I say we kill him now and get it over with:
Halt:
- Help me, Wilma! Distract him! - Buck, what's wrong?
It's Quince: He's frozen my controls:
[Man Narrating] 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:
[Narrator] In our last episode, Buck Rogers assumed the identity of a killer:
Argus:
And we all know Rafael Argus was about to be initiated into the ranks of the Legion of Death:
However, because he always operated under a variety of names and appearances,
none of the other assassins has any clear-cut idea of what he looks like:
Which is fortunate for you, as you'll be impersonating him: Oh:
[Buck] Get his gun, Barney:!
Greetings, Mr: Argus:
I take it this means I passed:
Anyone who can hold his own against us deserves to be considered one of us:
I'm Kellogg:
Sherese and Quince and Varek:
We're being observed:
[Kellogg] Kill her, now:!
Rafael Argus: I should have known:
- Is Rafael here yet? - Joella: It's been a while:
Look, I know we didn't part on the best of terms,
but give me a chance, will you?
You got a deal, Rafe:
The total destruction of the Terran capital... New Chicago:
To destroy a city that large, you'd need an earthquake or...
Or an antimatter explosion:
Barney?
I met Rafael Argus two years ago on Sutter's World,
and I can tell you for a fact, that ain't him:
You've got to be kidding: Who you gonna believe, someone you never met before today...
Or someone we never met before yesterday:
And, Joella,
you should have told us he was an impostor when you had the chance:
Leave her out of this: Stop him!
[All Shouting Indistinctly]
There!
[Buck] Not this time, Porky:
Go! [Beeping]
[Gasps]
[Sighs] You are something: We're not out of the woods yet:
We're gonna split up: I'll meet you in the main terminal of the spaceport in 10 minutes:
Right!
[Gasps]
We're just beyond the stargate, Doctor: I'm bringing Markos back with me:
Good: Good: And Buck's all right?
- Buck isn't with me: - What?
What happened? He was supposed to meet me at 1500 hours: I waited as long as I dared:
- You mean he's still on Aldebaran? - It's not as if I wanted to leave him there:
- No, no, of course not: - I'll explain everything back on Earth: Deering out:
Now, whoever you are, whom do you work for?
The stellar authorities? What's in that thing?
A chemical, that's all:
One that will act upon the thalamic regions of your brain:
But don't worry:
While it will cause a great deal of pain,
it won't do any physical damage:
All right, all right: I'll tell you!
I like my thalamic regions just the way they are: Thank you:
Who are you, and what did you do with Argus?
Wist:
Aron Wist:
- [Quince] Aron Wist: - You've heard of him?
[Quince] Just stories:
An assassin out of Alpha Centauri:
Strictly local: Small-time:
Not so small-time I didn't have all of you fooled:
No: But the question is, why?
I heard the four of you were getting together:
I thought Argus might be onto something big: I wanted a cut:
I didn't think I'd end up avenging one of your dead buddies for free:
And Argus? He didn't object to you impersonating him?
Argus was in no condition to object to anything:
Are you trying to tell us: : :
You killed Rafael Argus?
I never said that:
You never heard me say that:
I say we kill him now and get it over with:
Perhaps we should attempt to validate Mr: Wist's story:
Varek: Bring my transmitter case here: : : Quickly:
And how do we validate his story?
I have this friend: : :
Who happens to be a cataloger at the Earth Defense Directorate:
Not only is he keeping Elias Huer busy: : :
With pyrotechnical reminders that we do mean to avenge: : :
Deneva's death,
but he also has access to the Directorate's data banks:
With any luck, we should have positive identification within 30 minutes:
So, Mr: Wist,
if that is your name, you have nothing to worry about:
If not...
I think you're lying, Mr: Markos:
Take him to the lab: Have Dr: Nowlan prepare the mind probe:
Hooking me up to one of your machines isn't gonna do you any good, Huer:
Shortly, you and the rest of this city are gonna be blown to bits:
In case it hasn't dawned on you,
if and when this city is destroyed, you'll be destroyed as well:
I pray he is lying:
Unless we find out exactly: : :
How they plan to destroy New Chicago,
the best we can do is step up general security:
- Still no word from Buck? - No: None:
Since we lack concrete data, Dr: Huer, I suggest we analyze: : :
All known factors and attempt to develop a theory concerning the assassins' plan:
Twiki, please place me on the desk so that Dr: Huer and I can talk: [Chirping]
Here: Let me help you, Twiki:
He's still not accustomed to subspace communication:
Maybe he's using the wrong channel:
We've kept all channels open ever since you returned, Colonel:
And we've heard nothing:
He's probably dead:
[Kellogg] He's Aron Wist, all right:
I say we kill him anyhow:
[Kellogg] Stand by, Mr: Hartsteen:
Now let's consider his story:
He's here impersonating Rafael Argus:
Argus is nowhere to be found: Circumstantial evidence does indicate: : :
That he indeed has killed Argus:
And anyone capable of eliminating: : :
The legendary Rafael Argus is a formidable ally:
He's an arrogant fool, Kellogg!
Sherese, if arrogance were a capital crime, we'd all be dead long ago:
I say he goes with us: : : In my ship:
He goes in mine:
Wait a minute: Don't I have anything to say about this?
He goes with Quince:
Mr: Hartsteen, thank you for relaying the vid-copy: I have one more request:
We're about to leave for Earth,
but before we do, I wanna be absolutely certain: : :
That Huer suspects nothing:
That could be very dangerous:
That's what you are paid for, Hartsteen:
I expect you to get back to me within 20 minutes: Kellogg out:
I suggest you three head for the spaceport:
Our transportation should be ready momentarily:
And I suggest that if Mr: Wist gives us any trouble at all, we eliminate him:
- Agreed? - Most definitely:
Dr: Huer, have you heard from Buck?
Well, not exactly:
But Dr: Theopolis was just informed that information concerning Aron Wist: : :
Has been extracted from the central data bank:
Aron Wist? I don't understand:
[Dr: Huer] Wist is a nonexistent criminal invented by the Defense Directorate:
And Buck was instructed to use Aron Wist as a secondary cover: : :
In the event his primary cover of Rafael Argus failed:
So the fact that someone was trying to tap that information: : :
Means that someone's trying to verify Buck's story:
[Dr: Huer] And that Buck is still alive:
Dr: Huer, request permission to return to Aldebaran immediately:
- Denied: - But, Doctor...
No, he must get out of this himself:
And your appearance could very well place him in more jeopardy:
I understand:
Wist is actually an agent? Are you certain?
Positive: His real name is Rogers: Buck Rogers:
And Huer, he still has no idea: : :
Exactly how I plan to destroy New Chicago?
No, he doesn't: Whatever it is you intend to do,
it sounds like it's safe for you to go ahead:
And if that's the case, I'll be signing off now:
Got a shuttle to catch to New Phoenix:
I take it you've established the credit account there as we discussed?
Yes, yes, of course, Hartsteen: You've earned your money: Kellogg out:
Played for a fool: : : Twice: : :
In one day:
I'll have Quince: : :
Tear him to pieces:
[Woman Over P: A:] Flight 723 to Altair 5 now boarding at Gate 20:
Hey, wait a minute, you little worm! Greetings, my dear: Salutations: We meet again:
You turned us in for the money, didn't you? I had no idea I would need such heavy bribes to get through Customs:
I was bled dry: Ohhh:
Moreover, I discovered that the credits with which my friend Kellogg paid me off: : :
Were, shall we call, tainted:
Hmph: Well, luckily enough I was able to pass them off on a less discerning fellow: : :
For a well-equipped starfighter, which even as we speak: : :
Is being readied for flight in hangar bay number nine:
You little creep:
There is a great, wide, potentially lucrative universe waiting out there: : :
For an enterprising fellow such as myself:
And a universe, I might add, which could prove equally lucrative: : :
To an enterprising young woman too:
Have you ever thought of leaving this primitive mud bowl and entering civilization?
Oh! That's it: Don't make a snap decision:
Take some time: Think about it:
I can wait:
[Woman Over P: A:] Arriving passenger Dr: Adam Strange from Alpha Centauri,
please report to the reservations desk:
There they are:
All right, come along, Varek: Let's say good-bye to Buck Rogers, shall we?
We'll pick up the l: D: Plates and wait for Kellogg at the ships:
Any idea what he has in mind for us to do first?
What we're gonna do first is get rid of you:
Kellogg, we've been through this before:
He's an agent for the Earth Defense Directorate:
I do the honors:
Put it away, my dear: You may have what's left:
[Screams]
After him!
[Kellogg] Down there!
[Groans]
Varek, go in there and dispose of him:
He'll think that was you:
Why'd you do that?
This is why:
This is who I am:
You can't imagine life on my planet:
The children are afraid to look at their own reflections:
Children with a touch of death:
Children like myself:
Kellogg is condemning your people to the same fate as mine:
There's no hope for my world,
but there is for Earth:
Stop them: That's something you can do, isn't it?
No:
I have never belonged anywhere: : :
Except with Kellogg:
That's all I know: That's all I can do:
That's why I'm freeing you:
You stop them:
Please:
It's done:
That's fine:
Well, our ships must be ready:
Let's retrieve Mr: Quince and be on our way to New Chicago:
Uh, hello, Dr: Huer: Well, Hartsteen:
You're, uh, making a rather short day of it, aren't you?
I don't feel very well: I was just on my way to the clinic:
Oh, I see: You know,
if Dr: Theopolis hadn't already been onto your extracurricular activities,
we might never have known it was you who tapped the data bank: : :
For information on Aron Wist:
What exactly does Kellogg have in mind for New Chicago?
I don't know:
- [Chirping] - Take him to Detention:
But I do know they're wise to the agent you sent to Aldebaran:
Buck Rogers is a dead man, Huer:
Like all the rest of you,
a dead man:
[Chirping] Haul buns, Hartsteen:
All subspace calls require two forms of identification: : :
Regardless of what party is billed:
[Clears Throat] Especially on this planet:
Look, I have got to make that transmission: There are thousands of people who are in danger:
So go to the police if it's that important:
Are you kidding me? The authorities here are almost as bad as the criminals:
[Chuckles] Maybe so, but they do know what to do with loiterers,
if you get my drift, sir:
Yeah, I get your drift:
Remind me to give you a call the next time hell freezes over: Buck!
Oh, Buck! Joella:
Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you:
I figured after what I did to Quince, I better lay low for a little while:
By the way, thanks for what you did back there: You could have been killed:
For the third time today incidentally:
You know, it seems like ever since I met you, I've been making some very powerful people very angry at me:
And you know something? I haven't had this much fun in months!
You're out of your mind, you know that?
No more than you:
Thanks, Buck: For what, almost getting you killed?
For letting me help you: : :
And for not casting me aside after you were done with me:
Come on:
I've gotta find a ship and get to Earth as quickly as possible:
Uh, look: The place we're going can be very, very dangerous:
So if at any time you want me to drop you off... Uh-uh:
We've come this far together, we'll go all the way: Okay:
As a matter of fact, I think I even know where we can find a ship: Terrific: Let's go:
[Sherese] Just how do we break in to this generating plant?
By using our combined abilities under my direction, of course:
Not one of us could accomplish this task alone: Really?
Quince, formidable as your telekinesis can be,
you could only concentrate on one thing at a time:
Inside the plant, there will be upwards from 20 barriers at any given moment:
With my logistical skills, I can analyze any security system within minutes:
You and Varek with your respective abilities: : :
Can easily circumvent those security devices between you:
And me? You, Sherese,
will help us with the final key to our task...
- Mr: Richard Selvan: - Who?
[Kellogg] We do need an Energy Directorate employee: : :
To help us gain initial entry to the plant:
Mr: Selvan is a respected employee,
an engineer and a family man:
- What makes you think he'll cooperate? - Show me one family man: : :
Who can afford to be a hero:
Take a look, my friends:
Take a long good look:
Tomorrow the picture will be different:
[Woman Over P: A:] Flight 262 to Regulus 5... You like?
[Buck] She's nice:
I really hate the idea of stealing some poor schlep's starfighter, though:
I wouldn't worry about that: Wait till you meet the owner:
As a matter of fact, there he is now:
Thank you:
[Woman Over P: A:] Flight 666 to Lavas Planet will be leaving from Gate 6 in 30 minutes:
Hello, Barney:
[Groans]
Well, my friends!
I am happy to see that you have managed to escape the tendrils of disaster, as it were:
No thanks to you:
You were more than happy to sell me out for a few thousand credits:
Oh, my friend, I feel insulted:
Do you think that I would sell you out for a few thousand credits?
A few hundred thousand:
I see: And with that money, you bought yourself a very nice starfighter:
Oh, it's beautiful, isn't it? A real beauty:
A steal, if you'll pardon the expression: Yeah, she is:
I'm looking forward to flying her:
Actually, it's cosmetic: The engines are in terrible shape:
Terrible disrepair: Nobody's... [Chuckles]
My friend, you are joking: I mean, you're not going to let: : :
A momentary lapse of judgment on my part affect your sensibilities:
Give me your l: D: Plate, Barney:
[Sighs]
Just who are you, anyway? I mean, who do you work for?
Barney, if I don't get to Earth, a very sizable chunk of a planet I'm very fond of is gonna be destroyed:
Who cares?
You could buy a new planet: My friend, I'm talking heavy credits here:
Give me your l: D: Plate, Barney:
[Groans] There's a law against this, you know:
How do you propose I get off this celestial mud ball?
A word of advice, Barney:
Learn to like mud:
Wait: Come on:
Step back:
Enough, Matt: Enough: I'm dying:
Go over and play with your sister Katrina and let me rest: [Chuckles]
[Quince] That's a fine, healthy-looking boy you have there:
His name is Mateo, isn't it?
He was named after your wife's father:
Your wife being Therese, of course:
And the little girl: : :
Playing next to our friends there, that must be Katrina:
What is this? Who are you?
You have something we want:
But I have no money: I'm not rich: I'm just an engineer:
It's not money we want, Mr: Selvan:
You have access to the contra-terrene generating plant:
We want into that plant: It's just that simple:
You're smugglers: That's it:
You're trying to steal some sort of hardware:
- Something like that: - But that place is a fortress:
I'll never be able to get you past all the security devices:
Don't flatter yourself, Mr: Selvan:
We don't expect you to:
You're a key: Nothing more:
Just get us inside and we'll do the rest:
No: I won't do it: It would mean my job: I won't do it!
That's very noble, Mr: Selvan:
Your job: Hmm:
Are you as brave when it comes to the lives of your family?
[Katrina] Mister?
Why are you wearing that mask?
It's sort of a game:
Do you like magic?
Give me your hand:
Take these pebbles:
Drop them in my hand:
Take 'em back:
And do it again:
Oh!
Do it again:! Do it again:!
Okay, I'll get you in:
But just don't harm my family:
Don't harm my family:
Don't worry, Mr: Selvan: You do your job, and they'll be fine:
- Sure? - We may be smugglers,
but we do know the value of a contract:
[Children Shouting]
[Varek's Voice] You can't imagine life on my planet:
The children are afraid to look at their own reflections:
Children with a touch of death:
Children like myself:
Buck, you okay?
Boy, do I hate to go through those things: [Sighs]
Earth Directorate, this is Buck Rogers: Do you read?
Yes: Buck, where are you?
About 40 minutes from Earth: The assassins are on their way to Earth now:
Kellogg's plan is to sabotage the reactor outside New Chicago:
That's impossible: The security around that reactor is impregnable:
Doc, do you really think anything is impregnable to these people?
You're right: Of course:
Very well: I'll lead a ground squad to the reactor myself:
Colonel Deering will meet you on the flight deck when you arrive: Huer out:
You're, uh, taking me to a city that may be wiped off the map at any minute?
I told you it might be dangerous: You have a real gift for understatement:
[Chuckling]
Why do all the good-looking ones have to be crazy?
[Kellogg] The plant is only a few kilometers away:
We'll land behind the rock formations at its northern perimeter:
It's won't be long now:
Well, they're very clever: Even the identifying sensors are hidden:
But you know where they are: Do you not, Mr: Selvan?
[Quince] But why not send Varek in ahead and let him open the doors from the inside?
It doesn't work that way, Quince: The portal can only be opened from the outside,
not without the correct identity code:
Mr: Selvan here is our only key:
This is insane:
There are literally dozens of security baffles inside of this plant:
And besides, you'll never make it beyond the maintenance androids:
[Door Buzzes]
[Kellogg] Ah: After we enter,
the sensors will pick up five heartbeats, notjust one:
An alarm will go off, so be prepared:
If you will, Mr: Selvan:
Halt! There is no trespassing!
You are in violation of statute 0605...
[Alarm Beeping]
Androids, as you can see: Shall we continue?
[Alarm Continues Beeping]
- Buck! - Wilma!
You're all right! Oh!
Yeah: I was caught between a rock and a hard place for a while, but I'm okay:
I don't understand you, but it feels good not understanding you again:
[Chuckles] Oh! Joella, Wilma: Wilma, Joella:
- Hi: - How we doing?
Fine: Dr: Huer is on his way with the ground forces,
and I've got three starfighters fueled up and ready to go:
Terrific! Joella, I'm gonna leave you: : :
In two of the most capable hands in all of New Chicago:
- Theo, Twiki, this is Joella: - [Chirping]
They will introduce you to sights you never dreamed existed: [Chirping]
I thought you'd feel that way:
Let's go: [Chirping] What a fox:
[Theo] Now wait a minute, Twiki: I have a great deal to do in my office:
[Twiki] I'll drop you off: [Chuckles]
[Selvan] That is a neutronium vault door:
You will never be able to make it past it:
Now, one more step and we activate the defense laser:
The sensor web picks up any changes in air density:
The sensor switch is on that far wall: Varek will turn it off:
Varek, don't you hear me? Put that grotesque body of yours to some use: : :
And turn it off:
[Alarms Beeping]
[Alarm Stops]
It's done:
We're not handing out medals, Varek:
If I'm not mistaken, this should be the final obstacle:
- Is that correct, Mr: Selvan? - I wouldn't know:
Of course you would:
One of these buttons gives us direct access to the main control room:
The other, should we press it, releases a potent nerve gas: : :
That will paralyze all of us instantly, yes?
So you see, Mr: Selvan, it's up to you:
Choose the wrong button,
and I'm afraid our associate in New Chicago will have to eliminate your family:
Despite his growing fondness for your lovely wife:
- The top one: - The top one?
Well?
He's lying:
Thank you, Mr: Selvan: You did exactly as I expected...
took a chance that we couldn't notify our associate before the nerve gas took effect:
For whatever it's worth,
you would have been right:
Dr: Theopolis says that the Energy Directorate has been receiving: : :
Automated distress signals from the contra-terrene plant for over 20 minutes now:
How far are Dr: Huer and his people from the plant?
He should be closing in in about ten minutes:
- Have the people at the plant been alerted? - Well, there are no people out at the plant:
Only a few maintenance androids that also double as guards:
The plant's major operations are remotely controlled by technicians at the Energy Directorate:
- Almost everything else is... - Computerized:
- [Hum Resonating] - And this must be the vacuum chamber:
Correct, Quince:
The antimatter is held in an electromagnetic bottle which, of course, is invisible to us:
What are you doing? If you keep that up,
the magnetic bottles containing the antimatter will start to erode:
[Kellogg] Mr: Selvan, I know exactly what I'm doing:
I've done a great deal of research on contra-terrene reactors:
It has always been a pet conceptual project of mine:
But if the bottles erode, the antimatter will start leaking into the atmosphere: : :
And everything within 200 square kilometers will be destroyed:!
Mr: Selvan, I'm afraid we misled you: : :
About our motivation:
[Sherese] You can hardly blame us, Mr: Selvan:
If you knew we were gonna wipe out the city in which your family lives, you wouldn't have cooperated:
You murdering liars!
[Grunts]
No one ever strikes me! Nobody!
You do know you'll have to die:
Kill him, Varek:
You heard me: Dispose of him now!
No:
No?
You dare say no to me?
I will not kill him:
I will not allow you destroy this city:
[Shouting] You won't allow us?
What was that?
Something I thought I'd never have to use:
Now, if you would be so kind as to use that on this:
[Man Over P: A:] Alert:! Alert:!
This is a code five emergency:
In five minutes, the chain reaction shall begin:
So, until we meet again on Sutter's World, 36 hours from now: : :
To claim credit for this to the Legion of Death:
Terminal reaction will occur in five minutes:
All maintenance androids report to vacuum chamber immediately:
Erosion has begun in the antimatter containment vessels: Alert:!
[Dr: Huer] They've destroyed the guard androids:
This is Huer: I'vejust arrived at the plant:
[Wilma] We're only 30 seconds from joining you, Doctor:
Unfortunately, it looks as though the assassins have already been here:
- Maybe they're still inside: - Not anymore:
Dr: Huer, the assassins are trying to escape: We're going after them: Deering out:
Come with me:
[Man Over P: A:] Three minutes, 30 seconds to terminal reaction: How bad is the damage?
Magnetic bottles eroding:
We have to get them back to full strength before chain reaction: Good Lord:
No, no, no! He tried to stop them:
Good Lord: They've destroyed the controls:
The only possible way I can repair the damage is to go inside the vacuum chamber:
You can't be serious: These containers are eroding:
There's probably stray atoms of antimatter floating around in there:
One step inside and you could be annihilated before you made a single move:
Sir, we have no other choice:
What about the maintenance androids? Kellogg destroyed them:
Someone has to go in there:
I'll go:
I don't want to mislead you:
I know what you can do, but even you may not be able to survive in there:
Just tell me what to do:
All right: [Man Over P: A:] Two minutes, 30 seconds to terminal reaction:
What's shakin', Porky?
- You! You still alive? - I sure am:
One minute, 45 seconds to terminal reaction:
One minute, 30 seconds to terminal reaction:
Oops:
- Buck, what's wrong? - It's Quince! He's frozen my controls!
Help me, Wilma! Distract him! Break his concentration!
[Beeping]
- Wilma, are you all right? - Fine: Thanks, Buck:
Thank you:
Dynamite, Lieutenant Murphy:
Lieutenant Murphy, tow what's left of our friends back to Earth:
- Buck, let's head down to the plant: - I'm with you:
- Sixty seconds to terminal reaction: - I feel so helpless:
He'll do fine, if he just remembers the correct sequence:
Forty-five seconds to terminal reaction:
Dr: Huer, what's happening?
That man in there is trying to repair the damage the assassins did:
- Thirty seconds to terminal reaction: - Varek:
He's restoring the magnetic bottles they almost destroyed:
He's taking an awfully big chance though:
[Man Over P: A:] Fifteen,
fourteen, thirteen,
twelve, eleven,
ten, nine,
eight, seven, six,
five, four,
three...
- [Man Over P: A:] Erosion terminated: - He's done it:
Code five emergency is no longer in effect:
The bottles are back to full strength:
Varek, you did it:
- What's happened to him? - A few last atoms of antimatter must have escaped:
He was annihilated instantly:
I wonder if he even knew he saved us:
Varek! We thought you'd been killed:
When the first atom of antimatter struck me,
I dropped down through the floor:
As you can see, I'm not entirely undamaged:
Let's get you to the Directorate clinic:
- Varek, you okay? - Yes, I'm fine:
No, you're not:
Let us help you:
Thank you:
[Softly] Thank you:
Ah: Buck, what was it you said this liquid is again?
Wine: Wine:
Burgundy, to be exact:
I filched some fruit that looked like grapes from the hydroponics lab,
squeezed 'em into juice, had Theo hit it with a little delta radiation: : :
To speed up the fermentation process, and, uh,
well, here we go:
That's not bad:
So, Theo, any luck tracing down Sherese?
None, I'm afraid, Buck:
She's probably halfway to Arcturus by now:
What do you think Varek will do now without Kellogg?
He's asked me to take him back to his own planet, or what's left of it:
I can understand that: It's the only home he's known:
- You going to take him back then? - It's the least I can do for a fellow survivor:
[Door Beeping]
Ah, Joella, Twiki, come on in:
Well, what'd you think of him? He is everything you said he'd be, Buck:
[Chirping] [Laughing]
- What's so funny? - He is: Didn't you hear?
[Chirping, Chuckling]
Twiki-wiki, really, now:
[Laughing]