"Have a nice day." "Mr. Tideman." "Mr. Lasky?" "AW3 Marty Padanski." "Mr. Lasky?" "I'm Richard Tideman's executive assistant." " Glad to know ya." "Are you going with me?" " No." "Mr. Tideman just wanted to see you off." " Is that him in the car?" " Yes." "Well, we've never met." "Can I introduce myself?" "It isn't necessary, Mr. Lasky." "As I said, he came to see you off." "Well, thank him for me." "Take a look, sir." "Arizona Memorial." "She's now resting in 33 feet of water in an upright position." "There were only 289 survivors." "Russian trawler." "What's it doing?" "Not doing much fishing!" "I'll take it, sir." "Mr. Lasky, I'm Commander Dan Thurman, executive officer." " Welcome aboard." " Thank you." "Now follow me to the Bridge." "Stand clear, spot 3." "Helo-733, rotating." " Give me 25 knots of wind over the deck." " Aye, Captain." " All ahead full." " All ahead full, aye." " Indicate 100 R.P.M." " Indicate 100 R.P.M. Aye, sir." "Central Bridge, all ahead full, 100 R.P.M." " Continue fixed wing recovery." " Aye, Captain." "Let's bring the Kag aboard." "Victor-200, your signal is Charlie." " Set 52, Tomcat." " Set 52, Tomcat." "T- minus 30 seconds." "Tomcat 200." "I'm on approach and lining up." "Gear coming down." "200, slightly right." "Gear down and locked." "Add power." "Power." "All indicators green." "Hold there." "Hold it." "Slightly left." "In the groove." "Looks good." "In the port, Cat 1." "Get below." "We still have aircraft to land." "I hear you're on assignment from Tideman Industries to the Defense Department, right?" " Yeah, that's right." " What is your job, Mr. Lasky?" " I'm a systems analyst." " Oh, efficiency expert, right?" "Yeah, you could say that." " That's a quick change in the weather." " Yeah!" "Sure is." " Hi, Kag." " It's getting a little strange out there, boys." " Welcome aboard, Mr. Lasky." " Thank you, Captain." " Are we headed for a squall?" " Not an official one." "Sir, this is Commander Damon, operations officer." " How do you do, Mr. Lasky?" " Fine, thank you." "And Lieutenant Perry, officer of the deck." " How do you do, sir?" " Good, sir." "Mr. Lasky is going to be taking a look at how we do things here aboard the Nimitz." " We'll give you whatever help we can, sir." " Thank you." "Our departure was delayed two days" " at the request of your mysterious boss." " I'm sorry about that, Captain but I'm afraid Mr. Richard Tideman is as much a mystery to me" " as he is to the rest of the world." " Two days." "Perhaps the fact that Tideman helped design and build this ship affords him some special privileges." "Corporal Kullman will escort you while you're aboard ship." " Right this way, sir." " Oh, Mr. Lasky?" "I'd be delighted if you'd join me for dinner." "Thank you, Captain." "I'd like that." "Am I mistaken, or was Black Cloud's forecast this morning" " for clear skies and sunshine?" " I'll bet he wishes it wasn't, sir." "Hand me that weather report, please." "Thank you." "What do you think it is?" "It wasn't there on the morning run." "Check all projection lenses, and if it's not there, check all receivers." "Aye, aye, sir." "The Nimitz." "Who's that?" " A Russian trawler." " What's he want?" "A big fish!" "You've been assigned Navigator's inport cabin, sir." "Connects with Commander Owens, our air wing commander." "Your luggage has been delivered, sir." "I'll be just outside, sir, if there's anything you need." "Thank you." "Hello?" ""Pacific At War, Commander Richard T. Owens."" "Very well." "We're having communication problems with the incoming flights." " What do you mean?" " It's interference from the storm, sir." " Get Black Cloud up here." " Yes, sir." "Sunshine and clear skies." " Anything else you'd like to see?" " I beg your pardon." "What the hell are you doing in my cabin?" "I'm terribly sorry." "You're Commander Owens." "I'm Warren Lasky." "They put me next door." "Mr. Lasky, the one thing we cherish aboard a ship is privacy." "Maybe it's because we get so damn little of it." "I understand." "I hope you'll forgive me." "You know, from what I've read, your manuscript is very good;" "I mean, really very good." "Thank you." "You a historian, Mr. Lasky?" "I'm a little bit of everything, I guess." "I work for Tideman Industries." "What exactly is your job aboard this ship?" "Very simply, I look at the way you people do things and if I can think of any alternatives" "I write it up and submit a report to the Department of Defense." "Think you'll find some?" "Well, there are always alternatives, Commander." "Mr. Lasky, please don't look for them in here." "Excuse me." "Boss, Kag's here." "George, any further word from Stanton?" "We know he's inbound, but we can't talk to him." "His radios are garbled." "Just wish he had more experience." "Yes, Captain." "Yes, sir." "He's right here." " Kag?" " Yes, Skipper?" " How many planes have you got in the air?" " Just one, sir." " Our newest pilot, Stanton." " Well, get him aboard as fast as you can." " I want to get out of this weather." " Right away, Skipper." " He wants him down now." "Keep trying." " Corsair, 412." "Air Ops Primary, try again on 412." "See if you can reach him." "Take a look at the scope, sir." "The water temperature's down five degrees and even the barometer's giving improper readings." "It should be down, and it's way up." " What the hell is that?" " It seems to have a cycle, sir." "One run it's there, the next one is clear." "One run it's there, the next one is clear." "I've never seen anything like it." "Turn those destroyers around and head them back to Pearl Harbor." " No need for them to go through this." " Yes, sir." "Keep it in the wind till we get that Corsair aboard." "It's one of our new pilots." "All units in Romeo Alpha, this is Kilo Bravo." "This is 412." "I have an unsafe hook indicator." "Over." "412, roger." "Unsafe hook." "Recycle your hook." "Negative." "I've tried that." "412,your transmission's poor." "Say your fuel's state." "Captain Boss, that Corsair's in real trouble." "Can't get his tail hook down." " I think we better take him in the barricade." " Rig it!" "Air Ops, tri-flight." "On the flight deck!" "We have an A-7 Corsair in trouble." "Can't get his hook down." "This is not a drill." "Repeat, this is not a drill." "Now rig the barricade!" "Bow deck!" "Bow deck!" "This is no drill!" "All right!" "Let's go!" "Go on!" "Let's hustle now!" "All personnel off the deck now!" "Barricade coming up." "Clear the area!" "Clear the flight deck!" " Do you see him out there yet?" " Yeah, there he is!" "Head's up!" "Green deck, land aircraft." "My God." "Look at that." "Have Central come up on the J.A." " Steady as she goes." " Steady as she goes, aye." "Central Bridge, pick up the J.A." " Aye, sir." " Where's that plane?" "I don't see it, Captain." "Sound general quarters." " Aye, Captain." "Boatswain." " Boatswain mate." "Aye, sir." " Sound general quarters." " Aye, sir." "General quarters, general quarters." "All hands, man your battle stations." "Go up and forward on your starboard side, down and aft on your port side." "General quarters, general quarters." "Time plus two minutes." " What the hell's goin' on?" " General quarters, sir." "Come with me." "Time plus three minutes." "Time plus four." "Report when all stations are manned and ready." "Got him right there!" "Comin' in!" "A-7 Corsair!" "Heads up on deck!" "He's in bound to the barricade." "Green jackets to the barricade." "We can't hear you." "All right." "Crash on deck!" "Crash on deck!" "All personnel respond now!" "Let's get out there and watch for fire!" "Red shirts, front and center!" "Move it, move it!" "Move it!" " Go back to course 350." " Aye, aye, sir." "Okay!" "Take 'er down!" "All personnel on the Flight Deck, let's turn to." "Blue shirts, locks and chains on the aircraft." "Is this the last known position of our destroyers before the storm?" " Yes, sir, Captain." " Skipper." "Dan, go down and check out the Threat Board." " Keep me posted." " Right." " Get Kag up here." " Yes, sir." "I want to talk to CI NPAC Fleet." "Captain, we're down across the board." "Antennas check out, but we're off the air." " Any word from our destroyers?" " We aren't getting anything except some code transmissions in the 200-meter band." "Otherwise, we're dead as a doornail." " Ops, what's our radar picture?" " Radar shows us clear, sir." "Clear?" "Can't you see that Russian trawler?" "I have the signal officer on deck, but no visual sighting, sir." "Keep me advised." "Navigator, what's our posi?" "270, Captain." "280 miles west of Pearl Harbor." "Oh, Dick." "Launch a Hawkeye to check ship's communications a Crusader to make a photo run over Pearl and put two Tomcats on ready alert." " Aye, aye, sir." " Captain!" "Captain!" "Hey, what happened?" "Frankly, I don't know." "Lieutenant, have the heads of all departments meet me at C.V.I.C. immediately after the launch." "Aye, aye, sir." " Mr. Lasky, I want you to stay with me." " Captain's off the Bridge." "It's a code." "Can you break it, Chief?" " I think someone's putting us on." " Why?" "Because I learned this code at Great Lakes." "It's ancient." "Thanks, Chief." "Stand clear at 012." "Hawkeye rotating." "Off the bow, stand clear." "736 lifting for plane guard." "Hold it!" "Hold it!" "Hold it!" " Go hold your own!" " Who said that?" "Chrissakes, Chief, all we want to know is what's going on." " Whatever it is, you'll be told." " When?" " As soon as the skipper's ready." " That's what they always say!" "Hey, Ex-O, what's goin' on?" "Attention on deck!" "Carry on." "Gentlemen, we're at general quarters, because I don't have any idea what's happened." "But I don't exclude the possibility of war." " A nuclear strike?" " Possibility." " Now, what action's been taken?" " Well, Skipper there's nothing on the Threat Board and there's been no significant damage to the ship." " The crew's in good shape." " Air wing is intact." "First team's ready to go." "E-2 is now showing the area clear, and reconnaissance aircraft should be coming up on Pearl, sir." "The reactor is stable." "All readings are normal." "Capable for maximum speed, Captain." " Lloyd." " We can transmit and receive" " but we haven't been able to reach anybody." " Why's that?" "Tried everybody in the book..." "CI NPAC, Joint Chiefs..." "I even took a crack at the White House." "Now, we do have some low-band transmissions... strictly manual stuff with very low power." "We'll have to do some retuning to transmit in that range." "Get on with it!" " Ops?" " All radar's up, all weapon systems check out." " We're ready, sir." " Mr. Lasky." "You have anything to add?" " No, sir, not at this time." " Skipper." "I have a reconnaissance report coming in now, sir." "Flight level 250." "Camera rolling." "There doesn't appear to be any damage." "Seems to be some unusual shipping traffic." "I'll make another pass for a close-up series." " Over." " E.T.A. to Nimitz, 12 minutes, sir." "Skipper, we're picking up some weird traffic on the A.M. broadcast band on the entertainment circuit, but the signal strength is very weak." "Boss, I told you." "I tried and tried, and I can't get Carmichael to go to sleep." "Rochester, that polar bear's got to go to sleep." " He's supposed to hibernate." " Jack Benny?" "Where is he now?" "Sittin'up in bed, reading' Esquire." "Esquire?" "Well, take it away from him." "Oh, come now, boss." "He's been around." "Lloyd, tape and monitor all transmissions." "Ops, I want a closer look on all air, surface and subsurface contacts within 250 miles of this ship." "Dick, put some tankers and a medium-sized strike force on a 30-minute alert." " Aye, aye, sir." " Any questions?" "Skipper, the ship is still at general quarters." "Request permission to go to condition 3." "Granted." "I'll be on the Bridge." "I want answers." "Attention on deck!" "Secure from general quarters." "Set condition 3." " I stand relieved." " Very well." " Bridge." " Captain's on the Bridge." "Captain, C.I.C. reports a surface contact bearing 350° at 130 miles." " I want an I.D. on the surface contact." " Yes, sir." " Launch the ready alert." " Aye, sir." "Which, translated into world terms means a worldwide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor anywhere" "in the world." "What the hell's the matter with him?" "He's asking us to trust our enemies, and he knows better." "You're absolutely right." "Hey, Laurel, you finished that very quickly." "Well, I hope so." "Let's see, where were we?" "Uhh..." ""And there"..." "Oops." ""And therefore"..." "Ah, here we are." ""So if he does choose to support my program let Senator Chapman be assured now that I am fully aware of those qualities in him which recommend him as cabinet material."" "I think that says it exactly." "You agree, Arthur?" " Miss Scott, you should've been a diplomat." " I rather thought I was." "Well, you certainly cooked up a compromise that's gonna make your boss the next vice president of the United States." "I better type this up before you two start trying to improve on it." " Thanks, Laurel." " Here in downtown Honolulu the weather is 78° under partly cloudy skies." "Arthur, will you leave the girl enough clothes on not to catch cold?" "She's too valuable to me." "Have you slept with her yet?" "What kind of a question is that to ask a married man?" " You son of a gun!" " Think I better go check what she's doin'." " Oh, sure!" " Arthur, have another drink and stop thinking about how much everybody else is gettin'." " Thanks!" " See you later." "We swung it, Laurel." "How about that?" "We really swung it!" " Did you tell him you were sleeping with me?" " What?" "Laurel." "I wish I was." " I'm not gonna lie about it." " People assume you are anyway." " I'll just have to live with the fact." " Fact?" "Of what they think." "You're a strange girl, Laurel." "You give more back talk and less cooperation than any girl on Capitol Hill." "I don't know why I put up with you and your dog." "I don't know why I just don't fire you." "Because I'm the best political assistant you'll find and you're still more interested in politics than sex." "Charlie!" "What is he barking at?" "Charlie, what is it?" "Listen." "They had U.S. markings." " You sure of that?" " I thought so too." "Their speed!" "Are they ours?" "I don't know." "But if they are ours, they've kept them a close secret." " I want inquiries made as soon as we return." " Yes, Senator." "Bridge." "Skipper, the F-14s are on top of the contact." "Alert 1, this is Eagle 1." "What have you got?" "We've overflown the craft, sir." "It's a civilian yacht, flying U.S. flag about 50 feet in length, old but in mint condition." " Over." " Hold observation position." "Dispatching 86 tanker for refueling." "Stand clear, Path 1." "86 tanker departing." "The challenger's back with one, two, three jabs to the mouth." "Louis responds with a right to the head." "Cuts with a left to the body." " Brings it up to the head." " Hey, who's that fighting?" " Louis takes another left and a right." " I don't know." "Louis is staggered by a right to the jaw." "He almost goes down." "There's the bell ending round 12." "Look sharp, feel sharp" "Be sharp and listen, mister How are you fixed for blades" " Do you have plenty?" " How are you fixed for blades" "You're better off..." "Let's get some air." "Captain's off the Bridge." "I don't know." "Dan, what's this all about?" "What do you make of it?" "Nostalgia broadcasting on the Armed Forces band." "Broadcasting after a strike?" "Nah." "Excuse me." "Sir, is it possible that this could be part of some secret naval maneuver?" " Course not." " There are a few people" " who'd like to watch us work under pressure." " What are you saying, Dan?" "The Department of Defense sent him out here." "Maybe they wanted to give him something to watch." "Now, that makes more sense than anything else so far." "Now, wait a minute, gentlemen." "You may be the victims of some kind of joke." "But whether the Pentagon's behind it or the Kremlin or some little green men from Mars" "I promise you, I'm as much in the dark about it as you are." "Captain, we're getting something you might wanna hear." " In the Plot Room." " Aye, sir." "The Germans are retreating on the 70-mile front in southern Russia." "However, forces were reported 200 miles from Moscow and long-range artillery fire was heard in the suburbs of Moscow." " Meanwhile in Washington..." " What the hell's going on here?" "Sir, I think you ought to see these aerial reconnaissance photographs of Pearl Harbor." " Turn that off!" " Yes, sir." "That'll be all." "You." " It's not Pearl Harbor." " Sure as hell is." "Look at that old battle rig." "It's a memorial now." "It's the Arizona." " But she's completely intact." " That's right." " Get Mr. Lasky back up here." " Yes, sir." "What's the matter with you?" "I was just on the Bridge." "They're scared." "Real scared." " What happened?" " It's crazy." "The Russians, us, even the Germans." " We've finally done it." " Done what, for Christ's sake?" " War." "We're at war." " You always talkin' shit." "I want a straight answer and I don't give a damn about any orders you've had elsewhere." "Is there something you've held back?" "Nothing." "Absolutely nothing, Captain." "All right." "I accept that." "Here's a photo taken by our reconnaissance pilots less than an hour ago." " May I suggest something, Captain?" " I'm wide open." "I suggest that you ask Commander Owens to come up here right away and bring the photos he's using to illustrate his book." "Why?" "I think he'll have something very interesting to show you." "All right." "Tanker, this is Alert 1." "You got two thirsty Tomcats." "Whaddya got?" "I've got the hard stuff." "Pull right in." "Contact." "We've got a green light." "Fill 'er up, check the oil and clean the windshield." "Over." "Dick, where'd you get these?" "I got them from the Smithsonian, sir." "They're old agency photos of Pearl." " Just like these." " Not like these." "That one was taken less than an hour ago." "I don't understand, sir." "These are pre-World War II pictures." "This is the fleet that was destroyed." "Sir, C.I.C. reports two bogeys at low altitude." "Distance, 125 miles." " Have our fighters take an I.D. pass." " Aye, Captain." "Have our fighters investigate and identify the contact 090, signal Buster." "Aye, sir." "Alert 1, this is Eagle Control." "Vector 210 for the bogeys." "Bogeys low and slow." "Your signal is Buster." "I say again, your signal is Buster." "Roger, Eagle Control." "Alert 2 now completing its fueling." "Vectoring 210." "Out." "That's the Arizona, Tennessee, West Virginia." "You're saying that these are both photographs of Pearl Harbor on December 6, 1941?" "Yes, sir." "Our reconnaissance plane has just taken pictures of something that hasn't existed for over 40 years." "Sir, we've got I.D. on the bogeys." " Captain's on the Bridge." " What button?" "Eleven, sir." "Alert 1, this is Eagle 1." "What have you got?" " Two Japanese Zeros, sir." " Two what?" "Two trophy-class Mitsubishi A6Ms in original condition complete with all markings." " I mean, they look brand new, sir." " Have you been spotted?" "Negative." "We're right on the side at 6:00 high." "Stay in visual contact." "Take no action without clearance." "Wilco, Eagle 1." "Out." " Jack Benny and Rochester." " And newscasts from World War II." "Somebody for some reason wants us to believe that we're back in 1941." " Now, who wants it?" " The Russians." " Oh, Dan." " Maybe." "Power of psychology." "Excuse me, Captain but we also have to consider one alternative possibility." "What's that?" "The possibility that what's happening here is real." "Geez, that's ridiculous." "Maybe, but we have some pretty strong evidence, sir." "Let's not just write off one possible explanation for it" " because we don't happen to like it." " How would that be possible?" " Could you explain that to me?" " No, sir, I can't." "But all of us know that movement through time is possible." "Einstein proved it." " In theory." " In theory." "So all we have to do is move through some storm at sea, and bingo... we're all much more clever than Einstein." "What sort of storm was that, Commander?" "Certainly nothing like I've ever seen." "Nothing like any of us have ever seen." "There are forces in the universe which we're only now just beginning to understand." "I mean, understand through science, not superstition." "There are black holes in space, antimatter, curved space... things that are as strange to us as electricity would have been to people in the Middle Ages or this ship in World War II." "Well, crew is anxious for an explanation too." "Now, we've gotta get a clearer picture of all this." "Let's go to C.I.C." "Hey." " What is it?" " Listen." "It's those planes again." "No, no." "Different noise entirely." "There they are." " They're not ours, are they?" " No, certainly not." "They have Japanese markings." "They're comin' in again." "Laurel, ask the captain to radio Hawaii." "Find out aboutJapanese fighter planes in the area." "Yes, Senator." "Oh, God!" "They're shooting!" "Oh, my God." " Oh, no." " The captain send the message?" "We've gotta get off this boat." "Come on, Laurel!" "Eagle Control, this is Alert 1." "They just strafed the hell out of that yacht!" "Why would they attack a yacht?" "Their job would be to destroy anything with a radio that could warn Pearl Harbor." "Providing you and Mr. Einstein are correct." "Dick, where would the Japanese fleet be at this time on December 6, 1941?" "Well, sir, they'd be off the scope but an educated guess would be around about here." "Excuse me." "They'd have to be here, up around the northwest sector." "Let's get this settled once and for all." "Have the E-2 check it out." "I wanna see if the Japanese task force is out there." "Yes, sir." "Eagle Control, Alert 1." "They're making another run." "Jesus!" "They'll shoot that damn yacht to pieces!" "Request permission to arm and fire." " For God sakes, Skipper..." " Negative." " Charlie?" "Charlie!" " No, Laurel!" "Not now!" "Come on!" "Those planes are coming in!" "Come on!" "Let's go!" "Come on, Harvey!" "Eagle Control, they blew it to bits." "They must've hit the fuel tank!" " Any survivors?" " Stand by." "Affirmative." "One, two, three Mae Wests!" "Hey, wait a minute!" "Those bastards are turning back!" "They're gonna strafe them in the water!" "Request permission to fire." "This is Eagle 1." "You are cleared to arm, but do not fire." "Throw them off, play with them, but don't fire." "Affirmative." " Sam!" "Sam." " All right." "It's all right." "I'm all right." "Look up!" "Oh, no!" "They're coming again!" "Harvey!" "Get that life preserver off and dive!" "I can't swim!" "Here they come!" "He's dead." "It's okay." "Easy, boy." "Up you go." "Hey, Fox, that woke 'em up!" "I think we should give 'em another shot." "Why the hell are we playing with these guys?" "Radar shows enemy planes heading on course, 220." " 220." " SweetJesus." "Skipper, they're headed straight for us and we've got an armed strike force just sitting on the deck." "Alert 1, this is Eagle 1." "You're cleared to fire." "Splash the Zeros." "I say again, splash the Zeros." " Yes, sir." " This has gotta be a dream." "Eagle Control, Alert 1." "Splash two." "Repeat." "Splash two." "Possibly one survivor in the water." "Captain, the E-2 is coming upon Point Charlie." "Eagle Control, we have multiple radar contacts picking up on 456 heading." "Possible carriers and 24 escort ships." "Southeasterly heading." "Negative radio or radar emissions." "Request instructions." "Over." "That is the Japanese attack force." "Yeah." "I guess now we know." "Look, Dick." "Take personal charge of a rescue team and keep the survivors isolated." " Crazy situation." " Yes, sir." " You know what I want." " I understand." "Keep the fighters airborne to cover the rescue." "Aye, aye, Skipper." "Now track and report all movements of the Japanese task force." " Aye, aye, sir." " Do you still think it's a dream?" "It's a nightmare." "Let go!" "Forget the damn dog!" " Boss, 36." " Go ahead, 36." "We got two survivors and now we're waiting to pick up Kag." " Kag?" "What the hell is he doing in the water?" " Damned if I know." "Charlie!" "You all right, ma'am?" "How you feeling, sir?" "What the hell kind of machine is this thing?" "And what's your ship, Commander?" "It's an aircraft carrier, sir." "I'm Air Wing Commander Richard Owens." " Sam Chapman." " Senator Samuel Chapman?" "That's right." "Sure am glad you were out here." "Yes, sir." "Okay, Senator, watch yourself." "Watch your head." " All right, take it easy." " Hang on to me, sir." "You'll be just fine." "It's all right, ma'am." "Go with him." "I'll take the dog, Commander." "Little bastard." "Corporal!" "Mind the store, Ray." "I'm going forward." " Holy cow." " It's the whole Japanese fleet." "Have these things returned to the Japanese pilot." "Get this translated." "Captain's on the Bridge." "Mr. Lasky." "Gentlemen." "Captain's off the Bridge." "We can't ignore it any longer." "Every man on this ship knows that we have radar and visual contact with a Japanese fleet approaching Pearl Harbor on December 6, 1941." " Now, what do we do about it?" " Skipper, what we do about it is blow them out of the water." "The U.S.S. Nimitz declares war on the Japanese empire?" "That's what we'd be doing." "But they haven't attacked Pearl Harbor yet." "The only evidence we have that they intend to is in the history books." "It opens up some amazing possibilities." "Think of the firepower of the U.S.S. Nimitz back in 1941." "What kind of possibilities, Mr. Lasky?" "Possibilities for the future, Mr. Owens." "Think of the history of the next 40 years." "I have a suspicion history will be a little more difficult to beat than you imagine, Mr. Lasky." "I'm talking about the classic paradox of time." "Imagine, for example, I go back in time to meet my own grandfather long before he got married, before he had children." "We have an argument, and I kill him." "Now, if that happens, how am I ever gonna be born?" "And if I can never be born, how can I go back in history and meet my very own grandfather?" "I'm not half the theorist you are, Mr. Lasky but I still have a gut instinct that things only happen once." "And if they have happened, then there's nothing we can do to change them" " nor should we try." " How are you gonna avoid it?" "It's already happening, and we're already involved." "For Christ's sake, what is this?" "Some half-ass Princeton debating society?" "We are in a war situation." "This is a United States warship or at least it used to be." "Or will be." "Or what the hell ever." "Oh, goddamn it, you can drive yourself crazy trying to think about this stuff." " Jesus, I must be dreaming!" " Now, hold it." "All right." "Let's all calm down." "Let's take it one step at a time and by the book." "If the United States of America falls under attack our job is to defend her in the past, present or future." " And after that?" " After that, we take our orders from the commander in chief of the United States Armed Forces." "Franklin Delano Roosevelt?" " Everything all right here?" " You in command of this ship?" "Oh, hardly." "No, I'm a doctor." "Ship's commander is Captain Yelland." "I'm sure he'll be down to see you as soon as possible." " I certainly hope so." " Meanwhile, you both seem" " none the worse for your little mishap." " Mishap?" "You call getting a boat shot out from under you and three people dead a mishap?" " Are we at war?" "Is that what happened?" " I'm not in a position to..." "Am I glad to see you." "Doctor would you please inform the captain that Senator Samuel Chapman cochairman of the Senate Defense Committee would like to see him at once?" "Of course, Senator." "Doctor, I believe I said at once." "First, a vitamin shot." "Now, if you'll both roll up your sleeves." " Senator." " No, goddamn it!" "Now, you can take up your needles, Doctor and whatever's in them and get the hell out of here!" "Corporal?" "What the hell are we, prisoners?" "Holy shit." "Smoking lamp is lighted in all authorized spaces." "Son of a..." "So, history may be tougher to beat than I imagined." "You're becoming a real pain in the ass, Lasky." "You take an awful lot of risks for someone who's supposed to be intelligent." "Do I? "The attack on Pearl Harbor was far from a surprise for many people among them, the prominent and ambitious Samuel S. Chapman who had only two weeks before publicly argued for an increase in our strength in the Pacific." "Ironically, the senator disappeared and was presumed dead following the attack he had foreseen so clearly." "Had he lived, it's very possible" "Chapman could have been Roosevelt's running mate in the 1944 election and upon his death, the next president of the United States."" "Now if that doesn't come under the heading of trying to beat history" "I don't know what does." "Lasky, I realized who we had the moment I heard his name." "Why'd you keep it to yourself?" "I don't have your appetite for playing God with the world." "What was I supposed to do, throw him back in the sea?" "At least that would have preserved the natural order of history as you've written it." "Go to hell, Lasky." "Go to hell yourself." "I wanna meet Chapman." "Goddamn it." "If this wasn't happening to me, I wouldn't believe it." " Who the hell are these people?" " The navy." "Yeah, the navy, yeah." "But what part of it?" "I've never seen machines like they got onboard this thing." "And where have they been developing aircraft like that?" "The navy would have to appear before my committee and I've never even heard a whisper about it." "Rocket planes and that thing they pulled us out of the sea with." "And naming this ship after Chester Nimitz, an active-duty admiral." "What the hell's going on here?" "Yeah, Roosevelt." "He owns the military." "That's it." "That's exactly who." "F.D.R. has wanted the United States in this war since it started but he knows there's no way it's gonna happen except in response to an attack." " You always said the Japanese would attack." " That's right." "And who's sitting out here with no press while the White House takes all the credit for raising the alarm and being ready to hit back?" " Obviously, we are." " Goddamn it!" "Anything?" "Whoever he is, he's either too scared or too well briefed to talk about it." "Excuse me." "All right, Corporal." "Commander, I demand to know why we're being held prisoners." "Here wait." "I got him." "Jesus Christ!" "No, don't!" "Oh, my God." "The prisoner has shot one, maybe two of your men." "Move in!" "Captain, prisoner grabbed a weapon." "He shot one of my men, maybe two." "We're in position." "The area is sealed off." "Stand by." "Get Lieutenant Kajima up here on the double." "Can't we get a translator down here, for God's sakes?" "How the hell do we know what he's saying if we can't understand him?" "We need a translator to tell him we need a translator." "Maybe that's just what he's trying to tell us." "All right, Dick, Lieutenant Kajima is here." "Put it on the box." "Ask him what he wants." "He wants access to a radio, sir." "Does he say why?" "Because he wants to warn his commander about us." "He repeats the demand." " Or else?" " He will kill again." "Do you think there's a chance they might believe him?" "There's no chance if things remain the way they are." "Tell him we agree." " You son of a..." " No!" "Don't shoot!" "Back off!" "Don't shoot!" "Back off!" "Back off!" "Don't shoot!" "What the hell's going on down there?" "He says one more attempt to trick him and the girl is dead." "There'll be no tricks." "He can use the radio room if he frees the girl." "Says he doesn't believe you." "Why don't you tell him what's going on here, Commander?" "You're an expert on what's gonna happen tomorrow tell him about it, for God's sakes." "Go on, tell him!" "We got nothing to lose!" "Go ahead, tell him." "26 November, six carriers left the Coral Isles north of Japan." "The carriers were the Akagi, Kaga, Shokaku" "Zuikaku, Hiryu, Soryu." "Tomorrow at dawn, these carriers will send 353 planes to attack Pearl Harbor." "How in the hell do you know all that?" "Your code is "Climb Mount Niitaka."" "What's going on?" "Please, Miss Scott, don't ask me any questions." "There isn't anything I can tell you at this time." "All right?" "Where's Charlie?" "Where's my dog?" "We'll find him, Miss Scott." "He can't get off the ship." "Casualties will be moved down to secondary triage." "I wanna get out of this bathrobe and into some clothes!" "Will somebody please get me some clothes?" "For God's sakes!" " Chief, get the senator some clothes." " Yes, sir." "Senator, Matt Yelland, commanding officer." "Where and how did you get all this information I've been hearing?" " And is it true?" " Yes, sir." "Did you inform Pearl Harbor Command?" " No, Senator." " Why the hell not?" "Well, the reasons are a little complicated, but, uh, believe me, Senator this carrier is capable of handling any attack should it occur." "One carrier against a whole fleet?" "What kind of an idiot do you take me for?" " Senator, calm down." " The hell with you." "Tell Pearl Harbor what's happening here, or I'll talk to them." "Very well." "Dan, set up the communications in my inport cabin." "Wouldn't you like to talk to them with some clothes on?" " Thank you, Captain." " Follow me, sir." " Are you all right?" " Yes, sir, I'm fine." "Can you do that, Captain?" "Contact Pearl Harbor back in 1941." "I think so." " Then what do you do?" " One step at a time." "Yeah." "Like a minefield." "This is, uh, Senator Samuel S. Chapman of the United States Senate onboard the aircraft carrier Nimitz." "Captain Yelland is here with me." " You're on what?" " I repeat." "I am Senator Samuel S. Chapman onboard the U.S.S. Nimitz." "All right, whoever the hell you are use of military frequencies by unauthorized personnel is a felony." "Now just a minute here, sir." "As we have no aircraft carrier Nimitz and no Captain Yelland" "I suggest, asshole, that you stop impersonating some other asshole and get off the air." "You're wasting our time." "How dare you talk to me that way!" "Captain, tell him who you are." "Speak to them!" "You, what are you doing here?" "You're a civilian." "Yes, sir, I'm with the Department of Def..." "I mean, the Navy Department." "That's more like it." "What's going on here?" "I'm afraid I'm just an observer here, sir." "I couldn't tell you anything more than you already know." "What's happening here?" "Who are you people?" " join him in his inport cabin." " Thank you." "I'll wait outside while you change." "Please, I really don't want to be left alone right now." "I'll just be a minute." "Just exactly what is it you do for the senator, Miss Scott?" "I work for him, Commander." "I'd like to think I'm more than just a secretary." "I write most of his speeches, and in general, I'm his assistant." "It's quite an accomplishment for a woman in your day... this day and age." "Let me tell you something." "I'm ambitious and very capable." "That's a combination that's not much appreciated." "It's a man's world." "I'm sure you'll agree." "It certainly is, Miss Scott." "I spent a lot of time trying to hide the way I look hoping to be recognized for my ability." " How's it going so far?" " Well, let me put it this way." "If the way I look gets me in the door, then God help them when I get through." "You're a remarkable woman, Miss Scott." "Shall we?" "Yeah." "Enemy fleet bears 042 degrees." "Captain, they bear 042 degrees range 182 miles, course 180, speed 12." "Very well." "Keep me advised." "35 degrees, 17 miles north, northwest of Pearl." "Laurel, are you all right?" "Miss Scott, I'm Matt Yelland, skipper of this ship." "Thank you for your hospitality, Captain but I insist you fly Miss Scott and myself to Pearl Harbor immediately." " Very well." "Lieutenant." " Yes, sir." "Follow this officer." "He'll see that you're fully equipped and then escort you to the hangar deck." "Thank you, Captain." " Charlie?" " Forget about the dog." "He'll be all right." "Wait a minute, Captain." "I think you're making a big mistake here." "That man mysteriously disappeared on December 7, 1941." "That's today, sir." "Now, at the present time, he is the front-running candidate for the vice presidential spot on the Democratic ticket in 1944." "And if he survives, he's almost certain to become the president of the United States when Roosevelt dies in April of 1945." "Sir, don't you think he'd be a whole lot safer to stay on the ship for the time being?" "Mr. Lasky, my job is to make decisions here, now not worry about what politician may be in the White House" " four years from now or 40 years ago." " But, sir..." "And right now, I don't like having two civilians on my ship when I'm about to do battle." "You've got three civilians." "Mr. Lasky, you're free to go with them if you like." "Dick." "Just got enough time to drop them off on a deserted spot on this island." "Not Pearl, sir?" "Hell, no." "They'll be a whole lot safer there." "We'll equip them to look after themselves till it's over." "I'll feel a lot easier with them off my hands." "Yes, sir." "Be sure you're back by 0700." "I want my best man commanding that strike force." "Yes, sir." "Now hear this." "Now hear this." "All hands, stand by for special announcement from the captain in 15 minutes." "What are you doing here, Mr. Lasky?" "I wanna go to Pearl Harbor with you." "Wait a minute." "You're not going to Pearl, are you?" "Do they know?" "Captain, enemy fleet 170 miles north, northwest Pearl." "The Japanese fleet now bears 055 degrees, 12 miles." "Look at all this ordnance." "Yeah, it's gotta be the real thing." "Watch that wing tip!" "This is the captain." "I'm speaking to every man aboard this ship." "In the past few hours, many things have happened but rumors of nuclear attacks and a third world war are totally untrue." "We have no reason to believe that any aggression has been taken against our homes and families." "I believe that what we have stumbled across is not man-made but a phenomena of nature." "One that can't be explained." "Now, this phenomena is a storm which the Nimitz went through less than 18 hours ago." "This storm has had some effect on time as we know it." "It created a portal, a door into another era." "Today is December 7, 1941." "I'm sure we're all aware of the significance of this date and its place in history." "We're about to fight a battle that was lost before most of you were born." "This time, with God's help it's going to be different." "Good luck." "Hey, Charlie." "Good boy." "Where you been hiding?" "You wanna come with me?" "Come on, boy." "Eagle Control, 736." "E. T.A. destination three minutes." "All right, let's move it!" "This isn't Pearl Harbor!" "Following orders, Commander?" "That's right, Senator." "Is Commander Owens in the air yet?" " No, sir." " Let me know the moment he's airborne." "Yes, sir." "Why didn't you go with them?" "I wasn't invited." "Skipper, it's time to go." "Then let's go..." "to Pearl Harbor." "You shoot that in here, we're all going up." "Then you better do what I say." "Take off." "Now!" "Don't let it go off!" " I lost it." "I lost the helo!" " What?" "I tell you, I lost it." "It just disappeared from the scope." "What the hell do you mean it just disappeared?" "That's it, Captain." "One second it was on the scope, the next it was gone." "Search party?" "It's too late." "Officer of the deck, turn the Nimitz into the wind." "Aye, aye, Captain." " Launch aircraft." " Yes, sir, Captain." "That's it." "Let's go." "Cats, you got green lights." "Get 'em in the air!" "Victory 210, this is Zulu-5-Bravo." "Your vector 120." "Estimated time of intercept 0740." "Over." "Zulu-5-Bravo, this is Victory 210." "Nine minutes to intercept." "Sir, I think you oughta see this." "It suddenly appeared behind us." "I don't believe this." "It's starting again." "Do you think we can outrun it?" "Maybe we oughta be asking ourselves should we even be trying to outrun it." "Six minutes to intercept." "Change course to 180." " All ahead, flank speed." " Steady course 180." " Come to course 180, aye, sir." " All ahead flank." " Indicate 125 R.P.M." " All ahead flank, indicate 125 R.P.M." "Zulu-5-Bravo, this is Victory 210." "I have enemy bandits on radar." "Approximately four minutes to intercept." "210, this is Zulu-5-Bravo." "You're cleared to arm." "Sir, when we changed course, the storm changed course." "It's following us and growing at the same time." "I'm recalling those planes." " Wait a minute, sir." "You can't do that." " What are you talking about?" "We've got an incredible opportunity here." "We know where all the mistakes are gonna be made for the next 40 years and you've got the power to correct them." "You stay out of this." "Scrub the mission." "Get those planes back." "Your signal is Buster." "I say again, your signal is Buster." "Read you loud and clear." "Strike Force, this is Strike Leader." "Return to base." "Mission aborted." "Mission aborted?" "But we can see 'em?" "Shit, they're gonna let the Japs do it again." "This is the captain." "Now hear this, men." "We've been through it once, we're going through it again." "Prepare for approaching storm." "We interrupt this program to bring you a special news bulletin." "The enemy bombers appeared over Pearl Harbor at about 7:55 a.m." "December 7, 1941... a date which will live in infamy..." " Any contact with our planes?" " No, sir." "Keep trying." " Dan, get me a damage report." " Right, Skipper." " Get a phone check with all stations." " Yes, sir." " You have control of the rudder." " Bridge has control of the rudder, sir." " Very well." " All stations who experienced contact." "There they are!" "Lo, on the right!" "Stand by to render honors to port U.S.S. Arizona." "Attention to port." "And salute." "Two." "Carry on." "Pacific Fleet arriving." "3rd Fleet arriving." "Carrier Group 8 arriving." "Matt, what the hell's going on here?" "Admiral, I don't know where to begin." "Aircraft carrier getting lost in the Pacific Ocean." "What kind of navy is this?" "He'll never believe it." "Captain, the admirals have departed." "Thank you." "You seem to have a 40-year-old dog on your hands." "Yeah, you could say that." " Good luck, Mr. Lasky." " Thank you, Mr. Thurman." "Good-bye." "You know, in a way, Captain, I think we're lucky." "How's that?" "At least we came back to the same world we left." "Most of us have." "Did Commander Owens have any family?" "No one." "Lasky, you've been a pain in the ass." "But I'm glad to have known you." "Thank you, Captain." "I appreciate that." "Good luck to you." "And you too." "Wait a minute, boy." "Here, Charlie!" "Charlie, come back here." "Mr. and Mrs. Tideman would like you to join them." "Mr. Tideman?" "Welcome back, Mr. Lasky." "Laurel." "Commander Owens." "Please, join us." "We have a lot to talk about."