Original subtitles

We must discover what final retribution the assassins

are planning against the Directorate.

Now.

We're gonna teach the Earth people a lesson.

Entire hangar's going up in five minutes!

The year is 1987, and NASA launches the last of America's deep space probes.

In a freak mishap, Ranger 3 and its pilot, Captain William Buck Rogers,

are blown out of their trajectory into an orbit which freezes his life

support systems and returns Buck Rogers to Earth 500 years later.

¶¶

Hi.

Come here often?

Guess you do.

Rafael Argus.

I don't know you, do I?

Harper Five.

Three months ago, you killed a man named Gleason.

Let me guess.

He was your, uh... Brother.

Right.

I knew it would be something like that.

Not good.

I think you're about to see the light.

Long?

That guy's hired to kill people. You know, one wrong move,

I'd look like a grilled cheese sandwich right now.

A grilled what?

Forget it.

Those customers will be coming back any second.

Hurry up and take your clothes off.

You know what I mean.

Now, with any luck, they'll think Argus is at me and split before the cops arrive.

Split.

Come on, woman.

Just what have the probes found out, doctor?

I'm afraid they've confirmed our worst suspicions.

Raphael Argus here was about to become a member

of the League of Interstellar Mercenaries,

specializing in political assassinations.

One member of this legion of death, the mercenary named Morgan Denebough,

was killed by directorate personnel last month.

And the legion has a code when it comes to such things.

Mm, I see.

Did any of his buddies have it in for you in

the directorate because you wasted him, huh?

Uh, if I understand you correctly, yes.

Fourth floor, ladies' clothing and lingerie. Tweaky, what's lingerie?

These are highly skilled professionals, not hired guys.

That's because your visual inputs are face down on the floor, Tweaky.

Now pull yourself together.

Here, let me help you up.

Why is it the good die young?

Steady.

You all right?

Anyone hurt? Not this time. You mean this has happened before?

It's just a gruesome game with them. They want to fight us and keep us off balance.

Buck, if only you could help.

Yeah, Buck, what about it? Buck, I realize you helped us capture Marcos,

and I appreciate it very much.

If you'd like to end it there, then... Sure, I'll help.

And we all know that Raphael Argus was about to be

initiated into the ranks of the Legion of Death.

However, because he always operated under a variety of names and appearances,

none of the other assassins has any clear-cut idea of what he looks like,

which is fortunate for you, as you'll be impersonating him.

Oh.

Now, their upcoming meeting on Aldebaran II marks the first

time all these people have gathered together in one place.

So we can only assume that the subject of their

discussions is of staggering proportions,

and no doubt directly concerns us.

Now, these are the people you'll be meeting.

Jolin Quince of Cygnus III.

It's a heavy-gravity planet where humans have

developed telekinetic abilities to survive.

Seton Kellogg of Rigel IV,

a brilliant scientist whose strategies have engineered

the deaths of a dozen planetary leaders.

And Marcus Marsilca of Vega 12. He's a martial arts expert.

Rumor has it that he's had his nerve endings partially

severed to reduce his ability to feel pain.

And lastly... Very nice.

See if you think so after you meet her. She calls herself Charisse,

planet of origin unknown.

She's an empath, almost telepathic in her ability to pick up on people's emotions.

Their vibrations, as you would say. And she's almost pathologically suspicious.

So you'll have to be on your guard against her every moment.

Now, while you are memorizing the data we've obtained for you on Argus,

Colonel Deering here will go on ahead of you to Aldebaran II. No, wait a minute,

Doctor. Why do we both have to go?

Because we must discover what final retribution the

assassins are planning against the Directorate.

It's too important a job for one person, Buck.

Considering the circumstances, the odds are that one of you will not...

Succeed.

Hey, watch where you're going!

Well, aren't we a big one?

The apology?

Yeah, sure.

Hey, I didn't mean nothing.

It was my fault.

Sorry.

I rather thought you would be.

Hello, Quince.

Charisse, I was just thinking of you. You look just as lovely as ever.

Cut the bull, Quince. Save it for those vacuum heads you go out with.

I'm not impressed by your mindless flattery.

Well, then I'll buy you a drink.

I never drink. Slows the reflexes.

Yes, of course.

Have you heard from the others?

Kellogg is on his way in from Tau Ceti,

and Argus was on Earth the last time I heard.

All I know about Marcos is that he'll be here... Somebody I know is in this room.

You know what I did?

You opened your mouth and bored him to death?

Joella.

Joella Cameron. Joyce.

Excuse me a minute, will you?

Hey, you come back, Joella, or I'll just go looking for you.

One more drink and that clown won't be in any

condition to go looking for his left shoe.

Still hanging out with losers, huh, Jo?

Like that Beecham creep from Rigel?

I don't see him anymore. Oh, why? Did he get tossed into detention?

Jo, you know Raphael Argus, don't you?

Do I?

Well, he's going to be in port tomorrow.

Now, I've never met him, but from what I understand,

he'd be better company than that slime.

How about if I let you know when he's coming in? How would that be?

Marvel.

And we've reprogrammed the computer in Argus's

ship so that it responds to your voice.

And remember to try to use those items on your belt sparingly.

These black light bombs are still in the experimental stages.

They can only provide a covering darkness for 30 seconds at most.

And one more thing.

We won't be able to give you much help with the local authorities.

They're going to believe that you are Rafael Argus.

You'll have to deal with them as best you can.

Well, you certainly know how to make a trip sound appealing, Dr. Hewer.

Well, good luck to you, Buck.

Thanks, Doc.

You're up, Doc.

I'm not dead yet.

Welcome home, Argus.

Hi.

How are you?

All fueled up and ready to serve you, Rafe.

Oh, well, that's nice, but I've got to be going pretty soon, so...

That's what I'm here for.

All systems engaged.

Reaching escape velocity, artificial gravity engaged.

I don't know if I've ever said this to you before or not,

but I think you are the sexiest onboard computer I've ever known.

Why, thank you, honey. I'd like to think so. Stargate coming up in 20 minutes.

Sorry to disturb you again, Rafe,

but I'm tracking a squadron of starfighters on an intercept course with us.

Oh, no.

Police cruisers.

Message coming in.

M2453, you have been identified as Rafael Argus of Altair 5.

Your ship will be towed by tractor beam to the nearest space station.

Go to maximum velocity.

Now!

Go any faster without rupturing the star drive.

All right, give me manual control.

Manual control? You never wanted manual control before.

Well, I want it now. If I don't perform some evasive maneuvers, we're sunk.

Now engage manual control.

Direct hit to our starboard force shield, Rafe. Another one like that,

and we'll be completely defenseless. If I might make a suggestion,

the pulsar cannons are operational. Why not use them?

I can't fire on the police.

That doesn't quite compute, Rafe.

I know tractor beams, right?

I'm afraid so.

You don't have to be anywhere real soon, do you, Rafe, honey?

As a matter of fact, I do.

3 to Altair 5 is leaving from gate 20 in 15 minutes.

Mr. Kellogg.

Quince.

I don't believe you've met my bodyguard, Varick.

Forgive him for not meeting you face to face, but he doesn't have one.

You see, Quince, several generations ago,

the people of Varick's planet thought they'd won a nuclear war. That, of course,

was before the unfortunate effect radiation

has on genetic materials manifested itself.

The deformities became worse with time. Each generation.

He's a mutation. A human mutation.

My people were human. Yes, they were.

Once.

Varick, be a good man and check the terminal for police.

Yes, of course.

A wretched creature, but not without certain advantages.

He seems to alter his molecular density. Precisely.

The effects of nuclear radiation never cease to fascinate me.

Never.

No, Dr. Buck and I have not rendezvoused.

He hasn't arrived yet.

I checked with the spaceport.

We can only assume he was intercepted on Route 12 Deberon.

You'd best go to our alternate plan and make

contact with Quince as soon as possible.

Yes, Doctor.

If Quince doesn't know the full details of their plan,

use your surveillance equipment.

But only if Quince doesn't know.

Kellogg probably has any number of jamming devices on this person.

Your equipment will circumvent them, but it will require a direct line of sight,

and that could be dangerous.

I understand.

Good luck, Colonel.

You're out.

Dr. Theopolis, it has become obvious that the Legion has

some sort of operative working here at the Directorate.

If you're feeling up to it, perhaps you and Twiggy could begin an investigation.

An excellent idea, Dr. Hewer.

That will afford me an opportunity to engage in what

Buck likes to call old-fashioned deductive reasoning.

Tweaky, take me to the personnel computers.

I want a vacation. Quiet, Tweaky.

Easy.

Look, I have a very important meeting to attend. Couldn't we...

What are you looking at?

Nothing, my friend.

Nothing.

I merely wish to make your acquaintance.

Bernard Smith is my name. My friends call me Barney.

Raphael Argus.

The Raphael Argus. Why, this is an honor, my friend,

an honor to be sharing a cell with so illustrious a figure.

Yes, I suppose it is.

However, there's no need to share any cell if

I can get them to lower that force field.

You have a plan.

Let's just say I need an opportunity.

Well, follow my lead, my friend. Follow my lead. Opportunity is about to knock.

Guards! Help! Get me out of here! Help!

Help! Guards! Help! Get me out of here!

Oh!

What's the matter with you? You fool!

Don't you recognize an Argyron when you see one?

He tried to have psychic commune with me!

He's out of his mind. I never touched him.

Don't listen to him! He wants my mind! You idiot!

Don't you know enough to separate the species?

Get me out of here! All right, all right.

Colin, move this joker to another cell.

I got his gun. Come on, Barney.

Where do we go?

We'll discuss it later.

Oh, Ray, you're still alive. Well,

it won't be long if you don't get us out of here fast.

Did they check your memory tapes to find out where we're heading?

Uh-uh, Rafe.

And once we're through the Stargate, we'll be beyond their jurisdiction.

Pure Denebian silk, isn't it?

Absolutely nothing attracts my attention faster than pure Denebian silk.

Is that right?

You did want a drink, didn't you?

Yes, thank you.

That was an interesting trick.

Is it true what they say about telekinetics?

And what's that?

Do you like it?

Oh, is that better?

Let me fix you something.

You know, I...

I was beginning to think that this little trip to

Aldebaran was going to be something of a bore.

Oh? So why did you come?

Well, you see, I have a meeting with some friends. A little private business.

Now, what's a sweet young thing like you doing

with a subspace transmitter in a closet? What are you doing?

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.

Ha, ha.

Feeling a little less nosy now, Mr. Quince.

Now, tell me about those friends of yours.

Who called this meeting?

Oh, Kellogg.

Kellogg called it.

For what purpose?

Oh.

We're going to teach the Earth people a lesson.

How?

What are your plans?

Oh, I don't know.

Kellogg's the strategist.

It's up to him.

Hey, look, why do you want to talk so much when we...

Because I find you so disgusting and so repugnant.

Now, one last question.

Where are you meeting to discuss the details of this plan?

Solar collector.

Tomorrow?

The one in this hotel?

Yes.

Very good.

Now, I want you to close your eyes.

And when you wake up tomorrow morning,

I cannot believe we are reaching a parting of the ways.

Don't go getting sentimental on me, Barney. I mean, it was fun,

but nothing I want to press into my scrapbook again.

Look, I have a marvelous idea.

What do you say to a liaison, a partnership between you and I against a galaxy?

Why, with my brains and your more brains, there's nothing we couldn't do.

Well, I work alone, Barney.

As do I, my friend. But I can't help thinking what a terrific

team we made breaking out of that space station.

Look, we'll discuss it later over dinner.

You know, you got something there. I like that.

Listen, I've got some stuff to pick up at customs.

I'll meet you at the gate in 20 minutes, okay?

Excellent, my friend.

Government regulations prohibit the transport

of subhumanoid life forms to Aldebaran.

For more information, contact the Department of Alien Immigration.

Greetings, Mr. Argus.

I take it this means I've passed. Indeed you have, Argus.

I haven't had this much fun since we initiated Morgan Deneva.

Anyone who can hold his own against us deserves to be considered one of us.

The Legion of Death.

I'm Kellogg.

Charisse and quits.

Our mysterious friend Marcus has arranged for all of us

to meet inside the solar energy collector at 1400 hours,

which time we shall discuss the full scope of our plans.

Something I can do for you, Cherise?

You're just not what I expected, that's all.

Disappointed?

Not yet.

By the way, there's an old friend of yours waiting for you back at the hotel.

Joella Cameron.

Sound familiar?

Not particularly.

But then I meet a lot of women.

Well, this one very definitely remembers you.

Emergency. All personnel evacuate hangars three, four, and nine immediately.

What's happening? There's an overload in one of the launch tubes.

The whole hangar system is misfiring. It's got to be repaired. Well, if we can't,

this entire hangar is going up in five minutes.

Dr. Theopolis? Here, Dr. Hewitt.

Fire control to launch tubes 7 and 12. How are you progressing? We shall soon see.

That's it.

Sever the input rods.

Carefully.

We want a gradual loss of power, not a complete break.

That could do more harm than good.

Can't we just phone this in? Hiya, Tweaky. Now, one more rod.

Carefully.

There.

With the power bypass in effect, the overload is effectively neutralized.

Excellent.

Thank you, Dr. Theopolis.

You were brilliant.

Of course.

You do realize, don't you, that this near tragedy was no accident?

As soon as you feel up to it, Dr. Theopolis, I'd like to see you in my office.

Hello, it's me.

I guess I arrived a little early.

I'll try you again at 1340 hours.

See you then, Ray.

Oh, just five minutes from now.

Perfect timing.

We meet Marcos at 1400 hours.

We really don't have time to socialize.

We can wait for Argus's acquaintance to arrive.

I, for one, love to watch reunions of old friends.

Varick, be useful and get these people some drinks.

Oh, I'll get them. Name your poison. Varick.

I'll do it. Mordia.

Yes, of course. Why do you let him treat you like that?

I deserve my better.

Why would you say something like that?

My people were a proud race.

Too proud. It wasn't enough that we had tamed our planet.

We built a great culture, reached out into space. We had to have other worlds, too.

We abused our freedom, and so we lost it, and deservedly so.

Your world wasn't the only one that suffered through a Holocaust, you know?

Earth did its best to destroy itself, too.

No.

Earth was fortunate.

It didn't see its children twisted and fallen.

Is that what you're afraid of?

What people will see behind that mask?

Black.

Black.

Get that.

Excuse me.

Well, Argus, that must be your friend, Joella.

Hi.

Is Raphael here yet?

Joella.

It's been a while.

Look, I know we didn't part under the best of terms, but give me a chance, will you?

You got a deal, Ray.

Charisse, you satisfied?

Good.

Shall we?

Remember, we're all to meet Marcus in 10 minutes.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

Buck, Buck Rogers.

You are taking an awfully big chance, Buck Rogers.

Trying to fool Charisse and her friends, that's risky enough.

But how do you know I won't blow your cover?

You look like somebody I could trust.

I just look like somebody you could trust?

Boy, you must get hurt an awful lot.

Sometimes you get hurt no matter what you do.

You can't let that stop you trusting people.

Sure you can. I have to hear the same old lines year after year,

asking you to trust and to care for as long as they need you.

And then they leave you, and you're alone in some godforsaken planet,

and you don't even know where home is anymore. Sure you can.

Joella, everybody gets hurt.

But everybody doesn't hurt everybody.

I'll hold you to that, Buck Rogers.

Count on it. I'm gonna go, but I'll be back.

Oh!

Where do I find you again?

Downstairs in the bar. I'll be around.

Yes, well, this is all very impressive.

Where are we?

The superstructure of the hotel's solar energy collector. Which explains the heat,

of course, but then where's Marcos? Marcos? You needn't worry about Marcos.

If Marcos is anything at all, he's punctual.

I try.

Argus.

Good to see you again.

Argus.

You remember Varick, Charisse, Quince, and he is Argus.

Argus. Rafael Argus. I've heard about you.

Same here. All of you know why we are here.

Earth Defense Directorate must be reminded that the

Legion of Death is a most special group of people.

A group to be respected, to be feared, to be left alone.

And they must be taught a lesson for the murdering of our colleague Morgan Dennevar.

A lesson.

Yeah, less than the entire planets you'll never forget.

I think we're all in agreement.

What did you have in mind?

The total destruction of the Terran capital in New Chicago.

A challenging idea, Mr. Kellogg, but that's a city of ten million people.

It would take a fusion bomb to destroy a city of that size.

Not necessarily, Quince. There are simpler ways of

annihilating ten million people in one stroke.

Perhaps.

Perhaps.

Perhaps.

How do we keep from being caught? It's all been carefully conceived, August.

My plan is the utilization of each one of your particular talents.

Now to get down to the logistics of the problem.

We're being observed.

Observed?

Are you sure?

Positive.

Where?

A fair, a woman, a dangerous woman.

Kill her now!

Kill her, now!

I'll get her. Take Marcus with you. I work alone. Not when I'm in charge!

Kill her!

I'll take care of her.

Raphael Argus. I should have known.

You know her? Yeah, we met. I'll try to make this as painless as possible.

Hello.

About the painless part, why didn't somebody tell me that

those stun guns only work on a person's nervous system?

This bozo doesn't even have one. Did you hear Kellogg's plan?

Yeah, what little there was of it.

Buck, we can't go back to Earth without knowing

how they're going to destroy New Chicago.

I was afraid you were going to say that.

What are we going to do with our friend here?

Well, listen, this is the ID to Argus' ship.

Take it and hide there with him until I can join you, all right?

Oh, and listen.

If I'm not there by 1500 hours, you leave without me, you understand? You hear?

Okay.

Hey.

Good luck.

All systems in flight hangar five have returned to equilibrium.

Starfighter patrols are double-shifting in hangars

three and seven until repairs can be made.

And you have no idea who sabotages the launch tube?

There is no internal evidence to suggest a culprit.

However, I have had the personnel computers provide me with a list

of all directorate employees with a ninth-level clearance,

anyone who would have had access to the locations that were bombed.

How many employees would that be? 1,227.

I am, however, pursuing other avenues of investigation

and expect to have a hypothesis soon.

Still no word from Colonel Deering or Captain Rogers?

No.

No, Doctor.

Not yet. 99.

Welcome back, Argus.

Uh, I'm not Argus.

Who are you, and what are you doing in here?

Well, I'm a friend of Argus, and he told me to meet him here.

Rafe would never do that without telling me.

Well, he didn't have time, and we've got to get off this planet in 1,500 hours,

and if I don't get these engines warmed up soon...

I do the warming up around here, sweetie, and don't you forget it.

You were successful.

In a manner of speaking, yes.

What's that mean? Where's Marcus?

Dead.

The woman was a member of the Earth's Defense Directorate.

She killed Marcus before I could kill her.

Damnable, you are.

First Deneva, now Marcus.

He'll pay for this.

They'll all... They'll all pay.

Sit down, Argus.

We were discussing logistics of our mission, which,

as I was saying, our biggest problem is.

Keeping the Earth's entire star fleet off our tail while

we make our escape after we've destroyed New Chicago.

Yes, but if we can destroy New Chicago and make

it seem as though it were an act of God,

no one will be looking for us during our escape. Subsequently,

we We claim full responsibility for the deed.

But to destroy a city that large, you need an earthquake or a tidal wave.

Or an anti-matter explosion.

You're joking, of course.

Far from it.

New Chicago receives its power from a contra-terrene generating

plant located in the wasteland outside the city.

Contra-what?

Contra-terrene.

It's a reactor that uses matter and antimatter to create energy.

And if someone were to sabotage that reactor,

allowing the matter and antimatter to mix uncontrollably.

And everything for 200 square kilometers would be atomized instantly.

Very good, Kellogg.

I know a little about uncontrolled reactions.

We can't know the after-effects of such a large antimatter explosion.

The area could be uninhabitable for centuries.

An interesting experimental situation, wouldn't you say?

After all, it's...

Not our planet, is it?

So, when do we leave for Earth?

Unless anyone has a better idea, I suggest we leave tonight.

Well, in that case, I have a protracted goodbye to deliver to someone.

Joella, you got it.

Yes? What are you doing?

My sensors show contact with their outer casings.

Just doing a little home repair, sweetie.

You little wimp.

Look, where are you?

Hi, I was wondering where you were.

Joelle, we have got to get off-planet right now.

Wait a minute.

I don't have time to explain. Let's go.

Oh, Joe.

Still hanging out with losers, huh?

Uh, look, uh, can we talk this over?

I'm afraid not. I've heard of being lying on your feet, but this is ridiculous.

Buck, don't you dare get yourself killed.

Don't you dare.

All right, Kellogg, what's the idea of having Porky and Babydoll here kidnap us?

Argus!

Shut up.

We've been approached by a local informant to...

Says he's selling some information that might be very interesting.

I believe you've met him.

Barney. I hope you believe, my friend,

this would not have happened had I not had a sudden reversal of fortune.

Get on with it.

I met Raphael Argus two years ago on Sutter's World,

and I can tell you for a fact, that ain't him.