Space: 1999, its characters, and everything else to do with this great sci-fi TV show does not belong to me. I'm merely borrowing it for entertainment purposes. Thank you.

AN ALIEN'S REVENGE

Those in the cosmos who watched and felt even the slightest empathy with the everyday well-being of the people living on Moonbase Alpha found themselves concerned and frowning. Danger had presented itself once again. Would these gentle if misguided creatures never have peace?

The Earthlings, who now called themselves Alphans, stared up at their Big Screen in Command Center. They were patient but worried. For fifteen odd and eerie minutes a high-pitched disturbance had drowned out all communication with Eagle six-two. The robot vessel was sent by Commander Koenig to survey another in a countless number of mysterious phantoms to besiege the moon of late. The computer's crisp, proficient voice should have said something to them by this time, reporting any anomaly, threat, or simply a promise of things to come. However, the Alphans were not receiving the slightest note that an Eagle spaceship existed, one they could clearly see on the screen, and was exploring the rogue object which appeared to them out of the cold depths of darkness.

Their Eagle had docked with the small, bizarre, seemingly barren alien craft and just when it appeared that something exciting was going to happen, when an odd blip or life reading made itself known, there came nothing. Complete silence greeted their ears. It made no sense.

Two days previously, the alien craft registered on Alpha's long-range probes. At that time it appeared nothing more than a rectangular derelict. Computer refused to give positive or negative information about life forms ... as if even it were afraid of being made a fool. It was as if something was there but not really.

Cautious but ever curious, Commander John Koenig decided not to take any chances. He sent a robot Eagle to the sight for a close reconnaissance. Under no circumstances did he want personnel about the craft. For all they genuinely knew, the alien ship could be inhabited by something not comprehensible to human perception and, possibly, the life forms were hostile. Tony Cellini, who had met an untimely death when facing a situation similar to the one now, stood achingly clear in Koenig's mind.

"Commander," Sandra reported, "We are receiving a signal." She touched a few buttons on her console, trying to fine-tune the transmission, then suddenly looked up, shocked. "We have contact with Eagle six-two. It is on course for Moonbase Alpha!"

"Ask for a report." Koenig ordered, puzzled.

Sandra nodded, "Eagle six-two, report."

The Eagle's computer paused strangely before replying, "ALL FUNCTIONS NORMAL. LIFE ACTIVITY NEGATIVE. CONCLUSION: ALIEN VESSEL DOES NOT THREATEN THE SAFETY OF MOONBASE ALPHA."

Koenig looked over at Maya, their Psychon science supervisor, who shrugged. She was as baffled as any of them. "I've never seen a craft exactly like this before, Commander. It does have a similarity to those from the Croton System but that is many thousands of light years away. They would have no reasons to journey to this galaxy."

Tony Verdeschi, thinking on a different level, said: "We lose contact with the damn thing for a quarter of an hour and, according to Computer, everything is okay? Why do I feel Computer is telling us what we want to hear?""

Koenig looked at Verdeschi for a moment, the planet Piri briefly flashing through his mind. The Guardian had managed to take over Computer and nearly destroyed them all. He then turned to Carter, "Alan, return it to base. If the Eagle believes its information is accurate, then something is obviously wrong. I don't want to risk any further corruption that might have already taken place to our Main Computer."

Carter agreed, "No need to risk Alpha if further exploration could cause trouble. If we let that alien craft alone maybe it will do the same for us, eh?" Still, a part of him that was a pilot was aching to see inside, to make comparisons and maybe even take the thing for a spin, if that was possible. 'Not this time.' He lamented.

Koenig knew where the Australian pilot's head was and could almost empathize with him. He watched as Alan smiled at his console's controls and did as his Commander ordered. Eagle six-two was on its way home.

"John," Verdeschi turned to him, "I think we should have a security reception waiting for it, just to be safe."

"Wearing decontamination suites." Helena Russell left her own monitor and walked over to Koenig. "I know we're probably more concerned with an entity than an organism, but either could be just as deadly. If what Computer tells us is correct the doors between both ships were open for a short period."

"And we don't know what might have crawled in during that time." Koenig looked up at the seemingly unthreatening craft before them.

Quietly and moving in confidentially, Helena looked up at John. "You don't believe we're safe yet, do you?" At his silence she continued, "Do you want me to organize a medical team?"

"Between Security, Technical, and Medical it could get rather crowded." He thought, "I will greet the Eagle myself with two security officers. Helena, you come with us and bring whatever equipment you think necessary. Technical will join us later." He then smiled at her, thinly attempting a look of reassurance. "Someone once told me I'm always incline to think the worst. It may be nothing, Helena."

She appreciated John's assertion, that he was speaking for her benefit, but knew their Commander better than anyone else. He was worried and had good reason to be vigilant. "Alright."

He said: "Let's suit up." And walked with Helena out of Command Center.

[]

'We are both worriers, John, and for good reason." Helena said as they walked to the travel tube. Both were now attired in silver radiation suites and were holding their clear helmets. They and their security team would click the helmets into place when they actually entered into the Eagle, in its hanger. The area had been quarantined until Helena could give it the "all clear".

"I worry about the moon and you worry about people." Koenig said, carrying the heavier part of Helena's medical gear. She told him she wanted to thoroughly scan the Eagle, from the pilot's section to the lavatory, before allowing the quarantined to be lifted. He understood.

"When you think about it," Helena replied, "We are both worried about the same thing."

"Maybe," His voice grew low, "But I worry about you most of all." He slipped his free arm around her as they walked, "Maybe we're working too hard."

"It's keeping us on edge." She agreed. Then Helena spoke on a more personal note, "We haven't spent much time alone together lately, John. I've missed you."

Koenig's hand moved from her shoulders to the small of her back, gently massaging the area. "I know. When this is over, no matter what the computer tells us, how it schedules our off-duty hours, we need to find time for one another." After all, he thought, man and woman did not live on bread, or what passed for bread on Moonbase Alpha, alone.

Arriving at the travel tube, with their silver suited security team waiting, Koenig asked, "Any preliminary readings?" as they entered.

"Nothing sir." A guard said, "Technical did a thorough if limited outside screening of Eagle six-two and the ship is empty."

As the door to their travel tube closed, Koenig lifted his comlock. "Technical, have Pekinpah and Rome join us at Eagle six-two. They may not need them but have the two prepared to wear contamination suites." He clicked off and looked at Helena, "They'll go in after us. What you don't catch on your check they should on theirs."

Helena nodded her understanding and clicked her helmet into place, as did the others.

When the tube docked, Koenig pressed a series of buttons. The Eagle hooked up, pressure equalized, and the doors sliced carefully apart. He lifted his hands, Helena and the others behind him as they looked beyond into the Eagle. Carefully, he moved forward and the others followed. Koenig went straight for the Eagle's computer in the passenger module while Helena visually examined the same.

Everything certainly seemed normal but she couldn't shake the feeling that all was not what it appeared. Helena lifted her scanning wand, adjusted the machine for all variants of radiation, and swept the area.

Koenig was unable to make sense out of the evaluations he was receiving: "COMPUTER IS UNABLE TO RESPOND IN THIS AREA. MORE DATA IS NEEDED FOR A COMPLETE REPLY." Koenig turned in his seat. He thought he heard something - a gasp. Or – no – a near chuckle.

The security team was waiting for instruction.

"Check the pilot's section." he ordered.

Helena came up on his other side and clicked off her scanner.

"Anything?" he asked.

"Not a thing, John. No contamination. The Eagle is the same as it was when it left Alpha."

"Oh, I would not say that, Doctor." came a familiar voice.

The two security men suddenly exploded from the pilot's section open doors, their hurdling bodies might have knocked Helena down if Koenig hadn't grasped her, pulling the woman against the wall and out of the way before she could be hit. The unconscious men, one laying over a passenger seat, his helmet cracked, and the other face forward in the isle, could make no report.

It was not necessary.

They stood still, shocked and horrified by what they saw.

A tall, dark humanoid-looking man made his way out of the Eagle's pilot section. Soon, he stood before them both, smiling as if it was all a grand joke. "Keep thinking, Koenig. Soon you will remember."

He did not need time to remember. Neither did Helena. It was their worst nightmare come to life – again.

"Balor..." breathed Helena.

The alien smiled, "Very good, Doctor Russell."

[]

To be continued.