Mission of the Darians
| "Mission of the Darians" | |
|---|---|
| Space: 1999 episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 22 |
| Directed by | Ray Austin |
| Written by | Johnny Byrne |
| Original air date | 30 October 1975 |
"Mission of the Darians" is the twenty-second episode of the first series of Space: 1999. The screenplay was written by Johnny Byrne; the director was Ray Austin. The original title was "Mission of the Darya". The final shooting script is dated 7 January 1975. Live-action filming took place Friday 10 January 1975 through Friday 24 January 1975.
'Emergency...emergency...this is the commander of the spaceship Daria. A major catastrophe has occurred...' Having detected an alien distress signal, the Main Mission staff listens to the sombre appeal. The voice of the alien commander tells how large areas of his ship are devastated, with thousands dead and hundreds sick and dying. The signal ends with a plea for immediate aid—then is revealed to be an automated transmission when it loops back to the beginning. The vessel, drifting close to the Moon's trajectory, measures twenty miles long by five miles wide. While John Koenig marvels that each deck measures one hundred square miles, the instruments register life signs.
The Commander opts to mount a humanitarian mission, selecting personnel to assess the medical, scientific and material needs of the aliens. Eagle One is loaded with relief supplies and lifts off from Moonbase Alpha. They circle the immense vessel, unable to perceive any recognisable docking structures—until they are snared by a force-beam. All systems are smothered as the beam pulls the ship in and docks it at an airlock. Efforts to restart the motors fail, as do attempts to contact Alpha or the aliens. The rescue party is effectively trapped.
On-board instruments show the Darian ship contains a breathable atmosphere and a functioning power source. Communications are inhibited by weak levels of atomic radiation saturating the ship's structure. The life signs are confirmed, and Koenig and company disembark. However, no one is there to greet them. They enter a dilapidated reception area accessed by two opposing corridors. Hoping to encounter the ship's inhabitants, Koenig sets off with Victor Bergman down one corridor, sending Paul Morrow and Alan Carter into the other.
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