Title: Hard Knocks II
Author: rooster dawn
Pairing: Harm & Mac
Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright infringement intended.
Summary: The General learns to be careful of what he asks for.
Good feedback is good for one's soul and everyone's happiness.
1300 hours
Monday
Jag Headquarters
General Cresswell was sitting at his desk reading over some personnel files. He whistled at what he saw. He couldn't believe some of the stunts Commander Rabb had pulled over the years.
He was a cross between a real live action hero, an outstanding lawyer, and a man who didn't know when to leave well enough alone. The one he was looking at now he completely didn't understand.
Why in the world would he fly back to Norfolk in the middle of the storm of the century? He and his RIO had developed so many electrical malfunctions, the instrument panel could have been confused for a Christmas tree. Yet he continued on.
They had been forced to eject although not at the same time. The RIO had been found fairly quickly considering they were more than two hundred and fifty miles away from the aircraft carrier when they went down.
But Rabb hadn't been found so quickly. In fact the search and rescue had to be put on hold for over three hours before continuing. He was eventually found five hours after he ejected, a hundred miles from the search area.
How in the world had they found him there? Why did they look for him there? Was there some divine being looking out after him? From his service record there had to be. He had escaped death so many times.
He looked up when he heard the door opening and someone walking in. He shook his head in exasperation. Once again Petty Officer Coates had entered his office without knocking. What was wrong with this woman?
Didn't they teach squids anything about proper protocol upon entering a superior's office? Between not knocking and trying to finish his sentences for him, she was trying his patience.
He didn't think that was possible. He always considered himself to have the patience of a saint, but now he was reconsidering that opinion of himself.
"What have I told you about knocking before entering Coates? I've told you I don't like you interrupting me like that." bellowed Cresswell.
"Sorry Sir, but the SecNav is on line two. You have your intercom off. The SecNav doesn't like to be kept waiting Sir." replied Jen a bit chastise.
"You stilled could have knocked on the door and waited to be told to enter Coates. I want you to have someone remove the door handle on your side of the door." ordered Cresswell.
"But Sir, how are you going to get into you office?" asked a confused Jen.
"I have the key." answered Cresswell.
"Yes Sir." replied Jen.
"Since I have you here Coates, what do you know about Commander Rabb's rescue a few years ago?" asked Cresswell.
"I have heard the story a few times Sir." replied Jen.
"Good. I have two questions for you. Why was he flying back to Norfolk in the storm of the century? And how were they able to find him so far from their search pattern?" asked Cresswell.
"He was returning that night so he could be here for the Colonel when she got married. He promised her he would be there and he never breaks a promise to her.
As to finding the Commander, the Colonel was the one who located him. She went into some kind of trance and had some kind of vision, like the ones that they have in the Star Gazer program. She saw his raft in the vision and somehow came up with the right coordinates of where he was within a few hundred meters Sir." shrugged Jen.
"It wasn't the first time she had done it Sir. The first time she found her little sister Chloe who had been lost for several days after a riding accident. She saw her in a vision while she slept on the plane. She also solved a murder of a naval intelligence officer the same way."
Cresswell shook his head in amazement. There was something strange about this command, especially between the Commander and the Colonel. He would have to investigate this further, but now wasn't the time. He had to talk with the SecNav.
"Dismiss Coates." ordered Cresswell.
1400 hours
Tuesday
Jag Headquarters
The next afternoon Harm and Mac were at Jen's desk. She had called them to tell them that the General wanted to see them. They wondered what was up.
"We're here to see the General, Coates." began Harm
"He's waiting for you. Go on in Sir, Ma'am." replied Jen.
Mac took a look at the door and noticed that there was no door handle on the door. How were they going to enter the General's office?
"There's no door handle Coates." stated Mac.
"Yes Ma'am." replied Jen.
"How are we supposed to enter his office Coates?" asked Mac.
"You're supposed to knock on the door Ma'am." replied Jen.
"Are you trying to be funny Coates?" asked Mac.
"No Ma'am. The General is teaching me a lesson on how to enter his office." replied Jen.
"Why is the door handle off Coates?" asked Harm.
"He ordered me to have it removed." smiled Jen.
"Doesn't that make it difficult for him to enter his office?" asked Harm.
"Yes Sir, but he has the key." replied Jen.
Harm shook his head. He was stunned and confused with where this conversation was going. Mac was finding it hard to believe also.
"Is he aware there is no handle on the door Coates?" asked Mac.
"I believe so Ma'am. He's gone in and out of his office all day Ma'am. He hasn't had any trouble entering his office." replied Jen.
"What about everybody else? Has anyone else gone into his office today?" asked Harm.
"Yes Sir. The SecNav was the first one to enter." smiled Jen.
"What did he have to say?" asked Mac curiously. This ought to be good. The SecNav didn't like games. He wanted what he wanted when he wanted it.
"I don't know Ma'am, he was here before I arrived this morning." replied Jen.
"I'm sure the Admiral wished he thought about removing the door handle. Between Webb and the SecNav, he was ready to kill someone." smiled Mac.
"So how has everyone else gotten in Coates?" asked Harm.
"I guess the General has to get up out of his chair and walk across the room each time someone knocks and open the door." smiled Jen.
"And this is supposed to be teaching you a lesson Coates?" asked Mac.
"Yes Ma'am." replied Jen.
"And what lesson is that Coates?" asked Mac.
"I'm not at liberty to tell you Ma'am." replied Jen.
"And why is that Coates?" asked Mac.
"Because I value your friendship Ma'am, but I can tell you this Ma'am, I think it's a Navy/Marine thing." replied Jen.
Mac just shook her head and turned around. She knocked on the door and waited for the General to let her in. Harm laughed to himself and winked to Jen. He understood what this was about.
The General was a marine. Marines are known to be very stubborn. Mac was no exception. So much so that they would cut off their nose to spite their face.
In this case the General didn't want to admit making a mistake to the Petty Officer. He probably didn't think Coates would actually have the door handle removed. Now he was too proud to ask her to have it put back on.
He would suffer the indignity of being wrong in private. He would get up each time and answer the door rather than telling Jen to get the handle put back on the door.
The General was an old timer, not use to working with women. If there was one thing he would learn here at Jag about women in the military, they were a force to be reckoned with.
The End