All language subtitles for By.Dawn.s.Early.Light.1990.(hi).en

[distant rock music]

¶

(man)
¶ Ooh, baby, baby, baby,

¶ why you want
to treat me this way? ¶

[man yelling joyously]

Whoo!

[giggles]

Come on, darlin'.

¶ Said, "No huggin',
no kissin' ¶

¶ until I get a wedding vow."

¶ My honey, my baby,

¶ don't put
my love upon no shelf. ¶

¶ She said,
"Don't hand me no lines, ¶

¶ and keep your hands
to yourself." ¶

[woman giggling]

[laughter]

Close the door.

What?

Close the door.

[laughs]

¶ You see,
I wanted her real bad, ¶

¶ and I was about to give in.

¶ That's when she started
talking about true love, ¶

¶ started talking about sin.

¶ I said,
"Honey, I'll live with you ¶

¶ for the rest of my life. ¶

Hey, now, come on.

We got to get going.
Duty calls.

Ah, had all you can handle
for one night, huh?

I never have
enough of you, darlin'.

You know that.

Hey, think this place
has got a breakfast deal?

This place?
Sure.

Just bang on the wall.

I'm sure
you'll get something.

Yeah, now, now,
don't knock it.

It's got cable TV,
and the price is right.

Uh-huh,
and it's 30 miles from base.

Come on.

You know it wouldn't do
either of us any good

if they knew I was poking
my right-hand man.

Oh, is that what you're doing?

Uh, what I mean is,

we function
professionally first.

Look, it violates PRP.

You think nobody knows about us?

Yeah, well,

whatever.

Look, it's just best
if we keep an official distance.

That's all.

Mm-hmm,
the problem is,

your official distance
starts

the minute
we get out of bed.

I don't need that.

Oh, now, come on,
Moreau, darlin'.

You know you're the only
irresistible thing in my life.

Cut me some slack,
will you?

Come on, darlin'.

I'm calling a cab.

Now, that's dumb.

Why?

You wouldn't want them

to see you dropping me off,
would you?

It might violate PRP.

Erzurum Control.

Descend 35,000.

Contact Istanbul Control.

(woman)
Alitalia one-zero-one,
Erzurum Control.

New heading, turn left
to two-three-zero degrees.

[man over radio]
Alitalia one-zero-one,
understand.

Turning left into heading
two-three-zero.

[ominous music]

[radar beeps]

(woman)
Chief supervisor, please.

I have
an unidentified aircraft.

No mode C identification.

[gate buzzes]

[electronic beeping]

We have an ID yet
on the missile?

Not at this time, sir.

We're just beginning
to get a line plot.

We have a preliminary
missile trajectory moving

north-northeast from Turkey
to the Soviet border, sir.

Check our bases,
Europe satellite launches,

and call NASA.

Yes, sir.

Moving your alert status
to snow man.

[electronic zapping]

[explosion]

(man)
That's all.

(woman)
Isn't that nice?

Hey.

Hey, Cindy,
congratulations.

Thank you.

How was the wedding?

It was great.

Thanks, it was great.

Oh, you got to see
these pictures, Captain.

(Cindy)
I mean, we've been planning
this thing for six months now.

We get everybody in
from out of town,

and what happens?

I pull a week on alert duty

starting on our honeymoon.

They do that to you
on purpose, Captain.

Should have kept quiet
about the wedding.

(Moreau)
Hooker's right, you know.

You'd have kept your mouth shut,
you'd be sitting

in Waikiki right now
in a hotel room.

Wait a second; if we were
in a hotel room right now,

I don't think we'd be sitting.

[laughter]

All our missiles
are accounted for, sir.

The Europeans
report no launches.

This makes no sense.

I want a systems
malfunction check.

I have checked, sir.

The target could be
anywhere in that triangle, sir.

Every damn target's
in the Soviet Union.

[beeping]

(woman)
Oh, my God!

[buzzer buzzing]

(man)
Sir!

We have a nuclear detonation
in the Soviet Union.

I want
absolute verification.

(man)
Come on, move, move, let's go!

(Cindy)
Oh, hey!

Hey, hey,
look who's here.

(Cindy)
Hi, Timmy.

Congratulations.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Crash and burnin',
the whole scenario.

So how's married life?

Well, I'm getting
used to..

Marriage is great, Rad,

but you got
to have one of these.

I'm not so sure.

Sir, a Soviet nuclear response
is in progress.

We have positive verification.

Get me General Renning
on the double.

Yes, sir.

And change the alert code
to cocked pistol.

Yes, sir.

(man)
We're on cocked pistol.

Hey, Laurie,
how's it going?

Hey, missed you
last night.

So how was
Hopalong Cassidy?

Oh, God.

He's starting
to drive me crazy, you know?

I mean, he's so in love
with himself.

Sometimes I feel
like I'm intruding.

Well, he's a pilot.

What else is new?

Hey, that's bogus.

You know,
we're all pilots.

Yeah, but we're not guys.

All targets appear
to be within

the continental United States,
Alaska, and Hawaii.

I'm putting us
on combat footing.

We're going from
preliminary attack conference

to attack conference,

and I want the SIOP computer
options on this now.

Yes, sir.

[phone ringing]

Yes?

[woman over phone]
Mr. President?

I have General Renning for you.

Fine, put him through.

Sir, we are facing
an extremely serious situation.

I have asked
for full attack conference,

and on my authority,

we're moving from cocked pistol
to round house.

Is your EWO there, sir?

Where's
the secretary of defense?

Why isn't he making this call?

We've been unable to reach him.

You'll need your emergency
war order officer, sir.

We need the codes,
Mr. President.

So, Major, what's going on
with you and Captain Moreau?

I don't know.

She's okay.

She's...great,
as a matter of fact.

But she is
an Air Force brat.

I don't know.

I got a lot
of respect for her.

Think she's
a damn good pilot.

Yeah, well,
just do yourself a favor

and never sleep with an officer.

(man)
Mr. President,
an unidentified missile,

origin Turkey,
detonated over Soviet Donetsk

at 0530 Zulu.

It was not fired
by U.S. forces.

The Soviets have chosen
to launch a strike against us.

There has to be a mistake.

Turkey's NATO.

We certainly wouldn't fire
a missile at the Soviet Union.

Now, who the hell did?

We don't know, sir.

It could have been stolen.

It could have been a trick.

How do you say?

Our relations couldn't possibly
be better.

Sir, I know
it's hard to believe.

Nevertheless, we are
in the secondary stages

of a Soviet counterforce strike.

Our computers show random
attack by Russian submarines,

swarm attack
by land-based ICBMs.

We need your authority, sir.

We need the codes,
Mr. President.

We are under attack.

This is Pearl Harbor.

(man)
Throw me a towel, would ya?

Hey, O'Toole, are you
in here again?

How was
the honeymoon, man?

A little short,
but sweet.

She as good for you
as she was for me?

Come here, you prick.

snap!

You son of a bitch.

Whoa.

[laughs]

Get me the Soviet president,
the secretary of state,

and my national security advisor
here as soon as possible.

There's no time for that, sir.

General, I will not make
a decision

of this magnitude without--

You don't have to.
SIOP has anticipated this.

We need your authority
for the codes, Mr. President.

No, General.

This is my responsibility.

I will not act precipitously

on the basis
of some goddamn computer!

The goddamn computer will be
destroyed in 21 minutes, sir,

along with everyone here.

Mr. esident?

Message coming in
on direct Teletype

from the Soviet president.

We'll take that.

Did you hear that, General?

Yes, sir, I d.

[whispers indistinctly]

I also show
a submarine-launched missile.

Directed vicinity:
Washington, DC.

Arriving in less
than seven minutes, sir.

General, I'm going
to read that message.

(Renning)
Sir, impact in less
than six minutes.

You're wasting time, sir--
your own.

I'll call you back,
General.

Sedgewicke.

Get me Alice
in the Looking Glass plane.

Yes, sir.

Time for you to go,
Admiral.

Sir, are we
absolutely certain about this?

We have to have
at least two command planes

in the air at the same time.

The Navy doesn't like
to abandon ship, General.

This is my ship.

Yours is the E-4.

Admiral, are you waiting
for me to order you to go?

No, sir.

Good-bye, sir.

(man #1)
General, I have Alice
on the Looking Glass plane.

(man #2)
Got a contact
with Looking Glass.

Alice, Harpoon is launched.

The alert truck will be
waiting outside, sir.

Good luck, son.

Shove it up
their Commie asses, sir.

(Renning)
Alice?

(Alice)
Yes, sir.

You have
your battle plans

and missile impact
projections?

Clear as a bell, sir.

Print 'em out.

You won't have computers
much longer.

We've taken care of it, sir.

[quietly]
I know.

I'll try to check back in
with you again shortly.

My clock says SAC goes
in 19 minutes.

We'll be here, General.

[typewriter clacking]

(man)
"Mr. President,

"by now you will know
a nuclear device was detonated

"over the Soviet city
of Donetsk.

the missile was launcheded

"by NATO forces from Turkey,

"and our defensive system
retaliated automatically.

"We now realize
the first missile was launched

"by dissident members
of our own military who feared

"our vastly improved relations
and who conspired to overthrow

this government and force war
between our two countries."

[loud buzzing]

[people shouting]

"Our missiles are targeted
for your long-range bomber bases

"and ICBM complex in Montana,

"the NORAD facility
at Cheyenne Mountain,

"and the SAC Command at Omaha.

"A single warhead is directed
at Andrews Air Force Base.

"The target is symbolic,
as this is the base

"from which
you would leave Washington.

"To be blunt, Mr. President,
you now have three choices.

Accept the damage,
and we will stop."

[sirens wailing]

"Your second choice
is to respond

"with a limited counterattack

"that inflicts on my nation
a similar amount of damage.

"We will each lose
between 6 and 9 million people

"in such an attack.

This is acceptable to us."

(woman)
Get your hands off me!

(man)
Get some hustle in there, gang!

Come on, let's go!

(man)
"I realize this

"is a tremendous price to pay,
and I know all too well

"the enormous military
and political pressure

"you will be under
to take your third option:

to respond massively."

Grab a start.
Battery on.

(man
"If this
is your ultimate decision,

"I will have no choice
but to reply

with total nuclear commitment."

Did you forget your towel,
Lieutenant?

These fucking drills.

(man)"I urge you tk
at the tremendous gains

"we have made
in the last few years.

"Let us not allow human error
and the technology

of the Cold War to destroy
our hopes and our world."

Start all engines.

Start all engines.

[engines whirring]

Good start;
all engines.

Generators all engines.

We're now on internal power;
cleared checks.

Come on, come on,
let's go.

Come on, O'Toole.

Let's go; let's go!

Major O'Toole's
soaking wet, sir.

[scoffs]
That's for goddamn sure.

We'll send Moreau
to dry him off

soon as the drill's over.

I know you think it's real
every time the siren goes off,

but let's just get this over
and get O'Toole out of here.

Yeah, you better think
it's real, angel.

It's simpler that way.

[man over radio]
Sky king, sky king,
this is cable car.

Stand by to copy
your red dot five message.

Message is: Alpha, golf, hotel,
India, delta.

Authentication time

is two-zero-zero-six-zero-five
Zulu.

Authentication
is sierra, foxtrot.

I say again, sky king,
sky king, this is cable car.

All right, gang,
what's the drill?

Do I shut 'em down,
or what?

Pilot, EW.

This is a valid, I repeat,

valid launch message.

Radar,

copilot, verify.

Pilot, radar.

That's valid.

(Moreau)
Roger, confirm.

It's a valid launch message.

Prepare for scramble takeoff.

Copilot ready?

Copilot ready!

Ready.

Navigator ready?

Ready.

Sir, you have less
than two minutes

before Andrews is hit.

Do you understand
what I'm saying?

(President)
Yes, I do.

General, I want a response

designed as closely as possible
to the Soviet attack.

Now, under no circumstances

are their losses
to exceed ours.

Do you understand?

(Renning)
Sir, we believe
the Soviet president

is out of position

and their military
are running things now.

You are being conned

on a level unprecedented
in human history.

General,
I will hear no more of this!

Now, you instruct the computer.

At the appropriate time,
I will activate the codes

through the proper
civilian authorities

as the law stipulates.

[jet engines whooshing]

(Moreau)
I have code Trinity.

That's a match, Captain.

(Moreau)
Code Trinity.

Code Trinity.

(Moreau)
"Strike assigned targets
if not recalled

prior
to Positive Control Point.

All right, you heard it.

Any questions?

Any jokes?

Any prayers?

[eerie, high-pitched tone]

[explosion]

[glass breaking]

[wind blowing]

Mr. President,
are you all right?

(man #1)
Reestablish contact with SAC,
I mean now!

(man #2)
Yes, sir, all right!

[quietly]
Is everyone all right here?

Danny, you all right?

Yes, sir.

Thank you,
Mr. President.

[phone rings]

Where do you think
they hit us?

I don't know.

Sounded like northwest of here,

not at Andrews.

What kind of damage
are we talking about?

[phone rings]

This time of night?

I'd say 50,000 people just died.

[phone rings]

Situation room.

Omaha's back, sir.

The White House, sir.

Sir.

General, I'm putting you
on a speaker.

[phone clicks]

(Renning)
They overshot Andrews
by 13 miles, sir.

The blast wave rolled up
Rock Creek Park

and took out
Walter Reed Hospital.

My father was there.

[phone rings]

I'm truly sorry, General.

A father should die
before his son.

Anyway, the hospital
wasn't a target.

You were.

You're lucky,
Mr. President.

You get what I won't:
a second chance.

I don't follow you,
General.

Sir, this is just for openers.

They'll go for our bases
with their missiles

and destroy
our offensive capability.

Then they'll mop up our cities
with their bombers.

You get a second chance

to save the world
from those bastards.

[buzzing]

Shit.

Draw your curtain, Moreau.

Negative.

I'm not pulling
my curtain.

Close your damn curtain,
or I'll close it for you!

Negative, there's too much
commercial traffic

out there, Cassidy.

I'm not pulling
my curtain!

Aw, hell.

[Moreau whispers]
You son of a bitch.

[eerie, high-pitched tone]

[static]

Tyler, what the hell was that?

I don't know.

[eerie, high-pitched tone]

Major?

Major?
Major?

What the hell was that?

Major?

Knock it off, everybody!

[whispers]
Jesus.

Moreau?

Oh, God.

My eye.

I-I-I can't see
out of this eye.

Moreau, I need you now.

Now, come on, darlin',

pull yourself together.

Major!
(Cassidy)
Shock wave!

Oh, shit!

Shock wave!
Brace!

[panting]

[deerumbling]

[glass breaking]

O'Toole!

Lieutenant!

Major!
Lieutenant O'Toole's hurt!

Hooker, stay in your seat.

10...11...12...

Nose down.

We're going to stalldamn it.

(Cassidy)
We got to get her up!

(Moreau)
Gauges malfunctioning.

We're going to stall, Cassidy!

No way; no way!

We're going to stall.

Give me the airplane!

Cassidy, we're going to stall.

Give me the fuckin' airplane!

[buzzer sounding continuously]

[buzzer ceases]

Darlin',
I owe you one.

Major?

O'Toole's dead.

[quietly]
What?

The shock wave threw him
into the instrument panel.

He didn't have his harness on.

I think he broke his neck.

[quietly]
Shit.

Radar,

gunner,
what's our stus?

Um, I've, uh--
I've got one detonation

at 6:00, ten miles.

And I've got one,
15 miles dead ahead.

Uh, Fairchild is gone, sir.

The base is totally destroyed.

Negative,
I don't show that.

Nothing happened to the base.

It's still there.

What the hell's going on
with Tyler?

He can see Fairchild's gone.

Tyler doesn't have much
to go home to now.

(man #1)
I need the President now!

(man #2)
He's on the line with Renning.

General, don't you consider
it possible

that the Soviet president
was sincere?

I believe he is.

Mr. President,
as God is my witness,

it makes no difference.

The Chinese,
in accordance with our treaty,

have hit the Russians
on their border.

We can't even tell
whether the Soviet president

is still in control.

All communications
to the Soviet Union

are down, sir.

What does SIOP suggest?

A two-part sequence:

launch half our ICBMs
targeting Russian silos.

Their computer would be
hard-pressed to tell

which of our silos
are empty and which are hit.

How will the Soviets respond
in this scenario?

We cannot read
what we must assume

is extreme political confusion
in Moscow at this moment.

(President)
Well, what do
our computers say?

(Renning)
In a politically normal
situation,

our computer would predict

they would launch their ICBMs,
massively.

(President)
At what targets?

(Renning)
All our bases,
military targets.

And cities?

Some, more than likely.

[quietly]
Excuse me, sir.

[whispers indistinctly]

[anxiously]
Mr. President.

Mr. President, the Soviets
have initiated a second launch.

Launch?

At us?

We can't tell.

Are you suggesting we wait?

This facility, SAC,

goes in three minutes.

If we don't hit them hard
and hit them now,

we may never get
a second chance.

[whispers]
Sir.

I repeat!

There is a second Soviet launch!

[quietly]
Mr. President,
we have to get you out of here.

Please, sir.

[bell tolls]

I'll go with the computer.

We will launch
according to procedure.

[ominous music]

[quietly]
Tom, do you think
the president was sincere?

Mr. President, please don't
torture yourself.

We have to leave
immediately.

Tell me, do you think
he was sincere, Tom?

Please, sir.

[phone rings]

General, I have
the authenticator card.

Day word: cottonmouth.

Command word: trinity.

Action word: Jericho.

You got it?

Yeah, I got him.

Okay, I got him;
I got him.

(Moreau)
Nav, copilot,

are we still on course
for our Positive Control Point?

I'm not really sure
where we are, Captain.

Hey, Tyler,
check your INS coordinates

and your heading
right there, man.

[angrily]
Hey, you do your job,

Radnor, and I'll do mine,
all right?

(Cassidy)
All right, everybody,
listen up.

We're all under EWO,
emergency war orders,

is that understood?

We got a mission to complete.

We are EWO!

Am I reaching
you hamheads?

We will proceed
to our Positive Control Point

and hold for orders.

Let's get these curtains open.

Hey, Major, how about
turning on the heater?

Well, Tyler,
glad you could join us.

Hey, Hooks?

You think you can handle
O'Toole's toys for us?

I think I can handle it.

Well, congratulations.

u've just received

the first battlefield commission
of this war

or whatever the hell
this thing is.

I'll take the job, Major.

You can keep the bars.

[helicopter whirring
and sirens wailing]

(Sedgewicke)
Stay down, Mr. President!

[indistinct yelling]

Mr. President,
two shots have been fired.

Now we're going
to run to the chopper.

(President)
Where are the shots
coming from?
Just people, sir.

(Sedgewicke)
You've got the last train
out of town, sir.

[distant explosion]

[many people yelling at once]

(man)
He's in; he's in.

[distant explosion]

(Renning)
Harpoon, I don't know

if the president
will reach Andrews.

All our military bases
are being hit.

Who's available to succeed?

(Harpoon)
General, the vice-president
and most of the Cabinet

live in northwest Washington.

We've been unable
to contact them.

The only one
that we're sure of

is the secretary
of the interior.

He was inspecting
a wilderness preserve

near Baton Rouge.

(Redding)
The FBI out looking for him?

And the Army.

E-4's two hours from touchdown
in Baton Rouge.

Alice, you're reading
our new target projections

in the Soviet Union?

I got everything I need, sir.

[quietly]
And our current impact areas
in the U.S.?

Yes, sir.

Well, I've done about all I can.

You and Harpoon
take it from here.

[whispers]
Old buddy?

Yeah, Clay?

Happy hunting.

[static]

Sir, we can't make it
to Andrews; it's not safe.

I thought
they missed Andrews.

That's correct, sir,
but we can't get a plane in.

We're going
to try for Dover.

Mr. President,
the second Soviet launch...

we were mistaken.

It was directed
against the Chinese,

not at us.

So by launching at the Soviets,
we've kicked things up a level.

It looks that way.

The, uh, Soviets have started
to kick us back now.

So it looks like we've entered
another level of escalation.

Tom, I've got
to turn this thing off!

Can you reach
a command plane?

We can try, sir.

[eerie, high-pitched tone]

(man)
Mayday, Mayday!

[indistinct yelling]

[tuning radio]

[country music playing]

(man)
¶ You came
from New York City, ¶

¶ and y want
to see the sights. ¶

What the hell is that?

¶ You heard all about
those cowboys ¶

¶ and them
crazy Texas nights. ¶

It's Conway Twitty.

Tyler's picked up
a civilian radio station.

Tyler!

Turn that damn thing off!

Well, all right.
[laughs]

You hear that music, Major?

That's life down there, sir.

This whole thing's simulated.

[laughs]
It's a drill.

I mean, it's pretty convincing,
but--

[laughs]
I knew you guys were jerking me.

Tyler, damn you.

Major, quit worrying.
It's a drill.

Who gives a shit?

¶ You won't be satisfied,

¶ so don't call him a cowboy.

Tyler, they're dead.

[laughing hysterically]

Everybody, you got that?
They're dead!

You're still alive;
you've got a job to do.

So turn off
the fucking radio and do it.

¶ In his French designer
blue jeans. ¶

Way to warm him up,
Cassidy.

I don't need that from you.

[radio snaps off]

[people talking]

(Sam)
Only the very low frequency

seems to be working
consistently.

Of the other systems on board,

two or three work off and on;
the rest are still down.

What's with Harpoon?

Did he pick up
the secretary of interior yet?

Touched down
five minutes ago,

but it was
a damn risky landing.

I don't know if I would have
taken the chance, General.

We had to, Sam.

The president's chopper

is confirmed down.

We need a civilian leader,

and he's next
in the line of succession.

Sir, we don't know
who else is still alive.

We're not even sure Harpoon
is after the right guy.

What are we sure of?

What's with the B-52s?

Well, the last we knew,

15 of 'em were still flying,
sir.

Only half of them airborne
refueled.

[lighter flicks]

Smoking again, sir?

[lighter snaps]

(man)
All right, let's go; let's go!

[distant explosions]

[siren wailing]

[people shouting]

Eagle One, we have
the secretary of interior.

[dramatic music]

¶

(man #1)
Mr. Secretary,
I'm just warning you.

Yes, sir.

(man #2)
Mr. President.

Barely, just barely.

Any injured, sir?

You need assistance?

No, no, no, no, no.

Just get
the Secret Service aboard

so we can get our ass
out of here

before the whole state
of Louisiana rushes in.

Please follow me,
sir.

Mr. President,
Harpoon.

I'm sorry that the band
won't be playing

Hail to the Chief, sir.

[wearily]
Yeah.
Follow me.

How--how bad is it?

Well,
under the circumstances,

it can't be very good,
can it, sir?

Are--are we losing
the war?

Well, I'm not sure that
that's the issue, Mr. President.

You'll need to be briefed.

I'll tell you what,
Radnor.

I hate this job.

I just want to get my MBA,
man, and I'm out of here.

Back to a nice, quiet,
sane life.

I can't handle
these war games anymore.

Okay, mission briefing.
Yakutsk.

Targets.

Targets.

(Cassidy)
Come on, Tyler.

You with us, guy?

Uh, satellite tracking
station,

heavy industry,

electronics.

Civilian population?

[shouting]
Tyler, Russians, how many?

Uh, just under
a million, sir.

All right, Tyler,
that's good.

Just hang in there, buddy.

Yakutsk gets one megaton,

ground verse, low level,

departing initial point
inbound to target.

Roger, inbound to target,
heading two-three-zero,

altitude 500 feet
above ground level.

Release air speed,

385 knots.

Bomb release
two-zero seconds from my hack.

Ready?

Ready, hack.

Two-zero seconds
to bomb release.

Escape heading straight through
two-three-zero degrees.

Okay.

Straight down Karl Marx Street.

Ten seconds.

[clock ticking]

And five, four, three, two, one.

And bomb away.

(Moreau)
Pushing over.

Leveling at 500 feet;
tail to the blast.

Bye-bye, Yakutsk.

Bye-bye, little mamushkas.

Drill complete.

Good practice run, guys.

We're on time.

Uh, sir, we're now 75 miles
from our Positive Control Point.

You think it's going to be
that easy on a real city?

Yeah.

No problem.

Moreau, I'm going
to tell you something.

You're a damn good pilot.

One of the best I've had
in that right seat.

I never thought you would
fuck up mentally or physically,

but you are fucking up
right now.

[fire crackling]

[ominous music]

¶

(Tom)
No, don't go.

Please, I've got
the president here!

Please!

(Harpoon)
So far, it appears
that the Soviet attacks

have been limited
to our military installations,

and wherever they border
population centers,

I assume that we have suffered
considerable causalities.

Have they hit
our cities yet?

No, sir.

Communications are down,
reports are hard to get,

but, apparently, it has been
a rather even exchange.

Even, so far.

Now, Mr. President, we have
to make a decision very soon.

Our bombers will be here

at their Positive
Control Points.

Now, if they are sent in,
they will reach

their target areas
in four to six hours.

Why haven't they been
sent in already?

Sir, if we don't turn
this thing off, in a few hours,

Soviet bombers will be
roaming through this country

taking out our cities.

(man)
Uh, Admiral--

Excuse me, sir,
if I may.

Mr. President,
I'm Colonel Fargo.

What do you do around here?

Soviet capabilities expert, sir.

I see.

It may be that the Admiral
is overestimating the enemy.

Most Soviet bombers are so old,
they still have propellers.

The Minnesota Air National Guard
could probably knock 'em down.

(Harpoon)
Well, do you want to get
on the telephone

and order them
into the air, Colonel?

Because every transistor
in Minnesota is burned out.

Now, Mr. President,
we won't be able to stop

half of those Soviet bombers.

They will destroy
our cities at will.

And we'll send our bombers
over there

and do the same thing
to them.

Most of ours
were caught on the ground, sir.

Are you telling me that they hit
more of our installations

than we hit theirs?

Sir, you have toealize,
this is not the kind of war

where you can add up the score
to see who wins.

Believme, mister,
winning is everything.

I agree, Mr. President.

Up to now, you haven't gotten
the whole picture.

In a minute, Colonel.

What about our subs?

How many warheads
we got down there?

(Harpoon)
Almost 6,000, sir.

6,000 nuclear warheads.

Yes, sir.

Well, shouldn't we launch them

before their bombers
hit our cities?

Our submarines are automatically
issued sailing orders

instructing them to run
with their radios off

so that they cannot
be tracked.

Now, in about seven hours,
they will surface

and listen for new orders.

If they hear nothing,
they'll fire.

Why wait seven hours?

A missile hits its target
in 30 minutes,

but the bombers require

nearly eight hours
to hit theirs

so that the bombers are slow,
natural pauses

giving you
and the Soviet president

time to turn off this war.

Now, sir, you have a copy

of his message
in your folder, sir.

He offers to accept
an equal amount of damage

to the Soviet Union.

(Condor)
Oh, yes, I see that.

And we're supposed to just
take his word for it, huh?

(Fargo)
Mr. President?

Historical fact.

The Soviets have always
been willing

to accept massive losses
to achieve victory.

(Harpoon)
Colonel, this isn't the 1950s.

They're not looking for
new worlds to conquer anymore.

Mr. President,

I have a very hard time
believing that the Soviets

want this war any more
than we do.

[exhales]
Phew.

Recall some of our bombers

and see how
the Soviets respond.

[quietly]
Well, I...

(Fargo)
Mr. President,
there is another solution.

Cut the head off the chicken.

Hey, Rad?

Radnor.

[quietly]
What?

I'll say it happened, okay?

[crying]

I will.
I'll say it happened.

But, uh, you got to meet me
halfway on this, okay?

Huh?

What do you say, buddy?

Just meet me
halfway on this.

Shut up.

Just meet me halfway, Radnor.

It happened, okay?

But not to Timmy, okay?

It happened to Annie,

but it didn't happen
to Timmy, okay?

'Cause I'd never just--

I never said good-bye to them,
Radnor.

[Tyler breathing deeply
and sobbing]

Hey, Tyler?

How you doing down there,
buddy?

[shouts]

Oh, shit.

Uh, hang on here.

We got bogies, 12:00.

Bogies, my ass.

Them's bandits.

[engines screaming]

Distance,
velocity?

(Radnor)
30 miles and faster.

osing very fast.
We have two--

correction,
we got three bandits.

Equipment
and systems check.

Jam it--decoys, chaff.

We'd better look
like an armada.

(Hooker)
Chaff and flares released, sir.

(Radnor)
25 miles.

20 miles.

Must be fox bats. Specs?

Top speed on a MiG 25:
Mach 2.8.

Range: 1,500 miles one way.

15 miles.

Armaments?

(Moreau)
Two heat-seeking missiles,

range, ten miles.

Two radar-guided missiles,
range 15 miles.

They'll use both.
No cannon armaments.

Ten miles.

[missiles roaring]

(Radnor)
Missiles launched.

We have two missiles launched.

re decoys and chaff.

Shovel that stuff
like hay, Hooks.

You got it, Major.

(Moreau)
They're going to the decoys.

All right!

Two missles down, Major.

Hey, hang on to your shorts,
ace.

Breaking right,
coming around to our rear.

(Moreau)
Still got more missiles
out there.

I know.
Are you with me?

You bet.

Taking her down low.

(Fargo)
"The most powerful enemy
can be defeated

"only by the utmost effort

and by seizing
every opportunity."

Lenin said that, sir.

The Soviets live by it.

And I believe
if we call back our bombers,

the Soviets would simply
see this as a sign of weakness.

That's a dangerous speculation,
Colonel.

No, let him finish,
please.

Sir.

May I go to the map, sir?

(Condor)
Yes, of course.

Sir, these red dots represent
Soviet leadership bunkers.

Inside, you'll find
the party hierarchy.

The presidium, the KGB,
the president himself.

They are the head
of the Communist body.

You cut off that head,
and the body dies.

Sir, they've got
a massive arsenal over there,

and we don't know
whose finger's on that button.

We can order our B-52s
on a grand tour

of the Soviet Union.

This is madness, sir.

Yeah, we got madness
piled on madness tonight.

Colonel, tell us,

what would you do
about the Soviet bombers?

Recalling our bombers
won't stop them, sir.

Sir, we have
some fighters left.

We have thousands
of commercial jets.

We c ram their bombers.

(Harpoon)
You're joking.

Is that possible?

Sir, there is no defense
against this stuff.

They have over 300 bombers,
and what about their ICBMs?

(Fargo)
You take out these red dots,

there won't be anyone left
to fire the ICBMs.

Sir, we are
wasting time here.

Use the pause.

Settle things down.

The best defense:

Cut off the head
of the Soviet chicken.

Harry Truman said he felt like
a bale of hay landed on him.

I feel like I got
the whole damn barn.

I need a moment alone.

[jet engines whooshing]

We are coming up
to the next turn point.

New heading will be
two-two-five.

Note mountainous terrain
after the turn point.

Roger that.

[jet engines screaming]

[quietly]
Come on.

Come on, you bastards.

[electronic beeping and buzzing]

[gunfire]

Motherfucker!

[gunfire]

[explosion]

Yeah, I got one!

I got you, you son of a bitch!

[jet engines screaming]

(Moreau)
100 feet.

(Cassidy)
Too low, too low.
Coming up; coming up.

How you doing
down there, guys?

We're still online here.

You have
significant terrain, 10:00.

High terrain seven miles
dead ahead.

We still got bandits.

Six miles and closing.

They close
a couple more miles,

all they got to do
is stay clear of Hooker's guns.

Yeah, I don't think
they're too scared.

How 'bout I put this hawk
into a loop,

come back on top of 'em?

Maybe they'll all die
of heart attacks.

Uh-huh, and our wings
would snap right off.

(Radnor)
High terrain five miles ahead.

(Cassidy)
Damn it, we got
all the percentages.

Radar, copilot.

Arm the first bomb.
Arm bomb one.

Are you nuts?

High terrain ahead, right?

We drop the bomb
this side of the ridge.

We get to the other side
of the ridge,

the ridge'll shield us
from the blast.

Arm bomb one, damn it!

Moreau, you're too damn smart
to die so young.

Hey Hooker, are the bandits
flying in formation?

They're coming fast, sir.

Are they flying
in goddamn formation?

(Hooker)
Yes, sir!

(Cassidy)
Okay, you guardians
of democracy.

Our copilot's just come up
with a real winner.

[crickets chirping]

Ugh, ugh.

Don't do that.

My son says you got
the president down here.

Got to get the president
to a military hospital

with a radio.

Radar, pilot, arm bomb one.

Manual release on my hack.

You have nuclear consent.

(Radnor)
Roger.

Armed manual release sequence,
standing by your hack.

5.5 miles and closing.

(Moreau)
We'll be over the ridge
in 40 seconds.

Let's close 'em.

(Moreau)
30 seconds.

(Cassidy)
And five, four,
three, two, one.

Hack.

(Radnor)
Hack, 30 seconds to detonation.

(Cassidy)
Bomb away.

Manual release; bomb away.

[clock ticking]

Plus 15 seconds.

Bandits five miles and closing.

Plus 25.

[clock ticking]

Plus 30 seconds.

Come on, baby, come on.

Oh, shit, it's a dud.

We got a load of fucking duds.

(Cassidy)
Come on, darlin'.

[static]

Detonation!

Yeah, all right,
all right!

Watches?

Plus 40 seconds.

(Cassidy)
Bandits?

Plus 45 seconds.

Tyler, bandits, bandits.

Does anybody get through?

Plus 50 seconds.

[rumbling and shrieking]

Friendly little kick
in the butt, huh?

Still no bandits?

[static]

Nothing came through that,
Major.

Cassidy, what are
you doing?

I'm going
to take a look.

Negative,
I don't want to see it.

Take the plane, Captain.

I've got it, pilot.

[people talking
and yelling at once]

[sirens wailing]

(man)
Ma'am, I'm sorry, but you'll
have to hold it right there.

(woman)
We brought in the president
of the United States.

Look, ma'am, I don't have time
for this right now.

Come on, boy,
show him; show him.

Officer!
Let's get this man inside!

[exhales]

[door opens]

Mr. President.

Harpoon, do you think
I'm scared?

You were
a few minutes ago, sir.

I hope you are now.

Yeah, yeah, I'm scared.

I'm scared of losing.

We're going
with the grand tour.

Sir.

History can't wait.

I hope there will be
a history to hear you.

Where are you going?

To my quarters, sir.

(Fargo)
Admiral?

Sir, aren't you
forgetting something?

The card.

You'll need this.

Orders to the bombers

go through
the Looking Glass plane.

And the code at the top
proves that you're authentic.

The Colonel will give you
the word code.

Did you really forget
to give me this?

I'm not
really sure, sir.

Good luck.

(Condor)
Thank you.

I think I'm going to need it.

Yes, we'll all
need it tonight.

[people coughing and moaning]

(woman)
The President's legs
are crushed.

This man has a compound fracture
of the arm and head injuries.

Could we get more ice,
please?

[President moaning]

Just relax,
Mr. President.

You'll feel better
in a minute.

What's with the IV?

Lactated ringers,
two milligrams of morphine.

Give him two more
milligrams.

No morphine.

Whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa, whoa, whoa.

Take it easy.

You'll be okay, soldier.

[phone rings]

Alice here.

(Condor)
Condor speaking.

E-4. Day word?

Cottonmouth.

Command word?
Trinity.

Action word?
Jericho.

Do you have your card, sir?

I do.

Upper right-hand corner.

Please read
the last three digits.

Seven, C, two.

(Alice)
C for what, sir?

(Condor)
Chlie.

Second line from the top.

Please read middle sentence.

Six, D, six, two.

D for what, sir?

Damn it.

Are all you people waiting
on World War IV, Alice?

Wish to issue
an order change, sir?

I sure as hell do.

Did Harpoon give you
the signal code, sir?

He's temporarily
incapacitated.

Uh...

Can I give you some advice, sir?

I'm getting plenty
of that down here.

I'm sure you have, sir.

Um, the situation is fluid.

We've gotten our first
coded messages from the ground.

Garbled, but coded.

That means we're getting
our communications back.

Good, that's good news.

Now, I'm ordering two-one-zebra.

We're getting things back, sir.

I'd orbit and wait.

Well, then you orbit and wait.
I have no time.

The Russians have
too many missiles,

and the Colonel says
they're out of control.

Fargo?

With all due respect, sir,

I'd run this past
Harpoon first.

Alice, implement
two-one-zebra.

Yes, sir.

It'll take
a few minutes, sir.

Are you stalling me,
Alice?

No, sir, I have
to hand-sort this.

New assignments, priorities.

We're saying too much, sir.

Alice,

get your tail moving, fast.

We got a two-one-zebra.

Jesus, you're kidding.

I wish the hell I was.

[Teletype clacking]

Captain.

So tell me what
I already know.

Orbit, await orders.

Get the feeling we're going
around in circles?

This is one circle
I'm not sure we should complete.

You're not suggesting treason,
are you, darlin'?

Why don't presidents have
a Personnel Reliability Program?

Aw, Jesus, don't
get on that now.

Yeah, well,
who the hell did this?

I bet you no president
ever went through

our little reliability program.

You think the politburo's
got psychological screening

or whatever they call it?

None of 'em
would have passed.

Yeah, it's hard to find
perfect people.

None of us passed tonight.

You are getting philosophical
in your sunset years, darlin'.

Hours.

Sunset hours.

[Teletype clacking]

(Hooker)
Major?

We've got another
SATCOM message coming in.

Here come the orders
to go back to Spokane.

[people yelling indistinctly]

[baby crying]

[phone rings]

This is Pitstop Two.

Please identify.

[man speaking
foreign language]

Please speak English!

Get the boss on the double.

This is a priority channel.

You're required
to identify yourself.

(man)
I am Mata Sheytu, chairman,
Supreme Soviet.

The president must speak
to your president

or surviving civilian leader.

What do you got, Hooks?

Message is two-one-zebra.

What the hell's
two-one-zebra?

Damn it, Moreau,
what's going on?

The grand tour.

What?

[quietly]
Jesus.

Precision bombing of political
military infrastructure.

Target Soviet city
of Cherepovetz.

Primary relocation site
of Soviet president,

chief of KGB,
minister of defense,

commanding general
of Soviet rocket forces.

Leadership bunkers.

They want us to take out
the big bananas.

I think somebody's
gone bananas.

Request confirmation.

You just get promoted?

Request confirmation.

Do it, Hooks.

Yes, sir.

What the hell
are you looking at?

You know what this means?

Yeah.

It means we don't have to drop
a million tons of TNT

on a bunch of civilians.

Isn't that better,
for God's sake?

You mean more satisfying?

Damn right.

Maybe it'll help get
this thing over with faster.

Faster?

You do not kill
the enemy's leaders!

You know that!
They know that!

Somebody's got to be there
to turn it off!

Confirmed
two-one-zebra.

NCA code is hen house.

Look up hen house.

No.

What the hell
do you want me to do?

Write my congressman?

It won't make any difference.
I know.

Nothing's going to change.
Somebody will do it!

Cherepovetz will go, along with
the president and the generals.

I know.
And New York, Koos Bay,

every goddamned thing
in between.

I know, but I'm not
going to do it.

I can't.

You can't?

I won't.

You'd have turned a minuteman
key without thinking.

They gave me time to think.

Damn you!

Hooker, get the hell
out of here.

Yes, sir.

[angrily]
What am I supposed to do?

Shoot you?

Eject you?
Put you down on the ice?

Turn the plane, Major.

That's what I want you to do.

[pleadingly]
Turn the plane.

Cyanide.

You got it?

You are relieved, Captain.

Get the hell out of here.

[solemn music]

¶

[choked up]
Damn it, Moreau.

Don't leave me now.

So what's next?

God damn it, how the hell
should I know?

We are at war, sir.

Under no circumstances will
I supply you such information.

(man)
I know your E-4 is flying.

Will you, for the sake
of both our nations,

transmit the message to the E-4

informing your president
that our president wishes

to communicate directly
with him?

Look, mister,
I don't know who you are,

and I will not
supply strategic information

to any damn Russian.

This is the Soviet president.

With whom am I speaking?

You're doing good, champ.

Uh...we're not going in.

There's no purpose in it.

Yes, sir.

We'll meet a death down here,
huh, guys?

My wife was a cop,
Major.

I know, Rad.

She was a damn good one.

She protected us,
Major.

I know.

You should be proud
of her.

Who protected her?

I am Emergency
War Order-ready, sir.

I know, Tyler.

We all were.

We've been EWO
for a long time now.

Coward!

It's turned to shit,
you coward!

[yelling]

Coward!
Coward!

[yells]

[clanging]

I'm sorry, Rad.

Yeah, I know.

I'll, uh--
I'll take care of him.

Captain,
this just came in.

Excuse me, sir?
What?

One of our bombers turned,
General.

Who turned?

Polar Bear One.

Turned southeasterly.

The data's been confirmed.

We have to inform
Condor, sir.

Yeah?

Of course we do.

What was that all about?

Tyler and I had a little
failure to communicate.

Uh-huh.

Hey, Ty, are you all right?

[sarcastically]
I have no injuries, Captain.

I am EWO-ready,
and you're a cowardess.

[heart monitor beeping]

[baby crying]

[whispering]
Connie?

Please, take it easy, sir.

(Tom)
Sir?

It's me.
It's me, Tom.

Tom, where are we?

FEMA bunker at Olney, si

[quietly]
What's the matter with me?

Your legs are broken, sir.

[whispers]
I can't see, Tom.

Sir, did you look at the blast?

Did you see the blast?

Does anyone have any idea
what's going on out there?

Excuse me, sir.

Our preliminary data show

that it could have been
much worse.

Most of the targets
were military,

and a few cities
were hit intentionally.

Who the hell are you?

Bascombe, sir.

Director, northeast region FEMA,
retired Army.

There is one more thing, sir.

About an hour ago, we received
a rather, um, peculiar message

on the radio
from the Soviet Union.

Uh, the speaker claimed
to be the Soviet president.

(Bascombe)
Uh, excuse me, sir.

I talked to him.

I'm sure he was
an imposter.

He wanted us to patch him
through to the E-4.

Apparently, an alternate E-4
made its way out of Omaha

and picked up
a presidential successor

in Baton Rouge.

[quietly]
Successor?

Everybody thinks
you're dead, sir,

including
the Soviet president.

The call was authent.

Well, who's acting as president?

Apparently, the fate
of the country is now

in the hands of...secretary
of the interior, sir.

Oh.

Oh, Jesus.

They got Alice in one plane
and the Mad Hatter in the other.

What makes you so sure

you were not talking
to the Soviet president?

He was too rude, sir.

He was far too rude
for a national leader.

Rude?

You want to hear
a national leader get rude?

What'd he say to you?

(Bascombe)
Well, sir, I--

Oh, for God's sake.

He said Bascombe
couldn't find his ass

with both hands
and a hunting dog.

[laughs]

(President)
From what you just said,

I'd say you hung up
on the Soviet president.

Get him back for me,

and quickly.

Yes, sir.

What is your state
of readiness?

Speak, asshole.
You ready?

Are you ready?

[ominous music]

¶

(Radnor)
Uh, this is--
this is strange, sir.

What is?

Well, I'm seeing more bandits,

but they just turned.

They're turning back, r.

(Cassidy)
What's going on?

(Moreau)
You got me.

(Cassidy)
Better go down there
and check it out.

(Moreau)
Roger.

Tyler!

(Hooker)
Tyler!

[both grunting]

The heck is wrong
with you, Tyler?

I would, man.

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

You got to take it easy.

(Radnor)
You got to stop this shit.

You gotta cut it out.

Tyler, it takes--

[air whooshing]

[screaming]

No!

[wind howling]

So, Alice, what do you do

when one of your crew
goes gutless?

(Alice)
Condor, there are
no precedents, sir.

Oh, the hell with precedents.

There's no precedence

for anything tonight.

We send up interceptors
and bring them down, sir.

You shoot 'em down?

First we try to force them
to land, sir.

Condor, uh, sir, there's
somethinyou should know.

The Soviet ears are opening.

We're getting bits of messages
from inside Russia.

Why wasn't I told about this?

We can't make
much of it, sir,

but we can determine
they are rattled,

just as we are.

You think we're rattled?

Yes, sir.

I'll let you in
on a little secret, Alice.

What rattles me most

are my own damn
military geniuses.

In this one, sir,there are.

Really?

General.
Captain.

He needs
to know this, sir.

Excuse me, sir.

Shortly after
Polar Bear One turned,

the Soviet bomber squadron
following them also turned.

Any others?

No, sir, just
the one squadron.

[wind whistling]

Moreau!

Moreau!

[somber music]

¶

Breathe!

Breathe!

[breathing heavily]

I'm going to take her down.

We can get some air.

Well, sir, it could be
that they're signaling

their willingness to stabilize
at current levels.

Why don't you turn more bombers
and see if they reciprocate?

No, you know how
I read this one, Alice.

We have one deserter;
they have a whole squadron.

First time we come out
ahead tonight.

I read it differently, sir.

Turn the bombers.

See what happens.

You don't undersnd
what's going on here, do you?

We stop now, we lose.

This president
has the determination

to wage a nuclear war

until an acceptable outcome
is achieved.

Acceptable to whom, sir?

Acceptable to me
and the American people.

Now, you put another bomber
on the hen house, fast.

Did you get that?

I hear you, sir.

And you put out general orders
to bring down Polar Bear One.

Did you hear that?

Yes, s.

Now, you don't sound
convinced, General.

I don't believe I am, sir.

Mr. President, sir,
we have the capability

to give the orders
from here.

Fine, fine.

We can send the orders
from here.

I suggest you do that, sir.

Am I hearing you correctly?

I believe you did.

General,

you're fired.

They'll shoot you for this,
General.

Sam, old friend,

I should find
such an angel of mercy.

[panting]

Radnor?

Hooks?

They're gone.

[whispers]
Oh.

You okay?

[exhales deeply]

How's our fuel?

[exhales]

96,000 pounds.

[scoffs]
We're not going to get
very far on that.

Yep.

Got any ideas?

[chuckles]

Think we could make
Bora-Bora?

Maybe we ought
to face reality.

If we're lucky,
reality's a firing squad.

And if we're unlucky?

Planet of the apes, darlin'.

Remember two-one-zebra?

Did we do anything right?

We did what we had to do.

Did we do anything right?

[man over radio]
Mr. President.

Sir.

You are aware that one
of your bombers turned,

and in response,
I turned a squadron of mine.

No, I was not aware of that,
Mr. President.

But it certainly
is reassuring news.

Unfortunately, Mr. President,
the remainder

of both our bomber fleets
continues to advance,

but this will be nothing
compared to the devastation

from your
submarine-based missiles.

I believe they operate

on a preprogrammed
attack schedule, yes?

That is correct, sir.

(man)
How much time
before they launch?

(President)
I can assure you,
Mr. President,

I'd tell you if I knew,
but I have no idea.

(man)
Mr. President,

my situation at this moment
is most difficult.

You must be aware,

I will no longer be able
to control my forces

if you are unable
to control yours.

Well aware.

Can you give me one hour,
Mr. President?

I'll try to turn
those bombers around.

(man)
I will do everything
in my power,

but if the others here
believe for an instant

that you are insincere,

I won't be able
to give you two minutes.

Yes, yes, I understand that.

Destiny be with you,
my friend.

And God with you,
Mr. President.

Almost time for sunrise.

I don't know
if I want to see it.

Be glad something's here
we couldn't screw up.

I'm glad it's here.

I'm glad you're here.

[somber music]

¶

[snoring lightly]

(Sam)
General?

Yeah.

Excuse me, sir.
What?

The president
is on the phone.
Condor.

No, sir, the president.

Alice here.

This is the president speaking.

Hold on.

Uh, hold on.

Day word.

I don't think we have time
for that, General.

Give me the day word,
or you're talking to yourself.

Day word: cottonmouth.

Command word: trinity.

Action word: Jericho.

Now you'll probably ask me for
the authenticator codes, right?

Keep going;
you're on a roll.

I don't have
my authenticator cards, Alice,

and besides, I'm blind,

and I couldn't read
the damn things if I did.

Without that card,
I don't know who you are.

So what do we do now?

You want to quiz me
on the Brooklyn Dodgers?

Betty Grable's measurements?

I'm disconnecting.
Now, hold it, General.

This is the president
of the United States.

We could play this
by the book if you'd like

and blow the damn world
to smithereens.

Now, is that what you want?

Now, look, I need a patch
through to the E-4.

The secretary of interior
thinks he's the president.

I need to talk to him fast.

It's about the submarines.

Do you understand?

Without those codes, the E-4
won't give you the time of day.

You can give me
the goddamn codes!

Now, I need a patch through
to the E-4.

Will you do it?

I'm sorry, sir.

For God sakes,
it's me, Charlie.

Look, we got to stop
this damned thing now.

It's down to us.

Recall the bombers, Sam.

What?
You heard me.

We have
a new commander in chief.

Hey.

Hey, look down there.

[jet engines roaring]

Well, these boys
look serious.

I'd say real serious.

[man over radio]
Polar Bear One,
this is Red Fox One

of USS Midway
Pacific battle group on guard.

Jesus, we're famous.

That's us, pal.

We have NCA orders to escort you
to a water landing and rescue

or shoot you down.

Polar Bear One,
do you understand?

Sorry, friend.

My partner here
is afraid of sharks.

Polar Bear One,

do you know what a Sidewinder'll
do to your crate?

(Moreau)
Little short on humor.

(Cassi
Hey, sailor.

You want to say good-bye

to the lady on my right
here first?

We don't want to do this, buddy.

President
is on the line, sir.

Sir, I've turned the bombers,

but I cannot issue orders
to the submarines.

The Air Force cannot
give orders to the Navy.

Mr. President,
the Navy has two TACAMO planes

for communicating
to the subs:

one over the Atlantic,
the other over the Pacific.

They'll take orders
only from the president

or his successor.

Sir, I must give you
the authenticator codes.

[phone rings]

Condor.

My God, is that
what they call you?

I wouldn't stand for that
if I was you, Mr. Secretary.

Mr. President?

I'm afraid the reports
of my death

have been greatly exaggerated.

I'm told you've done
a superb job in my absence,

and I congratulate you.

Now we must work together
to take the next step.

The bombers have already
been turned,

but we haven't much time.

You turned the bombers?

(President)
We must stop the submarines,

and it's going to take
the two of us.

We must give orders
for a cease-fire

Then we'll put
what's left of our country

back on its feet.

The Russians have people trained
to sound like the president.

Who is this?

Do you want me to give you
the authenticator codes?

I certainly do.

Even if he gets
the numbers right, you see,

they could have intercepted
our communications by now.

The Russians may have the code.

Who the hell is this?

[shs]

This is the president.

Johnny...

The real president would do
what's right for the country.

Shut up. Just shut up.

Two weeks ago, in a speech,
I heard the president say,

"This is not the time
to let down our guard

"when it comes
to the Sovt Union.

Radical change brings chaos."

[quietly]
Oh, God.

Turn back our bombers?

Stop our subs?

No.

Never.

I must be talking
to somebody else.

You know damn well
who this is!

You're making
a monumental mistake!

[man #1 over radio]
Red Fox One,
this is Midway CUSC.

You are clear to engage
and destroy Polar Bear One.

[man #2 over radio]
Roger that.

You going to eject?

I don't know.

But you jump.

They'll pull you out.

(man #1)
Lost you in the sun, Red Fox.

(man #2)
I'm about 2:00.

You'll pick me up
in a second.

Got to listen
to the play-by-play.

You want a black hood?

(man #2)
All right,
let's not get a bloody nose.

(man #1)
Okay, Red Fox One,
pull in tighter.

See 'em?

(man #2)
Roger, two, got 'em.
Three miles.

(man #1)
Okay, one,
let's go for it.

Tom?
(man #2)
Two?

(man #1)
Real shit duty,
isn't it?

(man #2)
Everything's shit duty today.

In we go, Red Fox Two.

Ha, those guys got
a lot of heart.

Everybody's doing
their duty today.

[man #3 over rad]
Mayday, Mayday.

This is the Midway CIC.

Midway has been hit.

[man #4 over radio]
Holy hell,
the carrier's been torpedoed.

Harpoon reporting, sir.

Yes, I've a question.

Who was authorized
to issue new orders

to the submaris?

Only you can issue orders
to the subs

using the TACAMO planes.

And if someone
counterfeited the codes

so that the orders
appeared to come from me?

I don't see how they could.

What happens
if the TACAMO planes

receive conflicting orders?

What's going on, sir?

Did Alice turn the B-52s?

I asked you a question, sir.

He did.

He turned them.

What did
the Russian bombers do?

The Russian bombers
turned in response, didn't they?

You can't even consider
using the subs now.

Talk to me
about conflicting orders.

The Soviets couldn't send us
a clearer signal.

What they've given us, Admiral,
is a clear military advantage.

Our subs against
their remaininOuBMs.

No contest.

What happens
if the TACAMO planes

get conflicting orders?

Your president
asked you a question, sir!

If both sets of orders
have the proper codes,

the planes will follow
the original orders.

The subs will fire
at 1400 Zulu.

(Condor)
That's all.

You're dismissed.

This isn't about
Russia anymore.

It's God's work
you're destroying now.

You're dismissed, sir!

You...

Freeze!
Freeze!

Go on, shoot.

Shoot!

Bring down the plane!

Go ahead, please, shoot!

[President over phone]
How far from the E-4 are you?

(Alice)
120 miles, sir.

There must be
some other way.

I'm afraid not, sir.

If you can contact
TACAMO planes,

you can bet E-4 can.

If the subs
get conflicting orders,

they will fire as planned
in one hour.

I don't know what to say,
General, except thank you.

No thanks necessary,
Mr. President.

Alice, will you call again
before?

Before we ram 'em, sure.

Here.

One of these?

These are
girls' smokes, Sam.

My wife says
they won't kill me as fast.

Red Fox One,

you're not going
to bring us down?

[man over radio]
What's the point?

Our carrier's gone.

We got no place to land.

Not going
to drag you down with us.

Why don't you tag along?

Palm trees, coconuts,
native girls.

Uh, that's a negative,
thanks.

We blew half our gas
getting up here.

We'd be running on vapors
long before we got to paradise.

Ain't that always
the truth?

Say, Polar Bear?

Yeah, Red Fox.

Later, when we come paddling in,

you bring on
those dancing girls, hear?

You bet, Red Fox.

Good luck.

[buzzer sounding]

Turn that thing off.

You don't care about
the radiation anymore, sir?

No, I don't.

What should we
care about now?

Smitty, care about
catching E-4.

Colol, I show an aircraft
less than 100 miles and closing.

You got an ID?

I believe it's
the Looking Glass, sir.

What the hell
are they doing there?

[phone rings]

Yes, Fargo.

Damn.

Evade him.

[thunder booming]

[rumbling]

[electrical zapping]

[alarm whooping]

Fire in number five!

Shut it down!

[alarm stops]

whoosh!

(Smitty)
We got 'em on radar, sir.

Looks like we're both flying
the same speed,

but they're dodging
the hot clouds.

If we fly straight through,
we should catch up pretty quick.

Gentleman, we must now regard
the Looking Glass plane

as an enemy aircraft
manned by treasonous men.

Flanders, I'll look to you
to keep him off us.

No more flying around
radioactive clouds, understood?

Yes, sir.

That'll be all,
gentlemen.

Thank you.
Dismissed.

You keep your eye
on the pilot.

Are you all right,
sir?

Yeah, I'm fine,
thanks.

Can the Russians
be jamming us?

No, but they can listen

over their two bonus
satellites, sir.

Where are they?

Right now, they've got
one over the Atlantic

and one over the Pacific, sir.

Okay, we're in business.

Get me a hookup.

It'll be difficult,
but I'll try, sir.

Sorry, sir, I'm getting nothing
from the TACAMO planes.

Try the low-frequency
channels.

[radio squealing]

There they are.

Where?

Yeah!
I see 'em!

Looks like they're going back
on a straight course.

They're going
to take the rads too.

This is going
to make it tougher.

You're doing good,
Smitty.

Am I improving
the odds?

About 90 to 1.

[rumbling]

(Moreau)
Fire in number six!

Shut it down.

Done.

Rudder.

Got it.

Altitude?

Are you kidding?

Prepare to jettison bombs.

I've got them, sir.

Good work,
Lieutenant.

Alice, we made our way through
to the TACAMO planes.

Unfortunately,
the E-4 beat us to it.

Conflicting orders,
Mr. President.

The submarines will launch.

The TACAMOs have asked
for confirmation.

It'll take a few minutes
to move the codes.

Can you catch them
in five minutes?

(Alice)
Sorry, sir, they're going
straight through too.

We can't gain on them.

Try.
Of course, sir, we'll try!

(President)
What the hell time is it?

1355 hours, sir.

Call us back
in exactly two minutes.

1357 hours exactly.

We're counting
seconds now, Alice.

The fate of this planet
may be riding with you.

Yes, sir!

Smitty, burn out every fan
in those engines.

We got five minutes,
or it's all over.

It may not do any good,
sir, but I'll try.

Will somebody
give me a cigarette?

A real cigarette!

Going full thrust,
all engines.

Roger, there,
we are still descending.

Damn it,
we're not going to make it.

Too rough to ditch.

Prepare to eject.

Wait; wait!

We are holding altitude.

We are holding altitude!

I think we got a chance.

Roger that.

Looks like the storm
is breaking up.

Excuse me, sir.

Yes?

We've just reached
the TACAMO planes.

You've got to bring down
your authenticator card.

How in Heaven's name
did you do that?

We went through
two Russian satellites

to reach our planes.

How's that
for stickin' it to 'em?

Good work.

Well, let's
get on to it.

Excuse me, sir.

Where the hell is Alice?

Right on our tail, sir.

Keep that bastard off us

for 15 minutes
if you want to win this war.

Win?

I thought we were supposed
to stop this thing.

[jet engines roaring]

(woman)
Sir?

Yeah?

[nervously]
Nonfilter, sir.

God bless you, Mary.

(Smitty)
General?

It's the president, sir.

(President)
General,

I have the Kremlin
on the line.

His people are monitoring
the E-4 transmission.

You have three,
maybe four minutes.

Can you do it in that time?

No, sir, I cannot.

You understand what this means?

Yes, sir.

It's hopeless?

Well, sir, if the E-4 pilot
makes a mistake,

slips up, maybe, but...

he won't

I know him.
He's good.

Right now, he sees himself
pursued by a madman.

General.

Sir.

Against your wishes,
I'm going to thank you.

Not all our people's programming
was faulty.

Because we're using
a nonconventional relay, sir,

it could take five
or six minutes.

They don't want voice;
they want it on paper

in a specific sequence,
or it'll be ignored.

(Condor)
Well, then,
let's get on with it, eh?

(man)
Thank you, sir.

Mr. President.

I think we got him.

Sir.

Do better next time, sir.

[explosion]

[typewriter clacking]

If you've taken the chance
to live, it's okay to die.

[laughs]

Nobody's dying now.

Where do we go from here?

I don't know.

Welcome to tomorrow.