by Paul Phipps
“Commander Webster,” The Secretary of State Janice Flynn started out with her question, “I believe that the TSN is correct in its analysis about the Human Bombs and this Bio-Weapon. With that being said though, we need to corroborate these two things ourselves. In something this enormous there cannot be any mistakes when it comes to diplomacy.
The Iranian Unified Republic controls almost 43% of the world’s producing Oil reserves. Although we no longer receive our petroleum from them, many other countries do. And by that very fact alone the Iranian’s can disrupt the world’s integrated economy and cause major damage and loss of life.
The United States has relinquished the role of World’s Policeman. It bankrupted us and we may never regain the standard of living that we had only 10 years ago, and definitely not in our lifetimes.”
Ansel nodded his head once to her projected image and kept quiet. That forced her to continue.
“What that means is that in the real world, is that the current government of the United States is concerned about the information you have brought to us. We cannot do anything until the Iranian Unified Republic actually DOES something. Then we can get the populace and the states to back us in doing something about it in return.”
Ansel didn’t look surprised at all, “Thank you for your concise statement Madame Secretary. The position of the TSN is that this is a matter that we are uniquely suited for. All we ask is that you watch what we do in this instance. Also I must emphasize one thing above all others. We are only going to act because of ‘Shaitan’s Breath’.
The Human Bombs while being a heinous and cruel way to conduct war still falls under the conventional weapons category. ‘Shaitan’s Breath’ on the other hand will eliminate the human race on this analogue of Earth if it is released. It has the potential of a 99.9% kill ratio.
That means even if there are survivors, they will be too far apart and unable to reach each other to form a viable community of their own. Even if they are not too traumatized to even desire to do so.
Also for your information we have definitive knowledge that at least three other countries have bio-weapons of this capability. Yourselves, the Russia of the Former Soviet Union and the Current People’s Republic of China. These three countries keep miniscule stocks of these weapons for the express purpose in developing vaccines and possible cures against them.
The religious leaders of the IUR intend on releasing ‘Shaitan’s Breath to bring about the fulfillment of the prophecy of the 12th Imam. We are opposed to that and will do everything in our power stop it or at the least contain any outbreaks.
That and only that, is why we are acting unilaterally.”
General Owens indicated that he had a question for Ansel, “Commander can you tell us what you plan to do? And will you be requiring The Epiphany to do it?”
Ansel thought for a moment, and then said, “I could tell you, but in the interest of operational security I won’t at this time. And no, the Epiphany will be staying with Task Force 14. I will be turning her over to a United States Naval Officer tomorrow. The TSN will be assigning a new A.I. at the same time. I will depart The Epiphany immediately thereafter for my new command.”
Admiral Caparelli asked, “Who will be the Liaison for the TSN after you depart, Commander Webster?”
“The primary A.I. for the Epiphany will also handle that position for the time being, Admiral.”
“Several Officers have contacted my office via Admiral Crane and have indicated that they would like to volunteer to join you in your new command. Would you accept volunteers if the U.S. Navy agreed to their doing so?” Admiral Caparelli continued.
“Admiral Caparelli, I and the TSN would accept volunteers from the U.S. Navy and Marines. But Sir, the odds that this will end up in a declared war are 95%. I don’t think the government of the United States would approve of serving officers and men of the Armed Forces being assigned to such a situation.” Ansel said carefully.
General Owens spoke up then, “Why only volunteers from the Navy and Marines, Commander Webster?”
Ansel smiled wryly and then said, “The TSN has no problem with anyone volunteering sir, but with that being said. Living and Working and Fighting on board a ship requires a completely different way of thinking that the other armed services don’t have. Not only is it not in their Institutional Memory, it’s a completely foreign concept to the military doctrine that they have been taught and follow.”
“But, you would accept volunteers?” General Owens pressed.
“Certainly we would, they would have to meet the standards that the TSN has set up to be fully accepted and they would be assigned to the Epiphany until deemed ready to go to a TSN vessel by the Primary A.I. of the Epiphany.”
“Thank you Commander Webster for that clarification. I and my fellow Chiefs of Staff of the Non-Sea going services were very curious about your position.” General Owens said simply.
The National Security Advisor Marion Heller-Crosby then asked her own question, “Commander Webster how did your screening process detect that the Human Bombs were indeed such things?” She paused and it was obvious that she wasn’t pleased at how the question came out, “What I am trying to say I think, is the means of detection something we can do? Is it easy to do or does it require special equipment?
Ansel looked at her with respect and said, “I’m not sure what the answer to that question is. Please wait a minute while I find out.” He closed his eyes and put one finger to his right temple is a semi-dramatic pose. Then asked Ariadne what the answer was. In less than a minute he had the information from her.
He then continued, “Ms. Heller-Crosby, There are several ways to detect the implants. The easiest way you currently have is by doing an MRI and looking for the capsules containing the Bio-Chemical agents. There are three of them. Capsule one has a RF receiver that when triggered activates that capsule to release an agent that breaks down the shell of Capsule two.
Capsule two then releases a different agent that uses the bloodstream to spread. It appears to take a minimum of 20 minutes to become effective as it is absorbed into the musculature of the human body. Symptoms of angina will begin to show once absorption is complete.
Capsule three is slowly broken down by the agent in Capsule two and once it begins to release its agent into the bloodstream it takes an estimated 90 seconds for critical binding to occur. The Musculature appears to then dissolve into an explosive compound at this point. It is shock sensitive; moving the body could cause it to detonate. An Electric shock such as that from the paddles of an Electric Heart stimulator ‘will’ cause it to go off.
I don’t know, but I believe that you might be able to make a detector for the RF receiver capsule. If the person being examined were to trigger off the detector then you could use the MRI for a definitive diagnosis and surgically remove the capsules at that time.
I hope that helps to answer your question.” Ansel finished.
There was silence from all the participants and Ansel slowly looked around at everyone who was staring back at him as though he had grown a second head. And then shrugged his shoulders as if to say, ‘What? She asked and I answered her.’
“Uhh, hmm, Thank you Commander, I really didn’t expect that quick and complete an answer back for that question.” The National Security Advisor said slowly.
“No problem Ma’am.”
Ansel watched the President and his advisor’s talking quietly to each other and then was told thank you for being a participant and for answering their questions.
“You’re welcome Mr. President thank you for asking me to participate.” He said respectfully and then left the Video Conference room.
Ansel/Private Com mode: “ I’m heading back, please have a Seahawk sent over to get me please.”
Ariadne/Private Com Mode: “The medium scout from Companion is here. Why don’t I have it pick you up instead?”
Ansel/Private Com Mode: “Thanks, that works for me too.”
Ansel th
en headed for the Flight Deck where he waited near the Aft Elevator. Within sixty seconds a guide beam appeared in front of him and with a smile he walked into it and was swept up into the Oval shaped scout that appeared briefly to sight and then faded away again.
‘Now that’s the way to make an exit’ he thought to himself. ‘Unfortunately these little hops take so little time. It would have been nice to do some real traveling for once.’
He felt the slightest of bumps as the Medium sized scout set down on the Epiphany’s Flight deck to let him out via the stairs. Once on the Deck he headed for the Main Bridge. He wanted to take a look around one more time before dinner.
* * *
Ansel’s Dinner Party appeared to be a smashing success. He and Ariadne were doing the Host and Hostess thing. And since there was no Steward they also were making the dinner in the Food Replicator for their guests. BM3 Schlesinger and YN2 Chang were enjoying the relaxed air and were talking to the various Officers and explaining how they knew Commander Webster.
Ansel finally went to the Head of the table and tapped on the side of a glass with his knife. Everyone turned in his direction and he said:
“Ladies and Gentlemen Dinner is served.” And proceeded to sit down in the Captain’s Chair. Ariadne was at the foot of the table with YN2 Chang and BM3 Schlesinger sitting on either side of her. Ansel had Captain Johansson and Captain Harris on either side of him. Followed by Captains Keppler and Fuller and so on down the table.
Once the food was eaten and the table cleared. Ansel stood up and began to speak.
“It’s only been a little over a week since the Terran Space Navy came into our lives. I don’t know about the rest of you but it’s been an amazing experience and promises to be so for a long time to come.
Ariadne has informed me that you have been guessing what assignment we are going to next. Some of you have come close but no one is just right. So we will start off, Junior to Senior and see how well your guessometers are calibrated.
Pudge you first.”
“Hmmph, you had to pick on me. Didn’t you?” BM3 Charles ‘Pudge’ Schlesinger grumbled a bit. “You’re being sent to Washington to provide a little bit of TSN on site expertise to the politicians.”
“Not bad…. But no. Harriet?”
“You’re going to a hidden base on the Moon and you are going to build new toys for the Navy?” She said with a grin.
“Sounds like fun, but that would get boring after a while.”, Ansel said with a grin.
“Evana?” He said looking at her.
“If you don’t mind, I would like to be last. Ariadne informed me I was fairly correct.” She said somberly,
“Interesting, I’m looking forward to your guess.”
“Sarah?”, he asked Commander Bastin
“You and Ariadne are going on a secret mission. Probably to China.” She said with a smile.
“Not Bad, Do you think I would make a good James Bond?” He said trying to look debonair and failing at it. Most everyone had a chuckle at the effort though.
“Gunnar?”, Ansel asked of Captain Johansson
“Well I took this on as a challenge. My Guess is that the TSN has detected an Alien presence they want checked out. And since there are only two humans right now, you got the short end of the Stick.” He said seriously.
“Actually Admiral Webster got that assignment. It turned out to be wreckage around 50,000 years old. But it did need to be examined.” Ansel replied back just as seriously.
At that news everyone except Ariadne just goggled at Ansel.
“I won’t impose my little guessing game on our Captains three, so Evana what was your guess?”
“I took another close look at the video of the President’s Address. After rechecking syntax and inflections plus Admiral Webster’s address to the IUR Ambassador, I then took into account the Ambassador’s reticence next.
My guess is that you and Ariadne are going to pay our IUR ‘friends’ a visit. And if they don’t cooperate they will be in a world of hurt.” She said in a very serious tone of voice.
“Excellent reasoning and deduction Evana, you continue to amaze me. How come you aren’t a Captain yourself yet?” He said proudly.
“I don’t have the time in service yet nor have I been promoted to Commander yet. That’s why.” She said primly with a sniff at the end.
Ansel and Ariadne both laughed and saluted her. Then he stood erect and squared his shoulders and his voice took on a timbre that made a person want to come to attention.
“I can tell you all now, but it still needs to be kept within this room for at least another day or so.
Our so-called ‘friends’ in the IUR are behind the Human Bombs that we discovered when Admiral Crane put out the call for volunteers to man the Epiphany. That little encounter led to the TSN investigating that occurrence in detail.
We, the TSN that is, have determined and have corroborating evidence that the Government and religious Leadership of the IUR have also created or acquired somehow a Bio-Weapon. This weapon if unleashed will be the cause of the extinction of the Human Race in this Analogue.
And those religious fanatics intend on doing just that. They want a version of Armageddon so that their 12th Imam will come. Their Savior, their Mahdi….
The TSN will release that information to the news media of the world, we will declare War on the IUR and Ariadne and I are going to impose a blockade on them. If they want Armageddon they can have it. But only the IUR will feel the effects of it.
We will not let them kill the human race.” He said fiercely with his eyes looking like blue diamonds that glittered in their intensity.”
There was total and absolute silence in the Dining room, Ansel’s listeners even forgot to breath. He visibly collected himself and then let out a very deep breath of his own.
“I apologize for the intensity of my remarks. It wasn’t appropriate to this venue.” He said softly. There was pause of a minute or so then Ansel smiled a much lighter smile.
“Now I have the fine pleasure of introducing someone to all of you. Captain Keppler would you please step forward.”
While Ansel was keeping their attention on himself a new person slipped into the room and stood next to Ariadne, She was a petite blonde wearing her TSN Shipsuit. Then as Captain Keppler walked up to Ansel and stood in front of him. She walked forward herself and stood beside Captain Keppler.
“Captain Keppler this is Jane. Jane is now the Primary A.I. of the TSN Auxiliary Epiphany. You are the Captain that she has chosen to serve. Congratulations Sir.” Ansel said formally. He then came to attention and saluted Captain Keppler of the Epiphany.
Captain Keppler was a bit nonplussed that the Change of Command had happened in this fashion but manfully accepted that this was the way it was done in the TSN. He turned to Jane and shook her hand and told her he was pleased and happy to serve with her. Then he faced the remainder of the Officers and crew in the room.
“Attention!” Ariadne snapped. “Captain on Deck!”
After everyone came to attention, Captain Keppler smiled and then said. “As you were….And Thank you.”
Ansel again claimed the attention of the room. “Captain Keppler, The TSN is so new that we can afford to make our own traditions as we go along. This is one of them. Tomorrow we will do it the U.S. Navy way and then Ariadne and I must go. Companion awaits us and we have a task to accomplish.”
Lt. Commander Thomas then asked. “Commander Webster, am I correct in deducing that Companion is your new command?”
“Yes she is”, Ansel said proudly. And then looked around the room, “Would you like to see a holo of her?”
After receiving affirmation from everyone present. He then turned to Jane. “Jane, would you please project the Companion and the Epiphany in a side by side comparison here?”
The room lights darkened slightly and then the Hologram came into being. It showed a ship on the surface of the Ocean. It was a Sea Green in color. It was in many ways a
different yet readily identifiable vessel. It was as though an Aircraft Carrier and a Battleship had been fused together.
It had two three Gun Turrets forward of the Superstructure. On either side of those turrets were the Launching Strips for Aircraft. The remaining two thirds of the Companion aft of the Bridge was a lateral Landing Strip for Aircraft to land with a broad flat area behind that to the stern. The whole ship was streamlined and very obviously Stealthed as there were no hard angular surfaces anywhere.
It was propelled by a set of eight outrigger Propeller and Water jet assemblies similar to the Epiphany’s. There was an indication of three large doors in the rear similar to a Landing Ship Docks Stern.
But what made the Officer’s gasp in surprise was when a representation of the Epiphany was shown next to the Companion and then a representation of a Nimitz class carrier was shown. The Companion was over four times as large as the Epiphany. Two miles long by three quarters of a mile wide.