A/N: In this story, the content of the episodes of Ice Queen/Meltdown never happened, but I am borrowing a character from that time. Harm only has vague knowledge of the former Major McBurney. Also, while helping a fellow author with a little research, I came across a few things that I wanted to include here as well. I own no rights to the movie mentioned therein or the stories behind the aviators.
It's been a pretty uneventful morning for Harm. He has spent most of it going over personnel files for the new attorneys that will be rotating into HQ for the next few months. He will start next week off with introductions and teaching the first section of the rules of engagement course that he developed. He's not sure how many days he will actually get in though, as a double homicide court-martial begins next week, and he wants the new recruits to sit in and observe. Bud will be prosecuting, and Lt. Colonel McBurney is flying in from the San Diego office to defend. Admiral Morris will be presiding. The evidence against the accused is extremely circumstantial, so Bud will have his work cut out for him against the Marine that General Cresswell hand-picked to defend the Captain charged with murder.
The personnel file that does catch his attention is one Lt. Marissa Ingalls. Even though she is fairly new to the JAG Corps, she has excellent fit reps and appears to be a rising star, graduating in the top 1% from the University of Virginia law school. Her biographical information makes Harm's eyes go wide as he notices that she is the daughter of his former CO, Tobias Ingalls. He finds it rather ironic. He just spoke to the Admiral a few weeks ago on his investigation of the mishap at Fallon, and Ingalls failed to mention a daughter in the JAG Corps, let alone one that was going to be assigned to a rotation at HQ. Harm will be sure to keep her on her toes, but he might have to call the Admiral and extend some good-natured ribbing at the fact that his daughter is a lawyer. If she performs well enough during her rotation here, perhaps Harm can convince the General to keep her at HQ and ship Lt. England to Reykjavik.
He notices Lt. Tiner walking across the bullpen, so Mac's trial must have recessed for lunch. Harm calls up to his wife's chambers to see if she can sneak away for a bite. Her yeoman patches him through, and she answers the phone giggling.
Her laughter is infectious, and Harm chuckles as he asks, "Just what is so funny there, Marine?"
Mac attempts to speak in between giggles, "This case I'm presiding over."
Harm teases, "Now, Mac. I thought you were supposed to judicate unemotionally."
Mac counters, "I know, I know, but I just can't help it. Besides, it isn't so much the case itself. Only the name was actually mentioned in session, I just happened to hear the story behind it."
He inquires, "Care to explain it to me over lunch?"
Mac's stomach grumbles at the mere mention of food, "Sure. I don't have to be back in court until 1330. What did you have in mind?"
Harm suggests, "I was thinking Ho's Organic Noodles, but I could be persuaded otherwise."
Mac quickly answers, "Ho's is fine, I have actually been craving some Kung Pao chicken."
Harm laughs, "Again? You just had it two days ago."
Mac banters, "What can I say? I like it, or at least the babies do."
Harm relents, "Ok, but when the little ones start Kung Fu fighting inside your stomach battling for space, I don't want to hear about it."
Mac laughs, "I've still got a few months before your children start trying to perform aerial maneuvers in my stomach."
Harm quirks his brow as he teases, "My children?"
Mac deadpans, "Yes, as I recall, it was your shot that did this."
Harm outright laughs, "Hey! I only fired one missile. I can't help that you dropped multiple targets for it to hit."
Mac ponders his rationale for a moment before replying, "Hmm, maybe next time don't use heat seekers.
Harm shakes his head, "You've never complained about my heat before."
Mac admonishes, "Harm! We're in the office. Why don't I come down to you and we can get going?"
Harm replies, "I'll meet you at the elevator."
Harm and Mac reach the ground floor and start heading to his Lexus. Mac asks, "Were you able to meet with General Creswell?"
Harm nods, "I got on his calendar for close of business today. How about you with Admiral Morris?"
Mac replies, "He's got to leave on time today so I am adjourning court a little early so that I can meet with him at 1600. I can pick up the kids after I meet with him."
Harm asks, "Do I need to move my appointment with Creswell up?"
Mac shakes her head, "Nah, I'm not worried about it. I'm the one bound by regulations to inform my Commanding Officer. You are just doing it as a courtesy, you aren't the one who is pregnant!"
Thankfully, traffic is light and they arrive at Ho's fairly quickly. Their drinks on the table and their order placed, Harm asks, "So what got you into a giggling fit earlier?"
Mac smacks his forearm, "I told you before that Marines don't giggle."
Harm quirks his brow, "I've been married to this Marine long enough to know that you, Mrs. Rabb are a big fat liar. You giggle all the time, especially when you are pregnant."
Rolling her eyes, she asks, "In all your years of flying, what is the funniest call sign you ever heard?"
Harm ponders her question for a moment before answering, "Hmm. That's a tough one, there have been several over the years. There was a Lt. Berry whose call sign was Dingle. That one was pretty good, but I honestly think the one that cracked me up the most was P.E."
She knits her brows, "P.E.? Really into physically fitness?"
Harm laughs, "No, P.E. as in Premature Ejection. He hadn't even taxied over to the runway for takeoff before he pulled the ejection handle while sitting on the tarmac."
Mac chuckles, "That's a pretty good one, but I think the witness in my case tops that."
Harm replies, "Ok, I'll bite. What's the call sign?"
Mac sports a wide grin, "Free Willy."
Harm inquires, "As in the orca whale? The one they released from captivity into the wild in the movie?"
Mac shakes her head, "No, as in he used the relief tube in flight, and forgot to zip back up until after he had deplaned and was walking across the flight deck after somebody yelled, 'Hey Daughtery, XYZ!' His RIO was cracking up laughing behind him, and once news of the incident became known throughout the squadron, he was dubbed with his new call sign." Mac internally laughs at the fact that she wouldn't even know what a relief tube is saved for the fact that she is married to a pilot.
Harm's brows go to his hairline, "Wow! That's got to be embarrassing. If I had ever done that, Skates would have never let me hear the end of it. He's lucky he didn't get charged with indecent exposure. Although I bet his CAG was laughing too hard to even think about any charges."
Mac chuckles, "It's also probably a good thing that you didn't date any women in your squadron or your call sign might have been Rabbit."
Not quite sure if he should be offended, Harm immediately goes on the defensive, "I don't run that fast! That could have been Sturgis' call sign if he was a pilot."
Mac argues, "Maybe not literally, but you definitely ran from commitment."
Harm takes her hand in his, and kisses the back of it lightly, "I was just making sure I committed to the right woman. I think I made a great choice."
Mac blushes at his compliment, "Yes you did."
Needing to get the spotlight off of his younger dating days, and also not wanting to admit that no pilot would give another pilot that call sign because they were all playboys back then, he shifts the discussion back to her court case. He states, "So, how did you hear about it? I can't think that anyone would have told the story of how he received his call sign in open court."
Mac smirks, "No, only his actual call sign came out in court. One of the other witnesses called him 'Willy' and I got curious. I just happened to overhear the conversation when some of his squadron mates were engaging in locker room talk right outside my chambers."
Harm teases her, "Were you eavesdropping on your witnesses? You aren't supposed to do that."
Mac exclaims, "I was not! They shouldn't have been talking right outside my door."
Harm continues, "I can't think they were having that kind of discussion in front of your yeoman."
Mac shakes her head, "She wasn't there. I had sent her down to grab some files for me."
As their food arrives, Harm switches topics, "Speaking of files, guess who will be coming to HQ as a new attorney on rotation next week?"
Mac gasps, "Please tell me Vukovic isn't coming back!"
Harm almost chokes on his Lo Mein, "God No! I don't think the General will ever let his set foot back in HQ as long as he is in command. This is an attorney I've never met, Lt. Marissa Ingalls."
Mac asks, "Any relation to Admiral Ingalls?"
Harm nods his head, "It's his daughter."
Mac replies, "Oh, this should get interesting."
A/N: For anyone who isn't aware – XYZ = Check your zipper.
