All language subtitles for JAG - 08x09 - When The Bough Breaks.SAiNTS.English.updated.Addic7ed.com

Seahawk Tower, this is 127. Hornet.

Four point five.
Requesting final approach.

Uh, roger, 127.

Continue for final approach.
Call the ball.

Petty Officer Schecket,
set tension for a Hornet.

Aye, sir.
Set tension for a Hornet, chief.

Set tension for a Hornet, aye.

I need a reading.

Set, chief. We're go.

PRIFLY, we're go.

Seahawk, this is 127. Hornet, ball, 4.3.

127 Hornet. Roger, ball.

Fouled deck!

We've got a crewman down!

You'll find my report
quite thorough, sir.

I'm not disputing your attention
to detail, Lieutenant Singer.

I just happen to disagree
with your findings.

A man was killed
when that arresting wire snapped, sir.

Another was seriously injured.

Are you under the impression

that this is the first time a tragedy
like this has befallen a carrier

- during flight operations?
No, sir.

I just wanna know
why it happened on this carrier.

You know why.

The Boatswain's Mates
were removing foreign object debris.

A broken piece of launching rail
that should have been removed

prior to the landing
of the second F-18,

an arresting wire
that shouldn't have broken

snapped while trapping the plane
that should've been waved off.

In a perfect world,
Lieutenant Singer,

every piece of FOD would be removed
prior to the next landing.

Every trap would be like clockwork

and no one but the enemy
would experience casualties.

But we do not live in that world.

Had those Boatswain's Mates
not acted,

you'd be investigating
the loss of an aircraft

and God knows how many fatalities.

I am aware of that, sir.

Can we cut to the chase, then?
Save me some reading.

- What is it you're after?
- For one thing,

I wanna court-martial
all the personnel

that had a hand in putting those men
in that position in the first place.

You have got to be kidding.

I assure you, sir, I'm quite serious.

Who exactly
are we talking about here?

Your landing signal officer, sir,
your air boss,

the arresting gear department chief,
the LSO's assistant,

the arresting gear operator
petty officer,

- the PRIFLY lens operator, the...
That's enough.

Thank you, lieutenant.

I'd give due consideration
to these recommendations, sir.

I said that's enough.

Aye, aye, sir.

- Lieutenant?
- I'm fine, sir.

You don't look fine.

Get down to sickbay,
have yourself checked out.

Really, sir. L... It's not necessary.

That's an order, lieutenant.

Aye, aye, sir.

And once Dr. I've-Got-Nothing
But-Time-On-My-Hands

puts the paperwork through,
I'll be back at JAG

just like old times.

Only without the leg. You know.

Congratulations, sir.
I know you'll pass the PEB.

You're not standing
and typing again?

What do you take me for,
Coates? A man possessed?

Sir, sit down.

Hey, Coates, gotta go.

Hey, sweetie.

Hi, honey.
You're wearing yourself out.

Now come to bed.

I recall a time when you would do
anything to get me off that couch.

You have less than a week to relax.

And you're gonna be standing
on that leg every single day.

That's why I need to practise.

When you come home exhausted,

you're gonna wish
you had more of this sack time.

I can't wait to come home tired
from a hard day's work.

Let's go.

Did you take the Nutty Buddy
out of my desk?

No, ma'am.

Excuse me, ma'am?
Lieutenant Singer, your dress uniform

taken out at the waist, ma'am.

Uh, Coates,
could you get that for me, please?

Yes, ma'am. Thank you.

- Is there something else?
- No, ma'am.

I've had a good appetite
since the seasickness stopped.

Must be the salt air, ma'am.

Lieutenant Singer
is a competent investigator, captain.

She's just a little too eager
to prove it sometimes.

I wouldn't disagree, sir.

So, what's your take on the mishap?

This is Lieutenant Singer's
first cruise.

Her maritime inexperience has her
chasing shadows on this one, sir.

Understood.
Second opinion is on its way.

To work alongside the lieutenant,
not to replace her.

Thank you, sir.

There is another matter
concerning the lieutenant, admiral.

Um...

I understand. I'II, uh... I'll look into it.

Tiner, have Rabb and MacKenzie
come see me.

Aye, sir.

"Uneasy lies the head
that wears the crown."

Were those, uh, lunch reservations
hard to get?

Easily cancelled.

- I'll make it up to you.
- Forgiven and forgotten, A.J.

Oh, you're awfully understanding
for a woman

that's been stood up
once this week already.

Ha, ha, I've known since I met you
that if this was going to work,

I'd have to let go of my day planner
once in a while.

Besides, having you when I get you

means more to me
than some lunch reservation.

Well, they do say patience and wisdom
go hand in hand.

Oh, that they do.

Bye.

You know,
sometimes it's good for me

not to know where I'm going to be
at 12:15 every day.

No, no. Wait till you see this.
It's bath time.

Ha, ha.
- Little A.J. Loves the water.

A natural
for a Naval career, lieutenant.

Yes, ma'am.

- Oh, is that A.J.'s little namesake?
It is, ma'am.

Oh, would you please
call me Meredith.

Meredith Cavanaugh, this is
Lieutenant Commander Tracy Manetti.

- Tracy.
Ma'am.

- So how is Bud?
- He's great.

The doctors cleared him
for limited duty.

And the Informal Physical Evaluation
Board should be meeting soon.

- Well, that's wonderful.
Yeah.

Oh...

Unfortunately,
Bud's taken to eating standing up.

He's trying to be too ready too soon.

His enthusiasm is a bit much, is it?

Yes. I just think that he should rest.

Well, let me put my mind to it.

A little sit down activity
for the good lieutenant?

Oh, that's not necessary.

Oh, well, that's the least I can do.

I can see the concern on your face,
Harriet. Commander.

Nice to meet you, ma'am.

Ciao.

Lieutenant Singer
has made her report, commander.

I want the facts verified.

What's she's asking for
will cripple that ship.

Her timing couldn't be worse.

To court-martial seven essential
air department personnel

in the midst of a wartime deployment
in the Persian Gulf is unheard of.

I mean, I want justice served, but not
at the expense of national security.

- Is that clear?
- Aye, sir.

Now, on to a more delicate issue.

Colonel, you will accompany
the commander to the Seahawk

to investigate Lieutenant Singer herself
with the utmost discretion.

To investigate what, sir?

Captain Johnson
has charged Lieutenant Singer

with conduct unbecoming.

While I don't wanna believe it,
I have to allow for the possibility

that the captain is being vindictive.

Well, that's certainly one way
to get rid of a squeaky wheel, sir.

Captain Johnson suspected
that Singer might have a health issue,

so he ordered her to see
a medical officer who confirmed it.

She's 3 and a half months pregnant.

Now that's roughly the amount of time
she's been aboard the Seahawk.

There is no way, medically, to tell

whether she conceived here,
before she left, or aboard the ship.

- Hence the conduct unbecoming.
- That's a hell of a black eye for JAG.

Has anyone asked the lieutenant
who the father is, sir?

If it's not someone
aboard the Seahawk,

this whole matter
can be dispensed with.

She's been asked repeatedly.

She refuses to name the father
or discuss the incident.

If she got herself pregnant
aboard that ship,

it'll damn sure be the end
of her Naval career.

All I'm saying is an officer
should be taken at her word.

What word?
All Lieutenant Singer will say

is that she didn't conceive
aboard ship.

That's all that matters.

She's provided her CO
nothing in the way of evidence.

- Well, how do you prove a negative?
- With a name, commander.

I'm surprised you're defending her,
Harm.

Somebody has to. Sounds to me
like you've already made up your mind.

I'm approaching this investigation
with an open mind.

Yeah, I'm sure you are, colonel.

I don't fault her for finding herself
in this predicament.

It's her refusal to aid in her own
defence that makes me wonder.

- Wonder what?
- Wonder if she's guilty.

Prepare for landing.

- Ma'am. Sir.
Lieutenant.

I understand congratulations
are in order, lieutenant.

Here's the file from my investigation,
sir.

Thank you. We'll go over this later.
I'm gonna report in to the skipper.

Yes, sir.

Colonel.
- Commander.

I would like to stop by the legal office,
lieutenant. I think we should talk.

Yes, ma'am.

Are you feeling okay?
I feel like Hester Prynne.

No one's come
to pin the scarlet letter on you.

It seems that way, ma'am.

Perhaps if you'd been more
forthcoming with Captain Johnson.

Ma'am,
the condition I now find myself in

was from the result of activities
that occurred before I deployed.

Therefore, they do not fall into
the category of conduct unbecoming.

Name the father
and you're off the hook.

With all due respect, ma'am,
that is none of the Navy's business.

Is there some reason you're afraid
to identify the child's father?

My motives for wanting privacy
should be obvious, ma'am.

I mean,
look what I'm being put through.

You're compounding the problem,
lieutenant, by remaining silent.

Can you answer as to why
you kept this a secret for so long?

I can't, ma'am.

- Can't or won't?
- Does it matter, colonel?

I know I could have handled
the entire situation with a little more...

- Clarity?
- Professionalism.

- Welcome aboard, colonel.
- Thank you, petty officer. At ease.

How's Lieutenant Roberts doing,
ma'am?

I know he was approved
for limited duty.

He's doing well.
I'll let him know that you asked.

Thank you, ma'am.

Why don't you relax, lieutenant?

Thank you, ma'am.

Petty officer,
would you give us a moment?

- Aye, aye.
- Thank you.

When I asked how you were feeling,
I didn't mean just physically.

If you're not comfortable talking to me,
I can arrange...

No, ma'am. It's fine.

Captain Johnson
is pursuing this in retaliation

for the report I filed
after the flight deck mishap.

He wants to exonerate men for taking
life while persecuting me for giving one.

That's a bit melodramatic,
lieutenant.

It's not a crime to be pregnant,
colonel.

No, but it is to get that way
aboard a Naval ship.

That offence is rarely prosecuted,
ma'am.

The captain is going by the book,
no leeway.

Much the same way you always have,
lieutenant.

How many traps were on
that number three wire before it broke?

Captain on the bridge.
Eighty-one.

Does that include the heavy landing

by the Super Hornet
right before the incident, sir?

Yes, commander,
and the off-centre arrestment

that took place an hour before that.

The logbook
on that cross deck pendant

did not indicate
a problematic amount of strain.

Although, as you know,

the numbers we're dealing with here
are based on averages,

on the odds that every arresting wire

- has exactly the same tensile strength.
- Yes, sir.

You've taken these risks yourself,
commander.

You know it's not an exact science.
Sometimes it's a matter of chance,

which is why we build
in safety factors.

You don't believe Lieutenant Singer
is experienced enough to understand?

No, commander, I do not.
I think Singer is lashing out at anyone

who happened to be in close proximity
to what happened that night.

Prior to this incident, captain,

what had been the nature of
your dealings with Lieutenant Singer?

Standard issues. Clarifying the legality
of shipboard operations,

handling legal assistance issues
such as wills for officers and enlisted.

To tell you the truth, commander,
prior to this incident,

Singer had not appeared much
on my radar screen.

She was efficient
and she kept to herself.

So you were satisfied
with her performance as your JAG?

Yes, commander. I would say
she was well-suited to her job.

How was her behaviour
outside of the job, sir?

Well, obviously, commander,

Singer has not conducted
her personal affairs aboard this vessel,

as one would expect of an officer.

Nothing to do with the investigation
if that's what you're suggesting.

Not at all, captain.

You're the convening authority
aboard this ship, sir.

You have the right to question
findings of your judge advocate.

I would do the same thing if Lieutenant
Roberts were still my carrier JAG.

I suspect he would have exercised
the necessary self-restraint

- to avoid scandal aboard my vessel.
- Yes, sir.

This accident investigation and
Lieutenant Singer's lapse of judgement

in her personal behaviour
are mutually exclusive.

One in no way affects the other.

I think it's a good idea.

I just don't think Shakespeare
is Lieutenant Roberts' cup of tea.

Hmm.
Shakespeare is an acquired taste.

I'm glad you understand.

But one cannot acquire new tastes

unless one samples a bit
of the unknown every now and again.

Now, these plays are probably on par
with some of your legal briefs.

Passionate.

All consuming.

Something one could lose oneself in,
preferably while in a seated position.

Look, I appreciate
what you're trying to do,

I just don't want Lieutenant Roberts
to think that I'm...

You're?

Some people...
I'm not saying myself.

But some people equate Shakespeare
with a certain level of, uh...

Snobbery.

Well,
I was gonna say snobbishness.

Look, Bud likes comic books
and Star Trek and action films.

I don't wanna give him the impression
that I don't think that's good enough.

I think you may be underestimating
the lieutenant's intellectual curiosity.

And I'm not sure if you realise
how often you talk about Bud.

He's a big part of your life, A.J.

Now, I'm just asking
to let me be a little part of Bud's life.

I've been through all this
with Lieutenant Singer.

I'll grant that you're asking the question
in a less accusatory tone.

Petty officer,
call air ops, get the AIRPLANT.

Aye, sir.
- No prejudgments here, commander.

I'm sure the lieutenant's got
reams of paper down in the legal office.

I'd rather hear it from you.
You were there.

See I tried cooperating
with you lawyers once,

look where it got me.

You're an aviator.
You've seen a flight deck firsthand.

You have to know
that 100 percent isn't possible.

Accidents happen.

Accidents do happen, commander,
and that's what I'm here to determine.

Sir, we've received
revised AIRPLANT.

Then subpoena me, commander.

It's gonna take a bigger gun
to get another interview out of me.

Petty officer, call CIC,
advise we're up and ready for night ops.

Aye, aye, sir.

Commander Cooper, I'm about as
unbiased an ear as you'll find right now,

so I strongly suggest
you reconsider your willingness

to participate in this investigation.

Attention, all deck personnel...

As you were. Petty Officer Coates,
I need a moment of your time.

Yes, ma'am.

You've been in the same legal office as
Lieutenant Singer since she got here.

- Yes, ma'am.
- So you know who she's been seeing.

- Seeing, ma'am?
- Interacting with.

Who's spending time
with the lieutenant?

- Giving her special attention?
- To be honest, ma'am, no one.

Permission to speak freely?
- That's why I'm here.

From what I know about the lieutenant,
the way she was at JAG,

she seems to be living up
to the same pattern as before.

- All work and no play?
- Makes Loren a very dull girl.

- Petty Officer Coates.
- Sorry, ma'am.

When the lieutenant
wasn't seeing clients,

she was reading up on maritime law.

She wanted to excel, ma'am.

To make herself indispensable
to the captain.

Instead she ended up a thorn
in his side.

She can't help herself, ma'am.

Do any of the lieutenant's clients
stick out in your mind?

It's a big ship, ma'am.

Put together a list for me of those she
saw when she first reported aboard.

Just the male clients, ma'am?

You know?

I've suspected for a month now,
ma'am.

I didn't think it was my place
to point it out to anyone.

Remind me not to let my guard down
around you, petty officer.

Listen, chief, Lieutenant Singer's
report lists you as an eyewitness.

Where were you
at the time of the incident?

Right here, sir, at my job.

- So you didn't actually see anything?
- Correct, sir.

You've never experienced a trap from
down here, have you, commander?

So that's about what you heard
going on overhead that night?

Yes, sir. That would be it, sir.

Your statement to Lieutenant Singer
was a little more detailed than that.

Yes, sir. It was.

You're afraid to talk to me,
aren't you?

I stand by
what I already put to paper, sir.

My memory of the events
leading up to the mishap is sketchy.

Well, that's not what you told
Lieutenant Singer a week ago

when you made your statement.

I'm sure that statement
is a better telling

than I could muster now, sir.

You've been comparing
notes with Commander Cooper.

What makes you say that?

Because I'm tripping
over the party line, lieutenant.

I'm sorry you think so, sir.

Look, Connelly, we're both aviators.

We know what the guys in those
planes owe to you here on the deck.

It's a dangerous job.
Sometimes people get hurt.

And sometimes it's nobody's fault.

This isn't a witch hunt.

I'm not interested in prosecuting
anybody who doesn't deserve it.

Sir, I don't think you're gonna find
much cooperation aboard this ship.

Why is that, lieutenant?

Because we tried to do the right thing
after this happened, sir.

And now we're facing court-martials.

I don't dare speak to you because
I don't wanna incriminate the guys

that Lieutenant Singer
hasn't mentioned on her list.

Frankly, sir, the lieutenant has turned
all your witnesses into suspects.

Nine interviews so far
and I can't find anyone who likes her,

let alone who would... You know.

Does that give you any reason
to believe that maybe she isn't guilty?

What's with your continued defence
of Lieutenant Singer?

Come on, Mac. For all her failures
in the "being human" department,

I don't doubt her intelligence.

- Meaning?
- She's too smart to risk her career.

A momentary lapse.
Passion over reason.

You put in the time.
Law school, the bar.

- Would you throw it all away?
- No, Harm. I wouldn't.

Women in the service
work far too hard

to endure the fallout
of a scandal like this.

If she's guilty, I want her charged.

Well, I've interviewed
all personnel involved in the incident.

Except you.

You were on the weather deck
the night those two men went down.

- Yes, sir.
- So that makes you a witness.

I guess it does, sir.

Lieutenant, have you ever seen
anything like this before?

A car accident?
Any situation where injuries occurred?

Nothing on the order of that night,
sir.

You realise, lieutenant,
in these kinds of conditions,

this high-stress environment,
mishaps do occur.

Of course, sir. I've done dozens
of accident investigations myself.

Sir, I know what you're suggesting,

and my discomfort for having been
there has not affected my findings.

Well, if you say so, lieutenant,
I believe you.

Commander,
my lack of combat exposure

is not influencing my ability
to see the facts.

Too many highly trained
air department personnel

made minor errors
that ultimately resulted in disaster.

That's correct, lieutenant.

- Sir?
- Technically.

But I don't believe that any
of these mistakes taken individually

rise to the level of dereliction.

I disagree, commander.

Well, now you see
how perceptions can differ, lieutenant.

The law is black and white, sir.

But life aboard a deployed carrier
is not, lieutenant.

It's unpredictable.

You don't think
I know what unpredictable is, sir?

All right, lieutenant, I'll bite.

When exactly did your life
take this turn?

As I've said before, sir,

I conceived this child
prior to boarding this ship.

How prior?

Are you helping Colonel MacKenzie
with her investigation, sir?

No, lieutenant, I'm not.

Then may I be excused?

Commander Rabb,
what affords me the honour, sir?

Well, I'm just a little homesick.

Why don't I believe
that a seagoing aviator like yourself

misses this place one darn bit?

Am I that transparent?

Like cellophane, commander.

What is it you desire?

Commander, I need a favour.
It's a personal one.

But I'm gonna have to ask you
to keep it to yourself.

- I am the sphinx, sir.
Lieutenant Loren Singer.

A legend in her own time, sir.

Do you think you could chase down
exactly what she was up to

about a... You know, a week or so
before she left for sea?

Am I looking for anything
in particular, sir?

Personal details.
People she might have interacted with.

I think you'll know what I'm looking for
when you find it.

Do you know it, sir?

Well, I wouldn't wanna lead you down
the wrong path, commander.

Aye, aye, sir.
I'll let you know what I dig up.

- Petty Officer Tiner.
- Commander Manetti.

You know, I am so sorry
to have missed the pleasure

of Lieutenant Singer's acquaintance.

- Did you know her very well?
- As well as anyone, ma'am.

When was the last time
you saw the lieutenant?

The day before she left, ma'am.

We had a going away party
for her here.

Do you know where she was headed
after that, petty officer?

I think she said she was going to see
Lieutenant Roberts out at Bethesda.

Lieutenants Roberts and Singer
were close?

Close? Ha, ha, no, ma'am.

Tiner.
Yes, sir?

- If that's all, ma'am?
- Yes, Tiner. Thank you kindly.

Would you, uh, drop these off

at Lieutenant Roberts'
on your way in tomorrow,

and tell him he's under no obligation
to actually read these books?

Yes, sir.

I should have listened
to the man's advice.

- Lieutenant Roberts, sir?
- No, Shakespeare.

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be."

As the middleman in this deal,
I'm both.

- Dismissed.
- Aye, sir.

Sir, I haven't come
to my final conclusion yet,

but thus far I haven't been able
to locate a single man aboard

who seems likely to be the father
of Singer's baby.

I see.

Sir, if you could give me a reason
to believe that such a man exists...

I don't happen to think
this is the second coming.

The man obviously exists.

Can you point to anyone
who was close to the lieutenant?

No, colonel, I cannot.

Sir, what led you to make these
charges against Lieutenant Singer?

My gut feeling, colonel.
And it used to be infallible.

Yes, sir.
I'm not questioning your instincts.

I could frankly use your guidance
on this, sir.

I have nothing of interest to add
in the matter of Singer's pregnancy.

Captain, you do still want
the situation investigated?

Finish your interviews, colonel.
If nothing pops up,

you can close the case.

Sir, I have to ask,

are you softening your stance
on the case

because you think you did jump
to a premature conclusion?

No, colonel. I'm simply a man
with bigger issues right now

than your pregnant lieutenant.

With all due respect, sir,
I think at this point she's your lieutenant.

That's easily rectified.

I'll have her orders cut.
Take her off my ship.

You're dismissed, colonel.

Aye, aye, sir.

Commander Manetti.
Good morning.

Wow.

Well, uh, it's awful nice of you to come
out and bring me fruit, commander.

- Well...
- Thank you.

Uh, uh, considering
that we hardly know each other.

Well,
we best get to know each other.

I hear
we're gonna be working together.

Yes, ma'am.

I wonder, lieutenant, what can you tell
me about Lieutenant Loren Singer?

- Ma'am?
- Did you spend much time with her

after you, uh?

- After I came back from Seahawk?
- Yes.

Well, I know that she was excited
about her deployment.

She came by the hospital
so we could talk about it.

Did you talk about anything else?

No, ma'am.

Lieutenant Singer can be
a very single-minded person, ma'am.

So I've heard.

If you were Lieutenant Singer

and you wanted to give yourself
a nice big sendoff to sea,

where would you go?

Oh, uh...

I don't know.
Uh, Benzinger's, I guess.

That's where we go
to celebrate wins.

And commiserate losses.

- Yes, ma'am.
- I get it.

- What's all this about, ma'am?
- I have no idea, lieutenant.

- Um, uh, would you mind?
- Sure. Of course, ha, ha.

Thank you.

Good morning, lieutenant.

Tiner.
- Commander Manetti.

Am I interrupting something,
ma'am?

Ma'am?
- No, lieutenant.

You know, I try never
to miss an opportunity to shut up

and this seems like a dandy time.
Good day, gentlemen.

- Thank you, ma'am.
You're welcome.

- Ma'am.
Bye-bye.

- What can I get you?
- Uh, a little early in the day, thanks.

You have a big military clientele here,
do you not?

- Proud to serve those who serve.
- Very good.

Have you ever served
this lieutenant?

Yeah, she's come in before
with those JAG lawyers.

Always in a group.

She looked, uh, kind of
like a tag-a-Iong, you know?

Like no one really wanted her there.
Anyway, it's been months.

Well, she's at sea.
Is there anything else you can tell me?

Last time she was in,
she was with a guy.

Sandy hair. Kind of nondescript.

- You get a name?
No.

But I was happy to see her happy.

Just how happy was she?

I don't think I follow.

Well, happy as in,
"Let's talk baseball"

or happy as in,
"You're sweeter than a moon pie"?

Oh, the latter, I guess.

They sat right back there in the corner,
eyes on each other all night.

The lieutenant's a nice-Iooking gal
out of uniform.

That she is.

- Much obliged for your help.
Sure.

Commander Rabb, please.

I'm at the end of the road, Harm.

You sound disappointed.
- Not at all.

You sure?
- Harm, I'm sure.

Lieutenant Singer
goes back to shore duty

and the reputations of JAGs
everywhere are redeemed.

Who's gonna replace her anyway?

You're looking at her.

Temporarily.

JAG Office, Commander Rabb.

Oh, uh, uh...

Hang on a second.

Did you need some privacy?

Yeah, would you mind?

No, not at all.

What did you find?

Yeah, Benzinger's. I know it.

No, I think I know just
who the bartender means.

Thanks for the legwork, commander.

Your men aren't doing much
to aid in my investigation, sir.

I can't blame them, commander.

Lieutenant Singer blew through here
like a hurricane,

took what confidence the men had
in the investigative process.

I understand that, sir.

But the wall of silence I'm coming up
against only lends credence

to what Lieutenant Singer
suspected.

There were mistakes made, sir,

and if I can't get any explanation
as to why,

culpable negligence
isn't out of the question.

Commander,
I'm humbled to have to say

- that you have taken me by surprise.
- Sir?

I expected you to come out here

and undo Lieutenant Singer's report
without hesitation.

Your failure to do so
has given me reason to believe

that I may have been overzealous
in my defence of my men.

Skipper, I don't intend to make
my recommendations against you, sir.

Commander,
you are failing to understand my point.

Even men who like me would tell you
I've become a son of a bitch to work for.

I jumped to the conclusion
my men were innocent

the same way I assumed
Lieutenant Singer was guilty.

Mistakes I wouldn't accept
from an officer under my command,

and errors
I will not accept from myself.

I am topped out in my career,
commander.

Those men you and Lieutenant Singer
want to court-martial

still have mileage left to theirs
and I fully intend to see them travel it.

I take full responsibility
for what happened to those men.

That's it, no argument.

Now if you'll excuse me,

I'm gonna make one last trap
before I leave the Navy.

- One last trap, huh, captain?
That's right, commander.

The battle group commander will have
my request for retirement tomorrow.

I, uh, thought about our talk, sir.

Commander Cooper
and Lieutenant Connelly,

they're officers.
They're gonna do fine in the world.

A career enlisted like myself,
I need the Navy, sir.

I'm ready to play ball.
It's worth the risk to me.

All right, chief.

You can start by telling me precisely
what you were doing that night.

We were non-stop.

The DIXON metre indicated
a heavy landing prior to the accident.

I should have requested down time

to take number three wire
out of service.

Why didn't you?

I thought at the time
that we were okay.

Everything had been reset
and we were ready for the next trap.

But it's no excuse, though, sir.

I knew the arresting wire
was strained.

I guess l...

I guess I didn't wanna be the one
who held things up.

I did some
asking around about you, commander.

You've got quite an impressive
flight record.

I know you've experienced
a catastrophic accident firsthand, sir.

And I also know you stood up
and took the blame for it.

I had to stand up, lieutenant.
My RIO was killed in the mishap.

So you understand
why I can't let Chief Kafenhaus

accept responsibility for something
that happened on my flight deck, sir.

Convince me otherwise, lieutenant.

We'd just landed heavy.

I wanted to check
petty officer's flight log

to make sure we were still good
on that number three wire.

That's a little irregular, isn't it?

Yes, sir. I should've checked the deck
before looking back at the Hornet

but we were crunched for time.

You didn't see the Boatswain's Mate
running out there to retrieve the FOD?

No, sir. I also didn't do a visual
inspection on the arresting wire.

I trusted the numbers instead of
eyeballing the thing like I should have.

You thought the wire would hold up.

Well, that doesn't help me
sleep at night, sir.

Just make sure your report
takes the weight off the chief.

I'm an officer
and I was the LSO that night.

If anyone can be held responsible
for what happened, it's me.

I have no intention
of letting a junior officer

and an enlisted man
fall on their swords over this.

Well, why don't you walk me through
what happened up here that night?

We were sometimes having less
than ten seconds to identify aircraft.

The ACLS address for a Rhino is one
digit off from that of a straight Hornet.

Rhino being a Super Hornet?
- Yeah.

We were doing EMCOM recoveries
at night,

radio contact to a minimum
to maintain covertness.

So your crew misdialled an aircraft
to the tune of four tons.

I'm aware of that, commander.

Something that's happened before
without such dire consequence.

Look, Cooper,
there were a lot of mistakes made.

A man died down there.

I'm just trying to find out
where the buck stops.

I had to make a split-second decision
whether to waive that Hornet off.

I made the wrong one.

Sir, we've got a situation.

Excuse me, commander.

Seahawk,
this is 476 Hornet. Low state, 0.65.

Four seven six. Roger, low state.

Zero point six two miles.
We're losing fuel.

Four seven six,
report final approach.

We'll get you down in one piece.

Fuel's bleeding out fast, boss,
0.58 and decreasing.

Fly the ball, 476.

Set tension for a Hornet.

Aye, aye, sir. Steady as she goes.

Incoming Hornet. Low state.
Wave off is not an option.

Set those engines.

I need a reading, petty officer.

We're go, chief.

PRIFLY, we're go.

Four seven six on final, 0.4 ball.

Four seven six, Hornet. Roger, ball.

You're looking good. Bring her in.

Zero point two. On fumes.
I'll fly over and eject.

Negative, 476.

You've got enough fuel.

Just stay with your bird. Fly the ball.

You're too high, 476.

Ease the nose over just a little.
That's it.

Good, good. Bring her down easy.

You got it.

Ma'am?

- Oh, you must be Bud.
- Yes, ma'am.

Well, congratulations
on your triumphant return to the office.

Well, thank you, ma'am.

I, uh, wanted to return your books
before I got busy with work.

I'm so glad you came.

I've got a whole seven minutes
until my next class.

- Sit down.
- Ah, thank you, but I can't.

I'm in the middle of something
back at home.

In fact, these plays inspired me.

Now, I know all the stories.
Like, um, Macbeth,

that's the classic
"Dagger of the Mind."

- Uh, Star Trek episode?
- Oh.

Yeah, and let's see.

Uh, The Tempest,
that's "Requiem for Methuselah."

And of course,
Hamlet is "Conscience of the King."

Yeah, the one
where Captain Kirk plays the prince

- and Kodos plays Claudius.
- Really?

Mm-hm.

I didn't know.

You are a dear
for making that connection for me.

And a fellow of infinite jest,
of most excellent fancy.

- Ha.
- Yeah, that's why I gotta get home.

Because I'm working
on this fanfic for this Trekker webzine.

Now, it's based on
Richard the Third,

but I'm calling mine
"Picard the Third."

- What do you think?
- You know something, Bud?

You may have stumbled
onto a most unique teaching aid.

Let's get on with it.
- Aye, sir.

All right, at 2355,
a Tomcat makes an off-centre trap.

The LSO's petty officer
writes it up as normal.

Now, the log entry error is not the sole
cause of this mishap, however.

At 0105, an F-18 Super Hornet
radios in requesting final approach.

PRIFLY misdials the aircraft
as a Hornet, not a Super Hornet.

That's a weight differential
of 8,000 plus pounds.

Not sufficient force,
all things being equal,

to damage the arresting wire
to the point of breakage.

It did damage the wire
to the point of breakage, commander.

The off-centre trap
and the heavy landing

added the equivalent of 15 traps
to that wire.

That still put the trap volume
below the 125

recommended by the Navy
for regular usage.

That cross-deck pendant
should still have been able to withstand

another ten to 20 traps.

- I think we're all aware of that.
If you'll bear with me, captain.

Now, in the arresting gear room,

Chief Kafenhaus
realises they've had excessive run out.

The cross-head pulley ran out
to 184 inches.

Now, Regs recommends
in-depth inspection at 185 inches.

Chief Kafenhaus was still operating
within Navy guidelines, as were you all.

Collectively, you are all responsible
for what happened on deck,

but no one person is to blame.

We'll be filing an amended report
stating there's insufficient evidence

to recommend an Article 32 hearing
in this case.

And that's it, skipper.

You're all dismissed.

Aye, sir.

Commander Rabb, you can stay.

Who was that show intended for?

For all involved, skipper.

Nobody deserves to be court-martialed
for what happened aboard the deck.

It was an accident.

And certainly no officer
need resign over it.

Will you accept these findings,
skipper?

Commander, I have found
that arguing with attorneys

is rarely a winning proposition.

And I don't believe it's too late
to reconsider my hasty retirement.

- Thank you.
- Sir.

Well, we're gonna miss you
on terra firma.

We'll be at Norfolk in two weeks, Harm.
I think you can hold the fort until then.

What are you up to?

- What do you mean?
- All the secrecy, private phone calls.

What aren't you telling me
about Singer?

Mac, Lieutenant Singer risked
a court-martial to keep her life private.

I have to respect that.

Chivalry is not dead.

Colonel, commander.

- Good luck, lieutenant.
- Thank you, ma'am.

Let's hit it.

I haven't been able to get a hold
of my brother in Russia.

I assume you're having
the same problem.

It's no concern of mine, sir.

Sergei is the father,
isn't he, lieutenant?

Look, Loren,
you drove him to the airport,

I have a witness who saw you two
cuddling together

at Benzinger's the night before.

You've been spying on me?

Why didn't you tell us?

Because, commander, two weeks later
and no one would have known.

Stand by for takeoff.

- Known what?
- I'm having an abortion, sir.