Notice: Same old song.

A/N I have absolutely no idea how long it takes a carrier to steam from Norfolk to the Arabian Sea, so please excuse the literary license of them being there in two weeks if that is not correct. If anyone knows I'd be interested in hearing from you.

A/N 2: My thanks to Corvette Lead who pointed out some operational errors I had regarding naval flight operations. Hopefully I caught them all.

Somewhere over the Arabian Sea
Saturday June 5, 2004
1910 Zulu

"Raptor 1 this is Henry Control. We have you on approach. Handing off to LSO."

"Roger Henry Control, handing off. Henry LSO this is Raptor 1." Harm said into his helmet mic.

"Raptor 1 this is Henry LSO, call the ball."

Looking at his HUD Harm lined up for a landing. "Well Skates…this will get the paperwork out of the way." Harm said, referring to the fact that this was the last trap he needed to complete his quals.

"You going to make another perfect touchdown Hammer? You know, with you that sort of thing gets a little boring and predictable." Skates said from the backseat.

With a quick glance in his mirror Harm flashed his RIO a smile. "You prefer to go swimming?"

"Water's a little cold. Maybe next time we have shore leave."

"Right." Harm said then keyed his connection to the LSO. "Henry LSO, Raptor 1. Ball."

"Roger Raptor 1, we have you in the glide path. Bring her on home."

Watching the tiny dot of the aircraft carrier get larger by the second Harm couldn't help but pause and think about how much he loved this. Skates was right…flying off of anything other than a carrier was a bit boring.

"Tailhook down." He called to Skates.

"Roger, tailhook down." She called back hitting the switch to lower the tailhook.

"Raptor 1, Henry LSO. You're a little low, give her some power."

"Relax guys. I know what I'm doing." Harm said to himself eliciting a laugh out of Skates.

Minutes later Harm caught the number 3 wire and slowed his Tomcat to taxi over to the staging area clear of the runway. Cutting the engine he released the canopy and pulled off his helmet.

"Well that was another one for the Greenie Board Hammer." Skates said as she took off her own flight helmet. "You gonna give any of the rookies a chance to catch up?"

"Nah. They'll have their chance when I'm gone."

"Riiiight. Let me buy you a coffee in celebration of finishing your quals CAG?" Skates asked as they dropped to the deck from the ladders at the side of the F-14.

"Sure, but we have a debriefing first." Harm said as the young PRO came to attention beside him. "Ensign." He greeted her.

"The Captain would like to see you immediately CAG." The Ensign said looking at Harm with a touch of awe in her gaze.

"Thank you Ensign. Looks like that coffee will have to wait Skates. Tell the boys I'll be down in a couple minutes."

Grabbing his plane captain as he walked to the hatch in the side of the tower Harm looked back at his Tomcat. "Check the hydraulics in the starboard ailerons Chief. She seemed a little sluggish coming in."

"You bet sir." The Chief Petty Officer said. "Do you ever miss the gold wire sir?"

"A couple times…but you don't want to be around when I do Chief…its not pretty." Harm said referring to his ramp strike nine years before.

Nodding the plane captain ran out to look after his Tomcat while Harm made his way to the bridge.

"CAG on deck!" rang out as Harm stepped through the hatchway to the bridge.

"Over here CAG." The Captain called from the chart table where he was standing beside Clayton Webb.

Frowning at Webb Harm moved over to stand next to the Captain. "How was the patrol CAG?" the Captain asked when Harm was next to him.

"It was quiet sir; nothing to report."

"Another notch on the greenie board for you though. And now you're done your quals?"

"Aye sir." Harm simply.

"Good good. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, we can get down to business. Mr. Webb?"

"Indeed Captain. I've got a job for you Rabb." Webb said as he called up an image of the Yemen coastline. "I need you to provide air cover for an extraction operation that will be taking place here." He said pointing to a specific point on the coast.

"Who's being extracted?" Harm asked.

"Its need to know Rabb."

"If you want me to do my job, I need to know. How are they being extracted?"

"Helo." Webb answered tersely.

"Night time extraction I'm guessing?"

"Correct."

"Why do you need us?"

"Iraqi dissidents have been reported flying over Yemen out into the Gulf. We need that helo to return safely, it is imperative to our effort here in Iraq."

"When?"

"Tonight…you leave in three hours. And you'll be alone…we're only tasking you and your RIO for this. You'll have a refuel point here." Webb said pointing to another spot on the chart out to sea. "And if needed you will be refueling there on the return leg."

"What kind of resistance can we expect?" Harm asked seriously.

"We expect no to light resistance."

"Which is why you need me to fly shotgun on this op?" Harm asked sarcastically.

"Look Rabb, just fly your plane and do your job. Leave the rest up to me." Webb said angrily.

"That's what I'm afraid of." Harm said with a frown. "Now, if you'll excuse me Captain, I need to debrief the boys from the last patrol."

"Dismissed CAG." The Captain said with a knowing nod.

"Rabb." Webb said before Harm made it to the hatch.

"Yeah?" Harm said looking over his shoulder.

"I'll be here to debrief you on your return then I'll be heading out again. I might have another mission for you to fly while I'm away."

"Oh goodie." Harm said as he turned back to the hatch and made his way down to the ready room.

Walking into the ready room Harm noticed right away everyone from the Raptors was present, not just the crews that had returned from patrols. Narrowing his eyes he looked around the room. "What's going on here?" he asked in his best command tone.

"Well CAG, we have a little something for you." Skates said as she stepped out of the press of bodies with her hands behind her back. As she got close to Harm she brought her hands out from behind her showing a silly plastic toy crown. Reaching up she placed it on Harm's head and then stepped back. "All hail the King of the Greenie Board!" she called out.

"Hail to the King!" everyone else yelled out.

Pulling the crown off his head Harm looked around at his squad trying not to laugh. "Great. Just great guys…now you're making me King? Anyone want this?" Harm asked holding out the crown.

"Sure sir." Lieutenant Dan 'John-boy' Hillers said with a smile. One of the newer pilots Hillers was still getting used to his new CAG.

Pulling the crown back from Hillers' reach Harm gave him a wicked smile. "Then show me what you've got up there son." He said as he pointed to the Greenie Board showing everyone who'd made a number 3 trap. John-boy was up there, but with only two notches to his name; the boy had a habit of catching the number 2. Harm meant to drive him harder now that his own quals were out of the way; him and everyone else in the squad.

"Alright...enough of that." Harm said stepping behind the podium. "Anyone have anything to report about their last patrols?"

"Nothing CAG." Tuna said looking around at the two other pilots that had just returned with him and the CAG. They both shook their heads in the negative as well.

"Well, don't think this means we can get soft. The next patrol goes in one hour, and the next one after that half an hour after their return. Skates and I will be going out with the second patrol."

"We will sir?" Skates asked with confusion. She and the CAG weren't up in the rotation for another sixteen hours.

"I asked the Chief to look at the ailerons on my bird and I want to check them out. They didn't feel right coming in just now and I don't want to find out there's a problem in the thick." Harm explained, hating having to lie to his squad. Well, it wasn't exactly a lie, but it was a convenient excuse. Damn Webb, he was even starting to think like a spy.

"Those going up in the next mission report to the flight deck. Those others going up tonight, report to the flight deck in two hours. Dismissed people."

Coming to attention the pilots all began filing out of the ready room to either get some rest or report to the flight deck. Picking up his helmet Harm started walking back to his stateroom but thought of something else. It was only two in the afternoon in DC, and while he had time maybe he should call Mattie and see how she was doing. Turning around Harm made his way to the nearest public phone. Slipping his calling card into the slot Harm dialed Mattie and Jen's number.

After a couple rings the phone was picked up. "Hello?" Jennifer said on the other end.

"Jen, its me." Harm said with a smile. "How are my girls doing?"

"Commander!" Jen said excitedly. "We're good sir. How are you?"

"Just did my last trap to bring my quals up to date." Harm said. In the background he could hear a commotion of some sort. "What's that noise?"

"That's your ward attempting to murder me to get the phone sir. It was good hearing from you Commander…I'll put Mattie on now."

"Thanks Jen…oh and Jen?"

"Yes sir?"

"How's…everyone back at JAG?"

"They're doing good sir. We're all missing you, but we know you'll be coming back to us when this is all done." Jen said and then paused. Plunging on she continued "Colonel MacKenzie misses you sir…she hasn't said anything, but we can all tell. I'll tell her that you called and that you're safe."

"Thanks Jen." Harm said and then waited for Mattie to grab the phone.

"Harm!" Mattie screamed in excitement.

"Hey there kiddo. How you doing?"

"School sucks Harm. Why are you making me go?"

"Because you need to sweetie. Now what's so bad about school?"

"It just sucks. So when are you coming back, do you know?"

"I still don't know sweetie, but it won't be for two and a half months at least, you know that. Are you being good for Jen?"

"Yeah Harm…and for Mac."

"She's looking in on you?"

"You know she is…she comes by almost every day to spend time with us. She really misses you Harm."

"Nah…its probably Webb she misses."

"How did you know he was gone Harm?" Mattie asked suspiciously.

Cursing himself Harm thought fast to cover his slip. "She said he was going to Germany before I left…I just assumed he was still gone."

"Oh….yeah he is. She's been getting all these stupid German toys from him while he's been there…its really gross how mushy it is."

"Really? Hmm…."

"Hang on Harm…someone's at the door. You getting that Jen?" Mattie called to her roommate. "Hey Mac….Harm's on the phone…you want to talk to him?" Harm heard her call to someone in the room. "Gotta go Harm…here's Mac."

"Alright Mattie…thanks. I miss you hon."

"Ah that's sweet flyboy." Mac's voice said over the phone. "I didn't know you felt that way."

"Very funny marine. How's it going? I hear you've been watching out for my girls for me."

"Things have been fine Harm, I've been keeping them on the straight and narrow. How's being CAG treating you?"

"Its good…" Harm said as he realized this was the first time he'd talked to Mac since he deployed. "Things are good Mac."

"Damn it Harm, you told me you weren't going to change your designator." Mac said quietly. "You promised me."

Biting his lip Harm cursed the fact that he couldn't tell Mac everything about why he was on the Henry. "I didn't request it Mac…the SecNav did it without consulting me. If I had my way I'd be on a Cod back to an Saudi airbase right now so I could hitch a ride home."

"You finished your quals?" Mac asked.

"Half an hour ago. And no I didn't ditch any birds this time before you say something about that."

"Well that's good." Mac said with obvious relief.

"How's Meg?" Harm asked without thinking. He could almost count the seconds of quiet before Mac answered.

"She's fine I guess. We haven't seen much of her lately because she's been too busy at the Pentagon." Mac said in a tone that could have frozen water.

"RABB!" someone down the passageway call to him. Turning to look over his shoulder he almost swallowed his tongue when he saw Webb coming towards him. As much as he'd love to hear Webb explain to Mac why he was on a carrier in the Arabian Sea instead of in Germany, Harm's better judgment told him that wouldn't be good.

"Listen Mac…someone's calling me so I gotta go. Give Mattie a hug for me…and tell her I miss you guys." He said without noticing his own slip.

"Was that Clayton?" Mac asked obviously having heard Webb's shouted call.

"Uhh…no. It was my plane captain…I asked him to check out some stuff for me when I trapped last."

"It sounded like Clay…and since when does a plane captain address the CAG by his last name?" Mac asked shrewdly.

"Uhh…he does a damn good job…I've been going easy on him lately, but you have a point Mac. I'll have to speak to him about his discipline. Anyway…I gotta go. Bye Sarah." Harm said as Webb walked up with his mouth open to say something. Upon hearing the name of his girlfriend he closed it quickly.

Hanging up the phone Harm turned to Webb with a smirk on his own face. "I really would have enjoyed listening to you explain to her why you're out here with me and not in Germany like you told her."

"I would of thought of something." Webb said absently. "What were you doing calling her anyway?"

Shrugging Harm started walking down the passageway to his office expecting Webb to follow. "She's a good friend Webb, you know that."

"Doesn't explain why you were calling her." Webb said following closely behind Harm.

"If you must know I was calling Mattie, and Mac happened to come by. I'd asked her to check in on the girls for me from time to time. Now, what can I do for you Webb?"

"I'm going to have to leave earlier than I thought so I won't be here to debrief you on your return…someone else should be here. Here's the details of the other mission I told you about." Webb said shoving an envelope against Harm's chest. "Open that when you get back tonight."

Shrugging Harm tucked the envelope into one of the pockets of his flight suit. "I'll get it done Webb, you know that."

"Well, I'm so relieved. I'll see you in four days Rabb."

"I look forward to it Webb…really I do." Harm said sarcastically as Webb turned off to head up to the flight deck to catch his helo.