Galactica 1980

25.000

I've been sent by Commander Adama to help you with the children.

A television camera. Primitive but fascinating.

What's going on here?

An $80,000 color camera, they took it apart.

You know, kids playing anything is a pure joy to watch.

Kid's got an arm like Nolan Ryan.

Okay, I gotta talk to you.

Now that I have your attention...

Well, hello, Miss Hamilton.

It's caught:

The great ship, Galactica.

Our home for these many years

we've endured the wilderness of space:

And now we near the end of our journey:

We have at last found Earth:

The Galactica continues to lead the Cylons away from the planet Earth:

But so far, our brother Council member, Xavier, who has turned outlaw,

continues to elude us:

Two of our most able warriors, Troy and Dillon, remain down on the planet Earth,

seeking a place where we can send our young to prevent their destruction,

in what we know will be an imminent and final Cylon battle:

With each day, it becomes increasingly difficult

for our children to live as Earth's children:

Being accustomed to a much denser gravity causes them to display super skills

that are jeopardizing their ability to blend in down on Earth without detection:

Still, they must try:

Surely they face imminent destruction out in space:

These are the coordinates.

There she is. Wonder what this sudden, urgent mission is all about.

Captain Troy. Lieutenant Dillon.

Lieutenant Nash.

I thought your squadron was on battle alert.

Why were you sent?

I was told to bring this ship to you so that you could carry out your mission.

Oh, yes, our instructions were most vague.

We've been using the scrambler.

I can't understand why we weren't given more information.

Nobody could have intercepted or decipher the Galactica's transmissions.

One person could.

Xavier.

Dr. Zee has confirmed his reentry into our present time frame.

Troy, I've been waiting for a chance to get my hands on him.

Well, now your chance has come.

Your orders are sealed into the computron.

Dr. Zee has programmed the coordinates

of Xavier's locations into the auto flight.

What about you? You'll be stranded here without the ship.

I'm supposed to watch the children until you return.

Very good.

It will make it much easier on them having somebody

with their background they can relate to.

Where can I find them?

They're with Jamie Hamilton. She's...

Ah, yes, Jamie Hamilton.

She's the Earth woman who has been so helpful to us in the past.

Where can I locate her?

She can be reached through the United Broadcasting Company.

Then don't worry. I will give the children extra special care.

We'll return as soon as possible.

I wouldn't count on it, Captain.

They don't really believe I can run a special detachment on this budget, do they?

Then why don't you just bust me?

I'm already grounded. You got me flying a desk for Public Relations.

The consensus is that I'm spending too much

of the taxpayer's money tracking down UFOs.

But that's your job, sir.

No, no.

They feel it is explaining things away as easily as possible.

Will there be anything else, sir?

No.

Jamie Hamilton, UBC.

She's the key to finding these two, whatever they are.

Lieutenant, I'm going to be out for a while.

I would rather not let anyone know.

As in, top secret?

You might say that.

Yes.

Now, be careful of the wires, okay?

Now, I want you to promise me you'll all be on your best behavior.

Those tour booklets will tell you all about how television works here on Earth.

That way you'll appreciate what you're going to see later on, on the tour.

How long will you be gone?

Not long.

But I do have a job. And if I don't show up, I'll get fired.

Don't worry, Miss Hamilton. We'll be fine.

I'll explain the basic rudiments

of Earth's transmission while you're gone.

Well, that will be just...

Wait a minute, how can you explain it?

This booklet you gave me. Well, I just read it.

You read the booklet in three minutes?

Never mind.

Just learn what you can and keep them busy till I get back.

Let me begin this seminar by explaining the working principles of what they call

a television camera.

Primitive but fascinating.

I think I can best explain its function to you by taking it apart.

Harris, take a camera team and cover the recall election down in the county.

Then after you button that up, move on down and pick up whatever pieces you can get

on the illegal alien situation down in the garment district.

What did he say about the aliens?

The illegal worker type.

People who cross our borders, try to work without official immigration papers.

Not the kind of aliens who land in flying saucers.

I got a report on a human interest angle that might make a nice story.

You remember Billy Eheres, the former National League bonus baby?

Apparently, his Casey's Camp for underprivileged children

is in some kind of financial trouble.

Chuck, why don't you go down and cover it?

Try to get a couple of shots of what he's trying to do

after you cover the Mayor's office.

Are you talking about a kids' camp?

Yes. I'm sorry, Jamie,

there's nothing Earth-shattering about this assignment.

A good reporter has to take the good with the bad.

I'd be more than happy to cover the children's camp story.

Okay, Jamie, you've got it.

All right, that does it, everybody.

Everybody, get to work and bring me back some good stories.

Jamie, you stay.

Note the extended use of solid-state electronic modules

and completely self-contained synchronizing generator.

Hey, what's going on here?

What in the world is going on here?

Just covering the basics of video transmission.

You're welcome to listen.

Jamie, I think it's time we had a little talk.

Talk? About what, Mr. Brooks?

About your running off on your own.

About your covering stories to which you haven't been assigned.

Things like terrorists and flying saucers.

And in each and every case, you disappear for a couple of days at a time.

A story doesn't always tell itself from nine to five.

Jamie, come on.

I haven't got time to exchange our philosophies of journalism.

Look, do me a favor.

Go up to that camp and get that story.

At least I know you can't get into trouble on this one.

You called, chief? Hi, Hal.

Oh, hello, Hal. Hi.

Jamie, I want Hal to work with you on this one.

You're going up to see Billy Eheres.

Jamie, I don't know if you know this.

Billy Eheres had the potential to be one of the greatest baseball players ever.

I think a lot of people would be interested in hearing about him again.

Right.

After I make one stop...

Uh-uh-uh.

N-O.

You're to go right to the camp.

You do not stop.

You are not to pass Go. You are not to collect $200.

And please, try to stay out of trouble.

I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Brooks.

Miss Hamilton,

I am afraid that you are in a lot of trouble!

As you can see, it reproduces Starla's image

by painting a picture of her consisting of lines.

Five hundred and twenty-five lines, to be exact.

One on top of the next, starting at the top of the picture and working down,

so the lines have reproduced the light and dark areas of Starla's face.

There, there they are.

And one of your reporters is responsible for them.

Wellington, what are you doing with this equipment?

Explaining it. You said to do that.

I did not say to ruin it.

Ruin it? Who ruined it?

You did.

An $80,000 color camera, they took it apart.

Every last screw.

Jamie, what is the meaning of this?

Well...

Where are all the pieces? Where did you hide the camera?

It's right here.

Nonsense. The pieces were all over the place.

Yes, but...

But you seemed so upset, we decided to put it back together.

We all did.

There was a number four.

We forgot a piece. Here it is.

Well, it looks like you've found your camera.

There's no way on Earth that this can be the same camera.

Could I see that?

That is camera four.

Is there a chance that some of your men might have been doing maintenance on it?

I suppose so.

The alternative is that these children took it apart

and put it back together again all by themselves.

Now, is that what you're suggesting?

I think we owe Miss Hamilton and the children a big apology.

No, that's okay.

Mistakes happen.

Jamie, now I understand why you were so anxious to cover the camp story.

But who are these kids?

I met them covering the pollution story at Paradise Valley.

They're orphans, and when you said camp for the underprivileged...

Okay, Jamie. Maybe this'll give them a nice day's outing.

Who knows, you might even be able to tie the two stories together.

I'd like to really see Billy Eheres' camp survive.