by Paul Phipps
Ansel moved next to Ariadne and wrapped an arm around her waist and looked to the others. “So what do you think?
Captain Harris looked it over critically. Then said whimsically, “Big, isn’t she?”
Captain Fuller just looked with her eyes darting all over then said, “So, who do I have to kill to get assigned to her?
“As much as I would love to have you and others with us in this endeavor it can’t happen under the current circumstances. As long as the TSN is not formally aligned with the U.S. Navy when we declare War against the UIR and the United States doesn’t, you can’t be on our ships and still be in the U.S. Navy. Only former Navy personnel with the qualifications that the TSN is requiring can volunteer. And all of you here are active duty and therefore not eligible.”
“So to volunteer at this point a person needs to be a civilian yet have the right experience to meet the qualifications of the TSN.” She said smiling slowly. “I’ll be getting ahold of you then as soon as I get back ashore and re-retire.”
Then she paused and a funny look went across her face. “So, how does a civilian get ahold of you anyway? Do you have a recruitment office somewhere or do you use a website like Monster.com?”
Ariadne answered that question, “Captain just go to TSN.ORG we will be up and running as of Sunday of this week.”
Captain Johansson was looking over the Launch Strip and the Landing Strip. “Are you going to use the F-47N’s you designed and built for us?”
“No Sir, the Companion is using mostly TSN Technology. I Believe most of the Aircraft are UCAV’s with around 50 Manned Micro-Star Fighters. They are optimized for in-atmospheric operations and they don’t carry nuclear weapons, just Rail-Guns, Gatling Lasers and a modified plasma torpedo launcher. You want to see one?” Ansel asked with his trademarked grin.
“Yes please, if it’s not a problem.”
“Ariadne, would you please have two ‘Scalp-Hunters’ available for a ride after we are done here.” Ansel asked her politely.
“Certainly, they’ll be available shortly.” She replied with twinkling eyes at Captain Johansson’s look of avarice.
Lt. Commander Evana Thomas also was looking the Companion over carefully. She then asked, “Those are rail guns in the two turrets, Correct? What size are they and what is their range?”
“Evana, good eyes again. Yes, those are Rail Guns, 24 inchers. They are a little bit more powerful than you might expect. So guess?” Ansel said with a touch of glee in his voice.
“Fifteen hundred miles? With a sub-orbital trajectory. That way you could shell any portion of the IUR from the Gulf.”
“Very good guess indeed, but no, with these guns I can hit any place on the Earth or the moon. I can even shoot down individual satellites if I need to.”
Commander Bastin asked in her quiet voice. “What are you using for power generation? Helium Pebble bed Reactors like those here?”
“Another good question, for day to day operation we have four two-GigaWatt High Pressure Helium Pebble Bed Reactors. And for unusual power draw we have four ten-GigaWatt Fusion IV Reactors. Those have a quick start-up and shut-down capability. But they really can draw on the Fuel Stocks at full power generation.”
Captain Harris was listening intently, and then asked. “With so huge a ship what are you trying to do? Scare them into submission or are you presenting the biggest target possible.”
“Both are pretty good points, but to answer you in turn. If we can scare the leadership into doing what we have asked, and that is, to turn over the Physicians who developed and implant the Human Bomb implants to us, and to do the same with the Bio-Weapon. Then we will be satisfied.
We don’t expect that to happen though. We expect them to release the Bio-Weapon and use the Human Bombs to sow terror. If that is what they plan to do then we’ve disrupted their time-table. They will make mistakes that they wouldn’t have done if they had followed their own carefully made plans.
So, if that occurs, the Companion will become the biggest Target they can attack. In fact once we begin our blockade it will become the only thing they can attack. And while they are attacking us...they won’t be looking over their shoulders now will they?”
“How long are you prepared to blockade the IUR.” Captain Harris asked.
“For as long as it takes maybe even several centuries.” Ansel said matter-of-factly.
“I…See.” Captain Harris said slowly.
Ansel and Ariadne took advantage of the others looking and admiring the views of all the ships to quickly clean the Dining Room table of leftover food, dishes and other items. Once they were done with the housekeeping they made their goodbyes leaving Captain Keppler and his guests in the Captain’s cabin.
“Commander Thomas, Captain Harris would you please stay for a bit, I have an idea that I would like you both to consider.” Captain Keppler told the two Officers as he was seeing the other guests out.
The two officers’ looked at each other and acquiesced, then headed for the Conference/Dining Room to await their new Commanding Officer.
A few minutes later Captain Keppler followed by Jane entered and sat down at the head of the table and right hand seat respectively. Captain Keppler was looking a bit perplexed as he was trying to fit words into his idea. Finally he spoke,
“Lt. Commander Thomas, through my own observation and with Jane’s assistance going through the personnel records of the crew I have come up with an idea that I need to propose.”
“Yes, sir.” Lt. Commander Thomas answered simply.
“If you and Captain Harris here are willing I would like you to step down from the Executive Officer’s position and permit Captain Harris to assume it. This is not an indication that you are not capable for the position.
I’m asking it because the situation with the TSN and the Epiphany being a totally new type of vessel with totally new and radical capabilities means I am going to need all of the help and experience I can get from my command team.
I simply do not have the ‘link’ the Commander Webster had with the Epiphany. Let’s just face it, the man is brilliant and as he told us himself, he has had literally ‘years’ of education in how the TSN operates and the capabilities of its vessels. I don’t and I won’t be able to get it the same way he was able to. Only members of the TSN can do it in that fashion.
So, of the officers currently available to me, Captain Harris has the education and the knowledge I need to tap into to do my job as Commanding Officer to the level that is going to be required of me.”
“Yes Sir, I can see the logic to that. And if Captain Harris wants to take on the position as your Executive Officer then I will step down graciously.” She said calmly.
“Captain Harris?” Captain Keppler asked.
“Since you put it so delicately… Yes, I accept. Do I need to go back to Commander for a while?” he asked with a slight smile
“No, that won’t be necessary. Naval history shows instances of two officers holding the same rank but different positions in the command structure. And Aircraft Carriers do it all the time with the Commander of the Air Group and the Captain of the Aircraft Carrier.
Jane here did the research and I don’t think we will have a problem with NavPers with it either.”
“I think that this is going to work out then for all of us.” Lt. Commander Thomas said with her own smile.
“How’s that?” asked Captain Keppler.
“I’m resigning my commission, effective immediately.” She said sweetly.
Captain Keppler and Captain Harris both stared at her as if she had grown a second head.
“And then I’m joining the TSN. Ariadne told me earlier that I would have no problem doing so.” She continued.
Ariadne whispered in her ear through the Earbud, “Let’s just surprise Ansel now, why don’t we? We are leaving for Companion as soon as the Change of Command ceremony is completed. Just join us as naturally as you can. I’ll handle re-programming your Shipsuit to the
TSN style for you.” Then she giggled and faded away.
* * *
By the time Captain Johansson had made his way to the ready room off of the Flight deck he knew something was up. He opened the main Hatch and there was a crowd of maybe 200 people including all of his pilots. And over the tops of their heads he could see two brilliant ‘ships’ they glowed a bright chrome or they would have if Chrome could glow by itself.
He slowly worked his way through to the front and saw Commander Webster waiting for him next to one of them. It reminded him of a Sunflower seed. A smooth oval with a bulge in the bottom and top, perfectly symmetrical, they floated around a foot off of the deck and appeared to be around one hundred and twenty-five feet long by maybe eighty feet wide and around forty feet thick where the hull bulged out above and below the center line. He then walked under the leading edge until he was near Commander Webster.
“Good Evening Captain!” he heard Commander Webster’s voice boom over the crowd’s murmur. “Ready for a ride?”
“You know it!”, he called back. Then as he got closer he had to look closer. ‘How the hell do you get in the thing?’ he wondered.
Ansel waited until he got next to him. “Captain, this is a ‘Scalp-Hunter’, it’s a bit of a departure from our usual designs. She is designed for in-atmospheric work as her primary mission. She can go into space and has a good range. She also can go underwater. That capability is a new one for us. And I’m hoping that we can develop some interesting tactics using that capability.
If you’ll notice the surface finish…”
“Yes, I did, I mean think about it, it’s very bright.” Captain Johansson said while squinting his eyes against the brightness that was next to him.
“We did that on purpose. We WANT these to be seen and commented on. They do have masking generators for when we want to be stealthy.”
“Considering what you told me earlier, that makes some sense, I guess.” The Captain said slowly as he attempted to digest the concept of wanting to be seen.
“I’m pretty sure that the concept will work out fine in practice. Now to get on board, touch the side right here. Yep that’s right.’ Ansel said to the Captain as he showed him where to put his hand. “Now since this is the first time you’ve tried to fly one of these. It’s checking you out and seeing if you have the permission of the Command A.I. to do so. Once you have imprinted yourself on this one, all you will need to do is touch the ‘Scalp-Hunter’ anywhere and ask to come aboard. Now go ahead and ask.”
“Permission to come aboard?” Captain Gunnar Johansson said out loud.
And deep inside his mind he heard a chiming as if from a golden bell, then a very feminine voice was heard by him and him alone. “Permission Granted.” And then he was standing in a small room behind three Seats arranged in a triangle with two seats forward of him and the command chair right behind them.
He sat down in the command chair and said out loud. “Good evening, do you have a name?”
“I have named myself Shoshone. It seemed appropriate considering our tasks that we will be doing together.”
“Thank you Shoshone, Helmet please.” The command helmet lowered itself from the ceiling above him and once he put it on he felt the restraints connecting and holding him into the seat. Then he could see in all directions around him. There was the crowd of Navy personnel all watching closely and in a few cases, raw envy was on their faces.
“All set and secured?” Ansel asked from the other ‘Scalp-Hunter’.
“A-Okay, do you intend on taking off now?”
“I thought that would be appropriate since we both are in place. Shoshone will pilot for now and once we reach 100k she will instruct you in the controls and let you have command.
I on the other hand am going to make a quick trip to Washington and invite Admiral Caparelli and General Owens of the Air Force for a ride to the Moon. If you want, you can join me. Or just get some stick time in on your own. Your choice Captain.” Ansel said matter of factly.
“Sounds like fun, how long do you think we will be gone?”
“I figure about eight to ten hours will be about right.” Ansel replied back.
“Do they know you are coming?” Captain Johansson asked curiously.
“Nope, it’s around 0200 EST. It’s a good time for a quiet visit and it won’t attract any media attention.
I’m going to call Admiral Caparelli now, are you coming along?” Ansel said mischievously.
* * *
Washington D.C. Wednesday 1530L November 11, 2026
Admiral Caparelli is lying in bed awake looking at the ceiling. It’s quiet in the house since his wife passed away and his children had grown up and moved on with their adult lives. He looked over at the clock on the night stand and saw that it was 2:07 AM.
‘Might as well get up and prepare for the day. They were all full ones now and the earlier he got a handle on any possible problems the better.’ Just then the phone rang on his night stand. He sat up and picked it up.
“Caparelli”, he growled into the handset.
“Good Morning Admiral, this is Commander Webster.” Ansel said cheerfully in the handset.
“Good Morning Commander, I know it is 2200 where you are but it is 0200 here. Do you have a good reason to be calling me at home?” The Admiral asked peevishly.
“I certainly do sir”, Ansel continued on just as cheerfully. “I’m about 15 minutes from Washington and I and Captain Johansson are offering you and General Owens a trip to the Moon and then to Captain Keppler’s Change of Command Ceremony on the Epiphany. Are you interested or should I just let you go back to sleep?”
“Commander Webster?” Caparelli said in a low dangerous tone of voice.
“Admiral Caparelli?” Ansel replied back just as cheerfully as before. “We’ll be there in 12 minutes now.”
“I accept!”, The admiral snapped. “Where are you picking me up at?”
“Is your driveway convenient enough, Sir?” Ansel asked.
“I suppose so. It’s a good thing you don’t work for me.” He continued peevishly, but then chuckled, “But I do admire the Gall you have. Is there anything else?”
“Well Yes, there is. Would you care to call General Owens and pass on our offer?”
“I see, now you give me the pleasure of waking him up. How good of you. Why now?”
“Because sir, Washington is asleep at this hour and the News Media shouldn’t spot us at all. A quick in and out and you get to tweak them all later.” Ansel said with a grin in his voice.
* * *
Forty-five minutes later with Admiral Caparelli riding with Ansel in one of the Front Seats and General Owens with Captain Johansson they were exiting the atmosphere and heading directly for the moon.
The moon swelled up in front of them as the Earth shrank behind. And 15 minutes later they were headed downwards to the Apollo 11 landing site in the Sea of Tranquility. Everyone was quiet as they gazed upon the first place man walked on the moon and having done it all without outside aid was even more impressive in their minds.
General Owens asked where they were going next. Ansel put in for suggestions. Mars was doable but they wouldn’t be back in time for the Change of Command Ceremony on the Epiphany. So they settled for taking a few orbits around the moon and then to Earth for a few there and used the isolation to discuss what the TSN would be doing if a blockade of the IUR became necessary.
“Admiral Caparelli? Your office is trying to get in touch with you. Would you like to speak to them?” Ansel asked the Admiral.
“Certainly, I’ll take it… Ok, How?” The Admiral Asked as he looked around and only saw the Earth below and the Stars above.
Ansel handed him an earpiece that was similar to a Bluetooth device. The Admiral nodded his thanks and put it on.
“Caparelli here.” The admiral said then listened to the caller on the other end.
“I see, please inform Secretary Anderson that General Owens and I are attending a Change
of Command ceremony this morning and we will be back at the Pentagon by” He turned to Ansel who mouthed three o’clock. “Three O’clock.”
“Yes, Three O’clock Eastern Standard Time.” He confirmed.
“Where are we?” He again turned to look at Ansel. Who Mouthed South Africa at 150 miles altitude.
“At the moment we are over South Africa at an altitude of 150 miles.” And grinned to himself, “Yes Captain Eagleton, that’s correct.” A pause for a minute or so, “We are attending Captain Keppler’s Change of Command Ceremony on the Epiphany as her new Commanding Officer. And no, Admiral Crane doesn’t know that I’ll be attending. It’s my own little surprise considering how many I’ve received from him this last week.” Then he listened some more and then started to laugh. “I’ll be sure to tell him that. I’ll see you later this afternoon Captain.”