" Good day, Lieutenant Roberts." " Good day, commander." " Is the major in yet?" " No, sir, not yet." " What are you up to there, mate?" " Emergency travel arrangements." "Tehran." "Tricky place." "I had an assignment there sometime ago." "Once those Iranian feathers get ruffled, they're a little tough to put down." "How did you manage, commander?" "I did a fair job of it, sir." "I understand that from your record." "Major, my office." "Commander Brumby, why don't you join us?" "I want you on the first flight to the Persian Gulf." "What is it, sir?" "Iranian version of the Gary Powers incident." "Have you lost a spy plane over Iran?" "Iranians have our pilot." "Major, you'll be lead counsel with Commander Brumby working under you." "Any problems with that?" "Can't imagine anything I'd like better, sir." "Fine with me, sir." " Sir." " Thank you." "Good morning." " Hey, Bud." " Morning, sir." "Hey, where's Major Mackenzie?" "She's in the admiral's office with Commander Brumby, sir." "Did they ask me to join?" "He didn't say, sir." " What's going on?" " Lost an aircraft over Iran, and they're going to try the pilot for espionage." " Navy?" " Yes, sir." "A Lieutenant Commander Jack Keeter." "Weren't you at the Academy with him, sir?" "Yeah, he was my roommate." "Commander, can I see you a minute?" "Yes, sir." "Bud, you take care of this?" "Aye, aye, sir." " Morning." " Morning." " You heard?" " Yes, sir." "When I became JAG three years ago," "I gave you the first case that came across my desk." "Keeter's F-14 went down in Cuba, sir." "He was working with the CIA then." "I assume this is more of the same, admiral." "With Webb involved, I'd say that's a good guess." "When do I leave, sir?" " You don't." " Admiral" "I am assigning the case to Major Mackenzie and Commander Brumby." "Mac speaks Farsi." "Brumby has operated in Iran." "The Aussies have an embassy there." "We don't." "Admiral, I have known Keeter for 17 years, sir." "He is my oldest friend." "It's a done deal, Rabb." "You're too close." "With all due respect, sir." "The admiral is very close to his daughter, yet that did not prevent him from coming to her rescue in Italy." "Enter." "Excuse me, sir, I don't mean to interfere." "For the sake of morale, I was wondering whether you'd consider sending Commander Rabb instead of me, sir." "Commander, do you feel inadequate to the task?" "No, sir." "In fact, I'm sure the major and I would make a knockout team." "But if that was my mate in jeopardy, it'd kill me not to be there for him, sir." "Well, thank you, commander." "But I'll determine what's best for morale at JAG." "Understood, sir." "Dismissed." "Aye, sir." "Did you put him up to this?" "No, sir." "I didn't even know he had the assignment until just now." "Of course, you didn't." " All right, commander, you go." " Thank you, sir." " You're dismissed." " Aye, aye, sir." "Rabb." "Don't let your friendship with Commander Keeter affect your judgement." "No, sir, I won't." "The hell you won't." "I found a few citations that might prove useful, major." "Thank you, commander." "Brumby?" "Look, I don't hold a grudge." "That's good to know." "Since I hung you out to dry defending Colonel Farrow." "What I'm saying is, I hope you didn't back out because you thought we couldn't establish a working relationship." "Not at all." "It's like I told the admiral." "It's Commander Rabb's messmate who's in the hole." "He should be the one to go after him." "I agree." "Besides, you and I are gonna have a great relationship, Sarah." "I said working relationship." "We believe Iran is only two years away from nuclear capability." "Last week, we received satellite photos showing a reactor in the Dasht-e-Kavir desert may be producing weapons-grade plutonium." "Since the data was inconclusive, the CIA consulted Naval Intelligence." "SECNAV agreed to sponsor a recon mission using the F-117 Stealth aircraft." "I thought the Navy abandoned that programme years ago, sir." "That's what everyone was supposed to think." "It was undergoing carrier-suitability tests in the Persian Gulf, 40 miles off the coast of Iran." "It was diverted to gather infrared pictures for closer analysis." "The Iranians shot it down?" "No, Lieutenant Commander Keeter had control failure." "He had to eject." "He was found in the desert by Bedouins." "He was taken to a police station and traded for arms." "What's his condition, sir?" "According to the Iranians, sound enough to stand trial." "It will be a kangaroo court, sir." "Iran is offering an olive branch here." "Full U.S. Consultation in the pilot's defence." "What's the quid pro quo, Webb?" "Maybe they just wanna improve relations." "Yeah, and maybe they just wanna embarrass us further." "Either way, I expect you'll find out rather quickly." "Any of you familiar with the punishment for espionage under Iranian law?" "Same as under our law, death." "The plane was catapulted at 2005." "At 2046, Commander Keeter shifted into stealth mode." "At 2104, he attempted to change altitude to avoid leaving a contrail." "That's when he encountered his first malfunction." "The yaw trim stabiliser failed." "He broke radio silence to inform us he was having difficulty controlling the aircraft." " We ordered him back to the carrier." " Did he go?" "He started to." "Then the second malfunction occurred." "Automatic roll stabilisation failed." "I thought the flight stabilisation system had quad redundancy." "It does." "If one system fails, there's three more to take over." "He had to have experienced a drastic computer malfunction." "I'd say." "Okay, chief, shut her down." "Not bad for your first time." "Commander Keeter's last radio call reported losing pitch control and ejecting over Lake Namak." "Couldn't he have landed in the desert?" "With all three stabilising assists out, that bird flies like a kite in a twister." " What caused the failures, sir?" " We don't know." "Our technicians are trying to replicate the problem." "So far, no luck." "Hopefully, Commander Keeter can tell you more when you get to Tehran." "Think he could've put her down in one piece, sir?" " Possibly." " Pretty confident." "A good pilot has to be." "But in the F-117, that kind of thinking can get you killed." "Can't believe my grandmother used to dress like this." "I remember her as this cute little old lady in leisure suits." "Well, the two agents following us seem to think you look pretty hot." "The Tehran High Court could have prosecuted" "Lieutenant Commander Keeter for committing an act of war." "But I've opted instead to pursue only the espionage charge." "It's quite strong, commander." "That would be an understatement." "Minister, the distinction you're making is moot since both charges are punishable by death." "If this were an Iranian military pilot down in, let's say, Texas," "I doubt your government would be willing to dispense of it with just a wink and a smile." "But, hopefully, your presence here will help to open a dialogue between our two governments." "The best way to do that, sir, would be to consider this incident a mutual mistake and to release Commander Keeter into our custody." "Iran admits no mistake in this matter, commander." "Your country is developing nuclear arms, sir." "The United States is trying to prevent a widespread Middle Eastern crisis." "You are very forward, major, for a woman in my society." "Your Farsi is perfect." "Only the trace of an American accent." "We in the moderate government are trying to implement change." "But there are hard-line clerics in this country who do not want that change to come." "We need something to appease these forces." "A trade agreement, perhaps." "Or release of Iranian assets in your country." "Something." "Unfortunately, Minister Nassan, we don't have authority to negotiate." "We are here, sir, to assure that Commander Keeter is alive and well, and that he stays that way." "I have always enjoyed the intricacies of American diplomacy." "I'm no diplomat, sir." "My point exactly." "What the commander is saying is that it would be unproductive to discuss anything until we've spoken with Commander Keeter." "Well, then why didn't he just say that?" "I expected to find Commander Keeter in a hospital." "Oh, his injuries were superficial." "From his account, we believe the plane went down somewhere near Lake Namak." "When we've gathered all the pieces, we'll be sure and return them to you." "Oh, a personal correspondence from Commander Keeter to his father." "I pass it on as evidence that we are civilised." "This letter's been resealed, sir." "Oh, it's Iranian glue." "It never sticks." "Keeter." "Keeter." "Keeter." "You told me his wounds were superficial." "Oh, they are." "His vital signs are all acceptable." "Why is his arm in a sling?" "I believe he broke that when he ejected." "Why wasn't it set?" "It's a simple fracture." "Keeter." "Martin." "No, it's Harm." "No." "Martin Baker." "Commander Keeter, I'm Major Mackenzie." "We're here to help you." "No." "Martin Baker." "I want him in a hospital now, and I want that arm set immediately." "He'll be fine in time for the trial." "Why are you treating him like this?" "He's an accused criminal." " Even accused criminals have rights." " Not in Iran." "However, as yet another gesture of goodwill..." "The trial will begin as scheduled, unless your government is willing to discuss other options." "Keeter, we're gonna get you out of here soon," "I promise, buddy." "No Martin Baker." "Room service." "We didn't order anything." "I believe that you did, Mr. Webb." "May I set up near the window?" "As you wish." " This chicken looks good." " It's excellent, madam." "Would sir and madam like to have dessert after dinner?" "We have an excellent crème brûlée." "That would be nice." "Soviet-type listening devices." "I am Sina Kazzari." "Webb sent me." " You work fast." " I have to." "You are being watched by two agents." "Yeah, we spotted them." "Can you get this letter to Webb?" "Yes, we are using the Australian Embassy as a conduit." "Encrypted in that letter Keeter has put the coordinates to where he landed the Stealth." "What?" "Keeter's father died a week after we graduated from Annapolis, Mac." "The letter isn't to his dad." "It's to us." "And this is not an ejection chute, it's a drag chute." "It's used to slow the aircraft after it lands." "Martin Baker manufactures ejection seats." "When Keeter kept saying, "No Martin Baker, no Martin Baker,"" "he was trying to tell me" "He didn't eject." "He landed the Stealth, and he walked away from it to conceal it from the Iranians." "So there's an F-117 parked somewhere." "Somewhere out here." "That's Dasht-e-Kavir." "Dasht-e-Kavir?" "It means big desert." "More coffee?" "Hey." "My third-class year at the Academy, it was all getting to be too much for me." "I was 19, I didn't even remember what my father looked like." "Didn't think I had what it took to become a Naval officer." "That doesn't sound like the Harmon Rabb I know." "Just before Christmas leave, during finals, I went UA." "Before anybody even found out I was gone," "Keeter came out, got me, brought me back." "We'll get him out of this, Harm." "May I pick up your room service cart?" "I delivered the letter to the Australian Embassy." "You told them Commander Keeter probably landed in the desert?" "Yes." "They are trying to locate the F-117 by satellite." " To destroy it?" " They may have other plans." "They would like you and the major to come to the embassy for tea at 4:00 this afternoon." "Good day, mates." "Somehow, I knew you'd be here." "Mr. Webb needed an escort." "That'll be the day." "Good work on getting that letter to us." "Keeter was able to encrypt the coordinates through a special code we taught him for just this kind of situation." "So how are you gonna destroy the Stealth, Webb?" "We're not." "We're gonna retrieve it." "Or rather, you are." "Oh, no, no, no." "I am here to help Keeter." " The priorities have changed." " Mine haven't." "As a pilot, you've got two crucial qualifications:" "Access and ability." "Harm's never even flown a Stealth." "Neither had Lieutenant Commander Keeter until a month ago." "All you've gotta do is get it off the ground." "The computer's autopilot will take care of the rest." "The computer is the reason it's on the ground in the first place." "The technicians on the Seahawk believe a heat sink worked loose from the repeated carrier landings." "That could have overheated an integrated circuit in the flight stabilisation system." "Replacing the circuit should bring the system back online." "Yeah, till it overheats again." "By that time you'd be back onboard the Seahawk." "Harm, if you go, I can represent Keeter." "Rabb may need your Farsi skills to reach the plane, major." " I'll represent him." " Too risky." "Once we go after that plane, anyone we leave behind in Tehran will be vulnerable." "So you're gonna sacrifice Keeter." "He knew it was a dangerous mission." "Is that the going rate of exchange, Webb?" "A man for a plane?" "Do you think you're gonna change anything in the Tehran High Court?" "His fate's already been decided." "State will do the best it can to negotiate a deal after the trial." "You know I'm right." "Progress between our two countries isn't likely if your government executes an American pilot for taking pictures." "I agree with you completely, commander." "But your country seems willing to sit on its hands while this incident heads towards a tragic end." "Harm." "When did you get here?" "Two days ago, buddy." "This is our second visit." "Oh, wow, I must have really been out of it, huh?" "Do you remember Major Mackenzie?" "Wish I did." "How's your arm?" "Broken." "Tell the commander and the major of your freely-arrived-at decision." "I'm gonna plead guilty, throw myself on the mercy of the court." "It's a gesture that would be meaningful to my people, commander." "If they've tortured this confession out of you..." "No torture." "No pressure." "There are times you have to recognise the truth and move on." "This is one of them." "Well, I wish you would've waited to speak to us." "Well, I didn't know you were here." "Did you give him my letter to my dad?" "Of course." "Did Dad get it?" "He did." "Then I know I'm doing the right thing." "If Commander Rabb flies the Stealth out, this is the route he'll take?" "That's right." "Why not fly to an air base in Turkey or Saudi Arabia?" "Too far." "They can't repair the heat sink, so the new integrated circuit will overheat." "We believe he can reach the Seahawk before that happens." "And if he can't?" "There's always risks, Roberts." "What about Major Mackenzie?" "Or haven't you thought about that?" "We'll get Mac out." "And Lieutenant Commander Keeter?" "This conversation is like déjà vu." "Like I told Rabb, State will do the best it can for Commander Keeter." "I hope Commander Rabb chooses not to do it." "He'll do it." "Rabb knows that national security has to come before the welfare of any individual." "Mr. Webb, Commander Rabb lives by a creed:" "Duty to his country, loyalty to his friends." "You're asking him to choose between the two." "No man should have to do that." "There has to be a better way." "The plan has changed." "Webb has decided to get both the Stealth aircraft and Commander Keeter out of Iran." "So the Tin Man has a heart." "A Jeep and supplies, including a satellite radio and GPS receiver, will be waiting in the desert at a rendezvous I've used before." "From there, we will follow the coordinates to the plane." "Webb didn't give me the coordinates." "He hadn't finished decoding it yet." "What does it matter?" "We'll have Keeter with us." "That's right." "Here is the circuit board and instructions on how to insert it." "Well, that's the easy part." "How do we break Keeter out of prison?" "We don't." "The Iranians do." "At noon tomorrow, they will transfer Commander Keeter from Bakkar Prison to the Judicial Ministry Building for trial." "We rescue him here, from the garage." "I wore a tie like this to my high school graduation in '81." "I guess the Iranians are a little behind the times." "Live fast, die young, leave a good-Iooking corpse." "Whoever said that first is a freaking idiot." "I'm coming, all right?" "Don't push, don't push." "Quick." "Quick." "You never could follow orders, partner." "All right, we got the APU generator, satellite radio, GPS receiver." "No weapons." "Maybe Webb didn't want us to start an international incident, huh?" "We'll use the ones we got off the guards." "All right, ladies, let's go." "I got a bird to fly." " Was he always this cocky?" " Only around women." "So you're Iranian?" "American citizen, major." "After the Shah was deposed, my father was killed by Khomeini, and my mother brought me to the States." "When I joined the agency," "Webb found a way to plant me in Tehran." "Listen, Kazzari" " Sina, right?" "I'm sure this isn't a typical mission, and thank you." "When I have a job to do, I see it through to the end, regardless of the consequences." "But you are welcome." "Your accent, it's barely detectable." "I set her down a hundred miles from the coast on a dry lakebed." "About here." "Well, we should be there by noon tomorrow." "You hungry?" "Starving." "I think they fed me camel fodder." "Well, I didn't think that'd bother you." "I've seen you eat things out of the back of the fridge I wouldn't even touch." "No guts, no glory." "Yeah, I figured Cuba would've cured you of that philosophy." "So, Keeter, you think that circuit board will last until I get to the Seahawk?" "It started to cook about 30 minutes into my flight, but you should be onboard by then." "If you're not and she starts to go, punch out." "You didn't punch out." "Yeah, well, I had miles of dry lake to land on." "You only have 750 feet of deck." "Don't even think of trying without the stabilisation system." "I don't wanna be a pallbearer." "Well, what makes you think I even want you at my funeral?" "You know, Webb, it would be nice if for once you'd spit on your own fire." "It was a Navy aircraft, admiral." "On a CIA operation." "Authorised by the SECNAV." "I've just about had it with you using my people to clean up your messes." "I use them because they're the best, A.J." "You don't sacrifice your best on a suicide mission." "I agreed that, if willing," "Commander Rabb could retrieve the aircraft, but not stage some damn jailbreak." "Time was too short to run it by you." "I felt we could recover both the Stealth and the pilot." "This doesn't sound like you, Webb." "What aren't you telling me?" "You know it all." "Except, sir, how Major Mackenzie and Lieutenant Commander Keeter are going to get out." "My man will drive Mac and Keeter across the Turkish border." "You can't send them across hundreds of miles of Iran with an army after them." "They'll never get out." "I did request sending in the Marines to extract them, but SECNAV said it would only inflame the situation if anything went wrong." "They did." "We'll see about that." "Tiner." "Get me the SECNAV." "You knew the admiral wouldn't go for a ground extraction through Turkey." "You set him up to fight your fight with the SECNAV." "A good operative never takes a fight that somebody else is willing to take for him." "How do you sleep at night?" "On the right side." "You might have mentioned you left it with Bedouins." "I didn't." "What's going on?" "Kazzari just insulted him." "These Bedouins think they own the desert." "We do." "Sir." "I represent the United States Navy." "We are here to recover our plane." "It is our plane." "We found it." "That is Bedu law." "What good is this aircraft to the Bedouin?" "I did not say you could not buy it back." "But first, I, Faisal Muhammad, leader of the Bedu, would like to offer the hospitality of my tent to all, but this dog." "Easy." "They can kill us in a second." "Could he and this man here check the plane over to see that nothing is missing that might affect our trading?" "As you wish." "Which one is it?" "Gotta read the instructions first." "What is it?" "Camel milk." "It's delicious." "I'm glad you like it." "Have another." "Looks like a burnt piece of toast." "Hand me the new one, will you?" "These Bedouins are thieves." "They could damage the APU trying to steal something off it." "I got this." "You watch the Jeep." "Look, this plane is of no value to the Bedouin." "You can't fly it." "Its wings make good shade." "That Jeep has a very powerful generator." "We need it only to start the plane." "When we leave, it is yours." "That plane is worth $80 million." "We may be nomadic, but we are not stupid." "What's your price?" "One million American dollars in gold." "That can be arranged." "When I get the gold, you get the plane." "It could take days to get the gold." "By then, the Iranians might find the aircraft." "No gold, no plane." "It is a deal." "What'd you say to him?" "I offered to stay behind as collateral." "I am not leaving you here, Mac." "I'll be fine." "This is about commerce, Harm, not about sex." "You were found not guilty in your husband's death." "What does that have to do with this?" "Well, sometimes people take risks they shouldn't when they wanna punish themselves." "I'll pay my dues, Harm, at the Article 32 hearing." "I'm doing this to complete the mission." "I'll be fine." "Well?" "She's our bird." "What'd you give him?" "The promise of a million dollars in gold," "Mac as collateral until he gets it." "You'd leave Mac alone with him?" "Well, you're gonna be with her." "I always did wanna spend a few nights alone in the desert with a beautiful woman." "She'd be safer alone with Faisal." "Come on, let's get this bird in the air." "Let's not." "An Iranian armoured unit has been following us, waiting for my signal to move in." "I had a feeling breaking Keeter out was a little too easy." "You should have acted on your feelings." "Oh, I did." "If this bird isn't in the air in ten minutes, the Navy's gonna take it out with a Maverick missile." "I hope you don't play poker, commander." "Look, even if I am bluffing, what does it hurt to stand a couple of hundred yards away?" "Nothing." "Good." "Oh, you probably want me to take this pistol out, right?" "Don't move." "Either of you." "I forgot." "You used to live in the States." "Familiar with the American Western." "Yes, I liked them too." "Except I always thought the good guy should wear the black hat." "So you can drop your pistol, but don't kick it." "See?" "He knows that if I dropped the pistol and kicked it toward him, he'd be distracted long enough for you to rush him." "No, it wouldn't work." "I wouldn't be able to grab him with my cast on." "I'd have to hit him over the head with it like this." "You were bluffing about the Maverick, weren't you?" "Only about the time." "We got 20 minutes." "Too bad." "You deprived me the pleasure of shooting him." " He was a double agent." " Signalled the Iranian Army with this." "They should be here in a few minutes." "Mac, Keeter's going with you." "For what?" "To protect me?" "If Keeter was being held as collateral, would you send me with him?" " Yeah." " You would?" "It's safer than trying to make it to the Turkish border alone." "If it will make you feel any better, major," "I'll place myself under your protection, ma'am." "Strap him onto the wing, will you, Harm?" "Flight deck, move out." "142 at 200." "Flight deck, move out." "142 at 200." "Our latest satellite tracking shows an Iranian armoured patrol closing in on our people." "If Mac doesn't get out of this, Roberts..." " I know." " What do you mean you know?" "It's his bloody op that went sour, mate, not yours." "I sort of talked him into rescuing Commander Keeter." "I see." "Don't get your knickers in a knot, mate." "Mac will be back." "I'm sure of it." "How can you be sure?" "I promised I'd take her skiing." "We'll rendezvous in two days." "Here, in Turkey, on the coast." "What is this instrument?" "GPS." "It tells you where you are in the world." "Allah and the stars tell me." "I do not need batteries." " Take care, Marine." " You too, sailor." "Your gold will be at the rendezvous point in 48 hours." "Let's do it, Keeter." "May Allah be with you and my gold." "All right, any last-minute pointers?" "If the stabilising warning light comes on, get out." "I mean it, buddy." "First flashing red light, you punch out." "Come on, come on." "Iranians." "Anytime, Keeter." "What's wrong?" "It needs to be primed." "Come on." "Yes." "What's taking so long?" "He can't put fuel into the engines until they spool up to 18 percent power." "Yes." "Woman." "Give me your hand." " Hey." " Come on." "Shadow, this is Guardian." "You are clear to take off." "Roger." "Understood." "Seahawk Strike." "Shadow 24." "Feet wet." "Roger, Shadow 24." "We have your transponder." "Seahawk Strike, what's my Charlie time?" " We're ready for you now, Shadow." " The computer's gonna land him?" "Yeah, if the heat sink doesn't fry the circuit board." "He could try to land manually, couldn't he?" "Not and live." "Shadow 24, state your altitude." "Angels Ten, Seahawk." "About seven minutes out." "Commander, you're the second pilot to land this bird on a carrier." " You in position?" " I'm lined up and in the cone." "To automatically land, you have to activate two systems." "The ACLS switch outboard of the throttle and the autopilot button on the stick." "Shadow 24." "I'm coupled up." "Sit back, enjoy the ride." "Seahawk, I got a problem." "Yaw trim stabiliser's malfunctioned." "Get out of there, Rabb." "I'm able to maintain control with the rudders." "There goes the roll stabilisation." "You're running out of time." "Get out." "Not while I have air under my wings." "Eject, Rabb." "Eject." "I can make it." "I told you to eject." "I really thought I could make it." "No one could, commander." "Tell me, if that system had failed when you were landing two days ago, would you have stuck with it?" "Probably." "You just learned a valuable lesson." "I doubt it." "Mac." "Keeter." "They landed early, sir." "Yeah, you weren't due for 20 minutes." "Twenty-one minutes and 15 seconds." "She's been doing that for two days." "What's your secret?" "In English, please." "No." "It'll lose something in the translation."