TSN: Epiphany (Terran Space Navy)

by Paul Phipps

  The Admiral sat there for a little bit thinking about what she and Captain Johansson had said.

  “I appreciate your openness to us. And the chance to look at your technology is something not to be passed over. But I keep coming back to Admiral Webster’s statement that you are on a recruiting mission. Is this a part of that effort?”

  “Of course it is, Sir.” Said the Commander with a big smile.

  “Hmmph” The Admiral grunted. He then turned to Captain Welles.

  “If you don’t have a problem with their going on this ‘look-see’, then I will authorize it. In any case reading the after action report is going to be fascinating.”

  * * *

  “There will be one Mk I Starfighter and three Mark II’s in your initial flight when you are released. The Mark I at 500 ft. in length is the only model at this time equipped for Human Occupation. The three man crew is composed of a Pilot/Commander and Pilot/Navigator and an Engineer/Communications. There are quarters aboard and the Starfighter will carry enough consumables for a 4 month deployment without need of re-supply.

  The three Mark II’s are around a sixth the size of the Mark I at 75 feet in Length. They are not equipped for Human occupancy with the exception of Rescue capabilities. They are not intended for the sort of duties a Mark I will accomplish. Their main tasks are tactical reconnaissance and combat operations.

  Both Models include nuclear armed missiles from the 500 Megaton to 1 Megaton range. There are numerous EW missiles employing Wild Weasel and Ferret technologies. There are two Plasma Torpedo launchers for extra-atmospheric usage, these are direct fire weapons that move at close to light speed and have a reasonable range of approximately two light minutes.

  The primary in-atmosphere weapons are four 20mm railguns. Two fixed and two in 180 degree turrets covering the Port and Starboard sides. Each railgun can fire up to 250 projectiles per minute. The rate of fire is pilot determinable. The munitions can be solid shot, Capacitor Dart or .05 to 20 Kiloton explosives.”

  “Excuse me, Lucky, what is a Capacitor Dart?” asked Aviation Machinist Mate First Class Harold Dixon.

  “A Capacitor Dart is a projectile equipped with ultra-quick charging capacitors that is inert until it receives its charge during the Rail Gun Firing. In operation a Capacitor Dart in the standard Marine side arm is capable of Stunning a human or disabling an electronic device such as a Computer or a robot, at full power it can punch through two inch armor plating. In a Starfighter’s rail gun it’s power can be upgraded in the firing process to 250 Million Volts at 12 Ampere. Thus making it similar to a lightning strike. A capacitor dart at full strength can make a hole about 18 feet in diameter in the hull of a naval vessel. This is possible since it would carry a mass as well as an electrical charge.” Lucky expounded.

  “Why do you have war heads up to 500 Megatons?” asked Chief Hartman.

  “At this time a warhead of 500 Megatons is required to breach a capital ships’ defensive War Screen. Studies have determined that smaller sequential strikes on the same location would have the same effect. In combat though that opportunity rarely occurs. So for the sake of efficiency the larger warhead is utilized.

  “Lucky, what’s a plasma torpedo?” Captain Johansson asked with a puzzled voice.

  “A Plasma Torpedo is an interesting device; we acquired this technology from the wreckage of an U’Tarn Cruiser equivalent. It is projected at close to light speed and has a rudimentary terminal guidance package. The methodology is that a very small quantity of matter/anti-matter is projected with an intense magnetic bottle surrounding the projectile. One one-hundredth of a second after release or around eighteen hundred miles from the launcher the matter/anti-matter combines producing a ball of plasma contained in the Magnetic Bubble. The energy of the plasma also is used to provide the necessary power for the Magnetic bubble. The delivered energy to the target varies with range from one hundred Megatons to ten Kilotons.

  We don’t use these very much as the tactical situation that would make them effective doesn’t occur often. But when it does, they are utterly unstoppable and devastating.”

  Any more questions” There were none. “Continuing on then, an in-atmospheric range of a rail gun projectile is approximately 350 miles. This range is dependent on many factors especially air density at the time of firing and trajectory through the atmosphere. Rail Gun projectiles have a terminal guidance package making them a good fire and forget weapon.”

  Lucky paused for a moment and then started on. “For this exercise you will be launched from our current location. You will go to 325,000 feet and stay at that altitude maintaining a Combat Air Patrol over the Chinese Task Force once you reach their location. Lt. Harrison and his crew will take a Scout ship similar to Roland, the one you came here on. The Scout has chosen the name of ‘Rover’ for this mission.”

  “Sounds about right to me as we are going to see if we need to flush out any game.” Said Lt. Harrison.

  “That might come to pass, but your mission at this time is just to observe the Task Force and determine if anything needs to be done about them.” Admiral Webster said from his seat at the side of the briefing room.

  “Any more questions?” Asked Lucky

  There were none.

  “Please go to the Trans-Portal and you will be taken to your assigned ships.” Lucky announced.

  In a few moments, Captain Johansson and his crew were in the Starfighter. They had arrived in what was obviously a small wardroom. Waiting on the table were three helmets that looked to be designed to sit on the shoulders of the user. A voice issued from a hidden speaker.

  “Good Morning Captain Johansson and crew, please take a helmet and use the Trans-Portal to come to the bridge. I am your Command A.I. for this mission.”

  “Good morning to you also, do you have a name?” Asked Petty Officer Dixon who was going to sit in the second pilot’s chair.

  “No, I have not picked out one yet. Once I get a permanent crew I will pick one out with their concurrence.” The voice said.

  “If you don’t mind then, may we call you Farragut for this mission?” asked the Captain.

  “Farragut will be fine. Now we need to get prepared for launch.”

  On board Rover a similar conversation was going on with Lt. Harrison and his crew with Rover.

  “Lieutenant after communicating with Roland I understand that you only got to be in the Wardroom for your brief trip to the Lucky. I am requiring you and your crew to be on the Bridge for this mission. I do realize that this mission is familiar to you and the methodology will be unfamiliar to you since it is a similar mission profile to what you have done before with the United States Navy. I will explain anything to you that you desire once we are underway. Please take a helmet and use the Trans-Portal to go to the Bridge. We will be launching in ten minutes.”

  Lt. Harrison and his crew of three went to the Bridge of Rover and looked around in amazement. What greeted then was a small space with a central raised platform and a two seat console in front of it and a station off to the Left and right side.

  “Ok, is this a joke? I would swear that we are on the bridge of a Star Trek spaceship.” Lt. Harrison said laughing.

  “Well, in some ways it is humorous but in others this arrangement is extremely efficient yet flexible. After examining much of your entertainment and non-fiction programming that you transmit continuously we determined that this arrangement would be familiar to you and yet useful. So the question to you is; is it?” Rover asked

  “When you put it that way, it does make sense in a very weird way. Can this arrangement be changed if we determine that it isn’t a good one?” Asked Chief Butler

  “Certainly, it can be changed. Please try it out for this mission and then we can examine your opinions afterwards. As you were informed I will be in total control for this mission. Please feel free to make any suggestions as they occur to you. I will also do my best to give you some training on the various functions of the stations you are
assigned to.”

  The four men went to the various stations with Lt. Harrison automatically assuming the Captain’s Chair. Chief Butler took over the Navigator position, Chief Ferrell being a Photo Journalist went to what he thought was the Science/Sensors Position and that left Petty Officer Absher to take over the Helmsman position.

  As they sat down in their seats and buckled themselves in, the wall of viewscreens became active and just by looking around they could see in a 360 degree view what was occurring outside of Rover. Several mechanicals were moving around and they could see but not feel that Rover was being placed on a Circle and Cross section of the Deck. High above them they could also see the arch of the Landing Deck Overhead.

  “If you wear your helmets, not only will you see around us but you can see what is called a 360x360, full view in any and all directions. Magnification is also accessible via your helmet and in a combat situation weapons control is also available. “ Rover told them.

  Lt. Harrison placed his helmet on and the view was total. He watched as they lifted off of the landing deck and moved toward the bow of the Lucky. Suddenly they were flying above the sea and arching upwards at tremendous speed. But still he felt no stress of the flight on his body.

  His attention was captured by the sudden appearance below and then moving swiftly past him of what must be the Big Starfighter and its three smaller companions. Then Task Force 14 appeared and then shrunk rapidly to just dots on the grey ocean below.

  “Can you magnify Task Force 14” Lieutenant Harrison murmured quietly.

  In his sight the Task Force rapidly expanded and stabilized as though at an altitude of 1000 feet then the angle started to increase as they moved swiftly away toward the Chinese Task Force.

  “Release the image, what is our current Altitude?”

  “We are currently at 300 K-Feet and our escorts are 25K-feet above us. Three minutes to contact with the Chinese ask Force.” Rover announced

  “Are we still invisible to them?” asked Petty Officer Absher

  “Yes, Masking is still in effect.” Rover replied.

  Momentarily they were moving, and then… they were there and hovering at 300K feet. Below them unseen through the clouds far below was the Chinese Task Force.

  “I am releasing ten Enhanced Intelligence Gathering Drones at this time. Eight of them will surround the Task Force at a range of approximately one mile. I have detailed two of them for the Carrier and what appears to be a Sea Control Ship. “

  * * *

  On board the George H.W. Bush in the Video Conference Room #1 Commander McAndrews had set up her holographic Projector and was showing what the Scout named ‘Rover’ was doing and what its crew was viewing in Real Time.

  * * *

  A few minutes Later Petty Officer Absher said, “Rover, there appears to be a smaller vessel about 25 miles to the southeast of the Carrier. Can you detail an IGD to it?”

  “IGD 11 released, it should be on target momentarily”

  Petty Officer Absher, put his helmet on and asked the drone’s data and video be slaved to him. As he watched the data and the video stream across his view field he suddenly said. “Rover, halt #11, Lieutenant please look at this image, I think this is a stealthed Arsenal Ship.”

  “I think you’re right, Absher , Lieutenant Harrison said after examining the vessel through his helmet, “I didn’t know they had these. It does look like a Sea Shadow doesn’t it?”

  * * *

  “Can I speak to Rover’s crew?” Captain Welles asked of Commander McAndrews.

  “Yes you can, I have enabled the voice transmission feature.” She told Him.

  * * *

  “Rover, this is Captain Welles” the voice came over Rover’s Bridge speakers. “ Please deploy more IGD’s at this range around their Task Force. If there is one there are probably more.”

  “Affirmative, Captain Welles” Rover replied .

  “Lt. Harrison, why is this a more interesting vessel than the Carrier or the Sea Control Ship?” Rover asked.

  “Well, Rover it has to do with capabilities”, Lt. Harrison started to explain, “This type of ship is supremely stealthy to Radar, Sonar and Satellite reconnaissance. It carries no equipment that radiates in the Electromagnetic Spectrum. When it launches its missiles and rocket assisted torpedoes, it does so with the advantage of striking from a location that is not suspected of having an enemy vessel. All targeting of its weapons are from that Sea Control Ship. In effect these types of vessels give a Naval force an immense advantage over an adversary that doesn’t have them.”

  “I understand then.” Rover replied, “The additional IGD’s have detected four more of these vessels. All of them in an Arc with Task Force 14 as its central vector.

  “Do these IGD’s have the capability of Radio Intercept?”. Petty Officer Absher asked.

  “Yes, they can detect all of the Electromagnetic Spectrum that you and the Chinese are currently using as well as Laser based backscatter to Satellites and other line of sight vessels.”

  “Can they detect submarines also?”

  “Submarines are a little more difficult. It has to do with their inherent hiding in the background of their environment. Mainly we detect them by finding the ‘hole’ that they make while hiding. Also we can detect them from high altitude or even low earth orbit. But if we try to do so the effort will probably be detected as we have to use active transmissions in the attempt.”

  “Then have them try to find their Submarines, if they are following their standard doctrine there should be at least two nearby with one to three in the vanguard of the fleet.” The Petty Officer directed.

  “How many aircraft are currently in operation and what models?” Chief Butler asked of Rover

  On and on went the requests for over four hours as the Rover and her crew examined the Chinese Task Force. All too soon though, all aspects that they could think of were covered. At which time Rover said.

  “Lt. Harrison, your file indicates that you are an amateur Astronomer, yes?

  “Why Yes, indeed I am. Why do you ask?” The Lieutenant asked with some anticipation in his voice.

  “Would you like to go see the moon close up?”

  * * *

  Captain Johansson was enjoying himself in the Starfighter he had been assigned to. Farragut had been launched from its special purpose Hanger/Launch tube with three smaller Starfighters following close behind. No acceleration was felt by them but the speed was obvious as they went flashing past the smaller scout ship heading for the upper levels of the atmosphere. Soon they were at 325,000 feet. The sky was black above them and the curvature of the Earth was quite apparent.

  He knew that they were moving at intense speed but didn’t have anything readily available to determine what.

  “Farragut, could you display a standard instrument panel for me?”

  “Certainly, Captain, would you like a basic panel or the one in an F-35N?”

  “The F-35N will be fine.” Captain Johansson replied with an obvious attempt at nonchalance.

  “We will be over target in 90 seconds, Sir.”

  The Captain did a quick calculation and decided that they must be going at close to Mach 32. With a ship like this he felt he could fly ANYWHERE, it was an amazing feeling. Almost like the first time he had flown solo so many years ago.

  And just like that there they were. Farragut and his three cohorts slowed down to a hover as they watched Rover drop down to the sea where the Chinese Carrier Task Force waited.

  After about four hours Farragut interrupted the training simulation Captain Johansson and Petty Officer Dixon were working on.

  “Sir, Rover has finished his task and he and his crew are going to the Earth’s Moon for a quick visit. Do you wish to escort them?”

  “To the moon… Escort them… Oh YES! Let’s go.” Three voices said and with that encouragement the Starfighter lined up with Rover for a quick Jaunt to the moon.

  * * *

  Beijing China �
��– November 3, 2026

  In the Forbidden City, once the abode of the Emperors of China, the current members of the CCP, Chinese Communist Party meet. Unlike in previous years the custom had evolved that a member gives up his name and identity and just assumes the name of his position. Some examples are Chairman, Defense, Financial, Railroad and Interior Security.

  This custom evolved as previous members were purged for non-performance and a means was needed to disguise the ruthlessness of the system.

  At this time Defense is giving a briefing on American Task Force 14 and what their asset in the Pentagon has managed to find out.

  “The asset has only verified what it was able to discover in previous messages. The American Chief of Naval Operations has detailed a special mission for Task Force 14. No one that is not an immediate staff member of the American Admiral knows what is going on. None of their civilian grade employees are involved in these proceedings. The American Secretary of Defense is not involved and neither is the Under-Secretary of Defense for the Navy.