Original subtitles

Ten minutes to launch.

All right, guys, listen up for a minute.

We've got an important call coming through for you.

Roger, Flight.

Good evening, NASA, this is the president.

I know you're busy, but Mrs. Tyler and I wanted to take a moment

to wish you the best of luck

in launching the 1st satellite from our space shuttle.

This is a real feather in the cap

of America's space program.

Also I want to pass along a special hello from my son Bobby

to NASA astronaut Steven Bancroft and Lew Price

and the Air Force Colonel Judd Gates.

All of us in the White House wish you well.

Listen, Congress has been after me to hold on the budget

so I better keep this short. After all, it is a long distance.

So good night and godspeed.

All right, thank you Mr. President.

Let's get back to work now, we've got a satellite to launch.

Seven minutes to launch.

We're getting a red light from the satellite, Colonel.

Roger.

Looks like a com module.

We'll go out and have a look.

Do you want to hold the countdown, General?

No I don't. That satellite's got to be launched on time.

Six minutes to launch.

I wonder what that satellite's gonna do.

Probably flush all the toilets in Moscow.

What was that?

It's coming from the shuttle.

What's going on up there?

I think Colonel's looking for a parachute.

Airlock pressure is equalized and the light is green.

I'm closing the airlock, Flight.

And stepping into the cargo bay.

Five minutes to launch.

Stand by for satellite launch positioning.

We're proceeding with the countdown, Steve.

Man the launch arm controls.

Here it goes.

I'm moving to the satellite now, Flight.

Colonel, check all LX switches.

Launch mode B and C.

Main D-1 and launch program recode.

Roger, capcom.

- I see the problem. - Four minutes.

What is it, Colonel?

LX-es affirmative.

Main D-1 is tripped. We've got a loose module here.

Can you reset it, Colonel?

Roger, capcom. She's locked in.

I'm getting an affirmative reading now.

I want to stay in the cargo bay, Steve.

In case this thing goes haywire again.

Good idea, Colonel.

The system is verified. Proceed with launch countdown.

- What's that? - What?

Something' going like a bat out of hell.

And there it is again.

What is it, a meteor?

No, unless a meteor can make a U-turn.

- Colonel Gates will maintain EVA position. - Three minutes to launch.

Okay, Steve. Go ahead and connect the extension arm to the satellite.

How does it look to you, Colonel?

Smooth so far, Steve.

- I'll keep you posted. - Roger.

- Flight? - Roger, Orbiter.

We're picking up something pretty wild on radar. Do you read it?

Bob?

Yep, we see it right there.

The hell is that?

Captain.

Call Norad.

Two minutes to launch.

Are you sure this is working right? Let's check it on the B mode.

No, no, we're getting it there too.

I'll keep checking it.

I'm ready to lock in the remote arm.

Looks good from here, Steve. Go ahead.

Connection is verified. Take it away.

Roger, capcom. Here we go.

How is it looking, Colonel?

She's lifting up nicely. And on her way up.

One minute to launch.

She's at the top, Steve. Looking good.

Satellite is in position.

Proceed with launch sequence and countdown.

Roger, capcom. I'm returning to flight controls.

T minus 30 seconds.

- 29... 28... - Steve?

- What? - 27...

According to the radar,

- that thing is right over us. - 25... 24...

23... 22... 21...

T minus 20 seconds.

- There it is. - 19... 18...

- Gates, do you see it? - Yeah.

Norad has it too.

They're trying to get a fix on the speed.

6... 5... 4...

3... 2... 1...

Ignition.

What happened, Orbiter?

Steve? Steve, Lew?

What happened?

Come, come in, come in.

Come in, Orbiter!

Check it again. I don't know.

Steve? Lew?

Come in. Come in.

- Come in, Orbiter! - Roger.

What happened?

Whatever that thing was, the satellite hit it and exploded.

Steve.

Good Lord...

Are you there, Steve?

- It's Gates. - Gates?

We lost him.

He's dead.

What happened? How?

I guess some debris from that satellite must have hit him.

His helm was torn off.

Come on, people.

We still have 2 men to bring home safely.

Shuttle, we have 20 seconds till loss of signal.

We will make re-entry over the Indian Ocean station.

Do you copy?

We copy.

The speed has been constant.

It has to be a controlled craft.

It's in US air space and coming down.

We'd better alert air command.

This is a scramble.

Air search Alfa and Bravo. This is a scramble.

This is a scramble. Air search Alfa and Bravo.

This is a scramble.

Air search units,

there's an object coming down in sector 12.

Trajectory four niner niner.

Roger, command.

Alfa is airborne.

Bravo is airborne.

South to the sector perimeter. Then East.

Roger.

Bravo, head North to sector twelve, West ten and South.

All reports will be direct to General Morrison.

Roger, we got you.

Wow.

Wait a minute.

Look, there's something over there.

What the hell is that?

Give me a patch through to General Morrison.

This is General Morrison. What have you got?

I- I don't know, General.

Just... the weirdest damn thing.

Well, what do you see?

Lights. In a circular pattern.

Take us lower.

You're kidding?

Oh you're not kidding.

Well, what does it look like?

Just lights. No markings.

No visible sign of life.

On outside.

General, what should we do?

General?

General?

Confirmed. Your bay doors are closed, Orbiter.

Ready for re-entry sequence.

T minus fifty seconds to re-entry fire.

Flight, we're rotating shuttle to re-entry position.

Steady gyro.

A, B and C are affirmative.

All RCX LX switches are on automatic.

Roger, Orbiter.

- Harry, I want to talk to you. - Um-hum.

Right now, Harry.

- Take over here, will you Phil. - Sure.

Steve, Lew.

It's Phil Cameron. I'm standing in for Harry.

What's your status, Orbiter?

- The heat shield is affirmative. - Heat shield checklist has been confirmed.

All systems are go for re-entry.

T minus 10 to re-entry fire.

I'm arming the retro engine now.

Arming circuit now.

Arming circuit is affirmative.

What did you do? Have you called Washington?

Better call in the White House,

Gordon Cain, the president's Chief of Staff.

This information should go directly to the President.

Oh yeah, oh yeah.

What do you want with me?

I want you to go there, Harry.

Set up a team. Check it out, top to bottom.

Inside and out.

Flight, we're setting up for re-entry altitude.

Roger.

100,000 feet, 20 degrees.

- You're doing fine, Orbiter. - Roger, Flight.

We've been fine. Stand by for re-entry.

Roger, Phil. Fine here.

70,000 feet, 6 degrees.

Observation planes are standing by.

Roger.

Hello, General.

I hate to bother you at this hour.

What can I do for you?

I have some information that should go to the president immediately.

What is it?

Well...

We believe we have an alien spacecraft in our possession.

I don't want to talk about this any further on the telephone.

Maybe at the White House when you get to Washington.

Yes, sir.

Orbiter, we have you on our video.

How do we look?

You're looking real good.

Stand by for gear down.

Descent rate stabilizing.

Roger, capcom.

That's affirmative.

Ready for the gear.

Gear down.

This is Chase One. I have visual confirmation.

- The gear is down. - Roger.

- You are on the glide. - Roger.

Feels real steady.

100 knots. 90 knots.

And they're down.

Hey, I'm sorry about what happened up there.

A line formed to cry.

Look Phil. We want to talk to Colonel Gates' family.

No, no, you haven't got time.

- The Air Force will take care about it. - Who cares about the Air Force?

Come on!

Okay, take it up with Harry when you get to Huston.

- You've got a plane to catch. - All right.

Hold it! Stop the car.

It's right here. It's right over that rise.

Well, Sam.

It was here. It was right here.

Sure, Sam.

It was.

I saw it. Steve saw it. Gates saw it.

I know, Lew, I know. And I saw it.

Then why don't we look at the telemetry tapes?

Because we already know what's on it.

It's not necessary. It's... It's...

It's all gonna come out in the report.

And that's all you have to know for now.

Everything is going to be all right.

Harry.

Just trust me, okay?

Okay.

That's better.

So what you're saying to me, General, is

that we have a flying saucer in our possession.

Yes, sir.

It's too fantastic even to consider.

Yes. But it's there.

Investigation team. What is it, mostly NASA people?

Yes.

And all about the satellite, everything that happened up there,

there's no way to keep them out of it.

Besides, it's their field. I thought it was best to move fast on this.

No, that's fine.

Obviously, they were the right people to bring in.

But... this is still all speculation.

I mean, until we get inside that thing, who can guess what the hell it is.

Whatever it is, we've got one.

What facility was it moved to?

An Air Force base in Texas, Hangar 18.

NASA took it over a few years ago

and converted it into a manned lunar flight receiving station.

Will it work?

It's got everything we need.

Decontamination chambers.

It's got computer facilities.

It's got biological labs.

Who is handling security?

Ordinarily, NASA would.

I ordered Air Force personnel in last night.

Good.

All right. It'll take a lot to set up. You'll need a briefing procedure.

Besides, Department of Defense will want CIA to get full reports.

Of course.

Okay, I can make those contacts, get things set up at this end.

Somebody's going to have to talk to the press.

Yeah, that's right.

It's the first time a US astronaut has died in space.

Papers will be crawling all over this story.

Now wait a minute.

We're getting into a problem area here.

The election is only two weeks away.

You both read the Harris poll this morning?

It's too close to call, it could go either direction.

So, What's that got to do with our situation?

What we don't need right now

is a lot of inconclusive speculations and wild rumors floating around Washington.

What they find in that hangar may have a crucial effect on our space program.

Maybe even our defense.

Gordon, you aren't suggesting that we back off this thing, are you?

No, no, of course not. We've got to continue the investigation,

check it out thoroughly and find out everything we can.

We must proceed very, very carefully.

Duncan Tyler is the best President this country has had in a long, long time.

I don't want to blow this election because of rumor or panic.

We've got to keep this thing under wraps for two weeks.

Just until the election is over.

Two weeks? Are you sure that's the right approach?

Do you remember when senator Stoddard said publicly that he saw a UFO?

And the president went after him on it?

He asked the country,

Would you feel safe electing a man president

who said he believed in flying saucers?

And next week Stoddard dropped seven points in the polls.

It was a joke.

- Some joke. - Yeah.

I mean, you know what it would do to his chances for reelection.

If the public found out that we had an alien spacecraft parked at a NASA facility.

And you've heard Stoddard's speeches.

You know what he would do to the defense budget.

Do you know what it would mean to this country?

If that man was elected.

Just what are you asking, Gordon?

Keep the lid on Hangar 18.

Um-hum.

Well.

There're living quarters right there in the hangar.

Any communication in or out has to go through my office.

What about the shuttle crew, Bancroft and Price?

Yeah.

They saw the satellite hit the UFO, they're gonna want to talk about that.

They could create some problems, then.

The best thing we can do is to take the initiative.

Be prepared to discredit their reports.

Oh, come on, Frank. Is that necessary?

It will only be for two weeks.

Then we can clear things up, take them off the hook. Officially.

Maybe if we talked with them, brought them into this thing?

No I don't think so.

It will just create more security leaks down the line.

It's best for them to not know any more than they already do.

I think you are to keep an eye on both of them, though.

Right.

Gentlemen,

we're in agreement then?

All we need is two weeks.

Yeah.

Steve? This is Flo.

- Who? - Flo Mattson in Public Information.

Oh yeah, yeah, Flo, what's up?

Steve, have you seen the morning paper?

No, why?

Well, take a look at it.

Then you and Lew'd better get over here.

Okay.

What the hell is this? How can they blame us?

I tried to find out where the story came from.

But there's no byline.

The newspaper wouldn't tell me a thing.

I just don't get it.

Who'd plot a story like that?

The Air Force, honey.

Why?

To cover themselves.

But this is stupid.

They'll never get away with it.

But they're saying that you guys are responsible for wrecking the satellite

and killing a man.

Flo.

We didn't do anything. The satellite hit something.

And we can prove it.

Eight seconds to launch. Here we go.

Seven, six, five...

- Where is it? - Four, three.

Where's that blip of that thing we saw?

There's the explosion, but... That's it.

Either we imagine this whole thing, Lew,

or the blip of the UFO has been erased.

Let's go talk to Harry.

Harry.

We just took...

Where's Harry?

He's been reassigned.

Where did he go?

I don't know. It's classified.

Top secret.

When's he coming back?

I don't know that either.

Let him past.

Hey, Philip.

Harry.

This is the lunar receiving lab.

Ah, don't let the outside fool you, Phil. That's just for security. Come on.

Let's have a look.

I've heard all those crazy stories about UFOs like everybody else.

And didn't believe them.

Well, that's not something that most people... want to believe in.

Is there any exterior damage?

No, none.

We think it was a controlled landing.

It means someone brought it in?

And that someone is still inside there.

Well, we'll know more when the others arrive.

Who?

Well, aside from the NASA technicians and engineers

there's Neal Kelso, linguist.

- For translations? - Yeah, the very best.

And Sarah Michaels and Paul Bannister, two doctors.

Just in case.

I wonder what they're like.

Second thought, I'm not sure I want to know.

I do.

You know, buddy, they hang this thing on us, we're through.

And I don't just mean with NASA.

We won't be able to get a part time job flying a kite.

I mean, Harry said we were in the clear.

Yeah, Harry.

I wonder if Harry knew about these doctored telemetry tapes.

Man, I don't know.

All I know is that we've been made the fall guys in this thing and I don't like it. It's scary.

Maybe it's time to go to the newspapers with a story.

What story?

Lew, we don't have a story.

We claim the satellite hit a UFO.

You know what the Air Force are gonna do?

Drag out that fake telemetry, and we're gonna look like idiots.

Case closed.

- You're really encouraging. - What do you want?

Wasn't Crown Mountain one of the stations that monitored us?

Should've been.

They always do.

Well, they're pretty remote.

I wonder if they still have telemetry that hasn't been fooled around with yet.

Hey, it's worth a shot.

Yeah, I got a friend at Crown Mountain, too. George Turner.

Well, why don't you introduce me?

Okay.

I don't know if he's your type, though. He's a lot shorter and a lousy dancer.

We'll live and work right here

until we're ready to finish our report.

Neal, you mentioned talking to your wife.

There's a red telephone down in the conference room

with a direct line to General Morrison's office.

That is our only contact with the outside world, I'm afraid.

It's so restrictive, Harry, isn't it?

Well, it meant to be, Sarah.

And I know how difficult it's gonna be for you and Paul

working together in the hospital.

But until we fully understand

what it is that we're dealing with out there.

then we simply have got to keep this...

this whole project completely under wraps.

I assume you've all read through the procedural breakdown

- Yeah. - and acquainted yourself with the facility.

So if there are no more questions, we've got a lot of work ahead of us.

Sarah, Neal, you'll be in the observation booth.

Paul, I've got a surprise for you.

You're coming with us.

Infrared monitors will also scan Forbes, Cameron and Bannister.

All readings computed and combined with main monitors.

Monitoring all stages.

Question.

How do we open it?

Another question.

Do we want to?

The magnetometer readings are rising.

Harry.

Well.

We're going in.

What do you think?

Engine room.

All right.

It's a pressure suit.

Must be another deck.

Yeah.

But how do we get up to it?

- That's your orbiter. - Yeah.

Time?

Twelve seconds to launch.

Eleven, ten, nine.

There it is.

And there it goes.

George, can we have this tape or a copy?

This is a Department of Defense operation.

You guys couldn't get out of here with a coffee cup.

But George.

Now look, guys. I just did this as a favor.

If the brass knew I even let you in here

I could lose my job.

All right.

Could you at least project where that thing came down?

Sure.

This will pinpoint the location based on trajectory readings.

It will compute the area of impact and then focus on it.

Right there.

Bannon County, Arizona.

Thanks, George.

You can laugh if you want to, but I know what I've seen.

Sure, Sam. Sure.

What do you know.

His name's Tate.

Um-hum.

How many men you got down there?

Two.

They went down immediately to check out the crash site and secure it.

That's how they ran into this guy.

How much trouble is he going to be?

I know he's talking, but is anybody listening?

Not really.

But that isn't the problem.

Bancroft and Price are on their way to Bannon County.

Oh.

That's not good.

The crash site's been cleaned up.

But I surely wouldn't want them running into this Tate guy.

His story would confirm what they saw.

What is he? What does he do?

Construction worker, mostly. Unemployed right now.

Well, a lot of federal projects down there.

- Get him something. Get him a job. - Right.

Oh, and Bancroft and Price.

Keep me briefed on what they're up to.

Of course.

Looks okay, Harry.

All my indicator lights are green.

All right, Sarah.

Get a couple of gurneys in here on the double, that's it.

Boys, we can get out of these monkey suits.

Careful. Be careful, he's real heavy.

Quick, let's get him into the lab.

Come on, let's get the other one.

Is she still alive?

Barely.

She's in a deep coma. She has very weak vital signs.

She needs the kind of medical help that we can't give her here.

She should be in a hospital.

All right. I'll take care of it.

Get me Gordon Cain at the White House.

Uh, yeah, this goes up to the flight.

Bill. Bill.

I want you to get a crew to go over the outside of that ship

with a fine-tooth comb.

See if they can find any damage that we may have missed.

I don't care if they have to use a microscope.

I don't care how small the damage is, even a pinhole.

I have got to find out whether those men were dead or alive

when the ship landed. I've got to find that crack.

Oh, Phil.

There's a couple of glass beakers or vials

broken down on the lower deck.

Have those analyzed too, will you?

And I saw what looked like a library in there. Have Kelso check it out.

Yeah. Sure thing.

Here are those preliminary reports you asked for.

Well, what do you think?

That they sure didn't get this equipment at RadioShack.

Close it up.

Let's try the other one.

What's going on? What's happened?

I don't know. I just pulled the panel over there and everything went haywire.

Well, watch what you're doing!

Harry. If we're gonna find out anything here,

we can't keep our hands in our pockets.

We've got to do something.

Yeah, well...

Be careful.

God. Is she still alive?

Just barely.

Where is she now?

In a hospital, a private clinic.

They're keeping her under close observation.

We've got a group of computer staff people running a trace,

trying to get some kind of ID on her.

I don't like it. There are too many outside people involved.

There are too many loose ends.

Don't worry. We're keeping very tight security.

The campaign is going well. Things are running smoothly.

We've got to keep this thing bottled up.

Do you understand?

Look, Gordon.

I'll take care of it.

All right.

Phil's right.

We've got to find out what makes this thing tick.

Everybody okay?

Everybody all right?

Look at this.

Went through it like butter.

Howdy?

How are you doing?

We need a place to tie it down for a while.

Just leave it set right there.

It's 10 a day.

Say, you wouldn't happen to have a car we could rent?

Nope.

We need some way to get around.

- You know where we could rent some? - Yep.

- Where is that? - From me.

I thought you said you didn't have a car we could rent.

I don't. Got a truck.

And you didn't ask me about no truck.

You asked me about a car.

Ain't got no car.

A truck will be fine.

It's around the side of the hangar. Keys are in it, its 20 a day.

Of course, you buy your own gas. I ain't no millionaire.

By any chance, have you heard anything about a crash

that happened in this area a couple of days ago?

Crash.

You must be talking about that crazy story

Sam Tate's been telling.

Dragged the sheriff out there and everything.

Said he saw flying saucer come down.

You know, like- like on TV.

Uh, where was this?

Shoot, I don't know.

You better ask sheriff.

You know, it's the desert air that does it.

Does what?

Dries out your brain juice so you can't think straight no more.

Happens to everybody out here.

You know, I think we'd better talk to the sheriff.

Thanks.

Current trouble in the Middle East.

America's military strength has substantially decreased.

Despite the brisk weekend weather, the streets of New York

were bustling with activity.

But we expect snow by early next week.

The gasoline shortage has not greatly affected the transit systems

in Montreal or San Francisco.

Apparently they've been recording our broadcasts.

They must have been monitoring them.

This announcement is paid for by the committee to reelect

President Duncan Tyler.

Harry, what is that?

I don't know.

They had it at the beginning, too.

I've seen it before.

I'm sure of it.

I know it's here somewhere.

Right here.

What is it?

This is a symbol for the Earth.

What makes you say that?

Because it was on that film or tape or whatever it was we saw.

And it reminds me of something else.

I'm going to check with research.

So we went out there to take a look around and...

found just about what I half expected to find.

Nothing.

I don't think that Sam deliberately lies. It's...

just the way he is.

Yeah. Take him or leave him.

He even called Washington.

Made at least five phone calls to Herb Pope

(Herb's our local congressman)

to tell him about it.

Sheriff, where can we find Tate?

Don't know.

Well, that's the other thing about Sam.

He's just a drifter.

Comes and goes, ambles off to

work somewhere and comes back and nests until he

has to go out and find a job again.

So you think he might have left town?

Well, he ain't around, so I guess so.

Autographs?

Well, it ain't every day

a couple of live astronauts pass through this town.

Ain't for me, for my wife.

Who shall I make it out to?

Duane.

Barlow said, just under the ridge?

- Steve! - What?

Somebody's trying to hide something.

Let's see how big.

Lew, look at this.

...like the heat of a blast furnace to fuse these rocks together.

Yeah.

They found something.

This rock could be just the thing we need to prove what we saw.

You know that?

Good morning.

- Oh. - Hi.

How are you doing. What's up?

This is private property. Flat Butte Mining.

- So? - You're trespassing.

We're sorry. Thanks.

What have you got there?

It's... It's a rock. Found it over there.

It's for my kid, he's got a little collection.

We are making an exploratory operation here. You're gonna have to leave that.

We're not going to jump your claim, if that's what you worry about.

Then there's no reason not to give it to me, is there?

No. I guess not.

Let's get out of here.

Come on. We've got to get that rock back.

Oh.

Oh, I haven't punched anybody out since high school

How's your other hand?

Fine. Why?

Oh, great.

I think they still want to talk to us.

That could have been us, you know.

I don't know about you, but I don't want to stick around here

trying to explain this. Let's go. - All right.

Two men have been killed, and all you can tell me is it was an accident?

We can't afford accidents like that.

We're trying to reelect the President.

Do you realize this could put all of us in jail?

There's no way any of us can be connected with what happened.

Two men are dead. We don't handle things that way.

This is the White House, for Christ's sake.

Bancroft and Price aren't exactly cooperating with us.

They're the ones who were responsible for what happened out there.

Fine, fine. Well, Frank,

I'll just have you explain that to the grand jury.

And to the Senate Investigating Committee, and to the newspapers.

I'm sure they all will be very understanding.

Look, I know we're operating under complicated conditions,

but we've got to stay on top of this.

The Xochitecatl Plateau in Mexico.

Uh-huh.

Now this portion of the markings

are identical to the symbols we saw in the ship.

No one's ever been able to figure out

what these Xochitecatl markings mean

or who made them or why.

But they were made hundreds, maybe thousands of years ago.

And they can only be seen from the air.

Wait a minute. If this isn't the wildest coincidence,

then what you're saying

is that beings from another world

have been here on Earth before.

That's what I'm saying.

Okay, go on.

- The Great Pyramid of Tepanapa. - Yeah.

Now, this is bigger than any pyramid in Egypt.

Yeah, right.

No one knows who built it or why.

Here's the best part.

This pyramid is honeycombed with passageways.

And there are inscriptions on the walls.

Now, here's some drawings of them.

Compare these

with these.

You see what I mean? They're similar to the spaceship.

Too similar, Harry, for it to have been any coincidence.

Yeah, yeah.

Now, look, I think they have the same root.

Developed differently, but from the same source.

Yeah, yeah, so there's a connection.

This alien symbol is part of Xochitecatl markings.

And the Tepanapa inscription

could be the key to the whole translation.

This is worth a shot.

Uh, thanks, boss.

Where are you?

I was just wondering about him.

Who he was.

What he did.

Where he came from.

What his life was like.

Who are we gonna see, again?

His name is Mills. Professor Andrew Mills.

He runs a research lab in Western Tech.

- Do you think he can help us? - Well, he is a professor.

We give him the rock and see if he can tell us what melted it.

He ran a NASA seminar on astrogeology

before you got in the program.

- If anyone can help us, he can. - Great.

Sure hope them boys can fly better than they can drive.

Well, how is it going? Any luck?

About one word in ten makes any sense.

Well, that's a start.

I'll check back in a couple of hours to see how you're doing.

- Hi. Where's Paul? - He's in the lab.

What have you got for me?

We still haven't found out how they died.

They didn't suffer any obvious external or internal injuries.

Our lab work may turn up something about it.

Do you have any idea when they died? I mean, before or after the crash.

No, we don't. Why, is the time important?

Yes, yes.

Yes, I want to know,

if they were dead, how they made a controlled landing with that ship.

What else do you have for me?

Well, height 6 feet 1 inch,

weight 200 pounds.

Obviously a biped.

Thumb, four fingers, five toes.

And pale blue eyes.

His heart, lungs, other organs, they must be identical to ours.

Physically, that is.

Biologically, we're gonna have to wait for the lab results.

One surprising thing, though.

We have an appendix, a tailbone

and a Harderian gland behind the eyeballs.

- Yeah. - He's got them too.

And they're useless to us.

I don't know about him.

But it's obvious that we've both gone through a parallel evolutionary process.

It's startling.

We've run every conceivable test on the exterior.

We still have no idea what brought it down.

- No idea at all? - No, sir.

- Nothing? - No, sir.

Keep trying, dear. Keep trying. Anything.

Yes, sir.

Uh, take that down to the equipment room, will you.

Harry, can I see you for a minute, please.

Yes, sure, Phil, sure. What can I do for you?

Look, I'm not a nuclear engineer, but my opinion, for what it's worth,

is that

this is an N-fusion drive.

Fusion. What kind of fuel?

Probably hydrogen.

Scooped it up as it went along.

No, no.

How could it create temperatures high enough to make a fusion reaction?

It takes one million degrees, as far as we know.

As far as we know.

And there's another thing.

Again, I'm just guessing.

But I don't think this thing was capable of interstellar travel.

It just could not have generated enough speed.

Where do you think it came from?

A mother ship.

Something bigger and faster than we can imagine.

Here we go.

Oh my god, that's it. That's it.

It's a piece of sandstone.

It's quite common to the region where you found it.

Was it melted by the heat of a spacecraft, then?

Probably.

But

there are several dozen other sources

that generate temperature sufficient to do exactly the same thing.

So what do we got?

What you got, Lew,

is a piece of rock that's been subjected to a great deal of heat.

And that's all.

If you want to show that the Air Force is concealing a flying saucer,

you've got to have substantial proof.

Or you're just another nut.

But we saw it.

What do you think, you think we're a couple of nuts?

No. No, I believe you.

But in the last analysis, my opinion means nothing.

I think you witnessed something extraordinary.

And if what you're suggesting is so,

then you're talking about the most significant event in the history of mankind.

But nobody's gonna believe you,

unless you can prove it.

Well.

I guess, we're just counting on a little more help.

Now, how do we prove what we saw?

All right.

Let's go at it from another angle.

If the Air Force does have a UFO in their hands,

where would they hide it?

Well, it'd have to be close to the crash site.

And someplace secure.

Like a military base?

There are four or five bases near there.

Yeah, but

it'd have to be one with the proper equipment to study it.

A lunar receiving station.

Hangar 18.

Let's go find that thing.

Kelso has deciphered the alien's language.

This is a translation

of a document found aboard the spacecraft.

Now, the translation is very rough and is incomplete.

But if what we can read is true,

and there's no reason to doubt that it isn't,

then all of the previous information that we have had

about the origin of mankind and the human race

is absolutely false.

What are you talking about, Harry?

This is a report

of a previous visit of the spacemen to Earth.

This report speaks

of the capture, the training and the use

of certain animals as slaves.

Both male and female.

The slaves worshipped them as gods.

Then what they referred to as animals

were pre-humans?

Yes.

The report also speaks

to the fact that the female slaves found it a great honor

to be chosen to live with and to bear the offspring of the gods.

Lord.

You see, it's no coincidence

that the spacemen are almost identical to us.

It is not, Sarah,

a case of two species

developing, evolving independently of each other.

Those ancient spacemen altered forever our evolution.

They are the missing link.

- Do you know what you're saying? - Yes.

We, mankind,

the human race, are their children.

What we must find out now is why they're monitoring us.

Why they're watching us.

Thank you, Vicki.

Frank, see the latest California polls?

They predict the president's gonna take the state by a landslide.

Great.

Great? It's fantastic.

We've got everything buttoned down.

Gonna do all right.

Ten days, just ten more days we keep everything buttoned down

for ten more days and we get four more years.

We don't have any problems, right?

I told the president, everything was under control.

Oh, everything is under control.

Price and Bancroft are running around the desert chasing their tails.

It's all covered. I'm staying on top of it every minute.

Good.

I'm counting on you.

- This is Lafferty. - This is Wilson.

Go ahead.

Bancroft and Price have just filed a flight plan for Midland, Texas.

Midland?

That's 50 miles from Hangar 18.

Shit. How did they find out?

I don't know, sir.

When they left Mills' office, they went directly to the airport.

Dammit. It's up to you to keep them from getting to that hangar. Is that clear?

Yes, sir.

Wilson, this is in your hands.

I understand.

Why did it take you so long to rent this thing?

Oh, the guy said something about washing the car.

Huh.

No wonder they're number two.

Still dirty.

Hey, slow down a little, will you?

I'm trying to.

There's something wrong with the brakes.

Old buddy, the brakes are gone.

So is the emergency.

Stop!

Let's go.

You okay?

Yeah, fine.

But the seat covers are ruined.

Now what?

Inside.

Look out!

They're still coming, Lew.

You know, if this thing takes a bullet...

Not going to have the gas shortage.

Or us, pal.

What are you doing?

Trust me.

What do you mean, trust you?

Get in here.

Lew, are you crazy? Get in here.

Get back in here!

What the hell is he doing?

Jesus Christ, stop him!

Lew!

- Lew! - Steve.

Take it easy.

You're gonna be all right.

Don't worry.

I'm not going anywhere

until we find it.

Somebody call an ambulance.

I'll do it.

Lew?

Hold on. Hold on.

Come on, hold on.

I'll find it.

Take care of him, will you?

Harry?

We need you in the lab right away.

- What is it? What is it? - Harry?

Yes?

We know how the aliens died.

They were asphyxiated.

Asphyxiated? How?

These broken glass vials contain chemicals.

An element similar to potassium cyanide,

a form of sulfuric acid and several other compounds.

Now, when combined together, they form a gas, a deadly toxin.

It must have spread throughout the ship.

No, when we first went aboard,

our instruments didn't indicate anything dangerous.

It had disappeared by then.

However, we did find traces of of it throughout their bodies,

in their bloodstream, their lungs, in most of their organs.

The vials were jarred loose, and broken.

Probably when the satellite hit.

Oh, how ironic.

They're light years ahead of us in intelligence.

And yet they were killed because of a stupid accident.

This music,

is it one of the ship's recordings?

Oh, no.

It's a local station.

I've tapped through to their monitoring system.

Terrific.

Yeah. But I still haven't figured out what method they're using

to record and store all this stuff.

- Magnetic? - Doesn't appear to be.

The recordings themselves seem to be some sort of crystalline microchips.

Crystalline? Keep at it.

We interrupt this program to bring you a news bulletin.

Lewis Price, a NASA Space Shuttle pilot

has been killed in a traffic accident in Texas.

The man who left the scene of the accident has been identified as Steven Bancroft,

the Space Shuttle commander.

Bancroft and Price have been the target of charges that they were responsible

for the death of an Air Force officer...

- That's drool.

- ...during the last shuttle flight. More details...

I just heard about Price myself. I have no details.

You knew about Steve and Lew being blamed for Gates' death?

- Yes, I did... - Why didn't you tell me?

Because I've been checking it out.

I've been trying to find out where that story came from.

I want to see Steve Bancroft.

I want to know whether Lew's death had anything to do

with what they saw up there in space, above all, what we've got here in Hangar 18.

No, no, you've got my assurance. There is no connection.

That's not good enough!

I want to talk to Steve Bancroft myself!

Now, if he's not here in the morning,

I'm gonna walk right out of here

and I'm gonna hold a press conference

and I'm gonna tell them things that you don't want to hear.

NASA is not gonna take the rap on this one.

You don't understand the whole picture, Harry.

Morrison, I'm telling you.

If anything happens to Steve Bancroft,

I'm holding you personally responsible.

Lew Price.

And four other men.

Dead.

How could it have gone this far?

It was a choice between two bad alternatives.

Either let them get to Hangar 18 or stop them.

And what are our choices now?

We should have taken Price and Bancroft into our confidence,

like I wanted to do.

You think Forbes is serious about going to the press?

Oh, I can guarantee you he's serious.

You know,

there's a lot more to this now than salvaging an election.

A lot of people can be implicated.

Oh, thank you very much, General. I'm sure we are all aware of our situation.

You think I enjoy being in the middle of this?

We've got to start talking about alternatives here, considering options.

Some decisions have to be made.

This problem is not going to go away.

Well, as long as Hangar 18 exists, the problem exists.

What the hell are you saying?

Aren't we in this deep enough already?

Yeah, so deep there's no going back.

If we don't finish what we started,

it's all over for the president, and

it's all over for us.

If we stop now, we don't stand any chance at all.

All right. Let me hear your thinking on this.

An airplane crashes every day.

Even at military bases.

[Speaks in an alien language]

Your identification, sir?

One moment, sir.

Come on, let's go.

Base security, this is sector 10.

The subject has just entered building 43.

Take it easy, now.

Okay, that's it.

[Speaks in an alien language]

The power plants, defense installations, and industrial complexes.

Yeah, right.

Those symbols on the bottom there,

can you translate those?

I can try, get the terminal up here and run it through the computer,

- ...see what I come up with. - Let's do it, let's do it.

Phil, get up here. I've got something.

Steve!

Harry?

Harry, what are you doing here?

Uh, the base security called.

Base security?

Yeah, they said I'd find you here.

Come on.

- Where? - Come on.

We'll take you back to Hangar 18, you'll be safe there.

Come on.

There she is.

- There it is. - Yeah.

They... They didn't want us to talk about it.

And there it is.

Lew's been killed, do you know that?

I know, Steve.

And they've been trying to kill me.

We've been set up from the start.

What the hell is going on, Harry?

Steve, I don't know.

But we're gonna find out.

Come on.

Harry!

Steve?

Kelso's got a translation.

Get in here right away.

Evacuate your men.

All right. Let's move out.

Again, punch it in again. Make sure.

I tried three times, Harry, I keep on getting the same answer.

These are all designated landing areas.

Oh my God, they're coming back.

Now what, Harry?

Uh,

Phil, get the equipment up here

and make a hard copy, printout.

And the rest of you, keep checking the dates, and...

In today's headlines reports continue to flood in

about last night's massive explosion at Wolf Air Force base in West Texas.

Astronaut Steven Bancroft,

NASA Deputy Director Harry Forbes,

and a small crew of technicians miraculously survived the blast.

Initial accounts indicate they were shielded from the explosion

inside what NASA claims to be an alien spacecraft.

Press representatives from around the world

have been gathering since early this morning

in anticipation of a news conference

to be held by Mr. Forbes this afternoon.

As yet, there has been no official statement from the White House.