02x64 - Goodbye

[bunniefuu]

♪ Once upon a future time ♪

♪ In a place called Stardust Bay ♪

♪ Countin' down to adventure now ♪

♪ Rockets on a mission, we're on our way ♪

♪ SPACE RACERS ♪

♪ Surfing the solar winds ♪

♪ SPACE RACERS ♪

♪ Together the fun begins ♪

♪ Way out where the planets, moons, and stars ♪

♪ All shimmer shine ♪

♪ Havin' a great time exploring ♪

♪ SPACE RACERS ♪

Hey, wait for me!

♪

Europa, sixth-largest moon in the solar system.

Say "Good-bye, moon."

Good-bye, moon.

I like what we saw.

Maybe it could sustain life.

Yeah. A neat place to go for a fun Europan vacation.

When assignments are this simple,

it doesn't seem like much of a challenge, does it?

Nope. Give me a problem

I can really throw my thrusters into.

Those are the ones I like the best.

Look out! Space junk incoming!

Huh? Where?

Aah!

Hang on, buddy. We're coming.

AVA: Match speed and angle with Cadet Hawk.

Execute magnet retrieval.

Roger that, Ava.

Gotcha!

Oh! Thanks, Eagle.

Whoo! Let's bring him home.

Hmm, we've got some work to do here.

Injured by space junk?

I can't believe it. I'm so embarrassed.

Nothing to be ashamed of, Hawky.

That debris field was traveling

like a cosmic cannonball.

AVA: , miles per hour, to be exact.

We were lucky we weren't all hit.

Kudos to you, Eagle.

That maneuver took courage and know-how.

Ah... we know we can always count on you, Eagle.

[slurping]

Yep, our brave hero does it again.

Sandpiper: Headmaster Crane,

please report to Mission Control

immediately.

[chuckles]

As a wise rocket once said,

never a dull moment in Stardust Bay.

I know this sounds strange,

but we've detected a radio signal

coming from the direction of the sun.

The sun?

But that's impossible.

You can barely hear it,

but we definitely picked it up.

But who or what could be living

on the blazing-hot sun?

[gulls screeching]

Eagle and Robyn, I must warn you.

The gravitational pull of the sun

is extremely powerful.

Navigate with caution.

Will do, Headmaster.

Above all, keep your distance.

Your mission is to investigate and observe only.

I will be following your progress

and standing by should you need

any assistance.

Yes, sir. Understood.

Okay, solar shields in place.

All systems go.

Oh, what about me? I want to go too.

You heard Coot.

The only place you're going

is the repair shop.

Aww, lug nuts.

Since Hawk can't go, I'd like to take his place.

Uh, that's okay, Raven. We can handle this one.

Maybe, but it's tricky up there.

They just might need another racer.

Cadet Raven is right.

The center of our solar system is a dangerous place.

We're not sure what you might encounter.

[sighs]

AVA: Launch sequence initiated.

In five, four, three, two, one.

Booster rockets!

Robyn and Raven: Engaged!

Wings. Back.

Space visors. Down.

Blast off!

♪

I can't wait to see what might be living on the sun.

According to my calculations, nothing.

It's , degrees Fahrenheit on the surface.

Maybe we'll discover a new race of fire-breathing aliens!

Now, that would be hot.

AVA: Update. The mysterious radio signal

is not coming from the sun.

Huh? Where is it coming from?

Its origin is Mercury.

Mercury?

The closest planet to the sun.

That must be why Sandpiper

thought the signal was coming from there.

Ava: There is more.

I have just positively identified the signal.

It is coming from Messenger.

Wait. Messenger? Are you sure?

Affirmative.

But how can that be?

The Messenger probe was sent into space

to explore Mercury ages ago, right?

That is correct.

Messenger was the very first spacecraft

to orbit Mercury,

the smallest and least explored planet

in our solar system.

For over four years,

Messenger made many scientific discoveries

about Mercury

before he ran out of fuel

and crashed at a degree north latitude

on the planet's surface.

It has long been thought that Messenger was lost.

What if he wasn't lost?

What if Messenger is still out there?

Time to find out the truth.

Changing course to Mercury.

I'm going down!

[groans] We're flying too fast to land.

[Raven laughing]

Maybe too fast for you, poke-along.

Eagle is right!

The gravitational pull of the sun

is increasing our speed.

Just how I like it. See you on Mercury.

Last one there is a rotten fuel egg!

Raven, wait!

If we don't stop him, he'll crash on Mercury

just like Messenger did.

Raven, slow down

or you'll be nothing but a heap of scrap metal.

Hit the brakes!

Ohh! [grunts]

I did, but I'm not slowing down!

Stay with us.

Do what we do.

[grunting]

Phew! Thanks, guys. Now what?

AVA: Your speed has now been reduced for landing.

Thanks, AVA.

Messenger's radio signal is coming

from the planet's South Pole.

Setting coordinates now.

Mercury, say hello to the Space Racers.

Here we go. Adjust for entry.

Whoa, check out these craters.

Looks kind of like our moon.

Weird.

Mercury's the closest planet to the sun.

You'd think it would be boiling hot,

but it's freezing here.

Most of Mercury is hot, very hot,

but its North Pole and South Pole

are at the top and bottom of the planet

and always in shadow.

That's why it's so cold over here.

Look at all the ice.

Oh, yeah.

It's skating time.

Raven, look out!

[whimpers]

[sheepish chuckle] Oops.

Not so cool, huh?

We're here on a rescue mission,

but it's not you we came to rescue.

Funny.

Need a boost?

Thanks but no thanks.

Um, let's just keep this between us, okay?

No worries.

What happens on Mercury stays on Mercury.

AVA: The signal is growing stronger.

Wait. What's this?

A broken piece of spacecraft.

There's another piece over there.

And one here.

[gasps] Is that Messenger?

AVA: Affirmative.

Messenger, we're Space Racer cadets from Stardust Bay.

I'm Eagle. Raven. Robyn.

Hello.

Thank goodness you heard my signal.

I've been here for such a long time.

It's good to see you.

Yes, we've come to take you back home to Earth.

Thank you, cadets,

but I've been here on Mercury for many years.

This is my home now.

But you're injured.

Let us take you back, get you fixed up.

Yeah, you'll be good as new.

[groaning]

No, my hull is weak.

That's just too long a journey.

I'd like to stay here.

There must be something we can do.

Well, there is one thing.

I was sent here on a mission.

We know, and you completed your objective.

You gathered incredible knowledge.

We know so much more about Mercury

because of you.

Earth is proud of you, Messenger.

Thank you,

but my mission is not complete.

What do you mean?

I've been trying to transmit

my remaining information--

images--

but my signal is too weak.

I knew I would grow old and slow down one day.

All I have left now is my voice program.

What do you want us to do?

Just tell us.

You can complete my mission for me.

Please take my computer's hard drive back to Earth.

My final discoveries are all on there.

Then and only then

will Mission Mercury be complete.

[electrical crackling]

Huh? Huh?

But... Uh...

Please...

do as I ask.

Oh...

Eagle, don't feel sad for me.

I knew I would grow older and weaker one day,

and that day is now.

It happens to everyone.

It's a very natural thing.

Don't worry, Messenger.

We'll complete your mission for you.

Yeah, you can count on us.

[chuckles]

Thank you.

This means so much to me.

You cadets did the right thing.

Messenger was too weak to travel anymore.

You completed his mission for him.

Be proud of yourselves.

He really is a hero, isn't he.

A hero and a pioneer.

It was an honor to meet him.

And to say good-bye.

Today we pay tribute to one of our greatest.

After years of flight

and four years in orbit around Mercury,

we salute Messenger's enormous contribution

to space exploration.

Eagle: ♪ Didn't we have some fun ♪

♪ Soaring through space ♪

Robyn: ♪ Around the sun ♪

Raven: ♪ Hope to see you again someday ♪

♪ Sailing the skies ♪

♪ From Stardust Bay ♪

All: ♪ Space Racers ♪

♪ So long but not good-bye ♪

♪ You'll be here in our dreams ♪

♪ Forever we will fly ♪

♪ You and I ♪

♪