Command Centre at Moonbase Alpha receives a neutrino transmission from
Doctor Charles Logan, Senior Space Scientist at Space Station One, Texas City, Planet Earth, who informs the Alphan's
that they are able to transfer them back to Earth before a galactic eclipse in 72 hours cuts their communication
channel.
Carla from Space Station One, Texas City shows the Alphan's pictures of the Earth's futuristic-looking
cities, explaining that the year is 2120 and the Earth is so polluted that no-one can live outside the domed cities.
John Koenig insists on sending a test package in order to ensure that the transference procedure
is safe. Doctor's Helena Russell and Ben Vincent assemble the test package, encorporating
sensors to simulate blood pressure, respiration and body temperature and a monitor to record and relay the information.
The test package is successfully transferred to Earth, although seismic activity threatens to disrupt the process.
Doctor Logan tells John Koenig that they can transfer three people at a time, and John Koenig decides
that he, Helena Russell and Alan Carter should be the ones to go first. Whilst Koenig, Russell and Carter
are being transferred to Earth an earthquake occurs which disrupts the process. The three Alphan's fail to
materialise in Doctor Logan's laboratory.
On Moonbase Alpha, Tony Verdeschi tells Doctor Logan that they are receiving readings from John, Helena
and Alan's medical monitors so wherever they are they are still alive. Meanwhile, John, Helena and Alan wake up
on an Earth-like planet, alive and well apart from Helena Russell who has developed a cold. Back on Alpha, Doctor Ben
Vincent notices that Helena's temperature has gone up, which probably means she has an infection.
On the Earth-like planet John. Helena and Alan are captured by native humanoids dressed as warriors who
take them to their camp, and throw them into a dungeon. Helena's condition worsens and she tells John that she
suspects it is viral pneumonia. She notices some fungus growing on the walls of the dungeon, and says that they appear
to be one of the fungoids which is the only known cure for viral pneumonia.
John and Alan create a disturbance, drawing the guards to the dungeon to investigate. The
two guards are overpowered and John, Alan and Helena escape. John and Alan prepare the fungus using heat and vegetable
matter, and give some to Helena whose health gradually improves.
Suddenly the Alphan's are captured by the native humanoid warriors who take them to their camp.
The leader asks John Koenig why three English fugitives are travelling Scotland without an escort, and surmises that one of
them has run off with the wife of an English Lord who will pay a handsome ransom to get her back. The leader drinks
a toast to the New Year in Gaelic and tells John that he learnt English a quarter of a century ago following
their victory at Bannockburn.
John tells Alan that if they can get the message that they are on Earth twenty-five years after
Bannockburn, then Logan's computer will know where to find them. He begins to signal using his wrist monitor, but
is seen by the leader, who takes the monitor from John's wrist. Suddenly Helena collapses and the leader says he now
understands why they were wandering the forest, they were turned out because the lady has the plague.
The leader orders that John, Alan and Helena should be burnt as this is the only way to stop the plague.
John insists that Helena does not have the plague, that she can be cured. John, Alan and Helena are tied against a wall
and branches piled up in front of them are set alight. John notices that Helena still has her wrist monitor and he tells her to reach out as far as she can. He bgins to signal using Morse code, and says he hopes
someone on Alpha remembers their old training.
On Moonbase Alpha, the signal from Helena's monitor comes through and one of the Command Centre operatives
recognises it as Morse code. Maya translates the code and the computer tells her that it reads 'Scotland'. On
Space Station One, Texas City Doctor Logan re-calibrates the computer. Further Morse code comes through to Alpha's computer
telling them that it is 'Bannockburn plus 25'. Doctor Logan re-calibrates 'Scotland 1339' and begins the transfer procedure.
Just as John, Helena and Alan are about to be burnt alive they vanish, and are transported back to
Alpha.
Episode synopsis copyright Jeannine Hochet
