In Harm's Way Page #3

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- You married three of 'em.

- It's like eating peanuts.

Once I started, I couldn't stop!

Hey, look at you!

Two hands, congratulations.

- Shall we celebrate?

- How?

There's some action

at a place in Moanalua.

No, no parties for me.

Anyway, when do you special intelligence

officers do what you're supposed to do?

Seems you sleep all day

and go to parties every night.

Us civilians need more rest

and recreation than you old salts.

Not that you couldn't use a little.

It's time you crawled down from

Mount Rushmore and looked around.

You'd be surprised at the changes

we've made in the last 100 years.

I tell you, the women are

smoking cigarettes, drinking whisky,

doing the shimmy-sham-shimmy

hot damn, man...

- Very funny.

- Come on, Rock...

No, no thanks.

- OK.

- What?

Maybe you're right.

I gotta do something besides sit at a desk

and count the ink stains on the blotter.

Who's our host?

Whoever knows the host?

Some pineapple moneybags.

Were you invited?

One sailor looks like another.

Gimme your hat.

Egan Powell!

I want you to meet Captain Torrey.

This is Mrs...

- ... Let me see...

- Henderson.

How do you do?

Follow me.

Hello, Paula.

Well... Thank you very much.

Let's go over here.

It's very important to relax, old boy.

- Paul, how are you?

- Hello, Egan.

- Introduce me.

- Gaby, this is Egan.

- How do you do?

- You don't mind?

Hold that, will you?

- Enjoying the party, Captain Torrey?

- Yes, thank you. Fine party.

- You think so?

- It's great.

Thank you.

- Funny.

- What's funny?

Not exactly funny, it's just that

you're so different from your son.

- My son?

- Ensign Jere Torrey.

At least he claims his father's a captain.

I supposed you were it.

That's my son's name. Jeremiah. Jere.

He's been dating my room-mate.

Frankly, it worries me a little.

She's a green kid from Vermont,

he's a smooth Harvard type.

I think she's about to fall in love with him.

That's what worries me.

- Will it be all right?

- I hope so.

Not much comfort.

- How's the arm?

- I beg your pardon?

- Your arm!

- Oh, it's... fine.

I'm Nurse Lt. Haynes.

I took the X-rays today.

- I'm sorry!

- Thank you for not recognising me.

I made a special effort

to not look like a nurse.

Don't worry about your son.

I'm sure he's all he should be.

I'm flying under false colours,

Miss Haynes. I don't know my son.

I've been divorced many years.

He was raised

by his mother and her family.

I didn't even know he was in the Navy.

Well...!

Much as I'd like to,

I won't ask any more questions.

I hate to leave but

I have to get to the hospital.

I don't have to get any place but out.

Share a cab?

Let me drop you. I borrowed a car

from my landlord's gardener.

Thank you, Miss Haynes.

I'm Maggie...

if you'd like to be less formal.

Thank you for that, too.

But don't wait too long.

My unit's due to be shipped out soon.

- Captain.

- Maggie.

- Ensign Torrey?

- No, sir.

Your duty office said Ensign Torrey

had the watch aboard this craft.

- Yes, sir.

- Well?

- I'll get him for you, sir.

- Thank you.

Get topside, quick. Brass!

- Did you hear me?

- I'm going.

- I shouldn't have stood your watch!

- Take it easy.

I'm Ensign Torrey, sir.

You wanted to see me?

- I'm your father, Jere.

- Yes, sir.

- You look like your mother.

- Yes, sir.

- Is she well?

- Very well, sir.

Sit down.

Thank you, sir.

Do you often stand your watch

in your cabin?

Ensign Farris relieved me

for a few minutes, sir.

Motor Torpedo Boat duty.

How do you like it?

I don't like it, sir.

Why did you choose it?

It's a voluntary duty.

I volunteered on advice. This unit's

assigned to Admiral Broderick.

I was advised that a transfer

could be arranged to the admiral's staff.

Who gave you the advice?

Cdr. Neal Owynn,

the admiral's public relations officer.

I'll be his assistant.

I expect you've heard of Neal Owynn.

No.

He's quite a well-known

Congressman, sir.

He resigned from office

to join the service.

Your mother's family

can usually get what they want.

- You disapprove, sir?

- You trained on these boats.

You'd be a damn sight more useful here

than in public relations.

I majored in journalism at the university.

If I must do my bit

in this trumped-up war,

I prefer to do what I'm suited for.

Did I hear you say "trumped-up war"?

It is Mr Roosevelt's war, isn't it?

You not only look like a Cunliffe,

you talk like one.

I remember they said the first one

was Mr Wilson's war.

- What's your duty, sir?

- Routing convoys.

I expect to be in the forward areas,

if not actually in combat.

Admiral Broderick is to handle

a very important offensive, Skyhook.

I wouldn't know about that.

I wouldn't expect you would.

Cdr. Owynn gave me the information.

Are you leaving, sir?

Yes. Before I pick you up

and throw you to the fish.

I was four when you left my mother.

I don't even remember you.

And for 18 years

you haven't bothered to remember me.

Why come here tonight?

Let's just say that I did come

and let it go at that.

Goodnight, Ensign.

- How!

- Egan!

Where've you been for the last 10 days?

Or should I ask?

You shouldn't,

but there was snow in Washington.

Washington! Got the war all worked out?

If you buy me lunch,

I'll give you the date of victory.

- I am your man.

- Good.

- Run these courses off on the big chart.

- Aye, aye, sir.

We ensure information

given to the press corps

is good for the war effort

and for the Navy.

And for Broderick.

What's good for him

is good for the Navy.

With a little left over for Neal Owynn?

- How's the nurse?

- I'm seeing her tonight.

Why don't you come along?

She's got a room-mate that's not bad.

What do you know about

an operation called Skyhook?

- Where did you get that?

- Is it important?

Only 20 people between here

and the White House know that name.

There's 21 now, or maybe 22 or 23.

I got it indirectly through

an ex-Congressman named Owynn.

That's Broderick's drumbeater.

He needs a zipper in his face.

That's top secret.

I can't tell you about it.

OK!

You say you got it indirectly,

from Owynn?

See that young ensign,

lighting his cigarette?

- That's Owynn he's sitting with.

- That's where I got it.

From that ensign?

He's my son.

Well...! I'd like to meet him, Rock.

No, you wouldn't.

He had his chances to ask me.

Ten days' worth of chances is enough.

- He didn't call me. So I called him.

- How did you have the nerve?

Annalee, past a certain age,

men avoid making sudden moves

where women are concerned.

The women have to move

before it's too late.

It gets late fast in these times.

I like this man,

I want him to know it. Now.

Suppose they meet?

Jere's very funny about his father.

Oh, let them. It might be interesting.

- This must be Jere.

- I'll go.

- Hello, Ensign.

- Yes, ma'am, Lieutenant.

- Be a minute or two... She'll be down.

- Thank you, ma'am.

Lieutenant, ma'am...

I'd like to invite you to come with us.

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