Crimson Tide Page #6

'cause they've flown their birds

and struck us first.

- Yes, sir.

- You know as well as I do...

that any launch order received without

authentication is no order at all.

- Captain... National Mili...

- That's our #1 rule.

That rule is the basis for the scenario

we've trained on time and time again.

- Yes, sir.

- It's a rule we follow

without exception.

Captain, National Military Command

Center knows what sector we're in.

They have satellites looking down on us

to see if our birds are aloft.

And if they're not, then they give

our orders to somebody else.

That's why we maintain more than one

sub. It's what they call "redundancy."

- I know about redundancy, Mr. Hunter.

- All I'm saying...

All I'm saying, Captain,

is that we have backup.

Now, it's our duty not to launch

until we can confirm.

You're presuming that we have other

submarines out there ready to launch.

But as captain,

I must assume...

that our submarines could have been

taken out by other Akulas.

We can play these games

all night, Mr. Hunter...

- but I don't have the luxury

of your presumptions.

- Sir...

Mr. Hunter, we have rules that are not

open to interpretation...

personal intuition, gut feelings,

hairs on the back of your neck...

little devils or angels

sitting on your shoulders.

- Captain...

- We're all very well aware...

of what our orders are

and what those orders mean.

They come down from

our Commander-in-Chief.

They contain no ambiguity.

- Captain, sir...

- Mr. Hunter, I've made the decision.

I'm captain of this boat.

Now shut the f*** up!

Damn.

Weapons/Conn:

Shift targeting

to target package SLBM 64741/2.

This is the captain.

- Captain, I cannot concur.

- Repeat my command.

Sir, we don't know what this means.

Our target package could have changed.

You repeat this order

or I'll find somebody who will!

- Hell no, you won't, sir.

- You're relieved of your position.

Cob, remove Mr. Hunter

from the control room.

- Get Lieutenant Zimmer in here now!

- No, sir, I do not concur...

and I do not recognize your authority

to relieve me on the command

under Navy regulations.

- Cob, arrest this man and get him out!

- Captain Ramsey...

under operating procedures governing

the release of nuclear weapons...

we cannot launch our missiles

unless both you and I agree!

- Cob, what are you waiting for?

- Now this is more than formality, sir.

This is why your command must

be repeated! It requires my assent!

I do not give it, and, furthermore,

you continue upon this course...

- and insist upon this launch without

confirming this message first...

- Son of a b*tch.

- I will be forced,

backed by the rules of precedents...

- Chief of the boat...

- as captain and commanding

officer of the USS Alabama...

- authority and command...

- regulation 08150H6...

- I order you to place

the X.O. Under arrest...

- on the charge of mutiny!

- Of the Navy regulations...

- to relieve you...

- I say again, I order you...

- of command, Captain!

- To place the X.O. Under arrest...

on the charge of mutiny!

- Cob!

- Captain, please, the X.O. Is right.

We can't launch

unless he concurs.

"To the USS Alabama.

Rebel-controlled missiles

being fueled.

Launch codes compromised.

Dissidents threaten launch

at continental United States.

Set DEFCON two.

Immediately launch ten

Trident missile sorties."

They're fueling their missiles!

We don't have time to f*** around!

Sir, I think you need time

to think this over.

I don't have

to think this over!

Captain, I relieve you

of your command of this ship.

Cob, escort the captain

to his stateroom.

- I'm assuming command.

- You're not assuming anything.

Chief of the boat, Captain Ramsey's

under arrest. Lock him in his stateroom.

- Captain, please...

- Now, Cob!

Aye, sir.

Mitchell! Walker!

Take the captain below.

You're way out

of your league, Hunter.

You're not ready to make

tough decisions yet.

What the hell

we waitin' for?

Anybody here disagrees

with what I've done...

then you feel free

to relieve yourself of duty now.

Anybody?

All right.

- All stations.

- Aye, sir.

This is the Executive Officer.

I have assumed

command of this ship...

under authority granted me

by Navy regulations.

I have relieved Captain Ramsey of his

duties for acting in contravention...

of the rules and regulations

regarding nuclear weapons release.

It is my intention

to delay the missile launch...

maintaining our current state

of readiness...

pending confirmation

of an emergency action message...

- that was cut off during the attack.

- [Sighs]

Remain at battle stations missile.

Carry on.

[Locks Door]

What the hell

are we doin', Fred?

I don't know about you,

but I'm pissin' my pants.

[Bear Softly Growls]

Come on, boy.

Conn/Weapons:
Russians will have

missile launch capability...

in 39 minutes.

[Hunter] Chief of the boat.

Sir?

Thank you, Cob.

"Thank you"?

F*** you.

Get it straight, Mr. Hunter.

I'm not on your side.

Now you could be wrong.

But wrong or right, the captain can't

just replace you at will.

That was completely improper. And that's

why I did what I did, by the book.

I thank you anyway.

Radio/Conn:
Mr. Zimmer, get

those communications back on line now.

We're working on it, sir.

Aye, aye, Captain.

- Are you ready?

- Uh... ready. Go.

Jesus.

This f***in' thing...

You know, this whole system is crashed;

radio buoy is severed.

- What the f*** does he want us to do?

- Sh*t electrons?

Hey, Vossler, we need communications,

not smart-ass remarks.

- Aye, sir.

- All stop, ten degrees up.

- Ten up. Aye, sir.

- All stop. Aye, sir. Enters all stop.

- [Bleeping]

- Conn/Sonar:
Holy sh*t, sir!

He's right on top of us!

He's turning toward!

- Range?

- 600 yards!

Conn/Sonar:
Torpedoes in the water!

Bearing 048, 050!

- Left full rudder!

- Left full rudder! Aye, sir!

All ahead full!

Zero bubble!

Sir, don't you want to fire back?

Torpedoes are ready, sir.

No, we're in too close.

Our weapons won't have time to arm.

All ahead flank! Chief of the watch

to maneuvering. Give me max speed now!

- [Bell Ringing]

- Maximum speed! Aye, sir!

Sonar/Conn:
Let me know when our range

to that Akula is open to 1,000 yards!

- Conn/Sonar:
Aye, sir!

- Damn it! Let's just shoot this f***er!

- What's 1,000 yards for?

- 'Cause it takes 1,000 yards

for the torpedoes to arm!

Jesus! Who'd you f***

to get on this ship?

- [Bleeping]

- Conn/Sonar:

Torpedoes 150 yards

and closing fast, sir!

Bearing 070, 074!

Launch port countermeasures!

- Countermeasures away, sir!

- Rig ship for impact.

Rig ship for impact!

Aye, sir!

They missed! They missed!

They passed astern!

They were too close to arm, sir.

Conn/Sonar:
Range to the Akula:

Go to manual on the arming mechanisms,

tubes two and four.

- Snapshot, two and four.

- Snapshot, two and four.

Tubes fired electrically, sir.

Sonar/Conn:
Give me exact ranging

and speed on our weapons.

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