Original subtitles

[man] It's gonna be difficult

to find them without radar, Skipper.

Can't even see our own bow.

If they're out there, we'll find them.

Remember that exercise off Ibiza?

[laughs]

Back before either one of us was allowed near the wardroom.

[laughs]

There you go.

All engines ahead standard.

All engines ahead standard, aye.

Bridge lookout.

Contact 4,000 yards off the port bow.

Apparent heading north-northeast.

It's a Turkish destroyer, sir.

All engines ahead flank.

All engines ahead flank, aye.

Sir, wouldn't it be safer to withdraw

to missile-firing range?

And what would the crew learn from that?

Steady up on three-four-zero.

I want to overtake them on their starboard quarter.

Steady, three-four-zero, sir.

Weapons bridge, stand by Mount One.

Optical tracking only.

Simulated fire.

Stand by.

Release batteries.

CIC reports direct hit, sir.

Radio bridge. This is the Captain.

Break EMCON and tell them they've just been sunk.

Captain, the Turkish ship is turning sharply

into our path.

-Hard right rudder. -Hard right rudder, aye.

-Is radar up and running? -Yes, sir.

They're 1,000 yards and closing.

-All engines back full. -All engines back full, aye.

Radio, contact the Turks.

Tell them they are in extremis.

XO, sound the collision alarm.

Aye, aye, sir.

600 yards...

400 yards...

All hands, brace for impact.

100 yards.

[collision]

[theme music playing]

You and the Turkish team

were on opposite sides in the exercise?

That's right, Ma'am.

A NATO TRANSITEX.

Like a big game of hide and seek.

Eight U.S. and Italian ships seeking.

Four Turkish ships hiding.

You found one.

Yes, sir.

I understand they're blaming a Greek ship

that wasn't even part of the exercise.

Grab, push it in there, Sailor.

Look out!

All right.

Fast on your feet there, Chief.

Thanks.

Not bad yourself.

My apologies, Skipper.

No problem, Commander.

-This is Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie. -[MacKenzie] Skipper.

Any news on the Turkish casualties?

Still seven dead, two missing.

XO, is that a dispatch

from Comm. Sixth Fleet relieving me of command?

Only temporarily, sir.

We'll see.

Commander, I realize that the timing is bad

but we're required to get a statement

from the commanding officers of all three ships.

Then I won't keep you from your rounds.

This is my statement:

We got caught in a fog bank searching for the enemy.

It cleared.

We found ourselves two miles from the Gelibolu.

I closed range, it changed course

I hit it.

Seven dead, two missing. End of story.

Now,

if you'll excuse me, I have work to do.

Even though I'm not the C.O. anymore.

Even if I'm not the Commanding Officer anymore

it does not mean I cannot lend a hand.

Now you were running without radar or lights

when the United States ship hit you.

All ships were on EMCON, total emissions blackout.

So the United States ship couldn't see you

-when they hit? -They saw clearly enough to fire at us

when they came out of the fog.

They should have been able to see

-we were having a problem. -With the Greek ship?

Yes, the one trying to ram us.

I didn't try to ram them, I attempted a shoulder maneuver.

It was an appropriate response.

To what, Commander?

We saw a vessel outside shipping lanes

running without lights.

I did what I was supposed to do.

Did you try hailing them?

Several times, by radio.

But we received no response.

We couldn't respond.

EMCON means no radio, no sonar, no radar.

Navigation... how do you say it?

"By the seat of our pants."

This was the same way the U.S. ship was navigating?

Yes, it was the rule of the exercise.

Eventually, we replied to the Naxos

by signal light.

We identified ourselves

and informed them of the exercise.

But they just kept coming.

It didn't matter who they claimed to be.

-They could have been anyone. -And that's when you decided to shoulder them?

No, that's when I decided to contact my chain of command

to see if there was any such exercise scheduled.

There was not.

Colonel, I do not attack another ship on a whim.

The Turks left me no choice.

I informed them they were in Greek territorial waters

and ordered them to change their course.

Greek territorial waters?

Within three nautical miles

of the Greek island of Anaxios Brakos.

We call it "Kiymetsiz Kaya."

It's an uninhabited rock.

The Greek claim has no validity.

Even if it did, we were on a NATO operation

exercising our right of innocent passage.

So what does it matter?

Captain, what did you do when you saw

the Naxosheading toward you?

I immediately broke EMCON and ordered hard right rudder...

which brought us right into the path of the American ship.

You took these actions immediately

knowing that breaking EMCON

would disqualify you from the war games?

Come this way.

It was my first night on board.

I woke up on the floor.

I tried to move, but my hip...

they say it's shattered.

The bow of the American ship was right there in my quarters.

Then it reversed.

And I saw... Lieutenant Ince, my bunkmate,

tangled in the American anchor chain all torn up.

And I watched him go by

out the hole the ship made in the bulkhead.

Tessekur ederim, Yuzbasi Ozden.

Dinlen.

[speaks Turkish]

This man is alive.

Seven are not.

I did not hazard my ship to win a game.

[door closes]

Tiner.

-Good morning, Lieutenant. -Can you use Lexis-Nexis?

-And Westlaw, ma'am. -I need you to run a search on the precedents

involving Article 134, abuse of a public animal.

You get stuck with the loser cases again, ma'am?

Every time they go out of town.

It's like there's a sign on my back.

Wish we could spend more time together, Mikey,

-but with everybody gone-- -It's no problem.

I'll just spend the day with Harriet.

I love diapering my nephew.

You know, I could postpone a motion hearing,

-free a few hours up after lunch-- -Don't sweat it.

My ship was on O.R.E. for the last 30 hours

before we got to Norfolk

so a little nap wouldn't hurt.

Coffee mess is this way, right?

That way.

What kind of donut you want, Lieutenant?

I don't eat those anymore.

With sprinkles, right, sir?

-Rainbow. -[chuckles]

Oh, my gosh.

-Are you all right? -I'm so sorry.

I'm sorry. Sorry.

Oh, my God.

Hey, Roberts.

Man, Gunny, if I had a girl like that...

What would you do?

I'd, uh, you know.

Mm-hmm.

Hey, Victor!

Hey, Val, all right.

I'm sorry, Gunny, I didn't know she was your girlfriend.

She's not.

She's my sister.

Hey, could you get a long lunch, Vic?

The Vermeer show's over at the National Gallery.

Oh, I'd love to, but I can't.

Things are just really crazy...

The Vermeer show's over.

They got Art Nouveau now.

What?

Art Nouveau kicks ass.

-What? -Mike.

Valerie.

I was going to go see it. If you want to go...

we could both go.

-You sure you can't come? -Uh...

-Let's go. -All right.

Oh, hey, Mikey, I was able to clear away a few...

Where's my brother going?

Uh... out with my sister.

[soldiers shouting]

[Rabb] Turkish Captain is blaming the Greeks.

[MacKenzie] And the Greek is pointing it right back at the Turks.

This has been going on for a thousand years, sir.

Turks drink raki, Greeks drink ouzo.

They're identical, but try telling them.

What about the American Captain?

Commander James Merrick. Outstanding service record.

Golden Anchor Award for Retention,

John Paul Jones Award for leadership,

and he's the only one not working overtime

-to cover his butt. -That's refreshing.

More refreshing not to have to compete

with officials from four different countries.

We're tripping over each other out there, sir.

Try dealing with Admirals in four different countries

with their Defense Ministers looking over their shoulders

making sure nobody forgets their political agendas...

and then there's the press.

[reporters yelling]

[Admiral] Ladies and gentlemen, thank you

for all your interest.

We'll answer your questions at the press briefing.

Follow me please.

Some of those reporters would make damn good Marines.

We are the nation that gave the world paparazzi.

Now please, sit.

So, you are the American team

in our investigative Olympics.

Yes, sir.

Admiral Picato commanded the NATO Transit Exercise.

Admiral, we need to speak with you.

Speak.

Sir, Commander Vlahakis the Greek skipper

claims he never received word

that the TRANSITEX was being conducted.

My office informed the Greek Navy

via its Fleet Command at Salamis.

So the Greeks were at fault, sir?

There was apparently an unfortunate breakdown in communications.

Admiral, why were games held near an island

the ownership of which is disputed

between Greece and Turkey?

The Op Area was 75,000 square kilometers, Commander.

Find me a section of the Aegean that size

without the dozen disputed islands

and I will be happy to use it.

Admiral Picato, don't you have a meeting?

Yes, with the NATO Press Office.

A different sort of damage control

than I learned at the Naval Academy.

Good day, gentlemen, Colonel.

Sir.

Admiral, we should be going, too, sir.

We have a meeting with a Turkish translator

-to go over the Gelibolu'slog. -That won't be necessary.

We're past the investigation stage on this.

Mr. Secretary, we've hardly begun, sir.

The key facts of the collision are not in dispute.

Apparently not even by Commander Merrick

according to your report.

He will be prosecuted.

-For what, sir? -Dereliction of duty.

Hazarding a vessel... and manslaughter.

Seven counts.

Mr. Secretary, I don't see how primary responsibility

can be assigned to Commander Merrick at this point, sir.

Mr. Secretary, what about the captains of the other ships?

The Greeks and the Turks are frying their fish.

We're frying ours, unless you want to argue

that the uniform code of military justice

applies to officers of foreign navies.

-No, sir. -Good.

[MacKenzie] Sir, we're just concerned that the prosecution

of Commander Merrick may be premature.

Really?

Does anybody here remember the TCG Mauvenet?

[Rabb] Turkish destroyer, sir

the USS Saratogaaccidentally hit with live missiles

-during a war game in '92. -Killed five sailors.

No one was court-martialed.

Was Commander Merrick on the Saratoga,sir?

The Turks are making noises

about revoking our use of their airfields

to enforce the Iraqi no-fly zone.

How is that our department?

Anything that affects America's national security interests is "our department."

At least, that's the impression I've been laboring under.

Yes, sir.

Oh, for God sakes, A.J.

Merrick plowed his ship into another vessel.

At least seven people are dead.

Yes, sir.

Turkey needs to know

that we are taking this one seriously.

I understand.

I'll assign my best people.

I want you to prosecute.

Me?

Yes, A.J.

So they'll know we are taking this one seriously.

[chuckles]

I trust you'll allow me to name the defense counsel?

A.J., you know I trust you.

Good, 'cause I want to make sure Commander Merrick's defense team

is just as serious,sir.

[Mikey] So, what was your favorite?

[Valerie] Um... Ford's Theater.

No! Magnum's aloha shirt at the Smithsonian.

No, wait.

This tiramisu. Oh...

Um, if you maybe want to walk off the tiramisu,

we could go check out Dupont Circle or...

I should probably get back to my brother's.

You know, I am supposedly spending time with him.

Look, I go back aboard ship on Wednesday.

You can see him all week.

Well, what about your brother?

Aren't you supposed to be

spending time with him?

I saw him this morning.

You know what I need right now?

Another cappuccino?

To dance.

I mean... you're not tired,

are you?

Okay. Uh, I know some clubs.

You're 21, right?

My driver's license says 22.

If I'm asleep in my quarters,

and a radar operator with a bad cold gets blurry eyes

and he doesn't see a blip on his screen

and we hit a rowboat, I'm responsible

because I'm the commanding officer.

Now, if I'm on the bridge

and we hit a 4,000-ton destroyer...

[MacKenzie] A number of factors

led to that collision, Commander.

Colonel, there are always

a number of factors

but somebody has to be responsible.

Otherwise, next time nobody will be.

We respect the responsibility that comes with command

but to volunteer to take the blame, Comm--

When I volunteered to be a naval officer 22 years ago...

I accepted that something like this could happen.

What, to become a scapegoat?

What would you propose that I do?

Prosecution will try to prove you acted negligently.

We will show that you made legitimate choices

according to the situation.

That this collision is the result

of a long chain of events.

Misjudgment by the skippers, missed communications,

faulty equipment.

Dust in my eyes, full moon, that sort of thing?

I am not some old lady with a lap full of hot coffee.

That is not the way I do things.

Letting our client take the fall for others

is not the way we do things. Now, Commander--

Harm, if he doesn't want to fight, we can't make him.

Colonel, I joined the Navy to fight

like my father and my grandfather before me,

but they served 56 years between them

without killing seven people in a war game.

-[knocking] -Enter.

Excuse me.

Commander, you're right on time.

We're trying to convince your C.O. not to fall on his sword.

Skipper, I just received this order from the prosecutor

to testify against you.

[giggling]

That was great!

Victor would never take me anyplace like that.

He wouldn't even know it existed.

Well, you got to know where to go.

Where's the best place to see the sunrise?

Jefferson Memorial, Tidal Basin.

Come on, I'll take you.

What would he want you to testify about?

I don't know.

Oh, I think we both know.

When we came out of that fog

you recommended that I withdraw to missile range

instead of approaching the Turkish ship.

That doesn't mean anything.

It might mean something to a court-martial panel.

Recommending is an XO's job.

Then the captain makes his own decisions.

I won't testify against you.

You have no choice, Commander. It's an order.

I don't care, sir.

Tim, if you respect me at all, you'll follow that order.

And help send you to Leavenworth?

No, sir.

Well, your XO's willing to disobey an order

to defend you, Commander.

What are you willing to do?

[light snoring]

Just wait five minutes.

I can't believe I... drooled on you.

Hey, it happens to the best of us.

Oh, I wish you didn't have to go back

to your ship so soon.

Well, um... I could, uh...

come back, uh, next Friday.

How was the Art Noo-Voo?

Nouveau.

Oh, my mistake, Roberts.

And I guess it's also my mistake to think

that you can see an art exhibit in less than 19 hours.

-Oh, come on, Vic-- -Valerie,

-inside. -Are you trying to send me

to my room?

I'm trying to get you or this swabby here

to tell me what the hell you been doing

-for the last 19 hours. -Sightseeing.

Sightseeing?

Yeah. Sightseeing.

Valerie, when you stay under my roof

you don't go out all night long.

News flash, Vic:

I'm 20 years old, and you are not my father.

I was sightseeing.

Good-night, Mikey.

It was fun.

Your motion is rather unusual, Commander.

You're saying the relationship

between commanding officer and executive officer

is the same as between husband and wife?

Uh, not exactly, Your Honor.

[chuckles]

I should hope not.

But I do believe there should be a limit

on the government's ability to compel an executive officer

to testify against his commanding officer.

Like husband and wife.

It's more like lawyer-client, Your Honor.

For the success of their missions

a C.O. and his or her X.O.

must be able to communicate freely and openly.

The fear that one might later be called upon

to incriminate the other

could impede the necessary flow

of information and advice.

Is my learned opponent suggesting

that an executive officer might not tell his commanding officer

that they are under attack because of some fear

of legal liability?

He might not tell his commanding officer

how he feels an attack should be dealt with

if he's afraid that he might later

be prosecuted for giving bad advice.

[Judge] Commander, do you have

a scrap of law to support this notion?

I believe it's inherent in the structure

of the naval service, Your Honor.

"Inherent"... but unstated?

Your Honor, the executive officer on the Monroe Smith has pertinent testimony...

Save your breath, Admiral.

He can testify. Motion denied.

Hearing adjourned.

[pounds gavel]

Uh, we'll meet you outside.

Interesting motion, Commander.

Thank you, sir.

And preposterous.

Sir, you must admit it is a little distasteful

to compel Lieutenant Commander Bryant to testify.

"Distasteful"?

We having a garden party here, Colonel?

-No, sir. -That's right.

I'm going to convict Commander Merrick.

If there's any doubts, they'll disappear

when you see your client packed off to Leavenworth.

Have a nice day.

[Captain Agazi] After we received the message that we'd been sunk,

the collision came very soon.

[Chegwidden] So, Commander Merrick

took the time to tell you that he'd won the war game

but didn't bother to tell you he was about to hit you.

That is correct, sir.

When did the warning message come?

When it was too late to do anything about it.

Thank you, Captain.

Captain, I'd like you to walk us through the collision

from the beginning, if you would, sir.

We were cruising at 12 knots.

The Greek ship approached us on our port beam.

A little farther forward.

Then, they ordered us to stand clear.

And what was your action?

Using our signal lights, I identified our vessel

and informed them we were conducting

a NATO transit exercise.

How did they respond?

They repeated their order.

I immediately changed course.

[Rabb] Immediately? Your communications log

indicates messages from the Naxos

over a period of eight minutes

before you changed course, Captain.

I had to determine that the other ship was not

a participant in the exercise.

Well, hadn't they identified themselves as a Greek warship, Captain?

[Agazi] It is common to use cover and deception tactics.

It could have been the other team... pretending.

Pretending by turning on their lights and breaking EMCON.

[Agazi] It is possible.

Captain, are you familiar with paragraph nine of your op orders?

I am familiar with the op orders,

not with paragraph numbers.

Captain, would you please read the highlighted portion?

"Any participant breaking EMCON for other than an emergency

will be disqualified and directed to vacate the operations area."

So, had the other ship been a participant,

they would have already been disqualified

by turning on their lights, isn't this true?

Yes.

[Rabb] So, did you wait the eight minutes

because you didn't want to forfeit the exercise

or because you didn't understand the rules, Captain?

I did nothing wrong.

[Rabb] Captain, aren't you currently the subject of an investigation

by Turkish naval authorities?

They are investigating, yes.

So, during this eight minutes

that you were doing nothing wrong.

how much did the gap between you and the Naxosclose?

I am sure you will tell me.

No, Captain, I'd like you to tell me.

What was the distance between your ship and the Naxos

when they first ordered you to stand clear?

Nine thousand yards.

[Rabb] And what was the distance when you finally complied?

One thousand yards.

Leaving you only one direction to turn

in which to avoid a collision with the Naxos.

I ordered the Turks to change their course

beforeI approached them.

But then you deliberately steered towards another ship

violating the most basic rule of prudent navigation.

My duty supersedes those rules

when I'm defending Greek territorial waters.

From a NATO ship on a NATO exercise?

I had no proof of that.

NATO Southern Command records

show that notification of the exercise was sent

to your fleet headquarters.

It never reached me.

Your own ship's log shows the message was received

at 0600 the morning of the collision.

This message was erroneously delivered to my Chief Engineer.

It was only located afterward.

In your first statement following the collision

didn't you say that you had contacted your command

and been told that there was no exercise in that area?

I thought my XO had contacted our command.

In fact, he only checked my own ship's record.

So, isn't it fair to say

that there was dereliction of duty aboard your ship?

By whom?

By the seaman who misdirected the message,

the Chief Engineer who failed to forward it,

the executive officer who didn't find it...

And me, Colonel?

[MacKenzie] Isn't it a fact, Commander,

that if you had seen the message,

there would have been no collision?

Objection, Your Honor. Calls for conclusion.

Sustained.

Would you have challenged the Gelibolu

had you known about the exercise?

No.

Lieutenant, about your supply requisition...

Not now, Tiner.

I thought you were through with the Ballard case, ma'am.

Oh, I would be if the Brother of the Year

over there hadn't come in two hours late

because of personal reasons on the day that I needed him

to get my witness statements.

-Yes, ma'am. -[slams phone]

Gunny, this requisition form you filled out for staples,

I can't tell if that's a seven or a two.

It makes a difference between standard point and chisel point.

Tiner, go away and don't ever ask me about staples again.

Tiner, sorry, sorry, it's just...

Listen, you were talking to Petty Officer Roberts the other day.

Did he mention anything about a girl?

[Roberts] What's going on, Gunny?

Nothing, sir.

Well, you mentioned my brother's name.

Sir, permission to speak freely?

As you know, sir,

your brother took my sister out the other day.

So?

He kept her out all night

and I have reason to believe that

his behavior was less than honorable.

-What, did your sister tell you this? -No, sir. He did.

[Mikey on answering machine] Hey, Val, guess who?

It's the guy who drooled all over your lap.

Uh, sorry I couldn't go all night last time, but, uh,

if you want to give me a second chance I'll be back in town on Friday.

All right, later.

[Chegwidden] Dark, foggy night, ships running without radar...

sounds like a dangerous exercise, Admiral.

All exercises have a risk factor

but the op orders were to reduce speed to five knots

if visibility was below 200 yards.

Did Commander Merrick comply with that directive?

Apparently not.

[Chegwidden] Who do you think is responsible

for the collision between his ship and the Gelibolu?

[Rabb] Objection.

That's what this proceeding is meant to determine, Your Honor.

Your Honor, this is the 23rd NATO exercise Admiral Picato has directed.

He's more than qualified to express an opinion.

I agree. Objection overruled.

[Picato] I believe Commander Merrick displayed bad judgment

in approaching the Gelibolu as he did.

I believe he's exercising bad judgment now

in attempting to shift blame to everyone but himself.

I move to strike, Your Honor. Non-responsive and irrelevant.

Granted.

Members will disregard the last statement.

No more questions.

Admiral, if the Captain is responsible for everything

that happens aboard his ship,

it should follow that an exercise commander

would be responsible for everything

that happens during an exercise.

There are limits to command responsibility, Commander.

-I was 200 miles away. -Well, isn't it a fact, sir,

that the prosecution of Commander Merrick occurred

after a meeting of high-level officials

from several NATO countries?

We had all gathered, including your Secretary of the Navy

to discuss an incident that involved

several of our member nations.

-Including Greece and Turkey? -Objection. Relevance.

Your Honor, if you'll allow me a little leeway, sir,

I believe I can establish relevance.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, Commander,

-for the moment. -[Rabb] Thank you, sir.

Admiral Picato, hasn't the fact

that Greece and Turkey are historic enemies

complicated the mission of NATO?

They have their differences, but, uh, they get along.

Were they getting along

last October when Turkey blocked Greek jets

involved in a NATO exercise

from flying over two Aegean islands?

No.

They were not getting along last October.

And when the incident in discussion here occurred,

wasn't their special concern, sir, because it once again

involved Greece and Turkey?

-No. -No, even though the Greek

and Turkish Prime Ministers issued statements immediately following the collision

blaming one another?

They are politicians, Commander.

Well, isn't NATO a political organization, sir,

as well as a military one?

Ho, ho, ho, it lives!

I'm going to sleep for 12 hours.

I thought you were used to getting up at the crack of dawn?

Yeah, well I need to save up my energy.

Good idea.

Harriet and I got lots of plans for this weekend.

We figured we'd all go hiking

on the Appalachian Trail on Saturday,

maybe go to Annapolis, do some antiquing on Sunday--

I was kind of planning on staying in town.

What, and miss out on all this great weather?

Um... "Weekend snow expected."

Oh... well, we could go to Baltimore

and hammer some crabs.

I sort of have a date.

-With Valerie Galindez? -Maybe. Why?

Well, Gunny's kind of... worried about you and her...

We just like to hang out. I mean, she's cool and all but it's just... you know?

Mikey, Gunny's sort of overprotective.

-She can handle him. -Shecan?

I can, too-- what's he going to do to me?

-Break your arms. -I don't care.

You don't care that he's going to break your arms?

Bud, don't laugh, but...

I think I might be in love.

When you emerged from the fog and saw the Gelibolu,

what were your strike options?

Withdraw to missile firing range, sir, or approach

and use the 76mm gun.

And which option did Commander Merrick choose?

To move in and use the gun, sir.

At that point, did you have a conversation with him?

We had many decisions to make, sir-- I'm sure

we had several conversations.

Did any of those conversations

relate to Commander Merrick's order to approach?

It's possible, sir.

Your Honor, permission to treat as a hostile witness.

-Granted. -Isn't it true

that you disagreed with Commander Merrick's order?

I don't recall, sir.

Do you want me to bring in three crew members

who heard that conversation, Commander?

You have a promising career, son, but you could end it

in the next 30 seconds.

I suggested we withdraw to missile firing range, sir.

Why?

To keep out of range of their close-in guns, sir.

Any other reason, Commander?

Yes.

To minimize the risk of a collision.

Thank you.

You had another disagreement with the Captain

-after the collision, didn't you, Commander? -[Bryant] Yes, sir.

The Captain wanted to send out boats to aid the Turkish ship.

I thought we should wait until we assessed the damage to our own ship.

Even though there was the possibility

of men in the water?

I know it sounds callous, sir,

but if we began to list while lowering boats

some of them would have hit the hull and capsized,

putting more men in the water,

-or worse. -So, what would you have done?

Waited until the situation stabilized, then sent the boats.

And what was the result of Commander Merrick's decision?

We saved six Turkish sailors, sir.

Then it's a good thing you weren't the Captain.

[Chegwidden] Objection. Argumentative.

Your Honor, this goes to the witness's credibility.

Lieutenant Commander Bryant does not understand

the risks inherent in command, sir.

He's ending his career with those questions.

-He's trying to save yours. -[Judge] Objection overruled.

I'll allow the line of questioning.

[Rabb] How long would you have waited

to put boats in the water, Commander?

-Your Honor! -Your Honor...

defense requests a recess.

-Now? -Yes, sir.

[Judge] Very well.

-Ten minutes. -[pounds gavel]

What the hell is going on?

I can't allow you to crucify him in order to save my neck.

Commander, his testimony is damaging.

We have to do this.

No.

No, we don't.

It's over.

You make me a deal.

[SecNav] Thank you, keep me informed.

Well, that's one piece of good news.

They've located the last missing Turkish sailor.

He's been in a military hospital in Turkey

since the day before the collision.

He wasn't even on the ship?

Apparently not.

How's the trial going?

Commander Merrick wants to make a deal.

Two pieces of good news.

I just need to know what we can offer.

I think dismissal, forfeiture of pay

and a few years imprisonment will make the point.

A few years?

Couple of years. He has to do some time.

-I'll leave the details to your discretion. -Yes, sir.

What's happening with the investigation

of the Turkish and Greek captains?

They're back on their ships.

Neither of them is going to be charged.

Wha... You told me they were going to be dealt with.

That was my understanding at the time.

Was it, sir?

Yes, it was.

If we're done here, I'm late for a meeting.

Mr. Secretary...

It hardly seems fair

Commander Merrick should take all the blame.

Commander Merrick drove his ship into another ship.

The captain of which was derelict in his duty

as was the captain of the third ship involved.

With all due respect, when you assigned me this case,

I was under the impression that I was serving the law,

not joining some damn lynch mob.

A.J., now, you think it was up to me?

I thought you looked after

the interests of your people, sir.

You think that I alone make the decisions

when the future of NATO is at stake?

If the Greeks and the Turks are threatening

to tear the alliance apart, then we've got to do

what we've got to do to make sure they don't.

"We."

You got your marching orders, Admiral.

I got mine.

These terms seem a little harsh.

The prosecuting attorney doesn't decide

what terms are acceptable, you know that.

How much brig time, sir?

[sighing]

Oh, six months would do.

Well, Admiral, against our advice,

Commander Merrick has indicated

that he would accept something along that line.

All right, then, we're all set.

I suppose so.

I'll let the SECNAV know.

On second thought, those terms are not acceptable.

You want more brig time, sir?

That's not what I said.

Commander, you and the Colonel

are doing a pretty good job on this trial.

Well, thank you, sir.

We thought so.

If I were Commander Merrick

I'd be happy for you to continue.

Sir, he's given us specific instructions to stop.

Perhaps we don't have to stop just yet.

Well... whatever you think is best.

[elevator bell dings]

[indistinct chatter]

[telephone ringing]

[dramatic music]

Gunny, can I talk to you for a minute?

Yes, ma'am.

You need to take a deep breath

count to ten-- whatever.

Ma'am?

You're worried about your sister.

Your Marine training teaches you to take direct action.

In this case, bad career move.

Good news: take a look at your sister.

Take a look at Mikey Roberts.

Same league?

[chuckling]

What exactly are you worried about?

I understand, ma'am.

I just wish I had a brother that cared this much about me.

Thank you, ma'am.

Thank you very much.

What?

Ma'am, that was so... considerate.

Tiner, Mikey Roberts can eat that girl for breakfast for all I care.

As long as the Hatfields and McCoys are still fighting

I get stuck with more work.

-Hi, -[Mikey] Hey.

Mikey, hi.

This is, uh, for you.

Oh, thank you.

So, you, uh...

-ready for lunch? -Sure.

I just wanted to say hi to Victor.

Have you seen him?

Gunny? Um... no, I haven't seen him.

He's probably around somewhere, though.

But check this out.

I've got not one, but two Fatboy Slim tickets

for tonight.

Cool! Can you get three?

Three?

-Yeah. This is my boyfriend, Ray. -'Sup?

He flew in from New Mexico to surprise me.

Can you believe it?

Yeah, I can.

Victor.

Valerie.

Roberts.

Sir.

Beasley?

How's it going, Vic?

What a surprise, huh?

He and I and Mikey are all going out.

Ray rented a Miata.

Okay, what are we looking for?

Something to change his mind.

Whose mind, Merrick's?

The Admiral's? SECNAV's?

Somebody's.

Anybody's.

What do we know about the Turkish sailor

who turned up in the hospital?

Does it matter?

I don't know.

Um...

The day before the collision, Petty Officer Suleyman Metin

arrived at the military hospital at Canakkale

with second degree burns, concussion and a broken ankle--

injuries received aboard the Gelibolu.

What was his duty?

Uh... Electronics Technician.

Well, he didn't

get second degree burns tripping over a power cord.

Is there anything in the ship's medical log?

Oh, we don't have it.

They didn't send it over.

Big night planned?

Yeah, bigger than I thought.

[rueful chuckle]

Oh, I don't know what it is about that girl.

That Beasley guy-- total loser.

Every guy she brings home is worse than the one before.

And the more I tell her what jerks they are

the more she likes them.

You must love me, then.

No, Roberts, I can't stand you.

And I'll tell Val that every chance I get.

Did you make the deal?

Almost. There are just a few minor details

-to be worked out. -Then why are you here?

Sir, we've uncovered new information

-about the Turkish ship involved in the collision. -Oh?

The day before the exercise began

the radar aboard the Geliboluwent out.

A petty officer went up to check the dome.

The radar came on suddenly, burning him

causing him to fall from the tower.

I trust the Turkish safety investigators are investigating.

With an intermittent and undiagnosed radar fault

on one of the participant ships, sir,

the NATO exercise should, under op orders,

have been postponed.

But the commander of the exercise,

Admiral Picato,

apparently was eager to conduct the games

before the end of his fiscal year.

There is a possibility, sir,

he colluded with the Turkish cabinet

to keep the mishap quiet.

Where are you getting all of this?

I made a few phone calls after they brought this to my attention.

Was this in your job description as prosecutor, Admiral?

Well, Mr. Secretary, as an officer of the court, it's my duty

to bring forth any relevant information, sir.

I see. Did the radar problems

have anything to do with the collision?

-No, sir. -Then I don't see

how it is relevant to this case.

Oh, it's not, sir.

That's why we're giving you our report

off to the NATO Inspector General.

This could cause some difficulties for NATO.

But I imagine you realize that.

You mentioned some minor details remain to be worked out

in Commander Merrick's deal?

[MacKenzie] Yes, sir.

The Admiral's informed us that confinement is required.

We were wondering if there's any leeway, sir.

I suppose you have an alternative to propose.

Yes, sir. Commander Merrick be allowed to retire

with a punitive letter of reprimand

forfeiture of $3,000, and no confinement.

Fine.

I'll put this through the proper channels.

-[ship horn blowing] -[seagulls cawing]

[Merrick] She's a good ship, Tim.

If they give it to you, take care of her.

I will, sir.

Commander.

We stopped by your quarters.

I had some leftover fitreps to sign.

Loose ends.

I'm sorry we couldn't do something to keep you here.

Well, I knew I was finished

driving ships the minute that destroyer crossed our path.

At least I'll be going home

without that long layover in Kansas.

You might not be going home quite yet, Commander.

Admiral Picato is being charged with dereliction of duty

in conjunction with the collision.

Now he's taking the fall?

It really didn't matter who it was

as long as it wasn't a Greek or a Turk.

[soft rueful chuckle]

That stinks, Commander.

You're being called as a witness against him.

I used to think I might have what it takes to be an admiral.

You weren't wrong, Commander.

No... thank God, I was.

Captain departing!

[theme music playing]