Talon 1 requesting Bitching Betty relay Combat Control commands.
Roger, Talon 1.
Central Prime is transmitting...
...encrypted satellite auto-terrain comparison.
Talons, this is Operator.
PAYCOM has given his final tasking orders.
You are to proceed to target and prosecute with precision.
Now, remember, you are pilots of the U.S. Navy.
I expect nothing less than perfection.
Roger, skipper. Activating tactical music.
Countermeasure is silent party. Talon 2, confirm.
Talon 2 confirms. Music on.
Risk assessment is we have a clean mission status.
Attack commencing.
Gotcha.
Missile lock. Missile lock.
Talon 3, there's a SAM site on the west wall. We got birds in the air.
Talon 2, the SAM site's been erased.
Now, that's how you do it.
Talon 3, that was shit-hot!
Talon 1, I expect the same out of you.
Arming Blue Ferret for penetration detonation.
Missile armed. Missile armed.
Yep, 100 over 100. That's correct.
And I can rely on these numbers?
Well, this isn't figure skating, Ray. You either score or you don't.
National Command Authority's duly impressed.
They've given us the go-ahead on phase two.
You know what?
You should come to D.C. and make the presentation to the senators.
That's how Admiral Rickover got things done.
Admiral. You get my meaning?
No, I'm flattered, but you do the lobbying.
Politics is for politicians.
- Captain? - I'll get back to you.
There's Popsicles in the cooler.
- Got any grape? - Any grape?
I believe there is one left, and don't lose your dignity.
Oh, thank you.
- All right, take a seat. - Nice catch.
Talk to me. Where are the holes? How can we improve?
Come on. I'm not a patient man.
Sorry, I got caught up on that west wall. I had to pull out...
War is a team sport.
Those AAA sites were thick. Gave extra time to the SAM sites.
See, that's your answer. There really was no room for improvement.
Actually, what Lieutenant Wade did was right.
She took out their communications and exposed their SAM sites...
...so Henry could lay it down. - That's what I do.
- I mean, it was perfect. - "Perfect." I'll go along with that.
Much as I hate to see that smile of yours get any smugger.
You blushing?
I've got good news.
Tell us we got a carrier, skipper, come on.
Affirmative.
The USS Abraham Lincoln.
Captain's an old classmate of mine, Dick Marshfield.
- I believe you two know each other. - He was the captain I told you about.
- Hell of a pilot in his day. - He's black too. He's black.
I'm also gonna be expanding your squadron.
On the carrier, you'll be joined by a new wingman.
A fourth wingman?
Wait, I thought there were only three Talons in existence.
What is the problem, Purcell? You look like you been hit in the gut.
For one, captain, we've been flying together for a long time and it's good.
And four is an unlucky number.
- Unlucky? - It's not a prime number.
Prime numbers can only be divided by one or itself.
Three is prime. The Holy Trinity.
Thesis and antithesis come together and form the synthesis...
This is not a seminar on metaphysics. This is the U.S. Navy.
Now, we ship out Wednesday at 0500. Dismissed.
Okay. If he'd let me finish, I was gonna say...
...Three's Company, Three Stooges, Three Musketeers, three-peat...
..."three strikes, you're out," "Three Times a Lady."
- Three dimensions. - Three blind mice.
There's ménage à trois. Don't forget that one.
To the original three.
- Cheers to that. - Cheers.
- And assorted guests.
Cheers.
I'll be back in a second.
I gotta go pee-pee.
That's nasty.
At least she's potty-trained. I'll give her that.
- Chip O'Dell. - No way.
Yeah, it's gotta be him. Hey, Henry, our fourth wing. It's gotta be him.
He tried to manipulate his way into the program, but you two beat him.
Yeah, but Becky Martinez could fly circles around O'Dell.
- Two out of the four are women? No. - Hey, you never know.
- God, you're such a chauvinist. - Hold on, now, that's not true.
I bow down before the superiority of the opposite sex in many respects.
But from time to time...
...I believe they should bow down before me.
- Oh, please. - Kara. Kara, listen. You're different.
- You are a singularity. - Absolutely.
You're a freak. Of nature.
- Well, thank you, Henry, I think. - You are very welcome.
You know what I think?
Don't think. Drink.
Have fun.
Spectacular night, huh?
- Dark and mysterious, sir. - Don't you like surprises, Ben?
Well, here he comes now.
Meet your new wingman.
Allow me to introduce the future of digital warfare. Tim?
Open for Tim, please.
Fuel, catalyzed A1 methane.
Exoskeleton, metal-ceramic composite.
Aeroelastic wings.
Pulse detonation engine with twin hybrid scramjet turbos.
EDI's sensors can pick out a face five miles away.
So we'll take three. Drop the top on mine, personalized license plate.
So this is one of these smart UCAVs.
Well, technically you could call it an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle.
But that would be like calling this carrier a rowboat.
I feel you, captain. I know a bit about this.
- This is quantum processing, right? - Yeah, it's the first tested application.
Ten terabits a second.
So if it's a UCAV, why does it have a seat?
The cockpit's just for testing and maintenance.
Otherwise, EDI flies all by himself.
You mean "itself," don't you, sir?
So this is what the fuss is all about.
You're looking at VLO stealth, captain.
It's got a brain like a quantum sponge.
And one day, its survivability is going to fly right off the charts.
- Lieutenant Wade. - It's good to meet you, sir.
It is a bag of chips, all right.
- Lieutenant Purcell. - Honored to meet you, sir.
It will replace us all.
Looks and sounds like science fiction, George.
Well, so did everything, once upon a time.
Ain't that the truth.
Mr. Gannon. Good to have you back.
Your first squadron tour still holds some of the ship's most...
...impressive records.
Thank you, Captain Marshfield. Records are made to be broken.
Rules too, if I remember your philosophy.
Captain Cummings, this is my X O, Mr. Carlson.
Carlson.
Why don't you meet me up on the flight deck after you're through.
- You bet. - Congratulations, George.
- Thank you. - Good to see you again, Dick.
You too.
- It's humming. - No, EDI's thinking.
- Thinking? Thinking about what, sir? - You. All of you.
He's going over your files. He's reviewing all your flight logs.
Let's take it for a spin, see what it can do.
No, no, no. Tomorrow.
- First, you gotta do your homework. - Homework?
- Thank you. - Thank you.
"EDI UCAV. Extreme Deep Invader."
Yeah, I've been called that a few times.
- I've heard that one. - Yeah, right.
Well, hello, gorgeous.
Please, no pictures, please. No pictures, please. Please.
Okay, take them. Take them. Take them.
It's open.
Study break.
You are one big study break.
Just a natural.
So that is the appeal.
Okay, because I was really wondering how you manage...
...to pull a rocket scientist at every port.
You better be careful, Ben, you know. Hair bleach causes cancer in rats.
Well, I'm not a rat. That's my appeal.
- You checking out the drone? - Yeah.
Just barely skimmed the surface.
- We really are in the era of EDI. - EDI.
Did I ever tell you about that foster mother I had?
- The one who weighed 350 pounds? - No.
Anyway, one day she comes home with this Chihuahua, right?
Guess what she named him. Eddie.
- You know what I realized about you? - What?
You got a foster mom for every situation.
Hey, I lived through my childhood. I may as well use it, right?
That's right.
So tell me, you think Marshfield's right?
You think they're gonna trade us all in for that machine?
No way. War is about tools. Think about it.
Claws to clubs, bronze to steel.
- Best guy with the best weapon wins. - Or girl.
And we all know who that is, don't we?
The dull thud of a Ben Gannon compliment.
Well...
Oh, pardon my C cup.
Study break is over.
Good morning to the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln.
Remember, foreign-object debris can ruin a jet engine.
Let's keep our safety record. Scour that deck.
Hey. Feel like we got older, Dick. What the hell happened?
Don't complain. You still got your hair.
Yeah. Some of it.
Look, truth be told...
...I never wanted this little experiment of yours on my ship.
Well, you're not hurting my feelings, Dick.
Admiral Spelling shared your point paper with me...
...and your objections were duly noted.
- You always could work the politics. - It's indispensable in a bureaucracy.
This isn't a bureaucracy, not out here.
You rush a weapons system into service...
...you shortcut an operational test cycle, people might get killed.
You know I can't pick my nose here without 7000 people approving it.
Nobody rushed a damn thing.
Program is just ahead of schedule.
You missed this.
I'm out first, boys.
I'm right on that ass.
After you, ladies.
Talon 2, airborne.
Talon 3, airborne.
Talon 1 is off and heading 2-5-4.
Deploying Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle...
...Extreme Deep Invader now.
I never thought we would see this day.
Me neither, sir.
UCAV EDI, you have launch.
One to UCAV. Confirm flight link. Over.
Flight link confirmed, Talon 1.
It is good to be part of the squadron.
What? Well, well, well. He can talk.
Big deal. I know a guy's BMW, does exactly the same thing.
Picture, please.
Aye, aye, sir.
Swarm logic activated.
All right, Ben. EDI's here to learn from you.
So let's make sure these lessons are up to speed, all right?
Well, then, let the schooling begin.
Captain Cummings.
Inside, please.
- What's the deal? - You, sir, have a new tasking order.
One to wing, anybody got a visual on the UCAV?
- Negative, 1. - Negative, 1.
We better find him and regroup.
Before it takes a crap in its quantum pants.
Wait up. Hold on.
What the hell is he doing?
Here he comes. Here he comes.
I think little brother is messing with us.
UCAV, your position is always on my starboard side.
Other starboard.
That's hot.
Got no heart, but it sure can fly. That's not bad for a tin man.
EDI, it's official. You got a call sign. UCAV "Tin Man" EDI, the first.
- Operator to squadron. - Go for Talons.
There's been a change of plans.
We're giving you an emergency mission redirect. Repeat.
That's an emergency redirect. Do you read me?
Roger. Where's the fire, skipper?
PAYCOM has given us a brand-new tasking order.
Please access your encrypted file...
...named "Advanced War Vector Scenarios."
File's open. Go ahead.
All right. Firewall code is "Terror Summit."
We are upgrading this file from a scenario to a tactical action plan.
Repeat, we are upgrading the file.
CIA human intel has just learned that the heads of three terrorist cells...
...are about to meet in 24 minutes.
The country is Myanmar. The city is Rangoon.
They're planning an imminent attack on U.S. soil.
One to Control, what about the UCAV?
EDI will observe your attack.
Proceed to primary.
Roger.
One to UCA V, confirm observation status only.
Tin Man confirms, Talon 1.
New coordinates have been uploaded.
Baptism by fire, Tin Man.
Mach 1.
Mach 2.
Mach 3.
Mach 4.
Primo's now analyzing the location. Here we go.
The primary is this building.
A new defense ministry still under construction.
Specs indicate 14-foot-thick cement roof...
...with steel reinforcements.
Roger. We're not weaponized for something that thick.
Repeat, not weaponized.
This is 2. What's the population of the collateral area?
The building's unoccupied, but it's in the middle of downtown Rangoon.
This is 3. Talk to me about that roof.
What's Primo advocate to ordinance and influence?
Primo says Talons can't penetrate it.
This is our chance. We may never catch these bastards together again.
Try a lateral vector.
Just do what he says.
This is 2 to Control. Risk assessment officer advises...
...casualties from lateral vector will be in the thousands.
Tin Man has integrated all network-centric spy satellites.
Here is new data.
UCAV is bypassing Central Prime. He's distributing secure video stream.
Look at that. Oh, yeah. Oh, now I know what I want for Christmas.
One to Control, we've entered our mission window.
Six-three seconds to primary and counting.
Come on, Control, we have our targets.
Come on. I need an alternative. We got these guys in the bull's-eye.
There is an alternative, Combat Control.
Operator to UCAV. Talk to me. Give me something.
Squadron carries truncheon implosion bombs.
Negative, will not work.
Central Prime says truncheons can't achieve velocity for penetration.
One to UCAV, 37 seconds to primary. Come on, explain.
Diving dead vertical at 2070 knots will increase truncheon velocity.
Bomb will successfully penetrate roof.
What's the blackout risk at vertical 2070?
- Seventy-three percent. - Time on target is 23 seconds.
- Call it off. It's not worth the risk. - Operator to Talons, pull back.
- EDI will plant the truncheon. - Captain.
This is what we built this machine for.
There's no blood in those quantum veins. It can't black out.
Operator to Talons, repeat, EDI will plant the truncheon.
Control, negative, Control. Mission critical. One will prosecute.
This is 3 to 1. I got your back...
...but if you black out, you're gonna kill everyone.
Negative, 3. I did not get this far by being in the 73rd percentile.
I like my odds.
Talon 1, your orders are to stand down.
- Do you read me, lieutenant? - I do...
- Talon 1, stand down. - I'm having...
Can you...? Can you...?
Go, baby, go.
One hundred knots to release velocity.
Fifty knots to release velocity.
His BP is spiking, sir.
Release velocity attained.
Truncheon away.
Ten seconds to implosion.
Nine, eight...
...seven, six...
...five, four, three...
...two, one.
This is 1 to Control. Looks like we lost radio contact for a second there.
There you go. I wasn't worried, baby. I wasn't worried.
Activating swarm logic, going full-stealth egress.
Roger, Talon 1. Full-stealth egress. Swarm logic is on.
Battle damage assessment, 100 over 100.
Collateral damage, zero.
Let's go home.
Going hypersonic.
Same old Ben.
Yep.
Oh, and, George...
...hell of a first mission.
Thank you, captain.
On my way to the bridge.
Talon 2 and 3 are on deck.
Talon 1 and UCAV EDI are on approach.
Roger, Control. UCAV will go first. I'll take the last trap.
UCAV, confirm you've got the ball.
Confirmed, Talon 1. Tin Man will land next.
Okay, 1 to Control, we've had a lightning strike.
The UCAV's very unstable.
Landing sequence is altered. I'll go in first...
...but the UCAV is gonna need the net.
Nice landing, ma'am.
On the flight deck, stand by to rig barricade.
Extreme Deep Invader aircraft inbound for crash landing.
Pull it out! Pull it out! Pull it out!
- Hold on! Stop! Stop. - Stay low, stay low! Pull low!
Pull starboard! Pull starboard!
Clear the deck!
Move it! Move it! Move it!
- You scared me. - Sorry, just a bit restless.
Really got whacked tonight, right? Like a hair dryer in a bathtub.
Oh, he can't hear you. I pulled his voice recog.
I'll call it a "he" when it gets out of its cockpit and takes a piss, how's that?
- You all right? - Yeah.
It's just a power surge, that's all.
- And that's normal? - Normal?
Let me show you something.
That was EDI's neural network.
Now, check this out.
I mean, ever since the lightning strike, he's just been writing all of this...
I don't know. A language or a code.
And what does it mean?
Yeah. "Mean."
The person that could really answer that question...
...is its designer, Keith Orbit. - Orbit?
- The guy's name is Orbit? - Yeah, I know.
He did all the Al on the Raptor when he was 22...
...and I guess, after that, he decided that his given name was too earthly.
Off for Tim, please.
At least it's a good song.
He downloads songs from the Web.
Yeah? How many?
All of them.
You're in a peck of trouble with the record companies there, son.
Ben, could...?
I saw how serious that shit is up there.
So I think it's only fair that I tell you that EDI's been designed to evolve.
- It's just unpredictable... - Let me ask you something.
Just between you and me, do you have confidence in this plane?
There's your answer.
It's open.
Have a seat.
"Waffle" for 15 points. I'm kicking your ass, buddy.
You didn't cheat, did you?
Cheating's not part of my vocabulary.
Listen, I scheduled your jet for a little maintenance.
I gotta get the bugs out of that radio, don't you think?
It was a difficult situation and I made a decision.
You made a mistake, Ben.
Sir, there's a thin line between insubordination and...
No, no, no, that's not the mistake you made.
Your mistake was getting competitive with a machine.
I'm the point of the sword up there, sir.
And I pulled it off, 100 over 100.
Yes, indeedy, and I congratulate you. Calls have been coming in all night.
But that doesn't change the issue.
What is the issue, then?
- Would you like a cigar? - Thank you, no.
- You sure? - Fine, thank you.
Rolled on the thighs of mulatto women.
What are you afraid of, Ben?
Being replaced? Is that it?
You afraid EDI's gonna take your job?
No. No, to be honest with you...
...I just don't think war should become some kind of video game.
And how do you feel about black body bags?
What am I supposed to tell all the weeping mothers?
We could've got the job done without sacrificing their children...
...but no, we decided not to because of what?
- Tradition? - Not tradition, it's...
Look, we have things those computers can never have...
...like instincts and feelings and moral judgment.
You can call me old-fashioned, you can call it whatever you want...
...but I just don't think that in war...
...the action should ever be divorced from the consequences.
You don't think I consider the consequences...
...every time I send you up there with bombs?
- I know you do, sir. - I've dedicated my life...
...to considering the consequences.
I got a bad feeling about this plane.
I don't know, I think it needs more...
I don't know, trials before it's ever put in a combat situation again.
You been talking to Marshfield?
- Sir, you're my commanding officer. - That's right.
And I guarantee you this thing will be 100 percent before I risk it in the field.
Look, Ben...
...all we need is one more successful mission...
...and this project will be out of the stovepipe and into the light.
Are you with me on this?
- I'm here to make it happen, sir. - All right.
I've arranged a little R and R for you and your team. You've earned it.
Thailand maybe.
We just got here.
Yeah, but this could turn out to be a long tour.
You better take it while you can get it. We'll pick this up when you get back.
Hey, how you doing? Henry Purcell.
I'm from America. Look, I fly jets. You like to go fast?
- B, it's the future and it works. - I don't think it works.
It's just technology.
You know, it's here to make me safe. It keeps me alive.
EDI is no different.
- You think it keeps you safe? - Yeah. He's here...
...to help me get the job done...
...keep me in one piece...
...so I can visit my folks for Thanksgiving.
Anyway, our safety's not the point.