They Came from Beyond Space

The unusual V-shaped meteorites crash down in Cornwall, drawing the attention of scientists who are appointed to investigate. Their strange color and sharp, blue-tinged shapes set them apart from ordinary space rocks. The event launches the mission that drives the rest of the story.

Dr. Curtis Temple, recovering from a car crash, is forbidden by his physician from going to the meteorite site. The assignment instead falls to Lee Mason, his colleague and lover. Medical caution clashes with scientific ambition as the investigation begins.

A fellow scientist determines the meteorites have come from the Moon, increasing the stakes and suggesting otherworldly forces at work. The lunar origin implies advanced technology and potential danger beyond Earthly science. Curtis remains involved but the warning signs keep mounting.

Curtis heads to the meteorite site despite his doctor's orders. He arrives to find a scene reminiscent of a military post, complete with guards and a 10,000-volt electric fence. Lee blocks his entry, forcing him to confront his priorities and the dangers ahead.

An Internal Security agent tails Curtis and tries to report the situation, but a mysterious illness breaks out around him. The agent dies from red spots, then a doctor who touches him collapses, and soon a panicked crowd follows. The authorities dub the disease 'The Crimson Plague' and secretly develop methods to dispose of the bodies.

After a night-time rocket launch, Curtis decides to prevent a second launch. He returns with a sniper rifle the next day and destroys the generator powering the camp, halting the launch. He then climbs over the now-disabled electric fence to slip inside.

Inside the aliens' headquarters, Curtis, an expert in unarmed combat, wins a fight with one of the energy beings and proceeds to an underground complex. He discovers the frozen bodies of plague victims and is captured, then escapes by hiding behind his cell door and overpowering an alien. He rescues an unwilling Lee and carries her away from danger.

Curtis takes Lee to his friend Farge's home, where he learns that the silver plate in his head helps prevent possession by the aliens. He persuades Farge to melt his silver cricket trophies into a protective helmet. The plan is to use this makeshift defense as they move forward.

Farge uses ultraviolet light to exorcise Lee's alien control, and she remembers nothing from her time under alien influence. She can still pretend to be an alien and drives to the site with Curtis and Farge hiding in the back of her car. Lee wears a silver helmet for additional protection.

Just before liftoff, the trio hides in a rocket and are discovered, then brought before the Master of the Moon. The Master explains the government’s plan to dispose of the plague victims by shooting them to the Moon. The revelation deepens the moral stakes for Curtis.

The aliens reveal they are pure-energy beings using humans to repair their crashed spaceship. They want to return home to die after their long journey, and the Master assures that once the ship is fixed, the victims will be returned. The ethics of invasion clash with the possibility of mercy.

Farge leads the workers in a revolt to prevent the aliens from removing Curtis's silver plate and to save the humans. The uprising disrupts the aliens' operation and buys Curtis time to fight back. The effort culminates in a dangerous stand for survival.

Curtis tells the Master that Earth would have helped rather than conquered them, and that they should have asked for assistance. The Master’s eyes well with tears at the revelation, signaling a rare moment of emotional vulnerability. The exchange leaves the fate of the victims and the invaders hanging in the balance.