Ep 203 Journey to Oasis, Part 1 January 22, 1981

Director: Daniel Haller

Writer(s): Robert & Esther Mitchell

Guest Star(s):
Ambassador Aram Duvoe .... Mark Lenard
Admiral Zite .... Len Birman
Lieutenant Devlin .... Paul Carr
Raka. .... Donn Whyte
Odee-x .... Felix Silla
Rolla .... Michael Stroka
Complete list of Cast and Crew:

Admiral Asimov, Wilma and Buck are all dressed in the Sunday best to visit the planet R-4. They are meeting up with a Zykarian envoy for a peace conference. Dr. Goodfellow manipulates Asimov into allowing him to join them on their visit to R-4. Due to Goodfellow's presence on the trip, Hawk was pulled off patrol to babysit him. Zykarian Ambassador Duvoe is escorted to the Bridge where he is introduced to Captain Rogers, who will command the escort team to R-4. Team consists of Colonel Deering, Hawk, and Captain Buck Rogers. Goodfellow is there strictly to observe and study the life on the planet.

All on board the shuttle, Buck radios that they have reached Reference point "A". Buck comments that he doesn't think that horned toads and sidewinders could make it on R-4's desert terrain. Oh NO! Overload! "It looks like Saint Elmo's fire but doesn't act like it". I guess that means Buck has experienced this phenomenon before for a point of reference. Dr. Goodfellow mumbles that he thinks it might be some magnetic storm. I think he is just throwing things out there as possibilities to sound like he knows what he is talking about, but really has no idea. I have to admit that Wilma, Goodfellow, Hawk and Duvoe don't seem really concerned about their situation. Only Buck is worried. I guess the director forgot to ask for more intensity from them. They crash in what is probably the best miniature crash FX shot this whole Season. The Ambassador seems rather upset with Buck that they crashed and feels like it's all Buck's fault. Typical political nonsense to always blame someone for their inconvenienced situation. Duvoe already feels like someone who is going to be more annoying then helpful. Like every show where a princess (or any spoiled person really) complains that they are not getting their 5 star treatment while they are fighting to survive in a dangerous land. Even the energy core in Buck's blaster is drained. The Ambassador is astonished that Buck and his escort team don't seem to have a contingency plan in case they crash. No emergency kit, so to speak, in the shuttle.
A spare tire, anything at really, that put some fore thought to "just in case". While annoying, I would have to agree with the ambassador on this one. I mean, even now we are all encouraged to have a emergency kit in the car, and stored food in the pantry for "just-in-case" situations. Unless, they are all too relaxed and take such accidents for granted because they just don't happen any more. Another example of man kind relying to heavily on electricity and are helpless without it. The crew are forced to abandon ship as it sinks below the earth. Crap, now they are screwed. Searcher cannot send help as the only ships left on board are Fighters. Any Fighter entering R-4's atmosphere will be seen as a act of war and shot down. They have to walk, much to Goodfellow's displeasure, to Oasis on foot.

The Zykarian's are beginning to wonder what happened to the shuttle caring the Ambassador. They know a magnetic cloud disrupted all communications and cannot be found on either their scanners or the Searcher's scanners. Intelligence adviser, Raka, suggests that perhaps the Searcher is using a Anti-scanning devise to block the Zykarian's attempt to locate the shuttle. Admiral Zite is shocked to even think that such an action would be even conceived by the Earthlings. Never the less, he wont discount the possibility of it being true. Back on the Searcher Crichton explains that charged particles of an unknown origin are the culprits in their attempt to communicate with Buck's shuttle. Which could be a direct result of a double star in the same quadrant.

Hawk finds some footprints made in the dirt. Just then, a annoying little laugh is heard echoing across the landscape. Dr. Goodfellow wants to find the creature who is laughing and thinks that if he laughs back the creature may show himself. He is a bit of a ridiculous old man isn't he? "Beware Ezarhaaden!" the laughing one warns. Buck asks Hawk to scout out the rocks in case he can find the laughing one. Wait, didn't Buck just explain that they didn't have time for scouting missions as a precautionary? Goodfellow tries to sneak off, but Hawk is keeping a close eye on him. Admiral Zite requests to discuss the situation of the missing shuttle with Admiral Asimov in two minutes in the airlock. Apparently that is the neutral area, between both ships, and not on either. Admiral Asimov and Lt. Devlin approach the airlock. On their way there, Asimov has his own suspicions that the Zykarian's might be responsible for the shuttle's disappearance, motivated by their desire to start a war. Well, it appears their meeting place ended up being in the flight hanger. Crichton is there and explains to Zite that the frequency and amplitude of ambient energy in the magnetic cloud burnt out every electrical circuit on the shuttle, communication devices and weapons included. Zite seems annoyed by the explanation. Despite Crichton's explanation, Admiral Zite threatens that if the Ambassador is not found, he will be forced to take action against the Searcher.

Dr. Goodfellow finds his opportunity and sneaks away from the group. Luckily for him, he finds some natives, the Atavar, that have been tracking our heroes. Goodfellow is surrounded and falls into a trap. The Atavar lift a huge stone and place it over Goodfellow's hole. He's fortunate that they used the stone to hide and keep Goodfellow as opposed to crushing and killing him. Buck, Wilma, Hawk, and Duvoe cannot lift the rock that only took two Atavar to lift and move. Now, the Laughing-One is laughing at them again. Hawk wants to kill the little creep for his annoying laugh. You can see it in his determination to locate him. Locate him he does! Hawk finds it hilarious that the Laughing-One is so small. He picks him up like a child and tucks him under his arm. Nothing like emasculating a 400+ year old creature with magical powers. Odee-x's mask is a little too ridged and Felix Silva is having a hard time making the mouth move when he talks. With the wave of his hands and the blue light from his eyes Odee-x lifts the rock that imprisoned Goodfellow and releases him. Odee-x assures the Ambassador that they are indeed on the quickest route to Oasis, but quicksand will hinder their journey. Odee-x then gives the Team a little riddle. Nothing like a little blue man speaking in riddles to make his character more ominous and interesting.

"To reach the pawl that frees the lock,

conscious thought avails you not"

Buck, not wanting to play this little game of riddles, wants Odee-x to just tell him how to get to the Cave of the Winds. Leave all this riddle stuff to the movies. Just like that, Odee-x escapes. Buck leads the team to the Cave of the Winds, the home of the Atavar. A dangerous race. Wait, didn't Odee-x before warn them about Ezarhaaden, and now he is telling them that they have to go find him?

Admiral Zite calls for a Battle Cruiser to aid them in their search for the Ambassador and perhaps their fight against the Searcher. Raka hands Zite sealed orders that he was instructed not to give to Zite unless he felt if necessary. The orders indicate that if the Ambassador does not reach Oasis at the appointed time, Admiral Zite is ordered to destroy the Searcher and launch an immediate attack on Earth. Now these are orders were put into motion long before the Zykarian ship docked with Searcher. Would't this support Asimov's suspicions that the Zykarian's were likely to sabotage the shuttle in hopes to start a war? Admiral Asimov see's the Zykarian Battle Cruiser enter orbit and orders a VIP dinner with him and Admiral Zite. 

To be Continued...

Character Facts learned in this episode:

Wilma Deering: Seven Years ago, she was a Junior Lieutenant attached to the Consul's office. Went on a "date" with Duvoe to the Grand Ball. Was hopelessly infatuated with Duvoe
Zykarians: Human in appearance, but very secretive. Poised to wage war unless Duvoe makes it to the conference in Oasis.
Ambassador Aram Duvoe: A Zykarian. Has removable head. Met Wilma at a planetary conference seven years ago. Fell in love with Wilma Deering.
O.D.X., the Invincible: Ocular Dynamics Experiment was the first shipment sent to R-4 from Saturn. Has lived on R-4 for about 400 years.
Atavars: Masters of Ezarhaaden. Hunter/killers. Chop the heads off of their kill and place it on top of poles for religious worship. Home is in the Cave of the Winds
Ezarhaaden: Guardian of the Atavar lair

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References to the 20th Century that the 25th does't get: 
Favorite quotes: 
Insults to Crichton: skillet head, Irritating, kettle belly, dimwit
Insults from Crichton:
Easter Eggs:
Deaths: 0
Searcher's Mission: To find the lost tribes of Earth
Miniatures: (1) Searcher (1) Colonial Shuttle (1) Zykarian ship (1) Zykarian Battle Cruiser