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 are there.
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.
I hereby declare
this new world...
a colony
of the Terran Confederation.
With the charting of
the fourth pulsar this year...
the Pilgrim explorers are
becoming a discussion point.
We are gathered here
to celebrate Dr. Peter Anthony.
His invention of the Navcom A.I.
is possibly the most important
development in space travel...
of the last century.
Finally, we can navigate
almost any jump...
in known space with confidence.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I give you Dr. Peter Anthony.
Coming up on the far side...
Looks like maybe
three orfour kilometers long.
Copy that, Sparrow. Proceed.
It's like nothing
I've ever seen before.
Wait. Something's going on here.
With escalating
tension in the Vega sector...
the whole Confederation
is on a knife edge.
Will these unprovoked attacks
continue?
Will the diplomatic probes
be successful?
We can only hope...
I regret to report...
that all diplomatic avenues
with the Kilrathi...
have been exhausted.
It is now clear
they have no interest...
in coexisting with us
or any other race.
It is my sad duty
to inform you...
that as of Six A.M.
this morning...
we are formally at war
with the Kilrathi.
God help us all.
T.C.S. Vanguard
now clearing outer marker.
Course four-six-niner, logged
for the Charybdis quasar.
Ready to receive Navcom
coordinates for the jump.
Roger that. Transmitting now.
Have a safe trip back to Earth.
Freighter Delta.
Losing elevator-effect thrust.
Request trajectory.
T.C.S. McClellan
requestingflyby.
I got one-nine-zero
bogies inbound.
Vector three-seven-four,
attack formation.
Status!
Forty Kilrathi ships
coming to bear, Admiral.
They're powering weapons.
The lowa's gone!
And the Kobi.
We have a station breach!
Levels seven, eleven,
and thirteen.
They're headed towards
command and control!
Destroy the Navcom A.I. Now.
Self-destruct malfunction.
Command codes
have been overwritten.
Station breach, level six.
Station breach, level two.
Command center breach imminent.
Prepare a drone.
Get me a coded channel.
This is Admiral Wilson...
Pegasus station
commanding officer.
Forty Kilrathi capital ships
are closing.
Station has been breached.
They want the Navcom.
Repeat... they want the Navcom.
The 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 fleet's position?
We're spread out
all over the sector.
The earliest our advanced
elements can reach Sol...
is forty-two hours...
and that is taking risks
with the jumps, sir.
Give me
the Vega and Sol sectors.
Estimated Kilrathi
fleet's position.
Projected time of travel
to Earth, forty hours.
Locating
main Confederation fleet.
Estimated time to Earth space,
forty-two hours.
A mere two hours could decide
the outcome of this war.
Signal all ships
to mark our course...
and make full speedfor Earth.
I need to know what
the Kilrathi are up to, Richard.
Do we have any more ships
left in Vega?
Just one, sir.
The Tiger Claw.
But she's beyond the range
of our communications...
and a drone will 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
to the Tiger Claw...
with two replacement pilots...
First Lieutenants Todd Marshall
and Christopher Blair.
Open a secure channel
to the Diligent immediately.
I want to speak
with her captain...
and with this
First Lieutenant Blair.
Hey, Captain wants you
on the bridge.
Say's it's top priority.
Sir?
I don't know
who you know, Lieutenant...
but you got a Confed code one...
secure communication
from Admiral Tolwyn.
Waiting.
Waiting.
Transmission nominal.
Long distance... connected.
At ease, Lieutenant.
- Yes, sir, Admiral.
- Good.
You are currently outbound...
to the Vega sector
and the Tiger Claw.
I 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...
twelve and a half hours ago.
See that Captain Sansky
gets that chip.
Why me?
I fought alongside your father
in the Pilgrim wars.
He was a good man.
Godspeed.
Well, guys...
we have to jump
into the Vega sector...
a little sooner than planned.
Set a course for beacon 147,
one-quarter impulse...
and be subtle.
Setting course
for beacon one-four-seven.
One-quarter impulse.
I'm reading that
as a 100,000-kilometer...
no-fly zone, sir.
Just put in beacon 147.
It's a shortcut.
Aye, Captain.
Yeah?
We're holding steady
on the beacon.
Marshall has the helm.
Those must be antiques.
They were made by the first
explorers in this sector...
just like the cross
you wear under your shirt.
May I see it?
There was a time long ago...
when people looked up
to the Pilgrims.
The stars were their destiny.
Since the Pilgrims
were defeated...
not a single new quasar
has been charted.
Increasing thrust...
Stupid...
Main engine
now at ninety percent.
Out! You get out!
Get out, get out!
Ow. Jeez!
What's your problem?
- What?
- Did you change course?
No, I didn't change course.
I just boosted the power.
Why dog it?
We can be at the beacon
in, like, under an hour.
That beacon
is marking a gravity well.
One cubic inch of it...
exerts more gravitationalforce
than the sun.
Navcom on-line.
If we approach it
too fast...
we'll be sucked in
out of control.
If I don't realign
our entry vector...
we are not going
to 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 outfor us.
Listen to that.
Velocity holding...
one-four-two-L-S-S...
Well, ladies, meet Scylla...
Warning...
gravitational anomaly detected.
Bane to sailors
and monster of myth.
What's a Scylla?
Ulysses sailed between
the whirlpool Charybdis...
and the island monster, Scylla.
She snatched six of his men
and ate them.
Whoa. What is this thing?
This thing is a distortion
in space-time.
The Pilgrims
were the first to chart it.
If it's charted,
why is it off-limits?
Because it's unstable.
It's unstable?
Whoa. It's unstable,
and we're gonna jump it?!
Navigational computer
just went off-line!
I'm on it!
- Blair!
- Yes, sir?
You take the helm!
I never made a jump before.
Good time to learn!
That's it!
I don't like this guy.
B, I... I don't know about you...
but I really don't
like this guy at all, man.
Merde.
- Uh... Mr. Taggart?
- Yes?
- Ten seconds to jump, sir.
- So?
So? So if you don't get that
computer back on-line, sir...
this unstable gravity well's
gonna suck us in...
one molecule at a time, sir!
Navcom on-line.
Plot your course, Mr. Blair!
Vector one entered
and confirmed.
Vector three
entered and confirmed.
What happened?
You just plotted a jump
through a gravity well...
in under ten seconds...
and Navcom can't do that.
That's not bad.
I mean, that's not bad...
for the second-best pilot
at the academy.
You shut up!
Next time you don't
follow my orders...
I'll dump you with the rest
of the garbage, you got that?
You plot a course
for the Tiger Claw, Mr. Blair.
Yes, sir.
Jeez.
Guy's got
a serious attitude problem.
This is Lieutenant Hunter
of the T.C.S. Tiger Claw.
Unidentifiedfreighter
bearing two-niner-three...
state your course and business.
This is the Diligent
carrying supplies...
and two replacement pilots
for the Tiger Claw.
Stay on course.
Have your captain transmit
his security clearance.
Roger that, Lieutenant.
Taggart on his way.
Fighters
from the Tiger Claw, sir.
They've queried us.
Well, send the countersign.
Roger that.
Identification acknowledged.
They'll escort us in.
Diligent,
you're clear to land in bay 2C.
Welcome to the Tiger Claw.
Captain?
Lieutenant J.G.
Christopher Blair...
reportingfor duty, sir.
At ease, Lieutenant.
Commander Gerald tells me
that you have somethingfor me.
Yes, sir.
An encrypted communiqu
from Admiral Tolwyn.
Why didn't the admiral
send a drone via the Pegasus?
The Pegasus was destroyed
by a Kilrathi battle group...
seventeen hours ago.
I see.
Communications?
I want this disk decrypted ASAP.
Yes, sir.
Oh, Lieutenant?
You wouldn't be related
to Arnold Blair, would you?
He was my father, sir.
He married a Pilgrim woman,
didn't he?
Yes, sir.
Pilgrims don't think like us.
You won't have to worry, sir.
They're both dead.
I'm sure
the lieutenant's heredity...
will have no bearing
on his performance, Mr. Gerald.
No, sir. I'm sure it won't.
I suggest you stow your gear...
andfamiliarize yourself
with the ship.
That's all, Lieutenant.
Yo, B. Look at these rapiers.
They're beat to hell, man.
I don't see any of the hornets
we flew back at the academy.
Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa.
You know what I do see?
Blonde.
Hey, how you doing?
Systems on-line.
Hello, I'm Merlin...
the latest in mobile
interface cockpit...
Two Dralthis on
your tail... one above, one below.
You gotfive, maybe ten seconds.
Clock's ticking. What do you do?
Simple.
I go vertical and inverted...
do a 180 atfull throttle...
apply brakes...
and drop in behind 'em.
Bang, you're dead.
Notfast enough.
Dralthis are too quick,
particularly in a climb.
You've just taken a missile
up your tailpipe.
OK, let's reverse the situation.
You're locked on a Dralthi.
It goes evasive,
enters an asteroid belt.
If I'm locked 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 swollen head
and pounce.
A Kilrathi gang-bang.
What's the matter?
Did I bruise your ego?
No. I'm just, uh, not used
to getting combat tips...
from a grease monkey,
that's all.
Lieutenant Commander Deveraux...
your wing commander.
You have a name?
Uh, Lieutenant Blair, ma'am.
Well, Lieutenant Blair...
if you want to play
at being a fighter pilot...
I suggest youfind
a virtualfun zone.
Meanwhile,
step down from the rapier.
I apologize, ma'am.
The mission sheet said
the rapier was unassigned.
I didn't realize it belonged
to Lieutenant Commander Chen.
What are you doing
on the flight deck?
Getting acquainted
with our new surroundings.
Good job, B.
We're on the ship
five minutes...
and you're already hitting
on our wing commander?
How was I to know?
She's just another
tight-ass C.O.
Who cares? Let it go.
Now I'm gonna show you
how to make friends.
How you doing?
Allow me to introduce myself.
Lieutenant Todd Marshall,
and my close personalfriend...
Lieutenant Christopher Blair.
Ladies and gentlemen, take note.
This man happens to be...
the second-best pilot
on this hunk of junk.
Just who are you
calling the best?
- Now, that's a secret.
- Shh. Watch this.
There's two ways to find
that out, mister, uh...
uh, Lieutenant Hunter.
First way involves you trying
to kick the shit out of me.
And the other way?
Forbes?
We're on stand-down.
One won't hurt.
Well, it may even help, huh?
Here you go, mate.
Allow me.
You got balls.
- You should see 'em.
- Mine are bigger.
I've been told
size doesn't matter.
She lied.
Do you know what, Hunter?
I would have taken
the third option.
Really.
I would have kicked his ass
first, then drank his scotch.
Oh! Touch.
Message on-line.
Playback in progress.
Jay,
I'm gonna have to be brief.
The Kilrathi took Pegasus.
They may have her Navcom A.I.
By the time this communication
reaches you...
they will be
twenty-three 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 twenty-five hours.
I'm ordering the Tiger Claw
to the Charybdis quasar.
You are to use
any means necessary...
to gather information as
to the Kilrathi whereabouts...
capacity, and plan of attack.
I need intelligence, oldfriend.
Use Taggart.
He knows this space
better than any man alive.
He can get you
to Charybdis quickly.
I don't like it.
What don't you like, Paul?
The disk came to us
on the Diligent...
entrusted to a Pilgrim
half-breed.
Sendfor this Taggart.
Why don't you take
his castle...
with your little horsey?
Check...
Mate.
So, there's a brain
behind that mouth.
Yourfriend
always this talkative?
No, he just made
the fatal error...
of mistaking
our wing commander...
for your average grease monkey.
Listen, all I did was sit
in Commander Chen's fighter.
Lieutenant Commander Chen?
Bossman?
You're talking about
a bloke that never existed.
I'm pretty sure he did.
He... never... existed.
Now change the subject
quickly, pal...
before I change itfor you.
You got a problem
with my friend, Mr. Hunter?
Yes, I do.
That means
you got a problem with me.
- Is that so?
- Yeah.
Well, you're gonna love this.
He's a Pilgrim!
Stand down, or
you'll have a problem with me.
I want an explanation.
Hunter?
- Ma'am?
- Ma'am?
Lieutenant Hunter was
just helping Marshall and I...
feel at home.
Lieutenant?
Yeah. That's right, ma'am.
Yeah. You see?
I guess this conversation
never existed.
Lieutenant?
Lieutenant!
Who in the hell
do you think you are?
Let me give you a reality check.
In all likelihood,
you're going to die out here.
We're all going
to die out here...
but none of us need to be
reminded of thatfact...
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.
And yet you come to me
with classified orders...
from Admiral Tolwyn.
Oh, I see. The captain
doesn't trust me...
Blair, or the disk.
Would you?
Well, uh...
no.
No.
This tactical schematic outlines
a nightmare, Mr. Taggart.
It tells me that the Kilrathi
may have a Navcom...
and with it the capacity
to jump into Earth space.
And based on that nightmare...
it orders me to take
radical action...
which, if it and you
are a lie...
could compromise this ship
and its crew.
So I'm bound to ask you,
Mr. Taggart...
what proof do you have
that this is authentic?
Where did you get this?
Tolwyn...
thought it might be useful...
if I ever had
to convince a captain...
to follow his orders.
Mr. Obutu.
Plot a course
for the Charybdis quasar.
Full speed, if you please.
Sir, the nearest
jump point to the Charybdis...
is four days hard travel
from our current location.
There's a class-two
pulsar eleven hours from here.
We can jump there.
It's not on the chart, sir.
Navcom does not have
those coordinates.
I have them.
No one's jumped a pulsar
forforty years...
and even then,
they were Pilgrims.
I don't believe we have
a choice, Mr. Gerald.
If the battle is to be decided
in the Charybdis quasar...
then that's where we have to be.
Plot your course, Mr. Taggart.
Sure.
Sir, that ring means nothing.
This ring has been in Tolwyn's
family for sixteen generations.
And any man who carries it...
has the admiral's
full confidence!
Prepare for the jump.
Hey.
We goin' out?
No. Just me.
I pulled security
with Lieutenant Forbes.
Why'd you wake me up?
Remember back at the academy?
You promised you would
take that thing off.
It brings me luck.
It's gonna get you killed.
I was wearing it
when I made the jump.
Yeah, but that had
nothing to do with luck.
That was about training,
skill, desire.
Now, please.
Take the cross off.
It's who I am.
You don't even know
what it means.
This is the big show.
And you gotta have someone
watching your back.
It's either kill or be killed.
And you know what?
I can't always be there.
Hey, I'm tryin' to be
Mr. Sensitive Guy.
It's just... Ahh!
I don't even know why I bother.
All right. Wish me luck.
Luck?
What about desire?
You seen Lieutenant Forbes?
You know I got desire.
Hey, Marshall...
Luck.
Mmm.
Message from Earth Command.
Their defenses
are on line, sir, but...
They don't believe...
they can withstand
a Kilrathi battle group...
without the support
of the fleet.
But they willfight, sir.
Earth will never surrender.
What's our status?
We're running
at one-hundred-and-ten percent.
We've already lost three ships...
two at jump points, and one's
reactor core melted down.
Run at one hundred and twenty.
Now, if Dibbles had
the flying skills of a woman...
he'd still be alive.
You gotta be kidding me.
Don't take it
personally, Nugget.
It's a question of estrogen.
Women can outfly
and outshoot men.
It has been proven...
that we can keep track
of up to four enemy fighters.
No, it takes balls,
big balls...
not ovaries, to maintain
four enemy fighters...
and that's a fact, Jack.
All right, watch this.
Con. Con. This is Delta Two
requesting permission to land.
Delta Two,
you're clear to land.
Delta Two, you're coming in
too hot. Abort. I repeat, abort.
Delta Two. Do you copy?
Shit!
Delta Two, you are inverted!
Hoo hoo! Not anymore.
Aaahhh!
Now, what were you saying?
Delta One!
Whoo!
What are you people
lookin' at?
Carry on about your business.
Nothin' to see here,
ladies and gentlemen.
Whoo! Oh, now,
that was a sweet three-sixty.
Actually, that was a five-forty.
Did you just do that
to impress me?
I'm just trying to redirect
some of that testosterone.
You're a total...
maniac.
Todd "Maniac" Marshall
at your service... ma'am!
Ha ha ha ha!
Ohh, shit.
You're needed
on the bridge, Captain.
I'll be right there.
You don't want to be here
right now.
Justfor you, sir.
Trying to bribe me?
No.
No. Um...
thanks, Angel.
The flight boss would've
brought us up on charges...
if you hadn't said something.
Yeah. Yeah, what the hell
were you thinking?
Look, I wasn't.
Not with my head, anyway.
You're one of my best pilots.
I cannot afford to lose you.
I was just...
showing off a bit
in front of Maniac.
Maniac?
Lieutenant Marshall.
He has a new call sign.
I see.
Well, I hope itfelt very good.
Better... than...
sex.
Bullshit.
Better than sex with myself.
You just see that
it never happens again.
Sir? Can I talk to you?
Yeah.
Go ahead.
My whole life...
I've taken crap
because I'm part Pilgrim.
And I don't know why.
Sit down.
You're one of the last
descendants of a dying race.
Pilgrims were the first human
space explorers and settlers.
Forfive centuries...
they defied the odds.
They embraced space...
andfor that,
they were rewarded...
with the gift of a flawless
sense of direction.
They couldfeel
magnetic fields...
created by
quasars and black holes...
negotiate singularities...
navigate not just the stars,
but space-time itself.
Like a Navcom A. I?
No, no.
You've got it backwards.
The billions of calculations
each second...
necessary to lead us through
a black hole or a quasar...
is the Navcom recreation
of the mind of a single Pilgrim.
Then why'd the war start?
You spend so much time
out here alone...
you end up losing your humanity.
When Pilgrims began to lose
touch with their heritage...
they saw themselves
as superior to men.
And in their arrogance...
they chose to abandon
all things human...
andfollow what they called
their "destiny".
Some say they believed
they were gods.
You believe they were gods?
No.
But I do believe
they were touched by God.
And like it or not...
you've got some of that
inside you.
I have to get to the bridge.
We'll be jumping soon.
I want you to be there.
This thing's
eating suns for breakfast.
Let's go.
What the hell are we doing here?
You know what we're not doing.
Turning around.
This is the captain.
Prepare for a level-five
jump-point interphase.
Secure all stations.
Attention. Attention.
Course error.
Adjust course immediately.
Steady as she goes.
Captain, the ship is headed...
into the PNR zone
of a class-two pulsar.
One minute until
gravitational pull is 100%.
What about it, Mr. Taggart?
The readings are wrong.
The sensors are not calibrated
to the pulsar.
They've already been warped
by the gravitationalfields.
Captain, I must insist
we change course immediately.
No!
Manual override!
Forget you,
artificial intelligence...
or we're all dead.
Captain,
I think you should reconsider.
Steady as she goes, helm.
Aye, aye, sir.
Warning. Warning.
Jump coordinates incorrect.
This is the captain.
Fifteen seconds to jump point.
Watch. Oh, this is great.
Aft shields overloading.
Just you and me. Hold on.
Ohh!
Uhh!
- Ohh!
- Uhh!
Ha ha ha ha! Yeah!
You OK? You all right?
Where are we?
Ladies and gentlemen...
welcome to the Ulysses corridor.
We're through the jump point.
We made it.
Mr. Obutu.
Stealth mode, if you please.
Going to stealth.
Seven percent
electronic emission...
zero communication.
Radar status.
Scanners picking up a strong
electromagnetic signature...
at one-eleven mark forty-three.
An asteroidfield.
- Lieutenant Commander.
- Yes, sir.
Prepare a reconnoiter.
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.
Scanning quadrant.
Lieutenant, I'm picking up
metalfragments ahead.
Alloy structure indicates
from a Confederation vessel.
Angel, you catch that?
That's from Pegasus.
Ten thousand men and women...
gone...
just like that.
The concussion must've blown
pieces of the station...
all over the sector.
Warning. ENM emissions.
- Pipe down.
- Two-one-six.
- Getting something.
- Analyzing.
Possible I.D. Kilrathi...
Radio silence now.
Get into the asteroids.
Low power.
They know we're here?
Possibly.
From the sophistication
of the equipment onboard...
I'd say the vessel is a command
and communications module.
What's it commanding?
At least six other ships
down near the Brown Dwarf...
are communicating with it.
It seems to be transmitting
jump coordinates.
Angel, they've spotted
your heat corona!
I've got two more bogeys
comin' in hot, six o'clock!
Can't spot them, Blair. Call it.
Jack in the box
on three. One...
two... three!
Missile away!
The big one's shielded!
I got two more bogeys
comin' up from the Brown Dwarf!
Engaging!
Negative. I count
fourteen unfriendlies inbound.
Looks like two destroyers.
We're out of here.
You knew what the orders were...
no contact with the enemy.
Now you've compromised
the mission...
and the very existence
of this ship.
I had no choice, sir.
They'd spotted...
Lieutenant Commander
Deveraux's heat signature.
Really?
Angel, how sure are you...
that the Kilrathi
had you targeted?
Given the Lieutenant's
background...
are you really that certain?
Excuse me?
It's well documented
that Pilgrim saboteurs...
have been responsible...
for much of the Confed's
problems in this war.
Did they have me targeted,
Lieutenant?
Now, come on.
This is sterile conjecture.
The Kilrathi are well aware...
that rapiers
don't justfly around...
in deep space
without a carrier close by.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
That is all.
- Sir...
- Dismissed, Lieutenant.
Your assessment, Mr. Gerald?
That concom
is running point...
for the battle group.
Theirfleet won't be far behind.
So I say we send them a message.
I can have my fighters up
in thirty minutes.
No, no. That's a mistake.
Without herfighters...
the Tiger Claw's vulnerable.
You are
a civilian scout, Mr. Taggart...
not a naval officer.
Tactical operations
are our concern.
We are the Earth's only hope.
We need to buy ourfleet
two hours.
And you're willing
to risk all that...
chasing after
a communications ship?
I'm sorry, Mr. Taggart.
Destroying the concom
with its escorts...
will slow the Kilrathi.
Deveraux will lead
a strike force.
And as you have charted
the area before...
you will accompany her.
If you say so, Captain.
I do say so, Mr. Taggart.
- Carry on.
- Yes, sir.
Mr. Obutu.
Plot a course...
for the rings
of planetfour-fifteen.
Four-fifteen. Aye, aye, sir.
I need to talk to you.
- You don't just barge in here.
- Here.
I wear itfor luck.
Is your luck at odds
with our mission?
You think he's right?
Gerald?
In his mind, I started
selling out the Tiger Claw...
the moment I stepped onboard!
I don't see
how you can be a Pilgrim...
andfight on our side.
I'm not a Pilgrim!
My mother was.
My father
foughtfor the Confederation.
And they both died
before I was five.
He was killed
trying to save her...
in the Peron massacre.
That cross is all I have.
Sit down, Lieutenant.
Why do you think
they call me Angel?
I grew up in an orphanage.
Yeah, my parents died
in the same war as yours.
My sisters told me they
were angels gone to heaven...
so I prayedfor them.
They weren't angels.
They were dead, gone.
They never existed.
Like Bossman?
Emotion gets in the way.
Commander, emotion
is what separates us...
from the Pilgrims
andfrom the Kilrathi.
Lieutenant Commander
Chen was... was...
Bossman and I got close.
In fact, we got too close.
Then he got himself killed.
I better suit up.
We're square, you and I.
You saved my hide today.
Come on, Maniac.
Fire it up one more time.
No, no, no, no.
I think the big Maniac
needs time to refuel.
Don't I take care of you?
That's a big "yes, sir".
So what about my needs?
Well, I'm all about
your needs, sir.
Really?
Yeah,
and right now you need...
to shut up
and go to sleep, woman.
You know,
you make it all worth it.
Make what worth it?
Coming way out here to fight.
Leaving everything I love
back at home.
Remember the briefing.
By the time you return...
everyone you know
will be dead and buried.
Yeah, well...
you know what?
I don't care about any of that.
Attention,
all Baker wing pilots...
report to the flight deck.
Repeat, all Baker wing pilots
report to the flight deck.
Oh, shit.
This war is really starting
to piss me off.
Big time.
Ha. Let's go.
All right, ladies, listen up.
We have a concom with escorts.
That means two,
possibly three destroyers...
fighters, and support ships.
Primary target is the concom.
Everything else is gravy.
Just keep your mind
on the Kilrathi, Maniac.
Let's make them bleed.
Mount up.
Blair,
you'll take Hunter's wing.
Watch your back.
Ma'am, I'd as soon
you assign me another wingman.
You have a problem
I should be aware of?
Yes, ma'am, I do.
I don'tfly with Pilgrims.
You'llfly my wing.
Are you sure?
Did I give
a suggestion or an order?
I got your wing, ma'am.
Picking up
any com traffic, Baker Seven?
No.
Must be observing
radio silence...
exceptfor
short range frequencies.
Baker Two, Three, and Four...
anything?
Negative, chief.
Nothing happening, boss.
Scope's clear, boss.
Possible hostile contacts...
bearing three-zero-nine,
local vector norton.
All right, you losers,
listen up.
I got three confirmed targets...
bugging that big Brown Dwarf
down there.
Confirm that.
The middle one has a massive
electromagnetic signature.
All right, ladies,
it's the concom.
Deploy for attack.
That's no concom. Abort!
Baker Seven,
you have no authority...
over this mission
or its personnel.
Forget it, Baker One.
These are supply ships
left behind...
by the Kilrathi battle group.
The Tiger Claw is in danger.
You are a civilian scout.
Commander, I'm not a civilian.
I hold the rank of Commodore
in naval intelligence...
reporting directly
to Admiral Tolwyn.
My call sign is Paladin.
My security verification code is
Charlie-six-alpha-zebra-niner.
Try it, commander, now.
Accessing.
Commodore James Taggart,
naval intelligence.
Call sign: Paladin.
Listen to me, Angel.
If I'm wrong, you'll miss out...
on taking
a couple of freighters.
But if I'm right...
the Tiger Claw
could already be under attack.
The Claw is already
in that radiation belt, boss.
They couldn't radio for us
even if they wanted to.
Security check, alpha two...
nothing to report
in this quadrant.
Everything is A-OK.
Wait a minute. What the...
Who is breaking radio silence?
Multiple targets inbound, sir.
Battle stations!
Launch allfighters!
Battle stations.
Battle stations.
Allfighters scramble.
Allfighters scramble.
Get that deck clear!
Get the safeties
off those!
Let's get those things
in the air!
You're fueled up.
Opening hangar doors now.
Delta Three...
launch!
Allfighters launched, sir.
Sir!
Shields up!
All shields are engaged.
I count three dozen
Kilrathi starfighters...
two destroyers,
and one battleship, sir.
That damn Taggart was right.
Maybe he knew something
we didn't.
Stay on my wing.
- Copy, Baker Leader.
- I'm right behind you.
- I'm on this one.
- Get him off my tail!
Torpedoes incoming.
Brace for impact!
Mr. Falk, give me a target.
Target acquisition imminent.
We've locked on to one
of the destroyers, sir.
Fire tubes one and two!
Tracking two more torpedoes.
Hard to port.
Force shield suffering
forty percentfailure.
Battery room reports a fire.
I'm getting a dozen more
targets behind the battleship.
They're bringing in
reinforcements.
We should be flattered.
Torpedo room report.
Tubes three andfour
are damaged.
Autoloaders are not operational.
Captain, I'm getting
a codedfriend orfoe...
acknowledge
from the new starfighters.
It's Deveraux's wing.
All right, ladies, let's do it.
All rapiers except
Maniac and Blair...
engage those Dralthi.
See ya later, Nugget.
Watch your back, Rosie.
Broadswords, follow me in.
Maniac, Blair, cover us.
Whoo-hoo-hoo!
Nice shooting, Maniac.
Buy one, get one free.
OK, we've cleared
a path for the bombers.
Let's get back to the action.
Roger that.
Steady on course, Mr. Knight.
The flak's too heavy.
Let's launch now.
Waitfor them
to launch a torpedo.
They'll lower their shield
just before.
- I'm hit!
- Almost there.
Steady, my friend. Almost...
Hull breach, level three!
Shields notfunctioning.
Power at thirty percent.
Sir!
Sir!
Steering loss, eighty percent.
Medic to the bridge.
Bogey on my six.
Blair, help me out here.
Blair, where the hell are you?
I said, help me out here.
Is that a suggestion
or an order, ma'am?
Definitely an order.
Wait. The battleship's
preparing to launch.
She's going to finish off
the Tiger Claw.
Where's Paladin?
No visual contact.
Baker Leader...
get yourfighters
clear of the pulse wave.
Roger that.
Maniac, Blair, return to ship.
Yes, ma'am.
Au revoir, mes amis.
Hey, Forbes,
you wanna go bury some Kilrathi?
Hmmph.
Like you have to ask.
All craft
return to ship immediately.
I repeat...
all craft return to ship.
All right, ladies.
You heard the man.
Maniac?
What about my needs?
Maniac, Forbes,
return to the ship. You copy me?
They're trying to ram.
They obviously don't want
to play nice.
Now, does that take balls,
or what?
Yeah. It's not bad.
It's not badfor a woman...
but watch
how a man handles this.
What are you doing, Maniac?
I'm gonna finish this
argument once andfor all...
'cause this...
This takes balls.
Maniac.
Open fire. Shoot him.
You better open fire, or I will.
It's all
in the timing. It's my shot.
Come on. My shot.
No! Shit! Pull up, Rosie!
Rosie, pull up! Pull up!
Rosie, can you hold her?
I couldfly this thing
and cook you breakfast.
Quit showing off.
All right. You eject...
and I'm gonna tractor you home.
Oh, you'd love that one,
wouldn't you?
The ejection system is fried.
That ain't no thing.
We'll just do it together, OK?
Justfollow me in, all right?
Con, Con. This is Baker Three
and Baker Four.
We're coming in,
and we're coming in hot.
Get everything off that deck
that ain't bolted down. Over.
Roger that.
Baker Three and Baker Four,
you are cleared to land.
We're coming in too fast, Rosie.
That's it. Just line it up.
Almost there. Easy.
Just ease it in, girl.
I love it when you talk dirty.
Get that nose up, marine!
Pull up, Rosie!
Forbes?
Rosie?
No. Rosie?
Hey! Get me a medic.
Get me a medic!
Hey! Someone get me
a rescue crew!
Get me a rescue crew!
Get me a medic!
Get a rescue crew!
No!
She's outside the airlock!
You go through thatfield,
you're history.
Give me a suit!
Somebody give me a suit!
Rosie.
Rosie. Rosie, can you hear me?
Baker One,
we need to get out of here.
Rosie.
We're running
on fumes here, boss.
Baker Leader to Con.
Push that wreckage off the deck.
What is that?
What is that?
No, no, no.
OK, look.
She's alive. I know.
I can see her eyes.
Stop it, please!
I'm gonna go get her,
all right?
- I'm gonna go get her.
- You are not going out there!
Get away from me,
you son of a bitch Pilgrim!
You are not going out there!
Listen, ma'am...
Lieutenant Marshall!
You disobeyed a direct order...
which during wartime
is considered treason...
and punishable by death.
Hunter, give me your gun.
Whoa. Whoa.
You can't bring her back.
Give me your gun.
You holster that gun!
She's the C.O., Nugget.
Do not do this.
It was a stupid accident.
He has to live with it.
Shh. It's OK.
If you endanger another pilot...
you're dead.
There.
Put her down there.
Aye-aye, sir.
Decoy away, commander.
She's got a bigger
electronic signature...
than the Concordia.
I think she'llfool them.
I hope you're right.
Secure all active scanners.
Passive systems only.
That's
the Kilrathi battle group.
They're following the decoy.
They've missed us!
- Come on!
- Quiet. Shh!
There's a destroyer hunting us.
They've spotted us.
No, no, no.
We're in a dense radiation belt.
Gamma rays
are clouding their screens.
If they can't see or hear,
they won'tfind us.
They're nuking every crater.
Methodical bastards.
The doors are failing.
Grab anything that will seal it!
Come on!
Whoa-ohh!
You just gonna sit there
and watch him die?
Hold on, B!
I'm coming!
I'm going to get him.
Take this end, tie it off.
I'm going to get him.
- Maniac!
- Coming, B!
Tie it secure.
Hold on. I'm comin'!
Maniac!
Aah!
Uhh!
Come on!
Come on!
Come on!
Pressure loss
is stabilized. All cabins...
What are you gonna do
when I'm not around, huh?
- Medic!
- Uhh...
Save your strength.
She would've come
back in if it wasn'tfor me.
No, no.
She knew what she was doing.
No. No. I should've been
watching her back.
Medic!
She was a fighter pilot
in a war zone.
She didn't need help
from you or anybody.
She never existed.
You listen to me.
Don't you ever play
that stupid game with me.
You hear me?
Angel.
What is it, Lieutenant?
Could we stop this, please?
I'm sorry about Forbes.
I don't know
who you're talking about.
Don't.
It's a shitty game, Angel.
Rosie deserves more.
What do you suggest I do
about it?
Look, he feels responsible.
And so he should.
His confidence is shot.
He's questioning
every move he made.
He can't go back up there
like this.
And right now...
I think we need
all the pilots we can get.
I'll think about it.
He's a good guy, Angel.
There's no reason to hate him.
Fuel cells nominal.
Life-support system critical
in five hours.
What is she, another destroyer?
It doesn't matter.
We can't take another round
of bombardment.
I have four rapiers
ready to go, sir.
We'll go down fighting.
We'll do better
than that, Angel.
Let's make a miracle.
That ship up there
is going to save our ass.
Lieutenant, time to suit up.
Oh! Ma'am?
I need
my best pilots out there.
I repeat...
all pilots andflight crew
to hangar deck immediately.
Well, I don't know if I'm
one of your best pilots, ma'am.
Does everyone here think
I go around making suggestions?
No.
Then I guess I gave an order.
Be on the flight deck
in five minutes.
Do itfor Rosie.
Aren't you on
the wrong ship, Commander?
I still have
a responsibility...
to this crew, Commodore.
And excuse my bluntness...
but if you think
I'm going to let my men...
be flown into combat
by a rogue and a half-breed...
you're sadly mistaken.
He really is a good guy
once you get to know him.
That's no destroyer.
That's the communication ship
we came up against.
And that's the ship
we'll get ourfuelfrom.
They'll spot
our heat corona soon.
No.
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.
Blair...
I'm picking up some sort
of transmission aft of you.
Check it out.
Blair.
Where the hell are you, Blair?
What the hell?
Pegasus Navcom.
Paladin...
they have the Charybdis
jump coordinates.
Is everything OK?
We've secured the fuel cells.
We've got more
than that, Angel.
We have the Kilrathi
jump coordinates.
Marines, move out.
Mr. Obutu, prepare drone.
Input the Kilrathi
jump coordinates.
Send it through
the Charybdis quasar...
to Admiral Tolwyn.
They should be able to target
the exact location...
of the Kilrathi jump entry.
It'll be over before they can
get their weapons on-line.
If Tolwyn's there, Mr. Gerald.
If he's there.
Sir, we have a problem.
I can't get the drones on-line.
Without those coordinates,
Tolwyn doesn't have a chance.
And we are too big to slip
past the Kilrathi...
and warn the fleet.
We'll have to send
a fighter through.
Impossible.
There are over a thousand
singularities in that quasar.
To jump it would be suicide
without Navcom coordinates.
We don't need a Navcom.
Blair?
You will navigate the quasar.
Angel willfollow your lead.
Sir, that's
statistically impossible.
We don't have another option.
You have the gift.
I don't think I can.
I don't have the faith.
It's notfaith. It's genetics.
But if you believe
you needfaith...
take mine.
Why didn't you tell me?
You didn't ask.
Sir...
long-range scanners
picking up Kilrathi ships.
Looks like a destroyer
and a cruiser.
We'll create the diversion.
Get those coordinates to Tolwyn.
Uh, I got a strong signal
at ten o'clock.
It's gone, Angel. It vanished.
Got it...
a skipper missile...
dead on course
for the Tiger Claw.
Only thing that can kill it...
is a starfighter
in visual contact.
What are you doing, Angel?
Just stay on course.
Get through the jump point.
What about our orders?
Angel.
Angel!
Report!
Sir, we have a bogey.
Vector one-nine-seven
mark three...
It's gone.
It's a skipper missile.
We're only picking it up...
when it de-cloaks
to get a radarfix.
Estimated time till impact?
One minute, sir.
Forty-five seconds till impact.
Sir, our shields are too weak
to take a direct hit.
It's in those two kids'
hands now.
Twenty seconds.
Warning!
Collision alert!
Oh, shit!
Radar.
No sign
of the skipper missile, sir.
One of the rapiers
must have shot it down.
Where are they now?
Are you all right?
Well, I might not be dancing
for a while.
All right, hang on.
I'm gonna tractor you
back to the ship.
No, no, you're not.
You're going on.
We can't both disobey orders.
You'll be out of air in an hour.
You're going back to the ship.
You disobey my order...
and I'll have you
court-martialed.
Like I care.
Then care about
the billions who will die...
if the fleet doesn't get
the jump coordinates.
You've got to go on.
You know that.
You're all right, Angel.
You too, Chris.
The Kilrathi ships are closing.
So what now?
Now we make them sorry
they were ever born.
Battle stations.
Battle stations!
Battle stations!
Merlin, check my coordinates.
Jump coordinates
verified, Lieutenant.
Firing jump drive.
Kilrathi cruiser and
destroyer are in missile range.
Open fire, Mr. Gerald.
Aye, aye, sir.
All batteries,
fire as she bears.
A Kilrathi cruiser
is bearing rightfor us, sir.
What tack, sir?
Steady on.
Let them be the first to blink.
Jump trajectory is drifting.
Please recompute coordinates.
Coordinates eight-seven-
five-nine-three mark...
eight-five-four-nine-three,
vector one-oh-five-niner.
Prepare to lower our shield.
She's changing course, sir.
Portside missile battery
prepare to fire.
Fuel block locked and loaded.
Ready to go, sir.
Sir, the missile guidance system
won't activate at this range.
She won't need to.
Lower our shields.
Shields lowered.
Brace for impact!
Give them a broadside,
Mr. Gerald!
Open fire!
Fire! Now!
Yeaaahh!
I cannot verify
the new coordinates. Recompute.
PNR in five seconds.
Entry vector doesn't compute.
I made it!
She held together!
I love this baby!
This is Lieutenant
Christopher Blair...
to any Confed ship.
A Kilrathi battle group has
the Charybdis jump coordinates.
They will breach
at one-six-seven...
mark eight-eight nine,
Sol system.
Repeat, one-six-seven mark
eight-eight-nine, Sol system.
Confedfleet, do you read?
Merlin, check your scanners for
any sign of the Confedfleet.
I'm picking up
a Kilrathi signal behind us.
Snakeir class capital ship.
Itfollowed us
through the jump point.
Shit! I'm too late.
Com room
reports a faint message...
in clearfrom Lieutenant Blair.
He's broadcasting
the Kilrathi jump coordinates.
Blair.
Should we respond, sir?
Identifying Confed rapier...
heading towards Earth
at LSM point nine.
He's beingfollowed by
something massive, Admiral.
Looks like a Snakeir.
Permission to intercept it?
No, we wait.
The Snakeir
will overtake Blair's fighter.
Sir, if we don't intercept...
the Snakeir will reach
Earth orbit before us.
The casualties
could be significant.
I'm bloody well aware
of that, Richard!
All ships are to target
those jump coordinates.
Blair to Confedfleet,
a Kilrathi capital ship...
has penetrated
the quasar's jump point...
and is in Earth space. Copy?
They aren't in radio range.
Earth will never see 'em coming.
I'm detecting...
a Confederation signal,
Lieutenant.
Confederation transponder...
identified as beacon
one-four-seven.
Oh, shit... Scylla.
Mass of Snakeir...
two hundred thousand,
four hundred sixty-one tons
Sir, we've hove to
for damage inspection.
And the locator beacon
from the rapier pod?
Nothing, sir.
Lost contact during the battle.
Have the Diligent
preparedfor launch.
If I'm not back
in two hours...
make the jump to Earth.
I'll join you later.
Aye, aye, sir.
I'm going to look for that pod.
The Snakeir will have
a firing solution on us...
in five seconds.
Kilrathi radar is locked on.
Ten seconds
to the point of no return...
and we're almost out of fuel.
Give me a count.
Five... four...
three... two...
Holy shit!
We made it!
The Kilrathi's too big.
Scylla's got her.
You're out of fuel, Lieutenant.
Switching off auxiliary systems.
Admiral,
the Kilrathifleet...
is coming through
the jump point...
one ship at a time.
They've no chance
to defend themselves...
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.
Welcome to Sol sector,
Lieutenant.
Your parents
would have been proud.
Have they located
Commander Deveraux?
Paladin went to search for her.
We haven't heardfrom him...
since the Tiger Claw
arrived in Earth space.
Admiral,
I have the Diligent reporting.
Commodore Taggart
requesting permission...
to land on the Tiger Claw, sir.
Is she with him?
Lieutenant Commander
Deveraux is on board.
Taggart is requesting
an emergency medical team...
to meet him on the flight deck.
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!
Baby, you made it!
Not badfor the second best
pilot in the academy.
Where's Angel?
She just came in.
Get the medical team
on the double!
It's pure luck I found her.
She turned off her beacon...
not to tip off the Kilrathi.
She's brave.
I'll go and get the medic.
Come on, girl.
Angel, come on, wake up, girl.
Wake up.
Hey, don't you die on me.
Come on.
They're coming, they're coming.
Hang on.
What did you say?
I said don't you die on me.
Yeah?
Suggestion or an order?
That's definitely an order.
We should get her to sick bay.