Chapter 5 – "We've Got a Problem"
Communications Room, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), September 1, 1994, 0745hrs
"Have you got the tape that I need?" The commander asked the CT1 that was sitting at the communications recording unit.
"Yes, sir…Here you are…" The CT1 stated as he looked over at the commander. He didn't like the vibe that he was getting from the officer.
"And you're sure that they won't be able to tell a thing?" The commander asked the tech.
"Sir, I copied the transmission parts onto a fresh tape…and labelled it…"
"And the originals?"
"Destroyed, sir."
"Good…thank you, CT1, I appreciate your service…I'll reflect that in my next evaluation…" The CT1 looked impassively at the commander as the commander turned around and walked out the door. He needed to contact the admiral about what had just happened. He had also lied to the commander about destroying the tape as he figured that was a suspicious order.
"Jonesy…I need you to make sure that my station is manned, I need to head up to the flag bridge…"
JAG Officer's Quarters. USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) 0750hrs.
"Commander Lindsey…" Commander David Campbell looked at him, "You were saying that you needed a tape of the communications that night. I have it right here…"
"Thank you, Commander Campbell…I appreciate that and I'll enter that into evidence."
"No problem…no problem at all…" Commander Campbell stated over his shoulder as he headed down the corridor stepping over the knee knockers.
Putting the tape in his tape recorder, Commander Lindsey listened to it.
"Fast Eagle 104…Combat…Fast Eagle 114 is down. I repeat Fast Eagle 114 is down. Two good chutes… Orbiting…are you sending Angel?"
"Combat Fast Eagle 104, Confirmed Orbiting, Angel is on its way…"
"Fast Eagle 104, Combat…~static~ "
"Combat Fast Eagle 104, Hold your position…and cover 114...Angel will be inbound in one five."
"Fast Eagle 10- ~static~
"Combat, Fast Eagle 104, your transmission is breaking up…"
"Combat Fast Eagle 104, hold your position.."
"Fast Eagle 104… Combat, Egressing now…~static~"
"Combat Fast Eagle 104…Hold Your Position…"
Lindsey looked at the wall. "Well, it looks like our hero is no hero at all…Looks like he abandoned them…"
Flag Bridge, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) 0800hrs
"When is the admiral supposed to return from the Mercy, ma'am…there is something really important that I need to discuss with him." The CT1 asked the Admiral's Chief of Staff Captain Kelly Nowicki
"He should be returning in about 0900hrs…on the helo. Did you need to discuss it with him privately?" she asked him.
"Yes, ma'am…it's regarding the TARPS mission communications, ma'am; and it is highly confidential, ma'am."
"Understood, CT1. You wait here…and I'll make sure that the admiral talks to you immediately when he gets back."
Flight Deck, USS Theodore Roosevelt 0900hrs Local
As Harmon Rabb, Meg Austin and the Admiral exited the SH-60 Seahawk, the Admiral's Chief of Staff was seen striding towards them. "Sir…" she said. "I have someone up in the flag bridge wanting to speak to you and the JAGs."
"Very well, Come with me, Rabb, Austin… I think we have someone that we need to talk to." The JAG officers fell into lockstep behind him.
Flag Bridge, USS Theodore Roosevelt 0910hrs Local
"CT1 Thomas Braid, sir." The CT1 stated his name. "I was approached by Commander Campbell and asked to doctor some tape for him, he brought me in some voice recordings and asked me to splice them into the recording of the TARPS communications for the Zero Dark Thirty TARPS mission on August 29, 1994, sir. I thought that was a suspicious request and decided that I would doctor the tape but not the originals. So I gave him a doctored tape with the original communications copied to another tape and spliced in with the communications that he wanted me to splice into the tape. And I secured the original tape." The CT1 had a manila envelope in his hands, which he gave to the Admiral, "I have both the tapes; I made a copy of the one that I spliced to keep as evidence and the one that was given to me by Commander Campbell which contains the voice recordings that he wanted spliced in, I also have the original un-doctored tape right here – the original transmissions as were recorded on 29 August 1994, sir. But of course, sir, he could say that those tapes were doctored." The CT1 looked at the Admiral and the JAGs. Harm looked at Meg and they both looked at the CT1.
"Then it becomes a he-said; she-said, defense." Harm looked impressed at the CT1's foresight, "You ever thought about going into law, CT1? "
"I have, sir. Actually that's my goal, sir. And sir, I think what we need here is a third-party, unbiased tape from someone who has nothing to gain by providing it."
"Well, look, CT1, When you're ready to do so, I'll give you a recommendation. And I think you're right about the unbiased third party tape."
"Thank you, sir."
Harm turned to Meg, "I think we may be able to solve this problem; we're going to need your Uncle Ollie's help."
Meg grinned, "I figured so…sir." …and asked the CT1, "Can you send a scrambled transmission to shore?"
"Yes, ma'am, I can." And led the group down to the communications room…where he shut the door behind them after they entered and secured the hatch so no-one else could gain entry, the CT1 notifying the rest of the techs that "This room is under Secured Operation. Open up a scrambled communication channel to shore, site 503041." He ordered one of the techs.
"OK…now here's a complicated code to identify my message as authenticated to the recipient" And she rattled off a few sentences which sounded like a garbled mess of letters and numbers…which the CT1 transcribed to the communications tech at the station. "TARPS082994TRCOM00300240COMSTRANSCCOPASAPUOMA25230090194" She smirked at Harm. "He'll understand. I'd say two days…and he'll be here…with it…"
Harm smirked at her, "You never cease to amaze me, Lieutenant."
Unidentified Location in US, Nevada (Approximate equivalent time)
"Sir, we've got a transmission…sir…directed to us. Has your niece's identifying code."
"Thank you…" the man stated. He looked at the code. "Meg…again?" He smiled. She was his favorite niece. Looks like I'll be taking a little trip. "Thanks Johnson…record the coms that she requires on a tape and let me know when you have it."
He dialed a number on his secure phone. "Hi, Jay…I need permission to visit the TR…Yes…I know…my niece requested my help again…I heard about it…I think that's why…Yes, sir. I'll make it happen…You'll be sending a helo to provide me transport to Twenty-Nine Palms? Thanks Jay…and please thank the Commandant. I appreciate the fact that you're helping me land feet on the TR in 48 hours…Thank you, sir." When he finished the call, Johnson had the tape. It wasn't long before he heard the rotors of the Marine Helo.
"The Colonel sends his regards, sir…" the helo pilot said.
"Tell the Colonel thank you…" the man replied.
The pilot informed him "Major General Huscroft said he can get you on a Marine Corps Transport from Twenty-Nine Palms to Okinawa via Pearl and then on a Navy COD to the TR."
"Thank you."
USHS Mercy; Off the Coast of North Korea September 2, 1994 1000hrs
"It seems like they've got a pretty tight case against me…especially with the doctored tape if you can't find an original un-tampered recording." Animal stated, looking over at the wall as Harm and Meg sat there with him. "But I know I didn't say half the transmissions that were on that recording. Campbell probably had him loop the tape and added in his own little flourishes. But there's no way to prove it…"
"Well, sir, we just may have an ace up our sleeve…" Meg told him. "I think we might be able to create a loophole big enough to drive a truck through it."
"Well, I sure hope you're right, Lieutenant JG."
Harm told Animal, "C'mon shipmate, Keep the Faith… I've never known Meg to not be able to come through with anything that she promises that she can do."
Meg looked over at the Commander who was sitting in the hospital bed, "How long before they release you, sir?"
"Probably another day…and then I guess I'm riding the boat all the way back into San Francisco."
Meg thought to herself, You're staying on-board until the deployment finishes even though you need physical therapy?
"Well, we may have to take a little side trip to Yokosuka, sir…" Meg said, "But I think we're going to have something for the prosecution that's going to upset the apple-cart for them." Harm looked at her.
"Harm, you mind if I talk with Lieutenant Austin privately for a minute?" Harm nodded and exited the room. Animal had been moved into a private room after being pronounced fit to be able to be released two days hence. When the hatch closed behind Harm, Animal turned to Meg. "You know, Lieutenant, I've never really relied on anyone else to save my bacon. Everything that I've done has been by me. Guess it's the control freak in me…"
"I understand, sir. But you can't go through life doing everything on your own, sir. Sometimes you need to know that there are people there that will walk beside you and support you when you can't fight the battles on your own."
"And this isn't something that I can fight alone, is it?" Animal gave Meg a straight look meeting her gaze eye for eye.
"No, sir…the prosecution is using dirty tactics to win, sir…and I think I just might be able to put a stop to it. Just remember, sir. You have people in your corner: Harm, me…and someone who I know…who'll be able to put the nail into the coffin containing the remnants of the prosecution's case after we finish with them." Meg stated confidently.
"You sure seem certain of yourself, Lieutenant." Animal looked over at her.
"Must be the Texan in me, sir." Meg gave him a winsome smirk. Merriment twinkled in her blue eyes.
"Austin, huh… Irish descent?" Animal asked her with a smile of his own. Meg thought he looked handsome.
"Yes, sir."
"Stubborn too?"
"All the time, sir." Meg grinned at him. Animal thought that her grin was beautiful.
"Well, I think I'm going to need that stubbornness to win the case…" He said, reaching out and Meg took his hand. "I appreciate what you're doing for me, Lieutenant." There was nothing hidden about his gratitude; Meg thought, he was open and frank and well, something about him, attracted Meg to him.
Meg thought his hand was nice, soft and warm; no callouses even though he'd seen some hard battles and life, maybe his hands were just tougher than most and could stand up to the abuse a lot more. "Let's just say, sir, that I don't like letting injustice win…and if the prosecution is going to resort to using dirty tactics to win, I'll pull a few of my own; except that my dirty tactics are perfectly legal unlike the prosecution's, sir." Meg replied with a hint of smugness in her voice. "Of course it's making sure that Commander Krennick has all the tools to pull off a win. Not to mention that I have a few things to charge Campbell with when we do win. Harm and I have drawn up charges that I think will stick in court."
Animal looked impressed, "I guess, I'll just leave it all in your capable hands, Lieutenant, it looks like you have the situation pretty well in hand." Meg smiled at him; he'd given her hand a tender squeeze when he'd said capable hands…their eyes met; his dark brown eyes looking into her blue ones and it seemed like the world just stopped there for the two of them for quite a long moment.
They spent a long time looking at each other; kind of lost in each other's gaze, when Animal heard a cough. "Well…am I interrupting anything?" Harm looked over at him with a widely amused expression. "Are you hittin' on my partner? Animal?" Harm grinned, "sir…" remembering that Animal was an O-5.
Meg looked over at him with a smirk, "If he was…I'd have to say, I don't mind in the least…" *zing*.
To say that Harm's eyebrows headed for his hairline would have been an understatement. "Ummm…Meg?" Harm asked, looking down at where his partner's hand was lying nestled in Animal's palm.
"Yes, sir?" No sign of embarrassment at all in her voice. Harm thought there was a hint of mischievousness in her acknowledgement.
"Are you aware…that you're still holding his hand?"
Meg looked at her hand in Animal's and then back at Harm, "Yes...sir." her answer was matter of fact.
"Were you planning on letting it go any time soon?" Harm asked. Animal thought he could hear a hint of peevishness in Harm's voice.
Meg looked over at Harm without saying anything and then over at Animal with a wicked grin, then turned to Harm… "Maybe…" She looked over at Animal again, "Do you mind, sir, that I'm holding your hand?"
Animal had a wicked grin of his own. "Not in the slightest…Lieutenant."
Meg looked over at Harm who by this time was looking like he'd been pole-axed. "…then probably not…sir…" she said to Harm. She just had to see his reaction to that. To say that he looked rather shocked was definitely not descriptive enough.
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), Off the Coast North Korea, September 3, 1994. 1045hrs
"Lieutenant Commander, I heard the tape that Lindsey had me listen to; it's an open shut case. Your hero cut and ran…"
"I think that tape is doctored, Commander; In fact, I'm going to make sure that I can prove that that tape the prosecution tried to sell you as authentic is anything but…" Harm stared at her.
Krennick said, "I know that you believe the Commander isn't guilty of cutting and running. Hell, you're both naval aviators."
"Are you insinuating something, Commander? That I'm too emotionally close to the case to see it objectively?"
"Well, Commander Rabb, it seems like you're going quite a bit out of your way to try and get him off the hook." Commander Krennick gave him a disbelieving look.
"That's because what the prosecution is trying to do breaks several communications fraud statutes…Commander; and several laws regarding tampering with official transmissions."
"And you're saying that you have the proper tape? Look, you'd have to have a national security agency recording of the tape before I believe it. As of now I'm sending this to trial in Yokosuka. I sure hope you have something for me…by the time we get there…or this is going to be one hell of a trial and I hate losing." She shut her briefcase and was ready to stand up…just as the hatch opened. Krennick and Harm looked over at the intrusion.
Meg came into the room with a non-descript looking man who had a locked tamper-proof briefcase with a set of handcuffs with one side attached to his wrist, the other to the handle and a grin on his face "Hi…" the man said.
Krennick looked over at the man and then at Meg, "Who is this?" Krennick asked with suspicion.
"He's the head of an organization that oversees military communications and they keep track of everything. It's not an organization whose name you want to let slip out of here outside of this room, Commander, mainly because you could be contravening several government statutes on espionage if you do." Meg grinned, "But I call him my uncle."
The man just smiled at Krennick and turned to his niece. "Meg, I believe you asked for this. The CNO helped me get this tape here. This cannot be doctored. Once this tape is recorded on; any tampering will cause the tape to automatically corrupt the data. I suggest that we let the prosecution take their accusations to court and then we'll hit them with it in court."
"Does that mean that you're staying for the duration?" Meg asked him with a smile; she loved her Uncle Ollie.
"Of course, Meg, I'm here to insure the safety of that recording and to make sure it gets into evidence in court un-tampered with…and I did have a selfish reason; I'd like to meet the man that you mentioned who is the subject of this recording…"
"I think that could be arranged, Uncle Ollie…" Meg gave her uncle a smile. "I plan to go over to the Mercy tomorrow and be there when he's released. He may need some help. You can come along with me." At that Harm looked over at Meg with an expression of why didn't you tell me that you were going over? Meg ignored him.
"I don't know how you do it, Lieutenant Austin, but I think you just may have saved Commander Nakamura's bacon. I think he owes you big time." Krennick said with a tight smile. "And I'm sure going to love seeing how Lindsey takes this in court 'cause I'm going to run him over with a steam-roller."
"Oh…I'm sure he knows that…referring to Commander Nakamura, ma'am." Meg smirked knowingly at Harm who looked at her with his eyebrow raised. "And…ma'am. I think Commander Lindsey is going to get an unpleasant surprise. It probably might even ruin his whole day."
Secure Line, Communications Center, September 4, 1994. 0100hrs,
"Yes, sir…we had a few unplanned developments, where we had to assist in the other case, sir, yes, I plan to conduct interviews when we get back to the TR from Yokosuka. It just means that our investigation into the Medal has gotten delayed due to the court case. Thank you, sir. I'll let Lieutenant JG Austin know that we've been allowed to extend our own investigation after we assist in Commander Krennick's case. Thank you, sir."
When he replaced the receiver on the phone he looked over at the berthing quarters where Uncle Ollie was with the recordings in a locked tamper-proof case which went everywhere he went. He sighed, I thought I was going to save my mentor's bacon; well, Meg did it for me. And then a mental image came to his head of Meg with her hand in Animal's hand. Hmmm, maybe she didn't do it for me; I think she may have done it for herself and Animal. Isn't that a little fast though? She's known him for maybe about an hour and a half; tops? And the fact that she was sitting so close to Animal when he'd walked back in. Is there something going on between them? He wasn't sure if he wanted to pursue that line of thought further.
COMNAVAIRFOR's Office, NAS North Island, San Diego, CA
"There's a call from the CNO, sir."
"Thank, you, Holmes, I'll take it in my office." The Vice-Admiral looked at his yeoman, "Hold my calls." When the Vice-Admiral stepped into his office, he sat down and picked up the phone. "Vice Admiral Campbell…"
"Mitch…"
"Jay…what's going on…?"
"We've got a major problem…"
"Yes, sir?"
"It's David…"
Mitch's blood ran cold. Not again. Was there no controlling him? "What did he do now?" Mitch Campbell had a resigned look on his face that was unable to be seen by anyone else. What ever it was that David had done; it probably wasn't good.
"David just went after our nation's newest potential blue-button recipient. He tried to throw dirt on him. The battle-group commander is extremely angry." The CNO growled, "This is NOT good." Vice-Admiral Campbell and Admiral Jay Whitmore had served together in the Vietnam War. Both held many decorations; and both served their country honorably, but Campbell didn't know what was wrong with David. His son had always been a petty, vindictive individual and even in school he was known as a bully. He'd always taken shortcuts through life, using intimidation and other underhanded means to get whatever he wanted. And he'd ended up working his way through life and his career in the Navy utilizing those tactics. And it got him to the rank of Commander. Mitch thought to himself. David needs to be stopped. And what the CNO said next made Mitch's blood run cold. "Now I see only two ways to make this mess go away. 1) We stop David and make him pay under the UCMJ for smearing a highly decorated naval officer; you disavow anything to do with him. Or…2)" he paused ominously, "You take early retirement and let him hang himself."
"So either way, David ends up in a situation where he's going to end up incarcerated." Mitch replied. David had done this to himself, but the father in him still felt emotional pain at what his son was going to end up going through.
"Mitch, you and I both know that David's accusations are without merit." CNO Whitmore stated, "He's made too many enemies over the years and accusing the latest blue-button recipient is going too far. He's going down."
"I understand, sir." Mitch said, "David has been told many times in the past by me that he needed to get by on his own merits and not by kicking the legs out from under everyone else. What did you need me to do?"
"You're going to Yokosuka and you're going to let David know that you're not supporting him any longer. Is that understood?"
"Aye-aye, sir…Understood. I'm also cutting him off, sir." Vice-Admiral Mitch Campbell told the CNO. As much as he cared about his progeny; the damage to his own career could potentially put his retirement and pension in jeopardy.
"Very good. I'll wait to hear from you in Yokosuka."
"Yes, sir…" Mitch replaced the phone in the cradle when he heard the dial-tone. He sank into his chair and covered his face. David, What have you done?
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