Original subtitles

(dramatic music)

- Okay, Venus? - Okay, Steve.

- Right, let's go.

(dramatic music)

(rocket fires)

(XL5 whirring)

(rocket fires)

(groovy music)

(rocket fires)

(planet explodes)

- Commander Zero, sir,

there's been another planetary explosion in deep space.

- Yeah, yeah, Lieutenant, | know.

The computers are going crazy.

What's the region?

- Beyond Sector 25 again, Commander,

exactly the same place as the last explosions.

- Well, this could be serious.

The radiation must be colossal.

We've registered six blasts

in the past week.

What's going on out there?

Fireball XL5's in Sector 25, isn't it?

Get Steve Zodiac, maybe he's got a better reading than us.

- Roger, Commander.

Space City to Fireball XL5, come in please.

Come in Steve Zodiac.

Space City calling.

- Neutroni transmitting signal loud and clear, Lieutenant.

XL5 here. What can we do for you?

- Reckon Space City has picked up

that explosion, Steve.

Could be they want more information.

- That's exactly it, Professor Maddock.

How do you read blastings?

- Yeah, can you pinpoint the location?

We're getting interference.

- Professor traced explosions

to space around planet Triad, Commander.

- Triad?

Isn't that the planet we named some months back?

- You've got it, Commander.

It's way outside the chartered sectors.

We've only chartered out superficial observations

from the edge of Sector 25.

- Yeah, we reckon it's similar to earth,

but three times the size.

Atmosphere and climate appear to be the same, too.

- Well, those explosions were certainly three times

as powerful as we've known.

Guess they must do everything

in a big way up there.

You'd better check Triad out

and remember, Colonel, you'll be doing deeper

into space than ever before.

- Okay, Matt, Venus, are you ready

to cross the space frontier?

- | sure am, Steve.

Gee, Zoonie, isn't it exciting.

- Welcome home.

- Well, | think it's exciting anyway.

- It sure is a long way, Steve.

You'd better take course, ultra 2190 red.

Yeah, | figure that's the shortest route.

In about three weeks, you'd see us in Triad's region.

- Okay, Robert, a new course, ultra 2190 red.

- Ultra 2190 red.

(groovy music)

- Well, there they go, Commander.

They're in the unchartered area now.

- Try to keep them in neutroni frequency, Lieutenant.

It'll be difficult, they may get out of range.

- Okay, Robert, take over.

Maintain present course.

- Maintain present course.

- It's a strange feeling, isn't it, Steve?

Coursing the frontiers of space,

going further than any earth people

have ever been.

- It sure is, Venus, but | guess

there always has be a first time.

- Yep, it's the first time I've been late for coffee.

Hope it's not cold.

(ominous music)

(planet exploding)

(suspenseful music)

- That's the seventh explosion, Commander Zero.

- | can still count, you know, Lieutenant 90.

How far is Fireball XL5 away

from planet Triad now?

- She'll be in the area

in approximately six days, Commander.

- Time enough for another six explosions.

What is thunder is causing them?

(triumphant music)

- How much further, Matt?

We're still at full power.

- Well, | figure at the present rate of travel,

we've got four more days.

You can see planet Triad on the spacing graph, Steve.

- Oh, yeah, | see it, that blip signal.

(dramatic music)

| see planet Triad, Matt.

Prepare to go into orbit.

- Roger, Steve.

I'm getting a mighty high radiation level from outside.

Guess Fireball's walls will withstand it, though.

- | need to disconnect Fireball Junior.

You think Zoonie and Robert will be okay

back in Central Control?

- Oh, | think so, Steve.

After all, Robert only has to keep Fireball in orbit

and Zoonie will sleep most of the time.

- Stand by, disconnecting nose cone now.

(dramatic music)

We're increasing speed too fast.

- The gravity Steve, it's three times as great as earth's.

We're being pulled at three times, full power.

(dramatic music)

- We'll burn up.

Firing main retros.

- But we'll use too much fuel, Steve.

- Happy Huck, Matt, we'll disintegrate.

Fire main retros.

(rocket firing)

- Speed increasing again, Steve.

- Okay, fire retros once more.

- But the fuel, Steve.

We won't have enough for lift off.

- We'll worry about lift off later.

Firing auxiliary retros.

(dramatic music)

- We're still travelling too fast, Steve.

- We're gonna have to use emergency retros

and fuel bits.

It's working.

We're slowing up.

- Steve, the fuel has run out.

We can't use the retros again.

- Hold tight, we've gotta crash land.

(dramatic music)

Sorry about the bump.

| wanna check to see what shape Junior's in.

(dramatic music)

Well, we're out of fuel,

but the ship's in one piece.

We sure were lucky to get away

with that crash landing.

Let's take a look around on our jet mobiles.

- Remember the gravity, Steve.

You'll need three times as much power

to fly your jet mobile.

- Okay, Matt.

(dramatic music)

- It's crazy out here.

Now | know what an ant feels like in an orchard.

Come on, Matt,

get the lead out of your space boots.

You just gotta see this.

(dramatic music)

(whimsical music)

Hey, I'm running out of fuel.

This is beginning to be a habit.

- Your see, it's the increased power we had to use, Steve,

to combat gravity pull.

- | guess we'll have to walk.

Gee, | feel as heavy as a lump of lead.

(whimsical music)

Hey, Matt, don't get lost

in this overgrown wilderness.

- Okay, Steve, I'll just follow this path

for a short way.

It might be a way out of the jungle.

(lion roaring)

By jovie, the animals are three times the size, too.

Help!

(dramatic music)

(lion roaring)

- Matt, use your thruster pack.

- Steve.

Steve?

Where are you?

- I'm over here in the tree opposite yours.

How about you, Venus?

(limb cracks)

- Steve, Maitt, | can't hold on much longer.

- The coma ray's no use.

The cat is too big to be affected.

(dramatic music)

- Steve.

Help me.

(lion roars)

- Hold on, Venus.

- What's happening?

(Matt yelling)

- What goes on around here?

(dramatic music)

(whimsical music)

- Welcome my friends.

Do not be alarmed, we mean you no harm.

- No harm, no, no, no, we only want you

to help us, please.

- What goes on here?

Hey, Matt, everything on this planet,

it's three times as large as Earth, right?

- Right, Steve.

| guess that goes for the people as well, by Jupiter.

- | feel kind of scared, Steve.

Everything's so big.

- Do not worry, ma'am.

We are peace loving people here on Triad.

We know that you have come from another planet

and that is the problem we want you

to help us with us.

- Yes, to help us with, yes.

Yes, like you, we want to travel in space,

but our experimental rockets keep exploding.

- There's the answer to those giant explosions, Matt.

They must have been the Triad's rockets.

- Yeah, | guess so, Steve.

But how can we help, Mr. er, uh.

- | am Graff.

- And | am Snaff.

- Glad to meet you.

I'm Steve Zodiac and my partners

are Professor Maddock and Venus,

our doctor of space medicine.

- You have good faces earthlings

and we need your help badly.

- Yes, badly.

- We know you are far advanced

in the art of space travel.

Please tell us, what is wrong with our rocket fuel?

- Yes, tell us and please help us.

Many more failures and our government

will abandon the space shot programme.

- Yeah, we've had the same problem.

Well, Matt, what do you think?

- Well, it seems to me we need

a reliable fuel as much as they do, Steve.

- Yes, to get Fireball Junior into the air

and remember, Steve, they did save us

from that giant lion.

- Yeah, okay, let's have a look of this fuel of yours.

- You mean, you'll do it? - Do it?

- It seems to me we could all help each other

a sight more than we do.

- We'll give you all the help we can.

- Yeah, everything you need.

- Come Snaff, let us get a sample of the rocket fuel.

- Yes, let us.

(whimsical music)

- Well, for giants, they sure have nice manners.

- Yep.

Guess planet Triad must be over 100 years

in planet Earth in development if

they're still trying to get their first rocket into space.

- I'm glad you promised to help them, Steve.

They're real cute.

- Well, if we wanted to escape,

we'd sure have a long jump ahead of us.

- Oh, I've just thought, Steve.

We must get back to Zoonie soon.

| didn't leave any food for him.

- Oh, he'll be okay for a while.

What worries me is how he's getting along with Robert.

Hope he's not driving him crazy again.

- (laughs) | can just imagine it.

Zoonie will say welcome home.

- Yeah, Robert will answer on our way home.

- And Zoonie will reply welcome home.

- And so it will go on.

- Yeah, yeah, quite a pantomime | bet.

(all laughing)

(celestial music)

- On our way home.

- Welcome home.

- On our way home.

- Welcome home.

- On our way home.

- Welcome home, welcome home.

(triumphant music)

- Here is the rocket fuel.

Snaff is bringing some equipment

we have just made that may help you.

- Aye, jingo, not so hard.

Remember, we're onlly little people compared with you.

- | am sorry, Professor.

| (laughs) quite forgot myself.

- Come on, Matt, let's get to work on that fuel.

- Yes, Professor, remember Zoonie.

(tubes bubbling)

- Yes, sir.

Reckon I've found out the problem.

The heliodronic base is too dense.

It's okay in atmosphere,

but as soon as the oxygen leaves it in space,

well, up she goes.

- Can you, uh, can you correct the fault, Professor?

- Well, now, | reckon | could.

Steve, bring over that bottle, will you?

- Roger, Matt.

| sure am glad you two big fellows fixed

up this wheelbarrow for us.

- Can you bring me a couple of handfuls

of that powder, Venus?

- Yes, Professor, when I've got the cap off the bottle.

- The, uh, Professor will make

a sample mixture and then we can produce

it in quantities now.

- Good, Graff, the correct formula is all we need.

- We'll soon be through here, Steve.

- Steady, Professor, don't spill it.

(whimsical music)

(celestial music)

- On our way home.

(dramatic music)

- Rocket is ready for firing,

thanks to our Earth friends.

- Thank you, Earth friends.

Yes, yes, they did a wonderful job.

- Now let's keep our fingers crossed

and hope it works.

- Well, it should, Matt.

It's the same basic formula

that we use on Earth.

- It's just got to work

or we never leave here

and Zoonie will starve.

- 10 seconds to go. - Yes.

- Nine. - Yes.

- Eight. - Correct.

- Seven. - Good boy.

- [Snaff] Six.

- Five. - Five, five.

- Four, three, two, one.

Zero.

Fire.

- Fire he said.

(alarm ringing)

(rocket firing)

- It looks good.

- She's broken through the atmosphere.

She's in space.

- You did it, Matt.

- It's wonderful.

The Triads have taken their first steps

to conquer space.

- And it is all due to you three fine little people.

- Fine little people.

However can we reward you?

- It's been a pleasure to help nice guys like you.

- Yeah, it sure has.

But there is one thing you can do.

Help us fill Fireball, Junior with the new fuel.

- Oh, uh, we, uh, we hoped you would stay

on Triad for a while.

- Yes, we hoped so.

I'm sure our government would like

to honour you all for your invaluable service

to our planet.

- It's very kind of you both.

But, you see, we have a pet

in our orbiting mothership

and by now he'll be very weak from lack of food.

- Yes (laughs) and we also have a robot

that | reckon will need recharging by now.

- So you see, Graff and Snaff,

we've just gotta go.

- Of course, we understand,

but we want you to know

that it has been a pleasure meeting

and working with you.

- Yes, and a privilege.

Please return to Triad soon.

There will always be a warm welcome awaiting you.

(celestial music)

- Okay, Matt, your fuel worked

in the Triad rocket.

Let's hope it does in Fireball, Junior.

- Standing by for liftoff, Steve.

(rocket fires)

Firing lift off rockets now.

- Goodbye Earth people.

- Bye-bye.

- And thank you.

- Yes, and come again soon.

- So long. - So long.

- Au revoir.

(rocket fires)

- Some day we will be flying

to other worlds, Snaff.

- Yes, Graff, yes, yes.

| hope they are all as friendly as our earthlings.

(celestial music)

(rocket snaps)

- Okay, I'll get XL5 under way.

You check out those two pets of ours.

(rocket fires)

- (laughs) Just look at them.

Guess they've both worn themselves out arguing.

(whimsical music)

- Come on, Zoonie, let's get you into the lab.

You must be starving.

- And you'll have to come to Fireball's workshop, Robert.

- Well, Steve's back safely

in Sector 25, Lieutenant.

- Yes, sir.

That sure is a relief.

| was kind of worried about them.

- There's no room for sentiment

in the service, Lieutenant.

Take everything calmly the way | do.

- [Steve] Fireball XL5 to Space City.

- Steve, it's good to hear you voice.

Are you all okay?

Been some anxious moments down here.

- Yeah, Commander, we're all just fine

and we're on our way home.

- On our way home, on our way home.

- Keep on course, Robert.

- Keep on the course, keep on the course.

(whimsical music)

~ The fastest guy alive J

f I'd fly you round the universe J

J In Fireball XL5 I

£ Way out in space together J

£ Conquerors of the sky I

f My heart would be a fireball

~

f Every time | gazed into your starry eyes f

¢ We'd take the path to Jupiter

£ And maybe very soon f

~ We'd cruise along the Milky Way J

£~ And land upon the moon J

¢ To a wonderland of stardust f

S We'll zoom our way to Mars f

My heart would be a fireball, a fireball

£ As you would be my Venus of the stars