"'Moonbase Alpha status report, 2,306 days after leaving Earth orbit." "'Dr Helena Russell recording." "'Five days ago, we detected two planets 'which may be capable of supporting life." "'Commander John Koenig has left in Eagle 1 'on a reconnaissance mission." "'With him is Blake Maine of Medical Rescue.'" "(Koenig) Sensor reads vegetation." "No other life forms." "(Blake) Through the clouds, that looks like a city." "(Koenig) Yeah, it is a city." "Buildings, streets, some form of transportation system." "Little coloured dots..." "which could be human beings." " Check the atmosphere." " Atmosphere..." "Nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen." "Breathable." "Let's take a look." " (Beeping)" " I'm picking up a life form signal, but it's in a clearing, some miles north of the city." "It's all right." "Home in on that signal." "Let's set her down in that clearing." "(Rapid beeping)" "(Beeping stops)" "Commander, life form signal's cut out." "Let's find out why." "(Koenig) What's this?" "(Beeping)" " Dead?" " No life signs." "No wounds." "No injuries, internal or external." "Body perfectly preserved." "Time of death - indeterminate." " Cause of death?" " That's a good question." " Any theories, Blake?" " 'Tough to diagnose." "'Could have been a sonic beam, a high-potency ray, 'something that would have killed instantly.'" "Can you give me a close-up of one of the victims?" "Closer." "Whatever it was, it hit the central nervous system." "Must have caused tremendous pressure to explode those blood vessels." "A form of nerve gas." "'A lethal pathogen that invaded their bodies, 'or bacteria released in the atmosphere.'" "(Whooshing)" "No!" "Don't touch him!" "Don't go near him!" "He could be contagious." "Get off that planet!" "The city too." "Everybody on that planet is dead." "'If it was a nerve-killing pathogen our systems must be immune to it.'" "Sensors show satellite of planet has same atmosphere, vegetation..." "Let's make a pass over that moon and see what we can pick up." "We'll track you, Eagle 1." "Over and out." "Let's take a closer look at that surface." " (Alarm beeping)" " Malfunction!" "Main drive!" "Go to auxiliary." " Malfunction secondary drive!" " Emergency booster drive." "It's not functioning!" "Koenig to Moonbase Alpha." "We're out of control." "'Koenig to Moonbase Alpha, repeat - out of con...'" "Alpha to Eagle 1." "Come in, Eagle 1!" "Get the exact location of that last transmission." " I'll be in Eagle 4." " Bill, I'll come with you!" " Retro rockets?" " Not functioning." "Retros functioning!" "Vertical thrusters - maximum drive." "Come on!" "Let's get out of here!" "This thing's liable to blow!" "(Whip cracking)" "And I must submit to you, Elizia, that the only crime for which the prisoner can justly be accused is his use of the freedom of speech." "To strip a being of this right, be he incarcerated here on the penal planet of Entra or a free man on the mother planet of Ellna, is to destroy one of the basic principles for which civilisations of all galaxies have fought." "If you condemn the prisoner, then you condemn all life...everywhere." "I am touched by your eloquence, Crael." "I, too, as mistress of Entra, embrace one's right to freedom of speech." "I have made this clear to you and to every prisoner ever sent here from the mother planet." "But I have also heard testimony from others of how the prisoner arranged secret meetings," "tried to stir this colony to insurrection..." " No!" " No!" "It's not true!" "To overthrow the forces of authority." "And so long as I am the ruling force," "I will not tolerate any abuse of the freedom of speech, not by anyone." "The alien's weapon." "And the alien?" "In the security ward, with the interrogator." "You shall be rewarded for your capture of the alien." "Thank you." "What of the Hunt - the prisoner?" "He almost made the Sanctuary Column." "Almost..." "Dead?" "Unconscious." "Stunned." "The Hunt for him." " It's inhuman!" " Inhuman?" "A chance for freedom, to return to Ellna?" "One out of 100 survive the Hunt!" "I call that inhuman." "None of them would refuse the challenge." "They all want the chance to go home." "Well, who is he?" "Subject's name" " John Koenig." "Commander of Moonbase Alpha." "(Elizia) What is Moonbase Alpha?" "It was a satellite of a planet called Earth." "It broke from orbit and is floating in space." "There are 298 people aboard." "He was caught in our atmospheric force field." "He sent a message." "Then his people will be searching for him." "Well, they can have him." "He knows." "He has been to Ellna." "He knows that everybody there is dead, that everybody sent there dies." "Extract everything from his brain." "That might kill him." "Oh, well, we'll give him a handsome funeral." "We're approaching the quadrant of the Commander's last message." "Try to find Eagle 1 on your sensors." "You have been a model prisoner, and have earned the right to go home." "One year off for good behaviour." "You see, Crael?" "There is justice when one earns it." "Step into the transbeamer." "Goodbye." "Goodbye, Beron." "Whenever you are ready, you may activate." "May I speak, Elizia?" "To deny you that would be to deny you freedom of speech, would it not?" "We have released many prisoners." "We never hear from them again, and Ellna has stopped sending any new prisoners." "The acts of crime for being sent to Entra must have dropped." "I'm not the only one to ask." "I speak for many others." "Everyone listens to the weekly reports beamed here." "They hear news from their home, their families." " What is there to wonder about?" " Hearing news is not seeing news." "There was a time when a man could see his wife on the screen, and his children." "Not any more." "You prisoners are political troublemakers." "It's your nature to be discontent, to cause trouble." "We cause no more trouble." "You've beaten us down, siphoned the militancy out of us." "It's not torture that has neutralised your militancy." "It's the yearning in all of you to leave this satellite and return to our beautiful Ellna." "A yearning very few of us have realised." "There are two ways to realise it." "To complete the term of imprisonment on good behaviour, or to beat the Hunt." "I applaud you for your understanding of human rights(!" ")" "How fortunate that you never cease to amuse me, Crael!" "(Interrogator) I'll put his thoughts on the screen." "(Beeping)" "Spacecraft engineering." "(Elizia) Friends." "Let us observe his friends." "(Beeping)" "A metamorph!" "He is very attractive." "But this one..." "I find especially appealing." "Does the species know passion?" "Yes...very interesting." "Which?" "His spacecraft, his friends or his romances?" "Have you taped his brain for medical knowledge?" "Does he know how to produce immunity to the bacteria on the Home Planet?" "Why didn't he die?" "I don't know yet." "I can't tell how much he knows." "His brain resists certain questions." "He has a strong will." "Weaken it." "His brain composition differs from ours in certain areas." "A leader treats people as equals, bends to their will on occasions." " So should we all, on occasion." " Meaning what?" "Unrest." "The prisoners are beginning to wonder about things on the Home Planet." "You're beginning to sound like Crael." "Tell them the truth - they might understand." " They would become ungovernable." " They'll learn the truth some day." "If they learn the truth, then we're all doomed." "I am our barrier against disaster." "He has seen our Home Planet - he will tell them." "They won't believe him." "Their minds have been programmed to think my way." "And if they break through that programming?" "I fear nothing." "My guards are loyal to me." "Cease interrogation." "Send him to block three." "But do nothing to disfigure him." "Where are you from, alien?" " I'm from Moonbase Alpha." " Never heard of it." "My Eagle..." "My spacecraft crashed on your planet." "'Elizia never tires of sending spies.'" "'Now, wait a minute!" "Nobody sent me!" "'" "'We are not plotting an insurrection!" "'All we plan is how to outwit the hunters, and that is permitted!" "'" "The Hunt?" "You mean...you want to be hunted?" "That's right, spy, alien, whatever you are!" "We volunteer for the Hunt." "If we reach the Sanctuary Column without being killed first, we get to go free, to go home!" "You mean down there?" "To Ellna" " Home Planet." "Everybody's dead down there." " You liar!" " Wait a minute, I was there." "I saw all the people." "All of them are dead." "But my family's on Ellna...!" "She sent you to lie!" "Hold it!" "Hold it!" "Stop!" "Listen to me!" "I was on that planet." "I saw a man transported there." "He died instantly." "'What killed him?" "What killed all of them?" "'And how come you didn't die?" "'" "'I don't know what killed them - maybe some sort of a plague.'" "I don't know why I didn't die." "Maybe I have some sort of immunity." "(PA chimes)" "(PA) 'Attention, all prisoners." "Attention, all prisoners." "'This is your weekly news from Home Planet.'" "The wife of prisoner Branik gave birth to a son at mid-time on Solarday." "Both are doing well." "Congratulations, prisoner Branik." "'A large party was given by the family and friends of Strok Beron, 'celebrating his beam back from the penal colony at Entra.'" " So everyone's dead on Home Planet?" " I know what I saw!" "And Beron died the minute he got out of the transbeamer(?" ")" "'But only you got immunity...spy!" "'" "I wonder how immune you'll be to a noose around your neck." "You've been brainwashed!" "They're all dead!" "(Groans)" "(Whimpering)" "Thanks." "It would have been such a waste." "I agree." "I am Elizia, overseer of this penal colony." "Elizia..." "They thought I was your spy." "Which only goes to prove my contention." "Prisoners who try to think are dangerous." "If I may, I'd like to contact my base, have someone pick me up." "I cannot allow any aliens to land here." "I don't understand." "I mean, we're no threat to you." "My name is John Koenig, I'm commander of Moonbase Alpha." "Yes, I know about you." "We've probed your brain." "ETA - precisely three hours." "You say you've probed my brain." "Then you know you can't keep me here." " You overestimate yourself." " My people will come for me." "Why should you wish to rush from my presence?" "Stay with me... and you will experience undreamed-of pleasure..." "Well, until I tire of you!" "What's your boredom quotient?" "That would be determined by you." "'Alien spaceship is within our outer quadrant on a direct course for us.'" "Put him behind the screening panel." "Sensors pinpoint site of wreckage at left 083 degrees." "Got it. 083..." "'You are approaching the penal colony of Entra." "'You are in danger - stay clear!" "'" "We detect one of our spacecraft." "We request permission to land." "'Permission refused." "No ship is permitted to land on this planet.'" " Two of our pilots are in that." " They died in the crash." "Then we must land to return them to Moonbase Alpha." "'You will not penetrate our shield.'" "We're coming in to land..." "shooting, if we have to!" "Do they have that capability?" "We're being scanned." "They carry missiles... but not powerful enough to penetrate our defence shield." "'If you try to land, your electronic systems will burn out.'" "We've contacted our base." "They know we intend to land." "If we don't make it, Alpha will send more powerful weapons to blast you." "'Your philosophy will not permit you to.'" "Try us!" "You have one minute to decide." " You lied!" " No, I didn't!" "You said you do not commit violence." "We're not like you." "We do not commit mindless violence." "You do deprive yourselves of pleasure!" "One minute." " Are you OK?" " 'You are cleared to land." "'Go on automatic." "Our controller will guide you in safely.'" "And when they find out?" "They will only find evidence of two deaths." "The one who has already died... and his." "(Crael) The boots are important - we need the footprints." "Clear?" "Now, go straight ahead." "Up to the fence?" "That's it?" "Up to the fence." "Into the middle." "What's the matter?" "Not that I don't trust you, but I have my rights, and one of them is to stay alive." "Look, the fence is switched off!" "Just go into the middle and take your clothes off." "You first." " Elizia?" " 'Yes, Crael?" "'" "You promised you wouldn't do this." "It's worse than the Hunt." "A choice between a promise and self-preservation, Crael." "What choice would you have made?" "As you said - how could I risk all I have worked for?" "Fraser!" "Fraser!" "Alibe!" "Can you...?" "!" "I am Elizia, keeper of the penal colony of Entra." " I trust you had a smooth landing." " Very, thanks to your controller." "I'm Fraser of Moonbase Alpha." "Alibe, communications officer, Moonbase Alpha." "This is my head of security." "We have refreshments waiting." "Thanks, but we'd like to get to the scene of the crash." "Under the circumstances, refreshments are not our top priority." "No, of course not." "I do understand." "The pilot section isn't totalled." "They survived!" "Yes, they did survive the crash." "But unfortunately, after your spaceship crashed, and before we could reach them, they stumbled into one of our fences." "And walked into it here." "As you can see, Commander Koenig's footprints...go to here." "(Engines roaring)" "The transbeamer, the magic door to the Home Planet." "Attaining it is the dream of every prisoner on Entra." "The magic door to certain death." "A failing of your race is your inability to see the positive in the negative." "Doublethink." "Doublethink?" "Your game with words." "On my planet, we'd call it doublethink." "Oh, but you are on my planet and I call it...hope." "Hope?" "What kind of hope ends in extinction?" "Philosophical hope." "Psychological hope." "The hope without which there would be nothing but despair." "The hope that makes them eager to be the quarry in the Hunt." "The hope that they will reach the Sanctuary Column before they are taken." "And what is the prize?" "To enter the transbeamer so you can send them home?" "They send themselves!" " Another example of doublethink." " Similar to your situation." "You're alive, but your people think you're dead." "And remaining alive is dependent on your entertainment quotient." "You have a half-life until you irritate or bore me." "(Zap)" "(Chuckles)" "This promises to be more enjoyable than I had anticipated." " In front of an audience?" " Of course!" "No..." "Let him get a good start." "After all, we always give the hunted a fair chance." "And when he is cornered, he must not die quickly." "He must suffer more than an Entran." "He is an alien who has shown contempt for our culture and our authority." "After him, then, for the glory of Entra and rewards beyond your dreams." "(Beeps)" "Eagle 1 to Moonbase Alpha." "'Eagle 1 to Moonbase Alpha." "Are you receiving me?" "'" "No communication can penetrate the defence shield." "'Come in, Alpha.'" "It has been made harmless." "(Beeping)" "It's no use trying to contact your people!" "Your signal cannot get through our defence shield!" "He is walking in the direction of the main complex." "Interrogator, the alien is returning to our custody." "Permit no one to interfere with his progress." "You will wait until Elizia arrives." "Agreed." " Mind if I wait over here?" " You may not!" "Remain where you are." "I'm just making it easier to transport me." "Transportation is for those who outwit the hunters." "And you have not!" "What's more important..." "is I've outwitted you!" "If you activate the transbeamer, you will be disintegrated." "Yes... but if she fires, she'll disintegrate this transbeamer, and none of you will ever see home again!" "If there's no hope for the prisoners, we'll be unable to control them." "We will find another way." "(Guard) But what about us?" "Some of us are completing our tour of duty." "We wait to go home." "The alien is full of surprises." "Yes, Crael, he's treacherous and devious." "Drag him out of the transbeamer." "Hear me first." "There is talk amongst the prisoners that the alien claimed all are dead on Ellna." "Is that so, alien?" "Yes, that's true." "Everybody on Ellna is dead." "(All) No!" "Elizia knows it, but she's lied to you." "He lies." "If everyone were dead on Ellna, why would he want to go there?" " Take him!" " Wait!" "Wouldn't you prefer death to torture?" "To Elizia's brand of torture?" "Order your guards to do it or you'll end up in a cell." "(Koenig) Elizia's lies are your only prison!" " Make her tell you the truth." " There is no death on Ellna!" "If that's so, Elizia can follow and bring me back." "Well, let him go." "He has a criminal mind." " Ellna will send him back." " Unless he's telling the truth." "(Beeping)" "(Beeping continues)" "Code numbered Eagle 1!" " That's impossible!" " Let's find out!" "Do you doubt me and believe an alien?" "He lies, I tell you!" "Tell them he lies!" "I am not political." "Tell them, Crael!" "I know you relish challenge." "Prove to them that Ellna is what you say it is, otherwise they'll flay you alive." "And when I come back... they will worship me again." "And if you don't come back, they'll curse you as a tyrant." "Which do you desire it to be?" "Whichever gives us most hope." "At least I'll take you with me!" "(Engines roaring)"