Moonbase Alpha Status Report: 892 days after leaving
Earth orbit
After passing through a space storm, Moonbase Alpha's sensors pick
up a medium sized planet. Commander John Koenig, Tony Verdeschi and Maya set out in Eagle 1 to explore
the planet and decide whether or not it is habitable. Eagle 1 develops a malfunction in its oxygen life support
system leaving them with four hours before it reaches critical level.
John Koenig decides that he and Maya should complete their survey
of the planet whilst Tony Verdeschi returns to Alpha to pick up another Eagle before returning to pick them up.
As John and Maya land on the planet to begin their survey, John picks some berries and Maya picks a flower. All
of a sudden they are greeted by screams, and shrieks and a voice declaring that they are cannibals and murderers.
The voice declares itself to be one of the judges of Luton and accuses John and Maya of killing members
of their society by eating the berries and picking the flower. They must prove their innocent intent by fighting
to the death against three other criminals. Their three adversaries appear; and the judges of Luton have given them
special powers to equal those of Maya.
Back on Moonbase Alpha, Yasko and Helena Russell try to contact John Koenig on the planet surface,
but without success. When Helena asks Yasko to locate the planet on her screen, Yasko is unable to find it.
Maya transforms into a bird and flies off to locate their adversaries from the air, and whilst she
is gone, one of the aliens transports across the river to attack Koenig. Maya sees what is happening and returns,
transforming into a lion to chase the alien away. The alien falls into the river and drowns. Maya notices
that Koenig has been injured and tries to stop the bleeding.
The remaining two aliens continue to pursue Maya and Koenig. John Koenig makes a bola to
use as a weapon, and whilst he does so he asks Maya about her homeland, Psychon. Maya asks Koenig about his past, and
learns that his wife died in the global war of 1987.
Suddenly, they hear a noise and look down the hillside beside them. They see nothing but John
notices one of the stone weapons used by the aliens standing up on its own. John tells Maya that this must be one of
the abilities given to the aliens by the judges of Luton. Maya transforms into a dog, enabling her to pick up the
scent of the invisible alien. The alien raises a rock to crush Maya, but stumbles and falls to his death.
John Koenig is delirious and Maya transforms into a bird in order to fetch
some water, but she is captured by the one remaining alien who shuts her into a mesh cage. John Koenig hears Maya's
cries and looks down the hillside to see the alien holding Maya aloft in the cage.
John tells the judges of Luton that Maya can only hold that form for one
hour, after which she will be crushed by the cage. He tells them that he will let the alien kill him if Maya is freed,
but the judges of Luton tell him that this is against the rules of Luton. John continues to put the finishing touches
to his bola, before descending the hill to face the alien.
Tony Verdeschi's Eagle is refuelled on the way to try to find the location of the planet.
Helena tells him to let the relief pilot take over but Tony refuses, saying that he promised Maya and John he would return
for them.
John reaches the floor of the valley and tells the alien that they are fools if they fight.
The alien replies that he doesn't want to kill him but he must. John is surprised that the alien is able to understand
him and speak to him, and the alien says it pleases the judges of Luton to let them communicate at the moment of combat.
The alien is about to attack when John throws the bola, tripping him and causing him to hit his head on a rock.
John races to the cage just in time to free Maya.
John returns to the fallen alien and stands over him. The judges of Luton urge John to kill
the alien but John refuses, telling the judges that they are the criminals for not stopping them from eating the berries and
picking the flower. All around them the plants and trees begin to sceech, and the judges of Luton tell John and
Maya that they are free to go.
On board Eagle 4, Tony Verdeschi checks and rechecks his instruments and tells Helena and Yasko that
according to his onboard computer he is at the planet and yet he cannot see it. Suddenly, the planet appears directly
in front of Tony who only just manages to avoid a collision.
Yasko contacts Maya and John and tell them that Eagle 4 is ready to touch down if they will give their
position but Maya says there is no need as they can see the Eagle landing close by. Maya helps John to the Ealge.
Back on Moonbase Alpha, John has been patched up by Helena and they join Maya and Tony in Command
Centre where John notices a plant sitting on Maya's workstation. When John questions where it came from Maya tells him
that Tony gave it to her to cheer her up after their ordeal. Helena admires it and Maya offers to pick one of the
flowers for Helena, but John tells them to never pick a flower when he is around.
Episode synopsis copyright Jeannine Hochet
