Apologies to Tracey Needham but she was the perfect damsel-in-distress to me when I watched the episode "Brig Break". This story will (as you can guess from my JAG Fan Fiction stories) lean towards and anti-Mac theme, so you Harm-Mac or just Mac
Set after "Fair Winds and Following Seas."I did a twist on the coin toss.
I locate the JAG Headquarters in its proper place in the Washington Navy Yard.
A quick search shows that the Fort Leavenworth has two military prisons, the United States Disciplinary Barracks and the Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility but the latter opened in 2010. The Disciplinary Barracks is a maximum security facility, but I'm not sure why the nemesis here (his name is easy to guess) with a involuntary manslaughter, eight years conviction is sent to a maximum security prison—or am I wrong?
United States Disciplinary Barracks, Leavenworth
Kansas
0930 local
2nd March 2005
The man walked head high and confident as he passed through each security barrier, only nodding to some guards as he did so. Finally after what seemed a dozen posts, he came to a non-descript door which opened after a few seconds. In front of him were three uniformed Military Police (MP)s, two enlisted and an Army Captain. "Ah, morning," the Captain greeted. The prisoner grunted a response. He was, yes was a US Navy Commander and obviously outranked the MP, but he no longer wore that uniform for several years and the Captain saw all Leavenworth inmates as well, just inmates.
"Lucky day for you eh? Early release. You must have friends in high places," the Captain began but failed to get a verbal response from the grey-haired man. "Ok, lot's of paperwork for you to sign." Indeed it was another half a dozen sheets of paper. "Alright," the O-3 said, "we'll have to go through your belongings once again, Bates," he motioned to the army Corporal on his left. The other E-4 stood by the grey-haired inmates side, his taser ready. The man didn't move an inch asBates unscrewed the few pens and pencils from the bag, the wedding ring, and finally a note book. "Ah, you precious book," the Captain said. The book was filled with the inmate's almost illegible handwriting and a few pictures. "Son and daughter?" the O-3 pointed at a black-and-white photograph. All he got was a shrug and a grunt in return. "Nice," he said but thought that this person was way behind the times; everyone kept pictures in digital format nowadays, no taped to some old diary.
"Ok," the Captain announced, "that's fine. Remember it's early release and you still will be monitored by us. One small wrong act and you'll get it again, or even see us back here. Now get going," he said and the inmate, now a free man exited through the barred door on his left. One, two, three about several hundred yards later, he was out of the facility he was forced to stay in. Finally, he smiled as the morning sun shone down on him. His first act of freedom was to head over to a phone booth and dialed a number.
US Navy JAG Headquarters
Washington Navy Yard
2nd May 2005
1400 local
"So, have you cleared all your items yet?" Captain Harmon Rabb Junior, United States Naval Forces Europe Head Judge Advocate General-designate asked his fiancée, Lieutenant Colonel Sarah 'Mac' Mackenzie. Mac, although engaged to Harm, still kept her rank even though her won the coin toss several days ago. General Cresswell had worked out an agreement so that she would be assistant legal adviser to the Commanding General of US Marine Forces Europe. Mac would in fact be the deputy to a Marine full Colonel and her posting wasn't permanent. Yet it was the only way for Mac to remain in the service and still stay with her would-be husband.
"That's the last of it," Mac pointed to several large boxes and thanked the Legalman third class as he carried it down for her. "Have you sorted out your guest list for the wedding yet? The catering and functions company needs the exact number." Both of them had planned a quick ceremony at the end of next week so that Harm could quickly fly over to London and then Naples. US Naval Forces was shifting its headquarters to Italy and requested that Harm fly over to the UK quickly to sort of the office move.
"Just about. Mom and Frank are definite. Jack Keeter said he may be able to come but will confirm it later on tomorrow. Kate sends her regrets but will be posting over some gift to our London home. Skates…"
"Skates?" Mac interrupted.
"Yeah of course Skates," Harm said. Mac didn't really like Harm's favourite RIO and still personally thought she was partly responsible for the ramp strike on the Patrick Henry. "Skates is somewhere in the Med or the Red Sea now. She and Captain, sorry Rear Admiral Ingles might be able to take leave and make it, depends if their Carrier Strike Group is called for operations over Iraq or Afghanistan. Then others should all make it."
"Ok," Mac said taking the list from him. Just then, Harm office phone rang. "Yeah, Rabb here," he answered, not recognising the number.
"You know who this is?" a deep voice replied.
"No, if this is a pran..."
"Sir Harm, you don't call, you hardly write," he then recalled the Texan accent. "Meg!"
"Yessir, Harm! How are you?! It's been ages. Now I hear scuttlebutt that my old partner has four bars and is getting married," Megaan 'Meg" Austin said.
"Uh yeah, Jeeze Meg, how are you? Last I heard you received your Lieutenant Commander's rank and..."
"And I moved to the Naval Reserve and got my doctorate in computer engineering," she continued. "Damnit Harm, congratulations! When exactly is the wedding? When do you cross the Atlantic?"
"Oh, wait hold on," Harm noticed his fiancée making signs. "There's someone else here," then he set the phone to loudspeaker mode.
"Hi Meg, it's Sarah Mackenzie," Mac called out.
"Hi, Mac right? Oh congrats to you," Meg repeated.
"Yeah, listen, I was just talking to Harm about the guest list. Where are you now? Would you be able to make it down to the Naval Academy on the 9th? We're having the wedding then."
"Heya, I actually called as I'll be flying over to DC tomorrow," Meg replied. "I got a new posting on the East Coast."
"That's wonderful Meg; it'll be great to see you, what time will you be arriving?" Meg gave him the flight number and time. "Aw, just when we wanted to sort out guests," Mac said, ignoring the buzzing sound as the call ended.
"Yup, It'll be great to see her," Harm replied.
Dulles International Airport
The Next Day
1530 local
Meg Austin lifted her medium sized suitcase from the belt and passed through the 'Nothing to Declare' zone. Gosh, everything in Dulles had changed since she left nine years ago. Ah, well, it'll be great to see Harm again. Harm, the one who helped her through her claustrophobia. Harm, the knight in shining armour who rescued her from that traitorous Gunnery Sergeant. Harm, the eligible bachelor who's now engaged. Oh how lucky Mac Mackenzie is.
MEG AUSTAN the sign read. "It's Austin, Meg Austin," she corrected the Spanish looking man. "Are you here to pick me up?"
"Yes, Meg Austin?" His accent was pretty strong. "Ha...Harmon Rabb said he's a...little busy? I take you to see him at JAG?"
"Right, servir de guía," Meg laughed and replied in Spanish. The car was a rather old Jaguar which took sometime to start. Great, Meg thought, what a way to greet an old friend, Harm. As the vehicle moved along the I-66, Meg thought back to her time with that six foot tall sailor. First that case onboard the Tigershark. Then the former Commandant's son. Next, the she rescuing Harm front being attacked or even murdered by a Thai Ambassador wife. Then, as Meg Austin tried to recall the Lieutenant Pendry case, she suddenly felt massively tried and fell asleep. "Ah, just as the boss said it would be," The driver said, removing his mask and turning off the interstate.
To be continued. Please review!
