Original subtitles

[Announced young people all over the globe

are joining up to fight for the future.

- I'm doing my part. - I'm doing my part.

- I'm doing my part. - I'm doing my part too.

They're doing their part. Are you?

Join the mobile infantry and save the world.

Service guarantees citizenship.

The bugs send another meteor our way.

But this time we 're ready.

Planetary defenses are better than ever.

Klendathu, source of the attacks, orbits a twin-star system

whose brutal gravitational forces

produce an unlimited supply of bug meteorites,

in the form of this asteroid belt.

To ensure the safety of our solar system,

klendathu must be eliminated.

We break net now and take you live to klendathu,

where the invasion has begun.

[Man over radio] Dxq uplink on. Two, one, you're on.

We've just landed here on what cap troopers

are calling big k, with the 6th mobile infantry division.

It's an ugly planet, a bug planet.

A planet hostile to life as we know it.

[Roaring]

[Screaming]

Help me!

- Die. Die. - Come on. Go, go!

- [Soldier] Keep moving. - Get out of here now.

[Yelling]

[Screaming]

Get down!

Oh, god.

Oh, god.

[Rasczak] Rico.

Rico.

Rico!

Pay attention.

Sorry, Mr. Rasczak.

Let's sum up.

This year we explored the failure of democracy,

how the social scientists brought our world to the brink of chaos.

We talked about the veterans, how they took control

and imposed the stability that has lasted for generations since.

You know these facts.

But have I taught you anything of value this year?

You. Why are only citizens allowed to vote?

It's a reward. What the federation gives you

- for doing federal service. - No. No.

Something given has no value.

Look, when you vote, you are exercising political authority.

You're using force.

And force, my friends, is violence.

The supreme authority from which all other authority is derived.

Uh... my mother says violence never solves anything.

Really?

I wonder what the city fathers of Hiroshima would say about that.

They probably wouldn't say anything.

- Hiroshima was destroyed. - Correct.

Naked force has resolved more issues

throughout history than any other factor.

The contrary opinion, that violence never solves anything,

is wishful thinking at its worst.

People who forget that always pay.

Rico, what's the moral difference, if any,

between a civilian and a citizen?

A citizen accepts responsibility for the safety

of the body politic, defending it with his life.

- A civilian does not. - The exact words of the text.

But do you understand it? Do you believe it?

I don't know.

Of course you don't. I doubt anyone here

would recognize civic virtue if it reached up and bit you in the ass.

[Woman over pa] This is the end of period three.

Period four begins in five minutes.

Remember, all graduating seniors must fill out a 7-10 form.

Not here.

Come on. Let's see if they posted the math final.

- Rico, we gonna take Tesla? - We're gonna kill them.

[Woman over pa] Remember, all graduating seniors must fill out...

First thing fleet academy looks at is your math scores.

Wish me luck.

[Girl] Just wait a minute.

- [Guy] Hey, way to go. - Good job.

Your turn. Hold on.

I wanna talk to Marco. His sister's at fleet.

- Marco. - Hi, Carmen.

[Carmen] What'd you hear about roxy?

[Marco] She made pilot.

She did?

Thirty-five percent. Very nice.

Look at that.

Thirty-five percent, ladies and gentlemen.

- Big numbers. - Carl.

Sorry.

So you haven't done it yet, have you? Don't lie.

I'm not in any hurry.

Others are waiting.

- Did you read her mind? - Don't have to. I know what she wants.

Yeah, but I want Carmen.

You got it bad. Hey, don't forget about this afternoon.

He's always late when he walks you home to fish for a kiss.

Get out of here.

- Marco's sister made pilot. - So will you.

I mean, imagine flying a half a million tons of starship.

You gotta have nerves of steel.

- You do. Let's see how yours hold up. - [Teacher] You may begin.

[Grunts]

- Ugh. - Come on. It's just a bug.

- Better put your goggles on. - "Just a bug."

We humans like to think we are nature's finest achievement.

I'm afraid it just isn't true.

This arkellian sand beetle is superior in many ways.

It reproduces in vast numbers,

has no ego, has no fear, doesn't know about death,

and so is the perfect, selfless member of society.

But humans have created art, mathematics and interstellar travel.

True, but before you let that go to your head,

take the example of the arachnids,

a highly evolved insect society.

By human standards, they are relatively stupid,

but their evolution stretches over millions of years.

-And now, -here, take this.

They can colonize planets

by hurling their spore into space.

[Rico] Yeah, I think we got it.

And here's the stomach.

[Coughing]

[Flores] Nerves of steel, huh?

Don't think about it. Just go on instinct.

Try to visualize it.

[Suspenseful music playing]

I see the ace of spades.

Statistically speaking,

you should have accidentally guessed right by now.

- Try another. - So my psychic abilities

are zero and I'm unlucky.

No, luck's not a factor.

No one really knows why some are sensitive and some aren't.

Who knows? Maybe it's a new stage of human evolution.

That's why they do these kind of federal studies.

But, cyrano... shit. Time-out.

He just wants some attention. You don't play with him anymore.

Cyrano.

Go bug mom, cyrano.

[Chitters]

How do you make him do that?

I gave him the impression there's a grub crawling up my mom's leg.

He's on a mission to go eat it.

[Mom screams and clattering]

[Mom] Get off my leg!

Carl!

I sure hope you don't do anything like that to me.

Don't be afraid. Can't do human.

Yet.

[Cheering]

All right.

[Announcer] Touchdown, tigers. And the score is now 41 to 38.

Tigers lead with 2:46 remaining here at the Buenos Aires sports arena.

- Time-out, giants. - Are you all right?

Much better...

[Player] Way to go, team!

Hey, your helmet.

So, what are you doing after the game?

Well, everyone's going to the dance. Aren't you?

- It's my last night as a civilian. - [Ref] Number 12, let's go.

- Ship off to tereshkova tomorrow. - You're going to the fleet academy?

- That's where I wanna go. - Come on, number 12. Let's play ball.

Don't get any ideas about my girlfriend.

All is fair in love and war.

- [Cheerleaders] Giants, giants! - Johnny. Yeah.

[Quarterback] Hut, hut.

[Yelling]

[Grunting]

[Announcer] Giants lead 43 to 41. Just over 42 seconds remaining.

Time is running out for the Buenos Aires tigers.

[Flores] Let's go. Irving, latham, cover the rook.

Perry, fake left. Ricoli, you go long.

Rico, flip six, three hole. Got it?

- Hey. Rico. Hey! - What?

You're drifting. Flip six, three hole on one. Got it?

Just throw me the ball, diz.

Ready? Break.

Down. Set.

- Flank left. - [Player] Screen.

Hut.

[Grunting]

Yeah! Go, go, go!

All right!

[Timer buzzes]

[Whistle blows]

He's in there. It's over.

[Yells]

Who said you could grow up so fast?

Mom, don't get mushy.

This came for you today. I presume, at your request.

A lot of my friends are doing federal service.

Wait, you're not thinking of applying?

Have you lost your mind?

I'd rather take 10 lashes in public square than see you ruin your life.

It's a term of service.

It's not a career.

I just wanna get out on my own.

See the galaxy for a couple of years.

Johnny, people get killed in the federal service.

Who gave you this idea? It's that teacher, isn't it?

What's his name?

You know the one I'm talking about.

Mr. Rasczak.

Rasczak?

Silly name.

There should be a law against using a school as a recruiting station.

No, rasczak doesn't do that at all.

He sort of discourages you.

Well, that's good,

because you're going to Harvard and that's the end of it.

It's my decision, not yours.

- Oh, is that how it is, huh? - Wait, you two.

Dad and I have a surprise for you that will settle this.

Can you guess what it is?

You wanted to see the galaxy?

How about a trip to the outer rings?

Zegema beach, huh?

- I've always wanted to go there. - Good, good, then it's all settled.

[Dance music plays]

- [Guy] Excuse me. - Sure. Don't go away.

[Rico] I'm just gonna go see Mr. Rasczak.

Hey, rico, you wanna dance?

Actually, diz, I promised Carmen...

Come on. Too bad for her if she's not around.

You know, it's sad. After tonight, most of us

probably won't see each other again.

So you still gonna play for rio?

Yeah, looks like, unless Tokyo lets me start.

Well, anyone who gets you is lucky.

Johnny, how come we never got together?

Can't we just be friends, diz?

Sure.

[People chattering]

Look, diz, I wanna talk to Mr. Rasczak.

You better hurry up if you wanna catch him.

You're the best.

- Mr. Rasczak. - What is it, rico?

I wanna thank you. Your class was the best one I had this year.

It's not my job to please. I just hope you learned something.

Well, I wanna join up. I think I got what it takes to be a citizen.

Good for you. Go find out.

Well, my parents are against it. And I know it's my choice.

I was wondering.

What would you do if you were me?

Figuring things out for yourself is the only freedom anyone really has.

Use that freedom. Make up your own mind, rico.

[Singer sings pop song]

J“ but I have not been to paradise ♪

j“ no I have not been to paradise j“

j“ watch the dust go by all the time j“

[Carmen] Don't exaggerate.

Seriously, I think you have really beautiful eyes.

Johnny.

This is Zander.

Yeah, we know each other from the game.

No hard feelings?

Oh, none at all. We won.

Come on, Carmen.

It's the last dance.

- Maybe I'll see you at the academy. - Yeah, who knows?

Good luck.

Zander's going for pilot too.

You two have so much in common.

Johnny rico, are you jealous?

Well, maybe.

You don't have to be jealous.

Hey, hey, break it up, you two. There's a place for that sort of thing.

[Sighs]

I've been thinking, and I'm gonna do it, Carmen.

I'm gonna go for federal service.

That's great. Carl and I are signing up tomorrow. Come with us.

My father's not home tonight.

J“ all is well j“

j“ all is well j“

j“ talk about watch the days go by j“

j“ all is well twenty-fourth century dies... j“

[people]... of my own free will,

after having been duly advised and warned

of the meaning and consequences of this oath,

enroll in the federal service for not less than two years,

and as much longer as may be required

by the needs of the federation.

- [Woman] All set. - Thank you.

Fresh meat for the grinder, eh?

- So how'd you kids do? - I'm gonna be a pilot.

Well, good for you. We need all the pilots we can get.

- Hey, did you get starside R&D? - No.

- I don't believe it. - I got games and theory.

Games and theory?

- That's military intelligence. - Way to go, Carl.

Next time we meet, I'll probably have to salute you.

What about you, son?

- Infantry, sir. - Good for you.

Mobile infantry made me the man I am today.

[Man over pa] All recruits must report

to the federal transportation hub within 24 hours.

Welcome to the adventure of federal service.

Let's make a vow.

No matter what, we'll always be friends.

I'll go for that.

Well, chances are we'll never see each other again.

We'll be millions of light-years away from each other.

But, uh... yeah, sure. Why not?

You'll resign. That's all there is to it.

It may look bad, but if that's the worst you suffer, that's fine.

- I won't quit. - I'm telling you, you will.

You're not going back. You're going on vacation.

I am not going on vacation. I wanna be a citizen.

It's my decision. I made it.

You walk out that door, you are cut off, young man, understand me?

All right, that's it. You are cutoff!

Johnny, why won't you change your mind?

Does citizenship mean that much to you?

Well, yeah, sure.

I hope so.

Don't ruin your life over some silly little girl

who wants you to look handsome in uniform.

- Don't talk about Carmen that way. - Johnny.

[Woman over pa] Your attention, please.

Outbound group 13-a, all-hub 29 connection.

[Man] Do you have everything? Great.

[Carmen] Johnny.

- You're late. - My dad had to help me pack.

Suddenly, he's afraid he's never gonna see me again or something.

It was sweet, but it took forever.

[Carmen groans]

Anyway, I guess I'm ready to go.

Yeah, me too. I'm wearing everything I own.

I'm sorry your parents were mad.

Who cares? The federation will give me all I need

for the next two years, right?

You talk to Carl?

Yeah, he left this morning. Couldn't say where.

Oh, it's exciting, going away.

But I'm scared. Aren't you?

[Sighs]

I'm gonna miss you.

I'm gonna miss you too.

I love you.

[Woman over pa] Outbound group 94-a,

tereshkova, all sections.

That's me.

Just say it once. Try it on for size.

I love you.

Don't forget to write.

I won't.

[Federal network theme plays]

[Soldier] Fully automatic morita. Who wants to hold it?

- [Kids] Me, me, me. - [Announcer] Citizen rule.

People making a better tomorrow.

[Kids grunting]

A murderer was captured this morning and tried today.

Guilty.

Sentence: Death. Execution: Tonight at 6.

All net, all channels. Would you like to know more?

[Mysterious music plays]

If you think you're psychic,

maybe you are.

Federal studies are being conducted in your community.

Would you like to know more?

Every school kid knows that arachnids are dangerous.

[Roars]

[Cow screaming]

However, mormon extremists disregarded federal warnings

and established port Joe Smith inside the arachnid quarantine zone.

Too late, they realized that dantana

had already been chosen by other colonists:

Arachnids.

Would you like to know more?

[Soldiers] One, two, three, four one, two, three, four

[zim] Most of you will not live to be in the mobile infantry.

The trouble is, you are not good enough the way you are.

Hands at your side.

Chin up. I am your senior drill instructor, career sergeant zim.

Suck in that gut.

- Feet together. - Agh!

To think this had to happen to me.

What a bunch of apes.

No, strike that. You don't rate that good.

Never in my life have I seen...

Do you think I'm funny?

Do I make you laugh? Do you think I'm a comedian?

- I'm sorry. - The first words and the last words

out of your stinking holes will be "sir."

- Do you get me? - Sir, yes, sir.

See that armory? Run around it.

- Ugh. - Run, I said. Run, run.

- Bronski, keep pace. - [Bronski] Move.

Now, any time you think I'm being too tough,

any time you think I'm being unfair,

any time you miss your mommy, quit.

You sign form 1240-a, you grab your gear,

you take a stroll down washout Lane.

- Do you get me? - [Recruits] Sir, yes, sir.

Pathetic. I wonder if there's a handful of guts in the whole bunch of you.

Now,

who here thinks they got what it takes to knock me down?

Sir, I guess maybe I do, sir.

[Yelling]

[Bones snap]

- You all right, son? - Sir, yes, sir.

It's my arm. I reckon it's broken, sir.

Pain is in your mind.

- Who's next? - [Flores] Sir.

Recruit flores reporting for duty, sir.

You specifically requested transfer

from fort cronkite to this training unit?

- Sir, I heard it was the best, sir. - It is the best.

But what makes you think you're good enough?

That's the kind of gal who makes squad leader.

That's my job you're talking about.

[Grunting]

You know, I'd like to kill sergeant zim.

Whoa. Improper attitude. They'll kick you out for talking like that.

Bye-bye. There you go down washout Lane.

Yep, you either got what it takes, or you don't.

- Hey, there is a line. - Wait your turn, ace.

Hey. At ease, little soldier. It's all the same muck.

Get in line like everyone else.

You got some guts for a rich kid.

I guess you and me could be buddies. What do you say?

- I'm honored. - Hey.

Of course you are. Everybody should have a friend like me.

- Come on, ace, back of the line. - Come on, back, back, back.

- What a jerk, man. - [Recruit] Tough guy.

Hey, rico, wanna sit together?

No, thanks, diz.

What's your malfunction, rico?

You are.

I joined up to get out on my own, and you had to tag along.

You think I joined the mobile infantry because of you?

You saying you didn't?

[Rico] Forget about it, ace. You don't stand a chance.

What makes you think you'd make squad leader, rico?

Something I got you don't.

- You rich kids are all the same. - It isn't about that.

- It's about who's the best. - [Flores] Hey.

[Both grunt]

[Zim] First squad.

Sir, I don't understand.

Who needs a knife in a nuke fight anyway?

All you gotta do is push a button, sir.

Cease fire.

Put your hand on that wall, trooper.

Put your hand on that wall!

Ah!

Damn it.

[Groaning]

The enemy cannot push a button if you disable his hand.

Ah!

Well, we all have one thing in common.

We were all stupid enough to sign up for mobile infantry.

Breckinridge, your excuse?

Oh, my family's all farmers. I hate farming.

I mean, mobile infantry, it's like pure picnic by comparison.

All right, so they grow them big and dumb on the farm planet, huh?

- [Guy] And pretty. - [Girl] I like big.

- Djana'd, what about you? - Oh, I'm going in for politics.

And, you know, you gotta be a citizen for that, so here I am.

- You want some responsibility. - Yeah.

Shujimi. Come on, let's keep it going.

I got into Harvard, but my father says, "forget it,

it'll cost an arm and a leg," you know? If I serve,

federation pays my way.

I wanna have babies.

It's a lot easier to get a license if you serve, so...

I'm going career. Officer's training. All the way.

Future sky marshal. All right, rico, your turn.

- Who asked you to be so nosy? - What, I'm the bad guy?

I'm gonna be a writer, you know. A writer's got a right to be nosy.

Hey, flores. You know rico from Buenos Aires. What's his story?

Oh, uh...

He's here because of a girl.

[Recruits] Ooh! Rico!

Lover-boy.

- [Guy] Stand back, he's getting excited. - [9i!'|] He's gonna blow.

Is it you?

[Rico] This is where we live. It's not much, but it's home.

Right there, there's my bunk, where I dream about you every night.

Boot's pretty tough.

Sometimes I think I won't make it.

But then I think about what you're doing, and I try harder.

[Recruits] Woo!

- [Rico] Do you mind? - Try harder, baby, try harder.

Who knows? They might even make me squad leader.

Uh-oh, well, I better pack it in.

[All yelling]

- Write me. - I love you.

I'm gonna kill you guys.

- Bye. Write me. - [Girl] Bye.

Orbit in five, ibanez.

First one there gets to fly.

[Hopeful music playing]

- Locking it down. - [Man] Wait. Wait.

Oh, no, not ibanez again. She's crazy.

Ready, go!

[Lumbreiser] Deploying wings.

How come you're in such a good mood, huh?

Because today I get to fly that.

[Triumphant music plays]

Pilot trainee ibanez reporting for duty, ma'am.

- Take the number two chair, ibanez. - Yes, ma'am.

- Identify. - [Computer] Ibanez, t325a. Clear.

What are you doing here?

I'm the guy who's gonna teach you to fly this crate.

[Carmen] Assistant instructor.

Should I call you "sir"?

Only when I give you an order.

Prepare for departure.

It's amazing, us running into each other like this.

Maybe it's fate.

Maybe not. I heard about this crazy girl coming through the academy.

Solid math, a little wild on the stick,

but a natural.

When it turned out to be you, I just made sure we'd run into each other.

[Woman over pa] Rodger young cleared for undocking and departure.

All right, ibanez.

- Take her out. - Yes, ma'am.

[Computer] All systems go.

[♪♪♪]

In simulation, my supervisors could never keep up.

Well, this isn't simulation anymore, so take her out easy, cadet.

Yes, sir.

[Proximity alarm beeping]

[Computer] Five meters from object.

Three meters from object.

Clear.

Don't exceed port speed.

- Or what? - Or they revoke your flight status.

And mine.

Your career is in my hands.

Steady as she goes, number two.

- Prepare for warp. - Yes, ma'am.

Number one, design for Jupiter orbit.

[Man over pa] All crew, all sections,

standby to cut in c-drive.

Start drive in:

-Five, four, -five, four,

-ready, steady, -three, two,

- go! - One.

[Yelling and grunting]

We're going in! Move!

Man, they're defended. No way in.

[Laughing and hooting]

- Flip six, three hole. - What?

Run a flip-six, three-hole play, and you can score.

- Cover me. - You got it.

[Upbeat music playing]

Thanks, buddy!

[]

The kid's got some moves.

Give him a squad, see what he can do.

Someone's gotta teach you guys how to play some pool here.

Look at him.

You ever seen anybody so pleased with himself?

Well, zim must've had to choose someone to be his brownnose.

All right, where was I? Okay, watch and learn, watch and learn.

I couldn't have done it without you, diz.

Fdends?

Fdends.

- [Man] Mail call! Levy. - Yeah, that's me.

- Shujimi. - Here.

- Rico. - Here.

- Breckinridge. - Here.

- Nyla. - [Recruit] Yeah, here I am.

Oh, great, my dad.

[Man] That's all, folks.

Hi, Johnny.

I'm sorry I haven't written you sooner, but

- it's been really busy. - Oh, rico, you don't deserve that.

Shh.

They must've made you squad leader by now.

And if they haven 't, tell them to talk to me.

See? All it takes is the love of a good woman.

That is a woman.

- Look at that. - [Levy] Look at that.

- [Woman] Stop it. - Isn't it beautiful?

I love it out here.

[Sighs] That's also the problem.

Because...

I think I'm gonna go career.

I wanna command

a ship of my own, and, you know,

I don't think that's gonna leave a lot of room for you and me, Johnny.

- Oh, god. - Jeez.

I know that's not what you wanted to hear.

But...

I have to follow my heart.

I'm sorry.

Write me, all right?

Write me so that I know we I! Always be friends.

Funny how they always wanna be friends after they rip your guts out.

Well, that's what I deserve.

What are you talking about?

I joined up for her.

I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for her.

What are you talking about? You made squad leader on your own.

And, hey, you still got me to kick around.

[Zim] Fun and games are over, children!

You will be firing live ammunition in a simulated combat environment.

You will exercise extreme caution on my assault course.

Do you get me?!

[All] Sir, yes, sir!

Rico, take them out.

First fire team with me. Next team in 10 seconds.

Maximum score has been 280.

I expect you to do better!

[Buzzer sounds]

[Yelling]

[Rico] Stay low! Keep moving!

- Shujimi, stay down! - Oh!

Hey! Goddamn it, breckinridge!

Clear my line of fire!

It's my helmet. It's all screwed up.

- You're gonna blow the score! - Man!

- Dumb shit. - Diz, stay put! What's the problem?

Damn thing keeps getting in my way!

Whenever something goes wrong, it's always you.

- Must be because I'm big and dumb! - Yeah, right!

Ah!

[Solemn music playing]

[Zim] Rico, you are relieved of squad command!

[Officer] Rico, did you give the recruit permission to remove his helmet?

He reported a helmet malfunction, and I asked him to show it to me, sir.

Are you rated to repair the m-3 tactical helmet, rico?

Sir, no, sir.

Then why did you order your man to remove it during a live-fire exercise?

Sir, I needed everyone in my squad operational, sir.

I wanted to win, sir.

Sergeant, we've already lost two recruits over this incident.

Do you think there's any possibility of salvaging this man?

Yes, sir, I do.

All right.

We'll try administrative punishment.

[♪♪♪]

Prisoner, halt.

Bite down on this, son.

It helps.

I know.

[Officer] For incompetence of command,

for failure to abide by safety regulations

during a live-fire exercise,

for negligence which contributed to the death of a teammate,

recruit trainee John rico

is sentenced to administrative punishment.

Ten lashes.

You may carry out the sentence.

One!

Foud

five!

Six!

Seven!

Eight!

Nine!

[Man on radio] All sections secure. Ebx is high-normal.

Switch to slave on my Mark.

Thanks. You read my mind.

Third watch always seems to last forever.

I don't know.

It depends on who you're spending it with.

Something's wrong.

-There.

I replotted the course.

It's more efficient this way.

Three weeks aboard a starship, and you think you can lick my navs?

Check it.

You know, I was talking with captain deladier

and she said...

Don't change the subject.

Am I right?

Yeah. Yeah, you're right.

So, what did the captain say?

She thinks we ought to team up officially

and crew for her.

- You and me, huh? - We're good together, Carmen.

We're way ahead of the curve in every department.

I can anticipate you.

You know what I want.

What do you want?

There's a gravity field out there.

Run a scan.

- Sensors on? - There.

- Gravity at 225 and rising. - Report!

We are in the path of an unidentified object moving toward us at high speed.

Profile suggests an asteroid, ma'am.

[Suspenseful music playing]

[Beeping]

- Impact, six seconds. - Emergency evasion.

Fire!

Close compartment 21.

Where'd it come from?

It came out of the arachnid quarantine zone, ma'am.

Number four, contact fleet. A loose asteroid's headed their way.

Communications are down, ma'am. They're gone.

Damage assessment.

Hull's compromised. We're lucky to be alive, ma'am.

Luck didn't have anything to do with it.

We have a hell of a flight team.

[Sighs]

It really stinks, you going.

Yeah, well, the mobile infantry will just have to get along without me.

I don't get it, rico.

If they didn't want you, they would've kicked you out.

Hey.

I joined up for the wrong reasons.

I got a guy killed. I don't have what it takes.

Rico.

Your call's going through. Take it there.

Hello?

Oh, Johnny.

- Hi, mom. - Bill, pick it up! It's Johnny!

- Johnny? - Dad.

- Where's your uniform? - Bill.

[Bill] It's just good to hear from you.

How are you, son?

It's not really working out here for me, dad.

I was thinking...

I was hoping it'd be all right if I came home.

Well, of course, you should come home immediately.

I'm sorry. I've been an idiot.

Don't talk like that. You just come on home.

Talk things out.

We love you, son.

- Oh, my, what's that? - Looks like rain.

- This time of year? - Sure is dark.

[Operator] Terminated due to atmospheric interference.

Please try your call again later.

Well, see you.

[Flores] Hey.

Take that stroll down washout Lane, you're only proving one thing.

What's that, diz?

That you don't have what it takes to be a citizen.

[Recruits chanting]

[Man] Sound off.

- [Recruit 1] Roll out! Roll out! - [Recruit 2] What's happening?

What's going on?

- Hey, kitten, what's going on? - War! We're going to war!

[Announcer] The devastation we are seeing is unparalleled.

Judging from early estimates, millions dead, a city in ruins.

Is that Geneva?

Goddamn bugs whacked us, Johnny.

The meteor was shot out of orbit by bug plasma

that derived from klendathu, the arachnid's home planet.

[♪♪♪]

Nothing lives in what was once called "the Latin paradise."

Oh, Johnny, that's us.

Buenos Aires has been wiped off the earth.

It's home.

The federal council met moments ago and voted unanimously

for mobilization to destroy the arachnid threat.

- [Zim] I'm serious, I'll go anywhere. - We need you here!

- I want combat! - The only way you'll see combat

is if you bust yourself to private. Get me?

Yes, sir, I get you.

Sir!

What do you want, rico?

I wish to reconsider my request to drop out, sir.

You already signed your 1240-a, son.

- It wouldn't be legal. - Major, I know it was wrong.

I didn't learn from one mistake, and I made another, sir.

You made your decision, son.

Sir, my family.

My whole family was in Buenos Aires, sir.

Is this your signature, rico?

Sir, yes, it is, sir.

It doesn't look like it to me.

- Carry on, private. - Yes, sir!

[♪♪♪]

[Announcer] Out of the ashes of Buenos Aires

comes first, sorrow...

Then anger.

The only good bug is a dead bug!

In Geneva, the federal council convenes.

We must meet the threat with our valor, our blood,

indeed, with our very lives,

to ensure that human civilization, not insect,

dominates this galaxy now and always.

Sky marshal dienes announces plans

for an offensive against klendathu,

source of the bug meteor that destroyed Buenos Aires.

Every day, federal scientists are looking for new ways to kill bugs.

Your basic arachnid warrior isn't too smart, but you can blow off a limb...

And it's still 86 percent combat effective.

Here's a tip. Aim for the nerve stem and put it down for good.

Would you like to know more?

Everyone's doing their part. Are you?

The war effort needs your effort at work, at home, in your community.

We now break net and take you live

to fleet battle station ticonderoga, deep inside

the arachnid quarantine zone, where the men and women

of the federal armed services prepare to attack.

[Man over radio] Dxq uplink on two, one. You're on.

No one here in the aqz knows exactly

when the invasion of klendathu will occur.

But everyone's talking about it, and the talk says tomorrow.

Here's a bunch of mi. Kids who look like they eat bugs for lunch.

Yum, yum, yum.

You're not worried about fighting the arachnids?

Shoot a nuke down a bug hole, you got a lot of dead bugs. Am I right?

I just hope it's not over before we get some.

Some say the bugs were provoked by intrusion of humans

into their natural habitat.

That a live-and-let-live policy is preferable to war with the bugs.

Let me tell you something. I'm from Buenos Aires,

- and I say kill them all! - Yeah! Oh, yeah!

- Yeah! - Oh, yeah!

Big bad bugs, huh?

- Hey, guys, we ought to get tattoos. - Let's all get cut together.

- What do I want a tattoo for? - What? Your skin's too pretty?

- Come on, everyone's doing it. - [Carmen] Hey, Johnny!

Johnny rico.

Carmen?

At ease. Guess I ought to lose the hat when I'm off duty.

Hi, diz.

Carmen.

My mother was right about you.

You look great in a uniform.

You look pretty good yourself.

So, what do you hear?

You know about anyone who made it out of ba. Alive?

Most of the time, I don't think about it.

Like it happened to someone else.

Then it hits me, and I can't stop crying.

Well, we're still alive. You've gotta be happy about that.

You don't look very happy to see me.

Should I be?

Johnny,

it's different now.

We're at war. I think what I did

was probably the best thing for both of us.

Everything copasetic, lieutenant?

Zander, you remember Johnny.

Zander and I are a flight team now.

Yeah, we're the best in the fleet.

I get it.

This is the part that's best for both of us.

Don't do me any more favors.

- Johnny, wait. - Forget it. He's mobile infantry.

See, when you're trained to kill,

it just doesn't pay to be polite.

You got something to say about the mobile infantry?

I think you heard me.

You wanna make something of it,

private?

Not with an officer. No, sir.

The m.I. Doesn't mint stupid troopers.

- Well, let's disregard rank. - Zander, please.

- [Man] Let it go, rico. - Everybody hear that?

Rank is not an issue here.

- Don't do this. - [Man] Let it go.

Come on, what's he gonna do?

[Yelling and grunting]

Come on! Come on! I'm gonna kill you!

Guys! Guys! Quit it! He's not worth it! Come on!

Come on!

Forget it, rico.

Mobile infantry and fleet don't mix. Come on.

Come on, let's go.

Jarheads.

- [Levy] Mobile infantry rules! - [Man] Yeah!

Oh, god, that hurts!

Hey, well, I got something that might hurtjust a little bit more, buddy.

Ah!

Oh, yeah! We're gonna fight! And we're gonna win!

[Yelling]

[Man over pa] This is the captain speaking.

All personnel prepare for drop.

We are at t-minus-three and counting.

[♪♪♪]

We are going in with the first wave.

Means more bugs for us to kill.

You smash the entire area.

You kill anything that has more than two legs.

- You get me? - We get you, sir!

[♪♪♪]

- Plasma, ma'am, from the planet. - Bug batteries.

According to military intelligence, it'll be random and light.

- Drop status? - Drop is 35 percent complete, ma'am.

Steady as she goes, number two.

[Groaning]

[Officer] Remember your training

and you will make it back alive!

[Retching]

[Panting]

Woo-hoo!

This isn't random or light.

- Someone made a mistake. - [Zander] That's it.

We're empty, ma'am.

Someone made a big goddamn mistake.

Break for high orbit!

Ah!

[♪♪♪]

[Soldier] Go, go, go!

- Rockets up! - Rocket crew, move up.

[Bugs chittering]

- Levy, rico. - Heat them up.

- Set. - Fire!

- Follow me! - [Soldier] Let's go!

- [Gunfire] - [Soldiers yelling]

First platoon, left flank!

Spread out!

First and second squads, follow me!

- Cover! - Come with me!

[Roars]

Fire!

[Screaming]

Here they come!

Ace, what are we doing?

I don't know.

[Roaring]

I don't know.

Come on!

Come on!

Come on! You want some?

Here's some! Yeah!

Take some of this!

[Screams]

Oh, my god!

Shujimi!

Help! Help!

God!

Let's get out of here!

[Screams]

[Screeching]

[Screams]

[Rico] What's going on?

- You got com? - It's a general retreat!

Back to the boats!

[Soldier] We've just landed here on what cap troopers are calling big k

with the 6th mobile infantry division.

It's an ugly planet, a bug planet.

A planet hostile to life as we...

- [Roars] - [Screams]

Help me!

Split ranks!

Come on! Go, go, go!

Get out of here now!

[Yelling]

Kitten, no!

Ah!

[Screaming]

[Theme music plays]

[Announcer] Crisis for humankind.

Fleet officials admit they underestimated

the arachnid's defensive capability.

Accepting responsibility for klendathu,

sky marshal dienes resigns.

His successor, sky marshal tahat meru,

outlines her new strategy.

To fight the bug,

we must understand the bug.

- We can ill afford another klendathu. - Would you like to know more?

Federal scientists struggle to explain

the intelligent military actions of the arachnids.

When a colony reaches a certain size,

300 generations or something, it gets smarter.

Insects with intelligence? Have you ever met one?

- I can't believe this nonsense... - Would you wait...

This is the most ridiculous conversation I've ever...

Maybe there is some kind of bug that we haven't seen yet.

A leadership caste. A hive brain.

Brain bugs? Frankly, I find the idea

of a bug that thinks offensive.

[Melancholy music playing]

Ticonderoga, this is rodger young requesting approach vector.

[Man over radio] Affirmative, rodger young.

One-zero-zero-niner—five-two. Welcome back.

[Zander] My god.

How could this happen?

We thought we were smarter than the bugs.

[♪♪♪]

[Man] Give me something, please!

It hurts!

[Grunting]

Help me!

It's strange. There's almost no wounded at all.

Bugs don't take prisoners.

Oh, no.

Carmen.

[Beeping]

- [Man] There he is. - [Levy] Come on, let's wake him up.

[Flores] Hey, Johnny! Hey!

[Levy] Hey, rico.

- [Flores] Hey, Johnny! - Hey, rico.

- Wake up! - How you doing, fish boy? Look.

- You're dead. - Killed in action!

- Three more days. - Three days.

- You're out. - Good as new.

- See you later. - Bye.

[Mouths] Bye.

[♪♪♪]

So, what did you hear about our new unit?

Roughnecks killed more bugs than any other outfit.

Yeah, well, I hear their lieutenant's a real nut-buster.

Who's top kick?

[Gun cocks]

You want the job, huh?

I wouldn't mind.

I would.

- Just doing my part. - Orders.

Yours?

- Where you been besides big k? - Outer rings, zegema beach.

[Rico] Zegema beach.

- I always wanted to go there. - Good luck.

It's not there anymore.

So I hear your lieutenant's a real nut-buster.

[Grunting]

No one talks about the lieutenant that way.

- He saved my life. - Mine too.

- Same for me. - Me too.

Well, sounds like he's quite a guy.

Who do you think saved your ass?

[Man] Stand by.

Attention on deck.

[]

This is for you new people.

I only have one rule.

Everyone fights. No one quits.

If you don't do your job, I'll shoot you.

- Do you get me? - [In unison] We get you, sir!

- Welcome to the roughnecks. - Rasczak's roughnecks!

- Hoo! - At ease. Listen up.

Got a new sky marshal and a new battle plan.

We're gonna clean out the systems outlying klendathu

one planet at a time.

Tomorrow we hit tango urilla.

After fleet glasses the planet, m.I. Mops up.

Carry on.

[Roaring]

[Screeching]

[♪♪♪]

All right.

Spread out! Fire teams!

You locate a bug hole, nuke it.

Watkins, take out flores and rico.

Copy that. Move out.

[Birdie] First platoon, we're going for that Ridge.

- Levy, you're with me. - No, I'm in a squad.

- I'm going with rico. - Shut up and follow me.

[Roaring]

[Screeching]

Like it like that?

Funky, sucking sack of maggot puke.

It's dead, Watkins, it's dead!

Ain't much to look at after you scrape them off your boot.

[Rico] Bug hole.

[Bugs screeching]

Nuke them, rico!

Fire in the hole!

[Birdie] Watkins, we're under heavy attack. Position m—4.

- Get over here. - Move!

[♪♪♪]

- You got a bug problem, ma'am? - Stow it, trooper.

Tanked

- oh, shit! - Come on, move!

[Roars]

Get down!

[Screaming]

[Screeches]

[Grenade whines]

[Soldiers cheering]

Come on.

- Call for retrieval. - [Soldier] Medic!

Nice moves.

Where'd you learn how to do that, soldier?

Back in school, sir. Don't you remember?

I was captain of the team.

- Rico? - Sir?

I need a corporal. You're it until you're dead

or till I find somebody better.

Thank you, sir.

- All right, saddle up! - Way to go, corporal.

- I need a squad leader. - Oh, no.

No, I've been there and blew it.

I'm just here to fight.

What about it, diz?

Looks like I'm your girl, sir.

Hooah!

[Laughing and chattering]

Listen up!

I expect the best, and I give the best.

Here's the beer!

[Cheering]

Here's the entertainment!

Have fun! That's an order!

Thank you, lieutenant!

[Watkins] Rico.

You kill bugs good.

You knew the lieutenant before the war.

What was he like?

He was a teacher. Kind of like he knew it all.

He always had this little smile.

Yeah, well, he don't smile much anymore.

Yeah, well, I guess your bottle fills up quick

- when your kids get smeared. - Come on.

No, I don't do that anymore.

I remember when you used to dance. Come on.

Do I have to pull rank?

Excuse me, sir.

Rico.

You once asked me for advice. Want some now?

- Yes, sir. - Lieutenant.

Hq is on the com.

Never pass up a good thing.

Beer?

So, rico, what are you doing after the dance?

What's so funny?

You know, just the way things work out.

[Romantic music playing]

We finally got together, diz.

I love you, Johnny.

[Rasczak] Rico.

We're moving out. There's been a distress call from general Owen.

Get your shit wired, report in 10 minutes.

Yes, sir.

Who's that with you?

Flores, sir.

Make it 20 minutes.

[Rico] Yes, sir.

Twenty minutes?

We can do it.

[Soldier] Whiskey outpost. Do you copy?

This is roughneck 2-0 on tack three.

Come in, please.

Whiskey outpost. Whiskey outpost.

This is roughneck 2-0 on tack three.

- Any contact with general Owen? - No, sir.

- Not even the transponder signal. - It's these canyons.

Go to higher ground, sergeant.

[Chittering]

Whiskey outpost, whiskey outpost, this is roughneck 2-0 on...

[Screeches]

[Screams]

Sugar, your weapon.

Help me!

I'd expect anyone in this unit to do the same for me.

You're acting sergeant. Move them out.

You heard the lieutenant! Saddle up!

[♪♪♪]

Jeez, someone really humped the bunk.

- Watkins? - Sir?

Secure this compound. Police these bodies.

Yes, sir.

- Give me three up on the tower now! - [Soldier 1] Aye, aye.

- Op there! Op there! - [Soldier 2] On the way.

Siren two, police up these bodies!

It stinks in there.

- Rico? - Yes, sir.

We need retrieval. This place crawls.

Get somebody in the communications tent.

Yes, sir. Diz, check it out.

[Rasczak] Man group with me.

Ah, shit. Lieutenant.

Dirty bugs came in right while they were having chow.

Yeah. This is where they got in.

Lieutenant.

I think you're gonna wanna see this.

- What have you got, flores? - [Levy] God, I hate this place.

[Sighs]

What's that look like to you, rico?

Looks like a bug was in his brain, sir.

They sucked his brains out.

[Banging]

Open that.

Ah!

Officer on the deck!

- Pick up the general. - Owen, is it safe?

- We've gotta get out of here. - General. Sir.

Thank god for you. All of you.

You're all gonna be heroes, every last one of you.

- Close that hole. - Yes, sir.

I had to evade capture. The security of the federation was at stake.

[Explosion]

I have operational knowledge of what we're up to out here.

- Flores, I need that uplink. - Working on it, sir.

- Damn it. - [Owen] See?

They get in your mind. Look, they did it to farley.

They got in his mind. They make you do things.

- They made farley call headquarters. - The distress call was a trap.

They're just like us. They wanna know what makes us tick.

They wanna know us so they can kill us.

Roughnecks, this is lead. Prepare for attack. We're gonna be attacked.

Where's the retrieval boat?

This is roughneck 2-0 to battle group. Do you read?

Oh, god. We're gonna die.

Don't you understand? We're all gonna die!

[Watkins] Second squad, follow me.

- Control yourself, general. - I can't.

I can't. I wish you'd just shoot me.

Lieutenant. He's just a little out of his mind, sir.

Bugslbugs!

- Die! - All right.

Warm it all up. Everything you've got.

Come on, you apes. You wanna live forever?

[Soldier 1] I got bugs.

[♪♪♪]

[Chittering]

[Roaring]

[Soldier 2] Magazine.

Fire at will.

[Yells]

Incoming!

[Moans]

Rico, where's my communications?

- Diz, status on the uplink? - [Flores] Give me a minute.

We don't have a minute.

[Flores] Battle group, we are under...

[Man over radio] This is rodger young. Go ahead.

We are under attack, sir. We need retrieval now.

We have planet p as clear.

This place crawls, sir. We need pickup now!

- What's your position? - Come down on this transmission.

- Inside the outpost? That's crazy. - I hope you have a crazy pilot. Out.

[Yelling]

Lieutenant! Boat coming down, sir.

Fall back into the compound!

[Screaming]

Hold here! Hold what you've got!

Running low!

- I'm out! - Here! Make them count!

Take cover and fire. Fall back!

Move, move, move!

Fall back to the boat! Haul ass!

[Groaning]

Oh, my god.

[Screaming]

Ric... rico.

- You know what to do. - Yes, sir.

Do it, rico.

[Roars]

Woo-hoo!

- Yeah! - Dizzy!

[Screaming]

Ace, help me. Hold her down.

Move! Get her into the boat!

- Come on, diz, don't die on me. - Get her out. Let's go, let's go.

[Woman] Let's go, let's go, let's go!

Let's go, get aboard!

Tower, let's go!

Let's move it, tower!

[Rasping breaths]

Johnny, I'm dying. I'm dying.

No. You're gonna be all right, diz.

It's all right,

because I got to have you.

Johnny, don't let me go.

Don't let... don't let...

[♪♪♪]

[Man over radio] This is battle control.

Proceed on vector five-niner-two-two-seven.

I think you should know,

your friend rico is back there.

Get on the com and tell fleet to blast that rock.

On whose authority, corporal?

That would be mine, sir. I assumed command of the mission.

Rodger young, we have an official request

by the mobile infantry to commence bombardment of planet p.

I thought you were dead.

I'm not, but a lot of my troopers are.

[Deladier] Negative on your request.

The sky marshal has other plans for planet p.

Welcome back.

M.i. Does the dying, fleet just does the flying.

Hold on. Something's up.

Fleet's mobilized for a big operation.

[♪♪♪]

Attention on deck!

Once, somebody asked me if I knew the difference

between a citizen and a civilian.

I can tell you now. A citizen has the courage

to make the safety of the human race

their personal responsibility.

Dizzy was my friend.

She was a soldier,

but more than that,

she was a citizen of the federation.

Present arms!

Order arms!

Left face!

[Somber music plays]

- Officer on deck. - Carry on.

Burial detail, dismissed.

At ease.

- How are you, Carl? - Carmen, good.

Johnny, I'm sorry it had to be your unit on p.

That mission had a very low survival probability.

The bugs laid a trap for us, didn't they?

Elegant proof of intelligence, isn't it?

We thought there might be a brain bug on p.

You knew, and you sent them anyway?

We couldn't afford to launch an operation if there wasn't one.

You don't approve. Well, too bad.

We're in this for the species, boys and girls. It's simple numbers.

They have more.

Every day I make decisions that send hundreds like you to their deaths.

Didn't they tell you, colonel?

That's what the mobile infantry's good for.

I hope you're ready for more.

We're going back to p to capture that brain.

The roughnecks are always ready, sir.

I hear they need a new lieutenant. Want the job?

I'll take it, until I get killed or you find someone better.

[Woman over pa] Attention.

- All personnel report to your stations. - Well?

Prepare for drop in 75 minutes.

Take care of yourself, Johnny.

I'll see you again.

[♪♪♪]

Officer on deck!

- Who are all these kids? - We got reinforced.

Most of them are fresh out of boot.

We're the old men, ace.

This is for all you new people.

I only have one rule.

Everyone fights. No one quits.

If you don't do your job, I'll kill you myself.

- Do you get me?! - [All] We get you, sir!

- Welcome to the roughnecks. - Rico's roughnecks!

[All] Hooah!

Today we're gonna pay a visit to bug city.

We're looking for a bug no one's ever seen before.

Some kind of smart bug.

And it probably knows we're coming.

Saddle up!

[Soldier] Go, go, go!

[♪♪♪]

Evasive action.

Get us clear for warp, number two.

- Clear in five, four, three. - Initiating star drive in five.

[Grunting]

[Screaming]

This is rodger young. We're going down.

- This is rodger young. We're going... - Get out! Abandon ship! Come on!

- Zander! - Here!

[Deladier] We've got to get to the rescue deck! Come on!

[Grunting]

Ah!

Captain.

Abandon ship. That is an...

She's dead, Carmen. She's dead!

Here!

Follow me.

Ready?

Life pod bravo 6-3, two aboard.

Scouting for a landing zone. Checking terrain. Here.

- Can you handle that? - Piece of cake.

[Man over radio] We've lost the rodger young.

Fleet command, we have confirmation.

The rodger young is down.

Ugh.johnny.

Johnny.

Rodger young just burned up.

It's on the rescue net.

[Carmen over radio] Life pod bravo 6-3, two aboard. Is anyone receiving?

Any survivors?

Well, they're getting tarred up there pretty bad.

Life pod bravo 6-3, two aboard. Is anyone receiving?

Affirmative. This is roughneck 2-0.

You're breaking up. Say again.

- Carmen? - Say again, I'm losing you.

Carmen!

Prepare for landing. Retro in three, two, one.

Fire.

Carmen. Carmen?

Hey, you okay? Get out. Get out.

[Snarling]

[Rico] This is roughneck 2-0. Are you receiving? Over.

This is roughneck 2-0. Carmen, are you receiving?

- Johnny, is that you? - Yeah, it's me.

- What's your position and situation? - Yeah.

We're in bug city, 20 meters underground. Position:

South 42, east 118. Situation is...

[Bugs chittering]

I repeat, south 42, east 118. What's your situation?

Carmen?

The situation is extremely hostile.

[♪♪♪]

I need a squad to pull them out!

- Direction? - Three klicks, south by southwest.

[Screeching]

Look out!

[Screams]

[Screams]

[Static on radio]

- What do you wanna do? - [Watkins] You heard the lieutenant!

Rescue party. Third squad, come with me!

Cancel that.

You know as well as I do she's already dead.

Sorry, buddy.

Roughnecks,

- let's move. - All right.

[Screeching and chittering]

[Grunting]

Why didn't they kill us?

They want us alive.

[♪♪♪]

We should go this way.

A company's that way.

But Carmen's down there.

Hey, I hate to be rude, buddy, but word has it she's dead.

- She's still alive. - How do you know?

- I don't know how I know, but I know. - Listen.

You got command, but going off mission,

that's a serious offense.

Yeah. I think they hang you for that.

Roughneck 2-0, proceed on mission.

I need two volunteers.

[Screeching]

[Suspenseful music playing]

[Groans]

[Growls]

One day, someone like me

is gonna kill you and your whole fucking race.

Ah!

Ah!

[Growling]

[Screeching]

You know what this is?

[Imitates explosion]

Sure, you do.

You're some kind of big, fat smart bug, aren't you?

Come on.

[Levy] This is roughneck 2-0.

Brain bug sighted moving west of grid five.

[♪♪♪]

- Give me the nuke! - You trying to be a hero, Watkins?!

I'm trying to kill some bugs, sir.

Get out of here!

Get out of here!

Move!

You like that?! You like that?! Come on!

You want a little more?

You like that? You like that? You like that? You want a little more?

Come on!

[Screeching]

Come on, Carmen.

[People chattering]

- [Soldier 1] We did it! - [Soldier 2] All right!

- What's going on? - We got it!

Come on!

[Triumphant music playing]

[Grunting]

What's it thinking, colonel?

[Moaning]

[♪♪♪]

It's afraid.

It's afraid!

[Cheering]

[Carmen] Carl! Carl! Hey!

Well, look who's here.

You made it. Good.

It was you, wasn't it? You told me how to find Carmen.

Well, that's classified.

You know, whenever the three of us are together,

I feel like things might just work out.

I hope you're right, Carmen. We've got one of their brains now.

Pretty soon, we'll know how they think,

and then we'll know how to beat them.

One day, it will all be over,

and everyone will forget that this was the moment.

This is when it turned.

And it wasn't the mighty fleet. It wasn't some fancy new weapon.

It was a drill instructor named zim who captured a brain.

Come on!

Zim.

He got him! Yeah!

Zim. Zim got the bug. Zim got the bug, man!

- Good job, sergeant. - Thank you, sir.

That would be private, sir.

- Carry on, private. - Yes, sir!

- [All] Yeah! - Yeah!

[Announcer] What mysteries will the brain bug reveal?

Federal scientists are working around the clock to probe its secrets.

Once we understand the bug, we will defeat it.

[Roars]

We have the ships. We have the weapons.

We need soldiers like lieutenant stack lumbreiser.

We're over the target area now, captain.

And captain Carmen ibanez.

This is the captain speaking. All personnel prepare for drop.

Soldiers like private ace Levy and lieutenant John rico.

Come on, you apes! You wanna live forever?!

We need you all. Service guarantees citizenship.

[Triumphant music playing]

[♪♪♪]

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