This is the communications office or radio room. The back
wall is covered with communications equipment of all sorts:
boards, lights, switches. There is a speaker, a small table with
a receiving set, various telephones and sending equipment. A COMMUNICATIONS ENLISTED MAN is sitting at the table with
earphones. He is working the dials in front of him. CAPTAIN
BRACKETTis seated on an upturned waste basket. On the floor,
are several empty Coca-Cola bottles and several full ones. He
is eating a sandwich and alternately guzzling from a bottle
of Coca-Cola. There are a couple of empty Coca-Cola bottles
on the ENLISTED MAN'S desk, too. BRACKETTis listening avidly
for any possible sound that might come from the loudspeaker.
After a moment, there is a crackle.

BRACKETT

(Excitedly)

What's that? What's that? (The ENLISTED MAN cannot hear
him, because he has earphones. BRACKETTsuddenly becomes
conscious of this. He pokes the ENLISTED MAN in the back. The
ENLISTED MAN, controlling himself, turns and looks at BRACKETT,
as a nurse would at an anxious, complaining patient. He pulls
the earphones away from his ear) What was that?

-142-