 Countdown for blast off x-minus 5 minus 4 minus 3 minus 2 x-minus 1 fire From the far horizons of the unknown come transcribed tales of new dimensions in time and space These are stories of the future Adventures in which you'll live in a million could be years on a thousand maybe worlds the national broadcasting company presents x-minus 1 tonight's story Mars is heaven When the first space rocket lands on Mars, what will we find? Only the ruins of a dead and deserted planet or will there be life? intelligent life in some strange form that we can only imagine Will we be welcomed with open arms? Or will the Martians treat us as invaders? Only one thing is certain some day a Giant metal ship will take off from earth to travel through the black velocities the silent drops of space To descend at last into the darkness of the upper Martian atmospheres And on that day Man will finally know the answers The day we first land on Mars Now I hear this now here this Approaching critical deceleration fast and gravity suits stand by the land There it is. We've intersected the course vector sir. All right, mr. Lustig over to manual control. I said masters sound general quarters What do you make of the terrain there seems to be a heavy ground miss captain We won't be able to use the infrared lights and we'll have to come in on radar There's not a little risky sir landing in the dark I'd rather run the danger of a blind landing lieutenant and come in without the cover of darkness Remember, we don't know what kind of reception is waiting for us down there airspeed 500 altitude now four thousand Bridge to engine room stand by for deceleration fire forward tubes one and three Skits down Altitude 500 For three upper point now. Let's set her down By battle stations I said all secured Well gentlemen Gentlemen, we're now on Mars April 20th 1987 for 33 Greenwich time enter that in the log masters. I said Well gentlemen, it's less than two hours till dawn As soon as it's light we'll send out a landing party Masters get me an all-over hookup I'll hear this All right, man. The smoking lamp is lit Well We're on Mars The first man shipped from earth to land here We don't know what we're going to find or what dangers that we may face We're 17 man on an alien world And it's up to us whether we ever get home again The next few hours should tell the story And I want instant obedience to all commands I'll court Marshall the first man who doesn't jump to when he's ordered And one other thing We may be on Mars, but this is still the United States Naval vessel Officers will conduct a personal and weapons inspection in one hour. That's all Inspection kept now Mr. Lustig We've got an hour and a half to sweat out Before we find out what's outside that airlock And rather have a man worried about his stripes About what's waiting outside I'm Mars Now I hear this Landing party report the forward airlock Captain black lieutenant Hinkston lieutenant Lustig and dr. Horst report immediately the forward airlock is now landing time minus five And they're paging us You ready dr. Horst? Yes, mr. Lustig as ready as I will ever be come on. Let's get in the lock Hinkston Lustig and Horst reporting in the airlock very well, so the captain will join you Four minutes to go At least the captain would get here. What difference does it make? I just want to get it over with that's all Anybody got a cigarette? Yeah, I think you're smoking too much lieutenant Lustig Are you nervous? I offer your horse wondering what's hidden outside underneath that ground mist I've been giving it some thought It'll be very interesting to find out a very unusual planet Mars Why it has an atmosphere a wonderful thing in atmosphere where you find one you find life In Martians What do you think they'll look like who knows? Intelligent life can take many forms. You mean they may have green skins and eyes on stalks or something The comic book conception is possible, of course Or they may have developed are beyond us Perhaps they have a science that can produce weapons far more dangerous than our atomic missiles You think we may have to fight our way up after all We are invaders minus two. All right. All right. We heard this Well, I'd like to find outside that airlock Good old Illinois Ever been there Lustig? Only Chicago. You want to see my hometown green lawns big white houses Sounds like my hometown my grandmother used to have one of those iron deer on the lawn Every Halloween we'd paint another color one time we painted black and white like a whole steam cow Where does your family live dr. Horst? I have no family when I was a child They were gassed to death in the Daha concentration camp tough. No, it has its advantages I have no ties on earth nothing to lose now. I imagine I'm the only one on board It was free to enjoy our present peculiar position. All right masters. You can button it up now Well gentlemen check your sidearms In one minute, we'll be the first men to set foot on Mars Quite an honor, right as long as the metals are not rewarded posthumously still uneasy dr. Horst captain black I've been uneasy ever since I can remember on earth and on Mars Well 30 seconds Give me the intercom phone listening. Yes, sir Masters ice battle stations are to be manned till we return if we're not back in two hours I want no rescue party sent out last off and say the ship you understand Five seconds four three two one Lustig open the outer airlock. Hi, sir. It's fresh air Let's go Take it easy It's too dark to move fast Quiet isn't it? Not even a wind can't see anything from this ground this time. We don't know what's out here All right, come on that sounds like a rooster. I don't hear it anymore very homely but unlikely sound a Rooster crowing on Mars Higston. I said set that machine gun 25 yards to the flank We'll stay here to the ground mist lifts. I said What do you make of the ground horse grass plain grass? You can see some large foliage there with a mist stemmed out. What's up? I could see the tracers, but it's still standing come on horse Dr.. Where are you careful horse wait for us? All right, captain Alon ornament well that that's impossible Interesting isn't it a whitewashed Victorian iron deer sitting on a lawn in the middle of Mars I don't understand look around the mists lifting captain with their house a regular old-fashioned house on Mars Good Lord. I Haven't seen carved scrolls and gingerbread like that in years Look at that port swing the geraniums Yeah, I told you was a rooster captain give me the glasses lestig. I want to take a look through that front window Well There's an upright piano some sheet music on it plastic. It's It's beautiful Ohio We can't be sir horse Horse do you think that civilization of two planets could be identical? I don't know that specific variety of geraniums Only 50 years old or not. Is it logical that they should develop in Mars? How about that port swing of the piano and and beautiful Ohio? That's impossible captain black This looks like the town. I was born in well it It looks like my hometown too. I thought of something sir. It's the only solution Maybe maybe we're not the first ship to reach Mars from earth. Don't be ridiculous lestig Oh, how else can you explain it? Let's suppose some scientists got together They invented some spaceship and planted a colony here. That's the only answer. That's impossible lestig been space travel It couldn't be secret you have any idea what ships cost what industrial power is needed No, there's got to be some logical reason I think perhaps we might find out captain the light just went on in that house Kingston cover that door of the machine gun I say all right. Come on horse We're gonna ring that doorbell There's got to be a scientific answer to all this There's something moving in there stand back horse give me a clear shot. Are you sure a bullet can stop a Martian steady now? Can I help you? I Will we if you're selling anything it's much to earn it. No no no wait just a minute. What? What town is this? What do you mean? Are you census takers? No, no? We're strangers here We want to know how this town got here. Is this a game? No, no, it's not a game. We're from earth from where? From earth do you mean out of the ground are you sure you're feeling well madam? We came in a flying ship across space. We're from the third planet earth. This is Mars Now do you understand Mars you go away now you here? I'll call my husband from upstairs and he'll chase you go on But this is Mars Isn't it? This is green light Wisconsin in the United States of America Bounded on the east by the Atlantic and on the west by the Pacific now go away. Goodbye Horst you suppose it's really possible. I've got to find out more about this You've got to tell me one thing first What year is this year 1928 of course for goodness sake you hear that Horst and we know it's 1987 and we know this is Mars Of course is it possible that we got fouled up made made some tremendous blunder circled around and landed back on earth in 1928 Well, maybe some switch in time or dimension could we have shifted somehow gone gone backward in time? Oh This won't hold water. It's it's not logical. We've we checked every mile. We went past the moon out into space with We're on Mars. Let's dig out at point Hengston in the rear keep that gun at half load. I said First there's got to be some cold logical solution captain, but that house down the street the white or the green shutters Let's take what's the matter here running for that house crazy fool after and quick. Oh, it's not what is you Plastic what is going on here? Oh, but it's been so many years. How you've grown Good to see Captain Grandma, I want you to meet my friends. This is captain black captain. I want you to meet my Grandfather any friend of our books is a friend of ours How long have you been here grandma? Oh a good many years ever since we died ever since you what? Oh, yes They've been dead 30 years. What? Oh now don't you trouble yourself? It's all right. We're alive again That's all you mean to tell me that Mars is heaven. Oh nonsense. No All we know is here. We're alive again And who are we to question God's infinite ways? Well, I let's think we're going back to the ship Captain I I want to talk to my grandpa turn it lustig I don't like any part of this you'll come back with us if I have to club you and carry you I See now, let's go heaven only knows what they've run up against back of the ship Use force if you have to It's you Edward It can't be of course it is Johnny Johnny Dr. Horst This is my Brother Edward. How do you do hello, sir? It's wonderful to see you Edward Look, I've I've got to get back to my ship Johnny wait I almost forgot Mom's waiting at home mom. Yeah, and dad too mom and dad are alive then Then you're real Ed. Well, of course, don't I feel real? We've got lunch for you Danny Mom's making corn fritters. Dr. Horst. I haven't you found anybody. Oh, no captain. I have nobody Well, then you come on home with me right Ed. Why? Sure. Horst. Horst you wouldn't believe it, but it's been 35 years since I had mom's corn fritters By George 35 years In the kitchen, so don't hold back Johnny. You too, Dr. Horst. Well, Johnny, you're stealing the Navy, Ed. That's right dad I'm in command of the ship. We're an old Navy family, Dr. Horst All three of our boys in the service. Ed was the best pilot in the Pacific too What did happen Ed? What's the difference? I'm here now. Yeah, but you know, it's almost perfect All we're missing is your brother will then the whole family could be together Well, it won't be long mom wills in charge of the XR 54 next rocket coming out to Mars. Well, little will When does he leave Johnny? Well, they take our schedule for September, but it depends on what we report Oh, yeah, there's no question about that now, huh? No Christmas together again, that'll be something to you. Well, yes, sir Well, this calls for a celebration how about a little of the old dandelion wine a journey now father, don't you go giving Johnny too much wine? He's a big boy now mother. Well, sir, isn't everything just fine Well, Dr. Horst, what are you doing sitting over here alone? What do you think of my little family? Very nice You know, I can't understand why you didn't find any folks here, Dr. Horst Just a shame everybody else is so happy I never remembered my family Mrs. Black all I know is they were gassed at Dachau during the second world war When I was liberated. I was in delirium three months. I cannot remember anything before them a Psychiatric phenomena, that's terrible. Isn't there anything anybody can do? I don't want to remember I Have not had a pleasant life. I prefer to be free of emotional entanglements. They interfere with a scientific approach I'm sorry, Dr. Horst. Oh, I'll get it. That's our ring along in three shorts. I remember that Well, maybe we'd better call it a night. You must be getting tired Johnny. I'd better be going back to the ship No, I'm saying you stay the night there we insist. I just couldn't rest thinking of you all alone on that ship I'll be all right. Well good night. Oh wait a minute. Dr. Horst that phone message was for you Me yes, that's right a message from Anna No, I don't well there. She must be an old friend. Isn't that nice? I don't You should was for me. I don't remember any Anna. Well, she asked if you were better Perhaps she's someone who knew you at Dachau. I know she said she's coming over here first thing in the morning So you'll have to stay over. Yes, but that was it then you stay here Horst You can bunk with me in my old room if a Johnny we thought you'd like to be with Edward So you could talk the way you're used to we can't put dr. Horst on the day But I think we better share the room tonight be plenty of time for talking Ed Yes, I guess so I suppose I better drop back to the ship. You know Ed security check But why do you have to do that here? I don't know mom. There's no good reason. I guess Suppose we skip it tonight. Oh Good night everybody. Oh, it's good to have you home Johnny. It's good to be home mom You sleep no, no, I've I've been thinking about what we were expecting Green skinned Martians all the time. There was only mom and dad and and Edward waiting That's funny what tricks your imagination can play on you Well, I guess Mars is heaven horse, you know, I've been thinking about Martians, too Captain Just suppose Suppose there were Martians and they saw us land and suppose they thought of us as invaders What would be the best weapon they could use against our atom bombs? Well, I don't see what you're getting at They would want to disarm us first To wipe out all suspicion to make us feel at home Suppose this house isn't real Suppose the people are just images stolen from our own memories buying Martians created for us by telepathy Hypnotism. Oh, that's that's a craziest theory I ever heard Maybe that's why there was no one for me because in all my life. There is no happy memory. No real love person Not even my mother. I don't remember her only the piles of rotting corpses of Dahal There was no happy emotion for these people to Recreate how about that phone call Anna? Yes Anna. I didn't remember who she was but I do now I just remember When I was freed from Dahal sick delirious I raved about a wonderful kind nurse named Anna that took care of her. You are it's logical She's coming to see you tomorrow, but there was no Anna. I've been nursed by a man What Anna was only a dream And there's only one way they could have learned about her by reading my subconscious mind. That's impossible horse. Why a Whole crew was thinking of home Suppose the Martians read our minds. Yes, but if there are Martians if there are They have a separated each man in a different house sleeping trusting No one at the guns I left my pistol downstairs. Do you think there's something to this horse? It's a perfect trap Who would suspect his own mother? His grandparents How easy just a knife in the heart of each sleeping man That's impossible Horst But we've we've got to get back to the shift listen The crickets have stopped Come on. We don't know when they change back to Whatever they really are Where are you going John? We We wanted to drink of water that's That's all Ed. You're not thirsty John You don't want a drink. Look out You don't want it It's changing. He's a monster run horse run This this is captain John black the XR 53 calling for Mars I've locked myself in the ship, but they've crippled it I can't take off or fire the guns and they're coming for me now the Martians I'm all alone here. All the rest are dead Hinkston. Lustig dr. Horst poor horse. He didn't even reach the door Edward and mom and dad all the folks but changing now They're melting and changing back into their Martian. Can you understand they make you think that Mars was heaven and we fell to the trap Can't trap him to X minus one has brought you the science fiction classic Mars is heaven written by Ray Bradbury and adapted for radio by Ernest Kenoy featured in the cast were Wendell Holmes as captain black and Peter Cappell as dr Horst with Bill Zuckert as masters Bill Lipton as Hinkston Margaret Berlin as the old lady Bill Griffiths as Edward Ken Williams as Lustig Ethel Everett as mom and Edwin Jerome as dad Your announcer Fred Collins X minus one was directed by Fred Wayne as a transcribed NBC radio network production