what the future will bring no man can say but one fact is certain mankind
stands at the crucial crossroads of history the threshold of a new era the
Atomic Age well the people of the u.s. skilled in the uses of science and
technology the Atomic Age is profoundly significant across a continent enormous
in its agricultural potential Americans have drawn from the earth a rich bounty
have built great cities have reared towers into the sky have spun intricate
networks of highways across the land by the application of science industry has
grown increasingly productive making possible a good way of life with
assurance Americans look with an abiding faith to the future for many citizens
and scientists alike atomic energy means the promise of a more abundant life but
for many another the atom is a threat and evil promise the paralyzing panic of
our time thus to answer the perplexing question of the atom in its implications
the people have turned their attention to the forum of Public Affairs have
sought to search out realities to find the facts or to listen to men of science
like dr. Jeremiah Morley famed geologist the embattled founder of the now-defunct
Society to save civilization it was Morley who told a Los Angeles audience
that a series of atomic explosions either accidental or deliberate could
set off a chain reaction to annihilate every man woman and child on the face of
the earth it could cause a death of every living thing
in a gloomy report more they took a dim view of history recall the tragically
repetitious story the decline and fall of all past civilizations said morally
modern civilization could by the phenomenon of atomic fission be brought
to dust and ashes for example if an a-bomb were definite Adad the Empire
State Building the area of total destruction would cover an area of two
miles now since the a-bomb is already obsolete
consider the area of total destruction of an h-bomb and science has promised us
bombs a thousand times more powerful poisoning with radioactivity
all the air and water of this earth this could mean not only the end of our own
civilization but the very possibility of any future civilization what are we
gonna do a forest I'll tell you what I am going to do about us I have a plan a
plan to preserve human life on this planet I hope you will join with me in
carrying it out
the response to dr. Morley's appeal was immediate and enthusiastic the society
to save civilization was set up to its headquarters flocked amateur do-gooders
and professional scientists from them morally chose a staff of experts dr. max
abe our eminent geophysicist hosted by hitler from the university of munich in
1933 dr. James Paxton metallurgical engineer twice winner of the McKenna
Scientific award June Lindsay medical doctor and art and feminist who for her
research in biochemistry was named winner of the annual award by the
American Confederation of women scientists dr. George Coleman authority
on soil conservation and Andrew Austin guard sand hawk explosives expert marine
veteran of World War two it was this team qualified each in his own way that
helped set in motion more lays audacious project a daringly planned program which
he took three months later to the board of directors of the Carlyle Foundation
and so my colleagues and I believe that humanity can escape annihilation can
find a temporary Haven a promise of hope that come what may
life can be sustained deep within the earth itself while below the surface we
shall seek a natural geological shelter we have a team ready for the effort all
we lack of funds can we get them from your foundation dr. Morley I believe it
would expedite matters if I were to ask the questions we're blaming you know
first of all isn't the inside of the earth solid
the interior of the earth is made up of vast caverns and air pockets joined by
natural avenues leading from the surface natural avenues funnels and fishes such
a fissure lies within the world's largest extinct volcano at mountain le
that is where we intend to start our journey he's followed how far down do
they go hundreds of miles perhaps thousands to the very core of the earth
but isn't the inside of the earth the very core a molten fiery man to the
contrary the latest body of theory holds that the inside of a sphere such as the
earth is cooler than the temperature at its surface and how would you traverse
these thousands of miles dr. Coleman the perspective drawings Queen this is a
cyclotron now what it's an amphibious conveyance based on
the principles of the ovoid 'el atmosphere Oh what like a submarine with
the mobility of a tractor its head contains a burrowing device and its
walls can withstand extremes of temperature and pressure but even with
the cycle tram of the year that's a sphere of the what not how do you know
you'd be successful in finding this underground Haven we don't know but we
must try there is no other alternative no other course no other hope of keeping
the spark of life a lie and the cost
that's a lot of money dr. Morley well surely you don't expect what we do I
know you and your family mean well mean well next you'd be calling a starry-eyed
idealist dr. Lindsey you're out of order the whole world is out of order and I
suppose you and your associates consented right
we couldn't have said it wrong if we tried the appropriation was denied to
carry on his work dr. Morley issued repeated appeals to the members of the
organization it failed and so last week the society to save civilization was
itself extinct and one of its leaders a professor Jeremiah Morley and his
enthusiastic colleagues where were they headed after a year of devotion to a
lost but spectacular cause to newsreel reporters dr. Morley had only this to
say we have no plans we have no hope
better standby Frank we may want to run that again
well gentlemen what do you think it's like asking a man what he thinks of his
own obituary I thought you'd like to see it for its release in case you had any
objection now he thinks of our objections
you've been crucifying us for a year mr. Thompson in the newspapers you read it
the magazines you publish syndicates you control and now there's newsreel just a
minute gentlemen you seem to have me confused with my
father he dictates the policies of our publications like father like son
nothing dr. Bower could be more unscientific as a matter of fact my
father nah never see eye to eye on anything so he's the villain of the
piece and you are the hero quite the contrary my father has all the virtues
of our society he makes the money I spent the large occupation oh I have no
occupation timestream you would hey daddy of yours dr. Molly I'm not
exploring the inside of the earth you know I'd like to try that just for the
kicks I'm sure you wouldn't find it very exciting oh I don't know
gentlemen I came here tonight with a proposition I have the money of my own I
would like to finance your project are you serious sit down my boy there's one
stipulation however I go with you and what could you do I'm afraid you don't
realize what you'll be up against going a thousand miles inside the earth just
to satisfy a whim gentlemen you activate the fate of humanity hung upon you
granting me this whim
plans for the expedition are being completed ahead of schedule
and Morley is pleased with our progress the cycle time nears completion adequate
nutrition and concentrated form has been perfected and for an axillary water
supply the Sloane h2o condenser will be used by the study of our laboratory
animals in a new environment we expect to gather important scientific data at
last the cyclotron is ready to be loaded
aboard the SS Aurora our destination the extinct volcano Mountain la where the
inside of the earth begins this was our base a lonely desolate Beach at the foot
of the extinct volcano
well let's go
what a place to spend our last night on earth
you sound like you'll all be dead in the morning it's a possibility we stay here
and II take the controls follow the ridgeline keep out of the
ravines descend an angle of about more than 33 degrees
something's wrong
not right
Estate 2000rpm follow watch our plan harmful check
what's our elevation now approaching 6,300 feet angle of ascent 19 degrees
speed constant 2100 rpm I wonder how long has hired long it's gonna hold up
still take out you can't get rid of me so easily give me a reading on a forward
rotational unit we're up to 9,000 climbing at 24 mph angle 31 degrees and
that great will make the savage in 4 hours
dr. mother we are meeting some unstable isotopes increased allow elunatan
12,000 hey this is getting rough
approaching position our for our computation show an error of less than
clusters 0.14 good we'll reach the summit in 30 minutes
five hours and 27 minutes thanks Dylan 33 minutes ahead of our age
division schedule we'll make a final check of our position before we enter
the crater
sure glad the professor picked this volcano for our expedition maybe this
one could come to life too not a chance no better
concerned there's no reason for us to wait till dawn we'll proceed into the
crater now
one last look appeared yeah what a way to remember it follow the downward
spiral keep it inside ledges speed 1200 rpm
brother is really black out there
as we descend ever deeper into the volcano I have observed no unusual
physical symptoms Paxton seems withdrawn irritable but
with such an annoyance as like thompson present the condition may not be
considered abnormal the descending ledges are getting awfully narrow we
must be a position r18 yes we are cut the switcher
till they're doing some biking now but I have some brick
rise and shine morning how can you tell breakfast is served breakfast well I've
always said there's nothing like starting off a hard day's work then
what's a good West hey Doc how would you know you don't like my kind of guy I do
not very much but I'll make an exception of you you I
don't like a lot Colman take the control will scout the way on foot will follow
on down along the widest lake
fuck that
now I don't like it but did you expect him dear Garden of Eden I'm not talking
about volcanoes I mean right Thompson he doesn't belong here
none of us belongs we're doing what has to sit down he doesn't feel that
responsibility he's just a useless piece of excess baggage of such selfish no
secret but without him to feed the hex british army
can't eat Downers
nice pretty much those times what's your trouble
oh nothing but don't they ever talk unless they got something to say that's
what it is with smart people maybe they're not so smart maybe they don't
know what they're doing down here listen buster each one of them has
plotted more colleges than you flunked out now what are you doing down here
among all those brains I managed to make myself useful it might be well if you
did the same thing doing what this
you lead the way for a while
where we've reached the end of the channel establish our position our depth
below means sea level two point six miles
James friend underground geological expedition reaches for June 12 1937 oh
but we assume that they have good reason for doing so good luck thanks gran we're
living today he'd know the reason the world has changed since 1938 the world
has changed since yesterday you better get to work
look that's pressure from the other volcano we'll have to work this side
accent yes dr. Morley stop making density readings on that wall over there
yes sir
this is in the point of least resistance okay Andy I'm ready I like the psychic
Ram users 1 & 2 set
wonder what we'll be running into there's only one way to find out
broken through
so far so good what are you gas masks just in case Pullman's
will set the pace you'll follow along with the cyclotron
the air is fresh and clear you can take a mask off pressure seems nervous
I wonder where it leads that's exactly what we're gonna find out
fade away Amy
how did it all happen long time ago the earth above was covered with water when
the sea vanished he'd left great limestone deposits behind was all this
limestone yes and then the water gathered in
underground streams and carved out the soft limestone drop quite drop here by
ear the water dissolved the stone each drop carried a tiny particle of sediment
that's what formed these columns about an inch every thousand years well how
long did this whole process take about 200 million years
hello Coleman Coleman bring up the tram we'll proceed from
here
we're down 100 miles you better pull up
hop the switches
buddy I first got here I felt a sort of
exaltation no I feel depressed I don't know why the oxygen content is adequate
I know but I too feel suffocated maybe it's the unreality of this place
you know once when I was working in the Holland Tunnel
I got cut off my crew for ten hours I felt this way then
I think I know what it is
this loneliness there's a feeling of a person away from people I fell it on the
top of a mountain in Tibet Anna jumped on the Arabian desert it's
like the last chord tying you with humanity and cut it's more than that
people have deepened the only relation to many other people alone and manases
useless is any rock out there oh you're both talking nonsense nature doesn't
influence man man influences nature one man one strong man can change nature oh
you're on dr. Patten it isn't one man if the many men working together like
teacher men together no more than sheep one man standing alone leads the way
then the Sheep fall please cheer for me volunteers for all of you for yourself
scientists swayed by a self-indulgent young fool I'm going ahead I hope that
by the time you catch up with me the atmosphere will have cleared the cobwebs
from your brains I'd better go with him it isn't safe for a man to be alone down
here ah he's all right he's the leader type I'll go with him anyway
there wouldn't be leaders they weren't sheep like me to be led
I still don't see any sign of Paxton Coleman Oh keep going high-tech home
never got the gas back
they are
digging can't erase 110 miles under
let's go on it's too late to turn back now
no Andy
all right now I'd give $1,000 for a good hamburger but and another thousand for
onions all
dr. mori our water supplies not the switches
polluted by the gas fumes yeah somebody left it open back there just before
Paxton and Coleman took off I guess I forgot to close it hey it was an
accident an accident we may never find water again now I suppose you'd give
$1,000 for a glass of that Annie there's a job to be done we've got to find water
fast and in this area yeah I know we got a
better chance 4000 of finding it
no there's Andy
hello so far so good
No
thing like this enough to drive man stir-crazy it's snowing use 240 miles
inside year yeah no water
here I'll be setting it to the animal
go ahead enjoy yourself it doesn't cost a cent this is ridiculous we have
something larger estate than your personal petty fury are you two can come
with us or stay here and kill each other I'm going out to the psychic trail never
mind I'll go get it
there
wow sounds like running water well where's the coming from it's behind the
toilet
it is filling water well why don't we go through the wall a psychopath no just
his brother misty such a thing is just too much but he could be an underground
scene Andy Andy bring a couple of heavy hammer
what's up professor we think there's one behind that wall hi Frankie sure
come in here let's take care of that arm
the outside temperatures rising fast up 280 degrees
hey Lucifer could go on forever
oh it's a temperature stop in fact the outside pressure is dropping too good
condensation will soon take place there you're pretty good doctor at that you're
a pretty good patient at that thanks water look look at this water
John are you alright
well
what should we do now all right I'll say it I'll say what's on all of our minds
don't try to read our minds Thompson just speak for yourself then I say let's
go back and I say go on but look at John we've gotten nowhere
deeper and deeper you don't know where Salem
we're our failure Bailey less if we turn back now our chances of living would be
greater if we go on we're dead dead is Paxton and Coleman that's a chance we
have to take the stakes are high higher than our lives
they involve the life and death of all mankind that's a great speech but I
won't buy it all right let's put it to a vote
Thompson go back and eat go on
go on seems to be a deadline I suppose none of us would like to reconsider
doesn't Woman Suffrage count here what do you say : I say go on and let's not
waste any more time
how those burns coming along gonna do owe you that well goodbye
here what's it for does it pass before something does
everything have to be functional good luck ring hey my life in Tibet here
take it I give it to me haven't you ever been
romance before not 900 miles below sea level then it's about time if there were
any flowers around here I'd pick them for you there's a highly scientific
theory which states that if any man and any woman are cast away anywhere for any
length of time soonerlater 15 feel in love that's
what's happened to you that very having a value it should apply to you know
well I guess I need a little more time I'll talk about it later
they have up fullness jalopy level for them just long enough for speed all
these straight jackets and stretch
how much longer is it gonna be like this ready it's gonna be like this the rest
of the way why go on why waste time let's just make any difference to you
you've never done anything but wait listen you meathead just because your
ass and hog delight to go crawling around the ground and you're a mob
needle with his head in the clouds
I don't know
fuck water
we're out of it
this might be what we're looking for
let's make a landing and explore the area
it's got a high calcium content but it's drinkable Hey look what I found their
capers capers how much they worth calcium carbonate calcium carbonate
sulphate of lime plaster of Paris better you take the romance out of every here
you are doc two souvenirs from Haiti vacation land of the underworld thank
you back home I'll be the envy of every kid on the block I'm not so sure to take
a caper into the sunlight turns gray and ugly and the flower it'll crumble to
dust how about this fish it's a rare species Nevada below they have no why I
think I'll stick them till they lost their eyes ten million years ago
what kind of a places allow a tumble of dust in your hands
stones would look like per fish without I nature sure a practical joker I
suppose you could have done better ten million years I couldn't have done worse
morally believes this is the shelter we've been searching for a valley of
shadows the light can be sustained a shelter for humanity and yet our morale
is very low what do we want a rare tour sunshine the change of seasons starry
night in this graveyard Molly thinks we can build a new life right here
you mean this is what we're looking for you'll get used to it well who wants to
get used to it why don't we go on a little further but
we've come 1,100 miles already how can you make sure what we've been to a mile
I say let's go back or go on but this is no place
what is your wish we've come so far let's go
which way we go
I suppose we'll have to explore both channels I'll take the right one right
you take the other why me I'll tell you why I'm sick of taking
your orders that's the trouble with you Thompson that's all you do is take you
never give without me there wouldn't have been any expedition well that's not
enough it's time you gave something yourself and not you're part of our
candy why not as well get started
you're supposed to be taking it easy try to get some rest
listen to me right you've been like this for days how long can you keep it up he
didn't like me any more than I liked him yet he saved my life
it doesn't help brooding over it he died saving my life
he did what he believed was right my trouble was I never believed in anything
you can start now Murli wants to go back to that value of the shadows you liked
so much well it's better than this but it isn't good enough what do you want to
do I too want to go back but all the way back
now that end is dead now that Andy is dead we've got to go on we've got to
until we find what we're after if we fail then we can talk about going back
good
this must be a continuation of the other river no I think it's just a seepage
Brahman yep what's that
look
like a dream after a nightmare
ah
we have discovered a vast and radiant cabin deep within the earth along the
shores of this incredible cave by the great underground sea gathering up the
waters of the area a strange sunless light is reflected from the
phosphorescent dome the growing Peaks are weathered and shot the go is deep
the wind is soft and the climate Pleasant vapors rise up into the bright
dome forming luminous cloud
the area is rich in chemical resources that means power and industry according
to Bowen and Wright says a real estate boom is on
come out you sure sure
how you coming professor is this still feeding those rabbits they'd like pigs
small wonder they're expecting in a couple of weeks all of the rabbits no
silly just the lady rabbit tell me more here make yourself useful
get some more water explorations and surveys of the surrounding area continue
Morley and Thompson has set out to the southeast to investigate the land in its
potentialities
the strange kind of sand let's not saying that's while kena cash the ash
will make good fertilizer for crops crops let's face facts morally this is a
desert the very word means deserted by life and
you talk about crops it can be irrigated this company has everything water soil
air heat yeah you're forgetting one thing though no summer science can
adjust that crops can fly without sunlight perhaps but can we
so species is it it's the first remains of a species of lung fish to breathe by
means of both lungs and gills he came out of the sea 300 million years ago he
was the ruler of the animal kingdom with his lungs he was a pioneer in a new way
of life how did they become extinct like some of us on earth they seemed to hurry
the process of extinction let's get out of here do you act like you swallowed a
canary for breakfast this is the day right this is what day the day we
expecting the first litter or for a pee well who's gonna pass the cigars around
here Perry don't realize the importance of I'm sorry by observing the rabbits
we've already learned that they respond to nature basically as we do as any
mammal does and from their young born today we can predict how a onion will
respond in the new world come on you go ahead I'll get plenty of hot water
well how many more rabbits and how many girl
what's the matter it did they're all born dead I can't understand why there
must be some cause some biological reason we've been searching for causes
investigations have been checked tests rechecked examination of genetic tissue
proves that all experimental animals born here are sterile
you know what this means this new world
a haven for the dead this is the end of the line now we know that the human race
could not reproduce itself in this underworld region it appears a mission
is a failure then we can't stay here at least one generation could and after
that what the end of humanity that I won't accept neither can you run away
from facts
I've always run away climbing mountains trying to prove something I don't know
what my to run away instead of fighting but now I've run away okay and I was
always afraid I couldn't compete in a man's world I think I want to go back
and try again go back - what - a world bent on self-destruction we can live the
rest of our lives here in peace Maury you're wrong
this isn't peace this is a resting place for the Living Dead I don't believe it's
the end of the world I don't believe it's the end of mankind you're young you
don't know I've lived through the terrors of two great wars I've had
enough
take over
something's wrong something's pulling us down
we are lost
we're in a blind alley ever since we started we've been on a blind we can't
carry ourselves in the unexpectedly maybe that's a secret
Molly honest - it strange we didn't know it before I used
to be afraid of death I was afraid of life
strange curtain three
we're above the level the underground thing
we found a channel to the other ocean
the universe is still in harmony
good life on that on people I feel like I live
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