Shut your helmets.
No kidding with this dragon.
Here's an awesome boy! Hell!
Did you managed to take a shot?
Yes, both a photo and a film..
Then shoot him with a cannon.
Aim at his jaws. There's a jam!
Do it manually and open up the hood.
Some flying animals are attacking.
A strong blow! Inform the Earth...
Hallo. What's the matter? Hallo?
What is your message?
Ready.
Have a go.
What's happened?
The vehicle is not
designed for submersion.
Does it mean a catastrophe?
What's wrong with them?
If their spacesuits are
intact, they'll be all right.
They may be wounded! I must save them.
But if I land, there's
no return to Earth.
And yet, I should land.
I can do it during the next turn.
In an hour, I'll start up the engines.
A whole hour's wait!
I must think it over.
Earth!
Millions of people have been working
...to build up this pyramid
as high as the skies.
We've been put on its top,...
....entrusted with everything,...
... and now the outcome
depends on me alone.
And I don't know what to do!
Under the instruction orders
I shouldn't leave the orbit.
If I land, there is
no way back to Earth.
But does it make any sense to save fuel,
...if people die?
The instruction couldn't
have foreseen everything...
...but my heart tells me...
... that I'm more needed at the Planet.
I must inform the Earth.
It's so hard to speak calmly.
Let them listen to my last recordings.
The instruction couldn't
foresee everything.
... but my heart tells me
Hallo, "Vega"!
Masha Ivanova!
Earth is with you. Take
yourself in hand. Wait for them!
Whatever happens, stay in the
orbit, or everything will be ruined.
Be firm. The Earth is
asking you. Your Earth!
My... Earth!
Await them in the orbit.
Otherwise all will be ruined!
What is to be done? Time's running out.
I must take a decision.
And I... I just can't.
Sinking the vehicle was by
far easier than pulling it out.
Yes, the resistance is quite strong.
Let's take a short break.
Interesting boulders.
I'll go look.
They' like those on Earth.
The environments are similar.
I wonder if nature could create
such regular rows of rocks?
Like streets.
What if it's a drowned
city? That would be great!
You scared me!
An entrance?!
That's interesting.
I hope the house owners aren't in.
A strange stone, a
triangular projection.
I'd rather take it.
Take a look! What is it?
A petrified dragon.
But, perhaps, it's made of stone?
Man made? You bet!?
Take a look!
It's an eye!
A ruby. Mounted by an
intelligent creature!
Give me the buoy.
So what do you say, Professor?
It's volcanic spongy iron.
It gets oxidized to steal the
oxygen from the atmosphere. So what?
Man can change it.
And then... Do you wish to facilitate
colonization and get the Nobel prize?
Why, no! It will do for people as it is.
We can go, sir.
John, give us your song.
Our favorite!
Ilya! Yes?
We'll have to wait awhile
for the vehicle to dry out.
Nothing doing.
Ilya, but the ruby eyed
dragon is a bit crude.
Made by a savage. Very likely.
But savages couldn't have
flown up to Venus, could they!
Why not? Engineer Bobrov,
for example, he could!
Shut up.
Savages couldn't have
flown up here. But...
...they could've appeared here in situ.
How come? Just imagine
that once upon a time...
... some highly civilized creatures came here.
And for some reason or other, they got stuck,
...lost all contact with their
mother planet. They were to perish.
They ran out of their reserves,...
.... the nature and atmosphere
being alien and hostile.
Didn't I say they'd
die?. Some could survive.
... but would grow wild.
Because the beastly fight for survival would
take toll of thousands of their generations. .
Until their bodies could
adjust to the local conditions.
What culture to speak of! Just
the survival of the fittest.
And a savage would appear
amidst the pangolins? Exactly.
Without waiting for
the local ape to evolve.
The future master of the