Original subtitles

F

[NARRATOR] Prying loose the remains of the fallen SDF-1,

the Robotech Masters' lost Protoculture factory,

a detachment of bioroids was discovered by a patrol

from the Army of the Southern Cross.

[DANA] The Earth's been invaded for a second time:

nobody's sure just why, but we know who's responsible:

an alien force calling themselves the Robotech Masters.

The Robotech Masters look as human as you or me.

[DANA] Not that it matters much what he looks like.

Earthlings aren't the kind to take invasions lying down,

so the time came to strike back.

[DANA] It was my fault that Bowie, one of my troopers,

was captured by the bioroids, so the least I could do

was try to make amends by rescuing the poor guy.

[alarm sounding]

[DANA] Sure enough we eventually succeeded

in setting Bowie free...

The question remains... what do we do now?

[NEWSCASTER] And now for news from the war front,

while Earth Forces were successful

in disabling one of the enemy craft,

the remainder of the massive invasion armada

maintains a steady and ominously silent orbit,

at 36,000 kilometers. Robotech Master Zor,

the military commander of the invading fleet

has temporarily ceased hostilities on all fronts.

The reasons for the cease-fire are

as unknown as the motives behind this brutal

and unprovoked assault on our planet.

[ALL] Huh... Wow...

[SEAN] You get assigned a district like this

and patrol duty doesn't look so bad after all.

Hmm, well, men,

this is going to be a true test of your character.

[TROOPERS laughing]

Ahem... All right, everybody, we start our patrols from here,

and don't do anything I wouldn't, hmm?

Yes, ma'am.

Okay, I'll patrol the discos.

And I'll start with that bar over there.

[TROOPER 1] Yeah, you'll end with it too...

Angelo, why do I have this feeling

you'd rather be staying here? Hmm?

Because you're a mind reader, I guess.

All right, move out!

[TROOPERS cheering]

Idiots...

[NARRATOR] Like starving men at a banquet,

the troopers fan out over the blinking neon city.

Huh... Huh?

Lady, this is your lucky night. Hmm.

You seem to like that coat a lot.

- -What? - -1 admire your taste.

Will you buy it for me? Hmm?

Well now, I just might be persuaded, let's see...

[SEAN] Yikes! That's more than I make in a year!

On second thought, red's not your color.

Listen, why don't you and I go someplace

and get ourselves a drink, hmm?

[WOMAN] Hmm... thanks, anyway. Maybe some other time.

Sure, some other time, anytime you say!

[SEAN] Maybe I come off too insincere.

Well, it's her loss.

[MORAN] Gentlemen, I'm afraid I have some very grim news.

According to this report,

Zor has broken his self-imposed cease-fire.

At 0800 today, he attacked our suburban base station

in sector three.

The entire sector with all its inhabitants was destroyed.

Twenty survivors were taken prisoner by the enemy.

The populace is understandably in a state of near panic.

There's been rioting, and the airwaves are jammed with people

wanting to know what the devil's going on.

I want to know how this could happen.

Excuse me, Supreme Commander,

but how on Earth could we be caught so completely off guard?

Sir, I'm sorry I can't explain it. I wish I could,

but what's past is past and we must look forward now.

Our only viable response is to strike back quickly

and with force.

Obviously, we must demonstrate to the enemy

that we are willing and capable of defending ourselves.

And Chief of Staff Emerson,

do you share the commander's opinion?

Speaking candidly, sir, we know next to nothing about Zor

and until we do, I cannot recommend any mission

that would risk our men and ships.

[growling] What are you saying?

We're talking about the fate of the Earth here.

I am aware of that, but tell me, what will be gained

by sending our pilots to almost certain destruction?

I will not stand for this! You are in no position, sir,

to question the abilities of our fighting forces.

[MORAN] Very well, Commander, prepare to attack.

[ROLF] Oh, the fools!

[GROUND CONTROL 1] All ground personnel,

clear the launch area.

[GROUND CONTROL 1] Commence ignition sequence.

[GROUND CONTROL 2] Ignition!

[GROUND CONTROL 2] Check! All systems check!

[GROUND CONTROL 1] Fighter crews,

we have a green light. We have a green light.

First battle wing, you are cleared for liftoff.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six,

five, four, three, two, one, liftoff!

[ROCHELLE] First wing is away! Second battle wing... take off!

[NARRATOR] The Robotech fighters

thunder down the runway and take off.

Answering their call to glory.

Believe me, Rolf, this was the only way.

[ROLF] Hmm. I hope to God you're right.

[PILOT 1] On my order... Fire!

[PILOT 2] They're throwing up some kind of

defense shield, sir!

[PILOT 3] Fighter 32, get your fighters out of there.

[PILOTS screaming]

[PILOT 1] All right boys, follow me in.

[COMPUTER] Attack wings two and eight

have disengaged from enemy.

Attack wings three, four, and seven report severe losses.

All other wings fail to respond,

believed to be terminated-- repeat, terminated.

How can this be happening to us?

[ROLF] We haven't even put a dent in Zor's ship.

Any signs of a counterattack from the enemy?

Uh, negative, sir, they're not moving.

Damage report.

[COMPUTER] Current list of fighters, confirmed terminated.

All those men destroyed.

It's a disaster!

We'd better call off the attack!

[ROCHELLE] All units disengage, return to base at once.

[NARRATOR] On the hasty decision of one stubborn man,

hundreds of young lives were lost in a hopeless gesture.

Meanwhile, the Robotech Masters' mighty ship floats

above the Earth,

untouched, unscathed, and apparently, unbeatable.

[NARRATOR] Professor Miles Cochran,

and his colleague Dr. Samson Beckett

probe the remains of an enemy bioroid

in the Robotech Research Laboratory.

I am now activating ultraviolet scanner.

[COCHRAN] All right, let's see exactly what type of mecha

we're dealing with here.

[BECKETT] Data on its way... Bioroid...

Hovercraft... Some kind of assault ship.

[COCHRAN] Okay, how about the damages received?

See if you can get me a readout on that.

[BECKETT] All right... Requested data on its way.

I'm punching up a schematic of the infrastructure.

[BECKETT] Hmm...

As you can see, internal damage is minimal.

Huh...

Look, Professor, I just can't believe it.

Try focusing the probe on that area.

[BECKETT] Right.

No mistake, definite traces of biogenetic matter.

That means there was something alive in that thing!

Something with a highly complex genetic code.

Just look at it.

Hmm, can you extrapolate an image of whatever it was?

- -[COCHRAN] I thought so... - -[BECKETT] Incredible

I bet it's human.

[BECKETT] But there's no human being even remotely

capable of such technology!

We'll have to start re-checking our findings right away.

We've got to be absolutely sure.

Hmm...

Are you suggesting Zor is human,

not a miniaturized Zentraedi?

You mean that Dana and Bowie

were actually correct in their observations?

Yes, we triple-checked our analysis,

and it always came out the same, sir.

So then we're fighting our own kind.

It complicates things a bit, doesn't it?

It does if it's true.

It's just like brothers slaughtering each other.

- -[computer beeping] - -Hmm?

Do you have something for me?

Yes, sir, I have the report of our losses.

[ROLF] Hm...

[ROCHELLE] Ninety-seven ships lost or out of commission.

Pilots: 407 dead.

Combat ground personnel: 359 dead.

Non-combatants: 237 dead.

And to the best of our calculations

319 missing in action.

Those missing in action, where are they?

Unfortunately, they are all adrift

somewhere out in space, sir.

Are you sure of that?

[ROCHELLE] Uh, sir?

[ROLF] Nothing, out.

[DANA humming]

[BOWIE] There you go.

Ah! If you knew how much I needed this...

[LOUIE] I know it's certainly not very encouraging.

[SEAN] And that was only one ship.

[ANGELO] I tell ya, they could'a got through

if they hadn't been called off.

Angie, I'm telling you,

that ship's design renders a frontal assault

a complete impossibility.

[SEAN] Huh! I almost forgot that the professor knows everything.

[LOUIE] Well, I know enough to realize

that today's attack was nothing

but an exercise in utter futility.

I'd say that's kind of obvious, isn't it?

There must be some weak spot in that ship?

Exactly right. To start with, I've deduced that his ship

is not powered by an engine as we know it.

But how does the thing get from place to place

without an engine?

It apparently folds space

by twisting opposing forces.

[DANA] Space-folding, huh?

So if you upset the hyper-balance,

you've got yourself an unstable ship. Hmmm.

What exactly are you thinking about, Dana?

An ancient offensive military strategy. Hmm.

Try that again?

[DANA] Ha! Don't worry about it.

[DANA] Come on, Louie, we've got work to do.

Huh?

[LOUIE] It's only a theory, I admit,

but it's based on very sound reasoning.

I've scanned the entire ship for a central power source.

As you can see, there's no sign of one anywhere.

But I found a biomagnetic induction network.

It seems to be creating a perpetual biomagnetic cycle

by drawing the Protoculture molecules together

and then forcing them apart.

[DANA] Yea, but what does that have--

It appears to harness the power of these two strong mega-forces.

Through magnetic bonding!

[COCHRAN, DANA] Hmm.

You see, the ship's structure is simultaneously

trying to explode and implode.

And this reaction is the real source of its power?

[DANA] Hmm... so if we destabilize

the bioequilibrium of that reaction,

we'll knock the whole thing out of whack, right?

Uh, yes, theoretically.

Well then, you find the right spot,

and we'll see the job gets done.

I don't think the chief of staff will choose you

for the mission... not with your track record.

Oh, I beg to differ, I think we're the perfect choice.

[NARRATOR] Later at the headquarters of Dana's squadron.

Professor Cochran agrees completely,

we're the only ones with a chance

to knock that thing out of the sky.

[DANA exhales sharply]

Bowie, General Emerson is a very reasonable man

and he was a friend of your father's, he'll understand.

But that was years ago.

I know you resent the fact that your dad asked him

to keep an eye on you... but why take that out on us?

This is your chance to show those dinosaurs

what the younger generation can do.

Bowie, our destiny lies in your hands.

That's right. Listen to her, Bowie.

Now, Sergeant, he's doing his best to understand.

Oh! Bowie, you selfish little...

[DANA] Oh, Bowie, Bowie! If I can't go on this mission,

I'll never be able to look at myself in the mirror again.

[DANA sobs]

Oh Bowie, can't you try to understand?

Let bygones be bygones.

Let Emerson know how much this means to us, please.

He must realize that we'd never ever

let anything happen to you while we...

All right, ma'am, I'll talk to him. Stop crying.

[DANA] Hmm? That's it, Bowie, I could just...!

[NARRATOR] An hour later, our heroes find themselves

in the Ministry of Terrestrial Defense.

[ROLF] Professor Cochran's seen these?

[LOUIE] Yes, sir. I think I can safely say

he's in complete agreement with my findings.

Uncle Rolf? Uh, I mean, General,

if all of this is true we finally have the means

of combating the aliens on our own terms.

[ROLF] Mmm...

It's an insane mission... Hopeless.

Anyway, I don't have the pilots to spare.

Sir, excuse me, but what are we, chopped liver?

Hmm.

Well, I mean you have to do something, sir,

and as you said, you've got nobody else.

I see. You think you can do it?

Yes!

Good hunting, Lieutenant.

[NARRATOR] The plan calls for a squadron of fighters

to keep the enemy occupied while the 15th Tactical Corps

tries to slip under the defense shields.

[PILOT] Just a scratch. Maintain course...

[PILOT] Here we go.

We did it, we made it through.

[SEAN] Outta the frying pan...

[PILOT] Open landing doors.

[DANA] Is everyone accounted for?

[ANGELO] Roger, we're all down.

[DANA] All right, first, we pierce the hull

and expose the biomagnetic network.

Then we concentrate our fire

and blast this spaceship out of whack!

[SEAN] Uh-oh, we've got company.

[DANA] Forget the bioroids, we're not after them.

[DANA] Out of my way.

[ROCHELLE] We have a disturbance on the ship's hull.

It appears that they have successfully infiltrated

the defense shield, sir.

[ROLF grunts]

[DANA] Sorry, guys, you'll have to do better then that!

[SIMON] I've been hit, Lieutenant.

[DANA gasps]

[DANA] Louie, battloid!

[DANA] Better luck next time.

[DANA gasps]

[DANA] Louie, did we do it?

[LOUIE] Yes, ma'am!

It looks like we found that biomagnetic network!

[DANA] That's what we came here for; let's hit it!

[LOUIE] Here we go... Watch out!

[LOUIE] That's it, Lieutenant.

The reactor that harness the magnetic bonding.

If we hit the base of the tower

with a hyper-magnetic particle beam,

we'll destabilize the entire system.

[DANA] Then let's do it to it!

[SEAN] Look out!

[SEAN] Go ahead. We've got you covered.

[DANA] Okay, leave it to me.

[LOUIE] I suggest you hurry.

[DANA] I'm just finding my range.

[DANA] There!

[SEAN] Looks like you knew what you were talking about, Louie.

[DANA] Okay, Transport 1, get us out of here.

It's breaking up.

I never would have believed it!

Assault force, stand by.

Mobilize all forces at Zor's landing point at once.

Yes, sir!

[NARRATOR] Once a seemingly invincible source of terror

now a helpless mass of burning wreckage;

the great ship sinks like a dying beast

onto the cold, hard Earth.

[NARRATOR] A fiery symbol of mankind's first victory in a war

for the very survival of Earth.

[DANA] Boy, nothing's cheap anymore.

[SHOPKEEPER] Could have been worse.

- -[DANA] I guess... - -[SHOPKEEPER] Thank you.

You really should stop spending your paycheck

before it's even yours.

Hmph! You party pooper.

- -[NOVA] What? - -[MARIE] Huh?

[MARIE] That's my outfit.

[NOVA] Oh, and I saved for months.

Aren't you a little young for that dress?

Maybe a little short, too.

[DANA] Hmph!

- -[DANA] Bowie! - -[BOWIE] Yes, ma'am.

[MEN catcalling]

[BOTH] Uh, yes, ma'am, very nice.

Bye-bye.

[MARIE] Well, I'll be.

[BOTH laughing]

[NARRATOR] In our next episode, the war returns to the Earth

as the Robotech Masters press the attack.

The control of Protoculture is essential

if the Robotech Masters are to maintain their hold

on the interplanetary syndicate that they've created.

And so a battle which starts out with regimented discipline

and high hopes for victory on both sides,

degenerates into a brutal

and undefendable high tech brawl.

Be sure to be watching next time for,

"Prelude to Battle,"

the next chapter in the thrilling adventures

of Robotech.

F