TSN: Epiphany (Terran Space Navy)

by Paul Phipps

  This is unprecedented and is very suspicious and worrisome to my Intelligence Staff. The set of Photographs taken by the Guangzhou show an unbelievably large ship miles in length at the current position of the American Task Force yet subsequent photographs show nothing of the sort.

  The American Task Force is also incommunicado with the American Naval Communication stations at this time and the Pentagon has had no further communications either. They do have Satellite reconnaissance of the area so they know that the Task Force is still afloat and under its own power.

  You have heard the speculations of the Captain of the Guangzhou; my staff does not have any other ones to add to them.”

  The Minister for Defense then bowed to the Chairman and sat down to await his colleague’s comments and questions.

  The Minister of Communications asked, “You have said that our own Carrier Task Force #1 is operating to the East of New Guinea, Why?”

  “The People’s Liberation Army Navy dispatched the Task Force with several goals in mind. First of which is some very necessary training that can only be achieved in rough waters and at a distance from our shores. Second, if a show of force was needed they would already be most of the way there. Third, we are showing the Nations of the Southern Pacific that we do have the means of projecting Military power into their backyards.”

  “Thank you for the summation.” The Chairman said. He then looked at the Minister for High technology.

  “Do the Americans, ourselves or any other nation that we are dealing with have the capability of projecting so enormous a Hologram that it can take up miles? And if they do, why was it developed?”

  “I can emphatically state that we cannot do such a Hologram capability. Primarily there has never been a need to do so. I will put out a request to our R&D sector to see if they know of any nation working on such a thing.

  As to why develop such a capability? Possibly as camouflage, I can imagine the projection of an Island or a stretch of coastline over a ship or even a naval group to hide them from surveillance. It would not be very effective to hide a known land based target such as a base or a city for which we have obtained GPS coordinates.” The Minister for High Technology stated.

  The Chairman directed his gaze back to the Minister for Defense. “Direct your Admirals to reposition Task Force #1 to within 500 miles of the American Task Force. That should be close enough for a rapid reaction if needed and far enough away to be deniable if the Americans question the positioning.”

  He then asked of the Minister for External Intelligence, “Have your organizations made any progress in suborning or placing assets inside the current American Administration Executive offices?”

  “No, but we are still working on it. The current administration is most insular unlike its predecessor. They are extremely ethical by their standards and the current President holds everyone in his administration to those standards rigorously. It does make it difficult to deal with them.” The Minister stated in an irritated tone of voice.

  The meeting continued for another hour and a half and once it was over most of the ministers had new directives for their various organizations.

  United States of America, Pentagon, Tuesday, November 3, 2026

  “…and that means we are going to either have to get more funding to maintain the current level of Enlistees or we are going to have another RIF like we did two years ago. Admiral Stevens thinks that Senator Edwards and Senator Rose are not going to fight for the funding like they did last year” Susan Harris the GS-14 Executive Assistant for the current head of the Department of Naval Personnel said to her friend Julie Nolans as they sat in the Cafeteria having a late lunch.

  “That’s unfortunate; Admiral Caparelli was hoping to have them on board again this year.”

  “I hear that your office has been seeing a lot of ONS, (Office of Naval Security), lately. You’re not getting another audit are you? That last one was just a few months ago wasn’t it?” Susan said sympathetically.

  “I have no idea what’s happening. And yes, that last audit was a miserable experience. I only handle the administrative staff; the military side is handled by Captain Eagleton. You know that.”

  “Do you have time for another cup of tea?” Susan asked.

  “No, not this time, I need to get back. Under Secretary Dunbar is coming in for a meeting and I want to make sure everything is just right. Have a good day now.” Julie said as she picked up her tray and moved to place it in the trash/tray receptacle.

  “See you tomorrow then.” Susan said as they went their separate ways.

  ‘So the Under Secretary of the Navy was having a personal meeting with the CNO. Very interesting, since their normally scheduled day was on Thursday not Tuesday.’ Susan thought to herself, ‘Another item to file away and report on in her regular data drop to her distant superior.’

  * * *

  In the secure and soundproofed meeting room that Admiral Caparelli usually used for discussing sensitive topics the Under Secretary of Defense for the Navy was having a meeting with the Chief of Naval Operations. At times the participants were on the verge of having an apoplectic fit. But even so as professionals they had many long years of controlling their emotions and tempers.

  “What I want to understand; is why didn’t you discuss this with me earlier?” Under-Secretary Dunbar almost snarled when he addressed Admiral Caparelli.

  Why didn’t I? For the following reason, plausible deniability for yourself, the Secretary of Defense and the President. This could have been a hoax, and if it was, I wanted to be the one to take the responsibility and the damage on myself. This country of ours has gone through too much pain and turmoil for me to want to inflict more if it could be avoided.

  Admiral Crane and Task Force 14 have been under full Emissions Control since I had my Video Conference with them yesterday. They have been under routine Satellite observation as our Polar orbiting satellites pass over that location. They are still there and appear to be having normal operations.” Admiral Caparelli replied in as calm a manner as he could. His real feelings needed to be kept under control, very tight control.

  “Gus, I’ve known you for nearly 15 years now, I appreciate your feelings about protecting us. But Dammit! This is something I and the Administration should have known from the beginning.” He thundered out.

  “And if I had let you in after being specifically told that you politicians were not wanted, then the possibility that this wasn’t a hoax and the greater possibility of access to new technology would have been lost. Didn’t this paper that the communiqué came on even make a dent with you? Can we duplicate it? Do we have anything even near its capabilities? Well?” The Admiral said in firm but a soothing tone, as he shook the paper of the communiqué at the under-secretary.

  “Alright, you’ve just hit the one point that makes real sense to me. Let me see that thing again.” The Under-Secretary said.

  The Admiral passed it over and once again the Under-Secretary picked it up. Unlike the last time though, when he pressed the Authorized User Logo a Thumb Print box appeared. He looked up in startlement.

  “This is different!” He exclaimed.

  “What’s different?” The Admiral said with a slight frown.

  “There’s an Authorized User Logo and a Thumb Print Box”

  “Well, Well, Well,” the Admiral said with a smile. “It looks like you are about to receive a communiqué. This should be interesting.” He said as he sat back in his chair with a grin on his face.

  The Under-Secretary for the Navy pressed his right thumb onto the paper in the marked box. The Thumbprint appeared in a very dark green. Then the page blanked and the following appeared.

  To: Undersecretary of the Navy Dunbar

  From: Fleet Admiral Carl N. Webster, Terran Space Navy

  Subject: Direct and Personal Communication with Authorized U.S. Naval Personnel

  I have had direct talks with Vice Admiral Crane and his staff on board the U.S.S. George H.W. Bush
. The meetings were cordial and I have invited several of Admiral Crane’s personnel for a visit on board the TSN Star Fighter Carrier Lucky.

  I expect that the first round of meetings will be concluded on November 4th or 5th of this year. After your debriefing of Admiral Crane and your personnel is complete and if you and your superiors are still interested, further meetings may be scheduled.

  Means of further contact with the Terran Space Navy will be provided to Admiral Crane.

  Respectfully,

  Fleet Admiral Carl Noah Webster, TSN

  The Undersecretary reread the communiqué twice more. He then looked at Admiral Caparelli and said.

  “I was angry at you for keeping this to yourself. Now I think I understand why. This is damn frightening in its capability.”

  “Yes, it is. And I am quite convinced that there is a two-way communication between this ‘paper’ and the TSN.” The Admiral said quietly.

  “Yes, that would follow, wouldn’t it.” The Undersecretary was quiet of a bit, and then said. “Have you ever heard of a Star Fighter Carrier?”

  “A Star Fighter Carrier? No, not at all.” Admiral Caparelli stated.

  “Well, according to this,” and the Undersecretary waved the communiqué at the Admiral, “Some of Admiral Crane’s people are on board one, visiting.”

  “Really?!, Oh, brother, I really have to be in on this debrief, personally that is.” The Admiral said in a soft voice to himself.

  “I want to be there too. Please issue orders for Task Force 14 to go to some location between Hawaii and San Diego. We can use the excuse of an inspection tour of Pearl to explain why we are both going there.” The Undersecretary directed. Then he sat quietly in thought.

  “I am NOT going to tell Secretary Anderson about this.” He said looking at the Admiral intently. “He likes to talk, way too much, and this is something that I don’t think he could keep his mouth shut over.”

  As the CNO and the Under Secretary left the Secure Conference room, Admiral Caparelli told the Under-Secretary. “Yes Sir, Considering their last performance report I think that a visit to Pearl just might be in order. At least it will shake them up some. And Lord knows, any excuse to get out of this office is a good excuse”

  “Yep, and I hope to get in at least one round of Golf at the course. I always admired the view of the Pacific from there. Next Monday then?”

  “I think that might be the best time considering my calendar and yours. I’ll have Captain Eagleton’s people contact your Administrative Assistant with the details.” The Admiral said.

  They both knew that there would be ears listening for any tidbit and this was a great way of disseminating disinformation as any.

  “Julie,” The admiral said as he entered his outer Office, “please have Captain Eagleton and yourself come into my office in fifteen minutes. We have to make some arrangements for travel.”

  He paused and then said, ”Please ask Admiral Saunders to be there too.”

  Twenty minutes later in the small conference room attached to Admiral Caparelli’s office the four of them met again.

  “Thank you for all being available on such short notice, especially yourself Admiral Saunders.” Admiral Caparelli started off while nodding his head toward Admiral Saunders.

  “You’re welcome, Admiral Caparelli”, Admiral Saunders said congenially, “I was fortunate in that my own meeting had been cancelled this morning.”

  “Very good then, now to the point of this meeting, Under-Secretary Dunbar and I are going to go to Pearl Harbor via San Diego. I want to leave early on Monday, Captain Eagleton.”

  “Yes sir”. The captain said as he put it down on his notepad.

  “Is there something going on at Pearl I need to know about?” Asked Admiral Saunders.

  “Nothing really new, Secretary Dunbar was going over the performance reports from last month and wasn’t very happy about some of them. So he wants to make a visit out there to put some ‘steel into their backbones’, I am going along to buffer as necessary and if needed to fire some people. Besides I haven’t been out there since I assumed this post. And I did want to go to all of our remaining bases and outposts when I could get the chance.”

  “I see, and are we going to give them advance warning this time? Admiral Saunders said with a grin.

  “I think that the announcement of our departure on Monday will be enough warning. “ He said with a wicked grin.

  “Do you see any difficulties of handling my office and yours for a couple of weeks?” He then asked Admiral Saunders.

  “No, I don’t think so. Especially with the assistance of your Office Staff to help out. Will Captain Eagleton be going also?”

  Admiral Caparelli, thought for a moment and pulled his chin, (an old mannerism to cover up deep thought). “Captain I would prefer that you did come along but I know that your duties are very time consuming also. So I will give you the choice this time. Please let me know by Thursday if you can make it.”

  “Yes Sir, I believe that I can make the trip with you and Under-Secretary Dunbar. I’ll confirm that with you on Thursday after I check with my own staff.”

  “Ms. Nolans, I want this to be kept under wraps for now. I know people are going to be curious about goings on here and the knowledge that I am going to be making an inspection trip with the Under-Secretary will be big news to some of our personnel. But the longer we delay that knowledge getting out the more effective the inspection is going to be.” The Admiral instructed her.

  “Certainly Sir. In fact I believe that I will inform the civilian staff on Monday when they come in. It will be more effective that way.” She said to the Admiral in a matter-of-fact manner.

  After that the meeting was devoted to office details and broke up shortly thereafter.

  U.S.N. CVN George H.W. Bush 1525L Tuesday, November 3, 2026

  “Admiral Crane,” Lt. Phelps said as she walked onto the Flag Bridge, “We have received a new set of orders from the Pentagon, sir.”

  Admiral Crane raised one Eyebrow and just motioned for her to bring the Comm Pad over to him. After reading it and initialing the touch pad of the Comm. Pad, he sat still for a bit and then asked that Captain Welles be summoned to the Flag Bridge.

  Shortly thereafter Captain Welles finished reading the orders and just looked up and said, “When do you want to get there?”

  “Next Tuesday will be fine.” The Admiral stated.

  “Any ideas on why we are being directed there?” asked Captain Welles.

  “Several scenarios come to mind, but the most logical is that we will be placed so that we can go to Pearl or back to San Diego depending on what the Powers-that-be decide is best. I also expect us to be in a good location for a Debrief and Intelligence Analysis team to come aboard and not cause too much attention to be directed our way.

  Let’s use this as a training opportunity also. Hmmm, let’s make it a full December 7th scenario and get people working on that.”

  “Sounds good to me, we could stand a return to normalcy around here.” Captain Welles stated.

  “Is Commander McAndrews still in the Wardroom chatting people up?” asked Admiral Crane.

  “I believe she was going to go to the Chief’s mess and then visit the Enlisted Mess to talk to anyone who was interested in talking to her.”

  “What do you think that Chinese Task Force is going to do?” Captain Welles said after looking out the window at the routine Flight Operations going on the Flight Deck.

  “If they follow us or manage to keep in the area I think that is a good indication that they are very curious about us and our ‘visitors’. But if they stay put then I think we got away with this clandestine meeting.” He thought for a bit and then continued. “Except that it will all come out as soon as we get into port. Admiral Webster and Commander McAndrews have done a good job of getting attention. At least from our people here in the Task Force.”

  “I overheard her talking to some of the pilots in the ready room that they
were going to give us a ‘gift’ to take back with us.” Lt. Phelps piped up.

  The Admiral and Captain both turned to her, “Really?! And did you get any inkling as to what this ‘Gift’ might be?” asked Captain Welles.

  “Well, Sir…. No, I didn’t get an idea as to what it might be. But seeing how they operate… It’s likely to be too big to hide easily.”