- Alpha is on the verge of being destroyed by intense shockwaves emanating from a planet they are approaching. The Alphans land on the planet, seemingly devoid of any human existence but being run by a group of machines. The machines explain to the visitors that their human overlords are in a state of regeneration but the chief machine, the Guardian, sees the Alphans as a threat and it is down to two newly regenerated females known as A and B to decide their fates.—don @ minifie-1
- The moon has entered an area of space where there are shock waves approaching from an unknown origin, occurring at precise twelve hour intervals. As Alpha draws closer to its source, each successive shock wave has become stronger. After a week has passed, it's at the point where the base must be evacuated (except for a skeleton crew); the Eagles positioned behind the moon where they're shielded from the blast. There's so much turbulence that the base's equipment and vital functions are taking a toll - some of the returning personnel from this last wave having to put out fires - and there are drifts of moon dust building up against some of the Alpha sections.
After recovering from the latest wave, Maya's sensors pick something up in space; a planet. Since it hasn't been destroyed by the shock waves which are traveling outward only, it is surmised that this planet is the source of the waves.
Eagle One lifts off containing Commander Koenig, Maya, and Alan Carter to try and discern the cause of the shock waves. As the next one will possibly destroy the Moonbase, they have just under twelve hours to find a way to stop it. Approaching the planet, which possesses an atmosphere of chlorine gas, sensors reveal that it's surrounded by an almost perfectly-spaced ring of moons. Maya's readings indicate that the moons lack an atmosphere, but they're all emitting a high energy potential. Commander Koenig orders Alan to land the Eagle on the nearest moon.
As they near the closest moon, Maya announces that its energy readings are unnaturally high. The moon's constituents are a heavy metallic concentration and there's no evidence of life, which is consistent with a lack of atmosphere. Suddenly, they're in view of a perfect circle of metallic domes stationed on the surface. Maya confirms that this is the source of the high energy readings she's been picking up. Koenig has Alan land in the center of the ring of domes.
Donning a spacesuit equipped with a camera helmet and holding a hand scanner, Commander Koenig striking out alone to approach the base of the nearest metallic dome; the view of his camera helmet being watched by Maya and Alan on the ship, Koenig narrating his progress. When reaching the installation, the Commander asks Maya about sensor readings. She reports that there's no information about its interior, only that the structure seems to consist of a platinum-tungsten alloy. Observing metal pads on the ground, Koenig discovers that stepping on them opens an entry panel in the structure's wall. As he enters, Alan gets into a spacesuit to back up the Commander.
Koenig discovers he's entered an elevator which brings him down into a rock-walled cavern containing some interesting devices. Laser at the ready, he enters the area, which according to his portable scanner contains no life-forms but does possess Earth-like gravity. Reading a fluctuating power source, he raises his scanner at one of the devices. He's suddenly struck by a visible electrical charge. Maya has lost contact with the Commander, so Alan grabs a scanner and exits the ship, making his way down into the cavern. Finding Koenig laying on the floor, he helps him regain consciousness. They discover that Koenig's scanner's been mangled.
Suddenly, a white opaque globe sitting atop a pedestal brightens and launches itself into the air, bouncing across the floor in slow-motion, then bounces up to land atop another pedestal. Koenig surmises that it's some kind of a probe that's checking them out. There's a computer console sitting next to it which is equipped with a view screen above a lit-up desk panel. Basic geometric figures alternate on the screen; Koenig guessing that it's trying to communicate. There's a pen-like object sitting next to the desk panel, so Koenig uses it to draw a triangle. A triangle then appears on the screen above. It's soon replaced with a diagram resembling a star chart. Assuming it's trying to find out where they had come from, Koenig starts sketching out a diagram of Earth's solar system, announcing the name of each planet. Before he's finished, a diagram of the solar system appears on the screen. Koenig draws an arrow, indicating the third planet. A printed text appears on the screen acknowledging they're from Earth and will arrange a suitable atmosphere. A pressurized hiss is heard; Alan's scanner confirming a breathable atmosphere.
As the two Alphans raise their visors and take in the clean, fresh air, a noise alerts them to a second probe launching from its pedestal, which bounces its way up to a pedestal next to them. It turns out that this one speaks, which apologizes for the time it took to adapt to their language. After Koenig introduces he and Alan to the probe, it introduces itself as Voice Probe 2-4-8. After the Commander explains that they've come here to find a way to stop the next explosion, the probe informs them that it can't perform any independent function without authority. Its "Masters" - the intelligent life-forms of this planet - are not yet in existence; it's waiting for the first of them to be born.
The probe abruptly announces that they must leave, being in great danger. Maya contacts the Commander, informing him that this station's power level is rising to a critical point.
Racing for the ship, electrical arcs are randomly shooting out from each of the domes around them. One of them hits the Eagle, blowing the main fuses. Koenig orders them reset. As they're struggling to restore the ship's power, the five domes around them all connect with a steady electrical current. Finally, the ship lifts off.
While the ship rises into space, the three Alphans recap their situation; a ring of moons, each one with a space station, which are presumably all simultaneously building a similar energy, behaving like a ring of thunderclouds, releasing their energy once it builds to a certain point; lightning arcing across thousands of miles between each moon in the ring, which produces an energy wave equivalent to a thousand H-bombs radiating a million miles in every direction. Moonbase Alpha has just under six hours before it becomes victim to the next explosion, which will likely destroy it.
Commander Koenig decides to land on the planet itself. Blanketed by an atmosphere of chlorine gas, the Eagle passes through it and lands indiscriminately on the rough surface. By a remarkable coincidence, the ship had landed precisely on a hidden lift, camouflaged on the rocky surface, which starts lowering the ship underground. A Voice Probe contacts them, explaining that they're being taken to a place of safety. The Alphans have been brought down to a series of interconnected caverns. The Voice Probe then informs them that the tunnels are being reset for their needs so they won't require spacesuits.
Once the three Alphans exit the ship, the spherical Probe approaches them and informs the visitors that its Masters breathe chlorine, which is as poisonous to the Alphans as their air is to the inhabitants. The Probe is waiting for the first of the Masters to be reborn. It turns out that the planet's people enjoy a unique lifestyle; experiencing a life-span similar to humans, but when they grow old, instead of dying, they enter a chrysalis stage, emerging young and rejuvenated; physically perfect, mentally clean. While they're "asleep", they're defenseless, being protected by the explosive forcefield which wards off intruders, destroying them if they continue to approach. Koenig asks if there is anyone to talk to; the Probe explaining that there is one - the "Guardian", who keeps watch while the others sleep. Koenig asks to be brought to him, followed by the three Alphans being disarmed and their lasers rendered inoperable by an unseen force.
First bouncing, then rolling, Voice Probe 7-4-8 leads them into one of the Centers of Rejuvenation. The chamber's interior contains a single coffin-like object. There are port-holes in the wall revealing a large area of similar objects, clouded by the chlorine atmosphere. The Probe announces that it's too late - the Guardian which resides in the "coffin" has entered his chrysalis stage. Koenig asks if it's still possible to communicate with him, but the Probe states that he's become senile. When the floor under the Guardian's chrysalis coffin begins sliding it toward a port in the wall - which is beginning to open, to insert it into the chlorine-filled chamber, Alan foolishly becomes desperate and tries to prevent it from leaving their presence. After accidentally breaking the coffin's seal, which begins leaking chlorine gas, the Voice Probe begins filling the room with a chlorine atmosphere to compensate. Koenig drags Maya out of the room. The entrance closes while Alan collapses within the cloud of chlorine gas.
Transforming into a chlorine-breathing lizard creature, Maya re-enters the Rejuvenation Center and rescues Alan. After returning to the ship, Carter's still unconscious. With three hours until the next shock wave explosion, the Commander exits the ship alone, instructing Maya to fire the ship's lasers at the aliens when he gives the word.
Koenig approaches the Voice Probe, which is stationed just outside the Rejuvenation Chamber they had visited. The Commander orders that the next explosion be stopped or the ship's powerful laser will start firing at the inhabitants of the chamber. Suddenly, Koenig's hit with an energy weapon similar to what he had experienced in the cavern on the planet's moon, rendering him unconscious.
Within the Eagle, as Alan begins to revive, Maya informs him of her dilemma; Koenig has ordered her to fire at his command, but the Probe has stopped him. Alan tells her to fire. They're interrupted by a female voice. As Koenig recovers, the female explains that two of them have been reborn, which was why it was time for the Guardian to begin its chrysalis stage.
Commander Koenig orders the ship's lasers disarmed as the Voice Probe leads him into a small chamber containing a window where communication can be conducted with the resurrected aliens. Two unclothed females can be glimpsed within the clouds of chlorine behind the glass. They have been informed of the Alphans' current situation and have learned English. But due to language differences, the blond introduces herself simply as "A" and the brunette as "B". As the aliens explain the details of their lifestyle; going through various chrysalis stages with attempting to seek perfection as the ultimate goal, an impatient Commander interrupts, insisting that they make the decision of whether or not to cease the next explosion. "A" agrees to save the Moonbase, but "B" scoffs at the other, over obviously being attracted to Commander Koenig and votes "no". The next to be reborn will cast the deciding vote, but since it's to be the brother of the Guardian that Alan tried to kill, Koenig is told that it's unlikely that his vote will be in their favor.
On Moonbase Alpha, yellow alert is underway as there are now twenty-four minutes until the detonation of the next planetary explosion. Even though the moon has been veering away from the planet, it is still close enough for the base to be destroyed.
Alan and Maya are anxiously waiting in the Eagle while the Commander is busy trying to get an answer out of the aliens. Maya's calculations indicate that if Koenig succeeds in delaying the next explosion by at least four hours, the base should be able to withstand the impact. That hope is bittersweet, however, as it would also mean that the moon will be too far away for the three of them to return to it.
When Commander Koenig is finally introduced to the Guardian's brother, the outcome is not a positive (or unpredictable) experience, as he decides against stopping the explosion. There is now no hope for the Moonbase. The three Alphans are invited to remain on the planet.
Instead of behaving rash, as he has in the past in the face of Alpha dying when aliens could've saved them (as demonstrated on "War Games"), Koenig lectures these "seekers of perfection" with the idioms "Loyalty is better then logic", "Hope is better than despair", and "Creation is better than destruction". He then storms away.
Even though their Eagle lacks the amount of fuel necessary to reach the Moonbase, the three Alphans refuse to remain here another minute. The Eagle launches.
With eight minutes remaining before the planet's defensive detonation, Koenig contacts Alpha, informing Helena (who's inexplicably in charge of the base, as there's no sign of Tony) of the outcome with the aliens. They go to Red Alert.
After informing Helena that they won't be returning, Commander Koenig makes an announcement throughout the base, confirming the likelihood of Alpha's destruction and praises the personnel for their performance since leaving Earth.
As the final seconds count down to the detonation, the three Alphans within the Eagle brace themselves as it'll hit them first. The ship begins to shudder, then violently shake as the shock wave envelops it. After a moment, however, the three Alphans realize with amazement that it's subsiding.
Enthralled, Maya checks computer readings, reporting that the aliens had limited the explosion, increasing the speed of the Eagle so it'll reach the Moonbase. A few seconds later, Helena contacts the ship, confused why the shock wave had swiftly passed Alpha, inflicting only minimal damage. Elated, Koenig informs her that they're coming home, realizing that his lecture had caused the aliens to reconsider their decision.
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