PART 8- SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS ...
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Virdon and Burke go back to their spacecraft, Farrow shows them the way.

The spacecraft is now guarded by a lone gorilla soldier with an automatic rifle.

Farrow goes to distract the gorilla, despite protests from the astronauts...

The gorilla chases after Farrow.  Note the American flag clearly displayed on the front canard...

Now the spacecraft is unguarded...

Burke and Virdon make a break for their spacecraft.

Only to find that the Prefect and his Gorillas are not the most mechanically minded creatures on the planet...

The apes have smashed all of the instrumentation aboard the spacecraft... !

Everything has quit working ... except the (objective) Earth Time Clock in the starboard side of the cockpit... though it no longer shows (subjective) Ship Time.   Note the two reel-to-reel tapes to the right of the chronometer station.

Virdon cautiously enters the spacecraft.  That looks like fiber optic cable hanging near him... Even the seats have been ripped out of their mounts!

Burke enters the spacecraft.

Virdon and Burke look around, dismayed at the wanton destruction.

Burke sees the chronometer station is at least still partially functional and makes his way through the debris.

As Burke reads the Earth Time Chronometer, Virdon looks on.  Both astronauts begin to show expressions of disbelief at their situation and at the date / time that they have returned to.

It just can't be...

Virdon bends down, moves some debris aside, and finds...

Virdon spots something that the apes have somehow missed as Burke muses over their situation.

A family picture.  Virdon's family; he, his wife and his son...

The first picture we have of an ANSA astronaut and his family... a link back to the past.

In the episode "The Legacy", we find that Virdon's son was named "Chris".
In the episode "The Surgeon", we find out that his wife was named "Sally".

Suddenly there is a rifle shot from outside the spacecraft, and nearby too... Farrow!

PREVIOUS / NEXT:  PART 9- CAPTURED AND PUT ON TRIAL

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