The Guardian Page #2

Lieutenant Krauss,

start the mishap checklist.

Aye, Captain.

Captain, I've got an EPIRB hit

on Randall's survivor suit.

Launch ready helos. Swimmer provide.

We have a C-130 coming off a case

off Attu. It's already low on fuel.

I don't care. Have them cut an engine.

I want him to know

he's not alone out there.

Listen. Listen.

You hear that?

Hold on, Carl.

Here we go, Carl. I got you.

What's the ETA on the backup helo?

Helo's en route to Cold Bay.

They should be on-scene,

three, maybe four hours.

Make it three.

Jesus. How much more of that stuff

do you think I got in me?

Feel that?

- You feel that?

- Yeah.

That means you're alive.

I'm not gonna let go.

- Don't you!

- I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna.

serious fractures,

like in the C-spine,

which could cause paralysis.

Mostly what we see is old fractures

in the arms, also in the leg,

but nothing acute.

Nothing new with this injury, luckily.

We just hope the kidneys kick in

and start to help him

resolve a lot of that fluid.

Thank you very much.

We've been friends a long time,

haven't we?

I've always been good to you,

haven't I?

Didn't promote you to a desk when

you turned 40 like everybody else.

That's right.

All right,

so now I need you to listen to me.

Okay.

There's an instructor opening

at "A" School, that...

No. The answer is no.

You just said you'd listen. Sit down.

I'm not interested, Captain.

Well, it's no longer a request,

Senior Chief. Sit down.

You're serious?

You have two choices.

Sign the papers today and you can

live life as a civilian here in Kodiak,

if that's what you want.

Or you can take that "A" School

opening I'm offering you.

I've already spoken to command

down there.

It will be your class.

You will be in charge.

You can take the time

to work your way back into shape.

I am in shape.

God damn it,

that's not what I'm talking about.

Ben, all I'm asking is that

you go down there for a few months.

You work with the kids, you recharge.

Download that epic rsum

where it's gonna do some good.

You can't always be

the one in the water, Ben.

You'll know

when you're ready to come back.

You people got 15 seconds

to get off this bus.

Move! Move! Let's go! Get off the bus!

Hurry up.

Let's go, let's go.

Put your white books

in your red bags.

Let's get that squared away now.

Put those books away.

Females,

grab your bags, fall out to the rear.

Follow Chief Flight

and Petty Officer Hall.

The rest of you, pick a bunk,

put on your ODUs.

You started with 15 minutes,

you are now down to 12.

Move! Move, move, move!

Move it out. Get changed

out of those working blues.

Hurry up. Move it out.

Find your rack. Quit wasting my time.

Hey. Hey! That's my stuff, man.

Hey, that's his bunk.

You two a couple?

It's okay. I like the top better anyway.

Out of the 39,000

men and women

who make up

the United States Coast Guard,

there are only 280 rescue swimmers.

Let's go! Let's go, mermaids!

This is because

we are the Coast Guard's elite.

We are the best of the best.

When storms shut down entire ports,

we go out.

When hurricanes ground

the United States Navy, we go out.

And when the holy Lord himself

reaches down from heaven

and destroys his good work with winds

that rip houses off the ground,

we go out.

And the attrition rate at this school

is well over 50%.

So if by some miracle you actually

have what it takes to become one of us,

then you get to live a life of meager pay

with the distinct possibility

of dying slow, cold and alone

somewhere in the vast sea.

However, you also get the chance

to save lives,

and there is no greater calling

in the world than that.

So, ladies and gentlemen, welcome.

Welcome to "A" School.

Are there any questions?

Captain, Airman Fischer.

Just have one question.

That guy who holds all them records,

is he still alive?

Why do you ask?

I just thought you ought to let him know

I'm about to knock his name

off that board.

Really?

Why don't you let him know yourself?

He's standing right behind you

in the back of the room.

Class, turn around

and greet Senior Chief Ben Randall.

Senior Chief Randall will be your

lead instructor for the next 18 weeks.

Senior Chief Randall is one of

the most decorated rescue swimmers

in the history

of the United States Coast Guard.

Ben, would you care

to address the class?

No, I think there's been enough talk

for one day.

Chief Skinner, they're all yours.

Attention on deck.

- Carry on.

- Aye, Captain.

PT test begins at 0700 tomorrow.

Class dismissed.

You will file through the front door.

First row first, followed by the second.

Frank.

"When God rips houses

off the ground"?

I was rolling.

And I didn't mean

to put you on the spot up there.

And I was real sorry

to hear about your crew.

Come on. I'll show you around.

- So I hear you're staying in a single?

- Yeah.

Helen's got some family business

she's gotta take care of up there.

Mayday, mayday, mayday!

This is Ballmariner! Ballmariner!

We are on fire! We are on fire!

Go!

- Let's go, let's go, let's go!

- Let's go, logs.

Let's move it out! Let's move it out!

Work as a team! Work as a team!

- Two lines.

- Two lines.

- Two lines.

- Two lines.

Do you understand me?

Yes, Petty Officer Hall.

Very well, let's try it. Lean and rest!

Pop tall.

Oorah!

- What the hell was that?

- That was terrible.

That was the worst

I've ever seen.

That was terrible.

Let's try that again.

Twenty-two.

Come on!

- Up!

- Twenty-three.

Down. Up.

- Twenty-four.

- Get that ass down, Cable!

- Up!

- Twenty-five.

That is absolutely horrible.

Pop tall to the lone pine and back! Go!

Move your ass!

Let's move it! Get it going!

Let's go.

Let's go.

Bring them back.

- Circle back!

- Let's go! Get back here!

- Get back in line!

- Let's move!

- Back in formation.

- Let's move, move, move!

Back in formation.

Lean and rest. Senior Chief on deck.

Pop tall.

Oorah!

I don't care who you are,

where you are from

or where you are going.

I care about one thing

and one thing only.

That is the future victims

that you will be asked to save.

If I feel that you will fail them,

I will fail you, understood?

Yes, Senior Chief!

Hodge. Where are you from, Hodge?

I'm from Teaneck, New Jersey,

Senior Chief!

Hodge is our triple repeat.

Do you plan on making it this time,

threepeat?

I really hope to, Senior Chief.

Yeah, well, hope don't float, Hodge.

You better start to learn to swim

against the current and not with it.

Aye, aye, Senior Chief.

Fisch.

Fisch. Why are you here, Fisch?

I'm here to exceed your expectations,

Senior Chief.

I'm a rescue swimmer at heart,

born, bred and water-fed. Oorah!

Wow. I bet you practiced that

all morning.

Mr. Fischer is

our high school swim champ.

He's had scholarships

to every lvy League.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I didn't realize that he was so qualified.

I mean, you set records in a pool?

That's amazing.

I'll bet it was like, what,

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