In September 1999, John Koenig reports to Earth's Space Research Centre at Moonbase Alpha as its new commander. A strange sickness is killing some of the Moonbase Alpha crew. Commander Koenig's investigation reveals that the source lies at Nuclear Waste Disposal Area 1 caused by excessive magnetic energy fields. The continuous build up of energy shortly causes massive explosion clusters that knocks the moon off orbit into deep space.

An alien spacecraft crashlands on the Moon, its passengers refugees from a dying world. As their destination is Earth, they generously offer to take one person with them when they depart. The scheming Commissioner Simmonds takes steps to ensure that he is the lucky individual chosen, even if it means destroying Alpha.