Morrow pressed a button on his console. "Kano? We're cutting it a little close... how's it coming?"

"Doing the best we can, Paul. As far as we can tell, the problem's with the material we've adapted in the converter. We're working on it."

"We have less than fifteen minutes of breathable air, Kano. I'm putting the evacuation Eagles on standby. You and your crew get into suits. I can put the Eagles in orbit until we have no other choice. As soon as I've secured everything up here, I'll be down."

"We'll do our best, Paul, but it's not promising."

Morrow turned to Sandra. "Begin evacuation procedure. Get everyone into the Eagles, ready for launch."

Sandra nodded and began pressing buttons on her console. Her brow furrowed.

"Paul......I'm getting unusual readings from the surface of the planet."

"What kind of readings?"

"It looks like several major explosions. The Commander and Dr. Russell, they're still down there..."

"If they're even still alive...."

Sandra's face turned ashen, "Paul, whatever it is, it's causing the atmosphere to change, if it keeps going, it will no longer be breathable."

"That's impossible."

She shook her head, "I estimate that the air will no longer support carbon-based life within thirty minutes."

Morrow sat down in his chair. "Well. That's it then, isn't it...." He held Sandra's eyes with his own, "In fifteen minutes they'll be no air on Alpha, and in thirty, none on the planet."

"What will we do?"

"We'll have to take our chances in the Eagles. If we're careful, each Eagle has enough supplies and fuel to last for about two weeks. We might find a planet in that time."

Sandra Benes looked down at her console, fighting the desperation that had tightened her chest. She saw a familiar blip on her monitor.

"Paul! It's the Commander's Eagle... it's returning!"

"Main screen."

Benes put the image on the main screen, and the Eagle was moving quickly toward Alpha.

"Try and raise him."

"Main Mission to Commander Koenig, come in Commander."

There was nothing.

"Moonbase Alpha to Eagle One, come in Commander Koenig." She looked at Morrow, "Nothing."

"Run a scan on the Eagle for life forms."

Sandra looked up at him. "Two human life forms aboard. But Paul, the Eagle appears to be heavily damaged. Maybe the explosions...."

Morrow stood, "I'm heading to the landing pad. I'll let you know. And Sandra... you'd better put on a suit."

The doors to the landing bay opened, and Koenig stood face to face with Paul Morrow pointing a laser gun at him. Koenig smiled.

"Easy Paul, it's me." Morrow frowned at him, so Koenig continued, "Look, I don't have a way to prove it, so you're going to have to take my word for it. What's our status?"

Morrow still glared, so Helena jumped in. "Paul, it's really the Commander. He destroyed the main power source on the planet, and we barely escaped with our lives."

Paul lowered the gun. "That explains the explosions we saw. The atmosphere down on the planet is giving way...."

Koenig nodded, "Yes, which is why you'd better tell me where we stand..."

"Kano has tried to implement the Professor's catalytic converter as a stop gap measure, but it isn't working. Everyone is on standby for evacuation to the Eagles."

Koenig looked at his chronometer. "Get the Eagles into orbit now, we can't afford to cut it any closer. Helena, go out on the rescue Eagle."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to put on a suit and see if we can't pull this thing out. Don't worry, if it doesn't work, I'll be out on the last Eagle before my suit runs out of air, I promise...." He turned to Morrow as Helena left. "Get everyone off this rock Paul, then it's you, me and Kano on this."

"Yes sir. Commander? It's good to have you back."

Koenig nodded, and the two men quickly moved into action.