01x08 - Payload

[bunniefuu]

And we have liftoff.

Bon voyage, argo. You're looking good.

That live transmission

from a.S.I. Mission
control in the mojave...

Was the voice of chief
flight controller Dr. Nell Lindsay...

As she guided the crew of
the space shuttle argo into earth orbit.

It was a perfect launch.

And there we're giving you a

look at some of the
thousands of space buffs...

Who've turned out here to watch

America's first nongovernmental
space mission.

With the space
walk successfully completed...

And argo stabilized in its third orbit,

they're about to begin
the critical gene-splicing experiment.

Working conditions here
in the mojave for America's first...

Privately funded shuttle mission...

Are a far cry from NASA's
Johnson space center down in Houston.

Go centrifuge. [

[ woman ♪2 on TV ]
argo

to ground control.

go ahead,
argo. Request computer confirmation...

On corrected vector heading 6067 south.

Alice confirms, argo.

Next course correction

coming up on your pass
over the Indian ocean.

That's it, Nell. We're ready to test.

Stand by for
experimental subroutine 26.

Move the canister
camera over onto the capillary tubes.

D.N.A. Messenger
r.N.A. The enzyme balance is just right.

Computer analysis, go.

Third stage simulation, go.

Oh, look at that.

In a second, we'll know
for sure from the computer analysis.

oh, Nell. All right.

We have confirmation, argo.

Repeat, confirmation.

Congratulations. You guys just became

the first people to splice
genes in outer space.

Dr. lubin. Is he here?

You did it, Nell.

You did the hard work,
doctor. We just flew you out there.

Well, that wraps it up,
right? You bring the shuttle down now?

Well, that's where
blue thunder comes in, captain.

We've only got about 20 minutes...

After the spacecraft touches
down to get the experimental canister...

The 50 miles back to Dr. lubin's lab.

If we're late,
then the whole experiment's ruined.

Well, couldn't any
helicopter ferry your canister for you?

Don't let it out of this room, captain,

but the genes we're modifying

are the ones affected
by bacterial weapons.

If we're successful,

you can kiss the
threat of germ warfare good-bye.

That's why apex loaned us blue thunder.

Well, you can count on us.

- Thanks, captain.
- congratulations, Nell.

Oh, thanks, Sandy.

She did it. She's got the antidote.

if she can get it

back to the lab.
She'll get it back.

They've loaned her blue thunder.


blue thunder.

you
were right. Beautiful.

If that stuff goes
into production, my Cuban deal's shot.

I might as well
just flush 50 million bucks' worth...

Of bacterial
weapons right down the tubes.

It can't go into
production if it never gets back to the lab.

Mm. You got it.

Team leader to blue thunder.

Can you see what's going on in there?

They're dragging
a guy out behind the transformers.

That's Chandler.
He's why you're here, blue thunder.

It's going down the way we thought.

They're going to take him out.

We need his testimony.
Don't let him out of your sight.

This is unit 3 out on euclid.

We've got a
gray limo heading into the plant.

Okay. That's demery.
That's what we've been waiting for.

Backup units, tighten up.

Mr. big's getting out
of his car and heading for Chandler.

We've got what we want. Let's nail him.

You still want
to talk to that grand jury, snitch?

Chaney to
rolling thunder. You guys ready?

Forward units, move in and take him.

Remember, all units,

demery and his guys are
armed and dangerous.

Roll it, Joey!

Bubba, ski, nail
that limo. We'll take herbie.

Roger. We're on Mr. big, thunder.

Halt! Police!

Come on. Out of the car.

- Come on.

- Hands on the roof.
spread 'em out, turkey.

Okay, herbie,
we're not going to hurt you...

If you just stop running.

Don't go away, herbie.
We need you for the grand jury.

We have demery, blue thunder.

We're still on Chandler,
leader. He's got no place to go.

- - Frank. We're

getting a strong reading
on the voltage meter.

- I think it's from the power plant.
- It'll have to wait, jafo.

{\r}frank, please!

Pull up before
our whole electrical system blows.

We can't let this guy get away.

He's got the
key to busting the whole ring.

Hold it right there.
We warned you, herbie.

This does not look good.

- Our electrical
system's overloading.

- I hear you.

Let's try a few warning shots.

It's those
transformers. We're too close.

This meter's going
nuts. We're gonna be in big trouble here.

Hang on. We're going down.

We're out of control.

I've lost the gyroscope.

We've lost our whole electrical system.

The collective's jammed.

The computer shut
down. All the instruments are locked.

Maybe I can restart manually.

- a hundred feet and dropping.
- Come on, baby.

Yes, sir. Two of my
men are interrogating him right now,

but so far, they haven't had much luck.

Certainly I'd be
happy with an attempted m*rder charge,

but that's not the
most important thing we're after.

- All right. Thank you.
- I'll be in touch.

Well, the f.B.I. Struck

out with Alex demery.
He won't say a word.

Neither is our
friend herbie, lab technician.

Bubba and ski
aren't getting anything at all.

Keeps saying after
today, if he testifies, he's a dead man.

Well, the f.B.I.
Can't get demery to talk,

and if herbie doesn't testify
against him, there goes our whole case.

I don't understand this.

We capture one of the biggest
germ warfare traffickers in the world,

and it's all for nothing.

Oh, demery will get tried
for attempted m*rder, but that's it.

We'll never get him
convicted on germ warfare charges.

Terrific. So the
rest of his ring, whoever they are,

keep right on manufacturing and

selling dangerous viruses
all over the world.

Yeah, Frank, that about says it.

I'm sorry, but we've
got trouble right here in river city.

He's right, sir. Our computer

and entire electrical
system shorted out...

When I came
too close to that power plant.

- I think what we need is an e.C.M.
- A what?

An e.C.M., sir.
Electronic countermeasure shield.

Now this is a device that

will protect us if this
ever happens again.

Well, maybe we ought to get

in touch with the man who
designed blue thunder.

If anybody can
give you this e.C.M., it's him.

Professor Von hartig? That's terrific.

I've read all his
books on advanced military electronics.



he's your man. Well, good.
I'll give him a call,

see if we can set up an appointment

first thing tomorrow
morning at his factory.

Good thinking, wonderlove.

Hey, after you get a feel for this,

we can borrow another bike

and hit a couple dirt
trails I know about.

sounds
bumpy. Bumps are where it's at, bubba.

-
hey, man.

\-
hslow

down. We're not going that fast.

It's sure feels like we're going fast.

That's what's fun about it.

Haven't you ever ridden
a motorcycle before?

No. And I'm...
Never gonna ride one again.

Not if I get to work alive.

I'll get you there
in time for a second breakfast.

Oh, I wish you hadn't said that.

Hang on. We're
swinging by the doughnut shop.

Oh, no!

Hey, I'm serious, bub. I'm

gonna teach you how
to ride a motorcycle,

and you're gonna love it.

You will be
riding motocross in no time.

No way.

I appreciate you bringing
me to work this morning, but that's it.

I'll never get on that thing again.

Hey, what are you doing in ski's desk?

Looking for my felt-tip pen.

Don't touch his desk.

why?
it's a disaster area.

It's a disaster he knows and loves.

You sure you haven't seen my pen?

Oh, wow. Wow.

What's that?

"Singles bazaar"?

The one with nothing
but personals? Let me see that.

Hey, what's
that one he has circled in red?

Listen to this. Listen to this.

"Share my hearth. by day a

trim, young, justice
systems professional,

"by night I
become a hand-holding romantic,

"a people
lover, a gentle persuader.

"One who loves
a candlelight gourmet feast,

"vintage
chardonnays, and a good book.

"If you're a
like-minded sophisticate...

"Ready for midnight in my

hot tub, you owe it to
yourself to dial...

Richard at 555-3912."

That's ski's number,
but who's the fruitcake in the ad?

"Gentle persuader"?

"Hand-holding romantic"?

"share my hearth"? "Trim"?

I told him to stay away from

controlled substances.
That's all I could do.

The last good book
ski read was probably by Bruce Lee.

I know. Poor yo-yo probably thinks

this ad's gonna have women
breaking down his door.

Probably won't get one call.

Hey, wait a minute.

No way. no way, man.

If he ever finds out
we've been messing around in his desk,

we're gonna end up as cat food.

Bubba, are you seriously suggesting

to me that we could pass
up something like this?

You're right.

We owe it to ourselves.

Yeah!

The electronic shield flows

out in a 360 degree field
from this black box.

And this is the e.C.M.
Generator that protects your computer.

This is the key card. Barium ferrite.

There are only two.
Yours and the one I keep for servicing.

- Don't lose it.
- Only two for security reasons?

Exactly.

This unit is a modification. There

was no way to build it into
the integrated circuitry.

Say some joker with a

screwdriver comes along
and rips you off.

If you have your card with you, all

he's left with is this box
of surplus components.

Speaking of which,
let's take her up for a quick test trial.

Ski, will you plug in the laser unit?

Sure.

Bubba to blue thunder,

proceeding to test
your e.C.M. Shield from the ground.

bubba,
tell ski to go ahead.

Zap 'em with the laser, ski.

Frank, e.C.M. Works.

Terrific, professor. There's

nothing in the sky that
can touch her now.

Blue thunder ls one of a kind.

She can do things
other helicopters can't, you know?

What gets me is the
maneuverability. She can do anything.

- Let's take her up for a loop.
- What?

- A 360 degree loop.
- Not with me on board. No.

Blue thunder can do it.

Uh, professor, look.

She's very heavy.
It's loaded with armor.

Want me to show you how?

Come on, Frank.
She's straining to do it.

- Give her her head.

- I think we ought to
talk about this first.

Ease her over, Frank.
Just a little more.

Hit the turbo, now!
She's ready to do it.

Oh, Frank. You almost had it.

You have to believe.

Once you believe, then you commit.

Professor, there's
one thing I believe in. That's life.

I've committed to that.

That does not include taking chances.

I'll just have to

wait till I get her for
her 5,000 hour overhaul.

You do that.

Oh, you can set me
down there by that deserted hangar.

I left my car down there.

Be my pleasure, professor.

Professor.

Still afraid,
professor? After all these weeks.

Surely you've had enough

sessions by now to know
we won't hurt you.

We're your friends.

Come now, professor.
Time for rest and peace.

Willi, it's time.

Mission control has just advised us...

that's funny. What?

Oh, Von hartig. I've been

trying to reach him on
and off for a half hour,

and I just keep getting a busy signal.

Sky-watchers
from Jacksonville to San Diego...

Were able to catch glimpses of the

shuttle this morning on
its sixth pass over...

Probably left the phone off the hook.

Nah, that's what's funny.
He was supposed to be here an hour ago.

Professor, is this painful?

\-
h

shall I turn up the volume?

Double it? Triple it?

No? Then stop fighting me, professor.

What's the matter,
professor? Pain bothers you?

The only way to stop it is to relax...

And let my voice take over.

So what do you think?

He's ready.

Keep your eyes closed, professor.

Relax.

Almost there.

You gave chaney a metal card.

Tell me what it was for.

You're not still
trying to resist, professor.

What was that card for?

It activates the e.C.M. Defenses.

I want you to get it back.

Tell chaney you
must make further modifications.

That system must be inoperable.

Do it now.

Do you understand?

You will see nothing
until you hear my fingers snap.

You will not
remember anything I have said.

Okay, he's back from the workout.

All right. Go to it, j.J.

I don't know why I let
you guys talk me into things like this.

Because you
know that ski loves a good joke.

Right.

- Butowski.
- Hello, is this Richard?

This is Richard.

My name is Lana. I read
your name in the singles bazaar, and, uh,

if you're up to it, my friend

Cindy and I would love to
get together with you.

You and your friend?

Sure. The three
of us could have a real good time.

Course, we want
you to be in really good shape.

why's that?

Well, the last two guys Cindy
and I went out with...

Well, um, they
ended up with heart attacks.

Listen, uh, you girls busy tonight?

Well, we're working
at the bunny club until 12:00.

- 12:00 is fine.
i'll give you my address.

- Great. Okay.

All right. Well,
we'll see you there after work then.

Bye, Richard.

- You were terrific, j.J. Wow.
- Yeah,

especially that part
about the heart attack.

Boy, will he be
surprised when midnight rolls around, huh?

I hope you're right.
i gotta get back to work.

wait a minute

till ski
leaves, okay? Okay.

I want to try
professor Von hartig one more time.

Jafo, where have you
been? We're due at the landing site.

I know. I know.
I'm worried about the professor.

I can't get him on the phone. Don't

worry. Maybe he decided
to drive out himself.

- Come on, move.

- I just tried calling him
one last time, okay?

Now the phone's been busy all morning.

This time some guy

answers, tells me the
professor isn't there.

I ask him who he is, he hangs up.

It's probably
just a mechanic. Now move it.

Von hartig works alone. Always has.

I'm sure there's a
good explanation for it. Come on.

Frank, I would like
to stop off up there with bubba and ski.

Okay, kid. But move it.

I'll meet you out there.

-


thanks.[/i]

I'll see ya.

Mission specialist
gilford, report to mission control.

Oh, yeah.

I always heard
that rocketry was glamorous.

This is stretching it a bit. Whoa.

Cape canvas. You
can see why we're cheaper than NASA.

All they told
me was it was near palm Springs.

I never thought I'd be fending

off irate armadillos
in a k*ller chopper.

Might be fending off more than that.

Oh? Like what?

The experiments up there

are pretty much routine,
with one exception.

The enzymes we're
making were chosen because...

They break down
one particular class of viruses.

What do you mean? Like the cold or flu?

I mean the viruses used

in 95% of the world's
biological weaponry.

Are you talking about germ warfare?

I guess people think
nothing matters in w*r but winning.

This may sound strange coming from

the guy who pulls the
trigger on blue thunder,

but I could live very happily...

In a world where
there are no weapons of any kind.

Someone has to keep watch, Frank.

He's not here.
We better go on without him.

Von hartig says
he doesn't use this hangar anymore.

Well, what are
those two guys doing inside?

I don't know.

But we're
gonna find out. Go around back.

Careful. You got it?

All right. Take it easy.

we'll
be ready in a minute. Okay.

As soon as you're
finished, I want... up on the roof!

Get him. Come on. Move!

Some guys
are welding a laser on a huey.

Come on. Jump, will ya?

I heard something
about the shuttle. We gotta call Frank.

J.J., get a hold of
Frank out at the shuttle landing site.

Frank, can I see you for a minute?

i got to get
back. I'll be here if you need me.

What happened to you?
Did jafo find you?

I've got a problem with the e.C.M.

I need to borrow your card
for a couple of days.

- I have to change the code.
- working fine.

Oh, just a little fine-tuning.

Officer chaney?

-
yeah?

You just got an
emergency call from your headquarters.

Frank, we need backup. We're
headed for the old olympic park tunnel.

Roger, jafo.

Let's go for it.

Ski, bubba, jafo, you guys okay?

Come on. Up the hill here.

Get up on the Ridge. We'll

pin those suckers down
until Frank gets here.

Blue thunder
to command, my e.C.M.'S dead.

I'm going down in olympic park.

Get us out of here!

Frank, you okay, man?

Why didn't you use the e.C.M.?

The professor took back my

key card just as your
mayday was coming in.

Von hartig took it back? That's funny.

Those guys that were chasing

us were working in Von
hartig's old hangar.

They were rigging
a huey with a laser weapon.

Which means if that
huey goes up against blue thunder,

it's gonna knock you outta the sky.

Von hartig looks a
little bit dirty. Wouldn't you say?

Hey, blue thunder is
his baby. He would not sabotage it.

We're not gonna settle it

out here. Can you get us humming?
No problem.

We'll meet you at
the deserted hangar. Be careful.

Keep your eyes open.
Whoever they are, they're a small army.

Okay.

Looks like whoever
they are, they took off in a hurry.

Bubba, it looks clean
in here, but you keep your eyes peeled.

Half an e.C.M. Unit.

What's all this stuff?

- Cut it, ski.
- Hey, look at this.

They stole the
professor's plans for blue thunder.

It is his hangar.
yeah, but who's "they"?

And why are "they" trying to get us.

wait
a minute. What do you got?

Come here.
Take a look at these coordinates.

118-35. Where is that?

That's the landing site.

They're after the shuttle,

and they have to get us
out of the way first.

Frank, Von hartig is coming.

Do you want me to
stop him? no. Let him pass.

You stay put.

Gentlemen, what is going on?

Professor, I want some answers.

Let's start with
my key card and why you took it.

I had some
modifications to make, as I told you.

Unfortunately, the
stamping machine chewed them up.

Professor, who were
the guys working on the huey in here?

I haven't used this
hangar since blue thunder was built.

I did the modifications
over in the other building.

There you go. I knew there
had to be a perfectly good explanation.

Professor,
did you use film projection...

In building blue thunder?

I'm sorry, sir.

I have to have ski and bubba

stick close to you until
we get some answers.

Take him to
the landing site. You and I...

Are going after the
huey before it gets to the shuttle.

Without e.C.M.? That's suicide.

Do you have a better idea?

Professor, is there any
way to hot-wire around the key card system?

Dr. Von hartig?

It can't be done without the card.

Dr. hill, what you've
been telling us is all very interesting,

but what exactly is
the significance of these events...

here today out

in the mojave desert. What
you have here, Trish,

is quite simply the
future... the American techno-future.

Fan out. We don't
know where they're gonna hit us.

Stay with me, professor.

...everything in the private sector.

So, we at international
biogenics ask ourselves...

Why are we waiting for Washington...

To fund basic research in

the space program
needed to carry it out?

- We can do it faster and cheaper.
- Professor?

And you know what?
We're all guilty of this thinking.

You know, "let the government do it."

The corporations are
guilty of it. Congress is guilty of it.

Hey, man. Are you okay?

Uh, we taxpayers are guilty too.

\-
hwhat's

up? Looks like the old
man has tripped out.

Stop fighting me, professor.

pain bothers you.

So once we
broke down those old nemeses...

Anything was
possible. the sound.

Lights. I know your voice.

You've been using me.

Uh, professor, you and I haven't met.

I'm Sandy hill. i'm with a.S.I.

We have a few
questions for you, mister.

Aaah! You're the one!

Ski, he's up here. Around back.

Right.

Freeze!

Professor!

Don't try to
follow us. I mean it. I'll k*ll him.

What are you doing?

Trying to
keep that shuttle from landing.

Ground control, this
is argo. We just lost our computer link.

Repeat. We do
not have earth-side guidance.

Acknowledge.
Repeat. Acknowledge, please.

Red dog that sucker. i

can't. i'll
hurt the old guy.

Professor, you all right?

I'll check hill.

- Chaney to thunder
command. do you read, captain?

- Come in, chaney.

Sir, we found out that a huey

gunship is going to
attack the space shuttle.

How did you get that information?

There's no time to go into it now.

We're trying to intercept the huey.

We know they have a laser
weapon, and our e.C.M. Defense is out.

That makes you
a sitting duck. What can you do?

Frankly, I don't know.

I'll have to figure it
out when I get there.

All right, proceed.
I'll call apex for authorization,

and I'm going to
alert mission control of the danger.


right. And, Frank, good luck, huh?

J.J., get me Dr. Lindsay
at mission control, all right? Yes, sir.

Negative, argo. The computer
link is down for the rest of the flight.

I don't need to fly
by wire. I'll bring her in visually.

Frank, of all
the crazy things you've done,

this ranks near the top.

I know, kid,
but we didn't have much choice.

Get the coordinates
of the space shuttle, chart its path.

Great. Then we can find

where the huey is and
try to intercept it.

- You got it, kid.

- Ski to blue thunder.
come in, Frank.

What's happening? turns

out the professor
was brainwashed.

That's why he took out your e.C.M.

We got one of the guys behind

it, but the professor's
a little shook up.

- Can I talk to him first?

- Negative, jafo. he's
out like a light.

We just
dropped him off at the hospital.

Ski, good work.

It's captain braddock. Urgent.

Hang on, argo.

- Yes, captain?

- Dr. Lindsay, the shuttle's
about to come under attack.

Can you pull the shuttle
back into orbit until we deal with this?

I can't do that. I
have no earth-up computer guidance.

We can land visually,
but we can't orbit without computers.

Isn't there something else we can do?

Well, there's two things:

Hold our breath
and leave it all to blue thunder.

Frank, check this
out. I think we found the huey.

Frank, we're on those coordinates.

Hey, look. Here comes the shuttle.

What are you doing?
Go after the shuttle.

Sure, kraft. With them coming?

- Get the shuttle first.
- And let

chaney have time to get behind us?
Forget it.

I take care of
me first, pal. Okay, let's go.

Got to stay
between the huey and the shuttle.

He's got armor on that baby.

Yeah, he's also got a laser.

Without our e.C.M. Shield,
we're totally vulnerable.

Then you're gonna have to fix it.

\-
hhow?

You're the expert.

\-
h

maybe I can
hot-wire around the key card system.

Like you hot-wire around a car.

No maybes, jafo.
Either you fix it or we're dead.

Looks like we're
gonna have to outfly this guy, jafo.

This guy's good. I can't
get a laser shot the way he's dodging.

...causes of the computer
failure still have not been made public,

but one thing is clear.

In just a few minutes, this

mission has gone from
textbook precision...

To the brink of disaster.

Information is sketchy...

I hope chaney's pulling

some kind of miracle out
of his back pocket.

Otherwise, that shuttle
isn't gonna make it to the ground.

He'll make it.

sure
he will, j.J.

I'm gonna try to shake
him down here in this canyon. Hang on.

He's still on
our tail. He must have turbo.

Then you're gonna have
to outfly him, Frank. I need more time.

- What happened?
- He fired his laser.

- Did what?
- Don't talk, kid. keep working.

Right there, chaney.
Just one more second.

Now don't move.

- Jafo, hurry up. I can't keep

this up much longer.
- I think I've almost got it.

He's getting
into position for another shot.

Just a few more seconds.

We don't have a few more seconds.

Try it.

It worked. The e.C.M.
Worked. We did it!

Damn. They fixed the shield.

Now let's show this scum.

This is it. There's the shuttle.

This is one thing we haven't tried.

Von hartig says she'll loop.

Where'd he go?

What's happening?

Looking good, argo. looking good.

Decrease airspeed another 20 knots.

Plenty of runway
down here waiting, Lucy. Looking good.

And we have a touchdown.

That is beautiful.

The United States's
first commercial space shuttle flight...

Sets down with a
precision that would make NASA proud.

After a few
tense moments here on the ground,

the landing
itself went off without a hitch.

This is a proud day
for American space industries...

And for all Americans.

Frank, can you hear me?

Are you okay?
roger that, space pioneer.

I don't know
what you did, but we made it.

We're coming down for that
canister now. How much time do we have?

Enough. 22 minutes.
We're back on our countdown.

Frank, are you ever

planning on doing that


I don't know, jafo.

Once you commit, it's kind of fun.

Well, if you ever
do, and I sincerely hope you don't,

take the professor, not me, huh?

He just left the
garage. He'll be here any second.

Great. Okay, I'm ready.

Oh, uh, hi, j.J. You still on duty?

Yeah. I'm working double shifts.

Listen, there's
some people here to see you.

Oh, yeah? yeah.

two
young women.

Really? yeah,

they said they
had appointments,

so I asked them to
wait in captain braddock's office.

Hey, uh, thanks.

Lana? Cindy?

- Surprise!
- Very funny. Cute.

Boy, you should've seen your face.

Did I look surprised?
Really taken aback?

- You sure did.

- Well, allow me to
return the favor.

Gentlemen, this is my friend, Kathy.

- Hi, Kathy.
- Hi. It's nice to meet you guys.

I think.

You two been friends long?

Oh, no. Just a couple of hours.

I met Richard
through one of those personals ads.

I mean, I never thought I

could meet such a
wonderful man that way.

And, j.J., next time you

try to disguise your
voice, try an accent.

So, uh, if you all will excuse me,

I'm gonna show Kathy blue thunder,

and we're gonna go back to her

place and have a little...
midnight supper.

See you guys.
bye.

Ladies, uh, perhaps you'd
like to join us for a midnight supper.