A gorilla soldier rides through the ruins of an ancient human city.
Outside of the city, Urko demands to know where his patrolmen are. His aide Zako says that they'll be back when they search the city for the fugitives. Meanwhile, the gorillas send a message by heliograph, and the trio notice. Galen realizes that they've been spotted and the gorillas are sending word to Urko, and Alan suggests that they send Urko on the wrong route. Galen then calls over the soldier at the heliograph and claims that his horse thrown him. Pete and Alan knock him out while Galen sends a new message. And the soldier, seeing it, rides to Urko.
Urko and his men are making stew when an earthquake shakes the area. When one gorilla tries to run, Urko grabs him and says that he won't let the fugitives get away from him because the earth is shaking. The soldier arrives and reports that the trio have been seen heading south. Urko tells Zako to have his men mount up and they'll capture the trio.
Galen suggests that they head for a nearby village where the humans can be trusted, and the astronauts agree.
Urko and the others ride up to the heliograph, and realize that the signal soldier is gone. Zako goes to investigate while Urko and the remaining trooper head to the south.
The trio arrives at the village of Numai and the human leader, Miller, greets them. He introduces his wife Mary and son Jick, and invites the trio in. They accept and Miller says that Urko's soldier passed through and spoke of the fugitives. Galen claims that Pete and Alan are his servants, and Miller doesn't contradict him.
When there's no sign of the fugitives on the south road, Urko realizes that the road leads to Numai and figures that Galen would know of its reputation for harboring fugitives. They ride there.
The Millers' daughter Mary comes in after exploring the city, and Alan notices a necklace that she's wearing. It's made of electrical wiring, and Mary shows them the other things she found: computer relay units. The city is two hours' travel away, and Alan wants to check it out. Pete would rather hide in the hills, and Galen breaks the deadlock by supporting Alan.
Urko and the others ride into Numai and question an old woman. When she hesitates to answer, Urko threatens to shoot her unless she tells the truth. The old woman glances over at Miller, and Urko rides over to him and barges into his hut. The trio is long gone, but Urko finds Mary's bag of findings. He forces Mary to say that she found them in the city, and Urko figures that Alan would want to go to the city to investigate. Jake says that they were afraid to go to the city and went south, but Urko doesn't believe them and the gorillas head for the city.
The trio is walking through the city streets. An aftershock shakes the city, and the astronauts spread out to see what they can find.
Urko and his gorillas split up into two parties to find the fugitives.
The fugitives search for technology and spot Urko. They run and Urko and his soldier run after them. The trio splits up and hides in the buildings. One soldier fires at Pete and Urko rides down on the astronaut, but he runs past Urko and back into the street. As Urko backtracks and lassos him, another earthquake shakes the city and a hole opens up beneath them. Knocked unconscious, they fall into a subway station and rubble crashes down on the hole above them, sealing them in.
Alan drops down on one gorilla but his rifle goes off and Alan is forced to flee when another gorilla comes to investigate.
Pete wakes up and confirms that Urko is alive but unconscious. The astronaut then looks around the station, and confirms that the hole is sealed over. Urko wakes up and attacks, choking him. Pete chokes out that if Urko kills him then he's dead as well because they're both trapped. After a moment, Urko releases him and demands to know where they are. Pete explains that they're in a BART subway station, and says that they have to work together to dig themselves out. Urko insists that he doesn't need humans, but Pete says that he's from the time that the station was built and he knows things about the place. Urko doesn't believe that anyone would travel underground, and Pete tries to explain that a holocaust wiped out much of the world. Pete shows him a light powered by solar energy, and figures that there's a shield on the outside that is still working. He insists that Urko needs him.
Alan dodges a gorilla patrol and Galen finds him. Galen says that he thinks Pete is dead, and explains that he saw Pete and Urko fall into the ground. Alan points out that Galen didn't see the bodies and has Galen take him to the hole.
Zako and his men find Urko's horse and figure that he's still alive.
Galen draws off the gorilla on guard and then he and Alan investigate the hole. The gorillas return and the two fugitives hide.
Pete points out signs for nutrition pills, organ transplants, and disposable clothing. Urko demands more proof, and Pete sees a poster of a gorilla in a zoo. He directs Urko's attention to a telephone and explains how it worked, but Urko insists that the place is evil. Pete admits that he lied and says that the world belonged to the apes, but says that they still have to work together to escape. The air is getting bad and Urko agrees to work together.
Zako and the others return to the hole and Alan calls from the shadows, saying that Urko may die. Galen joins in, saying that Urko will die but only they can save him. Zako doesn't believe them, but Galen reminds them that he's an ape. Alan says that they have to help Urko to help their friend, and Galen asks if Zako will meet him out in the open unarmed. Zako agrees to the truce and Galen steps out. He explains that the Urko and Pete fell into the ground, and one of the gorillas opens fire. Galen ducks off and Zako tells the soldiers that he ordered a truce and wants to hear what the fugitives say.
Once Zako promises that it's safe for them to come out, Alan offers to prove what they're saying. He pounds on a girder sticking out of the hole. Down below, Pete and Urko hear the typing and realize that Alan is using Morse code. When Pete looks for a piece of metal to sound back, Urko demands an explanation. Pete tells him what is going on and Urko has him tap.
On the street, Zako and the fugitives hear Pete tapping and Alan taps back. They confirm that Urko is alive as well, but Zako doesn't believe them, figuring that all humans are liars. Alan confirms that Zako knows the name of Urko's wife, and then taps back the question to Pete. Pete gets the answer from Urko and taps it back, and Alan "proves" to Zako that he's in communication with Urko. Zako agrees to help them and orders his two gorilla soldiers to help.
Pete signals that the air is going bad, and Alan says that they have to work quickly. Meanwhile, Pete rigs a crude ladder to reach the hole. Urko reluctantly agrees to do "human" labor rather than suffocate.
Alan proposes that they use the horses and a fulcrum to move the rubble. Zako insists on giving the orders, and Alan asks for his word that they'll be set free. Galen points out that the gorilla has no choice, and Zako figures that they won't let Pete die. Alan says that if they're captured then they'll be as good as dead, and Zako reluctantly gives his word.
Pete and Urko make the ladder and Urko goes to get one more beam. He finds the zoo poster which shows humans looking at a caged gorilla, and cuts it down with a piece of metal. Urko then hides it in one glove and the piece of metal in the other. He rejoins Pete and they get the ladder up, while another aftershock shakes the area.
Alan rigs the makeshift pulley and the horses lift the largest piece off, Zako relaying Alan's orders. Pete yells that they're okay and Alan has the gorillas hold the piece in place. Urko tells Pete that he's not leaving and shows him the poster. The gorilla then draws the metal, refusing to accept Pete's word that he won't say anything. Pete grabs the solar light and when Urko stabs him, he shocks himself unconscious hitting the lamp. The astronaut then ties the rope around Urko and has the others lift him out.
Once Urko is on the surface, the rescuers pull Pete out. Urko wakes up and orders Zako to kill them all. Zako countermands the order, saying that he gave his word. When Zako asks what happened in the station, Urko says that he has his reasons and repeats his order before passing out again. Zako orders the gorillas to take Urko to a doctor while he takes care of the execution.
Once the soldiers put Urko on a horse and leave, Zako tells the fugitives to go before he changes his mind. They carry Pete off, and Zako fires three shots into the air. He finds the discarded poster and tears it up.
Later out of the city, Galen confirms that no one is after them. Another aftershock shakes the area, and Galen admits that he thought Pete was dead. Pete asks Alan why Zako disobeyed Urko, and Galen says that they wouldn't obey an order they knew was wrong. When Pete says that he wouldn't, Galen jokingly asks if he thinks he's better than a gorilla.
Written by Gadfly on Jan 3, 2017