"That's it." "Alan, cut the alarm." "A day to remember." "'It's a boy!" "'Mother and son doing just fine." "'Seven pounds, eleven ounces." "Dark hair, blue eyes." "'He's beautiful.'" " We made it." " I like that." " A boy, I knew it." " Knew what?" " It'd be a boy." " You bet it would be a girl." " Never." " You did." "Hey, Sandra." "What's the matter?" "I'm..." "I'm happy!" " Are there any complications?" " None whatsoever." "But I do think someone should watch him at all times." "Now, you get some rest." "I'll do the first stint." "I'm not tired." "I just don't want to leave him anyway." "Sue, he's perfect." "Just get some sleep." "You'll see him again later." "Thank you, Dr Russell." "My baby." "What happened to my baby?" "Take it easy, Sue." "We've had to sedate her." "She's in shock." "Well, well." "Hello, young man." "He's gotta be five years old." " Uh-huh." " What happened?" "I don't know." "This whole thing is beyond normal medical experience." "How can cell growth accelerate to this extent in a matter of seconds?" "Cells just don't grow without nourishment." "It's impossible." "Heaven knows I looked forward to this first child born here." "Helena, we knew there could be a problem." "Yes, psychological problems, medical problems, things we could deal with, but this?" "What kind of life will this child have anyway in this artificial atmosphere on Alpha?" "He doesn't even have a father to help him cope." "Wait a minute." "That could have something to do with it." "But Jack Crawford died seven months ago, Commander." "I know." "He spent all of his working hours in here." "But the place was torn apart when he died." "There was no radiation leakage." "Is there something wrong with the baby?" "Yes." "And I'm going to find out why." "'Commander, preliminary tests show he is a perfectly normal 'five-year-old child.'" "Five?" "!" "Maybe we had no right to expect it to be normal." "You mean we can never expect to have normal children?" "It's this crazy life we lead." "Nobody really knows how it's affecting us physically." "Not long term." "Come on." "Life here's not that abnormal." "We eat, sleep, drink." "Even breathe air of a kind." "Now, possibly there's something specific about this particular case." "Like Jack Crawford's death." "They've already called Computer for data in the generating area." "It seems the Commander has re-opened the enquiry into Jack's death." "Yeah." "Well, he'll have to do something." "His brain activity is what you'd expect of a five-year-old." "And his motor activity's on an equal level." "But he's not communicating." "No." "How could he?" "He's had no opportunity to learn to speak." "Yet he's so alert, so responsive." "There's one thing we haven't tried yet." "A deaf-mute." "Our first concern is how we're gonna look after him." "Yeah." "I'll give Sue all the help she needs." "I think we've got to give him the best chance we can." "So we try to give him as normal a life as possible." "Maybe we'll find out why it happened this way." "Maybe we'll never know." " John?" " Yeah?" "He's a lovely child." "What did Computer have to say about Jack Crawford?" "No new facts, no new answers." "It seems..." "What's your name?" "We've called him Jackie." "Jackie, huh?" "How'd you like to come flying with me?" "We'll take an Eagle and we'll soar into space." "He can't hear, Alan." "He's deaf." "We'll just have to show him, won't we?" "Come on, away we go." "Hey!" "Ready for landing, little one?" "Well done." "Enjoy your flight, Commander?" "Splendid uniform you've got." "He's cute, isn't he?" "Look at this." "Commander Koenig, we have a visitor." " Well, what's going on out here?" " A new commander, I think." "Hello, Jackie." "Hello." "Kano, let's show Jackie something pretty." "Come on, Jackie." "Here we go." "Ups-a-daisy." "All right." "Want to see a pretty picture, Jackie?" "Watch." "See that?" "Here's another one." "You want to try?" "Here, press this button." "It's just too much excitement." "I just think he's tired, John." "There now." "Just look at that." "Isn't that a lovely thing?" "Now, then." "You know what that's called?" "That's called a flo... wer." "You think you can say that?" "Flower." "What is it?" "Very good!" "Top of the class." "Now, let's see if we can find you another one." "Something even more beautiful than that." "Then we'll get you to draw something." "That's marvellous drawing." "Get a pencil and make a few marks on a piece of paper." "And suddenly, there you are." "You've got the most lovely flower that you've made all by yourself." "Well, who's his father's son, then?" "My, you're doing well, aren't you?" "His weight feels good." "38 pounds." "He's making normal progress now." "Finding out about us'?" "Your father knew everything about this powerhouse." "You going to follow in his footsteps?" "He looks bright enough." "I keep inventing intelligence tests for him." "Now, lift off." "She refuses to recover from her state of shock." "She's totally rejected the child." "I suppose that's an understandable reaction." "Everyone else on Alpha has welcomed him with open arms." "She won't even see him." "If she could see what a comparatively normal life he's leading..." "It's the manner of his growth that's so disturbing." "I must admit, I can't accept him either." "Hello!" "You've done it already?" "That's very good." "Would you like to draw some more?" "Yeah?" "All right." "Off you go." "It's extraordinary." "Well, he's certainly making good progress." "Oh, yes." "He's bright enough all right." "And as far as I can tell, he's a perfectly normal kid." "Is he, Victor?" "All our enquiring minds have become charmed with young Jackie." " He's still under observation?" " He's gotta be." "Jackie, can I see your drawing?" "Hmm." "He senses you're not as willing to be charmed as the rest of us are." "'Commander.'" "Yes, Paul." "'Could you come to main mission?" "'" "Be right there." "Scanner shows something heading straight for us." " It's moving fast." " Kano?" " Nothing yet from Computer." " Let's see it on the screen." "Red alert." "Where did that come from?" "It's heading for the north quadrant." "Confirmed." " You know what you've got to do." " What if I'm attacked?" "Don't wait for me to give the order." "Hey, I'll see you later." "Huh?" "Hey, what's up?" "I'll be back." "Keep sending on all frequencies." "Open all channels for any response from them." "'Any sign of activity?" "'" "Nothing." "Except a green light." "No movement, just hanging there." "'Hang in there with them and report the first sign of life.'" "Right." "Moving in a little closer." "I'll let you know if they fire." "It's made of some kind of alloy - composition unknown." "It's 100 metres in diameter, 40 metres high, yet if has very low density." "There's room for an army inside." "Some form of life is indicated, but not human." "Without previous experience, Computer cannot identify it." "They could blast us at any moment without warning." "Maybe they're waiting for us to move first." "However you look at it, it's suspicious." "If they are friendly, why don't they say so?" "Alan's very close." "I think we should move first." "'I have them lined up." " 'Laser charge is at maximum rate.'" " Better safe than sorry." "Alan, return to base." "Why?" "They could have assumed you were the aggressor, blasted you out of the sky." "But they didn't." "Maybe they've got what they want by keeping quiet." "But we're wide open." "Let's put ourselves in their shoes." "When we make a reconnaissance flight to a planet, do we intend to attack?" "We try to communicate as best we can." "Let's assume on that ship are friendly, peaceful people, trying to make contact with us." "But for some reason we're unable to talk, hear or understand each other." " I just don't get that feeling." " Nor I." "Ignorance is no reason to start shooting." "After all, we're..." "all afraid of the unknown." "Take Jackie Crawford, for example." "I know you've all accepted him, but I have some questions." "I don't know why he is like he is." "I can't explain it, nor do I understand it." "But I'm not about to shoot him." "Take him away!" "Take him away!" "He's killing me!" "I saw him smile." "It sent a shiver up my spine." "So knowing." "Almost as if he were mocking his mother to death." "Where is he now?" "With his nurse somewhere." "Somewhere?" "Paul, find Jackie Crawford and don't let him out of your sight." "Helena, we've all tried our best to accept Jackie as normal, but he isn't." "He's bright, all right..." "Too bright." "There's something else." "Just a feeling I have." "Something I can't explain." "But I trust it." "I think he's fooled all of us." "'Commander, three more spaceships approaching.'" "I think there's a connection." "It's just a hunch." "Helena, find Jackie Crawford." "Confirmation on spaceships, Commander." "Let's see them." "I want three Eagles to intercept those ships before they reach Alpha." " Shoot?" " No." " Just let them know we're ready." " Right." "They've knocked out the cameras, Commander." "It's an attack." " Alan, stop them." " Right." "Red alert." "Alan?" "Carter!" "Get moving." "Cameras operating again, sir." "Eagle leader to Alpha." "Alien spaceships dead ahead." "Alan, fire at will." "Now you're talking." "Eagle leader to group, select on-board ranging, but with manual override." "Manual override?" "They're moving very fast." "I said manual override." "Switch to main computer." "Check and fire again." "Manual check... and fire." "We can't get a hit." "Carter, turn around." "Hit 'em from behind." "Cell growth has accelerated far beyond the capacity of our instruments to measure." " Still increasing?" " Yes." "What can we expect this time?" "Helena, I think my hunch is right." "It's gotta be more than coincidence." "The arrival of those spaceships and now this." "You think Jackie..." "You've got to stop calling that Jackie." "But rather some alien power amongst us, which sooner or later we may have to destroy." " John, it's a human being." " Is it?" "It has a human form, that's all." "We're wide open." "We're past waiting to see what'll happen." "Then the reasons for your first decision still hold." "We don't know any more." "We're just more frightened, more desperate." "Whatever that's becoming threatens our existence here on Alpha." "In that case, the reasons for not destroying him are even stronger." "What do you mean?" "You say we're wide open." "If he is their instrument, how do you think they'll respond if we kill him?" "I agree with Dr Russell." "At the moment our hands are tied." "With those things so close, we're not going to get an Eagle off the pad." "We couldn't be sure we'd hit them anyway." "What happened out there, Alan?" " Well..." " Whatever caused that failure, it's just conjecture." "The fact is, you weren't functioning properly." "Actually, you were virtually incompetent." " I'm not incompetent." " No, but you were out there." " It must have been my instruments." " Was it?" " What are you trying to say to me?" " Alan," "I think you were gotten to somehow." "By Jackie Crawford." " Jackie Crawford?" " That's right." "All this talk isn't going to help us." "But I do have an idea which... might work." "If activity on the alien ship stops soon, we might have a chance." " Like what?" " Well, it's quite primitive." "My idea is to send four men on the surface, on foot, each carrying hand-held, armour-piercing lasers." "They position themselves under each of the alien ships." "They coordinate and fire simultaneously straight up into the bellies of the ships." "You said it was primitive." "What else can we do?" "The question is, who does the job?" "We have no choice." "It's the four of us." "Ah..." "M..." "Ah..." "My... name... is..." "Jarak." "For as long as you know me," "I shall retain this form." "I require to know what has been happening during the period of my growth." "There are many things we'd like to know also." "Has any action been taken against my spaceships?" "None." "I know the truth when I hear it." "You will tell me, Dr Russell." "Stop!" "Stop it, I'll tell you." "Stop it." " Quickly." " Stop it." "I'll tell you." "There are four men on the surface." "Stop it, please!" "And now you will stop them." " I can't stop them." " But you will." "No!" "'John, you must do what I tell you." "'Do not fire at those ships." "'You were right about Jackie.'" "Hold your fire!" "What's the problem, Commander?" "Back to the base." "You've killed her." "Rena!" "Helena." "Helena." "Dr Russell." "Put down your weapons." "John, tell everybody to put down their weapons, or I'll kill Alan." "Thank you, Dr Russell." "You are now released." "You're not Sue Crawford." "No more than I am Jackie Crawford." "No more than you are Commander of Moonbase Alpha." "Like you, we are involuntary travellers through space." "We are 120 souls in all." "But unlike you, we are looking not only for a place to live, we are also looking for a physical form in which to conceal our identities." "Why?" "Running away from something?" "I like the intuitive quality of your mind, Commander." "I like the unpredictability of your human emotions." "I like the differences between you people." "But on our planet, we faced extermination because we were different." "Yes, we are running away... from genetic conformity rigorously imposed." "We are so happy to have found Alpha." "Jarak, listen to me." "You can't stay here." "We can't sustain more people." "Our environment on Alpha is so precarious we can barely support ourselves." "There will be no population increase on Alpha." "We shall simply take over your bodies and make them our own." "The moments of birth and death are ideally suited to this purpose." "Jackie Crawford's birth gave me my chance." "But you killed Sue Crawford." "Dr Russell, there will be no more births on Alpha." "But sadly, there will be many more deaths." "I was very happy with my birth." "I wasn't able to do much in an incubator, but as a five-year-old, you all made me the darling of the base, showed me everything I needed to know." "I am sorry to have to bite the hand that fed me." "Jarak..." "You need us." "I don't know your people, but they need us alive." "You won't kill us until you're ready." "We are ready." "Jarak!" "Don't move." "As Commander here, you have some particular value." "It would be a waste to kill you before one of my people can make use of you." "Your choice is between a future as one of us, or no future at all." "'This is Jarak." "'Listen.'" "You have been selected as the first to die." "You cannot resist." "You are dying." "The mission of my spaceships over Alpha is almost accomplished." "My people are preparing to transfer themselves to those of your dying bodies that have been selected." "When the transfer is complete, my spaceships will liftoff to a safe distance and auto-destruct." "'The last material traces of our former life 'will be lost forever." "'We shall have exchanged our world for your moon.'" "'The designated will die." "As far as our pursuers are concerned, we shall no longer exist." "We shall have begun our new life as inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha." "They've found us!" "Helena!" "Everyone all right?" "Everyone seems all right, Commander." "Let's find 'em!" "Could be more." "I'll take care of them." "Don't be foolish, Doctor." "Computer, medical centre doors are to remain locked until this direct command order is rescinded." "And now, Dr Mathias," "I hope you will help us to persuade your commander to accept us." "One life for three hundred?" "'Alan, is the Commander with you?" "'" "Yes, Kano." "'According to Computer, you're in the medical centre 'and have issued a command that the door is to remain locked.'" "'Commander Koenig, 'we wish to negotiate.'" "They've got Dr Mathias and two nurses." "Make your demands." "'Requests." "We are no longer in a position to make demands.'" "Then open the door." "As a human being, Commander, your heart is full of resentment at my treatment of Alpha's first mother and child." "You just tried to kill all of us, Jarak!" "It would have been a painless process of change." "The combination of Alphan bodies and the minds of my people would have been splendid." "'The result would have been a great future for Alpha.'" "And us?" "You would have become part of us, but we have failed." "The rest of my people have been discovered and destroyed." "Our request is now a very modest one." "That we should be allowed to become part of you." "Jarak, you've just killed a number of my people, you're holding others captive." "Commander, you chose to bargain with your life." "'It was not our purpose to destroy." "'Your people are only stunned.'" "They'll all recover." "We have become human beings, and chose to translate our power into threats and actions humans could understand." "'We are now appealing to you as humans ourselves.'" "Appealing for mercy." "Commander, there is a gigantic spaceship." "It has taken up position over Alpha Base." "Pulsating green light as previous spacecraft." "'The people of our planet have found us, Commander.'" "They will... destroy us." "They will destroy... the whole of Alpha." "'Unless..." "Unless what?" "Jarak!" "Are you going to let Alpha be destroyed because of you?" "Jarak!" "'Commander, pulsating has stopped." "'The spaceship is leaving." "It's going away.'" "Jarak!" "Mathias!" "Alan." "They're gone." "D'you think they gave themselves up?" "It's a nice thought, Helena." "But I don't think they had any choice."