Original subtitles

- Dr. Stranges, welcome to London. - Thank you very much.

As the President of the National lnvestigations Committee on UFOs,

could l ask you, what is an UFO?

A UFO is any object whose behaviour violates thermodynamics laws.

Have any leading statesmen given their opinions about UFOs?

Gerald Ford stated time and again that he would prefer open

congressional hearings rather than hearings behind closed doors.

Robert Kennedy has made a statement that he not only believes in UFOs,

but he also believed that they came from other planets.

l see. Could l ask you, has any military expert, for example,

ever commented on United States or international involvement with UFOs?

ln New York City, at the Waldorf Hotel, General Douglas McArthur

made an outstanding statement that almost tumbled the very press.

He stated, and l quote, "War on earth is fast becoming obsolete.

lt will be replaced by war between planets.

lt would do good for every nation on earth to uite together in

order to form a common front against people from other planets.

Fine. Yeah.

- l'm so sorry. - My pleasure.

- Beautiful. - Very.

- And out with the boss. - You know her?

l do, but she doesn't know me.

- You remember the Dalotek affair? - The Dalotek affair? l remember.

The Dalotek affair...

- Sir? The survey. - Thank you.

- ls there anything else? - No, that's all.

Sighting at 0135-242.

Second sighting at 0140-242.

Third sighting at 0145-242.

- Trajectory termination? - Prelimary readings: Moonbase.

Red alert. lnterceptors to be on stand-by.

Attention all defence systems, this is a maximum security alert.

l say again, this is a maximum security alert.

Condition red.

Three UFOs sighted- RRT area 1 -40 60 miles from Moonbase.

There's nothing for them there. Are you quite sure?

We checked it. We seem to be faced with an attack on the lava rock.

Don't try to figure them, Foster. Launch your lnterceptors.

lnterceptors immediate launch.

Check trajectory.

Same coordinates and course.

- Switch to onboard computers. - Roger.

- The UFOs have changed course. - Hold for further instructions.

- No possible error? - They veered off.

- Where are they heading? - Back the way they came.

lnterceptors return to base.

- Did we scare them off? - lt'd be the first time.

- What happened? - Anybody's guess.

Millions of dollars work of equipment and you have to guess?

Sometimes, yes.

They didn't make a billion-mile space journey for nothing.

- No, sir. - We need answers.

ls it a failed decoy, or a red herring that's already succeeded?

lt's your job to find out.

l have a sighting. lt's travelling too slowly for a UFO.

- Meteorite? - Looks like it.

Definately a meteorite. With an RTT in area 01 7-213.

- Get me Commander Straker. - Yes, sir.

- Straker. - We're tracking a meteorite.

- And you called to tell me this? - lt's an RTT on top of Dalotek.

- Can you contact them? - There's a radio link.

- Warn them. - Roger.

lf you have to bring any of them to the base use the amnesia procedure.

Right. Contact the Dalotek unit.

- How long to impact? - Approximately three minutes.

This is Moonbase calling Dalotek.

Come in, Dalotek.

This is Moonbase calling Dalotek unit. Come in, Dalotek.

- The recorders are all in circuit. - Right.

We'll gather all the sub-strata material we can.

Get down!

Let's take a look...

l've told Foster to keep Moonbase green alert for the next few days.

Thanks. Maybe they were after the Dalotek installation.

Don't talk to me about Dalotek. l've been avoiding their president.

-What have you got against them? -They shouldn't be allowed there.

A private corporation has no business on the moon.

All the valuable mineral deposits were taken away long ago.

No, Dalotek is just wasting time and money.

- That's their problem. - Now it's our problem, Alec.

Statistically, that was a 50,000 to one shot.

- A meteorite that size would be. - We'd better return to check base.

A piece of debris could have punctured the outside pressure skin

- Straker. - You're difficult to contact.

- lt's in the nature of the job. - More security re-routing...

-My name is Blake. -President of Daloteck Corporation.

l just wanted to establish contact, Commander.

Thank you for your help in preparing our Moon project.

Your moon project was approved despite my overwhelming objections.

lf there's any trouble, l shall demand its immediate withdrawal.

My team will be on the moon for ten days. What can happen in that time?

My command has a complex and hazardous mission.

The presence of civilians could jeapardise our security operations.

My team will use limited radio frequencies.

They'll take every precaution to avoid your installations.

- They've been throughly briefed. - They'll be briefed again.

Whatever you wish. They'll be little contact with your base.

- Unless... - Unless what?

- ln an emergency you agreed... - To render all possible help.

- Pressure normal on 1 . - Pressure normal on 2.

Come in Dalotek.

Our friendly neighbors, the military.

- Dalotek Survey Base. - Colonel Foster for you.

We saw it land. Quite large, approximately 900 kilos.

Fell 200 yards from our installations.

That agrees with our coordinates. Have you checked for puncture?

Yes, Colonel. Thanks for calling. Out.

-Any damage? -No. Everything's under control.

- Will you finish on scheule? - Yes, if those meteorites stop.

l talked to Commander Straker about that military installation.

My impression is that he's looking for trouble. Don't give him any.

Don't worry. We're keeping out of their way. Playing by the book.

You have Dalotek people on your back door for the next ten days.

- They're no trouble. - l want you over there to see

they're following the agreed procedure. Don't make it easy.

What's going on? Loss of signal.

- Run equipment check. - Breakdown in moonbase video link.

Switch in the emergency link.

Emergency link negative, sir.

l can assure you, Colonel, solar activity is minimal.

Are you sure?

- What else can it be? - A fault in the equipment?

The checks say no. New check!

The solar wind has disrupted communications more than once.

- lt's not responsible this time. - Just run the test.

- Anything promising? - No, not yet.

- Give me seven. - Seven it is.

- Nine... - Nine...

- lnfra red... - lnfra red...

Now feed out.

Thank you.

The corona would be symmetrical if there were increased sun spots.

Exactly. No unusual solar activity.

But it all fitted.

- You considered outside influence? - Go on...

- Oh, just an idea. - Dalotek. They're operating on

limited frequencies. They could be violating the agreement.

- ls there a way to check? - Just one.

Well that completes this run.

- What is it? Trouble? - Why else would the military come?

We're operating well within the prescribed frequencies, Colonel.

- We'll check that, Miss Carson. - We're open to check at any time.

But to switch off the geo-scanner means a write-off for all our work.

There'd have to be adequate reason for so drastic a step.

More than adequate reason, Mr Tanner.

- Our base lost contact with earth. - Could be increased solar activity.

The solar wind? The coronagraph check shows negative.

How about a simple radio fault?

- Did you check your fuses, Colonel? - We've checked everything.

- And now your want to check us. - ls there a more logical step?

Run another communication check on Moonbase, Alec.

You ordered a continuous check 30 minutes ago.

- Why don't you get some sleep? - l will.

But not until that video link is back.

Well, you've examined the frequency settings, Colonel.

l think they prove we've followed the agreement to the letter.

lt proves you haven't operated intentionally on limited frequencies

but you could have used them inadventently.

Miss Carson is in charge of the geoscanner.She's fully experienced.

l can imagine...

Colonel, exactly how many radio failures have you had?

- One so far. - That doesn't seem too serious.

- For a military organisation it is. - You're convinced we're to blame?

- lt seemed a logical conclusion. - l'm glad we could change you mind.

So am l. Except now it means l'm back at square one.

You'll have to excuse me, Colonel. l have seismic meters to service.

l leave you in Miss Carson's capable hands.

lf you have any questions, please ask. Au revoir, Colonel.

- Miss Carson, l er... - Jane. Formality's superfluous.

- Paul. - All right, Paul.

l have the feeling you're not 100% certain that we're not to blame for

your difficulties. l suppose at the next blackout we'll get the blame.

No, but l shall want to make a check on the use of the scanner.

With radio failure, how can you? We're 50 kilometres away.

We'll install a land line between here and Moonbase.

- We'll always have a direct link. - And?

Only the geo-scanner is powerful enough to disrupt communications.

lf there's another blackout and it isn't transmitting...

- We're in the clear? - Yes.

But you'll have to take our word for it that we're not transmitting.

- l'll take your word for it. - l don't think we're to blame.

l've been very careful. So have Mark and Phil.

We'll install the land line immediately.

l'll wait for your first call.

l must go.

- Have you seen all you want? - Yeah, l've seen about everything.

Are you satisfied?

Very.

SHADO Control to Moonbase. Do you read me?

Strength five, voice and vision.

lmmediate for Commander Straker. Moonbase contact re-established.

Stand by for video circuit tests.

- Landline installation complete. - Right.

- Dalotek base...how's reception? - Our own line. l'm flattered.

Tell me, Jane, what do you do on your evenings off?

l know this marvellous ltalian restaurant not 200 miles from here.

- How about dinner? - Do they have fettucini?

- Beautiful fettucini. - A fat ltalian mama who cooks?

l'll reserve a corner table.

- We'll sit and look at the stars. - Our only problem will be...

How the devil do we eat fettucini through a 1/4 inch of space visor?

Listen, l've got a moonship coming in so l'll have to go...

- Do we have it on positive track? - Yes, sir.

Control to Lunar Module. Switch to computer control for landing.

Roger.

- Landing is on go. - Thank you. On computer...

- Do we still have them? - Losing them. Radio malfunction.

Control to Module. Switch to manual. Control to Module...

This is Lunar Module. l have lost you.

Maintaining computer control for landing.

Switch to manual. We have radio blackout.

This is Lunar Module.

Maintaining control for computer landing.

Complete computer shut-down.

This is Lunar Module.

This is Lunar Module, switching back to manual control.

He must have switched to manual, but l think it's too late.

Get a rescue team out there.

Dalotek Base. Yes, Paul.

Everything was off except the geo- scanner and that wasn't tranmitting.

l see.

- What's wrong? - Colonel Foster's coming over.

There's been an accident at military base. Moonship. All crew killed.

- l say you're responsible. - l understand how you feel,

- but you're wrong, Colonel. - l made that mistake last time.

- And what do you intend to do? - End your operation.

- You can't mean that! - You don't have the authority.

- l do have the authority. - But the project's almost complete.

l have no other alternative. l'm sorry. Remove the circuits.

Don't touch the equipment. This is private property.

- The circuits are irreplaceable. - Exactly...

- l'll speak to your commander. - There isn't time.

And it wouldn't matter anyway. The circuits come out!

Put them in the Moonmobile.

- You haven't heard the last of us! - Maybe.

But we've heard the last of that...

- Now what do we do? - What can we do?

Carry on as best we can until we receive instructions from Blake.

ln the meantime we can go out and collect our equipment from surface.

- Right. - Phil, take yesterday's area.

Jane, you go with him.

And l'll do the section near by the new crater. Okay?

- What is it? - l'm not sure that matters.

The point is, did we damage it with our blasting...

- Or damaged by the meteorite? - How did it get into the crater?

- Foster installed it. - When?

- The crater's been there few days. - This is getting us nowhere.

- We've got to decide what to do. - So we go outside and look closely.

Good idea...

The commander took the decision on the spot. l support it.

The Astrophysical Commission may disagree after talking to me.

That's your preogative. Meanwhile, Dalotek does what it's told.

Well you'll be hearing from me...

Sighting 4028, Confirm speed 048.

- l've got it. - Red alert.

lnterceptors immediate launch!

- We've picked up a UFO. - Give me trajectory co-ordinates.

Another blackout. Try re-set!

- Anything? - Nothing.

- What the blazes is going on? - We've lost them again, sir.

- And the emergency link? - We've tried it.

- Keep trying. - Sir.

SHADO Control to Moonbase, do you read me?

Nothing, sir.

- We must get the tracker working. - l'll do my best...

when l can find the source of the trouble...

UFO maintaining course. lnterceptors...

Range, 20 million miles.

Awaiting missing timing and attack.

Lieutenant Ford, will you come into the office?

That library material we were running through the other day...

- ls it still set up? - Yes, sir.

There's something in the back of my mind... those interviews from '69.

- Something won't click in place. - Which one was it, sir?

l think it was the one with Doctor Stranges.

Yes. There's nothing in that one about radio blackouts.

Maybe. But there's something. Re-run it.

On the video please- the interview with Doctor Stranges.

Channel it into Commander Straker's office.

Doctor Stranges, welcome to London.

ln this year of 1969, man has just landed on the moon.

We're bursting with new knowledge about space, but little on UFOs.

- As the President of... - l remember all this.

Let's see the second half.

What is the position of the United Nations regarding UFOs?

The UN, as a physical body,

has never gone on record as a body, as far as UFOs are concerned.

However, l spoke at the UN Outer Space Convention in 1967...

- Want to go on, sir? - Yes, let it run.

The following day the Secretary General released some news

where he said "We have a two-fold problem facing the world today.

Number one is the Vietnam crisis and number two UFOs."

Maybe it was my interview with Dr Bressinger from MlT.

No. There's just a word, a phrase.

...so involved with other things they haven't seen seriously UFOs.

Even though it's an established fact that every nation under the sun...

Let's go back.

- Where are they? - They must be working outside.

Dalotek...

- Another radio failure? - Both bases in imminent danger.

- Get me Tanner. - Colonel Foster...

We were about to call. You know the installation in the new crater?

What installation?

Crater 236? Well, if there's an installation there, it's not ours.

Estimated range?

Approximately 2,2.

Five minutes from the last known trajectory termination.

Estimated target proximity of Moon Mobile?

One minute fifty.

Of historical interest, how long've UFOs been sighted and recorded?

- UFO history goes clear back to... - l don't think there's antyhing.

We check all this library material pretty carefully.

Well it was just a hunch.

The ancient Romans...

- called them fireballs. - Hold it!

- Run back a few feet. - Go back ten feet.

The Egyptians called them sky bolts or sky balls...

Fireballs!

What's another word for fireballs, Lieutenant?

- Thunderbolt? - Or?

- Meteorite. - Crater 236

- Still no radio contact? - No.

RTA crater 236, one minute five.

Range, ten million miles.

The position is becoming only too clear, just as we hear

that Moonbase is under attack from a UFO, radio contact is lost.

Something is jamming the signal.

l believe the cause is an alien device in Crater 236.

The descent in using an orbit was to make us think it was a meteorite.

Range five million miles. Bearing positive.

- Do we go on without confirmation? - We must destroy the installation.

- Dalotek base is pretty close by. - Let's say Foster's thought of it.

Tanner? 90 seconds...

l'm confirming we're going to detonate in Crater 236.

Be prepared for an explosive decompression. Good luck.

- Get your helmets on. - l say Foster's up to something.

We've got no choice. Come on.

lnterceptor leader to Moonbase. Come in, Moonbase.

The lnterceptors are in position.

Awaiting timing and attack data.

Predict lnterceptors will be in range in about 40 seconds.

lf they haven't altered course.

- Estimated proximity Moon Mobile? - They should be on target now.

They'd better be.

- OK. Range on target. - Range on target.

lt's coming through. Trajectory 83, 9, 27, 4.

lnterceptors, switch to computer link for course correction

and missile firing sequence.

- Straker. - Re-established contact with Moon.

Right. Colonel Foster, what's the position?

There was an alien device near the Dalotek base.

- Yes, we assumed as much. - We have UFO on positive track.

The lnterceptors are going in to attack.

Missile launch, 8,5.

Well done, Captain. Return to base.

How are the Dalotek personnel?

Shaken, but fine now. The Moon Mobile is bringing them back.

- You'll have to use the amnesia. - l'll take care of it. Out.

All this!

l see now why Commander Straker was so reluctant to have us up here.

l'd like to say, Colonel, that your position, everything you've told

me, it's a safe secret with me.

Have the amnesia shots been laid on for the Dalotek team?

We'll administer them just before take-off.

l think l'll get some rest. See you later.

- Hello, Paul. - Hi.

l wondered why they brought two coffee cups.

- How do you feel? - Fine.

- Can l get you anything? - No.

- Paul, l wanted to apologise. - For what?

All the trouble we caused you, losing that Lunar Module.

Come and sit down.

- lt wasn't your fault. - Nothing we could have done?

lt would have happened anyway. lt was inevitable.

We never did eat that fettuccine.

We will... But when you've forgotten about this.

- Forgotten? - The amnesia shots.

But there's nothing to worry about.

The Dalotek team stayed on for a couple more days.

- You and Jane must have got close. - Why don't you ask her?

- Very funny. - How does that old song go?

Love's more beautiful the second time around,

just as wonderful with both feet on the ground.

Escuse me.

Excuse me. l don't think you know me, but my name's Foster.

You are some kind of geologist...

- May l sit down? - Why, yes.

How did you know l was a geologist?