A burnt-out actor stumbles upon an alien invasion, and gives the best performance of his life to save Earth.; A scientist tries to use a time machine to escape the dangers of the modern world, but he finds that every era has its dangers.; The Fates make a wager over whether humans will ever understand that they cannot escape them. One of them tells a jewel thief that he will be punished, but he defies fate and flees the country, thinking that since the US is in World War II he will never be found and punished in Hiroshima.; A college professor is certain that life exists upon other worlds, but can't quite remember why he is so assured of this fact. One evening he is abducted by aliens and he receives his answer. The aliens tell him the reason for his abduction is that years ago the aliens sent a spy to Earth, but failed to hear back from him, and the captain of the spaceship realizes that he should not have sent an absent-minded spy. The professor realizes that he is the alien spy.