JAG (1995–2005): Season 3, Episode 4 - Blind Side - full transcript

Target's in sight. Here we go.

(indistinct radio transmission)

(beeping)

Good shooting, Deadeye.

Let's get a cold one.

Roger that.

Whoo! 100% fun, Gerter!

(over radio): Stick to my six.

(alarms beeping)

Damn it to hell!

Eject! Eject! Eject!



Following in his
father's footsteps

as a Naval aviator,

Lieutenant Commander
Harmon Rabb, Jr.

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 Captain's pretty depressed

about the accident, sir.



It's the first time
one of his men

has been called on the carpet.

He was happy to here you
were investigating, though.

You trained with
him, right, sir?

I did.

Then you know how much

the Captain loves
his flyboys, sir.

Flyboys?

Oh, excuse the
inappropriate terminology, sir.

I got to work on that.

( tires squealing)

Question, Lieutenant.

Shoot, sir.

What did you do in
civilian life, anyway?

Drove a cab, sir.

Right.

How were you...?

Commissioned?

Captain Hochausen
pulled me out of

the administration office,

recommended me for
Officer Candidate School.

Said I had the mettle to settle.

I think that's how he put it.

Anyway, I help him
out when he needs me...

Drive him around, run
errands for him, stuff like that.

You all right back
there, Lieutenant?

Actually, you know, if you
could you slow down...?

Who is it you look like, sir?

You like Thai food, sir?

Me, too. Boy, I wish
they had a place

around here.

They chicken-fry
everything here, sir,

even the salad.

We'll be switching

to the Captain's car now, sir.

He's not here?

We're going to his house.

Uh, how far is that?

About 30 minutes.

I can do it in 20.

HOCHAUSEN: Harm!

RABB: Captain.

Looking crisp, Commander.

Starch in the boxers, sir.

( laughing)

Lieutenant, is my
car in one piece?

Yes, so far, sir.

Then you are joining us
for dinner... no arguments.

You won't get one.

Welcome back, Harm. Hi, Gail.

Even under the circumstances.

Roger, that. Gail...

This is Lieutenant
J.G. Bud Roberts.

Hello, Bud.

It's a pleasure, ma'am.

And this is The Hawk.

I've heard a lot about you, sir.

And you came anyway.

Commander Rabb
says you're the best

flight instructor in the Navy.

I hope he's not claiming
he was my best student.

He really didn't specify, sir.

Smart answer, Lieutenant.

Hey, Cap, remember the time
you came up my back seat?

Told me you
wouldn't say anything

unless I was screwing up, right?

Ten minutes into the flight,
I haven't heard anything.

I figure I'm acing it, right?

Suddenly he clobbers me
in the back of the helmet

with his flight stick.

He'd unscrewed it,
put a note through it

said, "Plug in your headset."

( all laughing)

I'd wager there was
another word between

"your" and "headset."

( Captain laughing)

You remember the drill.

Every six months I
take my junior instructors

out on a tune-up ride
to blow the dust off 'em.

Lieutenant Judd
was your wingman.

Correct.

Can you take me

to the point of the
accident, Captain?

Where were you

when he clipped
the telephone pole?

Leading.

He didn't see it?

Couldn't avoid it.

A severe downdraft
sucked it into his path.

Now, if he was below your wing

how did you avoid the same fate?

A few meters
made the difference.

So you were
ascending in formation

you're approaching the ridge

the turbulence swept
under you and caught him.

That's actually better
than the way I put it.

Think you could get that

put in writing for me, Captain?

It's always better when
I see things on paper.

Sure. I'll have Lieutenant
Schiparelli drop it by.

You know, we told
Admiral Locksley

it was an act of God.

Next thing I know

you show up to investigate
Peter Judd on an Article 32.

The F.A.A. is breathing
down our necks, sir,

because of the
civilian casualties.

The Lieutenant's
wife is pregnant.

He doesn't need the
F.A.A. to remind him

that this is a tragedy.

I stand by him, Harm.

He's my best junior instructor.

If anybody could have
avoided that pole, it was him.

I take it back.

You'd have missed it
and made an overseas call

at the same time.

( both chuckle)

I'll see you later.

RABB: What exactly
happened up there, Lieutenant?

You should ask
Lieutenant Judd, sir.

He was at the wheel.

You were in the back seat.

I'm asking you.

( chuckles): He's a cowboy, sir.

Shouldn't be allowed
to drive a Buick

let alone an F-14.

You saying he was flat-hatting?

An end zone dance, sir.

He was rocking and whooping.

When did he do that?

After the strike.

Where was Captain Hochausen?

Not sure, sir.

I lost him.

So you don't know if
the Lieutenant stayed

with the Captain's pull-out?

All I know is the
Lieutenant was pulling

a hell of a lot of Gs, sir.

How many?

Enough to almost black out.

That's when we hit the pole.

Next thing I know

I'm here.

That was my first
and last punch-out.

The knee's blown, sir.

I'm grounded.

I'm sorry, Lieutenant.

SCHIPARELLI: Commander!

Affidavits from
Captain Hochausen, sir.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

Captain must like you, sir.

He usually puts
off his paperwork.

Well, I like the Captain.

Oh, I gotta put my hat in
the ring with you there, sir,

'cause he's like a father to me.

Has me over to
the house for dinner.

Last year for my birthday

he had a New York pizza
delivered on the mail run

just for me.

The pizza here,
sir, it's disgusting.

Doughy, gloppy.
Should be banned.

And the toppings...

Don't even get me
started on the toppings.

If I were president I
would seriously consider

some sort of
automatic sterilization

for anyone who ordered
pineapple and Canadian bacon.

That's a point of
view, Lieutenant.

You from The Big Apple?

The Bronx.

Why do they call it that, sir?

Do you know?

No, I don't know.

When I think of New York

fruit doesn't come to mind.

Like, no fruit.

Nothing even fruity.

The big cheese, maybe.

The big noise.

The big hurt.

Lieutenant, are you
presently available?

Yes, sir, I am.

Because Lieutenant
Roberts could use a lift

over to weather control.

Uh, actually, sir, I was
planning on walking over.

I'm sure the Lieutenant
would be happy

to give you a ride, Bud.

Yeah, no problem.

That's okay. I could
use the exercise, sir.

Bud, I need that
information yesterday.

Yes, sir.

We'll be there before
you can blink, sir.

I know a shortcut
across the tarmac.

( sniffles)

Excuse me, sir, this
is an investigation site.

I'm going to have to ask you

to refrain from touching
or handling anything.

This belonged to my son.

Mr. Lanier, I, uh,
I'm deeply sorry

for your loss, sir.

Uh, Lieutenant
Commander Rabb... JAG.

Mac...

I thought you were in Pensacola.

I was.

The Admiral called me in.

Lieutenant Judd
requested representation.

I wish that this had never
happened, Commander.

This is Mr. Lanier

husband and
father of the victims.

Were you flying this plane?

Yes.

Why'd it go down?

Don't worry, Mr. Lanier.

Before this is over, sir

I promise you'll have an
answer to every single question.

MACKENZIE: I only
received the order last night.

RABB: You can't
pick up the phone?

What would you
have said, don't come?

So, how's the Hawk?

He have you over for dinner yet?

Don't bother, Mac.

I know you're

old friends.

He supports your boy.

Well, that couldn't be
very encouraging for you.

I interviewed Lieutenant Judd

and I have reason to believe

that he's not responsible
for this accident.

Oh, yeah? What's his story?

That a severe downdraft
caught him off guard.

That wouldn't happen to be
the Captain's version, would it?

Yeah, it would.

His Rio says he was hotdogging.

That doesn't preclude
the interference

of a downdraft.

Mac, turbulence is
nothing new to pilots.

If he was caught off guard,
he wasn't paying attention.

He was following his leader.

RABB: He was lagging behind.

Because of a downdraft.

Sir, should I order lunch?

So, you were
scoring the exercise

on the day of the accident

correct, Lieutenant? Yes, sir.

From your vantage
point in the bunker

did it look to you

like Lieutenant Judd
was hotdogging?

I don't know I'd
call it that, sir.

The Lieutenant has an
aggressive style of flying.

I'm not in the mood for
semantics, Lieutenant.

May I speak freely, sir?

Please.

Lieutenant Judd once

accidentally cut a phone
line with his tail fin...

Put, uh, half the
county out of service.

The Admiral investigated...
Eventually dropped it.

See, the thing was, the
Lieutenant had left out

an important piece
of information.

He was upside
down at the time...

Upside down, 30 feet
above the deck at 500 knots.

( chuckling)

So, in your opinion

Lieutenant Judd is an
irresponsible aviator.

No, he's a good one, sir.

Which is it, Lieutenant?

Sir, I'm a scorekeeper.

I'm qualified to judge whether
a shooter hits the target.

Lieutenant Judd usually does.

RABB: There's no getting
away from it, Captain.

Lieutenant Judd has a
major rep as a cowboy.

Are you concerned
with his reputation

or the evidence?

Okay, let's talk evidence.

Flight records indicate

he had a takeoff
mishap on July 24.

He jettisoned his
external fuel tanks

onto the runway.

He didn't check his
drop tank switches?

He didn't see them.

The warning lights
were too dim...

Instrument panel was
in full morning sun.

Too dim?

You never once
considered pilot error?

I can tell the difference between
a problem and an excuse.

Come on, one more.

Come on.

Yeah, yeah.

Captain, even if the
downdraft can be proven

your ability to clear
the ridge before he did

suggests he was
late on his pull-up.

He's in trouble for being late?

If he wasn't

pulling Major Gs, why
was Gerter blacking out?

I have no idea.

Cap, I'm just trying

to make some sense of this.

You're looking for a
bogie that isn't there, Harm.

Now, wait, I'm not trying
to be difficult, really.

The problem is
I'm talking to you

like we're still
flying together.

I forget you gave up your wings.

I keep my hours up.

I can tell.

You still know how

to lock in a target.

Some instincts

you never lose, huh?

(chuckling)

I had a good teacher.

(chuckling)

(country music playing)

Damn.

Corner pocket.

MAN: That's game.

That was fast.

Now, if you could
play like you look...

Hey, be nice.

Got a need for
competition, honey.

A little eight ball, Blevins?

I know that game.

You're out, Angel.

SCHIPARELLI:
No, you can't do that.

I came here to play
pool. I want to play pool.

The sign on the door
says, "ladies welcome."

That's why I'm here.

It's a unisex game. Hey,
do you ever shut up?

You've had your shot.

Now it's Blevins' turn.

Anyway, we play for drinks.

Why don't we play partners,
her and I against you two?

If that's all right with you.

Can you play?

I'm all right.

Question is, do you fly?

Sometimes.

What's your ride?

Tomcats.

( yawning)

( Harm chuckling)

Hornet pilots.

But of course.

Well, then we have to play.

Not for drinks.

Money?

Uh-uh.

Your boots.

My boots against your pants.

Add her bra and we got a deal.

Hey, now.

Break.

You feeling lucky?

Hey, look at that.

( gasping)

I just figured out
who you look like, sir.

He's an actor.

He's in that medical drama.

What was it called?

He did that episode where
he had to stick his hand

into the patient's chest
cavity and massage his heart.

I can't think of his name.

I had his poster on my wall.

It's the eyes.

What?

Something wrong?

No.

You sure?

'Cause you're not...

Hey, Mac.

Stop by for a drink?

You know better than that.

Now, where's my head?

Uh, this is Lieutenant...

Schiparelli.

Major MacKenzie's
defending Peter Judd.

Good evening, Major.

Good evening. May I ask

what your duties
are here, Lieutenant?

Sure, I work in the
public affairs office

and I help out

the Captain when I can.

I'm sorry, and what would that
have to do with the Commander?

He needs help getting around?

Apparently not.

SCHIPARELLI: May I ask you

what you mean by that, ma'am?

Mac,

we played pool tonight...

Beat the pants off a
couple of flyers from El Toro.

Is that what you do in
your spare time, Schiparelli?

Hustle Marines?

No, ma'am.

I usually prefer a challenge.

Uh, we'll probably
need a ride around 9:00

If that's all right with you.

Don't you need me
to drive you back, sir?

Uh, no, I'll, uh, catch
a ride with the Major.

I'll see you in
the morning, huh?

Good night, Lieutenant.

Could have been, sir.

(grunting)

Gee, I'm sorry, sir.

I didn't know you'd
be here tonight.

That's okay, Bud.

Bumped into Mac, why
shouldn't I bump into you tonight?

Well, I don't think your
night's over yet, sir.

I think you should take a look

at these wind conditions

from the day of the accident.

Oh. No, wait. I'm sorry.

That's not what I
wanted to show you.

Um, wait...

Ah! Here it is.

Um, no.

Where did it...?

Bud, I'm losing brain
cells every second.

Ah, okay. Here it is, sir.

Now, the updated convective
sigmets noted area forecasts

of clear air at the ridge

with wind gusts
of up to 30 knots.

Now, since air flow

is far worse on the
leeward side of a ridge

and the Captain
and Lieutenant Judd

were ascending on the
windward side of the ridge,

that meant they were
caught in an... Updraft.

Gusts on the windward side
tend to force you up and not down.

Apparently Lieutenant
Judd and Captain Hochausen

are confused what
side of the mountain

they were on, Bud.

Well, how can that be, sir?

How, indeed, Bud?

How, indeed?

Morning, Lieutenant.

Good morning, sir.

You got a minute, Captain?

Yeah. Have a seat.

Can you give me a sense
of the power of the downdraft

the day of the accident?

Well, that would be a
question for Lieutenant Judd.

You said you felt
some turbulence, sir.

I shook a little.

How much is a little?

Where you going with this?

Can you prove Lieutenant Judd
was caught in a downdraft, sir?

No more than you could prove

you and I are having
this conversation.

We are a witness
to each other's story.

Well, I'm having problems

with the story, Captain.

You're having
problems believing me

and quite frankly,
I'm resenting it.

Captain, I can personally
attest to the aid and support

you give your men

but if you are helping
Lieutenant Judd

avoid responsibility, sir...

The short version, Commander.

You're protecting him.

From unfounded speculation.

It is my job to
investigate, Captain.

( sighs)

I have seen too many good pilots

skewered by rule-book
barons and ignorant C.O.s.

If you don't give a man
room to make mistakes

you take away his
ability to learn from them.

What about consequences?

You don't believe a man

should learn the
price of his mistakes?

You remember when you
almost lost your flight status

because of the high
noon gunnery competition?

Judge declared

you were shooting
inside the minimum range.

The command was unwilling

to tolerate a major
safety violation.

Until it was determined

I was within range, Captain.

Until I convinced
him it didn't matter.

You were the best
aviator out there.

You deserved a second chance.

I saved your windswept
butt, Commander.

( tires screech)

Morning, Lieutenant.

Hello, sir.

ROBERTS: Thanks a lot!

No problem. Good day, sir.

You surprised me, Bud.

I didn't think

you had much faith in
the Lieutenant's driving.

Well, the tech pub library is
only a mile and a half away, sir

and I took my contacts
out before I got in.

What were you
doing at the library?

I was reading up on some
aircraft maintenance manuals

to see if anything
jumped out at me.

Do you know there's such a thing

as a G-measuring device?

Yeah, it's a gauge on
the instrument panel.

Yes, sir, but that one
can be reset by the pilots.

What I'm talking about
is a thing called a, uh...

a statistical accelerometer.

Statistical accelerometer.

Where have I been, Bud?

It's a little device that...

It's the device the maintenance
crews put in the wheel well.

It keeps a permanent record

of vertical velocity.

This will dispel or
substantiate Gerter's claim

that they were pulling Major Gs.

That's what I was thinking, sir.

Good work, Bud.

Great work, Bud.

RABB: Morning, chief.

How are you doing today?

MAN: Oh, I could
be richer and younger

but I have a good time.

How's it coming
with the postmortem?

Well, sir, I can tell you
she crashed and burned.

You didn't happen to find a
statistical accelerometer...?

In fact, we did.

You want to take a
peek, Commander?

The, uh, crew found
her in a scorpion nest

about a quarter mile away.

Hell of a scorpion.

Okay. Final numbers show

at the time she hit the pole

she was pulling, let's see...

seven Gs.

Wow. That'll suck the enamel

right off your teeth.

Can I see that, chief?

Yes, sir.

That would confirm
Lieutenant Gerter's story

wouldn't it, sir?

One for the evidence box, Bud.

Thanks, Chief.

No problem, Commander.

Lieutenant Judd was
in a seven-G pullout.

There's no way he was on
Captain Hochausen's wing.

It looks to me like your
guy was playing catch-up

grayed out and lost control.

Grayed out?

Heavy Gs narrow the
cone of vision, ma'am.

Without peripheral spectrum,
you're flying with blinders.

Well, that's speculation,
Commander.

His Rio testified that
he was hotdogging

and this proves he
was pulling major Gs.

Well, what about the Captain?

What about him?

Did his plane have a
statistical accelerometer?

Um, sorry,

but the device
seems to be missing.

How could that happen?

Don't know, ma'am.

That's an inadequate
answer, Petty Officer Rivas.

I'm inclined to agree
with you, ma'am.

I wish I could be more helpful.

I'm as confused as you are.

Maintenance personnel
are the only ones

with official access
to the aircraft.

Incorrect, Mac.

You're forgetting the pilots.

Thanks, Rivas.

You are reaching...
There is no way

that Lieutenant Judd
could have tampered

with the evidence.
Did I say that?

I think the Major's right, sir.

The fact is... I
think the Captain...

Lieutenant. Yes, sir?

Do you mind if I talk
while you interrupt?

Sorry, sir.

Now, Bud, I think
you and I concur.

It is conceivable that the Hawk

knowing he was pulling less Gs

took his own
statistical accelerometer

to protect his wingman.

MACKENZIE: But if it's missing

we can't substantiate that.

Yes, we can.

Do you want to bring me
up to speed, Commander?

Well, I don't know if you
want to go this fast, Mac.

HOCHAUSEN: This is a hell of
a way to waste taxpayer dollars.

RABB: We want an exact duplicate

of the strike exercise on
the day of the accident.

Wind conditions won't duplicate.

Let's do it anyway.

Your call, Commander.

You know, Mac, if
you're not feeling up to it

it's not too late
to have someone

more experienced
put in the back seat.

Are you suggesting
I can't handle this?

Don't "semper fi"
me on this one, Mac.

She's no biplane.

They put me through the drill.

I know what buttons to push.

Okay, so long as
they're not mine.

Hey, Mac, how you doing?

Mac?

Yeah.

You all right?

Yeah.

Sure?

Yeah.

HOCHAUSEN:
Two, this is the lead.

I'm popping up.
Roll in to the left.

Target in sight.

Roger, one.

Scorer noted ten feet at 9:00.

Bull's-eye. I'm done.

MACKENZIE: We're
not going to make it!

RABB: How was it for you, Mac?

( vomiting)

HOCHAUSEN: Just
cleared it, didn't you?

That would be correct.

Yeah. A sudden downdraft

you would have popped that pole.

Looks that way.

Listen, I want to let this go

and put it behind us, okay?

Let's take them in.

Which one of those
landings should I count?

Now, that I didn't expect.

As I've been saying

we all make our
share of mistakes.

It's called being human.

Well, I'm going
to drain a draft.

Anybody want to join me?

No, I better stay
with the Major.

You go on.

How you feeling, Major?

Lighter.

(laughs)

I apologize for all the
flying jokes I ever made.

How many Gs was
that... 12 million?

Seven Gs.

Lieutenant Judd was following
his leader over the ridge.

What do you mean?

The Captain had to pull
seven Gs just to clear it.

He never specified his
G-count when I questioned him.

The Hawk didn't steal the
statistical accelerometer

to protect Judd.

He did it to divert
attention from himself.

What? He almost
got away with it, too.

You're losing me.

I probably would
have overlooked it

if he hadn't landed high.

That's a mistake
reserved for rookies

or veterans with
diminishing skills.

And... If a young
buck like Gerter

passes out at seven Gs

what do you think
that'll do to a man

20 years his senior?

Yeah, but he was okay up there.

Until touchdown.

Captain's vulnerable
to mistakes...

The kind of mistakes

that cause one to
misjudge landings

and the height
of telephone lines.

Are you saying

that he led Lieutenant
Judd into that pole?

Oh...

Come on, let's sit down.

Put your head between your legs

and breathe deep.

It'll pass in a couple minutes.

That is what you're saying.

That's incredible.

Your investigation just changed

from wingman to leader.

That-that'll put us on
the same side, Harm.

Where you going?

To test my theory.

( tires squeal)

Take a stroll?

You spend a lot of
time with Captain...

I shouldn't have
kissed you, sir.

It was a teenage
stunt, incredibly stupid.

There was no excuse for it

and I'm so mad at
myself because I...

Lieutenant.

You seized the moment.

That's why you're an officer.

( chuckles)

( chuckles)

Now, what can you tell me
about Captain Hochausen

that might help me
with my investigation?

Like what, sir?

Is he having problems
with mental alertness?

No, sir.

What about sleep?

Is he getting enough?

Does he appear
fatigued? No, sir.

Any problems with his eyesight?

Lieutenant?

Sir, the Captain
knows what he's doing.

Yeah, but can he see

what he's doing up there?

You take him out
of a plane, he'll die.

He may die if I
don't take him out.

He may take a couple
of people with him.

Now, specifically, Lieutenant

what do you know?

Well, sir... between
you and me...

For the record.

Sir, you're not
making this easy.

I think the Captain
cheats on his eye exam.

He's been doing it
the last few years.

He told you this?

No. I overheard him on the phone

with another senior aviator.

They-they trade techniques
on how to pass the tests.

Like what? I don't know.

I just get bits and pieces.

Sir, if you think
this has anything...

Thank you, Lieutenant.

I appreciate your candor.

MAN: What do you want
to talk to a gimp retiree for?

Is your life that uninteresting?

How's the new hip, sir?

Indestructible.

It's the flesh and
bone around them

that's disintegrating.

Cognac?

No, thank you, Admiral.

Well, I'm not going to ask

if you mind if I indulge

'cause frankly, I
don't give a damn.

( chuckling)

How long has it been?

Since I graduated
flight school, sir.

Bet you thought you'd be
landing on my gravesite.

Oh-ho, it is my
personal belief, Admiral

that you will outlast us all.

( chuckling)

Prosit.

Having fun in Washington?

Are you jiggin' and JAGgin'?

Oh, it's stimulating, sir.

What about your old man?

You any closer to finding
out what happened to him

or are those stiffs on the Hill

still running you around?

I have some new leads.

Here's to the Hammer...

wherever he may be.

So, why am I talking
to you, Harmon Rabb?

You flew into your 50s, right?

One of the few.

You ever have any
problems with your eyesight?

I didn't, but the base
optometrist failed to agree.

You ever fudge

an eye exam?

Are your peepers going?

Uh, no, sir.

I'm investigating a crash.

I know about it.

Terrible thing.

No, Commander, I did not.

Know anyone who did?

Well...

it's been known to be done.

The majority step
down when it's time.

What do you know about
the techniques used?

This is about Gary
Hochausen, isn't it?

Yes, sir.

A good man.

A friend.

Two civilians died, Admiral.

Here you go.

All right. Not bad.

Bring the heat now.

Come on! Come on!

Now, watch it.

There you go.

Let the old man show you.

Come on.

Whoa!

Harm! Are you
joining us for dinner?

Can we have a
word in private, Cap?

Is that a "no"?

This is official, sir.

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

It is my personal
belief that you are now

and were at the time
of the training accident

physically unsuitable
to be flying category one.

What are you talking about?

I'm in better shape
than my trainees.

I didn't come here to
argue with you, Captain.

I came here to tell you

that this makes you
personally culpable

in the accidental deaths

of Melanie and Joshua Lanier.

Now, if you cooperate

I can talk to Admiral Locksley.

He'll support your resignation,
and you can escape public...

Drop the attitude, Commander.

And get the hell
out of my shorts.

What is this crap?!

Gary, I need you
to trust me on this.

You want to kick
my ass into oblivion.

Why am I talking to you?

'Cause you're in trouble,
and I'm trying to help.

Let me explain how that works.

Don't try to exploit my loyalty.

I'm not Lieutenant Judd.

No, you definitely are not.

You convinced him
he could take a fall

and not jeopardize his career,
and then he covered your tracks

by stealing the
statistical accelerometer

from your own aircraft.

What the hell happened
to you, Captain?

You were the most squared
away officer I ever met.

What changed that
would cause you

to place your flight status
above your principles?

Nothing changed!

Honey...

I haven't lost a
skill, an instinct

or a millisecond
off my reaction time.

I know how hard it is to give
it up, Captain. I've been there.

I don't have to
give anything up.

I'm every damn bit as
good as I've ever been

and I can do it
with my eyes closed

and my stick between my toes.

We all have our
limitations, sir... even you.

Well, that's the difference
between you and me, Commander.

I overcame mine.

I'm still in the air.

And what if that were your
wife and child in that car?

You do what you have to do.

My story stands.

Your handiwork, Lieutenant?

I don't have to
speak to you, sir.

That's okay.

I'll do the talking.

I'd like to tell you a story.

It's about a young aviator

who was mentored
by a senior instructor.

This mentor liked this
young man very much...

So much so that he
covered for the aviator's

occasional mistakes.

It came to pass, however

that the mentor
himself made a mistake

so, he went to his protégé

and he asked him
to return the favor.

The problem was,
it was a big mistake.

People died.

The question for the aviator now

was should he stand by the man

who stood by him

or should he do

what he felt was
right in his heart?

You know who I'm
talking about, Lieutenant?

No, sir.

I'm talking about myself.

And I've made my decision.

Care to know what it is?

Ted Lanier deserves
to know the truth

about the death of his family.

I owe him that as a human being

as a representative
of my country

and as a man who
hopes to one day

have a wife and
child of his own.

You can relate
to that, can't you?

Excuse me, sir.

I have to use the head.

( sighing)

SCHIPARELLI: You
wanted to see me, Major?

At ease.

Lieutenant, I think it's
time we patched things up.

I'd like that, ma'am.

Admiral Locksley's
decided to send the charges

to an Article 32 hearing.

How does that involve me?

The Commander has informed me

that you have possible
incriminating evidence

involving Captain Hochausen.

I'm sorry, Lieutenant.

I'm obligated to
reveal new information

to opposing counsel.

You want me to testify
against my mentor?

If it means clearing
Lieutenant Judd

of sole responsibility, yes.

If it wasn't for
Captain Hochausen...

This is bigger than
your relationship

with the Captain, Lieutenant.

Pardon me, sir, but aren't
you speaking for yourself?

There's a difference
between loyalty

and being indebted to someone.

Captain would have us believe

they're one and the same.

Permission to speak freely, sir?

This sucks.

HOCHAUSEN: At that
point, a severe downdraft

swept under my fuselage and
caught Lieutenant Judd's Tomcat

which dropped
approximately ten meters

causing it to hit
the telephone pole

at the western
edge of the ridge.

RABB: Let the record reflect

that I am handing the
witness exhibit one...

A report from base
weather control

stating turbulence
was on the eastern side

of the ridge.

The western, or windward side

was not considered
hazardous to even private

let alone supersonic aircraft.

Weather control was not
flying with us, Commander.

Are you suggesting the downdraft
was undetectable, Captain?

By electronic instrumentation.

You mean, like a
phantom wind, Captain?

No. It was quite real.

RABB: Sir, isn't Lieutenant
Judd using this wind

to avoid a charge
of pilot error?

It wasn't pilot error,
it was a downdraft.

Magnified by my wake turbulence.

I could sense it.

It was there.

If the prosecution is finished

the defense would like to
call to the stand Lieutenant

Tina Schiparelli.

The prosecution is not
yet finished, Counselor.

Captain, I'd like to
discuss those senses.

Isn't it true, sir

that on the day of the accident

your diminished depth perception

caused you to lead
Lieutenant Judd

to a point too
close to the ridge

and that it was

this action, not
the wind conditions

which caused him to have neither
the time nor the space he needed

to avoid striking the top
of the telephone pole?

No, Commander, that is not true.

Let the record reflect

that I am submitting
exhibit two:

a stipulation of fact signed by
myself and Major MacKenzie

stating that on
the day of the flight

re-creation, Captain Hochausen
seriously misjudged his landing.

You've never done
that, Commander?

Yes, sir, I have, and
as a result, I no longer

fly at night.

Captain, what is the General

visual response
to heavy G-forces?

The cone of vision
is... narrowed

peripherals are reduced.

Is this why all pilots undergo
such rigorous eye exams?

It is.

What is your vision, Captain?

20/20.

Are you familiar with
a technique called...

"the deep squeeze"?

I am not.

Apparently

if you squeeze your eyes

with your lids shut

it momentarily changes
the shape of the eyeball.

Gives you one second
of 20/20 vision...

Enough time to
read an eye chart.

Are you familiar
with the technique

now that I've described it, Cap?

No.

I'm told some senior aviators
use it to pass their eye exam.

None that I know of.

Let the record reflect

that I am...

standing on a line
previously marked

by the base ophthalmologist.

This is a common
eye chart, Captain.

I know what it is.

Please read

the fifth line for me, sir.

These are not
clinical conditions.

The doctor has assured me

they're sufficient,
Captain. Please.

"F-Z-B-D-E."

Very good, sir.

Next two lines.

"H-O-F-

L-C-T-A-P-E-O-T-F-Q."

And now, the 20/20 line.

"T-Z-V-E-C-L-G-N."

There's another technique

I haven't yet mentioned.

Since these eye charts
are relatively uniform

the individual simply
memorizes them.

Read the line again, Cap.

Please.

"I-F-L-Y-

N-A-V-Y."

The line was altered, Captain.

I submit to the
convening authority

that Captain Gary Hochausen

was unable to properly determine

the correct range of
the oncoming ridge

endangering his
wingman in the process

and inadvertently
causing the deaths

of Melanie and Joshua Lanier.

Unusual prosecutorial
approach, Commander.

I couldn't do it to her, Mac.

She'd agreed to testify.

Yeah, it would have
been like putting a knife

in the hand of Brutus.

So, you stabbed him yourself.

I would have preferred
to do it my way.

Well, we both lost, Mac.

Lieutenant Judd lied.

He was manipulated.

He's still facing
disciplinary action.

( sighing)

Good day for flying.

Or thinking.

You torpedoed me, Commander.

We have to do what
we have to do, Captain

in combat and in life.

Who fed you that load?

You did, first time I met you.

Well, at least I went
down in a dogfight.

I know this changes
things, Captain.

It doesn't mean that one
day we can't mend fences.

Yes, it does.