Beyond the Rivers of Jordan
Book 1: River Crossings
Chapter 3
JAG Internal Network
Log entry no: 20016612
"Some people move on. Others just need a little help."
User ID: Adm_Chegwidden
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, VA
0952 ZULU
He looked around the office trying to find the place, and felt slightly overwhelmed by the new environment. Whichever way he turned, people were buzzing two and fro between bases, swapping files and exchanging information. They didn't even notice him, the alien standing in their territory. He scanned the room some more, then noticed a tall NAVY officer standing nearby, and decided to try his luck there.
"Excuse me," he said, "but I was wondering if you could tell me where the conference room is?"
Harm was sipping his morning coffee when a voice startled him, and he cringed sharply, pulling the porcelain mug from his lips. Ouch! Dammit. He thought to himself. He hated burning his tongue.
"I am so sorry," the man offered as Harm twisted his tongue inside his closed mouth, trying to quell the bruising sensation pulsing through it. He began turning towards the fellow who had disturbed him…
"Sturg?" he looked wide-eyed, for a moment forgetting the pain.
"Harm?" the other replied, equally shocked.
The two had been buddies at the Academy in Annapolis together…years back. Sturgis' father was a NAVY minister, and had actively served during the Vietnam War, so both had common ground to begin with. Sturgis was like the brother Harm never had, they trained together, picked up girls together, got into trouble together, and got caught together, and got punished together. On days out they even visited one another's' families! Sturgis' dad had been like a Father figure for Harm to relate to, the man never gave Harm any leeway even though he wasn't his real son. Heck, they weren't even the same color and it didn't matter. He remembered after the goat incident, the lashing back at the academy wasn't the only one he got with Sturgis. But after going separate ways and each getting caught up with their own gigs, they gradually lost contact.
"Hey, I sent you a Christmas card!" Harm defended himself as they entered the conference room.
"Yeah. Three years ago to the wrong address!" the other replied as they pulled up seats next to each other by the table. They were the first ones in.
"So, got a girl?" he continued.
Harm sighed as he replied, "Nope, she's got me."
"Ha…I guess some things never change…"
"Hey! I'm just waiting it out that's all…" he defended.
"Oh yeah…Buddy, the sun could start rising from the west and you still wouldn't get your act together. If she's the one she's the one…why do you keep fighting off what's inevitable? Sooner or later you're going to realize even fates' not gonna wait around for the likes of you…"
"Hey don't go there, partner…its still a sore spot. And anyway, like Mr. Perfect here has it all figured out! I don't see you spotting a ring! Have you got a girl?"
"Now you're changing the subject…"
"Oh no you don't…do you?"
"I…had a girl." Sturgis answered with a muted sigh, which made Harm worry he in turn had brought up the wrong topic.
"Hey, Sturg, I didn't mean to…"
"Don't worry bout it, man. I'm over it…" he replied.
"So err… what went wrong?"
"God called her into celibacy…she became a nun," Sturgis stated, leaving Harm wide-eyed.
"Are you…"
Sturgis laughed then continued, "I'm just yanking your tail, hammer. No, it was a lot less dramatic than that. I was ready to settle and she wasn't."
"You buy her a ring?" Harm asked.
"Five and half months' salary."
"Oooh…" Harm responded.
Sturgis grinned then continued, "I coaxed her into accepting, withdrew my assignment to JAG HQ…but I guess some things are just inevitable, not matter how you try to make it work."
"So that's how you ended up here…4 months overdue," Harm concluded.
Inevitable.
"I see you two have met."
Harm and Sturgis stiffened as AJ walked past them along the opposite length of the conference table.
"Morning, Admiral!" they said together.
"Morning." AJ replied as Tiner pulled out his seat for him at the head of the table and he settled in.
Harm glanced towards the door into the office, trying to see if he could spot Mac. It wasn't like her to be late for a whole hour, especially with there being a staff meeting. Tiner pulled up a chair next to the Admiral, flipping open a notebook while the Admiral sorted out some papers. Seconds later, Sgt. Coultier came in with her notebook, ready to take down the minutes. Not far behind came the other JAG officers, each saying their greetings as they pulled up a seat, automatically by rank and standing. Harm watched them come in one after the other until every seat was filled except the one on the Admiral's left.
***********
JAG Car park
"Shit."
Mac muttered to herself as she screeched into the parking lot. The admiral was going to give her a lashing. She rummaged through the glove compartment, and pulled out some loose powder and lipstick. Then, yanking the rear view mirror towards her, she quickly tried to salvage the situation as best she could. It would have to do, she thought to herself after a few seconds of hurried applications. Swiping her briefcase and files, Mac tumbled out of the car in her trench coat, fumbling for the auto-lock button on her key chain.
She cursed and swore to herself even as she ran towards the main entrance, ignoring the junior officers who greeted her as she breezed past.
Damn him for being so stupid.
***********
Conference Room 1
All eyes were on the restless Admiral and the empty seat next to him.
"Commander Rabb, you wouldn't happen to know where the Colonel has disappeared to would you?" AJ asked impatiently, shuffling about the papers in front of him.
Harm shifted in his seat replying, "No, Admiral, but I'm sure she has good reason."
"I'm sure she does," AJ remarked sarcastically.
"Good morning, Admiral!"
Mac's voice came suddenly, and everyone turned their attention to the disorientated looking marine colonel standing by the door, a lieutenant with blond hair nervously pulling at her trench coat and disappearing back out. Sturgis couldn't believe his eyes.
"Harm…am I…"
"No, you're eyes are just fine," Harm assured him.
"Uncanny," Sturgis whispered to himself.
"Col. Mackenzie, nice of you to join us…" AJ pulled back his sleeve to look at the time, but Mac answered for him.
"Seven minutes late, Admiral…"
"EIGHT! Thank you very much! What's the matter? That internal clock of yours hit the snooze button this morning?" AJ huffed.
"I apologise, Admiral…something came up…" Mac answered heading towards her seat.
Harm and AJ both took glances at Mac as she settled into the chair, hoping that her superior wouldn't pursue the matter. He didn't. She was grateful.
"Alright people, seeing as we're all finally here, I'd like to introduce a new addition to JAG…Commander Sturgis Turner."
Sturgis nodded as the rest of the staff clapped, but didn't fail to notice Harm and Mac stealing glances across the table.
"The Commander will be joining us as one of our senior attorneys…" AJ added, then turned to the petty officer on his left,
"Tiner, can you make sure Lt. Simms finds the Commander an office straight after the meeting…"
"Yes, sir…" Tiner started scribbling.
"And send out an official memo informing all the staff of his joining…I'm sure you'll handle that adequately, Tiner?"
"Y-yes, sir!" Tiner answered, blushing as stifled giggles could be heard coming from around the table.
Sturgis wondered what joke was about, though he noticed the admiral didn't twinge in the slightest despite having knowledge of what was going on. He simply carried on with the meeting. But everyone noticed the unusual bubble of tension at the head of the table. The Admiral was watching the three seated nearest to him, while Sturgis was wondering why there seemed to be so much tension in between Harm and Mac. Harm was wondering what was wrong with Mac, and Mac was trying to figure out which bothered her more, the fact that Harm was sure to ask what had happened last night or that his friend was staring at her like she was his dead girlfriend resurrected to life.
"On to the next order of business…"
AJ went through quite a number of things from budget cuts to dissemination of case files, but he did so in good time, much to Sturgis' admiration. He determined that he was going to enjoy his superior, and for him that was a good start. The newest member took the full half hour to quickly get his bearings on what sort of a crowd he was in, who was who and who was in who's camp…etc. Hopefully he would have enough to make the beginnings a little easier on himself, he thought, but was thankful enough he had at least one man to turn to, and muttered additional thanks to the main man up there.
"If no one has anything to add, then you're dismissed." AJ concluded.
All in the room answered as one, "Aye, Aye, Admiral!" and proceeded out, leaving only AJ with Tiner behind, Harm, Mac and Sturgis.
"Commander Turner," AJ turned to Sturgis, "Things have been running a little faster than usual lately, but I take it you'll have no problems getting around since you and Harm already know each other…"
"I think I'll survive day one, Admiral."
"If you have any problems don't hesitate to not knock on my door…" AJ joked while keeping a completely straight face, "…if I'm not available you can just refer to Col. Mackenzie here, our chief of staff, but I'm sure you'll fit right at home."
"I certainly hope so, sir."
"Well then, Rabb, introduce the Commander to Harriet and get him settled in. Col., make sure his papers are processed asap…and I'll see you both in my office at 1200 yes?"
"Yes, sir. " Harm and Mac replied.
"Alright then. Back to work, people. It's another one of those damn days just like yesterday," AJ grumbled as he marched out, Tiner following closely behind.
The three started picking up their things, in an atmosphere where the awkwardness and tension was distinctly palatable.
You were Diane come back to life. The resemblance was uncanny.
Mac hurriedly finished packing first, and curtly informed Sturgis that Lt. Simms would pass him the necessary forms to fill in before excusing herself as fast she could. Harm did nothing.
"Wow. Is she always this charming?" Sturgis asked.
"Only on 'good' days," Harm replied.
"You don't say…"
Harm smiled a little then continued, "She's just having rough morning, we've all been under a lot of stress."
You're running, Mac, what's going on?
"Good morning, Commander Turner…Commander Rabb," Harriet caught them just as they came out the door.
Harm took the cue and introduced Harriet. He did so with his usual dose of cockiness, which earned him a carefully concealed glare from Harriet, "Sturgis, this is Lt. Harriet Simms, wife of Lt. Bud Roberts whom you met earlier…Lt. Simms, Commander Sturgis Turner."
"Ah, nice to meet you, Lt.," Sturgis stuck out his hand, "so I understand you have a husband named Bud…"
Harm rolled his eyes at Sturg's obvious attempt to score some points on his first impression, "Careful counsel, you don't want to work your jury too hard."
"If I may say, Commander," Harriet said taking Sturgis' hand, "You're doing just fine."
***********
Mac's Office
Mac slammed the door shut and threw her briefcase onto the table, exhaling hard.
Are you in love, Mac?
I'm marrying the guy, what do you think is between us?In that instant, she felt as though a wave of nausea and pain swept through her body and culminated in her head, causing it to pulsate.
Sometimes I think it'll last as long as until you decide you want him.
I'm happy for you…are you happy for you?
The pit of her stomach felt sour and she could taste it at the back of her throat, making her neck ache.
Why are you marrying me, Sarah?
Are you in love with him?
Her vision became clouded with patches of light, her hearing muffled except for the high pitch ring in her inner ear; and she stepped once or twice, unsteadily as the world around rocked from side to side.
I don't know! I don't! Stop asking me!
"Mac?" Harm rushed forward, grabbing her with one hand to hold her up. She felt him squeezing her left arm, and when her body went limp suddenly another time, he moved changed hands, swinging the other around her waist to steady her. She clenched her eyes shut, and felt the giddiness start to subside. The pulsating pain gradually turned to a throbbing and she tried to steady her breathing so it would hurt less. Her throat felt dry, but she swallowed nevertheless, in futile attempt to get rid of the acidic taste in her throat.
She felt a little bit of strength return to her limbs and began straightening up slowly.
"Here…" Harm kept one hand on her arm and used the other to pull the chair over, helping her in, "…sit down."
He disappeared out the door, leaving it ajar; he reappeared moments later with a styrofoam cup filled with hot water.
"Careful, it's hot…" he said, bending over and bringing the cup towards her lips. He hadn't really been thinking as he did all this, neither had Mac; when the cup was inches away she reached for it and her hand touched his. The contact startled them both, and caused their eyes to lock. Harm held his breath then continued carefully bringing it to her lips. She sipped, looking at him as she did. He swallowed and placed the cup back on the table, squatting down beside her with one arm on the armrest to keep his balance.
"Are you okay?" he asked, concerned, "What the hell happened?"
"...er, nothing," she mumbled in reply, frowning as she massaged one side of her head, "I just em…got giddy all of the sudden."
"Here…let me," he got up, grabbed the sides of the chair and dragged it around to face him all in one swift motion before she had time to respond. Then he reached forward wanting to help her massage her temples, but she hit his hands away, annoyed.
"Harm! What are you doing?"
He was shocked and looked almost hurt as he slowly dropped his hands, wondering at her reaction. Their eyes were locked as he analyzed her, his face darkening a little. Harm walked to the door, closing it; then he turned and took one step forward, deliberately keeping some distance.
"What happened?" he asked, controlling his frustration.
"I told you-" Mac began.
"I know you got giddy! You nearly collapsed! I was here! I'm asking you what really happened!" Harm yelled.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Mac scowled defiantly.
"Don't bullshit with me, Mac. What happened this morning? Why were you late?" he demanded.
Mac still felt somewhat sick, but her anger seemed to take presidency over it and she got out of the chair and walked to her own behind the table.
"Get out, Harm," she replied with seething control.
Harm would not budge. Instead, he came close to the other side of the table and said, "Mac, stop running, tell me what's wrong…"
"YOU ARE!" Mac shouted back.
Harm stopped, and whatever resolution he had to get her to open up turned straight into a motley of devastation.
You honestly resent me.
"Please leave," Mac whispered, looking away.
He did.
***********
"Tiner, get admin. on the line and check if the benefit revisions are finished."
"Yes, Admiral."
Tiner was seated at his desk putting through the call, while AJ stood nearby, going through a file. He looked up for a while to scan through the office briefly to see how work was going, and his sights found Mac's office door open, Harm holding her up and helping her into a chair. AJ quickly removed his reading glasses, and looked on worriedly. She didn't look very well, and he wondered if it had anything to do with her being late this morning. AJ watched as Mac hunched over massaging her temples, and he deliberated whether or not to go over to see if she was alright, but decided to stay put for the time being when he saw Harm hurrying back in with a cup…
"Admiral, sir," Tiner called, causing AJ to turn back, "…administration says they are ready with the revisions…"
"Tell them to bring the papers up…meet me at 1400" AJ replied.
"Yes, sir."
Tiner returned to the call and began flipping through a file to check for an available venue. AJ's attention was back to the other side of the office where Harm and Mac were. She was sitting in the chair with him standing in front. They held that position for a short while, and then Harm walked towards the door to close it. With not much else to observe but a closed wooden door, AJ thought deeply for a second before Tiner put down the telephone and called to him again.
"Admiral," Tiner waited for him to look his way, then continued, "Conference room 3, 1400 hours, sir."
"Thanks, Tiner," he replied. AJ glanced at the closed door one more time, then walked back into his office.
**********
"There you go, sir…I just need you to fill these in so I can process them," Harriet pulled a coupled of sheets from the plastic drawer and handed them to Sturgis, who began pulling out the chair to sit down, but he stopped midway.
"Forgive me, Lt., would you like to have a seat?" he asked.
Harriet was quite taken aback and stammered, "N-no, sir! But thank you! I'm quite alright!" Harriet motioned for him to carry on, blushing slightly. Sturgis was quite puzzled by the reaction.
"Lt., where I come from its 'ladies first'... I assume it's the same here?"
"Of course, sir," Harriet replied, "…its just that you're a superior officer. I'm not used to…"
"Lt., my father taught me to pull up the chair for the neighborhood tomboy!…last I checked, you definitely looked to me a lady."
"Thank you, sir…" Harriet replied gratefully, "but I really am fine."
"Alright then," Sturgis smiled, sitting down to tackle the forms. Despite the office going about their business, some muffled sounds caught his ear briefly, but he scarcely was distracted.
"Without coming across as inappropriate, sir," Harriet said to him, "I've never met an officer quite like yourself."
Sturgis laughed as he looked up at Harriet, "I certainly won't sue for harassment, Lt. Simms…" he replied, then was briefly distracted again by muffled sounds coming from behind the door nearby. He noticed that Harriet had looked that way to, but he didn't bother much with it and continued with his forms, and the conversation, "…I'm hoping that's a compliment,"
"…It is, Commander…" Harriet looked away from the door and trailed back in, "Don't get me wrong, sir, the men here at JAG do treat the opposite sex respectfully and without prejudice, they just sometimes need to be reminded that we are still women."
"Hence the paradox of equal rights," Sturgis remarked.
"Yes, sir-"
Harriet was cut short when the door to Mac's office was swung open suddenly, catching Sturgis' attention as well. They caught only a brief glimpse of Mac standing angrily behind her desk, before an angrier Harm slammed the door shut and marched back to his own office and slammed that door too. He didn't even acknowledge the duo as he went past.
Sturgis and Harriet shifted awkwardly, the former looking back at the latter questioningly. All Harriet could offer was a shrug and,
"Welcome to JAG, Commander?"
***********
Kai's Drive thru
Bethsada, Maryland
Webb waited for the car in front to move on, then stepped onto the accelerator to pull up next to the open window next to the booth. He wound down the window and took down his sunglasses.
"One chicken and cheese specialty set, one fried chicken meal, additional side order of fries and a regular coke," the man behind the collection booth rambled out his order.
Clayton took the two brown paper bags, opening them one after the other to check the contents, then leaving them on the passenger seat he replied, "I also ordered a dozen corn muffins…"
"Oh they'll be out of the oven in a minute, sir, if you'll just hold on…" the other explained while he shouted to the back of the kitchen, "Jade! Hurry up with those muffins will 'ya?"
A holler came back from behind and the man continued to Webb, "Coming right up, sir..." the looked out of the window to the side as though he was checking whether there was a queue.
"So…" he struck up a conversation with Clayton, "how's the set working out for you, mister?"
Clayton munched on the sandwich and casually replied, "…she'll serve it up in the afternoon, but we'll have to wait to see how the game plays out. She's stubborn about it."
"Your prediction of the outcome?" the other muttered squinting a little as the sun shone into his eyes.
"Can't really tell if he'll bite…not in present light of circumstance anyway. If he does you can be sure he'll wrestle for it, whatever case we have the backup…all scenarios have been catered for."
"Jade!" he turned around and shouted to the back once more, "Where are those muffins, man!" then disappeared into the back, reappearing with another brown paper bag, "Here you are, sir…that'll be fifteen ninety-nine!"
As Clayton took the bag from him he mumbled under his breath, "You know what to do."
Clayton carried on smoothly like he hadn't heard anything and handed him a twenty-dollar note.
"He'll be there tomorrow night…" he whispered, then turned to make eye contact with the other, "Keep the change."
The latter looked at him briefly, then replied audibly, "Why thank you very much, sir! Do come again soon!"
Clayton wound up the window and drove off.
************
Harm's Office
The wooden door smashed hard into its frame. So hard it vibrated in its place. Any harder and it would have sprung out of the lock of its lock due to the impact. Harm tossed his briefcase over the table and right smack into the seat, but it didn't stay there. Instead, it ricocheted off the chair's back and onto the floor, spewing its contents in utter disarray.
"Shit!" Harm swore as he drove the palm of his hand into the metal cabinet just beside, causing the unstable stack of files on top to wobble and slide off one another and onto the ground, adding to the mess. Harm's hands balled into trembling fists, and his face turned red with pent up frustration before he jerked his hands in the air and shouted,
"Dammit!" and he slapped his left hand onto the top of the metal cabinet.
"Sir, are you alright?" Bud came in, closing the door behind him, "we heard a some noise…from outside…"
Harm took a few breaths, but scarcely knew what to say or do except glance at Bud awkwardly. Bud took a brief scan of the papers and files strewn on the ground and then at Harm whose back was towards him, concerned.
"Tell them everything is fine, Bud…I'll er…clean up…" Harm trailed off, waving his hand absently at the mess.
Bud too a few steps closer and said, "Commander, why don't you take a walk…I'll get gunny to send someone in to get this all cleared up."
Harm opened his mouth to object, but Bud stopped him, "Take a walk, sir."
Harm sighed in frustration then agreed.
"Thanks, Bud."
"Your welcome, sir." He replied and started out to look for gunny.
************
As the man went past, stopping to ask a lady officer for directions, the volume of appreciative whispers and the volume of competitive whispers coming from the females and males respectively, rose. He was wearing a brown uniform, shirt and shorts combo. Every time 'one of them' (as the males called them) came, they never failed to bring the whole office to a standstill. He smirked to himself, pleased somewhat at the reaction he could generate amongst the ladies, and equal amount of antagonism he stirred from the males. He could never figure why they were seen as sex symbols, even amongst such a crowd as he was in today. It boosted his ego nevertheless.
"Petty Officer Jason Tiner?" he enquired of the young man at the desk in front of him.
"M-me?" Tiner looked up at him in unbelief.
"DHL express delivery. I need you to sign for it," he explained, handing Tiner the slim white envelope along with the receipt slip.
When the Petty Officer had initialed on the yellow sheet he tore off the top layer and handed it to him, then preceded back the way he'd come. He was barely out of the door when he heard the other's excited shouts,
"I got it! I got it!"
The man smiled to himself in amusement.