Conquest of Space Page #3

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convinced the Authority...

And who convinced Cronin? You?

A Iong time ago, the Supreme

Council issued an order

that the final objective of this project

was to be the planet Mars.

You were present at all

those discussions.

The moon was never anything

more than just a test hop.

Now the orders are to eliminate the

test and proceed with the original plan.

Time makes it imperative.

There's only one man who can

take that ship to another planet

and bring it back,

the man who built the Wheel.

To gamble the Iives

of a crew of men...

...on as senseless a mission as this...

...is callous. It's stupid!

Stupid or callous it may

seem to be at this time.

It is not senseless.

Man's very survival on Earth

depends upon the success

of this or some future search

for a new source of raw materials.

General Samuel T. Merritt.

A very imposing title...

...for a tombstone.

The orders are naturally contingent

to your acceptance, general.

You can refuse.

When do we Ieave?

You're going?

I've never refused to obey

an order, captain.

I never have either, sir...

...until now.

When do we Ieave?

Our previous orders were

to Ieave the Wheel...

...proceed to the moon...

...orbit for observation, make a

Ianding and return to base.

These orders have

now been cancelled.

We're not going to the moon.

Mr. Fenton has brought

us a new directive.

Our time of departure will be

1 1 :
36 tomorrow morning.

Our destination, the planet Mars.

Now, that time of departure, both for

the outer trip from the Wheel to Mars

and for the return from Mars to

the Wheel, is most important.

We must arrive at the Martian orbit

at the exact time when it

is occupied by the planet.

Obviously, the same precision

of timing applies for our return.

Now, you five men have been chosen

after intensive competitive

examinations.

For the past year,

you have been receiving

special training and instruction

for travel into outer space.

The ship, however, can accommodate

only two officers and three crew men.

I have been assigned

as commanding officer.

AII other service on this

trip will be voluntary.

Since Captain Merritt

has already volunteered,

there are only three berths Ieft open.

Two of you, then, are going

to be disappointed.

I can take it, sir.

Before I ask for volunteers, I should

Iike to state my own preferences.

You're all fine men.

Final selection will be made on

the basis of special qualifications.

- Sergeant Siegle.

- Yes, sir?

I don't think there's a man

on the Wheel

with Iess formal education

than you possess.

Yes, sir. I'm sure ignorant, sir.

Nor one with a better knowledge

of advanced electronics.

I should Iike to have you along.

Sergeant Imoto...

...you're a graduate of

Osaka University,

with two years of postgraduate work

at the Colorado School of Mines.

That knowledge is valuable.

Sergeant Fodor, two years of

medicine in Vienna, right?

You're both needed.

Before any of you accept, I should

Iike to make it unmistakably clear...

...that the dangers of this journey

are above and beyond anything

that the Space Corps

or your own governments

have any right to ask of you.

I can give you confounded Iittle reason

for this attempt to reach Mars...

...and no assurance at all

that it will even be successful.

It's my personal conviction that no

one but an idiot would volunteer.

And I shall strongly suspect

the sanity of anyone who does.

AII right.

We've all got it straight.

Who wants to go?

Is it permitted to disagree

with the general, sir?

Of course, sergeant.

In my humble opinion, sir, there is

an excellent reason for this voyage.

Well, suppose you tell us about it.

Some years ago, my country

chose to fight a terrible war.

It was bad. I do not defend it.

But there were reasons.

Somehow those reasons

are never spoken of.

To the Western world at that time,

Japan was a fairy-book nation.

Little people Iiving in a strange

Iand of rice-paper houses.

People who had almost no furniture...

...who sat on the floor

and ate with chopsticks.

The quaint houses of rice paper, sir,

they were made of paper because

there was no other material available.

And the winters in Japan are

as cold as they are in Boston.

And the chopsticks?

There was no metal for forks

and knives and spoons,

where slivers of wood could suffice.

So it was with the Iittle

people of Japan,

Iittle as I am now.

Because for countless generations,

we have not been able to produce

the food to make us bigger.

Japan's yesterday will be

the world's tomorrow.

Too many people and too Iittle Iand.

That is why I say, sir, there is

urgent need for us to reach Mars...

...to provide the resources

the human race will need...

...if they are to survive.

That is also why I am most grateful

to be found acceptable, sir.

I volunteer.

Thank you, Sergeant Imoto.

You're not a Iittle man.

Anyone else?

Look, general, sir...

...you wouldn't want these helpless

infants along on a mission Iike this.

Now, a couple of tough old

soldiers Iike ourselves...

You're not going, Mahoney.

I'm within me rights

to demand a reason.

You're 20 years too old.

Too old?

I am three months younger

than you, Sam Merritt,

and with twice the endurance.

Who was it carried you

on his back for seven miles

after the battle of BIoody Hill in 1952,

when all the breath you had Ieft in you

wasn't enough to blow out a candle

- in a Halloween pumpkin!

- Now, I said no, Mahoney.

Now, you angled your way onto

this Wheel against my specific orders,

and you're not gonna

bull your way onto the Spaceship.

And if you say another word,

I'm gonna have you thrown

into solitary for a month.

And tied to a wheelchair

when you get out.

I'II go, sir.

Well, sir...

Well, I'd hate to see everybody eat

with chopsticks, so... Check!

To you men, our thanks,

for your patience

and all your sacrifices.

The Earth rocket Ieaves in two hours.

Get packed, huh?

Dismissed.

- Speechmaker.

- Chopstick.

Get down in front!

I'm mad about a sheik

I must have his embrace

When he's near me

Dear me

I'll tell him to his face

Oh, Ali Baba, be my baby

Take me by the hand

Maybe we'll make love, huh, maybe

On the desert sand

On the desert sand

Come into my tent

No.

- We couldn't have that kind of Iuck.

- Ali Baba, sell your harem

Why pay all that rent?

- Or could we?

- Send your harem, harum-scarum

- After all, if there's Iife...

- Come into my tent

...there's always the female

of the species.

Forget the lady waiting in Persia

I'm the girl who really prefers you

- Yes, but what species?

- When a dreamy melody stirs you

- You just come to me

- Yeah.

Shimmy dancers doing it socko

Try to tempt you back in Morocco

But I'll chase them off of the block

Oh, you belong to me

Ali Baba, be my baby

I'm at your command

Maybe make some love, huh, maybe

On the desert sand

On the desert sand

On the desert sand

We interrupt this program

to take you now to the press room

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