come in, won't you?" " Thank you." "I'm sorry." "We're a bit upset." " Fred's got a sort of... a kind of chill." " Sorry to hear that." "We thought you must be the parson." "See who's here, Fred?" " Don't you remember?" "The fella that..." " Captain Dillon." " Funny seeing you without the uniform." " And this is Professor Quatermass." " How do you do?" " Oh..." "Professor." "I'd better explain." "I'm a scientist." "Mr Large, I wonder if you'd tell me about the object you found yesterday." "Go on, Fred." "He's not himself." "It's the chill." "He'll have thrown it off by tomorrow." "Can I get you a cup of tea?" "No, thank you." "Mr Large, this object, this stone." " Were you there when it fell?" " Of course he was." "Tell them, Fred." "You saw it fall?" "Mr Large, this isn't just curiosity." "It may be important." "Was it in fragments?" "Broken up?" "Fred?" "Perhaps we can agree on what you told Captain Dillon yesterday." "There was an odd smell?" " He said it was like old stables." " When did you notice this?" " When you first examined the pieces?" " No, sir, it wasn't..." " Stop!" "Stop!" " Mr Large, for heaven's sake!" "No need for that." " Have you seen a doctor?" " No." " I think it would be wiser." " No!" "Send them... send them away!" "Nothing to do with it!" "Nothing!" " Perhaps we'd better go." " Yes, go." "Go!" " Dear, oh, dear." " Go away from here." "Go from this house!" " She'd only be the one to suffer later." " I'm sorry." "That's all right." "We'd no right to impose." " It's not like him." "I wish you knew..." " What?" "It's only just this chill." "He must have caught it in the field yesterday, sitting there, sweaty, like." "Go away from here!" "That's all it is." "Isn't it, Fred?" "Just a chill." "You'll be as right as rain in the morning." " I'm sorry that was so unproductive." " It wasn't." "Could anything have happened in that field before either she or you got there?" "I can't imagine." "Why shouldn't he talk about it?" " I don't know." " Of course, they're country folk." " There's always a lot of superstition..." " Yes, yes, yes." "Was that a pub we passed on the road?" "Feel like a drink?" "I feel like... talking to people." "Fred Large?" " Well, I didn't know that." "Did you, Robert?" " What?" "Fred?" "No, no, I never heard nothing." "What's the matter with him?" " Nothing serious." "Just a chill." " Ah, thank you." "You a relation of his?" "No, it was just a friendly call." "We were passing through, looked him up." " Knew Fred in the Army, maybe?" " Something like that." "He's not an easy man to know." "A bit touchy." "Liable to fly off the handle." "Fred?" "Oh, I wouldn't say that." "Would you, Robert?" "No, no." "Them Larges is a steady lot, Fred more than any." " What did you say to him?" " Asked how he was, if he'd seen a doctor." "Ha-ha!" "That might have done it." "He don't hold with doctors any more than I do." "Government men!" " Who?" " Doctors." "They all work for the government." "So Robert's agin them, too!" "When there was less government about, things was better, I know that." "He came across something odd in a field." " Odd?" " A stone or stones that had just fallen." " Out of the sky, do you mean?" " Ever seen anything?" "Fireballs?" "Meteorites?" "Oh, a long while back." "Stories." "Hey, do you think this might have had something to do with Fred being sick?" "Do you think it possible?" "All right, sir." "All right." "Evening, Will." "The usual?" " The things... falling on the Earth." " What do you know about it?" " It be the government." " No, not this time." " You think I'm just a silly old man, don't you?" " Now, now, Robert." "Well, I'm not." "They spoil and destroy." " Who?" " The government men!" "You tell him about Winnerden Flats!" "No, you tell me." "Oh, a village." "It was a village." "12, 15 miles out on the sea." "I remember going there fishing sometimes when I was a boy." "I courted a girl from Winnerden Flats." " Married her." " The village." "The village?" "Oh, well, there was a government place there for research." " Research into what?" " I don't know." "A little place, a few sheds, but it seemed to content them." "Until last year." " And then..." " Go on." " They run mad!" "Tore the whole village down!" " Tore it down?" "With them bull... dozers." "And then they built a big place... with great iron round things on top." " Do you know anything about this?" " No." "It's secret." "No one let near." " Guards with guns to keep 'em away." " Guns?" "!" "I know a fella went by there and they nearly set on him." "If you want odd things to happen, well, just ask the government." " Is this true?" " It's what they call a Security Area." "I expect there's some good reason for it." "Yes, I expect so." " Well, we'll be off." "Goodbye." " Goodnight." " You really think there could be a connection?" " We'll just have a look." "From a distance." "I don't want to get you into trouble." "As long as I'm in civvies, they'll forgive me." "But surely it's just a refinery?" "I hope so." "What else could it be?" "I think I'm going mad." "Let's try and get closer." " Yes." " Won't you tell me?" "Just a coincidence." "Coincidence of what?" "Of shapes." " We're getting pretty close." " I don't see any guards yet." "Listen!" "It's over there." "If we can get to it..." " Is that it?" " Something's there, about six inches down." " Here, let me." " No, I can do it." "There's some sort of alarm!" " Here!" " It's just like the other one." "I was right." "I want to get some measurements, quickly." "Some men are coming." "I hope they realise it's for their benefit." " It's starting to... break up!" " Smell it?" " Yes!" " Ammonia?" "Dillon!" "There's something on your face!" "On tests in Northern Australia, a prototype of the nuclear motor designed to power the Quatermass II rocket has gone into a runaway reaction," "ending in a disastrous explosion." "In the rocket research station in England, its twin reveals the same latent faults." "Professor Bernard Quatermass and his staff, now including Doctor Leo Pugh and his own daughter Paula, realise that the extensive project to colonise the Moon may have to be abandoned." "Then an interruption." "Captain John Dillon has tracked falling meteorites by radar and, against orders, has managed to recover one." "Reassembled, the object proves to have been hollow." "Visiting the scene of the incidents," "Quatermass and Dillon come upon a closed area and a vast government plant that is said to be heavily guarded." "Its appearance disturbs them." "Then, as they venture closer to the place, another meteorite falls." "They are able to locate it, still in one piece." "Can you smell it?" "Ammonia." "Dillon!" "There's something on your face!" "Dillon!" "It's gone, but there was something, I swear." "Are you all right?" "All right?" "Don't know." "Uh... don't know." "Whatever else came out of that, there was certainly ammonia." "You got a lungful." "Take some deep breaths." "Try!" "Similar to the first one." "Hollowed in the same way." "Thistledown." "What I saw..." "What I thought I saw was transparent." "Just for a moment it shone and then..." "Is your face still sore?" "Let me see." "Look up." "Look to the light." "Yes, there is something there." "A kind of..." "Just on the hairline." "A discoloured indentation." "Don't touch!" "Keep back!" "Tell them." "Tell." "All right, Dillon." "If you won't start talking, I will." "Take a look at this." "Be careful - it needs expert examination." "It's some sort of meteorite." "We saw it fall and came to examine it." " Who are you?" " That doesn't matter." " You are in a restricted area." " Let me talk to somebody in authority in there." " I'll explain when we get there." " Explain." "It was intact when it fell." "That's almost unknown for a meteorite." "It broke up as we looked at it." "This man was affected." "Something came from it." "Gas, at any rate." "Is this a military establishment?" "Get those pieces." "No!" "Don't you realise the importance of observations?" " Take him." " Wait a minute." " He will be given treatment." " There?" " He must come." " Are you arresting him?" " He must." " Yes..." " I'm sorry, Dillon." "I'll explain." " You will go." "Now." "While you can." " But I will tell them that I am responsible." " Do not try." "Go." "Dillon, I'm sorry I got you into this mess." "I'll find some way." "No, don't follow." "Don't try to follow!" " Dillon!" " Go now." "Go." "Psst!" "Hi there." " Who are you?" " I got no business here, same as you." "Have they gone?" "Yes." "Lucky they didn't pinch you, too." "You were watching?" " Through there." " Did you see that thing fall?" " What thing?" " That... that stone." "Stone?" "Nah." "I was asleep until all the whistles and shouting." "I come here last night, after dark." "Woke up and seen all them fellas around with guns all over the place." "So I lay low all day." " Soon be dark again." " Why are you here?" "Got a gasper?" "I reckon to pass by this way once a year." " There used to be a village here." " Yes." "Winnerden Flats." "Ta." "I heard tales of this coming along the road, but I didn't believe it." "They must have smashed the whole place flat with them bulldozers." "Why?" "There was nice people about here." "Open-handed." "When you were here a year ago, the place was normal?" "Thriving." "Woman gave me a brace of chickens." "Give 'em to me." "But there was a government research unit?" "Only a few little huts." "I didn't mind them." "They didn't bother me very much." "A bit different from that." "It's not finished yet." "All day long, banging and riveting." "And the men they've got working in there." "Thousands of them." "Like an army." "I've seen 'em come, I've seen 'em go." "In big lorries." " Where?" "Do you know?" " Look..." " On the horizon?" " A whole town." "New-built." "I come through there." "No good." "Not all these prefab estates." "They've got no time for trampers." ""Dig the garden and I'll give you your dinner."" ""I'm going on," I said." "Somewhere I can get proper treatment." "Winnerden Flats." "What have you got there?" "A flint?" "Plenty of them about." " Too many." " It's not a flint." " Of course it is." " It's worn and weathered by long exposure." "What else could it be?" "Look, they're all over the place." "You're a funny fella with stones, aren't you?" "What do you do?" "Collect them?" "You'll bust your pockets." "You'd better get going." "How far to that prefab town?" " Turn north by the sea, then about five miles." " Thanks." "Here." "Don't hang around." "Gone down to the boozer for a quick one, I suppose." "Yes." "Yeah, keep an eye out for him." "And chase the mother up here, will you?" "Tell them..." "Tell them she's been wandering again." "Yes." "Yes, thanks, Bob." "I was right." "Why these people can't look after their kiddies, I don't know." " Hello." "What can I do for you?" " Are there any police in this town?" " Police?" " There are none?" "Well, we're the police." "The Camp Committee." " What if you can't handle something?" " Doesn't often happen." " With construction teams and labour gangs?" " Look, mister, if we need police assistance, we get it from outside." "Now, what's your business?" "I'm worried about a friend of mine." "We were near that plant where your men work." " He was taken ill, the guards took him away." " It's a prohibited area." "You must have known." "This is a free country in time of peace." "I have rights and will use them." "Right." "You've used them." "Happy?" "What are you supposed to represent?" "A publicly appointed committee?" "We represent the workers on that project." "We're doing all right." "A lot more than all right." "We're asked to co-operate by keeping our mouths shut." "Just like in the war." " We try to do our best." " You succeed!" "We don't like people who make it difficult." "I have trodden where some bureaucrat didn't wish me to tread, but does that put me beyond your aid?" "Look, mister, your friend will have been taken to the infirmary." "He wouldn't have come to any harm." "Let's check that, shall we?" " Shall I ring?" " Telephone the police." "I'll make a full statement of what happened." "What are you grinning at?" " You said you call in police help sometimes." " Yes." "Their police." "Those guards." "It's a security arrangement." "Shall I ring?" "Now, look, don't worry about your friend." " They'll take him to another hospital." " I'll ring the county constabulary." "No!" "Honestly, they wouldn't deal." "Wouldn't deal?" "What IS this place?" "Oh, really, mister." "Can't you read?" "Excuse me..." "Oh, there she is." "Poor little love." "Mr Dawson, I'm ever so sorry about this, about all the trouble you've had." "I've told her a hundred times, but it makes no difference." " Where was she?" " Heading up there." "Bob Rigby found her." " You naughty girl." " There'll be trouble." " I know, I know!" " No one's allowed there." "Yes, Mr Dawson." "I don't like to blame her." "Since she was sick, she's not been the same." " Sick?" " Are you still here?" " Tell me about it." "When did it happen?" " A few months ago, just after we moved here." "She was out playing somewhere and was taken queer." "She seemed to get over it, but since then... she wanders." " Where to?" " Only up there to the place." "Eh, Mr Dawson?" "Did you ever see anything like this?" "Did you find something once?" "When you were playing?" "That broke into pieces like this?" "And then you were sick?" "And then there was this mark?" "I seen it a long time ago." "It's never given any trouble." "Are you making out I neglect her?" " Was anybody else sick?" " Nobody!" "Is he some sort of inspector?" "No." "I'm putting a stop to this." "A little while ago, I asked you to leave." "Now I'm not asking." " Don't be a fool, man." " Fool?" "!" "I think there's something wrong." "Danger." "Tell me!" " Tell you what?" " Oh, I don't know the full facts." " What is this place?" "What's being made there?" " You're mad." "For heaven's sake, forget these posters for just five seconds!" "Get on your way." "You want to meet those guards again?" "I'll give you a count of three." " That got rid of him." " Well!" "You were right." "He must've been mad." "The things he was saying." "Why..." "This isn't nothing." "Look, Mr Dawson." "Is it, now?" " Dr Pugh?" " Yes?" " Ready for the test." " Oh, good." "Mm, not a bad section." "It's difficult to find a decent one from one of these fragments." "That's a trace of metallic mineral, isn't it?" "There." "Yes." "Let's see." "If that etches into the standard pattern, this must be a normal meteorite." " Yes." " Leo, am I interrupting something?" "Oh, not at all." " Is your father back?" " Not yet." " What are you looking for?" " An etched pattern." "A Widmanstatten shape." "A test for a genuine meteorite." "No, nothing." " It isn't one?" " No." " It may not be." " What about the fact of it being hollow?" "A small cavity is not unheard of." "But according to the ploughman there was a smell of gas." "Seven different gases can occur in stony meteorites." "We've nothing positive to go on." " Father, did you find out anything?" " Some." " Where's Johnny?" " He's not with me." " I'm afraid he's in some sort of trouble." " Trouble?" "Yes, he's not well." "He's being looked after." " But where is he?" " In a strange place." " A very strange place." " For heaven's sake, tell us!" "We went to the ploughman as we intended." "He wasn't very co-operative." "No, there was nothing more you could have done." "I see that." "I didn't leave it at that." "I went to the county police." "They were polite, but said they had no jurisdiction." "How do you connect these meteorites with this mysterious production plant?" " Think they came from it?" " No, I'm certain of that." " What do you think is wrong with Johnny?" " He was affected with this gas." " How about phoning where he is stationed?" " He's at a temporary training post." "The base camp." "They may know something." "Yes, I'll do that." " Leo, there's more to it." " I thought so." "It wasn't only the gas that affected Dillon." "There was something... else." " You saw it?" " Just for a minute, clinging to his face." " What?" " I may be wrong, but just for a moment..." "It was like a soap bubble that burst." "It wasn't unlike a bubble." "Perhaps I'm imagining it." "But ever since that time, so long ago..." " Perhaps I'm too ready to... to expect..." " Take a look at this." "I got a plaster cast made of the first meteorite." "Now, assuming that the shape suffered from ablation in the higher levels of the atmosphere, with a little reconstruction the original might well have been like this." " You've been busy." " It's more than a guess." "We worked it out." "Something like this, travelling at the correct angle, not too fast..." "Could skim through Earth's atmosphere before breaking itself up, gradually losing speed through braking ellipses and even land in one piece." " The same principle as rocket descent." " And that, of course, implies a great deal." "Rocket descent." "The result of knowledge." "Mathematics." "Precise planning." "Intelligence." "Now, we know the weight, the approximate speed of descent, mass..." " I've got some further data." " Excellent." "How do you feel?" "Up to making a start?" "If we can find some sort of a source..." " Any news?" " He couldn't return to his unit." "He's being transferred." " The radar post?" "Moved from that position?" " Could that be significant?" "Probably not." "I'm going up to London tomorrow." "I'll probably get the answers then." "Paula, you must leave us." "We have work to do." "Oh, don't worry about that." "It's just some idle speculation of Leo's." "No..." "No!" "Come in, sir." "Do sit down." "You've come at a most awkward time." "I'm just tying up a very difficult case." " You asked to see Inspector Lomax." " I know him." "I'm afraid he's no longer with us." " I hope I won't embarrass you with this query." " It won't be easy, sir." "Try." "Last night I... happened to trespass upon a prohibited area." "Really?" "An army range?" "Excuse me." "Inspector Clifford." "Uh-huh?" "Yes, I know." "The embezzlement case." "You've got him there?" "I suppose there's no doubt that he was a witness?" "Right you are, Sergeant." "Well, keep him there for a moment, will you?" " Now, sir, about this prohibited area." " I admit it's a technical offence." "We shall assume you did not go there as an enemy agent." "When we were near the plant, my friend was taken ill." "The guards arrested him." " The plant." "Where exactly was it?" " At a place called Winnerden Flats." " I'm afraid I can't help you." " There are matters needing investigation." " I can do nothing." "It's under special authority." " What authority?" "What's its purpose?" " Now you do embarrass me." " This man was ill." "He was affected by..." "I've got to know his condition." "Great Heavens!" "I didn't expect to find bureaucratic idiocy here!" "I know my duty, sir." "If you must have special favours, go to your own contacts at the Ministry." "Ministry?" "I must ask you to leave now." "I have things to do." " The same Ministry that handles my research?" " Good morning, sir." "Tell Sergeant Best to bring that man up right away." "The embezzlement witness!" "We've a great deal to get through." "Pompous, self-important people coming here..." "Well, there you are." "You've got all the evidence I can produce, all the facts as I know them." "Now, Fowler, it's up to you." "Man, haven't you ANY reaction?" "I want you to get in touch with Mr Vincent Broadhead." "In the lower conference room." "441, isn't it?" "Find out if they're in recess." "Ask him to come up here as soon as he can." " Was that a sufficiently dramatic response?" " I hope you're not taking this lightly." "On the contrary." "I'm going beyond the limits." "Quatermass, we've had dealings for a number of years, you as a driving force of an enterprise of the future," "I as one of the obstructive civil servants you have to contend with." " My dear Fowler..." " How's it going?" " I haven't referred to that." " How is it?" " Badly, since that trouble on test." " You'll want extra funds?" "And you'll refuse them?" "We've been cutting you down." "The decision lies elsewhere." " It always does." " It's policy to support a number of projects." " That makes them, in a sense, your rivals." " What are you getting at?" "Well, it could be said that to come with such a curious account about a rival project..." " Are you serious?" " I must put it to you." "But I didn't know it was yours!" " Thank you." "I accept that." " Now, what is it?" " Strictly between these walls?" " Of course." "The place at Winnerden Flats is harmless." "It's to make synthetic food." "Synthetic food?" "!" "Guards and guns?" "!" "Oh, I have no personal knowledge." "It's an entirely different section, a new special section." " You don't like it either." " Like it?" "Oh, I expect I'm hidebound." "Nothing you can pin down." "A face in the corridor." "Yes..." "Petty mysteries." "An overheard phrase." "Altered routines." "Changes." "Hello." "Yes?" "The recess?" "And Mr Broadhead?" " Thank you." "On his way up." " Who is he?" "You don't read the newspapers?" "He's usually a rugged individualist or a damned troublemaker." " An MP?" " Quite a new boy." "I knew him years ago." "He's a talker." "Just now he's engaged in a sort of one-man inquiry that he's managed to force." " Inquiry?" " He's ahead of you." "It's into Winnerden Flats." " Mr Fowler's expecting me." "Broadhead." " Oh, yes, sir." "Somebody with him?" "What's this about, Fowler?" "I hope you realise how little time I've got." "Here's someone I think you ought to meet." "Don't take any calls for the next few minutes." "Yes, sir." " And all this happened last night?" " All that I was personally concerned with, yes." "I don't know what to make of it." "There's oddness enough." " At the inquiry?" " Aye." "I resume in five minutes." " What sort of oddness?" " Confine yourself to giving information." "No, it's too much." "All this stuff you're telling me is speculation." " It's true." "I have expert knowledge." " You specialise in rockets and things." " The specialist sees things in his own light." " A stupid generalisation." "There were those armed guards..." "A sick man arrested." "I'll try to use that." " Who are on this inquiry?" " Please, please." "No, let him ask it." "I've been sickened with damn secrecy this morning." "Members of the Commission and me." "It's to be a one-man confidential report." "Silly, isn't it?" "More secrecy, but the fight I had even for that and, in the end, through a technical loophole." "How's it going?" "Finding what you wanted?" "They're beating me, I admit it." "Evasion!" "Never once an answer that means anything." "And this is the joke" " I'm trying to help them!" " Do you know what Winnerden Flats is?" " Synthetic food." "A revolutionary process." "Years of vain experiment." "Suddenly, bingo - they've got it!" " When?" " About a year ago." "A headlong rush then to get a factory built." "Tremendous costs." " What was the hurry?" " To beat the rest of the world to it." " Now they're ready to go ahead." " Production?" " Any day now, apparently." " I see." "There's no signs of a distribution set-up." "No sales organisation, nothing." "They're trapped in their damn secrecy!" "And now this." " A production plant." " Aye, an aerial photograph of it." " Here's another." "The same?" " Seems to be." "That one was taken on an inspection flight over Central Siberia." " What?" "!" " And this." "Brazil." "Not much doubt about it, is there?" "Other people are in on this "revolutionary process"!" " They've got competitors before they start." " No, that's not it." " How long since those were taken?" " All very recent." "Broadhead, get me into that inquiry." "As a witness." "I've got to get in there!" "All right." "Come on." "Here you are." "Sit down." "All here?" "This is Professor Bernard Quatermass." "I've asked him to attend." "He has certain information I wish to bring forward." "But, first, have you considered what I put to you before the recess?" "A leakage of information." "In spite of all precautions." "In spite of what seemed excessive precautions." "Will you look at these aerial photographs again?" "You, sir, Mr Stenning." "As Chief Biochemist to the Commission, can you give me an expert opinion?" "Pick 'em up and look at 'em." "There - the mark." "His own Moon project at a standstill following the explosion on test of a prototype rocket," "Professor Quatermass has a new investigation." "A hollow meteorite is brought to him." "A visit to the area of its fall leads him to a vast secret government production plant and another incident - a meteorite falls." "It shatters, discharging ammonia gas and perhaps something else." "Captain Dillon is overcome, a curious mark appearing on his face." "But while Quatermass examines it, armed security guards arrive." "They take Dillon into the plant, apparently for treatment." "Quatermass is ordered away." "He goes through the bulldozed debris of the village that occupied the site a year before and comes upon weathered remains of the supposed meteorites by the hundred." "Rebuffed by both civilian and police authorities, he finds out from Fowler, a contact at the Ministry, that the mysterious plant is to produce synthetic food." "But with evidence that the secret process is already being duplicated in Central Siberia and in Brazil, a one-man inquiry has been forced by Vincent Broadhead, a Member of Parliament, into the affairs of the controlling commission." "When this resumes, he admits Quatermass as a witness." "Looking along the faces of those at the table," "Quatermass sees once again... the mark!" " Can I speak to you for a moment?" " Excuse me, gentlemen." " Do you know him?" "Where he got that mark?" " No." "I've seen it before." "On a child who stumbled across a meteorite." "She was made ill." "And the mark was on her hand." "And yesterday, Dillon." "It began to appear when the guards took him away." " I've seen other cases." " This man in the room?" "He, at least." "I swear it." "Professor Quatermass was concerned about the propriety of his presence here while I put questions on other matters." "Now, as members of the controlling commission, do you know of any external dangers to the plant?" "There are no dangers!" "There can be none!" " Perhaps even missiles directed at it?" " That's not what I meant." " Just get that stuff out." " Yes." "What Professor Quatermass is about to produce is something that fell two days ago within a short distance of the plant." "There's a possibility these may be directed through the atmosphere to a specific point." "In this case, to or at your plant." "They may possibly constitute some form of carrier." " Carrier?" "Of what?" " Of poison gases." " And also possibly..." " Infection." "What I know of synthetic foods is that you're dealing with delicate organic gels and cultures." "Now, these can be infected, naturally or artificially, and destroyed." "What I'm trying to establish is the possibility, no more than that, of a threat to your process." " No." " It may be nothing, but it may be serious." "Now, first, we've got to free more facts from this monstrous web of secrecy." " There has been no infection." " In the plant?" "You discovered nothing?" " Nothing like that?" " I must ask you to take this matter seriously." "I must ask for your co-operation." "A picture is beginning to form, however sketchily, of a unique process which is no longer unique." "To extend these indications to their farthest limits, it may be in danger of destruction." "If this should prove to be..." " What's going on?" " Yes, it's a model." "An accurate reconstruction, in plaster, of one of the meteorites as it fell." "You, sir!" "When did you come across a thing like that?" "When did they come?" " If I could tell you..." " This must not continue!" "These questions must not be asked!" "I agree." "I think you'd better leave now, Professor." "Please." "Now, gentlemen, I'd like to take up one or two points on the process itself." "You certainly stuck your neck out." "You might have folded up the whole inquiry." "And you must admit the response you got was fairly indefinite." "Very well, on a level of simple fact." " You're a scientist." "Isn't that the only level?" " No!" "How long have I been up here?" " 20 minutes." " Could you ring the inquiry?" " Well, erm..." " Try!" "Get me room 441, please." "Mr Broadhead." " Reason?" " The last few minutes I was there..." " Seconds, really." " What?" " I was afraid, Fowler." " Afraid?" "Why on earth?" "I don't know." "Perhaps I'm discovering new depths in myself." "Or streaks." "At any rate, I was suddenly sharply aware of menace." "Here?" "In the Ministry?" "Hello?" "What?" "No reply?" "No, it's all right." "Broadhead!" " What's wrong with him?" " It's dispersed now, but..." " Ammonia gas!" " What happened?" "Look!" " You're sure?" "But how?" " I don't know." "It was here with them." "It must have been." "He's conscious." "Broadhead!" " Broadhead..." " What happened at the inquiry?" "Inquiry's over." "I wonder what he found out." "Nothing to find out." "Nothing." " I'll get a doctor." " You were making a report." " You remember?" " Hello?" "Hello?" "Everything's... in order." "Everything's explained." " Hello there." " All right, Fowler." "They're here." " When were you sent for?" " A few minutes ago." "We happened to be passing." "We came in." " Say nothing." " What about you?" " I want your help." " Help?" "I want to get to the plant." "Inside it." " I'll try." "Give me an hour." " Where can we meet?" "I know a place." "One of the old coffee bars." "Nobody goes there now." "This way." " Here you are, sir." " Thank you." "Nice to meet a gentleman who still appreciates a good cup of coffee." "Sugar, sir?" "Fine, thank you." "These new tea bars now, they've swiped all the trade." "Fashion, that's all it is, really." "Just fashion." "Fowler." " This is Rupert Ward." "Professor Quatermass." " How do you do, sir?" " Two more coffees, please." " Right-o, sir." " Any trouble since I saw you last?" " No." "Ward's in public relations." "He's been to the plant." " What?" " Several times." " Top secret." "How much will I say?" " I'll answer for Quatermass." " I gather you have odd notions about it." " I'd no time to go into details." "Does that mean anything to you?" "No." "Why, should it?" "It's made of plaster." "Yes, it's a cast." "No matter." "Ward is attached to the Special Section." "Temporarily." " How many visits did you make?" " Half a dozen." " Alone?" " No, I took parties down." " Quite a regular procedure." " Mostly politicos." "One or two outside people, press and so on." "Some of them quite well known." "Names?" " No matter." "They were shown the plant?" " Yes, but not by me." "I'm no scientist." "I can't tell one of these places from another." "I just handed my charges over." " You left them there?" " That was the arrangement." "I presume they came back with someone else." "Your coffees, sir." "Look here, you don't think anything happened to those people, do you?" "Good Lord." "They all turned up again." "There's no doubt about it." "One hears of them." " What were they shown?" " There was nothing much in operation." "Except a sort of pilot plant." "I didn't go into it." " Perhaps you were lucky." " What?" "Didn't this strike you as odd, with such a secret establishment?" "PR routines can be rather odd." "I don't make the decisions." "No, you're just a pleasant, sensible chap." "No nonsense." "No suspicion would attach to you." "What on earth is he talking about?" "As if I was, well, guilty of something." "There are other chaps." "Why not ask them?" " Have you still got your pass?" " Yes." "You'll use it - today." "You're going to take another party round - me and Fowler." " He'll back you up." " But this is..." "Finish your coffee." "I showed you a model of something that's been falling near the plant." "I'm having them investigated..." "by my own people." "Damn and blast!" " Another blind alley?" " Yes." "We're in a kind of mathematical lunacy." "Question:" "Did those things come like normal meteorites?" "Did they come like rockets?" "Did they do this?" "Did they do that?" "We have dozens of theories, all impossible." "I realise we've got to accept that wherever these things came from was... beyond the atmosphere." " But not so very, very far away." " No, I see that, too." "And for a year." "Why hasn't their point of origin, whatever it is, been located by every major observatory?" " Or spotted by every amateur with a telescope!" " Yes." "It would be bound by physical laws to travel in set ellipses." "A semi-major axis." "In a certain set rhythm." "So we calculate and calculate and there's no sensible answer!" "Oh, Leo!" "Five-minute break." "How much sleep have you had?" "Send some more coffee up, would you?" "Observatory Three." "Too many machines, that's what we've got." "They spoil one from grasping a clear concept." "I joined your father as a mathematical genius." "That's not boasting." "I was, once." "A calculating boy." "But these machines, they beat me." "I press buttons." " Why did you join him?" " Looking for some kind of beauty, I suppose." "The mathematical kind." "The idea of making roads in space for rockets to travel." "Four-dimensional roads." "Curved with relativity, metalled with best-quality continuum." " These roads are two-way!" " The brake's still on, Leo." " Tell me about the calculating boy." " Ohh." "At the village school in Merioneth." "The teacher, old Miss Williams, used to set me enormous sums to do." "She loved to astonish herself, 'cause I always got them right." ""You'll go far, Leo, bach," she said." ""You have the power to benefit mankind."" "And now I press buttons." "What sort of child were you?" " I was frightened of the dark." " Nice and normal." "It was very scientific." "I had a special nightmare that I was in a rocket Father had made going away and getting lost on the wrong side of the world, in the dark for ever and ever." "I used to wake up screaming." "Leo?" " That might be it!" " What?" "The... what do you call it?" "The Bieber Variation!" "A sort of fault in the laws." "A line drawn from the Sun to the Earth, extend it, you reach a point of equilibrium where a body can orbit invisibly." "On the dark side of the Earth." "Hello?" "Hello, Stewart?" "Pugh here." "I want the radio telescope on a completely new setting." "Come over here and bring Watson." "Take it away." "I don't want it." "The Bieber Variation!" "It took the most advanced brain on Earth to comprehend it, but to go further, to put it to practical use, what manner of being could do that?" "Frankie!" "Wasting your time throwing stones in the water!" "Why don't you give your father a hand?" "Frankie?" "Did you hear what I said?" "Look at him, left to carry all them bottles down." "Can you manage, dear?" "Yes." "Was that somebody blowing a whistle?" " Over at that new works?" " Yes." " Perhaps it's their tea break or something." " Yes, dear." "Just the same time as us." "Isn't that funny?" "Now, where's this cloth?" "Frankie!" "Are you trying to go into the water?" "Remember your promise." "Silly of Uncle Tom to give him them rubber things when he can't swim." "Frankie!" "Come on and have your tea now." "It's all ready." "I do like a picnic." "I always say there's nothing like the open air." "Here you are." "Aren't you going to take that thing off your head?" " No." " Can't get over that village, though." "All them houses down." "I thought we'd come the wrong way." "Didn't I say?" " Yes, dear, you did." " Fancy pulling them all down like that." " It was just like a picture." " This the meat, dear?" " Yes, that's right." "Remember the tea shop?" " Oh, yeah." "The one time we didn't have a picnic we went there." "Miss Collins, wasn't it?" " Yes, dear." " It was so nice, pretty everlasting flowers..." "Whatever's that?" " You blowing that whistle at us?" " He's got a gun!" "Frankie!" " You must not be here." " What?" " It is forbidden." " I told you there'd be trouble." "Sit down, dear." "Have your tea." "Nobody's got a right to try and..." "Go!" "Go now!" " All of you!" " Don't you point that at my wife and my kid!" "We come here peaceable for a picnic." " We're doing no harm." " Father, we'd better go." "No." "Now, look here, mate, you stop shoving us around or I'll write to the papers." "Messing us around when we're quiet and decent, not doing no harm, not leaving any litter about." "I don't know what this place is and I don't care." "We mind our own business." "No harm in that." "See anything now?" " Just a little car." " Looks like the guards." "Somebody's in trouble." " Should we go back?" " No." " But surely..." " It may help us." "There's the gate ahead." " Are you ready?" "Ward, got your pass?" " Yes." "Say as little as possible." "Official." "Anybody here now?" " Receiving treatment?" " No one." "Perhaps from yesterday?" " No." " We understood there was a man here." "A young man." "He had to be brought in by the guards." "Name of Dillon." " He has gone now." " Gone?" "He was recovered." "He was not seriously ill." "He was not ill." "He..." " Where did he go?" " Away." "You don't mind if I look round the premises?" "It's quiet." "Is construction work suspended today?" " Suspended." " The gangs are laid off for some reason?" " Let's go." " Thank you." " Do you feel it?" " What?" "Ever since we entered this place, there's a sort of..." "lull." "If I'm right, this is where the chief component of the food gets made." "Sounds as if it's in full operation." "Come on." "This is official." " Are you in charge here?" " Yes." "We have to see the process in operation, if you don't mind." "Is that an inspection door?" "It's an enormous project." "A liquid's inside." "What is it?" "Might be the preparation of amino acids, basic proteins." "The product's pumped out of here along these pipes." "Where does it go?" "To those external storage tanks?" "The big domes out there?" "Yes." "They're built to take great pressure." "What else is pumped into them?" "Gases?" " Yes." " What sort of gases?" "Could one of them be... ammonia?" " Yes." " And the others?" "Hydrogen?" "Nitrogen?" "Methane, perhaps?" "Great pressures, low temperatures." "You see, I'm curious." "I've seen structures like this somewhere else." "They remind me of..." "experimental plans that I've... seen somewhere." "As means to inhabit another planet!" "Tell me if you can." "Production has begun?" "How long ago?" "It is... on schedule." "And now?" "Machine gunfire!" " I must see those domes!" " No!" "There's no time now!" "Ward!" "Where's Ward?" "He's gone!" "Ward!" "Where are you?" "Ward!" "No sign of him here, either." " That gunfire." "Do you think it's possible?" " No, too far away." "It was outside." "I hope you're right." "I saw him move away from us to look at another part, I thought." " He must have gone out." " By himself?" "Why?" " I can't guess." " I must look at that main storage tank before..." "Fowler - look at it!" "There on the ladder!" "It's Ward!" " Ammonia!" "What's that black slime?" " Don't touch it!" "He's soaked in it." "He must have got it inside." "Keep a look-out." "Ward?" "It's Quatermass." "Did you get inside the dome?" " Ward?" " I..." "I had to know." "There's an airlock." "And then..." " Oh!" " What was in there?" "Slime..." "The tank's full of it." " I slipped." " Was there anything else in there?" "In the airlock." "These." " Don't go..." "Don't go there!" " Quatermass!" "They're coming!" "Men with guns!" " Come on!" " Aargh!" "Ward!" "Come on, out!" " That accounts for the gunfire." " Good heavens!" " Anyone following us?" " No." "What do we do?" "Go to the police?" "Get back to the rocket group." "Fowler, somewhere in the back is a box, metal." "See if you can find it." "Open it and hold it there." " Something I want to get under analysis." " What is it?" "Don't touch!" "Ward's collar and tie." "Professor Quatermass?" "Lab here, sir." "They yielded just under 5ccs of the substance." "Yes, plenty for testing." "There were some neutral constituents, but I'd say there's absolutely no doubt." " Not in that concentration." " I see." "Right." "Details as soon as you can." "Thank you." "Corrosive poison." "Deadly to any living thing on Earth." " It could never have made synthetic food." " Food?" "I think it could." "But for what?" "Father..." "You heard?" "Anything?" "No." "I'm trying to bring up the gain." "Not too much." "It might put the balance out." "There!" "No, damn it!" "I'm getting spots before my eyes." "Take over, Paula." "There was no sign at all of Johnny?" " I'm sorry." " It's bad, isn't it?" "Yes." "Could it be... the same as before?" " The first rocket?" " No, that's not it." "I'm certain." " Any clear idea of what you're trying to trace?" " An asteroid." "Not more than half a mile across." "Reaches its nearest point to the Earth every 48 hours." "Then they can come." " They?" " Try to imagine a complete reversal." "An organism for which oxygen is not a necessity of life, but a destroyer." "Unable to survive in our atmosphere for more than a few seconds." "Safe only in a shell, a shell of stone." "But with power, Fowler." "Power to compel." "Leo, quickly!" "Yes!" "Yes, there it is!" "Bernard!" "There's no doubt about this." "A clear signal." " The asteroid?" " Distance?" "Something over 500,000 miles." "Approaching the Earth." "Before we begin the fourth episode of "Quatermass II", we would like to say that it is not suitable for children or those of you who may have a nervous disposition." "Probing the mystery of the pseudo-meteorites that take a violent effect on humans with whom they come into contact," "Professor Bernard Quatermass is led first to a top-secret synthetic food plant and later, in Whitehall, to an inquiry into the running of this establishment." "An inquiry that ends abruptly." "With the help of a senior civil servant, Fowler, and Ward, a public relations officer, who are disturbed by what they have learnt," "Quatermass gains entry to the unfinished plant." "He discovers that building work is suspended there and production has begun of what seems to be synthetic food, pumped to a vast pressure dome, the first to be completed." "One of his companions finds a way into the dome." "When he emerges, he is covered with black corrosive slime." "Quatermass escapes with a sample of the slime." "Analysis shows that this synthetic food is a deadly poison to any living thing... on the Earth." "Meanwhile, by radio telescope, the source of the meteorites has been located." "No doubt about this." "It's giving a firm signal." " The asteroid?" " Distance?" "Something over 500,000 miles - approaching the Earth." "By my calculations, it will go on doing so for four hours." "Then the asteroid, or whatever it is, will reach its nearest point." " How near?" " About 380,000 miles." "Sounds a lot, but astronomically it's next door." "Then it will move away and come again after 40 hours and so on." "That's the pattern." "If we're right about this, it's able to discharge these..." "call them meteorites whenever it reaches the near point." "In this shell something travelled to the Earth alive." "Not as we know life." "Sustained in this cavity by a mixture of compressed gases." "Ammonia, methane and probably hydrogen." "The atmosphere to which it belongs." "Then when it emerged into the air we breathe, into oxygen, it couldn't live." "For a few moments, floating." "Seconds, really." "It came into contact with an object, a target, and then its energy was expended." " As when one of them touched Johnny Dillon?" " Yes." "I thought I saw it for a moment on his face before he collapsed." "Like a dark bubble." " And then it was gone." " What happens to a person affected?" "An instantaneous invasion of the whole nervous system and a violent shock to the brain." "A sort of mental sting?" "It may extend to a complete comprehension of the victim's faculties - his reasoning powers, his subconscious knowledge." "But what is certain is that something is implanted in him." "A new instinct." " Submission?" " To what?" " By your theory, the thing dies moments later." " It may not matter." " Death not matter?" " Do you know what a colonial organism is?" "Imagine a group mind." "A thousand billion individuals, if you like, with a single consciousness." "What one discovers transmits to the rest." " More - the experience itself." " By all of them?" "Simultaneously, wherever they may be." " Doctor Pugh, you're in agreement?" " Yes." "They first came probably at random." "A reconnaissance in force." "And a year later, phase two, the general offensive." " How many there were in the world..." " Brazil, Siberia." " We know of one incident." " Winnerden Flats." "An out-of-the-way village, a small government research unit." "In a night, the whole area taken over." " The inhabitants?" " All of them, the trained personnel." "A plague spot defended by the victims!" "And now the plant's almost complete." "Waiting." " Waiting?" " To be occupied." "The pressure dome's already full of slime in readiness." "A small, tiny creature?" "But they..." "The dome is so huge!" " To accommodate a vast number of them?" " More than that." "It might, in its own atmosphere, be able to change in size, mass and shape." " Another 3 hours 20 minutes." " Until it reaches the perigee." "The nearest point." "And then they can come, perhaps in force." "This time, the next, how long?" "It must be soon." "Whatever we do now, there will be no second chance." "We must break this conspiracy of silence with details." "We've got to make it known!" " Isn't that straightforward?" " No, they're a year ahead of us!" " Will you go back to London?" " Of course." "Be careful." "Check your position there first, then find out all you can." " In the Ministry?" " Remember Broadhead." "Act quickly." "And keep in touch with us here." "Hello." "Send a car round to Observatory Three." "If only it were more than an electronic trace." "If one could see..." "Father!" "I believe there's something you've missed." "You might be entirely wrong." "You said an atmosphere of ammonia and methane, but a small asteroid can't hold an atmosphere." " It's not a natural asteroid." " Of course." "Sorry." "I'm being so stupid." "Yes, it would have to be, wouldn't it, a made thing?" " From where those conditions do exist." " In heaven's name, where?" "!" " The outer planets." " A frozen world." "With poisonous gases for air." "Life could exist there, and develop, until a time came when..." "Probably one of the moons of Saturn." "800 million miles away." "Precision workmanship." "This would seal it." "Almost certainly airtight." "Gas-tight." " Ward had this in his hand?" " Yes." "Hmm." "About the same capacity." " Only this is man-made." " Made in the plant's workshops, probably." " And kept in readiness." " Protective containers." "Worse." "I stripped down the locking device." "It's an acoustic fuse." "Charge this with gases and one of those things - a kind of booby trap." "And now, Leo?" "We'd better warn our people here." "It's possible for these to turn up anywhere." "I've done that." "I meant action." "Future developments." "I want a general alert sent out to all sections." "Basic preparation of the rocket to begin at daybreak." "Check number seven!" "Check number eight!" " Quatermass!" "It's totally inoperable!" " My decision, Leo." " There's only a limited chance." " I'm aware of that." "Even with a rocket with 100% performance, but with this!" "We both know its potentialities." "It'll turn into a death trap, an atomic bomb!" "Is that how you intend to use it?" "Quatermass!" "I have no intention of using it if it can be avoided, but it's got to be ready!" " Firing Base." " Now, you know what I want from you." " Trajectory calculations." " A fix on the asteroid." "Exact position of the perigee, all possible interception lines." " I've already told you..." " I'm not listening to reason!" " Father?" " Who is it?" " A journalist." "Says you wanted to speak to him." " Is his name Conrad?" " Yes." " Then I do want to speak to him." " I didn't know." " Quatermass here." " What in heaven's name does he intend to do?" " No, it is NOT the rocket project!" "Something much more important." "Since we last met, a lot of things have changed." "What do you know about the project at Winnerden Flats?" " Nothing?" "You've never been there?" " No." "No, I haven't." "I've heard of it, of course." "It's something top secret, isn't it?" "Synthetic food?" "It hardly seems like my line of country, but still, if I'm the man you want, I..." "Mm?" "Which scare?" "The flying objects last year?" "Of course I remember." "One thing at a time, sir." "We were talking about..." "There's some connection?" "Yes, go on." "Uh-huh." "Yes, I'm sure we've got a lot on the files." "I'm doing that right now." " Hurry with that!" " OK, Mr Conrad!" "Can you give me any idea what the story is?" "No." "We'd better meet as soon as possible." "This afternoon." "This is much more important!" "Let me see." "There's a prefab town a few miles away from the plant." "Yes." "Yes, I see." "All right." "I'll meet you there at that time." "Yes, I'll come alone." "I promise." "Yes, I'll be there." "But can't you give me?" " Ah, that was quick." " I am quick." " Too quick." "Where's the rest of it?" " Eh?" " This is all there was?" " It is." "Honest." "You can look for yourself." "All right, all right." "Get along with you." "There must have been more than this." "Funny." " How are you, sir?" "Am I late?" " No, no, no." "I left my car some distance away." "I thought it might be recognised." "I've been looking around." " A drink to start with?" " Mr Conrad, I've a lot to tell you." "You'll probably have many questions." "We'd better drive around for a while." " All right." " Then we'll have our drink." "I know a pub and some people I think we ought to meet." " "Are there whiskers on it?"" " That's what she said!" "Mac, you're the one for them, you foul-minded old..." "Did you hear it?" "Are you too shocked to give us another round?" "Four Extra Strong." "She could better it herself." "Whiskers!" "There you are, Mac." "It's this decent man's silver wedding tomorrow." "The way he's taking them, you'd think he was getting married!" "Well, what's it to be?" " After that, a double Scotch at least." " Two large Scotches, please." " Everybody here seems to be normal enough." " They probably are." " Well, cheers." " Ah, wait a minute." "This isn't a night for letting it go at that." "Now, where's Mrs Mac?" " She's far gone in gossip." " Well, has she a drink at her?" " Hey, Mrs Mac!" " Oh, let her be, Paddy!" "That's better." "Keep the party together, eh?" "Now, what was it, Mrs Mac?" " Ah, that's a sensible drink." " You'll have me under the table!" " Get her a glass of water." " One glass of water for Mrs McLeod." " Black with a head on it!" " Don't, Paddy." "She's not a drinking woman and she'd be a weight to carry!" "Tomorrow's our silver wedding." "Have one with us." "Oh, no, these drinks are on me." "Will you take the orders, please?" "No, I'm intruding on your party." "A silver wedding is something I never had the fortune to reach." "Mr and Mrs McLeod?" "I'd like to celebrate yours." " That's a decent thing to say." " Your poor wife." " I said you had a sad face." " Come and sit down with us." " That's very kind of you." " That's right." "Make yourself at home." "Oh, Paddy!" "You'll be the death of me!" "I shouldn't take it, you know, really." "It just rises up here." "But tonight's something special." "The eve of our wedding - 25 years ago!" "Here's to you both." "And the golden wedding." " Here, you can't drink to yourself." " Oh, dear!" "It must have risen already!" " I haven't seen you." "Been at the plant long?" " I don't work there." "A visitor?" "We don't get many." "That's what I always say." "We're right away from the world." " Just a plant in the marshes." " There's two cinemas." " Sometimes I wish you'd never taken this job." " You've had enough." "You probably know his name." "The columnist Hugh Conrad." " He writes in our paper." " Hey!" "Look who's here." "The fact of the matter is I'm planning a new series of articles on what it's really like to work in a big plant." " You want us to tell you?" " I do." "It's terrific." "The best jobs a man could ask for." "Do you know what they pay unskilled men?" " Ernie!" "Haven't you noticed these?" " Ah, to the devil with them!" "Listen, mister." "We're construction workers." "We built it, but we've little enough idea how it functions!" " That's left to the zombies." " Zombies?" " Men with special duties." " Why "zombies"?" "They get special privileges." "Free living quarters inside the plant, free board, free..." "That's an old labour dispute!" "They're maintenance men, permanent." " And we hate their guts." " They send us to Coventry all the time." " They don't talk to you?" " Never." "The security guards, what about them?" "They're just the same." "Special personnel, they call them!" "Special?" "Dirty, diseased..." "I understand the plant's been closed to you all." " We've been laid off, on full pay." " All construction gangs?" " Conrad..." " Tell me, the first of the pressure domes, it's completed, isn't it?" "All of a sudden, you know too much." "Put our names in the papers how we gave out secrets for the price of a drink?" " I want to talk to you." " You're trying to pump me!" "Fool!" "I might have known." "Listen, everybody, please." "I've got something important to tell you." "I'm not asking for information, I'm giving it." " Please!" " Don't listen." "Well, Mrs Mac, tomorrow night's the night." "We'll have you dancing a jig!" " Oh, Paddy!" " Let's go." "Oh, me brolly!" "I left it over there." "# I love the dear silver that shines in her hair" "# And the brow that's all furrowed and wrinkled with care" "# I kiss the dear fingers so toil-worn for me" "# Ohhh... #" "Maggie!" " What happened, love?" " Get back!" "Get your wife away from here." " Conrad!" " It came through the roof!" " It's under the floorboards." "Get back!" " Who are you giving orders to?" " It's an overshot." " An overshot." " An overshot?" " Things that fall outside the plant." " Something to do with the process." " It's not that at all!" "Let me explain." " Listen, it's been explained to us." " Explained?" "That these is just overshots." "Stones." "They mean nothing at all." "It's the first time one's done damage." "Here, are you OK, Mrs Mac?" "Is she all right?" "Just had a bit of a shock." "She'll get over it." "It's been explained!" "Concoct a name and then..." "You believe me?" "Don't go near it!" "Listen, everybody." "I'm a scientist!" "It doesn't matter what you've been told - it is NOT harmless!" " It's hollow." "It contains something dangerous." " Who told you?" "I've investigated it." "And production at this plant is not a food, but a poison." " A poison deadly to any earthly creature." " What?" " I can prove it!" " You'd better!" "He says we make a poison!" "Zombies." "Look here." "This lady was nearly killed." " She hurt?" " No, but she's had a terrible shock." " Have you nothing to say?" " There will be compensation for the damage." "Well, how do you like that?" "Conrad, we've got to follow them!" "Look alive." "Come on, quickly!" "Listen." " A truck." " No, I don't mean that." "Meteorites." "We've got to get to the plant." "Where's your car?" "Careful, man." "You'll have us over." "Something's happening out there." "In the marshes." "Watch out!" "You've hit him!" "He's alive, but it's one of them." "He was trying to stop us." "Listen to them now." "They're coming in thousands." "See?" "Teams of men." "Out on the mudflats." "There... and there." "Conrad!" "This is it!" "This is the night!" "Containers with their own gas supply." "If they put the meteorites in these things before they open..." "They must be using them outside now." "Keep a lookout!" "It's worse than I thought." "Get back to London!" "Write that article as quick as you can!" "But get them to listen!" "Before it's too late!" " What about you?" " I'm going to get into the plant." "I've got to see what's inside those pressure domes!" " Up you get." "Paddy, you coming our way?" " I am." " Listen." " What is it?" " Overshots make a noise like that." " They'd have to be in vast numbers." "Must have been the car." "Look, it's that fellow." "Give me it!" "Give me a telephone!" "Have they had an accident or what?" "This is Winnerden 31." "I want to speak to London!" " Fleet Street 10000." "Yes." "Quickly!" "Quickly!" " Hey, are you OK?" "Well, can't you say?" "Hello." "Hello!" "Put me through to the night desk." "Hurry!" "Frank?" "Frank, this is Conrad." "Hugh Conrad." "Now, listen, I've got a story here." "Get it, every word." "Don't ask questions, just get it." "For the past year, this country, and probably others, has been under the influence of..." "Look, Frank, you'll have to sub this to make it sound right." "Under the influence of something from outside the Earth." "Yes..." "The things come in what appear to be meteorites." "Contact with them produces violent infection." "Ten minutes ago..." "I became the victim of one." "I..." "Oh, Frank, I can't..." "I can't..." "Are you getting this?" "Subjugation to the intention of the thing is widespread." "It's given rise to the production of a..." "a protected colony at a place called Winnerden Flats." "No!" "It's not synthetic food!" "It's..." "It's the re-creation of a world 800 million miles away!" "They're coming!" "At this moment... in thousands!" " What do you make of it?" " I know what to do." "Mother, go home." "Here, Foster, Ernie, go round the houses, and get out the lads and up to the plant!" "Look, Frank, it's... it's true, I tell you." "It's true!" "I've seen them!" "Frank, I..." "I got hold of one." "I wanted to bring it back." "But it... it went to nothing in my hand after it had..." "Quatermass!" "Get Professor Quatermass!" "He's in the plant now!" "Alone!" "He's..." "Quatermass!" "Quatermass!" "No..." "Special personnel!" "Hurry!" "Special personnel, get those containers into the first birth chamber." "Hurry, hurry!" "All containers to the first birth chamber." "Stand by for next phase." "Hurry and stand by for next phase." "Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry!" "Keep them moving." "At the Quatermass Rocket Group, the source of the abnormal meteorites has been located." "A body, orbiting in space, nearing the Earth every 14 hours." "As evidence grows that artificial means are being used to spread these living things and their contact infection, Quatermass decides on desperate alternatives." "First, he orders the atomic rocket, with all its dangers, to be prepared for action, for time is short." "At the very moment of finding proof of further plague spots in the world, his Ministry contact, Fowler, is overcome." "With the prominent journalist Hugh Conrad as witness," "Quatermass goes to the prefab town near the secret plant of Winnerden Flats." "He appeals to construction workers." "Proof of his words comes quickly - a fresh fall of meteorites now being sought by special personnel from the plant." "The things are coming down in hundreds." "A full invasion is on." "Conrad, infected by one of them, struggles to send a report." "Meanwhile, in special squad uniform, Quatermass manages to enter the plant where the recovered meteorites are being transferred to the first giant steel dome." "In the re-created conditions of another world, now expanding, grouping, changing in mass and shape and size, are the ammonid things." "What is the matter?" "Why are you looking into the inspection window?" "Come here and tell." "Come here and tell why you viewed the inspection window." "Attention!" "Attention all special personnel!" "Go to Gate Four." "Repeat" " Gate Four." "Emergencyl Emergency!" "Special personnel attend to emergency at Gate Four!" "All special personnel to Gate Four." "Quickly, quickly, quickly!" "Gate Four." "They are maintenance workers, estimated 30 in number." "Stop estimating and let us in!" "We demand to see the management and we're going to see them now!" "Let us inside!" "Silence!" "Silence!" "This disturbance must end!" "It'll end as soon as this gate is open!" "Is that right, boys?" " Tell them they've got to listen to us!" " That's right, Paddy!" " You tell them, Paddy!" " We can hear." "No!" "We want to see!" "All right, then." "Mac, you tell them." "We have reason to believe there is something wrong with the process." "Quiet, everybody!" "Hear them?" "Things falling out there?" "We want to know what they are!" "Well, what are they?" "That's what we've got to know!" "Those are overshots." "They are to do with the working of the process." "That's no sort of answer!" "Where do they come from?" "They are harmless." "They are being collected by our special squads." "As a union official, I must object to this treatment." "Special personnel, clear the gates for trucks to enter." "Clear the gates!" "Special personnel, clear the gates for trucks to enter." "Clear the gates!" "Is that door closed?" "Where the hell are the light switches?" "Get them off!" " Is he dead?" " No." "But Frank and young Green." "And a whole bunch of our boys from the tent." "Filthy, slaughtering swine!" "Well, youse that's here, have you all got guns?" "And magazines like I told you?" "All right." "Get to that window." "And you over there, keep a lookout." " It'll stop them." " They were set for trouble and got it!" "Here's something a bit heavier." "A bazooka." "They were ready for tanks, too!" " We nearly dropped it once." " Frank and the other fellas..." " All right, lad." " Were they killed?" " Maybe not." " We ran and ran." "Why did you bring us here?" "It's the best place." "They'll think twice before they attack, for the sake of the apparatus." "Get this beauty ready in case they bring anything heavy against us." " Listen!" " Hello there!" "Don't shoot!" "I'm coming through." " It's a zombie!" " Just a minute!" " I thought I heard voices." "I had to be sure." " It's that fella!" " Where did you get those things to wear?" " I took them." " We thought you were a zombie." " You'd be in heaven if you had been!" "Tonight they've killed decent men." " And been killed." " They started the shooting!" " Of course, I'm glad you're here." " Now, wait a minute." "There's things to tell us." " There isn't time." " You led us into this, you and that reporter." " Conrad?" "He's gone back to London?" " No, he's down there making the best of it." " He said he was infected." " Did he get the story through?" " He was trying." " Pray that he did." "He said that what we call overshots are really from outside the Earth." "There's something inside them alive." "Well?" "Look." " The pressure dome?" " Ten minutes ago I was in there." "Through an armoured panel I saw what came in those shell cases." "Tiny things in their hundreds which, while I watched, grew into strong, powerful forms!" " Alive?" " Breathing." "If they breathe." "Gases poisonous to us." "Absorbing black ammoniac slime." "As they did 800 million miles away." " 800 million?" "!" " I won't believe it!" " Feeding on slime?" " Yes." "The real food product of this plant." "And you've all helped to develop it!" "How much of this do we believe?" "Look here." "Oh, go on." "He can't hurt you." "Somewhere on his skin you'll find a mark, shaped like a double ring." " Behind the ear." " I've seen that before." "On them." " Only on them!" " What about us?" " If you're right, why aren't we like that?" " It wasn't necessary." " What?" " You were doing what was wanted." " And if we hadn't?" " There would still be that dome out there." " And other plants in other countries." " There are none!" "They're being made ready now!" "The means for these creatures to colonise the Earth." "The human being of the future!" "Ready to die for them." "Mister, we can't afford to disbelieve you." "We're committed." "What's the next action to take?" "Is it from here the gases are pumped to the pressure dome?" " Cut off the supply, you mean?" " Can that be done?" "It might." "Here." " Who worked this place?" " They did." "Aye, but we were on the construction of it, so we ought to be able to..." " Mac, isn't that the line of the junction pipe?" " Yes." "It must be." "It would lead us to this set of..." "Combined pressures. 200 atmospheres." "Three sub-controls." "Ammonia, methane, hydrogen..." "Hydrogen?" "The product of electrolysis of water." " Biggest unit in the country." " What happens to oxygen?" " It's piped through to the power section." " Yes, it would be." " Where is it piped through?" " Through here." "Then we're in control!" "Can your men open up that food pipe and pump oxygen into it?" "We could try, but surely oxygen..." "To those things in that pressure dome, it's a deadly poison." "Paddy!" "Paddy, where are you?" "We've got to get this whole section out." "Swing a length of superhose across..." " How long?" " Give me an hour." "Ernie, hurry them up." " No!" "The tackle first!" " Attention!" "Calling unauthorised personnel now in occupation of the pressure control block." "Resistance by you must end." "It must end immediately." "Lay down your weapons and leave in an orderly fashion." "You will then be permitted to go to your homes pending further action." " Is that so?" " It is known that Quatermass is among you." " How do they know?" " Pay no attention to this troublemaker." " See anything?" " Cease resistance now." "You will be fairly treated." "Abandon all weapons and come out." "Come out and..." "Come out and be shot to death, is it?" " Trying to move in on us." " Have they gone?" "One got clear." " You know an odd thing?" "None tried for cover." " Their reactions aren't normal men's." "Swine." "They must be kept away." "They may be... carrying something." "You go round the boys." "Tell them what to do." "Here." "I've got work to do." "All right, let's get on with it." "Lower away." "No." "It's no good - an internal line." "I tried it." "The old woman's a worrier." "No, I haven't heard from him." "Hello?" "I'm his daughter." "I told them that before." "I understood he was to meet one of your staff reporters tonight." "Yes, Hugh Conrad." "Did they meet?" "Did you get a story from them?" "Why can't you tell me?" "Do you know where my father is?" "Where am I?" "Why do you want to know?" "Preparations?" "No." "None." "I'm working alone." "Hello?" "Hello?" "!" "Get me the Firing Base, quickly." "Hello, Leo!" "I'm worried." "There's something I want to tell you." "Stay and I'll come down." "Oh, thanks." "Hmm." "That sees everything checked, then." "Go and get some sleep in case there's an early alert." " I said in case." "There's still no decision." " Yes, sir." " Hello there!" "You!" " What is it, sir?" " Oh, it's all right." "Just want to make sure." " You can trust me, sir." " Who's that?" "Right you are, miss." " Leo!" "Something's gone wrong!" " Oh?" " I know it's meaningless now, but..." "They rang up just now from that newspaper." "Asking as if they hadn't had the story." " Yet they knew what it was." " Who spoke to you?" "They refused to say." "They kept asking." "That was what was so odd." "Leo, they only wanted to know about this rocket." " The rocket?" " I was suddenly afraid." " Did you tell them anything?" " No." "Ohh, it's so cold." "Seven hours till dawn." "It'll get colder." "They knew where Father was." "They denied it, but I could tell." " How?" " Those voices." "The way things were put." "Leo, he's inside the plant." "I'm sure of it." " I'll go." " You?" "Oh, isn't there some other way?" " The police?" "Or some official way?" " They're a risk now." " But surely..." " A risk we dare not take." " May I come with you?" " Just one of us." "No." "It's closing in, isn't it?" "Those woods over there." "The colour of the moonlight." "The air itself." "As if it were changing already." "Allegations have been made concerning the nature and operation of the process." "These allegations are without foundation in fact." "There has been violence." "Also, an interruption of gas supplies by unauthorised personnel." " How is it up there?" " Nearly finished!" "Hurry it up, will you?" "I said an hour." "We'll be well under." "The normal working of the plant must be allowed to proceed." "Usual night shift amenities are being provided." "Amenities?" "Music while you work!" "We have it whenever there's a night shift." "Playing it now - are they mad?" "!" " What do you make of it?" " Persuasion." " Who are they trying to persuade?" " You - that this is just a routine night and you've been led into a wild blunder." "Listen to it!" "There's men lying dead!" " No, no!" "We may need that!" " Paddy!" "All clear!" "Right!" "Let them set this to music!" "Let her go, Mac." "Ernie, don't take your eye off it." "Going at full pressure." "Go on." " Pure oxygen." "Are you sure about that?" " Yes." "Once it begins to work - when that will be depends on many factors, mostly unknown - but come here." "That pipe must be kept clear." "It goes pretty well straight up and high." "They'd have a job to get at it, but..." "Did you hear that, mates?" " How long before something happens?" " I can't tell." "Damn music!" "When you mix oxygen and what do you call it..." "hydrogen, isn't it an explosive mixture?" "Eventually, but that's not what we're trying to do." "The oxygen should work on its own by now." "Ahh." "How long is it?" "Only a few hours since we were down at the pub." "Celebrating." "Aye." "It's the day now." "I'm 25 years married." " Good old Mac." " You should try it sometime, Paddy." " The wedded state." "I remember once we..." " Attention!" "Attention!" "Normal working must be restored." "Disruption must cease." "The management are anxious to co-operate." "Anyone injured in recent violence will be treated immediately." "The canteen is also open for normal service." "Unauthorised personnel in the pressure control block report to the canteen." "All questions can be settled there." "Leave any weapons and go to the canteen." " Go now!" "Go!" "Hurry!" "Hurry!" "Hurry!" " Listen!" "It must be starting to work!" ""Leave any weapons"!" "Do you hear them?" "Everybody stay right where you are!" " A zombie trying to get to the pipe." " They'll try anything." " Think they'll rush us?" " Not till the last." "Attention!" "Attention!" "This is a final appeal." "You are destroying the process you worked to create, you and your comrades." "Oxygen gas being passed into the Pressure Dome A will destroy a priceless food product." "You have been misled." "You are betraying your comrades." "They will suffer for your folly." "Here is an offer." "The entire plant is open for your inspection as from now." "Whatever you wish to see will be shown to you." "This is in good faith." " Hear that?" " It's just a bluff, isn't it?" " It's what we asked for!" " They're desperate." "McLeod, you're a fool..." " What proof have you given us?" " For heaven's sake, man!" " I've listened to you too long!" " This is the last appeal to reasonable men." " Do not betray your work and your comrades." " Hello?" "Hello?" "You are chosen workers in a unique and revolutionary process." " My name's McLeod." "Put me through." " Who is that?" "EJ McLeod, shop steward." "I'm accepting your offer." " I want to see inside Pressure Dome A." " Don't do it!" "I told you what's in there!" " At the least, you'll be infected!" " Hurry." "Come alone or bring your companions." " Make them go with you." " I want your men to come with me." " Agreed." " They're at their most dangerous!" "They'll be in mortal agony!" "Meet one minute from now outside Pressure Dome A. Confirm this." " I'll be there." " Mad and useless!" "They said good faith." "If they break it, do what you can." " I'll go with you." " No." "You're in charge here." "But the others..." " I'm with you, Mac." "We've stuck together." " Let's have that door open." " For the last time, won't you believe me?" " I'll believe my own eyes." "Keep them covered, as far as you can." "Did you see their men?" "No guns on any of them." "Maybe they mean it." "It won't be long now." "One way or the other, we'll know when they come out." "Hey, listen!" " I heard something along the pipe like..." " What, Ernie?" " Men." " Men?" " A long way off, sort of yelling." " How long did it go on?" " Just a moment." "A few seconds." " Ssh!" " There's something." " It's..." "It's different now." "Seems to come from the other end of the pipe." "At the dome." "Men!" "Do you see anything?" "Hello?" "Hello?" "Is anybody there?" " What was that?" " No reply?" "I thought I saw a man." "Running away from the dome." "A zombie?" "Look at the pressure!" "Hey, up there!" "Cut the oxygen, quick!" "Walter!" "Everything off!" "No higher." " You know what that meant." " The pipe's blocked." " Blocked?" "How could it be?" " I said they were in agony." " They had to stop the oxygen flowing." " What with?" " I'm going to open it up!" " No!" "Don't do that!" "I'm going to do it, mister!" "If what you said is true, what's blocking that pipe might even be..." "Come on, everybody!" "Ernie, never mind that gauge!" "It's coming!" "When I shout, everybody back!" "Right!" "It's coming... now!" "There's something trickling." "You hear it?" "Hear it?" "Blood!" " I tried to stop them." " You mean?" "Mac?" "And the others?" "Their own men, too." "They..." "They must have taken them and used them to block the pipe." "Th-They're jammed in the pipe?" "A human pulp!" " No, no, no!" " Hold it, men!" "If the gas is sparked, there'll be no chance!" "Leo, what are you doing here?" "Quatermass!" "I got here..." "The explosion..." "The whole tank went up." "Leo, it was full of them." "The ammonates." "It's clearing now." "Lucky you had the window closed." "Leo, there are men back there." "They've got to get help." " In the pressure tank?" " That's nothing." " I went to look." "There's nothing." "They're gone." " Destroyed?" "All of them." "The whole plant's a wreck." " They're finished." " So..." "Sounds like helicopters." "Coming this way." "Leave it to them!" "Quatermass, we've got to get back to the rocket!" "Quickly!" " Why?" "What's happened?" " You drive." "Got to get back to the rocket!" "This is what Leo told you about." "The list." "Father, I couldn't believe I'd see you again!" "Calls every few minutes asking for you and then cutting off." "No names." "And always different voices." "As if they knew, knew you were dead." " Have there been planes over here before?" " No." "Hello?" "When did Fowler send this?" "Not long after you left." "From the Ministry." "Just those names of countries, over and over." " Gradually, he couldn't speak." " "Protected information"!" "All these, in all parts of the world." "And we've only wiped out a single nest." "Hello?" "For heaven's sake, check the number!" "I wish you'd leave it." "Don't try to make that call." "I must make this known." "There's at least another two plants nearly completed and we've only got days, hours." " One's destroyed, the others will be." " Who's to do it?" "Who knows?" " We can't be the only people." " And if we are?" "Hello!" "This is Bernard Quatermass." "To whom am I speaking?" "Have you had the report from Hugh Conrad?" "Your man Conrad!" "About the project at Winnerden Flats!" "Well, have you or have you not?" "There's a lot more to add." "A riot last night, half the plant destroyed..." "Hello?" "Hello?" "Hello?" "I've been cut off." "What?" "All of them?" "Keep trying." "There's something wrong with the lines." " You mean they've been cut?" " Leo?" "Have you got all the trajectories set?" "All possible points of interception?" "How are the internal lines?" "Up in an hour?" "In one hour 23 minutes." " Miss that, you wait another 14 hours." " "You"?" "Right." "Alert all sections for rocket take-off at 0817 hours." "Get me the Firing Base." "Here, you take it." "We must be able to hold out this place long enough." "There must be somebody there." "I thought I saw figures." " Figures!" " Firing Base?" "Hello?" "Who is that?" "Who?" "Your voice..." "It's John Dillon." "He's come back." "Yes, back." "The rocket base is under our control." "Discharged from an asteroid near the Earth, ammonid creatures are growing to monstrous size and power at the first of the steel pressure domes at Winnerden Flats." "Discovery that the purpose of the vast secret plant, planned by infected human beings, is to harbour the ammonids in the re-created conditions of an outer planet leads to an armed riot by uninfected construction workers." "They storm their way into the control centre." "Their actions, on the advice of Quatermass, result in an interruption of vital gas supplies" "and, finally, in the destruction of the creatures in their first colony on Earth." "Escaping from the holocaust," "Quatermass finds that his chief assistant, Doctor Leo Pugh, has narrowly escaped death from the exploding gases in coming to find him." "But the danger is not passed, but growing." "There is proof that other colonies exist in the world, almost ready for occupation." "Convinced that his own freedom is now limited, Quatermass decides on a desperate throw - to use the faulty nuclear rocket as an offensive weapon." "But already it seems too late." "The rocket base is under our control." "Set up holding positions." "You two men, with me." "They must have overpowered our security people." "Quatermass to all sections." "Stay where you are and keep calm." "These men are British paratroops." "We'll sort it out." "Meanwhile, stand by." "I don't want a massacre." " There." "Coming into the lights now." " Dillon?" " Two men with him." "The rest stayed behind." " You get out." "Go to the radiation bunker." " I won't leave." " They may be carrying more than guns." " You've seen those containers." " Yes." "He won't be the same man you knew." "I'm prepared for that and I won't leave you alone to face..." "It doesn't matter." "This establishment is under military control." " Johnny..." " What have you come to do?" "Here are written orders." " From the very top." "Look at the signature." " Yes." " If that's genuine..." " I've no doubt." "And now... is it our turn?" " When was this issued?" " Three hours ago." "Before the explosion." "When those things in the dome were destroyed, the influence..." "It obviously made no difference." "Captain Dillon..." "It is necessary to speak with you alone." "Tell your men." "Tell your men." "Wait outside." " You must understand..." " Take care!" "Dillon?" "Captain John Dillon." "When you came here four days ago, you brought something you had found." "Remember this?" "The meteorite?" "You thought it might mean danger." "It did." "Terrible danger." "It's one of these that has infected you." "Are you aware of this?" "Can you try to resist?" "Even for a short time?" "There's a possibility, no more than that, to reach the parent body from which these come." "This is evidently known, or at least anticipated." "If I'm not able to make this attempt, they'll come again in their thousands and their millions." "New colonies are being made ready for them elsewhere in the world." "There they can develop, expand, breed, protected by their victims!" "Men like you, Dillon!" "Guarding and feeding them until they spread all over the Earth!" "Until your condition becomes the condition of all humanity!" "A subject race forever or until such time as we have served our purpose and are brought to an end." "Choked to death, perhaps, in a changing atmosphere." "They show no mercy for those they use." " They'll kill your kind, as they will the rest of us." " No, no!" " I've seen them do it!" " Orders... the orders!" " THEIR orders!" "Break them!" " This man may be throwing his life away." "But better that than... the other." "Do you understand?" "Keep back!" "Understand..." "Understand." "Captain Dillon..." "The rocket must go." "Just over an hour, that's all we need." "Your men, are they like you?" "Tell them." "Give orders." "You can speak to them from here." "Get me the firing base." "Is Lieutenant Carter there?" "Carter?" "A change in plans." "Withdraw all troops from area of rocket." "Stand them down." "Quatermass to all sections." "Stand by to resume preparations for take-off." "I repeat, stand by to resume preparations for take-off." "This will be at 0817 hours." "You turn into the orbit of the objective after ten hours seven minutes." "There will be no margin for error." "The last stage depends on the physical nature of the objective." "Try to home onto it and fasten to it." "Must you do that?" "If this plan is to succeed, yes." "Force-jettison the remaining fuel in Step Two." "That should take you about 70 seconds." "Set the nuclear motor into its critical phase." "The nuclear motor." "That costly and explosive dud." "Well, maybe we'll be able to give the taxpayer value!" "The Australian prototype reached explosion point in 2 minutes 45 seconds." " There's time to try to get clear." " Under certain circumstances." "And if those circumstances are wrong, there's still time to get clear?" "No." "This is no sort of examination at the very last moment." " How long were you exposed to those gases?" " A few minutes." " And you're over the permissible age." " There's no one else to do what I have to do." " Must it be him?" " We may need changes to our calculations." "He's the only one that can do them." "You understand that under normal experimental conditions, I couldn't pass either of you?" "I do." "It's your decision." "Now, wearing these the whole flight is going to increase the strain." "Is it essential?" "Yes." "We may be able to dispense with our helmets at certain periods, but no more." " You aren't going to leave the rocket?" " I've no intention of doing so." " Then why these?" " The rocket may suffer damage after take-off." "You mean retaliation?" "I don't think we're going to be... unexpected." "Firing cable connected!" "I'll follow." " Stay on the control panel." " You know I will." "As long as possible." "Dillon, you'd better get your men clear." "Goodbye, my darling." "Damn these things." "This is Ground Control." "Please clear the firing base." "This is Ground Controller speaking." "Please clear the firing base." " Check two tally?" " Yes." "All points, please." "Observatory B?" "Thank you." "Rolling platform, clear the firing base." "Control to Quatermass." "Three minutes to go." "Are you set in take-off positions?" "Are you set in take-off positions?" "Over." "Quatermass to Control." "Almost." "Thank you." "Over." "You all right, Leo?" "What's this?" "This gun." "Did you?" " Something you overlooked." " Any excess weight, no matter how small..." " Except..." " One minute to go." "Quatermass to Control." "All set." "Standing by." " Over." " 30 seconds to go." "25 seconds." "20 seconds." "15 seconds." "Ten seconds." "Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one." "Quatermass to Control." "Burn-out of rocket booster just occurred." "Height - 18 miles." "20. 22." "24." "Count down." "Over." "Control to Quatermass." "Correct." "Drop through, sir." "Nuclear motor firing." "Over." "And out." "All right so far." "As long as we're getting that signal." " Don't worry." " Not much longer." "By Doppler monitors, their height should be coming up to... 600 miles." " They'll cut the motor in..." " The nuclear motor." "It should be in... five seconds from now." "It's gone!" "The signal, it's gone!" "No." "We were picking up radiation from the motor." "They've cut it on time." " It must be." " Acceleration." "They've had to stand over 12Gs." "Control to Quatermass!" "Information, please." "Over." "Quatermass to Control." "Velocity... 32,000 miles per hour." "Course as directed." "We're suffering..." "G effects." "Give me a few minutes." "Over." "Leo." "Leo, I..." "I'll step up the oxygen." " Ah, that's better." " Get your feet on the floor or they'll float." "Can you manage?" "Once the magnetic soles are holding, you'll be all right." "Quatermass to Control." "Speed maintained at 32,100." "Internal pressure, temperature normal." "Nuclear motor cut out cleanly." "No indication of runaway reaction." "Hope we get it when we want it." "Now... check with me every ten minutes." "If anything happens to prevent this, notify me instantly." "Over." "Control to Quatermass." "Check and out." "Oh, Leo..." "This should have been a great moment." "A crew of fit young men, bursting through the frontiers of space, and so on." "A magnificent achievement." "Not two old men on a kamikaze flight." "Oh!" "Sorry." "Lack of oxygen." "Radar screen shows all clear ahead." "Less than ten hours to go." "Control to Quatermass." "Ready for check." "Over." "Quatermass..." "Quatermass to Control." "No change since last check." "Beta deviation zero seven." " As it should be." " Over." "Control to Quatermass." "Course correct by precalculations." "You're getting beyond the range of equipment." "Shall we continue to check with you at the present?" "Over." "Quatermass to Control." "Yes, keep me informed." "I want to know the situation with you." "Over." "There's no change." "The... military are still here." "But no interference in our work." "Over." "And out." "All right, Leo." "I'll take over for a spell." "Have you rechecked all this?" " Yes." " Are you sure?" "Yes." "Teacher... at the village school..." ""Stand up, Leo Pugh." ""Leo Pugh, multiply..." ""12,548,321 by 25 times 35." ""Leo Pugh... divide..." ""Leo Pugh... multiply... divide..." "multiply... divide..." ""Leo Pugh, you're a mathematical genius."" ""Yes, Miss Williams."" ""You have a brain that, when you grow up, will have the power to benefit mankind."" ""Yes, Miss Williams."" " What's the matter?" " Nothing." " Are you ill?" " No." " Lungs, chest, any congestion?" " No, no." "Better make sure." "Don't want anything to go wrong with you." "As far as my medical knowledge tells me, you ought to get out of this for a bit." " No." " We've got drugs." " We don't want any stern endurance yet." " It will not happen." " I think they were natural." " Yes." "Quatermass to Control." "Just gone through a swarm of meteorites." "No damage sustained." "Speed indications here show that they were normal." "Beta deviation now... zero nine." "Over." "Control to Quatermass." "You were lucky!" "Beta deviation correct for position." "Out." "No, wait a moment!" "Hello?" "I can't talk loudly." "Can you hear me?" "Over." "Yes." "Over." "It's about..." "Dillon." "He's here in the control room." "A few moments ago, he said something." "It sounded like, "They must reach it."" "Just that." "Over." "Coming from him?" "It's probably nothing." "Don't worry." "Are you all right?" "Over." "Be careful." "Over and out." "Enemy territory ahead." "Hard, unwinking stars." "No atmosphere to deceive us." "We're seeing them as they really are." "And somewhere ahead... an object." "Constructed, if it is constructed," "by creatures whose very existence makes us fools." "Somewhere." "Boneless creatures able to make energy at will by changing their mass." "Able to transmit experience." "To maintain power over other creatures." "Time is close now." "Yes." "Very close." "Leo..." "Ten hours ago, had that influence weakened or merely changed direction?" " Can't afford these speculations." " Into another channel." "When it touches a very complex human brain, the effect may be deeper, more complete." "No resistance." "Leo, am I right?" " Right?" " You know what I'm saying." " All attention must be on the controls now." " Leo, tell me I'm making a mistake." "The course is correct!" "Present position within 14 degrees four five six." "Leo!" "When did it happen?" "Nothing... nothing happened." "When I found you in the car that time, was it the effect of the gases or had some of them survived the explosion and one of them reached you?" " You're mad!" " Is that why Dillon was confused?" " Because the orders were changed?" " Stop this!" " Tell me!" " Let go!" " Then I'll know what to do!" " Do you want to destroy us?" "!" "Control to Quatermass." "Check your position." "Check your position." "You should now be ready to enter interception orbit." "Over." " See?" "You wouldn't listen." " Quatermass to Control." "Position checked." "No change." "They're still getting no reaction from objective." "Is it where we expect?" "Over." "By our observations, it is." "Over." "Quick!" "Time to change the alignment!" "24." "25. 02." "Turn will be completed..." "in seven seconds... from now." "Manoeuvre complete." "We shall make contact within two minutes." "Yes." "Over." "Bernard!" "See!" "Against the thing..." "We hit it!" "I've got the grapples out." "There seems to be some sort of rock surface." "Like plates." "But we seem to be holding." "Visibility's gone, but there's no doubt." "This is it." "I'm going to force-jettison the nuclear fluid and set it into the critical phase." "Leo!" "Leo?" "Leo?" "Where are you?" "What are you doing?" "Leo!" "Come back!" "Leo!" "Leo!" "Leo!" "Leo!" "Leo!" "Where are you?" "Leo!" "Leo!" "Where are you?" "Leo, come back!" "Leo!" "Leo, where are you?" "Leo!" "Are you there, Leo?" "Leo, what are you doing?" "Give me that gun!" "Go back to the rocket!" "Leo!" "Leo, come back..." " We're not going back." " What?" "Instead of you, there will be others." " Others?" " Listen." "Listen." "More of them must reach the Earth." "In the rocket." " It is necessary." " You WERE infected!" "I was shown that these things are to happen." " Don't fire that gun!" " You have done as intended." "Now there is no more need of you." "Aaaargh!" "Leo?" "Leo?" "Leo!" " Aaargh!" " Leo!" "There's no gravity." "It was the recoil." "Leo, can you hear me?" "Twist in the other direction!" "And fire again." "Leo!" "Hurry!" " Hurry!" " Aaaargh!" " They're coming!" " Help!" "Leo..." "He-e-elp!" "Aaaargh..." "Quatermass to Control!" "Are you receiving me?" "Over." "We are." "Over." "They're holding me!" "The fuel's gone from the nuclear rocket." "The critical phase has started." " But Pugh's outside." " Help!" " Help!" " Never mind." "I think..." "Yes!" "Yes, it is!" " At critical point!" " Help!" "It passed!" "I'm going to separate the cruise section from the nuclear stage and fire at the last chemical motor!" "There's an even chance I'll get free." "Help!" "Leo!" "If you can hear me..." "there's no other way!" "Help!" "It worked." "Nuclear motor abandoned in orbit... as planned." "It should go up any second now." "Control to Quatermass!" "You've done it!" "The trace went completely!" "You wiped it out!" " Are you safe?" "Father, can you answer us?" " Over." "Yes." "Quatermass to Control." "My instruments show the same." "Over." " He's destroyed it utterly!" " Captain Dillon!" "Look at him!" "The mark!" " It's gone!" " Paula..." " If it's the same for the others..." " Control to Quatermass!" "The effect is over!" "Finally going!" "Dillon, talk to him." "Let him hear your voice." "Quatermass!" "Quatermass, this is Dillon." "John Dillon." "Are you there?" "Can you hear me?" "Can you hear what I'm saying?" "Yes." "It's over."