Changes

== Plot ==

== Plot ==

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United Planets Cruiser C57D, Cmdr. John J. Adams commanding, arrives in the Altair system after a journey of more than a year. After decelerating from hyperspeed (no small matter), they find themselves in the Altair system and begin reconnoitering its fourth planet, where a colony ship, named ''Bellerophon'', had landed 20 years earlier and had never been heard from again. At first they see no signs of civilization whatsoever, but they then come under a radar scan, and receive an urgent voice message from a man identifying himself as Edward Morbius, formerly of the ''Bellerophon'', strenuously warning them not to land. Adams insists on landing, as his orders dictate, and Morbius reluctantly gives them standard geographical coordinates for landing.

United Planets Cruiser C57D, Cmdr. John J. Adams commanding, arrives in the [[Altair]] system after a journey of more than a year. After decelerating from hyperspeed (no small matter), they find themselves in the Altair system and begin reconnoitering its fourth [[planet]], where a colony ship, named ''Bellerophon'', had landed 20 years earlier and had never been heard from again. At first they see no signs of civilization whatsoever, but they then come under a radar scan, and receive an urgent voice message from a man identifying himself as Edward Morbius, formerly of the ''Bellerophon'', strenuously warning them not to land. Adams insists on landing, as his orders dictate, and Morbius reluctantly gives them standard geographical coordinates for landing.

Shortly after the ship lands, a very fast hovercraft rushes out to meet them. Its driver is a robot who, though he looks ungainly, addresses them politely and announces that he has orders to transport them to "the residence." Adams, executive officer Jerry Farman, and ship's surgeon Ostrow ride to the residence. There they meet Morbius, who is in a much more polite frame of mind than he was when he gave that urgent warning, and Morbius' adult daughter Altaira, who is strikingly lovely and also naive. Quite simply, she remembers no human beings other than her father. Morbius explains that every other member of the ''Bellerophon'' crew and expedition died violently at the hands of "a force that never once showed itself," to which force (which also destroyed the ''Bellerophon'') Morbius and his wife (who died a few months later of unexplained "natural causes" were somehow immune. He also demonstrates some of the capabilities of his robot, named "Robby." He can not only walk, talk, and drive a hovercraft, but can synthesize virtually any substance or object, edible or otherwise, on demand, and gives instant, selfless, unargued obedience to any command—except only a command to kill a human being, which produces a state of mind block until the person giving such an order cancels it. Morbius boasts that he built the robot, but won't explain how he could build him. Robby, quite simply, is a product of a technology more advanced than anything that the United Planets has come up with, not to mention that the engineering involved is ''not'' Morbius' field of study.

Shortly after the ship lands, a very fast hovercraft rushes out to meet them. Its driver is a [[robot]] who, though he looks ungainly, addresses them politely and announces that he has orders to transport them to "the residence." Adams, executive officer Jerry Farman, and ship's surgeon Ostrow ride to the residence. There they meet Morbius, who is in a much more polite frame of mind than he was when he gave that urgent warning, and Morbius' adult daughter Altaira, who is strikingly lovely and also naive. Quite simply, she remembers no human beings other than her father. Morbius explains that every other member of the ''Bellerophon'' crew and expedition died violently at the hands of "a force that never once showed itself," to which force (which also destroyed the ''Bellerophon'') Morbius and his wife (who died a few months later of unexplained "natural causes" were somehow immune. He also demonstrates some of the capabilities of his robot, named "Robby." He can not only walk, talk, and drive a hovercraft, but can synthesize virtually any substance or object, edible or otherwise, on demand, and gives instant, selfless, unargued obedience to any command—except only a command to kill a human being, which produces a state of mind block until the person giving such an order cancels it. Morbius boasts that he built the robot, but won't explain how he could build him. Robby, quite simply, is a product of a technology more advanced than anything that the United Planets has come up with, not to mention that the engineering involved is ''not'' Morbius' field of study.

Altaira demonstrates another unique ability: Morbius has a small zoo consisting of two white-tailed deer and a Bengal tiger, all of which are perfectly tame under her "influence." That will become important to remember later on.

Altaira demonstrates another unique ability: Morbius has a small zoo consisting of two white-tailed [[deer]] and a Bengal [[tiger]], all of which are perfectly tame under her "influence." That will become important to remember later on.

Adams explains that he cannot merely leave Morbius and Altaira alone without further orders, and proposes to build a transmitter and use his ship's power reactor to power it. Morbius offers to help by having his robot "run off" several tons of lead shielding. Morbius is not merely being "obliging": he wants Adams and his crew off the planet before they get themselves killed. Or so he says.

Adams explains that he cannot merely leave Morbius and Altaira alone without further orders, and proposes to build a transmitter and use his ship's power reactor to power it. Morbius offers to help by having his robot "run off" several tons of lead shielding. Morbius is not merely being "obliging": he wants Adams and his crew off the planet before they get themselves killed. Or so he says.

That night, Crewmen Grey and Strong think that they hear something pass by, breathing heavily, but see nothing, so they think nothing of it. In fact, an invisible creature is entering the ship and destroying what was to be a key component of the improvised transmitter. Crewman Youngerman, inside, says only that he thought he had a dream. The next morning, Adams angrily disciplines all three men, "pending further evidence," and orders Chief Quinn to repair the damaged part as best he can. Then Adams and Ostrow set off in the tractor to Morbius' residence, seeking to question him about the unauthorized entry into their ship. Altaira is there to meet Adams, this time wearing an "eye-proof" dress. Modest or not, Adams can contain himself no longer, and neither can she: they have fallen in love with one another, in spite of themselves. But in falling in love with Adams, Altaira has lost her "influence" over her "friend" the tiger, who attacks, forcing Adams to disintegrate it with his directed-energy sidearm. Altaira is equal parts upset over the loss of her "friend" and mystified that the tiger did not recognize her anymore.

That night, Crewmen Grey and Strong think that they hear something pass by, breathing heavily, but see nothing, so they think nothing of it. In fact, an invisible creature is entering the ship and destroying what was to be a key component of the improvised transmitter. Crewman Youngerman, inside, says only that he thought he had a dream. The next morning, Adams angrily disciplines all three men, "pending further evidence," and orders Chief Quinn to repair the damaged part as best he can. Then Adams and Ostrow set off in the tractor to Morbius' residence, seeking to question him about the unauthorized entry into their ship. Altaira is there to meet Adams, this time wearing an "eye-proof" dress. Modest or not, Adams can contain himself no longer, and neither can she: they have fallen in love with one another, in spite of themselves. But in falling in love with Adams, Altaira has lost her "influence" over her "friend" the tiger, who attacks, forcing Adams to disintegrate it with his directed-energy sidearm. Altaira is equal parts upset over the loss of her "friend" and mystified that the tiger did not recognize her anymore.

Adams rejoins the doctor, who has been waiting for Morbius to come out of his study, where, as Robby informs them, he is never to be disturbed. Then the study door slides open—and Morbius is not present. Adams and Ostrow look at a sheet of drawings on Morbius' desk, drawings that look like hieroglyphics but are not Egyptian, cuneiform (Babylonian), Chinese, or anything else they can recognize. Then an entire wall slides away, revealing a wide, angular archway. Standing in it is a very put-out Morbius who accuses the men of burglary. Adams, refusing to rise to the bait, tells Morbius frankly that someone or something entered his ship the night before, and damaged some equipment.

Adams rejoins the doctor, who has been waiting for Morbius to come out of his study, where, as Robby informs them, he is never to be disturbed. Then the study door slides open—and Morbius is not present. Adams and Ostrow look at a sheet of drawings on Morbius' desk, drawings that look like hieroglyphics but are not [[Egypt]]ian, cuneiform ([[Babylonia]]n), [[China|Chinese]], or anything else they can recognize. Then an entire wall slides away, revealing a wide, angular archway. Standing in it is a very put-out Morbius who accuses the men of burglary. Adams, refusing to rise to the bait, tells Morbius frankly that someone or something entered his ship the night before, and damaged some equipment.

Morbius realizes that Adams suspects him, and decides to share a secret that nearly blows Adams and Ostrow away: the planet was once home to a highly advanced and enlightened race called the Krel, who, millions of years ago, came to earth and brought back specimens (including the ancestors of the tiger, the deer, and several trees on Morbius' land). The Krel apparently died 200,000 years ago, and every above-ground structure crumbled and blew away long before the ''Bellerophon'' arrived. Morbius reveals that on the day they died, they were about to complete a project that would free them from any need for physical "instrumentality."

Morbius realizes that Adams suspects him, and decides to share a secret that nearly blows Adams and Ostrow away: the planet was once home to a highly advanced and enlightened race called the ''Krel'', who, millions of years ago, came to earth and brought back specimens (including the ancestors of the tiger, the deer, and several trees on Morbius' land). The Krel apparently died 200,000 years ago, and every above-ground structure crumbled and blew away long before the ''Bellerophon'' arrived. Morbius reveals that on the day they died, they were about to complete a project that would free them from any need for physical "instrumentality."

Morbius also plays them some atonal Krel music, and shows the men a number of surviving Krel artifacts. They include:

Morbius also plays them some atonal Krel [[music]], and shows the men a number of surviving Krel artifacts. They include:

* Krel metal, a hundred times stronger than [[steel]], and able to take a direct blaster shot without even heating up.

* Krel [[metal]], a hundred times stronger than [[steel]], and able to take a direct blaster shot without even heating up.

* A physics laboratory containing a library projector and a "plastic educator," designed to educate young Krel in mental manipulation. The key fact: Morbius doubled his intellectual capacity on the educator, and that enabled him to read the Krel library projector.

* A [[physics]] laboratory containing a library projector and a "plastic educator," designed to educate young Krel in mental manipulation. The key fact: Morbius doubled his intellectual capacity on the educator, and that enabled him to read the Krel library projector.

* A row of power gauges, each one representing a range of power ten times the last, with no apparent limit.

* A row of power gauges, each one representing a range of power ten times the last, with no apparent limit.