And The Moon Be Still As Bright by Dimension X

Summary

Relic Radio Sci-Fi Presents: "And The Moon Be Still As Bright" by Dimension X

Episode Release Date: April 7, 2025
Based on: The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
Narrator: Norman Rose
Voice Cast:

• Alexander Scorby as Spender
• Wendell Holmes as Captain Wilder
• Supporting Characters: Park Hill, Biggs, Hathaway

---

Introduction

"Relic Radio Sci-Fi transports listeners to the golden age of science fiction radio storytelling. In this episode, "And The Moon Be Still As Bright," adapted from Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles, we follow the harrowing journey of Earth's fourth expedition to Mars. This detailed summary captures the essence of the episode, highlighting key moments, character dynamics, and underlying themes."

---

Expedition Arrival on Mars

Timestamp: [00:31]
The episode opens with the dramatic launch of the fourth Martian expedition, marking a series of mysterious disappearances of previous ships. As the rocket approaches Mars, tension builds among the crew members:

Captain Wilder (Wendell Holmes):
"Stand by for deceleration."
Supporting Character 1:
"Skids down, sir."
Captain Wilder:
"Landing procedure. Fire one, three and five."
Narrator:
"The last blast of the bow jets broke red against the blue desert sands, and the ship slid to a halt at the edge of a vast city that reflected the icy glare of the moonlight."

Captain Wilder promptly takes command upon landing, emphasizing security and caution due to the fate of previous expeditions.

---

Discovery of Martian Deaths

Timestamp: [05:33]
As the crew begins their exploration, they uncover a devastating truth:

Supporting Character 3:
"People were living in it last week, sir."
Captain Wilder:
"People?"
Spender (Alexander Scorby):
"Martians."
Supporting Character 3:
"We found the bodies. Thousands of bodies. Hadn't been dead more than 10 days."
Spender:
"Chicken pox."

The revelation that Martians perished from an Earth-borne disease, specifically chicken pox, underscores a poignant commentary on unintended consequences of exploration and colonization.

---

Crew Conflicts and Tensions

Timestamp: [07:03] – [10:06]
Amidst the grave discovery, internal conflicts arise. The crew's desire to celebrate their safe landing clashes with the somber reality of the Martian extinction.

Supporting Character 2:
"Let's break out a bottle and celebrate."
Captain Wilder:
"There'll be no drinking done till we're secured."
Spender:
"It's like saying the Greeks died of mumps... We Earth men have a talent for ruining big beautiful things."
Captain Wilder:
"You think too much. We're lucky to get to Mars without catching a meteor in our bulkheads."

Spender's frustration culminates in destructive behavior, reflecting the psychological strain of the mission and ethical dilemmas faced by the crew.

---

Spender’s Breakdown and Confrontation

Timestamp: [16:08] – [24:47]
Spender's mental state deteriorates as he grapples with the moral implications of humanity's impact on Mars. His actions escalate into violent confrontations:

Spender:
"How would you feel if you were a Martian and people came to your land and started to tear it up?"
Supporting Character 2:
"He's crazy."
Spender:
"I'm the last Martian... I found an underground passage... I'll kill you all off, Wilder."

Captain Wilder attempts to reason with Spender, leading to a tense standoff where Spender contemplates eradicating the remaining human presence on Mars to preserve its legacy.

Captain Wilder:
"It's me against the whole Earth, isn't it?"
Spender:
"They want to ruin this one. I'll save Mars for half a century."

---

Climax and Resolution

Timestamp: [25:40] – [27:57]
The climax unfolds as Captain Wilder leads a pursuit to neutralize Spender, culminating in a final confrontation:

Captain Wilder:
"Get out to the caves and come back later. I've got to end it."
Spender:
"You can come with me. I'll show you what a good life these people have."
Captain Wilder:
"I can't stay with you. Sorry, Spender."

The ensuing confrontation results in Spender's death, symbolizing the tragic clash between idealism and practicality.

---

Conclusion

Timestamp: [27:52] – [28:15]
In the aftermath, Captain Wilder reflects on the loss and the heavy burden of maintaining humanity's future on Mars.

Captain Wilder:
"So we'll go no more a roving so late into the night..."

The episode closes with a somber acknowledgment of the cost of exploration and the fragile balance between discovery and preservation.

---

Themes and Insights

• Unintended Consequences of Exploration: The spread of Earth diseases wiping out the Martian population serves as a cautionary tale about the unforeseen impacts of human expansion.

• Ethical Dilemmas: The crew's struggle between celebrating their survival and mourning the loss of an entire civilization highlights the moral complexities of colonization.

• Psychological Strain: Spender's breakdown illustrates the mental toll of confronting the darker aspects of human nature and imperialism.

• Preservation vs. Progress: The conflict underscores the tension between preserving native cultures and advancing human ambitions.

---

Notable Quotes

• Spender on Human Impact:
  "We Earth men have a talent for ruining big beautiful things."
  [06:10]

• Captain Wilder on Leadership:
  "We've landed safely. We're not safe yet."
  [03:00]

• Spender’s Reflection:
  "They know we're here. Doesn't an old thing always know when a new thing comes?"
  [20:16]

• Final Poem Recitation:
  "So we'll go no more a roving so late into the night Though the heart be still as loving and the moon be still as bright..."
  [27:52]

---

Conclusion

"And The Moon Be Still As Bright" masterfully captures the essence of classic science fiction, blending suspense, ethical contemplation, and rich character development. Relic Radio Sci-Fi's adaptation remains faithful to Bradbury's vision, offering listeners a thought-provoking journey into the complexities of human colonization and its profound consequences.

---

For More Adventures:
Explore thousands of other stories in genres like horror, strange tales, science fiction, and crime at relicradio.com. Support the preservation of these timeless narratives by donating through their website.

Transcript

[Alexander Scorby]

Relic Radio.

[Norman Rose]

This is Relic Radio. Sci Fi Old Time Radio Science fiction stories from relicradio.com.

[Narrator]

Adventures in Time and space told in Future Tense Dimension Tonight Transcribed from Ray Bradbury's collection the Martian Chronicles. We present and the Moon be still as bright. The first three expeditions to Mars left Earth in a mushroom of flame, arced through the atmosphere, and finally dwindled to tiny specks in the big eye of Mount palace telescope and then were lost to sight forever. The prearranged landing signals flashed back to Earth, and then the radios went dead. One after the other ships had disappeared and were never heard from again. But still the rockets came. The fourth expedition emerged from the silent gulfs of space and angled down toward the floating red disk of Mars, down into an orbit as the order came to land.

[Wendell Holmes]

Stand by for deceleration.

[Supporting Character 1]

Deceleration I, sir.

[Wendell Holmes]

Skids down.

[Supporting Character 1]

Skids down, sir.

[Wendell Holmes]

Engine room. Engine Room I. Landing procedure. Fire one, three and five.

[Alexander Scorby]

Aye, sir.

[Narrator]

The last blast of the bow jets broke red against the blue desert sands, and the ship slid to a halt at the edge of a vast city that reflected the icy glare of the moonlight. For a while, all was still.

[Wendell Holmes]

All right, Park Hill, open the airlock.

[Supporting Character 1]

Hi, sir.

[Supporting Character 2]

Fresh air.

[Supporting Character 1]

How about a fire? Captain Wilder? It's freezing.

[Alexander Scorby]

Later.

[Wendell Holmes]

We got work to do.

[Supporting Character 2]

Smell that? Eh, you could get drunk on it. Say, there's an idea. Why don't we break out a bottle and celebrate?

[Wendell Holmes]

Biggs, there'll be no drinking done till we're secured.

[Supporting Character 2]

But we're landed, Captain.

[Wendell Holmes]

Three other expeditions landed and disappeared within 24 hours. And not relaxing security till we find out what happened to them.

[Supporting Character 1]

Maybe Martians.

[Wendell Holmes]

Exactly. Pargil Spender, you're an archaeologist. How old would you say those buildings are? Somebody built these cities?

[Alexander Scorby]

I can't tell till I study them more closely. It's a kind of engineering we couldn't duplicate on Earth. Those thin reed like towers and the stone filigree wouldn't stand up under Earth pressure. Beautiful, aren't they?

[Wendell Holmes]

I'm not interested in the architecture now. I want to make sure there's nothing there that might be dangerous. Mr. Hathaway. Yes, sir. I want you to take a reconnaissance party into the city and find out what's there.

[Supporting Character 3]

The cities all look dead from the air, sir.

[Wendell Holmes]

They look dead, but I want to make sure. Mr. Spender, you better go with Hathaway.

[Alexander Scorby]

Yes, sir.

[Wendell Holmes]

Don't waste any time gathering relics either. You can make an archaeological study later. Right now I want a security report, Biggs.

[Supporting Character 2]

Yes, sir.

[Wendell Holmes]

We'll Set up camp right here. No man is to go more than 50ft from the rocket. And there'll be no celebration until Hathaway and his party report back.

[Supporting Character 2]

No, sir. It's just that we've been cooped up in the.

[Wendell Holmes]

That's all, Biggs. We've landed safely. We're not safe yet. Not until we know what we're up against here. We'll maintain full security until Hathaway gets.

[Narrator]

Back in the sea bottoms. The wind stirred along faint vapors. And from the mountains great stone visages looked upon the silvery rocket and the small fire. The sky was black overhead as the two racing moons threw knife edge double shadows on the desert.

[Supporting Character 4]

All right, come and get it, cow.

[Supporting Character 1]

What you got to eat, Jackie?

[Supporting Character 4]

Sawdust smothered in cold Lampat.

[Narrator]

Good.

[Supporting Character 1]

I thought it was something I couldn't eat. Hey, you guys, pipe down. Captain, Mr. Hathaway's back, Captain.

[Wendell Holmes]

Chapter one over here, Mr. Hathaway. Well?

[Supporting Character 3]

Most of the city is dead, sir. Spender says it's been dead a good many thousand years. But we found one part about a mile over.

[Wendell Holmes]

What about it?

[Supporting Character 3]

People were living in it last week, sir.

[Wendell Holmes]

People?

[Alexander Scorby]

Martians.

[Wendell Holmes]

I see. Where are they now?

[Narrator]

Dead.

[Alexander Scorby]

We found the bodies. Thousands of bodies. Hadn't been dead more than 10 days.

[Wendell Holmes]

What did they die of?

[Alexander Scorby]

You won't believe it.

[Wendell Holmes]

What killed them?

[Alexander Scorby]

Chicken pox.

[Wendell Holmes]

Chicken pox?

[Alexander Scorby]

Yes. I made tests. It worked differently on Martians than on Earth. People burned them black and dried them out to brittle flakes.

[Wendell Holmes]

But where could they get chicken pox?

[Supporting Character 3]

From Earth, sir.

[Wendell Holmes]

And the other rockets did get through? Yes, sir.

[Supporting Character 3]

I don't know what the Martians did to them. But I sure know what they did to the Martians. Gave them chickenpox and wiped them out. They just didn't have any resistance to an Earth disease.

[Wendell Holmes]

There aren't any of them left.

[Supporting Character 3]

There won't be any when a thing like that starts spreading, sir. There's no stopping it anyway. It's a thousand to one that's killed them all. This planet is through.

[Wendell Holmes]

Incredible.

[Alexander Scorby]

Think of it, Captain. A dirty, silly child's disease like chickenpox. It isn't right.

[Wendell Holmes]

Spender, take it easy.

[Alexander Scorby]

It's like saying the Greeks died of mumps. Or the proud Roman Empire collapsed because of athlete's foot. We didn't even give them a decent excuse for dying. We just gave them chickenpox.

[Wendell Holmes]

Fender, get hold of yourself.

[Alexander Scorby]

You didn't see those bodies, Captain.

[Wendell Holmes]

It must have been a shock. I suppose you need a rest. A little relaxation. Martians are dead. There's nothing you can do about it now.

[Supporting Character 2]

Hey, you hear that? The Martians are all dead. Well, come on. Let's break out a bottle and whoop it up. How about it, Captain?

[Wendell Holmes]

Well, all right, man.

[Supporting Character 2]

Oh, that's fine.

[Wendell Holmes]

Hathaway, seat of the security guard.

[Supporting Character 2]

Yes, sir.

[Alexander Scorby]

Good Lord, do they have to do that now?

[Wendell Holmes]

It's been a tough trip. It's only natural they'd want to celebrate a little.

[Alexander Scorby]

Celebrate? Because the world died? Because a rocke little virus from Earth wiped out a whole civilization?

[Wendell Holmes]

Well, they're not thinking of that.

[Alexander Scorby]

Isn't it time later to throw old beer cans into the canals? A civilization died here. It's like butchering a pig in a churchyard.

[Wendell Holmes]

Brenda, you think too much. We're lucky to get to Mars without catching a meteor in our bulkheads. Let it go at that.

[Supporting Character 2]

The first safe on save on Mars. We gotta celebrate.

[Wendell Holmes]

Yahoo.

[Narrator]

Many bottles were opened and drunk. The voices got louder, the Earth laughs and shouts echoing across the empty Martian sand.

[Supporting Character 2]

There was that time in New York when I ran into that blonde boy. What a blonde. Listen. The first thing she said.

[Narrator]

Spender. Listen to the words wind over his ears, cool and whispering. He felt the land getting cooler. The stars grew closer, very clear. The air smelled clean and new. He looked at the cool ice of the white Martian buildings. Over there on the empty sea lands.

[Supporting Character 2]

What a woman. Hey, what do we do with these empty bottles?

[Supporting Character 1]

Save them. There's a 2 cent deposit.

[Wendell Holmes]

Throw them away.

[Supporting Character 2]

Wait. How about that building? Two to one for a buck, I can. He went right through that window.

[Supporting Character 1]

You're right.

[Supporting Character 2]

Here goes. Bullseye. Double or nothing on the next shot.

[Alexander Scorby]

Put that bottle down. Fix.

[Supporting Character 2]

Who's that? Mr. Spender.

[Alexander Scorby]

Stop smashing those windows.

[Supporting Character 2]

What's the difference? Planet's ours now. I guess I can do anything with it that I want.

[Alexander Scorby]

Drop that bottle. I'll knock your teeth out.

[Supporting Character 2]

Yeah? Just watch me.

[Alexander Scorby]

I warned you, big head. I hit him.

[Supporting Character 2]

He's crazy. Captain. He just walked up and slugged me.

[Supporting Character 1]

Beggs wasn't doing that.

[Wendell Holmes]

All right, let go of him. You men go back to your party. Spender, come with me.

[Supporting Character 1]

I like that guy. Just walks up to him and slugs and he wasn't.

[Wendell Holmes]

Spender, suppose you explain what was the idea.

[Alexander Scorby]

Oh, the noise, the drunken brawl. I guess I was ashamed of the spectacle the whole crew was making. Where's their respect for what's happened? Their sense of what's right?

[Wendell Holmes]

Men are tired. It's been a long trip. You've got a different way of seeing Things.

[Alexander Scorby]

I'm seeing things, all right. I'm seeing how we'll ruin Mars. We'll rip it up. Rip the skin off the way we've already ruined Earth. We Earth men have a talent for ruining big beautiful things.

[Wendell Holmes]

Is that why you hit bigs?

[Alexander Scorby]

Yes. I couldn't stand the idea of them watching us make fools of ourselves.

[Wendell Holmes]

Them?

[Alexander Scorby]

The Martians.

[Wendell Holmes]

The Martians? They're dead. All dead.

[Alexander Scorby]

They know we're here. Doesn't an old thing always know when a new thing comes? We've come a long way to smash their windows and spitting their wine.

[Wendell Holmes]

Maybe you're right. I'm finding you $50 for that fight. Now suck in your chin. We'll go back there and play. Happy.

[Narrator]

Now? The whole party moved out into the moonlight. Across the desert they made their way into the dreaming dead city. The light of the racing twin moons glinted on the barrel of a pistol. The long blade of a machete, the round gurgling shape of a raised bottle. Their shadows under them were double shadows on the ice blue sand. They were waiting. Waiting for something to stir in the dead city. Something to rise. Some ancient ancestral shape to come galloping across the vacant sea bottom on an ancient armored steed of impossible, of unbelievable derivation.

[Alexander Scorby]

Look at it, captain. Down those avenues in the mist, you'd almost see them.

[Narrator]

The mind's eye populated the dead city. Each window was given a person who leaned from it and waved slowly, as if under some timeless water, at some moving form in the fathoms of space below the moon silvered towers. There were faint murmurs of sound and odd animals scurrying across the gray red sands. The wind blew in from the dead sea bottom and brushed through the silvery wire filigree of the towers. Strange music drifted down to the double shadowed streets. A thin, haunted music that played as it had played through the uncounted years of time. Nobody moved. The moons held and froze them. The wind beat slowly around them.

[Supporting Character 2]

Hey, out there, you people in the city.

[Wendell Holmes]

Pigs.

[Supporting Character 2]

I just wanted to make a little noise.

[Wendell Holmes]

Come on.

[Alexander Scorby]

They built this city thousands of years ago. And now where are they? How did they die?

[Supporting Character 2]

Who cares? They're dead. It's good enough for me.

[Alexander Scorby]

Lord Byron.

[Wendell Holmes]

What?

[Alexander Scorby]

Lord Byron. An old 19th century poet. He wrote a poem that fits. This city might have been written by the last Martian. So we'll go no more a roving so late into the night. Though the heart be still as loving and the moon be still as bright. For the sword outwears the sheath and the soul outwears Its breast and the heart must pause to breathe and love itself must rest Though the night was made for loving and the day returns too soon yet will go no more A roving by the light of the moon.

[Narrator]

Without a word the Earth men stood in the center of the city. It was a clear night. There was not a sound except the music of the wind. At their feet lay a tile court worked into the shapes of ancient animals in a images. They stood there, silvered by the double moons beneath the crystal towers of Mars. Then Biggs was sick, and the sour stench of liquor filled the cool air. The men of Earth had come to Mars. And Spender turned and walked away into the city. Alone in the moonlight. Never once stopping to look back.

[Wendell Holmes]

That you, Hathaway?

[Supporting Character 4]

Yes, sir.

[Supporting Character 3]

Will I take on, sir?

[Wendell Holmes]

What time is it?

[Supporting Character 3]

0400. Any orders, sir?

[Wendell Holmes]

No. I'll stay on watch. You turn in.

[Supporting Character 3]

Aren't you sleeping, sir?

[Wendell Holmes]

I'll wait for Spender.

[Supporting Character 3]

He didn't come in?

[Wendell Holmes]

No.

[Supporting Character 3]

He's crazy. Walking away into the shadows. He didn't even look back.

[Wendell Holmes]

Spender's a strange man. He's crazy, sir. How's the rest of the crew?

[Supporting Character 3]

Sleeping it off. Biggs had DTs, but he's calmed down now.

[Wendell Holmes]

You can go back below, Hathaway. I'll take your watch.

[Supporting Character 3]

Captain Wilder, do you think Spendel'll be coming in before morning?

[Wendell Holmes]

I don't know.

[Supporting Character 3]

You know, sir, I don't think he's ever coming back. That's the way I feel about him, sir. He'll never come back.

[Narrator]

It was a morning that might have been a Monday or a Tuesday or any day on Mars. Biggs was on the canal rim. His feet hung down in the cool water, soaking while he took the sun in his face.

[Supporting Character 4]

What are you doing back here, Biggs? Didn't you go out with these search party?

[Supporting Character 2]

Yeah. I come back. I got it listed.

[Wendell Holmes]

Sure, sure.

[Supporting Character 2]

What do you mean? Look. Look, Cherokee. You see that? Anyway, I had enough searching. Four days hunting for that screwball Spender.

[Supporting Character 4]

Didn't find him yet, huh?

[Supporting Character 2]

Nah. Good riddance.

[Narrator]

Oh, my feet.

[Supporting Character 2]

I'm gonna soak them good. If I was wild, I wouldn't worry about that nut. Spender. Let him go. He's a crackpot anyway.

[Supporting Character 4]

Little foggy upstairs, I guess. Why don't you take your feet out of that canal, Biggs? I gotta make coffee out of that water.

[Supporting Character 2]

Coffee? You call that stuff coffee? I had a motorcycle once that dripped grease that tasted better than that.

[Wendell Holmes]

Wait a minute, Piggs. Look over there.

[Supporting Character 2]

Where? By that bush.

[Wendell Holmes]

There's someone there. Hey, it's him.

[Supporting Character 4]

Hey, Spender.

[Supporting Character 2]

Spender.

[Supporting Character 4]

He's coming over.

[Supporting Character 2]

Why didn't he stay lost? That crazy jerk.

[Supporting Character 4]

Hi, Spender. Long time no see.

[Wendell Holmes]

Hello, Cherokee.

[Alexander Scorby]

I've been exploring some ruins.

[Supporting Character 2]

You and them ruins. You're like a dog in a. In a boneyard. What's the matter? Where you been?

[Alexander Scorby]

Up in the hills. What would you say if I told you I found a Martian? Where? Nevermind. Let me ask you a question. How would you feel if you were a Martian and people came to your land and started to tear it up?

[Supporting Character 4]

I know how I feel. I've got Cherokee blood in me. My grandfather told me lots of things about the way they kick the Indians around in the Oklahoma Territory. There's any Martian around, I'm all for him.

[Alexander Scorby]

How about you, Biggs?

[Supporting Character 2]

They're all dead. A good thing, too.

[Alexander Scorby]

Well, I found a Martian up in a dead town in the hills. I've been reading their books. They're easy to understand. I've learned their language. Then I found this Martian. He said, give me your boots. And I did. He said, give me your uniform. And I gave him my uniform.

[Supporting Character 2]

Crazy spell. Hey, Cherokee. He's crazy.

[Alexander Scorby]

The Martian said, give me your gun. And I gave him my gun. And then he said, come along and watch what happens. And the Martian walked down into camp. And he's here now.

[Supporting Character 4]

I don't see no Martian.

[Alexander Scorby]

I'm the last Martian. What? Biggs, I'm going to kill you.

[Supporting Character 2]

Cut it out. Kind of a lousy joke, is it?

[Alexander Scorby]

Stand up and take it.

[Supporting Character 2]

Hey, put that gun away, Spender.

[Supporting Character 4]

Yeah, cut it, Spender.

[Supporting Character 2]

Oh, put that gun away. You're joking. You're kidding, huh?

[Supporting Character 1]

Spender.

[Supporting Character 4]

He's dead. Killed him.

[Alexander Scorby]

You can come with me, Cherokee. You know how the Martians would feel. You can be in this with me.

[Supporting Character 4]

You killed him. You. You just killed him.

[Alexander Scorby]

He deserved it.

[Supporting Character 4]

You're crazy.

[Alexander Scorby]

Maybe I am. But you can come with me.

[Supporting Character 4]

Come with you? For what? Go on. Go on.

[Wendell Holmes]

Get out of here.

[Alexander Scorby]

You crazy murderer. All of them. I thought you'd understand. I thought you'd remember what happened to your own people.

[Supporting Character 4]

You get out of here, you crazy boys.

[Alexander Scorby]

For that guy.

[Supporting Character 3]

They're both dead. Captain Wilder, who's missing? Only Spender. It must have been him, sir.

[Wendell Holmes]

Why didn't he come and talk to me?

[Supporting Character 1]

Why didn't talk to me? Shot his brain, sir. That's what I'd have done.

[Supporting Character 3]

He took him by surprise. There's no sign of a struggle.

[Wendell Holmes]

Hathaway. Break out the arms locker. Issue pistols, rifles and grenades. Yes, sir. You better get the Bible out of the navigation chest. We'll have to bury these two. Park Hill.

[Supporting Character 1]

Aye, sir.

[Wendell Holmes]

You start digging a grave.

[Supporting Character 3]

How about Spender?

[Wendell Holmes]

We'll have to go up in the hills and find him.

[Supporting Character 1]

Just let me at him with my bare hands. Crazy, murdering louse.

[Wendell Holmes]

That's enough. Park Hill. Man is sick. He must be sick.

[Supporting Character 1]

Man.

[Wendell Holmes]

Grab a shovel. Start digging.

[Narrator]

Spender saw the thin dust rising in the valley. And he knew the pursuit was beginning. The sun burned farther up the sky and the blue sand drifted lazily across the sea bottom below. He sat beside a quiet pool 10,000 years old and held a silver book. Through the house played the strange wind blow music of ancient Mars. And he heard voices whisper in his mind.

[Alexander Scorby]

I hear you. I've always heard you. Even down there on Earth. I won't on. What's the use? What for? To see them tear down your temples and put up hot dog stands?

[Wendell Holmes]

Run, run, run. Run. Run.

[Supporting Character 2]

Run, run, Run.

[Wendell Holmes]

They've seen me.

[Alexander Scorby]

They know I'm up here.

[Wendell Holmes]

There.

[Alexander Scorby]

Funny, he hasn't ordered me to use grenades. He could lob one right up here and blow me to bits. And maybe the captain thinks I'm too nice to be blown to bits. He wants my death to be clean. Just one bullet hole in me. Nothing messy. Why? Because he understands me. The only one in the crew who ever did. Well, at least I can do the same for him. Just one bullet in his heart. A nice clean jack. What I have to do is pull the trigger.

[Wendell Holmes]

And then.

[Alexander Scorby]

It's no use. I can't do it to him.

[Wendell Holmes]

Bender. Bender, can you hear me? Spender?

[Alexander Scorby]

Yeah, I hear you, Captain. What do you want, Puck?

[Wendell Holmes]

Truce?

[Alexander Scorby]

All right. Come on up. Leave your gun down there and keep your hands up.

[Wendell Holmes]

Sprinter, are you there?

[Supporting Character 2]

Over here.

[Wendell Holmes]

It's quite a climb. Mind if I sit down? Cigarette?

[Alexander Scorby]

Thanks.

[Wendell Holmes]

Light?

[Alexander Scorby]

Yeah. Got my own.

[Wendell Holmes]

It's warm.

[Alexander Scorby]

It is.

[Wendell Holmes]

You comfortable up here in the hills?

[Alexander Scorby]

Quite.

[Wendell Holmes]

How long do you think you can hold out?

[Alexander Scorby]

About 12 men's worth.

[Wendell Holmes]

Why didn't you kill all of us this morning when you had the chance? You could have.

[Alexander Scorby]

I know. I got sick. After I started killing people. I realized they were just fools and I shouldn't be killing them. It was too late, so I came up here where I could get angry again.

[Wendell Holmes]

Why did you do it?

[Alexander Scorby]

Because I've seen what I've seen. That what these Martians had was just as good as anything we'll ever hope to have. They Stopped where we should have stopped a hundred years ago. They knew how to combine science and art and religion. They knew how to live with dignity and peace.

[Wendell Holmes]

And for that reason you started shooting people?

[Alexander Scorby]

When I was a kid, my folks took me to visit Mexico City. I'll always remember the way my father acted, loud and big. My mother didn't like the people because they were dark and didn't wash enough. I didn't see my mother, my father coming to Mars and acting the same way. Anything that's strange is no good to us. We aren't fit to take over this planet.

[Wendell Holmes]

But kill two men?

[Narrator]

What could I do?

[Alexander Scorby]

It's me against the whole Earth, isn't it? Enough they've ruined one planet. Now they want to ruin this one. I'll kill you all off, Wilder. That'll delay the next rocket five years, and I'll kill them too. I'm lucky. I'll live to be 60. I'll meet every expedition that lands on Mars. I'll be very friendly. I'll explain that our rocket blew up one day. Now kill them off. I'll save Mars for half a century, and by then maybe the Earth people will give up.

[Wendell Holmes]

You got it all planned?

[Alexander Scorby]

Yes.

[Wendell Holmes]

Yet you're outnumbered. We already have you surrounded. In an hour, you'll be dead.

[Alexander Scorby]

I found an underground passage that'll take me back into the hills. Wyler. I'll go back there and then I'll kick you off one by one.

[Wendell Holmes]

We'll see. It's a nice town you got here, Spender. Beautiful. I'd like to live here.

[Alexander Scorby]

You can, but join me. You're not like them. I'll show you what a good life these people have. I'll play an old reel of Martian music that must be at least 50,000 years old. A kind of music you've never heard in your life.

[Wendell Holmes]

It sounds wonderful, but I can't stay with you. Sorry, Spender. I'm sorry this is happening.

[Alexander Scorby]

I guess you'd better go back now so you can start your attack. I guess so, Captain. I won't kill you. When it's all over, you'll still be alive. Then maybe you'll change your mind.

[Wendell Holmes]

No. There's too much Earth blood in me. I may even agree with you about all this. That doesn't change what I've got to do.

[Alexander Scorby]

You won't stay?

[Wendell Holmes]

No. This is your last chance. Brenda, you're sick. Come along with me. Quietly.

[Alexander Scorby]

Now, look, one last thing. If you win, do me a favor. Try to see that they don't tear this planet apart.

[Wendell Holmes]

Right.

[Alexander Scorby]

If it helps, just think of me as a very crazy fellow who went the Cirque one summer day. It'll be easier on you that way.

[Wendell Holmes]

I'll think it over. So long, Spender.

[Alexander Scorby]

Bye, Captain. Good luck.

[Wendell Holmes]

All right, we'll go after him now. Hathaway, you take the right. I'll lead on the left. You have to kill him. He won't come down. Make it a clean shot if you can get it over with.

[Supporting Character 1]

I'll blow his bloody brains out.

[Wendell Holmes]

No. Park Hills.

[Supporting Character 1]

Through the heart.

[Wendell Holmes]

You heard what I said. Through the heart. Now let's go get him.

[Narrator]

They spread out again, walking and then running on the hot hillside. Places where there would be sudden cool grottoes that smelled of moss and sudden open blasting places that smelled of sun on stone. The men ran and ducked and ran and squatted in the shadows.

[Supporting Character 1]

Oh, his brain's out. Just one slug. That's all he needs.

[Narrator]

Captain Wilder hugged the rock, warm by the sun. He gasped. The air was thin and not meant for running. Spender lay at the top of the hill and a gap in the rocks showed the white of his shirt against the shadows. Wilder looked at the towers of a little clean Martian village like sharply carved chess pieces lying in the afternoon. He saw the rocks and the interval between where Spender's chest was revealed.

[Wendell Holmes]

Go on, Spender, get out. You've only got a few seconds to escape. Get out to the caves and come back later. Go now, Spender. I've got to end it. I've got to think I'm right and pull the trigger. Go now.

[Alexander Scorby]

Get out.

[Supporting Character 1]

I'll get him. Slug in the head. I'll blow his bloody.

[Wendell Holmes]

No. Park Hill. Put down that gun. I've got to do this myself. Spider. Why didn't you get out?

[Alexander Scorby]

Why?

[Narrator]

They buried him in that ancient valley town where the music of the wind played on through the days and the nights. They laid him in an ancient silver sarcophagus with waxes and wines which were 10,000 years old. His hands folded on his chest. The last they saw of him was his peaceful face in the cold silver light of the racing twin moons. The captain found the poem in Spender's pocket and he read it before he shut the marble door.

[Wendell Holmes]

So we'll go no more a roving so late into the night Though the heart be still as loving and the moon be still as bright Though the night was made for loving and the day returns too soon yet will go no more a roving by the light.

[Supporting Character 2]

Of the moon.

[Narrator]

The next afternoon, Parkhill did some target practice in one of the dead cities, shooting out the crystal windows and blowing the tops off the fragile towers. Captain Wilder caught Parkhill and nearly knocked his teeth out. All of you regular listeners to Dimension X will be interested to know that our show is changing its day and time of broadcast over this station. Starting early in November. We'll be back at the new time. We suggest you watch your local newspaper and be sure to join us in about four weeks for a new series of adventures into the unknown world of tomorrow, the world of Dimension xx.

[Robert Warren]

Tonight, Dimension X is transcribed. And the Moon Be still as Bright, Adapted for radio by Ernest Kanhoye from the original story by Ray Bradbury. Featured in the cast were Alexander Scorby as Spender, Wendell Holmes as Captain Wilder, and your host and narrator for the story, Norman Rose. Music by Albert Berman. Engineer Bill Chambers. Dimension X is directed by Edward King. This is Robert Warren speaking. Enjoy the Life of Riley with William Bendix next Friday on NBC.

[Norman Rose]

That's the show for this week, but don't forget, there are thousands more like it at relic radio.com horror, strange tales, science fiction, crime, all available for free. If you'd like to donate to Relic Radio and help keep it all free, you can do that through the website as well. Visit donate. Relicradio.com to find out more and to see the special downloadable sets that are available. My thanks to those who have donated and thanks for listening today. Talk to you again next week.