The Lights On Precipice Peak by X Minus One

Summary

Detailed Summary of "The Lights On Precipice Peak" by X Minus One

Presented by Relic Radio Sci-Fi on July 14, 2025

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Introduction

"The Lights On Precipice Peak," a captivating episode from the famed science fiction radio series X Minus One, delves into the mysterious phenomenon surrounding Precipice Peak. Adapted from Stephen Tall's story and brought to life by Ernest Kanoy, this episode masterfully intertwines suspense, camaraderie, and the unknown. The narrative follows a group of climbers who encounter inexplicable lights on a remote glacier, leading to revelations that challenge their understanding of reality.

Setting the Scene

The story opens on a cold, remote mountain lodge where three climbers—John Brinkhart, Chuck Evers, and Royston—gather for the night.

• John Brinkhart sets the tone with a sense of anticipation:

  "[02:01] John Brinkhart: We were sitting on the porch of the lodge, the three of us. Chuck, Evers, Royston and myself."

• The environment is vividly described, emphasizing the isolation and harsh conditions:

  "[02:01] John Brinkhart: ...Bighorn glacier six miles away and 7,000ft up in the thin cold air."

The Mystery of the Lights

As night falls, Zell, an enigmatic figure among them, spots unusual lights moving across the landscape.

• Zell points out the anomaly:

  "[02:21] Zell: There it is. You see? Where? Follow my hand. I line it up with a tall pine tree. On the first ridge you see. Very small, dull red."

• Royston dismissively attributes the lights to supernatural causes:

  "[03:15] Royston: Well, at least these mysterious lights of Precipice Peak make no sound."

• John Brinkhart seeks clarity:

  "[03:04] Zell: Spooks, that's why."

The group debates the nature of the lights, oscillating between skepticism and intrigue, ultimately deciding to investigate:

• John Brinkhart reinforces their plan:

  "[04:43] John Brinkhart: Tomorrow you can look for yourself. Remember, at daybreak we go up to solve the mystery of the lights."

Climbing the Peak

The following morning, the climbers prepare for their ascent, with Chuck and John leading the charge.

• The camaraderie and physical challenges of mountaineering are highlighted:

  "[05:05] John Brinkhart: ...felt good having your nailed mountain boots hitting the ground in regular rhythm."

• A bet is made between John and Zell regarding the presence of the lights:

  "[05:33] Zell: Well, tonight we'll be up where the lights are. Punch me if you see one first."

An Unexpected Injury

During their climb, Chuck suffers an ankle injury, adding tension and uncertainty to their mission.

• Chuck Evers indicates the severity:

  "[06:50] Narrator: My ankle."

• John Brinkhart expresses concern:

  "[07:13] John Brinkhart: You know it isn't."

Despite the setback, the determination to uncover the truth about the lights persists.

Encounter with Zell

As night envelops the glacier, John slips and becomes stranded, leading to a pivotal encounter with Zell.

• John Brinkhart narrates his peril:

  "[07:55] John Brinkhart: ...I slipped through a snow roof and fell. I wasn't hurt. [...] I couldn't get out again."

• Zell arrives to assist, displaying unusual characteristics:

  "[10:03] Narrator: Have you got it now? Yep."

• The true nature of Zell and his companions is unveiled as they reveal themselves to be extraterrestrial beings:

  "[14:03] John Brinkhart: ...we, Zor and I, with our companions Dzim and Zet, are explorers."

Revelations and Explanations

Zell provides a comprehensive explanation of their origins and the mysterious lights:

• Zell explains their physiological differences:

  "[15:21] Narrator: ...to me it is food. So."

• He further elucidates their inability to remain long among humans:

  "[16:38] Narrator: Zor is waiting by the glacier. We have plans for this time. When you return to the settlement below, it would perhaps be wisest not to explain the lights."

The dialogue uncovers the truth behind the lights and the beings' purpose on Earth, emphasizing themes of coexistence and the constraints of different life forms.

Aftermath and Return

John and Chuck descend the mountain, grappling with the astonishing revelations while interacting with other mountaineers.

• John Brinkhart reflects on the encounter:

  "[20:03] John Brinkhart: Royston is a name out of a hat. When that lad really goes home, he'll go with his buddies up there on that peak."

Meanwhile, Royston confronts them, expressing skepticism yet subtly hinting at his own transformation:

• Royston challenges their story:

  "[18:34] Zell: Nope. Nary alight. I told you they wouldn't show up and anybody was up there."

• His departure hints at a lingering connection with the mysterious forces of Precipice Peak:

  "[19:17] Zell: Can stand now that's a different story. We're sorry to see you go, fella."

Conclusion

"The Lights On Precipice Peak" masterfully blends suspense with science fiction, exploring themes of discovery, the unknown, and the thin veil between reality and the supernatural. The climactic encounter with Zell and his companions serves as a profound commentary on human perception and the vast possibilities that lie beyond our understanding.

Notable Quotes:

• John Brinkhart on the climbing experience:

  "[05:05] John Brinkhart: ...felt good having your nailed mountain boots hitting the ground in regular rhythm."

• Zell's enigmatic explanation:

  "[14:00] Narrator: Have said that we are twins."

• Reflection on human blindness to the extraordinary:

  "[15:37] John Brinkhart: ...Yet your Unawareness of us is a marvel for creatures so well supplied with adaptation for sensation. You are indeed blind."

Key Takeaways:

• Human vs. Extraterrestrial Perception: The episode juxtaposes human skepticism with the undeniable reality of the extraterrestrial presence, highlighting the limitations of human perception.

• Isolation and Revelation: The remote setting amplifies the tension and lends credibility to the extraordinary events that unfold, making the climbers' encounter both believable and thrilling.

• Themes of Coexistence: The dialogue between John and Zell underscores the potential for coexistence and mutual understanding between vastly different beings, despite inherent physiological and perceptual differences.

"The Lights On Precipice Peak" stands as a testament to the enduring allure of science fiction storytelling, weaving a narrative that is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining. For those who seek tales of mystery, adventure, and the uncharted territories of both space and the human spirit, this episode remains a quintessential listen.

Transcript

[Narrator]

Relic Radio.

[Host]

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

[John Brinkhart]

Countdown for blast off. X/5, 4, 3, 2.

[Chuck Evers]

X minus 1.

[John Brinkhart]

Fire. From the far horizons of the unknown.

[Chuck Evers]

Come 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 in cooperation with Galaxy Science fiction magazine presents.

[John Brinkhart]

-1.

[Chuck Evers]

Tonight the Lights on Precipice Peak by Stephen Tall.

[John Brinkhart]

We were sitting on the porch of the lodge, the three of us. Chuck, Evers, Royston and myself. Chuck was smoking one of those five for a quarter sinkers. The effects. But he let it go out. As we sat in the darkness, stared across the narrow valley below us, then up again to the mountains. A Bighorn glacier six miles away and 7,000ft up in the thin cold air.

[Zell]

There it is. You see? Where? Follow my hand. I line it up with a tall pine tree. On the first ridge you see. Very small, dull red. It's been up there for about five minutes. I didn't see anything before. You see, moving along. Well, it seems to be the lip of Bighorn Glacier.

[John Brinkhart]

Give me the binoculars.

[Zell]

Yeah, yeah, it's a glow all right.

[John Brinkhart]

Small but definite glow. You want to see it, Royston?

[Royston]

Thank you.

[Zell]

Well, that's that. See it?

[John Brinkhart]

But still you can't. The glasses didn't pick up any outline. It's still just a glow.

[Zell]

Spooks, that's why.

[Royston]

Spooks? Spooks? Ah, yes.

[Zell]

Apparitions, haunts, hobgoblins, ghosts, banshees.

[Royston]

Well, at least these mysterious lights of Precipice Peak make no sound.

[Zell]

You sure?

[John Brinkhart]

How do you know that? Every coyote that you hear is really a coyote.

[Royston]

At any rate, if they make sounds, they are sounds of the country. A miserable country.

[Zell]

Sir, you are speaking of the land I love. You don't like it? Why stay around?

[Royston]

It is supposed to make me a man of vigor with red corpuscles and a need for cold shower baths. Actually, there is nothing wrong with me. I was simply born to sit and watch while great louts like you run and wrestle and climb and sweat. There, the light shows again.

[John Brinkhart]

You can see it with a naked eye, higher than it was before. Moving along.

[Zell]

It's going along Fifth Avenue Trail. Spooks don't need a route of ascent, even on Precipice. All of a sudden, the lights of Precipice Peak are getting solid. I've got a feeling they'll leave a sign.

[Royston]

Sign? Ah, yes.

[Zell]

Traces Right. Traces, tracks, force. The only mystery about those lights is we don't know who makes them. They're getting to be a tourist attraction. Maybe that's a leap over the swamps.

[Royston]

Of Louisiana, where I wish I now were. I have seen balls of fire that were drifting. It is swamp gas, methane, slowly oxidizing, glowing. Could this up there on the mountain be something like.

[Zell]

Almost impossible. Anyhow, balls of gases wouldn't follow a trail. Those blasted lights do. Take it easy, Chuck boy.

[John Brinkhart]

Tomorrow you can look for yourself. Remember, at daybreak we go up to solve the mystery of the lights.

[Royston]

Ghastly. To go out at dawn is as bad as eating raw flesh. But tap on my cabin door as you go by. I will wave to you from the window.

[John Brinkhart]

We were down the slope from the lodge and across the valley before the sun rose. Chuck and I swung along the trail. Felt good having your nailed mountain boots hitting the ground in regular rhythm. Ahead of me, Chuck set the pace. An easy loose jointed shamble with eight up the mountain miles. We were a good team for climbing. I took a deep breath when we crossed the ridge with the switchback. Chuck broke his stride and leaned his long frame against a boulder.

[Zell]

Well, tonight we'll be up where the lights are. Punch me if you see one first.

[John Brinkhart]

Lights, nuts. There'll be none while we're on the peak. Five bucks says so.

[Zell]

Well, I'm not a rich man, but I love a sporting chance. Here's my five. It's a bet.

[John Brinkhart]

Where we put him. Well, here. Here, I'll empty this out. I got a tobacco tin. Stick it in here. Okay. Here's my five.

[Zell]

All right.

[John Brinkhart]

We'll put it under the stone here.

[Zell]

Nobody will find it under there.

[John Brinkhart]

It's off the trail all right.

[Zell]

Now, if there are lights, it's yours.

[John Brinkhart]

No lights, it's mine, right?

[Zell]

Right.

[John Brinkhart]

Going into the world above the trees is one of the good things of a peak climb, Corey. Marmots whistle from their rocks. Coneys scurried gray barred ptarmigan crotched almost invisibly among the gaudy alpine fields of mountain sunflowers and tiny forget me nots. At dusk we laid out our bed rolls and a level bit of tundra in the lee of a massive outcrop near Big Horn Glacier. We cooked a kettle a stew and heated the water for tea. Then Chuck walked away a few paces from the fire to empty the kettle.

[Zell]

What's the matter? Stone turned on to me.

[Narrator]

My ankle.

[Zell]

Give me a hand.

[John Brinkhart]

I got you.

[Zell]

Set me down again.

[John Brinkhart]

Now let's take off that Boot in the sock.

[Zell]

Well, I have a feeling, my friend, that I will not climb that peak in the morning.

[John Brinkhart]

Get the sock off. Let's see how bad it is. Well, we'll. We'll pack ice on it and tape it in an hour. Maybe it's a simple twist.

[Zell]

You know it isn't.

[John Brinkhart]

Sure, I know. I thought you wanted to be cheerful, that's all. It's like when I broke three ribs climbing to look into a bird's nest. The day before, we were tackling the east face of Long Peak. Then you would chin up.

[Zell]

I was different. I wasn't hurting.

[John Brinkhart]

When the stars were out and the quarter moon rose from the plains, I got up from my bedroll seat by the fire. Chuck's ankle was taped and he was easing it before him as best he could.

[Zell]

That's not so bad for a foot. It only hurts my trying to walk on it. Well, I'm going to have a look.

[John Brinkhart]

Before we turn in. My five spot says there won't be any lights, but the technical crew may be monkeying around somewhere.

[Zell]

Take it easy.

[John Brinkhart]

I'll just skirt along the edge of the glacier. Back in half an hour. You take it easy. I know Bighorn Glacier. Its crevices are so consistent they're shown on maps. I carried an ice axe, but I didn't figure to use it. And I'd worked my way for a number of minutes along the edge of the moonlit ice sheet. I suddenly got the idea that I should cross it. The glacier had a good snow covering. The going was easy. The view is something few men see. I automatically avoided the big ice cracks. I knew where they were. And then I slipped through a snow roof and fell. I wasn't hurt. Moonlight from the track above showed my ice axe. Beside me was a lucky fall, except for the fact that I couldn't get out again. Time after time I tried to dig hand in foot holes into the splintering ice wall. And I was freezing, my fingers making no headway. Cold was beginning to bite into me. I settled myself on my heels quietly and tried to decide what to do. That was Chuck beginning to call. I knew if I answered he'd probably try the ice himself. So I kept quiet. And after a while he stopped calling. And then suddenly a dark silhouette showed in the narrow crack of sky above.

[Narrator]

Are you injured?

[John Brinkhart]

I'm okay. Just drop me a rope and I can walk up the wall. Mind the snow ledge.

[Zell]

I didn't and look at me joke.

[Narrator]

Here's the rope.

[Royston]

Hey.

[Narrator]

Hey.

[John Brinkhart]

What kind of a rope is this? I never saw anything like it.

[Zell]

It's warm.

[Narrator]

Have you got it now? Yep.

[Zell]

Yep.

[John Brinkhart]

Here I come.

[Zell]

Hang on. Hang on.

[John Brinkhart]

Okay.

[Zell]

Over the ledge. Well.

[John Brinkhart]

Hey, did you hold that rope in one hand while I was climbing up?

[Narrator]

Yes.

[Zell]

Well, thanks.

[John Brinkhart]

Lucky for me somebody has sense enough to walk around.

[Zell]

Ice cracks.

[Narrator]

Shake, shake. Oh. Shake hands. You must not mind the glove. It is for your protection. The hand is not yet cooled.

[Zell]

Cool.

[John Brinkhart]

What in the world?

[Narrator]

Your friend with the swollen foot is concerned for you. Come. I have made an easy way.

[John Brinkhart]

I've climbed mountains up and down the Rockies. But I confess, following this I felt like a tenderfoot. The man's odd voice and stilted phrases tantalize me. But I knew they were not entirely strange. There was the question of his hot hand had dropped back a couple of paces. The man was setting his booted feet into a line of holes that had not been on the glacier earlier could swear to that. And as we approached the edge of the glacier I could see him clearly. But he was surrounded by a dim red glow which grew brighter with each step. In a few moments it was as if he were outlined in flame. I could feel a warmth radiating from him. I wondered why the snow didn't melt under his tread.

[Narrator]

It's the boots. They insulate.

[Zell]

Oh. Oh.

[John Brinkhart]

Oh, I see. Thank you.

[Zell]

Hey. You not only light up, but you pick brains.

[John Brinkhart]

Both good tricks.

[Narrator]

A joke?

[John Brinkhart]

I guess so.

[Narrator]

Only here on Earth are there jokes. We can never be sure about them.

[Zell]

We, huh? I thought a gag like this would take cooperation. How many of you boys are in on it?

[Narrator]

We are four.

[John Brinkhart]

We had left the ice. We were threading along the little ledge that gave onto the boulder field. I noticed that the ruddy glow had faded completely. But the man up ahead was now simply a dark silhouette. We reached the tundra and spotted Chuck's tiny fire. He sat next to it. The tape wooded ankle eased on a pack sack before him.

[Zell]

Well, hello. You took your time. I fell in a crevasse and I.

[John Brinkhart]

Owe you five bucks.

[Zell]

Huh? Oh, you should put the more important statement first. But we can take it up later. I see we have company.

[John Brinkhart]

Oh, yeah. Yeah. This. This is Chuck Evers. Ah. I'm afraid I didn't catch your name.

[Narrator]

I am called Zell.

[Zell]

Zell?

[Narrator]

Yes.

[Zell]

It's different.

[Narrator]

Anyway, that is because I am different.

[John Brinkhart]

He can read your head like a crystal ball. And he lights up like a neon sign.

[Zell]

Easy, boy. You slept on the ice before. Sit down. Let's quit being funny.

[Narrator]

Let us all sit and I will tell you why I Am Zell. I will do it. Because I know when you repeat my words that you. You will not be believed.

[Zell]

Now listen.

[Narrator]

You listen. You came up to climb the peak, but also you came to see what caused the lights. If you had not had misfortune, you would have climbed the peak. But there would have been no lights. We would not have come.

[Zell]

Hey, there's a light.

[John Brinkhart]

Back up there where we were.

[Zell]

You see that red light on the glacier? Oh, yeah, yeah. Moving across.

[Narrator]

That is Jordan. We grew in the same membrane. He is erasing our trail across the ice.

[John Brinkhart]

Yeah, very smart. We can tell tales down there, but there won't be any proof, huh?

[Narrator]

That is correct, Tuckivers. You are wondering about the statement that we grew in the same membrane.

[Zell]

Yeah, yeah, I was thinking I should.

[Narrator]

Have said that we are twins.

[John Brinkhart]

Holy.

[Zell]

You're right, John. It is telepathy. You warned out of your head.

[Narrator]

The truth is simple. We have told it before, but no one ever believes. And it has not seemed wise to support our facts. We, Zor and I, with our companions Dzim and Zet, are explorers. But we do not explore mountains. Here we rest and allow ourselves to behave normally. We explore in towns and cities where people gather. It is strenuous. We cannot tolerate it for long. Then we must go into seclusion and renew ourselves.

[Zell]

Yeah, I know what you mean. 10 days in Denver and I feel like I've been staked with a short rope. I gotta get away.

[Narrator]

Your problems are simply a matter of preference. Ours are physiological. We cannot long maintain metabolic balance in the company of people. Thus, Djim and Zet are now back in the world you inhabit. When they must rest, then our turn comes. I will show you. This is a rock. You may call it granite. To me it is food. So.

[John Brinkhart]

Eat it in good health.

[Narrator]

Thank you. Among people, this would be conspicuous. You are not adapted to get oxygen from rock. We are.

[John Brinkhart]

Well, I'll admit that's a tougher cereal than I'd want to try. But the point of the joke still escapes me.

[Narrator]

There is the matter of my body glow. I can control my body temperature, raising it and lowering it as I choose. The greatest difficulty when I am among you people is to keep myself down to human body heat. Normally, it is much higher than yours. And when due to exercise and metabolic speed up, excess energy is accumulated. It is satisfying to us to radiate it much as you get released by deep sighs, by long breaths, by stretching your limbs. Unfortunately, when we radiate rapidly in air, we glow. It has made us conspicuous. Yet your Unawareness of us is a marvel for creatures so well supplied with adaptation for sensation. You are indeed blind.

[Zell]

You sound like an old professor I had once. I didn't understand him either.

[Narrator]

Zor is waiting by the glacier. We have plans for this time. When you return to the settlement below, it would perhaps be wisest not to explain the lights.

[John Brinkhart]

We both sat silently beside the dying fire. When we looked up toward the upper reaches of the glacier, two gleaming spots, dull cherry red, moved steadily across the ice. They were visible for brief minutes and slowly faded. To descend precipice P even if only from Bighorn Glacier is no fit task for a cripple. Still, we knew it had to be done. So in the early morning we set about it where the going allowed it. I simply backpacked Chuck. We made use of every ledge we got. Chuck could repel himself down spots he could not climb or be carried. We were both mountain men and tough. But by mid afternoon we knew we'd had enough. We were lucky though. We ran into Heinie Cobb, the ranger heading down trail with two pack horses. We stopped only once. The big switchback. I got down from my horse, pried up a stone, took the tobacco can from under it and gave it to Chuck without a word. Back at our camp on the lakeshore, Chuck and I weren't disturbed by questions. When men fail on the peaks, they tell their own stories in their own time. Chuck's ankle showed quick improvement and in a couple of days he was hobbling about. Only young Royston came to visit us.

[Royston]

You have not been back to the lodge. Perhaps you are afraid to show your faces.

[John Brinkhart]

People talk your arm off up there. Not many of them have the gall to come souping around here.

[Royston]

You cannot offend me. I was concerned for you. I was interested, so I came. Did you see the lights?

[Zell]

Nope. Nary alight. I told you they wouldn't show up and anybody was up there.

[John Brinkhart]

You collected five bucks for me betting on the other side of the fence. You were the man who was so sure there'd be some sign.

[Royston]

I do not understand. You are both confusing everything. And you are both lying. There were lights on the peak when you were there and I have a feeling you saw them. They were quite a show from here.

[Zell]

Well, this is the place to see them. From closer up you lose perspective.

[Royston]

Well, I must go. Friendship means nothing to you. So I will take my small hike back to the lodge again. Actually, I came to say that tomorrow I leave this miserable place and go home. I have endured all the health I.

[Zell]

Can stand now that's a different story. We're sorry to see you go, fella.

[John Brinkhart]

My regards to the swamps. 10 to 1 when you get there.

[Zell]

You wish you were back.

[Royston]

This I very much doubt. Goodbye, John. Goodbye.

[Zell]

Now there's a funny fellow. Hey, what are you doing?

[John Brinkhart]

Just feeling the stone step where he sat. I thought so. He really liked us. But this time he was careful not to shake hands. Did you notice?

[Zell]

Yeah.

[John Brinkhart]

In spite of himself, he had reached his limit of control. His temperature is going up. Yeah, I guess it is. He never could see a joke and remember how. He'd say something and then wait as if he didn't understand it. And then all of a sudden it would come to him. He'd wait to pick our brains for every new word.

[Zell]

You mean Royston?

[John Brinkhart]

Royston is a name out of a hat. When that lad really goes home, he'll go with his buddies up there on that peak. I wonder which he is, Zen or Z?

[Chuck Evers]

You have just heard X Minus one, presented by the National Broadcasting Company in cooperation with Galaxy Science Fiction magazine, which this month features man in the Jar, the story of vain who did not bottle live people indiscriminately. He had to have a sound business reason. Galaxy magazine on your newsstand today. Tonight, X minus 1 has brought you the lights on Precipice Peak, a story from the pages of Galaxy, written by Stephen Tall and adapted for radio by Ernest Kanoy. Featured in the cast were Jim Bowles as John Brinkhart, Joseph Helgeson as his fellow climber, Chuck Evers, Ted Osborne as Zell, and Kurt Benson as the man who called himself Royston. Your announcer, Fred Collins. X Minus One was directed by Kenneth McGregor and is an NBC Radio Network production.

[Host]

That's the show for this week, but don't forget there are thousands more like it at relicradio.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 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.