Chapter 61

During her maternity leave, they arranged day care for Valerie. This was easier for them to deal with than what was happening at JAG. Chegwidden suddenly retired, and since the admiral been the one to arrange for them to both be stationed at headquarters they weren't sure what that meant for their careers. With the new JAG, it was highly likely that one or both could be transferred elsewhere, and they talked about it, discussing all the various scenarios of how the new JAG could change their arrangement.

Thanks to a now inactive, at least as far as the military was concerned, Lt. Sims-Roberts, the baby sitting dilemma was solved while Mac was still pregnant. Harriet had recommended a woman to Mac to watch the little Rabb when she returned to work. What was a selling point in their favor was the fact she recommended that the parents drop in unannounced when they could during the day. She only took infants, and was choosy as to the ones she accepted. Harriet had been one of her favorite clients, and as she knew she would have an opening, agreed to watch the infant. It was two blocks from headquarters so Mac could quickly get there to nurse her daughter. Harriet had agreed to watch Valerie when she was older; she was currently pregnant with twins and not planning to return to the workforce until the children were school-aged.

With Mac's return to work, the staffing in judiciary was full but until the new JAG was confirmed the staff was extremely busy. After the August recess, the Senate finally confirmed their first choice to become the new JAG. Colonel Gordon Creswell, This unsettled Mac because of her history with the man. He'd been good friends with John Farrow, and all three had been stationed together in Okinawa. Because of his new position, the man had been promoted to Major General.

After his confirmation, Creswell had a look at the names of everyone who served with him at headquarters. He recognized one name right off and he was surprised to see that she was now on the bench. He noted that she was married to one of the other officers.

In her file was a notation from Chegwidden stating she was the better choice to sit on the bench, not that Rabb couldn't do the job, He noted that she'd matured in the years that he'd known her. Creswell was curious so he then looked through the large stack of files to read Rabb's file. He wasn't so sure he'd have taken the man back after his resignation, again, Chegwidden had written a note for his successor stating that the commander was just about the best attorney he'd ever dealt with, was determined to find the truth out, no matter what the cost. The note also said 'get to know that man, before you pass judgment, the record doesn't completely reflect the individual.' The newly promoted Major General had a lot to ponder over the next few weeks.

Chapter 62

Things settled down at work and at home with the new JAG. It seemed to Harm and Mac that Creswell realized Mac wasn't the same woman he'd known a decade earlier and while they'd never have the same working relationship that Chegwidden had with her, they'd get along well. This was mostly because of her status as a judge. Harm on the other hand, seemed to be TDY at least once a month, sent on investigations that could have easily gone to other less experienced officers. It seemed like Creswell was testing Harm, and Harm wasn't entirely sure he was passing the test.

Mattie was doing fine in school and Harm allowed her to do the bookwork for becoming a pilot, but he insisted she wait until spring before going up with an instructor. She fumed and said it wasn't fair but Harm didn't budge an inch. He told her he wanted to wait until springtime and when Mattie asked why, he just told her that he didn't feel comfortable with the company that leased hanger space from her company. He said that a classmate of his was planning to start up a company, and this guy had been a flight instructor at Pensacola for years. When Mattie heard that she'd be taught by someone who'd taught the naval aviators, she acquiesced, albeit grudgingly.

It turned out that Harm's apprehensions were valid, in late February 2005, the instructor she'd wanted to use perished, along with his student while landing in sudden inclement weather. That news shook the teen, she seriously considered not taking flying lessons but both Harm and Sergei were able to persuade her to go ahead and take the lessons.

"You both know I wasn't a fighter pilot for several years after my ramp strike. The only thing harder than landing that plane with Admiral Boone in the front seat, was the first time I flew any plane after my recovery. I'd just about restored Sarah when Keeter just showed up one day at Grandma's. That night we were playing poker. Jack tapped out, so he made a bet-- if I won that hand he'd leave me alone, stop egging me to get back into the cockpit, because other than flying at night, I'd been cleared to fly. However, if he won, he'd take me up and I'd have to take the controls and land the plane. I agreed, since I'd won nearly every game we'd played together at the Academy. I still think he stacked the deck."

"He did," Mac interjected. "He told me so, when were with the Bedouin tribe."

"I'm going to...thank him the next time I see him, just after I punch his lights out." Harm muttered. Mac decided she'd warn Keeter to be wary on his next visit. She knew, from what Harm had said to her, he'd been terrified to get back into the cockpit, but it had been what he needed to do if he were ever to fly again. She knew it had taken him nearly five more years before he'd get into an F-14.

Kate Pike had told Mac, several years earlier, "I couldn't figure out why Harm had seemed so uncomfortable flying out to the Seahawk, when we were sent on the Arruti investigation, until it came out that he'd been a pilot. I figured it was because we were directly summoned from a Bastille Day party, we were in our dress whites for their flight to the ship."

Harm told Mattie he'd set up her training the week of her spring vacation. As she'd been looking forward to the chance to get up in the air, she didn't mind missing the chance to go to Florida with her friends. Her instructor told Harm she was a natural and fully expected her to be a fighter pilot in the future. He confided in Harm that she had the talent, and the drive to become a test pilot or even an astronaut, when he heard that the teen had applied to the Academy he personally went to Annapolis to talk to the admissions board. If they hadn't decided as of yet, he wanted to tilt the board in favor of her admission.

Harm and Sturgis had been trying to make inroads in repairing their friendship during the fall and winter. However between work and family obligations they both had, as Sturgis' father had a suffered a stroke and was now living with the commander during his rehabilitation, they'd only able to get together two or three times a month for a game of basketball.

When Sturgis had assumed temporary command, they mutually decided to stop their weekly games, so no one would accuse Sturgis of favoritism. In late January 2005, Harm was sent on an investigation to a carrier and he soon found himself the subject of an investigation, as the CAG had been short one pilot so he'd asked Harm to fly.

Harm was due for his quals soon so this flight would be part of that, except that during the flight he'd been forced to shoot down a small plane. That was bad enough, but the identity of the dead pilot sent shockwaves all the way back to DC. A high-ranking Iraqi official had been the controls.