Title: Harm and Mac go to Romania
Author: rooster dawn
Classification: Harm/Mac
Spoiler: Roman Holiday
Summary: Harm gets appointed as ambassador to Romania to negotiate with Romania conditions for them to enter NATO.
Disclaimer: The characters of JAG are the property of Donald Bellisario and Bellisarius Production, Inc. Used without permission. No copyright infringement intended. May be reproduce if unchanged, author given full credit, and no financial transaction is involved.
Feedback is greatly appreciated and welcomed.
part 1
0800 hours
Monday 4 April
JAG headquarters
The Admiral looked up to see Webb walking into the his office. Like always the Admiral wasn't particularly pleased to see Webb. Webb always seemed to want his two best officers to clean up some mess that Webb's people created.
And this usually meant his people would be put into some kind of danger. It was not as if he totally disliked Webb. It was Webb after all who had brought Major Sarah MacKenzie to JAG to be a part of his command in the first place.
She was partnered with Commander Rabb. They formed the best JAG team that the Admiral ever had. Rabb was a very good lawyer with great military bearing. He knew how to play the game, which allowed the navy to look good in most situations.
He brought to JAG his savvy and competitiveness of being a top gun aviator to the courtroom. Most of the field officers that he had to deal with as a JAG lawyer respected him because he wasn't just a desk jockey.
He had actual combat experience. He had been an aviator. He knew what it was like to be in combat and took that under consideration any time he investigated.
Mac was a star lawyer in the making. She didn't have the experience in the courtroom or the military savvy that Harm had, but she would be learning from the best. She was a tough and tenacious person who had fought hard to get where she was.
She hadn't learned how to play the game yet. Having Mac worked with Rabb, she would learn how to get information and cooperation from the field officers. She would also learn to litigate more effectively.
She would learn the tricks of the trade and be able to steer the opposition in the direction they didn't want to go. By having them working together, both Harm and Mac would become much better lawyers.
They had gotten so good at working together they began thinking as one mind and soul. They knew each other's thoughts and moves. Webb began talking to the Admiral.
"What do you want Webb?" bellowed the Admiral.
"State is looking to fill a vacant ambassador position to Romania." replied Webb nonchalantly.
"Who are they considering for the job?" the Admiral asked wondering why Webb was telling him this. He really didn't care who the ambassador to Romania would be.
"I've talk with Romanian King Jozef. He would like Commander Rabb to be the new ambassador." replied Webb looking for a reaction.
"Rabb, why would anyone want to have him to be an ambassador? He's in the military and inexperience in diplomatic relations. He is also a loose cannon." argued the Admiral in disbelief.
"The King was very impress with his performance last year. He like the way Rabb handled the assassination attempt on his daughter Alexandria and how he showed respect to the crown by not taking advantage of his daughter Alexandria. And Alexandria likes him." explained Webb.
"Well you are right about that, he did do a good job with that assignment." the Admiral agreed.
"Well Admiral that not all. They want your best team. Rabb will need to have a partner in this undertaking. They want someone he works well with. We believe that person to be is MacKenzie." added Webb with a sly smile.
"What! You want to take my two best people." exclaimed the Admiral.
"Wait Admiral, you haven't heard the best part. The position of ambassador to Romania requires the person to be married.
Since Harm is single he will have to get married. The person he marries has to be someone he can work well with. Someone who can keep him under control, someone he trusts." smiled Webb.
"But why Mac, he has worked well with all his partners." the Admiral moaned.
"Come on Admiral, you know that they have a very special relationship. The only thing that has kept them apart is the regulations. They probably would be married now if it weren't for the regulations.
They make the perfect couple, the perfect team. They know each other so well that they anticipate each other's moves and thoughts. You know it's true." argued Webb.
"The regulations are only an excuse Webb, there are other complications that are involved. But I guess you're right, they do work well together. I just don't like losing my two best people. When and how are you going to inform them?" the Admiral asked shaking his head.
"It going to take a little maneuvering, but I think we can get it done without too much effort on our part if we play our cards right." replied Webb.
The Admiral sighed, none of Webb's plans ever worked right. He and Webb spent the rest of the morning working out the details. They came to a consensus and agreed to tell Harm the next day.
0800 hours
Tuesday 5 April
JAG Headquarters
Admiral and Webb came up with a plan that they believed would work. First thing they needed to do was to let Rabb know about the opportunity and then tried to con him into getting Mac on board. The Admiral had Petty Officer Tiner get Commander Rabb.
"Commander, the state department has requested you for a special assignment. I have agreed with their choice of you for this assignment. Webb will fill you in." the Admiral began.
"Yes Sir Admiral." replied Harm wondering what hair brain idea Webb had up his sleeve.
"Commander, you've been chosen for a very special assignment by the president. It is a six year commitment. You don't have a choice whether or not to accept this assignment.
What you will have though is a choice of a partner to work with. We believe we have the perfect partner for you, but you and she will have to make the final decision." Webb began the briefing.
"What is the assignment if I may ask?" asked Harm with reservation.
"You have been chosen to be the next ambassador to Romania. King Jozef was very impressed with your handling of his visit last year. He thinks that you have the right diplomatic skills and military knowledge to deal with the critical issues involving Romania and the U.S. government over the next several years." explained Webb.
"Thank you Webb, I am shock and very surprise that I was even considered." replied Harm.
"There is one technicality you will have to take care of before taking the assignment as the ambassador. Which is why we are giving you the choice of who will be your partner." cautioned Webb.
"Well I really don't have to think very hard about who I would want. I would choose Mac as a partner. We work very well together most of the time. And the other times we manage to work out a solution." smiled Harm.
"We thought you might say that. But there is one thing that I haven't mentioned to you yet, which might throw a wrench into your choice of a partner." cautioned Webb.
"I can't imagine anything that would cause me to change my mind." smiled Harm. He loved being with Mac.
"Commander, one of the requirements of this position is you have to be married. Which means you will have to ask the partner that you choose to work with to marry you.
I don't know if this would change your choice or not. But if you do decide to choose Mac, we think you might want to ask her first before she finds out about you becoming the ambassador.
She must believe you are choosing her because you love her, not because you need a wife. You know she has self extreme issues when it comes to deserving happiness.
You can't wait too long to ask her. We are working on a very tight schedule. You have less than two weeks to ask her." explained Webb.
"It doesn't change whom I want as a partner. You're right, I think I'm in love with Mac. The only thing that has kept me from acting upon how I feel about her has been the regulations.
I didn't want to lose the opportunity to work with her. We have gotten so much closer the last few months. How much time do I have to ask her and how much time before starting the assignment?" replied Harm.
"You are supposed to start you duties in four months. You probably should ask her within the next seven to ten days, that way we can announce your appointment to Mac and you two weeks later.
That will give you three months to plan the wedding, get married and have a honeymoon. This will leave you two weeks to go over any last minute briefings before moving to Romania." answered Webb.
