"Unidentified vessel off the starboard side bearing one-four-niner." "Range is less than a mile and closing, sir." "She's probably here for the war games, skipper, but she refuses to answer our radio challenges." "Ask her again." "Attention, unidentified vessel travelling at 28 knots, 15 miles south of Sevastopol." "This is the U.S.S. Cayuga." "Alter your course, come port to 240 degrees." "Say again, 240 degrees." "Over." " Any course change?" " Negative, sir." "She's holding steady." " Fifteen hundred yards and closing." " Attention, Cayuga." "This is Captain Grinkov of the Russian warship Vasiliev." "Grinkov." "We are attempting to enter the war-game rendezvous area." "Give way to port and let us pass." "Give me that." "This is Captain McNamara of the U.S.S. Cayuga." "We will be entering your rendezvous area ahead of you, Captain Grinkov." "Alter your course and your speed to follow us." "Starboard lookout has just made visual contact, sir." " Hold steady." " Aye, sir, holding." "Three hundred yards." " All engine back full." " Aye, aye, sir." "All engines back full." "XO, sound general quarters." "All hands, man your general quarter stations." "Collision warning." "This is not a drill." "Say again, this is not a drill." "One hundred yards." "Too late, skipper." "Stand by for impact." "Following in his father's footsteps as a Naval aviator," "Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb Jr." "Suffered a crash while landing his Tomcat on a storm-tossed carrier at sea." "Diagnosed with night blindness," "Harm transferred to the Navy's Judge Advocate General Corps, which investigates, defends and prosecutes the law of the sea." "There, with fellow JAG lawyer Major Sarah MacKenzie, he now fights in and out of the courtroom with the same daring and tenacity that made him a top gun in the air." "Welcome aboard, commander." " Is that one of the Russian's?" " Yes, sir, the Vasiliev." "She's one of the Russian ships taking part in the exercise." "What exactly is the exercise, ensign?" "Basically, it's us against the Russians in a real expensive game of hide-and-seek at sea, ma'am." "I noticed some minor damage to the Cayuga when we flew over, ensign." "Damage, sir?" "You do have a repair party working on the bow, don't you?" "That's not my department, sir." "Damage control officer will answer any questions you may have regarding the collision." "Who said anything about a collision?" "Excuse me, skipper." "Commander Rabb, Major MacKenzie and Lieutenant Roberts, sir." "Commander Rabb reporting as ordered." "Thank you, ensign." "Welcome aboard the Cayuga." "I assume you've been briefed?" " Yes, sir." " Good." "Ensign Garret here will escort you to your quarters, major." "The Vasiliev will be sending over a landing party for you within the hour, commander." "Sir?" "You said that you'd been briefed, commander?" "Yes, sir." "We were told to report to the Cayuga to observe a joint exercise being conducted under the International Laws of the Sea." "You're here to make sure the Russians don't cheat." "Or the U.S., sir." "According to my orders, part of this exercise is an officer exchange." "You and your lieutenant will serve aboard the Vasiliev for the duration of this exercise." "We will receive two Russian officers in return." " Is there anything else, commander?" " What happened to the Cayuga, sir?" "It looks like she scraped up against something." "Commander, I can assure you that she is very seaworthy." "I was more concerned about the legal implications, sir." "If some sort of collision has occurred." "Congratulations, commander." "You've been aboard my ship for less than three minutes, you've already managed to tick me off." "I can only hope that you manage to do the same to Captain Grinkov." "Aye, aye, skipper." "Okay, ready to tell me what's going on?" "Apparently, Bud and I are going on a cruise." "I mean, between you and the skipper." "In 1985, a Russian and an American warship attempted to enter the Lisbon Harbour at the same time." "Neither captain gave way to the other and they wound up colliding." "Think something like that happened here?" "I think that's exactly what happened here." "McNamara and Grinkov were the two captains." "Ten years later, they're still playing bumper cars with their ships." "So do we report the collision?" "I mean, somebody's gotta be held accountable." "No one on either ship is going to admit it happened." "And the Navy doesn't reprimand its skippers for asserting American naval superiority." "This basically comes down to who has the biggest..." "Ship?" "Something like that, yeah." "Commander Petavich, Lieutenant Matovik, welcome aboard the U.S.S. Cayuga." "I'm Commander Blake." "This is Major MacKenzie." "Gentlemen." "Welcome aboard the Vasiliev, commander, lieutenant." "I am Commander Yuri Kretchiak." "Yuri Kretchiak?" "You're a forward for the Soviet Olympic Hockey Team." "That was a long time ago, commander." "And you are a fighter pilot." "Also a long time ago." "This way, gentlemen." "The Cayuga is a state-of-the-art naval war ship." "She incorporates the latest in quietened propulsion technology as well as advanced stealth designs." "The Cayuga's armament carries a full complement from torpedoes to cruise missiles and everything in between." "How many women are onboard?" "We have a full crew of 303, 78 of which are women." "And how many are single?" "I don't know, sir." "If you'll follow me, I'll take you to our engine room." "The Vasiliev was commissioned in 1980." "She is 156 metres long, with a 17.3 metre beam." "She displaces over 6000 metric tons and has a top speed of 32 knots, which is faster than your Arleigh Burke Class." " I wouldn't bet on it." " We shall see soon enough." "Sir, my mask, it's not working." " Here, get out of here." " But sir..." "That's an order." "You all right, commander?" "Yeah, I'm fine." "Could be a while before my next cigar." "What happened, sir?" "Fire in the missile room." "Looks like they were in the middle of loading a firing tube when something electrical shorted." "Why would they be loading a missile?" "This is supposed to be a simulated exercise." "Maybe we should ask him." "Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr." "You are here today as a Navy lawyer." "But I know that you were a heroic Tomcat fighter pilot." "Is this correct?" "Well, I don't know about the heroic part, but..." "Indeed." "On 16 April, 1989, the commander attacked three Libyan MiGs over the Gulf of Sidra." "Actually, the MIGs attacked my wingman and I while we were patrolling the no-fly zone." "So you say." "But do you know what he did?" "He shot down one, disabled the second, and sent the third pilot running for home with his tail between his legs." "Just lucky, I guess." "You are much too modest, commander." "It was brilliant flying." "Brilliant." "Much better than the pilot you shot down." "Unfortunately, he was not Libyan." "He was Russian." "And I happen to know this because he was my brother." "Just joking." "He was probably just some poor Georgian farm boy." "Gentlemen, a toast." "A toast to the sea, the birthplace of all mankind." "May we return to her loving bosom when our time has come." "It's good, comrade?" "Drink up, gentlemen, for tomorrow we go to war." "And Captain McNamara has proven to be a great warrior in the past." "I am so hoping that he will not disappoint me this time." "Look at them." "They're like a couple of high school kids on a class trip." "Major MacKenzie, could you?" "Want me to take a picture of both of you?" "No, actually..." "Could we take a picture with you, major?" "It would mean a great deal to us." "Please, major." " Sure, in the interest of détente." " Yeah, sure." "Why do I feel like I'm about to become a Russian pinup girl?" "How's their coffee, Bud?" "I think it's left over from Chernobyl, sir." "You've been landlocked too long, Bud." "You're getting a little seasick." "I don't think the sea has anything to do with how I'm feeling, sir." "A little too much vodka in Mr. Roberts' neighbourhood last night?" "Please, sir." "Don't even say the word." "I want to apologize for my behaviour last night, commander." "What for?" "You didn't do anything wrong." "Oh, good." "I kind of lost track of things right after the folk dancing started." "I just wanted to apologize just in case I did anything that was inappropriate." "Well, you did compare Stalin, Marx and Lenin to the Three Stooges." "I didn't." "You're a jack of many trades, commander." "My father built half the ships of the Russian Navy." " How bad is it?" " It could have been worse." "I'll say." "Your breathing equipment is faulty." "It should be checked at least once a month." "It is." "We knew it was deteriorating." "Well, then why wasn't it repaired or replaced?" "With what?" "It's not the United States, commander." "It isn't even the Soviet Union anymore." "Our spare parts are cannibalized from other ships." "Well, I noticed you have no shortage of missiles." "The scabbard may be rusty, commander." "But the blade is still sharp." "They want us on the bridge." "The games are about to start." "Why were your men loading a missile?" "It was a routine training drill." "Now, why would Captain Grinkov hold a missile-loading drill before a friendly war game?" "That's something you would have to ask the captain." "Any sign of the Vasiliev?" "I've got a contact at 26 miles, bearing 48 degrees." "I don't think it's her, sir, but it could be one of the Russian cruisers." " Shall we engage, skipper?" " Negative, XO." "We're after bigger fish today." "I want the Vasiliev." " Continue on present course." " Steady as she goes." "The rules of this exercise are very simple." "Search and destroy the enemy before he does the same to you." "Change course to a heading of 088 degrees, full power." "I'm afraid you can't do that, captain." "The lines of demarcation of these games are very strict." "Not only will you be moving outside the boundaries of the exercise arena, you will be entering territorial waters of a non-participating country." " You really are a lawyer." " Yes, sir." "I must also go on record as protesting this action." "By doing so will disqualify any victory you may achieve during the remainder of this exercise." "Are you quite finished, commander?" "No, sir." "I request permission to contact the Cayuga and inform her of this action." "Request denied." "We are running silent." "There is no radio communications." "Captain, the rules and procedures..." "There is only one rule of war, commander." "Fight with honour, passion and conviction." "If one does that, even if he loses, his death will be noble." "Sir, I think I might have found her." " The Vasiliev?" " Yes, sir." "She's bearing 098, speed 20 knots, course..." " Are you sure, radar?" " Yes, sir." "That can't be her, sir." "That ship's outside the boundaries of the exercise area." "Perhaps it's a small tanker." "That's just what Grinkov would like us to think, that Russian son of a..." "Shall we break off pursuit, sir?" "And let that Cossack sneak up behind us?" "Hell, no." "Sir, the minute the Vasiliev left the exercise arena, she was disqualified from the games." "Going after her now would be useless." "We'd do better to join the Montgomery." "The Montgomery can take care of herself, major." "Grinkov is mine." "Shouldn't we be trying to inform somebody that Captain Grinkov has violated the rules, sir?" "The captain cheating is the least of our troubles, Bud." "McNamara and Grinkov are old enemies." "Do you think they're trying to settle an old score?" "Yeah, and bumping into each other's ship is the tip of this iceberg." "When two sailors fight, they use their fists." "When two captains fight, they use their ships." "And these two captains have enough fire power to blow us all to hell and back." " Are you hurt, commander?" " No." "I am sorry you had to witness such unprofessional behaviour." "I apologize on behalf of the Russian navy." "He was really embarrassed, sir." "Yeah, and worried too." "Sir?" "I don't think this was just a fight over some girl in Yalta, Bud." "Keep your eyes open, all right?" "Aye, sir." "Trouble sleeping, commander?" "You just put at least 20 men into a life raft." "Why?" "It was a routine training drill." "Those men were saying goodbye." "One of them was an officer I saw fighting in the ward room earlier." "You are here as an observer, commander." "This does not concern you." "Well, maybe I should discuss what I saw with Captain Grinkov." "No, you cannot do that." "Why not?" "Look around you." "Our navy is falling apart." "We barely have enough food to feed the crew." "All we have left is our pride." "And our vodka." "Which can be a deadly combination." "That still doesn't tell me why you put 20 men over the side in the middle of the night." "They are men who have children." "Okay." "This is the Vasiliev's final mission." "After it's over, she will be chopped up into razor blades and the captain will become a civilian." "Grinkov would rather go down fighting than end his years standing in line for groceries." "So he won't play the game." "He will attack for real?" "I don't know." "Not for certain." "But that's my fear." "If you think Grinkov's on a suicide mission, you have got to relieve him of his command." "Get dressed." "What's going on, sir?" "Do you always sleep in your uniform?" "Just when I'm scared, sir." "We're taking over the ship." "The two of us?" "Sir, I know Captain Grinkov cheated, but don't you think this is taking the war games a little bit too far?" "Just a minute." "Open the door." "It's Yuri, with a rifle." "Yuri is one of the good guys, Bud." "We have to get to a radio, inform the Cayuga what's happened." " Can you secure the ship's weapons?" " Yes, this way." "Can we be charged with mutiny on a foreign vessel, commander?" "No, this would be considered an act of terrorism." "What have we got, XO?" "We picked up another contact about 20 minutes ago, skipper." " Why wasn't I informed?" " It's probably not the Vasiliev, sir." "We lost her during the night." "She gave us the slip in a merchant shipping lane." " Damn, keep trying." " Well, we have, sir." "But this other ship, sir, it's a small craft and it's broadcasting distress signals." "What?" "Observers report a life raft off the port side, skipper." "Grinkov's probably put a distress beacon in one of his life rafts and set her adrift as a decoy." "Observers report survivors in the life raft, skipper." "Damn you, Grinkov." "According to the laws of the Geneva Convention, Article 18:" ""After each engagement, parties to the conflict shall, without delay, take all possible measures to search for and collect the wounded, sick and shipwrecked to protect them against..."" "For you information, major, those men are not shipwrecked." "They're a damn Trojan horse." "You still have to rescue them." "How dare you tell me what I've got to do." "It's my duty, sir." "Well, you have gone above and beyond your call of duty, major." "Now, I have been doing this a hell of a lot longer than you have." "Get her off my bridge and take the brothers Karamazov with her." "Aye, sir." "Sergeant, please escort Major MacKenzie," "Commander Petavich and Lieutenant Matovik off this bridge." "You've got eight minutes to get those men aboard my ship." "Yes, sir." "Cover the hatch." "Attention U.S.S. Cayuga." "This is Commander Rabb aboard the Vasiliev." "Do you read?" "Over." " What now, commander?" " Plan B." "What's plan B?" "I'm working on it." "They're right behind us." "As you were, Marine." "What's their story, XO?" "I'm afraid they're not talking, skipper." "They say they had to get off the ship." "And they think you're a hero for rescuing them." "Why did they have to leave their ship?" " They didn't say." " Are any of them injured?" "None that I'm aware of, major." "Well, perhaps we should have the ship's surgeon look them over, sir." "Why not?" "Give them all a pedicure and a massage while you're at it." "I never would have taken you for a saboteur." "Never." "No matter." "Unfortunately, you now force me to confine you to the brig." "And I am afraid that you will not get to see the last great sea battle." "What are you planning, captain?" "To start your own war?" "You are the one running around my ship with a loaded weapon, commander." "I am only doing what I have been trained to do." "Captain, let me take them to the brig." "Nyet, I want you on the bridge with me." "Have them taken to the brig." "If they resist, shoot them." "How long have you been standing there?" "Long enough." "Long enough for what?" "Long enough for me to realize you are unlike any woman I have ever met." "Yet not quite long enough for me to fall in love with you." "Does that line work on Russian women?" "Not very often." "But I've had limited success with it in the lower Balkans." "I think you've been at sea too long, commander." "I agree." "Please." "But just call me Zoltan." "Okay, Zoltan." "How are your crewmates?" "Very well, thank you." "Are you gonna tell me why they left their ship, or do I have to beat it out of you?" "What's Grinkov up to?" "I don't know." "Don't make me hurt you." "Good punch, major." "Wait till I get warmed up." "Grinkov was a great captain." "But sometimes he forgets that the cold war is over." "In fact, he forgets a lot of things." "You mean like, "Where the hell am I?" "Whose ship is this?"" "What are we talking about here?" "Grinkov's got Alzheimer's, or some sort of dementia?" "He's not the same man he was several years ago." "Well, why doesn't somebody do something?" "He is the great Grinkov." "Who could take his place?" "XO." "I need to see the captain after I clean up." " What happened to him?" " Marine Corps hickey." "We've got a contact at 045, skipper." "It's the Vasiliev, sir." "Skipper, Major MacKenzie has something I think you should hear." "Not now, XO." "We've just found the Vasiliev." " What's she doing, radar?" " Nothing, skipper." " She appears to be dead in the water." " Something's wrong, captain." "Commander Petavich just told me that Grinkov has been behaving abnormally lately." " Tell me something I don't know." " Something here isn't adding up, sir." "What if Captain Grinkov is suffering from Alzheimer's or severe depression?" "It may explain why some of his crew mutinied." "I don't have time for your far-fetched theories, major." "Grinkov is as sane as I am." "This cold-ship routine is just a trick to lure us closer." "With all due respect, sir, what if it's not?" "We may be wasting valuable time." " Weps, lock on to Harpoon." " Aye, sir." "Locking on." " We have a lock, skipper." " Simulate fire one." " Simulate fire one." " Simulate fire one." "The computer simulator reports a direct hit, sir." "Congratulations, gentlemen." "We have just sunk the Vasiliev." "Now can we attempt to contact the Vasiliev, sir, and find out what's going on?" "Certainly." "Set a course for the ship." "Get Grinkov on the phone." "I wanna tell him personally that he's dead." "She's moving, sir." "What did I tell you, major?" "I know Grinkov." "He's getting predictable in his old age." "The Vasiliev just locked onto us with his radar." "He can't do that." "Kill removal eliminates his ship from further participation in this exercise." "I told you he was a cheater." "That felt like a missile launch." "The Vasiliev is firing." "Sir, she's not simulating." "The Vasiliev just launched two live missiles." "Impact in 48 seconds." "All engines ahead flank." "Come right to a new heading." " Two-seven-zero." " Aye, sir." "All engines ahead, flank, starboard 270." " Missile impact in 30 seconds." " Activate counter measures." " Activate the Phalanx." " Activate the Phalanx." " What's the Vasiliev doing?" " She's moving away, sir." "The hell she's getting away from us!" "I want a Harpoon in the air in 10 seconds." " Helmsman, shadow that ship." " Aye, skipper." "This was obviously a mistake, sir." "Grinkov wouldn't launch a missile by mistake." "That was an act of war, major." "Why would he do such a thing?" "He knows you'd retaliate." "She's not answering our radio challenges, skipper." "Grinkov knows he's outmanned and outgunned, sir." "He must know that if he fires on us, he'll be destroyed." " It's suicidal." " Harpoon ready, skipper." "Commander Rabb and Lieutenant Roberts are on that ship, sir." "I have 303 men and women aboard this ship, major." "I will not compromise their safety for anything, or anyone." " Fire one." " Fire one." "Aye, sir, fire one." "One away." "That doesn't sound good, sir." "Direct hit, skipper." " What's she doing?" " Nothing, sir." "She'd dead in the water again." "Captain, we have secondary hull damage." " We're taking on water." " I want those torpedoes." " Captain, we must abandon ship." " We must fight." "This is a battle." " We cannot give up this soon." " We have lost, sir." " The men don't need to die." " This is not a game for cowards." "The game is over, captain." "I'm sorry." "Any further action against the Americans will result in our instant annihilation." " That is why they call this war." " I'm sorry." "Come back here, commander." "That is an order." "No one leaves this ship." "I want those torpedoes." "Sir, are you all right?" "We must have been hit by a Harpoon." "Come on, get it." "Bud, give me hand." "She's not moving, skipper." "We still have two men on that ship who need to be rescued." " Move us in closer." " Aye, skipper." "XO, I want our five-inch locked and loaded." "If somebody on that ship as much as aims a flare gun in our direction," "I want her blown out of the water." "Aye, captain." "We have to contact the Cayuga." " I thought you wanted to stop it." " I do." "Then why did you turn on us?" "It was the only way I could protect you." " We almost drowned in the brig." " I was on my way to get you." " That's bull." " I swear it's true." "And we have got to leave now." "She is sinking." " Grinkov won't abandon ship?" " He's prepared to fight to the death." "Yuri, you have got to relieve him of his command." "Captain Grinkov's in his quarters." "I'm picking up a hail from the Vasiliev, skipper." " It's Commander Rabb." " Punch it up." "This is Captain McNamara." "What in the hell is going on, commander?" "Captain Grinkov's gone rogue on us, sir." "Commander Kretchiak's taken command." "He's given the order to abandon ship." "We could use some help." " We're on our way." " Rabb out." "Thank you, commander." "I'm sorry your first visit to a Russian ship has been so..." " Exciting?" " Yeah." "Somebody has armed our missiles." "Grinkov." " Alert the security team." " Get your men off this ship." "Stay in touch with Mac." "Let her know what's going on." "Aye, sir." "Smells like a Montecristo." "Well, you've been busy, captain." "Do not worry, commander." "Captain McNamara has won." "I concede defeat." "Well, you always knew you'd lose against the Cayuga." "It was never about winning or losing." "It was about the fight." "The only thing I regret is that it could not have gone on forever." "So now you blow up your ship?" "She deserves a better resting place than a scrap yard." "Her death will be quick and honourable." "Well, what about your crew?" "Do they deserve a watery grave?" "No." "No, they are much too young for that honour." "I don't expect you to understand this, commander." "You are an American lawyer, not a Russian sailor." "What I don't understand is how a captain purposely puts his crew in danger." "Is this where you try to appeal to my sense of honour and duty?" "Use your legal skills to convince Mad Ivan to surrender?" "I don't believe you are mad, sir." "Yes, you do." "My madness will allow everyone to save face." "I was born on the Chentenko River." "My mother went into labour crossing on the ferry." "The very first air I breathed tasted of the sea." "All I ever wanted to be was a sailor." "Mother Russia had the greatest naval fleet in the history of the world." "But now," "I'm afraid the Vasiliev and I have both outlived our purpose." "Even if that were so, captain, your crew has not." "Please, sir, give me enough time to get them off the ship." "They have served you well." "You owe them that much." "Give them the opportunity to live and fight again." "You will not deny me the honour of going down with my ship?" "No, sir." "Very well, commander." "Save my men." "I have been waiting for them to leave the ship." "Commander, tell Captain McNamara that I will miss our games." "We were never good friends, but we were the best of enemies." "I will, sir." "Dosvedonya, commander." "Dosvedonya, captain." "The ship's rigged to blow." "That's the last of the crew, commander." "Where's Captain Grinkov?" "You have given him the dignity of a sailor's death, commander." "Thank you." "You have some more down there." "Help that man!" "XO, help that man." "Where's that SOB Grinkov?" "He's still on the Vasiliev, sir." "Attention on deck." "Present arms." "Order." "Carry on." "That surprised me." "Some men value their enemies more than their friends." "Including you?" "Need you ask?"