the top dog,
the big man,
numero uno honcho,
the head cheese.
I just hope he has
the right stuff. Up scope.
We have radio contact.
Yes, I'll take care of it right away.
We've had some problems
with the ship.
If you're going to use the washroom,
please be careful.
I've been on my feet all day.
I sure could use a little breather.
Striker, this is Buck Murdock.
Do you read me?
I read you, Murdock.
Hope he's not still bitter
about what happened between us.
If not for those people,
I'd say let Striker go down
in a fiery mass of molten metal.
Striker, let's just pray
you don't screw up here
like you did over Macho Grande,
so just follow orders.
We've got you locked on beam.
Prepare to kill auxiliary engines.
Roger, Murdock.
All right, Striker,
kill the auxiliary engines.
Ted, the lever!
The lever just came off.
We're still at worp.
Try another lever.
There are no more levers,
just switches.
- No buttons?
- Just switches, lights and knobs.
Cut the bleeding-heart crap.
We've all got our switches, lights,
and knobs to deal with, Striker.
Down here,
there are hundreds and thousands
of blinking, beeping,
and flashing lights.
Blinking and beeping
and flashing.
They're flashing
and they're beeping.
I can't stand it any more!
They're blinking and beeping...
Sir! Sir, control yourself!
- Pull yourself together, sir!
- I'm all right.
All right, Striker.
You'll have to pull that
lever panel off. Do you understand?
Just rip it off.
Elaine, screwdriver.
OK, the panel's off.
Find a piece of metal
and shove it in.
A piece of metal?
Any piece of metal will do.
I'd give anything
to get some metal up there.
Here we are surrounded by metal,
and it's useless.
Might as well write them off.
Let's close up the bridge.
Let's get outta here.
Close it up. Lights out.
Where am I going to find
a piece of metal here?
In space? At this hour?
Will this work, Ted?
Thanks.
Hold it, Murdock.
I've got something that might work.
- Wait.
- A bobby pin.
What the hell's a man doing
with a bobby pin?
Lights on.
All right, Striker, if a bobby pin's
all you got, it'll have to do.
Shove it in there
and short that thing out.
Ted, it's working.
We're losing speed.
She feels like
she's going to break up.
- She's starting to shake.
- Starting to shake.
- She's starting to shimmy.
- Starting to shimmy.
She's starting to...
What? What's she starting to do?
What's she starting to do?
- Shudder, Ted?
- She's starting to shudder.
Starting to shudder.
- How bad is it?
- At least she's not cracking up.
She's beginning to crack up.
All right! Quiet!
We're monitoring you.
Keep her nose up. Don't fight her.
She's fighting me!
Ted, there's Alpha Beta.
We're going to have to come
in low to land.
- Is that difficult, Ted?
- Sure, it's difficult.
Coming in low is part
of every textbook approach.
It's just something
you have to do when you land.
Striker, we don't have much time,
but I'll say this...
you pull this off,
and a lot of people just might forget
that Macho Grande ever happened.
We'll get her down and down safe.
Before we go any further, there's
something important you should know.
Slow down!
The base is straight ahead.
They've just hooked into
a communications satellite,
and as we speak, our transmissions
are broadcast all over the world.
Billions of people are hanging
on our every word.
The eyes, ears, noses and throats
of every American are on you,
each one of them hoping and praying
that you could put
that ship down in one piece.
Ted, we're not stopping.
Now, Striker, start
by positioning your landing gear.
Lower your flaps.
Just keep her level.
There's no looking back.
Put on your horizon sensor
and level her off.
Ted, we're going back up.
Elaine, you'd better get ready
for this landing.
Keep up your stabilisers.
Don't lose control.
Now fire both jets
and hang on with both hands.
Both hands, damn it!
I'll say one thing,
you