On the Beach

Prepare to surface.

Depth to 58 feet.

Depth, 58 feet, sir.

Sonar, any contacts topside?

No contact, sir.

- Tank center ready to surface, sir. - Very well.

Vents shut. Ready to surface, sir.

- Depth, 58 feet, sir. - Very well.

Up periscope.

Point Lonsdale bearing, mark.

013, sir.

- Cape Schanck bearing, mark. - 125, sir.

- How's the tide, Bob? - High tide, sir.

Controls rigged for surfacing, sir.

Surface.

Surface, surface, surface.

- Blow main ballast. - Main ballast blown.

- Depth 45 feet, sir. - Secure the air.

Open main induction.

Main induction open, sir.

And our scientists disagree as to when radiation will reach Australia.

The atomic war has ended, but the Prime Minister reports

no proof of survival of human life anywhere except here.

Navy department.

Congratulations.

Tea, dear.

I said, "Tea, dear."

Got a bit of a burn yesterday at the beach after all.

You'd better put some calamine stuff on it.

You did give Jennifer her bottle?

I laid out your white uniform. Was that right?

I almost forgot I have to dash.

Peter?

They must be giving you a ship of your own.

No, darling. They don't give ships to lieutenants.

Then why would it be Admiral Bridie himself?

If you were just to replace someone who's ill or something,

that wouldn't mean seeing Admiral Bridie, would it?

I don't know. You don't quite know what to expect these days.

I'll pick up Jenny's milk on the way home from the station.

Why do you have to pick it up?

They just won't be delivering it anymore, I understand.

It's a beautiful day, Peter.

If I wheel Jennifer down to the club after lunch,

could you meet me there for a swim?

Peter?

They just decided that yesterday.

If you're going to be in Melbourne by 11:00, you'd better hurry.

So long, Charlie.

Hosgood?

- Hosgood! - Yes, sir?

Have you seen this from that idiot Attenborough?

- That great correlator of statistics. - Yes, sir.

It's finally seeped down to him that most of the oil in the world comes

from the northern hemisphere.

Attenborough says so. It's now official.

We will carefully conserve the remaining supplies of petrol in the depot.

Yes, sir.

Hosgood!

Lieutenant Holmes is here, sir.

Yes. Come in, come in.

Sit down. Sit down.

Thanks, sir.

I have an assignment for you.

Do you care for some of this miserable muck

that passes for coffee these days?

No, thank you, sir.

It's a reasonably important appointment, as things go these days.

That's getting to be quite a phrase, isn't it? "These days."

- You find yourself using it? - Yes, sir. I'm afraid I do.

I'm sorry it can't be one of our own ships.

It's seagoing though and better than sitting around on your bottom.

Liaison officer aboard the American submarine, Sawfish.

She just docked. Nuclear-powered, of course.

- You know about her? - Yes, sir. I read the report.

She's at our disposal for cruise.

Reconnaissance or whatever you care to call it.

You'll sail soon, but just when or where or for how long, I can't tell you,

not until the government

and a pack of these longhaired scientists sort themselves out.

She's moored across the dock

from the carrier Melbourne in Williamstown.

You'll report to the Captain Towers.

That will be all, Holmes.

Sir, would it be possible to discuss the duration of this appointment?

No.

But I can give you a review in four months.

Thanks very much, sir, because I'd like to be home if possible when...

ls there any official estimate as to how much longer?

The beaker-heads, the finger-in-the-wind boys say,

calculating the rate of drift

or what have you, about five months before it gets here.

That's why I say four for review.

There's transport leaving for Williamstown, if you care to take that.

Yes, sir.

Hosgood, where is this coffee coming from?

Supply says it's the best they can do these days, sir.

- Shall I query them again? - No, no, no. It doesn't matter.

You have anything important to do, Hosgood?

No, sir. What is it?

Nothing. I just thought you might like to take yourself off till Monday,

a fine weekend.

Boyfriend or whatever.

No, I... I guess not.

I'll be here, sir.

All watches of seamen fall in on the cargo deck.

Rob.

Lieutenant Holmes will be coming aboard Monday and off and on until we sail.

Better have Benson issue him what clothing he'll need.

Yes, sir.

- I'll see you Monday, Lieutenant. - Thanks.

It's funny.

Somehow I get the feeling they're putting her in mothballs.

Sir?

I'm afraid I'll have to bunk you with this scientist fellow

who's coming aboard from the C.S.I.R.

Sorry, I don't know who he'll be just yet.

That's all right, sir. I'll manage.

Care for a drink before lunch?

Yes, sir, if it's all right.

It's Australian country in the flattop,

I'll have to stick to Coke. You have whatever you like.

I'm a bit puzzled about this cruise, sir. Our destination, I mean.

Admiral Bridie seems a bit indefinite.

Of course, if there's some reason I shouldn't know...

No, there's no reason why you shouldn't know.

But outside of the fact that it's reconnaissance,

I don't know any more about it than you do.

Of course, the crew has it all down pat. We're sailing the end of next week.

We're going north, and we'll be back in two months.

But I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything more official.

Do you live in Melbourne?

Just outside, actually, in Frankston.

That's three-quarters of an hour by electric train.

You make out all right? Any serious shortages yet?

Yes, a few, petrol mainly. But we manage, you know.

Say,

I've been sticking pretty close here lately.

Think I'm due for some shore food.

You know of a place where we might get a good steak?

Yes, I suppose so.

The Admiral fixed me up with a temporary card

for something called the Pastoral Club. What's that like?

It's a mahogany and polished brass sort of place.

Some people used to claim it was the stuffiest club in the Commonwealth.

Of course, I suppose there's no argument about that now.

Would they have any scotch left?

Yes, if anyone does.

My wife's uncle lives there, mostly at the bar these days, I understand.

I would think they would have some scotch, yes.

Sounds good.

Let's give it a try. I'll be with you in five minutes.

Really, sometimes I think that child could float a battleship.

That's what I told the Admiral.

Peter, how could you?

Well, I don't know, really. I just held the towel like this and...

Very funny.

You're starting to get your figure back, aren't you, Charlie?

You know, after Jennifer and all.

A little here, a little there.

By the way, I invited Captain Towers for the weekend.

- Peter, you didn't. - I had to, really.

We had lunch together,

and he started asking questions about how we live and all.

Mary, I would have looked an awful clod not to have asked him.

- He'll be all right, I think. - Was he married, do you know?

- Two kids. - And they're gone?

Yes, they were in America.

Nappies flying in the breeze, pablum everywhere,

they're bound to remind him.

We'll just try to get them out of sight, that's all.

He'll get sodden and weep. I can't stand that again, Peter.

He doesn't look the type to me.

- Your R.A.F. chum didn't either. - Now, Mary...

What are we going to do with him for two whole days?

Well, for one thing, I thought a party on Saturday night.

Ten or 12 people. We haven't done that for a while.

Would you like that?

As long as they all understand how I feel about those morbid discussions.

We would have to get someone for him, though, wouldn't we?

What about Moira?

Why not? If she's sober this weekend.

Julian said she'd given it up.

No, darling, you didn't listen. Julian said she'd given up gin for brandy.

She says she can drink more brandy.

Moira's not a bad notion, in point of fact. She'd keep him occupied, at least.

But she'd have to stop over, and we can't just put him on a cot.

Put Moira on a cot on the veranda.

She claims she's not slept in her own bed the last three months anyway.

That's not entirely fair. It's all on the surface.

I'll ring her up tonight and give her the drill.

I wonder what he's like when he gets a skinful.

- Peter. - What?

You do understand how I feel, I mean, about people talking?

Sure.

- And you do love me? - Of course I do.

Then why don't you ever say so?

Give her what for, mate.

You're looking for me.

Am I?