A/N Brightfeather: I'd love to give more quicker, sadly the long weekend is over and it was back to work this morning. I'm working on what I can whenever I have a spare moment at work. I should have 13 and 14 done tonight at the least.

A/N 2: I just realized I'd lost a day somewhere in the date keeping. I'll have to go back and change all of the June dates tonight.

A/N 3: Angel…Kate was only in a few episodes…the pilot and a couple guest appearances. Meg was Harm's partner for all of the first season except the pilot and left after that. Mac was introduced in the second season opener. And yes Kate had fallen for Harm too….something about the guy the ladies like. Must be the gold wings and dress whites.

A/N 4: Just a little complaint to myself. I've got this picture of how Mac and Bud's investigation goes, and its just a pity I can't show it from Harm's perspective…I can't wait to write it in the second part of this story. I promise I'll work some of it into this one however so people aren't left going "Well how did that happen?" until Mac's POV comes out.

Chapter 13

USS Patrick Henry
Friday June 11, 2004
0900 Zulu

A knock at the hatch was followed by the Marine guard poking his head into Harm's quarters. "Commander, the Captain has ordered me to escort you to his wardroom."

Nodding Harm stood up from where he'd been reading another book. The worst thing about all this was that he was caged like an animal and running out of things to do to keep his mind off the investigation. Why the hell couldn't they just let him go to the fantail or vulture's row? Straightening his uniform he said "Lead on Corporal." before he put action to words and followed his guard.

On the way to the Captain's wardroom Harm and his escort met up with Skates and her escort. Knowing they shouldn't talk to each other Harm just gave her a wink and a smile. When she returned them Harm noticed a slight lessening of the tension in her shoulders. Silently the four of them continued on until they reached the hatch to the Captain's wardroom. Harm's escort knocked once and then opened the hatch a bellowed "Enter!"

"Sir, reporting as ordered with Commander Rabb and Lieutenant Commander Hawkes."

"Thank you Corporal, you and Edwards may wait outside."

"Aye aye sir. Commander, Lieutenant Commander?"

Harm nodded and then led Skates into the Captain's wardroom. Mac and Bud were both standing behind the Captain who looked like he was ready to bite something.

"Commander, Lieutenant Commander. Come in. Close the hatch behind you."

"Aye aye sir." Harm said respectfully.

"Harm, Beth…the Lieutenant Colonel and Lieutenant Commander have completed their preliminary investigations of the incident of June 6th of this year. Are you prepared to hear their findings?"

"We are sir." Harm said firmly.

"Lieutenant Colonel." The Captain said waving Mac forward.

"Aye sir. Commander Rabb, Lieutenant Commander Hawkes..." Mac began "while a lot of questions remain unanswered and we have yet to track down a couple people we wish to question, it is going to be our recommendation that the Captain authorize a continuation of this investigation, looking into the feasibility of an Article 32 hearing."

Harm couldn't believe what he'd just heard. They were going to continue the investigation on the grounds of it perhaps warranting a court martial. 'What would this do to Skates' career?' he thought. Even if they were found innocent, just the very fact that they were brought up for charges would have a chilling effect on her career. Taking a deep breath he forced himself to stand up straighter and stare straight ahead, not looking at the Captain, Mac or Bud, but rather at a point on the wall behind the skipper.

"Commander, I know you realize the severity of this, but I am required to ask. Do you understand what is being said here?"

"I do sir." Harm said woodenly.

"Lieutenant Commander? Are you also aware of the severity of what has been said here?"

"I'm confused sir." Skates admitted quietly with an emotion that Harm had never heard from her before…fear.

"Captain, if I may?" Mac asked.

Nodding the Captain let her continue. "Skates, we don't have enough evidence either way to prove your innocence or guilt. We're going to have to continue our investigation, but we're going to have to do it on the grounds of determining if we should convene a court martial or not."

"What does this mean Ma'am?"

"It could mean nothing Skates…we might find enough to prove you were innocent. Or we might find enough to prove you are guilty. We don't know yet." Mac answered.

"Will that be all skipper?" Harm asked harshly. His shock was starting to heat to a slow boil and everyone could see the anger coming into his eyes.

"Harm, Beth, I'm sorry about this." Captain Ingles said softly. "Dismissed."

"Aye aye sir." Harm and Skates said at the same time and they both turned to exit the wardroom.

Outside the two Marine guards were waiting to escort them back to their quarters.

"It'll be alright Skates." Harm said quietly to reassure her.

"Will it sir?" Skates asked as she looked at him with worried eyes.

"We didn't do anything wrong Skates. They'll have to see that."

"Thank you sir. You're right of course…I'm just still shaken up is all."

"Keep your chin up sailor." Harm said with a little smile.

As the Marine guard escorted Harm down the passageway to return him to his quarters Harm heard the sound of hurrying feet behind him. Looking over his shoulder he saw Mac making her way towards them quickly.

"Corporal, I need to speak to the Commander for a moment."

"Yes ma'am." The guard replied instinctively and then took a few steps away to give them a modicum of privacy.

"Harm…I'm so sorry." Mac said quietly.

"You're just doing your duty Colonel." Harm said harshly.

"Harm, please…don't be like that with me. You know I had to recommend continuing the investigation. We just couldn't find anything to prove your innocence conclusively."

"Innocent until proven guilty, Mac. You might recognize the phrase."

"Harm…I know in my heart you couldn't have done this, I do. But I can't very well go to the World Court and say 'Excuse me your honors, the accused could not have done it because he's a good and gentle man, one of the best I've known'. You're being tried in the court of public opinion Harm, and you know as well as I do that with them 'innocent until proven guilty' means nothing." Mac said in a voice thick with emotion.

"Corporal." Harm called out. "I'm ready to return to my cell."

"Harm…" Mac began softly, reaching out to put a hand on his arm.

"Now Corporal." Harm said firmly, cutting off whatever Mac was going to say.

"Aye aye sir. This way please." The Corporal said, obviously not wanting to get between the Marine and the pilot.

With his gaze fixed straight ahead as he and the guard moved down the passageway Harm did not have a chance to see the look in Mac's eyes as she stood there watching him walk away, nor did he see the tears in her eyes.

It wasn't for another hour until there was a knock at his hatch followed by Bud stepping in. "Commander." Bud said coldly.

'Great' Harm thought to himself. 'Even Bud's starting to believe this bullshit.' "Come on in Bud, pull up a chair. I'm afraid I don't have a deck of cards…but maybe we can play some charades."

"I'm afraid not Commander. I've just come from a call with the Admiral and it seems that some people in Washington are very nervous about this whole thing coming so closely on the heels of the prisoner abuse allegations. SecNav has opted to cut our investigation short and proceed directly to an Article 32 hearing."

Harm stepped back, stunned at what Bud had just said. For a minute he just stared at Bud like he had grown a second head and then started laughing.

"Forgive me Commander…I'm not sure I see what is so funny."

"Did you hear that Bud? Right there! Everyone should have heard it! The flush heard 'round the world! That was the sound of my career going down the drain Lieutenant Commander. After every stunt I've pulled, every chance I took, now every person I've pissed off is getting their day to laugh." Harm said as he laughed uncontrollably.

"Very well Commander. I must also inform you that I will be staying on board to defend you in these proceedings."

"Mac's prosecuting?" Harm asked as he wiped the moisture his laughing had caused to well up in his eyes. "She'll love that."

"Commander…if I may speak freely for a moment?"

"Go ahead Bud…speak away."

"What the hell did you say to the Colonel, sir?"

"What do you mean what did I say? I just told her that I thought she'd be a little more sensitive to my situation…well maybe not in those words…but you understand."

"What I understand…sir is that this is tearing the Colonel up inside, having to be the one to do this to you. And you can't even see it. I can't believe the Admiral is making her prosecute you sir." Bud said heatedly.

Harm was a little aback at his normally easy going friend's heat. "Easy there Bud. Mac will do as she's told…she's a good little Marine." He said with a hint of bitterness.

"With all due respect sir, I may have to defend you, but I don't have to listen to you speak about Colonel MacKenzie like this. And I think you know you shouldn't be either."

"Bud, we're not going to turn this into a 'Mac and Harm are meant to be together forever' thing are we? I thought that was Harriet's gig."

"Apparently not, sir. Now if you'll excuse me, sir, I need to begin preparations for your defense." Bud said coldly.

As the hatch closed behind Bud Harm began to laugh again and then suddenly he whirled and slammed his fist into the bulkhead. What the hell was he doing? Pushing Mac and Bud away? Somewhere in the back of his mind a little voice told him that was exactly what he was doing; doing it because he didn't want them to be associated with him when he was hung out to dry after all. And Harm was starting to get a feeling he was going to be hung out nice and wet…there was more going on here than just his dogfight turned into a fairy story of evil fighter pilots and innocent slaughtered civilians.

All through the next morning Harm waited for Bud to come to discuss the case with him, and he continued waiting into the afternoon. What the hell was Bud doing? He's a better lawyer than that…he knew he should be here getting all the information he could about the mission. It wasn't until his evening meal was dropped off that Harm realized how late it was. "Corporal, have you seen my lawyer?" he asked the guard dropping off his dinner.

"No sir." was the only reply he got.

Finishing his linguini Harm pushed the plate back and stared at the wall thoughtfully. He knew his reaction to the announcements he had received the previous day were unfair to Bud and Mac…especially to Mac. Deep down he knew how much this must be hurting her, how much it was hurting Bud. But damn it, somehow he just felt he didn't have any more lives left…the cat had run out and this time fate had caught up to him. And he didn't want Mac and Bud or anyone else he cared about caught in the blast when fate came down on him. After staring at the wall for awhile longer Harm decided Bud wasn't coming to discuss the case and turned in.

The next morning Harm was waiting again. He'd finished breakfast half an hour ago, taken a quick trip to the head, and still there was no sign of Bud. Maybe his lawyer had even given up on him…wouldn't be the first time his friends and family had thought the worst of him. That little voice in the back of his mind spoke up again to tell him he was being completely unfair to those who cared about him, that they'd been following orders. It didn't make the confinement, either then or now, any easier however. Harm looked up at the sound of his hatch being undogged and almost fell out of his chair getting up.

"Bud! Its about damn time! Where the hell have you…Admiral, sir!" Harm said when he saw the tall form of the JAG step through the hatch.

Slamming the hatch behind him Admiral Chegwidden looked like he could rip Harm's head off, and Harm knew he probably could. "Sit your ass down Commander, and shut up. You will listen to what I say and you will not speak. Is that understood?" the Admiral bellowed.

Nodding mutely Harm sank down to the seat he had just vacated.

"Now, I am tired and hungry because I just flew all the way out here from DC. Do you know why I took this moment to visit the picturesque Persian Gulf Commander? No of course you don't…you've been too busy wallowing in self pity to look around you. I've decided to take this vacation because a damn fine officer tells me that his client is acting childish and stubborn. Which I suppose should not come as a surprise to me, should it Commander? Don't answer that, we both know the answer. You were wondering where Lieutenant Commander Roberts is?" the Admiral stormed.

Nodding Harm remained mute, well aware of the fact that the Admiral was in one of the worst tempers he, in his long tenure of provoking the Admiral's rage, had ever seen.

"Lieutenant Commander Roberts will no longer be heading your defense Commander. I will be."

"Sir?" Harm asked forgetting the order to keep his mouth shut.

"You heard me Commander! After speaking with Mr. Roberts two days ago I came to the decision you needed someone to take you in hand. Lieutenant Commander Roberts is a damn fine lawyer, but he idolizes you Commander, and he does not have the temperament to keep you in line. I do; do not doubt that for a second. The Lieutenant Commander will continue on as second chair, and has been doing a hell of a job convincing me that despite all the allegations to the contrary you are actually innocent of committing this colossal fuckup. Never mind the fact that no matter where you are, no matter what you do, no matter that you now wear a line officer's star with your shoulder boards, you are one of mine. And I will be damned if I let one of mine hang for something he didn't do. I'll be damned if I end my career that way."

The Admiral tossed his cover and briefcase onto Harm's rack and pulled out the second chair in the room so that he sat facing Harm, looking him in the eye. "Harm…tell me the truth son or it will bite you in the ass. Did you attack an unarmed civilian aircraft?"

"No sir." Harm said shaking his head. "There were four MIG Floggers…that's the truth Admiral."

"What about the Hawkeye, why did you order them back?"

"They reported problems sir…50% power loss in their number 2 engine. They couldn't complete the mission safely if this was the case sir, so I ordered them to return and call for the standby immediately."

"The standby never launched Harm."

"What?" Harm asked incredulously.

"The order was never relayed. Damn it Harm…why the hell are you working with the CIA again? No…don't answer that…you didn't really have a choice did you. So help me god if he wasn't dead I'd pull Webb's head off and piss in his skull for getting you into this." The Admiral said reverting to his manner of speech in the SEALs. "This has their stink all over it. The missing logs, the unexplainable order."

"Missing logs sir?" Harm asked.

"Some of the comm. logs are missing, and Bud says there's something funny about the rest from that night, but he can't put his finger on it…yet. We don't have radar logs from any of our planes because you ordered the Hawkeye back…the Iraqis have handed their recordings over, but I don't trust them and neither does Bud."

"What are we going to do sir?" Harm asked.

"I don't know Harm…not yet. Bud and I will work something out though."

"Thank you sir." Harm said with emotion.

Silently the Admiral sat there thinking about things for a few minutes. "Damn it…I can't think straight."

"Admiral…respectfully, go get some chow and rack time sir. You'll need it after your rush flight."

"You might be right Commander. I'll be back later this afternoon." The Admiral said standing up and stretching.

As the Admiral got the hatch Harm stood up. "Sir?"

"Commander?"

"Admiral…AJ…" Harm said taking a chance. "Could you tell Mac I'm sorry? I never should have lashed out at her that way."

"Not me son, you're going to have to tell her that yourself when we get this mess cleaned up."

"Yes sir." Harm said quietly.

As he was opening the hatch the Admiral stopped again and looked over at Harm with his brows knit in concentration. "Harm?"

"Yes sir?"

"Where exactly did your engagement take place?"

"About twenty miles inland sir…we were on a heading of 330 at the time of intercept. Why?"

"Just a thought I had Commander. Just a thought I had." The Admiral said thoughtfully as he turned and exited the quarters.