Out of the Unknown (1965) s02e04 Episode Script
Level 7
1 [theme music plays.]
- You wanted to see me, sir? - Yes.
Come in, take a seat.
Iâve some good news for you.
The final report on your work, with defence computers has come in, and it's excellent! Excellent! Your promotion to major has come through.
And some leave.
Three weeks, almost immediately.
- Thank you, sir.
- But you'll have to wait a day or two.
Just to finish off your training.
You've been ordered down, yes, to the deep installations.
And after they've shown you what got down there, then leave.
Not unreasonable to be asked to wait a day or two? No, sir.
When do I go down? - Right now.
Itâs a long drive.
- Now? Car's here, waiting to take you there.
Well, Iâd better pack a few things.
They've got everything you'll need down there.
All you have to do, Major, is just get in the car and go.
[knocks on glass.]
Driver? [brakes screech.]
[man over PA.]
Show your badge.
[whirring.]
[man over PA.]
This is Level Seven.
You are to proceed to the recreation hall at the end of this corridor for initial briefing.
Keep moving and pay attention.
You are now 4,500 feet below the surface of the Earth.
Above you are six other levels.
The first four for civilians, the fifth for the Government, scientists and service chiefs, the sixth at 3,000 feet, for Defence Command and its electronic computers.
This level, the seventh and deepest, is entirely self-sufficient and completely secure from any possible form of attack.
You are the third and final intake of trained personnel for this establishment.
ln ordinary military terms, I am the General Officer in Command.
But we no longer use those terms here.
From now on, I am A10.
A for Administration.
One, zero because we do not use single digits.
This officer on my right, who is in charge of female personnel, and certain other administrative work, is A15.
The officer on my left, who is in charge of our medical unit, is M18.
ln due course, you'll be given one of the initial letters, indicating your department and range of duties, and your individual numbers.
I must warn you, that any use of surface given names, surnames, and former military rank, will be regarded as a serious breach of the discipline which is essential to our purpose.
This purpose I can now reveal to you.
We are here, beyond the reach of the enemy, to provide the supreme retaliatory force, which can, if necessary, absolutely annihilate all opposing enemy forces, once and for all.
From here, we can attack without being attacked.
To the world above we are invisible, but its destiny is in our hands.
Perhaps I should tell you why you've been chosen for this privilege.
Our tests have proved that none of you has any marked attachments to ordinary surface life.
No wives, husbands, parents, children or close personal friends, and would therefore react favourably to a new environment.
More efficient, rational, better controlled.
Most of you have come down here in the belief that it was for a final phase of training.
But this isn't going to be training, because none of us is going back.
Obviously, we can't go back to the surface.
Think of the security risk.
If an enemy knew where this operations centre was [shushing.]
Right, let's get these numbers settled first.
All you Operation Officers are X.
Now then You're X107.
You're X117.
You're X127.
And you're X137.
You'll be on duty here two at a time, because of space limitations, each team will have to share a room.
So, we'll take inner and outer numbers together.
X117 with X127.
X107 with X137.
Right? Good.
Now, you four.
Together with two other teams of four, will be responsible for continuous duty here in the Operation Room.
Each watch will last eight hours, during which time each team will work one hour on and one hour off.
All right.
Now then you two, come round.
You all have been trained to work with these illuminated defence maps and overall defence computers.
If an alert is sounded, this is what you do.
One of you says to the other, âReady to alert Controlâ, and the other replies âReady to alert Controlâ.
So there's no doubt you're both of the same mind.
Then, both together, you press these buttons.
Both together or nothing will happen.
That sends your decision to Control.
Now Iâd like you to try that.
We'll assume your instrument and map observations have told you that you've reached the point of alert.
All right.
- Ready to alert Control.
- Ready to alert Control.
Now press together.
[General.]
Yes.
Those are the buttons that send off the rockets and that light tells you that Control has been alerted.
Control will either give you the âAll clearâ.
Which means the alert is over or, you will be told to press one, or more, of those buttons.
And we must press them both at same time, like the alert button? If you don't, nothing will happen.
Itâs a check against, accidents.
That's our only function? A sort of human check against mechanical accidents? Yes.
Before the final alerting of Control, we have inserted human judgement.
The same with the actual firing of the rockets.
They're electronically controlled, guided to hit specific targets.
But you fellows press the buttons that let them loose.
You'll see what happens on the central map.
Which doesn't come into operation until we've taken the alert.
Why have we got four different buttons to push? They fire different types of rockets, thousands of them at a time.
If you press Button One, you release, batteries of rockets with atomic warheads up to five megatons.
They're aimed at concentrated installations.
Military and industrial.
Button Two releases rockets of up to 50 megatons.
They explode in the air, over cities.
Big centres of population.
Button Three rockets are as powerful, but they go deep underground before exploding.
But not as deep as this? Don't worry.
Even if their rockets are as good as ours, they still couldn't penetrate within 4,000 feet of us.
And what about Button Four? When you get that signal, you know we're giving them everything we've got.
The war's over and we've won if the Number Fours are let loose.
They explode specially rigged super-H bombs, that spread the maximum amount of highly radio-active dust.
Certain death to everything over there.
What about over here? You don't have to worry.
You're here on Level Seven.
Nothing can touch you here.
As a doctor I can tell you, compared with life here, existence up there on the surface is like living in a garbage pail.
[laughter.]
At last, you'll be breathing really pure air.
We grow our own plants to convert carbon dioxide back into oxygen.
Now, the food you'll eat mightn't interest a glutton.
But this contains all the necessary vitamins, calories, minerals, to give you a perfectly balanced, sustaining diet.
However, if at any time you think you need medical attention, just press the black button in your room, say who you are and ask for me or one of my staff.
Any questions? Er, yes.
Where does the food come from? Automatic dispensers.
Each of you will have marked on your 24 hour schedule, times to report to a meal dispenser.
On insertion of a ration token, the correct amount of synthetic dehydrated food is automatically taken out of the deep freeze, warmed, mixed with water and served.
What about waste products? Our waste products are drained off, filtered, dehydrated, and what's left is stored in the empty space behind the wall, that moves the food forward.
A great achievement that, just because space is so precious down here.
Well, that's a sketch of how most of your needs are taken care of.
But we can all think of another one.
Sex.
A15 will tell you how we handle that problem.
There's one thing.
I won't get fat on it.
I wouldn't have thought you'd have any problem.
Not usually.
But here Iâve got nothing to do but sit around.
That's about all Iâll be doing.
Sitting.
- What are you then? - Operations X127.
Oh! You're one of the important ones.
Iâm just a children's teacher.
But there aren't any children here? No, not now.
There will be.
As you know, there are as many women here as there are men.
This was part of our long-term planning for Level Seven.
From the first, we had to take into account the sex problem.
And it's going to be solved in a most sensible and satisfactory manner.
That is through marriage.
[crowd murmuring.]
Yes, marriages will be permitted on Level Seven.
We hope many of you will marry.
The psychological benefits enjoyed by most married couples are very considerable.
And then there must be children, to take over the running of the Level when they are old enough, and to continue the existence of our race, in this unique security which it provides.
[pop music plays.]
Pop music.
Try the other one.
Oh, classical stuff.
You know Iâve been thinking about this marriage business.
- Why? Fallen hard for somebody? - No.
If you'd said yes, Iâd have wondered how and when you did it.
No, but as the Doctor was saying, this place is full of fine, healthy girls, so why not have one of them? Which one? Any one? Of course not, any one.
But it should be easy to find one who'll do and who's willing.
How about you? No, thank you, 127.
Count me out.
Why? We're here.
Why not make the most of it? Because when I get married, I want it to be real.
I want all my feelings involved, and all her feelings.
The way things are set up for you here, 4,500 feet underground.
[woman over PA.]
Level Seven, deep underground, offers to a privileged few, a new way of life, free from insecurity, anxiety, and the menace to health of a mass urban existence.
What's that? They must be monitoring our private conversations, so they can answer us when we say something they think needs answering.
Still, that shouldn't worry you.
Go ahead, Get married on Level Seven.
[classical music plays loudly.]
Good morning.
Iâm sorry it has to be here, but there's nowhere else, not even my office, that's free and quite private.
Just stand together, will you? Now then.
X127, do you take this woman, R7 4 7, to be your wife? I do.
Do you, R7 47, take this man, X127, to be your husband? I do.
That's all then.
And here are your âMâ badges, to show that you're married.
You can use Married Room Number Two, between eight and nine o'clock tonight.
[woman over PA.]
Level Seven, deep underground, offers to a privileged few, a new way of life, free from insecurity, anxiety, and the menace to health of a mass urban existence.
Did you hear that? Iâve been trying it out.
Just because I said: âundergroundâ.
Itâs a bad word here.
Freedom's another.
I tried that one on it too.
Nobody's listening to us, that's where I was wrong.
A machine does it.
When the mic, here, sends it certain words, automatically those words start the tape correcting our ideas.
Listen! That's all right, 127, but what about democracy? Listen for the click now.
[click.]
Here we obey only impersonal commands, so that Level Seven is the only true democracy in the world today.
Got the idea? What tells us we're wrong, and Level Seven is right, is a machine.
We're pupils of a tape.
Itâs a tape that tells us that we've got a true democracy here.
A tape controls our feelings forever, and the same with the music.
Endless without ceasing.
Only after every 12 days the same tune comes back again.
- I have found that out.
- I still don't see what there is to get excited about.
Why don't you get married? I told you before.
Making the most of 60 minutes, having a girl on schedule That's not marriage.
And whatever they think it is, they can keep it.
I don't like this.
You know the load of responsibility these Operations Officers carry.
Iâd advise relieving him of duty until he's had some treatment.
He is becoming uncooperative, only wanting to make protests.
He should never have been sent down here.
All very well saying that now, but you know as well as I do the Operations Officers had more tests than anybody else.
Yes, but mostly done by machines.
If Iâd been given 20 minutes just to question this X117, Iâd have reported differently on him.
Possibly.
But he's here, doing his spells of duty, in the Operations Room.
Do I take him off now, or risk it? Iâd take him off, now, for treatment.
I say risk it, but keep an eye on him.
What the devilâs all this? Iâm nearly up to alert.
What are you getting? No, no, nothing like that.
But, wait a minute, it's going up now.
Watch it.
Iâm nearly there.
No, it's sticking well below, it's going to be all right.
That's just wishing.
Watch it.
This is it.
Ready to alert control.
Hurry up.
We have got to warn Control.
I can't do it, I just can't do it.
Press the button, damn you! Press it! [man over PA.]
Control to Operations Room.
All clear.
All clear.
[sound of rocket launching.]
No, no, no, no! No.
Button One, Button Two.
Button Three, Button Four.
Take it easy, 117, take it easy.
You've just been having a nightmare, that's all.
Yes, a nightmare.
Rockets, rockets, explosions! Cities to dust and ashes.
- Forget about them.
- How? It was just a false alarm, that's all.
The real thing will probably never happen.
Then what are we doing here? Buried a mile from where the sun's shining? I wasn't asked if I wanted to spend my life down here.
- Were you? - No, but we were trained for it.
Trained to read a certain sort of defence computer, that's all.
Not to spend the rest of our lives in a plastic test-tube, 4,500 feet deep.
They tricked us into coming down here, then slammed the door to keep us underground.
[woman over PA.]
Level Seven, deep underground, offers to a privileged few, a new way of life - Shut up! free from insecurity, - Shut up! anxiety and the-- Like a drink of water? Yes, please.
Thanks, 127, whoever you really are, or were.
What's the matter with your arm? I think it doesn't want to press any more buttons.
It doesn't want to be here at all.
It doesn't see why any of us should be here.
Itâs arguing the point.
It says that if the other side don't even know, we've got a Level Seven, then Level Seven can't stop anything, but can only ruin everything.
Our Number One Rockets, - for their Number One rockets.
- Never mind the rockets, what's the matter with your arm? I don't know.
Let's see.
Shake hands, my friend, shake hands.
Itâs paralysed.
I said it wasn't with us.
Just won't understand how lucky it is to be here on good, old Level Seven.
- Hello.
- Hello.
Well, we better introduce ourselves, Iâm X127.
Yeah.
Iâm X117.
No, you're not.
X117 was taken to hospital this morning.
That's when he stopped being X117.
Look.
- Morning, Wife! - Good morning, Husband! Married Room tonight.
- And very special too.
- Why special? Because today is our anniversary.
We've been married six months.
You know, we weren't supposed to bring anything down here.
But I had something in my pocket.
And I want to give it to you tonight.
Sort of, anniversary present.
Iâm sorry, I haven't got anything to give you.
I can't think of anything.
What would you like? Oh, the usual thing, just a nice bunch of flowers.
Flowers.
Iâd almost forgotten they existed.
Still Iâd like to be able to give you some.
Don't look like that.
I was only being silly.
But just imagine even one A real flower.
I must go.
Seven o'clock tonight.
[woman over PA.]
No admittance, except to Air Supply Officers, Control Engineers, and Senior Administrative Staff.
All messages through Communications.
ln other words, âBuzz off!â - That's what she's telling you, whoever she is.
- You Air Supply? - I am.
How do you get in? Door has to recognise your badge! [whirring.]
There she goes.
So long! Hey! What the-- [loud humming.]
[loud humming continues.]
[water trickling.]
[man.]
Look, here, Iâm telling you, I saw him! [water rippling, echoing.]
Let's forget about it, shall we? Is that Maintenance? [man over radio.]
Yes.
Who are you? This is Air Supply.
AS327.
The outer door here has jammed.
It won't shut and won't open properly.
Might be a failure in the circuit.
You haven't been trying to force it, have you? No, I haven't.
Naturally I tried to force it a bit.
I thought it had stuck.
Well, er Your present or my present first? Did you really find something I'd like? - I hope so.
- Yours first, then.
All right.
Well, close your eyes.
[gasps.]
A flower! A real flower! Where did you get it? Do you mean you won't tell me? If you don't know, then you can't tell.
Itâs much more fun that way.
- I think I can guess- - No, you can't.
Now, listen, what about my present? Itâs here.
You close your eyes.
All right.
Open your mouth.
- Chocolate! - Yes, real chocolate.
Come on, you have some.
- No, no, it's for you.
- Anything that's mine is yours.
- You have the bigger piece.
- All right.
Mmm.
- Isn't it good? - Good? Itâs terrific, fabulous.
Itâs so rich.
It was much too rich, that's all.
You're a Level Seven man now, 127, with a Level Seven digestive system, that works perfectly with the kind of food we give you.
But it can't take chocolate.
Much too rich.
How do you feel now? - Dizzy and weak.
- That's the purging.
You'll be all right in a day or two.
But no more chocolate.
- There isn't any more.
- There'd better not be.
Enjoy your wife, but not with chocolate.
Maybe marriage is too rich for Level Seven, like chocolate? Itâs all right now, you can take him away, Iâve finished with him.
Hey 117! You ought to know by now that 117 is the man who shares your quarters, and your spells of duty in Operations.
Not to me he isn't! Then you're asking for chocolate again! What have you done to him? The only thing possible.
Couldn't send him back up there.
Nor keep him down here in that unstable condition.
He'll be all right now.
We're all of us all right, aren't we? I think your pulse is still too high.
Come in, MR7 47.
I want to check a report Iâve had, before taking disciplinary action.
Is it true you are wearing a flower? I see.
Give it to me.
This flower can only have come from the Plant Section, strictly out of bounds to all except the Air Supply staff.
Did one of the Air Supply Officers give it to you? No.
I don't believe you broke into the Plant Room yourself.
Who did give it to you? - Is it important? - Of course.
Discipline is always important.
Iâd like to see the Plant Room myself, to watch the plants living and growing, putting out leaves and shoots, but rules are rules.
I have to keep them like everyone else.
Now, who gave you this flower? Very well.
It isn't very difficult to guess.
I heard about the chocolate incident.
I shall recommend to A10 that your use of the Married Room be suspended for one month.
Iâm sorry, it was all my fault.
It was both of you.
Anyway it won't do you any harm, not to see MX127 for a while.
I hear he's been talking rather foolishly lately.
He finds it difficult to forget life on the surface.
Life on the surface was nothing.
Mobs of aimless people, crowded streets, noise, fumes, newspapers and television.
Millions of people live like that and are happy.
Only unthinking people.
Would you like to go back? No.
Not anymore.
Now Iâm married and we'll have children, I hope, and, here, Iâll know they'll be safe.
Exactly.
Whatever happens they'll be safe.
And that's only possible here on Level Seven.
You may go.
Something's happening.
Itâs going up and up.
Same here.
Nearly up to alert.
- Iâm there.
- Me too.
Ready to alert control.
Ready to alert control.
[faint whirring.]
Last time we soon got the âAll clearâ.
Let's not talk.
This might be it.
[footsteps approaching.]
Don't worry about me.
Get your hands in position to press those buttons together the moment you're told.
If you're told.
Every second will be precious.
[man over PA.]
Press Button One.
Press Button One.
That's enough.
Get ready for Two.
Well they're on their way, then, the Number Ones.
Two thousand of them at least.
They'll be registering on the central map soon.
Nothing big from the other side yet? No more than when we gave the alert.
Who says so? Look.
There must be thousands coming! [man over PA.]
Press Button Two.
Press Button Two.
Two thousand times 50 megatons, due to explode over their heads in just a few minutes now.
They want war.
They're having it.
- And so are we.
- Not us, them.
Iâll be surprised if we're through yet.
[man over PA.]
Press Button Three.
Press Button Three.
Fifty megaton warheads again, every one of these.
Striking deep, exploding underground.
Look at the big map! Those must be our Number Ones arriving over there.
Look at them! Look at them! Hundreds! Thousands! Well, they asked for it, trying a surprise attack.
Look at the black spots coming up now.
They're all dangerously radio-active areas.
Wait until the Number Twos hit them, then the black will really spread.
I still can't convince myself we're really at war.
It just seems like another exercise.
That's all it is, down here.
We got sent to the right place, man.
Didn't you like anything up there? Not one damn little thing.
Let it fry.
Don't forget we're waiting for one last signal from Control to release the Number Fours.
Specially rigged super-H bombs.
The radioactive effects they'll have are something you couldn't dream about.
The fellows who rigged 'em could only guess at the minimum result.
Have the enemy got any of these rigged super-H bombs? Your guess is as good as mine.
[man over PA.]
Attention, Operations.
Attention, Operations.
- Press Button Four.
- [General.]
This is it, this is it.
Press Button Four.
Come on, 127.
What's the matter with you? Press Number Four, can't you? [loud ringing.]
Look man! Our Number Fours are hitting 'em.
And giving 'em plenty.
Look at the black spreading.
This is the Communications Room.
Here is A10 to make an announcement.
Attention everybody.
At 09:07 hours this morning, twelve H-bomb missiles fell, in various parts of our territory.
Ten of them in sparsely populated areas, two of them in big centres of population.
The enemy claimed that this was the accidental result, of a technical failure, not a deliberate act of hostility.
True or false, this claim arrived too late.
And in reply to our limited retaliation, by our Number One Rocket at 09:50, they released thousands of multi-megaton missiles, and, finally, at 11 :15, they began using highly radioactive rigged bombs, an act of complete barbarism for which, however, we were not unprepared.
We hit back with our rigged Number Fours.
The enemy's last bomb exploded at 11 :45.
The last of our bombs hit them at 12:10.
The war was over then, and we had won it.
[faint whirring.]
Don't you want me anymore? I told you, I was dreaming about it.
We were off, somewhere by ourselves.
Well, we're by ourselves here.
It wasn't a Married Room, it was somewhere of our own, up there, as it used to be.
I often think about it too, what we'd do if things were different.
But what's the use? We have to make the best of what we've got, and you're here and Iâm here.
You haven't seen the map.
I keep looking at the map- I don't care about maps, Itâs us-- I look at my hand too.
As though that might be turning black soon.
I keep washing it.
That's silly.
Look! Can't you feel my heart? Mine.
Yours too.
Belongs to you.
Now we're here together, no matter what is happening out there.
We're here, we're alive.
I ought to have said this before.
But at first I didn't know, and then when I did, I didn't know how to say it, I love you.
[exhales.]
Don't worry.
There'll be plenty of times when we'll be here together, soon you'll have forgotten what's been happening up there.
What's that you've got? The rigged super-H bombs they sent over, the highly radioactive ones, weren't what we expected them to be.
The dust worked faster, and in a different way.
Instead of starting with nausea and sickness, the way we'd all been told, it did something first to people's eyes so they couldn't see properly, and I think that's why both Levels One and Two stopped sending messages.
I mean, they were all groping round.
Yes, yes.
Was that all? Yes, except there was a tremendous panic on when they found out that their joints were becoming rigid.
- I kept on trying-- - Well, keep on.
What's that you've been getting? Itâs from that painter and his wife who went up from Level Three to explore the surface.
They took a portable television camera with them.
I wonder if I should try to get their pictures.
I told you, I don't want anyone down here to see.
It might make them feel restless.
Not now it won't.
It'll have the opposite effect.
They only took a battery transmitter.
It'll give out soon and their last pictures may come through any moment.
The ones Iâve seen already, made me glad to be down here.
Perhaps you're right.
Let them see it.
Attention please! Iâm trying to get through to the couple on the surface.
Keep it quiet or you won't hear them.
Perhaps you'll get some of their pictures Coming through now.
Go ahead.
We know we're dying, it's hard to speak at all.
So listen to us, you people down there in the caves.
There's nothing to see here, but twisted metal and radio-active dust.
Nothing, no birds are singing.
No flowers growing, no trees, no fields.
No men, no women, no children.
Bare burnt earth, tortured metal, murderous dust, Nothing to see, nothing to hope for, nothing to love.
The world is like a scorched ship, abandoned by the crew, It still revolves.
There's day and night, sun, moon and stars, but that's all.
Another dead planet.
Men and women down there, in the caves, we're dying, and we are glad.
Our last message, last broadcast from the face of the Earth.
All gone.
Birds, flowers, trees, fields, Well, we might as well face the facts.
Their side, ours, there'll soon be nothing up there but a radioactive desert.
Nothing growing, nothing living.
What have we done? [screams.]
[loud whirring, alarm sounding.]
Hey, come back! You can't go in there.
Hey! You can't go in there.
[scuffling.]
[water rippling, echoing.]
[splashing.]
Nothing from Three now.
Some broken messages and pictures from Level Four.
The radiation sickness had broken out there, people were staggering about half-blind.
They were cursing everybody on Level Five, political and military leaders especially, and there seemed to be some idea of trying to get down there.
They can't do that.
Itâs not possible! They were going to have a try.
Keep listening! Try to get more pictures.
There's nothing from Four.
Absolutely dead.
Iâll try Level Five.
[clicking.]
[indistinct chatter over radio.]
Iâm picking up a message direct from the enemy.
- What is it, man, what is it? - Wait a minute! [indecipherable noises.]
We have picked up a radio message direct from the enemy which was being sent to our Headquarters, on Level Five.
It offered to conclude a peace treaty with us.
Apparently, only a thousand of the enemy, secure in the deepest military level, are still alive.
On the basis of this information we're in a favourable position.
We'll negotiate from strength.
- Yes? - Just one question, if you don't mind.
What are we going to negotiate about? Well, that won't be your concern, X127.
We can leave all that to our Leaders and superior Officers.
But if you really want to know, then what are peace negotiations generally concerned with? Territory, strategic positions, wealth, markets, and so on But there aren't any markets, wealth, strategic positions, territory.
Everything's gone.
Not while there's a duly constituted authority, to give us our orders, X127.
I must remind you, all of you, that you are still in the service of your country.
Meanwhile, that is the situation.
The enemy, knowing they have lost the war, are now suing for peace.
[low humming of vacuum cleaner.]
X117? Yes, it is.
X117.
Don't you remember? We shared a room together, we sat on duty here.
What happened to you? I don't know.
I can't remember.
Can't you remember anything? Sometimes I remember things, strange things.
Sunlight, other places.
What's happened to it all? We've destroyed it.
We've burnt it, blasted it, and turned it all into murderous filth.
Why did we do that? What was wrong with, it? There was nothing wrong with it.
Then why? Because there was something wrong with us.
[vacuum cleaner starts up.]
Come on, man.
You won't pick up anything sitting like that.
Iâve only just stopped trying.
There's nothing to pick up.
Nonsense! What are the other side saying now, about the peace treaty? They're not saying anything.
They're out, finished.
Finished? - Get me Level Five at once.
- I can't.
Iâve been trying ever since I came on duty.
Not a word, not a single picture.
I see.
Well, Level Six, then.
Same thing.
They're out.
That's not possible.
I don't believe it.
Try again, Iâve tried for hours.
Iâve stared at this set so long, my eyes don't know what they're looking at.
Itâs no use.
I tell you, there isn't any Level Five or Level Six.
They're out, gone, finished! Put me through to Level Six, and then get out of that chair.
Level Seven calling Level Six! Level Seven calling Level Six! I can hear something.
I knew you were wrong.
Very faint, but I can hear something.
Yes? Speak up, can't you? [indistinct speech.]
Level Seven here, receiving you.
You I was wrong, then.
Iâm sorry.
You weren't far wrong.
What I heard was the last man on Level Six able to speak, possibly the last man left alive, warning us that the radiation was on its way.
Seeping down to us.
I recognised his voice.
A good soldier.
Major General Butler.
He used to be a friend of mine.
Are you all right, sir? Yes, of course.
Doctor! You've got to look at him, he's quite rigid.
Get him in this chair.
And don't crowd us, you people.
Is it radiation sickness? He's ill, that's all.
I think it's radiation sickness.
It couldn't reach us this far down.
We don't know what's happening.
I know it's radiation sickness.
Doctor, what is it? Tell me.
Iâm frightened.
Well, stop being frightened and shut up.
If you'll wait a moment, Iâll explain what's happened.
You must be on duty, you'd better get back to the Communications Room.
The Communication Room is useless.
The last messages came through hours ago.
What about Level Six? Out! Done for! Dead and gone! [gasps from crowd.]
Don't start panicking.
Listen to me.
This radio operator's been on duty half the day and half the night.
His stomach's reacting badly to exhaustion and anxiety, and he's suffering from severe eye strain.
So don't start screaming about radiation sickness.
And as for the news about Level Six, it doesn't surprise me.
They took a chance going down only 3,000 feet.
We're 4,500 feet down.
That gives us complete security.
Iâve told you before, I tell you again.
You're safe.
What does the General say? I don't know why you should think Administration understands these problems better than your Medical Staff.
However, if it'll make you any happier to learn what the General thinks, we'll go and ask him.
Come on.
Why do you want to keep staring at that thing? Itâs all gone, and we can't help it.
We're here together, we're alive, we're safe.
And that's all that matters, isn't it? It is now, to me.
But you talk as if you don't even want us to be safe.
What I want isn't going to make any difference.
- It might have done years ago.
- Never mind about years ago.
But it's what happened years ago, when we all went wrong, when we destroyed everything up there.
And brought us here to die like blind rats in a sewer.
That isn't true.
- What isn't true? - About being blind.
Itâs different here.
We're too far away.
You heard what the doctor said.
The doctor was wrong.
He's been wrong, for a long, long time.
We let something loose we couldn't begin to control.
And now it's wiping us off this planet like dirt on a window pane.
- Doctor, you can't-- - No, don't come close to me, either of you.
Any trouble with your sight yet, any sickness, any nausea? - Rigidity of the joints? - No, not yet.
Get out of here up to the Plant Section.
Try up there by Central Control.
Not so many people.
Just a chance.
Hurry.
Goodbye, Doctor.
Goodbye.
[whirring.]
[whirring becoming louder, alarm sounding.]
[man over PA.]
Show your badge.
Press Button Three.
Press Button Four.
Press Button One.
Press Button Two.
Press Button Three.
Press Button Four.
- What is it? - Press Button One.
Press Button Two.
Itâs the tape that told me to destroy a continent.
Just a machine! We built the machines, oh, we were very clever people, and then the machines told us what to do, and we did it.
The cleverest people who ever lived [voice over tannoy continues.]
only we didn't live.
Please.
Switch it off.
That's better.
Iâm sorry, but I don't think I can go very far.
Just as far as the Plant Room.
Perhaps we can breathe there.
Yes.
[water trickling.]
[splashing.]
Isn't there anybody alive anywhere? There might be, in submarines under the North Pole or in deep mine shafts in Australia who might escape the radiation.
I don't know.
[classical music plays faintly.]
Anyway, the music will go on.
It repeats every 12 days, did you know that? Every 12 days till eternity.
Iâm very tired.
It seems to be getting dark l think Iâll go to sleep.
Yes, go to sleep.
Good night, my love.
Good night, my love.
- You wanted to see me, sir? - Yes.
Come in, take a seat.
Iâve some good news for you.
The final report on your work, with defence computers has come in, and it's excellent! Excellent! Your promotion to major has come through.
And some leave.
Three weeks, almost immediately.
- Thank you, sir.
- But you'll have to wait a day or two.
Just to finish off your training.
You've been ordered down, yes, to the deep installations.
And after they've shown you what got down there, then leave.
Not unreasonable to be asked to wait a day or two? No, sir.
When do I go down? - Right now.
Itâs a long drive.
- Now? Car's here, waiting to take you there.
Well, Iâd better pack a few things.
They've got everything you'll need down there.
All you have to do, Major, is just get in the car and go.
[knocks on glass.]
Driver? [brakes screech.]
[man over PA.]
Show your badge.
[whirring.]
[man over PA.]
This is Level Seven.
You are to proceed to the recreation hall at the end of this corridor for initial briefing.
Keep moving and pay attention.
You are now 4,500 feet below the surface of the Earth.
Above you are six other levels.
The first four for civilians, the fifth for the Government, scientists and service chiefs, the sixth at 3,000 feet, for Defence Command and its electronic computers.
This level, the seventh and deepest, is entirely self-sufficient and completely secure from any possible form of attack.
You are the third and final intake of trained personnel for this establishment.
ln ordinary military terms, I am the General Officer in Command.
But we no longer use those terms here.
From now on, I am A10.
A for Administration.
One, zero because we do not use single digits.
This officer on my right, who is in charge of female personnel, and certain other administrative work, is A15.
The officer on my left, who is in charge of our medical unit, is M18.
ln due course, you'll be given one of the initial letters, indicating your department and range of duties, and your individual numbers.
I must warn you, that any use of surface given names, surnames, and former military rank, will be regarded as a serious breach of the discipline which is essential to our purpose.
This purpose I can now reveal to you.
We are here, beyond the reach of the enemy, to provide the supreme retaliatory force, which can, if necessary, absolutely annihilate all opposing enemy forces, once and for all.
From here, we can attack without being attacked.
To the world above we are invisible, but its destiny is in our hands.
Perhaps I should tell you why you've been chosen for this privilege.
Our tests have proved that none of you has any marked attachments to ordinary surface life.
No wives, husbands, parents, children or close personal friends, and would therefore react favourably to a new environment.
More efficient, rational, better controlled.
Most of you have come down here in the belief that it was for a final phase of training.
But this isn't going to be training, because none of us is going back.
Obviously, we can't go back to the surface.
Think of the security risk.
If an enemy knew where this operations centre was [shushing.]
Right, let's get these numbers settled first.
All you Operation Officers are X.
Now then You're X107.
You're X117.
You're X127.
And you're X137.
You'll be on duty here two at a time, because of space limitations, each team will have to share a room.
So, we'll take inner and outer numbers together.
X117 with X127.
X107 with X137.
Right? Good.
Now, you four.
Together with two other teams of four, will be responsible for continuous duty here in the Operation Room.
Each watch will last eight hours, during which time each team will work one hour on and one hour off.
All right.
Now then you two, come round.
You all have been trained to work with these illuminated defence maps and overall defence computers.
If an alert is sounded, this is what you do.
One of you says to the other, âReady to alert Controlâ, and the other replies âReady to alert Controlâ.
So there's no doubt you're both of the same mind.
Then, both together, you press these buttons.
Both together or nothing will happen.
That sends your decision to Control.
Now Iâd like you to try that.
We'll assume your instrument and map observations have told you that you've reached the point of alert.
All right.
- Ready to alert Control.
- Ready to alert Control.
Now press together.
[General.]
Yes.
Those are the buttons that send off the rockets and that light tells you that Control has been alerted.
Control will either give you the âAll clearâ.
Which means the alert is over or, you will be told to press one, or more, of those buttons.
And we must press them both at same time, like the alert button? If you don't, nothing will happen.
Itâs a check against, accidents.
That's our only function? A sort of human check against mechanical accidents? Yes.
Before the final alerting of Control, we have inserted human judgement.
The same with the actual firing of the rockets.
They're electronically controlled, guided to hit specific targets.
But you fellows press the buttons that let them loose.
You'll see what happens on the central map.
Which doesn't come into operation until we've taken the alert.
Why have we got four different buttons to push? They fire different types of rockets, thousands of them at a time.
If you press Button One, you release, batteries of rockets with atomic warheads up to five megatons.
They're aimed at concentrated installations.
Military and industrial.
Button Two releases rockets of up to 50 megatons.
They explode in the air, over cities.
Big centres of population.
Button Three rockets are as powerful, but they go deep underground before exploding.
But not as deep as this? Don't worry.
Even if their rockets are as good as ours, they still couldn't penetrate within 4,000 feet of us.
And what about Button Four? When you get that signal, you know we're giving them everything we've got.
The war's over and we've won if the Number Fours are let loose.
They explode specially rigged super-H bombs, that spread the maximum amount of highly radio-active dust.
Certain death to everything over there.
What about over here? You don't have to worry.
You're here on Level Seven.
Nothing can touch you here.
As a doctor I can tell you, compared with life here, existence up there on the surface is like living in a garbage pail.
[laughter.]
At last, you'll be breathing really pure air.
We grow our own plants to convert carbon dioxide back into oxygen.
Now, the food you'll eat mightn't interest a glutton.
But this contains all the necessary vitamins, calories, minerals, to give you a perfectly balanced, sustaining diet.
However, if at any time you think you need medical attention, just press the black button in your room, say who you are and ask for me or one of my staff.
Any questions? Er, yes.
Where does the food come from? Automatic dispensers.
Each of you will have marked on your 24 hour schedule, times to report to a meal dispenser.
On insertion of a ration token, the correct amount of synthetic dehydrated food is automatically taken out of the deep freeze, warmed, mixed with water and served.
What about waste products? Our waste products are drained off, filtered, dehydrated, and what's left is stored in the empty space behind the wall, that moves the food forward.
A great achievement that, just because space is so precious down here.
Well, that's a sketch of how most of your needs are taken care of.
But we can all think of another one.
Sex.
A15 will tell you how we handle that problem.
There's one thing.
I won't get fat on it.
I wouldn't have thought you'd have any problem.
Not usually.
But here Iâve got nothing to do but sit around.
That's about all Iâll be doing.
Sitting.
- What are you then? - Operations X127.
Oh! You're one of the important ones.
Iâm just a children's teacher.
But there aren't any children here? No, not now.
There will be.
As you know, there are as many women here as there are men.
This was part of our long-term planning for Level Seven.
From the first, we had to take into account the sex problem.
And it's going to be solved in a most sensible and satisfactory manner.
That is through marriage.
[crowd murmuring.]
Yes, marriages will be permitted on Level Seven.
We hope many of you will marry.
The psychological benefits enjoyed by most married couples are very considerable.
And then there must be children, to take over the running of the Level when they are old enough, and to continue the existence of our race, in this unique security which it provides.
[pop music plays.]
Pop music.
Try the other one.
Oh, classical stuff.
You know Iâve been thinking about this marriage business.
- Why? Fallen hard for somebody? - No.
If you'd said yes, Iâd have wondered how and when you did it.
No, but as the Doctor was saying, this place is full of fine, healthy girls, so why not have one of them? Which one? Any one? Of course not, any one.
But it should be easy to find one who'll do and who's willing.
How about you? No, thank you, 127.
Count me out.
Why? We're here.
Why not make the most of it? Because when I get married, I want it to be real.
I want all my feelings involved, and all her feelings.
The way things are set up for you here, 4,500 feet underground.
[woman over PA.]
Level Seven, deep underground, offers to a privileged few, a new way of life, free from insecurity, anxiety, and the menace to health of a mass urban existence.
What's that? They must be monitoring our private conversations, so they can answer us when we say something they think needs answering.
Still, that shouldn't worry you.
Go ahead, Get married on Level Seven.
[classical music plays loudly.]
Good morning.
Iâm sorry it has to be here, but there's nowhere else, not even my office, that's free and quite private.
Just stand together, will you? Now then.
X127, do you take this woman, R7 4 7, to be your wife? I do.
Do you, R7 47, take this man, X127, to be your husband? I do.
That's all then.
And here are your âMâ badges, to show that you're married.
You can use Married Room Number Two, between eight and nine o'clock tonight.
[woman over PA.]
Level Seven, deep underground, offers to a privileged few, a new way of life, free from insecurity, anxiety, and the menace to health of a mass urban existence.
Did you hear that? Iâve been trying it out.
Just because I said: âundergroundâ.
Itâs a bad word here.
Freedom's another.
I tried that one on it too.
Nobody's listening to us, that's where I was wrong.
A machine does it.
When the mic, here, sends it certain words, automatically those words start the tape correcting our ideas.
Listen! That's all right, 127, but what about democracy? Listen for the click now.
[click.]
Here we obey only impersonal commands, so that Level Seven is the only true democracy in the world today.
Got the idea? What tells us we're wrong, and Level Seven is right, is a machine.
We're pupils of a tape.
Itâs a tape that tells us that we've got a true democracy here.
A tape controls our feelings forever, and the same with the music.
Endless without ceasing.
Only after every 12 days the same tune comes back again.
- I have found that out.
- I still don't see what there is to get excited about.
Why don't you get married? I told you before.
Making the most of 60 minutes, having a girl on schedule That's not marriage.
And whatever they think it is, they can keep it.
I don't like this.
You know the load of responsibility these Operations Officers carry.
Iâd advise relieving him of duty until he's had some treatment.
He is becoming uncooperative, only wanting to make protests.
He should never have been sent down here.
All very well saying that now, but you know as well as I do the Operations Officers had more tests than anybody else.
Yes, but mostly done by machines.
If Iâd been given 20 minutes just to question this X117, Iâd have reported differently on him.
Possibly.
But he's here, doing his spells of duty, in the Operations Room.
Do I take him off now, or risk it? Iâd take him off, now, for treatment.
I say risk it, but keep an eye on him.
What the devilâs all this? Iâm nearly up to alert.
What are you getting? No, no, nothing like that.
But, wait a minute, it's going up now.
Watch it.
Iâm nearly there.
No, it's sticking well below, it's going to be all right.
That's just wishing.
Watch it.
This is it.
Ready to alert control.
Hurry up.
We have got to warn Control.
I can't do it, I just can't do it.
Press the button, damn you! Press it! [man over PA.]
Control to Operations Room.
All clear.
All clear.
[sound of rocket launching.]
No, no, no, no! No.
Button One, Button Two.
Button Three, Button Four.
Take it easy, 117, take it easy.
You've just been having a nightmare, that's all.
Yes, a nightmare.
Rockets, rockets, explosions! Cities to dust and ashes.
- Forget about them.
- How? It was just a false alarm, that's all.
The real thing will probably never happen.
Then what are we doing here? Buried a mile from where the sun's shining? I wasn't asked if I wanted to spend my life down here.
- Were you? - No, but we were trained for it.
Trained to read a certain sort of defence computer, that's all.
Not to spend the rest of our lives in a plastic test-tube, 4,500 feet deep.
They tricked us into coming down here, then slammed the door to keep us underground.
[woman over PA.]
Level Seven, deep underground, offers to a privileged few, a new way of life - Shut up! free from insecurity, - Shut up! anxiety and the-- Like a drink of water? Yes, please.
Thanks, 127, whoever you really are, or were.
What's the matter with your arm? I think it doesn't want to press any more buttons.
It doesn't want to be here at all.
It doesn't see why any of us should be here.
Itâs arguing the point.
It says that if the other side don't even know, we've got a Level Seven, then Level Seven can't stop anything, but can only ruin everything.
Our Number One Rockets, - for their Number One rockets.
- Never mind the rockets, what's the matter with your arm? I don't know.
Let's see.
Shake hands, my friend, shake hands.
Itâs paralysed.
I said it wasn't with us.
Just won't understand how lucky it is to be here on good, old Level Seven.
- Hello.
- Hello.
Well, we better introduce ourselves, Iâm X127.
Yeah.
Iâm X117.
No, you're not.
X117 was taken to hospital this morning.
That's when he stopped being X117.
Look.
- Morning, Wife! - Good morning, Husband! Married Room tonight.
- And very special too.
- Why special? Because today is our anniversary.
We've been married six months.
You know, we weren't supposed to bring anything down here.
But I had something in my pocket.
And I want to give it to you tonight.
Sort of, anniversary present.
Iâm sorry, I haven't got anything to give you.
I can't think of anything.
What would you like? Oh, the usual thing, just a nice bunch of flowers.
Flowers.
Iâd almost forgotten they existed.
Still Iâd like to be able to give you some.
Don't look like that.
I was only being silly.
But just imagine even one A real flower.
I must go.
Seven o'clock tonight.
[woman over PA.]
No admittance, except to Air Supply Officers, Control Engineers, and Senior Administrative Staff.
All messages through Communications.
ln other words, âBuzz off!â - That's what she's telling you, whoever she is.
- You Air Supply? - I am.
How do you get in? Door has to recognise your badge! [whirring.]
There she goes.
So long! Hey! What the-- [loud humming.]
[loud humming continues.]
[water trickling.]
[man.]
Look, here, Iâm telling you, I saw him! [water rippling, echoing.]
Let's forget about it, shall we? Is that Maintenance? [man over radio.]
Yes.
Who are you? This is Air Supply.
AS327.
The outer door here has jammed.
It won't shut and won't open properly.
Might be a failure in the circuit.
You haven't been trying to force it, have you? No, I haven't.
Naturally I tried to force it a bit.
I thought it had stuck.
Well, er Your present or my present first? Did you really find something I'd like? - I hope so.
- Yours first, then.
All right.
Well, close your eyes.
[gasps.]
A flower! A real flower! Where did you get it? Do you mean you won't tell me? If you don't know, then you can't tell.
Itâs much more fun that way.
- I think I can guess- - No, you can't.
Now, listen, what about my present? Itâs here.
You close your eyes.
All right.
Open your mouth.
- Chocolate! - Yes, real chocolate.
Come on, you have some.
- No, no, it's for you.
- Anything that's mine is yours.
- You have the bigger piece.
- All right.
Mmm.
- Isn't it good? - Good? Itâs terrific, fabulous.
Itâs so rich.
It was much too rich, that's all.
You're a Level Seven man now, 127, with a Level Seven digestive system, that works perfectly with the kind of food we give you.
But it can't take chocolate.
Much too rich.
How do you feel now? - Dizzy and weak.
- That's the purging.
You'll be all right in a day or two.
But no more chocolate.
- There isn't any more.
- There'd better not be.
Enjoy your wife, but not with chocolate.
Maybe marriage is too rich for Level Seven, like chocolate? Itâs all right now, you can take him away, Iâve finished with him.
Hey 117! You ought to know by now that 117 is the man who shares your quarters, and your spells of duty in Operations.
Not to me he isn't! Then you're asking for chocolate again! What have you done to him? The only thing possible.
Couldn't send him back up there.
Nor keep him down here in that unstable condition.
He'll be all right now.
We're all of us all right, aren't we? I think your pulse is still too high.
Come in, MR7 47.
I want to check a report Iâve had, before taking disciplinary action.
Is it true you are wearing a flower? I see.
Give it to me.
This flower can only have come from the Plant Section, strictly out of bounds to all except the Air Supply staff.
Did one of the Air Supply Officers give it to you? No.
I don't believe you broke into the Plant Room yourself.
Who did give it to you? - Is it important? - Of course.
Discipline is always important.
Iâd like to see the Plant Room myself, to watch the plants living and growing, putting out leaves and shoots, but rules are rules.
I have to keep them like everyone else.
Now, who gave you this flower? Very well.
It isn't very difficult to guess.
I heard about the chocolate incident.
I shall recommend to A10 that your use of the Married Room be suspended for one month.
Iâm sorry, it was all my fault.
It was both of you.
Anyway it won't do you any harm, not to see MX127 for a while.
I hear he's been talking rather foolishly lately.
He finds it difficult to forget life on the surface.
Life on the surface was nothing.
Mobs of aimless people, crowded streets, noise, fumes, newspapers and television.
Millions of people live like that and are happy.
Only unthinking people.
Would you like to go back? No.
Not anymore.
Now Iâm married and we'll have children, I hope, and, here, Iâll know they'll be safe.
Exactly.
Whatever happens they'll be safe.
And that's only possible here on Level Seven.
You may go.
Something's happening.
Itâs going up and up.
Same here.
Nearly up to alert.
- Iâm there.
- Me too.
Ready to alert control.
Ready to alert control.
[faint whirring.]
Last time we soon got the âAll clearâ.
Let's not talk.
This might be it.
[footsteps approaching.]
Don't worry about me.
Get your hands in position to press those buttons together the moment you're told.
If you're told.
Every second will be precious.
[man over PA.]
Press Button One.
Press Button One.
That's enough.
Get ready for Two.
Well they're on their way, then, the Number Ones.
Two thousand of them at least.
They'll be registering on the central map soon.
Nothing big from the other side yet? No more than when we gave the alert.
Who says so? Look.
There must be thousands coming! [man over PA.]
Press Button Two.
Press Button Two.
Two thousand times 50 megatons, due to explode over their heads in just a few minutes now.
They want war.
They're having it.
- And so are we.
- Not us, them.
Iâll be surprised if we're through yet.
[man over PA.]
Press Button Three.
Press Button Three.
Fifty megaton warheads again, every one of these.
Striking deep, exploding underground.
Look at the big map! Those must be our Number Ones arriving over there.
Look at them! Look at them! Hundreds! Thousands! Well, they asked for it, trying a surprise attack.
Look at the black spots coming up now.
They're all dangerously radio-active areas.
Wait until the Number Twos hit them, then the black will really spread.
I still can't convince myself we're really at war.
It just seems like another exercise.
That's all it is, down here.
We got sent to the right place, man.
Didn't you like anything up there? Not one damn little thing.
Let it fry.
Don't forget we're waiting for one last signal from Control to release the Number Fours.
Specially rigged super-H bombs.
The radioactive effects they'll have are something you couldn't dream about.
The fellows who rigged 'em could only guess at the minimum result.
Have the enemy got any of these rigged super-H bombs? Your guess is as good as mine.
[man over PA.]
Attention, Operations.
Attention, Operations.
- Press Button Four.
- [General.]
This is it, this is it.
Press Button Four.
Come on, 127.
What's the matter with you? Press Number Four, can't you? [loud ringing.]
Look man! Our Number Fours are hitting 'em.
And giving 'em plenty.
Look at the black spreading.
This is the Communications Room.
Here is A10 to make an announcement.
Attention everybody.
At 09:07 hours this morning, twelve H-bomb missiles fell, in various parts of our territory.
Ten of them in sparsely populated areas, two of them in big centres of population.
The enemy claimed that this was the accidental result, of a technical failure, not a deliberate act of hostility.
True or false, this claim arrived too late.
And in reply to our limited retaliation, by our Number One Rocket at 09:50, they released thousands of multi-megaton missiles, and, finally, at 11 :15, they began using highly radioactive rigged bombs, an act of complete barbarism for which, however, we were not unprepared.
We hit back with our rigged Number Fours.
The enemy's last bomb exploded at 11 :45.
The last of our bombs hit them at 12:10.
The war was over then, and we had won it.
[faint whirring.]
Don't you want me anymore? I told you, I was dreaming about it.
We were off, somewhere by ourselves.
Well, we're by ourselves here.
It wasn't a Married Room, it was somewhere of our own, up there, as it used to be.
I often think about it too, what we'd do if things were different.
But what's the use? We have to make the best of what we've got, and you're here and Iâm here.
You haven't seen the map.
I keep looking at the map- I don't care about maps, Itâs us-- I look at my hand too.
As though that might be turning black soon.
I keep washing it.
That's silly.
Look! Can't you feel my heart? Mine.
Yours too.
Belongs to you.
Now we're here together, no matter what is happening out there.
We're here, we're alive.
I ought to have said this before.
But at first I didn't know, and then when I did, I didn't know how to say it, I love you.
[exhales.]
Don't worry.
There'll be plenty of times when we'll be here together, soon you'll have forgotten what's been happening up there.
What's that you've got? The rigged super-H bombs they sent over, the highly radioactive ones, weren't what we expected them to be.
The dust worked faster, and in a different way.
Instead of starting with nausea and sickness, the way we'd all been told, it did something first to people's eyes so they couldn't see properly, and I think that's why both Levels One and Two stopped sending messages.
I mean, they were all groping round.
Yes, yes.
Was that all? Yes, except there was a tremendous panic on when they found out that their joints were becoming rigid.
- I kept on trying-- - Well, keep on.
What's that you've been getting? Itâs from that painter and his wife who went up from Level Three to explore the surface.
They took a portable television camera with them.
I wonder if I should try to get their pictures.
I told you, I don't want anyone down here to see.
It might make them feel restless.
Not now it won't.
It'll have the opposite effect.
They only took a battery transmitter.
It'll give out soon and their last pictures may come through any moment.
The ones Iâve seen already, made me glad to be down here.
Perhaps you're right.
Let them see it.
Attention please! Iâm trying to get through to the couple on the surface.
Keep it quiet or you won't hear them.
Perhaps you'll get some of their pictures Coming through now.
Go ahead.
We know we're dying, it's hard to speak at all.
So listen to us, you people down there in the caves.
There's nothing to see here, but twisted metal and radio-active dust.
Nothing, no birds are singing.
No flowers growing, no trees, no fields.
No men, no women, no children.
Bare burnt earth, tortured metal, murderous dust, Nothing to see, nothing to hope for, nothing to love.
The world is like a scorched ship, abandoned by the crew, It still revolves.
There's day and night, sun, moon and stars, but that's all.
Another dead planet.
Men and women down there, in the caves, we're dying, and we are glad.
Our last message, last broadcast from the face of the Earth.
All gone.
Birds, flowers, trees, fields, Well, we might as well face the facts.
Their side, ours, there'll soon be nothing up there but a radioactive desert.
Nothing growing, nothing living.
What have we done? [screams.]
[loud whirring, alarm sounding.]
Hey, come back! You can't go in there.
Hey! You can't go in there.
[scuffling.]
[water rippling, echoing.]
[splashing.]
Nothing from Three now.
Some broken messages and pictures from Level Four.
The radiation sickness had broken out there, people were staggering about half-blind.
They were cursing everybody on Level Five, political and military leaders especially, and there seemed to be some idea of trying to get down there.
They can't do that.
Itâs not possible! They were going to have a try.
Keep listening! Try to get more pictures.
There's nothing from Four.
Absolutely dead.
Iâll try Level Five.
[clicking.]
[indistinct chatter over radio.]
Iâm picking up a message direct from the enemy.
- What is it, man, what is it? - Wait a minute! [indecipherable noises.]
We have picked up a radio message direct from the enemy which was being sent to our Headquarters, on Level Five.
It offered to conclude a peace treaty with us.
Apparently, only a thousand of the enemy, secure in the deepest military level, are still alive.
On the basis of this information we're in a favourable position.
We'll negotiate from strength.
- Yes? - Just one question, if you don't mind.
What are we going to negotiate about? Well, that won't be your concern, X127.
We can leave all that to our Leaders and superior Officers.
But if you really want to know, then what are peace negotiations generally concerned with? Territory, strategic positions, wealth, markets, and so on But there aren't any markets, wealth, strategic positions, territory.
Everything's gone.
Not while there's a duly constituted authority, to give us our orders, X127.
I must remind you, all of you, that you are still in the service of your country.
Meanwhile, that is the situation.
The enemy, knowing they have lost the war, are now suing for peace.
[low humming of vacuum cleaner.]
X117? Yes, it is.
X117.
Don't you remember? We shared a room together, we sat on duty here.
What happened to you? I don't know.
I can't remember.
Can't you remember anything? Sometimes I remember things, strange things.
Sunlight, other places.
What's happened to it all? We've destroyed it.
We've burnt it, blasted it, and turned it all into murderous filth.
Why did we do that? What was wrong with, it? There was nothing wrong with it.
Then why? Because there was something wrong with us.
[vacuum cleaner starts up.]
Come on, man.
You won't pick up anything sitting like that.
Iâve only just stopped trying.
There's nothing to pick up.
Nonsense! What are the other side saying now, about the peace treaty? They're not saying anything.
They're out, finished.
Finished? - Get me Level Five at once.
- I can't.
Iâve been trying ever since I came on duty.
Not a word, not a single picture.
I see.
Well, Level Six, then.
Same thing.
They're out.
That's not possible.
I don't believe it.
Try again, Iâve tried for hours.
Iâve stared at this set so long, my eyes don't know what they're looking at.
Itâs no use.
I tell you, there isn't any Level Five or Level Six.
They're out, gone, finished! Put me through to Level Six, and then get out of that chair.
Level Seven calling Level Six! Level Seven calling Level Six! I can hear something.
I knew you were wrong.
Very faint, but I can hear something.
Yes? Speak up, can't you? [indistinct speech.]
Level Seven here, receiving you.
You I was wrong, then.
Iâm sorry.
You weren't far wrong.
What I heard was the last man on Level Six able to speak, possibly the last man left alive, warning us that the radiation was on its way.
Seeping down to us.
I recognised his voice.
A good soldier.
Major General Butler.
He used to be a friend of mine.
Are you all right, sir? Yes, of course.
Doctor! You've got to look at him, he's quite rigid.
Get him in this chair.
And don't crowd us, you people.
Is it radiation sickness? He's ill, that's all.
I think it's radiation sickness.
It couldn't reach us this far down.
We don't know what's happening.
I know it's radiation sickness.
Doctor, what is it? Tell me.
Iâm frightened.
Well, stop being frightened and shut up.
If you'll wait a moment, Iâll explain what's happened.
You must be on duty, you'd better get back to the Communications Room.
The Communication Room is useless.
The last messages came through hours ago.
What about Level Six? Out! Done for! Dead and gone! [gasps from crowd.]
Don't start panicking.
Listen to me.
This radio operator's been on duty half the day and half the night.
His stomach's reacting badly to exhaustion and anxiety, and he's suffering from severe eye strain.
So don't start screaming about radiation sickness.
And as for the news about Level Six, it doesn't surprise me.
They took a chance going down only 3,000 feet.
We're 4,500 feet down.
That gives us complete security.
Iâve told you before, I tell you again.
You're safe.
What does the General say? I don't know why you should think Administration understands these problems better than your Medical Staff.
However, if it'll make you any happier to learn what the General thinks, we'll go and ask him.
Come on.
Why do you want to keep staring at that thing? Itâs all gone, and we can't help it.
We're here together, we're alive, we're safe.
And that's all that matters, isn't it? It is now, to me.
But you talk as if you don't even want us to be safe.
What I want isn't going to make any difference.
- It might have done years ago.
- Never mind about years ago.
But it's what happened years ago, when we all went wrong, when we destroyed everything up there.
And brought us here to die like blind rats in a sewer.
That isn't true.
- What isn't true? - About being blind.
Itâs different here.
We're too far away.
You heard what the doctor said.
The doctor was wrong.
He's been wrong, for a long, long time.
We let something loose we couldn't begin to control.
And now it's wiping us off this planet like dirt on a window pane.
- Doctor, you can't-- - No, don't come close to me, either of you.
Any trouble with your sight yet, any sickness, any nausea? - Rigidity of the joints? - No, not yet.
Get out of here up to the Plant Section.
Try up there by Central Control.
Not so many people.
Just a chance.
Hurry.
Goodbye, Doctor.
Goodbye.
[whirring.]
[whirring becoming louder, alarm sounding.]
[man over PA.]
Show your badge.
Press Button Three.
Press Button Four.
Press Button One.
Press Button Two.
Press Button Three.
Press Button Four.
- What is it? - Press Button One.
Press Button Two.
Itâs the tape that told me to destroy a continent.
Just a machine! We built the machines, oh, we were very clever people, and then the machines told us what to do, and we did it.
The cleverest people who ever lived [voice over tannoy continues.]
only we didn't live.
Please.
Switch it off.
That's better.
Iâm sorry, but I don't think I can go very far.
Just as far as the Plant Room.
Perhaps we can breathe there.
Yes.
[water trickling.]
[splashing.]
Isn't there anybody alive anywhere? There might be, in submarines under the North Pole or in deep mine shafts in Australia who might escape the radiation.
I don't know.
[classical music plays faintly.]
Anyway, the music will go on.
It repeats every 12 days, did you know that? Every 12 days till eternity.
Iâm very tired.
It seems to be getting dark l think Iâll go to sleep.
Yes, go to sleep.
Good night, my love.
Good night, my love.