Monday 0800
Harm's Office

Harm walked into his office, threw his cover onto the shelf and sat down at his desk with a heavy sigh.

'God, I hate Mondays,' he muttered to himself.

'Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness,' Mac joked appearing at his door.

'So, what of it?' Harm asked bitterly. He wasn't in the mood for idle chat or friendly banter and he certainly wasn't in the mood for Mac.

'I'm sorry,' replied Mac apologetically. 'Is there something wrong?'

'No,' he all but yelled.

'Are you sure? You just seem a little…' she began.

'A little what? Tired, irritated, peeved?' he spat out.

'Well, it's yes to all three,' he answered himself. 'So unless there is something you need, you know where the door is.'

'No,' said Mac quite hurt. 'I just wanted to say hi.'

'Well, hi and bye.' Harm put his head down and Mac knew the exchange was over.

Wednesday 1430
Mac's Office

Since their less than friendly conversation on Monday morning, Mac had kept clear of Harm. He obviously didn't want anything to do with her and Mac was more than willing to give him the space he needed. Bud knocked on the door interrupting her thoughts.

'Excuse me, ma'am,' he said quietly.

'Yes Commander Roberts,' she replied without looking up.

'Ma'am, are you okay?'

'Yes Commander, why do you ask?'

'Well, one, you keep calling me Commander, it's normally Bud. Two, you don't seem to be talking to too many people and, three, Commander Rabb and you …' he trailed off.

'Well, one, if you insist on calling me Colonel, now that you are a Commander, I'll call you Commander. Two, I've been very busy and, three, Commander Rabb is not overly happy with me for reasons I am unaware of and at this stage I am keeping my distance.'

'Oh,' said Bud.

'Oh, what?'

'Oh, um, ah.' Bud was hiding something.

'Commander Roberts, what do you know?'

'Nothing, ma'am, really.'

'Bud!!!'

'Well Mac, read this.' He handed her a memo from General Cresswell to all staff regarding staff changes. As of the following week Harm would be TAD to The Pentagon – duration unknown.

'What will he be doing there?' asked Mac re-reading the memo.

'Paperwork mainly.'

'That's not Harm – he'll hate it.'

'I believe he requested it Mac.'

'Why on earth would he do that?'

'I don't know. I tried to ask but he just yelled at me.'

'Well, I'll try then.'

With that Mac walked out of her office and into Harm's without knocking and then shut the door.

'Do you want to explain this?' Mac said throwing the memo on the table.

'Yeah, it's a memo from Cresswell,' he said, amused at his own joke.

'That's not what I meant. What about the TAD?'

'I'm off to The Pentagon.'

'Why?'

'Because I've been assigned there.'

'Harm, it's paper warfare there – you'll hate it.'

'I'll live.'

'Why on earth would you choose to do it though?'

'I have my reasons.'

'Harm, it's just not you. You'll hate the paperwork and you'll hate the politics. You'll hate it all.'

'No more than I hate it here. I hate everything about this place.' He stormed out and once again their exchange had concluded.