382 – Space: 1999 – The Lambda Factor

There’s a pinwheel in space and we all know what that means!  Psychic phenomena run amuck! Ben and Eugene discuss the Lambda Factor. Synopsis 2308 days since leaving Earth’s orbit, the moon is traveling through a completely empty zone of space. The Alphans call it the peace zone because with nothing there, there are no threats. (Of course, with nothing there, there’s no chance of a new home, either.) Despite the peace, there have been some discipline problems and Koenig is sleeping badly, haunted by visions of the people he’s murdered. Meanwhile, Sally, one of Helena’s staff is attacked by a poltergeist-like phenomena and killed. Security Officer Tony Verdeschi finally has something to do and is on the case. Sally had been one leg of an unfortunate love triangle. She was once engaged to Mark, but they broke up and Mark took up with Carolyn, Sally’s roommate. There may be some hard feelings, certainly these are things that lead to murders. [expand title=”More…” swaptitle=”Less” tag=”strong”] Koenig is getting increasingly irrational, and more fights and problems are breaking out. Maya discovers a thing in space emitting Lambda waves…. “No, says Helena, that’s the Lambda variant a brain wave associated with ESP. She conducts tests and discovers that 3 people are exhibiting, unconsciously, ESP powers, Carolyn is one of them. When Mark breaks up with her, she kills him with her mind powers. Koenig has a catatonic breakdown and, in a first for Moonbase Alpha, Helena cures him. Meanwhile Carolyn takes over all the personal of Moonbase Alpha, although she seems to have no reason to do so. Koenig, it turns out was the fourth person with heightened super-ESP and has more than anyone else, because OF COURSE IT DOES. Instead of hating Carolyn, he shows pity and compassion and her brain wipes itself and the thing in space leaves. All returns to normal except for Carolyn, who must be retrained as if she were a child.[/expand]