There are some people who could harbor a grudge against you:
Whose side are you on?
[Narrator] Buck's experiences must be relived using mind probes: : :
In an attempt to solve the mysterious riddle: : :
That promises imminent doom to the Earth:
Eat lead, sucker:
The only ones who can stop us are our enemies!
[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:
[Alarm Beeping] Dr: Huer, what's going on?
The entire complex is under alert: Yes, I know:
[Beeping Continues]
Ten minutes ago, our orbital defense system: : :
Registered the presence of hundreds of alien objects in Earth's orbit:
Our scanners say that they're out there:
But our fighter squadrons have made no visual contact:
Could something be jamming their sensors?
Perhaps: I don't know: But it's highly unlikely:
[Mysterious Humming]
Doctor, my sensors detect: : :
A tightly focused energy beam penetrating our...
Oh, dear:
[Humming]
[Humming Continues]
[Chirping] Doesn't anybody bother to knock anymore?
Dr: Theopolis, what is it?
Unknown, Doctor:
My sensors are unable to penetrate its exterior:
However, in light of its unusual materialization,
I would suggest securing the entire Directorate Complex immediately:
[Chirping] Good idea: I'll secure the basement:
- No, Twiki: - Aw, rats:
It's impossible!
This object does not register on my sensor:
This may sound crazy, but have you considered touching that thing?
- Touching it? - [Buck] Yeah, it may not be a weapon at all:
Maybe it's some kind of communication device, touch-activated:
- That could be awfully risky, Buck: - Would you rather leave it here, turn it into a plant stand?
After all, Doc, your sensors aren't doing any good:
What have you got to lose? [Theo] Nothing, really:
Whoever sent it here has obviously developed: : :
A highly sophisticated method of matter transmission:
Anyone capable of that, could have killed us all long ago:
I think Buck's suggestion is a good one:
Well, here goes:
Wait, Buck:
Be careful, please:
Yeah, well, what do I know?
[Chirping] Killed by a yo-yo: What a way to go:
You're right, Buck: It is a communicating device:
Look what it's communicating:
"The man out of old Earth's past"...
"Has the key to the next and the last:"
"But you won't solve this riddle"...
"Till the end is the middle"...
[Buck] "And Terran sands disappear with a blast: '"
[Dr: Huer] That last line sounds ominous:
[Wilma] Whoever sent this could teleport an entire starfleet into the Earth's orbit: : :
And decimate us before we had a chance to scramble a single fighter squadron:
Why haven't they done it already? Hmm:
[Buck] Why are they playing games, writing limericks?
"Limericks"? Yeah, limericks:
An old and honorable form ofliterature, Wilma:
Hmm: It goes back even before my time:
Obviously, the puzzle was specifically geared to you, Buck:
"The man out of old Earth's past': :
Is a clear reference to you:
[Buck] Yeah, I know:
It says I hold the key to the first and the last:
Which means: : :
To the life and the death of the Earth:
[Dr: Huer] While we're using the psych-probes, we'll be able to refer to this mysterious...
is it limerick? Mm-hmm:
I'm sure that you know, as well as I do,
that there are some people who could harbor a grudge against you:
This scan will help us select the most likely candidates:
So just lie back and relax:
Let your mind drift:
That's it:
Well, that's enough drifting for now:
Perhaps you could concentrate on one or two of the words in the riddle: : :
That might trigger some memories:
[Buck] Well, let's see: There's the thing about the key:
We used a lot of keys: : :
When we rescued that girl Falina from Sinaloa:
Where have you been? Never mind that: Carl Morphus just arrived:
Oh, terrific: That's about as good as the news I've got:
Couldn't you get anything out of that man that was following you?
Yeah, I know exactly where they're keeping Falina: Well, that's good news:
I also found out it's virtually impossible to get there: : :
Without one of four existing keys: Oh, no:
I was gonna try to lift one off Sanitation Module 07,
but it doesn't make its rounds till after midnight:
And if Morphus is here now, we might as well start packing:
- Buck, who else has a key? - A couple of Velosi's goons:
And Velosi? Naturally:
Marla? You'll have to wait just a minute:
I don't like to wait:
And with this, I rarely have to:
I thought you'd feel that way:
I'm sorry to spoil your plans this evening, Mr: Velosi:
Yes, I am disappointed:
Until now:
Kill her!
- Please, don't move: - Come on!
Now, stand over there with your boss: Move! Come on, move:
I'll just take that key you're so proud of, Mr: Velosi:
You both will die before you leave the city:
You think so, huh?
Okay, get over there: Come on, move!
If I were you, I'd worry more about how you were going to get out of here:
All right, let's go:
Get down to the ship and prepare for takeoff: I'll get Falina:
You got the detonator? I'm all set: I'll see you at the ship:
Why, Buck Rogers: What are you and that lady up to?
Later, Tangie: Looks to me like it's something very dishonest:
I don't have time: If you don't help me buy my way out of this city,
Security's gonna get a call from me: Next time I'm in town:
You won't get away with it!
I want you to close your eyes:
Very soon you shall find yourself afloat in a sea of color and sounds:
And then blackness, and then everything...
everything shall come to an end:
[Alarm Blaring]
[Alarm Continues]
Name is Buck Rogers: He just hit the alarm: Let's get outta here:
[Alarm Continues]
[Continues Blaring]
Morgan Velosi is a formidable opponent in his home territory,
but he hardly commands the resources necessary: : :
To mount a massive attack on the Earth:
All right, let's look at the limerick again:
That last line..."And Terran sands disappear in a blast: '"
All that sand, desert...
Sounds like Zeta Minor:
And come to think of it, Zeta Minor started with a blast too:
I hope you're wearing your climbing shoes because I think that elevator's out of order:
Come on! [Android Guard] Escape is not possible:
Prisoners will report to the dayroom:
Escape is not possible: Prisoners will report to the dayroom:
Escape is not possible:
Jen, you've been in there for 10 months:
He's never gonna spring you out:
He's gonna leave you and the secrets of those murders buried in there forever:
I don't care about you, so stop pretending you care about me: : :
And who I am and why I am and just leave me alone:
Sand squid!
You got him: Come on:
[Squeaking] Buck!
Oh, hi:
Can we talk about this?
[Buck Groaning]
- [Jen Gasps] - Okay, big guy, come on:
[Gasps]
Sometimes a frontal assault works best: All right, move:
Get over there:
You all right? I'm fine:
Rescuing you is getting to be a full-time occupation: All right, all of you,
we're marching out of here single file:
Not quite, Colonel: Drop your weapons now!
Of course, frontal assaults do have their drawbacks:
[Android Roaring]
[Screams]
[Buck] Why is he after me, Wilma? What is it?
- It's your bracelet: - Oh, it is, huh?
No!
Be my guest:
According to my locator banks,
the android Hugo is still at large somewhere on Zeta Minor:
I suggest we proceed, Buck:
We really must continue, Dr: Huer:
Hmm: Well, so much for him: [Beeping]
What's that?
The sensors in my office:
They were keyed to that strange object:
- [Wilma] It's gone:! - [Twiki Chirping]
Well, so much for the yo-yo: I'll be going now:
Sorry, Twiki:
I think everything's far from over: In fact, I think it's just beginning:
[Beeping]
It seems the object has served its function:
I wonder what else we can expect?
Let's get on with this:
I got a feeling we don't have much time: How about Roderick Zale,
the guy who kidnapped Hieronymus Fox of Genesia?
Zale is certainly resourceful enough: : :
And, quite possibly, ruthless enough:
Greetings, Mr: President: My name is...
Your name is Roderick Zale:
Your specialty is political abduction,
and your modus operandi sticks out like a sore thumb:
Half the galaxy probably knows you're the one who snatched me:
You're as perceptive as I was told:
- How much you askin' for me? - A reasonable price...
6,000 kilograms of pure quadrillium:
[Chuckles]
Ain't no way the Genesians are gonna cough up that much loot, pal:
I don't even think we got that much quadrillium on the whole planet:
Then they'd better find it somewhere:
Or within a week, their technological miracle worker will die:
Aw, come on, Zale:
I'm worth more to you alive than dead any day of the week:
Even if the Genesians don't pay up,
you can make a fortune selling my brains to the highest bidder:
So don't give me any of that Dr: Doom jive:
You'd better take pretty good care of me: : :
If you know what's good for you, starting right now:
We're not gonna tell him where the kid is, and that's that:
But, Buck, they'll kill us: [Zale] The woman's right, Rogers:
If you do know where the president is hiding, you'd better tell us:
Otherwise, you'll both die very shortly:
And if we do tell you, we'll probably still die, won't we?
There are many ways to die, long and short:
Uh-oh:
Uh... Uh, hi there:
I bet you're wondering what I'm doing in your parcel bin:
Actually, I'm not a real person at all:
I'm a doll: That's it:
Uh, a preprogrammed, cybernetic doll: My name is Ken:
Uh, Mr: President, are you all right?
Before I answer that, whose side are you on?
Yours: Colonel Deering from the Earth Defense Directorate:
How did you get away from Zale?
Uh, nothing to it: I did a quick impersonation of a sack of groceries:
Well, I guess I'm a little late:
Nope, you're just in time:
Now, my bodyguard, Dia Cyrton, is here on Aldebaran:
She and somebody named Buck Rogers are on their way to Zale's place right now:
- Buck? - Yeah, and if we don't get back there and help 'em,
they're both gonna get wasted:
You know what "wasted" means?
Sorry: Can't let you do that:
I'm terribly sorry about this, Captain, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to kill you:
Koren to Zale: Come in, Zale: Mr: Zale!
- Mr: Zale: - Maybe he slipped back under his rock:
Shut up or I'll kill you right here and now:
I think she might have something to say about that:
That one is almost as old as you are:
Old but true, Mr: Koren:
Mighty nice shootin', Colonel:
Thank you, Mr: President:
True, Roderick Zale is a cunning and dangerous criminal,
but his personality index would seem to indicate a cold-blooded pragmatist: : :
Not inclined to seek revenge on such a grandiose scale:
[Chirping] You wanna run that by me again?
- I said, "Roderick Zale..." - Forget it:
"Till the end is the middle:"
Now, what is that supposed to mean?
This is like trying to work your way through a maze: It's almost byzantine:
Hmm, byzantine, byzantine:
Zantia!
That started off with kind of a puzzle...
a Mayday from two women on board a space yacht:
[Sighs] Let's take a crack at that:
This is Earth starfighter 1314: I'm approaching at 50 degrees:
This is the space yacht Aurora: We have you on scanner:
Uh, do you have video transmission capability? [Buck] Sure do:
How's that?
Oh, fine: Couldn't be much better:
You're to follow the yellow landing tracer to Docking Area 2:
The slightest variation from that course will result in your destruction:
Zantia Landing Control out:
Thanks: Welcome to Zantia:
[Chattering] [Auctioneer] Ladies, please get ready:
We'll start the bidding at 400:
This prime Terran male is an excellent investment:
Sixteen hundred from the unseen lady on monitor four!
Do I see more?
Twenty-two hundred:
Three thousand:! Three thousand on the monitor from bidder number four:
Do I hear more? The bid is now 4,000:
Do I hear five?
Ten thousand:!
Twelve thousand! Going once, going twice...
Twenty thousand! Do I hear more?
Going once at 20,000:
Going twice at 20,000:
Sold to bidder number four for 20,000 credits:!
- [Woman Screaming] - Come on, let's go!
They're not gonna stay unconscious for long: Let's get outta here:
Move!
Hang on:
Buck Rogers to Escort Leader, do you read?
Leader to ES-1314, I've gotcha on the scanner:
- Who's that? Major Norris? - Affirmative:
What are you doing up here, Captain Rogers?
This is Colonel Deering: Don't listen to him, Major:
- Wilma? - I know what you intend to do, Buck and I can't let you do it:
[Buck] Wilma, don't try to stop me:
What you're doing will force the Earth and Ruatha to go to war:
You're jeopardizing thousands and thousands of lives:
- [Norris] Colonel Deering... - There's too much at stake, Major:
Open fire:
Full pulsars: Wilma, listen to me: I know what I'm doing:
- [Wilma] You're sending us into war! - [Buck] You know me, trust me:
He's hit:
I think Zantia is a dead end, Buck:
[Theo] I tend to agree, Colonel:
[Beeping]
Our sensors have picked up another energy beam heading straight for...
- [Object Humming] - Good heavens:
[Humming Continues]
[Continues Humming]
- Here we go again: - What is it?
It looks like an hourglass:
It's a device for measuring time:
From the looks of this one, we only have a couple of hours until it runs out:
Do you think somebody's trying to tell us something?
There's not a lot of time left:
Wilma, think about Corliss and Roxanne:
Mm-hmm: The last time they were going to use ancient nerve gas: : :
To poison our atmosphere and to destroy it:
And we needed Noah Cooper's help in penetrating Necrosis asteroids:
Stay close behind me and do exactly what I do:
Watch for falling rocks: [Sighs]
Enemy craft approaching: They're moving through the asteroids:
Okay, start breathing again, everyone:
- [Beeping] - Stop breathing: We got company:
Tight "T" formation: Look alive, tail gunners:
- You take over: - Got it:
Nice shot, Big Red: It looks like they're sending up reinforcements:
We'll retreat temporarily to the asteroids:
[Man] You will surrender at once or be destroyed:
Proceed to vector 9-4KV, Coordinate C:
We will tractor beam you into the hangar:
[Big Red] You hear that, Noah?
- They've been captured: - I heard:
- What do we do, Noah? - What can we do? We've lost them:
We've lost 'em:
Have you ever been in a fire, Rogers?
Or should I say, have you ever been on fire?
No, I can't say that I have:
- Do you know what pain is, Rogers? - There are all kinds of pain:
No: I'm talking about a pain that's so intense,
the only way you can stop it is to have its source removed:
How you're going to wish we had surrendered, Colonel Deering:
All right, everybody, just keep it quiet:
Steady:
- [Beeping] - Bomb away:
Wilma, get the door! You, get over there!
- You missed: - We saw, Big Red:
Come on back up: Now it's our turn:
Hold it steady: We're almost there:
Second enemy bomber approaching!
We're trapped in here:
Ready? Right: Hang on:
Bomb away:
This one's gonna hit!
[Buck] Theo, where are Roxanne and Corliss now?
According to our locator banks,
they are both in the detention-rehabilitation complex on Lycaste Alba:
So much for that theory:
Wait a minute: What about our man with the magic hands?
The slave master? Hmm? Kaleel: Mm-hmm:
Let me see: That was on, um, Vistula: : :
When we went to investigate the poisoning: : :
Of the Earth's food supplies:
[Kaleel] So: : :
We will descend upon the Earth like meteors!
Like a fire!
The only ones who can stop us: : :
Are those enemies among us,
those who are weak and faithless!
Those who do not believe...
these are our enemies!
Get down! Don't either one of you raise even a hair:
Get down:
Good heavens: What was that?
Be careful:
[Gasps]
[Wilma] Sorry, Buck:
- Are you okay? - Yeah:
- No thanks to our host: - The almighty Kaleel, I presume:
- And you are? - Captain Buck Rogers:
Let's just get rid of him:
Rest assured: : :
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, naturally:
And with our remaining forces, we'll give you a reception you'll not soon forget:
You are lying!
All right now, keep your eyes on that turkey in the back: He's the one we want:
We're gonna go right up the middle: You guys open a hole, I'll nail him:
Okay, guards, take out these tackles:
Stop them, you fools!
Hey, nice double-teaming over there, whoever you are:
- Gordon's the name: Thanks: - Have we met, Gordon?
I don't think so, Captain: We're from different times:
[Chirping] Eat lead, sucker:
Lead? What lead? Twiki, what are you talking about?
- Nice shooting, Captain Rogers: - Thanks, Major, Twiki:
Gordon, where did you learn to shoot like that?
I've been doing that sort of thing since before you were born, Captain:
- You think so, huh? - Young man, I know so:
Come on, gang: We've got some cleaning up to do downstairs:
According to our locators,
Kaleel escaped from the revolutionaries who captured him: : :
And now wanders the Vistulan desert: : :
Trying to enlist its inhabitants as followers:
A harmless lunatic:
Hmm:
Hop out of there a second: I've got an idea:
It's all yours:
[Sighs] Remember the Legion of Death?
In order to infiltrate them, I had to take on the identity of an assassin...
Rafael Argus:
Rafael Argus?
Three months ago you killed a man named Gleeson:
Let me guess: Uh, he was your, uh...
- Brother: - I knew it'd be something like that:
To destroy a city that large, you'd need an earthquake or a tidal wave:
Or an antimatter explosion:
- You're joking, of course: - Far from it:
New Chicago receives its power from a contra-terrene generating plant: : :
Located in the wasteland outside the city:
And if someone were to sabotage that reactor,
allowing the matter and antimatter: : :
To mix uncontrollably...
And everything for 200 square kilometers: : :
Would be atomized instantly: [Laughs]
Very good, Kellogg:
[Chuckling]
Come on:
Varek, go in there and dispose of him:
They'll think that was you:
Why'd you do that?
This is why:
This is who I am:
[Groans]
The thing about Kellogg is,
he wouldn't waste time with these riddles:
He'd want me to know up front that it was him: : :
And how he was going to kill me and how much it would hurt:
So we're back where we started:
Yeah, except: : :
The hourglass is almost empty:
All right, it's your turn now, Twiki:
Let's see if your memory bank can help us any:
Now, hold still: [Chirping] You're tickling me:
I'm not tickling you: Hold still: You are:
Twiki, you're supposed to be remembering what happened on the Lyran Queen:
All right:
[Over P: A:] This is your captain speaking:
Now that all our passengers are aboard, we're accelerating to light speed: : :
For a slow, leisurely cruise to Stargate 1:
After leaving the star gate, we'll enter the Vega system: : :
Where we'll make our first stop on Sutter's World, Yes: How do you do?
A planet renowned for its fair climate,
colorful indigents and remarkable hospitality:
[Chirping] Wilma's looking real foxy:
[Chirping] Something from the bar, sir?
[Chirping] Hold the phone:
[Chirping]
You'll have to excuse me for staring:
I've never met a 500-year-old man before:
Oh, that's all right: I've never met a genetically perfect woman before either:
Mmm:
Think of the permutations:
[Chuckling]
[Continues Chuckling]
[Sighs]
Stupid, weak, sniveling little creature:
How do you put up with her?
I like part of her:
My part, you mean?
[Theo] What you are suggesting, Buck,
is that Alison Michaels is a trans-mute...
a split personality with the genetic ability to transform itself: : :
In times of stress, into one of two or more separate entities:
All we have is a theory: We can't act without evidence:
- Then what we have to do is capture her as Sabrina: - Oh:
[Disco] [Laughing, Chattering]
[Chirping] What a good dancer you are, Twiki:
Buck taught me all I know:
They call this one the bump:
[Chirping] Uh-oh:
I've never seen a dance like that before, Twiki:
[Continues]
[Sighs] Well, that's all we can do for now:
The laser will draw power from the ship very slowly: : :
So that the monitors will not detect:
When it peaks, the laser will be in full effect,
and its blade will start dissecting her quite automatically:
[Chirping]
Hi, guys:
What's the matter, Twiki? It's only 0300 hours:
I'm bushed:
[Theo] Nowjust a minute, Twiki:
If you think you're going to retire for the evening: : :
Without hearing from me, you're quite incorrect:
Your behavior, ever since you set foot on this ship,
has been abominable:
Twiki? Twiki? Twiki?
Twiki:!
Well, we've only got one candidate left:
But all this hardly seems to be her style:
What do you mean not her style?
She's ruthless, arrogant and power hungry:
Yeah, but aside from all that, what's wrong with her?
[Wilma] Anything about it look familiar, Buck?
Negative: I've never seen anything like it: Did you hear that, Dr: Huer?
[Dr: Huer] Wherever it came from, it is now sustaining a position directly over New Chicago:
We can only assume it's some kind of weapon, so destroy it, now:!
Yes, sir:
Our pulsars have no effect!
Activate Omega defense program immediately!
[Wilma] It's glowing:!
Dr: Huer, it's releasing a beam of energy!
[Disco]
[Continues]
Very shortly, I will succeed my father to the throne of Draconia:
And according to our laws, within a year of doing so,
I must wed the most physically and genetically sound human male available: : :
Or lose my throne to a successor:
Well, I have found just such a man: : :
Right here on Earth:
And unless you turn him over to me for the wedding ceremony,
our pyramid weapon will destroy the Earth: : :
City by city by city:
That man, of course, is Captain Buck Rogers:
[Sighs]
Tribal courtship rituals can be fascinating:
Tell me, just out of curiosity,
what happens in phases two and three?
In the second phase, you prove your worthiness for me: : :
By competing in the arena with Tigerman: Hmm:
Of course, if you win tomorrow,
the third phase will take place at noon:
The great event itself... the wedding ceremony:
[Grunting]
[Groans]
[Shouts]
[Growling]
[Continues Growling]
[Groans]
[Panting]
You will bejoined with Princess Ardala forever:
He's destroying the weapon: Do something!
- All right, Doc, I'm getting a power feedback now: - Buck, get out of there:
Of course, I hate to admit this, but even Princess Ardala: : :
Wouldn't slaughter innocent people without a reason:
If this were all her doing, I think we... [Beeping]
- [Beeping Continues] - Good Lord!
- Is something else gonna materialize? - Yes:
Whoever's responsible uses a directional beam: : :
To lock in coordinates for materialization:
This precedes the teleport beam by several minutes:
Now, according to our sensors,
the next object is due to materialize: : :
In your apartment, Buck:
[Chirping] It's the killer yo-yo:
[Buck] No, I don't think so, Twiki:
What in the galaxy...
Hamburgers, french fries, milk shakes and champagne:
No, it can't be:
[Party Horns Blowing, Laughing, Chattering]
- Dr: Huer, what day is today? - Uh, it's Deckel 31, isn't it?
- Yeah: - Deckel: December:
December 31: It's New Year's Eve!
And there's only one other person in the galaxy who'd know what that means:
Right on, Buck: I knew you'd figure it out:
- Hieronymus: - Happy New Year, guys:
Hey, what do you think of my new matter transmitter?
I wanted to give it a test over long distances,
so I thought I'd send you a little New Year's present:
- And a riddle: - It beats crossword puzzles:
- Cross what? - Forget it, Doc: It'd take hours to explain:
Hieronymus, your matter transmitter's a great idea, but it's still got a few bugs:
Oh, yeah: It creates one heck of a magnetic field, doesn't it?
Hope it didn't bollix up any of your alarm systems:
Oh, no: The whole planet's on general alert, that's all:
Oops: Back to the drawing board:
That entire riddle was just about New Year's Eve, wasn't it?
Right: The first line was about you... "The man out of old Earth's past:"
"Has the key to the next and the last"?
Sure: Buck would know about an hourglass,
which was going to be the next thing that I sent you,
after the last thing, which was the riddle...
a real, live 20th-century limerick:
[Chirping] Tricky little devil, ain't ya?
- [Chuckles] - "But you won't solve this riddle till the end is the middle: '"
Ah, of course: The end of the old year, the middle of the night:
- Midnight: - And the Terran sands disappearing...
Is the hourglass you sent us:
When the sands disappear, they disappear with a...
A blast: Meaning a party:
And what's a party without milk shakes and bubbly: : :
And fries and Rigellian lizard burgers?
"Lizard burgers:"
- [Chuckles] - Hit it, maestro!
[Disco]
["Auld Lang Syne'"] I wish I knew how he did that:
I gotta run, gang: These transgalatic phone calls add up:
Have yourselves a happy one: : :
And wait till you see my riddle next year!
- Bye: - Next year?
There's plenty of time to worry about that later:
For now, though, how about some good, old-fashioned Genesian bubbly?
Was 2490 a good year?
How could it be? You weren't even around:
[Laughing]
[Pops]