by Paul Phipps
Lt. Commander Dickerson spoke up, “Commander McAndrews what do you mean Epiphany is one of your Children?”
“Just that, I am also known as Seeker, I was sent by Gho L’Gamesh to explore this world and then given the task of Protecting and Nurturing the Human Race here. Admiral Webster is my Mindmate. You could call that soulmate if you want. Together we have created several children with a mixture of our traits and abilities. Epiphany is one of them and has been looking forward to working with people for some time now. This is her opportunity to do so, she is also our Ambassador to you too.”
“I think I understand. Why won’t you allow us to examine her and learn more about your technology?”
“You can examine her, you just can’t take her apart to do so. And if someone tries they are in for a very rude surprise. Enough said.” She said with a glint of steel in her voice.
“You said Epiphany was on loan to the Navy. What if we have to go to War, will she fight for us?” asked Lt. Frist
“As long as you aren’t fighting the TSN and you aren’t the aggressor who started the War. Yes, she will fight for you and may God have mercy on her foes. They won’t believe what hit them.”
“Does she have any other duties that aren’t readily obvious?” Asked Lt. Phelps
“Of course she does, we are anticipating that many of her crew will eventually want to enlist in the TSN. This is another opportunity for recruiting in the long term.” Admiral Webster stated.
“If we agree to these terms and conditions will you build more vessels for us?” Admiral Crane then asked.
“Let’s see how this initial endeavor works out. If it works out the way I think it will, then yes. We would be pleased to provide more vessels for you.” Commander McAndrews/Seeker said.
Admiral Crane polled each of his officers with his eyes and one by one they nodded. He closed his eyes and thought deeply, even prayed that he wasn’t about to make a major mistake. Then a feeling of peace fell upon him. ‘Yes, this was the right thing to do.’ He opened his eyes and looked both Admiral Webster and Commander McAndrews in the eyes.
“I accept the conditions you have laid out for us.” Admiral Crane stated with a smile.
“I thank you, Admiral, I hope our working relationship is a long one.” Epiphany said.
“I hope you will accept the initial crew of volunteers from Task Force 14.” He said back to her.
“I will need to interview them Admiral before allowing them to take up positions of responsibility. If you wish you may watch or be present for the interviews. It won’t take very long. Verifiers are wonderful devices for ferreting out the bad ones.”
Task Force 14, USS Cape St. George, CG 71
The mess deck of the Cape St. George was quiet with the men eating quickly or mesmerized by the video feed on the Flat Screen monitors spread around the large room. Currently they were looking over the shoulders of the Navy men on the TSN Lucky looking down into a huge empty room. The Audio was off but they could still see that something was supposed to happen.
“Hey, Space Cadet! Getting your eyeballs full of this shit?” RD2 Jamal Robinson sneered across the table at ET2 Ansel Webster.
“Yep, Robinson, I am. Don’t you find it interesting in the least?” Ansel replied absently as he kept watching the monitor nearest him.
“It’s all bullshit man, Ain’t real and all that. Those UFO’s we came here to see are gone, hell man, I was on deck and I just saw them disappear. Just like on the show, Adventures in Sixth Space they got on the Sci-Fi Channel. I think it’s all special effects and bullshit, man.” Robinson was spouting and getting madder and madder that no one was listening to him. He just wasn’t used to that. Wasn’t he the coolest dude in Ops? Now he was being ignored and he didn’t like it.
“Possibly it is all special effects, But like my Great Uncle Carl used to say: There are strange and wondrous things in the Universe. If we can just keep an open mind when we encounter them, we can appreciate them even more.” Ansel replied looking Robinson directly in the eyes. Then he looked back to the monitor.
Jamal just looked at him in disgust. “Man, you really are a Space Cadet. I bet you would love to go for a ride in one of those things, if they really exist that is.”
“You got it right in one, Jamal. I would love to go for a ride in a UFO. But just because I would love to … Whoa man, look at that.” He said pointing to the monitor.
They watched entranced as the colorful ooze started to fill the bay in the monitor. Then when the shape of a Ship started to appear they found themselves guessing at to what type it was going to be.
“Ok, Space Cadet, you may have something there about keeping an open mind. Even if this is special effects, I like what I am seeing. And you got to admit that that thing looks like what an Aircraft Carrier should be. Kinda cool isn’t it” IC1 Farmer remarked as he watched along with the rest of the table.
Then over the 1MC public address system came the call for muster in 10 minutes.
“Well, it looks like today is a day for no schedule at all.” Farmer groused. Then stood up and looked around at the men and women on the mess deck. “You heard the announcement. Get your seat cleaned up and get to your muster station.” And then he proceeded to follow his own order.
“See you later Space cadet”, said several of the people at the table as Ansel got up and racked his cup in the tray return opening. Then he was on his way to the ET Shop.
* * *
“Good Evening Everyone!” Electronics Technician Chief Miller said loudly, “ Did you have a good day? Was your evening as short as mine?” He added with a low growl.
“Yes, Chief”, everyone chorused. It just didn’t pay to get on Chief Miller’s bad side. You just might find yourself doing a part by part inventory for the rest of the voyage.
“Good, good, Jonesy, Call Mr. Abbott and report all personnel accounted for.”
“Right Chief”, ET1 Jones called Mr. Abbot in the Officer’s Wardroom and made her report. She listened to the Officer on the other end and then said, “Yes Sir, I’ll tell Chief Miller.”
“Chief, Mr. Abbot says that we are supposed to stay here until released. Says that we got a special message coming in from the Bush and he is supposed to deliver it personally to us.” ET1 Jones told Chief Miller.
“Ok, Fine, WhaaatEVER. Listen up then, as long as we are here I want to hear where you are at on the P.M’s and if we have had any breakdowns since we quit work for the day at 1700.” Chief Miller sat back in his chair and waited.
As each member of the ET Shop made their reports. He got a bigger and bigger smile. At least HIS people were on the job and everything was in good order. Just as the last man was making his report the Shop Door opened and Mr. Abbot a Chief Warrant Officer came in.
“Good evening everyone. I apologize for the unusual request to muster. But what the hell, it’s been an unusual two days. Did you all watch the construction of that Aircraft Carrier on board the TSN Ship?”
The various men and women acknowledged having watched it on the monitors scattered around the cruiser.
“Ok then, I have been authorized to tell you the following bits of information.
The reason we haven’t actually seen those ships is that they are under some sort of electronic camouflage. It turns out we are being shadowed by a Chinese Sub and they don’t want the Chinese involved right now.
Next that big Carrier we just saw being built? Well, it’s been named the Epiphany which is a pretty damn appropriate name if you ask me. And secondly the Admiral wants at least 500 volunteers from the Task Force to go over and be a skeleton crew for her. If you want to volunteer let me know now because you need to be transshipped to the George Bush ASAP.
Now… Any Volunteers?”
Before he even realized it himself, Ansel Webster’s hand was up.
“Ok, we got one, anyone else? Mr. Abbot said.
No one else volunteered as they all looked around at each other. “Fine then, Chief Miller, do
you have an objection to losing the services of Mr. Webster here?” He said while looking at the chief.
“Mr. Abbot, Webster is my best tech and it’s going to hurt to lose him. On the other hand he is ideal for a skeleton crew. He will pull his weight and probably several others too.” The chief said with a slight sigh.
Ok, Webster get your stuff packed and go to….” The chief looked at Mr. Abbott inquiringly.
“Webster, go to the Wardroom with your Seabag. The Captain and the Exec want to meet all of the Volunteers before the Helo from the Bush gets here. You’ve got 30 minutes to get yourself ready. Scoot!” Mr. Abbott told him.
“Aye, Aye Sir!” and ET2 Ansel Webster was out the door and on his way.
“My instructions are to keep everyone here until our volunteers are on their way to the Bush.” Mr. Abbott told everyone.
His people were quiet each one thinking their own private thoughts.
Mr. Abbot then stood up and went to the door and looked out into the Empty passageway and motioned Chief Miller and ET1 Jones to come join him outside of the Shop.
“Chief Miller, Petty Officer Jones, what are your thoughts and feeling on Webster volunteering?” he said once they were mostly alone.
“Sir, I’m not sure that you know it but Webster’s nickname is “Space Cadet”. So I am not surprised to see him volunteer at all. And I meant it when I said he was my best Tech. I swear that those boxes love him and work harder for him than anyone else. The stuff I make him responsible for never breaks down.
I’m sure that he will be a credit to the ship no matter what ship he is on.” Chief Miller told the Warrant Officer.
“And you, Jonesy?” prodded the Warrant Officer.
“Well sir, Webster might be called a “Space Cadet” by some and he doesn’t seem to mind it. But quite frankly the man is brilliant, I mean it. You can ask him about ANYTHING, and he will know something about it. With the exception of sports, man he is totally clueless there.” ET1 Jones said shaking her head.
“Well Jonesy, don’t forget women, He’s clueless there too!” Chortled the Chief.
“Well, Chief, I think that applies to most males don’t you think?” Shot back ET1 Isadore Jones
ET2 Webster reported to the Wardroom 25 minutes later with his Seabag stuffed with uniforms and necessary underwear and personal Items. He wasn’t too surprised to see that only two others had volunteered. At that rate they weren’t going to have enough people for the volunteer force for the Epiphany. He thought to himself.
He was pleased but not too surprised that the other two volunteers were people that he knew fairly well from the occasional D&D game on Rec Deck 3 on Saturday evening.
They were BM3 Gerard Schlesinger, a large heavy boned man who was from Minnesota and was probably descended from the Vikings and YM2 Harriet Chang a third generation Chinese-American who had the ability of a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and the personality of the Girl Next Door, who would beat you into submission if you pissed her off. Good people to have with you on a Dungeon Prowl, and now on to a brand new totally unknown ship. Great fun ahead!
“Well Space Cadet, I just knew you were going to volunteer.” Harriet said when she saw him show up in the Passageway outside the Wardroom.
“Thank you, Fearless Ferret,” He said bowing to her and as he came back up, he continued. “I did hope that you would see the light and want to chase after me!”
“Chase after you!, HA! I want to point out that I was here before you. “She said haughtily.
‘You beat him by 20 seconds and you know it. Besides his berthing is in the Stern and yours is Amidships. You didn’t have to go as far.” Pointed out Schlesinger. “Good to see you, Space Cadet! Any idea what’s going on over there?” He pointed with his thumb in the direction the TSN ships had last been seen.
‘Pudge, I have no idea at all. I’m totally curious but I have no data to base any speculations on.” Ansel said with a slight frown and then he brightened up. “On the other hand I am ecstatic to see you and Harriet here. With your brawn, her sneakiness and my brain. We are destined to go to The Epiphany and work our tails off.”
“With only 500 of us to get a brand new ship back to San Diego?”, BM3 ‘Pudge’ Schlesinger exclaimed, “Working our tails off is the least I am worried about. On the other hand he said with a broad smile. I think this will make us all plank owners of the first new ship the Navy has seen in over a decade.”
“There is that isn’t there”, YN2 Chang said. “I personally am looking forward to a challenge. I have got the office here completely up to speed. I need a new challenge and Chief Tran will have to start doing her own work instead of foisting it off on me.” She said with a slightly bitter tone to her voice.
A few minutes later the Executive Officer of the Cape St. George opened the door to the Officer’s Wardroom and stepped out into the passageway. He looked the three volunteers over carefully and nodded his head once. “Please follow me to the Captain’s Cabin; he wants to have a few words with you.”
Captain Steele examined the three volunteers as they stood at attention in the main room of his cabin, finally with a nod of satisfaction he said. “At ease, please take a seat and I’ll tell you what I know about your next assignment.”
Fifteen minutes later he was finishing up his impromptu briefing. “As I said before, this is one of those once in a lifetime chances and I envy you the opportunity ahead of you. Keep your eyes open, your sense of wonder in gear and do us all proud by being the best examples of a member of the United States Navy.”
And with that they were off to the flight deck for a quick trip to the George H.W. Bush.
Terran Space Navy SFC Lucky 2210L November 3, 2026
TSN/USN Epiphany – Construction Bay
“Admiral Crane your crew of volunteers have arrived on Lucky, do you want to greet them there or here on the Epiphany?” Asked Commander McAndrews.
“I would like to address them on the Flight Deck of Lucky please. And then Epiphany can do her interviewing, if you don’t mind me borrowing your flight deck temporarily?” Admiral Crane said.
Admiral Webster was then looked at by the two of them for his input. He thought for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders. “It’s a good spot, but I hope they don’t get too wild-eyed. You haven’t been on the Flight Deck except briefly in Roland. It’s a bit different being there on foot. Let’s get going, Lucky will automatically direct them there through the Trans-Portal system.
And with that he headed for the closest Trans-Portal himself. Admiral Crane and his staff were on his heels with Commander McAndrews bringing up the rear smiling to herself. She was so looking forward to the next hour or so. She thought to herself with a little giggle.
The flight Deck of the Lucky was a mile wide and two miles in long. The broad arch of the roof overhead was around 2500 feet above them. There was a slight sparkle in the air where the force field arched down from the broad band above them to the forward and aft edges of the flight deck. There were several Saucer shapes similar to Roland that had brought the crew of the Epiphany aboard Lucky.
As the 463 men and women who had volunteered to man the Epiphany arranged themselves in a formation with their Seabags at their feet under the Watchful eyes of Master Chief Hartman and Capt. Edgewood. They took some time to look around them as they waited for the command to come to attention. Shortly it did:
“All Hands! Attention on Deck!” Barked Master Chief Hartman.
Behind Captain Edgewood a portion of the deck suddenly dropped away and then rose up once again. The men and women could see a small group of Men and Women in the Uniform of the United States Navy. There were however a man and a woman in an unfamiliar uniform. Some of them made the connection that those individuals must be with the Terran Space Navy.
Admiral Crane strode forward and saluted Captain Edgewood and Master Chief Hartman. He then said. “Please have the men go to at-ease I have a few words for them.”
“Yes, Sir!” Captain Edgew
ood replied and then made a smart turn and addressed the men and women before him. “All Hands, At-Ease!”
They assumed the at-ease position and waited for the Admiral to speak. It was unnaturally quiet on the flight deck, No sound of wind and waves. Then the Admiral started to speak, a directional microphone must have been on him for his words were amplified and clear to each individual before him.
“The last two days have been full ones, full of surprises, full of historical events, and now you are about to become a part of another one of those historical events.
I am assuming that you witnessed the creation of the Epiphany. That creation only took less than two hours. And that also included the fabrication of all of its Aircraft and Ordinance. In the normal way that we do this sort of thing, the design and fabrication of a new vessel in a shipyard and the Design and fabrication of its aircraft would take around 20 years and Hundreds of thousands of Man-years to accomplish.