"Night, Mr Croxley!" "Been working late, have you?" "Just finishing the wages accounts for tomorrow." "That's right." "We wouldn't want our pay transfers to be late, would we?" " Hello, darling." " Hello, darling." "Why did you come?" "I thought I'd meet you." "Aren't you pleased?" "Yes." "It would have been better as a surprise." "I'm not going home." "Oh, I forgot." "The doctor." " I told you this morning." " You can drop me off." "I'll take a taxi home." " I have been to see..." " She'll be better tomorrow." " Who?" " Your mother." "You saw her today." "God, this is awful." "John, please try not to do that." "Tell me how." "It isn't easy." "You're letting it get on top of you." "What do you expect?" "It isn't exactly normal, is it?" "The doctor said it would pass." "And if it doesn't?" "Have you thought about that?" "Don't, John." "It can't stay like this." "That would be too much." "It'll be all right." "Bye." "Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you." " Stella." " I'm sorry." "Shut up, can't you?" "That stupid remark, you're always using it." "What can I say?" "As soon as I tell you about anything..." " You just don't think." " I'm tired of it, John." "You never used to be like this." "The doctor's got to do something." "I don't know how long I can stand it." "What is it, Mr Croxley?" "Now, won't you relax and tell me all about it?" "Ah." "That's better." "Now, let us see if we can go back to the start of your condition." "What do you want, Doctor, a show?" "A few party tricks?" "I really don't think that that will be necessary, Mr Croxley." "You know..." "Sometimes I wonder if you really want to be helped." "Most of the time, your answers to my questions are complete and direct, but somewhere there is a mental block, a refusal to come to terms with certain details." "I have to go!" "There you are, you see." "It's exactly as if I had touched a nerve ending." "Won't you relax, Mr Croxley?" "I mean, really open your mind to me." "There's no point." "I know it now." "You can't help me!" "I shouldn't have let my wife talk me into coming here." "It's early days yet." "Now come back and see me when you feel a little more responsive." "My secretary has pencilled in..." "Oh, no." "I can't make Thursday." "What did you say?" "I thought you said Thursday." "No, Mr Croxley." "I was about to." "But you have anticipated my words." "There's no point in going on." "I shan't come again." "That seems to be a great pity." "I feel that we were about to make some progress." "However, you know where you can contact me." "If you should change your mind, don't hesitate to call." "Are you all right?" "Yes." "It's my wife." "She's going to have a visitor." "Sighting confirmed." "Course varying 8 to 10 degrees." " Get Moonbase." " Right." "Hello, Gay." "How long has it been banking and weaving like this?" "'It started 2 minutes, 20 seconds ago, sir." "'Before course and speed were constant.'" "What were the readings?" "'Course 037-164, 'speed SOL 1,6.'" "We've never had a flight pattern like this before." "'Course still varying." "'Speed now 0,85 and reducing.'" "Thank you." "How long before Commander Straker comes on duty?" " What's the panic?" " A UFO." "Its approach is much slower than usual and it's varying course constantly." "Yes, but maintaining an overall flight path." "I agree with you, Alec, this zigzagging is unusual." "It's as if it were trying to avoid something." "Or find something." "We can't take any chances." "Sound a red alert for all ground stations." "SHADO Control to all stations:" "we have a red alert." "Repeat, condition is red." "Interceptors, immediate launch." "'Immediate launch.'" "Stand by to set missile Control computer." "Right." "Missile timing: 1475." "Missile launch: 10 seconds." "Positive." "Contact lost." "Moonbase to SHADO Control." "We hit it, Commander." "Well done, Lieutenant." "It certainly made a new approach." "I wonder what it was trying to do." "We'll never know, I'm glad to say." " Cigar?" " Thank you." "'Moonbase to SHADO Control.'" " What is it, Lieutenant?" " 'I have another contact, sir.'" "A second UFO?" "No, sir." "The same one." "The same one?" "But you reported a positive detonation." "I know, sir." "The scanners showed negative." "But it's back." "What's the position now, Lieutenant?" "I'm sorry, sir, it's through Moonbase defences, heading for earth." "Thank you." "I can't understand how they missed." "That UFO was a sitting target." "Maybe that's what we were supposed to think." "Yes, Alec." "Force the Interceptors to release their missiles, avoid them, then it gets a clear run past our Moonbase defences." " Where is it now?" " Range: 7 million." "Trajectory termination?" "It's changing course more violently than before." "The nearest we can get is Europe." "It could be damaged." "Lieutenant Ellis reported a strike." "Speed increasing: 1,4... 1,8... 2,4." "That does it." "We'll never get near it at that speed." "Let's get a closer ETT." "Is the rate of descent constant?" "More or less." "There's still a slight variation." "Should be possible to work out a broad target area?" "I'll try, but our readings are less than adequate computer data." "Do your best." "Looks like it's going to hit." "What is it up to?" "I'll tell you what I think." "I think that UFO is under manual control." "First the flight variation was used to disrupt our computer programs, but now I think the alien is fighting to regain control." "That makes sense, if it's damaged." "Yes." "The next few minutes will be very interesting." "Trajectory termination:" "areas 17 to 23." "Too close for comfort." "Sound a red alert." "Sir..." "Course: 017-422." "Lieutenant?" "ETT, area 17." "Map reference 405, green." "Alert the mobiles." "Mobile 2 to Control, pass your instructions." "'This is red alert." "Proceed to map reference 405, green." " 'Stand by.'" " Roger, Control." "Mobile 2 moving to ETT now, sir." "It's weaving off line again." "SHADO Control to Mobile 2, this is Commander Straker." " 'Get that area sealed off, Foster.'" " Yes, sir." "I want a detailed survey." "If there is a specific target, I want to know." " 'Stella.'" " Oh, John." " 'I'm on my way home.'" " What did the doctor say?" " He wants to help." " 'That's wonderful!" "'" " I'm not going back." " But John, I..." " 'Has your visitor arrived yet?" "'" " Visitor?" "'John...'" " 'I thought we could... '" " Stella!" "I have to ring off, I..." "'I have some thinking to do.'" "Mobile 2 to Control." "According to our map, there's just a derelict farm and a couple of houses within a 5 mile radius of the ETT." "It's wooded, common land." "What could be of interest there?" "It's out of control." "The alien's being forced to crash land." "No, somehow I don't think so." "What's it after?" "What could it want in the middle of a wilderness of trees and bracken?" "UFO speed decreasing." "12,000 knots." "Range 1,000 miles." "Course maintained." "No deviation." "It's back under control and slowing down enough for a landing." "When's the estimated termination?" "5 minutes." "Colonel, Foster won't have time to evacuate." "Speed: 7,500 knots." "Decreasing." "Range: 600 miles." "The roadblock should be in position now." "The whole area's sealed off." "3 minutes to termination." "Course maintained, speed reducing." "Come on, friend, we're waiting." "It'll be a perfect landing and we'll be there." "All cars in position." "'Right." "Make sure no one gets through the roadblock.'" "Roger." "We'll keep channel 3 open." "I'm sorry, sir." "This area's been sealed off." "Military manoeuvres." " Military manoeuvres." " Yes, sir." "You live..." "Yes, I live a couple of miles over there." " I'm afraid you'll have..." " Yes, I know." "It won't be long now." "1 minute." "Course maintained, speed..." "Speed increasing." " Check it." " No error, sir, coming down faster." " Get Colonel Foster." " Sir." "Mobile 2." "Go ahead, Control." "The UFO's increased speed." "Crash velocity." "It'll be too late to correct." " 'Understand?" "'" " Yes, sir." "And Colonel Foster, if there's a survivor, I want him." "'Right.'" "Mobile to Control, have audio on UFO." "Cloud cover preventing visual." "'Roger, Mobile." " 'It'll be over you in 30 seconds.'" " Roger." "It's decreasing speed." "Switching." "Course altered:" "2 degrees." " Have you got visual contact?" " 'No, sir." "Tracking on audio yet.'" "You all right, sir?" "Get there as fast as you can, Colonel." "Yes, sir." "Mobile 2 to Control." "It's crashed right into a house." "All right, Colonel." "Do what you can." "I don't understand it, Alec." "Under control... and out of control." "Crash-landing velocity, then safe-landing velocity." "Now it hits a house." " Quite a mess." " Let's go over the facts, Alec." "Right from the start, that UFO was on an unusual flight pattern." "We can only guess it was a method to outmanoeuvre the Interceptors." "Yes, but let's say it came in damaged." "And, unable to control his ship, the alien tried to land, failed and hit that house." "No, I don't buy that, Alec." "For a while it was out of control, yes." "But just before impact it seemed to be fine." "Then it looped that line of trees, smashed into an isolated house." "Sheer coincidence." "The house happened to be in the way." "You could be right." "But there's enough doubt in my mind to make me want to look at the place." "What happened to the pilot?" "There was just enough evidence to establish he was an alien." "And the UFO was completely destroyed?" "The largest piece measured six inches." "We found it embedded in Foster's mobile." "What's the news on his condition?" "It's too early to say." "He's lost a lot of blood." "At least he was luckier than the co-driver." "What about the woman?" "She couldn't have known a thing about it." "It must have been instantaneous." "What do we know about her?" "Ordinary woman." "Married." "No children." " Nothing to connect her with UFOs?" " Nothing that we know of." "That's her husband out there now." "Suppose I better talk to him, Alec." "Sure." " I'm sorry." " You killed her." "That experimental aircraft crashed into my house." "How did you know that?" "I was at the checkpoint when word came through." "I'm afraid there's not much more I can tell you." "I know." "The details are classified." " If there is anything..." " Don't you think you've done enough?" "My wife... is dead." "Look, you've had a pretty bad shock." "Have you..." "No." "They were all Stella's relatives." "They don't mean so much to me now." " How's he taking it?" " Hard to tell." "He seemed to know exactly what I was going to say." "Yeah, I guess it's pretty difficult to find a new way of telling a guy you're sorry." "Let's get out of here, Alec." "Hi, Alec." "Is that the time?" "It's time you went home." "You've been here a full 18 hours." "I have to go through these reports." "Not that they tell us a great deal." "We combed the ruin and everything for a mile around." "We lifted security yesterday." "I understand Croxley was having psychiatric treatment." "He also left his job." "Not surprising after what he's been through." "I think we can close the book on the incident." "Not quite, Alec." "Paul Foster's still in the hospital." "Yes, I spoke to him yesterday." "Doctors are very pleased with his progress." "The wonders of medical science." " He wants to speak to you." " Me?" " He's worried about something." " What?" "He wouldn't tell me." "You called me all the way out here just to tell me that?" "I thought you ought to know." "Surely it's a security matter." " What did he look like?" " It's difficult to say." " It's just an impression." " Come on, Paul." "Next you'll be telling me you hear strange noises at night." "Look, every time I look up, he's there, looking at me and there's a sort of nausea feeling that comes over me." "I'll get you out of here." "You're OK to be moved to our medical centre." "You'll be closer to home." "You don't believe me, do you?" "I'll tell you what I think, Paul." "I think you've been lying in that bed too long." "I also think if you're well enough to worry, you're well enough to go back to work." "I'll arrange for your discharge." " Good morning, Miss Ealand." " Good morning, sir." "Somebody wanted to make sure that got here." "It's been in the material analyser." "Just paper." "With all those stamps, I would have expected a small atom bomb at least." "It's probably a film script." "It's addressed to you." " Do you want to read it?" " Ingenuity should not go unrewarded." "Whoever sent it certainly knows how to draw attention to their work." "Maybe they can write too." "I'll pass it on to the script department." "Fine." "By the way, have our medics cleared Foster yet?" "Yes, sir." "He's waiting." "With Freeman." " How long's it been this quiet?" " Since you went into hospital." "That was a month ago." "There've been no sightings since then?" "Just two." "The Interceptors took care of them." "We managed to scratch along without you, Paul." "Hello, Paul." " Feeling better?" " Yes, sir." "Good, good." "In my office?" "You too, Alec." "Are you fit for duty, Paul?" "Yes, sir." "Schroeder checked me out an hour ago." "Good, good." "No more little men watching you?" "In the medical centre, security's tighter than a drum anyway." "Oh, I see." "And you're little friend couldn't get in, eh?" "Don't worry, Paul." "Go home and rest." "Report for briefing in the morning." "Yes, sir." "Oh, Alec!" "I want you to go over to the Zeta tracker station." "The lieutenant in command has come up with a new grid link-up." " There might be something in it." " I can go right away." " Fine." " See you later." "By the way, what's that?" "I assume this is a film script." "Why don't you open it and find out?" "Get on to the Zeta tracking station." "The commander over there, Lieutenant Grant, tell him to expect Colonel Freeman later today." " 'Anything else, sir?" "'" " No, no calls." " I'm out for the rest of the day." " Yes, sir." " I'll keep channel 4 open." " Right, sir." "'Miss Ealand, has Alec left the building?" "'" " No, sir." "He's with me now." " 'Have him come back down here.'" " Yes, sir." " I'm on my way." "Something wrong?" "I'll say there is." "About as wrong as you can get." " What is it?" " Read it, Alec." "Just read it." "The SHADO Organisation." "Colonel Alec Freeman, Moonbase, Skydiver, everything." "It's all there, Alec." "Every last detail." " That's impossible." "How could..." " How should I know?" "A security leak, coincidence, lucky guess." "What does it matter?" "It's a complete dossier on SHADO." "Its operatives, installations, equipment." "I don't get it." "Who wrote it?" "The name's on the front:" "John Croxley." "The man whose house was hit by a UFO?" "Yes." "Now, you tell me, Alec." "How did he get that information?" "The whole thing's ridiculous." "We checked him out and his wife." " Mr. and Mrs. Average." " Yeah." "When I told him about his wife, there was... something about him." "He was different." "Wait a minute." "Foster's little man in the hospital." "That could be Croxley, too." " We'd better pick him up." " No." "Not yet, Alec." "If it was him, I want to know more about him." "He was visiting a psychiatrist." "Maybe he knows something." "Right." "We'll start there." "And you say Croxley stopped coming to see you, Doctor?" "Yes, just before his wife was killed." "The same day, in fact." "What was his problem?" "You realise, I hope, that I do not normally divulge such details about my patients, but with your authorisation, it was a somewhat unusual condition." "ESP." "Extrasensory perception?" "It's a subject about which we still know very little but most of us have experienced it at some time or another." "You yourself have probably been in the situation of sensing what is going to happen." "Yes, and it usually means trouble." "It affects different people in different ways." "Some adjust quickly and make good use of their powers." "I believe there have been a number of successful theatrical acts based on the condition." "And Croxley?" "He is not one of the lucky ones." "It was driving him to mental illness." "His powers of perception are so pronounced, he can hold a conversation with someone without that person uttering a single word." " A mind-reader?" " Not quite." "Telepathy, perhaps." "He can anticipate." "He can, how shall I say, feel the future." "And it bothers him." "The point of mental breakdown when simple, everyday phrases take on a new and terrible meaning." "Most of it is clear now, Doctor." "Thank you very much." "Croxley phoned here for you earlier today." "And?" "For some ununderstanding reason, he wants you and Mr Freeman to meet him at the ruin of his house at ten tonight." "And how did he know we'd be here?" "ESP?" "We're early." "It's only 9:30." "Yes, I always like to look over a convention hall before a conference." "Or a battleground before a battle." "You know it's madness coming without security?" "We have no choice." "Listen, Alec, we have to assume Croxley can anticipate our moves." "The script." "He wrote it by reading Paul Foster's thought patterns." " Or someone told him." " No!" "Listen, I believe that doctor is right." "Croxley has a super-sensory power." "If we try to go against his wishes or trap him" " he'll know about it." " I hope you're wrong." "So do I." "I know it's late, but this is not easy to live with." "Listen, Paul, you went through a pretty rough experience." " It takes time." " But that was physical!" "Paul, you nearly lost your life in that house." "Your mind is simply trying to adjust to the shock it received when you were injured there." " Maybe you're right." " I'm sure of it." "Look, if it bothers you that much, there's only one answer." "Go back to the house." "Overcome your anxiety." "Face the problem." "OK, Dr. I'll go home and get some rest." "Good night, Paul." "See you at final medical checks tomorrow." "Croxley!" "Where are you?" "You know, Ed..." "I think I'm developing ESP." "I've got a feeling Croxley's here already." "You're right, Colonel." "Croxley!" "The answer to your question is no." "Why should I give you my gun?" "You would both be dead before your hands were on the butts." "You see, I do know what you're thinking." "You use a shoulder holster, Commander." "Please." "The lamp." "You prefer the right hip, I believe, Colonel." "Slowly." "You have a more..." "devious thought pattern." "I want to see you clearly, before I kill you." "It's fitting that you should die here, Straker." " We made it easy for you." " Yes." "I must say, you have particularly logical mental processes." "How long have you had this ESP, Croxley?" "All my life." "It got stronger about a year ago." "But I remember I used to play tricks at school, predicting the future." "And UFOs?" "What do you know about them?" "Shut up!" "You did it, Straker." "You've been messing with things you don't understand." " And you caused my wife's death." " No, Croxley!" "Don't you see?" "Use your power." "Use your ESP." "A UFO destroyed your house, not me." "It was part of a carefully laid plan." "The aliens, Croxley." "They've taken over your mind." "They killed your wife." "They're using you." "Can't you see why?" "They're using you to kill us." "Croxley, for God sake!" "Mother." "You're thinking about your mother." "Stop it!" "Stop it." "It's 4 minutes to 12." " You die at midnight." " Croxley." "I'm going home." "I must see the doctor." "The doctor must help me." "Help me, Doctor!" "Come through that door and I'll blow your head off!" "Croxley, listen..." "You say you want someone to help you." "Our planet is dying." "Our national resources are exhausted!" "We must come to earth." "We must come to earth to survive!" "Mother?" "Stella." "What are you doing?" "Don't try anything." "Hold it there!" "2 minutes." "Hello, Billy." "We'll be late for school." "I know what you've got for lunch:" "cheese and pickle sandwiches." "No one told me." "No, no one told me." "No, don't hit me." "No..." "Give me the gun." "You fool!" "Do you think I'm going to let you get away with it?" "We mean no harm to peoples of earth." "Why do you attack us?" "We're fighting for existence." "You must understand!" "No." "There's no need for words." "It is time." "He knew." "What did you think, Alec?" "When you saw Foster appear behind Croxley." "Shoot, for God's sake, before he..." " He could read our thoughts." " Yes." "I'll always believe that in the last few seconds," "Croxley regained control of his own mind." "Well, here's to fate and fear." " Strange toast." " Not really." "What brought Paul Foster to that house?" "And Croxley." "Fate had him marked from the moment he was born." "How much of his power did he gain from the aliens?" " You mean his ESP?" " We can only guess, Alec." "And how many other Croxleys are there in the world?" " Your toast was fate and fear." " Yes." "It's fear of the unknown which helps us to keep alert, Alec." "When and if the answers do come, it will be fear that helps us recognise them."