Original subtitles

Captain Rogers, it's nice seeing you again.

Three beautiful space angels kidnap Tweaky,

and Buck finds the key to saving Earth from

fiery destruction by a runaway space bird.

What do you want, Belzec? Your Buck Rogers for his drone.

Prepare the ambiquad for disassembly.

But my planet is in danger of being destroyed.

I've got a chance of saving it, and I can't without your help.

I want Rogers in that asset, now!

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.

¶¶

Colonel Deering reporting from Spaceberg Escort. Yes, Colonel.

We're approaching the entrance to Stargate 9. Requesting clearance.

Clearance granted, Colonel. Proceed on established flight vector.

What is that, Dr. Hewer?

That is 10 billion tons of frozen oxygen.

Once it's located on the North Pole,

it'll begin to melt and help to replenish the oxygen-depleted

atmosphere of the entire planet.

This is the third time that we've handled a transport of this kind,

and the procedure still makes me nervous.

Why is that?

Because the spaceberg is on a precise path towards a window in our atmosphere,

and it has to hit that window and pass through it exactly as planned. Exactly.

And if it doesn't? Friction from the atmosphere would ignite the oxygen.

Our calculations have indicated that the resulting explosion

would literally scorch a third of the Earth's surface, possibly half.

Look at what the Terrans are doing at this very moment, Pinchas.

They have a problem, and they do something about it, whatever the difficulties.

But you, you simply come to me with talk, no action.

I've been working on a solution to our current problem, sir.

I've been in contact with several agents on Earth, and... More talk?

Meanwhile, I have 5,000 miners malingering and threatening to leave their posts.

You know what that means? Yes, sir, I do.

It means we're not producing enough blasium.

I've got orders backed up to Kasainen, and I can't fill them.

I shall find myself unable to support my chief operations officer.

Just as I can no longer tolerate his incompetence, do I make myself clear.

Ah, how you've come.

I grew tired of waiting for your call.

You've read the list of grievances? Shocking.

Long hours, low pay, unhealthy working conditions, low morale, unrest.

The miners have elected me to represent them.

Yes.

Under your leadership.

They have united for the first time.

United we stand until something is done.

Oh, something is going to be done.

Why have you summoned them? The Omni Guard?

They are the key to our security, Anand.

They've kept their minds open and working.

Through cruelty and force.

How untrue. I fear you may have hurt their feelings.

Take the meddling fool away.

Silencing him is only a temporary measure. The miners will soon have another leader.

The solution I mentioned earlier, sir.

This is it.

The drone? There have been miserable failures in the mines.

We need something more than artificial intelligence down there.

This is a Terran drone, sir.

Serial number 2223T.

Manufactured at the Ambiquad facility in New Chicago. So?

What makes 2223-T so unique, sir,

is that its basic programming has been augmented

by its present owner, a Captain Buck Rogers.

Rogers is a Terran from the 20th century,

and he's endowed the drone with extraordinary features.

Resourcefulness, courage, loyalty, and even though

we know such is impossible, some say imagination.

And you're thinking to buy it, break it down, analyze its binary patterning?

Yes, sir.

And mass produce it to serve in the mines?

Each unit as an adjunct to a miner to take over some

of the more uncomfortable and dangerous procedures.

And where is this One-of-a-kind ambuquo to be found right now.

On Earth, in New Chicago.

And my thought was our morale problem would be...

Ladies, I have a mission for you.

Dr. Hewer, my instrumentation indicates that the

oxygen mass is maintaining a perfect trajectory.

Temperature is holding steady at minus 250 degrees Celsius. Thank you, Colonel.

Please keep me posted of even the slightest change in conditions.

Captain Rogers?

Ice gray.

I'm still a breed. I'm a contract administrator for Kirk Belzac

on the asteroid Taurus in the third quadrant.

Well, you'll have to excuse me. I'm a little new around here.

I don't know what any of that means.

Oh, well, can I come in and explain? Sure.

Sure, come on. Come on.

Looks just like I imagined it would.

Like you imagined it would?

Oh, we always compile bio files of all our business associates before we meet them.

Oh, I didn't know we were associates.

We're not, but we will be.

Just exactly who is this Kirk Belzac?

Mr. Belzac owns an integrated mining,

manufacturing and distribution operation with its headquarters on Toros.

He's the sole supplier of an explosive called Blasium.

That's very interesting, except I still don't see where I come into this picture.

A million in round figures.

Uh-huh.

It's yours.

What have I done to deserve such generosity?

You haven't done anything. It's a payment for your ambuquad, serial number 2223T.

T as in Tweaky? Yes, Tweaky.

I'm sorry, Stella, he's not for sale.

Oh, I see. You want to negotiate.

No, I just don't want to sell Twinkie.

Well, it's just an ambuquad.

Twinkie's a little more than that. He's like a friend.

A drone is a drone, Captain.

Friends are different.

One feels affection for friends.

One owns a drone, and anything that is owned can be sold.

Except for Twiki. This would be like selling family.

Besides, why does Belzac want my particular ambiquities? He's only one of thousands.

I'm not paid to know why, Captain.

Captain Rogers, I need your help.

Mr. Belzac will be very upset with me if I come back with nothing.

Well, I'd say anything you want except Tweaky and me.

I understand that.

I have a friend who runs a biostereometrical facility, and, well, I thought... Oh,

you mean a 3-D photographer?

Yes. Could I take pictures of Tweaky's internal circuitry?

It's not much, but at least it'd be something to bring back to Belzac.

Yeah, I guess that'd be all right.

I don't see any harm in taking pictures of Tweaky's internal circuitry.

Besides, knowing the ham he is, he'd probably enjoy it. Ham?

You'll find out what that means when you meet him.

Thank you.

This is the address.

See you there at nine?

Fine.

He wouldn't sell.

But we've got a date with Captain Rogers.

And Tweaky.

Dr. Heuer, I'm monitoring an increasing frequency

of ionized particles rising rapidly.

Doctor, I want a detailed radio scan of quadrant four immediately.

Yes, doctor.

Doctor, an ion storm of large enough magnitude could...

Where are the ramifications, Doctor?

Begin gathering data, please.

Where is everybody, Buck?

Well, it's after hours, Tweaky. Everyone's gone home.

Oh, here it is. Hmm.

Captain Rogers, thank you for bringing the ambuquad.

Now, if you'll just leave it here for a while.

No way, Stella.

As you wish, Captain.

Hey, my private property.

You're trespassing.

Ambiquad prepared. Autopilot set at coordinates 4, 4, 6.

Remote facility activated.

Excellent.

I'll take control. Remain on Earth until the Ambiquad is securely on Taurus.

This wild blue yonder stuff is for the birds.

Dr. Hewer.

Tweaky's been taken. What?

Three women, psychokinetics. It's a long story, but I think he was taken too.

Captain Rogers, I have a report of a non-terran starfighter being launched.

Its digital reference was H270, indicating its port of origin...

There's Taurus in the third quadrant, and Ambuquad is in the cockpit.

I'm going after him.

This is Buck Rogers calling H270 to Ureen.

I thought you deserted me.

The AmbuQuad is being followed, Pinches.

Very closely.

It appears the two ships may have rendezvoused.

Yes.

Well, we'll take care of that.

Are you a sight for sore circuits? You too, pal.

What's the situation on board?

It's all remote control, Buck. I can't do a thing.

Buck?

Buck Rogers?

The Terran owner?

All right, Rogers.

Let's see how good you are.

Buck, that wasn't me. I know, little buddy.

Listen, you've got to pop that canopy and get out of that ship fast.

But it's a long walk home. Don't worry, I'll track you in.

Some may like hanging loose, but not this quad.

You're good whoever you are, but you're not quite good enough. So long.

This is Starfighter 1314 to Earth Control. Come in, please.

You've got new Tulsa tracking station, Starfighter 1314. What can we do for you?

I've lost an ambuquad up here. I'm gonna need some help finding him.

You got it, 1314.

Well, make it quick, will ya? There's a heavy gravity body nearby.

If I don't pick him up fast, he's gonna crash into it.

Help! Hurry, Buck!

This is New Tulsa tracking station to Starfighter 1314. Go ahead, New Tulsa.

We have a fixed distance, 33,000 megakays from Alpha Centauri. Radius vector,

33 degrees left off the elliptical plane at elevation 40 degrees north.

Roger, near Salsa. I'm on my way.

I rate bucks.

Thanks, Buck.

We're reporting as per schedule. Did the AmuQuad arrive yet?

Hardly.

Terran owner intercepted him and brought him back to Earth.

Buck Rogers.

That would be consistent with the information in his bio file. What are your orders?

The AmbuQuad is so important to Buck Rogers.

Let's see how important Buck Rogers is to work.

He heads an industrial complex which controls dozens of intergalactic corporations.

The base of his power, though, is in the Blasium mines on Tauros.

What's so important about Blasium?

Blasium?

Well, gram for gram, it's the most powerful explosive ever developed.

Mr. Belzac has made millions by selling Blasium to any and all buyers.

What do you want with Twinkie? Whatever it is, he can't have it.

Dr. Hewer, this is Colonel Deering. Do you read? Do you read?

Yes, Colonel Deering, this is Dr. Hewer.

We seem to have a substantial amount of interference.

We're encountering a rather violent storm, Doctor.

The ion count is still alarmingly high.

The data reflects a mature Iod storm sweeping

directly across the path of the Spaceport.

Dr. Hewer?

Yes, Colonel?

The Spaceport has moved off its established flight path.

Yes, Colonel, that's confirmed by our observations here as well.

Please stand by for further instructions.

How do you hear if that spaceberg misses the window?

What can we do?

Frankly, Buck, I'm not sure.

We've moved oxygen in this manner twice before. Always known there was a risk.

But it seemed to be outweighed by the urgent need. I'm going to give Will my hand.

But there's nothing you can do, Buck.

Tell her I'm on my way.

Captain Rogers.

It's nice seeing you again.

Where exactly am I?

Three minutes out of Stargate 23.

An hour from Taurus.

At least Belzac is consistent.

Two kidnappings in a row.

Doesn't he know how to say please?

Belzac gets what he wants.

Everything?

Why are you doing this?

There are reasons.

Necessities.

In my apartment, you said something about friends and affection.

What, you just forget about all that and throw

it out the window? Just a lot of words?

Perhaps something from the nutrition center.

Stella, what spells I got on you?

I'm sorry, I don't want to talk about this right now.

Is he threatening you?

What's he holding over you?

Come on, Stella, tell me.

It's not me, it's my son Lucas.

His father was a... Toros general.

One of the chosen class.

I was a paranormal with psychokinetic powers.

Our marriage and our child were never condoned by the ruling class.

When my husband protested, He was executed as a traitor to his class.

He was killed for loving me.

The man who signed his death order was Belzac.

And on Toros, The son of a traitor is also condemned to a traitor's death.

As I spared him as civilian head of the ruling body, he alone could do so.

He allowed me to send Lucas to Remus II,

and then he forced me to use my psychokinetic powers for his purposes.

If I ever tried to leave him, he'd have Lucas killed.

It doesn't have to be that way.

This is Taurus Approach Control to Shuttle 9281.

We'll be arriving soon. I hope your stay in Taurus will be a pleasant one.

Repeat, this is Taurus Approach Control to Shuttle 9281.

You're cleared for reentry over the outer marker.

Welcome to my little corner of the universe, Captain Rogers.

Better put that to music.

Ha, ha, ha.

I have the current data, Doctor, please.

Current angular displacement of the spaceberg

is approximately three degrees from center, Doctor.

It will miss the atmospheric window by nearly 633 kilometers.

Might as well be six meters, once the explosions begin.

The entire space burg will disintegrate.

Ah, Dr. Hewer, I presume?

Yes, and you are?

Kurt Belzac, sir.

Seems you have a bit of a problem on your hands.

Yes, and very little time to talk to you, so

if you don't mind. Oh, but I do, indeed I do.

We need to speak.

About what?

About your friend, Enwine.

How did you... How is not important, Doctor.

It's what we do next that interests me.

I see.

What do you want, Belzac?

Your Buck Rogers.

For his drone.

I need an exchange. Hey.

Belzac, you're already guilty of kidnapping and extortion.

How do you expect me to deal with... Doc, don't do anything.

Belzac, listen to me.

My hands are tied.

The Directorate strictly forbids responding to such threats.

All I can do is turn over the entire matter

to the Interstellar authorities immediately.

Don't be a fool, Doctor.

Send me the ambiquad, or Buck Rogers will suffer the consequences.

The circumstances, I don't think it necessary

to give Colonel Deering the burden of knowing.

What about Buck?

Come back here this instant.

Tweaky.

Buck, here comes the cavalry.

I think I've done you a great service, Captain Rogers. Oh, really?

That oxygen mass transport project was ingenious, daring,

and will ultimately prove to be fatal to your Terran brethren.

I think they'll find a way to get it back on course.

It's possible, but not probable.

One doesn't just nudge 10 billion tons back on course.

Oh, I should like to convince you that a man of

your reputed talent has a place here on Tauros.

After all, the Terran brethren have abandoned you.

Perhaps.

I don't think you need those anymore.

Unshackle Captain Rogers.

Bring him on our morning rounds.

Let's see if we can make him...

Convert to our course.

This is the very heart of our Blasium operation.

The raw ore is dissolved in hydrochloric acid, reducing it to a pure crystal form.

As an explosive, it has unique properties.

Aside from its power, it's the quickest burning and the hottest,

which makes it particularly useful in the cold of space.

Must be difficult, storing an explosive like this.

Not at all.

You're holding enough Blasium to destroy a small moon.

Please. Don't worry, Captain.

Blasium needs a substantial amount of energy to ignite it.

Consequently, it's quite stable. I can see

that you're genuinely interested, Captain.

Fascinating.

I can see a glorious future for you here, Captain.

Those mines are nearly a flawless operation, except they depend on men to work them.

It would be obvious why I need your remarkable lumbiquot,

with all the 20th century talent you have imbued

him with, combined, of course, with your own.

Well, I really hate to tell you this, Belsang, but Tweaky is chronically lazy.

Whoops, I guess I blew it, bug.

Tweaky, what are you doing here?

Dr. Heward didn't... I came on my own.

Prepare the ambigrod for disassembly. Uh-oh.

Help!

Hang on, buck!

Stop him! He's only one man!

Keep your hands right where I can see them.

All right, Squeaky, let's go. You got it, boss.

Keep going, Twiggy.

This is ridiculous.

One drone and a Terran have me trapped in my own quarters?

We're a squadron of guards in each of the main corridors.

I want that Ambiquad back in one piece, and I want Rogers dead or alive!

That Blasium storage room must be around here somewhere.

Blasium?

Let's just get out of here.

I think that Blasium might just solve our space bird crisis.

Something Belzac said about its properties. Come on.

What's wrong? Got noise. It's going right to my head.

Interloper in subsection 9, corridor 3A, sonic chamber.

Good.

I'm sure Captain Rogers is getting an earful. Shall we join him?

Let's move it, Buck.

We've got a plane to catch.

An escape.

Impossible.

The sonic chamber has... It has absolutely no effect on a drone, idiot.

Look.

That's why I let you go first, Buck. Must be some kind of energy field.

Solid as a rock. Now what, Buck?

Still, I can deactivate that thing.

Twiggy, you hide under that catwalk. Don't move

and hold onto that blazer. I'll be right back.

Search the base.

Dr. Hewer, I don't think we're having the slightest effect on the space burg.

I'm afraid your analysis is correct.

As I feared it would be.

The window was our only hope.

Without it...

Stella, I need your help.

What's keeping you, Buck?

I can't do it. If Belzac finds out.

He won't.

For a while, at least, and by that time we'll be long gone.

I told you, he has agents on Remus, too. He'll have Lucas killed.

I know it.

Remus, too, is under the Directorate's jurisdiction.

We'll have Lucas brought to Earth wherever Belzac can't reach him.

It's too late to start over. This is where I belong.

Stella, give yourself a chance.

Give Lucas a chance.

I'm sorry, I can't.

My planet is in danger of being very, very badly damaged, perhaps even destroyed.

I've got a chance of saving it.

In order to do that, I've got to get out of here.

And I can't without your help.

All right, Buck, I'll deactivate the energy wall.

Welcome, Captain.

I see the lovely Stella has found you for us.

Very good work, my dear.

Belzac, I... She is very persuasive.

Yes, well, all good things must come to an

end, Captain. Now, where's your ambu-quad?

I don't know.

I think I left him down in one of the tunnels. I'm not sure.

Such a transparently thin subterfuge, Captain.

Never mind, we'll find him. Take him away.

Really, Captain, don't you ever know when to cease?

Heads up, Buck.

The ladies would like your attention, just for a moment. Ladies.

Totally sorry to end our relationship this way, Captain.

Stella, don't do this!

Don't let Belzac win!

Save your breath, Captain. She hears no one but me.

Stella, listen to me!

Continue the mind meld.

Stella? I want Rogers in that acid.

Now!

Stella!

I can help you.

Don't listen to him. Your son will die without my help.

If I die, your last chance to leave this place dies with me.

I command you.

Come on, Luke, let's get out of here.

You fools, the Earth is dying, don't you understand?

Stella, you've condemned your son to death.

Dr. Hure, we're registering a change in surface temperature.

It's reaching the outer layers of the atmosphere.

I show a reading minus 2, 4, 3 degrees Celsius and rising.

If it reaches 217 degrees, the entire mass would become completely unstable.

Beyond that point, ignition of the oxygen is...

Inevitable.

Buck Rogers calling Earth Defense Directorate.

Repeat, Buck Rogers calling Earth Defense Directorate.

Buck!

What's happened?

How in galaxy did you... I'll fill you in later, Doc.

What's the status on the bird? Well, we haven't been able to alter its trajectory,

and it is now approaching 1 minute and 23 seconds from entering the atmosphere.

On the wrong trajectory.

I think I have a way to get the bird back on trajectory.

I'm listening.

Blasium is fast-burning and extremely hot.

If we plant the right amount in the right place and detonate it, then we'll...

Shift it and let gravity take over.

Uh, it sounds reckless, Buck.

Captain Rogers' theory is sound, Doctor.

But he has no apparatus aboard to guarantee an accurate placement.

I'm just gonna have to eyeball it, Doc.

Look, give me the coordinates.

Very well. We have no choice.

Doctor, we need volume, mass, distance from Earth, angular differential.

Please, Doctor, I have anticipated the requisites.

Those figures are now coming through on the C6000.

Excellent.

Buck, your angular differential is 3 degrees, 4 minutes, and 22 seconds.

Now, we must reduce the Berg's mass by 4.0923. How much

blazing do you have aboard? It's a 2-kilo brick.

Doctor?

Reduce it by half. Reduce it by half, Buck. Roger.

Now, from your angle of approach, Buck,

you're going to have to lay down the blasium on the following coordinates.

M23.11 at D17.9.

Got it.

Good luck.

Wilma, clear everybody from the vicinity of that bird.

I want you to hang up there at about 20,000 kilometers.

As soon as I lay the Blasium down, hit it with a full-power pulsar.

And get out of there.

I understand, Buck. But what are you going to do about the primary explosion?

I'm gonna try to get out of there myself.

I'm getting a reading of minus 225 degrees,

and we are within 22 seconds of the critical range.

Ready?

Yeah, I think so.

Play it as it lays, Buck.

I'm on my way, Wilma.

Standing by. Pulsar's ready.

Here we go.

Eight ball in a side pocket.

You got it, Doc.

It's bringing this mass back into its proper trajectory.

I record a satisfactory entrance through the atmospheric

window, Doctor. You've done it, Buck!

You've done it! I don't know exactly how, but you've done it, my friend!

I don't know how you do it either, but I'm sure glad you do.

Terran ingenuity, I guess.

And a little luck.

Let's head for home.

Well, it's official.

Kurt Belzac has been overthrown by the miners on Tauros.

Oh, that's wonderful.

Yes. They've exiled him to a planet in the sixth quadrant.

You won't have to worry about him for a long time to come.

And we've made contact with our people on Remus II.

Lucas will be arriving on the next shuttle.

I'll never be able to thank you.

Especially you, Buck.

Well, all of us owe Buck our thanks.

No, I won't even don't unless I forget about Tweaky here.

No big deal, Buck. No big deal.

You let yourself get kidnapped and almost got lost in space.

Then you went AWL and almost got yourself dissected by Belzec's goons,

not to mention nearly getting me burned to a crisp.

Give me a break, Buck. Give you a break? I'll give you a break.

Two weeks hard labor.

Bread and water.

And a suspended sentence.

Thanks for your help, buddy. You're worth it, Buck.

I think.