Ep001 | "No Contact"

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Visit lifelock.com slash podcast. Terms apply. Countdown for blastoff. X minus five, minus four, minus three, minus two. X minus 1. Fire. From the far horizons of the unknown come tales of new dimensions in time and space. These are stories of the future, adventures in which you'll live in a million could-be years on a thousand maybe worlds. The National Broadcasting Company presents X minus one. Tonight's story, No Contact.

It was in the year of 1982 that spacemen first discovered the great galactic barrier. In the past ten years, rocket travel to the moon and the nearer planets had become commonplace. And then men fixed their sights on a more distant star. a remote planet known as Volta. Five exploratory ships went out and none came back, each in turn disappearing mysteriously at the same vanishing point, at an invisible wall somewhere in the vast outer reaches.

that became known as the wrecker of spaceships, the Galactic Reef. And yet, the explorers refused to admit defeat. It was on June the 2nd, 1987, that the rocket's star cloud made ready for takeoff. The sixth to attempt to crack the barrier and win through to Volta. Now hear this. Condition green. Two minutes to blast off. Condition green. Two minutes to...

Blastoff. Well, Lewis, this is it. I don't suppose you'll be needing the ship's doctor up here on the bridge during blastoff? I think not, Smitty. There's little chance of acceleration bends in these new overdrive ships. I'll be in my office then, counting vitamin pills if you need me.

It's only a few steps. Good luck, Lewis. Thank you, Smitty. Lieutenant Collier. Yes, sir? You're relieved. You'd better get down to navigation control and take over. Yes, sir. Lieutenant. Yes, sir? We've never flown together before. This is your first flight in a space vessel as big as the Star Cloud. Yes, sir, but I was trained in oversized jobs at the Naval Academy. Well, if you're half as good a navigator as your father was, you'll do fine. Thank you, sir.

Did you ship out with my father? I served under him on one of the first rocket runs to the moon. I see. I almost went along on his last trip to the barrier. Too bad about that. Yes, sir. That's all, Collier. Lieutenant Paulison. Get me the ground control tower on the field. I want to talk to Colonel Harrison. Yes, sir. Go ahead, sir. I've patched in the bridge speaker. Colonel Harrison. Yes, Captain. We're standing by for takeoff in 30 seconds. Good.

The field is cleared of all personnel. We'll try to reestablish radio contact immediately after takeoff. In any event, there'll be a 24-hour ground monitor. Fine. Good luck. Hope you make it. Thank you. Bridge to navigation control. Control, call you. Ready, Lieutenant? We're ready, Captain. The course is in the integrator for takeoff at 1,200 hours. All right. Stand by for blastoff. Bridge to engine room. Fire up your rocket chambers. Takeoff at exactly 1,200 hours.

I'll read you off. 20 seconds. 19, 18, 17, 16. Hold it. Revoke all orders. Who turned in that alarm? We've uncovered a stowaway. Stowaway where? Hiding in sickbay. Dr. Smithson found him. Have him brought up to the bridge. Engine room, kill your rockets and stand by. Thorson, this is Colonel Harrison in ground control.

What's holding you up? Trouble. What's the matter with you? What's the matter with you? There's a stowaway aboard. Stowaway? Yes, I thought your men were supposed to police this base. What's the matter with you? All right, Captain, take it easy. You know what this delay can do to us, don't you? One minute later, takeoff can throw us a million miles off course.

We'll have to reintegrate the whole works. Well, look, how long do you think it'll take you to... Don't bother for me for a while. I'm busy. Stupid idiot. Captain Pawson? Yes, come in, Smitty. Here's your store, eh? Well, Port Marshal... Oh. Charlie. Can you use a good radio man, Skipper? Well, I see you two have met. Met. Skipper and me made 50 trips to the moon together. Didn't we, Skipper? Charlie, if you wanted to come along, why didn't you volunteer? I did, Skipper. They...

They turned me down. What's wrong with you? Acceleration bends. They said my arteries wouldn't stand another trip. I'm sorry to hear that. But they're wrong, Skipper. I got one more good trip in me. Listen, Skipper, you...

You know that these green kids, they don't know the first thing about space radio operation. Now, you put a man like me on and out. I'll be getting you bedtime stories from Mars. Charlie, you know the regulations as well as I do. I can't take you much as I'd like to.

Colonel Harrison will murder me for this. Well, I'm sorry, Charlie. I'll have you put a ground. I'll tell you what, I'll ask Harrison to put you on his ground radio contact, and it'll seem as if you're right here with us. He won't do it, sir. Well, he'd better. I'll have him busted for the corporal for letting you sneak aboard. Look, Charlie, look, you'd better be off. Polison. Yes, sir. I'm sending this man aground. Give him time to clear the launching platform. Yes, sir.

So long, Charlie. I'm... I'm sorry. Good luck, Skipper. I thought you were going to have him drawn and quartered. If it had been anyone else, I would have, Smitty. But Charlie, well... He's kind of special. He's been with me since my first command when we began the regular run to the moon. And if he wanted to come along this time, well, it's only through loyalty to me. You know, Lewis, I didn't realize it before, but you're almost human.

Captain Dawson, Nav Control Collier. Oh, yes, Lieutenant. How badly are we fouled up? Can you recalculate the course, or shall I cancel the takeoff? I've already plotted a new course on the integrator, sir. If we take off in exactly 30 seconds, we'll need to correct for only a one-degree deflection. I can do that...

before we breach the stratosphere. That's quick work. Are you sure? Yes, sir. Positive, sir. All right, Collier. I'm putting it in your hands. We'll blast off on your signal. Bridge to engine room. Prepare to blast off on navigator's signal. How are we doing, Collier? Coming on the bearings, sir. That's four, three, two, zero. We've intersected the course vector. Good work, Collier. Course is corrected, sir.

We're ready to go into atomic overdrive any time you say. All right. Stand by. Yes, sir. Now hear this. Now hear this. Prepare for maximum acceleration. Bridge to engine room. Kill your rockets. Rockets out. Fire up number one cyclotron. Fire up number two. Number two ready. Withdraw your dampening rods. Go into overdrive at the count of zero. Three seconds, Mr. Collier. Three. Two. Two. One. One. Zero. Zero.

How are we doing, Collier? On course, sir. She's running hot and true. My compliments, Lieutenant. This job would have done your father credit when he was the best navigation officer I ever saw. Thank you, sir. Start your gyros. Put her on robot control. All right, the bridge is yours, Mr. Collier. If you need me, I'll be in Dr. Smithson's office. Yes, sir.

I see you got us off the ground. You can thank young Collier for that. Chip off the old block. You knew his father? As a matter of fact, I knew him very well. First-rate spaceman. Is he the one who... Yes, yes. He was lost in the galactic barrier on the second ship we sent out to Voldemort.

Lewis, just what do you think this galactic barrier is? Oh, your guess is as good as mine, Doc. All I know is that five ships have gone into it, and none of them have come back out. You think it's a nit? How about Mestrovic's theory that it's a time warp in space?

that the ships reach it and slip into another dimension. I think that's a lot of rubbish. My theory is that the galactic barrier is nothing more than a radioactive layer of some kind. Why do you say that? Well, we know that radar signals bounce off it like they were hitting an invisible glass wall.

And we know that it destroys our ships and crews in some way. There's no other logical explanation. What makes you think we can get through it, Lewis? Because we're ready for it. The others weren't. The entire hull of this ship is completely shielded with lead.

We can crack through any radioactive cloud ever detected. Besides, we're equipped with some new UHF radio devices that should enable us to maintain radio contact with Earth. Nothing can happen. Absolutely nothing. Now, who are you trying to convince? Well, myself, I suppose. Lewis, you've had your share of glory. First skipper to reach the moon back in 1962. You could have retired. Why are you risking this trip? Five ships are missing. Men like Prentiss, Margaretson.

young Collier's father. I'm tired of seeing good men fed into that meat chopper. Then why are we going to Volta? We haven't any choice, Smitty. We're in a race, the kind of race where men and ships are expendable. According to the Interspace Code, the First Nation to reach Volta can claim it. Well, personally, I want no party. Not, Doc. I'll have to play physician, morale builder, and mother substitute for 112 slightly nervous men. Your morale doesn't sound too good, Doc.

As morale officer, I can state without fear of contradiction, it is terrible. And something tells me as we approach that galactic barrier, I'm not going to be alone. Hello, Earth. Hello, Earth. Captain Thorson of the Star Cloud calling Earth. Hello, Star Cloud. Hi, Captain. Charlie! Well, I see they haven't court-martialed you yet. No, sir, thanks to you. Well, it's good to hear you.

You can read us the funny papers on Sunday morning. All right. Now, how's our signal? Strong. Clear as a bell. Now, here's our log report for Colonel Harrison. You ready? Shoot. June 2nd, 1987. Four weeks out from Earth. Running true. No radiation. Operation normal, still making our approach to the galactic barrier. That's all, Charlie. See you later. Good luck, Captain. I sure wish I was with you.

How's the morale, Smitty? The men know we're getting closer to the barrier. They're beginning to show a little tension, Lewis. How's their physical condition? Any sickness? About half the crew has come down with space blues. I was afraid of that. Are they bad? Same as usual. Lips and hands with a bluish cast. Eyes are sensitive to infrared. I don't know. When I first started flying these tin cans, nobody ever heard of space blues.

Well, now there's a theory it's caused by the terrific acceleration of atomic overdrive. Change in gravity affects the circulation. Hmm. What do you think? I think it's psychosomatic. I've noticed that the same men who get space blues under tension on a ship... tend to get blue coloration back on Earth when they're upset. I guess it's just an occupational disease of space naturally. Uh-huh. You think it's just nerves, then? Well, young Collier's got a bad case.

I think it's tension from over. Maybe you need some vitamins. Lois, when will you realize that vitamins are not a panacea for all the troubles of mankind? Sir, I understand that you've relieved me from duty. Well, Dr. Smithson says you aren't looking very well, Collier. I'm giving you a rest. Sir, I feel perfectly able to continue. Your lips are as blue as Minnetonka. Captain, I'd like to remain at my post. Don't be foolhardy, Lieutenant. I'm not being foolhardy, sir. I have a special...

personal reason for wanting this expedition to reach Volta. Your father? Yes, sir. You think he might still be alive? I have to find out what happened, sir. I... I think I understand. Very well, Collier. Report back to duty.

What's the reading policy? We're getting a plus five radar bounce now. Coming off the barrier almost as fast as we sent it out. What's the interval? Two seconds. Shortening steadily. At this rate, we'll hit the wall in the next few minutes. All right. Alert the crew. Sound general quarters. Now, hear this. Condition red. We are now approaching the galactic barrier. All hands to stations.

All radiation detectors to be fully manned. Full security will prevail until further notice. That is all. Uh, Paulison. Yes, sir? The radar bounces up to plus six. We'd better try to make final contact with Earth. Does Spark still try to raise the base? Yes, sir, but he's not having much luck. Seems to be some interference. Oh, that's the radio room now. Yes? You got him? Well, cut in on the bridge speaker. Captain will take it from here.

Hello? Star cloud to Earth. Can you hear me, Earth? Hello, Skipper. I can barely read you. We're getting heavy static from sunspots. That's not sunspots, Charlie. We're right on top of the galactic barrier. Getting a plus... No, a plus seven radar bounce.

Expect to hit the barrier almost any second now. Good luck, Skipper. If we crack the barrier and come through still in one piece, I'll try to get back to you on the high-frequency band. Gotcha, Skipper. Don't worry. I'll be waiting. So long, Charlie. So long, Star Cloud.

Must be getting awfully close now, Captain. Echo's bouncing back so fast it's almost beating the signal. When they go inside, hold on to your hat. That's when we run into the wall. Any second. Hold on. Here goes nothing. Here it comes! Nothing happened. We made it. We made it, Captain. No radiation, no time warp, no nothing. The crew's gone crazy, sir. Let them. They've earned it.

Doc, can you break out a few bottles of snake bite serum for medicinal purposes? I sure can, Lewis. This goes for a celebration. How's your morale now? It couldn't be better. How's yours? It couldn't be better. Condition red. Condition red. Radiation detected.

Condition red. Radiation detected. Holy mackerel. Look at the needle on that indicator. Pollison. Pollison. Yes, I see it, Captain. Picking radiation like crazy. What's it like? Well, it's a strong impulse. What kind? I don't know. It's too long for a cosmic ray, too short for UHF. Whatever it is, sir, the ship is lousy. Well, track it down. Triangulate it and make it fast. I want a directional fix. Yes, sir. Engine room. Yes, sir.

We're picking up radioactivity. Is the fish in chambers? No leak here, sir. Check your gauges. Nothing here, Captain. Must be coming from outside. Damage control. Is our lead shield leaking radiation? Well, keep at it. Paulison, how are you doing? I've got it fixed, Captain. Well, what is it? Well, I'll have to recheck my figures. Now, hurry it up. Angle is correct, but I don't... Come on, man, for Pete's sake, where's the radiation coming from? Sir, it's...

It's coming from inside the ship. That's impossible. No, sir, I've checked it twice. Well, it's got to be the engines, then. If it is, sir, we're finished. Engine room. Yes, sir. That radiation must be in the overdrive pile. No, sir, it isn't here, sir. Are you certain? Yes, sir. All right, keep checking.

There's only one thing left to do. Paulison, get a Geiger counter. We're going to start combing this ship inch by inch. Yes, sir. All right, turn it on. Yes, sir. All right. Ready, Captain. We'll check the atomic guns first. Come on. We'll cut through the officers' quarters here to ordinance. I'll turn here. Wait a minute, sir. What is it? The signal's weaker now. Yeah. Let's go back.

Hold it. Hold it. Seems strongest right about here. Doesn't make sense. Whose cabin is this? Lieutenant Collier's. Collier? He's down in that control, sir. Try the door. It's not locked, sir. It's in here, all right. Listen to that counter strongest over here. Open that wall cabinet. It's locked, sir. Oh, smash it. Shut off that Geiger counter. Now, what do you make of this, Paulus?

It looks like some sort of portable transmitter, sir. It must be foreign manufactured. I don't recognize the calibration symbols at all. I've never seen anything like it. Which raises a small question. What is Lieutenant Collier doing with a transmitter in his cabin? I don't know, sir. Well, I intend to find out, Paulison. Get down to nav control and bring Collier up to the bridge on the double. Well, hadn't we better find some way to shut this thing off first? I know a way.

Lieutenant Collier, I'm going to ask a few simple questions and I want a few simple answers. Yes, sir. What were you doing with the transmitter in your cabin? Transmitter, Captain? Oh, you know nothing about it? No, sir, I don't. Do you recognize these calibration symbols? No, sir. Can you think of how it might have been placed in your cabin without your knowing it? No, sir, unless someone came in while I was on duty. Would that have been possible?

I suppose so, if someone had a key. I found your cabin door unlocked. Well, I meant a key to the wall cabinet. I didn't say the wall cabinet. Well, I... You what, Lieutenant? How could you have known it was in the wall cabinet? Well, I just assumed, sir... Lieutenant Collier, I find it hard to believe you would lie, having known and respected your father, having observed the way you handled your job. However, I intend to get to the root of this thing.

May I have your wristwatch, Lieutenant? Sir? Your wristwatch. Yes, sir. Paulison, turn on that Geiger collar. Yes, sir. Hold this watch next to it. Yes, sir. That's all. Lieutenant, if you hadn't any close contact with that transmitter, how do you explain the radioactivity of this watch? Well, I... I don't, sir. I think you'd better... To whom were you sending those signals?

Condition red! Condition red! There's your answer, Captain. What is this, Collier? Alien spaceship approach! Alien spaceship approach! Collier, who's aboard that ship? All right, now talk! Very well, Captain. My mission seems completed. Your mission? Are you admitting that you're an agent of a foreign power? I am stating it. What nation? No nation, Captain. What? I am an agent of the Voltan government. What? The government of the planet of Voltan. You're crazy. Are you so stupid, Captain?

Did you think your people are the only ones who can invade another planet? What do you mean? We've had agents operating on Earth since 1945. I don't believe you. What do you think happened to those five ships, Captain? Where do you suppose we got our information? Your language, your culture, family background. Your appearance, you look like... Like Commander Collier? Well, is that so surprising, Captain?

You see, Captain, we had a living model. I ought to kill you. That would be very foolish, Captain. I would advise you to surrender without delay. I'll deal with you later, Collier Paulison. Yes, sir. Put this man in irons. Take him away. Don't worry, sir. We'll take good care of him. Carpenter Robinson. Gunnery. Gunnery Richardson. What's the range? 10,000 meters. They're closing fast. Put your guns on radar tracking. Tracking.

Coming on the bearing. Fire. Fire, Richardson. Richardson, did you hear me? Fire! What's the matter down there? Did you hear me? Richardson, answer me. It's no use to shout, Captain. Collier, how did you get loose? Where's Paulison? Lieutenant Paulison is dead. Hall stations! Lieutenant Collier has escaped! Seize him, men! Don't waste your breath. Your men can't hear you, Captain. What? Those still alive are my men. They're mine! No, Captain. Every ship that has ever left Earth...

was controlled by a Voltan crew. That's impossible. Those were hand-picked men. Hand-picked by us. I don't believe you. No? Then why not call for help? Carpenter. Robinson, Haley, report. You see, Captain? Carpenter. Robinson. Haley. It's quite useless, Captain. I would advise you to sit very quietly and do nothing. Very well, Collier. You, Beaconess. What now? The ship will be taken to Volta for, shall we say, further experimentation. I see. Of course, there's one thing you hadn't counted on.

Just what is that, Captain? Listen! Carpenter! Are you in there, Lieutenant Carpenter? It can't all be dead. There must be one alive. Smitty! Dr. Smithson! Smitty! Smitty! What have they done to him? Lewis, I... Oh, dirty. I... Don't talk. I must lean... Lean closer. There's not much time. Lewis, space blues. Space blues? What is it, Smitty? What are you trying to tell me? All men with space blues. Voltans. Let me help you. Lord, Lewis, get the message back to Earth. Voltan, fifth.

Oh, Smitty. Oh, Smitty. Captain Thorson. Captain Thorson, you can't hide from us now. Come back to the bridge and surrender. Or my men will come and get you. Hello, Starcloud calling Earth. Oh, please, God, let me get through. It's too late. Hello, Starcloud to Earth. Come in, please. Come in, please.

Charlie, come in. Please, hurry. Hello. Oh, hello. Can you hear me, Charlie? Skipper, is that you? Are you getting my signal? It's coming in a little louder now, Skip. Keep sending. My God. Now, look, Charlie, listen to me. Not much time. Get word to Colonel Harrison. Crew mutinied. Most of crew members, Fultons. What? Fultons. Spell that. V-O-L. Fultons. That's right. They're from the planet Volta. Skipper. Skipper, are you all right? Charlie, this is serious.

They'll be here any second. Now listen, they have a fifth column on Earth. They're planning to invade you. You mean it? Of course I mean it. Tell Harrison, posing as humans, you can detect them by space blues. You got that only Fultons get space blue. Charlie, did you hear me? Space blue. I get you. They're breaking in, Charlie. I'm defending you. You warn everybody. Captain. They've opened the door. So long, Charlie. Tell her. Captain. Captain Thorson. Hello. Hello, Starcloud.

What's the trouble, Sergeant? I was just trying to raise the star cloud, Colonel. Had any luck? No, sir. No contact. No contact, eh? No, sir. Nearly an hour since they hit the galactic barrier. I don't understand why they haven't tried to get a message back. No, sir. Neither do I. Oh, all right. I'll take over for a while. Yes, you do that, sir. It's all yours. Right. Oh, and Charlie... You better go out and get yourself some coffee. You'll look a little blue around the gills.

Tonight, X-Minus One has brought you No Contact, written by George Lefferts from an original story of Lefferts and Ernest Kenoy. Featured in the cast were Louis Van Rooten as Captain, Donald Bucca as Collier, Wendell Holmes as Charlie, and Bill Griffiths, Bill Smith, Matt Crowley, and Ken Williams. Your announcer, Don Pardo. X-Minus One was directed by Fred Way.

and is a transcribed NBC Radio Network production. And now, next week. When you want to take over a world, you naturally look for its weak point. some way to catch its people off guard. We live in a world where everybody loves a parade, a world of press agents and publicity stunts. But who would ever dream that invaders from outer space would take advantage of that weakness?

and actually hire a press agent to advertise their coming. Who would believe it was anything but just another publicity gag? At least, not until the terrible moment when it was already too late. The moment of X minus one. You've been listening to the OTR Gold Network.