All language subtitles for Buck Rogers in the 25th Century S01E15 - Happy Birthday, Buck

I have lived without life for 15
years, all because of Elias Hewer.

Buck's birthday party becomes
a setting for murder when a

man with a touch of death plots
a terrible revenge on Dr. Hewer.

What you're afraid might happen
to me is something like this.

Buck, what is going on?

Trigger, you're alive.

I can do it when we get away from it.

You want me, hero? You come and get me.

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.

How's that, Tweaky?

A little to the right. All right.

Is that better?

Solid.

Well, as someone said.

Never more nostalgic than for the
things you once knew and have no more.

Who said that? Me. Hi, Buck.

Good evening, Buck. Hi, Wilma. Dr. Hewer.

Oh, say, what's this?

Just a change of scenery.

These four walls, it was beginning to
feel like solitary confinement around here.

Well, why don't you say something? We
could have had some windows put in.

Why bother?

All looks the same.

The city's climate control,
nothing ever changes around here.

Now, I feel sorry for you people.

You'll never know the joy of
discovering a sunset that just happens.

A pale hint of mauve.

Everything is
programmed, even your climate.

You know, no fall, no spring,
no rain, no snow, no nothing.

It's always the same.

I went outside today, I
couldn't believe it was January.

It is January, is it?

Yes, January 7th.

Uh, Buck, Dr. Hewer and I were on our way
to see the new holographic dance troupe.

Would you like to join us?

Hm? No, no. No, thank you,
Wilma. I, uh, think I'll pass.

I don't feel like going out tonight.

Well, good night.

Oveon immigration patrol to Terran
starfighter. Decelerate immediately. Repeat,

decelerate immediately. Acknowledge.

I do not read, patrol.

Lieutenant Traeger, you're under arrest.

Your departure from Oleon was
unauthorized. Surrender or be destroyed.

And destroy me. I've spent 15
years on your stinking planet,

and the only way I'm
going back is in a box.

Traeger out.

For good.

For good.

Come on, old bucket, get me through that
stargate, and then you can quit on me.

Break off pursuit and
return to base. He could be

a million parsecs away
by now, and probably is.

You'll do.

Survey vessel.

Attention. Attention, survey vessel.

This is a priority blue
distress code. Repeat, priority blue.

My starboard defense shield is down.
My star drive is dead. Can you assist?

Starfighter, this is
Capellan Survey Ship 077.

I'm locking you in on a tractor beam.

Prepare for docking.

Buck's been moping
around like that for days.

I've done everything short of
kidnapping him to get him out of his apartment.

Well, I'm afraid Twiggy was right.

He's depressed about
his upcoming birthday.

But I don't understand what's
bothering him. We all get older.

Why, he's in better shape
than a man half his age.

There are no men half his age.

But then again, his
birthday is probably making him

feel more homesick than
ever for the 20th century.

Technically speaking,
this birthday is his 534th.

It's an unfortunate way to be reminded of
just how displaced in time he really is.

Well, good evening, Theo. How are things
on the front hold? Home front. Home front.

Whatever.

A message from Lieutenant
Garth at Security Directorate.

He's coming over from
the new Detroit complex.

He seems to think it's quite urgent.

Lieutenant Garth thinks
everything is urgent.

Every time they perceive even the
slightest hint of danger to my well-being,

and they expect me to live
my life behind a force field.

Nonetheless, he should
be here momentarily.

Of course, of course.

Well, be that as it may,

What are we going to do about
Buck? How about a surprise party?

That's not a bad idea.

A party would make him feel a little
less alone and more part of our world.

Indeed it might. Well, you
know most of his friends.

Why don't you make the
necessary arrangements?

Yes, let's see. Now, there's Jen, Joella,
Marla, Allison, Tangie, Felina, Miss Cosmos.

I do believe that there is
a pattern emerging here.

Hmm.

Apparently.

Lieutenant Garth has arrived.
Well, let's get this over with.

Three days ago, this man,
the Capellan ship captain,

was found under restraint in the
storage compartment of his ship.

In a new Detroit spaceport, he was
delirious due to systemic poisoning.

Remained alive for about 12
hours after he was found.

As you may know, Dr. Hewer, all
capellans are crew telepaths.

And this one must have found out
something he wasn't supposed to know.

And the persons whose mind
he read killed him for it.

Most of what he said was unintelligible.

But one thing was clear.

Whatever attacked him is also
planning some sort of action against you.

Who, Lieutenant?

Someone claiming to be the
ship's captain who brought the

vessel back to port and
disappeared without a trace.

And we believe that he's responsible
for the real captain's unique condition.

Well, what exactly is his condition?

Captain Queller seems to experience a
bizarre form of molecular transmutation.

Half of his body has been
changed to pure silicone.

And I take it, Lieutenant,

that what you're afraid might
happen to me is something like this.

Well, I sincerely appreciate your concern,

but I hardly think the ravings of a
delirious alien are any cause for alarm.

Now, let's be reasonable. I
don't even know any Capellans.

Why would one try to kill me?

May I help you?

I would like to see Dr. Bayless.

Do you have an appointment?

No, but I'm certain she
would want to see me.

I'm sorry. The doctor's
schedule is full for the day.

The earliest an appointment can be
arranged is one week from tomorrow.

I'm afraid that's not convenient.

What do you think you're doing?

This is Dr. Bayless.

Please sit back.

Take a deep breath, sit back, and relax.

Take a deep breath, and relax. Doctor, I
have a new job with added responsibility.

I'm afraid to leave this planet. I think
of these dreams I've been having, Doctor.

They depress me terribly.

You want to go on with that, Miss
Bennett? Well, in these dreams,

my mother's still alive, and she's
always telling me I was an accident,

that I surprised her and Daddy. What do
you think that means, Doctor? Doctor?

Who are you? How did you get in here?

You'll find that your reception
quad has malfunctioned, Doctor.

I took advantage of the opportunity.

Who are you?

I'm surprised, Delora.

After all the time we spent together.

Of course, it's been a long
while, a very long while.

What are you talking about? I have
never treated a capellan before in my life.

And it's Dr. Bayless, if you don't mind.

Traeger, Cornell Traeger.

But they said you were dead.

No, almost, but not quite.

Where have you been, Cory?

What brings you back
here after all these years?

I had to see you, Delora.

I need some information about Elias Heuer.

When I left, he was with the science
directorate, the space exploration division.

He's with defense now.

He's in charge of the entire directorate.

Oh, is he really?

Oh, that's good. That's really good.

What else?

Cory, I don't believe this.

It's been 15 years.

Not a word from you.

After all, you were only a patient.

I don't have time to play
games, Delora, so I won't.

You have quite a few patients
in the government, don't you?

Yes, but what does that mean?

You have all sorts of ways
of extracting information

from their minds without their
knowing about it, don't you?

Extortion.

Is that it, Corey?

It's obvious you didn't come
back for further treatment.

How much?

15,000 credits?

I spend that much in a
week on incidentals.

Here.

It's yours.

If you forget we ever knew each other.

Same old Delora.

Always more interested
in money than anything.

I see you've finally put your
psych skills to more lucrative use.

How nice.

Looks like androcyte, diamonds, elysium.

There must be millions
there, but how do you...

The little trick I picked up on
Ovia, that's where I've been staying.

Trick?

That's nothing less
than matter transmutation.

Molecular reorganization.

Call it what you like.

So long as you understand the implication,

I can do the same to organic
as well as inorganic material.

We'll be hiding in Buck's apartment.

He'll come home, turn on the
lights, and we'll yell, surprise!

Except you'll find the
entire apartment complex

swarming with security directorate agents.

I don't know why I ever agreed to
this extra security in the first place.

You didn't have a choice.

Yes.

But I think it will undermine the
element of surprise in Buck's party.

The directorate guards
are very discreet. Not only

will you not see them,
but neither will Buck.

Now, our problem is that
we've got to figure some way to

keep Buck out of his
apartment for at least two hours.

Uh, Dr. Huard, it'll thrive. All you need
is the right kind of plant food. I see.

Oh, hi, Bonnie.

Oh, hi.

Well, Dr. Huard?

Uh, there's a rumor
floating around the directorate.

It happened to do with an attempt on your
life. Is there anything I can do to help?

Oh, no, no, thank you, Buck, very
much, but it's being taken care of.

The security directorate is handling it.

Actually, we're just making up a schedule
of my itinerary for the next two weeks.

It'll be delivered
this afternoon by an IAC.

That's an interagency courier.

And then the security
directorate will deploy a group

of bodyguards to guard
me around the clock.

Cora, you've changed.

It's not just the power.

When I treated you as a patient, I
thought I understood you thoroughly.

But you, you're different.

Of course I've changed. No
one could go through the

hell that I've been
through and not be changed.

And it's all because of Elias Hewer.

See, shortly after I joined the
exploration division, Hewer sent me into space.

A routine space
exploration mission, he said.

But I was shot down over a
planet no one ever heard of,

and there was a reason for that.

The hostility of the natives
to outworlders was frightening.

They found me guilty of
espionage, locked me away,

Twelve kilometers below the
surface, eventually they forgot about me.

You wonder why I wear these?

It's because I've lived
without light for 15 years.

You can't imagine what that's like.

But you survived.

Yes, because I lived like an animal.

I became like one of them.

There must have been some
natural element that gave

them the power in the
water or the atmosphere.

The ovians could change things, too.

Whatever they touched would
become whatever they wanted it to be.

And after a few years on
their world, I could do it, too.

And you use the power to
escape, to come back here.

Yes, for my justice. Is there any wonder
after 15 years that I would want that?

When I realize how full Hewer's life has
been, and how really empty mine has been.

All the years that he stole from me.

Oh, I can change credits into gemstones.

Can't change the past.
Nothing can do that.

But I can change Hugh's
future. I can take it away from him.

You are going to help me do it.

Ah, Miss Merritt, right on schedule.

Reporting for briefing, sir.

Raylene Merritt, this is
Buck Rogers. How you doing?

Hello.

The mind implantation procedure
will take place at 1600 hours.

Colonel Deering here will supervise.
After the implantation is completed,

you will go to the security directorate
headquarters at the new Detroit complex.

Implantation?

Captain Rogers is new here.

Oh, well, you see, Captain Rogers,

top-secret data is implanted
directly into an IAC subconscious.

Then when I arrive at my destination,

security extracts it from
my mind with a psych probe.

I never know the
nature of the information.

Which makes it very difficult to get out.

Cute.

What is?

I mean...

Interesting.

Uh, Buck, you said you wanted to help.

Would you mind escorting Miss
Merritt into the new Detroit complex,

just to doubly ensure her safe arrival?

Really, Dr. Hewer, I
don't think that's necessary.

I've handled dozens of
assignments on my own.

I realized it's an irregular
procedure, but under the circumstances,

it would make me more comfortable.

Well, if you insist. Please excuse me,
then. I'll go prepare for the implantation.

Do you know how to find the laboratory?

Buck, would you mind showing
Miss Merritt the laboratory?

No, not at all, Doc.

That was the sneakiest
thing I have ever seen.

Yes, thank you.

But at least now we know he won't be in
his apartment for a few hours, don't we?

Mm-hmm. He may not show up at all.

You don't actually expect
me to help you kill Huer.

Need I remind you of my
special abilities, Delora?

I can either kill you or make you
very rich. The choice is yours.

You've already treated
several key directorate personnel.

You must be able to tell me something.

He knows his life is in danger.

What?

But he doesn't know you're the danger.

Must be the compelling
captain. He lingered on longer

than I'd anticipated.
You're certain of this?

It comes from a very secure source.

The security directorate is sending
an IAC to pick up Hewer's itinerary.

Once they get that, he'll
be guarded 24 hours a day.

Actually, that makes
things simpler for us.

You can't get close to Hugh or Corey.

Not unless you know where to find him.

Has been modified.

This one examines the subconscious.

Like a psych probe?

Not as sophisticated, not as fast. But
it works on the same principle, yes.

I can anticipate Hugh's every move.

I can eliminate him at
whatever time is most convenient,

because we can extract the information
about his schedule from the IAC's mind,

just as the security directorate would do.

Exactly.

Then all we have to do is
intercept that courier.

Data for day 13
assimilated. OK, let's finish up then.

Implantation completed.
Good, we're finished.

You okay?

I told you I've done this
dozens of times. I'm used to it.

I certainly don't need to be
chaperoned by Captain Rogers.

All we're asking you to do
is to bring Buck back to

his apartment when your
assignment's completed.

Think of it as a favor to the directorate,

one for which we'd be
glad to pay you generously.

Look, Colonel, I'm a government
courier, not a... That's all we're asking.

Besides, I think you'd
enjoy Buck's company.

I understand from your personnel file
that you used to work at the Earth Archives,

and you have an interest in history,

so you and Buck should
have a lot to talk about.

What, Captain Rogers is an historian?

Yes, in a manner of speaking.

Let me explain.

All set.

Good.

Miss Merrick, you'll be
escorted to the Security Directorate

headquarters by two of their men,

Marsden and Niles. They'll
contact you at the restaurant

on the Federal Concourse in 1,900 hours.

They'll come to your table and identify
themselves as security escort detail.

The code identification will be Blue 11.

Any questions?

No, sir.

After you, Ms. Merritt.

Ray Lynn.

We can make it to the Detroit
complex in time for dinner.

You'll love the restaurant, but... Did
she agree to bring him back to the apartment?

Well, she was a little resistant
at first, but once I explained why,

talking her into it...
It was a piece of cake.

Corey, these are my
assistants, Rorvik and Carew.

Cornell Traeger.

My informant has confirmed the
news. They're sending Raelynn Merritt,

their most experienced courier. She's due
here within the complex within the hour.

Will she be a problem?

Not for us.

Are you certain of your information?

Corey, you worry too much.

My man works inside the
communications office of the

security directorate
itself. He's totally reliable.

You have your uniforms.

Good.

The men you're posing as?

Niles and Marsden.

We meet the Merritt
woman in the restaurant,

escort her to the
Turbolift in the Federal Building.

Only we take her to the sub-level.

Corey will meet you there.

Excellent.

Here are your synthaflesh masks.

They've been prepared to duplicate
Niles and Marsden's faces exactly.

If there's nothing
else, let's get to work.

You know, Ray Lynn, when Dr. Hewer
first asked me to go along with you,

you didn't seem exactly
thrilled with the idea.

What changed your mind?

Well, before I joined the IAC Corps, I
used to be a record keeper with the archives.

I heard you were from the 20th century.

Oh, you know about that, huh?

Yes, Colonel Deering
told me something about it.

Anyway, I've always been
fascinated by that era.

It seemed like such an exciting
time to live in. Prohibition,

the first moon landing,
Milton Berle, Benny Goodfellow.

A man.

What?

Benny Goodman.

Oh?

Then you're putting a lot of things
together that happened at different times,

most of them before I was born.

Well, I'm told our
records aren't very accurate.

Oh, I see. So that's it.

You just decided to pick
my brains a little, huh?

Pick your brains?

Um... Get some first-hand information.

Well, maybe at first, but, um... You know.

Yeah.

Well, you're helping me get my head in a
better place, and for that I'm grateful.

Sweet of you to say that, Burke, but I
don't see that I'm really doing anything.

Sure.

Miss Merritt, Agents Marsden and Niles.
We're to escort you to security. Who's he?

I'm just a friend.

Well, we may be a while.

It's all right. I'm a slow eater.

OK.

They'll come to your table, identify
themselves as security escort detail.

The identification code is blue 11.

Wait a minute. There was an
identification code. Blue 11. Where's your code disc?

Who are you guys?

Get her into the turbolift.

She knew.

Some guy she was with came after us.
Idiot, you should have been more careful.

You think he followed you?

I don't know. Well, be
ready for him if he has.

Make them like they used to.

See? No weapon.

You want me, hero?

You come and get me.

Just you and me.

Halt!

Halt or I'll shoot!

You're just kind of thick around here.

Don't move.

Oh, great.

Get up slowly. I got news for you.

It's the only way I can get up. Here.

Let me just show you my ID.

You're with the defense
directorate? No, not really.

Just gave me that card in case someone
started asking questions. And the woman,

she was an IAC? Yes, she was.

And those people that took her
are plotting to kill Dr. Hewer.

How do you know all this? I'm psychic.

I don't have time to explain.

Call your head of security and
tell them that the courier's

been intercepted. I don't know what to do.

One of them must have
dropped it. What is it?

It's a de-locking disk.

A de... Oh, you mean a key.

Why do people always
make things so complicated?

Looks like it's color-coded. You know
what part of the complex it goes to?

That's the med wing. Those numbers on
the bottom will tell you what office.

37042. That sounds like
Dr. Bayless's clinic.

She's a psych med. Pretty famous. A lot
of her patients are very important people.

Hmm.

Information is locked in her
subconscious, so they use a shrink to get it out.

Shrink?

Hey, I can get a security
unit up to the med wing.

Fine, I'll meet him there.

Sorry, but you're not
telling anybody anything.

Your men are incompetent.

That sub-level was
crawling with security people.

What did you do? What happened?

I stopped one of them. I didn't
have a chance to finish him off.

Rorvik and Carew can take care
of that as soon as they check in.

If they check in. Our plans are in
jeopardy, Delora. We've got to move faster.

How soon before you have something here?

There's nowhere to say
exactly. It depends on her.

It could be a half an hour or longer.

Your man in the information office.

If he is as reliable as you say he is,

you can get him to forge a priority one
communique, can't you? I suppose I could.

Then have him send an
intra-directorate memo cancelling the blue code alert.

He'll say the assassin has
been caught, Huard is safe,

and there's no need for the IAC after all.

I'll have him do it immediately.

But you know... They'll start suspecting
something's gone wrong sooner or later.

Yes, but by then it will be
too late, particularly for Hugh.

Colonel, uh... Oh, the party favors.

You can put them right there.

Where do I put this, babe?

Babe?

Thank you, Tweaky.

I'll take that as a compliment.

You can leave it right there.

That way, when Buck comes in,
it'll be the first thing he sees.

Uh, why don't you say these were...

Party favors. At least that's
what Dr. Junius called them.

He had the manufacturing center make
them up, exactly like some old photographs.

I'm almost afraid to
ask, but what is this?

A balloon.

A balloon?

Yeah.

Watch.

Well, I take it there's
some peculiar purpose in that.

They're for decorating.

And this?

A party hat.

You wear it on your head.

I most certainly will not.

Oh, Dr. Hewer.

Colonel, there will soon be dozens of
security directorate agents swarming

through the building and
guarding the entrance downstairs.

Perhaps it's academic,
but if by some small chance

an assassin does get
into the building after me,

I will not be murdered wearing a
blue and white plastic cone on my head.

It's positively undignified.

Party pooper.

Party pooper?

Well, I'm not certain, mind you, but we
probably have one of those here, too.

And...

Yes, Carew.

Trouble, Doctor.

The new Chicagoan? The one that was with
the courier. He's one of Hewer's people.

What did you do with him?

There's nothing I could do.

Doctor, he knows you're in on this.

I must have dropped my delocking disc
when I fought with him, and he found it.

A security agent told him about you.

I took care of the agent, but that
guy must be on his way to you now.

Find Rorvik and get back
here as soon as you can.

Right.

Isn't there some way you can
speed up that process, Delora?

Not without causing
extensive neural damage, no.

What difference does that make?

You don't think I'm gonna
let her live now, do you?

There are alternatives. I
could tamper with her memory.

For God's sake, Cory, I'm no murderer.

No.

And I suppose you
weren't selling quadrillion

when we first met on Regulus IV, either.

How many people died of
radiation poisoning back then, Delora?

That was different.

Well, being an accessory to
murder doesn't bother you, does it?

It's just the act itself
you have no stomach for.

Give it up, Corey. This whole
thing is coming down around our ears.

You're going just too far
to settle an old score.

I wish that's all it was!

The data's coming in.

What's happening now,
tonight? Where's Sewell?

Spending the evening with
friends in an apartment occupied

by somebody named Rogers,
William Anthony Rogers.

The address is here.

They aren't dropping in
on old friends, is there?

His eyes, you blinded him.

He's been underground for 15
years. He can't stand bright light.

Touch her and you die.

Turn down the lights!

It's getting late.

Hugh has waited long enough.

I want them dead.

Understand?

Yes.

See to it.

What are you doing?

You got what you want from her.

Not entirely.

This device has been
adapted for sonic hypnosis.

I can wipe out every memory she has
of being intercepted and brought here.

And substitute new ones.

And then you let her go, and she thinks
she's done the job she was supposed to do.

Mm-hmm.

Rather intelligent for Neanderthal.

But Traeger said we... Mr. Rorvik,

any payment for the miserable job you two
have done will come from me, not Traeger.

Remember that.

You're hurting her.

She can't feel it.

But you don't believe
me, do you, handsome?

Well, you'll find out for yourself.

You're next.

Put him down over there.
Stop repairing your mask.

You two are going out in a little while.

Good news, Dr. Hewer. The code blue
alert's been lifted. Evidently, you're safe.

Well, that certainly is
good news, but where's Buck?

Well, maybe he convinced Raylan that
they should celebrate his birthday alone.

I thought you said she
agreed to bring him back here.

She did, but Buck can be very persuasive.

Ah, you're awake.

We'll be ready for you in a minute.

Where's Ray Lynn?

Where she would be if
things had gone as planned.

Thank you for your assistance.

Just doing our job, Miss Merritt.

I won't remember you after this, will I?

No.

I guess I should say my goodbyes now.

All his life, Corey has left a
trail of corpses in his wake.

I don't intend to add another.

That's a comfort.

Corey was a decent man
once, but he's changed,

and I've got to get away
from him off this planet.

I'll start all over again, somewhere
else. But first I have to cover my tracks.

Starting with you.

And everything you know.

Where were you? I looked all
over the restaurant for you.

I thought you said you were a slow eater.

You really don't remember a thing, do you?

Remember? Remember what?
Buck, what is going on?

Never mind, I'll explain later. Look,

you wouldn't happen to
know the record flying

time doing here in New Chicago, would you?

No, why?

Because whatever it is,
we're gonna break it. Hang on.

Everyone, please, can I have your
attention? Someone is on his way,

and since the code blue alert has
been canceled, it must be Buck.

So find your places and light the cake.

Surprise!

Who on earth is that?

Gatecrasher.

Oh my goodness.

Cornel Traeger, you're alive.

Yes, Elias.

Still alive.

Despite your best efforts.

What do you mean, my efforts?

You were lost in a
routine exploration mission.

Why, everyone thought you were dead.

Who sent me on the mission, Elias?

Hmm?

Who?

You volunteered.

You knew the risks.

Who do you think you are,
barging in here like this?

You have no right to disrupt
this party! Stay out of this!

I'm warning you.

Next time I touch you... It was you.

You killed that capellan.

And now me.

That's right, Elias.

Now you.

Finally.

Oh, no, you don't.

Dr. Hewer, will you get away from him?

What happened?

He fell on his own hand.

He's pure silicone.

Why'd you take off so fast?

I was... Well, at the very least, Dr.

Bayless will never
practice psychomedicine again.

I suspect, however, the Computer
Council will find her guilty of

offenses meriting a much more
complicated correctional procedure.

Which reminds me, we have to
contact the Education Board.

Brief them on the rather bizarre
details of this case, Colonel. Wait a minute,

don't run off. I haven't
even got my presents yet.

Well, happy birthday anyway, Buck.

Even if things didn't turn
out the way we wanted them to.

Well, you know, Wilma,
there's an old saying.

It's the thought that counts.

It's true.

I really appreciate it very much.

Well, maybe we'll get
it straight next year.

To tell you the truth, Wilma,
after all that's happened today,

I could do without birthdays
for at least a decade or two.

¶¶