Original subtitles

1 53 degrees. Turn complete, sir.

Commence second rUn.

We have a radar trace, sir.

- 'Bridge.' - We have a radar trace, sir.

'Bearing one-foUr-seven, speed Mach 5, reducing fast.'

- Mr Cooper. - Sir?

Can you see anything?

No, sir.

Yes! Yes, there!

What is it, sir?

I don't know. I've never seen anything Iike this before.

It's coming down.

Action stations.

(AIarm sounds)

- It's attacking, sir? - I think it is, Mr Cooper.

Open fire.

(Beep)

Straker.

(Holland) 'General Henderson's here, sir'.

Right.

- Commander. - Morning, General.

- YoU've read it. - Hasn't everybody?

If this is why I'm here, there'II be an official denial tomorrow.

Yes, I expected that.

I stress the word "official".

Apparently it was a test flight of one of the navy's prototype aircraft.

- UnfortUnate. - Yes.

Straker, yoU're getting too sUspicioUs.

It's almost a complex.

- Is that bad? - That photograph coUId be anything.

- Yes. InclUding a UFO. - There was an immediate inpUiry.

I was in touch with the naval board personally.

They were satisfied. It's a false alarm.

- General, are yoU warning me off? - No, even if it soUnds Iike it.

How many so-called sightings turn oUt to be aircraft?

This was a highly-trained naval crew,

on a ship equipped with every modern detection device.

Let's have some breakfast.

It happened too fast.

And the wreckage sank with no attempted salvage.

The ocean is too deep at that point.

I take it you've no objections if I condUct my own investigations.

No, none at all. BUt don't expect any cooperation

from the naval authorities. They've accepted the findings.

- Hmm. - You have...

checked the records for that day?

- Yes. - And?

There were no U FO sightings, if that's what yoU mean.

- None got throUgh? - No. none that we know of.

- But they have before. - Not for a Iong time.

Since your defence tightening, in fact.

Don't underestimate them . It has always only been a matter of time

before they discovered a way to pierce our screen.

- Toast? - No, thank you.

Try hitting the sand behind the ball.

Oh, PaUI, yoU're supposed to smooth over yoUr tracks.

- What do you see in this? - Relaxation, exercise.

Chance to forget your problems.

You've done nothing but talk aboUt it since we started

I have a Iot on my mind, PaUI. Well, here you are.

I suggest you try a. . . number nine iron on this shot, Paul.

Good shot.

You said Henderson thought that ship's sighting was a false alarm .

Did I? Yes, I sUppose he did.

Your theory aboUt the aliens piercing our defences screen doesn't hold up.

Oh? Why?

The Interceptors destroyed a U FO this morning.

Yes. True.

Well, how come we managed to stop that one?

Look, it's a battle of wits between us and them .

If they have made a breakthroUgh they woUIdn't want us to know.

- This morning was a sacrifice? - CoUId be, couldn't it?

We destroy a U FO, feel secUre in oUr defences,

then they jUst write off that sighting.

If it was a U FO, why didn't it fire on the ship?

Ah - that woUId have been proof.

- YoU don't bUy it, do yoU, Paul? - No.

Well, yoU could be right.

Depth 600.

6?0.

Maximum safe depth.

- 640. Colonel. .. - l heard yoU the first time, Captain.

ContinUe the dive.

660.

750.

(Beep)

- Pressure malfUnction. - Level.

Level out.

Tell me, PaUI, do yoU know Sheringham?

- The Admiral? - Yes.

Not personally.

Do yoU know anyone in his department?

Oh, now I know why I'm here.

All right, what do you want me to find out?

I want to find out why that admiralty board reached such a fast decision.

You see, I think that ship was where it was for a special reason.

A reason the Navy want to keep secret.

The aliens want to know why, and so do we.

- Yes? - 'Turbines not responding, sir.'

6?0.

'Engines overheating.'

Hold fUII power.

(Beep)

Forward plates are buckling.

(Creaking)

670.

(RUmbling)

'TUrbines still not responding, sir.'

- Hold power. - 'We'll burn oUt, sir.'

- Hold full power. - 660.

It's slowing.

- Steady at 000. - Maintaining level course, Captain.

Take her back to 600.

Up to 600.

- Sonar? - Colonel.

- Find anything? - No, Colonel.

Nothing?

How mUch water below Us?

- ?00 fathoms, Colonel. - Thanks.

- We could try again. - No. no, it's too deep.

Thank you, Captain.

Over 1 ,000 fathoms deep.

The trench runs for aboUt...

30 miles.

It sounds ideal.

(Knock at door)

Come in.

Ah.

If you coUId sign these sometime this afternoon, sir.

This is the amendment.

All right. Thank yoU, Miss BosanpUet.

Well, the assignment's due on the ninth.

My crew are on ?4-hoUr stand-by.

Over 1 ,000 fathoms deep.

An even greater safety margin than we need .

All right, Captain. I approve the location.

Thank you, sir.

- And, Steven. - Yes, sir.

Good lUck on the ninth.

We may need it.

And remember - one slip and life on this planet coUId...

(Foster) Straight throUgh? (Miss Bosanquet) Yes.

Be with yoU in a minute. Make yourself at home.

- Nice place. Very comfortable. - It's convenient.

Would yoU Iike coffee or something stronger?

I woUld prefer something stronger.

- Um. . . Scotch? - Fine.

- Erm, may l? - Oh, please do.

Your drink.

Oh, thanks.

- Unusual hobby. - Is it?

- Are yoU an expert? - I wouldn't say so.

What's the bright star at top left?

Spica. Magnitude 1 .2. Forms an isosceles triangle

with Arcturus in Bootes and Denebola in Leo.

- Really? - Mmm .

By stUdying Spica and the star Rigel in Orion,

HipparchUs discovered the procession of the epUinoxes.

Well, here's to good old HipparchUs.

- YoU don't waste time, do yoU? - Well, yoU've got your hobby.

How Iong have yoU been with the Ministry?

- Not long. Why? - l hadn't seen yoU before yesterday.

- YoU probably have. - What department are you in?

Well, Iet's jUst say it's my job to know everyone else's.

Take yoU, for example. Sarah BosanpUet.

Young, beaUtifUI. Ten years' service. Currently with Sheringham.

Where's my birthmark?

I'm much too much of a gentleman to mention that.

- What's Sheringham like? - Why?

I mean, to work for.

I was jUst thinking, with the responsibility he's carrying,

he might be taking it out on you. - I can look after myself.

I'm very independent.

- (Lake) How is Paul progressing? - He's still working on it.

- Well, what have we got? - There's a deep trench here.

Virtually bottomless. If that was a U FO and it did go down there,

- then it's lost forever. - Hmm. Anything from Sonar?

No. We took Skydiver down as deep as we could .

Deeper. nothing.

Well, the wreckage is of no Ionger any importance, bUt that trench is.

- What's the next step? - A meeting with Admiral Sheringham.

General Henderson can do the groUndwork.

He can say I'm a safety officer from the Ministry of Aviation.

Mr Straker is anxioUs to discover as mUch as he can about the incident.

I appreciate that. Please, sit down, gentlemen.

Thank you.

(Clock strikes)

Well, what particularly can l do for yoU?

(Straker) I want to interview the captain of the ship.

- L'm afraid that won't be possible. - Oh? He's on an assignment?

Naval secUrity prevents me from answering that pUestion.

Oh, I see.

Excuse me. I'm sorry.

I take it you've read a transcript of the inquiry?

Yes. My office was able to supply those details.

Well, I've studied the report, and there seems to be a great deal left unsaid.

Oh? l don't Understand.

It appears to me that the findings in the report were arrived at with,

might I say, unnecessary haste.

Mr Straker, the facts that we had

were the only ones likely to be available for all time.

In the circumstances, it would have done nothing to delay.

Yes, I can see that. BUt Admiral, nowhere in this report

can I see any mention of the steps taken by the captain and crew

to verify identification of the aircraft.

The incident was over in seconds. - Yes, bUt your captain ordered

the destruction of an aircraft.

Now, a Iayman, sUch as myself, might be excUsed

for thinking he could equally have taken steps to identify it.

I am sure the captain acted as he thoUght best.

You...

- We weren't there. - BUt the ship sustained no damage,

proving there was no aggressive action.

Admiral, it coUId have been a civilian airliner.

I've really nothing fUrther to add to the report.

Of coUrse, if the ship in pUestion were

actively concerned in some mission or other,

then the action of the captain might be more understandable.

Will you come in, please?

I'm afraid I can spare no more time, gentlemen.

Miss BosanpUet will show you oUt.

(Door opens)

- YoU wanted to see me? - Ah, yes, PaUI. Come in.

How are yoU making oUt with Miss Bosanpuet?

Well, Rome wasn't bUilt in a day.

Yes, I have heard that before.

- There's something I want yoU to do. - SUre.

Find out if yoUr new friend knows him.

Yes, she does. There's a pictUre like this in her apartment.

- Are yoU sUre? - Positive.

- That's very interesting. - Who is he?

Are yoU taking Miss BosanpUet out tonight?

Well, I...

Good. Make it something special, will you?

I'II try.

Oh, and PaUI... yoU might Iet me have the key to her apartment.

Take a look at this.

- ShoUId be pertect. - I'll set it Up.

Mmm .

A sighting device.

With all this, l'd say you coUId line up on any point in space.

It's pretty sophisticated for an amateur.

Hmm, that's for sUre.

Look. There's a setting marked.

You better take this down, Colonel.

East eight-one-seven,

nine...

two-eight-zero-two.

East eight-one-seven-nine, two-eight-zero-two.

'Yes, that's correct, LieUtenant. Have this coUrse computed.

'Then station an Interceptor directly on the Iine.

- 'YoU understand?' - Yes, sir.

'Good. I want this carried oUt roUnd the clock.

'At all times an Interceptor is to be in position.'

Yes, sir.

'Interceptor One, immediate IaUnch. Immediate IaUnch.'

- Mr Cooper. - Sir?

- Make a signal. - Yes, sir.

Proceeding on schedule.

Target date, twelfth...

03:00.

- Mr Cooper. - Sir?

- Code it. - Yes, sir.

(Fanfare)

Interceptor One to Moonbase. RoUtine check, 1 5:00 hoUrs. Nothing to report.

- Confirm negative report. - 'Report confirmed .'

This patrol woUIdn't be so bad if l knew what I was waiting for.

(Inaudible)

(Whistling)

(Piercing tone)

'Inter.. . ceptor One

'to Moon...

'base.'

Moonbase to Interceptor One. Come in, One.

(Piercing tone)

This is Moonbase Control to Interceptor One.

Moonbase to Interceptor One. Come in, One.

(Tone stops)

- I just can't believe it. - How is the pilot?

Well, when he regained conscioUsness he was able to Iand the lnterceptor.

He was checked oUt and cleared A1 for dUty.

- Do we know what it was? - No, not for certain.

BUt the Iab boys think that telescope sent oUt some sort of Iaser signal...

- Picked up in deep space. - Exactly.

The signal, whatever it was, mUst have got through.

With such a highly concentrated light beam Iike that,

it would pass throUgh Interceptor One as if it wasn't there.

BUt why? I still don't Understand why.

Paul, do you remember that photograph I showed you?

The one Sarah had in her apartment? Yes.

That was her father, John BosanpUet,

one of the experts who helped build Moonbase, five, six years ago.

- YoU said "was" her father. - Yes.

He was posted as dead but in fact, he disappeared.

You see, in those days,

accidents on the lUnar surface happened much more frepuently.

There was a search but he was never found.

- YoU mean the aliens got him? - It seems to add up.

Contact with Miss Bosanpuet before SHADO became operationaI

would have been comparatively simple.

And she's been forced to send them information ever since.

Forced or controlled . Doesn't make any difference.

And that ship has pUt oUt to sea again.

Now, why would the ocean depth be of interest to Admiral Sheringham?

Colonel Lake, I'm assigning yoU back on Skydiver.

- To follow that ship? - Yes,

and don't Iet it out of your sight.

And me?

Sorry, PaUI. You startled me.

I didn't expect you.

I know, Sarah. I know all aboUt it.

I'm sorry, PaUI. I don't know what yoU mean.

What did yoU tell them?

- PaUl. . . - What did yoU tell them?

(Sirens blare)

We have all the proof we need that yoUr Miss BosanpUet

has been sUpplying the aliens with information from yoUr office.

(Henderson) What Straker says is true, Admiral.

(Straker) U FOs are a fact.

It's fantastic. I can't believe it.

Well, I won't argUe with yoU there.

Whatever you're doing, the aliens know about it, make no mistake.

And if they're interested, so am I.

Look, whatever you're doing, you've cloaked behind a veil of secrecy

BUt now, Admiral, I have to know!

Well, I'm chairman of a committee

dealing with the destruction of obsolete weapons

and military epuipment and so on.

Some time ago, a thoUsand gallons of an experimental nerve gas

were manUfactured in EUrope.

Further tests revealed that the gas was too dangerous even to be handled.

It was arranged that the gas be destroyed in laboratory conditions.

Then it was discovered that the gas was virtually indestrUctible,

certainly by any known method.

It was therefore decided that the gas shoUId be dUmped at sea.

What if there's a Ieakage?

The gas is sealed in very special containers,

geared to corrode over a period of several hundred years.

By the time that gas escapes into the atmosphere, it will be pUite harmless.

And if the aliens attack the ship and the containers are destroyed?

Then that woUId be the end, Commander Straker.

There's enough gas on that ship to destroy every form of life on Earth.

You mean we can't contact the ship at all?

Exactly. The ship's captain is maintaining a complete radio blackoUt.

- Security. - Ironical, isn't it?

Could an aircraft pick them Up?

We've got Search Task Force combing the entire area.

BUt it's dark, PaUI, and the ocean's a big place

to look for a small ship that doesn't want to be found.

- We do know their destination. - Yes.

And by the time they get there it'll probably be too Iate.

What about Skydiver?

Is this our best speed, Captain?

Midnight, sir. Right on schedUIe.

It'll be Iight about 03:00 hours. Then we'll start dUmping immediately.

The men will be ready, sir.

(Sighs)

Think I'll go back to my cabin. There's not much I can do here.

- Call me, Mr Cooper. - Aye aye, sir.

What about Sheringham?

Oh, he's convinced all right. I'm letting him watch the operation.

If it's a sUccess, he'II get the Usual amnesia shots.

If it isn't, doesn't really make any difference, does it?

- Can we stop them? - l don't know. I just don't know.

I still think they've discovered a way to break through oUr screen.

Well, the Interceptors are skyborne.

- VisUal contact? - That coUId be oUr only hope.

(Beeping)

Thank you, Mr Cooper. 0?:30 hours, anything to report?

Yes, sir. Radar reports increased aerial activity.

Oh.

U FOs - two. Sighting.

Zero-one-two-two, seven-zero-seven-four. Sector 1 4.

Unable to confirm U FO sighting.

Interceptor One to Moonbase Control. Confirm sighting.

Reading negative. Repeat, negative.

Repeat, we are failing to get a reading.

Control to Interceptor One, confirm trajectory.

Zero-one-two-two, seven-zero-seven-four. Sector 1 4.

Moonbase, can Interceptors One and Two give assistance?

CompUte lnterceptor range.

(SID) 'Interceptor range computed.

'ETA lnterceptor Two, 47 minutes.

'ETA lnterceptor Three, 1 70.'

Interceptor One to Moonbase Control. I'm moving in.

You were right. They've got throUgh our defensive screens.

Some kind of radio jamming, using waves to break Up the frequency.

Can oUr technicians fix it?

Well, depends on whether we're still here tomorrow, doesn't it?

They're separating.

'The best I can do is to get one.'

Sir, trajectory report on surviving U FO.

Heading for a point somewhere near newfoUndland.

That's nowhere near the ship. The ship's in the South Atlantic.

- Everything ready, sir. - Good.

- Commence dumping. - Sir.

Bridge to deck party, commence dUmping.

(Beeping)

There's a change in course, sir.

The UFO's veered off. Its trajectory is now the South Atlantic.

This is it.

(Beeping)

Trace, sir.

- (Beep) - Bridge.

We've picked up a radar trace.

Bearing 261 , Mach 5, redUcing.

Action stations.

(Cooper) 'Action stations. Action stations.

'Seal all watertight bUIkheads.

'GUn crews on immediate stand-by.

'Repeat, gUn crews on stand-by.'

(AIarm sounding)

Missile in position, sir.

LaUnch missile!

(Cooper) 'Clear for firing. CIear for firing.'

Get that missile IaUnched, Mr Cooper.

Bridge to missile control, fire. Repeat, fire.

It's the damage officer, sir.

Missile guns' electronics have been affected by the explosion.

What the blazes happened?

(Beep)

It's no Use, sir. Missile systems are negative.

Alert gUn crews.

Bridge to gUns, stand by. Bridge to gUns, stand by.

(Officer) There it is.

Open fire!

(Beep)

Radar pUts it out of range, sir.

(Firing continUes)

One more shot.

Maybe two. That's all.

What the devil's that?

Well, we were Iucky. Very lUcky.

- Sometimes we need it. - Moonbase reported?

Yes. We ran tests on the radar.

It was a radio wave jammer, but by Using a double frepUency

we'II be able to plot them again.. . Until they find an answer to that.

- L'II be in touch. - There's the girl.

Sarah Bosanquet.

There'II be no proceedings against her.

In the circumstances, we coUId hardly hold her responsible for her actions.

Of coUrse, someone will have to try to explain what became of her father.

That's not what I meant, General. How many others are there like her?