Captain Rogers.
It's nice seeing you again.
Three beautiful space angels kidnap Twiki.
And Buck finds the key to saving Earth from fiery destruction by a runaway spaceberg.
- What do you want, Belzak? - Your Buck Rogers for his drone.
Prepare the ambu-quad for disassembly.
My planet is in danger of being destroyed.
I've got a chance of saving it, but I can't without your help.
I want Rogers in that acid now!
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.
Colonel Deering reporting from spaceberg escort.
Yes, Colonel.
We're approaching the entrance to Stargate 9. Requesting clearance.
Clearance granted, Colonel.
Proceed on established flight vector.
What is that, Dr. Huer?
That is 10 billion tons of frozen oxygen.
Once it's located on the North Pole, it'll begin to melt...
And help to replenish the oxygen-depleted atmosphere of the entire planet.
This is the third time that we've handled a transport of this kind,
and the procedure still makes me nervous.
Why is that?
Because the spaceberg is on a precise path towards a window in our atmosphere,
and it has to hit that window and pass through it exactly as planned.
Exactly. And if it doesn't?
Friction from the atmosphere would ignite the oxygen.
Our calculations have indicated that the resulting explosion...
Would literally scorch a third of the Earth's surface, possibly half.
Look at what the Terrans are doing at this very moment, Pinchas.
They have a problem, and they do something about it,
whatever the difficulties.
But you,
you simply come to me with talk, no action.
I've been working on a solution to our current problem, sir.
I've been in contact with several agents on Earth, and... More talk.!
Meanwhile, I have 5,000 miners malingering and threatening to leave their posts.
Do you know what that means? Yes, sir, I do.
It means we're not producing enough blazium.
I've got orders backed up to Xynon, and I can't fill them!
Then I shall find myself unable to support my chief operations officer...
Just as I can no longer tolerate his incompetence.
Do I make myself clear?
Ah. Anad, you've come.
I grew tired of waiting for your call.
You've read the list of grievances? Shocking.
Long hours, low pay, unhealthy working conditions.
Low morale, unrest.
The miners have elected me to represent them.
Yes.
And under your leadership, they have united for the first time.
And united we stand until something is done.
Oh, something is going to be done.
- Why have you summoned them? - The Omni Guard?
They are the key to our security, Anad.
They've kept the mines open and working.
Through cruelty and force!
How untrue.
I fear you may have hurt their feelings.
Take the meddling fool away.
Silencing him is only a temporary measure.
The miners will soon have another leader.
A solution I mentioned earlier, sir...
this is it.
A drone?
They've been miserable failures in the mines.
We need something more than artificial intelligence down there.
This is a Terran drone, sir.
Serial number 22-23-T.
Manufactured at the ambu-quad facility in New Chicago.
- So? - What makes 22-23-T so unique, sir,
is that its basic programming has been augmented by its present owner,
a Captain Buck Rogers.
Rogers is a Terran from the 20th century,
and he's endowed the drone with extraordinary features...
resourcefulness, courage, loyalty...
And... even though we know such is impossible...
some say imagination.
And you're thinking to buy it, break it down,
analyze its binary patterning.
Yes, sir.
And mass produce it to serve in the mines.
Each unit as an adjunct to a miner...
To take over some of the more uncomfortable and dangerous procedures.
And where is this one-of-a-kind ambu-quad to be found right now?
On Earth in New Chicago.
And my thought was our morale problem would be...
Ladies,
I have a mission for you.
Dr. Huer, my instrumentation indicates that the oxygen mass...
Is maintaining a perfect trajectory.
Temperature is holding steady at minus 250 degrees Celsius.
Thank you, Colonel.
Please keep me posted of even the slightest change in conditions.
Captain Rogers? That's correct.
I'm Stella Breet. I'm a contract administrator for Kurt Belzak...
On the asteroid Toros in Third Quadrant.
You'll have to excuse me. I'm a little new around here.
I don't know what any of that means.
Oh, well, uh, can I come in and explain?
Sure. Sure, come in.
Come on.
Looks just like I imagined it would. Like you "imagined it would"?
Oh, we always compile biofiles of all our business associates before we meet them.
I didn't know that we were associates.
We're not, but we will be.
Just exactly who is this, uh, Kurt Belzak? Hmm?
Mr. Belzak owns an integrated mining, manufacturing and distribution operation...
With its headquarters on Toros.
He's the, uh, sole supplier of an explosive called blazium.
That's very interesting, except I still don't see where I come into this picture.
Ah.
Uh-huh. A million, in round figures. It's yours.
What have I done to deserve such generosity?
You haven't done anything.
It's, uh, payment for your ambu-quad... serial number 22-23-T.
"T" as in Twiki? Yes. Twiki.
- I'm sorry, Stella. He's not for sale. - Oh, I see. You want to negotiate.
No. I just don't want to sell Twiki.
Well, it-it's just an ambu-quad.
No. Twiki's a little more than that. He's, uh... He's like a friend.
A drone is a drone, Captain.
Friends... Friends are different.
One feels affection for friends.
One owns a drone, and anything that is owned can be sold.
Except for Twiki.
You see, it'd be like selling family.
Besides, why does Belzak want my particular ambu-quad?
- He's only one of thousands. - I'm not paid to know why, Captain.
Uh, Captain Rogers, I need your help.
Mr. Belzak will be very upset with me if I come back with nothing.
Well, I'd say anything you want except Twiki and me.
I understand that.
I have a friend who runs a biostereometrical facility.
And, well, I thought...
- Oh, you mean a 3-D photographer. - Yes.
Could I take pictures ofTwiki's internal circuitry?
It-It's not much, but at least it would be something to bring back to Belzak.
Yeah, I guess that'd be all right. I don't see any harm in taking pictures ofTwiki's internal circuitry.
Besides, knowing the ham he is, he'd probably enjoy it.
- "Ham"? - You'll find out what that means when you meet him.
Oh. Thank you.
Uh...
This is the address. See you there at 9.00? Fine.
He wouldn't sell.
But we've got a date with Captain Rogers...
And Twiki.
Let's go.
Dr. Huer, I'm monitoring an increasing frequency of ionized particles... rising rapidly.
Doctor, I want a detailed radio scan of Quadrant 4 immediately.
Yes, Doctor.
But, Doctor, an ion storm of large-enough magnitude could...
I'm aware of the ramifications, Doctor. Begin gathering data, please.
Where is everybody, Buck?
It's after hours, Twiki. Everyone's gone home.
Yeah, here it is.
Yeah.
Hmm.
Captain Rogers. Thank you for bringing the ambu-quad.
Now, if you'll just leave it here for a while.
No way, Stella.
As you wish, Captain.
Hey!
Hey! I'm private property. You're trespassing.
Ambu-quad prepared.
Autopilot set at coordinates 446.
Remote facility activated.
Excellent. I'll take control.
Remain on Earth until the ambu-quad is securely on Toros.
This "wild blue yonder" stuff is for the birds!
Dr. Huer. Twiki's been taken. What?
Three women... psychokinetics. It's a long story, but I think he was taken to...
Captain Rogers.
I have a report of a non-Terran starfighter being launched.
Its digital reference was H270,
indicating its port of origin is Toros in the Third Quadrant.
An ambu-quad is in the cockpit.
I'm going after him.
This is Buck Rogers calling H270. Do you read?
I thought you'd deserted me.
The ambu-quad is being followed, Pinchas.
Very closely. It appears the two ships may have rendezvoused.
Yes. Well, we'll take care of that.
- Are you a sight for sore circuits. - You too, pal.
- What's the situation on board? - It's all remote control, Buck.
I can't do a thing. Buck?
Buck Rogers?
The Terran owner?
All right, Rogers, let's see how good you are.
Buck, that wasn't me.
I know, little buddy.
Listen, you gotta pop that canopy and get out of that ship fast.
- But it's a long walk home. - Don't worry. I'll track you in.
- Here I go, Buck! - The drone is out of the ship!
Where are you, Buck? Buck!
Some may like hanging loose, but not this quad.
Well, you're good, whoever you are, but you're not quite good enough.
So long.
This is Starfighter 1314 to Earth Control. Come in, please.
You've got New Tulsa Tracking Station, Starfighter 1314. What can we do for you?
I've lost an ambu-quad up here. I'm gonna need some help finding him.
You've got it, 1314.
Well, make it quick, will ya? There's a heavy-gravity body nearby.
If I don't pick him up fast, he's gonna crash into it.
Help!
Hurry, Buck!
This is New Tulsa Tracking Station to Starfighter 1314.
Go ahead, New Tulsa. We have a fix.
Distance... 33,000 mega-Ks from Alpha Centauri.
Radius vector... 33 degrees left off the elliptical plane...
And elevation 40 degrees north.
Roger, New Tulsa. I'm on my way.
Hurry, Buck!
Thanks, Buck.
We're reporting as per schedule.
Did the ambu-quad arrive yet?
Hardly.
The Terran owner intercepted him and brought him back to Earth.
Buck Rogers.
That would be consistent with the information in his biofile.
What are your orders?
If the ambu-quad is so important to Buck Rogers,
let's see how important Buck Rogers is... To Earth.
He heads an industrial complex...
Which controls dozens of intergalactic corporations.
The base of his power, though, is in the blazium mines on Toros.
What's so important about blazium?
Blazium? Well, gram for gram, it's the most powerful explosive ever developed.
Mr. Belzak has made millions by selling blazium to any and all buyers.
What did he want with Twiki?
Whatever it is, he can't have it.
Dr. Huer, this is Colonel Deering. Do you read?
Do you read? Yes, Colonel Deering. This is Dr. Huer.
We seem to have a substantial amount of interference.
We're encountering a rather violent storm, Doctor.
The ion count is still alarmingly high.
Dr. Theopolis.
The data reflects a mature ion storm...
Sweeping directly across the path of the spaceberg.
- Dr. Huer. - Yes, Colonel.
The spaceberg has moved off its established flight path.
Yes, Colonel. That's confirmed by our observations here as well.
Please stand by for further instructions.
Dr. Huer, if that spaceberg misses the window...
- What can we do? - Frankly, Buck, I'm not sure.
We've moved oxygen in this manner twice before.
We've always known there was a risk,
but it seemed to be outweighed by the urgent need.
- I'm gonna give Wilma a hand. - But there's nothing you can do, Buck.
Tell her I'm on my way.
Captain Rogers.
It's nice seeing you again.
Where exactly am I?
Three minutes out of Stargate 23.
An hour from Toros. Hmm.
Well, at least Belzak is consistent...
two kidnappings in a row.
Doesn't he know how to say "Please"?
- Belzak gets what he wants. - Everything?
Why are you doing this?
There are reasons, necessities.
Hmm.
In my apartment, you said something about friends and affection.
You just forget about all of that and throw it out the window?
- Just a lot of words? - Perhaps something from the nutrition center.
Stella, what's Belzak got on you?
I'm sorry. I don't want to talk about this right now.
Is he threatening you?
What's he holding over you?
Come on, Stella. Tell me.
It's not me. It's my son, Lucas.
His father was a...
Toros general,
one of the chosen class.
I was a paranormal with psychokinetic powers.
Our marriage... And our child...
Were never condoned by the ruling class.
When my... Husband protested,
he was executed as a traitor to his class.
He was killed for loving me.
The man who signed his death order was Belzak.
And on Toros,
the son of a traitor is also condemned to a traitor's death.
Belzak spared him.
As civilian head of the ruling body, he alone could do so.
He allowed me to send Lucas to Remus 2,
and then he forced me to use my psychokinetic powers for his purposes.
If I ever tried to leave him,
he'd have Lucas killed.
It doesn't have to be that way.
This is Toros Approach Control to Shuttle 9281.
We'll be arriving soon. I hope your stay in Toros will be a pleasant one.
Repeat. This is Toros Approach Control to Shuttle 9281.
You're cleared for reentry over the outer marker.
Welcome...
To my little corner of the universe,
Captain Rogers.
Better put that to music.
May I have the current data, Doctor, please?
Current angular displacement of the spaceberg...
Is approximately three degrees from center, Doctor.
It will miss the atmospheric window...
By nearly 633 kilometers.
Might as well be six meters.
Once the explosions begin, the entire spaceberg will disintegrate.
Ah. Dr. Huer, I presume?
Yes. And you are?
Kurt Belzak, sir.
It seems you have a bit of a problem on your hands.
Yes, and very little time to talk to you. So, if you don't mind...
Oh, but I do. Indeed I do.
- We need to speak. - About what?
About your friend and mine.
Buck! How did you...
How is not important, Doctor.
It's what we do next that interests me.
I see. What do you want, Belzak?
Your Buck Rogers for his drone... an even exchange.
Hey!
Belzak, you're already guilty of kidnapping and extortion.
How do you expect me to deal with... Doc, don't do anything.
Belzak, listen to me. My hands are tied.
The Directorate strictly forbids responding to such threats.
All I can do is turn over the entire matter to the interstellar authorities immediately.
Don't be a fool, Doctor.
Send me the ambu-quad, or Buck Rogers will suffer the consequences.
There's nothing I can do to help him.
Nothing at all.
Under the circumstances, I don't think it necessary to...
to give Colonel Deering the burden of... Knowing.
Twiki, where are you going?
Twiki?
What about Buck?
Come back here this instant. Twiki.
Buck, here comes the cavalry.
Geronimo!
Hang on, Buck. I'm on my way.
I think I've done you a great service, Captain Rogers.
Oh, really?
That oxygen-mass transport project was... Ingenious, daring...
And will ultimately prove to be fatal to your Terran brethren.
I think they'll find a way to get it back on course.
It's possible but not probable.
One doesn't just nudge 10 billion tons back on course.
Oh, I should like to convince you...
That a man of your reputed talents has a place here on Toros.
After all, your Terran brethren have abandoned you.
Perhaps.
I don't think you need those anymore.
Unshackle Captain Rogers.
Bring him on our morning rounds.
Let's see if we can make him a convert to our cause.
This is the very heart of our blazium operation.
The raw ore is dissolved in hydrochloric acid,
reducing it to a pure crystal form.
As an explosive, it has unique properties.
Aside from its power, it's the quickest-burning and the hottest,
which makes it particularly useful in the cold of space.
It must be difficult storing an explosive like this.
Not at all.
You're holding enough blazium to destroy a small moon with ease.
Don't worry, Captain. Blazium needs a substantial amount of energy to ignite.
Consequently, it's quite stable.
I can see that you're genuinely interested, Captain.
- Fascinated. - Good. Very good.
I can see a glorious future for you here, Captain.
Those mines are nearly a flawless operation,
except they depend on men to work them.
It should be obvious why I need your remarkable ambu-quad,
with all the 20th-century talent you have imbued him with,
combined, of course, with your own.
Well, I really hate to tell you this, Belzak, but, uh,
Twiki is chronically lazy.
Oops. I guess I blew it, Buck.
- Twiki, what are you doing here? Dr. Huer didn't... - I came on my own.
- Prepare the ambu-quad for disassembly. - Uh-oh!
Help!
Hang on, Buck. Stop him!
He's only one man. Stop him!
Keep your hands right where I can see 'em.
All right, Twiki. Let's go. You got it, boss.
Keep goin', Twiki.
This is ridiculous.
One drone and a Terran have me trapped in my own quarters?
Deploy a squadron of guards in each of the main corridors.
I want that ambu-quad back in one piece.
And I want Rogers... dead or alive!
Pinchas!
Hold it, Twiki.
That blazium storage room must be around here somewhere.
Blazium?
Let's just get outta here.
I think that blazium might just solve our spaceberg crisis.
Something Belzak said about its properties. Come on.
What's wrong?
That noise! It's goin' right through my head!
Give me a boost, Buck.
Buck.
Interloper in Subsection 9, Corridor 3A, sonic chamber.
Good. I'm sure Captain Rogers is getting an earful.
Shall we join him?
Higher, Buck.
Let's move it, Buck!
We've got a plane to catch.
They've escaped. Impossible.
The sonic chamber has... Has absolutely no effect on a drone, idiot!
Look.
That's why I let you go first, Buck.
Must be some kind of energy field.
Solid as a rock.
Now what, Buck?
Stella can deactivate that thing.
All right, Twiki, you hide under that catwalk.
Don't move, and hold on to that blazium. I'll be right back.
Spread out. Search the bays.
Dr. Huer, I don't think we're having the slightest effect on the spaceberg.
I'm afraid your analysis is correct, Colonel,
as I feared it would be.
The window is our only hope. Without it...
Stella, I need your help.
What's keeping you, Buck?
I can't do it. If Belzak finds out...
He won't, not for a while at least.
And by that time, we'll be long gone.
I told you, he has agents on Remus 2.
He'll have Lucas killed. I know it.
Remus 2 is under the Directorate's jurisdiction.
We'll have Lucas brought to Earth where Belzak can't reach him.
It's too late to start over. This is where I belong.
Stella, give yourself a chance. Give Lucas a chance.
I'm sorry. I can't.
Stella, my planet is in danger of being very, very badly damaged,
perhaps even destroyed.
I've got a chance of saving it.
In order to do that, I've gotta get out of here, but I can't without your help.
All right, Buck, I'll deactivate the energy wall.
Welcome, Captain. I see the lovely Stella has found you first.
Very good work, my dear.
Belzak, I... She is very persuasive.
Yes, well, all good things must come to an end, Captain.
- Now, where's your ambu-quad? - I don't know.
I think I left him down in one of the tunnels. I'm not sure.
Such a transparently thin subterfuge, Captain.
Never mind. We'll find him. Take him away.
- Hold it! - Really, Captain.
Don't you ever know when to cease?
Heads up, Buck!
Come on! Move!
Hold on, Rogers!
The ladies would like your attention just for a moment. Ladies.
Buck!
Terribly sorry to end our relationship this way, Captain.
Stella, don't do this.
Don't let Belzak win.
Save your breath, Captain. She hears no one but me.
Stella, listen to me!
Continue the mind meld.
- Stella. - I want Rogers in that acid.
Now!
Stella! I can help you.
Don't listen to him. Your son will die without my help.
If I die, your last chance to leave this place dies with me.
L... Command you!
One move, and he dies.
Come on, Buck. Let's get outta here.
You fools.! The Earth is dying.! Don't you understand?
Stella, you've condemned your son to death.
Your approach to Toros cleared for landing.
Dr. Huer, we're registering a change in surface temperature.
It's reaching the outer layers of the atmosphere. It's beginning to heat.
I show a reading... minus 243 degrees Celsius and rising.
If it reaches 217 degrees, the entire mass will become completely unstable.
Beyond that point, ignition of the oxygen is... Inevitable.
Buck Rogers calling Earth Defense Directorate.
Repeat. Buck Rogers calling Earth Defense Directorate.
Buck!
What's happened? How in galaxy did you...
I'll fill you in later, Doc. What's the status on the berg?
Well, we haven't been able to alter its trajectory,
and it is now approaching one minute and 23 seconds from entering the atmosphere.
On the wrong trajectory.
Wilma, Dr. Huer.
- I think I have a way to get the berg back on trajectory. - I'm listening.
Blazium is fast-burning and extremely hot.
If we plant the right amount in the right place and detonate it, then we'll...
Shift it and let gravity take over.
Ah! It sounds reckless, Buck.
Captain Rogers's theory is sound, Doctor.
But he has no apparatus on board to guarantee an accurate placement.
I'm just gonna have to eyeball it, Doc. Give me the coordinates.
Very well. We have no choice.
Doctor, we need volume, mass, distance from Earth, angular differential.
Please, Doctor, I have anticipated the requisites.
Those figures are now coming through on the C6000.
Excellent.
Buck, your angular differential is three degrees, four minutes and 22 seconds.
Now we must reduce the berg's mass by 4.0923.
How much blazium do you have aboard? It's a two-kilo brick.
Doctor? Reduce it by half.
Reduce it by half, Buck. Roger.
Now, from your angle of approach, Buck,
you're going to have to lay down the blazium on the following coordinates.
M23. 11.
And D 17.9.
- Got it. - And good luck.
Wilma, clear everybody from the vicinity of that berg.
I want you to hang up there at about 20,000 kilometers.
As soon as I lay the blazium down, hit it with a full-power pulsar and get out of there.
I understand, Buck, but what are you gonna do about the primary explosion?
I'm gonna try to get out of there myself.
I'm getting a reading of minus 225 degrees,
and we are within 22 seconds of the critical range.
- You ready? - Yeah, I think so.
Play it as it lays, Buck.
- I'm on my way, Wilma. - Standing by. Pulsars ready.
Here we go.
Eight ball in the side pocket.
It's all yours, Wilma.
Got it, Buck.
Doctor Huer, what's happening? Doc?
By heavens, it's working.
It's bringing this mass back into its proper trajectory.
I record a satisfactory entrance through the atmospheric window, Doctor.
You've done it, Buck! You've done it!
I don't know exactly how, but you've done it, my friend.
I don't know how you do it either, but I'm sure glad you do.
Terran ingenuity, I guess.
And a little luck.
Let's head for home.
Well, it's official.
Kurt Belzak has been overthrown by the miners on Toros. Oh, that's wonderful.
Yes. They've exiled him to a planet in the Sixth Quadrant.
You won't have to worry about him for a long time to come.
And we've made contact with our people on Remus 2.
Lucas will be arriving on the next shuttle.
I'll never be able to thank you.
Especially you, Buck. Mm.
All of us owe Buck our thanks. Wait a minute. Let's not forget about Twiki here.
No big deal, Buck.
No big deal?
You let yourself get kidnapped and almost got lost in space.
Then you went A. W. O. L. And almost got yourself dissected by Belzak's goons,
not to mention nearly getting me burned to a crisp.
Give me a break, Buck.
Give you a break? I'll give you a break.
Two weeks hard labor, bread and water...
And a suspended sentence.
- Thanks for your help, buddy. - You're worth it, Buck.
I think.