How long till lunar sunrise?
- Four minutes. - Are the Interceptors ready?
Yes, sir, we've been on red alert since 0600 hours.
- If we lose contact, play it by ear. - Yes, sir.
Three minutes, Lieutenant.
It's the feeling of helplessness I can't take.
Sunspot activity is the perfect cover for UFOs.
- Do you think they'll try anything? - You can lay odds on it.
- Give me the surface camera. - Yes, Lieutenant.
Fifty seconds. Interference ratio 20:7, increasing.
Interference critical, Commander.
It looks like a communication blackout.
Sound and vision breaking up.
We'll try a test signal every 60 seconds. Good luck.
Thank you, sir.
Give me the surface.
(Operative) Minus ten... nine... eight... seven... six...
five... four... three... two... one... zero.
(Beeps)
Radar trace bearing 184.
- Range 20 miles. - (Lieutenant) Camera three.
Launch the Interceptors.
Interceptors immediate launch. Immediate launch.
Fifteen miles.
(Eerie whistling)
Nine miles.
It's altering course.
Convey my congratulations to the Interceptor pilots.
- 'They didn't get near it.' - What?!
'It disintegrated. No apparent reason.'
Thank you, Lieutenant.
Contact Paul Foster and check on the next available lunar flight.
- You're going to Moonbase? - Yes.
To find out why a UFO gets so close to Moonbase then destroys itself.
Nothing.
- Mobile 2 to Control. - 'Yes, Commander? '
We can find no UFO wreckage.
'How are Conroy and Dale making out? '
They've found a possible crash location.
- They're out on the surface now. - Roger, Control. Out.
What are you hoping to find? If it did disintegrate in flight,
the debris would have produced craters over a wide area.
And the moon has been pockmarked by millions of meteorites. I know that.
But that UFO got within four miles of Moonbase, Paul.
Perfect position to attack, then it explodes. Why?
That's a good question. Let's hope Mobile 1 finds the answer.
- Well, what do you think? - I don't know. It's hard to be sure.
Straker's gonna want to know.
You're in charge of this buggy, old son.
Thank you.
Maybe the instrument recordings will tell us more.
- Let's get back to base. - Right.
- Control to Two. - 'Go ahead, Control.'
- Mobile 1 is about to dock. - We're on our way back, too. Out.
Home, James, and don't spare the horses.
What have you got there?
Just a piece of moon rock. I picked it up on the surface.
Remember Harrison? I thought he'd go crazy when he found one of these.
He thought he had a genuine Koh-i-noor diamond.
Yeah, I remember.
I'll never forget his face when he found out it was worthless.
Yeah. It'll make a nice paperweight.
Let's see. Francoise? Denise?
Sylvia. Sylvia, baby. (Chuckles)
I'll go and see if they've figured out those...
recordings...
Hi, baby.
(Speaking Spanish)
What's going on here?
Hey!
Hey, you go, eh?
Hey, come on, come on...
This is Control. Internal emergency. Internal emergency.
- What's going on? - What have you done with Dale?
Andy...
(Gunshot)
Conroy.
(Bullet ricochets)
(Rattle of spurs)
Ah!
Ah-ha!
- How are you, Nina? Sit down. - Could have been worse.
Nothing broken.
- Do you feel like talking about it? - Sure.
Conroy came into the Control. He just stood there staring.
He looked bewildered and frightened, as if he didn't know where he was.
Well, what happened then?
I asked what's wrong, something like that.
- Then? - Well, he struck out.
The girls tried to grab him. Everything happened so fast.
He was very strong.
Out of his mind. I'm sure he didn't know.
- Didn't know what? - Who he was hitting.
He just didn't know who we were.
- Still at it, sir.? - Yes,
and it makes no more sense now than it did four hours ago.
Everyone who came into contact with Conroy reports the same thing.
Look. "Berserk." "Out of his senses." "Didn't seem to recognise me."
"Fired at me indiscriminately for no reason."
Conroy's medical report of three weeks ago.
- And? - Full clearance.
What about his stress factor?
98%. The near-perfect astronaut.
He's been in tight situations, never been anywhere near cracking up.
Until now.
We leave for Earth at 1400. Someone else will want answers.
- General Henderson. - How long has he been waiting?
- Long enough to work up a lather. - Just what I need at 8:30am.
I could phone down with some excuse to get you off the hook.
- Can you think of a good one? - Fire in the studio?
It takes at least an earthquake to get the General off my back.
Nuclear attack?
That might do it, if it was a big one.
- Good morning, Colonel. - Good morning.
Where is he?
Thank you.
Er... I need moral support.
- Morning, Beaver. - Morning, Colonel.
- General Henderson! - Straker, I ought to kick your...
You know Colonel Lake? Yes, of course you do.
Now where's that report?
- I don't have it yet. - The committee meets in three days.
I need your report and all the figures.
- I've been busy. - Look, it takes money to run SHADO,
a lot of money, and we're asking for even more this time.
That's your bag. You get the money, I run the store.
Straker, my job is on the line. Not that that's important.
But if I go, you won't win any popularity polls up here.
- That sounds like a threat, General. - Not from me.
We could both walk out tomorrow, and don't think I haven't considered it.
But you've got a monkey on your back. Dedication.
Think about it.
You want me to reprogram the computer for the finance figures?
- He is right, you know. - Yes. He's "right" right.
Sometimes being "wrong" right is harder.
No, let the computer run. I have to know what happened to Conroy.
(PA) 'Captain Saunders report to Control.'
Hi, Beaver. Oh, Beaver, did those spares for the G6 arrive yet?
- 'Fraid not. - They were due yesterday.
Only one shipment arrived yesterday - stationery.
Then get it moving, eh, Beaver?
It's a joke - "stationary"...
Beaver?
How's it going, Paul?
It looks like Dale and Conroy did find the UFO crash site
but we're waiting for the computer to confirm.
What's wrong?
Beaver? Do you hear me? What's wrong?
(Alarm ringing)
- Beaver! - Stay where you are.
Listen to me.
Put down the gun.
(Gunshot)
Who did this?
Beaver James. He's out of his mind.
He pressed the alarm.
Control?
- 'This is Control. Go ahead.' - This is Captain James.
Captain James. Listen. Listen carefully.
'Stay where you are.
- 'Do you understand? ' - Why don't they answer?
- Can you hear me, Captain? - What the hell are they doing?
Right. We're here. He killed the guard here.
Commander, he just called Control.
- Where from? - Corridor 12.
Let's go.
'Captain James, can you hear me? Captain James? '
This is Straker. He's heading for the Control Room.
Station guards at the end of Corridors 14 and 6.
Seal all exits.
You two, take that corridor.
- Lieutenant. - Yes, sir.
- Have we sealed off the complex? - Yes, sir,
but he's killed a guard near the medical centre.
My God...
- He must have doubled back. - He's still heading this way.
Tell everyone not to shoot unless necessary. I want him alive.
Control to personnel. Do not open fire. Do not open fire.
Control, he's right outside.
He's in the corridor right outside Control.
Paul...
Captain James!
Give me the gun. Captain, I gave you an order!
- He's cornered. Let's rush him. - No. Let's sit it out.
(Lift clatters and whirrs)
All right, you aliens. I've got one of you.
He's got Colonel Lake.
I'm coming into Control. Don't try and stop me.
Hold it!
That's it. Nice and easy.
Get Straker. Come on! Someone tell Straker!
Oh, my God!
- Beaver... - It's no use, Paul.
I don't think he can hear us.
Virginia, when I give the word, dive.
All right, Paul. We have no choice.
He's already killed twice.
Now!
What a mess.
If only I'd thought... waited...
Maybe... I don't know.
- How were you to know? - That doesn't make it easier.
Half a million miles in Navy jets before he was 25.
Ten years as a top astronaut.
He brought a space capsule down with a shattered hip. Saved the crew.
Best command pilot SHADO ever had.
Why does a man like that suddenly lose all sense of reality
and start seeing aliens?
- Same pattern as Conroy. - Do we have an answer there?
The autopsy found nothing but they had located the UFO crash area.
That's no help to us. Beaver hadn't been near a UFO in almost two years.
It's too much of a coincidence. There must be a connection, a link.
I need some air.
Howard Byrne is waiting to see you.
Howard Byrne?
The star of that TV series they're filming.
Oh, yes. Well, he's picked a bad time.
I'm sorry but he insisted.
That's all right, Miss Ealand.
Well, I finally get to see you. You're hard to pin down, Ed Straker.
Well, I've been tied up recently, Howard.
Yes, haven't we all?
- Well, what's your problem? - You're the one with the problem.
- Am I? - The series.
You have seen it, of course?
Well, yes, but not as often as I would have liked.
Unless something's done, it's heading for trouble.
Fortunately, though, I have a solution. I want script approval.
(Laughs) Now, Howard, you know we can't do that.
Mr Straker, the series is going to pot.
The scripts are old and hackneyed. The production is lifeless and trite.
I don't think it's working for you. I know it's not working for me.
- OK. Let's talk about it. - I didn't come to bargain.
I want script approval.
It's not in your contract.
Ah, well, of course, you could hold me to my contract,
but, you know, I'm getting these terrible bad headaches recently.
Headaches? I wonder what could be causing that.
Could be eyestrain...
or reading a lot of bad scripts.
I mean the kind of headaches to keep me off the floor. Understand?
- Yes, I understand blackmail. - Blackmail?
I never mentioned blackmail. I'm talking about migraine headaches.
Why don't you leave it with me? I'm sure I understand.
I'm not sure you do. If you think I'm bluffing, try me.
All right, I'm calling.
No script approval, Howard.
You know, these headaches, they could be caused by a swelling,
between the ears.
Shouldn't you be looking at your rushes?
Have a look at rushes tomorrow, Mr Straker.
Control to Sky Four. Continue on present course.
- What's happening, Paul? - Sky One's closing.
(Pilot) 'Control, I'm in search area.'
'UFO sighting - negative.
'Returning to base. ETA 1400 hours.'
Thank you, Sky One.
Conroy's personal effects.
Have they been checked?
One of the last things Beaver James did.
Oh, and here's a directive for you to sign.
Replacement Interceptor for Moonbase. I wonder how much that'll cost.
Talking of money, Henderson's on his way.
Yes, I'm sure he is.
Oh, what's this?
Notes for a story.
Apparently, Conroy wrote Westerns to pass the time on Moonbase.
Cowboys? Beaver James thought he saw aliens.
The way Conroy fought...
Do you think maybe he thought he saw...?
(Beeping)
- Straker. - (Woman) 'General Henderson, sir.'
- Send him in. - I'll leave this one to you.
Thank you.
General.
- Commander. - General.
Close the door.
I had a report on astronaut Conroy.
It didn't make sense, but these things happen.
But now I get one on Captain James which makes even less.
If you're looking for an explanation, I don't know.
The committee will want answers. You're sending me in with nothing.
What do you expect me to do? Give 'em a few bars of Lover Come Back?
- If we'd taken James alive... - What do you mean?
- I killed him. - You what?!
With this gun, the one he had on Colonel Lake.
- It was empty. - Don't give me that crud.
If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
- You're making this personal. - Any way you want.
All right, General Almighty Henderson.
Every person in SHADO is my responsibility.
- My gums bleed for you! - They're under tremendous stress!
Stop it! You're making me cry.
My God. I'm really seeing you for the first time.
You don't care, do you? You really don't care!
We're all under stress. Father Straker and his bleating flock!
Don't push me, Henderson. Somebody ought to take you...
What, you? You haven't got the guts.
Let's get back to realities. You're just gutless sheep, the lot of you.
(Bleats)
(Man) Cut! And print that.
That was very, very nice.
- How was it for you? - OK, I guess. Felt all right.
It's just when Howard says, "You're getting personal," and I say...
- Don't go away, Howard. - "Any way you want."
I thought that could be stronger, you know?
(Director) OK, I tell you what, we'll play you in here
and cheat in the eye line later.
(Voices echo and distort)
Right, we'll pick it up from the same place. When you're ready.
Rehearsal bell. Quiet please.
Right, keep the eye line straight ahead, as we're cheating it.
- All right, Sylvia? - OK.
(Director) And action, Grant.
- (Sylvia) You're getting personal... - Nice scene. See you later.
Paul!
(Henderson) My gums bleed for you.
If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
(Sylvia) They're under tremendous stress.
We won't need you till after lunch, Mr Byrne, if you want to leave.
(Sylvia) You really don't care! (Henderson) We're all under stress!
Father Straker and his bleating flock.
(Sylvia) Don't push me. Someone ought to...
You haven't got the guts. Let's get back to realities.
You're just a bunch of gutless sheep, the lot of you! (Bleats)
(Engine revs)
(Footsteps running)
- I'm sorry, Mr Byrne. - Who are you?
- What? - Who are you?
Joe. I'm your stand-in, Mr Byrne.
(Howard's voice) 'I'm getting these terrible headaches recently... '
(Straker) 'You know these headaches might be caused by a swelling... '
(Buzz)
Hello.
Yes, Mr Byrne?
I'm afraid Mr Straker is engaged.
- I want to see him. - I'll call you back.
I'm afraid that's impossible.
Shouldn't you be in Theatre 7? They're showing your rushes.
(Radio) 'We're ready to run, Mr Byrne.'
(Barry) '... bewildered and frightened.'
(Straker) 'Why would he lose all sense of reality?
'Cowboys? Beaver James thought he saw aliens.'
(Man) 'We'll have to start, sir. Second unit rushes are due at 12.'
(Man) '139, Take 2.'
(Engines and siren)
(Henderson) 'Minister, this is Colonel Straker.'
(Straker) 'How do you do? ' (Minister) 'A shattering business.
'We'll be at Chequers in 30 minutes.'
(Siren wails)
We've been in communication with Paris, Moscow and Bonn.
The British Government's approval will be a formality.
The evidence is absolutely conclusive.
- If I might... - Surely. Colonel.
(Minister) It may speed things up.
(Minister) 'My God! '
(UFO whirring)
(Engines drown dialogue)
(Minister) 'Keep pace with the escort.'
(Sirens and explosions)
(Man) 'Cut.'
Do you mind if I join you?
Paul.
Mike's the name, remember? I've only been your co-star for two years!
(Laughter on film)
- Stop. - Don't you like it?
I think it'll make a great episode.
- Are you all right? - That's me up there.
That's my life.
That was my son.
Oh, the juvenile? Nice little actor.
As I was saying, I think it'll make a great episode.
(Man) 147, Take 4.
How'd you make out with that model boat?
- I finished it. Do you want to see? - Hmm?
- The boat, Dad. - Oh, sure. You bet I do.
Wait for me, Dad.
Mary.
'Hello, Mary.'
Hello, Ed. You're late.
We were having such a great time, I thought an extra half hour...
Could you make it a week later next month? Say, the 18th?
'The 18th? Yes, that'll be fine.'
(Man) Mary?
- Johnny wanted to show me something. - I... think you'd better go.
I'll explain to Johnny.
Right.
Goodbye, Ed.
My God, what's happening?
'Dad! Dad!
'Dad! Dad! '
No, John... John!
- 'Dad! ' - No, look out! John! John!
(Horn sounds)
(Brakes screech)
(Man) 'Cut. Print. 149, Take 2.'
(Director) 'And action.'
(Sobbing)
Mary.
'Mary.'
'I never want to see you again.'
Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!
All right. Cut it.
Well, I've heard of method acting but you take the coconut.
- What's got into you? - You take my memories,
my life, and stick it up on that screen.
What's this, the star bit? It's make-believe.
- We're all in the same business. - Listen, Paul...
- Mike... - Whatever. It doesn't matter.
You're part of this nightmare. Everything I'm seeing,
I know it's only in my own mind.
- What? - They're trying to make me crack,
make me believe in the unreality.
Conroy, Beaver - they must have gone through the same thing.
- Help me! - What are you talking about?
I'm talking about you in my nightmare.
I have to get back. I need your help. I need Paul Foster's help!
You're crazy.
(Echoes) 'You're crazy...
'You're crazy... You're crazy... '
(Straker's voice) 'I killed him.
'Don't push me, Henderson.
'My God, what's happening? '
(Henderson) 'You're just a bunch of gutless sheep, the lot of you.'
(Foster) 'You're crazy.'
(Henderson bleats)
(Foster) 'You're crazy.'
(Henderson bleats)
(Foster) 'You're crazy... You're crazy... You're crazy...
'You're crazy... You're crazy...
'Crazy... Crazy... '
Red light's up, Mr Byrne.
(Director) So, we'll have a nice strong reaction
where he throws the gun away, OK?
And, what about a bit of fingers in the corners of the eyes, Paul,
when you say, "You make me cry."
- (Henderson) A bit melodramatic. - OK, drop it.
(Director) Turn over. Mark it.
(2nd man) 147, Take One.
(Director) And Action. (Sylvia) You're getting personal.
(Crashing and banging)
All right, cut it. Will you please keep this stage quiet, Frank?
I want absolute quiet, Mr Byrne. The red light's up.
(Director) All right, let's take it from the top. Turn over. Mark it.
(Man) 147, Take Two.
Hi, Howard. How's everything?
(Henderson) Any way you want.
(Sylvia) Every person in SHADO is my responsibility.
(Henderson) My gums bleed for you.
(Sylvia) They're under tremendous stress.
(Henderson) Stop it! You're making me cry!
What the devil's going on here?!
Frank!
What can I do about it? The guy's crazy.
OK, get the production manager.
Get the production manager on the set.
How well are we keeping up with the schedule?
We won't be off the set today at this rate.
Howard.
If you're looking for explanations... I don't know!
- Howard, look, come and sit down. - We need time.
- If we'd taken James alive... - Howard, look...
- I killed him. - Howard...
This gun, the one he had on Colonel Lake...
It was empty.
Don't give me that crud.
If you can't stand the heat, get out the kitchen.
You're making this personal?
- Any way you want. - OK, General Almighty Henderson.
Every person in SHADO is my responsibility.
- My gums bleed for you! - They're under tremendous stress!
Stop it! You're making me cry.
My God. I'm really seeing you for the first time.
You really don't care.
We're all under stress. Father Straker and his bleating flock!
Don't push me, Henderson. Somebody ought to...
You haven't got the guts!
Let's get back to realities. You're just gutless sheep, the lot of you!
(Bleats)
Hold it.
Paul...
He suddenly seemed to regain control.
I thought he was going to finish me.
How do you feel?
Tired.
Did I cause all this?
Well, nothing too serious.
The link.
The link was a rock.
Conroy must have found it near that UFO wreckage.
It had some kind of, er... hallucinatory power.
It bent the mind of whoever touched it.
- Obviously alien. - Yes.
Planted in some way by that UFO which crashed near Moonbase.
(Foster) A booby trap.
Yes.
Aimed at the mind.