Just some notes... I'm not totally sure exactly how everything is carried out in court, so if I do something wrong, don't send me death threats. And I know that my court-martial situation isn't that great and is very cheesy, but bear with me, please. And, since he flies, Richards would actually be an Airman, but for the sake of this story, he is a Seaman.
PLEASE REVIEW(and a big thanks to those of you who have) ... should I continue? Criticism/suggestions are very welcome.
* * *
0939 LOCAL
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
WEDNESDAY
What a crime. I can't believe I have to go up against this man in court today. Opposing him while he smells like Old Spice should be illegal. He's a distraction.
He seems like an Old Spice guy. Original, but still amazingly seductive. I s'pose he needed the pep for the court-martial today.
He must wear the same two colognes. I guess they go every other day - he wore Old Spice Monday, as well. Funny, I've never noticed before this week.
'Counselor...' Counselor? What?
"Counselor!"
"Yes?" I snap to. Harm had been trying to get my attention.
"We're going to court." He gives me a big cheesy smirk.
I purse my lips at his comment. "Mm-hm," I voice derisively. I get up and follow Lieutenant Roberts.
The seating is as usual - from right to left, Bud, me, Harm, his client, then whichever nugget lawyer they've seated as his second chair. It's always someone different. But Harm doesn't really use or need his co-counsel. He seems to not want to let anyone else do his work for him.
* * *
"The government calls Petty Officer Second Class Luis Entre," I say. I have to concentrate had to remember what this means. It means I get up and talk. I'm still sitting.
Bud leans over. "Are you sure you don't want me to do it, ma'am?"
I lean to him and say, "I'm sure I can figure it out." Bud smells like... baby powder. I start to get up. "I've been doing this for years, Lieutenant."
"Yes ma'am, Colonel."
I am standing. I brush the front of my coat flat. My mind is cleared and I am ready. I approach.
"Petty Officer Entre... What is your opinion of Captain Moore?"
"To tell the truth?" he asks quietly.
"Please do."
He pauses. This senior officer is right before him. I can see his hesitance.
"Go on."
"....Well, ma'am, not much."
"And why is that, Petty Officer?"
He glances back at the Captain nervously. "He's too... tough."
With my poker face, I reply, "Well, you are in the military."
"But the Captain takes everything too far. If I didn't ring the bell at the end of my watch the way he likes, he'd haul my six."
"Is this theoretical, Petty Officer Entre?"
"No, ma'am, it is not. It has happened."
"Would you call him... nitpicky?"
"I would call him nitpicky with a passion. If something is not done exactly as he says, he will get you in trouble. With him, there are only two ways to do something: his way, and the wrong way. There aren't any creative solutions. Just on his terms."
I am reminded of Harm's presence by a small, hardly audible sniffle. I would spaz out, but my questions are through, thank God...
"Thanks you, Petty Officer. Your witness."
I massage my temple and stare through the floor as I head to my seat.
Harm walks slowly but surely to the stand. He's smiling - I can tell, it's at the prosecution. Why?
"Petty Officer Entre, in the military, isn't there really only one way to do something?"
"I'm sorry?"
"The way your OIC says, correct?"
"I guess so."
"What did you mean earlier by 'creative solutions'?"
"I meant, better ways to do something. Ways that waste less material or manpower or time. Captain Moore doesn't even consider other possibilities."
Harm must have found this to be a good answer. He went on to different questions. "Petty Officer, what do other men and women that serve under the Captain think of him?"
"I'm not positively sure, sir."
"You never hear them mention him?"
"...Sometimes, I suppose..."
"Is it usually positive or negative?"
The boy is still unsure of how to answer while this Captain is in front of him. " Well, they say he does his job."
"Thank you, Petty Officer." He turns to sit down.
But Entre keeps talking. "They do add that he tends to do things the hard way."
Harm turns and repeats, "Thank you."
"They say he could tone down his attitude, that the roughness is a bit much, even for a sailor."
"Thank you, Petty Officer," Harm says loudly. The witness finally catches the drift and shuts his mouth.
* * *
Harm stands up. "The defense calls Seaman Harris Richards." He goes past me to approach his character witness. God, he's so sexy today...
Bud elbows me. He must have noticed my faraway stare (luckily not directed at Harm).
"Is there a problem, Colonel?" asks the judge, Commander Carnaghan. My head nearly hits the ceiling, she startles me so badly. Harm's back is to me, but I just know he's laughing.
"No, ma'am. I apologize."
She raises an eyebrow at me. "May we proceed?"
I nod a very embarrassed yes. All this had to happen in front of a judge, Harm, his client, my co-counsel, the members, and everyone else here. It just had to. It's all the fault of that damn Harmon Rabb. Damn that man.
"Seaman Richards," he says, "what is in the Captain's past?"
The witness and I both wrinkle our brows in confusion. "I don't know," he says.
"What do others under his command say about his past?"
As the Seaman is trying to figure out how to answer, Bud whispers, "Object, Colonel, it's just irrelevant scuttlebutt."
"Objection, s-, it would be hearsay, and what is the relevance of these questions?" I almost objected on grounds of scuttlebutt.
"Yes, Commander," says Carnaghan, "where is this going?"
"Well, your honor, sometimes the scuttlebutt surrounding a person is a good characterization of how others view them." The bastard. He looked me in the eye as he said scuttlebutt.
"But rumors about his past?" I say.
"Commander, I still can't see how they're related. Sustained."
For less than an attosecond, I see his nose wrinkle. He's cute when he's mad. Aack... those thoughts have got to stop.
"Seaman, what is your relationship with the Captain?"
"Uh, he's my CAG, sir."
"How do you think your CAG does at his job?"
"I believe he performs it excellently."
"Really?"
"Yes. Whatever problem we have, he's always got the best way to fix it. Even under pressure."
Harm smiles. "Your witness."
I approah. "Seaman..." I pause.
"Just Richards, please," he says through a smile.
"May I ask why?"
"Just not Seaman." He smiles at me. I realize that he thinks of his rate the way a nine-year-old would.
"Alright, may I say..." I look up at the judge. She nods her eyes. "...Grow up, Squid."
I feel the room smile. They're mine again, Rabb.
The Seaman is surprised at my comment and shuts up out of bewilderment rather than to obey me.
I continue. "Isn't it true that you are one of the Captain's favorites?"
He reddens. "I guess so..." he says with a smile.
"That's like a teacher's pet, right?"
He frowns. "I suppose."
"Now, when a flyboy knows he's a favorite, don't you think he becomes blind to the actions of the CO out of respect, no matter how he really acts? You don't know how he really is, do you? You just return the favor by speaking good of him -"
"Objection, your honor, badgering the witness."
"Withdrawn. The government has no questions for this witness." I sit down. Bud wonders aloud what that was all about. I think I hear Harm say, "Grow up, Gyrene."
He didn't have to get me back for the Squid comment - oh... I said flyboy, and he thinks I meant that it goes for him, too. I don't know, maybe it does go for him, if he feels it should...
I lean to Bud. "I'm sorry, I don't know what that was about, either. I've been flustered today. It'll pass. I'm sorry."
* * *
Bud shoots out of his chair. "Your honor, may I have a word with my counsel?!" [Can you tell that I, as the author, don't know what's going on?]
"Please do, Lieutenant!" says Commander Carnassial.
I go to stand by Bud. "Are you defending? You are to prosecute, Colonel," he says quietly, but forcefully.
"I know, Lieutenant, I'm sorry -"
"With all due respect, Ma'am, sit down."
I exhale heavily. "Your honor, the prosecution rests."
Harm isn't even smiling anymore, let alone hiding laughs. I think he believes I've lost my mind literally. I seriously think he thinks I'm mentally or emotionally sick.
And I am.
And it's his fault.
* * *
::sigh:: There's a tap at my door. Dammit! It's Harm. I knew he'd come by today to talk to me about my near breakdown in court today. I'm predicting.
"Come on in, Harm."
He comes in and - ah! - he closes the door. It's personal.
"Mac - "
- survey says -
"Are you alright today?"
Cha-ching!
Uh-oh. But now he expects me to talk about it.
I make a puppy dog face. "...No..."
"Why? What's going on?" He seems to genuinely care, like he's not just asking to be nice.
I look him in the eyes, his beautiful blue- aack... "I really don't know. I have been completely out of it all week. I bet I don't even know the time."
His eyes widen in awe. "Really?" I nod. "Try it." He holds up his wrist and stars at his watch, waiting for my guess.
I exhale in deep thought. "1232?"
"Gosh, Mac, you're thirteen minutes off."
"Am I really?"
"Yes, I swear." He lends me his wrist. Sure enough. 1219.
He seems troubled now, as well.
"Well, have you had lunch yet?"
"No, I haven't."
"Maybe that's a problem. I was just going to leave. Come with me." He stands up.
I know what the problem is -
"Come on."
- it's that you're so sexy - WHOA, I think. I slap my forehead. At this, he takes some initiative. He grabs my wrist and drags me from my office to feed me.
As I follow him around and through the bullpen, I see Harriet staring at us blankly.
Dear god, that girl is getting ideas...
PLEASE REVIEW(and a big thanks to those of you who have) ... should I continue? Criticism/suggestions are very welcome.
* * *
0939 LOCAL
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
WEDNESDAY
What a crime. I can't believe I have to go up against this man in court today. Opposing him while he smells like Old Spice should be illegal. He's a distraction.
He seems like an Old Spice guy. Original, but still amazingly seductive. I s'pose he needed the pep for the court-martial today.
He must wear the same two colognes. I guess they go every other day - he wore Old Spice Monday, as well. Funny, I've never noticed before this week.
'Counselor...' Counselor? What?
"Counselor!"
"Yes?" I snap to. Harm had been trying to get my attention.
"We're going to court." He gives me a big cheesy smirk.
I purse my lips at his comment. "Mm-hm," I voice derisively. I get up and follow Lieutenant Roberts.
The seating is as usual - from right to left, Bud, me, Harm, his client, then whichever nugget lawyer they've seated as his second chair. It's always someone different. But Harm doesn't really use or need his co-counsel. He seems to not want to let anyone else do his work for him.
* * *
"The government calls Petty Officer Second Class Luis Entre," I say. I have to concentrate had to remember what this means. It means I get up and talk. I'm still sitting.
Bud leans over. "Are you sure you don't want me to do it, ma'am?"
I lean to him and say, "I'm sure I can figure it out." Bud smells like... baby powder. I start to get up. "I've been doing this for years, Lieutenant."
"Yes ma'am, Colonel."
I am standing. I brush the front of my coat flat. My mind is cleared and I am ready. I approach.
"Petty Officer Entre... What is your opinion of Captain Moore?"
"To tell the truth?" he asks quietly.
"Please do."
He pauses. This senior officer is right before him. I can see his hesitance.
"Go on."
"....Well, ma'am, not much."
"And why is that, Petty Officer?"
He glances back at the Captain nervously. "He's too... tough."
With my poker face, I reply, "Well, you are in the military."
"But the Captain takes everything too far. If I didn't ring the bell at the end of my watch the way he likes, he'd haul my six."
"Is this theoretical, Petty Officer Entre?"
"No, ma'am, it is not. It has happened."
"Would you call him... nitpicky?"
"I would call him nitpicky with a passion. If something is not done exactly as he says, he will get you in trouble. With him, there are only two ways to do something: his way, and the wrong way. There aren't any creative solutions. Just on his terms."
I am reminded of Harm's presence by a small, hardly audible sniffle. I would spaz out, but my questions are through, thank God...
"Thanks you, Petty Officer. Your witness."
I massage my temple and stare through the floor as I head to my seat.
Harm walks slowly but surely to the stand. He's smiling - I can tell, it's at the prosecution. Why?
"Petty Officer Entre, in the military, isn't there really only one way to do something?"
"I'm sorry?"
"The way your OIC says, correct?"
"I guess so."
"What did you mean earlier by 'creative solutions'?"
"I meant, better ways to do something. Ways that waste less material or manpower or time. Captain Moore doesn't even consider other possibilities."
Harm must have found this to be a good answer. He went on to different questions. "Petty Officer, what do other men and women that serve under the Captain think of him?"
"I'm not positively sure, sir."
"You never hear them mention him?"
"...Sometimes, I suppose..."
"Is it usually positive or negative?"
The boy is still unsure of how to answer while this Captain is in front of him. " Well, they say he does his job."
"Thank you, Petty Officer." He turns to sit down.
But Entre keeps talking. "They do add that he tends to do things the hard way."
Harm turns and repeats, "Thank you."
"They say he could tone down his attitude, that the roughness is a bit much, even for a sailor."
"Thank you, Petty Officer," Harm says loudly. The witness finally catches the drift and shuts his mouth.
* * *
Harm stands up. "The defense calls Seaman Harris Richards." He goes past me to approach his character witness. God, he's so sexy today...
Bud elbows me. He must have noticed my faraway stare (luckily not directed at Harm).
"Is there a problem, Colonel?" asks the judge, Commander Carnaghan. My head nearly hits the ceiling, she startles me so badly. Harm's back is to me, but I just know he's laughing.
"No, ma'am. I apologize."
She raises an eyebrow at me. "May we proceed?"
I nod a very embarrassed yes. All this had to happen in front of a judge, Harm, his client, my co-counsel, the members, and everyone else here. It just had to. It's all the fault of that damn Harmon Rabb. Damn that man.
"Seaman Richards," he says, "what is in the Captain's past?"
The witness and I both wrinkle our brows in confusion. "I don't know," he says.
"What do others under his command say about his past?"
As the Seaman is trying to figure out how to answer, Bud whispers, "Object, Colonel, it's just irrelevant scuttlebutt."
"Objection, s-, it would be hearsay, and what is the relevance of these questions?" I almost objected on grounds of scuttlebutt.
"Yes, Commander," says Carnaghan, "where is this going?"
"Well, your honor, sometimes the scuttlebutt surrounding a person is a good characterization of how others view them." The bastard. He looked me in the eye as he said scuttlebutt.
"But rumors about his past?" I say.
"Commander, I still can't see how they're related. Sustained."
For less than an attosecond, I see his nose wrinkle. He's cute when he's mad. Aack... those thoughts have got to stop.
"Seaman, what is your relationship with the Captain?"
"Uh, he's my CAG, sir."
"How do you think your CAG does at his job?"
"I believe he performs it excellently."
"Really?"
"Yes. Whatever problem we have, he's always got the best way to fix it. Even under pressure."
Harm smiles. "Your witness."
I approah. "Seaman..." I pause.
"Just Richards, please," he says through a smile.
"May I ask why?"
"Just not Seaman." He smiles at me. I realize that he thinks of his rate the way a nine-year-old would.
"Alright, may I say..." I look up at the judge. She nods her eyes. "...Grow up, Squid."
I feel the room smile. They're mine again, Rabb.
The Seaman is surprised at my comment and shuts up out of bewilderment rather than to obey me.
I continue. "Isn't it true that you are one of the Captain's favorites?"
He reddens. "I guess so..." he says with a smile.
"That's like a teacher's pet, right?"
He frowns. "I suppose."
"Now, when a flyboy knows he's a favorite, don't you think he becomes blind to the actions of the CO out of respect, no matter how he really acts? You don't know how he really is, do you? You just return the favor by speaking good of him -"
"Objection, your honor, badgering the witness."
"Withdrawn. The government has no questions for this witness." I sit down. Bud wonders aloud what that was all about. I think I hear Harm say, "Grow up, Gyrene."
He didn't have to get me back for the Squid comment - oh... I said flyboy, and he thinks I meant that it goes for him, too. I don't know, maybe it does go for him, if he feels it should...
I lean to Bud. "I'm sorry, I don't know what that was about, either. I've been flustered today. It'll pass. I'm sorry."
* * *
Bud shoots out of his chair. "Your honor, may I have a word with my counsel?!" [Can you tell that I, as the author, don't know what's going on?]
"Please do, Lieutenant!" says Commander Carnassial.
I go to stand by Bud. "Are you defending? You are to prosecute, Colonel," he says quietly, but forcefully.
"I know, Lieutenant, I'm sorry -"
"With all due respect, Ma'am, sit down."
I exhale heavily. "Your honor, the prosecution rests."
Harm isn't even smiling anymore, let alone hiding laughs. I think he believes I've lost my mind literally. I seriously think he thinks I'm mentally or emotionally sick.
And I am.
And it's his fault.
* * *
::sigh:: There's a tap at my door. Dammit! It's Harm. I knew he'd come by today to talk to me about my near breakdown in court today. I'm predicting.
"Come on in, Harm."
He comes in and - ah! - he closes the door. It's personal.
"Mac - "
- survey says -
"Are you alright today?"
Cha-ching!
Uh-oh. But now he expects me to talk about it.
I make a puppy dog face. "...No..."
"Why? What's going on?" He seems to genuinely care, like he's not just asking to be nice.
I look him in the eyes, his beautiful blue- aack... "I really don't know. I have been completely out of it all week. I bet I don't even know the time."
His eyes widen in awe. "Really?" I nod. "Try it." He holds up his wrist and stars at his watch, waiting for my guess.
I exhale in deep thought. "1232?"
"Gosh, Mac, you're thirteen minutes off."
"Am I really?"
"Yes, I swear." He lends me his wrist. Sure enough. 1219.
He seems troubled now, as well.
"Well, have you had lunch yet?"
"No, I haven't."
"Maybe that's a problem. I was just going to leave. Come with me." He stands up.
I know what the problem is -
"Come on."
- it's that you're so sexy - WHOA, I think. I slap my forehead. At this, he takes some initiative. He grabs my wrist and drags me from my office to feed me.
As I follow him around and through the bullpen, I see Harriet staring at us blankly.
Dear god, that girl is getting ideas...
