Whale Song
(Submarine)
Corbett: Scandinavian whaler, three hundred meters off port. Get me closer. OK, that’s it, I got her.
Wiggins: Give me the numbers.
Corbett: Hull number four, five, alpha, seven, bravo, three, eight, zulu. It’s the Irish Ocean, seven minutes, fifty-three degrees North latitude, nine minutes, five degrees west longitude. They had a humpback in their nets.
Wiggins: I should tell Max.
Corbett: Let him sleep. We’ll tell him in the morning.
Wiggins: He doesn’t sleep anymore, Jerry, none of us do. We’re losing.
Corbett: I know.
(Scully’s Cabin)
Scully: Scandinavian?
Wiggins: Yes, sir.
Scully: Is it a kill?
Wiggins: I’m afraid so, sir, but we can ID the numbers. We got ‘em cold, this is the third time. We have a great case against them.
Scully: But no one cares, Wiggins.
Wiggins: You do.
Scully: Well, maybe that’s not enough anymore.
Wiggins: Whatever it takes, sir.
Scully: You don’t have to say that unless you mean it.
Wiggins: I do.
Scully: And Corbett?
Wiggins: He’s with me, sir.
Scully: Thank you, Wiggins. Get some sleep.
(Bridge)
Corbett: A direct hit, sir.
Scully: We’ve crossed over, boys.
(seaQuest DSV – Mess)
Krieg: This is a perfect orange. Perfectly round, perfectly fresh, and perfectly, well, perfectly orange. Fulfilling the government’s suggested daily requirement of vitamin C supplement perfectly.
O’Neill: That’s not a supplement. That’s an orange, the real deal.
Krieg: That’s my point. It’s not.
Ortiz: Than what is it?
Krieg: It’s a chemically engineered, hydroponically grown, citrus-like replacement food. I mean just once I would like it bruised, or not quite ripe. Something, anything, make it taste real.
O’Neill: It’s just breakfast Krieg, try the egg product.
Krieg: But they’re not eggs.
O’Neill: No cholesterol, no fat...
Krieg: And no chickens. No chickens. This boat never has to stop by a grocery store. The crew’s menu is created in the lab out of altered DNA and chemical pies. The ice cream has a half life of fourteen hundred years. I mean, who knows what this stuff is doing to us.
Ford: I like it.
Krieg: Oh yeah, than where is your breakfast?
Ford: I just got off watch. This is dinner.
Krieg: No, this is a freeze dried protein patty. A look alike beef product.
O’Neill: Raising cattle was outlawed because their methane gas was deteriorating the ozone.
Krieg: So some cow passes air, and I can’t eat a cheeseburger.
(Bridger’s Room)
Noyce: (on screen) The North Seas frequently produce unpredictable weather patterns. I’ve been in the Irish Ocean, it can be rough, but three ships in the last two months?
Bridger: What about a rogue wave? We could run some wave patterns.
Noyce: (on screen) Rogues don’t discriminate and the vessels involved are all whalers. First one, Scandinavian, then two weeks later a Japanese commercial disappeared, and now, the wreckage of an unidentified trawler washed up off the coast of Norway. That’s why the Pentagon wants to see you.
Bridger: You know, this is not my end of the rope anymore, and whaling’s been illegal since the turn of the century.
Noyce: (on screen) So is smoking cigars in restaurants but people still do. We’ve got trade agreements with those guys, Nathan. We’re partners with Japan and the super collider; and we don’t want to compete against the Saab space lab. And, people are dying.
Bridger: So are whales.
Noyce: (on screen) Sorry, Nathan, it’s an order. A chopper will pick you up off the launch at oh five hundred hours. Nathan, bring a coat, it’s raining in Washington.
(Krieg’s Room)
Bickle: (on screen) No can do, Lieutenant.
Krieg: Look, that’s not the answer my superiors want to hear, Chief.
Bickle: (on screen) Tough.
Krieg: Come on, I could ring your bell on this, Bickle, but I’m a good guy, so I won’t, but you’re refusing a direct order.
Bickle: (on screen) No, I’m not, I’m obeying one -- no red meat, no natural eggs, and no alcohol. Anyway, you still owe me for those interactive video headsets.
Krieg: They were stolen.
Bickle: (on screen) Try again, Krieg. Harmson told me you traded ‘em for a still. You can’t brew beer out of genetically cultivated barley, they bred the buzz out of it -- I tried.
Krieg: Look, this is a medical emergency.
Bickle: (on screen) Two pounds of ground beef?
Krieg: Come on, Bickle, pretend we got a sea cow on board in need of a transplant.
Bickle: (on screen) Try a nine hundred linkup, Krieg -- naked women dancers -- it’s more your speed.
(Washington D.C, Pentagon)
General Thomas: (Bridger enters, goes to salute) Oh, let’s keep this easy, Nathan, we’re all old friends here, aren’t we?
Bridger: Well, not exactly.
General Thomas: Oh, no? Matt Smith, Jack Jones, Nathan Bridger. I thought you guys would have met on a golf course back on Guam.
Bridger: Gentlemen.
Smith: Captain.
Nathan Bridger: How do you do.
Jones: Captain.
General Thomas: Let’s have a drink. Scotch rocks, with a twist, right?
Bridger: No, not for me, thank you, sir.
General Thomas: Oh, come on, Nathan, it’s Frank. Relax, have a drink, we’re off duty.
Bridger: If we’re off duty, then why was I flown in with a military escort?
General Thomas: Couldn’t get you a seat on the Navy shuttlebus.
Jones: You have to try some of this roast beef, Captain. It’s from Argentina. They must feed the cattle something special down there.
Bridger: I didn’t know they were supposed to feed them anything down there.
General Thomas: Still going by the rule book, huh, Nathan?
Bridger: Turned in my rule book, sir.
General Thomas: It’s Frank.
Bridger: Frank.
Smith: I’ve been very impressed with your work on seaQuest, Captain.
Bridger: Thank you.
General Thomas: Yeah, from damn the torpedoes to talking dolphins, science. If I didn’t have rank it would have put me out of a job.
Bridger: Science is the job, Frank -- at least for me.
General Thomas: Come on, Nathan, this isn’t a fund-raiser, and don’t tell me you don’t miss some of the old run and gun.
Bridger: Not since I lost my son in combat, no. Why am I here, Frank?
General Thomas: We’ve lost three UEO allied vessels in the last two months.
Bridger: Ships that were whaling illegally.
General Thomas: I don’t care if they were floating whorehouses. These guys are on our side.
Bridger: But they were breaking UEO law.
General Thomas: They were blown out of the water, an outright act of aggression.
Smith: Our intelligence tells us there’s a sub cruising the North Sea, apparently it’s armed and active.
General Thomas: We want you to find the sub and then sanction with extreme prejudice.
Bridger: You mean hunt them down and kill them.
General Thomas: This is within the UEO charter.
Bridger: I’m sorry, I think you’ve got the wrong man.
General Thomas: But we’ve got the right boat.
Bridger: Meaning what?
General Thomas: Gentlemen.
Smith: Captain. (leaves)
Jones: Captain. (leaves)
General Thomas: Sit down. I want you to search out this submarine, and destroy it.
Bridger: The seaQuest mission is search and rescue, sir.
General Thomas: Not this time, Captain.
Bridger: With all due respect, you can’t order me to do this.
General Thomas: No, I can’t, but every young hotshot on that boat of yours can forget about a career in my navy if you don’t. I’ll make their lives miserable, and I’ll make your life miserable. You know I will. I’ll expect an answer in twenty four hours. (Bridger salutes) I’m sure you’ll come to the right decision, Nathan.
(seaQuest – Launch Bay)
Crocker: Captain on board.
Bridger: As you were.
Ford: Welcome back, sir. How was Washington?
Bridger: Redskins lost. Where’s Lucas?
Ford: I think he’s sleeping, sir.
Bridger: Wake him up.
(Bridger’s Room)
Bridger: (knock on door) Come in.
Lucas: You wanted to see me?
Bridger: Yeah, you awake?
Lucas: Yeah, sort of. I was in the middle of this dream about driving some girls to the beach on a motorcycle.
Bridger: I hope you were wearing a helmet.
Lucas: See, that’s the weird part, I was just wearing my underwear.
Bridger: I’ll try and get you back to it as soon as I can.
Lucas: Right.
Bridger: I think you’ve done some terrific work for us here on seaQuest.
Lucas: And there’s a lot more to do.
Bridger: Yes, and I hope this has been an experience to help you decide what you wanted to do with your future.
Lucas: Well, this is what I want to do with my future.
Bridger: Maybe, and maybe this is just something you try on and see if you like.
Lucas: Captain, am I being fired?
Bridger: No, but I’m pulling you off seaQuest.
Lucas: What?
Bridger: I’m sorry.
Lucas: Well, look, if I’ve done something wrong, just tell me. I can change.
Bridger: No, no, it’s not you, it’s me. I’m resigning. Commander Ford’s taking over, temporarily, and after that, I don’t know if this is going to be a place you wanna be.
Lucas: What happened to you at the Pentagon?
Bridger: I can’t tell you, it’s military.
Lucas: I’m your friend.
Bridger: There’s been a submarine in the North Seas sinking whaling ships. They want me to hunt it down and destroy it, but I can’t do it. I can’t take sides on this issue.
Lucas: But in this case, aren’t the means justified by the end?
Bridger: Machiavelli said that and wound up in prison.
Lucas: I know.
Bridger: Lucas, I don’t know what I’m going to do about this, but for now I’m going to do nothing.
Lucas: You’re quitting.
Bridger: Yes, I guess I am, but at least I wanted you to hear it from me first.
Lucas: Oh, well, thanks for telling me. (leaves)
(Bridge)
Ford: I can’t accept this, sir.
Bridger: I’m afraid you’ll have to. It’ll be the last order I ever give you. Please send that to General Thomas immediately. Ordered a launch to take me ashore at first light, I’ll get home from there.
Ford: But this is your home, Captain.
Bridger: Not anymore, Jonathan.
Ford: Request granted, Nathan.
Bridger: Thank you.
Crocker: Ah, Captain, I --
Bridger: Consider it said, Chief. Take good care of her for me, gentlemen.
(Sea Deck)
Bridger: Time to go, pal.
Darwin: Go, where?
Bridger: Time to go home.
Darwin: Bridger sad?
Bridger: Yes, I am. Go on, go. (as Darwin swims away, Bridger turns around and sees Westphalen) You heard.
Westphalen: (walking toward Bridger) It’s a small boat.
Bridger: What do you think?
Westphalen: Well, I’m not sure it’s what I would do, but I think that for you, you’re doing the right thing.
Bridger: Thanks for that, and for everything else.
Westphalen: I am going to miss you. (they kiss)
(Submarine – Bridge)
Corbett: We’ve got her, she’s in range.
Scully: Fire when ready.
Wiggins: Fire ... one.
Corbett: Oh, my God, we just hit a cruise ship.
(Beach)
Radio: ... The attack, labeled by the UEO as an outright act of terrorism, is the fourth in the last three months, but this is the first time a luxury liner has been targeted. The first three ships were whaling vessels, and speculation is that this tragedy may have been a case of mistaken identity. Rescue ships are steaming toward the scene, but casualties are expected to be high. The identity of the passengers on board have yet to be released.
Bridger: Oh, look what they’ve done.
Radio: In other news, former President Bill Clinton celebrated his seventy-second birthday at his home in Arkansas...
Bridger: (sees dolphin) Well, look who’s decided to come home.
(Submarine – Bunks)
Corbett: What are we going to do now, Max?
Scully: I’m sorry, I don’t understand the question.
Corbett: We just sank a boat full of innocent people.
Scully: Yes, I know that.
Wiggins: This goes way beyond activism, Max. The whole world is gonna be lookin’ for us.
Scully: I doubt it, Wiggs. It’s unfortunate, but I doubt it. An innocent country is invaded, and two days later everyone’s watching the soccer championships on television. Passenger jet’s shot down and the airlines offer supersavers to Hawaii. The headlines of the day are about busboys who win the lottery.
Wiggins: No, no, it’s not like that anymore.
Scully: No, Wiggs, it is exactly like that. It’s an intermission, Wiggs, and you are either a soldier or a victim.
Wiggins: But now, we’re as bad as they are.
Corbett: This is wrong.
Scully: Why? Why? Because a bomb delivered in a suitcase is less moral than one delivered by a Navy jet? I don’t think so.
Wiggins: Um, we are going to leave.
Scully: Oh. And do what?
Wiggins: And turn ourselves in.
Scully: Victim or soldier, you’ve made your choice, gentlemen, and I’ve made mine.
(Caicos Key Dolphin Research Center – By The Pool)
Bridger: Malcolm.
Malcolm Landsdowne: Nathan!
Bridger: Who is he?
Landsdowne: Who’s what?
Bridger: Now, don’t take me through the tide pools on this. You know everything that’s going on underwater or you know somebody who does. Who’s been sinking these ships?
Landsdowne: I made a decision a long time ago not to stay out of this game. No one wins, so I don’t play it anymore.
Bridger: When it comes to people and whales it’s close, but people win. You know who it is, don’t you?
Landsdowne: So do you.
(Room)
Video: Maximillian Scully, the noted oceanographer and undersea explorer, was tragically lost in a boat explosion earlier this week while on expedition off the Great Barrier Reef. Scully, most known for his work with whales and his radical tactics to preserve undersea life, may have been the victim of an assassination. Throughout his career he was the target of harsh criticism by the commercial fishing industry, and efforts to thwart his activism had increased in recent years.
Bridger: Max Scully is not dead?
Landsdowne: And it was his bomb that exploded. He was planning to sabotage a whaler. Probably forgot to reset his watch when he crossed the date line.
Bridger: Have you seen him?
Landsdowne: Doesn’t look good. His face was badly burned. He’s turned a corner, Nathan. He wanted me to give him money to buy an old Russian Foxtrot.
Bridger: Why didn’t you tell me?
Landsdowne: Didn’t know what he was planning to do. I just thought Max wanted to disappear, like I had, like you have, like the Regulator has. We’ve all reinvented ourselves. It was his business, it wasn’t my place to tell ya.
Bridger: Malcolm, I spoke at this man’s funeral.
Landsdowne: I know, and he was very touched.
(seaQuest - Krieg’s Room)
Krieg: (enters) Lucas, Lucas, where are you?
Lucas: (in vent) I’m in here, Ben.
Krieg: (helping Lucas out) What are you doing?
Lucas: I’m a stowaway, I had to get some socks.
Krieg: Great, well, I brought you some food, well, it’s sort of food.
Lucas: I’m not hungry.
Krieg: Look, you can’t be sneaking around the boat like that. Bridger finds out I didn’t take you up world, I’m gonna end up running a marina on Lake Chautauqua.
Lucas: Bridger’s not coming back, and I don’t even care.
Krieg: Lucas, the Captain did what he thought was right.
Lucas: He didn’t do anything.
Krieg: Yeah, and sometimes that’s the hardest thing to do -- nothing. But you can’t get caught still here, or I’m bait.
Lucas: I’ll take full responsibility.
Krieg: How?
Lucas: I’ll tell them I blackmailed you because you found out that after you took me up world you were going to smuggle some ground beef aboard. You had no choice.
Krieg: Do yourself a favor -- forget law school. And I didn’t take you up world because you’re a part of this crew. I just gotta let it blow cool for a while, then, when everybody starts missing the Lucas man, I’ll be a hero. (pulls out frozen meat)
Lucas: How’s it coming?
Krieg: Not good, it’s been frozen at absolute zero since it was outlawed.
Lucas: Put it in the galley microwave.
Krieg: Yeah, right, crew gets whiff of this, everyone will want a bite.
Lucas: It’s dead cow, Krieg.
Krieg: Uh huh, and you haven’t lived until you’ve had some, cooked over an open grill, with melted cheese, and mustard, and relish on the fourth of July, just like my father used to make them for me when I was a kid.
O’Neill: (over loudspeaker) Attention, all officers not on duty report to the launch bay.
Krieg: Hands off the beef.
Lucas: Not a problem.
(Launch Bay)
Crocker: Captain on board.
Bridger: (salutes) Request permission to come on board, sir.
Ford: This is your boat, Captain.
Bridger: No, it’s not, I resigned. Don’t you remember, you sent the letter.
Ford: I never sent the letter, sir.
Bridger: That was an order, Commander.
Ford: I know, sir, but once you wrote it, technically you were no longer a Captain. I was under no obligation to carry out the order. What should I do with this?
Bridger: Do with what?
Ford: Thank you, sir.
Bridger: Well then, make way for the Irish Ocean. We’ve got a submarine to catch.
(Bar)
Mike Lutz: (two men fighting in ring, Scully and Lutz working controls) I did it! Yeah!
Computer: Green player, winner.
Scully: You play me again. Come on, come on, come on, play me again.
Lutz: Eh, I played this thing out in Frisco, but that one had two women with hooks for hands. Damn game gives me a headache. Besides, you owe me a beer. Come on, ante up.
Max up.
Lutz: Check the board, plenty of ships goin’ out.
Scully: Yeah, well, I need somethin’ that pays real good, huh.
Lutz: What are you, a seaman?
Scully: I had a first mate rating once upon a time. The commission lifted my papers. I harvested a little coral, some reef hugger took it personally. I was thinkin’ maybe the whalers would be hirin’.
Lutz: Where did you hear that?
Scully: Where did I hear it? Where did I hear it? Well, ya know, maybe I didn’t hear it, maybe I guessed it. Three big ones down, crews might be a little spooked, I might find some work.
Lutz: Yeah, dangerous work. If that guy out there shootin’ torpedoes doesn’t get you wet, the sea commission will put you in a room without windows for the rest of your life.
Scully: But they gotta catch ya first, don’t they? Pay’s good. Ya gonna help me?
Lutz: Got a commercial fisher outta Liberia leavin’ at oh two hundred. Name is Saint Renee. We’re goin’ whalin’. You show up, you sign on; we ain’t gonna wait for ya.
(seaQuest – Sea Deck)
Lucas: Darwin. Darwin. (Darwin swims over) You’re back.
Darwin: Man bad. Bridger wrong.
Lucas: Yes, I know.
Bridger: So do I.
Lucas: What are you doing here?
Bridger: That’s my question. I thought I ordered you ashore.
Lucas: Look, it’s not Krieg’s fault, it’s my own. And if you’re wondering, we made it to shore, but then I made Krieg turn around and come back because I told him I was gonna run away and get a tattoo and join the Italian Navy --
Bridger: All right, all right, all right.
Lucas: Uh, seaQuest is my home, too, you know.
Bridger: Yes, I know, I guess I wasn’t even in command when I gave the order.
Lucas: Why’d you come back?
Bridger: Not a perfect world, and sometimes you have to do things you don’t wanna do. And I missed you.
Lucas: I missed you, too. (they hug)
(Krieg’s Room)
Krieg: (singing) I like mine with lettuce and tomato, Heinz Fifty-seven, french-fried potato, big kosher pickle, and a cold draft beer, well ... (speaking to baseball bat under glass) good God, Nolan. Yes, your grandfather was a great pitcher, but I’m afraid you couldn’t hit your way out of the minors. (singing) Not too particular not too precise, I’m just a cheeseburger in paradise. Ahhh.
(Bridge)
Ford: Entering the Irish Ocean, sir.
Bridger: Sound the alert.
(Krieg’s Room)
Krieg: Oh, yeah. (alarm sounds) Great.
(Bridge)
Bridger: Ladies and gentlemen, what we have here is a Russian submarine, category-type, Foxtrot. Approximate length, three hundred feet, tonnage at dive, two thousand five hundred. She’s fully armed, runs on diesel, so we’ll be scanning for kerosene. Mr. Ortiz, begin you sonar sweeps on all frequencies, let’s see where this fish lives.
Ortiz: Aye, sir.
Bridger: Then, we’ll go get her.
(Later)
Ortiz: I’ve picked up a pod of whales on our passive sonar, sir.
Bridger: Follow them. Update WSKR readings, that’s our bait. Let’s keep the energy up boys and girls. This guy’s no Easter Bunny. Chemical scan.
Ortiz: Traces of kerosene, sir.
Bridger: Parts per million?
Ortiz: Two parts per million.
Bridger: Rotate sensitivity three five niner.
Ortiz: Five parts, sir, now seven populating at ten o’clock. I’m picking up a low frequency prop noise.
Bridger: Run it through our acoustical library, see if it confirms Foxtrot. Then come sixteen degrees port. I think this is our man.
Ortiz: I’ve got him, sir.
Bridger: Come starboard, twenty degrees, half speed ahead, split the difference. I’m gonna run a down field block here.
Hitchcock: Aye, aye, sir.
Bridger: Arm forward lasers and torpedoes.
Ford: Arming forward lasers and torpedoes.
Bridger: Inflate the outer skin with maximum ballast shell protection at assault ratings -- he may take a shot at us.
Hitchcock: What can we take at this depth?
Bridger: Well, we’re specked at twenty-nine thousand pounds at impact. I hope that’s enough. (sees Lucas enter) I thought you were in your room.
Lucas: I’m scared.
Bridger: So am I. Back up Ortiz. Let’s go to alert.
(Submarine)
Scully: Bridger.
(seaQuest – Bridge)
Ortiz: He’s fired on her, sir. One o’clock at three hundred yards.
Bridger: Full speed ahead.
Ford: Aye, Captain.
Bridger: Damage report.
Hitchcock: Second deck, starboard, A three and four. We’ve got water.
Bridger: Lock it off.
Ortiz: Sub’s cutting and running, sir.
Bridger: Good, Crocker, take a launch over to that whaler and arrest the crew.
Crocker: Aye, aye, Captain. On my way.
Bridger: Disable the sub, Commander.
Ford: Aye, aye, sir.
O’Neill: Come in, Max Scully, do you read? Can you copy? He’s not responding, sir. Maybe he can’t hear us.
Bridger: He can hear us. Get me a sea crab -- I’m going over there.
Ford: Alone, I can’t let you do that, sir.
Bridger: This time, it’s an order, and besides, it’s between me and him. Take it easy, Lucas.
Lucas: You too.
(Submarine)
Scully: (Bridger enters) You’ve come here to kill me, haven’t you?
Bridger: I hope not, Max.
Scully: Hmm. I knew it’d be you.
Bridger: I didn’t.
Scully: Well, it’s appropriate, isn’t it? We’re both on the same side, and look what they’ve done to us.
Bridger: This one is all yours, and what you’re doing is all wrong.
Scully: Yes, its’ wrong, Nathan, but if I don’t do it, who will? And if not now, when? I’m a hero, and let me tell you something I’ve learned about heroism. It’s most often done by someone who’s frightened or stupid, and I don’t like to think of myself as stupid, Nathan, but I am frightened, for you, for me, the world, my seas, the whales, everything. So I’m willing to make the final sacrifice – eternal damnation? So be it. Because that’s heroism, Nathan, knowing there’s no return, doing what you think is right, regardless.
Bridger: That’s why I’m here.
Scully: I know.
Bridger: I’m going to have to take you back with me.
Scully: Then you’re killing me, and you know it.
Bridger: The choice is yours, Max.
Scully: May I have a moment with my ship, Captain?
Bridger: Certainly.
Scully: Oh, Nathan. (goes over to torpedo tube and climbs in)
(seaQuest – Bridge)
Bridger: (enters) Firing torpedo number one. (to Lucas) You better get some sleep.
Lucas: Did you kill him, sir?
Bridger: No, that was his choice.
(Krieg’s Room)
Krieg: (knock on door, hides cheeseburger) Ah, sir.
Bridger: (entering) I just wanted to say thanks.
Krieg: For what, sir?
Bridger: For disobeying my order to take Lucas ashore.
Krieg: Oh, well, technically it wasn’t an order, sir.
Bridger: I know. Don’t do it again.
Krieg: I won’t, sir. But he’s like a little brother to me.
Bridger: Oh, I hope not. What’s that I smell?
Krieg: Hmm, uh.
Bridger: Smell’s good. What’s this?
Krieg: (opens drawer, takes out cheeseburger) Cheeseburger, sir.
Bridger: A real cheeseburger?
Krieg: Just like my dad used to make ‘em.
Bridger: Lieutenant, these are illegal.
Krieg: Still?
Bridger: Still. (takes cheeseburger, leaves, take bite of it, throws it away)