Battle Beyond the Stars

Give me the second field.

- At once, sir. - Second field, activate.

This is Akir, a planet of stone with a single green spot.

Let's see it. Field five.

- Fifth field. - Fifth field.

What about their forms?

Compatible with ours: Oxygen burners with lateral symmetry.

They have a solar technology, no known defence capacity.

Interesting. Let's check that.

The only craft they have is an old weather ship.

We've got a few cloud formations. Look like negative ion over the fertile region.

Nothing to worry about. And as for that cold front...

Hey Gar, I'm picking up something here.

We got visitors!

Hello there! Welcome to the outer atmosphere of the planet Akir.

Put it through the language translator.

Hello? Could you identify yourself, please?

What is it?

Hear me, beings of Akir.

I am Sador of the Malmori.

I have come with my forces to conquer you.

If you resist, I will crush you.

I possess a stellar converter,

the most powerful weapon in the universe.

You cannot resist me.

I want your planet to be my colony.

You harvest comes in seven risings of your red giant.

I will return then

and you will accept me as your master.

If you do not submit, your planet and all life on it

will be burned to ash.

Snipers forward.

Snipers!

Forward!

Fire at will.

Merely a demonstration, beings of Akir.

I will return in seven risings.

You are mine.

Yago.

Pick a fighter to stay behind and watch them.

Full thrust, Umateal.

I have a promise to keep.

No, no. Listen to me. We don't know how.

We live by the Varda. The Varda is not to fight.

The Akira haven't fought for centuries.

I have fought.

And I am a son of Akir.

And you are an old man.

I have lasted this long by fighting.

We are all going to be killed. We are defenceless.

To fight creatures of violence

you must use creatures of violence.

- Hire mercenaries? - We have no wealth to offer them.

The violent fight for many reasons.

Well yes, but then who will protect us against these mercenaries?

For that we have the Varda.

Who will find them?

I will.

You? You're a boy...

The Varda teach us that each form has its function.

My brother is the only one who can fly Zed's ship.

That's a junk pile.

Junk pile!

I've taken her up.

I think she trusts me.

And your first mission:

Go to the Phoenix Cluster. Find the station Dr. Hephaestus.

The best weapons man in the system.

Drop my name and he'll be sure to help you, if he's still operative...

I'm turning the boy over to you, Nell. Take good care of him.

Hello, Nell.

Nell?

Hello, Nell?

Are you there, old girl?

- Nobody calls me that but Zed. - Sorry.

This isn't going to be just another planetary joy ride, you know.

I know that, Nell. I'll do my best not to let you down.

We'll see.

Anyway, I told them you trusted me.

You're okay. A little wet behind the ears...

The only thing we have to remember is that if we don't make it, nobody else will.

I've spent my whole life in that city now.

The first time away from home.

I'm your home now, kid.

What do you think it is, Kalo?

Maybe it's some of them trying to escape to another planet.

What do you think we should do?

We don't have orders about escape attempts.

So...?

So we blow it up...

just to be on the safe side!

Malmori fighter.

Just one, but it's coming full thrust!

Okay, Nell. What do I do?

Nell, what do I do?

Lock in on target.

Weapons activated.

Now!

Blast them!

- I can't. - What?

I can't! I mean if we blast them, we're going to tip our hand.

Wait a minute. Wait... Wait a minute. Can we outrun them?

We sure as hell cannot fight them, not with you in the driver's seat.

Right, Kalo, right!

Turn...

Turn it! Get me a shot! Just one clear shot!

I'm trying, I'm trying, but he won't stand and fight.

- Kalo, get me a shot! - Cut it out! Go back to work.

Why are we slowing down?

We were ordered to watch the planet.

To hell with orders.

I want that ship.

Remember Lobo? He disobeyed orders

and now Sador is wearing his left foot.

Maybe we better go back.

Showing my backside to those mutant sons of bitches.

I can't believe it! You got no backbone, kid.

When Zed was your age...

My job is to find mercenaries. And I'm not Zed.

You bet! Not even a pale imitation.

You know, I thought I did pretty well back there. I mean, you're still in one piece, aren't you?

Sure you did there, but at the contest for running away, you'll be champion of the universe.

Why don't you...? Why don't...

Just take me to the Hephaestus Station.

The station of Dr. Hephaestus, Shad. There, dead ahead.

This is an emissary from the planet Akir.

Dr. Hephaestus?

Does anybody receive my transmission?

I'll have to go in anyway. Manual controls, Nell.

Give me the docking thrusters, please.

Who sent you?

What have you come for?

Oh, audio malfunction, huh? I'll have to take a look at your banks.

Wait a minute! I'm not an android.

You're warm!

Of course I'm warm.

I'm organic. Haven't you ever seen an organic form?

No! Except my father.

What?

There are only the androids.

I take care of them.

I see. Well...

If you would like to let me out of this, I'll tell you why I'm here. Please.

Unless I can bring back a fighting force and offer some resistance, we're finished.

Do you think your father will help?

Your father isn't the way he was when your friend Zed knew him, you'll see.

As long as he gives us the weapons.

We're here.

You go on alone. It's father's wish.

You are welcome, Shad of the Akira.

Thank you, doctor. This is quite a surprise.

I heard your story in the cargo.

When you're in my station, you're in my presence.

Great. And we won't waste time. Will you help us, doctor?

I am an old man. Older even than Zed.

I have seen many wars, large and small, throughout the galaxies.

Forms must pray on other forms to survive.

That's not what the Varda teach us. We pray on no one.

Your planet is doomed. And I have other plans for you.

Other plans?

This station was built for many.

It remains a hollow and lonely place.

You've met my daughter.

Yes.

Wait a minute.

You don't mean that you want me to breed with your daughter?

It seems a better fate than that offered by the Malmori, does it not?

You would stay here in peace forever.

What about your daughter? Have you asked what she wants?

Leprus, Skew, escort the gentleman to Nanelia's room.

He's got a lot to think about.

Hi.

Father wanted me to talk to you. He means to keep you here for me. I'm sorry.

I do not have time for this. Don't you have enough toys?

He said you're sure to be killed. I wouldn't want that.

Saunders, prepare the conjugal suite.

Fresh bedding, everything.

The gentleman will be staying, then, sir?

He will.

Nanelia will convince him.

I'm sure she will, sir.

The defence of his planet is hopeless.

He will understand that.

I'm sure he will, sir.

We will have children here, Saunders.

Noise, excitement, life.

It will be quite a change, sir.

In the colder season, even the grasses in the meadows changes colour.

Chlorophyll content.

Whatever. They turn bright red, yellow, orange.

They change shade and wave when the wind blows.

Wind?

Yes, wind.

It's... It's rather like your ventilation system in here.

You know, rapid ventilation, but it's different, bigger than this, but it's wind.

I've scanned all these things in our data banks, but I've never experienced them.

Do you know there's a form in the Black Galaxy whose children have no immune system till the age of five cycles?

That means that at the slightest trace of infection they would just rot like fallen fruit

I have heard of them. The Huddite.

Who asked you?