Part 35

December 30, 2005

0645 local time

Rabb house

Harm was putting his dress uniform on, and was taking a bit more time than usual to do so. In his current position he didn't have to wear this particular uniform that often, and he'd put on a few pounds since he'd worn it last. Thankfully, he'd been a few pounds under his ideal weight at that time so he didn't feel like a stuffed sausage. Mac had already put on her uniform; this would not be a regular day for her. She had her dress blue uniform in a garment bag, and would change at work, a benefit to her position was the fact she had a bathroom next to her office. She would work in the morning, trying to get a day worth of work done. With the exception of the recently transferred Commander Pike, her staff had tried to make this week easy for her, going to her chief of staff Bud for most of their problems and questions.

Not that the Commander had been unprofessional in any way, it was the fact she'd spent most of the past few years in and out of the Pearl office, and had not had to deal with her co-workers on a daily basis. Here in San Diego she would be, along with Bud, one of the senior trial attorneys. Her traveling days, for the time being were behind her. She'd been given a potentially politically sensitive case on Tuesday morning and had holed up in her office or in interviews with witnesses.

Flashback

"Commander Pike, I know that you are acquainted with Commander Rabb, however, I need a senior officer here today, Bud is part of the ceremony, so the responsibility is yours. I had already planned for everyone to secure early today, long before we knew Harm's ceremony was today, so you'll be able make part of it." Mac informed the newly transferred officer.

"Thank you, Colonel, will 1430 be sufficient." Kate wanted to get to the shindig, even if she was late.

"Unless they have an interview scheduled, yes. Captain Hannity will be Officer of the Day and has already said he'd take a later shift that day. His plans for the weekend changed, when his fiancée was just posted to Afghanistan TDY just before Thanksgiving.

"Will that be all. Ma'am?"

"Yes. Dismissed."

End Flashback

Harm had decided to wear the medals, instead of the ribbons. He'd had explained to the girls who were currently sitting on Harm and Mac's bed, in their pajamas what each ribbon or medal stood for. Of course, since two of the three sitting on the bed were pre-school age he explained it simply. Mattie had already asked him what each ribbon was for on his uniform and he'd been more in depth with the college freshman.

Mac had the camera with her and was already taking pictures of her husband getting ready for his big day.

"I will see you at 1300; I need to get work done today, since it is year end." Mac said giving her husband a kiss, and then kissed the little girls on the forehead. "If it weren't year end I would have taken the whole day off. I need to go. I had breakfast already." Mac reluctantly left the room.

"Speaking of breakfast, let's eat, I have to finish my speech, so Mattie can you make sure I am not disturbed for a few hours."

"Yes, sir, that I can do. I am taking the girls to Nana's for the morning, so you'll be able to work in peace and quiet." With that the group headed to the kitchen to have breakfast. By eight, the female contingent had dressed and was on their way to the complex where Sarah Rabb lived currently. They would spend a few hours there before going to the Burnett home to have a early lunch and dress for the ceremony.

By noon Mac had finished what work she could do, she would have to go into work on Saturday to finish things that had to be finished by the calendar year, she ate a light lunch, as she had felt slightly queasy all day, attributing it to nerves.

She met with the rest of the family at 1230 as scheduled. If it weren't San Diego, there would be no way to have the ceremony outside. They had an alternate place scheduled, just in case, but it turned out not to be needed. It was a nice comfortable day, with just enough breeze to keep the weather from feeling too hot.

The Navy Band began to play at exactly 1245, and the Burnett's, Rabb's, Zhukov's, and Johnson's as well as Harriet and the Roberts children were led to their front row seats by a young petty officer.

At 1300 Bud Roberts, as Master of Ceremonies started the program. "Welcome everyone who is here for this ceremony honoring the service of Harmon Joshua Rabb, Junior. Will you all rise "Everyone did ask asked as Harm, Mac, as well as Harm's current CO, Captain Morales, retired Admiral AJ Chegwidden, and the recently confirmed SecNav Marshall walked up to the platform. A petty officer piped the officials 'aboard'. After the parade of the colors, a close friend of Mattie's from high school, Allie Orondo, sang the national anthem, and Harm's pastor, actually it was his grandmother's pastor, gave the invocation.

Captain Daniel Morales, spoke for a short time, it was clear that he and Harm would never consider each other friends, as Morales' style of leadership was more by the book than Harm cared for. "Our guest speaker has had the honor to have Commander Rabb in his commander for close to eight years. It would have been longer but he had a conflict of interest, as the Commander married his daughter." That got the audience chuckling. "Ladies, and Gentlemen, I introduce Rear Admiral, retired, AJ Chegwidden." AJ stood and walked over to the podium.

"The last year before my retirement was quiet, almost too quiet. I didn't have a certain officer shooting off guns in the courtroom." Harm knew he would never live that incident down, and despite the length of time from said incident, he turned a shade of pink. "I also didn't have 'complaints' from various commanding officers about how a certain senior attorney in my command used very unorthodox methods to prove his clients guilt or innocence. I do have to admit, it made my life a bit easier. On a personal note, I have the honor of calling him my son, as he was married, for too short a time to my daughter, Francesca. Before her untimely death, Francesca gave birth to their daughter, Riley. Thankfully she doesn't take after her grandfather in the hair department. I am glad to know that he found someone to help him raise Riley, and my granddaughters of my heart, Mattie and Shaylee. Even though I did remind them when they first met they would have to work together. Now they do, in a personal way. In his post Navy life, he will be leading a local shelter that will help those who need help as the new director of the Cahill Center. I know from personal experience that he values all life, especially those who cannot help themselves."
He continued to speak for several more minutes. "Now for the fun stuff" he concluded.

Bud took over, and had Harm come and stand with him. Harm was then presented with a Legion of Merit award, and more than a few plaques and certificates, some from JAG, even though he was not currently considered a JAG officer. "Colonel McKenzie would please come and join your husband". Mac did as requested. "We managed to get this shadowbox put together, with your wife's assistance. He handed it to both of them, and they were then photographed before Bud continued.

"We have special guests here today, the commanders family. I would like it if they would come up as I call their name. I have something for each of them. Mrs. Sarah Rabb. Mr. Frank Burnett and his wife Patricia, Sergei Zhukov and his family, Mattie Johnson, Shaylee and Riley Rabb." The group made their way and were soon standing next to Harm and Mac. "I have certificates for each of you. Bud then gave Harm's grandmother one, "If it weren't for Harm's grandmother, he likely would not have stayed in the Navy after his ramp strike so many years ago. Harm's mother and stepfather, who have been with Harm through it all, even when he didn't appreciate what Frank had done, I am quoting from the commander's own words to me. As the father of four, I think they had all they could handle with just the commander. " Bud said with a twinkle in his eye.

"We also would like to present a certificate to Harm's brother Sergei, and the Rabb children, Mattie, Shaylee and Riley." Sergei accepted the certificate and the picked up his niece to walk over to Bud. Mattie had Shaylee in hand. The audience was politely applauding. The various family members then went back to their seats.

Bud took over once, again, "Ladies and gentleman, I give you Commander Harmon Rabb, Junior."

"Thank you all for coming today, as I know this is a very busy time of year for all of us. If anyone would have asked me on January 1st of 2000 what I was doing at the end of 2005, this would not have entered my mind." He smiled a rueful smile, his famous grin showing a shadow of its former self. "However, at that point in time, the world was a different place, and I was single, with not much in the way of family. It was just my grandmother, my mom and stepfather, and a smattering of cousins I never saw. Now I have a wife, Sarah, better known to most of JAG as Colonel McKenzie. I now have three girls, Riley, Shaylee, and an eighteen year old adult daughter," he smiled at Mattie, "who has been selected to attend the Naval Academy this coming year. She's been a godsend this past year and a half and I will miss her greatly when she goes away. I am beginning to understand what my mother went through with me. Last but not least, I have a brother, Sergei whom I am getting to know, I learned my lesson early on with him, that I was not his father, but his brother." Harm knew now that he'd acted more paternal in Sergei's dealings with the late Lauren Singer, if he'd been more understanding of his brother, he might not have been accused of murder, yet again. "On the other hand, it gave me a taste of what actual fatherhood would be. Both of us were deprived of our father during our childhood, though I at least have memories of my father before he was shot down. It is partly because of my children, that I decided to leave the Navy. It will always be in my blood, even if I did marry a Marine."

Someone in the audience gave a loud "Semper Fi", and a "Hooyah" was heard at almost the same time, there was laughter from nearly everyone.

"Since Mac is still on active duty, you will likely see my face from time to time, and I know that any help that you can give the Cahill Center will be greatly appreciated. Again, thank you."

Bud then stood, and gave Harm a folder.

"Here are my orders, by order of the Secretary of the Navy, Harmon Rabb, Junior, is no longer on active duty, and will henceforth be considered to be retired." He turned to Bud and then to Admiral Zachary Cochrane the commanding officer the bases in the San Diego area. "Permission to go ashore."

Harm gave his final salute as an active duty officer, and Cochrane responded with a crisp salute. It didn't show on the outside, but it was at that moment that Harm realized just how much he would miss being on active duty. But that part of his life was now over, and it had been on his own terms. He knew he'd stay active with the veteran's groups that were in the area.

The Navy Band began to play the Navy Hymn, playing quietly so that everyone could here the base chaplain give the benediction.

AJ Chegwidden led the officers who had been involved in the retirement ceremony off the platform. As he was the lowest ranking officer, Bud was the last, and he was thankful as his prosthesis was feeling loose, this way he could take his time without anyone noticing the fact.

Mac had arranged to have an equal amount of personnel from JAG and Harm's current, well now former, duty station as sideboys for the ceremony. Jennifer Coates had asked Mac, when she knew the retirement was to happen that she be involved. "The Commander helped me turn my life around, if it weren't for him, I would likely be in prison today." There had been a few others with statements like the young petty officer and Mac had been forced to choose those who would have the honor at his ceremony. Of the marines in the contingent, Harm had been floored to hear that Sergeant Tyler Hanson had requested to be in the honor guard. He'd been helped by Harm while a teenager and been in the Marines under his late brother's name, with Harm's assistance he'd been able to return to the Corps when he turned eighteen, the young man, now a father of three, had just returned from Iraq.

Mac joined Harm as soon has he passed through the honor guard, the rest of the family would follow with the other guests to the reception area.

Commander Pike had been detained, because of an phone call from the JAG himself, and missed the entire ceremony. Seeing the guests head over to the tables set aside for the event she muttered to herself, "Should of seen that coming, Mac made sure that I missed this. I think I'll make time in my 'busy schedule' and volunteer at Harm's new job." She couldn't have known that Creswell was 'interviewing' her for a possible command of her own in the Everett field office.

The reception went smoothly, with Sergei and Galina keeping an eye on the younger ones so that they didn't get filled up with sweets. Sergei had seen Commander Pike and her apparent interest in his very married brother, and asked her to join them for a few minutes. "I guess you are wondering how we, my brother and I, met. I was a helicopter pilot, and ordered to ferry this American officer and Russian lieutenant. I recognize Harm, from picture. I was ordered by General to depart, not knowing that he was, how you say, crooked, when I went back to get them, older brother knocked me down saying I was trying to kill him, I told him, I wouldn't kill my own brother. My father had been transported to Russia in 1970, and eventually escaped, my mother and uncle helped him. My, our father was killed when he tried to rescue my mother from a rape. I came here in 2001 but with everything that happened we couldn't prove to INS we are brothers. I returned to Russia and we married. Finally we got proof I am Rabb, and we moved to San Diego."

"Little brother, are you telling the commander all the family secrets." Harm said, he knew he needed to talk to Kate, but this was neither the time nor the place.

"No, he isn't. Unfortunately, Harm my significant other will be in town in two weeks, maybe the four of us can go out for a bite to eat." Kate tried to extend an olive branch, letting Harm know she was off the market. She knew now that Harm was content and happy, and she would be foolish to try and wreck a good thing, besides it would do nothing for her career at this point to be involved in another scandal.

As the party was winding down, Mac and Harm took a walk along the shoreline. "Harm, its hard to believe that my flyboy has grounded himself, for good. Except in Sarah. There is a part of me that wishes that you had stayed in, but I know that it is what you wanted to do, my only regret that our son or daughter will never have the chance to see you on active duty."

Harm stopped, "Are you saying what I think you are saying, Sarah?"

"I haven't confirmed it with the doctors, but according to the test kit, I am pregnant. We have our own little miracle." Mac was grinning from ear to ear. She'd taken one of the tests after she arrived at work that morning, realizing that this was the sixth day in a row she'd woken up slightly nauseous. If her calculations were right, this would be a honeymoon baby.