"... a struggle against the common enemies of man  a date which will live in infamy  ask not what your country can do for you  grand and global alliance for all mankind..." " Well?" " Very acceptable for a human in their native gravity." "Let me see!" "Oh, yeah!" "I believe that's a new track record." "Remind me again why we're out here killing ourselves." "The war is over, but our hitch isn't." "The nightmare continues." "Okay." "Who wants to go again?" " Not today, Diz." " Cramp." "I'll give you all a head start." "When the Queen's Transport Bug was destroyed  there wasn't an official treaty or peace accord to sign." "But the war was effectively over." "And Sicon got down to the business of peace." "That's right." "Walk away, babies!" "Thousands of lucky Troopers were immediately released from duty." "The rest of us awaited reassignment." "But we weren't fighting the Bugs anymore, so things were looking up." "I'm telling you, the Queen is still alive." "And she's here, on Earth!" "If that's true, then why haven't any Bugs been spotted?" "Why hasn't any city on the globe reported an attack?" "I don't know." "All I can tell you is that I keep getting something." "You're the only one, Carl." "No other Intel psychic has reported so much as a whisper." " They're wrong!" " Jenkins!" "It's all right, Lieutenant." "No one is questioning your abilities, but in this particular case I have to believe you are mistaken." "Perhaps some R and R is in order." "After all, we don't want a repeat of last time, do we?" "Dismissed." "I said, "Dismissed."" "Hey, going AWOL?" "R and R. General's orders." " Sweet." "How did you swing that?" " I told her the Queen's still alive." "I assume you think I'm whacked, too." "Yeah, well, we did blow her up, and you were there." "I'm the one who got up close and personal with the Queen." "I'm the one who got inside that Brain Bug!" "And I'm the one who saved our butts!" "If I remember correctly, you didn't doubt me then." " That was different." " Why?" "You were different." "I'd say the war has changed us both, Sergeant." "Intel's right and Carl's wrong." " How often has that happened?" " Once is enough." " Come on, LT." " Save it, Sergeant." "New orders." "Repairing radio telescope receivers on the Jovian moons?" "We leave on a fleet transport out of San Francisco, day after tomorrow." "Lieutenant, request leave until departure." "So you can chase some figment of Carl's imagination?" "Request denied." "With all due respect, you have to let me do this." "Rico, I don't have to do anything." "I better not regret this." "Wait." "Go back." "Go back." "There." "What are those flares?" "Heat signatures, above and below ground." "Could be volcanic activity or hydrothermal pockets." "But there's no way to be sure by just looking at the sat photo." "You have to compare it to a seismic scan of the area." "Negative on volcano and hydro." "Something else is going on." "Listen up, Apes." "Officially, we're going to San Francisco  to meet a fleet transport bound for the Jovian moons." "Unofficially, we're taking a little detour." "Infrasats have picked up unexplained thermal spikes in North Dakota some of them subterranean." "Don't forget:" "Low profile." "Sure." "We blend." "The signal's strong, like it's coming from right in front of us." "Rico, Flores, Jenkins, take the west side." "Doc, Gossard, Higgins, head north." "Colonel, you're with me." "Eyes peeled for anything suspicious." "Back here in 30." "Afternoon." "Lovely weather, wouldn't you say?" "Afternoon." "Lovely weather, wouldn't you say?" "That is something I do not understand about you humans:" "Your preoccupation with the weather." "I can feel them everywhere." "Hi, how you doing?" "Afternoon." "Lovely weather, wouldn't you say?" "If I hear that one more time..." "That guy." "Didn't we just see him two minutes ago delivering the mail?" "It's a small town." "Maybe they're related." "Identical triplets?" "Anybody notice something strange about this place?" "Is it me, or do most of these people look alike?" "Do not ask me." "All humans look alike." "Move!" "What are they shooting at us for?" "They're civilians!" "Apes, fog's rolling in!" "Back to the chopper and hold your fire!" "Repeat, hold your fire!" "You heard the man." "Follow me." "Mobile Infantry, sir." "We need your vehicle!" "We appreciate your cooperation." "Climb." "The warehouse!" "Gossard, location?" "Across the street, second building, third-story window." "I want the sniper alive." "I can arrange that." "Who wants to draw him out?" " Still looking for a rematch?" " Still want that head start?" "Crisscross, double back." " My lead." " Hey." "Let's live to tell about it." "Sweet dreams." "Move out!" "Okay, I'm officially creeped out." "Where did these things come from, a human copy machine?" "Secure the prisoner." "We're heading back to the chopper." "Go!" "On the double!" "Irregular heart sounds." "Doesn't look like he's having any kind of seizure or attack." "Atypical heartbeat pattern." "I'm going to run some blood panels." "Redwing to Alpha Team." "Come in, Alpha Team." "Over." "Repeat, Redwing to Alpha Team." "State your current position." "Over." " Bad transmission." " Couldn't make out a word, LT." " That's different." " What?" "Something strange about these DNA strands." "Do not fire!" "Shock sticks only." "Are you conscious, Carl?" "I just got the wind knocked out of me." "Tranq it heavy." "I don't want this thing waking up any time soon." "An Arachnid with humanoid cloaking ability." "I don't think we're talking a chameleon here." "This thing's got half-Bug, half-human DNA." "Like Zander?" "Sort of, but the Bug seems able to switch back and forth between its two genetic codes." "Perhaps a more sophisticated version of the impostor species cloned with duplicated samples of human DNA." "Making it pretty easy to infiltrate human society." "The 100 percent humans in Little Butte had no idea their neighbours were Bugs." "But why here?" "What's the larger objective?" "Sabotage." "The clones are equipped with the same psychic shield used by the Queen." "But the tranquilliser weakened it." "The Bugs intend to sabotage 50 targets across the globe:" "The Eiffel Tower, the Panama Canal the White House and a cold fusion plant just west of here which supplies energy for one half of North America." " How long?" " Couldn't find a timetable." "Redwing to Alpha Team." "Come in, Alpha Team." "Over." "If you can hear me, I strongly advise you to respond immediately." "Redwing, this is Alpha Team." "Read you." "Over." "Lieutenant, you were to have your squad on transport  out of San Francisco one hour ago." "What is your current position?" "Five miles southwest of Little Butte, North Dakota." "Over." "No one authorised a detour in your travel orders, Lt. Razak." "Explain yourself." "Over." "General, I take full responsibility for disobeying orders and will accept disciplinary action later." "But Jenkins was right." "We've got Bugs." "Oh, no." "Guess walking up and ringing the doorbell is out of the question?" "We can't wait for Redwing's reinforcements, LT." "The Bugs are preparing to make their move inside the plant." "Alpha Team to Blue Leader." "Be advised:" "We are moving on target." "Will rendezvous with additional backup units inside." "Alpha Team out." "Pull up a schematic of the plant." "Find us a back door." "We have to secure the control room, now." "Which way?" "Off to the right, behind that substation." "Shadow deployment." "Rico, Gossard, take lead." "Wait." "Rico, Gossard, Jenkins, the control room, now!" "Warning." "Fusion containment compromised." "Reactor meltdown in two minutes." "Rico, tell me you're close." "Better than that, LT!" " Reactor meltdown in one minute." " Can you stop the countdown?" "Yeah!" "Console looks like a standard issue." "Gossard!" " Goss, snap out of it!" " Reactor meltdown in 30 seconds." "Go to the main control panel and do what I tell you." " Bugs smashed the controls." " We'll override them." "Come on, Gossard." "Think how to do this." "Right side panel." "Remove it." "Find the black insulated wire." " Reactor meltdown in 15 seconds." " I see it!" "Don't touch it!" "Now, disconnect the five wires below." "Red first then blue, yellow, green, white." " Meltdown in ten..." " Now what?" " ... nine, eight..." " Cross connect red to yellow." " ... seven..." " Green to..." " ... six, five..." " What?" "Green to what?" " Gossard!" " ... four..." " Carl?" " ... three..." " White!" " ... two." "Meltdown sequence terminated." "Fusion containment restored." "The Roughnecks were able to stop the Bugs in North Dakota  but Sicon wasn't so lucky everywhere." "The Eiffel Tower, the White House, gone  along with 15 other targets." "You guys are good." "Carl was right all along." "Unfortunately that meant the war had come home." "And somewhere, out there  the Queen was preparing her next offensive  the biggest one of all." "The war on Earth raged." "Not even Sicon knew if we were winning or losing." "But as far as the Roughnecks were concerned  the Bugs were taking Buenos Aires, and we were going to take it back  one street at a time." "LT, swarm!" "Move out!" " I can handle them." " This isn't a discussion, Private." "Move out!" "Rico, Diz, three words for you:" "Hit the deck!" "Interesting strategic positioning." " You okay?" " You mind?" "Yeah." "Sorry." "Man, I never thought an MI bunk could feel this good." "This hero stuff is exhausting." " My back can't take much more of this." " Yes." "It must be quite a strain sitting down for hours while others patrol on foot." "T'Phai's right, Gossard." "How do you do it?" " Need a hand?" " I got it." "I'm a big girl, Sergeant." "Diz." " I was just trying to..." " Help?" " Yeah, I know." "Just like in the alley." " What are you talking about?" "The alley, now my backpack." "I don't see you offering to help Doc." " I would if he asked." " Yeah?" "Well, I didn't ask." "You could read me a bedtime story." "Looks like I'm not the only one burning the midnight oil." "If you had seen what Intel just sent, you'd have a hard time sleeping, too." "Omega quadrant, 50 miles north of Buenos Aires." "0800 hours, yesterday." "Omega quadrant, 0800 hours today." "Sonar indicates a massive colony of enemy forces expanding faster than anything previously seen." "Could be a staging area for another assault on the city." " Best to take it out from the air." " We tried." "Three sorties from three directions, all with the same net result." "Plasma Bug positions keep changing." "A covert ground attack is our only hope." " When?" " Tonight." "Rise and shine, Apes." "We got a job to do." "Doesn't he ever sleep?" "Sorry to interrupt your beauty sleep." "Goodness knows some of you need it." "But the higher-ups at Intel want us to play a little hide-and-seek." "A children's game, is it not?" "Not the Sicon way." "We engage the enemy in combat over a piece of territory and let them win." "What the saps don't know is that we've already hidden troops in the area." "Once the enemy moves over you, bingo good guys, come out, come out, wherever they are." "Behind enemy lines." "Four other squads are taking part in this assault." "Our POA:" "Locate and terminate Plasma Bug positions on a massive Bug mound, making way for fleet jets to nuke the place sky-high." " Your shovel is in the way." " Yeah, well, so is yours." "Guys, I think there's plenty of dirt to go around." " Just move it." " More digging, less yapping." "Sir, yes, sir." "Maintain total radio silence." "And nobody moves until I give the all clear." "I'll take first lookout." "You two grab some sack time." "Your foot is in the way." "I don't have a choice of positioning here, Diz." "What's eating you?" "Rico, just move your stupid..." "You know, I've often found it easier to sleep when the kids aren't bickering." "Decoys are here." " What do you got?" " Fog." "It is too thick." "Supposed to be." "Harder for the Bugs to figure out it's a trick." "Blue Leader, worm is off the hook." "Repeat." "Worm is off the hook." "What is it?" "LT, I think Rico's team has been made." " You can't." "The mission." " We're sitting ducks." " It's right on top of them." " We have to do something, don't we?" "Negative." "Don't ask me why, but the Bug just spaced out and crawled off." "Check up top." "It's gone." " How'd you pull that off?" " I gave the Bug a cerebral push." " Now in English?" " It's a telepathic suggestion." "I told that Bug what it should see instead of what it did see." "Wish I could do that." " Not possible." " I know." "Got to be psychic." "Got to have an IQ bigger than a Bug's." "Fresh air." "No offence, guys but where were you when Zim went over personal hygiene in boot camp?" "All right, Apes." "We have less than two hours to recon at the assigned coordinates." "Remember, we are now behind enemy lines." "Move quick, move silent." "No weapons fire." "What if we run into Bugs?" "Improvise." "Less than three clicks away." "Rico, night vision recon from the top." "I don't want any surprises." " Back here in 10." " Yes, sir." "Whoa!" "Come on." "Stay sharp, Rico." "Only been 36 hours between naps." "Remember, no weapons fire." "Roughnecks!" "Divide and conquer." "Hand-to-hand or shock sticks only." "Diz!" "Dizzy!" "Dizzy!" "Diz." "I couldn't get to her." "It's my fault." "Sergeant, self-pity isn't going to do anyone any good right now." "Sir, Dizzy, she's down there, alive." " You see her?" " You positive, Jenkins?" " Yes, sir." " I'm going down." "We're behind schedule." "Five minutes, then we have to move on." "I'll find her." "Perimeter watch." "Eyes peeled for enemy movement." "Hey, bright eyes." " Just hang on." " Hanging on." "Diz, when you went over that ledge my heart stopped." "Yeah, right." "I'm serious." "All these feelings just started crashing over me." "And then, well, it became so clear." "Rico, my head hurts." "Dizzy, I love you." "Welcome back, soldier." "Why did he have to say that?" "I thought "I love you" was exactly what you wanted to hear." "Was, Carl." "Diz, who do you think you're talking to here?" " I know how much you..." " Do not!" "And stay out of my skull!" "Whoa!" "We'll fan out." "Groups of two." "Tactical sweep for Plasma Bug positions." "Fleet can't bring that hill down till we take out the enemy's big guns." "Multiples moving in from the south." "Looks like Echo Team's thermal signatures." "Got a visual." "They're not alone." "Bugs, approaching Echo's rear flank." "I see them." "Echo doesn't!" " Is there no way we can warn them?" " Radio silence." "Good." "No grenades." "Down!" " Cover's blown." "Now what?" " Lieutenant!" "Echo's error has resulted in the exposure of all Plasma positions at once." "You're right." "So let's ring fleet." "Have them dust the whole place." "No." "Plasma Bugs can break off at any second and change positions." "We have to take that hill down now, without fleet." "Javelins are the only thing we've got with enough juice to hit the mound from here." "Although, if we load them with mini-nukes and nail them with a high enough concentration, it may start a chain reaction big enough to create a structural breach." "Rico, on the horn." "Let the other squads know when and where to fire." "Gossard, feed Rico the coordinates." "We're going to bring down the house." "In five, four three, two, one, fire!" "All right!" "Diz, wait up." " Don't you think we should talk?" " About what?" "Oh, about you being in love with me." "Well, you can't be." " What's that supposed to mean?" " Just what I said." "You can't love me, Rico." "I'm a jinx." "Bad stuff happens to everyone I care about." "Come on, Diz." "That's nuts." "You want a list?" "Let's start with my family." "Gone." "Thought I had feelings for Carl." "Oops!" "His brain got fried." "Zander?" "Turned into a Bug." " There's one flaw in your theory, Diz." " What's that?" "Me." "You're in love with me, and I'm still here." "Yeah?" "Well, obviously I'm not in love with you anymore." "That's why you're safe." "Diz, I'm not going to let you do this." "I'm not just going to walk away." "Sergeant, you outrank me, remember?" "I believe Sicon command would consider this sort of behaviour wholly inappropriate." "Fine, Private." "I'm sorry if I was out of line." "It won't happen again." "I promise." "Seven months after the Bugs invaded Earth  the entire planet was basically a battlefield." "All the landmarks we once knew were now unrecognisable." "The Sicon forces seemed to have the upper hand." "Every major Bug had been stopped in its tracks  until..." "Roughnecks, full pursuit!" " I give up." "Animal, vegetable or mineral?" " Keep going." "You'd think that after two weeks of field rations we'd be offered something better than this." " Whatever this is." " LT, what the heck is this stuff?" "Top secret, Sergeant, but I believe its code name to be "mashed potatoes."" "Lts." "Razak, Markovich, Murphy, Griffin  report to main briefing room immediately." "After chow, check your rigs and ammo supplies." "We move out in 12 hours." "Twelve whole hours of R and R. You'd think it was my birthday." "Am I missing something here, Sky Marshal?" "We were told the enemy had not even tried to storm San Francisco." "Literally speaking, your information is correct, General  but infrasats show that the Bugs have built an elaborate network of caves  tunnels and hives beneath the Bay Area." "Every square inch is infested." "Intel believes the Bugs are assembling for an imminent, catastrophic surface attack." " Lt. Razak?" " Lt. Walker." "Sicon has decided there is only one option:" "Full-scale air and ground assault." "Now, I know this will result in heavy MI casualties  and extensive, perhaps irreparable, collateral damage." "What plans are being made in regards to the civilian population?" "None." "We can't tip our hand to the enemy." "These casualties have been deemed necessary  when weighed against losses inflicted upon the enemy." "Necessary?" "We will let the people of San Francisco enjoy their last moments on Earth." "Now, I know this is a bitter pill but sacrifices must be made for the greater good." "With all due respect, sir, nothing good can come from taking millions of innocent lives." "Morally reprehensible, sir." " We agree on something." " Hard to believe." "Pardon the interruption, but I have a formal protest signed by myself and 15 other Sicon officers." "No Bug is worth even one civilian life." "Touching sentiment, Walker, but a bit naive and insubordinate." "Sky Marshal, Lts." "Razak and Walker are responsible for countless victories over the Bug army." "Rather than question their loyalty, perhaps we should let them present an alternative plan to terminate the enemy threat." "Gentlemen, it better be good." "The only way to shut down the enemy in time is to drive all the subterranean forces above ground at once." "Now, because portions of the Bugs' network run beneath the city's main waterways we propose setting a series of underwater charges along key sections of the insect tunnels." "These charges will be armed with our last reserves of toxin B3 which has proven to be lethal to Bugs, even when heavily diluted." "The explosions will cause massive holes in the tunnel walls allowing water to rush in and flush out the Bugs." "Enemy forces will either drown, or be driven to the surface where MI forces will be waiting en masse." "Well, you have 12 hours." "If you fail, the initial full-scale air strike will commence leaving no time for any evacuations, civilian or military." "So let me see if I understand this." "If we blow it, our side blows us up?" " In a nutshell." " I feel so much better now." "Because I crave the pump." "That's right." "Bring it on!" " Think they're buying it?" " Oh, yes." "Very convincing." " Hey, Diz, can I ask you something?" " Sure." "If you know something bad is going to happen to somebody you care about but you're sworn to secrecy..." "I mean, what are you supposed to do?" "We talking somebody specific here?" "Yeah." "A buddy of mine since med school." "He lives in Frisco." "A wife, two kids." " How can I not warn him?" " I don't know." "I can't believe we have to deal with Walker again." "Here, here and here, under the Golden Gate with another 15 charges under the Oakland Bay Bridge." "That means setting 50 synchronised plasma bombs across a two-mile radius in less than two hours, without drawing any unwanted attention." "Piece of cake, unless your squad is not up to the task." "They're up to any task." "Lt. Razak, Lt. Walker, approaching drop site." "Prepare for deployment." "We'll deploy at a location 50 miles north of the city and move into the area on skimmers." " Each team will be equipped with..." " Bugs, starboard side, coming up fast!" "Pilot, fire, now!" "Looks like we're all going to be one big happy family." "Yeah, the Addams family." " They have no idea what's happening." " Would it change anything if they did?" " I guess not." " Besides, what could you say to make the reality of the situation any less painful?" "This isn't a decision you or I might have made, Rico, but it's done." "Revealing the truth now would only ease your conscience, not theirs." "Sonar sweep is complete, Lieutenant." "Should have a grid of every Bug hole and tunnel within a five-mile radius." "Then I think it's time for a swim." "These babies are designed to be activated with a synchronised timer." "But be gentle with them." "The trigger mechanisms can be a little sensitive." "That's just what I'm looking for in a bomb:" "Sensitivity." "We will have 10 minutes." "Once under water, Cpl. Gossard will pinpoint the locations along the Bug tunnel where charges need to be set." "Those of you remaining on deck with me, high alert visual recon for any signs of enemy activity." "Radio detonator is operational." " Golden Gate area is next." " On our way." "Lt. Walker, incoming!" "Lieutenant, trouble approaching!" "Roughnecks, pulse rifles, full engagement!" "Sgt. Rico." " You okay?" " Just a nick." "Miss anything?" "The Welcome Wagon." "Get Doc to take a look at that." "Clock's ticking, Goss." "That's the last one." "Blue Leader, this is Alpha Team." "Packages have been delivered." "Commence phase one." "Repeat, commence phase one." "Fifteen minutes." "Ground troop deployment should be complete." "Time for the fireworks." "We'll have three minutes to reach the one-mile safe zone." "Initiating synchronised detonator countdown now." "There's something wrong with the timer." "It's not counting down!" "Gossard, we have 20 minutes until Sicon calls in that air strike." "I'm trying, LT, but I didn't build the thing." "Okay." "One of the charges below us, it's malfunctioning." "The bombs are electronically interdependent, like Christmas lights." "If one's out, the whole string goes." "I'll go down, LT." " I'm in." " Ditto." "Negative." "Gossard, stay on the radio and monitor the detonator connections." "Flores, up top with the others." "I'll need your trigger finger if more Bugs come." "Rico, you and me." "Razak, I helped set those charges." "I should go." "Not with that leg." "Speed is everything." "Gossard, number one charge reset." " Not it." " Number two charge reset." " Negative." " Number three?" "Come on." "Come on!" " Still not it." " Still not it." " I hate when you do that." " Four, reset!" " Keep going!" " Charge number five, reset!" " Yes!" " Ten minutes." "Gossard, prepare for detonation." "Rico, surface now!" "Yes!" "Come on, LT!" "You're clear!" "LT!" " Move!" " Lieutenant!" "LT!" " Let go." " Negative, sir!" "No!" "Rico!" "No!" "Johnny, no!" "Sgt. Rico, where is Lt. Razak?" "Gone." " What?" " It cannot be." "No." "Gossard, detonate the charges." "Gossard, detonate, now!" "Blue Leader, Operation Washout is underway." "Sergeant, I'm sorry." " He never left a man behind." " Don't do this." "You made the right decision." "That's the kind of officer Razak trained you to be." "Lt. Walker!" "Emergency briefing in 10." "Bugs have hit a dozen more cities." " It's bad." " Understatement." "Would somebody please tell me what we do now?" "We had come to depend on him so entirely." "Some of us weren't sure the sun would rise without his giving the order." "Lt. Jean Razak  died in the line of duty on day 210 of the final campaign  the battle for planet Earth." "Now it was day 211, and morning had broken." "Go figure." " Where's Carl?" " Look, it's what we feared." "With the LT gone, MI is splitting up the squad." " Oh, no." " Oh, man." "Carl just left for Sicon HQ in Honolulu, and I have everyone else's orders here." " How can they break up this unit?" " Tearing apart all he worked for." "How long before we must report?" "Thirty-six hours." "Time enough for one final mission." "I'm sorry I can't stay." "Fleet has me on near constant troop redeployments." "Don't remind me." "I'll be back to pick you up tomorrow morning." "Thanks, Carmen." " How far to the lake?" " Farther than you can walk, you biped." "And don't even think about hitching with me." "Sarge!" "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you're a sight for sore eyes." " As if we don't have enough problems." " Hey, nice wheels." "It ain't exactly an all-terrain vehicle but that's not going to stop me from paying my respects." " Good to see you, Sarge." " Yeah, you too, Sarge." "Man, was I irreplaceable, or what?" "So what's the problem?" "Can't win a war without me?" "I just want to make sure we're headed the right way." "I'm just surprised to see a whole MI squad in these parts." "We're here for a funeral." "Our lieutenant's last will and testament requested his ashes be spread over Luna Lake at sunrise." "Then you're the one that officer is here to meet." " Officer?" " Sgt. Rico, I presume." "Gen. Redwing." " I've been trying to reach you since..." " I know." "I also know how much Jean's men meant to him." "It'll be nice to share this with people who knew him best." "Look, no disrespect intended, ma'am, but I don't want to reminisce." "Sicon's splitting up Razak's Roughnecks, and you have to stop them." "I'm sympathetic, but I'm afraid I can't help." " This is a good team!" " Lt. Razak told me as much." "But the war isn't going well." "I literally don't have another lieutenant to assign to you." "Men as valuable as yourself, Doc LaCroix, Jeff Gossard are needed to fill vacancies in other units." "But you're together now in a beautiful spot to pay tribute to a beautiful man." "Appreciate what you have while you have it." "This chair gives me a lousy 10-centimeter clearance off the ground." " Do you want some help?" " Help?" "I managed for months without any help from you meatballs so don't go making me your next sob story." " I wasn't..." " Where's your camera anyway?" "I thought it was attached to your wrist." "I thought this should be private, just for us." "Yeah, that's how I'd want it." "Which way, Sarge?" "To the left." "Jean took me up here once." "How long have you..." "had you known the lieutenant?" "Since basic and our first assignment." "Me and Jean and Charlie Zim:" "The Three Musketeers." "But I wanted to make general, and Jean left the service to teach." "Things slip away so easily." "You think you have all the time in the world then one day, it's just too late." "So, has the area changed much?" "Something is different." "I just can't put my finger on what." "Were there not animals the last time you were here?" "That's right." "The silence." "No owls, no crickets, nothing." "Sound familiar?" "I wish it didn't." "Bugs." "Code red, Roughnecks." "Your orders, General?" "I don't disagree with your assessment, Sergeant." "But I hate to divert troops to a non-combat zone based only on a suspicion and a lack of noise." "Is there any way we can get confirmation?" "Workers and Tanker Worms." "Jackpot." "Bugs!" " Warriors at 9:00!" " Open fire!" "Aim for their nerve clusters!" "Easier said than done." "Hey, two years in, and I'm finally getting the hang of this." "Retreat!" " Maintain the retreat." " But Higgins..." "We can't find them if we're dead." "Maintain retreat." "Come on, Apes!" "We lost two men, and we're low on firepower." "We need backup." "T'Phai, you're the only one with a radio." "Yes, but I did not bring a satcom attachment." "Perfect." "Turn on your locator beacon and try to send a message through the old man at the Strawberry Park outpost." "You have to assume help won't get here in time." "Agreed." "Let's get to work." "I guess we're lucky to be alive." "I doubt it's luck." "They're saving us for something." "Alpha Team to Strawberry Park." "Come in, Strawberry Park." "We are in need of assistance from the Mobile Infantry." "Strawberry Park, do you read?" " That's the worst blue jay I've ever heard." " Bugs don't know that, General." "Don't worry." "The Roughnecks never leave a man behind." "You're describing Razak's Roughnecks." "And Jean Razak is gone." "Repeat, this is Alpha Team." "Steamboat Terminal, do you read?" "Colonel, give it a rest." "Help's not coming anytime soon." "You never have been one to ask for help." "And now I'm not worth helping." "Tonight's only proven what I guessed that night I first woke up in the hospital:" "I'm useless to you guys." "Worthless, damaged goods." " You are none of those things." " I'm worse." " I'm a liability." " Good news." " Paperboy and Redwing are still alive." " Listen up, Apes." "We need a diversion." "Something to draw the Bugs away so we can grab the hostages." "There'll be pursuit." "Not if we drop that mountain on their heads." "Gossard, is there any way we can blow the thing?" "I have nothing to work with here." "Brutto, I need your chair." " Rico should just leave me sitting here." " Roughnecks never leave a man behind." "I'm not a Roughneck anymore." "I'm not even a man anymore." " I agree." " Huh?" "You are no longer a Roughneck." "But the problem is not here, it is here." "That should do it." "I pulled two power packs from the chair and left the reserve packs so Sarge can still get around." " Will this work?" " Anybody's guess." "With a little rewiring and a well-placed laser I think I can rig the packs to blow." "We can use one as a diversion and one to bring down the rocks." "We hope." "Those Bugs better not look up." "We'll go when Gossard is in position." " Sergeant!" " Yeah?" "There is a complication." "That's what this night was lacking:" "A Brain Bug." "We can't let it near Redwing." "She knows too much." "We're not waiting for Gossard." "T'Phai, open fire on that Brain." "Sergeant, a Brain Bug does not have a single nerve cluster." "I cannot guarantee a kill from this distance." "Pvt. T'Phai, if you cannot exterminate the Brain you must terminate Gen. Redwing." "That is an order, Private." "Sarge, hold on." "Have Doc blow his package." "Gossard's not in position yet, and we can't afford to wait." "Don't have to." "I'm motorized, and it's a clear slope down." "I can get in and out faster than you or Flores." " How does that help?" " Lf Brutto makes the grab it frees us to provide cover fire from multiple locations." "If the Bugs stay confused, they'll be in place when Gossard's ready to drop the house on them." "Kind of jumping the gun here, ain't you?" "It's starting." "You ready?" "Not for that." "Rico, I hope you know what you're doing." "Ramming speed!" "All aboard!" "Okay, idiot now where do you shoot from?" "Move over." "You're blocking my view." "This is insane." "What's the matter?" "Want to live forever?" "Scour the debris for crawlies." "Pvt. T'Phai, move in and assist the squad." "Sir, yes, sir!" "You heard the general." "Move that Skinnie butt of yours!" "Yes, sir, Sgt. Brutto." "All right, Apes." "We still have pests to control." "Rico." "Thanks for the save, Sergeant." "I'm not complaining but you should have killed me to keep what I know from that Brain." "That was plan B." "Very good." "There's no way I'm allowing a unit this effective to be split up." " You'll assign us a new lieutenant?" " No." "I don't have one to spare." " Then..." " I'm offering you a battlefield promotion." "Me, an LT?" "But what about officers' training school and all that?" "You can play cadet when the war is over." " Do you want the job or not?" " Not." "But I'll take it till I'm history or you find someone better." "You weren't at the rendezvous, so I followed T'Phai's locator beacon." " Thanks." "It's been a long night." " Tell me later." "We have to go." "Not just yet." "Lt. Jean Razak died in the line of duty on day 210  of the battle for planet Earth." "His last request was that we drop his ashes over Luna Lake at sunrise." "It was day 212, and sunrise had long since passed  but we figured the LT would understand." "ETA for Kazakhstan: 25 minutes." "The destruction of Buenos Aires weighs heavily on the minds  of citizens and civilians worldwide, while ongoing battles on more  than 100 fronts have exhausted planetary resources and morale." "Didn't even use my piece on Rico's promotion." "Lt. Rico." "Never saw that coming." " Not jealous, are you?" " Of Rico's new bars?" "No way." "I mean, I want my own piece of the pie someday but we both know Rico's earned every bite of his." "Lt. Rico to the cockpit." "Born leader." "Baby Brutto in the infantry?" "I wanted nothing but the best for my boy." "Too bad he had to settle for the Roughnecks." "At least we'll finally have someone qualified to run for coffee." "Thanks, Sarge." "We owe you." "Without you, we are not the same." "Turns out a Purple Heart gives a guy a few cards." "I played every one to get Max in with you guys." "He has to get out alive." "We will protect him." "You, T'Phai." "As if he were my own child." "Change of plans." "We're being re-routed to Honolulu." " Honolulu?" "Sicon HQ?" " What is it?" "I don't know, but it's big." "They're evacuating the entire civilian population." "Day 213 of the final campaign  the battle for planet Earth." "It had only been three days since Lt. Razak's death  but things were happening fast." "Carl should be around here..." "Oh, man!" "It's Zim." " Who?" " Our drill sergeant in basic." "There was an accident." "Zim nearly bought the farm saving Rico." "At ease." "Congratulations on your promotion, sir." "Yeah, thanks, Sergeant." "Nice to see you in one piece." "Sir, I am fit." "And the incident to which you allude is forgotten, sir." "Great." "It is good to see you again, Sergeant." "But away from Camp Curry?" "Curry's been shuttered." "We've trained every able body we're going to find." "I'm chaperoning this batch of borderline washouts en route to their new mamas." " Like I need a baby-sitter." " Zip it, Private!" "Sir, this is Pvt. Max Brutto, assigned to your unit." "His old man was your top kick, I believe." " Gone, but not forgotten." " Where's his replacement?" "Some shoes are hard to fill." "Others are impossible." "All right, Private, I'm leaving you in good hands." "Don't squirm." "The rest of you runts, follow me!" "I am Pvt. T'Phai." "Right." "Yeah, Dad told me about you." "Best Skinnie in the infantry." "Real high praise." "Okay, listen." "Every psychic in Sicon is predicting a major attack on HQ." "Probably from the south." "Why else put a green LT as far north as possible?" " But we still need to be alert." " Sir, yes, sir!" "Gossard, Doc, prep your marauders." "Flores and Higgins, set up camp." "T'Phai, Brutto, start digging a line of foxholes." "Me?" "With him?" "Couldn't I do something else?" "Fine, Private." "I'll dig with T'Phai." "Take a nap, if that suits you better." "Fed-Net is going to cut to me live, the minute something happens." "My good side." "One more bath than his pop ever took." "Hey, my dad's a war hero." "It is best to accept these remarks graciously." "Back off!" "The last thing I need is advice from Marvin the Martian." " T'Phai's proven himself." " He's a Roughneck." " More than we can say for you." " I never asked to be a stinking Roughneck." "Kamikazes." "Kamikazes at 10:00!" " I don't have my weapon!" " You're covered!" "Move!" "We're being flanked!" " Reporting for duty." " What are you doing here?" "Sir, you were short a top kick." "Got myself assigned, sir." " You're reporting to me?" " Sir, yes, sir." "It looks like I'm right on time." "LT, we've got to move!" " Fall back to the outpost?" " Yes, sir." "I'll take point." "Fall back, Roughnecks!" "LT's orders." " Zim?" "My nightmare continues." " Join the club." "Marauders, firewall!" "Sir, yes, sir!" "The outpost is overrun!" " Sir, we can't hold this position." " What?" "Now?" "Fed-Net wants me on the air." "We are live at Kaena Point, across the island of Oahu from Sicon HQ." " The enemy's converging from all sides." " Sir, what are your orders?" "Sir!" "Lieutenant?" "Technical difficulties." "Timber!" "The first wave heads inland." "Guess they do what they set out to do." "Now what?" "Lieutenant wants options." "Let's hear them now." "We still need cover." "If the Bugs aren't using that outpost..." "Right, right." "Let's take it back!" "You heard the man." "Doors are around front." "Flores, Brutto, T'Phai, to the left with me." "The rest of you, follow the leader to the right." "I've got to learn the rest of their names." "Secure the outpost, top to bottom." "Nice call, Lieutenant." "Yeah, I'm a genius." "Not good." "Just an old bomb shelter." "All clear." "LT, Bugs are still heading south toward Honolulu." "Lots of them." "Shouldn't we alert Sicon, let them know their flank's exposed?" "Good luck." "This tower relays all communications for half of Oahu." "When it's down, we might as well try two cups and a string." "Maybe Doc and I can raise the antenna and re-establish com." "Try." "Get under it!" "Get under it!" "I'm blowing fuses left and right!" "Lieutenant, the Bugs have U-turned!" "We're on our way." "Look alive, Apes." " We can't restore it without backup!" " Don't hold your breath." "LT, you coming or not?" "Gossard's down." "The tower..." "I can't hold it." "Johnny!" "Doc, Gossard, abandon the tower!" "Get off the roof!" "Doc, Gossard, repeat, get off the roof!" "Easier said than done." "Come on." "This is what I was meant to do." "This is all I'm good for." "Thank you, gentlemen." "You clear upstairs?" "Bugs have moved on again." "All they seem to care about is the tower." " Hey, watch it with that thing!" " I simply wish to help." " I don't need your help." " Private." "I don't need a guardian angel." "How about a battle plan instead?" "The Bugs are making us look like idiots." "What's with the LT?" "It's like the only Roughneck worth a lick was the dead guy, Razak." "I'm going to tear that jerk..." "Johnny, you're not buying that garbage." "It's his first battle." "He's scared." "Besides, the guy's a Brutto:" "Foot genetically inserted in mouth." " No one else is saying..." " They're thinking it." "I'm thinking it." "I'm not Razak." "No one's asking you to be Razak." "We have faith in Rico." "And we'll put our lives on the line to prove it." "That's the problem, Diz." "I'm going to get you all killed." "Lieutenant, how do you want the men deployed?" "I am assigning myself guard duty on the balcony." "Everything else, Sgt. Zim, is your call." "Permission to speak freely, sir?" "Speak all you want." "Take charge." "I am begging you." "Not what I want." "Not why I came." "You need to know some hard facts:" "One, you were assigned to me in basic, per an arrangement made by your high school teacher, Jean Razak." "Two, you were assigned to the Roughnecks per an arrangement made by your basic training instructor, me." "Jean and I were friends a long time." "We usually saw eye to eye, and you were no exception." "From day one, we had you pegged as a leader." "Why?" "Look at you." "You're young, but in every way that counts." "You couldn't be more like Jean Razak if you tried." "What if you were wrong?" "What if Razak was wrong?" "If you respect Jean Razak as much as you claim you won't be concerned with proving him wrong." "Listen up!" "We're taking another run at that tower." "But this time, we're going to be prepared." "Higgins, Zim, down here guarding the front with me." "Diz, you're on the roof." "Cover Doc and Goss." "Brutto and T'Phai, watch our flank from the balcony." "And, Private, you do everything the colonel tells you." "T'Phai, if he doesn't, feel free to use him as a shield." "Acknowledged." "What's the matter, Apes?" "You want to live forever?" "Move it!" "Sir, yes, sir!" "Incoming!" "Tower's up!" "Alpha Team to Blue Leader." "Kaena Point has been overrun." "Expect a large-scale attack from the north." "This is Blue Leader, Alpha." "Reporting mass invasions from north, south, east and west." "HQ has been abandoned." "Oahu is lost." "All troops are being evacuated." "We are under heavy siege at the Kaena outpost." " We'll do our best to retrieve..." " Rico, is that you?" " Carmen?" " I'm coming." "ETA, six minutes." "LT, every Bug in the universe is partying here." "No way Carmen can land." "Goss, how fast can you blow up this taco stand?" "One charge attached to the generator will send it to Kamehameha." "But doesn't that defeat the purpose of raising the tower?" "Tower's done its job." "Get off the roof, all three of you." " Hey, what about us?" " Can't let the Bugs know our plans." "You and T'Phai have to hold position until Gossard's done." " We're toast." " We are not toast." "I made a promise." "Initiating detonator countdown now." "T'Phai, Brutto  downstairs now!" " How do we get down?" " We jump." "Doc, fall back!" "You are your father's son." "You bet your Skinnie butt!" "This shelter will withstand the explosion, right?" "You're asking me now?" "Rico's Roughnecks held out longer and did more damage than any other squad." " You should be proud." " Rico's Roughnecks." "Did you lose your bars in battle?" "It's coming." " Carl, it already came." " No, it hasn't begun." "But Carl was only half right." "The end was near." "The final battle  humanity's last stand  was just around the corner."