 ...adventures in time and space, transcribed in future and end. The National Broadcasting Company, in cooperation with Street and Smith, publishers of astounding science fiction, brings you Dimension X. High hill in Samoa, there is a grave inscribed on the marker of these words. Under the wide and starry sky did Mike me lie. Gladly did I live and gladly die, and I lay me down with a will. This be the verse you graved from me. Here he lies very long to be. Home is the sailor, home from the sea, and the hunter, home from the hill. These lines appear another place. Scrawled on a shipping tag from a compressed air container, and pinned to the ground with a knife. It wasn't much of a fair as fairs go. The trotting races wouldn't be held till eight o'clock at night. The flags and bunting grouped in the grey afternoon, and the pitchmen seemed discouraged. A large black cabriolet limousine stood up the side of the road, 32 cylinders purring quietly, and over the dust and the crater of a fair, a bullhorn blasted its highest pitch. I'm getting out. But the board meeting, sir, is your due in Kansas City at four. You think I need another $5 gold piece? Oh, no, sir. You trying to tell me what to do? No, sir. Of course not, sir. Then get this compounded buffalo roll off my back. Get it off. Just a minute, sir. I'll help you. There you go. Of course, sir. Did they watch your head on the door? No, sir. I'm sorry, sir. Yeah. That's the ship. We're off to the little club. Single jet type, professional mid-riff controls. Stay here, Henry. I'm going over. I wouldn't risk a nickel to see the sun blow up. Okay, sir. Would you take a positive in this trip? $5. That's right. Yes, sir, right away. Charlie, step this way, sir. Take off your coat, open your shirt, roll up your eyes, please. How things, man? Slow. We're not drawing as much of a coot stand. We'll pick up tonight with the chargers. Well, I'm ready, doctor. Cardiac condition, and I couldn't certify him. Sorry. You mean he won't take me up? He's the doctor. I couldn't even guarantee you'd live through the take-off. It's not only a bad heart, but with heavy acceleration, your whole circulatory system would be in danger. And at your age, bones are brittle, highly calcified. You can snap one on the take-off. And stop. After your flight? Dinner? At my home. My car is over there. You okay? Yes. You serious, Mac? You want Charlie and me for dinner? Oh, he is. Okay, okay. I don't see why not. You have been making dinner. Any cigar? Thanks. Yes, thanks. It is hard for me to see why any holder of a master's ticket would put the Earth's moon running. I didn't like it. Yeah, yeah. Don't hand us that. It was rude. No, I took a few drinks. I could have squared that. Too many regulations. Let's take. Yeah. Would it help you to get back to the moon? Sure. I could get a short haul job hopping on. If I kept my nose clean, I might even get back on the run. Yes, and would you be open to the business proposition? What is it? Do you own your rocket? Barring a couple of wings. I want a charter there to take me to the moon. What? You hear what he said, Mac? He wants just to fly that old heap to the moon. Oh, no. I can't do it. The old boats weren't out. We don't even use standard fuel. Just gasoline and liquid air. Why don't you bribe a couple of company medics? You've been done before. No, I know. That's not for me. I'm Dee Dee Harriman. Harriman? Why? You own the company. I own a large percentage of the company, but the other directors won't permit me to jeopardize the franchise. Can you tie that, Mac? A guy with half the money in the world. And he's up the creek. Shut up, Charlie. He's right. Well, Captain, it's against the law. I'd make it worth your while. Sure, I would, Mac. Dee Dee Harriman. He'd make it worth our while. Oh, you're not kidding. Why do you want to go to the moon so badly, Mr. Harriman? It's the one thing I've really wanted to do all my life. I'm maybe 50 years older than you are. When I was a kid, nobody believed we'd really reached the moon. You've seen rockets all your lives, but when I was a boy, they laughed at the idea. But I believed. I wanted the moon to move. I used to stand in the backyard to stare. The moon? Why don't people fly to the moon? Oh, they can. Why not? They can't. Not now, anyway. Someday I will, Porter. Fly to the moon. Sure, sure. Come on, Nardell. Inside, way past your bedtime. I wanted to go to college. Engineering. Then the University of Chicago, then Yorkie's Observatory. That's what I wanted. But I didn't get it. Dad and I wanted you to go to college. We planned it. We saved for it. But with your dad gone and the girls growing up, I just can't manage it. The insurance won't cover us, and it's getting harder to make ends meet. You've been a good boy, Dell, and worked hard to make out. You'll understand. And I worked. Stock boy at the old Ford Plant in Detroit. Accountant. Credit manager for a mail order house in then New York. Rolls Street. And then transportation. The monorail line between New York and Chicago. The Atlantic Pressure Tunnel. And then Charlemann Rockets. Dell. Dell, I want to talk to you. Am I working, shall I? You talk to me now, Dell, or you may not get another chance. What is it? Fedlock with you. You've sold out again? I run the business, shall I? Dell, I'm fed up. I've got to hear it. I married you because I love you. I still love you, but I'm fed up. No, what is it, shall I? We're not long into going down. I'm tired. I'm not asking for millions, just a little life for the two of us. Oh, pull the money out, huh? I know you will. Twenty hours a day on benzene to stay awake and kneel, barbatone to sleep. Oh, Dell, I can't stop you from doing this to yourself, but I won't let you do it to me. I didn't know about the divorce for a month. I lost the papers under a stack of blueprints and stopped the specters. Here's the news, Lassdell. Stratto Rocket reaches Paris. We've got the franchise lined up. The House Committee is solid. The Federal Rocket Commission is okay. Thanks. Step is the moon. I'm not sure. Look, Dell, if we cut the freight rate on the tunnel, we could... I'm serious, Fred. The next step is the moon. Dell, you've been riding that joke for years. It's no joke, Fred. I've signed a $4 million research contract with National Fish and Co. and guaranteed the next two years' output of the Brookhaven Atomic Energy Institute. Dell, you couldn't. That's every liquor ass that we have. You can't do that on your own initiative. I have, and the board will back me up. Fred, we're going to the moon. We've got fraudulent bankruptcies and an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission before we did it. There were three injunctions on the rocket before it blasted off. I was going on the second trip, but my considerate board served a court order on me. You can't go, Dell. Fred, I'll break you if it's the last thing... Hey, you've got a bad heart. That's no secret. If you die out there, the whole Card House comes down. We've got an equity in this corporation, and you've protected it. You've sucked us in on this wild scheme, and now that it's paid off, you're going to sit right down here on Earth and see that the dividends come out on time. You're not going to the moon, Dell. Forget it. By the time my lawyers shook off the restraining orders, the first cargo rocket had crashed into the Pacific, and Congress rushed through the Space Precautionary Act. My heart was Earthbound, but now I'm moved. I will not die until I have set foot on the moon. Yeah, Captain McIntyre. You ask why I want to go to the moon? Well? You'll find a ship, Mr. Harriman. I'll drive it. You'll get to the moon. You heard me. Sell out my holdings. I want every share I own, realized in cash as soon as possible. But it'll depress the markets, or you won't realize the full value of your holdings. Don't you think I know that? I was juggling stock before you were born. I can afford to take the loss. Yes, sir. Mr. Harriman, there are two men outside. Who are they? Captain McIntyre and Mr. Schwartz. We'll send them in, Henry. What are you waiting for? Yes, of course. This way, gentlemen. Mr. Harriman. Captain McIntyre, glad to see you. And Mr. Schwartz, come right in. You weren't kidding about that job for us, were you? Certainly not. You're not backing out on me, are you? No, no, we need the job. Yeah. Our ship is lying in the middle of the Osage River, with a jet split open like a herring. You weren't hurt for you. Friends and bruises, that's all. We jumped. I caught a catfish with my bare teeth. It's all right. Then we can get down to business. I'll have contracts drawn up for you. You two will have to buy me a ship. I can't do it openly. My dear board of directors will find out and slap a poor order on me. But, uh, we can't get credit. Don't worry. I'll supply the cash in advance. Take some ship that can be fitted for the job. Uh, straddle you out. Uh, move to a piece of desert. I'll find a strip and buy it. You mean fit her out there? Yes, we'll install extra fume tanks, change the injectors and timers for space flight. Spend all the money you want. I'll see that you get it. 132 shares of Apex holding at 60% of par. Jag. 52 prefer spaceways fuel, 50% of par. Jag. And that is the list. Uh, Mr. Harman is a process server outside. What is it? I don't know, sir, but I think it's a subpoena. I was expecting that. Henry, get Mr. Kammons on the phone. Yes, sir. I think it's time for my lawyer. Presenting Mr. Harman's relative, confirmed that his behavior for the past few hands ought to be there. That the petitioners believe that my client should conduct his affairs as to ensure that his nephew's missing will be supported in... Until tomorrow. Which way is the cat going to jump? Uh, Judge Embry is a strange one now. He assured me he has a higher regard for personal liberty and then added that any action he took would be in your interest. But he did say that men do become senile and must be protected. Senile? He might rule against me. Yes, sir. He might. An eccentric millionaire disappeared. Are you eccentric, Mr. Harman? Well, they used to call me crazy. It depends on your credit rate. A bench warrant under contempt proceeding has been issued. They won't find me out here. How's the work going, Charlie? Well, my ends are pretty good, shape. We finished the second pressure test on the new tanks and fuel lines today. The ground tests are all done except the calibrations. Take about four hours unless I run into bugs. How about supplies? Food and water on board, food, spare, service kit. I'm short navigation equipment, but give me a second and I'll get you down on the moon at any spot you need. Just from a general knowledge of relevant speeds and orbit. All right, Columbus. We know you can hit the floor with your hat. Are you ready to go? My nephews will have detectives out looking for me. Well, I could run those calibration tests tonight. Take till midnight. After that, it's up to the Commodore here. There she is, Miss Ironman. That's the job that'll take you to the moon. It's a good ship. I... Uh... Hey, Mac, stop the car. Charlie's out. Look it. Where's his medicine? His red pocket. Break the glass. Mac, we ain't gon' think of it. It's murder. He'll never stand up under his initial acceleration. Maybe not, but it's what he wants to do. Get that ship ready to fly. Out here, Miss Desert. What can I do for you? You're James McIntyre. Hey, Mac. You're McIntyre? I'm the Deputy Federal Marshal in the District. I got a warrant for your arrest. What charge? Conspiracy to Violate the Space Precautionary Act. You, uh... You, I suppose, you're, uh, Charles Schwartz, huh? Yeah. Well, I got one for you, too. Thanks. And a man named Harriman. Got a court order to put seals on your spaceship. We haven't got any spaceship. What are you doing? Kidding me? What's that, a kitty car? It's not O'Yacht. Oh, yeah? Well, if it's seals on it, it'll... The spaceship shows up. Oh, come on. Where's Harriman? Uh, in the shed. Over there. What shed are you talking about? Oh, my knuckle. That's the one I broke playing football. I'm always hurting that thing. Charlie, we gotta hurry. Get Pop into the cabin and strap him into his hammock. Right. Oh, long, Deputy. Oh, my knuckle. Long, Charlie. Everything set back there? All right, Mr. Harriman. I think so. These straps are tight. Have to be when we blast off. All set, Charlie. Give me control. Check. One bank. Check. Two bank. We don't need it. All right, boy. Wouldn't be better. Better stay in your hammock. I'll loosen the straps a little. Nothing. Just go easy on that side. Pop, you ain't fooling me, man. You've got a couple of busts of ribs. Well, there is much I can do until we ground. You take a neo-barbatol and... I'll wake you when we cut your... No. No, no. I'll stay awake. Okay. Just shoot that... That is a drum. The handle's nice. How's Pop? Bad shape. How bad? Cracked a couple of ribs in the take-off. You'd better set it down awfully easy if you want him alive. I'll make a full swing around the moon and ease the rent on an approach curve. It'll go fine if we've got enough fuel. Who called me? Something wrong, Pop. I thought somebody was calling me. I must have been asleep. I swung your hammock around. We're breaking out. There she is, Dad. The moon. I've seen a thousand photographs. There. There. That's Copernicus. And Tycho. The new manoeuvre of rhinestone. You know it all right, Pop. Where are you landing? Murray-Ambrium. Between Erythpolis and Archimedes. That's about 40 miles from Luna City, isn't it? Sure. Sure. It won't be easy landing with a garland approach radar, will it? I've done it before. Not without a second pilot to punch the stator meter. Pop, you ought to have a mate's ticket. You know the whole routine. You must have really studied up. Yes, that's all I could to study till now to look at the moon. I feel as if I were coming home. Charlie, you know, I'm taking a rent. Cut in full power. Pop, can't take a rough one. Shut up and give me the power. I'll do my best. Okay. Stator meter setting punched. Done. Here we go. It's a lousy landing, Mac. Stator meter drift. How's our passenger? Quiet. I wouldn't make any best at landing stuff. Well, you shut up. I did my best. Pop. He's alive. Blood on his mouth. All right, take it easy, Pop. We're down. Where? Take it easy. Vacuum suits. Where are they? That's steady, Pop. Steady. You can't go out there yet. We've got to give him some first aid. Get me that suit. What do you think, Mac? Might as well get his suit out of the locker. Use the big one. He'll be more comfortable. Okay, Pop. Easy now. Hurts. Hurts. Feel those zippers, Charlie. All right now. Take it easy. All right, then, helmet. Do you have a diaphragm set? Check. Air valve? Set. Lift it on him. Don't hit him. There. Come on, Charlie. Let's get into our suits and we'll carry him out the locks. We'll break out air bottles and rid of stretchers. It's 40 miles into the dome. Pop something behind his head. Okay. Oh, my knee. I made it, Charlie. I'm on the move. You didn't understand. You were afraid I wouldn't take care of myself. But I made it. You'd better get Pop going. You're getting your hand getting on the stretcher. Never mind that stretcher, Mac. What's the matter? He won't need it. He's dead. Let's get out the Thomas Keyes and air bottles. It's a long walk to town. Yeah. What about him? Looks as if he's resting, doesn't he? Crossed out looking out on the Thomas. He got through the mode, like a star walking. Another adventure into the unknown world of the future. The world of the imaginary of the planet. Somewhere in the universe. Where night comes only once in a thousand years. The friendly darkness night brings to our own world. On this far off planet is a thing of terror, a breeder of panic and evil. We will as next week, as we bring you Isaac Asimov's night ball. Dimension X is presented transcribed each week by the national broadcasting company in cooperation with Street and Smith, publishers of the magazine, Astounding Science Fiction. Today, Dimension X is presented Requiem. Written for radio by Ernest Conroy from the story by Robert Heinlein. Featured in the cast were Rob Hendrickson as Harriman, Bill Quinn as McIntyre, and Owen Jordan as Charlie.