MOSFILM
All the participants of "Black mark" campaign, please get together --
at Designer's Hall of The Operational Investigations Department
- "I repeat..." - It's for me, excuse me.
Tell me - is "Black mark" so dangerous ?
I... don't know, Martin.
I'm afraid that... Thanks for the coffee...
Yesterday you overwhelmed us with the info on "black marks" --
and today you force world health organizations to participate in this.
Isn't it too early for this ?
I'm afraid that it could be too late.
Get familiar:
Our colleague in Space Security Service - Oleg Nikolsky.
And this is my operational group.
Nice group.
Professor Leonard Rogov.
Science consultant of World Health Orgnization.
Please this way, Professor.
Let's start.
Cooper, acquaint Professor with the facts.
The story with "black marks" started with the tragic accident with our alpinists on Pamir.
Strong snow storm has started on those mountains.
And the equipment of the meteo station "EAGLE'S PEAK" didn't response on that.
At that time there on the meteo station was former space commando Timur Kizimov.
Responding to the emergency two of our inspectors were dispatched to Pamir quickly.
You needed something extraordinary to happen to wake your Service up of lethargy.
Professor.
Please, go on.
Scared station's caretaker reported some bullshit --
that former space commando Timur Kizimov actually is not Kizimov --
but a spy from a foreign planet's civilization hidden under a face of Kizimov.
Our inspector, of course, didn't believe him.
Than the caretaker showed him --
a "black mark" left on a display of one of devices.
Exotic marks of course have interested us, but the point is --
if one can influence on electronic nerves of devices in such a manner --
so what kind are his energetic parameters.
Yeah... circumstances are quite disturbing --
Yes.
or even terrifying.
That's why we offered Timur Kizimov to visit us.
Please, be kind to...
Cooper, start the video please.
Now tell us, Kizimov, --
why do you avoid to talk to members of Space Security Service ?
You know, I actually hate to talk with people who are not close friends or acquaintances of mine.
Excuse me, but who are your friends or acquaintances ?
Well, that's my private business.
You understand that uncommon qualities of your organism --
acquired obviously in places out of our planet --
have interested us.
You want to say, that I'm a danger to society ?
You must understand that we also can't exclude such a possibility.
And how would you answer this question by yourself ?
Negative.
I am danger to our community --
not more than any typical earthling.
So you realize your unusualness ?
I realize of course.
Also my unusualness is a mystery for me as it is for you.
Yes, believe me.
And maybe it's disease ?
Why you get familiarized with my documents so careless ?
There's special bulletin, medical reports.
Oh, yeah, I remember this.
Healthy, completely healthy.
"Unlimited permission" to planet Earth is given out to you.
- "Well, not the disease..." - Stop the video!
The situation seemed to us very disturbing,
we worked hard on this and found another "black mark".
But not Kizimov's one.
This mark was left by Jean Lourais.
He is former space commando too.
Let's continue.
The screen, please.
Tell us, have you ever talked on this topic --
with other owners of similar organism qualities ?
Lourais, for example?
Lourais ?
You're surprised with my question ?
Why Lourais ?
I understand.
No, never talked.
So you and Lourais didn't know about your ability to leave "black marks" ?
I can answer only for myself.
I didn't notice it about Lourais.
And during your dialogs with him you never discussed this problem ?
It's not that topic which could give me a pleasure.
Your hate of this topic is related to your work outside Earth?
I am not working outside Earth.
I'm retired.
You want to say that you mistook my question ?
I just want to say that I don't want to answer --
to questions related to my last work outside Earth.
But this is the main thing which we are interested in, the main thing, Kizimov!
In this case let's consider that I couldn't satisfy your curiosity.
Strange, very strange caprice.
No, it's more like forced self-defense.
How do you want us to understand this ?
You understood me correctly.
Good... Tell us, Kizimov, --
In what way you've managed to influence --
on electronic brains of measuring system of meteo station "EAGLE'S PEAK" ?
This was unintentional.
This means that you have the ability to influence on electronic devices ?
And "black marks" too ?
And all this is related somehow to your past work outside Earth ? Is it so ?
Do you want a good advice ?
Leave us alone.
Me and Lourais.
This mark doesn't lead anywhere. I just want to say that there's no criminal in it.
Don't dig our souls.
At least, because it is not only useless, but is also cruel.
MOON RAINBOW based on Sergei Pavlov's novel.
SCREENPLAY: Valentin Yezhov Andrei Yermash
DIRECTED BY Andrei Yermash
CAMERA: Nahum Ardashnikov
DESIGN BY Vladimir Aronin
VISUAL EFFECTS: Boris Travkin Yuri Chekmarev
MUSIC COMPOSED BY: Edward Artemiev
MUSIC PERFORMED BY: "Boomerang" and --
State Symphonic Orchestra of Cinematography of USSR (Konstantin Krymetz)
UNDERWATER SCENES: V.Karpichev
SPACE CONSULTANT: Cosmonaut Vladimir Shatalov
CAST: Norton - Vladimir Gostyukhin Poling - Igor Starygin
Gelbright - Vasily Livanov Nikolsky - Yuri Solomin Rogov - Vladimir Kenigson
Kizimov - Georgy Taratorkin Bakulina - Natalya Saiko Silvia - Grazhina Baykshtitte
Buck - Aleksandr Porokhovschikov Grizhas - Gediminas Girdvainis Veber - Boris Ivanov Garanin - Leonid Nevedomsky
Nice finishing, Frank!
Congratulations.
Thank you, Veber!
At first, good-aimed shooting, then looking at who it was.
From all of you, you're the only one who was in my operational room --
and during work of the testing area.
Jimmy.
- My assistant. - Very glad.
It's easy to work with you.
Why ?
You usually pass through the testing area very densely.
What "densely" means ?
This term doesn't fit nicely, but in general, saying "testing area", --
we can consider it as a complex system of ways of training influence on realigent's mentality.
Yeah ?
I act quite monotonous, and this suites you well.
Let's say it in different way, you pass the testing area efficiently.
Jimmy, how it happened that Egul goes by a higher way ?
I've placed a tracking monitor wrongly.
Monitor, of course... You can go, Jimmy.
Tell me, Frank, why you were sent to the special quarantine zone ?
Why are you so interested in this zone ?
I've never been yet in the special quarantine zone, --
well I've heard about it of course
Cork Island, Enoris - zone of absolute alienation.
But nobody tells about it, all the info is gone by.
Like we are not working in the same company.
Some time later I will come and state all my expressions to our chief.
I'd not recommend this.
What ?
Just not recommend this.
What you don't know, will not hurt you.
And has it hurted you ?
You understand, Martin,
our enterprising civilization has broken away to the space of the Solar System...
It's unclear to me, how it all will end up on us.
Blue people, isolation cells, glass walls.
This all is just the visual side of things.
The essence of this is much more complicated and simpler at the same time.
I understand, we've explored only a small part of extraterrestrial space, only up to a Jupiter orbit,
and so many troubles already...
You consider it's explored ?
Well, at least, the process of exploring is progressing.
Oh, process ?
But what ?
According to the info from the Statistics Department of our Administration Office --
there are 602,000 people working on the extraterrestrial orbits,
excluding our space forces.
You know, I'd feel shy to call it a light exploring.
Yeah...
We can't call it a light one,
if keeping in mind what we were talking about --
and what we were not talking about.
Listen, conditions of the special quarantine zone are changing fast.
2 years ago have you heard anything about zones of absolute alienation ?
Our old poster slogan "Caution does not cause damages" we've converted to --
super slogan "Caution multiplied by a caution"
This became a principle of our attitude to extraterrestrial space.
You did it all right.
Yes, right.
But this is an obvious sign of weakness.
It is defense.
We are starting a defense, Martin.
Today - glass walls, super isolation cells, and what tomorrow ?
That's it.
And you are trying to model space unexpectedness on the testing area.
"All the participants of "Black mark" campaign: please get together --
at Designer's Hall of The Operational Investigations Department.
"I repeat..."
It's for me, excuse me.
Tell me - is "Black mark" so dangerous ?
I don't know, Martin.
I'm afraid that...
Thanks for the coffee.
Yesterday, after we've received your request --
we have cleared out something too.
The third person appeared. Edward Yonghe.
Cooper, please show the photo on the screen.
This former space commando has refused flatly to talk with our Space Security Service.
Hust, tell us how your talk with Yonghe has ended up ?
Hust, I am asking you.
After I have mentioned "black marks" --
Yonghe silently has pushed me down the stairs.
And why not vice versa ?
I'm afraid, Hust, that if you continue your work in such a way --
your career will be consisted mainly of those "down stairs".
Sit down, Hust.
And now I have a surprise for you.
Guess what is it ?
- Well, this is usual wood. - You're right, the usual wood.
Biological expertise verified: usual tree, nutwood.
Without any changes in microstructure.
But this nutwood for some reason works as a TV set.
- What ? - Yes, and it works selectively. Receives only kid programs.
And who is the inventor of this device ?
Inventor.
The inventor is a former space commando, he's now a respectable retired man.
His service record is not very different from ones of Kizimov, Lourais and Yonghe.
David Norton, the fourth person.
Interesting that David Norton is a close relative of one of my employees.
Right, Poling ?
You're completely right.
So it is true, that David Norton is married to Silvia Norton ?
Your own sister, born Poling.
Yes.
Good afternoon, kids.
You know me ?
Of course you know.
Today I will narrate you a very interesting fairy tale.
So listen to me very very intently.
So, we have four of them.
Norton, Kizimov, Yonghe, Lourais.
Who are they ? They are fellow-sufferers ?
People mutilated by space ?
Are they safe for our planet ? Or potentially dangerous ?
Here we've faced such a phenomenon as mutation of natural qualities of human.
If keeping in mind, that this phenomenon has happened to four people at one time--
then this could happen only during the expedition in "Moon Rainbow".
Yes, the expedition in "Moon Rainbow" to the Uranus system.
At that time those four were included in a rank of 13 commandos --
which landed on Oberon.
There was a catastrophe, a huge area of surface --
collapsed and fallen deep into planetoid and a strange greeny luminescence occurred --
the nature of which is not yet clarified.
So, the catastrophe had happened, in result of which --
4 survivors then acquired phenomenal qualities.
Bravo, Nikolsky!
This could be accepted as a working hypothesis.
Young people, now you're doing things which you should do much earlier !
- But... - I'm not saying that your Security Service --
should be interested in this strange four, right after a catastrophe has happened.
But after a report of commission of Yuhanssen, which specialized on investigation of causes ...
Excuse me, I don't understand.
I remember those Yuhanssen's commission reports very well.
There's no any factual confirmation of a link between the catastrophe results and "black marks" on Earth.
This is not about commission reports.
The point is that one of the commission members was a survivor in that catastrophe.
Who was ?
David Norton.
- That's interesting. - Yes, as we say "set a wolf to keep the sheep".
- So you mean, you own the info ... - ..in the face of which, "black marks" dim and singing woods mute.
We have not enough time, let's continue.
So, after "Moon Rainbow" return from the 2nd expedition --
which was investigating causes of catastrophe on Oberon.
My former student, medicologist, Albertas Grizhas --
told me about many interesting things,
things which were not presented in Yuhanssen's reports.
Correction by the map plane is done. Tangage is fixed. Course is in norm.
Reserve one is in norm, captain.
Reel phase of damper is in norm.
Pivotal one is in the cruising speed mode, in norm.
Cruising speed mode is in the range of acceptable trajectories.
All parameters are OK, Captain.
On-board time is 23:00.
Night watch, your duty now, for cruising speed mode.
And the rest of the crew - you can relax.
After that, during next 3 weeks, Albertas Grizhas and Felix Buck have unsuccessfully tried to clarify something.
And then, some time later ...
Yes, there's anything possible in the road,
they may damage 1-2 displays, but it is unintentional.
They don't conceal it.
- And now 5 of displays are damaged. - Yeah...
- ... mysterious. - Don't need this, take away.
Have you reported this to captains ?
Nobody except you.
Maybe, we should report ?
Grizhas!
What's up, Felix ?
No, it's impossible.
What's impossible ?
That man.
Which man ?
I've recognized him.
Whom ?
I don't know.
Listen, don't you bother to assure me of things which not exist ?
Yuri Michailovich, I think that we can't understand each other.
Yes, it's pity, Albertas Kazievich.
Just imagine for a second that a stranger is real.
What could happen if during braking, he'll not be able to use overload protection ?
But if that stranger exists, he succeeded in use of it during acceleration.
There he's succeeded, but now he will not, will not be able.
Calm down, Albertas Kazievich, here's no any strangers on this board.
Are you sure for 100% ?
I hate the word "sure".
I prefer the word "assured".
And advice it for you to use.
And for the next time, I forbid you to tell those stories about the stranger to the crew.
I hope you understood me.
Yes.
Please give me the summary of positioning with detailed list by sectors.
Aye!
Look at this.
How much of the crew should be on the board ?
68.
What is the actual amount of people ?
68.
I hope, now it's all clear for you ?
And about the stranger, I advise you to read less the sci-fi.
The extraterrestrial folklore is rich and diverse. Wish you all the best.
Thank you, cap.
I'm sorry.
So make the conclusion for yourself.
By the way, there's a book by Albertas Grizhas, "Myths and Ghosts of Extraterrestrial".
Very recommended.
Thank you, Professor, you've made an invaluable service to us.
- Good luck. - Thank you.
Cooper, now quickly seek for Felix Buck.
Felix Buck's now working on one of Moon labs.
Video conference.
Hello, Felix, sorry for bothering you.
Let's talk without any further ceremonies, I have not enough time.
We are not at walk too. Chief, all is ready.
- Hello, Buck! - Good afternoon, Gelbright.
- You know me by sight ? - Everybody knows you.
- You and Nikolsky. He's sitting next to you. - We are really flattered.
We're interested in details about the 2nd expedition to the Uranus System.
To be more precise, about one of your extraordinary meetings on the "Moon rainbow" board.
OK.
You've started investigation on that stranger's case ?
Yes. What do you think about it ?
Me ?
8 years have passed, until now I ...
So much time has gone ....
Yeah...
Later, I was... I mean I couldn't see him of course,
because he actually did not exist.
Who did not exist ?
Well, let's do it another way.
Whom this stranger looked like ?
Mstislav Bakulin.
Cooper, show photos of victims on Oberon.
Aye!
Which one ?
2nd to the left.
Yeah, this is Mstislav Bakulin.
Buck, are you completely sure that this is the stranger's photo ?
I just said that he looked like Bakulin.
Why do you use the word "looked like" all the time ?
Because he looked like.
Well, so you're not completely sure that it was Bakulin.
Buck, why you make us to force you to talk ?
You already had some doubts at that time that it was not Bakulin.
- It just only seemed to me. - What seemed ?
I know I can't explain it to you and prove it.
But just answer our questions - "What seemed to you ?"
That it was Norton.
Thank you, Buck, you've helped us much.
Good bye.
It now appears as not a myth, but an anecdote.
While Yuhanssen and members of his commission are sleeping peacefully in their cabins, --
David Norton, with a face of Bakulin died on Oberon, walks down the corridors.
David Norton and Bakulin...
Why these two names are always together.
What do you think about it, Poling ?
Mstislav Bakulin was a closest friend of Norton.
Closest friend of Norton...
Yes, Norton, Norton...
After the expedition on "Moon Rainbow", as I remember, he spent half a year on Mercury.
Maybe, we should make a request from Mercury for Garanin ?
That's a good idea!
Cooper, please, video conference with the chief of Mercurian commandos, Garanin.
Aye!
- Hello, Garanin! - Hello, Gelbright!
Hello Nikolsky.
I never thought that I could be interesting for the Space Security Service.
We're interested in info on David Norton, I suppose you know him ?
Tell us, when he was your employee, did you notice any extraordinary things by him ?
Extraordinary ?
Nothing extraordinary.
Except that he passed through the Plateau of Firesnakes.
Nobody could do it before him.
And we've got an access to mines, without which our industries could fail.
You know it very well, how much of our guys died there.
Dave Norton was sent on a mission to us after a flight on "Moon Rainbow".
I remember that day clearly, when he arrived to us on the "Russia" spaceliner.
Liner "Russia" to the terminal, accessed the zone of automatic capture.
- Do you see us ? - Yes, we see clearly you, "Russia".
- Congratulations with arriving! - Thank you!
Decrease the pivot of convergence down to 30 units.
Roger that! We're doing the strong brake in 40 secs.
The side engine is turned down, we're entering zone of automatic capture.
Do you hear us ?
Don't bother, we'll attach you softly.
Get your passengers ready to be transferred on lifts.
Commander of the 1st avant-fort, open the vacuum module.
Take the load from 5 to 8th levels.
Crew of the lifter "ML24", be prepared to receive the passengers, arrived on the liner.
Roger that!
"Mercury", I am the lifter "ML24", getting on board, please give me the support signals, and the distance.
"Lifter", I am "Mercury". The distance is 98. Turn by Azimuth is 55.
There's docking shaft 1 for you. Please answer ?
Roger that!
98. 55. Docking shaft 1. Thank you.
Space commandos group flying to Assaulting Camp of Jober Squad,
please come to the platform of the first terminal,
and get ready for departure.
The first terminal of our cosmoport receiving the passengers from the "Russia" liner, which arrived by the lifter "ML24".
For those who are meeting the passengers - place of meeting is the Lounge 5 of cosmoport.
I repeat: "Lounge 5".
- Glad to see you, Ivan! - Oh, here you are at last!
I thought already we would not meet.
So what do you know about the Plateau ?
Nothing.
The Plateau has killed recently 4 commandos and 3 miners.
The richest mine is in danger now.
Listen, Dave, I will sent you to the Plateau with one term ...
Are you going to frighten me ?
Not at all, just the area is very tough.
Almost all the area is mined by the ground charges.
There's some zones which are impassable at all.
But a prospecting is necessary.
You know, veterans are retiring, but whom the Earth sends to us instead?
Unskilled youngs, who itch to get to the place with no knowledge of this.
How many things you can do with them in this situation, to keep them alive till next flying to vacations.
That's what I like in you.
Well, from our graduation, only you and me are working right now.
Kizimov and Yonghe are already retired.
I know, I met them in the Moon Capital while going to here.
I am about to retire soon too, Ivan.
So and you too...
Well, go, you can now relax some.
When you'll come back from The Plateau, we meet again and talk.
- May I sit here with you ? - Yes, please.
You don't know how to eat.
You eat passionless.
You're talking to me ?
Let's introduce ourselves. Lyudmila Bystrova.
David Norton.
- May I ask you ? - Yes, please.
How does your wife treat your occupation of space commando ?
With no delight.
If I had a power, I'd forbid for space commandos to get married.
Don't look at me like that.
You, extraterrestrial workers, might have the psychic extremely changed.
At start you consider yourselves heroes and braves,
then you begin to treat the words "hero", "bravery" with bias.
These concepts start to disappear for you.
Tell me, Norton, how much lives every planet you were on, have been paid.
You don't like thinking about your lost colleagues.
Is it so ?
There's no guarantee that also you, not today but tomorrow ...
You see, I'm superstitious...
You commandos make us superstitious.
There is one. Came to me and asked to be my friend for eternity.
And what is his eternity ? Will he be alive today ?
So you rejected him ?
Yes, completely.
I can't... I can't see the commandos uniform.
You're extra superstitious. What could happen to that guy, whom you've completely ...
Anything ... Anything could happen.
When a man wearing your damn uniform flies to The Plateau of Firesnakes --
anything could happen to him.
It is Mercury, Norton.
Well I gotta go.
There was a time when I wanted to look at your eyes, Moon Dave.
Wait, how do you know my nickname ?
No, I want to know why ?
To look at your eyes ?
Yes.
Maybe because you're married.
Kizimov, Yonghe, Lourais. They were single.
It was all clear with them.
They had nobody and nothing.
Except normal job.
How do you know Kizimov, Yonghe, Lourais ?
Excuse me, forgot your name. Lyudmila Bystrova ?
Bakulina. Married name.
Yes, Norton, I had a husband, Mstislav Bakulin.
There, together with you on Oberon.
Though why with you ? You're here. And he is there.
I understand, there was nothing to do.
But still you're here.
Mstislav !
Norton, we've reported about your start to Jober's group at The Plateau.
The power of proton's burst is up to 19 points today.
Therefore, your path is in shadow.
Roger that!
You have a terminator in 200km to the right.
Positioning monitors will follow you for 1000 km.
Then you will independently pass along the Plateau,
and then while flying over the crater, you will see the luminescence of firesnakes straight ahead the course
Roger that!
Be careful over the Plateau, land only on the area of Assaulting Camp.
It is the only safe area in there.
We've just enveloped an elevation, taken as a reference point by us.
Play us the video overlayed on the map for the route support.
Roger that!
Be extremely careful.
Our instruments can't afford to register all the flashes of the ground electricity.
It is dangerous to go ahead. It's better to come back.
It is now unclear what's more dangerous - going ahead or returning back.
Guys, what happened ? Answer! Please come back immediately.
David Norton, an expert of the headquarter.
Commander Jober and my assistant.
They didn't informed you about me ?
We had no communication with the headquarters. 200 km of electric fields.
What's the communication in this situation ?
Please, this way.
Norton ! Norton !
Norton!
Norton, immediately come back or I'll send the boat for you.
Norton!
Norton, I request for the boat to send to you.
No need, calm down, just maintain communication with me.
I can't maintain communication with the other world.
I need my experts alive.
Don't divert my attention, Jober.
So keep in mind, I decline my responsibility for your safety.
OK, I'll keep in mind.
Damn it!
Norton, return immediately!
Jober, to move safely on this Plateau, try to keep to the plateau's bottoms.
Never approach the bumps!
Only the bumps are fully charged with the electricity.
Understood, Norton. Tell me how did you get this ?
Don't divert my attention.
What's there, Norton ?
Your statistics is completely wrong.
Here's too many lightnings. So what it indicates, Jober ?
You could have better knowledge from there.
I absolutely don't recommend you to perform carpet bombing with your machines here.
You just replace one killer by another one.
Well, Norton, I understood.
Please wait, I will call back.
And in a case I don't,
light beacons will highlight the safe part of path for you.
Bye, till the next connection.
Norton, connect.
Verdict from the squad headquarters, it concerns you.
Just one phrase:
To David Norton, the expert of the squad headquarters:
Grant him the right to act in a way he will consider necessary.
Garanin, Headquarters chief.
And nothing more.
With the paths made by Norton,
commandos were able to carry the necessary equipment deep into the electric areas.
Since that time, there's no more deaths on The Plateau.
And mines are working uninterruptedly now, giving the raw materials.
- Thank you, Garanin. - Good bye.
You all can go now.
Except Poling.
How do you think, Poling, whom we could trust to meet with David Norton ?
Me ?
Listen, Poling, we need to know, why these 4 former space commandos --
try to skip the contact with us.
May I go ?
Go, Poling, and keep your emotions far from this task. Go.
We're starting to own the space. The space owns us too little by little.
That's interesting, what Poling will achieve.
The thing is not in Poling. Poling, you, me...
We're just people, ordinary people.
But these four, they're...
I don't know...
Don't know...
Dave.
I've came here, to offer you to contact with us.
Immediately and voluntarily.
Let's suppose, I accept. What then ?
Obviously, the science will get you.
Frank, I'm not a mechanism which could be disassembled --
and then reassembled to a similarity of what I was before.
Listen, there is also different methods.
I see you're in trouble now.
OK, let's consider they aren't concerned with us hardly.
Yet.
They're not fools working there ?
Of course it could be silly to rely on this.
So in what manner we should act now?
What if they will ask again their questions ?
Even if somebody of us will try to explain them...
They will not consider us humans anymore.
Scientists will found the huge scientific institute.
In honor of our monstrosity. They'll cover us with a wired dome.
And we'll turn into a lab flask --
with phenomenal qualities.
What do you suggest ?
You don't examine me, while I am alive. After my death I leave my body to you.
Then examine me as much as you want.
Frank, aren't you disappointed too much ?
The thing is not about me.
As I can understand, Dave, you refuse to help us ?
Why do you try to stay in struggle against the all mankind ?
But who told you that I'm going to struggle against all the mankind ?
Yes, Timur, it's clear that they are not going to leave us alone.
And at last, they'll consider us danger to the public.
Your legal rights are not in doubt.
But biological rights ...
I was born on Earth, from the earthlings.
And nobody is allowed to call me non-human.
I'm sorry for you, Moon Dave.
But still who we are ?
We're humans, Dave.
And I believe, that we're knowable.
Yes, probably not right now.
And of course not in labs.
And not in the special quarantine zones.
We're retired too early.
We ought to return to space.
We can be useful, very useful.
I am not sure at all, that it's just that very time,
when our generation will comprehend all the influence of the extraterrestrial upon human beings.
But I think that our experience will help at least those who'll follow us.
will help to approach the absolute truth.
They will comprehend what we consider the mystery now.
THE END