"'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.'" "Stargate 4 coming up in 30 seconds." "Means we'll be home in 26 minutes." "Right." "Space travel isn't what it used to be." "It certainly isn't." "It took us days to get to the Moon." "Now if you blink, you miss it." "I've punched in our destination and it's been relayed to the computer at the stargate." "Entering stargate." "That wasn't so bad." "Don't make me open my mouth just yet." "Your system will get used to space warp travel soon." "In most cases." "Terrific." "I'm picking up Directorate Starfighters dead ahead." " One of them is in combat." " It's a dogfight, all right." "Anything on the distress channel?" "Scout 3 to Leader, I'm under attack by pirates." "Request assistance." "Help me, please." "Should have kept your butt up with us, 3." "Take evasive action while we circle back for you." "It might be too late then." " Shall we?" " After you." "Hang on." " Nice shot, Colonel." " Nice flying, Captain." " 3, you're in the clear." " 'Thank you.'" "Leader to Scout 3, indicate damage sustained." "Scout 3, how badly are you hurt?" "Leader, this is Earth Recon 1." "It appears he's sustained a hit on his starboard side." "I'm all right, sir." "Damage is minimal." " You don't sound all right." " 'Follow us in, 3, and keep up this time.'" "Recon 1, I appreciate your concern but I'd appreciate it more if you refrained from interfering in a Directorate training mission." "What?" "If that's interfering, there's something wrong with your Funk  Wagnalls." "I don't know what that means, but how'd you like to repeat that in the hangar?" "I'd love to." "What happened to you out there?" "Sorry, Major Danton." "I couldn't concentrate." "I couldn't keep up." " Are you all right?" " Of course not." "I'm afraid I don't feel well, sir." "You two, come on." "Hurry up." "Take this man to the Directorate clinic." "Have someone there call me." "Half my men are sick and I want to know why." "Maybe it's a reflection on your training techniques." "You're the one who was showing off up there." " I was responding to a distress signal." " From someone in my command." " That didn't matter to the pirates." " My cadets are my responsibility." "They're mine too, Major." "Oh, hello, Wilma." " Colonel Deering." " I was also on Recon 1 and in my judgment your cadet was in grave danger." "I gave the OK to interfere." "I see." "Excuse me." "Major Duke Danton, Captain Buck Rogers." "So you're Buck Rogers?" "Since the day I was born." "I beg your pardon, Colonel, but he's no captain." "That's not true." "While Buck has declined to join the Defense Directorate, he does help us out." "Declined to join?" "Now, why would a big, brave hotshot like yourself do that?" "I didn't think I'd like the company." "Speaking of fancy flying," "I was hoping Buck would head up a combat technique session." "I think our pilots would benefit from a lecture in 20th-century battle strategy." "Wilma, that's ridiculous." "You will introduce your class to Captain Rogers immediately." "That is an order." "I'd like to check on that cadet." "What was his name?" "Saroyan." "Regis Saroyan." "If you'll excuse me." "Wilma, don't forget drinks." "1900 hours, my place." "You know something, Buck Rogers?" "I'll be there." "She's some kind of woman, isn't she?" "Help..." "Help me." "I can't concentrate." "I don't know what's wrong." "I can't keep up." "Somebody..." "Pirates." "Please, somebody." "His father is Tabor Saroyan, the governor of Vistula." "I suppose I should notify him personally." "Just how serious is his condition?" "It's his nerves, controlling his voluntary muscles and motor coordination." "They're deteriorating, like the others." " Others?" " Yes." "The Computer Council has ordered that a statement not be made yet." "So far, here in New Chicago, 25,000 cases have been reported." " When did all this start?" " Three days ago." "And this disease has cropped up in other cities on Earth, but in New Chicago it's much, much worse." "I can't concentrate." "What the Computer Council is trying to keep secret is its effect on our defence squadrons." "They've been hardest hit of all." " You think it's happening purposely?" " Let's go meet a man who could tell us." "I don't know what's wrong." "How is this possible?" "'Your question, I presume, is rhetorical and therefore a waste of my time.'" "You don't know the answer either!" "How you hate to admit knowing no more than I do." " 'I do not.'" " Yes, you do." "Huer, I was just about to contact you." "Colonel Deering, Dr Mallory." " Colonel." " And his assistant, Stella Warden." "And, of course, Carl." "'I find you also somewhat less than memorable, Dr Huer.'" "Dr Huer, you asked Carl and me to accomplish two things." "One, find an antidote." " You've developed one?" " Not yet." "We shall." "You also asked us to find the source of the biochemical agent that's poisoning Earth's citizens." "That source is right there." " A food disc?" " Consumed by millions of people daily." "How can a contaminant get into our food?" "All processing is monitored by the Food Directorate." "I can't answer that yet." "But Carl and I have developed a substance that will detect the poison." "At least we can stop any more contaminated food discs getting out." "What about the pilots that have already been poisoned?" "They seem to have a modicum of health but are not at full functioning ability." " You mean they can't fly?" " I'm afraid not." "But a light in the tunnel, Colonel." "Carl here may creak and squeak and slip a microdisk every now and then, but I'm sure he'll come up with an antidote that'll put our pilots back in their starfighters." "In my day we used the strategy of a popular sport called football..." "Football?" "...to explain combat strategy." "A very amusing term, Rogers." "We actually have to put a ball on our foot?" "In combat, you wanna split their offensive line and get to the brains of the operation." "Are we talking brain surgery or combat?" "In football, the quarterback is the brains of the operation." "If you get him while he's still carrying the ball, your strategy works." " One way of doing this is by red-dogging." " (Laughter)" "Red-dogging!" "When you're up against superior numbers, you want to sack the quarterback." "You do this by red-dogging your linebacker." "What this means is punching a hole through their offensive line so your top defensive back can go right through and bring the quarterback down." "We never bargained for a lecture on ancient sports." " It's fascinating." " (Laughter)" " Buck?" " Yes." "What do you mean by sacking the quarterback?" "Yeah, Rogers, what do you mean by sacking?" " You really wanna know?" " Yeah, I really wanna know." "Well, let me see..." "Could you step right over here for a second?" "That's fine, right there." "When I use the term sack, what I mean is tackle." "And basically a tackle looks something like this." "(Girl screaming)" "(Students muttering)" "That's what I mean by sacking the quarterback." " Now..." " (Girl screams)" "(Students muttering)" "How was that?" " Was that any better?" " No." "That's clipping, it's illegal." "Let me show you how you should have done it." "See the difference?" " Yeah, I think I do." " Good." "But let me try it again." "(Girl screaming)" "(Theo) What in the world was that?" "(Twiki) Bidibidi." "Sounded like Buck." "(Theo) Don't be silly." "That felt a little better to me." "How about you?" "Well, some people are just slow learners." "(Girl giggles)" "There it is again." "Captain Rogers and Major Danton couldn't be making all that noise." " Wanna bet?" " Let's look." "Well, I think you've learned enough for one day and I'd like to thank you for..." "Urgh!" "Now I've learned enough." "That's all for today." "Cadets, report to the hangar at 0800." "(Astonished laughter)" "Bidibidibidi." "Hi, guys." "Two grown men fighting!" "How disgusting." "No, no." "We were just giving a demonstration." "Bidibidibidibidi." "Easy for you to say." "Our temperamental friend is about to begin a nitrogen breakdown of the elements we've isolated so far." "Would you monitor his read-outs till I get back?" "Gladly, sir." "It's about time you took a break." "A plus-three factor would indicate a possible antidote, but considering the mood he's in..." "I understand." "'Nitrogen breakdown commences." "Order of components..." "'Stella, what are you doing?" "'Stella!" "'I'm in danger." "'I'm in danger." "Assistance!" "'Danger." "I am in danger." "'Assistance." "Somebody come, please." "'Too late." "Goodbye, Mallory.'" " You ready?" " Mm-hm." "Hurggh!" " How's that?" " Fine." "Just fine." " Not too hard?" " No." "Maybe you shouldn't teach me judo till you've recovered from 20th-century battle strategy." "(Giggles)" " Why don't we take a break?" " OK." " Who's this?" " Someone I knew a long, long time ago." " She's beautiful." " Yeah." "And you're only seeing the outside." "(Beeping)" "Excuse me." "(Beeping continues)" "It's your dime, shoot." "'I understand Colonel Deering is there, correct?" "'" "Yes." "What's happened?" "'Just come down to the hospital research lab.'" "It's cold-blooded murder." "I'll never find the antidote now." "Not without Carl." "Not without Carl." " His assistant was responsible." " I gather she's disappeared?" "They don't want us to find an antidote and they've set us back by days, even weeks." "Which means Earth will remain next to defenceless." "There's still something we can do." "You see..." "Buck, I'm sorry." "No offence, but this deals directly with the Defense Directorate, and seeing as you hesitate to become a member..." "Yeah, sure." "You're right." "All the food discs manufactured for Directorate Housing were contaminated." "So someone is trying to incapacitate our squadrons." "And they obscured that fact by allowing the disease to enter other cities." "We also found that all the contaminated food discs have one thing in common." "Vistula." "What's vistula?" "If what Wilma tells me is true, we're in trouble." "And Earth in the 25th century is better than no Earth at all." " So count me in." " That's fine, Buck." " So, what is vistula?" " Vistula is an agricultural planet, just beyond Stargate 5 in the Epsilon Ludi system." "It's where much of the vegetable protein in our food is grown and where..." "Vistula ll, this is Warden." "Do you read me?" "'Vistula ll, this is Warden." "Do you read me?" "'" " We read you." " Tell Kaleel I have some good news." "So you must ready yourselves, my friends." "Your moment is at hand." "No longer shall you live in the Sea Of Stone while others reap the benefits of our world's lush glory." "No longer shall you work to feed the people of distant planets while your own sons and daughters go hungry." "Soon you will descend upon the Earth like meteors," "like fire, and consume them with the flames of your righteous anger." "The only ones who can stop us are those enemies among us." "Those who are weak and faithless, those who do not believe, those who attack me out of fear and jealousy, these are our enemies." "Every moment you tolerate their presence among us is a moment lost for you and your children and your children's children." "I know of one." "Leila, no." "My husband." "He speaks against you in the dead of night." "Lying beside me, he says you are the one that makes us work for the Governor." "He says you sell us and keep the money." "He's afraid of the future." "Afraid of dying for the cause." "Afraid not for everyone else, but for himself." "Do not harm him." "You have nothing to fear." "My touch is the touch of truth." "The kiss of God." "If your heart is good and true, you shall live." " If not..." " Please, don't." "Leila, help me!" "For God's sake, help me." "No!" "(Chanting) Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "No one is to leave." "They'll get another talk in half an hour." " You've heard from Stella?" " Yes." "She says Earth has little chance of curing their pilots" " until after we've launched our attack." " Good." "But the Directorate is no different from any other organisation." "As long as its leader exists, it is a threat." "As I'm sure you are well aware." "If you're referring to Dr Huer," "Stella indicated he's about to be taken care of." "Good." "You'd better be quick." " Who's in charge of Vistula?" " One person, apparently." "He or she is appointed to the position every seven years." "Tabor Saroyan is the current governor, with some interest in saving those pirates this morning." "I don't understand, Dr Huer, why would the Governor contaminate the Directorate's food when his son is here?" "I don't know, Buck." "He might be unaware of what's happened." "We know something is happening." "Let's go to Vistula for a look." "I could call Governor Saroyan and suggest that Regis be returned to Vistula to recuperate there." "And you could send us as an honour guard." "Could you be ready to leave at 0700 tomorrow?" "But we'd look more like an honour guard if we sent a few of our best pilots." "I really can't spare them, but you'll have them." "Get down!" " (Whirring)" " Don't raise even a hair." "Good heavens." "What was that?" "Be careful." "(Whirring)" "They sure don't make these like they used to." "It's a sick suit." "It'll monitor his vital signs and administer treatment." "He'll feel better when he reaches Vistula." " Morning." " Morning, Doctor." "Governor Saroyan is expecting you." "We have the samples of the tracing agent." "We're all set." "Not quite yet." "Dr Theopolis, do you have those going-away presents?" " Bidibidibidi." " Theo, you shouldn't have." "(Twiki) Theo didn't, I did." "(Theo) Ignore Twiki, everyone." "He was up all night putting these together and his circuitry is a bit frayed." "Those wristbands will give you a warning if the contamination enters your systems." "You can also monitor each other's telemetry so they can serve as radio directional finders." " Better than a graduation gift." "Thanks." " Any time, Buck." "Here come the pilots who'll be your escorts." " Uh-oh!" " Uh-oh?" "Oh." "Major Fields, Captain Rogers." "Major." "I understand you two have already bumped into each other." "(Giggling) They certainly have." "The problem is you and Duke are too much alike." "Once you get to know him, he's not that bad." "Come on, give him a chance." "I intend to." "How long have you known him?" "Since flight school." "Are you close?" "No." "Not any more." "Was your moving up in rank part of the problem?" "That was the least of it." " Care to elaborate?" " No." "Some things never change." "'Coming up on Vistula.'" "We're cleared for landing." "Very good, Major." "We'll follow you in." "There it is." "The entire planet is devoted to growing vegetable protein." "We'll be going to where the food is processed for shipment to Earth." " What's that barren area?" " It's a huge desert." "Vistula's first inhabitants called it the Sea Of Stone." "Nothing of any consequence can grow there." "(Computers clicking and beeping)" "Saroyan's son has arrived." "The Governor has prepared a banquet for the copilots who escorted him." "The fool has been so helpful he deserves to have a good time." "Just so he remains totally ignorant of what's happening right under his nose." "He might not." " Dr Huer survived the attempt on his life." " What?" "He could know the poison food comes from Vistula and he's sent them here as spies." "Well, if they're staying at the State House, we needn't worry." "And should they stray too near the fire, we'll simply see that it engulfs them." " (Chuckling)" " Julio, this is such a festive occasion." "I can't remember enjoying myself so much in years, can you?" "No, I can't." " Does everybody have enough wine?" " Yes." "Regis, are sure you feel well enough to join us?" "You do look pale." " I'm fine, Father." " I am so grateful to you for bringing Regis home." "My physicians tell me he received excellent care on Earth." "But your computers were unable to diagnose his illness." "They think it's a virus." "Hopefully, Dr Huer will be able to tell you more soon." "I'm not letting you leave." "Not until you've had three days of royal treatment!" " And a full tour of our production facilities." " Of course." "We'd enjoy that." "No, thank you, Ryma." "Just water, please." "I'm afraid I couldn't keep anything else down." "It isn't often that I have visitors from my home world." "Except for those boring systems analysts." "And those dreadful investigators that the Food Directorate periodically dispatches to check up on me." "As if, after three successive appointments to this job, I was going to slip up!" "Ugh!" "Come on, now, eat up!" "Eat up." "It isn't every day that I have a full meal brought in here from..." "What's it called?" "Dionysin." " None of this food is from here?" " Of course not!" "You can imagine how quickly one tires of soy products." "No, I have all my food brought in." "An expense budgeted into the Governor's salary." "(Chuckling)" "Come on, Julio." "You speak as if these people were Food Directorate spies." "I'm afraid our friend has been too long in the trenches." "And I'm not crazy about his foreman." "If looks could kill, rigor mortis would set in." "Why haven't I seen any mobile service modules anywhere?" "Too expensive." "And unnecessary." "We have a human workforce at our fingertips." "All your operations are performed by people?" "I didn't know that was possible." "Not only possible, but extremely practical." "The inhabitants of the Sea Of Stone make excellent workers." "Some of them are a trifle difficult after their purchase..." "You buy people and force them to work here against their will?" "Oh, but they are uncivilised nomads." "One of their own people, a man called Kaleel, he gathers a group together and sells them to us." "It is a very satisfactory arrangement." "It's slavery." "Slavery?" "Even uncivilised nomads have rights..." " I'm sorry!" " No problem." " What do you think you are doing?" " It's OK." "My apologies." "There is no excuse for such clumsiness." "I expect more from State House servants than from field labourers." "Perhaps the fields are more to your liking?" "Governor, it is all right." "No harm has been done." "That's exactly what I'm talking about." "You treat them like machines." "They're not." "They're humans, they make mistakes." "A very interesting notion." "I believe I've suggested something similar to you in the past." "(Whistling)" " (Splashing) - ♫ Da-dah da-da-dee..." "♫ Strangers in the night" "♫ Exchanging glances" "♫ Wondering in the night" "♫ What were the chances" "♫ We'd be making love" "♫ Before the night was... ♫" "(Up-tempo electronic music)" " My singing was that bad?" " I have to talk to you." "Someone's outside listening." "The music should cover our conversation." " I wanted to thank you for what you did." " No problem." " You meant what you said about slavery?" " Yes, or I wouldn't have said it." "You said someone was listening." "Who?" "Saroyan?" "No, of course not." "It's my people I'm worried about." "Kaleel's followers." "Governor Saroyan is a fool." "The only one with any sense in that family is his son." "Regis has tried for years to help the nomads." " You have a thing for him, don't you?" " A thing?" "A crush." "You like him." "Let me get of here, I'm starting to wrinkle." "I'll check the door." "I think he's still out there." "It seems that Kaleel is some kind of a slave-trader, not the kind of man who would have followers." "He's more than just a slave-trader." " He's a sorcerer." " Come on." "It's true." "Kaleel feeds off the adulation of a crowd." "He siphons off their love and energy." "Sorcerer, mutant, call him what you will, but he can mesmerise a group with just his words." " Why haven't you fallen under his spell?" " Some of us have escaped his will." "My brother was one." "He told me he discovered something terrible about the processing plant." "He was going to meet me to tell more." "He never came." " Kaleel had him murdered." " Which plant?" " 347." " Can you show me how to get there?" "Yes." "Then you'll help me get rid of Kaleel?" " I'm certainly gonna try." " There is one other thing." "I was supposed to be yours for tonight, and if they see you leave without me..." "Well, I'll leave by the window." "You stay here." "I've got a reputation to uphold too." "(footsteps)" "(Computer beeps)" "Hello." "Official business." "Food Directorate." "Excuse me." "The poison's in the packaging." "(Man) Where did he go?" "(Woman) All I know is that he wasn't pleased with me." "I see." "And so he left through the window." "(Cry of pain)" "All right, Ryma, I'm asking you for the last time." "What did you tell him?" "Some story about your brother?" "You murdered my brother." "What more is there?" "Did you tell him he worked at the food plant?" "Is that where Rogers is?" "Don't bother." "We'll take her back to the mountain." "Kaleel will make her talk." "Take her to the shuttle port." "The transport for the mountain leaves at dawn." "Night-time is for sleeping." "Where's the locking mechanism?" " You're Rogers' friend." " Colonel Deering." "I heard what you said about the processing plant." " It's part of Kaleel's plan." " What plan?" "You'll find out soon enough." "I'm sure Kaleel will answer any questions you might have." "And you any questions he might have." "Ryma?" "Ryma?" "(Machinery whining)" "Are you all right?" "We're on a ship that'll take us to Kaleel's fortress." "There's no escape now." "Because of me you're going to die." "Rogers too." " Don't count on it." " Why didn't I just follow like the rest?" "Don't give up yet." "What are you doing?" "Letting Buck know he has a friend in need." "Buck, did you two have a nice chat?" "Keep it down." "Come in here." "When did Wilma leave the Governor's do?" "About two hours ago, same as everybody else." "Why?" "She's missing." "And the slave girl." " Something's happened to her?" " I'm afraid so." " You can tell where she is with that?" " Yeah." "About 3 km away." " Let's go get her." " Hold on." "It's not safe to try and communicate with Earth and I have to get this to Huer." "Major Fields can do it." "See you in a few minutes." "We're on our way." "I hope Buck can say the same." "What is that glow on the horizon?" "The sun?" "By the time it reaches halfway to its zenith, we'll be inside Kaleel's mountain." "You'd better hurry." "I just ran into one of Julie's guards." "Right, you take off first and tell Huer exactly what I told you." "Don't use your radio till you're well beyond the stargate." " Will do." "Good luck." " Thank you." "Wilma's moving, but slowly." "Must be on a shuttle." "We're almost there." "The shuttle's about to dock with Ryma and the Earth woman on it." "They're to be brought here." "Another thing, Julio said two Earth starfighters left the State House 15 minutes ago." "We have one of them on the scope." "The shuttle is being followed?" "You're in charge of military operations, Galen." "What do you intend to do?" "Employ the power leech." "Excellent." "Whatever Wilma was in, it's stopped now." "Do you have any idea what we're gonna do when we get there?" " No." " Just thought I'd ask." "What are you doing?" "Our engines are shutting down." "Tell me something I don't know." " PC gauges say we have enough energy." " But not where we need it." "Somebody's using a power leech on us." " I don't know if I can keep her up." " Hit the retro gravity valve." "(Electronic whine)" "It cancelled out." "Any more ideas?" "Not a one." "I don't understand!" "Where have all our guests gone?" "Colonel Deering, Major Danton, even that boorish Rogers." " Where have they gone?" " You really don't know what's going on." "I've tried to tell you for years." "About Kaleel?" "How he exploits the nomads, makes them hate your name?" "I have a job to do." "I always do the best I can." "We've been through this before." "You never listen." "Not really." "Julio you listen to." "Julio, whose loyalty is to Kaleel." "But never to me." "You've never listened to your own son, so I gave up trying to make you hear." "Please, Father, for your sake, not mine." "Look around you, see what's going on, what has been going on for years." "The sooner you realise, the less you'll be hurt." "(Coughing)" "(Coughing)" "Duke?" "Duke!" "Keep it down." "(Coughing)" " What kind of landing do you call that?" " You still complaining?" "No, I guess not." "She was a good ship, though." "All I want is one crack at whoever brought us down." "Just one." "Talk about no trespassing signs." " Still got a fix on Wilma?" " Yeah." "She's landed." "About 18 kilometres in that direction." "Well, we better get our survival gear on." "Yeah." "Otherwise we'll look like a couple of brown-and-serve rolls at sunset." "Kaleel has a place where he puts people who are a threat to him." "No one knows what happens there cos no one's ever come back." "It might be different with you, but I doubt if he'll have much to say to me." " I'll say goodbye now." " Plenty of time for that." " Move." " Is optimism military training?" " No." "I picked up a lot outside the military." " Move!" "I said move." "Run, Wilma!" "This thing itches like crazy." "Take it off if you don't mind getting sunburn." " You probably feel at home wearing yours." " That's right." "I've seen pictures of how people dressed in your time." "Your historians got things so messed up they don't know the difference between a cowboy and a cop." "Careful." "Careful." "The filament you're soldering is the precise thickness as the one you're replacing." "Be very careful, Twiki." "It was very difficult to make." " Bidibidi." "Get off my back." " I'm not on your back." "And please concentrate on what you're doing." "If anything, I'm on your front and I can't get off without your help." "Where did you find such expressions?" " My good buddy Buck." " I should have known." "It's hard to believe he learned to speak on the same planet as us." "That's very good, Twiki." "Dr Mallory?" "Would you send a light current through Carl's higher-level circuits?" "It won't do any good." "They've all been destroyed." "Please, Dr Mallory, the current." "(Crackling)" "What did I tell you?" "Dr Mallory, Major Fields just brought this in from Vistula." "The poison that entered our food supply did so through the packaging." "Ingenious." "Buck hoped that a sample like this might help you come up with an antidote." "It would have." "But without Carl, it does me no good." "No good at all." "'Why, you self-pitying old goat.'" " Carl?" " 'Who else would it be, you ignoramus?" "'Nice to see you again, Mallory.'" "We'll get started on that antidote now." "Good." "The Defense Directorate has so few pilots now that Earth could scarcely ward off pirates, let alone anything organised." " Keep me informed." " I shall." "Let's leave Dr Mallory to his work, Twiki." "'I owe you a great deal, Theopolis.'" "Bidibidi." "Bidibidibidibidibidi." "You mean you owe Twiki and me a great deal, Carl." " And it's quite all right." " Bidibidibidi." "Another one of Buck's colourful phrases?" "Why did you kill your brother?" "The Governor's foreman says he was found dead after he went to meet you." "What he said, you must not have liked, that's what the workers say." "So that's how you twisted it around, and that's how you'll explain my disappearance." "There's something wrong with you." "Your brother was the same way." "You were always different." "Always complaining, always unhappy." "No one will miss you two terribly." "Go ahead, kill me." "Give me your touch of death but don't ever forget that I knew the truth." "Our enemy isn't Saroyan or Earth, it's you." "You stole our dreams, took away what we might have been." "Maybe you can suck the dreams out of the others, but not me." "You never got to me." "And don't you ever forget that." "You are evil, Ryma." "The evil and the weak must be purged." "Go on!" "Kill me." "I'd rather be dead than one of your zombies." "No!" "You are truly evil." "The kiss of god would only sanctify you, even in death." "I won't give you that." "Take her to the furnace." "The woman from Earth's Defense Directorate hasn't been found." " Did you double the guards at the exits?" " There's no need." "I've worked with these people and I know how they think." "She won't try to escape, not just yet." "You're not eating?" "It's pretty hard to eat something that just crawled on the ground." "I prefer my food pills." "It's up to you." "If you wanna risk being poisoned, go ahead." "Remember all the times I've called you a barbarian?" "Well, I don't take any of them back." "Not one." "Argh!" "Don't do anything yet." "(Explosion)" " What do they want?" " Anything they can get." "I bet you wear that mask cos your face looks like it's been through a meteor shower." "Either they agree or they don't understand a word." "How do you wanna handle this?" "You take the two on your side and I'll take the two on mine." " Whatever you say." " Ready?" "Let's go!" "Argh!" "I got him." "Watch it." "Don't forget to write." "Buck, you were terrific." "You weren't half bad yourself." " Let's get our things and go after Wilma." " Sure." "Buck, look what happened to your dinner." "It's OK, I was on a diet anyway." "This ought to come in handy." "(Computers beeping)" "Instead of running she headed straight for a transmitter to get word to Earth." "What did I tell you?" "Predictable to a fault, these Earth people." "One of whom you used to be." "I became one of you so that someday I could help overcome you." "And that day has arrived, Colonel Deering." "There." "Wilma's inside that mountain." " Do you think Kaleel is in there?" " I don't know." "I got a feeling Wilma's close to the reason Kaleel's poisoning Earth's food supply." "Buck?" "How can we be sure that Wilma is still alive?" "Cos I'm still getting a signal on this." "It runs on body heat." "Don't worry, we'll find her." "Wait a minute." "Do you see something?" " Can you believe that?" " I think we're looking at the second part of Kaleel's plan." "With no air defences, how can Earth stand up to that?" "Once Kaleel has weakened enough of our pilots, he intends to launch a massive attack on Earth." "It'll be devastating." "The only chance that Earth has is to get up here and launch a secret strike against that airfield." "Those ships have got to be destroyed before they leave." "Problem is, how do we get word to Huer?" "Which one of us can get the most out of one of those?" "All bragging aside, I could." "I'll transmit ahead." "Once I get through the stargate." "Then I'll have to land, fuel up and get back here with as many pilots as we have left." "Thanks." "But they could use that same thing to knock you down." "No." "I'll go right to translight velocity." "They'll never catch me." "Find Wilma." "First thing is to find my way inside that mountain, but I'll find Wilma." "Good luck, Major." "Same to you, Captain." "(Alarm beeping)" "You said no one ever survived a crash in the desert." " No one ever has before." " Then who's stealing one of our ships?" "(Engines roaring)" "He's gone translight." "I need more time." "He got away." "It simply moves my timetable up." "But Earth will be alerted to our attack." "This is why, isn't it?" "It's giving off some kind of a signal." "It hardly matters any more." "By tomorrow she will have met the same fate as Ryma and we shall rule the Earth." "But according to Julio, there were two people in that crash." "That fighter can hold only one, which means someone is still around." "And with this, I have a way of getting him." "Don't I?" "I didn't say I need all the pilots you could spare," "I said I need all the pilots." "Major Danton, I just can't do that." "I cannot order that Earth be left defenceless." "I'm telling you that if that fleet lifts off, Earth is done for anyway." "Dr Mallory says he's close to finding an antidote." "If you could just wait one more day." "I could, but the people in that desert won't." "We have to move now with everything we've got." "I'll discuss it with Dr Theopolis." "Just make sure those pilots are waiting for me in the hangar." "'Danton out.'" "There's nothing to discuss." "Major Danton is right." "But he's talking about so few pilots." "He has no idea." "However, as you've indicated, we have no choice." "I will scramble what's left of our forces." "Bidibidibidibidi." "Hm?" "What was that, Twiki?" "Nothing, Doctor." "Excuse us, won't you?" "We'll see you on the flight deck." " Thank you for your help." " Certainly." "Twiki, that was the best idea you ever had." "I must be rubbing off on you." "This what you're looking for?" "What's wrong?" "Don't you like surprises?" "Not particularly, no." "Major Danton, welcome home." "You should be saying have a nice flight." "I'm leaving when the pilots arrive." "I see." "You look like you have some bad news for me." "I've scrambled all available pilots." " When are they due to get here?" " They are here." " This is it?" " I'm afraid so." "Brigadier Gordon here has come out of retirement to help." " You look familiar." " You were my instructor in pulsar cannon." " Yes." " 15 years ago." " 15 years ago." " Good to have you back, sir." "It's good to be back." "Except these pilots, everyone is just too ill to be of any use to you." "Six pilots." "Bidibidi." "Seven." "Can't you count?" "Reporting for duty, Major." " This is too much." " As Twiki reminded me," "I am thoroughly familiar with our starfighters." "Don't forget, I helped design them, and difficult as it was for me to do," "I've adjusted my input circuits to respond to you as if you were my... superior." "All right, you can come along." "Hot dog!" "We launch in five minutes." "Good luck to all of you." "Sorry, Buck." " Are you OK?" " Yeah." "No thanks to our host." "The all-mighty Kaleel, I presume." " And you are?" " Buck Rogers." "What have you done with the other girl?" "She has been put to death." "What will your friend do when he returns to Earth?" "Let's see, you've seen the fleet I've been building up and no doubt concluded that my plan is to weaken Earth by poisoning its members so the planet can be conquered with ease." "Murder seems to be second nature to you." "Why not wipe us all out so you can walk into power?" "Mass death would have caused alarm, attracted too much attention." "Dr Huer would have suspected foul play immediately." "This way, the gravity of the situation crept up on him." "By the time he had an inkling of what was truly happening, it was too late." "That's not the reason." "You get your kicks by turning people who should hate you into zombies who follow you." "Stop it!" "Let's just get rid of him." "He and Colonel Deering will meet the same fate as Ryma, but first things first." "Now that Earth knows of my plan, what do your people intend to do?" "Prepare for your attack." "And with our remaining forces, give you a reception you won't forget." "You are lying!" "Your friend will lead your forces back here in hopes of destroying my fleet on the ground." "Pass the word." "We'll prepare to launch our attack today." "If Earth's forces are on the way, they'll be greeted by 100 fighters." "But each one of our pilots is an expert." "Yours are not conditioned to think for themselves, only to follow." "True." "But consider the quality of leadership." "Haven't you recognised this man yet, Colonel Deering?" "He will orchestrate our attack, positioned behind all others, Galen." "Galen?" "He'll tell each and every pilot exactly what to do." "Galen." "He was the best military strategist Earth had." "Then seven years ago we heard that his talents could be bought." "Then he disappeared." "Quite selfishly, we hoped he was dead." "Instead, I'm here." "About to spearhead an attack that will destroy Earth's remaining forces." "Your friend expects to surprise us." "Just imagine the surprise that's in store for him." "Punch in course seven-X... four-nine-zero." "See you up there." "We're next, Twiki." "Here we go." "Bidibidi." "Geronimo!" "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Howdy Doody must be taking the stage again." "Ryma!" "She's still alive." "For whatever that's worth." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "(Shouting) Kaleel!" "Kaleel!" "Kaleel!" "Kaleel!" "The time is now." "The time has come for you to sail into battle and be victorious." "Earth is about to fall victim to its own greed." "Soon you shall meet those who have exploited you for so long, and you shall defeat them." "No longer shall you live in caverns and canyons." "All Earth's wealth is yours... for the taking." "Having suffered so long at Saroyan's hand, you deserve the Earth." "Listen to Galen." "Do what he says and don't be afraid." "Only the weak are afraid." "And as long as I am with you, as long as the kiss of God is on your heads, you shall prevail." "(Cheering)" "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Kaleel." "Looking good back there." "We hit the stargate in approximately 12 minutes." "7, you're falling out of formation." "The least you could do is keep up." "Understood, Major Danton." "We're adjusting our course accordingly." "We've drifted two degrees starboard." "Pay attention to what you're doing." " Bidibidi." "Roger." " What about Rogers?" "(Bubbling)" "What do you think all these pipes are for?" "Water, maybe." "Pumped from underground springs." "Maybe they pass it through here to warm it up." "That's what I was thinking." "And these holes?" "Warm air vents." "That means they lead to other rooms." "If these pipes carry water, they must be strong and one of these holes could carry us out of here." "How are you gonna get up there?" "Fly?" " That's not a bad idea." " What is that?" "A 25th-century cherry bomb." "All I need is something to put it under." "What are you gonna do with it?" "Preferably put it under a tin bucket." " Keep your face turned away." " You gotta be kidding." "You're not kidding." "(Ticking)" "I hope this timer works." "Uhhh..." "Phew!" "Don't go away." "I'll be right back." "He knows what he's doing." "He'll be back." "Come on, don't leave me now." "Stay with me." "Just in time, Julio." "And how is the good Governor?" "Just as ignorant, and terribly upset." "It seems that his guests left last night without saying a word." "I expect you to keep us informed, Galen." "And entertained." "That I shall." "You can track us on the screen as far as the stargate." "Beyond that, we'll be on transmission only." "Leader to squadron, prepare to launch." "Kaleel?" "Later." " It begins." " Yes." "For us." "For Earth it ends." "Two minutes to stargate." "Once we pass through, no further transmissions." "We do everything exactly as I laid it out." "Are there any questions?" "Good." "Leader out." "I think I'm behaving quite admirably." "I'm being respectful, I'm following orders," "I'm not even going to analyse Major Danton's attack strategy." " Bidibidi." "You're a real trouper." " I'd like to think so." "Ryma, can you hear me?" "Yes." "I'm fine." "Hi, girls." "At the end of this shaft is a nice cool storage room." "How's she doing?" " She's OK." " I think I can make it." "Bring her across this ledge and right down beneath the hole here and I'll throw you a rope." "OK, now, be careful." "That's it." "OK." "Put this around you." "I'll pull you up one at a time." "Put that around yourself and put the rope on top of it." "All right." "(Grunting)" "All right, Wilma, you're next." "(Beeping)" "Oh..." "Approaching stargate." "Punch in destination four-eight-zero-seven-K." "Let's get out of here." "Great." "Let's go." "It appears the armada has left the ground and is waiting for us." "We've failed, Twiki." "Bidibidibidi." "For the first time, I agree with you." " We gotta warn Duke." " Let's a make a run for those last two ships." " Sounds good to me." "Come on." " No, my friends." "There are others who feel as I do." "We have stolen weapons and explosives." "If I can convince them that we have a chance, maybe we can help." "But there couldn't be more than a dozen of you." "This is my world, Buck, my people." "I deserve the chance to fight for them just as you deserve the chance to fight for yours." "OK, good luck." "Good luck, Ryma." " Wanna get those fighters?" " We'll have to take the pilots out." "They'll never know what hit them." "'Leader to squadron, I'm breaking radio silence.'" "You've no doubt seen what lies ahead of us." "We're too late." "'The armada on Vistula is taking off, 'and before we reach the combat vector, we'll be outnumbered almost ten to one.'" "But it's no use turning back, they're on their way to Earth." "We fight them here or we fight them there, so ready your pulsar cannons, we're taking them on now." "And before we're through with them, they will have had one big fight on their hands." "Bidibidi." "Right on!" " You didn't have to take out both guards." " I got excited." "I think I've created a monster." "9-3 and 9-4, you're out of sequence." "You're off course." "Adjust to three-zero-nine, do you read?" "9-3 and 9-4, respond." "You're headed directly for the enemy." "Adjust to three-zero-nine at once." "9-3 to Leader." "With all due respect, Galen, stick it." "One of our fighters seems to be trying to intercept them." "Kaleel, we'd just like to say we didn't care much for the sauna." " That's Rogers!" " You're so beautiful when you're angry." " He's escaped." " It doesn't matter." "Any way we can raise Duke on this thing?" "He should be on vector 92.4." "'Buck Rogers to Earth squadron leader, do you read?" "'" "Major, it's a trick." "Rogers to Leader, do you read me?" "'Buck Rogers to Leader." "'Leader, do you read me?" "'" "I read somebody who's flying an enemy ship." " Come on, Duke, it's me." " If you're Rogers, who's the Juice?" "What?" "OJ Simpson!" "I told you all about him in the desert." "Played for the Buffalo Bills." "What are you waiting for, Captain?" "Get your butt in formation." "I take it you mean mine as well, Major?" " Wilma!" "I mean, Colonel Deering." " Right on both counts." " 'What do you say, Buck?" "'" " Twiki?" "We're both here, Captain Rogers." "Welcome home, as it were." " Thanks, Theo." " Bidibidi." "Listen, there's only one guy that matters." "He's at the back running the whole show." "You see him on the scanner?" "If we knock him out, the rest'll turn tail, I guarantee." "Sounds like you're the red dog who's gonna sack the quarterback." " You got it." " OK, squadron, in we go." "'And listen to Buck, he's calling the plays.'" " The squadron from Earth?" " That is correct." "Eight?" "There's only eight of them." "Eight of them against all of us!" "Keep your eyes on that turkey in the back." "He's the one we want." "You guys open a hole, I'll nail him." "OK, take out these tackles." "What are they doing?" "These Earth people fight like madmen." "Madmen or not, it seems to be working." "Prepare my personal cruiser." "Just to be safe." "Go!" " Duke, coming at you, two o'clock." " I see him." " I got him." " I believe we're being pursued." "(Twiki) Curse you, Red Baron!" "Stop them, you fools!" "Nice double-teaming, whoever you are." "Gordon's the name." "Thanks." " Have we met?" " I don't think so." "We're from different times." "I told you, Kaleel has called for his escape craft." "This is our chance." "It's our only chance." "Ryma, there are so few of us." "And so few of them." "Most of them are in space." "This is our chance while the armada is losing and Kaleel is uncertain." "All right, let's go." "Come on, let's go." "It's ready." "Bidibidibidi." "Eat lead, sucker!" "Lead?" "What lead?" "Twiki, what are you talking about?" "There's your hole, Red Dog." "Quarterback's all yours." "Your challenge is accepted." "Galen!" "They've lost Galen." "The armada's just breaking apart and running." "My cruiser." "I must get to my cruiser." "Buck, we did it!" "We did it!" "It worked!" " 'We did it!" "'" " Nice shooting, Captain Rogers." "Thanks, Major." "Twiki." " Where'd you learn to shoot like that?" " I've done that since before you were born." " You think so?" " Young man, I know so." "Come on, we got some cleaning up to do downstairs." "Tie them up." "How did this happen?" "Ryma." "She and others stole some weapons, explosives." "They're coming for you." "How did it happen?" "Kaleel, your cruiser." "Come." "You... are a dead man," "Rogers." "I am?" "Don't be afraid of him." "The only way he can harm you is if you're afraid of him." "That's right." "That's why you couldn't kill Ryma, isn't it?" "Stay back." "She didn't believe in you." "Even those who hated you believed in you, so they died." "Stay back." "Your people's faith is what's real, not your power." "Stay back." "Go ahead, Kaleel, kill me if you can." "(Astonished chattering)" "By the way, I know where you can get a good lawyer." "I was being used by Kaleel." "By Julio, by everyone." "I had no idea." "Obviously I am totally unsuited for this position." "The Food Directorate will have my resignation." "The same mistake as always!" "Quit avoiding responsibility." "Clean up Vistula yourself." "I can't." " I don't know how." " Regis does." "Part of the reason he was taking cadet training was to avoid those things he saw happening on Vistula." "I always listened to Julio." "Never to my own son." "I can't blame you for hating me all these years." "But now, will you help me now?" "You and Ryma both." "Of course we will." "I have a feeling Vistula's in very good hands." "I think that means we're excused." " I feel like celebrating." "Let's do something." " Sorry, I already have plans." " How about you?" " I'm the one she's got plans with." "Let's get something straight right now." " You're coming with us." " Yeah?" "Yeah!" "Yeah, well..."