JAG s01e01 Episode Script
A New Life
CAG? Hawkeye.
No-fly violators closing on us with possible hostile intent.
Angels 18, vector 080.
Two targets, CAG.
70 miles.
Closed rate 1,200 knots.
Looks like MIG 21s.
- Do you have them on video? - Negative.
How do you know they're Fishbeds? Educated guess, CAG.
Target size is small and previous Serb no-fly violators have been Fishbeds.
We don't guess in this man's Navy, Lieutenant Arutti.
No, sir! 50 miles.
Phoenix are fire-and-forget.
You can shoot them anytime, CAG.
- Did I request a Phoenix? - No, sir.
- Stand it down.
- But, sir! Is your intercom malfunctioning, Lieutenant? No, sir.
Phoenix standing down.
- We're being painted! - I have ears.
20 miles! Picking them up on video.
Two Fishbeds over the atolls, sir.
Combat spread.
I'll take them both.
Cover my six.
Roger that.
We're taking them on alone? You have a problem with that, Lieutenant? Nine miles! They've locked on! You ever been in a knife fight, Arutti? Missile inbound! Where's the other bogie? I lost him.
Bogie on your six, CAG.
How we doing, Lieutenant? Lieutenant, are you with me? To hell and back, sir.
To hell and back.
Gear down and locked.
Hook down.
135 on the glide path.
511, Tomcat and Ball.
Roger.
Ball.
Tomcat! 112! You're a mile and a quarter.
Tow the Ball! 135 on glide path.
Tomcat, 112.
Ball, 3.
6.
Congratulations, sir! - I take it the word is out.
- You bet! Chief, if I bagged a Klingon I believe you'd know what flag to paint on her.
Klingons are easy, sir.
Now, a Romulan warship, that might be a problem.
They're invisible.
- Yeah! - Tomcat! Congratulations on busting your cherry.
I'm sorry, ma'am.
It's just a term we use when you get your first kill.
I'm familiar with the term, Chief and I suggest you come up with something more appropriate for today's Navy.
Yes, ma'am.
Sir! Sir, may I have a word with you before debriefing? Do you want to know why I didn't use the Phoenix? Yes, sir.
What's a Phoenix missile cost, Lieutenant? A million dollars, sir.
You think a couple of camel jockeys are worth that kind of money? - Serbs don't ride camels, sir.
- They fly like they do.
Sir, that doesn't explain why we took them on alone.
I wanted to see if you had the guts for a knife fight.
And you don't.
That's not fair, sir.
Hell, I don't have to be fair, Lieutenant.
I'm the CAG.
Buster to Bravo.
Working party in the post office.
Way to smoke them, girl! Up close and personal! I didn't smoke them, Painter.
CAG did.
- Don't be giving the chauffeur credit! - Why not? He deserves it.
- Hey, hey Angela.
Are you okay? - Yeah, I'm okay.
Why wouldn't I be? You certainly don't seem like the person who just made the cover of Time magazine.
Time? I thought it was Playboy.
- Mace, you're such a jerk.
- See? That's more like it! You know what, pard? I think the lady wet her panties up there.
Angela? No way, man.
She's ice.
Yeah, ice melts when it gets hot.
50 miles.
Phoenix are fire-and-forget.
You can shoot them anytime, CAG.
Did I request a Phoenix? Stand it down.
But, sir! Is your intercom malfunctioning, Lieutenant? No, sir.
Phoenix standing down.
- We're being painted! - I have ears.
20 miles! Picking them up on video.
Two Fishbeds over the atolls, sir.
Combat spread.
I'll take them both.
Cover my six.
We're taking them on alone? You have a problem with that, Lieutenant? Nine miles! You ever been in a knife fight, Arutti? Missile inbound! You've got it! Come on, buddy! Come on! Come on! You've got it! Your turn, Ripper.
Come on, Rip.
Come on, Rip.
Come on, man.
- Ready? - That's it, guy! Come on, buddy! Press them, Rip! Let's go! Try, man.
Don't let her beat you! Don't let her! Come on, man! - Try! Try! - I can't.
Take it! Take it.
You disappoint me, pal! That's the third bottle of Jack you owe me this cruise.
How many is that, Rip? When are you gonna give up? Never.
Cassie may be ripped, but she still squats and no squatter's gonna out-press me.
- This one did.
- It's gotta be a trick.
Maybe she wanted it more than you did, Rip.
She's on 'roids, Keeter.
No way! They'd show up in her flight physical.
That's right.
So, you're saying the flight surgeon's looking the other way.
The Navy'd do anything to make these squatters look good.
There are limits, Rip.
No, there's not.
- Hey.
- Hey.
I just took Ripper for another bottle of Jack.
Why do you do it? You know he's only going to get you more wave-offs.
The scuttlebutt says a TV reporter's coming on the morning COD to interview you.
I don't want to be interviewed.
Everybody in Wheeling, West Virginia's gonna see you on the tube including that jerk of an ex-boyfriend.
I don't care about him.
My folks worry enough about me.
Let them interview CAG.
The press doesn't want to talk to the Ancient Mariner.
They want the female warrior who smoked two MIGs.
I didn't smoke them.
The Ancient Mariner did.
Damn it, Angela! I can't take credit for something I didn't do.
You didn't screw the pooch up there, did you? - No.
- What's the problem? I don't I don't want to be a blurb on the evening news.
Until today, the only female aviators the press were talking to, were getting their sixes grabbed at Tailhook.
We need blurbs like you.
- I wouldn't know what to say.
- Oh, hell.
That's easy.
So what's it like being a woman in combat? It's the same as being a man in combat.
Weren't you frightened? - I didn't have time to be frightened, sir.
- Damn near wet my pants.
- Wouldn't say that.
- It's the truth.
- I was so scared up there, Cassie.
- So? Every time I make a night trap, my heart's in my throat.
Fear can be useful.
It sharpens the senses.
It can give you an edge.
It gives me doubts.
Where are you going? - I gotta get some air.
- Just air? Damn it, Angela! Coming up on the starboard side! God! I need you tonight.
Fuel spill on deck.
922 is clear.
Move 184 to the 25, tie down, and clean it up.
Move 184 to the 25, tie down, and clean it up.
I'm gonna get her tomorrow, Keeter.
You're just gonna lose another bottle of Jack.
You wanna bet? What? Nothing.
No! From the NBC Studios in Burbank, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno! Featuring Kevin Eubanks and The Tonight Show band.
And now, Jay Leno! This just in, one of the Navy F- 14 Tomcats shot down a couple of Serbian MIGs over Bosnia this afternoon.
Listen to this, the radar intercept officer in the Tomcat was a woman! Boy, you thought getting shot down by a woman in a bar was bad! My God! You watching this, Teddy? - Yes, sir.
- Lf Admiral Drake were smart, he'd make this RIO more famous than Amelia Earhart.
She's missing, sir.
Did anybody tell FDR? Sir? That Amelia Earhart was missing? No, sir.
She's not missing.
I guess she is missing, sir, but that's not who I'm referring to.
I meant Lieutenant Arutti.
Who's Lieutenant Arutti? The female RIO that Jay Leno's talking about, sir.
She disappeared at sea last night.
Think we can lay this off on NIS? Not after reading this, sir.
It just came in from CINC-Med.
Damn! Who's available? Captain Morton is our senior officer in Naples, sir.
He can be on the Seahawk within the hour.
Yeah, and in a spitting contest with the ship's captain 10 minutes later.
No, I want a junior officer so that the Seahawk's skipper isn't intimidated by the investigation.
You're sure you want to trust this to a junior officer, sir? You wanna take it, Teddy? I think my current duties would preclude an immediate departure, sir.
You have the survival instincts of a politician, Teddy.
Where's Lieutenant Rabb? Probably at the French Embassy, sir.
It's Bastille Day.
Most of our people attend that party.
Well, I want him on a jet to Naples in 30 minutes.
Aye, aye, sir.
- Make that 20 minutes.
- Yes, sir! - And, Teddy? - Sir? - Send a female JG with him.
- A female, sir? Yes.
I want a woman on the team in case we have to face the press.
- And, Teddy? - Sir? - Make sure she's easy on the eyes.
- Yes, sir.
Another thing about that female aviator, now, this has got to be very embarrassing, to Bill Clinton and Dan Quayle.
Now women their daughters' age have more combat experience than they do.
There she is! My first time on a carrier! You, too? The men of the Ti offer a big welcome aboard to their family and friends on this 4th of July! Here you go, Harm! Yeah! Some day, son, a stick and throttle like that'll take you to the moon.
Watch your step, ma'am.
Thank you.
- Welcome to the carrier, ma'am.
- Thank you.
Lieutenant Rabb! Ensign Bud Roberts, Public Affairs Officer.
Skipper assigned me to be your escort onboard the Seahawk, sir.
- Something wrong, Ensign? - No, sir! Skipper's requested that you report immediately to the navigations bridge.
So if you could stick to my six That's what pilots call their tail, I'll lead the way.
- You a pilot, Ensign? - No, ma'am.
It's just that everybody uses pilot jargon on a carrier.
Bolter! What happened? He didn't trap, touched down long, missed all four wires.
I didn't know Lieutenant Rabb served on a carrier, ma'am.
Neither did I.
That bolter's Lieutenant Arutti's roommate, CAG.
Are you sure she should be flying today? If Puller was a man, would you give him a day off to get it together? Yes, sir.
One moment.
CAG, skipper's on the horn for you, sir.
- Skipper? - Damn, CAG.
He looks like Hammer.
Yeah.
Too bad he couldn't fly like him.
I thought it was a night vision problem.
So they say, Skipper.
Excuse me, sir.
Since you know your way around, I'll be waiting for you in the officer's wardroom.
I also have to baby-sit the press today.
Not that I was saying that I was baby-sitting you, sir.
- There's a reporter onboard? - Yes, sir.
And a cameraman.
They came to interview Lieutenant Arutti before we knew she was missing.
Skipper ordered me to sit on them until he decides what to do.
- When did they arrive? - On the morning COD.
Excuse me, sir, the skipper wants you on the bridge! Ma'am? Hey Borini! Borini! Wake up! The Good Humour Man is here.
And he's got a good humour lady with him.
Excuse me, sir.
Do you have any chocolate chip? Or rocky road.
Ensign, you think you could rustle up some ice cream? Sir.
Yes, sir.
Did you check out their insignias, Borini? - I haven't gotten that high.
- They're JAG officers.
Now what would a pair of naval lawyers in dress whites be doing on a carrier in the middle of the Med? Whatever it is, I'll tape it.
Don't I know you? We met about 15 years ago in Bangkok, sir.
You God! Harm, right? Harmon Rabb, Jr.
Golly! His old man is an MIA.
At 16, he sneaked into North Vietnam to look for him.
- That was a very gutsy move.
- A very futile one, sir.
That doesn't make it any less gutsy.
We only have strawberry, sir.
Ensign, why don't you and Lieutenant Pike escort Mr Borini to the flight deck? - I'm sure he'd love to shoot some b-roll.
- Yes, sir.
I'll pick you up on the way to report.
Attention, attention.
Re-enlistment ceremony for HMC Caleb will be held on the fantail at 1600 hours.
You grew up.
It happens.
I thought you'd be wearing wings like your old man.
- Want some of this? - No, thanks.
So they hustle you out here from Naples? - From Washington.
- Without a chance to change uniforms? The Navy must have a big problem here.
Why do I feel like we're about to negotiate something? We need you to sit on a story for a while.
I knew it! Admiral Drake.
He's so hard up for good press, he jumped the gun, right? That female RIO didn't bag those MIGs, did she? I don't know.
Come on, Harm.
You know, I'm ex-special forces.
I like the military.
I'm not gonna cover it like The Navy Times but I'll put a fair slant on it.
- She's missing.
- Did her plane go down? No.
She disappeared sometime last night.
I can't.
I can't sit on that.
- I'll give you an exclusive.
- I'm the only reporter out here, pal.
I already got an exclusive.
All you have is that she's missing.
You flash that to the world and the press that doesn't share your affection for the military will have a field day speculating why.
- I need time.
- Time to cover up what happened? Time to find out what happened.
I'll tell you what.
You get me a ride over Bosnia and I won't file for 12 Hours.
Twenty-four.
Well, see, now, that's gonna cost you two rides and an exclusive.
I thought you had an exclusive.
You Lieutenant Richardson, your presence is requested to CIC.
Hey, brother.
You want some ice cream? It's good.
No.
Sorry.
166 Tomcat.
Ball.
3.
1.
Roger.
Ball! Let's see if she traps this time.
Lieutenants Rabb and Pike reporting as ordered, sir.
Evidently, Lieutenant Rabb, you believe eating ice cream has priority over reporting to the commanding officer.
No, sir! Then you better explain your actions, mister.
I was on my way to report when I learned a news crew was onboard and being held incommunicado.
By my orders.
Until I know why Lieutenant Arutti's missing, no damn reporter's going to speculate about it on TV.
I concur, sir.
That's why I was having ice cream with Mr DePalma.
He's agreed to sit on the story for 24 hours.
It must have been great ice cream.
It was, sir.
But he wouldn't agree to anything until I promised him a pair of rides over Bosnia.
On my six, mister.
If you'll excuse us, gentlemen.
- Aye, aye, sir.
- Aye, aye, sir.
Now, you promised what? Sir, if Mr DePalma doesn't contact his bureau desk soon, they'll want to know why.
We can't deny he's onboard, sir.
- I can deny any damn thing I want.
- Yes, sir! - Damn captain's privilege.
- Yes, sir.
At ease.
CAG? My boys aren't here to fly tourists, Skipper.
Well, I guess you made a promise you can't keep, Lieutenant.
It's in the Navy's interest to keep it, sir.
That may be, but I'm not going to overrule the CAG especially when I agree with him.
With all due respect, sir, I'm in charge of a possible murder investigation which gives me the latitude to authorise those rides.
Those are my men and my machines, Lieutenant and no damn JAG lawyer's gonna tell me what to do with them.
- Understood? - Yes, sir.
And I respectfully disagree.
That's enough.
We'll discuss the parameters of your authority in a minute.
You mentioned a murder investigation.
You know something I don't, Lieutenant? CINC-Med in Naples received an encrypted message from the Seahawk at 0500 this morning.
It contained just three words.
"She was murdered.
" You have whoever sent that message to CINC-Med on my quarterdeck by sunset, Mr Lubin, or you'll spend the rest of your tour sending semaphore to Eskimos.
That message could have been sent from crypto, a STU-lll or one of the aircraft.
It won't be traceable, sir.
"Won't" isn't in my language, Lieutenant.
If Lieutenant Arutti was murdered, I'll catapult whoever did it off the deck at high noon in front of the ship's company.
Yes, sir.
Your investigation will be given full cooperation but let me warn the two of you.
This is a ship of war, engaged in an action that will most certainly grow in intensity.
I will not have you interfere with the ability of this ship and its crew to carry out that mission.
Understood, sir.
Dismissed.
Aye, aye, sir! Lieutenant Rabb? Yes, sir.
How's your mother? She's fine, sir.
She opened an art gallery in La Jolla a few years ago.
She still married to the used car salesman? Yes, sir.
You give her my regards the next time you speak to her.
I'll do that, Skipper.
Thank you.
I thought you said that your stepfather was a senior V.
P.
At Chrysler.
He is.
Still think Lieutenant Arutti committed suicide? Yes, sir.
Either way, Washington's going to be on my six.
But it's not your fault, Skipper.
And maybe this will force Washington to realise that a battle carrier's no place for women.
CAG, for the sake of your career, keep those opinions to yourself.
We didn't have a chance to grab a toothbrush.
Do you think you could scare us up a change of uniform? I'll be able to find something for you, sir.
I'm not so sure about Lieutenant Pike.
Lieutenant Arutti was about your size, ma'am.
You're not suggesting I wear a dead officer's uniform? No.
No, no.
Of course not.
But hers are the only ones that would fit, ma'am.
- Look elsewhere.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Where's female officer country? - 03 level, after the wardroom.
So, Lieutenant Arutti was amply endowed? Yes, sir.
Very.
- She turned a few heads, then, did she? - They all do, sir.
She turn anyone's head in particular? Navy regs do not permit fraternisation, ma'am.
Men and women at sea together for six months and the regs don't get bent a little? Not that I'm aware of, sir.
Excuse me.
Male personnel on deck! You have to loudly announce yourself and then wait 30 seconds before entering.
Does that include me? Alpha, B-21 Alpha.
Lieutenant Puller's flying, but I like to knock anyway.
- I guess they bunk the RIO's together.
- No, no, no.
Lieutenant Puller's a pilot.
She flies Tomcats.
- Computer.
- Yep.
Ensign, why don't you go see about those uniforms? Yes, sir.
Sir, you know, I could Anything? Windows 95.
Most of the more sophisticated bells and whistles.
Here we go.
There's two personal codes.
She must share the computer with her roommate.
I wonder which one of these is Lieutenant Arutti's? Mom, dad, and little sister.
- How do you know? - I just do.
- Can you get in? - Of course.
Can you? - She sleeps on the bottom.
- Top.
- Wanna bet on who gets in first? - But you've got a head start.
What a man! Thank you, but you still have a head start.
You wanna bet or whine? Bet.
I'm in! What the hell is this? JAG investigation into your shipmate's disappearance.
I'm Lieutenant Rabb.
This is Lieutenant Pike.
That gives you the right to break into my lockbox? Sorry, Lieutenant.
I thought it was Lieutenant Arutti's.
What did you do? Flip a coin or did you go "Eenie meenie miney moe"? - Is that my programme? - No.
It's Lieutenant Arutti's.
- How'd you get her password? - I didn't.
I just came off a long mission.
I need to go and work out.
I'll wait outside.
Why? Never seen a naked sailor before? Birth control pills.
They regulated her period.
That's what Angela said they were for, and I believed her.
Tape recorder.
Yeah.
She taped her mission and she studied it later.
She was very dedicated.
There's nothing on this.
I guess she erased it when she was done.
Look, I got a CAP to fly at 0400.
When I get back, I want you two gone.
I gotta get some rack time.
I'm gonna need to interview you at some point.
Angela was a good RIO.
A good shipmate.
That's all I know.
You know she taped her missions.
You know she took birth control pills to regulate her period.
I'm sure there's a few other things you know, too.
Stay out of my lockbox.
Stay out of my programme.
Did you see the muscles on her? I wasn't looking at her muscles.
Anything? Educational and flight programs, a few games, and one letter to mom, dad, and little sister.
You don't see anything odd? No.
That's the first letter home from a sailor on a six-month cruise that doesn't mention being lonely.
Women don't get as lonely as men.
I wonder why.
Not all women in the Navy feel the way you do about having a lover.
Thank God! Okay.
It's possible Lieutenant Arutti had a lover.
Or two.
- Now she's a slut? - No! But with 5,000 men and only a handful of women on this ship, a love triangle wouldn't surprise me.
A love quadrangle wouldn't surprise you.
Why are you so adversarial, Kate? We're supposed to be on the same team.
Sorry.
I've just worked more cases against you than with you.
Believe me, it's more fun to be on the winning side.
We're on the same case! Sir? Ma'am? I've arranged quarters for you.
Great.
What about uniforms? I'm still working on that.
But I can take your covers and purse.
- Thank you, Ensign.
- Thank you.
I'll put these in your quarters.
God.
You here for a cocktail party, Harm? Lieutenant Pike, Lieutenant Mace.
My RIO Painter.
So, you're a JAG lawyer now.
That's right.
Here to investigate Lieutenant Arutti's disappearance? Right again.
That's one way to serve on a carrier.
You two a team? Not usually.
But CINC-Med needed a couple of JAG officers out here fast.
- They stuck us together.
- Is it a match made in heaven? We're working on it.
- Any idea who murdered Angela? - Who said she was murdered? Scuttlebutt.
She couldn't have fallen overboard or committed suicide? Angela wouldn't do that.
- Fall overboard or commit suicide? - She wasn't accident-prone, all right? And she wasn't depressed.
If she went over the side, she was pushed.
We have a briefing.
Was he in love with her? She and Painter were pretty tight in RIO School but she's been an ice queen to everyone on this cruise.
Even me.
- I take it that's unusual.
- Very.
Any idea who started this murder scuttlebutt? Don't ask me, Harm.
You're the JAG investigator.
Hell, I'm just a guy with gold wings and an F-14 to play with.
Listen why don't you come up to the flight deck in about an hour and I'll show you how night traps are supposed to be done? - He doesn't like you! - We're not here to be liked, Kate.
He likes me.
It's you he's got a problem with.
Where do you know him from? - We served together a while back.
- Harm, were you a pilot? I think Lieutenant Painter sent that message to CINC-Med.
You didn't answer my question.
That's because it's none of your business, Kate.
Okay, Harm.
It's pizza night and my stomach's growling.
What say we trap this time? I kind of like going around in the moonlight.
What moonlight? It's blacker than the inside of a coal miner's nose out here.
Tomcat 173.
You're at a mile and a quarter.
Call the Ball.
Bend left, Harm.
Roger.
Ball.
Below the glide path, Harm.
- I'm on the glide path.
- You're a little low.
You're a little low! Power! Power! Power! What is it, Teddy? - You're wanted at the White House, sir.
- The White House? They say why? No, sir.
But a flash just came through that the Serbs downed one of our C-130s over Sarajevo.
What's the President want me to do? Sue them? It's that Seahawk incident.
If that missing RIO was a male, it wouldn't have gotten beyond his group commander.
But you lose a woman at sea, and they call me to the White House.
- Anything new from Lieutenant Rabb? - Not much, sir.
He still doesn't know whether it was an accident, murder, or suicide.
- I don't want to hear suicide or murder.
- No, sir.
Unless he has insurmountable proof to the contrary, I want a finding of accidental death.
Lieutenant Rabb understands that, doesn't he? Yes, sir.
I made it quite clear.
- Did the reporter break the story? - Not yet, sir.
I wonder what that cost us.
I don't know, sir.
But if you wish, I could contact the Lieutenant and ask him what he No, no.
What I don't know, I don't have to testify to on the hill.
You think there'll be a Senate investigation, sir? Well, if the finding is suicide, the feminists are gonna want a hearing.
And if it's murder, the anti-feminists are gonna want one.
So, unless Lieutenant Arutti fell overboard accidentally, one of those is gonna wanna attack the credibility of our investigation.
Don't worry, Teddy.
Junior officers get thrown to the sharks first.
And Lieutenant Rabb is the one who's sailing into harm's way.
Yes, sir.
Harm's way? Lieutenant Rabb's first name is Harm.
Oh! Oh, yes, sir.
You need a sense of humour, Teddy.
Otherwise people are gonna think you're a lawyer.
I am a lawyer, sir.
It was in the bottom of the safety net between the tower and the number three elevator, sir.
Wouldn't you have to hang over the deck to see into the bottom of that net, Chief? Yes, sir.
See, I was checking the tie-downs on my bird before hitting the rack, and when I was done, I laid on the edge of the deck to watch the bow wave.
That's how I spotted the cap in the bottom of the net.
Thank you, Chief.
That'll be all.
Sir, I just want to add that Lieutenant Arutti was a real nice girl, Skipper.
And I'm gonna miss her.
He's used to losing men in action, not a woman to suicide.
How do you know it was suicide, sir? You don't stroll off a flight deck, Lieutenant.
Even at night.
Too many safety nets.
You have to jump.
Or be thrown off.
No member of this crew threw a woman overboard, Lieutenant.
With all due respect to your opinion, sir, there are over 5,000 men onboard.
- She committed suicide.
- Was she depressed, sir? I'm not a damn shrink, Lieutenant.
She was your RIO.
And an officer under your command, sir.
Surely you must have an opinion as to her mental state.
Whatever that is, Lieutenant, I do not intend to discuss it on an open bridge.
Then, where and when, sir? At my damn convenience and wherever I damn well please! Sir, we have to recommend to a board of inquiry what we feel Lieutenant Pike the CAG has said he will be interviewed at his convenience.
Yes, sir.
By your leave, sir.
- We have to talk.
- We do? - You're damn right we do.
- "Sir.
" "Damn right we do, sir.
" I found some uniforms, but I can't vouch for the fit, ma'am.
They're not Lieutenant Arutti's? No.
Lieutenant Puller gave you one of hers.
- She did? - Surprised me, too.
She says her uniform will fit.
I guess it's because of how tall you are and how big her chest If you just stick to my six, I'll lead you to your quarters.
Not a word! - So, you found her cap? - How'd you know? I'm a reporter, remember? That's my job.
Yeah.
They found it in a net Yeah, I know.
Near the number three elevator.
So, it looks like suicide, then.
- No.
- No? No.
That's a very emphatic negative, Lieutenant Pike.
- Do you know something I don't know? - I don't believe it was suicide.
And you have anything to base that on? I mean, other than gender identification? I'm being targeted.
So, I fly in the morning, right? Right.
Because if I don't, my story will.
- Sir? - Ensign.
I also picked up a shaving kit for you at the ship's store, sir.
Thank you, Ensign.
As far as your personal toiletries, ma'am, I wasn't quite sure what you wanted, so if you'd make me a list, I'd be happy to That won't be necessary.
Now, if you'll excuse us.
- Ma'am, you're in female berthing.
- I remember the way.
- Ma'am, it's a very big, big ship.
- I'm a big, big girl.
I am 27 years old, a Harvard Law School graduate and a lieutenant in the same Navy as you! Don't treat me as anything less! The CAG was about to send a Sidewinder up your six.
I can defend myself.
Ticking him off is not gonna help our investigation.
- Oh, is that strictly your prerogative? - I know the guy, Kate.
I know when to push and when to walk away.
- This was a time to walk away.
- How do you know the CAG? He was my dad's wingman the day he went down.
You know, Kate, maybe DePalma's right.
Your gender is blinding your objectivity.
At this point in the investigation, the CAG's suicide theory is as plausible as murder.
You'd realise that if Lieutenant Arutti wasn't female.
And if she was male, would the CAG be talking suicide? He knows damn well that if the first female in combat commits suicide, the Navy will re-evaluate the entire programme.
Okay, you're both pursuing theories based on gender bias.
- And you're not? - No.
I like the idea of going to sea with women.
Those wings look good on you.
Well, you know what they say about gold wings and dress whites.
They'll get you in bed anywhere.
Except here.
I heard they dragged you over here.
- You didn't send for me, Admiral? - Not me.
I'm here to sell the President on the idea of an alpha strike as payback for that C-130 the Serbs knocked down.
An alpha strike? Who was on that bird? A M.
A.
S.
H unit on a humanitarian mission.
- We lost 50 medical people.
- Oh, my God! The UN's authorised us to hit their SAM missile sites.
Now, Wayne's trying to weasel a special forces raid and Freaky's over there begging for an Air Force strike.
But the secretary likes my idea of an all-Navy operation from the sea.
- Great press for the Navy, admiral.
- Yeah.
If that missing female officer aboard the Seahawk doesn't ruin it.
My people are on that, sir.
You know, Admiral, there's a news crew on the Seahawk that my investigating officer is sitting on.
Now, if you should get the go on alpha strike, you might consider letting them cover it for you.
I mean, it could dilute any negatives that this missing female officer created.
Gentlemen, the President will see you in the war room.
Good idea, Al.
Do it! - Good luck, sir.
- You, too, Al.
Who the hell sent for us? - Admiral Brovo? - Yes, ma'am.
This way, sir.
The first lady is anxious to hear about your Seahawk investigation.
166.
Tomcat.
Ball.
4.
8.
Roger.
Ball.
Below glide path.
166, do you still have the Ball? 166.
Roger.
Ball.
You just had to out-press him, didn't you? - He can't wave us off forever.
- That's true.
We'll be out of fuel soon.
Considering the conditions, she's doing pretty well! This bitch couldn't fly a weather balloon.
Not this time, Ripper.
The deck was rising and her approach was low.
I had no other choice but to wave her off, sir.
Keeter? - She was a little low, sir.
- I made the trap, sir.
You caught the number one wire which means your tail cleared the ramp by three feet.
Sir, I was bingo fuel.
I knew I could make it.
Well, hell, Lieutenant, why have LSOs at all? We may as well save the Navy the money.
Put these men back in the cockpit where they'd rather be anyway.
Lieutenant, you have the worst trap record on this ship.
I'm not sure you could land a Tomcat at Dulles without a wave-off.
Yes, sir! If you ever ignore an LSO again, your next flight will be a one-way trip on the COD to Naples.
- Yes, sir.
- Dismissed.
Ripper? You don't like female pilots, do you, son? - No, sir.
I do not.
- Neither do I.
Don't believe they have the stomach for battle.
You got that right, CAG.
But if one of my LSO's ever intentionally waved a pilot off because she was a female, I'd keelhaul him.
Do we understand each other, mister? Yes, sir.
Dismissed.
Sir, I'd like to ask you a few questions.
- Where'd you get the flight suit? - Ensign Roberts.
I'd like to talk to you about Lieutenant Arutti.
I have a mission to fly.
CAG.
How did Lieutenant Arutti perform on that last mission? - It's all in the debrief.
- I've read it.
It describes the action.
Doesn't tell me much about her performance.
- I have nothing to say beyond my report.
- First time in combat can be confusing.
Now how would you know that, Lieutenant? My father told me.
You were five years old when Hammer went down.
He sent my mom 18 letter tapes home from Nam.
I've listened to them 100 times.
Your early reports, CAG.
Lieutenant Arutti made tapes, too.
Is that how you get your kicks, Lieutenant? Listening to her private tapes? They weren't letters home, sir.
She taped her missions.
- You have a tape of our mission? - No, sir.
She erased it.
Well, that's too bad.
It could have saved me this inquisition.
- Attention on deck! - Carry on, men.
You sure you're up to this, Mr DePalma? No problem, Captain.
The Air Force gave me a ride in an F-16.
I did just fine.
Lieutenant Mace, when Mr DePalma's ready you take him topside and familiarise him with the cockpit and ejection procedures.
Aye, aye, sir.
Mr DePalma, we will be flying a Tomcat that has been modified for recon and training missions.
There's a complete set of controls in your cockpit but if you touch anything other than your personal joystick, I'll eject you over the Adriatic and forget where I did it.
Yes, sir.
You want a ride, Harm? You don't seem too popular, Lieutenant.
Your debrief says you took one MIG with a Sidewinder - and the other with 20 mike-mike.
- That's right.
- You had Phoenix missiles.
- Right again.
Why risk a $35 million bird in a knife fight if you don't have to? I didn't view it as a risk.
Are we through, Lieutenant? No, sir.
Just one last question.
Were you testing her guts or yours? Because of your old man, I didn't hear that.
But if you would care to repeat it Lieutenant Rabb.
Lieutenant Rabb.
Your presence is requested in crypto on the 02 Level.
Lieutenant Rabb to crypto.
What's up? - Proof.
- Proof of what? - Lieutenant Rabb, Lieutenant Lubin.
- So you're Rabb.
Zane and I graduated from the Academy together.
Yeah.
I never would have made it through without her.
CPO Williams, proceed to the mess hall.
I helped him get through calculus.
Sure hope I don't get my six keelhauled for this.
- Sure you know how to work this thing? - Thanks, Zane.
I'll collect later.
- Collect what? - Listen.
Two targets, CAG.
70 miles.
This was erased.
But not recorded over.
Zane helped me restore it.
Do you have them on video? no-fly violators have been Fishbeds.
We don't guess in this man's Navy.
Did I request a Phoenix? Stand it down.
We're taking them on alone? You have a problem with that, Lieutenant? I lost him.
Lieutenant, are you with me? To hell and back, sir.
He was busting her butt, Harm.
She was questioning his decisions, Kate.
Maybe her questions were valid.
Like the ones I ask you.
That's okay in an investigation, not in combat.
She was hesitant.
Shaky.
Scared.
So? She was scared.
It was her first time in combat.
Why shouldn't she be scared? Hello? Are you receiving me? She probably wanted this since she was a kid.
Put her entire life into becoming a Naval aviator.
Then on her first combat mission she finds she doesn't have the right stuff.
- According to the CAG.
- Well, who better to know? So a few harsh words and she commits suicide? - People have done it for less.
- You mean women, don't you? - Come on, Kate.
I'm not a chauvinist.
- Yes, you are.
You just don't know it.
Harm, if you write this up as a suicide, I'll submit a dissenting position.
You can't.
We're not a board of inquiry.
We're a two-man team, and the senior member writes the finding.
Two-man? - Okay, Kate.
So I'm a little chauvinistic.
- Yeah.
I thought you'd find that charming.
- Not in an investigation.
- Look.
I'm like a hung jury.
I need something solid to swing me one way or the other.
Okay.
Zane believes that message to CINC-Med was sent from one of the aircraft.
I checked the logs and guess who was flying when CINC-Pac received it? - Mace and Painter.
- Right! That doesn't prove she was murdered.
Lieutenant Painter was in love with her.
He wouldn't want her death to look like suicide any more than Lieutenant Puller who could have also sent that message from a STU-lll.
Zane didn't think it originated from a STU-lll.
When did Zane join our investigation? I'm looking for answers.
What else did Zane, who's going to collect later, tell you? He said he knew a secure area in the fantail where he and I could do it.
The metre reads 30,000 feet.
Not a foot above or a foot below.
This pilot is very precise.
Seahawk, CAG.
Feet dry.
The CAG has just called feet dry meaning we've crossed the Dalmatian Coast and are entering the no-fly zone.
- Mr DePalma, how are you doing? - Fine! Just fine.
Is it hot in here? I mean, I'm a little hot, but other than that I'm just fine.
Thanks.
I'm afraid you're in for a dull time.
AWACS says it doesn't look like the Serbs wanna play today.
That's too bad.
I I was really looking forward to a dogfight.
How about if I simulate what happened last time? Yeah.
That would be great! I mean, really! Combat spread.
Cover my six.
Roger that.
- Harness locked? - Yes.
Right.
Locked.
At five miles, we pick up their missile inbound.
I release chaff and break hard right.
To the left burner.
9 G turn.
Right here I'm starting to red out.
I'm on his six.
Whoever breaks first goes straight to hell.
Now I'm on his six.
I'm on his six.
Now steady.
Now steady.
We got a lock.
And missile away! 100% oxygen usually works.
She had fresh abrasions on the tips of her fingers which would be consistent with slipping and hanging from the edge of a deck until she fell.
An accidental death? I found nothing during the autopsy to indicate otherwise.
Lieutenant Arutti suffered a pelvic fracture and ruptured spleen which are impact traumas consistent with high falls.
And the cause of death was a wet drowning.
- There are dry drownings, sir? - Occasionally.
The victim suffers a sudden laryngospasm caused by water in the throat.
But this victim died by aspirating large volumes of sea water into her lungs.
Spleen injury might have been fatal if not immediately treated.
So it contributed to her death? In so far as it inhibited her ability to swim.
She probably sank, held her breath as long as possible, then, fighting for air, swallowed sea water till her respiration stopped.
You have her personal effects? One boot was missing.
There were no rings, bracelets, or wallet.
Just dog tags, panties, her flight suit and this jacket.
Is there anything else you can tell me, Commander? Just that she suffered a slow, agonising death.
It wasn't this windy below! We turn into the wind to launch, ma'am.
- Intruders? - Yes, ma'am.
Painter, what's Lieutenant Mace got against my partner? He thinks Lieutenant Rabb screwed the pooch on a night trap.
Got his RIO killed.
Did he screw the pooch? Board of inquiry didn't think so.
They said he had an eye infection, impaired his night vision.
RIO panicked.
Punched them both out over the ramp.
But, as Mace says, the RIO wasn't around to tell it any different.
But Mace has prejudice.
The RIO was his brother.
You're a lawyer, right, Lieutenant? If I tell you something, will it stay between us? I'm not your lawyer.
I'm the Navy's.
If you have something to tell me about Lieutenant Arutti, it won't be privileged but I'll do what I can to keep it confidential.
Angela wrote a letter of resignation after her last mission.
She felt she didn't have the guts for combat.
- She resigned her commission? - No, ma'am.
I talked her out of it.
Hell, we all get scared up there at times.
It's just that guys, they hide it.
That's why I know she didn't commit suicide.
Angela wasn't gonna quit.
She was going back to her quarters to erase that letter from her computer.
Back from where? From the COD.
At night it's tied down aft of number three elevator.
We used to go there to be alone.
You were her lover? No, ma'am.
I was her husband.
Angela and Painter were married? The Navy would never allow them to serve on the same ship so they kept their marriage secret.
But there was no letter of resignation in her computer! Yes, there was.
I missed it the first time because she'd deleted it after talking to Painter.
- The first time? - Deleting erases the files Deleting erases the files so that it can't be accessed but the data stays in the memory bank until it's written over.
It took me some time, but I dug it out.
You are never going to use my computer again.
Angela changed her mind about quitting.
Now, you don't do that and then commit suicide.
I agree.
- Here are the uniforms you wanted.
- You agree she didn't commit suicide? The autopsy revealed abrasions on her fingertips.
Looks like she slipped, grabbed the edge of the deck as she went over.
I think we've got an accidental death here, Kate.
Unless she was pushed.
- By who? - Whom.
- The CAG.
- Kate! Lieutenant Rabb? Sir? Just hear me out.
He doesn't want women playing with his toys, right? So he sets Angela up to screw the pooch.
- Which she did.
- Whether she did or didn't, it still filled her with enough doubt to resign.
But Painter changed her mind.
She deleted that letter and decided to stick it out.
When the CAG realised she wasn't going to resign, he threw her overboard, hoping it would look like suicide.
No, wait a minute.
When did Angela delete the letter? After she left Painter at the COD.
She never made it back to her quarters.
She went overboard.
So who deleted the letter? Harm? Next time you wave me off for no reason, it'll be your last! What was that about? Ripper's been giving me unnecessary wave-offs.
He won't do it again.
You're a tough lady, Lieutenant.
Do just about anything to prove women belong out here.
Yeah, just about.
Maybe even toss one overboard to have a dead hero instead of a live quitter.
Angela wasn't a quitter.
We know she wrote a letter of resignation.
- I deleted it.
- I recovered it.
- And you think I threw her overboard? - You're strong enough.
If I was bent like that, there's a couple guys who would have went overboard a long time ago.
I'm convening a board of inquiry in Naples at 1300 tomorrow.
You'll have to be there.
I didn't murder Angela, so I'm not afraid to face a board of inquiry.
It's gonna have to wait.
Scuttlebutt is there's a mission coming up.
I can't delay an inquiry based on scuttlebutt.
Damn it! And you were a pilot! You know what flying the real thing means to me! I'm sorry.
Mace was right about you.
One of these days, somebody's gonna throw her overboard.
So I heard they recovered Angela's body.
Fisherman found it yesterday.
It's a damn shame.
She was a good kid.
She wasn't a kid.
You know, I saw Lieutenant Puller topside near the number three elevator the night that Angela went overboard.
She was kind of hiding in the shadows.
Hiding in the shadows or just getting a little air? It looked more like she was hiding to me.
You aren't saying this to get her in trouble, are you? You're damn right, I am.
That doesn't change her being there.
And why would Lieutenant Puller wanna kill Angela? I don't know.
Lovers' quarrel? What a bastard.
Doesn't mean he's lying.
You suspect Lieutenant Arutti was murdered, - but you don't have any proof? - Yes, sir.
If I ran the Seahawk the way you two run this investigation, I'd be skippering a submarine at Disneyland.
Well, what do you JAG lawyers propose to do next? Convene a board of inquiry to question certain officers under oath who may be able to shed light on Lieutenant Arutti's disappearance.
Which officers? Lieutenant Puller, Painter, Carter, and the CAG.
You think one of them threw her overboard.
I don't know, sir.
I do believe they'll be able to shed light on her disappearance.
Well, your board of inquiry is going to have to wait, Lieutenant.
- The scuttlebutt is true, sir? - It usually is.
Gather round, gentlemen.
- It's on? - It's on.
I've just received orders from CINC-Med Naples.
We're to launch an alpha strike at 1800.
- That will be all, Mr Rabb.
- Aye, aye, sir.
Our targets will be the 28 SAM sites around Sarajevo and their command control centre at Foca.
CAG, I'll need an ATARS run before you launch.
I wanna know what's down there.
- Yes, sir.
I'll do it myself.
- Very good, sir.
What's an alpha strike? - Everything that flies.
- So the Tomcats launch first.
Establish a CAP and fly escort.
Intruders go in low.
Smother them with snake eyes.
Hornets go high.
Nail anything that lights up.
This is the real thing, gentlemen, so good hunting.
We'd just finished an lmmelmann and then he did a snap turn Well, I lost it.
I mean, I didn't know which way was up, which - I puked my guts out.
- Was your cockpit hot? - Yeah.
Yeah, it was.
- He turned your heat up.
Little heat, couple of negative G's and Captain Midnight would have puked in that back seat.
Why is he so damn abusive? It's just his way of telling me that I don't belong up there.
He doesn't think anyone belongs up there except his chosen few.
He's right.
He's not right.
What gives him the right to decide who belongs up there and who doesn't? Twenty-five years and a thousand traps.
Yeah, well, that's okay.
Everything is fine because the good Ensign Roberts here has arranged for me to be filmed in the cockpit after the strike.
- On the deck, not in the air.
- No, on the deck.
It's okay.
Anywhere.
With Borini's camera angles, I'll come off looking like Tom Cruise.
Mr DePalma, are you ready for your second ride? I got an ATARS mission in 10 minutes.
I'm gonna tell you the truth, CAG.
I don't think I could ride an elevator without puking.
I'll take it.
Saddle up.
- You are just a passenger, mister.
- Understood.
If you're gonna puke, make sure you do it with the intercom off so I don't have to hear you.
Just don't turn the heat up in my cockpit, sir.
Hello, CAG.
- Ready to go, chief? - All ready, sir.
What's an ATARS mission? That's where we go in to acquire our last-minute recon photo of the target.
SAM-six is a mobile missile and we just want to make sure those babies are still where intelligence says they are.
You know, your old man's a legend in this squadron.
- I know.
- So's the CAG.
Good luck to you, sir! Don't even think about it, mister.
You ready, Lobo? Ready, CAG.
- CAG, are we on TAC-2? - Why? I have to radio Lieutenant Pike.
We're not on the beltway, mister.
We're on a mission.
We don't transmit till we're over the target.
You know, your dad and I were on a photo recon when he went down.
I know.
I read the mission debrief.
- How the hell did you get that? - Freedom of Information Act.
Lawyers.
One minute to target.
Go tactical.
Roger that.
Activating ATARS.
Here we go.
You with me, Lieutenant? To hell and back, sir.
Lobo.
Go high.
Radio Seahawk.
SAM sites are ringed with Shilkas.
Have them re-arm the Hornets with Rockeyes and let the intruders drop the heavy stuff.
Roger that.
Is that what it was like over Hanoi? When we go back through, they'll be ready for us.
That'll be like Hanoi.
Seahawk.
Lobo.
SAM sites protected by Shilkas.
Re-arm the Hornets with Rockeyes.
Keep the A-6s heavy.
Repeat.
Re-arm the Hornets with Rockeyes.
CAG's making a second run.
You got her.
You got her, Hammer.
Steady.
Steady.
Holding steady.
Right engine, right engine.
Right.
Pull off.
Circuit breaker's out.
Left throttle full! Go out, go out.
Come on, baby! Go out.
You painting them, Buster? Bearing 150 and heading this way.
At your 11.
Angels 10.
CAG's hit.
We've lost an engine.
I'm coming up.
It's like riding a jackhammer! I gotta slow down.
Stick with me.
Like a fly on pie.
I can see the CAG.
He's not moving! - How do I transmit ATARS? - You can't from the back seat.
Seahawk says they are receiving ATARS! Harm, Lobo.
The CAG's alive! He activated the ATARS transmitter.
I can't tell anything from back here.
He's not moving.
15 miles, Harm.
You've got to get ready.
You'd better run the checklist with me.
It's a long time since I trapped.
- You can't trap.
- I'm not punching out.
- You've got to.
- Once is enough.
Negative on the trap.
Once all birds are launched, we'll have you eject near the ship.
The CAG is unconscious.
He'd never survive an ejection.
How long since you've made a trap? Any trap? Five years and it was ramp strike.
I'm due a good one.
Well, the CAG'll have to take his chances in the water.
My radio's You're breaking up, Seahawk.
And I can't read you! - The skipper's on the horn, boss.
- Stand by, Harm.
- Yes, sir? - Let him trap.
Aye, aye, sir.
Bring it home, Harm.
Coming home.
I figure the only chance you've got is to follow me in.
I'll set you into the slot.
No offence, Lobo, but you've got the worst trap record on the ship.
It's better than yours.
I've been searching the ship for you, ma'am! Lieutenant Lubin wants you in crypto on the double! Why? I don't know.
He just said on the double! - I found her, sir.
- What's going on? I've got a call for you on the discreet channel.
Press the green button.
- Lieutenant Pike.
- Kate? - Harm, what's happening? - No time to explain.
Just listen.
Cassie is Lobo.
No, Angela was Lobo.
No, Angela was wearing Cassie's jacket when she went over the side.
In the rain and the dark, she was mistaken for Cassie.
- Ripper.
- Has to be.
Kate, he's gotta know we're gonna put this together and the last thing I need tonight is a wave-off.
You're flying? You really know how to build a guy's confidence, Kate.
I'll handle it.
- I'm counting on that.
- Harm? Do you have a pistol? A pistol? What do you need a pistol for? Never mind.
Just stick to my six.
Last delta strike's away.
Prepare deck for emergency landing.
Lobo.
Try to take the break.
Gear down.
Flaps down.
Automatic throttle engaged.
Hook down? Hook down.
- He hasn't made a trap in five years! - With luck, he'll take her with him! Lieutenant Carter! You are relieved of duty and confined to quarters pending the convening of a board of inquiry into Lieutenant Arutti's death.
- By whose orders? - Mine! Under Article 118 of the Uniform Code Of Military Justice.
Get this bitch off my platform before I throw her off! Sergeant! And it's Lieutenant Pike, not bitch.
Clear? I'm throttling back.
Looking for 150 knots.
How's he doing, Buster? I wouldn't ride with him.
And I ride with you.
Looking good, Harm.
- 116.
Tomcat.
Ball.
- Roger.
Ball.
It's all yours, Harm.
Good luck.
You're a little low.
A little low.
You are below the glide path.
Pick it up! Pick it up! Power! Power! Power! Haven't you people ever seen a night trap? He's breathing.
That makes one of us.
Wherever he is, your old man'd be proud of you, sir.
Sir.
Permission to enter, sir? Granted.
How are you feeling, sir? How would you feel with a cracked head? Skipper said you wanted to see me.
Look, before this gets embarrassing for both of us, you don't have to thank me.
Thank you for what? You're a naval aviator.
I damn well expected you to get us back.
Yes, sir.
I wanted to tell you something about your dad's last mission.
When Hammer went down I called the sandies and flew CAP till I was bingo fuel.
He was okay when I left but he was gone when the sandies got there five minutes later.
You were bingo fuel, sir.
You had to leave.
He was my friend.
I know, sir.
I caught tailwind on the way back.
I got to the Ti with 800 pounds of fuel in my tanks.
I could have stayed over Hammer another three, four minutes.
It might have made the difference.
A lot of things might have made a difference, sir.
He might have been luckier.
Or he might have never been there at all.
You have nothing to apologise for, CAG.
I didn't say I was apologising.
I made a judgement call.
I've had to live with that.
Your eyes are not a judgement call, son.
You have nothing to second-guess.
Thank you, sir.
Now get the hell out of here.
Go sue someone.
Aye, aye, sir.
The most unlikely hero of last night's highly successful naval air strike was Lieutenant Harmon Rabb, Jr Yes.
who saved Captain Thomas Boone's life when he safely landed this damaged Tomcat onto the deck of the Seahawk.
What is so unusual is that Lieutenant Rabb isn't even an active pilot in the Navy.
He's a member of the Judge Advocate General Corps.
He's a lawyer.
That was Chuck DePalma reporting Did you'd ever think you'd see the day when a lawyer was a hero in America, Teddy? No, sir.
I think you should take a look at this, Admiral.
It's from Lieutenant Rabb.
- So she was murdered.
- Yes, sir.
That's too bad.
Well, you can't have everything.
Excuse me, sir, but aren't you concerned about a Senate hearing? I mean, you said it could discredit our JAG investigation and ruin Lieutenant Rabb's career.
They wouldn't dare go after him now.
He's a hero.
Nope, if anybody goes from JAG, it'll be me.
Or you, Teddy.
It's been an honour serving with you, sir, ma'am.
- Thank you, Ensign.
- You're quite welcome.
Oh, God.
Here we go.
You're out of uniform, Harm.
I've got a board of inquiry in Naples in an hour, Mace.
That's not what I mean.
Thanks, Mace.
You sure you won't be needing me in Naples? Let's go, Kate.
- Right flap.
- Check.
- Left flap.
- Check.
This is humiliating, Harm.
Launching from the back seat.
Look at it this way, Cassie.
You'll land without a wave-off.
Here.
You know what they say about gold wings and a white uniform.
No-fly violators closing on us with possible hostile intent.
Angels 18, vector 080.
Two targets, CAG.
70 miles.
Closed rate 1,200 knots.
Looks like MIG 21s.
- Do you have them on video? - Negative.
How do you know they're Fishbeds? Educated guess, CAG.
Target size is small and previous Serb no-fly violators have been Fishbeds.
We don't guess in this man's Navy, Lieutenant Arutti.
No, sir! 50 miles.
Phoenix are fire-and-forget.
You can shoot them anytime, CAG.
- Did I request a Phoenix? - No, sir.
- Stand it down.
- But, sir! Is your intercom malfunctioning, Lieutenant? No, sir.
Phoenix standing down.
- We're being painted! - I have ears.
20 miles! Picking them up on video.
Two Fishbeds over the atolls, sir.
Combat spread.
I'll take them both.
Cover my six.
Roger that.
We're taking them on alone? You have a problem with that, Lieutenant? Nine miles! They've locked on! You ever been in a knife fight, Arutti? Missile inbound! Where's the other bogie? I lost him.
Bogie on your six, CAG.
How we doing, Lieutenant? Lieutenant, are you with me? To hell and back, sir.
To hell and back.
Gear down and locked.
Hook down.
135 on the glide path.
511, Tomcat and Ball.
Roger.
Ball.
Tomcat! 112! You're a mile and a quarter.
Tow the Ball! 135 on glide path.
Tomcat, 112.
Ball, 3.
6.
Congratulations, sir! - I take it the word is out.
- You bet! Chief, if I bagged a Klingon I believe you'd know what flag to paint on her.
Klingons are easy, sir.
Now, a Romulan warship, that might be a problem.
They're invisible.
- Yeah! - Tomcat! Congratulations on busting your cherry.
I'm sorry, ma'am.
It's just a term we use when you get your first kill.
I'm familiar with the term, Chief and I suggest you come up with something more appropriate for today's Navy.
Yes, ma'am.
Sir! Sir, may I have a word with you before debriefing? Do you want to know why I didn't use the Phoenix? Yes, sir.
What's a Phoenix missile cost, Lieutenant? A million dollars, sir.
You think a couple of camel jockeys are worth that kind of money? - Serbs don't ride camels, sir.
- They fly like they do.
Sir, that doesn't explain why we took them on alone.
I wanted to see if you had the guts for a knife fight.
And you don't.
That's not fair, sir.
Hell, I don't have to be fair, Lieutenant.
I'm the CAG.
Buster to Bravo.
Working party in the post office.
Way to smoke them, girl! Up close and personal! I didn't smoke them, Painter.
CAG did.
- Don't be giving the chauffeur credit! - Why not? He deserves it.
- Hey, hey Angela.
Are you okay? - Yeah, I'm okay.
Why wouldn't I be? You certainly don't seem like the person who just made the cover of Time magazine.
Time? I thought it was Playboy.
- Mace, you're such a jerk.
- See? That's more like it! You know what, pard? I think the lady wet her panties up there.
Angela? No way, man.
She's ice.
Yeah, ice melts when it gets hot.
50 miles.
Phoenix are fire-and-forget.
You can shoot them anytime, CAG.
Did I request a Phoenix? Stand it down.
But, sir! Is your intercom malfunctioning, Lieutenant? No, sir.
Phoenix standing down.
- We're being painted! - I have ears.
20 miles! Picking them up on video.
Two Fishbeds over the atolls, sir.
Combat spread.
I'll take them both.
Cover my six.
We're taking them on alone? You have a problem with that, Lieutenant? Nine miles! You ever been in a knife fight, Arutti? Missile inbound! You've got it! Come on, buddy! Come on! Come on! You've got it! Your turn, Ripper.
Come on, Rip.
Come on, Rip.
Come on, man.
- Ready? - That's it, guy! Come on, buddy! Press them, Rip! Let's go! Try, man.
Don't let her beat you! Don't let her! Come on, man! - Try! Try! - I can't.
Take it! Take it.
You disappoint me, pal! That's the third bottle of Jack you owe me this cruise.
How many is that, Rip? When are you gonna give up? Never.
Cassie may be ripped, but she still squats and no squatter's gonna out-press me.
- This one did.
- It's gotta be a trick.
Maybe she wanted it more than you did, Rip.
She's on 'roids, Keeter.
No way! They'd show up in her flight physical.
That's right.
So, you're saying the flight surgeon's looking the other way.
The Navy'd do anything to make these squatters look good.
There are limits, Rip.
No, there's not.
- Hey.
- Hey.
I just took Ripper for another bottle of Jack.
Why do you do it? You know he's only going to get you more wave-offs.
The scuttlebutt says a TV reporter's coming on the morning COD to interview you.
I don't want to be interviewed.
Everybody in Wheeling, West Virginia's gonna see you on the tube including that jerk of an ex-boyfriend.
I don't care about him.
My folks worry enough about me.
Let them interview CAG.
The press doesn't want to talk to the Ancient Mariner.
They want the female warrior who smoked two MIGs.
I didn't smoke them.
The Ancient Mariner did.
Damn it, Angela! I can't take credit for something I didn't do.
You didn't screw the pooch up there, did you? - No.
- What's the problem? I don't I don't want to be a blurb on the evening news.
Until today, the only female aviators the press were talking to, were getting their sixes grabbed at Tailhook.
We need blurbs like you.
- I wouldn't know what to say.
- Oh, hell.
That's easy.
So what's it like being a woman in combat? It's the same as being a man in combat.
Weren't you frightened? - I didn't have time to be frightened, sir.
- Damn near wet my pants.
- Wouldn't say that.
- It's the truth.
- I was so scared up there, Cassie.
- So? Every time I make a night trap, my heart's in my throat.
Fear can be useful.
It sharpens the senses.
It can give you an edge.
It gives me doubts.
Where are you going? - I gotta get some air.
- Just air? Damn it, Angela! Coming up on the starboard side! God! I need you tonight.
Fuel spill on deck.
922 is clear.
Move 184 to the 25, tie down, and clean it up.
Move 184 to the 25, tie down, and clean it up.
I'm gonna get her tomorrow, Keeter.
You're just gonna lose another bottle of Jack.
You wanna bet? What? Nothing.
No! From the NBC Studios in Burbank, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno! Featuring Kevin Eubanks and The Tonight Show band.
And now, Jay Leno! This just in, one of the Navy F- 14 Tomcats shot down a couple of Serbian MIGs over Bosnia this afternoon.
Listen to this, the radar intercept officer in the Tomcat was a woman! Boy, you thought getting shot down by a woman in a bar was bad! My God! You watching this, Teddy? - Yes, sir.
- Lf Admiral Drake were smart, he'd make this RIO more famous than Amelia Earhart.
She's missing, sir.
Did anybody tell FDR? Sir? That Amelia Earhart was missing? No, sir.
She's not missing.
I guess she is missing, sir, but that's not who I'm referring to.
I meant Lieutenant Arutti.
Who's Lieutenant Arutti? The female RIO that Jay Leno's talking about, sir.
She disappeared at sea last night.
Think we can lay this off on NIS? Not after reading this, sir.
It just came in from CINC-Med.
Damn! Who's available? Captain Morton is our senior officer in Naples, sir.
He can be on the Seahawk within the hour.
Yeah, and in a spitting contest with the ship's captain 10 minutes later.
No, I want a junior officer so that the Seahawk's skipper isn't intimidated by the investigation.
You're sure you want to trust this to a junior officer, sir? You wanna take it, Teddy? I think my current duties would preclude an immediate departure, sir.
You have the survival instincts of a politician, Teddy.
Where's Lieutenant Rabb? Probably at the French Embassy, sir.
It's Bastille Day.
Most of our people attend that party.
Well, I want him on a jet to Naples in 30 minutes.
Aye, aye, sir.
- Make that 20 minutes.
- Yes, sir! - And, Teddy? - Sir? - Send a female JG with him.
- A female, sir? Yes.
I want a woman on the team in case we have to face the press.
- And, Teddy? - Sir? - Make sure she's easy on the eyes.
- Yes, sir.
Another thing about that female aviator, now, this has got to be very embarrassing, to Bill Clinton and Dan Quayle.
Now women their daughters' age have more combat experience than they do.
There she is! My first time on a carrier! You, too? The men of the Ti offer a big welcome aboard to their family and friends on this 4th of July! Here you go, Harm! Yeah! Some day, son, a stick and throttle like that'll take you to the moon.
Watch your step, ma'am.
Thank you.
- Welcome to the carrier, ma'am.
- Thank you.
Lieutenant Rabb! Ensign Bud Roberts, Public Affairs Officer.
Skipper assigned me to be your escort onboard the Seahawk, sir.
- Something wrong, Ensign? - No, sir! Skipper's requested that you report immediately to the navigations bridge.
So if you could stick to my six That's what pilots call their tail, I'll lead the way.
- You a pilot, Ensign? - No, ma'am.
It's just that everybody uses pilot jargon on a carrier.
Bolter! What happened? He didn't trap, touched down long, missed all four wires.
I didn't know Lieutenant Rabb served on a carrier, ma'am.
Neither did I.
That bolter's Lieutenant Arutti's roommate, CAG.
Are you sure she should be flying today? If Puller was a man, would you give him a day off to get it together? Yes, sir.
One moment.
CAG, skipper's on the horn for you, sir.
- Skipper? - Damn, CAG.
He looks like Hammer.
Yeah.
Too bad he couldn't fly like him.
I thought it was a night vision problem.
So they say, Skipper.
Excuse me, sir.
Since you know your way around, I'll be waiting for you in the officer's wardroom.
I also have to baby-sit the press today.
Not that I was saying that I was baby-sitting you, sir.
- There's a reporter onboard? - Yes, sir.
And a cameraman.
They came to interview Lieutenant Arutti before we knew she was missing.
Skipper ordered me to sit on them until he decides what to do.
- When did they arrive? - On the morning COD.
Excuse me, sir, the skipper wants you on the bridge! Ma'am? Hey Borini! Borini! Wake up! The Good Humour Man is here.
And he's got a good humour lady with him.
Excuse me, sir.
Do you have any chocolate chip? Or rocky road.
Ensign, you think you could rustle up some ice cream? Sir.
Yes, sir.
Did you check out their insignias, Borini? - I haven't gotten that high.
- They're JAG officers.
Now what would a pair of naval lawyers in dress whites be doing on a carrier in the middle of the Med? Whatever it is, I'll tape it.
Don't I know you? We met about 15 years ago in Bangkok, sir.
You God! Harm, right? Harmon Rabb, Jr.
Golly! His old man is an MIA.
At 16, he sneaked into North Vietnam to look for him.
- That was a very gutsy move.
- A very futile one, sir.
That doesn't make it any less gutsy.
We only have strawberry, sir.
Ensign, why don't you and Lieutenant Pike escort Mr Borini to the flight deck? - I'm sure he'd love to shoot some b-roll.
- Yes, sir.
I'll pick you up on the way to report.
Attention, attention.
Re-enlistment ceremony for HMC Caleb will be held on the fantail at 1600 hours.
You grew up.
It happens.
I thought you'd be wearing wings like your old man.
- Want some of this? - No, thanks.
So they hustle you out here from Naples? - From Washington.
- Without a chance to change uniforms? The Navy must have a big problem here.
Why do I feel like we're about to negotiate something? We need you to sit on a story for a while.
I knew it! Admiral Drake.
He's so hard up for good press, he jumped the gun, right? That female RIO didn't bag those MIGs, did she? I don't know.
Come on, Harm.
You know, I'm ex-special forces.
I like the military.
I'm not gonna cover it like The Navy Times but I'll put a fair slant on it.
- She's missing.
- Did her plane go down? No.
She disappeared sometime last night.
I can't.
I can't sit on that.
- I'll give you an exclusive.
- I'm the only reporter out here, pal.
I already got an exclusive.
All you have is that she's missing.
You flash that to the world and the press that doesn't share your affection for the military will have a field day speculating why.
- I need time.
- Time to cover up what happened? Time to find out what happened.
I'll tell you what.
You get me a ride over Bosnia and I won't file for 12 Hours.
Twenty-four.
Well, see, now, that's gonna cost you two rides and an exclusive.
I thought you had an exclusive.
You Lieutenant Richardson, your presence is requested to CIC.
Hey, brother.
You want some ice cream? It's good.
No.
Sorry.
166 Tomcat.
Ball.
3.
1.
Roger.
Ball! Let's see if she traps this time.
Lieutenants Rabb and Pike reporting as ordered, sir.
Evidently, Lieutenant Rabb, you believe eating ice cream has priority over reporting to the commanding officer.
No, sir! Then you better explain your actions, mister.
I was on my way to report when I learned a news crew was onboard and being held incommunicado.
By my orders.
Until I know why Lieutenant Arutti's missing, no damn reporter's going to speculate about it on TV.
I concur, sir.
That's why I was having ice cream with Mr DePalma.
He's agreed to sit on the story for 24 hours.
It must have been great ice cream.
It was, sir.
But he wouldn't agree to anything until I promised him a pair of rides over Bosnia.
On my six, mister.
If you'll excuse us, gentlemen.
- Aye, aye, sir.
- Aye, aye, sir.
Now, you promised what? Sir, if Mr DePalma doesn't contact his bureau desk soon, they'll want to know why.
We can't deny he's onboard, sir.
- I can deny any damn thing I want.
- Yes, sir! - Damn captain's privilege.
- Yes, sir.
At ease.
CAG? My boys aren't here to fly tourists, Skipper.
Well, I guess you made a promise you can't keep, Lieutenant.
It's in the Navy's interest to keep it, sir.
That may be, but I'm not going to overrule the CAG especially when I agree with him.
With all due respect, sir, I'm in charge of a possible murder investigation which gives me the latitude to authorise those rides.
Those are my men and my machines, Lieutenant and no damn JAG lawyer's gonna tell me what to do with them.
- Understood? - Yes, sir.
And I respectfully disagree.
That's enough.
We'll discuss the parameters of your authority in a minute.
You mentioned a murder investigation.
You know something I don't, Lieutenant? CINC-Med in Naples received an encrypted message from the Seahawk at 0500 this morning.
It contained just three words.
"She was murdered.
" You have whoever sent that message to CINC-Med on my quarterdeck by sunset, Mr Lubin, or you'll spend the rest of your tour sending semaphore to Eskimos.
That message could have been sent from crypto, a STU-lll or one of the aircraft.
It won't be traceable, sir.
"Won't" isn't in my language, Lieutenant.
If Lieutenant Arutti was murdered, I'll catapult whoever did it off the deck at high noon in front of the ship's company.
Yes, sir.
Your investigation will be given full cooperation but let me warn the two of you.
This is a ship of war, engaged in an action that will most certainly grow in intensity.
I will not have you interfere with the ability of this ship and its crew to carry out that mission.
Understood, sir.
Dismissed.
Aye, aye, sir! Lieutenant Rabb? Yes, sir.
How's your mother? She's fine, sir.
She opened an art gallery in La Jolla a few years ago.
She still married to the used car salesman? Yes, sir.
You give her my regards the next time you speak to her.
I'll do that, Skipper.
Thank you.
I thought you said that your stepfather was a senior V.
P.
At Chrysler.
He is.
Still think Lieutenant Arutti committed suicide? Yes, sir.
Either way, Washington's going to be on my six.
But it's not your fault, Skipper.
And maybe this will force Washington to realise that a battle carrier's no place for women.
CAG, for the sake of your career, keep those opinions to yourself.
We didn't have a chance to grab a toothbrush.
Do you think you could scare us up a change of uniform? I'll be able to find something for you, sir.
I'm not so sure about Lieutenant Pike.
Lieutenant Arutti was about your size, ma'am.
You're not suggesting I wear a dead officer's uniform? No.
No, no.
Of course not.
But hers are the only ones that would fit, ma'am.
- Look elsewhere.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Where's female officer country? - 03 level, after the wardroom.
So, Lieutenant Arutti was amply endowed? Yes, sir.
Very.
- She turned a few heads, then, did she? - They all do, sir.
She turn anyone's head in particular? Navy regs do not permit fraternisation, ma'am.
Men and women at sea together for six months and the regs don't get bent a little? Not that I'm aware of, sir.
Excuse me.
Male personnel on deck! You have to loudly announce yourself and then wait 30 seconds before entering.
Does that include me? Alpha, B-21 Alpha.
Lieutenant Puller's flying, but I like to knock anyway.
- I guess they bunk the RIO's together.
- No, no, no.
Lieutenant Puller's a pilot.
She flies Tomcats.
- Computer.
- Yep.
Ensign, why don't you go see about those uniforms? Yes, sir.
Sir, you know, I could Anything? Windows 95.
Most of the more sophisticated bells and whistles.
Here we go.
There's two personal codes.
She must share the computer with her roommate.
I wonder which one of these is Lieutenant Arutti's? Mom, dad, and little sister.
- How do you know? - I just do.
- Can you get in? - Of course.
Can you? - She sleeps on the bottom.
- Top.
- Wanna bet on who gets in first? - But you've got a head start.
What a man! Thank you, but you still have a head start.
You wanna bet or whine? Bet.
I'm in! What the hell is this? JAG investigation into your shipmate's disappearance.
I'm Lieutenant Rabb.
This is Lieutenant Pike.
That gives you the right to break into my lockbox? Sorry, Lieutenant.
I thought it was Lieutenant Arutti's.
What did you do? Flip a coin or did you go "Eenie meenie miney moe"? - Is that my programme? - No.
It's Lieutenant Arutti's.
- How'd you get her password? - I didn't.
I just came off a long mission.
I need to go and work out.
I'll wait outside.
Why? Never seen a naked sailor before? Birth control pills.
They regulated her period.
That's what Angela said they were for, and I believed her.
Tape recorder.
Yeah.
She taped her mission and she studied it later.
She was very dedicated.
There's nothing on this.
I guess she erased it when she was done.
Look, I got a CAP to fly at 0400.
When I get back, I want you two gone.
I gotta get some rack time.
I'm gonna need to interview you at some point.
Angela was a good RIO.
A good shipmate.
That's all I know.
You know she taped her missions.
You know she took birth control pills to regulate her period.
I'm sure there's a few other things you know, too.
Stay out of my lockbox.
Stay out of my programme.
Did you see the muscles on her? I wasn't looking at her muscles.
Anything? Educational and flight programs, a few games, and one letter to mom, dad, and little sister.
You don't see anything odd? No.
That's the first letter home from a sailor on a six-month cruise that doesn't mention being lonely.
Women don't get as lonely as men.
I wonder why.
Not all women in the Navy feel the way you do about having a lover.
Thank God! Okay.
It's possible Lieutenant Arutti had a lover.
Or two.
- Now she's a slut? - No! But with 5,000 men and only a handful of women on this ship, a love triangle wouldn't surprise me.
A love quadrangle wouldn't surprise you.
Why are you so adversarial, Kate? We're supposed to be on the same team.
Sorry.
I've just worked more cases against you than with you.
Believe me, it's more fun to be on the winning side.
We're on the same case! Sir? Ma'am? I've arranged quarters for you.
Great.
What about uniforms? I'm still working on that.
But I can take your covers and purse.
- Thank you, Ensign.
- Thank you.
I'll put these in your quarters.
God.
You here for a cocktail party, Harm? Lieutenant Pike, Lieutenant Mace.
My RIO Painter.
So, you're a JAG lawyer now.
That's right.
Here to investigate Lieutenant Arutti's disappearance? Right again.
That's one way to serve on a carrier.
You two a team? Not usually.
But CINC-Med needed a couple of JAG officers out here fast.
- They stuck us together.
- Is it a match made in heaven? We're working on it.
- Any idea who murdered Angela? - Who said she was murdered? Scuttlebutt.
She couldn't have fallen overboard or committed suicide? Angela wouldn't do that.
- Fall overboard or commit suicide? - She wasn't accident-prone, all right? And she wasn't depressed.
If she went over the side, she was pushed.
We have a briefing.
Was he in love with her? She and Painter were pretty tight in RIO School but she's been an ice queen to everyone on this cruise.
Even me.
- I take it that's unusual.
- Very.
Any idea who started this murder scuttlebutt? Don't ask me, Harm.
You're the JAG investigator.
Hell, I'm just a guy with gold wings and an F-14 to play with.
Listen why don't you come up to the flight deck in about an hour and I'll show you how night traps are supposed to be done? - He doesn't like you! - We're not here to be liked, Kate.
He likes me.
It's you he's got a problem with.
Where do you know him from? - We served together a while back.
- Harm, were you a pilot? I think Lieutenant Painter sent that message to CINC-Med.
You didn't answer my question.
That's because it's none of your business, Kate.
Okay, Harm.
It's pizza night and my stomach's growling.
What say we trap this time? I kind of like going around in the moonlight.
What moonlight? It's blacker than the inside of a coal miner's nose out here.
Tomcat 173.
You're at a mile and a quarter.
Call the Ball.
Bend left, Harm.
Roger.
Ball.
Below the glide path, Harm.
- I'm on the glide path.
- You're a little low.
You're a little low! Power! Power! Power! What is it, Teddy? - You're wanted at the White House, sir.
- The White House? They say why? No, sir.
But a flash just came through that the Serbs downed one of our C-130s over Sarajevo.
What's the President want me to do? Sue them? It's that Seahawk incident.
If that missing RIO was a male, it wouldn't have gotten beyond his group commander.
But you lose a woman at sea, and they call me to the White House.
- Anything new from Lieutenant Rabb? - Not much, sir.
He still doesn't know whether it was an accident, murder, or suicide.
- I don't want to hear suicide or murder.
- No, sir.
Unless he has insurmountable proof to the contrary, I want a finding of accidental death.
Lieutenant Rabb understands that, doesn't he? Yes, sir.
I made it quite clear.
- Did the reporter break the story? - Not yet, sir.
I wonder what that cost us.
I don't know, sir.
But if you wish, I could contact the Lieutenant and ask him what he No, no.
What I don't know, I don't have to testify to on the hill.
You think there'll be a Senate investigation, sir? Well, if the finding is suicide, the feminists are gonna want a hearing.
And if it's murder, the anti-feminists are gonna want one.
So, unless Lieutenant Arutti fell overboard accidentally, one of those is gonna wanna attack the credibility of our investigation.
Don't worry, Teddy.
Junior officers get thrown to the sharks first.
And Lieutenant Rabb is the one who's sailing into harm's way.
Yes, sir.
Harm's way? Lieutenant Rabb's first name is Harm.
Oh! Oh, yes, sir.
You need a sense of humour, Teddy.
Otherwise people are gonna think you're a lawyer.
I am a lawyer, sir.
It was in the bottom of the safety net between the tower and the number three elevator, sir.
Wouldn't you have to hang over the deck to see into the bottom of that net, Chief? Yes, sir.
See, I was checking the tie-downs on my bird before hitting the rack, and when I was done, I laid on the edge of the deck to watch the bow wave.
That's how I spotted the cap in the bottom of the net.
Thank you, Chief.
That'll be all.
Sir, I just want to add that Lieutenant Arutti was a real nice girl, Skipper.
And I'm gonna miss her.
He's used to losing men in action, not a woman to suicide.
How do you know it was suicide, sir? You don't stroll off a flight deck, Lieutenant.
Even at night.
Too many safety nets.
You have to jump.
Or be thrown off.
No member of this crew threw a woman overboard, Lieutenant.
With all due respect to your opinion, sir, there are over 5,000 men onboard.
- She committed suicide.
- Was she depressed, sir? I'm not a damn shrink, Lieutenant.
She was your RIO.
And an officer under your command, sir.
Surely you must have an opinion as to her mental state.
Whatever that is, Lieutenant, I do not intend to discuss it on an open bridge.
Then, where and when, sir? At my damn convenience and wherever I damn well please! Sir, we have to recommend to a board of inquiry what we feel Lieutenant Pike the CAG has said he will be interviewed at his convenience.
Yes, sir.
By your leave, sir.
- We have to talk.
- We do? - You're damn right we do.
- "Sir.
" "Damn right we do, sir.
" I found some uniforms, but I can't vouch for the fit, ma'am.
They're not Lieutenant Arutti's? No.
Lieutenant Puller gave you one of hers.
- She did? - Surprised me, too.
She says her uniform will fit.
I guess it's because of how tall you are and how big her chest If you just stick to my six, I'll lead you to your quarters.
Not a word! - So, you found her cap? - How'd you know? I'm a reporter, remember? That's my job.
Yeah.
They found it in a net Yeah, I know.
Near the number three elevator.
So, it looks like suicide, then.
- No.
- No? No.
That's a very emphatic negative, Lieutenant Pike.
- Do you know something I don't know? - I don't believe it was suicide.
And you have anything to base that on? I mean, other than gender identification? I'm being targeted.
So, I fly in the morning, right? Right.
Because if I don't, my story will.
- Sir? - Ensign.
I also picked up a shaving kit for you at the ship's store, sir.
Thank you, Ensign.
As far as your personal toiletries, ma'am, I wasn't quite sure what you wanted, so if you'd make me a list, I'd be happy to That won't be necessary.
Now, if you'll excuse us.
- Ma'am, you're in female berthing.
- I remember the way.
- Ma'am, it's a very big, big ship.
- I'm a big, big girl.
I am 27 years old, a Harvard Law School graduate and a lieutenant in the same Navy as you! Don't treat me as anything less! The CAG was about to send a Sidewinder up your six.
I can defend myself.
Ticking him off is not gonna help our investigation.
- Oh, is that strictly your prerogative? - I know the guy, Kate.
I know when to push and when to walk away.
- This was a time to walk away.
- How do you know the CAG? He was my dad's wingman the day he went down.
You know, Kate, maybe DePalma's right.
Your gender is blinding your objectivity.
At this point in the investigation, the CAG's suicide theory is as plausible as murder.
You'd realise that if Lieutenant Arutti wasn't female.
And if she was male, would the CAG be talking suicide? He knows damn well that if the first female in combat commits suicide, the Navy will re-evaluate the entire programme.
Okay, you're both pursuing theories based on gender bias.
- And you're not? - No.
I like the idea of going to sea with women.
Those wings look good on you.
Well, you know what they say about gold wings and dress whites.
They'll get you in bed anywhere.
Except here.
I heard they dragged you over here.
- You didn't send for me, Admiral? - Not me.
I'm here to sell the President on the idea of an alpha strike as payback for that C-130 the Serbs knocked down.
An alpha strike? Who was on that bird? A M.
A.
S.
H unit on a humanitarian mission.
- We lost 50 medical people.
- Oh, my God! The UN's authorised us to hit their SAM missile sites.
Now, Wayne's trying to weasel a special forces raid and Freaky's over there begging for an Air Force strike.
But the secretary likes my idea of an all-Navy operation from the sea.
- Great press for the Navy, admiral.
- Yeah.
If that missing female officer aboard the Seahawk doesn't ruin it.
My people are on that, sir.
You know, Admiral, there's a news crew on the Seahawk that my investigating officer is sitting on.
Now, if you should get the go on alpha strike, you might consider letting them cover it for you.
I mean, it could dilute any negatives that this missing female officer created.
Gentlemen, the President will see you in the war room.
Good idea, Al.
Do it! - Good luck, sir.
- You, too, Al.
Who the hell sent for us? - Admiral Brovo? - Yes, ma'am.
This way, sir.
The first lady is anxious to hear about your Seahawk investigation.
166.
Tomcat.
Ball.
4.
8.
Roger.
Ball.
Below glide path.
166, do you still have the Ball? 166.
Roger.
Ball.
You just had to out-press him, didn't you? - He can't wave us off forever.
- That's true.
We'll be out of fuel soon.
Considering the conditions, she's doing pretty well! This bitch couldn't fly a weather balloon.
Not this time, Ripper.
The deck was rising and her approach was low.
I had no other choice but to wave her off, sir.
Keeter? - She was a little low, sir.
- I made the trap, sir.
You caught the number one wire which means your tail cleared the ramp by three feet.
Sir, I was bingo fuel.
I knew I could make it.
Well, hell, Lieutenant, why have LSOs at all? We may as well save the Navy the money.
Put these men back in the cockpit where they'd rather be anyway.
Lieutenant, you have the worst trap record on this ship.
I'm not sure you could land a Tomcat at Dulles without a wave-off.
Yes, sir! If you ever ignore an LSO again, your next flight will be a one-way trip on the COD to Naples.
- Yes, sir.
- Dismissed.
Ripper? You don't like female pilots, do you, son? - No, sir.
I do not.
- Neither do I.
Don't believe they have the stomach for battle.
You got that right, CAG.
But if one of my LSO's ever intentionally waved a pilot off because she was a female, I'd keelhaul him.
Do we understand each other, mister? Yes, sir.
Dismissed.
Sir, I'd like to ask you a few questions.
- Where'd you get the flight suit? - Ensign Roberts.
I'd like to talk to you about Lieutenant Arutti.
I have a mission to fly.
CAG.
How did Lieutenant Arutti perform on that last mission? - It's all in the debrief.
- I've read it.
It describes the action.
Doesn't tell me much about her performance.
- I have nothing to say beyond my report.
- First time in combat can be confusing.
Now how would you know that, Lieutenant? My father told me.
You were five years old when Hammer went down.
He sent my mom 18 letter tapes home from Nam.
I've listened to them 100 times.
Your early reports, CAG.
Lieutenant Arutti made tapes, too.
Is that how you get your kicks, Lieutenant? Listening to her private tapes? They weren't letters home, sir.
She taped her missions.
- You have a tape of our mission? - No, sir.
She erased it.
Well, that's too bad.
It could have saved me this inquisition.
- Attention on deck! - Carry on, men.
You sure you're up to this, Mr DePalma? No problem, Captain.
The Air Force gave me a ride in an F-16.
I did just fine.
Lieutenant Mace, when Mr DePalma's ready you take him topside and familiarise him with the cockpit and ejection procedures.
Aye, aye, sir.
Mr DePalma, we will be flying a Tomcat that has been modified for recon and training missions.
There's a complete set of controls in your cockpit but if you touch anything other than your personal joystick, I'll eject you over the Adriatic and forget where I did it.
Yes, sir.
You want a ride, Harm? You don't seem too popular, Lieutenant.
Your debrief says you took one MIG with a Sidewinder - and the other with 20 mike-mike.
- That's right.
- You had Phoenix missiles.
- Right again.
Why risk a $35 million bird in a knife fight if you don't have to? I didn't view it as a risk.
Are we through, Lieutenant? No, sir.
Just one last question.
Were you testing her guts or yours? Because of your old man, I didn't hear that.
But if you would care to repeat it Lieutenant Rabb.
Lieutenant Rabb.
Your presence is requested in crypto on the 02 Level.
Lieutenant Rabb to crypto.
What's up? - Proof.
- Proof of what? - Lieutenant Rabb, Lieutenant Lubin.
- So you're Rabb.
Zane and I graduated from the Academy together.
Yeah.
I never would have made it through without her.
CPO Williams, proceed to the mess hall.
I helped him get through calculus.
Sure hope I don't get my six keelhauled for this.
- Sure you know how to work this thing? - Thanks, Zane.
I'll collect later.
- Collect what? - Listen.
Two targets, CAG.
70 miles.
This was erased.
But not recorded over.
Zane helped me restore it.
Do you have them on video? no-fly violators have been Fishbeds.
We don't guess in this man's Navy.
Did I request a Phoenix? Stand it down.
We're taking them on alone? You have a problem with that, Lieutenant? I lost him.
Lieutenant, are you with me? To hell and back, sir.
He was busting her butt, Harm.
She was questioning his decisions, Kate.
Maybe her questions were valid.
Like the ones I ask you.
That's okay in an investigation, not in combat.
She was hesitant.
Shaky.
Scared.
So? She was scared.
It was her first time in combat.
Why shouldn't she be scared? Hello? Are you receiving me? She probably wanted this since she was a kid.
Put her entire life into becoming a Naval aviator.
Then on her first combat mission she finds she doesn't have the right stuff.
- According to the CAG.
- Well, who better to know? So a few harsh words and she commits suicide? - People have done it for less.
- You mean women, don't you? - Come on, Kate.
I'm not a chauvinist.
- Yes, you are.
You just don't know it.
Harm, if you write this up as a suicide, I'll submit a dissenting position.
You can't.
We're not a board of inquiry.
We're a two-man team, and the senior member writes the finding.
Two-man? - Okay, Kate.
So I'm a little chauvinistic.
- Yeah.
I thought you'd find that charming.
- Not in an investigation.
- Look.
I'm like a hung jury.
I need something solid to swing me one way or the other.
Okay.
Zane believes that message to CINC-Med was sent from one of the aircraft.
I checked the logs and guess who was flying when CINC-Pac received it? - Mace and Painter.
- Right! That doesn't prove she was murdered.
Lieutenant Painter was in love with her.
He wouldn't want her death to look like suicide any more than Lieutenant Puller who could have also sent that message from a STU-lll.
Zane didn't think it originated from a STU-lll.
When did Zane join our investigation? I'm looking for answers.
What else did Zane, who's going to collect later, tell you? He said he knew a secure area in the fantail where he and I could do it.
The metre reads 30,000 feet.
Not a foot above or a foot below.
This pilot is very precise.
Seahawk, CAG.
Feet dry.
The CAG has just called feet dry meaning we've crossed the Dalmatian Coast and are entering the no-fly zone.
- Mr DePalma, how are you doing? - Fine! Just fine.
Is it hot in here? I mean, I'm a little hot, but other than that I'm just fine.
Thanks.
I'm afraid you're in for a dull time.
AWACS says it doesn't look like the Serbs wanna play today.
That's too bad.
I I was really looking forward to a dogfight.
How about if I simulate what happened last time? Yeah.
That would be great! I mean, really! Combat spread.
Cover my six.
Roger that.
- Harness locked? - Yes.
Right.
Locked.
At five miles, we pick up their missile inbound.
I release chaff and break hard right.
To the left burner.
9 G turn.
Right here I'm starting to red out.
I'm on his six.
Whoever breaks first goes straight to hell.
Now I'm on his six.
I'm on his six.
Now steady.
Now steady.
We got a lock.
And missile away! 100% oxygen usually works.
She had fresh abrasions on the tips of her fingers which would be consistent with slipping and hanging from the edge of a deck until she fell.
An accidental death? I found nothing during the autopsy to indicate otherwise.
Lieutenant Arutti suffered a pelvic fracture and ruptured spleen which are impact traumas consistent with high falls.
And the cause of death was a wet drowning.
- There are dry drownings, sir? - Occasionally.
The victim suffers a sudden laryngospasm caused by water in the throat.
But this victim died by aspirating large volumes of sea water into her lungs.
Spleen injury might have been fatal if not immediately treated.
So it contributed to her death? In so far as it inhibited her ability to swim.
She probably sank, held her breath as long as possible, then, fighting for air, swallowed sea water till her respiration stopped.
You have her personal effects? One boot was missing.
There were no rings, bracelets, or wallet.
Just dog tags, panties, her flight suit and this jacket.
Is there anything else you can tell me, Commander? Just that she suffered a slow, agonising death.
It wasn't this windy below! We turn into the wind to launch, ma'am.
- Intruders? - Yes, ma'am.
Painter, what's Lieutenant Mace got against my partner? He thinks Lieutenant Rabb screwed the pooch on a night trap.
Got his RIO killed.
Did he screw the pooch? Board of inquiry didn't think so.
They said he had an eye infection, impaired his night vision.
RIO panicked.
Punched them both out over the ramp.
But, as Mace says, the RIO wasn't around to tell it any different.
But Mace has prejudice.
The RIO was his brother.
You're a lawyer, right, Lieutenant? If I tell you something, will it stay between us? I'm not your lawyer.
I'm the Navy's.
If you have something to tell me about Lieutenant Arutti, it won't be privileged but I'll do what I can to keep it confidential.
Angela wrote a letter of resignation after her last mission.
She felt she didn't have the guts for combat.
- She resigned her commission? - No, ma'am.
I talked her out of it.
Hell, we all get scared up there at times.
It's just that guys, they hide it.
That's why I know she didn't commit suicide.
Angela wasn't gonna quit.
She was going back to her quarters to erase that letter from her computer.
Back from where? From the COD.
At night it's tied down aft of number three elevator.
We used to go there to be alone.
You were her lover? No, ma'am.
I was her husband.
Angela and Painter were married? The Navy would never allow them to serve on the same ship so they kept their marriage secret.
But there was no letter of resignation in her computer! Yes, there was.
I missed it the first time because she'd deleted it after talking to Painter.
- The first time? - Deleting erases the files Deleting erases the files so that it can't be accessed but the data stays in the memory bank until it's written over.
It took me some time, but I dug it out.
You are never going to use my computer again.
Angela changed her mind about quitting.
Now, you don't do that and then commit suicide.
I agree.
- Here are the uniforms you wanted.
- You agree she didn't commit suicide? The autopsy revealed abrasions on her fingertips.
Looks like she slipped, grabbed the edge of the deck as she went over.
I think we've got an accidental death here, Kate.
Unless she was pushed.
- By who? - Whom.
- The CAG.
- Kate! Lieutenant Rabb? Sir? Just hear me out.
He doesn't want women playing with his toys, right? So he sets Angela up to screw the pooch.
- Which she did.
- Whether she did or didn't, it still filled her with enough doubt to resign.
But Painter changed her mind.
She deleted that letter and decided to stick it out.
When the CAG realised she wasn't going to resign, he threw her overboard, hoping it would look like suicide.
No, wait a minute.
When did Angela delete the letter? After she left Painter at the COD.
She never made it back to her quarters.
She went overboard.
So who deleted the letter? Harm? Next time you wave me off for no reason, it'll be your last! What was that about? Ripper's been giving me unnecessary wave-offs.
He won't do it again.
You're a tough lady, Lieutenant.
Do just about anything to prove women belong out here.
Yeah, just about.
Maybe even toss one overboard to have a dead hero instead of a live quitter.
Angela wasn't a quitter.
We know she wrote a letter of resignation.
- I deleted it.
- I recovered it.
- And you think I threw her overboard? - You're strong enough.
If I was bent like that, there's a couple guys who would have went overboard a long time ago.
I'm convening a board of inquiry in Naples at 1300 tomorrow.
You'll have to be there.
I didn't murder Angela, so I'm not afraid to face a board of inquiry.
It's gonna have to wait.
Scuttlebutt is there's a mission coming up.
I can't delay an inquiry based on scuttlebutt.
Damn it! And you were a pilot! You know what flying the real thing means to me! I'm sorry.
Mace was right about you.
One of these days, somebody's gonna throw her overboard.
So I heard they recovered Angela's body.
Fisherman found it yesterday.
It's a damn shame.
She was a good kid.
She wasn't a kid.
You know, I saw Lieutenant Puller topside near the number three elevator the night that Angela went overboard.
She was kind of hiding in the shadows.
Hiding in the shadows or just getting a little air? It looked more like she was hiding to me.
You aren't saying this to get her in trouble, are you? You're damn right, I am.
That doesn't change her being there.
And why would Lieutenant Puller wanna kill Angela? I don't know.
Lovers' quarrel? What a bastard.
Doesn't mean he's lying.
You suspect Lieutenant Arutti was murdered, - but you don't have any proof? - Yes, sir.
If I ran the Seahawk the way you two run this investigation, I'd be skippering a submarine at Disneyland.
Well, what do you JAG lawyers propose to do next? Convene a board of inquiry to question certain officers under oath who may be able to shed light on Lieutenant Arutti's disappearance.
Which officers? Lieutenant Puller, Painter, Carter, and the CAG.
You think one of them threw her overboard.
I don't know, sir.
I do believe they'll be able to shed light on her disappearance.
Well, your board of inquiry is going to have to wait, Lieutenant.
- The scuttlebutt is true, sir? - It usually is.
Gather round, gentlemen.
- It's on? - It's on.
I've just received orders from CINC-Med Naples.
We're to launch an alpha strike at 1800.
- That will be all, Mr Rabb.
- Aye, aye, sir.
Our targets will be the 28 SAM sites around Sarajevo and their command control centre at Foca.
CAG, I'll need an ATARS run before you launch.
I wanna know what's down there.
- Yes, sir.
I'll do it myself.
- Very good, sir.
What's an alpha strike? - Everything that flies.
- So the Tomcats launch first.
Establish a CAP and fly escort.
Intruders go in low.
Smother them with snake eyes.
Hornets go high.
Nail anything that lights up.
This is the real thing, gentlemen, so good hunting.
We'd just finished an lmmelmann and then he did a snap turn Well, I lost it.
I mean, I didn't know which way was up, which - I puked my guts out.
- Was your cockpit hot? - Yeah.
Yeah, it was.
- He turned your heat up.
Little heat, couple of negative G's and Captain Midnight would have puked in that back seat.
Why is he so damn abusive? It's just his way of telling me that I don't belong up there.
He doesn't think anyone belongs up there except his chosen few.
He's right.
He's not right.
What gives him the right to decide who belongs up there and who doesn't? Twenty-five years and a thousand traps.
Yeah, well, that's okay.
Everything is fine because the good Ensign Roberts here has arranged for me to be filmed in the cockpit after the strike.
- On the deck, not in the air.
- No, on the deck.
It's okay.
Anywhere.
With Borini's camera angles, I'll come off looking like Tom Cruise.
Mr DePalma, are you ready for your second ride? I got an ATARS mission in 10 minutes.
I'm gonna tell you the truth, CAG.
I don't think I could ride an elevator without puking.
I'll take it.
Saddle up.
- You are just a passenger, mister.
- Understood.
If you're gonna puke, make sure you do it with the intercom off so I don't have to hear you.
Just don't turn the heat up in my cockpit, sir.
Hello, CAG.
- Ready to go, chief? - All ready, sir.
What's an ATARS mission? That's where we go in to acquire our last-minute recon photo of the target.
SAM-six is a mobile missile and we just want to make sure those babies are still where intelligence says they are.
You know, your old man's a legend in this squadron.
- I know.
- So's the CAG.
Good luck to you, sir! Don't even think about it, mister.
You ready, Lobo? Ready, CAG.
- CAG, are we on TAC-2? - Why? I have to radio Lieutenant Pike.
We're not on the beltway, mister.
We're on a mission.
We don't transmit till we're over the target.
You know, your dad and I were on a photo recon when he went down.
I know.
I read the mission debrief.
- How the hell did you get that? - Freedom of Information Act.
Lawyers.
One minute to target.
Go tactical.
Roger that.
Activating ATARS.
Here we go.
You with me, Lieutenant? To hell and back, sir.
Lobo.
Go high.
Radio Seahawk.
SAM sites are ringed with Shilkas.
Have them re-arm the Hornets with Rockeyes and let the intruders drop the heavy stuff.
Roger that.
Is that what it was like over Hanoi? When we go back through, they'll be ready for us.
That'll be like Hanoi.
Seahawk.
Lobo.
SAM sites protected by Shilkas.
Re-arm the Hornets with Rockeyes.
Keep the A-6s heavy.
Repeat.
Re-arm the Hornets with Rockeyes.
CAG's making a second run.
You got her.
You got her, Hammer.
Steady.
Steady.
Holding steady.
Right engine, right engine.
Right.
Pull off.
Circuit breaker's out.
Left throttle full! Go out, go out.
Come on, baby! Go out.
You painting them, Buster? Bearing 150 and heading this way.
At your 11.
Angels 10.
CAG's hit.
We've lost an engine.
I'm coming up.
It's like riding a jackhammer! I gotta slow down.
Stick with me.
Like a fly on pie.
I can see the CAG.
He's not moving! - How do I transmit ATARS? - You can't from the back seat.
Seahawk says they are receiving ATARS! Harm, Lobo.
The CAG's alive! He activated the ATARS transmitter.
I can't tell anything from back here.
He's not moving.
15 miles, Harm.
You've got to get ready.
You'd better run the checklist with me.
It's a long time since I trapped.
- You can't trap.
- I'm not punching out.
- You've got to.
- Once is enough.
Negative on the trap.
Once all birds are launched, we'll have you eject near the ship.
The CAG is unconscious.
He'd never survive an ejection.
How long since you've made a trap? Any trap? Five years and it was ramp strike.
I'm due a good one.
Well, the CAG'll have to take his chances in the water.
My radio's You're breaking up, Seahawk.
And I can't read you! - The skipper's on the horn, boss.
- Stand by, Harm.
- Yes, sir? - Let him trap.
Aye, aye, sir.
Bring it home, Harm.
Coming home.
I figure the only chance you've got is to follow me in.
I'll set you into the slot.
No offence, Lobo, but you've got the worst trap record on the ship.
It's better than yours.
I've been searching the ship for you, ma'am! Lieutenant Lubin wants you in crypto on the double! Why? I don't know.
He just said on the double! - I found her, sir.
- What's going on? I've got a call for you on the discreet channel.
Press the green button.
- Lieutenant Pike.
- Kate? - Harm, what's happening? - No time to explain.
Just listen.
Cassie is Lobo.
No, Angela was Lobo.
No, Angela was wearing Cassie's jacket when she went over the side.
In the rain and the dark, she was mistaken for Cassie.
- Ripper.
- Has to be.
Kate, he's gotta know we're gonna put this together and the last thing I need tonight is a wave-off.
You're flying? You really know how to build a guy's confidence, Kate.
I'll handle it.
- I'm counting on that.
- Harm? Do you have a pistol? A pistol? What do you need a pistol for? Never mind.
Just stick to my six.
Last delta strike's away.
Prepare deck for emergency landing.
Lobo.
Try to take the break.
Gear down.
Flaps down.
Automatic throttle engaged.
Hook down? Hook down.
- He hasn't made a trap in five years! - With luck, he'll take her with him! Lieutenant Carter! You are relieved of duty and confined to quarters pending the convening of a board of inquiry into Lieutenant Arutti's death.
- By whose orders? - Mine! Under Article 118 of the Uniform Code Of Military Justice.
Get this bitch off my platform before I throw her off! Sergeant! And it's Lieutenant Pike, not bitch.
Clear? I'm throttling back.
Looking for 150 knots.
How's he doing, Buster? I wouldn't ride with him.
And I ride with you.
Looking good, Harm.
- 116.
Tomcat.
Ball.
- Roger.
Ball.
It's all yours, Harm.
Good luck.
You're a little low.
A little low.
You are below the glide path.
Pick it up! Pick it up! Power! Power! Power! Haven't you people ever seen a night trap? He's breathing.
That makes one of us.
Wherever he is, your old man'd be proud of you, sir.
Sir.
Permission to enter, sir? Granted.
How are you feeling, sir? How would you feel with a cracked head? Skipper said you wanted to see me.
Look, before this gets embarrassing for both of us, you don't have to thank me.
Thank you for what? You're a naval aviator.
I damn well expected you to get us back.
Yes, sir.
I wanted to tell you something about your dad's last mission.
When Hammer went down I called the sandies and flew CAP till I was bingo fuel.
He was okay when I left but he was gone when the sandies got there five minutes later.
You were bingo fuel, sir.
You had to leave.
He was my friend.
I know, sir.
I caught tailwind on the way back.
I got to the Ti with 800 pounds of fuel in my tanks.
I could have stayed over Hammer another three, four minutes.
It might have made the difference.
A lot of things might have made a difference, sir.
He might have been luckier.
Or he might have never been there at all.
You have nothing to apologise for, CAG.
I didn't say I was apologising.
I made a judgement call.
I've had to live with that.
Your eyes are not a judgement call, son.
You have nothing to second-guess.
Thank you, sir.
Now get the hell out of here.
Go sue someone.
Aye, aye, sir.
The most unlikely hero of last night's highly successful naval air strike was Lieutenant Harmon Rabb, Jr Yes.
who saved Captain Thomas Boone's life when he safely landed this damaged Tomcat onto the deck of the Seahawk.
What is so unusual is that Lieutenant Rabb isn't even an active pilot in the Navy.
He's a member of the Judge Advocate General Corps.
He's a lawyer.
That was Chuck DePalma reporting Did you'd ever think you'd see the day when a lawyer was a hero in America, Teddy? No, sir.
I think you should take a look at this, Admiral.
It's from Lieutenant Rabb.
- So she was murdered.
- Yes, sir.
That's too bad.
Well, you can't have everything.
Excuse me, sir, but aren't you concerned about a Senate hearing? I mean, you said it could discredit our JAG investigation and ruin Lieutenant Rabb's career.
They wouldn't dare go after him now.
He's a hero.
Nope, if anybody goes from JAG, it'll be me.
Or you, Teddy.
It's been an honour serving with you, sir, ma'am.
- Thank you, Ensign.
- You're quite welcome.
Oh, God.
Here we go.
You're out of uniform, Harm.
I've got a board of inquiry in Naples in an hour, Mace.
That's not what I mean.
Thanks, Mace.
You sure you won't be needing me in Naples? Let's go, Kate.
- Right flap.
- Check.
- Left flap.
- Check.
This is humiliating, Harm.
Launching from the back seat.
Look at it this way, Cassie.
You'll land without a wave-off.
Here.
You know what they say about gold wings and a white uniform.