(Standard disclaimers, and as always please read and review.)
"Meg Austin!" Harm said almost jumping from seat.
"Wasn't she you former partner, Harm?" Mac asked.
But Harm didn't hear her. His mind was still reeling from the shock. Meg Austin killed someone?
"Sir, permission to represent the commander," Harm said softly.
AJ sat back in his chair and watched his three officers; Sturgis's obvious confusion, Mac's concern for Harm, and Harm's shock. Hell he knew Meg was a good lawyer even though she didn't serve under him long, and he knew that something wasn't right with this whole thing, but he knew he had to handle the situation in a professional manor. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
He knew Rabb was all about protecting the people he cared about. Hell he had gone to bat for Mac more times then he could count, but he knew the repercussions this would bring up once the media gets wind of this. Even if he did allow Harm to represent her, he knew he needed someone to be co- council, to keep Rabb open minded, but with commander Manitti still TAD he was short one lawyer, unless-
"Sir," Mac said interrupting his train of thought.
AJ sighed pushing the thought to the back of his mind, knowing he would have to call some people about that.
"Permission granted, but I warn you commander; once the press gets wind of this, you know what's going to happen, Colonel, Commander Turner you'll prosecute. An article 32 hearing has been convened. She was transported to Leavenworth and processed this morning."
"Sir, who will be assisting the Commander?" Mac asked, leaning forward in her chair.
"That has yet to be determined, since Singer is on terminal leave and Manitti is still TAD, looks like I'll have to call someone in."
"Sir I don't-"
"I didn't ask you opinion Commander, you are getting co- council and that is final."
"Yes sir."
"Good," AJ said handing out the case folders.
As soon as the three were dismissed, AJ hunted for the number of the medical center. He just hoped that it would be okay.
Fade out
(NAVAL BRIG: Washington Virginia)
When Harm first saw Meg, his heart caught in his throat. He hadn't seen her in over seven years, and she still looked exactly the same. She was handcuffed to the table, and looking at some point beyond Harm.
"Hey Meg," he said softly.
"Hey, yourself"
"What's going on, Meg?" Harm said sitting down across from her.
"I guess I should congratulate you Commander. When did you get the promotion?"
"A few years ago," He said looking down at her hands. "I guess congratulations are in order for you to. Engaged?"
"Yeah, just a few months ago"
"Lucky guy"
"I think so"
"So what happened Meg?"
"There's not much I can tell you Harm."
"Why not?"
"A lot of it is classified, Harm. You know how it goes."
"Were you undercover Meg?"
"I was"
"What was the mission?"
"I can't tell you."
"Meg if I'm going to defend you, then you have got to talk to me."
"I don't remember Harm, one minute I was sitting there, the next minute I'm on the floor waking up. My head was throbbing, and the Colonel Shaqua was dead."
"Did he hit you on the head?"
"No, he was standing right in front of me."
"So someone else had to be in the room," Harm concluded.
"Great deduction, Sherlock"
"So how did you finger prints get on the gun?"
"You're an investigator Harm, think about it."
Harm stood up, "so you were sitting down in a chair, he was standing in front of you, he hit you on the head, and shot the Colonel. He cleaned his prints of the gun, and put it in your hand."
"So know all we have to do is find the one armed man."
"Not we, you're stuck hear remember? This isn't like the old days Meg, your being accused of murder."
Meg sighed and unconsciously played with the ring on her finger. Harm watched her intently, sensing that something else was wrong.
"You okay Meg? You don't look so good."
"I haven't been feeling good lately, but I'll be okay."
"Do you think your going to be sick?"
"I'll be find big brother, stop worrying," Meg said and laughed.
"All right you sit tight, and I'll be back later. I'm going to go and check some things out."
Harm stole one last glance at Meg, knowing she wasn't telling him something, but shook it of knowing he had to get going.
He winced at the term of endearment that Meg used. Big brother? Only one other person had called him that, and he had a hard enough time trying to convince her that he didn't look at her like a little sister.
TBC
"Meg Austin!" Harm said almost jumping from seat.
"Wasn't she you former partner, Harm?" Mac asked.
But Harm didn't hear her. His mind was still reeling from the shock. Meg Austin killed someone?
"Sir, permission to represent the commander," Harm said softly.
AJ sat back in his chair and watched his three officers; Sturgis's obvious confusion, Mac's concern for Harm, and Harm's shock. Hell he knew Meg was a good lawyer even though she didn't serve under him long, and he knew that something wasn't right with this whole thing, but he knew he had to handle the situation in a professional manor. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
He knew Rabb was all about protecting the people he cared about. Hell he had gone to bat for Mac more times then he could count, but he knew the repercussions this would bring up once the media gets wind of this. Even if he did allow Harm to represent her, he knew he needed someone to be co- council, to keep Rabb open minded, but with commander Manitti still TAD he was short one lawyer, unless-
"Sir," Mac said interrupting his train of thought.
AJ sighed pushing the thought to the back of his mind, knowing he would have to call some people about that.
"Permission granted, but I warn you commander; once the press gets wind of this, you know what's going to happen, Colonel, Commander Turner you'll prosecute. An article 32 hearing has been convened. She was transported to Leavenworth and processed this morning."
"Sir, who will be assisting the Commander?" Mac asked, leaning forward in her chair.
"That has yet to be determined, since Singer is on terminal leave and Manitti is still TAD, looks like I'll have to call someone in."
"Sir I don't-"
"I didn't ask you opinion Commander, you are getting co- council and that is final."
"Yes sir."
"Good," AJ said handing out the case folders.
As soon as the three were dismissed, AJ hunted for the number of the medical center. He just hoped that it would be okay.
Fade out
(NAVAL BRIG: Washington Virginia)
When Harm first saw Meg, his heart caught in his throat. He hadn't seen her in over seven years, and she still looked exactly the same. She was handcuffed to the table, and looking at some point beyond Harm.
"Hey Meg," he said softly.
"Hey, yourself"
"What's going on, Meg?" Harm said sitting down across from her.
"I guess I should congratulate you Commander. When did you get the promotion?"
"A few years ago," He said looking down at her hands. "I guess congratulations are in order for you to. Engaged?"
"Yeah, just a few months ago"
"Lucky guy"
"I think so"
"So what happened Meg?"
"There's not much I can tell you Harm."
"Why not?"
"A lot of it is classified, Harm. You know how it goes."
"Were you undercover Meg?"
"I was"
"What was the mission?"
"I can't tell you."
"Meg if I'm going to defend you, then you have got to talk to me."
"I don't remember Harm, one minute I was sitting there, the next minute I'm on the floor waking up. My head was throbbing, and the Colonel Shaqua was dead."
"Did he hit you on the head?"
"No, he was standing right in front of me."
"So someone else had to be in the room," Harm concluded.
"Great deduction, Sherlock"
"So how did you finger prints get on the gun?"
"You're an investigator Harm, think about it."
Harm stood up, "so you were sitting down in a chair, he was standing in front of you, he hit you on the head, and shot the Colonel. He cleaned his prints of the gun, and put it in your hand."
"So know all we have to do is find the one armed man."
"Not we, you're stuck hear remember? This isn't like the old days Meg, your being accused of murder."
Meg sighed and unconsciously played with the ring on her finger. Harm watched her intently, sensing that something else was wrong.
"You okay Meg? You don't look so good."
"I haven't been feeling good lately, but I'll be okay."
"Do you think your going to be sick?"
"I'll be find big brother, stop worrying," Meg said and laughed.
"All right you sit tight, and I'll be back later. I'm going to go and check some things out."
Harm stole one last glance at Meg, knowing she wasn't telling him something, but shook it of knowing he had to get going.
He winced at the term of endearment that Meg used. Big brother? Only one other person had called him that, and he had a hard enough time trying to convince her that he didn't look at her like a little sister.
TBC