Original subtitles

- Okay. Venus.

- Okay Steve.

- Right. Let's go.

(dramatic music)

(Rocket engine firing)

(Jazzy music)

(mysterious music)

(computers beeping and humming)

(loud explosion)

(alarms ringing)

- What in thunder is that, Commander Zero?

- It's the robot supply freighter alarm.

The master console has blown!

- What a racket. We sabotage the robot supply freighter,

then move in and salvage the cargo.

- Yeah, yeah. And Space City can't prove a thing.

- What's wrong? Is the equipment faulty?

- Why, you know better than that, Steve.

There's only one answer.

Sabotage.

- Wait for it, Lieutenant.

We should be getting a call any minute now.

- Space Salvage Company?

- Cargo ship Valiant to Space City,

come in Commander Zero.

| guess we're about to do a deal again.

- Okay, Briggs. | can hear you.

Don't tell me, | know.

You're approaching our robot supply freighter.

- You hit it right on the nose, Commander.

| guess we'll be able to salvage your gear

long before XL5 gets here.

- [Commander Zero] Okay. Okay.

It's your pride,

but how do you do it?

Each time we've had a freighter's mortars blow,

you've just happened to be in the area.

- [Slim] Yes, we'll have to put it down

to sheer luck, Commander.

- Climbing retros, Joe.

We're approaching the robot freighter.

- Roger, slim.

(eerie music)

- Okay, Joe.

You've taken your oxygen pill?

- You bet, Slim.

Now let's go.

- You know what?

I'm getting to know the layout of these robot freighters

like the back of my hand.

- Yeah, you ought to, Slim.

This is the third ship we've salvaged

in the past couple of months.

- Right, Joe. You get to work setting the time bomb

and I'll open the hatches to get the cargo out.

- Okay, Slim.

We don't want no Space Patrol boys

finding out how the freighter was sabotaged.

And be careful of them isotopes.

Two hours should give us time to unload and get clear.

- Gee, there must be a million bucks worth here

in salvage dough.

Another couple of hauls like this,

and we can live in luxury for the rest of our lives.

- [Slim] Have you set that bomb yet, Joe,

we gotta get these lead cases out of here.

- Yeah, I'm coming, Slim.

It's a cinch moving this cargo with no gravity.

This stuffs as light as a feather.

- All set, Joe? With the salvage stack?

- Yeah. Yeah, Slim.

You can take valiant back to Earth.

- Main boosters ignited.

- Hey, that bomb should be going off soon.

Shouldn't it, Joe?

- Yeah. Yeah, Slim

Like 10 seconds from now.

- Our plan is working fine. We're out of the blast area.

(loud explosion)

- And there she blows!

- Well, | guess the space salvage ship

should be touching down soon.

- Yeah, Steve.

And then we can expect the usual visit

from the Briggs brothers.

- We all know they're sabotaging our robot freighters.

Why can't we arrest them, sir?

- Use your head, Ninety.

We have to have proof before we can do that.

Just knowing isn't enough.

- Say that's the Valiant coming in now,

isn't it Commander?

- | guess so, Steve.

- Valiant to Space City.

We have your salvaged equipment, Commander.

- Yeah. Yeah. | know.

Get your ship down here. You're all cleared to land.

Here you are. It breaks my heart,

but that's the payment form for salvaged cargo.

Just send it in to department $21 at the Pentagon,

and you'll get your money.

- It's a real pleasure to do business with you, Commander.

- Let's hope we can be of service again.

- Okay, Briggs. We've got you figured.

Just don't push your luck too far, that's all.

- Proof, Zodiac. That's all you need. Proof.

- Get out. Get out! Before | arrest you for trespassing.

- So long, gentlemen. We'll be seeing you soon.

(laughs)

- What's the next move, Commander?

- I'll tell you what the next move is.

Try to discover how the sabotage was done.

Jacques, that freighter you're getting ready.

- You mean Robot Supply Freighter 8?

- Yeah. That's right. Robot Supply Freighter 8.

| want it checked and double checked. Is that clear?

- Okay, Commander. Leave it to me!

Now, Edmundo, | want you to listen carefully to me.

- lam all the ears as they say, Jacques.

- | want you to runa thorough check on number 8

and report anything you see out of the ordinary.

| shall check after you.

What, what is this you are saying?

Are you not trusting me? Does my work not please, Jacques.

| have done the job, Jacques. All checks read green.

- Fine Edmundo. Now I'll just check it out again.

We don't want to upset Commander Zero, do we?

Guidance robot, computer 2.

Okay.

Velocity monitor 9.

Okay.

Now, this is the wee computer

that needs to be treble checked.

- Well, | guess I'll turn in, Commander.

| want to be good and fresh for tomorrow's escort job.

- Sure thing, Steve.

Even with Jacques checking,

I'll be glad to know you and Fireball XL5

are alongside that supply freighter.

- Well I'm certain there is no sign

of sabotage on this freighter.

As Edmundo said, all checks read green.

Now I'm away to my bed.

(snoring)

(suspenseful music)

- (laughs)

The supply ship will never reach its destination,

Edmundo is not so stupid as they all think.

- Hi, Ed. Come on in.

Deal an extra hand, Joe.

- Okay.

- It is all set.

The freighter will become immobile in outer space.

But there is a hitch -

Steve Zodiac is escorting the freighter in Fireball XL5.

- Oh, well | guess that does it.

We'll have to call the whole thing off.

- Not on your life.

Give me three cards, Joe.

I'll find a way of taking care of that Steve Zodiac.

- Hello. Jacques, you're sure you ran

a real thorough check on that supply freighter?

- [Jacques] Aye, Commander Zero.

| was the last person to leave the ship

and all checks read green.

- [Commander Zero] Roger, Jacques. Just wanted to make sure.

Okay. Lieutenant Ninety,

you can start countdown as soon as you're ready.

- Blast off, minus 10 seconds.

- Space City to Fireball XL5.

Countdown has started, Steve.

- Roger, Commander Zero.

We're ready to lift off

as soon as the supply ship is airborne.

(bomb ticking)

- Okay, Steve. All clear for lift off.

- Roger, Commander.

- Well, so far so good.

| wonder where our crooked salvage boys are waiting.

- Somewhere along the route, | guess.

- Okay, Joe. We're on free float.

- Now to fix Steve Zodiac.

- Yeah.

Are you sure he'll be fooled by that tape recorder?

- Emergency red. Emergency red.

We are on fire. Request aid at once.

- Zodiac, you just can't ignore

a Call for help like that.

- He'll alter course,

and head for the position that the recorder gives out.

And then he's off our backs.

Now all we have to do is push it out into space

where it will start transmitting just for Colonel Zodiac.

- Yeah. Yeah.

- Emergency red. Emergency red.

We are on fire. We are on fire.

Request emergency rescue.

We are ejecting into space now.

- Say Matt, I'm getting a signal.

Have you traced it?

- Yeah, Steve. I've got it.

It seems to be in our sector in position 2401.

- We are the nearest ship. We'll have to check it out.

Fireball XL5 to Space City.

Did you get that distress signal?

I'm going to have to alter course

and leave the supply freighter, Commander Zero.

- Okay, Steve. Yes, we've no choice.

| might've known something like this would happen.

(upbeat jazz music)

- | don't understand it, Steve.

This is the position that was given.

But there's no sign of a ship.

- Well, hold on, Matt.

| can see an object ahead.

- Emergency red. Emergency red.

- Check on it, will you?

- I've got it, Steve.

Say, that's mighty odd. It's a tape recording.

- | might've known. A hoax.

A dirty trick, and | don't need three guesses

to tell me who planted that thing there.

| guess the Briggs boys have done it again.

Now this calls for a council of war.

- | feel such a tooty falling for a thing like that.

A phoney distress call.

Well, that's one of the corniest tricks in the business.

- Well, don't blame yourself too much, Steve.

You want to know. It could have been for real.

- That's right. Steve.

We're dealing with a mighty smart bunch of characters,

but don't worry. We'll catch up with them.

- You can say that again, Matt, if it's the last thing | do,

I'll nail those characters and | think | know how to do it.

- So you think you know how to do it, eh, Steve?

Well, let's hear it.

- It's pretty simple, Commander.

First of all,

| want you to send up another robot freighter

and have Jacques do his double check again.

- This is getting monotonous,

the freighter checks all read green again.

| can't see how this sabotage is being worked.

It's a real puzzle to me.

- As | figured. Edmundo.

- That sounds like a hover car.

- | guess Edmundo has done his stuff on the next freighter.

- Hey, what the -

- Okay, get your hats, boys. You're going for a little trip.

- That's just fine.

Three rats in a trap, huh?

- Release us! You can't get away with this, Zodiac.

We ain't tutors, we know the law.

- Yeah, this is illegal.

- Why did | ever get into all this?

- Now quit squawking and listen to me.

I'm going to make you all confess to sabotaging freighters

of the World Space Patrol, and that little box of tricks

there is going to help me do it.

In there, my friends, is the bomb that you've planted

and it's set to go off three hours after liftoff.

The only thing that can stop it is a radio controlled switch

that we've rigged up,

and I'm going to operate it from Space City.

If | hear you confess,

I'll throw that switch, and the bomb won't explode.

So it's up to you.

- You can't do this. You're bluffing.

- Stick around boys and find out three hours after liftoff.

- Oh, | do not like this.

- Ah, shut up.

- Yeah, shut up. Zodiac's bluffing.

He's got nothing on us.

- | wish you'd call this off, Steve.

We'll find some other way to get them.

- No, Commander.

They're clever. They cover their tracks all the way.

This is the only type of game they know.

My guess is they're already cracking up.

- Look. See clock? It says only 10 minutes left.

- Why don't you pipe down?

Do you have to give us a time check every few seconds?

| told you, didn't |? Zodiac was bluffing.

- Yeah, but supposing he ain't?

- They are not going to break, Steve.

They think you're bluffing. Now shut the thing off.

- We've still got time, Commander.

There's eight minutes left.

- Steve. I'm worried.

You're taking a terrible risk.

- How about it, Steve? | don't reckon they'll talk now.

- They'll crack. | tell you. They'll crack.

- Slim, there's only five minutes left.

- Zodiac's just gotta be bluffing.

He wouldn't blow us up.

He ain't that kind of guy.

- They've gotta confess. I've just gotta be right.

- Steve, kill that thing.

The suspense is driving me crazy!

- 2 minutes to go, Commander.

- | do not like it.

- Slim. Slim, please. | can't stand it much longer.

- [Slim] Zodiac's bluffing, | tell you!

- Tell him, Slim. Tell him!

- [Steve Zodiac] Come on. Confess. Confess!

- Steve. Steve, please.

This sort of thing ain't good for me!

- He is not bluffing. Okay. You shut it off, Zodiac.

We sabotage the freighters. We are the ones.

Shut it off! Shut it off!

- You won, Steve! You were right.

Now kill the bomb!

- | can't, Commander.

- What do you mean, you can't?

- Steve's right.

| didn't have time to fix the remote control mechanism.

That gadget will operate at 12 noon anyway.

- Switch it off! Switch it off!

(soft lullaby music plays)

- See, | knew Zodiac was bluffing.

| told you so, didn't |, Joe?

- Yeah. You told us,

but Edmundo just told the whole universe

that we've been sabotaging those freighters.

It was your idea bringing in into this, you, you.

If | could only get my hands free,

I'd punch you straight in the nose.

- Yeah?

- Yeah.

- Yeah?

- Yeah!

- Shut up!

Listen to the music.

(music continues, slows and stops)

(closing theme)

~ The fastest guy alive J

£ I'd fly you around the universe J

J In Fireball XL5 I

£ Way out in space together J

f Eyes on the sky f

f My heart would be a fireball

~

f Every time | gazed into your starry eyes f

JS We'd take a path to Jupiter I

£ And maybe very soon f

~ We'd cruise along the Milky Way J

£~ And land upon the moon J

~ A wonderland of stardust f

f We'll zoom away to Mars S

f My heart would be a fireball

~

£ And you and me might meet us on the stars f