Original subtitles

STEVE: Edwards Tower, this is NASA Jet B18...

requesting clearance to land.

TOWER: Roger, B18, you have clearance to land on Runway 27.

Winds zero-niner.

Roger that, Edwards Tower. Thanks.

(RADIO CHATTER)

NASA 818, Control.

STEVE: Yeah, go ahead, Control.

I'd just like for you to know that...

that auto pilot did a magnificent job of landing the bird.

Jay Rogers! Are they still letting you roam around loose?

Just luck, I guess.

See you when you get parked.

That's a roger.

Hey, Steve!

Hello, Jay.

How are things over in your neck of the woods?

Oh, same old thing, just new approaches.

I saw you're making a cross-country flight when you passed through OPS.

Thought you might like to drop over and see what's going on.

Yeah, as soon as I unstrap myself from this bird.

Now instead of sending a man out on preliminary test flights...

we send up one of these models and run it through the wringer...

all by radio control.

Look, Jay, I know you.

You didn't bring me over here to give me the two-dollar tour.

What's on your mind?

All right.

I do want to show you something.

FLIGHT COM: It looks good at NASA One.

B- 52 >PILOT: Roger.

BCS Arm switch is on.

FLIGHT COM: Okay, Victor.

B-52 PILOT: Landing Rocket Arm switch is on. Here comes the throttle.

Circuit breakers in.

STEVE: We have separation.

STEVE: I've got a blowout in damper three.

Flight Com. I can't hold it! She's breaking up!

ROGERS: The HL-10. We rebuilt it from scratch.

Modern technology can do wonders today.

Yes, I know.

You know what this project means to me...

but now it's on the verge of being cancelled.

STEVE: Why is that?

ROGERS: Some people actual think this plane is jinxed.

At best, others call it a high-risk project.

Steve... I talked the Committee into allocating funds for one more flight.

I want you to make that flight.

Gee, there are a dozen other guys that would love to tackle this.

You're the only one who can.

I know... I know it almost killed you.

Steve, I realize what I'm asking you to do.

I know what it means.

Do you?

(EERIE MUSIC)

I wonder if anybody does.

FLIGHT COM: It looks good at NASA One.

B- 52 >PILOT: Roger.

BCS Arm switch is on.

FLIGHT COM: Okay, Victor.

B-52 PILOT: Landing Rocket Arm switch is on. Here comes the throttle.

Circuit breakers in.

STEVE: We have separation.

B-52 PILOT: Inboard and outboards are on.

I'm comin' forward with the side stick.

FLIGHT COM: Looks good.

PILOT: Ah, Roger.

STEVE: I've got a blowout in damper three.

SR—71 PILOT: Get your pitch to zero.

STEVE: Pitch is out. I can't hold altitude!

B-52 PILOT: Correction. Alpha Hold is oil“. Threat selector is emergency.

STEVE: Flight Com. I can't hold it! She's breaking up! She's breaking...

ANNOUNCER: Steve Austin. Astronaut.

A man barely alive.

Gentlemen, we can rebuild him.

We have the technology.

We have the capability to make the world's first bionic man.

Steve Austin will be that man.

Better than he was before.

Better, stronger, faster.

(MAIN TITLE THEME)

I knew! shouldn't have let you go to Edwards on that cross-country flight.

Look, Oscar, it's more than just the fact that Jay Rogers is a friend of mine.

Listen, you're not gonna give me that old bit...

about getting back on the horse that threw you?

You know, you won't believe this, Oscar...

but that happened to me when I was a kid once.

I could have logged flight time when that horse threw me.

But my dad he made me get right back up that horse and try it again.

And you were triumphant?

No. He threw me further the second time.

What're you saying?

That I felt better for trying.

Oscar, this is one horse I've got to try to ride again.

Steve, we've got reason to believe that what happened to you was no accident.

Oh, come on, Oscar.

When they were rebuilding the HL-10...

a couple of things just didn't ring true.

But you knew about this all along and didn't tell me?

Not without reason.

For instance?

A crash that shouldn't occurred... possibility of a second one.

Oscar, you've been in this business too long, you're getting paranoid.

You're more to us, Steve, than just a man on the payroll, you're...

A six million dollar investment?

I was gonna say friend.

Sorry, Oscar, I didn't mean that.

There's nothing I can do to talk you out of this?

I hope not.

(JET ENGINES WAILING)

I'll be clipped.

Good to see you, old buddy!

Shade, you haven't changed a bit.

How do get any work done around here?

I haven't seen one shade tree for you to hide under.

All this time and now I finally learn where you got that nickname.

Yeah, Steve hung it on me back when I was his crew chief in the US. Wind Force.

How was the trip?

Oh, just great, the only thing missing was stewardesses and the in-flight movies.

We'll work on it.

Come on, I want you to meet some old friends.

You bet.

Well, Andrea, just as good-looking as ever.

Married life keeps her young.

And I do take pretty good care of her.

Well, I'm happy for both of you, Ted.

Mercy me! If we had all-day singing and dinner on the ground...

this would be pure family reunion.

Just about.

Oh, Carl, you still coming up with those sophisticated devices?

Oh, yeah, I make them and Shadetree keeps them working.

But sometimes they... get busted up.

We'll try to make it right this time.

I hate to be a kill-joy, but you know, we've got lots to do.

He's making sounds like a project manager, first things first.

All right, what's number one on the agenda?

Let's go to the HL-10 hangar.

We'll get you changed on the way.

Tomorrow morning you'll take a simulator flight.

STEVE: Well, that's no sweat.

Maybe.

The programmed input to the simulator...

will be all the data collected during your last flight...

up to and including the point where you lost control.

Right down to the nitty-gritty, huh?

Steve, if you can't hack it in that simulator...

there's no way I'm gonna put you in that bird.

What makes you think I might not be able to handle it?

ANDREA: Perhaps I can explain.

Psychological studies have shown that in certain cases when a pilot crashes...

he has an inordinate, subconscious fear of flying.

Under the stress of an emergency situation...

that fear could take over and blot out logic.

So, tomorrow I'll have malfunctions in the simulator.

And if I do all right, it's a go for the HL-10.

ANDREA: It's a little more complicated than that...

but yeah, that's the general idea.

There's another reason.

The simulator flight will tell us if the cause of the malfunction...

was something that could have been corrected, or if...

it was pilot error.

That seems to be the pat phrase when they can't figure out what happened, isn't it?

Now there's no reason to get so upset, Steve.

It's nothing personal.

Okay, Coach, it's your ballgame, start calling the plays.

Well, I should have known.

Anybody ever tell you you were a hustler?

Uh-huh.

The ones I've beat.

Well, I've never known you to lose.

Negative, old buddy.

I got a tab with a local bookmaker that'd blow your gourd!

But thanks to folks like you, | make enough now and then to keep the wolves away.

Oh, I'm that much of a pushover, huh?

Well, if I was you, I wouldn't take up golf full-time.

Shade, how much you figure I lost to you at times we've played?

Lump sum, it make your heart beat fast.

Tell you what. Why don't you give me a chance to get even for today's game.

You talking about double or nothing?

Yeah.

You know, we'll make it short and sweet.

Longest drive on the next hole.

Closest one to the flag stick wins.

That's 450 yards, old buddy...

and you ain't known as a long hitter.

Yeah, well I'll try.

That is unless you want to let it ride.

No, no, as a matter of fact I'd be willing to sweeten the pot.

Say, an even 100?

Can you afford it?

I'd pay that much to watch a red ant eat a bale of hay.

You're gonna have to go some to beat that, old buddy.

Well, I'll try.

(BIONIC SOUND EFFECT)

(WHISTLING THROUGH AIR)

You got to be kiddin'.

You hit that ball into next week.

Yeah, I guess I did kind of catch it on the screws, didn't I?

It was a $100, wasn't it, pard?

They're going to throw the book at Steve in the simulator tomorrow.

He can handle it.

Yeah, the moon walker can handle everything...

including my wife.

Don't try to make something out of nothing, Ted.

Why not? He's trying to make a second fiddle out of me, isn't he?

You go to school to get that way, or does it just come naturally?

So good to see you again.

I wish Ted felt the same way.

Hey, why didn't you stay in touch after the accident?

You just dropped out of my life.

Would you believe a mission that ran a couple of years overtime?

I'm serious, Steve.

You know the way I f...

The way I felt about us.

Was I just another name you could add to your list?

I think you know me better than that.

Hey, listen...

would you listen if I asked you not to make this flight?

I might listen.

I'm frightened for you.

Well, then you can rest easy, because I've got enough for both of us.

You know there are some things that should just be left alone.

Jay will still have a project, he can find another project.

We'll still have our jobs.

You're the only one who has anything to lose.

Stay away from the HL-10, Steve.

Sounds almost like a warning.

You don't mind if we sit the rest of the this out?

No, if that's what you'd like.

What's the matter?

Oh, nothing.

Come on now, I know better.

ANDREA: Just let it go, okay, Ted?

I won't let it go. I want to know what's the matter!

We just danced.

I'll have to admit, I wasn't very good.

If you gentlemen will excuse me, I think I'll turn in.

Shade.

Seeing that we all have to get up early tomorrow...

what do you say we call it a night?

Yeah, why not?

Let the fair-haired boy gets his rest.

Hey, hold it a minute, rocket rider.

Look, it's late and I know you're as tired as I am.

I don't like the way you was dancing with my wife.

Well, there's no reason to get upset, believe me.

You know you got a lotto learn.

And I might as well start teaching you right now.

ANDREA: Ted?

Oh, Steve, I am sorry.

Oh, this would never have happened if I'd only talked to him inside.

It's all right, Andrea. I know how he must feel.

(PHONE RINGS)

MAN: Yes?

I thought perhaps it was you.

Listen, I want results, not personnel reports.

You're behind schedule, I can't afford that.

You're just going to have to find a way to make them scrap that HL-10 project.

My engineers are ready to submit my design as soon as I hear something...

affirmative from you.

I fail to see the difficulty.

He's just another man.

Use your imagination, I'm paying you enough even for that.

I want that project killed.

So you get rid of Colonel Austin or do anything you have to do.

This reminds me of the Saturday night picture show before the prices changed.

It's like everybody at NASA decided to get a cup of coffee at the same time.

Now you're paying for this, ain't you, buddy?

Doughnut, too?

Where's Carla and Ted?

On the other side looking for a table.

Meet you right over.

I can tell you, I bet I need this coffee.

You've got a pretty good grip.

It comes from squeezing my own orange juice.

Shadetree, you seem to be in top form this morning?

I feel like I was sent for and couldn't go, get there and wouldn't do.

The boys in the inspection dock had trouble with the landing gear downlock.

I was up half the night checking it out.

I hate to say it, but it seems like that plane has a mind of its own.

TED: I'm inclined to agree with you.

I just don't think it wants to fly.

Well, there's only one way we'll ever know for sure, isn't there?

Hey, you all right, Steve?

Yeah, I'm fine... fine.

When are we gonna get this show on the road?

Colonel Austin, I will be the only one in communication with you...

while you're in simulated flight.

We've added this little item.

Your flight'll be plotted on this board.

If you drift the slightest bit off course, we'll be able to pick it up in writing.

You boys don't miss a trick, do you?

It helps if we don't.

We'll pick up your flight at one minute before launch.

(DEVICE BEEPING)

Colonel Austin...

this is SimCon. How do you read?

Loud and clear.

Very good, Colonel. Here we go.

We're coming up on one minute, now.

One minute.

Roger, one minute.

Air speed... 380 knots.

STEVE (VO): Flight Com. I can't hold it! She's breaking up!

She's breaking...

Uh, Engine Switch, er... Master Switch... on.

He just skipped three items on the check list.

I know.

Let's keep going.

SIMCON: 40 seconds...

STEVE (VO): Flight Com. I can't hold it! She's breaking up!

Uh... Erect switch... off.

Uh... Fast erect... off.

STEVE: Systems okay, NASA One.

30 seconds.

STEVE (VO): Flight Com. I can't hold it! She's breaking up!

STEVE: Release Circuit... Breaker... on... in.

Camera and recorders on.

This is stupid, why don't we just get down to it?

We have a launch.

FLIGHT COM (VO): BCS Arm switch is on.

STEVE: Okay, Victor.

FLIGHT COM: Arm switch is on.

Circuit breaker.

STEVE: We have separation.

(RADIO CHATTER)

STEVE (VO): I've got a blowout in damper three!

I've got a problem!

She won't respond!

Gee, something's wrong! He's not with us.

That's it, stop the flight.

STEVE (VO): The pitch is out! I can't hold altitude!

She's out of control!

STEVE: Flight Com. I can't hold it! She's breaking up!

(EXPLOSION)

Are you satisfied? You got what you wanted.

Hey, calm down, Steve, it's all right.

You think so?

Get the doc!

How are you feeling, pal?

A bit fuzzy.

What are you doing here?

For that matter, what am I doing here?

Where else would they bring you?

It's a good thing you passed out or you'd a been in a lot more trouble.

You know, this may come as a big shock to you, Oscar...

but I don't know what you're talking about.

Never mind.

I'll tell you about it on the way back to Washington.

Wait a minute.

I came here to ride that horse we were talking about, remember?

Steve, its over.

Rogers is throwing in the towel.

Besides, after what happened this morning...

I'd like you to go back and get a complete check-up.

Oscar, I don't remember what happened this morning...

except that things began to happen during the flight.

For a while there, I was right back in the HL-10 just before the crash.

I don't remember anything after that.

Well, the way I understand it...

you were upset, you were mad, you gave SimCon a bad time.

Rogers cancelled the test...

went over to the simulator to find out what was wrong with you.

You smashed in a panel and passed out.

What's the bottom line?

Sometimes the mind plays tricks.

Perhaps the subconscious doesn't want to be taken being back to the past.

No, no, I won't buy that.

Steve, what other explanation is there?

There is one.

Oscar, I was drugged.

First thing I thought about when I heard what happened to you.

I was with the doctor when he took a blood sample.

No trace of anything.

You know as well as I do that there are drugs that leave no traces after a few hours.

That's true.

Oscar, I'll make you a deal.

A deal? What kind of deal?

Right off the bat you suspected sabotage and I didn't.

Now I suspect that I've been drugged and you don't.

Go ahead, I'm listening.

I want another crack at that simulator.

Then if I go haywire, everybody's right.

But if I don't...

That means someone's out to get you.

It fits.

But the question is why.

Well, when we find him, you can ask him that.

And how do you propose that we find out?

First things, first. Deal?

OSCAR: Deal.

OSCAR: Mr. Rogers, I have reason to believe the unfavorable situation this morning was...

well, shall we say, induced.

I don't know.

Nothing against you, Steve...

but maybe the committee was right about the whole project.

Never known you to be a quitter, Jay.

I am convinced that Steve will perform properly if given an opportunity to prove it.

OSCAR: And I'll take full responsibility for it.

Are you sure, Steve?

Yeah, there's something I have to prove to myself.

40 seconds.

STEVE: Erect switch off!

Fast erect off.

System's okay, NASA One.

30 seconds.

STEVE: Release circuit breaker, in!

Camera and recorders, on.

We have a launch.

STEVE: Igniting three and four.

I have ignition.

Jay?

Jay, what are you trying to do to him?

Give him a chance to prove himself.

Lowe him that much.

We'll know more when we simulate the same malfunction...

that caused the crash.

Do you realize how that could effect Steve?

Yes, and so does Steve.

NASA One, I have reached simulated peak altitude.

Jay?

Are you ready for the malfunction?

Go ahead.

There's a blow-out in number three.

(FLIPS A SWITCH)

Beginning emergency descent.

So far, so good.

He's correcting for pitch and yaw.

He's holding it.

(FLIPS A SWITCH)

Landing gear down and locked.

STEVE: Now ready for final approach.

That's it, we're home free.

Well, like they say, it's always better the second time around.

It's the first time I don't like.

How's that, Mr. Collins?

I just don't think he can hack it.

Well, as I understand it, it's not your decision to make.

Andrea, what do you think?

Medical science always baffles me, this just adds to the list.

What's your opinion?

Well, he handled every situation with great ease.

I have to call them the way I see them.

Colonel Austin is ready.

I guess the actual flight's a go.

This is all I need.

Racking my brains for two years...

and now | find all my problems were sabotage.

The phrase was hint of sabotage.

Is there any hint as to the identity of the possible saboteurs?

Several.

Would you care to elaborate on that, Mr. Goldman?

I've gone over the records over the past two years.

There are only five people who have been close to the HL-10 project the whole time.

Shadetree, Amison, Andrea, Ted...

and you.

Me? That's ridiculous!

If you feel there'll be another attempt to stop the project...

through Steve or the HL-10...

I'm ready to pull the plug right now.

No, that won't be necessary.

Then I'd better get these parameters over to the boys in NASA One.

Oscar, you could no doubt find reason to suspect almost everybody...

but that's not gonna solve the problem.

Have you got a better idea?

You know, several years ago when I was visiting Shade down in Georgia...

when he was on leave.

They had a very unique way of trapping alligators.

They'd take a small boy and tie a rope around him...

and let him swim out into the swamp.

Let him thrash around, make a lot of noise.

And when the alligator started for the boy, they would start pulling him in.

The alligator got close, they'd snare him.

And I suppose you're gonna play the part of the boy.

Unless you can think of a better idea?

No, but I'm not wild about yours.

Oscar, I've got to find out what or who caused that crash.

Tomorrow, when I climb into that bird, my stomach's gonna feel like a bag of bricks.

And I'd still feel the same way without your suspicions.

But I've still got to fly it.

Even though you know someone's trying to kill you.

I feel that's what I'd be doing to myself if I didn't fly.

Well, it's all settled then.

I guess.

(EERIE MUSIC)

Hydraulic panel number four.

Number four is okay, I just checked the servos myself.

I replaced the access door.

Well, just check, see if she's snug.

Yeah, I agree, can't afford to miss anything.

FLIGHT COM: T-minus 30 minutes to launch.

(AIR HISS)

Telemetry will allow me to monitor all your vital signs.

I've been here before, remember?

That's the trouble... remembering.

You know, Ted's a good man.

He loves you.

(SIGHS)

And I love him.

But he knows I burned a candle in the window for you a long time, Steve...

maybe even after we were married.

Look, Andrea, don't hurt him.

He deserves all you can give him.

What we had yesterday, tomorrow belongs to you and Ted.

You all about finished?

The suit boys are here.

Yes, I'm finished.

She looks like a changed person. What'd you do?

I blew out a candle.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(OMINOUS MUSIC)

All set, good buddy?

You bet.

B-52 PILOT: Edwards Tower, this is Mother Ship zero eight ready to roll.

TOWER: Roger, Eight. You are cleared for takeoff.

F-104 PILOT: Eddy Tower, this is Chase 2 ready for takeoff.

Roger, Chase 2, you're cleared for takeoff.

(RADIO CHATTER)

I feel like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

Couldn't have said it any better myself, Shadetree.

F-104 PILOT: NASA One, this is Chase two.

Everything looks good from here.

HL-10, NASA One...

70 seconds to launch.

(RADIO CHATTER)

One minute.

Roger. Starting clock, NASA One.

B-52 PILOT: Mother Ship zero eight...

altitude 45, 000, airspeed 390 knots.

Helium source number one... 3, 900.

Source number two... 2, 100.

Heading is 060.

STEVE: Alpha is five degrees... Beta is one degree nose left.

Stability augmentation system... lights out.

Roger, we copy.

Master Switch on.

40 seconds.

Erect Switch off.

Fast Erect off.

STEVE: Systems okay, NASA One.

Down here's a go. 20 seconds.

Release Circuit Breaker in.

Camera and recorders on.

All right, Steve baby, you're just about to get the ball.

Get this one for the home team, huh?

Well, it's great to find you in the rooting section, Ted.

I may not like him down on the ground, probably never will.

But when he's up there... he's the man.

Dig it?

Yeah.

FLIGHT COM: Nine, eight, seven...

six, five, four...

three, two, one, zero.

STEVE: We have separation.

FLIGHT COM: Roger.

TED: Gentlemen, we have a launch.

Igniting three and four.

I have ignition.

Climb to 83, 000 feet.

Roger.

How long does it take?

As long as it takes, he's got the ball.

NASA One, HL-10.

I'm at 83, 000, fuel has been expended.

I am now a glider pilot.

Are you ready for descent?

Roger.

Begin descent... now.

(LOUD BANG)

STEVE: I have a problem.

What's the condition?

The stick. It slammed forward when I activated the altitude control.

He's get 2, 000 psi hydraulic pressure going to the down side of the stick.

It'd take ten men to withhold that kind of pressure.

You're losing altitude too fast, Steve. Get out!

Let me talk to Shade.

Right here, Steve.

What's happening to this thing?

SHADE: Steve, I've got it.

It looks like the hydraulic orifice has been bypassed.

Is there anything I can do from here?

Yeah, get out!

I don't want you buying the farm, boy.

Just tell me where orifice is.

Forget it, Steve.

It's under number four access door on the hydraulic panel.

Regardless of what happens...

find out who was in access door number four.

STEVE: You might bag that 'gator.

Amison, you checked out number four access door.

Guard!

Don't let him get away.

Bail-out altitude is 4, 000.

Get out while you can!

(METAL CREAKING)

He refuses to bail-out and gets below 4, 000?

He's getting muscle spasms in his left arm.

Steve, that's enough! Get out!

It's kind of late for that.

Take a look at the altimeter.

STEVE: I have to remove my left hand to let down my landing gear.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(TIRES SQUEALING)

FLIGHT COM: Looking good, Colonel Austin.

STEVE: Roger.

(CHEERING)

Not bad, huh?

(TRIUMPHANT MUSIC)

(ALL SHOUTING)

Steve, that's gotta be the hardest nine yards you ever had made in your life.

I almost lost ten pounds, myself.

You can't afford it.

Be my guest.

Congratulations, Steve...

from both of us.

Thank you.

Buddy, you are luckier than a skinny turkey at Thanksgiving.

Well, pal, you finally rode that horse.

Yeah, I was a little worried about being thrown there for a minute.

What made Amison do it?

A man called Creighton, Creighton Industries.

He's had a design of his own for a long time.

He offered Amison money and a position, if he could kill our project.

And the crash two years ago?

What are you gonna do with that plane, Jay?

You proved she wasn't a jinx.

She'll do what she was designed to do.

There'll be more testing now, thanks to you.

Shadetree...

(END THEME MUSIC)