← Harold's Old Time Radio
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And, Doug, there's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual. Even if it means sitting front row at a comedy show. Hey, everyone, Check out this guy and his bird. What is this, your first date? Oh, no. We help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual together. We're married. Me to a human, him to a bird. Yeah, the bird looks out of your league. Anyways, get a'@libertymutual.com or with your local agent. Liberty, Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Described in future tense. Can you predict what will come in 100 years? Or in 10? Or in the next minute? Some people think they can. Nuclear scientists, mathematicians, astronomers, biologists. They'll predict the shape of the future. Why? Because they make the future. Because they see beyond the known dimensions of time and space. If the unknown. Dimension X. 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 nearer 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, mysterious at the same vanishing point. At 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 2, 1987, that the rocket Star cloud made ready for takeoff. The sixth to attempt to crack the barrier and wind through to Volta. Now hear this. Condition green. Two minutes, Captain. I don't suppose you'll want the ship's doctor up here on the bridge during glass door. I think not, Smitty. All right, then. I'll be in the sick bay counting vitamin pills if you need me. Good luck, Lewis. Thank you, Smitty. Lieutenant Collier. Yes, sir? You're relieved. You better get down to navigation control and take over. Yes, sir. Oh, Lieutenant. Yes, sir? We've never flown together before. This is your first flight in a space vessel as big as the star cloud, isn't it? Yes, sir, but I was trained in oversized jobs at the Naval Academy. Well, if you're half as good a navigator as your father was, you'll do fine. Thank you, sir. You. You were old shipmates, weren't you? Old shipmates? I served under them in the first rocket that ever got back to its base in one piece. We flew that mission in a tin can. Not much better than a primitive guided missile. I. I almost went along on the last trip. Your father Made to the barrier. Too bad about that. Yes, sir. That's all, Collier. I'll bust you when you get down to Nav Control. Lieutenant Paulsen. Yes, sir. Get me ground control tower on the radio. I want to talk to Colonel Harrison. Sparks has the circuit up now, Captain. Go ahead. Sir. I patched in our bridge speaker. Colonel Harrison? Yes, captain. We're standing by for takeoff in 60 seconds. Good. The veil is cleared of all personnel. We'll try to re establish radio contact immediately after takeoff. In any event, there'll be a 24 hour ground monitor. Fine. Good luck. I hope you make it. Thank you. Bridge to navigation control. Nav control call. You ready, Lieutenant? We're ready, Captain. The course is in the integrator for takeoff at 1200 hours. All right, stand by for blastoff. Bridge to engine room. Fire up your rocket chambers. Take off at exactly 1200 hours. I'll read you off. 20 seconds. 19, 18, 17, 16. Condition red. Hold it. We do colors. Go. Turn in that alarm. We uncovered a stowaway, sir. Stowaway? Where? Masters hiding in Six Bay. Dr. Smithson found him. Have him brought up to the bridge. Engine room. Kill your rockets and stand by. Larson, this is Colonel Harrison and ground patrol. What's holding you up? Trouble. What's the matter with you? What's the matter with you? There's a stowaway aboard. Stowaway? 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 work. Look, how long do you think it'll take? Don't bother me for a while. I'm busy. Stupid idiot. Captain Thorson. Oh, come in, Smitty. Here's your stove. I'll court martial Charlie. Can you use a good radio man? Skipper. 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? Acceleration bends. Oh, they said my arteries wouldn't stand another trip. Well, I'm sorry to hear that, but they're wrong, sir. I got one more good trip in me. Now listen, Captain. You know these green kids don't know the first thing about space radio operations. You put a man like me on, I'll be getting your bedtime story for Mars. Now, Listen, Charlie, you know the regulations as well as I do. I can't take you, much as I'd like to. Colonel Harrison will murder me for this. Oh, I'm sorry, Charlie. I'll have to put you aground. I'll tell you what. I'll ask Harrison to put you on as ground radio contact. It'll seem as if you were right here with us. He won't do it, sir. He'd better or I'll have him busted. The corporal for letting you sneak aboard. Now you'd better be off, Charlie. Masters. Yes, sir. I'm sending this man to ground. Give him time to clear the launching platform. Yes, sir. So long, Charlie. I'm really sorry. Good luck, Skipper. I thought you were going to have him drawn and quartered. Been anybody else I would have, Smitty. But Charlie, well, he's kind of special. Been with me since my first command when Giller run to the moon. He wanted to come along this time. Well, it's only through loyalty to me. You know, Lewis, I didn't realize it before, but you're almost human. Bilge navigation. Lieutenant Collier, you there? Map control, Collier. Lieutenant, how badly are 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. Good. Can we take off in exactly two minutes? Two minutes? Yes, sir, if we can. All we need to correct is for only a 1 degree deflection. I can do that before we breach the stratosphere. That's quick work. Are you sure? Positive, sir. Well, all right, Collier. I'm putting it in your hands. We'll blast off on your signal, Lewis. Isn't that a lot of responsibility for a young green officer? Yes, but if he can't do his job, I'd rather find out now than at the galactic barrier. Bridge to engine room. Prepare to blast off on navigator signal. How are we doing, Collier? Coming on the bearing, sir. 4, 3, 2, 0. We've intersected the course vector. Good work, Collier. The course is corrected, sir. Ready to go into atomic overdrive anytime you say. All right, stand by. Now hear this. Now hear this. Prepare for maximum acceleration. Bridge to engine room. Kill your rockets. Rockets out. Fire up number one. Cyclotron number one ready. Fire up number two. Number two ready. Withdraw your dampening rods. Aye. Fission chamber ready. Blast tubes cleared. All generators operating at capacity, sir. Right. Go into overdrive on the count of zero. Five seconds, Captain. Three, two, two. One. One, zero, zero. How are we doing, Collier? On course, sir. She's running hot and true. Well, my compliments, Lieutenant. Thank you, sir. This job would have done your father credit. He was one of the best navigation officers I ever saw. Thanks, sir. Now, start your gyros and put her on robot control. The bridge is yours, Mr. Collier. If you need me, I'll be in D.O. smithson's office. Yes, sir. I see you got us off the ground. You can thank young Collier for that. Chip off the old block. You knew his father? Matter of fact, I knew him very well. First rate spaceman. Is he the one who. Yes. He was lost in the galactic barrier on the second ship we sent out to Volta. 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. None of them have come back out. How about Ms. Struvik's theory that it's a time warp in space? That the ships reach it and slip into another dimension? Ah, rubbish. My theory is that the galactic barrier is nothing more than a radioactive layer of some kind. What makes you say that? Well, we know that radar signals bounce off it like they were hitting an invisible glass wall. And we know that it destroys our ships and crews in some way. There's no other logical explanation. What makes you think we can get through it, Lewis? Because we're ready for it. The others weren't. The entire 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? Myself, I suppose. Lewis, you've had your share of glory. First skipper to reach the moon back in 1962. You could have retired. Why are you risking this trip? Because five ships are missing and men like Prentiss and Marcuson 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, Smitty. We're in a race. The kind of race where men and ships are expendable. According to interspace code, the first nation to reach Volda can claim it personally. I want no part of it. Doc, there are a dozen nations who feel very differently about that. I know. I know. You're right, of course. Well, at least it won't be boring. I'll have to play physician morale builder and mother substitute for 112 slight nervous men. Your morale doesn't sound too good, Doc. As morale officer, I can state without fear. Of contradiction. It is terrible. And something tells me that as we approach that galactic barrier, I'm not going to be alone. Hello, Earth. Hello, Earth. Captain Thorson of the Star Cloud calling Earth. Star Cloud to Earth. Can you read me? Hello, Star Cloud. Hi, Captain. Charlie. Well, I see they haven't court martialed you yet. No, sir. Thanks to you. That's good to hear you. You can read us the funny papers on Sunday morning. Right. How's our signal? Strong. Clear as a bell. Well, 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, Smitty? 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 blues. I was afraid of that. Bad? Oh, same as usual. Lips and hands with a bluish cast. Eyes are sensitive to infrareds. I don't know when I first started flying these tin cans. Nobody ever heard of space blues. There's a theory it's caused by the terrific acceleration of the atomic overdrive. 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. You think it's just nerves then? I don't know. Young Collier's got a bad case. Yes, I. I think it's tension from overwork. Well, maybe he needs some vitamins. Lewis, when will you realize that vitamins are not a panacea for all the troubles of mankind? Sir, I. I understand you've relieved me from duty. Dr. Smithson says you aren't looking very well. Collier. I'm just giving you a rest. But, sir, I. I feel perfectly able to continue. Your lips were as blue as Minnetonka, Captain. I'd like to remain at my post. Now, don't be so foolhardy, Lieutenant. I'm not being foolhardy, sir. You see, I have a special personal reason for wanting this expedition to reach Volta. Your father? Yes, sir, my father. You think he might still be alive? Sir, I. I have to find out what happened. I think I understand. Very well, Collier. Report back to D. What's the reading policy. We're getting a plus five radar bounce now. Coming off a barrier almost as fast as we send it out. What's the interval? 3/10 of a second. Shortening step. This radar will 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 fully manned. Full security will prevail until further notice. That is all. Wallacen Ay. Sir, radar bounce is up at plus six. We better try to make final contact with Earth. Is Spark still trying to raise the base? Yes, sir, but he's not having much luck. Seems to be some interference. Well, that's the radio room now. Yes, you've got him. Well, cut in on the bridge speaker. The captain will take it from here. Hello, Star Cloud to Earth. Can you hear me? Earth? Hello, Skipper, I can barely read you. We're getting heavy static. Sunspots. That's not sunspots. We're right on the galactic barrier. Getting a plus 7 radar bounce. Expect to hit the barrier almost any second now. Good luck, Skipper. Look, Charlie, stick with us, will you? We're switching to the automatic center 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. Don't worry. I'll be waiting. So long, Charlie. So long, Starcloud and Doug. There's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual. Even if it means sitting front row at a comedy show. Hey, everyone. Check out this guy and his bird. What is this, your first date? Oh, no. We help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual together. We're married. Me to a human, him to a bird. Yeah, the bird looks out of your league. Anyways, get a quote@libertymutual.com or with your local agent. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. If you work in university maintenance, Grainger considers you an MVP because your playbook ensures your arena is always ready for tip off. And Grainger is your trusted partner, offering the products you need all in one place. From H Vac and plumbing supplies to lighting and more. And all delivered with plenty of time left on the clock, so your team always gets the win. Call 1-800-granger. Visit granger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done. We must be getting awfully close now. Captain Echo's bouncing back so fast, almost beating the signal. And when they coincide. Hold on to your hat. That's when we run into the wall. Second. Hold on. Here goes nothing. Here it comes. What? Nothing happened. We made it. We made it, Captain. No radiation, no time war, nothing. The crew's gone crazy, sir. Let em. They earned it. Hey, Doc, can you break out a few bottles of snake bite serum for medicinal purposes? I sure can, Luke. This calls for a celebration. How's your morale now? Couldn't be better. How's your. Couldn't be better. Hey, what the Condition? Condition red. Radiation detected. Condition red radiation detected. Holy mackerel. Look at the needle on that indicator. Paulson. Paulison. I see it, Captain. Picking up radiation like crazy. What's it like? A strong impulse. What kind? I don't know, sir. It's too long for a cosmic ray and too short for uhf. Ship's lousy with it. And your battle station? Polison, track it down, triangulate it. Make it fast. I want a direction of 5th. Yes, sir. Engine room. Yes, sir. We're picking up radioactivity. Is it the fission chambers? No leak here, sir. I'll check your gauges. Nothing here, Captain. Must be coming from outside. Damage control. Yes, sir. Is radiation penetrating the lead field? Haven't found anything yet, sir. Well, keep at it. Pollison, how are you doing? I've. I've got it fixed, Captain. What is it? I'll have to recheck my figure. Hurry up. Angle is correct. Come on, man. For Pete's sake. What's the radiation from? It's coming from inside the ship. It's impossible, sir. I've checked it twice. Well, it's got to be the engines. If it is, we're finished. Engine room. Yes, sir. That radiation must be in the overdrive pile. No, sir. It isn't here, sir. Are you, sir? Yes, sir. All right, keep checking. Well, only one thing left to do. Falson, get a Geiger counter. We're going to start combing this ship inch by inch. Yes, sir. I. Turn it on. Yes, sir. Ready, Captain. We'll check the atomic guns first. Come on. We'll cut through the officers quarters to ordinance. Through here. Wait a minute, sir. What is it? Signal is weaker now. Yeah. Let's go back. Hold it. Hold it. Seems strongest right about here. Doesn't make sense. Whose cabin is this? Lieutenant Collier's. Collier? Oh, he's down in nav control. So drive the door. It's not locked, sir. This is in here. All right. Listen to that counter. It's strongest over here. Open that wall. It's locked, sir. I'll smash it shut off the Geiger counter. Well, what do you make of this, Paulison? Well, it looks like some sort of portable transmitter, sir. Must be foreign manufacture. I don't recognize the calibration symbols at all. I've never seen anything like it. Which raises a small question. What is Lieutenant Collier doing with the transmitter in his cabin? I don't know, sir. Well, I intend to find out. Paulison, get down to NASA Control. Bring Carter up to the bridge on the double. Hadn't we better find some way to shut this thing off first? I know a way. Lieutenant Collier, I'm going to ask a few simple questions. Yes, sir. And I want a few simple answers. Yes, sir. What were you doing with the transmitter in your cabin? 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? Well, I. I suppose so. Why? If someone had a key. I found your cabin door unlocked. I meant a key to the wall cabinets. I didn't say the wall cabinets. Oh. What? Well, sir, I. I. You what, Lieutenant? How could you have known it was in the wall cabinets? Well, I. I just assumed. Lieutenant Collier, I. 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 you are, sir. Parleson, turn on that Geiger counter. Yes, sir. Now, 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 were you sending those signals? Condition red. Condition red. There's your answer, Captain. What is this? Collier. Alien spaceship approaching. Alien spaceship approaching. Collier, who's aboard that ship? All right, now talk. Very well, Captain. My mission seems completed. 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 Voltan government. The what? The government of the planet. Are you 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, your. Your appearance. You look like. Like Commander Collier. Is that so surprising, Captain? We had a living model. I ought to kill you. That would be very foolish, Captain. I would advise you to surrender without delay. Alien ship now coming into ordinance range. I'll deal with you later. Collier. Paulison. Yes, sir. Put this man in irons and take him away. Don't worry, sir. We'll take good care of him. Hunter Rudden, Gunnery. Gunnery. Ratchet. What's the range? 10,000 meters. They're closing fast. Watch your guns on radar. Tracking. Tracking. Coming on the bearing. Fire. Fire. Richardson, did you hear me? Fire. What's the matter down there? Did you hear me? Richardson, answer me. What? What? Who? It's no use to shout, Captain. Call yourself. How did you get loose? Where's Paulison? Lieutenant Parlisson is dead. All stations. Lieutenant Collier has escaped. Easy, men. Don't waste your breath, Captain. Your men can't hear you. What? Those still alive are my men. Nor lying. No, Captain. Every ship that has ever left Earth was controlled by a Voltaire crew. That's impossible. Those were hand picked men handpicked by. I don't believe you. Then why not call for help? Carpenter, Robinson, Haley, report. Harbinger, Robinson, alien radio report. You see, Captain, it is quite useless. The Star Cloud will be taken to Volta for, shall we say, further experimentation. I see. Of course, there's one thing you hadn't counted on. And just what is that, Captain? This. Carpenter. Are you in there? Lieutenant Carpenter? They can't all be dead. There must be one alive. Smitty. Dr. Smithson. Smitty. Oh, Smitty. What have they done to you? Lewis? Those dirties don't talk. Don't talk. Thomas. Lean closer. Not much time, Louis. Space blues. Space Blues. What is it, Smitty? What are you trying to tell me? All men with space blues. Valan. Here, let me help you. No. Lewis. Get message back to Earth. Valan. Fifth column. Watch out for Space blues. Smitty. Smitty. Smitty. Captain Thorson. Captain Thorson. You can't hide from us now. Come back to the bridge and surrender or my men will come and get you. Yeah. Captain Person. Captain Person. You can't come. Hello. Hello. Star Cloud calling Earth. Please, God, let me throw. It's too late. Hello. Star Cloud to Earth. Come in, please. Come in, please. Captain Fort calling Charlie. Please hurry. Hello? Hello, can you hear me? Charlie? Skipper, is that you? I'm getting my signal. It's coming in a little Louder. Now, skip. Keep sending. Thank God. Charlie. Now listen to me. Not much time. Get word to Colonel Harrison. Crew mutiny. Most of crew members. Voltans spell that V, O L Volant. That's right. They're from the planet Volta. Skipper, are you all right? Look. Right. This is serious. They'll be here any second. Now listen. They have a fifth column on Earth. They're planning to invade you. I don't mean it. Of course I mean it. Don't tell Harris Holding. As humans, you can detect them by space blooms. You got that? Only Voltians get space bulbs. Can you hear me? Space blue. I get you. Captain. Captain. Captain Thorson. Hello. Hello? Star cloud. Come in. What's the trouble, Sergeant? I just trying to raise the star cloud, Colonel. Had any luck? No, sir. No contact. No contact? No, sir. Nearly an hour since they hit the galactic barrier. I don't understand why they haven't tried to get a message back. No, sir. Neither do I. All right, I'll take over for a while. Yes, you do that. You go right ahead. Ahead, sir? Right. Oh, Charlie, you better go out and get yourself some coffee. You look a little blue around the gills. You have just heard no Contact. An adventure in time, space and the unknown. The world of Dimension. Next week we have a cheerful little tale that starts with the disappearance of Grant's tomb. It's about a veteran newspaper reporter and a strange little man who calls himself the world's greatest genius. You'll hear all about it next week at the same time when we present the Professor Was a Thief. Dimension X has presented no Contact, an original story written by George Lefferts from a storyline by Lerts and Ernest Kinoy featured in the cast with Louis Van Ruten as Captain Thorson, Donald Bucha as Lieutenant Collier and Cameron Prudamus. Charlie, your host was Norman Rose, music by Albert Berman. Engineer Bill Chambers. Dimension X is produced by William Welch and directed by Edward King. Stay tuned for the remarkable Quiz Kids on NBC. A vacation rental shouldn't come with surprises. 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