Original subtitles

In the vast immensities of cosmic space,

bold adventurers streak their way to join battle.

With strange enemies on strange worlds.

The alien, the unknown, perhaps even the invisible.

Armed only with man's earthbound knowledge.

We made it, Fred.

We're on Mars.

No sweat at all.

Check all systems. Secure retros.

Maintain full power at all times.

A-OK.

This is capt. Fred Thomas.

Commanding inter-planetary vehicle m-1,

colonization probe.

To col. Hal Danvers,

headquarters communication, planet earth.

Subject of report:

Arrival on the planet Mars.

Landing is completely successful.

I'm going out, Jim.

Hey, Fred.

Yeah?

Remember the general's orders.

How could I forget?

Stay in touch at all times, huh?

A-OK.

This is Lt. James bowman.

Continuing arrival report.

As of 1340, capt. Thomas has left the vehicle

for preliminary inspection of the adjacent terrain.

We will be in constant communication at all times.

And all information will be monitored over I.D. Radio

to earth control.

Hello, Fred?

Hello?

You read me?

Loud and clear.

Just checking.

See anything out there?

Mars. That's all.

Not a sign of a single living thing.

Hello, Jim? Do you read me?

A-OK. Gotcha!

I'm gonna circle on back towards the vehicle.

I'll see you later.

Over.

Roger.

Hey, listen, Fred. Be real careful, will you?

Over.

Hello, Fred? Hello?

Do you read me?

Loud and clear.

Just checking.

Hey, you see anything out there?

Mars. That's all.

Not a sign of a single living thing.

I'm moving out.

General, it's hard to realize

it takes their voices 3-and-a-half minutes to reach us.

Unfortunate. It puts them on their own.

I'd prefer more control down here.

I just hope, colonel, they observe all the instructions.

Continuing arrival report.

1348.

Mars time, that is, colonel.

On earth you'll be receiving this exactly

3-and-a-half minutes from now, so just add that to my figures.

Capt. Thomas reports no sign of...

Help me, Jim! Help!

Fred, I'm coming.

There is nothing wrong with your television set.

Do not attempt to adjust the picture.

We are controlling transmission.

We will control the horizontal.

We will control the vertical.

We can change the focus to a soft blur.

Or sharpen it to crystal clarity.

For the next hour, sit quietly.

And we will control all that you see and hear.

You are about to participate in a great adventure.

You are about to experience the awe and mystery.

Which reaches from the inner mind to...

The outer limits.

Fred?

What's happening? Where are you?

Fred?

Gen. Winston, col. Danvers, they're on again.

Hello, Jim? Do you read me?

A-OK. Gotcha!

I'm gonna circle on back towards the vehicle.

I'll see you later. Over.

Roger.

Hey, listen, Fred. Be real careful, will you?

Yeah. Be careful, Fred.

For the 100th time, be careful.

Continuing arrival report.

1348.

Mars time, that is, colonel.

On earth you will be receiving this exactly

3-and-a-half minutes from now, so just add that to my figures.

Capt. Thomas reports no sign of...

Help me, Jim! Help!

Stay where you are, Jim. Stay where you are.

Fred, where are you? Answer me, Fred!

Oh, my god! Help me, Fred!

What's up there? What's doing it?

"No sign of life," he said!

Disobeyed orders and gone!

Yeah. Be careful, Fred.

For the 100th time, be careful.

Come in.

He's here, sir.

Who's here, col. Danvers?

That man, with the briefcase.

His name is Jerome. Mr. Jerome.

I asked him to make himself at home in the lounge.

I wanted to give you a few minutes

to get used to the idea of having a civilian monitor.

No doubt he has a direct line to the white house.

Hasn't every assistant secretary of state?

How many hours?

According to schedule,

the m-2 will land on Mars in exactly 3 hours and 40 minutes.

3 years in preparation. 4 months in flight.

5 years of sleepless nights.

Just to put a colony on Mars.

Well, let's meet the man.

Gen. Winston? Mr. Jerome.

It's a privilege to meet you, sir.

I understand col. Danvers has been filling you in.

Oh, mostly on safety precautions

for this particular probe, which weren't taken last time on the m-1 probe.

Yes, uh, procedure rules,

the instantaneous communication.

The laser method. Brand new. Didn't have it last time.

Cuts out the time lag.

Transmits an order instantly.

You might say, I can quarterback

the entire operation right from my desk.

I haven't told him about tillie.

Tillie?

"Tillie" is T.L.3, our electronic computer.

I suppose Mr. Jerome would like to meet her.

Yes. Yes, indeed.

Gentlemen.

This, uh,

tillie wasn't in existence

when the astronauts Thomas and bowman were lost, was she?

No, it wasn't finished then.

Well,

now that she's here, how does she work?

What'll it correlate?

Here's where we feed tapes of all communications.

Information about the prescribed dangers.

You mean, like an invisible enemy, a ghost?

As a matter of fact, a ghost

is just what this contraption has come up with

as the best possibility to look for.

Calling earth control. Calling earth control.

Earth control here. Go ahead, please.

Hello, colonel, this is m-2 reporting, Maj. Merritt commanding.

Right, Chuck. Read you loud and clear.

We're ready here for your report.

Roger. Wilco. Stand by.

That's Maj. Charles Merritt. You remember him?

Yes, sir. I certainly do.

I was there when he received the medal of honor

for saving those 5 men under fire. Good man.

Oh, this is our finest crew. Completely dedicated.

Down 3. Doubled.

That's 800 points, Buckley.

How lucky there are no dames where we're going, for you to blow your pay.

I, uh, hate to bring it up, major, but your Mike is still on.

That's all there is, general. Over.

Put away the cards.

Lazzari, stand by main fuel valves.

Relay orders to engineering.

Johnson, topside to main control deck.

I can't seem to get enough of looking at that planet.

Time to start the orbital glide.

Get the computer data. Secure main power.

Rig solar batteries, full charge.

Calling earth control.

Come in, major.

Observation report, as requested,

300 yards.

Remains of the m-1.

No sign of life.

18 degrees above Fahrenheit.

8.9 pounds per square inch.

Will support life.

No helmets needed.

Very well, major. Secure the vehicle for the night.

No one is to disembark. You understand that, major? No one.

Yes, sir.

What did they do down there, fall asleep?

Keep your shirt on.

Calculations take longer than decisions.

Besides, it's hard for tillie to make up her mind.

Hmm. You know women.

Now don't tell Casanova about dames.

Now, he wrote the book.

Ah, gee, fellows, I'm just a poor little old country astronaut.

Stow it.

OK, Lazzari, let's have it again.

Descend to base of vehicle, and wait for orders.

Hey, very good. You got that right that time.

Shut up, Buckley.

On command, proceed with caution to target,

keeping always under observation from the vehicle.

Purpose?

Reconnoiter target for indication of hostile action

against personnel of previous probe.

Namely, m-1, which may have lead to their demise.

Mission?

Gather up all evidence of exact nature of enemy, if any,

and bring it back to the vehicle.

Safely.

Safely.

And that's it. And don't forget it. Everybody.

It's all that simple. Don't embroider it.

- Survival. - Complete the mission.

Calling m-2. Calling m-2.

Merritt here, colonel.

OK, Chuck. All precautions taken?

Affirmative.

This is gen. Winston. Before I give the word,

I want to stress again.

That I won't tolerate the slightest deviation from agreed procedure.

You understand that?

Yes, general, I understand.

I'll be checking every move. You'd better be right.

Yes, general.

When that man goes out there,

I want every eye in the vehicle to cover him all the way.

I'm waiting for your orders, general.

OK, then. Proceed to investigate target as instructed.

And keep this monitor hot.

Roger. Wilco.

OK, Lazzari, you're on your way.

Give him a hand.

Orders received and duly executed, sir.

Will keep you posted, over.

All ready, skipper.

OK. You move out to the objective.

With caution.

From where I am, pieces of this bird.

Seem to be scattered all over the place.

Uh-huh.

Any sign of life?

Nothing.

OK, Paul.

Move on to the nearest piece of wreckage.

That's where you put your marker.

How do you feel?

Wilco, skipper.

And I feel fine.

Lazzari, you're out of sight!

I'm here, skipper. Right behind this wreckage.

There's something weird the way it's twisted.

Get out where you can be seen. You know the orders.

I'm sorry, but there's an odd-looking piece of metal buried back there.

No elements can damage it, the way it shows.

Strange marks on it, like scratches.

Could you bring it back to the vehicle?

I can try.

Long enough, Lazzari. Let's see it.

Do you read me?

OK, Lazzari, you find something, walk out from behind the...

Major!

Lazzari!

Lazzari! Paul!

Are you hurt?

Wait a minute! Major!

Maj. Merritt, what's going on up there?

There's been a mishap, general.

Capt. Lazzari's in trouble.

Request permission to leave the vehicle immediately to go to his assistance.

Request under consideration, major.

First I want the facts.

Was capt. Lazzari attacked?

If affirmative, by what?

I don't know, sir.

He was under constant surveillance?

He was temporarily blocked from view behind wreckage of the m-1.

Well, how do you know anything happened to him?

He screamed for help.

You believe there was an attack and yet you request permission

to go out there, exposing yourself to the danger.

I'm in command, sir.

As such, responsible for the success of the mission.

A commander has do something about losing a man, sir.

Regret to say, major, permission denied.

May I ask the general why, sir?

Until I've had time to study the tapes of all transmissions,

no one is to leave that vehicle.

Do you understand, major?

Acknowledge, please.

Let me go, skipper.

Yes, general. I understand.

I'm sorry,

but there's an odd-looking piece of metal buried back there.

No elements could damage it the way it shows.

Strange marks on it, like scratches.

Could you bring it back to the vehicle?

I can try.

"8 may, 'o9, 11:00 A.M.

"All enemy possibilities still in effect.

Disappearance, unobserved. Safety factor ignored."

Just as I thought.

In spite of my orders, capt. Lazzari was unobserved.

Increased possibilities

"that enemy is aware of human presence.

Increased possibilities

that enemy is not visible to human sight."

What's it mean by that?

A computer always reveals the obvious

with the Felicity of an elephant.

No one saw the enemy.

I.e., invisible.

What's the procedure now, gen. Winston?

Procedure?

We need to push on to our 2 objectives, Mr. Jerome.

To find and destroy the enemy.

To gather data for the future colonization of Mars.

Obviously there are no safety factors left

for the 3 astronauts still up there.

Are you suggesting we withdraw?

Well, that's, uh,

hardly within my province to do that, gen. Winston.

Mr. Jerome,

we are going to continue this mission as planned,

until it can be marked "accomplished."

Get me Maj. Merritt.

Calling m-2. Calling m-2.

Maj. Merritt here. Come in, earth control.

Gen. Winston here.

Major, surely it isn't necessary for me to stress

what any further deviation from agreed procedure can mean?

No, sir. I understand.

Here are your instructions.

Please keep me posted of every step.

Assign a man to target.

Post the other halfway

and at a tangent as sentry.

Constant surveillance from you in the vehicle,

the sentry, on the ground.

Armament, bazooka, nuclear tipped.

Dispatch.

Hello, Jack. Read me?

You bet. Ready?

All clear.

You're on your way. Take care.

Roger.

I'm getting pretty close, skipper.

These binoculars put me right alongside you.

When I lose sight of you, frank will pick you up from his angle.

Everything seems a-OK.

Frank here.

You're coming into view good for me, Jack.

I won't lose sight of you.

Listen, skipper, if I get rid of these sand shoes.

And stick to the rocks, I'll make better time.

Roger. Be my guest.

See anything startling?

Yeah.

The metal's back there, just like Lazzari said.

You've left me, but I'm sure frank...

That's right, major. I see him kneeling back there.

Lazzari was right here, wasn't he?

Yes.

I hate to say it, it sounds crazy,

but there's no sign that lazzari was ever even here.

No struggle. Nothing.

The enemy must really be invisible, like tillie says.

Can you get that metal loose?

I take it all back, skipper.

There's blood on this thing.

Jack, bring that metal and move out where I can see you.

Right now!

An enemy that draws blood is not invisible.

This has really got me bugged. How do you figure it?

We'll work that out later.

You've done the job.

I want you and frank to return to base.

Good work, Jack.

OK if I circle around on the rock?

It's easier without my sand shoes. I'll look for other evidence.

Keep in sight.

No problem, skipper.

Calling earth control.

Come in, m-2. Col. Danvers here.

Ready with reconnaissance report.

Gen. Winston is right here.

Yes, major. Winston.

Fully successful, general.

Capt. Buckley assigned to point.

Secured physical evidence for study and analysis.

Observed positive signs of violence at the target.

What kind of signs?

Blood, sir.

Hey, a flower.

Don't use your hands. Not on a flower.

I hope it'll keep.

It should, in the freezer.

Now, on your way.

All right, Buckley.

Right here, skipper.

You're out of sight!

I'll be back there in a minute.

Can't wait to show you what I found.

I'm reporting to gen. Winston.

Very well, major.

After I've studied the tapes, I'll let you know the findings. Over.

Capt. Buckley, I am not pleased at all.

What if something happened to you when you were out of sight behind those scarps?

You're my responsibility!

And that doesn't seem to concern you enough to suit me!

Yeah, well, I'm sorry about that, skipper.

Hey, but wait till you see what I found.

Where is Johnson?

I don't know.

When I was coming up, I was expecting him to be here.

Frank!

He said he was watching me at the wreckage.

Just before I found the blood.

Frank, do you read me?

Frank, maybe you missed the order to return.

Frank!

Frank!

Frank!

Frank!

Frank, answer me!

Where are you?

Frank!

Major, we are starting our counting.

It is now 1 hour, 10 minutes to departure.

Meanwhile, neither man leaves the ship. My orders.

Acknowledge, please. Over.

Acknowledged, sir. All preparations completed.

All systems go. Over.

OK, it was my fault.

If I hadn't gone out of sight,

you could have kept your eyes on frank.

You are selfish, Jack.

You are naturally careless.

Someday you'll learn you can't gamble solo on a trip like this.

It takes a team effort.

Well, that's the way I really feel, skipper.

I figure we're all partners in my little pebble, too.

What pebble?

Did you ever see a diamond in the rough, huh?

I was picking that up at the time.

It's a gem of some kind. Hard as a diamond. See the bluish color?

Tell me about it on the long trip home.

This little pebble is priceless.

You can't put any value on it, on a bagful.

They're priceless because they're unique.

N-now, look, wouldn't it be something to help out Johnson's family with?

Or Lazzari's?

And... and the guys from the first probe?

That pebble

belongs to the guys who pay our salary.

Turn out the light.

Call me in a half-hour.

That's debatable, who it belongs to.

Funny thing, that sand at night.

It looks just like the ocean at the cape.

I used to love to look at the moon on the water.

Wait a minute.

That's it!

They're not visible enemies.

Skipper! Skipper!

Thar she blows!

Gotcha, you bloody killer!

Hey, hey, found you out there, didn't I, baby, huh?

Living in the sand like a shark in the ocean.

Hey, how many of them are you, huh?

A whole army? Ha-ha.

Thank you.

Calling m-2. Calling m-2.

Come in, please.

Maj. Merritt here.

Chuck, it's 60 minutes to blastoff and counting.

Thanks, colonel.

Buckley! Where are you?

Major, what's happening?

Where is capt. Buckley?

He is not here, sir.

Is he gone, too?

Ah, he may be up in control, sir.

I'll report back later. Over.

Buckley.

Calling earth control.

Winston here. What about capt. Buckley?

He went out against orders, sir.

The tension must have gotten to him. Affected his judgment.

Order him back, immediately.

We are not in communications, sir.

He left his walkie-talkie here.

What?

I'm leaving now, sir, to bring him back.

Maj. Merritt, am I to understand you're leaving your ship

without permission? Against orders?

It's less than one hour to blastoff.

What about your judgment?

My judgment, general, right or wrong,

tells me there is a man out there in danger of his life.

He's my responsibility.

I am going out to get him, sir.

Maj. Merritt, I must, in all fairness, give you a warning.

Since you choose to employ your judgment

against my orders, as project commandant,

under the circumstances, there's nothing further I can do about it.

In effect it reduces me to the capacity of advisor.

This is to be duly noted and recorded in your record.

It constitutes a serious breach of military discipline.

I understand, sir.

Please keep your monitor open

and report your progress.

Over.

Stop!

Stay there!

Skipper, stay there! Stay there, skipper!

Merritt! Go around.

Go around the sand!

The sand! The sand!

Get out! Get out of the sand!

Run! Run!

So, that's our invisible enemy!

The sand is where it lives.

This sea...

Like a bloodthirsty shark in the ocean.

It is 48 minutes to blastoff and counting.

And I'm marooned on this tiny island of rock,

safe for the moment.

This sand is like an ocean.

It seems to be rising like a tide.

And that creature, waiting for him.

Blastoff time cannot be changed. This confirms it.

What happens if we do change it?

The vehicle would never make it back to earth with the fuel it carries.

Let's get all the information.

Major?

Yes, colonel.

What about that tide?

It's coming in.

I've got a little over a foot of rock left.

Capt. Buckley there?

I sent him back to the vehicle to get some gear.

Buckley here, in the cabin.

I'm trying to improvise something that'll work.

I'm to blame for losing capt. Johnson

and getting Maj. Merritt into this situation.

I even missed trying to throw out our last pair of sand shoes to him.

All I can say, colonel,

is that instead of him out there,

I wish it were me.

I'm gonna get my gear now and go back out to the scarp.

Later.

There are 26 minutes to blastoff, major.

The m-2 departure cannot be delayed.

Do you read me?

Loud and clear, colonel.

We'll try to chart a proper course of action for you.

Gentlemen.

Still 25 minutes.

What happens if Maj. Merritt doesn't get back to the vehicle in time?

There's capt. Buckley.

I'd like a little more definite answer than that, general.

Are you considering that Maj. Merritt is expendable?

Mr. Jerome,

I'd like to explain how the whole picture

adds up at this moment.

I've informed capt. Buckley

that he's to take command of the m-2.

Order him to blastoff on time,

thus assuring her safe return to earth.

Or we can simply wait until Maj. Merritt gets off that rock,

regardless of how long it takes.

That could mean we could sacrifice both men

and the vehicle,

plus whatever information they've collected

which would prevent this ever happening in the future.

Hal,

how would you decide it?

I would have to go with your decision, general.

You haven't asked for my viewpoint, but I feel I must tell you.

Were I in your place, I wouldn't abandon Maj. Merritt.

It seems cruel and inhuman.

And I'm sure the public

would react with the utmost revulsion and disapproval.

All astronauts are aware of the risk involved.

And they learn to take it.

Just what have we learned, general?

What have we learned?

Learning is a step by step process, Mr. Jerome.

And if you can understand that and accept it,

then,

regardless of my personal feelings,

that vehicle must blastoff in less than 20 minutes.

I...

I think I'm beginning to see how you feel.

I wouldn't want the responsibility of making that decision.

Thank you.

Hal, let's get that ship back to earth.

Calling m-2. Capt. Buckley?

Come in, capt. Buckley.

Calling m-2. Capt. Buckley?

Come in, capt. Buckley.

Capt. Buckley, come in. Come in.

18 minutes to blastoff and counting.

Capt. Buckley, come in.

You'd better get back to the cabin.

Maj. Merritt here, general.

Capt. Buckley is out here with me.

He has no way of answering your call

without going back to the vehicle.

This, he seems reluctant to do.

I'm not gonna leave you out here alone.

Gen. Winston,

capt. Buckley is greatly overwrought.

It would be unfair to hold his refusal against him, sir.

Major, it is now 16 minutes to blastoff.

And no turning back.

It is with deepest regrets that I give you this request.

Will you please inform capt. Buckley.

That by my authority.

You are hereby relieved as commander of the m-2.

He is officially appointed to replace you.

I then command him to activate all systems of his vehicle.

And to blastoff on the minute.

At the agreed time of departure.

I've got it! Skipper, I've got it!

What?

I'll be the decoy!

Now, listen, skipper, this is important.

I'm gonna run into the sand at an angle.

Buckley, you're insane!

Now, you listen to me.

I'm not gonna say it twice.

I'm gonna run in that direction.

That'll decoy it to me and give you a chance to run for it, understand?

Buckley, get back to your vehicle!

You're not paying attention to me.

Now, I'm gonna run out there

whether you take advantage of it or not.

All you gotta do is wait for that devil to come for me,

then you run!

I'm not asking you,

I'm telling you what I'm gonna do.

That's it!

I'm going! Buckley!

Wait!

Buckley,

head for the shore!

There's a whole army of them.

Calling m-2.

Calling m-2.

Earth control to m-2.

Come in, please.

M-2, Maj. Merritt here.

Can't anybody down there tell me how long it is till blastoff?

Chuck, for the love of Pete, what...

Gen. Winston here.

As of this exact moment,

it is 6 minutes and counting,

all systems checked?

All systems go, general, sir.

Ah, gen. Winston, sir.

Ah, look, anything I said before,

I was just kidding, huh?

And about those pebbles,

can't we get a ruling from the Pentagon or somebody about who they belong to?

Our contention is they belong to the personnel of m-1 and m-2.

Let the guys who follow us find their own.

Battle joined.

Casualties, yes.

Resolution, victory...

Of a sort.

A painful step from the crib of destiny.

On another day, a friend, perhaps,

instead of a deadly peril.

Part of the saga of the space pioneers.

We now return control of your television set to you.

Until next week at this same time,

When the control voice will take you to,

The Outer Limits.