Airwolf (1984) s02e03 Episode Script

Moffett's Ghost

The wolf has come down from the north.
(Narrator) Next, on Airwolf.
We're closing on an aircraft, String.
Weapons went to combat mode.
Dom, get control of that autopilot.
Too late.
Airwolf's in a steep dive, flat out.
I created Airwolf, and I will destroy it.
Are you okay, Dr.
Burton? Okay!? This is the ride of a lifetime.
(Dominic) You ain't seen nothin' yet, Doc.
My buddy'll snake this baby through those passes like Jean-Claude Killy.
[radar beeping.]
(Stringfellow) How's our radar profile, Dom? (Dominic) Back to 98.
7.
As far as radar's concerned, we're invisible.
(Burton) Isn't it sad we have to sneak past our own defenses in order to make progress toward peace? From what you told me, the Russian scientists are even more covert.
They're very brave people.
Every year, they risk a life in prison by breaking away from the official expedition for a few days to meet with me.
Our little informal meetings have helped cool down the arms race a lot, I think.
Amen to that.
Of course, if I'm still on that island when that Russian mother ship returns, I may be joining them in that prison.
Don't worry, we'll pick you up.
You got my word.
(Dominic) Bering Sea dead ahead, String.
So long, Alaska.
Hello, Russia.
Bye-bye, Doc.
Okay, okay.
Have a good trip.
See you later, Dr.
Burton.
Course is 180, due south.
[laughing.]
Boy, give me a palm tree any day.
I'm with you, Dom.
(Marella) No sign of 'em.
(Michael) Halfway home and NORAD never knew they were there.
[rapid beeping.]
What the Sir, you better take a look at this.
All of a sudden, there are a lot of targets where there shouldn't be.
What? What was it, a malfunction in the system? I sure hope so.
(Dominic) I don't care what anybody says.
I feel good about this mission.
Hear, hear.
Dr.
Roger Burton is a unique individual.
If his work with the international scientific community didn't have to be conducted in secret, he'd have won a whole fistful of Nobel Peace Prizes by now.
Yeah.
I'd sure hate to see a man like that fall into the wrong hands.
It'd be a tragedy.
And a propaganda nightmare.
That's why you've got to duplicate your performance on Friday, Hawke.
You don't have to convince me of that.
Any any problems with Airwolf? You know, that's the third time you've asked me that.
It's just a simple question.
Michael doesn't ask simple questions.
Marella was monitoring the NORAD map when you came south.
How cozy.
She had her eye on us.
Well, I couldn't exactly see you, but well, there were several stray targets.
No one could explain them.
They appeared, disappeared "Several"? From you? Exactly 6.
Well, again, nice work.
We'll be watching for you on Friday.
And hoping we don't see you.
[door closing.]
You know, I didn't wanna say anything before, but those Airwolf computers were a little screwy.
Yeah.
Look, let's sleep on it.
We'll play test pilot between now and Friday, check it out.
Good idea.
Hey, you got another beer? (Stringfellow) How's it looking, Dom? (Dominic) Good as gold back here.
You ready to try autopilot? Come on, come on, baby.
The nav system's refusing to engage, String.
We're engaged now.
Here comes autopilot.
Hey! What happened? The autopilot changed course on us.
It can't do that.
It can't, but it did.
The course is due north.
Do you suppose it wants to go back to the ice and snow? Well, do you think getting close to the North Pole has something to do with it? Maybe.
Well, let's just let her fly for a while.
See what's happening.
Okay, but I'd feel better with a thumb and 4 fingers on the stick.
We're gonna have to change course and soon, String.
The Air Force test range is dead ahead.
Disengage, we'll come left and go around.
Disengaged.
No, it's not.
I haven't got control.
It won't disengage.
We're closing on an aircraft, String.
Weapons went to combat mode.
Dom, get control of that autopilot.
Too late.
Oh, my God! We killed that crew, String.
No, it was a drone.
A target plane.
I've got control.
It released.
Yeah, but let's get this baby back to the lair before something else happens, huh? My thoughts exactly.
I'm sorry, String.
I'm over my head with this.
No, you're okay, you're just Old-timer? Come on, why don't you finish the sentence? Hey, you work the keyboard just fine.
Especially for a guy who crank-started his first car.
I'll crank-start you.
You know, I can't even type a letter.
So, how are we gonna pick up Dr.
Burton on Friday? The computer controls and monitors every system aboard Airwolf.
You know that.
We're gonna fix it.
Oh? And what if we can't? Forget "can't.
" There's no such word as "can't.
" Okay, but we'll need help.
I don't even wanna hear his name.
As much as I hate to, we've got to go with Archangel on this.
No way.
Look, why don't we get a bunch of his whiz-kid computer types and bring them down here blindfolded and put them to work and and Yeah, and then we got the Firm's people in here.
How do we get them out? Look, if we can't program Airwolf's computers, how are we gonna know what they're gonna put in there? My friend, there comes a time in everyone's life when you've gotta put your trust in somebody.
We can't fix her.
Archangel can.
We have no choice.
Maybe we do.
(Karen) Good.
Don't overcompensate, now.
Good.
All right, now concentrate.
[Stringfellow clears his throat.]
A hard right turn.
You're not concentrating.
Sorry, Dr.
Hansen.
We have visitors.
Visitors? Dr.
Hansen, you might remember me.
My name is Stringfellow Hawke.
Stringfellow Hawke.
I wonder if we might have a few words.
Take a break, Stan.
You seem to have changed quite a bit since the last time I saw you.
Well yes, I lost a few pounds.
Changed my programming, so to speak.
You seem about the same, though.
Maybe a little older.
[snickers.]
This is my friend Dominic Santini.
Pleased to meet you.
Hello.
So, what did you wanna talk about, Hawke? Airwolf.
Oh, that was such a tragedy, the way it was lost.
It was so far ahead of its time.
I always suspected Charles Moffett was unstable.
You haven't heard the rumors, then? I mean, among the intelligence community? I'm not in the intelligence community.
How could I hear them? Well, the rumor is that Airwolf has survived and that Archangel is using it for special missions.
Why are you telling me this? Because Airwolf's computer system has serious problems, and I understand that you worked on the original program.
So, you're still with the Firm? Not exactly.
I don't understand.
I'd be more than happy to explain it all to you if you'd promise to help us.
Well, I I don't know.
Give me some time to think about it.
Would it be all right if we come back after a while? Okay.
Thank you.
Just a dull, dedicated, scientific type, huh? Well, the lady's changed, just a tad.
[scoffs.]
This is Charles Henry Moffett.
I am the creator of Airwolf.
And this is my last will and testament.
(Stringfellow) It's a special meeting of scientists that have taken place for several years.
They help defuse world tension by sharing information.
(Karen) The Russians would do a double back-flip if they knew this was going on.
So would our own government.
That's why we've gotta get him out of there in 2 days.
Well, here we are.
It's beautiful.
Sorry about the blindfold.
No, it's better I don't know where we are.
Yeah, we didn't want you to end up playing 20 questions with the Firm.
[computer beeping.]
Did you guys leave the computer on? [computer buzzing.]
This is my last will and testament.
Airwolf has been instructed to engage this special program if it failed to receive a code from me at this time.
I must assume that I am imprisoned or dead.
So, what will I leave this tacky, money-grubbing world to remember me by? I leave a machine out of control, a machine worthy of that insane world of theirs.
The wolf has come down from the north, and your fat little town is safe no longer.
This is Charles Henry Moffett.
This is my last will and testament.
Airwolf has been instructed to engage Hey, can we shut him off? if it failed to receive a code from me at this time.
Moffett foresaw that he might lose control of Airwolf.
He protected himself like this.
He really was a genius, you know.
Twisted genius.
Gives me the creeps.
It's like a ghost.
Whoever heard of a haunted helicopter? We see a lot of this in the computer trade.
It's called a logic bomb.
Mamma mia! Not only a ghost, but bombs, too? I'll give you the classic example.
A guy is fired from a company with a computerized payroll.
But before he leaves, he plants a logic bomb in the central programming.
Now, when the computer senses that his name is no longer on the payroll, it's instructed to disrupt the company, say, by adding a zero to everybody else's check.
Someone making $750 is suddenly making $7,500.
It can be darn hard to dig out, too, if it's planted deep enough.
Can you do it? Well, I used to play a lot of chess with Moffett.
I usually won.
This is no chess game.
In a way, it is.
You see, for every move I make, he may have already programmed a counter-move.
Say, if I turn him off today, it triggers a signal to come back on tomorrow, when I don't expect it.
Complicated.
Stick with me, kid.
Like I said, we played a lot of chess.
Hey, maybe we'd better get something to eat.
Good idea.
Do we get a campfire? What kind of high tech-er are you? We got a gas stove.
Oh, come on.
Let's have a little romance.
Airwolf has been instructed to engage this special program Yeah.
if it failed to receive a code from me at this time.
I must assume that I am imprisoned or dead.
So, what will I leave this tacky, money-grubbing world to remember me by? Oh, shut up.
[beeps.]
That was the craziest thing I have ever done, landing on that sub.
A submarine? A big one.
In the middle of the Pacific, their computer had a nervous breakdown.
I was a freelance troubleshooter with a Secret clearance.
So, 10 hours later, there I was, doing my Harry Houdini imitation from a chopper slung 100 feet above a rolling deck.
You get it fixed? Oh, sure.
But for the next 15 days, I was the lone female in a crew of 120-plus men who had all been on patrol for 60 days.
Uh-oh.
(Karen) I learned one thing.
What's that? Karate.
Seriously, though, they were all gentlemen.
Is that the salt, Dom? Oh, yeah sure.
Say, if you don't mind, I've been meaning to ask you about that experiment that you were running in your lab.
Oh.
I'm working on a program that would enable a man to fly by merely thinking the maneuvers.
A right bank, a dive, whatever.
And land in a crosswind and pluck a kitten out of a tree, huh? You can scoff.
But in 20 years, the way you fly will be obsolete.
Excuse me, but I've been hearing that word, "obsolete," most all of my life.
And you know what? We still dig holes with shovels.
So, if you had it your way, there'd be hundreds of combat pilots with nothing to do? Oh, I'm sure you'll think of something to do.
Like they used to say, "Make love, not war.
" They'll probably come up with a computer to improve on that.
Maybe.
But like Dom says, "We still dig holes with shovels.
" (Karen) Okay Moffett, round 2.
Airwolf has been instructed to engage this special program if it failed to receive a code from me at this time.
I must assume that I am imprisoned or dead.
(Gilson) I have a bone to pick with you, Archangel.
General Gilson, what a pleasant surprise.
What takes you so far from the beaten path? I am hot and I am tired and I want some straight answers.
As soon as I hear a straight question.
Well, how's this? Are you testing some kind of stealth aircraft in NORAD's northern sector? "Stealth aircraft"? You know what it means, invisible to radar.
Answer the question.
We are testing nothing.
Then why did my big board light up with false targets the same day you people started monitoring our operations? I don't know.
The Pentagon agreed to provide your Firm with that information over my personal objections.
Now, I'm warning you.
If you're doing what I think you're doing, I'll have whatever it is shot out of the sky.
I hope we understand each other.
Now, why are you looking at me like that? You know what I have to do about Airwolf.
I have no choice.
I must assume that I am imprisoned or dead.
So, what will I leave this tacky, money-grubbing planet to remember me by? I leave a machine [Karen screams.]
[sparks crackling.]
What the - What happened? - Are you okay? Electric charge.
Electric charge? It tried to electrocute you? Yeah, isn't that great? Well, that's a significant clue.
I think Moffett's ghost is done for.
I think you've been working too many hours.
How about some fresh air? That sounds like a good idea.
Well, nothing like a change of scenery, is there? Yeah, I guess we don't need this anymore.
Oh.
It's pretty here.
Yeah.
Hawke? Uh-huh? Let me ask you something.
How do you remember me from those days? Dedicated, worked long hours, committed to the project.
It was my whole life back then, work.
The project, the team, the job.
At home, I felt dead.
Yeah, I can hardly believe how much you've changed since then.
That time I spent on the submarine That was back when I looked so terrible.
And the whole time I was aboard, they all treated me like one of the guys.
I hated that.
Well, they sure wouldn't treat you like one of the guys now.
Let's go on back.
Okay.
(Karen) Valley of the Gods.
What? Nothing.
Do it.
No.
No! Accept that.
Good.
Now pay attention.
This is my last will and testament.
Airwolf has been instructed to engage this special program if it failed to receive a code from me at this time.
Now goodbye, Charles Henry Moffett.
or dead.
[roaring.]
{whooping.]
All right! She's starting to feel like her old self.
Kick 'em on, Dom.
Kick on the turbos, let's give this lady a ride for her money.
Okay.
Oh, wait a minute, String.
You got traffic dead ahead.
Slow, single engine.
Hey, Dom, what's going on? Did you switch on autopilot? I hate to say it, but we still got ghosts back here.
Impossible, I erased that entire menu.
Well, the computer doesn't know that.
(Dominic) Oh, no! The computer now is showing that private plane as a target, a MIG-23.
Dom, cut it off.
I can't.
Try "cancel, double M".
and testament.
(Stringfellow) It tried to kill those people.
(Karen) It missed? No, we replaced the live ammo with blanks, just in case.
Now it's turning north.
Always north.
Hey, can you get us back in control? Auto-engage override is isolated? I cut it out completely, including the diffuser channel.
Type this, direct to CP.
U-U-U-1-5, disengage.
Nothing.
Now it's chasin' birds.
Try U-U-U-COMDEC-1-5.
Try it.
(Stringfellow) I've got it.
Get us down fast.
That won't last forever.
I don't know what to say.
I'm sorry.
Well, at least no one was hurt.
It had me completely faked out.
It must be tied to every system aboard, like some disease spreading.
Are you saying that Airwolf will never fly again? Well, I'm gonna take it up again.
I gotta get Dr.
Burton.
Look, if I had a more powerful computer, I might be able to override this one and cancel out the program.
If I can get one on such short notice.
I leave a machine out of control, a machine worthy of that insane world of theirs.
The wolf has come down from the north, and your fat little town is safe no longer.
This is Charles Henry Moffett.
Moffett.
Now Moffett's ghost? Aren't we ever gonna be free of this maniac? We wondered the same thing.
And what does that psychotic riddle mean, "The wolf has come down from the north"? It's a colloquialism from a novel by Thank you.
Our expert says there's more levels.
We don't even know what he wants yet.
Well, whatever he wants, we know it isn't good, and until we can sort out those computers, Airwolf should be grounded.
Perhaps we should have some of our experts take a look at it.
Fat chance.
You don't mean take a look.
You mean take back.
And we already had an expert look at it.
Well, not a very good one, judging by your last flight.
What happens if the next target it mistakes for a MIG-25 is in fact a 747? Every piece of armament has been taken off her.
Suppose Moffett had a kamikaze streak? People's lives are at stake here.
Your lives! What about Dr.
Burton's life? We will attempt to provide the Doctor with another means of transportation out.
I promised the man that I would pick him up.
In Airwolf.
You are impossible to talk to.
Dom.
The computer equipment your expert asked for is on the ramp.
These are some classified, detailed designs of Airwolf.
I thought you might like to show them to your computer man.
Thank you.
She must love one of us, String.
The one is Airwolf.
Take care.
This is Charles Henry Moffett.
I am the creator of Airwolf.
And this is my last will and testament.
After talking with Hawke and Santini, I'm convinced there's no turning them away.
They will fly Airwolf.
I can't imagine anything more terrifying than that machine under Moffett's control.
God knows what he's programmed it to do.
If you can fix Airwolf with absolute certainty, do it.
But if there's even the slightest question, in a compartment in the rear of this unit is a homing beacon and a small explosive charge with a detonator.
You will activate the beacon, and our personnel will move in.
If they attempt to lift off, explosives placed on the rudder will safely disable Airwolf.
Dr.
Hansen, we are all counting on you in this unpleasant business.
Say, "Good morning.
" Good morning.
Did you fix her? I don't know.
Well, you tried.
Wait.
We can't wait any longer, honey.
We got a passenger waiting.
I just told you, I don't know if it's fixed.
We'll disconnect the electronics and fly it cold.
It's been done before.
Moffett's programming could override that.
You touch anything in there, including the radio, and you're inviting disaster.
It'll be okay.
No! I've planted an explosive, and this is the detonator.
Now get away, I'm warning you.
Why? I have my orders.
What do you mean, "orders"? I'm sorry, Hawke.
I know how important Airwolf is to you.
Your brother and everything.
She's with the Firm.
I suppose Mr.
Clean is on his way up here now, huh? I've activated a homing beacon.
Where is it? Stay back, I will detonate this.
And that means Moffett wins and Dr.
Burton dies.
I can't help that.
Oh, yes, you can.
You can put that down right now.
It's too risky.
You know, you've talked about a lot of things, like how to take control of your life.
Well, then, do it.
Either push that detonator or let's go.
If Moffett's still in that machine, we need you.
The decision's yours.
(Marella) Jericho 1, this is Angel 1.
We're within 2 miles.
Homing signal still strong and closing.
(man) Angel 1, this is Groundskeeper.
Angel 1, this is Groundskeeper.
We're locked onto Dr.
Hansen's homing device.
Good.
Don't lose it, whatever you do.
Roger, Marella.
Howdy.
Fill her up? Or did you come here to see the 2-headed snake? Well, it looks like we're just about at the Bering Sea.
How do you feel? Alive.
Scared, but alive.
[helicopters approaching.]
Where's Mr.
Santini? We've had a crew change.
Dr.
Karen Hansen, this is Dr.
Roger Burton.
Welcome aboard, Doctor.
Did you get a look at those gunships? Those helicopters were headed west.
(Stringfellow) Then we'll head north, over the Pole, and come down the East Coast.
(Karen) Why not back the way we came, toward Alaska? We've gotta return Dr.
Burton to Washington immediately.
We're approaching the coastal ATIS.
We'll have to use the computers.
(Karen) Hawke, we can't take the chance that Moffett is really gone.
And I can't risk flying into US territory blind.
Let's try it.
All right, keep your fingers crossed.
(Karen) We're coming online now.
(Air Traffic Controller) I have a bogey penetrating US airspace.
Scramble jets and intercept.
(Pilot) Baker flight, airborne.
Hawke, I have 2 jets vectoring on us.
Unidentified helicopter, I am on your tail.
Identify yourself at once.
Over.
Unidentified black helicopter, identify yourself at once.
Over.
What will you do? We can outrun them with the turbos.
Yeah, for a while.
They'll report us to the Air Command, and it's a long way home.
We'll have to talk to them.
(Stringfellow) Air Force pursuit, we are on an unscheduled intelligence mission for the United States.
We are unarmed.
(Pilot) Follow me to a landing zone and set down.
Air Force, my course is [static buzzing.]
(Pilot) Acknowledge my transmissions or I will fire.
I say again, I will fire.
Over.
Air Force pursuit, do you read me? [static buzzing.]
(Pilot) They're not acknowledging.
Moving into attack position.
Holy! Look at that.
Max thrust.
Let's go.
Hawke, what are you doing? I'm not doing anything.
(Pilot) Topped out.
I'm at ceiling.
We're gonna need help with this guy.
Watchdog, Watchdog, this is flight Baker.
Watchdog, this is flight Baker.
Do you read? Quite an elevator ride.
Is everybody okay? Yes, I'm okay.
Did it? Yeah, it put us right into a power climb.
What is "it"? (Karen) Our onboard computer.
It's out of my control.
(Stringfellow) Well, then, take it back.
I can't.
Oh, my God.
Moffett's taking control of the ship's systems.
(Stringfellow) Where are the jets? (Karen) Directly below us.
Can they hear us? No.
They're trying to radio for assistance, but Moffett's jamming.
This is Charles Henry Moffett, and this is my last message to all of you.
I created Airwolf, and I will destroy her.
Airwolf goes back to the womb with a boom.
Check and mate.
That's all, folks.
Oh, my God.
What is that? He's projecting.
Russian bombers! (Karen) He's making us a target for NORAD.
(Stringfellow) More than that.
Those bogeys are to create confusion so we can get through.
Didn't you hear him? He's targeted us to kill Langley.
The Firm! There are thousands at that one facility alone, and when Langley starts to defend itself, a lot of people will die.
[siren wailing.]
(Stringfellow) Jericho Approach.
Jericho Approach, come in.
Archangel, talk to me.
I'm broadcasting in the clear.
Come in.
It's no use.
Moffett's jamming us.
He'll know.
He'll have to know.
Archangel, talk to me.
You know what we're up against.
It's Moffett.
Get me General Gilson, please.
It's not what we think that matters, it's what NORAD thinks.
What are you gonna tell him? To disregard the radarscope.
He may not disregard.
General, this is Archangel.
The radar tracks you're getting are false.
I repeat, false.
You were right about my project.
I was testing an aircraft.
Something went wrong.
It is sending out those tracks.
There are no Russian missiles.
One plane is doing all that? It's an extraordinary aircraft.
General, you've got to believe me.
What you're getting is I warned you.
I think we've got one chance, people, the purge control.
Maybe we can freeze Moffett out.
Yes, yes, do it! Make no mistake, what depressurizing the cockpit at this altitude will mean.
(Stringfellow) I remember an offer to overhaul a certain helicopter, no questions asked.
You name the time and place.
(Karen) Just send us the parts.
We'll take care of it.
The question is, will it ever be free of Moffett? (Karen) It is already, The extreme cold purged all programming.
It's a blank slate now, like a child waiting to be taught.
Yeah, and I know a real good teacher.
Well, just promise me one thing.
Will you leave out the story of the big, bad wolf, okay? [chuckles.]
Yeah.
You got it.

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