HONOR & BETRAYAL PT 21
**************************
EXT
COURTROOM
Mac, Imes and Mattoni walk out of the courtroom the
excitement of their win obvious in their smiles and expressions. As
they begin to walk down the corridor, Brumby and Roberts exit the court room and
quickly catch up with the threesome.
BURMBY
(calling after Mac)
Colonel!
Mac pauses in her steps and turns back to observed Brumby
walking toward her.
MAC
Mic.
MIC
(smiling)
I just wanted to congratulate you!
MAC
A little premature, don't you think? I mean the
battle is only half won!
BRUMBY
Oh, I don't know, Mac! I'm pretty confident that
you'll pull this one off.
MAC
With yourself as defense counsel, Brumby?......I'm surprised
you're giving up so easily!
BRUMBY
No, ma'am, I'm not giving up at all!.......You
see, I'm no longer Captain Peterson's defense counsel........He just fired
me.
Obvious shock passes over Mac's face as Mattoni interjects.
MATTONI
(sarcastically)
I guess he didn't appreciate your talents,
Commander!
BRUMBY
Guess not, mate! (turning to Mac) No hard feelings
I hope!
MAC
No, not at all!....I mean, we all know how this works,
now don't we!
BRUMBY
Yes ma'am, we do. And I sure as hell don't envy
the person who'll have to take my place as the Captain's defense counsel!
With those words, Brumby gives Mac a polite nod of his head
and walks off down the hallway.
IMES
Well, I wonder who that will be! I mean Captain Peterson
has to be one of the most unpopular clients that has ever come through
JAG's doors.... at least from the perspective of JAG's staff,
anyway!
MAC
Don't kid yourself, Carolyn. This is a high profile case
and there are lots of people including some of JAG's very own that want nothing
more then to see the Captain acquited. After all, what sort of reflection
is it going to be on the Navy if such a high ranking and well respected officer
is found guilty of rape?
With those words, Mac walks off down the corridor leaving Imes
and Mattoni to carefully digest her last words.
*********************
INT
JAG OPS HALLWAY
1600 HOURS
Mac is standing in front of the elevator waiting for its door
to open when the Gunny exits the bullpen's main entrance and
approaches.
GUNNY
Colonel MacKenzie!
MAC
(turning towards the gunny)
Gunny, something on you're mind?
GUNNY
Well ma'am, Commander Imes and Commander Mattoni
requested that I hold you up here, until they are out of their briefing with the
Admiral.
MAC
Why's that, Gunny?
GUNNY
Well, it seems, that there are quite a few reporters outside
looking to get a statement from you, ma'am and.......
MAC
Look, Gunny, I appreciate the concern, but I think I can
handle things myself.
The elevator door opens and Mac steps inside.
GUNNY
(as the elevator doors begin to close, he places his hand on
the door and prevents them from closing)
Not a good idea, ma'am! ... And besides, the Admiral
made it an order not to allow you to leave unescorted!
MAC
Well then tell the Admiral that you missed me,
Gunny!
GUNNY
Sorry ma'am!.....No can do.
Mac's expression reveals total frustration as she gazes at the
Gunny and he indicates by the gesture of his hand that she should step off the
elevator.
*************
EXT
JAG OPS
1638
Imes and Matoni escort Mac out of JAG ops and accross the
parking lot towards her car. Reporters immediatley swarm around the
three Naval officers bombarding them with questions as the threesome continue to
push their way through the crowd.
REPORTER #1
(male, mid thirties)
How do you feel, Colonel, now that this is going to court
martial?
MATTONI
The Colonel has no comment at this time.
REPORTER #2
(female, late forties)
Come on, Colonel! This is a big moment for you.
Surely you have some sort of comment.
IMES
Not at this time!
A third reporter pushes her way through the crowd and pushes
her microphone as close to Mac as she is able. This reporter is a tall,
attractive, slenderly built woman in her mid thirties. Her name is MELANIE
BLAKE and she is a reporter for the largest newspaper in the DC
area.
REPORTER # 3...BLAKE
Colonel...........By your accusations of rape, you are
effectively ruining the career of a highly respected and decorated Naval
officer. How does that make you feel?
Mac pauses and gazes angrily at Blake in response to her
question.
IMES
(drawing close to Mac so no one can hear)
Ignore it, Colonel!......Say nothing.
REPORTER # 3 / BLAKE
(persisting)
Does it give you a sense of power, Colonel?
MATTONI
Colonel MacKenzie has NO COMMENT!.
Mattoni takes hold of Mac's arm and attempts to move her
forward, but Mac pulls away and faces Blake.
MAC
(angrily)
As a matter of fact it does, ma'am!.......The same kind of
power he exercised over me when that sonofabitch raped
me!
Camara flashes blinding Mac, Mattoni
frustratingly grasps Mac's arm again and leads her away from the
reporters.
****************************************
INT
ANNAPOLIS HOME/STUDY
THREE DAYS LATER
1136 HOURS
Harm is sitting in a leather arm chair stationed in
front of a large cherry role top executive desk working on the case file that is
set in front of him while others are stacked on top of each other to his left
hand side. Trish enters followed by Admiral Chegwidden who is dressed in
full dress blues. Harm gazes up from his paper work to see the
two of them standing before him. He begins to stand in recognition of the
Admiral but is stopped by the Admiral's words.........
ADMIRAL
(as Rabb begins to stand)
Keep you seat, Commander!
HARM
Admiral..... What brings you all the way out
here?
ADMIRAL
Well, it's not that far out of the way for one thing and.....
I wanted to check up on how you were doing? (pauses observing Harm
carefully) And I must say that you are indeed looking a hell of a lot better then the last time I saw you,
Commander!
HARM
(laughs slightly)
Thank you sir!
TRISH
(smiling)
I'll just leave you two alone to
talk. Would either of you care for something to
drink?....A beer perhaps, Admiral?
ADMIRAL
No, thank you Mrs. Burnett.
HARM
I'm ok mom, thanks!
ADMIRAL
(gazing about the large study, its walls lined with solid
cherry book shelves)
Quite an impressive office, Rabb!........Beats the hell out of
mine!
HARM
(smiles)
Well, can't say as I disagree with you on that one,
sir!.......What's so surprising, is that this is the owner's summer
home.
ADMIRAL
(gazes to Harm somewhat taken aback)
Really.......must be nice!
HARM
To say the least, sir!
ADMIRAL
(walking to the window and gazing out)
And overlooking the Severn River!
HARM
(standing and walking towards the window)
Yes Sir! And quite a spectacular view, wouldn't
you say, Sir?
ADMIRAL
Well, I can't argue with you there,
Commander!
HARM
I was getting ready to take a break anyway, Sir, would you
like to take a walk?
*********************************
EXT
ANNAPOLIS HOME
AJ and Harm are walking along a knoll
overlooking the river below them, the cry of seagulls filling the air around
them.
RABB
Admiral, why am I getting the impression that
this isn't just a social call, sir?
The Admiral remains silent as he gazes out over the
panaromanic view before him.
ADMIRAL
(at length)
Because it isn't, Harm. ....Well not exactly,
anyway. (pauses for a long moment) I'm sure
you're aware by now that the the rape charges against Captain Peterson will be
going to a full court martial?
HARM
Yes, sir! .....I must have received twenty phone calls to that
affect, ...not to mention the news media being all over the story.
ADMIRAL
Well.....unfortunately there's not much anyone
can do about that. (carefully observing Rabb.)
Commander, did Mac ever go into any details with you about what happened that
night?
HARM
No sir, .......not really. .......Just that it
happened! (pauses observing the Admiral closely) How is she, sir? She hasn't been by to see me
in a few days and she's not answering my phone
messages!
ADMIRAL
She's taken a leave of absence pending the court martial,
Commander!
HARM
Leave of absence, sir? Why?
ADMIRAL
Because as much as I needed her at JAG, we both felt that
under the circumstances, it would be for the best!
HARM
Well, considering the way the news media have been badgering
her, I suppose you're right on that count, sir, but that doesn't
explain why she hasn't been by.
ADMIRAL
She's out of town, Harm. She's
taking some badly needed time off....said she may even go visit her uncle.
(he takes a deep breath) ........ And, .........it's for the best!
HARM
Excuse me sir?
AJ paces a few steps away from Harm and gazes out upon the
distant bay.
ADMIRAL
(at length and obviously uncomfortable)
Colonel MacKenzie has found it necessary to divorce herself
from any personal contact with you pending the outcome of this court
martial.
HARM
What?..(quickly adding)...Why, sir?
ADMIRAL
Because she has been informed that Captain Peterson has
officially requested that you be assigned as his trial counsel.
HARM
(shocked)
Sir, with respect, but that's absurd! I mean
the Captain and I share a mutually profound dislike for one another so why would
he even consider having me as his trial council?
ADMIRAL
You're forgetting that the Captain has seen your performance
in the courtroom, Commander, and apparently he feels confident that by having
your kind of advocacy on his side it may give him the very advantage he needs
for an acquital.
HARM
And what about the Judge Advocate General, sir! Is he
seriously considering asking me to defend this man?
ADMIRAL
Based on the integrity of your previous performances as a JAG
attorney, I strongly believe that you will have no problem providing
Captain Peterson with a more than adequate defense!
RABB
(protesting)
Admiral, this is different!.... It'll be a conflict of
interest at best, sir!
ADMIRAL
Only if you allow it to be,
Commander!
RABB
Sir, I strongly protest this assignment and would greatly
appreciate it if you would reconsider!
ADMIRAL
So noted, Commander!....But this goes beyond the Judge
Advocate General's office, Harm!........It's out of my hands!
RABB
(extremely agitated)
Sir, what you're asking me to do is........
ADMIRAL
Perform your duties as a JAG attorney to the best of your
ability, Commander!.........Do you have a problem with that?
RABB
In this case, yes sir!
ADMIRAL
Are you choosing to disobey orders, Commander?
RABB
With respect, sir, but since when has the Admiral ever ordered
any of his JAG's to accept an assignment, sir?
ADMIRAL
Since one of his JAG's arrogance has made it necessary to do
so, Commander.
Rabb falls into silence for a long moment as he observes the
determined and frustrated gaze on Chegwidden's face.
RABB
(regretfully, but with conviction in his voice)
Then yes sir, I do have a problem with that
obeying that order, sir!
ADMIRAL
And I repeat, Commander, are you choosing to disobey
it?
RABB
(taking a deep breath as he angrily regards the
Admiral)
Permission to speak freely, sir?
ADMIRAL
No Commander, because you don't need to explain to me
the kind of predicament you feel I'm placing you under! But this is out of
my hands and it certainly would be in your best interests to obey that order
without any further argument.
RABB
(anger evident in his expression and in a cold and arrogant
tone)
Understood, Sir! And if the Admiral would be so kind as to give this junior officer
some time alone to digest all this, would be
appreciated,.....Sir!
Admiral Chegwidden nods affirmatively to Harm's
request. Without any further words spoken between the two men, Harm
turns away and walks back toward the house.h.
****************** TO BE CONTINUED
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