The Euclidean submarine carrying the four men who were forced down on a test flight of a rocket plane
has landed them safely in the city of Euclidia.
The two Euclidean scientists, Keops and Thales, have gone to their own quarters,
and the girl submarine commander is reporting the rescue to G-47.
In the quarters of the Gregory party, we find our friends very happy over the reunion.
Tex and Jerry are dressed in warm, dry clothing.
Joan and her mother question them about their flight in the rocket plane.
But it must have been terribly dangerous, Tex.
Oh, we've been in worse places. Well, I never have.
No, Jerry. Your position at the time that rocket plane fell helpless into the water
would seem to be about the worst possible situation.
And Tex knows it was. He just doesn't like to worry us.
Nothing to worry about.
Those Euclideans had a flying machine that would fly after a fashion,
but when their power failed them and the gas tanks developed a leak,
they didn't know what to do.
They sure didn't. And you did.
I guess these Euclideans have too many fancy instruments and gadgets on everything.
They forget how to do anything themselves.
But they've been so careful to preserve their natural sense of proportion about other things.
Those rooms they keep noisy and the small farm they have here.
All such things are maintained to keep them in tune with the normal way of doing things.
Even so, Mother, the failure of this rocket plane flight is an example of what the captain means.
The Euclideans do depend entirely too much on their instruments.
Yeah, that's right, Joan. The air isn't the best place in the world for that.
Things happen pretty fast when you start falling out of the air.
The man who flies only by instruments
hasn't time to stop and remember how they used to do it in the old days.
Well, one thing is sure. If Tex hadn't known plenty about flying,
we'd have hit that water so hard that the rocket plane would have gone straight through to the other side.
Jerry, that is not possible.
Well, maybe not. But we'd have hit plenty hard just the same.
Yeah, but we didn't. So let's stop worrying about it.
Yes, we may as well drop it.
When Tex gets that, I don't want to be interviewed, it was only a routine flight look on his face.
There's nothing more to be had from him.
Well, one thing we learned and it ought to help us a lot.
What was that?
Oh, there's plenty of things wrong with that rocket ship.
And if G-47 keeps his promise to let Tex work on them,
he'll have plenty of time to plan our escape from here before he's through.
Careful, Jerry.
You need have no further worry about being overheard.
Well, don't be too sure, Joan.
Remember how Thaley's talked to us through that radio speaker they installed for us?
How easy it was for him to hear our conversation in the control room.
Golly whiskers, that's right.
We have no further need for caution in our conversation in these quarters.
I am positive of that.
You seem sure of yourself, Joan,
but I'm afraid the rest of us don't share your confidence in the matter.
Perhaps you have not learned all that I have had proven to me.
Well, giggle and goldfish.
Don't act so blame mysterious about everything.
Why do you know that we don't?
You are impatient, Jerry.
Well, Joan, for once I think Jerry is justified.
Our position here is not so enviable that we can afford any secrets from each other.
I am sorry, Captain. I will explain.
Please do, dear, at once.
As you know, I rode with the girl commander as she took that submarine to your rescue.
She did a swell job of it, too.
Gee, Mrs. Gregory, if you could have seen the way that girl...
Jerry Hall!
I am trying to explain.
Oh, I'm sorry.
The commander and I had a splendid opportunity for conversation
as we searched for you on the surface of the water.
One of the things I learned
is that the Euclideans believe our position to be so absolutely hopeless
that they are removing all guards assigned to spy on our movements and discussions.
Well, that'll help a lot if you're sure of it.
I am quite sure of it, Captain.
However, I think it wise to exercise some little caution
when discussing matters of importance.
I agree with that.
Oh, me too.
What else did you learn, Joan, dear?
The other item is particularly interesting and possibly important to us.
The commander will be sent in here to share these quarters with us.
That girl commander?
Yes.
Why, I thought you said these Euclideans weren't going to bother to watch us so closely after this.
They are not.
Well, it looks to me like they're putting a spy right under the dining room table.
Sure looks that way to me.
It certainly does.
It means nothing of the kind.
The commander will be one of us, a prisoner, no longer a Euclidean.
Why, Joan, dear, do you realize what you're saying?
Of course, Mother.
But what's it all about?
Well, I got an idea from something she said to Joan and me.
G-47 found out that she helped us escape from that island.
I'll bet that's it.
That is the answer.
G-47 knows that the commander helped us at the time we put the scientists to sleep
in the laboratory with the captain's gas formula.
And she's being stripped of her high command in the Euclidean fleet?
She is.
Oh, golly whiskers.
That makes one more for our side.
And that girl knows a lot about this place.
She certainly does.
This may be a help to us.
It seems incredible.
Hey, that's the word I was trying to remember.
The gold is so valuable to these Euclideans.
She's the finest submarine commander they have.
I wonder if it isn't some sort of a trick.
I know it is not.
In talking with the commander, I could see that she is deeply interested in learning
something of the ways of our world.
I described to her some of the pleasant things I had seen during my brief visit to Los Angeles
and her face positively shone with excitement.
Excitement?
That girl got excited?
She did.
Oh, that's almost too much.
Yes, that girl is the coolest person in an emergency that I have ever seen.
And if she was excited about the prospects of becoming one of us,
she must be in earnest about it.
She was very much in earnest.
I hope you will not object, Mother,
but I promised her that you would allow her to wear one of your dresses
so that she might see how it would change her appearance.
Of course she may wear one of my dresses, or all of them for that matter.
Hasn't she ever worn anything but that uniform of Euclidean clothes?
Nothing.
The commander was born on Euclidia and, except for ocean voyages,
has spent her entire 22 years here.
Gee whiz.
22 years in this place.
Seems pretty terrible to us, son, but I suppose you can get used to anything.
Spacely, if you don't know what to do about changing your position.
Oh, I'm anxious to see her. When will she arrive?
I believe within a very short time.
Tex, will you help me?
Sure. Doing what, Pat?
Let's fix up the little room next to mine,
the one you have your instruments in.
Yes, that's probably the room they figured on her using.
I presume it is, as that is the only vacant room in these quarters.
Come on, Tex, we'll put it in order.
This is certainly a surprising angle to run into.
Gee whiz, John.
This is the weirdest thing I ever heard of.
One of the Euclideans coming over to our side.
Jerry.
Huh?
Do you like the commander so very much?
Oh, sure. I told you she was a friend of ours.
I do not mean that.
I mean, do you like her as well as you like me?
Oh, John, stop that silly stuff, would you?
You women are all alike.
Sure I like her.
She's a mighty pretty girl and so are you.
Am I pretty, Jerry?
Yes, you're pretty, Jerry.
Now, stop worrying about that girl.
She's 22 years old.
I guess she won't have much time for me.
But would you like her to have time for you?
John, will you stop acting like a baby?
Oh, I'll bet that's her now.
I suppose it is.
Come in.
It is I.
Hello, Commander.
Come in and make yourself at home.
It is indeed unfortunate that I must disturb you in this manner.
We do not mind.
Well, I'll say we don't.
We're tickled to death.
Here, sit down.
Thank you.
I suppose Joan has told you that I am to be one of you.
Joan?
Did you call her Joan?
That is the name she will use in your world.
I am now of that world.
Thank you, Commander.
Well, wait a minute then.
You're not going to be called Commander anymore either.
What's your real name?
I anticipated such a question.
And I am ready and willing to enter your ways in all things.
I have my record from the Euclidean personnel file.
My worldly name is Elaine Raleigh.
Elaine?
Gee, that's a pretty name.
Elaine is a nice name.
Do you think you will like it?
I may as well like it.
Well, look, Commander, I mean Elaine, that's swell.
Now, there's one more thing I wish you'd do for us.
Stop talking like a Euclidean and talk like we do.
Perhaps the command,
Elaine is able to speak no other way.
To be sure I am.
Oh, boy.
Did you hear that, Joan?
Naturally.
Well, it may be natural to you, but it sure surprised me.
The Euclideans have found it necessary for numerous reasons
to develop a unique speech which will hide their true identities in time of need.
But we are also constantly trained in using a manner of speech suitable to your world,
so that we may not attract undue attention when moving in your world on secret missions.
Well, I sure like your voice a lot better this way.
It is indeed more pleasant.
Gee, Joan, you know, you sound more like a Euclidean than the Commander.
Perhaps I do.
I have had no training in any other manner of speech.
Well, you just stick around Elaine and me and we'll teach you how to talk.
Jerry.
One thing that I cannot understand, Jerry,
do many people in your world prattle on endlessly about meaningless things as you do?
Oh, I'm not so bad.
You speak far too much and say too little,
yet you seem sensible and I have seen evidence of your intelligence.
In the world which Jerry knows,
it is not considered necessary to wear a mask of science in order to display intelligence.
Gee, thanks, Joan.
You sure can make words get up and dance for you.
Well, I see that our latest addition has arrived.
Welcome to the prisoner section, Commander.
I am grateful for the privilege, Captain.
Hey, Elaine, forget that Commander stuff and talk to the Captain like you did to us.
It is not easy to change a habit so deeply ingrained.
Hello.
Hey, that's a surprise.
It was also a surprise to us, Captain.
So this Euclidean manner of speech is only disguised as Joan tried to explain to us.
Precisely, Captain Bradford.
G-47 has felt that we should be able to go into the world without exciting any suspicion.
Well, I like this way of talking a whole lot better.
So do I, Jerry.
We've heard about enough of that high-pitched whining voice Euclidean's effect.
Your natural manner of speaking is much more pleasant to the ear.
Sorry to keep you waiting, Commander,
but we had used the extra room here as a storeroom
and I was clearing it out for you.
That is quite all right, Mrs. Gregory.
But, uh, you...
Tex, did you hear that?
Ha ha ha.
Sure I heard it, Pat.
The Commander has a perfectly good voice,
which he's been hiding under that naze of whine of the Euclidean.
Well, that certainly is really...
You're welcome to our party, Commander.
Thank you.
The Commander will now be known by her worldly name, Elaine.
Elaine.
What a pretty name.
And you're very lovely, my dear,
now that you've dropped your Euclidean manner.
Boy, I think she's keen.
Jerry!
Oh, I'm sorry.
And I should like to see you in one of my dresses.
I would enjoy that.
Hold it.
There's the dinner bell.
It is indeed the signal for the evening meal.
You are forgetting again.
It is stupid of me.
I will not forget often.
Well, now don't you worry about that, Elaine.
Look, let's all gather around that table,
which is in the habit of coming up through the floor
just as long about this time.
Oh, it's right on the dock. Here it comes.
I am happy to see that you have real food in here.
Did you have to eat that concentrated food?
Most of the time.
Oh, we've got a lot of things you'll like.
Well, now look, let's talk about them after we eat.
I am hungry.
I am sure you will be happy with Mother and her friends, Elaine.
They know and do so many lovely things in their world.
I am sure you are correct, Joan.
Oh, it is so pleasant to hear you call me Joan.
I hope I never hear the name Cleostra again.
Well, Tex, our family has grown.
Will you serve, Elaine?