JAG s01e06 Episode Script

Oh, yeah! Hawk-Eye has two inbound bogies.
We nail them, we'll have bagged the whole squadron.
That'll teach the squids not to mess with Marines.
Miramar Control, Red Dog 15, this is Point Alpha with a flight of two.
15, Miramar Control.
You are cleared to the range.
15, Roger.
Wild Cat.
Red Dog.
You ready to save the squadron's honour? Ready and able, Red Dog.
How low you gonna go? Hey, burrowing animals better not stick their heads up.
See you on deck, Wild Cat.
Copy that, Red Dog.
Point Bravo in 10 seconds.
Better pick your feet up.
Already sitting on them, sir.
APTERN engaged.
I'm hands off.
Red Dog at Point Bravo.
39.
Coming down.
APTERN's got us too high.
They're gonna nail us.
We need to teach this computer some moves, sir.
Contact, I think.
There! Hawk-Eye! Fly Catcher! Aircraft down! Aircraft down! 39, Miramar Control.
Abort.
Abort.
Climb to angels 15.
Establish left hand orbit.
Over.
39 climbing to angels 15.
Why the abort, Miramar? We have an aircraft down.
39, do you see a parachute? Over.
Negative, Miramar.
39 does not see a parachute.
Sir! Lieutenant Pendry's mission was to simulate taking out an avenger missile unit manned by Marines.
It was the toughest mission profile in our intra-squadron competition.
None of the Howlers, that's Lieutenant Pendry's squadron, - took it out.
He - What was the mission profile? Basically it was coming in low in one direction while his wingman made her approach from another.
- His wingman's a female? - Lieutenant Tess McKee.
One of the best from what I hear.
Did the Marines get a lock on Lieutenant Pendry before he augured in? Nope.
They didn't see him till he came over that hill.
Inverted.
His profile call for a low-level inverted flight? No, sir.
And he was flying APTERN.
It's difficult to understand why he was inverted.
- APTERN? - Auto precision terrain radar navigation.
I know what it is.
But it's an Air Force system.
- What's it doing in a Navy Tomcat? - Defence cutbacks, sir.
DOD is pushing hard for inter-service systems commonality.
It saves R&D.
Unfortunately sometimes you save money, you lose lives.
The truth is, we've never had any problem with the APTERN system.
Until now.
This crash wasn't caused by APTERN, Lieutenant.
James Reid, Macroplex.
Lieutenants Rabb and Austin, JAG.
I take it Macroplex manufactures APTERN.
That's right, Lieutenant.
We check every incident involving one of our systems.
In fact, the Pentagon requires it.
Not all of our products are perfect but APTERN's close to it.
Even if it caused this crash? Tell you what, Lieutenant Rabb.
If you don't jump to conclusions about APTERN, I won't jump to conclusions about Lieutenant Pendry.
- Fair enough? - Fair enough.
Obviously, Lieutenants Pendry and Marcus were killed instantly.
We have removed their bodies.
But there may still be body parts in the area.
Luke was one of the best.
A natural.
Maybe that's why he could push the envelope a little further than most.
He took chances, sir? In this business, you take a chance every time you go up, Lieutenant.
Yes, sir.
But you implied that he took more than most.
Or do I not understand what "pushing the envelope" means, sir? - Perhaps you don't.
- As I understand it, sir, it means going to the known limit of an aircraft and then a little beyond.
Close enough.
And we all do it, at one time or another.
Yes, sir.
But you said Lieutenant Pendry pushed the envelope a little further than most.
Because he had the talent to get away with it.
Lieutenant Austin, wasn't Lieutenant McKee scheduled to join us by now? Would you mind stepping outside, see what's keeping her? Certainly, sir.
I can see trying it in combat, but in an exercise? Luke didn't give a damn if the mission was real or simulated.
He wanted to win.
Yeah, but to go inverted to avoid negative Gs? Man, you've got to be crazy to try something like that on the deck.
That's a good shot.
Lieutenant McKee.
Lieutenant Austin, JAG.
I'm sorry about Lieutenant Pendry.
I heard he was a good man.
You have no idea, Lieutenant.
I heard about what you did on the Seahawk.
Hell of a feat.
Considering you hadn't flown a Tomcat in four years.
- I got lucky, sir.
- It takes that sometimes.
Especially when you're highly competitive.
- Aren't most good pilots, sir? - Of course.
But Luke would have loved being the only one to nail that SAM.
Commander, could he have pushed it too far? No.
He just ran out of luck.
Nothing more than that.
Conditions were ideal.
Clear visibility, no turbulence.
It was by the numbers.
Then just as I began my run Miramar told me to abort and asked me to look for chutes.
There weren't any.
Did Lieutenant Pendry communicate with you during his run at the target? Just to break.
To start my attack.
How long have you been flying with APTERN? About three months.
- Any problems? - No.
The terrain-seeking radar is accurate.
And it performs specific manoeuvres as programmed by the mission profile.
But you don't like it.
No pilot likes to turn control over to a black box.
Did Lieutenant Pendry dislike APTERN, too? He felt the same as the rest of us.
Would he have shut down APTERN to fly the Tomcat himself? No.
The mission profile called for the use of APTERN.
He would not have turned it off unless it were malfunctioning.
Was it malfunctioning? I don't know.
I wasn't in his cockpit, Lieutenant.
But Lieutenant Pendry liked to fly on the edge.
On the edge of what? I think you know what I mean, Lieutenant.
No, I don't think I do, Lieutenant.
If none of the howlers flew a successful mission using APTERN, maybe Lieutenant Pendry thought he could do better without it.
He probably could.
But the competition called for the use of APTERN and Luke was a professional.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
I have more questions, sir.
So do I, Lieutenant.
But we can ask them as the investigation proceeds.
What was that about? She just lost her wingman, go a little easy.
We have an investigation to run, sir.
I'm aware of that, Lieutenant.
Which is why I want you to pull all the gripe sheets on APTERN for Navy and Air Force.
I want to know about every problem they've ever had or thought they've had, no matter how trivial.
Yes, sir.
I'm going to visit Lieutenant Pendry's wife.
I'll meet you later, sir.
Harm? Hi, Annie.
God, I feel like calling out, telling him you're here.
He would've liked to have seen you.
Hey, Josh, you remember Harm? Hi, Josh.
I don't think he really understands yet.
I think he does.
Harm.
Sit down.
- I'm sorry.
I'll fix it.
- Don't bother.
I want to get rid of them.
- You miss flying? - I go up every now and then.
When I can find a CO who'll let me play.
That's what it is, isn't it? Playing.
You're all just boys playing with bigger toys.
Well, I like to think it's a little more than that, Annie.
It's not.
Listen, Annie.
I'm heading up the investigation.
I'm surprised they're letting you.
I mean, you and Lucas being such good friends and all.
I don't think they know.
Oh.
Well, you know, Lucas wouldn't want you to get yourself in any trouble on his account.
Yes, he would.
Hey, Mom.
Hey.
You're supposed to be cleaning your room.
It's clean.
Did you fly with my daddy? A long time ago.
- He was the best though, wasn't he? - Yes, he was.
Why did he crash? I don't know, Josh.
But I'm going to find out.
This is the last time I take directions from an O' Club waitress.
The way she looked at you they were probably directions to her house.
Very funny, Lieutenant.
Do you have anything there? No APTERN-related accidents have ever been reported.
How frequently do they have to be recalibrated? About once every 16.
5 hours of flight time.
That's actually pretty good for a chip-driven avionics system.
Here it is.
Are those figures for Navy or Air Force? They didn't separate them.
- Do it.
- Yes, sir.
Sorry we're late, sir.
We were misdirected.
Is that a pilot's way of saying "lost," Lieutenant? Pilots don't get lost, Mr Reid, just momentarily disoriented.
- Let's get started, Lieutenant Stans.
- Aye, sir.
We have two visuals for you today.
First, based upon the mission profile we have a computer-animated cockpit view of Lieutenant Pendry's attack as it was intended to be executed.
Ready, sir.
Here Lieutenant Pendry is making his descent to initiate his attack.
Point Bravo.
This is where he engaged APTERN and radioed Lieutenant McKee to initiate her attack.
As you can see, APTERN, with its pre-programmed flight path, is taking maximum advantage of the terrain as it approaches the target.
Point Charlie.
This is where he fires his Mavericks and breaks away to escape on a pre-programmed route.
That's what was supposed to happen.
Here's what did.
Lieutenant Pendry made his descent on profile.
And he crossed Point Bravo on profile.
But at 1.
5 seconds before Point Charlie he goes inverted and impacts the ground seven-tenths of a second later.
Looked to me like Lieutenant Pendry shifted to shut off the APTERN and take control before going inverted.
- I didn't see that.
- It appears that he did, Lieutenant.
The APTERN system uses an indented switch designed to lock into place when it is engaged but it was in the "off" position.
Can't blame APTERN if it wasn't even on.
Unless he shut it off because it was malfunctioning.
APTERN doesn't malfunction, Lieutenant Rabb.
Those gripe sheets Lieutenant Austin has will bear me out.
Even if it did, APTERN's designed to automatically roll the wings level and initiate a 4G pitch up.
- What if that was malfunctioning? - Face it, Lieutenant.
He thought he could do better on his own.
So he shut APTERN down and went over the hill inverted.
- To avoid negative Gs.
- Exactly.
To stay low over the hill would have subjected him to too many negative Gs.
Inverted, he could have stayed on the deck and got off his shot.
From all I hear, Lieutenant Pendry was a man who liked to win.
Maybe he thought this was the only way.
He wasn't reckless, Mr Reid.
I appreciate your position, Lieutenant Rabb.
I really do.
You room with a man in flight school, it forms a bond.
I didn't mean to drop a bombshell, Lieutenant.
I assumed you disclosed your relationship with Lieutenant Pendry before accepting this assignment.
It will in no way undermine my objectivity, Mr Reid.
It already has, Lieutenant.
- Mind if I join you, Lieutenant? - Not at all.
I heard that you stuck up for Luke.
I just want to tell you how much the Howlers appreciate that.
I'm standing up for the truth, Lieutenant, which I hope is on Luke's side.
What's that going up there for? I thought these guys were all supposed to be legends? They are.
Some legend.
He almost took two of my men with him.
All a flyboy's got to do to get up on that wall is screw the pooch.
Come on, Moore.
Sorry, she was his wingman.
Well, she's acting like she was more than just his wingman.
What the hell was that for? - I don't hit women.
- Neither do I.
Let's go, come on.
I'm all for equality, honey.
But you don't want to be treated equal in a Marine brawl.
- Would you - Lieutenant, let's get out of here! Come on back here! Come on! Thank you, sir.
Have a good evening.
Sorry, Lieutenant.
Thanks for jumping in there.
That gyrene ticked me off.
Really? It's this next left.
How long did you fly with Luke? Six months.
Hang out together much? You know, other pilots hang out with each other.
People don't automatically assume they're sleeping together.
This is it.
Thanks for the ride.
You saved me cab fare.
Anytime, Lieutenant.
You know, I'm not gonna say I didn't have feelings for Luke.
I want him back more than anything.
So do I.
Take aim, and fire! Aim.
Fire! Aim.
Fire! Mrs Pendry, James Reid.
I represent a military contractor.
I wanted to tell you how much we respected your husband.
He's a great loss for all of us.
Thank you, Mr Reid.
Young man, your father was a fine man and a fine pilot.
You should be very proud of him.
Come on, honey.
- I'll be in touch.
- Okay.
- I wish you meant that, Mr Reid.
- Lieutenant, none of this is personal.
Just because I have a job to do, doesn't mean I'm not sorry the man's dead.
Gee, you're a real sensitive guy.
So long as it doesn't interfere with the bottom line.
Everybody's got a family to feed, Lieutenant.
Even people who work for corporations.
Mrs Pendry seems like a fine woman.
Little boy's nice, too.
It would be a shame if Lieutenant Pendry's memory was marred by something ugly.
What are you talking about? Sometimes it's better just to let things go, Lieutenant Rabb.
- What did he mean? - I'm not sure.
I owe you an apology, Lieutenant.
You're my partner.
I should have told you about my friendship with Lieutenant Pendry.
No apology necessary, sir.
Sir, is it possible you might be a little too personally involved? I don't question your integrity for a second, Harm.
But you are human.
You care about Lieutenant Pendry, you care about his family.
I just don't believe he screwed the pooch.
How can you be so sure with all the evidence against him? I can't explain it, Meg.
You fly with a guy, you get to know him.
Maybe better than you know yourself.
That was years ago.
People change.
In some ways, maybe.
But if anything, most pilots I've known become more careful once they have kids.
Luke may have been competitive, but he wasn't crazy.
The only problem is, how are you gonna prove it, Harm? Sending malfunction now.
Haven't we seen enough? That's the eighth malfunction we created for APTERN.
And every time it's put him into a wing level, nose-up recovery.
Call it a day, Lieutenant Rabb.
I'd like to try another, sir.
Lieutenant, we've fed every malfunction we've created for APTERN and it hasn't crashed you yet.
If you want to try something, try flying the mission inverted like Lieutenant Pendry did.
Roger that.
Are you sure you want to try this without APTERN? Only way to know.
Coming up on Point Bravo.
Here we go.
Pull out! Pull out! I'm too low! Afterburn sim, standing by.
- You're dead, Lieutenant.
baseline grid zero.
Once you inverted that low, you didn't have a chance.
Now will you write up your report? We still don't know why Lieutenant Pendry was inverted.
Because he wanted to win.
Could there be an interface problem between APTERN and the autopilot? It would've shown up on the printout.
Lieutenant Rabb, I'd like to believe it was APTERN and not Luke but you've exhausted all possibilities.
I think it's time we faced reality.
Perhaps not, sir.
Do you know how often APTERN has to be recalibrated? An average of once every 16.
5 flight hours.
That's a combined figure for the Air Force and the Navy.
The Air Force figure is 22.
3.
And in the Navy, it has to be recalibrated every 8.
1 hours.
That's nearly three times as often.
It's relatively new to the Navy.
Your technicians aren't as proficient as the Air Force yet.
I wonder when Lieutenant Pendry's APTERN was recalibrated? - I'll check it out.
- No, Mr Reid.
We will.
- You don't quit, do you, Lieutenant? - No, sir.
Well, neither do I, Lieutenant Rabb.
What's wrong, Lieutenant? We may finally be on to something significant.
I don't think so, sir.
I looked up the maintenance report on Lieutenant Pendry's Tomcat.
APTERN was recalibrated the morning of his final flight.
Well, why didn't you say so in the room? I didn't want to give Mr Reid the satisfaction.
We have to promptly disclose facts, Lieutenant.
- Pro or con.
- Yes, sir.
There has to be a reason for the interval difference beyond technicians getting up to speed.
- Lf you say so, sir.
- You don't believe me? I believe Lieutenant Pendry was a close personal friend and you're grasping at straws and you have me doing it.
Sounds like something Reid would say.
I don't like him any more than you do, Harm.
But that doesn't mean everything that comes out of his mouth is wrong.
Anything else? I've been hearing rumours about Lieutenant Pendry and McKee.
So have I.
I don't believe them.
If true, it could explain why he would try something as risky as going in inverted.
What, you want to write this up as showing off for a girlfriend? If he was having personal problems, it could have affected his flying.
Not Luke.
- Reid's probably heard the rumours.
- I'm sure he has.
- He'll use them.
- Yes, he will.
Have you thought about how that could affect his family? Meg, this isn't just about salvaging Luke's reputation or protecting his family.
If APTERN's flawed, finding the flaw will save lives.
And that is our ultimate responsibility.
You sound like my dad.
I'm in trouble when you start comparing me to your father.
My brother? Even worse.
Hello? Annie? Mom? Harm.
I'm sorry.
I didn't hear you come in.
That's okay.
I'm early.
You fixed it.
Good as new.
Will you help me fly it, sir? Well Go on.
Join you outside.
Cool.
Let me see.
I'm not checked out in this model.
- How'd you do that? - Tweaked in a little up elevator.
What's that do? It puts down pressure on the tail which causes the nose to rise.
The air travels at different speeds over the top and bottom control surfaces breaking the lift on the Next time you're in a car, stick your hand out the window.
Tilt it like this and your arm will fly up just like your Tomcat.
- Go wash up, young man.
- I'm clean.
Yeah.
You're filthy! I should make you take a bath before dinner.
- I'm gonna fly first.
- Josh! Listen to your mom.
Yes, sir.
A man's voice.
Women like to think it doesn't make a difference, but it does.
Oh, I don't know.
After my dad went down, my mom kept a pretty tight rein on me.
Harm, I forgot all about that.
- How old were you? - Josh's age.
And you became a naval aviator because your dad was one.
Well, I suppose that had a lot to do with it.
I don't want Josh flying.
He's only six, Annie.
Yeah, that's when it starts.
I suppose Luke wasn't around any more than my dad.
Two years and six months out of nearly eight years of marriage.
But when he was home it was perfect.
Maybe because of all the time he was away, I don't know.
How do the wives feel now that women are being deployed at sea? Most of them don't like it.
It never bothered me.
Even with a wingman as pretty as Lieutenant McKee? He wasn't sleeping with Tess.
- Annie - No, listen! I've heard the rumours.
And that's what they are.
Rumours.
Annie, I'm sorry.
I It's just been suggested that personal problems might have played a part in the accident.
With what Luke and I had, he didn't have to look anywhere else.
Luke was mine.
And I was his.
And that's just the way it was, okay? Don't show them to me.
Lieutenant Rabb's the inspecting officer this evening.
Lieutenant Pendry sounds like a lot of fun.
Yeah, he was that.
You spend much time with him and Annie? Some.
Lieutenants.
Can I buy you a drink as a way of apologising? - Some other night.
- Name it.
- I'll let you know.
- I'll be waiting.
- You aren't playing with a full deck.
- Marines.
You know, they're the only species on the planet that would develop a crush on you if you punch them out? So where were we? Oh, I think you know where we were, Lieutenant.
Or at least, where we were headed.
You know what, let me ask the questions for a second.
Do you find Lieutenant Rabb attractive? Yeah.
You work together, see him off duty occasionally? Yeah.
Do you sleep with him? Fair's fair, Lieutenant.
I'm the one conducting the investigation.
Well, let me put it this way.
Do you think it's possible you might sleep with him someday? I don't know.
I guess anything's possible.
- Lf he were married? - No.
- That's not a possibility.
- Why not? Because that's not who I am.
And that's not who he is.
That's not who we were, either.
If I had to bet, I'd bet against it.
- But you're not sure.
- No.
But he is.
Going to wrap this up today, Lieutenants? - I doubt it, sir.
- Then I think you should read this.
"A source close to the investigation of the crash "which claimed the lives of Navy Lieutenants "Lucas Pendry and Stuart Marcus "revealed that Lieutenant Pendry had an affair with his female wingman "resulting in her pregnancy and subsequent abortion.
" - You bastard! - Harm, no! Check the date.
The paper.
Check the date.
It's the fifth.
That's tomorrow.
That's a mock-up of what the world will see tomorrow if you don't conclude your investigation today.
- You can't blackmail us with an ugly lie.
- It's not a lie, Lieutenant.
Affidavits.
From people who saw Lieutenants Pendry and McKee together in bars.
A doctor's bill for a D and C which, as we all know, is a euphemism for abortion.
And affidavits from two nurses who saw Lieutenant Pendry pick Lieutenant McKee up at the hospital.
- All circumstantial.
- We're not in a court of law, Lieutenant.
Even if it's true, it doesn't prove pilot error.
Somehow I don't think the Navy would agree with you.
And the public certainly won't.
I don't want to tarnish the memory of a brave man or embarrass his family.
But I do intend to protect Macroplex from investigating officers wearing blinders.
How far I have to go to do that is up to you.
Permission to come aboard, sir.
Permission granted.
Not much room in here.
- You wear a fighter cockpit.
- Like a pair of pantyhose.
Did she deny it? Nope.
And it wasn't an abortion.
She miscarried.
I thought better of Luke.
No need to change your opinion.
He wasn't the father.
Who was? Privileged information.
We're on the same team, Meg.
My telling you is not going to change the outcome of our investigation, Harm.
Where's APTERN? Here.
Next to the autopilot.
You still think it's at fault? There is no way Luke would have intentionally inverted that low.
Did Lieutenant Stans feed every possible APTERN malfunction into the simulator? Everything anyone could think of.
Maybe it's some seemingly insignificant thing Luke did that had never been done before.
Fate Is The Hunter.
- What? - It's a film.
Everyone wants to blame a fatal crash on the dead pilot, Rod Taylor.
- Who's Rod Taylor? - An actor.
They said it was pilot error but Glenn Ford didn't believe them.
Another actor? So he recreates the flight down to the smallest detail.
On a computer? They didn't have computers.
I saw this movie when I was a kid.
Oh, you mean way back.
Even had Suzanne Pleshette, who played the surviving stewardess Oh, I know her.
bring coffee to the cockpit, like she did the night of the crash.
Turns out to be the key to why they went down.
- Coffee? - He put the cup on the console.
When they lost an engine, it spilled, shorting out all the instruments which then gave them false readings.
I don't think Lieutenant Pendry had coffee in his cockpit.
We don't know what he had or did the night of the crash and no computer can exactly duplicate that, unless I - Play Glenn Ford.
- Exactly! But there is no way in hell I'll ever get permission.
Maybe there is.
Lieutenant Rabb, it is out of the question.
Sir, there are unknowns the computer can't factor.
Lieutenant, there was nothing wrong with APTERN.
The only person who won't accept that is you.
I'd like a chance to find out, Commander.
If something went wrong, it could end my career and your life.
- I'm willing to risk it, sir.
- I'm not.
Lieutenant Pendry was a good man.
But he was human.
He made a mistake.
He wasn't the only one, Commander.
Meaning? I understand Lieutenant McKee became pregnant recently, sir.
That's her business, Lieutenant.
Provided it doesn't interfere with her duties.
Yes, sir.
But the father was a member of this squadron and Mr Reid is going to make that public.
Damn him! He believes Lieutenant Pendry was the father.
People make mistakes.
A man shouldn't have to risk losing his career for one mistake.
No, sir.
If I can't prove it wasn't pilot error, Mr Reid will make public what he believes to be true.
It's hard enough for a boy to grow up without his father.
He shouldn't have to be ashamed of him, too.
Weight, balance, ordnance, fuel load.
Every spec identical to Lieutenant Pendry's last flight.
Except no one's in the back seat.
- Can't risk it.
- I can.
- No way, Lieutenant.
- He was my friend, too.
If no one's in the back seat, then it won't be the same as Luke's last flight.
I'll compensate with dead weight.
Dead weight can't hand you a cup of coffee, sir.
What? Fate Is The Hunter, Suzanne Pleshette gave Glenn Ford a cup of coffee.
- See - Go get your flight gear, Lieutenant.
You take off in five minutes.
Proceed to the America then make five landings, then fly the mission.
Five traps? That's what Lieutenant Pendry did the morning of his flight.
That's like preparing for a football game with five boxing matches.
Good luck, Harm.
Thanks, Meg.
Hook down, gear down and locked.
Tomcat 04.
Ball.
8.
9.
Sorry.
I'm a little rusty.
You're not rusty, Lieutenant.
You're corroded.
Thank God that's over.
You're making me wish I'd joined the Air Force.
Miramar Control, Tomcat 04, Point Alpha.
04, Miramar Control.
You are cleared to the range.
Here we go.
APTERN zeroed at Point Bravo.
Engaging APTERN.
I'm hands off.
Approaching Point Charlie.
The APTERN altitude indicator just inverted.
Shut it off! Negative! I'm over-riding first! APTERN's still indicating we're inverted.
Shutting it down now.
Come on, Harm.
Pull up.
When you disengage APTERN it's programmed to roll wings level with a 4G pitch up.
Which is fine unless APTERN thinks you're flying upside down.
Then it throws you on your back and down.
- It must have inverted on Luke, too.
- Yes! It rolled him over and dove him into the ground.
What made APTERN think you were inverted? My guess is those five traps I made before the mission did something to it.
That's why the recalibration frequency is higher for the Navy than the Air Force.
APTERN wasn't designed to take the pounding of carrier landings.
It will be.
Thanks to Lieutenants Rabb and McKee.
It wasn't Luke's fault, Tess.
04, Miramar.
Will you be returning to base? Miramar, 04.
We're gonna orbit the area for a while.
Come on, Josh.
We're gonna be late for the movies.
You know, your Uncle Jim wants to take you to the Padres game this weekend.
- Cool.
- He's a doctor.
- I know.
- Doctors are very important, Josh.
They help people who are sick.
They save lives.
It's just something you might want to think about when you're getting older and you decide what you want to do with your life.