Original subtitles

(Woman) 'This is a neutrino transmission.

'This is a neutrino transmission.

'Calling moonbase Alpha by neutrino transmission.'

- where from? - Don't know.

But it's no random transmission. They're calling us.

'Moonbase Alpha by neutrino transmission.'

yasko, identification.

This is moonbase Alpha. Identify.

'Moonbase Alpha. Moonbase Alpha.

'This is space station one, Texas city, planet earth.

'I repeat, this is space station one,

'Texas city, planet earth.

'Please stand by.'

Tony. Keep that channel open.

(Bleeping)

- They've broken contact! - Get 'em back.

What about neutrino transmissions?

When we left earth, the first experiments had just begun.

They cover billions of miles in seconds.

Could they have perfected it?

Yes. We've been in space for months.

- Which in earth terms is decades. - Right.

Ok... so it could be earth.

(Man) 'Moonbase Alpha. Moonbase Alpha. Respondl'

this is commander John koenig of moonbase Alpha.

'Commander, this is dr Charles Logan,

'senior space scientist, Texas city.

'I think you will understand

'when I tell you that our year is 2120 ad.

'Please listen carefully.

'In 72 hours, a galactic eclipse will cut our communication channel.

'But in that time, if you can act quickly enough,

'we are capable of transferring you back to earth.

'I repeat, a return to your own planet earth is possible,

'if you put yourselves completely in our hands.'

that's fantastic!

Could be. If that's really a transmission from earth.

- Well? - The eclipse story checks out.

In 72 hours, a constellation will begin to move between us and earth.

Communications will be impossible for almost a century.

Standing by for construction details for the transference dome.

'Commander koenig? This is Logan.

'Is your science officer ready to receive our instructions

'for building the transference dome?'

No, dr Logan, she is not.

'Commander, we have time to make the transfer,

'but you must start construction work now.'

what was the name of the wife of the first man in space?

Hey. The natives are growing restless.

Let's hope Logan can calm them down.

Right.

'The first man in space was Russian, Yuri gagarin. He was unmarried.

'The first married man in space was Alan Shepard. May 5th, 1961.

'His wife was Louise Shepard.'

who won the world series in 1998?

'I don't need a computer for that.

'The 1998 world series was won 4—3

'by the Boston Red Sox against the st Louis cardinals.

'This was the last time the Red Sox won the series,

'before all competitive sports were abandoned, in the year 2026.

'Now, about the transference dome?'

forgive my caution, doctor.

Maya, as soon as you hear dr Logan's instructions,

contact the engineering section and have construction started.

- Wow—ee! - Hey hey!

(Buzzer)

Yeah, come in.

- Progress? - Mm-hmm.

Oh, wow! That is...

Fantastic!

Well... it's pretty fantastic.

It took me six months to reach this stage of perfection.

How about a sample?

No, thanks. I've tasted your last concoction.

Come on, it's not going to affect you.

You're right, Tony. No effect at all.

All I wanted was an honest opinion.

What does an alien know about beer, anyway? Give me that!

Do you know your problem, Tony?

- No, what's my problem, Maya? - You're prejudiced.

Me, prejudiced? Cos you look funny, come from the planet psychon

and turned into an eel the last time I put my arms around you?

- Prejudiced. - That's not prejudice.

- What is it? - Fascination.

Now, how about a hand? Maya.

Everybody's waiting in command centre to celebrate our return to earth.

Well, don't just stand there. Come on!

Carla, we have 60 hours in which to indoctrinate the people of Alpha.

The material is assembled, dr Logan. I'm ready to transmit.

(Carla) 'Moonbase Alpha. Moonbase Alpha.

'This is space station one, Texas city, planet earth.

'Texas city is one of several metropolitan complexes

'which comprise the inhabited area of what you called the United States.

'You might like to see one or two of the others.

'Pacific city...

'And grand Metropolis.

'What you knew as Boston, New York,

'New Jersey, the whole eastern seaboard.

'You can see we've come a long way.'

the cities are fantastic!

- What about the countryside? - 'Nobody lives there now.'

in any case, our personal telesensual systems

can create the illusion of spring in the rocky mountains,

fall in old new england,

simply by the touch of a button.

But why not just go to the rockies in spring, new england in the fall?

The pollution of the 21st century. It destroyed everything.

'Trees...

'Crops...

'Rivers.

'That's why we built the Metro complexes and retired to them.'

now, of course, who needs nature?

(All) Who needs nature?

Well?

Well, um...

On an ascending scale of ten, I'd say you'd reached... two?

- You've got no taste, kid. - Before I tasted this, I had.

- Pilot! - Maya.

Less than 30 hours to go,

and koenig insists we transfer test instruments first!

In his place, would you do any different?

The test package is assembled.

Sensors in the antenna simulate blood pressure,

respiration and body temperature.

This is the heart of the system.

With this recorder, we can follow the readings all the way to earth.

Dr Logan... test package in position.

- It's all yours. - 'Thank you, commander.'

transfer procedure green.

Neutron factor green.

All charges green.

Reception area.

(Carla) Halation begins.

(Beeping)

Begin monitoring.

Heart rate normal, body temperature normal,

- respiration normal. - Good.

Now I expect a slight temperature drop, as the process begins.

Heart and respiration should remain normal.

34... 33... 32... 31

(beeping)

30... 29...

27... 26...

- What is it? - Adverse weather conditions.

- Freak storm activity? - Worse. Commander koenig...

We have seismic reports of small quakes in the Gulf of Mexico.

In 1999, our earthquake prediction systems were highly sophisticated.

And even more sophisticated now,

but this area of Central America

is still too unstable for exact predictions.

Could the small shocks affect your calculations?

- Of course. - Will you delay the transfer?

Why? This is simply a test package.

Temperature falling.

- Heart, respiration, normal. - Good. Good.

10... 9... 8...

- 7... - Interference zero.

- — 5... - Still zero.

- Let's go.

Moonbase Alpha, your test package is here with us on earth.

Readings?

Heart, respiration and temperature normal.

Fantastic! Chalk one up for our side!

Dr Logan, what's the forecast on the quake activity?

There is no precise forecast, commander.

- 'Is there any risk?' - Yes.

Whether you take it or not is up to you.

How many can you transfer at one time?

'Three.'

no precise quake forecast? The whole transfer process could be affected.

The earth tremor could distort the beam reflection.

- Why don't you hold off for a while? - Time, Tony. We have no time.

Room for two more.

You never know when you'll need a doctor.

Why should they go first?

Why, do you want to take the risk?

They said three.

You told me heroes were fools with talent for nothing else.

Mm-hm.

Sorry, Tony. You're in command of Alpha now.

Let's go.

Good luck.

You know, this stuff doesn't taste so bad after all.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is no longerjust an experiment.

We have, at last, escaped from the laboratory.

'Respiration, heart, temperature rates?'

a—ok.

♪ Fly me from the moon at last...

♪ Let Alpha be my long-lost past ♪

- Ready to go, John? - You call the signals, Tony.

Dr Logan, take good care of them.

Dr Russell - heart and respiration normal.

Temperature falling. 98.1, 97.1.

Commander koenig, Alan Carter - similar temperature drops. 96.3.

- High seismic activity. - Location?

- Gulf of Mexico. Closing. - — 5, 4...

- — 2... 1... - Ab0rt?

Too late.

(Rumbling)

They're not here, Alpha.

Well, are they there?

(Logan) 'Are they still there?'

'they've got to be there, Alpha.'

they've gotta be there.

Helena! Helena! Are you all right?

- Alan? - Yeah.

- What happened? - Don't know.

- Where are we? - Don't know.

Pushed our luck too far. Something went wrong.

Rain. Trees. Well, at least it's an atmosphere we can breathe.

They said that... everything between the cities was desert, wasteland.

So wherever we are, we're not on earth.

It's a wonder we're alive.

Get that power line hooked up right away.

Carla, check the main computer.

(Tony) 'Dr Logan, what's happening down there?'

- give us time. - Time?!

What for?! Where are they, doctor? I want to know what's happened.

'The equipment's damaged, we don't know how badly.'

we have a reading -

dr Russell - heart, respiration, temperature, normal,

commander koenig normal.

Tony! Wherever they are, they're alive!

We're reading them.

They're somewhere in space. You've got to find them!

(Helena coughs)

You'll need that yourself.

We'll all be warm if Alan ever starts that fire!

♪ Fire, fire, burn so bold

♪ can't you see she's feelin' cold? ♪

Now you can see why I got drummed out of the boy scouts.

- Will you tell me something? - If you'll stop singing.

If we're not on earth, where are we?

We could be anywhere in the universe.

- We'll never get back. - We'll get back.

If you were Logan, what would you do?

Recreate the conditions that caused the error.

Pinpoint our location.

He'd better not drag his feet.

That eclipse takes place in less than 24 hours.

He'll have time to spare. Get that fire started, will you?

Hey, I got a suggestion.

Let's go find some shelter.

All right.

- Come on. - Oh, come on! I can walk.

(Coughs)

(Sneezes)

Bless you. It's the damp air - you're not used to it.

Damp air. A cold?

Now, look, you'd better stay away.

After the germ-free environment of Alpha, we've no resistance.

A common cold could be as lethal as cholera or the black plague.

You're the doctor, Helena.

There's no immediate danger. It, um...

Could develop into pneumonia.

Logan'll be recalculating. We'll be on earth before it gets that far.

How's that recalculation coming?

Too many variables. The computer's acting up.

Stay on it.

- Logan here. - (Man) 'Yes, sir.'

I want seismic units to reproduce that last earthquake effect.

- 'Yes, sir.' - I'm not sure we can detonate.

I want it set up anyway.

Alpha, any change?

Respiration, heart rate, temperature, all normal.

(Beeping)

Wait! Normal, except for dr Russell's temperature. It's rising.

Rising?

It probably means... infection.

Dr Logan, you must find them. Fast!

I'm doing everything I can.

I have search teams scanning the desert.

Earth's desert is uninhabited. With that polluted air, they'd be dead.

I know, but I don't want to overlook any possibility.

- Animals. - I wonder what kind.

Atmosphere, rain, birds,

vegetation and animals.

Chances are there's gonna be some kind of intelligent life form, too.

(Bird call)

(Coughs)

John, stay away!

How about checking your temperature?

It's climbing.

(Roars)

(Shouting)

(Yelling)

We need help. We're not gonna hurt you. We just need help. Help us.

Helena!

(Koenig) Helena!

- There must be a way. - We need time to reprogram.

We don't have time.

Doctor, the computer is not acting.

Moonbase Alpha, we have a problem.

Well, how about that(!) Join the tribe, space station one.

Define, please.

(Logan) 'We've set up a seismic unit

'to simulate the identical earth tremor conditions.'

- but? - But our main computer is damaged.

No time to repair and reprogram.

'Impossible to detonate.'

I think I can handle it from here, Tony.

Hold on. We have an expert who thinks she can solve your problem.

How heavy would the force be?

The explosives would give the equivalent

of a force beta zero quake.

At our rate of speed and distance, I can send a beam down in 30 seconds.

(Maya) 'Can you clear a channel in your computer?'

we can sure try.

I've cleared a channel, but I don't know how long I can keep it locked.

(Maya) 'I'm matching up with you.'

matched up.

Ready to beam. Hope we don't do a wipe-out.

If you do, we'll be the first to let you know.

- Ready, space station one? - As ready as we'll ever be.

Switch on for detonation

now!

Something's coming up.

- I've got a location. - What is it?

- It's calibrating now. - What is it?

According to this read—out, they're somewhere on earth!

No, that's... that's... That's impossible.

They'd be dead if they were on earth.

Is it possible that your pollution didn't affect everywhere on earth?

That somewhere there's a freak valley? An air-bubble, almost?

'Somewhere where they could breathe?

Not possible. We've surveyed the whole of the earth's surface

for experimental purposes.

No, whatever planet they're on, it can't be earth.

We can do nothing but continue to recalculate

and hope that we can do it in time.

(Maya) 'If... when you locate commander koenig, what happens?

'He has no transference dome.'

reverse magnetic field on projection pods on your transference dome

and he can be returned to Alpha.

How long? How long have they got?

(Maya) In 18 hours, the eclipse will block out all communications.

- There'll never be another chance? - Not in your lifetime.

Look, I'm sorry, everybody. I...

I haven't been thinking the way I should.

We still have time to send some of you back down to earth.

If anybody wants to try it.

Look, you all heard what Maya said.

There may not be another chance.

I'd rather stay on Alpha than end up somewhere in space.

Is that the way the rest of you feel?

(Man shouts)

- Easy. Easy. - John...

What's a foot or two closer or further away in this place?

If we're gonna get it, we're all gonna get it.

(Koenig) Anything?

- No, it's at least six feet thick. - Check the door.

- Helena, you look... - Yeah, I look beautiful(!)

I look like a monster.

I think you look great.

- To another monster. - Thanks a lot(!)

John...

Check your temperature, please.

98.6.

Uh-huh. Normal.

Yours?

Get those guards to understand we need some help!

Hey!

Hey!

(Speaking foreign language)

- (Pounding) - (Repeats)

(Guards shout)

If we could just get your temperature down.

It won't matter in the long run.

I'm talking about in the next hour, not the next week.

So am I.

My guess... Is that it's viral pneumonia.

Pneumonia? What's the cure?

If we were on Alpha...

It would be so simple.

- What is it, Helena? - Is that a fungus?

(Helena) Scrape some of that off.

- It could be. - Could be what?

Fungoids are the basis for the barmycin range of drugs,

which were discovered just before we left earth.

It's the only known cure for viral pneumonia.

If it's a variant of the same fungoid, how do you prepare the drug?

You need heat,

any vegetable fibre... And some of this.

It's rudimentary...

But it could stave it off...

Until dr Logan can recalculate his error.

Heat. It means we've gotta get out of this place on order to build a fire.

No chance.

Walls are solid rock, ten inches of seasoned timber in that door.

Even if we were sure that is was safe to move her.

Ok, Helena. You're the doctor.

How many hours?

Six... eight...

John...

If you don't get out of here,

you'll be dead, too.

(Shouts)

- I think they'd like us to stop. - Yeah.

(Shouts)

(Speaks foreign language)

The fungus!

Look at the problem again, doctor.

You run your seismic reconstruction.

On that basis, you recalculate it again and again.

(Logan) And the answer's the same each time.

Earth...

But it isn't possible!

- Because they're still alive. - 'Exactly.'

(Thunder)

Enough?

Now the fungus.

How's that?

What is it, Helena?

(Helena) It's the moon!

Helena, we've left the moon.

- The moon! - She's delirious.

- Let's give her some of that. - It's the moon, John. Moon...

Here, have some of this.

It's the moon!

It's a moon, Helena, but it's not our moon.

This planet could have six or seven moons.

It's the moon.

(Carter) Hey, that mountain could almost be copernicus.

(Koenig) And the mare imbrium aboveit

it's our moon, Alan.

If that's the moon, then this is the earth, after all.

The life forms we've seen don't just coincidentally resemble us.

Right.

It can't be. It broke away.

The moon broke out of the earth's orbit.

In 1999.

Then this is the earth.

Before the moon broke away.

We may be hundreds of years back in time.

The possibility that they landed on a planet with breathable atmosphere

- are one in a billion. - You think they're on earth?

The probability they're alive elsewhere is almost unacceptable.

Then why can't Logan find them?

Perhaps he's searching in the wrong time.

I can't accept that they're on earth in some time in the distant past.

(Maya) 'Or the future.'

look, you know they can't live on earth in the present conditions.

And we know that they are still alive.

So please, rethink your calculations.

And remember, dr Logan, we have only ten hours.

If you're wrong... there'll be no time for any recalculations.

- I'll take that risk, doctor. - 'All right, we'll go your way.'

ok. If this is earth, where on earth? And when?

I'd say we're fairly far north.

Yeah, the people seem European.

Time for some more.

How are you feeling?

Like... I'm coming back from the dead.

It worked.

Is your temperature down?

John, look.

(Koenig) They're switching on and off.

Well, they can't all be malfunctioning at the same time.

It's Alpha trying to make contact.

(Rustling)

If only we could communicate with them.

So you're the English fugitives who thought to cheat me of a fat ransom.

- Keep it going. - What good will it do?

How can they tell us where they are, and at what point in time?

Keep signalling! Let them know that we're still searching.

(Chattering and laughing)

(Woman cackles)

(Scottish accent) You're gentlefolk, that's clear.

And worth a pretty penny in ransom to some great lord in england.

But there's one thing I still don't understand.

- How are you feeling? - Rotten. My temperature's up.

Why do three English travel Scotland without armed escort?

You must know you'd make fair hostages to any Scottish clan.

Yes, urn... explain that, Alan.

Um... well, would you believe, we lost our way?

No, my friends. But I believe that one of you was running away

- with the wife of an English lord. - Wait a minute.

And that lord would pay much gold to get her back.

No, it's just not like that.

Then why disguise yourselves in that strange garb?

The lady dressed in men's clothes, speaking oddly.

Alan.

With the last flicker of that candle, the old year runs out.

Drink that this new year will better it.

(Foreign language)

(All respond)

- Here's lookin' at you. - Slainte.

- Your language? - Gaelic.

Scotland's language.

I learned your tongue a quarter-century ago, to the year.

As castellan for English prisoners, after our victory at bannockburn.

(Speaks Gaelic)

Robert Bruce and bannockburn!

(All) Robert Bruce!

Robert Bruce and bannockburn.

Bannockburn. When was it fought?

Bannockburn. I can't remember.

It's a long while since I was at school.

New year's day, 25 years after bannockburn.

If we get that message to Maya, Logan's computer will know.

What plaything is this?

You too, m'lady.

Is the lady sick?

She has been. She needs some sleep.

I ask you. Is the lady sick?

Give her some shelter where she can rest.

Put guards on it, if you like.

I understand now. The lady has the plague.

(Speaks Gaelic)

Burn them!

That's why you were wandering the forest. Turned out to die.

(Continues in Gaelic)

(Shouting and jeering)

(Old woman) Bring them!

Thirty minutes before the eclipse begins.

I think we all have to accept

that we have no hope of recovering them now.

No, doctor.

We accept nothing until that eclipse actually takes place.

(Koenig) It's not the plague, she can be cured! It's not plague!

(Old woman taunts and cackles)

(Shouts)

Look, I tell you, it's not the plague!

(Gaelic)

(Cackles)

It's not the plague! She can be cured!

(Shouts orders)

It's not the plague! She can be cured!

Cured?

For the pestilence, there's only one cure.

(Shouts orders)

Helena, reach out to me as far as you can.

A pretty ransom they'd have fetched.

Let's just hope somebody... on Alpha remembers their old training.

(Beeping)

We're getting something on the indicators.

Yasko, does that mean anything?

(Yasko) Just... some sort of code.

- Anybody? Does anybody get that? - Wait a minute!

It's the old morse code.

- Morse code? - An old form of signal.

We learned it as astronaut cadets.

Maya, the computer.

(Beeping continues)

(Maya) Scotland.

The British isles. Location established. Scotland.

Carla, recalibrate. Scotland.

Bannockburn plus 25.

Dr Logan, do you read me? Bannockburn plus 25.

1314 plus 25...

1339. Scotland, 1339.

Transfer procedure green.

Halation positive.

(Beeping)

(Logan) 'Texas city calling moonbase Alpha.

'Texas city calling moonbase Alpha.

'This is our final transmission.

'Aii channels will now close.'

goodbye, Texas city.

Thanks, anyway.

Helena, we're gonna toast your recovery.

It'll be short-lived if she has that.

You're starting that again. Alien!

Ah. John.

Have a drink.

On your scale of one to ten, where are you now?

- Would you believe, still two? - Oh, about five.

No, thank you.

You know your problem?

- No sense of adventure. - You're not giving up?

Oh, no, no, no. He's just going back to the drawing board.

Pilot!

- Better? - Mm.

You know, when I think about all the events we could've been part of,

what rotten luck to have drawn Scotland in 1339.

Sure, we could have caught the massacre of Saint Bartholomew,

Spanish inquisition, retreat from Moscow,

the sinking of the Titanic, storming of the bastille...

- — Ok. - The London blitz...

Ok, you win.

With a history like that, who wants to go back to earth anyway?