A woman Marine recruit dies at Parris Island. Harm investigates while Meg poses undercover as a recruit. Harm distrusts the official appraisal of the death as an accident, and Meg meets threats and attempts against her. They find the truth.

During a landing exercise Marines find a beaten, comatose fellow Marine on the beach; while investigating, Harm and Meg find inconsistent data. They and the company commander run into trouble, but they sort things out and set them right.