Mommy Dearest

Chapter 48
Drying Miss Sasha

"Whose big idea was this anyway?" Jen grumbled as she leaned back against Harm's chest, Sasha, having been discouraged from rooting at Jen's breast, now cradled in the crook of her left arm while her right hand held the bottle upon the rubber teat of which Sasha sucked greedily.

"Uh… which big idea would that be, exactly?" a still half-asleep Harm mumbled, "The idea of looking after Sasha for the night, or the idea of having one of these monsters of our own?"

"Neither, both, either!" Jen snapped.

Half asleep Harm might have been, but he recognised the danger signals, "Doesn't matter anyhow… we both took up on both ideas, so if there's any blame, it belongs to both of us…"

"M'mm… true… Ah, have you finished, Angel? There let me just lift you so you can get rid of some of that…"

Jen lifted Sasha up to her shoulder and started to gently rub her back.

"Jen! Burp clo…Oh…God…" Harm's protest died off and became a groan of disgust as Sasha demonstrated just how proficient she had become in the art of projectile vomiting.

There was a pregnant pause eventually broken by a stifled giggle from Jen, "Oh… Harm, I'm sorry, I'd forgotten about that. Were you directly in the line of fire?"

"I was!" Harm affirmed, "And my only consolation is that you've got a damn' great stream of it down your back, as well as down my front!"

Sasha, relieved of the discomfort of trapped wind had gone peacefully back to sleep, as a still giggling Jen carefully wiped the baby's mouth clean with a wet-wipe and laid her in her porta-crib, and then still fighting the grin looked at her highly disgruntled and slightly smelly husband, "Well, I think we both need a quick shower, but I think you need it more than I do. Go on ahead, I'll dig us out some fresh sleep-wear, and by the time I've done that you should be nice and squeaky clean again!"

Harm glared at Jen and swivelled his legs over the side of the bed and stood, paused for a second to take a disgusted sniff at himself, and stalked haughtily into the bathroom, pursued, he was sure, by another stifled giggle from his irrepressible wife.

The hot shower and a liberal application of shower-gel and elbow grease went a long way to restoring his peace of mind, but mindful of Jen's need to shower he didn't loiter, and stepped out of the shower after only a couple of minutes to find a towel wrapped Jen waiting impatiently for her turn.

"Uh… you could have shared with me," he pointed out as she stepped past him.

Jen paused in the shower doorway, and threw a sleepy but still distinctly naughty grin back over her shoulder at him, "Riiiight, like we'd ever get showered or back to bed in time to get back to sleep!"

"Yeah, you're right… but thankfully it's Sunday tomorrow so we can have a lie-in!"

Jen just looked at him, and shook her head.

Harm was almost asleep just a few minutes later when Jen crawled back into bed alongside him, her head finding its favourite pillow and her legs entangled with his. Harm murmured peacefully as the familiar weight of Jen's head pressed down on his shoulder and her baby bump rested against his ribs.

Jen smiled as she heard the rumble of his murmur through his chest and closed her eyes, drifting dreamily off to sleep.

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Very much against her will Jen's eyes ungummed themselves, and for a second she wondered why she had woken up while it was still dark, then the nature of the sound that had broken her sleep penetrated from ears to brain and she groaned. It seemed as if it was only minutes ago that she had put Sasha back in her porta-crib after feeding her, but there was no doubt that the infant felt that all was not right in her world, and was being totally unrestrained in her efforts to communicate her feelings to the rest of the universe.

Jen rolled over onto her back, just as Harm started to wake, and reached across to the nightstand on her side of the bed, fumbling for the light-switch. Squinting in the sudden brightness she saw that it was only about twenty five minutes since she and Harm had crawled back under the covers and swore softly under her breath.

Harm had popped himself up on his two elbows and grunted "Wassamatter?"

"Sasha," Jen said heavily as she rolled out of bed, "I'll check."

Harm grunted an acknowledgement and waited for Jen to come back to bed…

Jen stumbled her way around to the end of the bed to where Sasha's porta-crib stood on its stand next to the wall. Before she even picked up the crying baby Jen's nostrils caught the tell-tale whiff, "Oh God…no…" she moaned, "Not at twenty past four in the God-damned morning…"

But there was no denying the evidence, so Jen with the now quieting infant in her arms carried her in to the bathroom where the diaper bag had been stowed overnight, and set to work.

Ten minutes later a peacefully sleeping Sasha was gently placed back in her crib and Jen casting a malevolent eye on her sleeping husband, crawled back under the covers and with a strong sense of being ill-used lay on her side, her back towards him.

Asleep or not, Harm seemed to possess some sort of sixth sense when it came to Jen and although sleep was fast overtaking her, and despite her annoyance with him for falling asleep before she got back to bed, she smiled as a heavy forearm draped itself over her bump and the warmth of a large body pressed against her back as Harm scooted across the bed and spooned tightly against her.

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It had been about four hours previously that the Crown Victoria, the only vehicle Tuna had been able to rent at short notice, had pulled up outside the house on Annandale Road. Loren cast a quick glance at the house, noting with satisfaction that the lights were off. Turning to David she smiled, "David, thank you. That was a tremendous evening. The restaurant was fantastic, the food was superb, and I may have had one glass of wine too many… The music was just what I wanted to finish off the night, so thank you very much; I really, really enjoyed myself!"

Tuna smiled in return, the flash of his teeth only just visible; "Good!" he said in a satisfied voice, "Then my work here is nearly complete!"

Loren's suspicions were aroused in a flash, "Nearly complete?" she asked flatly all humour vanished from her tone.

Tuna remained unruffled, "Yes, nearly complete; I still need to walk you to your door!"

Loren suddenly felt like crying, 'why did he have to go and spoil it all at the last minute?' she asked herself, but confined her reply to a stiff, "There's no need!"

Tuna's smile flashed out again, "Loren, of course there is a need for me to see you to your door! For a start, Jen would probably kill me if anything happened to you; Harm would probably never forgive me and I certainly would never forgive myself!" His voice lost its joking tone as he continued, "So, I will walk you to your door, but I will not ask to come in for a nightcap, nor will I put any pressure any you in any way, nor will I attempt to jump your bones. Friends don't do those things!"

Tuna's sincerity was so patently obvious that Loren was grateful for the darkness, as she felt the warmth of a blush of embarrassment rise to her cheeks, and in a very small voice, she replied, "Thank you for reminding me of that! I am sorry. And I should be glad if you will walk me all the way home."

"Good, then that's settled!" Tuna answered cheerfully, as he opened his car door and hurried around o the passenger side to help Loren out of her seat.

Side by side they walked up Loren's new drive, skirting her car, and through the wicket gate into the back yard and finally to the ranch house, where by the light of the porch lamp, Loren unlocked her door and then turned to face Tuna, "David, I really did enjoy tonight, thank you! And I'm sorry I was a bit abrupt…"

"Were you? I didn't notice!" Tuna joked and then paused his eyes losing their laughter as a sober expression settled on his face. Loren looked up as he fell silent, and for second it felt like her stomach had just turned a violent somersault, as their gazes locked.

"I… I said I wouldn't pressure you Loren… so… if this sounds as if I am… then… I… I won't be doing a very good job. But… I… I… have a favour to ask: If I write to you… would it be OK… I mean… would you write me back?"

Loren continued to look up at him her eyes now as grave as his, "Oh, David, yes, you've got my e-mail address; if you write me, then of course I'll write you back!"

"No… that's not quite what I meant, Loren. I meant if I write you, properly. You know, like in a real letter, with paper and ink, postage and an envelope, sort of thing…"

Once again Loren felt her stomach somersault, and for some reason she felt an urge to burst into tears, "Oh… Of course… how could I not write back to a real letter?" and managed a smile instead of the tears.

Tuna's smile beamed like a lighthouse on a dark night, "That's all I needed to hear!" he exclaimed as he held out his hand, "Goodnight, Loren."

Loren used his hand as leverage to raise herself on her toes and stretching up, she planted a soft kiss on his cheek. "Goodnight, David, and… take care of yourself out there!"

With another smile, Loren let go of his hand and stepped back through the open door, and shutting it behind her, leaned back against it for support as her knees threatened to give way. She had just kissed David Medwick! What the hell was she thinking! Carried away by the evening like a dumb schoolgirl! Alright, it was only a friendly kiss on the cheek… yeah… but it was still a kiss!

On the other side of the door Tuna smiled, well satisfied with the night's outcome, and it was with a jaunty spring in his step that he made his way back to the rental and still smiling happily he engaged the Crown Victoria's drive and rolled away from the kerbside, pointing the car in the direction of Andrews AFB.

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Loren awoke, blinking in the daylight which had seeped into her bedroom filtered by the drapes hung at the window. Stretching and smiling lazily she rolled over in bed at glanced at the display on her digital clock: Oh nine eleven hours! 'Shit! My baby!' As the time registered Loren was gripped by panic; 'Sasha never slept this long, there must be something wrong!' The worried mother was out of bed and half-way to the second bedroom when memory of last night's events and the arrangements that had been made with Jen surfaced.

For the second time in less than twelve Loren's knees threatened to fold beneath her, and she dropped into the chair in front of her dressing table with a weak chuckle of relief, wondering how she could have been so dumb as to forget – even momentarily – that Jen and Harm were babysitting her daughter. 'Still', she thought, 'as long as they've got her… I've got time to take a proper shower, but I am beginning to feel the need to nurse, so not too long a shower, Loren Sing… uh… Rabb!'

So it was only about twenty minutes later that Loren gently knocked on the kitchen door and waited for an answer. Not hearing the expected invitation to enter, she knocked again, a little more loudly, but still received no reply. She shrugged her shoulders and biting her lip, being ninety per cent certain that Jen and Harm would not take offence, she gently tried the door handle and opening the door she stepped through into the kitchen.

"Jen? Harm? Hello?" Loren strained her ears in her efforts to hear a reply but was greeted only by the sound of silence. More curious than alarmed however, she walked quietly, helped by her sneakers on the carpeting, into the lounge where she stopped, taking in the scene before her and desperately stifling a laugh. Harm and Jen were seated on the couch, Harm with one long arm looped around Jen's shoulder and hanging limply by her side, Jen, half turned toward Harm her head buried in the hollow of his shoulder and her one visible hand resting on his thigh. Both were sound asleep and the object of Sasha's seemingly dispassionate blue-eyed gaze as she watched them from the security of her porta-crib.

Loren shook her head gently and smiled before retreating softly to the kitchen where she filled the kettle and set it to boil while she loaded a tray with tea-pot, mugs, sweetener and slices of lemon, and once the kettle had boiled filling the kettle before bearing the tray to the lounge where she placed it on the occasional table. Shaking her head gently as she looked at the still sleeping couple on the couch, Loren unbuckled Sasha from the porta-crib and holding her baby close, she buried her face in the fine golden hair and breathed in deeply, feeling a peaceful contentment as the unique scent of freshly bathed and powdered baby filled her nostrils. Quietly turning a chair to present an at best sideways view from the couch, she sat and unfastened her blouse offering her breast to Sasha; an offer that was eagerly accepted by the infant.

Once Sasha was settled at her breast, Loren glanced sideways and with an impish smile called out a bright "Good morning people!"

Jen stirred and made a muffled and indistinguishable mutter from the haven of Harm's shoulder, while Harm didn't even so much as blink. Loren smiled and decided to let them sleep until she'd finished feeding Sasha, and as she did so she couldn't help but reflect as she had done so many times in the past, how much her life had changed since she'd discovered she was pregnant. The pregnancy, her almost kidnapping by Tricia Burnett, Sasha's birth, the way Harm, Jen and all the rest of that crazy clan had immediately accepted the baby as one of their own, and by extension had adopted her too, and then Grandma Rabb asking her to change her name, and now… now… she was fighting off an attraction she felt towards David Medwick. His earnestness and his lazy grin had appealed to her from the start, that was why she had been so abrupt with him at that roadside church, then there had been the dinner party – she had been so angry at Jen for engineering what was an obvious set up: two married couples and a pair of singletons, oh, please, how much more obvious could Jen have been? But then when David had picked up Sasha from her porta crib, his gentleness had shown through, and from that moment on she had been able to see through, and discard, his fighter jockey cockiness to the man underneath. And so far, she liked what she had seen… Yes, she valued David Medwick as a friend; one who could be trusted, as last night had shown. And it was kinda sweet in an goofball sort of way that he wanted to write to her, 'real letters' like he had said, but still she shouldn't have let herself gotten carried away by the moment and kissed him – even if it was just a friendly kiss on the cheek. No, although she was quite happy to have David Medwick as a friend, the last thing she needed was another man to complicate her life!

She was roused from her thoughts by Sasha rooting harder at her breast and beginning to grizzle as the milk stopped flowing. With a gentle smile at her daughter and admonishing whisper of "Patience, you greedy thing!" she transferred Sasha to her other breast.

Working it out later, Harm could only assume that his ears had become sensitised to the various cries Sasha made, and that few seconds grizzle, normally the precursor to a full blooded screaming, was sufficient to jerk him awake. His immediate alarm was soothed as his eyes took in the sight of Loren contentedly feeding her child, and he let his head fall back on to the squabs as he, from under half-closed eyelids, absorbed the picture she and Sasha made. As he watched and took in the details he smiled.

"Do you know that you are wearing the same outfit that you were wearing in Mom's book-room the first time I saw you with Alexandra?" he asked quietly.

Loren gave a small start of surprise, quiet though his voice had been it was still an unexpected break in the silence, "Oh! No… I hadn't given it a thought! Until you said it just now, I wouldn't have been able to tell anyone what I was wearing that day… although, if I remember, I didn't have much of a wardrobe with me that still fit!"

Harm's face retained its lazy smile and it became even warmer as he replied, "Loren, every detail of that meeting is etched into my memory. You were wearing that same denim skirt and that white blouse, although your feet were bare on that occasion. But the thing that had the most impact on me – after I'd recovered from the surprise at seeing you at Mom's – was the look of absolutely peaceful content that you had on your face, the same look I'm seeing now."

"M'mm," Jen murmured, " 'member it too…"

Loren went slightly pink with a mixture of pleasure and embarrassment at Harm's words, and to gain a few seconds grace before answering, she busied herself by raising Sasha to her shoulder to wind her, and then laid the contented baby across her lap while she buttoned her shirt before turning to face Harm and Jen.

Loren still looked a bit self-conscious as she answered, "Yeah, well… that's all in the past, and yeah, it was kinda good to hear, flattering even, but…" the peace and contentment in Loren's smile turned to pure mischief, "you're letting your tea go cold!"

Jen tested the teapot with the back of her hand, "Ugh… it's stone cold! She craned her neck to look up at Harm, "Sweetheart, let me up please, and I'll go brew a fresh pot!"

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"So…" Loren leaned back, her mug cradled in her hands and with a wicked gleam in here eye and said, "I hope that Sasha behaved herself last night?"

"She was a perfect angel!" Jen replied hastily with a quelling glance at Harm.

"Oh, yes, hardly a whimper or a murmur from her all night!" Harm confirmed.

"So… you'd be happy to have her all night again for me sometime?" Loren asked demurely.

"Of course we would!" Harm exclaimed.

"Oh… Good!" Loren declared, "You know that David reports tomorrow at Andrews for transport? Well, we had such a good time last night that he's invited me out again tonight, so we can paint the town red before he goes!"

Harm and Jen exchanged appalled glances and Loren seeing their expressions burst into a crow of laughter, "Gotcha!" she said triumphantly, "You shouldn't have tried to kid me! I know what my little monster can be like at night! How many times? Be honest!"

Harm looked embarrassed and then chuckled ruefully, shaking his head, "So I take it that you and Tuna aren't going on another date tonight!"

Loren, still grinning broadly, shook her head, "No… we did have a good time last night, but… one step at a time. I like David, but we're friends, is all… Anyway, that's not the subject up for discussion. Now, how many times?"

Jen sported a wry grin, "Well, we fed her at nine, and put her down at ten. She woke up at one, she was clean and dry, so we fed her again and kept her awake for another half hour before we put her down again, then she woke up again at about half-three, so we gave her a third bottle, and then she woke up again about twenty minutes afterwards needing to be changed…"

"And then she woke up again, the life and soul of the party at just gone six," Harm continued, "so we figured that we might as well get up then too. So we bathed her, cleaned her, changed her, fed her and then we looked out the kitchen window, your drapes were still closed, so we figured we'd just sit down and wait for you to come and claim your daughter, and…"

"And I guess we were more tired than we thought!" Jen interrupted, a worried frown on forehead, "Loren, we only had Sasha for one night! How the hell are we going to cope with our own? And at least there are two of us; I can't imagine how you've managed on your own!"

Loren shook her head, "I haven't done it all on my own Jen; Tricia, Frank, you, Harm… you've all been with me every step of the way… without your support I don't know where I'd have been today! Do you know just how much of a relief it was to have Frank take charge of the house hunting, and make decisions for me back then? I was so tired I could hardly think straight! And before that, when I was in San Diego before Tricia took me over? And you won't be on your own either… and anyway…" she finished with a smile, "It's different when it's your own baby… you'll see!"

Jen settled down, partly reassured by Loren's words, and in an attempt to divert her thoughts from the gloomy pathway in which direction they'd been headed, she managed to return Loren's smile and ask, "So… about last night…?"

Harm grinned and got to his feet, heading for the kitchen to make a start on a family lunch.

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When Harm's alarm clocked shrilled into life the next morning he opened his eyes and groped for the off switch, and rolled over on to his side and planted a kiss on Jen's bare shoulder as she lay facing away from him and grinned as she muttered "Huh?" and tried to bury her head under the pillow.

"It's no good sweetheart. It's Monday morning, time to get dressed in your sparkling new maternity whites and go and earn your daily bread!" Harm told her cheerfully.

Jen rolled over to face him, "There are times Harmon Rabb, when I hate you!" she told him fiercely.

"I know, but you make up for those times by loving me much more!"

Jen by now fully awake, brushed her hair out of her face and sat up in bed, "Yeah, I s'pose I do, but why do you have to be so damned cheerful in the morning!"

Harm's grin grew broader as he swung his feet out of bed and stripped off his t-shirt, "May I remind you, that I'm the one who is renowned for not being a morning person, Miss Sunny Smile?"

"M'mm… you most certainly can!" Jen smiled her brief burst of ill-temper quite swept away as she appreciatively watched Harm pad across the bedroom to the bathroom door clad only his boxers.

Gritting her teeth at the prospect of facing the day when she would far sooner have stayed in bed, Jen followed her husband's example and shoving her feet into her battered Garfield slippers she too headed for the bathroom.

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"So… did you sleep well last night?" Loren asked in a far too innocent voice.

"We managed just fine!" Harm replied trying, but not quite succeeding in keeping a snap out of his voice.

"So… no hungry or dirty or wet babies to look after, then?" Loren continued remorselessly.

Harm shot her a dirty look as he pulled up at a stop sign, "Nope, nary a one; it was kind of unsettling at first, but we got used to it real quick!"

"Oh, I was just thinking, that if you were missing having a baby to practice on until your own arrived, you could always look after Sasha, say two or three times a week." Loren continued, still being far too innocent.

"H'mm… how long did you say Tuna was going to be gone?" Harm asked in an interested voice, and apparently changing the subject.

"Nice try at deflection, Commander," Loren almost giggled, "but it ain't working!"

"No?" Harm asked acidly, "Well, you can't blame a guy for trying!"

"Oh, I am sorry Harm especially when you and Jen were so kind in helping me out, it's just that you looked so… lost… yesterday morning that I couldn't resist teasing you!"

"So why didn't you tease us yesterday?" Harm asked in a puzzled voice.

"Do you really have to ask? Well, because Jen was having a crisis of confidence, and it wouldn't have done her any good! Honestly, don't you men ever understand anything?"

Harm shook his head in resignation as he pulled up at the JAG VCP, "Apparently not! 'Morning Corporal!"

"Good morning, sir, ma'am!" the marine corporal checking their IDs gave the interior of the Lexus a quick visual once over before returning their documents and standing back, saluted smartly, giving Harm the signal to go ahead.

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The return to work with its associated threat hanging over her head quickly sobered Loren, and as they walked together from the Conference Room at the end of Staff call, Harm cast a worried, covert glance at Loren and caught her biting her bottom lip; she left his side as they entered the bull-pen, giving only a quick nod, almost a jerk, of her head as she veered off towards her own office, closing the door as soon as she'd entered.

Harm had temporarily shelved his work-related concerns during the course of the weekend, but now as his glance swept the entirety of the Ops Section his gaze fell on the closed and darkened office normally inhabited by Sturgis Turner and he frowned in concern. Making his mind up he wheeled away from his own office and headed for the ante-office occupied by the Admiral's Yeoman. "Good morning, Tiner. Any word from Commander Turner, or anyone at Pearl?"

Tiner sprang to his feet, "Good morning, sir! No, nothing heard from Commander Turner, and it's still too early in the morning to hear anything from Pearl!"

"Yes, of course, thanks Tiner… but nothing over the weekend either?"

"Nothing that I've checked so far sir, and certainly nothing marked Priority."

Harm shook his head, "It's not like Sturge to not stay in touch…" he murmured to himself, and then looked again at the Yeoman, "Is the Admiral free. Tiner?"

"No, sir, he has two visitors with him."

Harm nodded, "Well, when he's free ask him if he can spare me a minute or two, and let me know when, please?"

"Yes, sir, will do!"

Harm returned to his office to find Mac waiting for him, "Ready to head for the Navy Yard?" she asked.

Harm groaned, he had forgotten about his agreement with Mac to interview Master Gunnery Sergeant James on the arms theft case, "Can we let it slide for half an hour, please Mac? There's been nothing heard from Sturgis since his arrival at Pearl, and I'm beginning to get concerned."

Mac's frown mirrored Harm's, "Yeah… that's not Turner's usual style…" she said slowly, but if something has happened to him, we would have heard by now, right?"

Harm nodded in agreement, "You would have thoughts so… but it was the weekend, and if Sturgis had decided to take a time out, nobody would have expected to see him until he failed to report for duty this morning, and as Tiner reminded me, it's still too early in Pearl."

Mac nodded, "Yeah… but we do both need to interview James… and I don't see what difference a half an hour can make in Sturgis' case… especially as it still won't be time for turning to in Pearl."

"All true, but I just want to have a word with the Admiral, let him know I'm concerned, but he's got visitors in with him at the moment."

"Yeah, I saw them go in, JAG Commanders, one male one female…"

"Recognise either of them?" Harm said hopefully.

"Nah…" Mac grinned, "They were squids, and all squids look alike to us Marines!"

Harm laugh of appreciation was almost a snort and he staggered back as if wounded, "Ouch! That smarts!"

"Just a bit of payback for Friday!" Mac grinned.

"You have time for tomfoolery, Colonel?" The Admiral's gruff voice sounded from Harm's office doorway.

Harm and Mac sprang to attention, and turned to face the Admiral, who was accompanied by an auburn haired woman in the uniform of a JAG Commander.

"Just a moment or two, sir, while we were waiting to see if you could spare us a couple of minutes of your time, sir!" Mac replied, like Harm ignoring the stranger's presence, but unlike Harm, Mac was consumed with curiosity as to the stranger's identity, while Harm had a pretty good idea of who she was.

Chegwidden looked sceptically at her cover and briefcase, "As you were people, as you were! Looks to me like you were heading on out, Colonel?"

"We are sir; we're heading to the Navy Yard brig to interview Master Gunnery Sergeant James, but Commander Rabb, well, both of us sir, have an urgent matter that we felt we should bring to your attention!"

Chegwidden looked measuringly at his two senior officers; neither of them were above trying to pull the wool over his eyes but on this occasion there would appear to be no motive for that, and anyway there wasn't a trace of guile to be seen in either of them, and he prided himself on knowing his staff, particularly these two, well enough to detect any signs of duplicity.

"Very well," he grunted. "Colonel, Commander, this is Commander Saunders, she's prosecuting the Lindsey case. Commander Saunders, meet Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie and Commander Rabb. Commander Rabb handled the initial stages of the investigation and will be handing over all his case notes and statements to you. MacKenzie, Rabb, my office, five minutes!"

All three attorneys came to attention while Harm and Mac chorused, "Aye, aye, sir!" and waited until the Admiral had left them alone.

Harm was the first to break the ice, "Hi, Harmon Rabb – Harm, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

"Is it, I wonder?" she looked at him severely through a pair of the greenest eyes that Harm had ever seen, and then her face split into a grin, "I do believe you mean that! Barbara Saunders, most people call me Babs!"

"Babs." Harm acknowledged gravely.

"Mac MacKenzie," Mac offered in turn.

"Mac, hi." Babs replied, "Well it looks like the Admiral has only given us a couple of minutes, so if we can get right down to it, while the Yeoman finds me somewhere to park my ass?"

"I take it the Admiral gave you the file I had strung together?" Harm asked, indicating the folder under the visitor's arm, and on receiving her nod of confirmation, he unlocked his desk drawer and drew out a similar but slimmer file. "These are the case notes I made, together with some ideas on strategy I had half-formed. I know that you'll have your own ideas, but there are a couple of points in there that you might find helpful."

"You're right. I will have my own ideas; but as I've only been in town for five minutes, nothing has yet stirred in the primordial murk of my mind. Thank you."

Mac interrupted them, "Forty-eight seconds, Harm, before we're late for the Admiral."

Babs Saunders looked askance at Mac, who hadn't even glanced at her watch or the wall clock, "How do you do that?" she asked Mac.

"It's a Marine thing," Mac answered vaguely as she picked up her cover and briefcase and almost shepherded Harm out of the office.

They left the Admiral's office ten minutes later, having conveyed to him their concerns over Sturgis Turner, and partly reassured by his stated intention of placing a personal call to Pearl at the earliest opportunity to find out just what in hell his errant Commander was playing at.

Truth to tell, Chegwidden on hearing that Turner had been incommunicado since he had left DC on this assignment had become as concerned as his two subordinates. Turner wasn't the man to procrastinate over an investigation for the sake of extending his stay in Pearl for the weekend, although there were one or two officers who would try that if they thought they could get away with it. No, Turner was too conscientious, too… damned hidebound and by-the-book to pull any such stunt.

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It was just past midday when a disgruntled and frustrated Mac and Harm returned to JAG. Master Gunnery Sergeant James had been the very epitome of non-co-operation, the only useful information that he had imparted was that his armoury assistant, Corporal Witherspoon, was innocent of any wrong-doing. She had supervised the loading of the truck with the cases of M4s, but had assumed that James had the proper authorisation to move them, and then had been pleasantly surprised when he stood her down for the afternoon, so that she could have a long weekend with her boyfriend, who had just return from a deployment in Iraq, leaving James in sole charge of the vehicle.

They had just signed in at the CP and were waiting at the elevator's arrival. When it arrived and the doors opened, they were almost barged aside by Commander Saunders, who threw a hasty "Sorry" over her shoulder at them.

"Whoa! Where's the fire?" Harm called out.

"Pearl!" She shouted back. "Apparently Commander Turner's been involved in some sort of accident, and he's in the base hospital!"