All language subtitles for JAG S08E05 In Thin Air

I'm telling you, my repartee's putting
you to sleep back there.

Nah, just your flying snowman.

Sounds like somebody partied too hard on
Saturday.

Even with 12 hours, bottle to throttle,
this old body don't bounce back like it

used to.

Tough luck, Zoo. It's showtime.

You're not behind that desk yet. We got
some real envelopes to push. All right,

hot shot.

Liberty Control, this is Boxcar 220
climbing to Angels 45.

Over. Roger that, 220.

No man's having himself some fun.

Boys will be boys.

Zoomer. You with me?

Zoo.

Liberty Control, this is Boxcar 220. My
low ox light just came on. I'm showing a

lock's failure.

My Rio's blacked out, not responding.

Suspect's epoxy. I'm making an emergency
descent.

On the flight deck. Emergency.

Standby to launch rescue helo.

Coming in hot, Boxcar.

Ease up.

Look at his face. He's got to get on O2
now.

There was a mishap on the Patrick Henry
yesterday.

She was going through workup, so I'll be
more quick.

F -14 had liquid oxygen failure at 45
,000 feet.

Was it the old locks breathing system,
sir? Yeah.

Pilot's okay, but Rio wasn't so lucky.
By the time they landed, he was in

cardiac arrest.

Commander Zuzella was revived on site
and medevaced to Bethesda.

How long was he without oxygen, sir?

Doctors estimate four minutes.

Commander, I want you on the first halo
out there.

Colonel, I need you to go to Bethesda.
The wife of the Rio has asked for a

JAG consult.

That'll be all.

Aye, sir. Aye, sir.

Hey,

guys.

Hey, sweetie. Can I help? I got it. You
guys keep that shipyard humming.

Looks like two of you will be ready to
go to sea soon.

Daddy says we have to crisp in it.

Oh, not on my floor you don't.

Is that my uniform?

Yeah.

I got all the stuff back from the
Seahawk dry clean for storage.

Don't you need it?

Right. I bought groceries for the week
and I cleared my schedule during the day

so I can take you to physical therapy.

Oh, you know, actually, I have the week
off.

What, good behavior?

Gold star.

What's this?

Oh, I had Tyner email me all the ongoing
cases at the office, you know, just to

keep up to date. Bud, please don't push
it. I have to get back, Harriet. I know,

but you also need time.

I've had time.

I just can't sit around her all day
doing nothing.

I wouldn't exactly call this nothing.

He did a hell of a job bringing his bird
home.

Do you have any idea yet what went
wrong, Keck?

Senior Chief, that's your area.

Post -flight inspection by the Mishap
Review Board turned up contaminant

around the seal in the O2 bottle
fitting, sir.

So then it looks as though the liquid
oxygen system was tainted.

Complementary evaluation, Commander.

We'll know more when we see the top
screen on the pilot in Rio.

Senior Chief will supply you with
maintenance records.

Shipboard JAG has all tapes and flight
data.

I run a tight air group here, Commander.

Whoever is responsible.

I want them out.

Understood, Captain.

Senior Chief. When you do interviews,
sir, you might want to pay special

attention to the plane captain, Petty
Officer Moritz. Any particular reason

want to do that, Senior Chief?

There have been a few minor screw -ups
on his watch as of late.

I'm just saying, this isn't the first
mistake, but it's definitely the worst.

This is more than a mistake.

Yes, sir.

You're real.

Commander Zuzello showed signs of
hypoxia long before you. Any reason why?

39 versus 29, sir. I guess the youth was
on my side.

Commander Zezello was having an early
retirement this month.

This was our last mission together.

I heard in the playback it sounded like
you two had a bit of a send -off.

We had a few.

Within the rules, sir.

Look, Lieutenant, something is not
adding up.

What is it?

I guess you'll find out anyway, sir.

During his last physiology eval, Zoomer
squeaked by on the hypoxia demo.

That's one of the reasons he wanted to
quit, sir.

But he did pass.

You and the commander were close.

Yes, sir.

I met Zoomer when I was an airman
working the flight line.

He's the one that convinced me I could
be an officer, an aviator.

I keep thinking if I could have gotten
us down faster.

Well, I'm sure you did everything you
could, Lieutenant.

I don't know, sir.

Zoomer's got a wife and two kids.

Right now, I sure don't feel like I did
everything I could.

Thank you for coming, Colonel.

And it's Janine.

Okay, Janine.

On pre -request, I've obtained your
husband's paperwork from Bupers.

Wanted to go over your rights at next of
kin and legal guardian.

They say he's not in pain.

He doesn't feel anything.

I guess I can be grateful for that much.

I'm not making this easy for you.

No, it's okay.

It's not easy.

Your husband had a living will drawn up,
a protocol.

I know.

We each did one.

Then you're familiar with the document.

I read it over once.

According to the protocol, medical
decision -making is to be shared by you

your family physician.

Dr. Miller was here earlier.

He said the likelihood Phil would regain
consciousness is bland at best.

When I had the wheels drawn up, I never
pictured I would have to make a

decision.

I know that sounds crazy. He's the one
up there in danger.

No, it's not crazy.

Do you believe in miracles, Colonel?

Well, in my heart, I believe anything's
possible.

I also know that miracles are rare.

You think I should face the FedEx?

I think you should do what your heart
tells you.

If your heart tells you, anything's
possible.

I want to believe that.

I feel awful about what happened, sir.

Commandant Mazzella was a good officer,
a stand -up guy.

I mean, I'm the plane captain. I'm
responsible for the maintenance on that

aircraft, sir. Did you know that a post
-flight check by the Mishap Review Board

revealed...

Contaminant in the O2 seal?

I heard that, sir.

Any idea how it might have got there?

Installing a new O2 bottle, sir, it's
usually as easy as swapping in a fresh

propane tank on your barbecue.

But the fitting that attaches to the
oxygen bottle on that plane tends to

Well, every plane has its quirks, huh?

Yes, sir.

I recommended to the AME he squirt a
little graphite on the threads when he

swapping in the new O2 bottle.

Did he?

Didn't get a chance.

He was working the ranch. Took his
gloves off. I warned him, but liquid

leaked out. Burned his hand pretty bad.

What happened then?

I sent him to sickbay. Did the job
myself.

So you installed the new O2 bottle.

We all got it chipped in. Do our share
these days, sir. The war.

Did you use graphite?

I scored a sum on the fitting, sir.

But none got in.

And I wiped the residue, I'm sure of it,
sir.

This isn't the only incident that's
happened on your watch, is it, Petty

Officer? I don't see how that's
relevant, sir. Look, nobody's pointing a

I'm the investigating officer. I'm
expected to ask some questions.

Sorry, sir.

It's true, I've made some mistakes over
the past few months.

I've had distractions back home, and
I've let some things slip.

Small stuff, sir.

Not logging my aircraft off on time,
forgetting to log fuel samples.

But nothing like this.

If there was contaminant in the O2, sir,
I don't know how it got there.

His parents came earlier.

She wanted him here when she signed the
forms.

The doctors turned off the monitors in
the room before they brought the kids

It's hard enough on them as it is.

I'm not sure what I'd do, sir, whether
I'd make the right choice.

Colonel, I don't know if there are any
right choices.

I came as soon as I could, sir.

Mac, I just got in on the cot. I had to
finish my report.

The tox screen came back from the pilot
in the reel.

Chemical analysis shows graphite -based
toxins in the blood.

So the oxygen supply was tainted? Well,
it appears as though the contaminant

slowly froze in the O2 lines, cutting
off the flow of oxygen until the system

eventually shut down.

The Rio went first, and the pilot was
able to remain conscious long enough to

switch over to his backup O2.

Do you think the plane captain's
responsible?

It appears that way, sir.

She told me she had a nightmare.

She saw it happen in a dream.

Oh, I don't know which is worse, to kiss
your husband goodbye in the morning and

never see him again, or this.

Commander, you may have to amend your
report.

This is one from Dereliction of Duty to
Negligent Homicide.

Convening Authority received your
report, Commander. It was in Article 32.

preferring charges of dereliction of
duty and negligent homicide against the

plane captain, Petty Officer Moritz.
Well, based on the evidence here, I'd

it's a lock.

Sorry to hear that.

What, sir?

Persuade yourself differently,
Commander.

You will be defending.

Colonel, you're prosecuted.

Sir, this guy is a screw -up. You want
me to defend him? I'd rather take him

and slap him. I'm compelled to support
the gist of the Commander's position,

sir. He is the one who recommended
charges.

You two finished?

Not quite, sir.

Frankly, Admiral, I'm not sure I can be
objective.

This man's negligence is responsible for
the death of a good officer.

Commander, Petty Officer Moretz
requested you.

You wanted the commander to defend him?
Does he have a death wish?

Now, you know what I mean?

I don't know why you're proving this,
sir. Commander, this is not a

I suggest whatever feelings you have as
an aviator, you check them at the door

before you enter that courtroom.

Aye, aye, sir.

Morning, man.

If you want to talk to the admiral, he's
out.

Actually, Tyner, I'd like to talk to
you.

Certainly, ma 'am.

How's the lieutenant doing?

He's fine, Tyner, but you know what?
He'd be doing a lot better if you would

stop opening your e -mail file drawer
and sending him an entire week's worth

cases. Ma 'am, the lieutenant asked me
to... Tyner, I know what he asked you.

I'm asking you to stop.

Not what he needs right now, okay?

Yes, ma 'am. Sorry, lieutenant. From
here on, the file drawer is closed.

Thank you.

Ma 'am?

What do I say when he calls?

Just tell him it's a new security
procedure.

And if he has any questions, you can ask
the Admiral.

And if he wants to talk to him?

Tell him the Admiral's out.

Yes, ma 'am.

As you were.

The government will try to establish a
pattern of behavior, Petty Officer

Moritz.

Past acts of negligence.

You refer to problems at home?

Yes, sir.

It started about eight months ago. After
my wife had our daughter, she got

depressed.

Every time we talked or emailed, her
mood worried me, sir.

It affected your performance.

Yes, sir.

I know it's no excuse.

It's not.

But if our back's against the wall, it
may help mitigate sentencing.

You're skipping the sentencing, sir?

Facts are against you, Petty Officer.

Besides the issue of you spending the
last eight months making yourself look

bad. Those were minor screw -ups, sir.

Well, this one wasn't.

The tainting of the lock's breathing
system in an F -14, which can be traced

directly back to you.

You sound like a prosecutor, sir. If you
think that this is bad, wait till this

thing goes to court -martial and the
members hear about a widow, two children

left fatherless.

I get the picture, sir.

You're my lawyer. What do you suggest?

We cut a deal now.

But I didn't do it, sir.

Why did you request me, petty officer?

I served on the Seahawks, sir, with
Lieutenant Mark Gordon.

You remember the name, sir?

I defended the lieutenant when his 14
flipped a helo in the Italian Alps.

The lieutenant said if I ever got in
trouble, you're the man.

You won that case, sir.

The lieutenant had a case. What

happens if I take the deal, sir?

Discharge. We can negotiate down the
term of confinement.

Confinement?

A reduction in rate is one thing, sir.

I'm sorry about Commander Zazello, but
I've got a kid of my own at home.

And a wife who needs me.

I can't do it, sir.

Then we go to court.

Airman Brandt, you worked with Petty
Officer Moritz on the night in question,

that correct?

Yes, ma 'am. We were prepping for a
morning mission. I was putting a new

spot on his plane.

Is that when you had the accident?

Yes, ma 'am. I was having trouble with
the locks bottle. I took my glove off to

get a better grip.

Liquid oxygen leaked out and burned my
hand.

What happened then?

A near passed out.

Petty Officer Moritz sat me down, told
one of the blue shirts to take me down

sickbay. And that's when he took over
for you?

Yes, ma 'am. He went over the O2 fitting
with some graphite.

Put the bottle in right quick.

Why didn't you use graphite?

I know you've got to be careful with
that stuff, ma 'am.

You get any in the lock system, you can
have a ton of trouble in the air.

Thank you, Airman Brandt.

Senior Chief, you conducted your own
post -flight check after the mishap,

correct? Yes, ma 'am. What did you find?

We found graphite in the oxygen bottle
seals, also on the lines.

Same stuff Petty Officer Moritz was
using.

Based on your knowledge of the system,
could this have been enough to cause a

malfunction in flight?

Contaminant sites up.

They disrupt the oxygen flow.

Eventually, they shut the whole thing
down, ma 'am.

Any effect on an air crew?

Hypoxia, ma 'am.

Loss of oxygen to the brain and the
tissues.

At altitude, you need 100 % oxygen.

Any compromising of that?

Well, you got big troubles, ma 'am.

You refer to the past negligence of
Petty Officer Moritz.

Can you elaborate?

Past few months, he's been lax with his
maintenance schedules and his record

-keeping, ma 'am.

Was there any fallout?

Mostly no, ma 'am.

Although last month, a pilot doing a pre
-flight check found his backup O2

empty.

Not a minor snafu, am I correct?

If the backup oxygen had been empty on
this mission, ma 'am, we would have lost

both men and a $38 million aircraft.

Thank you, Senior Chief.

Given your doubts about the petty
officer, why leave him on the flight

We're spread thin, sir. We have
deployments in the Gulf, Asia.

Well, you obviously felt he was capable
of doing his job.

Until about eight months ago, I would
have trusted him with anything, sir.

But now?

I had no choice. I had to maintain
proper crew strength.

I have no further questions.

You may step down, Senior Chief.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement, sir.
I told you it would be an uphill battle,

Penny Ops.

No, just tell him that I called.

Thank you.

What is that, pretty?

Oh, nobody.

Doctor's office.

I called him this morning.

The doctor?

Mm -hmm.

Why? I wanted to check your physical
therapy schedule for next week.

He said that the reason that you weren't
there this week is because you had

soreness in your extremity from
overdoing.

And if you didn't rest, you would be
risking a setback.

He's just being conservative.

More like realistic.

Why didn't you tell me?

There.

This is why.

Well, you lied to me.

Well, I've got company. At least I don't
have other people doing my dirty work

for me.

What are you talking about?

The Admiral has been out for three days.

I was just trying to protect you. You
have enough challenges.

The only challenge that I have right
now, Harriet... is getting back out into

the real world and out of this palace.

I mean, come on. Look at the size of
that TV.

Everything I have done and everything
I'm doing, I'm doing for you.

Well, I got news for you, Harriet.

It's my life.

Leave the doing to me, okay?

I know this is hard, Lieutenant. Just
take us through it as best you can.

Yes, ma 'am.

We were level at 45 ,000 feet and
initiating our run.

And that's when I noticed Commander
Zuzello showing signs of hypoxia, ma

Did you experience any effects?

It came on me slower, ma 'am.

What happened next?

After the low ox light came on, I made
an emergency descent to 10 ,000 feet.

I had numbness, blurred vision, but I
was able to get on backup O2.

It helped clear my head.

Well, I descended as fast as I could,
but... Zoomer, uh... Commander

Zuzello, ma 'am, he, uh... You're the
assistant maintenance officer of your

squadron. Did you ever see Petty Officer
Muritz using graphite when he was

working on planes?

Yes, ma 'am.

But that's not unusual.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

If I may, I'd like to say something,
Commander.

Go ahead, Lieutenant.

Flying is a dangerous business, ma 'am.

People make mistakes, but machines are
imperfect, too. We all know that. We all

accept it.

And I'm not looking to blame anybody.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

He left the door open.

This is one door path left where it is.

Commander, your witness?

I have no question who this witness you
are.

Lieutenant, you may step down.

Court is adjourned until 0930 tomorrow.

Admiral?

Commander? Did I miss the memo?

Have a seat, Commander.

Is there a problem, sir?

The, um... Petty Officer Moritz has
expressed reservations

regarding your legal counsel.

Petty Officer is accused of killing a
Rio. He thinks, as an aviator, your

sympathies tend toward the air, not the
ground.

Is this true, Petty Officer?

I think I may have misjudged your level
of objectivity, Commander.

I believe I made an error in judgment as
well.

Effective immediately.

Commander Turner is taking over. You
will transfer all documents and files

sever all relations with this case.

I'm fired, sir.

Commander, I believe the word is
severed.

Guess I'm confused, sir.

You signed me this case against my
objections, and now you're relieving me.

Thought you could rise above your
personal feelings, Commander. Apparently

wrong. I represented Petty Officer
Moritz, sir, to the best of my ability.

warned him from the beginning the facts
were against him. According to him, you

never moved off that position.

You believe that, sir?

Commander, you have a tendency to let
your heart lead your head.

I have an issue with that right now.

We're experiencing manpower drain due to
deployments.

There's a shortage of military judges.

I was considering putting you and
Colonel McKenzie up for the position as

judges.

Temporary assignments, case -by -case
basis.

The problem is, Commander, if I can't be
confident of your unbiased performance

at the defense table, how can I trust
you behind the bench?

This was a test, sir.

I haven't discussed this with Colonel
McKenzie yet.

I expect this to stay in this room.

Am I clear?

Yes, sir.

That'll be all.

Aye, aye, sir.

I just heard you're off the case. You
okay?

Yeah.

You know, do me a favor.

Pretend for a minute you're not the
prosecutor.

You think I was wrong going for the
deal? I can't forget I'm the prosecutor,

aren't I?

Look, you run on emotion.

It's what makes you a good lawyer.

So you think I wasn't objective?

You're an aviator. Maybe subconsciously
you rushed to a judgment of guilt.

I was doing my job, Mac.

I was.

I was doing my job.

How's my favorite case going?

I've landed on a strategy.

You might recognize it. I took it
straight from your preparation notes.

Fusion of flame?

Good luck.

You seem to think it would work.

Smoking mirrors will only take you so
far, Sturges.

Man won't take a deal, not much choice.

Computer games?

Liner helped me program in the flight
data from the mishap at 14.

Careful, Harm. I don't think this is the
Admiral's idea of severed.

Looking at it anyway.

For real.

Still don't see how he went from hypoxic
symptoms to an unconscious state so

quickly. Based on the man's last
physiology evaluation, I'm not

He passed his hypoxia demo, Sturgis.

Barely. I hope in your diffusion of
blame you're not planning on blaming the

victim.

I've got a client to defend, whatever it
takes.

Thanks for the files.

Mr. Newell, your company produces the
lock system for the F -14 Alpha, is that

correct? Yes, that's right. We also do
upgrades to the newer OBOGS, Onboard

Oxygen Generating System.

When you say upgrades, is the OBOGS
system better?

Less problematic. The old lock system
requires more handling.

With more handling, does that increase
the risk of a mishap?

Marginally, yes. You always run the risk
of contamination.

So the system itself is vulnerable?

I guess you could say that.

Thank you, Mr. Newell.

Are these the type of gloves you use to
handle liquid oxygen?

Yes, sir.

I suppose you could pop in a contact
lens with these babies on, huh?

No, sir.

Hard to even pop in a locks bottle like
that, huh?

I see now why you took them off.

I wouldn't do that again, sir.

You remember taking off your gloves any
other time that night?

I took them off briefly when I was
filling locks bottles from the main tank

the hangar deck.

Why?

Well, I was having a hard time getting a
grip. I dropped the hose on the deck a

couple times.

Aren't there contaminants, oil, dirt,
even graphite on that deck?

Yes, sir.

Well, isn't it possible that the
contamination happened then?

It is possible, sir.

Thank you, Admiral Brandt, your witness.

I have no questions, Your Honor. Your
Honor, I'd like to recall Senior Chief

Singley to the stand.

The Senior Chief.

You said you kept the petty officer on
the flight line to maintain proper crew

strength. Is that correct?

That's correct, sir.

We were short of plane captains.

Were you aware he was having serious
problems at home?

He mentioned it, yes, sir.

Still, you saw no need to relieve him.

We all have problems, Commander, but the
job comes first.

Have you ever had problems at home,
Senior Chief?

Objection relevant.

I'm getting there, Your Honor.

Well, get there quickly, Commander.

Yes, Your Honor.

Senior Chief?

I've been married three times.

Third time was no charm.

And you're familiar with this request
for leave for personal reasons submitted

by the petty officer six months ago?

I remember denying it, sir. And he
submitted it twice more.

Guess the third time wasn't a charm for
him either, huh?

I guess not, sir.

Oh, I know that look. That's not a good
look. I've seen that look before.

Is that obvious?

Never play strip poker.

I'm getting bluffed out of my socks.

A little diffusion of blame defense.

Yeah, it's working.

Next thing you know, Sturgis will be
blaming Albrecht for flying too high.

He was pushing the envelope.

Oh, great, you're ganging up on me.

Hey, listen, I'm off the case, remember?

Severed. I am? What's that?

This. Well, this is a statement from the
pilot who vectored over to follow

Albrecht's plane down.

This is you off the case?

According to this, Mac, Albrecht's plane
was showing signs of wing rock as it

descended.

So? So one of the reasons the reel was
without oxygen so long is because the

pilot's rate of descent was slowed if
this was because of control problems.

Are you thinking mechanical failure?

You know, we really shouldn't be having
this conversation.

You know, it is just a theory.

Excuse me.

Was this about a theory?

You two wouldn't be talking about the
case, would you?

You are.

Off the case, right, Harm?

Oh, I am so far off this case, Surges. A
Hawkeye radar plane couldn't find me.

Lieutenant, isn't it true that Commander
Zuzello barely passed his hypoxia demo

during his last physiology eval?

Yes, sir, that's correct.

In fact, the flight surgeon suggested he
quit smoking cigarettes, but he didn't

quit, did he? No, sir.

The Saturday night before you got
underway, you and he went out on the

Is that true?

Commander Zuzella was retiring, sir.
This was our last mission together.

Yes, sir, we had a few.

Alcohol and carbon monoxide in the
blood, even in minute amounts, can

hypoxia, correct?

Yes, sir. According to the talk screen,
Commander Zuzella had a carbon monoxide

level of 11 % per carboxyhemoglobin and
a blood alcohol level of .009. And this

is... Fine if you're driving a car, but
in an F -14 with a compromised oxygen

system. Commander Zuzello didn't do
anything wrong, sir.

Wrong? No, but for a man who nearly
failed his hypoxia demo, smoking and

drinking the night before a mission,
wouldn't you consider this unwise,

Lieutenant?

It's easy to judge now, sir.

It's also easy to blame someone who's
not here to defend himself.

You say you saw the first signs of
hypoxia at 45 ,000 feet?

Yes, sir, that's true.

45 ,000 feet's pushing the envelope.
Weren't you hot -dogging it a bit?

Objection. I'll rephrase, Your Honor.

Lieutenant, isn't 25, even 30 ,000 feet
a more conventional operational

altitude?

I guess so, sir.

Would you concede that the extra time it
took to descend from such an altitude

might have contributed to Commander
Zuzello's death?

I won't deny. We were flying high, sir.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

Nothing further.

Lieutenant, were you aware that a pilot
who followed you as you dove detected a

slight wing rock?

No, ma 'am, but it's possible. I was
concentrating on getting down. If you

have wing rock, the drag would blow the
plane, correct?

Yes, ma 'am. You ever experienced a roll
sass malfunction in a plane,

lieutenant? No, ma 'am, but I'm familiar
with it. The roll sass holds the wing

steady. And when it failed?

It causes wing rock, ma 'am.

Isn't it possible that the reason your
descent was slowed was not you, but your

aircraft, a malfunction?

Objection, Your Honor. This sounds like
pure speculation.

Commander Turner's floated his theories,
Your Honor.

I'll allow it for now, Colonel.

You may answer the question, Lieutenant.

It's possible there was a malfunction,
ma 'am. Yes.

Who was responsible for checking all
flight controls on the aircraft?

Petty Officer Moretz, ma 'am.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

Your Honor, may we approach?

Your Honor, I believe there's been a
breach of Rule 502.

I witnessed a conversation between
Colonel McKenzie and Commander Rabb, I

believe was prejudicial to my client.

You've got to be joking. I don't see
anyone laughing, Colonel. Your Honor, if

there has been misconduct, and I believe
there has, it would not only be within

my rights, but my sworn duty to move
this case be dismissed.

Dismiss the case, sir?

Sir, the colonel and I had one
conversation concerning a theory I have

mishap. A charge of inappropriate
contact is ridiculous.

Commander, I distinctly remember
dismissing you from this case.

Well, now I know what you meant by
whatever it takes, Sturgis.

You're the one out of order harm, both
of you. Hey, at least the colonel's

efforts were in the service of the
truth. And what were yours in service

your pride? Enough.

The theory.

Explain it.

Sir, I believe there's more to this
mishap than just a failure of the

system, and I think I can prove that.

Does it involve a trip to a carrier?

Admiral, you stressed objectivity, sir.

I believe the blame for this mishap does
not rest solely on the shoulders of the

plane captain.

Something else went wrong up there.

Judge Hoffman will take a couple of days
to consider Commander Turner's motion.

Is that a yes, sir?

Commander.

You're already bucking for an inquiry
into your conduct.

Just don't push it.

I can't believe you're going up on a
plane you think is unstable. Who says

testing the plane?

The pilot?

There was cloud cover that day, Mac. I
think maybe the pilot got disoriented.

Look, you're the one who jumped on the
mechanical failure bandwagon, not me. I

can't believe you're going up with a guy
that you think is unstable.

Well, I'm not going to tell him that.

Next suicide mission, just tell me about
it after you get back.

Do I give you nightmares?

What? I have to talk to someone. Just be
safe up there, huh?

Jane, you said the other day that you
had a nightmare before the mishap,

a premonition.

Do you know what was behind it?

A few months ago, Phil mentioned a close
call.

It's been on my mind, I guess.

Do you know what kind of a close call?

No. And it's weird.

He usually confided in me.

And what's weirder is when I asked Sam,
Lieutenant Albrecht about it, he said he

didn't remember.

Hello? Hi, honey. Hi, Mom.

Yeah,

about halfway.

I just don't know what to do with Phil's
stuff.

Tommy may want it someday.

It's so hard.

Do you think you could take the kids on
Sunday? I might want some time alone at

the cemetery.

Mom, I got someone here I gotta go.

Thanks. Bye.

Isn't it Lieutenant Albrecht? Well, he
was an airman then.

Phil and the lieutenant served together
on the Seahawk.

Your husband knew the lieutenant a long
time?

Almost as long as me.

I dated Sam, Lieutenant Albrecht, before
Phil.

Wow, how'd that happen?

The lieutenant brought me to the
squadron picnic.

Phil was there.

We met.

That's history.

The lieutenant was okay with a friend
stealing his girl?

Oh. No big deal, Colonel.

The lieutenant and I only went out a
couple of times.

We all stayed friends.

Okay, Commander, you ready to tee up
this mulligan?

Ready, Keck.

The lock system's been replaced, but if
you're chasing a Rolls -Fast glitch, the

ghost should still be in the machine.

And remember, Commander, this is a
controlled test.

Aye, aye, Keck.

Dead, Lieutenant.

Dead as I'll ever be, sir.

Just do what you did, Lieutenant.

Liberty Control, this is Foxstar 2 -0,
up and ready.

Roger, 2 -2 -0, you are clear to launch.

the lieutenant's file. Thank you.

Commander, look at this.

Before he was selected for OCS, Albrecht
served a year on the Seahawk on the

flight line. Before that, he was a
loxtech.

Come on, Mac. You think Albrecht would
kill his friend over a woman he lost

years ago? No, but I think his friend
took something from him once. Maybe he

going to do it again.

Well, if Albrecht does have a problem,
his Rio might have threatened to report

it. Motive? Means, opportunity. He knows
lock systems. Could have made his move

during a pre -flight check. The petty
officer's record made him the perfect

guy. That's still a long shot. What
else?

Let's go flying.

Watch it, Lieutenant.

Keep her climbing.

I'll be the roll set, sir.

We're looking for a failure. I think we
just found it.

Level off at 8 till 45, Lieutenant. See
what this bird knows when she drops.

Roger, sir.

Snyder, is this the simulation that you
and the commander are running?

This is it, ma 'am. How does it work?

The F -14 Alpha doesn't really have a
black box. We loaded in flight data from

the CIC records.

We're going faster than real time here,
ma 'am, but you get the idea.

Albrecht climbs from 10 ,000 feet to 45
,000 in about a minute and a half, then

levels off.

He starts his run, but he breaks off.
You ready on the lock, Bill? Yes, sir.

initiates an emergency descent.

It takes another minute to get down to
breathable air.

Something doesn't add up.

What's the problem?

According to the inspection by the
Mishap Review Board, Albrecht used five

minutes of backup oxygen, but it took
one minute to make his descent.

So what happened to those other four
minutes? How long was the lieutenant

cruising it out to, Tyner?

Three minutes, sir.

Oh, come on, Mac. You're not thinking
that. Albrecht was on his back of oxygen

the whole time. The locks failure
happened before he radioed the Mayday.

minutes before.

He killed him.

Dude, that was his real Mac's friend.

And he cruised for four minutes on
oxygen while he watched his friend slip

Level on angels 45, sir.

Showtime, Lieutenant.

Snapper over. Emergency descent. 60
degrees through the clouds.

Roger, sir.

Roll 10 degrees right, Lieutenant, and
hold it.

Hold it, Lieutenant. You're losing
control.

Got it, sir.

Rolling, Lieutenant. We're upside down.

No, we're not, sir.

You're losing altitude. We're headed
toward the water.

I'm going to level off, sir.

9 ,000 feet.

Pull back on the stick, Lieutenant. If
we're dead, get on your instruments.

That's an order. Bring your throttle to
idle. Right rudder. Do it.

All right. Check your wings. Look at the
curve bank indicator.

Look at your attitude, Jairo.

I'm on it. Open the speed brakes,
Lieutenant.

Now pull back on the stick.

I don't know what happened, sir.

I guess I'm still a little saddle sore.

Let's take this bird home, Lieutenant.

Sir, I admit I lost it for a second up
there. I guess it was a roll -fast

malfunction. There was no roll -fast
malfunction, Lieutenant.

You have vertigo.

I don't know what you're talking about,
sir.

My guess is it's an inner ear imbalance.

I can see you hiding it from the flight
surgeon, but you couldn't hide it from

your reel, could you?

You are way out of line, sir. How'd you
pull it off, anyway, Lieutenant?

What, did you slip down on the hangar,
decked your pre -flight, and squirt a

little graphite in the O2?

Zoomer was my friend, sir.

What was it like?

Watching them die.

Even if that were true, Commander.

You can't prove any of this.

I'll find a way, Lieutenant.

Someone already has.

Medicine from Colonel McKenzie.

Commander, would you read the Lieutenant
his Article 31 rights?

I think he already knows the charges.

Well, now, you know, driving a plane's
not that easy, is it? No, sir.

How was the meeting with Judge Helfman?

Well, I'm still a lawyer.

Now, check this out.

Commander, Colonel, I heard what you did
for me.

Thank you.

You'll receive our bill soon.

I hear you have some free time coming.

Thirty days' leave, sir.

Good luck.

Sir? Ma 'am? Sir?

You gonna let me off the hook that easy?

Ah, well, you buy me a beer and we'll
talk about it.

Hey, Doug.

Somebody order a double anchovy?

Bud. Hey. Harriet.

Hey. Everything looks the same.

I heard Lieutenant Singer was using my
office. Yeah, we brought in a witch

doctor to cast out the evil spirit.

You look good, bud.

Thank you, sir. I agree.

Well, you're delivering pizza now?

Yes, sir.

Would you like a piece, Admiral?

No, thanks.

Oh, Lieutenant, next time you're in the
office, I expect you to see without

those crutches.