"Good morning ma'am." Jen said as Mac came in the next morning.
"Not really but never mind. Come into my office for a minute." Jen followed her in. "Take a seat."
"Is something wrong ma'am?"
"This is just a suggestion, it's not a problem."
"Ma'am?" Jen questioned.
"Don't give out case precedents once a court martial has started that could affect the outcome even if it is to a third party."
"Commander Rabb." Jen said the realisation dawning on her. "I'm sorry ma'am, I didn't think."
"It's not a problem in this case. Harm knew better than to say anything specifically, but you have to watch non-lawyers too, because Skates told Sturgis at Harm's urging. I notified Bud of what happened, but it's not a problem since the case file is readily accessible, and Major Williams didn't have to tell Sturgis anything or she could have earlier in the case."
"Ma'am I am really sorry."
"Forget it, just don't do it again."
"Yes ma'am. Is there anything you need ma'am?"
"A vacation and my husband to not be going where ever the Patrick Henry is this week. But that's not going to happen so I'm fine thank you."
"You do have leave on the books ma'am."
"I'm saving that for when I absolutely need it." Mac replied. "So any mail this morning?"
"Yes ma'am. I'll go and get it."
#
"Tiner, do you have that information I asked you for?" Harm asked. He was working until noon before heading out to prepare for his flight.
"I have Captain Kale's personnel file sir, and the phone numbers for several people in his old squadron."
"Thank you Tiner." Harm took the information from him.
"Sir...." Tiner said hesitantly.
"Yes Tiner?"
"There is some scuttlebutt as to why Captain Kale was transferred to the Patrick Henry from his position of CAG on the Abraham Lincoln, sir."
"What kind of scuttlebutt Petty Officer?" Harm asked.
"Something to do with the don't ask, don't tell policy sir." Tiner replied.
"Thank you for your help Petty Officer. But keep that information to yourself."
"Aye aye sir."
"Commander, can I get you anything?" Harriet asked as she stood in Harm's office doorway.
"Harriet, you should be sat down with your feet up not running around trying to find extra work."
"Give me a couple of months sir and I'll agree with you, but right now I need to keep active to keep me awake. So can I get you anything?"
"Take a seat." Harm said. He turned the phone around so it was facing her. "Try calling these people, if you get a hold of any of them I need to speak to them straight away. It will give me time to keep reading this."
"Yes sir." Harriet picked up the phone and dialled the first number. The first three were either deployed or not home. Harriet finally got through to one of them. "Sir, Lieutenant Dunbar." Harriet held out the phone to him.
"Thanks Harriet, you shouldn't hear this for deniability's sake."
"I'll be at my desk, if you need anything else before you leave."
"Thank you." He waited to Harriet had left and closed the door. "Lieutenant Dunbar, this is Commander Rabb with the Judge Advocate General's corps."
"Commander, have I done something wrong?" Dunbar asked.
"No Lieutenant. I need to ask you a few questions about Captain Kale; I understand you served under him."
"Yes sir, he was the CAG when I was doing my tour on the Lincoln until he got transferred."
"What kind of CAG was he?" Harm asked.
"The by the book kind sir. He liked everything within the rules; you have to be an aviator to understand sir but..."
"I am an aviator too. I just happen to be a lawyer most of the time now."
"What do you fly sir?" Dunbar asked.
"Tomcats."
"I fly Hornets." Dunbar replied. "Why do you want to know about the CAG sir?"
"This is a strictly off the record inquiry that I've been asked to make."
"Sir, permission to speak freely about a superior officer." Dunbar said.
"Go ahead." Harm said. "Be honest."
"The CAG's not a bad guy; he just has a slight attitude problem. When the scuttlebutt came up it got worse until he requested a transfer to a different carrier group."
"What kind of scuttlebutt?" Harm asked.
"Of the don't ask, don't tell variety. There was an incident while we were on liberty one night."
"Was there an investigation?" Harm asked.
"No sir. The XO talked to him about it and he explained it away, then about two weeks later he requested the transfer."
"I see thank you for your help Lieutenant."
"You're lucky you caught me sir, I was on the way to the hospital, and I'm on emergency leave my wife went into labour two months early."
"I hope everything works out for you." Harm said.
"Thank you sir." Harm hung up.
TBC
"Not really but never mind. Come into my office for a minute." Jen followed her in. "Take a seat."
"Is something wrong ma'am?"
"This is just a suggestion, it's not a problem."
"Ma'am?" Jen questioned.
"Don't give out case precedents once a court martial has started that could affect the outcome even if it is to a third party."
"Commander Rabb." Jen said the realisation dawning on her. "I'm sorry ma'am, I didn't think."
"It's not a problem in this case. Harm knew better than to say anything specifically, but you have to watch non-lawyers too, because Skates told Sturgis at Harm's urging. I notified Bud of what happened, but it's not a problem since the case file is readily accessible, and Major Williams didn't have to tell Sturgis anything or she could have earlier in the case."
"Ma'am I am really sorry."
"Forget it, just don't do it again."
"Yes ma'am. Is there anything you need ma'am?"
"A vacation and my husband to not be going where ever the Patrick Henry is this week. But that's not going to happen so I'm fine thank you."
"You do have leave on the books ma'am."
"I'm saving that for when I absolutely need it." Mac replied. "So any mail this morning?"
"Yes ma'am. I'll go and get it."
#
"Tiner, do you have that information I asked you for?" Harm asked. He was working until noon before heading out to prepare for his flight.
"I have Captain Kale's personnel file sir, and the phone numbers for several people in his old squadron."
"Thank you Tiner." Harm took the information from him.
"Sir...." Tiner said hesitantly.
"Yes Tiner?"
"There is some scuttlebutt as to why Captain Kale was transferred to the Patrick Henry from his position of CAG on the Abraham Lincoln, sir."
"What kind of scuttlebutt Petty Officer?" Harm asked.
"Something to do with the don't ask, don't tell policy sir." Tiner replied.
"Thank you for your help Petty Officer. But keep that information to yourself."
"Aye aye sir."
"Commander, can I get you anything?" Harriet asked as she stood in Harm's office doorway.
"Harriet, you should be sat down with your feet up not running around trying to find extra work."
"Give me a couple of months sir and I'll agree with you, but right now I need to keep active to keep me awake. So can I get you anything?"
"Take a seat." Harm said. He turned the phone around so it was facing her. "Try calling these people, if you get a hold of any of them I need to speak to them straight away. It will give me time to keep reading this."
"Yes sir." Harriet picked up the phone and dialled the first number. The first three were either deployed or not home. Harriet finally got through to one of them. "Sir, Lieutenant Dunbar." Harriet held out the phone to him.
"Thanks Harriet, you shouldn't hear this for deniability's sake."
"I'll be at my desk, if you need anything else before you leave."
"Thank you." He waited to Harriet had left and closed the door. "Lieutenant Dunbar, this is Commander Rabb with the Judge Advocate General's corps."
"Commander, have I done something wrong?" Dunbar asked.
"No Lieutenant. I need to ask you a few questions about Captain Kale; I understand you served under him."
"Yes sir, he was the CAG when I was doing my tour on the Lincoln until he got transferred."
"What kind of CAG was he?" Harm asked.
"The by the book kind sir. He liked everything within the rules; you have to be an aviator to understand sir but..."
"I am an aviator too. I just happen to be a lawyer most of the time now."
"What do you fly sir?" Dunbar asked.
"Tomcats."
"I fly Hornets." Dunbar replied. "Why do you want to know about the CAG sir?"
"This is a strictly off the record inquiry that I've been asked to make."
"Sir, permission to speak freely about a superior officer." Dunbar said.
"Go ahead." Harm said. "Be honest."
"The CAG's not a bad guy; he just has a slight attitude problem. When the scuttlebutt came up it got worse until he requested a transfer to a different carrier group."
"What kind of scuttlebutt?" Harm asked.
"Of the don't ask, don't tell variety. There was an incident while we were on liberty one night."
"Was there an investigation?" Harm asked.
"No sir. The XO talked to him about it and he explained it away, then about two weeks later he requested the transfer."
"I see thank you for your help Lieutenant."
"You're lucky you caught me sir, I was on the way to the hospital, and I'm on emergency leave my wife went into labour two months early."
"I hope everything works out for you." Harm said.
"Thank you sir." Harm hung up.
TBC
