Assault on a Queen Page #4

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I swim home now.

Yes, but that's

only half way.

When you get

on the shore,

you have to walk

the rest of the way

in a wet

bathing suit.

Let me drive you

to the pier.

I'll be there

before you can start

the engines.

That isn't exactly

the Brooklyn navy yard.

Mark, this is

Tony Moreno.

He tells me

you're s shark with engines.

Depends

on the engines.

Where's the boat?

Right in there.

Are you serious?

I didn't

say it was just

launched.

You didn't say it came

out of a museum, either.

I ain't seen one like this

in 20 years.

It grows on you.

I got enough

growing on me.

When do I start?

You've already started.

Hey!

Rossiter, Langley,

Miss Lucchesi,

My old friend, Tony Moreno.

Hello.

HI. Charmed.

Italiana?

Si, di Napoli.

Lei?

Io sono diMilano.

Hmm, Bene.

Are you looking

for something special,

or are you just browsing?

You ever serves

on these?

Only on the engines.

Anybody go down

on one of these

is crazy.

How about you?

Submarines.

Officer?

Check.

Senior grade.

Do I salute?

Nope, not in this outfit,

But we got

a chain of command.

He gives the orders,

and we jump.

Nice to have you

with us, Moreno.

Yeah.

What do you

think of him, Mark?

How did you say

he got that D. D.?

The discharge?

He hit

the superior officer

with a wrench.

Almost killed him.

Is that all?

Ha!

Hope he can work

under pressure.

Not too much pressure,

mind you.

After all, what are we

asking him to do?

Just to get

the engines going

so we can holdup

a liner.

That's not asking too much.

Not too complicated.

Let's go to work.

Gaskets will have to be

replaced.

You'll need

all new indicators.

Gears look like

they're in good shape.

The clutch

is frozen.

We'll have the repack

the whole thing.

I've got

new packing coming,

A blowtorch, too.

You'll need it.

I hope the shafts

are not rusted away.

The mountings,

fittings, surfaces

are all corroded.

The same goes for

the compressor

and the pumps.

I'll need

at least 10 days--

repairing, improvising,

patching up.

Maybe some

reinventing.

You want my

my honest opinion?

Well, yeah.

Forget the whole thing.

What's all that about?

Tony,

for the moment,

just worry

about your side of this.

I know you can do this.

Those batteries

are going to give us

nightmares.

What do you mean?

completely gone?

They couldn't

light a flashlight.

We could use

car batteries for

emergency lighting.

We'll have to get

a generator,

distilled water

and acid.

We'll get them.

We still have to pray

there's enough lead

to take a half charge.

And even then...

Yeah?

Even then?

You'll have

to ride the surface

most of the time.

You won't be able to

keep her down there

for more than

one hour at a time.

But if it gets us

where we want to go...

If?

"The terrible ifs

accumulate."

Hmm?

Winston Churchill.

They better do

all their accumulating

while we're

on this dry run.

If those batteries

die out 100 miles

offshore,

we can have

a big farewell party

on the bottom

of the ocean.

Tony, it's still

worth the try.

Yeah. Think of

the money.

[ITALIAN]

Oh, boy!

Five more minutes of this,

and they can put me

in a rubber room.

Next time,

I'll stick to galleons.

Oh...

Hey.

Where'd you steal that

Huh?

What do you mean

by that?

Nothing, nothing

it's just an expression.

You don't strike me

as the Tiffany type.

The world's full

of surprises.

Yeah.

You know, I got

a thing for rocks.

Anything shiny, you know.

What about

a little shiny sweat

on the forehead?

If I want my

jewelry appraised,

I'll send

for somebody. Move over.

[ENGINE STARTS]

Hear that?

That's what you should be

worried about.

Right now

they're singing at me...

but who knows?

The engines

are singing at him.

I love Italians.

They're so damned musical.

Let's knock it off

for tonight.

That honest sweat

you were looking for--

it' all used up.

I haven't got

any liquid left.

Hey, what union you with?

You keep short hours.

What, suddenly

you're the foreman?

When I punch out,

that's my business.

Why don't both of you

shut up.

The temperature's

no different over here.

Ahh, let's stop.

It's like an oven.

It's like

a nuthouse.

That's what it is,

a loony bin--

a happy German,

queer for boats,our spaghetti eater,

Mr. Brittain's

wino freedom rider,

and Mr. Brittain,

himself,

who I think

would sell us out

for 25 bucks

in hard cash.

Did I forget

anybody?

What do we do

about him?

Somebody

make a suggestion.

I think that'll do itfor this evening,

gentlemen.

Mark!

Yeah?

We're knocking it off

for tonight. Let's go.

There's still

much to do.

Tomorrow night,

Mark and I will

dive her right here

at less than

conning tower depth.

Then we'll

fill and blow all the ballasts

and pump the trim tanks

before we even go out.

When we do take her

out of here,

we'll surface

at night a few times if we have to.

For now, let's all get

a little sleep, O.K.?

All right, Rosa.

Let's go.

Thank you.

Arrivederci.

So silent.

So little to say?

Just tryingto thinkof a rhyme for Rossiter.

He doesn't appeal?

I'm mad about him.

Make allowances,

Mark.

He had a hard

beginning--

The slums

until 14 years old,

then the reformatory.

That would explain

his angers,

wouldn't it?

I'll try to set asidean hour a day

to extend my sympathy.

How many hours a day

will you devote?

How many hours at night?

I don't like that, Mark.

There was a time

when Victor Rossiter

appealed to me--

when he filled a need.

I make no excuses, Mark.

I didn't ask for any.

Rosa?

Are you coming

or not?

I was thinking of saving

this for the christening,

but

I seriously doubt

this old tub would

survive the blow.

Know something, Mark?

Not very much.

We're digging

ourselves a grave here.

Each of us for his

own particular reason--

love, loyalty, greed.

The atmosphere

is stifling.

It's becoming extremely

difficult to breathe.

You want out, Linc?

I signed onfor the duration.

Funny thing, though.

Ever since I went

into long trousers,

I've been running

away from myself.

I found a hiding

place in a bottle.

Where'll I hide

after this, Mark?

If we're lucky,

Maybe in a suite

at the Waldorf.

You believe that?

I do not.

Drink up, Lincoln.

You've got your problems

and I've got mine.

She's so deep in my gut,

we breathe together.

[MUSIC PLAYS]

What time is it, please?

Quarter to 2:
00.

Freshen it up?

Just more ice,

thank you.

Well?

Well, come on, Eric.

What happened?

She's ready.

Well, so far, so good.

Yeah, and that calls

for a nice, tall drink.

Hey, Rosa.

Oh, Linc.

It wasn't what you'd

call a maiden voyage,

but our lady

went under 12 feet

without a leak.

And everyone's

all right?

As Mark says, 4-0.

Same again?

Please.

For me, too, no ice.

How did your little

shopping trip go?

Two of them?

Just what we need.

Linc...

You were in

the British navy, no?

Wireless operator

on a cruiser.

How long have

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