"Unexpected Encounters" "In the near future, explorers will discovered the desolate planet "Archa."" "And determined that it could be made suitable for colonization." "You know, I have a strange feeling." "You feel lonely here, am I right?" "You have to stick it out." "Yes, of course." " I must." "Captain." " Yes" "It looks so much like Earth -- problem is it isn't." "Makes you feel cheated;" "but you have to get used to it." "Am I right, Majka?" "Well, if this is supposed to be a second home for mankind...." "Are you ready?" "We can take off." "Try to maintain contact with us." "Return at 18:00 local time." "Don't hang out outside too much." "Stay inside." "Easier on your nerves." "What's going on?" "All is well." "Do you have new orders?" "Follow the program." "Tom, what is going on?" "We are following the program." "Do you have new orders?" "You've over-exerted yourself, old man." "I'll have to service you soon." "Twelve of our ships have been on the planet Archa for three days." "Three million inhabitants of Earth are anxiously... awaiting their departure to a new homeland." "Twelve expeditions are working hard to prepare basic conditions... for the arrival of the first people." "Which is why we have as our guest in our studio, Dr. Klause." " Hello." " Hello." "Tom, why have you again stopped working?" "All is well." "We are following the program." "This is Archa " " South." "Hi, Vadim." "I'm having problems with the robots, they're behaving strangely." "It's almost like a mutiny." "Have you checked the program?" "Yeah, twice." "Hmm, that's odd." "Are you going to contact the base?" "I would prefer not to." "I don't want to be seen having problems on my first day." "You should go through the program again." "What else -- anything new in the North?" "Nothing new here." "The lizards died up here." "Not a single animal survived." "It's too hot here." "Do you go swimming?" "Sometimes." "It feels so desolate and empty here." "It's like a huge bathtub." "Understand?" "Like an ocean without a single living creature in it." "So that means it's exactly the same where you are." "I'll call you later." "Hi, Stas, how are you?" "What?" "I heard you have some problems?" "Oh no, only a fly's buzzing here." "A fly?" "What would a fly be doing there?" "Excuse me." "I'm busy." "No more going AWOL." "I'll fix you up." "Make a suitable person out of you." "Alex!" "Where are you?" "Alex, it hurts!" "What happened?" "Somebody's here!" "Somebody's here!" "They're dragging us!" "They're dragging us!" "Tom, what kind of stones are those?" "Why did you bring them here?" "Where'd you get them?" "We found something:" "remnants of some object." "There's an entrance there." "The radiation is within limits." "Going in." "Oh!" "Why didn't you respond to our radio calls, Stanislav?" "What happened?" "We found a crashed spaceship." "Here?" "Ours?" "Yes, from Earth." " Are there bodies?" " Two." "Who are they?" "We don't know yet." "It's an older ship." "It crashed many years ago." "I've never liked this planet." "I don't think it's appropriate to send a message to Earth yet." "The planet is neither dangerous nor biologically active, it isn't necessary to inform base yet." "I wouldn't be so sure." "I have to find out what kind of spaceship it was." "But Jakob, don't you understand that on Earth... they'll convene a committee?" "And we'll be working under an audience of curious loafers." "How will you like it when a group of nosey people arrives here?" "You don't want spies and onlookers to come here?" "Exactly right." "Is that the only reason?" "The main thing is to have a completed report, and deal with the remains somehow." " Please dispatch this immediately." " Ok." "Two bodies were found in a spaceship of the old Pelican type." "It was one man and one woman." "A detailed report..." " the woman!" "Tell me, Stanislav." "When you're alone, do you leave the ship to go anywhere?" "I mean to the swamps,..." "To the lake?" "To the volcanoes?" "No, I have more than enough to do." "Okay." "And the robots." "Do they go anywhere?" " The robots?" "Not too far." " Not too far?" "No." "Well." "Don't misunderstood me..." "I don't want to meddle, but I have some doubts." "I think that you could help me with them." "Have you noticed anything..." "strange here?" "Hmm, anything happening here..." "That I should know about?" "Stanislav?" "No." "I saw these strange branches yesterday, on the landing area." "Show me." "Oh, you noticed them as well?" "This is odd:" "some are broken." "And they seem to be fresh breaks." "It's hard to believe she'd live with fractures like this." "She even tried to leave the ship." "Almost made it to the exit." "The pilot died right after the crash." "He managed to destroy all the data." "But why did he do that?" "You'd only do that if the planet was inhabited by sentient beings." "Whether they were human or not." "But there's nobody here, is there?" "Jakob, logic says their ship couldn't have collided with a meteorite." "You're not a pilot, are you?" "The Pelican's automatic system should have easily avoided... any collision with a meteorite." "It must've struck something completely unpredictable." "Okay." "So that's our working hypothesis." "Let's move on to the next point." "I suggest the following wording :" "The death of the ship's crew occurred... after an unsuccessful attempt to land;" "the position of the corpses indicates that the man died before the woman but he managed to delete the records." "The woman lived for a little while longer, she tried to leave the spaceship... but she died by the exit." " with bones so broken she couldn't have moved without assistance." "She simply couldn't crawl out." "But she did!" "Listen, Jakob," "No one can say what a human being is capable in extreme situations." "Especially a woman." "Okay, but why did the pilot delete all board records?" "He must've had a serious reason;" "something that terrified him." "It was an accident." "No, I don't think so." "Kam is hiding something." "That's why he pretends everything's so clear to him." "In fact, nothing is clear." "In fact, it's very strange." " What's strange?" " Everything, this entire barren world." "That ship didn't end up here by accident." "Nor did we." "Nor did we find it by accident." "Anyway, we will not accomplish anything here." "Nothing." "There was life here once." "Then suddenly it wasn't." "Everything's soaked with ancient death." "Understand?" "The smell of death." "Even worse -- the smell of past life." "No, people will never get used to this planet." "They'll find no happiness here." "But there are excellent parameters for life here..." "The environment, atmosphere..." "Parameters, they're good," "But can you see this as a new home for mankind?" "No, this is no new home, this is an old castle..." "haunted by ghosts." "Jakob, if I had your beard..." "I would definitely have a different view of the world." "At least 10 or 15 years must have passed since the crash." "Look at the erosion." "No, people will never get used to this planet." "They'll find no happiness here." "At least 10 or 15 years must have passed since the crash." "Look at the erosion." "Yes?" "Ah, it' s you." "Were you outside?" "And what about you?" "How was your walk?" "I have a pile of work to do." "Your hair is wet." "You showered?" "You didn't go outside with Jakob?" "No." "No?" "Really?" "Jakob." "We need to talk." "Okay, After breakfast, okay?" "... I don't think the Commander is in a good mood  I did remember he tends to have irregular moods..." "He's here." "He's here." "Stop it!" "Let him go!" "What are the orders?" "Come back!" "When the ghost appeared to me one night..." "I told myself I was fit for a mental institution." "I went through my own hell, too." "I knew something was happening here." "The first night, I was reading, and all of sudden," "I heard strange sounds." "And then in the following days we made other discoveries... completely irrational ones." "For example, how did our fish get out on the ground, so far from the lake?" "Those pulled branches in the landing area, and the strange stones?" "And your depressed moods, Stanislav, and why you were wearing headphones, all confirmed a theory that there are unidentified beings on the planet;" "beings that are able to make sounds;" "able to enter our spaceship." "Beings with anatomy very similar to people." "And what else?" "The safety shield opens for them;" "it reacts to human beings only, and won't let any other creature through." "And what about the voices you heard?" "Sounds of a woman weeping?" "Yes, it's strange." "It seems they witnessed the crash of the spaceship... and that they witnessed the dying woman's agaony.... and even recorded it ... in some strange way." "They run around without pants, but have technology?" "Come on, do you have a better explanation?" "So much for the relocation of mankind." "We have to stop all work immediately." "This planet is taken, we have to look for another one." "I agree that relocation here is out of question." "But we cannot leave." "A great opportunity has presented itself." "An opportunity to establish contact." "Their visit, imitation of our voices, all this can be considered... as their attempt to communicate with us." "If we prove that they are thinking beings, the base will order us to leave immediately." "And instead of us, a contact committee will arrive." "That won't be necessary, because a member of the contact committee is already here." "Jakob, As regulations dictate." "I am taking command." "So, my friends... stop all work immediately..." "No one leaves the ship..." "Demobilize the robots engage all security systems." "We aren't going anywhere, we are going to... attempt contact ourselves." "We confirm your area as a zone of possible contact." "Dr. Kam is now in command." "All other ships are ordered to leave immediately." "How is all this possible?" "The explorers before us did thorough research, how come they found nothing?" "Where do they live, and how do they live, really?" "They may be hiding in the craters or, for all I know,... in underground caves." "You see, I don't share your certainty that our presence will make everybody happy, every civilization." "Why has man sought contact for over two hundred years?" "What's in it for us?" "Well, that is quite clear - knowledge, discernment." "But why not focus this discernment on ourselves?" "We mostly care about ourselves." "We just want to see ourselves from the outside, through the eyes of complete strangers." "We're trying to find out who we are." "Because if we try from the outside, we can only fail." "It's like trying to lift ourselves by our hair." " No, that's okay, I'll stand." " What do you think about this?" "I don't know who first discovered water, but it definitely wasn't the fish." "That's right." "The Pelican spaceship that you found, registration number ADL 27, was launched on January '30 to explore Zone C." "The ship reported itself for the last time..." "May 6, '34 from the Shadow area." "The crew:" "Alexander Senc, Marie Luisa Senc; and since April 21, '33... a passenger named Robert Senc." "Well, then..." "He's no Native." "He's a man." "Do you understand?" "He's their son." "Robert Senc, ladies and gentlemen, is their son." "Come to terms with it, we can't waste any time now." "Oh, so they had a child together." "I wondered where they picked up a passenger, one with the same last name." "But how could he survive?" "This is unbelievable, how could a one year-old child survive?" "Okay, so one more time." "Senc destroyed all on-board records." "That means he saw somebody." "Somebody must be here." "Yes, that's why the boy survived!" "They saved him!" "But if this is so, this means the boy is human... and not human at the same time!" "Something of a cosmic Mowgli." "Do you know that I knew them?" "They were odd people, they lived like hermits." "I've never been in favor of freelance cosmic exploration." "People wandering around in space, it can be dangerous." "Scientific benefits are negligible." "Alex and Mary... found nothing in the universe, nothing at all except for death." "But they were happy." "Why do you think so?" "Because otherwise they would have returned." "Does it make sense to seek anything other than happiness?" "He who is truly happy... would no longer be seeking." " I see him!" " Where?" "He's coming to the ship, from the lake." "Please display the area in detail." "I can't see him." "So this is the fruit of their love." "Why aren't you saying anything, Jakob?" "Jakob, why aren't you saying anything, do you hear me?" " Yes, I do." " What happened?" "He spoke - he spoke to us!" "If I had your beard, Jakob," "I would definitely have a different attitude to life." "What's going on, Jakob?" "Nothing unusual, Evzen, a misunderstanding." "The subject imitates our voices." "Welcome." "You have an hour with him." "Yes, this is my voice." "I." "I." "They are human in the highest sense of the word because they saved the life of a human child." "And they are geniuses, because they brought him up in such a way that he resembles a human being." "And even though they have no concept of hands or feet." " Stas, look!" " What is it?" "Distance of 14 kilometers, height of 600 meters." "Go to your station." "Don't do anything on your own." "They are watching both us and the boy." "They want to make sure we won't harm him." "It doesn't look like they will attack first." "Again." "Go and check it out." "Yes, the antennas are strange." "I got the chills." "It's strange, but nothing can surprise me any more." "I'll tell you two important facts:" "Robby has learned to speak fluently and he understands practically everything." "Earlier when he spoke he couldn't understand what he was saying." "He learned to speak in four hours?" "Right." "And second, Robby believes he's alone on the planet." "What do you mean, alone?" "Well, he simply believes... that there is nobody else on this planet except for him." "And the best for last... he's coming for an official visit tomorrow." "Okay, my friends, I repeat: no emotions." "We have to be friendly, but completely calm." "I believe a woman's presence is inadvisable for the first meeting." "Majka, I am afraid you must leave." "So, everything is clear then." "Phenomenal." "What is it?" "Monitors." "Yes, everything is in motion while there's nothing there." "Images." "This is food." "Is food visible?" "Food is eaten?" "Is this food?" "It is not like food." "A mystery!" " It is not like what?" " Food." "Go ahead, have some." "Ah, I understand now -- it is your food." "Look how it is done." "No!" "That isn't allowed, that will be bad." "Give it a try, come on." "Okay, I guess not, you're right." "What are we going to do?" "Cricket by the fireplace." "You better tell me again..." "When you plan on leaving?" "When we have learned everything about you." "Then we will leave, if you want us to." "You know everything about me, absolutely everything." "You know how I came to be." "But I don't know how you lived here before my arrival." "Okay, you can ask me questions, but ask quickly." "Why'd you hide for such a long time?" "Little Red Riding Hood." "There were people here before you." "It made me sick." "I didn't want them to see me, but knew they'd come again." "Four people is a lot." "One is too." "But better than four." "Little Red Riding Hood." "That's how it was." "How'd you know we were people and that people would come again?" "I thought about it." "Maybe somebody told you?" "Who?" "Stones, sun, bushes?" "I am alone here." "Nobody talks to me... and I'll feel good when people leave." "People will not harm anyone." "People want everybody to be well." "That's why they must leave, so all will be well." "Phenomenal." "I've always wanted to know why there is long hair on the cheeks." "I don't know, my boy, how to answer this." "It's nice, I like it, what do you think?" "Pretty bells." "Why on the cheeks and not on the nose?" "It wouldn't look very nice on noses and it'd be in the way." "It must be in the way going through buses." "It must get hung up." "You know, I don't walk through bushes very often." "Don't walk through bushes, it will hurt you." "Nutcracker." "Cricket by the fireplace." "And you?" "What about me?" "I came to you at night once." "I wanted to talk." "Mystery." "You didn't talk." "I have a question: it is big and it digs in the earth." "What is it?" "The robots." "The robots." "Are they alive, too?" "No, they are machines." "We made them and they obey us." "Phenomenal." "Could I control them as well?" "You already have, when you kept jumping in front of them." "the bigger one (his name is Tom) kept stopping and asking you questions." "Phenomenal!" "That is a phenomenal game!" "Why do you wrap yourself up?" " What?" " Clothing." "What for?" "So that we aren't cold." "So that we look nice." "And you don't look nice without clothes?" "Well, it depends." " Do all people wear clothes?" " Yes, all." "But there are many people." "How many?" "You know what?" "Come here." "Wait." "Give me your hand." "That's one, and now the other." "There are fifteen billion people." "Fifteen billion and all wear clothes?" "Nutcracker." "What does it mean, Nutcracker?" "I don't know, it is just a word, it is pleasant to pronounce it." "Little Red Riding Hood." "Nutcracker." "Where do you know them from?" "I remember them." "Two big, kind people." "Much bigger than you." "Little Red Riding Hood." "Nutcracker." "Cricket by the fireplace." "Mary, the Cricket is hungry!" "Robby!" "Robby!" "And you remember it all?" "Sure." "Don't you remember everything?" "No." "That must be because you think differently than I do." "But explain to me now what is up there." "Stars, you said yesterday." "What are they, stars?" "Why does water fall from above?" "Why can an eye see?" "There are so many questions, and so few answers." "Answer quickly, I am beginning to feel sick." " So?" " What do you mean, so?" "What do you think?" "Don't you feel sorry for him?" "No, why?" "It makes me sick how Kam is treating him." "He doesn't care about him at all!" "But Kam needs to establish contact." "And it won't be possible without Robby." "Emotions are useless in this case;" "he doesn't feel any love towards us either." "You know, I imagined the entire contact business quite differently." "More cordial." "When in fact, it's quite sad, like the intimacy of two people." "What's sad about it?" "A contact is the middle point of two cultures;" "you don't have to mourn because of it, hmm?" "You're boring and stiff." "All you do is write programs." "You only see the human part of him." "What's human about him?" "Only the source material." "Even the fact that he speaks so well is not human." "He isn't human, and everything human is only to his disadvantage now." "No!" "No!" "No!" "Look, Robby is coming back." "Evzen, Robby is coming near the ship." "Excellent." "Jakob, Majka, go to the lounge." "Stanislav, stay at the monitors." "Come on, go take a closer look, you pain." "Come on." "Mama." "Mama." "Why am I so interested in everything?" "Why do I keep asking new questions?" "The answer comes sometimes." "That is a joy." "Sometimes, too many answers." "I have to choose, that is not a joy." "Sometimes, there are no answers." "That's a mystery." "I'll answer your questions only when I have learned everything about you." "Well, ask your questions then." "Learn quickly." "I'll tell you everything." "There was a spaceship." "It was bigger than yours, but changed since then." "There were big, yes, and human." "I was comfortable with them." "Nutcracker, you have wet yourself again." "Mary," "If my calculations were correct." "We're approaching a planet." "I am going to get Robby!" "Mary, don't be afraid." "Automation is working, I can maneuver." "I can land." "Alex!" "Where are you?" "Alex, it hurts!" "What happened?" "Robby, don't be afraid, my darling." "There is somebody here!" "Somebody is dragging us!" "That's how it happened." "It took a long time." "I got tired of crying." "I fell asleep and when I woke up, I was cold and hungry." "I wanted food and warmth so strongly that my wish came true." "And did they feed you and warm you up?" "What I wanted happened." "Since then everything that I wanted happened." "Until the first spaceship with people landed." "And where do you live?" "Where is your house?" "There, deep in the ground." "Is it nice inside?" "Awesome." "Joy." "Nutcracker." "It is the best in my house." "At least, it used to be, before people came." "Do you sleep there, too?" "Yes, I do everything there." "I eat there, I sleep there, I think there." "And now, have you learned everything about me?" "No." "You see, we lack common words." "You must have your own words." "Words?" "No." "Words only for people." "I just had an idea." "Invite me to your house, I'll look around and learn quickly." "Maybe I'll learn everything." "I thought about it, but I cannot." "When I want, I can do everything;" "but as far as humans are concerned, I can't do anything." "Humans, they are a problem." "I understand." "How about if I bring you with me, would you like me to go?" "Where?" "Well, to my place, on Earth." "But.... that is very far." "Yes, it's very far." "No, I cannot go far." "I cannot go far and I definitely cannot be too far away." "I learned this today, in the lake." "It was very frightening, but I knew I couldn't leave." "It felt almost like hunger, but it was much worse." "No, I cannot come with you." "What are they for, these twigs of yours?" "Mama." "Twigs." "Faces." "Hands." "Body." "Those are things to think about." "There are many things like that, but there are no words for them." "The things are where I live down there." "Okay then." "I see that you enjoy asking questions." "So ask me questions and I'll answer." "Why does a stone fall?" "What is hot water?" "Why are there ten fingers, but when I want to count, one finger is enough?" "There are many questions but I'll not ask any more because I am feeling sick." "You cannot come to me and I cannot come to you." "We lack common words." "That means that you cannot learn everything about me." "And that means that you cannot leave." "Please do think about what I should do." "And if you cannot think yourself, let your robots do the thinking." "Because I feel worse today than I felt yesterday;" "and yesterday I felt worse than the day before yesterday." "Evzen, I would like to point out that the green light did not come on during the entire conversation." "His reaction to your questions was acutely negative." "Yes, I noticed it myself." "We aren't communicating only with the boy." "We're communicating with his saviors at the same time." "Obviously, the Natives have formed between themselves and the boy's nervous system... some kind of a firm telepathic connection." "What else explains his ability to answer your questions?" "That his needs are being met?" "What explains his strong attachment to this place?" "I have to keep thinking about it." "We can't take the boy to Earth with us." "It'd be the end of him." "Robby's happy here, he doesn't know what suffering is." "It'd be cruel and dangerous to make a human out of him." "Understand?" "So, friends, we managed to discover a strange, completely unknown type of civilization , one that is capable of creating material phenomena, but doesn't want to make itself known." "This civilization modified the physiology of a human child." "It enhanced his brain capacity immeasurably." "If such enhancement of the human brain is possible, do you understand what it would mean for mankind?" "Who are the Natives, actually?" "I assume that they are... huge... super-organisms." "Since he was little, the boy thought them part of the environment." "However, a number of questions presents itself;" "Why did they save the boy?" "Why did they bring him up?" "Where do they know people from?" "They obviously know them well." "Why'd they allow the boy to be so human;" "and why, in spite of everything, refuse contact with humans?" "They want to have nothing to do with us." "They probably understand us better than we think." "We have to do everything to gain the boy's trust." "And more, he has to feel that he needs us." "He must become dependent on us to a certain degree." "Because he our only bridge to them." "But.... can we impose ourselves on them in this manner?" "Majka, Stanislav, now it's your turn, you must come up with something that would capture the boy's interest." "I don't like the plan." "We must not humanize the boy and tame him." "What gives us the right to do so?" "Excuse me, the right?" "What are you talking about?" "Science gives us the right." "And above all, it's my decision." "Any other questions?" "Robby!" "Robert!" "Robby!" "Robby...." "Oh gosh, you're as hot as an iron!" "Did he come up with anything?" "He keeps thinking." "It's a hard question." " Mama." " Yes, Little Bell?" "Say it one more time." "Yes, Little Bell." "Phenomenal." "Nutcracker." " I waited for you, Robby." " Why did you wait for me?" "What do you mean, why....." "we miss you." "We aren't ourselves without you, we aren't happy, do you understand?" " Are you unwell without me?" " Yes." "Phenomenal." "You are unwell without me and I am unwell with you." "A mystery." "But why a mystery?" "Now that we found each other, we can play together." "You like to play, but you always used to play alone." "And why do you wrap your feet?" "Because we would hurt them otherwise." "Hurt?" "And why do mine not hurt?" "Because you got used to it." "So why don't you get used to it, too?" "Is it hard to get used to something?" "Well, it depends." "It's hard to get used to pain, to suffering." "It frightens people." "See, people are afraid of pain." "It's hard to get used to it, yet they cause it to others." "To me." "But we don't want to cause you pain." "I know, I know." "You don't want to." "But people don't understand that they are reason for pain." "What else can people do?" "What do they do?" "How can I explain what people do?" "People sleep, take rest;" "people work, too." "Phenomenal!" "Phenomenal!" "I'm afraid Robby will think that all mankind is interested in cybernetics." "So much to do, and yet you came here." "Majka, please talk to me now." "For many years, humanity has been looking for another planet to turn it into a new Earth." "We need it very badly." "We have a bad environment, there are too many of us..." "Couldn't you make it sound a little more interesting?" "You won't find a more grateful listener anywhere on the Earth." "So you see, It's a big deal for us, but because your planet is already occupied, we will not move any people here." "You know what, Robby?" "Let's go and play." "You'll see people can be fun." "So what's your status, Evzen?" "Let's speak frankly, professor." "I want to use the boy for the needs of Earth." "That's why I am trying to awaken the human in him." "Yes, but the boy's entire subconscious... is saturated with the Natives' attitude towards us." "And they don't want us here." "His subconscious belongs to them, but his conscience will belong to us." "I need a couple of more days," "I'll use a method to... convince the boy that both cultures are equal partners, and that he, as a mediator, can benefit from both sides of his life." "We have to take risks." "We... are obliged to take risks." "I understand..." "But..." "There will be no contact with the Natives." "It's time to withdraw." "Why do you want to give up so quickly, professor?" "Because we're convinced that it is a xenophobic civilization." "That's why it closed itself off." "It seems only secluded." "Why would they save the boy then, why would they bring him up?" "If it is an ancient civilization, then saving the boy could have been instinctive only, and not a gesture towards contact." "The Native civilization is non-communicative." "And what's more, contact with us could harm it." "It could cause serious damage, Evzen." "This is not conjecture." "No, no." "These are facts." "We sent an expedition to explore the space around the arch." "They found it two hours ago -- an satellite system and remnants of an old defense system." "Do you understand?" "Senc was shot down!" "Shot down?" "Alexander destroyed his data when he realized that he was attacked." "How come we weren't attacked then?" "I don't know." "Who knows what happened on this planet in the past?" "Who did the old defense system belong to, and why did the civilization isolate itself and sterilize everything?" "That was lovely, I never knew it could be so lovely." "Are you tired?" "Oh, that's nothing, I'm fine now." "Why do you get tired?" "I never get tired, why is that?" "Why?" "There is still a lot I don't know about you." "It's speculated that you aren't completely human." "Then, what is it..... a complete human?" "It is past time to drop everything and leave." "Immediately." "Your lives are in danger, Evzen." "And the boy's life as well." "Listen, Robby, could I...." "could I stay with you here?" "On your planet." "Well, what do you think?" "Would you like me to stay here with you?" "Me and Majka." "Robby?" "Would you?" "Yes, I would like that." "Will we play?" "Yes, we will." "Robby, what's wrong?" "It doesn't help, joy doesn't help." "I was so sick but I feel even worse now." "I'll split in half," "I want to split in half, but I am afraid to." "But Robby, you aren't quite used to people yet." "We have to see each other more often." "No, I'll not come." "But why?" "We will be great together." "Even better than that!" "We'll play chess, it's an awesome game." "Robby!" " Well?" " Okay, I'll come." "Majka, did you lose your camera?" "I didn't lose it." "Little Bell...." "This is unbelievable." "Majka, that was an excellent idea;" "it's a great opportunity, though it may provoke them." "I never would have had the guts myself." "He may have fallen down." "Turn the infra-red on." "What have you done?" "Why did you do it?" "You're being hysterical!" "I'm taking you off the entire program!" "You're forbidden to leave the ship or enter the area!" "Get out!" "You stay here!" "Send the video records to Earth Base." "Enjoy them..." "Only a few images remain." "That's odd.... almost like human silhouettes." "Are they not only reflections, or..." "It's too far away." "We have to get closer." "We'll have to start all over again." "That's it - he won't come any more." "Is that all you can tell me?" "And what do you want?" "Repentance?" "Tears?" "Why did you do it?" "Because it was cruel, inhuman!" "Because I couldn't stand to watch Robby's suffering... and see this entire glorious contact of ours turn into a tragedy." "You are forgetting one thing -- that Robby started to like you." "That's exactly the terrible thing... that shouldn't have happened in the first place!" "Only for a minute did I believe that it would be possible." "Me and Robby." "Nothing is possible." "It's nothing but a cruel joke." "There is only The Mission." "And we are merely pieces on Kam's chessboard." "You're just like him." "Letting the boy get attached to you while you care nothing for him." "Nothing." "Neither him nor me." "You understand nothing!" "Nothing!" "What I care about most now is Robby himself." "Robby and his fate!" "And is that all?" "That's all!" "And do you have anything to say to me?" "Well, if that is all then, you can go." "Leave." "Leave." "Evzen." "I am the captain of the ship." "I'm responsible for people's lives and for the ship." "And what is most important, a Third civilization showed up among us." "Robby." "Robby!" "And I must be responsible for him, too." "I am sending a message to Earth Base that the expedition is over." "We have exceeded all permissible limits, we have to leave." "Stas, keep watch the entire night." "This is terrible." "Don't you understand the boy is a unique opportunity for us?" "Absolutely, and utterly unique?" "Such an opportunity will never be repeated." "Understand?" "Never." "And it will be you that will bear responsibility for that." "All of you." "Stas." "I need just one more day, a single day more." "We have to reprogram your Tom into an exploratory version... and send him down into the caves." "I need your help." " You can't be serious?" " Why not?" "Because Robby could die." "We almost killed him today already." "What can we do?" "There are always some victims." "Otherwise there would be no progress for mankind." "Do you hear me?" "Do something!" "No!" "No more!" "Robby!" "Robby!" "Robby, Cricket..." "Please forgive us, boy." "I would like to tell you something." "I know you're here." "We're leaving, Robby." "Just like you wanted us to." "But I..." "I'll never forget you." "I am leaving Tom here for you, he has a built-in monitor... and if you turn it on, and if you want to," "I'll show up on it." "Please do it for me." "And then, we can see each other again whenever you want." "We can play together again." "Please do that for me." "Hi, Stas." "Am I calling too soon?" "I still cannot tell when is too soon and when is too late." "Are you rested now?" "No, not really." "It takes you too long to get rested." "Can we talk?" "Yes, of course we can." "What's new with you?" "Is everything okay?" "Are you happy at the base?" "I am." "How much longer will you be there?" "However long you want me to." "I am here only for you;" "I am happy to be close to you." "Awesome." "You are happy and I am happy, too." "Cricket." "Stas, listen, you do look tired," "I am worried about you." "You need to sleep." "You are worried about me?" "Yes, go and take a rest." "Over now." "Hi, Stas." "Did you get any sleep?" "No." "Do you know what I would like now?" "I would like us to be able to play together." "Hmmm, that wouldn't be bad," "I would like that too." "Cricket." "Do you know what?" "Do you know what we will do?" "We will talk, okay?" "Okay." "We will talk." "Stas!" "I have a question." "When was it found that people think with their heads?"