Original subtitles

Oop, right on time.

Mm.

Hey...

Got some fresh coffee in the shack.

Later, maybe.

When did you folks add women to your crews?

Don't tell me you're threatened by a woman, soldier.

Oh, no way, ma'am. I just like 'em is all.

What a nice thing to say.

Hey, what's going on?

Liberation, my friend.

Lady!

Just cool it, okay?

Casualties?

Not on our team.

Okay, listen up, people.

Mossoud, Einhorn,

do a body count.

Any stragglers...

Teal, Finney, set the perimeter charges.

Let it ring.

The world's going to know about us soon enough.

Hey, Finney, give me a hand with this one, huh?

You check his pockets?

The guy's got nothing worth taking.

A wise man once said that

a person trying to know something about everything

will eventually know everything about nothing,

and that a person trying to know everything about one thing

will eventually know nothing about everything.

So, as you ladies and gentlemen initiate your own explorations

into the theoretical and experimental sciences,

it's crucial that you always remember

that assumptions are fraught with danger.

To assume even the obvious...

to assume the obvious

is ofttimes to overlook the obvious.

To help illustrate this point,

let me give you a practical example.

Five, four, three, two, one.

Blackwood!

This has all the markings

of another one of your infantile practical jokes!

Jeffrey, I really think

you should see someone about that scalp condition.

Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure

to introduce Dr. Gutterman, who is going

to be the next stop on your field trip.

Dr. Gutterman does not subscribe to my assumption theory,

and that is why sometimes things fall down on him

when he walks through doorways.

I'll get you for this, Blackwood.

I'm glad Dr. Jacobi's here to witness this, Blackwood.

Okay. While Dr. Gutterman

regains his composure,

why don't you, uh, look around the room

for a couple of minutes?

Inspiring young minds is so rewarding.

Morning, Ephram.

Hi. Harrison Blackwood.

Suzanne McCullough.

I do wish you'd leave that poor fellow alone.

What, and give up all my fun? Ah.

I'm a firm believer that a person's response

to a joke is a window

to their soul.

Does that include whoopie cushions as well, Doctor?

Ephram, now that I've got you,

whatever happened to my request for a microbiologist?

Have I ever denied you, Harrison?

Dr. McCullough has just joined the Institute.

She's yours if you want her.

Welcome aboard.

I gave up hand buzzers years ago.

Assumptions are dangerous things.

47 minutes.

We will be ready.

You know,

something about the irony

of pirating a US communications satellite

to broadcast our demands always makes me smile.

Smile on camera, no one will take us seriously!

Well, then we'll just have to blow up this dump

and send a big fat radioactive cloud

of nuclear waste

floating over their nice, middle-class homes! Right?

I floated between NYU and MIT for my post-grad.

My first job was with the Smithsonian,

then the Rand for a few years.

Then a secret research facility in Ohio.

Well, I spent my whole career right here...

most of my youth, too.

This place is like home to me.

Tell me, Doctor,

about the projects requiring someone in my field.

Not "Doctor," it's Harrison.

I hate titles, especially "doctor" titles,

especially when we're not even talking MD doctors.

Okay, Doctor?

As for projects, I've got hundreds of those,

but I think we're going to focus

on one or two important ones to start with.

Hi, Mom!

My daughter, Debi.

She's 11 going on 21.

Well, it's nice to see the Institute's daycare center's

been put to good use.

For obvious reasons,

I would prefer not to work too many nights and weekends.

Me either.

Being a parent really does change your priorities,

doesn't it?

Well, I wouldn't know about parenting.

I just hate to work nights and weekends.

Norton.

No, six under, one to go.

Harrison, didn't your parents teach you any manners?

Don't you know

you're not supposed to interrupt a man

when he's standing at the tee?

What happened to, "Jamaica... no problem, man"?

Even in Jamaica, it's only "no problem" when it's no problem.

Who are you?

Suzanne. Suzanne McCullough.

Norton Drake.

Suzanne's the new microbiologist

that Ephram has been promising us.

Oh. Too pretty to be a microbiologist.

Microbiologists are all nearsighted

and losing their hair.

Coffee?

Uh, no. Don't bother.

And miss the chance to show off?

Gertrude, back three.

Oop!

Left five. Forward 12.

Norton just loves to show off his voice-activated dragster.

Right 45.

Got something even better.

Been refining the blend for months.

One sip and you'll be weeping.

You like it black, I hope.

Yes, Norton. I like it black.

She can stay.

Mossoud!

Showtime.

Right behind you.

Sound check?

Testing, one, two, three...

"We the Freedom Fighters of the People's Liberation Party

"come to the World's citizens with a list of demands

"beginning with the immediate resignation

of the President of the United States."

Perfect.

Five minutes.

Where's Mossoud?

He's on his way.

Mossoud!

Who screamed?

Cover me.

What the hell is going on?

Answer me, Mossoud.

Come in.

If you're here to tell me your lab is inadequate, make a list.

I'll see that Ephram gets what you need.

Actually I am in no position to judge.

After I changed, I realized you hadn't told me

exactly what my job is.

I haven't?

I'm sorry. I've got this habit of assuming other people

are on the same wavelength I am.

Did I tell you I had Norton analyzing

radio transmissions retrieved from deep space?

Yes. Trying to separate background noise

from signals that might be produced by intelligent life.

The problem is there's a whole bunch of space to cover.

A bunch of wasted space, practically speaking,

since the universe

is maybe ten billion trillion times

as much empty space

as it is stellar material.

I need you to narrow our focus.

Huh.

Okay, I'll bite.

How am I supposed to do that?

Simple... by daydreaming...

about other worlds.

About the life-forms they might support.

You give me probables, possibles.

You give me what-ifs.

You give me a what-if life-form

and I can design a model atmosphere

that can support it.

And that way we can narrow our search from say,

oh, billions and billions of possibilities

to maybe just-just a few hundred million or so.

Excuse me, but isn't that just the tiniest bit random?

Nah, not at all.

The universe is so immense and Earth is so tiny,

I mean how do we continue to insist

contrary to all mathematical probabilities,

contrary to all logic

that we're the only intelligent life-form in existence?

I never said we should.

Well, good.

You go to your room, then, and, uh, daydream.

Daydream...

right.

Look, I have always prided myself

on being a result-oriented person.

That's a quality we happen to share.

Well, then you can appreciate

that this is not the typical challenge

that a result-oriented person would choose to pursue.

I know.

Isn't it exciting?

You should try taking naps.

It works for me.

These bodies are weak

and contaminated by negative thoughts.

We would better accomplish

our mission in our natural state.

Consensus is that

yours is not an accurate statement.

These bodies protect us from detection.

Until we know more,

we must use the resources available to us.

We surrender

to your judgment as always, Advocate.

We must release the others so that our battle may resume.

There is no time for transmutation.

Collect our brethren as they are.

Without the guidance of counsel, we are nothing.

You must make contact.

Agreed.

Once the council is aware of our plight,

he will know how to proceed.

Their equipment is primitive.

But adequate if properly refined.

Feeling any better about daydreaming on company time?

I still find it a little unusual.

Well, give it a few days.

If you're still having trouble,

I'll come up with something more specific for you to work on.

I don't need to be coddled, Doctor.

I'm perfectly capable of working on any project

you can dream up...

by any rules you choose to make.

Sounds good to me.

Just don't forget my first rule.

If you're not having a good time,

you're doing something wrong.

Harrison.

Over here.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Way to go, McCullough.

Impress the boss.

Who's that?

New microbiologist.

Suzanne McCullough.

I thought microbiologists were nearsighted and balding.

That's a common misconception.

We are late.

For...?

Bleaker-Williams Industries.

Their Founders' Ball.

I totally forgot.

Freud says people don't forget.

They simply choose not to remember.

You're supposed to be an interior designer...

Not a psychoanalyst.

Same thing.

Your tux is in the back.

You can change on the way.

Gee, thanks a lot, Sigmund.

Promise not to peek?

Not a chance.

Now we wait.

Yes, I'm sure it is.

And what else do you do...?

Excuse me.

Do you have any idea who you were just talking to?

Yep, Howie and Marge.

Howard and Margaret Bleaker!

AKA

Mr. and Mrs. CEO

of Bleaker-Williams Industries.

They'll always be Howie and Marge to me.

Oh, Harrison!

Be serious.

Believe me, Char,

I haven't said anything to embarrass you.

Well, it is not me we are talking about.

These people can be very important to you...

If you would ever agree to give up

that ridiculous research you do

and move into the private sector.

I like ridiculous research.

Having second thoughts about marrying somebody

who makes half as much as you do?

None.

Just trying to convince that man to live up to his potential.

Telephone, Dr. Blackwood.

A drink, ma'am?

Charlotte may never speak to me again,

seeing I left a very important party

that I did not want to be at in the first place.

Got us a fresh batch of radio intercepts

I think you'll be interested in perusing.

Norton, get some sleep.

I've seen these radio wave patterns before.

Several times, in fact.

You've seen these before.

Radio patterns collected

from a point in space.

I'll give you the coordinates later.

Those patterns originated from a broadcast point on Earth.

You're sure?

Of course I'm sure!

That's why I yanked you from a party you didn't want to be at!

Just notice the parity between the two.

Don't even try to figure out the contents, Harrison.

Just look at the patterns.

That's a signal. That's a response.

That's a response to the first response.

And there's a response to the second response.

By God...

communication!

On the money.

I can't wait to see

what the supercomputer has to say about this.

Reserve priority time if you need to.

Oh, now, whoa, Doc, slow down.

You are talking megabucks.

How are you going to justify that to the penny-pinchers?

Norton, the Cray is the best computer in the world.

Don't ask me. Ask it!

The transponder signal is very strong.

Triangulating the location of our ships

should not prove difficult.

All is well.

Our mission will succeed.

We will live life immortal.

It is time to leave.

If I don't leave this joint and bag some Zs,

I'm going to start getting cranky.

Not until you give me what I want.

Study your history, Doc.

Slave driver mentality never did work.

There... the location of your transmissions.

Now will you let me pass out in peace?

You're welcome!

Any time!

No problem!

Home, Gertrude.

Uh, good morning.

Listen, I'm sorry if I was a little blunt last night, but...

Pack a bag. We're taking a trip.

We are? Why?

Won't know that until we get there.

Hi. I was just going to call you.

Are you mad-mad or just mad?

Oh, Harrison, how could you?

That party was important.

Char, my work is important, too.

Bleaker-Williams wants you, but they won't wait forever.

I like what I'm doing.

Won't you even discuss it?

We have discussed this.

Not to a satisfactory conclusion.

We can talk about it over dinner tonight or... whatever.

Char...

I've got to leave town.

Why?

I don't think you'd understand.

Try me.

It has to do with an anomalous parity of radio waves

being intercepted from space and others emanating from Earth.

I don't understand.

Char, it's only overnight,

and I promise I'll make it up to you when I get back.

Can you handle a four-wheel drive?

When I have to.

Where are we going?

Map's on the dash. The route's in red.

My boss is leaning on me, so I'm leaning on you.

I want to know what happened in there

and I want to know yesterday.

Lieutenant, a US Army installation

has been compromised.

Our superiors expect credible explanations, not excuses.

I want "whys" and "wherefores"

by 1800 hours, mister!

You said you wanted a look-see.

Is it clean?

More or less, sir.

Well, actually more less than more.

But the tech sergeant swore there wasn't enough radiation

on this batch to take more than a few months

off your life.

Why am I not reassured, Sergeant?

Setting off booby traps, sir.

Thank you, Sergeant.

Harrison, wake up.

Uh-oh.

Don't mention what it is we're doing here.

No problem.

You still haven't told me yet.

Afternoon.

Up until Norton came along,

the main radio telescopes

were the very large array in New Mexico

and the, uh, thousand-foot antenna in Arecibo, Puerto Rico.

Of course, it's speculation

that other life-forms would even use radio signals

instead of something a little more sophisticated,

but since we have no way of knowing,

we have to use the tools we have

to figure out the tools they have.

You're ready to stand the scientific community

on its ear, aren't you?

Given half a chance.

Remember, they're only entitled

to your name, rank and social security number.

Dr. McCullough?

Uh, yes?

Blackwood.

Present and accounted for.

I've checked. You're clear to leave.

But we don't want to leave.

We, uh, want to wander on down the road apiece.

Sorry, that's in the vicinity

of a restricted military installation.

But these are public roads.

Presently under military authority.

Besides, there's nothing for you to see.

Which explains your reluctance to let us see for ourselves.

We can do this one of two ways.

You can turn around and go home,

or you can force me to detain you until I've had a chance

to reverify your backgrounds.

With the Army, that's been known to take several days.

Which is it, doctors?

Is it, uh, Captain?

Lieutenant Colonel Ironhorse.

Ah, does it make any difference, Colonel,

that we both have top secret clearances?

Not to me, it doesn't.

Around here, it's "need to know," doctor,

and you don't need to know.

Now, if you'll excuse me.

Aren't you the slightest bit curious as to what

may have brought us out here in the first place?

Officially, I can't ask.

Last night, one of my associates

intercepted some radio transmissions

originating from this location.

What kind of transmissions?

For the moment, let's just say that they were, uh...

they were highly unusual.

You wouldn't happen to have

a copy of these unusual transmissions?

Is this the beginning of a negotiation, Colonel?

If it was just the ambient radiation,

I could fit you into protective gear and send you in,

but whoever overran the installation

did a very professional job of booby-trapping the entire area.

You'll have to be satisfied with our remotes.

Back up.

I said... Back up, soldier.

Focus on those barrels.

Doctor.

Tell him!

Camera three, zoom in.

Zooming in.

What is it?

Ask him if there are any more barrels like that.

Camera three, what's the count on barrels in this condition?

The count is still incomplete.

We still have two quadrants to check.

It appears we have, uh, six.

Six? Only six?

But there were hundreds.

Maybe thousands!

What is his problem?

Show me those barrels again.

What the hell did he see?

Are you okay?

We have to leave.

Now, damn it!

Hey, take it easy, Orel.

You can curl up in the Ford and sleep it off.

I don't want to sleep. I ain't tired.

We'll argue about it later.

I don't want to argue. I ain't mad.

Why don't you let me do that, fellow?

Well, have it your way.

Where you headed?

Oh...

Where you coming from?

Talkative, ain't you?

Hey, let me finish up.

Son...

you best start being a mite more careful

about being out in the sun without a hat.

You folks got

some kind of commutable disease or something?

Gee, Doc...

what say we drop over to Jed's for a jar of moonshine?

Will this be cash or credit?

Doc...

Oh, thank God you're still here.

I'm not. I'm leaving.

I've got something I want to try out on you first.

There's more?

You're not satisfied with having dragged me out

into the middle of nowhere looking for who knows what?

Or having me drive all night, seven hours without a stop,

without you uttering one single word?

What more could you possibly want to try out on me?

I have worked hard,

damn hard, to get where I am.

And mistreatment is not part of my job description.

What would you say if I told you that Earth

was being invaded by aliens from another planet?

Read my letter.

I'm serious.

Okay.

See a psychiatrist first.

Then read my letter.

It's my resignation.

Okay, I've upset you.

You're quitting.

I am quitting you, not the institute.

Dr. Jacobi was very understanding.

You can still listen to what I have to say, can't you?

In 1953, we experienced what can only be described

as a war of the worlds.

If it wasn't for common, everyday bacteria

attacking the aliens' immune systems

they would have won this war

and you and I would not be having this conversation.

But we are having this conversation,

which I don't want.

So I fail to see your point.

My point is

that although the bacteria stopped the aliens,

I don't think it killed them.

Excuse me, but I think you have been sitting

too close to your television set.

Really.

How do you explain the radio signals?

How do you account for the barrels?

Barrels that entombed

what were supposed to be dead aliens

forced open from the inside?

What the hell happened

to the hundreds of other barrels

that used to be stored in that location?

Just because I don't have an answer doesn't mean

there isn't a logical explanation for your paranoia.

I am attempting to offer you a logical explanation.

In 1953,

bacteria forced the aliens into a state of hibernation,

or suspended animation or aestivation or antibiosis.

I don't know the terms. That's your field, not mine.

But now something has happened to wake the aliens up.

That nuclear disposal site

was hot with radioactivity, right?

Maybe that's it.

Maybe the bacteria which infected the aliens

is now being wiped out

by exposure to radiation.

So now the aliens, hundreds of them...

At least.

Are loose?

Yes.

You're nuttier than I thought.

That doesn't make me wrong!

At least, listen to my proof.

I have to go... away.

Far away.

Don't touch me.

Please.

This thing looked like a gorilla,

only it weren't no gorilla,

'cause I seen a gorilla one time at the zoo,

and this gorilla didn't have no hair

like that other gorilla did.

This thing picked up old Doc by the throat and throttled him.

Can you identify anybody else, Orel?

Maybe did you get a license?

License?!

I'm telling you

about gorillas that ain't gorillas

and you're asking me did I get a license?

Uh, answer me this Sheriff...

How'd you ever get elected asking dumb questions like that?

Morning, Sheriff.

Lieutenant Colonel Ironhorse.

Yeah, Sheriff Deak.

What's the Army doing out this way?

Colonel!

They've been through here for sure.

Scout the area, Sergeant.

All right, saddle up.

We had an incident involving suspected terrorists.

There's a good chance

they've been through this area.

Terrorists?

Hot damn, I knew it!

Didn't I tell you, Sheriff?

I've been reading about this here guerrilla warfare.

Only thing is, I didn't know that those, uh, terrorists

use real gorillas.

The alien attack wasn't three days old

before my parents were killed.

They were colleagues of Dr. Forrester's.

Anyway, Dr. Forrester,

who was practically my second father as it was,

ended up taking me in.

I grew up steeped in this research,

listening to his theories.

I'd see how broken he was

when nobody took him seriously.

He said that if the aliens invaded once,

they could do it again.

Nobody wanted to hear that.

He said that until we did adequate research,

we couldn't even be sure the aliens were really dead.

Apparently their bodies weren't decaying

as might be expected.

Well, that really drove people crazy.

Instead of expanding its research,

the government collected the alien remains

and sealed them in steel drums.

Out of sight, out of mind.

You still think I'm a nutcase?

Have you ever heard of the African lungfish?

The lungfish can survive for at least four years,

maybe as many as ten,

without water.

It goes into such a profound state of anabiosis

that the average person would think the fish was long dead.

However,

pour water over it

and it's like a resurrection.

The fish is alive and swimming again.

So you don't think I'm a nutcase?

Definitely a nutcase.

However...

like you said, that doesn't make you wrong.

And I can always write another resignation.

We have to talk.

Look, Charlotte, discussing my career

is going to have to wait.

It is us we have to talk about.

Honey, I leave for Washington in 42 minutes.

Oh, is that more important than us?

No, it's not like that.

But it is important.

Look, I can't tell you why, but I know that when I do,

when I explain why I'm doing all this,

that you will understand.

I want to understand now!

There is no time now.

I'll call you from the hotel.

That is the most fantastic story

I think I've ever heard.

That's no story, General.

That's scientific theory supported by fact

presented in a logical and a reasonable fashion.

I'm a respected astrophysicist.

I'm not some kook spouting UFO stories.

Oh, I don't mean to suggest otherwise, Doctor.

That you were brought here by my niece

gives you more credibility than I think you realize.

Niece? You told me that he was your father's friend.

Uncle Hank is my father's favorite brother.

And you're my favorite niece.

Unfortunately, Doctor,

I'll need some hard evidence

before I can act on your theory.

Now this morning, I read a report

based on the incident you make reference to

which suggests the work of a terrorist group.

What the hell are they called?

Oh, yes, "The People's Liberation Party."

General, I'm trying to warn you about something

a lot more insidious than terrorists.

Why don't you try to look at it from my point of view?

You don't have a point of view.

35 years ago these things

tried to take over the world.

They're completely ruthless

with absolutely no sense of mercy.

My God, they killed my parents.

I'm truly sorry, Doctor.

You bring me something concrete

and I'll give you my word

I'll see to it that it gets to the right people.

Suzanne.

Suzanne, you're making some strange new friends.

Uncle Hank, he really does believe what he's saying.

Hmm. You take care.

Thank you.

Miss Underwood,

put me on the President's afternoon calendar.

And then connect me

with Lieutenant Colonel Paul Ironhorse.

If you expect people to help you,

you're going to have to be a little less obstreperous and a little more gracious.

The world has no time for gracious.

Norton, it's Harrison.

Uncle General Wilson wants hard evidence.

That's exactly what I'm going to give him.

Norton, we've got some work to do.

Is there anything new?

Zip, zero, zed, nothing.

The bad guys are maintaining radio silence.

Desk, Gertrude.

Ah, catch this riff.

Don't know what it's all about,

but you've got to admit them bad guys sure got rhythm.

Is there anything from the Cray on this?

No, definitely not into musical appreciation.

It's still computing.

Suzanne, tell me something.

Tell me!

Well, using Dr. Forrester's notes on the bacteria

that infected the aliens in 1953,

exposing these, on paper of course,

to radiation that's consistent

with that of the disposal site...

Yes?

No bacteria survived the exposure.

I was right!

Statistically,

your theory is possible.

No, Suzanne. I am right!

Hello.

Charlotte, hi, it's me.

We have to...

talk.

Damn.

Charlotte, come out here!

Go away!

I want to talk to you.

No!

Look, I'm not leaving until you come out here.

Well?

Do you love me?

Oh, you know I do.

Why?

Because you're smart and you're beautiful.

You've got a great sense of humor.

You've got an even greater pair of legs.

You love me more than your work?

Oh, Charlotte, that's not a fair question.

Yes, it is, and you just answered it.

Now if you aren't leaving, I'm calling the police.

Oh, great!

Go ahead, embarrass yourself,

in front of all your neighbors!

Hi.

What took you so long?

Whoever this is, it better be good.

Norton?

I'm on my way.

The transmission was only a few short bursts,

but I managed to pin down the location.

Drive hard, and you could be there in about 11 hours.

No, we'll charter a helicopter.

Oh, easy, my friend.

Do you know how much that's gonna cost?

How much does a new world cost, Norton?

And where do you go to buy one?

You know, if you're right about this, it's all academic anyway.

How much farther?

Oh, about half mile, maybe less.

If I don't get me some shuteye,

I won't be able to bag a deer

if it walks up and kisses me.

What is it, boy?

They were standing there in bunches.

Yeah, and tell them about the fires.

Yeah, big bonfires, and big hands...

long arms.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you very much, gentlemen.

I've never heard such a crock of bull, Colonel.

Those two good old boys are drunk as skunks.

They identified the truck that we've been chasing, Sergeant.

I know, Colonel.

But the rest of their story?

Bonfires and voodoo ceremonies

in the middle of some abandoned tourist attraction?

I think what we're talking is 150-proof delusions.

Maybe.

I want a team briefing in 15 minutes.

Everybody at 100%.

We move out in one hour.

Whatever you say, Colonel.

This is as close as we go until dark.

How do you do it?

Make yourself go to sleep like that?

Body clock.

If I don't sleep one hour every five, I'm worthless.

What?

It's time.

Now look,

we don't have to get ourselves killed, okay?

I'm going to get close enough

to get some instrument readings.

And I want you to stay back

and record everything with the camera.

Okay. Okay.

Suzanne!

Blackwood!

Promise not to scream, I'll take my hand away.

What are you doing here?

No, Doctor, what are you doing here?

You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

Probably not.

I listened to that tape you gave me.

Transmissions made by terrorists.

20 minutes of The Best of Buddy Rich is more like it, Doctor!

Got a problem with homegrown American music, Colonel?

Sergeant!

You're about to witness a rare event, Doctor.

Delta Squad in action.

Any time, any place, any objective.

Colonel!

Colonel, you can't! You've got no idea.

You've got no concept of what you're getting into.

A few terrorists, small arms, a poorly defended perimeter

my men might even be overprepared, Doctor.

Colonel, no!

Colonel, you're gonna make a horrible mistake!

Colonel, please!

For the sake of your men!

Damn! They're not even here!

Yeah, well, you can thank God for that, Colonel.

Who are these people?

No, Colonel, don't.

Wait here!

It's about time, Blackwood!

Cut me loose!

Later!

Later? Do it now or there won't be any later.

Hold on!

Cut me loose!

Blackwood, no!

Who are they, Blackwood?

What are they?

Later!

Let's get Suzanne and get out of here!

Where's Suzanne?

I told her to wait right here.

No! You'll compromise our position.

Come on, we've got to put some distance between us and them.

Not without Suzanne.

You saw what they did to my men.

If those things have her, there's nothing we can do.

Ironhorse, we've got to try.

Forget her, Harrison.

She's had it.

I'm not leaving.

Okay, but I'm digging in.

Nothing. You?

I never should have brought Suzanne along.

It wasn't your fault.

Then whose was it?

She had to be one of the most uptight ladies I've ever met,

but at least she believed me.

Thank God! You're all right!

Oh!

I am not uptight!

I am a professional!

Who does not know how to follow orders.

Now you were supposed to stay out of sight in the woods.

You neglected to tell me

that those things, aliens or whatever they are,

would be crawling all over.

By the time I worked my way down here,

you and the Colonel were doing your off-road routine.

So I figured this would be the best place to wait things out.

Where are they?

Long gone.

They had their truck hid in a hollow

about 200 yards from here.

This is weird stuff we're dealing with here, Blackwood.

Bolas! Terrorists that don't act like terrorists!

Terrorists that don't die like terrorists!

I actually saw a body dissolve

after I shot it.

We all saw some fairly

extraordinary phenomena, Colonel.

Well, when in God's name

is somebody going to start explaining things to me?

I've already explained as much of it as I understand myself.

You've explained nothing, mister!

I don't believe in ghosts,

and I sure as hell

don't believe in aliens from another planet.

Excuse me for sounding uptight,

but can we argue about this someplace else?

Too many variables. Strength unknown.

Resources unknown.

Purposes, goals, locations

unknown, unknown

unknown.

I can only tell you what I saw.

What we all saw, Uncle Hank.

It was horrible.

Those things were not people anymore.

But I do have a theory about cell-face matching...

Suzanne, whatever you and Dr. Blackwood saw

no matter how extraordinary,

cannot be considered as evidence.

Well, talk to your Colonel.

He was there.

The Colonel and I talked at length.

Admittedly, something incredible did take place.

However, Colonel Ironhorse is not yet ready to attribute

those events to aliens

from another world.

He's more comfortable believing

the Russians have some secret weapon

that makes us all see things that aren't really there.

Colonel Ironhorse is a highly effective warrior, Doctor.

He's been trained to deal in absolutes.

In this case, General, he is absolutely wrong.

I agree.

And so do a few

of my superiors.

However, they want this entire matter kept hush-hush.

Hold it, General.

Nobody's going to silence me

the same way they silenced Dr. Forrester 35 years ago.

What happened to your adoptive father, Doctor,

was unfortunate for all of us.

However, the President... My superiors...

Would rather this not become a political issue.

They don't want to ignore this.

They want it kept quiet.

And I'm here to offer you a job.

Find the aliens, Doctor,

and stop them before they do more harm.

And I can do things my way?

Completely.

Your own people, your own methods...

Anything you want.

Naturally, we'll have to establish certain...

security procedures.

What kind of procedures?

To protect you and your colleagues.

To protect the secrecy of the project.

Nothing, I assure you, Doctor, you wouldn't do yourself.

Aside from that, you have a blank check.

But you'll need a cosigner.

I believe you all know one another?

You haven't said a word

for two hours.

Why do we have to move?

Honey, it's business.

It's always business.

It's only for a little while.

It's always for a little while.

Debi, pouting is not going to change things.

I'm not pouting.

I know it's difficult to leave your friends,

but you'll make new ones.

I hate making new friends.

Debi...

I know relocating is inconvenient,

but it's only short-term, until we neutralize the problem.

What makes you think this neutralizing...

I really like that word...

The aliens will be that easy?

I don't care

how many of those things are out there, Doctor.

They have no heavy weapons, no resources.

We'll track them down.

We'll make alien sushi out of them.

This is it.

Welcome to government property #348

also known as "The Cottage"...

25 totally secure acres in the middle of nowhere.

Without proper authority...

no one comes in...

no one gets out.

Hmm.

Makes pizza deliveries a bit rough.

A horse!

You didn't tell me about a horse.

Honey, I didn't know about a horse.

Can I...

can I go see it?

I thought you hated making new friends.

Oh, Mom!

Anyway, you always promised

I could take riding lessons.

I always said maybe you could.

Be careful.

Well, hello.

Come on inside so we can all get acquainted.

We remain here until all is ready.

Wow!

My very own supercomputer!

Forward, Gertrude!

What did you do, Colonel, read my Christmas list?

Whoa, Gertrude!

Well, you can't be expected to do the job

if you don't have the equipment, Mr. Drake.

Well, keep up that attitude, Colonel,

and I might even get to like you.

Well...

Someone sure spent a fortune.

Well, the government wants to see

that everyone's happy, Doctor.

Well, now all I have to do is find...

No, better yet, create... a bacteria

that is impervious to radiation, lethal to aliens,

and absolutely harmless to humans.

Maybe I could just cure the common cold in my spare time.

Well, if you find yourself

with any spare time, Doctor,

you must be doing something wrong.

Uh... h-have a nice day.

Doctor?

Somebody obviously wanted to make me feel right at home.

Perfect copy of your office, isn't it?

As if my life before this thing didn't matter...

or never really existed at all.

Since my great-great-grandfather

was shaman of our tribe...

What's a shaman?

A shaman is a spiritual leader... Sometimes called a medicine man.

He is the most respected man in the tribe...

More even than the chief.

Anyway, the warriors, they brought their strange discovery

to my great-great-grandfather to find out what it meant.

What was it?

It was a flat rock with drawings on it

that no one had ever seen before.

It was very old, too.

Older than the nearby cave drawings,

or the drawings on ancient pieces of buffalo hide

that had been passed down through the generations.

What kind of drawings?

I'm glad you asked that.

They were of a man wearing a bowl

that covered his entire head.

And his eyes glowed, and he carried a wand.

A magic wand?

It seemed like magic because the wand,

it threw out bolts of light.

Well, my great- great-grandfather,

he took the rock, and he went

into the desert for one moon... That's about a month...

And when he came back,

he gathered everyone in the tribe together,

and in a very strong voice,

even though he was very weak and hungry, he said,

"We know that our people were the first to walk this Earth.

But... others came before us."

Wow. What did they do then?

They... fired him and got themselves a new shaman.

You made that up!

Only the last part, Debi.

The rest... I-I don't know.

Bedtime.

Oh, Mom.

Mmm, complain while you're getting ready for bed.

Good night, everyone.

Good night.

Sleep tight.

You folks gonna be here long?

Well, we hope not, Mr. Kensington.

I mean, no offense meant.

And none taken, Dr. Blackwood.

You stay here as long as you have to.

Now, what sort of a question was that?

Well, we might have to restock the pantry.

I take care of the pantry.

The grounds is your job.

I guess I'd better check the security system

and turn in.

Good night, all.

Colonel, you really believe that story?

Indian folklore, Mr. Drake.

Nothing more... nothing less.

Funny thing about folklore.

Almost always there's an element of truth in it.

All is well.

We are strong again,

and ready to resume our invasion.

Not too hastily, comrade.

Our ship's onboard computers

must finish their preflight checks first.

We've been patient

for so many years.

We can afford to wait a bit longer.

Doc, I'm getting nowhere fast.

Without more information,

all the supercomputers in the world

can't decipher the alien radio signals.

We'll have to reconceptualize our approach.

You're talking to the king of reconceptualization.

What we need, good buddy, is a clue.

I mean, even linguists needed the Rosetta Stone

before they could read hieroglyphics.

We got diddly-squat.

Well, we've got Dr. Forrester's old research.

We've got photocopies of some alien maps.

Maybe you can find

your Rosetta Stone in here.

Norton...

the number three mean anything special to you?

It sure meant something special to the aliens.

Think about it.

Their ships flew in groups of three.

Their optics were divided into three units.

They attacked their targets from three different directions.

Even their weapons...

The bolas... Had three weighted ends.

Three, Norton.

Think three.

I know the answer is there.

Number three.

I'll think on it.

What have we got to lose, huh?

Suzanne.

Huh?

You missed dinner.

Well, you sleep one hour out of five,

I miss meals, especially when I'm working.

You find something interesting?

Mmm. Have a look.

What is it?

You tell me.

This is the tissue sample

you took from the dissolved body?

Mm-hmm, but it's not exactly human anymore.

Then what is it?

Half human, half alien.

It's as if the cells from both species

have merged to create something new, unique.

And this sustains your cell-face matching theory?

Oh, no, Dr. Blackwood.

You're not going to peg me to a conclusion

that I haven't had time to prove yet.

Fair enough, Dr. McCullough.

Suzanne.

Yeah?

Good work.

Thanks, Harrison.

Thanks a lot.

Bingo!

I've got it!

Harrison, Ironhorse!

Yes, absolutely, undoubtedly.

They said it couldn't be done.

Suzanne, come here!

Well, they didn't factor Norton Drake into the equation,

now, did they?

A-ha!

I cracked the alien lingo.

By the way, Doc, thank you for telling me

to think three... This is all Base Three.

It's beautiful.

And this is what I came up with.

One, two, zero, one.

No, no, no, look, look.

The top line is two to the seventh power.

The bottom line is to the third.

Now, two to the seventh is 128.

And two to the third is eight!

But what do the numbers represent?

Well, am I supposed to do everything around here?

How am I supposed to know what it represents?

Maybe it's a coded message.

It's too primitive.

Even crude codes use large

prime numbers as keys.

When the soldier's right, he's right on.

This is no code, this is pure.

But pure what?

Eh, we're overthinking this.

We're digging too deep.

Giving the aliens too much credit.

Assuming the obvious?

Thereby overlooking the obvious.

I think I'm missing something.

You'll have to go on one of Harrison's

little field trips.

You've loaded all Dr. Forrester's material

into the Cray?

Stayed up all last night.

How long to run a basic substitution program?

Those numbers versus the material

in the alien documents?

With this little baby here, about ten seconds.

Coordinates on their maps?

Why not?

Right there.

That looks like the middle of nowhere to me.

Well, if the aliens consider it important,

we'd be wise to do the same.

It's important, all right.

That's Kellogue Air Force Base.

They're planning to overrun the base.

I've got to get General Wilson on this immediately.

Think about it first, Colonel.

Think about it the way an alien would.

Why attack an Air Force base?

Now, you said it yourself.

Without resources, without weapons,

even at full strength,

even by surprise,

their attack would have no chance of success.

But there's still something here

we're not seeing.

And we won't...

until we start looking at things the way the aliens do.

If you expect me to climb into the heads of these, these creatures,

you've got to give me more to go on.

Okay, they're soldiers, the same as you.

Now, you tell me.

How do soldiers think?

I spent four years at the Point,

15 more active duty.

Hell, Doctor, I'm not sure I do think anymore.

I-I... I react.

Okay, start there.

You're their leader.

React to your situation.

Okay, I'd need good intelligence.

Know your enemy.

Communications: they already seem to have that.

Supplies: you've got to keep the troops fed.

Weapons... Definitely weapons.

They don't have any.

Or at least none that amount to anything.

That's their primary weakness.

Which makes it our strength.

Have you ever heard of Hangar 15?

No.

The place where the Air Force stores all its UFO evidence?

You mean Hangar 18.

Or Building 18 at Wright-Patterson?

Forget it, Doctor.

That's all a myth.

No.

Hangar 18 is the myth, Colonel.

That's disinformation created by the military.

Hangar 15...

That's the real McCoy.

I don't believe it.

Dr. Forrester did. It's in his papers.

I think now might be the time to call General Wilson.

Ask him if it's a myth.

♪ Where everybody ♪

♪ Knows your name ♪

♪ Dun-dun ♪

♪ And they're always glad you came... ♪

This way.

♪ Sometimes you want to go ♪

♪ Where everybody knows your name ♪

♪ And they're always glad you came... ♪

The keys, where's the keys?

Where're the keys?

I got 'em.

What kind of chopper pilot are you?

Everything's under control.

Hey, Vic, you need a hand?

Uh, nah!

Come on, Vic. Shake a leg.

Doctor?

Doctor.

You were right.

No, I was asleep.

According to General Wilson,

the government has had three of the alien ships

mothballed in Hangar 15 since 1953.

You want to guess as to the location of Hangar 15?

Kellogue Air Force Base?

Right smack-dab in the middle.

You've read the material, Colonel.

You know what happens

if the aliens get their hands on those ships.

I haven't had a chance to test this properly,

but I just hope it works.

I sure hope we don't have to use it.

You ready? Let's go.

Did General Wilson approve of our plan?

Enough to grease the wheels

with the brass at Kellogue Air Force Base

and to give us the specs

on Hangar 15's security system.

Well, I'll be able to have this deciphered

before you even get there.

We'll crack that safe with no problem.

What the hell is this?

Nothing, just some bacteria.

Oh, I can give you

the scientific names if you like.

That's not necessary, Doctor.

Oh, don't worry, Colonel.

It's absolutely nontoxic to us...

under normal circumstances.

Colonel, can we go now?

We have a lot of ground to cover. Just one moment, Doctors.

There's one last detail.

You're in the Army now.

Inspection in five minutes.

I'm told the outlying areas

of your base have ideal terrain

for my company's survival training, sir.

Well, if I'd had some advance notice,

I could have made the arrangements.

I know what you mean, General.

It was last minute for us, too.

Special mission coming up.

I can't really talk about it.

Middle East?

It's about time.

Let me have Captain Williams take you on your survey.

It's not really necessary, sir.

I think we can find our own way.

General Wilson said that we shouldn't inconvenience you

in any way, sir.

Always glad when the Air Force

can lend a helping hand to you Army boys...

And gals.

Keep me apprised.

Love to get a piece of that action.

Yes sir.

Let's go, Corporal.

Army.

Thanks, Colonel. I don't believe in guns.

I'm sure the aliens will respect that.

Okay, let's go, people.

Let's go.

All set on this end.

Wait ten seconds,

and then fire away.

Wow.

Yeah.

Dr. Forrester was right.

Come on. We've got work.

Are you sure we have to do it this way, Doctor?

You tell me.

According to the research,

these ships produced a shield

making them impervious to the nuclear blast.

After you, Doctor.

How are you supposed to fly these things?

We never figured that out.

Dr. Forrester speculated

that the aliens were somehow able

to use brain wave impulses.

Here.

You're the expert.

Think you'll be needing this?

Warn me next time you sneak up!

Oh!

I hope not...

I'm not even sure it will work.

Two down, one to go.

What is it?

Helicopter.

Bad guys or good guys?

Considering what we're doing, Doctor,

even the good guys are bad guys.

Bad, bad guys!

How much time do we have?

If we're not out of here in ten minutes,

we're part of the fireworks.

Those are my men!

Not anymore.

Sergeant?

Reynolds! It's me!

My bacteria! It worked!

We can use this on them!

You better recheck your calculations.

Do you still have trouble believing in aliens?

Now!

Your watch a little fast, Colonel?

We did it!

General Wilson is taking care of the Joint Military Forces

Board of Inquiry.

I'm told that, unofficially, of course,

the Board is predisposed to lay the blame

on an unnamed terrorist organization.

A whole lot closer to the truth

than they'll ever realize.

I'm just glad all of this is behind us.

Is it? Is it really?

Our council allows us no margin for failure.

The primitives have proven to be unexpectedly clever.

Their cleverness will not save them.

We will improvise.

As long as we meet the deadline.