AK 239: The Enemy Is Already Here

USS Alaska

Arctic Ocean

^{Tom Watson’s Diary}

^{Christmas Morning}

Tom Watson,

Chief Communications Officer’s Log,

USS Alaska

08:00

What I’m about to do I really, really do not want to do.

As I walk down the hall of the USS Alaska, the commander’s door seemed fifty feet tall.

I didn’t want to knock.

Maybe I’ll just go back to my bunk.

Let someone else worry about this.

I turned around and started to walk away and then stopped again.

Nope! This will bother me until I do it.

I’m already in trouble.

I alerted Admiral Baker of the 7^th Fleet.

Even though I haven’t heard back, I knew it was only a matter of time before my commander got wind of this.

I knock on the commander’s door.

I knew this would be an awkward conversation at best.

This idiot, the second dumbest man on the boat, replaced my old girlfriend, Commander Jennifer Tavana.

“Come in,” answers Lieutenant Commander Bert Parks.

His name always reminded me of a game show host!

He’s a bald, short, stupid looking little wisp of a man that had waited forever to get his own sub.

He always tried to sabotage Jennifer and me when he was second in command. “Little Bert” was vindictive and cattier than any woman I had ever met. His nickname, that he made up for himself, he thought was cool was: Bert, ‘P’ man, Parks.

(Don’t ask how he devised that nickname.)

That gives you the idea of the brains on this guy.

We avoided each other like the plague ever since Jennifer was made commander of the sub.

Bert is sitting, working at his desk. He sees me standing in his door and cannot look me in the eye. Bert continues to pretend he’s doing paperwork.

“What is it?” Bert asks.

“Sorry to bother you, sir, but have you seen the AOAIA report from Bob outlining the anomalies we’ve heard?”

Bert is barely paying attention and answers in the affirmative a faint,

“Uh huh.”

“And what were your conclusions?”

Bert looks up clearly not knowing he what he’s talking about but pretending so as to get rid of me.

“Don’t worry about it. We’re taking a look.”

I don’t believe him.

“Have you heard from ASWOC in San Diego about this?” I ask.

“Why would I bother them?” asks Bert.

I don’t want to let him know that I’ve already alerted Admiral Baker and ASWOC as this will likely tick off Bert for going above him. So I say,

“Because, sir, I believe that AOAIA has never seen this signature before and so it’s possible another class of sub or subs are out there.”

“Ok ‘chief’ thank you for that. I’ll look into it,” says an annoyed Burt.

I pause as Bert continues to ignore me, knowing this idiot won’t do a thing.

“Dismissed,” says Bert.

“Yes, sir.”

Again I pause, staring at this stubborn idiot before leaving the room.

“I’m sending all these anomalies to ONI, DNI and Admiral Baker,” before shutting his door.

I then open the door again saying as sincerely as I can,

“Merry Christmas, sir!” I say before again shutting the door.