Do me one favor. Hit the deck. Get down.
[Narrator] Buck and a beautiful fugitive escape across an alien desert,
pursued by a murderous android.
This is a prison ship. Identify yourself.
Break off, Lieutenant. Cease attack.
We'll have to kill her before they get her down here.
He's here to kill her, not to rescue her.
The one person that ever broke out of that prison has to be you.
I'm really sorry I have to do this.
[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.
Prison approach, this is prison shuttle ILM-4, hauling up a new one for you.
A real lively one.
[Man On Radio] ILM-4, cleared for Moon Three approach. [Explosion]
- Break off, Lieutenant. Cease attack. - Affirmative, Colonel.
Shuttle craft, you'll surrender for inspection.
[Deering Over Radio] We know you're transporting illicit contraband.
What? This is a prison ship. Identify yourself.
Colonel Deering, Earth Defense Directorate. I strongly urge you to comply.
Colonel, this is a Zeta government starship...
Operating within Zetan territory.
Your Directorate has nojurisdiction.
As I said, extending docking bays.
Lieutenant, see to the good captain.
Wait a minute. You can't do this!
Now, Captain, we both know this won't hurt a bit.
Hello there. Good-bye there.
- How's it going, Lieutenant? - Almost done. Wish I could be there...
To use this on the androids that'll be guarding that prison, Captain Rogers.
That's all right. I have a few secret weapons of my own.
Buck, that medallion is your only means of escape.
You get into trouble... You can't get me out. Believe me, I remember.
You ready?
I've adjusted his memory circuits. He'll never know we were here.
Good. You can take the real Val-Zhan back to Earth,
and I'll say good-bye to the new one.
Be careful, huh? Don't worry, Wilma. I go in. Break Burton out.
Rendezvous with you in four hours. It's a piece of cake.
Oh, here. Easy on the starch, will ya?
How long before we land?
Huh? Land?
Uh, 15 minutes.
It's about time you woke up.
I thought maybe you were dead.
Course you might as well be. No one's left this prison alive yet.
[Huer] Then the substitution went well?
[Wilma On Radio] Yes, Doctor. Perfectly.
And Lieutenant Zimmerman had no trouble with the shuttle captain?
[Wilma] "Piece of cake, '" as Buck would say. I beg your pardon?
Everything went as planned, at least so far. Dr. Huer, I'm not convinced...
Colonel, I assure you... [Twiki Chirping]
- Someone's at the door. - Ambassador Warwick is here.
Continue your orbit and keep us posted.
Buck will be fine, Colonel. Huer out.
Ted.!
ByJove! How nice to see you again.
How long has it been? You don't really want an answer to that, do you, Elias?
No, I certainly do not. Come in.
This is my colleague, Dr. Theopolis, from the Computer Council.
Doctor, this is Ambassador Warwick,
our diplomatic liaison in the third quadrant.
A pleasure to finally meet you, Ambassador.
[Chirping] Of course. This is Twiki, his ambu-quad.
Yes. Well, I'm afraid I have bad news for all of you.
I've applied as much diplomatic pressure on the Zetan government as I could,
but they still refuse to releaseJen Burton into your custody.
It would appear, Elias,
that extradition is not possible at this time.
Well, this news is not exactly unexpected.
- Which is why we've mounted a little extradition of our own. - What do you mean?
We've arranged for an agent to break Burton out of the Zetan prison and bring her to Earth.
You went behind my back?
That could provoke a disastrous interstellar incident. Zeta's a sovereign planet.
Yes, that's quite true.
And that's a very good point, Ted. But you see, we're desperate.
Pantera's raids on our shipping lanes are crippling the outer colonies.
And someone is leaking our shipping schedules to him.
Now, Jen Burton, Pantera's ex-girlfriend, will undoubtedly tell us who.
But she's a confessed murderer. Oh, come now, Ted.
It's common knowledge Pantera committed the crime.
She's just covering for him.
The Zetan government had her incarcerated as a matter of principle.
Certainly not justice.
The prison on Moon Three is impregnable. Your agent can never get her out.
On the contrary. Given Buck's considerable talents,
the mission has a 93% probability of success.
Buck is going to break her out from within...
And then rendezvous with another agent at Station Post 7,
which is outside of the prison's aerial defense shield.
Captain Rogers and Colonel Deering are both talented operatives.
We have every reason to expect success.
You put me into a very awkward position. What am I to tell the Zetan government?
We'd like you to tell them nothing... Just yet.
Later on...
Yes.
Well, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to do some thinking.
[Theo] For a man whose allegiance should lie...
With the Earth, he appears to be truly torn by the situation.
Well, he's a diplomat. It's his job to see both sides.
I'm sure he also feels that I'm using our friendship to sway his judgment.
Which I suppose I am.
Yes, sir, it's too bad you had to learn the hard way.
But you break the law on Zeta, you go to prison.
And you don't go to be socially rehabilitated.
No, sir. You go to be punished.
On Zeta, they do it right.
Here we are.
Just so you know where you'll be spending the rest of your life,
the prison is 200 meters straight down, carved from solid bedrock.
Yes, sir. On Zeta they do it right.
"On Zeta they do it right."
You oughta make it into a bumper sticker. You'd make a fortune.
A bumper sticker?
Welcome to Moon Three.
Move between the stasis poles, please.
He said move!
Move, huh, Hugo?
My name's not Hugo. It oughta be.
Looks like Val-Zhan here will be with us for a long time.
- [Bracelet Beeping] - This mean we're engaged?
It means if you don't behave yourself, I'll know about it.
Proceed with decontamination.
This one's a mess. Gonna take a while.
Pantera, is that you?
No. Just me.
I told him to be here.
For the record, old man, you don't tell me anything.
Oh? Then I suppose you already know...
That the Defense Directorate plans to breakJen Burton out of prison...
Instead of extraditing her.
We'll have to kill her before they get her down here. No!
That girl went to prison thinking I was going to get her out.
When she finds out the truth, she's gonna start talking.
But... To kill her?
About how you supply me with the shipping schedules.
About how I kick back one-fifth of my take to you.
Are you going to let her destroy you like that? Face it, old man.
It's your life or hers.
Huer's agent is going to break the girl out of prison and rendezvous...
With Colonel Wilma Deering at Station Post 7.
So. Majel and I will take off for Moon Three immediately...
And see that none of them leave there alive.
- I'll stick close to Huer, keep you advised of developments. - You do that, old man.
'Cause if you're setting me up,
I'll see that you fall with me... Hard.
Bye-bye.
That oughta do it.
Activate your scanner.
[Scanner Beeping]
Wait a minute. He's wearing contraband.
The X-ray shows some kind of necklace.
Hold on. It's just a keepsake, a good luck charm.
Your luck just ran out. Afraid you bribed someone in preprocessing for nothing.
I'll keep it.
We're keepin' it.
You like our filing system?
Here we are. You're just in time for some sunshine.
Hope you took a good look at the real thing up top, 'cause from now on,
this is all you get. [Chuckles]
[Buck] Fifty-four. Fifty-three. Fifty-two. Fifty-one.
Fifty. Forty-nine.
Excuse me. Jen Burton?
I'm Buck Rogers. I'm here to break you out of this place.
Your name's Val-Zhan. And I've heard that line before, many times.
Except this time it's not a line, as you'll find out in about 25 seconds.
By the way, when did the penal system go coed? What?
You know, boys and girls together.
How else would you do it? Men in one place, women in another.
Do you know the problems that would cause?
I don't feel like talking. Why don't you leave me alone. Okay?
Do me one favor. Hit the deck. Get down.
Hey, look at this.
[Beeping]
[Screaming]
I hope you're wearing 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.
[Burton Coughing]
Thanks. I'm sorry about the way I acted in there.
It's just I really had heard that line before. Keep moving.
I was thrown by your name. Never heard Mal say anything about a guy named Buck Rogers.
By the way, where is Mal? Your boyfriend didn't send me.
- Then why'd you rescue me? - The word "rescue" is a little premature.
We've gotta keep moving. Got a rendezvous to make.
With who? Whom. It's with Wilma. Come on.
My sensors just picked up a seismic disturbance in the proximity of the prison.
[Wilma] Right on schedule. Colonel, is there any way to verify...
That Captain Rogers didn't trap himself and Burton in his own explosion?
Negative, Ambassador. The prison's aerial defense shields are still operating,
though communications appear to be out.
I can't get close enough for anything but long-range scans.
We're assuming they made it, so don't keep them waiting. Descend to your rendezvous.
The sooner we get that woman back to Earth for interrogation...
The sooner we stop Pantera. I understand, Doctor. Deering out.
[Sighs]
Ted, I know we've made things difficult for you.
I apologize.
In truth, it's the Zetans who have made things difficult.
After all, their resistance toJen Burton's extradition...
Was totally unfounded in view of the situation.
Quite puzzling, actually.
Not really. As an independent planet, Zeta's always...
- Been distrustful of the Earth's Federation's activities. - I suppose that's true.
Well, Doctor, if you'll excuse us.
Ambassador Warwick and I have had very little chance to chat since he's arrived.
Can I interest you in some dinner?
- Only if you let me buy. - That's fair enough.
You know, I remember some years back...
[Chirping] I agree, Twiki.
There is something odd about the Ambassador's attitude.
I wonder if there's some kind of pattern, human or otherwise,
in Pantera's attack on our shipping.
Take me down to Central Data, please.
[Chirping] What about Buck?
He has no way of communicating with us, Twiki.
If he's in trouble, there's nothing we can do about it.
[Chirping] What a bummer!
I said, let go of me!
I'm not taking one more step until you tell me what's going on.
It's a long story, and I don't think you're gonna care for it much.
This is a big desert, and I don't like it much either.
You promise you'll keep walking? As long as you keep talking.
All right. It's a deal. Come on. [Sighs]
So where is it we're heading again? Station Post 7.
Dr. Huer says it's kind of a colorful place, has sort of a Moroccan flavor.
A what flavor? Never mind.
We'll be rendezvousing with Wilma in two and a half hours.
How did I get myself into this? By falling in love with a fink, that's how.
I don't know what that means, but I have a feeling I'm not gonna like it.
You're catching on.
[Circuits Buzzing]
[Beeping]
Listen, you came an awful long way and took a real big risk for nothing.
I'm not gonna tell the Defense Directorate anything.
Maybe you'll feel differently when you get back to Earth.
Or maybe I won't get back to Earth.
You could just let me slip away, tell your people I escaped.
They'd never know. You could do that, couldn't you?
Sorry. Why not?
They giving you a fat bonus the minute you bring me in the door?
Nope. I've just never been very good at lying.
Any minute now, an Earth ship is going to dock at the spaceport.
It'll be piloted by a woman named Wilma Deering.
Take her to the service area and keep her there, out of sight.
Is that understood?
Four hundred credits now, 600 later.
We'll meet you in the service area.
[Buck] We're making pretty good time.
You want to stop and take a rest? I'm fine.
Really, if you're tired, I don't mind if we rest. I said, I'm fine.
Well, I'm tired, and I'm gonna take a rest.
- Pull up a rock. - I'm not gonna let you take me back, you know.
What are you gonna do? Leave me abandoned out here in the middle of the wilderness?
Jen?
Why don't you at least wait till we get to the next station post?
It's that way.
[Circuits Buzzing]
[Beeping]
Welcome to Station Post 7, Wilma Deering. Don't make me use this, okay?
Unconscious people are so difficult to carry.
And dead ones are so unappealing.
Are you crazy? You've got all these witnesses. Witnesses?
Any of you witnesses?
Just not that kind of town.
Now, come this way to the service building.
Uh-uh! Don't try anything.
I could use this,
but you'd probably feel very uncomfortable when you came to.
Uh, this way?
Just start walkin'. I'll tell you when to stop.
Okay.
I bet I know why you were attracted to Pantera.
'Cause most of the people you knew weren't.
What? I'm my own person. Oh? Uh-huh.
So you attach yourself to someone like Pantera to prove you're your own person, huh?
He needed me. He used you!
- What would you know about it? - He promised to spring you out of there immediately.
How long you been in there? The time for getting me out just hadn't come yet.
Uh-huh. What's he waiting for?
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 why don't you stop pretending you care about me...
And who I am and why I am and just leave me alone?
Sand squid!
You got it.
Come on.
[Panting] You all right?
I don't know how, but I'm fine.
[Squeaking] Buck!
Oh, hi.
Can we talk about this?
Ah! God!
Okay, big guy. Come on.
[Panting]
Whew. You okay?
Still breathing. How 'bout you?
It's not the sort of thing I'd want to do every day, but I'll live.
- Thanks. - Returning the favor. Nothing more.
- You never let your guard down, do you? - Sometimes. Thank you.
Tell me, you got some sort of religious conviction against smiling?
[Laughs] That's better.
Well, this desert's not getting any smaller. Shall we?
I gotta admit. You're not as bad as I thought. Oh, thank you.
Seriously. You make a lousy first impression, but...
Now, wait a minute. I got you out of there, didn't I?
How long you been in there? Ten months, rotting in that prison?
Well, not quite 10 months. Nine and a half maybe.
[Theo] Now, let's see.
The first five freighters that Pantera intercepted...
Were bound for the Rigel system.
The next three for Vega.
Two others for Space Station L-20.
[Chirping] I smell a rat.
I'm not sure what you mean by that, Twiki.
But it appears that almost all of Pantera's raids...
Occurred in the quadrant over which Ambassador Warwick has diplomatic jurisdiction.
[Chirping] Uh-oh.
We must begin by tapping the ambassador's computer.
[Chirping] Someone isn't gonna like that.
[Theo] Meaning Dr. Huer.
Yes, I know, but what choice do we have, Twiki?
[Chirping] Life is tough.
I don't like this at all.
Wilma was supposed to meet us here over an hour ago. Well, she's late.
Come on. Let's go to the spaceport. Let's see if her ship is in at least.
Uh, they're looking at our clothes. I noticed.
[Laughing]
Um, what about, uh...
I never mugged anybody before. Mugged?
It's an old 20th-century custom. I'll give you a demonstration.
[Groans] Why are you doing this to me?
- Somebody paid me to. - Who?
I don't know.
[Sighs] It never occurred to you to ask?
I'm not getting paid a thousand credits to ask questions.
It never occurred to you that a thousand credits...
Is nothing compared to how much is at stake?
How come somebody wants you out of the way, huh?
Now you ask the questions.
You smuggling something? You the woman who's been smuggling the quadrillium?
They're probably tearing my ship apart right now. Course, they'll never find anything.
How much are you carrying?
Twelve kilograms. But if you think I'm gonna tell you where it is...
You're not gonna tell me.
You're gonna show me.
Get moving.
Now, then. Let's try it again.
- Who's your employer? - I don't know. I didn't get any names.
All right, then. Where is your employer?
All right. All right.
Wilma's obviously not in here.
Maybe someone's seen her. Come on.
Excuse me, my dear. I see some friends.
Excuse me. My name is Sergio Sanwiler. Perhaps you've heard of me.
No. No, no, of course not. I can see you're strangers.
In fact, I couldn't help but notice you're prison escapees.
- I can, uh, get those off you and not report you... For the right price. - We have no money.
Wait a minute. Maybe we do.
Not exactly in mint condition, are they? But then again,
what are a few bacteria between friends?
Wrist, please.
I'm looking for someone. Ayoung lady.
- Came into town a few hours ago. Have you seen her? - A blonde?
Yeah. I might have.
But information is an additional charge.
Some find my perceptions valuable. I'd be a fool to give them away for free, wouldn't I?
Well?
No. No blondes in today. Did see a redhead though.
Sorry. There you go.
Keep that as a little souvenir.
- That's it? - Yes, that's about it.
I paid for that? That's not information.
If that's the way you feel about my services, good day.
Twerp.
Well, let's tour this... City.
She's bound to be around here somewhere.
[Circuits Buzzing, Beeping]
[Door Buzzer Buzzes]
Oh, please! You won't be needing that, I assure you. I'm the gentlest of creatures.
- Who are you? - Ah! Sergio Sanwiler.
Perhaps you've heard of me. No. Well, no matter.
I have some information, if you're in the market for it.
I hear you're looking for a pair of escaped prisoners.
- A man and a woman, I believe. - Where are they?
[Laughs] First things first. Forty credits in advance.
- [Laughs] - [Laughs]
All right. You've got your money. Now, get out of here.
Gladly, sir, gladly.
Wonderful doing business with you. Ta-ta.
Well, this simplifies matters.
I've got another job for you. Hmm.
Sanwiler says they'll be in the courtyard.
Give that to Burton. She'll know what to do with it.
We've been through this town five times, and there's still no sign of Wilma.
Maybe she's hiding from someone. She could be on the move. Yeah, or locked up someplace.
We can't bust into every building in town lookin'for her.
The best thing we can do is use the subspace transmitter on Wilma's ship to contact Earth.
They'll send someone to pick you up and someone to help me search for Wilma. Come on.
I don't care what you have to do to get those coolant units recharged.
I want that ship ready to take off in an hour. Now, move!
[Pantera] No, old man. There's nothing to worry about.
Just a friendly call to allay your fears.
Everything's going according to plan.
Deering's out of commission, and I just set a trap for Rogers.
Jen Burton is as good as dead.
Hey, Buck?
- I'm sorry. - For what?
'Cause you cared enough to help.
That's why I'm really sorry I have to do this.
[Ring Buzzing]
[Circuits Buzzing, Beeping]
[Groans] Just hold still a moment, Buck.
Oh, boy. Take it easy. Give that shot a chance to work.
Wilma? Yeah, it's me.
- Where you been? - Ah, I got delayed by one of Pantera's thugs.
What happened to you? Where's Jen Burton? She's gone.
[Groans] She hit me with some kind of a stun beam and split.
I think she's headed straight for Pantera by now.
If she is, she's as good as dead.
- He's here to kill her, not rescue her. - He's here?
- Yeah. - Where is he?
At the boardinghouse the last time I saw him.
Whoa!
[Groans]
You all right? You feel that shot working yet?
Give me a minute. Give me a minute.
[Door Buzzer Buzzes]
Mal, look who's here.
Hi.
I thought I'd never see you again.
As well you should have. My ring, Jen.
Mal? Is the ship ready for takeoff?
- Ten minutes. - Then let's get going.
I don't like sittin' in one place too long. Come along, Jen.
Mal? Stop it, Jen!
Just my luck the one person that ever broke out of that prison has to be you.
I should've known.
Maybe I did know. I said, come along.
Why? So you can kill me? You said you loved me.
I said whatever was necessary to fulfill my needs.
One of which you filled quite adequately.
I said, come along, Jen.
You're next, you know.
Ah, there you are, Dr. Theopolis.
Any word from Colonel Deering or Captain Rogers?
None, I'm afraid, Doctor.
Colonel Deering's status report is long overdue.
Something's gone wrong.
But with Ted Warwick peering over my shoulder,
I can hardly send in additional agents to investigate.
Ambassador Warwick is a close friend of yours, is he not?
Yes, we were very close once.
And now I'm not sure I know him at all.
He's changed. When he was a young man, he was brash,
full ofhimself, but also intelligent and compassionate.
And supremely confident that one day he was going to be a great leader.
Well, didn't quite work out that way, did it?
Ayoung man's promise made to himself is sometimes a difficult thing to live up to.
I wish there were an easier way to tell you this, Doctor.
But my investigations indicate...
That Ambassador Warwick is working with Malary Pantera.
I wish I were more surprised at that.
Would you show me your data, please?
[Chirping]
[Chatter]
After a while, you see, the burden of wealth...
Begins to insulate you from reality.
That's why I told my valet, "Javin," I said,
"Just give me an old suit, a small shuttle,
and let me discover the galaxy as only a peasant can." [Laughs]
Now what? Pantera's not at the hotel,
he's not at the spaceport and he's not here.
Yeah. Someone must've tipped him off thatJen and I were here.
And I think I know who it was.
Wait here. I'll be right back.
Lovely speaking to you, my dear. Javin is waiting for me out beyond the...
Hello, Sergio. Who?
You told Pantera where we were, and after I paid you all that money to keep your mouth shut.
You owe me a favor. Of course. Anything.
Where's Pantera? Anything but that.
This isn't fair. You're using your unnatural height to your advantage.
So sue me. Where's Pantera?
If he's not at the boarding hotel, then, I... I don't know.
Fine. Then we're gonna search that desert grain by grain until we find him.
Well, in that case, his ship is being readied for departure in Service Building 3.
Fine. I knew you'd respond to reason.
Come on.
Hyperthyroid.
Now, then, as I was saying...
[Circuits Buzzing, Beeping]
As you feared, Ambassador Warwick is not in his quarters.
He is obviously aware of my suspicions...
And is attempting his escape from the city. No, no.
If he'd left the Directorate complex, we would have heard.
He must still be on the grounds. Seal off the area immediately.
Already sealed, Doctor.
When they find him, shall I have Security deliver the Ambassador to your office?
No. Despite all that's happened,
he's still a Federation officer and a friend.
When Security locates him, have them notify me at once.
They're not to take any action, not even to make their presence known...
Until after I arrive.
You stupid incompetent! How could you let her get away?
I'm sorry, Mr. Pantera. It wasn't my fault.
She used some kind of martial art technique I never saw before.
How did she get free? Uh, she said she...
Ah, never mind, never mind! Get outta here!
And don't think you're gonna get paid for your work. You're lucky to be alive.
And as for you, just a shove into an empty air lock,
and nobody'll ever find the body in deep space.
Sometimes the 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. [Wilma] 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 Guard Shouting]
[Circuits Buzzing, Beeping]
[Beeping] [Pantera] This does necessitate a change in plans.
Instead of one, there'll be three bodies dumped in space.
Go see what all that shouting's about.
[Shouting]
[Groans]
Agh!
[Buck] Why's he after me? What is it?
- It's your bracelet. - Oh, it is, huh?
No!
Be my guest.
You know he's gonna kill him. Please help me.
Oh, boy. Come on.
Help him! You just can't let him take Mal away.
What am I supposed to do? He's a machine.
All right. Come on. I know where I can cut him off. Let's go. Come on.
You've gotta stop him!
- Stop him how? He's a machine, not a human being. - Just stop him.!
It's all over, Hugo. You're not taking him in.
All right. Full power.
Control center. Fire!
[Majel Crying] You idiot! You've let her take your gun!
But you were hurt! Will you get away from me?
I told you you were next.
You don't want to do that, Ted.
What's the trick, Elias? Where are your guards?
No guards. It's just me.
I wanted to give you the opportunity to surrender.
How considerate of you.
I just heard from my people on Zeta.
Pantera's been captured. Jen Burton is still alive.
Tell me something, Ted.
Would you really have allowed him to kill her?
Tried not to think about it too much. - I see.
No, you don't see.
You can't see.
You can't know what it's like to be a go-between.
A messenger.
I was the one who was going to send the messages, Elias. Remember?
Not be the one to deliver them.
I was going to build something.
Something important.
Something that would last.
[Explosion]
You seemed to take Pantera's arrest right in stride. Congratulations.
I adapt quickly. Besides, I had excellent help.
Mmm.
Wait a minute now. What is this?
Nothing. I just wanted to have a little something to remember all this by.
Sure.
You don't think that android could... No, no, of course not.
You can keep it.
[Beeping]