01x16 - High Ground

[bunniefuu]

(Crockett) because of
your god-given abilities,

You have the unique
opportunity to become

Marine corps sn*pers.

In today's warfare,

Where nearly 200,000 rounds
are fired for each enemy k*ll.

[f*ring]

A marine corps
scout sn*per average

Is 1.3 rounds per k*ll.

If you follow carefully

The instructions I give you,

[g*n f*ring]

You will live a
long and happy life.

But screw one thing up,

In even the slightest way,

[g*n f*ring]

And you will go
home in a body bag.

At ease on the f*ring line!

Welcome to the range, colonel.

Thank you, gunnery
sergeant. At ease.

You're a lucky man, crockett.

Yes, sir.

Bosnia.

Best duty a u.s.
Marine could hope for.

I don't understand.

I only wish I was
going with you.

Sir, if you'll permit me, I
think a mistake has been made.

You ship out tomorrow at 0600.

Destination tuzla air base.

But my boys need me, sir.

Peacekeepers in bosnia
need you more, gunny.

Sir! If you'll permit me,

I made a deal with
colonel garcia.

If I could just explain.

Get his replacement
out here a.s.a.p.

[Engine starting]

Trevino, front and center!

Inspection, ho!

[r*fle clicks]

One round in the magazine,
gunnery sergeant.

(Crockett) what's
your zero, trevino?

800 Meters with 2.5
right cranked in for wind.

What's the trajectory for...

Say 1,000 meters?

5 Meters.

Too much for a
decent sh*t, gunny.

Wrong, trevino.

If you can see
it, you can hit it.

Gunny!

[g*n f*ring]

[Glass shattering]

Just like I said, boys.

Objectify your target.

Fire between the heartbeats.

[Crickets chirping]

[Bird squawking]

[Man whispering] all
right. Move out.

All right, guys.

[Men whispering]

[g*ns f*ring]

[Men groaning]

[Man speaking vietnamese]

[Screaming]

[Groaning]

[Men groaning]

(Chegwidden) there were a
total of 18 sh*ts that night.

Sunrise, we found 18 dead
n.v.a. All around my position.

All k*lled with single sh*ts.

All k*lled by one sn*per?

When we got back to base,

We heard that marine recon had a man up
the trees, a lance corporal ray crockett.

And now he's a gunnery sergeant

Taking pot-sh*ts at
full bird colonels?

I tracked him down in saigon.

Wouldn't even let
me buy him a drink.

Didn't want to dull his senses.

sn*pers can be pretty hardcore.

It's called over the edge.

[Sighing]

Sir, if ray crockett took
a sh*t at colonel gordon,

It'll be hard to avoid a
general court martial, admiral.

Fair investigation
first. That's all I ask.

When the press
gets hold of this...

See that they don't.

The man saved my life, damn it.

Do what you can to save his.

Understood, sir. I'm on my way.

Perhaps I should accompany
commander rabb to quantico, sir.

He can handle this on his own.

Yes, sir.

(Gordon) a fine move by jag getting
the jump on this, commander.

The sooner you're done with
crockett, the better for troop morale.

(Meg) done, sir?

What exactly are the
penalties for attempted m*rder

Of a superior
officer, commander?

U.c.m.j. Gives the court
pretty wide latitude, colonel.

Anything from a dishonorable
to 20 years confinement.

What about a f*ring squad?

It would have to
be a capital offense.

One of you would
have to be dead, sir.

You understand that admiral
chegwidden wants this matter contained.

(Gordon) this isn't
the navy, commander.

We marines clean our own house

And let the media bottom-feed
off crap like tail hook.

I just want the full
force of justice

Brought to bear on
gunnery sergeant crockett.

We're prepared for an article 32
prelim to a general court martial.

Following the investigation
of all the pertinent facts.

You want a pertinent fact?

Crockett scoped me with a
r*fle and pulled the trigger.

Is that pertinent
enough for you, mister?

Yes, sir.

[Helicopter whirring]

[Fly buzzing]

(Harm) good hands.

Yes, sir.

You just have to
know how to wait, sir.

I'm lieutenant commander rabb.

Admiral chegwidden
sent me to see you.

He says he still owes you one.

Yes, sir. If you say so, sir.

As you were, gunnery sergeant.

He was just a young
lieutenant at the time.

He tells quite a story about a night
on the thanh hoa river back in nam.

He says you saved his life.

I saved a lot of young
lieutenants' lives.

The admiral's name
doesn't ring any bells.

I've been assigned to represent you
during your article 32 investigation.

Grease the wheels where I can.

I don't need any help, sir.

I'm holding the high ground.

Man who holds the high
ground usually calls the sh*ts.

It'd be kinda hard from in here.

Maybe so.

But I'm going to make the
marine corps live up to our deal.

See, sir, I just
need 3 more years.

I can retire with
everything I need.

I just have to stay
here at quantico, sir.

No more combat assignments.

That's my deal.

Agreed to by both colonel
garcia and colonel ainesworth.

You explained this
to colonel gordon?

I've tried, sir. He
wouldn't listen.

So I had to get his attention.

[Scoffs]

Attempting to k*ll a man is a
hell of a way to get his attention.

I don't k*ll people
anymore, sir.

But that's what
sn*pers do, gunny.

That's what you've been
training your men for.

Nobody trains you for what
happens when you k*ll a man.

My last k*ll,

That boy went
straight up in the air,

Arms and legs thrashing,

Blood spewing around like...

Something beyond human.

Sounds pretty ugly.

They're all ugly.

Colonel garcia said
I'd be valuable here,

Teaching the troops
how to stay alive.

You see, I know things, sir.

For instance, I know you're
either a cross-dressin' weirdo,

Or you work real
close with a woman.

[Sniffing]

Perfume. Lilacs.

French, I'd say.

Chanel.

[Chuckles]

You're out in the woods,

You don't need to see a
target. You can smell it.

Like I said, I know things, sir.

You know you're
facing a court martial?

I wouldn't count on it, sir.

[Man chattering]

[Computer beeps]

[Typewriter clacking]

How'd it go?

Well, gunnery sergeant
crockett's a pretty interesting guy.

Well, you couldn't
prove it by this.

What's not deleted is encrypted.

Why would they do this?

It's called morality,
pentagon style.

John wayne was
never a bushwhacker.

(Krennick) but I
don't understand.

You seemed so eager
to go down there

And take the bull by the horns.

I was. I am.

I just have a feeling I'm
about to be gored by the bull.

How am I supposed to
defend or even investigate

A man who is an official
marine corps enigma?

If you can't handle the case, I'll be happy
to send down someone more qualified.

I can handle the case.

It would just be nice
to have a little help

Getting some background on
gunnery sergeant crockett.

Excuse me, commander?

But did I just
hear the "h" word?

What?

Help.

It sounds like you're
asking for my help.

I didn't say that.

Perhaps you should.

Yes, ma'am, perhaps I should.

[Snickers]

I would appreciate any...

Help that you could provide.

I'll do what I can.

And commander, you'll owe me.

[Phone clicks]

(Meg) colonel gordon had a
dozen men at my door at 0600

To give statements
against sergeant crockett.

He has a way of
getting what he wants.

Where is everybody?

[Helicopter whirring] there
was a guard here before.

[Man gagging]

Oh, my god. Harm, look.

Crockett. No.

(Harm) damn it!

(Davies) it's crockett, ma'am.

Get the hell out of
the way, commander.

The armory's been penetrated.
I got weapons missing.

Gunnery sergeant
crockett's escaped, sir.

Call the provost
marshall. Lock it down.

(Man) yes, sir.

I don't want crockett
getting off this base.

Looks like your jag
investigation is over, commander.

They'll never spot
him from the air, sir.

Like hell they won't.

The lieutenant has a point, sir.

A sn*per in a ghillie suit
can't be seen from 5 feet away.

U.a.s. Tact 4
infrared, commander.

If crockett's above room
temperature, we'll find him.

And then what?

Then we go down and get him.

My regrets to
admiral chegwidden.

But under the circumstances,
I think he'll understand.

Jag still has an
interest in this matter.

Your matter has just escaped the
brig, stolen government weapons,

And headed for the hills.

Now, that brig,

Those weapons, those hills and
the men in them are my interests.

So why don't you and
the lovely lieutenant

Go have your nice
uniforms pressed

While my men conduct the business
of the united states marine corps.

Lieutenant.

Lovely lieutenant?

I think he likes you.

That should have cleared
the deer out of the valley.

Now we can make
an infrared pass.

(Harm) here's his room, meg.

Gunnery sergeant ray crockett.

[Sighs] you really think
we'll find something in here

To bring crockett
out of the woods?

No.

But at this point, the
more we know about him,

The better our chances
of keeping him alive.

Suppose I told you
he was a tennis player?

Right.

No. Check it out,
sir. Wimbledon.

That's the marine
corps wimbledon cup.

It goes to the best long-distance
rifleman in the service.

He won it 6 years in a row.

Terrific.

If he digs in with
gordon going after him,

We won't just have legal
action, we'll have dead marines.

[Door opening]

Perhaps this can
help prevent that.

Commander.

As you were.

We didn't expect
to see you here.

I informed commander
krennick we were having trouble

Getting a background
on crockett.

Actually, he used the "h" word.

The "h" word, ma'am?

Help.

I brought these just in case you
ever get your hands on crockett again.

His entire service record
book. Non-redacted.

It's crockett's k*ll book.

(Meg) k*ll book?

Yeah. Combat sn*pers
usually keep a record

Of each and every assignment.

Targets, assessments, results.

163 Entries.

Imagine one person
k*lling 163 men.

Yeah, well. It's
real easy to imagine

If you've ever fired a
tomahawk m*ssile in combat.

I'd like a billet in b.o.q.

Yes, ma'am. I'll check with
colonel gordon's office.

I want this mess wrapped
up before the weekend.

That doesn't leave me much time.

I've planned an
officer's retreat

At admiral chegwidden's
beach house on hilton head.

I expect you to attend.

I may have to send my
regrets to the admiral.

Actually, the
admiral won't be there.

Just you and me.

[Helicopter whirring]

My chopper got an
infrared fix on crockett.

They found him?

Dug into an oak grove
halfway up the mountains.

Sir, that's not the high ground.

It's high enough.

Made damn good
time for a man his age.

But I told you we'd spot him.

(Meg) what are they
going to do, sir?

Their orders are to bring
him back one way or another.

I'm going with them.

The hell you are!

Sir, either I'm on that chopper,

Or I'll charge you with
interfering in a jag investigation.

That'll never fly.

Probably not, colonel,
but we all know

That jag charges,
regardless of outcome,

Frequently have a chilling
effect on career advancement.

So why not let commander rabb
have his little helicopter ride, sir.

(Man #1) you guys ready?

(Man #2) we will be.

Where's your w*apon, commander?

The last thing we should do
is make a show of firepower.

I forgot.

You're a lawyer.

He's going to talk
crockett out of the woods.

[Men laughing]

[Beeping]

There he is. I've got
an infrared signature.

I'll set you down
in that clearing.

Ready to drop!

(Crockett) bang. Bang.

[Crickets chirping]

[Whispering] palmer. Pavin.

Move out.

Trevino. Floyd. Flank 'em.

[Whispering] I think I
should stay here.

Understood, sir.

The navy stands off-shore
while the marines hit the beach.

[Snapping]

Freeze! Drop your w*apon!

Drop it!

It's all over, gunny!

[Grunting]

It's a wild boar.

But it's staked out, lieutenant.

Who did this?

Who the hell do you think?

Sorry, boys.

You're on my turf now.

[Glass shattering]

[Crockett on radio] the m.c.r.d.c.
Flight control. Do you copy?

(Atc) flight control. Ident.

This is gunnery
sergeant ray crockett.

Advise colonel gordon to
send his chopper back out here

And tell him to bring body bags.

Crockett got
the drop on us, sir.

He said, quote,

"Tell the colonel I
want my deal." Unquote.

Then he took our gear and
disappeared into the bush.

One man did this?

He's good, colonel.

Where's commander rabb?

He dropped off
our patrol, ma'am.

Did a lone ranger.

I don't think much
of his chances.

You don't know the commander.

You don't know the gunny.

(Gordon) move out!

[Whistling]

(Crockett) I ain't gonna sucker
for that one, commander.

Come on! Move 'em,
hogan! Move 'em!

Austin, fall out!

Yes, sir!

Stand down, lieutenant,
you're not going anywhere.

My partner is out there, sir.

This is a live fire
exercise, lieutenant.

There are no time-outs.

It's not a place for
a noncombatant.

A jag officer goes where
her cases take her, sir!

I hope that the jag officer
knows how to cover her back

Because she is on her own!

(Gordon) get up there! Move!

[Leaves rustling]

It's ok, gunny, I'm alone.

(Crockett) if that had been
a mine instead of a flare,

You'd be dead, commander.

(Harm) I appreciate
your restraint.

I thought... I thought
jag was full of puffballs,

But you got some gung-ho in you.

How'd you find my hide?

Part of a misspent youth in
laos with a guy named striker.

Not colonel francis striker?

Only his mother
called him francis.

You're yanking my wire.

Striker and I humped our way
through indian country back in '71.

1971.

You were patrolling
the cade river.

You're too young to
know about the cade river.

Or striker.

My father was m.i.a.

When I was 16, I went
looking for him with striker.

16, Huh?

Throw down the kabar,
commander. Stand up!

Turn around.

Put your hands on your head.

Walk backwards.

You and your spotter had
a company-sized element

Of n.v.a. Pinned
down near the cade.

It was early april.

You took out an n.v.a.
Officer with your first sh*t.

You had 3 confirmed
hits that day, 4 probables.

The only reason you bailed,

Your spotter came
down with dysentery.

You carried him on your
back, 10 klicks to the l.z.

That's classified information.

Nobody's supposed
to know about that.

It's in your k*ll book.

You're the best the
marine's ever had.

I don't want to
let 'em forget it.

The truth is, I
never liked the job.

I just got good at it.

You know we have to go back.

Not until I get my deal.

Hear them?

At least 2 of them.

3 More than likely.

The colonel's a good line
officer. He knows the drill.

The trouble is, he forgets.

I wrote most of it.

We're getting way too many
weapons in the field, gunny.

You know better than anyone

This can't have a happy ending.

I think it's time to change
your makeup, commander.

Let's go.

(Gordon) let's go! To the trees!

Tango leader to
tango one. Comm. Check.

(Floyd) one.

[Gordon on radio] tango 2. 2.

What now?

Now...

We see if the navy knows how
to do anything besides eat fancy.

You're the spotter.

Dead ahead, say
about 1,000 meters

Between 10 and 2,
that's our target.

How do you know?

I told you. I know things.

It's what's kept me alive.

Like beirut in '83?

You read about that, too, huh?

That was lousy duty.

But that shiite sn*per I faced

Was maybe the
best I ever dueled.

Every day around lunch time,
he's set up in a bombed out building

Just like he was
running a falafel stand.

He'd just squeeze
off a few sh*ts

At the marines
guarding the airport,

And then he'd pull back
for lunch time the next day.

'Cause of the open ground,

I couldn't work in close enough

With my regular smoke
pole. Get off a reliable sh*t.

You never heard of a mortar?

No.

There was too many
civilians in the area.

I... I needed reach
and reliability.

So I had the company armorer
rig me up a browning 50.

Took me near a week
to get that sh*t.

Afterwards, the
spotter paced it off.

He said it was 2,500 meters.

A mile and a half?

The browning's a fine w*apon.

You find it yet, commander?

Well, you tell me.

It's between 1:00 and 2:00.

Left of the fallen tree trunk.

Looks like a boot heel.

(Crockett) oh, very
good, commander.

You got good eyes.

Yeah. Except for
night carrier landings.

Can't work in close
to get an angle on 'em.

They'd peg us for sure.

So we call it a draw?

[Sighing]

No such thing as a
draw, commander.

[g*n f*ring]

[Bees buzzing]

(Man) bees! Bees! Bees!

[All yelling]

Leader to one. [Marine
officer on radio] bees!

One. This is leader.

Leader to 2.

2.

[Gordon on radio] 2. We lost comm.
With one. What's your sitrep?

[Whispering] no joy.

No more.

Well, like the song says,
you go your way, I'll go mine.

I can't convince you
to come back with me?

Oh, no way. Not
till I get my deal.

Let's go, marine. We're
walking out of here.

You double-dealing
son of a bitch.

I'm trying to save your life.

You read about me
so you think you know,

But you don't.

[g*n cocking]

Most men don't
have what it takes.

Look another man in the
eye and pull the trigger.

You got the high ground now.

Take your sh*t.

One sh*t.

One k*ll.

How far do you
want to take this?

[Both panting]

Don't ever let me see you
in my scope, commander.

Morning, colonel.

Commander rabb.

To what do I owe the honor of
your company this fine morning?

I was hoping we might discuss

Gunnery sergeant crockett, sir.

The colonel is aware that
gunny is the genuine article?

Oh, he's genuine, all right.

Genuine homicidal burnout,
no longer fit for duty.

On the contrary, sir, I
think he demonstrated

What a good marine sn*per can do
in the face of overwhelming odds.

If that's your idea
of humor, mister,

You're flirting
with insubordination.

With all due respect, sir,
I'm merely stating the facts.

For 27 years, the corps asked
gunnery sergeant crockett

To put his soul in storage
and perform a duty

Which few men are capable of.

I submit it's time
to give crockett

The space his soul needs
to find some peace, sir.

If the colonel is trying to run
me in the ground, it won't work, sir.

Neither will playing on
my sympathies, commander.

Your client is a danger
to himself and others.

He deserves to spend the
rest of his life in the brig.

The colonel may find
this interesting reading.

It's crockett's k*ll book, sir.

The intimate details
of 163 confirmed kills.

I know what the gunnery
sergeant is, commander.

Yes, sir. But you
don't know who he is.

[Marines sounding off]

[Panting] as the
colonel will see,

Crockett's book is full.

There are no empty pages, sir.

We're contacting colonel
ainesworth and colonel garcia.

You really believe in your
client, don't you, commander?

Yes, sir. I do.

Good.

'Cause I don't.

(Meg) since colonel
gordon is so hard-headed,

We'll just have to talk
some sense into the gunny.

I spent time with the man,
meg, up close and personal.

I'm afraid the only retreat
crockett understands

Is the lowering of
colors at sunset.

How can I help you, sir, ma'am?

Lieutenant commander
rabb and lieutenant j.g. Austin

To see gunnery
sergeant crockett.

Sorry, commander. Prisoner
crockett has requested no visitors, sir.

We're not visitors,
staff sergeant davies.

We're jag, the
gunny's our client.

Yes, ma'am. Prisoner crockett
has specifically listed

Your names as people
he declines to see, sir.

Will that be all, sir?

As you were, staff sergeant.

Aye, aye, sir.

What do you do
when you're trapped

Between an immovable object
and an irresistible force?

Drop and cover, sir.

♪ [Trumpet blowing]

Lieutenant commander rabb and lieutenant
j.g. Austin reporting as ordered, sir.

Stand at ease.

Ma'am. Ma'am.

Colonel gordon and I were
just discussing your case.

In lieu of a general
court martial,

Commander krennick has
convinced me of the wisdom

Of having crockett submit
to a 706 sanity evaluation.

He's not crazy, sir.

After which he will voluntarily
separate from the service

With loss of
benefits, of course,

And accept a bad
conduct discharge.

Meaning the colonel is
prepared to overlook

The deal gunnery sergeant
crockett had with his former c.o.?

There is no record of any deal.

Sir, we have a sworn statement
from your predecessors,

Colonels garcia and ainesworth,

Confirming that
there was a deal.

Damn it, lieutenant.

The man tried to k*ll a colonel
in the united states marine corps.

Begging the
colonel's pardon, sir,

If gunnery sergeant crockett
was trying to k*ll you, you'd be dead.

A free hand snapshot
at a moving target

Over 1,000 meters away,

And you have the...

The gall to claim he hit
what he was aiming at?

Not gall, sir. Confidence.

Davy crockett
couldn't make that sh*t.

With your permission, colonel,
I'd like to prove otherwise.

If you're ready, sir.

Good morning, colonel.

Prisoner crockett is
present as ordered, sir.

Good morning, colonel.

Good morning, gunnery
sergeant. Stand at ease.

Gunnery sergeant crockett,

Is it your contention
you had no malicious intent

When you fired on
colonel gordon's vehicle?

Sir. The colonel wouldn't
let me explain my deal.

I was just trying to get
the c.o.'S attention, sir.

The colonel has agreed to
let us duplicate your sh*t.

Rather than ask the colonel
and his aide to drive the vehicle,

That task has fallen on me.

Sir, the gunnery sergeant
meant what he said

When he warned the commander
about not getting in his scope.

Your sincerity is not
at issue here, gunny,

Your intentions are.

Attention on the range.

What the hell's he doing here?

Making sense of
nonsense, I hope.

I didn't want to see
you get yourself k*lled.

[Scoffs] well, I'm flattered.

Don't be.

I have enough work without investigating
the death of one of my lawyers.

Good morning, admiral.

Good morning,
colonel. As you were.

Hello, gunny. Long time.

Yes, sir, admiral.
Welcome to m.c.r.d.c.

I understand you're putting
on a sh**ting exhibition.

Lovely day for it.

Yes, sir.

A little windier than I'd like.

Well, what are we waiting for?

Sir.

Are you sure this is
such a good idea, sir?

A little late for doubts,
isn't it, lieutenant?

Corporal, clear your w*apon

And present it to gunnery
sergeant crockett.

What's your zero, trevino?

Gunny, my w*apon is
zeroed for 800 meters.

[g*n f*ring]

[Glass shattering]

Good sh*t, gunny.

One sh*t. One k*ll.

(Gordon) gunnery
sergeant crockett,

The corps cannot allow
prior gallantry to be used

As an excuse for
reckless behavior.

Therefore, I have no
choice but to find you guilty

Of wanton destruction of miscellaneous
items of government property.

You are hereby ordered
to make full restitution.

In addition, you're restricted
to base for 60 days at half pay.

Any questions?

Sir, no, sir.

Pin your chevrons back on.

Return to duty, gunny.

Aye, aye, sir.

Thanks, commander.

You got some major brass.

[Fly buzzing]

8 Weeks.

I'll make you a
hell of a sn*per.

Maybe next time.
I'll keep it in mind.

Gunnery sergeant crockett?

I believe I still
owe you a drink

If you're done
sh**ting for the day.

Sir, I'd be honored, sir.

You still don't remember
him, do you, gunny?

Commander,

A gunnery sergeant don't tell
the 2 star he don't remember him.

Lieutenant austin, you're
dismissed until 0700 hours monday.

Thank you, ma'am.

Commander rabb?

Sir.

Why don't you join us?

Aye, aye, sir.

Big plans for the
weekend, commander?

Not anymore.

[Sighs]