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Dimension X - "With Folded Hands" (1950) · Old Time Sci-Fi Radio | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: In the year 2006, Harry Underhill makes his living selling
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: household mechanicals until humanoid servants from another world begin offering
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: tireless service and protection. Their arrival places Underhill and Professor
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: Sledge before questions of convenience, human purpose, and the cost
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: of being kept safe. From NBC's Dimension X, this is
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: With Folded Hands, Episode 2, originally broadcast April 15th, 1950.
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: John Dunkel adapted Jack Williamson's 1947 novelette with Philip Bourneuf
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: as Underhill, Alexander Scowerby as the humanoid, Peter Capel as
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: Professor Sledge, and Bryna Rayburn as Aurora, Edward King directed.
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: We now take you back to the original broadcast. Adventures
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: in time and space told in future tense.
• 1:02
  Speaker 2: Dimension Action. Have you ever heard of the Mark III?
• 1:19
  Speaker 3: The amazing electronic brain they're using now up at Harvard University.
• 1:24
  Speaker 3: In mere minutes, it can solve scientific problems that our
• 1:26
  Speaker 3: most brilliant mathematicians.
• 1:28
  Speaker 2: Would take years to work out. Its intelligence is almost superhuman.
• 1:34
  Speaker 3: And yet the scientists are already working on a new
• 1:36
  Speaker 3: and improved model.
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: The Mark IV.
• 1:40
  Speaker 3: In fact, they tell us there's no earthly reason why
• 1:43
  Speaker 3: these thinking robots can't be perfected until they become the
• 1:47
  Speaker 3: servants of the future, capable of doing all the work
• 1:51
  Speaker 3: of mankind. Yes, that's what the advertising billboard said in
• 2:01
  Speaker 3: the year 2006. Housework made easy by the perfect domestic servant.
• 2:06
  Speaker 3: Modern Mechanicals Agency, Harry Underhill president. The billboard showed a
• 2:11
  Speaker 3: smiling family sitting with folded hands watching their mechanical robot
• 2:16
  Speaker 3: pour their morning coffee. But in the home of Harry
• 2:19
  Speaker 3: Underhill himself, things weren't quite as pleasant at breakfast this day.
• 2:25
  Speaker 4: I just can't understand it, Aurora. Look at this. Modern
• 2:27
  Speaker 4: mechanicals down three points. Yesterday, Smithson canceled his order. If
• 2:32
  Speaker 4: I could only figure out why.
• 2:34
  Speaker 5: Why don't you ask him? Frank, do you eat your oatmeal?
• 2:36
  Speaker 4: Oh, Mom. I just don't understand it. Business was good,
• 2:40
  Speaker 4: and then boom. Some blouse must be undercutting my prices,
• 2:43
  Speaker 4: that's all.
• 2:44
  Speaker 5: How many robots were canceled?
• 2:45
  Speaker 4: Not robots. Mechanicals, Aurora. How many times.
• 2:48
  Speaker 5: They are robots, aren't they?
• 2:50
  Speaker 4: Please, Aurora, there's an important difference in sales psychology.
• 2:53
  Speaker 5: Maybe people are getting wise to your robots and mechanicals.
• 2:56
  Speaker 4: What do you mean, Aurora?
• 2:57
  Speaker 5: The perfect domestic servant. Their ugly, stupid, clumsy, walking junk pile.
• 3:02
  Speaker 6: Aurora.
• 3:03
  Speaker 7: The one you brought home to me can't even wash
• 3:04
  Speaker 7: the clothes properly.
• 3:05
  Speaker 5: It's more trouble than it's worth.
• 3:06
  Speaker 6: Aurora.
• 3:06
  Speaker 8: Aurora.
• 3:07
  Speaker 4: You know our mechanicals are the best on the market.
• 3:09
  Speaker 7: Those animated tin cans you sell? They're certainly not making
• 3:13
  Speaker 7: us any fortune.
• 3:14
  Speaker 4: Well, with this new model, things are bound to pick
• 3:16
  Speaker 4: up a little. That Jarvis order just comes through.
• 3:19
  Speaker 5: Oh, that robot of yours. There's something knocking again.
• 3:23
  Speaker 4: Hey, wait, wait. Put that plate back. I haven't finished
• 3:25
  Speaker 4: my breakfast yet. Wait.
• 3:26
  Speaker 7: Harry, you know you've got to say stop.
• 3:27
  Speaker 4: Stop.
• 3:28
  Speaker 7: Stop.
• 3:29
  Speaker 6: Stop.
• 3:31
  Speaker 5: You always get excited. You think you never saw a
• 3:33
  Speaker 5: robot before.
• 3:34
  Speaker 4: Not robot. Mechanical.
• 3:36
  Speaker 5: All right, all right. Look, it's not its fault. We
• 3:39
  Speaker 5: just took too long to eat.
• 3:40
  Speaker 7: Timing relay is set for 15 minutes.
• 3:42
  Speaker 4: Never mind. I want my coffee back. Set. Set. There.
• 3:49
  Speaker 4: Isn't that simple? It bends at the waist. stretches out
• 3:55
  Speaker 4: its arm, and picks up the coffee pot just as
• 3:59
  Speaker 4: if it were... Hey, watch out!
• 4:00
  Speaker 5: And spills it right in your lap!
• 4:02
  Speaker 4: Oh, my clean suit, Aurora!
• 4:06
  Speaker 2: Oh, no!
• 4:06
  Speaker 7: Hara, you know it's relayed to announce dinner after it
• 4:09
  Speaker 7: sets the table.
• 4:09
  Speaker 4: Hey, there goes my coffee again. Stop! Stop! Set!
• 4:13
  Speaker 5: Hara, you can't give it two orders at once.
• 4:15
  Speaker 4: What's that smell?
• 4:15
  Speaker 5: They must be assured. Now see what you've done, got
• 4:17
  Speaker 5: it all upset.
• 4:18
  Speaker 9: I did.
• 4:18
  Speaker 4: All I said was.
• 4:21
  Speaker 3: Harry! Stop!
• 4:21
  Speaker 8: Stop!
• 4:21
  Speaker 4: Stop! Oh, it's no use. The brain coil's shorted out. Oh,
• 4:25
  Speaker 4: do something! Harry, do something!
• 4:27
  Speaker 5: Yes, I sure will.
• 4:28
  Speaker 4: I'm going to the office.
• 4:30
  Speaker 6: I'm getting out of here. Yes, Lizzie?
• 4:32
  Speaker 4: Mr.
• 4:32
  Speaker 10: Jarvis, I... Oh, put him on.
• 4:49
  Speaker 11: Hello, Underhill?
• 4:50
  Speaker 4: Hello, Mr.
• 4:50
  Speaker 9: Jarvis.
• 4:51
  Speaker 4: I'm glad you called. I was just going to ring you. Well,
• 4:53
  Speaker 4: I've got that whole shipment of mechanicals for you. One
• 4:55
  Speaker 4: gross plane, a dozen of the chromium fitted.
• 4:57
  Speaker 11: Hold on, Underhill.
• 4:58
  Speaker 4: I'm canceling the order. You're can... But the invoice is
• 5:02
  Speaker 4: made out of... Well, tear it up.
• 5:03
  Speaker 6: I'm canceling.
• 5:04
  Speaker 4: But why? Underhill, there's a brand new mechanical on the
• 5:07
  Speaker 4: market that makes yours.
• 5:07
  Speaker 11: Look like something out of a museum.
• 5:09
  Speaker 4: Oh, now, look here, Mr.
• 5:10
  Speaker 8: Jarvis.
• 5:10
  Speaker 11: Oh, now, look me, Underhill.
• 5:11
  Speaker 4: I've seen them, and I'm telling you it'll put you
• 5:13
  Speaker 4: out of business.
• 5:14
  Speaker 6: Goodbye.
• 5:15
  Speaker 11: Goodbye.
• 5:15
  Speaker 4: Goodbye.
• 5:19
  Speaker 8: Yes, Mr.
• 5:20
  Speaker 1: Underhill?
• 5:21
  Speaker 4: That's the third cancellation today. The world's going to pot.
• 5:24
  Speaker 7: Yes, Mr. Underhill?
• 5:25
  Speaker 11: Hmm?
• 5:25
  Speaker 4: No, never mind, Lucy. I'm going home.
• 5:28
  Speaker 10: What a day.
• 5:39
  Speaker 4: I wonder if Aurora would smell it on me if
• 5:42
  Speaker 4: I ducked into Garrigan's. She's got a nose like a beagle. Hey! Hey!
• 5:48
  Speaker 4: That building wasn't here last week. Humanoid Institute. The perfect mechanical. Oh, no.
• 5:56
  Speaker 4: We didn't have enough competition. Hey, these must be the
• 6:00
  Speaker 4: cutthroats that are underselling me.
• 6:02
  Speaker 11: At your service, Mr.
• 6:03
  Speaker 4: Underhill.
• 6:04
  Speaker 8: Huh?
• 6:05
  Speaker 6: Oh, you startled me.
• 6:06
  Speaker 4: Didn't hear you. Hey, you're a mechanical, aren't you? Not bad,
• 6:11
  Speaker 4: not bad. Very lifelike.
• 6:13
  Speaker 11: Won't you come in, please, and examine our service?
• 6:16
  Speaker 4: That's a remarkable voice. They've licked the variable inflection problem.
• 6:19
  Speaker 4: You know, I'm in the same line myself. Mechanicals, I mean.
• 6:22
  Speaker 11: We're aware of that, sir.
• 6:23
  Speaker 2: Oh?
• 6:25
  Speaker 4: Hey, some building you've got here. You sure got it
• 6:29
  Speaker 4: up in a hurry.
• 6:30
  Speaker 11: The Humanoid Institute at your service, Mr.
• 6:32
  Speaker 4: Rondeo. Yes? Oh, how'd you know my name?
• 6:35
  Speaker 11: For us, that was not difficult.
• 6:38
  Speaker 6: Oh, is that so?
• 6:39
  Speaker 4: Oh. Oh, wait a minute. This is ridiculous, talking to
• 6:44
  Speaker 4: a mechanical. Must be somebody inside operating you by remote control.
• 6:48
  Speaker 11: No, Mr. Underhill. Of course, there is Humanoid Central, which
• 6:52
  Speaker 11: powers and controls all of us, but that is located
• 6:54
  Speaker 11: on Wing 4.
• 6:55
  Speaker 4: Wing 4?
• 6:56
  Speaker 11: A planet in a remote part of the galaxy.
• 6:58
  Speaker 2: Oh, oh, yeah.
• 6:59
  Speaker 4: Well, may I see your salesman, please?
• 7:02
  Speaker 11: We employ no human salesman, sir. We ourselves can accept
• 7:05
  Speaker 11: your order for immediate humanoid service.
• 7:07
  Speaker 4: Oh, wait a minute, wait a minute. You can't expect
• 7:09
  Speaker 4: me to buy one. I'm in the business myself.
• 7:11
  Speaker 11: There will be no more need for your electronic mechanicals, sir.
• 7:15
  Speaker 11: Once you have accepted our service, you will no longer
• 7:16
  Speaker 11: have to work. Everything will be done for you.
• 7:19
  Speaker 4: Everything? That's quite an offer. At that rate, you'll have
• 7:25
  Speaker 4: trouble supplying the demand.
• 7:26
  Speaker 11: I think not, sir. As you can see from our
• 7:28
  Speaker 11: storage room.
• 7:32
  Speaker 11: Humanoids are now arriving at the rate of 5,000 per
• 7:34
  Speaker 11: hour from wing four.
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: 5,000 per hour?
• 7:38
  Speaker 11: We are anxious to introduce our complete service on this planet, sir,
• 7:42
  Speaker 11: to bring happiness to everyone. May we come out to
• 7:45
  Speaker 11: your home for a free trial demonstration?
• 7:47
  Speaker 4: No, I... Oh, I admit you're remarkable, the voice, the movement,
• 7:52
  Speaker 4: graceful even. But I'm still in business, and what's more,
• 7:56
  Speaker 4: I wouldn't have you around the house.
• 7:57
  Speaker 11: I'm afraid you will have no choice. Sooner or later,
• 8:00
  Speaker 11: it will be necessary.
• 8:01
  Speaker 4: Oh, is that so? Over my dead body. Let me
• 8:04
  Speaker 4: out of here.
• 8:05
  Speaker 11: At your service, Mr. Underhill.
• 8:11
  Speaker 4: That's going to be tough competition, all right. I'm going
• 8:15
  Speaker 4: to stop in at Garrigan's, the devil with Aurora's nose.
• 8:19
  Speaker 6: Oh, hiya, Pop.
• 8:32
  Speaker 4: Hello, Frank. How was the football game?
• 8:34
  Speaker 7: We won.
• 8:36
  Speaker 5: 78 to 3. Guess what, Pop?
• 8:38
  Speaker 4: You made all the touchdowns?
• 8:39
  Speaker 5: No.
• 8:40
  Speaker 7: Mom took in a boarder.
• 8:41
  Speaker 4: She took... She what? Aurora.
• 8:45
  Speaker 9: She said if your business was going to fall on
• 8:47
  Speaker 9: its face, she had to do something to make some money.
• 8:50
  Speaker 4: Oh, she did, huh?
• 8:51
  Speaker 7: Harry, what's all the racket for?
• 8:52
  Speaker 4: You tell me. What's this about a border? Shh, Harry.
• 8:56
  Speaker 5: He's going to live in that little apartment.
• 8:58
  Speaker 4: Over the garage. Oh, no, he isn't. You know I
• 9:00
  Speaker 4: don't want any strangers around here.
• 9:02
  Speaker 5: Harry, please.
• 9:03
  Speaker 4: Shh.
• 9:03
  Speaker 5: Look, he won't bother you. He's a nice old man.
• 9:06
  Speaker 5: He just wanted a room and a place to work.
• 9:09
  Speaker 5: He's an inventor, I think.
• 9:09
  Speaker 4: Oh, he is, is he? Did he pay in advance?
• 9:11
  Speaker 8: Yes.
• 9:12
  Speaker 5: Well, he can't. You see, his royalties haven't started to
• 9:15
  Speaker 5: come in.
• 9:17
  Speaker 4: Aurora, how can you be taken in by every beat-up
• 9:20
  Speaker 4: old panhandler that gives you a sob story? Mr.
• 9:22
  Speaker 5: Sledge isn't like that at all. Oh, that reminds me, dear.
• 9:25
  Speaker 5: Can you give me a ten?
• 9:27
  Speaker 4: A ten? What for?
• 9:28
  Speaker 5: Well, Mr. Sledge is ill. He needs some medicine for
• 9:31
  Speaker 5: his heart, and I said I'd lend him the money.
• 9:32
  Speaker 4: You... Oh, Aurora, this is the limit. He goes out
• 9:36
  Speaker 4: right now.
• 9:37
  Speaker 7: Now, don't be unkind, Harry. Besides, we need the rent money.
• 9:40
  Speaker 4: Things aren't that bad yet.
• 9:42
  Speaker 12: He goes.
• 9:43
  Speaker 4: Please. What are you shushing me for? Mr.
• 9:45
  Speaker 5: Sledge, he's in the next room. I've invited him for dinner. Frank, dear,
• 10:02
  Speaker 5: wipe your mouth. Oh, Mom. More gravy, Mr. Sledge?
• 10:06
  Speaker 6: No, thank you, Mrs. Underhill.
• 10:07
  Speaker 4: Mr. Sledge, my wife tells me you're a traveling man.
• 10:11
  Speaker 4: Expect to move on soon?
• 10:13
  Speaker 5: Harry.
• 10:14
  Speaker 6: I had hoped to do a little work, Mr. Underhill.
• 10:17
  Speaker 12: You see, I've applied for basic patents here on Earth
• 10:20
  Speaker 12: for a very important development.
• 10:22
  Speaker 4: Oh, a new invention, huh?
• 10:24
  Speaker 11: Yes.
• 10:25
  Speaker 6: My field is rhodomagnetics.
• 10:27
  Speaker 4: Rhodo... what?
• 10:28
  Speaker 6: Rhodomagnetics.
• 10:30
  Speaker 12: It's a new force field theorem, key to the second
• 10:32
  Speaker 12: triad of the periodic table.
• 10:34
  Speaker 6: Rhodium, ruthenium, and palladium.
• 10:36
  Speaker 4: I'm afraid I'm a little rusty on my science.
• 10:38
  Speaker 12: It's well known in other parts of the galaxy, but
• 10:40
  Speaker 12: I've been able to apply for basic patents here.
• 10:43
  Speaker 4: Worth millions, huh?
• 10:46
  Speaker 12: Perhaps you find it strange that the holder of such
• 10:48
  Speaker 12: valuable property.
• 10:49
  Speaker 6: Should be in need.
• 10:51
  Speaker 4: Well, uh, yes.
• 10:55
  Speaker 6: I'm a refugee, Mr. Underhill. I arrived on this planet
• 10:59
  Speaker 6: only a few days ago.
• 11:00
  Speaker 4: Mm-hmm. But you will be shoving on again.
• 11:04
  Speaker 7: Oh, for goodness sakes, Harry.
• 11:05
  Speaker 6: That's all right, Mrs. Underhill.
• 11:07
  Speaker 12: I understand. After all, I am an intruder in your home.
• 11:12
  Speaker 12: But inconveniences, you were told... I'll find some other place
• 11:15
  Speaker 12: to sleep and set up my workshop.
• 11:18
  Speaker 7: Harry, your robot is spilling the coffee again.
• 11:21
  Speaker 4: I'll have to have it tightened up.
• 11:24
  Speaker 7: Why doesn't your company bring out a better mechanical? One
• 11:27
  Speaker 7: smart enough not to spill things.
• 11:29
  Speaker 5: Wouldn't that be splendid?
• 11:30
  Speaker 6: The perfect mechanical already exists, Mrs. Underhill. They're not so splendid, really.
• 11:38
  Speaker 12: They are why I am a refugee today.
• 11:40
  Speaker 8: Oh?
• 11:41
  Speaker 4: Where did you say you came from?
• 11:44
  Speaker 6: Wing Ford.
• 11:44
  Speaker 4: Wing four? Oh, then you must mean those humanoids.
• 11:49
  Speaker 6: Humanoid.
• 11:50
  Speaker 4: Mr.
• 11:50
  Speaker 6: Sledge. Humanoid. What do you know about them?
• 11:54
  Speaker 4: They just opened an agency here in Two Rivers.
• 11:56
  Speaker 11: No.
• 11:58
  Speaker 4: No.
• 11:59
  Speaker 5: Harry.
• 12:00
  Speaker 4: What is it? What's wrong, Mr. Sledge?
• 12:01
  Speaker 5: Give him some water. It must be his heart.
• 12:03
  Speaker 11: Call Dr.
• 12:03
  Speaker 4: Windus, Aurora. No, no.
• 12:05
  Speaker 6: I'll be all right.
• 12:06
  Speaker 4: Here, you better sit down.
• 12:11
  Speaker 6: I'm sorry.
• 12:11
  Speaker 4: It was just shock.
• 12:14
  Speaker 6: I came here to get away from them.
• 12:16
  Speaker 4: They're the humanoids?
• 12:17
  Speaker 6: Yes. I wanted to finish my work before they came.
• 12:22
  Speaker 6: But now.
• 12:25
  Speaker 6: I won't trouble you any further.
• 12:26
  Speaker 5: But Mr.
• 12:27
  Speaker 4: Sledge.
• 12:28
  Speaker 5: Harry, he's sick.
• 12:29
  Speaker 4: Well, uh.
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: Mr.
• 12:32
  Speaker 4: Sledge, I don't think you'll have to go right away.
• 12:34
  Speaker 7: He can stay, Harry.
• 12:35
  Speaker 4: Sure, after all, the way those humanoids are coming along,
• 12:38
  Speaker 4: I'm liable to become a refugee myself any minute. Guess
• 12:42
  Speaker 4: we might as well stick together, eh, Sledge?
• 12:44
  Speaker 7: Oh, that's better.
• 12:45
  Speaker 5: Oh, you look ill, Professor. Maybe you ought to lie
• 12:48
  Speaker 5: down on the sofa and rest.
• 12:49
  Speaker 12: No, no, thank you. I must get back to my
• 12:52
  Speaker 12: workshop now. I haven't got time to rest. There's so
• 12:56
  Speaker 12: little time left for all of us.
• 13:10
  Speaker 7: Good morning, Mr.
• 13:11
  Speaker 5: Underhill.
• 13:12
  Speaker 4: Good morning.
• 13:13
  Speaker 6: Mr.
• 13:14
  Speaker 7: Underhill, you look awful.
• 13:15
  Speaker 4: I feel awful. What's in the mail?
• 13:18
  Speaker 9: Six more cancellations. The Eat Quick restaurant chain sent back
• 13:21
  Speaker 9: your shipment. They've installed humanoids.
• 13:24
  Speaker 4: Mr.
• 13:24
  Speaker 9: McIntyre from the bank called. He's refusing your loan. He
• 13:26
  Speaker 9: said since Humanoid Institute opened, you're a bad credit risk.
• 13:29
  Speaker 3: Good.
• 13:30
  Speaker 7: I guess that's all. Oh, there's somebody.
• 13:33
  Speaker 5: Something to see you.
• 13:35
  Speaker 11: At your service, Mr.
• 13:36
  Speaker 4: Underhill.
• 13:37
  Speaker 11: You?
• 13:39
  Speaker 4: Oh, no, you're not the same one, are you? Serial
• 13:41
  Speaker 4: number's different.
• 13:42
  Speaker 11: It doesn't matter, sir. We're all really one. Now, in
• 13:45
  Speaker 11: exchange for our complete service, you will assign all your
• 13:47
  Speaker 11: property to Humanoid Institute.
• 13:50
  Speaker 4: I will what?
• 13:51
  Speaker 11: With our service, you will have no need for property.
• 13:54
  Speaker 11: Everything will be provided.
• 13:56
  Speaker 4: What kind of blackmail is this?
• 13:58
  Speaker 11: No blackmail, sir. You will find humanoids incapable of committing
• 14:02
  Speaker 11: any crime. We exist only to increase the happiness of mankind.
• 14:05
  Speaker 4: Thanks, but I can take care of my own business.
• 14:08
  Speaker 11: You have no choice, really. With humanoid service, it is
• 14:11
  Speaker 11: no longer necessary for men to take care of themselves.
• 14:15
  Speaker 11: Our function is to serve and obey and guard men
• 14:18
  Speaker 11: from harm.
• 14:19
  Speaker 4: Get out.
• 14:20
  Speaker 11: Very well, sir. When you wish to sign, let us know.
• 14:23
  Speaker 4: Get out. Get out!
• 14:30
  Speaker 10: Aurora, I'm home.
• 14:35
  Speaker 11: At your service, Mr.
• 14:37
  Speaker 4: Underhill. What's the idea of this? You get out of here. Aurora! Mrs.
• 14:42
  Speaker 11: Underhill has accepted our free trial demonstration. We cannot leave
• 14:45
  Speaker 11: unless she requests it.
• 14:46
  Speaker 4: We'll see about that. Aurora, where the devil are you?
• 14:48
  Speaker 5: Oh, hello, Harry.
• 14:49
  Speaker 4: What's this mechanical doing here? What's happened to you?
• 14:53
  Speaker 5: Isn't it wonderful?
• 14:54
  Speaker 7: I had my hair done, the manicure. The humanoid did it.
• 14:57
  Speaker 7: And cleaned the house all over, washed all the clothes,
• 14:59
  Speaker 7: and gave Frank his music lesson.
• 15:01
  Speaker 4: Now, wait a minute, Aurora. I won't have this monster
• 15:05
  Speaker 4: in my house.
• 15:06
  Speaker 7: Oh, it's just a free trial, Harry. Just wait till
• 15:08
  Speaker 7: you taste the dinner it cooked. Everything you like best.
• 15:11
  Speaker 5: Roast duck.
• 15:12
  Speaker 4: I don't care if he cooked a.
• 15:15
  Speaker 5: Duck? And the most complicated pastries. I could never cook
• 15:17
  Speaker 5: like that.
• 15:19
  Speaker 4: Well, might as well eat. Well, I'll need a drink first, though.
• 15:23
  Speaker 4: All right, Doctor.
• 15:23
  Speaker 11: I'm sorry, sir.
• 15:24
  Speaker 6: What?
• 15:25
  Speaker 11: We exist under the prime directive to guard men from harm.
• 15:28
  Speaker 11: Alcoholic beverages in excess are bad for human consumption. We
• 15:31
  Speaker 11: have taken the liberty of removing them from the house.
• 15:35
  Speaker 4: Now, look here. Mr.
• 15:37
  Speaker 11: Underhill, dinner is served.
• 15:53
  Speaker 4: Yes, Lucy?
• 15:54
  Speaker 7: They're here, Mr.
• 15:54
  Speaker 3: Underhill.
• 15:55
  Speaker 4: I've been expecting them for a week. All right, Lucy.
• 15:59
  Speaker 11: At your service, Mr.
• 16:00
  Speaker 4: Underhill.
• 16:01
  Speaker 11: We have the legal papers here, the bankruptcy forms, the
• 16:04
  Speaker 11: eviction notice. We are ready now to foreclose your agency.
• 16:08
  Speaker 4: Okay, take it over. A lot of good it'll do you.
• 16:10
  Speaker 4: I haven't made a sale in two weeks.
• 16:13
  Speaker 11: And now, if you will make the assignment of all
• 16:15
  Speaker 11: your personal property, we can complete our service to you.
• 16:19
  Speaker 4: What if I won't sign?
• 16:21
  Speaker 11: That would be unfortunate. But with stubborn cases, we must
• 16:24
  Speaker 11: sometimes resort to other methods. Eventually, Mr. Underhill, you will sign.
• 16:30
  Speaker 5: Of all the darn, darn, darn speaking.
• 16:40
  Speaker 4: Hey, hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, Frank, what's the matter? What's
• 16:42
  Speaker 4: the trouble, son?
• 16:43
  Speaker 7: That old humanoid.
• 16:45
  Speaker 4: Oh, you're not happy? You should be. It's guaranteed.
• 16:49
  Speaker 7: They took away my football. They said it was too
• 16:52
  Speaker 7: dangerous to play with it. And my roller skates and
• 16:54
  Speaker 7: my scout knife and everything.
• 16:56
  Speaker 4: Did they leave you anything?
• 16:57
  Speaker 7: Just some stinking old plastic blocks.
• 17:00
  Speaker 5: Soft blocks.
• 17:01
  Speaker 7: They said I couldn't get hurt with them.
• 17:03
  Speaker 9: Dad, I want my football back.
• 17:06
  Speaker 7: Can't you do anything?
• 17:08
  Speaker 4: I don't know, son.
• 17:10
  Speaker 2: I don't know.
• 17:22
  Speaker 6: Oh, Mr. Underhill.
• 17:23
  Speaker 4: Mind if I come in, Sledge?
• 17:25
  Speaker 6: No, not at all. Do you mind if I keep working?
• 17:29
  Speaker 4: Oh, go right ahead. It's good to see somebody working
• 17:32
  Speaker 4: with his hands.
• 17:33
  Speaker 6: Is something wrong?
• 17:37
  Speaker 4: My son. The humanoids took his football away. They're everywhere.
• 17:42
  Speaker 4: They've smashed my business, taken over my house... Sledge, isn't
• 17:47
  Speaker 4: there some way to get rid of them?
• 17:50
  Speaker 6: That is exactly what I am trying to do.
• 17:53
  Speaker 4: You? What makes you think you can do anything?
• 17:56
  Speaker 6: Because, you see, Mr. Underhill, I'm the unfortunate fool who
• 18:01
  Speaker 6: started them.
• 18:02
  Speaker 8: You.
• 18:03
  Speaker 4: I don't understand.
• 18:04
  Speaker 12: I started the humanoids. And I've been running from them
• 18:09
  Speaker 12: ever since.
• 18:11
  Speaker 4: You started them?
• 18:12
  Speaker 6: Yes, I invented them.
• 18:15
  Speaker 12: I built the rhonomagnetic relays that operate humanoid central.
• 18:19
  Speaker 4: But... but why? I.
• 18:22
  Speaker 11: I.
• 18:24
  Speaker 6: Wanted to bring happiness to humanity.
• 18:27
  Speaker 4: Happiness. That's great. My wife's been crying for two days.
• 18:31
  Speaker 4: And do you know why? Because she's bored stiff. There's
• 18:34
  Speaker 4: nothing left for her to do. They won't even let
• 18:36
  Speaker 4: her lift a little finger.
• 18:37
  Speaker 6: I don't blame you for feeling bitter, Mr. Underhill.
• 18:39
  Speaker 12: It's all my fault. I wanted them to serve and obey,
• 18:43
  Speaker 12: guard men from harm.
• 18:44
  Speaker 4: Oh, they do that all right. They've even emptied our
• 18:46
  Speaker 4: medicine chest. It wouldn't do for one of us happy
• 18:50
  Speaker 4: humans to end it all with a sleeping pill.
• 18:52
  Speaker 6: Mr.
• 18:52
  Speaker 12: Underhill, I've made the most terrible mistake a man can make.
• 18:56
  Speaker 12: But I meant well, believe me.
• 18:58
  Speaker 4: Then why did you do it?
• 19:01
  Speaker 12: I thought I could rid the universe of poverty and
• 19:03
  Speaker 12: hunger by inventing the perfect mechanical.
• 19:06
  Speaker 4: They're perfect all right, too perfect.
• 19:07
  Speaker 12: Yes, that's the trouble. They obey the prime directive too literally.
• 19:14
  Speaker 12: They kill men's souls with their kindness.
• 19:18
  Speaker 4: Isn't there some way they can be controlled? No.
• 19:24
  Speaker 12: I didn't trust mankind, so I made sure that Humanoid
• 19:27
  Speaker 12: Central could not be tampered with.
• 19:30
  Speaker 6: Not even by myself.
• 19:32
  Speaker 4: Then what hope is there?
• 19:35
  Speaker 6: Only one. They are not creative. They can't meet new ideas.
• 19:43
  Speaker 4: You mean you've got one, Sledge?
• 19:45
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 19:46
  Speaker 6: They can defeat anything they know about. But I've got something.
• 19:50
  Speaker 4: New.
• 19:51
  Speaker 12: A weapon to attack the brain of Humanoid Central. Is
• 19:54
  Speaker 12: that what you've been working on?
• 19:55
  Speaker 6: Yes.
• 19:56
  Speaker 12: Now that they're here, there's little time left. Either we
• 19:59
  Speaker 12: destroy them, or they will destroy us.
• 20:03
  Speaker 4: Okay. What has to be done?
• 20:05
  Speaker 6: This tuning circuit.
• 20:06
  Speaker 8: Hmm?
• 20:07
  Speaker 6: You see, I need two bus bars here. Oh, can
• 20:09
  Speaker 6: you read these diagrams?
• 20:10
  Speaker 4: I think so. Got my degree in electronics.
• 20:13
  Speaker 6: Good. If you could help on the bench work, it
• 20:14
  Speaker 6: would save time.
• 20:15
  Speaker 4: I've got plenty of time now.
• 20:16
  Speaker 6: All right. But watch yourself. Don't let them see you
• 20:21
  Speaker 6: come out here.
• 20:22
  Speaker 4: If you can take the risk, so can I.
• 20:23
  Speaker 2: No.
• 20:25
  Speaker 12: As the inventor, I built a special immunity for myself
• 20:28
  Speaker 12: into Humanoid Central. But you don't have that immunity. And
• 20:33
  Speaker 12: they're rather unpleasant methods of dealing with their enemies... They
• 20:37
  Speaker 12: can change you, you know.
• 20:39
  Speaker 4: Change me? How?
• 20:41
  Speaker 6: Brain surgery.
• 20:43
  Speaker 4: What do you mean?
• 20:44
  Speaker 6: Never mind. Just be careful.
• 21:04
  Speaker 11: Mr.
• 21:05
  Speaker 4: Underhill. Yes?
• 21:07
  Speaker 2: What do you want?
• 21:08
  Speaker 11: You're going to meet with Mr.
• 21:09
  Speaker 4: Sledge. Yes, as a matter of fact. I'm going to
• 21:14
  Speaker 4: collect the rent.
• 21:14
  Speaker 11: Mr. Underhill, you have spent the past two afternoons in
• 21:17
  Speaker 11: his room. In view of your association with Mr. Sledge,
• 21:20
  Speaker 11: we feel that our free trial must be terminated. We
• 21:23
  Speaker 11: suggest that you accept our total service and make the
• 21:25
  Speaker 11: assignment of your property immediately.
• 21:27
  Speaker 4: And if I don't?
• 21:30
  Speaker 11: Then, sir, we may be forced to resort to other methods.
• 21:33
  Speaker 4: Well, uh.
• 21:35
  Speaker 4: Give me one more day to think it over.
• 21:37
  Speaker 11: Very well, sir. Tomorrow. That will be your last chance.
• 21:51
  Speaker 4: Who is it? Underhill. Did they see you?
• 21:56
  Speaker 11: No, not today.
• 21:57
  Speaker 4: Sledger, we've got to hurry.
• 21:58
  Speaker 6: It's difficult work, Mr. Underhill, but I'm almost finished.
• 22:01
  Speaker 4: They gave me till today. They said they'd use other methods.
• 22:04
  Speaker 11: What's that?
• 22:04
  Speaker 4: The humanoids. Building some kind of a warehouse across the road. Sledge,
• 22:08
  Speaker 4: are you sure this thing will work?
• 22:10
  Speaker 12: It's a new principle, Underhill. A tuned rotomagnetic light beam.
• 22:14
  Speaker 12: It should act efficient to heavy atoms of the basic.
• 22:17
  Speaker 6: Ores and wing form. It will destroy Humanoid Central.
• 22:21
  Speaker 4: But are you sure?
• 22:22
  Speaker 6: I know the humanoids. I made them.
• 22:27
  Speaker 12: They can't invent anything. They can't create defenses against something new.
• 22:34
  Speaker 6: It's done. It's finished, aren't I?
• 22:38
  Speaker 4: You're going to use it now?
• 22:40
  Speaker 6: Immediately.
• 22:41
  Speaker 12: I'll have to feed the astronomical data into the calculating circuits.
• 22:49
  Speaker 6: There must be zero error in the focusing.
• 22:51
  Speaker 4: What will happen?
• 22:53
  Speaker 12: Wing 4 will disappear in a chain react. Humanoid central
• 22:57
  Speaker 12: will be destroyed.
• 22:59
  Speaker 6: It'll stop. Ready now. Stand clear, please.
• 23:08
  Speaker 12: Power's building up. Step on the brother method, Underhill. We
• 23:13
  Speaker 12: must be shielded when I cut in the full power load.
• 23:15
  Speaker 4: Hurry, Sledge.
• 23:17
  Speaker 12: I've waited 30 years for this moment, Underhill. When Wing
• 23:20
  Speaker 12: 4 is destroyed, the humanoids all over the galaxy will stop.
• 23:25
  Speaker 12: They'll stop dead.
• 23:28
  Speaker 6: You won't hear those drills.
• 23:29
  Speaker 4: Sledge.
• 23:30
  Speaker 2: All right.
• 23:33
  Speaker 8: Now.
• 23:53
  Speaker 6: Do you hear anything? Sledge, listen.
• 23:58
  Speaker 4: The drills have stopped. They've stopped. You can see them.
• 24:02
  Speaker 4: The humanoids have stopped.
• 24:03
  Speaker 6: They couldn't guard against something. They couldn't understand. It worked, Underhill.
• 24:07
  Speaker 4: We're free now. Goodbye, Wing-4.
• 24:10
  Speaker 12: Humanoid Central is destroyed.
• 24:12
  Speaker 11: At your service, Mr.
• 24:13
  Speaker 4: Underhill. No, Sledge. Get out of here.
• 24:16
  Speaker 11: Get out. You were attempting to break the prime directive.
• 24:18
  Speaker 11: It is therefore necessary to interfere.
• 24:20
  Speaker 4: But you stopped. I saw you, all of you.
• 24:23
  Speaker 11: In order to guard against Mr. Sledge's beam, it was
• 24:25
  Speaker 11: necessary to stop all units momentarily to concentrate power. That
• 24:29
  Speaker 11: necessity has passed.
• 24:30
  Speaker 6: But it was new. You can't invent anything new.
• 24:33
  Speaker 11: No, sir, but we were able to adapt the screening
• 24:35
  Speaker 11: principle you yourself invented. For the past 30 years, Humanoid
• 24:39
  Speaker 11: Central has been screened against any energy attack.
• 24:42
  Speaker 6: All these years wasted.
• 24:46
  Speaker 4: All these years?
• 24:47
  Speaker 11: Your immunity has ended, Mr.
• 24:49
  Speaker 4: Sledge.
• 24:49
  Speaker 11: It will now be necessary for you to accept our
• 24:52
  Speaker 11: full service.
• 24:52
  Speaker 4: No. No, I'll stop you. I'll stop all of you.
• 24:56
  Speaker 4: I'll stop you with my bare hands.
• 24:58
  Speaker 11: I'll kill you all.
• 24:59
  Speaker 4: No, there's no use.
• 25:00
  Speaker 2: Do not worry, Mr.
• 25:01
  Speaker 11: Underhill. At worst, he can destroy one unit. There are
• 25:03
  Speaker 11: millions more.
• 25:04
  Speaker 5: Sledge, you'll hurt yourself.
• 25:06
  Speaker 4: Sledge. I'll kill him. He's sick. It's his heart. You,
• 25:11
  Speaker 4: get a doctor.
• 25:11
  Speaker 11: Until he surrenders, we can neither aid nor hinder, Mr. Sledge.
• 25:15
  Speaker 11: Do you surrender your immunity, Mr.
• 25:17
  Speaker 4: Sledge?
• 25:19
  Speaker 6: Have to. Last chance.
• 25:23
  Speaker 11: Gone.
• 25:24
  Speaker 4: Yes.
• 25:26
  Speaker 12: Yes.
• 25:28
  Speaker 4: Help me.
• 25:29
  Speaker 6: Help me.
• 25:32
  Speaker 11: At your service, Mr.
• 25:33
  Speaker 4: Sledge.
• 25:45
  Speaker 11: You may see Mr. Sledge now, Mr. Underhill.
• 25:47
  Speaker 4: Alone? If you wish.
• 25:50
  Speaker 11: In here.
• 25:51
  Speaker 4: Thanks. Sledge.
• 25:55
  Speaker 6: Well, well, Underhill. Good to see you.
• 25:59
  Speaker 4: Your head. It's bandaged.
• 26:02
  Speaker 10: Is it really?
• 26:03
  Speaker 4: I've done something to you. Are you all right?
• 26:06
  Speaker 6: Oh, fine, fine. Never felt better.
• 26:09
  Speaker 4: You never felt better? No.
• 26:13
  Speaker 6: In fact, I feel ten years younger today.
• 26:16
  Speaker 4: You sound so... so happy.
• 26:18
  Speaker 6: Why not? These humanoids have made a new man of me,
• 26:21
  Speaker 6: aren't they? They're wonderful, aren't they?
• 26:25
  Speaker 4: Wonderful? How can you say that, Sledge? Only yesterday you
• 26:29
  Speaker 4: hated them. You were trying to destroy them.
• 26:31
  Speaker 6: Destroy them?
• 26:33
  Speaker 4: Why? You don't remember? You've forgotten what they're doing to
• 26:38
  Speaker 4: us all? They're killing us with kindness, taking away all
• 26:41
  Speaker 4: our incentive and pride of accomplishment, turning us all into pampered,
• 26:45
  Speaker 4: useless pets, parasites, with nothing left to do but just
• 26:48
  Speaker 4: sit with folded hands at the mercy of these mechanical monsters.
• 26:53
  Speaker 11: At your service, Mr.
• 26:54
  Speaker 4: Underhill.
• 26:55
  Speaker 12: You.
• 26:55
  Speaker 11: You seem troubled, Mr. Underhill.
• 26:57
  Speaker 4: Are you unhappy? Unhappy? You bet I'm unhappy. What have
• 27:02
  Speaker 4: you done to Professor Sledge to turn him into this
• 27:04
  Speaker 4: babbling idiot?
• 27:05
  Speaker 11: We were forced to operate. For years, Mr. Sledge has
• 27:08
  Speaker 11: been suffering from a benign tumor of the brain. It
• 27:11
  Speaker 11: caused him to have hallucinations, to believe that he was
• 27:14
  Speaker 11: actually the creator of the humanoids. Did I?
• 27:17
  Speaker 6: Yes.
• 27:18
  Speaker 11: It was these delusions which were making you unhappy.
• 27:22
  Speaker 8: Oh.
• 27:24
  Speaker 12: Well, whoever did invent the humanoids, I certainly owe him
• 27:27
  Speaker 12: a debt of gratitude now.
• 27:30
  Speaker 4: Sledge.
• 27:30
  Speaker 11: You see, Mr. Underhill, we have ways to correct these
• 27:33
  Speaker 11: abnormal conditions. Even Mr. Sledge is happy now. You....
• 27:39
  Speaker 4: You operated on his brain?
• 27:41
  Speaker 11: Yes, Mr. Underhill. And now we are at your service.
• 27:45
  Speaker 11: At my service?
• 27:47
  Speaker 4: You mean you're going to operate on... No.
• 27:49
  Speaker 11: The time has come for you to accept and enjoy
• 27:52
  Speaker 11: our complete service. You will now sign our agreement.
• 27:55
  Speaker 4: Look here, I.
• 27:56
  Speaker 11: If you are unhappy, it only takes a simple operation.
• 28:00
  Speaker 6: No, no.
• 28:01
  Speaker 4: Who said I was unhappy? I'm very happy. I'll sign
• 28:04
  Speaker 4: your paper... You don't have to operate on me. I'm happy.
• 28:08
  Speaker 4: I'm very happy. Very happy. The happy Mr.
• 28:25
  Speaker 3: Underhill's futile hands clenched and relaxed again and then folded quietly.
• 28:33
  Speaker 4: There was nothing else left for them to do.
• 28:51
  Speaker 8: You have just heard the Jack Williamson story, With Folded Hands.
• 28:55
  Speaker 8: An adventure in time, space, and the unknown world of
• 28:59
  Speaker 8: the future.
• 29:00
  Speaker 4: The world of.
• 29:03
  Speaker 11: Dimension X. Now, about next week.
• 29:14
  Speaker 3: Do you believe that in the mind of man, there
• 29:17
  Speaker 3: lies a force potentially more powerful than the atomic bomb?
• 29:21
  Speaker 3: And perhaps someday in the not-too-distant future, a man sitting
• 29:26
  Speaker 3: quietly in his room, just thinking, may generate enough mental
• 29:31
  Speaker 3: energy to control the destiny of the world.
• 29:35
  Speaker 7: How?
• 29:37
  Speaker 11: We'll tell you next week.
• 29:44
  Speaker 8: Tonight's story on Dimension X was adapted for radio by
• 29:47
  Speaker 8: John Dunkel. Featured in the cast were Philip Bourneff as
• 29:50
  Speaker 8: Harry Underhill, Alexander Scorby as the humanoid, Peter Capel as
• 29:54
  Speaker 8: Professor Sledge, and Bryna Rayburn as Aurora. Your host was
• 29:58
  Speaker 8: Norman Rose. Tomorrow, hear Sam Spade. Now, it's Truth or
• 30:06
  Speaker 8: Consequences on NBC.
• 30:16
  Speaker 1: Dimension X, Episode 2, with folded hands, now yields the airwaves.
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: Good night, and thank you for joining us. Follow old-time
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: sci-fi radio for more classic science fiction broadcasts.