Fail-Safe Page #4

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Something blew in the fault indicator.

We're replacing the whole unit.

The fault indicator

is our master control.

It tells us if something goes wrong

in any of these other components.

- Did something go wrong?

- No sign of it.

We'll know as soon

as they replace the unit.

Sir, the fail-safe box.

There must be some mistake.

Check Omaha.

Can't get through, Colonel.

Interference.

What kind of interference?

I don't know, sir.

It's a kind I never heard before.

Try another band.

Try all of them.

Can't get through.

They must be trying to keep us

from getting our go signal.

They're too late for that.

Request permission to authenticate

on secondary channel.

Permission granted.

Order confirmed.

Request permission to verify, sir.

Permission granted.

Code sequence correct for today, sir.

Signal is go.

We will now both open

our operational orders.

Ready for approach

and penetration orders, sir.

You say these alerts happen

half a dozen times a month?

About that.

Not usually so dramatic.

We rarely get

to the fail-safe point.

I'd be a nervous wreck.

So would I if I had

to make a speech in Congress.

That blip up there at ten o'clock.

It's headed into Russia.

That is why some people advocate

a return to manned bombers...

for a first-rate retaliation,

rather than missiles.

They are slower and give more time

for evaluation and analysis.

The rockets have the defects

of their virtues.

They are too quick.

They allow too little time for thought.

I find this point of view

old-fashioned.

By the very nature

of modern warfare, the...

Put that on polar projection.

- Yes, sir?

- Get me the president.

I'm Buck, the translator.

They sent for me.

May I see your identification?

It says you have a small scar

on your left wrist. May I see it?

Yeah.

Dog bit me when I was a kid.

Yes, sir.

Hello, Buck.

How's your Russian today?

Fine, sir. I guess.

Good. We may need it.

Hang on, Jennie.

It's a long way down.

Tell Joe nothing leaks

to the newspapers yet.

Call the vice president and tell him

what's up. He'll know what to do.

On second thought,

we better tell the press something.

Have Joe tell them it's urgent,

but not a bone-breaker so far.

And off the record, no leaks.

Any leaks on this, the guy

and his paper are dead now and forever.

I'll tell Joe in just those words.

Who's at the Pentagon briefing today?

I want them in on this.

Secretary of Defense.

Chiefs of Staff.

That Professor Groeteschele

they like so much is giving the lecture.

- Is Blackie there?

- There's a General Black.

That's Blackie. I'm glad he's there.

We went to college together.

He's got a brain

and says what he thinks.

That's all for now.

Get to work.

Have them turn up the air-conditioning.

It's hot as hell down here.

We're far enough down.

Maybe it is hell.

- You know what's happened?

- No, sir.

One of our Vindicator groups

got a wrong signal.

They took off to bomb Moscow.

We've got to stop it.

Easier said than done.

But we've got a little time;

not much, but a little, so relax.

Easier said than done, sir.

If things get really hot...

I might have to use

the direct phone to the Kremlin.

That's where you'll come in.

Let's hope we don't get that far.

I hope not, sir.

- General Bogan from Omaha, sir.

- Put him on.

Group Six is now about 200 miles

past fail-safe, Mr. President.

We still can't make contact.

- Do you know what went wrong?

- No, sir, we do not.

Why can't you raise them by radio?

We don't know for sure, sir.

We've tried all frequencies.

We just can't make contact.

- Why?

- I dont know.

We had a flash on the board

just before it happened...

and the fault indicator

blew out at the same time.

The Russians may be jamming

their reception with some new device...

we know nothing about.

Why would they do that?

Is it customary?

No, sir, but it's possible.

In other words, it's possible

the fail-safe mechanism...

might be giving them a go signal...

at the same time they can't reach you

for positive confirmation.

It's possible.

It's not probable, but...

- Is it possible?

- Yes, sir.

All right.

If we regain radio contact...

will the bombers respond

to an order to return?

If we can reach them

within the next five minutes.

After that, their orders are

to disregard any verbal command.

Even if I talk to them?

Your voice can be imitated

by the enemy, sir.

Our men have been drilled in that.

Once they're

beyond a certain point...

they're not to trust

any verbal transmission.

What's our next step then, General,

if we follow standard procedure?

We already have

fighter planes in the air.

The next step would be to order

the fighters after the bombers...

to raise them visually

and divert them from their course.

What if the bombers don't respond?

The fighters would be ordered

to shoot them down.

Who gives that order?

You do, sir.

Thank you, General.

I'll be back to you.

Get me Mr. Swenson

in the Pentagon.

Swenson here.

Mr. Secretary,

I have a decision to make.

It's my decision,

and I'll make it...

but I want the advice of you

and your people, and I need it fast.

The president says he may have

to order our fighters...

to shoot down Group Six.

He wants our opinion.

I oppose it, sir,

on the grounds that it's premature.

Our planes have not yet

reached Soviet territory.

They're still hundreds

of miles away.

We got to do it

right now before it's too late.

It might be too late anyway.

Those fighters swung away from

the bombers when they got the all clear.

They've been flying

in the opposite direction.

- They're faster than the Vindicators.

- Not that much faster.

- I'm not sure they can catch up in time.

- They can go to afterburners.

- That will increase their speed.

- And use up their fuel.

They'll never be able to get back.

They'll go down in the ocean.

- We've got to try it.

- Suppose they do catch up?

Why do they have to attack?

Can't they signal?

Our men have been trained

to expect anything from the enemy...

even sending up his own fighter planes

disguised as ours.

They're good men.

We've seen to that.

If their orders are attack, the only way

to stop them is to shoot them down.

We have no alternative.

This minute the Russians

are watching their boards...

trying to figure out

what we're up to.

If we can't convince them it's an

accident that we're trying to correct...

we're going to have a situation

that nobody bargained for...

and only a lunatic wants.

Mr. President...

it is our opinion that the fighters

should be ordered in.

Thank you.

General Bogan, please.

Yes, Mr. President?

The fighters are to overtake

the Vindicators...

and, if necessary,

shoot them down.

Sir, it will be necessary.

I know that, General.

Order them in.

Colonel, order the fighters

to attack Group Six.

They don't have a prayer

of catching them, sir.

That is an order.

But that's the Arctic Ocean

they'll go down in, General.

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