Title : Where The Sea Meets The Sky
Author : Jaggie 107
Disclaimer : JAG characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount. 'Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye' belongs to PAX TV – and I hope all parties will allow me to have fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done. Thank you.
Rating : G to PG-13
Thanks go to cbw; jtbwriter; beegirl, katydid13, ninjaturtle, capriceann, starryeyes10, kirsten, soonerfan, another tracy, tomcat-all, lori4, carol, eliv.thade, alicia5 and kesh for their reviews. As before, any reviewers I miss between posts will be added to the list for the next chapter!
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USS SEA HAWK
SOMEWHERE IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
TUESDAY MORNING
As the COD touched down on the deck of the Sea Hawk, of the three passengers on board, two were smiling at each other, the third – Glennan – was a decidedly green color. When he realized the aircraft had come to a halt on the carrier he raised his head and looked at Mac and Mattie.
"Sorry, ma'am, Miss Grace. First time on a COD." It didn't help Glennan to know that it was Mattie's first time on board the aircraft also. Mac nodded sympathetically.
"I've lost my lunch in a Tomcat before, Commander."
"Thank you, ma'am." Glennan accepted Mac's show of solidarity, and Mattie grinned, turning as the door of the aircraft was dropped to form the steps down to the deck. As she made a move to climb off the aircraft, Sturgis put his hand out to help her down. Mattie gave him a wide smile as she put her hand in his, accepting his offer of help. Mac climbed down after Mattie, and Lieutenant Commander Glennan brought up the rear. As he touched the deck he breathed a sigh of relief, and Sturgis put out his hand to greet the younger officer.
"Welcome to the Sea Hawk, Commander Glennan. Captain Johnson has asked that you meet him on the bridge before you go to the JAG office. I'll meet you at the office shortly. Ensign Walters will show you the way. Ensign?"
"Sir," Ensign Louise Walters saluted Sturgis, and turned to salute Lieutenant Commander Glennan also, before indicating that he follow her through the hatch on their way to the bridge. As the pair departed, Sturgis turned back to Mac and Mattie.
"I should get up to the bridge, too, Sturgis." Mac made a move towards the hatch, but Sturgis shook his head.
"Not right now. The captain has given you leave to wait for Harm. He's asked that we all join him in his private quarters after Harm debriefs."
"Where's Harm now?" asked Mattie, shouting above the sound of the wind, and the jets on deck. In answer, Sturgis put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face the rear of the carrier deck. Pointing out to the horizon he spoke into her right ear.
"See the speck out there? That's Harm and his RIO, Jorgensen. Captain Johnson thought you'd like to see him do a textbook landing. He's been showing off all week."
Mattie turned to look at Mac, who smiled and nodded her head.
"Go ahead, I'll wait by the hatch." Mattie smiled in response and walked across the deck with Sturgis, to a closer vantage point, but still in the safety area.
"Sturgis, are you sure Harm doesn't know we're here?"
"Positive, Mattie. He has no idea. Okay, here he comes. Put these on…" Sturgis handed Mattie a pair of ear-protectors, and she placed them on her head just as Harm's Tomcat came into full view, getting ready to land.
Mattie watched as the landing gear came down on the jet, and Harm lined up with the carrier deck. As Sturgis had predicted, it was a textbook landing, and another mark on the 'Greenie Board', putting Harm firmly out of reach of any of his squadron peers. Literally and figuratively, he was in a league of his own.
Harm drew the jet to a standstill in the assigned space, and with the canopy already back he was puling off his helmet. Behind him, Jorgensen was already stepping out of the cockpit and moving down her ladder to the deck.
"Hey, Hammer, it looks like you've got company!" she called out, over the sound of the deck noise, and Harm looked out over the edge of his cockpit.
"Mattie? What the hell…?" Harm stepped out of his own cockpit and climbed down to the deck, managing to pass his helmet to Jorgensen just as Mattie threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Hi!" Mattie yelled in his ear, and Harm was grateful for the ear-piece he still wore that fielded some of sound. Grinning at him over Mattie's shoulder, Sturgis gave a salute, a thumbs up, and stepped to one side. Behind him, Harm could see Mac standing by the hatch, waiting for them, giving both he and Mattie the time to greet each other. From where she stood she could see him acknowledge her presence, and Mac smiled back at him, nodding her head. Their time together would come.
"Hi, sweetheart! Hey, this is some surprise! How did you manage this? More to the point, who did Mac bribe this time? Had to be a biggie, it's even faster than usual!"
Mattie laughed as she and Harm hugged. "I think this one was the Admiral's idea. He suggested Mac be prosecutor for the court martial. Lieutenant Commander Glennan is here now, to replace Sturgis."
"The Admiral, huh? I guess he's planning a fate worse than death for me when I get back stateside, and he's buttering me up now."
"Well, then that would include the captain of the Sea Hawk, too. I've got a personal invitation from Captain Johnson to be on board; you're looking at Ensign Grace, Special Class, for this visit only!"
"Ensign Grace, hm?" Harm dropped his arm from Mattie's shoulders, and moved to face her. "Well, Ensign, I hope you realize that hugging a superior officer can land you in the brig? And not saluting either myself, or Lieutenant Jorgensen here," Harm grinned at his RIO as he included her in his conversation, "can add to the time spent in there too."
Mattie tried to look serious as she drew herself up and raised her hand in a crisp imitation of Harm's salutes that she had seen him snap off.
"Aye, sir. It won't happen again, sir. Ma'am." Mattie turned to face Jorgensen, and the officer smiled and returned the salute.
"Carry on, Ensign."
Mattie dropped the salute and hugged Harm again, a gesture that was returned without hesitation. As they pulled back from the hug, Harm glanced again at Jorgensen and then down at Mattie.
"We need to debrief, Mattie, and I need to say 'hi' to a certain Marine Lieutenant Colonel before I get my six thrown overboard, or worse."
Mattie laughed as she turned and walked between Harm and his RIO towards Mac. As they neared the hatch, Jorgensen turned and addressed Harm.
"I'll see you in the briefing room, sir. If it's all right with you, I could take Ensign Grace with me."
"Really?" Mattie looked between Harm and Jorgensen. "Please, Harm! This is so cool!"
Even Mac couldn't resist Mattie's enthusiasm. "Well, flyboy, what do you say?"
"Okay. But you do what Lieutenant Jorgensen says, and don't get in the way. I'll be there soon."
"Yes, Dad," Mattie answered, and then smiled widely. "I'll be good," she added, and waved as she followed Jorgensen through the hatch.
Sturgis, Mac and Harm watched the teenager go, and then Sturgis clapped Harm on the shoulder.
"I'd say you've got your work cut out for you… Dad," he murmured as he walked through the hatch ahead of Harm and Mac. As Mac grinned and followed Sturgis, Harm shrugged and followed the two of them. Once inside the ship, Sturgis spoke again.
"I need to get down to the JAG office and talk to Glennan. Captain Johnson has asked us to join him in his day room when you're debriefed. I'll meet you there. Mac, I trust you to get both your sixes to the debriefing on time. See you later, guys." With a wave over his shoulder he disappeared down a set of steps to the lower decks.
That left Mac and Harm together, alone, if you didn't take into consideration the rest of the ship's crew moving about around them.
"Captain Rabb, congratulations on your promotion, sir." Mac saluted Harm, and then grinned as Harm leaned in to her, not close enough to warrant fraternization charges, and not close enough for what Mac wanted for them, but close enough to be heard only by Mac.
"You and I can celebrate my promotion later, Colonel. In a minute we need to go and find Mattie, and I need to debrief with my crew, but right now…"
"Right now?" Mac echoed, a question in her murmured response.
Harm glanced ahead of him, and to his right. Knowing there was only the hatch to the deck behind him, he pushed Mac to his left, and followed her in to a darkened recess of the deck. As fast as Mac could turn to ask him what he was doing her mouth was taken by his, hard, fast, almost desperate, but Mac gave as good as she got, and although it was the briefest mating it was, for them, a coming together that was stronger than any loving they had shared before.
"Wow!" whispered Mac, putting her fingers up to her mouth, still feeling Harm's lips against hers, so strong had been the touch.
"Oh yeah," Harm acknowledged, grinning at Mac. As quickly as he had brought her into the recess they moved back to the spot inside the hatch, and from there made their way to the squadron briefing room. Mattie was seated beside Jorgensen, listening as the CAG began conducting the debrief. Harm and Mac entered the room, and took the seats directly behind Mattie. If the CAG noticed, he didn't say anything, continuing to debrief other crews first. Finally he came to Harm and Jorgensen.
"Captain Rabb?"
"Nothing to report, CAG. Skies are quiet, and no surface activity."
"Do you think we should send out another run, or stand down for the day?"
"We could cut back on numbers, send out twos instead of fours. There is little intel to suggest any major activity at this moment in time. If there are any changes in that respect, we can double up again as needed."
"I agree. Very well, ladies and gentlemen, we will stand down on flying fours for the time being. Our next sortie is scheduled for six hours from now. We'll have Scuba and Strafer with Frisbee and Waltzer."
"Aye, sir!" The four officers mentioned by their call signs acknowledged their new orders. Mattie sat, her attention fixed on the routine of the briefing room, soaking in the atmosphere of camaraderie that existed between the pilots and RIOs, whilst aware of the need for briefing and debriefing in the serious theater of war. As the CAG completed his debriefing of the recent sortie, and the briefing of the next, his attention went to one last item on his agenda.
"Captain Rabb, you have been assigned a one-off task. Captain Johnson has asked that you give a one-block familiarization tour of a Tomcat, to Ensign Grace."
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A/N:
1. Call signs are mine (I know there are the likes of Boomer, Tuna, Skates, etc., but I have no idea where those characters are in time scale, so it's easier to 'create' new ones; Ensign Walters is my creation too!)
Author : Jaggie 107
Disclaimer : JAG characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount. 'Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye' belongs to PAX TV – and I hope all parties will allow me to have fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done. Thank you.
Rating : G to PG-13
Thanks go to cbw; jtbwriter; beegirl, katydid13, ninjaturtle, capriceann, starryeyes10, kirsten, soonerfan, another tracy, tomcat-all, lori4, carol, eliv.thade, alicia5 and kesh for their reviews. As before, any reviewers I miss between posts will be added to the list for the next chapter!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
USS SEA HAWK
SOMEWHERE IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
TUESDAY MORNING
As the COD touched down on the deck of the Sea Hawk, of the three passengers on board, two were smiling at each other, the third – Glennan – was a decidedly green color. When he realized the aircraft had come to a halt on the carrier he raised his head and looked at Mac and Mattie.
"Sorry, ma'am, Miss Grace. First time on a COD." It didn't help Glennan to know that it was Mattie's first time on board the aircraft also. Mac nodded sympathetically.
"I've lost my lunch in a Tomcat before, Commander."
"Thank you, ma'am." Glennan accepted Mac's show of solidarity, and Mattie grinned, turning as the door of the aircraft was dropped to form the steps down to the deck. As she made a move to climb off the aircraft, Sturgis put his hand out to help her down. Mattie gave him a wide smile as she put her hand in his, accepting his offer of help. Mac climbed down after Mattie, and Lieutenant Commander Glennan brought up the rear. As he touched the deck he breathed a sigh of relief, and Sturgis put out his hand to greet the younger officer.
"Welcome to the Sea Hawk, Commander Glennan. Captain Johnson has asked that you meet him on the bridge before you go to the JAG office. I'll meet you at the office shortly. Ensign Walters will show you the way. Ensign?"
"Sir," Ensign Louise Walters saluted Sturgis, and turned to salute Lieutenant Commander Glennan also, before indicating that he follow her through the hatch on their way to the bridge. As the pair departed, Sturgis turned back to Mac and Mattie.
"I should get up to the bridge, too, Sturgis." Mac made a move towards the hatch, but Sturgis shook his head.
"Not right now. The captain has given you leave to wait for Harm. He's asked that we all join him in his private quarters after Harm debriefs."
"Where's Harm now?" asked Mattie, shouting above the sound of the wind, and the jets on deck. In answer, Sturgis put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face the rear of the carrier deck. Pointing out to the horizon he spoke into her right ear.
"See the speck out there? That's Harm and his RIO, Jorgensen. Captain Johnson thought you'd like to see him do a textbook landing. He's been showing off all week."
Mattie turned to look at Mac, who smiled and nodded her head.
"Go ahead, I'll wait by the hatch." Mattie smiled in response and walked across the deck with Sturgis, to a closer vantage point, but still in the safety area.
"Sturgis, are you sure Harm doesn't know we're here?"
"Positive, Mattie. He has no idea. Okay, here he comes. Put these on…" Sturgis handed Mattie a pair of ear-protectors, and she placed them on her head just as Harm's Tomcat came into full view, getting ready to land.
Mattie watched as the landing gear came down on the jet, and Harm lined up with the carrier deck. As Sturgis had predicted, it was a textbook landing, and another mark on the 'Greenie Board', putting Harm firmly out of reach of any of his squadron peers. Literally and figuratively, he was in a league of his own.
Harm drew the jet to a standstill in the assigned space, and with the canopy already back he was puling off his helmet. Behind him, Jorgensen was already stepping out of the cockpit and moving down her ladder to the deck.
"Hey, Hammer, it looks like you've got company!" she called out, over the sound of the deck noise, and Harm looked out over the edge of his cockpit.
"Mattie? What the hell…?" Harm stepped out of his own cockpit and climbed down to the deck, managing to pass his helmet to Jorgensen just as Mattie threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Hi!" Mattie yelled in his ear, and Harm was grateful for the ear-piece he still wore that fielded some of sound. Grinning at him over Mattie's shoulder, Sturgis gave a salute, a thumbs up, and stepped to one side. Behind him, Harm could see Mac standing by the hatch, waiting for them, giving both he and Mattie the time to greet each other. From where she stood she could see him acknowledge her presence, and Mac smiled back at him, nodding her head. Their time together would come.
"Hi, sweetheart! Hey, this is some surprise! How did you manage this? More to the point, who did Mac bribe this time? Had to be a biggie, it's even faster than usual!"
Mattie laughed as she and Harm hugged. "I think this one was the Admiral's idea. He suggested Mac be prosecutor for the court martial. Lieutenant Commander Glennan is here now, to replace Sturgis."
"The Admiral, huh? I guess he's planning a fate worse than death for me when I get back stateside, and he's buttering me up now."
"Well, then that would include the captain of the Sea Hawk, too. I've got a personal invitation from Captain Johnson to be on board; you're looking at Ensign Grace, Special Class, for this visit only!"
"Ensign Grace, hm?" Harm dropped his arm from Mattie's shoulders, and moved to face her. "Well, Ensign, I hope you realize that hugging a superior officer can land you in the brig? And not saluting either myself, or Lieutenant Jorgensen here," Harm grinned at his RIO as he included her in his conversation, "can add to the time spent in there too."
Mattie tried to look serious as she drew herself up and raised her hand in a crisp imitation of Harm's salutes that she had seen him snap off.
"Aye, sir. It won't happen again, sir. Ma'am." Mattie turned to face Jorgensen, and the officer smiled and returned the salute.
"Carry on, Ensign."
Mattie dropped the salute and hugged Harm again, a gesture that was returned without hesitation. As they pulled back from the hug, Harm glanced again at Jorgensen and then down at Mattie.
"We need to debrief, Mattie, and I need to say 'hi' to a certain Marine Lieutenant Colonel before I get my six thrown overboard, or worse."
Mattie laughed as she turned and walked between Harm and his RIO towards Mac. As they neared the hatch, Jorgensen turned and addressed Harm.
"I'll see you in the briefing room, sir. If it's all right with you, I could take Ensign Grace with me."
"Really?" Mattie looked between Harm and Jorgensen. "Please, Harm! This is so cool!"
Even Mac couldn't resist Mattie's enthusiasm. "Well, flyboy, what do you say?"
"Okay. But you do what Lieutenant Jorgensen says, and don't get in the way. I'll be there soon."
"Yes, Dad," Mattie answered, and then smiled widely. "I'll be good," she added, and waved as she followed Jorgensen through the hatch.
Sturgis, Mac and Harm watched the teenager go, and then Sturgis clapped Harm on the shoulder.
"I'd say you've got your work cut out for you… Dad," he murmured as he walked through the hatch ahead of Harm and Mac. As Mac grinned and followed Sturgis, Harm shrugged and followed the two of them. Once inside the ship, Sturgis spoke again.
"I need to get down to the JAG office and talk to Glennan. Captain Johnson has asked us to join him in his day room when you're debriefed. I'll meet you there. Mac, I trust you to get both your sixes to the debriefing on time. See you later, guys." With a wave over his shoulder he disappeared down a set of steps to the lower decks.
That left Mac and Harm together, alone, if you didn't take into consideration the rest of the ship's crew moving about around them.
"Captain Rabb, congratulations on your promotion, sir." Mac saluted Harm, and then grinned as Harm leaned in to her, not close enough to warrant fraternization charges, and not close enough for what Mac wanted for them, but close enough to be heard only by Mac.
"You and I can celebrate my promotion later, Colonel. In a minute we need to go and find Mattie, and I need to debrief with my crew, but right now…"
"Right now?" Mac echoed, a question in her murmured response.
Harm glanced ahead of him, and to his right. Knowing there was only the hatch to the deck behind him, he pushed Mac to his left, and followed her in to a darkened recess of the deck. As fast as Mac could turn to ask him what he was doing her mouth was taken by his, hard, fast, almost desperate, but Mac gave as good as she got, and although it was the briefest mating it was, for them, a coming together that was stronger than any loving they had shared before.
"Wow!" whispered Mac, putting her fingers up to her mouth, still feeling Harm's lips against hers, so strong had been the touch.
"Oh yeah," Harm acknowledged, grinning at Mac. As quickly as he had brought her into the recess they moved back to the spot inside the hatch, and from there made their way to the squadron briefing room. Mattie was seated beside Jorgensen, listening as the CAG began conducting the debrief. Harm and Mac entered the room, and took the seats directly behind Mattie. If the CAG noticed, he didn't say anything, continuing to debrief other crews first. Finally he came to Harm and Jorgensen.
"Captain Rabb?"
"Nothing to report, CAG. Skies are quiet, and no surface activity."
"Do you think we should send out another run, or stand down for the day?"
"We could cut back on numbers, send out twos instead of fours. There is little intel to suggest any major activity at this moment in time. If there are any changes in that respect, we can double up again as needed."
"I agree. Very well, ladies and gentlemen, we will stand down on flying fours for the time being. Our next sortie is scheduled for six hours from now. We'll have Scuba and Strafer with Frisbee and Waltzer."
"Aye, sir!" The four officers mentioned by their call signs acknowledged their new orders. Mattie sat, her attention fixed on the routine of the briefing room, soaking in the atmosphere of camaraderie that existed between the pilots and RIOs, whilst aware of the need for briefing and debriefing in the serious theater of war. As the CAG completed his debriefing of the recent sortie, and the briefing of the next, his attention went to one last item on his agenda.
"Captain Rabb, you have been assigned a one-off task. Captain Johnson has asked that you give a one-block familiarization tour of a Tomcat, to Ensign Grace."
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A/N:
1. Call signs are mine (I know there are the likes of Boomer, Tuna, Skates, etc., but I have no idea where those characters are in time scale, so it's easier to 'create' new ones; Ensign Walters is my creation too!)