| Subject: ...For Meritorious Service, Chapter 23c ,part two |
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TxJAG_b
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Date Posted: 19:49:26 06/20/07 Wed
In reply to:
TxJAG_b
's message, "...For Meritorious Service" on 09:04:26 05/08/07 Tue
…For Meritorious Service, Chapter 23c, part two
A/N1: Disclaimers and other vital information can be found in story archive for …FMS which can be found at Ashley the Marine Advocate's website:
http://jagnavy-marineadvocate.net and is being posted on JAG Haven on Voy.
A/N2: **~~** indicates flashback or dream sequence ( ) indicates the thoughts of a person. *~* indicates a scene shift not otherwise indicated by a JAG time stamp.
A/N3: Remember what I told you guys about Murphy? He/She does not like it when I try to post more than twice a month. Thus the reason why this part which was supposed to post shortly after part one, ended up being posted now. My special thanks to Janlaw for pitch-betaing for Karen who is dealing with internet connectivity issues right now. Karen, if you see this we miss you and hope you will be back soon.
Also thanks to M.A. for the moral support. :)
Now on with the show...
*~*
Darcy was sitting at her desk talking with one of her subordinates when Jac came breezing in with a Cheshire-like smile on his face. On him it was positively Satanic looking.
Sergeant Charles Rathum was just finishing a verbal report to the Force Recon CO. “I tell you Colonel, they are a Major Case Response Team, ma’am. And that spells trouble.”
Darcy didn’t particularly like Rathum. He was slimy, even by her standards. She really thought the man wouldn’t hesitate to turn on her if the opportunity presented itself. (Looks like you’ve outlived your usefulness, Charlie)
“I’ve dealt with Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs before, Sergeant, I believe I can handle him…” she said trying to control her anger towards this poor excuse for a force recon trooper.
The Sergeant was just smart enough to realize that he’d messed up. “Colonel, ma’am, I- I’m sorry, I – I didn’t mean to imply--”
She cut off his babbling, that was something else she hated about him. His incessant babbling.
“Well you did. You need to be more careful Cher, a commanding officer could take your comments the wrong way. See them as insubordination...” she gave the man a baleful glare. “Or worse.”
Rathum looked sick. “Aye, aye, Colonel.” He said weakly.
“You’re dismissed and close the door on your way out.” She went back to looking at her laptop screen.
“Idiot,” murmured Jac Lewis under his breath as the Sergeant passed him. If Rathum heard him, he didn’t act as if he had.
When the door had closed, Darcy looked up at Jacques Lewis. “Make sure he has an accident as soon as possible, Cher. Something…unfortunate that elicits a lot of sympathy. And make sure he *dies* in this accident. Somewhere remote, so his body isn’t found for while.”
“Aye ma’am,” Jac replied with a slight chuckle. He’d known that Rathum wasn’t going to work out when she first recruited him. It was just a matter of time before he pissed her off bad enough. Besides, the Sergeant was a security risk and they couldn’t have that now. He knew his commander too well. And because he knew her so well, he also knew she would love what he had just learned…
Darcy watched the unsettling smile on her Captain’s face and knew there was more to this than just the anticipation of getting to eliminate another problem. “Okay, Cher, spill it. What do you have on the good Colonel MacKenzie?”
Jac’s smile grew wider if that was possible. “Colonel, I do believe this is your lucky day….”
*~*
Mac looked to her left and right before she led the senior NCIS Agent across the dusty street to her quarters. Before they went inside, the light Colonel turned to her ‘lover’ and putting her hands on either side of his face gave him a deep kiss. She finished by playfully tapping the tip of his nose with her index finger.
Special Agent Gibbs was not about to be outdone by this Marine judge advocate. He grabbed her passionately and returned her kiss. As she melted into his arms, his kissing mouth managed a smile.
“What?” Mac said breathlessly. (Whoa, I hadn’t expected that from him).
“Hubba, hubba,” he said huskily in her ear as he stood her back upright.
“Um Gibbs…” Mac wasn’t sure the silver haired NCIS Agent was role playing now. (Oh no, he didn’t just--)
Gibbs understood her confusion. After all, in his opinion it was a pretty good kiss, but his ego aside, he wanted to assure her that it was still an act. “Just getting into my role, Colonel,” Gibbs’ smile was decidedly puckish. “We don’t want your spies thinking you and I aren’t on the level.”
Mac couldn’t help but give a very un-Marine like nervous giggle. Then she seemed to get hold of herself. “We’d better get inside.” She said quickly.
Gibbs nodded and scanned the surrounding area in a manner that only a seasoned sniper could. “Yeah; we lost our tail.”
Mac opened the door to her quarters and moved inside followed by the NCIS Special Agent. As the Marine stepped inside, she stopped, Gibbs just behind her.
There framed by the light streaming into the doorway was an unmoving Harmon Rabb, junior.
Because of all the role playing that had been going on up to now, Gibbs had no idea what was going to happen next. Maybe he had gone too far out there just now.
Mac quickly shut the door. As she did, Harm stuck out his hand. “Thanks for helping us, Gibbs.”
The NCIS Agent knew that the Navy man had to have seen what they did outside. If there was ever a time Harm might have hit him, it would be now. But he didn’t. They were all on the same side this time and the Commander was trying to bury the hatchet.
“Jethro,” the Agent said as he shook the Navy man’s hand. In his mind, he wasn’t thinking about this event. His mind was more concerned about what Colonel Livingston was doing now and how did Colonel MacKenzie fit into this.
Harm on the other hand, smiled his first genuine smile since he and the NCIS Agent had met. Mac looked visibly relieved to see these former adversaries shaking hands.
“God, now they’re friends,” she said affecting the bored voice of her Lindsey inspired persona. “You two aren’t going to kiss, are you?”
Both men turned toward her with serious looks on their faces. But the charade only lasted for a moment before all three began chuckling.
“We’re ruining our images, you know.” Harm tried to say with all the seriousness he could muster.
“Yeah, but I think we needed that,” the light Colonel said as she began straightening her uniform and picked up her boonie hat. Gibbs and Harm exchanged silent looks of agreement with her statement.
She put on her hat and finished fiddling with her battle dress uniform. “I think Captain Lewis has had enough time to tell Darcy of the latest developments concerning me.” She gave the tall Commander a sly look. “Now it’s time I went and ‘celebrated’ our win, Harm, don’t you think? I’ve been such a good girl up to now.”
Harm looked at his watch. She was right as usual. Someday he’d get her to tell him about how that ‘clock’ of hers worked. He gave her a guarded look. “Do you need to check your wire?”
“Nope. Got it covered.” She turned back to the door. As she started to turn the handle, she turned her head and gave the two men a slightly seductive look. “Later boys, I’ve got to go give my Oscar winning performance.”
And with that Colonel MacKenzie opened the door and headed out toward the Officer’s or ‘O’ Club.
When the door shut, the senior NCIS Agent turned the aviator/attorney. “Is she always like this?”
Harm was still looking distractedly at the door. “It’s just part of the role she’s playing right now…” (I hope).
*~*
Mac walked into the ‘O’ Club and did a quick inventory of her surroundings. It was your typical officer’s club set up. There was a jukebox off to one side of the room along with a few of those video arcade games like the ones she used to play when she was growing up in Arizona.
On the other side of the room, there was a bar area which served juice, soft drinks and sandwiches. To her front was raised floor area- a dance floor, though no one in the room really seemed interested in it at the moment. A fine haze hung in the air, stirred up by the vehicles passing by outside. Everything was coated with a thin layer of powdery dust, but the patrons didn’t seem to mind.
Mac made her way past the ‘entertainment area’ to the closed door. Taking a breath, she gathered herself and then opened it. She was immediately assaulted by oddly familiar smells.
The odor and heavy blue smoke of cigarettes and cigars permeated the air, as did another memorable fragrance. Alcohol. A few of the officers of the 36th looked up at her in shock and embarrassment, while others eyed her with less than pure thoughts on their minds. Most were too busy nursing their drinks. Mac ignored all of them and headed straight for the bar.
This was a strictly illegal establishment, but command looked the other way, for now. That didn’t matter to Mac, at the moment. She had other pressing business.
The barkeeper gave her knowing smile. “Afternoon Colonel,”
Mac grunted her reply. Her eyes were busy looking around at all the different colors and flavors of alcoholic drinks that lined the mirror behind the bar. She sighed wistfully, then turned her eyes to the barkeeper.
“Sergeant,”
“Your usual, ma’am?” he said as he reached for a small glass. She had been coming in regularly since they arrived. It had been part of her role to discover this ‘hole’ and then ‘look the other way’ in return for regular visits.
“Sure,” she said listlessly, trying to get back into her role.
The Sergeant set a small drinking glass on the bar, dropped in three or four ice cubes and then poured in the tonic water. He twisted the lime, letting a dozen drops of the sweet tasting citrus settle to the bottom.
Mac nodded her thanks.
What everyone else present didn’t know was that the Marine JAG and the Sergeant had agreed she wouldn’t to send him to the brig for manning this illegal establishment in exchange for his cooperation in her operation. He was only too happy to comply. And the Ensign who had ‘arranged’ for this little establishment in the first place was also only too happy to help Gibbs and Harm to keep himself from being court martialed.
Mac took the drink and swallowed slowly, savoring the sweet taste. (Some vodka in it would make it taste better…) her little internal voice said sweetly. She hated that voice. (I’ll go away if you just put some alcohol in that sissy drink) the voice offered.
The Sergeant could tell she was wrestling with an idea. He hoped she wouldn’t follow through. He didn’t want to come under Colonel Livingston’s scrutiny.
He caught her hungry stare. She was not looking at him. She had her eyes fixed again on the bottles lined up along the mirror on the back of the bar.
“Ma’am?” he said cautiously.
“Sergeant, pour in a finger of vodka.” She ordered.
He looked at her, trying to will the Colonel not to do this.
“Sergeant?” There was an edge to her voice. It was that hardness that came out in an officer’s voice when a subordinate doesn’t comply fast enough with an order.
The Sergeant quickly complied. “Yes ma’am.”
He poured a finger’s width of the clear liquid into the effervescent tonic water. To anyone observing, it looked as if he had just poured vodka into her drink.
Mac raised the glass to her lips and drank slowly and deeply. She looked impatiently at the barkeep. “Give me another.”
This was repeated a half dozen times. With each drink, Mac began to act a little more tipsy.
“Won the battle lost the war….” she grunted to no one in particular. Everyone in the bar who was listening knew she was referring to the grounding of Lukens and Buell. Eventually someone would tell Colonel Livingston that Mac was drowning her sorrows, at least that was Mac hoped for.
“I knew I would find you here, Colonel,” It was Harm. The disgust in his voice made her flinch momentarily.
“Ah my hero, my knight in shining armor arrives.” She chuckled ruefully, “C’mon and join me Harm.”
“You’re still on duty Colonel,” Harm’s voice was tight, his eyes piercing the dimly lit bar.
Mac focused on the bottles. “And you’re still stiff as a board, Commander. Loosen up.”
“I do Colonel, when I’m off duty.” He slapped his boonie hat down beside her glass as he sat down next to her.
She laughed sarcastically. “Well, I’m off duty, Commander. I’m taking an early dinner….”
He gave her his best incredulous stare. “This is your dinner?”
The Marine JAG smirked. “Fat free and zero carbohydrates, the perfect diet food, Stickboy.” It didn’t matter if it was the truth or not. She was supposed to be on her way to getting drunk and now she was supposed to be getting angry with Harm for bothering her.
Harm’s blue-green eyes filled with hurt. “Mac, I can’t let you do this….” He said softly.
It hurt her to do this, but for the sake of their ruse, she had to. “And I won’t let you preach to me Commander, now go off and find a blond bimbo in distress….” She half snorted half chuckled at her own joke.
The hurt dissolved from Naval officer’s eyes and his voice came out cold and hard. “Colonel, I want you to put down that drink…right now.”
Mac glared at him for a moment before picking up the glass and draining it. She set it down with a bang, licking her lips and wiping her mouth with the sleeve of her shirt in a challenge to him.
“Now *that* was refreshing.” she said as a small burp escaped her lips. A drunk’s giggle escaped from her at that indiscretion.
His eyes narrowed. “You’re on report, Colonel”
She snorted. “And you’re self-centered egotistical sonovabitch,” she bit off the last word, glowering at him. But looking down below his waist she broke into a lecherous grin. “But you’ve got a helluva of a six so I’m gonna let ya off easy.”
Harm noticed she had started to slur her words, reinforcing the idea she was a cheap drunk. It was time for him to ratchet up the tension in this room another notch.
“I mean it, Colonel, I’m charging you with conduct unbecoming.”
“You’re charging me?” She got up from the chair and moved toward him, a dangerous glint in her eyes. “You’d better be playing Fly…boy.” She emphasized the last part of her name for him with dead calm. The look in her eyes was now murderous.
Harm swallowed and took a step back. Everyone in the bar could see the fear in his eyes.
“This isn’t over, Marine,” he shot back with equal venom. “You’d better find yourself some legal counsel.” He turned and left.
Mac sat down hard on her stool, “Damn him.” She looked at the Sergeant. “Gimme ‘nother….” She slurred.
“Ma’am--” he began.
But drunk Mac would have none of it. “Either you gimme ‘nother, or so help me I will reach ‘cross tha’ bar an’ use your broken fingers ta fix my next drink. Got it?”
The Sergeant quickly poured her another drink.
“Well, Colonel that was some display,”
“Who th’ hell are you?” Mac growled.
“Lieutenant Colonel Darcy Livingston, Cher, remember? Force Recon, Mac. Mind if I join you?”
---TBC…
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