" Coming in tomorrow?" " No." "Too much to do." "See you at the wedding then." "No, actually you'll see me at the rehearsal dinner first." "Mac, we talked about this." "Come on." "I told you I wasn't coming." "No, we never talked about it, and why can't you come?" "I got so many six-month quals." "You're going out to a carrier?" "Yeah, in the morning." "Renee will be at the dinner." "You didn't tell me this, Harm." "Well, I cleared it with the admiral." "I'll be at the ceremony." "Come on, Mac, it's not my schedule." "It's the Navy's." "What if the Navy changes its schedule and you don't make it to the ceremony?" "Let me worry about that." "Why do either one of us have to worry?" "Why does this even have to come up?" "Couldn't you just do your quals some other time?" "Six months from now." "Harm, you fly, maximum, two, three times a year." "And for that you risk missing my wedding?" "I didn't consider it a risk." "No, the truth is you didn't consider it important." "Hey, slow down." "Mac." "First off, this was arranged long before you even set a date." "Secondly, frankly, if you need me at your wedding to make it work, maybe you should reconsider who you're marrying." "Hey..." " Mac." " Have fun." "Aren't you gonna wish me luck?" "Welcome aboard, commander." "Looks like you're stuck with me again, Skates." "I'm sure I'll live through it, sir." "Captain Ingles wants to see you first thing." "He knows I'm here to fly, not subpoena the ship's records, right?" "He's over that, sir." "Doesn't talk about it." "At least not more than twice a day." " What time does Chloe arrive?" " 2:55." "Does she approve of us?" "She doesn't have a vote." " Last time we met..." " Yeah, well, we weren't dating then and she was fixated on Harm." "That's all different now." " I gotta get cracking." "Lots to do." " Okay." "We have to call the restaurant and cancel one of the meals for tonight." " Who's not coming?" " Harm." "He's doing his quals." "No worries." "Well, you know, it took me by surprise." "No drama." "I'll take care of it." "See you." "It's not exactly the kind of behaviour you expect from your best friend." "Thought I was your best friend." "Right?" "Goodbye." "Well, that's the last of the VF-53." "Commander Rabb reporting as ordered, sir." "Welcome aboard, commander." "At ease." "Well, I believe the last time our paths crossed, your words to me were:" ""I'd be proud to serve under your command again."" "That's what I said, sir." "Well, it's only for a day and a night." "We'll see how it goes." "Commander Harmon Rabb, Commander Stacy Loftness, the AIRLANT LSO." "Commander." "You're a JAG?" "Most of the time." "How many strings you pull to get back in this fleet?" "I earned my way, commander." "I have training squadrons to qualify, commander." "What I don't need is a Washington weenie wasting my time." "Will that be all, captain?" "You won't catch a break here, Rabb." "Captain, for what it's worth, I've flown with Commander Rabb." "He's a good stick, he's paid his dues." "He doesn't need a break, sir." "Just a fair shot." "Well, thank you, lieutenant." "I'm sure Commander Loftness will keep that in mind." "Sir." "Commander." "What do you think, lieutenant?" "They're wedding bands, sir." "Well, not to me." "They're my future." "You still look at yours?" "Oh, yeah." "Sure." "Do you remember the moment you said, "I do"?" "I do." "What were you feeling?" "Nausea." "But that was because I had just eaten this half-defrosted pizza-bagel thing right before I left the house and..." "Guard them with your life." "Yes, sir." "I have to admit to being a bit nervous, Bud." "Why?" "Because I've got everything I've always wanted." "And now I've got no excuses." "You won't need any, Mic." "If I should falter during the ceremony..." "Just do what you did at your bachelor party." " What was that?" " You ripped off your shirt and started singing the Australian national anthem to the waitress." "Was it effective?" "Yeah." "We got a free plate of appetizers." " What if I just look your way?" " I'll start singing." "Excuse me." "Your rings." "Since when does the skipper rely on you for character references?" "Since you cleared me on my landing mishap." "After that he dropped his attitude." "So there's hope for me yet then." "Hey, how's the colonel?" "She's getting married." "Good for her." "When?" "Tomorrow." "Afternoon?" "Morning." "The day I was trying on my wedding dress" "I had matricide, not matrimony, on my mind." "It wasn't bad enough that my mother wanted me to change the dress with the cleavage porthole but the insults toward poor Bud were unbearable." " What?" " You look so beautiful." "Harriet, save it for the wedding." "I'm so happy for you." "Aren't you happy for you?" "Yeah, of course." "It's just that you've been a little quiet lately." "Let me ask you something." "Okay." "Harm is out doing his carrier qualifications." "That sounds like Harm." "He's gonna miss the rehearsal dinner, and probably gonna be close on the wedding." "And that's upset you." "Am I being unreasonable?" "You know Harm and flying." "Everything else takes second place." "I think the only thing you can do is try not to take it personally and just wish him the best of luck." "I'll give you two out of eight day landings on the manual ball to see how you handle the pitching deck." "There's a weather warning this afternoon for overcast skies and scattered showers." "Ceiling at 1500 feet and visibility three miles." "Lowers in rain showers to 800 and three-quarters." "Possible swells and deck motion up to 15 feet." "Sir, what are the deck-motion limitations?" "Limitations, my ass." "You nuggets are now in the fleet." "We play country hardball here." "Commander Rabb, perhaps you recall why we fly in these conditions." "Because in combat you don't get to choose the weather you fly in." "The lawyer is correct." "You fly the weather God gave you." "Now, you trained squadron LSOs, I don't want any Santa Clauses." "Grade hard." " Yes, sir." " Yes, sir." "And I expect you back-seaters not to let your pilot screw up." "Water's cold out there." "Hook." "Hook down." "This is 241 abeam." "Pilot, Rabb." "Roger, 241." "F-14 in the groove." "Give me" " tension for a Tomcat." " Roger that, boss." "Roger." "This is Paddles up on this frequency." "Roger, Paddles." "Loud and clear." "Automatic throttle is carrying us 3 knots too fast." "Switching to manual." "Roger." "I've got the ball." "Paddles, this is 241." " Ball, 2.5 manual." " Roger, manual." "Twenty-seven knots down the angle." "You're starting to accelerate." "Your rate of descent looks good." "Keep it coming." "Keep it coming." "You're high, 241." "Fly the ball, 241." " Fly the ball." " Three wire is fouled." "241, fouled deck!" "Wave off!" "Wave off!" " Too late." " 241 waving off." "Easy on the rotation, Harm." "Good save, commander." "241, make this next trap your final." "Say again, for 241." "I'm taking you out of the air." "Wait a minute!" "What the hell did you think you were doing up there, Rabb?" "I just prevented an in-flight engagement, Paddles." "We don't give merit badges here, Rabb." "The point is you were high prior to the landing." "Commander Rabb was making the correction when you waved us off." "He was slow to react." "When I say fly the ball, fly the damn ball." " I was trying to be smooth." " Are you doubting my judgement?" "Look, I may not have been correcting as fast as you wanted, but I'm not about to be talked into making a rookie mistake" " and dump the nose." " He was easing the nose down, sir." "You taught it's better to go high than hit the ramp." "You can go back up, Rabb." "Your next four traps better be in the spaghetti, or I'm sending you back to the beach." "Wow, this is a serious church." "Well, it was Mic's idea." "He thought it had grandeur." "Where is he?" "Right here." " Hi." " Chloe, the goddess of love." " A perfect name for the occasion." " Actually that's Aphrodite." "Chloe is the goddess of new growth." " That works too." " Aphrodite wore a magic girdle and fooled around." "Is that right?" "By today's standards, she's a slut." "Can we move on?" "It's nice to see you again." "I've been looking forward to this." "Do I have to call you "mate"?" "No." "Is there a bathroom in here?" "I'll take you." "Be right back." " Relax." " I hoped I'd like him this time." "You will." " Hi, guys." "Good to see you, padre." " Mic." " Is the admiral here yet?" " Inbound." "Charley, got a miracle for you." "Water into wine, admiral?" "I caught every green light on Massachusetts Avenue." "So were you in the zone today or just trying to prove something?" "Oh, hey, I'm a Washington weenie." "What do I have to prove?" "We still have our night traps." "Are you worried?" "No, I'm having fun." "Gonna miss it." "Miss it?" "I met a guy." " Serious?" " Is marriage serious?" "So I'm told." "He's a public-affairs officer." "Oh, yeah?" "Whose idea was it for you to give up flying?" "Come on, you know what the life is like." "Six-month deployments, workups." "It's a big decision, Skates." "I hope you didn't act too quickly." "You left." "Hey, part of me still lives here on a carrier." "Is that why you're missing your best friend's wedding?" "I'll be there." " Good evening, skipper." " Commander." "Paddles here tells me you had the highest boarding rate and landing scores." "I told him you should congratulate him for motivating you." "Anyway, you're home free." "Just in time too." "That storms picking up." "G/ ATOR's looking for some clear weather." "We're shutting down flight ops till we get it." "But, skipper, I need to get to Andrews ASAP." "What is it that can't wait?" "Colonel MacKenzie's wedding." "It's at 1100 tomorrow." "Are you the best man?" " No." " Then what's the problem?" "I need to be there." "Well, I'll talk to the CAG." "If G/ ATOR can find better weather," "I'll make sure you're their first plane out." " Thank you, sir." " Skates has asked for weekend liberty." "Her fiancé works at the Pentagon." " Why don't you take her with you?" " Will do." " All right." " Skipper." "Oh, man." "Looking forward to your toast tonight." "That's at the reception." "Should be just a few health-and-happiness lines." "But tonight, we're among friends." "Give me one from the heart." "Okay." "You got it." "You are ready, aren't you?" "Of course I'm ready." " I'll see you there." " Take care." " I'm not ready." " What?" "I don't have it." "The toast, I was gonna work on it tonight." " It'll be fine." " Harriet, you don't understand." "I don't even know what it's about." "I need a theme." "What's an appropriate theme?" "Love and marriage." " You're not helping me here." " Did you leave the lights on?" "Mic!" "Hey!" "We have clearing to the east." "There's a thunderhead approaching from the north." "But I'm not worried." "We can outrun it with a twin-engine prop." "Thanks again for the favour." "I don't do favours, commander." "Well, sir, if there's anything I can do for you..." "Slice of wedding cake?" "It'll be on the COD first thing Sunday morning." "I'll be expecting it." "Skipper, I know we've had our differences." "Is this where we bond, commander?" "No, sir." "This is where we say goodbye." " Goodbye." " Thank you, sir." "Catch you Monday, lieutenant." "And we'll see you in six months." "Yes, sir." "Looks like we caught a break, commander." "Yeah, let's get out of here before the air boss changes his mind." "I'm with you." " Mic?" " Oh, please." " We met on the firing range." " Really?" "Thank you for agreeing to perform the ceremony." "Thank you, sir." " That's ginger ale." " Yes, it is." " Can I have champagne?" " No." " I just wanna see what it tastes like." " Catch me in eight years." "Chloe, you dropped your napkin." "One sip." "Navy Jet 241, I'm starting to lose you." "Suggest you shift to Washington Centre." "Roger." "Thanks for the help, City Desk." "Have a good trip." "We've got a low-level oxygen light, commander." "We have to take it down to 10,000." "Roger that." "Penny for your thoughts." "You can have them for free, admiral." "Last time I did this I was 18 and drunk." "Last time I did it I was 24 and sober." "Same results." "You learn from your mistakes and move on, right?" "Sir, you've never remarried." "Oh, I'm talking about you." "Good Lord, don't use me as a barometer for anything." "So long-term, what are your plans?" "Well, just to get through the week." "Have you discussed family?" "Yeah, we both want one." "Just when and where is the question." "So are you thinking Australia?" "Yeah, for our honeymoon." "You don't think it should be permanent, do you?" "No, whatever's best." "Don't plan to be a JAG forever." "You haven't thought about that much, have you?" "Every day." "I just never get past the question." "Washington Centre." "Navy 241 on 221.0." " How do you read?" " Navy 241." "Washington Centre." "Loud and clear." "Say position and altitude." "Navy 241." "Approximately 210 miles southeast of Centre at 10,000." "Be advised IFF and TACAN are intermittent." "INS is inop." "We intend to land at Andrews." "Roger, Navy 241." "Squawk 3214 and ident." "Navy 241, squawking 3214 and ident." "No joy yet, Navy 241." "Same heading." "Advise when 150 DME from Andrews." "Roger." "Heading 330." "Will remain on this frequency." "Harm, we've got a storm cell ahead at 15 miles." "Washington Centre, Navy 241 requesting deviation west for weather." "Navy 241, deviation approved." "Let us know when you can steer 330." "Roger." "Come left 30." "Coming left, 30 degrees." "We've got another at 20 miles." "In one minute, come back right 10 degrees." "Roger that." "Skates, recalculate fuel upon arrival at destination." "Four thousand pounds." "A hundred and eighty miles, no problem." "Keep me honest." "Looks like we're gonna have to run the gauntlet." " Did you just do that?" " Negative." "What happened?" "Don't know." " Positive to positive." " That's what I'm doing." "Hey!" "Maybe not." "Look, could you hurry?" "I'm giving a lecture across town." " Really?" "What subject?" " Public speaking." "Do you know anything about toasts?" " Please." " Okay." "Okay." "Okay, try it." "I got a red light." "Flight system filter." "Disengaging altitude hold." "It's bumpy." "Are you sure you wanna fly her on your own?" "No choice." "Skates, give me the most direct route to Andrews." "I'm looking at the mother of all storm cells, Harm." "Well, we can't hop it." "We're low on oxygen." "We'll have to go around it before we can turn back to 331 and Andrews." " How long?" " Ground speed 500 knots." "Estimate 16 minutes on our present course." "Excuse me." "Renee?" " Hi." " Hi." " Can I take your coat?" " Oh, sure." " There you go." " Great." "Well, we're just getting started." "Good." " Would you like some champagne?" " Sure." " Okay, great." " Yeah." "Did you talk to Harm?" "No." "Have you talked to him?" "No." "Why would he call me?" " I sat you next to Tiner." " Oh, he's fun." "Yeah." "He's also not here." "But you know everyone, so..." "I do." "So are you ready for tomorrow?" "Yeah, of course." "Not long now." "No, 13 hours and 27 minutes." "Twenty-eight." " Let's get that champagne." " Yeah, lead on." "We lost PC 1." "Turn off the roll, pitch and yaw stabilisation systems." "Skates, get us back on a direct track to Andrews." "Can't go straight through, Harm." "Change heading to 305." "That way we'll skirt the cell." "Check with Washington Centre." "Washington Centre, this is Navy 241." "We are experiencing serious flight-control problems." "Roger, 241." "Are you declaring an emergency?" "Not at this time, Centre." "Roger, 241." "Negative radar contact." "State position and altitude." "Position unknown." "Approximately 120 nauticals southeast of Andrews." "Altitude 10,000." "Roger." "Can you return to the carrier?" "You're closer, Washington Centre." "What are your intentions, 241?" "To continue inbound to Andrews." "We'll see you when we get here." "I'll hold you to that." "Out." "City Desk, this is 241." "We lost PC 1 and are experiencing flight-control-system problems." "Over." "Roger." "What is your position?" "Estimate our position at 3830... 241, do you copy?" "241, do you copy?" "Try the transponder again." "No IFF signal, ma'am." "They're off the scope." "Thinking?" "Hey, you." "No, I'm looking for Bud and Harriet." "They left the same time we did." "Did you call them?" "Not answering their cell phone." " Maybe they went home first." " No." "Just spoke to the babysitter." "Sarah didn't fall for you right away, did she?" "No." "Did she even like you at first?" "No, I don't think so." "Do you have that effect on everyone?" "Probably." "So do I." "No, I don't believe that." "You're a beautiful interesting young lady." "I am a precocious pain in the butt." "Mac asked for another girl to mentor, but they gave her me because they knew she wouldn't put up with my crap." "It's nice to know we have something in common." "Anyway, thanks for the encouragement." "You're welcome." "Hey." "Are we friends?" "For as long as you love her." "Easiest deal I ever made." " Where are they?" " Past 250 miles, sir." "We've lost radar contact and the IFF signal." "How did this happen?" "Storm moved faster than forecast, sir." " Thank you, commander." "That'll be all." " Aye, sir." "Boss, this is the captain." "Assign aircrews for search and rescue." "Prepare to launch a Seahawk and Viking on my signal." "Aye, aye, sir." "Rev it." "It's clicking." "Keep trying." "Again." "We've got nothing but storm cells around us." "We're losing PC 2." "Skates, she's flying like a barrel of turds." "Recheck Oceana weather." "This is Oceana Metro." "Reporting ceiling and visibility zero." "Field's closed." "They're WOXOF." "Pax River is 50 miles closer than Andrews." "Already checking." "This is Pax River Metro." "Reporting ceiling and visibility zero." "Closed." "Andrews is our best bet." "Idle power!" "Speed brakes!" " Generators out!" " Reset!" " Can't!" " We've lost the electronics!" "Switching to emergency IFF." "Squawking 7700." "We've gone to 400 knots." "We're gonna have to fly straight through." "That'll put us in the middle of the biggest thunder bumper" " in the whole damn world." " I'm flying on trim right now as it is." "I don't know how much longer I can keep us in the air." "Check the wet compass to get our heading." "Best bet:" "North, northwest." "Come left 20 degrees, 350 knots." "Ten thousand feet." "Great." "Rev it." "Thanks." "We have an emergency IFF signal, ma'am." "Bridge, combat." "We have an emergency signal, 300 miles northwest heading 345." "Roger that, commander." "Keep me informed of any change in status." "Aye, aye, sir." "Come right to course 345." "All engines ahead two-thirds." "Right standard rudder." "Steady on course 345." " All engines ahead two-thirds." " Aye, aye, sir." "Air Ops, notify FAA and the Coast Guard that we're commencing search-and-rescue operations." "And get the air boss and Paddles to meet me in CIC." "Aye, aye, sir." "Skates, what's the nearest point of land?" "Cape Fear." "Estimate 100 miles due east." "We're at 275 indicated airspeed." "Nineteen minutes flying time." " She's not responding, Skates." " Passing eight." "We're gonna have to punch out." " When do we go?" " At 5,000." "Mayday!" "Mayday!" "Mayday!" "Navy 241." "One hundred miles east of Cape Fear." " Lock shoulder harness." " Locked." "Visor down." "Visor down." "Mask on." "Mask on." " Lower seat." " Check." "We're passing seven." "Harm, I'm not a strong swimmer." "Just remember your survival training." "Harm, we're passing six." "Command ejection rear seat?" "We're gonna get through this okay." "I'll see you down there." "You have my word on it, Skates." "You haven't let me down yet." "I've lost her, Skates." "Eject us now!" "Position yourself!" "Good luck, Harm!" "Damn it!" "Eject!" "Folks, in the absence of our best man," "I have been asked, once again, to give a toast in honour of our couple." "So I've refilled your glasses with the good stuff, so let's please raise them in a salute to..." "Mic Brumby and his soon-to-be-wife, Sarah." "May I carry on, sir?" "Sure." "Thank you." "I've spent a lot of this year trying to figure out why things happen the way they do." "And I still have no idea." "But I do know that four years ago the admiral assigned me to accompany the then Major MacKenzie and Lieutenant Commander Rabb out to the Seahawk." "What I never told anybody was that my brother was in town that weekend and we had tickets to a concert." "But I could not find one person to take my spot on that carrier trip and..." "Mikey had to go to the concert by himself and I had to go out to the Seahawk where I met Harriet." "Colonel, Mic, yours, like any right union on this planet, was a matter of destiny." "This is the last known position, captain." " They were at 10,000 feet." " All right." "Describe an arc around here at 50 miles." "This is where we'll start our search." "Boss, notify the Coast Guard, FAA and AIRLANT." "I'm the on-scene commander." "Aye, aye, sir." "I want you to spearhead this in a Viking." "Roger, boss." "Hear, hear." " Thank you, Bud." " All right." "Cheers." " Chegwidden." " So beautiful, Bud." "Inspiring." " That was nice, Bud." " Yes, well done." " Here's to tomorrow." " Tomorrow." " Cheers." " Hear, hear." "Would the admiral like to add anything?" "I was just patched through to Captain Ingles, the skipper aboard the carrier Patrick Henry." "Commander Rabb and his RIO, Lieutenant Hawkes, got in some trouble on a bingo to Andrews." "They're believed to have gone down at sea." "Oh, my God." "Well, why would they be flying in this weather?" "Harm was trying to get back in time for the ceremony." "Commander Loftness reports deteriorating conditions, sir." "The ceiling's down 200 feet and lowering." "Sea swells are 25 feet and rising." "If things get much worse, we may have to wait until this weather lifts." " Is the admiral aware of this, skipper?" " I told him I'd keep him advised." "Almighty and merciful God, as we await the fate of our comrades, we ask, with the help of your angels, that you guide and protect Commander Rabb and Lieutenant Hawkes from all dangers, harm or injury" "and bring them safely home." "Amen." " Amen." " Amen." "Where can we plug that in?" "Over there." "Over the booth." " The speakerphone works?" " Yes, ma'am." "For when the skipper calls us back, sir." "If you ask him to put his communications on the 21 MC, we can hear what's going on." "Okay." "I'll help." " Hanging in, colonel?" " Yeah, sure." "He's gonna make it." "He has in the past." "Now he has even a better reason." "He's got someone in his life." "I'm scared." "I'm scared." "We have a raft, captain." "They've got something, admiral." " Coordinates?" " Thirty-eight degrees, 37 minutes north latitude." "Seventy-four degrees, 34 minutes west longitude." "Vector the SAR aircraft." "Captain, weather's getting worse." "Chopper could be outside the safe-recovery envelope." " Reevaluate when we get to the scene." " Roger that." "Pri-flight." "Vector the SAR bird." "Viking, what's your speed and altitude?" "One hundred eight knots." "One hundred feet." " That's low and slow." " It is, sir." "Be careful, Paddles." "Yes, sir." "I'm gonna drop flares for the Angel." "Viking 304 this is Angel 21." "What is your location?" "I'm directly over him, Angel." "I'll give you vectors in." "Heading 350, three miles." "Roger, Viking." "City Desk." "I've got the flares." "And I've got a strobe." "I'm on top of it now." "Angel, this is the captain." "What's the weather?" "The ceiling's a hundred feet." "Swell's now about 30." "How lucky do you feel, lieutenant?" "Piece of cake, skipper." "We got him." "We got him." "He's cleared the water." "He's coming up." "Sir, it's Lieutenant Hawkes, sir." "She's onboard." "Any sign of Commander Rabb?" "No, sir." "Let me ask the lieutenant." "Is the commander down there?" "Did you see Commander Rabb?" "Commander Hawkes didn't see Commander Rabb eject, sir." "Any speculation as to where he is?" "Hard to say." "He could have punched out late." "That would put him 15, 20 miles in any direction." " What's happening, Angel?" " We're getting pushed around, skipper." "Can you keep her in the air?" "I'm trying, sir!" "I'm trying!" "Viking, take another sweep of the area before we call it quits." "Roger that, skipper." "Under those conditions, the commander could be a few hundred yards away." "We've identified the problem, colonel." "Those conditions are dangerous for all." "Sir, with all due respect..." "Risking an entire crew for one survivor is not..." "This is Admiral Chegwidden, captain." "No one is blaming you." "When will you launch again?" "When the weather improves, sir." "Thank you, captain." "Carry on." "Aye, aye, sir." "Are you okay?" "I'm fine, Mic." "I just need some time alone." "Look, if they found Skates, they'll find Harm." "Come back out, Sarah." "You should be with those who love and support you." "Sarah?"