Chapter VII - Incident at Potomac Park
Loren was talking with Lieutenant Bud Roberts again. She felt as if she had seen this memory fragment before but somehow, it was different. There was more to it…
'I was up all night with AJ,' Bud was telling her. He looked haggard. Why hadn't she noticed that before?
'Well, you two have become quite chummy,' Loren heard herself commenting in a snippy tone of voice.
She remembered she was still angry about Bud being named Force Judge Advocate for a ship…at the time it seemed important for her to get that honor, not him. So why was she angry about a person named AJ?
"My son," Bud reminded her. Well, that didn't help. Why was she angry about his son? What did that have to do with anything?
"Oh…" she remembered saying. "That AJ." 'That AJ?' So there were two people named AJ? Then it came to her…AJ Chegwidden…the Admiral…the…JAG…her boss…now her jealousy was beginning to make sense – or at least the memory of it was.
'He has the flu,' Bud said to her as he continued his explanation. It looked like they were getting ready to do something.
She remembered turning to him. 'Well, can't Harriet handle him?' She asked. That seemed awful cold of her—just what kind of person was she? Was she that jealous that she could not see how much he cared for his son?
'Harriet and I both work full time jobs so we share the childcare,' Bud informed her.
Loren felt so guilty-she wished she could apologize to him for saying that…she wished that this memory would fade away like the others had, but it was obvious it was going to play through to the end.
'You know why I stay single?' she said to him. Loren wished she hadn't said that to him.
'I can think of several reasons,' Bud answered pointedly. It was obvious he didn't think much of her and her comments in this meeting. Now in hindsight, she understood why.
'Well, you can put this at the top of your list: There's nothing between me and my work,' She replied smugly.
'That is really very sad,' she remembered Bud commenting.
That hit harder than any fist could. A deep sadness filled her. She began to cry.
"Lieutenant?"
Bud was looking at her with concern. She just wanted him to go away and leave her alone….
"Let me try, Gibbs. Loren, please wake up. Why are you crying?"
Loren's tear filled eyes blinked open revealing a watery looking version of Doctor Donald Mallard looking down at her with concern. There was a gentleman standing next to him, he had short gray hair cut similar manner to Sergeant Garrel and was wearing a black winter coat.
"Loren, why were you crying, m'dear? Is everything all right?" Ducky gently took her hand in his.
Loren sniffled. "H'I'm fuh…fuh…fine, um, I'm fine Dr. Mallard, I just had a bad dream," she said. It was only a half lie.
Ducky gave her one tissue so she could dry her eyes and another to blow her nose. Loren gratefully accepted both.
"Loren…Lieutenant, this is Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He's the head of the investigation of what happened to you and would like to ask you a few questions…."
Gibbs regarded the woman lying on her side in the bed. If her head hadn't been swathed in bandages he might have said she was pretty. "Lieutenant,"
"Special Agent Gibbs," Loren returned guardedly.
The Head of the DC MCRT noted her defensive tone and posture. He gave her a quick smile to put her at ease. "Lieutenant, do you remember anything about what happened to you – how you fell in the water-"
He seemed nice enough. She even felt like though they had just met that he was really concerned about her and didn't see her as just another case to be solved.
"Thanks to Dr. Mallard and Sergeant Garrell I do remember some of it. I was talking or arguing with a Navy Officer…I can't see his face…but he grabs me…the next thing I remember is the sensation of being lifted up and then hitting the water. The shock of hitting the water the way I did seemed give me momentary lucidness…I remember struggling in the water, calling out for help and finally grabbing hold of a large tree branch."
"Do you remember who you were arguing with?" Gibbs asked. He tried the best he could to tone down his usual harshness. He could tell that she was very skittish and his gut told him if he took the soft approach it might work better. Still, he wondered about Sergeant Garrel and just how much time was he spending with her. He might have to have a talk with him about that.
Loren really wanted to help this Investigator. She closed her eyes and tried to will something…anything to help him. Alas, her memory refused to yield anything useful.
"No…no, just that he was a naval officer," She said quietly.
"US Navy?" he softly prompted.
At last something she did know. "Yes sir, like the one worn by Admiral—except it's wasn't an Admiral's uniform, not as many braids on the sleeves…" She really hoped that helped, she so wanted to help him.
Well that meant it wasn't Rabb's Russian half-brother. That left Rabb and more than two dozen JAG Corps officers as suspects. "Do you remember anything about the man you were arguing with? What he looked like, what you were arguing about?"
"I wish I could, Special Agent, I've been trying to recall, so far all I can remember is arguing with him, that much I'm sure of-" Loren suddenly heard something in her mind she hadn't heard before.
"You extortionist! You've got to give me more time!"
"A violent argument?" Gibbs was still trying to get her pull anything else from her shattered memory, not realizing what had just taken place within Loren.
"One memorable enough that it stuck in my fragmented memory."
Gibbs exchanged a frustrated look with Ducky.
"I do remember something else…" she blurted out prompting both men to look back at her. "I'm not sure if it will help…something about extortionists…and needing more time?"
Gibbs wrote down what she said. "Do you remember what this is connected to?"
"No, the voice just popped into my head," she added.
Now the brusque investigator in him took over. "Male or female?"
Loren closed her eyes and listened to the voice again. "Male…yes, definitely male," she replied, hoping this was helpful to him.
Extortion was something that had not even been considered up to this point. Gibbs would share this information with Major McBurney and his Navy partner. Maybe they could learn something more about this at JAG Corps Headquarters. Could the Lieutenant be that kind of person?
"The Lieutenant remembers fragments of memories, Jethro," Ducky said trying to be helpful and also point out that anything she remembered at this point was not going to be very useful.
"Like badly spliced movies, sir, very little of it makes sense," she added.
Still the comment about extortionists would bear following up. He gave her a quick smile to let her know he appreciated her efforts. "It's all useful to us, Lieutenant, thanks for helping. Do you remember anything you were doing prior to what happened to you?"
Loren concentrated for a moment. Then she looked at him disconsolately. "Just fragments, they're all mixed up…" Her voice trailed off, uncertain.
"Just tell me what you can remember, Lieutenant," he said gently.
Loren nodded slightly, eager to please this man. "Okay…I remember talking at JAG Headquarters with a Navy Officer. We were in line for the same job. I remember having a disagreement with someone…a tall guy…at Headquarters as well…then I remember someone grabbing me at bridge…that Navy officer I told you about…and that's about it."
"Do you remember what the disagreement was about?"
"Something about a glass of milk…?" She looked at them, confusion written all over her face.
Still Gibbs wasn't disappointed. Now they had several other avenues to explore – extortion either being done to her, or her doing the extorting; jealousy over a coveted job, and a pregnancy with possibly someone connected to JAG Corps that did not want to see that child born.
0730 Local_1230 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
The McBurney-Coleman JAGMan team came away from their brief visit to Lieutenant Singer's furnished apartment in San Diego with two boxes of files. Everything else that was of value to the case had been taken by NCIS. Gibbs had been notified what was in their two boxes and Gibbs, in turn, told them what the San Diego team had found and taken.
Faith was making some final notes on her legal pad in her black writing case as she came out of the ladies room and met up with her Marine partner.
Jack's eyebrows went up when he saw her scribble two more notes on her pad. He couldn't figure out how she kept her writing so neat. Maybe she had practiced doing this.
"Are you ready?" he asked her. "I know you didn't get much sleep on our flight back." He felt he ought to at least show concern about her partner.
Faith though, was merely annoyed by his pandering to her. She regarded him banally. "Time is of the essence, Major, and since we're behind the eight ball on this one, sleep was the least of my worries. We still have to report to the SECNAV later this afternoon on what we've found so far."
This verbal slap caused Jack's face to harden. If she was going to be hard-nosed about this, so could he. "Great, then let's not keep the Admiral waiting," he said snidely as they opened the double doors and stepped into the JAG Corps Headquarters' bullpen.
xxviixx
Loren could see herself standing in an office, its walls covered with all sorts of Navy memorabilia, facing the Admiral.
'You'd like more responsibility,' she remembered who he was – he was the Admiral, her boss.
'Yes, Sir,' she heard herself reply. 'I was just speaking with Lieutenant Roberts and he mentioned the fact that you offered him a shot at Europe—maybe even a billet with a battle group.'
'I didn't realize that you and Lieutenant Roberts were close,' The Admiral remarked. Loren could tell he was amused by her saying that.
Unfazed, she heard herself press right on. 'Oh, yes, Sir,' Loren wasn't sure why she was saying that – maybe it was true. 'We've become pretty tight…and as much as I like Bud, I believe myself to be a better lawyer.' Loren couldn't believe she'd say something like that. Why did she?
'Well, your faith in yourself is inspiring, Lieutenant,' the Admiral commented and took his seat.
Rather than hearing the warning signal in his voice, she heard herself continue unfazed. "Thank you, Sir," she said. Loren felt herself cringe – she knew from his demeanor that this was not going well at all. Still, for some reason, she had not recognized the signs. Why?
'However, I'm not interested in your appraisal of Lieutenant Roberts' skills,' the Admiral told her. 'I'm quite competent to judge those skills myself.' The irritation was evident in his voice, but she felt he was trying as much as he could to be nice to her about it.
'Of course you are, Sir,' she could hear herself saying hastily to him, realizing she had almost overstepped her bounds.
'Let me be blunt, Lieutenant,' the Admiral continued as she noted he wasn't finished with her yet. 'You certainly have had your moments, but you still have a lot to prove to me as a lawyer and as a person…Dismissed.'
He had rebuffed her and Loren could understand now why if she couldn't then. 'Aye, aye, Sir,' she heard herself say in a disheartened voice as she turned around and headed for the door.
'Lieutenant,' the Admiral called out to her. She turned toward him as she reached the door. 'Your turn will come.' He knew she was disappointed and he was trying to tell her, in his own gruff way, to be patient….
Despite the initial misstep, she felt for this version of her, if this was her. It was her voice, she just couldn't remember any of this happening…but before she could draw anything further from this memory, another image took its place…
'I'm going to the Seahawk, Sir?' she asked beaming. Wait a minute…didn't he just tell her she'd have to wait a little bit longer…then she remembered...the white uniforms were for another time of year…so this have taken place sometime after that previous memory….
'You're their new JAG. I instructed the detailers to slate you as Lieutenant Roberts' replacement. Guess you were destined for the position after all,' said the Admiral.
'Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir,' she heard herself say. She felt herself grinning from ear to ear.
Loren woke up from her dreams for the first time feeling good about herself. She just hoped that she hadn't done anything underhanded to get this position. She wondered whether or not she was still the Seahawk's attorney…and if so, why was she back here?
xxviixx
"All of you know Major Jack McBurney, our liaison in NCIS Headquarters," AJ stated at the JAGC Staff Call for the attorneys and senior staff.
The JAGC attorneys and staff assistants nodded and acknowledged his presence. AJ then nodded to the woman sitting to his right. "And this is Lieutenant Commander Faith Coleman out of North Island."
Again there were the perfunctory nods and greetings.
AJ cleared his throat as sign that he wanted to continue. The staff quieted down and the JAG continued. "Commander Coleman and Major McBurney have been temporarily assigned to JAG Corps Headquarters and I expect you all to extend them every courtesy."
Aye sirs floated through the room. The staff wasn't sure why these two junior officers had been assigned here, but orders were orders.
The JAG cleared his throat again as he looked down the table. Now came the hard part. "NCIS had a Marine Sergeant bring a badly injured Lieutenant Singer to their Headquarters last Sunday evening." He scanned the faces at the table seeing which ones reacted first. He didn't have to wait long.
"Oh my Lord, what happened sir?" Harriet said anxiously. Sure Loren Singer was a bwitch who deserved an occasional 'course correction', but she would never seriously want any real harm to come to her.
"Somebody tried to kill her, Lieutenant," AJ said dryly, noting that her concern could easily be faked. She and Loren Singer had even come to blows, but that was last summer – what if, though, the fighting continued outside of the office and lead to a fatal incident. AJ shuddered inwardly at such a thought. He sincerely hoped that wasn't the case.
Murmurs though muted, were heard as the JAG attorneys and the support staff looked at each other in disbelief.
Harmon Rabb, Jr.'s eyebrows raised toward his close cropped hairline. It was obvious he was distressed by this news. "How sir?" Harm asked.
"They threw her off the pedestrian bridge in Potomac Park," AJ said in a matter of fact voice. "May I ask why you are asking, Commander?" AJ pinned his top lawyer with a steely gaze.
"Wh-well, uh, I just can't believe someone would try to kill her, sir," Harm replied in a shocked voice. He looked as if he couldn't believe that the Admiral would ever think he could do something like this.
"Well, believe it, Commander," AJ snapped, he wanted to know who it was who did this, by God. Someone was out to trash his command. First this and then just before they came in here, he received a confirmation email from the SECNAV that Commander Lindsey would be doing the internal audit of JAGC Headquarters that they discussed in his office the other day.
"Someone tried and almost did a damn good job of it, too," he said of Loren Singer's fate.
That comment left the room deathly silent.
"Any idea who sir?" Mac asked in a stunned, bewildered voice.
AJ wished he knew. He winced at the thought of Mac doing this, but she could have. Anyone of them could have. "Unknown at this point, Colonel," he answered tersely.
Now Sturgis Turner spoke up. "Does the Lieutenant know who did it, Admiral?" It was logical question, a good question, but it also could be one her would-be killer would ask.
AJ swiftly parried the query. "If she does, she's not saying, Commander. The doctors at Bethesda told me she just regained consciousness a few minutes ago." It was lie, but a necessary one. The Lieutenant had actually regained consciousness last Tuesday morning, but they didn't need to know that, if her assailant was here and did think that the Lieutenant was still vulnerable, they might try to finish the job.
He knew that Turner and Singer had been at loggerheads recently, but hell that seemed to be true of most of the staff when it came to Loren Singer. He'd have to talk to her about that when she got better.
AJ could tell that the news that Loren Singer had regained consciousness seemed to ease the tension in the room just a bit, but that wouldn't last long.
"Commander Coleman and Major McBurney are in charge of the JAGMan investigation into what happened to Lieutenant Singer. I expect you each of you to fully cooperate with them."
Before anyone could say anything there was a knock at the door.
"Enter," AJ replied brusquely.
Petty Officer 1st Class (PO1) Jason Tiner stuck his head in the open doorway. "Excuse me Admiral,"
AJ nodded, and the JAG's Yeoman entered the room and came to attention. "I checked as you requested, sir. Lieutenant Singer was confirmed for a Monday, January 6, 6:00am American Airlines flight out of Dulles to London and then from there by shuttle to Shannon, Ireland. Uh, obviously sir, she didn't make that flight."
"Obviously," AJ said sourly. "What about her housing on Coronado Island?"
Tiner consulted his notes. "Her power and water were paid for and they were turned on, on December 27th, Admiral."
"So as of December 27th she was still planning to move to the San Diego area," the Admiral mused aloud.
The JAG carefully watched his attorneys and staff to see if he could detect any perturbed looks. Everyone still seemed to be mulling over the fact that junior officers were conducting the JAGMan investigation. "Thank you Tiner that will be all." AJ said dismissing his Yeoman.
"Aye, aye sir." Jason did an about face and left the room.
Faith Coleman exchanged a glance with Jack McBurney who gave her a brief nod. "Admiral, could we have a word with your staff?"
So it begins, the JAG thought grumpily. "By all means, Commander, Major."
Faith looked at the assembled group of Admiral Chegwidden's top legal troubleshooters. Among them was a person with feelings of hatred strong enough to try and kill Lieutenant Singer.
"Admiral, since several of your key staff are possible suspects in this case, it would be necessary for everyone at JAG Corps Headquarters to keep at an arm's length."
AJ looked at her and chuckled, shaking his head ruefully. A public show of strength for the masses – all right, I'll play along…. "Including me," he stated blandly.
Major McBurney spoke up. "Respectfully sir, neither of us would want to see this case compromised." He looked over at Harm.
The former Top Gun immediately returned the look. It was a challenge. "Sir, I really think-"
The JAG cut him off. "Denied."
"But Admiral, you haven't heard *what* I was going to say," Harm replied trying his lawyer tone with the JAG.
But AJ knew what he was trying to do. "But I *know* what you were going to say, Commander." He looked down the table at all his staff. "And this goes for all of you; Major McBurney and Commander Coleman have been directed by COM NAVDIST Washington to conduct this investigation and no one else from JAG Corps Headquarters is to be involved. Is that clear?"
Aye sirs filled the room.
Harm suddenly stood up. "Excuse me, sir," Mac looked helplessly at the aviator/lawyer as he left the room, almost slamming the door behind him.
Everyone looked at the closed door for a moment and then back at the JAG. AJ said nothing.
Mac then stood as well. "Sorry sir, please excuse me…." and exited the room, closing the door behind her.
"Is there, um, something going on I should know about?" AJ asked his remaining staff about his two senior attorneys suddenly leaving the room. He didn't like how it looked and he knew what Commander Coleman and Major McBurney were thinking – he was also thinking the same thing.
No one answered the JAG's previous question as they shared looks of concern and disbelief.
Silence reigned. Faith and Jack exchanged aggravated looks. This investigation just got exponentially worse.
xxviixx
Loren could see it was Christmas time in the JAGC bullpen. She was walking with that perky Lieutenant who was married to Bud Roberts…Harriet….
'I hope you'll join us for egg-nog tomorrow night before we go to church,' Harriet said as she invited her to their house as they walked toward the elevator together.
'At your home?' She can hear herself ask, surprised. She never thought she'd hear Harriet ask her to her home.
'It is Christmas, Loren,' Harriet said. 'Since we're all headed to hear Commander Turner's father preach, I thought…you know, maybe…' Harriet was trying to be kind to her…in the spirit of the season, or something else?
'Okay,' she said accepting, after all, it was Christmastime. 'I've got nothing better to do.' Harriet gave her a hurt look. 'Sorry,' she said sincerely. "Kevin was supposed to come from Boston. A suite at the Willard, romantic dinner…"
'Who's Kevin?' Harriet asked.
'Commodities trader, aggressively sweet,' she answered. For some reason, she knew that she really liked Kevin.
'What happened?' asked Harriet.
'His family insisted he join them at Hyannis. Somehow, they forgot to invite me…but he sent his regrets.' Loren held up her wrist, showing off a sapphire and diamond bracelet.
'Are those real?' Harriet asked, impressed.
'They better be,' she said looking at them as the elevator door opened.
Her mind wondered idly where that bracelet was and why Kevin hadn't visited her if he was her boyfriend. The next image seemed to be a response to that unspoken question. She found herself at Christmas party. This was obviously the one Harriet had mentioned in her previous memory because of all the people [both in and out of uniform] that were hovering around.
"My bracelet's gone!" Loren says as she strode out of the hallway. "I took it off in the bathroom and she went in there." She pointed to young, pretty Petty Officer 3rd class.
"I didn't steal your bracelet!" the Petty Officer hotly denied the accusation.
So that answered what happened to the bracelet…but her fragmented memories weren't through with her yet….Loren found herself talking to beautiful dark haired woman in a very nice dark pantsuit outfit at the same party.
"I thought so, too, Colonel, until I went to the jeweler to have it appraised for the insurance," She heard herself saying – Loren could tell there was a wistfulness in her voice. Why was she calling her Colonel?
"They're not real?" The dark haired woman questioned. Loren saw the incredulous look on her face.
"Oh, they're real, but the jeweler called me Patty," she told her. "Turns out Kevin sent this same one-of-a-kind bracelet to a Patty Sachs and on cross-examination, he admitted he sent an identical one to a Wendy Pearson."
"A serial Santa," she said sympathetically.
"A serial jerk," Loren heard herself say bitterly.
Well that answered why the commodities trader hadn't visited her…but her memories had one more piece to the puzzle to show her….
"I was wrong about you," Loren admitted to the Petty Officer.
"You were quick to judge, Ma'am," the Petty Officer said in a somewhat superior manner.
"And you were quick to run," Loren found herself replying in an admonishing tone.
"Yes, Ma'am," the Petty Officer admitted sheepishly. "Where does that leave us?"
Loren liked what she heard next. "Let's forget about the bracelet and the walk around the block," she offered. "But I'm not going to dismiss the UA charge or the resisting."
"That would be too much to hope for, Ma'am," The Petty Officer replied deprecatingly.
Loren awoke, thinking about that Petty Officer and the party. Where had she seen her before? Was that party this year? Last year? Year before last? There were a lot of pieces coming together but still so many more that were still not there. She wondered if they would ever be there.
1040 Local_1540 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
After Staff Call, Jack and Faith took over Conference Room 1 and compared notes on the case. Jack wanted to be sure they were on the same page; Faith Coleman wasn't so much worried about that, but she was concerned about how to tackle Harmon Rabb since he obviously had very strong feelings about this case. "If you ask me," Jack said as he got up to stretch his legs, "he acts as if he's guilty,"
Faith gave the Marine SJA Major a sardonic look. "Appearances can be deceiving," She watched as he walked around the room, that thin smile was back on her lips. "Just what are you doing?" she asked.
"I'm stretching my legs," he replied not looking at her. He didn't tell her that idiosyncratic ways were driving him up the wall. And she took obsessive compulsiveness to a whole new level.
"Do you have poor circulation?" she asked in her stoic manner.
Jack stopped moving and stretching. "No," he replied curtly. Seeing that thin smile again didn't help, still he worked on keeping his mind on his business and not her irritating mannerisms. "Who do you want to talk to first?"
They both were in agreement though that interviewing Lieutenant Singer at this point was worse than useless. If she regained any of her memory, then there might be a reason to talk to her.
Faith opened her notepad cover and took out a neatly hand written sheet. "Let's start with the people closest to Commander Rabb since Special Agent Gibbs thinks he is guilty. Gibbs indicates that Lieutenant Roberts has worked closely with the Commander in the past."
Jack was a little surprised when she chose Roberts, because he had been thinking about talking to the very same person. After all, Lieutenant Roberts was seen by Gibbs as somewhat pliable. Maybe they could use that too. He picked up a file and looked at his service record. "Bud J. Roberts…first duty station was as Ensign, Public Affairs Officer on USS Seahawk…came to JAG Corps Headquarters as an administrative assistant in the fall of 1996-"
Before Jack could continue, Faith added. "-at the request of Admiral Chegwidden, after being recommended for the position by Harmon Rabb and Lieutenant Meg Austin. It seems that then Ensign Roberts was instrumental in getting Harmon Rabb cleared during the Lieutenant Diane Schonke murder investigation. In April 1999, Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb and SJA Major Sarah MacKenzie recommended that Lieutenant Roberts attend law school, after which he was assigned here as a Staff Judge Advocate."
The SJA Major hadn't been aware of that information. Maybe having this 'font of knowledge' on his team wasn't such a bad idea after all. Now Roberts was looking even better as someone who might know something that could help wrap up this investigation quickly. "…And Roberts was Force Judge Advocate for the Seahawk Carrier Battlegroup until injured by a landmine in Afghanistan." Jack said thinking aloud.
Faith looked down at her sheet again. "…And in July 2002, Lieutenant Loren Singer was named Force Judge Advocate for the same Carrier Battlegroup until she returned to JAG Corps Headquarters in November 2002 due to her pregnancy."
Jack felt like for the first time since they started they were on the same page. "Let's find out what else Lieutenant Roberts can tell us." He said as he gathered his files and shoveled them into his briefcase. Faith put the hand-written sheet in the top pocket of her briefcase and laid her writing case inside her briefcase before shutting it.
xxviixx
Loren was standing in front of the African-American Navy Commander. They were in a courtroom…
"I was also upset with Corporal Mars. I thought what he did was rather selfish and immature," she heard herself remarking. "So it was for his benefit, too." What was for his benefit?
The African-American naval officer just looked at her for a moment before turning to shut his briefcase. "Good luck on your reassignment, Lieutenant."
"Thank you, Sir," she accepted with a smile.
"Saves me from having to request we never be partnered again," he said picking up his briefcase and heading for the door. Now she knew who he was…he was the officer that said 'mazel'tov' to her. He clearly didn't want to have anything to do with her in the future. Just what had she done?
"Commander..." She called and the man turned back to her, "...you're not going to reveal this to anyone are you?" Oh God, what had she done?
"I'm considering it," He rumbled. Whatever was done, it was clear it was a possible career ender. How could she be so stupid?
"Is there anything I can do to influence you to keep it under your hat, Sir?" she asked. Loren could hear the desperation in her own voice.
"If it were anyone else but you, Lieutenant, I'd suggest that you pray." He walked away shaking his head.
Loren wished she didn't have to see this anymore and her mind seemed to agree, but in its place she was presented something just as disturbing.
The Admiral was talking to her again. "You're their new JAG. I instructed the detailers to slate you as Lieutenant Roberts' replacement. Guess you were destined for the position after all," said Admiral Chegwidden.
"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir," Loren said, still grinning from ear to ear.
"Commander." The Admiral raised his eyebrows at Sturgis as he took his leave.
"Sir," Sturgis replied to the Admiral. Then he turned to Loren. "Good for you, Lieutenant. Consider it a mitzvah."
Loren just looked at Sturgis, but said nothing.
"You don't know what that means, do you?" Sturgis asked.
"Should I, Sir?" she replied nonchalantly.
"I do and I'm not Jewish," Sturgis pointed out as he walked past her.
-TBC…