HONOR &
BETRAYAL PT 56
Author: Gabrielle T.
Stuart
**********************************
INT
COURT ROOM
1502 HOURS
Walking toward the witness stand, Ms Ryerson addresses Harm
in a low tone of voice.
RYERSON
Brilliant strategy, Commander. You
knew exactly where you wanted this to end up.
HARM
(his lips turning up in a slight
grin)
You asked, I
answered.
RYERSON
So you did, Commander, so you did!
(gazing toward Admiral Morris) I have no further questions, your
Honor.
With that, Ms Ryerson turns away and
retreats to her seat at the table noting the angry glare in Captain Peterson's
eyes as she takes her seat.
PETERSON
Congratulations on a major screw up,
ma'am! But then what can one expect from a woman.
RYERSON
You're disdain for women has been all
too blatantly obvious to me from the beginning, Captain, only I never knew just
how deeply it affected you until just now.
The angry glare in Peterson's eyes sends
a chill down Ryerson's spine as Admiral Morris's voice draws her attention
back to the front of the court room.
MORRIS
Does the prosecution wish to cross
examine this witness?
MATTONI
Yes, your Honor!
Harm shoots Mattoni an evil glare as he
approaches the stand.
MATTONI
(noting Rabb's discontent)
This should only take a minute, Commander, so if you'd bare
with me, I'd appreciate it.
Harm only answering Commander Mattoni
with a cold hard glare in his eyes, Mattoni quickly moves on with his line of
questioning.
MATTONI
Would you inform the
members as to how the video in question came into your
possession?
RABB
Through Mrs
Malory. She relinquished it into my custody at her
husband's request.
MATTONI
Were either of you aware of
what was on the tape?
HARM
No, not at the
time.
MATTONI
So you took it home with
you with the full intention of reviewing it's content.
HARM
Yes.
MATTONI
And did you?.....View it I mean.
RABB
Partly, yes.
Colonel Mackenzie forewarned me as to what to expect and so there wasn't any
real need for me to view it in its entirety.
MATTONI
Commander, the
integrity of Lieutenant Malory's testimony was questioned by the defense
earlier in these proceedings. It is for that reason that I'm about to ask
you the next question. Was Lieutenant Malory one of the rapists in
this video?
RYERSON
Objection, your Honor! Since when has this trial
become about Lieutenant Malory? He's not on trial
here.
MATTONI
No he's not, but the
validity of his testimony was called into question, your Honor!
MORRISON
This is highly irregular to
say the least, Commander. (he pauses for a long moment) But given
the unusual circumstances here, I'm going to allow it!
Objection is overruled.
MATTONI
Commander?
His eyes meeting Mrs
Malory's, Harm hesitates in answering the question knowing full well the
emotional pain it would cause her. Observing the concerned look in
Harm's expression, Mrs. Malory quickly realizes the truth of the matter.
MATTONI
Commander Rabb, will you
please answer the question.
Standing, Mrs. Malory
quickly walks to the back of the court room and slips out the
door.
RABB
(sighing deeply as the door closes behind Mrs
Malory)
Yes!
Lieutenant Malory was the other rapist.
An array of voices are once
again heard throughout the court room. Admiral Morris drops his gavel
again demanding order.
MORRIS
(irritably pounding his gavel)
Quiet down! I will
not tolerate any further outbursts in this court
room!
MATTONI
Making Lieutenant Malory's
sworn testimony to Captain Peterson's complicity in at least one other rape true
and uncontestable?
RABB
Well, true, but definitely
contestable under the rigors of cross examination.
MATTONI
Was there reason enough for
Lieutenant Malory to fear for his life?
RABB
I'd have to say yes to that.
RYERSON
Objection!
Hearsay.
MORRIS
Sustained
MATTONI
Well, let me put it another
way then. While Lieutenant Malory was being mercilessly beaten into
a coma, Commander, was there anything that he said or did that indicated
to you that he knew that Captain Peterson was in some way responsible for what
was happening to him?
RYERSON
Objection!
MORRIS
Overruled!
Flashes of memory suddenly
ripping through to his consciousness, Harm is momentarily overwhelmed as he
deals with the graphic images in his mind.
MATTONI
Commander?
HARM
(the sound of his name
drawing him back to reality)
All the while they were
beating on him, Malory kept bargaining for his life by promising them that he
wouldn't testify against Captain Peterson. ..... He even begged me to vouch for
him.
MATTONI
And did you,
Commander?
HARM
It wouldn't of made any
difference. It was his own admission of intention that put him at
risk and reaffirmed their belief that he had agreed to a plea
bargain. It's what finally brought on the
attack.
MATTONI
Was it the intention of the
perpetrators to kill Lieutenant Malory?
HARM
It was.
MATTONI
What about you,
Commander? What was their intention in regards to you?
HARM
(with seemingly deep regret and a distant look in his
eyes)
What difference does
it make what their intentions were, Commander! I'm alive and
well and living with the memory of it all while Lieutenant Malory's lying in a
coma fighting for his life.
A long deadened silence
passes over the entire court room as the depth of Harm's torment seems evident
in his last spoken words. Carefully studying Harm's
expression, Mac fights back tears of her own as she observes her first glimpse
into Harm's wounded soul.
MATTONI
I have no further questions
your Honor.
With that, Commander
Mattoni steps back away from the witness stand.
MORRIS
(at length)
Does the Defense wish to rebut?
RYERSON
No you Honor.
MORRIS
Very well! I'll hear
closing arguments at 0900 tomorrow morning. The witness may step down and
this court is adjourned.
***********************
EXT
JAG OPS PARKING
LOT
1540 HOURS
Harm quickly catches up to
Mrs Malory as she walks toward her car. Meanwhile in the background, news
reporters shouted there questions to Rabb and Mrs. Malory from outside the
gate. Turning around, Helen pauses to see Harm walking briskly
toward her.
HELEN
(as he catches up to her)
Congratulations, Commander. Your testimony
today will probably go a long way in helping to bring in a guilty verdict where
Captain Peterson's concerned.
HARM
(shaking off her compliment)
Well, I only have you
to thank for that Mrs. Malory.
HELEN
You shouldn't be so modest,
Commander. I mean isn't it the attorney that usually manipulates the
course in which the testimony is to play out to the jury?
HARM
(smiling)
Well.....usually! I
just had an unfair advantage and defense counsel should have known
better. (observing her carefully)
Mrs. Malory, are
you going to be ok?
HELEN
Sure,......I'm fine.........I think! Like I
said, I'm dealing with it one moment at a time.
HARM
Are you sure you're
ok?
HELEN
Commander, it's not like
what came up in that court room today came as any surprise to
me.
HARM
Then, why did you feel the
need to leave the court room?
HELEN
To make it easier for you
to say what you had to say, Commander! I could see you're concern....so I
left.
Harm observes Mrs
Malory for a long moment noting the true sincerity in her
eyes.
HARM
You're an incredible woman,
Mrs. Malory! The Lieutenant's a very lucky man to have someone who cares
so much and can forgive him for something so grievous.
HELEN
(with a note of humor in her voice)
Oh now don't go painting me
into some sort of saint, Commander. I'm just finding out
that life's too short to hold onto anger. There's just not time enough for
that. Especially not for
me.
HARM
What is it you're trying to say?
HELEN
You have enough on you're
mind without worrying about me, Commander!
As she begins to turn away,
Harm gently grasps her arm and turns her back toward him.
HARM
Well, why don't you let me be the judge of that, Mrs
Malory.
HELEN
(hesitating for a long moment)
I saw my oncologist earlier
this morning and well,.... it seems the prognosis isn't very
good. (she pauses for a long moment)
He informed me that my cancer is no longer in remission.
Harm is momentarily shocked
into silence by Mrs Malory's words as he gazes intently into her eyes noting the
absence of that gleam of hope he had grown so accustomed to seeing whenever he
had the opportunity to speak with her. That gleam somehow replaced
by obvious exhaustion, Harm's compassion compels him to offer her the comfort
his embrace. Wanting very much to accept the offer of his opening arms,
Mrs. Malory steps back from him indicating the group of reporters standing
outside the gate.
HELEN
Thanks, but no thanks,
Commander! We have an
audience.
Harm takes a quick look
over his shoulder at the reporters and then gazes back to
Helen.
HARM
I'm so
sorry!
HELEN
Me
too! But hey, enough self pity for one
day!
HARM
Mrs. Malory if you need
anything........
HELEN
I'll give you a call,
Commander! Thank you for that. Well, I've got to get home to my
baby.
With that, she turns away
from Harm and continues her walk toward her vehicle.
*****************
INT
BRIG LOCKER ROOM
1836 HOURS
As Harm makes the corner
around the end of the row of lockers, his eyes fall upon the taped outline
of a human figure on the locker room floor. A deep sense of
anguish suddenly overwhelming him, he struggles to hold back the tears
that begin to well up in his eyes. But as suddenly as the feelings
had erupted, Harm chooses to repress them.......not wanting to think or feel
anything that would interfere with his clear judgement and fortitude.
Hearing footsteps behind him, he turns somewhat nervously toward the sound
to see Mac standing only a few feet away from him.
HARM
Mac!
MAC
(walking toward him)
Everyone was looking for you after court today. Where
did you disappear to?
HARM
(walking to meet her)
I had some errands to
run.
MAC
Really! Well, there
were some who wanted to congratulate you on a job well done. You seemed to
be quite successful in eliminating any reasonable doubt as to Peterson's guilt
and Imes and Mattoni are already basking in glory of their
victory.
HARM
Well, let's hope that they're not being too overconfident,
Mac. (pauses as he gazes to her curiously) How did you
find me anyway?
MAC
Just a process of elimination, Harm?
HARM
Really! You know me
too well, Mac!
Harm walks past Mac as he
heads for the door. As he does, Mac glances down to the taped outline on
the floor.
MAC
(studying the outline and then gazing to
Harm)
Harm!
HARM
(turning back to Mac)
Yah?
MAC
None of this was your
fault, so don't go putting the blame where it doesn't
belong.
HARM
Who said I was,
Mac?
MAC
(walking toward Harm)
You did! On the stand
today!
HARM
(in protest)
I did not, Mac!
Mac reaches Harm and gazes
up to meet the confused look in his eyes.
MAC
You opened up your soul to everyone in that court room,
Harm, and you never even realized it.
HARM
Mac, don't go getting
melodramatic on me, okay! I just stated the facts.
With that, he quickly turns
away and walks out the door leaving Mac totally baffled as to his
mindset. Following close on his heels, Mac attempts to catch up with
him in the hallway outside the locker room.
MAC
Harm, wait!
Ignoring her plea, he
continues walking at his brisk pace with Mac finally catching up to
him.
MAC
(taking his arm and stopping him)
Damn it! Why is
it so hard for men to deal with their emotions anyway?
HARM
What emotions, Mac!
Do you see me getting emotional about anything here?....Well I mean, other
than the fact that you're beginning to annoy me a little.
MAC
No, that's just
it! You're locking it all away and not dealing with it.
And excuse me for caring about you, by the way.
HARM
(gazing up and down the hallway as he lowers his
voice)
Look, Mac, I appreciate the
fact that you do care! Thank you very much for that! But you really
need to give this thing a rest, ok! I mean every time we've been
together lately you've done nothing but carry on about how I should deal with my
feelings. Let me deal with them, Mac! In my own time and in my own
way! Trust in me enough to do that much, will
you?
Mac observes Harm for a
long moment noting the desperation in his eyes.
MAC
I trust you, Harm.....with
my life if need be!..... I always have and I probably always
will. But this has never been an issue of trust but one of caring
and concern from someone who feels totally responsible for everything's that
happened to you.
HARM
Mac...you're not
responsible for any of this!
MAC
I saw you put your honor
and your reputation on the line for me today in front of God and country without
even so much as a second thought.
HARM
(holding up his hand
gesturing her to stop)
No Mac, what I did was take
something negative and successfully manipulate it into something positive.
It had nothing to do with honor or courage or chivalry or whatever else your
mind wants conjure up it as being. So let it go Mac.......just let it
go!
He again turns away and
heads off down the hallway.
MAC
(calling after him)
Why are you pushing me
away, Harm?
HARM
(turning back to her)
Because you are feeling so guilty, Mac!
And the only purpose my being close to you right now is going to serve is to
deepen those feelings of guilt. We both need time to heal
Mac. And letting go for a while is the best thing we can do for one
another.
Mac is silent for a long
moment as she considers Harm's words.
MAC
(fighting back the sensation of tears as they begin to well
up in her eyes)
I can do that,
Harm! If that's what you want!
Harm walks to Mac and gazes
into her eyes for a long moment recognizing not only her concern in
their reflection, but her fear and confusion as well.
HARM
(as he gently strokes her cheek)
We will get through this,
Mac! I promise you
that.
MAC
(as tears begin to well up
in her eyes)
Well, I hope so, Harm, for
both of our sakes!
With that, Mac smiles
gently and then walks off down the hallway. As Harm gazes after her,
his thoughts are interrupted when he hears the sound of crumpling paper coming
from behind him. As he turns around in the direction from which the sound
came, he observes Durant standing in a doorway a short distance down the
hall.
DURANT
(leaning against the door jam as he tosses the crumpled up
paper into a nearby trash can)
Well, Sir, I must say you sure look as though you're having
a good afternoon.
Durant's obvious disrespect
immediately irritating Harm, he walks to the Master Sergeant and meets him face
to face.
HARM
(in a manner indicative of a command)
Master Sergeant,....... you will come to attention before
this senior officer!
Reluctantly, Durant's
posture straightens to the proper stance before Commander
Rabb.
HARM
And just so we're clear,
Master Sergeant Durant........if you ever again address me with anything less
than your utmost respect, I will have your ass up on so many charges your head
will spin. You got that, Master Sergeant?
DURANT
Sir, yes Sir!
HARM
Good! And while I've
got your attention, there's something else I want to make clear.
Lieutenant Malory's case will be solved and depending on whether he lives or
dies will determine what charges are brought against you. But one things
for certain, your courts martial will have my undivided attention and I
will use whatever influence I have to see to it that you're punished to the full
extent of the law. Now, are we understanding one
another?
Extremely agitated
Durant begins to grind his lower jaw as his eyes remain locked on
Harm's.
DURANT
(at length)
Sir, yes Sir.
HARM
(stepping back from Durant)
As you were, Master Sergeant.
With the Commander's words,
Durant's posture relaxes and with one last contemptuous glare over his shoulder,
he walks off down the hallway.
***************** TO BE CONTINUED *****************