All language subtitles for JAG.S04E13.War.Stories.DVDRip.XviD-SAiNTS-eng

We are within minutes of the deadline
set by Serbian extremists

for the execution
of three NATO observers

kidnapped yesterday
on the road to Kosovo.

The extremist group's demand
for a full pullout

of all NATO personnel
from the region

has apparently gone unanswered.

Both Italian and French military
commanders have refused comment,

furthering all enquiries
to NATO headquarters.

You think they'll execute
the NATO observers?

I hope not.

But nearly everyone at the Pentagon
looked pretty grim this afternoon.

Who didn't look grim, sir?

Some old friends of mine.

If you've been reading the headlines,

you're aware that three members
of the NATO verification mission

were kidnapped in Kosovo
two days ago.

Two of the observers were French
and the other was Italian.

Lieutenant Roberts
has been doing the research on this.

The captors represent an ultra-radical
faction of the Yugoslav army.

The stated purpose
of the kidnapping

was to effect a pullout
of all NATO personnel in the region

within a period of one day
after the communiqu�.

Of course, this was not an option.

Well, what are we to infer
by the use of the past tense, sir?

Last night,
members of SEAL Team 8

found all three NATO observers
hung by the neck in a horse barn.

The team leader--
A Commander Thomas Risnicki?

- Yes, sir.
- Postponed the scheduled jump,

went in three hours later,
37 minutes past the deadline.

According to the CNO,
you could hear

the NATO commander's screams
all the way to the Pentagon.

Charges are disobeying
a lawful order

and involuntary manslaughter
due to culpable negligence.

I'm moving this
to the top of the docket.

- Major, you'll lead the defence.
- Yes, sir.

Mr. Roberts,

you will be the assistant
defence counsel in this case.

Sir?

Drop the befuddled expression,
lieutenant, you've earned it.

But, sir, this is an important case.

Do I detect a lack of confidence?

- No, sir.
- Good.

- Now, Commander Rabb.
- I'm on it, sir.

I'm not asking you to prosecute,

I'm giving that assignment
to Commander Brumby.

- I want you to replace me.
- Excuse me, sir?

They're making me take
my excess leave

prior to the end of the month.

Starting Friday, I'm putting you
in charge of JAG operations.

All the senior officers
were either occupied or unavailable.

It took some doing, but I got a special
dispensation from the SECNAV.

Well, sir, I'd be proud to serve
this office in any way that I can.

Don't let anyone go home early.

No, sir.

- Thank you. I just got off the phone--
- You're not gonna--

- Go ahead.
- Go ahead-- No.

- The amnio results are in.
- That's great.

Harriet, the admiral
just appointed me

assistant defence counsel
to the major on a high-profile case.

Let's go to lunch,
let's go someplace fancy.

I gotta get cracking.
I'm on my way to the library.

Bud, aren't you even interested
in the sex?

During working hours?

- What are you talking about?
- What did you just tell me?

That was the OB on the phone.

We're gonna have a son.

- We're having a boy.
- We're having a boy.

- She's having a boy.
- He's on a big case.

One-forty-nine-ninety--

Sorry.

I was researching the case,
I lost track of time.

Commander, this is assistant
defence counsel, Lieutenant Roberts.

Please, continue.

The recon team used reef-point video
to track movement

from the point of abduction
to a barn 32 miles south.

Now, our team was then flown over

from Little Creek Amphib Base,
Norfolk.

We were briefed and in the air
over Suva Reka 13 hours later.

And we had two-and-a-half hours
before the expiration of the deadline.

- Why did you postpone the mission?
- Adiabatic fog. As thick as a blanket.

Where I come from,
we call it Tulie Fog.

It completely filters out
the moonlight.

It would have been suicide
to try and fight it.

The terrain was mountainous.

Even with GPS
and night-vision goggles,

we wouldn't have been able
to see enough

to avoid breaking brush
and giving away our position.

But you had a deadline, sir.

Look, as soon
as it started to lift, we went.

Now, the communiqu� said that we
had one day to comply, not 24 hours.

Did you run this by NATO Command?

We tried, but sunspot activity
was blocking satellite communications.

Well, sir, you must have known
that you were taking a chance.

You are a master of the obvious,
lieutenant.

This is why I want to waive an Article
32 and go directly to a court-martial.

Sir, I strongly advise you
against that.

Look, I'm not disputing
the evidence, major.

I disobeyed my orders.

Now, the question is,
was it wise to do so?

- Sir--
- On this point, I am immovable.

And that's what you want us to
work with, sir? An admission of guilt?

Why not? I feel guilt.

Sir, how you feel is irrelevant
to the question of culpability.

Look, major, I don't believe that
I should be punished for what I did,

if that's what you're getting at.

At the time, I considered it
in the best interest of the mission.

Now, if that makes me guilty,
so be it.

The admiral's on line three, sir.

Thank you, Tiner.

Admiral?

Nice to hear from you, sir.
Everything all right?

Yes, of course. How about yourself?

Fine, sir.

- Anything you need to run by me?
- I don't think so.

Because I am available.

You're welcome to call anytime,

even come by,
talk things out if need be.

Well, thank you, sir, but everything
seems to be under control.

- Seems to be?
- Just the standard glitches, admiral.

And what would those be?

I don't think it's anything you need to
worry about, sir, I can handle it.

Well, let's hope so.

How's Lieutenant Roberts doing?

The major seems to think
he's a little off balance,

- but I'm not worried.
- Why?

Well, he'll find his bearings, sir.

Well, commander,
this is an important case.

You gave it to him, admiral.

Right, right.

Excuse me a moment, sir.

Don't put me on hold. Comma--

I need your ear, mate.

Commander Imes wants to plead out
the Marine Band case.

Apparently, Marine Command
has it all on tape at a state dinner.

The tuba player plays a flatulent note
just as the president sits.

My position is to play it out,
argue that he came in early on his cue.

Just a second.

- Admiral?
- What is it now?

Sir, I need to take care
of something.

Nothing you should be
worried about though, sir.

Have a great leave,
and we'll see you soon.

You can count on it.

Yes, sir.

- Good to see you back, lieutenant.
- I'm going back. Thank you, sir.

- Hey.
- You blind, son?

- Excuse me?
- Let's see a salute and let's see it now.

Where the hell
do you think you're going?

To Makeup. You mind?

- Cover's on wrong.
- What's wrong with it?

Well, it's too high on his brow,
it should be a two-finger max.

- Really?
- And his uniform's off-season.

- How do you know this?
- I'm the Judge Advocate General.

Oh, Lieutenant Commander Rabb.

No. Admiral A.J. Chegwidden.

What business do you have
with the commander?

He authorised us
to shoot this building.

- With what?
- Film.

I'm Fran Glass,
producer of Field of Gold.

It's an action-adventure-drama
about a Navy court-martial.

- Dan Lander stars.
- Who's that?

I take it you don't go to the movies.

They make them for my age group?

Maybe I'll catch one this afternoon.

Well, maybe
you could stick around here

and catch what we're doing.

We don't have
our tech advisors in place.

Have you ever considered
being a consultant?

Sounds interesting. I don't know
anything about your business.

But you know about your business
and that's why we could use you.

I don't think so.

Have you always been a lawyer?

No, I was with the Teams first.

I was a Navy SEAL.

Oh, so you have
fighting experience as well.

Yes.

Guacamole?

Admiral.

You have to check the squib bags.
Move those reflectors.

- Get the glare off the wall.
- Keep the angle there...

I don't understand why the Navy
won't let you film onboard.

It's just a space issue,
no place for the cameras.

In fact, they have been
very cooperative.

They let us use this warehouse.

We'll be on the USS Coral Sea
for the flight deck sequences.

Admiral Chegwidden, Dan Lander.

- I understand you're the real thing.
- I understand you're not.

Well, that's why you're here,
to whip me into shape.

Let us show you around.

Good posture.

- I do Pilates.
- Pardon me?

It's an exercise technique
involving spring-driven machines.

- A lot of dancers use it.
- I don't dance.

- That's all right, I don't march.
- You will.

Be careful.

- You all right?
- Yeah, I think so.

I'm sorry, it's a pyro-test.

We're shooting the fire-in-the-hold
scene this afternoon.

- I think I'll stand over there.
- Why don't you come this way?

Okay, Joey, reset.

- What do you think of the script?
- Pretty good. I made some notes.

They're marked
with the coloured tabs.

- I'll give them to the writer.
- I'd like to meet him.

- What's his name?
- Jim Zimmerman.

- Dan, we're ready for you.
- Oh, yeah.

If you'll excuse me, admiral.
I'm looking forward to this.

Sir.

Sir. He's good.

Admiral,
I would like to run something by you.

We have yet to cast the role
of Lieutenant Mobray,

the officer that comes
to Commander Dresher's aid.

Now, we have narrowed it down
to a couple of actors,

and I was wondering
if you had an opinion.

Fran, I'm a little surprised by your
old-fashioned ideas about the military.

How do you mean?

Well, if you'll allow me,

I think there's an alternative way
to cast Lieutenant Mobray.

I owe you one, Mobray.

Your country owes you, sir.

Cut. Print the last two.

House lights.

Lovely. That was the one.

- Worked for you?
- Oh, it sparkled.

Really wonderful.

We're gonna keep
Risnicki off the stand.

He's in too much conflict,
Brumby will break him down.

Sounds right.
Who's gonna make the case?

- Major General Plesac, sir.
- Who?

We're going after
the NATO commander in Kosovo.

We'll argue that Risnicki was faced
with two bad choices

and that he's being used
as a scapegoat by the higher-ups.

You don't need the general, it's good.
The commander was reluctant

to risk the mission and his men.
You can win on merits.

There's nothing to work with.

We have a shaky defendant
and there's no autopsy report.

- Why?
- Well, apparently the recovery team

was ordered to embalm
the bodies on sight.

Not to mention that the prosecution
owns the emotional stakes.

The fact is three men are dead.

The members will want someone
to take responsibility.

The responsibility
is with the kidnappers.

Don't overplay it,
it'll look like you're trying to shift blame.

Now, the issues are clear.

Present the evidence, have faith in
the good judgement of the members.

Let's get a second opinion.

We're talking about
a name for their boy.

I suggested Mungo.

It was my granddad's moniker.
What do you think, lieutenant?

I think it may be

too culture-specific, sir.

Why don't you guys go with the names
of famous naval heroes?

Their first and last
for your child's first and middle.

Now, that's a great idea.

Well, like Hyman Rickover Roberts,

Chester Nimitz Roberts,
David Farragut Roberts.

Oh, I like that one, sir.

David's good.

- Thank you, sir.
- You're welcome, lieutenant.

- He's different, isn't he?
- Yeah, he seems older,

more experienced.

I actually think he's getting taller.

All right, watch your backs.

And after that, I did a season of rep
at the Montana Shakespeare Festival.

Oh, what plays?

Oh, As You Like lt, Timon of Athens,

I did Richard II.

As a long-parted mother
with her child

plays fondly with her tears
and smiles in meeting,

so weeping, smiling,
greet I thee, my earth,

and do thee favours
with my royal hands.

A Shakespeare-quoting
Naval officer.

Now, that's something
I wouldn't expect.

- I like the histories.
- All those battle scenes.

Actually,
that takes place after a battle.

The moment when the king once again
sets foot on English soil.

Right, it's about the motherland
and the reasons battles are fought.

- Oh, I like that answer.
- Quiet.

Okay, settle, please.
Quiet for rehearsal.

Okay, Dan.

And action.

Captain, were you not ordered

to wait for a SEAL Team
to be inserted?

- Yes, I was.
- And why didn't you?

There was no time,
the terrorists were already aboard.

So you went in yourself?

Fortunately, Lieutenant Mobray
was right behind me.

And if she hadn't been,
what do you think would've happened?

- I can only tell you what did happen.
- That's objectionable.

The opposing attorney
would call for speculation.

Okay.

I neutralised the enemy, major.

- No further questions.
- And cut.

Lovely. Let's shoot it.

- The prosecutor's a cream puff, Fran.
- It's the hero's moment, admiral.

That's because
the JAG's giving it to him.

- He's backing off.
- Well, maybe he's flustered.

I take it you've never been
to a JAG courtroom.

General Plesac, you stated
you charged Commander Risnicki

with disobeying an order
and involuntary manslaughter.

This, because of the fact that he failed
to commence the mission

per the established timetable,
which cost the lives of the hostages.

That's correct.

What were the weather conditions
at the time of operation?

There was ground cover.

Would you describe the topography
as dangerous?

Mountainous.

General, isn't it possible

that if Commander Risnicki
had obeyed the given orders

and jumped into mountainous,
fog-covered terrain,

he could very well have sacrificed
himself, his team and the hostages?

Object, calls for speculation.

- Sustained.
- I'll answer that.

We'll never know, major,

because the commander chose
to ignore the target time.

- Postponed the target time.
- And three men are dead as a result.

Is it not true, general, that the
NATO Command in Yugoslavia

had been criticised
for ineffectiveness,

and that the mission was designed
to reverse that perception?

This mission was designed
to rescue the hostages.

I resent the implication
that it was political.

Your Honour,
I'd like to enter the following evidence

as Defence Exhibit Alpha.

Excuse me, sir, one moment.

This is a copy of a Vietnam OPREP

filed by a Marine officer
on December 8th, 1967.

In it he states:

"The lieutenant ignored intel,

put his helos down in the middle
of an enemy-infested area

and was ambushed.

Despite his success,
I strongly informed him

that the 14 Americans who died were
not worth another bar on his shoulder."

This report was filed
by a Captain John Crowther.

He's referring to a lieutenant
under his command

by the name of Richard Plesac.

That village was a significant target,
major.

Thank you, general.

Our orders were to take it
and that's what we did.

No further questions.

SECNAV has scheduled a meeting
with me for tomorrow morning.

Apparently, he received a call
from one of his oldest friends,

a General Plesac.

You had no intention
of following my advice,

why did you ask for it?

I listened to you,
we decided to go another way.

- Right up the general's six.
- He put it out there.

Mac, mudwrestling with two stars

is not the way
to the JAG Hall of Fame.

That never stopped you.

This is exactly why
I'm telling you this.

Those kind of stunts
have only ever hurt my career.

Sir, you're the acting JAG.

It's only because
the admiral trusts me.

I'm told the SECNAV refers to me
as Harmful Rabb.

That's what this is about?
Your relationship with the SECNAV?

- Of course not.
- I don't believe you.

Put you in a position of power

and you become just as political
as everyone else.

- That is not true. That is not true.
- Good.

Then you won't mind
if we call the general back to the stand.

He has a long history
of losing men under fire, sir.

The idea is to contrast

the general's apparent disregard
for the lives of his men

with Commander Risnicki's concern
for the welfare of his team.

- This is suicide.
- Only if I do it alone.

Excuse me.

Where do you stand on this, Bud?

Next to my lead counsel, sir. Sorry.

Understood, lieutenant.

Sir, you told me I could come by
if I needed to talk.

- I did?
- Yes, sir, you did.

- Do you need to talk?
- I do, sir.

Okay.

Sorry to be interrupting, admiral,

but I thought
you'd want to be kept abreast.

Well, a phone call would've worked,

but since you drove
all the way out here, let's have it.

- Well, I mean, if you're busy, sir...
- No.

- It can wait.
- But not for long.

Hi.

Admiral, I feel they could have
achieved the same results

without kicking everything all to hell.

Well, you failed to convince them
of that, commander.

Did you already speak to the secretary
or is he coming to see you?

It's my first meeting
in the morning, sir.

That's not good.

Excuse me, A.J.
Did you want a twist with that?

Yes, please. Thank you.

Can I get you something?

No, thanks.

Rabb.

Oh, I'm sorry, sir, I...

This is a side of you
I'm unfamiliar with.

- Let's keep it that way.
- Yes, sir.

Admiral, I'm unsure how to proceed.

I am the appointed authority at JAG,
the major ignores my counsel.

I now have to answer to the SECNAV
for her actions.

Well, the major's been through

a fair amount of trauma
in her life recently.

I'm no psychologist, but I suspect
that she's a bit embarrassed by it all.

This take-no-prisoners approach

is probably her way
of proving her mettle.

You support her methods, sir?

I support my people,
the rest is up to them.

Admiral,
you dispense advice regularly, sir.

Yes. Yes, I do.

And if my memory serves me correctly,
I've argued against travelling to Russia,

defending a paranoid schizophrenic,

and an attempt
to question my authority.

Point taken, sir.

But in the end, it's the person
sitting in that leather chair

that's gotta answer
for what's been done.

You've gotta decide what's
in the best interest of the case.

Defending your authority
or the choices of those who defied it.

Of course, the irony is

that Commander Risnicki
is being court-martialled

because in postponing
his SEAL Team extraction,

he contradicted
the orders of his superior.

The irony. Understood, sir.

Good.

Anything else, sir?

- Do you have a handkerchief?
- No, sir.

Get one.

How dare she call his integrity
into question!

This is not some wild-eyed jarhead.

Dick Plesac is one of the most
decorated Marines of all time.

Sir, I am aware
of the general's accomplishments.

Then where the hell were you

when Major MacKenzie
was crapping all over his record?

I had been under the impression
she had abandoned that tactic, sir.

- Are you telling me she lied to you?
- No, sir, it was a misunderstanding.

If she calls the general
to the stand again,

I will make you
personally responsible for the fallout.

Yes, sir.

How the hell did I let the admiral
talk me into letting you take over?

Sir, I believe I am totally capable
of handling this assignment.

Well, then,
here's your opportunity to prove it.

I'll be back in a few minutes.

Let me see that.

- Is that the general's service record?
- Yes, sir.

May I see it?

Thank you.

Ensign.

Make a copy of this
and put it on my desk,

return the original to the major.

I will highlight what I think
are General Plesac's vulnerabilities,

the final choice is up to you.

Thank you, sir.

- How's young David doing?
- Oh, not so good, sir.

Oh, no, the baby's fine,
it's just the name's not gonna work.

Apparently, my mother
had dated some guy named David

and my father's
still a little sensitive about it.

We're gonna have to give it up
for the sake of family unity.

We still wanna name him
after a naval hero, though.

What about Harmon?

What about you get to work
and clear this guy?

Harmon...

He is getting taller.

Sir, Major MacKenzie's
waiting for you in her office.

I was told I could get
a cup of coffee in here.

Allow me.

I'll join you as soon as I finish
interviewing Senior Chief Schilling.

You're wasting your time, lieutenant,
there's no worm under that rock.

Yes, sir.

Sir, I'd like to apologise
for the comments

that I made during our first session.

They were pretty naive.

There's no way
that I or anybody else

could have been better prepared
to make the correct decision.

You did the best you could
with the information available.

Whatever.

- Excuse me.
- No milk.

- Sugar?
- No, nothing.

Sir, the more I think about this case,

the more I respect
the decision that you made.

You made a calculated risk,
but one that was designed to prevent

needlessly wasting
the lives of your men.

Thank you, lieutenant.

- What's your experience, lieutenant?
- You mean as an attorney, sir?

Of course as an attorney.
What else would I mean?

I don't know, sir.

Well, how long
since you passed the bar?

- I haven't.
- What do you mean, you haven't?

I graduate law school next month, sir.

Commander,

Lt. Roberts has been
working tirelessly on this case.

- He's too inexperienced.
- He's just nervous.

I don't want him learning the ropes
while I'm hanging from them.

- Let me talk to him.
- Major, I've told you where I stand.

I'm not sure you know
where you stand, sir.

What was that?

I think you feel you may have
made a mistake on that mission.

And I suspect you're having
a hard time reconciling that

with your desire
to be spared punishment.

- You're psychoanalysing me?
- You're in deep conflict, commander.

- Really?
- And that shows in your behaviour.

You are on edge and you're
uncomfortable in our presence.

- I'm dissatisfied with the strategy.
- That, sir, you can discuss with me.

But the lieutenant is tense around you
because he senses

- that you don't trust him.
- I don't trust him.

And that ends this part
of our conversation, major.

He either removes himself
from the case

or I will have him
officially dismissed.

Hey, you wanna give me the keys?
I'll take care of it.

Cut. Who in blazes is that?

Admiral, over here. I'm sorry, Alan.

Come on, guys. Let's reset the rain.

Pretty damn confusing here, Fran.

You just walked into a scene, admiral.
Never enter a set on a red light.

Sorry.

All right. Magic, absolutely magic.
I love what you did.

- So, what am I looking at here?
- The weather deck of a carrier.

- Well, it's too small.
- It'll look fine on film.

Not if it's too small.

Admiral, I need your support here.

I had a late night last night,
I'm three days behind,

so a certain amount
of flexibility is needed.

There's no flexibility
in the real Navy, Fran.

Regs are regs.

- Admiral.
- Oh, no, no, no.

My apologies, it won't happen again.

- Thank you very much.
- Listen, I did--

Let's do it again,
ladies and gentlemen.

Quickly, please.

They put the chilli out yet?

Lieutenant,
can I talk to you for a minute?

Sure, major.

- Excuse me, senior chief.
- Sure.

Bud, I have no better way
of telling you this.

Commander Risnicki
has threatened to dismiss you

if you don't remove yourself
from the case.

I think you should do it.

Otherwise it'll be the very first thing
anyone sees on your record.

I'm sorry.

Did he say
what the problem was, major?

The commander's
not in a good frame of mind.

Don't blame yourself.

I'll take over with the senior chief.
I'll be with him in a half an hour.

Excuse me, major.

I started this interview,
I'd like to finish it.

You're right.

- Leave your report on my desk.
- Yes, ma'am.

Okay, senior chief, where were we?

Taking the bodies
from SEAL Team 8.

Right, tell me about that.

All three had rope burns
around the neck.

- Had they been tortured?
- Not that I could tell,

but it was hard to check all the surfaces
because of how stiff they were.

Wait a minute.

The report says that you
received the corpses at 2227?

That would be correct.

- Yes, lieutenant?
- Excuse me, major.

Commander,
I don't mean to be impertinent,

but with all due respect,
you can't get rid of me that easily.

Cut.

Alan.

How many more times
are we gonna do this?

My fingers are starting to cramp.

I'm sorry, Dan.
This will be it, I promise.

Much better, Tina, much better.

But I'd still like to see
more conviction in the throw.

- Can you be specific?
- It's a question of leverage, I think.

I don't understand.

Well, it seems to me,
from my point of view,

that the stuntman
is throwing himself over the railing.

He is.

Right, right.

I'd just rather we didn't see that.

May I?

Put one hand on his collar and the
other hand on the back of his belt.

That's what I'm doing.

- Apparently not.
- Thank you, admiral.

- You know--
- I think we should proceed.

Let's do it again, shall we?

- Okay.
- Take eight. Mark.

Marker.

And action.

Cut.

- Cut. Are you all right?
- Broke a nail, it...

- Okay, reset, guys.
- I'm just trying too hard.

You know, it's not so simple.
There's no room up here.

See?

Let me show you.

Sir, why don't you run at me?

- Admiral--
- No, no, no, watch, this'll work.

Sir, run at me.

- Oh, man.
- Sorry. You all right?

See? He charges, she moves.

She uses his momentum
to take him over the railing.

I can do this.
I just, I need some time.

You need four weeks
at the Naval Special Warfare Centre.

That's gonna teach me what?

Well, how to cut your nails,
for one thing.

Go to hell.

- Tina--
- I'll be in my trailer.

- Tina.
- Let's get Makeup...

Oh, God.

You know where you can find me.

- Admiral, what are you doing?
- I'm advising.

- You know, what I suggest is--
- And we're moving on.

Scene 12, everyone.
God, I wish I still smoked--

You turn your back on me
one more time,

and I'm gonna introduce you
to the toe of my boot.

- Fran?
- Admiral, we need to talk.

- Any ideas?
- Talk.

- Privately.
- Yeah, and where would that be?

Fine, you're fired.

- This just isn't working out.
- Know what?

You're right, this isn't working out.
This is not a movie about the Navy.

It's about-- What the hell is it about?

It's about putting asses in seats.

Now, would you please remove yours
from my set?

Lieutenant Commander Rabb.
Have a seat, sir.

- The major talk to you, commander?
- Yes, she did.

She told me that Lieutenant Roberts

has presented a new defence strategy
which you've rejected.

Actually, I prefer his approach over
attacking General Plesac's record.

The idea of comparing body counts
seems beside the point.

What I've rejected is the lieutenant's
desire to argue it himself.

He lacks seasoning,
which is why I asked

that he be removed
from the case to begin with.

Look, the major and I both strongly
believe in Lieutenant Roberts' abilities.

- Commander--
- Sir, if I may be direct.

Lieutenant Roberts has taken
his fair share of abuse from you, sir,

and yet his first thought upon being
let go was in your best interest.

I don't question his enthusiasm,
commander.

That's good, sir, because
he doesn't question your innocence.

Now, I can ask Major MacKenzie
to present the argument if you'd like,

but in my opinion, your best shot
is with your strongest ally.

An autopsy of the three observers
was ordered,

but NATO Command had no forensic
medical personnel in Kosovo,

and Wiesbaden
was snowed in at the time.

And what did you do?

To prevent further decomposition,

the Mortuary Affairs Division
at NTC Great Lakes

directed us to embalm the bodies
before sending them back

to their respective countries.

- Did you comply?
- Yes, we did.

Senior Chief Schilling,
as head of the recovery unit,

could you describe to us the conditions
of the bodies when you received them?

They were cold and stiff.

And this was how long after they had
been discovered by SEAL Team 8?

Forty-three minutes.

Thank you, senior chief.
No more questions.

Sir, do you swear to tell the truth,

the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth?

- I do.
- You may take the seat, sir.

Captain Millstein,
you are the chief pathologist

- at Bethesda Naval Hospital?
- Yes.

Have you had a chance
to review the reports

detailing the condition
of the three corpses?

I have.

Could you give your professional
estimation on their time of death?

Object. It has already been
established, Your Honour,

that an autopsy
was not performed on the bodies,

therefore a time of death
cannot be determined.

Your Honour, if you'll allow me,
I believe that a logical time frame

can be established
through other means.

- Don't disappoint me, lieutenant.
- Understood, sir.

Doctor, allow me to recap.

The government's assumption

is that the executions took place
on the deadline.

SEAL Team 8 reports
finding the three bodies

of the NATO observers
37 minutes after the deadline.

Senior Chief Schilling claims

that the bodies were cold and stiff
43 minutes later.

That's a total of one hour
and 20 minutes.

Given what I've just told you,
what conclusions can you draw?

I believe the executions
occurred earlier.

- Perhaps as much as 24 hours earlier.
- Could you explain, please, sir?

First of all, it's a relative certainty
given the near-freezing conditions

that rigour would not have set in
in under an hour and a half.

Secondly, a cold and stiff body
generally indicates

a time of death being
from eight to 36 hours prior.

Object.
These are assumptions, Your Honour.

Actually, sir,
they're estimations, rules of thumb.

They're not 100 percent accurate,
but suitable, I think, for this thesis.

I'll accept it.

The time of death
is ultimately not important here,

because neither General Plesac
nor Commander Risnicki

had any knowledge
of anything other

than what was written
in that communiqu�.

The issue before you, therefore, is,
all things being equal,

who determines how an operation
will be conducted?

Without command decision,
there can be no considered plan,

no policy, no clear-cut objective.

It's all impulse and instinct
and improvisation.

That is why the military
chain of command exists.

And that is why it must be respected,
regardless of the circumstances.

The commander disobeyed his orders,
period.

For the sake of future generations
of fighting men,

I ask you to find him guilty
on both charges.

The case against
Commander Risnicki

is that his decision
to postpone the mission

cost the three NATO observers
their lives.

But an execution carried out
24 hours earlier indicates otherwise.

It suggests the communiqu� was not
designed to trade hostages for policy,

but rather to punish NATO
for their military presence.

We believe the terrorists,
who were well known for their hostility,

murdered the hostages upon capture

and sent the communiqu� in an effort
to attract more NATO personnel.

In other words, it was a trap.

And had SEAL Team 8
arrived prior to the deadline,

they would have walked right into it.

Instead, however, the deadline passed
and the terrorists abandoned camp.

Call it a fortuitous decision,

but Commander Risnicki,
faced with two difficult choices,

trusted his instincts over his orders.

And in doing so saved his SEAL Team
from certain annihilation.

A team, I might add,
that lives to fight again.

Have the members
reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honour.

Defence, rise.

On the charge
of involuntary manslaughter,

the members find the defendant,
Commander Thomas Risnicki,

not guilty.

On the charge
of disobeying a lawful order,

we find the defendant guilty.

We'll meet for sentencing
tomorrow at 1400.

This court's adjourned.

Sorry, sir.

Lieutenant Roberts, my instincts
may have been right over Suva Reka,

but they were dead wrong
when it came to you.

Sir, we lost on the second count.

The point is, lieutenant, the second
charge is the lesser of the two.

And I'd be a fool
not to use your approach

when we take it up for appeal.

I owe you the apology
for doubting your competence.

That's not necessary, sir.

Let me tell you what I've learned
in 16 years of military service.

Accept any and all contrition.

It's not often
you'll get to experience it.

Apology accepted, sir.

Did you enjoy your time off, sir?

No, major, l--

I am a failure at liberty.

I missed the hell out of this place.

The smell of the copier,

the sounds of the pages turning,
phone ringing.

Well, sir, you might not think so
after you see the phone log.

Anyone riled up?

Many.

Well, I say that's fine.
You know why?

I wish I did, sir.

Because not everything
can be resolved.

You just can't do it over
if it doesn't work.

No recasting people you don't like.
Life is not some damn movie.

- Indeed, sir.
- Are there no candy bars in here?

- No, sir.
- No chilli, no brownies?

- Never, sir.
- Let's do something about that.

Chilli and brownies?

Yes, sir.

Sir, Ensign Sims and I would like
to share some important news.

What is it?

We're gonna have a son, sir.

Well, that's wonderful.

- My congratulations.
- Thank you, sir.

We were trying to decide
what to name him.

And last night, we decided
that we should name him

after someone who has
most strongly affected our lives.

We're gonna call him A.J., sir.

- Really?
- Yes, sir.

I don't know what to say.

- Well, is that all right, sir?
- Of course it's okay, ensign, l--

I'm honoured.

Albert Jethro Roberts.
I like the sound of that.