X Minus One: No Contact

Count down for blast off. X minus 5, minus 4, minus 3, minus 2, X minus 1, fire. From the far horizons of the unknown, come tales of new dimensions in time and space. These are stories of the future, adventures in which you'll live in a million could-be years and a thousand baby worlds.

The National Broadcasting Company presents... X! Minus, one, one, one. The light story, no contact. It was in the year of 1982 that spacemen first discovered the great galactic barrier.

In the past ten years, rocket traveled to the moon and the nearer planets had become commonplace. And then men fixed their sights on a more distant star, a remote planet known as Volta. Five exploratory ships went out and none came back, each in turn disappearing mysteriously at the same vanishing point at an invisible wall somewhere in the vast outer reaches that

became known as the wrecker of spaceships, the Galactic Reef. And yet the explorers refused to admit defeat. It was on June the second 1987 that the rocket star cloud made ready for takeoff, the sixth to attempt to crack the barrier and win through to bolt up.

Condition green, green. Go get it in the blast off. Condition green, green. Go get it in the blast off. Well, Lewis, this is it. I don't suppose you'll be needing the ship's doctor up here in the bridge during blast off.

I think not, Smitty. There's little chance of acceleration bends in these new overdrive ships. I'll be in my office then, counting vitamin pills if you need me. It's only a few steps. Good luck, Lewis.

Thank you, Smitty. Lieutenant Carter. Yes, sir. You're relieved you'd better get down to navigation control and take over. Yes sir. Lieutenant. Yes sir? We've never flown together before. This is your first flight in a space vessel as big as the star cloud.

Yes sir, but I was trained in oversized jobs at the Naval Academy. Well if you're half as good a navigator as your father was you'll do fine. Thank you sir. Did you ship out with my father?

I served under him on one of the first rocket runs to the moon. I see. I almost went along on his last trip to the barrier. I'm too bad about that. Yes sir. That's all caught here.

Lieutenant Paulerson. Get me the ground control tower on the field. I want to talk to Colonel Harrison. Yes sir. Go ahead sir. I've patched in the bridge speaker. Colonel Harrison. Yes Captain. We're standing by for takeoff in 30 seconds.

Good. The field's cleared of all personnel. We'll try to re-establish radio contact immediately after takeoff. In any event, there'll be a 24 hour ground monitor. Fine. Good luck. Hope you make it. Thank you. Bridge to navigation control.

Have control, call your app. Ready Lieutenant. We're ready. All right, stand by for blast off. Bridge to engine room. Fire up your rocket chambers. Take off at exactly $1,200. I'll read you off. 20 seconds.

19, 18, 17, 16. Hold it. Revoke all orders. Who turned in that alarm? Hold the floor, sir. We've uncovered a stowaway. Stowaway, where? I think in sick bay. Dr. Smith has found it. I have him brought up to the bridge.

Engine room, kill your rockets and stand by. Thorson, this is Colonel Harrison and Ground Control. What's holding you up? Trouble. What's the matter with you? What's the matter with you? There's a stowaway aboard. Stowaway.

Yes, I thought you were men were supposed to police this base. What's the matter with you? Captain, take it easy. You know what this delay can do to us, don't you? One minute later, take off and throw us a million miles off course.

We'll have to reintegrate the whole works. Well, look, how long do you think it'll take? Don't bother for me, bro, while I'm busy. Stupid idiot. Yep, Thorson? Yes, come in, Smitty. As you stole. Now, Port Marshall.

Oh, Charlie. Can you use a good radio man, Skipper? Well, I see you two met. That Skipper me made 50 trips to the moon together. Didn't we, Skipper? Charlie, if you wanted to come along, why didn't you volunteer?

I did, Skipper. They turned me down. What's wrong with you? Acceleration bends. They said my arteries wouldn't stand another trip. I'm sorry to hear that. But they're wrong, Skipper. I got one more good trip in me.

me. Listen, skipper, you know that these green kids, they don't know the first thing about space radio operation. Now, you put a man like me on and off. I'll be getting you bedtime stories from Mars. Charlie, you know the regulations as well as I do. I can't take you much as I'd like to. General Harrison, murder me for this.

I'm sorry, Charlie. I'll have you put a ground. I'll tell you what. I'll ask Harrison to put you on his ground radio contact. It'll seem as if you're right here with us. You won't do it, sir.

Well, he'd better. I'll have him busted to the corporal for letting you sneak aboard. Look, Charlie, you'd better be off. Now, Paul, listen. Yes, sir. I'm sending this man aground. Give him time to clear the launching platform.

Yes, sir. So long, Charlie. I'm sorry. Good luck, Skip. I thought you were going to have him drawn and quartered. If it had been anyone else, I would have, Smitty. Charlie, well, he's kind of special.

It's been with me since my first command when we began the regular run to the moon. And if you wanted to come along this time, well, it's only through loyalty to me. You know, Lewis, I didn't realize it before, but you're almost human.

Oh, yes, Lieutenant. How badly are we followed up? Can you recalculate the course, or shall I cancel the takeoff? I've already plotted a new course on the integrator's syrup. We take off in exactly 30 seconds. We'll need to correct for only a one degree deflection.

I can do that before we breach the stratosphere. That's quick work, are you sure? Yes, sir. Alright, Collier, I'm putting it in your hands. We'll blast off on your signal. Bridge to engine room. Prepare to blast off on navigator signal.

How are we doing, Collier? Coming on the bearings, sir. That's four, three, two, zero. We've intersected the course vector. Good work, Collier.

The course is corrected, sir. We're ready to go into atomic orbit drive anytime you say. Alright, stand by. Yes, sir. Now hear this. Now hear this. Prepare for maximum acceleration. Bridge to engine room. Kill your rockets.

Fire up number one cyclotron. Fire up number two. Withdraw your dampening rods. Go into overdrive at the counter zero.

Three seconds with the call. Three, two, one, zero, zero. Are we doing call your car? Of course. Sir, she's running hot in the throat. My compliments, Lieutenant. This job would have done your father credit.

And he was the best navigation officer I ever saw. Thank you, sir. Start your gyros, put her on robot control. All right, the bridge is yours, Mr. Collier. If you need me, I'll be in Dr. Smithson's office.

Yes, sir. That's nice, and you've got us off the ground. You can thank young Collier for that. Chip off the old block. You knew his father? As a matter of fact, I knew him very well.

First, straight space man. Well, you see the woman who was... Yes, yes, yes. He was lost in the galactic barrier on the second ship we set up to Voldemort. Lewis, just what do you think this galactic barrier is?

Oh, your guess is as good as mine, Doc. All I know is that five ships have gone into it, and none of them have come back out. You think it's a knit? How about Mr. Vic's theory that it's a time warp in space, that the ships reach it and slip into another dimension?

I think that's a lot of rubbish. My theory is that the galactic barrier is nothing more than a radioactive layer of some kind. Why do you say that? Well, we know that radar signals bounce off it like they were hitting an invisible glass wall.

And we know that it destroys our ships and crews in some way. There's no other logical explanation. What makes you think we can get through it, Lewis? Because we're ready for it. The others weren't.

The entire hull of this ship is completely shielded with lead. We can crack through any radioactive cloud ever detected. Besides, we're equipped with some new UHF radio devices that should enable us to maintain radio contact with Earth.

Nothing can happen. Absolutely nothing. Now, who are you trying to convince? I am my self, I suppose. Lewis, you've had your share of glory. First, Skipper to reach the moon. Back in 1962, you could have retired.

Why are you risking this trip? Five ships are missing. Men like Prentice, Margetson, young Collier's father. I'm tired of seeing good men fed into that meat chopper. Then why are we going to Volter? We haven't any choice, Smitty.

We're in a race, the kind of race where men and ships are expendable. According to the interspace code, the first nation to reach whole to conclaim it. Well, personally, I want no part of it.

I'll have to play physician, morale builder, and mother substitute for 112 slightly nervous men. And your morale doesn't sound too good, Doug. As morale officer, I can state without fear of contradiction, it is terrible.

And something tells me as we approach that galactic barrier, I'm not going to be alone. Hello, Earth. Hello, Earth. Captain Forson of the Star Cloud calling Earth. Hello, Star Cloud. Hi, Captain. Charlie, well I see they haven't court-martched you yet.

No sir, thanks to you. That's good to hear you. You can read us the funny papers on Sunday morning. All right. How's our signal? Strong, clear as a bell. Now here's our log report for Colonel Harris.

You ready? Shoot. June 2nd, 1987, four weeks out from Earth, running through no radiation, operation normal, still making our approach to the galactic barrier. That's all Charlie, see you later. Good luck, Captain. I sure wish I was with you.

How's the morale, Smitty? The men know we're getting closer to the barrier, they're beginning to show a little tension of us. How's their physical condition, any sickness? About half the crew has come down with space blues.

Ah, I was afraid of that. Are they bad? Same as usual. Lips and hands with a bluish cast. Eyes are sensitive to infrareds. I don't know. When I first started flying these tin cans, nobody ever heard of space blues.

Well now there's a theory it's caused by the terrific acceleration of atomic orbital. Change in gravity affects the circulation. Hmm, what do you think? I think it's psychosomatic. I've noticed that the same men who get space blues under tension on a ship tend to get blue coloration back on Earth and they're upset.

I guess it's just an occupation to the seas of space now. Mmmhmm. You think it's just a nerve then? Well, young Khalia's got a bad case. I think it's tension from over. Maybe you need some vitamins.

Lewis, when will you realize that vitamins are not a panacea for all the troubles of mankind? Sir, I understand that you relieve me from beauty. Well, Dr. Smithson says you aren't looking very well, Collier. I'm giving you a rest.

Sir, I feel perfectly able to continue. Your lips are as blue as Minnetonka. Captain... I'd like to remain at my post. Don't be foolhardy lieutenant. not being full-hard, he said, I have a special person of reason for wanting his expedition to reach Volter.

Your father? Yes, sir. You think he might still be alive? I have to find out what happens, sir. I, I think I understand. Very well, Collier. Report back to duty. What's the reading policy?

We're getting a plus five radar bounce now. of the barrier almost as fast as we send it out. What's the interval? Two seconds. Shortening steadily. This rate will hit the wall in the next few minutes.

Alright. Alert the crew. Sound General quarters. Now here this. Condition red. We are now approaching the galactic barrier. All hands to stations. All radiation detectors to be fully manned. Full security will prevail until further notice. That is all.

Policy yes, sir. We'll rate our bounces up to plus six. We'd better try to make final contact with Earth The sparks still try to raise the base. Yes, but he's not having much luck. It must be something to fear That's the radio and Well, cut in on the bridge legal capital take it from here hello

Star cloud to earth. Can you hear me earth hello skipper? I can barely read you We're getting heavy static from Sunspot. That's not Sunspot's Charlie. We're right on top of the galactic barrier. Getting a plus, no, plus seven radar bounce.

Expect to hit the barrier almost any second now. Good luck, Skipper. If we crack the barrier and come through still in one piece, I'll try to get back to you on the high frequency band.

Not just Skipper. So long, Charlie. So long, snark. Let's be getting off with close now, Captain. It was bouncing back so fast, it's almost beating the signal. When they go inside, hold onto your hat, that's when we run into the wall.

Any second? Hold on. Here goes nothing. Here it comes. Captain. Nothing happened. We made it. We made it Captain. No radiation, no time, no nothing. The crew's gone crazy, sir. Let him. They've earned it.

Doc, can you break out a few bottles of snakebites here? From medicinal purposes? I sure can, Lord. This goes for a celebration. How's your morale now? It couldn't be better. How's yours? Couldn't be better.

But... condition red. Condition red. Condition red. Condition red. What the... Condition red. Condition red. Radiation detected. Condition red. Radiation detected. Holy mackerel. Look at the needle in that indicator. Allison. Yes, I see it, Captain.

Picking radiation like crazy. What's it like? What's a strong impulse? What kind? I don't know. It's too long for a cosmic ray, too short for UHF. Whatever it is, sir. The ship is lousy. I'll track it down, triangulate it and make it fast.

I want a directional fix. Yes, sir. Engine room. Yes, sir. radioactivity is efficient chambers no leak here sir check your gauges nothing here captain must be coming from outside damage control is our lead shield leaking radiation we'll keep at it all listen how are you doing I've got a fix captain what is it well I'll have to recheck my figure I'll hurry it up

angle is correct but I don't man for Pete's sake where's the radiation coming from sorry it's coming from inside this ship that's impossible no sir I've Check to twice. It's got to be the engines then.

It is so we're finished. Engine room. Yes sir. That radiation must be in the overdrive pile. No sir it isn't here sir. Are you certain? Yes sir. Alright keep checking. There's only one thing left to do.

Paulus and get a Geiger counter. We're going to start calming this ship inch by inch. Yes sir. Alright turn it on. Yes sir. Alright. Ready Captain. We'll check the atomic guns first. Come on. We'll cut through the officers quarters here to wardens.

I'll turn here. Wait a minute sir. What is it? What is it? The signal is weaker now. Yeah, let's go back. Hold it. Hold it. Seems strongest right about here. It doesn't make sense. Who's cabinet's this?

Lieutenant Collier's. Collier? No, he's down in that control zone. Oh, I'll try the door. Right. It's not locked, sir. It's in here, all right. Listen to that counter. Stronger's over here. Open that wall, cabinet.

It's locked. Oh, there's a passion. Shut up that gaggard counter. What do you make of this, Boris? It looks like some sort of portable transmitter, sir. Must be foreign manufactured. I don't recognize the calibration symbols at all.

I've never seen anything like it, which raises a small question. What is Lieutenant Collier doing with a transmitter in his cabin? I don't know, sir. Well, I intend to find out, Boris. Get down and have control and bring Collier up to the bridge on the double.

How can we better find somebody to shut this thing off, first? I know, away. Wait! Lieutenant Collier, I'm going to ask a few simple questions and I want a few simple answers. Yes, sir. What were you doing with a transmitter in your cabin?

Transmitter Captain. Oh, you know nothing about it. No, sir, I don't. Do you recognize these calibration symbols? No, sir. Can you think of how it might have been placed in your cabin without your knowing it?

No, sir, unless someone came in while I was on duty. Would that have been possible? I suppose so if someone had a key. I found your cabin door unlocked. Well, I'm educated. A wall cabinet.

I... I didn't say the wall cabinet. Well, I... Yo, what, Lieutenant? How could you have known it was in the wall cabinet? Well, I just assumed, sir. Lieutenant Collier, I find it hard to believe you would lie.

Having known and respected your father. Having observed the way you handed your job. However, I intend to get to the root of this thing. May I have your wristwatch, Lieutenant? Sir? Your wristwatch. Yes, sir?

Pauluson. Turn on that Geiger collar. Yes, sir? Hold this watch next to it. Yes, sir. That's all. Lieutenant, if you hadn't any close contact with that transmitter, how do you explain the radioactivity of this watch?

I don't, sir. I think you'd better. To whom were you sending those signals? Attention, Brad. Confishing, Brad. There's your answer, Captain. What is this, Collier? Alien, spaceship, approach. Alien, spaceship, approach. Collier, who's aboard that ship?

All right now talk! Very well Captain. My mission seems completed. Your mission? Are you admitting that you're an agent of a foreign power? I am stating it's what nation? No nation, Captain. What? I am an agent of the Voltan government.

Now what? The government of the planet of Voltan. They're crazy! Are you so stupid Captain? Did you think your people are the only ones who can invade another planet? What do you mean? We've had agents operating on Earth since 1945.

I don't believe you. What do you think happened to those five ships, Captain? Where do you suppose we got our information? Your language, your culture, family background. Appearance you look like like Commander Collier? Well, is that so surprising, Captain?

You see, Captain, we had a living model. I ought to kill you. That would be very foolish, Captain. I would advise you to surrender without delay. Here you go, coming in the water range. I'll deal with you later, call your policy.

Yes, sir. Put this men in arms, take him away. Don't worry, sir. We'll take good care of him. Copy him. Run! There, sir. I'm in the water range. Shh. Gunnery. Gunnery Richardson. What's the range?

10,000 meters. They're closing fast. What's your guns on radar tracking? Tracking. Coming on the bearing. Fire. Fire Richardson. Richardson, did you hear me? Fire! What's the matter down there? Did you hear me? Richard's an answer to me.

It's no use to shout, Captain. Collier, how did you get loose? Where's Paulus? Lieutenant Pauluson is dead. Paul stations, Lieutenant Collier has escaped. CZ men. Don't waste your breath. Your men can't hear you, Captain.

What? Those still alive are my men. No, Captain. Every ship that has ever left Earth was controlled by a Volton crew. That's impossible. Those were handpicked men. And picked by us. I don't believe you.

No. Then why not call for help? Carpenter. Robinson. Haley. Report. You see, Captain? Carpenter. Robinson. Haley. It's quite useless, Captain. I would advise you to sit very quietly and do nothing. Very well, Collier. You, Beaten, what now? The ship will be taken to Volta, for shall we say further experimentation. I see. Of course there's one thing you hadn't counted on.

Just what is that Captain? Ruse! Yeah! Carpenter! Are you in there lieutenant-cometer? You can't hold me dead, there must be one alive. Smeddy, Dr. Spinson! Smeddy! Smeddy! What have we done to you? Hello, I'm sorry.

I'm dirty. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I must lean closer. It's not much time. Lewis... Space... Blues? Space Blues. Space blues. What is it, Smitty? What are you trying to tell me?

All men with space blues. Voltans. Then I'll let me help you out. Oh, Lewis, get the message back to Earth. Volt and fifth. God, I'm... Watch out for it. Captain, Othron. Captain, Othron, you can't hide from us now.

Come back by the great-grand-chorenda. My man will have not met you. Star Cloud calling Earth. Please, God let me get through. You've got to relate. Hello. Star Cloud to Earth. Come in, please. Come in, please.

I'm calling Charlie. Come in, please. Hurry, hurry, hurry, Charlie. Skipper, is that you? Are you getting my signal? It's coming in a little louder now, Skip. Keep sending. God, now look, Charlie. Listen to me.

Not much time. Get the word to Colonel Harrison. Groot mutinid most of crew members, photons. What? Foltons. Spell that. V-O-L- Foltons. That's right. They're from the planet Vota. Skipper, Skipper, are you all right? Not Tony, this is serious.

They'll be here any second. Now listen, they have a fifth color on Earth. They're planning to invade you. You mean it? Of course I mean it. Tell Harrison, posing as humans. You can detect them by space booths.

You got that only Voltons get space booth. Tony, did you hear me? Space blue. I got you. The ringing in, Charlie. I'm defending a U-1, everybody. Captain! They're over the door. So long, Charlie. Tell Hannah!

Captain! Captain Farsome! Hello! Hello, Star Cloud! What's the trouble, Sergeant? I was just trying to raise a Star Cloud, Colonel. I had any luck. No, sir. No contact. No contact, eh? No, sir? Nearly an hour since they hit the galactic barrier.

I don't understand why they haven't tried to get a message back. No, sir. Neither do I. Alright, I'll take over for a while. Yes, you do that, sir. It's all yours, right. Oh, and Charlie, you better go out and get yourself some coffee.

You'll look a little blue around the gills. Tonight, X minus one has brought you no contact written by George Lefferts from an original story of Lefferts and Ernest Kenoy. Each and in the cast were Louis Van Ruten as captain Donobuka as Collier, Wendell Holmes as Charlie, and Bill Riffis, Bill Smith, Matt Crowley and Ken Williams.

You're announced at Don Pardo. X minus one was directed by Fred Wei and is the transcribed NBC radio network production. And now next week, when you want to take over a world you naturally look for its weak point, some way to catch its people off guard.

We live in a world where everybody loves a parade, a world of press agents and publicity stunts. But who would ever dream that invaders from outer space would take advantage of that weakness, and actually hire a press agent to advertise their coming?

Who would believe it was anything but just another publicity gag? At least, not until the terrible moment when it was already too late. The moment of... X minus 1.