Chapter Nine - "Quantico"

"Hail and Well Met"

Chapter Nine - "Quantico"

0500hrs, Room 325, Marine Corps Base Quantico VOQ; Marine Corps Base Quantico; Quantico, VA. MAY 15, 1997

Animal jolted upright from a sound sleep as reveille sounded for the Marines. And yells came from the Marines in training.

"Honey?"

"What is it, dear."

"I had this horrible nightmare."

Meg looked at him, "what was the nightmare?"

"We looked through so many hotels, couldn't find a single decent hotel and ended up in a VOQ on a Marine Corps Base."

Meg opened the window. "YOU ARE HERE TO BE TRAINED AS MARINE CORPS OFFICERS. UNTIL SUCH TIME AS YOU PIN THOSE BUTTERBARS ON YOUR COLLARS, YOU ARE NOTHING BUT WHALE SHIT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA! THE FIRST AND ONLY WORDS OUT OF YOUR FILTHY DISGUSTING SEWERS WILL BE..." Meg shut the window with a dry expression.

Animal groaned."no...no...no". As he banged his face into the pillow.

"I think we'd better prep our uniforms if we are going down to eat breakfast at chow-hall." Meg informed him as they both got out of bed and made it.

Then it was ironing the uniforms to the point the military creases on the service uniform would make the shirt nearly stand up by itself. Animal finished off his ironing and they both got dressed. Heading down to the entrance of the VOQ, Animal stepped out into the sunshine of the morning, putting his Bsncroft with the one row of scrambled eggs on the brim on. .silver oak leafs on both his collars and his Naval Aviator wings shining brightly above his six rows of ribbons. Meg's khakis bore her gold oak leaf and JAG mille-rind and she put on her own cap.

Meg had the Navy Commendation award as well as the Meritorious Unit Commendation and National Defense Service ribbon on her rack so she had a single row complete. She smirked at her husband, "Compared to your rack, I feel like I've hardly got anything." She said as they stepped out onto the sidewalk.

"Oh...no worries, I'm sure you'll achieve more ribbons." Her husband told her. "You've got a way of standing out to your peers."

"Good morning sir, ma'am." A Marine lieutenant snapped of a crisp salute as he walked past

"Morning, Lieutenant." Meg and he returned the salute.

"I think it's this way to the officer's chow hall." Animal looked around as he was trying to figure out his direction. He was so used to saying mess. The two walked over returning salutes along the way.

"Why does it feel like my honey-moon just ended", Meg muttered "I feel like I'm back at work."

"Yeah, me too."

When they reached the chow hall they found the place filled with hungry Marines who barely looked up from their meal to give the visiting Navy officers the once over.

When they could see a section of table free they got their food, paid and headed back over to sit down.

"Hey Navy."

Animal looked over.

"How'd you end up in this place?"

"Looked for a hotel. They were all full." Animal said shortly eyeing the Marine Lieutenant balefully with a raised eye-brow. "Lieutenant." He mentioned the hailer's rank because he was not impressed by the casual informality displayed by the lower-ranking officer. "Wanted to bunk in a place frequented by a higher class of life-form." A bunch of laughter.

"Excuse me? Boys." A familiar hard female voice addressed the group of laughing boys. "I suggest you lock it up. GET UP NOW!"

Meg looked up. Harm and Mac were standing by. Mac stalked to the highest ranking of the bunch a captain "Don't you bunch have places to go instead of pestering Navy officers?"

"Ma'am YES Ma'am"

"Then I suggest you return to your duties and make yourselves scarce." Mac put her face in the young officer's face "NOW!" In three seconds the table was clear.

"Ten Marines with IQs the size of a MRE ration tin." Mac said, her voice sounding disgusted. "My gut says they were using you two as an excuse to shirk duties."

"Thanks, Mac." Animal said. Mac sat herself down by Meg who felt a bit uncomfortable sitting beside someone who clearly disliked her.

Harm sat down beside Animal.

"'Meg..." Mac began, "we got off on the wrong foot. Harm explained why you came back. I'm sorry, I doubted that your marriage was legitimate. If I had my eyes open, I would have noticed the telltale nonverbal cues between you and you, sir." She looked over at Animal.

"I hope that wasn't all you came down for." Animal said to her.

"No, sir. We have an investigation here regarding some embezzling of funds. But I saw you two and figured that I'd better put things right between me and Meg before she came back to work. Then I noticed you two being harassed by those idiots."

"It's going to be a hell of a paper trail to try and track down where the money went, Major." Animal replied. "And since I'm no investigator, there's little that I can do."

"Mac, " Meg said, "...if you can get me onto a terminal, I can hack the paper-trail. They would have had to use a service bank at some point to transfer the funds out."

"You sure that could work? " Mac asked, doubtful but at this point in the investigation was open to any sort of rabbit being pulled out of the hat.

Harm said, "She's good, she once hacked a computer in thirty six hours"

"Thirty six?" Mac didn't look impressed, she'd seen faster."

"In Chinese." Meg clarified. "I can hack anything in English between two and six hours."

At the in Chinese, Mac's jaw dropped open.

"See..." Animal heard Harm say.

Chinese was one of the hardest languages to learn. If Meg could hack a computer in Chinese, her command of the language must be impeccable, Mac thought.

"I'm impressed, Meg." Mac said, "let's hope the terminal isn't in Chinese."

"I guess what I could do is go back to our VOQ and hang out." Animal commented to Meg thinking that his morning would be relatively sedate.

"Well, sir, we could use those silver oak leafs of yours to deflect some of the heat." Harm said.

"Lovely..."Animal muttered darkly, "just when I'd hoped to keep my ass from getting flambéd by superior officers."

"Well, sir, hopefully the senior officers that we talk to are O-5s..."

Animal glowered at him. "You're really reassuring, you know that, Rabb?"

"Always try to be of assistance, sir...". He replied knowing full well his last statement was anything but.

Their path to the exit of the chow hall took them past a pair of Marine full bulls.

"Good morning, sir..." Animal said.

"Good morning, Commander." The colonels returned.

Animal looked at Harm with an expression that clearly read, ...you were saying?"Somehow, I don't think hope got the message clearly, Lieutenant Commander..."he said dryly as they emerged into the sunlight of the Quantico morning. The Marine Corps Base at Quantico was a hive of activity at 0645hrs.

A group of Marines came marching down the road; officers in training.

Their platoon leader a Gunnery Sergeant snapped a crisp salute as they marched past. Animal being the senior of the four crisply returned the salute.

"Mama mama, can't you see?

What the Marine Corps done to me..."

Another platoon, calling cadence, another good morning, sirs, ma'ams and yet another salute return.

"At home sleep in, life was a ball...

Now oh five hundred wake up call..," the resumed cadence faded into the distance.

"Thank God, it wasn't the cadence call from Heartbreak Ridge..." muttered Animal dryly. Meg nearly burst out laughing. Her brothers loved that movie and watched it so many times so she knew exactly which cadence Animal was referring to.

Headquarters building loomed up ahead

0700hrs Operations HQ, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Quantico, VA

"So you want to have access to payroll records of my Marines due to some unknown party making allegations of embezzlement?" the Major General Graham O'Callaghan looked astounded.

"Yes, sir..." Harm stated as he looked over at the General. "JAG was ordered to pursue this, sir."

"I can't say I like the idea of JAG snooping around in the monetary dealings of my men and women in uniform."

"The other alternative, sir, is to haul them off the line to be questioned regarding any dealings and expect Marine Corps Honor to force them to tell the truth, sir."

Major General O'Callaghan knew full well that anybody embezzling would not let something like Marine Corps Esprit de Corps and Honor prevent them from lying.

"All right, but know this, I want it done cleanly and without them knowing. If anyone asks, I will deny all knowledge of this conversation ever taking place."

"Aye, sir."

"Lieutenant Commander Austin-Nakamura, how much access to a terminal do you require?"

"Six hours at the most, sir..."

"You have three."

"Aye,sir!" That was going to be tough but she could do it provided the records were straight-forward.

When they left the General s office, they knew they had work to do, access to the payroll records mainframe was necessary.

"Harm, how well can you impersonate a NAVINSGEN officer or a senior officer?"

"Have to take my rank off and my name-tag." Harm replied, "I'm covered under the UCMJ for impersonation in the line of duty as a JAG investigator doing an investigation."

Animal reached up to his collars and removed his O-5 pins handing them over. "Give me yours." Harm grinned at him, "It's only temporary, Rabb."

Harm pinned on the rank and traded Bancrofts. Animal stuck on Harm's Lieutenant Commanders.

"I could get used to this." Harm quipped while Mac and Meg rolled their eyes.

"Don't." was the short rather deflating reply from Animal.

Stepping out of the shadows, Animal and the other three officers headed down the road to the IT unit. A platoon passed by them, the Gunny saluting.

"Senior officer responds!" Animal hissed, "sir!"

"Oh." Harm, so used to Animal returning the salute, nearly missed that barely returning the salute as the Gunny passed his three-nine.

"If this was undercover, Rabb, you'd get us killed." Animal growled. "Act like an O-5, dammit!"

"Watch your tone, Lieutenant Commander! Unless you want to be a Lieutenant!" Harm whirled on him, eyes blazing.

Animal snapped to attention. "Yes sir!" Under his breath he said, "That's better!" Meg and Mac grinned.

Harm muttered back, "Thanks."

"Take command, remember, I'm following your lead. Not the other way around. You're the one with the silvers at the moment." Animal smirked, "consider this practice for when you actually get yours."

Meg snickered.

They managed to get into the IT room. The head department manager was a lieutenant colonel and Harm brusquely told him JAG needed access to a terminal and that the manager would be impeding a legal investigation if he refused. Outmatched by the ersatz commander, he gave up access to the terminal to which Harm motioned Meg to.

"Yes, sir." Meg had an irreverent smirk on her face, she thought Harm behaving like an O-5 was hilarious especially when Harm was wearing her husband's O-5 pins. "Attempting access." She sat down and went into the terminal, "ok...payroll..." she tapped a few keys lifted up a thumbs up. "We're in..."

Harm looked over at Mac. Mac nodded with an impressed expression.

"Bingo!" Meg said with an evil grin on her face.

"You got something." Mac asked.

Meg smirked, "Major Mackenzie, I got names, dates, a paper trail that even a blind mole rat could follow."

Animal quipped, "uh...aren't all mole rats blind?"

"Thank you, Captain Obvious..," Harm smirked. He was really enjoying the power of Animal's O-5s

"Meg print the stuff off so that we have evidence." Animal said, taking off the lieutenant commanders pins and handing them back to Harm, "my pins back, now." When he'd replaced the pins back on his uniform, he growled at the IT lieutenant colonel, "not one word, Lieutenant Colonel!" His demeanor, that of a rabid rottweiler just barely restrained, cowed the Marine who didn't know what to think observing the rank-pins exchange. The four walked out of there with enough info to convict the miscreants of embezzling Corps funds. Animal put his cap, the proper one, back on.

0700hrs Operations HQ, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Quantico, VA

"So you got the information that you needed?" Major General O'Callaghan asked. "What's going to happen next?"

"We will require the Marine Security Detachment to assist us in executing arrest warrants for each perpetrator." Harm said.

"IT informed me that there was a JAG O-5 in trying to get information and commandeered one of his computers." The major general narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn't happen to have any clue of a JAG O-5 on-site would you as he failed to check in with sentries so there is no record of him anywhere."

"No, sir."

"Well then I guess I'm going to have to tell him he's been spending too much time staring at computer screens. Must've addled his brains and he was hallucinating. He also said that JAG commander happened to be wearing wings."

"Nary a clue, sir."

The major general rubbed his temples as he sat down. He looked at Animal and Harm. "Alright. I'll get you your security detachment. Next time try to keep from trading insignia if you're going to growl at one of my Marines. Commander." He raised an eyebrow at both Animal and Harm. "They're already confused enough."

"Yes, sir"

As they walked out into the sunlight again, Animal quipped, "confusion, lack of recognition, inability to judge shades of color?...classic signs." He shook his head sadly.

"Classic signs of what? Sir?" Mac asked curiously.

"CDS, Major." Animal said, " it's a nutritional deficiency common to Marines."

"Really?" Mac was genuinely curious."

"Crayon Deficiency Syndrome...". Animal uttered "lack of eating enough crayons."

Harm was propped up against the wall laughing his head off. Meg was gasping, tears running down her eyes. And Mac just settled for giving Animal a dirty look. Strike 256 in the inter-service battle between the USN and USMC.

"Think you two can take it from here?" Animal asked Harm and Mac,

"I think so, sir."

"You have my number if you need me..." Meg said.

Mac turned to Meg, "look, I meant it when I said that I want to be on good terms. I really am sorry for the way I acted when you first came back."

"Mac, I'm not going to hold it against you," Meg said, "It's water under the bridge. Harm knows that I love my husband and have loved him since Yokosuka. And nothing, not even Harm, will ever cause me to cheat on Tosh so you have nothing to worry about." She extended a hand. Mac extended hers and they both shook. Meg continued, "...and with both these two..." indicating Harm and Animal talking with their hands as aviators do obviously talking about airplanes again as per usual, "...being the best of friends, it wouldn't do if we could barely tolerate each other."

Mac grinned,"those two are like kids in a candy store when it comes to airplanes. Together they both dragged me to the Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center and took me through the entire building. It was morning when we went in, near sunset when we came out. It was 1800 before they figured out that they hadn't eaten all day. And I was famished and annoyed. Not exactly how I imagined spending Harm's thirty-third birthday."

"You needed to drag them by the ear to the food court in there or they'll yack all day with nothing but dioxide for sustenance." Meg whispered conspiratorially,"for all their macho chest beating, they're a little scatterbrained at times."

It was at this point that Harm and Animal noticed that Mac and Meg were both looking at them with identical indulgent looks of amusement.

"Um...Harm?" Animal said in a worried tone.

"Yeah...we're toast."

1155hrs EST, Room 325, Marine Corps Base Quantico VOQ; Marine Corps Base Quantico; Quantico, VA.

Meg was curled up on the couch resting her head against Animal's thigh. "Honey, you hungry?" She inquired. "My stomach has been growling for the past hour and if we don't get something to eat, my stomach will end up eating itself."

"Can't have that happening, can we?" Her husband looked down at her. "Chow hall or off-base groceries or a NEX on base."

"Well General O'Callaghan said that if we follow Uniregs we are fine on base so what do you say we stock up at the NEX. Use the Mustang as it's got more trunk space for groceries."

"Sounds like a great idea, then we can cook at home or have a choice as to what we do; whether we eat in our VOQ, off-base or at the chow hall." Animal's phone rang, "hey? Rattler. Yeah, ended up bunking with the Marines. Couldn't find a hotel that was a by-the-month. Two maybe three months before the condo we bought completes snd Meg works in Falls Church so I couldn't come back to BOQ. since it would be too far so she and I decided to split the distance in half, yeah, I'm at Quantico. Yeah, that's right. Feebees too. If it's not Marines screaming in the mornings its the Federal Body of Incompetencetrying to shoot themselves in the foot and other assorted bodily appendages doing CQB in the shooter house." Animal listened, "so you're wanting to do the change-over next weekend? Two weekends from now. OK. You want me to drum up a list of guests and get them to you by next week? Who else is showing up CNO? DCNO? All the high brass? What they planning on emptying out the entire Pentagon? OK. I'll read up on 0707 NavRegs I'll come down and go over the logbooks, FitReps and journals with you. Take it, you're busy compiling the audit? Orders, Correspondence and squadron info and maintenance and personnel records. What about the magazine and the safety checks? OK...you'll get all that prepped this week and then we'll go through all the rest of that together. Good." Meg was looking at her husband rattling all of this off fascinated. There was a lot to consider in being a squadron commander. "OK Five by five buddy, I'll get that info to you as soon as I figure out who's coming. Right now; only one for sure is the missus. And I've got two who might be coming from my wife's work: a Marine Major and an ex-aviator JAG Lieutenant Commander. Marine is named Sarah Mackenzie, ex Aviator Rabb." He paused, "yeah, Harmon Rabb, saved Boone over the Adriatic when the Bosnians took a potshot at him. yeah, Tom was my mentor in flight school. Rabb got his wings back and a DFC to boot. So, Rattler any new nuggets I have to browbeat when you hand over the reins. OK. one on one and show him you have a few tricks up the sleeve, Yeah, I can do that. Always, the case, huh. The new guys come in with piss n'vinegar until the old man teaches 'em a thing or two." He paused giving Meg a thumbs up. "OK, Rattler, I'll see you on Monday if the missus and I don't drop by sooner just to see the rest of the squadron. Besides I have to pick up the rest of my uniforms at least including my dress whites. Gotta look all nice and clean for the handover." Animal grinned, "OK, shipmate, I'll see you, gotta get a few things done. Groceries, the typical domestic duties. Yeah, married life...the best, man." He didn't elucidate further, let Rattler figure that out for himself."OK talk to you soon." He hung up and turned to Meg who got up and walked into his arms, giving him a kiss.

"Being married to you is the best too..." Meg whispered, resting her head on his shoulder, nuzzling his neck. "We'd better get going and get some groceries done so that we can have some food. Shall we get the stuff done that's necessary in Norfolk too? Namely the dress whites and your sword. Is there anything else you need?"

"Could be..." he wasn't sure. "We'd have to wait and see. I'd know what I want, when I get there."

"Shall we get the stereo and a few of your CDs while we're there. You might want to listen to some music. To relax after a tough day at work..." she caressed his cheek, "...brow-beating nuggets until they cry for their mommy?"

"You've been barely married two weeks and six days and you can already read me like a book. What will it be like when we're going on twenty years?" a grin on his face that spoke of how much he loved her. .

Meg curled her lips up in a smile. "Even better..." she said softly.

1221hrs EST; Navy Exchange Food Court. MCB Quantico, Quantico, VA

"Hey, Jose...that dude's an aviator man, you said you were planning on going to AOCS in the fall, maybe you can get some pointers to stay on the ball, man."

"Look, he's there with a JAG Lieutenant Commander, I don't wanna bug them, Ese."

Animal got up to dump his food tray of the empty food containers.

"Sir, a moment of your time."

"Yes, Corporal, what is it?"

"You're in Naval Aviation, right, sir?"

"Yes I am." Animal nodded to the Corporal whose name-tag on his BDUs said Manriquez. "Corporal Manriquez, what can I do for you?"

"Well sir, I applied for AOCS in the fall and...and I found out...they accepted me...I start in September at Whidbey Island recruiting centre where they take the Marines in for officer training for AOCS for the Aviation pipeline, sir."

"I didn't go through AOCS, but it is similar to NROTC but in a much more condensed and shorter period of time, Corporal, you're starting from square one with the DIs. They don't care about your prior military training, they're going to mold you into a Marine officer, y'know... they're gonna be tougher on you because of that, not like us squids." Animal gestured to himself, self-deprecatingly. Corporal Jose Manriquez looked disbelieving as his eyes perused Animal's rack and especially Animal's topmost ribbon. "Corporal, the only advice, I can give you, is stay loose, don't take any personal offence to what the DI's say. They're trying to break you to build you back up into a Marine officer and make you better than you were. Don't expect a routine, go with the flow and where you can study like your life depends on it. Don't spend time shooting the shit with your compadres who aren't buckling down and getting with the program. You are trying to build your career. Keep that Hornet cockpit as the end goal and work hard at it."

"Thank you, sir..."

"Good luck, Corporal. Hope to see you on the boat in a Hornet squadron."

"Sir, may I ask what you fly?"

"Tomcats. Oh and one more thing, if you want jet pipeline, stay physically fit."

"Sir, Yes,Sir!"

"Good luck, Manriquez, see you in the fleet."

Meg stepped to her husband's side. "Good luck, Corporal..." she said.

"Thank you, Ma'am." She nodded at them "Thank you for taking the time, sir, to pass me some pointers." Manriquez said to the both of them, came to attention and when dismissed, headed off.

"Hope he makes it." Animal said.

Meg softly patted his arm, "You may have given him the key he needs to make it through, to not let the drill instructors get to him, to let the mind games just roll off his back and keep pressing forward. I wish I had a guru like you always willing to stop and help someone. For all the crusty commander persona you try and cultivate, I think you're a softie...".

"Shhhhhh!" Animal put his finger to his lips, "Don't let that get out in my squadron, Jack and Metalman are a pain enough to keep 'em flying straight. If I protect my persona of hard-ass CO who is unpredictable and grouchy, I can keep them on their toes. If they're scared, they'll be less likely to do anything stupid."

He paused for a long moment, "then again, I'm gonna check in with Rattler on Monday and see what their blackbox data has said for the past few hops they've done. VADM Greer has indicated that the Russian trail was going on and on about some cowboy Americansflying near the surface of the water while investigating the contact. When we were in the Med. Nearly blew Boris off the ass end of their boat. You see these white hairs honey? That's a result of those two yahoos."

Meg looked at him closely. There were a couple that she could see but not many. Her husband was 39 years old as of March (it was May now...). And would be 40 next year. He was only eleven years older than her and as an Asian, he looked even more youthful than his chronological age. Which meant that others who saw him were always amazed at his rank based on physical appearance because they didn't realize his chronological age put him exactly at the place in rank where he was. And the benefits of that younger looking appearance was that Animal, despite being five years older than Harm, didn't look out of place at Meg's side. Animal, at most was thought to be between 32-35. And at the youngest was thought to be 28. Asians tended to look a decade younger than their age. Of course Animal jokingly said just wait till he hit seventy then over night he'd look like an umeboshi, a wrinkled old prune, then he could act the gray-bearded old sage to their great-grandchildren.

They walked down the aisles of the NEX looking at stuff periodically pointing out things they could potentially use and stuff that they could outfit their condo with when they were able to move in upon completion. Then they went on to the grocery section where they started to figure out a game plan for what they wanted to cook to be able to spend their last few days within the VOQ before back to work on Monday and enjoy each other's company. They would have to go out to Meg's storage and get her cooking utensils, pots and pans as well as Animal's stuff tonight.

When they had loaded up the cart with enough groceries to last them two weeks as Animal's pay-check came on the Friday before jetting home from Honolulu as did Meg's.

Animal laid out for the $450.00 in food that they purchased. And then they took the food in the cart out to the Mustang.

"Once we get home, we need to put this stuff up and then head out to Norfolk to your locker and bring your dress uniforms, stereo and sword as well as your cooking pots pans, and other stuff. Then if we have time we should see if we're up to going straight up to my unit."

"Sounds like a plan, but we'd better change into civvies before we sign out at the sentry. Bring our ID and other stuff. Make sure that the sentries know that we are personally carrying so they don't freak out." Animal took a look out the window as he turned the ignition on the Mustang. The chassis vibrated with harnessed power just waiting to be released with the pressing of the gas pedal; an impatient growl; a relentless drive to accelerate and leave caution to the wind. A yearning of an inanimate object brought to life by the fuel-ignition process powering pistons yet all of that was controlled by the symbiotic relationship between man and machine.

A grumbling of the engine as Animal engaged the reverse and slowly backed out of the parking space and the vehicle protested its leash to stay within speed limits on the base. But Animal's willpower was stronger and the horses were contained.

It was an unfulfilled Mustang that parked in front of the VOQ while Animal and Meg unloaded the vehicle and took the groceries up. Then they parked in the proper parking spot and went upstairs to put the food away.

Ice Cream in the freezer, cake into the fridge. Other groceries non-perishable in the cabinet, perishable in the fridge or freezer depending on how frozen it was to start with. Vegetables in the fridge crisper, butter, margarine, other items needed to ensure that cooking was able to be done, Meg found spaces easily recognizable while cooking so that she could grab the necessary spices and make sure that she was able to utilize the cupboard space effectively when she needed something. Everything in hand's reach, she reasoned. When everything was all put up, she looked at the time. It was 1400hrs. They'd spent close to an hour going from store section to store section. This would mean 0200 by the time they hit the sentry gate coming back. But they needed the stuff. So they quickly changed into civvies and headed to their car. At the sentry gate he told the sergeant to tell the shift changeover that they would be back at 0000 (oh-dark) maybe depending on traffic between Norfolk and DC and then the two hour return to from DC. He also asked them to inform the change over that they were carrying for their own personal protection while outside of the gate "just so that we don't get shot." Which prompted a chuckle from the Sergeant and the Corporals. Then the Mustang was unleashed. Meg was enthralled with the power of the V8 under the hood and the Mustang ate up the miles down the highway towards Norfolk.

1500hrs EST, Norfolk Secured Storage; Norfolk. VA

"The box on the other side should have the cutlery and the knife block as well as the knife set. I've also got a three inch thick cutting board." Animal was rummaging around in his other boxes making sure that all he picked up was the items necessary to have at MCB Quantico's VOQ that would allow he and Meg to have a decent standard of livable choice within what was essentially a dorm of which they were lucky enough to get a married quarters as two service-people.

And they were under the auspices of the Marine COMMCBQUANTICO to live their lives as a married couple within the rules of MCB QUANTICO's VOQ. So no-one would be pointing fingers and screaming like a rhesus monkey shot in the ass with bird-shot about conduct unbecoming. He and Meg could actually be intimate within the confines of their unit within the VOQ without drawing the ire of the Judge Advocate General. And considering Meg worked now for the JAG any liaisons having to be secretive wouldn't remain secret for very long.

The search took almost an hour to find all the kitchen items. Animal just had some basic appliances. And Meg made a list of the stuff that he had that matched up (in other words did they both have blenders or not?) and decided that they would take the better and sell the one that was the lower quality of the two. So they loaded the stuff on the Mustang and hoped there was room enough for the trip up to Meg's storage unit.

"You think we should dump this off at home first then hit the DC unit after we've unloaded my stuff?" Animal queried.

"It might be an idea. We have your stereo and CDs you wanted to bring with you?"

Yeah, that was going to take up the rest of the room in the Mustang. "Yeah, we're headed to the VOQ to unload then up to your unit in DC." Animal informed his wife. "We might as well get a Starbucks frapp or a latte cause it's gonna be another late night."

"Make that two, sweetie..." Meg replied. "And probably a pitstop to pee." Animal grinned. When he'd locked up the unit making sure his naval officer's sword was there in the vehicle as well as the other uniforms he intended to keep with him, he started the engine. Looking at the time on the dash that read 1600hrs, they exited the storage place, the automatic gate locking behind them as they pulled into the street.

1800hrs Sentry Gate, MCB Quantico; Quantico, VA

"Back again, so soon, sir?"

"Over-estimated my carrying capacity in this vehicle, Corporal."

"Fair enough, sir, you are clear."

"Thank you,Corporal" Animal moved the car forward as the barrier raised to allow him access. Parking in the parking space allowed for loading/unloading; Animal got the cart and started loading boxes onto the cart then he wheeled it into the elevator while Meg locked the car and joined him in the elevator. Heading up to their floor, they dropped off the boxes, grabbed a quick soda and by 1830x they were on the road to DC this time.

"Joy of joys," Animal grandly stated, "Stop One at Starbuck's drive-thru coming up, my love."

"Oh, goody..." Meg grinned at him, "...whatever shall I imbibe?"

"Perhaps a mocha frappuchino with two shots of cinnamon dolce and strawberry? Might that quell your caffeine desires?" Animal affected a horrific attempt at a Liverpool accent.

"What accent is that supposed to be? It sounds like Dick Van Dyke swallowed marbles while trying to play the Chimney Sweep on Mary Poppins." Meg rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Yeah, I can't do an accent to save my life." Animal admitted, "The only one I can actually do a passable one is a Japanese accent." He grinned "guess I can't become a spook. I can't even pass for Yakutsk. Can't speak the language."

"You don't look Mongolian,dear."

"There's that." He paid the server and received their drinks. Passing over Meg's chosen drink he took the other one and then they continued along their way, Animal periodically taking sips from his frapp.

They were at Meg's storage facility by 2045hrs.

2100hrs EST; Capital Storage Solutions; Washington DC

"Do you have an idea of what exactly you want to pick up from here other than cooking stuff like pots, pans, dishes, silverware, and appliances as well as the mixer?" Meg had one of those heavy duty baking mixers that she could mix baking ingredients with.

"Let's not rush but take a good look and see what we can locate." Meg advised. "After all, I don't plan to move anything else out until we move into our new condo."

"I agree, Meg, honey, so let's take a look at each box and see if there are things that we need immediately and other things that we could potentially use but not right now."

"Box by box; check and see if there's an empty box by the recycling bin -a clean one..." Meg went back to pulling boxes.

"OK...you got your...with you?" Meg nodded at Animal's query? "I'll tap, you'll know it's me."

Animal walked over to the recycling bin and grabbed two boxes. He looked like any other late night storage user. But his senses were on keen alert and the two boxes went into each other so he had his right hand clear which hovered near his carry. If anyone was watching him they would have realized he was not an easy target.

When he reached the locker Meg was in, he tapped on the door a simple sequence of taps. And a cheeky answering set of taps from the other side: "to go to foreign shores we sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay" and the door opened with a wide grin and a loving kiss. Well, Navy Love.

Between the two of them it still took at least an hour and a half to sort all items and get them in some semblance of order. By the time they were done, the appliances ans kitchen stuff were loaded in to the Mustang and any other things that she needed, like her box of law books that she usually kept at home to go over case research when it was too late to go to the office. Animal intended that he would set up a nice law office in the second bedroom for Meg and a computer setup for himself in the den that he could use for his office away from the office.

"I don't think I have any other things I need to worry about." Meg informed him and they closed up and locked the storage unit.

"You think it would be wise to close up both and open up one closer to us?"

"I think so...Tomorrow, rent a van and start consolidating the two units in Reston so that we don't have so far to go if we need something. I'll do some research tonight if we have time and we'll get an early start tomorrow." Meg said.

"Tomorrow's Friday so we're going to have to contend with people trying to get out of town for the weekend so I was thinking we start really early and go via alternate instead of the main Interstate."

"Good point." Animal said.

"Now let's go get dinner so we don't starve." Meg smirked at him.

"I love you, Mrs. Nakanura." Animal grinned at her.

"I love you too, Mr. Nakamura."

0035hrs EST, McDonald's Quantico, VA

Just a little past zero-dark thirty found them at a McDonald's ordering a Big Mac Meal with two extra Big Mac's apiece and two chocolate milkshakes. The fries were large. Meg took them upstairs first when the sentries at MCB ushered them through. Animal got the cart and brought the stuff up. Once they were finished consolidating the units, they would come back here and finish up the organizing and straightening out of their VOQ. In fact Animal was looking forward to finishing up the rest of the organizing as he would be able to have a nice relaxing bath after that, maybe even one that he and Meg could share.