A hot air balloon is spotted floating in the distance. Several people set off in pursuit - Charles remarks that it appears that they all want to be rescued. They find the balloon crash-landed in a tree. The pilot is dead. His knapsack contains a camera, food and a postcard of an aerial view of the Cotswolds. There is also a
sketch map, with White Cross marked on it - he was obviously trying to land!
Alan and Melanie decide to set off eastwards towards the Cotswolds in the hope of finding where the balloon came from. Meanwhile, the others search the crash site. They find binoculars, and a map of the UK. The pilot appears to have been surveying the whole of England - they find more aerial view postcards, a book of notes, and an English/Norwegian dictionary. He has mapped crops, livestock and industry across the
country, and worked out the water routes between them.
Alan and Mel come across a blacksmith on their journey - he had a fire burning as a beacon for the balloon, and had been waiting for the balloonist, whose name was Lars, to return. Apparently when he'd left, he'd had his daughter with him. They return with this news.
The notebook tells of hydro-electric power in Norway - Greg is very excited and Jen fears he'll go off on search of it. Charles and Greg excitedly discuss Lars' plan -
federation on a grand scale - they feel a responsibility to continue his dream. Jen and Pet feel insecure - they are happy in their own little settlement.
Agnes, the daughter, is making her way to White Cross on foot, having separated from her father. She gets lost en route, but is found in the woods by Hubert. They had come over from Norway by boat, and had picked up the balloon in E. Anglia. They are from Bergen, where Lars had owned a tool making factory. There is ample access to
hydro-electric power, but no food - they wish to set up a supply chain to their homeland. They also need engineers to get the electricity plants going. They want food in return for the tractors and machinery they could produce in their factory. Agnes is frustrated at how the people over here have not organised, and are killing all their livestock for food rather than breeding from them and farming properly.
Agnes is enthusiastic about her father's plans - she suggests they abandon White
Cross and move closer to the lines of communication so they can trade, and that they send their specialists to other communities where they will be of more use.
Charles asks Jack to accompany Agnes back to Norway. He stresses that whenever they make a contact along the way, a message should be sent back to White Cross somehow. Jen knows that Greg wants to go as well, as an engineer, and reluctantly gives her blessing for him to go. They wait for the wind to change to the west, then Agnes,
Jack and Greg sail off into the east.
