05x06 - Eyjafjallajökull

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Madam Secretary". Aired: September 2014 to December 2019.*
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"Madam Secretary" follows a former CIA analyst and college professor who is promoted to United States Secretary of State as she tries to balance her work and family life.
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05x06 - Eyjafjallajökull

Post by bunniefuu »

(PANTING)

WOMAN: The crisis in Northern Syria

has entered a critical phase.

The latest offensive has displaced

thousands of men, women and children.

Their only option is to head
for the Turkish border.

- Tens of thousands, according to INR.
- While Turkey's

Foreign Minister Tarhan
and his government

are making heroic efforts,

they cannot manage the crisis alone.

And today, we are still
five billion dollars short

of the bare minimum

Turkey needs to provide food,
shelter and clothing.

Without these necessities,
the refugees face

starvation, exposure

and eventual death.

- Gets your attention?
- Not enough.

We're still five billion short.

- Donor fatigue is real.
- Six years of w*r.

If we fail here, it sends a
signal to the rest of the world

that Syria doesn't matter.

Well, then we better not fail.

Blake, call the White House.

See if there's any spare
change under the cushions.

- Yes, ma'am.
- I'll light a fire under the gaggle.

Tie 'em to a spit if you have to.

We need public pressure,
we need it now.

I want you two to work the floor.

I want to see those
pledge numbers come up,

- and fast.
- Yep.

JAY: Monsieur Lenoir,
we're-we're looking at

exponential growth of
instability in the Middle East.

And France has invested more
in antiterrorism than anyone.

We've given all we can.

Even a small donation from
you could prime the pump

and-and inspire others to revise
their own pledges and prove,

once and for all, that the generosity

of the French people is unparalleled.

So, what do you say, huh?

Fraternité?

I say my omelet is getting cold.

KAT: As we all know,

the generosity of the German
people is unparalleled.

Indeed. But why should we
give when the United States

denies asylum to so many Syrians?

Well, we're facing
some political headwinds.

Really? My government has taken in

more than half a million refugees.

And you dare ask us for more money?

No.

The Emirates would be happy
to make an additional pledge

if you go first.

Oh, well, the United States
already made

a pledge of $1.2 billion.

That's more than four times
what the UAE has offered.

1.2 billion is less than

one tenth of one percent of your GDP.

In relative terms, my country
is far ahead of you.

So you might say that the generosity

of the Emirati people is unparalleled.

POTUS confirmed with OMB

1.2 billion is our absolute maximum.

Go ahead.

So we're out of luck until
the next fiscal year.

Turkey already has
eight families to a tent.

What are they supposed
to do, stack them?

DAISY (SCOFFS): Yeah. We aren't

getting much traction in the press.

So far, the world is more concerned

with the reprise of Smoking Baby.

I thought he quit.

- Well, now he's vaping.
- JAY: It gets worse.

Azaz just fell to
the government forces.

Oh, my God, that's the
last rebel stronghold

between the Syrian army
and the border.

Yeah, the refugee numbers
will go up dramatically.

Along with the deprivation.

I mean, even if we pull
a rabbit out of a hat

on the five billion,
now it might not be enough.

And Congress won't save us.

No way Morejon and Callister let
a new aid bill out of committee.

What about DoD? They can retool

operations to deliver the aid,
but in a w*r zone?

Only so much they can do.

But there is one thing
we haven't tried.

China.

Could be a reach. They're
stingy for the same reason.

Yeah, I mean, that last typhoon
in the Philippines?

They sent a plane full of ponchos.

KAT: On the plus side,
Chen's already here in Doha

for a tech conference.

Exactly.

Maybe I catch him in a good mood.

(MAN LAUGHING)

(ROUSING MUSIC PLAYING)

(CACKLING)

(g*nf*re SOUND EFFECTS CONTINUING)

- Minister Chen?
- Oh... (LAUGHS)

Minister Chen?

I'm sorry to interrupt.

Ha. Ha!

Ming?!

(MUSIC STOPS)

Do you have a minute?

I think you mean a yuan, Elizabeth.

Several billion of them.
The answer is no.

Chen, come on.

The United Nations has failed

and you want us to donate.

Pass.

Surely you can see the upside

in helping refugees.

China invests where
it has the most interest.

Technology, for instance.

Even a small pledge

would bring immense prestige

- to China.
- You speak of prestige?

This is Dragon Zen One,

a next-gen gaming device that makes

Robo Recall on the HTC Vive

look like 8-bit Super Mario.

- Cool.
- Designed and built in China.

Without American help of any kind.

Well, that sounds very lucrative.

It is. (LAUGHS)

America has long held the advantage

in intellectual capital.

But not anymore.

China produces
the best computer scientists,

the most accomplished mathematicians,

even the world's
greatest chess players.

Our national team is,
at this very moment,

earning glory at the Global
Chess Classic in Montreal.

In field after field,

we're leaving our rivals in the dust.

Except humanitarian aid.

I'm okay with that.

Now, if you'll excuse me,

I have a planet to save.

- (MUSIC BEGINS PLAYING)
- Oh... (LAUGHS)

(GRUNTING, EXCLAIMING)

(g*nf*re SOUND EFFECTS CONTINUING)

(CACKLING)

I hate asking for money.

Remind me why you're
running for president.

I heard it comes with a chef.

(HENRY CHUCKLES)

ELIZABETH: No, but this one

really hurts, you know?

Every attempt the U.N. has made

to end the Syrian civil w*r

has collapsed.

Yeah, thanks to Russia.

I'd hoped, at the minimum,
that this conference

could provide some relief
for its victims.

Well, babe, you did what you could.

Sometimes that has to be enough.

Nope. I'm reaching out to Moscow.

See if they can help
broker a cease-fire.

That can't possibly last.

But it might buy some time

for the refugees
while we stand on the corner

and... shake a cup.

- Hey, Noodle.
- Hey, Dad.

You're up early.

So I'll just... Yeah.

ELIZABETH: Hey, Alison!

I miss you.

Hey, Mom.

Love you. Bye.

Taking you off speaker.

Is that what I think it is?

Yep.

Booty caller strikes again.

It's your funeral, pal, not mine.

I can't talk to my own daughter?

About this? No. Never.

She lives under my roof.

I think I am entitled to inquire

where she's been all night.

What do you want?
Social security number?

Address?
Confirmation of what happened?

- Because I can tell you it is
- (KNOCKING)

what you think it is.

Okay, okay, we're-we're not
having this conversation.

Good. Come in. Anything else, babe?

Nope. We're done. Have a
safe flight, love you.

- (DOOR OPENS)
- I love you, too, superdad.

Yeah?

Turkey's closing its borders.

What? When?

JAY: Two hours ago.
The refugees are trapped

with half the Syrian army
breathing down their necks.

Where's Minister Tarhan right now?

JAY: Okay, fine.

Front desk says he's
already checked out.

Yeah, he's headed to UNHQ, New York.

Just added to his official schedule.

Why?

- There.
- Coming out now.

Minister Tarhan.

Madam Secretary.
You leave us no choice.

These pledges are the final insult.

Humanitarian aid is a long game.

- You have to be patient.
- Patient?

Do you know how near
impossible it is to house,

feed, provide drinking water
for millions of refugees?

To screen for the t*rrorists
that have m*rder*d

hundreds of Turkish citizens?

I assure you no one doubts the
magnitude of your challenge.

Comforting words.
You know what's more comforting?

Five billion dollars in aid.

Turkey can't do its part

until the international
community does theirs.

I give you my word
the United States will

make good on the shortfall
in the next fiscal year.

The word of a woman
who consorts with traitors.

Excuse me?

Do you think we forgot how you
gave asylum to Hakan Uzun,

the man who tried
to m*rder my president

and overthrow our government?

Minister Uzun had nothing to do
with that coup, and you know it.

Then let him prove it at trial.

Hand him over, and we may reconsider.

No?

Farhan... tens of
thousands of people...

children... will be slaughtered

if you don't re-open that border.

Not by our hand.

Come on. _

If you and I work together we can...

- Hey, wait! Whoa, whoa!
- Get back!

Stand down! Stand down.

_

Clear.

- Any word on Avdonin?
- Uh, Russian Foreign Ministry

says he'll be available
within the hour.

DIA reports of shellfire along the
evacuation route keep coming in.

The Syrian army's
tightening their grip.

- We need that cease-fire.
- MAN: Madam Secretary!

How lovely to have you back
in Shannon.

Hey, Aidan.

Another day, another pit stop.

Yeah, time flies. And the good news is

you're first in line to be refueled.

- Still enough time to sink a Guinness.
- And curse the gods

who gave us a plane
with the range of a tadpole.

Oh, would you like a pint, ma'am?

No, I think I'd like
the bad news first.

Well, all flights are grounded.

- What?
- What happened?

Eyjafjallajökull.

- Efac... Come again?
- Yeah.

It means "island mountain glacier"

in Icelandic.

And it's erupting.

Since when do glaciers erupt?

It's really a volcano beneath
the glacier which melted.

Anyway, the prevailing winds
have pushed the ash cloud

in our direction,

and those particles have a nasty habit

of causing jet engine failure.

So, you'll be with us

- for a spell.
- Oh, my Aunt Ida

stayed with us for a spell.
Three years,

243 days. Quantify a spell.

I'll give you an update
as soon as I can.

Now if you'll excuse me,
the Dutch national chess team

is here and we have
at least one other plane

being forced to land.

Yes, Aidan, thank you.

DAISY: Hey, is anyone
else sick of learning

new ways that planes crash?

It's like the soothsayer said,

"Beware volcanos with
unpronounceable names."

Eyjafjallajökull.

Oh, it's not that hard.

Uh, guys, is it just me,
or do they look familiar?

Oh, you got to be kidding me.

Blake, I think I will have
that Guinness after all.

Hey, boss, just saw that
preliminary statement

about M-Sec being held up because of

- ay-yah... ay...
- Let's just call it "aye yai yai."

Anyway, nice work.
Just a few lingering issues

with the Secretary's
speaking schedule.

We're pushing the remarks

for the Ministerial
on Religious Freedom,

but the F.L.O. thing is tricky.

Most of the families
are already inbound.

F.L.O. thing?

The speech for the spouses
and children

of FSOs in hardship posts.

Uh, right, right.

Um, Dr. McCord's giving
the speech instead.

Secretary's cool with that?

Her idea. I'll meet with him later

to go over the tweaks.

Great. I'll let Protocol know.

Hey, Amy, can I get
your opinion on something?

What's your impression of Zane?

He's my girlfriend's
CO in South Korea.

Hubba-hubba.

Definitely two hubbas.

No, I mean his posts. Are they funny?

(CHUCKLES)

(LAUGHS LOUDER)

Right. So is it a bad sign

that she does the
laugh-y emoji on every one?

(LAUGHING): No.

He's her superior. She's
probably just flattering him.

Thanks, Amy. You're the best.

(AMY LAUGHS)

I'm sorry, how much longer?

I wish I could tell you.

They're sending a plane up
to sample the air.

Can't send us instead?

Do the words "jet engine
failure" mean nothing to you?

You might as well have
a-a bite of something.

- Ooh, I like your thinking.
- What are our options?

Well, as it's the
wee hours of a Sunday,

there's only the sandwich cart open,

but there's more stout
than could sink a ship.

- Oh...
- And the pub has karaoke.

You could have a go at that.

Thanks for the update, Aidan.

Ma'am, Russian Foreign
Minister Avdonin

- is ready for you on SVTC.
- Oh, is that karaoke?

- Oh, no, no, no. Just, no.
- What?

What you call refugees,
I call t*rrorists.

That's not the term I would use

for slaughtered babies.

These pictures were taken

by the Red Cross this morning.

Most of their parents were SDF,

traitors to the legitimate
Syrian government.

Your Syrian allies are k*lling
them with Russian-made b*ll*ts.

Is this the part where you
thr*aten additional sanctions?

I'm hoping it won't come to that.

Because you already
sanction everything

but the air we breathe.

- Don't tempt me.
- The chamber in that g*n

is empty, Elizabeth.
We will not be strong-armed.

Come on.

But perhaps we would
consider a ceasefire

if the United States
agrees to recognize

our legitimate occupation of Crimea.

Sure.

Why not ask for the Statue
of Liberty while you're at it?

Because I find her old and tiresome,

much like this conversation.

Ma'am, I'm so sorry.

DAISY: "Eya-flag-musk-hotel"?

AY-yah-fyad-layer-kuh-tel.

And how long until it's
acceptable to start karaoke?

Okay, you know I can't
sing on an empty stomach.

Well, brace yourself,
but Ireland isn't exactly known

for its Michelin stars.

Okay, they're sandwiches, Blake.
How bad can they be?

There's a reason they
drink so much beer,

but knock yourself out. Whoa.

DAISY: They're taking all of it?

Barbarians.

The crisps, too?
DAISY: And the wine gums.

I don't even think those are halal.

ELIZABETH: Minister Tarhan?

Minister Tarhan.

I know we ended things

on a bad note, but, uh,

my people are hungry. (CHUCKLES)

And seeing as we're all

in the same "aya-fliedyuck...

kerkle" volcano thing,

I was hoping that maybe you
could share some of your food.

No.

But you have five sandwiches
to a person.

KAT: I mean, what is that?
What is that?

I told my staff to take
appropriate measures

to make sure we had enough.

How do you put it?
Um, first come, first served.

Now as you can see, I'm quite busy.

Thank you for your time.

How many outlets are in this place?

Not many. Why?

I think we should take
"appropriate measures"

to make sure we have enough.

So all of them?

Every damn last one.

He wants to dance? Let's dance.

HENRY: So looks like about 100 people

who all have at least
one relative serving

at a hardship post, right?
Eh, n-next one.

Oh, yeah, like, uh,
Venezuela, Haiti, the DRC.

Yeah, similar in the m*llitary.
No family allowed.

A lot of these people haven't
seen their spouses in years.

Right. So I'll keep it close to home.

Maybe I'll tell an anecdote
about what it was like

when Elizabeth was deployed
to Iraq with the CIA.

Yeah, that's perfect, and maybe
some practical tips, too.

Hey, guys.

- Hi, honey.
- Oh, hey, Ali.

I'm gonna get some ice cream.
Do you want any?

Oh, yeah, I'd love to get in on that.

So what kind of practical tips
were you thinking?

Just the nuts and bolts

of keeping a relationship going.

You know, like,
before you were married.

You were deployed
around then, weren't you?

This has nothing to do
with you and Ronnie, right?

Oh, no, no, that...
you know, that's great.

It's just...

social media can be like the
Dagobah swamp without Yoda.

You never know what's real.

Preach. Uh, for instance,
uh, Ronnie's CO

is this John Cena clone.

- Whoa. He did not skip leg day.
- Right?

And he's funny. I mean...

how did you handle it, man?

The John Cena clones?

No, the distance.

I mean, you got to have
some pearls to share,

you know, for the speech.

I wish I did. Honestly, the
summer before we got engaged,

I was at flight training in Pensacola,

and I... (LAUGHS)
I was so freaking lovesick.

Oh, man. The only thing
that eased the pain

was flying a F-18 at Mach 2,
and then I would drive

11 hours through the night
so that we could spend

maybe an hour together

before I had to head back, but...

it was worth it, every time.

Man... that's beautiful.

And, like, one step removed
from the astronaut diaper lady.

The what?

You know, the astronaut
love triangle, you know that.

No, but if I ever had a band,

that would definitely
be the name of it.

And not to question the process
that led to my existence,

but, God,
those expectations of monogamy

sound stressful and exhausting.

What's the alternative?

I don't know, just
leaving things open-ended.

Going with the flow,

doing whatever feels
right in the moment.

That way, everybody's happy.

(CHUCKLES) That's a...
that's a perspective.

- ALISON: Bye, guys.
- Later.

(MAN SPEAKING IN FOREIGN
LANGUAGE OVER HEADPHONES)

(AUDIO BREAKING UP)

(AUDIO CUTS OUT)

("CEMALIM" BY ERKIN KORAY PLAYS)

I'm running out of charge.

Have you tried turning off your
Bluetooth? Every bit helps.

This isn't a joke.
I have official state business.

What a coincidence. So do we.

Give me your outlet.

First come, first served.

_

The United States
doesn't yield to threats.

We do, however, yield to corned beef.



- Hey, there.
- Oh, hi.

I don't think we've had the pleasure.

I'm Annelies de Runnow.

Jay Whitman.

Chief of staff
to the U.S. Secretary of State

Elizabeth McCord.
Not that that matters.

Yes. I'm captain of the
Dutch national chess team

that just got eliminated
in the Chess Classic.

Why we are here. Heading home.

We've had a rough few days,

and we are hungry.

Famished, actually.

Do you have any idea
what we went through

to get this sandwich?

Yes. Your security people
stole my outlet.

So either hand over
half of that corned beef,

or we declare the bathroom
sovereign Dutch territory.

We have flags.

Hmm.

Mm... What's your chess rating?

2765.

Number one in the Netherlands,
number eight in the world.

Eight, wow.

Middle school champion,
Dallas County, Texas.

Cracked top 20 in the state.
I'll tell you what.

I'll play you for it.

WOMAN (OVER P.A. SYSTEM):
Paging Miss Peters.

Please come to the help desk.

Paging Miss Peters.
Please come to the help desk.

I like your hair.

Oh, thank you.

Your hijab's pretty rad.

Thank you. (CHUCKLES)

Walk with me.

Is it just me, or are you
sensing a thaw with the Turks?

No, no, it's not just you.

I mean, uh, we're talking, at least.

Well, then, let's exploit it.

We never really discussed
incentives for Turkey.

Yes, because anything worth giving

would require approval from Congress.

Yeah, g*ns and loans. I-I know.

But Tarhan was headed to the U.N.

before his plane was grounded by

ayefahder-fardu...

Uh, yak trolls, so...
We ever figure out why?

Um, yes. Yes, Daisy got
the official schedule.

They are going to lobby for

a rotating seat
on the Security Council.

Huh.

Taking their newfound
leverage out for a spin.

Yeah, but Turkey hasn't held one

in over 40 years, so I... (SCOFFS)

And that volcano hadn't
erupted in 4,000.

Two-thirds vote.

We're gonna have to
call in a lot of favors.

Well, we've got food,
electricity and time.

Let's get calling.

(TIMER CLICKS)

(CLICKS)

Queen out early. Aggressive.

Always been a fan of Nakamura.

He's difficult to imitate.

Not for me.

Practically paid my way
through college hustling chess.

(CLICKS)

(STAMMERS) Just the
book fees, but still.

You don't want to castle? (CHUCKLES)

When I'm about to slay your knight?

It's your move.

You know, sometimes I wonder

if I could've turned pro.

If I really stuck with it.

Checkmate.

Two out of three? T-Two, two...

two-two out of three.

Get another sandwich.

(SIGHS)

How's the speech coming?

Oh, it's getting there.

So, uh, that whole, um...

non-monogomous,
go-with-the-flow type of thing,

is that something you

- want to talk about?
- Clearly, you didn't.

In front of Mom's speechwriter? No.

(SIGHS)

But, look, I was just...

Wanted to make sure that
you and your boyfriend

- are on the same page.
- Okay.

First of all, "boyfriend"
is a label of the patriarchy.

And there is no page.

That's kind of the whole point.

The whole point is not to
communicate with your...

- (STAMMERS) non-boyfriend?
- No.

There's no need to
define things because

we're not in a relationship.

It just is, we're just being.

What?

Too existential for you?

No, it's too risky.

If one of you is more
invested than the other.

That's not gonna happen because

- we're not investing.
- If you don't communicate,

how do you know whether
you're investing?

How do you know you're
not setting yourself up

- for heartbreak?
- Oh, my God.

Stop Socratic method-ing me.

I'm not worried about heartbreak.

O-Okay, but you're not
the first generation

to try this kind of thing, you know.

You don't know anything
about my generation.

So keep your neo-Victorian judgments

to yourself, okay?

(STAMMERS)

Do you see him during the day?

Uh, does he work? Ali, come on.

ELIZABETH: Label of the patriarchy?

I'm neo-offended.

Victorian father would have
just locked her in the attic.

Hmm, or sent her to the workhouse.

Sewing blankets for gruel.

You got to admit,
those parents had options.

I'd trade antibiotics for that.

I had a feeling

that you would not be able
to resist weighing in.

HENRY: I just can't stand all this.

(MOCKING):
"We're just being, it just is."

(LAUGHS) Yeah, don't forget:

"There's no page!"

(SNICKERS)

Oh, babe, I got to go.

Are you ready for the speech tomorrow?

HENRY: Yeah, yeah.

But, you know,
nobody likes a pinch hitter.

Well, then, swing for the fences.

I love you and they're gonna
love you, too, okay?

HENRY: Love you, too. Bye.

Bye. Did we get the vote?

Well, I promised the president of Togo

a visa for his pet hippo.

Can hippos get visas?

I don't know.

- It's above my pay grade.
- Good enough.

I'm bringing it to Tarhan.

What happened to aggressive?

Biding my time.

Like a ninja.

Or guy who spent all night
googling the Slav Defense.

Okay. The rust is off.

And nunchucks are coming out.

Besides, the middle game
is where I really shine.

At least, it was in sixth grade.

Checkmate.

(CHUCKLES)

Sorry. But... (SIGHS)


...a Slav Defense with a knight

pulled back to E1 is vulnerable

to a kingside att*ck

by the bishop and the queen.

I learned that in second grade.

(CHUCKLES WEAKLY)

God, yeah, I'm-I'm sorry. (CHUCKLES)

Y-You're one of the best
players in the world,

it's ridiculous that...

For you to even mess around
with someone like me.

- So...
- I like messing around with you.

And it's refreshing to play
with someone who doesn't cheat.

What do you mean?

Vadim Dremov, the Russian
who b*at me in Montreal.

Never heard of him.

No one has.

(BOTH CHUCKLE)

Came out of nowhere.

You think he had help?

Gut feeling.

But if he hadn't,
I wouldn't be here with you.

♪ Got a flower that's now ♪

♪ Drooped and dead... ♪

It's a tempting offer,
but I cannot accept.

Seriously?

My policy advisor
gave a visa to a hippo.

- Really?
- It's in the works.

Still. No deal.

But while I have you,
can you tell your people

to keep it down?

BLAKE: ♪ You may search everywhere... ♪

Please.

♪ But none can compare with my wild ♪

♪ Irish Rose... ♪

Yeah, I never really
got karaoke myself,

probably 'cause I'm tone-deaf.

What does this mean, "tone-deaf"?

Mainly that people
want to rip their ears off

- when I start singing.
- (CHUCKLES)

My, uh, my wife, she says
I sing like a dying goat.

Maybe we should do a duet sometime.

(BOTH CHUCKLE)

♪ Irish Rose. ♪

Thank you. That was Nan's favorite.

- All right.
- Thank you.

Well, my granny wouldn't give
two hoots for this song,

but, uh, happens to be
my personal favorite,

- and it's called "The Ferryman."
- (OTHERS EXCLAIM)

Okay, here's the truth, Elizabeth.

I want a seat on the Security Council.

My heart goes out to the refugees,

especially since we're
trapped here in this airport,

- far from home.
- Not trapped or cold

or starving or being persecuted

or sh*t at or blown up. Just saying.

Okay, fair enough, but I'm saying

without that $5 billion,

Turkey simply cannot afford
to keep its border open.

This time, it really is about money.

Most things are.

♪ ...can't you see ♪
All together now.

♪ Where the strawberry beds ♪

♪ Sweep down to the Liffey ♪

♪ You'll kiss away the worries... ♪

What the hell, huh?

ALL: ♪ I'll love you more tomorrow ♪

♪ If you ever loved me, Molly,
love me now ♪

♪ Where the strawberry beds ♪

♪ Sweep down to the Liffey ♪

♪ You'll kiss away
the worries from my brow ♪

♪ Oh, I love you well today ♪

♪ And I'll love you more tomorrow ♪

♪ If you ever loved me, Molly,
love me now ♪

♪ If you ever loved me, Molly ♪

♪ Love me now. ♪

- (LAUGHTER, CHEERS)
- Here, here!

Ma'am. Good news.

- Purse muffin? Please?
- Oh, um...

(CLEARS THROAT) Aidan.

Clear skies, Madam Secretary.

Ash density is now
within tolerable limits

for aircraft engines.
You're free to go home.

Bless you, Aidan.

And on behalf of all of us
here at Shannon, ma'am,

I would just like to say,
fair play on the sandwiches.

BLAKE: Our errant knight returns.

Nice end game, player.

Looks like someone found their mate.

Chess puns, clever.

ELIZABETH: All right, now,
just back off, he's sensitive.

Can you blame me?

Annelies is the smartest
person I've ever met,

but so cool and humble about it.

I want to k*ll the guy
who b*at her in Montreal.

Aw, guys. He's ready
to k*ll for her already.

Hey-hey-hey, the Russian was cheating,

and now he's playing
China in the final

and they'll just cheat
their way to victory again.

Yeah, we're talking about Russia here.

Greatest chess playing
nation in the world.

Yeah, but get this, Dremov,
the guy who b*at her,

his rating's gone up by, like,

200 points in the last six months.

That's a lot.

Can you get me footage
of that tournament?

(LAUGHING): Yeah, okay.

HENRY: And then, in 2005,

Elizabeth forward deployed to Iraq.

I'd flown over those coordinates
during Desert Storm, but now,

it was my turn to wait at home.

So... on the nights
when I couldn't sleep

'cause I was worried about her...

basically, all of them...

(LAUGHS SOFTLY)

I would reach
for the family Bible and...

leaf to a page in Exodus.

And-and there was some comfort there,

knowing that hardship
is part of our journey

and our trials have a purpose.

On behalf of my wife
and all Americans,

I want to thank you
for supporting our diplomats.

And for keeping the faith.

- Thanks.
- (APPLAUSE)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

I know she's thinking
about you every day,

how proud she is of you.
Thanks for coming.

Thank you.

Well played, with Exodus.

Well, I hope it helped.

Well, it certainly helped me.

I spoke to Ronnie this morning

and we made plans to meet up
in Hawaii in a couple weeks.

Well, that's great.

I'm a little surprised
Elizabeth approved vacation

on such short notice, but...

Oh, I haven't asked her yet.

I was hoping you could
put in a good word.

Thanks, Doc.

Huh. You're not crazy.

Right? You see it, too.

Yeah, this guy's some kind of spotter.

Well, t-there must be a-a relay, or...

Yeah, look.

The spotter gets the move
from someone in the audience

with a phone and passes it
to the player.

Now all I have to do is prove it.

- This isn't enough?
- Oh, no.

The World Chess Players
Association won't take action

until we link each signal

to a specific move on the board.

No proof, no leverage.
That makes sense.

So, you really think that Russia
is gonna stop a w*r over chess?

Well, who said anything about Russia?

Oh, you're going back to Chen.

He wants Chinese dominance
in all things.

If I can hand him chess glory
on a platter,

maybe he'll pony up
for humanitarian aid.

I guess this is some
kind of grid pattern.

But there are 64 squares,
six different types of pieces.

That is a hell of a lot
of combinations.

Yeah, but we're out of time.

The final match between China
and Russia starts tomorrow.

NSA could do it.

No, there's a giant bureaucracy
and chain of command

between us and the
supercomputers at Fort Meade.

SecDef, Ellen Hill...

We'll get Dalton to sign a waiver.

Do you really think he'd go for it?

He'd better.

As ethics advisor, I will tell
him this is a moral outrage

- that cannot be tolerated.
- Okay.

I mean, Russia is the country
that gave us Botvinnik,

Kasparov, Karpov and Kramnik.

What happened to working hard to
be the best like those guys did?

Wh-What happened
to excellence? I mean,

Russia's the country that b*at us

by putting the first man in space.

Now it seems their only
national accomplishment

is leading the world in cheating.

Look at the Olympic doping scandal.

They cheat at their elections,

not to mention the elections
of other countries.

They are champions only of deception

and undermining others, and if
we don't stop them, and fast,

we are gonna see the death
of principles and norms

that protect basic human
achievement and dignity.

Babe, I love it.

Call him.

- Just...
- I'm calling him.

I knew it. The perfidious dogs.

Do you really have proof?

NSA broke the code an hour ago.

Then I'm sure the Players
Association will take

prompt action and disqualify Russia.

Oh, I haven't told them.

You see,

America invests
where it has the most interest.

And that sure as hell ain't chess.

The U.N. is short
five billion dollars.

Do you really expect us to make
up the entire difference?

No, but where China leads,
others will follow.

Do you have any idea

how much money China puts
into its chess team?

Great achievements
require great sacrifice.

Between masseurs,

coaches, dieticians?

$100 million, in the last year alone.

Let's start with that.

Such a gift would be unprecedented.

So would a gold medal.

Unless you'd prefer the virtual kind.

I'll take it up with President Li.

Good.

And hurry, because your guy

looks like he's about to throw up.

What's this?

VADIM: What is happening?

I protest!

- Put me down!
- Mr. Dremov is suspended

for violations of Article 11-B
of the tournament bylaws.

- What? No! You're lying.
- Victory is awarded

by forfeit to Mr. Zhao.

(PEOPLE SHOUTING)

MATT: This is better than lucha libre.

BLAKE: Who knew chess players

- could rumble?
- It's like Nerds Gone Wild.

KAT: Well, China just publicly
announced their pledge,

and Mongolia, the five Central
Asian stans and Sri Lanka

are all following their lead
and contributing.

Snowball effect in the house.

Or really, the "suck up to China

because they're in your
sphere of influence" effect.

Germany and France
and most of the Gulf States

have upped their pledges as well.

Okay, so where does that leave us?

About two billion short.

Gas up the jet,
we're getting back in the air.

TARHAN: I thought I made myself clear.

You're two billion short.

Again, I can promise

we make up the deficit
in the next fiscal year.

It's not what you want,

but it is enough
to keep those refugees alive.

And you expect me
to take that on faith?

You think those refugees go
forward knowing what lies ahead?

Reopen the border.

A bid for the Security Council?

Will have our full support.

Then we have a deal.

Providing you extradite Hakan Uzun.

This is a mercy mission,
not a shakedown.

Come on, take the deal.

(LAUGHS SOFTLY)

Very well.

I will recommend to President
Kozlu that he reopen the borders

for the Syrian refugees.

- Thank you.
- The price was right, huh?

- Right.
- Besides,

anyone who hates karaoke as
much as I do is, uh, all good.

Okay.

- (LAUGHS): Oh, my God.
- Yeah.

(CHUCKLES)

The dulcet tones of sexting.

Annelies challenged me to a game.

Don't worry, it's not chess.

Words with Friends.

Native language,
maybe I have a chance.

(LAUGHS SOFTLY)

(SIGHS)

Is it worth it? You and Ronnie?

13 time zones, half a world away.

Yeah. Every minute.

(PHONE GAME CHIMES)
Good. Because I just bonused.

HENRY: You want a drink, babe?

Anything but Guinness.

(LAUGHS SOFTLY)

(TV PLAYING FAINTLY)

(EXHALES)

Wow. Still can't believe it's over.

You should be proud.

Yeah. I don't know.

Feels more like fate than achievement.

I mean, if it hadn't been
for the random eruption

of Eyjafjallajökull,
then it prob... wow.

(LAUGHS) I nailed it.

Well, then, none of
this could've happened.

Well, countless thinkers
throughout history

have struggled
to reconcile the interplay

between fate and free will,
chance and design.

And?

No one's been able to resolve it

because one thing can't exist
without the other.

The volcano was one factor,

but so was the sheer force
of your will.

Even without the volcano, I...
think you would've found a way.

You're just saying that because
you made babies with me.

Hmm.

Speaking of babies.

- Hey, Noodle.
- Hey, honey.

So I'm moving out,
starting next semester.

Oh. Okay, well, any particular reason?

Beside the fact that it was only
ever supposed to be temporary?

Yeah, actually.
I'm getting pretty sick

of all the unsolicited advice,

which backfired spectacularly.

What happened?

(SIGHS)

I asked Gunnar
where everything was going.

- You did?
- His name is Gunnar?

And he freaked out.

I had finally found a guy
that I really liked

that I thought liked me.

And now he's gone.

Noodle, I'm-I'm sorry, sweetheart.

I am, too, but I think
you can do better.

Oh, my God, I am so done with this.

Mom,

I'm really glad you're back.
Good night.

NEWS ANCHOR: Raising this money...

Good night.

...sustainability will
undoubtedly continue...

Don't look so down.

Just think, you saved her
months of decoding emoojis

with a guy named Gunnar. (LAUGHS)

- Emojis.
- Emojis.

For now, though, the overall
feeling here is one of relief.

These families have escaped
the clutches...

What about us?

Fate or free will?

...but there's a long road
ahead of them.

Fate.

...millions of Syrian refugees
who are already seeking asylum,

and no one knows where
that process will end.

It's a life of uncertainty,
but at least they found hope.

Did I just force Alison to move out?

No.

That was fate, too.
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