Countdown for blast off. X minus five, minus
four, minus three, minus two, X minus one. 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. the 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 space ships, the Galactic Reef.
And yet, the explorers refused to admit defeat.
It was on June the 2nd, 1987 that the rocket
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 blast off. Well, Lewis, this is it. I don't
suppose you'll be needing the ship's doctor up
here on the bridge during blast off. 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 Connor
Get me the ground control tower on the field.
I want to talk to Colonel Harrison Colonel Harrison
Yes, Captain? We're standing by for takeoff in
30 seconds. Good. The field's 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. Nav control, Collier. Ready, Lieutenant?
We're ready, Captain. The course is in the integrator
for takeoff at 1200 hours. All right. Stand by
for blast -off. Bridge to engine room. Fire up
your rocket chambers. Take off at exactly 1200
hours. I'll read you off. Twenty seconds. Nineteen.
Eighteen. Seventeen. Sixteen. Hold it! Revoke
all orders! Who turned in that alarm? Stowaway,
where? Have him brought up to the bridge. Engine
room, kill your rockets and stand by. Mars in
the 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 you'll take? Don't bother
for me for a while. I'm busy. Stupid idiot. Captain
Parson? Yes, come in, Smitty. Here's your stowaway.
I'll court -martial the... 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 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 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 aground. 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 to corporal for letting
you sneak aboard. Look, Charlie. Look, you'd
better be off. Paulison. Yes, sir. I'm sending
this man to ground. Give him time to clear the
launching platform. Yes, sir. So long, Charlie.
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. It's
been with me since my first command when we began
the regular run to the moon. And if you 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 calling. 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 bearing, sir. That's four, three, two, zero.
We've intersected the course vector. Good work,
Cartier. 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. Number one
ready. Fire up number two. Number two ready.
Withdraw your dampening rods. Fission chamber
ready. Glass tubes cleared. All generators operating
at capacity. 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, and he was the
best navigation officer I ever saw. Oh, 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 Mestrovich'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, Margotson, 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 Conclement. Well, personally,
I want no party. Out, Doc. I'll have to play
physician, morale builder, and mother substitute
for 112 slightly nervous men. And 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 Harris.
Are you ready? Shoot. June 2, 1987. Four weeks
out from Earth. Running through. 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 Well, how's their physical
condition? Any sickness? About half the crew
has come down with space blues. Ah, I was afraid
of that. Are they bad? Same as usual. Lips and
hands with a bluish cast. Eyes are sensitive
to infrareds. Eh, 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.
Hm, 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 natures. You think it's just nerves then?
Well, young Collier's got a bad case. I think
it's tension from overboard. Maybe he needs some
vitamins. Lewis, 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 send it out. What's the interval two seconds
shortening steadily? It's right. We'll hit the
wall in the next few minutes. All right, alert
the crew sound general quarters Now here this
condition read 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, Pauluson.
Yes, sir? The radar bounces up to plus six. We'd
better try to make final contact with Earth.
Is Sparks still trying to raise the base? Yes,
sir, but he's not having much luck. Seems to
be some interference. 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 sunspot 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 got you skipper don't
worry i'll be waiting so long charlie Must be
getting awfully close now, Captain. Echo's bouncing
back so fast, it's almost beating the signal.
When they go inside, hold onto your hat. That's
when we run into the wall. Any second. Hold on.
Here goes nothing. Here it comes! Captain. Nothing
happened. We made it. We made it captain, no
radiation, no time warp, no nothing! Now the
crew's gone crazy, sir! Well Adam, they've earned
it! Doc, can you bring 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?
Couldn't be better! Condition red! Condition
red! Radiation detected! Condition red! Radiation
detected! Holy mackerel! Look at the needle on
that indicator. Pauluson, Pauluson. Yes, I see
it, Captain. Picking radiation like crazy. What's
it like? That'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. Paulusen, how are you doing? I've got
it fixed, Captain. Well, what is it? Well, I'll
have to recheck my figures. Well, hurry it up.
Angle is correct, but I... 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. Paulusen, get a Geiger
counter. We're gonna 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 officer's quarters here to ordnance. 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 a nap control,
sir. Oh, 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. What do you make of this, Paulus?
It looks like some sort of portable transmitter,
sir. Must be foreign manufacture. 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 a 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 made a key to the wall can I
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 handle your
job. However, I intend to get to the root of
this thing. May I have your wristwatch, Lieutenant?
Sir? Your wristwatch. Yes, sir. Paulusen, turn
on Ed Geigercaller. 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'm stating it's...
What nation? No nation, Captain. What? I am an
agent of the Voltan government. The 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 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 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. Governor 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
Pauluson? Lieutenant Pauluson is dead. All 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 lying. 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, Beakness. 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? This! Carpenter! Are you in there, Lieutenant
Carpenter? They can't all be dead. There must
be one alive. Smitty! Dr. Smithson! Smitty! Smitty!
What have you done to him? We're sorry. Oh, dirty.
No, no, no, 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. No, Lewis. Get message back
to Earth. Voltan fifth column. Watch out. For
space? 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. Hello. Star cloud calling
Earth. Please, God, let me get through before
it's too late. Hello. Star cloud to Earth. Come
in, please. Come in, please. Hello. Hello. Star
cloud to Earth. Captain Thorsten calling. 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. Oh, 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 -T. Fultons. That's right. They're
from the planet Volta. Skipper, Skipper, are
you all right? Now, 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. Warn everybody. Captain.
They've opened the door. So long, Charlie. Tell
Hannah. Captain. Captain Thorson. Hello. Hello,
star cloud. 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'd better go out and
get yourself some coffee. You'll look a little
blue around the gills. Tonight, X -1 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 Buca as Collier, Wendell Holmes
as Charlie, and Bill Griffiths, Bill Smith, Matt
Crowley, and Ken Williams. Your announcer, Don
Pardo. X -1 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.