Original subtitles

- Two planets.

- We'll be in range to survey

the left-hand planet in 24 hours.

- Still too distant for a visual analysis,

but the spectro-graphic analysis looks promising.

- Two planets.

Be nice to have a choice, wouldn't it?

- Dione?

The council has decided, unanimously.

We strike.

We strike first before the traveling moon gets any closer.

- Excellent.

We've waited a long time for this.

- Here we are John.

The data on the left-hand planet.

It's inhabited.

- Paul, begin contact procedure.

- The moon is approaching strike position.

- Perfect.

I want Certazius' programed for immediate launch.

- Your crew is aboard and waiting, Dione.

This may be our last chance.

You must not fail.

- Dione.

- We've picked up a signal from the traveling moon, Dione.

- Ignore it.

Touch down and assault will be as planned.

Stand by for launch.

Launch.

- Certazius on course for the moon.

- Check.

- Check.

- Those two planets revolve around the sun,

always on opposing sides

and the remarkable thing is that neither planet

is visible to the other.

- Commander,

powered object approaching.

- It's a ship, battleship size, a colossus.

- Activate defense screens.

Allan, put all Eagles on launch pads.

Red alert.

- All defense systems are activated, commander.

- Good.

Dione, they've activated their defense systems.

- Analyze them and keep monitoring.

- Any response from that alien ship yet?

- Nothing yet, no response at all.

I've tried all frequencies.

Still no contact.

- Allan, I want every Eagle airborne as soon as possible.

- Well the last ones are moving to the launch pad now, sir.

I'm just on my way.

- But keep spread out.

Approach it together.

As soon as you're in range,

I want every Eagle to fire simultaneously.

Against that, it's our only hope.

- Go. - Yes, sir.

- This isn't quite your style, is it John?

Shoot first and ask questions afterwards?

- We've been asking questions, Victor.

They haven't answered.

Look at the size of it.

It's either got an army inside or enough fire power

to blast us out of existence with one blow.

Now their purpose has got to be aggressive.

- Well, if not now,

it soon will be if we start shooting at 'em.

- What do you suggest, that we wait?

Wait to find out?

No Victor, I can't risk it.

- Eagle Five, ready for lift off.

- Eagle Five, hold.

Eagle Two, ready for lift off.

- Eagle Two, hold.

- Eagle One, ready for lift off.

- Hold Eagle One.

That's it Allan, all Eagles ready for lift off.

Thanks Paul.

- On alert, moving to attack positions.

- Neutralize all Eagles.

- Eagle One, to all Eagles.

After liftoff, center on me above beacon four.

Eagle One to base.

I have no lift off.

- What's going on?

- I can't get lift off.

- Try automatic.

- Base to Eagle One.

Stand by for control lift off.

- No go.

All systems check.

All the duel systems, check.

All the safety cut outs are functioning correctly.

- Trying again, Allan.

Eagle Two to base, I have no lift off.

- Base to Eagle Two, stand by for control lift off.

Eagle Five to base, I have no lift off.

- Base to all Eagles.

Stand by for control lift off.

No go, we can't get them off.

- It's impossible.

All the Eagles?

What the hell is going on?

- Attack force Eagles now out of action.

- Kano, give me the computer breakdown on that ship.

- It's coming through now, commander.

The gyro-magnetic ratio has an anomalous factor two

and applied to electron spin.

The landed g factor expresses, but that's impossible.

Gyro-magnetic ratio has an anomalous factor.

Commander, the computer's going haywire.

- Eagle One to base.

I have still no liftoff.

- Allan, we're getting some kind of interference.

It's affecting Computer.

It's probably some kind of ultrasonic magnetic distortion.

- Coming into the range of moon defensive screens.

- Deactivate.

- Commander, our defensive screens,

they have been deactivated.

- Fluctuating parallels.

Are communications systems are also locked out.

- Eagle One to base, I do not read you.

I do not read you.

Come in base.

Eagle One to base, you must get us liftoff.

- Paul, can you clear that up?

- It's out of my control.

- I need emergency power in the medical unit.

- Paul, switch to emergency power.

Yes sir.

- Seems to be slowing down.

- Do you think they're going to land?

- Could be.

Paul, the communication systems, are they functioning yet?

- No sir, they're not.

- Kano, what's the computer situation?

- Malfunctioning, sir.

- Sandra, any change on the defense screens?

Negative, commander.

- Holy cow.

- Activate scanners.

- No sign of enemy activity.

- Activate missile launcher.

Lock on target.

- Everyone down.

- Weapons arranged and ready to fire.

- Stand by.

- It wasn't aimed at us.

They were firing over us.

It's bombarding the right-hand planet.

- No response from the Deltan planet yet.

- They will.

At the moment they do, pinpoint their firing positions.

- That ship comes from the planet on the left,

lands on the moon, and attacks the second planet,

the one on the right.

- Hmm.

Those two planets are on opposite sides of their sun.

They can't see each other because

of the much bigger sun in between.

They can't fire at each other directly

because any kind of missile would be drawn

into the sun's gravity.

So, the arrival of our moon has

provided them with a nice ready made

gun platform in space, right John?

- Yeah.

What the hell have we got ourselves into?

- Dione, missiles from Delta.

Track them.

- Commander, missile attack.

The planet on the right.

- Trajectory?

- Delta missiles on random trajectory.

- Deltans have not located our position.

Perfect.

Stand by to fire.

- Paul, all non-essential personnel in deep shelters.

- Main mission to all sections, Alpha.

All non-essential personnel to the deep shelters.

All Eagles to bunkers.

And you three get down.

- Tracking missiles, range 492.

- Delta missiles zeroing at range 264.

- Paul, check for damage.

Eagle One to base.

Eagle One to base, do you read me?

- Base to Eagle One, we read you.

Come in, Eagle One.

Are you all right?

- All okay.

Shooting match is over, hey?

- Seems to be.

For the moment.

- See if he has a liftoff.

- Eagle One, prepare for liftoff.

- Copy.

- Allan, go and take a look at that spaceship.

Check for damage.

Don't get too close.

The first sign of trouble, pull out.

- Copy.

I'm circling the spaceship now.

Looks pretty knocked out to me.

No signs of life.

- Paul, get him out of there, quick.

- Base to Eagle One, pull out Allan.

Pull out.

- Copy.

- Paul, Sandra, try and make contact with it.

Maybe we can get through now.

Kano, test that capsule for any radiation or omission.

- Yes sir.

It's coming towards us.

Yeah, I don't like it.

- Probably some sort of escape craft.

Are we going to let them in?

- How else can we find out what's going on?

- Could be dangerous.

- Yeah.

They didn't fire their big guns at us

when they had the chance.

Sandra, Paul, any contact?

- Nothing. - No commander.

- Kano?

- No radiation has it, all clear.

- All right, Paul, open the airlock to launch pad 10.

Keep Eagle One up there

until that capsules inside the airlock.

Also, I want three security guards standing by.

Helena, Victor, let's go.

- Main mission to security, three personnel to launchpad 10.

- Stand ready.

- You ask sanctuary of us?

- Not ask, commander.

Demand.

- Demand!?

It's your aggressive action which has

put this base in danger, in jeopardy.

No, you have no rights here, none.

- Then I have nothing to say.

- All right.

We'll escort you back to your escape craft.

Take her away.

- Wait!

Think, commander.

I have already demonstrated the power of my ship.

We have many ships.

We could overwhelm you if you gave us cause.

- Maybe.

But you won't be around to see it.

Take her away.

- Listen to me.

If you send me off this base,

you will destroy any chance of survival for your people.

- We want no part of this war.

- It's too late, commander.

We used your moon to attack Delta.

They will come here seeking revenge.

If you want to live,

all of you,

you need my help.

- You give me no choice.

- I'm glad you agree, commander.

Who are you?

- My name is Dione.

I am the commander of the gunship Certazius.

My ship is now inoperable and I am the only survivor.

Thank you, commander, for taking me in.

I would only have lived for a short while.

It was not our intention to involve you.

- But you did and right now

we're smack in the middle of your war.

- We were concerned only with using this traveling moon

as a site for our gunships.

We calculated your approach and carefully planned

a preemptive strike against our enemies.

We hoped that it would be quick and decisive,

but somehow, they anticipated our plans.

It seemed they were ready for our attack.

- Enemies usually are.

- You will understand the problems of fighting a war

from opposite sides of our sun.

We have no direct line of fire to our targets.

We had to have a base out in space

to be able to bring massive firepower to bear.

Many years ago, we tried to use a passing asteroid

as a base, unsuccessfully.

It was too small for our purposes.

- Many years ago?

How long have you been at war?

- We have always been at war.

- What is it, Allan?

- I could have sworn that ship was completely knocked out.

- Well, isn't it?

- Well that escape craft managed to get out okay.

I don't know.

- So there was one survivor.

What's so bad about that?

- I don't know.

- Commander.

Spaceship approaching Alpha.

- Shall I launch the Eagles, commander?

- Your Eagle will be no match for them.

The Deltan gunships have the same capability as ours.

You must not get involved.

- Involved?

We are involved.

Now, what are you suggesting, we sit around and do nothing?

I must at least take up defensive positions.

- You must remain neutral.

- I would love to remain neutral,

but my idea of neutrality is not being a sitting duck

and being shot at by both sides.

- Commander, your weapons are useless against that ship.

You must do as I say.

- Paul.

Commander?

- Keep all Eagles in standby positions.

Yes, sir.

- Commander, if you will allow me a communications link,

I will contact military command and call up reinforcements

to protect Alpha.

- Protect Alpha?

What do you care about Alpha?

You send up reinforcements,

they send up reinforcements.

You fire at their reinforcements,

they fire at your reinforcements.

And where the hell are we?

We're the little guy in the middle.

No thank you, lady.

It's not our war.

Everyone down.

Return next?

- Of course.

Our people will destroy the enemy gunship.

- Then you send in reinforcements to continue the battle,

right?

Missiles from Betha.

- They don't have to miss by much to hit Alpha.

- How many are you in Alpha, commander?

- About 300.

- Can your Eagle vehicles hold them all?

- Just about.

What are you getting at?

- What is happening to you was never our intention.

So you told me.

- I understand your anger.

It's natural also that you should blame me.

I uh,

I would like to help you.

- How?

- Put your people aboard the Eagles.

If Alpha is hit, then they'll be ready to fly to my planet.

We'd welcome all of you.

Do you agree?

- Missile launch from planet Betha.

- They've destroyed the Delton gunship.

Direct hit.

- Well, we're back to square one.

Dione's gunship is knocked out,

the enemy gunship is destroyed.

- Yes, end of round one.

- Now what are we going to do?

Sit around and wait for round two?

- No.

I think we can be effective, finally.

- How?

- By calling it a draw and negotiating a cease fire.

- A cease fire?

- You said you wanted to help us.

Well, a cease fire would help us.

And frankly, it would help you too.

- We don't usually consider such a thing.

But our plan for a quick decisive victory

relied on the element of surprise.

We no longer have that advantage.

Our plan has failed.

Of course I would have to consult with my supreme command.

I can arrange for a communications link to

put you in touch with both planets.

- Good.

Kano, I want you to program our communications system

to open a link with both planets.

Dione will give you the specifics.

- John, even if this doesn't work,

it will be valuable to gain some time.

Every hour, Alpha is moving further and further away.

It won't be long before we're no more use to them.

- How long?

- About four hours.

- Let's keep them talking.

- This is Taylos, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces

of the planet Delta.

- I am John Koenig, Commander of Moonbase Alpha.

- What do you have to communicate?

- I'm responsible for the lives of the

people on this base.

Through no fault of ours,

we have become involved in your war.

As long as the fighting continues,

our lives are in extreme jeopardy.

I ask for a cease fire.

- I appreciate your predicament.

We did not start this war.

We were attacked treacherously and without warning.

The enemy gunship on your moon had to be destroyed.

- Your gunship came to our moon

and was itself destroyed.

Heavy losses must have been caused on both planets.

You have had your revenge.

I ask for a cease fire.

- I will place your request before the presidium.

- At least we're talking.

- Dione, contact your commander.

- I am Thea, Chief Commissioner of Bethea Defense.

We are fighting a war, please be brief.

- Commissioner Thea, I am John Koenig.

- I know who you are.

I've been listening to your discussion with

Supreme Commander Taylos.

- Then you are aware that I'm asking for a cease fire?

- We have been accused of starting this war.

We did not.

It was started long before we struck the first blow.

They were unreasonable.

They have always been unreasonable.

But we are reasonable people.

You have asked for a cease fire.

We agree to a cease fire,

if Taylos also agrees and we can discuss the terms.

- Commander Koenig, We would agree to a cease fire

if it could be properly supervised.

- We can place the cease fire.

Because of our position here, we can see both planets.

We will give an early warning if there's a spaceship

launched from either planet.

Is that acceptable?

- Not quite.

The Bethean's started the war.

Or be it, they called it a preemptive strike.

We want to launch a second gunship,

but we will hold it in orbit around our planet.

- What you're saying is that if the cease fire breaks down,

you want a military advantage.

- Correct.

- I don't believe Commissioner Thea will go along with that.

- As I previously stated, commander,

we are reasonable people.

- You understand that should the Bethean's

launch a second gunship, and you fail to inform us,

we will destroy Alpha.

- I understand.

Commissioner Thea, do you agree?

- We agree.

- You've done it, John.

- Yeah, let's hope it sticks,

at least ‘til we're out of range.

- Well done, John.

I have my doubts.

- Me too.

- Congratulations, Commander Koenig.

- Thank you for your help.

- It was in all our interests.

I would like to renew my offer for you and your people

to come and live on Bethea.

From what I've seen here, you will like us.

Our way of life is similar to your own.

I made the offer at the height of the battle.

It still stands.

- Well, that's very kind of you,

but we will have to discuss it.

If you'll excuse us, Sandra will show you to her quarters.

- Certainly, commander.

- Paul?

I want two security guards with her at all times.

Kano, instruct Computer she is to have no access

throughout Alpha.

- If there is anything you need.

- Thank you.

Your computer.

Does it control access to entromy's quarters?

- Yes.

- Well then I'll need one of those, won't I?

- I am sorry, commander's orders were that

you were to remain here.

- Prisoner?

- No, normal security procedure.

- I see.

- Are you seriously considering her offer?

- Helena, we can't afford not to.

We might never get a chance like this again.

- Seems they're a lot like us.

In many ways.

- Betha will definitely support our life patterns,

but even so, I'd like a reconnaissance.

- We have no time for reconnaissance, Victor.

We've got an invitation from people like ourselves

to a planet like our own.

We can't ignore it.

- John, Alpha is intact and we're moving out of range.

If we commit ourselves to that planet,

there'll be no turning back.

- And of course, we've only got her word for it

that we'd be welcome.

- It's a matter of trust.

- Oh.

Do, we trust her?

- Guards!

- Yes?

- Commander, Dione, she's gone.

- Commander, look.

Looks like we've found Dione.

- Yeah, what the hell is she up to?

There's only enough air in that thing

for another hour or so.

- Making for the gunship.

- Why?

- Everything's prepared, Dione.

- Get me Commissioner Thea.

- Congratulations.

At last we will rid ourselves of the Deltan enemy.

Betha will be supreme.

Annihilate them, Dione.

The Moonbase is trying to contact us.

- Dione, we gave our word to supervise a cease fire.

Now what the hell are you up to?

- I'm genuinely sorry, commander,

but my plan had to be carried out.

This is war.

We are fighting for our survival.

You're surprised?

Well, you shouldn't be.

- Your gunship was destroyed.

- Part of my plan.

I waited for a near miss and then

detonated prepared charges.

It worked, our enemies were deceived.

- As we were.

Why?

- It's very simple.

We have an active gunship on your moon.

It's too late for them to get one here now,

so once again, we have the advantage.

- The truce?

Everything.

To gain time.

All planned.

- All planned.

Again, I'm sorry.

One does not behave nicely in times of war.

- All weapons ranged.

- Ready for firing.

- Firing,

now.

- Kano, get me through to Taylos.

- You have broken your word.

- Taylos, we've both been tricked.

We both thought the gunship was knocked out,

but it was a ploy to gain time,

to put you off your guard again.

- The cease fire has ended.

The gunship will be destroyed and Alpha too.

- Taylos, I am responsible for the lives of innocent people.

You must believe me.

I have not broken my word.

We've both been deceived.

- You are in a position to give me

the exact location of the gunship.

Give me its coordinates.

You will cooperate?

- We must remain neutral.

- There can be no neutrality.

The arrival of your moon has upset the

military balance between our two worlds.

We will bombard your base at intervals

until you either give us those coordinates

or the gunship is destroyed.

The choice is yours.

- I heard Taylos' threat, commander.

Any attempt to do so and we will train our weapons on Alpha

and believe me, at this range, your destruction is certain.

- Missiles from Delta, on target for Alpha.

- John, the damage, the casualties,

we can't take much more.

- Dione, I'm coming out there.

- Out?

Out where?

- To your ship.

I'm coming out there now.

- Impossible.

- Now look, I helped you.

I took you in.

You owe me the same option.

Now I'm coming out there in a moon buggy,

unarmed, alone.

- You would abandon your command?

Your people?

- I didn't say that!

- What are you trying to say, commander?

- Hold it, don't move.

I'm still the command here.

Do as I say.

- Now wait a minute, commander, you're cracking up.

- Dione, I'm coming out there.

Don't do that.

- They cut him off.

- Did you turn off the frequency?

Good, now listen to me, I had to make that look real.

Call technical,

tell them to stand by for meeting instructions.

- Main mission to technical, stand by for instructions.

- All right, switch on the frequency.

You cut me off again, and I'll blow your head off.

Dione, I'm coming out.

- Whether you wish to die on Alpha or the lunar surface

is your choice.

You will not be allowed on board.

Dione, can you hear me?

Commander, go back to Alpha.

There's no place for you here.

Now, listen to me.

If you stop the bombardment of Delta, I'll go back.

- You would have us give up our victory

in order to preserve you and your base.

Yes, now stop firing.

- Don't you understand?

This is total war.

- And let me in.

You owe it to me, Dione.

- Go back to Alpha, commander.

In a short time, we will have destroyed all that remains

of the Deltan defenses.

If you return to Alpha, you might just survive.

- Dione, missile response from Delta.

- Commander, take cover.

Turn back!

- Missile from Delta.

On target for Alpha.

- Howling before impact?

- Minutes.

Dione, I beg you, for the last time,

stop firing.

- Come on, hurry it.

- Turn back, you will not be allowed on board this ship.

You only have yourself to blame.

- That moon vehicle, it's a trap.

Turn the guns on it, quick.

Destroy it!

- It's no use, Dione, the moon buggy is

under the range of our guns.

- No.

- Goodbye Dione.

- No!

- Call Delta, tell him the Bethea gunship is destroyed.

Now signal Taylos.

Tell him to destroy his missiles.

- Signal acknowledged.

- What a waste, total waste.

Still, perhaps some good will come of it.

Maybe now they'll learn how to live together.

- We survived, John.

- Yes, Helena, but think of the cost.

- No further contact, sir.

- The evacuation procedure, negative, sir.

Situation normal.

- Well, we've got five cases of middle ear damage.

It's not serious.

There's nothing permanent.

We're lucky.

- I wonder what life on Dione's planet would have been like.

- You feeling regret?

- No, no, just curious.

- Well, I think I'd rather take my chances

wandering through space than be involved

in a permanent state of war.

Anyway,

it's too late now.

- Yeah.

Too late.

They've got their war and we have all of space

in which to find a home.

Somewhere.