Saturn 3

---

Captain James, your

presence on Pad 73. Urgent.

Captain James,

your presence required. Urgent.

Pad 73, for immediate launch.

Launch 392. Captain James,

your presence required. Urgent.

Is that you, Benson?

How you doing?

So you blew the mental test?

"Potentially unstable". Huh!

I'd have been unstable,

too, getting Saturn 3.

Huh! Saturn 3...

You're not going to appeal?

It's been tried before.

Hey, Benz, what are you doing?!

Wait a minute! Stop!

Stop! No, B... Quick, stop!

Benz! Hold it!

Launch 392. Captain James

for Saturn 3 launch minus 5.

Launch 392. Commit minus 3.

Launch to Control. Group

on board. Commit minus 250.

Status red and counting.

You remain clear.

Let's go. Minus 030.

Have a pleasant trip, Captain.

Minus 20.

Minus 15.

Minus 10 and counting...

Nine, eight, seven, six, five,

four, three, two, one...

You are entering the field

of Saturn 3 Experimental

Food Research Station.

Landers should adopt vectors

You are entering the field

of Saturn 3 Experimental

Food Research Station.

- Any urgent unloads?

- It can wait.

- I'll take that.

- No.

Is that all right in here?

Yes.

Here's where we've been

for the last three years.

- Captain.

- Major.

This is my partner.

Take a look around.

We'll lock up.

You're quite an event

in our lives.

I guess you don't get

many drop-ins.

Hardly ever,

especially not from Earth.

- Hmm...

- Captain.

- What condo do you come from?

- Terminal 5.

Oh, I know 5. Where?

Far side of the East Billions.

Where were you?

I spent a couple of terms

in Billion Park.

They've cleaned it out now.

It's a dead cell.

Dead? I didn't know that.

- It's been a while. This way.

- I see by your scan

- you've never been to Earth.

- No, I haven't.

Saturn 3...

When they want to give...

...the Solar System an enema,

it's where they stick the tube.

We've heard that one.

I expected to go the lab.

We thought we'd have

a welcoming drink first.

- How's Earth, Captain?

- You get the bulletins.

You're supposed

to scan and acknowledge.

We do acknowledge.

But we don't always scan.

No.

- Earth is hungry.

- That's why we're here.

Your research

is behind schedule.

We're doing all we can.

- You need help.

- You're the help?

- No taction contact.

- You mean don't touch?

Correct.

What's in there?

I have to report in.

- You can't.

- We're in eclipse.

Oh, yes.

No external contact

while we're shadow-locked.

- You know that.

- Of course.

- How long will it last?

- 22 days.

- I need some rest.

- Show the captain his quarters.

Major.

Can I get you anything?

Some herbal?

- I'll just take some blues.

- Blues?

Blues. Blue dreamers.

Sleeping pills?

You've never heard of blues?

You lead a shut life here.

I choose to be here.

Here... In case

you choose to try one.

- One thing I envy him.

- What's that?

He's breathed.

We lead a shut life here.

It must be something

to go outside and breathe.

When I was last there,

if you breathed,

the pollution count

would rust your tubes!

What do you think

of the captain?

- He's funny.

- Funny?

I must have missed

his best lines.

- Adam?

- Hmm?

What are blues?

Blues?

- Blue dreamers.

- Where did you get that?

From him.

He had no business

giving you this.

What do they do?

When they send

someone out alone,

they give them these

to stop them going static.

Did you ever take one?

- Blue dreamers?

- Did you?

Years ago.

- What was it like?

- Huh?

You heard me.

Interesting.

Let's try one... together.

- Maybe.

- Come on.

Please.

After he goes.

How long will he be here?

No longer than I can help.

Do your best to make him feel

at home, huh?

- Sally.

- Shut in the lab.

I'll get her.

Alex!

There you are.

No!

No taction contact.

Come here, Sally.

Sally?

Sally, where are you?

Come on. Sally?

- It has a name?

- Of course she has a name.

- You never had a dog?

- A few times.

Didn't they ever have names?

- Just something to eat.

- Give her to me. Don't.

It's time for bed, Captain.

Yes, you have a great body.

May I use it?

- I'm with the major.

- For his personal use only?

Yes.

That's penally unsocial

on Earth, you know that?

Well, it's not here.

Enjoy your blues.

Hey!

Problems?

Come on.

Come into my quarters.

We'll discuss your problem.

Looks like he's building

his own place.

He's not travelling light.

Maybe I should help him.

Why? He's here to help us.

He's so strange.

That's a lot of stuff.

How long are you staying?

Till I'm done.

What have you got for us?

It's the best. The latest robot.

- We've got three.

- They're not much help.

This one's different.

Different, huh?

It's the first

of the Demi-God series.

Alex? Where'd you get that name?

It's what the major calls me.

I know why

you deny me hospitality.

You have

the run of the place.

I mean you. Your body is

beautiful. I'd like to use it.

I'm not interested.

On Earth, we use our bodies

for pleasure.

No, thanks.

You're afraid of me,

aren't you?

I'm not afraid of anyone.

You're afraid he'll be jealous.

He will be jealous.

He's frightened of new ways.

He's obsolete. He's prob...

Lights.

Pure brain tissue.

Human?

This is an unborn.

It hasn't a thing

on its mind... yet.

Then it has to be programmed.

It takes a human 20 years...

- I'll need four weeks.

- Four weeks?

Once it's together,

- it will take over...

- Take over?

With help.

- Then what?

- One of you will be obsolete.

We can apply for remission

together, can't we?

We have to find a way

to stay together.

The truth is,

I'm close to abort time.

I hoped they'd forgotten us.

They never

seem to forget.

Obsolete...

Alex! I've got it.

We flush the captain

and his friend into space.

You wouldn't do that.

Why? People are flushed

all over the solar system.

- No one cares!

- It's a horrible idea.

It's a great idea.

- Blue dreamers?

- Mm-hmm.

Now?

Why not?

I don't feel anything.

You always want instantaneous

satisfaction.

Do you miss it?

Maybe it's different now.

Yeah, maybe it's worse.

That pill's getting to you.

No...

I think you ought

to go to Earth.

What?

You said I'd hate it.

Find out for yourself

you hate it.

I don't want to go.

Yes, you do.

- I just want to have been.

- So have been.

- And leave you?

- It'll happen sooner or later.

Quiet, please.

You're blocking him.

Meet Hector.

Adam.

Give it an instruction.

Ask something.

- Hector?

- Yes.

Hector, hand the flask

to the major.

Abort!

Glad you didn't ask him

to shake hands.

Wheel and peditate.

Obviously,

there's some fine tuning to do.

Begin.

- I thought you had me.

- You have me.

- Good evening, Captain.

- Good evening.

Can he play?

Yes. I play. He plays.

I'd like to see that.

Hector. All right.

How would you like

to make a small wager, Hector?

He doesn't like

to be laughed at.

Can't you program

a sense of humour?

That's not a priority.

You can't program

a sense of humour.

- Anything I have, he can have.

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