Pine Gap (2018) s01e03 Episode Script
Episode 3
They snuck into the collections room and reprogrammed the video graphics card so it can be a radiofrequency transmitter receiver.
You just have to get your hands on the collection room entry log, and it's one of those people.
Who spent the most time in there? You know about Langley and the Pentagon? Essentially, they took all the files of all the American agents at Harrogate and here, so Beijing knows everything about all of you.
ETHAN: So you have to look real close to see where all the attacks are coming from.
God.
It's not an explosive.
That's an EMP for you.
They've completely disabled a whole ship without hurting anyone.
So, what's with that cutthroat razor? That is so Antiques Roadshow.
If you ever want to give it a go, I trust you with it.
So what happens now? Apparently, you are becoming quite friendly with one of them.
But we also trust that you will be loyal.
RUDI: You two seem to be getting along reasonably well lately.
Sure, we're friends.
Well, staying friends might suit all of us.
MALCOLM TURNBULL: It's in our mutual interest to stand together.
HILLARY CLINTON: I think Australians need to be for Australians, Americans need to be for Americans.
PAUL KEATING: The sacrament of the alliance.
BARACK OBAMA: Prosperity without freedom is just another form of poverty.
RONALD REAGAN: Trust, but verify.
JASMINA: Good day, huh? Mystery solved.
GUS: One mad Rohingya.
Who'd have thought? - It makes sense, though.
- Yeah.
(PHONE CHIMES) Jas.
- News? - Yeah.
She thinks Gus has bought our little fiction.
She's been with him a while.
And Ethan and Rudi? No mention.
No reason they wouldn't have.
Let's not congratulate ourselves yet.
- Best to stay on our toes, eh? - Yep.
Like a midget at a urinal.
It's called humour.
You're not funny.
Yeah.
But I'm right.
They bought it.
You and me have nothing more to worry about.
And just to make absolutely sure, I promise you I will stick out the rest of the year.
In fact .
.
I'm actually enjoying it even more this time around.
- Want another beer? - I agreed to one.
Don't push it.
Rightio.
- Want a lift home? - No, thanks.
Hey.
Where is home anyway? - Fuck off.
- (LAUGHS) Now, THAT was funny.
Dick.
According to Gus, even though Moses remembers Jacob from his first tour here, nobody ever knew much about him.
He must have a history somewhere.
Yeah, well, we can always ask Kath for his file.
Under these circumstances? - It might work.
You never know.
- Yes.
I do.
I could always try securing it by some less forward method.
- I'm sorry.
I didn't hear that.
- Just commenting on the weather.
Don't get caught in a storm - that's all I have to say.
Always wise advice.
Now, the instant the collection room computer starts transmitting, we'll get an alert on this.
As soon as that happens, there'll be a phone somewhere in a 200m radius downloading files.
Now, if we can find it fast and identify its owner, we'll save ourselves considerable embarrassment.
- Save our careers.
- Yeah.
Probably.
Who set that up? I did.
I can do stuff.
Right.
Obviously, this tablet can't leave the classified area, so at least one of us has to be up here with it whenever A-crew are on the base.
Well, for the next four days they're here from seven till seven.
- That's when we'll be here.
- At least they're on days.
They've got two lots of day shifts with a break in between followed by night shifts.
But, I mean, isn't it going to look weirdly suspicious if we start staying overnight so we can be with that just when they go to nights? Agreed.
Nights won't be sustainable.
No.
At that point the risk of letting it run become too high.
So, we have about 12 days to solve this problem.
- Correct.
- That should be plenty of time.
And we have to have them believing everything's dandy and they're trusted.
While we nail the one who can't be.
- Alright.
- First, why are they doing it? To refresh ourselves on the motives for treason - M is for Money.
I is for ideology.
- C is for - Compromise.
Or coercion.
And E is for ego.
Sometimes it's just a big fat grudge.
And for centuries, every traitor on earth has been driven by one of these motives.
So .
.
which of these six has what problem? We should study their lives.
We could start with their files.
Just to be clear, we three will have access to all six files.
You, the Aussies, me, the Americans.
Complete transparency.
And then we get them relaxed, get them talking.
Alright.
Well, why don't we just start at my place? Tonight.
Just low-key.
Have a few drinks, get them off guard.
We can gently steer some easy chat and just see what emerges.
Actually, maybe not you.
- Too much if I'm there? - I think so.
Probably.
And we should keep a detailed record of everything they say.
Handwritten only, get it down while it's fresh and then keep it where? - In here? - Sure.
Remember, 12 days.
That's our window.
Still think it's Jasmina? If I had to put money on it right now, yeah, I do.
- What's her motive? - I don't know.
Maybe we'll find out tonight.
Can you email me the Australians' files right now? - Deb, Jasmina and Si? - Sure.
Air Force One approaching Beijing out of Yangon.
ETA 0104 Zulu.
- E link? - No SAM radar activity.
USINT? No indication of a weapons test along the flight path.
Comms? Politburo's quiet.
Just routine chatter.
Simon? Simon.
Um No.
Nothing.
Nothing from military comms.
Sounds like Stand-by.
They want to be nice hosts.
Cordial, polite.
What's the point of Kerr even going to Beijing then, if they're just gonna smile and say nothing? Well, he made a big deal about telling the world he'd protect that Malaysian ship, then China went and crippled it.
You can't just pretend it didn't happen.
Obama did in Syria.
Yeah.
And look how well that turned out.
Have you seen those pictures of the kids dying from nerve gas? Syria wasn't trying to overtake our position of global leadership.
Is China? Are you kidding me? It's page one of their manifesto.
Mate, they only want power in Asia.
You're crazy if you think they'll stop where they are.
You're the ones wanting a fight over it.
If they don't want a fight, they'd better issue some meaningful statement of regret over the EMP attack.
(CHUCKLES) Yeah.
'Cause that'll happen.
Chairman Chen is gonna kowtow to your president? That's what POTUS needs - this morning, right now - from China.
Or else he has to react.
They have to understand the position they put us in.
(SNORTS, GROANS) Look, COMINT, just open up the frequency range for the cell phone network in Beijing.
I will have to take an antenna off Pakistan.
Well, if we have to, we have to.
- Just for the next few hours.
- OK.
- Any progress? - Maybe.
Do you remember this? When we promoted Gus to Mission Director.
Eloise Chambers.
- She applied? - Apparently.
And we didn't even give her an interview.
You think that's enough to sell your country's secrets? Well, if Beijing has read all our files and if they are trying to fan the flames of discontent, then maybe they ask this Zhou/Joe guy from Shonguran to see if she's corruptible.
And maybe he overheard her grumbling about us somewhere.
Nah, I can't buy that.
Too many maybes.
Anything to strengthen that hunch on Jasmina Delic? Not directly.
But she has been very clever getting herself to this facility.
Hm.
Interesting.
Mm-hm.
I don't understand, Paul.
How can you want an amendment? I mean, we consulted you every step of the way.
About the mine, sure.
But your pipeline isn't just in our country, Joe.
It goes all the way up to Darwin.
The Central Land Council have taken it to all the traditional landowners and they have some thoughts.
Anyway, it's not just me.
I'm just the advance party, right? A mate, giving you a little heads-up so that when they do give you the official response, you're ready for it.
- Everyone wants more money.
- No.
Employment.
We want a guarantee that a good percentage of the jobs you create come to us.
That's what my people really want.
Yeah, well, I can't give you a yes on that on my own.
That will have to go back to Beijing.
That's why we're talking - so you can get the wheels turning, eh? We can wait.
We're not going anywhere.
We've been here forever.
But you do need the tick from us before you can take it to the Foreign Investment Review Board.
OK.
I mean, it is what it is.
Yeah? I mean, we just have to deal with it.
Oh.
Uh, hey, Belle.
Hi, again.
- Hi, Belle.
- Hi, Paul.
Did you get it? The painting? Yes.
I did.
I did.
It's getting delivered.
Yeah.
I mean, you should hire him as an advocate for Aboriginal art.
- He's very passionate.
- What did you get? It is a piece by a woman called Mary.
It's beautiful.
Gorgeous piece.
I mean, the depth of colour, magic.
You can really feel the heat of the land coming off the canvas.
It's from a place called Ank-urli? - Ankula.
- Ankula.
Yeah.
You been there? Oh, it's a beautiful place.
You've gotta go there.
Immy takes her tour groups there.
- I could find out what her roster is.
- Oh, no, thanks, Paul.
I'm not really into the group thing.
You know, they hear my accent and then they ask all kinds of questions.
- Yeah.
- I would like to go.
Alright.
Easy.
Leave it with me.
I'll sort it out.
And don't stress.
We'll get there.
See you later, Belle.
Oh.
Bye, Paul.
Uh, please.
Take a seat.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
- It's, uh, nice to see you again.
- Yes.
JASMINA: We've got something.
Some Chinese officials are finding a spot for Robert Boyle.
"Have many good friends of the PRC in Australia.
" "Diagonally opposite.
" "Perfect.
Thank you.
" Then Thanks.
They're discussing now who's gluten-free, - who's going to get drunk.
- What's this about? The Chairman's banquet tomorrow after the meeting with POTUS.
Your PM's Chief of Staff cracked an invite to the Chairman's banquet? Yeah.
They met when he was out there as ambassador.
And he's back there now on holidays after APEC.
It's not unusual.
He goes to Beijing on holidays? Well, the surf's shit but they've got a really big wall.
SIMON: Hey, Jacob, someone at the Chinese Secret Service got an audio file of President Kerr.
He's chucking a tanty, mate.
Channel 14.
Check it out.
KERR: (OVER SPEAKER) As for Philip fucking Burke, what a jackass.
He struts around like some kind of world statesman and nobody gives a fuck what he says.
And then he tries to lecture me on peace in Asia.
Who the FUCK do Australians think they are?! There's more people in Shanghai than in that entire shithole, fucking deserted fucking country.
(CHUCKLES) Oh, that's true.
Is this live? No.
No.
No.
It's, like, 20 minutes old from his hotel room.
Playback through an agent's mobile.
How did they even get it? CIA techies debug every room POTUS walks into.
Must have new gear.
Stupid, dumb cocksucker! If this gets out - From the Chinese? - Nah.
There's no way.
Nah, they may as well hang out a big neon sign telling us they've invented something new.
That's the last thing they'd want.
If you get a steal on someone, keep it secret for as long as you can.
- Exactly.
- Shit.
- They've switched encryption key.
- Who? The Chinese military, 30 seconds ago.
We've just lost sync with all their signals.
Imagery, anything building? Nothing taking off.
Just routine flight activity.
Just preparing, probably.
In case POTUS and the Chairman don't have a good meeting tomorrow.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Are you OK? Yeah.
It's just Yeah.
Are you going to this thing on at Kath's tonight? Yeah.
Just gotta Skype home first, chat with Sal and the girls for a bit, and then I'll come over.
How does that work - you out here, and her with the kids? Sorry.
I'm just curious.
You're one of the few people here making a marriage work, so I don't know about making it work, Jas.
I mean, Sal just thinks I come back, put my feet up, relax, and she's the one running around like a mad thing.
Right.
Maybe I should have stayed single.
Hm? Would have paid off the mortgage by now.
We're gonna have to count these guys in and out? Every day.
It's the only way we can be sure what they're doing.
- Right.
- Yeah.
Don't stare too hard.
They have to feel like they're trusted.
Just wanna make sure they're all leaving.
- Later, Mr Fox.
- Sure.
All the top brass working late tonight, eh? Jacob.
Where did you spring from? Just finished giving these two a run-down from today's shift.
Anyway, better run.
See you at Kath's.
Yeah.
That's why I'm the champ, you see? That's why I don't let you live here rent-free, 'cause I'm gonna beat you both.
That's what I do.
See? - You can't get away from me.
- OK.
- Don't try and get away.
- Boys.
Hey.
Hey.
Hey.
Dinner.
- Dinner.
- Go on.
Hands.
Go on! - With soap! - Alright.
OK.
Close your eyes.
Close your eyes.
Hold on.
- Mm.
- (CHUCKLES) Alright.
- I'm scared now.
- (CHUCKLES) Come on.
- OK.
Keep 'em closed.
- Uh-huh.
Open.
- What do you think? - Uh I mean, it can go either way.
So Uh What did it cost? Uh, $7,000 - Australian dollars.
I mean, it has such a seductive depth.
It's It has a richness and it's evocative.
I mean, you can almost smell the connection between the land and the artist.
Yeah.
It's, um It's it's colourful.
Let me, uh let me get the wine.
Well, I I love it.
Drinks, meat for the barbecue - I don't think we need anything else.
- Do we need that? - We have to bring something.
- Why? What's it for? - It's a party.
DCOFS's house? First one I can remember.
Nah, you'll love it.
I was gonna switch Champions tonight.
So I went with Draven.
I think his attack speed might really suit me.
OK.
OK.
You can spend the night playing League of Legends.
Or you could engage with a house full of actual humans.
Why waste time with humans? OK.
Your second load of random numbers are 8, 2, 7, 5 They're just delusional great apes who periodically kill each other just to establish dominance.
I'm going to write down a bunch of random numbers under that.
Or worse, to establish that my totally unproven, nonexistent god is better than yours.
And I had no idea what two loads of four numbers you were gonna get.
- What's the answer? - 2-7-7-4-0.
And the number that I wrote on the sheet of paper I gave to you? 2-7-7-4-0.
- (APPLAUSE) - Come on.
50 bucks, mate.
You swapped it.
You had to.
No, I didn't.
- How? It's fucking impossible.
- Look, there's no swap, alright? - It's magic.
Just give me 50.
- Go on.
I'll meet you there.
- Don't.
- No.
- Just cough up.
- No, go.
- 50 bucks! - This will be fun.
- You said How? - It's fucking impossible! Look, it's magic, alright? - There's no swap.
Just give me 50.
- Get stuffed.
- Hey, buddy, she's not cheating.
- Thank you.
It's magic.
(CLEARS THROAT) It's not magic.
- It's just math.
- No.
No, it isn't.
- It's quite simple.
I'll show you.
- No.
Mate, piss off.
OK.
What numbers did you write down? - 8275.
- Right.
- What the fuck is going on? - See, what she did was, she picked - GUS: Hey.
- Hi.
- Um, I'll catch you in there.
- Alright.
Where's Moses? - Someone's doing a math trick.
- Ooh.
He could be gone for years.
You look good.
Thank you.
So do you.
- Did you remember the bubbles? - Yes.
I did.
Good.
- (ROCK MUSIC PLAYS) - What exactly are we celebrating? Well, look, look, nothing in particular.
I just thought .
.
a little bonding time after the recent stresses might help.
So, to friendship.
- Friendship.
- And teamwork.
- That too.
- Cheers.
Cheers.
Is Simon coming? Did he stay on the base? Uh, no.
He's just Skyping home.
He won't be long.
So, I hear Beijing has a tape of the President ranting about the Australians.
Yeah.
You listen to it? No.
Not yet.
I was down in data management earlier in the afternoon, but not for that.
I've been reflecting on that young Hong Kong reporter, Lwin Ho.
She was on that Burmese aircraft shot down over Sittwe.
Jasmina said she texted her editor just before take-off.
Remember? Well, that got me to thinking - what do we have on HIS phone? - So I pulled it up.
- The editor's? Yeah.
I've just sent you an unclassified summary via email.
When you get a moment alone, take a look.
The Australians are definitely hiding something.
You're from Laos? Yeah.
You just head north and take a left at Vietnam.
(SPEAKS LAOTIAN) (SPEAKS LAOTIAN) (SPEAKS LAOTIAN) (SPEAKS LAOTIAN) (SPEAKS LAOTIAN) - You know, that's pretty good.
- Thank you.
Hey, Deb.
Did your parents make sure you kept the language? - Yeah.
- Do you still see them much? Um well, I mean, living here makes it a bit hard.
Because of distance or because of what we do? Uh well, both.
I mean, Dad's a sworn pacifist.
He left Laos to escape communism, meditates every day, and then his little girl goes off, joins the army, and now works for Pine Gap.
- You rebel.
- Hey, I just wanted a free uni degree.
Didn't know I'd be at the coalface of anything.
And does it does it feel like you are? At the coalface? In some ways and on some days .
.
but nuh, not really.
(CAT MIAOWS) Aww.
Hello! Ah.
Now, that is Bruce.
And we are all all his guests this evening.
Aww.
Well, hello, Bruce.
Thank you so much for inviting us.
Everything on the table, Kath? Yeah.
Thanks, Eloise.
Uh what am I doing here? Oh.
Fuck, I don't know.
Just toss it all in.
OK.
When I joined in '74, we thought the Soviets would be the enemy for a thousand years.
Then after 1990, it was all over and we were cock of the walk.
Until now.
How'd we win the Cold War, do you think? Better intelligence? Breadlines.
What? There were always breadlines in Moscow because the government decided where the bakeries should be, how many loaves you should make, and what you could charge.
What did Jas say? But in America She apologised for thinking I was Vietnamese.
- And her accent's good, huh? - Mm.
Yeah, spot-on.
She probably lived there for some time.
She told me she's only ever travelled to America.
And it means that there was always enough bread for everybody.
Well, in that case, she's bloody amazing.
So, breadlines.
That's how capitalism beat communism.
Her parents are dead, right? How about yours? I don't think I ever asked.
They're alive.
And so you're not close? We talk.
Send each other birthday presents.
I bet they're proud of you.
Why would you say that? Well, a PhD from Stanford.
Doesn't mean much to a professor at Harvard or a winner of two international piano competitions.
I could have won a Nobel Prize and not get noticed in my family.
- I don't believe that.
- Might be a slight exaggeration.
Hey, I'm I'm with you, by the way, about being at the coalface.
Thank you.
You know You know, I just wish they would just be more honest about it.
I I know that, technically, we have no offensive capabilities.
But the truth is that we are in the centre of so much shit while we're busy telling everyone else that, you know, "Oh, it's just a downlink," and then we pass everything on.
Hey! Look who's here.
I should keep moving.
I'm supposed to be on drinks duty.
So, you finally decided to show your face.
Oh, come on.
What, I'm only, like 20 minutes late.
How are things at home? (SIGHS) Perfect.
Well, it will be once I win Lotto.
Ah, you're always crying poor.
It's not that bad.
Are you serious? I've got four sets of school fees, Deb.
We do have free public education in Australia.
You do know that? Yeah, but see, it's the school my wife went to and her mum, and her grandma.
It's still an option.
Yeah No.
Not really.
You know what? I just have to learn to love debt.
(CHUCKLES) It's the mistress in our marriage.
KATH: Alright, everyone, let's eat! Let's go.
NEWSREADER: President Kerr will meet with Chairman Chen in Beijing tomorrow morning, with one item on the agenda - will China retract its territorial claims in the South China Sea or continue to ignore the decision of the international court that America has sworn to uphold? Louis's asleep.
Andre's almost there.
In fact, so am I.
I'm gonna have to head in early again tomorrow.
Because of this? Partly.
Could it end in war? - Who knows? - But what do you think? I think the best way to avoid a war is to prepare for it.
Ethan, please.
Do not answer me with a cliche.
I really want to know what you think is gonna happen.
Did you, uh Did you make the boys' lunch for tomorrow? Or can I help by doing it now? I, uh I bumped into Paul Dupain today, and he's going to take me out to the place where my painting was done.
Great.
Ladies and gentlemen, now we add these numbers up.
Can I get a drum roll please? (OTHERS DRUM ON TABLE) And the answer is - Uh, 2-7-7-4-0.
- 7-4-0.
- (OTHERS CLAP) - Huh? But you had no idea what numbers I was gonna choose.
- I didn't need to.
- I don't get it.
Oh, come on.
Come on.
I mean, this is not that hard.
Just think.
She was pretty clever for a teenager, though.
She probably saw it online.
Yeah.
Um, look, so, El, the thing is No, no, no, no.
No.
Don't tell her.
She can work it out.
No.
Is looking at pictures all you're good at? My God.
OK, Moses, stop.
El, OK, look So, the two pairs, right, his number and your number, and when you add them together, they have to equal 9,999, yes.
So he can make sure that that happens by writing his number after yours.
- Oh.
- See? - Yeah? - Oh, I I get it.
Wow.
I could literally feel your neurons connecting.
- That was amazing.
- Oh, come on, Moses.
- Astonishing.
- OK.
Hey, Moses.
No need to be rude.
I learned that from a teenager.
- Oh, my God.
- Stop being cruel.
Don't take it to heart.
He couldn't have written the doctoral thesis you wrote either.
Solving the problem of high-spatial resolution for wide-area search.
You were noticed.
(CHUCKLES) Yeah.
What? No, really.
You were.
Why would you think you weren't? Eloise? It doesn't matter.
Sure it does.
We can't solve your problem unless we know what it is.
- It's not a problem.
- Or .
.
is it to do with the MD's job a couple of years ago? I know you didn't get an interview, despite your length of service.
I didn't even get an email acknowledging I'd applied.
Forget it, though.
It's not a problem.
Really.
No.
It is.
I'm sorry.
I apologise.
I remember a time early in my career when I expected to be ignored and forgotten and instead I was embraced and supported.
I'm just sorry we couldn't do the same for you.
Should have spoken up sooner.
Or maybe tried again.
The EMINT team leader position was open a few weeks ago.
You could have applied for that.
I did.
Oh.
Um I'm sorry, Mr Fox, I'm - Thank you.
- Yeah, sure.
Hey, Kath, so, where was Jacob tonight? Oh, he had something else on.
Anyway, not many people relax around Jacob.
I wouldn't argue with that.
Oh, come on.
You guys are What's the word? - Besties? You guys are besties.
- Don't start.
It's been a good night.
Still friction there? - What, between Gus and Jacob? - Yeah.
(LAUGHS) Yeah.
Why, 'cause he blames him for taking his job? No.
He blames America for being demoted.
In Gus's mind, we just .
.
threw him under the bus.
No.
That's all our fault.
Well, so, what's his problem with Jacob? Oh.
Well, basically .
.
Jacob's an asshole.
Fair enough.
I'm dropping Deb and Eloise off and then, at long last, my evening's entertainment can finally begin.
SIMON: I better make tracks too, Kath.
Thanks so much.
Oh, my pleasure.
I might finish this and then fold my tent as well.
- I like your cat.
- Yes.
Where is Bruce? Just FYI, I saw Jacob as I was leaving the base earlier, told him I'd see him here.
- I hope that didn't - Oh, forget it.
He's a big boy.
Have you spoken to Gus? I mean, if he really has the shits with America He he doesn't.
He may have had for a day or two, but he's over that now.
Have you had a chance to speak to Jasmina? Not yet.
It's next.
She'll open up much more one on one, I can promise you.
Alright.
Well, I'll head back to the base, put my thoughts down on paper while they're still fresh.
And following our protocol, that means I should leave them in your office.
Ah.
The manual passcode.
You can change it again tomorrow.
4-6-0-2.
Goodnight.
Did Gus ever talk to you about his demotion? To be honest, he was more annoyed about not being able to apply for that job in Denver.
Oh, the job in Denver.
Yeah.
That meant everything to him.
He would have finally been able to show his dad he's done as much for America as his brother.
You know about his brother, right? Instead, he got told he was too important here, then they ripped away the MD job and now his dad still thinks he's a filing clerk.
So, we robbed him of his family validation.
Yeah, well, not you.
It's like Moses said - he blames them.
Has Gus asked you about your family? Yeah, once.
And? I told him they were killed by the Kosovo Liberation Army.
Nothing like the truth.
'Cause that is the truth, isn't it? It depends where you put the frame.
What do you mean? Well, until 1999, the US State Department actually listed the KLA as a terrorist organisation.
Then they started fighting Serbia for independence, and America was just like, "Wow, awesome.
How cool is this? "We can use these guys to get rid of Milosevic "and just not get blamed for it.
" So then, all of a sudden, the KLA were freedom fighters.
Like overnight.
On Saturday, terrorists.
On Sunday, freedom fighters.
So, the six men who killed my parents were all trained and armed by the CIA.
Every single last fucking one of them.
And that's also the truth.
But, honestly, like, back then, the whole Balkans was a mess.
You just can't hang on to things like that.
It happened and it's it's over, and .
.
when I landed here, I just felt like I could breathe for the first time in my life.
See ya, mate.
Thank you, Moses.
(SIGHS) Now back to my single bed.
- Sorry I'm straight.
- Yeah, you're such a disappointment.
Not to everyone.
Not really.
You know you've really got to stop thinking that.
- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
(INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER) What do we do about this? This? Yeah.
Us.
There comes a point where we just have to say something, right? The NSA rules are very clear.
No contact with foreign bodies.
And minds, or just bodies? If the relationship becomes close and continuing, I have to declare a foreign preference.
I'm not sure what happens after that.
I think if you were Russian or Iranian, it might be an issue.
- Close and continuing, huh? - That's the phrase.
Well, call me crazy, but I think we've jumped the bar on 'close'.
(LAUGHS) As for 'continuing' .
.
have you had any continuing girlfriends in this job? Nothing past a few months.
It gets too hard.
Tell me .
.
we work our guts out to protect a free society and then can't even be part of what we're protecting.
Surely we can have a relationship.
Though we can't ever quite be normal.
- Yeah.
- I guess it depends on what we want.
(MUSIC PLAYS ON TV) (LOUD BANGING AT DOOR) Mr Maths Nerd, you still awake? It's me, Marissa, from the mall.
Can't hide in a town this small.
I know you're home.
I just want my 50 bucks.
(BANGS AT DOOR) Hey! You lost me $50.
Just pay up and we're cool, yeah? OK, yeah, well, I'll be back tomorrow.
Better get back to my place before the bus.
I'll see you in half an hour.
Do you know how much you toss and turn at night? Yeah, I always have.
Sorry.
What's wrong? Just still wondering about the Rohingya shooting down that plane.
Why? 'Cause as you said the other day, "Why would a Hong Kong reporter who's never been to Myanmar before "recognise a Burmese rapist in witness protection?" I mean, maybe, but You remember that last text she sent? Yeah, about explosive news.
Yeah, I went down to data management yesterday and pulled up what we had on her editor's phone, the guy she sent it to, and guess what.
What? Within 60 seconds of getting that text, he sent it to the MSS in Beijing.
But don't you think it's an odd text to send to Chinese intelligence if it was really just about a local rapist? Yeah, but even if her "totes explosive news" was about something else entirely, something worth sending to the MSS, it still could be a coincidence.
The Rohingya still could have shot down the plane to get the guy in witness protection.
Yeah, sure, but if it was about something else, aren't you curious what it was? You've been curious about everything else.
She just spent a week buddying up to a dozen world leaders at the APEC Conference.
But if she did recognise the guy in witness protection and that's what her explosive news was, then it all fits.
Why keep worrying about it? But do you really think she did? Sure, yeah.
What? You didn't on Tuesday.
Look, Jas, no big deal.
Who else knows about that text being forwarded to Beijing? No-one.
See you on the bus.
(SIGHS) (STARTS ENGINE) What were you looking for, Rudi Fox, you sneaky little Californian knob gobbler? Hey? - OK.
Informative evening? - On many fronts.
- Good.
- Including Mr Jacob Kitto.
- My, you ARE efficient.
- He's her husband.
He's Kath's husband? Or ex-husband or soon-to-be ex.
He's also a very trusted go-to guy.
There's some great fieldwork on that resume.
Unsurprisingly.
- He's the guy she's divorcing? - Yeah.
The guy taking her through hell and back over a cat? That's him.
And she's hidden it.
- Mine to use if I want it.
- Mm-hm.
- I'll be damned.
- Mm-hm.
Money, ideology, ego, grudge, grudge, ego.
- What? It could be any of them? - Potentially.
I don't I don't really think we've looked at Moses yet.
Moses is still least likely.
How do we prioritise? Well, the real offender is probably hiding their real motive, but on the other hand, Simon just blurted his right out.
Eloise didn't take much coaxing either.
OK, so we put these two aside for now.
Not dismiss, just put aside.
We have to progress somehow.
Gus, Jasmina, Deb.
Where do we focus? - Gus.
- Jasmina.
OK, what's that look about? Well, we knew you were her referee for this job, but until we read Jasmina's file, we didn't know you were also her first boss at the Australian Signals Directorate.
- None of which is inappropriate.
- Can you be objective? Objective? Rudi, I notice you didn't even try to tease out the level of Gus Thompson's resentment.
Her file also told me that from the day she chose her electives in Year 11 at high school, she's been on a path to get here.
Since when has goal-setting been an indication of guilt? Ethan?! Kath, open your eyes, please.
From the age of 15, nothing's stopped her.
Nothing's delayed her.
Nothing's got in her way.
And now at the age of 29, she's a team leader in the most important and sophisticated American facility in the world outside the US.
And her parents were lined up in their backyard and murdered by American-trained rebels.
Are you seriously comparing all that to Gus Thompson being demoted? ZHOU: So, we just go where it tells us to? Yeah, just follow it in - it'll tell you how old all the rocks are and why this place is a women's site.
- All that stuff.
- OK, good.
We're still going with them? Well, we can if you'd like, but we don't need to.
- It's OK.
You? - Yeah, I'm good.
- Great.
- Sure? Dad, they're fine.
It's a cultural adventure.
(LAUGHS) - Have fun! - OK! I thought you trained as a guide.
What happened to the personal touch? Uh, chill.
This is the modern touch.
I only came out here so I could help you show 'em around country.
Well, this is how we do it now.
They go off and learn, I stay and catch up on uni work.
- I might as well head back to town.
- OK.
Hey, who's the American chick? I see her at the courts a bit.
Ethan James's wife.
- He's high up, right? - I didn't ask.
- (FLIES BUZZ) - Why shouldn't you? Pine Gap's on our bloody land and we got no compensation for it.
Yes, you've made that point, but the Americans are a good employer, Immy.
I'm trying to get Shonguran to learn from that example.
Shonguran have learnt.
They shifted the mine location.
They've avoided sacred sites and they're paying us.
Well, it's not always just about money.
Well, under paragraph 44 of the Land Title Act Which didn't exist when Pine Gap was built.
.
.
the conditions of a lease require payment of compensation for damages or disturbance caused to the relevant Aboriginal land and to the traditional owners of the land.
Thank you, Miss Law Student.
But compensation isn't just about cash.
Well, they're giving us a hell of a lot more than the Americans ever have.
The Americans do plenty.
If they ever close that base, the whole Alice Springs economy would collapse.
Not now that we're getting a $200 billion gas mine right up the road.
I reckon we'd muddle through with that.
But I will keep an open mind.
I'd better wait here, make sure they get back.
Thanks for coming out for 'em.
Hey, anytime.
- What do I think? - Yeah.
There is a meeting in Beijing right now that could change the world.
OK, well, I think Chairman Chen is going to hold the line.
That Malaysian ship is in our territory.
But what about the ruling from the international court? Well, who cares? That's in Europe.
China Sea is in Asia.
Why should we listen to a bunch of geriatric Caucasians 10,000 miles away? I mean, they can't tell us who owns what on our doorstep.
- But - Yeah, and, by the way .
.
before you get so pious, when it comes to official recognition of the international court, you haven't ratified it either.
Basically, America wants to enforce a rules-based order without belonging to it.
So, you know, stones and glasshouses.
- It could all end in war.
- Yeah, I doubt it.
I mean, in this day and age, the cost of war far outweighs the benefits to what they want.
But you agree a strong American presence is the main reason that Asia has had decades of peace.
Up until now, yes.
Therefore, if you want to keep those benefits, you have to keep accepting that we - we call the shots.
But I don't think we do anymore.
So, what? China would trade peace for leadership? - Or you could back off.
- (BOTH LAUGH) We don't want to have ships in your backyard, you get out of ours.
(LAUGHS) This is a refreshingly adult conversation.
The only kind worth having, right? And your English is excellent.
- Well, four years at MIT helped.
- Ah.
Ha! This is beautiful.
Amazing.
- What what does that say? - Um, OK.
It says, "Until the 1970s, only women were allowed here "because over those rocks are a series of secret water pools "and for centuries, the Arrernte women, they would gather around "and they would drink and bathe and gossip, "all without being bothered by annoying people like men.
" - Oh! OK, I'll stay here, then.
- OK.
If you're not back in an hour, I'll send a search party.
(CAMERA CLICKS) Gus .
.
Lwin's photo album, on her phone, the last three days in Sittwe, she had snaps with officials from China, Japan, RPM's chief of staff, Canada and North Korea.
Party girl.
Yeah, but the Chinese official was the foreign minister.
Maybe that's where she got her explosive news.
No, they're not that clumsy.
Yeah, but all she might have needed was a peek at his phone.
- Really? You think so? - Alright.
They've finished and the Chairman and POTUS have left the building and the aides are scattering.
Chairman's coming back to his banquet.
- Can we get inside? - Er, yes.
Trying.
We've just got a burst of signals from the Hainan sub base.
- Needing decryption.
- Right.
EMINT, stay on defence.
COMINT, can we find a phone inside that banquet? If Chen says anything, we have to hear it.
Still looking.
MAN: (OVER PA) Alice, this is Pentagon.
POTUS just ordered the USS Bartlett to undertake a freedom of navigation voyage through the South China Sea.
Please monitor all Chinese Navy movements.
Specific tasking is on the way.
OK.
So, obviously Chen stood his ground.
Does Kerr even know what he's risking? If they won't retract, he had to respond.
With an aircraft carrier.
And what if they sink it? You know, there's 5,000 people on that ship.
It's more than 9/11.
Hopefully they'll pretend they don't see it.
Just let it sail through.
That's what they've done up till now.
Main screen.
The Bartlett's there, travelling at 30 knots, which makes it about 38 hours from the Nine-Dash Line, marking Chinese-claimed territory.
- There's no phones in the banquet.
- None? None.
They've left them all outside.
What? Not even a waiter, a chef? Nobody? Robert Boyle.
He's the Chief of Staff.
We can't do that, he's an Australian.
Has COS got his phone turned on? SIMON: Guys, what are you doing? The golden rule - we can't access our phones.
Well, I'm locked on and I could activate COS's microphone right now.
Is it a personal phone or a government phone? - Government.
- That's just hair-splitting, mate.
Yeah, well, if a split hair saves a war, I'll cop the heat.
Activate the microphone, Jas.
But just the mike.
If he makes a call or gets online, cut out.
- Hey.
- What? "Has COS got his phone?" What do you think? - "COS got"? - Yeah.
"Cos got totes explosive news"? What if 'cos' meant Chief of Staff? And the explosive news came from him? Shit.
You think Lwin read something on Boyle's phone? And if her editor knew she meant Chief of Staff, that would be why he sent it to Chinese intelligence.
Curious now? - Anything? - Um, I'm just still listening.
SIMON: Comm from Hainan stopped.
Still trying to decrypt.
Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on.
Moses, can I get a hand over here, please? - JACOB: Jasmina? - Yeah, I'm still listening.
(PANTS) Holy fuck.
Outside now.
It's not your job to go out private-intelligence gathering.
You could be fired and fucking imprisoned.
The emails on Robert Boyle's phone, one of them was kind of significant.
There's a manager's position at the Signals Directorate in Canberra.
I was kind of wondering if you could stamp a reference for me.
I know you're there.
I'm not trying to steal anything, OK? I'm just trying to sleep.
Have you noticed anything odd about Moses? Alright, leave it with me.
The USS Bartlett is 18 hours from the Nine-Dash Line.
If the Bartlett does cross, Chinese Government may choose to ignore it
You just have to get your hands on the collection room entry log, and it's one of those people.
Who spent the most time in there? You know about Langley and the Pentagon? Essentially, they took all the files of all the American agents at Harrogate and here, so Beijing knows everything about all of you.
ETHAN: So you have to look real close to see where all the attacks are coming from.
God.
It's not an explosive.
That's an EMP for you.
They've completely disabled a whole ship without hurting anyone.
So, what's with that cutthroat razor? That is so Antiques Roadshow.
If you ever want to give it a go, I trust you with it.
So what happens now? Apparently, you are becoming quite friendly with one of them.
But we also trust that you will be loyal.
RUDI: You two seem to be getting along reasonably well lately.
Sure, we're friends.
Well, staying friends might suit all of us.
MALCOLM TURNBULL: It's in our mutual interest to stand together.
HILLARY CLINTON: I think Australians need to be for Australians, Americans need to be for Americans.
PAUL KEATING: The sacrament of the alliance.
BARACK OBAMA: Prosperity without freedom is just another form of poverty.
RONALD REAGAN: Trust, but verify.
JASMINA: Good day, huh? Mystery solved.
GUS: One mad Rohingya.
Who'd have thought? - It makes sense, though.
- Yeah.
(PHONE CHIMES) Jas.
- News? - Yeah.
She thinks Gus has bought our little fiction.
She's been with him a while.
And Ethan and Rudi? No mention.
No reason they wouldn't have.
Let's not congratulate ourselves yet.
- Best to stay on our toes, eh? - Yep.
Like a midget at a urinal.
It's called humour.
You're not funny.
Yeah.
But I'm right.
They bought it.
You and me have nothing more to worry about.
And just to make absolutely sure, I promise you I will stick out the rest of the year.
In fact .
.
I'm actually enjoying it even more this time around.
- Want another beer? - I agreed to one.
Don't push it.
Rightio.
- Want a lift home? - No, thanks.
Hey.
Where is home anyway? - Fuck off.
- (LAUGHS) Now, THAT was funny.
Dick.
According to Gus, even though Moses remembers Jacob from his first tour here, nobody ever knew much about him.
He must have a history somewhere.
Yeah, well, we can always ask Kath for his file.
Under these circumstances? - It might work.
You never know.
- Yes.
I do.
I could always try securing it by some less forward method.
- I'm sorry.
I didn't hear that.
- Just commenting on the weather.
Don't get caught in a storm - that's all I have to say.
Always wise advice.
Now, the instant the collection room computer starts transmitting, we'll get an alert on this.
As soon as that happens, there'll be a phone somewhere in a 200m radius downloading files.
Now, if we can find it fast and identify its owner, we'll save ourselves considerable embarrassment.
- Save our careers.
- Yeah.
Probably.
Who set that up? I did.
I can do stuff.
Right.
Obviously, this tablet can't leave the classified area, so at least one of us has to be up here with it whenever A-crew are on the base.
Well, for the next four days they're here from seven till seven.
- That's when we'll be here.
- At least they're on days.
They've got two lots of day shifts with a break in between followed by night shifts.
But, I mean, isn't it going to look weirdly suspicious if we start staying overnight so we can be with that just when they go to nights? Agreed.
Nights won't be sustainable.
No.
At that point the risk of letting it run become too high.
So, we have about 12 days to solve this problem.
- Correct.
- That should be plenty of time.
And we have to have them believing everything's dandy and they're trusted.
While we nail the one who can't be.
- Alright.
- First, why are they doing it? To refresh ourselves on the motives for treason - M is for Money.
I is for ideology.
- C is for - Compromise.
Or coercion.
And E is for ego.
Sometimes it's just a big fat grudge.
And for centuries, every traitor on earth has been driven by one of these motives.
So .
.
which of these six has what problem? We should study their lives.
We could start with their files.
Just to be clear, we three will have access to all six files.
You, the Aussies, me, the Americans.
Complete transparency.
And then we get them relaxed, get them talking.
Alright.
Well, why don't we just start at my place? Tonight.
Just low-key.
Have a few drinks, get them off guard.
We can gently steer some easy chat and just see what emerges.
Actually, maybe not you.
- Too much if I'm there? - I think so.
Probably.
And we should keep a detailed record of everything they say.
Handwritten only, get it down while it's fresh and then keep it where? - In here? - Sure.
Remember, 12 days.
That's our window.
Still think it's Jasmina? If I had to put money on it right now, yeah, I do.
- What's her motive? - I don't know.
Maybe we'll find out tonight.
Can you email me the Australians' files right now? - Deb, Jasmina and Si? - Sure.
Air Force One approaching Beijing out of Yangon.
ETA 0104 Zulu.
- E link? - No SAM radar activity.
USINT? No indication of a weapons test along the flight path.
Comms? Politburo's quiet.
Just routine chatter.
Simon? Simon.
Um No.
Nothing.
Nothing from military comms.
Sounds like Stand-by.
They want to be nice hosts.
Cordial, polite.
What's the point of Kerr even going to Beijing then, if they're just gonna smile and say nothing? Well, he made a big deal about telling the world he'd protect that Malaysian ship, then China went and crippled it.
You can't just pretend it didn't happen.
Obama did in Syria.
Yeah.
And look how well that turned out.
Have you seen those pictures of the kids dying from nerve gas? Syria wasn't trying to overtake our position of global leadership.
Is China? Are you kidding me? It's page one of their manifesto.
Mate, they only want power in Asia.
You're crazy if you think they'll stop where they are.
You're the ones wanting a fight over it.
If they don't want a fight, they'd better issue some meaningful statement of regret over the EMP attack.
(CHUCKLES) Yeah.
'Cause that'll happen.
Chairman Chen is gonna kowtow to your president? That's what POTUS needs - this morning, right now - from China.
Or else he has to react.
They have to understand the position they put us in.
(SNORTS, GROANS) Look, COMINT, just open up the frequency range for the cell phone network in Beijing.
I will have to take an antenna off Pakistan.
Well, if we have to, we have to.
- Just for the next few hours.
- OK.
- Any progress? - Maybe.
Do you remember this? When we promoted Gus to Mission Director.
Eloise Chambers.
- She applied? - Apparently.
And we didn't even give her an interview.
You think that's enough to sell your country's secrets? Well, if Beijing has read all our files and if they are trying to fan the flames of discontent, then maybe they ask this Zhou/Joe guy from Shonguran to see if she's corruptible.
And maybe he overheard her grumbling about us somewhere.
Nah, I can't buy that.
Too many maybes.
Anything to strengthen that hunch on Jasmina Delic? Not directly.
But she has been very clever getting herself to this facility.
Hm.
Interesting.
Mm-hm.
I don't understand, Paul.
How can you want an amendment? I mean, we consulted you every step of the way.
About the mine, sure.
But your pipeline isn't just in our country, Joe.
It goes all the way up to Darwin.
The Central Land Council have taken it to all the traditional landowners and they have some thoughts.
Anyway, it's not just me.
I'm just the advance party, right? A mate, giving you a little heads-up so that when they do give you the official response, you're ready for it.
- Everyone wants more money.
- No.
Employment.
We want a guarantee that a good percentage of the jobs you create come to us.
That's what my people really want.
Yeah, well, I can't give you a yes on that on my own.
That will have to go back to Beijing.
That's why we're talking - so you can get the wheels turning, eh? We can wait.
We're not going anywhere.
We've been here forever.
But you do need the tick from us before you can take it to the Foreign Investment Review Board.
OK.
I mean, it is what it is.
Yeah? I mean, we just have to deal with it.
Oh.
Uh, hey, Belle.
Hi, again.
- Hi, Belle.
- Hi, Paul.
Did you get it? The painting? Yes.
I did.
I did.
It's getting delivered.
Yeah.
I mean, you should hire him as an advocate for Aboriginal art.
- He's very passionate.
- What did you get? It is a piece by a woman called Mary.
It's beautiful.
Gorgeous piece.
I mean, the depth of colour, magic.
You can really feel the heat of the land coming off the canvas.
It's from a place called Ank-urli? - Ankula.
- Ankula.
Yeah.
You been there? Oh, it's a beautiful place.
You've gotta go there.
Immy takes her tour groups there.
- I could find out what her roster is.
- Oh, no, thanks, Paul.
I'm not really into the group thing.
You know, they hear my accent and then they ask all kinds of questions.
- Yeah.
- I would like to go.
Alright.
Easy.
Leave it with me.
I'll sort it out.
And don't stress.
We'll get there.
See you later, Belle.
Oh.
Bye, Paul.
Uh, please.
Take a seat.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
- It's, uh, nice to see you again.
- Yes.
JASMINA: We've got something.
Some Chinese officials are finding a spot for Robert Boyle.
"Have many good friends of the PRC in Australia.
" "Diagonally opposite.
" "Perfect.
Thank you.
" Then Thanks.
They're discussing now who's gluten-free, - who's going to get drunk.
- What's this about? The Chairman's banquet tomorrow after the meeting with POTUS.
Your PM's Chief of Staff cracked an invite to the Chairman's banquet? Yeah.
They met when he was out there as ambassador.
And he's back there now on holidays after APEC.
It's not unusual.
He goes to Beijing on holidays? Well, the surf's shit but they've got a really big wall.
SIMON: Hey, Jacob, someone at the Chinese Secret Service got an audio file of President Kerr.
He's chucking a tanty, mate.
Channel 14.
Check it out.
KERR: (OVER SPEAKER) As for Philip fucking Burke, what a jackass.
He struts around like some kind of world statesman and nobody gives a fuck what he says.
And then he tries to lecture me on peace in Asia.
Who the FUCK do Australians think they are?! There's more people in Shanghai than in that entire shithole, fucking deserted fucking country.
(CHUCKLES) Oh, that's true.
Is this live? No.
No.
No.
It's, like, 20 minutes old from his hotel room.
Playback through an agent's mobile.
How did they even get it? CIA techies debug every room POTUS walks into.
Must have new gear.
Stupid, dumb cocksucker! If this gets out - From the Chinese? - Nah.
There's no way.
Nah, they may as well hang out a big neon sign telling us they've invented something new.
That's the last thing they'd want.
If you get a steal on someone, keep it secret for as long as you can.
- Exactly.
- Shit.
- They've switched encryption key.
- Who? The Chinese military, 30 seconds ago.
We've just lost sync with all their signals.
Imagery, anything building? Nothing taking off.
Just routine flight activity.
Just preparing, probably.
In case POTUS and the Chairman don't have a good meeting tomorrow.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Are you OK? Yeah.
It's just Yeah.
Are you going to this thing on at Kath's tonight? Yeah.
Just gotta Skype home first, chat with Sal and the girls for a bit, and then I'll come over.
How does that work - you out here, and her with the kids? Sorry.
I'm just curious.
You're one of the few people here making a marriage work, so I don't know about making it work, Jas.
I mean, Sal just thinks I come back, put my feet up, relax, and she's the one running around like a mad thing.
Right.
Maybe I should have stayed single.
Hm? Would have paid off the mortgage by now.
We're gonna have to count these guys in and out? Every day.
It's the only way we can be sure what they're doing.
- Right.
- Yeah.
Don't stare too hard.
They have to feel like they're trusted.
Just wanna make sure they're all leaving.
- Later, Mr Fox.
- Sure.
All the top brass working late tonight, eh? Jacob.
Where did you spring from? Just finished giving these two a run-down from today's shift.
Anyway, better run.
See you at Kath's.
Yeah.
That's why I'm the champ, you see? That's why I don't let you live here rent-free, 'cause I'm gonna beat you both.
That's what I do.
See? - You can't get away from me.
- OK.
- Don't try and get away.
- Boys.
Hey.
Hey.
Hey.
Dinner.
- Dinner.
- Go on.
Hands.
Go on! - With soap! - Alright.
OK.
Close your eyes.
Close your eyes.
Hold on.
- Mm.
- (CHUCKLES) Alright.
- I'm scared now.
- (CHUCKLES) Come on.
- OK.
Keep 'em closed.
- Uh-huh.
Open.
- What do you think? - Uh I mean, it can go either way.
So Uh What did it cost? Uh, $7,000 - Australian dollars.
I mean, it has such a seductive depth.
It's It has a richness and it's evocative.
I mean, you can almost smell the connection between the land and the artist.
Yeah.
It's, um It's it's colourful.
Let me, uh let me get the wine.
Well, I I love it.
Drinks, meat for the barbecue - I don't think we need anything else.
- Do we need that? - We have to bring something.
- Why? What's it for? - It's a party.
DCOFS's house? First one I can remember.
Nah, you'll love it.
I was gonna switch Champions tonight.
So I went with Draven.
I think his attack speed might really suit me.
OK.
OK.
You can spend the night playing League of Legends.
Or you could engage with a house full of actual humans.
Why waste time with humans? OK.
Your second load of random numbers are 8, 2, 7, 5 They're just delusional great apes who periodically kill each other just to establish dominance.
I'm going to write down a bunch of random numbers under that.
Or worse, to establish that my totally unproven, nonexistent god is better than yours.
And I had no idea what two loads of four numbers you were gonna get.
- What's the answer? - 2-7-7-4-0.
And the number that I wrote on the sheet of paper I gave to you? 2-7-7-4-0.
- (APPLAUSE) - Come on.
50 bucks, mate.
You swapped it.
You had to.
No, I didn't.
- How? It's fucking impossible.
- Look, there's no swap, alright? - It's magic.
Just give me 50.
- Go on.
I'll meet you there.
- Don't.
- No.
- Just cough up.
- No, go.
- 50 bucks! - This will be fun.
- You said How? - It's fucking impossible! Look, it's magic, alright? - There's no swap.
Just give me 50.
- Get stuffed.
- Hey, buddy, she's not cheating.
- Thank you.
It's magic.
(CLEARS THROAT) It's not magic.
- It's just math.
- No.
No, it isn't.
- It's quite simple.
I'll show you.
- No.
Mate, piss off.
OK.
What numbers did you write down? - 8275.
- Right.
- What the fuck is going on? - See, what she did was, she picked - GUS: Hey.
- Hi.
- Um, I'll catch you in there.
- Alright.
Where's Moses? - Someone's doing a math trick.
- Ooh.
He could be gone for years.
You look good.
Thank you.
So do you.
- Did you remember the bubbles? - Yes.
I did.
Good.
- (ROCK MUSIC PLAYS) - What exactly are we celebrating? Well, look, look, nothing in particular.
I just thought .
.
a little bonding time after the recent stresses might help.
So, to friendship.
- Friendship.
- And teamwork.
- That too.
- Cheers.
Cheers.
Is Simon coming? Did he stay on the base? Uh, no.
He's just Skyping home.
He won't be long.
So, I hear Beijing has a tape of the President ranting about the Australians.
Yeah.
You listen to it? No.
Not yet.
I was down in data management earlier in the afternoon, but not for that.
I've been reflecting on that young Hong Kong reporter, Lwin Ho.
She was on that Burmese aircraft shot down over Sittwe.
Jasmina said she texted her editor just before take-off.
Remember? Well, that got me to thinking - what do we have on HIS phone? - So I pulled it up.
- The editor's? Yeah.
I've just sent you an unclassified summary via email.
When you get a moment alone, take a look.
The Australians are definitely hiding something.
You're from Laos? Yeah.
You just head north and take a left at Vietnam.
(SPEAKS LAOTIAN) (SPEAKS LAOTIAN) (SPEAKS LAOTIAN) (SPEAKS LAOTIAN) (SPEAKS LAOTIAN) - You know, that's pretty good.
- Thank you.
Hey, Deb.
Did your parents make sure you kept the language? - Yeah.
- Do you still see them much? Um well, I mean, living here makes it a bit hard.
Because of distance or because of what we do? Uh well, both.
I mean, Dad's a sworn pacifist.
He left Laos to escape communism, meditates every day, and then his little girl goes off, joins the army, and now works for Pine Gap.
- You rebel.
- Hey, I just wanted a free uni degree.
Didn't know I'd be at the coalface of anything.
And does it does it feel like you are? At the coalface? In some ways and on some days .
.
but nuh, not really.
(CAT MIAOWS) Aww.
Hello! Ah.
Now, that is Bruce.
And we are all all his guests this evening.
Aww.
Well, hello, Bruce.
Thank you so much for inviting us.
Everything on the table, Kath? Yeah.
Thanks, Eloise.
Uh what am I doing here? Oh.
Fuck, I don't know.
Just toss it all in.
OK.
When I joined in '74, we thought the Soviets would be the enemy for a thousand years.
Then after 1990, it was all over and we were cock of the walk.
Until now.
How'd we win the Cold War, do you think? Better intelligence? Breadlines.
What? There were always breadlines in Moscow because the government decided where the bakeries should be, how many loaves you should make, and what you could charge.
What did Jas say? But in America She apologised for thinking I was Vietnamese.
- And her accent's good, huh? - Mm.
Yeah, spot-on.
She probably lived there for some time.
She told me she's only ever travelled to America.
And it means that there was always enough bread for everybody.
Well, in that case, she's bloody amazing.
So, breadlines.
That's how capitalism beat communism.
Her parents are dead, right? How about yours? I don't think I ever asked.
They're alive.
And so you're not close? We talk.
Send each other birthday presents.
I bet they're proud of you.
Why would you say that? Well, a PhD from Stanford.
Doesn't mean much to a professor at Harvard or a winner of two international piano competitions.
I could have won a Nobel Prize and not get noticed in my family.
- I don't believe that.
- Might be a slight exaggeration.
Hey, I'm I'm with you, by the way, about being at the coalface.
Thank you.
You know You know, I just wish they would just be more honest about it.
I I know that, technically, we have no offensive capabilities.
But the truth is that we are in the centre of so much shit while we're busy telling everyone else that, you know, "Oh, it's just a downlink," and then we pass everything on.
Hey! Look who's here.
I should keep moving.
I'm supposed to be on drinks duty.
So, you finally decided to show your face.
Oh, come on.
What, I'm only, like 20 minutes late.
How are things at home? (SIGHS) Perfect.
Well, it will be once I win Lotto.
Ah, you're always crying poor.
It's not that bad.
Are you serious? I've got four sets of school fees, Deb.
We do have free public education in Australia.
You do know that? Yeah, but see, it's the school my wife went to and her mum, and her grandma.
It's still an option.
Yeah No.
Not really.
You know what? I just have to learn to love debt.
(CHUCKLES) It's the mistress in our marriage.
KATH: Alright, everyone, let's eat! Let's go.
NEWSREADER: President Kerr will meet with Chairman Chen in Beijing tomorrow morning, with one item on the agenda - will China retract its territorial claims in the South China Sea or continue to ignore the decision of the international court that America has sworn to uphold? Louis's asleep.
Andre's almost there.
In fact, so am I.
I'm gonna have to head in early again tomorrow.
Because of this? Partly.
Could it end in war? - Who knows? - But what do you think? I think the best way to avoid a war is to prepare for it.
Ethan, please.
Do not answer me with a cliche.
I really want to know what you think is gonna happen.
Did you, uh Did you make the boys' lunch for tomorrow? Or can I help by doing it now? I, uh I bumped into Paul Dupain today, and he's going to take me out to the place where my painting was done.
Great.
Ladies and gentlemen, now we add these numbers up.
Can I get a drum roll please? (OTHERS DRUM ON TABLE) And the answer is - Uh, 2-7-7-4-0.
- 7-4-0.
- (OTHERS CLAP) - Huh? But you had no idea what numbers I was gonna choose.
- I didn't need to.
- I don't get it.
Oh, come on.
Come on.
I mean, this is not that hard.
Just think.
She was pretty clever for a teenager, though.
She probably saw it online.
Yeah.
Um, look, so, El, the thing is No, no, no, no.
No.
Don't tell her.
She can work it out.
No.
Is looking at pictures all you're good at? My God.
OK, Moses, stop.
El, OK, look So, the two pairs, right, his number and your number, and when you add them together, they have to equal 9,999, yes.
So he can make sure that that happens by writing his number after yours.
- Oh.
- See? - Yeah? - Oh, I I get it.
Wow.
I could literally feel your neurons connecting.
- That was amazing.
- Oh, come on, Moses.
- Astonishing.
- OK.
Hey, Moses.
No need to be rude.
I learned that from a teenager.
- Oh, my God.
- Stop being cruel.
Don't take it to heart.
He couldn't have written the doctoral thesis you wrote either.
Solving the problem of high-spatial resolution for wide-area search.
You were noticed.
(CHUCKLES) Yeah.
What? No, really.
You were.
Why would you think you weren't? Eloise? It doesn't matter.
Sure it does.
We can't solve your problem unless we know what it is.
- It's not a problem.
- Or .
.
is it to do with the MD's job a couple of years ago? I know you didn't get an interview, despite your length of service.
I didn't even get an email acknowledging I'd applied.
Forget it, though.
It's not a problem.
Really.
No.
It is.
I'm sorry.
I apologise.
I remember a time early in my career when I expected to be ignored and forgotten and instead I was embraced and supported.
I'm just sorry we couldn't do the same for you.
Should have spoken up sooner.
Or maybe tried again.
The EMINT team leader position was open a few weeks ago.
You could have applied for that.
I did.
Oh.
Um I'm sorry, Mr Fox, I'm - Thank you.
- Yeah, sure.
Hey, Kath, so, where was Jacob tonight? Oh, he had something else on.
Anyway, not many people relax around Jacob.
I wouldn't argue with that.
Oh, come on.
You guys are What's the word? - Besties? You guys are besties.
- Don't start.
It's been a good night.
Still friction there? - What, between Gus and Jacob? - Yeah.
(LAUGHS) Yeah.
Why, 'cause he blames him for taking his job? No.
He blames America for being demoted.
In Gus's mind, we just .
.
threw him under the bus.
No.
That's all our fault.
Well, so, what's his problem with Jacob? Oh.
Well, basically .
.
Jacob's an asshole.
Fair enough.
I'm dropping Deb and Eloise off and then, at long last, my evening's entertainment can finally begin.
SIMON: I better make tracks too, Kath.
Thanks so much.
Oh, my pleasure.
I might finish this and then fold my tent as well.
- I like your cat.
- Yes.
Where is Bruce? Just FYI, I saw Jacob as I was leaving the base earlier, told him I'd see him here.
- I hope that didn't - Oh, forget it.
He's a big boy.
Have you spoken to Gus? I mean, if he really has the shits with America He he doesn't.
He may have had for a day or two, but he's over that now.
Have you had a chance to speak to Jasmina? Not yet.
It's next.
She'll open up much more one on one, I can promise you.
Alright.
Well, I'll head back to the base, put my thoughts down on paper while they're still fresh.
And following our protocol, that means I should leave them in your office.
Ah.
The manual passcode.
You can change it again tomorrow.
4-6-0-2.
Goodnight.
Did Gus ever talk to you about his demotion? To be honest, he was more annoyed about not being able to apply for that job in Denver.
Oh, the job in Denver.
Yeah.
That meant everything to him.
He would have finally been able to show his dad he's done as much for America as his brother.
You know about his brother, right? Instead, he got told he was too important here, then they ripped away the MD job and now his dad still thinks he's a filing clerk.
So, we robbed him of his family validation.
Yeah, well, not you.
It's like Moses said - he blames them.
Has Gus asked you about your family? Yeah, once.
And? I told him they were killed by the Kosovo Liberation Army.
Nothing like the truth.
'Cause that is the truth, isn't it? It depends where you put the frame.
What do you mean? Well, until 1999, the US State Department actually listed the KLA as a terrorist organisation.
Then they started fighting Serbia for independence, and America was just like, "Wow, awesome.
How cool is this? "We can use these guys to get rid of Milosevic "and just not get blamed for it.
" So then, all of a sudden, the KLA were freedom fighters.
Like overnight.
On Saturday, terrorists.
On Sunday, freedom fighters.
So, the six men who killed my parents were all trained and armed by the CIA.
Every single last fucking one of them.
And that's also the truth.
But, honestly, like, back then, the whole Balkans was a mess.
You just can't hang on to things like that.
It happened and it's it's over, and .
.
when I landed here, I just felt like I could breathe for the first time in my life.
See ya, mate.
Thank you, Moses.
(SIGHS) Now back to my single bed.
- Sorry I'm straight.
- Yeah, you're such a disappointment.
Not to everyone.
Not really.
You know you've really got to stop thinking that.
- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
(INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER) What do we do about this? This? Yeah.
Us.
There comes a point where we just have to say something, right? The NSA rules are very clear.
No contact with foreign bodies.
And minds, or just bodies? If the relationship becomes close and continuing, I have to declare a foreign preference.
I'm not sure what happens after that.
I think if you were Russian or Iranian, it might be an issue.
- Close and continuing, huh? - That's the phrase.
Well, call me crazy, but I think we've jumped the bar on 'close'.
(LAUGHS) As for 'continuing' .
.
have you had any continuing girlfriends in this job? Nothing past a few months.
It gets too hard.
Tell me .
.
we work our guts out to protect a free society and then can't even be part of what we're protecting.
Surely we can have a relationship.
Though we can't ever quite be normal.
- Yeah.
- I guess it depends on what we want.
(MUSIC PLAYS ON TV) (LOUD BANGING AT DOOR) Mr Maths Nerd, you still awake? It's me, Marissa, from the mall.
Can't hide in a town this small.
I know you're home.
I just want my 50 bucks.
(BANGS AT DOOR) Hey! You lost me $50.
Just pay up and we're cool, yeah? OK, yeah, well, I'll be back tomorrow.
Better get back to my place before the bus.
I'll see you in half an hour.
Do you know how much you toss and turn at night? Yeah, I always have.
Sorry.
What's wrong? Just still wondering about the Rohingya shooting down that plane.
Why? 'Cause as you said the other day, "Why would a Hong Kong reporter who's never been to Myanmar before "recognise a Burmese rapist in witness protection?" I mean, maybe, but You remember that last text she sent? Yeah, about explosive news.
Yeah, I went down to data management yesterday and pulled up what we had on her editor's phone, the guy she sent it to, and guess what.
What? Within 60 seconds of getting that text, he sent it to the MSS in Beijing.
But don't you think it's an odd text to send to Chinese intelligence if it was really just about a local rapist? Yeah, but even if her "totes explosive news" was about something else entirely, something worth sending to the MSS, it still could be a coincidence.
The Rohingya still could have shot down the plane to get the guy in witness protection.
Yeah, sure, but if it was about something else, aren't you curious what it was? You've been curious about everything else.
She just spent a week buddying up to a dozen world leaders at the APEC Conference.
But if she did recognise the guy in witness protection and that's what her explosive news was, then it all fits.
Why keep worrying about it? But do you really think she did? Sure, yeah.
What? You didn't on Tuesday.
Look, Jas, no big deal.
Who else knows about that text being forwarded to Beijing? No-one.
See you on the bus.
(SIGHS) (STARTS ENGINE) What were you looking for, Rudi Fox, you sneaky little Californian knob gobbler? Hey? - OK.
Informative evening? - On many fronts.
- Good.
- Including Mr Jacob Kitto.
- My, you ARE efficient.
- He's her husband.
He's Kath's husband? Or ex-husband or soon-to-be ex.
He's also a very trusted go-to guy.
There's some great fieldwork on that resume.
Unsurprisingly.
- He's the guy she's divorcing? - Yeah.
The guy taking her through hell and back over a cat? That's him.
And she's hidden it.
- Mine to use if I want it.
- Mm-hm.
- I'll be damned.
- Mm-hm.
Money, ideology, ego, grudge, grudge, ego.
- What? It could be any of them? - Potentially.
I don't I don't really think we've looked at Moses yet.
Moses is still least likely.
How do we prioritise? Well, the real offender is probably hiding their real motive, but on the other hand, Simon just blurted his right out.
Eloise didn't take much coaxing either.
OK, so we put these two aside for now.
Not dismiss, just put aside.
We have to progress somehow.
Gus, Jasmina, Deb.
Where do we focus? - Gus.
- Jasmina.
OK, what's that look about? Well, we knew you were her referee for this job, but until we read Jasmina's file, we didn't know you were also her first boss at the Australian Signals Directorate.
- None of which is inappropriate.
- Can you be objective? Objective? Rudi, I notice you didn't even try to tease out the level of Gus Thompson's resentment.
Her file also told me that from the day she chose her electives in Year 11 at high school, she's been on a path to get here.
Since when has goal-setting been an indication of guilt? Ethan?! Kath, open your eyes, please.
From the age of 15, nothing's stopped her.
Nothing's delayed her.
Nothing's got in her way.
And now at the age of 29, she's a team leader in the most important and sophisticated American facility in the world outside the US.
And her parents were lined up in their backyard and murdered by American-trained rebels.
Are you seriously comparing all that to Gus Thompson being demoted? ZHOU: So, we just go where it tells us to? Yeah, just follow it in - it'll tell you how old all the rocks are and why this place is a women's site.
- All that stuff.
- OK, good.
We're still going with them? Well, we can if you'd like, but we don't need to.
- It's OK.
You? - Yeah, I'm good.
- Great.
- Sure? Dad, they're fine.
It's a cultural adventure.
(LAUGHS) - Have fun! - OK! I thought you trained as a guide.
What happened to the personal touch? Uh, chill.
This is the modern touch.
I only came out here so I could help you show 'em around country.
Well, this is how we do it now.
They go off and learn, I stay and catch up on uni work.
- I might as well head back to town.
- OK.
Hey, who's the American chick? I see her at the courts a bit.
Ethan James's wife.
- He's high up, right? - I didn't ask.
- (FLIES BUZZ) - Why shouldn't you? Pine Gap's on our bloody land and we got no compensation for it.
Yes, you've made that point, but the Americans are a good employer, Immy.
I'm trying to get Shonguran to learn from that example.
Shonguran have learnt.
They shifted the mine location.
They've avoided sacred sites and they're paying us.
Well, it's not always just about money.
Well, under paragraph 44 of the Land Title Act Which didn't exist when Pine Gap was built.
.
.
the conditions of a lease require payment of compensation for damages or disturbance caused to the relevant Aboriginal land and to the traditional owners of the land.
Thank you, Miss Law Student.
But compensation isn't just about cash.
Well, they're giving us a hell of a lot more than the Americans ever have.
The Americans do plenty.
If they ever close that base, the whole Alice Springs economy would collapse.
Not now that we're getting a $200 billion gas mine right up the road.
I reckon we'd muddle through with that.
But I will keep an open mind.
I'd better wait here, make sure they get back.
Thanks for coming out for 'em.
Hey, anytime.
- What do I think? - Yeah.
There is a meeting in Beijing right now that could change the world.
OK, well, I think Chairman Chen is going to hold the line.
That Malaysian ship is in our territory.
But what about the ruling from the international court? Well, who cares? That's in Europe.
China Sea is in Asia.
Why should we listen to a bunch of geriatric Caucasians 10,000 miles away? I mean, they can't tell us who owns what on our doorstep.
- But - Yeah, and, by the way .
.
before you get so pious, when it comes to official recognition of the international court, you haven't ratified it either.
Basically, America wants to enforce a rules-based order without belonging to it.
So, you know, stones and glasshouses.
- It could all end in war.
- Yeah, I doubt it.
I mean, in this day and age, the cost of war far outweighs the benefits to what they want.
But you agree a strong American presence is the main reason that Asia has had decades of peace.
Up until now, yes.
Therefore, if you want to keep those benefits, you have to keep accepting that we - we call the shots.
But I don't think we do anymore.
So, what? China would trade peace for leadership? - Or you could back off.
- (BOTH LAUGH) We don't want to have ships in your backyard, you get out of ours.
(LAUGHS) This is a refreshingly adult conversation.
The only kind worth having, right? And your English is excellent.
- Well, four years at MIT helped.
- Ah.
Ha! This is beautiful.
Amazing.
- What what does that say? - Um, OK.
It says, "Until the 1970s, only women were allowed here "because over those rocks are a series of secret water pools "and for centuries, the Arrernte women, they would gather around "and they would drink and bathe and gossip, "all without being bothered by annoying people like men.
" - Oh! OK, I'll stay here, then.
- OK.
If you're not back in an hour, I'll send a search party.
(CAMERA CLICKS) Gus .
.
Lwin's photo album, on her phone, the last three days in Sittwe, she had snaps with officials from China, Japan, RPM's chief of staff, Canada and North Korea.
Party girl.
Yeah, but the Chinese official was the foreign minister.
Maybe that's where she got her explosive news.
No, they're not that clumsy.
Yeah, but all she might have needed was a peek at his phone.
- Really? You think so? - Alright.
They've finished and the Chairman and POTUS have left the building and the aides are scattering.
Chairman's coming back to his banquet.
- Can we get inside? - Er, yes.
Trying.
We've just got a burst of signals from the Hainan sub base.
- Needing decryption.
- Right.
EMINT, stay on defence.
COMINT, can we find a phone inside that banquet? If Chen says anything, we have to hear it.
Still looking.
MAN: (OVER PA) Alice, this is Pentagon.
POTUS just ordered the USS Bartlett to undertake a freedom of navigation voyage through the South China Sea.
Please monitor all Chinese Navy movements.
Specific tasking is on the way.
OK.
So, obviously Chen stood his ground.
Does Kerr even know what he's risking? If they won't retract, he had to respond.
With an aircraft carrier.
And what if they sink it? You know, there's 5,000 people on that ship.
It's more than 9/11.
Hopefully they'll pretend they don't see it.
Just let it sail through.
That's what they've done up till now.
Main screen.
The Bartlett's there, travelling at 30 knots, which makes it about 38 hours from the Nine-Dash Line, marking Chinese-claimed territory.
- There's no phones in the banquet.
- None? None.
They've left them all outside.
What? Not even a waiter, a chef? Nobody? Robert Boyle.
He's the Chief of Staff.
We can't do that, he's an Australian.
Has COS got his phone turned on? SIMON: Guys, what are you doing? The golden rule - we can't access our phones.
Well, I'm locked on and I could activate COS's microphone right now.
Is it a personal phone or a government phone? - Government.
- That's just hair-splitting, mate.
Yeah, well, if a split hair saves a war, I'll cop the heat.
Activate the microphone, Jas.
But just the mike.
If he makes a call or gets online, cut out.
- Hey.
- What? "Has COS got his phone?" What do you think? - "COS got"? - Yeah.
"Cos got totes explosive news"? What if 'cos' meant Chief of Staff? And the explosive news came from him? Shit.
You think Lwin read something on Boyle's phone? And if her editor knew she meant Chief of Staff, that would be why he sent it to Chinese intelligence.
Curious now? - Anything? - Um, I'm just still listening.
SIMON: Comm from Hainan stopped.
Still trying to decrypt.
Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on.
Moses, can I get a hand over here, please? - JACOB: Jasmina? - Yeah, I'm still listening.
(PANTS) Holy fuck.
Outside now.
It's not your job to go out private-intelligence gathering.
You could be fired and fucking imprisoned.
The emails on Robert Boyle's phone, one of them was kind of significant.
There's a manager's position at the Signals Directorate in Canberra.
I was kind of wondering if you could stamp a reference for me.
I know you're there.
I'm not trying to steal anything, OK? I'm just trying to sleep.
Have you noticed anything odd about Moses? Alright, leave it with me.
The USS Bartlett is 18 hours from the Nine-Dash Line.
If the Bartlett does cross, Chinese Government may choose to ignore it