JAG (1995–2005): Season 2, Episode 5 - Crossing the Line - full transcript

CORPORAL: Move it, Polliwog!

On your knees, Polliwog!

CROWD: (CHANTING)
On your knees! Get down!

CORPORAL: Crawl
forward! Crawl forward!

(CHANTING) On your knees!

She won't move! Slime her!

MAN: You like it, don't you?

Keep going, Polliwog!

(CHANTING) On your knees!

Get your head down!

Get your head down! Get down!



PADEROFSKI: Good job!

Release this polliwog
before the great Neptune.

Who are you?

A trusty Shellback, sir!

Take this Daughter of
Neptune to the showers.

Who are you?

Lieutenant Marilyn Isaacs, sir!

(CROWD BOOING)

Silence! You're a stubborn
maggot, aren't you?

Take her to the Tank
of Truth and Wisdom.

Come on!

All right, maggot.
You asked for it.

(SCREAMS)

(GASPING)



Who are you?

A trusty Shellback, sir!

Why didn't you say
that in the first place?

That a way, Skates!

All right, Shellbacks,
way to move! All right!

Well, Marilyn, how does it feel

to be a member of the
Ancient Order of the Deep?

(LAUGHING)

NARRATOR: Following in his
father's footsteps as a naval aviator,

Lieutenant Commander
Harmon Rabb, Junior,

suffered a crash while landing his
Tomcat on a storm-tossed carrier at sea.

Diagnosed with night blindness,

Harm transferred to the Navy's
Judge Advocate General Corps,

which investigates, defends
and prosecutes the law of the sea.

There, with fellow JAG
lawyer, Major Sarah MacKenzie,

he now fights in and
out of the courtroom

with the same daring and tenacity
that made him a Top Gun in the air.

The sexual harassment hot line
received her complaint last night.

YEOMAN: Attention
on deck! As you were!

Lieutenant Marilyn Isaacs is an F-14
pilot stationed aboard the Seahawk.

The alleged incident occurred
during a "Crossing the Line."

I thought the Navy was going
to deep six that ceremony?

It's been toned down, Major.

Yeah. But it's still a great
part of Navy tradition.

(CHUCKLES) Something tells me
Commander Rabb had his day as a Polliwog.

Well, the first time I crossed
the Equator, I got hosed,

I had to do maybe
a thousand sit ups.

I got dunked twice,

and I had to crawl though the
Tunnel of Moral Courage blindfolded.

What I wouldn't give
to have been there.

As an observer, naturally.

There's a complicating factor.

The complaint was filed
against the Seahawk CAG.

Tom Boone?

A CAG's got nothing to
do with "Crossing the Line."

Lieutenant Isaacs claims that

the ceremony is only part
of a campaign of harassment

Captain Boone has
waged against her.

The timing's unfortunate.

The Selection Board has recommended
Boone for a deep-draft command.

Uh, Captain Boone was my
father's wingman in Vietnam.

That's why I'm sending
you along, Major.

I expect an impartial
inquiry on both sides.

Not that Commander Rabb
would be anything but objective.

The Commander's known
for his dispassionate advocacy.

I don't need to remind you that
the Naval policy is zero tolerance

for sexual harassment.

There she is.

My first sea duty.

Your only sea duty, Bud.

MAN: All clear!

Lieutenant Commander Rabb?

Ensign Harriet Sims.

The Skipper assigned me to be
your escort aboard the Seahawk, sir.

Thank you, Ensign.

I wonder if the Skipper's
aware I'm aboard, sir?

Lieutenant Roberts was the previous
Public Affairs Officer on the Seahawk.

Yes, sir. He's a legend, sir.

If you'll stick to my six. That's
what, uh, pilots call their tail, ma'am.

So I've been told.

Ensign Sims,

I don't mean to question your
sense of direction, but the aft hatch?

It's the quickest way, sir.

Well, the Major here
is wearing high heels.

And that might be a problem on
the knee-knockers on the 0-4 level.

You remember those, sir?
Seven ladders straight up,

that top out just
aft of the bridge?

Good call, Lieutenant.

I guess I've been
at sea too long.

I've forgotten women
wear those darned things.

(MAN CHATTERING ON P.A. SYSTEM)

Follow me.

Commander Rabb!

How's it feel to be
back in the real Navy?

Pretty damn good, sir.

Major MacKenzie, Captain Boone.

Welcome aboard.

A pleasure to be here, sir.

Mr. Roberts, you've
made Lieutenant.

Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.

For what? I had nothing
to do with your promotion.

For remembering me, sir.

Well, you're a
hard man to forget.

I'd like to arrange a time
to take your statement, sir.

Let me see if I understand
how this works, Commander.

One of my officers
has a problem.

But instead of coming
to me or the Skipper,

she calls a hot line
somewhere in Washington.

And the next day, my selection
for command gets put on hold

and a couple of JAG lawyers
fly 6,000 miles to interrogate me.

Is that about it?

The Navy takes sexual
harassment seriously, sir.

So do I, Major.

You know where to find me.

Two things. First, you
have my full cooperation.

Second, no one will
interfere with the investigation.

And that includes me.

I'm only interested
in the truth.

We all are, sir.

And in case you didn't know,

the CAG has grounded
Lieutenant Isaacs for unsafe flying.

Was this before or after
she filed her complaint, sir?

Two days before.

She came in low.
Tailhook hit the ramp.

The CAG made a tough call.

Tough on Lieutenant Isaacs, sir.

The Navy has a clear
duty to give all of its pilots

the best possible
chance to succeed, Major.

It also has a duty
to keep them alive.

Lieutenant Isaacs,
your complaint alleges

that Captain Thomas Boone
sexually harassed you?

He was responsible, yes, ma'am.

When exactly did
this harassment occur?

It was really a... a pattern
of harassment, ma'am.

It culminated during the
"Crossing the Line" ceremony.

Please describe what happened.

I was touched inappropriately.

MAN: All right,
maggot. You asked for it.

(SCREAMING)

I was subjected to
remarks of a sexual nature.

Get your ass into the
Tunnel of Moral Courage.

Move it, Polliwog! Move!

ISAACS: I was
assaulted with a pitchfork.

Master Chief Sullivan

forced me into a sexually compromising
position with another woman.

It was... it was the most
degrading moment of my life.

Your complaint is
filed against the CAG.

Why not against Master
Chief Sullivan and the others?

They were just going along,

doing what the CAG wanted.

HARM: How can
you be certain of that?

When it was all over,

the CAG congratulated
Sullivan for rubbing my nose in it.

Why would the CAG ask Master
Chief Sullivan to give you a hard time?

The CAG doesn't approve
of women in combat.

So, my failure
would prove him right.

It costs a million dollars to
train an F-14 pilot, Lieutenant.

Why would he want to
throw that money away?

I don't know.

I wouldn't presume to
guess how his mind works.

What exactly did
he do, Lieutenant?

He told me that... that women
don't have the psychological hardness

to handle night
carrier landings.

And one time, just
before I went up,

he whispered in my ear,

that he'd bet $20
that I'd wet my pants.

MAC: So, the "Crossing the
Line" ceremony was part of a larger

pattern of sexual
harassment and discrimination

by Captain Boone
designed to discredit you

and have you removed
from flight status?

Major, why don't we let the Lieutenant
tell her story at her own pace?

He knew that I was flying a
training mission the next day.

So he got Master Chief
Sullivan to mess me up real good

during the "Crossing
the Line" ceremony.

And then my RIO screwed
up. So I had a poor landing.

The CAG got what he wanted.
He removed me from flight status.

Did the grounding
have anything to do

with your filing a
complaint against the CAG?

No, sir.

Timing might indicate
otherwise, Lieutenant.

Look, this was not an easy
decision for me to make.

I'd like to go back to the
"Crossing the Line" ceremony.

HARM: Why didn't you just
declare it a "red light" and walk away?

I wanted to.

But they just... They
kept grabbing me.

And they were touching me.

Did you complain?

The more I protested,
the more they just...

They went after me.

Then I just got scared
and I just went along with it.

(SIGHING)

Montecristo.

That'd be a violation
of Federal law.

I'm going to have to
review Lieutenant Isaacs'

training records and PLAT tapes.

I'll make them available
to you, Commander.

If she was a man, she still
wouldn't be any damn good.

If she was a man, she wouldn't
be filing charges against you.

I'm not going to lower the standards
just because she's a woman.

Do you give her every chance?

There's no learning curve
with this Lieutenant. None.

She blames other
people for her mistakes.

The landing signal
officer, her RIO.

You?

(SPITTING)

Me.

I just received a telephone
call from Admiral Drake.

It seems Lieutenant
Isaacs' complaint

has come to the attention
of Congresswoman Delong.

A-At this point it's only an
internal hotline investigation, sir.

How does the
Congresswoman know about it?

Lieutenant Isaacs is
Delong's constituent.

The Lieutenant's
mother notified her.

The Congresswoman will
arrive aboard the Seahawk

tomorrow at 0800.

Talk about a broad interpretation
of constituent service.

Admiral Drake
authorized the visit.

He doesn't want this to
blow up into another Tailhook.

Congresswoman Delong is
one of the Navy's severest critics.

The Congresswoman
was pleased to discover

that one of the JAG lawyers
investigating the complaint was a woman.

The Congresswoman
believes that you will give

Lieutenant Isaacs
a fair hearing.

I give everyone
a fair hearing, sir.

Including the CAG?

(SIGHS)

BUD: State your name and
rank for the record, please.

I'm Master Chief Petty
Officer Max Sullivan.

MAC: Were you present during
the "Crossing the Line" ceremony

aboard the Seahawk on April 1?

I was Neptunus Rex himself.

You have my
congratulations, Master Chief.

Well, I know the honor
just goes to the oldest sailor,

but I like to think that
I earned it, ma'am.

Did you have any interaction with
Lieutenant Isaacs during the ceremony?

Yes, ma'am.

Did you direct that she slow
dance with Lieutenant Hawkes?

SULLIVAN: Yes, ma'am.
I did. They all had to.

That's part of the fun.

Did you order
Lieutenant Isaacs dunked

in an engine container
filled with foul-smelling water?

Yes, the Tank of Truth and
Wisdom. Yes, ma'am. Three times.

And was that also
part of the fun?

Well, the Lieutenant had a little
trouble getting with the program, ma'am.

Did you single her out
for any special abuse?

No, sir. I did not. She
seemed to be enjoying herself.

You know, like one of the guys.

Am I to understand that "guys"
enjoy the Tank of Truth and Wisdom?

Well, you enjoy the hell out
of it once it's over, ma'am.

If you'll excuse my language.

Well, Master Chief,

Lieutenant Isaacs didn't
enjoy it during or afterwards.

(CLEARS THROAT)

Did you treat her any
differently than the men, Chief?

MAN: Get your ass into
the Tunnel of Moral Courage!

On your knees!
SULLIVAN: I did not.

You piece of trash!
Don't look me in the eye!

Master Chief Sullivan,
did anybody order you

or request in any way that you
give Lieutenant Isaacs a hard time?

No, sir.

You never discussed the
ceremony with the CAG?

No, ma'am.

Did you talk to the
CAG after the ceremony?

Oh, yes. Yes. He
came and informed me

that Area One had been
named the best in the fleet

for raising our emergency
barricade in under two minutes.

(MAN CHATTERING OVER P.A.)

That'll be all, Master Chief.

Sir. Ma'am. If I may?

The thing is, she didn't have
to go through that ceremony.

She knew what
she was getting into.

Then why did she volunteer?

Well, if she... she hadn't,
she'd look like a wuss, ma'am.

There's something that you ought
to know. I think I can quote this.

"A Naval ceremony should follow

"the long-established rules for
its execution carefully and exactly.

"Such attention to detail honors
those men who established this ritual

"and all those, past,
present and future,

"that will take part in
the same ceremony."

Fleet Admiral Chester A. Nimitz.

Yes, sir.

I don't think Admiral Nimitz was talking
about dumping Jell-O on women, Commander,

or poking them with pitchforks.

With all due respect, ma'am,

you just don't get it.

Oh, I get it all too
well, Master Chief.

The world has changed
and you got left behind.

HARM: Don't go
too close to the edge.

You don't want to fall over.

MAC: I can swim.

Not down there. The vortex sucks
you under. You go through the screws.

You come out looking like Spam.

What do you make
of Lieutenant Isaacs?

She carries herself
well. I like her attitude.

I'd like her case
a whole lot better

if she'd filed a complaint
before she was grounded.

We're talking 48 hours,
Harm. It takes time.

How much time does it take to
figure out you had your six pinched?

Time to weigh the consequences.

She put her career on the
line by filing her complaint.

CAG put his career on
the line by grounding her.

I think she's got a case.

Slow dancing with another woman,

getting groped, poked
with a pitchfork in the butt.

Hell, when I
crossed the Equator,

I spent a half hour slow
dancing with Bob Fredericks.

Did you date much afterwards?

Detail, halt!

Right or left, right!

Present arms!

Order, hut!

At ease!

Uh, I made a few notes, Ensign.

Notes, sir?

Well, just because I've
done so many of these.

The Congressperson
will be piped aboard?

As a matter of course, sir.

I see you've
arranged for side boys.

Yes, sir. Six in all. Uh,
four male, two female.

Female. Ah, that's a nice touch.

Yes, sir.

Everybody gets a chance.

The side boys will form a
line at the helicopter door.

They'll salute on the
first note of the pipe

and finish together
on the last note.

BOTH: Full honors.

Full honors. Four
ruffles and flourishes.

You're doing a
great job, Harriet.

Thank you, sir.

Have any more
notes for me? Uh...

I... I must have left
them somewhere else.

The good old days
are gone, Harm.

They ended with Tailhook.

This is a new Navy
with new rules.

Hey, whatever may or may not have
happened during "Crossing the Line,"

there's no evidence
the CAG was involved.

Is that friendship talking?

I want to ask you something.

Are you more likely to believe
Lieutenant Isaacs because she's a woman?

I've had to fight a lot of
prejudice to get where I am, Harm.

I guess that makes me want to
give her the benefit of the doubt.

Wait till you see this, hmm?

HARM: It was a bad
approach from the beginning.

She rolled out on
final. Called the ball.

Her approach lights
are below the cross hairs.

So she's under the glideslope?

LSO: Tomcat 2-0-4. You are
under glideslope. Power! Power!

HARM: Look at her nose come up.

Now she's got too much power.

She's flown right back
up through the glide path.

To compensate, she
cuts back on the power.

Tomcat 2-0-4.
Wave off! Wave off!

Ignores the wave off.

A few feet lower she'd
have had a ramp strike.

Sir?

Lieutenant Elizabeth
Hawkes, sir.

The CAG asked
me to give you these.

I'm Major MacKenzie, JAG Corps.

Everyone on board
knows who you are, ma'am.

I'd be interested in
hearing why you took part

in the "Crossing
the Line" ceremony.

The same reason
all the women were.

It's important to
be one of the guys.

Were you improperly
touched, spoken to lewdly,

or otherwise sexually harassed?

Not so that I noticed.

You don't feel you were
singled out because of your sex.

No, sir.

Even when you were forced to
dance with Lieutenant Isaacs?

The only problem was
we both wanted to lead.

(HARM CHUCKLES)

They treated
everyone pretty bad.

Let me ask a
hypothetical question.

What would you have done
if someone had grabbed you?

A woman who can't handle
some jerk playing grab-ass,

doesn't belong in
the Navy, ma'am.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

Skates, ma'am.

That's what they all call me.

"Skates?"

Because I grew up on wheels.

Permission to speak
freely, ma'am? Sir?

For a woman to
be one of the guys,

well, sometimes
she has to be willing

to give up something of herself.

You know, be less of a woman.

Sometimes it sucks.

The question is, why should
she have to be "one of the guys?"

Permission to speak freely?

The conversation's still
on record, Lieutenant.

I understand that, ma'am.

I guess I'm a little
bothered by the fact

you've been asking
questions behind my back.

This is an investigation.

Asking questions is what we do.

What exactly did
Lieutenant Hawkes say?

All our investigations are
confidential, Lieutenant.

She's one of the senior
RIOs. Her word counts for a lot.

What's your point?

I think she resents
the fact that I'm a pilot

and she has to
sit in the back seat.

I understand you're under
a lot of pressure, Lieutenant.

But this is not a
productive line of discourse.

The main thing is, I don't want to
do anything that'll hurt the Navy.

I just want the same
chance as the others.

We're in the preliminary
stages of our investigation.

There's nothing anyone can do.

What if I withdraw my complaint?

You still have to go before
the Flight Review Board.

They decide if the CAG
made the correct decision

removing you from flight status.

I've worked all
my life to be a pilot.

Flying off carriers
is what I want.

The CAG can make
the Board go away.

You're asking to be
returned to flight status?

Yes, sir.

You're still a Naval
aviator, Lieutenant.

Subject to the Navy's rules.

What I want is within the rules.

I don't think so.

Then maybe it's time some
of those rules got changed.

HARRIET: I hope this goes well.

BUD: Oh, you've got
it knocked, Harriet.

Is something wrong? No.

Everything's fine.

I just thought... You look nice.

Uh, I'm sorry. I... I
did not mean that.

So you don't think I look nice?

Well, I just don't know
if it's appropriate to say.

I outrank you

and I may have inadvertently
uttered a "yellow light" remark.

Do you have an ulterior
motive, Lieutenant?

No. I don't think I do.

Then I'll choose to
believe you were sincere.

This is it, ma'am.

Welcome aboard
the Seahawk, ma'am.

Here's your gear.

Ensign.

HARRIET: Present arms!

Keep up the good work, ladies!

HARRIET: Order! Hut!

Welcome to the Seahawk, ma'am.

I can't tell you
how good it feels

to get out of Washington's
smoke-filled rooms.

Captain Boone.

Glad to have you with us, ma'am.

Nice of you to say so,
all things considered.

Our Ensign Sims will show
you to your quarters, ma'am.

Thank you, Captain.

This way, ma'am.

If I'm to be your
advocate, Marilyn,

I need to know everything.
No ugly surprises.

I want nothing more than
to get it out in the open.

You know how hard I fought to
widen the role of women in combat.

The failure of even one woman
puts the entire program at risk.

I don't intend to fail, ma'am.

I don't intend to let you.

MAC: You're aware that
Lieutenant Isaacs has filed

a sexual harassment complaint.

Would you like to respond, sir?

Her complaint's without merit.

MAC: You have the right
to make a full statement, sir.

I just did so, Major.

(MAN CHATTERING OVER P.A.)

Did you deal with
Lieutenant Isaacs

as you did other aviators
under your command?

I treat them all the same.

Did you ever whisper in her ear

that she was going
to wet her pants, sir?

I did not.

Did you instruct
Master Chief Sullivan

to cause Lieutenant
Isaacs to be groped,

poked with a pitchfork,
and-or verbally abused

during the "Crossing
the Line" ceremony?

Now why the hell
would I do that?

That's what we're
here to find out, sir.

I did not.

Captain Boone, why did you
ground Lieutenant Isaacs?

Because she was an
accident waiting to happen.

ISAACS: This whole ship's
like a damn men's club.

They knew exactly
what the CAG wanted.

They?

His guys. The LSO. The Airboss.

When a male pilot messes
up, he gets spoken to privately.

When I do something
wrong, they write up my grade,

post it in the Ready Room
for everybody to laugh at.

Come on, Marilyn. They
post everybody's grades.

You give me something
substantial to work with.

Okay.

During a missile shoot, my RIO,

radar intercept officer, had
trouble finding the drone.

So I couldn't lock in on time.

I fired the Sidewinder,
and the damn thing missed.

It's not my fault. But the CAG
gives me an unsatisfactory.

Did he grade the other
female pilots the same way?

All of us. Yes, ma'am.

You are the only one that's
complained so far, Marilyn.

I'm the only one
who has the guts.

She should never have
been sent to the ship.

Because she's a woman, sir?

Because she's a
below-average pilot.

It took her three tries

to make her carrier
qualifications.

That's two more chances
than a man would get.

If she had a shaky training record,
why was she moved through?

There's a lot of pressure from Washington
to get women into the front seat, Major.

During her tour,

Lieutenant Isaacs progressed
from undistinguished to disastrous.

She was a total flop at Air Combat
Maneuvers. She never got a shot off.

Who'd she blame that time?

Commander Rabb,
please don't editorialize.

The Seahawk Controller for not
getting her into the right position.

Claimed he put her
in front of the bogey?

The truth is, Lieutenant
Smith had her.

For the record, who
is Lieutenant Smith?

That would be Lieutenant
Margaret Louise Smith.

I was sexually humiliated and
abused in front of the entire crew.

The CAG knew
that it'd rattle me.

I had a mission the next day.
And I screwed up a little bit.

Nothing serious, but they
made a big deal about it.

HARM: You grounded Lieutenant
Isaacs after a substandard landing.

The LSO log indicates

OSCB EGAR DNKH.

That's correct.

Can you tell me what
those initials stand for, sir?

OSCB, "Overshot, came back."

EGAR, "Eased gun at ramp."

What about, uh, DNKH?

Well, that's the
technical one, Major.

"Damned near killed herself."

You have no doubt that you
made the right decision, sir?

Lieutenant Isaacs is a
danger to herself and to others.

That's why I grounded her.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Enter!

Sir, the Skipper requests
Commander Rabb and Major MacKenzie

in the Ward Room, sir.

CAG: Very well. Dismissed.

I spoke with Lieutenant
Isaacs. I believe her.

I'd be interested in
knowing what you think.

MAC: The investigation
isn't complete yet, ma'am.

We want to make sure
we have all the facts

before we render an opinion.

You know I won't allow this
to be swept under the rug.

We have no
intention of doing that.

Just one of the boys, Major?

Major MacKenzie has a high
regard for the truth, ma'am.

You'll have to
forgive me, Major.

Good afternoon, Skipper.
As you were, Commander.

But make no bones about
it. Thank you for joining me.

I want women to have equal
opportunity in the armed services.

Yes, ma'am. We should
all have the same chance.

I will not tolerate a
culture of reprisal,

ostracism, harassment, and
retribution against women.

Never forget that Naval
Officers like Captain Boone

serve at the pleasure
of the government.

It's a new day. It's
time he got a clue.

Captain Boone served his
country in Vietnam, ma'am.

He has a long and
distinguished record.

In my opinion, Commander,

a man can have a long and
distinguished career, and still be a pig.

Excuse me, sir.

I'd like to think there's
nothing I can't fix.

And right now, this
Marilyn Isaacs situation

presents a major problem for
the future of women in combat.

Well, ma'am, I
think it's safe to say

that on that point
we are in agreement.

How tall are you?

Excuse me?

How would you feel if I told you,
you looked really cute in that uniform?

And you should dye
your hair platinum blond?

Six foot four. I'll give
your regards to my tailor.

And, uh, platinum really
isn't my shade, ma'am.

(CRUNCHING)

Admiral Drake called
me earlier today.

He understands I'm
trying to find a middle way.

She's totally willing to accept
responsibility for a poor landing.

All that needs to happen is
that she's given another chance.

That's not my call, ma'am.

She was grounded for
good reason, ma'am.

You're a lawyer, Commander.
That's not your call.

Commander Rabb flew
F-14s off the Seahawk.

Wasn't your RIO killed
in a crash, Commander?

Perhaps you're not the
one to pass judgment.

What do you think, Lieutenant?

Uh, about what, Harriet?

How do you think it went today?

Oh, uh, excellent.

Great. You did great.

Uh, there is one thing, though.

Yes?

Uh, may I?

May you what?

Well, your insignia is...

I don't know if
that's a "red light"?

Straightening my insignia?

It's so hard to know what
appropriate behavior is sometimes.

You know, "red
light," "green light."

Just straighten
the damn thing, sir.

Uh...

Thank you.

You wanted to see me, Skipper?

I want Lieutenant Isaacs
on tonight's intercept mission.

The Flight Review Board
hasn't cleared her to fly.

Well, that's
yesterday's news, Tom.

The Congresswoman
called Admiral Drake.

The Admiral wants Lieutenant
Isaacs returned to flight status.

They're jumping the
gun on this, Admiral.

I suggest you tell them to
hold off on any formal action

until our investigation
is complete and...

Uh, yes, sir. I'll
wait right here.

(SIGHING)

MAN: Attention on deck!

Carry on. Aye, sir.

(SIGHS)

You miss it?

(SIGHING) Sometimes.
But never at night.

Excuse me, sir. Flight schedule
for tonight's intercept mission.

Since I first typed it, Lieutenant
Isaacs' RIO has changed twice.

A sudden outbreak of flu, sir.

Traulson.

Traulson just came
aboard a week ago.

They got my least experienced
RIO flying with Isaacs.

Get me Lieutenant Hawkes.

Yes, sir.

(SIGHING)

I'm going to have to
resign my commission.

Why, hell, CAG. There's no
reason to fall on your sword.

We've got a United States Congressperson
telling me how to run my Air Wing.

And it ain't part of
my job to please her.

The Navy can't afford to lose
good officers like you, CAG.

But we've got to draw
the line somewhere, Harm.

This seems like it
might be the right place.

SKATES: You sent for me, sir?

I need you to fly
with Isaacs tonight.

Sir, may I be very
blunt with you?

I wouldn't expect anything less.

With the weather
forecast for tonight,

there's going to be a fair
amount of deck movement.

And night landings
aren't her best thing, sir.

That's why I need my
best RIO in the back seat.

I won't forget this, Skates.

Won't let you, sir.

(MEN CHATTERING)

Flaps down.

ISAACS: Flaps down.

Wing sweep automatic.

Wing sweep automatic.

Raptors 2-0-4.

Up and ready.

Now, there's a woman
who's ready to go to war.

Only one problem, ma'am.

The catapult gets
her off the deck,

but she has to get
back on all by herself.

Why not just say what's
on your mind, Commander?

You had no business getting
Lieutenant Isaacs put back in the aircraft.

Mister Rabb. Captain,

I'd like to hear
what he has to say.

You helped to manipulate the
system to get what she wanted.

That's enough!

SKIPPER: I'll see you in my at-sea
cabin immediately after the mission.

Aye, sir.

Looks like we're going flying.

Okay, Raptor 2-0-4.
Let's bump heads.

2-0-4. Roger.

I'm going to have his ass.

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

(BEEPING)

LSO: Raptor 2-0-4. Intercept
an unidentified bogey. Inbound.

Bearing 1-2-0.

2-0-4. Roger that.

SKATES: Come on.
Take it easy, Marilyn.

You're flying into a black hole.

ISAACS: It's okay,
Skates. I've got it.

I've got contact. Bearing 0-2-0.

CAG's inbound. That's
Isaacs diving toward the deck.

She's closing in at 1300 knots.

That's a mile every
three seconds.

HARM: That gives her a
two-second window to fire a missile.

Fifteen miles.
Switch to missiles.

ISAACS: Going to missiles.

She's diving too steep.

Careful. We're getting low.

ISAACS: I'm watching it!

Oh, she missed
big time! Too wide.

She'll have to pull a
seven "G" turn to convert.

She's not going to make it.

The wind shifted.
Sea's picking up.

SKATES: Contact,
50 degrees left.

Five miles, opposite
direction. Break hard left!

ISAACS: Burner now.

Keep it coming.

Good turn. Overtake, 50 knots.

CAG'S RIO: Bogey
on our six, CAG.

Okay, good.

Oh, that was a big-time move.

She just made that intercept.

Looks like you spoke
too soon, Commander.

SKATES: Locking on.

You've got a good tone.

Fox away!

HARM: Missile fired.

She missed! That
was a nine-G turn.

Only the CAG could
make a move like that.

Good try, 2-0-4.

Shoot!

Sir, the squall's
moving through.

Penetrating in 15 minutes.

Time to bring them back.

Raptor 2-0-6. We're
still ready to play.

Let's go home, Marilyn.

CAG: That's a negative,
2-0-4. We've got weather.

You did good.
Let's call it a night.

Wilco. Out.

We had plenty of fuel.

ISAACS: We could
have made another pass.

HARM: Her mike is keyed open.

Then I would
have nailed his six.

SKATES: Settle down, Marilyn.

You don't want to take
chances in this weather.

Skipper, permission to
go onto the LSO platform?

I don't believe
you'll be missed.

Aye, aye, sir.

MAN: Tomcat 2-0-6, you're a
quarter mile out. Say your fuel.

Seahawk, Raptor 2-0-6.
Commencing approach.

LSO: Roger 2-0-6. You
are cleared for landing.

Sir.

CAG's back.

LSO: Raptor 2-0-4. You
are cleared for landing.

Seahawk. This is Raptor
2-0-4. Commencing approach.

ISAACS: Hey, Skates,
watch me spike it on.

I'll settle for just
getting aboard, Marilyn.

Flaps down.

ISAACS: Gear down.

(BEEPING)

Wing sweep automatic.

Put the hook down.

SKATES: Get your
hook down, Marilyn.

Hook down.

Selecting command
ejection, rear seat.

FLIGHT CONTROLLER: Raptor 2-0-4.
You are at a mile and three quarters.

Well below
glideslope. Check ball!

I have the ball.

This is Raptor 2-0-4. Tomcat.

Ball, three-point five.

Roger ball. Pitching
deck. You're low.

LSO: You're still low!
Give me some attitude.

You're still under glide path.

Come on, Isaacs! Get
back on the glideslope.

Don't go high. Don't go high!

Automatic throttle
is screwing us up!

I'm flying manual.

The power's come off!

LSO: Attitude. Attitude!

Power! Power!

Power!

Hit the deck!

Ejecting!

MAN: Fire on the deck!

(SIRENS BLARING)

(ALL CLAMORING)

She's falling into the fire!

(SCREAMING)

MAN 1: Yellow
Team is on its way!

MAN 2: Corpsmen on
standby! Corpsmen on standby

MAN 3: Let's get
her out of there!

She's drifting over the side!

(TEARING)

MAC: Where's Harm?

(GRUNTS)

(PEOPLE CLAMORING)

How're you doing, Skates?

You owe me, sir.

(SIGHS)

HARRIET: I guess
you'll be leaving now?

BUD: Soon. But we still need
to complete the investigation

of the harassment complaint.

So the CAG's not
out of the woods yet?

Well, not yet.

Something like this, it's like
getting gum on your shoe.

Wow.

What JAG lawyers
do is so exciting.

I'm not a lawyer yet.

I know.

But you're gonna be a great one.

I want you to kiss me.

Green light?

(MEN CHATTERING)

I just had a scary thought.

Their children?

(CHUCKLES)