Alien Planet: the animated series (pilot)

Chapter 4: Horus probe lost

We then cut back to the Von Braun where we see Balboa activating his built-in projector screen to make contact with each of the teams of Horus Probes and report to him on their progress of the Project: Regenesis mission: Horus probes Galileo and Columbus have landed on Aurelia, a small planet orbiting a red dwarf star. meanwhile Horus probes Charles Darwin and Richard Dawkins have landed on the Blue Moon, a small moon orbiting a gas giant in a binary star system. Balboa then tries to contact Horus Probes Leonardo da Vinci (Leo), and Isaac Newton (Ike) but gets no response. Balboa then rushes into the Professor's lab to warn him, and Professor Barlowe asks Balboa what's wrong. Balboa tells the professor "I tried to contact Leo and Ike, but they gave no response. I'm afraid they may have gone offline, permanently". Professor Barlowe's eyes widen upon hearing this bad news and slams his fist on the arm of his hoverchair and breaks down into tears. Balboa asks the professor if he's okay, and Professor Barlowe tells Balboa "nothing, Balboa. you won't understand the complexity of human emotions. now if you excuse me, I need to have a word with Colonel Abraham Striker". we then cut to Colonel Striker sitting in his office looking at a starmap only for him to hear the professor scream "STRIKER!" the Colonel then turns off his starmap and looks to see Professor Barlowe enter his office. the Colonel gets out of his chair and shakes hands with the professor, saying "Professor Hugo Cornelius Barlowe, haven't seen you in a while. what is it you came to see me for?" the professor then tells him "two of my Horus probes have mysteriously disappeared and allegedly have gone offline. I want to know if you had anything to do with this incident, and you better tell me the truth, Colonel". Colonel Striker puts his hands behind his back and turns away from the Professor, telling him "I have no idea where your suspicion of me being responsible for the sudden disappearance of two of your Horus probes, but I can assure you that I had no such involvement. besides they're just machines, so stop being so concerned for their safety". Professor Barlowe then tells him "I can't help it, the Horus Probes are like Children to me. especially Leo, he was like a son to me and I loved him like he was my own. he always wanted to go into space and explore the stars, ever since he first came online. Leo meant the world to me, and now he's gone". Colonel Striker shakes his head in dismay, telling Professor Barlowe "oh professor, how you've never changed since we last met. don't you see? this is why machines shouldn't be sentient, you get way too attached to them! they're supposed to be tools, not sons and daughters. besides, think of the living, breathing children who were born and raised on the Von Braun. they never touched a blade of grass, heard a bird sing, breathed fresh air, or felt what it was like to bask in the warmth of the sun. us old folks sure were lucky to have experienced planet Earth during its final days before it went dark. now if you excuse me, I have a meeting to attend to with the high council. good day to you sir!" Colonel Striker then leaves his office and boards an elevator taking him to the highest floor of the starship Von Braun.