The huge video-screen dominates the vast hall of Mission. "Planet has atmosphere.

Rate of rotation
Main Mission. There, bathed in the artificial light, itidicates gravity similar to Earth's."
sustained by the artificial atmosphere, living by the Sandra Benes runs her fingers over the buttons of the
artificialseconds of an automatic clock, the chief control console in front of her, and invisible rays strike
officers andstaff of Moonbase Alpha turn their white deep ahead of the Moon, assessing, penetrating,
laces, their anxious eyes, towards the recorded image analysing. . .

of a planet that can mean home. A new home. New and She turns. "Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide.
different for these survivors of the terrifying upheaval Ratios 80, 5, 5 per cent. Remaining 1(J per cent

that wrenched our Moon from its orbit. That tore Hydrogen and other gases, only in upper atmosphere."
it bodily from the protection, the safety, the Koenig smiles, and he's aware of the tension that's
companionship of Earth. suddenly around him. His eyes catch the glint of
It happened on September 9, 1999. The violent Professor Bergman, his friend and close associate. He
explosion of nuclear waste --an explosion perhaps nods, faintly. Helena Russell, chief doctor of
caused by alien forces beyond human Moonbase Alpha. "John. V" He says, "Yes,
. .

understanding but an explosion that hurled the Helena." Controller Paul Morrow already has his
Moon, and those on it, on an odyssey into the void. An finger on the switch that will put the Commander in
—
odyssey that took them -is still taking them to the instant touch with all Moonbase personnel. Not just
realm of the unknown. The mysterious areas of deep the technicians. Not just the scientists, doctors,
space, where lime means nothing, where distances arc researchers- but the ordinary peoplewho live and
beyond the measurement of human figures. Where the work there. The gardeners, tailors, laundrymen,
time-warp and the hyper-acceleration of matter are engineers, cleaners and security men. Wives and
commonplace. Where even the calming, logical children. Printers and writers and artists who group
influence of a computer can sometimes fail to assess together to make on the lost Moon as bearable as
life

every problem. possible, and as like life on an ordinary earth bound

"Activate lung-range probe." Commander John town as can be.
Koenig's voice cuts through the tense silence of Main "Tell them. Paul. Prepare for Operation Exodus!"

5
 There is no panic. These people of Moonbase have In the depths of the lower area, where constantly re-
become used to their life. As castaways in space. They cycled nuclear material fuels the base's internal
know that their base can keep them going maybe for— healing. Talma Manisch's husband Jeff cuts in the
generations. Food supply has been worked ont and automatic circuits that will keep ihe temperatures right
regulated. The computer has evolved the means of for a period of twenty four earth hours. His assistant.
keeping them from that terrible killer, boredom. But Keith Gadd, is already packing the maintenance tools
they want a new world. Somewhere they can settle, and into a cushioned bag for transportation aboard an
live as normal human beings. Building the human race Eagle's store-hold.
anew as (and they believe it) God intended. So they all '"You're a carpenter. Keith," says Jeff. "I've seen
do what they have to, under the terms of the command you work with wood. Maybe on this new planet there'll
'Operation Exodus', while Commander Koenig and be trees. You can cut planks, yes' 1 Make homes for us.
his staff make plans to investigate this planet that has Hah! It'll be like pioneers in the old West of America!"
loomed up on their horizon. —
"Yeah and without the Indians, I hope!" Gadd
—
Talma Manisch we'd call her a housewife pulls — grimaces. "Listen, do we know what's down there?
in washing from a line in the Main- Beta drying room. Even if the atmosphere and gravity suit us, it may
Her son Joam's basketball gear. Nappies that her be there's a civilisation of people already in
latest-born, Mclka. uses up at distressing speed. "We possession —
and they may not want us!"
—
pack again, we pack!" She shakes her head at her "Like before? Sure. It's happened. But somewhere
neighbour in Block 6. Tania Feld, wife of one of the in space, there has to be our Garden of Eden! What's

Main Mission Computer assistants. ""This time, do with you? You ain't got no faith!"
you think we'll go?"
Tania grins. "Who knows? If I were you, I'd trust
our commander. He's the boss. Who are we to worry Meanwhile, from Main Mission. Ihe word bassoae
about. details?" out. To the all-important Launch Areas, where
"Details! It's our lives! My dear. / remember technicians push the buttons to fuel up Eagles and get
running around in grass meadows, playing ball. J went them on the pads for blast-off Chief pilol Alan Carter
maybe! Life was good! Our kids okay, they
fishing, — takes his own Eagle, backed up by Dave Johnson,

All eyes s planet— a possible home for the space castaways —coines through!
live, and they grow up with good educations here, hut Tabby Gertler, Yano Kinoshaki (everyone calls him
what of it, if they're always to be stuck in a kind of And together, the three exploratory craft make
'Bill'),

prison!" lift-offfrom the flat-tops of their home.

"Relax, Talma. Maybe now. Koenig has the answer! "Carter to Main Mission. We're going in!" The lead
Does he often put us on such a red alert?" ship setsits nose for the far-off planet and heads down

6
towards tlie covering veils of atmosphere— drifting so
peacefully above the faraway globe. . . .

"ThisisKoenig." In Main Mission, the Commander

thumbs the comlock button that puts him in
immediate touch, personally, with every room,
workshop and area on Moonbase.
"Personnel will make ready to board exodus
vehicles as laid down on standing orders, book one.
Biological staff will make sure thai all specimens of
plant seed and fertilizer are to hand. Historical section
willtake all microfilm of data. Analysts will pack all
chemical samples. ." The
. .voice goes on. The
instructions repeat. There must be nothing left on the
Moon that can be of any use. Everything must go
down with the new colonists of the planet provided—
that the planet £i inhabitable. . . .

And then it comes. The news from Alan Carter's

Eagle, first down through the clouds or atmosphere
that shroud the place.
"Commander. I guess I know why we didn't get any
response to the audio signals we sent down!"
"Tell me, Alan!" Commander Kocnig is up close to
the big video screen that puts him in touch with his
chief pilot.
"It's water, sir! The whole surface oT the planet is

Koenig shrugs, lie feels like a kid who's been offered

a sweet, only to find that made of glass. "Water.

m
it's

Fine. We have a perfect atmosphere, a gravity just like

Earth's — and a planet that's made of liquid. You'd
better return to base, Alan. We just aren't fish!"

"I knew there'd be something?' Mrs. Talma hostiles, butwe can't beat a bad environment!"
Manisch starts pegging up her washing on the line She smiles. But there is real disappointment in her
again. "Didn't you, Tania?"
I tell eyes. —
Operation Exodus stands dow n and Moonbase
"You said there might be hostiles down there." says Alpha, welded to its runaway chunk of space matter,
Tania."And you were wrong. Listen— we might beat whirls on into the unknown. . . .
 — . .

COMMANDER
John Koenig
Actor Martin Landau, who
plays the part of Commander American astrophysicist. Ex pilot.
John Koenig, is no stranger to the Ex astronaut. Born 1959. As school-
more fantastic side of television
boy, fascinated by man's first
fiction. He made his name, so
approaches to Moon. Showed early
to speak, in the long-running
and highly successful series
interest in science (See educational
—
'Mission Impossible', where he
record, E50/K/3C) and became
played Rullin Hand, a master of involved in US space program age 21.
disguise employed on the team Was responsible for planning and
dedicated to the performance of control of many outstanding space
undercover operations so tricky missions (Records file G1G/K/3U )

that they'd been officially classed Asked to help on original design fur
as unworkable. Moonbase Alpha, involved himself
As it happens. Martin Landau deeper and deeper in project and
worked in that series alongside
finally persuaded to become
Barbara Bain — his wife — who co- Commander. Almost immediately after
stars with him in this 'Space 1999"
series.
take-over, Breakaway took Moon out
But this versatile actor —a New of Earth' s orbit, leaving Koenig in
Yorker born in Brooklyn supreme control
started out in life with a very
different careerin mind. He when scenes are being arranged, out the undoubted talent that he
trained as an artist, eventually and direction is being worked out. possessed, and he worked in the
landing a job as cartoonist/ Martin took to acting because gruelling •nurseries' of 'little
illustrator on the New York Daily of the dull routine of a staff artist's theatre' productions and off-
News. He still sketches, especially life."I could see myself at the same Broadway shows. He joined Lee
in long periods of waiting
the drawing-board, turning out the Strasberg's world-famous Actors'
—
between 'takes' those patches Of same stuff year after year after Studio, and landed small parts in
boredom familiar to any aetor, year. 1 made the clean break and various TV shows. But it was a
took to the stage -not an easy Broadway show that went on tour
decision, but one that I felt was that gave him his first big break in
necessary." films. The tour ended in Los
Professional training brought Angeles, and he got a part in
Alfred Hitchcock's movie, "North
by North-West'. After that, one
film followed another 'Pork
—
Chop Hill', 'The Gazebo',
'Cleopatra' . . .

Then, after a further series of

TV parts, came the 'Mission-
Impossible' series. And the rest is

history. The Moon, together with

Commander John Koenig. may
have vanished from sight of our
Earth. Martin Landau remains,
right there in the public eye!
Spot the Difference
The pictures below are identical . . - or arc they? Our artist has made six small changes in the lower shot. Can you
spot whal they are?
14
fcfcC; 1 '" "" response from Ihem. Commander!"
O Sandra Benes turned worriedly to the grim-
faced leader of Moon base Alpha. It had taken her a
conscious effort to drag her eyes from the big video
screen, upon which, for the past hour, two distantly
sighted blips had gradually grown until they had
come into full focus. A pair of alien spaceships.
Immobile. Silent. Looming closer and closer as the
Moon inexorably drove towards them on its
unalterable, runaway course!
"Koenig to Defensive Area Four!" The
Commander snapped on the comlock device that
could put him instantly in touch with any
department of the Moon base complex. "Activate
full magnetic opposition. We don't want those ships

piling up on our surface. Heaven only knows what

damage they might do if they're fully fuelled!"
 Chief pilot Alan Carter touched koenig's arm. "You want Another Eagle, with Koenig at the controls and Bergman
an Eagfe to go nut and take a closer look, sir?" Koenig beside him. lifted awa\ IVom Alpha and made straight for the
nodded. "I'd like you to do it. Alan. Take a lull armaments larger of the two alien ships. Gently. Koenig inched up
pod. and be careful!" towards the obvious entry port of the alien and triggered the
Moments later, encased in his bright red survival suit. buttons that allowed a flexible-connecting tunnel to reach out
Alan Carter sal alone in his personal Command Eagle. and close over the outer surface. Bergman nodded, his eyes
Hydraulic lifts had taken his era ft up to one of the Alpha on the instruments before him. "Seal active. John. wonder I

."
launch-pads, and now he checked over his instruments what we're going to rind inside that thing. .

before reporting to Main Mission. "Ready for lift-off. Commander Koenig lingered the laser-pistol strapped to
Commander!" his waist. "Could be unyihinx in there. Victor. But we aren't
going to learn any answers b> sitting here!" The two men
Alan Carter frowned. "There's a light blinking on the alien
stood up and began the walk, through their own air-lock,
ship. Commander!" towards the corresponding lock on the mystery vessel.
Towards the unknown!

No figures stepped to greet them as Koenig's comloek

found the impulse that look them inside. The interior
was still, cold and heavy with silence. Bergman found himself
speaking in a whisper, and cheeked himself with a rather
forced laugh. "It's er. reassuring. John. Generally
speaking. Look at the equipment here. Recognisable Muff.
Might almost have come from Earth."
Koenic grunted agreement. "Yes. Except for ihe colours.
The Hghtina's strange." W'arih. they moved on. deeper into
ihe ship's interior... As though from very far away. Alan
Carter's voice came in over Koenig's comloek. "Distress
siima! has stopped, sir! Arc you okay?"
."
~"Wc're line. Alan. It seems to be deserted. .

At that moment, there came the sudden noise of

movement, and Koenig swung quickly away from Bergman
to stride inlo a room Idled with curious glass cases- cases
that reflected purples and blues and greens. Cases that
contained strantie collections of coloured spheres. The
Commander's laser-pistol Hashed from its holster as he
caught the image of a crouching figure ahead of him. "Who's
that! You. ." The figure didn't move, and Koenig
.

approached cautiously. Still the figure remained motionless,

and Koenig could see' that it was tall, humanoid. It had its
back towards him. Genllv. he probed ils shoulder. You! "

You're breathing! Why don't you respond.

.'"
.

In that instant, it happened! A flash of brilliant light

dazzling and blinding! An impression of disintegration! And
The blast of vertical take-oil jets rammed the Eagle the figure was gone' Tolalh vanished, as though it had never
upwards, and then the high-pitched whine of the tail motors been!
thrust it out towards the aliens. Deftly, Carter locked in the "Victor! Inhere quick K I
koenig had backed up against
anti-magnetic lield that would carry him safely through one of Ihe glass cases. " liltwV But Iherc was no reply!
1

Alpha's own protective shield the shield that invisibly held

the newcomers safely away from the Moon's surface. The
pilot kept his communications link continuously open, and
the cluster of people in Main Mission were silent and wary as
his voice came through.
"I'm circling the nearer vessel. Absolutely no sign of life at
all. No apparent damage. I'm moving on to the other one."

There was u lone pause, and the watchers could see the Eagle
as it passed between the alien craft, to slip abruptly out of
view behind the larger vessel. Koenig was conscious or pain
m his hands, and looked down to see them clenched with
worry. He forced himself to relax. Then, reassuringly.
Carter's voice came through again, loud, clear and excited!
"I .see a light. Commander! Intermittent blinking from
behind one of the clear outlook screens on Ihe
superstructure! It could be some kind of code some alien
equivalent of Morse!"
"Get it on direct teleview. Alan!" The Commander spun
round. "Kano. Stand by to feed info into the computer. De-
code procedure!"
Within seconds. Ihe Moonhase Alpha computer came up
with ihe result. All logic pointed to the fact that the flashing
was a distress signal! Koenig iw\e a terse nod and turned to
Professor Victor Bergman. "Time you and did something
I

Id earn our keep. Suit up. Victor, and have a connecting

" The Commander
Eagle lifted to pad six. As lor you. Alan-
-poke down into his comloek again "- take up a covering Eagle lifted slowly
f the v
 The Commander raced out
yawned emptily. He thumbei
'

"Victor!Where i

Now a cold sweat broke out on Koenig's face. His mind

seethed. The silence of the alien ship seemed lo mock him.
Feverishly, his eyes searched every corner of I ha I strangely-
lit area. And then the hjiih voice of Sandra lienes. lashing at

him from Main Mission. "Commander! They're here! Two

aliens! They've materialised right here on Moonbase!"
It was as though some force was driving Koenig, against
his will. Slowh he kicked ih rough ihe an -locks. Step by step
.

he relumed lo his Eagle. He was fully aware ihut he was

deserting Bergman. Inn some si\th seme lokl him that it was
useless for him lo search the alien vessel. Almosl
automatically, he withdrew the flexible link, and turned his
Eagle back towards Alpha. "Follow me back lobase. Alan!"
He was aware thai his own voice sounded thick and un-
natural.
The two Eagles landed logeiher. and both Koenig and
Carter reached Main Mission together. There, standing
impassiyely watching the white-raced members of control,
were the two aliens. One of them was the crouching figure
Koenig had already seen. Had already witnessed
disappearing in front of his own eyes. And the other was a
girll "Look." koenig spoke gi imly. forcing himself lo ignore
a chill that ran through him a chill that could not possibly
have been attributed iu the fact that he'd shed the warmth or
his survival suit back in the launch area, "Look who ore
you'.' Why did you lure us aboard'' What have you done with
Prnfi'.ssiiy Bergman?"
The alien man spoke, his voice a thin, metallic sound.
"Bergman is a friend of yours. Commander. A good friend."
Koenig didn't reply.
"You would do anything o fun e him restored to you. am I

correct?" The alien smiled but entirely without humour. The alien- Danrak shrugged. "Yes, we lured you
There was no pleasantry 11 those deep-set. black eyes, the aboard, Commander, And we. or rather diverted your
I

pupils like living coals. attention so that your comrade could he seized. We would
"Make your point!" If have seized you, except that we know that you are the one
Controller of Main Miss who must make decisions here. The two ships you see out
Bergman as hosiage. is dial ii'.' What do you expect us to do there. .'" he gestured towards Ihe video screen. ". .are not.
. .

for his safe return?" as you might think, from the same planet My ship is from
The laughed harshly. "It seems these people are
alien girl Barra.x-Beta. a system at war w ith Trillion. The other vessel is
one of their puny attack-ships. We met
'"
reasonably intelligent. Danrai; She turned her head to look
1

and fought, And

at her companion. "Tell them." although we destroyed the whole erew of the Trinion craft.

19
 to survive! They'll leave us to journey on. sure enough— but
lo journey on to a slow and lingering death as light, heat and
support systems arudunlly run down and lade!"
Koenig ground his teeth. "But Paul they've got
. . .

Tt was then, as abruptly as they had materialised, that

1 the aliens from Barra\-Beta vanished. As completely as
though they'd never been present. There was just the
lingering echo of the lasl words of Danrak. hanging in the
air jarring and metallic. "Come to your decision but
come to it quickly'. You cannot match our powers!"
Now there was silence in Main Mission. A silence as deep
as thai which koeniu had found on the alien ship. But it was
Alan Carter who broke it. "I've got an idea. Commander. It's
a longshot. but it might work!"
"Go ahead. Alan,"
"We know Victor's being held somewhere on their ship.
We can pinpoint the exact spot by bouncing signals from his
comlock. Even if he's unable to reply -he may be
unconscious or something we can plot him." Carter
paused, running a hand across his brow as if to clear his
mind, "Now. You lake an Eagle and go alone to ihe ship. To
give your decision to Danrak, When you're in there, you
mount a one-man rescue op."
Sandra Benes snorted. "They'd be onto him right awav.
Alan! What a ridiculous suggestion!"
Carter scowled. "Let me finish! In Ihe meantime, go I

round the blind side to the oilier vessel, and go aboard.

Remember, they said they'd wiped out the whole crew. Well,
once there, can drop a transmitting device that'll make
I

Danrak think ihe ship's siill operational. can fool him into
I

believing that someone there has survived, and is about to

attack!"
Koenig stiffened. "I think 1 sec what you're getting al.
Alan. You mean that Danrak will instantly turn his
the false panels! Somewhere attention to the other craft, and in the panic. I'll uet Victor
clear!"
"Exactly, Commander! And meantime. pull away in my
I

we ourselves were mortally hit. Our engines were snuffed, so Eagle, and the moment see you get clear. open up with
I I

lo speak." everything I've got!"

"Go on." Koenig's voice was deeeplivelv calm now. and Kano Mood ready, eyebrows raised, bul Koenig waved
his colleagues inMain Mission knew it. him down. "Don't feed it to the computer for approval.
"We have known of your approach for some time. David. It's such a longshot it'd make the computer burst out
Commander," said Danrak. "And we know that you survive laughing. But under the circumstances, it's our only
here by virtue of nuclear power. Briefly, we need fuel and
parts from your reactors to repair our engines." To the mute astonishment of the Main Mission stall".
Koenig looked angry. "If you know so much about us. Koenig grabbed Alan's arm, and together they strode out of
surely you know we are peaceful. That we drift across the theroom towards the travel tuhes that would take them to
universe in the hope of finding a new home, in the hope of their launch pads!
establishing friendship with another race even yours! We
would have helped you. without the need for all this dramatic
rigmarole!" For the second time, John Koenig stepped through the
Danrak laughed thinly. "You do not seem lo understand. flexible lube connecting his Eagle with Danrak's ship.
Commander. We do not w ant your friendship. We of Barrax- This time, as he stepped through, he was met by the alien
Beta do nol favour outsiders. You saw. in my ship, cases himself. "I will meei your terms." said Koenig. shortly, "Our
containing spheres'.' Those arc people. Or, I should say, u'rre survival will be in our own hands, and it will be up to us to
people. They are the intelligences of races we have subjected ensure it."
to our will. Intelligences thai we use as slaves to man our "i hope you can. Commander." smirked Danrak.
ships. By all means join us- if you wish to be eternally
- sceptically,
transmuted to globes of mind-matter. Globes that can only Koenig followed the alien inlo the ship, and as they drew
obey our every command!" close to the room in which he now knew Victor to be held,
The girl spoke again. "Clearly, they find all this Koenig surreptitiously thumbed the button of his comlock
confusing." she said. Her eyes swept the stunned faces of the and coughed. A pre-arranged signal to Alan Carter. If only
Main Mission personnel, Paul Morrow had sal down he liiu in position aboard ihe other alien ship!
heavily, bis hands clenched. Sandra Ikaies licked her lips, her Koenig needn't have worried! Over some kind of speaker-
eyes wide with horror. system came the voice of ihe Barrax-Beta woman, laut with
"Come," Danrak sounded impatient, "We do not wish lo urgency! "Danrak! The Trillion ship is still active! They're
destroy you. Soon you w ill pass through our sector of space. signalling attack!"
You will journey tar bevond us. Give us what we need, and Danrak spun away from Koenig, bis tisls clenching.
your Professor Bergman will be returned loyou. unharmed." "It's - it's impossible'. Activate all defensive systems! Align
"Don't do tt, Commander!" Paul Morrow leaped to his killerbeams! i'mcoming lo the command centre!" Then he
feet and gripped Koenig's arm. "Don't you see? They'll take remembered Koenig, and half turned. It was too late!
,:// our nuclear fuel! They'll strip us of the equipment we need Koenig'sfist caught the alien on the nape of the neek and

20
smashed him sideways into one of the glass cases! It
shattered, and Koenig followed up with a massive kick that
sent the alien with stunning force into a metal upright
connecting floor with ceiling! Then Koenig sprinted
sideways, unship ping the laser-pistol he'd coneealed in his
suit, aiming it at the false bank of electronic equipment that
he knew to conceal Victor's prison!
THRAMMMM! he perspe\ and metal shattered as the
I

laser bit home, and now Koenig dashed in to haul up the

prone and drugged bnd> of his friend from the couch upon
which it was thrown.
"Breathing! Alive Thank ilw slurs'." His feet clattering on
1

the metal beneath him. koenig stumbled back to the air-lock,

raced into the taglc and threw Victor down in the co-pilot*s
seal. Then he retracted the link and shot the Ragle away from
maximum speed, vaguely conscious thai
the alien vessel at
beyond, through his sight-screens, he could see the other
looming in ihe background with the thin streak of Alan
craft,
Carter'seombul [.agio dtopping .wil'tb beneath it!
There came a lancing ray of light from the Burrux-Beta
giant ... a destructive ray that tore the other ship asunder
from stem to stem, scattering its debris into the space above
the moon. But then came the oihtr ray . the sireak of laser
. ,

power from Carter's machine thai bursl he upper works of

I

Danrak's spaceship to fragments! Buffeted by the blast.

Koenig put his nose down and raced for Moon base. Behind
him, Alan Carter made a spiral turn and gave the stricken
alien another shot that wrecked iis out-flung combat turret.
Somewhere in there, the enslaved intelligences of Danrak's
infamous planci were being destroyed wholesale . but for
. .

them it was probably a happy release! liven as the two Eagles and clasped his friend by the shoulder, "I knew
t

touched down together and slid below the surface of their you wouldn't leave me. John. No mailer nhal the danger to
pads, the whole of the Bunax-Beta ship shuddered to the Moonbuse.
chain -re action of violent explosions and disintegrated into a ""We'll drink to that. Victor," smiled the Commander.
million pieces. Into a mere drift of space-dust that spread "It'sa long lime since that Henchman what was his name'.'
over the umbrella of Alpha's magnetic defences. . , Alexandre Dumas'.' Well, it's a long time since he wrote in
lhai "Three Musketeers' epic 'one for all. and all for one'.
But the idea persists, even up here on a castaway moon. We
John Koenig and Victor Bergman sat together in the need each other. All of us. Just to survive. The moment wc
debriefing lounge alongside Launch pad Six. They were in stop caring for our colleagues, whether they be close to us or
no hurry to get back to Main Mission, There was too mtieh to not. we're done for!"
be said Too much to be understood between them. Bergman "Til drink tO|tllal!" Professor Bergman raided his glass, , ,

21
F RIMTOOT ALPHA -
)
DOCTOR
Helena Russell
Bom —of all times on — a
Friday 13th, Barbara Bain,
who plays Doctor Helena Russell, American. In her early thirties.
is anything but unlucky. By her Born when the first explorations of
own admission, she's been pretty the Moon were taking place.
fortunate ail her life. She made it Daughter of a West Coast physician,
as a high fashion model very early she has followed in her father's
in her career. She met Martin footsteps, entering a medical career
Landau shortly after she'd after leaving High School. Gradually
switched to drama study. She's
expanded into the challenge of
had a wonderfully happy marriage
Space Medicine, rising in her
with him (they wed on February
10. 1957) and she has two
profession to "become Moonbase
daughters, Susan Meredith and
Alpha's Chief of Medical Section.
Juliet Rose. Married - presumed widowed. Ker
And in acting? She won fans all husband, whom she met at medical
over the world with her portrayal school, disappeared while on a space
of Cinnamon Carter in the mission. Emotionally rugged as a
'Mission —
Impossible' series, result, she never the3.es s is very
which ran for eighty episodes. feminine, and has a strong attach-
"And now," she says, "I'm lucky ment to Commander Koenig.
again! Playing alongside Martin in
"Space [999V'

But you can't just study in the big Barbara concentrated on the
3MT.
—
city-you have to eat and live as She played guest spots in
latter.
well,and at the suggestion of shows like 'Get Smart". 'Bonanza'.
friends, she. got into part-time 'Dick Van Dyke Show', 'Studio
—
Eg modelling. Though in
she didn't like it much, and soon
demand,

turned to acting, enrolling in the

One' and did some work with
local theatre groups.
Then came "Mission
Curt Conway Acting School, Impossible'. She won the Tele-
where she met Conway's vision Academy 'Emmy' Award
assistant — Martin Landau. "We as best actress in a dramatic series
didn't lake to each other at all at three years in succession- an all-
she remembers. "But there
first," time record!
—
was a party when wc got After —
"Mission Impossible'.
together socially. Suddenly we Barbara took time out to devote
reversed our opinions of each her attention to her daughters,
other —and pow!" They married, accompanying Martin on location
and with Martin just off on tour trips,and restricting herself to
with the play "Middle of the one-shot productions. Until
A green-eyed blonde, Barbara Night'. Barbara managed to get a 'Space 1999' came along.
enjoys the role of Helena Russell. job understudying the lead and a For her, the series has been a
For she's a pretty intelligent girl small part in the same show. The family affair, for not only is she
herself. At
school, she gained her tour was their honeymoon! alongside her husband, but the
B.S. degree in Sociology. The tour ended in California, children were over in England for
Barbara originally wanted to and hitting Hollywood, Barbara the shooting, loo. Like Helena
become a dancer, and went to New and her new husband went their Russell. Barbara clearly has that
York from her home town of separate professional ways. He strong feminine streak underneath
Chicago to learn the profe; combined films and TV, and the acting professionalism!
No matter that the Moon has left Earth's orbit for
ever. No matter that Moonbase Alpha, with all its
personnel, is now far, far beyond our reach. Nothing Cape Kennedy.
can alter the historical fact that, at 0256 hours GMT, July 16. 9.32 a.m.
on July 21, 1969, man took the giant step that placed On schedule to within less than a
a human, for the first time since the dawn of second, Apollo 1 1 blasts offfrom
creation, upon that mysterious satellite 233,813 launch-pad 39A. Watching— the
miles away across space. This is the breakdown of world. Standing three and a half
that incredible mission by the astronauts of Apollo miles away on the sandflats or
11—the mission that ended with man's first call upon seated in grandstands, half the
his nearest neighbour in the vast Solar System. . .
members of the United States
Congress and more than 3,000
newsmen from 56 countries.
And strapped to their couches
in the Command Module atop
the 363-foot, 7.6 million-pound
thrust space vehicle, astronauts
Commander Neil A. Armstrong,
Command Module PilotMichael
Collins, and Lunar Module Pilot
Edwin E. Aldrin jr., known as
'Buzz'. Winds are ten knots from
the south-east. Temperature is in
the mid-eighties. Clouds are at

spacecraft is 37 nautical
downrange 61
les and travelling at
340 ph. Armstrong
the engine skirt and
escape tower sep-
Nine minutes later,
with the first two Saturn rocket
stages jettisoned, Apollo 1
enters a 103 mile high Earth

12.22 p.m.
A boost firing of the third-stage
long solar orbit to remove
Apollo 11s path,

10.59 p.m.
Crew members having kept busy
with house-keeping duties, and
first scheduled
it

mid-course
from

N
Saturn engine,stitl attached to correction having been deemed
the Command Service Module,
boosts Apollo 11 out of orbit
midway in its second trip around
unnecessary, the spacecraft
shuts down for the night. While
Armstrong, Collins and Aldrin
0m
Earth and onto its lunar trajectory sleep, the vessel slows to 7,279
at an initial speed of 24,200 mph. feet per second at a distance of
Then the lunar landing craft, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil
codenamed Eagle, is unpacked Armstrong. Michael Collins and
from its compartment. The Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin

i I

astronauts fire some explosi

bolts, which cause the main
spaceship (codename Col- JULY 17. 8.48 a.m.
umbia) to separate from the Mission Control gives Apollo
adaptor and blow apart the four crew a brief review of the
panels that make up its sides, morning news, including sports.
exposing the Lunar Module They are informed about the
tucked inside. They stop the progress of Russian spaceship
spacecraft about 1 00 feet away, Lunar 15, Shortly after mid-day
turn their ship around, and dock they have a Ihree-second burn to
head-to-head with the landing sharpen the course of their craft.
craft. The docking complete, the The engine that must get them in
mated Command/Service and and out of lunar orbit is testi
ted.
Lunar Modules separate from the
rocket and continue alone
towards the Moon. 7.31 p.m.
Astronauts begin first schediuled
2.38 p.m. colour telecast from spacecraft,
By dumping its leftover fuel the showing views of Earth from e
third rocket stage is fired into a distance of about 1 28,000 mi
JULY 18. 9.41 a.m. 12.58 p.m. which Collins continues to orbit
Mission Control lets astronauts The crew is informed by Mission the Moon.
sleep an hour later than Control that Lunar Orbit
scheduled. After breakfast, they Insertion is 23 minutes away. At 3.08 p.m.
charge batteries, dump waste 1.28, with the craft behind the Armstrong and Aldrin, flying feet
water, check fuel and oxygen Moon and out of Earth's contact, first and face down, fire the
reserves. Lunar Module is the main rocket— a 20,500 landing craft's descent engine
checked out by afternoon, and at pound thrust engine— is fired for for the first time.
close of day, velocity has slowed about six minutes to slow the
to 2,990 feet per second just vehicle so that it can be captured 3.47 p.m.
before the craft enters Moons by lunar gravity. By 1 .55, Collins reports to Earth that the
sphere of influence at a distance Armstrong gets his first view of landing craft is on its way down
of about 33,823 nautical miles. the landing approach. to the lunar surface. It is the first
Mission Control has heard of the
JULY 19. 10.42 a.m.
Armstrong reports to Mission
JULY 20. 9.27 a.m. action. "Everything is going just
swimmingly! Beautiful!" Collins
Aldrin crawls into ihe Lunar
Control. "The view of the Moon says.
Module and power-up
starts to
that we've been having recently
is really spectacular, It fills about
the spacecraft. About an hour
later, Armstrong joins him and 4.05 p.m.
three quarters of the hatch Armstrong throttles up the
together they continue to check
window and, of course, we can engine to slow the Lunar Module
systems and deploy landing legs,
see the entire circumference, before dropping down on the
even though part of it is in surface. The landing is not easy.
complete shadow and part of it is 1.46 p.m. The site they approach is four
in earth-shine. It's a view worth The landing craft is separated miles from the target-point, on
the price of the trip!" from the Command Module, in the southwestern edge of the
26
Sea of Tranquility. Seeing that
they are approaching a crater
about the size of a football field
and covered with large rocks,
Armstrong takes over manual
control and steers the craft to a
smoother spot. Monitors reveal
that his heartbeat has risen from
77 to 156! While he flies the
landing craft, Aldrin gives
Armstrong altitude readings.
"Seven hundred and fifty feet—
coming down at 23 degrees!
700—21 down! 400— down at
9! Things looking good! Lights
on! Picking up some dust! 30
feet, two and a half down! Four
forward . . . four forward!
Drifting to the right a little!

Okay — engines stop!"

4.18 p.m.
The craft settles down with a jolt
almost like that of a jet landing
on a runway. It is at an angle of
no more than four or five degrees
to the right side of the Moon as
seen from Earth. Armstrong

*2

27
immediately radios Mission for re-docking with the the second step, he pulls a "D-
Control ... "The Eagle has Command Module, still in orbit Ring" within easy reach,
landed!" farabove. Armstrong radios a deploying a television camera, so
Aldrin, looking out of the recommendation that they plan arranged on the Module that it
Lunar Module window, reports: to start EVA (Extra-Vehicular will depict him to Earth as he
"We'll get to the details around Activity) earlier than originally proceeds. He halts on the last
here, but it looks like a collection scheduled. The recommendation rung. "The Lunar Module
of about every variety of shapes, is approved. footpads are only depressed into
angularities and granularities the surface about one or two
every variety of rock you could 10.39 p.m. inches," he reports. "The surface
find. The colours vary pretty More than hours ahead of
five appears to be very, very fine-
much depending on how you're the originalplanned time, grained. As you get close to it, it's
."
looking .there doesn't seem to
. . Armstrong opens the Lunar almost like a powder. .

be very much colour at all." He Module hatch and squeezes

seescraters, somea hundred feet through the opening. It is a slow 10.56 p.m.— 0256 hours
across, some minute. He sees process. Strapped to his GMT.
ridges twenty or thirty feet high. shoulders is a portable life Armstrong places his left foot to
support and communications, .the surface of the Moon. He says,
6.00 p.m. system weighing 84 pounds on "That's one small step for a
The craft has been made ready k
Earth (but only 1 4 on the Moon). man — one ."
giant leap for
for lift-off. Clearly, the first task is He clambers down the ten-foot, Mankind. .

to ensure that they can get back nine-step ladder. On reaching

(HONOURING ELEVEN
T'his was Ihe end. In the breadth ol' one more second. Alpha complex. The security staff — the internal police who
Commander John K oonis? knew thai he would have the feared nothing, who could quell their imagination and do
answer [o the timeless .|ticslion thai had plagued man since their job in the most hazardous of conditions -the
the very birth ol' intelligence. Was death the tzate to another conditions of the unknown He was sale. So. miraculously,
1

life ... or did death end every thing'.' He rolled over, were the others who had been with him. He looked around,
helplessly. His mouth, light-shut against the foam that and met the stunned eyes of Bcnes. Morrow. Kano ... of
surged around him. held in that last breath he had drawn. Williams. Mason, Kantino. And then he doors crashed open
I

Redness swam in the darkness of Itis closed eves, and there and, foam flooding round their feci, the rescuers dragged out
was a Irani ic roaring in his brain as the insiinet for survival the last bodies for Doctor Helena Russell's resuscitation
told him lo light —
fight— fight! machine. Davis, Yamamoto, Duvalier.
Choking, his nostrils blocked by the stuff, he felt a body He was conscious of Victor Bergman bending over him.
canon into his. Sandra Rimes'.' Paul Morrow'.' David Kano? "John. You're okay": It's beyond all reasoning. We just don't
They'd all been there w hen it had happened. They'd all been know what it is!"
there in that terrible moment when he John Koenig Koenig fought his way ignoring the
to his feel, hands that
himself had opened the capsule. . . tried to make him lie still. "We we've got to get ridofit." he
He heard a voice— it was his own. but from some inner gasped. "If we can't get back into Main Mission, we've no
poini within his brain say his epitaph. "I didn't know ... I control over our destiny at all!"
didn't realise. ." and then he gave himself up to the
. For every master system, from Kano's computer down to
inevitability of obli\ ion! He he and Ins colleagues in Main the life-support systems of the whole of Moonbase Alpha
Mission all were doomed, and it had been his fault. . , were in that roam-tilled room, and without access to them,
Then the strong arms gripped Itis shoulders, and he was the castaways of space were totally helpless!
only faintly aware of the red survival suit of his rescuer from "We have the black box. John." said Bergman, his voice
the Moonbase Alpha standby security team, looming over soothing, but with a definite and recognisable edge to it.
him as its w earer dragged him throuuh the sliding doors and "Maybe that will give us the answers! My
laboratory. ." .

to safety. . "Your laboratory doesn't have the computer, Victor!"

Koenig clenched Ins lists and .slammed them together in fury.
""hey v "Human minds aren't going lo decipher whatever message
that box has for us!"

29
 He felt Helena Russell Touch his arm. gently. "IT that's
what you really believe. John," she said softly. '"Then we
might as well give up, Whatever' s invaded us has killed us.
and we might just as well have drowned in there. ." .

all happened so quickly Koenig. relaxing in his

It had
quarters, had been summoned to Main Mission by a call
from Controller Paul Morrow. "You'd better come up.
Commander. We've picked up an object on video. Spheroid.
Too small for a space-craft. Seems to be some kind of drifting
probe -but there are no planetarv svstems within direct
reach."
Koenig had seen it on screen. A metallic globe, about the
size of a football. Some unidentifiable piece of space-junk,
perhaps long lost in escape orbit from an unknown,
intelligent source. It would have passed the moon without
being drawn into orbit and down to its surface. But Koenig'
curiosity had overcome him ... a curiosity thai had made
him order an Eagle to be launched. An Eagle equipped with
grabs to capture the strange globe and bring it down for
examination.
There had been hours of decision. Suppose it mis a space-
craft? Perhaps containing beings of liny proportions? All
manner of tests had been applied. Rays that pierced the
object through and through- discovering nothing. And
then, abruptly, it had opened, a slim section sliding back in it
to reveal two compartments, one of whit h contained a black
—
box easily and quickly extracted- clearly a minutely
transistorised mini-bank that held some kind of memory
chamber,
"ll may lie that this alien intelligence could destroy us." said Koenig had said. "It s an exploratory device, sent out into
Commander Koenig. "It may look like foam— but it could be deep space in the hope of making contact with another
something else!" civilisation!" And he'd ordered Kano to begin experiments

at lay beyond the closed door? As hoeing

gtred tin*conduct, he knew ii could be

30
for the coupling of the box to the Moonbasc computer.
And then it had happened. Before Kano could even start!
—
"Lei Kano have a look at it. Kano you underwent mind-
coupled treatment on Earth, didn't you?" The Commander
From the other hull' of the globe, foam had begun to gush. stared grimly at the Jamaican. "You have something of that
Foam that seemed to come frum nowhere. Foam that poured computer within your own mind, right'.'" Slowly, Kano
out with such violence and velocity that, veil hill seconds, the nodded. "Would you be willing to be coupled up to Victor's
whole floor of Main Mission was covered with it! Under their unit here- -absorb the transmissions of the black bos into
Feet, it had made them slip and slither. Made them fall over. your own brain?"
Risen to swamp them and blind them, choke them and Kano bit his hp. Sal down beside Bergman. "I'll do it.
smother them .and Koenig had only just hud time to make
.
Commander."
the desperate comlock call to the security staff. "You realise what might
. .
happen'.' Anv coupling of
computer systems with the human brain can result in
Nowfrom the doors were closed. Foam thai had spread out
Main Mission into the corridor beyond had
permanent and irreversible damage. ." Koenig didn't meet
.

Kano's eyes. "I'll take the chance. Commander." he said.

withered and dried, to disappear completely, but the wall- Electrodes were placed on Kano's skull. Sensor needles
mounted video screens told Koenig that inside his control were implanted jusl beneath the surface of his skin. His eyes
area, it was foam, foam, foam —
from floor to ceiling. were tight shut as Bergman gently shifted the controls of his
"We know by now that there are more forms of life in this computer. Then Kano's body went rigid! His body arched,
universe than we could ever have guessed at, on Earth." and a cry broke his lips! "N-ii-arrrgh!" "Slop it. John! Stop
Koenig turned to face the others sprawled around the it'." Helena Russell darted forward, bill brought up with a
corridor near him. "ll may be that this foam is possessed of gasp as Koenig's arm lashed out to seize her waist! "Wait,
some intelligence. There may be a planet where it lives. We Helena!"
have to attempt to communicate with it." Kano subsided, sweat breaking out on his temples. Sweat

Front the shattered filter corridor of Moonbase, a blasting eruplion of matter as Carter's laser struck home!

"John, you're distraught!" Bergman shook his head at his flecked with the crackle of minute discharges of electricity.
friend. "Fount can't make machinery like the black box! His lips moved, soundlessly at first hut then. . .

Foam might
hands!
have some kind of intelligence, but il hasn't got
And hands made that thing!"
"Warning it's a warning! Don't
. . . don't touch don't —
reveal the other side! Close the capsule immediately!"
"AH right. Victor, all right!" koenig was snarling. "Logic Kano went limp, and Bergman jerked [he terminals from
first. Without Main Mission, we're blind. Alan ." he . . his head. There was no sound but the slapping of his face as
turned to chief pilot Alan Carter. "Alan -get your Eagle he was brought back to full consciousness, mercifully
airborne at once, and take up guidance slation ahead of us on normal.
Moon's trajectory. You're going to be our eyes." "Never mind Kano— what impressions did
the message,
"Right on. Commander!" Carter ducked into the nearest your mind receive" We hum- we shouldn'l have let that foam
entry-point of the travel tube system, and w ithin minutes he out— the black box must have been telling us all the time,
was reporting hack via comlock. "Way ahead absolutely only our human telepathv levels couldn't hear it!"
clear, sir. Nothing even on deep range scanner." The Jamaican shuddered. "I saw a planet. Commander. A
Koenig followed Victor Bergman to the main laboratory. planet where beings like you and me were living. In a city
Watched as the Professor began to examine the black box. much like a city on Earth. But— hut there was this thing . .

"I'm afraid the loam has shorl-circimcd all connection with this horrifying thing that menaced them, and they were
the central computer. John." said Bergman. "But my own fighting it!"
standby unit seems to he doing a fair job. There's a print-oul. "Go on—go on!"
Some kind of language, but it doesn't make anv sense to "T can't describe h. It was Immhlc'. Bui they they beat it.
They subdued it. Reduced it to a kind of contained entity,

31
and imprisoned it in a sphere. .
."

Koenig turned. "A sphere. The sphere ive found. They

shot ii out into space Lo gel rid of it. and enclosed a warning

to any other beings who might have found it. But but —
Kano foam isn't horrible. ." .

Kano's eyes rolled. "What / saw wasn't foam.

."
Commander. .

( < /Commander! The video screen? have gone blank!" Paul

V^Monow spun on his heel, and behind him. Koenig
could see that the wall-mounted monitor showed nothing hut
black ness inside Main Mission. And (here was vibration. A
vibration they could all feel!
—
"Not hkmk, Paul there's still contact. The foam's
changed. Changed to something else. Something that fills the
room! At a guess. I'd say that whatever was imprisoned in
ihat sphere has undergone changes changes occasioned by
temperature and environment. It may have lived in its space
prison as a vital entity that found release here on Moonbase.
—
emerged as foam, then with conditions perhaps similar to
those on the planet it attacked— regained its original form.
Kano—just what was the form of this horrible thing you
Kano spread his hands. "A Commander. Just

Koenig ordered the people with him to withdraw even

further back along the corridors to their own quarters. He
dressed himself in a survival suit and armed himself with a
laser pistol. Then— alone though there was a back-up
group ready behind him -he triggered the comlock that
opened the door into Main Mission! Not half an hour
previously, he had stared death in the face in the welter of
foam. Now he faced it again -but he didn't know what form
it would take! Did it mailer'.' He lold himself that death was of his laser cannons! A blast <.A' hghi Hushed ;':om his craft to
death. No more, no less! The door slowly opened. . . slam into the stressed metal of the connecting corridor,
tearing the roof open like paper! He saw the hole bloom
Koenig saw made him leap back with alarm! His open. Saw it till with something Mack and writhing. And then
W'hat a whirling tangle of tentacles came blossoming out. sueked
blood seemed to turn to water in his veins! The whole
doorway was iilled with a mass of writhing tentacles by the very vacuum of space! A tangle that spread and split
tentacles of some unworldb substance th;;i gave off stinking, and came past his Eagle in a shrieking welter of torn and
intolerable fumes! And behind the tentacles, a glowing, riven particles —particles with a central glow of fierce,
fiendish eye that bored its vision right into his brain, malevolent light that dimmed and scattered as he watched.
paralysing his every movement! If this were the menace that He grimaced sourly as bits splattered the screens of his
some distant planet had managed to expel, then they were Eagle's beak, only to be whipped clean from the smooth
well rid of it! surface. .

The tentacles swepi 10 wards him! A frightful shrieking cut "Commander." He blew lustily with relief, and saw the
into his very brain! it took every ounce of his will-power to strained face of Koenig come up on the screen of his
press the trigger of his laser but the beam seemed only to comlock. "Don't repeat, don't try and get back into Main
enrage the vile monster that slithered and lurched towards Mission. Not until you've got survival suits on. and life-lines
so 's you're not drawn into space. Traid I've had to bust some
"Commander! Fall back! Fall back!" He heard the captain holes in Moonbase. but guess they can be fixed. I saw your
I

of the back-up squad behind him yelling. But he couldn't monster, by the way and I reckon he isn't going to give any
move! A tentacle lashed his face! Then the blast of laser rifles more trouble.
cut past him. and strong arms tore him away from the "It's funny, Alan." said Koenig. 'Tt just came to me in a

dreadful menace that had already left the confines of Main flash. You were the answer. was going to order you to
I

Mission lo uaiii eniiaitee to the rest of Moonbase! blockbust that corridor and pull our enemy into nothing!"
"We— we can't fight it! Nothing affects it!" He heard "Yeah. That's what all the bosses say." grinned Carter.
himself screaming the words as his friends dragged him "Hope it's on record that this one was my idea. .

backwards through another door, locking it tightly closed

behind him. . .

While repair teams re-built the shattered communicating

.rea that had proved the monster's undoing. Koenig
beyond Moonbase Alpha. Alan Carter sat
Outcontrols at the kept in his quarters, along with Helena Russell and Victor
of his Eagle. On his video screen he'd seen Bergman. Alan Carter had returned, been interviewed,
everything. Knew exactly what was going on. And he also congratulated, ami (hen dismissed as being too smug by half.
knew that the slre.ss of a chaotic and fantastic situation had Bergman said: "We still have the black box. John. And now
probably put his superiors beyond the reach of rational we have access to Kano's computer again, we might rind out
quick-thinking. "Koenig' s in corridor three." he thought. the planet that sent it up. If it happens to lie somewhere on
'That monster's emerged from Main Mission, and it's in the our course, we might put our adventure to good use. ." ,

filler area between Main Mission and Executive Living Area Koenig smiled. "Send down and tell them we encountered
One." Deliberately, Carter turned his Eagle so that it was their monster and destroyed ii lor hern. Victor? Hope they'll
I

facing down towards the star-spread of Alpha. "Keep out of be so grateful that they'll invite us to share their home'.'
Filter Area One." he yelled into bis com lock. "Stay still —
Well it's a thought, but it's just as much a long-shot as
—
everywhere or you've had it!" huding that sphere in the litst place. You never know what's
The Eagle Hashed down, and Carter thumbed the button going to happen when y ou encounter something in space.

32
33
34
35
36
37
 —

PROFESSOR
Victor Bergman
Barry Morse, the actor who acting. That, and his native cheek.
plays Victor Bergman, British. The 'father He was an errand boy at the time,
doesn't regard it as at all figure' of Moonbase delivering a glass-manufacturer's
surprising that he should be Alpha. Older than samples lor fifteen bob a week.
whipped off to the Moon as a the others, he was Feeling ambitious, he put on the
British professor. Nothing sur- young man when Space style and presented himself at the
prises him any more about the exploration first Royal Academy of Dramatic Art,
profession which has provided began. He can applying for an audition! And
him with one unexpected turn remember when a they not only accepted him. they
after another. gave him a student grant of three
He has a habit of identifying
visit to the Moon
pounds a week! Barry's pro-
himself with long-running roles
was a figment of
fessional debut came at The
without the slightest risk of Jules Verne-type People's Theatre in the East End,
becoming typecast. He will
imagination. With a in a play called 'If I Were King'.
undoubtedly do so again in 'Space brilliant mind that His next step was to become
1999' just as he played the ever- has been responsible producer, director and star of 'The
pursuing Lieutenant Gerard in the for a number of Voice of The Turtle", on tour.
smash-hit "Fugitive' series, and the developments in He went into films in a Will Hay
urbane 'establishment" figure Mr. space science, comedy 'The — Goose Steps
Parminter in 'The Adventurers".
Bergman is very much —
Out' side by side with another
Remember him. too, as the newcomer. Peter Ustinov.
the professor. Some
Canadian member of the re- Very early on the TV scene,
grouped former Resistance Move-
times unworldly in
Barry eventually went to Canada,
ment team in 'The Zoo Gang', in
practical matters.
where television was just starting
between these roles, he has played Physical condition up. He remained in Toronto to
almost every type of diverse part excellent (Pile become a producer, director and
into the bargain — from (believe it) M/30/B/8 refers). actor there, winning the Best TV
a belly-dancer to a black man! But has me chani cal Actor Award no less than five
The most surprising thing about heart replacement. times.
suave, personable Barry Morse is This, because it He also visited America for
Chat he's a genuine, within-thc- responds more slowly Hollywood productions, both
sound-of- Bow-Bells cockney. to nervous stimuli films and TV, with guest roles in
Back in the East End he can slip such
quite easily into the old chat
than does a normal series as 'Doctor Kildare'
("I was a Romanian drug-
especially when he's visiting his
human heart, reduces
smuggler!") and 'Wagon Train'
his reactions to ("A drunken Irish journalist, no
most emotional less!").
stresses. Immune to And, of course, he really hit the
panic. Is invaluable international scene as Gerard in
Moonbase for 'The Fugitive".
ability to maintain Back in England to visit his
clear-thinking in children, Hayward and Melanie,
times of stress. Barry met Roger Moore, and
appeared in an episode of 'The
brother, an ex London copper. So Saint". Other parts led to his
why do people tend to think he's eventual engagement as Bergman.
either American or Canadian? And this cockney who plays a
"It's because I've always been a Professor? Well, it's not so odd. In
natural mimic," he says. "I pick 1968, Barry was lecturing at
up accents like a magnet picks up Yale University's Drama
metal." It was just this mimicry Department — having been
that got him his first entry to appointed — Adjunct Professor!
The Apollo missions of the late sixties and early constantly collecting information on Earth's closest
seventies were executed in a constant blaze of companion in space. Collecting it, assessing it, and
publicity — most of which centred around the rockets, the transmitting data back to the scientific laboratories, ever
vehicles, and the men who manned them. But there was hungry for knowledge, back in the United States.
another, less publicised side to the Moonshot series
which involved patient and painstaking experiments by The picture above shows an astronaut of the Apollo 12
the astronauts, using a whole truckload of strange and mission aided by his companion (clearly visible, reflected
sophisticated gadget ry, much of which was left behind on in his helmet visor) conducting just one of the many
the Moon's surface. But not to lie idle. required experiments. On the following pages, we show
Many of these highly technical machines were some of the machinery actually used in the subsequent
positioned so that they could act as remote watchdogs, landings, and outline briefly just what it was used for. . .

45
 Whatever the fiction of Space 999, the fact is that these
1

pieces of equipment, and others like them, have made a

vast contribution to man's knowledge of the Moon. Like
true sentries, these robots remain on watch when their
masters have gone away!

Actually used on Apollo 15 mission, this Lunar Rover This picture shows (left) the Lunar Ejects and
was a key item in many of (he experiments. On 17, a Meteorites experiment and (right) the Lunar Seismic
similar vehicle was fitted with a tri-loop receiving Profiling experiment. The first was designed to measure
direction, mass distribution and speed of cosmic dust jed-Particle
antenna and data recorder (right, in the picture below) to
particles hitting the Moon from space, and also the same
which studied the <
pick up signals from the device shown on the left. That is
ions of proton and eli on
a solar-panel powered transmitter and multiple properties of the Moon's own dust thrown clear by such
frequency antenna, which was set seventy metres away. impacts. I he second had to obtain data on physical
urface came under tin
wind. It also measured th<
Its purpose was to determine layering in the lunar properties of the lunar surface and subsurface by
to which the Moon wai
surface, to search for the presence of water below the generating and monitoring artificial seismic waves and
subjected during solar eruptio r flares.
surface, and to measure the electrical properties of the by detecting moonquakes and meteorite impacts. During
lunar material on location. Si\ frequencies from 1 to 32 the time the Apollo 17 astronauts were on the Moon, the
megahertz allowed probing of the subsurface up to Lunar Rover set eight explosive charges at measured
several kilometres. In this case, the data recorder was distances from this device, which were detonated
returned to Earth for analysis. remotely from Earth after lunar liftoff.
The Apollo 13 Heal Flow experiment. This measured the
lunar temperature at depths up to ten feet, and the value
of the Moon's thermal conductivity over the same depth.
Information as to the net outward flow of heat and the
radioactive content of the Moon's interior compared to
that of Earth allowed scientists to reconstruct the
various subsurfaec layers and to determine whether a
melting-point may be approached towards the interior of
the Moon.

4:3
 44
All personnel considered for duties
on Main Mission, Moonbase Alpha,
have been required to take an
Intelligence Quotient Test before
initial training. We reproduce that
test here — so that you can discover
your own IQ rating for Alpha. To
pass, you need six correct out of
ten —and you can check the answers
on page 77. Like all Moonbase
personnel, you are on your honour
not to cheat.

Which of these numbers is the

1. Complete the following se- 6.

quence. o dd one out?

2. 4. 8. 16. 32. 64 . 6. 9. 12. 33. 14.

Which is the odd colour out? 7. What does the following

2.
Red. Blue. Green. Orange. represent, as a sentence?
YY U R, YY UB, I C U R YY
4 ME.
3. Make sense of the following
statement by inserting one full
stop and one semi-colon. 8. Fill the gap in the following-
TIME FLIES YOU CAN'T THEY Blue, Yellow, Green.
FLY TOO FAST. Red, Blue, Purple.
Red, Green, Brown.
Red, Yellow
4.What is the connection be-
tween the following sen-
tences? 9. One ton of feathers is lighter
MADAM, I'M ADAM. ABLE than one ton of lead. True or
WAS I ERE I SAW ELBA. false?

5. Fill in the missing word in this lO.One ton of feathers is more

series of links
massive than one ton of lead.
APE-PEG-EGG. True or false?
SON-ONE-NEW.
BID- -DEN.
 Commander Koenig has
clearly found something
wrong with some of his
key personnel. In a
The areas of Moonbase marked with red Commander Koenig and Helena Russell trance, such as Kano's,
what word is used to Can you unscamble the seven letters and make tbe sunt
crosses are launch and landing pads for take samples on an alien planet. Helena's
describe the blank state prominent member of the Moonbase staff? Check > our a
which craft? white uniform sleeve marks her out as a
member of which Moonbase department? of a man's eyes? page 11.
CHIEF PILOT
Alan Carter
When Nick Talc he is

Australian, and he was bom in Australian. Born Sydney, 1969. Ex

Sydney (but in 1942)- went along Navy flier accepted for astronautics
to be interviewed for a role in training. Showed remarkable aptitude
'Space 1999', he was one of many for control of Moonbase ferry
hopeful young actors looking for a
vehicles (classified EAGLES - see
break.
It didn't look too hopeful, if
origination files MB/3/C.E - 1-6)
he'd got his sights on a starring
and rose to instructor, Grade A, on
part. Mainly because the original
all facets of handling. Qualified in
scripts had earmarked the all fields of navigation, command,
character of Chief Eagle Pilot to maintenance and adaptation. Single,
be an Italian. Doubtless there are of i ce- calm character, has an
blond Italians — many of them. enquiring mind and a nerveless
bravery that will make him undertake
missions in the face of any danger.
Is responsible not only for EAGLE
flights but for training of
replacement crews from Moonbase
personnel.

But it's not really a typical He had roles in such shows

physical feature. However, as 'Sherlock Holmes'. 'Trouble-
producers Gerry and Sylvia shooters'. "The Detectives'. He
Anderson liked the young Aussie, was in the films 'Battle of Britain".
and so the script editors had a re- 'Submarine X-l". 'The High
think, and Nick got the job. Commissioner". 'A Man For All
That he should be an actor is no Seasons'. .

is the noted
surprise. Nick's father But the big opportunity— for a
character player John Tale, and leading role in "The Canterbury
his mother is also an actress (and Tales" — took him home. Jt was in

singer) Neva Carr-Glynn. who the touring company, which went

works in Australia. Nick began as straight to Australia. He reckoned
a child actor. His parents were to be there seven weeks — but
divorced when he was twelve, and remained five years.
he remained 'down under' while "'The tour was such a success."
his father went to England. he remembers, "that becameI

Eventually, Nick followed in his known. did some TV series, some

1

footsteps, to meet with mixed stage work. Plenty of experience."

fortunes. There was a fair amount And with that experience under
of TV work, and some small parts his bell. Nick came back to
in Rims, but there were long out- England. He should have flown
of-work periods. "1 filled in by here in an Eagle, for within days of
doing all sorts of other jobs." he reaching London, he'd landed
says. "Lifeguard at swimming himself the part of Alan Carter.
pools, demonstrating products at Chief Space Pilot on Moonbase
exhibitions, market research. ," , Alpha!
Conflict
of matter
ttTI makes no sense at all. Commander!" David Kano Then, with startling suddenness, the Eagle's retro-jets
ispnn from the big Main Mission computer and spread lired. And even as they did so. the impossible happened! The
his hands helplessly. For Ions; moments. John Koenig looked whole craft turned abruptly on its back, and twin forks of
at him. Then, his knuckles while on the edges of his desk, he Hashing power seemed to encase it in a whirling blast of light!
stared up in fascination at the huge video screen above. Far from zoning in on one of the Moonbase Alpha launch-
"He's signalling in gibberish"! Hung it. Kano. what's pads, the craft hung poised for a brief second, then
happened to him?" disintegrated in an almighty Hash and left nothing! Not
On screen, an Eagle showed boring hack Ihrouyb
. even a drift of space-dust!
space towards the Moon. Pi Villis the controls,
li t A stunned silence hung over Main Mission. How could it
Willis— sent out to investigate bus radio source that have happened'. How could the Eagle have vanished so
1

had begun transmitting from re far ahead a radio completely'.' What had happened to pilot Willis? Why was his
source that could not be dc sually. Could not be voice just an incomprehensible jumble of meaningless
made to appear
sophisticated equipment of Moonbase Alpha. At last, Victor Bergman spoke. "Whatever this invisible
And now not even Kami's computer could make head or radio source ahead happens to be. John, it clearly presents
tail of the verbal garbage Willis was talking. It wasn't some kind of terrible danger. We're going to halt to re-
English. It bore no resemblance to any Earth language. And investigate."
yet it was coming through loud and clear as the Eagle made "But the risk, Victor!" Koenig licked his lips. "I can't
its landing approach! order anyone else to take another Eagle up! can't even ask
1

"Medical and Rescue Teams to Area Five!" Koenig

barked the order into his comlock. und the alerted "1 agree with you. Commander," said Paul Morrow. He
departments of Moonbase burst into action. Koenig was glanced round the others present as if for support, and the
aware of Victor Bergman at his side, plucking nervously at answering nods came slowly. Even the indomitable Alan
his sleeve. "John -there's something about that Eagle that Carter and stared down al the Poor.
bit his lip

doesn't look rftAl it's different.

. . .
." . "We could send an unmanned craft, sir. Fitted with tele-
-What the blades do you mean. Victor, . T scunners to report back to us direct. That way. we'd possibly
"Can't — ligure it out just an impression I get. get the picture without having to risk panic or withdrawal by

54
the human clement." This was Kami. always convinced of was— their Eagle but weirdly, asloundinglv elongated as
lite superiority of instruments over the living being lor though it were twice its normal lengihl

reporting facts, "What the bla/es is happening to it?"

"Very well." Koenig came lo his decision, and "It's— it's pulling out into a long, thin line!"
immediately, the standby personnel of Alpha's service Stillthe speed built up, and now the craft was just a blur.
department were ordered to make ready a re mo lei y- Then abruptly it vanished!

eontrolled Eagle and prepare il for launch. Heavily modified, Sandra Hcnes cut back lo the Eagle's own tcle-
and packed with all manner of recording and transmittiag Iransmission but now there was nothing. Just a vague criss-
gear, the Eagle made lift-off without incident. Within cross of interference thai jumbled the screen in a random
seconds, it had left Mooltbase far behind, heading for the pattern of intermittent Hashes.
mysterious, unseen presence ahead [hal spelled unknown She switched in again to long-range, and brought back the
empty image of deep space And then the astonishing
To the watchers in Main Mission, their eyes glued to the happened! From nothing, from now here, a distorted, lancmg
video screen, it was as though they were in the nose of the shaft of light materialised itself into ihe Eagle! On return
hurtling craft. As though they were all silling right up there in
the empty pilots' seats in Ihe beak. . .
"What in thunder can it mean. John?" Bergman was
"It's approaching the radio source fast, sir." Sandra Uenes vaguely aware that he was shouting, but it didn't seem to
kepi the controls of her receiver moving to minimise the matter. "Good grief, where has It heen'! How did il pass out
infernal racket of transmission that had grown to ear- of our sight'!"
bursting volume. Kocnig sat down heavily. Automatically. he
"But it makes no sense. Sandra." acknowledged Paul Morrow's report that the reluming
"Less than Willis's messages. Commander." The girl Eagle had begun to slow down to normal speed. "Some kind
shook her head. "Our translators can't make head or tail of of black hole. Victor?" The Commander sleepled his lingers
and forced himself to think calmly. "We know of the
Suddenly. John Koenig fell Victor Uergman's hand clamp existence of such places
in space. Almost invisible specks that
on his shoulder. The man's voice was tense. "The Eagle's of long-dead and super-compressed stars.
speeding up. John! Its rate of acceleration's exceeding all Ihe Specks of such density that i would i

bounds of possibility! .Something's drawing it in like a millions of tons."

magnet!" "Yes. John. Specks that
But there was nothing lo be seen from the nose-mounted approaching shrink il to infinite
sensors! The blackness of space ahead was completely And such things are radio source The theory fits except
—
innocent of any ship any planet! for one thing."
"Sandra. Cut in external long-range scanners. I want la see "Which is. ?".

the Eagle from astern." Koenig' s hands clenched "Thev don'l release what thev''
spasmodically as the image on the screen shifted. And there il into a black hole is lo die. To rei

The pitch of vibration rose

and Koenig, Bergman and
their hands clapped to the

55
 — —
"Commander Professor we're talking aboul theories." the pad. dived headlong into ihe rugged surface of the Moon,
Now it was Alan Carter who spoke. "We really know and exploded! Just as totally as its predecessor, it
nothing about these black holes not in lerms of fact. There disappeared without trace and ihe ghastly vibration
may be different kinds. And it's been suggested throughout
the later history of space exploration lhar black holes may be "You'd better get your team organised to get the
a sort of gateway mm another universe. Another warp, if vou Commander and the others back." Morrow spoke soberly to
like. .
.* Doctor Helena Russell— but he needn't have bothered. She
The returning £agle drew nearer, and David Kano had was already on her way.
already begun lo feed questions into the computer. He said:
"It might fit. Commander. If we think of the black hole in it A mi-matter. John. It can't be anything else." Victor
terms of a whirlpool, it's just possible that the Eagles have .tYBergman faced the Commander as they zipped up
been sucked in and then expelled. ." . their suits. A rapid medical by Doctor Russell and her
"John!" Victor Bergman cut Kano short, his eyes blazing assistant Mathias had pronounced that neither they nor
with the certainty of what had just struck him. "You David Kano had suffered anything more than shock. "It
remember 1 said something was w rong with Willis's Eagle'.' would be in keeping v, our iissu in pi ion
r. it our kituv. iftk't-- -

I've just realised what

it was! Look— the same thing's that the Eagle had been, as it were, turned inside out and
happened loone!" He pointed at the screen, and
this reversed. Anti-matter —
winch destroy anything with which
everyone in Main Mission could clearly see that whereas tele-
scanner antennae had originally been mounted to starboard "Or. if whatever ii comes in contact with is larger and more
ol'the beak, now they appeared to be mounted, lo port! "The massive, destroys itself. .
." Koenig shook his head grimly.
whole thing's been twisted and turned inside out! Every piece "We must assume that this is the case. Victor."
of that ship is back to front!" The scientist nodded. "John. Let's agree that we're right.
The theory would also fit with something else. The garbled
i i T want tlti/i Kagle brought in intact.'" Koenig faced Kano. rubbish Willis was transmuting Suppose lhai his messages
J-"Whatever made Willis's craft disintegrate mustn't were also turned inside out. .
."

happen to this one. When ii approaches. want everything 1 "By glory, you're right, Victor! Kano- -re-run whal Willis
shutdown. All transmission, nil magnetic fields— everything. sent us -but backwards'."
And I want two people to volunteer to come with me to the The three raced to Main Mission, where as soon as it had —
landing area and go aboard it for investigation!" done as it was told- the computer played out the
There was no lack of volunteers, but Koenig chose Victor unmistakable and now utterly comprehensible voice of pilot
Bergman and David kano luniself. Lueb knew the frightful Willis from the reversed and re-backed lapes!
risk lie Has running but risk Has something the) all liwd There was nothing of particular significance in the
with, constantly. message. A mere check for landing permission. It was clear
The travel tube raced (hern towards one of Alpha's pads, that Willis had had no idea ol'w hat had happened to him. His
andcomlock contact with Main Mission kept Ihem informed only worry had been ihe fact that Moonbase's transmissions
of the Eagle's approach. So far. so good. There was no repeat to him were coming through as nonsense. .

of the electrical force- that had destroyed Willis. Retros fired, "Commander." Alan Carter caught his chiefs attention.
and this time, the Eagle came slowly in. . . "It seems we're headed straight lor this black hole, right?"
But then it happened! In the area within ihe landing pad Koenig nodded. "And it seems just as clear that whatever
airlock, a juddering vibration began to shake every plate of passes through it comes out again- intact, but reversed.
Ihe structure! An unbearable, high-pitched screaming Surely we can be sure of survival then. We'll probably go
seemed to invade the minds of the three men. and through some period when we're all spark out. When stresses
uncontrollably, they fell to the ground, their hands clamped beyond our knowledge will Iwist us and re-shape us. Like,
over their ears! Their yells of pure agony cut over the back to front. Well, don't know that it matters much. We'll
I

screeching, hideous cacophony of tortured sound, and in all be in the same boat- -and as long as we live through it.
.*'
.

Main Mission, Paul Morrow jumped to throw the switches "It's not as simple as that, Alan."* put in Victor Bergman.
[hat had cut out Alpha's magnetic and radio systems! It was "We may be safe enough, yes. And we'll all come through
pure instinci bui it worked! The Eagle swung away from with our hearts on the wrong side of our bodies. Those of us

56
 who've been right-handed will be left-handed, and vice versa. Its whole fabric shuddering, its engines unused to the
We'll all speak and communicate backwards— bul we'll effort involved, theEagle began to haul away. The battle
understand. grant you thai. But we'll be back in this
1 with the unknown was on! Grimly, the occupants of Main
universe. As ami-matter. Don't you see'.' If we draw near to Mission hung on and watched the screen as the craft began lo
any other body in space - another planet an alien ship outpace ihem. . .

we'll either automatically destroy it or be destroyed! We will "All systems are overloading. Commander! She's going to
positivelyand totally be unable to survive!" break up<" Paul Morrow's voice rose to a scream! In that
"But we Cant avoid it, Victor! We're rushing headlong instant, the body or the Ragle splii asunder! There wasjusi
toward! this black hole and nothing can stop us passing
. . .
lime to see the central pod go hurtling off on some trajectory
through it! Inevitably we're doomed!" of its own before the main body crashed down on the Moon's
surface to blast itself to pieces! The attempt had finh'il.'

Paralysed with horror, Koenig, Bergman, Morrow. Kano

and Ihe others stared al Ihe screen. The dazzling Hash of
the explosion had blinded them for a moment but now. once
more, ihey were staring into ihe blackness of the awful void
ahead! Then, all al once, they were aware that there was
silence from (he receiver monitors!
"The— the radio source! it's stopped!" Sandra Benes
lurned her white face lo the olhers. "There's nothing]"
Scarcely had [bey accepted the fact before the screen went
totally white. John Koenig jusl had time lo hear someone-
he never knew who it was -say that Victor Bergman's anti-
matter container had whirled into the black hole when Ihe
whole of the Moon shook to an impact of unprecedented
violence. Mass unconsciousness came sw iftly absolutely. . . .

A watcher on another planet might have seen the whole

rugged globe of Ihe Moon caught in some kind of invisible

Paul Morrow knew that time was running out! He

and his colleagues on Alpha were rushing
headlong to destruction!

his laboratory. Bergman worked feverishly. The physical

Inproduction
ol anti-matter was a scientific possibility, but
so far. it had only been tried on a minuie scale. The threat of
the destructive forces -el eased by us manufacture had always
i

been considered too great. Yet now he risked his own life by
trying to create, in controlled conditions, a machine lhai
could be launched into space, lo begin its own carefully
programmed conversion of material.
"How's it going. Victor'.'" Koenig's voice came over the
com lock Bergman's side. The whole area had
at been cleared.
"1 think— I think 1 can do it. John. Of course, whether the
scheme will work is another mailer."
"It'&got to work. Victor! So we lose another Eagle. But if.
by the lime that Eagle reaches the black hole, it has already The shattering explosion of the crashing craft
become anti-matter, then there'll be such a conflict of forces struck Bergman dumb! Had his bid to save
that the hole itself can be sealed!" Moonbase failed, , ?
"Theories, theories," muttered Bergman to himself. "But
they're all we have!" turbulence that swung it clean off its course through the
Ai last, all was ready. The complex mechanism, sealed inhnite. . That watcher, loo, had he been possessed of
.

within a huge casket, was loaded into the waisl-pod of an superior intelligence, would have know n thai somewhere, an
Eagle. Computer- timed switch-ins had been installed so lhal incredible conflict of matter had caused [bat turbulence.
(he production ol and mailer would not begin before the Thai cosmic upset that had. in effect saved the Moon from
crafi wjs well cleai of Moonbcse ultimate disaster. He would have known thai, when the wild
But the lime, precious moments were miming oul
all gyrations of Alpha had subsided, and its occupants had
Inexorably, ihc Moon Usclf was being drawn towards thril recovered their senses and [heir composure, they would have
terrifyinggateway of hypci space' Already, the velocity ol looked fearfully at each other for long moments only to . . .

ihc Moor wasbuilding and powerful -.tresses were heave the sighs of relief of people « ho realised that their righl
affecting every person on Alpha 1

hands we rev//// their righl hands. Thai ihey had escaped, by a

"Prepare lo launch Eagle''* Koemg spoke thickly, his head miracle, the dreadful consequences of a lournev through the
buzzing. "Launch!" black hole. ,

57
This is
t\MXU\
the place. The cold, cut-off citadel where the castaways in
space live out their constantly hopeful lives. Their dreams of
survival! — —
You you at home have seen something of their fate.
You have seen their peril! Now read on, and witness the fresh
dangers that face Commander John Koenig and his friends. . .
61
62
63
64
So strange are the complex mysteries of space that fact often reads like fiction, and fiction
like fact. Below are ten statements —
all of them pretty wild. The point is, can you tell the true
—
from the false? Have a go and check your answers on page 77.

Dying stars eventually contract to such an 7. Modern-day technology makes corn-

extent under the forcesol unbelievable gravity munication by radio with distant planets
that they form 'holes' in space— invisible (should they exist, and be inhabited)
areas, perhaps as large as earth, capable of impossible. An astronomer sending a radio
sucking in, say, a spacecraft and vanishing it, message could expect to receive his answer in
literally without trace! time for his great, great, great great grandson

Fact or
Fiction?

2. The effect of a Supernova —the explosion of a

star— if it took place within our own Galaxy,
could bombard the Earth with such radiation
that, although cities would not be destroyed,
the entire World population would have to go
underground to survive— and stay there
perhaps for more than a year!
8. With al! the incredibly sophisticated
3. The first astronomers to pick up radio signals eqmpmen produced in the twentieth
from a source in space labelled the files of their ce to space, the study of cosmic
highly scientific research project 'L.G.M.' The —
ray particles most important emissions trom
initials stood for 'Little Green Men'. —
an incredible distance has been partly
conducted by balloons released into the upper
4. A space-probe could pass right through the regions, loaded with packages of fine-grain
substance of a comet without suffering more filml
than superficial damage from small particles.
This is because the mass of a comet is small 9. Some of the stars we see in the sky are not
compared with its size. there at all. Because of the distances involved,
and the speed of light, they have long ceased to
5. More than six million years from now, our Sun exist, although their image still reaches us.
will expand to four hundred times its present
diameter, engulfing Mercury, Venus. Earth
and Mars and destroying those planets utterly.
10. —
The simple force, gravity the thing that
makes a stone fall to the ground when you
—
drop it is the most powerful force in the
6. Of the nine planets in the Solar System. universe, capable of causing violent
—
Pluto the most distant, is actually at present destruction on a galactic level. Ultimately, it
closer to the Sun than its neighbour Neptune, ma/ cause the total annihilation of everything in
thanks to the strange nature of its orbit. the heavens.

65
 Computer
Controller. In
charge of the
immense
knowledge-store
and calculative
wizardry of
Co-ordinator supreme (in
Alpha. Who has
Koenig's absence) of the highly himself taken
complex structure of Main part in the
Mission. Pan! Morrow is played dangerous
by actor Preniis Hancock. experiments to
Like most actors. Prentis likes link the computer
to travel, and he's been lucky in to the human
this respect. Not long before mind.
joining the cast of 'Space 1999' he
was filming on the summit of the
7 000 ft Unterberg Mountain in
T
Jamaican Clifton Jones, playing
Austria for an episode of 'The the part of Kano. has lived in
Protectors'. And now he's on the England since 1958. He studied at
Moon! the Conti Stage School, and while
Ex-singer, ex-fencing still a student, appeared in 'Billy

instructor. Prentis Hancock has Budd'. Numerous other stage

worked widely in theatre, roles followed, on tour and in
television and films — and is no —
repertory and he played in such
newcomer to science fiction. He London productions as 'Moon On
appeared in 'grandaddy' of
the A Rainbow Shawl' and 'A Taste
them all- 'Doctor Who'. Add to Of Honey'. He's been with Joan
thai appearances in such shows as Littlewood's Theatre Royal,
"Dixon of Dock Green". 'Doctor Stratford East companv. has been
Finluy's Casebook". Z Cars'. in films ("V.I.P.s'. 'Decline And
"Softly Softly' and "Colditz". and Fall', 'Innocent Bystanders') and
you've got a man as versatile as the made his television debtit in
all-knowledgeable Paul Morrow! 'Liiieryeney Ward Ten".
Clifton Jones was in the Royal

Doctor Mathias New York, where he first studied

Air Force for two years national
service — but
1999' to get
Moonbase Alpha!
it's taken
him airborne
'Space
as far as

Assistant to drama, and then returned to

Doctor Helena Jamaica with the intention of
Russell. Key concentrating on radio work.
member of the
Moonbase Alpha
medi cal team.
Before long, though, he made his
way to London, where he worked
as a book-keeper, then as a
Sandra
passport officer in his country's A British nalional. Zicnia and then opted to learn drama as
Another Jamaiean. Anton Phillips High Commission. He stopped Moonbase service Merton — Sandra Benes in the well. Her acting debut was as an elf
a newcomer to this type of working to write a play which won series— has an
is
section. Works extraordinarily in an open-air production of 'A
Although he
television series-film. a prize in a Jamaican festival, and varied background. Daughter of a Midsummer Night's Dream' and
in close
has appeared in a number of taped then went for drama training at half-English. half-French Father her first lilm part was as a Chinese
TV
collaboration
shows including 'Warship' (he the Rose Bruford College. After a and Burmese mother: born in
a girlwho made a play for Gregory
was an able-seaman) and "Barlow period of stage work that included
with David Kano Brunei: brought up in Singapore, Peck in 'The Chairman'. She has
At Large", where he played a the name part in Maorwitz's 'An on Main Mission Borneo. Portugal and England! appeared in many British
Othello', he won his running role computer. Petite, dark-haired Zienia left television productions, but this is
Anton finished his schooling in in "Space 1W. home to study dancing in London. her first continuous series role.

70 71
There was something uncanny in the air. A feeling that
beginning to run. Calling for her to follow. She did, John,
stole over Helena Russell and ran icy fingers up and she did! She was right behind me! And then was here I . .

down her back. She shuddered and moved involuntarily in front ofCarter and Kano!"
closer to Professor Victor Bergman. The yellow light of
"She's fallen somewhere! She's fallen and knocked
theirflashlamps reflected wanly from the wet walls of the
herself out!" Koenig knew he was snarling. Was aware
tunnel that yawned before them.
that Carter and Kano were looking at him worriedly. The
"Must we go on, Victor? don't like this one little bit!"
I

Australian said, "Take it easy, Commander."

Il was several seconds before Bergman replied. In his
"Paul, " Now Koenig pulled himself together and set his
own mind, he felt as nervous as Helena, but he was a comlock to contact their Eagle guard, "Put out a magnetic
scientist, and the scratchy, primitive drawings on the walls
sweep. Locate Helena's comlock and give us a cross-
of rock at the very entrance to the tunnel had intrigued
bearing so's we can find her! And make it quick! If she's
him.
fallen face-down one of these swamp-holes, she could
"Just a little bit farther, Hel
."
i. Look — it's opening o be drowning!"
in

into some kind of cave.

A moment's pause. Then "Sorry, Commander!
.

can t I

They had been on this planet some two hours. A planet

get a fix. She's disappeared. She's not on the surface. ." .

that had loomed up in the path of the runaway Moon. A

"She can't have come out of the caves," breathed
planet that had exhibited all the right signs. Gravity,
Bergman.
atmosphere, vegetation. In what had become a routine
"So get us there, Victor— but fast!"
pattern, the Eagles had left Moonbase Alpha, bringing Bergman shook his head. "I can't remember, John. I

Commander Koenig, Alan Carter. David Kano, Bergman

don't know which way they were. ." .

and Helena down to make their investigations. Two At that moment, there came a shrill, harsh scream,
Eagles— and Controller Paul Morrow had been left with
somewhere away to the left. And before they could stop
them. Helena shuddered again and wished she was up him, Koenig had bounded away into the clinging fog. to
there wifh him— on watch in the damp, misty atmosphere
that John Koenig had jokingly compared to England in
disappear from sight! The scream had been human there —
was no doubt of that. There was equally no doubt of the
November. "Don't worry," he'd said. "The climate's fact that it had nof been a scream of terror. More a scream
probably as variable as ours was. Look at the vegetation! of triumph. And it hadn't been Helena Russell's voice!
Come a month or two by our time-standards, and this
place'll probably be as hot as the French Riviera!"
"You're thinking of John's enthusiasm?" It was as
though Bergman had read her thoughts "You can't blame "We've got Professor Bergman
right here." snapped Alan Carter
him, Helena. He's been leading us on this crazy flight "And he's in shock!"
through space for so long now that he's ready to believe in
the law of averages. Sooner or later, we have to reach a
world where we'll find our peace. And this could be it!"
—
Helena nodded. "It's just just this awful premonition,
Victor. Like —
what do they call it? The smell of death!"
Helena Russell couldn't have described it better! And,

as the pair of them rounded a bend in the tunnel and came buggy they'd brought down with them. The buggy in they hardly registered, "Victor! Helena! Come in!"
out into a vast, vaulted cave, they saw it! The heart- which Carter and Kano were making a wider exploratory Then the crackle of Alan Carter's voicel "Commander
stopping tableau of human forms grouped round a flat sweep. "Alan, this is Koenig." The Commander switched we've got Professor Bergman right here! And he's in
stone table! Human forms? They were skeletons! And their to direct transmission. "How've you made out?" shockV Out of the gloom in front of the buggy had
grinning skulls seemed to leer and grin in the flickering Carter's voice came back, heavy with sarcastic humour. stepped their scientist colleague- and neither Kano nor
glow of the lamps! "Wetly. sir. Lucky this thing floats. Might suggest we
I
Carter could get the slightest sense or response out of himl
take off and move our centre of search? There's got to be
sunshine and light somewhere!"
"To blazes with thisl" For the umpteenth time, "We'll do just that. I'll re-call Victor and Helena to "Where's Helena? Where is she? What happened?"
Commander John Koenig pulled his foot out of a soft, rendezvous at base. Maybe you'd get in touch with Koenig had covered the distance between himself and the
soggy patch of swamp, caught his ears against the low, Moonbase and tell them what we're doing?" buggy in ten minutes. Oblivious of the whipping twigs,
bare branches of a tree and peered around him into the all- "I copy, Commander. Leave it to me." the roots that had caught at his feet and tumbled him
pervading mist. He thumbed the switch of the comlock in Koenig picked his way over mossy hummocks, irritated headlong a dozen times! Now he had Bergman by the
his hand and turned to face the direction of the waiting
Eagles as indicated on the minute screen. He couldn't see
despite the fact that this planet was — although so shoulders, shaking him— but the Professor could only
inhospitable in its present mood— so similar to Earth. gape and talk in a whisper, his eyes staring!
them, of course, but he knew, reassuringly, that they were "Victor. Helena. Can you hear me?" "Cave drawings, John! Like the pre-historic things we
there. "Paul —
I'm coming back. Maybe the others have
had on Earth! And the skeletons ... Iknew they were
found something a bit higher and drier on this crazy "Come in, Victor! Helena. ?"
.
beings who'd done them . dead and ancient. The skulls
. .

planet." A chill beyond the chill of the atmosphere stole over were calcified. ."
.

Paul Morrow acknowledged, and dimly, away to his Koenig, and he halted. Ahead of him, through the mist, he "But Helena, hang it! What made you leave her, ?" .

left, Koenig could hear the purring of the engine of the could see already the reassuring shapes of the Eagles, but

72
There was something uncanny in the air. A feeling that
stole over Helena Russell and ran icy fingers up and
down her back. She shuddered and moved involuntarily
closer to Professor Victor Bergman. The yellow light of
their flashlamps reflected wanly from the wet walls of the
tunnel that yawned before them.
"Must we go on, Victor? don't like this one little bit!"
I

Il was several seconds before Bergman replied. In his

own mind, he felt as nervous as Helena, but he was a

scientist, and the scratchy, primitive drawings on the walls
of rock at the very entrance to the tunnel had intrigued
him.
"Just a little bit farther, Hel
."
i. Look — it's opening o
into some kind of cave. .

They had been on this planet some two hours. A planet

that had loomed up in the path of the runaway Moon. A
planet that had exhibited all the right signs. Gravity,
atmosphere, vegetation. In what had become a routine
pattern, the Eagles had left Moonbase Alpha, bringing
Commander Koenig, Alan Carter. David Kano, Bergman
and Helena down to make their investigations. Two
Eagles— and Controller Paul Morrow had been left with
them. Helena shuddered again and wished she was up
there with him- -on watch in the damp, misty atmosphere
that John Koenig had jokingly compared to England in
November. "Don't worry," he'd said. "The climate's
probably as variable as ours was. Look at the vegetation!
Come a monih or two by our time-standards, and this
place'll probably be as hot as the French Riviera!"
"You're thinking of John's enthusiasm?" It was as
though Bergman had read her thoughts "You can't blame
him, Helena. He's been leading us on this crazy flight
through space for so long now that he's ready to believe in
the law of averages. Sooner or later, we have to reach a
world where we'll find our peace. And this could be ill"
—
Helena nodded. "It's just just this awful premonition,
Victor. Like — what do they call it? The smell of death!"
Helena Russell couldn't have described it better! And,

as the pair ofthem rounded a bend in the tunnel and came buggy they'd brought down with them. The buggy in
out into a vast, vaulted cave, they saw it! The heart- which Carter and Kano were making a wider exploratory
stopping tableau of human forms grouped round a flat sweep. "Alan, this is Koenig." The Commander switched
stone table! Human forms? They were skeletons! And their to direct transmission. "How've you made out?"
grinning skulls seemed to leer and grin in the flickering Carter's voice came back, heavy with sarcastic humour.
glow of the lamps! "Wetly. sir. Lucky this thing floats. Might suggest we
I

take off and move our centre of search? There's got to be

sunshine and light somewhere!"
"To blazes with this!" For the umpteenth time, "We'll do just that. I'll re-call Victor and Helena to
Commander John Koenig pulled his foot out of a soft, rendezvous at base. Maybe you'd get in touch with
soggy patch of swamp, caught his ears against the low. Moonbase and tell them what we're doing?"
bare branches of a tree and peered around him into the all- "I copy, Commander. Leave it to me."
pervading mist. He thumbed the switch of the comlock in Koenig picked his way over mossy mmocks, irritated
his hand and turned to face the direction of the waiting despite the fact that this planet as— although so
Eagles as indicated on the minute screen. He couldn't see inhospitable in its present mood-- similar to Earth.
them, of course, but he knew, reassuringly, that they were "Victor. Helena. Can you hear me?"
there. —
"Paul I'm coming back. Maybe the others have
found something a bit higher and drier on this crazy "Come in, Victor! Helena. .
?"
planet." A chill beyond the chill of the atmosphere stole over
Paul Morrow acknowledged, and dimly, away to his Koenig, and he halted. Ahead of him, through the mist, he
left, Koenig could hear the purring of the engine of the could see already the reassuring shapes of the Eagles, but

72
 beginning to tun. Calling fot het to follow. She did, John,
she did! She was tight behind me! And then was here I . . .

in ftont of Carter and Kano!"

"She's fallen somewhere! She's fallen and knocked
herself out!" Koenig knew he was snarling. Was aware
that Carter and Kano wete looking at him worriedly. The
Australian said, "Take it easy, Commander."
"Paul,'' Now Koenig pulled himself togethet and set his
comlockto contact their Eagle guard, "Put out a magnetic
sweep. Locate Helena's comlock and give us a cross-
bearing so's we can find her! And make it quick! If she's
fallen face-down in one of these swamp-holes, she could

A moment's pause. Then "Sorry, Commandet! can t

I

get a fix. She's disappeared. She's not on the surface. ." .

"She can't have come out of the caves," breathed

Bergman.
"So get us there, Victor— but fast!"
Bergman shook his head. "I can't remember, John. I

don't know which way they were. ." .

At that moment, there came a shrill, harsh scream,

somewhere away to the left. And before they could stop
him, Koenig had bounded away into the clinging fog, to
disappear from sight! The scream had been human there —
was no doubt of that. There was equally no doubt of the
fact that it had not been a scream of terror. More a scream
of triumph. And it hadn't been Helena Russell's voice!

"We've got Professor Bergman

right here." snapped Alan Carter
"And he's in shock!"

they hardly registered, "Victor! Helena! Come in!"

Then the crackle of Alan Carter's voicel "Commander
we've got Professor Bergman right here! And he's in
shockV Out of the gloom in front of the buggy had
stepped their scientist colleague- and neither Kano nor
Carter could get the slightest sense or response out of him]

"Where's Helena? Where is she? What happened!'

Koenig had covered the distance between himself and the
buggy in ten minutes. Oblivious of the whipping twigs,
the roots that had caught at his feet and tumbled him
headlong a dozen times! Mow he had Bergman by the
shoulders, shaking him — but the Professor could only
gape and talk in a whisper, his eyes staring!
"Cave drawings, John! Like the pre-historic things we
had on Earth! And the skeletons ... Iknew they were
beings who'd done them . dead and ancient. The skulls
. .

were calcified. ."

.

"But Helena, hang it! What made you leave her, ?" .

"I— didn't! Suddenly, my mind went blank. remember

I 1
The strong, calloused hands thai had gripped Helena But no help came. Whimpering, Helena was dragged
Russell's shoulders had brought her up short with a into —
a vast chamber a haphazard jumble of half-
numbing jerk. Had spilled the comlock (rom her hands. constructed archways andpillars, overhung with moss. A
She had heard it smash on the rock beneath her feet in the chamber where skin-clad figures, both male and female,
second before her mouth had opened wide to scream for grimaced at her and shook their fists, and flashed their
help. But that scream had never left her throat. Instead it eyes with hostile and unmistakable hate! At one end, the
had been the bearded lips of one of her captors that had big stone slab that could only be some form of altar. . ,

parted to lei loose the bellow of victory. She had time to "Nnnarrrgh! Garrrgh!" The sounds were meaningless,
see the skin-clad bodies of the men who held her before, but Helena could hear them, translated within her brain, as
mercifully, she fainted. The mists had swirled briefly in the clearly as if they had been in plain English! "Sacrifice!
mouth of the cave before her, and then she was dragged, Sacrifice f"
inert, back into the complex labyrinth of tunnels that led to Once again, the blackness of oblivion descended on
the underworld of this strange and savage planet. . . Helena Russell. Despairingly, she knew she was passing
—
When Helena's senses returned was it moments later, into a state of unconsciousness from which she might
or perhaps hours — she was in some kind of primitive never recover. .

dwelling, deep beneath the surface. Here it was warm, but

there was no comfort in it. They still held her, the two men
who had caught her. And their voices were unintelligible "Commander!" The voice of Paul Morrow cut through
grunts. But there must have been some kind of telepathy Koenig's mind as he staggered to the yawning entrance of
some curious instinct that made her understand exactly the underground cave system. "Commander! have I

what they were, and why they had made her prisoner. urgent contact from Moonbase! There was a mistake in
"I didn't know," she said, fighting down the terror that estimation of the planet's orbit! It's pulling away from
all —
but consumed her. "I didn't mean to invade your your them fast. On an ellipse! We've got to abandon any
sacred place!" thought of project Exodus to bring us down here . . . we've
They gave no sign that they had understood. got to get back or we'll be strandedl"
"Oh, John! If only you could hear me! Victor and found
I

—
some kind of temple some sanctuary where they house
their ancestors! They're going to kill me for violating it!
Headlong, Alan Carter and Paul Morrow flung
themselves into the fight! Could they rescue Helena
—
bone the bitten-off yelps of guards felled by the
unexpected onslaught— the slither of slipping feet and the
before it was too late to return to Moonbasa. ? .

wild gasps of men and women taken utterly by surprise! In

one instant the scene was total chaos! Clubs bit the air
Koenig froze. He was vaguely aware of the buggy around the heads of the two friends— hairy hands
screeching up behind him. Carter leaped from it. —
grasped were lorn free! And now Carter's arm was under
"She's in there. ?" . Helena's shoulders, hauling her, gasping, from the flat
"This is the place," said Bergman. rock!
Koenig looked bleak. "You heard what Paul said. ?" . "Out, Paul! Out!"
"I heard," snapped Kano. "Commander —
we've no time With Helena between them, the two men from
to search!" Moonbase Alpha raced from the cavern, their ears assailed
With a strangled cry, Koenig broke away from them by the twittering roars of rage from male and female alike
but it was Victor Bergman who leaped out to tackle him, as the primitives grouped themselves to give chasel And
bringing him crashing down, his head smashing off a rock then the cloying mist again as they staggered into the
to plunge him into instant oblivion! "Emotional open ... the waiting buggy . . Kanoat the controls, back
involvement," rasped Bergman. "Too dangerous! No time to risk his own future, possibly to be marooned on the
for fooling. I'll get him back to the Eagles." planet!
The other two fell instantly into Bergman's thinking. Of
all the people on Moonbase Alpha. Koenig was the one Stones and clubs thudded against the skin of the two
person they could not afford to lose. "We've got a chance Eagles as Bergman and Morrow gunned them up and
of a quick rescue, Victor ." this was Alan Carter.
. . away from the surface. Slowly at first, then more quickly,
"Action. You're too old. Forgive me. but it's true. Kano— they lifted from the land that had promised so much— yet
help him back with the Commander. Send Paul Morrow in had proved so hostile. How widespread had the primitives
to back me up. We're more expendable. ." . been? Could they have landed in force to subdue them and
There could be no argument. The tough Australian colonise? It was something they would never know. All
didn't even wail to see how the others took it. He was they were aiming for now was to catch up with the rapidly
already running down into the tunnels, guided by a deep, —
dwindling Moon their own home. And every second
vibrating chanting that came from somewhere deep took it farther and farther away!
within. He knew that Paul Morrow— lithe, young and "We're closing, Victor! We're closingl" Paul Morrow
muscled, would soon be after him. But he didn't care. He was sweating freely at his controls. "I think we're going to
only saw. m his mind s eye. the Commander s closest
fnend. Helena Russoll. in danger of her life. "We'll make it," breathed Bergman, glancing down at
the still unconscious figure of Commander Koenig behind
Thg stone altar dripped wetly Prone upon it. H«tefla him. Helena Russell was stooping over him, stroking his
Stirred,only half realising her frightful surroundings head. It was clear he wasn't even aware of Bergman s
Above her towered a huge, bearded pirmitrve. a cast presence. 'We'll make it. And journey on. We find one
b'on/p knlfo gleaming dully in his clenched fists. A babble —
place we find another. That's how it goes. Someday, our
otmtonod words poured from rtis hps. and the eyes of his fate will surelyguide us to our definite destiny. Then
people were Fastened on him as they swayed to the there'llbe no opposition no mystery, no conflict. Just
murmuring of some evil rituall
And then Alan Carter came racing into the vast The Eagles swooped down towards the grey complex of
chamber, his fists swinging! Panting with exertion, right Alpha, and their retros fired M they dropped side by side
behind him, Paul Morrow! The solid crack of bone on towards the landing pads

75
Spot the Difference
Take a look at these pictures. They may appear alike, but our artist has made six small changes in the lower one.
Can you pick them out?
 ANSWERS TO
MNOS CROSSWORD
David Kano says his computer can't be bothered with easy
QUIZ AND
PUZZLE PAGES
BRAINSEARCH
crosswords like this. Can you solve it? page 39

MAIN MISSION LC-

page 48
1 . 1 28. All numbers are double tf

P
2 Orange. Ins not a primary colou
3. Tirnefl.es. You can't: They fly Ic

fast. being a verb. You'

(Time'
trying to time flies with a stopwatc

in't be divided by 3.

9 False Both weigh the same.

10- True- There's more mass— i.e.
—
bulk to the feathers for such a

CLUE PIX — THE GAME

OF THE NAME— pages
50/51
Bed. Eagle. Beam,
Medical, NucL„.,
Inilials REBMNGA -arrange to spell
BERGMAN
FACT OR FICTION—
page 65
All the slataments are true.

Answers to Spot The

Difference Page 10.
Branch missing behind Commander
Koenig, badge added, extra white pad

CLUES ACROSS CLUES DOWN

-T. Estimated Time of Arrival -1. ExtraSensory Perception. Answers to Spot The
(initials) at the Solar System's red
-"2, Motor -cycle races held in the
planet (name it). Isle of Man. Difference Page 76.
- 9. Space pilot. — 3. Short name for an articulated Helena has an extra stripe, white
1. Time before noon is this. lorry. badge, and extra sleeve button,
2. As -4. (Same as 24 across). Commander Koenig's hip pocket is
.. (mit Is). —5. Opposite of cathode.
Great ones think [like.
"
6. Ancient Egyptian sun-god.
5.
7. Space-ship's guidance control. ^7. What you do when you add up
9. Commander of The Bri
-8. The study of 7 down. Science of
ANSWERS TO
"20. To haul
:. (mil
<
Is).
CROSSWORD
6E '°N '8£
1

-21. A fib! -10. ;uff 3 3

:piO "S£ < n EE 'a D BZ
-23. Nothingl :

-14. Permitted, -iseia SZ :uE N £Z :qp3 zz

-24, (We've put it in for you!)
16, The one to blam 81 'Uidina
-25. What spiders weave.
-26. Neither one thing the other. — ^18. He digs coal fro
-20. Flier.
:iO|id
gL :pama||v 'VI -|3 nd
0Z

jeeionN -qi :souewai|iei/\|

uau'lfll

part of a wedding cake. -22. Opposite of flo 8 :wns t :e H 9

-28. Women carry their belongings and tides. :apouy S -eud|V asequoow
^23, Nancy, (abbrevi. t :3|liv Z Z -d'S'3 I Tl :umoq
—28. Explosion. paiejou of :p|aii)suns
—31. Another way of s i29. What you do \a LZ -aa '9£ Udy t/E D -

Carter's Christian Nan joke, (two words). ZZ :u3 IIV LE -Utl 0E :5eg
32. Commanding Offir. —33. Scruffy dog. SZ '-"»± LZ '^U 9Z
—34. Appropriate. -35. Opposite of you 5S'i;i({||vasEquooifl|-i7E:|!M
--38. Negative. EE »n 'IZ !
ll
nd 0Z '
3'B'O
'61 [UJ I
SH LI 'spuilrtl SI
'

n iftl "EL Zl : uj B "H

rineuojisv "b"
5,K IAI 'V'1'3 l :sso >'J \f

77
SBN 7235 0396 6