The Frogmen Page #5

But your kind of bravery|comes 10 cents a dozen...

and isn't worth a hoot more|when the chips are down.

And the chips were down|on that deal.

Klinger was gone. I wasn't able to go.|I counted on you.

I pulled for you|to come through a man.

A full man, brains and guts.

I was even dope enough to think|I might talk you out of transferring...

recommend you|for Mr. Klinger's spot.

But you not only can't fill that job...

you're not even responsible enough|to remain a chief.

And when you transfer|out of this team...

you won't leave as a chief.

Is that all, sir?

Yes, that's all.

Come in.

- Ah, John, come on in.|- Hello, Pete.

I was just listening to some trumpet playing.|I fool around with it at home.

- Well, don't bother.|- When my wife's out, that is.

- Don't shut it off. You don't need to.|- Sit down.

- Thanks.|- I've had enough anyway.

- How's the leg?|- Fine. Fine.

It's, uh, not my leg|that's bothering me.

Another request for transfer.|This time from the entire team.

Looks like you've got what amounts|to a legal mutiny on your hand.

Yeah, it's a fine kettle of fish|with that special mission facing us.

You must have known that telling Flannigan|you were gonna bust him...

wasn't going to endear you|to him and his mates.

Now, look, I'm not here|to win popularity contests.

Flannigan jeopardized|an entire mission...

to say nothing of the lives of his team.

On the basis of the book, there was|nothing else to do, of course, but...

But what?

Everybody works differently.|I don't know what to tell you, John.

Well, I'm no Cassidy.

- Who said anything about Cassidy?|- You practically said it.

Sure, sure, everybody|works differently...

but not everybody|wants to understand that.

I know what these men want. They want|a glad-hander and a grandstander.

Well, I'm neither. I never have been.

- People take me for what I am or leave me alone.|- Why get all worked up about it?

Because I get so...

Because it must be my fault.|All these men can't be wrong.

It's nobody's fault really, John.

It's just that, well, these men|are hero-worshipping their dead idol.

They resent you|for stepping into his boots.

They'd resent anybody|who had to follow Jack Cassidy.

Yeah, I suppose so.

And of all the strange breeds|that might have come along...

it was their bad luck to get me.

For what it's worth, I don't think so.

How about a little cribbage later?

General quarters.|All hands, man your battle stations.

General quarters.|All hands, man your battle stations.

Collision, port side aft.

General quarters.|All hands, man your battle stations.

- What's up?|- We've been hit by a torpedo.

- Port side aft, sir.|- Sonar, do you still have a submarine?

Yes, sir. Range 20,|double 0 and opening.

Looks like the sub's moving away from us.|I'll turn away from her and open the range.

Right full rudder.

- Right full rudder, sir.|- Port ahead full.

- Starboard back two-thirds.|- Port ahead full. Starboard back two-thirds.

Hammer.

Doctor? Doctor!

There it is.|The water's above the door level.

We'll have to enter in the manhole|in the overhead. On the double!

Doctor!

Get me the lantern.

Doctor!

Take it easy, Creighton.

Stand clear.

Doctor!

Relax, son, relax. Take it easy.

Damage Control, this is Ryan.

Looks like the torpedo's a dud.

About half of it's lodged into the side|and sticking into the Sick Bay.

And we're taking water.

If it doesn't get any worse, I think|the bilge pump can take care of it.

This is the captain.

We've been hit by a torpedo port side aft,|in the area of the Sick Bay.

Fortunately, the torpedo was a dud,|and no one was injured.

Doc says the patient was a bit shaken up,|but he's all right.

I'll go have a look.

There's about two feet of water in the|compartment. The doc's down there with the patient.

Well, see that the bilge pumps|are running at full speed...

- and rig up a working light for us.|- Aye, aye, sir.

- I'd better lead the way, sir.|- Go ahead.

- You all right, Creighton?|- Yes, sir.

I was lucky I was sandbagged|and tied down.

Okay, okay, good. Can he be|moved up through there, Doc?

Impossible.|It'll put too much pressure on his spine.

I see. Take it easy, kid.|We'll get you out of here.

Know anything about torpedoes, sir?

A little. I had a few days|of this stuff during training.

What do you think, sir?

The warhead's been damaged.|Had one like this back at the base.

They called it|the "kingdom come" type.

- Think we can take a chance on it till we get to port?|- Uh, it'd be a long shot.

Well, the Honolulu was hit by a dud|torpedo, and they got back to Pearl.

The circumstances are different.

We got a damaged warhead, a patient that|can't be moved and a mission to complete.

I think we'd better|take this up with Vincent.

- You can call him on the phone there, sir.|- You want me to do it?

- You know more about it than I do.|- Okay.

This is John, Pete.|I'm down here in the Sick Bay.

Looks to me like you've got|a rough decision to make.

Yeah. Yeah, that is a tough one.|You think it's a dud?

It may be a natural dud|where the exploder never was armed.

That's happened before,|even to our own torpedoes.

- Well, what's your hunch?|- Well, I'm no expert...

but I'd say we oughta take a chance|on removing the exploder mechanism.

The odds are too big against assuming|that that fish isn't armed.

- You know how to do it?|- I'm willing to try...

unless you've got somebody|aboard more qualified.

Okay, then I'll take a crack at it.

Have Doyle order all unnecessary|personnel forward. Good luck.

Thanks, Pete.

Vincent says to go ahead and try|to remove the exploder mechanism.

What'll you need by way of tools?

Believe it or not,|nothing but one screwdriver.

Let's have a screwdriver.

- Is this large enough, sir?|- Yeah, that's perfect.

You all right, Creighton,|or do you want the doc...

- to give you a shot of something before he leaves?|- No, I'm okay.

- Okay.|- I'll have someone stand by above in case you want anything.

- That's a good idea.|- Here's the light.

Let's go, Doc.

- How's Creighton, Doctor?|- He's all right.

Have all personnel move forward on the fo'c'sle,|and I'd like a volunteer to stand by here.

- Aye, sir.|- I'll stay here, sir.

All right, Flannigan. Make sure|nobody's left in this part of the ship.

All right, on the double, everybody.

The sea's getting rougher.

Yeah, it looks like the bilge pumps|can't handle the flooding.

- Anybody on deck?|- Flannigan here, sir.

Lower the work light|and the portable bilge pump.

Aye, aye, sir.|Work light coming down.

Aye, aye.

- Bilge pump coming down, sir.|- Lower away!

Flannigan,|you'd better come down here.

Aye, aye, sir.

- How is it, Pappy?|- I can use a little company down here.

Flannigan, lend a hand here.

Aye, aye, sir.

Try and plug that up.

- You getting it?|- Got it.

See if you can find|a thin piece of wood. There.

A few of those tongue depressors|will do it.

Did you ever see the inside|of one of these?

Yes, sir, once or twice.

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