INT. CABINET ROOM - DAY

 

            All eyes are on Admiral Anderson's overhead projections¹.

            Bobby, restless, gets up, begins pacing.

 

                                BOBBY

                      What happens if the ship doesn't stop

                      for inspection² or want to be towed?

 

                                ADMIRAL ANDERSON

                      A warning shot will be fired across its

                      bow.

 

            Bobby stops, stares directly at the Admiral.

 

                                BOBBY

                      And what happens if the ship ignores the

                      warning shot?

 

                                ADMIRAL ANDERSON

                      Then we fire at its rudder, disable it,

                      and carry out the inspection.

 

            Kenny looks at the President who remains³ unmoved, unreadable.

 

                                THE PRESIDENT

                      There will be no shooting without my

                      explicit orders.  Is that understood?

 

                                ADMIRAL ANDERSON

                      Yes, sir.

 

            The President glances at McNamara.

 

                                THE PRESIDENT

                      Well, Admiral, it looks like it's up to

                      the Navy.

 

                                ADMIRAL ANDERSON

                      The Navy won't let you down, sir.

 

                                THE PRESIDENT

                      General, have we developed any more

                      information on the missiles?

 

                                GENERAL TAYLOR

                      They are continuing to proceed with the

                      development.  We're commencing low-level

                      photography runs this morning.

 

                                MCCONE

                      The pictures will be used to firm up our

                      estimates of the missiles' readiness and

                      develop target packages for strikes

                      should you order them.

 

                                GENERAL TAYLOR

                      Our guy running this show is the best.

                      Commander Bill Ecker of the Navy's VFP

                      62, the Fightin' Photo.  Something of a

                      character, but the highest efficiency

                      ratings we've ever had.

 

            He pushes Ecker's personnel file across the table, and as the

            President opens it, on ECKER'S PHOTO, we SMASH CUT TO:

 

            INT. READY ROOM - KEY WEST NAVAL⁴ AIR STATION - DAY

 

            The man himself, COMMANDER BILL ECKER, 30s, playing cards,

            smoking cigars with his wingman, LIEUTENANT⁵ BRUCE WILHEMY and

            the PILOTS of VFP-62, the 'Fightin' Photo.'  They lounge,

            tinker with equipment.  Their ready room is filled with pin

            ups, movie posters, and all things photographic.

 

                                ECKER

                      75 millimeter, I'm listening.  On the

                      big screen there's nothing like it.

 

            The other pilots heckle him, but are muted by Taylor.

 

                                GENERAL TAYLOR (V.O.)

                      To protect our pilots, we're prepared to

                      retaliate⁶ against any SAM site or anti

                      aircraft battery that opens fire.

 

                                WILHEMY

                      Watch out, Hollywood.  There's a new

                      epic⁷ director in town!

 

            INT. CABINET ROOM - DAY

 

            EXCOM listens in sober silence.

 

                                GENERAL TAYLOR

                      We have a flight of Thunderchiefs able

                      to respond within minutes of an attack

                      on our planes.

 

            Kenny catches the President's eye.  Kenny glances at the

            door.  Step outside, I need to talk to you.

 

            INT. OVAL OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

 

            The President and Kenny stand in front of the President's

            desk.  All the doors are shut.  Weak sunlight filters into

            the hushed room as if to a confessional.

 

                                KENNY

                      I don't like what's happening.

 

                                THE PRESIDENT

                      In the morning I'm taking charge of the

                      blockade from the situation room.

                      McNamara'll set up shop in the flag plot

                      at the Pentagon, keep an eye on things

                      there.

 

                                KENNY

                      All right.  'Cause you get armed

                      boarders climbing into Soviet⁸ ships,

                      shots being fired across bows...

 

                                THE PRESIDENT

                      I know, I know...

 

                                KENNY

                      What about these low-level flights?

                      They're starting in what?  An hour?  Do

                      you realize what you're letting yourself

                      in for?

 

                                THE PRESIDENT

                      We need those flights.  We have to know

                      when those missiles become operational,

                      because when they do, we need to destroy

                      them.

 

                                KENNY

                      Fair enough.  But Castro's on alert and

                      we're flying attack planes over their

                      sites, on the deck.  There's no way for

                      them to know they're carrying cameras,

                      not bombs.  They're going to be shot at,

                      plain and simple.

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