Balto: Out at Sea

          It was business as usual aboard the Nimitz carrier John F. Kennedy. The pilots were practicing aerial maneuvers, the deck crew was prepping other jets for launch, and the bridge crew was keeping the ship on its steady course. Kodi walked up the stairs that led to the bridge. As he opened the door, an ensign called out, “Officer on deck!” The bridge crew snapped to attention, waiting for Kodi’s command.

“At ease boys, and back to your stations, you have more important matters to deal with than saluting me.” Kodi stood next to the navigator. “How far are we from the Arabian coast Malarkey?”

Malarkey looked across his station, “We’re about 120 nautical miles from the coast sir.”

“Good.” Kodi walked toward the center of the bridge. “Alright, listen up! We’ve got some high brass coming aboard today, command hasn’t told me who he is, but, he’s here for a routine inspection. He only advised me to ensure that he has a good time aboard this ship. Understood?” The bridge crew responded with a loud yes sir. “Good, back to your duties.”

          Kodi decided to check up on the mess crew, which included one of his sisters. All of his siblings worked on the Kennedy. His younger sister, Saba, worked in the mess hall, as a cook, and she wasn’t very good. Kodi’s younger brother, Dingo, was a deck commander; he was in charge of making sure everything ran smoothly up top. Kodi’s other sister, Lena, was a pilot, and every day he feared for her. Lastly, Aleu, his final sister worked with Dingo as a second deck commander, and Kodi, was the commanding officer of the largest ship in the United States naval fleet. He felt a sense of pride whenever he thought about it. His father also worked in the Navy, he was an admiral, and every day, he wrote letters to Jenna, who prayed for all of them every day, and knowing Kodi had the biggest job, every time he saw her, she’d tell him the same thing. Kodi’s mind suddenly flashed back to three months ago. “Keep your brother and sisters safe, especially Lena, you know how she is.” Jenna had to fight tears to make sure she could finish, and every time, Kodi had the same answer.

“I will, mom.” Kodi smiled at her

Jenna let the tears come, “I love you son.”

Kodi’s eyes began to well up as well, “I love you too mom.” She wrapped her arms around him and gave his cheek a kiss.

“Make sure you write to Dusty, okay.” Jenna straightened up his collar.

Kodi put his hand on his mother’s arm, “I will mom.” He kissed her on the cheek, and jogged out to the car as his siblings called his name. Jenna stood in the doorway, closed her eyes, and uttered a prayer.

Dear Lord, I know I don’t speak to you much, but from now until my babies come home, I’ll ask for your guidance every day, please, please keep them safe, and watch them when I can’t keep my eyes on them. Please comfort them when I can’t wrap my arms around them and whisper to them that it will all be okay. Please give them a kiss goodnight when I cannot have the privilege of doing so, and please, please, lick their wounds when I cannot, for if you don’t, I cannot go on living. Dear Lord, please make my children come home safe.

Suddenly Kodi was shaken out of his daydream by an ensign. “Captain!” He was yelling.

“What. What it is?” Kodi had a tone of urgency in his voice.

“A helicopter landed on the deck, not two minutes ago sir. Conformation came in, it’s the brass.” The ensign spoke matter-of-factly. Kodi didn’t speak, he simply nodded, and walked out to the deck, the CH-47 helicopter had landed on an empty helipad. Kodi walked up to the rear hatch. He looked to the ensign who had followed him out. “Alright, let’s see which bozo they sent us now.” The hatch opened, and out walked a brownish-grey huskie that seemed to have some odd traits about him. He bore the four stars of an admiral on both shoulders. Kodi’s jaw dropped, he slowly walked up to the dog. “F…father?”

He chuckled, “How ya doin’ son?” Kodi grabbed Balto in a tight hug.

“It’s been so long.” Kodi muttered.

“About a year, I think.” Balto held up a cigar to his mouth.

“Dad, when did you start smoking?” Kodi looked puzzled.

“Believe me son, when you serve for as long as I have, you need it.” Balto nodded. “Now, we can catch up later, I’d like to see the bridge of the navy’s finest vessel, and also, where’s Dingo and your sisters?”

“I’ll take you to see them later, but first let’s go to the bridge.” Kodi wrapped his arm around Balto’s shoulder.

“Good, I hope you got padded seats up there, those CH-47’s aren’t the most comfortable things in the world.” Balto took a big puff from his cigar. The two of them entered the ship and headed up to the bridge. Kodi opened the door. An ensign noticed Kodi and Balto and shouted, “Officers on the bridge!” Upon hearing this, they remembered Kodi’s announcement. It was the inspection, the crew snapped to attention, but some of them were slouched over and tired looking.

Kodi snapped, “Stand at attention! Is that how you’re going to salute an Admiral?” As soon as the word admiral was spoken, the crew snapped to the crispest salutes they could. “That’s better.” Kodi was still furious, he stepped away to reveal Balto standing in the doorway. Most of the crew simply widened their eyes and looked back and forth at fellow crewmates, from the back someone even muttered, “My god, that’s Admiral Balto.” Kodi glared in the direction of the voice, nothing was said after that. Balto stepped towards the middle of the room.

He waved his paw, “At ease. That was disgraceful. Even if it was simply a lieutenant on this bridge, you should show the utmost respect.” He started to walk in front of the line of crew members, not inches from touching faces. “You don’t see me going around the ship, walking up to every ensign saying that they’re a puny, pathetic waste of oxygen do you?” He looked across the line of crew members. “I said do you?” No sir. “Exactly, but that’s what every one of you is acting like right now,” Balto drew each word out with extreme emphasis, “puny…pathetic…absolute wastes of oxygen! What kind of incompetent moron put a bunch of disrespectful buffoons like you in charge of keeping the pride of the United States navy afloat? The dirt that I step on is more respectful than the likes of you. Do you think you are better than dirt?” Yes Sir “Then act like it!” Balto walked over to Kodi. “And you, from my own flesh and blood, I expected better. To be honest, I’d expected to come up to this bridge and see all the crew standing in attention at least, but if you can’t even do something that simple, I don’t know if I can trust you with being in charge of this ship.”

Kodi didn’t phase, “Yes sir, I understand sir!” He noticed the others crew members looking at each other in disbelief; he knew what they were thinking. The captain is related to Balto?

Balto spun around, “Dismissed, and when I come back, I’d better get more than that pitiful excuse of a salute.” Kodi followed him. Balto was laughing as he walked down the stairs. Kodi walked down the hallway next to him. Balto stopped and turned to Kodi, still laughing. “Oh, oh that’s great, I love chewing up recruits and putting a scare on em’.”

Kodi’s face remained stone cold. “What do you mean?”

“I didn’t really care about the salute, but it’s fun to do it.” Balto shrugged. “I’m sorry about what I said to you back there, it was only to make the effect sink in, you’re a darn good captain and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

“Well, I’ve got an idea.” Kodi suddenly smiled, and walked back towards the bridge. “Stay here dad. I’ll be right back.”

          Kodi opened the door, and this time more urgently, an ensign shouted. “Captain on the bridge!” The crew snapped to once again, waiting for his order. “Stay at attention! Now, why wasn’t that the salute we got when entering last time?”

“But sir, you told us we had better things to do than salute you sir.” A recruit spoke up.

Kodi arched his brow. “Oh did I? That’s right, I did.” He stood inches from his face.  “Even if I tell you to do something ensign, you are to follow protocol, and protocol says, salute a ranking officer, and you can’t even do something that simple!” Some of the crew started to sweat. “We’re lucky the admiral isn’t reporting us to his officials, or we’d all be screwed!” He walked up to a recruit, “You, did you salute?” No sir, he walked up to another, “and you?” no sir. “You are all pathetic, to those of you who did salute, I congratulate you for following the simplest of protocol, but unfortunately, you are not Ensign Malarkey, or Ensign Hill.” He spoke while nodding towards his helmsman and navigator, who he noticed had saluted the first time. “You are the bridge crew, and that’s why tonight all of you are relieving the mess crew, and cooking for the whole ship. Good luck.” He turned his back on the crew, “at ease.” The crew finally relaxed their chest and shoulder muscles as the captain walked out of the room.

          Kodi walked down the stairs, and back towards Balto, “that’ll show em’.”

“Show them what?” Balto asked.

“I put them in charge of cooking dinner tonight.” Kodi chuckled.

“Oh, and I heard Saba is the cook,” Kodi looked at Balto with a smirk on his face as he spoke, waiting for him to finish, “and I’ve also heard how her food tastes.” Balto grimaced as he finished.

“Don’t even start. Dinner starts in two hours.” Kodi shook his head. The entire bridge crew walked past as he spoke, his volume increased as they walked by. C’mon, let’s go see the gang.

          The two of them entered the mess hall, all of Kodi’s siblings were sitting at a table on the edge of the hall. As soon as they saw them, they stood up to greet Balto.

“Kids!” Balto yelled out. Lena was the closest, so she wrapped Balto in a tight hug.

“Hi daddy.” She spoke in her always soothing tone.

“Hey pumpkin, so you’re a lieutenant now?” Balto raised a brow.

“Yup, oh I mean, yes sir!” Lena saluted while stepping back. Aleu then walked up and hugged her father.

“Hey dad. It’s good to see you.” She softly, her voice was hoarse from yelling over jet engines all day.

“Good to see you too honey.” Balto looked at Saba, “Front and center.” Saba stood at attention in front of Balto. “At ease.” She grabbed him in a hug so tight that he began to choke.

“Oh, I missed you dad.” Saba cried.

“Okay, okay, can’t breathe!” He choked out.

“Oh…sorry.” She let go of him. Dingo then walked up to Balto, and held out his hand.

“Good to see you sir.” He spoke crisply. Balto looked at him for a second. Dingo stepped forward and hugged Balto. After the introductions were over, they sat down at the table, and enjoyed their meal.

Dingo cracked out a joke, “Hey Saba, maybe you should pilot the ship and let these guys cook for the rest of way, they’re way better at it.”

“Or, maybe you could have Dingo’s job, and we’ll put him in the kitchen to see how hard it actually is to cook. I had to cook for six pups until Kodi was old enough to cook for you.” Balto spoke up.

“Really, you did?” Dingo asked.

“Yup, you know your mother can’t cook, and she was busy doing everything a mom does.” Balto chuckled.

Kodi nodded, “Other than cooking.” They all laughed.

          As they sat there exchanging stories about when they were pups. Oh, remember this, or hey, do you remember the time that, was how they all started, Kodi couldn’t help but have a bad feeling, a feeling that he would never enjoy a conversation like this with his siblings again. At this very moment, Jenna was at home, uttering the same prayed that she had for the past three months, Dear Lord, I know I don’t speak to you much, but from now until my babies come home, I’ll ask for your guidance every day, please, please keep them safe, and watch them when I can’t keep my eyes on them. Please comfort them when I can’t wrap my arms around them and whisper to them that it will all be okay. Please give them a kiss goodnight when I cannot have the privilege of doing so, and please, please, lick their wounds when I cannot, for if you don’t, I cannot go on living. Dear Lord, please make my children come home safe.

End of Part 1