built such robots
that are capable of working in space.
The robots are not perfect when
creative tasks are to be carried out.
Only humans are capable of
making hypotheses
and solving the mysteries of the level
that we have got today.
The " Cosmos" Commission of the UN
is asking the Soviet scientists to send
a Phaethon spaceship to Orion's Loop.
What would the head of space
research say to that?
The preparation of Phaethon is nearing
completion.
Pavel Belov will head
a crew of the astronauts.
Each member of the crew is
a specialist in astronautics
and is capable of making
independent decisions.
The crew will also include
androids of the Skryabin system.
They have been put to tests and
judged fit for space flights.
Let's check your cyborg once more.
Attention, all!
Let's start!
Pavel!
Hold on, old chap!
5,000 degrees inside the chamber.
Plasmochemistry.
Marking block 8.
- To the unique cyberneticist.
- To the designer of a great computer.
- Hi!
- Hi!
- Well, how is it?
- The computer's doubles are okay.
Why did you create the cyborgs
identical to us?
So that you work in space, and not
get distracted by unfamiliar faces.
- Nikolai Savelyevich, the new data.
- I'm listening.
Saturn-5 reports that the Loop will
reach the Earth in 22 months.
What? According to our colleagues
in Kharkov, in 30 months!
The Loop's speed is pulsating.
- That's nasty.
- We caught it at acceleration.
We'll deal with it!
Phaethon placed in the specified orbit.
Automation is on.
Cyberniticist-2.
Flight engineer-2.
Navigator-2.
Physician-2.
Captain-2.
Well, take your places, guys.
A swarm of meteorites in front of us.
Switching on meteorite protection.
- Navigator-2.
- Entering Orion's Loop.
What's on our course?
Cyberneticist-2.
Computer shows
an unknown radiation.
Engines are in norm. No changes.
Screens are in order.
12th day of flight.
The humans keeping watch.
Mitya!
Mitya!
Tamarkin!
Flight engineer, what have you got?
- I'll report in 5 minutes.
- All right.
- August!
- Yes?
- Why are we going off course?
- I'm trying to find out.
- Why do you keep silent?
- It looks like...
What?
No, nothing.
I'm just tired.
What happened?
Need any help?
Let's find out.
Stay here. Keep watch.
Got you.
What's happened?!
We've been trapped.
I saw it.
No, it's impossible.
I saw a strange figure.
I felt a headache.
What else?
The computer reports there's
an outside radiation in the ship.
Well?
The system of life support and
thermoregulation is jeopardized.
- What's the cause?
- The screens seem not to hold.
Have you checked the protective
systems?
Go to Dementyeva,
let her give you a check-up.
Pavel!
All right. Show me where
you met that strange figure.
I gave Sasha a check-up.
An intense stress.
We came to unravel the mystery
of the Loop,
but someone seems to be
unraveling us.
The cyborgs may be
of great use now.
Of course, they're your pupils.
Perhaps the computer's already
prepared them for a spacewalk.
Let's take a look how they're doing.
- How do you like your double?
- I can take pride in him.
- Screen No.6?
- In norm.
No.7?
What is it?
2 bicrons off.
That's it.
- What's up there?!
- It burned down...
What?
Damn!
Navigator-2!
Navigator-2!
Mitya, save him! You hear?
It's useless now.
We can't get him back?
Now I have to walk out myself
and check it.
No, August. No.
We're in the Loop's energy belt.
Soon we'll get to its center.
It's too early to jump at conclusions.
We have too little information.
The deeper you go into the woods...
Captain!
The computer gives us
absolutely false information.
A fantastically dense energy field
further on our course.
I ask: whence is this data?
It answers: don't know.
Given it is controlling
all the double circuits,
I fear for the fate of the ship.
Your conclusions?
The electronic equipment
may fail any moment now
and Phaethon is under the threat
of full disintegration.
-