Author: Nancy
Disclaimer: I do not own JAG or its characters. This is purely for
entertainment.
Classification: Drama, action, angst PG-13
Category: Harm and Mac angst/romance
Summary: Harm and the crew of a Navy frigate fight to survive a night
of peril on the cold northern Atlantic. I wrote this in October of
2000. But it could work for season 7.
PART 3
The radio crackles, "Commander Rabb starboard compartments are flooded."
"Roger." I force my thoughts of Bobby Cummings away, I must deal with our current situation.
Murf observes the ship as it appears to be balanced in the water, but riding close to the water line.
"I hope we don't have any more catastrophes, or we will all end up in the life rafts, and I don't know how many of the injured will survive," I mutter. Murf casts a side-glance at me and nods.
The radio crackles again, this time the speaker's voice sounds excited, "Commander Rabb, we have established communication with a commercial airliner."
"Roger, on my way." Finally a break.
..........
COM Room of USS Frigate Thomas S. Hall
0330
"This is Boeing 277, we have received your distress call, over..."
"Navy USS T. Hall requests emergency communication with North Atlantic Fleet Command. Over"
"Navy T. Hall what is your status, over"
"Boeing 277, we have hit ice and experienced explosions on ship. We have taken on water and have 39 injured plus fatalities. We are on temporary power and long range communication is out. We are dead in the water. Our last reported location was 65 degrees North and 45 degrees West. Over."
"Navy T. Hall who is in command? over"
"Commander Harmon Rabb. over"
"Roger that, will relay you message. Hang in there Navy."
"That's a Roger"
...........
North Atlantic Fleet Command
Norfolk, Virginia
"Sir, sorry to wake you. We have just received a relayed message from Commercial Flight 277 over the North Atlantic. The Thomas S. Hall frigate has run into ice."
Admiral Benjamin Garick turns his bedside light on and sits up in bed. "What is her status?"
"Sir, there have been explosions on board and power and communication failure. Thirty-nine reported injured plus fatalities. She is taking on water."
"Damn." Garick swears under his breath, "Who's in command."
"A Commander Harmon Rabb sir, but he is not listed as part of the crew. He is a JAG officer, Sir."
"What in god's name...What are the closest vessels in the area?"
"The Coral Sea is about 3 hours away. They are experiencing poor weather conditions. Winds gusting up to 65 knots. They are unable to send helos, Sir."
"I'll be there in 20."
"Yes, Sir"
...........
Admiral Chegwidden's residence
0200
Ring......
This better be important. "Admiral Chegwidden."
"Please hold for Admiral Garick."
"AJ, we have a situation in the North Atlantic. I think you'll have an interest in." Turning the light on and wiping the sleep from his eyes. He becomes immediately concerned. Garick is Chief of Naval Operations for the North Atlantic. But why would JAG be involve unless...
"The USS Thomas S. Hall struck ice tonight. She is experiencing power and communication problems and had to relay a distress signal. Apparently there was more damage caused by an explosion."
"Ben, I have an officer on board conducting a JAGman investigation."
"AJ, it seems Commander Rabb has had to assume command...we know that there are casualties."
"Rescue scenarios?"
"Coral Sea is the nearest ship, she is in the middle of a storm and can't send out helos. They are moving as fast as possible, but aircraft carriers are not known for speed. The storm is moving slowly towards the Northeast. Hopefully the Coral Sea can reach the T. Hall before the storm."
"I'll be at JAG Headquarters. Keep me informed."
"AJ, better start praying."
Ring.....
"Hello" a sleepy Sarah McKenzie answers.
"Colonel, I need you down at HQ, how quickly can you be there."
"She sits up startled by the message. "Sir, what has happened?"
"Call Mr. Roberts, have him come also I'll brief you when you arrive."
..........
JAG HQ
"Colonel, Lt., the frigate Thomas S. Hall hit ice earlier tonight which resulted in explosions aboard. She is floundering in the North Atlantic."
A look of shock appears on the two junior officers. "Sir, isn't that the ship Commander Rabb..."
"Yes, Lt. and apparently he has had to assume command. There are injuries and fatalities. Chief of Operations Admiral Garick is going to keep us informed."
"We will need to plan to go to the Coral Sea to investigate. She is on her way to assist the Hall, if a storm doesn't interfere."
.........
USS T. Hall
0500
"Let's go check on the injured, Murf."
"Yes, Sir."
The mess hall floor is lined with men on pallets, many with severe burns. As Harm and Murf walk through the room, one of the injured men calls out. "Commander, when are they coming to get us?"
The sailor has burns to his hands. He looks no older than early twenties. Harm stoops down so he can face the sailor. "It won't be long sailor. You just hang in there... and that's an order."
Another injured sailor speaks up anxiously, "Sir, are you sure they're coming after us?"
"Sailor, I'm a JAG lawyer with lots of lawyer friends. Can you imagine the grief a bunch of lawyers can cause if you make them unhappy?"
The injured sailors begin to chuckle despite their pain.
"Sir do you think you could represent me in a lawsuit...I have this injury." Another sailor laughs.
"Sir, I see you are wearing wings. What did you fly?"
"Tomcats, my call sign was Lucky." I joke as the men laugh.
I turn to the others, "We will be rescued." I say with all certainty. This is not the Titanic.
A corpsman approaches the Commander, "Sir Captain Crusher is over there, he's asking for you."
I walk over and find the Captain. He has severe burns to the neck and chest. His breathing is labored. The corpsman looks at me and shakes his head. I bend down so he can see me. "Captain, it's Commander Rabb."
"Commander...I under..stand..you...are in...command" He swallows in pain.
"Sir don't try to talk, help will be here soon."
"I...won't. make..it" he gasps.
"Corpsman...take...off..my Captain's bars" he struggles to speak.
The corpsman looks at me and I nod. He carefully removes the shoulder boards from Crusher's uniform and places them in the Captain's hand.
"Commander... give me your hand." He places them in my hand. "If you...are in...command.. need captain bars." He closes his eyes in pain, then continues "Commander...promise ....you'll...leave..me..with my ...ship."
"Sir help is coming."
"Not soon... enough..for me." He grimaces in pain.
"I...go down...with my...ship...promise me...promise." He whispers gasping for breath.
"Yes, sir, I promise."
He nods and breathes one last breath then relaxes. I salute the still form. The corpsman pulls the blanket over his face. I stare at the shoulder boards in my hand. All this man did was serve his country. I don't believe he contacted the media, like he said, he confronted his battles head on. I believe scuttlebutt is the guilty party. You can't keep problems like this ship has had hidden...
A nearby injured sailor who observed the exchange begins to sing soulfully,
"When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll: Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul."
"It is well with my soul, It is well.. it is well with my soul"
.............
"Commander Rabb, Captain Ramsey of the Coral Sea is on the radio."
I rush to the COM, "Commander Rabb."
"Commander, Ramsey here.. I going to start sending helos to your last recorded coordinates. The storm is heading your direction so we're going to try to beat it to you. The first helo should arrive about 0400."
"Roger, we will shoot flares at 0345 every 5 minutes.... we have over thirty seriously injured.."
"Roger, we will be prepared, out."
I turn around smiling to the crew in the COM. "They're on their way."
A cheer follows as word is spread to begin to make preparations for rescue.
"Evacuate the most seriously injured first followed by the others, nonranked seaman with wives and children next, the unmarried nonranked, then start with lowest ranked with families and move up with highest ranked with no families last. Let's get ready."
"Aye, aye, Commander."
"Murf, let's go check the flight deck. Those helos are going to need plenty of clearance."
"Aye, aye, Sir."
.........
The wind and waves have increased as the storm moves our way. The flight deck has some debris that we need to move and secure. Suddenly a large wave rocks the ship roughly sending a damaged mast hurling down. Murf yells, "Watch out, Commander!"
I turn to see the mast falling towards me and scramble to move only to fall as the ship bucks again. The mast catches my right leg resulting in an unbearable crushing pain.
In seconds, Murphy and four other sailors are lifting the metal pole from my leg. Murphy quickly examines my injured limb, "Sir, it's broken."
I can hardly speak the pain is so intense. "Hurry and finish clearing ...the deck.... send flares up ....every 5 minutes... begin at 0345."
"Let's move the Commander over there. The helo will be arriving soon." Murf orders, "Go get a corpsman."
"Sir, this is going to hurt" he speaks gently.
I swallow hard to keep from screaming out in pain as the men move me. A corpsman appears at my side and covers me with a blanket, "Sir I will do my best to splint your leg, but we are out of pain meds." I nod as beads of sweat form on my face although the temp is well below freezing.
I lean back against a metal storage unit and watch the preparations. It won't be long now, I tell myself. This will be all over. I try to think of something to keep the spasms of pain at bay. Mac leaning against my doorway just hours ago, teasing me about my fishing trip. I wish she was here... No, I don't wish that for anybody.
The first helo arrives and 20 of the critically injured are quickly loaded and taken away. A second arrives immediately, and the remaining injured are loaded. Murf and a collection of sailors including Collette prepare to take me to the helo, "No wait, I'm staying until everyone is evacuated."
"Sir you are injured."
"I'll be fine...do as I order... get the non ranks on board quickly...the wind is picking up."
Murf starts to object, but stops and responds, "You heard the Commander."
Thirty minutes later the helos return as the nonranks and lower ranked enlisted men board. Seaman Collette approaches, "Sir, permission to trade places with Chief Hughes. His wife is expecting twins."
"Permission granted." I smile.
"I would like to stay until you leave, Sir."
This was the same sailor who called me a murderer just hours ago.
...........
All have been evacuated except for nine petty officers, Murf, Collette and myself.
Murf and Collette slide down next to me as we watch the helo take off and wait for our turn. The ship is rolling up and down with the increasing momentum of the approaching storm. The blackness of the sea and night is gradually being overcome by early dawn.
Collette is the first to break the silence. "The first thing I'm going to do when I get back on dry land is to ask Nicole, my girl, to marry me."
"I'm going to the nearest bar and get loaded." Murf laughs.
"What are you going to do Sir, besides getting that leg repaired. Do you have a special girl?"
I think about a brown eyed Marine, "Not exactly, it's complicated."
"Hell, compared to what we've been through tonight how complicated can it be?" Murf grins.
I laugh, "You're right."
"What's she like, Sir?"
"Sarah's beautiful, smart and one of the most courageous persons I have ever known... She has always been there for me." I smile thinking of her. "She can tell time to the nearest second without a watch." I add with a chuckle.
"Sounds like you have it bad, Sir." Collette grins.
I shake my head.
The last helo makes its descent towards the flight deck as the waves and wind make it difficult to maintain control. The pilot unable to land, holds the helo close to the deck as the helo crew wave us to jump on.
I am practically thrown into the waiting arms of the helo crew as the others scramble aboard allowing the helo to take off away from the sinking storm tossed frigate.
For the first time we can view the Hall's condition from above. The surreal scene hypnotizes us as we stare out the open helo hatch. Tears stream down some of the men's faces as they think about their fellow crew members who died and their ship that flounders at the mercy of the sea.
Fatigue and pain begin to take its toll, and I lay back allowing myself to fall into blackness.
The helo is met by corpsmen as the final group from the Hall are assisted onto the Coral Sea.
Captain Ramsey intercepts the group, "Where is Commander Rabb?"
"Sir, he was injured preparing the crew for evacuation."
Turning and seeing the stretcher, "The sick bay is full so take the Commander to my quarters and have one of the ship's doctors attend to him as soon as possible," he orders.
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