Title:
Trapped
Author: Rising Sun
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Rated: PG-13
Summary: Harm, Sturgis and AJ all find love but it may be too late.
Spoiler: The Measure of Men
Disclaimer: NONE of these characters are mine! No copyright infringement intended. All other characters depicted are purely fictional and any similarities to actual people are purely coincidental.
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Permission to archive: Permission granted.
Story written July 28, 2002
SOMEWHERE IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN
The pilot of the twin otter struggled with the plane.
“Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Air control do you read!” The co-pilot shook his head “Still no reply Captain.”
“People listen up!” He shouted. “Brace for impact!”
The only other people on board were: Rear Admiral AJ Chedwiggen, Commander Sturgis Turner, Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. and Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie.
As they prepared for the crash Sturgis grumbled. “Next time I take the Sub.”
“Subway?” Harm asked.
“SunMARINE.” He snarled.
“A Marine will get you there and back safe anytime.” Mac chirped in.
AJ ignored them. They were all trying to make light of a dire situation and failing miserably.
“Look! Land!” The co-pilot had spotted an island.
“That’s a rock!” Harm observed.
“And our salvation.” AJ reminded all as the small plane struggled to change course.
“We’re not going to make it!” Sturgis “Brace yourself!”
The plane hit the water and it may have been a concrete wall for the results were the same. The Captain and Co-pilot died instantly leaving the four JAG Officers to fight for their lives.
The plane may be considered light in the world of flight but the moment it hit the water it began to sink. The seat belts mercifully unclipped with ease. Sturgis struggled with the emergency door as the pressure of the ocean came to bare on the door and the plane. They had four minutes to get to the surface and the plane continued to sink. Suddenly the door popped open and the sea instantly pored in. They made their way out and headed up even as the plane headed down to the sea floor.
AJ broke to the surface first oriented himself and spotted the island. Harm emerged followed by Sturgis. “Where is Mac!” AJ fought to keep the panic out of his voice.
“Oh God!” Harm dived back followed by the other two. After half an hour of continuous diving AJ made the hard decision.
“Enough.”
“But sir…” Sturgis was about to object.
“I SAID ENOUGH COMMANDER!”
“Aye sir.”
“We need our energy to head for that island.” Without looking back AJ set out for the sanctuary.
+ + +
ONE HOUR LATER
The three officers collapsed on the beach of the tiny island. They were content to have just lain there but the exSEAL’s training kicked in. “Up! That is an order gentlemen! We have maybe four hours of light left and in that time we need, food, fire and shelter. Rabb you get food. Turner you are shelter I’ll get fire. NOW MOVE!”
The three moved out to execute the assignment.
+ + +
FIVE HOURS LATER
Having completed the assignments the three sat before a roaring fire and said nothing. Finally Harm voiced the unspoken. “I CANNOT believe that Mac is … gone.” He couldn’t say dead.
Sturgis whirled on him. “You son of a bitch.” He screeched.
AJ started. Sturgis was usually so in control. “Commander!”
“Sorry sir but this man is my friend and I have stood by and watch the soap opera called “Harm and Mac” and wondered what would happen next. This SOB let her die and never even declared his feelings for her!” The stress of the day was weighing on all and judgment was not on that island with them.
“What the hell do you know about it!” Harm challenged. “Mac and I are friends.”
AJ snorted. “Harm the woman is dead for God’s sake at least be man enough to honour her with an acknowledgement.”
“Sir…” Harm began and was stopped by an upper right. Sturgis had punched him.
The two rolled around in a well-balanced match. At first AJ was too tired to intervene and he thought that they were too. Finally enough was enough and he dragged himself to his feet picked up the rust bucket they’d found earlier and emptied the water on the men. They came up gasping.
“We nearly died today. One of us DIED and all the two of you can do is this?” AJ was too weary to roar.
“Sorry.” Sturgis offered to Harm.
“Sorry.” Harm replied.
“Now that she is dead I am released from my promise.” Sturgis began. “She loved you.”
Harm just stared.
“Did you hear me?” His friend asked.
“And just how did you happen to know that Commander?” AJ asked from his regained seat.
“She told me sir. And before you start …” He said to Harm “She swore me to secrecy.”
“She loved me?”
“If you had enough gray cell Rabb your would have known that. Hell I knew.” AJ admonished.
Sturgis stood. “You are a bright man normally but in this you were a damn fool.”
AJ studied Harm. “If you loved her … why the silence?” He no longer disputed the younger man’s feelings for the late Colonel.
“I just never got round to it sir.” He mumbled.
“Oh now there is an epitaph for your tombstone.” Sturgis said in disgust “I’m going to sleep.”
“We’d do good to all get some sleep. Tomorrow we explore this place.”
AJ listened to the two as Harm and Sturgis lay side by side and talked softly. “I always thought I had time.” Harm explained.
“If I ever get out of this I’m going to marry Bobbie.” Sturgis decided. “I’ve been playing **relationship** its time to get serious.”
“God what I’d do just to see Mac again.”
“Given that chance what would you do?”
“Love her Sturgis just love her.” On that note he rolled over and went to sleep.
====================================
2209 LOCAL
USS CURTIS WILBUR
SOMEWHERE IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN
“Captain!” The XO stood before his chief.
“Let’s have it.”
“Admiral Chedwiggen and his team never completed the island hop. All ships in a one thousand kilometer radius of the last known position are ordered to affect a search and rescue pattern at first light.”
The Captain swore and even the sailor on deck had not heard those phrases before. He headed for his maps. The XO pointed out the coordinates. The Captain plotted his pattern. “Get me the CAG.”
“Aye sir!”
====================================
DAY TWO
2012 LOCAL
Again the three sat at the fireside. “I feel like Tom Hanks in Castaway.”
“That makes which one of us Wilson?” Harm replied.
“I’m sure as hell not spending years on this rock. Damn it we are NAVY! And that…” He pointed, “… is the sea. I am not I repeat NOT staying on this rock forever!”
“Aye sir!” Harm replied.
====================================
DAY FIVE
1220 LOCAL
“She’s awake.” A nurse observed. “Ma’am?”
Mac looked at her blankly. “Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie – date of birth July 14 1967 – Serial Number 19670714.”
“It’s ok Colonel you are at on board the USS Curtis Wilbur.” The nurse assured her.
“Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie – date of birth July 14 1967 – Serial Number 19670714.” She repeated.
The nurse sighed and hit the intercom. “Captain to sickbay. Captain to sick bay.”
====================================
DAY SEVEN
0820 LOCAL
Harm marked the make shift calendar – day seven. They had been on this blasted rock for one week. Mac had been dead for a week. A tear rolled down his cheek.
“Damn it!” AJ roared. The latest attempt at a raft had failed. With no tools the efforts were continually failing but the three longhaired, bearded men still tried.
====================================
DAY SEVEN
2320 LOCAL
BRIDGE - USS CURTIS WILBUR
“JAG on deck!” The yeoman announced.
“Colonel should you be up and about?” The Captain asked.
“I only swallowed half the ocean before that fisherman picked me up sir.“ She chuckled. “The Doctor cleared me. Any luck?” she was anxious for her friends.
The Captain shook his head.
“Could you show me where you have searched so far?”
The Captain took her to the desk covered with maps. “When we picked you up we adjusted the search based on where you were found.”
Mac caressed the map. “Don’t ask me how or why Cap. But I suggest that you look here.”
“We have already done a flyby.” He informed her.
“This time we go in.” She said.
====================================
DAY EIGHT
2223 LOCAL
Three cavemen sat at the fire.
“I come to the conclusion that I love Bobbie.” Sturgis announced suddenly.
AJ took a deep breath. “I should have been man enough to deal with Danny Waldon.”
“Well since we are all confessing I should have told Mac that I love her.”
“Nice to know.” A familiar female voice split the night.
“Mac!” In one motion Harm said her name, stood and grabbed her in a bear hug.
The other two just stared in disbelief. “Mac?” AJ asked.
“Yes sir,” She strained to get out for she was still in Harm’s hug. “Put me down Harm!” he complied.
“Colonel…” A voice said.
“Gentlemen the Marines are here to save the NAVY … again. Your chariot awaits.”
+ + +
Six hours all clean, shaven and fed Harm went in search of Mac. He found her in her cabin “ May I come in?”
“Sure!”
For some reason he couldn’t face her so he looked all around, everywhere but directly at her. “Do know why I requested this assignment?”
“No” She replied.
“Because I needed to talk to you and I knew you weren't going to call me back. I don't get it Mac. When Brumby left you asked for my help.”
“I'm handling it.” She replied.
“Halfway around the world?” he challenged.
“It seemed like the right thing to do.”
He was losing control of the conversation. He had got on that damned toy plane to be near her and here he was dodging again. He braced himself. “I meant what I said.”
“You say many things.”
“I love you.”
She just stared at him.
“Did you hear me?”
“I heard you then and I hear you now.” She confirmed.
This was anticlimactic, “That’s it?”
“What more is there?” She was all innocence.
He was lost. “I thought…” he paused. “I love you Mac.”
“Yes I heard you.” She repeated.
“OK” he sighed and a deflated Harm walked out.
+ + +
She let him stew and one hour six minutes later there was a tap on Harm’s door. “Enter!” he called. The door swung open and Mac stood there.
Harm remained rooted to his seat.
She stepped in closed the hatch and stood before him. She just stood and looked at him. He swallowed hard. He was confused. Mac had him confused.
“SO! You love me.” She virtually accused.
“Yes.” He defended.
She leaned over and initiated a kiss that threatened to suck him dry. When the kiss ended they were both panting. Through half closed eyes she replied, “I love you too.”
~*~ FINIS ~*~