This Island Earth – The Return

Introduction

For his English lesson, I set my son the task of reading the original of This Island Earth and then watching the film. He then answered a set of comprehension questions and I asked him also to write a short continuation of either the book, the film or both. I then decided to write my own continuation of the film for fun. Below is my effort. Enjoy!

'Exeter was an honourable man' Ruth Adams said, as she and Cal Meacham watched the news report that a strange object had crash landed into the sea and exploded, off the coast.

'Yes, he was, I wish we could have saved him but the mutant mortally wounded him. There is so much he could have taught us' Cal replied.

'Now that the Zagon have destroyed Metaluna, will Earth be in their sights, still? With their advanced technology and spacecraft, some Metalunans must have escaped'.

'Maybe, Ruth. I'm sure I can build a new interocitor, using our own electronic components. We may be able to make contact with any Metalunan craft in our solar system. I think we should check out the site where the ship took off from, there may be something in the remains of the house'.

The next morning, Cal and Ruth flew by prop plane, to the site but they found nothing but a few charred timbers and no alien tech. Ruth was looking at the hill that had hidden the spacecraft, when suddenly, she heard a noise in the wreckage of the house. Petrified, she squeaked out a hoarse 'Cal!', who was sifting through another pile of wood. Suddenly, out darted a furry animal, not a Metalunan mutant, as Ruth had irrationally thought but Neutron the cat!

'Oh Neutron, you survived!' Ruth cooed, as she picked up the cat and kissed his head. He meowed loudly, as Cal approached with a grin.

'Hello, Neutron, still positive, I see!', the cat purred at the attention he was getting from the couple.

'There's something lodged in his collar, Cal' Ruth said and extricated it from the band around Neutron's neck.

'Why – it's an interocitor condenser – with this little bead as a template, we can learn how to manufacture more' Cal enthused.

Six months later, Cal and Ruth had finished their homemade interocitor, without the weaponry from their memories of the original design. They were so ensconced in their work, they forgot what was happening that very day, until Cal's friend Joe Wilson showed up in his best man suit.

'You guys, you're not ready!' Joe exclaimed.

'Why're you in – oh!' Ruth and Cal both said at the same time. Today was the day they were getting married! They hastily got decked out in their finest and then proceeded separately to the church. Joe admonished them for not sticking to the tradition of the groom not seeing the bride the night before the wedding. The wedding was a small affair, just the immediate families and friends. Even Neutron was involved, as best cat.

'If there is anyone here who does not think that this man and woman should be given in holy matrimony, please speak now or forever hold your peace', the priest intoned and looked over his spectacles at the congregation. Just then, Neutron meowed and everyone watched as a man with white hair, wearing a fedora pulled down low over his forehead, gently walked into the church and sat in a pew. The priest cleared his throat and continued. At the end of the service, the newly-married couple exited the church and proceeded to the reception. As Cal and Ruth were speaking to Ruth's father, Cal spied the man in the fedora hat. He politely excused himself and Ruth and they went to the man, sure that he knew who it was.

'Exeter! It is you! How did you -' Cal started.

'A long story, Dr Meacham. Just before the ship exploded, I crawled to a matter transmitter terminal, which had just been completed before our trip to Metaluna. I was able to transmit my molecules to a secluded island and, as my pattern had been stored previously, I reformed without my injuries' Exeter detailed.

'A matter transmitter? Fantastic!' Ruth exclaimed, 'but you've been gone for half a year'.

'I was eventually rescued by a passing cruise ship. I saw your marriage announcement in the newspaper, when I got back to the mainland and here I am – congratulations, by the way. But I'm keeping you from your friends and family, let us arrange to meet later' Exeter continued.

'We're just off on honeymoon, if you can look after Neutron, then you can stay at our new home. We have a workshop in the rear and guess what, we have built a new interocitor!'

'Fascinating!' Exeter said, 'I'll be able to make contact with any Metalunan craft. Where are you honeymooning?' he asked.

'Somewhere on Earth – we've had enough adventure in space!'

The End.