Author: Nancy
Disclaimer: JAG and characters do not belong to me. I don't make any money from this.
Classification: PG- 13
Category: Harm/Mac Drama/Humor
Summary: Harm has the opportunity to trade places in more ways than one.

PART 6

Corporal Pyle walked back to his quarters from evening mess with his head hanging low. No one had even sat with him. He heard his name mentioned along with words like screw up, nerd, geek and worse. He had checked the coding carefully before submitting the orders to Captain Nelson. There was no way that he could have done this.

So preoccupied with his latest problems that he didn't hear the footsteps until a blanket was thrown over his head, and he was dragged into a nearby empty storage building where he felt the first punch to his abdomen.

Harm had tried to catch up with his administrative assistant that afternoon to warn him of possible retaliation, but Colonel Rester's meeting took longer than he had planned and the Corporal had already left for the day.
Harm had pretty much experienced the same treatment from his peers on the base.
Maybe tonight he would be able to draw out the 'judge and jury' as he and Mac had coined the individual or group who was assaulting and harassing atypical Marines.

Using his crutches, he made his way towards the officer's club past several empty storage units. There was no doubt he heard the sounds of a struggle coming from one of the buildings. Drawing his service sidearm hidden beneath his jacket, he stealthily approached the building the best he could with crutches. Just as he reached the door three men painted in camouflage flew past him throwing him off his balance and almost knocking him down. Harm quickly entered the storage unit to find Corporal Pyle sweeping dust off his uniform. "Are you alright Corporal?" Harm asked surprised to find the young Marine standing. "I thought I heard someone fighting."

"I'm fine Sir." The Corporal smiled with a black eye beginning to appear. "Some guys thought they needed to take out their frustrations on me, but it didn't happen."

"I saw three fairly large guys just run out of here Pyle. Would you care to explain?"

"Tai Kwan Do. I was a black belt by the time I completed high school. My mother insisted I take self-defense classes when I started elementary school. I was pretty good at it." He added matter of factly. "Sir what are you doing here?"

"I was going to the officer's club."

"I don't think that would be such a good idea Sir."

"Look Corporal, I am to blame about the T-shirt incident. I changed the order after you gave it to me. Colonel Rester is aware of it, and I'll make sure everyone else knows you had nothing to do with this. You are very competent at what you do." Harm explained remorsefully.

"Sir, I don't understand. Why would you change the orders? I know some of the guys around here are really full of themselves and don't think much of you or me. But the best way to get even is to prove to them that they are wrong by being the best."

Harm winced at the young Marine's bravado and sucked in a deep breath before explaining, "I'm not who you think I am. I am a naval officer from JAG headquarters. I am conducting an undercover investigation concerning the assaults of Marines on this base. I was trying to attract the vigilante or vigilantes who are trying to weed out who they believe shouldn't be in the Corp."

"You're a naval officer?"

"Commander Harmon Rabb and Corporal if they continue to give you a hard time here. JAG would more than happy to have you work in our offices. We just lost one good Marine back to the line and would certainly like to have another."

"Thank you Sir!" Corporal Pyle smiled.

"Let's get that shiner checked out in the infirmary." Harm directed.

"Sir, weren't you the JAG officer who won two DFC?"

"They don't do too much good when you're in the courtroom though." Harm smiled.

"You also spent over three hours in the Atlantic when your F-14 malfunctioned." The Corporal rattled on.

"Yep, I told Colonel Rester, I had a problem with cold water."

"This is truly an honor Sir. I will keep lips sealed." He pretended to zip his lips closed.

"Just keep your ears and eyes open. I don't think anyone else will be bothering you. Tai Kwan Do right? You don't happen to keep up with UFO's?"