Back in DC, one of the government spooks babysitting Christine Kendal in that Matrix-like interrogation room tries to scare her with the mushroom cloud off the coast, which she points out is farther than the distance between Vegas and White Sands. Another guy says Sam and the rest of his crew are going to die, even though he's sure Sam just wants to do the right thing. Christine can't exactly argue with that second part, can she?

Back at the listening post, Shepard reports to Chaplin and Kendal that some sailors aren't reporting for their guard shifts, plus Brannan and Cortez are still missing. Oh, and Chief of the Boat Prosser is in what passes for the town jail. So she goes to visit Prosser in what amounts to an outdoor cage, guarded by some sailors who won't obey her orders and listen as Prosser taunts her. At least that's the dynamic until Chaplin shows up, when they open it right quick. Chaplin steps inside the cage, and Prosser yells at him about Shepard killing Stern and Chaplin's own refusal to follow the fire order that started all this trouble in the first place. Chaplin points out his reasons for doubt, which they agree is above the COB pay grade. But the Prosser says Chaplin's no longer the captain, either. So who is, then?

Kendal comes and finds Shepard, who's filled with doubt and asking to be relieved. Kendal's not about to do that. "They don't believe in you? You make them. Today." Like the way she showed them how to be strong yesterday? That worked out great. Then they notice the contrail of a jet high overhead, where it has absolutely no business being. "That's closer than 200 miles," Shepard obviouses.

Inside the station, Cameron's trying to ID the plane, the Eisenhower's getting ready to scramble intercept fighters, but Sophie (who I thought left on her high horse a while ago) grabs a headset and orders the pilot to turn around, in both English and French. It looks like it was just a passenger 747. Chaplin and Kendal head out on the roof to regard the now-curving contrail overhead as Kendal figures it got within 40 miles -- close enough for a Delta Force team to have jumped out and be here in six hours. Kendal decides to go try to intercept them with a team of his own. "Show strength, then talk," he says to Chaplin. Shepard volunteers on the spot to be Kendal's second. Sounds like a chance to make someone believe in her.