Original subtitles

We are now entering the Alpha Centauri asteroid fields.

All hands to their stations.

I've never seen such a dense asteroid field, sir.

This is a bad one.

And magnetic storms following our scanners don't help matters.

But we can't ignore a distress signal.

Anything further coming in, Colonel?

Just that one time, Admiral.

Well, that looks like quite an obstacle course

out there. Yes, and it's getting worse.

Lieutenant Devlin, close the viewport armor just in case.

Yes, sir.

All deflector shields in place, Admiral.

Got you.

Do we have any input on the width of this asteroid belt?

Affirmative, Admiral. The Alpha Centauri asteroid

field is 3.6 grids wide with stable density.

You're sure about that stability?

Really, Admiral? If I lack definitive knowledge of a subject,

I simply and unequivocally say so.

And say so, and say so.

However, I must warn you, Admiral, the greater we penetrate the field,

the greater the magnetic storm activity will become.

Admiral, it's coming in again. I'm sure it's a distress signal.

Buck, does this sound like a life pod automatic distress to you?

Sure does.

Devlin, get a fix on that signal. Yes, sir.

Coordinates 3-5 delta. Straight ahead and drifting, sir.

Four degrees starboard. Let's intercept.

Yes, sir.

Life pod approaching airlock.

Engaging. In airlock and secure.

Good Lord.

He does not seem to breathe.

Buck.

The trace of a pulse.

You'd better alert Dr. Goodfellow. Let's get him out of here.

In the year 1987, NASA launched the last of America's deep space probes.

Aboard this compact starship, a lone astronaut, Captain William Buck Rogers,

was to experience cosmic forces beyond all comprehension.

In a freak mishap, his life support systems were

frozen by temperatures beyond imagination.

Ranger 3 was blown out of its planned trajectory

into an orbit 1,000 times more vast,

an orbit which was to return Buck Rogers to Earth 500 years later.

¶¶

His pulse is perfectly normal now. I do believe he's coming to.

No, no, no, no, no.

Lie still, lie still. Yes, that's right, my boy. Lie still.

Yes, and you're safe. You're safe, my little man. Quite safe.

I wonder whether you could help us.

Do you know your name? Could you tell us your name?

My name?

Yes.

Veles.

Your oxygen activator indicated that you'd been adrift for over two weeks.

We're searching the area for other survivors.

But there was somebody traveling with me.

Relkos was his name.

Thus far, your life, Pod, was the only one we recovered.

But I must find him. I must.

We're doing everything we can.

We're scanning the area for other life pod signals right now. You should just rest.

We'll let you know if we find anything, okay? It's quite right, quite right. Sleep,

sleep, let him sleep, let him sleep, indeed.

What do you think, Colonel?

Do we have another distress signal or not?

The instruments are still erratic, sir, due to the magnetic storm,

but it sure looks that way.

According to this reading,

the other life pod has landed on a planetary body called Iris 7.

Crichton, what do you know about IRIS-7?

I am not fully programmed for this star system, Admiral. However,

my data indicates the planet is uninhabited.

Any projections on the intensity of the magnetic field we're moving into?

The data indicates a storm of extraordinary magnitude, Admiral.

It should strike within 60 hours with a destructive

force of at least 9.5 on the standard scale. 9.5?

Well, life part or no, we better make it our business to

get out of this quadrant long before that storm hits.

For centuries, the existence of a race of golden people

was believed to be a myth and nothing more.

Charming fairy tale handed down from generation to generation.

But now, now the myth proves to be reality.

I simply can't express how marvelous a development this is.

Is the boy actually made of gold, Doctor? Well, you

couldn't melt him down, if that's what you mean.

Are you all right, Doctor?

A bit shaken.

What happened? I think we've hit an asteroid.

I'll check the engine room for damages. Okay.

Why don't you catch your breath for a moment, Doctor? Let's get to the bridge.

Never mind me. Initiate a damage check.

Colonel Dearing's already doing that, sir.

Check the video screen, see what's happening and how bad it is. Right.

Just relax, Admiral. We'll get this thing off of you in no time.

Asteroid confirmed.

We are grounded. All right, you better tell the crew.

Attention all personnel. All right, guys, come on, give it. One, two, three,

all right? Attention all personnel.

We have collided with an asteroid.

Repeat.

We have impacted with an asteroid.

We are grounded.

Hey, I was trying to get out.

The bridge requests engine room damage report as soon as possible. One, two, three.

Now try.

What?

Go ahead and lift.

What do you think you're trying to do?

No, no, try again.

What in the name of Gideon's trumpet are you all jabbering about?

Are you going to get this thing off of me or not?

All right, come on, everybody. Let's try it again together. One, two, three.

I can't believe my eyes.

You all right?

Yes, yes, I'm fine, I'm fine.

How in blazes did you manage that?

My people have the power to alter the molecular structure of metals.

We can make them heavier or lighter by means of subatomic oscillation.

Then it's true.

You're indeed capable of psychokinetic chemistry, just as the legend says. Ho, ho,

ho! I simply must see what my friend Crichton has to say on the subject.

That distress signal's getting louder.

Yes, it is.

According to Crichton, it comes from a nearby planet called Iris 7.

It must be Ralkos. Please, we've got to go there and find him.

Report from the engine room, Admiral. Report

from the engine room. No serious casualties.

Inspection of forward compartments reveals extensive damage to sections two, three,

and four, but self-sealing has held.

Energize reverse tractor beams.

All is caring, folks.

Engaging reverse thruster beams.

Put her in the red, Hawk.

But, sir, we risk burning out the fusion reactors.

If we don't get off this rock pile before that storm hits,

we're not going to have to worry about the fusion reactors. Now put her in the red.

Yes, sir.

Engage in full reverse thruster beams.

She is wedged too tightly. We are not moving at all.

Tractor beams off.

Buster beams off.

Our mass is too great for the beams to overcome our inertia, Admiral.

If making the ship lighter would get you off the asteroid, perhaps there's hope.

You're not trying to tell me that you can make the ship lighter,

just as you did with the beam.

No, but my friend Ralkos might.

He's larger and his powers are much greater.

So, all we have to do is go down on that planet, find your friend Ralkos,

and bring him back here, right?

You wouldn't try to con us, would you, kid?

Con you?

I simply refuse to believe that anyone is capable of changing

the molecular structure of a ship the size of Searcher.

Won't you at least investigate the distress signal?

You can't just leave him stranded down there.

Young man, the more immediate problem is that we're stranded up here. Now,

your friend's life pod apparently made it to the planet's surface,

so I'm sure that he's all right for the time being.

Admiral, our young friend here may be exaggerating his buddy's powers,

but can we really afford not to check it out? Besides that,

we don't know anything at all about this IRIS 7.

Ralkos might need our help.

You have a point.

Take a shuttle down, see what you can find.

Come on, partner.

I'm gonna need a co-pilot on this little jock.

You might as well be the one. Let's go.

He's gone. Where'd he come from?

Who found him? We did. Pull him out of this lifeboat. Down by the river.

Is it really gold horses? Can't you see that? He's all golden.

Look at him! He's a golden man!

Oh, where'd you get him at, Loren?

What difference of yours where I got him? I found him

in his mind. All right, to the square! Let's go!

Where do we go? Come on, get him out. Okay, Harley. Out!

Get him out!

Get him out!

Hey, hey, golden man, hey.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.

Get him to say something. He turned it to Joe? He sure did.

I ain't never seen nothing like that.

Get out of the way! Get out!

Tatty golden man! Tatty! Tatty golden man!

He turned it to silver.

He turned it to pure silver. He can change metals.

Change metals. Boy, I want to see this.

Ah, tricky as always. Serves you right. He's changing

the bars to glass. Look out, he's crazy.

He's getting away. Watch out!

It's news for Crichton's uninhabited planet. This place is a madhouse.

Who are all these people?

Why are they so excited?

I don't know. It's either Mardi Gras week or somebody's getting lynched.

Mardi Gras?

Never mind. The only thing to do is not attract attention.

What kind of place is this?

Why did they attack us like that?

That's a good question. At least we know your friend is here.

When they saw you, they shouted, there's another one.

I heard. I'm the cause of your being in this predicament, Captain, and I'm sorry.

It's all right, forget it.

We're not down for the count yet.

Down for the count?

Yes, sir, Mr. Grant.

Right in here, sir, safe and sound, just like they was left to be charged.

Ah, they be scuffed up a mite, but they're all right.

Your name?

Buck Rogers. I'm the Earthship's searcher.

I help on an asteroid.

You're not the first, and you won't be the last.

What are you doing on this planet?

I asked him to come down.

When I want to hear from you, I'll let you know.

I asked what you were doing here.

We're searching for a golden man named Rokos.

His life pod landed on this planet.

What are we doing in jail?

You broke the law.

What law?

This is a penal colony.

It is a certifiable offense to bring firearms into a penal colony.

Your people didn't attack me because I was carrying a weapon.

They attacked me because of him. Why?

I'll ask the questions.

You just answer them.

What is the Golden Man to you?

He's his friend, that's all.

And we need him to help us get the searcher off the asteroid.

Get a ship off an asteroid? How?

We can change the molecular structure of metal.

Yes, so?

It can change its essence, make it lighter.

Bring the boy.

Keep going, lad.

All right, leave him.

We thought when it crashed, it was our ticket out of this hellhole.

But that engine is burnt out,

and the other isn't strong enough to get us out of the atmosphere.

But if it were half the weight, we could put it into space.

I can't make it lighter.

You haven't tried.

It's too much weight for me. I know it is. Try.

I can't do it.

I'm too small.

What about the grown-up gold man? Could he?

Ralkos?

He could easily lighten such a small craft.

Then all we have to do is find him.

And a freak like him couldn't stay hidden too long.

Get this one back in jail.

Come on, boy.

Get moving.

What kind of a con job are you running on this lot?

Either you can make things lighter than they already can't,

No, you won't, or you just claim pulling our leg, which is the worst of the lot.

All right, get in there before I give you a swift kick where it'll do the most good.

How are you, Captain?

I'll tell you one thing, Velas.

I'm getting awfully tired of being beaten up.

Thank you.

Where did they take you?

There's an emergency dispatch ship that crashed here five years ago.

It's got two engines, but only one works.

If they could find Rokos and get him to lighten the ship,

then they'd only need one engine to get off this planet.

Mm-hmm.

Step into my office a minute.

You lighten the beam on board the searcher.

Now, what about these?

Instead of iron, You turned him to ten or something?

It may be too much for me. There were four men lifting that beam,

and even then I barely managed. But I'll try.

I can't get any more.

I'm sorry, I can't. Well, that's okay.

You gave it your best shot.

Let me have these.

What could you change these into?

Almost anything.

Well, partner, come the dawn, I think we're gonna have a way out of here.

Admiral, how are repairs going?

Well, we can always reinforce these damaged bulkheads,

but we're still no closer to finding a way to pull the ship off the asteroid.

And no word from Buck for the past 20 hours.

No.

Admiral, listen, can you hear me?

I've just come upon some information that I think you should be aware of.

What is it, Doctor?

I was researching the holographic archives,

and I found that the planet Iris 7 is not uninhabited as Griden told us.

Not uninhabited. That's great.

The Galactic Judiciary established a penal colony on the planet 96 years ago.

A penal colony?

I will take my ship down to Iris 7.

Buck may need assistance.

You better be careful, Hawkins.

There's no telling what you might come up against on a place like that.

You may not be received very cordially.

I will take certain precautions, I think.

You're the one everybody's looking for.

Hey, it's all right.

I won't hurt you or anything.

Looks like you spent the night here.

Must have been kind of cold.

Is it true that you can turn metal into silver and gold?

Can you change this into something else? Hey, I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to scare you. Honest, I didn't.

I want Abba.

Abba? What's that?

I want him.

Look, I don't know any Abba.

Are you hungry? You want something to eat?

Come on, we'll share my lunch.

It's all right.

It's good.

Come on.

It's all right.

That's it.

There you go.

It's good.

Give me the key or I'll tear you off. Try the key or I'll tear it off.

I did more than Sid.

I touched it with my own hand. It was silver.

Told the man to turn it into plain, pure silver just before he ran off.

That's great. The whole thing is great.

Quiet!

1,000 gold celeries to the one who brings me the golden man.

You must want him pretty bad offering that kind of money for him, Graff.

Better tell him what you're going to do with him.

That golden man is our ticket off this hellhole of a planet.

Make way.

Clear the way.

What the devil are you?

I am Cortis Hawk, Inspector General of the Retributive Justice Council.

I have been informed that an officer from the Earthship Searcher

...has been made prisoner on this planet.

I want him and the golden boy who was with him... ...to be released immediately.

That man... I warn you...

There's a Federation battle cruiser standing off this planet.

If they or I are harmed...

This planet will be destroyed.

That man was armed.

That is against Federation law.

The disciplining of Federation officers will

be taken care of by duly appointed officials,

not by inmates from a penal colony.

Take off! That feller and the golden boy escape jail!

When the officer of the searcher and the golden people are found,

they are to be brought to me immediately.

If any harm comes to them, I will hold you all responsible.

What's your name?

Rokos.

I'm Marcos. I work here.

I mean, in the livery.

Good.

Ah, you're welcome.

It's true.

You can change things.

Let me take care of this kid first. I gotta make sure he's doing his work.

Quick, hide!

Keep quiet!

Hey, what's going on? What you been up to?

I don't see any work being done.

Of course.

Never seen anything like that before.

Goldenfellow'll have to make that.

You're hiding them.

I am not, honest.

You lying to me? I'll take a strap to you.

Don't hurt him.

Golden man!

Golden man! Even split the reward Graf's offering!

He's been mine from the beginning, and he's staying that way.

And I'll take care of you later.

Luran! It's a fail!

I can see through the sacking. Okay.

What are you doing here? Somebody had to come down and keep you out of trouble.

Up there at the window.

Relicos!

Are you sure?

His skin was gold. I saw that much.

Sick.

Ain't you looking a sight now?

My, my. Just got to work on this a bit.

Oh, there you go again. Don't tell me it's tickling.

Get your mind on what this is going to mean to us.

From now on, you and me is gonna be living high on the hog.

Now, wait, Governor.

Me and Alfie ain't had no swindle in mind.

I'm not trying to sell Alfie off as gold. Ain't

that right, Alfie? Huh? You brainless numbskull!

I said we was not wanting to swindle anybody by painting you up this way.

Just having a game with Alfie.

Make-believe-in, Governor.

Oh, look at him. I'm looking.

Is he real?

Did you paint him up too?

There he is, Rokos.

We know what you can do.

Do it.

There's no way we'll get him away from that mob.

Maybe there is.

It worked before.

Change the weight of this ship.

Do it!

Don't think that one's right in the head. Well, his head don't matter.

It's his hands what changes things.

All right, now, you listen to me.

All we want from you is to lighten this ship.

Touch the metal.

We know you can change metals. Everyone has seen you do it.

Exactly what is going on here?

I thought I made it clear that when any golden people were found,

they would be brought directly to me.

Oh, yes, we were going to bring him to you.

It's just that we wanted him to do a few tricks first.

Such as aiding and abetting and an escape.

Escape?

We don't know what you mean. Abba.

Abba.

Abba.

I missed you, Abba.

I was scared.

And I missed you, too.

You all right? They didn't hurt you?

Captain Rogers!

I suggest that you escort these two golden people to your shuttle.

And then return them to the searcher immediately.

Yes, Inspector. It is clear that you intended to use the Golden Man's

powers to make this ship operational and leave the planet.

The penal law says we can run our own planet.

Only within the confines of its own atmosphere.

Lawlessness and the disregard for established law cannot be tolerated.

And moreover, I intend to find out who is responsible for shooting down this ship.

Just a moment.

Everyone on this planet knows the ship crashed in a magnetic storm.

And the authorities know it too. How is it you don't?

How come you don't know about this here ship, Inspector?

Maybe he's no Inspector at all.

I have had enough of this impertinence.

Out of my way. You haven't answered my question, Inspector.

He ain't Inspector General.

He's a birdman. He's a human. Somebody grab him.

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

Whoa!

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

Golden people! Running down the alley!

Fire! Down the alley! Come on! Wait!

Fire!

Graph is mine. Be my guest.

Hurry up!

Come on, come on, let's go! They're getting away! Don't do the game. Move, move!

Grab the golden man! Grab him! Grab him!

Okay, guys, do your stuff. Use the line.

The bars, Ralkos! Think of the bars!

Hold on tight!

I can fuse the lock shut. Wilkus will take care of the bars.

God, it's working.

Storm intensity increasing.

Lifepod standing by for emergency launch, Admiral.

How are they doing down there?

Captain, the Admiral would like to know how you're doing.

Just about ready.

Tell everybody up there to hang on to their hats. Attention all personnel.

Prepare for full reverse thrust.

All right, ready any time you are.

Well, Ghost, whether or not we all get home safely is up to you now.

Don't do just as I tell you.

This ship could be destroyed,

and we'd have to go back down to those men who frightened you.

Do you understand?

Yes, Abba.

I want you to concentrate.

Close your eyes.

And think about the metal this ship is made of.

I want you to make it light, Rokos.

Very, very light.

Very, very light.

Yes.

Yes, Ralkos. That's it. Concentrate.

Think about the medal.

All right, guys.

Get ready.

All right, Admiral. Get those tractor beams now.

Activate tractor beams, Devlin.

That's it, Rolcos. Don't stop. Make it light. That's it.

Don't stop.

Well, I'm afraid she can't possibly take much more of this.

I feel we're going to rip the whole bow to pieces if this keeps up.

If we stop now, the storm will do a lot more damage than rip the bow off, Doctor.

Bowel pressurization, Devlin.

Three standard atmospheres. No major structural damage, sir.

Ralkos, I think you did it.

You were fine, Ralkos. That was very, very good.

Ralkos was good?

Ralkos was very good.

I'm proud of you.

Ralkos was good.

Goodbye and good riddance.

See how Buck and the others are.

Buck, how you doing down there?

Fair to middling.

Considering what we just pulled off.

Pulled off? Is that what he said?

Pulled off? Shame on you, Captain Rogers. Shame on you. Pulled off indeed.

Um, Veloz.

Excuse us, Rutgers. Could you step over here for a second, please?

Listen, what exactly is going on between you and Wilco's?

You mean why Wilco seems to depend on my support and guidance, perhaps?

Yes.

Captain Rogers, it is hardly surprising that Rokos has been

frightened and confused by the events of the past few days.

After all, a five-year-old can hardly be expected to

handle such things as well as a full-grown adult.

Are you trying to tell me that Rokos is five years old?

Precisely, Captain.

The people of Vela V have many attributes that are quite different from yours.

Perhaps the most significant is the fact that our life cycles are reversed.

You see...

Ralkos is my song.

It goes without saying, we owe you a debt we cannot possibly repay.

The survival of our ship, And of course, the lives of us all.

Not to mention the privilege of having you among us.

The mere fact of your existence has filled us

with a sense of awe and scientific excitement,

something we haven't felt in years.

The appreciation is mutual, I assure you, gentlemen.

Had it not been for Captain Rogers and Hawk,

I would never have been reunited with my son.

Can you say thank you to Captain Rogers and Hawk, Rokos?

Thank you.

It was our pleasure, young man.

I bet you can't do this.

Gentlemen, the shuttle from Vela 5 has docked.

Thank you.

Should you ever find yourselves in the vicinity of Vela 5,

I'd be very pleased to have you visit.

Thank you again, and goodbye.

Come, Ralkos, time to say goodbye.

I don't want to go. I like it here. I don't want to go.

Well, Coase, say goodbye.

Oh, all right.

Goodbye, everybody. Goodbye.

I don't want to go. Why do we have to go anyway?

Well, Coase, I'm not telling you again. You behave yourself,

or you'll go straight to bed as soon as we get on the shuttle.