I managed to get to New Orleans, so I'll be posting the final chapters for What Will Be, as well as a few other projects. I forgot to mention this earlier. I own nothing but my own career, opinions, Alaina Williams and Brandon Hughes (in a manner of speaking—look up the filmography of Alan Rickman)
It had been a challenge for Allison, Meg, and Kate to put together a panel that had no prejudice either for or against Mac for her courts-martial. Nearly everyone stationed nearby had some contact with the beautiful Marine or had read the coverage in both the Navy and Marine Corps Times or the local press about the case, and had formed opinions about Mac's guilt or innocence. Had this been the first black mark in her record, she would probably have simply been disbarred, demoted, and transferred to finish her twenty, which was only two years away. However, with all of the other marks in her record, there was no way she, if convicted, would be able to avoid confinement at hard labor, reduction in rate to Private, and a Dishonorable discharge. Another complication was that General Cresswell had insisted that Mac and Vukovic be tried together. Both Harm and Jen had been called to testify for the government, and Harm was not looking forward to it.
The day before she was supposed to testify, Jen saw Kate Pike sitting in her temporary office rubbing her temples with her fingers. Mac despised Kate, and was outraged that neither Harm, Bud, nor even Sturgis would defend her and Vukovic. Kate, who had learned about the murder of Loren Singer two years prior and that retired Admiral Chegwidden had called in outsiders to defend Harm in his courts-martial, tried to explain to Mac that she, Meg and Captain Krennick had been detailed for the same reason. Her clients refused to listen to reason, so now Kate was in her office with a pounding headache. Jen turned, walked back to her desk, and pulled out the bottle of Excedrin that she always kept there. Grabbing a bottle of water from the break room, she walked back to Kate's office. Kate had apparently returned to the conference room, so Jen walked to it and knocked on the door.
"Enter," Jen heard Kate call from inside the room. Kate saw the bottles in Jen's hands and gave her brief, grateful smile. "How can I help you, LN1?" Jen gave Kate an imperceptible nod, agreeing to the charade.
"Here are the things you requested, ma'am." Kate thanked and dismissed Jen, who quietly walked out, closing the door behind her. Looking at her client, Kate could see the gears turning in Mac's head. Nearly everyone had told her about Mac's loathing of Jen, and the way the younger woman had been treated by the Marine since her marriage to Harm had become public. Clearing her throat, Kate was able to get Mac's attention.
"I hope that you aren't thinking what I think that you are, Colonel."
"I'll plead temporary insanity, Kate. I was so angry about the man I love marrying another woman that I wasn't thinking clearly."
"You still aren't," Kate replied, shaking her head. "That excuse won't fly for several reasons. Number one: Commander and LN1 Rabb have been married for over a year now. Temporary insanity is just that, temporary. Secondly, before they even got married, much less started dating, you were in a serious relationship with a Mr. Clayton Webb. By the time that ended, LN1 Rabb was pregnant with the twins. Not only that, I know that Commander Austin already has several witnesses lined up to testify on the fraternization charges against you and Lieutenant Vukovic. We try to drag Commander and LN1 Rabb into this as an excuse for your misconduct, Colonel, then I can guarantee that every aspect of your personal life while in the Corps will be brought up by Commander Austin. I have tried cases in front of Captain Krennick before, and I can tell you this much. If the defense opens the door regarding the accuseds' personal life, she will let the prosecution air every bit of dirty laundry that service member has in court." Kate continued to go over questions with Mac, who still wanted to blame everyone but herself for what happened.
The next morning, Jen put on her best set of summer whites before quietly preparing to give her testimony. She was mainly called upon to testify against Vukovic on the sexual harassment charges. As she took the stand, Jen took a deep breath as she locked eyes with Harm, who was sitting in the back of the courtroom. Her husband gave her an encouraging smile and Jen squared her shoulders.
Meg started by going over the incident in Jen's office minute by minute, before she delved into how Vukovic made her feel with his actions.
"LN1 Rabb," Meg said calmly, "you stated earlier that you had backed up into your filing cabinets, attempting to keep space between yourself and LT Vukovic. Why did you feel the need to do this?"
"I'm very uncomfortable with any man other than my husband looking at me the way that LT Vukovic was, or standing that close to me. It wasn't the proximity that bothered me as much as it was the combination of all three things."
"What three things, LN1?"
"The way he was looking at me, how close he was standing to me, and what he was saying to me." Meg asked Jen to clarify, so she repeated, word-for-word, the conversation with Vukovic, and how her husband had seen what was going on. "If he had not stepped in, I fear that I would be facing courts-martial myself for assaulting a superior officer." Several of the spectators chuckled softly before schooling their features. Meg asked Jen a few more questions before stating that she was finished and walking back to the prosecution table when Allison cleared her throat.
"We'll take a ten minute recess before the defense questions LN1 Rabb." Allison rapped her gavel and rummaged in the drawer at her table. As Jen walked over to where Harm and Meg were standing, she heard Harm chuckle as he saw Allison pull a pack of cigarettes and a lighter out and walk toward the side door.
"Translation for ten minute recess-Allison needs a smoke break." Meg snickered and Jen just smiled as she watched the byplay. Krennick's smoke break ended quickly and court resumed. Kate took a deep breath as she approached Jen on the witness stand. Kate honestly liked Jen, and hated that she would have to disparage her in front of everyone.
"LN1 Rabb, you testified earlier that LT Vukovic approached you in your office. If his attentions bothered you that much, why didn't you tell him to leave immediately?" Kate's eyes met Jen's, and Jen could tell how much Kate hated what she was forced to do. Harm, watching both his wife and friend, recognized the look on both their faces, and it reminded him of a day two years ago. The same non-verbal exchange that he and Jen had then, she was having with Kate right now. Jen's eyes softened and her mouth tilted slightly upward as she responded.
"Ma'am, I serve as the Legalman to the Judge Advocate General. Part of my duties are to let him know if someone needs to see him and when an appointment he has arrives. I have nearly everyone in Headquarters in my office on a daily basis, including my husband, but no one has attempted to treat me the way LT Vukovic did that day." Kate turned back to the defense table to take a sip from her water glass before resuming her questioning.
"LN1, the Lieutenant is a very attractive man. Are you certain that you weren't reading more into the situation than there was?"
"No, ma'am," Jen said. "I have, in my opinion, the most attractive man in the US Navy for a husband. When my husband is that close to me, I feel safe and loved. When LT Vukovic did it, all I felt was the need for a hot shower to wash the slime off." Kate asked a few more questions, but Jen stood firm. Allison dismissed Jen, who was walking by the defense table when Mac hissed loudly enough for the front of the courtroom to hear.
"You know you liked it, you little slut." Jen simply gave an enigmatic smile at the room.
"Like I just testified, Colonel, I have a real man to go home with every night. Why in God's name would I feel the need to dirty myself with the Lieutenant?" With that parting shot, Jen walked toward the back of the courtroom to sit next to the other members of the JAG staff. She was surprised to see General Cresswell stand up so she could slide in and sit next to Harm. As she took her seat next to her husband, General Cresswell took the seat next on her other side. The message was loud and clear that messing with Jennifer Rabb was a very bad idea.
Harm was the last of the group to testify, and both he and Meg knew that Kate would attempt to use his marriage to Jen in order to muddy the waters concerning the fraternization charge. All they could hope was that Allison would keep the segueway to a minimum.
"Is the government ready to call its next witness?" Meg nodded and cleared her throat.
"Yes, your honor. The government calls Commander Harmon Rabb Junior, U.S. Navy." Harm was sworn in and took his seat. He didn't look at either Mac or Vukovic, focusing only on Meg.
"Commander Rabb, how long have you known the defendants, Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie and Lieutenant Vukovic?"
"I've known Colonel Mackenzie for nine years and Lieutenant Vukovic for about three months."
"In the testimony that you gave during the investigation, you stated that over the past few years, Colonel Mackenzie's behavior became more erratic. Would you please clarify what you meant for the court?
"Yes, Commander," Harm replied. "I considered Colonel Mackenzie to be one of the finest officers and attorneys I'd ever met for a while. Even when I learned about the fact that she'd knowingly broken the fraternization regulations, along with concealing her marriage, I thought that it was simply youthful mistakes and that it was in the past and should have no bearing on her future. Had it not been for the Colonel, I would have died in the search for my father."
"It sounds like you care a great deal for Colonel Mackenzie, Commander Rabb.
"At one time, I would have done anything for the Colonel, Commander Austin."
"And now, Commander?" Harm shook his head.
"You can only slam the door in a man's face so many times before he gives up and looks for an open one. The final straw was when she almost got herself killed in Paraguay, and I resigned my commission to go after her. Once we were safe, she told me to get lost and jumped into bed with the same guy that almost got all of us killed. I thought that my Navy career was over and the woman that I loved dropped me for another man yet again. I don't know what would have happened if Jennifer hadn't asked me out that night. She was still in the Navy, and as far as we all knew, I was a civilian. Jen taught me that love is unconditional, and a partnership. Even after Admiral Chegwidden revealed that the paperwork hadn't been filed and I'd never left the Navy, Jen and I still have an equal partnership in our personal relationship, regardless of the disparity in our military ranks." Harm had deftly handled the unavoidable questions about his relationship and marriage to an enlisted woman. Meg concluded her questions before turning Harm over to Kate.
"Commander Rabb, your wife is Navy enlisted, correct?"
"Yes, she is, Commander."
"Forgive me, then, Commander, but how can you call your marriage an equal partnership when there is such a disparity in ranks? Your wife is obliged to obey you in everything, due to the oath she took." Harm started laughing, and it took several minutes for him to regain his composure.
"Commander Pike, we both leave Commander and LN1 in the office when we secure for the day. From that moment on, we are simply Harm and Jen, and Jen has no compunction about telling me to shove it when I deserve it."
"I assume that is a frequent occurrence, Commander?"
"Very frequent, Commander." Meg finally stood up.
"Objection. Your honor, as amusing as the mental image of LN1 Rabb telling the Commander to shove it is, neither Commander nor LN1 Rabb is on trial here."
"They should be," Mac shouted angrily. Krennick banged her gavel before fixing the defense table with an icy stare.
"Objection sustained, and Commander Pike, please control your client."
"Yes, your honor." After several more days of testimony, followed by closing arguments, the jury finally retired to deliberate. Harm, Jen, Meg and Kate were sitting in the cafeteria when one of the Marine guards walked up to the table and cleared his throat.
"Ma'am, Ma'am, the jury has returned with the verdict." Meg thanked the young corporal and the group stood up.
"Brace for impact. We all know that there was nothing I could do; the evidence against them both was far too strong. However, Colonel Mackenzie is convinced that she will either be completely exonerated or will receive minimal punishment." Harm snorted and shook his head.
"With her history, I can't say that I am surprised that she feels that way. She received her promotion to Lieutenant Colonel less than six months after an Admiral's Mast for Perjury. During the same time frame, she also admitted to being guilty of fraternization and adultery." Meg and Kate were both looking at Harm as though he'd grown several heads. Before anything else could be said, they were at the courtroom door. They entered and took their seats, Jen and Harm next to General Cresswell. Allison called Kate, Mac and Vukovic to attention.
"Have the members reached a verdict?"
"We have your honor." The Bailiff took the paper and walked over to Allison, who read it before handing it back.
"Captain Davis, please publish your findings."
"Yes your Honor. Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Anne Mackenzie, United States Marine Corps, on the charge and specification of perjury, this courts-martial finds you guilty as charged. On the charge and specification of fraternization, guilty. On the charge and specification of obstruction of justice, guilty. On the charge of conduct unbecoming an officer, guilty. Lieutenant Gregory Charles Vukovic, United States Navy, on the charge and specification of perjury, this courts-martial finds you guilty as charged. On the charge and specification of fraternization, guilty. On the charge and specification of obstruction of justice, guilty. On the charge of sexual harassment, guilty. On the charge of conduct unbecoming an officer, guilty." Whispers filled the courtroom and both Mac and Vukovic looked like they'd been slapped. Allison banged her gavel and cleared her throat. We will recess for today, and reconvene tomorrow for mitigation and sentencing." One more bang of the gavel, and the courtroom began to clear. A bailiff took both Mac and Vukovic back to the brig, both still standing there in stunned disbelief. Once her clients were gone, Kate slumped down in her chair and shook her head.
"Why those two were so convinced that they'd be acquitted when they were guilty as hell, I'll never comprehend. I tried to get them both to take the deal you offered, but…"
"Kate, it's not your fault." Those two had been getting away with this sort of crap for so long…their luck just finally ran out." Kate nodded and stood up.
"After tomorrow, I'm going to need a very large margarita." Harm laughed and nodded his head.
"After all of this is over, I'll treat everyone out to dinner so that we can relax." The offer was accepted, and everyone couldn't wait for the entire mess to be over.
Sarah Mackenzie and Gregory Vukovic received identical sentences: 25 years confinement, disbarment, reduction in rate to E-1, and Bad Conduct Discharges. As Mac was led out of the courtroom, her eyes met Harm's, silently pleading that he do something to help her. Harm's own expression was full of regrets, but he did the only thing that he could do. The final chapter of the Harmon Rabb-Sarah Mackenzie story ended as he turned his back to her and walked over to his wife was standing, closing the door on what might have been.
That night, Harm and Jen joined Meg, Kate and Allison at Benzinger's for dinner and drinks. Bud and Harriet had volunteered to babysit, as long as Harm and Jen returned the favor soon. While at the bar, Biff and Dora Cresswell, who had also decided to go there to unwind, saw Harm and Jen on the dance floor, behaving like a pair of newlyweds. Kate, Meg and Allison were all looking at the byplay, happy that Harm had finally found his soulmate, and wondering how long it would be before more mini-Rabbs joined the world.
Well, that's it for Chapter 4. Don't worry there will be more excitement to come. Harm will be promoted and receive the orders elsewhere, however, it won't happen as quickly as it did in the show. Instead, they will be stateside until shortly after Christmas.