WEBVTT
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On the sunlit world of Lagash. Reporter Theremon investigates an
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observatory's prediction that a rare eclipse will bring the planet's
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first true darkness in two thousand, forty nine years. It
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is Demension X Nightfall, broadcast by NBC on September twenty ninth,
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nineteen fifty one, the fiftieth and final broadcast of the series.
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Ernest Kinoy adapted Isaac Asimov's nineteen forty one story with
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Lyle Sudro as Theremon, Cameron Prudham as Doctor Ayton, and
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John McGovern as Doctor schern As.
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Sorrow City faces.
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Public disbelief and a religious movement focused on the stars.
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Theremon follows the developing story to the University observatory, and
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now we return to the original broadcast.
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Adventures in Time and Space transcribed in future tense. The
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National Broadcasting Company, in cooperation with Street and Smith, publishers
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of Astounding science fiction, bring You Dimension X. Ralph Warlow
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Emerson speculated, if the stars should appear one night in
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a thousand years, how would men believe and adore and
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perceive for many generations the remembrance of the city of God.
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Now this was philosophically interesting. But on the edge of
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the galaxy there is a planet which swings on its
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orbit in a cluster of six These suns hang in
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the sky above. Never less than two shine down through
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the entire twenty three point eight hours of the planet's day.
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The yellow light has burned down on the planet continuously
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into the past, till the mind of Man runneth nut
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to the contrary. Thereman was a reporter for the Saroh
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City Chronicle. He covered them all, from the night police beat,
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the politics to the sports pages, and the city editor
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wanted him to cover the biggest story of the year,
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perhaps of all time. It was an interview, a particularly
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difficult interview, but then, since his first days as a
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cub Theurreman had specialized in difficult interviews. He didn't expect
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violence though from an astronomer.
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From that newspaper. Well, you've got a lot of goll
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coming here.
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I'll wait a minute, doctor Raton. It's only a job.
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I've read your paper. You've been writing this observatory for
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two months now. You've attacked me personally. I have nothing
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to say to you.
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All right, Look, this is your chance to get your
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side in the paper. I'll give it to you straight.
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Two months ago, the observatory issued a press statement that
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the world was coming to an end. That's the same
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story that the Cult of Revelations has been preaching. And
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when a scientist backs that up, it's news.
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Our conclusions have nothing to do with the cult. The
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Cult of Revelations is full of superstition and mysticism. We
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are scientists.
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Yeah, and you got the people pretty angry.
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That does not matter.
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You know, if I can't get the story from you,
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I'll have to go somewhere else. Go ahead, all right,
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You know, doctor Raton, the paper can be pretty rough
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on someone who doesn't cooperate.
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Young man, If you're not out of the observatory within
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five minutes, I shall call the police. Now get out.
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The reporter walks down the long hall from the observatory.
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The light filters through the high windows. The yellow light
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of Gamma, the brightest of the sick Sun than the
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planet's sky beta, is almost its zenith. Its red light
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floods the landscape to an unusual orange. The planet's sun
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Alpha is at the antipodes, and now, as Gamma sinks
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below the horizon, the red dwarf sun Beta is alone,
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grimly alone. It's a short drive from the observatory to
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Sero City, and the red light glares from the highway.
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The temple of the cult stands hewn from the solid
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rock of the Dormite mountains outside the city, and in
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the inner courtyard stands sore the priest of the cult.
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Whoa to the unbelievers, their souls will ross with the
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absence of lights.
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Lord, Oh wait, Irreverence, Please please.
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Tell me, Reverence, what will happen? What are you waiting for?
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Here?
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The day, the day of the coming? It was written
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in our Doctrine of Revelations. It came to pass that
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the sun Beta was alone in the sky. The world
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was shrunken and cold. Men dissemble in the public squares highways.
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Their minds were troubled and their speech confused. For the
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souls of men awaited the coming of the stars. The
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lip of the cave of darkness, past the edge of Beta,
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and loud with the cries of men.
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There was no light on the surface of the world.
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In this blackness there appeared the stars and countless numbers.
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In that moment, the souls of men departed from them,
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and abandoned bodies became even as beasts and the stars
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then reached down the heaven's flame, where it touched the
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cities of the world flamed a destruction, so that of
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man and all the works of man not remained.
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So I just written, just Sharon, You're the only scientist
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I could find in the city. Where is everybody in
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the hideout? A hideout?
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The place boared me. I wanted to be out here
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where things are getting hot. I want to see the
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stars the cultists are talking about. Besides, they don't want
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me at the hideout. I'm too scrawny to survive.
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Well, wait a minute, what is the hideout?
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Well, we professors have managed to convince a few people
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that our prophecy of doom is valid. We've got about
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three thousand people. They're supposed to hide where the darkness
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of the stars can't get at them. We hope they'll
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survive and leave records.
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Survive, survive what?
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Oh, there are lots of names for it. The cultists
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have their myths.
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Oh yes, yes, yes, what about that? What is there
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to these myths? As a matter of fact, what is
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there to this doctrine of revelation? I'm a psychologist, not
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an archaeologist.
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How true it is?
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I don't know.
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But the cultists say that every two thousand and fifty years,
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all the suns disappear and there is a total darkness,
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And then they say things appear called stars. Of course,
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men go mad. They mix all this up with a
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lot of religiomistic notions, but that is the central idea.
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Yeah, well, that's impossible, isn't it. I mean, there are
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always at least two suns in the sky most of
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the time, four or five are not now only Beta,
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Doctor Sharon, You mean that there's going to be worldwide
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darkness tomorrow, but all mankind will go violently insane.
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What's behind that?
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Well, for one thing, this is history of civilization of
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the world. We've located a series of cycles of civilizations
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comparable to our own, all of which, without exception, were
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destroyed by fire at the very height of their culture.
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All right, all right, but is there any scientific theory
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behind this?
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And that would explain it?
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The University Observatory finished their calculations two months ago. Tomorrow
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they'll be an eclipse of Beta, so that the planet
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will become dark. That eclipse comes every two thousand and
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forty nine years. Darkness comes. Maybe those mysterious stars that
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no man has ever seen, and then madness and the
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end of civilization.
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I see, and the scientists expect to live through this
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of the hideout.
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They plan to photograph the eclipse and leave the records,
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and then the rest of mankind will know what to expect.
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Mm hm, doctor Sharon. What is there in darkness to
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drive men mad?
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Have you ever experienced darkness? Young man?
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No?
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No, but I know what it is. It's just well,
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no light.
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Draw the curtain.
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But what for if we had four or five sons
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out there, we might want to cut the light down
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for comfort, But with only beata that.
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Is the point. Just draw the curtain and then come
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here and sit down.
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All right?
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What, doctor Sharon, I can't see you feel your way? Yeah,
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but I can't see. I can't see anything.
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Do you like it?
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What? No?
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No, it's awful. It was. They seemed to be closing
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in on me. I want to keep pushing him away.
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All right, Draw the curtain back again.
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The light the light, yeah, doctor Sharony. Have you got
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a drink right here?
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That was just a dark room.
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Yeah, yeah, it wasn't really so bad. And you're afraid, yes,
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I am. Just darkness can do that.
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This isn't just a metaphysical theory, young man, It's promulgated
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from observed data. Come with me, where the locked ward
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down the corridor?
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All right?
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Were you at the Sarrow City Centennial Exposition two years ago?
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Now? I was overseas on assignment.
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Remember hearing about the tunnel of mystery that broke all
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records in the amusement area.
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Yeah, there wasn't less some fuss about it. The Anni
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Vice Society had it shut down.
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It was shut down, all right, but the Brunoses had
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nothing to do with it. Oh, that tunnel was nothing
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but a mile long passage through darkness. You rode in
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a little car and it took fifteen minutes to get through.
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Very popular one. It lasted popular. There's a fascination in
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being frightened when it's part of a game. Absence of
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light is one of the instinctive human fears. People amount
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of that fifteen minutes of darkness, shaking and half dead.
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With fear after I thought there were some deaths, bad hearts.
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But that wasn't the big danger. Now, which key is this.
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Amue doctor showing where are we going?
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You'll see? No, the heart attacks were actually good for business.
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But there was something else here. I'll show you.
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I want you to see.
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Somebody, Latimer, Latimer, go away, Latima, I want you to
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meet somebody. This is mister thereman.
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No now, go away.
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Hello, he's pushing me.
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Make him stop pushing me, go away.
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Touching him? What's wrong?
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Latimer is afraid it was.
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Falling in on me in the water.
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I've gotta get out of me.
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All you can't go out, Latimer. It's all right.
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I'm gonna get out.
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Up me up, Let me.
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Out that sleeping period. We have to give him a
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shot of morphine. Otherwise he'd batter his brains out against
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the wall.
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What's wrong with him?
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Nothing? Nothing but fifteen minutes in the darkness of the
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tunnel of mystery. Doctor, that's impossible. One person out of
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ten came out of the tunnel that way. That's why
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we had to shut it down.
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Why why should darkness do that?
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It's obvious man cannot exist without light. Longer periods of
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darkness would obviously be fatal. The scientific theory is that
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the consciousness of light is necessary for mental activity.
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Please please, doctor, let me outside, let the outside, please.
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I can't breathe pushing me. There are with.
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There you are, theremon, that's what fifteen minutes of darkness
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will do. Man just wasn't built to operate without light.
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There are always at least two suns in the sky
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most of the time.
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More yeah, just fifteen minutes of darkness.
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Now, then look out of that window. Imagine darkness everywhere,
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no light as far as you can see, black everything black,
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and the stars whatever they are. Well, can you conceive it?
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Your mind wasn't built for that conception. When the real
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thing comes, you'll go mad completely and permanently. There's no
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question of it. Tomorrow there won't be a city left
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standing in the world. Or why doctor, why should the
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cities be destroyed? If you were in darkness, what would
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you want more than anything else? What would it be
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that every instinct would call for light? And how would
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you get light?
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I don't know.
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You would burn something. Every city in the world will
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go up in flames. Shall we go back to my office,
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mister Ferreman, and have another drink?
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Through the skies, the red sun beta shines alone. The
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wind howls across the city. It's cold, cold that a
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man can remember. As the hour approaches, the reporter goes
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out and speaks to the man in the street.
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Excuse me, sir, excuse me, but I'm from the Chronicle.
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I'd like to talk to you.
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Ah, reported, that's right. My name is Palette two Ells,
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remember the two e's all.
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Right, mister Pellett. What's your occupation? Power technician at the
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North Division plan.
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Uh you're making some kind of a survey. Huh yeah, yeah,
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in a way. Where are you going now? Home for supper?
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Well?
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How about.
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Well, what I mean is what are you going to
249
00:15:59.879 --> 00:16:03.000
do tonight? You mean about this star stuff?
250
00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:06.080
Yeah, well, I tell you, mister, it don't stand the reason.
251
00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:08.080
At the end of the world is gonna come boom
252
00:16:08.200 --> 00:16:10.639
like that. It just don't stand the reason. In other words,
253
00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:12.399
you don't believe it. I didn't say that, but it
254
00:16:12.519 --> 00:16:15.120
just don't stand the reason. Uh huh. Have you read
255
00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:17.279
what the signists say. I don't read stuff like that,
256
00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:18.399
only the headlines.
257
00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:18.720
Yeah.
258
00:16:19.559 --> 00:16:20.320
How about the cult?
259
00:16:20.840 --> 00:16:23.600
Well, like I always say, I've got nothing against religion,
260
00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:26.279
you don't believe them either. Well, they've always been shocking
261
00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:27.480
about doom and sin.
262
00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:29.600
Listen. But when you've been around as.
263
00:16:29.559 --> 00:16:31.480
Long as I have, you get to know the score.
264
00:16:32.200 --> 00:16:34.639
It's all right to preach that judgment day is coming
265
00:16:34.679 --> 00:16:37.000
and on. But just the same, I'm putting money in
266
00:16:37.080 --> 00:16:42.399
the bank. Uh huh, Well tell me how about how
267
00:16:42.440 --> 00:16:47.240
about darkness? About why? How would you feel if there
268
00:16:47.320 --> 00:16:49.840
was no light? You're crazy?
269
00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:51.720
How could there be no life?
270
00:16:51.799 --> 00:16:54.559
Well, I suppose suppose all the suns went down at once,
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suppose everything was black.
272
00:16:56.360 --> 00:16:56.919
It's crazy.
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What's use of supposing something like that?
274
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It couldn't happen.
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Yeah, well that's all, thank you.
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00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:08.799
Sure, look mister, remember palette with two elves.
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Excuse me, sir, but I represent the Chronicle aware of
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conducting a pole to determine public opinion with regard to
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the predicted end of the world.
280
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How do you feel about it?
281
00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:28.160
Oh?
282
00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:32.319
This talk of scientific explanation, it's sinful, that's.
283
00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:32.599
What it is.
284
00:17:33.400 --> 00:17:37.039
Oh I see. Well, then you're a member of the cult.
285
00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:40.519
Sure, ah, sure, been a member since I was a boar.
286
00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:45.319
My dirty was a member too. I've seen the books.
287
00:17:45.400 --> 00:17:47.119
It's all written down in the books.
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Don't you believe the scientist explanation?
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Don't need it? Going to save my immortal soul, going
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00:17:53.559 --> 00:17:56.839
to stay on the mountaintop in a white robe while
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00:17:56.920 --> 00:18:00.960
the stars carry me away to glory, bless be the stars.
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00:18:02.599 --> 00:18:04.279
Well, tell me what are the stars?
293
00:18:04.599 --> 00:18:08.519
The glory, the breadth of the heaven, the spirit of
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the ultimate. That's what they are. Huh.
295
00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:13.799
Well, so the observatory has announced that it intends to
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00:18:13.880 --> 00:18:15.519
take pictures of these stars.
297
00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:20.359
Blasphemy. I sold my house, gave all my money to
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00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:27.279
the poor, won't need it anymore. Go to heaven with stars, glory, glory,
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gold with the stars.
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00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:45.119
The reporter checks the stock exchange, the stars business that
301
00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:49.079
a standstill doesn't pay to buy anything today, not if
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00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:52.079
the world's going to end tomorrow. There are predictions of
303
00:18:52.119 --> 00:18:55.640
economic collapse in the financial section, layoffs at the factories
304
00:18:55.640 --> 00:18:58.200
on the edge of the city. Through the streets, the
305
00:18:58.279 --> 00:19:02.839
people mill and turn I'm sure crying in fear or
306
00:19:02.920 --> 00:19:07.319
shouting with bravano. But the story isn't here in the city.
307
00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:10.480
And so as the hour approaches, the reporter goes again
308
00:19:10.519 --> 00:19:12.519
to be observatory high in the hills.
309
00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:15.759
Now, look, doctor Ratton, if you.
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00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:17.759
Are right, if the world is going to be destroyed,
311
00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:19.799
what's the difference if I stay here and observe and
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00:19:19.880 --> 00:19:20.400
take notes.
313
00:19:20.680 --> 00:19:23.279
Oh nothing, I suppose, But you'll be in the way.
314
00:19:23.359 --> 00:19:25.079
We have work to do. All right. If I stay
315
00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:27.160
out of the way, I can't be bothered with you.
316
00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:28.720
You'll have to leave, mister Tamon.
317
00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:31.559
Hello, oh hello, doctor Sharon.
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00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:34.759
Yeah, this place is like a mogue. It's freezing outside.
319
00:19:34.839 --> 00:19:37.039
The wind is enough to hang icicles on your nose.
320
00:19:37.960 --> 00:19:40.039
Beta doesn't seem to give any heat at all. It's
321
00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:40.920
so far away.
322
00:19:41.160 --> 00:19:42.640
Why aren't you in the hideout? Sharon?
323
00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:46.359
Me, I'm part of the race that isn't worth perpetuating.
324
00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:48.039
Who's gonna bottle?
325
00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:50.640
There will be no alcohol today. Would be too easy
326
00:19:50.680 --> 00:19:54.000
to get my men drunk. I can't afford to tempt them. Well,
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00:19:54.519 --> 00:19:56.519
all right, tam and you can stay, but keep out
328
00:19:56.559 --> 00:19:56.880
of the way.
329
00:19:56.960 --> 00:19:57.799
Oh thank you doctor.
330
00:19:58.559 --> 00:20:01.640
Well, gentlemen, I think it's time we took our positions.
331
00:20:02.240 --> 00:20:05.480
The observatory dome is up these stairs, Yes, sir, after you, doctor,
332
00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:11.119
what's that dome?
333
00:20:11.240 --> 00:20:11.440
Quick?
334
00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:12.079
What is it?
335
00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:20.000
The plate? The photographic plate? So ill smashed there? He
336
00:20:20.200 --> 00:20:25.359
is occultist. He's going for tolso after me. I've got it,
337
00:20:26.920 --> 00:20:30.720
but it must be destroyed, it must be. It's all right,
338
00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:33.359
it's all right. He didn't harm anything. Let him up.
339
00:20:33.640 --> 00:20:36.559
Well, that's the high priest. Doctor at sore is his name.
340
00:20:36.599 --> 00:20:37.680
I was talking to him yesterday.
341
00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:40.720
What do you want, sir, Nothing that you would give
342
00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:43.799
me of your own free will. I made a bargain
343
00:20:43.880 --> 00:20:46.440
with the cult to give me certain data you had.
344
00:20:47.160 --> 00:20:50.119
In return, I promised to prove the essential truth of
345
00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:50.559
the creed.
346
00:20:50.759 --> 00:20:54.559
There's no need to prove that stands proved by the
347
00:20:54.640 --> 00:20:56.000
doctrine of revelations.
348
00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:59.279
I offered scientific backing for you believers.
349
00:20:59.720 --> 00:21:04.519
You made of the darkness and the stars natural phenomenon
350
00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:06.880
removed all its real significance.
351
00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:11.279
That was blasphemy. The facts exist. Your facts are a
352
00:21:11.400 --> 00:21:14.319
fraud and a delusion. How do you know I know?
353
00:21:15.160 --> 00:21:18.240
I suppose you think in trying to warn the world
354
00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:23.680
against the menace of madness, we are placing souls in Jepardy. Well,
355
00:21:23.799 --> 00:21:26.519
we have not succeeded. If that makes you feel better,
356
00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:31.000
Your definish instruments must be destroyed. We obey the will
357
00:21:31.079 --> 00:21:33.640
of the stars. Someone call the police in Sero City.
358
00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:35.240
There's no time for that. Let me handle this.
359
00:21:36.119 --> 00:21:37.720
The eclipse is only a few minutes away.
360
00:21:38.279 --> 00:21:40.960
Look, so will you give your word of honor to
361
00:21:41.079 --> 00:21:44.039
cause no trouble? I will not listen.
362
00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:47.240
Just as soon as the eclipse starts We're going to
363
00:21:47.319 --> 00:21:48.960
take you and put you in a closet with the
364
00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:50.000
door closed.
365
00:21:49.640 --> 00:21:50.400
And you'll stay there.
366
00:21:51.240 --> 00:21:53.160
Then you won't see the darkness and you won't see
367
00:21:53.160 --> 00:21:56.519
the stars, and that means the loss of your immortal
368
00:21:56.720 --> 00:22:00.400
soul according to the cult. All right, now you give
369
00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:01.200
your word of honor.
370
00:22:02.440 --> 00:22:03.119
You have it.
371
00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:07.279
You are all big damned for your deeds of today.
372
00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:10.319
Cameras Yes, techn exposes catlack.
373
00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:14.079
We will shaking, mister treh.
374
00:22:14.920 --> 00:22:15.759
I don't feel very well.
375
00:22:15.799 --> 00:22:17.240
That's you're not losing your nerve.
376
00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:19.000
No, I'm just not used to this.
377
00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:21.160
You could probably make the high work.
378
00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:23.279
I've will assigned the cover of story and tend to
379
00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:24.799
cover it professional honor.
380
00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:28.720
Yeah, I'd get my right arm for a bottle right now,
381
00:22:28.759 --> 00:22:29.400
I need a drink.
382
00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:32.759
What's that the contest?
383
00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:35.160
That's the Doctrine of Revelations.
384
00:22:35.880 --> 00:22:36.759
I don't understand it.
385
00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:41.400
He's chanting some old cycle language. The Doctrine of Revelations
386
00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:44.720
was originally written in it. There are probably two million
387
00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:47.559
people in Sarow City who are trying to join the cult.
388
00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:50.359
One gigantic revival.
389
00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:51.160
Doctor Sharon Howe.
390
00:22:51.240 --> 00:22:54.839
Do the Colis manage to keep the Doctrine of Revelations
391
00:22:54.920 --> 00:22:57.400
going from cycle to cycle. If everyone goes mad, who
392
00:22:57.559 --> 00:22:58.559
won't this doctrine?
393
00:22:58.640 --> 00:23:02.640
There are some people who don't see the stars, the blind,
394
00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:07.039
they would have memories, and that, combined with the confused,
395
00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:11.839
incoherent babbling of the mad on the basis for the
396
00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:16.359
doctrine of revelations, the color will be riding high down.
397
00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:17.000
There in the city.
398
00:23:17.920 --> 00:23:19.279
I hope they make the most of it.
399
00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:24.240
Doctor Sharon, I've just heard from hideout on private line
400
00:23:24.279 --> 00:23:27.200
are in trouble. They are safe, but the cities and
401
00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:29.680
shambles you have no idea, get worse.
402
00:23:30.480 --> 00:23:31.680
What are you shaking about?
403
00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:34.240
Doctor? How do you feel we don't understand.
404
00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:38.400
The consists arousing the people to starm the observatory, promising
405
00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:41.440
them salvation, promising them anything along.
406
00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:43.960
Till the total eclipsed. An how I'm ready to check
407
00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:45.319
those cabins. It's a gamble.
408
00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:47.720
It will take time to get a mob out here.
409
00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:50.279
If the darkness comes first, we're all right.
410
00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:52.079
Look at Beta.
411
00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:56.920
Yeah, it's cut in half.
412
00:23:57.160 --> 00:24:00.519
It's getting darker. An interesting phenomenon.
413
00:24:01.359 --> 00:24:02.599
The colors suddenly tight.
414
00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:04.680
Are you having any difficulty in breathing?
415
00:24:06.359 --> 00:24:06.400
No?
416
00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:07.039
Why?
417
00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:11.440
Difficulty in breathing is one of the first symptoms we've experimented.
418
00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:15.599
I'm cold. It seems to be getting cold.
419
00:24:15.920 --> 00:24:19.799
We'd better keep our minds on something else. One of
420
00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:24.000
the astronomers has a theory about the stars. He thinks
421
00:24:24.200 --> 00:24:26.759
they may be suns that are too far away to
422
00:24:26.920 --> 00:24:31.119
see in the light. He developed a fantasy about a
423
00:24:31.240 --> 00:24:37.079
planet revolving around one sun. It's a mathematical possibility. Of course,
424
00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:40.079
there couldn't be any life. Part of the planet would
425
00:24:40.119 --> 00:24:45.039
always be dark and without light. Well, it's obvious. Without light,
426
00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:46.559
there can't be any life.
427
00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:50.519
Time for the artificial light, we can't read the instruments
428
00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:52.319
artificial light.
429
00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:54.880
One of the researchers in the university worked it out.
430
00:24:55.440 --> 00:24:59.039
It's animal grease packed around a wick. Here I lighted
431
00:24:59.160 --> 00:24:59.839
with this spark.
432
00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:11.000
Why it's beautiful yellow light after four hours of red,
433
00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:31.319
it's beautiful light light. The dome is quiet.
434
00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:34.839
The priest in his yellow robe sways slowly as his
435
00:25:34.920 --> 00:25:38.319
lips move in the ancient tongue. Over and over he
436
00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:42.519
whispers the invocation to the stars. The technicians hunch over
437
00:25:42.599 --> 00:25:46.960
the instruments, and the sky gradually turns a horrible, deep
438
00:25:47.079 --> 00:25:55.359
purple red. The air grows denser, dusk, like a palpable
439
00:25:55.559 --> 00:26:00.480
entity enters the room. The dancing circle of yellow light
440
00:26:00.599 --> 00:26:05.079
about the torches etches itself into ever sharper distinction against
441
00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:12.000
the ever gathering grayness beyond outside Beta is a mere
442
00:26:12.160 --> 00:26:16.519
smoldering splendor. Taking a last look at the world. The
443
00:26:16.640 --> 00:26:19.640
western horizon in the direction of the city is lost
444
00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:23.400
in darkness, and along the highway to the observatory surges
445
00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:27.440
a menacing shadowy mass, the.
446
00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:31.359
Mob from the city. They're coming. How long till total eclipse?
447
00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:34.200
Fifteen minutes? That mob will be here in five. We'll
448
00:26:34.279 --> 00:26:36.000
hold them off. Come on for them in downstairs.
449
00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:37.519
There's no light down there.
450
00:26:37.559 --> 00:26:38.480
We have to block the door.
451
00:26:38.519 --> 00:26:40.599
Come on, I can't, I can't breathe, I can't go
452
00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:41.079
down there.
453
00:26:41.119 --> 00:26:43.160
Take a torch, we take light with us.
454
00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:43.519
Come on.
455
00:26:58.519 --> 00:27:02.680
At all, I'm here. Did you bar the door? He
456
00:27:02.759 --> 00:27:07.079
won't get in all right now, everybody, one minute to totality.
457
00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:11.400
One minute, just before totality, I'm changing the plate that
458
00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:13.160
will leave one of you for each camera.
459
00:27:13.720 --> 00:27:13.839
Now.
460
00:27:13.960 --> 00:27:17.680
Remember, if you feel yourself going, get away from the camera.
461
00:27:18.039 --> 00:27:21.559
It's dark. It's getting God. Sharon, Sharon, worry.
462
00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:22.279
I can't see it.
463
00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:26.720
I here thirty seconds about the priest.
464
00:27:28.519 --> 00:27:31.640
I can't see him, and the wicked shall psh and
465
00:27:31.799 --> 00:27:35.079
the souls of the true believers shall be transported in
466
00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:36.759
glory to the stars.
467
00:27:36.920 --> 00:27:38.960
You can see him against the torch. Don't let him
468
00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:41.799
get to the telescope. From the stars, they're reached darn
469
00:27:41.960 --> 00:27:43.440
a heavenly flame.
470
00:27:43.720 --> 00:27:47.000
And where it touched, the cities of the world flame
471
00:27:47.160 --> 00:27:48.359
to other destructure.
472
00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:53.519
Him and the world must be destroyed by the fier
473
00:27:54.000 --> 00:28:06.000
my god hive second to totality four three two.
474
00:28:07.319 --> 00:28:07.559
One.
475
00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:17.920
The sky is black, and through it shines the stars.
476
00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:22.599
Thirty thousand minute suns shine down in soul searing splendor.
477
00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:26.519
It's more frightening, and it's awful indifference than the bitter
478
00:28:26.599 --> 00:28:30.200
wind that shivers across the horrible, cold, bleak world.
479
00:28:31.720 --> 00:28:40.640
The stars, the stars fire up. The wars are coming
480
00:28:40.680 --> 00:28:44.559
in open, They're coming in light.
481
00:28:45.240 --> 00:28:50.799
By darkness, never never, never, in the world breaking We
482
00:28:50.920 --> 00:28:54.119
did not know, we did not know, we did not know.
483
00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:06.480
On the horizon, in the direction of the city, a
484
00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:11.079
crimson glow begins growing, a thousand fires, strengthened in brightness
485
00:29:11.119 --> 00:29:14.319
that is not the glow of the sun. A million fires.
486
00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:17.680
As a world mad in the darkness, screams in terror
487
00:29:17.799 --> 00:29:46.079
for the light. The night has come again. You have
488
00:29:46.319 --> 00:29:50.400
just heard another adventure into the unknown world of the future, the.
489
00:29:50.519 --> 00:29:51.119
World of.
490
00:29:53.000 --> 00:29:53.559
Imagina.
491
00:30:00.119 --> 00:30:04.640
With this program, Dementia X concludes the present series. We
492
00:30:04.799 --> 00:30:06.720
hope to return to the air in the near future.
493
00:30:07.400 --> 00:30:10.000
Watch your local newspaper and listen to your local station
494
00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:11.880
for the resumption of the series.
495
00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:21.400
Dementsion X is presented transcribed each week by the National
496
00:30:21.480 --> 00:30:25.960
Broadcasting Company in cooperation with Street and Smith, publishers of
497
00:30:26.039 --> 00:30:32.640
the magazine Astounding Science Fiction. Today, demention X has presented Nightfall,
498
00:30:33.240 --> 00:30:36.160
written for radio by Ernest Kinnoy from the story by
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Isaac Asimard. Featured in the cast were Lyle Sudreaux as
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the reporter, Cameron Prudam as the astronomer, and John McGovern
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as the psychologist. Your host Norman Rose. Music by Bert Berman.
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Demention X is produced by William Welch and directed by
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Fred Way.
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Dimension X closes with Isaac Asimov's Nightfall Until our next
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rendezvous with the airwaves.
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Good evening,
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On the sunlit world of Lagash. Reporter Theremon investigates an
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observatory's prediction that a rare eclipse will bring the planet's
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first true darkness in two thousand, forty nine years. It
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is Demension X Nightfall, broadcast by NBC on September twenty ninth,
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nineteen fifty one, the fiftieth and final broadcast of the series.
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Ernest Kinoy adapted Isaac Asimov's nineteen forty one story with
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Lyle Sudro as Theremon, Cameron Prudham as Doctor Ayton, and
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John McGovern as Doctor schern As.
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Sorrow City faces.
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Public disbelief and a religious movement focused on the stars.
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Theremon follows the developing story to the University observatory, and
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now we return to the original broadcast.
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Adventures in Time and Space transcribed in future tense. The
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National Broadcasting Company, in cooperation with Street and Smith, publishers
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of Astounding science fiction, bring You Dimension X. Ralph Warlow
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Emerson speculated, if the stars should appear one night in
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a thousand years, how would men believe and adore and
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perceive for many generations the remembrance of the city of God.
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Now this was philosophically interesting. But on the edge of
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the galaxy there is a planet which swings on its
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orbit in a cluster of six These suns hang in
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the sky above. Never less than two shine down through
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the entire twenty three point eight hours of the planet's day.
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The yellow light has burned down on the planet continuously
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into the past, till the mind of Man runneth nut
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to the contrary. Thereman was a reporter for the Saroh
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City Chronicle. He covered them all, from the night police beat,
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the politics to the sports pages, and the city editor
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wanted him to cover the biggest story of the year,
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perhaps of all time. It was an interview, a particularly
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difficult interview, but then, since his first days as a
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cub Theurreman had specialized in difficult interviews. He didn't expect
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violence though from an astronomer.
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From that newspaper. Well, you've got a lot of goll
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coming here.
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I'll wait a minute, doctor Raton. It's only a job.
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I've read your paper. You've been writing this observatory for
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two months now. You've attacked me personally. I have nothing
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to say to you.
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All right, Look, this is your chance to get your
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side in the paper. I'll give it to you straight.
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Two months ago, the observatory issued a press statement that
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the world was coming to an end. That's the same
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story that the Cult of Revelations has been preaching. And
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when a scientist backs that up, it's news.
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Our conclusions have nothing to do with the cult. The
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Cult of Revelations is full of superstition and mysticism. We
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are scientists.
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Yeah, and you got the people pretty angry.
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That does not matter.
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You know, if I can't get the story from you,
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I'll have to go somewhere else. Go ahead, all right,
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You know, doctor Raton, the paper can be pretty rough
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on someone who doesn't cooperate.
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Young man, If you're not out of the observatory within
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five minutes, I shall call the police. Now get out.
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The reporter walks down the long hall from the observatory.
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The light filters through the high windows. The yellow light
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of Gamma, the brightest of the sick Sun than the
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planet's sky beta, is almost its zenith. Its red light
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floods the landscape to an unusual orange. The planet's sun
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Alpha is at the antipodes, and now, as Gamma sinks
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below the horizon, the red dwarf sun Beta is alone,
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grimly alone. It's a short drive from the observatory to
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Sero City, and the red light glares from the highway.
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The temple of the cult stands hewn from the solid
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rock of the Dormite mountains outside the city, and in
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the inner courtyard stands sore the priest of the cult.
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Whoa to the unbelievers, their souls will ross with the
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absence of lights.
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Lord, Oh wait, Irreverence, Please please.
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Tell me, Reverence, what will happen? What are you waiting for?
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Here?
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The day, the day of the coming? It was written
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in our Doctrine of Revelations. It came to pass that
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the sun Beta was alone in the sky. The world
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was shrunken and cold. Men dissemble in the public squares highways.
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Their minds were troubled and their speech confused. For the
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souls of men awaited the coming of the stars. The
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lip of the cave of darkness, past the edge of Beta,
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and loud with the cries of men.
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There was no light on the surface of the world.
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In this blackness there appeared the stars and countless numbers.
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In that moment, the souls of men departed from them,
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and abandoned bodies became even as beasts and the stars
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then reached down the heaven's flame, where it touched the
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cities of the world flamed a destruction, so that of
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man and all the works of man not remained.
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So I just written, just Sharon, You're the only scientist
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I could find in the city. Where is everybody in
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the hideout? A hideout?
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The place boared me. I wanted to be out here
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where things are getting hot. I want to see the
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stars the cultists are talking about. Besides, they don't want
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me at the hideout. I'm too scrawny to survive.
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Well, wait a minute, what is the hideout?
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Well, we professors have managed to convince a few people
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that our prophecy of doom is valid. We've got about
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three thousand people. They're supposed to hide where the darkness
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of the stars can't get at them. We hope they'll
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survive and leave records.
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Survive, survive what?
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Oh, there are lots of names for it. The cultists
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have their myths.
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Oh yes, yes, yes, what about that? What is there
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to these myths? As a matter of fact, what is
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there to this doctrine of revelation? I'm a psychologist, not
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an archaeologist.
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How true it is?
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I don't know.
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But the cultists say that every two thousand and fifty years,
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all the suns disappear and there is a total darkness,
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And then they say things appear called stars. Of course,
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men go mad. They mix all this up with a
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lot of religiomistic notions, but that is the central idea.
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Yeah, well, that's impossible, isn't it. I mean, there are
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always at least two suns in the sky most of
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the time, four or five are not now only Beta,
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Doctor Sharon, You mean that there's going to be worldwide
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darkness tomorrow, but all mankind will go violently insane.
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What's behind that?
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Well, for one thing, this is history of civilization of
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the world. We've located a series of cycles of civilizations
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comparable to our own, all of which, without exception, were
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destroyed by fire at the very height of their culture.
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All right, all right, but is there any scientific theory
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behind this?
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And that would explain it?
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The University Observatory finished their calculations two months ago. Tomorrow
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they'll be an eclipse of Beta, so that the planet
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will become dark. That eclipse comes every two thousand and
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forty nine years. Darkness comes. Maybe those mysterious stars that
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no man has ever seen, and then madness and the
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end of civilization.
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I see, and the scientists expect to live through this
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of the hideout.
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They plan to photograph the eclipse and leave the records,
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and then the rest of mankind will know what to expect.
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Mm hm, doctor Sharon. What is there in darkness to
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drive men mad?
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Have you ever experienced darkness? Young man?
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No?
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No, but I know what it is. It's just well,
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no light.
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Draw the curtain.
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But what for if we had four or five sons
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out there, we might want to cut the light down
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for comfort, But with only beata that.
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Is the point. Just draw the curtain and then come
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here and sit down.
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All right?
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What, doctor Sharon, I can't see you feel your way? Yeah,
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but I can't see. I can't see anything.
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Do you like it?
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What? No?
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No, it's awful. It was. They seemed to be closing
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in on me. I want to keep pushing him away.
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All right, Draw the curtain back again.
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The light the light, yeah, doctor Sharony. Have you got
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a drink right here?
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That was just a dark room.
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Yeah, yeah, it wasn't really so bad. And you're afraid, yes,
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I am. Just darkness can do that.
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This isn't just a metaphysical theory, young man, It's promulgated
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from observed data. Come with me, where the locked ward
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down the corridor?
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All right?
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Were you at the Sarrow City Centennial Exposition two years ago?
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Now? I was overseas on assignment.
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Remember hearing about the tunnel of mystery that broke all
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records in the amusement area.
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Yeah, there wasn't less some fuss about it. The Anni
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Vice Society had it shut down.
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It was shut down, all right, but the Brunoses had
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nothing to do with it. Oh, that tunnel was nothing
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but a mile long passage through darkness. You rode in
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a little car and it took fifteen minutes to get through.
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Very popular one. It lasted popular. There's a fascination in
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being frightened when it's part of a game. Absence of
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light is one of the instinctive human fears. People amount
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of that fifteen minutes of darkness, shaking and half dead.
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With fear after I thought there were some deaths, bad hearts.
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But that wasn't the big danger. Now, which key is this.
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Amue doctor showing where are we going?
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You'll see? No, the heart attacks were actually good for business.
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But there was something else here. I'll show you.
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I want you to see.
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Somebody, Latimer, Latimer, go away, Latima, I want you to
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meet somebody. This is mister thereman.
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No now, go away.
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Hello, he's pushing me.
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Make him stop pushing me, go away.
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Touching him? What's wrong?
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Latimer is afraid it was.
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Falling in on me in the water.
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I've gotta get out of me.
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All you can't go out, Latimer. It's all right.
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I'm gonna get out.
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Up me up, Let me.
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Out that sleeping period. We have to give him a
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shot of morphine. Otherwise he'd batter his brains out against
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the wall.
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What's wrong with him?
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Nothing? Nothing but fifteen minutes in the darkness of the
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tunnel of mystery. Doctor, that's impossible. One person out of
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ten came out of the tunnel that way. That's why
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we had to shut it down.
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Why why should darkness do that?
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It's obvious man cannot exist without light. Longer periods of
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darkness would obviously be fatal. The scientific theory is that
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the consciousness of light is necessary for mental activity.
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Please please, doctor, let me outside, let the outside, please.
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I can't breathe pushing me. There are with.
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There you are, theremon, that's what fifteen minutes of darkness
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will do. Man just wasn't built to operate without light.
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There are always at least two suns in the sky
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most of the time.
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More yeah, just fifteen minutes of darkness.
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Now, then look out of that window. Imagine darkness everywhere,
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no light as far as you can see, black everything black,
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and the stars whatever they are. Well, can you conceive it?
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Your mind wasn't built for that conception. When the real
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thing comes, you'll go mad completely and permanently. There's no
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question of it. Tomorrow there won't be a city left
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standing in the world. Or why doctor, why should the
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cities be destroyed? If you were in darkness, what would
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you want more than anything else? What would it be
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that every instinct would call for light? And how would
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you get light?
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I don't know.
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You would burn something. Every city in the world will
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go up in flames. Shall we go back to my office,
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mister Ferreman, and have another drink?
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Through the skies, the red sun beta shines alone. The
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wind howls across the city. It's cold, cold that a
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man can remember. As the hour approaches, the reporter goes
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out and speaks to the man in the street.
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Excuse me, sir, excuse me, but I'm from the Chronicle.
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I'd like to talk to you.
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Ah, reported, that's right. My name is Palette two Ells,
241
00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:44.200
remember the two e's all.
242
00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:47.519
Right, mister Pellett. What's your occupation? Power technician at the
243
00:15:47.559 --> 00:15:48.399
North Division plan.
244
00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:51.639
Uh you're making some kind of a survey. Huh yeah, yeah,
245
00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:55.519
in a way. Where are you going now? Home for supper?
246
00:15:56.039 --> 00:15:56.200
Well?
247
00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:56.840
How about.
248
00:15:58.440 --> 00:15:59.840
Well, what I mean is what are you going to
249
00:15:59.879 --> 00:16:03.000
do tonight? You mean about this star stuff?
250
00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:06.080
Yeah, well, I tell you, mister, it don't stand the reason.
251
00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:08.080
At the end of the world is gonna come boom
252
00:16:08.200 --> 00:16:10.639
like that. It just don't stand the reason. In other words,
253
00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:12.399
you don't believe it. I didn't say that, but it
254
00:16:12.519 --> 00:16:15.120
just don't stand the reason. Uh huh. Have you read
255
00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:17.279
what the signists say. I don't read stuff like that,
256
00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:18.399
only the headlines.
257
00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:18.720
Yeah.
258
00:16:19.559 --> 00:16:20.320
How about the cult?
259
00:16:20.840 --> 00:16:23.600
Well, like I always say, I've got nothing against religion,
260
00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:26.279
you don't believe them either. Well, they've always been shocking
261
00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:27.480
about doom and sin.
262
00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:29.600
Listen. But when you've been around as.
263
00:16:29.559 --> 00:16:31.480
Long as I have, you get to know the score.
264
00:16:32.200 --> 00:16:34.639
It's all right to preach that judgment day is coming
265
00:16:34.679 --> 00:16:37.000
and on. But just the same, I'm putting money in
266
00:16:37.080 --> 00:16:42.399
the bank. Uh huh, Well tell me how about how
267
00:16:42.440 --> 00:16:47.240
about darkness? About why? How would you feel if there
268
00:16:47.320 --> 00:16:49.840
was no light? You're crazy?
269
00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:51.720
How could there be no life?
270
00:16:51.799 --> 00:16:54.559
Well, I suppose suppose all the suns went down at once,
271
00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:56.039
suppose everything was black.
272
00:16:56.360 --> 00:16:56.919
It's crazy.
273
00:16:57.000 --> 00:16:58.559
What's use of supposing something like that?
274
00:16:58.840 --> 00:16:59.559
It couldn't happen.
275
00:17:01.559 --> 00:17:05.279
Yeah, well that's all, thank you.
276
00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:08.799
Sure, look mister, remember palette with two elves.
277
00:17:18.119 --> 00:17:21.319
Excuse me, sir, but I represent the Chronicle aware of
278
00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:24.160
conducting a pole to determine public opinion with regard to
279
00:17:24.200 --> 00:17:25.519
the predicted end of the world.
280
00:17:26.440 --> 00:17:27.400
How do you feel about it?
281
00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:28.160
Oh?
282
00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:32.319
This talk of scientific explanation, it's sinful, that's.
283
00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:32.599
What it is.
284
00:17:33.400 --> 00:17:37.039
Oh I see. Well, then you're a member of the cult.
285
00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:40.519
Sure, ah, sure, been a member since I was a boar.
286
00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:45.319
My dirty was a member too. I've seen the books.
287
00:17:45.400 --> 00:17:47.119
It's all written down in the books.
288
00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:49.119
Don't you believe the scientist explanation?
289
00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:53.480
Don't need it? Going to save my immortal soul, going
290
00:17:53.559 --> 00:17:56.839
to stay on the mountaintop in a white robe while
291
00:17:56.920 --> 00:18:00.960
the stars carry me away to glory, bless be the stars.
292
00:18:02.599 --> 00:18:04.279
Well, tell me what are the stars?
293
00:18:04.599 --> 00:18:08.519
The glory, the breadth of the heaven, the spirit of
294
00:18:08.599 --> 00:18:10.359
the ultimate. That's what they are. Huh.
295
00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:13.799
Well, so the observatory has announced that it intends to
296
00:18:13.880 --> 00:18:15.519
take pictures of these stars.
297
00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:20.359
Blasphemy. I sold my house, gave all my money to
298
00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:27.279
the poor, won't need it anymore. Go to heaven with stars, glory, glory,
299
00:18:27.559 --> 00:18:28.880
gold with the stars.
300
00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:45.119
The reporter checks the stock exchange, the stars business that
301
00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:49.079
a standstill doesn't pay to buy anything today, not if
302
00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:52.079
the world's going to end tomorrow. There are predictions of
303
00:18:52.119 --> 00:18:55.640
economic collapse in the financial section, layoffs at the factories
304
00:18:55.640 --> 00:18:58.200
on the edge of the city. Through the streets, the
305
00:18:58.279 --> 00:19:02.839
people mill and turn I'm sure crying in fear or
306
00:19:02.920 --> 00:19:07.319
shouting with bravano. But the story isn't here in the city.
307
00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:10.480
And so as the hour approaches, the reporter goes again
308
00:19:10.519 --> 00:19:12.519
to be observatory high in the hills.
309
00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:15.759
Now, look, doctor Ratton, if you.
310
00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:17.759
Are right, if the world is going to be destroyed,
311
00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:19.799
what's the difference if I stay here and observe and
312
00:19:19.880 --> 00:19:20.400
take notes.
313
00:19:20.680 --> 00:19:23.279
Oh nothing, I suppose, But you'll be in the way.
314
00:19:23.359 --> 00:19:25.079
We have work to do. All right. If I stay
315
00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:27.160
out of the way, I can't be bothered with you.
316
00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:28.720
You'll have to leave, mister Tamon.
317
00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:31.559
Hello, oh hello, doctor Sharon.
318
00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:34.759
Yeah, this place is like a mogue. It's freezing outside.
319
00:19:34.839 --> 00:19:37.039
The wind is enough to hang icicles on your nose.
320
00:19:37.960 --> 00:19:40.039
Beta doesn't seem to give any heat at all. It's
321
00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:40.920
so far away.
322
00:19:41.160 --> 00:19:42.640
Why aren't you in the hideout? Sharon?
323
00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:46.359
Me, I'm part of the race that isn't worth perpetuating.
324
00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:48.039
Who's gonna bottle?
325
00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:50.640
There will be no alcohol today. Would be too easy
326
00:19:50.680 --> 00:19:54.000
to get my men drunk. I can't afford to tempt them. Well,
327
00:19:54.519 --> 00:19:56.519
all right, tam and you can stay, but keep out
328
00:19:56.559 --> 00:19:56.880
of the way.
329
00:19:56.960 --> 00:19:57.799
Oh thank you doctor.
330
00:19:58.559 --> 00:20:01.640
Well, gentlemen, I think it's time we took our positions.
331
00:20:02.240 --> 00:20:05.480
The observatory dome is up these stairs, Yes, sir, after you, doctor,
332
00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:11.119
what's that dome?
333
00:20:11.240 --> 00:20:11.440
Quick?
334
00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:12.079
What is it?
335
00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:20.000
The plate? The photographic plate? So ill smashed there? He
336
00:20:20.200 --> 00:20:25.359
is occultist. He's going for tolso after me. I've got it,
337
00:20:26.920 --> 00:20:30.720
but it must be destroyed, it must be. It's all right,
338
00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:33.359
it's all right. He didn't harm anything. Let him up.
339
00:20:33.640 --> 00:20:36.559
Well, that's the high priest. Doctor at sore is his name.
340
00:20:36.599 --> 00:20:37.680
I was talking to him yesterday.
341
00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:40.720
What do you want, sir, Nothing that you would give
342
00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:43.799
me of your own free will. I made a bargain
343
00:20:43.880 --> 00:20:46.440
with the cult to give me certain data you had.
344
00:20:47.160 --> 00:20:50.119
In return, I promised to prove the essential truth of
345
00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:50.559
the creed.
346
00:20:50.759 --> 00:20:54.559
There's no need to prove that stands proved by the
347
00:20:54.640 --> 00:20:56.000
doctrine of revelations.
348
00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:59.279
I offered scientific backing for you believers.
349
00:20:59.720 --> 00:21:04.519
You made of the darkness and the stars natural phenomenon
350
00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:06.880
removed all its real significance.
351
00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:11.279
That was blasphemy. The facts exist. Your facts are a
352
00:21:11.400 --> 00:21:14.319
fraud and a delusion. How do you know I know?
353
00:21:15.160 --> 00:21:18.240
I suppose you think in trying to warn the world
354
00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:23.680
against the menace of madness, we are placing souls in Jepardy. Well,
355
00:21:23.799 --> 00:21:26.519
we have not succeeded. If that makes you feel better,
356
00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:31.000
Your definish instruments must be destroyed. We obey the will
357
00:21:31.079 --> 00:21:33.640
of the stars. Someone call the police in Sero City.
358
00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:35.240
There's no time for that. Let me handle this.
359
00:21:36.119 --> 00:21:37.720
The eclipse is only a few minutes away.
360
00:21:38.279 --> 00:21:40.960
Look, so will you give your word of honor to
361
00:21:41.079 --> 00:21:44.039
cause no trouble? I will not listen.
362
00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:47.240
Just as soon as the eclipse starts We're going to
363
00:21:47.319 --> 00:21:48.960
take you and put you in a closet with the
364
00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:50.000
door closed.
365
00:21:49.640 --> 00:21:50.400
And you'll stay there.
366
00:21:51.240 --> 00:21:53.160
Then you won't see the darkness and you won't see
367
00:21:53.160 --> 00:21:56.519
the stars, and that means the loss of your immortal
368
00:21:56.720 --> 00:22:00.400
soul according to the cult. All right, now you give
369
00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:01.200
your word of honor.
370
00:22:02.440 --> 00:22:03.119
You have it.
371
00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:07.279
You are all big damned for your deeds of today.
372
00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:10.319
Cameras Yes, techn exposes catlack.
373
00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:14.079
We will shaking, mister treh.
374
00:22:14.920 --> 00:22:15.759
I don't feel very well.
375
00:22:15.799 --> 00:22:17.240
That's you're not losing your nerve.
376
00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:19.000
No, I'm just not used to this.
377
00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:21.160
You could probably make the high work.
378
00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:23.279
I've will assigned the cover of story and tend to
379
00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:24.799
cover it professional honor.
380
00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:28.720
Yeah, I'd get my right arm for a bottle right now,
381
00:22:28.759 --> 00:22:29.400
I need a drink.
382
00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:32.759
What's that the contest?
383
00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:35.160
That's the Doctrine of Revelations.
384
00:22:35.880 --> 00:22:36.759
I don't understand it.
385
00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:41.400
He's chanting some old cycle language. The Doctrine of Revelations
386
00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:44.720
was originally written in it. There are probably two million
387
00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:47.559
people in Sarow City who are trying to join the cult.
388
00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:50.359
One gigantic revival.
389
00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:51.160
Doctor Sharon Howe.
390
00:22:51.240 --> 00:22:54.839
Do the Colis manage to keep the Doctrine of Revelations
391
00:22:54.920 --> 00:22:57.400
going from cycle to cycle. If everyone goes mad, who
392
00:22:57.559 --> 00:22:58.559
won't this doctrine?
393
00:22:58.640 --> 00:23:02.640
There are some people who don't see the stars, the blind,
394
00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:07.039
they would have memories, and that, combined with the confused,
395
00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:11.839
incoherent babbling of the mad on the basis for the
396
00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:16.359
doctrine of revelations, the color will be riding high down.
397
00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:17.000
There in the city.
398
00:23:17.920 --> 00:23:19.279
I hope they make the most of it.
399
00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:24.240
Doctor Sharon, I've just heard from hideout on private line
400
00:23:24.279 --> 00:23:27.200
are in trouble. They are safe, but the cities and
401
00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:29.680
shambles you have no idea, get worse.
402
00:23:30.480 --> 00:23:31.680
What are you shaking about?
403
00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:34.240
Doctor? How do you feel we don't understand.
404
00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:38.400
The consists arousing the people to starm the observatory, promising
405
00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:41.440
them salvation, promising them anything along.
406
00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:43.960
Till the total eclipsed. An how I'm ready to check
407
00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:45.319
those cabins. It's a gamble.
408
00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:47.720
It will take time to get a mob out here.
409
00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:50.279
If the darkness comes first, we're all right.
410
00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:52.079
Look at Beta.
411
00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:56.920
Yeah, it's cut in half.
412
00:23:57.160 --> 00:24:00.519
It's getting darker. An interesting phenomenon.
413
00:24:01.359 --> 00:24:02.599
The colors suddenly tight.
414
00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:04.680
Are you having any difficulty in breathing?
415
00:24:06.359 --> 00:24:06.400
No?
416
00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:07.039
Why?
417
00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:11.440
Difficulty in breathing is one of the first symptoms we've experimented.
418
00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:15.599
I'm cold. It seems to be getting cold.
419
00:24:15.920 --> 00:24:19.799
We'd better keep our minds on something else. One of
420
00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:24.000
the astronomers has a theory about the stars. He thinks
421
00:24:24.200 --> 00:24:26.759
they may be suns that are too far away to
422
00:24:26.920 --> 00:24:31.119
see in the light. He developed a fantasy about a
423
00:24:31.240 --> 00:24:37.079
planet revolving around one sun. It's a mathematical possibility. Of course,
424
00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:40.079
there couldn't be any life. Part of the planet would
425
00:24:40.119 --> 00:24:45.039
always be dark and without light. Well, it's obvious. Without light,
426
00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:46.559
there can't be any life.
427
00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:50.519
Time for the artificial light, we can't read the instruments
428
00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:52.319
artificial light.
429
00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:54.880
One of the researchers in the university worked it out.
430
00:24:55.440 --> 00:24:59.039
It's animal grease packed around a wick. Here I lighted
431
00:24:59.160 --> 00:24:59.839
with this spark.
432
00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:11.000
Why it's beautiful yellow light after four hours of red,
433
00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:31.319
it's beautiful light light. The dome is quiet.
434
00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:34.839
The priest in his yellow robe sways slowly as his
435
00:25:34.920 --> 00:25:38.319
lips move in the ancient tongue. Over and over he
436
00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:42.519
whispers the invocation to the stars. The technicians hunch over
437
00:25:42.599 --> 00:25:46.960
the instruments, and the sky gradually turns a horrible, deep
438
00:25:47.079 --> 00:25:55.359
purple red. The air grows denser, dusk, like a palpable
439
00:25:55.559 --> 00:26:00.480
entity enters the room. The dancing circle of yellow light
440
00:26:00.599 --> 00:26:05.079
about the torches etches itself into ever sharper distinction against
441
00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:12.000
the ever gathering grayness beyond outside Beta is a mere
442
00:26:12.160 --> 00:26:16.519
smoldering splendor. Taking a last look at the world. The
443
00:26:16.640 --> 00:26:19.640
western horizon in the direction of the city is lost
444
00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:23.400
in darkness, and along the highway to the observatory surges
445
00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:27.440
a menacing shadowy mass, the.
446
00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:31.359
Mob from the city. They're coming. How long till total eclipse?
447
00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:34.200
Fifteen minutes? That mob will be here in five. We'll
448
00:26:34.279 --> 00:26:36.000
hold them off. Come on for them in downstairs.
449
00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:37.519
There's no light down there.
450
00:26:37.559 --> 00:26:38.480
We have to block the door.
451
00:26:38.519 --> 00:26:40.599
Come on, I can't, I can't breathe, I can't go
452
00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:41.079
down there.
453
00:26:41.119 --> 00:26:43.160
Take a torch, we take light with us.
454
00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:43.519
Come on.
455
00:26:58.519 --> 00:27:02.680
At all, I'm here. Did you bar the door? He
456
00:27:02.759 --> 00:27:07.079
won't get in all right now, everybody, one minute to totality.
457
00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:11.400
One minute, just before totality, I'm changing the plate that
458
00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:13.160
will leave one of you for each camera.
459
00:27:13.720 --> 00:27:13.839
Now.
460
00:27:13.960 --> 00:27:17.680
Remember, if you feel yourself going, get away from the camera.
461
00:27:18.039 --> 00:27:21.559
It's dark. It's getting God. Sharon, Sharon, worry.
462
00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:22.279
I can't see it.
463
00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:26.720
I here thirty seconds about the priest.
464
00:27:28.519 --> 00:27:31.640
I can't see him, and the wicked shall psh and
465
00:27:31.799 --> 00:27:35.079
the souls of the true believers shall be transported in
466
00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:36.759
glory to the stars.
467
00:27:36.920 --> 00:27:38.960
You can see him against the torch. Don't let him
468
00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:41.799
get to the telescope. From the stars, they're reached darn
469
00:27:41.960 --> 00:27:43.440
a heavenly flame.
470
00:27:43.720 --> 00:27:47.000
And where it touched, the cities of the world flame
471
00:27:47.160 --> 00:27:48.359
to other destructure.
472
00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:53.519
Him and the world must be destroyed by the fier
473
00:27:54.000 --> 00:28:06.000
my god hive second to totality four three two.
474
00:28:07.319 --> 00:28:07.559
One.
475
00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:17.920
The sky is black, and through it shines the stars.
476
00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:22.599
Thirty thousand minute suns shine down in soul searing splendor.
477
00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:26.519
It's more frightening, and it's awful indifference than the bitter
478
00:28:26.599 --> 00:28:30.200
wind that shivers across the horrible, cold, bleak world.
479
00:28:31.720 --> 00:28:40.640
The stars, the stars fire up. The wars are coming
480
00:28:40.680 --> 00:28:44.559
in open, They're coming in light.
481
00:28:45.240 --> 00:28:50.799
By darkness, never never, never, in the world breaking We
482
00:28:50.920 --> 00:28:54.119
did not know, we did not know, we did not know.
483
00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:06.480
On the horizon, in the direction of the city, a
484
00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:11.079
crimson glow begins growing, a thousand fires, strengthened in brightness
485
00:29:11.119 --> 00:29:14.319
that is not the glow of the sun. A million fires.
486
00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:17.680
As a world mad in the darkness, screams in terror
487
00:29:17.799 --> 00:29:46.079
for the light. The night has come again. You have
488
00:29:46.319 --> 00:29:50.400
just heard another adventure into the unknown world of the future, the.
489
00:29:50.519 --> 00:29:51.119
World of.
490
00:29:53.000 --> 00:29:53.559
Imagina.
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With this program, Dementia X concludes the present series. We
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hope to return to the air in the near future.
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Watch your local newspaper and listen to your local station
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for the resumption of the series.
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Dementsion X is presented transcribed each week by the National
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Broadcasting Company in cooperation with Street and Smith, publishers of
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the magazine Astounding Science Fiction. Today, demention X has presented Nightfall,
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written for radio by Ernest Kinnoy from the story by
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Isaac Asimard. Featured in the cast were Lyle Sudreaux as
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the reporter, Cameron Prudam as the astronomer, and John McGovern
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as the psychologist. Your host Norman Rose. Music by Bert Berman.
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Demention X is produced by William Welch and directed by
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Fred Way.
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Dimension X closes with Isaac Asimov's Nightfall Until our next
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rendezvous with the airwaves.
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Good evening,
