- Some subterranean miner start chanting for a planet that will cause the Moon to pass through a nebula deadly to those living at Moonbase Alpha.
- The Moon is discovered to be on a collision course with a huge "dust cloud" within a solar system, possibly containing a planet. Sanderson, the leader of one of Alpha's lunar surface exploration teams (who Helena believes is suffering psychological issues), becomes a mutineer, posing a threat to the entire base by attempting to undermine the Alphan's anti-collision plans.
- A disc-shaped nebula-like space phenomenon has appeared ahead in the moon's trajectory. Having named it Tora, the Command Center operatives surmise that it could contain a planet. However, since the Moonbase personnel have experienced numerous false hopes of colonization in the past, Tora's existence is being withheld from the bulk of Alpha's population. All Command Center data and communications have been cut off from the rest of the base and the Command Center itself has been ruled off-limits to all but a few chosen individuals.
And now, three weeks since Tora's discovery, the space phenomenon is close enough for a reconnaissance Eagle to be sent out. Commander Koenig and Alan Carter have headed out in Eagle Four.
Meanwhile, one of Alpha's Lunar Surface Exploration teams, who spend a month at a time out on the dusty terrain (although it's not made clear exactly what it is that they're searching for), are currently in between gigs and are hanging out in the Recreation Area. Their leader - Greg Sanderson - is becoming rebellious over almost everyone being cut off from the Command Center operations. Helena has diagnosed this team as suffering a psychological condition she has termed "Green Sickness", stemming from spending so much time having nothing to like at but bare rock, where their wish for a "green planet" is so strong that their viewpoints are being distorted. Sanderson has been conducting seance-like sessions with his team, attempting to predict their approach to a habitable planet. He seems sure that the Command Center's recent secrecy revolves around a habitable planet within their grasp. Sanderson's girlfriend, Eva - who's part of the team - points out that he's predicted one before, with no results. He claims that these things take time to work out.
Studying Eagle Four's instrument readings regarding Tora, Commander Koenig alarmingly discovers that the space phenomenon has shifted position. After he reports it to Command Center, Maya confirms that there's a definite change in Tora's position.
Meanwhile, Sanderson has led his team (Eva, Cernig, and Stevens) to Command Center. Managing to incapacitate the guard posted in front of the entrance, Sanderson takes possession of his commlock, gaining entry. Followed by his team, Sanderson enters and demands to be shown what's on the Big Screen (which is currently switched off). Tony attempts to get him to leave, but the present personnel all end up stunned by Sanderson's sidearm. He then orders Eva to activate the Big Screen and for Cernig to secure the doors. When the screen comes to life with a view of Tora, Sanderson is sure there's a planet hidden in its mass. He decides that they'll need another "Astro-Prediction" to tell them whether it's habitable. After turning off the computers, the four of them seat themselves and form an unbroken circle. As they're meditating, Sanderson - in a trance - starts ranting about the planet being habitable. Koenig suddenly appears on the screen, urgently reporting that Tora is on a direct collision course with the moon and orders a Red Alert. However, his message has fallen on deaf ears.
When Alan and the Commander have returned to base, they're forced to blast their way into Command Center. Finding the posted personnel unconscious and Sanderson and his team in a hypnotic state, Koenig sends for a medical crew. When Helena and her aides arrive, she has Sanderson and his team placed on stretchers and informs the Commander that they're currently in a state of auto-hypnosis. When Koenig accuses them of mutiny, Helena defends them, insisting that their "green sickness" is responsible, which has manifested itself in delusions. She explains that Sanderson's team has always done more and stayed out on the surface longer. She states that the other teams are beginning to show signs, deciding to mandate a shorter time limit on their tours of duty. Koenig orders that Sanderson and company be returned to Medical, but properly guarded this time.
When the Command Center personnel are back on their feet and have returned to their posts, Commander Koenig then shifts his attention to the problem of Tora. Data analysis indicates that the space phenomenon contains a vast weather belt which the moon would easily pass through. On the other hand, if there is a solid center hidden within, they're in serious trouble. Koenig prepares to venture back out there to learn once and for all what it is that they're dealing with. This time, Maya will accompany him.
Helena has returned to the Medical Center to tend to Sanderson and his team, where Sanderson balks at her "Green Sickness" theory, accusing her of concocting it to support Koenig's lies about there not being a habitable planet in their midst. Determined to expose the cover-up, Sanderson heads for the corridor door. Helena summons the guards, who are both subdued by the burly surface explorer.
By the time Sanderson barges into Command Center, Koenig and company have been informed of his impending arrival. Tony and Alan both hold him at laser point while he engages in a heated debate with Commander Koenig over the supposed cover-up involving Tora. Sanderson accuses Koenig of hiding the presence of a habitable planet to prevent an evacuation to force the population of Alpha to remain here where Koenig can retain his "dictatorship" over everybody. Koenig insists that IF a planet is found out there, he'll determine whether or not it's habitable. Sanderson refuses to go for it, forcing the Commander into a frustratingly compromising situation. Koenig begrudgingly arranges for every piece of data regarding Tora to be processed through Alpha's main computer (as opposed to being analyzed by the Eagle's instruments) where everyone on the base will see everything that happens as it happens step-by-step. Sanderson finds that acceptable.
Sanderson is re-joined with his team in the Medical Center for "observation", with a pair of guards posted inside the room. Eva has been cleared by Helena, finding only bare minimal signs of green sickness, so she's released from Medical. However, Eva has a plan up her sleeve. Down the hall from the Medical Center, she makes use of an audio-only emergency call box on the wall (instead of the nearby communication post, where her face would be seen on the monitor) to falsely report a medical emergency in Recycling Plants One and Two. She conceals herself from the personnel responding to the emergency, which empties the Medical Center, then proceeds to subdue the two guards by spraying an aerosol into their eyes. Her three unsupervised comrades then gratefully file out of Medical.
As Maya and the Commander approach Tora, Maya asks him how far into the entity he plans on traveling. He replies that they can't go so far inside that they wont be able to retreat at the first sign of a gravitational drag. Readings at this distance are insufficient; Maya reporting that there's still no sign of a planet. They're now required to switch all of their sensor and scanner readings over to Alpha's main computer, per Koenig's agreement with Sanderson. The Moonbase's computer registers no gravity pull so far, so Tony informs the Commander that he's free to enter the space entity.
Meanwhile, Sanderson and his crew have snuck into the base's computer room and are observing Commander Koenig's conversation with the Command Center personnel on the wall monitors. Sandra reports that the instrument readings indicate that Tora's atmosphere is unbreathable. Alan reports that they're receiving a slight tremor which could point to the beginnings of a gravity pull. Sanderson informs his team that Koenig's Eagle needs to go all the way in to find the planet. Eva points out that the atmosphere registers as unbreathable. Sanderson insists that it's supposed to be unbreathable at the outer limits, just like Earth's. He removes a wall panel, ripping out several circuit boards in a shower of sparks. The "tremor" Alan had picked up suddenly disappears; Tony advising the Commander that he's free to go in as far as he likes.
As Eagle One moves through the atmosphere, the ship is clearly being pulled by something. Commander Koenig orders Tony to run a full systems check on Alpha's computer. By the time a malfunction in their equipment is detected, Eagle One is trapped. The Commander and Maya find out the hard way that there is a planet within Tora, blanketed in deep layers of dust. The Eagle violently crashes, buried in a dust dune.
Commander Koenig and Maya are both unharmed, but the ship wasn't so lucky. The Pilot section's hull has been pierced. As Koenig quickly uses an emergency kit to try and stop the planet's dust and toxic atmosphere from rushing in, Maya reports that both of their space helmets have been damaged. Coughing, they retreat into the passenger section, sealing themselves in. Maya does a computer check, discovering that the Eagle's oxygen recycling system is almost non-operational; they're doomed. As Tony attempts to contact them, they discover that they're unable to respond.
Sandra gives Tony the damage report received through their computer, learning that the ship's engine and guidance systems are intact.
When Koenig and Maya hear their engines firing up, they realize their people are attempting to bring them back by remote. Maya stresses that they only have enough oxygen for an hour and it's a three-hour flight back to Alpha. At Koenig's behest, she transforms into a mass of interconnected vegetation to produce the required oxygen for the trip; the Commander having increased their interior lighting for the photosynthesis process.
The ship heads through space minus one of its leg-pods, which had broken off during the launch and remained on the planet's surface.
As Eagle One returned to base and Koenig and Maya have arrived unharmed, Sanderson and his team had entered a travel tube, stopping it in mid-tunnel as a safe place to temporarily hole up in.
Tony brings Commander Koenig up to speed with Sanderson's recent activities. They're unable to approach their travel tube without the fear of being "mowed down" inside the tunnel. Koenig achieves contact with Sanderson's travel tube, informing him that the planet he'd just returned from is unable to support life; being in the earliest stages of formation. Sanderson is surprised that Koenig has admitted the planet's existance, but remains convinced that he's lying about its environment, claiming that their latest "Astro-Prediction" has assured them that it's habitable. However, Cernig and Stevens express their doubts about the results of their seance, suspecting that Koenig may be telling the truth. Sanderson is sure it's habitable and that the moon's present course will put them in its orbit. He cuts off communication with Commander Koenig.
With the countdown to collision with Tora down to eight hours, Koenig states that they have to come up with a solution and is open to suggestion. Their nuke supply is insufficient to alter Tora's trajectory, so Koenig decides to alter the moon's course the same way they had left Earth. He conducts a base-wide announcement of igniting the one remaining waste area in the hope that it'll shift the moon at least one or two degrees off its present course. As a precaution, the Moonbase will have to be evacuated.
After observing the Commander's announcement, Sanderson is more convinced than ever that Koenig is lying about the condition of the planet and attempting to divert their orbit around it just so he can retain his Command over the Moonbase's personnel. With his team showing signs of doubt, Sanderson helms another "Astro-Prediction" to reaffirm their belief of Tora being a habitable planet.
The base is in the process of being stripped of equipment in case the collision course with Tora cannot be prevented. The Eagle fleet will become their only home.
When the Eagles have been loaded with equipment and personnel, Koenig learns that Sanderson and his team are still occupying the travel tube. Sanderson becomes disgruntled when the Commander interrupts their seance to try and convince them to take part in the evacuation. Sanderson cuts off communication, expressing his belief that Koenig would never detonate the waste pits while they're still on Alpha. However, Eva speaks up, insisting they hold a vote to determine what they should do. The outcome is that everyone but Sanderson has voted to join the evacuation. Sanderson begrudgingly informs Koenig that they're coming out.
After the evacuation has taken place, Tony contacts Alpha, informing Commander Koenig that Sanderson doesn't appear on any of the boarding lists, indicating that he's still somewhere on the Moonbase. Suddenly, Sanderson rushes into the Command Center, firing his stun gun at the Commander. Still on the monitor, Tony attempts to talk some sense into Sanderson, informing him that there are only two hours left before the collision. The disgruntled Sanderson replaces the word 'collision' with 'orbit'. Maya insists that all he'll find on the planet is red dust and toxic gases. When Tony informs him he's sending an Eagle down to pick him up, Sanderson furiously aims his laser at Maya, threatening to destroy her if he makes one move to bring that Eagle down. Helena contacts Eva from her Eagle, urging her to talk some sense into her boyfriend. Eva appears on the Command Center monitor and does her best to convince him that they were all wrong in plotting against Commander Koenig, but Sanderson refuses to budge from his beliefs. As Koenig begins to revive from being stunned, a fed-up Sanderson aims his laser at him to eliminate him once and for all. However, Maya performs a brilliant maneuver, kicking the laser out of his hand. Sanderson grabs her and begins to strangle her until she transforms into a sizable alien monster, tossing him into a stack of boxes. She quickly returns to her Psychon form and picks up his gun. After Sanderson flees the room, Koenig asks Maya why she failed to fire the weapon. She explains that it was jammed on "kill".
When Koenig and Maya arrive at the waste area in Eagle Two, he explains that this had been one of the first to be constructed, and located within moonbuggy-range of Alpha. It is the only one remaining, besides the Nuclear Waste Domes, currently in use. Koenig gives her a run-down on their agenda; the underground silos are each capped with concrete, so they'll have to blast the cap off of the chosen one so they can lower the nuclear trigger into it.
Meanwhile, two Eagles are conducting a low-altitude search for any sign of Sanderson, whose whereabouts is unknown; Tony, Helena, and Sandra in Eagle Three and Alan in Eagle Six (presumably with others). A moonbuggy is spotted just outside the waste area, indicating that Sanderson is lurking close by. Koenig is informed.
When Commander Koenig lands Eagle Two on the moon's surface (apparently this waste area wasn't set up with a monitoring depot which is always equipped with an adjacent launch pad), eighteen minutes is all they have to complete their tasks and blast themselves as far from here as possible before the waste area ignites.
As Koenig ventures out onto the moon's surface, headed for the designated silo with the appropriate equipment, Maya mans the ship's laser control, awaiting any sign of Sanderson.
After the Commander has just set up the explosives to blast the concrete cap off of the silo, Tony informs Maya that Sanderson has been spotted among the rocks. He's poised atop a lunar hill, aiming a laser rifle right at Koenig. Listening in on their transmissions, Sanderson quickly turns, firing his weapon at Eagle Two's pilot section, while Maya has simultaneously fired the ship's laser at Sanderson's position. The rocks collapse right beneath Sanderson's feet, so he takes a tumble while Maya had been thrown backwards by the impact caused by Sanderson's powerful weapon, now lying unconscious, sandwiched behind Eagle Two's co-pilot's seat.
As Koenig has situated himself at a safe distance from the silo, ready to detonate the explosive to blast off the concrete cap, he is informed of Maya's situation. After the successful detonation, he returns to the silo to deposit the nuclear trigger into it. Suddenly hovering over the Commander is Sanderson, about to plunge a sizable lunar rock right down on him. Tony alerts Koenig, who swiftly avoids the rock, which soars down into the silo. While the two adversaries are brawling on the lunar surface, Tony repeatedly receives no response to his urgent attempts to contact Maya. Koenig has temporarily subdued Sanderson, so he leaps back on top of the silo to insert the atomic trigger. After the Commander has informed Tony that the trigger is now in place, Sanderson again appears and kicks him into the silo. While Koenig holds onto the silo's edge, barely keeping himself from falling to his death, Sanderson begins to stomp on his hands. Quickly reaching up, Koenig grabs onto the pant leg of Sanderson's spacesuit, plunging him down to his death.
Rushing back to the ship as the timer ticks down on the atomic trigger, Koenig enters Eagle Two's passenger section. Finding the door jammed to the ship's pilot section, he begins pounding on it, yelling for Maya to open it. Finally coming around, she discovers she's trapped behind the seat, so she transforms into a child version of herself, squeezes out and hits the door control.
As Eagle Two makes a bee line out into space, the atomic trigger detonates, creating a chain reaction throughout the waste area which erupts into a massive explosion. Seconds later, Maya announces that the moon's trajectory has shifted enough to avoid Tora. They can all return home now.
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