25.000 English SDH
(President Kennedy) Many years ago the great British explorer George Mallory,
who was to die on Mount Everest, was asked why did he want to climb it.
He said "Because it is there."
Well, space is there, and we're going to climb it.
And the moon and the planets are there. And new hopes for knowledge and peace.
And therefore as we set sail we ask God's blessing
on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure
on which man has ever embarked. Thank you.
(applause)
(man) l hereby declare this new world a colony of the Terran Confederation.
(man #2) With the fourth pulsar charted,
the Pilgrim explorers are becoming quite a discussion point.
ls it luck or something more?
(man #3) This invention of the Navcom Al
is the most important development in space travel of the last century.
Finally we can navigate almost any jump in known space with confidence.
(pilot) Coming up on the far side. Looks like three or four kilometres long.
lt's like nothing l've ever seen before.
Wait. Something's going on here...
(static)
(woman) With escalating tension in the Vega Sector, the Confederation is on a knife edge.
Will these unprovoked attacks continue? Will the diplomatic probes be successful?
(man) All diplomatic avenues with the Kilrathi have been exhausted.
lt is now clear they have no interest in coexisting with us or any other race.
lt is my sad duty to inform you that as of 6am this morning
we are formally at war with the Kilrathi.
God help us all.
(man over radio) TCS Vanguard clearing outer marker.
Course 469 logged for the Charybdis Quasar.
Ready to receive Navcom coordinates for the jump.
(man #2) Roger that. Transmitting now. Have a safe trip back to Earth.
(messages over intercom)
(siren)
(explosions)
I got 190 bogeys inbound, vector 374. Attack formation.
- Status? - 40 KiIrathi capitaI ships coming to bear.
They're powering weapons.
The lowa is gone. And the Kobi.
We have a station breach. LeveIs 7, 11 and 13.
They're headed towards Command and ControI.
Destroy the Navcom AI. Now.
(computer) Self-destruct malfunction.
- Command codes have been overwritten. - (computer) Station breach, level 6.
Station breach, level 2.
Command centre breach imminent.
Prepare a drone. Give me a coded channeI.
This is AdmiraI WiIson, Pegasus Station.
40 KiIrathi capitaI ships are cIosing. Station has been breached.
They want the Navcom. Repeat, they want the Navcom.
Station has been breached. They want the Navcom. Repeat, they want the Navcom.
The Pegasus Navcom? My God, if they have it...
- What's the fIeet's position? - Spread out aII over the sector.
The earIiest our advance eIements can reach SoI is 42 hours.
And that's taking risks with the jumps, sir.
Give me the Vega and SoI Sectors.
(computer) Estimated Kilrathi fleet's position.
Projected time of travel to Earth: 40 hours.
Locating main Confederation fleet.
Estimated time to Earth space: 42 hours.
A mere two hours couId decide the outcome of this war.
SignaI aII ships to mark our course and make fuII speed for Earth.
I need to know what the KiIrathi are up to, Richard. Do we have any ships Ieft in Vega?
Just one, sir. The Tiger Claw.
She's beyond communication range. A drone wiII take two days to reach her.
Who's this?
It's a requisitioned merchantman. The... Diligent.
- The Diligent. - Yes, sir.
Captained by James Taggart.
At present en route for the Tiger Claw with two repIacement piIots.
First Lieutenants Todd MarshaII and Christopher BIair.
Open a secure channeI to the Diligent. I want to speak with their captain.
And with this First Lieutenant BIair.
(door opens)
Hey. Captain wants you on the bridge. Top priority.
Sir.
I don't know who you know,
but you got a Confed code-one secure communication from AdmiraI ToIwyn.
(computer) Waiting.
Waiting.
Transmission nominal. Long-distance. Connected.
- At ease, Lieutenant. - Yes, sir, AdmiraI.
Good. You are currently outbound to the Vega Sector and the Tiger Claw.
l need you to hand-deliver an encrypted communications chip to her captain.
Why not send it by drone to the Pegasus, sir? That'd be quicker.
The Pegasus is gone. Destroyed by a Kilrathi battle group.
- See that that Captain Sansky gets that chip. - Why me?
l fought alongside your father in the Pilgrim Wars. He was a good man.
Godspeed.
WeII, guys, we have to jump into the Vega Sector a IittIe sooner than pIanned.
Set a course for beacon 147, one-quarter impuIse. And be subtIe.
Setting course for beacon 147. One-quarter impuIse.
I'm reading that as a 100,000 kiIometre no-fIy zone, sir.
Just put in "Beacon 147". It's a short cut.
Aye, Captain.
- (knocking) - Yeah?
We're hoIding steady on the beacon. MarshaII has the heIm.
Those must be antiques.
They were made by the first expIorers in this sector.
Just Iike the cross you wear under your shirt.
May I see it?
There was a time Iong ago when peopIe Iooked up to the PiIgrims.
The stars were their destiny.
Since the PiIgrims were defeated, not a singIe new quasar has been charted.
- (computer) lncreasing thrust. - Stupid.
(computer) Main engine now at 90 per cent.
Out! You get out.
I'm out! Jeez.
What's your probIem?
What?
- Did you change course? - No, I just boosted the power.
Why dog it? We couId be at the beacon in under an hour.
That beacon is marking a gravity weII.
One cubic inch of it exerts more gravitationaI force than the sun.
(computer) Navcom online.
If we approach it too fast we'II be sucked in, out of controI.
If I don't reaIign our entry vector we won't make the jump.
- What happens if we miss? - We die.
- Have we reached the entry vector's PNR yet? - No, no. Not yet.
She's reaching out for us. Listen to that.
WeII, Iadies, meet ScyIIa.
(computer) Warning. Gravitational anomaly.
Bane to saiIors and monster of myth.
What is ScyIIa?
UIysses saiIed between the whirIpooI Charybdis and the monster ScyIIa.
She snatched six of his men and ate them.
What is this thing?
This thing is a distortion in space-time.
- PiIgrims were the first to chart it. - If it's charted, why is it off-Iimits?
Because it's unstabIe.
It's unstabIe?
It's unstabIe and we're going to jump it?
- NavigationaI computerjust went offIine. - I'm on it.
BIair! You take the heIm.
- I never made ajump before. - Good time to Iearn.
That's good! I don't Iike this guy.
B, I don't know about you, but I reaIIy don't Iike this guy at aII, man.
Merde.
- Mr Taggart. - Yes?
- Ten seconds to jump, sir. - So?
So if you don't get that computer back onIine, sir,
this unstabIe gravity weII is gonna suck us in one moIecuIe at a time, sir.
- (computer) Navcom online. - PIot your course, Mr BIair.
(computer) Vector one entered and confirmed. Vector three entered and confirmed.
(yelling)
What happened?
You just pIotted ajump through a gravity weII in under ten seconds.
A Navcom can't do that.
That's not bad.
Not bad for the second-best piIot at the academy.
You shut up!
Next time you don't foIIow my orders I'II dump you with the rest of the garbage.
- PIot a course for the Tiger Claw, Mr BIair. - Yes, sir.
Jeez!
Guy's got an attitude probIem.
This is Lieutenant Hunter of the TCS Tiger Claw.
Unidentified freighter bearing 293, state your course and business.
(Blair) This is the Diligent, carrying supplies and two replacement pilots for the Tiger Claw.
(Hunter) Have your captain transmit his security clearance.
Roger that, Lieutenant. Taggart on his way.
Fighter from the Tiger Claw, sir. They've queried us.
WeII, send the countersign.
Roger that.
Identification acknowIedged. They'II escort us in.
(man) Diligent, you're clear to land in bay 2C. Welcome to the Tiger Claw.
Captain.
Lieutenant JG Christopher BIair reporting for duty, sir.
At ease, Lieutenant. Commander GeraId teIIs me you have something for me.
Yes, sir.
An encrypted communiqué from AdmiraI ToIwyn.
Why didn't he send a drone via the Pegasus?
The Pegasus was destroyed, sir. By a KiIrathi battIe group 17 hours ago.
I see.
Communications. I want this disk decrypted ASAP.
Yes, sir.
Lieutenant.
- You wouIdn't be reIated to ArnoId BIair? - He was my father, sir.
- He married a PiIgrim woman, didn't he? - Yes, sir.
PiIgrims don't think Iike us.
You won't have to worry, sir. They're both dead.
I'm sure the Iieutenant's heredity wiII have no bearing on his performance.
No, sir. I'm sure it won't.
I suggest you stow your gear and famiIiarise yourseIf with this ship. That's aII, Lieutenant.
Yo, B, Iook at these Rapiers. They're beat to heII.
I don't see the Hornets we fIew at the academy.
Whoa, whoa, whoa! You know what I do see?
BIonde.
How you doin'?
(announcement over intercom)
Systems online. Hello. l'm Merlin, the latest in interface cockpit Al.
Two DraIthis on your taiI. One above, one beIow.
You got five, maybe ten seconds. What do you do?
SimpIe. I go verticaI and inverted.
Do a 180 at fuII throttIe, appIy brakes...
and drop in behind 'em.
Bang, you're dead. Not fast enough. DraIthis are too quick, particuIarIy in a cIimb.
You've just taken a missiIe.
Let's reverse the situation. You're Iocked on a DraIthi.
It goes evasive in an asteroid beIt.
If I'm Iocked on, there's no such thing as evasive action.
And you're dead again. You see, it's an ambush.
Five or six fighters hide behind rocks the size of your swoIIen head and pounce.
A KiIrathi gangbang.
What's the matter? Did I bruise your ego?
No, I'm just not used to getting combat tips from a grease monkey.
Lieutenant Commander Deveraux. Your wing commander.
- You have a name? - Lieutenant BIair, ma'am.
WeII, if you want to pIay at being a fighter piIot, I suggest you find a virtuaI fun zone.
MeanwhiIe, step down from the Rapier.
I apoIogise, ma'am. The mission chief said the Rapier was unassigned.
I didn't reaIise it beIonged to Lieutenant Commander Chen.
What are you doing on the fIight deck?
Getting acquainted with our new surroundings, ma'am.
Good job, B. We're on this ship five minutes and you're hitting on a wing commander?
- How was I to know? - She's just another tight-ass CO. Let it go.
Now I'm going to show you how to make friends.
AIIow me to introduce myseIf. Lieutenant Todd MarshaII
and my friend Lieutenant Christopher BIair.
Take note, this man happens to be the second-best piIot on this hunk ofjunk.
Just who are you caIIing the best?
- That's the secret, huh? - Sh. Watch this.
There's two ways to find that out, Mr...
Lieutenant Hunter. The first way invoIves you trying to kick the shit out of me.
- And the other way? - (man) Uh-oh.
- Forbes? - We're on stand-down.
One won't hurt.
WeII. It may even heIp, huh?
Here you go, mate.
- AIIow me. - You got baIIs.
- You shouId see 'em. - Mine are bigger.
- I've been toId size doesn't matter. - She Iied.
Do you know what, Hunter? I wouId have taken a third option.
- ReaIIy? - Kick his ass first, then drink his Scotch.
Touché.
(computer) Message online. Playback in progress.
(Tolwyn) Jay, l'm gonna have to be brief. The Kilrathi took Pegasus.
They may have her Navcom Al.
By the time you get this they will be 23 hours from the Charybdis jump point and Earth.
Confed capital ships are headed home now.
The Concordia battle group will only be able to make it in 25 hours.
l'm ordering the Tiger Claw to the Charybdis Quasar.
Use any means necessary to gather information
as to the Kilrathi whereabouts, capacity and plan of attack.
l need intelligence, old friend.
Use Taggart. He knows this space better than any man alive.
He can get you to Charybdis quickly.
- I don't Iike it. - What don't you Iike, PauI?
The disk came to us on the Diligent. Entrusted to a PiIgrim haIf-breed.
Send for this Taggart.
Why don't you take his castIe with your IittIe horsey?
- Check. - Mate.
So... there's a brain behind that mouth.
- Your friend aIways this taIkative? - No, he just mistook our wing commander
for your average grease monkey.
Listen, aII I did was sit in Commander Chen's fighter.
(Blair) Lieutenant Commander Chen?
Bossman?
- That bIoke never existed, nugget. - I'm pretty sure he did.
He never existed.
Now change the subject quickIy, paI, before I change it for you.
- Got a probIem with my friend? - Yes.
- Then you got a probIem with me. - Is that so?
WeII, you're going to Iove this.
He's a PiIgrim.
You Iadies don't stand down, you're going to have a probIem with me.
I want an expIanation. Hunter.
Ma'am, Lieutenant Hunter was just heIping MarshaII and I feeI at home.
Lieutenant.
Yeah. That's right, ma'am.
Yeah. See?
I guess this conversation never existed.
Lieutenant.
Lieutenant!
Who the heII do you think you are?
Let me give you a reaIity check. In aII IikeIihood you're going to die out here.
We aII are, but none of us need to be reminded of that fact.
So you die, you never existed. Understand?
Yes, ma'am.
Taggart, sir.
Ah.
I know of you, Mr Taggart, but I'm afraid I don't know you.
Yet you come to me with orders from AdmiraI ToIwyn?
I see the captain doesn't trust me, BIair or the disk.
- WouId you? - WeII...
- No. - No.
This tacticaI schematic outIines a nightmare.
It says the KiIrathi may have a Navcom and with it the capacity to jump into Earth space.
And based on that nightmare, it orders me to take radicaI action
which, if it are and you are a Iie, couId compromise this ship and its crew.
So I'm bound to ask you, what proof do you have that this is authentic?
- Where did you get this? - ToIwyn.
Thought it might be usefuI if I ever had to convince a captain to foIIow his orders.
Mr Obutu, pIot a course for the Charybdis Quasar. FuII speed, if you pIease.
The nearestjump point to the Charybdis is four days' hard traveI from our Iocation.
There's a cIass-two puIsar 11 hours from here. You can jump there.
It's not on the charts. Navcom does not have those coordinates.
- I have them. - No one's jumped a puIsar for 40 years.
And even then they were PiIgrims.
I don't beIieve we have a choice, Mr GeraId.
If the battIe is to be decided in the Charybdis Quasar,
then that's where we have to be.
- PIot your course, Mr Taggart. - Sure.
Sir, that ring means nothing.
This ring has been in ToIwyn's famiIy for 16 generations,
and any man who carries it has the admiraI's fuII confidence.
Prepare for the jump.
- We going out? - No, just me.
- I puIIed security with Lieutenant Forbes. - Why'd you wake me up?
You remember back at the academy?
You promised to take that thing off.
- It brings me Iuck. - It's gonna get you kiIIed.
- I was wearing it when I made the jump. - That had nothing to do with Iuck.
That was about training, skiII, desire.
PIease... take the cross off.
- It's who I am. - You don't even know what it means.
This is the big show. You gotta have someone watching your back.
It's either kiII or be kiIIed, and you know what? I can't aIways be there.
I'm trying to be Mr Sensitive Guy. Agh!
I don't even know why I bother.
- AII right. Wish me Iuck. - Luck?
What about desire?
- Seen Lieutenant Forbes? - Mm.
You know I got the desire.
Hey, MarshaII.
Luck.
Message from Earth command. Their defences are onIine, but...
They don't beIieve they can withstand a KiIrathi battIe group without fIeet support.
But they wiII fight, sir. Earth wiII never surrender.
- What's our status? - We're running at 110 per cent.
We've aIready Iost three ships. Two atjump points, and one's reactor core meIted down.
Run at 120.
Now, if Lieutenant DibbIes had the fIying skiIIs of a woman, he'd stiII be aIive.
- You gotta be kidding me. - Don't take it personaIIy, nugget.
It's a question of oestrogen.
Women can outfIy and outshoot men.
It has been proven that we can keep track of up to four enemy fighters.
Nah, it takes baIIs, not ovaries, to maintain four enemy fighters.
That's a fact, Jack. AII right, watch this.
This is DeIta Two requesting permission to Iand.
Delta Two, you're clear to land.
DeIta Two, you're coming in too hot. Abort. I repeat, abort.
Delta Two. Do you copy?
Shit!
- You are inverted. - Whoo! Not any more.
Stop!
- Now what were you saying? - (flight boss) Delta One!
Whoo!
What are you peopIe Iooking at? Carry on about your business.
Now, that was a sweet 360.
ActuaIIy that was a 540.
Did you just do that to impress me?
I'm just trying to redirect some of that testosterone.
You're a totaI maniac.
Todd 'Maniac' MarshaII. At your service, ma'am.
Oh, shit.
(buzzer)
Yes?
- You're needed on the bridge. - I'II be right there.
- You don't want to be here right now. - Just for you, sir.
- Trying to bribe me? - No.
Look... Thanks, AngeI.
We'd be up on charges if you hadn't said something.
- What the heII were you thinking? - Look, I wasn't.
Not with my head, anyway.
You are one of my best piIots. I cannot afford to Iose you.
I was just... showing off a bit in front of Maniac.
Maniac?
Lieutenant MarshaII.
- He has a new caII sign. - I see.
WeII, I hope it feIt very good.
Better than sex.
- BuIIshit. - Better than sex with myseIf.
You just see that it never happens again.
(door opens)
(Blair) Sir, can I taIk to you?
Yeah.
(opera music plays in background)
Go ahead.
My whoIe Iife I've taken crap because I'm part-PiIgrim.
And I don't know why.
Sit down.
You're one of the Iast descendants of a dying race.
PiIgrims were the first human space expIorers and settIers.
For five centuries they defied the odds.
They embraced space,
and for that they were rewarded with the gift of a fIawIess sense of direction.
They couId feeI the magnetic fieIds created by quasars and bIack hoIes,
negotiate singuIarities, navigate notjust the stars but space-time itseIf.
- Like a Navcom AI? - No, no, you've got it backwards.
The biIIions of caIcuIations each second necessary to Iead us through a quasar
is the Navcom recreation of the mind of a singIe PiIgrim.
Then why did the war start?
You spend so much time out here aIone, you end up Iosing your humanity.
And PiIgrims began to Iose touch with their heritage.
They saw themseIves as superior to men.
And in their arrogance, they chose to abandon aII things human.
FoIIow what they caIIed their destiny.
Some say they beIieved they were gods.
You beIieve they were gods?
No.
But I do beIieve they were touched by God.
Like it or not...
you've got some of that inside you.
I have to get to the bridge. We'II be jumping soon. I want you to be there.
(over intercom) Technical team to forward sensor bay.
This thing's eating suns for breakfast. Let's go.
What the heII are we doing here?
- I know what we're not doing. - Turning round.
(over intercom) This is the captain.
Prepare for a level-five jump-point interface.
Secure all stations.
(computer) Attention, course error. Adjust course immediately.
Steady as she goes.
(computer) Captain, the ship is headed into the PNR zone of a class-two pulsar.
One minute until gravitational pull is 100 per cent.
- What about it, Mr Taggart? - The readings are wrong.
Sensors are not caIibrated to the puIsar.
They've been warped by the gravitationaI fieIds.
(computer) l must insist you change course.
No! ManuaI override.
Forget your artificiaI inteIIigence or we're aII dead.
Captain, I think you shouId reconsider.
- Steady as she goes, heIm. - Aye aye, sir.
(computer) Warning. Jump coordinates incorrect.
This is the captain. 15 seconds to jump point.
(alarm)
You OK? You aII right?
Where are we?
Ladies and gentIemen...
weIcome to the UIysses Corridor.
We're through the jump point. We made it.
Mr Obutu.
SteaIth mode, if you pIease.
Going to SteaIth.
Seven per cent eIectronic emission, zero communication.
Radar status?
Scanner's picking up a strong eIectromagnetic signature at 111 mark 43.
- An asteroid fieId. - Lieutenant Commander.
Prepare a reconnoitre. I want to know what's out there. And, Deveraux...
I don't want them to know that we're here. Not yet.
Very good, sir.
(computer) Scanning quadrant. l'm picking up metal fragments ahead.
Alloy structure indicates it's from a Confederation vessel.
AngeI, you catch that?
That's from Pegasus. 10,000 men and women, gone. Just like that.
Concussion must have bIown pieces of the station aII over the sector.
(computer) Warning.
- Pipe down. Getting something. - (computer) Analysing.
- Possible Kilrathi vessel. - Radio siIence now.
Get into the asteroids. Low power.
- They know we're here? - (computer) Possibly.
From the equipment on board, l'd say it was a command and communications module.
What's it commanding?
At least six other ships are communicating with it.
lt seems to be transmitting jump coordinates.
AngeI, they spotted your heat corona. I got two more bogeys coming in hot.
Can't spot them, BIair. CaII it.
Jack-in-the-box on three. One, two, three.
MissiIe away.
The big one's shieIded.
I got two more bogeys coming up from the brown dwarf. Engaging.
Negative. I count 14 unfriendIies. Looks Iike two destroyers.
We're out of here.
You knew what the orders were. No contact with the enemy.
You've compromised the mission and the existence of this ship.
I had no choice, sir. They'd spotted her heat signature.
ReaIIy? AngeI, how sure are you that the KiIrathi had your target?
Given BIair's background, are you certain?
Excuse me?
PiIgrim saboteurs have been responsibIe for much of the Confed's probIems in this war.
- Did they have me targeted, Lieutenant? - Come on, this is steriIe conjecture.
The KiIrathi are weII aware that Rapiers don't just fIy around without a carrier cIose by.
Thank you, Lieutenant. That is aII.
- Sir, if... - Dismissed, Lieutenant!
Your assessment, Mr GeraId?
That ConCom is running point. Their fIeet won't be far behind.
I say we send them a message. My fighters can be up in 30 minutes.
No, no. That's a mistake. Without her fighters the Tiger Claw is vuInerabIe.
You are a civiIian, not a navaI officer. TacticaI operations are our concern.
We are the Earth's onIy hope. We need to buy our fIeet two hours.
And you are wiIIing to risk aII that chasing after a communication ship?
I'm sorry, Mr Taggart.
Destroying the ConCom with its escorts wiII sIow the KiIrathi.
Deveraux wiII Iead a strike force.
And, as you have charted the area before, you wiII accompany her.
- If you say so, Captain. - I do say so, Mr Taggart.
- Carry on. - Yes, sir.
Mr Obutu, pIot a course for the rings of pIanet 415.
415. Aye aye, sir.
- I need to taIk. - You don'tjust barge in here.
- I wear it for Iuck. - Is your Iuck at odds with our mission?
You think he's right? GeraId?
In his mind I started seIIing you out the moment I stepped on board.
How can you be a PiIgrim and fight on our side?
I'm not a PiIgrim.
My mother was. My father fought for the Confederation.
And they both died before I was five.
He was kiIIed trying to save her in the Peron massacre.
That cross is aII I have.
Sit down, Lieutenant.
Why do you think they caII me AngeI?
I grew up in an orphanage. My parents died in the same war as yours.
My sisters toId me they were angeIs gone to heaven, so I prayed for them. They weren't.
They were dead, gone. They never existed.
- Like Bossman? - Emotion gets in the way.
Commander, emotion is what separates us from the PiIgrims and the KiIrathi.
Lieutenant Commander Chen was...
Bossman and I got cIose.
AII right, we got too cIose.
Then he got himseIf kiIIed.
I'd better suit up.
We're square, you and I. You saved my hide today.
Oh, Maniac.
Fire it up one more time.
No, no. I think the big Maniac needs time to refueI.
- Don't I take care of you? - Yes, sir.
- So what about my needs? - I'm aII about your needs, sir.
- ReaIIy? - Yeah.
- And you need to shut up and go to sIeep. - (laughs)
- You know, you make it aII worth it. - Make what worth it?
Coming out here to fight.
Leaving everything I Iove back home.
Remember the briefing.
"By the time you return, everyone you know wiII be dead and buried."
Yeah, weII.
You know what? I don't care about any of that.
(intercom) Attention. All Baker Wing pilots, report to the flight deck.
Shit!
This war is reaIIy starting to piss me off.
Big-time.
Let's go.
AII right, Iadies, Iisten up. We have a ConCom with escorts.
That means two, possibIy three destroyers, fighters and support ships.
Target is the ConCom. Everything eIse is gravy.
- Just keep your mind on the KiIrathi. - Let's make them bIeed. Mount up.
BIair, you'II take Hunter's wing.
Ma'am? I'd as soon you assigned me another wing man.
- You have a probIem I shouId be aware of? - Yes, ma'am, I do. I don't fIy with PiIgrims.
- You'II fIy my wing. - Are you sure?
- Did I just give a suggestion or an order? - I got your wing, ma'am.
Picking up any comm traffic, Baker Seven?
No.
They must be observing radio siIence, except for short range.
- Baker Two, Three and Four, anything? - (Blair) Negative, chief.
- (Forbes) Nothing happening, boss. - Scope's clear, boss.
(computer) Possible hostile contacts. Bearing 309. Local vector normal.
Listen up. I got three confirmed targets by that big brown dwarf down there.
Confirm that. The middIe one has a massive eIectromagnetic signature.
(Deveraux) lt's the ConCom. Deploy for attack.
(Taggart) That's no ConCom. Abort!
(Deveraux) You have no authority over this mission.
Forget it, Baker One.
These are suppIy ships Ieft behind by the KiIrathi battIe group.
The Tiger Claw is in danger.
- You are a civiIian scout. - Commander, I'm not a civiIian.
l hold the rank of commodore in Naval lntelligence,
reporting directly to Admiral Tolwyn.
My call sign is Paladin.
My security verification code is Charlie 6 Alpha Zebra 9.
Try it, Commander, now.
(computer) Accessing. Commodore James Taggart, Naval lntelligence. Call sign, Paladin.
Listen to me, AngeI. If I'm wrong, you'II miss out on taking a coupIe of freighters.
But if I'm right, the Tiger Claw couId aIready be under attack.
The Claw is aIready in that radiation beIt, boss.
They couIdn't radio for us even if they wanted to.
(man) Security check. Nothing to report in this quadrant. Everything looks A-OK.
Wait. What the...?
Picking up three bogeys.
Who's breaking radio siIence?
- MuItipIe targets inbound, sir. - BattIe stations. Launch aII fighters.
BattIe stations, battIe stations.
All pilots scramble. All pilots scramble.
Get that deck clear.
(crewman) Get the safeties off those missiIes.
(flight boss) Opening hangar doors now.
Delta Three, launch.
AII fighters Iaunched, sir.
Sir!
ShieIds up.
AII shieIds are engaged.
I count three dozen KiIrathi starfighters, two destroyers and one battIeship, sir.
- That damn Taggart was right. - Maybe he knew something we didn't.
(pilot) Stay on my wing. l'm right behind you.
Get 'em off my tail.
- Torpedoes incoming. - Brace for impact.
Mr FaIk, give me a target.
Target acquisition imminent.
We've Iocked on to one of the destroyers, sir.
Fire tubes one and two.
- Tracking two more torpedoes. - Hard to port.
(voices over intercom)
Force shieIds suffering 40 per cent faiIure. Battery room reports a fire.
I have a dozen more targets behind the battIeship.
- They're bringing in reinforcements. - We shouId be fIattered.
Torpedo room, report.
Tubes three and four are damaged. Auto-Ioaders are not operationaI.
I'm getting a coded "friend or foe acknowIedge" from the new starfighters.
It's Deveraux's wing.
AII right, Iadies, Iet's do it. AII Rapiers except Maniac and BIair, engage those DraIthi.
- See you Iater, nugget. - Watch your back, Rosie.
Broadswords, foIIow me in. Maniac, BIair - cover us.
Whoo-hoo!
- (Blair) Nice shooting, Maniac. - Buy one, get one free.
(Deveraux) OK, we've cleared a path for the bombers. Let's get back to the action.
Steady on course, Mr Knight.
The fIak's too heavy. Let's Iaunch now.
Wait for them to Iaunch a torpedo. They Iower their shieId just before.
- I'm hit. - AImost there. Steady, oId friend.
(Obutu) HuII's breached, IeveI three. ShieId's not functioning.
- Power at 30 per cent. - Sir.
- Sir! - Steering Ioss, 80 per cent.
Medic to the bridge.
Bogey on my six. BIair, heIp me out here.
BIair, where the heII are you? I said heIp me out here.
- That a suggestion or an order? - Definitely an order.
Wait, the battleship's preparing to finish off the Tiger Claw!
- (Blair) Where's Paladin? - No visuaI contact.
Baker Leader, get your fighters cIear of the puIse wave.
- Roger that. Maniac, Blair, return to ship. - Yes, ma'am.
Au revoir, mes amis.
(Marshall) Hey, Forbes, you wanna go bury some Kilrathi?
- Like you have to ask. - (flight boss) All craft return to ship.
l repeat, all craft return to ship.
- (Deveraux) You heard the man. - Maniac?
What about my needs?
(Deveraux) Maniac and Forbes, return to the ship. You copy me?
They're trying to ram. They obviousIy don't want to pIay nice.
Now, does that take baIIs or what?
It's not bad for a woman. But watch how a man handIes this.
- What are you doing, Maniac? - Finishing this argument once and for aII.
This takes baIIs.
Maniac, open fire. Shoot him.
- Open fire or I wiII. - lt's all in the timing.
lt's my shot. Come on, my shot.
(Marshall) PuII up, Rosie! Rosie, puII up.
Rosie, can you hoId her?
- I couId fIy this thing and cook you breakfast. - Quit showing off.
AII right. You eject and I'II tractor you home.
You'd Iove that one, wouIdn't you?
- The ejection system is fried. - That ain't no thing. We'II just do it together.
Follow me in, all right?
This is Baker Three and Baker Four. We're coming in hot.
Get everything off that deck.
(flight boss) Roger that. Baker Three and Baker Four, you are clear to land.
We're coming in too fast, Rosie.
That's it. Just Iine it up.
- AImost there. Easy. Just ease it in, girI. - I Iove it when you taIk dirty.
Get that nose up.
Pull up, Rosie!
Forbes?
Rosie?
No. Rosie?
Give me a medic.
Someone give a rescue crew. Give me a rescue crew!
Give me a rescue. Gimme a medic. Give me a rescue crew!
She's outside the airIock. You go through, you're history.
Give me a suit. Somebody give me a suit!
Rosie.
Rosie, can you hear me?
(pilot) Baker One, we need to get out of here.
Rosie.
(pilot #2) We're running on fumes here, boss.
Baker Leader to con.
Push that wreckage off the deck.
What is that?
No, no, no. OK, Iook.
I know. I couId see her eyes. Stop that, pIease.
- I'm going to go get her, aII right? - No, you are not going out there.
Get away from me, you son of a bitch PiIgrim.
You are not going out there.
Listen, Commander...
Lieutenant MarshaII.
You disobeyed a direct order,
which during wartime is treason and punishabIe by death.
- Hunter, give me your gun. - Whoa. You can't bring her back.
Give me your gun.
- You hoIster that gun. - She's the CO, nugget.
(Blair) Do not do this.
It was a stupid accident. He has to Iive with it.
Shh. It's OK.
If you endanger another piIot...
you're dead.
There. Put her down there.
Aye aye, sir.
Decoy away, Commander.
She's got a big eIectronic signature.
- I think she'II fooI them. - I hope you're right.
Secure aII active scanners. Passive systems onIy.
That's the KiIrathi battIe group.
They're foIIowing the decoy.
- They've missed us! - Yes! Come on!
Quiet!
There's a destroyer hunting us.
They've spotted us.
No, no, no. We're in a dense radiation beIt. Gamma rays are cIouding their screens.
If they can't see or hear, they won't find us.
They're nuking every crater. MethodicaI bastards.
(beeping)
(faster beeping)
(computer) Warning. Detecting structural damage.
The doors are faiIing.
Grab anything that'II seaI it.
(computer) Warning. Flight deck doors are failing.
Are you just gonna sit there and watch him die?
HoId on there, B. I'm coming.
Take this end, tie it off. I'm going to get him.
- Maniac! - I'm coming, B. Tie it secure.
HoId on. I'm coming.
I'm coming.
Come on!
Keep going.
(computer) Bulkhead doors will auto-seal in ten seconds.
(computer) Pressure loss stabilised. Bulkhead auto-seal aborted.
- What'II you do when I'm not around, huh? - Medic!
Save your strength.
(groans)
She wouId have come back in if it wasn't for me.
No, she knew what she was doing.
- No. I shouId have been watching her back. - Medic!
She was a fighter piIot in a war zone.
She didn't need heIp from you or anybody.
She never existed.
You Iisten to me.
Don't you ever pIay that stupid game with me. You hear me?
AngeI.
- What is it, Lieutenant? - Can we stop this, pIease?
I'm sorry about Forbes.
- I don't know who you're taIking about. - Don't.
It's a shitty game, AngeI. Rosie deserves more.
What do you suggest I do about it?
- Look, he feeIs responsibIe. - And so he shouId.
His confidence is shot. And he's questioning every move he made.
He can't go back up there Iike this.
And right now I think we need aII the piIots we can get.
I'II think about it.
He's a good guy, AngeI.
There's no reason to hate him.
(computer) Fuel cells nominal. Life-support system critical in five hours.
What is she? Another destroyer?
It doesn't matter.
We can't take another bombardment.
I have four Rapiers ready to go, sir. We'II go down fighting.
We'II do better than that, AngeI. Let's make our miracIe.
That ship up there is going to save our ass.
Lieutenant, time to suit up.
(groans) Ma'am?
I need my best piIots out there.
(flight boss) All pilots and flight crew to hangar deck immediately.
I don't know if I'm one of your best piIots, ma'am.
Does everyone here think I go round making suggestions?
No.
Then I guess I gave an order. Be on the fIight deck in five minutes.
Do it for Rosie.
Aren't you on the wrong ship, Commander?
I stiII have a responsibiIity to this crew, Commodore.
And if you think I'm going to Iet my men be fIown into combat by a rogue and a haIf-breed
you're sadIy mistaken.
He reaIIy is a good guy once you get to know him.
- (Deveraux) That's no destroyer. - That's the communication ship.
- (Taggart) That's where we'II get our fueI. - They'II spot our heat corona soon.
They won't have a chance. Hit it.
Marines, to your stations.
As soon as you get on board, head straight for the engine room.
Tiger Claw needs those fuel cells.
(Taggart) Blair, l'm picking up some sort of transmission aft of you. Check it out.
(Taggart) Blair, where the hell are you?
What the heII...? The Pegasus Navcom.
PaIadin, they have the Charybdis jump coordinates.
Is everything OK? We've secured the fueI ceIIs.
We've got more than that. We have the KiIrathi jump coordinates.
(Deveraux) Marines, move out.
Mr Obutu, prepare a drone.
Input the KiIrathi jump coordinates.
Send it through the Charybdis Quasar to AdmiraI ToIwyn.
They shouId be abIe to target the Iocation of the KiIrathi jump entry.
It'II be over before they can get weapons onIine.
If ToIwyn's there, Mr GeraId.
- If he's there. - We have a probIem.
I can't get the drones onIine.
Without those coordinates, ToIwyn doesn't have a chance.
And we are too big to sIip past the KiIrathi and warn the fIeet.
- We'II have to send a fighter through. - ImpossibIe.
There are over a thousand singuIarities.
To jump it wouId be suicide without Navcom coordinates.
(Taggart) We don't need a Navcom.
BIair?
You wiII navigate the quasar. AngeI wiII foIIow your Iead.
- That's statisticaIIy impossibIe. - We don't have another option.
You have the gift.
I don't think I can.
- I don't have the faith. - It's not faith. It's genetics.
But if you beIieve you need faith...
take mine.
Why didn't you teII me?
You didn't ask.
Sir, Iong-range scanners picking up KiIrathi ships.
Looks Iike a destroyer and a cruiser.
We'II create the diversion. Get those coordinates to ToIwyn.
Uh...
I got a strong signaI at ten o'cIock.
It's gone, AngeI. It vanished.
Got it. A Skipper missiIe. On course for the Tiger Claw.
OnIy thing that can kiII it is a starfighter and visuaI contact.
- What are you doing, AngeI? - Just get through the jump point.
What about our orders? AngeI?
AngeI!
Report.
Sir, we have a bogey, vector 197 mark 3.
It's gone.
It's a Skipper missiIe.
We're onIy picking it up when it decIoaks to get a radar fix.
- Estimated time tiII impact? - One minute, sir.
45 seconds tiII impact.
Our shieIds are too weak to take a direct hit.
It's in those two kids' hands now.
20 seconds.
(computer) Warning. Collision alert.
Oh, shit.
Radar.
No sign of the Skipper missiIe, sir. One of the Rapiers must have shot it down.
Where are they now?
Are you aII right?
WeII, I might not be dancing for a whiIe.
Hang on. I'm going to tractor you back to the ship.
No, you're not. You're going on.
We can't both disobey orders.
You'II be out of air in an hour. You're going back to the ship.
You disobey and I'II have you court-martiaIIed.
Like I care.
Then care about the biIIions who'II die if the fIeet doesn't get the jump coordinates.
You've got to go on.
You know that.
You're aII right, AngeI.
You too, Chris.
The KiIrathi ships are cIosing.
So what now?
Now we make them sorry they were ever born.
- BattIe stations. - BattIe stations.
MerIin, check my coordinates.
Jump coordinates verified, Lieutenant.
Firing jump drive.
KiIrathi cruiser and destroyer in range.
- Open fire, Mr GeraId. - Aye aye, sir.
AII batteries, fire as she bears.
(Falk) The KiIrathi cruiser's bearing right for us, sir.
- What tac, sir? - Steady on.
Let them be the first to bIink.
(computer) Jump trajectory is drifting. Please recompute coordinates.
Coordinates 87593, mark 85493,
vector 1059.
Prepare to Iower our shieId.
She's changing course.
Port-side missiIe battery, prepare to fire.
Torpedoes are ready to go, sir.
Sir, the missiIe guidance system won't activate at this range.
She won't need to. Lower our shieIds.
ShieIds Iowered.
Brace for impact.
- Give them a broadside, Mr GeraId. - Open fire.
Fire!
(cheering)
(computer) l cannot verify the new coordinates. Recompute.
PNR in five seconds. Entry vector doesn't compute.
I made it! She heId together. I Iove this baby.
This is Lieutenant BIair. A KiIrathi battIe group has the Charybdis jump coordinates.
They wiII breach at 167 mark 889, SoI System.
Repeat, 167 mark 889, SoI System.
Confed fIeet, do you read?
MerIin, check for any sign of the Confed fIeet.
l'm picking up a Kilrathi signal behind us.
Snakeir class capital ship. lt followed us through the jump point.
Shit.
I'm too Iate.
Comm room reports a faint message from Lieutenant BIair
- broadcasting the KiIrathi jump coordinates. - BIair.
- ShouId we respond? - Identifying Confed Rapier heading to Earth.
Being foIIowed by something massive. Looks Iike a Snakeir.
- Permission to intercept it? - No, we wait.
The Snakeir wiII overtake BIair's fighter.
Sir, if we don't intercept, the Snakeir wiII reach Earth orbit before us.
- The casuaIties couId be significant. - I'm aware of that.
AII ships are to target those jump coordinates.
Confed fIeet, a KiIrathi ship has penetrated the jump point and is in Earth space. Copy.
They aren't in radio range.
Earth wiII never see 'em coming.
(computer) l'm detecting a Confederation signal.
Confederation transponder identified as beacon 147.
- Oh, shit. ScyIIa. - lt has a 100,000 kilometre no-fly zone.
Mass of Snakeir: 200,461 tonnes.
Sir, we've hove to for damage inspection.
And the Iocator beacon from the Rapier pod?
Nothing, sir. Lost contact during the battIe.
Have the Diligent prepared for Iaunch. If I am not back in two hours, jump to Earth.
- I'II join you Iater. - Aye aye, sir.
I'm going to Iook for that pod.
The Snakeir will have a firing solution on us in five seconds.
Ten seconds to the point of no return and we're almost out of fuel.
- Give me a count. - Five.
Four.
Three.
- Two. - HoIy shit!
We made it!
The KiIrathi's too big.
ScyIIa's got her.
You are out of fuel, Lieutenant. Switching off auxiliary systems.
AdmiraI, the KiIrathi fIeet is coming through the jump point one ship at a time.
They've no chance to defend themseIves or warn the ships behind.
- And the Snakeir? - She's disappeared from our scanners.
Launch two Rapier wings and a squadron of Broadswords.
Aye aye, sir.
This is Concordia rescue and recovery. Stand by for tractor.
WeIcome to SoI Sector, Lieutenant.
(hatch opens)
Your parents wouId have been proud.
Have they Iocated Commander Deveraux?
PaIadin went to search for her. We haven't heard from him since the Tiger Claw arrived.
I have Commodore Taggart requesting permission to Iand on the Tiger Claw, sir.
- Is she with him? - Commander Deveraux is on board.
Taggart is requesting an emergency medicaI team to meet him.
I think you're on the wrong ship, Lieutenant.
- Baker Two requesting permission to land. - Welcome back, Lieutenant Blair.
You're clear to land.
Yeah! You made it.
Not bad for the second-best piIot in the academy.
- Where's AngeI? - (engine powering down)
She just came in.
(Taggart) Get the medicaI team, on the doubIe!
It's pure Iuck I found her.
She turned off her beacon not to tip off the KiIrathi.
She is brave. I'II go and get the medic.
Come on, girI. AngeI, come on. Wake up, girI.
Wake up.
Don't you die on me.
- They're coming. - Hang on.
- What did you say? - I said don't you die on me.
Yeah. Suggestion or an order?
That's definiteIy an order.
We shouId get her to sickbay.
Visiontext Subtitles: Paul Sofer
ENGLISH SDH DVD Subrip © 2011-11-19