Chapter 16

Thursday, June 2, 2005

1015 EST

JAG Headquarters

Falls Church, Virginia

As arranged, Bud and Sturgis met at the copy machine after the morning staff meeting. They greeted each other as if it were an accident that they both needed to use the machine at the same time and then making sure Ensign Yancy was within earshot; they began their little act for her benefit.

Sturgis started the by-play, "Bud I've talked to the Admiral about the charges and he is worried about the ramifications to his career if this goes to an Admiral's Mast even if he is found innocent."

"And so he should be! No matter what the outcome this will leave a black mark on his record."

"Well, I talked that over with him and he's made a decision based on that assumption."

"What would that be?"

Glancing around like he was checking if anyone was listening to what he was about to tell Bud, Sturgis was really checking if they had Ensign Yancy's full attention. She had her head down like she was reading something on her desk, but he knew she hadn't turned the page of the file that was open before her since they had started to talk. "The Admiral's decided to take immediate retirement rather than let the charges go public," Sturgis said.

What Sturgis and Bud hadn't noticed, because they were so focused on the Ensign, was that Harm had come into the bullpen from the break room, with the coffee in his hand that he had just gotten himself, and heard every word of that last statement. Not really surprised at what he had just heard, Harm nodded and said, "I'm not surprised that he chose that course of action. Wise move on his part." Then he headed straight for Mac's office. Entering and closing the door behind him, he started speaking before Mac could ask what he wanted, "Mac, the Admiral's retiring rather than face the charges! So you see you don't have to worry about his revenge now!" Sitting on the edge of her desk as close to her as he could get, Harm took hold of both her hands and added, "Now why don't you tell me what he really did to you?"

She looked at him in astonishment, could Harm really know the Admiral that little after all these years? "Harm, as I told you before, nothing happened between us! That conversation you overheard was meant for Ensign Yancy. She was the one that filed the false charges and we were hoping that if she thought the Admiral was going to get off scott-free, she might react badly enough to somehow blurt out the truth!"

A bit disappointed that their fearless leader hadn't turned out to have feet of clay, or at least a libido he couldn't control after all, Harm hid his feelings and replied, "Oh, I see. Well I'd better get back to work. Wouldn't want the Admiral to find his desk buried in paperwork if he's going to be back soon."

Meanwhile out in the bullpen, with Harm's unwitting comment lending credence to what Sturgis had announced, Eloise Yancy's head turned and she was now unashamedly listening to the conversation that was not going the way she had planned things at all!

"Does he realize that an unexpected retirement at this time will lead people to believe that the charges are true?" Bud asked.

Shaking his head, Sturgis told him, "Bud, he assured me that they weren't true and I believe him!"

"So do I, but I'm just stating how it will look.'

Jumping to her feet, more angry than she could ever remember being, Eloise fumed! She wanted the man punished for what he had done to her! She loudly declared, "Not only are those charges true, but he also tried the same thing with me in that very same supply closet! I, of course, rejected him! I mean who would want an old man like that!?"

After Harm had left her office Mac had booted up her computer and checked her email. She had received another anonymous email! This one was odd, but so far each one that had been received had been right on the money, so Mac decided to see if this one was too.

To Be Continued….