Scene 1 - The planet Varga

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The moon. Drifting through the uncharted regions of deep space, hurtling towards some unpredictable world or unknown system. Moonbase Alpha – the occupants of 311 members of the scientists and explorers, roughly. 880 days the moon first broke out of Earth's orbit. Main Mission – Commander John Koenig rushing down the steps and taking control of the situation, as Paul, Sandra and David activate and operate the controls on their panels. Professor Bergman stands ready in his science lab, as the analysis of Alan reports in from his Eagle Transporter, reporting in from space.

Paul:

Eagle 9 approaching atmosphere.

Commander Koenig:

Alan, what's the planet down there like?

Alan begins descending down in the craft, lowering the wheel of the ship downwards and downwards.

Alan:

Nothing too different from Terra Nova, Commander.

Commander Koenig:

Victor, what's the log on the planet Varga?

The Professor reads off the dashboards over the radio to Koenig.

Victor:

Oxygen and radiation nil. Gravity nearly as strong as Earth's. Apart from that, nothing wrong with it.

Alan:

We've got a few plants and fruits growing here. Perhaps we should take some back to Alpha.

Commander Koenig:

Professor, the vegetation down on that planet in brief?

Victor:

Well, there's lots of it. Plenty of fruits and vegetables and an abundance of other materials and fuels we can extract.

Commander Koenig:

Good. Alan, relay video footage of Varga to Alpha.

Alan:

Doing it now, Commander.

He activates a switch and a video camera is recording to both the Eagle and Moonbase Alpha – displaying the image for the Alphans to view clearly in high definition. Meanwhile, Dr. Russel has arrived at the Main Mission Centre joining around John.

Commander Koenig:

Looks good. Alan, I want you to return to Alpha and be on stand by to collect us up. We'll be coming down to collect supplies and minerals before the planet is too far out of range.

Alan:

Roger, Commander.

The sirens start bleeping loudly! A huge storm of wind is racing fast! Towards his own Eagle! And it is already beginning to blow his craft wildly out of control!

Commander, I'm caught in a storm!

Commander Koenig:

Alan, you need to get out of there now! Full boost!

Alan:

I'm going to try!

It blows the craft over as he desperately tries to gain height and rise up to the sky, in the huge gust and debris of wood and plants being thrown and whizzed around in it. He begins making up! His Eagle still shaking him around and around and around.

Commander Koenig:

COME ON ALAN! COME ON!

He still fights against it, the wind sending him everywhere. Finally, he is out of the infernal storm and reaching up to the sky, soaring back into space and accelerating out of the atmosphere. Now Alan is out, he relaxes as he breathes deeply from surviving.

Alan:

I'm out. Phew! I'm fine. Professor, what was all that about?

Victor:

The surface on the planet is rather humid, so obviously the temperature must change rapidly on Varga, depending on the rotation and the altitude.

Alan:

Yeah, I know how storms for Professor why was there a storm out of nowhere?

Commander Koenig:

We'll find that out later Alan. Now, we need to get down there and collect a few samples and materials.

Alan:

Roger Alpha. Returning as soon as possible.

Commander Koenig:

Right. Helena, Sandra, Victor, Paul, let's get down there. Stand by to board Alan's Eagle.

The Eagle is left to drift back towards the moon, with Varga behind in the background, the large orange planet with red clouds and green patches of vegetation and spots of bleak darkness where the storm strikes. The planet is about to have visitors...

(Opening titles)

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