“Greed for a Pirate’s Dream”

Directed by: James A. Contner

Written by: David J. Burke & Robert Engels

Summary: An innovative scientific device, a “magma buoy,” launched into the molten belly of the Earth by Dr. Raleigh Young in the previous episode “The Devil’s Window,” surfaces on a Caribbean island inhabited by a small group of treasure hunters. But the scientific find signals the coming of a catastrophic volcano, and Ford must convince the treasure seekers to abandon their finally realized lifelong dream or face near certain death. But when Ford’s launch is destroyed on the island, Westphalen must save them all before the volcano hits.

Guest Starring:

Roscoe Lee Browne as Raleigh Young

Richard Herd as Admiral William Noyce

Anthony Denison as Bobby

Rya Kihlstedt as Jessie Fagin

David Marciano as Mack Stumpf

Sandy McPeak as Grant Fagin

W. Morgan Sheppard as Professor Martinson

Co-Starring:

none

Featuring:

Mark Fauser as Weapons Officer Matthew Phillips

Andre Dukes as Mars

The twenty-first century ... Mankind has colonized the last unexplored region on Earth – the ocean. As Captain of the seaQuest and its crew, we are its guardians; for beneath the surface, lies the future.

- seaQuest DSV, bridge -

Katie Hitchcock: Hydrothermal vent platform systems are operational, sir.

Nathan Bridger: Thank you, Commander. I am now free to tell you what the primary purpose of this mission is. The platform will become a launching pad. We’re going to fire a probe –

Raleigh Young: A magma buoy, Nathan.

Nathan Bridger: Magma buoy, which, if successful, will predict earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. WSKR view, Mr. Ortiz.

Miguel Ortiz: WSKR view on forward screen.

Nathan Bridger: Firing key, Raleigh.

- Monito Island, four months later -

Mack Stumpf: (Bobby whistling) Stop it.

Bobby: No. (continues whistling)

Mack Stumpf: Stop it. (whizzing and explosion in next room) What the hell is it?

Bobby: (all enter to see probe) Oh, what the hell?

Jessie Fagin: What is it?

Bobby: It’s a bomb.

Mack Stumpf: It’s not a bomb.

Grant Fagin: Damn thing’s hot. Aw, no, no, damn it, not when we’re so close.

Mack Stumpf: Oh, great, it’s the UEO.

Jessie Fagin: Quiet. Dad? Dad, it’s making a high-pitched noise.

Grant Fagin: It’s a military probe, you’re hearing the homing beacon engage. (walks outside) Why now?

Jessie Fagin: (joins Grant outside) Daddy, I’m sorry.

Grant Fagin: I know, honey, me too. They’re going to find us, you know.

Mack Stumpf: (walking past) And when they do, I’m gonna kill ‘em.

- Muertos Trough, depth 1,000 feet, seaQuest DSV, launch bay -

Ben Krieg: How long you gonna be in Pearl Harbor?

Lucas Wolenczak: A week.

Ben Krieg: A week, OK, good. Why don’t you give this number a call if you can give the old man a slip, ask for Candy, she’s got a –

Nathan Bridger: (grabs paper from Krieg's hand) He’s not going to be giving anybody the slip. This trip is for training, not recreation.

Ben Krieg: Training, sir, yes. Have a good trip, sir.

Nathan Bridger: (turns to Ford) Well, she’s all yours, Commander.

Jonathan Ford: Thank you, sir.

Nathan Bridger: And, uh, keep an eye on him.

Manilow Crocker: (laughs) You got it, Cap. Safe trip.

Nathan Bridger: Uh, Lieutenant...

Ben Krieg: Yes, sir.

Nathan Bridger: How old is this Candy?

Ben Krieg: Forty-three, but she’s got a sixteen year old daughter. They’re lovely people.

Nathan Bridger: Really? (enters launch)

Tim O’Neill: (on loudspeaker) Captain to the bridge.

Jonathan Ford: (into PAL) What is it, Mr. O’Neill?

Tim O’Neill: (on PAL) A satellite secure alert, sir.

Jonathan Ford: (into PAL) On my way.

Manilow Crocker: Still time to get the Captain back, sir. Not that would be necessary.

- seaQuest DSV, bridge -

Kristin Westphalen: Raleigh Young’s magma buoy has surfaced.

Jonathan Ford: It did? Mr. O’Neill?

Tim O’Neill: Sat’s sending homing beacon coordinates -- sixty-seven point nine degrees west, eighteen point one degrees north.

Jonathan Ford: Let’s see a map. We’re in the Muertos Trough, Monito’s a few hours from here.

Tim O’Neill: I’ve got Admiral Noyce on the ward room vid-link.

Jonathan Ford: Lay in a course for Monito.

Tim O’Neill: Yes, sir.

Jonathan Ford: Dr. Westphalen?

- seaQuest DSV, ward room -

Jonathan Ford: Admiral Noyce, Captain Bridger just left for the symposium.

William Noyce: (on screen) That’s fine, Commander. Hello, Dr. Westphalen.

Kristin Westphalen: Admiral Noyce.

William Noyce: (on screen) Raleigh Young’s magma buoy has surfaced.

Jonathan Ford: Yes, sir, we’ve laid in a course to Monito.

William Noyce: (on screen) Well done, proceed immediately.

Jonathan Ford: (into comlink) Helm, this is Ford, proceed to Monito.

Helmsman: (on comlink) Aye, sir.

William Noyce: (on screen) Raleigh’s on his way. He’ll chopper to Monito tomorrow. I want you to wait for sunlight, then find the magma buoy, but don’t touch it. Raleigh should supervise that. We’ve hit some luck having it surface on an uninhabited island, but urgency’s a factor. I’ll let Raleigh explain.

Computer: Transferring vid-link to mobile unit.

Raleigh Young: (on screen) That’s our turn! Take the beltway! Are you listening to me?

Driver: (off screen) Yes, sir.

Raleigh Young: (on screen) Well, Commander, it’s about time. Where’s Nathan?

Jonathan Ford: He’s on his way to Pearl Harbor.

Raleigh Young: (on screen) Well, then I’m in charge.

Kristin Westphalen: Uh, Raleigh, relax.

Raleigh Young: (on screen) I can’t relax, the magma buoy’s on land, isn’t it?

Kristin Westphalen: Apparently.

Raleigh Young: (on screen) It’s purpose is to track the flow of lava, wherever it spit out, it stands to reason that molten rock will follow.

Kristin Westphalen: You’re absolutely right.

Raleigh Young: (on screen) Of course I’m right. You don’t have to adhere to the speed limit, we are the government.

Jonathan Ford: Am I to understand you’re expecting a volcanic eruption?

Raleigh Young: (on screen) That’s right, Commander. I’m expecting a force of nature more devastating than a hydrogen bomb.

- Monito Island -

Bobby: (digging, looks up) Hey, Grant, Grant. Do you wanna tell him?

Grant Fagin: You! Out.

Mack Stumpf: (in a tree) No.

Bobby: Mack! Get outta that tree.

Mack Stumpf: Somebody’s gotta do this, ‘cause somebody’s gonna come for that UEO thing.

Bobby: That’s right, that’s why we should be digging.

Mack Stumpf: They’re gonna make us stop.

Bobby: This isn’t illegal, it’s just stupid, and unless somebody comes from the board of education, we’re probably very safe. (Mack laughs) All right, yeah, laugh. Go ahead, laugh.

Bobby: (to Jessie) He’s lost his mind, you know that.

Jessie Fagin: I know.

Grant Fagin: Look, everybody, nothing changes until they get here, OK? Maybe they’ll just pick up their shell and leave.

Mack Stumpf: Yeah, and maybe they’ll tell the Dominican Republic what we’re doing and we’ll be annexed.

Jessie Fagin: Stop.

Bobby: What?

Jessie Fagin: Look. We found something. I can’t believe it. Dad! Dad, hurry. Dad, come here.

Grant Fagin: Oh, God.

Bobby: No, no, Mack, Mack, it’s fragile.

Grant Fagin: Bobby . . .

Bobby: Mack, relax, it’s fragile, you might break something.

Grant Fagin: Stede . . . Bonnet. It’s his desk from the Royal James. The wood’s gone, but it’s his desk. Oh God! Ahh!

Bobby: What does it mean?

Grant Fagin: It means, we’re there. (all cheer, hear helicopter) Oh, no. Oh, no. No.

- Monito Island, a beach -

Kristin Westphalen: Welcome.

Raleigh Young: We shouldn’t stay longer than necessary. This island’s about to go the way of Atlantis. What are they doing?

Kristin Westphalen: Oh, now, don’t start haranguing the crew, we only just got here ourselves.

Raleigh Young: Well, it looks like they’re preparing a picnic.

- Monito Island, foliage nearby -

Bobby: What kind of a boat is that?

Jessie Fagin: It’s a launch.

Bobby: A launch from where?

Grant Fagin: A submarine, a big submarine.

Bobby: Then we’re finished.

Mack Stumpf: (smiles) How much dynamite we got left?

Bobby: What?

Grant Fagin: Oh, no, Mack, Mack.

- Monito Island, beach -

Raleigh Young: (Krieg takes off shirt) Here! What are you doing?

Ben Krieg: Getting some sun.

Raleigh Young: This is inexcusable. Time is of the essence. Do you know what we’re dealing with?

Jonathan Ford: Lieutenant Krieg volunteered to man the base camp, Doctor Young. Now, if he wants to do it out of uniform, I don’t have a problem with that.

Raleigh Young: We don’t have time for a base camp, we’ve got to find the buoy.

Jonathan Ford: As soon as we calibrate the beacon monitor. Mr. Ortiz?

Miguel Ortiz: Another minute.

Jonathan Ford: All right, Doctor?

Raleigh Young: I still think that’s inappropriate.

Kristin Westphalen: Raleigh, why don’t you take your jacket off and cool down?

Raleigh Young: I’m just fine, thank you.

- Monito Island, shack -

Bobby: Mack, hey, Mack.

Grant Fagin: Bobby, don’t let him get to that dynamite.

Bobby: Will you stop it?

Mack Stumpf: Stop it? You can’t stop it, Bobby, they’re here.

Grant Fagin: Mack, that’s enough, it’s that probe they’re after.

Mack Stumpf: They’ll march straight to it, right. Cause it’s got a homing beacon, right.

Grant Fagin: He’s right about that.

Mack Stumpf: That’ll lead ‘em straight by the dig.

Bobby: All right, then let’s move this thing.

Jessie Fagin: The equipment sling.

Grant Fagin: Mack, Mack, let’s help Bobby move this thing, all right? We’ll move it to the north side of the island, all right?

Mack Stumpf: OK. Here, I got it, I got it. (they struggle to move probe) OK, OK, push it.

Bobby: Look out. Look out. (takes bar and hits doorway to break jamb and make it bigger) Let’s go, let’s go. Watch your feet. (all move probe onto sling)

Grant Fagin: Wait a minute.

Mack Stumpf: All right, ready, 1 ... 2 ... uhh. (they lift sling with probe)

Bobby: Go, go.

Mack Stumpf: Come on, come on.

- Monito Island, beach -

Miguel Ortiz: It’s moving, Commander Ford, it’s moving, the buoy’s moving.

Jonathan Ford: Chief, we have a security breach. The buoy is moving.

Manilow Crocker: Break out the field weapons. On the double, let’s go.

Crewman: Yes, sir.

Manilow Crocker: Mars, I want you to stand guard here at the base camp.

Mars: Yes, sir.

Jonathan Ford: Doctor Westphalen, you and Doctor Young reload the launch. Mars, help them. (hands gun to Westphalen)

Kristin Westphalen: Oh, no, no, here you take it, (gives gun to Crocker) I couldn’t possib–

Jonathan Ford: (hand Crocker his gun and gives Westphalen's back to her) Use mine. Notify UEO that a third party has the buoy, and I’m treating it as a terrorist act. Let’s move.

Manilow Crocker: All right, move out! On the double, let’s go!

- Monito Island, jungle -

Grant Fagin: (Jessie stops as probe falls off sling) Jessie, come on.

Mack Stumpf: Nuts, Bobby.

Jessie Fagin: Guys, hurry.

Bobby: I got the stretcher.

Mack Stumpf: You can’t hurry this thing, Jess.

Bobby: Jessie, go on ahead, we’ll deal with this. (they struggle to get probe back on sling)

Jessie Fagin: No, you need help.

Bobby: You got it Mack? (they lift sling again)

Mack Stumpf: Yeah!

Bobby: Go!

Grant Fagin: Come on. We got to go that way.

Bobby: Oh, come on, are you nuts?

Grant Fagin: Mack, Walter’s up there.

Mack Stumpf: Walter?

Grant Fagin: Walter.

Bobby: This is crazy.

Grant Fagin: Partners.

- Monito Island, elsewhere in the jungle -

Jonathan Ford: How far away are they?

Miguel Ortiz: About three hundred yards. They’re not moving very fast, they must be on foot.

Manilow Crocker: (picks up empty can of dog food) Commander, look at this, dog food.

Jonathan Ford: Maybe we’re not dealing with terrorists.

Manilow Crocker: Could be homesteaders, or tourists, maybe college kids looking to tap a keg on spring break.

Jonathan Ford: All right, let’s be careful, try not to hurt anybody. Let’s get the buoy.

- Monito Island, farther in the jungle -

Bobby: Forget it, they’re on us. (drops buoy) Come on, come on. (runs away)

Jonathan Ford: (running up) Chief, Ortiz, get the buoy back to the launch.

Manilow Crocker: Aye, Commander.

Jonathan Ford: (grabbing Ortiz’s gun) Give me your weapon. Krieg, come on.

Grant Fagin: (further into the jungle) Bobby, split. Go! Come on, honey. (group goes in two directions)

Jonathan Ford: Stop! I said stop! (fires gun into ground, Bobby stops) On your belly!

Ben Krieg: (chasing Mack) Stop! Stop! (Mack trips over grave) All right, stay down! Stay down! All right, who are you?

Mack Stumpf: Mack Stumpf.

Ben Krieg: Who do you work for?

Mack Stumpf: Myself.

Ben Krieg: What country, government, confederation? Answer me.

Mack Stumpf: Nobody! I work for myself. You just take your thing and get out of here!

Ben Krieg: (looks at grave) Who’s Walter Ohio?

Jessie Fagin: Walter was his dog.

Mack Stumpf: That’s right.

Ben Krieg: Commander?

Jonathan Ford: They’re treasure hunters ... so they claim.

- Monito Island, dig -

Grant Fagin: Commander, this scratch plate came from Stede Bonnet’s desk. Bonnet was Blackbeard’s partner. Men have been searching for that treasure for three hundred years and we just found it.

Jonathan Ford: Well, congratulations, but at least on a temporary basis, you’re gonna have to leave the island. You’re in imminent peril.

Grant Fagin: From what?

Jonathan Ford: I can’t say.

Grant Fagin: Mack and I gave up tenured teaching positions just to search for this treasure. My, my daughter Jessie has delayed her own career just for this moment. Now, we’re not about to just pack up and leave this island without some kind of explanation.

Jonathan Ford: I’m not authorized to give you an explanation. What I can tell you is that your life – all of your lives – are in danger.

Grant Fagin: From what?

Jonathan Ford: It’s classified.

Grant Fagin: Bobby and I had wives leave us, our lives turned to mud. Now, everything we have is this treasure we’re standing on right now. Now, I’m sorry, but I’m not gonna leave this island, and I don’t think you have the authority to make me leave.

Manilow Crocker: (on PAL) Commander, launch is ready.

Jonathan Ford: (into PAL) Right there, Chief. Does he speak for all of you?

Jessie Fagin: Yes, he speaks for all of us.

Jonathan Ford: OK, good luck to you.

Grant Fagin: Thanks, Commander.

Jonathan Ford: Lieutenant. (walks off)

Ben Krieg: You know, uh, I might be able to find some state of the art digging equipment if you’d –

Jonathan Ford: Lieutenant.

Ben Krieg: Coming. Wouldn’t want much. Coming.

Mack Stumpf: I bet you wouldn’t.

- Monito Island, beach -

Kristin Westphalen: Didn’t you bring the others with you?

Jonathan Ford: They won’t leave the island.

Kristin Westphalen: But they have to leave.

Jonathan Ford: Well, I can’t force them, Doctor.

Raleigh Young: Are you just going to do nothing?

Jonathan Ford: Can we declassify the buoy?

Raleigh Young: Of course not.

Jonathan Ford: Then there’s nothing I can do.

Raleigh Young: But Commander.

Jonathan Ford: I have no authority to explain to them the danger they may be in, and I don’t have the manpower here to drag them off the island.

- sea launch -

Jonathan Ford: Security, take the wheel. Get us out of here. I’m calling Titusville to get UEO to declassify the buoy.

Miguel Ortiz: It’s sonar, right?

Raleigh Young: Yes.

Miguel Ortiz: How can sonar tell you that these people are in danger?

Raleigh Young: If it works, it will show the density of molten rocks, the pressure points of the chambers it has traveled. In simpler terms, it will show us where the earth is about to explode.

Kristin Westphalen: Explode, and kill people.

Jonathan Ford: Well, Doctor, I tried. UEO won’t budge. All they care about is the buoy.

Kristin Westphalen: So there’s, uh, nothing we can do?

- seaQuest DSV, sea deck, a room -

Raleigh Young: (connects buoy to computer, pushes some buttons, screen shows path of buoy) I did it. I did it! I did it!

Kristin Westphalen: Raleigh, get a grip. (gives Westphalen a bear hug) Oh, no, not on me.

Raleigh Young: Kristin, look at it. Oh, ho, ho, ho! I did it!

Kristin Westphalen: Yes, yes, you did it. Now, what does it mean?

Raleigh Young: It's a Nobel prize, Kristin.

Kristin Westphalen: No, you egomaniac, I mean what does it mean for those fools on Monito?

- seaQuest DSV, Bridger’s room -

Jonathan Ford: I feel very odd. I know you’re the Captain’s prerogative, but, I don’t know, I feel very odd about this. The UEO refused my request to declassify the buoy.

Professor Martinson: Why?

Jonathan Ford: They said it was enough to give the four people on Monito an emphatic warning. That to reveal the existence of the buoy is to ask that it be held hostage the next time it's used.

Professor Martinson: And what do you think, Jonathan?

Jonathan Ford: I think the UEO is too big to care about four treasure hunters. They don’t see them as individuals, as people.

Professor Martinson: Would the UEO care about the treasure?

Jonathan Ford: I didn’t mention the treasure. I don’t really know that there is one. I mean, all I know is that they found a scratch plate from a desk belonging to Stede Bonnet.

Professor Martinson: Bonnet’s treasure is thought to contain the crown jewels of France, and the plays of Francis Bacon.

Jonathan Ford: How much --

Professor Martinson: The crown jewels are worth one billion dollars, the plays of Francis Bacon are priceless.

Jonathan Ford: No wonder they don’t want to leave.

Professor Martinson: Can you be rich . . . and dead, Jonathan?

- seaQuest DSV, sea deck, by the moon pool -

Manilow Crocker: All right, here we go, here we go, ready? (throws stick) Go get it. Atta boy. All right, atta boy, come on. Yeah, that’s it, come on. Way to go, Darwin, way to go. That’s good. We're gonna go again. Ready? Here we go (throws stick) Go get it. Well, go get it.

Darwin: You get it.

Manilow Crocker: What?

Darwin: Get it yourself.

Jonathan Ford: Chief, what are you doing?

Manilow Crocker: Um, Lucas asked me to play with Darwin while he was gone, Commander.

Darwin: Crocker get toy.

Manilow Crocker: No, no, no. I throw, you fetch. Go get it, go on, go.

Jonathan Ford: Chief, I’m thinking of forcing those people off Monito.

Manilow Crocker: That’s a tough call, Commander. These sonic stun guns don’t work out of doors, uh, kind of hard to hit a moving target with a tranquilizer gun. Plus, you know, they could be just sitting there waiting on us. Tough call. How much time we got?

Jonathan Ford: I don’t know.

- seaQuest DSV, ward room -

Raleigh Young: The buoy coursed upward, and remained for a while in a shallow magma chamber, under the island. The pressure in the chamber continued to rise, and then suddenly, it dropped. Which must be associated with the surface eruption that ejected the buoy.

Jonathan Ford: Is there a chance that could be the only eruption?

Raleigh Young: I doubt it. The pyroclastic event that ejected the buoy will be followed by an eruption that could blow up the entire island.

Kristin Westphalen: The WSKRS we deployed are picking up micro-seismic events, the sea floor is swelling as the magma chamber is filling up. Our computer modeling predicts a major eruption in ten hours.

Jonathan Ford: You’re certain?

Raleigh Young: The data is consistent. It will be exactly ten hours.

Jonathan Ford: Doctor, I’m going to take a civilian launch, and I’m going to get those people, even if it means violating the security classifications.

Raleigh Young: Commander, if we’re going to put a career in jeopardy, let it be mine. I’m going with you.

- Monito Island, dig -

Mack Stumpf: Trough!

Grant Fagin: Jessie, Jessie.

Jessie Fagin: I’m not leaving, so forget it.

Grant Fagin: He said imminent peril.

Jessie Fagin: It’s still my choice.

Grant Fagin: I know it’s your choice, but it’s making me sick.

Bobby: It’s her choice, Grant.

Mack Stumpf: Trough!

Grant Fagin: Honey, please, I’ve put thirty years into this, you have your whole life ahead of you.

Jessie Fagin: So am I supposed to struggle my whole life searching for something? It’s here! Right now. I’ve put in as much time on this island as you have.

Bobby: She’s got you there, Grant.

Grant Fagin: Shut up, Bobby, and dig.

Mack Stumpf: Yeah, shut up and dig, Bobby.

Bobby: I liked you better in the tree. (Mack imitates a monkey)

Jonathan Ford: Excuse me, hello.

Grant Fagin: What do you want?

Jonathan Ford: I want you to meet Doctor Raleigh Young.

Grant Fagin: Hello, Doctor Raleigh Young.

Raleigh Young: Hello.

Jonathan Ford: He’s one of the world’s leading geologists.

Grant Fagin: Well, a geologist. If you’re looking for rocks, help yourself.

Raleigh Young: I’m looking for a reason.

Bobby: You want a reason?? How about this for a reason? (holds up cup) Or this? (holds up pick-ax) Now do you want to get out of here – (Jessie comes over)

Raleigh Young: Despite the playground bravura of your unlettered ruffian, this island will be vaporized in a backwash of volcanic ash in exactly, (looks at watch) seven hours.

Grant Fagin: Does this have anything to do with that probe?

Raleigh Young: I can’t say, but I assure you, the bell will toll.

Jonathan Ford: I understand why you don’t want to leave.

Grant Fagin: You have no idea.

Jonathan Ford: The crown jewels of France, the plays of Francis Bacon . . .

Grant Fagin: I gave away my life, just for this moment, endured thirty years of ridicule and doubt. I’m not leaving this island, and you don’t have the slightest idea what it means to devote your entire life to one, just one, glorious moment. You haven’t lived that long.

Raleigh Young: I have, please. (he and Grant step away from others) My life has been given over to a single moment. It’s ironic that your moment and mine have found themselves arriving together on this island. I designed the probe, it’s a magma buoy. Four months ago it was fired into a thermal vent, nine thousand feet deep, along the Mid-Atlantic ridge. It traveled a river of lava to get here, and I can assure you, that river of lava is not far behind. By telling you this, I have just violated a sacred oath.

Grant Fagin: Thank you. (turns back to group) If we don’t get off this island, we’re all gonna die.

Bobby: Are you leaving?

Grant Fagin: Jessie?

Jessie Fagin: I’m going to stay with you.

Grant Fagin: Well, then, I’m leaving.

Bobby: Oh, damn it! It’s five years.

Grant Fagin: I know, Bobby.

Bobby: All right, yeah, fine. I mean who cares?

Grant Fagin: Hey, Mack. Come on, Mack, we’re getting out of here. Mack? (hears explosions, group goes to beach)

Mack Stumpf: Ah, ha, ha, burn, baby, burn.

Crewman: Stop! Stop! Stay where you are!

Raleigh Young: God. Notify seaQuest.

Jonathan Ford: I can’t, the transmitter's built into the launch.

Raleigh Young: Well, they’ll send another launch, won’t they?

- Monito Island, dig -

Grant Fagin: Five years, and this is it. Hell, I could have gone swimming and gotten more than that.

Bobby: You got more than this, Grant, you just can’t take it with you. But you’ve got proof.

Mack Stumpf: Try spending that at your local Jeep dealership.

Bobby: Whatever we get out of this, let’s take with us with some dignity. You hear me, Mack?

Mack Stumpf: I ain’t leavin’, Bobby.

Grant Fagin: Don’t stay here and die just because you blew up their launch.

Mack Stumpf: I’m not leaving this island to end up in prison.

Grant Fagin: They understand, Mack. If they didn’t, you wouldn’t be sitting in that tree, you’d be tied to it.

Mack Stumpf: I’m not leavin’ here, Grant. This is as close as I’ll ever get to rich, I might as well die here. This whole thing, it was your idea, you dumbbell.

Grant Fagin: Goodbye, Mack Stumpf.

- seaQuest DSV, bridge -

Radio man in Pearl Harbor: (on radio) seaQuest, tracking procedures complete on Sat-link four. UEO Central Command reports all data received from magma buoy.

Tim O’Neill: That’s it, Pearl’s confirming.

Radio man at National: (on radio) Copy central, reconfirmed.

Tim O'Neill: National’s confirming, buoy data has been received.

Radio man at National: (on radio) seaQuest, analysis shows an offset in the ICG.

Time O'Neill: Uh huh.

Radio man at National: (on radio): I think it’s about two hours.

Tim O’Neill: (into radio) Fast or slow? Thank you. seaQuest out. (turns to Westphalen) National requests that Doctor Young check the internal chronometer on the buoy. It’s off by two hours.

Kristin Westphalen: Fast or slow?

Tim O’Neill: Slow.

Kristin Westphalen: By two hours?

Tim O’Neill: National thinks so.

Kristin Westphalen: Get Commander Ford immediately.

Manilow Crocker: They’ve been gone for seven hours, Doctor, Commander Ford estimated an eight hour round trip.

Tim O’Neill: I’m not getting any response.

Kristin Westphalen: Well, how can that be?

Tim O’Neill: If the launch is OK, we should have been able to reach them. If they ran into trouble we should have heard a signal from the distress beacon.

Manilow Crocker: No, no, not necessarily. The launch is civilian, not military, there’s no redundant systems on there. If it got hit, the distress beacon could have been taken out before it got a chance to activate.

Miguel Ortiz: There’s been nothing on sonar to indicate that kind of explosion between here and the shoreline.

Tim O’Neill: Should I have UEO scramble a chopper out of San Juan?

Manilow Crocker: It would take forty-five minutes for a chopper to get to Monito. If they’re still on that island, and if National’s correct, it’s too late.

- Monito Island, beach -