Latitude Zero (緯度0大作戦)

LATITUDE ZERO

Longitude, one hundred eighty degrees.

Latitude...

...ZERO!

The spring of 1969.

The largest oceanographic ship in the world,

the Japanese research vessel "Fuji"...

...has sailed eastward from the Gilbert Islands to...

...an area in the equatorial South Pacific

to investigate and analyze what is known...

...as the Cromwell Current,

a subsurface stream flowing east from New Guinea

to the coast of Ecuador.

Why do they study it?

Because possibly it can be used by submarines to increase speed...

...just as the jet stream is used by high-flying aircraft.

Shall we go?

Dr. Ken Tashiro, physicist and oceanographer is in command.

Aiding him is Dr. Jules Masson.

A French geologist and veteran of many bathysphere expeditions.

Perry Lawton from Trans Globe News...

His story and photographs are to be "pooled", that is made available to...

...all the various news services.

Oh!

I wasn't going to light up in here.

I just carry it to ease my mind.

This is control. How do you read us?

Loud and clear. Just passing twenty fathoms.

How's the temperature?

Exterior water temp two-zero degrees centigrade.

Bathysphere temp two-six.

It better get cooler. We not gonna light each other...

Has the depth of mission being determinate?

Negative!

The DSL is very dense in this area.

The SONAR findings are inconclusive.

But you probably reached the bottom of the current,

around 100 fathoms.

We'll be pulling you up in twelve hours. Have a good trip. Out.

What is the DSL?

DSL stands for deep scattering layer.

Is composed of living organisms, that scatters or reverts sound pulses.

Organisms that reflect sound...

That's why. Can it be photographed?

They never have never been, at least conclusively.

Might be a manu fish, even a squid. We just don't know.

Oh, that's why.

Yes, I can see those red lines right now.

Divers in Cromwell Current find sound reflective squids.

Gentlemen, that for sure is not gonna get me any surprise.

Red lights increase vision as we get deeper.

How deeper are we now?

Nearing 300 feet, close to 90 meters.

Check this!

How come they're all going one way?

What'd you make of it?

Do they know something that we don't?

Turn on the searchlights.

Exterior water temp is one-five...

That's normal for this depth.

Dr. Tashiro, do you read us? Go ahead!

Ship board seismograph indicate some sort of disturbance on the sea floor.

Have you observed anything unusual?

Everything seems normal.

Except, all marine live has disappeared.

Stand by.

The director is dropping the mission.

We'll start pulling you up to the surface immediately.

Out!

Hey! What's that coming at us?

Wherever we are...

I'm sure we're all better than we were.

Hey, we don't have any scars either.

Look, they are all healed.

Glad to see you two are feeling better.

I'm Dr. Anne Barton.

Dr. Tashiro...

I'm Perry Lawton.

And your companion...what's his name?

Jules...Dr. Jules Masson.

He's okay?

We're taking care of him. He's in a separate cabin.

When you feel up to getting dressed, the Control Room's straight ahead.

Oh, I don't know whose camera it is, but I put it there.

Doctor of medicine?

Harry. Yes.

Hi.

Oh, nice to see you up and about.

You must be Dr. Tashiro...

Yes.

I'm Captain Craig McKenzie. Welcome aboard the Alpha.

This is my assistant, Kobo.

Mr. Lawton...

Trans Globe...

Ah yes, all the news from pole to pole.

We do try.

How is Dr. Masson, sir?

Dr. Barton reported he is suffering from shock and a cranial injury.

Is it bad?

Everything is being done to effect his recovery as soon as possible.

This Dr. Barton is kind of young, isn't she?

She doesn't look much like a doctor.

Mr. Lawton,

what's a doctor supposed to look like?

Well...

Now, there...what is that?

That is the volcano that tore you loose from your mooring.

Now you're seeing it from a viewing scanner we have on the surface.

How close is it?

About ten miles away.

Our vulcanologists have been predicting this eruption about a month.

That's why we happening to be in this area. To observe it.

And that's why we happened to observe your difficulty.

Had you been dropped two miles farther south, you'd have been incinerated.

That's a pleasant thought.

Where are we?

What is this anyway?

This is the Alpha, a submersible.

An American nuclear sub?

Or Japanese?

No. Mr. Lawton, neither are we American, Russian, British...

...nor any other nationality.

We are neutral.

You're neutral?

Look, a submarine like this has got to come from somewhere. Now where?

-That's irrelevant. -No, I don't think it is.

Listen, I'm a reporter. I do know a story when I see one.

I imagine you do, but you can't cable your editors from here.

Perry!

The Alpha, launched June 21 , 1805...

Stornaway Harbor, Hebrides...

that's in Scotland, isn't it?

1805!

That would make this submarine a hundred sixty-four years old!

You don't believe that, do you?

Neither do I.

Excuse me, Captain McKenzie.

Yes?

This business about your submarine being launched in 1805...

That's a hoax, isn't it?

What?

I mean...a joke.

No.

But the first success submarine wasn't build until the 1880's.

Not quite accurate, doctor.

A Dutchman named Van Drebbel while in the services of King James of England

build the submersible that was powered by 12 rowers.

And they rowed at the Thames of the depth of nearly 15 feet.

Yes...

1620.

Captain, he's not responding.

I am afraid, we can't treat him successfully aboard the Alpha.

You realize the importance of our presence here.

-How urgent is this problem? -Very urgent.

The shock factor is manageable, but...

...he suffered some internal injuries requiring care we're not equipped to give.

Then you recommend we call off this mission?

If he's to live.

What are you gonna do now, Captain? Toss a coin?

-Kobo, set course to El-zee. -Yes, Captain.

Hello, El-zee, this is the Alpha.

Go ahead, Captain McKenzie.

We are aborting the mission.

Alert Rehabilitation Clinic to pick up injured man as soon as we dock.

That is all.

Kobo...

Flank speed.

Yes, Captain.

All right Doctor? Thank you.

How fast are we going, anyhow?

A shade under eighty knots.

Now, if you'll excuse me...

Dock at Latitude Zero?

That's only a place on maps,

where the Equator and international Date Line cross.

But, there's no land there.

Malic!

Malic! Come quickly!

Have our agents finally kidnapped Dr. Okada?

No word from them, but look!

McKenzie is leaving the volcano.

Kroiga, this is Malic.

I am here, my lord Malic.

The Alpha is northeast of you, on course for Latitude Zero.

It would please me if you intercepted and destroyed it.

Your wish is my command, my lord.

We're near enough to get McKenzie this time.

You should reach the Alpha within the quarter hour.

Do your best, little one.

McKenzie will be destroyed.

This I promise, my lord.

And your reward shall be waiting, little one.

Your jealousy is showing.

I can't help it. I just hate that woman.

Don't be silly. She's useful to us.

You're the only woman I keep with me.

Why don't you tell me you gonna get rid of her,

and let Ching take over the Black Shark?

I will, eventually... after she destroys the Alpha and McKenzie.

Later, Lucretia, when we have something to really celebrate.