Scorpion-class pulse warriors.
Kamikaze bombardiers.
Every day, new Bugs show up on the battlefield.
Watch out! Get down, get down!
So many that some wonder:
GIQ on one.
Don't bet on it, citizen.
Here at Oppenheimer Proving Grounds...
... federal scientists are cooking up some nasty top-secret surprises...
... of their own.
But the newest weapon in the Mobile Infantry's arsenal...
... is the not-so-secret shovel.
Greater Bug firepower means trenches.
And that means digging here on Roku San...
... this once peaceful farm planet...
... that has become the new frontline of the Second Bug War.
There you go, trooper. And put your back into it.
If you're against the war, you're against us.
That's what a federal judge said today...
... when he declared that hanging is absolutely good enough...
... for anyone who threatens the morale of the Federation.
- and death. Execute them all.
This is a very simple ruling. People need to watch what they say.
Admiral Enolo Phid, division chief, Fleet Intelligence...
... voiced another concern from her headquarters at Terran Command.
The revival of religious worship here and in the outer colonies...
...will not be tolerated if it leads to sedition...
...or in any other way destabilizes our war effort.
He's dark, he's handsome, he's psychic.
Courage, duty, honor
Eagle high above
He's General Omar Anoke, the sky marshal everyone loves.
And gives us strength To go and win this war
And at last night's war rally...
... he thrilled audiences all across the Federation...
... with a pounding rendition of his latest hit, "A Good Day to Die."
We fight for what is right
A noble sacrifice
When duty calls, you pay the price
For the Federation I will give my life
And hey, citizen, now you can celebrate Sky Marshal Anoke...
... and support our war effort at the same time.
Because it's always a good day to buy.
- I will give my life - Courage, duty, honor
For the Federation I will give my life
Incoming!
- Clear out! - Run!
Move, move, move!
Can you walk, soldier?
- Yes, sir. - Good.
Give us a hand. Pick up that arm and find out who it belongs to.
Yes, sir.
Mop up, people. We got brass up our ass in T-minus-2.
Surprise inspection, sir? Tonight?
The SM can drop in and count the sheets any time he wants.
The sky marshal's coming here?
Ask him for an autograph, Lieutenant Manion, and I will have you shot.
No, sir. Of course not, sir.
- Officer on deck. - Carry on.
Status?
- Archie's testing the fence again, sir. - Stupid Bugs.
Pesky, not stupid, lieutenant.
Keep it up, Archie. I like my Bugs fried in the morning.
Boat coming down, colonel.
Look sharp, troopers.
Sir, the sky marshal is the Federation's top-secret top secret.
So how'd you know he was coming?
Anoke's chief of staff used to polish my brass.
You know General Hauzer?
Dix Hauzer was a dope lieutenant just like you once upon a time.
Made general in two years. Some dope.
Only took me eight years to make colonel.
Officer on deck.
- John Rico. - Good to see you, Dix.
- How's it going? - Good.
I have to introduce you to someone. I think I'm in love.
Yeah? Who'd have you?
Here he comes, everybody. Let's go, come on.
Officer on deck.
Sorry to drop in unannounced, colonel.
And yet I sense you expect my visit.
Get in tight on this, sergeant. Johnny Rico, our hero of Planet P.
I just did my part, sir.
Oh, no. Heroes inspire courage, sacrifice.
- Sacrifice? - Yes.
By asking us to be better than what we are.
Tell me about Roku San, colonel.
Will these farmers fight?
They need us, but they don't like us, sir.
Hearts are more fickle than minds.
Johnny Rico.
Lola Beck?
What are you doing here?
I fly the SM.
He gets the best.
Well, you know me, Johnny.
Yes, I know you.
Captain Beck is the person I was talking about earlier.
You?
And Lola?
What's the joke?
Captain Beck, you should have informed me...
...of your relationship with Colonel Rico.
You know what I do out of uniform is off the clock, general.
You three obviously have much to discuss.
Buy them both a drink on me, colonel.
Yes, sir.
- Lieutenant Manion, isn't it? - Yes, sir.
- Care to give me the post tour? - Me?
I have all your songs, sir.
- Carry on, lieutenant. - Yes, sir.
Follow me, sir.
Come on, kids. We got orders.
You boys are the biggest girls I've ever known.
What do you think of them?
Bugs? I hate them, sir.
Well, no one likes what they can't understand.
But just look at the imagination.
The sheer virtuosity of their creation.
I hate to bother you, sir, but could you please sign my helmet?
Of course, trooper.
- Thank you, sir. - Anytime, son.
All I know is...
...there sure are a lot more of them at the wire today, sir.
A lot more.
Well, maybe they heard I was going to sing.
- Officer on deck. - Look sharp.
At ease.
Gentlemen.
You got me confused with someone who isn't a farmer.
- How do I get me a hat like that? - Join up, do your part.
Farmers.
- I'd like to ask you something. - Sorry, chief.
Already married.
Buy them a drink on me, will you? And bring us a bottle.
Hose your cage, Harlan.
These are the kind of people who will lose this war for us.
Why is it no one in the outer colonies wants to fight?
Roku San used to be a nice place.
Now it's war, and they blame us.
Archie's cooking tonight.
- Oh, yeah. - Yeah.
- What are they thinking? - Archie don't think.
It's a good day to fry.
- Ten-hut. - At ease, troopers.
Fascinating.
They seem so excited tonight.
You ought to hear them, sir. They're howling out there.
Well, put them on the line, soldier.
What does it mean, sir?
It means we're being tested, lieutenant.
Our loyalty, our intelligence...
...our imagination.
Excuse me, sir. My brother really loves you.
- Of course. What's his name? - Kevin.
- I'm sure he'll make a fine recruit. - Thank you.
- May I, sir? - Of course you can, trooper.
Ask him for an autograph, Lieutenant Manion, and I will have you shot.
Hey, where'd he go?
To us.
To John, hero of Planet P.
Lola, two ships shot out from under you.
I fly a goddamn desk.
The battles I fight are with numbers. That's what I do.
That's what I know.
And that's why I know...
...that if everyone in here doesn't step up, we're sunk.
- To the Federation. - The Federation.
"To the Federation."
So, Dix.
Rico and I met...
...when Johnny was a big war hero and I was still a six.
Bond tour. Ten planets, eight days.
Do you remember Turtle Bay?
So, Dix, how do you know Johnny?
Well, he used to be my boss at TCOM.
Standard rotation. Worst year of my life.
Dix saved my ass every day.
Hey, it's hanging time.
Appeals are exhausted. Their families have said goodbye.
All that remains is payment for their crimes against you, citizen.
The senior executive executioner is taking his time.
Sending a message, perhaps.
One for all of us to contemplate this evening.
That our ideas, no matter how pleasing...
... are dangerous.
That there are actions and consequences.
That no one really counts very much...
... unless we are part of something bigger.
There it is, justice.
You'll pay. As God is my witness, you'll pay.
- Back off. - Hold on, hold on, wait, wait.
Hey, fuck off, feddy.
You guys fail to understand a very clear lesson here.
You got something to learn me?
- Come on, Dix, let's get out of here. - Colonel Rico, if you please.
Yes, sir.
MPs, now. I want them arrested. Everyone. That's an order.
Yes, sir. Sergeant.
You heard the general.
My friends, you're not bigger than the Federation.
Watch what you say and do what you're told.
- Or you'll have us hung, is that it? - It's up to you.
Come on, Dix. Let's get Lola out of here.
I don't work for you anymore, John. Stand down.
Did you hear that, everybody? Stand down. That's an order.
From now on, I take my own lumps.
I got this.
Now you're in violation of Article 5.
Article 8.
- Had enough? - Stand down, Rico.
Stand down.
That's Article 11.
That's 11.
Which makes you subject to...
- Special Order 86. - Look out!
Colonel Rico, you're out of order.
Begging the general's pardon, sir.
I was trying to keep an old friend from making an ass of himself.
Friendship means nothing next to duty, colonel.
And you have forgotten yours.
I thought we were here to kill Bugs, sir.
Not farmers.
Arrest the farmers. Sedition.
- And Colonel Rico too. - All right, on your feet, asshole.
- Failure to obey a superior officer. - Hey, Dix, stop it.
Johnny's right.
Move it!
Captain Beck.
Return to your boat.
Sergeant, you have your orders.
Colonel, please come with me.
Electrical system malfunction.
Oh, no.
Here they come, they're on the wall.
- Rico. - It's all down. Everything.
The fence is down, sir.
- The fence? - How could that have happened?
Fuck, here they come.
Oh, shit.
We need reinforcements.
We need reinforcements now, sir!
- I'm on my way. - Hold on. You are under arrest.
- Is that your final word? - No, that's an order.
I'll see you at my court-martial.
- Nice seeing you, Lola. - Yeah.
Make a hole, coming through.
Heads up, colonel.
Keep it moving. Keep it moving.
Come on, you apes. You wanna live forever?
Move it. Come on.
Keep it moving.
Fall back.
Defensive positions. Incoming.
Let's go.
Go. Go.
Out of ammo, man. Out of ammo.
No!
- Bugs! - Two lines! Front and back!
Fire!
Grenades!
Fire!
Forward!
Colonel Rico, sir.
- Situation, lieutenant. - Totally ominously fucked up, sir.
And I lost the sky marshal too, sir.
Good. We'll all hang together.
You know what to do. Get in there and kill them all!
- Where's forward command? - It's Bugs.
It's Bugs. Bugs everywhere you go, sir.
Sir, what are you doing here?
Are you wounded? We have to get you to the lander right now.
I'm fine.
Marines, gather around. We must get the sky marshal to safety right now.
Yes, sir. Formation. This way, general.
Archie.
Clear.
Keep moving.
Archie. Get that paddock open.
This is General Hauzer. Open this door.
Open the door.
Sir.
Get this door closed!
Dr. Wiggs, over here. Dr. Wiggs, we need you.
Get him inside.
- Corpsman, see to Sergeant Rye. - Yes, sir.
Fucking Bugs. I hate them!
Dr. Wiggs. Front and center.
- What's wrong with him? - Careful.
He's in shock. Are you all right, sir?
Are you all right, sir?
Sir?
- I will be. - Oh, good.
Here we go. Careful.
Captain Beck, when do we leave?
How about T-minus-now, sir?
Sir, requesting permission to remain on Roku San, sir.
- Trying to be a hero, Dix? - Somebody's gotta stay and fight.
Sir.
Colonel Rico is in command.
I was forced to relieve Colonel Rico.
He's under arrest for acts of insubordination.
Serious charges. I'm sorry for your friend.
Perhaps your destiny does lay here after all, Dix.
Go find it.
And good luck, soldier.
Wait.
Just think about this for a second.
Because you're making a decision for the both of us right now.
I know.
Dix, I love you.
I love you.
Blast off, Fleet.
Attention, all units.
This is General Hauzer.
I am assuming command effective immediately.
Go to the bunker!
Repeat, I'm assuming command. All unit commanders report.
I want location and status. Now.
We lost G Trench, sir.
Put that in a memo to General Hauzer, will you, lieutenant?
Yes, sir.
This is Hauzer to all units. I say again, I'm assuming command.
They're pulling back, sir.
- Get down! - Hit the deck!
Clear the deck.
Skinner, Hightower, cover that hole.
Prepare for attack!
Bombardier!
Scorp! It's a scorp!
Scorpion.
Scorpion! Oh, fuck! Scorpion!
Fire, fire, fire!
Grenades!
Take us home, Captain Beck.
Warp in five, number one.
Yes, ma'am. What about General Hauzer, ma'am?
He wants combat. Take us out on my mark.
Five, four, three, two, one.
The guy says, "Man, then we can all get some sleep."
Fucking Archie. Can't believe I got bitten.
Yeah, he got you.
Officer on deck.
At ease.
Nice work out there, sergeant.
Thank you, ma'am. SM all okay?
Thanks to you boys.
What do we say, marines?
- Yeah. - Carry on.
Oh, boy.
Chief Brittles, are we shipshape?
You'd be the first to know, captain.
Just saying hi, Bull.
Excuse me, ma'am.
If that's the SM's dinner, after you, Holly.
Thank you, ma'am.
What's cooking, Jingo?
You know, the same old shit on a shingle.
- Drink, captain? - On duty, doc.
Me too.
Captain Beck. Give a listen, will you?
Today we have suffered grave defeat at Roku San.
But I am confident that there exists balance in the cosmos and...
Excuse me, sir.
I am certain that there exists balance in the cosmos.
And where there is defeat, we will make victory.
What do you think?
I have to address the council tomorrow.
Well, sir, everybody loves victory.
If you'll excuse me, I'll be getting back to the cockpit.
Look, look, can't they manage without you just for once?
Let's stay and talk.
Certainly, sir, I'd be happy to.
Hold on.
We're falling out of warp.
Sir, for your own protection...
...I'm gonna need to get you to the marine lander.
Holly, stay with us.
- What just hit us? - I think we just hit each other.
Come on, Holly, let's move.
- Marines, report to the rescue deck. - I read you, Captain Beck.
And we are on our way.
Let's go.
Come on.
Marines. Right here, brothers.
Let's go.
Was that a reactor, chief?
Secondary. Number one will turn us into daylight.
I'm okay. I'm okay.
- Abandon ship, chief. - Yes, ma'am.
Sergeant Rye, the SM goes with you.
Yes, ma'am. Come with us now, sir.
Captain Beck, I would prefer that you stay at my side.
Yes, sir. Crew chief, get everyone else to the rescue pod.
You got it.
- We got a little problem in the galley. - Jingo, jeez.
Dumb ass.
- You okay? - Yeah.
Go get the SM, Chick.
Sir, this way.
No! Damn it!
- Marines, get to your lander. - I will see you on the ground.
Okay, people, let's move. To the rescue pod, now.
- Are we crashing? - No, we're getting into the rescue pod.
The Roku San line, key to the Federation's defense...
... knows defeat in one night.
How many dead? No man can say.
Experts agree on one thing only:
Blame falls squarely on Colonel John Rico.
Once heralded as the hero of Planet P.
Now disgraced and awaiting court-martial...
... from his cell at the Alamo Bay Federal Detention Facility.
Another day, another peace rally in the outer colonies.
The Federation has taken advantage.
But this time it's different, because of Elmo Goniff.
Hey, I'm a citizen.
Decorated veteran turned pacifist...
... and now the leader of a growing coalition of citizens...
... who question the Federation's administration...
... of the Arachnid conflict.
- and counting. Why? I found my answers in faith.
And I have faith in God, not people.
Peace at any price is a human right.
And there are other costs too.
Defeat at Roku San has fueled the anti-war movement...
... resulting in the deaths of 144 outer-colony students...
... and religious protesters.
We break net now to take you live to Terran Command...
... where Sky Marshal Omar Anoke will address the Federation...
... on the Roku San crisis.
My fellow citizens, I come to you today with a heavy heart.
Within the past 12 hours...
... we have suffered ignominious defeat at Roku San.
Incompetence at the highest levels of command...
...and betrayal...
...by those who would protest, question...
...and commit acts of civil disobedience.
I assure you that those responsible for the catastrophe at Roku San...
...and all crimes against the Federation, large and small...
...will be punished.
Ours is a war of human destiny...
...that will end only in total victory.
And we're out.
Okay, let's wrap it up. Good.
So?
What's the matter, general? You don't look very happy with me.
We all understand the need to maintain stability...
...until we locate the sky marshal.
I'm surprised to see you.
I thought you'd take some time to recover from your ordeal.
The sky marshal would want me in the office, admiral.
Naturally.
Excuse me, sir.
Sorry, sir.
- Lieutenant? - Lamb.
I know no one's supposed to talk about it...
...but I'm sorry about the sky marshal, sir.
That's classified, lieutenant. Phid will have your head in a noose.
But thanks.
Something else?
A distress call came out of the AQZ yesterday.
And how are you aware of this and I'm not?
The transmission came through on my watch, sir.
Sierra Mike Uniform to Fleet Rescue. Come in, Fleet.
Sierra Mike Uniform, this is Fleet Rescue, over.
Requesting priority pickup for sky marshal plus five.
What happened when you kicked it upstairs?
We were instructed to ignore it, sir, and all future transmissions.
And I'm supposed to keep my mouth shut.
That why you're here, lieutenant?
They're out there all alone and no one's doing anything about it.
Sir.
You were never here, lieutenant.
No, sir. Never.
Sierra Mike Uniform to Fleet Rescue. Come in, Fleet.
Sierra Mike Uniform to Fleet Rescue.
Fleet Rescue, come in.
They're gonna come and get us, right, captain?
I mean, like, how long till they get here?
Here you go, doc.
I say again, Sierra Mike Uniform to Fleet Rescue.
Come in, Fleet.
Is anyone out there?
I don't think we're getting through. Jingo, get out of there.
Why? I like it in here. Okay.
The solar cells need recharging.
Don't have time for a day at the beach.
Bugs!
One or 1000?
Who's to say there's not an army out there?
- Oh, God. - I didn't see anything.
Probably a scout.
We need to get off this beach pronto, people.
Leave the rescue pod?
You want your back to the water when these Bugs show up?
Be my guest, doc.
Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done...
Give it a break.
Easy now, captain.
You ain't sure, and you're scaring us all to death.
On Earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and del...
You are really getting on my nerves.
You've got no cause to do that.
Get your hand off me, crew chief.
You're hurting him.
Everyone's got a right to think what they want.
Sure, as long as they keep it to themselves.
Saddle up. We're moving out.
Wait a second. When Fleet Rescue comes looking for us...
...this is the first place they're gonna come, right?
I expect they would, Bull.
Then we should stay right here.
And if the Bugs do attack, we just fall right back to the pod.
Smart thinking, Bull.
You ever been in a swarm, big man?
Swarm? Oh, my God, no.
They'll tear this pod apart like a paper bag.
Oh, God, save us.
Now, gear up, we're moving out. And that's an order.
Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name...
- Can the God talk. - You're wrong, Captain Beck.
God is everywhere, surrounding us.
Excuse me, sir?
All of us search for God in our own way...
...whether we know it or not.
Do you really believe that, sir?
Yes, Holly, I do.
I had no idea that you were one of us.
All right. Well, all of you guys can go look for God.
I'm heading for the Fleet marine lander.
They've got weapons, maybe even a com that works.
And it's only about a hundred klicks away.
Only a hundred klicks away.
We ain't got rations for that.
You're fat. You won't need any. Let's move, people.
Colonel John Rico, for incompetence of command...
... assault on a superior officer, and willful negligence...
... resulting in the deaths of several soldiers under your command...
... you are sentenced to hang by the neck until you are dead.
Do you have anything to say before the sentence is carried out?
Get on with it, will you?
I'll see you in hell.
What the hell is this?
Your lucky day.
Intelligence. Classified.
You talk, and next time it's your neck in the noose.
Let's go, hero.
You gonna hang me yourself, Dix?
Maybe I got some better things for you to do.
You come here a lot, don't you, Dix?
Didn't know you were interested in political prisoners.
Not me. I come with the sky marshal.
- Interrogations. - Anoke likes the personal touch, eh?
Not like you think. Not human prisoners.
That first Brain, the one you captured on P, we keep it here.
- It's still alive? - Alive and a lot bigger.
No one really knows how long they live.
What's it good for?
Anoke was fascinated by that thing.
Why's my neck suddenly worth more than a piece of rope?
It's about the future of the Federation, Johnny.
- And Lola. - What's that got to do with me?
- You're the only one I can trust. - Why's that, buddy?
Because everyone thinks you're dead.
- Captain? - I see them, Jingo.
I count 16.
Bugs? Where?
- Oh, no. - Why did they stop?
Let's move.
- Bull. - What?
- You with me. - You got it.
They're herding us.
Why? They could have us easy.
Perhaps we find ourselves under the grace of a higher power.
You really think so, sir?
I know it in my heart, Holly.
Do you really think we're protected by some higher power?
Singing can't hurt.
Lifts the spirit and helps pass the time, don't you think?
I think we're not dead and we should be.
Yeah.
It's big. It's deadly.
And everyone's got an opinion about the new Q-bomb.
Politicians and citizens alike worry about the morality of a bomb...
... rumored to be so powerful it can crack a planet.
Creation of a weapon that can destroy the very planet...
... on which I now stand is nothing if not a dangerous precedent...
... for the entire human race.
What people fail to grasp...
... is how many planets there are in the universe.
And that the universe itself often destroys other planets.
The Federation can't decide which planet lives and which planet dies.
The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.
You think those dirty Bugs wouldn't use a Q-bomb if they had one?
But aren't we supposed to be better than the Bugs?
You said it, Mom. That's controversy with a Q.
Yesterday I dropped troopers into a combat zone.
Today I'm flying to the outer colonies.
I'm Fleet.
- I'm Fleet too. - We're Fleet too.
Me? Really?
If you have strong math skills, high reflex index...
... and an HED of 8. 1 or better, we need you now.
Sixteen? No problem.
Start training today for your future, citizen.
People say boys don't give good HED. But I do.
When you go Fleet, there's no telling where you'll end up.
You know, when I was young...
...I dreamed that one day I'd fly a starship...
...or even visit Sanctuary.
Fleet has taken me to the top.
How high you fly is up to you when you go Fleet.
So why not do your part and sign up today?
See you in the cockpit.
Would you like to know more?
Well, John.
Your first time at Sanctuary.
- So this is the big wow. - This is it.
If the Bugs find this place, they'll knock out the Fleet.
No Fleet, you lose the outer colonies. Mobile Infantry couldn't hold them.
There goes the neighborhood.
- Next stop, Earth. - Yeah.
Guess that makes Sanctuary the biggest secret of the war.
Not even the sky marshal knows where it is.
Only a handful of active-duty pilots are entrusted with that information.
Don't tell me.
Lola's one of them.
Yup, and if we don't find her, we're sunk.
I'm sending you to the Arachnid Quarantine Zone...
...as soon as you saddle up.
What do we know about this planet?
OM-1? Nothing.
We don't even have its exact position.
What about the rescue call? Wasn't there a beacon?
Enolo Phid doesn't want Anoke rescued.
- I don't get it. - Phid wants to be Anoke.
I'm glad all I do is fight Bugs.
So I'm gonna get the coordinates and you go in.
Roger that.
But what makes you so sure they're still alive?
Well, Lola's hard to kill.
If this mission is off the books...
...how are you gonna get me a regiment to invade the AQZ?
A regiment? Not even close.
- So how many troopers do I get? - Seven.
- What? - That's including you.
You're sending me into the Bug house with a rifle squad?
Why didn't you just let them hang me, Dix?
Maybe I should have.
Don't worry, I'm assembling your team now.
It's my funeral. My pick of the team.
Any way you want it.
They aren't much to look at, are they?
Well, we didn't build them to do pretty things.
Hey, doc.
- When did he get the religion? - I wouldn't call it religion per se.
- He's spiritual. - That's different.
Yeah, two months ago, I received a call in the middle of the night.
I hadn't seen him for a week.
He told me he'd been in the desert and that he'd been tested.
He wasn't himself.
Go on.
Well, every man, even great men...
...experience moments of doubt when they're tired and afraid.
Afraid of what?
He told me that this was a war that would never end.