Directed by Dennis Smith
Written by Lynnie Greene and Richard Levine
Lt. Jack Kersey (Burgess Jenkins) accuses his Commanding Officer, Commander Beth O'Neil (Mary Page Keller) of sexual harassment after she micromanages him during an operation over the Pacific Ocean.
Commander Rabb and Lt. Commander Manetti (Tamlyn Tomita) defend, Lt. Colonel MacKenzie and Commander Turner (Scott Lawrence) prosecute. From the first interview with the client, Rabb is convinced that O'Neil is hiding something. At the investigative hearing, Mac paints a picture of O'Neil as more like a boy-crazy schoolgirl than an accomplished military officer.
The judge allows Mac to question O'Neil on her divorce but cuts off a question on her sexual encounters after her divorce, on Rabb's objection.
In a private meeting, Rabb gets O'Neil to disclose that she is in fact a lesbian, and Manetti realizes that O'Neil's apparent sexual interest in junior male officers was a "smokescreen" to throw others off the scent of her true sexual orientation.
Following up on Rabb's request, Mac offers Rabb a deal (dismissal, no confinement) but now he rejects the deal. In court the next day, Rabb cross-examines Kersey and questions him on the many mistakes he is now making under his new commanding officer.
Rabb presents the theory that O'Neil allowed Kersey's smaller mistakes to slide in the hopes he would improve of his own accord, but that he misunderstood this as sexual harassment because he's so used to being defined by his looks; Kersey is willing to consider that possibility. The judge rules that the matter need not be referred to court-martial but urges O'Neil to give more thought to what she projects to others.
Meanwhile, Bud's enthusiasm for physical therapy is dampened when he sees Corporal Stiles (Craig Kirkwood) at the bar hit on a woman who seems disappointed to see he has a prosthetic leg.
On the drive home, Bud suggests Harriet take him to a wooded area to lay a blanket, but then just says he needs to go to the pharmacy. At therapy the next time, Lt. Carter is surprised to see Bud very reticent instead of overconfident, until Stiles shows up and introduces them to Melissa (Benita Krista Nall), the woman Bud had assumed would not even give Stiles a chance at the bar. Bud resumes therapy with renewed vigor.
Tiner sends Prof. Meredith Cavanaugh (Isabella Hofmann) pink flowers on Chegwidden's behalf. Meredith sends a videotape inviting A. J. to dinner. At dinner, A. J. has trouble with some fish bones; Meredith gives him a massage that only puts him in more pain. The next day, Chegwidden shows up at work very stiff, explaining it as an old hand-to-hand combat injury.
Tropes
- Confess in Confidence: Rabb scolds O'Neil for not disclosing her orientation sooner. Attorney-client privilege would have rendered Don't Ask Don't Tell irrelevant.
- Continuity Nod to 'Dangerous Game', in which Rabb took Cavanaugh up in his Steerman biplane for a flying lesson. Although she did terribly, she was exhilarated by the experience. Now in this episode, Rabb tells Chegwidden she has left several messages asking for another flying lesson.
- Cryptic Background Reference: Roberts, frustrated by his slow progress at physical therapy, talks it over with Corporal Stiles. The corporal urges the lieutenant to follow the program set for him, and asks "remember what happened when I went too fast?" Obviously it caused Stiles some kind of setback, but we're not given any specifics.
- Hide Your Lesbians: O'Neil's female sexual partners are only hinted at in dialogue, never seen, nor even given names.
- Lethal Chef: Cavanaugh once again, though more literally this time. Fish is the main course for dinner, but she neglected to remove all the fish bones. Chegwidden choked and she applied the Heimlich maneuver at least twice.
- Plea Bargain: Mac offers dismissal, no confinement. But at that point, Rabb is feeling somewhat more confident about the case than he was before.
- Walk and Talk: Rabb and Manetti the first time they meet with O'Neil.
