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- Paul, Sandra, I'm turning in.
- Lucky you.
Four hours, 52 minutes
and 20 seconds.
Congratulations.
I thought no one
would break the five-hour barrier.
- It's time we had a new puzzle.
- Time we had a new world.
Keep your eyes peeled.
'Night.
Good night.
Paul?
Paul!
Paul?
What the hell is that?
What's happening here?
I don't know.
It's either a joke
or something interesting.
It's coming in on every channel.
Track it, Paul.
- Did you see anything?
- No.
But someone is trying to talk to us.
Commander, it's coming from
somewhere along coordinate line 397.
Kano, see what Computer makes of it.
Alan, Eagle crew on standby.
Yes, sir.
Wayland and Costo ready to go.
Have them fly along 397
and see what they can see.
Wayland and Costo, you're on Eagle 1.
Move it.
Sandra, keep the scanners on
the Eagle.
Helena, monitor the life signs,
It's our only contact with them.
Well, it's certainly
eager to talk.
I'd like to know
what Wayland has to say.
It's not gonna let us
get a word in edgeways.
Well, let's hope it has
a pretty face.
Eagle 1 to Main Mission.
Commander, it's
It's like a giant space anemone.
It's pulsating!
I've never seen
anything like it before.
Computer must be getting
something from Eagle 1.
We're getting continuous data
from their instruments.
- Well?
- There's no analysis yet.
- Eagle 1!
- Commander?
Commander, it's incredible!
Outside temperature's increasing.
There are strange shapes
forming all around us.
Commander, I
Boost to interstellar strength.
Wayland, pull away! Pull away!
Do you hear me?
Boost scanners.
All transmission
from onboard computer has ceased.
John, their life signs
have disappeared.
Commander.
Go, Alan.
Kelly, Rescue Eagle to Pad Three.
I'll meet you on board.
Sandra, keep searching for them
with long-range scanner.
It could just be a fault
on Wayland's ship.
Victor, they've stopped trying
to talk to us
and one of our Eagles
has disappeared.
I don't like it.
What the hell was that?
Meteorite!
- Activate screens.
- Activated.
It's got through!
Meteorite strike!
Section six, red alert!
Thank you.
Fortunately, no casualties.
Just impact damage.
- What puzzles me is where it's from.
- And how it got through our screens.
They're setting it up for analysis,
I'll check it out.
- Paul?
- Nothing.
They've just disappeared.
No radar trace, no radio signals.
It's as if Wayland's Eagle vaporised.
Commander, the meteorite.
Computer estimates it came
from between references 350 and 400.
The last reported reference point
for Eagle 1 was 397.
It's just possible that Eagle 1
was hit by that meteorite.
Alan, it's possible the meteor
may have collided with Eagle 1.
Is there any sign of wreckage?
I can't tell, I'm picking up
electrical disturbance.
Then let's check it out visually.
Have Kelly take a space walk.
Right.
I'll be in Technical.
What do you suppose that is
out there?
I have no idea and I wouldn't
wait around long enough to find out.
- Just look for Eagle 1, OK?
- Sure.
Hey, Kelly?
- Good luck.
- You bet.
- Depressurisation complete, Kel.
- Right, Alan.
OK, Kelly.
Go!
Well, John, it may not
look like much, but it's very dense.
And it's very heavy.
We had to turn the gravity control
right down to get it in here.
- How dense? How heavy?
- Computer's finding out now.
Any surface marks? Any indication
it may have hit Eagle 1?
- Huh?
- It's possible.
I've got some early findings
on this stuff.
It's a piece of the coating
from the surface of this meteorite.
It's organic.
- Alive?
- Definitely.
- It's nothing we'd recognise
- John.
Here it is.
Weight, 328 tons.
Constituent elements, titanium,
stainless steel, aluminium,
glass, carbon fibres, plastics,
nuclear fuel cells
and a small amount of human tissue.
Human tissue?
We've found Eagle 1.
Lee, recall Carter immediately.
But sir, Kelly's out in space.
Get him back immediately!
Kelly, abort.
We've been recalled.
Kel, do you read me?
Kel? Are you receiving?
Kelly, signal if I'm getting
through to you.
Main Mission, Eagle 4 here.
Receiving you, Eagle 4.
Paul, check our communication line.
I'm getting no response from Kelly.
No fault registering, Alan.
Then Kelly's in trouble.
I'm going out after him.
Stop him.
Alan, get away from that area.
- Right now.
- Commander?
- Get away from there, now!
- You can't expect me to leave Kelly.
Kelly? Kelly, can you hear me?
Kelly, I'm not receiving you.
Kelly, are you receiving me?
Kelly?
Hey, Kel.
Hey, come on, buddy.
Right, gotcha.
Let's get you back to the Eagle.
Those brain patterns are fantastic
for a man who's
totally anaesthetised.
His brain activity's phenomenal.
But his breathing is normal.
His heart and lungs have adjusted to
what's going on inside his brain.
But what IS going on inside it?
Well, he's suffering this non-stop
flow of impulses and ideas,
because that part of the cerebellum
which controls his will is failing.
My hope is to stimulate
the cerebellum and restore balance.
Now, if we don't achieve that,
very soon, he'll burn himself up.
- Melita.
- Where is he? What has happened?
- Melita?
- They're going to operate.
- What's wrong, Commander?
- Look, Melita.
Your husband's OK.
He's in good hands.
His heart and lungs are fine.
When there's news, we'll tell you.
Try not to worry.
How can I?
This isn't the best place, is it?
Nurse, take Melita to her quarters.
- Commander, I want to stay.
- I know, but you can't.
Please.
John
Mathematical formulae.
That monitor only gives electronic
indications of brain activity.
Those are computer traces, Victor.
They're certainly not
Kelly's brain patterns.
Kano, what's with Computer?
- I can't understand it
- Just tell me.
I've checked everything.
Computer is sending data
into Kelly's brain.
- To his brain?
- Into him.
And through him, it's being beamed
towards orbital reference 397.
where Kelly was affected
and Eagle 1 was crushed.
Kano, shut down transmitters
immediately
and analyse all data
that's already gone out.
Victor, whoever was trying to talk
to us before Eagle 1 was crushed
is now using Kelly
as a link to Computer,
and is sending information
out into space through Kelly.
It's trying to communicate again.
The process is now reversed.
Computer is now receiving data.
It's coming from the same area and
reaching Computer via Kelly's brain.
Kano, let's shut him off.
Close down receivers.
Analyse all incoming
and outgoing data immediately.
Whoever was trying to talk to us
is now talking to Computer.
Maybe he couldn't get through to us
and needed Kelly as an interpreter.
Yeah, but whatever it's doing,
it might be reprogramming
Computer against us.
Increase anaesthesia two points.
Two points.
He's still feeling pain.
He could die of shock.
I'll induce neuronic concussion.
What's happening?
You must not touch my brain!
Arrrgh!
Bob, no!
Let him go.
Follow him.
Let me know where he goes
but don't restrain him.
- Helena, you all right?
- I'm all right.
John, we can't just let him go.
Victor, whatever it wants,
it's using Kelly.
So let's let Kelly lead us to it.
Commander, Kelly's
in the computer room.
Good.
Get Kano there.
- But don't go in until I arrive.
- Right.
OK, I want to try to talk to him.
If he gets violent, we'll stun him.
What's the update?
He's reprogramming so fast
I can't get any details.
You two come with me.
Kelly?
Kelly?
Kelly!
Kelly, I want to talk to you.
Who are you transmitting to?
Who's talking to Alpha?
Look, answer me, damn it!
No!
No!
Let's see where he goes.
His neuronic concussion,
the effect should be immediate.
He's building a resistance to it.
Melita!
Melita!
- Melit
- Kelly!
Help me.
Help me!
- My darling
- I've got to do it.
I've got to And they won't let me!
- What is it, tell me?
- I've got to!
You must make them understand.
Make them understand!
Whatever that is out there,
it's crushed Eagle 1,
it's done something to Kelly
and taken over Computer.
By my calculations,
we'll be where Eagle 1 disappeared
in four to six hours.
Which is how long we have to act.
We're back to trying to drive
this moon the way we want it to go.
Only two schemes for that -
shock waves and anti-gravity screens.
Both reduce gravitational pull
from another planet.
This is neither a sun, star or planet
we're dealing with.
From the data we have, Computer says
that the energy field has no mass.
Sir, we can't change course.
What next?
Well, we know it's organic
and intelligent.
So if we load an Eagle with nuclear
charges and aim it at the centre,
we might just be able
to weaken it a little,
enough to reduce its crushing effect
and get through.
I'd better get started on that
right away, Commander.
All right, Alan, do it.
Helena, we need all the
information we can get from Kelly.
- He's on life support.
- I know.
Victor, try to find exactly what
Computer's transmitting.
John, about Kelly's condition
Helena, we've got to try it.
Alan, how's it going?
All the charges are fused,
checked and ready to go.
Good.
The best calculation we can get
without asking Computer
is that all on-board systems
should be blown at 18:45.
Destruct mechanism set for 18:45.
By then the ship should be locked
on target, nothing can divert it.
Well, I feel a lot happier
now we've done something.
All right, Paul, lift her off.
It's gonna get one hell of a headache
when it squeezes that little bundle.
I don't like a pre-emptive strike
against an enemy I don't understand.
They crushed Eagle 1 to a pulp,
Commander.
I don't doubt they'll do the same
to us if they can.
'John, can you come to
Technical section right away?'
- Foam.
- Yeah, that's what it looks like.
It's also what the pilot saw.
Where did it come from?
It's the same material we found
encrusted onto Eagle 1.
Except it's reverting back
to its original form.
Looks harmless enough.
Looks, yes.
But it's highly unstable.
We don't know why,
but its chemical structure changes.
It gains incredible weight
and density.
Are you saying this foam
crushed Eagle 1?
In a sufficient quantity, John,
this foam, as you call it,
could crush anything.
- What did he say to Melita?
- He was trying to get something out.
There was something he had to do.
He asked her to make them understand.
"Them" meaning us.
We won't find out what he had to do
unless he can tell us.
He's weakening fast.
An orthodox diagnosis now,
a decline due to brain damage.
Strange, isn't it? That decline began
as soon as Computer was shut down.
And that's when the hyperactivity
in his brain stopped.
You mean he was
dependent on Computer?
John, something interesting here.
Kelly transmitted an astonishing
amount of information.
- Chances are I'm on the wrong track.
- It's some track.
Go ahead.
A lot of data is physical information
about the moon itself.
- Weight, density, dimensions.
- Trajectory?
It's got information about
the gravitational pull,
about every change of course
since we left Earth's orbit!
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
I think it's trying to find out
if we can change course now.
Right.
John, if we're going to save Kelly,
we must restart Computer.
And leave Alpha wide open.
Whatever that thing is, maybe,
just maybe, it's trying to help us.
Help us to avoid a collision
that'll destroy Alpha.
We've got to find some way
to make contact.
Well, contact's already been made,
through Kelly.
That's it.
Of course, through Kelly!
Symbiosis!
John, if you want me to link
your mind to Kelly's
so you can read his thoughts, no.
The results could be catastrophic.
If our moon hits that force field,
it'll be a catastrophe for all of us!
How long before that
remote-controlled Eagle detonates?
One hour 35, Commander.
Kano, restart Computer.
We don't have too much time.
Symbiosis.
I don't think you
should be doing this, John.
I know what I'm doing.
I've experienced it myself
during advanced psychoanalysis.
That was under
very different conditions.
To link you and Kelly
Kelly's mind is connected in some way
to this thing.
We can't be sure yours won't be
affected in the same way.
We've got to do it, Victor.
We'll be monitoring
your physical signs.
If there are any changes,
we'll have to stop.
All right, let's get on with it.
Connected here.
Connected here.
It's a living organism.
Like a brain.
Pulsating with life and light.
It's the centre of our whole galaxy.
Maybe even hundreds of galaxies
planets stars
strange life forms
And in the middle of it all
is this brain.
Are you all right, John?
Yeah, I'm all right.
I think it worked.
I think it worked.
Hurtling towards that brain
is our moon.
Now, the Eagle was just a fragment,
so the brain surrounded it with
antibodies and rejected it.
But our moon is a million times
bigger than that Eagle.
That's right.
But the brain is
a million times bigger than the moon.
Make no mistake, John.
It would crush us in the same way
that it crushed Wayland's Eagle.
Commander?
It is trying to help us.
It's working with Computer.
We must go to Main Mission.
Give these to Kelly.
- It's possible.
- What's possible?
We can divert the moon
away from the brain.
The plan is to increase the moon's
rate of spin,
by providing a series of forces
at tangents to its axis.
This will give the moon
an eccentric rotation
and cause it to curve away
from the centre of the brain.
We haven't much time.
Computer has plotted
precisely the points
at which the series of charges should
be placed along the equatorial line.
It is trying to save us.
Paul, if we're going to carry out
that brain's instructions,
we'll need every
nuclear charge we've got.
So bring that nuclear Eagle
back to Alpha.
Remote-controlled Eagle
now heading back for Alpha.
Good.
What's its position?
Approximately halfway
between the moon and the brain.
Which means those charges will
explode the moment it arrives here.
Paul, reprogram the on-board computer
and cancel the detonation.
We're gonna have to act fast.
Alan, I want every single man
standing by.
As soon as the ship lands,
place the charges on the surface
as per the brain's instructions.
Victor, oversee the operation.
Sandra
Kelly.
Kelly! Kelly
Commander, trouble -
a fault on the on-board computer.
- What kind of trouble?
- Everything's dead.
Which means it's locked on a course
for the centre of Moon Base Alpha,
where it will explode.
An accident? Or is the brain
intentionally going to destroy us?
No, Victor, I don't think
it is intentional.
Paul, get the fastest Eagle we've got
ready for immediate lift-off.
Clearing out, Paul.
Check course and closing speed.
Kelly.
Kelly, is there
anything you can do?
We've got to get him
to intensive care.
Paul, I'm docking now.
You're running out of time,
Commander.
Good luck.
Three minutes to detonation.
Docking complete.
I'm going to
defuse the nuclear charges now.
Nuclear charges defused.
I'm trying to alter the course
of the Eagle so that it misses Alpha.
I can't divert it!
I've got no control!
I can't hold it!
I've gotta let it go!
Stand by strike.
Strike at Pad Four.
Victor, we've just lost
our nuclear charges.
Alpha's headed for that brain.
There's nothing we can do.
We could increase the
atmospheric pressure inside Alpha.
You mean to counteract
the crushing forces? Would it work?
It's a long shot,
but it might give us a chance, yes.
OK, Victor.
I buy it.
Set it up.
I already have.
- Well done, John.
- Good to see you.
What's the situation?
- Pressure sensors ready for testing.
- Readings?
- Sections A, B and C normal.
- Section D coming through now.
- D ready to test.
- D checked and functional.
Attention all Alpha personnel.
This is Commander John Koenig.
We are about to enter the area
of the space brain.
As a result, we are faced
with a grave crisis.
I want you all to know that
we will do everything in our power
to prevent the destruction of Alpha.
Please remain calm.
We cannot predict the final outcome.
But with luck
and the measures we are taking,
it is my belief that we will survive.
Good luck to you all.
John, if we increase pressure
too quickly,
our people will be in trouble.
Right.
We'll do it gradually.
Paul, raise pressure two points now
and distribute pressure suits.
External pressure reading
up two points in Section B.
Raise internal pressure, Paul.
Attention!
All surface sections close down!
Total evacuation.
Emergency
services only, in one minute.
Seal bulkheads in two minutes.
All right, go.
Dr Russell, I need help.
- Kano.
- Helena!
Don't go! Helena!
Sensors indicate a burst
on Launch Pad Four.
No one in there?
- It's all clear.
- Seal it off.
We can't evacuate.
If we disconnect him, he'll die.
Switch to emergency services.
- Bulkheads.
- Bulkheads sealed.
John, we must have power.
Damn it! Get out of there.
Keep it moving, down to the shelters.
Hurry up, not much more time.
Come on, hurry up!
Down to the shelters!
Bob, get out of here, come on.
Helena, out, out!
John, we can't leave Kelly!
Victor, it's burst through Medical.
Pressure holding.
When I'm clear, seal the bulkheads.
- There are still men coming.
- Re-route them.
Section D, anyone there?
Come on! Come on!
Get down there.
Go ahead.
Come on, this way! Come on!
Sandra, work up there on panel four.
Section D under severe stress.
Helena, panel five.
- Eagle maintenance areas flooded.
- Transfer readout.
- Atmospheric pressure?
- Easing.
How's the pressure now?
- No increase.
- Good.
The computer?
- Linked through here.
- Hold out as long as you can.
All right, visors down.
Victor, shut down main computer!
Shut down these controls,
switch down the other system!
Helena, get upstairs on the balcony,
quickly! You too, Sandra.
It's stopped.
John, it's stopped!
I think we've come through.
It's a miracle we're alive, John.
Tore through it like a bullet.
Complex as the human brain.
And just as vulnerable.
Helena, don't make it
*** yourself.
John, I deserted Kelly.
I just keep thinking that
maybe we could have saved him.
Helena, you can't assume
the responsibility for Kelly's death,
no more than we can assume it for the
death of that cosmic intelligence.
Now, yes, we've lost Kelly.
But think of those worlds out there
that depended on that brain.
Think what they've lost.
If only we could have communicated.