"This is silly." "The party isn't until tomorrow night." "But it's fun." "What do you think?" "You look marvellous." " I wonder?" " What?" "Well, your hair." "Instead of the curls, you once had it kind of twisted around." "And I happen to know that Tony liked it that way." "Tony?" "Who cares what Tony thinks, anyway?" " Alarm circuits going haywire." " Compute to pinpoint fault." "Section F - malfunction." "Main electronics malfunctioning." "Reset." " Negative." " Switch to emergency power." " Negative." " Try again." " Complete power loss." " A through G malfunction." " Life support systems?" " Malfunctioning." "They will be all right." "Who are you?" "Where do you come from?" "I am Zamara, of the planet Vega." "Your small world has entered our sphere of influence." " You are?" " John Koenig, Commander of this base." "We're in your sphere of influence by accident, with no hostile intent." " I accept your explanation." " Thank you." "Our life support systems are down." "We will take action if you..." "Your systems are being held in an electro force field." "It may also be programmed to affect your nerve centres." "To immobilise us?" " Yes." " As you have just experienced." " Our nervous systems are delicate." "There will be no lasting effects." "And for now, I will permit you ...minimum life support." "It will be necessary for two of you to come to Vega." " Why?" " Because it is required." "I told you, we mean you no harm." " Then unlock our systems." " Commander," "I've given you enough life support for you to survive for 48 hours." "You have already wasted precious minutes." "You expect us to stand by while you drain our atmosphere?" "You will not interfere with our plans." "Don't interfere with us and we will not interfere with you." " What guarantee do I have of your good faith?" " And of your goodwill?" "Anyone who comes with me will be returned within the time limit." "You have the assurance of the people of Vega." "And you have no choice." "All right." "L'll go." " You said you wanted two of us." " I think a commander should stay, and you are unsuitable." "I choose you..." "and you." "Now, just a minute..." "You will travel to Vega by positronic transfer." "All you have to do is to freely wish it." "If you value the lives of your friends on Alpha, you will do it." "You are holding back." "Keep concentrating..." "Want it." "Desire it..." "I want a line of communication kept open at all times, as you said." "Communications... normal." " You all right?" " You?" "Yeah." " Did it startle you?" " Yes." "Bring food for our guests." "I am Zarl." "May your stay on Vega be one of pleasure." "Outside, the temperature is always subzero, and the atmosphere almost too thin to survive." "Within the city, you will find all that you desire." "This is Moonbase Alpha." "Come in." "This is Alpha." "Come in, Dr Russell." " No answer, Commander." " Keep trying." "They lied." "They're not letting us communicate" "If they'd lie about that, they'd lie about..." "Helena and Tony." "We've got to get down to Vega." "We can't do it without power." "Isn't it conceivable that's it's a simple, mechanical device that's blocking our electronics?" "Unlikely." "On the off-chance, I'm organising a search." "This is Moonbase Alpha." "Come in." "This is Alpha." "Come in, Dr Russell." "Refresh yourselves." "Whatever happens, do not react as they expect." " Thank you." " There's no need to thank a Number." " They're androids?" " Automatons." "If you show aggression, they will kill you." "Is the food to your liking?" " It's very... unusual." " You are a liar!" "It sticks in your throat, you decrepit hag." "Won't YOU try?" "The food is delicious, Tony." " Delicious." " You foul-mouthed, lying cretin." "You are a guest." "Eat." " Guest?" " Yes." "Do as you wish." "Eat the food, throw it in my face, whatever you like." "Call yourself a man?" "Act the part." "You cringing, gutless, spineless..." " Tony!" "It's that we're not used to hot food." "Cool it." "All right, this section seems clear." "Let's try Section 7." "We have heat loss, oxygen rundown." " How long do we have?" " 42 hours." "Could we rig up temporary heating?" "Any combustion would use oxygen." " A chemical reaction producing heat?" " L'll work on it." " Good." "Alan?" " We've found nothing, we've drawn a blank in every section." "The power packs in the Eagles." "Take a detail and get some." "Do you think he'll get through to the Eagles?" "Maybe." "Maybe not." "We have to get power." " Maybe magnetic attraction." " Try anything." "These are your quarters." "Lovely." "We'll be very, very comfortable here." "L'll leave you to consider your impoliteness." "And remember, time is not on your side." " Time for what?" " To do what we want you to." " Which is?" " Never mind." "You will do it." "Tony Verdeschi calling Moonbase Alpha." "Come in, Alpha." "Alpha!" "It's no use." "They won't let us get through." "No." "Be careful!" "That's what they want." "What's going on?" " One of the Numbers warned me." " You believe robots?" "I believe that one." "He said that if we show aggression, they'll kill us." " Kill?" "Why?" " I don't know." "We need some answers." "We've got to get out of here." "We've got to find that Number." "Right." "Hey, wait a minute." "Why did they let me keep a weapon?" " They want us to use it." " Maybe they didn't find it." "They're far too intelligent for that." "Anyway, here goes." "Come on." "We're here as friends." "You have nothing... to fear." "The one who warned me, the one who spoke, where is he?" "Please, we need your help." "Maybe we could help each other." " You're NOT androids." " No." "THEY are the androids." "WE are the humans." "Long ago, we built the first robots, linked to a powerful computer." "The computer designed more advanced robots, who, in turn, built more sophisticated computers." " A self-generating system." " Yes." "The cycle continued until the robots evolved to perfect humanoid form." " They've got mechanical perfection." " Yes." "Their emotions?" "Human characteristics they learnt from us by example." "Everything except love... and hate." "Why do you keep your faces covered?" "If we are caught off guard, we will not show emotion." "Why don't they rip them off?" "They can't employ violence, never having experienced or seen it." "They want to kill us, but they can't." "They don't possess the emotions of anger and aggression." "That is what they want from you." "To teach them how to kill." " Why do they want to kill?" " Because we're a threat." " How?" " They fear human ingenuity." "As long as we live, there's a chance that we might reach the Master Computer and immobilise them." "Where is the Master Computer?" "At the far end of Corridor 6, guarded by an electronic barrier." "Thank you." "Thank you." "The Vegans will do anything to make you show them violence." "If you do, they will kill us all." "Let's find out about that force field." "You're wasting your time." "All the power of your moonbase would not scratch it." "And your primitive toy is useless against us." "You were not to leave your quarters." "We were worried about our friends." "We were trying to get back to them." "Please, release Alpha." "If you're so concerned about your friends, why don't you go back?" " You mean... you'd let us go?" " All you have to do is wish it." " You all right?" " Where is everybody?" "I don't know." "Commander?" "Weapons Section?" "Petrov, why aren't you there?" "Medical Centre?" "Mathias!" "John!" "We're the only ones on Alpha." " We can't be!" " We are." "We're all alone." "Helen, the star chart." "That pulsating dot is our present position." "And THAT was the position of Alpha when we left it to go to Vega." "We're now two light years from there, and moving further away every second." " Two light years?" "We'll never get back." "I thought you might like some coffee." " Yeah." "Thank you." "Tony, I've been thinking." "The only place that John and everybody could be is down on Vega." "Yes, I know." "I've been trying to figure out the same thing." "They must have transferred everybody down there." "If we're ever going to see them again, we've got to get back there." "How?" "The same way we got there before." "By wishing it." " Helen!" " Tony, try it." "Please." "Nothing." "We can't do it without them." "John will find some way to contact us." "I know he will." "Yeah." "Come on, have some coffee." "It'll help you relax." "Moonbase Alpha, status report." "Dr Helena Russell recording." "515 days after leaving Earth's orbit." "We don't know what has happened to John Koenig," "Alan Carter, Maya everybody." "Tony Verdeschi and I are alone here on Alpha." "The loneliness is beginning to have a terrible effect." "If I had taken the Dexotrol that Tony put in my coffee," "I would be in deep sedation." "I'm forced to conclude that he suffered some adverse effect as we went through the time warp." "I have to consider him unstable, and potentially dangerous." "She cannot withstand the pressure." "Soon." "It will be soon." "Yes." "But it seems so cruel." "You're beginning to sound human." "Be careful." "You know the dangers." "Helena?" "I'm sorry." "I didn't know you were sleeping." " Are you all right?" " I'm all right." "How are you?" "Just a little jumpy." "Well, I'm sorry I disturbed you." "Helena, answer me." "Helena, we are losing our atmosphere." "Now, don't panic, Helena." "I mustn't run." "I've got to conserve oxygen." "Don't panic." "They're getting frustrated, frightened." " We know these emotions." " Yes." "And soon they will teach us how to kill." "Tony, drop the gun." "Please." " Now, easy, Helena." " Don't come any closer." "I only want to help you." "Yes, of course you do." "So you put Dexotrol in my coffee." "Dexotrol?" "Wait a minute." "You think I drugged your coffee?" "That's why you sabotaged the life support system?" "Now, Tony, listen to me, please." "You're hallucinating." "I didn't sabotage our life support." "I'd be killing myself." "Why would I do that?" "I don't know why." "Maybe..." "Ioneliness suspicion... fear?" " No!" "Helena, we're the only two people on Alpha." "It must have been you." "If we are the only two people on Alpha..." " If?" "...you put Dexotrol in my coffee." "Well, now who's hallucinating?" "We're not the only people here." "They think they can make us hate each other." "They think they can make us hate each other, even kill each other!" "How about that?" "!" "Bang, bang - you're dead!" "They don't know how much we enjoy playing these games." "I love it!" "The party's over, kids!" "Come on out!" " Come on, Zarl, Zamara!" "Come on out, wherever you are!" " So you think it's a game, do you?" " Oh, you mean it isn't?" "You created this complete replica of Alpha down to the finest detail..." "and you lost." "This time." "Minus five degrees." "We can't take much more of this." "Can't you raise it?" "The chemical reaction is giving off maximum heat." "Can't get through to the Launch Pad." "There's no power in the Travel Tube." "L'll bet no Eagle will have power." "Is there any way we can produce power?" "The force field is blocking ionic transfer." "Electrical current simply cannot flow." " We've got to get to Vega." " Not without our scanners." "Security report." "There is an alien form in the recreation area." "Zamara..." "No, Commander." "I did not bring them with me." " Where are they?" " Safe." " Why have you come back?" " We needed additional material." "Why do you try these stupid games?" "Zarl, myself, all the Vegans, we are part of the completeness." "An indestructible chain." "You cannot touch us." "Shakespeare." "Julius Caesar." "Murder." ""Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears"?" " You have a retentive memory." " I viewed the pages." "They murdered Julius Caesar." "Why?" " It was a political act." " And you on Alpha are not political?" "No." "Then we do not want Julius Caesar." " What do you want?" " Interesting." " What is?" " Othello." "So... jealousy can also make humans kill." " I suppose so." " And lovers feel so strongly?" "Yes, Zamara." "Helena and Tony, when?" " That's all I want to know." " What do you want to know?" "That jealousy creates violence." "That lovers can be made to feel violent enough to kill." "Zamara, wait, wait!" "It won't work, not with Helena and Tony." "Won't work?" "According to Shakespeare, jealousy is a strong passion." "Only with lovers." "Tony doesn't love Helena." " Who loves her?" " I do." " And the man?" " Tony Verdeschi?" "He's in love with Maya." "Don't you miss him?" " Wouldn't you like to see them?" " Of course we would." "Then want it." "Desire it." "Wish it." "Concentrate." " John..." "How are you?" " What are we going to do?" "You read the play Othello?" "Through you." "We all did." "This time... we know the way." " Androids." "They'll try to use you." " As Othello." "There is a way to beat them, if we can get to the main computer." "It's protected by a force field." "Let the celebration begin." "Soon you will make love to the woman Helena." "It will enrage her lover and we will have won." " Through consuming jealousy." " It's all there, the scheming lago, twisting a man's love into violent jealousy." "Enough to kill." "The way he looks at her." "To feel something as strongly as jealousy." "Can we be missing so much?" "Emotion is a weakness." "We can use it, but we must never become ensnared." "The play begins." "Chasted as an icicle, fashioned by the purest frost." "I will melt thee." "Make love to her." "I don't know how much longer I can take this." "Hang on till Maya neutralises that computer." "Kiss her." "The computer has a fail-safe device." "If the energy source is disturbed, the whole planet explodes." "You have seen." "You have been shown." "Zarl, kill him!" "There's got to be a way to stop them." "They're all linked, like a chain." "If we break one link..." "Like Christmas tree lights." "If one went out they all did." "Kill!" "Kill!" "Zarl, don't!" "You're not like them any more." "Kill her." "Kill her!" " You CAN become human." " Kill her!" "Zarl!" "You've felt tenderness, compassion." "Now feel love." "Take that extra step." "Don't stay a machine." "Become human!" " KILL HER!" " Please!" "No..." " Will your people be?" " They'll be fine." "You were right." "I did feel... something." "Was it real?" "I'm sorry, Zarl." "No, don't be sorry." "It was worth it." "One... moment... of humanity."