Machines Strike Back - set in 1976
Flight Jacket Alert!!

At bell's winch communicating with Crane and Riley in Diving Bell,
reels it back in when drone they were checking on goes haywire.

Sharkey at drone control. Over intercom, Chip in Missile Room reports missile defenses are ready to fire on rogue missile with three intercepts are ready and locked on target.

Enters Control Room to tell Nelson the bell is back aboard. Nelson hands over the conn to him and tells him to keep on the drone's tail. Chip goes over to where Sharkey is monitoring the drone and gets course info from him

Crane and Nelson return to Control Room where Chip tells them they're closing on the drone. Is told they'll pace her side by side, transmitting 'stop engine' orders on every known command frequency. Lee adds if that doesn't work, they'll have to shoot her propellers off. Chip reminds Lee that they'd be aiming at a very explosive target as the drone's self destruct bomb will have been armed. Nelson confirms this.

As Nelson goes off to answer a videophone conference with Washington, Chip asks Lee what the Admiral has in mind as any attempt to board the drone will result in the self destruct going off. To which Lee replies, yes, and if the Seaview is within five miles it will go too.

Is behind crash doors at plot table in Nose when drone explodes. After doors open, Crane tells him to plot a search grid, 5 min. each grid at dead slow. Chip acknowledges and gets to work. Changes course according to orders. Normal stuff.

Directs wiring of the force-field. Told to take over conn when a missile gets hung up in the drone, which is rather funny since Nelson made a big deal earlier about Lee having to be the one at the conn. :P But it does show that Lee trusts Chip quite a bit. When Lee comes back to Control Room, Chip asks if the Admiral is still going and is told yes.

Shaken with rest of crew when bad lady sabotages boat. Tells Lee they can't blow opposite side ballast. Lee says to flood the other one. Gets boat back in trim. 

Chip gets to fly the Admiral out to Halder's base in FS-1, then return to Seaview. He looks soooo dang good in the black flight jacket, even if it's a generic one and not the one with his Lt. Commander shoulder boards.

While Sparks (using computer) and Crane try to decode the bursts, Chip reports that 12 drones are now rogue and heading to the Eastern Seaboard and that they have something in common, they'll all be within firing range of the US in 2 hours. Lee asks if Seaview can intercept any of them and is told no.

Riley, Ski and Chip watch with great interest as the lady Captain comes down the spiral stairs and goes into FS-1. Chip and Ski are so very eager to help her climb down. They may suspect that she's a baddie, but they still appreciate the view. :::snickers:::

Chip overhears Sharkey complaining about not getting word yet from Crane. Asks him what's the trouble. Sharkey says they haven't gotten word from the Skipper and why don't they call him. Chip says they have orders not to call until Eastern Command calls them. Sharkey says, 'begging your pardon sir, but who gave that cock-eyed order?' Chip straightens up, with hands behind back and says coolly, 'Captain Crane. Wanna make an issue out of it?'. Sharkey replies sheepishly, 'me, sir?' and Chip turns away with a nice smirk. Most enjoyable little moment.  hehehe

Worried but waits quietly with rest of crew for word from Crane in Eastern Command. Last shot of episode, after Nelson has talked to Washington, has Nelson returning to plot table where Crane and Chip are working. Chip seems to be showing Nelson something on the chart table and they converse a bit. Is good 'background' color. The actors are very good at keeping 'in character' and adding realism and depth to a scene even when they are in the background.