Original subtitles

- Alpha to Eagle One.

Come in, One.

Alpha to Eagle One.

Come in, One.

- Eagle One to base, we copy.

Paul, we're returning to Alpha.

Returning?

- We had a close call.

We were descending to the planet surface at normal speed

and suddenly we were pulled down at tremendous speed

as if the G-forces had increased enormously.

- I've checked that out, John.

G-forces remained constant.

- No other force was recorded on the instruments, Commander.

- Whatever force it was, it wasn't anything we know about.

- Did you get that, Paul?

Heard, but not understood.

- It took all our power we had to get away.

- We're losing power!

Paul, we're in trouble!

Control system's out!

- Alpha to Eagle One.

Come in, One.

Alpha to Eagle One.

Come in, One.

Alpha to Eagle One.

Come in, One.

- Paul, computer's located them.

They crashed down in a crater

over a hundred miles from here.

Medical Center,

report on their physical condition, please.

- Three are alive, Paul.

I can't get a reading from Commander Koenig.

Bob, his medical monitor is not registering.

Dr. Russell,

get the medical team over to launch pad seven.

- We're on our way.

Paul, any word from them yet?

- Nothing, Doctor.

But their communications systems are working now.

We may hear from them at any moment.

How's the commander?

- Still no life readings.

Keep me posted, Paul.

- Come in, Eagle Four.

Come in, Eagle Four.

This is Commander Koenig.

- Commander?

- Alpha calling Eagle One.

Come in, Eagle One.

Alpha calling Eagle One.

Come in, Eagle One.

Tanya, you've got the most

beautiful voice in the world.

- Paul, Eagle One reporting in.

- Commander Koenig?

- No, it's Carter, Paul.

Are you all right?

- Yeah, but the commander's hurt pretty bad.

Do what you can, Alan.

A rescue unit's on its way.

We'll have you home in no time.

Make it soon, huh?

- Dr. Russell, we've heard from Carter.

Commander Koenig's alive, but badly hurt.

- Thank you, Paul.

- Paul, this is Commander Koenig.

Paul?

Dr. Russell?

Helena?

Alan, this is Dr. Russell.

We're coming alongside now.

Don't move anyone until I've examined them.

- He's going to be all right, isn't he?

- I don't know.

We can't do anything more for them here.

We've gotta get 'em back to Alpha.

- Paul.

- Yes, Alan.

Go ahead.

- Send us a Cargo Eagle as fast as you can.

We can't move anyone.

We'll have to separate this section

from the rest of the Eagle

and have it carried back to Alpha.

- Affirmative.

- Paul.

- I hope you enjoy your stay here on Zenno,

Commander Koenig.

You must be exhausted after your long walk.

It is not a dream, but all very real, I assure you.

This is the planet Zenno.

A major planet in the solar system known as Cryton.

Five million light-years away from Earth.

- We had our computer check out every planet in this sector.

They're all dead.

- Yes, of course.

Your primitive machinery would record that fallacy

simply because I ordered it to.

- You expect me to believe that?

- Why should I lie?

You are also thinking that our scanner system

located your moon and you were brought here by spaceship.

That is correct.

I can read your mind, you see.

All Zennites can.

We have no use of mechanical devices.

What we need, or want, we create with our minds.

The mind is master of all things.

This is my home.

It is made of light.

Outside is our city, one of many.

You are still skeptical.

Admirable.

Perhaps another view?

A closer one.

Gently, Commander.

You will adjust to it in time.

The city of light.

Light is alive, color is alive.

Magnificent.

At last, you are impressed.

Allow me to impress you even further.

My name is Raan, your host.

I am as human as you are.

This must be a dream.

- No, Commander.

It all happened here on Zenno.

I made it happen.

See for yourself.

Convinced?

- Why am I here?

- The inevitable question.

Because.

- Because, Commander,

my father is the foremost anthropologist on Zenno.

- You have not met formally.

Vana, may I present Commander Koenig.

Commander Koenig, my daughter Vana.

- You were saying?

- Like all scientists, my father's curiosity is insatiable.

He wants to learn from you.

- I doubt if I could teach him anything.

- Not about the present, or the future, but the past.

And now, let us make you feel more comfortable,

more at home.

Your quarters on Alpha.

I'm sorry it's not the real thing, only an image of it.

But quite accommodating, nevertheless.

- Then I take it I'm a prisoner here.

- Oh, no.

No, no, no.

You are a guest in my home.

A permanent guest.

Unfortunately, your lifespan is only one tenth of ours.

- I still don't see what you hope to learn from me.

- I want to know your mind, the mind of an Earth man.

All our ancient books, though very informative,

are limited in knowledge.

But you, dear Commander Koenig, are flesh and blood.

You're real.

I've been searching for such as you for a long time.

You are our missing link.

- Paul, we're all set.

Have them lower away.

- All right, Alan.

When they've secured the module, I'll take over from here.

Piece of cake.

- You just keep your fingers crossed.

Your food, Commander.

- Fattening me up for the slaughter?

- You must eat.

I suggest you resign yourself to the situation.

- My being considered the caveman of the future

is your idea of a situation?

Do you know what your father intends to do?

To use me as an experiment as if I were some kind of.

- Some kind of animal.

Exactly.

- Yes.

I've read of Earth people

and their experiments with animals.

Exposing their brains and implanting electrical devices

to record their thought process.

But if that is all he wanted to learn from you,

he would simply read your mind, as I would.

- The principle is exactly the same.

I am being kept here against my will

for scientific research.

What your father proposes is just as inhumane.

Or have the Zennites progressed beyond principles?

- I assure you, no harm will come to you.

- Vana, I'm not a Zennite.

What's not harmful to you may be to me.

And you can tell your father I'll do everything I can

to get back to Alpha.

- That is impossible.

You will remain here till the end of your life.

- Then that day'll come a lot sooner!

- Alpha to Eagle Seven, all secured.

Alan, hang on.

Ready for pick up.

Countdown, 10 seconds.

Nine, eight, seven.

- Six, five, four,

three, two, one, zero.

No need to open the door, Commander.

In my first experiment, I am returning you to Alpha.

- John, it's all right.

You're safe now.

You've been unconscious for two days.

- The others?

- Carter and I made it through all right, but Sandra's dead.

- Sandra?

- Mm-hmm.

Helena did everything she could to save her,

but it meant nothing.

The whole thing is ridiculous.

I mean, we're always gonna die slowly, one by one.

It's no use.

- Come on, Victor.

Look, I feel the same way as you about Sandra.

But we all know that death's a way of life with us now.

- Don't philosophize, John.

Not with me.

I'm not talking about Sandra!

I'm talking about everything!

When are we gonna stop kidding ourselves?

We're never gonna get off this rock.

This is our tomb.

We walk about here breathing, but we're not living.

We're existing.

I tell you, I've had about enough of it.

I wanna live like a human being again.

- We all do, Victor.

- Oh, no.

Not you.

You're the big man around here.

How does it feel to play God every day, huh?

Where are you going?

- I want to talk to Paul.

What for?

Listen, we don't have a chance here.

- If you want to check yourself out, that's your affair.

Open any air lock.

- No!

I want to live!

Listen, all those planets out there,

they're not all dead, you know.

One of them is alive.

Alive!

We can go there, a few of us.

We can start living again.

Don't be a damn fool!

Life is waiting for us, John.

Let's take it.

- That's just another way to die.

Paul!

- Commander, you should've listened to Victor.

- Raan!

I'm not an experiment, I'm a man!

I'm a man!

Raan!

Let go!

No!

Victor?

Help me, Victor.

Help me.

Victor, help me!

Help me, Victor!

Victor, help me!

Victor!

Help me, Victor!

Help me!

Help me.

Victor!

- His fear of my experiment manifested itself in strange,

repulsive creatures who appeared real and alive to him.

But it's his violence I find most fascinating.

- I find violence very disturbing.

- It is frightening.

Had I been present when he realized

Professor Bergman was merely an image,

I do believe he would have taken my life.

I can see how the ancient books do not exaggerate.

Murder, war, torture.

Violence beyond description is a way of life for Earth man.

- Perhaps he will prove too dangerous.

He may truly kill one of us.

You should neutralize his mind.

You may go too far.

- No.

I can create situations for him,

but his reactions must be true

and his choice of dealing with them free.

Otherwise, there'd be no point in making the experiment.

He must neutralize his own mind.

Conquer his violence.

- There were four of us in that crash.

Three'll survive and John.

Why him?

Why couldn't it be me, or Alan, or Sandra?

- It may simply be John's time to die.

- Commander.

It was very wise to realize that your friend was not real,

but I do not see how you knew.

- Victor would never give up on himself.

I wanted him to be real.

Otherwise, I would have seen through

your father's deception much sooner.

- We are incapable of deception.

- Every scientist makes that claim.

The end justifies the means.

- I am too young to understand my father's reasoning,

but I know his intention was not to deceive you.

We Zennites are born free of negative emotions,

thereby bringing us tranquility and peace.

You see, however, it does not come easily or swiftly.

- You're lucky.

Or are you?

Without feeling hate, one cannot feel the joy of love.

- We feel such joy because we understand hate.

It is born of fear and we fear nothing.

- Except death.

- We do not believe in death.

Only in the continuing flow of life.

Therefore, your refusing food,

your choice to starve yourself, is incomprehensible to me.

- If I were to take you away from here against your will,

you'd understand.

- If you were to remain here of your own free will,

you also would understand.

- You clumsy fool!

Is it so difficult to carry a tray of coffee?

- That's enough, Kano.

- This inefficient.

- I said, that's enough!

- Are you all right, June?

- Yes.

- Don't ever do that again.

- You're not in command here yet.

- Right now I'm off duty.

So are you.

- Paul.

- Everyone back to their stations.

- Raise it three points.

- That could kill him.

- Three points.

That's enough.

- Have you got him?

- Only just.

- As a scientist, I owe it to humanity to learn all I can.

It is the only way to help man.

To bring him closer to his true destiny.

- But you can learn nothing from the commander

because whatever image you present to him is unreal.

So that his reaction, though honest, is unreal as well.

To explore our own minds and the mind of the universe

for knowledge and understanding, that is a good thing.

But John Koenig is neither of these.

He's an individual.

His blood is our blood.

We have no right to exploit him.

- Do you wish me to send him back?

- I don't know.

It's all so confusing.

- I was just thinking of you.

- I know.

- You're able to project music with your mind?

- You like it?

- It's beautiful, but so sad.

I didn't think sadness existed here.

- It does.

It does.

- Tell me what's troubling you.

You know I can't read your mind.

- I want you to stay.

I want you to stay with me.

Dr. Russell.

You must not let him die.

- A machine is keeping John alive, not himself, not me.

- What difference does it make?

He is still alive.

- John is already dead.

His body is dead and his mind.

I can't deceive myself any longer.

- Wait.

Please, wait a while longer.

- Look, there are wonders out there beyond your imagination.

Everything you've wished for on Earth.

The good things, I offer you.

A world without fear.

A world without fear.

Not your world, Commander.

- It will be, Father.

We are to be united as one.

- That is impossible.

- But you have taught me that love

is the bridge between all worlds.

- Only when you know how to cross it.

You have yet to learn the way.

Do you presume that you can span

two million years of evolution?

- I can try.

I've made my choice.

I want to stay here with Vana.

- No one's being callous, just realistic.

The entire base is pulling for the commander to make it.

But you can see the effect it's having on people.

Kano losing his temper, me as well.

The security men have broken up three brawls already.

- That is not the point!

- That is precisely the point, Alan.

We need a leader, even if it's just a name.

If John lives, well that's fine.

Even if he doesn't, people will adjust.

It's the not knowing that's getting everybody down.

- And who's going to take over, you?

You, Paul?

Kano?

The man in the moon, huh?

Koenig is still breathing!

And while he is, for my money, he is still the commander.

- You're beautiful.

- I think this is also a friend of yours.

No.

No.

- The commander does not believe you are real.

I have instilled the facts into her mind.

Where she is and the situation, but not her part in it.

That I leave to you.

- It is true, Commander.

I know you have decided not to return to Alpha.

- Father, did you have to bring Sandra here?

- You see?

My daughter believes your friend is real.

- She trusts you,

I don't.

- Very well, Commander Koenig.

Let me offer some proof.

There is my image of Sandra.

And my image of you.

However, your image on Alpha is dying.

Even I cannot sustain it indefinitely.

Only one of you will survive.

- Dr. Russell is going to disconnect

your life support system.

She believes you are dead.

Now I can tell her.

- No.

You will not remember seeing the commander alive and well.

The decision still belongs to Dr. Russell.

I cannot influence that decision in any way.

No one can.

- You brought Victor's image here.

Why not Sandra's?

- Sandra is real.

I understand you not believing her because of my father.

Can you not believe me?

- I believe you.

- Excellent.

Which world do you choose now?

Come, Vana.

We should allow our guests a moment to themselves.

- It is like a dream.

It's not a dream, Sandra.

- There's nothing more you can do for him.

- There is one thing.

- Vana.

- Sandra has convinced you to return.

- No, Vana.

Your father only made me face the truth

by bringing Sandra here.

I can't stay knowing my place

is with my own people in my own time.

- I will come with you.

I'm already part of your world as you're a part of mine.

- No, it's the same for you, Vana.

The Zennites are your people and this is your time.

You and I can never become one.

In time, you'll understand.

- What do I do till then?

At this moment, all I understand is my love for you.

I do not want you to leave me.

- Then cross the bridge between your world and mine.

- I do not know how.

- With your mind and with your heart.

As long as you think of me and feel for me,

I'll be with you.

- I will try.

I will try.

Do not forget me.

Do not forget me.

- Are you sure?

I have to, Bob.

Leave it alone, Dr. Russell.

Alan, you don't understand!

You're not gonna kill him.

Carter, take it easy.

- Mathias.

- Take it easy, Carter.

- Security to Diagnostic.

Security to Diagnostic.

- You're not gonna kill him.

- Although the experiment was a failure,

I did learn something from Earth man after all, so did Vana.

- Perhaps Vana was the true reason you brought me here.

- Perhaps it was.

Please, take my gratitude with you.

- I'll be taking much more.

- Something you learned, I hope.

- Not exactly.

I still believe it's more important to feel than to think.

- It is the perfect balance between the two

that must be achieved.

Both our worlds have yet to learn how.

But now you must hurry.

There's not much of your time left.

Until tomorrow, John Koenig.

Until tomorrow.

- Helena.

Have I been gone long?

- Not long.