Original subtitles

(dramatic music)

- Okay, Venus?

- Okay, Steve.

- Right, let's go.

(dramatic music)

(engine booms) (engine whirs)

(dramatic music)

(eerie music)

(fire crackles)

- The day will soon come

when we will avenge the capture of our leader,

the chief subterrain of Planet 46.

- Our robot bird is nearing completion.

Just a few more electronic components are needed

to make the remote control systems perfect.

- Then we must work on.

Our winged messenger must not fail

on its great mission of vengeance.

(dramatic music)

How soon will we be able to test the bird

with the radium capsules?

- Very soon now.

We are nearly ready.

- Good.

Then Steve Zodiac will die and our chief will be avenged.

- [Zero] Space City to Fireball XL5.

Commander Zero here, Steve, come in please.

- Hi Commander, what can | do for you?

- [Zero] We're receiving some strange radio signals

over the neutroni transmitting system.

They seem to be coming from your sector.

- Can you get a definite fix on their source, Commander?

- [Zero] Our Lieutenant Ninety is trying now, Steve.

(dramatic music)

How's it coming, Lieutenant?

Haven't you got that fixed yet?

- It's very faint, Commander.

| can hardly track it.

- Well, let's try harder, Lieutenant.

It could be danger.

- Hey, | think got it. - Yeah?

- Yes, sir.

The signals appear to come from Planet 46,

- The subterrain's planet, huh?

Hey, we've had some dealings with them before.

Hey, Steve knows all about them.

Space City to Fireball XL5.

We've now got a fix for you.

Did you get that, Steve?

- | sure did, Commander.

| thought we'd heard the last of the subterrains

when we smashed their plot to destroy Earth.

We'll check Planet 46 out right away, Commander.

Set course reading, will you, Matt?

- Roger, Steve.

Hey, Venus?

You should remember the subterrains.

- You can say that again, Professor.

- Well, | guess we're going back there sooner

than we thought.

How about that course reading, Matt?

- Five one seven zero red, Steve.

- Roger, Matt.

Change course, Robert.

Five one seven zero red.

- Course five one seven zero red.

(dramatic music)

- Ready for localised test run of robot bird.

- 10 seconds to go.

Nine.

Eight.

Seven.

(dramatic music)

Three.

Two.

One.

Fire!

(engine booms)

Robot bird on self guidance system now.

- Cut in remote control and direct onto target.

(lever clicks)

(dramatic music)

- Robot bird has sought out plant target.

(subterrain chuckles)

- Soon it will fire it's deadly radium capsule

by self guidance.

(dramatic music)

(capsule bangs)

(dramatic music)

Ah, a perfect strike.

The plant will soon wither and die.

(dramatic music)

- Itis a complete success.

The radium capsule will take longer to work on Zodiac.

- But it will work.

Bring the robot bird back underground.

(dramatic music)

- Aspaceship is approaching our planet.

It is a World Space Patrol Vessel.

- They must have picked up some radio waves

from our apparatus.

Suspend all activity.

(dramatic music)

- In orbit around Planet 46 now, Steve.

The rabbit is in central control room.

- [Steve] Roger, Matt

(dramatic music)

Nothing so far, Professor.

- Keep searching, Steve.

Those subterrains are cool customers.

They're somewhere around.

- [Steve] Yeah, could be.

(rocket whirs)

- Steve, there.

(dramatic music)

- It's okay.

This planet is just full of those weird rock formations.

- Oh, I'm sorry, Steve.

| guess I'm a little jumpy.

- Not exactly inviting, is it?

Planet 46 check complete, Matt.

We've seen no sign of activity

and the radio has been static.

- Right, Steve.

Standing by to connect up Fireball Junior.

(dramatic music)

(engine booms)

- They have gone.

And we had at our mercy.

If only the robot bird had been ready.

- But we have to fit the long range guidance system

and more radium capsules have to be made.

Do not fear, our chief will be avenged.

(dramatic music)

- Fireball XL5 to Space City.

Activity on Planet 46 negative, Commander Zero.

Of course the subterrains live underground,

but if they were planning anything,

we would have picked up radio waves.

- Sure, Steve, if you're satisfied then | am.

Continue routine procedure.

(dramatic music)

- All is ready, five seconds to go.

- Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Zero.

Fire!

(engines boom)

- Launching complete success.

The vengeance of the subterrains has begun!

Robot bird on self guidance system code nine seven.

Jammer frequencies in operation.

- Good.

Now the earth tracking systems will be useless.

They will not detect our winged messenger at any time.

(dramatic music)

- Retro's fired, approaching landing pad.

(dramatic music)

(engines boom)

- Touchdown a-OK, Steve.

- So Fireball XL5's patrol is over, eh, Lieutenant?

- Yes, sir, Commander.

Oh, and say, have there been

any more radio beams from Planet 46?

- No, Lieutenant, not a bleep.

(dramatic music)

- Zoonie didn't really cause you a lot of trouble,

did he, Commander?

- Of course he did, that creature's a menace!

- Welcome home!

(Commander chuckles)

- But it's great to have him around to liven up the place.

- Can | give you a lift home in my hover car, Venus?

- Why thank you, Steve.

Zoonie would like that.

- Well, | asked you, Venus, but | guess he can come along.

(dramatic music)

- It's good to be back on Earth again, Steve.

- It sure is, Venus.

Especially after Planet 46.

(dramatic music)

(robot bird beeps) (dramatic music)

(capsule bangs) (dramatic music)

- Steve!

(dramatic music)

(lever clicks) (dramatic music)

- Oh, | must've passed out.

- Move over, Steve.

I'll drive you back to Space City.

I'm going to give you a thorough check over

in the hospital bay there.

(dramatic music)

- The robot bird has struck.

- Excellent, but we must make sure the bird stays

until we are certain that Zodiac is dead.

If the Earth man recovers,

our little machine must strike again.

There is no escape for Zodiac.

(sombre music)

- Itis very serious, Professor.

There's some strange element in his body.

| must operate at once.

- Gee, Venus, how could Steve have got that?

Is it something he picked up in space?

- No, Professor, he was shot.

| removed the tiny capsule.

It contained traces of a type of radium.

It will be touch and go.

(sombre music)

(air whooshes)

Oh, Steve, | do hope | can save you.

(sombre music)

Well, Professor, it's all over.

The operation was a complete success.

- Oh, that's swell, Venus.

| knew you could do it.

- But now Steve must have plenty of rest if he's to recover.

(dramatic music)

- | just can't understand how Steve was shot.

- Well we've checked Space City inside out,

but we've come up with a blank.

- Steve's resting in the recovery ward.

He should be fine in a couple of weeks.

(dramatic music)

- Steve Zodiac is recovering from our first strike.

It is bad.

- But you remember, my friend,

the robot bird is geared to stay within range of Zodiac

until a positive strike is made.

- Oh yes and with the robot bird's

TV scanners relaying information to us,

we will be able to see our chief avenged.

- Hi, there Steve.

How are you feeling?

| brought you some flowers.

- Thanks, Venus, swell.

When are you going to let me get up?

I've been here for a week now and | feel just great.

- You may feel fit, Steve,

but you need at least another whole week in bed.

- You know, | reckon I'm going nuts just lying here.

| keep seeing a bird hovering outside my window.

- A bird, Steve?

I'll take a look.

(dramatic music)

| don't see anything, Steve.

What was it like?

- | can't really say.

You see, | only see it at night

and then it's just a black shape.

- Now you close your eyes and get some rest.

It'll be nightfall soon.

I'll close the curtain, Steve.

(dramatic music)

Good night, Steve.

I'll see you in the morning.

(switch clicks)

- Good night, Venus.

(dramatic music)

(Steve sighs)

It's no good, | can't sleep.

| guess I'll take a breath of air.

(dramatic music)

The bird.

The same bird.

| knew | hadn't imagined it.

- Steve, what are you doing out of bed?

(dramatic music)

Now come along, Steve, please, back to bed.

You are very naughty.

- Okay. Venus, you're the doctor,

but | sure don't feel tired.

- Nevermind, Steve.

The rest will do you good.

| don't think you realise what bad shape you're in.

(switch clicks)

- What a girl.

| should know better than to argue.

(dramatic music)

- When will Steve be up and about, Venus?

He's been in bed two weeks now.

- | know, Professor.

| was just going in to tell him he can get up today.

(sombre music)

Steve, you are impossible.

The worst patient I've ever had.

- | just can't lie around here any longer, Venus.

I'll go crazy.

- Hey Steve, take a look at this.

It's, it's some kind of metal bird.

(dramatic music)

- That must be the bird | was telling you about.

- It looks like some sort of robot.

- But what is it doing here?

Where has it come from?

(dramatic music)

(dart whooshes)

(dramatic music)

- Hey, | think I've got this figured.

If you analyse that capsule, Venus,

my guess is you'll find it contains the stuff

that knocked me out.

(dramatic music)

- [Venus] Where are you going, Steve?

- I'm going to get a stun gun.

| want to take a closer look at that bird.

(dramatic music)

Now to knock that metal bird out of the sky

before it can cause any more damage.

- Meanwhile, I'll take this capsule to my laboratory.

(dramatic music) (gun bangs)

- Got it.

Now we'll see what this is all about, Matt.

- What has gone wrong?

The signals from the robot bird have ceased.

- The bird is out of operation.

It must have been detected.

- Then we must be ready with our defence missiles.

It will not be long before the Earth men discover

where the robot bird has come from.

(dramatic music)

- How's it coming, Matt?

Have you found out what made that thing tick?

- | should know pretty soon, Steve.

It's a masterpiece of engineering.

(radar bleeps)

- That signal, it's the same type you were getting

from Planet 46, Commander.

- Of course.

The subterrains wanted their revenge on you, Steve,

for imprisoning their chief

and this was the method they adopted.

- Yeah, | guess we'll have to figure some way

to keep them in check once and for all.

- You were right, Steve.

That capsule contained the type of radium,

enough to kill 20 men if it got ahold.

- Right.

Get that metal bird working on our frequencies, Matt.

And we're going to pay a return visit to Planet 46

and beat them at their own game.

- Okay, Steve.

(dramatic music)

(alarm blares)

- Stand by for lift off.

(alarm blares)

- All systems go, Steve.

Standing by for lift off.

(engine booms) (engine whirs)

(dramatic music)

- A World Space Patrol Ship is approaching fast.

(dramatic music)

- Make ready to fire defence missiles.

- We're in orbit around Planet 46, Steve.

- Roger, Matt.

Stand by to fire robot bird, Robert.

- Standing by to fire robot bird.

- Steve, the subterrains have defence missiles

ready for launching.

- And I'd be a tootie if | couldn't guess

who they were aiming at.

- Okay, we'll soon fix that.

Fire the robot bird, Robert.

(launcher bangs)

- [Steve] World Space Patrol Ship Fireball XL5 to Planet 46.

Your metal robot bird is on our frequency

and is in orbit around your planet.

(dramatic music)

Lower your defence missiles.

If you do not comply with the laws of the universe,

we'll send the robot bird down to attack you.

- What shall we do?

(dramatic music)

- Zodiac has beaten us again.

We have no choice, lower all defence missiles.

(triumphant music)

- Well, | guess the subterrains will do

a little bird watching from now on.

- Yeah, sure glad the robot we invented is

a little more friendly.

(Matt chuckles) Hey, Robert?

- On our way home.

On our way home.

(triumphant music)

(upbeat music)

~ The fastest guy alive J

¢ I'd fly you 'round the universe f

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 star dust f

S We'll zoom our way to Mars f

f My heart would be a fireball

~

¢ Cause you would be my Venus of the stars I