Original subtitles

(electronic jingle music)

(upbeat theme music)

(electronic whirring)

(mellow music)

- It's the biggest plane I've ever seen,

Uncle Brad.

- It's not a plane Joe.

- It's an OGT, Orbital Glide Transport.

The worlds most advanced concept in aerospace

passenger transportation.

When it goes into service, it'll carry 500 passengers,

halfway around the world in 50 minutes.

Take off to touchdown.

- That's fantastic, Uncle Brad.

(mellow music)

- Fueling complete, merges 1-12.

- Cabin temperature normal.

Pressure normal.

- Gyro set on course.

- There are, of course, other countries

developing an Orbital Glide Transport, Brad.

- One other country, about a year behind us

in development.

- Friendly rivalry?

- We had our doubts.

We seem to be having more than our fair share

of trouble on ground tests.

(mellow music)

[Launch Controller] Blast off minus 30.

- Is recheck complete on number five monitor?

- Five monitor A-Okay, Doctor.

(engine powering up)

- Any moment now, Joe.

- Who's your Flight Controller, Brad?

- A young guy named Dr. Slade.

- Is he good?

- [Brad] The best.

- Blast wall into position.

- I take it you operate a standard screening

procedure for all personnel.

- Before each ground test we checked

and double checked every man on the project.

- [Mac] And came up with nothing?

- No, so this time we've gone further

and installed a secret computer

in the launch control building.

Slade knows about the computer but even he

doesn't know where it is.

If something does go wrong, we'll know immediately

whether it's a design fault or sabotage.

And the computer can pinpoint who in launch control

is responsible.

(mellow music)

(dramatic music)

- Check automatic pilot sequence.

- Maintained green.

- Check secondary automatic system.

- [Launch Controller] Secondary automatics, all green.

- [Slade] Roger.

- Well, here's luck to you, Brad.

- Thanks, Mac, I guess I'll soon know

whether luck's on my side.

- And if it isn't?

- At least I'll know who's been tipping

the scales.

Our computer will tell us that.

- [Countdown] Minus 10, minus nine,

eight, seven, six,

five, four, three, two,

one, blastoff.

(thrusters roar)

- Release all umbilicals.

- Go on, go on.

- She's moving, Uncle Brad.

- [Brad] But not fast enough, Joe.

Slade, close down all motors.

- [Slade] Say again.

- An all motor shutdown, Slade, now!

- Sir, there's one to four motors closed down.

- Malfunction on Five, Doctor.

Can't shut out.

- Emergency clamps into position.

Signal red alert, all stations.

Red alert!

(metallic clanking)

(explosion)

- Slade, Slade, are you all right?

(siren blaring)

- [Slade] Yes.

We're okay.

- Emergency evacuation procedure.

Get you men into the ejection capsule immediately.

(thud)

- Will the launch team be able to get out, Dad?

- As long as the rocket doesn't ignite.

If that happens, the lunch control building

becomes one huge concrete oven.

(sirens blaring)

- Hurry Doctor.

Don't wait for me.

I'll take the reserve escape capsule.

- If that lot comes down, you'll be sealed in here.

- It's a risk I have to take.

It's my responsibility to salvage launch data.

Fire the capsule.

(thrusters roar)

(crackling)

(loud thuds)

(intense music)

- [Brad] Dr. Slade.

Are you receiving me?

Come in, Dr. Slade.

It's no good, Mac.

No answer.

Why didn't he use the reserve escape capsule?

- He could be trapped in the rubble.

- Well a rescue drill is on its way

but it only has a 14 inch bore.

Slade will never get through that.

- Which means we can't recover the concealed

monitoring equipment.

- Right, and without it we shall never know

if it's a design flaw or sabotage.

We need outside help, Mac.

(mellow music)

(engine whirring)

- Well, that's the situation, Mr. Weston.

- World Intelligence is not a rescue outfit.

- We know that, Chief but we can't wait

for a larger drill to be brought in.

And there are intelligence aspects involved.

The computer findings.

If we don't get to that, this country's lead

in the OGT race goes out the window.

We'll never know if that crash was sabotaged.

- We can raise a bigger drill by tomorrow

but until then we can only cut a 14 inch bore.

- No man would be able to slide down

a 14 inch bore.

- But a boy could, Mr. Weston.

- Exactly.

- That's a tough one.

That aircraft could slip at anytime,

causing a spark which would ignite the fuel.

And if that happens, Slade and his rescuer

wouldn't stand a chance.

- Nor would Brad Johnson's concealed computer.

The heat would destroy all the data in the crash.

- And five years design and development on the OGT

would be lost.

- Even if we did use Joe, we need to transfer

the brain pattern of a computer expert.

And if Slade is trapped by a rock fall,

we need a computer expert with a difference.

One who also knows how to use explosives.

That combination doesn't exist.

- Uncle Brad worked behind enemy lines

during the last war.

- As a demolitions expert.

- You mean new could give Joe Brad Johnson's

brain pattern.

- Why not?

Can you think of a better man for the job?

- Let me speak to the Chief Mining Engineer.

- So far as on schedule, Mr. Johnson.

We'll be ready to start digging

in about half an hour.

(engine idling)

- I don't know who called in World Intelligence,

Mr. Loover, but I'm glad you're here.

It's the best thing that's happened

in a very bad day.

- W.I.N. will get Slade and the computer

out of there, Mr. Johnson.

But there's one condition.

Once that drill has done its job,

I want the whole area cleared.

(mellow music)

- Have you got it, Dad?

- On beam now.

(dramatic music)

- I'll personally supervise the maximum security

clamp down.

- I'm afraid it'll have to include you, too,

Mr. Johnson.

- But surely I can help.

- Oh, you'll be helping, Mr. Johnson.

We can promise you that.

(Mechanical beeping)

- That's it, Joe, a perfect recording

of Brad Johnson's brain pattern.

- Okay, dad, I'll get into the Big Rat,

- I don't like the look of this wind, Mr. Johnson.

- It could get worse.

We've already received a storm warning for this area.

Let's go over the security arrangements again.

- Roger.

On completion of drilling, all engineers

to be removed from base area.

Each month, we check clear personally

by the base security officer.

WHat's it all about, Mr. Johnson?

- They're my orders too, chief.

We're completely in the dark here.

All we know is that we've been

assigned a special man for the job.

(upbeat music)

(Big Rat whirring)

- Right, transfer's complete.

- Fine, dad.

- I've got your glasses, Joe.

Now, let's get Dr. Slade and that computer.

(dramatic music)

(dramatic music)

(drill whirring)

- [Brad] Come in, Dr. Slade, this is Brad Johnson,

do you read me?

Come in, Dr. Slade.

Come in, Dr. Slade.

- Not until I've found that computer.

- Come in, Dr. Slade.

(dramatic music)

- Not until I've found that computer.

- Come in, Dr. Slade.

Come in, De, Slade.

- Still no luck?

- No, nothing.

- I'm afraid we'll have to assume the worst.

Unless his radio equipment's smashed.

- Well, that's highly unlikely.

There's at least six separate radio

links in launch control.

They can't all have been put out of operation.

Come in, Dr. Slade.

This is Brad Johnson, do you read me?

Okay, thanks a lot, Chief.

- The mining team?

- They've just broken through.

The problem's all yours now, Sam.

Though, for the life of me, I can't see

how you're gonna handle it.

- Leave it to us, Mr. Johnson.

- Okay, Sam.

You know where the computer's located.

In 10 minutes, the area will be cleared.

I only hope you can put a guy down there

who will understand my programming.

- Don't worry, Mr. Johnson.

We plan to use someone who will

understand it as well as you would yourself.

(calm music)

- Hold it.

Are your glasses all right, Joe?

- Yes, Mac.

- As soon as you get down, establish radio contact.

- Okay, Mac.

Ready when you are.

- Okay, Sam.

- Well, a forecast could hardly be worse, Mac.

Electric storm's approaching the vicinity.

It'll be here any time now.

- Touchdown, Mac.

- Well done, Joe.

Any sign of Dr. Slade?

- Not so far, Mac.

I'll take a look around.

Dr. Slade.

Dr. Slade.

- She can go any minute, Mac.

- All this field about lightning is the last thing we need.

Joe, have you located Dr. Slade yet?

- Look, I know this sounds crazy, Mac,

but there's no sign of him.

- I don't get it, Sam.

- It looks as though Brad Johnson's was right.

- Joe, Dr. Slade must be trapped

uner the debris.

- I don't see any other answer, Mac.

- [Mac] Okay then, Joe, find the computer readouts,

then get back up here as soon as you can.

(metal clanking)

- That was close.

- Hurry it up, Joe, time's running out.

- Collecting the readouts now, Mac.

- Hold it there.

- [Joe] Dr. Slade.

- [Slade] What's a kid doing down here?

- I'm a W.I.N. agent.

Part of my job was to rescue you.

I see now I shouldn't have bothered.

- I never could stand smart kids.

Now keep your hands off that microphone.

Put it on the table with the readouts.

- What happens now?

- First we arrange a little accident for you.

Then I destroy the computer findings convincingly,

and then sit back and wait to be rescued.

- One thing puzzles me.

You knew about the computer, so why go ahead

with the sabotage when you were certain to be found out.

- This was the test flight.

I had to ensure it ended in failure.

I gambled on finding the computer in the confusion.

Now, you've found it for me.

- You hear that?

Do you know what it is?

- Part of the OGT wreck I presume.

- Not part of it, the whole aircraft

is balanced on the edge of this building.

- What?

- If it slips, the explosion would make this room

hotter than a brick kiln.

- Who says it's going to fall?

- An electric storms forecast.

What we heard up there is probably

the beginning of it.

That means two chances of trouble,

either the wind tips the OGT over the edge,

or lightning ignites the rocket fuel.

- You are a clever child.

But I don't buy that story.

- Why not?

- Because you came down here to rescue me.

My guess is, you planned for us to wait

until a bigger drill was brought

up in the morning.

- A poor guess, Slade.

The plan was to blow the roof clear

of the escape vent and to use one

of the ejection capsules to get clear.

- You mean they were entrusting

a tricky demolition job to you?

What do you know about explosions?

- I know that H08 plastic is one of the most flexible

means ever invented of generating

precise amounts of explosive energy.

In the right hands, it can crack

an egg without breaking the yolk.

- You don't talk like a kid.

- You're in a jam, Slade, and you know it.

You need me to blow away clear to the escape vent.

- Don't think we're making a deal, sonny,

not when I hold the ace of trumps.

Get to work, fix those charges.

(debris crumbling)

- I wonder what's keeping him.

- Johnson said the computer was easy enough

to locate once you knew where to look.

- I'll call him up.

Joe, are you receiving?

Come in, Joe.

- Don't answer it.

- No answer.

I don't like it, Sam.

I don't like it at all.

- Blast rebounds off flat surfaces in the same manner

as reflected light.

I'd move from there if I were you, Slade.

- You think I can't see what you're up to?

Get me in an exposed position and let

the blast finish me.

I'm staying put.

Press that plunger.

- Don't say I didn't warn you.

(explosion)

- An explosion.

- No doubt about it.

- Try the radio again.

- [Mac] Joe, come in, Joe.

Joe, are you receiving me?

- Loud and clear, Mac.

- Joe, what's happening down there?

- A spot of trouble.

I found Dr. Slade.

Tell you about it when I get out of here.

- Make it quick, Joe.

- It can't hold much longer, Mac.

- Hurry, Joe, hurry.

It'll go any minute.

- You and Sam get clear.

I'm just getting Sam into the capsule.

- Joe's right, Mac.

- Sure, sure.

- Come on, then.

Look, I know how you feel, Mac,

with Joe down there, but there's nothing

you can do to help.

- Sam, you bring the car up, I'll be ready

when you get here.

(dramatic music)

- Ready to eject, Mac, as soon as you're clear.

- [Mac] Eject, Joe, eject.

(explosions)

(intense music)

He made it.

(explosions)

- Slade was the traitor.

I worked with him for 10 years.

I can still hardly believe it.

- I know how you feel, Johnson,

but the main thing is, you're satisfied

there's no basic design flaw in the OGT.

- Entirely satisfied.

- So the mystery is solved.

- Well, that mystery's solved,

but a whole lot of others have opened up.

- What do you mean, Uncle Brad.

- Well, Joe, such as how W.I.N.

managed to find someone who could

handle the computer side and knew enough

about explosives to blast clear

the ejection vent and was able to get down

a 14 inch shaft.

- Didn't Slade give you any clues?

- He didn't say a thing that made any sense.

Something about a boy.

- A boy?

- Well, we can call on operators

of all shapes and sizes, Mr. Johnson,

take young Joe here for example.

(laughing)

Very good, Mr. Loover, very good.

(laughing)

- It could be true, Uncle Brad.

You know, I don't wear this badge for nothing.

(ending theme music)