“Force of Life” is episode two of season one of Space: 1999.
Commander Koenig and Professor Bergman are trying to work out what something new is. Elsewhere, a technician, Anton Zoref, is woken up by his alarm and nudged out of bed by a woman. A glowing ball of energy is approaching Alpha. Kano reports to the commander that there’s no indication of anything out there; the commander wants to assemble all section heads. Zoref arrives in Nuclear Generator Area 3 and takes over. Dr Russell arrives in Main Mission and is asking the commander what it is. He starts replying, then everyone slows and stops. The energy is now illuminating the reactor area; Zoref tries contacting Main Mission, then anywhere, but everyone else is frozen. The energy comes closer and he collapses.
Everyone else unfreezes and a security alarm is reported activated in the generator. Zoref comes around to find people standing over him. Russell wants to check him out and the commander wants Bergman to check out the generator. The doctor is examining Zoref when a monitor blanks. She puts him on restricted duty, then contacts Dr Mathias and asks him to replace the monitor.
Bergman reports to the commander. There was energy, but not from the reactor, and not radiation. He’s asked what caused it. The professor says that’s a good question. Dr Russell contacts the commander and says she’s put Zoref on restricted duty. No, nothing like radiation sickness. She expects a quick recovery. She probably expects wrong.
Zoref is in his quarters. He’s turned the heat up high and snaps at his wife when she wants to turn it down. He sits and stares at a light, changing colour as he does, and the light goes out. He tells Eva it must have blown and he wants some fresh air. The corridor will have to do.
Bergman reports that the scan record from the generator is normal, except for energy at the same time as Zoref passed out. Not from Alpha.
Zoref has returned to the generator. He chats to the other person, Mark Dominix, then comes over cold. He calls out to Dominix and says he’s freezing. Dominix gets him a coffee, which freezes solid. When Zoref starts to collapse, Dominix catches him, and freezes. Zoref flees and Dominix’s wrist monitor activates.
Mathias is telling Russell that the monitor is fine, but the energy cells are drained when the computer alerts them to Dominix’s death. The commander arrives as Dominix’s body is taken away; all Russell knows is he died 7 minutes ago from sudden freezing. Koenig wants Bergman to restrict the reactor; the death and Zoref’s collapse must be linked.
Zoref is in his quarters. He tells Eva to stay away and an alert comes on that the generator area is closed. Zoref says Dominix is dead. He is not well and heads to see the doctor, telling Eva to stay there.
Bergman has found the same energy present during both events. Whatever alien force caused it is right there on Alpha. Zoref doesn’t get all the way to medical; he sees a woman and follows her. It does not go well for her. No-one knows that Zoref is the cause yet. He’s seeking out sources of energy and draining them. That includes people.
Alpha can’t afford to lose people at this rate. Never mind the deaths in “Breakaway”; this episode alone ends up killing off more than 1% of the crew.