Ensign Pulver

Pulver, long dismissed as all talk and no action, secretly aims a sharp object at Captain Morton, shocking everyone aboard. The crew cannot believe that Pulver could be the attacker, and suspicion quickly centers on him.

To identify the assassin, the crew conducts a poll, but the results consistently overlook Pulver. Pulver resents being dismissed as a suspect, and the episode deepens his resentment toward the captain. The exercise exposes the crew's eagerness to assign blame while Pulver plots in the shadows.

Doc is the only crew member who sees any potential in Pulver, offering him rare encouragement amid general derision. His faith stands in sharp contrast to the rest of the crew, planting the seeds for a complicated bond later.

A company of nurses lands on a nearby atoll, and Pulver introduces himself as a doctor serving on the destroyer. Nurse Scotty suspects the truth, prompting a tense exchange. Pulver reluctantly confesses that he is not a doctor, only a junior officer.

Bruno's derangement peaks when he attempts to murder Morton. Pulver reluctantly intervenes in the crisis, but the captain's life is still threatened by the outburst. The event demonstrates the ship's fragile morale and Pulver's unsettling influence.

During the crisis, Morton falls overboard and seems doomed to drown. Pulver lowers a life raft and dives in to save him, risking his own life in the process. The rescue marks a rare moment of heroism for Pulver and forces the crew to reassess him.

Separated from their ship, Pulver and Morton drift for hours on a life raft while the crew remains unaware of their fate. The two men bicker as Morton begins to reveal dark secrets from his past. Pulver takes notes, understanding that Morton may be more than a one dimensional martinet.

Pulver's raft drifts to an island where friendly natives welcome him. He then discovers Scotty and Captain Zimmer on a nearby island, where their plane had crash-landed during a storm.

On the island, Morton is diagnosed with appendicitis, making his survival depend on Pulver. Pulver follows Doctor Doc's radio instructions to perform an appendectomy, saving the captain's life without conventional medical oversight.

Back aboard the ship, Morton's martinet tendencies resurface as he tries to regain control. Pulver's earlier leverage gives him room to steer Morton toward safer boundaries rather than a reckless power grab.

Pulver uses his leverage not to punish but to persuade Morton to acknowledge his limits and seek better choices. He shows a rare moment of compassion by guiding Morton toward leaving the ship for his own well-being.

Morton departs the destroyer, turning over command to the more popular LaSeuer. The ship stabilizes under a leadership that gains the crew's trust, ending the captain's ironclad rule.