Author's Note: This Chapter covers everything up through Fighting Words.
Okay I know this chapter's late and shorter than my usual fare, but there's
a few reasons for that. One, I refuse to mention anything about 'What If'.
If you really think Harm's fantasy would involve a failing marriage to Mac
go right ahead, but I'm not about to touch it with ten foot pole.
Secondly, 'Harm Time' had so little to do with Harm I had very little to
work with. In case you don't know, Prince Prospero and his abbey come
straight from the brain of Edgar Allen Poe and his short story 'The Masque
of the Red Death'. I don't own that character, but he's dead so I don't
think Poe will mind if I borrow him for a little while. There, that should
keep everyone from reading the ending and scratching their heads and
wondering what the hell Harm's talking about. Feedback is always
appreciated as is the occasional flames so send it all my way.
2313 ZULU
PETTY OFFICER COATES' APARTMENT NORTH OF UNION STATION
"What are you doing here sir?"
I frown as I hold up the take out bag I picked up on my way here. "Apologizing, and its Harm remember?"
Jen smiles when she recognizes the bag in my hand. "The Black Kettle? I suppose I can forgive you just about anything for that." Today was the fourth time I've been to that little grease spot they call a restaurant since Mattie introduced me to it, but I only learned the actual name of the place today. The last few times I paid in cash, today it was a check. Jen lets me in and I set the bag down on their small kitchen table. For as many times as I've been in here it shouldn't surprise me that Mattie and Jen come over and eat with me as much as they do. This place is much smaller than mine is. Jen moves past me to pull some paper plates out of their cabinets along with some forks, cups, and a gallon of milk. "So Harm what are you apologizing for?"
That's much better. "For ganging up on you in Mac's office today."
"You don't have to apologize for that."
"Well I didn't feel right about it and I pushed harder than anyone else there. Besides, I should have figured it out for myself after we talked about the fight they had."
"Then why did you?"
"Because when I saw Meredith walking towards the Admiral's office I figured they were back on again or something."
"I let her into the Admiral's office."
That stops me for a second as I pour the milk into two glasses. "Did he yell at you?"
"No, he said I did the right thing."
"Did he?"
"That's what I asked and he said did."
"Do you believe him?"
"I guess I have to, we have to don't we? He yelled for me as soon as Meredith walked into his office, but other than that there were no raised voices."
Jen loads up a plate of barbequed chicken tenders and hands them over to me. "Thank you. What about his attitude as of late? How's he been?"
Jen gives me a strange look as she fixes up her own plate. "You've been in his office."
"Yeah, but he's all business with me. You see him nearly every five minutes."
"Good I think, he talks a lot about baseball."
"You better get used to it. He gets that bug in the spring and it stays with him all the way through the World Series."
"I heard he was drafted to be a pitcher."
Harriet told me that once, but she couldn't remember for what team. "I don't know what team for, but he choose to head to the Academy and become a SEAL instead." Although it isn't in the same league, it kinda reminds me of Pat Tillman's recent sacrifice, service to his country before service to himself.
"Why would he give that up anyway? He could have become the CNO if he'd stayed there."
"I think it has to do with that purple heart of his. From what I've heard he took some shrapnel in the shoulder and while he could pass the Navy's physical he couldn't meet the physical demands of a Seal Command any more so he got out. I think he was a Lieutenant Commander at the time."
"And went into the surface fleet."
"Yeah, skippered a destroyer as a full Commander then left that to get his law degree."
"Why would he do that?"
"Jen there's no way he would have made Admiral as a boat driver. He would have topped out at Captain."
"Its amazing he's gotten as far as he has."
"No argument here."
"Where's Mattie anyway? I was waiting to for her to come home before starting dinner."
"Alateen meeting." I'm so glad she decided to give it a try. I don't know what goes on during those meetings, but it must be helpful, this is the third meeting she's gone to.
"Oh that's right its Thursday isn't it."
"It better be, otherwise I ran a lot harder today than I planned to."
Jen and I are just about finished with our meal when Mattie comes in. "Hey there stranger."
Mattie tosses her backpack on her bed as she walks over to us. "Hey yourself."
"Did Amber give you a ride home?" The only reason I know her name is because she's on Mattie's volleyball team and attends Alateen meetings with her, or so she says.
"No, she wasn't at the meeting. I took the metro."
"Why didn't you call me, I would have picked you up."
"Harm I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself."
"Mattie this neighborhood is no place for young woman like yourself to be walking alone in."
Mattie rolls her eyes at me. I hate it when she does that. "Harm its not even dark out yet."
"Mattie..."
Mattie ignores the tone of my voice as she interrupts me. "What's for dinner?"
"Chicken."
Mattie pulls up a chair and looks into the bag. "Oh, Black Kettle, your the best Harm!"
"You're welcome." Getting up I put my paper plate in the trash and set my cup and fork in their sink before plopping down on their couch. It's small, but nice.
"I meant to ask you. How's your case with that General guy going?"
"As well as can be expected I guess."
Mattie takes another drink of milk before responding back at me with a curious look on her face. "Is that good or bad?"
"I'm not really sure Mattie, religious tolerance is a sensitive issue, especially in regards to our Middle Eastern foreign policy."
"Is it really that big a deal? What ever happened to freedom of speech?"
"Mattie the military isn't a democracy. We can't go around saying certain things."
"He wasn't trash talking the president Harm."
"True, but when he wears his uniform, whether he intends it or not he's a representative of the United States Marine Corps. He has a standard to uphold when he puts that uniform on." I don't think the General should have said those things in front of that news crew, but I refuse to believe that his statements have inflamed the situation in Iraq.
I watch as Mattie finishes two more chicken strips and licks the barbeque sauce off her fingers before she speaks up again. "So the Navy not only tells you two what to do, but what to think as well? Exactly why would I or anyone else want to join the Navy under those kinds of conditions?"
"Mattie you know better than that. The Navy expects that its officers and enlisted personnel won't go around shooting their mouths off in public forums because like it or not we are public servants in one capacity or another."
Mattie thinks about that before a smile works its way onto her face. "Speaking of public servants, can I ask a favor of you?" Uh-oh, judging by the look on her face I'm not going to like what I'm about to hear.
"Depends, what's the favor?" Now I'm sure I'm not going to like this.
"Our school is having a career day. One of my teachers asked that I invite you to come and speak in one of the classrooms." Great a bunch of obnoxious teenagers who aside from a few exceptions aren't going to take anything I have to say seriously.
"Who's idea was this, yours or your teacher's?"
Mattie waves me off as she downs another chicken strip. "My teacher's."
"Which one?"
"Ms. Cardigan, she thought..." Oh shit, I've met her before at Mattie's Parent-Teacher conferences. Ms. Mandy Cardigan, the woman spent the bulk of that time trying to flirt with me instead of telling me how Mattie was doing in Geometry. Its not that I wasn't flattered by it, she's young and attractive, but she's also the same type of woman I constantly ran into during flight school. They're all mesmerized by the dress whites and gold wings. They have no idea of what being a military wife is really like.
As soon as I hear the name, I jump in and interrupt her. "She suggested this?"
"Well..."
Shit, this is as bad I feared it would be. "Mattie?"
Mattie squirms in her seat before looking me in the eyes. Jen during this time has cleaned up her dishes and taken the seat next to me. She knows the whole story and it doesn't look like she's going anywhere because she smiles at me as she joins me on the couch. She's enjoying this way too much for her own good. What Mattie says next comes out in a rush I barely catch. "She said if you came there'd be some extra credit in it for me."
I knew it; Mattie's working her teacher to get something out of this deal for herself as well. "Slow down and say that again."
"Ms. Cardigan says she'll give me a few extra credit points if I can convince you to come and speak at school."
"How many points?"
"Twenty five." I'm about to respond when Mattie gives me her best pout and puppy dog eyes. "Please Harm? Twenty five points would give me a chance to get an 'A' in Geometry if I do well for the next few weeks."
"And how many points would she give you if I took her out on a date?"
The way Mattie's head jerked back has me barely containing my laughter. "Um..."
"Or what if I married her? How many then?" Now Jen and I are laughing at Mattie stunned appearance. We all know how much Mattie likes her teacher. She'd have no problem setting me up on a date with her.
Mattie ignores all that and again gives me her best pout. Good Lord is she good at that. "Please?"
There's got to be a way to get out of this without telling her no outright. "What day?"
"Next week Tuesday." Shit, unless General Watson's court martial lasts that long, Tuesday's wide open.
"I'll talk to the Admiral okay? No promises though." He's my only hope without resorting to outright lying and I don't want to do that. One, Jen will know if I do and probably tell Mattie. Two, its just not right.
Mattie bounds out of her chair and lands on myself and partially onto Jen, hugging us both. "Thanks."
2136 ZULU
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
"Well, this is why we need men like General Watson."
"Or not."
"Mac you can't be serious."
"I am serious Harm."
"After all the good he's done for our country, for Iraq?"
"You mean all the harm he's just caused." Mac's still facing me, but she points at the monitors. "Eighteen Marines killed in a suicide bombing by a previously unknown group.
"And the Marines will bring them down. You have no way of proving this group's creation is a result of General Watson's statements or a splinter cell simply bidding their time until they saw an opportunity to strike a big target."
"A group capable of this kind of strike going unnoticed for a year? Please."
"You know you have a remarkable faith in our intelligence community considering your experience in Paraguay."
Mac, who was looking back at the monitors, turns to face me again. "And you have surprisingly little for an ex-agent." I'd love to tell her how many times Beth and I had to literally improvise from the seat of our pants because of intelligence failures or other crap that went totally FUBAR, but couldn't even if I wanted to.
"I have a lot faith in our intelligence community. I just have a better perspective than you do."
"Maybe so, but not any more. You're an outsider now." That's what she thinks. My out briefing with the CIA spelled out under no certain terms that they had the right to recall me into service if they felt the need for it. I know that isn't likely to happen, but it could. I wouldn't mind another hop in the Aurora. Besides, I've got a lot of sources inside the agency I can call on if I need help.
"Does Webb know you call the CIA the dark side?"
"Webb knows that I love him."
"But does he know what you think of his profession?"
"Why must we constantly argue?"
"You're the one who gets tired of it, you tell me." Personally, I like arguing with Mac or anyone else for that matter. I'm not too proud to admit that she forces me to be a better lawyer. You need people around you who challenge you to be better. It's the best way I know of to grow, both professionally and personally.
"Because you can't let anything go without an argument. I was right in Yuma; you don't get tired of arguing with me, you like it, in fact you live for it."
I can't help, but laugh. Its certainly one of the things I live for, but not the only one. "You know me too well Marine."
Mac sighs and I think we're to that point in our conversation when things are really going to get personal. "Yeah, well, sometimes I feel like I don't know you at all."
"Momma always told me there'd be days like this." Mac smiles when she recognizes the song lyric and shakes her head. "Made you laugh."
She tries, but Mac's frown can't quite replace her smile. "No I didn't."
"You were about to."
"We're arguing again."
"Well then how do we stop? We both know that neither one of us is going to back down."
"Fine I was going to laugh, happy?"
"Only if it was the truth."
"It was."
"Then I'm happy."
"Are you?" And now we're back to getting personal again. I don't like these discussion, they have bad habit of ending horribly.
"Of course I am, aren't you?" I am happy, her match making attempts aside I love Mattie, she's been a Godsend to me and I think I can reasonably say that after a few months back at JAG I'm no longer the sole focus of the Admiral's attention. Doesn't mean I haven't pissed him off occasionally since then though.
"Happy as the next person I guess." I don't believe her, but I pretend that I do. Webb must still be canceling dates on her. Well, that's what she gets for loving an agent. When I see the Admiral with his briefcase in hand heading our way, I utter a soft curse. He's taking off early, which means that one of the senior staff will have to say behind later than usual. "Heading out sir?"
"Its too nice outside to stay cooped up in here Colonel."
"Sir?"
That stops the Admiral as he was about to leave and he glances at his watch as he responds. "What is it Commander?"
"Sir Mattie's asked that I speak at her school for their career day next Tuesday. I was wondering if I could go." Please say no, please say no, please say no.
"How long does this thing run?"
"Ten to fifteen hundred."
"Fine, take the whole day, but you're going to secure the office tonight." Shit.
Mac and I watch the Admiral breeze through the bullpen doors before she turns to face me again, a smile on her face now that she doesn't have to secure for the day. "Career day?"
"Yeah, Mattie and her teacher want to me to speak in front of one of the classrooms. Apparently, the kids to get to sign up for which careers they want to hear about. I guess I'm the military option for the school this year."
"Well just don't say anything controversial about your court cases or the situation in Iraq."
"Please Mac, they're going to take one look at these wings and my combat decorations, and that's all we'll be talking about. I'm betting the fact that I'm a lawyer doesn't even get brought up."
"Enjoy locking up Harm." Mac smiles as she side steps me and our topic on her way to her office.
"Hey there you are." Ducking into one of the courtrooms I spot Sturgis sitting in the defendant's seat. I hadn't seen him since the trial wrapped up earlier today; I figured he's left early or something.
"Hey Harm."
"What's going on?"
"Nothing, I just wanted to find a quiet place to hunker down in." Hmmm, maybe this isn't a good time.
"Do you want me to go?"
Sturgis waves me off. "No it's not a problem, sit down if you want to."
I really hope he's not depressed or something because I won the Watson case. Religion is a touchy subject with Sturgis. I'm never really sure how he's going to respond to it. "You're not mad because I won today are you?"
Sturgis just laughs. "No, it is got nothing to do with that."
"Does it have anything to do with why you're sitting in the defendant's chair?"
"What are you Freud now?"
"Answer the good doctor's question please." I respond with my best Austrian accent.
Sturgis shrugs his shoulders, looking straight at the bench. "Sort of."
"Do you want to explain how?"
"Bud got Lieutenant Yee to drop the discrimination charges."
Oh shit, I hope this doesn't go where I think it might be heading. "I heard, congratulations."
"Thanks."
I drop down into the seat next to him. "You should know that I asked the Admiral for that case as soon as it came up."
"And got bitched out by the Admiral for insisting on it. I heard, thank you for that."
"I really wanted to be there for you."
"I know, but it's not your fault and Bud did an admirable job of taking care of that mess."
"So why are you sitting in the defendant's chair?"
"I just wanted to see what it felt like to sit here, imagine what it would be like to see other people determining the future of my career. Whether I could salvage any part of it or if it'd just be left lying in ruins. I can just about see the jury and the judge sitting over there."
"If you could have had a choice of judge who would it be?"
"Sebring, he's a true professional and he knows what its like to sit in this chair."
I slouch down in my chair as I kick my legs up onto the table. "Being a true professional, he wouldn't allow himself to be swayed by that fact."
"I know, but I'd still want him. He tempers everything will a lot of common sense and I like that about him."
"Well the Admiral wouldn't make one of us prosecute you so who would you want defending you?"
Sturgis smiles and chuckles lightly. "You, but I'm sure you already knew that didn't you?" Of course I did, everybody around here knows that I'll go farther and take bigger personal risks for my client than anyone else in this building.
"Second chair?"
"Mac or Bud, doesn't matter so long as you're sitting to my right." I'm so glad I don't have to be. I guess when it comes down to it; the only real reason he's in here would have to be morbid curiosity. I'm way past thinking like that. Sitting in that seat three times will do that to you. I'd say the only time I wasn't worried about it was when I was sitting in that chair during my flight review board. Mace was dead; I didn't really give a damn about my career or anything else for that matter. The last two visits to that chair were progressively worse. I know I would have felt a lot better about my last trial if Mac or Sturgis had been defending me, someone I could trust not to give up on me and dig deep for the truth. "Do you really believe in him?"
"Who Watson?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah, I guess I do. I take it you don't."
"If he wasn't wearing is Marine uniform I'd say yes, but he should know better than to go around opening his big mouth while he's uniform. Weren't you at least a little concerned that you'd lose?"
Hell yes I was worried. I'm surprised that I look so calm on the outside that my close friends have to ask that sort of question. "Of course I was."
"You hide it well."
"Too many hands of poker with squadron buddies."
"Must have been nice having that kind of free time on your hands. We were either pulling a watch, eating or sleeping ninety-five percent of the time."
What a whiner. "That's what you get for choosing to live like a sardine in a tin can for six months a year."
"Better than crawling into your tin can and strapping your ass on to a rocket."
"My tin can does better than Mach 2.5 and angels 40. I have complete independence."
"With a back-seater chewing your ear off the entire time. Mine can dive past seventeen hundred feet and launch more fire power than you could ever carry."
Damn bubble heads; they always bring up their weapon capabilities. "An ASW aircraft can kill a sub, last time I checked a sub never shot down a plane or a helo."
"Don't have to we'd just sink the carrier."
"Without being pinged well in advance by other ships or subs at sea? Good luck."
"Do you ever get tired of this argument?"
"Well we've been having it for the last, what seventeen years. Generations of aviators and submariners both before and after us are still arguing it, so I'd have to say that we'll stop when you stop."
Sturgis breaks out laughing. "We're not giving you the last word in that debate."
"Then you have my answer."
"Hey do you still have that friend of yours in the recruiting command?"
"Sure I do, why?"
"Mattie's asked me to speak at a career fair or career day at her school and I could use a little help getting some things in order."
Sturgis laughs at me. "The Navy's recruiting poster boy needs help recruiting himself."
I give him a quick jab to his shoulder for that one. "Shut up." I'm so glad the Navy quit running that commercial in short order. Mom taped it of course; well actually, she didn't have to. Renee gave her a copy of it, she also including all the out takes we did at the end of it. Mom even swiped a bunch of the posters with me on it. I've begged her to destroy them, but she's stubborn that way.
"I'll give him a call, I'm sure he can help you out."
"Thanks."
As we walk into the bullpen, I can see that it's nearly deserted. Its still ten minutes before seventeen hundred, but on a Friday this nice outside I didn't want to keep everyone here a second longer than necessary. This office empties quick on a day like this and I let everyone who could, go a half an hour early. "You want to get a beer?" Normally I would, but I've got other things to do.
"Can I get a rain check on that? Mattie's got a game tonight and I want to be there as soon as possible." As it is I'm going to barely have enough time to eat, change into some jeans, and shower if I'm going to get there on time. I could go straight there from here, but I have no intention of wearing my uniform into the school or starving in the stands.
"How is she doing?"
I wish I really knew what goes on in that head of hers. "Good, she's made new friends and fitting in well. She's good at volleyball so she's able to keep herself busy with extracurricular stuff and her grades are everything I expected them to be." I rattle off another dozen things regarding Mattie before I realize that I sound just like mom used to when she'd talk about me in front of other adults.
Sturgis just laughs as I realize I've rambling on and on. "Why don't you tell me what parent hood's really like."
"I love it. Yeah sometimes Mattie's a real enigma to figure out or she's in foul mood, but watching her grow and change... its unbelievable. I'm so proud of her." I can't seem to stop myself today. Maybe its because he's not a parent himself and doesn't understand what its like. As for me, I don't think I can go back to living any other way.
"You've turned into a sap."
"Kids will do that to you."
"What about her dad?"
"I am her dad."
The mood's changed and we both know it. "I mean her biological father, what about him?"
"He's progressing with his treatment." There's no way I'm volunteering information here.
"And?"
"And what?"
"Has he asked to see Mattie?"
"Yes, but I've been telling him that Mattie still isn't ready to see him. They met once already and it wasn't pretty." Maybe she is or she isn't ready for it again. I don't care. I changed my mind about wanting the two of them together. Maybe after the next custody hearing when I get full custody I'll work something out.
"Harm you know he deserves to see his daughter."
I don't like the tone of his voice. Five more minutes and I'm out of here. "He does, I let him come to one of her volleyball games." Actually, he's been to several even though I only invited him to one of them.
Sturgis follows me to my office as I begin packing up for the day. "I mean talk to her face to face Harm."
"She's not ready for that."
"She's not or you're not." Both, but that's already too obvious to him.
"I'm the one who set up the first meeting."
"True, but you don't seem to keen on the idea anymore."
Enough is enough. "Sturgis, she's my little girl, if she says she isn't ready then I'm not going to force him upon her. I'm not going to intentionally upset her for no good reason."
"No good reas..." Sturgis trails off there when I'm sure he sees the anger building in my eyes. "I'm sorry Harm, you have to do what you think is best for Mattie."
Finally, I throw the rest of my stuff in my briefcase and follow him back to his office once I've locked my own. "You said Varese was performing along the east coast right?"
"Yeah so?"
"Where is she now?"
"She'll be in Maryland this Saturday, why?"
"Well a friend of mine gave me four tickets to the Orioles/A's game this Sunday. I'm taking Mattie, if you and Varese would like to join us I'd hang on to the other two tickets for you." If he doesn't want them, I'm going to offer the tickets to Jen or send them back.
Sturgis looks fairly surprised at my offer, but recovers quickly. "I'll call her tonight and let you know if we can make it. Thanks buddy."
"Just don't forget about your recruiting friend alright."
"Yeah I'll take care of it. I'll talk to you later tonight okay?"
"Have a good one Sturgis."
"You too."
2337 ZULU
PRAIRIE HILL HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
"That a way Mattie!" Her entire team walks over to congratulate her as she finishes the second game with an ace along the back line. I have no idea how she does it but Mattie can put the ball anywhere she wants to while she's serving. It didn't take her coaches and the rest of the team long to figure out where Mattie's true talents where at. She definitely can't get up high enough to spike the ball, but she sure as hell can serve it. She usually averages about three or four aces a game and the team scores any where between a third to a half of their points while she's serving.
"You must be Mattie's dad." God I love the sound of that. Looking behind me in the stands I see a woman in her forties smiling back at me.
"Well technically I'm just her guardian, but yeah, I'm her dad or I'm gonna be."
"You must be very proud of her. Mattie's been an incredible asset to the team."
"I am."
"I'm Dana Jenkins."
I know that name. "You're Amber's mom right?"
"Yes I am."
"I can't tell you how helpful its been when Amber's given Mattie a ride home after practice." I'd mention the Alateen meetings, but for all I know she's the alcoholic parent of the two. It unlikely, but I don't want to look like an ass either so I'm not about to bring it up.
"Well you're very welcome."
Getting up from where I am, I move up the stands to sit next to her. "I've been meaning to ask. How is it that this school has volleyball in the spring like this? Last I checked it was a fall sport."
The smile I get from Dana makes me think I'm about to be either hit on or let in on a big secret or something. "Well technically its volleyball, but the school and coaches call it recreational ball. The schools in the conference aren't supposed to be putting on organized volleyball games because it would be unfair to the other teams in the Virginia high school athletic system. They're just playing for 'fun'. That's why you didn't have to pay to get in. Basically, the coaches treat it as a big volleyball practice and team evaluation. Then in the summer there's volleyball camp before the official season in the fall."
"I take it everyone around takes volleyball pretty seriously."
"They won state two years ago and lost in the semi-final game last year. We only lost like one senior from last year squad and with Mattie and some of the better underclassmen coming up we should have a really good team this year." When the third game starts we watch in relative silence, cheering of course we score until the other team calls a time out when they fall behind 8-2. "So Amber tells me you're in the Navy?"
"Yeah that's right."
"What do you do?"
"I'm a fighter pilot and a lawyer." Always a fighter pilot first.
"Really? Why both?"
I'm going to make this quick. "Long story, but ah, the condensed version is I was misdiagnosed with eye infection as a F-14 pilot so I had to leave flying and became a lawyer. Eventually I had my eye problem corrected and went back to flying, but it was too late in my career to go anywhere as a pilot so I went back to JAG."
"JAG?"
"Judge Advocate General. It's the legal branch of the Navy. The Marines, Air Force, and Army all have their own lawyers and judges as well."
"So do you still fly?"
"I keep my flight status current."
"Have you flown in combat?"
"I've flown in our campaigns in Libya, the first Gulf War, Kosovo, and Afghanistan." Of course, there's only about a million other places I could add to that list if she had the need to know.
Dana's eyes widen as she considers that. "All that as a lawyer?"
I laugh lightly at that. "No, I only flew over Afghanistan while I was a lawyer."
"Still that's quite an accomplishment. You should be speaking at the kid's career fair next week."
"Mattie's already got me signed up. So what is it you do?"
"Well for a long time I just stayed at home and raised the kids, but I've recently gone back to school and became a nurse. I work at Kresge now."
"Wow, good for you." While we watch the girls win the third game Dana goes on to tell me about her job as a nurse in the pediatric wing of Kresge. She has my attention for the most part until I see Mr. Johnson walk in the gym. I have no idea how he found out Mattie had a game tonight because he didn't hear it from me or Jen and certainly not Mattie.
I manage to corner Mr. Johnson before he's able to leave the school. The girls are about to win the fourth game and they'll have to go a full rotation before Mattie is able to serve again. I know Mattie saw him and I also know she saw me leave to go track him down. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to watch Mattie play."
"Are you sure that's such a good idea? Last time she got really upset."
"Commander I want to see my little girl play. I'm sorry if you don't like it, but I don't exactly care either."
"I couldn't give a damn if you're here or not. All I care about is Mattie's well being and she gets upset when you're around."
"I'm not talking to her Commander I'm just watching her play and then leaving without a word." He's right; he isn't confronting her or anything like that. I'm sure if anything's going to upset Mattie now, it's the fact that I ran off to talk to him instead of watching her play. Damn it.
I shake my head and close my eyes just for a moment. "You're right, I'm sorry." I don't give him a chance to reply, I turn and head back into the gym. He doesn't try to follow me and for that I'm grateful. I don't want to appear all buddy-buddy with him in front of Mattie. Looking up at the scoreboard it reads 15-6. Mattie and the others are shaking hands with the opposing team. As soon as Mattie's finished shaking hands I make my way out onto the court as many other parents have done. I give Mattie a smile and a hug as she walks over to me. "You looked great out there Mattie."
"Thanks Harm." Oh no, I've seen that look she's giving me before. "What was he doing here?"
Damn, I was hoping she wasn't going to bring him up. Better yet, I was hoping she didn't see him at all. "He wanted to watch you play. He must have gotten your schedule from one of the other parents."
When Mattie's hands move to her hips, I know I'm in for a lecture. "I don't want him here Harm."
"I didn't invite him."
She doesn't believe me. She thinks I want her to be with her father. "You really thought I was good out there?" Oh thank you God for letting her drop it this one time.
"Of course I did. Amber's mom thought so too."
"Thanks for coming Harm."
What the hell? She should expect me to be here. You thank aunts and uncles for coming, not parents. "Hey I wasn't going to miss this for the world. So, what do you want to do now? Get something eat, rent a movie..." Mattie doesn't seem too keen on either of those ideas. "What is it?"
Mattie looks over at some of her teammates on the court. She wants to ask me for something. "Well..."
"What?"
"One of the girls is having a party for team and I've been invited to go."
"Do you want to go?" Oh yeah, that's just about the stupidest thing I've ever asked. I've just questioned a teenager's desire to go to a party.
"Please? I promise I'll do my homework tomorrow."
I guess this is the life of a teenager's parent. "Where's this party going to be?"
"At Leslie Brockman's house." Mattie scans the crowd and points her out. "Um, she's number 15, her dad's standing right next to her."
"Is there going to be beer there?"
"I don't think so. I'm not going to drink Harm." Maybe she won't now, but one day she's going to start. Kids of alcoholics don't abstain for life just because their parents don't. Generally, they're just a lot more cautious about drinking in the first place. I've had enough drinks with Terri Coulter to know that much. I trust Mattie to know her own mind, but I haven't seen her in response to peer pressure and I'd rather she not be tested in that capacity either.
"Are her parents going to be there?"
"Yes."
Well that makes this a lot easier. "You can go, but I want to talk to her parents okay?" Mattie doesn't reply she just grabs my hand and leads me over to them. "Is this an overnight party or what?"
"No, um, Amber said she'd give me a ride home."
I stop us before we reach Leslie's dad and Mattie looks back to see what's wrong. "If she can't, you will not take the Metro home alone again, is that understood? You will call me, regardless of the time and I will come and get you, yes?"
Mattie looks like she's about to say something about that, but when I shake my head she clams up. "Okay."
"Promise me Mattie, I couldn't bear it if something happened to you."
"I promise."
"Do I need to drop you off? How are you getting there?"
"I'll ride with you."
"Good, now lead the way."
2054 ZULU
PRAIRIE HILL HIGH SCHOOL
MS. CARDIGAN'S CLASSROOM
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
You know actually this hasn't been all that bad. I had so little time to prepare for this thing I wasn't sure how well it was going to go. Mattie came home late Friday night, we just lounged around all Saturday, and Sunday we went the Orioles game with Sturgis and Varese. We had a great time and I got to know Varese a lot better. Monday was the only day I really dedicated to planning this event. I'm glad I don't have to talk that long. I had a bunch of slides made up from my photo collection to show the class. All I really do is narrate the show. Sturgis' recruiting friend had a lot of good advice for me yesterday as well. The last half of the class I just open it up the floor for questions and let them go at it. I've yet to have a group that hasn't asked questions all the way to the end of class. As I expected, the bulk of the students coming to me are guys, but there's a fair number of women coming in as well. Mattie isn't one of them, but that's okay I got to eat lunch with her which was nice for a change. Andre did show up during one of my earlier hours and despite my hopes to the contrary he still hasn't changed. He asked the lion's share of the questions before I started taking them from others instead. I made it a point for any student who wanted to learn more to talk to me during the last hour of school where apparently they shove everyone who spoke into the gym and let all the students loose on them in a big free for all.
"Commander you're remarkable with those kids."
Here we go again. "Its hard not to be in my profession. I've got an exciting job and a lot good stories to tell. Its not to get and keep their attention."
"I'll say, makes me wish I'd joined the Navy." No she doesn't, she just likes my uniform. Chicks dig the uniform. Even summer whites, and they're probably the ugliest uniform the Navy forces us to wear.
"Have you done much traveling?"
"On a teacher's salary? Yeah right. I went to Europe with few of my girlfriends in college, Mexico for spring break, but that's it."
"Well not all of the travel is that good in the Navy either. I've been to England and Australia, but I didn't care for either one of them." Well maybe I would have, but look at what was going on the entire time I was in either place. "All the rest of the places are on the slides. I'm either in some remote, inhospitable, lawless place or on ship somewhere. I'd say Italy and Spain where the best places I've ever been to and that was early in my Naval career. Its been at least 12 years since I've been in Spain and my last couple trips to Italy were anything, but pleasant."
"They don't give you any free time?"
"They do, but not a lot. My last trip to Italy I was too tired to do anything but eat and sleep." Trying to catch a serial killer will do that to you. As students start walking in and taking their seats Ms. Cardigan stops with the questions, or at least until my next break in between classes. She starts this class as she has all the others by introducing me to everyone present before handing the floor over to me. I doesn't take me long to introduce myself and jump right into the slides. There's a lot of carrier slides in there along with slides of me with Mac, Kate and Meg over the years. Then I've got a pile of slides showing friends of mine at their professions. Sturgis and Terri among others are included in my presentation. I don't mention all of the crazy shit I've done like HALO jumping with SEAL teams or busting prisoners out of Iraqi jails although that last one would probably get a lot of cheers now days. I've had an unbelievable career thus far, but I want to keep their expectations of what their own might be like realistic. No doubt about it though, the part I like the best is the last half of the class when I open it up to some 'Q' and 'A'. A lot of the questions are the same from one group to the next, but occasionally one surprises me.
"So why did you become a lawyer?" True to form, this has been one of the first questions asked of me in every class. Usually by a guy too, none of them can think of a sane reason why I'd leave flying to become a JAG. If it hadn't happened to me, I wouldn't be able to either. I never mention my ramp strike, talking about death is one of the surest ways of turning kids off the idea of joining the military.
"Long story short, just after the first Gulf War ended I was misdiagnosis with a condition that left me with night blindness. That kind of a problem makes it almost impossible to land on a carrier at night so I had to give up my active duty flight career. I decided to stay in the Navy and became a lawyer instead. Eventually I was re-diagnosed and had my vision corrected. I went back to flying and I did see action over Kosovo, but it was too late in my career to make a life out of it anymore so I went back to JAG."
"Have you ever shot anyone down?" There's the next most popular question I get.
"Yes I have. I was flying over Libya and I took on three MiGs by myself. I shot one down with a missile and I raked up another with the twenty mike- mike... that's the twenty-millimeter cannon on the Tomcat. I really don't know how that guy made it, he lost his port engine, and I thought he was going down so I went after the third plane that ended up running like hell. Turns out the second pilot managed to save his plane and limp back to his home base. That cost me my second kill. Other than that I've done numerous bombing runs over the years." I get a few more questions about the places that I've been, one guy after seeing the slides of my partners over the years even asked if all the women in the Navy I worked with where as good looking as Mac, Kate, and Meg. I told him Mac was a Marine, but that the Navy still had the prettiest girls in the military. Some of the questions had a lot to do with job opportunities, benefits, and things like that in the Navy. Money for college was another big issue we discussed at length.
"Where do you believe you make the biggest difference, in the cockpit or in the court room?" There's a new one.
"That's a very good question, a tough one, but a good question. It's different in each case. In cockpit, it's always easy to see the difference you make. I shoot down a MiG, it can't hurt anyone anymore. I bomb a target and I protect a platoon of Marines on the ground. It's easy to see those results. In courtroom, the difference can literally mean an individual man or woman's life. Whether or not I'm defending or prosecuting, I determine the course of a person's life, one person at a time. I'd say the difference I make in the courtroom is longer lasting and is more likely to be remembered as well. Years from now when I'm gone, few people outside of family are going to remember a then Lieutenant Rabb shooting down a MiG over Libya. However, a lot more people are going to remember my role in their lives as their lawyer. Even though it'll only be a tiny footnote in the history, I'll be forever remembered as the chief prosecutor of one of the top Al-Qaida terrorists who help plan the attacks on 9-11. Participating in that military tribunal will probably be the highlight of military and legal career or at least the thing I'm most remembered for.
"But didn't you get a silver star for saving the Sea Hawk Carrier in the Persian Gulf?" Hmmm this one's up to date on his recent military events.
"Yes, and I'm enormously proud of that fact, but years from now that tribunal will the thing I'm most remembered for. I doubt the Navy will be naming a boat after me for what I did on the Sea Hawk."
"Aren't they called ships?"
"Only the guys stuck on them permanently call them that. No self respecting Naval aviator ever calls a Naval vessel a ship."
"How much longer to you plan on staying in the Navy?" There's another new one.
"I'm not really sure. A lot of it has to do with whether or not I'm promoted to Captain. If I am, I'll stay in longer than twenty years. If not, I'll probably seriously consider retiring. Its all kind of up in air at this point."
"Do you think you'll make Captain?"
"I like to think I will, but I'll be up against a bunch of Commanders equally deserving of being promoted to Captain as well."
"Will your flying help you gain the edge there?" I think more than likely it'll hurt my chances.
"I think my combat experience certainly will help me. Whether or not it's enough to push me over the top remains to be seen." I answer a few more questions before I've got to wrap this up. "If any of you have any more questions please feel free to stop by during the last hour of the day and ask away." As the bell rings Ms. Cardigan has them giving me a short applause in thanks for my presentation.
I've barely had time to sit down at my table in the gym when the last bell rings. I've got just about every piece of information the recruiting command felt I'd need for something like this. I'm not ever sure how many kids are going to show up for this. Mattie told me this hour was optional, the kids can either come here or report to their respective homerooms for the last hour of the day. Andre as I expected is one of the first people in the gym and once he spots me he head right over. I answer a few of his questions, but that kid's a lock for the Navy. I want to spend my time talking to those who aren't as knowledgeable about the Navy as he is. Thankfully it doesn't take Andre long to get the point and wander off. As Andre's figure is consumed by the crowd of students in the gym I notice a young woman beginning to walk to my table and I swear to God she has to be Kate Pike's little sister. Her facial structure, eyes, and hair are almost identical. There's a couple guys already at my table. I really doubt they're serious about the Navy. I think they just want to hear me tell them some more war stories. I'm more interested in her, but she seems hesitant to join us at the table with all the guys here.
"Can I help you?" I think my smile might have done it because she blushes a little and takes a few steps closer.
"I wanted to ask you a few questions about JAG."
"Well come on over, sit down, and we'll talk about it." If those guys are indeed serious about joining the Navy, they had better wipe the looks of disgust off their faces in a hurry. Odds are they'll run into some woman higher up the chain of command than they are. Especially if they go enlisted. Of course, maybe they're more upset that I pulled out my spare chair for her and not them, but I doubt it. "What is it you wanted to know?"
"Well my plans after high school were to go to college and then law school. I have a cousin who is in the Navy and I was just wondering the different routes I might take if I decided to go into the service as well."
"Okay, first off what year are you?"
"I'm a junior."
"And how are your grades?"
"I think my G.P.A. is hovering somewhere around 3.75."
"Are you in any sports, clubs, things like that?
"I'm in most of the academic clubs, I run cross country and track."
"The reason I ask is because if you wanted to, you could apply the Naval Academy as I did. They're always looking smart, athletic students like yourself they can mold into leaders. The application process is a bear, but at first glance it appears that you'd have a shot at getting in."
She doesn't look convinced. "Aren't the girls treated badly by the guys there? I mean over at the Air Force..."
I'm not about to let her finish that thought. "That was the Air Force, not the Navy. Yes, things like that have happened at Annapolis in the past, but they've really cracked down on that kind of behavior. When you consider the bottom line, going to a state college doesn't mean that the same thing won't happen over there too. The Military Academies are simply more exposed and held more accountable for what their midshipman or cadets do, which is why the receive so much publicity when things like that happen. The good part is that you go for free and are paid while you're there."
"That sounds nice, but I don't think that's the way I want to go."
"That's fine. Your other options are to attend a school that has a NROTC program in place and earn your commission upon graduation. Later you'll attend law school while you're in the Naval Reserve or working part time. Lastly, you can go to college, go to law school, graduate and then apply for OCS to become an officer. When you graduate you'll instantly be promoted to Lieutenant j.g. instead of remaining an Ensign like the rest of your OCS classmates."
"Why would I be promoted over them if we've been officers for the same amount of time?"
"The Navy looks at like you spent three years going to school to become a lawyer, had you been an officer first those three years in the service would have made you a Lieutenant j.g. so, that's what they promote you ahead of everyone else. Doctors and dentists become full Lieutenants when they join up." The next few minutes we discuss where she'd go from there, namely Naval Justice School and then what the billets are like on overseas bases or aboard carriers. When I see Mattie walking towards us, I glance at my watch I realize I had better wrap this up. Opening my wallet, I hand her my card. "Look if you're really interested in knowing what life in the Navy is like as a JAG give me a call. We'll set up an appointment and I'll give you a tour through JAG headquarters right here in Falls Church if you like."
"Really?"
"If you're serious about this, yeah."
"Would my parents be able to come?"
Ah yes, I forgot about them. I doubt they'd let her do something like this on her own. "Sure, that's not a problem."
Smiling, she stands up to shake my hand. "Thank you so much and thanks for coming in today Commander Rabb."
"You're welcome, and when I can meet students like you Jessica its worth it." Mattie hangs back until she leaves and then flops down in the vacated chair. "Hey you, how was your day?"
"I didn't get any home work it was great."
"Practice today?"
"Nope, but I have another favor to ask of you." Wonderful, I thought I done with favors like this for a while.
"What is it?"
"Would you mind talking to Amber?"
"About the Navy?"
Mattie waves me off. "No, no. Um, she just found out a few days ago that her cousin has HIV. Turns out he's had it for at least year now and the doctors are keeping him in the hospital until they can determine just how far advanced his case has become." Shit that had to be a hell of a bombshell to drop on her.
"I'm so sorry Mattie."
"She just told me today. She's really close to him Harm and she's taking it really hard. I told her that you'd recently visited the HIV/AIDS ward at Bethesda and she was hoping to ask you a few questions about what it was like. She just doesn't want to appear shocked and scared by everything when they go to visit him you know?"
"Where is she now?"
"In her home room class, but if she tells her home room teacher that she wants to talk to you about the Navy, he'll let her go and we can talk some where privately."
I really don't know how much help I can be in this situation, but I'm willing to try. "Why don't you go get her, I'll start cleaning up here and we can talk outside, okay?"
"That sounds good. I'll be back soon." I have really no idea what I'm going to tell this poor girl when Mattie brings her by. Senior Chief De Fina seemed very optimistic as did a number of the patients in that ward, and I know that they wouldn't have like it had they known, but I couldn't get over the sadness I felt knowing what they're ultimately destined for. There seemed to be someone in every stage of the illness there. When you put them all together and see the progression from relatively healthy people to those at death's door, you feel like you're walking through the seven chambers of Prince Prospero's abbey. Okay that's pretty morbid and she doesn't need to hear something like that. By the time Mattie comes back with Amber in tow I've got my table cleaned off and my gear squared away. I'm going to leave all the pamphlets and information I didn't hand out to the with the school guidance councilors.
Amber marches right up to me and shakes my hand. "Mr. Rabb it was good of you to come."
"Thank you. Why don't you two lead the way outside, its so much nicer outside than it is in here." Picking up my stuff, I follow the girls out of the gym. I've never done something this before, but I'm determined to help Amber as much as I would Jessica, or anyone else who asks for my help. In life, there's an example to be set in all things that we do. As a Naval officer, one of my goals has always been to set the best one possible and right now that means helping yet another young woman through a difficult time in her life.
2313 ZULU
PETTY OFFICER COATES' APARTMENT NORTH OF UNION STATION
"What are you doing here sir?"
I frown as I hold up the take out bag I picked up on my way here. "Apologizing, and its Harm remember?"
Jen smiles when she recognizes the bag in my hand. "The Black Kettle? I suppose I can forgive you just about anything for that." Today was the fourth time I've been to that little grease spot they call a restaurant since Mattie introduced me to it, but I only learned the actual name of the place today. The last few times I paid in cash, today it was a check. Jen lets me in and I set the bag down on their small kitchen table. For as many times as I've been in here it shouldn't surprise me that Mattie and Jen come over and eat with me as much as they do. This place is much smaller than mine is. Jen moves past me to pull some paper plates out of their cabinets along with some forks, cups, and a gallon of milk. "So Harm what are you apologizing for?"
That's much better. "For ganging up on you in Mac's office today."
"You don't have to apologize for that."
"Well I didn't feel right about it and I pushed harder than anyone else there. Besides, I should have figured it out for myself after we talked about the fight they had."
"Then why did you?"
"Because when I saw Meredith walking towards the Admiral's office I figured they were back on again or something."
"I let her into the Admiral's office."
That stops me for a second as I pour the milk into two glasses. "Did he yell at you?"
"No, he said I did the right thing."
"Did he?"
"That's what I asked and he said did."
"Do you believe him?"
"I guess I have to, we have to don't we? He yelled for me as soon as Meredith walked into his office, but other than that there were no raised voices."
Jen loads up a plate of barbequed chicken tenders and hands them over to me. "Thank you. What about his attitude as of late? How's he been?"
Jen gives me a strange look as she fixes up her own plate. "You've been in his office."
"Yeah, but he's all business with me. You see him nearly every five minutes."
"Good I think, he talks a lot about baseball."
"You better get used to it. He gets that bug in the spring and it stays with him all the way through the World Series."
"I heard he was drafted to be a pitcher."
Harriet told me that once, but she couldn't remember for what team. "I don't know what team for, but he choose to head to the Academy and become a SEAL instead." Although it isn't in the same league, it kinda reminds me of Pat Tillman's recent sacrifice, service to his country before service to himself.
"Why would he give that up anyway? He could have become the CNO if he'd stayed there."
"I think it has to do with that purple heart of his. From what I've heard he took some shrapnel in the shoulder and while he could pass the Navy's physical he couldn't meet the physical demands of a Seal Command any more so he got out. I think he was a Lieutenant Commander at the time."
"And went into the surface fleet."
"Yeah, skippered a destroyer as a full Commander then left that to get his law degree."
"Why would he do that?"
"Jen there's no way he would have made Admiral as a boat driver. He would have topped out at Captain."
"Its amazing he's gotten as far as he has."
"No argument here."
"Where's Mattie anyway? I was waiting to for her to come home before starting dinner."
"Alateen meeting." I'm so glad she decided to give it a try. I don't know what goes on during those meetings, but it must be helpful, this is the third meeting she's gone to.
"Oh that's right its Thursday isn't it."
"It better be, otherwise I ran a lot harder today than I planned to."
Jen and I are just about finished with our meal when Mattie comes in. "Hey there stranger."
Mattie tosses her backpack on her bed as she walks over to us. "Hey yourself."
"Did Amber give you a ride home?" The only reason I know her name is because she's on Mattie's volleyball team and attends Alateen meetings with her, or so she says.
"No, she wasn't at the meeting. I took the metro."
"Why didn't you call me, I would have picked you up."
"Harm I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself."
"Mattie this neighborhood is no place for young woman like yourself to be walking alone in."
Mattie rolls her eyes at me. I hate it when she does that. "Harm its not even dark out yet."
"Mattie..."
Mattie ignores the tone of my voice as she interrupts me. "What's for dinner?"
"Chicken."
Mattie pulls up a chair and looks into the bag. "Oh, Black Kettle, your the best Harm!"
"You're welcome." Getting up I put my paper plate in the trash and set my cup and fork in their sink before plopping down on their couch. It's small, but nice.
"I meant to ask you. How's your case with that General guy going?"
"As well as can be expected I guess."
Mattie takes another drink of milk before responding back at me with a curious look on her face. "Is that good or bad?"
"I'm not really sure Mattie, religious tolerance is a sensitive issue, especially in regards to our Middle Eastern foreign policy."
"Is it really that big a deal? What ever happened to freedom of speech?"
"Mattie the military isn't a democracy. We can't go around saying certain things."
"He wasn't trash talking the president Harm."
"True, but when he wears his uniform, whether he intends it or not he's a representative of the United States Marine Corps. He has a standard to uphold when he puts that uniform on." I don't think the General should have said those things in front of that news crew, but I refuse to believe that his statements have inflamed the situation in Iraq.
I watch as Mattie finishes two more chicken strips and licks the barbeque sauce off her fingers before she speaks up again. "So the Navy not only tells you two what to do, but what to think as well? Exactly why would I or anyone else want to join the Navy under those kinds of conditions?"
"Mattie you know better than that. The Navy expects that its officers and enlisted personnel won't go around shooting their mouths off in public forums because like it or not we are public servants in one capacity or another."
Mattie thinks about that before a smile works its way onto her face. "Speaking of public servants, can I ask a favor of you?" Uh-oh, judging by the look on her face I'm not going to like what I'm about to hear.
"Depends, what's the favor?" Now I'm sure I'm not going to like this.
"Our school is having a career day. One of my teachers asked that I invite you to come and speak in one of the classrooms." Great a bunch of obnoxious teenagers who aside from a few exceptions aren't going to take anything I have to say seriously.
"Who's idea was this, yours or your teacher's?"
Mattie waves me off as she downs another chicken strip. "My teacher's."
"Which one?"
"Ms. Cardigan, she thought..." Oh shit, I've met her before at Mattie's Parent-Teacher conferences. Ms. Mandy Cardigan, the woman spent the bulk of that time trying to flirt with me instead of telling me how Mattie was doing in Geometry. Its not that I wasn't flattered by it, she's young and attractive, but she's also the same type of woman I constantly ran into during flight school. They're all mesmerized by the dress whites and gold wings. They have no idea of what being a military wife is really like.
As soon as I hear the name, I jump in and interrupt her. "She suggested this?"
"Well..."
Shit, this is as bad I feared it would be. "Mattie?"
Mattie squirms in her seat before looking me in the eyes. Jen during this time has cleaned up her dishes and taken the seat next to me. She knows the whole story and it doesn't look like she's going anywhere because she smiles at me as she joins me on the couch. She's enjoying this way too much for her own good. What Mattie says next comes out in a rush I barely catch. "She said if you came there'd be some extra credit in it for me."
I knew it; Mattie's working her teacher to get something out of this deal for herself as well. "Slow down and say that again."
"Ms. Cardigan says she'll give me a few extra credit points if I can convince you to come and speak at school."
"How many points?"
"Twenty five." I'm about to respond when Mattie gives me her best pout and puppy dog eyes. "Please Harm? Twenty five points would give me a chance to get an 'A' in Geometry if I do well for the next few weeks."
"And how many points would she give you if I took her out on a date?"
The way Mattie's head jerked back has me barely containing my laughter. "Um..."
"Or what if I married her? How many then?" Now Jen and I are laughing at Mattie stunned appearance. We all know how much Mattie likes her teacher. She'd have no problem setting me up on a date with her.
Mattie ignores all that and again gives me her best pout. Good Lord is she good at that. "Please?"
There's got to be a way to get out of this without telling her no outright. "What day?"
"Next week Tuesday." Shit, unless General Watson's court martial lasts that long, Tuesday's wide open.
"I'll talk to the Admiral okay? No promises though." He's my only hope without resorting to outright lying and I don't want to do that. One, Jen will know if I do and probably tell Mattie. Two, its just not right.
Mattie bounds out of her chair and lands on myself and partially onto Jen, hugging us both. "Thanks."
2136 ZULU
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
"Well, this is why we need men like General Watson."
"Or not."
"Mac you can't be serious."
"I am serious Harm."
"After all the good he's done for our country, for Iraq?"
"You mean all the harm he's just caused." Mac's still facing me, but she points at the monitors. "Eighteen Marines killed in a suicide bombing by a previously unknown group.
"And the Marines will bring them down. You have no way of proving this group's creation is a result of General Watson's statements or a splinter cell simply bidding their time until they saw an opportunity to strike a big target."
"A group capable of this kind of strike going unnoticed for a year? Please."
"You know you have a remarkable faith in our intelligence community considering your experience in Paraguay."
Mac, who was looking back at the monitors, turns to face me again. "And you have surprisingly little for an ex-agent." I'd love to tell her how many times Beth and I had to literally improvise from the seat of our pants because of intelligence failures or other crap that went totally FUBAR, but couldn't even if I wanted to.
"I have a lot faith in our intelligence community. I just have a better perspective than you do."
"Maybe so, but not any more. You're an outsider now." That's what she thinks. My out briefing with the CIA spelled out under no certain terms that they had the right to recall me into service if they felt the need for it. I know that isn't likely to happen, but it could. I wouldn't mind another hop in the Aurora. Besides, I've got a lot of sources inside the agency I can call on if I need help.
"Does Webb know you call the CIA the dark side?"
"Webb knows that I love him."
"But does he know what you think of his profession?"
"Why must we constantly argue?"
"You're the one who gets tired of it, you tell me." Personally, I like arguing with Mac or anyone else for that matter. I'm not too proud to admit that she forces me to be a better lawyer. You need people around you who challenge you to be better. It's the best way I know of to grow, both professionally and personally.
"Because you can't let anything go without an argument. I was right in Yuma; you don't get tired of arguing with me, you like it, in fact you live for it."
I can't help, but laugh. Its certainly one of the things I live for, but not the only one. "You know me too well Marine."
Mac sighs and I think we're to that point in our conversation when things are really going to get personal. "Yeah, well, sometimes I feel like I don't know you at all."
"Momma always told me there'd be days like this." Mac smiles when she recognizes the song lyric and shakes her head. "Made you laugh."
She tries, but Mac's frown can't quite replace her smile. "No I didn't."
"You were about to."
"We're arguing again."
"Well then how do we stop? We both know that neither one of us is going to back down."
"Fine I was going to laugh, happy?"
"Only if it was the truth."
"It was."
"Then I'm happy."
"Are you?" And now we're back to getting personal again. I don't like these discussion, they have bad habit of ending horribly.
"Of course I am, aren't you?" I am happy, her match making attempts aside I love Mattie, she's been a Godsend to me and I think I can reasonably say that after a few months back at JAG I'm no longer the sole focus of the Admiral's attention. Doesn't mean I haven't pissed him off occasionally since then though.
"Happy as the next person I guess." I don't believe her, but I pretend that I do. Webb must still be canceling dates on her. Well, that's what she gets for loving an agent. When I see the Admiral with his briefcase in hand heading our way, I utter a soft curse. He's taking off early, which means that one of the senior staff will have to say behind later than usual. "Heading out sir?"
"Its too nice outside to stay cooped up in here Colonel."
"Sir?"
That stops the Admiral as he was about to leave and he glances at his watch as he responds. "What is it Commander?"
"Sir Mattie's asked that I speak at her school for their career day next Tuesday. I was wondering if I could go." Please say no, please say no, please say no.
"How long does this thing run?"
"Ten to fifteen hundred."
"Fine, take the whole day, but you're going to secure the office tonight." Shit.
Mac and I watch the Admiral breeze through the bullpen doors before she turns to face me again, a smile on her face now that she doesn't have to secure for the day. "Career day?"
"Yeah, Mattie and her teacher want to me to speak in front of one of the classrooms. Apparently, the kids to get to sign up for which careers they want to hear about. I guess I'm the military option for the school this year."
"Well just don't say anything controversial about your court cases or the situation in Iraq."
"Please Mac, they're going to take one look at these wings and my combat decorations, and that's all we'll be talking about. I'm betting the fact that I'm a lawyer doesn't even get brought up."
"Enjoy locking up Harm." Mac smiles as she side steps me and our topic on her way to her office.
"Hey there you are." Ducking into one of the courtrooms I spot Sturgis sitting in the defendant's seat. I hadn't seen him since the trial wrapped up earlier today; I figured he's left early or something.
"Hey Harm."
"What's going on?"
"Nothing, I just wanted to find a quiet place to hunker down in." Hmmm, maybe this isn't a good time.
"Do you want me to go?"
Sturgis waves me off. "No it's not a problem, sit down if you want to."
I really hope he's not depressed or something because I won the Watson case. Religion is a touchy subject with Sturgis. I'm never really sure how he's going to respond to it. "You're not mad because I won today are you?"
Sturgis just laughs. "No, it is got nothing to do with that."
"Does it have anything to do with why you're sitting in the defendant's chair?"
"What are you Freud now?"
"Answer the good doctor's question please." I respond with my best Austrian accent.
Sturgis shrugs his shoulders, looking straight at the bench. "Sort of."
"Do you want to explain how?"
"Bud got Lieutenant Yee to drop the discrimination charges."
Oh shit, I hope this doesn't go where I think it might be heading. "I heard, congratulations."
"Thanks."
I drop down into the seat next to him. "You should know that I asked the Admiral for that case as soon as it came up."
"And got bitched out by the Admiral for insisting on it. I heard, thank you for that."
"I really wanted to be there for you."
"I know, but it's not your fault and Bud did an admirable job of taking care of that mess."
"So why are you sitting in the defendant's chair?"
"I just wanted to see what it felt like to sit here, imagine what it would be like to see other people determining the future of my career. Whether I could salvage any part of it or if it'd just be left lying in ruins. I can just about see the jury and the judge sitting over there."
"If you could have had a choice of judge who would it be?"
"Sebring, he's a true professional and he knows what its like to sit in this chair."
I slouch down in my chair as I kick my legs up onto the table. "Being a true professional, he wouldn't allow himself to be swayed by that fact."
"I know, but I'd still want him. He tempers everything will a lot of common sense and I like that about him."
"Well the Admiral wouldn't make one of us prosecute you so who would you want defending you?"
Sturgis smiles and chuckles lightly. "You, but I'm sure you already knew that didn't you?" Of course I did, everybody around here knows that I'll go farther and take bigger personal risks for my client than anyone else in this building.
"Second chair?"
"Mac or Bud, doesn't matter so long as you're sitting to my right." I'm so glad I don't have to be. I guess when it comes down to it; the only real reason he's in here would have to be morbid curiosity. I'm way past thinking like that. Sitting in that seat three times will do that to you. I'd say the only time I wasn't worried about it was when I was sitting in that chair during my flight review board. Mace was dead; I didn't really give a damn about my career or anything else for that matter. The last two visits to that chair were progressively worse. I know I would have felt a lot better about my last trial if Mac or Sturgis had been defending me, someone I could trust not to give up on me and dig deep for the truth. "Do you really believe in him?"
"Who Watson?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah, I guess I do. I take it you don't."
"If he wasn't wearing is Marine uniform I'd say yes, but he should know better than to go around opening his big mouth while he's uniform. Weren't you at least a little concerned that you'd lose?"
Hell yes I was worried. I'm surprised that I look so calm on the outside that my close friends have to ask that sort of question. "Of course I was."
"You hide it well."
"Too many hands of poker with squadron buddies."
"Must have been nice having that kind of free time on your hands. We were either pulling a watch, eating or sleeping ninety-five percent of the time."
What a whiner. "That's what you get for choosing to live like a sardine in a tin can for six months a year."
"Better than crawling into your tin can and strapping your ass on to a rocket."
"My tin can does better than Mach 2.5 and angels 40. I have complete independence."
"With a back-seater chewing your ear off the entire time. Mine can dive past seventeen hundred feet and launch more fire power than you could ever carry."
Damn bubble heads; they always bring up their weapon capabilities. "An ASW aircraft can kill a sub, last time I checked a sub never shot down a plane or a helo."
"Don't have to we'd just sink the carrier."
"Without being pinged well in advance by other ships or subs at sea? Good luck."
"Do you ever get tired of this argument?"
"Well we've been having it for the last, what seventeen years. Generations of aviators and submariners both before and after us are still arguing it, so I'd have to say that we'll stop when you stop."
Sturgis breaks out laughing. "We're not giving you the last word in that debate."
"Then you have my answer."
"Hey do you still have that friend of yours in the recruiting command?"
"Sure I do, why?"
"Mattie's asked me to speak at a career fair or career day at her school and I could use a little help getting some things in order."
Sturgis laughs at me. "The Navy's recruiting poster boy needs help recruiting himself."
I give him a quick jab to his shoulder for that one. "Shut up." I'm so glad the Navy quit running that commercial in short order. Mom taped it of course; well actually, she didn't have to. Renee gave her a copy of it, she also including all the out takes we did at the end of it. Mom even swiped a bunch of the posters with me on it. I've begged her to destroy them, but she's stubborn that way.
"I'll give him a call, I'm sure he can help you out."
"Thanks."
As we walk into the bullpen, I can see that it's nearly deserted. Its still ten minutes before seventeen hundred, but on a Friday this nice outside I didn't want to keep everyone here a second longer than necessary. This office empties quick on a day like this and I let everyone who could, go a half an hour early. "You want to get a beer?" Normally I would, but I've got other things to do.
"Can I get a rain check on that? Mattie's got a game tonight and I want to be there as soon as possible." As it is I'm going to barely have enough time to eat, change into some jeans, and shower if I'm going to get there on time. I could go straight there from here, but I have no intention of wearing my uniform into the school or starving in the stands.
"How is she doing?"
I wish I really knew what goes on in that head of hers. "Good, she's made new friends and fitting in well. She's good at volleyball so she's able to keep herself busy with extracurricular stuff and her grades are everything I expected them to be." I rattle off another dozen things regarding Mattie before I realize that I sound just like mom used to when she'd talk about me in front of other adults.
Sturgis just laughs as I realize I've rambling on and on. "Why don't you tell me what parent hood's really like."
"I love it. Yeah sometimes Mattie's a real enigma to figure out or she's in foul mood, but watching her grow and change... its unbelievable. I'm so proud of her." I can't seem to stop myself today. Maybe its because he's not a parent himself and doesn't understand what its like. As for me, I don't think I can go back to living any other way.
"You've turned into a sap."
"Kids will do that to you."
"What about her dad?"
"I am her dad."
The mood's changed and we both know it. "I mean her biological father, what about him?"
"He's progressing with his treatment." There's no way I'm volunteering information here.
"And?"
"And what?"
"Has he asked to see Mattie?"
"Yes, but I've been telling him that Mattie still isn't ready to see him. They met once already and it wasn't pretty." Maybe she is or she isn't ready for it again. I don't care. I changed my mind about wanting the two of them together. Maybe after the next custody hearing when I get full custody I'll work something out.
"Harm you know he deserves to see his daughter."
I don't like the tone of his voice. Five more minutes and I'm out of here. "He does, I let him come to one of her volleyball games." Actually, he's been to several even though I only invited him to one of them.
Sturgis follows me to my office as I begin packing up for the day. "I mean talk to her face to face Harm."
"She's not ready for that."
"She's not or you're not." Both, but that's already too obvious to him.
"I'm the one who set up the first meeting."
"True, but you don't seem to keen on the idea anymore."
Enough is enough. "Sturgis, she's my little girl, if she says she isn't ready then I'm not going to force him upon her. I'm not going to intentionally upset her for no good reason."
"No good reas..." Sturgis trails off there when I'm sure he sees the anger building in my eyes. "I'm sorry Harm, you have to do what you think is best for Mattie."
Finally, I throw the rest of my stuff in my briefcase and follow him back to his office once I've locked my own. "You said Varese was performing along the east coast right?"
"Yeah so?"
"Where is she now?"
"She'll be in Maryland this Saturday, why?"
"Well a friend of mine gave me four tickets to the Orioles/A's game this Sunday. I'm taking Mattie, if you and Varese would like to join us I'd hang on to the other two tickets for you." If he doesn't want them, I'm going to offer the tickets to Jen or send them back.
Sturgis looks fairly surprised at my offer, but recovers quickly. "I'll call her tonight and let you know if we can make it. Thanks buddy."
"Just don't forget about your recruiting friend alright."
"Yeah I'll take care of it. I'll talk to you later tonight okay?"
"Have a good one Sturgis."
"You too."
2337 ZULU
PRAIRIE HILL HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
"That a way Mattie!" Her entire team walks over to congratulate her as she finishes the second game with an ace along the back line. I have no idea how she does it but Mattie can put the ball anywhere she wants to while she's serving. It didn't take her coaches and the rest of the team long to figure out where Mattie's true talents where at. She definitely can't get up high enough to spike the ball, but she sure as hell can serve it. She usually averages about three or four aces a game and the team scores any where between a third to a half of their points while she's serving.
"You must be Mattie's dad." God I love the sound of that. Looking behind me in the stands I see a woman in her forties smiling back at me.
"Well technically I'm just her guardian, but yeah, I'm her dad or I'm gonna be."
"You must be very proud of her. Mattie's been an incredible asset to the team."
"I am."
"I'm Dana Jenkins."
I know that name. "You're Amber's mom right?"
"Yes I am."
"I can't tell you how helpful its been when Amber's given Mattie a ride home after practice." I'd mention the Alateen meetings, but for all I know she's the alcoholic parent of the two. It unlikely, but I don't want to look like an ass either so I'm not about to bring it up.
"Well you're very welcome."
Getting up from where I am, I move up the stands to sit next to her. "I've been meaning to ask. How is it that this school has volleyball in the spring like this? Last I checked it was a fall sport."
The smile I get from Dana makes me think I'm about to be either hit on or let in on a big secret or something. "Well technically its volleyball, but the school and coaches call it recreational ball. The schools in the conference aren't supposed to be putting on organized volleyball games because it would be unfair to the other teams in the Virginia high school athletic system. They're just playing for 'fun'. That's why you didn't have to pay to get in. Basically, the coaches treat it as a big volleyball practice and team evaluation. Then in the summer there's volleyball camp before the official season in the fall."
"I take it everyone around takes volleyball pretty seriously."
"They won state two years ago and lost in the semi-final game last year. We only lost like one senior from last year squad and with Mattie and some of the better underclassmen coming up we should have a really good team this year." When the third game starts we watch in relative silence, cheering of course we score until the other team calls a time out when they fall behind 8-2. "So Amber tells me you're in the Navy?"
"Yeah that's right."
"What do you do?"
"I'm a fighter pilot and a lawyer." Always a fighter pilot first.
"Really? Why both?"
I'm going to make this quick. "Long story, but ah, the condensed version is I was misdiagnosed with eye infection as a F-14 pilot so I had to leave flying and became a lawyer. Eventually I had my eye problem corrected and went back to flying, but it was too late in my career to go anywhere as a pilot so I went back to JAG."
"JAG?"
"Judge Advocate General. It's the legal branch of the Navy. The Marines, Air Force, and Army all have their own lawyers and judges as well."
"So do you still fly?"
"I keep my flight status current."
"Have you flown in combat?"
"I've flown in our campaigns in Libya, the first Gulf War, Kosovo, and Afghanistan." Of course, there's only about a million other places I could add to that list if she had the need to know.
Dana's eyes widen as she considers that. "All that as a lawyer?"
I laugh lightly at that. "No, I only flew over Afghanistan while I was a lawyer."
"Still that's quite an accomplishment. You should be speaking at the kid's career fair next week."
"Mattie's already got me signed up. So what is it you do?"
"Well for a long time I just stayed at home and raised the kids, but I've recently gone back to school and became a nurse. I work at Kresge now."
"Wow, good for you." While we watch the girls win the third game Dana goes on to tell me about her job as a nurse in the pediatric wing of Kresge. She has my attention for the most part until I see Mr. Johnson walk in the gym. I have no idea how he found out Mattie had a game tonight because he didn't hear it from me or Jen and certainly not Mattie.
I manage to corner Mr. Johnson before he's able to leave the school. The girls are about to win the fourth game and they'll have to go a full rotation before Mattie is able to serve again. I know Mattie saw him and I also know she saw me leave to go track him down. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to watch Mattie play."
"Are you sure that's such a good idea? Last time she got really upset."
"Commander I want to see my little girl play. I'm sorry if you don't like it, but I don't exactly care either."
"I couldn't give a damn if you're here or not. All I care about is Mattie's well being and she gets upset when you're around."
"I'm not talking to her Commander I'm just watching her play and then leaving without a word." He's right; he isn't confronting her or anything like that. I'm sure if anything's going to upset Mattie now, it's the fact that I ran off to talk to him instead of watching her play. Damn it.
I shake my head and close my eyes just for a moment. "You're right, I'm sorry." I don't give him a chance to reply, I turn and head back into the gym. He doesn't try to follow me and for that I'm grateful. I don't want to appear all buddy-buddy with him in front of Mattie. Looking up at the scoreboard it reads 15-6. Mattie and the others are shaking hands with the opposing team. As soon as Mattie's finished shaking hands I make my way out onto the court as many other parents have done. I give Mattie a smile and a hug as she walks over to me. "You looked great out there Mattie."
"Thanks Harm." Oh no, I've seen that look she's giving me before. "What was he doing here?"
Damn, I was hoping she wasn't going to bring him up. Better yet, I was hoping she didn't see him at all. "He wanted to watch you play. He must have gotten your schedule from one of the other parents."
When Mattie's hands move to her hips, I know I'm in for a lecture. "I don't want him here Harm."
"I didn't invite him."
She doesn't believe me. She thinks I want her to be with her father. "You really thought I was good out there?" Oh thank you God for letting her drop it this one time.
"Of course I did. Amber's mom thought so too."
"Thanks for coming Harm."
What the hell? She should expect me to be here. You thank aunts and uncles for coming, not parents. "Hey I wasn't going to miss this for the world. So, what do you want to do now? Get something eat, rent a movie..." Mattie doesn't seem too keen on either of those ideas. "What is it?"
Mattie looks over at some of her teammates on the court. She wants to ask me for something. "Well..."
"What?"
"One of the girls is having a party for team and I've been invited to go."
"Do you want to go?" Oh yeah, that's just about the stupidest thing I've ever asked. I've just questioned a teenager's desire to go to a party.
"Please? I promise I'll do my homework tomorrow."
I guess this is the life of a teenager's parent. "Where's this party going to be?"
"At Leslie Brockman's house." Mattie scans the crowd and points her out. "Um, she's number 15, her dad's standing right next to her."
"Is there going to be beer there?"
"I don't think so. I'm not going to drink Harm." Maybe she won't now, but one day she's going to start. Kids of alcoholics don't abstain for life just because their parents don't. Generally, they're just a lot more cautious about drinking in the first place. I've had enough drinks with Terri Coulter to know that much. I trust Mattie to know her own mind, but I haven't seen her in response to peer pressure and I'd rather she not be tested in that capacity either.
"Are her parents going to be there?"
"Yes."
Well that makes this a lot easier. "You can go, but I want to talk to her parents okay?" Mattie doesn't reply she just grabs my hand and leads me over to them. "Is this an overnight party or what?"
"No, um, Amber said she'd give me a ride home."
I stop us before we reach Leslie's dad and Mattie looks back to see what's wrong. "If she can't, you will not take the Metro home alone again, is that understood? You will call me, regardless of the time and I will come and get you, yes?"
Mattie looks like she's about to say something about that, but when I shake my head she clams up. "Okay."
"Promise me Mattie, I couldn't bear it if something happened to you."
"I promise."
"Do I need to drop you off? How are you getting there?"
"I'll ride with you."
"Good, now lead the way."
2054 ZULU
PRAIRIE HILL HIGH SCHOOL
MS. CARDIGAN'S CLASSROOM
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
You know actually this hasn't been all that bad. I had so little time to prepare for this thing I wasn't sure how well it was going to go. Mattie came home late Friday night, we just lounged around all Saturday, and Sunday we went the Orioles game with Sturgis and Varese. We had a great time and I got to know Varese a lot better. Monday was the only day I really dedicated to planning this event. I'm glad I don't have to talk that long. I had a bunch of slides made up from my photo collection to show the class. All I really do is narrate the show. Sturgis' recruiting friend had a lot of good advice for me yesterday as well. The last half of the class I just open it up the floor for questions and let them go at it. I've yet to have a group that hasn't asked questions all the way to the end of class. As I expected, the bulk of the students coming to me are guys, but there's a fair number of women coming in as well. Mattie isn't one of them, but that's okay I got to eat lunch with her which was nice for a change. Andre did show up during one of my earlier hours and despite my hopes to the contrary he still hasn't changed. He asked the lion's share of the questions before I started taking them from others instead. I made it a point for any student who wanted to learn more to talk to me during the last hour of school where apparently they shove everyone who spoke into the gym and let all the students loose on them in a big free for all.
"Commander you're remarkable with those kids."
Here we go again. "Its hard not to be in my profession. I've got an exciting job and a lot good stories to tell. Its not to get and keep their attention."
"I'll say, makes me wish I'd joined the Navy." No she doesn't, she just likes my uniform. Chicks dig the uniform. Even summer whites, and they're probably the ugliest uniform the Navy forces us to wear.
"Have you done much traveling?"
"On a teacher's salary? Yeah right. I went to Europe with few of my girlfriends in college, Mexico for spring break, but that's it."
"Well not all of the travel is that good in the Navy either. I've been to England and Australia, but I didn't care for either one of them." Well maybe I would have, but look at what was going on the entire time I was in either place. "All the rest of the places are on the slides. I'm either in some remote, inhospitable, lawless place or on ship somewhere. I'd say Italy and Spain where the best places I've ever been to and that was early in my Naval career. Its been at least 12 years since I've been in Spain and my last couple trips to Italy were anything, but pleasant."
"They don't give you any free time?"
"They do, but not a lot. My last trip to Italy I was too tired to do anything but eat and sleep." Trying to catch a serial killer will do that to you. As students start walking in and taking their seats Ms. Cardigan stops with the questions, or at least until my next break in between classes. She starts this class as she has all the others by introducing me to everyone present before handing the floor over to me. I doesn't take me long to introduce myself and jump right into the slides. There's a lot of carrier slides in there along with slides of me with Mac, Kate and Meg over the years. Then I've got a pile of slides showing friends of mine at their professions. Sturgis and Terri among others are included in my presentation. I don't mention all of the crazy shit I've done like HALO jumping with SEAL teams or busting prisoners out of Iraqi jails although that last one would probably get a lot of cheers now days. I've had an unbelievable career thus far, but I want to keep their expectations of what their own might be like realistic. No doubt about it though, the part I like the best is the last half of the class when I open it up to some 'Q' and 'A'. A lot of the questions are the same from one group to the next, but occasionally one surprises me.
"So why did you become a lawyer?" True to form, this has been one of the first questions asked of me in every class. Usually by a guy too, none of them can think of a sane reason why I'd leave flying to become a JAG. If it hadn't happened to me, I wouldn't be able to either. I never mention my ramp strike, talking about death is one of the surest ways of turning kids off the idea of joining the military.
"Long story short, just after the first Gulf War ended I was misdiagnosis with a condition that left me with night blindness. That kind of a problem makes it almost impossible to land on a carrier at night so I had to give up my active duty flight career. I decided to stay in the Navy and became a lawyer instead. Eventually I was re-diagnosed and had my vision corrected. I went back to flying and I did see action over Kosovo, but it was too late in my career to make a life out of it anymore so I went back to JAG."
"Have you ever shot anyone down?" There's the next most popular question I get.
"Yes I have. I was flying over Libya and I took on three MiGs by myself. I shot one down with a missile and I raked up another with the twenty mike- mike... that's the twenty-millimeter cannon on the Tomcat. I really don't know how that guy made it, he lost his port engine, and I thought he was going down so I went after the third plane that ended up running like hell. Turns out the second pilot managed to save his plane and limp back to his home base. That cost me my second kill. Other than that I've done numerous bombing runs over the years." I get a few more questions about the places that I've been, one guy after seeing the slides of my partners over the years even asked if all the women in the Navy I worked with where as good looking as Mac, Kate, and Meg. I told him Mac was a Marine, but that the Navy still had the prettiest girls in the military. Some of the questions had a lot to do with job opportunities, benefits, and things like that in the Navy. Money for college was another big issue we discussed at length.
"Where do you believe you make the biggest difference, in the cockpit or in the court room?" There's a new one.
"That's a very good question, a tough one, but a good question. It's different in each case. In cockpit, it's always easy to see the difference you make. I shoot down a MiG, it can't hurt anyone anymore. I bomb a target and I protect a platoon of Marines on the ground. It's easy to see those results. In courtroom, the difference can literally mean an individual man or woman's life. Whether or not I'm defending or prosecuting, I determine the course of a person's life, one person at a time. I'd say the difference I make in the courtroom is longer lasting and is more likely to be remembered as well. Years from now when I'm gone, few people outside of family are going to remember a then Lieutenant Rabb shooting down a MiG over Libya. However, a lot more people are going to remember my role in their lives as their lawyer. Even though it'll only be a tiny footnote in the history, I'll be forever remembered as the chief prosecutor of one of the top Al-Qaida terrorists who help plan the attacks on 9-11. Participating in that military tribunal will probably be the highlight of military and legal career or at least the thing I'm most remembered for.
"But didn't you get a silver star for saving the Sea Hawk Carrier in the Persian Gulf?" Hmmm this one's up to date on his recent military events.
"Yes, and I'm enormously proud of that fact, but years from now that tribunal will the thing I'm most remembered for. I doubt the Navy will be naming a boat after me for what I did on the Sea Hawk."
"Aren't they called ships?"
"Only the guys stuck on them permanently call them that. No self respecting Naval aviator ever calls a Naval vessel a ship."
"How much longer to you plan on staying in the Navy?" There's another new one.
"I'm not really sure. A lot of it has to do with whether or not I'm promoted to Captain. If I am, I'll stay in longer than twenty years. If not, I'll probably seriously consider retiring. Its all kind of up in air at this point."
"Do you think you'll make Captain?"
"I like to think I will, but I'll be up against a bunch of Commanders equally deserving of being promoted to Captain as well."
"Will your flying help you gain the edge there?" I think more than likely it'll hurt my chances.
"I think my combat experience certainly will help me. Whether or not it's enough to push me over the top remains to be seen." I answer a few more questions before I've got to wrap this up. "If any of you have any more questions please feel free to stop by during the last hour of the day and ask away." As the bell rings Ms. Cardigan has them giving me a short applause in thanks for my presentation.
I've barely had time to sit down at my table in the gym when the last bell rings. I've got just about every piece of information the recruiting command felt I'd need for something like this. I'm not ever sure how many kids are going to show up for this. Mattie told me this hour was optional, the kids can either come here or report to their respective homerooms for the last hour of the day. Andre as I expected is one of the first people in the gym and once he spots me he head right over. I answer a few of his questions, but that kid's a lock for the Navy. I want to spend my time talking to those who aren't as knowledgeable about the Navy as he is. Thankfully it doesn't take Andre long to get the point and wander off. As Andre's figure is consumed by the crowd of students in the gym I notice a young woman beginning to walk to my table and I swear to God she has to be Kate Pike's little sister. Her facial structure, eyes, and hair are almost identical. There's a couple guys already at my table. I really doubt they're serious about the Navy. I think they just want to hear me tell them some more war stories. I'm more interested in her, but she seems hesitant to join us at the table with all the guys here.
"Can I help you?" I think my smile might have done it because she blushes a little and takes a few steps closer.
"I wanted to ask you a few questions about JAG."
"Well come on over, sit down, and we'll talk about it." If those guys are indeed serious about joining the Navy, they had better wipe the looks of disgust off their faces in a hurry. Odds are they'll run into some woman higher up the chain of command than they are. Especially if they go enlisted. Of course, maybe they're more upset that I pulled out my spare chair for her and not them, but I doubt it. "What is it you wanted to know?"
"Well my plans after high school were to go to college and then law school. I have a cousin who is in the Navy and I was just wondering the different routes I might take if I decided to go into the service as well."
"Okay, first off what year are you?"
"I'm a junior."
"And how are your grades?"
"I think my G.P.A. is hovering somewhere around 3.75."
"Are you in any sports, clubs, things like that?
"I'm in most of the academic clubs, I run cross country and track."
"The reason I ask is because if you wanted to, you could apply the Naval Academy as I did. They're always looking smart, athletic students like yourself they can mold into leaders. The application process is a bear, but at first glance it appears that you'd have a shot at getting in."
She doesn't look convinced. "Aren't the girls treated badly by the guys there? I mean over at the Air Force..."
I'm not about to let her finish that thought. "That was the Air Force, not the Navy. Yes, things like that have happened at Annapolis in the past, but they've really cracked down on that kind of behavior. When you consider the bottom line, going to a state college doesn't mean that the same thing won't happen over there too. The Military Academies are simply more exposed and held more accountable for what their midshipman or cadets do, which is why the receive so much publicity when things like that happen. The good part is that you go for free and are paid while you're there."
"That sounds nice, but I don't think that's the way I want to go."
"That's fine. Your other options are to attend a school that has a NROTC program in place and earn your commission upon graduation. Later you'll attend law school while you're in the Naval Reserve or working part time. Lastly, you can go to college, go to law school, graduate and then apply for OCS to become an officer. When you graduate you'll instantly be promoted to Lieutenant j.g. instead of remaining an Ensign like the rest of your OCS classmates."
"Why would I be promoted over them if we've been officers for the same amount of time?"
"The Navy looks at like you spent three years going to school to become a lawyer, had you been an officer first those three years in the service would have made you a Lieutenant j.g. so, that's what they promote you ahead of everyone else. Doctors and dentists become full Lieutenants when they join up." The next few minutes we discuss where she'd go from there, namely Naval Justice School and then what the billets are like on overseas bases or aboard carriers. When I see Mattie walking towards us, I glance at my watch I realize I had better wrap this up. Opening my wallet, I hand her my card. "Look if you're really interested in knowing what life in the Navy is like as a JAG give me a call. We'll set up an appointment and I'll give you a tour through JAG headquarters right here in Falls Church if you like."
"Really?"
"If you're serious about this, yeah."
"Would my parents be able to come?"
Ah yes, I forgot about them. I doubt they'd let her do something like this on her own. "Sure, that's not a problem."
Smiling, she stands up to shake my hand. "Thank you so much and thanks for coming in today Commander Rabb."
"You're welcome, and when I can meet students like you Jessica its worth it." Mattie hangs back until she leaves and then flops down in the vacated chair. "Hey you, how was your day?"
"I didn't get any home work it was great."
"Practice today?"
"Nope, but I have another favor to ask of you." Wonderful, I thought I done with favors like this for a while.
"What is it?"
"Would you mind talking to Amber?"
"About the Navy?"
Mattie waves me off. "No, no. Um, she just found out a few days ago that her cousin has HIV. Turns out he's had it for at least year now and the doctors are keeping him in the hospital until they can determine just how far advanced his case has become." Shit that had to be a hell of a bombshell to drop on her.
"I'm so sorry Mattie."
"She just told me today. She's really close to him Harm and she's taking it really hard. I told her that you'd recently visited the HIV/AIDS ward at Bethesda and she was hoping to ask you a few questions about what it was like. She just doesn't want to appear shocked and scared by everything when they go to visit him you know?"
"Where is she now?"
"In her home room class, but if she tells her home room teacher that she wants to talk to you about the Navy, he'll let her go and we can talk some where privately."
I really don't know how much help I can be in this situation, but I'm willing to try. "Why don't you go get her, I'll start cleaning up here and we can talk outside, okay?"
"That sounds good. I'll be back soon." I have really no idea what I'm going to tell this poor girl when Mattie brings her by. Senior Chief De Fina seemed very optimistic as did a number of the patients in that ward, and I know that they wouldn't have like it had they known, but I couldn't get over the sadness I felt knowing what they're ultimately destined for. There seemed to be someone in every stage of the illness there. When you put them all together and see the progression from relatively healthy people to those at death's door, you feel like you're walking through the seven chambers of Prince Prospero's abbey. Okay that's pretty morbid and she doesn't need to hear something like that. By the time Mattie comes back with Amber in tow I've got my table cleaned off and my gear squared away. I'm going to leave all the pamphlets and information I didn't hand out to the with the school guidance councilors.
Amber marches right up to me and shakes my hand. "Mr. Rabb it was good of you to come."
"Thank you. Why don't you two lead the way outside, its so much nicer outside than it is in here." Picking up my stuff, I follow the girls out of the gym. I've never done something this before, but I'm determined to help Amber as much as I would Jessica, or anyone else who asks for my help. In life, there's an example to be set in all things that we do. As a Naval officer, one of my goals has always been to set the best one possible and right now that means helping yet another young woman through a difficult time in her life.