- Hi, Eddie. - Hiya, Scotty. Cold enough for you?
I’m only faintly alive. It’s 25 below.
- You know everybody? - We haven’t met.
- McPherson. - Hi.
- Ned Scott. Captain Hendry. - Hi.
- Care to join us? - I’ll count my fingers. May have lost one.
Scotty’s a warm-weather man. We met at Accra. Quite a spot.
105 in the shade. The women hardly wore anything, which is very intelligent.
You just lie there in a hammock while three of them fan you.
- Remember? - I remember.
Boy. When I die, I hope I go to Accra.
- I was there. - I’m in.
- What are you doing here? - Looking for a story.
- Scotty’s a newspaper man. How many? - Three.
- Cards? - I’ll play these.
- Caught from ambush. - Check.
- Well, I’ll bet a buck. - And I’ll fold.
Call.
- Pair of queens. - I thought so. Aces.
You know better than to try fool our captain. Only dames can.
- Lieutenant Dykes... - Slip of the tongue.
- What do you hear from the general? - Fogarty nurses secrets like a June bride.
A guy in Seattle knows a whole radar-defence story.
General McClaren. Tell General Fogarty you wanna go to Seattle.
- The captain and I will fly you. - I met General McClaren too.
- Warm in Seattle. - They got girls.
- Without fur pants on. - What about it, Captain?
- Could be right. - You’ll never shoo our captain southward.
- His heart’s in the North Pole. - That’ll do.
- What’s going on at the Pole? - Scientists are holding a convention.
- Looking for polar bear tails. - Heard of Dr Carrington?
- The fella at Bikini? - The same.
They’re holding it about 2,000 miles north of here. Botanists, physicists...
Including a pin-up girl. Very interesting type.
- Captain Hendry can give data on her. - Ken, you shouldn’t have said that.
Someday, I hope to have a navigator and a co-pilot who are dry behind the ears.
- Oh, Captain. - You mail-order...
Captain Hendry, report to General Fogarty's quarters.
Eight o’clock, and the general yelling for his troops. Like the old days.
Take my hand.
Captain. If it amounts to anything, bring me in on it, will you?
Sure.
I gotta get a story someplace.
- Come in.
- Close the door. - Yes, sir.
- Evening. - Didn’t take long to get here.
- Not many places to hide, sir. - Got a queer message from up north.
From Dr Carrington himself.
"Believe an airplane, unusual type, crashed in our vicinity."
"Send facilities to investigate. Urgent." What do you suppose you’d find?
- Well... - Besides a girl.
- I don’t know. Any of our ships missing? - No Canadians, either.
- Could be Russians. They’re at the Pole. - You’re going.
- Yes, sir. - Take a dog team for rescue work.
- Yes.
Come in. Close the door.
Freddy, could the Pentagon send us a revolving door?
Could be. We got ten gross of pith helmets last week.
- Weather report, sir. - That’s all.
If any more messages come in from Dr Carrington,
I want to be told, no matter what the time.
- Yes, sir. - Here’s your weather.
A front. You can get there and back without bumping into it.
- That newspaper man, Scott. - What about him?
- He’d like to go. - All right, if you maroon him there.
Don’t get me wrong about who gets marooned.
And don’t smash into a landing ski this time.
- That was an unavoidable accident. - I expect you back tomorrow night.
- Yes, sir. I’ll close the door. - Just tell me what you find.
No one tells me anything around here.
- Want some coffee? - Hey, thanks.
There you are, sir.
- Mr Scott? Coffee. - Oh. Are we there?
- No, sir. Hot coffee up front, sir. - Oh.
- Lieutenant? Coffee, sir. - Thank you, stewardess.
- Coffee? - Yeah, thanks.
- How far are we from camp? - Three hours.
- We’ve slowed. A little headwind. - A little headwind? Close to 40 miles.
Our captain has funny ideas about the North Pole.
He thinks it’s a garden spot. Bring the kiddies.
- Now, look, don’t you two guys start. - Perry went to the North Pole once.
He retired with a sackful of medals. Hey, Pat.
We go there every three weeks, like it was lovers’ lane.
Mr Scott, some people seem to think... Wait a minute.
Hello, Air Force 191. 191 from Polar Expedition Six. Can you read me?
Air Force 191. Hear you fine, Tex. Go ahead.
- What’s your position? - Three hours out.
Switch over to your radio compass and check it against your magnetic heading.
- What’s on your mind, Tex? - A disturbance. It’s whacking everything.
- Where is it from? - Don’t know. We noticed it last night.
- Six to eight degrees difference, Pat. - Quite a bit off here.
Home in on me. I’ll leave the key open. Or would you rather have me sing to you?
- Leave the key open. - I was afraid you’d say that.
Hey, the taxpayers ought to see this.
Hello, Doctor. Professor. Still the same game?
Not quite.
- Doc, here’s your mail. - Just in time for lunch.
- You forgot my hairpins. - Don’t tell me I’m at the North Pole.
- Looks like my old Kentucky home. - Mrs Chapman.
Pleasure, Mrs Chapman. Nice to see you.
Dr Chapman, Mr Scott. Scotty’s a newspaper man.
- You’ve come at an opportune time. - I just happened to be in Anchorage.
- Hope you have a good story. - No more than you know already.
- Nothing more at all? - Nothing but discussions.
There’s been quite an argument about it.
- Where’s Dr Carrington? - He’s in the lab.
- Dr Chapman, does that mean...? - Coffee?
- No, thanks. I’ll be back. - Our captain is in a hurry, Lee.
- Where are you going? - With you.
We wanna tell her that was an awful way to treat our captain.
- I’m gonna get even with you some day. - We gotta figure.
Come in.
Hi, Pat. Welcome to our igloo. How was your...?
Well, how was your trip?
All right. About usual.
That’s fine. I think Dr Carrington wants to see you.
- He can wait. I wanna talk. - What about?
- That was a dirty trick. - Don’t lose your temper.
- Why did you do it? - Well, uh, your legs aren't very pretty.
You didn’t have to write it on a note and put it on my chest.
- I’m sorry, Pat. - The whole air force is laughing at me.
- Not so loud. - They probably heard.
- Only place it hasn’t been is a billboard. - I didn’t know you had a nasty temper.
Now, Pat, just be careful. Now, take it easy. Now, wait a minute.
We had a lot of fun when you were up here,
and when you asked me to Anchorage, you fed me a lot of...
- Did you drink all those drinks? - Mm-hm.
- You didn’t throw any away? Not a one? - No.
Holy cat. I thought I was good.
Why did you leave? When I woke up in the morning, you were gone.
I told you I had to take that cargo plane back here.
- You told me? - Don’t you remember?
No.
Right after dinner. You were telling me all about a night in San Francisco.
- Did I tell you that? - Mm-hm.
- What else did I do? - Well, uh...
You had moments of making like an octopus.
- I never saw so many hands in all my life. - All right, all right.
Look, my only excuse is that I liked you. Right away.
- I started wrong. Can’t we begin again? - How would you begin?
- Well, I can think of several... - Never mind.
We don’t have time for that now, anyway. I know Dr Carrington’s waiting to see you.
- What about starting over again? - We’ll talk about that later.
- Hello, Captain. - Hi, Professor.
- Dr Carrington, Captain Hendry’s here. - Yes, I know.
- How do you do, Captain? - Doctor.
- Miss Nicholson, will you add a note? - Surely.
November 2, 11:30am.
Deviation in Sector 19 continues. 12 degrees. 20 minutes east.
No lessening or wavering of disturbing element.
That’s all.
- Captain, can we start now? - Where are we going?
- 48 miles due east from here. - An airplane crashed.
Is that what we’re looking for?
- I don’t know. - You’d better explain.
I’m sorry. Miss Nicholson, would you read Captain Hendry my first notes?
I was thinking of the vagueness of my information. I dislike being vague.
- "November 1, 6:15pm." - Yesterday.
"Sound detectors and seismographs registered explosion due east."
"At 6:18, magnetometer revealed deviation - 12 degrees, 20 minutes east."
- That deviation... - We ran into it before we reached here.
"Such deviation possible if a disturbing force
equivalent to 20,000 tons of steel or iron..."
20,000 tons?
"..had become part of the Earth at about a 50-mile radius."
- It sounds like a meteor, doesn’t it? - Yes, very much. Except for one thing.
- We’ll show it to Captain Hendry. - Oh. Yes, sir.
We have special telescopic cameras. On the appearance of radioactivity,
a Geiger counter trips the release and the cameras function.
They were working last evening. This is the result.
This first picture was taken three minutes before the explosion, or 6:12.
You can see the small dot low there in the corner. On the next picture,
one minute later, that dot is moving fast enough to form a streak.
- Shutter speed? - 1/1000th of a second.
Moving pretty fast, wasn’t it?
Here, at 6:14, it’s moving upward.
6:15, it drops to the Earth and vanishes.
A meteor might move almost horizontal to the Earth, but never upward.
- It isn’t a meteor. - Obvious.
How do you determine the point of impact?
- By computation. - Doctor?.
- Redding? - It’s quite simple.
We have the time of arrival of the sound waves on the detectors,
and also the arrival time of the impact waves on the seismograph.
By computing the difference, it becomes obvious
they were caused by the object. The distance from here is 48 miles.
You’ve lost me. I’ll take your word for it. 20,000 tons is a lot of metal for a plane.
It is, for the sort of aeroplane we know, Captain.
- We’d better be going. - Redding, check every quarter-hour.
- Will you want me, Doctor? - No, it won’t be necessary.
- You come with us, Bill. - Yes, Doctor.
We’ll be there pretty soon now, Pat.
Bob, get Carrington up here.
Doctor?
- We’re almost 50 miles out, Doctor. - How are you navigating, Captain?
That peak ahead is practically due east. We got the wind before we left camp.
- Very good, Captain. - We should be there about now.
Ten, nine,
eight, seven...
Picking up something on the Geiger counter.
..four, three,
two, one.
Look there.
- Pat, the compass is in a spin. - Geiger’s up to the top.
Yeah, that’s it all right.
- See a place to set down? - Looked smooth half a mile back.
- We’ll look. Bob. - Yes.
- Get them ready. It might be rough. - Right.
Fasten your seatbelts, gentlemen. We’re gonna land.
Sit down and hold on back there.
All set for landing, sir.
Half flaps. Full rich.
- Full rich. - Half flaps.
- There we are. - Holy cat! What a weird-looking thing.
Let me get a picture before you track up the place.
- The counter’s going crazy. - Something melted that crust.
- It’s frozen over again into clear ice. - The bottle shape was caused
by the aircraft making contact with the Earth at the neck of the bottle,
sliding towards us and forming that larger area as it came to rest.
With the engine or engines generating enough heat
to melt that pad, then sink beneath the surface.
- What could melt that much ice? - Let’s go down and see. Barnes.
Take the dogs over on that side.
Dr Chapman, could an aeroplane melt that much ice?
One of our own jets generates enough heat to warm a 50-storey office building.
- Part of an aerofoil. Probably a stabiliser. - It’s an airplane.
- Vorhees, what metal is it? - I’ll need tools.
Barnes, bring some tools.
It’s down deep over here. I can’t see anything but a dark mass.
- It’s deeper over here. - May I suggest that we spread out?
- Try to determine the size and shape. - Spread out.
We’re gonna try to figure out the shape of this thing.
Here’s the tools, sir.
Holy cat.
Hey. It’s almost...
Yeah.
- Almost a perfect... - It is. It’s round.
- We finally got one. - We found a flying saucer!
Can anybody see anything through the ice?
- Seems smooth. No doors or windows. - I can’t see any engine.
- I doubt if we’ll find one. - Dr Carrington.
This isn’t any metal I know. It’s probably some new alloy.
- Get some filings for analysis. - Right.
Captain? I don’t think we have a chance of chopping through ice with axes.
I know. We think so too. We’ll melt it with Thermit bombs.
- Excellent. - Where do you figure it’s from?
- I don’t know. - From this planet?
- I doubt it. - Do...?
The answers will be much easier after we’ve examined the interior of the craft.
- And its occupants, if there are any. - Occupants? Why, I never...
- What a story! Hey, Barnes! - Hold it, Scott. No private messages.
Private? I’ll send it to the world.
This is Air Force information. We’ll have to wait for authority.
You’ve got authority in the constitution of the United States.
- Freedom of the press. I’ll send a story. - Not from our ship.
- Where do you want these bombs? - By the stabiliser. Another on the far side.
Pat. It’s the biggest story since the parting of the Red Sea.
- Think what it means to the world. - I’m not working for the world.
- If you think... - I’ll take that.
- Here’s the detonator. - Go back to the ship and call the camp.
Have Tex radio Fogarty. We’ve found a flying saucer, a disc.
Intact. We’re gonna get it out. Ask if Scott can have clearance to send a story.
- That’s all I can do. - You’ll grow up to be another Fogarty.
- Where are we gonna test this? - There.
Have you looked toward the west lately? That front’s moving fast.
Yeah. We don’t have more than an hour.
- Where do you put those, Bob? - Right on the surface. Tell Stone.
- Right. - Say, uh, what will this Thermit do?
SOP. Standard operating procedure for removing ice. Hook this wire up.
- It just melts it. - How fast does it work?
It’ll uncover the whole saucer in 30 seconds. All ready over here.
- Be right with you. - Clear the field. Near the dogsled.
It’s going to get pretty hot around here in a minute.
Hook her up. Stabilise her. Use the other one if we need it.
A few minutes from now, we may have the key to the stars.
A million years of history are waiting for us in that ice.
- Let me know when. I want a picture. - Ready.
Ready here. Let her go, Bob.
- OK. All clear. - Wait a minute, everybody. Stay back.
- It’s burning under the ice. - Careful, Captain.
What’s happening? Tell me, Doctor.
Get down on the floor!
Phew!
- Everybody all right? - That last explosion was the engine.
Sergeant, will you try your Geiger counter?
- Only a trace, sir. - That’s just residual.
It’s all gone. Secrets that might have given us a new science. Gone.
That’s just dandy. Standard operating procedure.
- I should have thought. - You sure should.
Greatest discovery in history up in flames.
Turning a new civilization into a Fourth of July piece.
- I’m getting something here. - Probably a fragment.
We may salvage something yet.
Hold it, everybody. I’m getting a reaction. Let me get a reading.
Getting warm.
Hotter now.
Here’s where it’s coming from.
- What is it? - Looks like a man.
- It’s got legs and a head. I can see ‘em. - Yeah. He must be over 8ft long.
- Somebody got out. - Got out or was thrown out.
Then frozen fast before he could get clear.
- Man from Mars. - How will you get him out?
- I don’t know. - Use more Thermit.
- We don’t have much time. - You could put the block on the sled.
- Get started. - Give me room.
Bob, clear the sled off and bring it over here.
Eddie, get the ship warmed up.
Be ready to get out of here in a hurry.
- Pat. I think we made a mistake. - What do you mean?
"Department of Defense. Office of Public Information."
"Washington DC. December 27, 1949."
"Bulletin 629-49 regarding item 6700, extract 75,131."
"The Air Force has ceased investigating and evaluating
flying saucers on the basis that there is no evidence."
They’ll make you a general for hiding that they’re wrong.
"The Air Force said evidence indicates that reports of UFOs are the result of:
one, misinterpretation of conventional objects."
- It didn’t look conventional to me. - "Second, a mild form of mass hysteria."
That’d be when General Fogarty got to shaking hands with that thing in the ice.
- What are the other reasons? - "Third, that they’re jokes."
- What was the number of the bulletin? - 629-49.
Item 6700, extract 75,131.
Oh. Oh, that one.
Get on that rope, Professor.
Watch your feet.
- Tie another rope to go down. - Here we go.
Pull it back now.
Pull back there.
Keep tight on those ropes.
Keep it going. Keep it going.
Take it easy.
Can’t see through the ice too good.
Where he came from they sure don’t breed them for beauty.
- Well, what do we do now? Defrost him? - This ice will melt pretty soon.
- Can you control the heat? - No. This is our storeroom.
- The temperature’s constant. - It won’t be necessary to melt it.
- We can chip it away. - We’re not going to melt or chip it.
- Open that window. - We can’t examine it?
- I mean just that. - This is stupid.
- We’re scientists. - Dr Carrington’s in charge here.
- Hey, Pat, these windows don’t open. - We’ll be asked to make a study of it.
You probably will, but we can’t permit it now. Break that window.
All right.
Sorry. We pulled one boner out there in the ice. I don’t know anything about this,
but until I receive instructions from my superior, we’ll have to mark time.
- You have no authority... - Talk in the corridor. Gonna get cold here.
At last, a sensible suggestion, Captain. Come along.
- Mac? - Yeah.
Stay here. Take four-hour shifts. It’s hands-off for everyone, understand?
- Yes, sir. - Warm enough?
- If not, you’ll hear. - We’ll bring dinner.
I could use something to read. Nice quiet horror story.
Might be kind of tame for you, sir.
- Well, gentlemen? - Excuse me, Doctor. May I?
- Certainly. - Captain, in relation to moving the body...
There are organisms that survive after death, but cold can destroy them.
- Doctor, I don’t know... - These organisms may be dangerous.
They may be carrying germs from another planet, germs we couldn’t cope with.
- Thank you, Doctor. - I can’t agree.
- I don’t. - Here’s another.
We don’t know what effect the air of our Earth may have on the remains.
- Go up in smoke like the saucer, huh? - Nonsense.
- Isn’t that a little far-fetched? - Gentlemen, we’re getting nowhere.
I suggest that Captain Hendry communicate with his superior.
I’m getting senile. We should have done that first thing.
I’m surprised you didn’t try to reach your general on our way back.
- We did. Barnes. - I tried to send a message.
- Couldn’t get through. Interference. - I see.
- My apologies, Captain. - Yes, Doctor.
- Hi. You served up a fine lot of trouble. - We’re in a hurry. You send my message?
- Sure. - Get an answer?
- This came. Can you read it? - No, you’d better.
"Fogarty to Hendry. Withhold newspaper story until permission from Air Force HQ."
- There you are. - Now somebody else will get the story.
"Remove aircraft from ice at once. Use Thermit bombs to melt ice."
Oh, that’s what I like about the army. Smart all the way to the top.
- Lets you off the hook for the Thermit. - Take it easy.
"Erect temporary structure to protect aircraft until my arrival."
And here’s another one. Could only get part of it.
- Go ahead. - "Everything grounded. Can’t join you."
- "Want you..." - That sounds like Fogarty.
- Then it fouled up. - Getting anything?
Not a thing. Static’s knocking it out of the air.
- What about your stuff? - I doubt they’re getting it.
- Even the pony express got through. - Well, Doctor?
- In this new situation... - Doesn’t alter the old one.
- We don’t agree with you, Captain. - I’m sorry. That’s it.
- Tex, I’d like to leave Barnes here to help. - Sure.
Try to get through. I want to get a message to the general.
Tell him the aircraft was completely destroyed by the bomb.
- Say we found a passenger. - From Mars? Where?
- On ice. - Tell him we’re keeping the body in ice.
And Dr Carrington wants to remove the body for examination.
We’re standing by for instruction before further actions.
- Have you anything to add? - Yes. One essential point.
That I consider it vitally important the examination be made.
- Add that, Barnes. - Thank you. That’s all that concerns me.
Richards, when you get an answer, let me know.
Yes, Doctor.
Wait till I interview the doctor about you.
- That’ll be pretty good. - I’ll make it good.
Tex, keep trying. Barnes, ask the general again about clearing Mr Scott.
- Yes, sir. - Don’t try to soft-soap me.
- I’ll eat with you. I’ll send you some chow. - Right, sir.
Captain, I’m going out to check the ship and tie her.
- This storm may blow for weeks. - Get some Eskimos to help you.
They took off when they saw that ice. They’ll need coaxing to get them back.
If Mr Scott and the lieutenant would give me a hand...
- I’m an officer. - You can order me around, sir.
That’ll help a lot, Sarge.
I thought we were going to have trouble tonight.
- So did I. - They were ready to tear you apart.
They’re like nine-year-olds drooling over a fire engine.
Professor Vorhees, come to the lab as soon as possible.
- Holding a meeting. Whole thing’s weird. - Know what it reminds me of?
The time I was stuck on Beulen Island with the 97th bomber group.
A nurse came ashore and caused the same disturbance as this guy from Mars.
- What happened to the nurse? - She liked it there.
- Scotty, what’s new? - What’s new? What more do you want?
Biggest story ever to hit this planet, and I run into this human clam.
- What are you getting pretty for? - Oh, that’s not for you, Scotty...
The captain passes the buck to Fogarty. Fogarty takes it to Washington.
- Who will Truman ask? - Margaret.
- I’ve got to get back to civilization. - How, for instance?
I don’t know. Pogo sticks, kiddie cars, gondolas, dogsleds.
- Any word from General Fogarty? - Plenty. Nothing about you, sir.
The old man’s gone crazy. I shouldn’t have said that,
but if he hollers any louder, we won’t need a radio.
- What was the gist of it? - It’s coming through scrambled.
- There’s been a leak. The newspapers... - Like pouring water through a sieve.
Everybody wants more information. Congress, Secretary of State and Fogarty.
- He’s having a fit. - Is Anchorage picking up?
Not a crackle. We’re picking up them. They have a stronger station.
A picture just came to me. My editor climbing all over his office, yelling,
stamping his feet, breaking windows. He’ll probably shoot himself.
- Take it easy. - Just a minute, Captain.
You missed a spot. Wouldn’t want her to see our captain...
Would you like to do double guard duty tonight?
No, sir. I wouldn’t.
- Captain. - Yes?
- Could I see you for a minute, sir? - Sure.
- What is it, Bob? - I don’t like to bother you.
It’s about McPherson sitting with that thing in the ice.
Getting nervous?
He wouldn’t want me to tell you, sir, but he’s having kittens.
I haven’t heard this since Reichenberg.
- Really? - You see, the ice is clearing up.
We can see that thing pretty good now. It’s got crazy hands and no hair.
And the eyes... they’re open, and they look like they can see.
- Bob, I haven’t heard you... - It’s got me too, sir.
And I wasn’t in there long. Besides that, it’s pretty cold.
- I got the lieutenant an electric blanket. - Good.
- Captain, I got a suggestion. - Go ahead.
Instead of four-hour shifts, we can cut them in half.
OK. You tell Barnes to take over in half an hour at 2200.
You take over at 2400, and I’ll relieve you at 0200.
- I think you’re right. - I think you are.
Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.
- I wanna talk to you. - Sure.
Pat, what’s really going on?
Nothing. I just can’t agree with your pals so I had to set a guard.
They’d have that thing up waltzing with them.
No. That isn’t what I meant. What does that boogeyman in ice mean?
I don’t know, Nikki.
Does it mean we’ll start having visitors from other worlds dropping in on us?
- Do we have to return the call or...? - I know.
- Yesterday, I’d have said it was crazy. - It’s crazy now.
Other people think so too. Tomorrow it’ll all seem different.
I suppose so.
- I like the way you handled this mess. - I’d just as soon not.
- You know, it’s funny. I’m glad I was here. - I am too.
You’re much nicer when you’re... when you’re not mad.
Sounds promising. How about that business of beginning over again?
Well, I think I’ll buy you a drink this time. I think you’ve earned it.
- That is, if you want one. - You can tie my hands if you wanna.
- That might not be such a bad idea. - You mean that?
- Well, you suggested it. - All right. I’ll bring a rope.
- Want another one? - Don’t you think you could untie me now?
- Oh, I don’t know. What’s the matter? - You girls.
If a guy asks you to have dinner, tries to kiss you...
- Oh! - What are you laughing at?
- You haven’t kissed me. - I haven’t tried.
- How do you know? - Oh, stop bringing that up.
Never mind. Maybe if you... Go on with what you were saying.
- What? - The dinner and the drink.
If the same man asked you to have 30,000 dinners...
Then he’s not a wolf any more? That’s fine philosophy.
So you want your hands untied? Just when everything was nice and peaceful.
You know, I’m glad we decided to start over again. I like it.
- I like that, too. - Talk about Japanese tortures.
No, not at all. I think this was a great idea.
Come here.
Look at you.
Sitting there like a civilised man instead of grabbing like a throwback.
If you weren’t tied up, I wouldn’t dare have told you how much I liked you.
You know, Pat, the trouble with you is you just don’t know anything about women.
What a woman wants is to... is to...
- How long have you been loose? - Long enough.
It’s been an interesting evening. Good night, Miss Nicholson.
- Pat, if you walk out on me like this... - I wouldn’t go, except I gotta check up.
Oh, get a good night’s sleep.
I’ll see you in the morning.
It’s the eyes being open that gets you.
Hi, Pat.
Barnes just got here. Glad I’m not looking at that guy.
- You all set? - Got an electric flying suit and coffee.
- Bob will relieve you at 2400. - Right, sir.
- Take it easy. - Yeah.
That’s better.
Captain Hendry. Captain Hendry!
- Captain. - What’s the matter?
Where’s the captain? I’ve got to tell him. That thing’s alive.
I saw it, sir. It chased me. It’s alive. It’s not dead.
Captain Hendry.
That thing’s alive, sir. I saw it. I shot at it. I hit it. I know it.
Nothing happened. It kept making a noise like a cat mewing.
Awful. If you could have seen those hands and eyes.
Captain, you’ve gotta do something about it. You’ve got...
Mac, Bob, get some guns. Barnes, what happened?
Sorry, sir. I don’t know exactly, but all of a sudden it was alive and coming at me.
I shot it. Nothing happened, so I slammed the door and ran.
- Easy. - Sorry.
- Here you are, Captain. - Eddie, take care of him, will you?
Get back to sleep.
Get back with the rest of them.
- What...? - The kid said he was alive. I believe him.
I knew it. All the time I was here, I could feel it.
Here’s what did it. This blanket was on, and it’s still warm.
- He got out of here. - Get parkas and boots and a flashlight.
- Listen. They’ll tear him to pieces.
- We must save him. - Hold it, Doctor. You’ll freeze to death.
- I expect you’re right. I was overanxious. - Look over here, Captain!
- Eddie, I think I got yours. - May I have one, Captain?
- Hey, Doc, can you see anything there? - Not much.
- You all set? - Let her go.
Captain, it would help me if any of you would describe what you saw out there.
It was too cold to see well, but the dogs were tearing at him.
He got up with three on his arm.
- He threw one dog at the rest. - Two were dead.
- As if they’d been through a chopper. - Where did you find the arm?
- It was partly under one of them. - Couldn’t dogs tear off an arm?
This kind of an arm...
Be careful, Doctor. Those barbs are very sharp.
- A chitinous substance. - Speak English.
Something between a beetle’s back and a rose thorn.
- Thorn-fingered? - Strong.
- Very effective as a weapon. - Don’t worry about that.
Not with an arm off and out in that cold. He’s dead.
He got along all right in ice for over 24 hours.
- He was pretty spry with 12 dogs on him. - After losing an arm.
- I’m losing my mind. - Amazing, isn’t it?
- Amazingly strong. - Strange.
- I was sure of it. - It is blood on the hand, isn’t it, Doctor?
- Yes, but not his blood. - Probably from the dogs.
There’s no blood in the arm. No animal tissue.
Dr Stern, would you have a look at this under the microscope?
No, Mr Scott. I doubt very much if it can die, as we understand dying.
- Holy cat. - Yes.
- Well, Doctor? - No arterial structure indicated.
No nerve endings visible.
Porous, unconnected cellular growth.
Just a minute. Just a minute, Doctor. Sounds like you’re describing a vegetable.
- I am. - Oh, for Pete’s sake!
You know, Doctor, that could be why the bullets fired by Barnes had no effect.
- That’s right. - Holes drilled into vegetable matter.
- This green fluid here. Like plant sap. - We’ll probably find it has a sugar base.
- Please, Doctor. I’ve got to ask this. - Yes?
It sounds like, well, just as though you’re describing some form of super carrot.
That’s nearly right, Mr Scott. This carrot, as you call it,
has constructed an aircraft capable of flying millions of miles through space,
propelled by a force as yet unknown to us.
An intellectual carrot. The mind boggles.
It shouldn’t. Imagine how strange it would have seemed during the Pliocene age
to forecast that worms, fish, lizards
that crawled over the Earth were going to evolve into us.
On the planet from which he came,
vegetable life underwent an evolution similar to our own animal life,
which would account for the superiority of its brain.
Its development wasn’t handicapped by emotional or sexual factors.
Dr Carrington, you’re a man who won the Nobel prize.
You’ve received every kind of kudos a scientist can attain.
If you were for sale, I’d get a million bucks for you from any government.
I’m not gonna stick my neck out and say you’re stuffed full of blueberry muffins,
but, I promise you, my readers are gonna think so.
Not for long, Mr Scott. Not if they know about the flora of their own planet.
You mean there are vegetables right here on Earth that can think?
A certain kind of thinking, yes. Did you ever hear of a telegraph vine?
- Not recently. - Or the...
- Is it the acanthus century plant, Doctor? - Yes.
Go ahead. It’s your field.
Well, the century plant catches mice, bats, squirrels, any small mammals.
Uses a sweet syrup as bait, and holds onto its catch and feeds on it.
- A slide, please. - What’s the telegraph vine?
The vine, research has proven, can signal to other vines of the same species.
Vines 20 to, well, 100 miles away.
Intelligence in plants and vegetables is an old story, Mr Scott.
Older than the animal arrogance that has overlooked it.
- One for Ripley. - Look.
I took this from under the soft tissue on the palm of the hand.
- Seed pod? - Seed pod?
Yes. A neat and unconfused reproductive technique of vegetation.
No pain or pleasure, as we know it.
No emotions. No heart.
Our superior. Our superior in every way.
Do you realise what we’ve found?
A being from another world as different from us as one pole from the other.
If we can only communicate with it, we can learn secrets
that have been hidden from mankind since the beginning of...
Holy cat. It’s moving.
- Miss Nicholson? - Yes, Doctor?
At 12:10am the hand became alive.
The temperature of the forearm showed a 20-degree rise.
Because of this rise, I believe it was able to ingest the canine blood
with which it was covered.
You mean...? You mean, it lives on blood?
This is the best we could find.
- Where are you going, Captain? - To find our visitor.
One moment, Captain.
Bob and Mac, check the storeroom. Bolt any doors.
When you find what you’re looking for, remember it’s a stranger in a strange land.
The only crimes involved were committed against it.
It woke from a block of ice, was attacked by dogs,
shot by a frightened man. All I want is a chance to communicate.
- You can. Provided it’s locked up. - Nothing here.
Give me a chance to get a picture before someone makes a salad of him.
Sure, Scotty.
- Bob, get up there. - What’s up? Looks like a lynching party.
- Any visitors? - Not a soul.
I got part of a message from the general. He said to wait on Mr Scott’s story.
What’s the difference? Nothing’s going out.
- What are you looking for? - Couldn’t come in here.
- Who? - The man from Mars.
- He’s alive and running around? - Keep your door locked.
- Use your fire axe. A gun’s no good. - What do you mean, a gun’s no good?
Eddie.
Hold it, Captain.
- There’s something in here. - No. You’re a little off base.
That’s the mineralogy lab. We’ve got radioactive isotopes there.
Your Geiger’s reacting to a room full of uranium-ore samples.
Yeah.
- This door’s locked. - Stern has the key.
- Yes. - What’s in here?
A greenhouse. The Eskimos have a weakness for our strawberries.
- Strawberries in the North Pole. - Excuse me.
Mac. Bob.
Look under these tables.
Bob, check that outside door.
- Locked. - Nothing.
We’re still batting zero.
- Well, Doctor? - I...
- Nothing up that other corridor. - Any suggestions?
- It’s not inside. - We’ll look outside when it’s light.
- Close the door. - We’re going.
Half an hour outside is about all we can stand.
- We’d better do it in relays. - You’re right, Dr Chapman.
- Close the door. - We’ll have to tell Fogarty what happened.
We’re liable to become famous. So few people can boast
that they’ve lost a flying saucer and a man from Mars all in the same day.
What would they have done if Columbus discovered America then mislaid it?
Butterfingers.
Gentlemen, I just happened to notice... Look at these moulds.
- Why, they’re wilted. The only thing... - A blast of air, if that rear door was open.
Have another look at that lock.
Ten or 15 seconds of such exposure would do it.
Exactly.
What would that lead you to?
That it may have been... in here.
Without a doubt.
Doctor, you were right. The lock’s been forced and bent back.
The key’s gone. Someone has entered and gone and locked the door from the...
- from the outside... - See how it glistens in the light.
It’s a smear of...
plant sap.
- From the arm? You don’t suppose... - Open it, please.
- One of the sled dogs. - Not even cold yet.
Doesn’t it seem kind of shrunken?
Is there any blood in there?
- None. - No blood.
- No blood? - Its blood has been drained.
Everything falls right into line. What could be more natural for a being of its kind
than seeking out the only open earth within miles?
It came here for refuge, heard us, and ran. It’s been here, and it’ll come back again.
- We’d better tell Captain... - I don’t agree.
- I think it far better if science... - Are you sure...?
I’m sure we can communicate with it. We must. It’s wiser than we are.
It’s our only chance to talk to it, to learn so many things.
- Dr Carrington... - Surely you can understand that, Stern?
Will you stand guard with me, Vorhees? And you?
- Gladly. - Good.
Stern, tell Dr Auerbach and Dr Olson what we’ve found.
Ask them to come back and relieve us in the morning.
And tell them, please, to confide in no one.
- Any luck, Captain? - Lee, get some more hot coffee ready.
- Find anything, Captain? - No. We’ve poked into every snow bank.
- Barnes flushed a polar bear. - Sure did.
- Scare you? - Not after I saw it was only a bear.
- Too cold for that. - Didn’t find anything.
Didn’t think you would. When we lose them, they stay lost.
Not that it makes a difference. Nothing going out on the radio, nothing coming in.
- Tex. Don’t tell me you got something. - Fogarty’s running a temperature.
This came in ten minutes ago, then got fouled up again.
”Fogarty to Hendry. Take all precautions to preserve aircraft until my arrival."
Same to same. "Use same precaution for corpses of any occupants."
Same to same. "Forward description of aircraft." Oh!
"Measurements, approximate weight. Important."
"Why haven’t you answered? Want immediate answer."
"Radio silence unnecessary. Reference message Fogarty to Hendry."
"Acknowledge immediately. Awaiting reports."
"Silence confusing." Same to same. "Acknowledge."
- "Acknowledge at once." - He wants to hear from me.
Nothing for me?
Oh, for Pete’s sake. I don’t believe it. How can a man get to be a general without...?
In the greenhouse...
- Watch that corridor. - Bring the first-aid kit.
- Captain, this is my job. - Bob, warn everybody else in the camp.
- Does that speaker system work? - Yes. The left switch goes to all rooms.
Attention. Stay where you are and bolt your doors.
Our visitor has returned and is dangerous. Stay where you are, bolt your doors.
Stay where you are.
- Oh. - Easy, Doctor. It’ll be all right.
- What happened, Doctor? - In the greenhouse working. Couldn’t see.
- Yeah. - A blast of cold air. I heard Olson scream.
When I turned, the thing struck at me.
Go on.
I don’t remember. My head... I must have fallen.
When I came to, I saw Olson and Auerbach. They were...
Give him some more of that. Get those axes. Go ahead, Doctor.
They were hanging from the beams. They were dead. Their throats were cut.
- Was it still there when you left? - I couldn’t see.
- Here you are, sir. - Wait for me, Pat. I wanna get a picture.
Wait. This greenhouse has an outside door. He could get out that way.
- We can go through the generator room. - You two go with him.
- You want us to go in? - Seal the door with anything you find.
That’s better.
- Easy, Bob. Give them time to get there. - Pat. Pat, I want a picture.
- You get back with the rest. - Don’t be silly.
- It’ll cost you a drink, Scotty. - I’ll buy him a beer.
- Ready, Bob? - No, but go ahead and open it.
Prop this door. Quick! Something short enough to get under this bolt.
- Get your picture? - No. The door wasn’t open long enough.
- Want me to open it again? - No!
- Bring a hammer and some spikes. - Hit that in, will you, Captain?
There. That ought to do it.
Are you sure there’s no other way out? No windows, skylights, vents?
- Only the doors. - These walls solid?
- Corrugated iron. - You don’t think that...?
You found a dog in there bled white by our visitor. You didn’t report it. Why?
- It wasn’t necessary. - You left your friends to be killed.
I posted them as a guard...
They’re hanging in there, like in a slaughterhouse.
- I wish you’d seen it. - What we can do?
Our job is to see nobody else joins them. Stay in your room, lab and mess hall.
- You have no authority... - Bob.
Doctor, you better move along.
We’ve got the door blocked. He’ll have to dig his way
through 20 oil drums and tons of snow and ice.
Good. Bob, next time you use that cannon, raise the sights.
Sorry. I was too busy to think about that.
We’ll have to set up a guard at the junction in the corridor. We’ll need volunteers.
- Gladly, Captain. - Count me in, Captain.
You sent for us, Doctor.
You said you had news for us, Doctor.
Yes. Yes, I have.
Gentlemen, we find ourselves in a battle. I’m not referring to the minor argument
with Captain Hendry, but to this creature from a new world.
Two of our colleagues have died, a third is injured.
Those are our losses, and there may be more.
This creature is more powerful and intelligent than us.
He regards us as important only for his nourishment.
He has the same attitude toward us as we have toward a field of cabbages.
That is our battle.
Only science can conquer him. All other weapons will be powerless. Only...
There must...
There must be a way. I have been trying to...
I’m sorry. I’m very tired. I haven’t slept. It’s difficult...
difficult to talk.
- Will you read my notes, Miss Nicholson? - Doctor, you need some rest.
Yes, I know, but...
Please read my notes.
”At 9pm, I placed the seeds taken from the severed hand of X
in four inches of earth. I saturated the earth..."
"I saturated the earth with two units of plasma taken from our blood bank."
"The condition of the dog found in the greenhouse
indicated that blood was a primal factor in the cultivation of the seeds."
"At 2am..."
"At 2am, the first sprouts appeared through the soil."
- Five hours. - Yes. I used another two units of plasma.
At 4am, the sprouts began to take on definite form.
I came to the con...
I see by your faces you don’t believe me.
Judge for yourselves.
Oh, no. It isn’t possible.
- It reproduces itself. - With amazing speed.
This would bear out Captain Hendry’s impression.
When he saw the creature in the greenhouse, it had grown a new arm.
- It’s, uh, pulsating, Doctor. - As if they were breathing.
- Yes. - Human plants.
- Super human. - All this because of the blood plasma?
That’s correct.
Notice these closer to the source of the plasma, while these farther away.
- How many units have we? - Enough, I hope.
Would you care to listen to them, Professor Wilson?
Yes, Doctor. I should.
Well?
Almost like the wail of a newborn child that’s hungry.
- That’s the way I would describe it. - Doctor?
- Yes, Miss Nicholson? - Would you mind very much if I...?
Will you...? Will you need me any more?
No. Just finish typing my notes. Return them to me.
Let no one see them.
- Doctor, you should get some sleep. - There’s too much to do, Professor.
- Your mind can’t work when exhausted. - My mind’s still clear.
No, it isn’t, Doctor. You aren’t thinking of what’s happening in the greenhouse.
He’s growing those seeds in there using blood, just as you are.
You’ve seen what one creature like that can do.
- Just imagine a thousand. - I have imagined it.
Arthur, what if that aircraft came here
not just to visit the Earth, but to conquer it?
To start growing some kind of horrible army, turn the human race into food for it.
There are many things threatening our world.
- Stars, comets shooting through space. - They’re theories. This is an enemy.
There are no enemies in science, Professor, only phenomena to study.
We’re studying one.
- Come in.
- Hello, Pat. - Hi.
I wanna ask you something. Has anybody up here been hurt lately?
Anyone shot or stabbed or operated on?
No. That what-is-it in the greenhouse is our first diversion.
I brought up 35 units of blood plasma two months ago. What’s become of it?
- Why do you wanna know? - They’re not giving it to Dr Stern.
They’re giving him blood transfusions instead of plasma. Two live donors.
What’s Carrington doing with 35 units of blood plasma?
I guess... I guess you’d better take a swing at my chin,
and have a look at those notes.
I should be trying to stop you.
- So that’s what he’s been doing? - Mm-hm.
Thanks. Thanks for not stopping me.
Pat, would you remember something?
He’s tired. He hasn’t slept since you found that thing.
And he’s not thinking right. I know him. He doesn’t think the way we do, anyway,
but he’s found something that no one understands. Until he can solve it, he’ll...
- Like a kid with a new toy, he’ll just... - This toy’s liable to bite him. Thanks.
- Where’s Dr Carrington? - Sorry. I have no authorisation...
- Captain, I’m very busy. I... - I know you’re busy, Doctor.
You’ve been gardening. Where are they?
- Why? - This way to the nursery, Pat.
I don’t tolerate intrusions into my laboratory. Don’t touch.
This is what your late colleagues are doing in the greenhouse.
- That wasn’t my fault. - We’ve read your notes.
- Yes? - You should have consulted us.
I have help. Your opinion has not been asked.
It has. By Captain Hendry. And I’ve given it to him. I’ll repeat it for you.
We’re facing something unpredictably dangerous.
The creature is multiplying itself in this identical fashion.
We don’t how much it can multiply.
It needs blood, and it’ll make every effort to get it.
- It’s imprisoned, and is harmless. - How can you be sure of our safety?
Think of a thousand such creatures, 10,000. It must be destroyed.
- Its progeny along with it. - No.
- Burn these. - What about that thing?
- You’re talking like frightened boys. - I am frightened.
Any destruction would be a betrayal of science.
It may be a betrayal of science, but it’ll make us sleep better.
I got a message through. Here’s the answer.
- Go ahead. - "Carrington informs me Martian alive."
"You are directed to keep it alive and protect it against injury."
"Take no action against it until my arrival when weather permits."
You have your orders. I consider them sane and intelligent.
- But Tex, what about...? - Not a thing, Scotty.
- What do we do, Pat? - Get on the radio and change their mind.
Hey! Hey, it’s me.
Eddie!
- What are you doing in here? - We can’t take it out there.
- We’ll have to drop the idea. - Can’t see your hand in front of your face.
It can go through a wall as easy as a door.
- How could it get through iron walls? - Use a can-opener.
- We’re dropping the outside guard. - Put that hand in ice water and rub it.
- Corridor? - Stone and Wilson.
- Barnes. - Yes, sir.
Tell them they’re the only ones on guard. Tell them to watch it.
- Tex? - Here I am.
Not for long. We’re dropping the outside guards. Join the rest in the mess hall.
I'll be all right. I've got the door braced good, and there's no outside window.
All right. If you wanna be brave.
- Well?
- Anybody around here want some coffee? - No, but you can come in.
It’s the only reason I brought it. I was hoping you might ask me in.
- Who wants some? - I could use a half.
- What were you saying, Scotty? - I was wondering... That’s enough.
What happens if our boyfriend gets lonely and starts strolling around, ends up here?
I’ve been trying to figure that too.
$64 question. What do you do with a vegetable?
- Boil it. - What’d you say?
Boil it, stew it, bake it, fry it.
- Makes sense. - Cold doesn’t bother it.
Maybe the doctor will ask it to crawl into a boiler, or borrow a flame-thrower...
Captain, I’ve got a crazy idea. We’ve got lots of kerosene, and we could...
- Point three. Point four. - Here’s where we start cooking.
Point five. Point six.
That thing’s out of the greenhouse. Stay together.
Point nine. What about throwing kerosene on it and setting it on fire?
- We can try. - Here’s a full can.
I’ll take it. We’ll need something to put it in.
- Here’s a pail. - Here’s another.
1.2.
- Pat, this ought to work all right. - Good.
- Cigarette! - 1.2.
- How are we gonna set it on fire? - There’s a Very pistol in my bag.
- I’ll get it. - You wet it down.
And you, Mac, touch it off. And don’t miss.
- Be ready in case it needs more. - You’re right.
- Shut up. - 1.3 now.
- You know how to shoot that? - I saw Gary Cooper in Sergeant York.
- 1.4. - Come here. Get in the corner.
Hold this. Stay by the light switch.
- 1.5. 1.6.
- What was that? - It sounded like a window.
- 1.8. - Cut the lights.
1.9. The needle’s hit the top.
- Who’s getting the fire? - I am! Watch it, Captain!
Block that window! Hey, Scotty!
- This will make your hand feel better. - Thank you, Bob.
- This ought to be enough kerosene. - Get it ready. How’s it coming?
It’ll be OK. What makes me mad is that he didn’t do it.
- I busted it falling over the bunk. - Now, listen. I want you all to stay here.
We’ve found a way to fight this thing, but we burned a room.
- I don’t think it was hurt much. - About as much effect as a good hotfoot.
It’s sure to come back. We don’t want to burn up the place, so we’re going after it.
It probably went to the greenhouse. We’ll start there. Meanwhile, stay here.
Watch the door near the hallway.
- Keep an eye on the Geiger counter. - Here are the extinguishers.
- Who’s your electrical expert? - That’s my line.
- Hook the intercom to the corridor. - We can take one from any room.
- I can help you on that, too. - Mac, let us know when you’re ready.
- You OK? - Yeah, but I’d like to tag along.
- Haven’t you had enough? - Who’s gonna put out the fire?
We’re very proud of our captain.
Now, look, if we put one of the intercoms here, that’ll take care of this end.
We’ll put another at the junction. See if they work through the mess hall.
You said you were going to use kerosene again.
- You know anything better? - Something hotter. Why not electricity?
- You mean your lighting system? - No. We can hook in a new transformer.
- It will give us plenty of amps. - Enough to burn him?
- More than enough. - Could you use leads to two poles?
- If you insulate the poles. - Sounds good.
Bob, give him a hand. Come on, Tex. You go to work. Get Anchorage, if you can.
Tell them the story. Tell them we’re in bad shape.
The sooner they get here, the better. Tell them to bring hand grenades, mortars.
If I don’t get permission to send a story out, I’ll shoot myself.
- Better comb your hair first. - What hair?
- Hey. Say that again. - Oh, Nikki. Not you too.
- He’s sensitive. - You too.
- I got hair. - Doesn’t make you prettier.
- No, no. Your breath. - I’m sorry.
- He’s sensitive about that. - I’ve been upset.
You ninnies.
- Look. That’s what I mean. - Look.
- You too. It’s getting cold in here. - The heat must be off.
It is off.
It’s not getting any oil. See if it’s the same across the hall. Where do they get oil?
Round behind. Outside.
- Pat. Heat’s off in the mess hall. - No more oil coming in.
- It’s off in there. Could the tank be empty? - Filled day before yesterday.
The main line could be plugged. Better fix it.
- Probably run smack into our visitor. - We underestimate this guy.
- Trying to freeze us out. - That won’t be hard.
- Down to 40 degrees now. - It’s 60 below outside.
- Will these rooms hold heat? - For half an hour.
- We’ll all be stiff as a... - Won’t it think of something else?
It’ll think the same I am - our only chance to keep warm is electricity.
- Heaters, blankets. - It could break the circuit,
- cut a line, except at the source. - The generator room.
Get them in.
Bring food, medicine, blankets, anything you can find. Bring our flying clothes.
Pat, most of them got burned, but I’ll see what I can salvage.
- Get the transformer hooked up. - It’s cold.
- That thing’s turned the heat off. - What?
- What’ll we do? - I don’t know. Next, it’s electricity.
We’ve put everyone in the generator room.
- You do a good job on the outside door? - Houdini would find it tough.
- He’ll come through this corridor. - It’s the only way.
- Any wire strong enough for the voltage? - Rolls of it.
- That’ll work. - What’ll work?
A lead overhead, and each side. When it gets to the right spot, juice him.
- I don’t get you. - Wire?
- Here. - Cutters.
- What are you talking about? - An electric flytrap right here.
- Flytrap? - Give me a hand with some nails.
- Sure. - You’d better get out of the way.
It looks as if they have the situation well in hand.
I’ve given all the orders I’m gonna give.
If I thought that were true, I’d ask you to marry me. Your coat.
- I wanna keep my mind open. - I’ve got hammer and nails.
- Where do you want this, Captain? - In the generator room. Keep moving.
Sorry, General. Changed my mind. It’s all off.
- Keep moving. - I want another word.
No time. Move along.
Make way here. Clear this out. Clear this place.
- Cutters? - Here.
- Geiger counter? - Back there.
- I got one too. - Get to the assembly room.
Get me a pair of gloves.
- Leave enough to hook the overhead wire. - I got plenty.
- Here we are, Lieutenant. - That ought to give us a ground.
- There she is. - Down to five degrees. Perfect for skiing.
- Get rubber boots. - Why?
- Insulation for when I turn the juice on. - Oh, yeah.
- Here. - Where?
Wait. You won’t need boots. Go back with the others. You don’t belong here.
I didn’t belong at Alamein or Bougainville or Okinawa. I was just kibitzing.
I also write a very good obit. Obituary, to you. Just ignore me.
- Captain Hendry. - Go ahead.
- Just checking to see if it works. - Fine. Watch your Geiger counter.
- Yes. - Mac, you hear?
- Every word. I hope that’s all I hear. - So do I.
Captain, here’s another message from Washington.
”Fogarty to Hendry. Use every means to protect lives of party."
- "Take no steps against your prisoner." - Our prisoner?
You can’t ignore orders from your officer.
- You can testify at my court martial. - You’re robbing science of a great secret.
- Go back. - Knowledge is more important than life.
We’ve only one excuse for existing - to think, to learn.
- What can we learn from that thing? - It doesn’t matter what happens to us.
Nothing counts but thinking. We thought our way into nature, split the atom.
Yes, and that sure made the world happy.
We owe it to the brain of our species to stand and die, without destroying wisdom.
- Captain Hendry. - Civilisation is...
- Get him out of here. - Oh, you fools! You’ll never hurt it twice!
- Go ahead. - I’m getting a reaction from the counter.
- What's your reading? - Point two, but steady.
Watch it. Tell us any change. Mac, anything your way?
- Not a glimmer. - Watch it.
- Here’s the operating switch. - How can it get cold so quick?
- You’re no good if you’re too cold. - It must be zero.
It was. Next stop, five below.
Come on, Mr Martian, and get some nice Scotch blood. 100 proof.
- Nothing like it for babies. - Tell him to cut it out.
No, no. Let him go on. I like goose pimples. They keep me warm.
Did you get a picture of that thing on fire?
No. I shot one while I was falling backward over the bed.
Probably got the ceiling and my own big feet.
Captain Hendry. Going up a little. Point four now.
- Hang on. Mac, any change? - Just the same. Only colder.
- He’s coming by the mess hall. - Excuse me, sir. I got an idea.
- Here we go again. - Your boy’s pretty smart.
- He might see these wires, think it over. - Yeah.
If he thinks too long, we’re cold meat.
What if we met him by the junction?
- Let him see us and chase us back? - Yes. The less light, the better.
Turn off this light and this one down here. Don’t tell me I’m right.
- Going up. Point eight now. - I'm getting something too, Pat.
- Showing here now. - Both of you, back here. Come running.
- Halfway there. - The generator, can you get more from it?
- It’ll do no harm to try. - Bill and Tex go with him. You too.
- Pat... - No.
Good luck to you.
- What’s the matter? - I was wishing we could test this thing.
- What if we haven’t the voltage? - Keep swinging.
- 1.2. - On its way.
- I got a worry. - Report. McPherson has a worry.
This is no joke. What if he can read our minds?
- He’s gonna be mad when he gets to me. - 1.4.
All right, you guys. Keep it quiet.
I remember the first execution I ever covered.
- Ruth Snyder and Judd Gray. - Did you get a picture of that?
- No, they didn’t allow cameras, but... - 1.6. Going up fast.
Give him a chance to get a look. Leave me room to reach that switch.
Stay away from the walls when he hits the juice.
- Everybody got rubber boots on? - Yes.
1.8.
- Shh.
I thought I heard something.
It’s getting near the top.
Easy, men.
- What the...? - Carrington turned it off!
Bob, bring the flashlight. Eddie, hold him off as long as you can.
- Watch out. He’s got a gun. - Keep away. Keep away.
- I won’t allow you to destroy... - Turn on that generator!
Get back here, Eddie!
Get back! Stay away from that wire!
I’m your friend. I have no weapons. I’m your friend.
You must understand what I’m trying to tell you.
Don’t go on. They’ll kill you. They think you mean to harm us.
But I want to know you, to help you. Believe that.
You’re wiser than anything on Earth. Use that intelligence.
Know what I’m trying to tell you. I’m not your enemy.
I’m a scientist who’s trying...
Hold it.
- Wait till he gets right in the middle of it. - Yeah.
He’s gotta be on that walk, Captain.
Wait till he gets right in the middle, sir.
- Oh, that’s it. Stop. Turn it off. - Let it go. We don’t want any part of it left.
Well, you can get a picture now, Scotty.
- This’ll take a minute to warm up. - OK.
Can I send out my story? It’ll only take five minutes.
- I guess it’s OK. Go ahead. - You’re beginning to look better to me.
- All done. - Did you get everything?
We burned everything in the lab and the greenhouse.
- The arm too. Nothing but ashes. - How’s Carrington?
Broken collarbone and a bad headache.
- Not enough voltage. - I’ll check the generator.
Good.
- Anybody want some coffee? - No, but you can come in.
- You’d better have some. You look tired. - He should look tired.
- He’s had two things on his mind. - We’ve only had one.
- Our worries are over, while our captain... - Oh, shut up.
- Is there something you can do about it? - Hm. I don’t know.
I’m getting fed up with the North Pole. How much does the captain make?
- Not much. - That’s a good start. Go ahead.
- Enough for two? - Not nearly.
- You get flight pay... - A sum for each dependent.
- We can handle that. - I’m not gonna be...
- I’ve got an idea, if you’ll pardon me. - This is gonna work.
- You ought to settle down, sir. - There you are.
- It’d be so much better for us. - He’s always getting into trouble.
- You remember Honolulu? - Eddie.
- Pretty bad. - I don’t know what they mean.
- He ought to light. - They know what’s best for you.
- Mm-hm. - Here we are. Plenty of voltage now.
Anchorage from Polar Expedition Six. Can you hear me? Over.
- Anchorage, reception clear. - Press the button and speak, Scotty.
Tell Fogarty we’ve sent for Hendry. He’ll be here in a few minutes. Over.
Roger. Over.
Are there any newsmen there who can hear me? Over.
- Place is full of them. Over. - All right. Here’s your story.
North Pole. November 3. Ned Scott reporting.
One of the world’s greatest battles was won today by the human race.
A handful of soldiers and civilians met the first invasion from another planet.
A man by the name of Noah once saved our world with an ark of wood.
Here, a few men performed a similar service with an arc of electricity.
A flying saucer which landed here, and its pilot, have been destroyed.
But not without casualties among our own meagre forces.
I’d like to bring to the microphone the men responsible for our success.
But Air Force officer Captain Hendry
is attending to demands over and above the call of duty.
Dr Carrington, leader of the scientific expedition, is recovering from wounds.
- Good for you, Scotty. - Before giving details, I bring a warning.
Every one of you listening to my voice, tell the world.
Tell this to everybody, wherever they are.
Watch the skies, everywhere.
Keep looking. Keep watching the skies.