Sci-Fi Film Fiesta, The Swingin' 60s - Volume 6: Spaced Out Magic Carpet Rides by Chris Christopoulos - HTML preview

world have been actively preparing at the International Institute of

Space Technology to explore the planets Venus and Mars."

“We've been picking up these signals now for three days”

At the International Institute of Space Technology, communications expert and astronaut Laura James monitors strange signals believed to be emanating from another planet in our galaxy. Allan Brenner has come to see Laura for a lunch date.

On an alien world, a sun sets over a beach. The alien species appear to be quite similar to ours on Earth. Their technology seems to be somewhat more advanced than our own.

Allan and Laura are joined for lunch by Paul Grant and Tony Barrata. Their luch, however is soon interrupted by an announcement calling on all personnel to assemble for an important message from Dr. Farraday.

We next arrive at a spacious plaza reminiscent of similar settings from which totalitarian leaders might address the masses on the glorious achievements of their regimes. Here, Farraday informs the assembled personnel that a message sent by another civilisation in space has been deciphered. The message informs the people of Earth that an ambassador will be dispatched to Earth from the aliens’ planet:

“As many of you know for several weeks now we have been receiving

organised signals from a far galaxy. This morning our code experts

finally deciphered the message…..a spaceship to bring their ambassador

to our planet earth! They believe our atmospheric conditions will support

their form of life which apparently is similar to our own…...I'm sure the

entire world will await the arrival of this spaceship.”

Meanwhile, on the alien planet a spherical-shaped spaceship appearing like an over-sized Vostok craft is prepared and launched. Prior to the main ship’s arrival to Earth, a probe is sent to Earth and is seen streaking across the sky before landing in the ocean. After the capsule is retrieved it is sent to the Institute’s labs for study. A video log of the alien ship's entire flight is located in the probe and shows that the aliens' craft had crash-landed on Mars.

Professor Farraday believes there may be survivors on the alien ship and calls a press conference for the next morning.

At the press conference, Farraday proposes the fast-tracking of a rescue mission using the spaceship, Oceano. The proposal is met with oodles of Soviet-era style clapping! Supply ships are soon sent en-mass to the moon, where Farraday and his staff have relocated to moon base Luna 7 to supervise the rescue mission.

“You're going to be the most famous girl in America.”

Although it is an honour to be selected as part of the crew for the rescue mission, Laura is upset that Allan Brenner will not be on the Oceano rescue ship with her. Later, as the rescue ship is launched Allan forlornly watches it depart in his spacesuit from the surface of the moon.

“We've progressed 75 million miles toward Mars.”

After a successful launch, the Oceano some time later encounters a “sunburst” that causes damage to some of the ship's instruments. The Oceano enters the orbit of Mars using emergency instruments and the crew begin their search for the alien spacecraft. Upon locating the craft’s whereabouts, the Oceano lands on Mars close to its location.

SUCCESSFUL LANDING ON MARS:

ALIEN SPACESHIP DISCOVERED

“Single Dead Astronaut Found On Spacecraft:

Mystery Deepens.”

Anders Brockman enters the alien craft only to discover the dead alien crew member. Meanwhile back on the Moon base, it is concluded that “there must be more than one dead man” and that “the others must have boarded a rescue rocket which…….is marooned someplace else on Mars - it's the only possible explanation!” Allan Brenner and Tony Barrata then put a proposal to Farraday that involves taking the smaller rocket, Meteor to Mars and immediately deploying surveillance satellites.

“The slightest miscalculation would mean complete disaster.”

In order to overcome Farraday’s concerns over fuel consumption, Brenner suggests that they land on Phobos, then take the rescue ship to the surface of Mars and return to Earth on the Oceano.

After Farraday agrees to the plan, the Meteor enters orbit around Mars. The satellite is deployed and the Meteor lands on the Martian moon, Phobos. The Meteor must depart the moon within thirty minutes or Allan and Tony will be stuck on Phobos for a week. A stroke of good luck has resulted in the Meteor having landed close to the supposed alien rescue ship, which was presumed to have landed elsewhere on Mars.

Brenner and Barrata proceed towards the alien rescue ship in which they come across an apparent single survivor, a green-skinned female wearing a spacesuit. As she seems to be in some distress, the two astronauts help her back to the Meteor.

The Alien female is placed in a seat aboard the Meteor while Brenner and Barrata decide who will remain behind, as the craft can only carry two.

After the coin toss, Brenner crash lands on Mars during a scarifying Martian sand storm. He then manages to carry the alien back toward the Oceano. Meanwhile, Brockman and Grant managed to find themselves lost in the sandstorm while looking for Brenner and the alien. As the storm abates, Grant enters the Oceano bearing the alien. Except for her green-hued skin colour, the alien female is quite human-like in appearance.

It is determined that there is not enough fuel to retrieve Tony Barrata on Phobps. However, Farraday assures Brockman that a rescue ship will be dispatched to rescue Tony. As long as he “uses his emergency ration sparingly, he ought to be able to hold out very well.”

The alien begins to recover and fixes with her gaze in turn, Paul Grant, then Cmdr. Brockman and finally, Allan. Her expressive, suggestive and magnetic eyes and smile seem to have a strong effect on the males almost as if they are being bombarded by a mass of pheromones over which they have little control.

It is a different story when the alien catches sight of Laura where the change in her countenance suggests that she resents the presence of possible competition. When it comes to the task of assigning the duty of looking after their new passenger, Laura is exempted on the grounds that their “visitor doesn't get along very well with her own sex."

“She's probably the most valuable specimen for scientific

research in the history of our planet.”

As the Oceano departs Mars, Paul demonstrates to the alien how to drink water from a bottle. She drinks the water, but refuses solid food. One of the crew comments, “perhaps she is only accustomed to some sort of liquid nourishment.” The irony of this comment will soon become apparent.

Brockman wants to study the alien’s blood and believes it may be high in chlorophyll. When she becomes aware that a syringe is about to be used on her, she recoils in horror and knocks the needle to the floor, breaking it. Brockman observes, "this is more than some childish fear of the needle. Perhaps she has an extremely low pain threshold. Perhaps...but we mustn't do anything that may affect her health adversely.” He concludes that their priority is “to get her back to Earth safely.”

The sleep period buzzer sounds and Paul has the first watch. He proceeds to record his notes on tape: “I've spent more time with her than the others and I think that I've noticed something about her that the others haven't noticed yet. She has…..” Now what do you imagine he would have said about their new passenger?

Paul’s observations are interrupted by a peculiar buzzing sound. As he walks to the back of the cabin to investigate, a red hue seems to permeate the confines of that section of the cabin. Suddenly, a hand is placed on Alan’s shoulder. When he turns to look, he finds himself gazing into the illuminated eyes of the alien. He is held fast as she approaches closer, somewhat seductively. It is as if Paul is mesmerised and stripped of the will to move and escape the alien’s deadly embrace.