The Final Countdown

Pearl Tower, Tomcat Two-Zero-Zero

requesting clearance for departure.

Runway Zero-Nine, over.

Two-Zero-Zero, Pearl Harbor Tower.

you are cleared Runway Zero-Niner.

Wind Zero-Four-Five at Eight.

SH-3 approaching from the right.

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 thirty-three feet of water

in an upright position.

There were only two hundred eighty-nine 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 Three.

Helo Seven-Three-Three, rotating.

Give me twenty-five knots of wind over the deck.

Aye, Captain.

- All ahead full. - All ahead full, aye.

Indicate One-Zero-Zero R.P.M.

Indicate One-Zero-Zero R.P.M. Aye, sir.

Central Bridge, all ahead full, One-Zero-Zero R.P.M.

- Continue fixed wing recovery. - Aye, Captain.

Let's bring the CAG aboard.

Victor Two-Zero-Zero, your signal is Charlie.

- Set Five-Two, Tomcat. - Set Five-Two, Tomcat.

T- minus, thirty seconds.

Tomcat Two-Zero-Zero. I'm on approach and lining up.

Gear coming down.

Two-Zero-Zero, 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, CAG One. Get below. We still have aircraft to land.

I hear you're on assignment from Tideman Industries

to the Defense Department, is that 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, CAG.

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.

Well, 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.

Sir, Corporal Kullman will escort you

while you're aboard this 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 in-port 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.

- Captain. - Hmm?

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, you know, 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, CAG's here.

Hi, Dick.

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.

- CAG? - 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 Four-One-Two.

Air Ops Primary, try again on Four-One-Two.

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.

Nimitz, Kilo One. This is Four-One-Two.

I have an unsafe hook indicator. Over.

Four-One-Two, roger. Unsafe hook. Recycle your hook.

Negative. I've tried that.

Four-One-Two, 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!

All hands!

- Prepare the barricade! - 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!

Come 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.

Yes, sir.

- 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.