The Gray Ship

by Russell Moran

  "Mr. President," said Wells, "I hate to ruin a good story by telling the ending first, but that's exactly what I'm going to do. The people on the USS California, which we've been calling the Gray Ship, are of fine character and intelligence. Farragut and my aide Commander Roebling both agree. The officers and crew that I met makes one proud to have them in our Navy. During our tour of the vessel we saw or heard nothing that would even hint at prevarication of any sort."

  "My dear Gideon," said Lincoln, "I thought you were getting to the end first."

  "Mr. President, the people on the USS California are convinced that they came here through some strange portal from another time, April 2013, to be exact, 152 years into the future."

  Lincoln said nothing. He sat down and stared out the window. He looked at Wells and massaged his tall forehead. He then scratched his beard and the back of his head. He folded his arms, unfolded them and stood up again. He then spread his arms to each side of his desk and stared at Wells.

  Lincoln said, "Gideon, did you or Farragut or Roebling think that those people may be insane, suffering from delusional thoughts?"

  "Sir," said Wells, "if they are insane then I am too, and I know I speak for Farragut and Roebling as well. I am convinced, Mr. President, that the USS California and her entire crew have come here from the year 2013. They have travelled through time. Of that I am certain."

  From his days as a country lawyer and his many years as a politician, Lincoln always prided himself on staying ahead of the conversation. He had a skill for listening to a man and then thinking five sentences ahead. He could draw conclusions from what a man said, and then question the man on his conclusions, as well as those of the man speaking. But Abraham Lincoln did not feel he was ahead in this conversation. Lincoln was baffled, and he told Wells as much. "Please go on Mr. Secretary," said Lincoln, "Please convince me that you, or I, have not lost our minds."

  He handed Lincoln a copy of the 35-page report that Campbell had prepared, one for Wells and one for Lincoln."This report, Mr. President, has perfectly clear lettering as you can see. They prepared the report for us on a machine called a computer. A sailor sat before the instrument and tapped with his fingers on buttons. The letters appeared on the machine right in front of him. When he finished, he pressed another button and these pages that you see came out of yet a second machine called a printer."

  Wells told Lincoln in detail about every aspect of their tour, including the weapons and propulsion devices. He explained, as best he could, this amazing thing called nuclear energy. "They said they can sail for over ten years without refueling. The technology and science is amazing.” He told Lincoln about the guided missiles, the rocket propelled grenades, the fully automatic rifles, and the startling instrument called an IPad. "They communicate long distances without laying cable," Wells said."They call it wireless. May I demonstrate, Sir?"

  "Please go ahead, Gideon."

  Wells picked a two-way radio out of the suitcase and told Lincoln he was going to call the California by her code name, Lima Juliette. Wells was giddy with excitement, his great white beard swinging in the air with his movements. He pressed a button and said: "Lima Juliette, Lima Juliette, this is Alpha Foxtrot, radio check over." Within a couple of seconds a voice came out of the instrument. It said, "This is Lima Juliette, read you loud and clear Alpha Foxtrot."

  "Alpha Foxtrot?" Lincoln asked. Wells beamed. "Sir, that is my new radio code name."

  "Well," said Lincoln, "I believe congratulations are in order Mr. Foxtrot, or may I call you Alpha?" Lincoln sat down again.

  Wells then told Lincoln that for all of the marvels that they saw aboard the California, the most shocking part of the tour was a talk prepared by a Commander Richard Sampson, the ship's chaplain and historian.

  "Because they come from the future, Mr. President, they know the past, and their past is our future." At that, Lincoln held up his right hand, palm out. He stared at the ceiling, making sure he understood what he just heard.

  "Please continue, Gideon."

  Wells then told Lincoln about the casualty figures of the four years to come, summing them up with the most shocking number of all: 620,000 casualties or more, a number that's easy to write on a page, but almost impossible to hold in one's mind. Lincoln stared at Wells. Wells stared at the floor.

  "Dear God," said Lincoln, "Dear God Almighty."

  "Gideon, please continue with your report."

  Wells opened one of the suitcases and withdrew folder after folder of crisp color photographs. The pictures were not just of the California but were a photographic montage of the United States Navy in the year 2013. He first showed Lincoln the California itself and her amazing machines. He then laid out pictures of some of the Navy's other ships, including aircraft carriers and nuclear ballistic missile submarines. Lincoln stared at the picture of an aircraft carrier, a photo of the USS Ronald Reagan. One photo showed an F-14 Tomcat fighter jet being launched off the deck by catapult.

  "How many of these flying machines did you say the California has?" Lincoln asked.

  "Just three Mr. President. One is a machine called a helicopter. Here it is in this picture. It lands and flies straight up and down. They call this machine an Apache Attack Helicopter. It can remain in the air in one position while it fires rockets, bullets, and bombs at an enemy. They also have these strange things they call helicopter drones that are flown without men aboard using that wireless business I mentioned a few minutes ago. They can use the drones to spy on the enemy, to fire rockets, and also to take photographs." Lincoln's eyes fixed on the drones.

  "These drones, Gideon," said Lincoln, "can they take photographs while flying fast over an area?"

  "Yes, Mr. President. The drones can take photographs or even a moving image that they call a video. The person on the ship who operates the drone can see the images in what they call 'real time,' as if you were looking at the object while it was being photographed. Until they went through that amazing Daylight Event, they used things they call satellites, metallic objects in the sky that actually circle the earth. They could somehow send a wireless message from the drone to the satellite or from the ship to the satellite and then to the drone. Until they lost the satellites they could operate a drone from, say, the State of Oregon while operating the machine here in Washington. They also used these satellites to navigate. They call it a Global Positioning System. Since they went through the time portal, they no longer have that ability. But the drones can still take photographs and send them back to the ship using radio waves, just as I did when I called the California on my radio." Lincoln just massaged his temples. Wells understood the confusion Lincoln experienced, just as he had two days before.

  "So these drones can fly over an area and photograph troop movements and artillery positions?"

  "Yes, Mr. President, these machines can have an enormous military impact. And the drone machine itself can also fire rockets. They have a way for troops on the ground to point a thing they call a laser, which is a device of some sort that I simply don't understand. A soldier would point this laser machine at a target such as an artillery battery, and the drone would fire its rocket directly at the battery. It's amazing, Mr. President."

  "That it is my friend, that it is."

  ***

  "How many ships like the California are sailing the oceans, Mr. Secretary?" Lincoln asked.

  Lincoln's question confused Wells. He thought he had made it clear that the California took a solitary trip through time. "Only one, Mr. President. The California took her strange journey all alone."

  "So you're certain that there are no other ships like the California at sea at this very moment, Gideon?"

  "Yes, sir, there are no others."

  "And do you base your conclusion on personal observation?" Wells realized that he was being cross examined by an expert lawyer. "No sir. I did not personally look for any other ships."

  "Did you ask the officers on the California if they knew of any others?"


  "No sir, I did not." said Wells.

  "Now, Gideon, these gigantic ships in the photos that are called aircraft carriers, have you determined that there are none at sea?"

  "No sir, I have not personally determined that."

  "It seems to me," said Lincoln, "that in the vastness of the oceans it is impossible to say with certainty that there are no other Gray Ships afloat. Do you not agree, Gideon?"

  Wells had to admit, "Well, no, Mr. President, I cannot say so with certainty."

  Lincoln walked over to a window and stood silently, looking out at the grounds. The flowers were starting to bloom as spring opened its wings. Lincoln always saw spring as a time of new beginnings, a time of renewal.

  He then turned to Wells and said, "Let me ask you a question, my friend. If you were Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederacy, would you not be concerned about a whole fleet of these amazing vessels, maneuvering and ready to strike at your forces? And would not this worrisome possibility, if you were Davis, consume your thoughts and guide your decisions?"

  Wells paused and stroked his beard. "If you put it that way Mr. President, I suppose Jeff Davis would be concerned. But, sir, he has no reason for worry, except for the one ship that he knows about, the USS California."

  Lincoln walked over to his Navy Secretary and sat in a chair across from him, his long legs jutting forward as if pinning Wells to his chair. He peered into Wells' eyes and said, "Gideon, what if we give Davis something to worry about?" Wells eyes grew wide. He suddenly slapped his knee and laughed uproariously.

  "Of course," said Wells. "We'll make them think that there's a fleet of Gray Ships!"

  Lincoln smiled broadly. He then stood and walked over to the table that was covered with the photographs of ships.

  "You have told me about the fearsome weapons aboard the California, Gideon. But these," Lincoln waved his hands over the array of photos, "these are our most potent weapons."

  The phrase PsyOps or psychological operations did not exist in 1861, but the idea of using tricks to fool an enemy has been around since ancient times. Lincoln realized that they had an opportunity to prevent the slaughter that Wells told him about.

  The Gray Ship fleet would soon put to sea.

  Chapter 29

  The Coast Guard Cutter Gallatin arrived in the vicinity of the California's last known position. It was 0327 and still pitch dark. Fortunately the sea was calm, always a good condition for an ocean search and rescue operation.

  Commander Donald Hester, the CO of the Gallatin, contacted the Office of Naval Operations at the Pentagon to advise them that he had arrived on station and was commencing search and rescue operations.

  The Gallatin was equipped with the US Navy's latest in underwater rescue technology. Known by the catchy phrase Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System's (SRDRS), it was designed for rescuing submarines. This SRDRS was nicknamed "Bubbles." It is a manned submersible and can dive to a depth of 2,000 feet.

  The depth below the Gallatin was only 300 feet, making Bubbles' mission relatively easy. There was one problem. As the Gallatin approached the area, it had been pinging with its forward directional sonar to pick up a "target." The sonar waves returned no hits, meaning the California had not yet been located.

  Hester decided to wait before he launched Bubbles. First they would try to locate the California by dragging a sonar array just beneath the surface in a plotted grid pattern.

  Combined with sonar buoys dropped from the helicopters, they should be able to locate something as large as the California in a short time.

  All sonar operators peered at their screens and listened for the telltale return sound of a metallic "hit." They heard silence.

  The California has been missing for 18 minutes.

  Chapter 30

  Bradley called Chief Ray to his office. He was careful to keep their meetings to a minimum and to communicate in short conversations at prearranged locations throughout the ship. Bradley knew that they needed more people to make their Confederacy plans work, but for now he kept it between himself and Chief Ray. At this point, the more people involved the greater the chance of a leak or slip up.

  "What about the big weapons, Chief? The guided missiles, the five-inch guns, and even the ASROCS (anti submarine missile system) can do a hell of a lot of damage. We can't get them off the ship. Any way to disable them?"

  "I've been thinking about just that, Commander. The first way is easy. I just remove the printed circuit boards for all of the big weapons systems. Every one of them, including the five inch guns, have a printed circuit board. I just take 'em out and toss 'em overboard. But the timing is tricky. All these systems, except for the ASROCs, are manned by crews around the clock. The boards would have to be yanked before anybody notices a problem."

  "What about the five-inch guns?" asked Bradley. "Can't they be operated manually?"

  "Excellent question, Commander. Yes they can be operated manually without a circuit board. For the guns I suggest we use thermite grenades. Those little babies are designed to melt metal. They can burn at a temperature as high as 4,000 degrees. We have 100 of them aboard. Pop one of them down the barrel of a gun and it's time to buy a new gun. The grenades that we don't use we can put in the Zodiacs."

  "So," said Bradley, "we can turn this cruiser into an unarmed cruise ship in a few minutes."

  "Yes, sir. A cruise ship without a swimming pool."

  Also, thought Bradley, a ship that can't defend herself can be sunk, especially if you use her own weapons against her.

  Chapter 31

  SEAL Petty Officer First Class Peter Campo is a master in the martial arts. He began as a freshman in high school, and by his second year in junior college he had become a black belt in both karate and the Korean skill of Taekwondo. He's also an expert in the Japanese "Gentle Way" or judo. He had taught martial arts at the Navy SEAL training school as well as the Naval Academy. When he reported aboard the California he asked Lieutenant Conroy if he could teach classes on the ship. Conroy ran the idea up the chain of command and Campo got the job.

  Campo was about to start a beginner's class, his favorite. People new to the martial arts have no preconceived notions, and the classes are easier to teach and more fun. This class would include Simon Planck, the sailor who Captain Patterson ordered him to pay close attention to. Easy job, thought Campo. Give me an order and I follow it. He also relished the idea of helping this scrawny kid. Planck was one of 10 people in the class of seven men and three women.

  "My name is Peter Campo, but you will call me Pete. You come to this class maybe not knowing how to swat a fly. I make you one promise: When you finish this class, flies will fear you." That cracked everybody up, as Pete intended. His style was not to lord his martial prowess over his students, but to respect them and show them how to get the respect of other people. Contrary to normal rules, he addressed each person beginning with their rank, such as Seaman or Petty Officer, not simply their last name. It took a bit longer, but it also showed respect.

  Campo also knew the importance of early success for his students, and he intentionally placed himself in a position to be thrown around so a student could get the feel of executing a correct move.

  The class began with judo, the "gentle way." But first, he ordered each of the students to bow in respect for each of the other students. He explained the simple idea behind judo, to use the force of an opponent against him. He asked Planck to come forward.

  "Seaman Planck, I have a question," said Pete. "Have you ever tripped and fallen?"

  "Yes, Pete," said Planck, thinking the question was dumb.

  "Now Seaman Planck, did you notice that after you tripped, that the falling part was easy? You just went forward and hit the ground. It was easy because gravity did it for you. Judo is a lot like that. Now Seaman Planck, I want you to punch me in the nose. Don't worry, I'm not wearing a sidearm. Go ahead, punch me."

  Seaman Planck threw the punch. Pete stepped slightly backward and to
the right and grabbed Planck's fist as if it were a thrown ball, simultaneously putting his right arm around Planck's waist and gently throwing him to the matt.

  "Gravity," said Pete, "just threw our friend Seaman Planck to the mat with only a minor assist from me. I used his forward momentum and just helped it to keep going forward." He did this five more times with Seaman Planck, asking everybody to watch carefully. "Now," said Pete, "I'm going to throw a punch at our friend Seaman Planck." Planck stiffened.

  "Okay, Seaman Planck, here it comes." Pete threw an arcing punch, aiming it in such a way that if he did connect it would be with the fleshy part of his forearm. Just as he had learned from watching Campo, Planck "caught" Campo's fist and pulled his opponent toward him, flipping him to the mat (aided by Campo himself).

  "Outstanding, Seaman Planck. Let's hear it for this guy." Everyone applauded. Planck bowed, as Pete slapped him on the shoulder. "Way to go, guy. Excellent job."

  Planck couldn't remember the last time he felt proud. He didn't have many opportunities.

  Chapter 32

  The day after Lincoln met with Navy Secretary Wells, he held a scheduled meeting of his eight cabinet members. The meeting began promptly at 8:30 a.m. Lincoln's spacious office also served as the cabinet meeting room, with its large conference table around which each of the cabinet members sat.

  The day was overcast with heavy low clouds, which cut down on the natural light from the windows. A staff member lit the gas lamps hanging on the walls. Two staff waiters walked around the table pouring coffee and circulating plates of buns. At 45 degrees, it was cold for mid-April, and everyone welcomed the hot coffee. The staff left the room after they completed their chores just before the meeting began.

  Lincoln, seated at the head of the conference table, placed his elbows on the table and touched his fingers together creating a cathedral-like arch, a familiar pose to the men present. It showed neither aggressiveness nor reticence. The pose didn't say I'm your friend or your enemy. The pose simply announced that it was time to get down to business.