INTERESTING TURNS
Author's Note: Anne, thank you for correcting my German.
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JUDGE SEBRINGS COURTROOM
"Harm, why are you being such a rabid dog about this?" Mac asked.
"Because someone died," Harm replied. "Why are you so casual?"
"It was an accident," Mac said. "My client is not at fault."
"That's for the judge to decide." Harm said as Sebring walked into the court.
"Commander Rabb, if you're ready," Sebring said.
"Your honor the prosecution will show that Petty Officer Munson acted recklessly, causing the death of Petty Officer Jackson." Harm stated.
"Colonel MacKenzie," Sebring stated.
"Your honor, this was a tragic accident. But the key word here is accident. My client was not responsible for the death of Petty Officer Jackson." Mac stated.
"Commander, call your first witness." Sebring stated.
"You honor, defense would like to be heard." Mac said.
"Very well Colonel, approach." Sebring stated.
"Your honor, we have evidence that would dispose of this matter immediately." Mac stated.
"Then why is this in my courtroom?" Sebring asked.
"Because Commander Rabb refuses to listen to reason," Mac said.
"Sir, the Colonel does not agree with the assessment." Harm interjected.
"Sir, PO Munson is being blamed for a death he had no control over. He was operating the cherry picker. It was Jackson who was in the basket." Mac said. "Jackson didn't follow proper safety procedures when he removed the safety harness."
"But Munson should have never raised the basket," Harm protested.
"Harm, think about this, you are in a car accident and hit someone who isn't wearing a seat belt, which is the law. That person would have survived the accident had they worn a seat belt, should you be charged with murder?" Mac asked.
"Was I reckless?" Harm said.
"Did you get knocked in the head?" Mac asked. "Harm, there is no evidence that Munson was reckless. Had Jackson been wearing the safety strap he would have never fallen."
"Do either of you need me here for this debate?" Sebring asked sarcastically.
"Sorry Sir," They replied and stood at attention.
"Sir, Munson had no way of knowing that Jackson removed the strap." Mac stated. "When he raised the basket, Jackson was wearing it. This should have never gone this far."
"Is this true Commander?" Sebring asked.
"Sir, safety regulations state that the basket is not to be raised until the safety harness is secure." Harm stated.
"We have witnesses who can attest to the fact that the harness was on before the basket was raised." Mac said.
"Let's hear from the witnesses," Sebring said. "Colonel, in the interest of saving time, I will allow you to present first."
"Thank you Sir, we call Petty Officer Marshall." Mac said. The Petty Officer was sworn in and sat. "Petty Officer Marshall, you were in the basket with Petty Officer Jackson, correct?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Marshall replied.
"Were both your harnesses secure before Petty Officer Munson raised the basket?" Mac asked.
"Yes Ma'am." Marshall replied.
"Why did Petty Officer Jackson remove his harness?" Mac asked.
"Objection, how can he know what was going on in the Petty Officer's mind." Harm asked.
"Your honor, the Petty Officers discussed the removal of the harness prior to the accident." Mac informed.
"Over ruled, you may answer the question." Sebring stated.
"We were trying to get something from the back of the shelf and couldn't reach," Marshall explained. "The basket was extended as far as it could be. Jackson removed his harness to get a better reach. When he reached, he lost his balance and fell."
"Why didn't you explain this earlier?" Mac asked.
"Honestly, when the charges were brought up against Munson I got scared that I would also be charged since I was in the basket." Marshall said earnestly. "I'm sorry."
"No further questions," Mac said.
"Commander, any questions?" Sebring asked.
"No your honor and I would like to withdraw the charges at this time. I will recommend to the convening authority that charges be dropped completely." Harm said.
"I would think so," Sebring said. "Petty Officer Marshall, in the future be honest. Please keep in mind that honesty cannot hurt you. This court is adjourned."
"That's it?" Munson asked.
"Yes it is. You can rejoin your unit." Mac stated.
"Thank you Ma'am." Munson said and left.
"Next time will you listen to me?" Mac asked Harm.
"There won't be a next time," Harm said, "Just one question, why didn't you tell me?"
"I tried to, you wouldn't listen." Mac sighed.
BACK IN THE BULLPEN
"Mac you really should have explained everything, I looked like a fool in there." Harm stated.
"Harm, I tried." Mac emphasized. "You refused to listen."
"This was payback," Harm said.
"For what?" Mac questioned.
"I don't know but it was," Harm said.
"When your brain comes back, find me." Mac said and walked into her office.
"What was that about?" Sturgis asked.
"Mac didn't advise me of a witness before the Article 32." Harm advised.
"Harm she was the defense, she didn't have to." Sturgis reminded him.
"Whose side are you on?" Harm asked.
"I think I am going to go back to my office." Sturgis stated.
"Attention on deck," Gunny called out.
"As you were," AJ said and went to his office followed by Zoya.
AJ'S OFFICE
"Thanks for lunch," Zoya said. "I am going start my two weeks off."
"That was nice of them to do that," AJ commented.
"Well, yeah but I have work to do," Zoya said rolling her eyes. "So how much of a vacation is it going to be?"
"Remember to have some fun," AJ cautioned.
"I will." Zoya smiled, "I'll see you tomorrow night.
"That's right dinner with Meredith," AJ stated and gave her a hug. "Zoya how are you set for funds?"
"Uncle AJ, you have been asking me that question since I was thirteen." Zoya laughed. "I should be asking you that."
AJ knew it was a silly question. Zoya's parents had set her up with a trust when she was born. She actually didn't need to work, but that wasn't her style. AJ always slipped her a bill or two when she was younger. She didn't need it, but it was money she could spend without having to go to the trustee.
"I may take you up on that in my retirement." AJ joked as he walked Zoya to the elevator.
ZOYA'S TOWN HOUSE
Zoya walked into her house and kicked off her shoes, letting them fling through the air and land where ever. She then went up to the bedroom and changed her clothes. She looked at the suit she had just removed. It was casually flung on the chair. I'll hang it up later. From the bedroom she went to the kitchen to check out the food supply. She had called her cleaning lady from Morocco to get the house ready for her return. Halfway through her inspection she decided to go through her mail. She picked up the tub and went to the living room. Sitting on the floor she began to wade through all the junk that came.
In one pile she put magazines, in another bills, in another junk and in the last pile trash. Halfway through, she looked at the piles and decided to go back and finish checking out the food supplies.
It was a wonder she had accomplished so much in her professional life, because in her personal life she was a scatter brain. She would start something and then go on to something else. She also hated the housekeeping duties. In some ways it was a rebellion against the years in boarding school. She would hang up her clothes once a week, leaving a pile on the bedroom chair. Her housekeeper came once a week, whether or not she was in town. Her housekeeper would complain about finding shoes in the strangest areas of her house. But that was her at home, once she walked out the door, she was the most organized and meticulous person you could meet.
After checking the cabinets, she grabbed a beer from the fridge. Thank you Magda! The housekeeper had remembered to buy a six pack for her.
Zoya only drank beer at home. In public she drank Stolichnaya Cristall. She was of Russian descent after all. It drove her crazy when people called it Stolly or Stolich-naya. She could never resist the urge to correct them and say "It's Sta-LEECH-na-ya."
After opening the beer, she went back to her mail. Nothing really caught her eye except an envelope with the return address, A Ride to No Where on the Washington Express. With peaked interest she opened the envelope and read the enclosed flyer.
Spend a weekend on a train ride to no where…
Sounds like fun, she thought. I should get my friends together and do this, wait what am I thinking? I don't have friends. She threw the flyer in the trash pile. She got up to get some junk food and when she returned she looked at the flyer again. It's only $200 per person, that's not bad. She thought. She then got a brilliant idea. She was going to invite the JAG staff. They had always included her in things. This was a way to repay them. Grabbing the phone, she called the number and made reservations for everyone. This was going to be fun. She then called AJ and advised him of her plans. He wasn't thrilled with the idea of spending the weekend with his staff, but in twenty five years he had never been able to say no to her.
After those calls were done, the phone rang again.
"Nassar," She answered.
"Zoya, you need to come in," Jeremy Wellington, her boss stated.
"Oh no, you said I had some time off," Zoya replied.
"Sorry, we need you to look at something," Jeremy informed her.
"Why?" Zoya whined. "I am in the middle of something."
"Check your fax machine," Jeremy advised.
"Hang on," Zoya groaned and went to retrieve the fax. "What the hell is this?"
"Now do you see why you have to come in?" Jeremy asked.
"Give me twenty minutes," Zoya said.
Twenty minutes later Zoya as at CIA Headquarters. The papers that were faxed to her were pages from a diary that was found by other agents. It was written in Aramaic and Zoya was one of the few who could read this classic and dead language. According to the pages, the covers of several CIA agents had been blown. Unfortunately, what the writer planned to do with this information and which agents were involved was still a mystery.
Coded messages were sent to field agents in the Middle East advising them of this revelation. Even though she was in the States, Zoya was technically one of these agents. Jeremy advised her to be careful and stay close to home. Zoya immediately protested and advised him that she was going away next weekend and was not going to stop living because someone may or may not be trying to kill her.
"It won't be the first time and I doubt it will be the last," Zoya stated as she left Jeremy's office and went home.
