 Adventures in time and space, told in future tense. Can you predict what will come in 100 years, or in 10, or in the next minute? Can you see beyond the known dimensions of time and space, into the unknown? It was in the year of 1982 that spacemen first discovered the great galactic barrier. In the past 10 years, rocket travel to the moon and the mirror planets had become commonplace. And then men fixed their sights on a more distant star, the remote planet known as Volta. Five exploratory ships went out, and none came back. Each in turn disappearing mysteriously at the same vanishing point. An invisible wall somewhere in the vast outer reaches that became known as the Wrecker of Spaceships, the Galactic Reef. And yet, the explorers refused to admit defeat. It was on June the 2nd 1987 that the rocket star cloud made ready for takeoff. The 6th to attempt to crack the barrier and win through to Volta. Condition blow, one minute to blast off. Bridge to nav control. Navigation, call here. This is Captain Thorson. Ready, Lieutenant? We're up for takeoff at 1200 hours. All right, stand by for acceleration. Bridge to engine room, fire up your rocket chambers, take off at exactly 1200 hours. I'll read you off. 30 seconds, 29, 28, 27, 26. Hold it, revoke all orders. Who turned in that alarm? I'm coming to Stowway, sir. Stowway, where? I think it's sick bay. Dr. Spitzman found him. Have him brought up to the bridge. Engine room, kill your rocket, stand by. What? Trouble. What's the matter with you? What's the matter with you? There's Stowway aboard. Stowway? Yes, I thought your men were supposed to police this base. What's the matter with you? All right, Captain, take it easy. You know what this delay can do to us, don't you? One minute later take off can throw us a million miles off course. We'll have to reintegrate the whole works. Well look, how long do you think it'll take? Don't bother me for a while. I'm busy. Stupid idiot. Come in. There's your Stowway, sir. Now court, Marshal. Charlie. Ken, you use a good radio man skipper? Oh, I see you two have met. Met? The skipper and me made 50 trips to the moon together. Didn't we, Captain? Charlie, if you wanted to come along, why didn't you volunteer? I did skipper. They turned me down. What's wrong with you? Oh, acceleration bends. They said my arteries wouldn't stand another trip. I'm sorry to hear that. What's wrong, sir? I got one more good trip in me. Listen, Captain, you know these green kids don't know the first thing about space radio operation. You put a man like me on, and I'll be getting you bedtime stories for Mars. You know the regulations as well as I do, Charlie. I can't take you as much as I'd like to. Colonel Harrison will murder me for this. I'm sorry, Charlie. I've put you on your ground. Tell you what, Charlie, I'll ask Harrison to put you on his ground radio contact. It'll seem as if you're right here with us. He won't do it, sir. He better I'll have him busted to corporal for letting you sneak aboard. You'll be better off, Charlie. Pauluson. Yes, sir. I'm sending a man down from the bridge. Put him on ground. Give him time to clear the launching platform. Yes, sir. So long, Charlie. I'm sorry. Well, good luck, skipper. I thought you were going to have him drawn and courted. And anybody else, I would have, Smitty. But Charlie... Well, Charlie's kind of special. He's been with me since my first command. We began the regular run to the moon. He wanted to come along this time. Well, it's only through loyalty to me. And now, Lewis, I didn't realize it before, but you're almost human. Navigation, Lieutenant Collier. Collier. Lieutenant, how badly we fouled up. Can you recalculate the course or shall I cancel the takeoff? I've already plotted a new course on the integrator, sir. That's quick work. Are you sure? Positive, sir. All right, Collier, putting it in your hands. We'll blast off in your signal. But, Lewis, isn't that a lot of responsibility for a young green officer? If he can't do his job, I'd rather find out now than at the galactic barrier. Bridge to engine room. Ready your rockets. Prepare to blast off on navigator signal. We've intersected the course vector. That's good work, Collier. Course is corrected, sir. Ready to go into atomic overdrive anytime you say. All right, stand by. Now, hear this. Prepare for maximum acceleration. Bridge to engine room. Kill your rockets. Rockets out. Fire up number one cyclotron. Fire up number two. Hearing withdraw your dampening rods. Mission chamber ready. Take it on overdrive. How we doing, Collier? On course, sir. She's running hot and true. Well, my compliments, Lieutenant. This job would have done your father credit. He was the best navigation officer I ever saw. Thank you, sir. Start your gyros. Put her on robot control. All right. The ship is yours, Mr. Collier. You need me. I'll be in Dr. Smithson's office. Yes, sir. Chip off the old block. Oh, you knew his father, huh? Matter of fact, I knew him very well. First-rate spaceman. Is he the one who... He was lost in the galactic barrier on the second ship we sent out to Boulder. Lewis, just what do you think this galactic barrier is? Your guess is as good as mine, Doc. All I know is that five ships have gone into it, and none of them have come back out. You think it's in it. How about Mastrovic's theory that it's a time warp in space, but that the ships reach it and slip into another dimension? I think that's rubbish. My theory is that the galactic barrier is nothing more than a radioactive layer of some guy. What makes you say that? Well, we know that radar signals bounce off it like they were hitting an invisible glass wall. We know it destroys our ships and our crews in some way. There's no other logical explanation. What makes you think we can get through it? Because we're ready for it. The others weren't. Tire hull is completely shielded with lead. We can crack through any radioactive cloud ever detected. Besides, we're equipped with some new UHF radio devices that should enable us to maintain radio contact with Earth. Nothing can happen. Absolutely nothing. Who are you trying to convince, Lewis? Myself, I suppose. Smitty, five ships are missing, and men like Prentice and Marketson and young Collier's father. I'm tired of seeing good men fed into that meat chopper. Then why are we going? We haven't any choice, Mini. We're in a race. A kind of race where men and ships are expendable. Well, at least it won't be boring. I'll have to play physician morale builder and mother substitute for 112 slightly nervous men. Your morale doesn't sound too good, doctor. As morale officer, I can state without fear of contradiction. It's terrible. And something tells me that as we approach that galactic barrier, I'm not going to be alone. A horse into the star cloud calling Earth. Star cloud to Earthbound, can you read me? Hello, star cloud. Hi, Captain. Charlie. I see they haven't court-martialed you yet. No, sir. Thanks to you. Charlie, it's good to hear you. You can read us the funny papers on Sunday morning. Right. How's the signal? Strong. Clear the bill. Here's our log report for Colonel Harrison. Ready? Shoot. June 2, 1987. Four weeks out from Earth, running true. No radiation. Operation normal. Still making our approach to the galactic barrier. That's all, Charlie. See you later. Good luck, Captain. I sure wish I was with you. How's the morale, Smithy? Well, the men know we're getting closer to the barrier. They're beginning to show a little tension, Lewis. How's their physical condition? Any sickness? About half the crew has come down with space balloons. Badly? Oh, same as usual. Lips and hands with the bluish cast. Eyes sensitive to infrared. I don't know. When I first started flying these tin cans, nobody ever heard of space blue. Well, there's a new theory that is caused by the terrific acceleration of these atomic overdrive ships. The change in gravity affects the circulation. What do you think? Oh, I think it's psychosomatic. I've noticed that the same men who get space blues under tension on a ship tend to get blue coloration back on Earth when they're upset. I guess it's an occupational disease of space navigators. Do you think it's just nerves, then? I don't know. But young Collier has a bad case. I think it's tension from overwork. Maybe he needs some vitamins. Lewis, when will you realize that vitamins are not the panacea for all the troubles of mankind? Sir, I understand you've relieved me from duty. Dr. Smithson says that you aren't looking very well. I'm giving you a rest. I feel perfectly able to continue, sir. Your lips are as blue as men of Tonka. I'd like to remain at my post, Captain. Don't be foolhardy, Lieutenant. I'm not being foolhardy, sir. I have a special personal reason for wanting this expedition to reach Bolton. Your father? Yes, sir. You think he might still be alive? I have to find out what happened, sir. I think I understand. Very well, Collier. Report back to duty. What's the reading, Paulerson? We're getting a plus-five radar bounce now. It's coming off the barrier almost as fast as we send it out. What's the interval? Three-tenths of a second. Shortening steadily. At this rate, we'll hit the wall in the next few minutes. All right, alert the crew. Sound general quarters. Now hear this. Condition red. We are now approaching the galactic barrier. All hands to stations. All radiation detectors to be fully mined. Full security will prevail until further notice. That is all. Paulerson. Hi, sir. Radar bounce is up to plus-six. We better try to make final contact with Earth. Spark's still trying to raise the base. Yes, sir, but he's not having much luck. There seems to be some interference. That's the radio room now. Yes? You've got him? Cutting the bridge speaker. The captain will take it from here. Hello. Star cloud to earthbound. Can you hear me, Earth? Hello, Skipper. I can barely spot. That's not sunspots. We're right on top of the galactic barrier. Stick with us, Charlie. We're switching to the automatic sender now so you can track us in. Okay. If we crack the barrier and come through still in one piece, I'll try to get back to you on the high frequency band. Gotcha, Skipper. Don't worry. I'll be waiting. So long, Charlie. So long, sir. We must be getting awfully close now, captain. The echo's bouncing back so fast it's almost beating the signal. And they coincide. Hold on to your hat. That's when we run into the wall. Any second. Hold on. Well, here goes nothing. Here it comes. Captain. Why? Why nothing happened. We made it. We made it, captain. No radiation, no time warp, no nothing. The crew's gone crazy, sir. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. Let them. The signal is correct, but I don't... Come on, man, for each sake! It's right, sir. What's right? Speak up! Where's the radiation coming from? It's coming from inside the ship. That's impossible. No, sir. I've checked it twice. Well, then, there's only one thing left to do. Paulus and get a Geiger counter. We're going to start combing the ship inch by inch. Ready, sir. All right. Turn it on now. Yes, sir. We'll check the atomic guns first. Cut through the officer's quarters to wardens. Come on. Wait a minute, sir. The signal's weaker now. Let's go back. It seems strongest right about here. It doesn't make sense. Whose cabinet, sir? Lieutenant Collier's. It's probably down in that control, sir. Try the door. It's not locked, sir. It's in here all right. Listen to that counter. Strongest over here. Open that wall, cabinet. It's locked. Snash it. All right. Shut off the Geiger counter. What do you make of this, Paulus, sir? It looks like some sort of portable transmitter, sir. Must be foreign manufacture. I don't recognize the calibration symbols at all. Never seen anything like it. Which raises a small question. What is Lieutenant Collier doing with the transmitter in his cabinet? I don't know, sir. Well, I intend to find out, Paulus, and get down to nav control and bring Collier up to the bridge on the double. Well, hadn't we better find some way to shut this thing off first? I know a way. We're going to ask a few simple questions, and I want a few simple answers. Yes, sir. What were you doing with the transmitter in your cabinet? Transmitter, captain? You know nothing about it? No, sir. I don't. Do you recognize these calibration symbols? No, sir. Can you think of how it might have been placed in your cabin without your knowing it? No, sir. Unless someone came in while I was on duty. Would that have been possible? Why, I suppose if someone had a key... I found your cabin door unlocked. I meant a key to the wall cabinet. I didn't say the wall cabinet. Well, sir, I... You what, Lieutenant? How could you have known it was in the wall cabinet? I just assumed. Lieutenant Collier, I find it hard to believe you would lie. Having known and respected your father and having observed the way you handled your job. However, I intend to get to the root of this thing. May I have your wristwatch, Lieutenant? Sir? Your wristwatch. Here, sir. Well, listen. Turn on that gager counter. Yes, sir. Hold this watch next to it. Yes, sir. That's all. Lieutenant, if you hadn't any close contact with that transmitter, how do you explain the radioactivity of this watch? I don't, sir. I think you'd better. To whom are you sending those signals? Condition read. Condition read. There's your answer, Captain. What is it, Collier? Alien spaceship approaching. Alien spaceship approaching. Sound battle stations. Collier, who's aboard that ship? All right, now talk, man. Very well, Captain. My mission seems complete. Your mission? Are you admitting that you're an agent of a foreign power? I am stating it. What nation? No nation, Captain. What? I am an agent of the Voltaan government. The what? The government of the planet of Volta. You're crazy. Are you so stupid that you think your people are the only ones who can invade another planet? What do you mean? We've had agents operating on Earth since 1945. I don't believe you. What do you think happened to those five ships, Captain? Where do you suppose we got our information? Your language, your culture, family background. What's your appearance? You look like Commander Collier. Is that so surprising, Captain? We had a living model. I ought to kill you. That would be very foolish. I would advise you to surrender without delay. Alien ship outcoming in ordnance range. I'll deal with you later, Collier. Polerson, sir. Put this man in irons. Take him away. Don't worry, sir. We'll take good care of him. Armada. Robinson. Gunnery. Gunnery Richardson. What's the range? Pass. Put your guns on radar tracking. Track. Can you hear me? Fire. What's the matter down there? Can you hear me? Richardson, answer me. It's no use to shout, Captain. Collier. Yes, Captain. How'd you get loose? Where's Polerson? Lieutenant Polerson is dead. All stations. Lieutenant Collier has escaped. Season man. Don't waste your breath. Your men can't hear you, Captain. What? Those still alive are my men. You're lying. No, Captain. Every ship that has ever left Earth was controlled by a Voltaan crew. That's impossible. Those were hand-picked men. Hand-picked by us. I don't believe you. Then why not call for help? Carpenter. Robinson. Haley. Report. Carpenter. Robinson. You see, Captain, it is quite useless. I would advise you to sit very quietly and do nothing. It isn't possible. They can't all be dead. Dr. Smithson. Smitty. Smitty, what have they done to you? No. Oh, those dirty. Don't talk, Smitty. They're closer. Not much time. No time. Lewis. Space blues. Space blues. What is it, Smitty? What are you trying to tell me? All men with space blues of Voltaan. Here, let me help you, Smith. Hello, Lewis. Get message back to Earth. Voltaan. Fifth column. Watch out. For space blues. Oh, Smitty. Smitty. Please. God let me through before it's too late. Hello. Star Cloud to Earthbound. Come in, please. Come in, please. Had any luck? No, sir. No contact. No contact? No, sir. Hmm. Nearly an hour since they hit the gallows. I don't understand why they haven't tried to get back a message. No, sir. Neither do I. All right. I'll take over for a while. Yes, sir. Go right ahead, sir. You'd better go out and get yourself some coffee. Jelly, you look a little blue around the gills. I just heard no contact. No contact? No, sir. Hmm. Nearly an hour since they hit the galactic barrier. I don't understand why they haven't tried to get back a message. I just heard no contact. An adventure in time, space, and the unknown. Next week, we have a nice blood-curdling little story that starts with these two sentences. The last man alive on Earth sat alone in a room. And then, there was a knock on the door, which raises the question, what knocked on the door? And to its own devices, the human mind supplies a vaguely horrible answer. But it wasn't so horrible. Really. You'll see next week when we present, knock. Dimension X has presented No Contact, an original story written by George Lefferts. In the storyline by Lefferts and Ernest Connoi. Featured in the cast were Wendell Holmes as Captain Thorson, Lawson Servius, Lieutenant Collier, and John McGovern as Dr. Smithson. Your host was Norman Rose. Music by Albert Berman. Engineer Bill Chambers. Dimension X is produced by Van Woodward and directed by Edward King. Tomorrow, here's Sam Spade. Now, it's Truth or Consequences on NBC.