"(Helena) 'Moonbase Alpha status report, '2,009 days since leaving Earth orbit." "Dr Helena Russell recording." "'This morning we heard the most terrifying sound in space, 'the universal plague warning signal." "'Commander John Koenig is in the North Quadrant 'investigating a belt of asteroids which gives hope of colonisation.'" "Tony, it's in a position to go into a high orbit around us." "Magnify." "Our Eagles are just Model Ts compared to that." "It's changed course." " Heading?" " Towards us." " It's a plague ship, Tony." " I know." "(Man) 'Weapons Section.'" "Prepare lasers." "Target that spaceship." "'Permission to land." "Urgent." "We require permission to land.'" "Identify yourself, please." "'My name is Sahala, from the galaxy Croton." "'One of my crew is dead, another severely injured." "'I alone control the ship." "Will you permit me to touch down?" "'" " No!" "No permission to touch down." " She says she has injured on board." "Sahala, your ship is transmitting the universal plague signal." "'That is true." "We have a plague on board, but isolated." "'There's no danger to you." "Please help us.'" "Maya, run a scan on that ship." "Croton..." "Our Psychon astronomers did identify controlled sources of photon emission in the Third Galaxy." "Scanner confirms." "The ship is photon driven." "What's its armament?" "It has no armament." "Helena, get a medical team to the launch area." "Take care of the injured." "Wear anti-contamination suits and double-check there's no danger to us from the plague" " before you board." " Right." " You have permission to land." " 'Thank you.'" "Alan, take Maya, meet the landing party, make sure there's no threat." "Lower launch pad to boarding level." "Apart from skull fractures, she's lost a lot of blood." "But with your help, we must save her." "How did it happen?" "We have a criminal on board who nearly destroyed our civilisation." "My mission was to deliver him to exile him on Theselena, a distant planet of our system." "For a few disastrous moments he broke loose with this result." "This criminal is the nature of the plague you carry?" "Yes, but we now have him safe in isolation." "She'll go right to our medical centre." " What have you done?" " What I had to do." "(Beeping)" "(Beeping)" "Not a thing." "There's no sign of decay, just some form of suspension." "I've never seen anything like it." " How's Yesta?" " Not good." "I'm waiting for the lab report." "We'll have to operate." "Because she's a Psychon!" "That gives you the right to shoot her?" "Yes!" "Because of what they've done to my people." " We were..." " I don't care what you were!" "If Maya doesn't come out of this, you'll remain here locked in detention for the rest of your life." " Let me tell..." " You cannot tell me ANYTHING!" " Tony, give her a chance." " Alan, she gets nothing!" " Come on, Alan, let's go." " In a second." "OK, but a guard stays outside this door permanently." "Thank you for trying to be kind." "It's not that I'm a better listener than Tony, it's just Maya means a lot to him." "The Croton system is made up of many peoples in many planets, of which my planet Norva was one." "Over decons, it has been cultivated into a peace-loving federation." "The planet Psychon, is that a member?" "We didn't even know of its existence until the arrival of one named Dorzak." "He came in a spaceship with other Psychons begging refuge, saying his planet was to be destroyed." "Maya knew some of her people left Psychon before it blew up but she never knew if they made it to another system." "Technologically they were advanced and we welcomed them on Norva." "But soon we realised the Psychons were a virus destroying our society." "Wait a minute." "You've got something out of balance." "Maya is no virus." "You don't know Psychons like we do." "Their power is insidious." "Dorzak incited to violence people who had been at peace for years." "But you said Dorzak is the prisoner." "Yes, we developed a weapon to defeat him...and the psychology to use it." " The weapon you used against Maya?" " The staser." "Please help me." "If Maya doesn't recover..." "Crotons don't kill!" "That was our weakness against Dorzak." " I can bring her back." " Do that and get Tony on your side." "(Beeping)" "The staser." "Can you convince him to trust me?" "Let her prove you wrong, Tony." "(Beep)" "I've got a pulse." "How do you feel?" "I feel fine." "Why?" "Why did you do that?" "Because you are a Psychon." "I have experience with Psychons." " Get her away from me!" " It's OK, Maya." " Get her away!" " Take it easy." "I want her back in detention." "With a guard outside her door at all times." "Maya, one of the spaceships that escaped Psychon before it blew up, it made it to the Croton system." "That's wonderful!" "Well, isn't it?" "They caused grief." "It seems one of your people, Dorzak..." "Dorzak!" "Sahala says he turned on them, tried to take over." "She's lying!" "She says he incited an insurrection on Norva." "She's lying, I tell you!" "Dorzak was a philosopher, a poet, a man of peace!" "He wouldn't change." "The claim is he caused great suffering." " That can't be!" " She's taking him to exile." " He's alive?" " A prisoner on Sahala's ship." " Here?" " Yeah." "Tony, I want to see him." "Please take me to him." "Am I so much a leper I must eat alone?" "I wouldn't think of it." "You seem somehow different from the others." "Different?" "No." "We all come from the same planet, Earth." "Unless you mean my accent." "I guess I am a little different." "On Earth I come from a country called Australia." "Australia." "Is that very important?" "Yeah." "It is to me." "Our origins differ, but you are easy to be with, and kind." "Because you are easy to be with." "There's one way to repay your kindness, by continually warning you of the danger you are in." "Your Psychon will do her best to free Dorzak." "Maya will do nothing she is not permitted to do." "Their loyalty to each other transcends all other relationships." " You don't know Maya." " No, but I do know Dorzak!" "Even in stasis, he's dangerous." "One of my crew is dead, another near dead." "They were selected for their ability to resist his psychological attack, but he still got through their defences." "How?" "'It began when we were halfway to Theselena, where Dorzak was exiled." "'The journey to Theselena is the longest we make, 'and apart from the presence of Dorzak, 'the crew had to face the psychological stress of the flight.'" "(Beeping)" "'Clea was on watch when things began to go wrong." "'She was unfortunately not as strong as Yesta and myself 'against Dorzak's fatal influence, even as he lay in stasis.'" "(Bleeping)" "'Computer to crew." "Computer to crew." "I wish to communicate.'" "Speak." "'We are approaching a rogue asteroid," "'the former moon from planet Earth." "'Its trajectory is random." "It is inhabited by 300 Earth people." "'Their culture is primitive, bound by laws of the ancient continent." "'They represent no danger to the mission." "'Adjustments have been made to avoid collision." "'Communication complete.'" "Thank you, computer." "(Beeping)" "(Computer) 'I am reporting a fault in the long-range communicator." " 'The fault lies...'" " Quiet!" "(Beeping)" "(Beeping)" "We have arrived in Theselena?" "How could I ever allow them to submit you to that indignity?" " But where are we?" " Approaching an asteroid." "There are 300 people there, backward, but potentially useful." "What do you have in mind?" "We could take over the ship, and use it to return to Norva." "What about the others?" "You could eliminate them, after the Psychon fashion." "Why are you doing this for me?" "Oh, Dorzak!" "Clea!" "Clea!" "My wonderful Clea!" "(Laser fire)" "Oh, no!" "What have I been doing?" " He is evil, Clea." "Evil." " I know." "I know." "Come, come." " How did it happen?" " I don't know." "I'll get you something to drink." "When I woke to take over the watch in the normal way," "Yesta had nearly bled to death." "What happened to Clea?" "I released her from stasis, then she confessed what I just told you." "The guilt was too much for her." "She threw herself out into space." "That's when I changed course to ask for your help." "Mr Verdeschi would like to see Sahala." "Where is he?" "At the docking port, waiting to enter the Croton ship." " Is the Psychon, Maya, with him?" " Yes." "You see, it begins." "Why must we wait for her permission?" "Protocol." "We don't go aboard visiting spaceships without permission." " Even if she's deceiving us?" " We're not sure of that." " Permission to board your ship." " For what purpose?" " To talk to Dorzak." " You cannot." "He's in stasis." "You can bring him out of stasis long enough for us to ask questions." "You'd help if you're telling the truth." "She is." "Why don't you listen?" "If I am lying, why is Dorzak my prisoner?" "Because he was in command and you were in stasis." "Just like a Psychon to twist the truth." "Quit stalling." "Let us talk to Dorzak, we'll learn the truth." " Get him out of stasis." " Too dangerous." "There is a witness that knows what happened." " In the Medical Centre" " Yesta." " She is still unconscious." "It's safer to wait till she wakes up." "We don't know that she ever will." "Sahala, I don't want to board without your permission, but I will." "And it's on kill." "Mr Verdeschi, move from the entry hatch." "Get her back to detention!" "Let's go find Dorzak." "Thanks." "You had me worried." "I thought she'd got to you." "She has got to me." "Impressive place." "Yeah, the Crotons are obviously very cultured people." "Just like the lady said." "Something?" "Yeah, looks more functional than ornamental." "The other alcoves show no trace of anything similar." "What do you think?" "An electronic bug?" "Could be." "Maybe some kind of charm." "Technical can check it out." "(Beep)" "Dorzak!" "That's a force-field." "He doesn't look a menace there." "He sleeps easy for somebody who perverts minds." "He doesn't pervert minds!" "More than likely the Crotons were so impressed, they were drawn to him." "Possibly his ideas were a threat to the Croton establishment." "The Crotons were oppressing people, he was opposing them, of course they'd exile him!" "Then Sahala could be telling the truth about what happened." "A version of the truth." "Anything to stop us reviving him!" "What if Sahala IS telling the truth?" "If she is, it would be dangerous to revive him." "Tony?" "I'm not sure we ought to take that risk." "He's a wonderful man!" "I know him!" "You KNEW him, Maya, on Psychon." "You know nothing of him since he left." "(Bleep)" " 'Dr Russell?" "'" " Yes, Ed." " 'We're ready to operate.'" " I'm on my way." "Helena, if you can bring Yesta back to consciousness, it might help solve a lot of problems." "Tony, I'm not the only Psychon alive." "I know." "I think I can get him out of stasis." "Why don't we wait until we hear Yesta's story." "I never thought I'd see anyone of my race again." "I must speak to him!" "If what Sahala said IS true..." "Even if her accusations are true, he can't harm anyone behind a force-field!" "OK." "Go ahead." "See if you can revive him." "First phase is to relieve cortical pressure caused by the fracture." "At least we've stopped the internal haemorrhage." "It may recur." "All monitors functioning?" "Yeah." "What do you make of this?" "(Helena) I don't know." "It seems to be a metal alloy." "Could be a deliberate implant of some kind." "It'll have to come out." "It's involved in the wound." "All set, then?" "(Electric crackling)" "Run some tests on this, Ed, please." "(Bleep)" " 'Tony.'" " Yes, Helena." "Yesta will be out of the anaesthetic in a few minutes." "OK." "I'll be right there." "Maya, that force-field must remain intact." " I understand, Tony." " Let's go, Alan." "Get Sahala to Medical Centre." "Maya, can you handle it?" "Don't worry." "I wouldn't do anything against Alpha." "OK." "(Electronic crackling)" "(Crackling stops)" "Dorzak!" "Maya?" "It IS Maya?" "Daughter of Mentor?" "But how are you here in this ship?" "I thought you were dead." "I survived the destruction of Psychon." "The only survivor." "We thought you were dead." "I survived the hatred of the Crotons...the only survivor." "It's just you and me, Maya." "We're the only Psychons alive." "A force-field." "I thought you came to rescue me, Maya." "Am I still a prisoner?" "Not for long." "Sahala, the commander of this ship..." "That evil being!" "What lies has she told about me?" "Her lies won't help her now Yesta's revived." "Yes." "If there's a Croton with integrity, it's Yesta." " Where is she?" " In Medical Centre." "While we wait for the truth to come out, tell me of yourself," "Maya, since I saw you last." "(Helena) She's coming out of it." "Yesta." "I am Yesta." "(Moans)" "(Maya) Mentor tried restoring the planet with a biological computer." "(Groans)" "Thank you, Dr Russell, for helping my friend." "How is she?" "She doesn't know where she is." "She doesn't know me." "A familiar face would be reassuring." "Yesta." "Sahala is here." "Yesta." "Yesta." "(Screams)" " Get away!" " It's Sahala." " Take her away." " Yesta, please!" "What we did to the Psychons is wrong." "We should have left them in peace." " Yesta, listen to me." " No!" "Get her away!" "Get her away!" "Get her away from me!" "She killed Clea!" "(Maya) But Mentor's intellect was not sufficient." "Psychon blew up." "She's dead." "At least we know where we stand." " Maya." " 'Yes, Tony.'" "It seems Dorzak is innocent." " I knew it." " 'If you can revive Dorzak...'" "I already have." "Then I can release him from the force-field?" "'Yes." "Take him to more comfortable quarters." "Level D.'" "Your faith sustained us both." "Get her back to detention." "She was obviously lying, Alan." "Obviously?" "Something doesn't hang together here, Tony." "She talked about Dorzak's mind having power over other people." "Maybe she's the one with the power." "Will you take some advice from a buddy?" " Stay away from her." " Something like that." " Hey, Sam." " Hi." "Run a check on that, will you?" "I just ran a check on the twin of that for Dr Russell." " Yeah?" "How about filling me in." " Sure." "This is the one removed from Yesta's head." "It's a neuro-pulsonic jammer." " A deliberate implant?" " Dr Russell said that." "What's it supposed to jam?" "Any ideas?" " These are organic psychowaves." " What does that mean?" "Electrical impulses associated with extrasensory perception." "If I was to give you an order or message, the impulses from my brain would look like that?" "Yes, they would." "You could jam that message if you had this in your head?" "Exactly." "Sam, did our sensors pick up any organic psychowaves like these transmitted today?" "Yes, they did." "You must tell me more about the technique of molecular transformation." "Have you mastered it?" "I have." "Of course, with the help of my father." "What about your friends on Alpha?" "Have you taught them?" "Only Psychons have the molecular structure that permits the transformation." "Then you must teach me." "(Squeaks)" "You're so brilliant about everything, I enjoy doing something you cannot." "You must teach me the principles." "'Maya, report to Medical Centre, please.'" "I'll be right there, Tony." "Exercise your famous brain to find my friends a habitable planet, and I will teach you molecular transformation when I get back." "(Door opens)" "There it is, just behind the ear." "Right under the scalp flap." "It's a simple operation." "Done in minutes." "If only we'd known what it was before we removed it from Yesta." "Poor Yesta." "She died with those foul accusations on her lips." "She must be in misery thinking I blame her." "No." "Wherever she is, she'd know you wouldn't blame her." " You're convinced I'm truthful?" " Of course." "Maya, look at this." "It's a neuro-pulsonic jammer." "Its purpose is to jam electrical waves, amongst other things." "Such as hypno-suggestion." "Our sensors noted a hypno-suggestion transmission at 13:22." "That was the time when you brought Dorzak out of stasis." "And they stopped just after Yesta's death." "She's accusing Dorzak of transmitting those impulses?" "Yes." "The Crotons developed the device to jam psychowaves before they enter the brain." "Then why was Clea affected?" " And Yesta?" " Clea was in love with Dorzak and removed the thing that protected her from his power." "I take responsibility for Yesta." "I removed the device and Dorzak had her say what he wanted us to hear." "Helena, how can we be sure she's not tricking us?" "Maya, we can't be sure of Dorzak, either." "If he can control minds from stasis, he could take us over completely." "The only one he can't control is Sahala." "Yes, give me a weapon." " I'll capture him again." " No, Tony." "Don't worry, I don't intend to do that." "Would you escort the lady back to detention?" "Please." "It's going to be OK this time." "Maya, there IS a way to the truth." "If Sahala and Dorzak were left alone together, all the cards would be on the table." "If Dorzak suspects..." "Be careful, Maya." "(Alarm)" "'Attention security personnel." "'The Croton Sahala has broken out of detention 'and has Dr Russell hostage at gunpoint.'" "She is in Section L, proceeding towards the Croton ship." "No one is to try to stop her." "If I can help in any way." "Thank you." "If any of your people suffered injury because of me..." " How did it happen?" " I don't know." "What the hell were security doing?" "Tell Sahala you'll exchange me for Dr Russell." "That is what she wants." "It crossed my mind." "They're on their way to the Croton ship." "'I have a demand to make, Mr Verdeschi.'" "Yeah, I'll bet." "Dorzak for Dr Russell." "'Correct." "And should Dorzak make you reluctant, 'may I remind you that if I choose 'to ignite the photon drive before I am clear of Alpha, 'all life here will be extinguished..." " 'by radiation.' - 'I thought Crotons didn't kill.'" "'It's the language you appear to understand." "'I expect the Psychon immediately.'" "Dorzak." "It's absurd we should be at war." "War seems to come naturally to you Psychons." "This far from Norva, I see things clearer." "You Crotons are in greater danger from yourselves than from Psychons." "We are no longer in danger from you." "But your civilisation is enfeebled by contentment." "Psychons are steeled by the struggle for survival." "You cannot subvert my mind as you did Yesta's." "It may be decons old, but your civilisation was based on military supremacy." "Only when that was achieved could the luxury of culture grow." "On the stasis couch!" "This gun is set to kill." "Yes, the couch is very comfortable." "How did you subvert Yesta's mind?" "You should know that." "Sahala would know." " Why do you tremble, Sahala?" " I am not trembling." "Are you suddenly afraid of me?" "Sahala would not be afraid of me." "Do you know why you are afraid of me?" "Because you are not Sahala." "You are Maya!" "You betrayed me." "She must know by now!" "Give her a couple of minutes, then we'll go in." "Is there some flaw in the Psychon nature that turns us into monsters?" "First my father." "And now you." "Philosophy doesn't win space for people to live." "The struggle for survival makes monsters of us all." "The Alphans aren't warped by their struggle." "A pathetic example of the lingering process of extinction." "Without your help, they'd be dead." "They saved me..." "from our doomed planet." "You are a child, but you can be of great service to me." "I refuse." "Only Crotons are trained to operate this ship, so Sahala must be under my control." "To do that I must have Dr Russell remove the neuro-pulsonic jammer." "No!" "I command you to convey to me the knowledge of molecular transformation." " It's been too long." " Right." "(Beeping)" "OK." "Maya." " I was wrong." " Are you all right?" "Not really." "I could hardly believe what I heard...from his own lips." " He's not the Dorzak I know." " I'll tell Sahala." "Hey!" "She can have her ship, but I want it off Moonbase as soon as possible." "I was afraid." "He's in stasis now, Maya." "There's no need to be afraid." "Hey!" "I know what'll cheer you up." "How about a beer?" "You know how my beer always cheers you up." " Yes, I'd love some." " Well, great!" "(French accent) Zere is a fabulous French restaurant" "I know on Level 9, ooh-la-la!" "Or we could have a nice, relaxing time, floating around in outer space." "(Humphrey Bogart voice) C'mon, let's celebrate, sweetheart." "In a while, Tony." "I'd like to apologise to Sahala." "Apologise!" "Come on, Maya, you don't have to do that!" "Please, Tony!" "I'll meet you in Command Centre." "OK, but I'll be waiting." "Come on, Helena, let's go." "You go ahead, Tony." "Before they leave, I'd like to learn about stasis." "It's just not my day!" "I want you to perform an operation for me, Doctor." "Yes, Dorzak." "Then, I may go back to my ship?" "Maya caught him off guard." "He thought he was talking to you." "We got the truth." "How can I thank you?" "You could start by forgiving us for doubting you." "I felt through it all you were my friend." "I was...and I am." "Helena, I have the report you asked me for." "Oh, thanks." " 'Tony.'" " Yes, Ed." "'Helena was just in here.'" "She's a doctor, that's a medical centre!" "'She took some surgical instruments and walked out without a word." "'I had some reports she was anxious to see." "She didn't care." "'Her actions were...very unusual.'" "A lot of unusual things have happened lately, Ed." "Maya even said she'd love some of my beer!" "That's pretty unusual behaviour... ..for Maya." "It's a relief to see him safely in stasis again." "Don't feel too comfortable." "Mr Carter..." "If you will hand your weapon to me." "And now, Mr Carter, walk into the stasis chamber." "Forgive me for pointing this at you, but until that implant is removed I cannot reach your mind." "(Dorzak) Ah, Dr Russell." "Would you kindly prepare yourself, Sahala?" "Dr Russell has agreed to perform the necessary operation." "(Ed) She just took the instruments out of that drawer, and walked out without a word." "She's just never acted that way before." " Was something bothering her?" " I'm not sure." "Dr Russell...your patient is ready." "Helena." "Mr Verdeschi, hand me your weapon, please." " Helena, are you all right?" " Yes, I'm all right." "The wall!" "(Beeping)" "(Beeping)" " Oh, Tony!" " Welcome back." "It's all right, Maya." "Everything is all right now." "What happened?" "I'll let you know everything as soon as Dorzak's behind this force-field." "Very clever, these Earthlings." "Easy, Tony." "Nice job of inserting that capsule, Doctor." "Nice job removing it, Doctor." "Where's Alan?" "The least could do is thank me for saving his alien friend." "He's with his alien friend now." "Crotons are conditioned never to be sad at a parting, but I'm ashamed to say I am sad at this one." "Well, I'm not conditioned." "And I'm not ashamed of how I feel, knowing I'll never see you again." "How does your species say goodbye?" "How do you say goodbye on Norva?" "The way you say goodbye is better."