Original subtitles

Since the first day that man stared up at the stars.

And saw other worlds,

there has been no more haunting question than this:

What will we find there? Will there be other creatures?

And will they be like us?

Or when that ancient dream comes true,

will it turn into a nightmare?

Will we find, on some distant, frozen planet.

An alien life of unimaginable horror?

If I may have your attention, please.

We have now come to that part of the tour

which is most interesting for our student groups.

You are about to enter the Cygnus IV division,

which contains no live animals.

Instead, you will see recreated models

of the different forms of life inhabiting our alien planets.

All the animals depicted here

were brought to earth some 30 years ago

in the early space exploratory days of the 1980s and '90s.

They found our planet a hostile environment and could not survive.

And now, welcome to the Cygnian world.

First we have the Immwarf.

The force of gravity on its world

is 66 times greater than that of earth.

The Immwarf has the perfect structure for such pressure.

On earth, it simply went to pieces.

Here we have the puudly.

It inhales methane gas through its pores

and its life's fluid is in perpetual stasis.

A puudly cannot retain its physical shape in our atmosphere.

"Structural fatigue," we call it in Metalogy.

Our next visitor from other planets,

is the Megasoid.

It is the highest form of life ever discovered in space.

It has been said the Megasoid, despite its physique

is farther along the evolution scale than man.

And has demonstrably proved its superior intelligence.

It communicates and has no trouble learning earthly languages.

However, it is a creature

with one all consuming impulse: To kill.

For this reason, the last living specimen

was destroyed in the late 1980s.

And now, let us move to the next period of the Yupaarterian section.

There is nothing wrong with your television set.

Do not attempt to adjust the picture.

We are controlling transmission.

For the next hour, we will control all that you see and hear.

You are about to experience the awe and mystery.

Which reaches from the inner mind to...

The outer limits.

Merdock?

Merdock!

Yes, Mr. James.

Did you open the cellar door?

I heard a strange and frightening sound.

I told you I didn't want you to ever go in there.

I just thought that...

You're not supposed to think.

You're supposed to obey my orders.

Yes, sir.

Now get back to the cottage.

Yes, sir.

And Merdock,

remember you heard and saw nothing.

Yes, sir.

Hello?

I'm trying to reach a Mr. Jerichau.

Mr. Basil Jerichau.

He used to be associated with you.

Henderson?

What is it, Laura?

It's about the dinner tonight.

Oh!

We got a dinner tonight?

At the Merivailes. You knew about it.

It slipped my mind.

We may be delayed.

Send my regrets. Well, you can go.

Hello? yes?

My records show that Basil Jerichau was discharged.

From the center, almost 8 months ago.

We have no phone listing, but I can give you the address.

Uh-huh.

His address is 417 Greenway Avenue.

Thank you.

Henderson, what's the matter?

Nothing to worry you.

And who's Mr. Jerichau?

Henderson, when you get upset like this,

it must have something to do with that awful creature.

It's gone.

And I have to try and find it,

and destroy it, if I can.

A Megasoid?

I told you, I never wanted to even hear you say that word.

My smuggling it to earth is a capital offense, Laura.

I know.

It was a calculated risk

with tremendous scientific potential

of being able to study that beast on my own, without interference.

It's probably on a killer rampage right now.

No, no, no. It's entering a reproductive cycle.

Oh, Henderson.

Oh, if it reproduces,

our whole world is in danger.

I'll be back as soon as I can.

I don't think you ought to leave the house.

What is it?

I'm Henderson James.

I met you about a year ago

at a symposium on Cygnian psychology.

Oh, yes, Mr. James.

The one with the brilliant work

on universal communications.

What do you want, Mr. James?

Do you have access to the duplication center?

What?

You worked there for many years.

I helped to originate the duplication process.

Why?

I need a duplicate.

You want to bootleg one?

A respectable, outstanding, scientific brain like you?

Are you serious? It's a prime felony.

Automatic life.

How much do you need to give yourself a new start?

You must want it awful bad.

Do you know anything about duplicates?

How much?

$100,000.

It is my neck, too.

Whatever you have in mind, Mr. James.

All right.

What is it? What's the job?

I want him programmed to find and kill a Megasoid.

A Megasoid?

Uh-huh.

Here, on earth?

And in its reproductive cycle.

It's got to be alone.

There's just one place it can hide.

Unnoticed.

Good evening. My name is Henderson James.

I, uh...

I know the general public are not encouraged

to inquire into the matter and method of duplication but, uh...

Not since tight federal regulations went into effect.

Mr. James, what can I do for you?

A few elementary questions in connection with my studies

in universal communication.

I'll be glad to help if I can.

How long...

How long are duplicates permitted to live?

Suppose one is created,

say at, uh, 7:00?

Midnight. Whether it's mission has been completed or not.

It can be programmed to return to its original in less time

but in any case it must be destroyed within 5 hours.

The reason, as I understand it,

is the possibility of the duplicate becoming too aware...

Of what he is?

Reconstitution of memory.

Contacts, association, stimuli.

Every experience triggers more memories.

And the more people he talks to, the more...

Aware he, uh, becomes.

Exactly.

In time, the memory will be fully reestablished,

as in the original.

He becomes human. And aware.

Conditions, then become chaotic.

There have been several cases

where it was not the duplicate who was destroyed.

I see.

Thank you.

He is telepathic.

Has a lightning mind.

A Megasoid has no compunction about killing.

I must not let it talk to me.

I must not talk to it.

Hey, there.

You can't sleep in here like that. We're closing up.

What was that you were saying? A Megasoid?

Do you know where it is?

Back on its own planet, I hope.

There's a replica of one in there you can look at

if you want to. That's frightening enough.

Oh.

You've been drinking?

I'm thirsty.

Maybe we better call your home.

Have them come after you.

What's your name, mister?

My name?

My name is Henderson James.

Where do you live, Mr. James?

Summit Avenue.

My name is Henderson James and I live on summit Avenue.

Uh-huh.

And when did you get here?

I don't know.

I better call the police.

No.

I haven't been injured.

Why don't you see if you've been robbed?

No billfold?

Keys?

Money?

Nothing?

I must have changed my clothes

and forgotten to take my billfold and keys along.

If you're closing up, I'd better go.

You're sure you're all right now?

Yes, thank you. I'm all right now.

That's what the gun is for,

to kill the Megasoid.

Don't shoot. I won't harm you.

You've been waiting for me.

With your telepathic powers, you've been in contact with me

ever since you escaped.

Not with you. With Henderson James.

You're a shadow. A temporary Henderson James.

Created to do one special job and then be done away with.

I'm flesh and blood.

A temporary. No existence. No memory.

You are a duplicate.

Sure you're going to be all right?

Yes. Thank you.

You don't have to bother yourself anymore.

Oh, Mr. James. Well, how nice to see...

Oh. Hello? Why?

They wanted to take me home,

but I had them bring me here instead.

I think they want to make sure that you know me.

Oh.

Ah, how nice to see you. Come on in, Mr. James.

I can't come in. There's no time.

I think you better until our friends go.

Now, come on in, Mr. James.

So good to see you, Mr. James.

I've got to make sure that I kill the Megasoid.

I wounded it, I know.

Good, they're gone. Now, what is it?

The Megasoid.

What are you talking about?

Are you drunk?

But the Megasoid...

Forget it, will you?

Let's not have anymore talk about Megasoids.

There aren't any left, Mr. James. Remember?

They haven't been permitted since 1986.

It would be possible to smuggle one in.

For the right price, the space captain could bring one in,

couldn't he, captain Emmet?

The price was paid, Mr. James, by you and by me.

Now, l-let's not have anymore talk about these Megasoids, please.

We both took a terrible risk.

Are you cracking up?

I... I... I've never seen you like this before.

Am I different?

Well, no, it's... it's just that you talk rather strangely.

It's most important that we find out

all we can about alien behaviorism,

alien communication.

So much to learn from the higher forms of life.

Megasoid is the most intelligent

of all space creatures.

Telepathic.

Natural 6th sense.

The ability to rationate.

So much I know, and...

I can't publish because it would reveal

my having had my own Megasoid for the past 2 years.

Look here, would you mind telling me something?

What is the matter with you? What is wrong with you?

Wrong? What could be wrong?

You find something unusual? Something strange?

No, no. It's just that we've been over all of this years ago.

What is it you want right now?

I want... I want to find...

I'm trying to remember.

Remember what?

Oh, look, this whole thing is asinine.

Come on, I'm taking you home.

I gave the gardener strict orders

never to go in the cottage cellar.

He left the door open.

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute. Are you trying to tell me

that thing escaped, is that it?

Answer me.

I found it in the space zoo.

It was hiding there. I tried to kill it. I wounded it.

And it escaped.

You must have laid it low,

or we would have heard of it by now.

It would have killed half the city.

Just you remember, Mr. James, that you promised to protect me

and you're hardly doing that by coming here.

Yes, and if you got any ideas about me going out and killing that thing,

well, you really must be out of your mind.

Now, listen, I wouldn't tangle with that thing again

for all the money in the world.

It's not thinking of killing now.

What do you mean? It's... it's always thinking of killing. It's...

Unless it's in the reproductive stage, is it?

Yes.

That's why I have to be sure it's dead before day break.

Are you bereft of all of your senses?

Look, you can't treat a thing like this so lightly.

You've got to report it to the police, and right now.

No!

What do you mean, no? You've no choice in the matter.

If this thing is bearing young,

there'll be hundreds of them loose in no time at all.

Now look, either you do it or I'm going to do it.

Look, I... I'll tell them that we saw one.

Did I forget my home number before?

Or am I remembering, as a duplicate would accumulate memory.

Hello?

Hello?

Hello, Laura.

Where are you, Henderson?

Did you take care of what you had to do?

Yes.

Yes, I... I think so.

What do you mean, you think so, Henderson?

When are you coming home?

Henderson!

Yes, Princess.

I'll be home as soon as I can.

Did you say, "Princess"?

Who is it?

Just a minute.

Hello? Who is this? This is Henderson James here speaking.

Whoever it was hung up.

It was Henderson James.

What?

That's what he said.

A fraud.

He called me, "Princess."

You haven't called me that in years.

I, uh...

I had to have a duplicate made.

How could you?

Why, they wouldn't give you a permit.

Not for a thing like this.

I bootlegged one, just for the purpose of killing a Megasoid.

He must have done it.

But he didn't say he killed it.

Only that he thought he had.

Then why did he call here?

Maybe...

Maybe he found out he's a duplicate.

Maybe...

Maybe he doesn't want to die.

What right did you have to take creation in your own hands?

Oh, what a mess you've gotten yourself into.

Thanks for the sympathy, my loyal wife.

Oh, Henderson!

Henderson, do you know who he sounded like on the phone?

No, tell me.

Like you, many years ago.

Well...

I hope I'm not intruding, but I want to see you.

Surely. Come in.

Well, have you come to apologize for the crack on the head

or merely to tell me that you finished off the Megasoid?

Well, how did you know it escaped?

You yourself told me a little earlier.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. I forgot.

I was so upset when it got away.

Upset? You were out of your mind.

You didn't know if you killed it or merely wounded it.

Oh, yes, and that bit about me smuggling it in for you.

Repeating the same thing all over again.

Like I said, I'm sorry. Everything is all right,

now that the Megasoid is dead.

Oh, then you did go back and kill it, eh?

But you can't be sure, can you, Mr. James? Because you didn't kill it.

Although it probably is dead or we would've heard something about it by now.

Who else would have done it?

Yes.

That is the question I've been asking myself.

Who else, indeed?

Who was that other man that was here a little while ago?

Where is your other self, Mr. James? Where is your duplicate?

I didn't hear you come in.

Hello, Princess.

You know...

I think I like your hair better the other way.

How was that?

Long and casual.

I haven't worn it that way in 5 years.

It was a nice time in our marriage.

Before ambition consumed you.

I'm thinking about how it was before,

when we first came to this house.

My excitement, knowing you were going

to have all the things I dreamed for you.

Are you going to be working now?

A few details to clean up.

It will be all right?

It is all right.

All right.

All right.

How did you suspect?

Hmm.

Well, I... I know you pretty well after all these years.

You're a man who likes a good laugh and you got the money to buy it.

But you don't have enough courage, Mr. James.

Not nearly enough to take on a Megasoid single-handedly.

Uh, tell me, how did you swing that duplication permit?

The usual way, I presume?

I knew a scientist at the center.

Ah!

Well, he won't have to worry about his future, will he?

When it comes to bribes, you were never cheap.

Of course, I could be trusted with a secret, too, you know.

You're in no position for blackmail.

Illegal Megasoids, illegal duplicates, what's the difference?

I don't know about that, you know?

I... I figured I'm entitled to something

for this crack in the back of the head.

The question is, now, who do I collect it from?

You or your duplicate?

Or is he already destroyed?

No, he's not destroyed and it's not gonna be easy now.

He's talked to too many people,

my wife, you, and I don't know how many others.

He's probably filled in a great deal

of information about me already.

And if somebody told him he's a duplicate...

I see, and he may want to destroy you instead, eh?

He's programmed to return to my home at midnight.

Oh?

Well, that's 45 minutes from now.

I see, you want somebody to do that job for you as well, eh, Mr. James?

That's the real reason why you came here tonight, isn't it?

I can't do it.

Be like killing a twin brother.

Yes, I... I imagine it would.

You, uh,

you do remember the price you paid me for the Megasoid job, I hope.

Yeah.

Yes, I remember.

What else can I do?

You wait at the cottage, Emmet. You can see the gate from there.

I'll go up to the house.

11:40.

He'll be here in 20 minutes.

You're here, aren't you?

What are you waiting for? Why don't you shoot and get it over with?

I don't know.

It would have been easier than shooting the Megasoid.

May I turn around?

Of course.

If you held it, would you shoot me?

I'd have to.

I suppose that sounds cruel.

The cruelty was giving me the privilege of knowing what life is.

But you're a duplicate. You were created

just for the purpose of killing a Megasoid.

Did you?

I don't know.

Then you failed in your purpose. You have no place here.

You should have made sure that I didn't accumulate your memories.

You should have arranged it, so it would have been

quick and painless.

I couldn't govern that.

A man has to be responsible for what he does.

You can't kill me.

No.

I came because you have me programmed to return.

And because my mind had started to become

crowded with your life and memories.

Those that I've seen, have great promise.

Well...

I'm sorry for that.

Why must I die?

Not die. You'll just go back to nothingness.

Must I?

Now that I know what living is,

why can't I have the same rights as other human beings?

The same dreams.

You poor fool, you still don't see, do you?

In time you'd catch up. You'd be just like I am now.

You think you'd find that attractive?

Would I despise myself then?

You didn't answer me.

Would I despise myself when I accumulate all your memories?

Don't try and find the answer.

Could it be worse than nothingness?

I almost guessed.

It simply wasn't

possible for one man to have 2 personalities.

Or I should say...

For 2 men to have one personality.

Even that isn't quite right, is it?

Laura.

Am I supposed to guess which one is the duplicate?

We're identical.

Except that I haven't reached his point of mental development or age.

Isn't so much that I'm a duplicate, as a ghost.

The ghost of his past.

Perhaps you'd prefer that past.

Strange.

One of you is the man I married.

And the other, the man I love.

And you should both be one.

Either way, all you got to look forward to...

Is me.

But I don't have to follow the path you set.

Now that you know your mistakes.

If you can change the future,

I can change the past.

If that were possible

Laura wouldn't have to choose between the man she married

and the man she loves.

Yes?

Mr. James, there's a thing out on the grounds.

Someone is lying there in the bushes.

Emmet.

Captain Emmet, what's he doing here?

You don't have to tell me. I know.

He was supposed to transfer me to nothingness.

Your memory is accumulating rapidly.

You've almost caught up to me.

I better go out there and make sure that it's dead.

To accomplish my purpose.

How could you

let him go out there alone?

That's his only purpose for staying alive.

Is that the truth, Henderson?

Or this your way of having him destroyed?

You said, "if he could change the future",

"why couldn't you change the past?"

It's not a very good start.

Henderson?

Hello?

I want to speak to Mr. James. Henderson James.

Who is this, please?

Mrs. James?

Yes.

Just give him a message.

Tell him if he hasn't had a visitor yet,

there's nothing to worry about.

The duplicate?

He told you?

What about the duplicate?

Tell him that I have taken care of that.

I took extra precautions.

I put control poison in the bloodstream.

Poison?

That's right.

It's set for 5 hours.

He'll be dead, midnight, tonight.

Mrs. James?

Dead.

Both dead.

The Megasoid and the other one.

It's really all over now, Laura.

Is it too late?

Is it, Princess?

Who are you?

I don't know even know which one you are.

They were both me.

And we both loved you.

A man phoned.

He left a message.

He took a special precaution.

He put a slow...

Poison in the duplicates bloodstream.

In 5 hours...

Henderson?

All the while he was coming to life, he was dying

and not knowing it.

I love you, Princess.

In all the universe, can there be creatures.

More strange than the species called man?

He creates and destroys.

He fumbles and makes mistakes.

But the thing which distinguishes him.

Is his ability to learn from his mistakes.

We now return control of your television set to you.

Until next week at the same time.

When the control voice will take you to...

The outer limits.