Steven H Baker's Story

Steve Baker

Another day, another patrol, same as all the others. Well, except now the passengers were starting to board, the chefs making food, crowding. It was a welcome change. For the last few weeks it had been nothing but walking empty halls, memorizing layouts and persons of interest, learning bypasses, and spending time in the security office assembling and disassembling the on hand weaponry. None of it was military, but the ship seemed to be stocked to prevent a pirate takeover. Steve knew his firing position, though he hoped it wouldn't be necessary knowledge.

The crowds were a welcome change, occasionally someone would come over to pat Spock, his partner in crime. Well, partner in crime prevention. The doberman loves the attention, and Steve appreciated the occasional break from what had been the norm for so long. He couldn't stop too long and Spock knew when it was time to move along again. Back and forth, back and forth, looking for anything strange, anyone out of place or unrecognized. He wasn't too worried though, nobody wants to be trapped in the brig for the duration of a globe circling cruise.

The Boss is magnificent. He moves among the others and is on task.

I am on task as well.

The smells. Everywhere new odors fill the ship, nuancing the air currents of the once uniform spaces. Gone is the astringency of the clean smell. Now, all these new people, and once they have arrived and settled, I will be nose smart for the substances that the boss wants me to find and sit near, so that I can play with the Ball!

The Ball. Not just any ball, but The Ball. I love when he rewards me with the delightful tooth pleasing squishiness of the rubber.

Even just imagining it, my stub of a tail wags.

People pet me. This is part of my job, making friends. Some folks, though, they shy away. I am wise to this, if they do not extend a hand or look my way? Either they are hiding something, or they fear me.

It is important to the Boss that I not exert my natural alpha tendencies with these folks, so I remain chill. I return to heel. There are special cookies in his pocket, just for me. The crunchy kind I love. When patrol is done, he will award me one, and then perhaps The Ball.

Tonight I shall sleep with my nose in his shoe. Inhaling the scent that is his will reaffirm his status in our pack of two. I will know how he is doing from that magnificent odor as well.

He is my hero.

"Hey, Army." Amaryllis Danziger walks up to place a friendly hand on Steven Baker's shoulder, the good one.

She is in her dress whites, slacks, not skirt. She reserves the skirt for formal dinners when dancing may become involved.

"Hey, Spock!" She tousles the Dobie's ears. Because he is on board, she has downloaded veterinary texts on dogs, and read up on dobermans. Her time as a Marine has taught her that K-9 units are worth their weight in gold, and that the dog is vital to the human. While she hopes that Spock won't ever need her assistance, she has purchased -out of pocket- some common medicines the dog might need and stocked them.

She glances from passenger to passenger. Most of what she will be doing will be simple, treating diarrhea will be task one, and heart attacks will happen, usually at ports of call, because too many people will drink too much and eat too much and overdo the extreme sports with little or no prep. Next will be flu, and STDs close behind that.

Already she has dossiers on the folks smart enough, or experienced enough, to let the cruise line know ahead of time about their chronic illnesses. Both Steve and the Purser know who has brought supplies of their own meds. These will be brought to the Sick Bay as needed.

"Coronary waiting to happen at two o'clock." She murmurs. Then she grins, because at ten o'clock is a likely looking fellow for some recreation later in the voyage. No, he has a wife. Ah, well, she thinks, it is still all good. Something will turn up, it always does.

Buster A. Trifilo

"Sir, please calm down or we'll have to call security." The small, blonde dealer spoke as calm as she could.

"You clearly are cheating me, why should I calm down?!" Buster could feel that familiar anger rise along the back of his spine like a searing hot snake, "You are counting cards and now I'm out $100!"

Buster was hotheaded, he's known that since he sent his college football water boy to the hospital. That little tussle almost got him 6 months, but he was able to bring the punishment down to community service. He didn't regret it though. The spineless nerd had decided that Buster's harmless jokes were too much and keyed his car. He wasn't one to accept people being assholes. That stands true even for this cute-in-a-uniform cheater.

"Sir, I assure you there hasn't been any underhandedness. If you would like another dealer can take my place." She was shuffling her feet and there was a look of guilt in her eyes. Or was it worry?

Buster raised his hands, "Yeah, sure whatever, just give me my hundred and a new dealer and we'll be fine."

"Uh," Now she looked nervous, "That's not our policy, Sir. I can't do that."

Buster's smacked his hand down on the table, dumping drinks and making everyone sitting at it jump. Several of them stood and made their way to a more peaceful table. The snake of anger was settling in his head, and what he said next came out in his special yell.

"That is not acceptable!"

Buster's normal yell was actually pretty docile, more like stern talking. However, when he got especially angry his yell had its volume inflated with anger. When he yelled this time, he actually saw the fear in the dealer's face and heard the whispers of the other patrons around him. He heard many of them walk away, and saw the dealers hand slip down under the table.

"I think you're done for the day, Sir. I've called the security and they'll escort you to your room."

"What do you mean I'm done!? I'm not done, until I get the hundred you stole! This is unbelievable! If I had known that this cruise was a money trap I wouldn't have gotten on this ship!"

"Marine,"

Steve turned his attention to the doctor on board, and then to the 'Coronary.' The doctor was right, there was a guy who knew his food. Steve mused briefly whether he was out of shape or caught up in some other medical condition. He knew all to well how much your fitness can tank with an injury.

"Well, hopefully he'll use the gym responsibly, shave a bit of that. Though some guys try too hard right away, and then they're off to see you anyway."

A quiet rumble in his pager and his earpiece comes on. Casino was part of his department today. Steve sighs and shakes his head.

"Not even out of port yet and someone is causing trouble in the casino. Hope none of us end up in your office, Marine."

After a quick salute to the doctor, Steve makes the quickest path there with Spock at his heels. A motion has the dog sitting while he approaches the big guy yelling at one of the blackjack dealers. Casually approaching him while still ready for the guy to take a swing, there's a few too many drinks on that table.

"Sir, you look like you could use a relaxing dip in your room's hot tub."

Sit.

Sit is good, because it gives me time to feel the room. This room is so different now that new humans are on board, gone is that awful smell of the new carpet, which made me sneeze repeatedly. Now? People.

People love and hate this place, they feel excited, hopeful, I can smell that. For some it is almost a mating ritual. For others? Exhaustion/elation/exhaustion... Everywhere there are lights flashing and noises. Like a pack frenzy over a kill, with so much food that a craze settles over them all.

The Target Human is angry. I can smell it coming off of him. Maybe he will let me chase him and jump on him! I like the sensation of flying I get when I spring upon a body. Maybe the Boss will calm him down. Either way, for now I sit. I sit and wait for the next command.

I know my duty.

Steve rejoins with:

"Marine,"

Steve turned his attention to the doctor on board, and then to the 'Coronary.' The doctor was right, there was a guy who knew his food. Steve mused briefly whether he was out of shape or caught up in some other medical condition. He knew all to well how much your fitness can tank with an injury.

"Well, hopefully he'll use the gym responsibly, shave a bit of that. Though some guys try too hard right away, and then they're off to see you anyway."

A quiet rumble in his pager and his earpiece comes on. Casino was part of his department today. Steve sighs and shakes his head.

"Not even out of port yet and someone is causing trouble in the casino. Hope none of us end up in your office, Marine."

Danziger nods, "Safety first." She calls after him. "Because second is too late!" Then she makes best speed to her duty station. The Sick Bay

SETTING

With all of its passengers finally on board, the ship slowly starts to pull away from the dock. The sea here is warm, something the ship is grateful for as it forges on into deeper waters. The sky is clear, and the scents of the sea fill the air. The PA system crackles and a low gruff voice fills the air.

"Hello, everyone, this is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard the Long Grain, the largest cruise ship in the world. As you may know this ship is built for your entertainment; there's a pool on the deck and a bar for those of you who like the taste of whiskey. Down below we have the large Gambling Hall and the Gym. If you head down even lower you'll notice what I like to call the moving aquarium; a large portion of the hull completely made of glass with lights so you can see deep into the depths. There are hundreds of cabins so go ahead and take your pick. However, if none of that sounds appealing then let me tell just what you'll see on this trip."

For a few moments it is silence, but then there's another crackle and the voice continues, " ... do I look like I'm stupid? Mind your station Jerry or I'll have you mopping the deck with the janitors ... again. Oh crap, I pressed the button ... don't give me that look!"

The PA goes silent again and then the voice came back with a small laugh. More laughter can be heard in the background as the captain continues, "As you may know, we'll be making a complete circuit of the world. On our travels we'll see waters that are brighter than the night sky, because of the glowing jellyfish that hang out near the surface of the water. We'll be escorted by humpback whales and, thanks to some incredible patronage a few of you will get the chance to swim with the dolphins. We'll be making a stop in waters so clear, that you can see into the pristine depths to the bottom of the ocean. For the next 156 days, you won't step on land but I can assure you that you'll remember this trip for the rest of your lives."

There was another slight pause before the captain came on again, a bit more serious this time, "However, before we can get to all that fun, I'd like to call everyone to the deck so that we can go over some safety procedures. When you get to the deck, please find your nearest hostess and they will explain the lifeboats and what to do in case of emergency. I hope you all enjoy your ship and ... for the love of god Jerry! What did I tell you about putting gum on the bottom of my desk!?"

The PA system cuts out and people begin to make their way to the deck.

BUSTER A. TRIFILO

When Buster was 12, he broke into the local supermarket. As he was just getting acquainted with his new superman action figure, he was rudely interrupted by the security guard doing rounds. He broke the guards leg with a baseball bat, but despite that the guard was still able to drag Buster to the security room and phone the police. Buster's parents didn't take the news too well and the security guard sued. With the full force of the supermarket chain behind him, the security guard won. That was the year when buster stopped getting monogrammed shirts and began going to a public school.

Some security guards just take their jobs way too seriously.

Buster turned toward the guard and held out his hands, palms up.

"Sir, this dealer was clearly counting cards and now I've lost 100 dollars. I want that money back."

He fought to keep is anger in check. Another slip-up like when he was twelve and he just might end up drifting at sea with nothing but the clothes on his back.

The captain's voice blared over the PA and Buster frowned, "Perhaps she should get me my money fast so that I don't miss out on the emergency procedures?"

Steve had seen this sort of guy before. The classic bully, the guy whose best days were high school, the angry drunk, the guy who can't take a loss. The sort of guy who probably took out a bad sports game on the local nerd. He was a combination of the lot of 'em. A lot of those guys were in boot camp, hoping to get to see some violence. Most of them washed out or were dismissed due to poor conduct. The rest either shaped up or hid their tendencies enough to get a spot within our nations finest. If Steve were less laid back, he might've been one of them. He wondered if the guy had ever seen jail time, or if his parents saved him from learning about consequences. But, this guy was consciously holding it back, the open palm stance usually meant to calm others was really for himself. He knew his beast, but his tendency could still win out. Steve knew that he had to tread carefully enough to not make him get violent.

The captain's message bothers Steve. Really, the various facilities shouldn't have even been open before the safety drills.

Steve glanced over at the table, and the drinks. Of course it was blackjack, one of the only games with actual participation from the staff. But really, counting cards? The dealer? This guy either didn't understand blackjack, counting cards, or casinos in general.

He used resuming eye contact with the guy as an excuse to shift his posture so the dog was not hidden behind him, and to assume his best posture. Not quite military attention, and this guy deserves no sort of salute. His good shoulder ever so slightly closer to the guy.

"I'm sorry sir, but that's a pretty serious accusation. These cameras here aren't just to catch cheaters but also for the IAGR to keep tabs on us. We have an IAGR representative on board and I'd recommend taking it up with him if you think this casino may be cheating. Though, before you spend anymore time on this I would like to remind you that in most casinos counting cards is not considered cheating, and dealers can't benefit from it at all. You're right about getting going now though, lets get these drills done and then if you still feel the need to I can escort you to the IAGR rep, or maybe you'd like a good meal down in our dining room."

Steve Waits for his response ready but not hoping for him to grab or punch. Steve didn't particularly like being in customer service mode, but this was a good job. It wouldn't be good for him to just teach this guy a lesson.

The boring jobs are the best.

Lookit the Boss. Look how he uses his posture and height and slight movement to bring me back into play. He has that tone in his voice. He is speaking as if to a large pup, bring him back into the pack, bring him to heel. No need to bite, or even growl at the moment, the Boss is telling me.

It is so easy for me to be at ease and alert at the same time, especially when I can smell the confidence coming off the Boss.

Whoosagoodboy. The Boss. The Boss is the whoosagoodboy.

Buster A. Trifilo

"Fuck this! I paid nearly $2000 dollars to get on this boat," he lied," What's another $100?"

His finger tipped over a full glass of whiskey so that the liquid splashed across the table as he turned to walk out. He knew that he shouldn't have, but Buster never had been able to fully push the anger aside. When he was able to keep himself from getting violent it usually resulted in property damage and swear words. He was a ticking bomb. He knew this, his coach had known this, and his co-workers knew this.

He'd love to say he hadn't lost his temper since he was twelve but there were many hospital bills, ruined friendships, and broken hearts that said otherwise.

"Maybe I will take it up with whoever you said, and then I'll be expecting an apology and a refund." He pushed the door open.

Alert, my eyes don't leave the eyes of the man, and I can feel the various parts of me twitching in anticipation of the moves his eyes are telegraphing. Finally his hand flashes toward the small water dish of the sort humans use for the strange astringent which they imbibe. (So small, I have dipped my tongue in these once, but the fluid within was like a poison to me! I can recall the dry burning sensation, even now.) He upsets the dish, but does not throw it, which is good.

I watch the Boss to take the next cue.

Ugh, manchildren...

Steve shrugged at the dealer apologetically, but he didn't think much more of the incident after that, just another guy to keep in mind. He made the motion to have Spock come to heel, scratching the dobbie between the ears and giving him a small treat for obedience. He followed Buster for a short while making sure he didn't look like causing anymore trouble on the way. Then he did a round of his patrol making sure everyone was on their way or at the drill.

Walking in right on time, Steve's job was guiding a group of children through the drill. Up-Top thought that kids would pay more attention to a guy with a dog than one without. Really it all balanced out, Spock was good with kids, but the kids were more interested in the dog than the drill. Steve had to coax them by saying he'd show Spock's tricks if they behaved well.

Ah, the crunchy treat, the one I can eat on the move, which means the Boss and I have more work. The hard scrape of the flavorful cookie against my teeth is both stimulating and satisfying. As I feel my tongue seeking out the the last dregs of taste from every surface inside my mouth I trot beside the Boss to our next assignment.

On deck! With human-puppies, which I enjoy immeasurably. They are sticky and full of odors and motion and surprises. All of which I adore. The Boss dons the puffy shirt with the whistle and the light that blinks. This means he will hold mine up to put on next. Often when I wear this I get to fly off of the deck or a pier and into the water to rescue someone or fetch some object; but we have done this sort of drill before, and I know it is our job to keep the puppies and their parents calm about the whple thing.

The whistles are bothersome, but at least they do not cause me to have to join my voice with theirs. Some sounds demand that I harmonize in order to enforce my status.

Then we herd them all aboard one of the small enclosed rooms. After that the Boss sits, and I lay at his feet.

After a silence that seemed to last more than a week, Egecatl tips his hat to the woman and moves along to his drill station. Briefly a vision of her swims before him, in her place is a Moriche Palm. It sways in rhythm to earth. He begins to sing to himself, a sonorous song of life. He continues on his way stopping to assist an elderly woman with a cane. She carries the love and wisdom of many years, as well as the pain of her arthritis.