"How do you like it, Eve?" "Lovely." "What is it?" "My impression of the coastland of Cornwall." "Oh, Harry darling, you painted the entire coastline of England." "I've yet to see anything that looks like a wave." "Never mind." "Keep on trying." "I'm going for a walk." "You have certain no appreciation for modern art." "Miss Wingate" "Come with me, please." " Three sugars?" " Three." "I like your style, Pete." "Some day, You'll be the boss of the Los Angeles "Record Telegram"." "Thanks for the compliment." "That's 20 cents." "My mistake, some day you'll be the treasurer." " Keep the change." " Thanks." "Mr. Clark" "Yeah?" "Who's that?" "My name is of no importance, Mr. Clark" "But I must ask you to come with me." "Su Tan" "Come with me, Su Tan." "Well, I'm ready." "At least I remember to take my notes with me to America." "Coblenz has been honored by your invitation to the conference." "Ah,the honor will be to witness the launching of the satellite." "They mark the beginning of a new phase in the progress of mankind." "Perhaps the greatest single step toward achieving communication between the planets." "Professor." "Your plane to America. 3 o'clock." "It will be difficult to get there without it." "Huh?" "Well, professor, have a nice trip." "And we'll hear from you soon,uh?" " Thank you, Dr. Schimidt .Goodbye" " Good bye." "Professor." "Professor Bechner." "Did someone call me?" "Professor, I'm afraid you'll have to interrupt your departure for America." "Interrupt?" "But why?" "I'm afraid it's not quite that simple." " Ivan." " Who goes there?" "You are in no danger, Ivan Godofsky." "Halt, or I'll fire." "Your gun will not help." "Excuse me. aren't you Professor Klaus Bechner?" "But what are we doing here?" "Where are we?" "I don't know." "I was writing a column in the office of a Los Angeles Record Telegram" "Somebody spoke to me, now next thing I know I woke up here." "Los Angeles?" "I was in England." "And I, my dear, was in Coblenz." "But how?" "The how I suspect we may never understand." "What interests me now is why." "It's pretty obvious where you're from, my dear." "Are you a soldier?" "People of Earth." "Permit me to explain your presence here." "Each of you is hearing my words in his or her native tongue." "Who are you?" "Since I'm a stranger to each of you, perhaps it would be simplest to call me 'The Alien'." "Where are you from?" "The name of the planet I come from is unknown to you." "One of many worlds in a nearby universe." " Where are we now?" " In space." "I don't believe it." "If you please..." "It's the Earth." "Don't be frightened." "You'll be sent back to Earth absolutely unharmed." "Furthermore, no measurable time by earthly standards will pass while you're here" "Is such a thing possible?" "You're travelling at almost exactly the speed of light." "At such a speed, time as you know it, does not exist." "Theoretically, but in actuality..." "Why have we been brought here?" "If you'll kindly be seated I'll try to explain." "You five, are here in effect as representatives." "Not of your particular countries but as representatives of the human race." "Then, you have come to Earth to establish contact?" "No, professor" "We are here to help you save your beautiful planet." "You talk as if the earth were about to be destroyed." "That danger exists." "Your entire history is one of self-destruction." "You have now what you believe to be the ultimate weapon." "The H bomb." "If you destroy yourselves," "You'll also destroy the Earth." "And that we can not permit, for it is needed." "Needed?" "The universe in which my world exists is dying." "Soon, our sun will be going into nova and explode." "Therefore your people will need a new world." "Within 35 days." "Then you're going to invade us." "Oh,no, No, our moral code does not permit us to invade, nor to destroy any form of intelligent life." "We are prepared to lend you a weapon." "A weapon which will permit you to destroy yourselves." "Without harming your planet." "This weapon affects only human life." "Nothing else will be harmed." "It will belong to you, for 27 of the 35 days remaining to us." "If at the end of that time," "Midnight of the 27th day, Greenwich time, you've not used it" "The weapon will automatically become harmless." "You are under no compulsion to make use of the weapon." "Yet you think we will?" "We cannot hope for disaster, we merely expect it." "Say your wrong." "Say that 27 days go by and we don't use the weapons." "What happens then?" "Your race will live." "Mine will die." "Who are you gonna give the weapons to?" "The weapons one apiece will be given to each of you." "You may of course turn them over to your governments." "But the decision is yours." "The weapons are yours to do with as you wish" "Not yet, professor" "I can understand your curiosity." "But they're protected by a force field." "Each of the boxes is tuned to the electrical impulse of its owner." "Now, professor" "The one to your left is yours." "Ivan Godofsky, the next is yours." "Eve Wingate, the next is yours." "Su Tan, you,too." "The last is yours, Jonathan Clark." "Each of you holds in your hands the power of life and death." "Each box contains 3 capsules." "They are the weapon." "They surpass by many times the power of anything your race is yet created." "Each of the capsules has a diameter of lethal radiation." "Which is exactly 3000 miles." "There is then, in the combined capsules, more than enough power to wipe out all human life on your planet." "To use the capsules, you remove the spindle." "Place the capsule down speak loudly and clearly the latitude and longitude in the center of the target area." "The energy thus launched takes only human life." "Damages nothing else." "It cannot be opened by ordinary means, professor" "Only your own thought waves will activate the release mechanism." "No other force on your earth is capable of opening the box." "But once it has been opened," "Anyone can pull the spindle." "And any voice can launch them to their targets." "What if we die?" "If any one of you is called by death" "The capsules will become ineffective immediately." "One more question, please." "Do we have your solemn word that if we succeed in keeping the peace for 27 days, earth will be free of invasion?" "You have my word, professor." "27 days..." "You ask us to learn in 27 days" "What has escaped the world for thousand of years?" "You ask us to practice peace or die." "The choice is not new, professor." "Only the weapons." "Now, if you'll forgive me, time is short." "Will you be glad enough to return to your seats and you'll be sent back to earth." "Jonathan, I forgot your last name." "Where do you live?" "Clark." "Los Angeles, California." "Professor" "Professor.We have to hurry to catch the plane." "Yes, of course." "You fired that shot?" "Yes, sir.." "What happened?" "I thought I saw something." "You saw something?" "I guess I was mistaken." "City room Clark" "Mr. Jonathan Clark?" "Yes." "Just a moment, Mr. Clark I have a paid call for you from Cornwall, England." "Cornwall, England?" "All right." "I'll take the call." "Your party is on the line." "Go ahead, please." "Mr. Clark?" "Yes." "Mr.Jonathan Clark?" "That's right." "This is Eve Wingate." "Do you remember me?" "Why, yes." "Of course I do." "How did you know where to find me?" "Well, I remembered you said you were working, so I took a chance of telephoning you." "Look, I'm going to come to California." "Now, be sensible, Miss Wingate, stay where you are." "No, I can't." "I made reservations on the midnight plane to London..." "And" "And..." "I'm coming anyway." "I'm leaving tonight." " Now, wait a minute." " I can't go back." "Afternoon, Mr. Clark." "Hi, Joe." " What will you have today?" " I'll have a steak sandwich." "Medium rare." "Yes, sir." "Hey Joe, fix the television." "Will you?" "Uh..." "Nothing but trouble." "This is an announcement of the most vital importance." "Sure it is!" "All television, radio, and telephone communications throughout the world" "Have been interrupted so that this transmission could be made" "People of Earth, I am an alien from outer space." "What's he selling, flying saucers?" "36 hours ago, five members of human race were transported from Earth to the space vessel from which I'm speaking." "Each of them has since been returned to Earth bearing with them information of concern to every human being on your planet." "These five people are:" "Evelyn Wingate, of Cornwall, England;" "Professor Klaus Bechner, of Germany;" "Su Tan of the province of Kunming, China;" "Jonathan Clark of Los Angeles, California;" "and Private Ivan Godofsky, a soldier from behind the Iron Curtain." "Going somewhere, Private Godofsky?" "Good evening, this is Ward Mason." "Word just in confirms that the strange broadcast that has startled the world," "Has been heard throughout the Iron Curtain and the satellite countries." "As to the question: was it real?" "The answer must now be held to be:" "Yes!" "In so far as can now be determined the alien" "Whoever or whatever he is" "Effectively managed to blanket every facet of the Earth's communication facilities" "For the ten minutes in which he had his say." "This has been confirmed by the FCC." "The FCC's officials privately admit they are now convinced that the alien spoke from a point" "Somewhere beyond an outside of the earth's atmosphere." "One thing is uppermost in the minds of the millions of people who saw and heard the alien." "Where are the five people whose names he kept repeating?" "Who do they know?" "What do they know?" "Meanwhile here in this country the search for" "Jonathan Clark has been intensified." "Clark the newspaper man disappeared from a downtown Los Angeles restaurant" "And is assumed be in hiding." "Extra!" "Read all about it!" "Extra!" "Martians at Earth!" "Read all about it!" "Police search are targeted for Jonathan Clark!" "Boy, paper!" "Extra." "Martians press Earth." "Extra!" "Police looking for Jonathan Clark" "Extra!" "Extra!" "Read all about it!" "Don't say anything." "I thought you'd never make it." "Neither did I. How'd you find me?" "I didn't dare wire you." "I kept watching the planes all morning." "Come on, let's go." " Where to, mack?" " Hollywood" " Does this thing work?" " Yes" "What in heaven's name is that?" " Rock'n'roll." " Rock'n'roll?" "Music, almost." " What's the matter?" " You look different." "Of course." "I'm disguised." "Oh, you shaved off your mustache." "The best I can do under the circumstances." "What are we going to do?" "I wish I knew." "Since one o'clock this afternoon" "I've been public enemy number one." " Are you sure we're right in running?" " Until I have time to think, yes." "Where do we run to?" "Where do we hide?" "We couldn't get out of" "Los Angeles even if we tried." "3 minutes after my disappearance They had this whole town locked up." "Where to,then?" "I think I know a place." "It is crazy." "But it might work." "We're going to have to stop and buy somethings first." " Isn't that risky?" " It's a chance we'll have to take." "There is no real danger, Mr. Ingram." "There's a slight concussion but he'll be able to talk for a few days" "That long?" "I'd have to inform the president." "Excuse me, Professor Karl Neuhaus to see you." " Thank you." "Excuse me." " Uh, nurse..." "How are you,Carl?" "Sorry to drag you away from your project." " How is the Professor?" " Recovering." "I'm able to talk to him?" "Not yet." "Look, we found this on the professor." "That's why we called you and we very much like to know what it is." "Is it anything you've seen before?" "No." "Can you open it?" "I don't know." "If we're gonna believe this fantastic story of a spaceship," "We must assume there are four more of those, including one behind the iron curtain." "Godofsky is here." "Send him in." "Come forward, Private Godofsky." "You have been honored, Private Godofsky." "The first member of our country to visit space." "I understand you were a little confused when Colonel Gregor found you." "He had the peculiar impression that you were running away." "The broadcast said that you were taken aboard the spaceship 36 hours ago." "Yes, sir." "How is it that you did not come to us at once?" "I was afraid no one would believe me, sir." "I understand that these people from space gave you some very important information." "Yes, sir." "I'm waiting." "They just gave me that box." "That's very interesting." "What are the capsules for?" "I.." "I don't know, sir." "You don't know?" "Not exactly, sir." "We were given these boxes." "All of you?" "The alien gave you this without telling you what it was for?" "He said just they contain the secret of great power." "Did he tell you how to use this great power?" "No, sir." "I see." "I suppose you were not told how to, uh... open the box." "No, sir." "Were you told anything?" "Just if I were to die, what was in the box would be of no value." "That's fascinating." "Your story must be recorded for everybody to know about." "You will be happy to repeat it at later length, will you not?" "Yes, sir." "You're dismissed." " You heard?" " Yes, sir." " You know what to do." " Yes, sir" "A racetrack!" "It's the last place I know they'd ever thought of coming to." "That's the general idea." "Are you sure no one do where we about?" "Well, not even the horses are here out of season." "Are you ok?" "Come on, let's go." "How many of those?" "Just two." "They have regular rounds." "But we can avoid them." "You're awfully well informed, aren't you?" "I used to cover the track for my paper." "I spent a lot of airtime and money here." "Come on, let's go." "I hope this works." "Welcome to Changri-La" "Our home for the next 25 days." "Crazy, isn't it?" "I just can't believe it." "You're lucky the horses aren't here." "Hey!" "Blankets!" "The human kind." "Which one would madam prefer?" "The upstairs or downstairs?" "Look, before we were already settled down" "I think we'd rather start by rearranging the furniture, don't you?" "One duplex, coming up." " Cocktails, anyone?" " You forced me." " Cheers." " Good luck." "Say, that's good.Where'd you learn to fix such a good Martini?" "It was easy." "You forgot the Vermouth." "Are you ready for dinner?" "Peanut butter and what?" "No thanks." "I'm not hungry." "I'm going to bed." "Yeah, me, too." "Why don't you take your drink and go look at the moonlight?" "Women!" "Oh, Jonathan!" "Why don't you just call me John?" "Alright, John." "I trust you're a sound sleeper?" "I don't walk in my sleep if that's what you mean." "That exactly what I meant." "He goes around every hour on the hour." "I'd almost forgotten we were hiding." "I know what you mean." "Miss Wingate was seen hurling a small object into the sea." "Her gentleman friend, Harry bellows, who witnessed the incident" "Reported that the girl appeared highly distraught." "The populations of Rockhurst Cove and other coastal communities are being evacuated on the assumption that the object might very well have been a mine." "There has been much speculation on on both sides of the English Channel" "" Quai d'Orsay "announced that there are no reasons for worry" "In Normandy and British regions." "Late reports from England confirmed that there has sporadic rioting." "British government sources indicate they believe the Wingate girl might have been acting under the alien's order." "Miss Wingate is believed to be hiding with" "Jonathan Clark, who has been missing several days." "The British have assumed that the object in question was a weapon." "And the London press is actively speculating" "That all 5 of the aliens' visitors may be acting under orders to place the alleged weapons in strategic positions." "All we have to do is get rid of our capsules, huh?" "Why such a panic?" "What do you expect?" "Reason, discipline, restraint?" "Those people out there," "I feel sorry for them." "What do I do?" "They're bound with fear." "They're frightened, every one of them." "Ever since the alien came into their lives, they have been waiting.Waiting for they don't know what." "Those characters you're feeling sorry for are so full of hate they'd lynch us if they get their hands on us." "I know." "I've forgotten how easy hate comes about." "People hate because fear, and they fear anything they can't understand." "Which is almost everything." "You're not terribly fond of people, are you?" "Right now, I could take 'em or leave 'em." "John" "I'm still listening." "I wish there was some way we could find out what's happening with the others." "Are you starting that again?" "Just wish we knew." "But we don't.." "We can't." "Let's hope we won't." "We who are supposed to have the finest scientific minds in the world cannot open one small box." "Sir, it resists every test known to modern science." "You've heard the news from our English friends?" "They believe it is a weapon" "There's no indication that..." "I am indicating the danger of other nations discovering the answer before we do." "I trust this danger is obvious." "We shall continue our efforts." "Thank you, gentlemen." " Well?" " Nothing, sir." "You think he's lying?" "No." "He's not clever enough to have thought out a story as incredible as the one he tells." "There's something he's not telling me." "Exactly." "But we've been over the story a hundred times." "It's taken tremendous courage for him to go on like this." "Even torture cannot break him." "He must be broken" "He insists that the contents of the box will be useless if he dies." "He's right." "The Chinese girl." "The capsules disintegrated with her death." "You must find a way to make Godofsky talk." "Yes, sir." "Oh, and Gregor" "Yes, sir?" "How difficult do you think it will be to get to Bechner?" "I'll find out, sir." "You liar." "You filthy, traitorous liar." "It was a weapon." "And you pretended that you didn't know." "Look," "America reveals space box weapon." "American warmongers are screaming that knowledge of the alien weapon makes them undisputed rulers of the world." "Ivan Godofsky who refused his country information which might have protected it against the American threats, will go down as the greatest traitor this country has ever known." "You must tell me the truth." "Tell me the truth, Ivan!" "What is it?" "Shock." "You've pushed him too far." " How long?" " There's no way of telling." "Professor, I wonder if you fully understand the concern that has ripped the world?" "It is because of that concern that they must withhold my information." "The White House feels that you should give us some idea of the alien's mission." "Don't you see that by remaining silent, you create even more apprehension?" "I see it, Mr. Ingram." "But unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about it." "I have no choice but to trust your judgment, Professor." "However, there are a few questions I must ask." "I hope you'll at least try to answer them." "I will if I can." "Does the alien in any way constitute a menace to our society?" "I have already said that their ethic does not permit them to harm any form of intelligent life." "Is this box or its contents dangerous to our security?" "The box and the contents cannot in themselves be harmful to anyone" "You must realize, Professor that there is at least one and probably two of these boxes behind the iron Curtain." "Yes." "Yes." "Doctor Neuhaus." "We've given the box every test you can think of.Without success." "It can't even be snatched, let alone opened." "We keep on trying, but my personal opinion is you get nowhere." "What is your opinion, professor?" "I'm sure that if the world's foremost atomic scientists has been unsuccessful," "There is no physical force which will be more effective than those already been tried." " However..." " Yes?" "Mr. Ingram, the capsules are a mystery to me, too." "But I have a feeling about them." "Something that the aliens said." "And that I can't quite isolate" "If you'd only permit me to examine them." "Under the circumstances, professor, that's out of the question." "I'm sure you understand." "Yes." "Thank you, professor Goodbye, Karl" "Professor, I do hope when all this is over" "We will have an opportunity to talk." "I will be most grateful for your views on several ideas of mine." "And I, Dr,would like to have your views on almost everything." "Thank you." "You did say, didn't you?" "That there was no physical force capable of opening the box?" "I did." "But mind you, doctor, it's only an old man's opinion." "Goodbye, professor." "Time for your medicine, professor" "Ah, chocolate!" "What time is it?" "A quarter to eleven." "Planning on going somewhere?" "No." "I just wondered if we couldn't get some news." "We haven't heard anything about" "Professor Bechner for two days." "If he'd have told them anything, we'd have heard." "How long are going to stay here just hiding like hunted animals?" "Look, I'm no Boy Scout doing this for kicks." "You don't think I like hiding, do you?" "Funny thing, here I am, a newspaper man sitting on the best story of my life and I can't do anything about it." "Then why do we stay here?" "Maybe for the first time in my life I think enough about the next guy to do the right thing by it." "Maybe you're wrong." "Why don't you just keep doing what you're doing and don't try to judge me." " I'm not interested in your opinion." " Well, I have a right to them!" "I don't think you do." "As far as I'm concerned, you lost your rights when you threw those capsules away." "I'm sorry." "Men commit a variety of crimes, and they always seem to have the same excuse." "We've been here ten days and we manage to disagree on ever one of them.." "It's normal" "Take two strangers and put them in closed quarters have them clean, cook, talk... actually we had all the disadvantages of a marriage without any of the advantages." " Jonathan Clark!" " But it's true.." "It's time I went to bed." "Sleep well." "Jonathan?" "Yeah?" "Were you in the last war?" "Were you a determined soldier?" "What do you mean?" "I mean if you had an objective to take" "Were you always successful?" "That's nice." "What'd you say?" "I said 'good night'." " Good evening" " Good evening." "I'm Dr.Stephen Maiser." "O Dr.Hawkins and I have been asked to examine professor Bechner" "Sorry, doctor." "We got orders no one is to see Professor Beckman" "I think this will supersede any previous orders." "This is Kelly." "Give me a check on a license in New York." "5" " F-9836" "I guess I can't argue with this." "Go ahead, Doctor." "Thank you." " Who was that just went in?" " Dr.Stephen Maiser." "Maisner?" "Maisner is home is bed, Come on!" "I do not have it, I tell you they took it away from me." "Looking for the box, professor?" "I don't know where the box is." "You must believe me." " You two alright?" " Yes, but who are they?" "I think we can both make a pretty good guess." "Bechner was unharmed and is now resting comfortably." "The official bulletin said merely that two unidentified men were shot and killed last night." "In an attempt on Professor Bechner's life." "But it is widely assumed that the two would-be assassins." "Were foreign agents attempting to recover the mysterious box." "Believed to be given Bechner while on the alien spaceship." "The search for Jonathan Clark still goes on, without success." "The federal authorities are repeating their warnings." "People are not to take the law into their own hands." "In the past 48 hours," "One man answering the description of Jonathan Clark has already been killed." "Remember, Clark is only in condemn for refusal to obey a congressional summons to surrender to the authorities." "You're no more to blame for the panic in the world than any of the rest of us.." "We all avoided our responsibility by running away from it." "Do you think maybe a man could be so pigheaded wrong he can't see the truth even when it's spelled out for him?" "I wouldn't have much respect for a man who wasn't pigheaded.When he was sure he was right." " A man like that could be dangerous." " Maybe." "When the alien first gave us these capsules," "I thought the whole thing was preposterous." "It seemed pretty obvious that all we had to do was keep them hidden till the 27 days were up." "Even the Chinese girl and Ivan, devem would have seen that." "It was all too easy." "It would have been alright if the alien hadn't made the broadcast." "Yeah." "But he did." "And now we're being hunted like animals." "They tried to kill Professor Bechner and" "I hate to think what may be happening to Ivan and the Chinese girl." "Do you think if Ivan talked his government would use the weapon?" "They might." "They've been racing to see who could discover the most powerful weapon of war." "Compared to this, the Hydrogen Bomb is a toy." "Now both nations have the ultimate weapon." "I try to stay out of it by hiding." "Are you thinking of giving yourself up?" "I don't know what to think anymore." "If I come in on my own accord, I might be able to stop some of the panic." "I thought you told me that the world was built on self preservation." "And the most important thing in life was to look out for number one." "A lot of my convictions are beginning to wear pretty thin the last few days." "For instance, I had a very strong conviction that there was no woman alive that could make me fall in love." "What did you say?" "It's a miserable way to find out, isn't it?" "It's a miserable way to say it." "Maybe someday I can say it better." "You're sure it isn't just all this?" "I'm sure." "There's so little time." "Only a few days." "Maybe even less." "I know." "You know, it's not going to be so easy to give ourselves in." "You just can't walk in the town and say:" "" Here we are."" "What about the guard?" "No." "When we give ourselves up, I want a lot of authority around." "Come on." "Good morning." "I'm Jonathan Clark." " His mind will clear?" " For a time." "To administer pentathol after only five days... you can question him, sir." "But you understand his condition." "Ivan, there is no need to be frightened." "I know now you wanted only to protect us from the horrors of war." "Is that not so?" "Yet you have failed." "The imperialist nations have pooled the alien's weapons." "We find ourselves defenseless, unless..." "You can help us, Ivan" "You and you alone can save your people." "From destruction." "Your father gave his life in the defense of his country." "I have here a letter from your mother." "She wants you to ensure that your father's life was not given in vain." "Help us, Ivan." "If you should have a relapse, we will be at the mercy of our enemies." "I'll tell you everything." "But we can't just sit here and do nothing." "Now that we know that Ivan has put the weapon in the hands of his government are you proposing that we use ours?" "That would be the first step in fulfilling the alien's plan." "All this nonsense about their high morality!" "Let's double talk!" "They give us a weapon and they expect us to use it." "And yet they give the impression that they hope we won't!" "Morality!" "Like they're so full of morals and loving kindness?" "How come they just had happen to have 15 nice, shiny human exterminators lying around?" "I don't think you're being fair to the aliens." "Fair?" "!" "They could have simply used their capsules and taken our planet." "Jonathan imagine what we must look like in their eyes." "Since the first men hit one another with clubs the human race has spent more time destroying itself than in any other endeavor." "But the aliens are not trying to judge us." "They have merely intensified our choice." "A choice that has faced us since the first atomic bomb." "With them it's not so much a choice, is it?" "It is an ultimatum." "I think we are all missing a significant point." "What's that, professor?" "If we were a stable and mature people, this would be almost nothing," "The alien would have presented us with the capsules" "And we, upon returning to earth would have promptly tossed them into the nearest sewer or the nearest ocean." "Instead, we returned to earth terrified." "Why?" "because we knew that the human race could not be trusted to handle these bombs, anymore than an undisciplined child would be trusted with the high powered rifle." "That still doesn't help us to know what to do." "If only they'd let me work on the capsules." "But they are even afraid of me." "Do you have an idea?" "I do not intend to know how the capsules operate, but if only I could get my hands on one of them, then perhaps..." "Perhaps what?" "It's just a feeling that I may know something." "Or I ought to know it." "Would you come with me, please." "We're wanted at the Pentagon." "Our government is seriously concerned." "That other powers have succeeded where we have failed." "We were hoping now that there seems to be no further need for concealment, that one of you might enlighten us." " Amazing" " You said it couldn't open." "No physical force on earth could have opened this particular box." "Only my mental projection." "By the same token, no one but Ivan Godofsky could have opened his box." "They are keyed to the electrical impulses of their possessors." " Then the story is true." " It is true." "Agreed. but what about their claim?" "That their capsules have destructive powers within a radius of 1,500 miles" "Three capsules, then, would be able to destroy every vestige of human life" "From the North American continent, from Panama to Hudson Bay." "Can you believe that?" "Believe that such energy is contained in a cylinder?" "Smaller than a cap of my fountain pen?" "A cylinder that will understand instructions like a robot?" "I cannot." "Then why should the alien give it to us in the first place?" "What better way to start a war here in the earth then to place these boxes in our hands and let us believe they will do everything the alien says they do?" "If you are right, Doctor Neuhaus, it's almost too clever." "The only way we can check the truth of the alien's words," "Is to test one of the bombs." "And of course that is out of the question." "I'm not so sure." "There is an are of more than 3,000 miles diameter off the east coast of South America." "The test could be conducted at sea." "You forget, Admiral, this test requires a human life?" "We cannot put a human being within the area when we have every reason to believe that that his life might be the price of our mistake." "Gentlemen, much of our concern may be unnecessary." "Remember, there are still 12 days." "If I could have the capsules long enough to examine them, study them thoroughly perhaps there's another way." "That decision I cannot make." "However, I suggest we adjourn for the present." "You will be notified of a future meeting." "Gentlemen, I am prepared to destroy all life on the North American continent." "If the Americans do not withdraw from Europe and Asia." "And confine themselves to the continental United States." "Sir, this will mean a war that would finish us as well as them." "There will be no war, Marshall." "If I launch these three capsules they will not have one single person left alive to give orders." "And not to carry them out." "Where is your war then, Marshall?" "But if they strike first?" "The lessons of history have been wasted on you, Marshall?" "Democracies are appeasers." "And the Americans in particular cannot be provoked into a war." "They must be bombed into it." "They will do something, sir." "Of course." "They will threaten and bluster-and make angry speeches." "And they will end doing just as we ask." "I shall read to you the ultimatum." "Which is already been delivered to the United States." "" Demand is hereby made for the immediate withdrawal of all American forces and civilians on land, sea and air." "To within the limits of continental United States." "...on pain of total war." "Such withdrawal is to begin within 48 hours of the moment this document is placed in the hands of the government of the United States." "This is not their people speaking, it is one man." "We can't accept it." "If we pull everything back home we pile our potential where he can destroy us with a single blow." "If we can start the evacuation within the time limit," "Seeming to be complying with their demands" "They might not use the weapons until it was too late." "But what about my suggestion?" "If the boxes do not actually contain weapons," "We're giving up the world for nothing." "If you would only permit me to examine the capsules" " I have an idea that..." " I'm sorry, professor." "Approval has been given to your suggestion, Admiral, and the test site." "Most of the equipment is readily available." "If we flew out of here tonight," "We could start the test by the day after tomorrow." "We still have the problem of a test subject." "So as not to alarm the public, the test must be conducted in absolute secrecy." "For this reason and even more compelling moral ones, we cannot use condemned criminals." "Or even ask for volunteers." "I must admit to be..." "Gentlemen, I'm your test subject." "As soon as I heard of the ultimatum," "I subjected myself to a fatal overdose of Gama radiation." "You can check my statement with the radiation counter, if you wish." "But Dr. Neuhaus!" "I realized that you would not accept me if I volunteered." "So I decided to place you in a position where you could not refuse." "You see, although I was born in Germany." "I reside in Missouri I have to be shown." "Karl, we forfeit you the life such as yours." "I was never totally sure if this would be successful. but if it is, then what is one life against millions?" " Stop all engines." " Aye, aye, sir." " All engine stopped, sir." " Aye." " Ship's on station, Admiral." " Thank you, captain." "This is the limit of the radiation radius." "Dr. Neuhaus is here, just within the limit." "Our position is here, one mile outside the radius." "Sir, he's coming through." "Professor, it's time." "Don't open." "I know what it is, Jonathan." "I don't really want the box to open." "Radiation poisoning is a terrible way to die." "I can't." "I can't do it." "Latitude: 71 degrees, 25 minutes, 13 seconds south." "Longitude:" "150 degrees- 14 minutes" "18 seconds east" "At midnight tonight the 27 days will be over." " We've almost won." " No, thank you." "Or we are on the verge of annihilation." "If you were to launch the bombs against someone when would you do it?" "At the last possible moment, so that your enemies have no chance of striking back." "Exactly." "It is my firm conviction that unless something happens to prevent it," "The weapons behind the iron Curtain will be launched." "It is a question of life or death." "No..." "Not life or death life and death." "What do you mean?" "I think I have the answer." " What is it, Klaus?" " Jonathan, I must have your capsules" " What for?" " I need a complete set." "There's some message on them, it's in a mathematical code." "Jonathan, you simply must let me have yours." "Klaus, I don't think I can do that." "But you must." "Don't you understand?" "The alien has put some kind of message on them." "I think I know what it may be but I cannot be sure without the third." "Please, have the box brought here, and then decide." "Admiral, will you please have the capsules sent here?" "Captain." "You see." "The etchings" "I transferred them to clay." "I made release from the two that were left." "But the message is incomplete." "And these hieroglyphics really mean something?" "They are mathematical symbols." "Some of which I had never encountered before." "But in mathematics, there is always a solution." "Eventually I am sure I will be able to decipher them." "Jonathan, there are only five hours left." "And now I must be left alone." "Please." "Clark, I hope you know what you're doing." "Yeah, I hope so, too." "I just can't get over the feeling that this whole thing is unreal." "Kind of hideous joke." "Dr. Neuhaus' death, the spaceship,the alien." "Two weeks of housekeeping an attack room." "I know." "And now this aimless cruising around in the middle of nowhere." "And the world goes to pieces." " All seems so hopeless." " It's supposed to have a purpose." "If Ivan were to launch these capsules and we're all in Washington" "There would be no way of striking back." "Maybe it is kind of weird justice in all of this." "How do you mean?" "Maybe the heavens have had enough of us maybe" "Maybe they have decided we don't deserve what we got." "Maybe people really aren't worth saving." "I don't know,there are a lot of nice ones" "These are our targets." "Two minutes." "Everything is prepared." "Our troops will move the moment the third capsule is released." "Soon, the world will be ours." "Latitude:" "29 degrees 45 minutes, 26 seconds, north" "Longitude:" "95 degrees 21 minutes" "You fools, don't shoot!" "If he dies, the capsules are useless." "Look after him." "Latitude: 45 degrees, 4 minutes, 23 seconds, north." "Listen." "12 minutes, 12 seconds, east." "Professor,stop!" "Professor Bechner!" " Latched from the inside." " Professor Bechner!" "Latitude: 65 degrees, 45 minutes, 18 seconds, north." "Longitude: 37 degrees, 37 minutes, 14 seconds, east." "Professor, halt!" "Stop!" "Professor Bechner!" "Professor, halt, stop!" "Professor Bechner!" "Professor" "Where are the capsules?" "Actually, Klaus, where are they?" "I've launched them." "And blanketed the world." "Then the capsules didn't work." "Of course, if they had we'd all be dead by now." "I think they worked." "I think they worked very well." "Ladies and gentlemen, here it is:" "the bulletin we've been waiting for." "Scientists believes we have been bombarded by invisible rays from outer space." "Reports pouring in from all over the globe confirm sudden and unexplainable deaths." "All the cases have shown the same symptoms." "All heard a high pitched almost supersonic noise." "Accompanied by acute agony, and severe shock, and followed by death." "I know it's unbelievable, fantastic." "But the rays appeared to have killed every person throughout the world." "Known to have been a confirmed enemy of human freedom" "Yes, the entire world is now united in a spiritual unity." "Unparallelled in its history." "There are those who might say it can't last." "But let us pray it does." "Thank God." "Unlike you, Jonathan," "I never believed that the alien was acting in bad faith." "What gave you the idea the capsules could be altered?" "Yesterday morning in my excitement," "I used the phrase life or death remember?" "We both thought you've gone a little crazy." "Aboard the spaceship, the alien said:" "You hold in your hands the power of life and death." "He might have meant that the capsules could bring us life, as well as death." "And on evidence like that you launched the capsule?" "Yes." "You see, almost every form of energy fire, electricity, nuclear fusion has two diametrically opposed uses." "As an asset for peace or a weapon of war." "For good or for evil." "The capsules follow the pattern." "They had to." "The alien was incapable of giving us a weapon only for destruction." "I suppose we should be happy." "But I can't help thinking what victory for us means in terms of the alien." "Yes, I cannot imagine a greater tragedy." "Not only for them but for us." "Why for us?" "We made contact with the stars." "How many years may pass by before this can happen again?" "Think of all the knowledge they could give us." "But must we lose it?" "We have vast uninhabited areas." "Jungles, deserts, polar caps." " We can't use them but maybe they can." " But there's no time." "There are still 8 days." "Klaus, as long as this feeling lasts on Earth" "There are no boundaries between nations." "No fear, no suspicion." "Perhaps yes, perhaps it could be done." " Admiral" " Excuse me" "Thank you, Captain." "The captain has orders to rendezvous with the carrier." "You:" "Miss Wingate, Mr.Clark, will be flown to Washington immediately." "Ladies and gentlemen." "I need not remind any of you that for the past 24 hours we have been broadcasting our invitation to the alien." "Over all available wavelengths." "In hope that every human being within reach of a radio receiver may hear his reply." "If we succeed in contacting him we have asked that he answer our invitation at midnight." "As of five minutes ago," "Every radio and television broadcasts has went off the air to ensure clear reception." "Since Professor Klaus Bechner has been almost the sole instrument I bringing us together here in complete harmony for the first time in history, it is only just that he should extend the final invitation." "Professor Klaus Bechner." "Go ahead, professor." "People from space, this is Earth" "The people of Earth calling." "We offer you our hospitality and our sanctuary for as long as you may need it." "We offer you trust and hope now and in the future." "This invitation comes from every nation." "And every race on the planet Earth." "If you hear us," "We ask you to reply in fifteen seconds." "People of Earth we accept your invitation." "We come in gratitude and love." "We bring you greetings from 30.000 intelligent worlds to tell you they're waiting to greet you among the stars."