A few minutes later.
"Tiner, I need to see Colonel Mackenzie immediately." AJ yelled.
"Sir, I think she has an Article 32 hearing starting in ten minutes."
"Well it will have to be delayed or get someone else to preside; I need to see her in my office in five minutes." AJ bellowed.
"Yes sir."
Five Minutes Later
"Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie reporting as order." Mac shot of a salute.
"Take it easy Mac, sit down." AJ instructed.
"You wanted to see me sir. I was just preparing for an Article 32 hearing."
"It's been reassigned. I've just got off the phone with the SecNav."
"That can't be good." Mac muttered under her breath.
"What was that?" AJ asked.
"What did the SecNav want sir?"
"Do you know a Lieutenant Commander Jack Pearson?"
"Pearson." Mac repeated as she racked her memory. "No sir, the only Pearson I recall was a woman I met at the hospital after Jenny was born; I think her first name was Tanya."
"That would be the Commander's wife."
"Sir what does this have to do with me?" She asked.
"The Commander is being charged with dereliction of duty."
"Sorry, but again sir what does this have to do with me?" Mac repeated.
"The Commander has asked specifically for you to represent him."
"Did someone explain to him that I'm a Judge now sir?"
"Yes, but he still insists that you represent him, the SecNav knew his father so he agreed,"
"Is he being brought here?" Mac asked already knowing that he wouldn't.
"No, he's being held at Pearl. I need you to go out there and talk to him."
"Yes sir. It will have to be later this afternoon, I need to find someone to watch Jenny while I'm gone, Harm's pretty busy with cases at the moment and I can't leave Jenny in the crèche indefinitely."
"Talk to Lieutenant Sims, I'm sure she would be willing to watch Jenny until Harm is finished for the day."
"Yes sir."
"Mac, off the record I didn't want to send you. I know when you took the job as Judge it was on the understanding that you wouldn't have to travel and you could work better hours, but I tried to argue with the SecNav but there is nothing I can do about it."
"Thank you for trying sir. I'd better go and organise things, is Harm in the office?"
"He should be; we only broke the staff meeting a few minutes before Tiner called you."
"Thank you sir. With your permission?" AJ nodded.
"Good luck Mac and you picked a good date."
"I try sir."
"Hey sailor you got a minute?" Mac asked leaning against the doorframe, after she'd talked to Harriet about helping watch Jenny.
"I thought you had an Article 32 hearing this morning." Harm said with a smile.
"I did, it's been reassigned." She came in and closed the door.
"Any reason?" He asked.
"The Admiral got a call from the SecNav. A Lieutenant Commander Jack Pearson is being charged with dereliction of duty and is being held at Pearl. He insists he'll only talk to me since I've met his wife a couple of times at the hospital."
"You're going to Pearl." Harm stated. Mac nodded.
"Harriet is going to pick Jenny up from the crèche if you have to work late and keep her until you've finished, Helen says she you can drop Jenny off earlier if you need to. The is food in the cupboard, I put all the laundry in the machine before we left this morning, I'll try and get it through the dryer before when I go home to pack. Don't let Jenny watch cartoons with you that are too violent. No boats or planes. I'll make up some more milk too."
"Mac quit babbling. I can take care of everything. You're only going to be gone a couple of days at most." He put his hands on her shoulders. "Not that I want you gone at all or that I won't worry about you every minute, but if the SecNav orders it you'd better go. I promise I'll take good care of Jenny." He kissed her forehead. "I love you and I'll be here when you get back and I want you to call me whenever you need to and if you need any help I'll convince the Admiral to let me jump on the first plane."
"No you'll stay here and watch our daughter. I'll see you when I get back." He kissed her.
"Sorry sir." Harriet said as she walked in.
"That's okay Harriet I was just saying goodbye." He kissed Mac's forehead. "Did you need something?"
"I have the Colonel's travel details. Your flight leaves at 1840."
"Thank you Harriet. I'd better go; Just remember I love you and I'll call you tonight and take good care of Jenny." She said to Harm.
"I promise and I love you too. Be careful."
"Harriet, can you keep an eye on them for me?" Mac said accepting the information from her.
"Of course ma'am. Have a safe flight."
"Tiner, I need to see Colonel Mackenzie immediately." AJ yelled.
"Sir, I think she has an Article 32 hearing starting in ten minutes."
"Well it will have to be delayed or get someone else to preside; I need to see her in my office in five minutes." AJ bellowed.
"Yes sir."
Five Minutes Later
"Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie reporting as order." Mac shot of a salute.
"Take it easy Mac, sit down." AJ instructed.
"You wanted to see me sir. I was just preparing for an Article 32 hearing."
"It's been reassigned. I've just got off the phone with the SecNav."
"That can't be good." Mac muttered under her breath.
"What was that?" AJ asked.
"What did the SecNav want sir?"
"Do you know a Lieutenant Commander Jack Pearson?"
"Pearson." Mac repeated as she racked her memory. "No sir, the only Pearson I recall was a woman I met at the hospital after Jenny was born; I think her first name was Tanya."
"That would be the Commander's wife."
"Sir what does this have to do with me?" She asked.
"The Commander is being charged with dereliction of duty."
"Sorry, but again sir what does this have to do with me?" Mac repeated.
"The Commander has asked specifically for you to represent him."
"Did someone explain to him that I'm a Judge now sir?"
"Yes, but he still insists that you represent him, the SecNav knew his father so he agreed,"
"Is he being brought here?" Mac asked already knowing that he wouldn't.
"No, he's being held at Pearl. I need you to go out there and talk to him."
"Yes sir. It will have to be later this afternoon, I need to find someone to watch Jenny while I'm gone, Harm's pretty busy with cases at the moment and I can't leave Jenny in the crèche indefinitely."
"Talk to Lieutenant Sims, I'm sure she would be willing to watch Jenny until Harm is finished for the day."
"Yes sir."
"Mac, off the record I didn't want to send you. I know when you took the job as Judge it was on the understanding that you wouldn't have to travel and you could work better hours, but I tried to argue with the SecNav but there is nothing I can do about it."
"Thank you for trying sir. I'd better go and organise things, is Harm in the office?"
"He should be; we only broke the staff meeting a few minutes before Tiner called you."
"Thank you sir. With your permission?" AJ nodded.
"Good luck Mac and you picked a good date."
"I try sir."
"Hey sailor you got a minute?" Mac asked leaning against the doorframe, after she'd talked to Harriet about helping watch Jenny.
"I thought you had an Article 32 hearing this morning." Harm said with a smile.
"I did, it's been reassigned." She came in and closed the door.
"Any reason?" He asked.
"The Admiral got a call from the SecNav. A Lieutenant Commander Jack Pearson is being charged with dereliction of duty and is being held at Pearl. He insists he'll only talk to me since I've met his wife a couple of times at the hospital."
"You're going to Pearl." Harm stated. Mac nodded.
"Harriet is going to pick Jenny up from the crèche if you have to work late and keep her until you've finished, Helen says she you can drop Jenny off earlier if you need to. The is food in the cupboard, I put all the laundry in the machine before we left this morning, I'll try and get it through the dryer before when I go home to pack. Don't let Jenny watch cartoons with you that are too violent. No boats or planes. I'll make up some more milk too."
"Mac quit babbling. I can take care of everything. You're only going to be gone a couple of days at most." He put his hands on her shoulders. "Not that I want you gone at all or that I won't worry about you every minute, but if the SecNav orders it you'd better go. I promise I'll take good care of Jenny." He kissed her forehead. "I love you and I'll be here when you get back and I want you to call me whenever you need to and if you need any help I'll convince the Admiral to let me jump on the first plane."
"No you'll stay here and watch our daughter. I'll see you when I get back." He kissed her.
"Sorry sir." Harriet said as she walked in.
"That's okay Harriet I was just saying goodbye." He kissed Mac's forehead. "Did you need something?"
"I have the Colonel's travel details. Your flight leaves at 1840."
"Thank you Harriet. I'd better go; Just remember I love you and I'll call you tonight and take good care of Jenny." She said to Harm.
"I promise and I love you too. Be careful."
"Harriet, can you keep an eye on them for me?" Mac said accepting the information from her.
"Of course ma'am. Have a safe flight."