“The AB Chrysalis” is episode twelve of season two of Space: 1999.
In the Command Centre, they’re waiting for an explosion. When it happens, the place is put on red alert and the Eagles are launched to get out of the way of the blast with emergency supplies. The blast hits Alpha, causing damage and starting fires. Alan contacts them from Eagle 1 but can’t get through.
Alan lands the Eagle and people start putting out the fires. He makes his way to the Command Centre where Dr Russell says they are alright. According to the commander, they are alright this time.
Dr Russell’s status report states that for the last week they have been heading towards a series of spatial explosions of unknown origin. The explosions happen at 12-hour intervals and each is more violent. So far, they’ve had no serious casualties, but they’re taking increasing damage to systems and have no way to take evasive action.
A planet is discovered at the origin of the explosions. It hasn’t been destroyed, so the explosions are heading outwards. The regular intervals suggest intelligent life. Commander takes Eagle 1 out with Alan and Maya. The planet is ringed by moons, in a strangely perfect circle. Maya reports the planet’s atmosphere is chlorine. The moons have no atmosphere and a high energy potential. They head to the nearest moon, where there’s a base, the source of the high energy levels.
The commander suits up and heads out. He gets into the nearest installation and enters what looks like it might be a lift, whilst Alan suits up. Koenig exits in a chamber filled with spheres on pedestals and points his scanner at one. He’s zapped by a bolt of lightning. Alan finds him; the commander’s scanner is fried. One sphere descends from a pedestal, and bounces to and from several, before a device at the centre activates, displaying a sphere and a square. After drawing a triangle and Earth’s solar system, the device states they bare from Earth and it will arrange a suitable atmosphere. The room pressurises.
One sphere apologises for the delay and announces it is Voice Probe 248. The commander wants to discuss the explosions. The sphere says there’s nothing it can do. It is a machine and can’t do anything without authority. Its masters on the planet. Or will be; the sphere is waiting for them to be born.
Voice Probe 248 tells them they are in great danger and must leave. The commander doesn’t want to until Maya contacts him and tells him energy levels are rising to a critical point. The installation starts to emit energy and a bolt hits the Eagle before take-off. They manage to get away, and discuss the purpose of the installations. They seem to store up energy and then bounce it from moon to mean, releasing it outward. The next wave will destroy Alpha.
Koenig decides to land on the planet. And they immediately are taken below the surface on a lift. A voice says they will be taken to a place of safety. It seems the inhabitants of the planet are in chrysalis, and during that period are defended by the explosions. Which Alpha can’t avoid. The Voice Probes are polite and as helpful as they can be. Which isn’t much, as they need their, currently sleeping, masters to make decisions. And if something isn’t done, Alpha is doomed.