A Little Lower Than the Angels
Chapter 1
Disclaimers: I don't own any of the JAG characters. I don't own any product or label mentioned for the purposes of telling this story. Any similarities to situations or persons living or dead are purely coincidental.
Spoilers: Any JAG episode through Season 8, starting with the period of time just before 'Ice Queen,' however, we will begin by addressing the events in the episode 'Each of Us Angels.'
A/N: This story has been bugging me since our EOTW discussion a few weeks ago. That said, I want to make clear that I don't intend to change one detail of the story 'Each of Us Angels.' I just wanted to visit some of the people in the story, and try to link them to the Harm and Mac we had in the spring of 2003, and then follow our DD through the rest of
the season.
"For what is man that Thou art mindful of him,
Or the son of man that You take care of him?
You have made him a little lower than the angels;
You have crowned him with glory and honor,
And set him over the works of Your hands.
You have put all things in subjection under his feet."
0915
Friday
April 15, 2003
JAG Headquarters
Admiral Chegwidden sat at his desk; his two most senior attorneys were seated before him.
"The SecNav has requested that we investigate a possible recipient of the Navy Cross, Nurse Ensign Beverly Trombatore. It will be a posthumous award."
He leaned forward holding out a file for each of them.
They both looked up with a questioning expression, curious as to why this required the attention of both of them.
The Admiral knew these two, and decided he would just let them wonder what his motives were. They had been fighting off and on, for the better part of the last 6 months, making the whole of JAG Ops staff, miserable at times.
Given the spirit of competition between them, they would pursue this matter beyond a shadow of a doubt, he was sure. The SecNav could never throw it back into his lap, if the Admiral could argue that he had given the job to Rabb and Mackenzie, two senior attorneys who held, what he knew, were vastly different opinions on this subject. All bases would be covered, politically and otherwise.
Besides, he just wanted to get them both, the hell out of JAG Ops for awhile; the tension level in recent weeks had become ridiculous. It seemed they were managing one crisis after another lately.
First there was Singer's 'firing' from the Seahawk, and her mystery pregnancy, then the accident that landed him in the frigid, and snow covered George Washington National Forest, and last, but not least, the SecNav's audit and Teddy Lindsey's near trashing of his entire senior staff. He had nearly resigned over the matter. What the hell else could happen to this office, he decided didn't even want to think about it.
The Admiral knew he needed a break but the best he could do now, was get these two out from under his feet for a couple of days.
"You will both conduct interviews with former shipmates of Nurse Ensign Trombatore, who served aboard the USS Goodwill, while the hospital ship was assigned to a battle group just off the coast of Iwo Jima. She was killed in February 1945, as a result of her efforts to protect the men in her ward by securing the oxygen tanks, while the hospital ship was under severe enemy fire."
"You will also interview the former Lieutenant Ron Graham, USMC. He is the driving force behind the investigation for this award. He was aboard the Goodwill when the Nurse Ensign was killed."
Mac spoke up, "Sir…if I may, only four female members of the Navy or Marines have ever received the Navy Cross."
"I am aware Colonel, and personally, I think there are a number of things in play here, though you will not repeat it this beyond the walls of this office. Congressman Steven Tate, from Ms. Trombatore's district in Oregon, is coming up for re election this coming year. The World War Two Memorial is also due to open next spring. Apparently, Mr. Graham, who was also an eyewitness to Nurse Ensign Trombatore's heroism, has made it his personal mission to make Congressman Tate's life miserable, until she is at least considered, for the medal."
Mac opened her file, at once curious about the case and Mr. Graham. She wanted to meet this man, who was pushing so hard for a woman, long dead and not a relative, to be recognized for her bravery and valor.
Harm was eyeing his file critically and wondered, 'a Navy Cross for turning off oxygen?' Considering what he had heard so far, he just couldn't picture it. He believed he understood the sacrifices made by nurses during that time, but he didn't think it rose to the level that would merit a Navy Cross. He was sure it was as the admiral had said; it had to be a political move on the part of her congressman, a ploy to appeal to the votes of his female constituents.
Harm would be the first to admit, that the medal was due to many nurses who served during WWII. Some were captured by the enemy, survived terrible conditions and still treated the men and women with whom they were imprisoned as POW's. A quick perusal of the file indicated that this woman was aboard ship for most of her tour of duty. She was probably one of dozens of nurses, going the extra mile for their patients that day.
"Do you have a problem with this assignment, Commander?" The Admiral had observed Harm's knitted brow and congratulated himself for being right about Rabb and Mackenzie again. He could practically see Rabb's wheels turning and Mackenzie already reacting to them.
Harm's head snapped up quickly. "No…sir"
Mac was eyeing Harm suspiciously, she knew that look, he had already made up his mind. He didn't believe the nurse ensign deserved the medal. Mac couldn't quite put her finger on it but for some reason, he had been getting under her skin more than usual lately. When he wasn't irritating her, he seemed uncharacteristically distant. She couldn't explain how she knew it, but he was keeping something from her; she could feel it, he had been since late last fall, when she temporarily replaced Singer aboard the Seahawk.
Before that assignment, she thought that they were getting closer, but after she returned, they always seemed to be on opposite sides of an argument, of any kind. Their 'debates' weren't anything new, but the tone of them had become a bit sharper, and they weren't seasoned with the closeness they once shared.
"Very well, I expect a full report from each of you, no later than Wednesday at 1600. One that will satisfy the SecNav and Congressman Tate…Are we clear?"
"Yes, sir" They both spoke at once.
Harm and Mac were dismissed with their assignments, each officer, retreating without comment, to their respective offices.
1045
Friday
April 15 2003
JAG Headquarters
Harm sat at his desk, trying to concentrate on the information in his case file. He didn't understand why the admiral had assigned both of them, but Harm decided he would be unwise to question him at this point. When he considered that that he was responsible for the Admiral's unfortunate ejection from an F 14 over Northern Virginia, not to mention, into a snowstorm in the middle of February, Harm decided he wasn't going to push his luck.
He had been keeping his distance from Mac lately. He thought it might be wise, at least until he was able to resolve the matter with Singer and Sergei, Mac knew him too well. The situation was always niggling in the back of his mind, what if Singer really was pregnant with Sergei's baby, when Harm had talked to him about it, he didn't seem to think it was a possibility, but what if it was? What if she decided not to carry it to term? What if she gave it up, once those records were sealed, Harm would never find the child.
Mac had come to Harm's open office door, a few moments before, to find him still scowling at the file in front of him. Thinking his expression had to do with their assignment, she chided him.
"What is it, Harm? Does the thought of another woman getting the Navy Cross have you that upset."
Harm startled and looked up at her, incredulous. "No…of course not. Why would you say that?"
Mac shook her head and folded her arms across her chest. "Never mind, do you want to begin at Bethesda?"
"Bethesda?"
"Yes Harm, Bethesda. You've been going over the file, since the Admiral gave it to you this morning, haven't you seen that Mr. Graham's granddaughter, Lieutenant Carol Graham is stationed at Bethesda?" She walked further into his office and continued.
"I spoke with her this morning, Mr. Graham and his wife are here visiting their granddaughter this week, it turns out that Mrs. Graham, the former Nurse Ensign Joanie James, was serving aboard the Goodwill and knew Nurse Ensign Trombatore, as well."
Harm had been so absorbed in his thoughts about Singer and his brother that he hadn't gotten that far yet.
"Fine. How about after lunch? I have a few phone calls to make." He had been trying to reach Sergei for over two weeks. He needed to talk to him. Singer had been on extended maternity leave for months, God knew where, she was due in less than a month. Harm knew he was practically obsessing about this, but he just couldn't let it go, if he had anything to do with it, another Rabb wasn't going to grow up without his father.
"Fine." He was still being secretive about something; he was looking at her, but still not quite meeting her eyes. He was acting as of he wanted her to leave his office. Feeling shut out, again, Mac turned and walked back to her office.
1345
National Naval Medical Center
Bethesda, Maryland
Harm had been virtually silent all the way over to the hospital, he'd had no luck reaching Sergei, and his thoughts were still turned inward.
Mac had stolen glances at him from time to time, wondering what was behind the wall that he seemed to have strengthened around him lately. She couldn't help feeling that their relationship was changing, that maybe he didn't trust her as much as he used to. The thought of that possibility made her so sad that she sighed audibly.
Harm heard her, "What did you say?"
Mac answered, not looking in his direction, "I didn't say anything."
She thought that this was certainly no time to talk about 'them.' She was beginning to feel hopeless about the whole situation, maybe they never would be together; Harm seemed content to stay in this limbo, content to keep his distance, indefinitely.
As they approached the main gate of the National Naval Medical Center complex, Mac pushed those thoughts away and got her head back into their assignment.
As they walked into the hospital to meet with the Grahams, Mac couldn't help but notice his pensive expression.
"I can't believe you're acting like this about our assignment" She couldn't remember when she'd seen him so preoccupied.
"I just don't like the political part of this, and as I recall, you don't like things like this either." He didn't feel like sparring with her now, he just wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible; he hated it when they were assigned to attend to the SecNav's 'errands.'
"No, I don't usually, but I am intrigued." As they approached the elevators, she turned toward him and asked. "You've already made up your mind about this, haven't you?"
"No, I haven't, but Mac, you have to admit, a Navy Cross for securing oxygen tanks? There are other women, who are probably more deserving, who met the enemy face to face, in POW camps, and in battlefield hospitals. I think this is about Congressman Tate running for election in 04'." Harm stepped into the elevator and Mac followed him.
Harm observed the confused look on her face.
"What?"
"About the time I think I have you figured out, you say something…almost….nice." She couldn't keep from smiling at him.
Harm chuckled and stepped a bit closer to her, looking her in the eye. "Sorry to disappoint you, Mackenzie." He was suddenly flirting with her and his eyes were lit with mischief.
Mac decided that it was pointless to try to figure him out and decided to just go with it; she definitely preferred a little lighthearted flirting to fighting with him, any day.
The elevator doors opened and Mac turned walked out ahead of him. "You're just full of surprises aren't you?" She threw him a saucy smile over her shoulder as he followed her out of the elevator.
They had set up a meeting with the Grahams in the commissary, at the medical center complex, since neither of the Grahams drove and Bethesda was centrally located, near their granddaughter's residence.
A young woman in uniform approached them. "Commander Rabb, Colonel Mackenzie?"
"Lieutenant Carol Graham." She came to attention.
Mac instructed the junior officer to stand at ease.
"Yes, ma'am." She turned toward Harm, acknowledging him. "Sir"
"My grandparents are seated on the other side of the commissary." She nodded and turned to direct them.
"Lead on, Lieutenant." The young woman looked vaguely familiar to him, but Harm could not place her.
They followed her to a table, where an elderly couple were seated, the man rose, as he saw the officers' approach. He was tall and bespectacled and his wife, who remained seated was petite, their hair silvery white. They both had to be in at least their mid eighties, but they wore it well. They both beamed with pride as their grand daughter approached.
The younger Lieutenant Graham introduced them to her grandparents but then had to leave them. "If you'll excuse me, sir, ma'am, I have to return to my duties."
Mac dismissed her. "Carry on, Lieutenant."
The lieutenant arranged to meet her grandparents after her shift and she quickly left them to their interview.
After they were all seated, Harm immediately opened his briefcase and got down to business. "Mr. Graham, what we're doing here today is simply getting your account of the events of February 28 1945." He looked at Mrs. Graham, "We'll need your account as well, ma'am"
The older man frowned and then spoke sharply, "Her name was Beverly Trombatore, she was nurse ensign aboard the hospital ship Goodwill." This naval officer was making him angry; he seemed to Mr. Graham, indifferent, as if Beverly weren't a real person, not to mention a hero.
"I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to sound disrespectful, we have Nurse Ensign Trombatore's information, we just need to have an account of the events of that day." Harm looked at Mr. Graham directly.
His wife touched his arm, and he calmed down. 'No, I apologize, it's been pretty difficult to get anyone to take us seriously, and I know that this wouldn't even be taken into consideration if we weren't nearing an election year. I know Congressman Tate wishes he had never answered my letter."
The former Nurse Ensign Joanie James chuckled and stroked her husbands arm. "We haven't allowed the Congressman much peace, since then."
Harm smiled at them both. He supposed there really wasn't anything wrong with using a congressman's ambition to honor a friend.
"The information we have states that Nurse Ensign Trombatore turned off the oxygen tanks in the hospital ward, while the ship was taking enemy fire."
The older couple looked at each other, smiling without humor at the understatement, and then Mr. Graham spoke, "You could say we were taking enemy fire, the ship itself was on fire, she had suffered a kamikaze attack, the ships compartments had filled with smoke."
Mrs. Graham added, "If the fire had reached the tanks, the ward itself would have become an inferno, SOP was to evacuate the most ambulatory patients first, but I know that Beverly believed, if she could get to the tanks and turn them off, the patients who were bedfast could be saved as well."
Mr. Graham finished. "If the tanks had blown, the chain reaction might have sunk the ship itself and more lives would have been lost."
Mrs. Graham continued. "Beverly went to the ward, as everyone else was evacuating in the other direction."
"I tried to follow, to help in someway, but I was too late. The ship had taken another hit, it wrecked the hospital ward. I found Beverly under one of the supply cabinets, unconscious." The older man's voice became low. "I got her out, out on the deck, she came to, just for a moment, she never said anything, she just…then…she died."
Mac saw that Mr. Graham was getting upset, so she turned her attention to his wife. "Mrs. Graham, did you witness the Nurse Ensign returning to the ward?"
"Yes I did, I was helping evacuate, the ambulatory patients"
Mr. Graham interrupted, "Yeah, in her hospital gown, she was a patient herself and had been wounded the day before, while on the deck of the ship. The ships around us were taking heavy fire and were returning it. I suppose you could say we got caught in the crossfire, and Joanie was wounded." Mr. Graham placed his hand over his wife's, where it still rested on his arm.
"It was pretty brutal, for everyone. It seemed that during that last year of the war, the enemy was more vicious and more willing to die. They were willing to do whatever it took, to kill as many Americans as they could before the war was over, hospital ships were no exception." The older man could still see the faces of his men, in his minds eye, the ones who never came home.
Both officers became caught up in Beverly Trombatore's story, and the couple who were telling it. Mrs. Graham painted a very vivid picture of life aboard the Goodwill and of the men and women who served with them and Mr. Graham was able to tell the story from a patient's point of view.
"Our records indicate that only the former Seaman Thomas and Nurse Ensign Jane Connors, now Rowe, are the only living witnesses to the events of that day."
Mr. Graham continued, "Yes, I hear from Stan at least twice a year. He's even made it to a few reunions, some of us formed a bond on the Goodwill, and we met every other year for quite some time. We're all a little older now; it's a bit tougher to do."
"Seaman Thomas was a messman, wasn't he?" Mac asked him.
"Yes he was, but Stan was where ever he was needed, and on a hospital ship, that could be anywhere, especially during that time. He was a high school teacher who signed up to fight, but ended up cleaning bedpans." Mrs. Graham smiled, as she remembered him.
"I gave him a hard time about hiding his light under a bushel, but he did alright after the war. He went back to teaching high school, for twenty years and then was a principal for another twenty." Mr. Graham added, remembering the close, but long distance friendship they maintained over the years, sharing pictures and milestones of their families and their lives, more by letter, than face to face.
"Have you spoken with Jane?" Mrs. Graham asked about her former shipmate. "She met her husband aboard the Goodwill, you know. He witnessed what happened that day."
"Yes ma'am, I spoke with her this morning.' Mac had gotten started tight away. "Mrs. Rowe is going to overnight copies of letters that were written by her husband; she says he wrote several letters to his mother the week of February 28th that spoke, in glowing detail of the Nurse Ensign's actions that day. The letters, in addition to Mrs. Rowe's account of the events of that day will corroborate what you and your husband have told us today."
Harm added, "We will speak with Mr. Thomas tomorrow, before we finish our investigation."
They wound up their interview and as they stood to leave, Joanie Graham made a suggestion. "We were just getting ready to go out to the site of the new Memorial; would you two like to come along?"
They agreed, without discussion or hesitation. Neither officer would be able to say why they had agreed to go. Something about the Grahams drew them in, and it was as though they both decided, at least for while, that they would allow it. As they followed the Grahams into the elevators, Harm whispered to Mac. "We can always say it was an extended interview, with in depth background research." Harm raised his eye brows, giving her a 'what do you think?' look.
She smiled at him indulgently and nodded, "Sounds good to me. I don't think the Admiral wants us back in the office this afternoon anyway."
They both chuckled, and without any effort at all, seemed to slip into that familiar sense of ease, that their friendship and something a bit more, had always brought them.
TBC
A/N: The verse at the beginning of the story, is from the New King James version of the Bible. It is Hebrews chapter 2, verses 6 through 8.
A/N: The details of Seaman Thomas life were taken from Araninda's post of an early script draft, during the EOTW discussion of 'Each of Us Angels.'
