by Paul Phipps
“At the present time, all of it. Once my crew is better trained and demonstrates proficiency then I will relinquish direct control and just keep a supervisory routine available for emergencies.”
They continued to chat as Ansel walked over to the tall black man he assumed was Chief Petty Officer Duncan. He was surprised when he saw that the Chief wasn’t an Electronic Technician but was instead a Quartermaster.
“Chief Duncan?” queried Ansel.
“Yes, I’m Duncan and you are?” The chief replied in a deep soothing voice.
“Good Morning Chief, I’m ET2 Webster and I was told to report to you.”
“Glad to meet you Webster. According to the voice in my ear my department is going to have 20 people assigned initially and you are the first to show up.”
“Uh, Chief? What is your department?” Ansel asked curiously.
“For the time being I am the Senior Chief in Operations.”
“Twenty people doesn’t seem like a very large number for a ship this large. I imagine that with all of the automation we will get by though.” Ansel said as he turned around to see who else was going to join them.
“Not used to a carrier are you?” Chief Duncan said.
“No Chief, I came from the Cape St. George.”
“A Carrier normally would have close to 500 people in Operations. Running Three Shifts a day. With this few people we are going to be relying on the Automation and the Epiphany herself to keep it all from crashing down around our ears.”
“Epiphany is very, very intelligent and capable of doing what we need. At least she can devote sub-A.I.’s as necessary for each repetitious task.” Ansel told the Chief. “I find talking to her very easy,” He smiled enthusiastically at that point, “I think I am really going to like be on board.”
“I’m pleased to hear that, Mr. Webster. In any case you are here and we all are going to have to work our tails off keep things from going T.U.”
As Chief Duncan was speaking another five people showed up and waited to introduce themselves. In a relatively short time all of the crew was assembled by department and were heading off to those portions of the ship that they would be working out of.
* * *
“You are joking…. Please tell me that this is an elaborate joke.” Admiral Crane said as he slowly sat down in a comfortable chair in the Admiral’s quarters on board the Epiphany.
“I must admit that it would be an amusing joke to pull on you.” Admiral Webster said from a similar chair across the small table from Admiral Crane. “But no, I’m quite serious. Epiphany believes that the most suitable person on board to be her Captain is indeed Electronic Technician second class Ansel Webster.”
“But he is an enlisted man with absolutely NO command experience!” Admiral Crane said exasperatedly.
“Well, yes and no. Did you happen to note the same last name between him and myself?” Admiral Webster said with a small smile.
“I must admit that I did. But there are a lot of Websters around you must admit.”
“True, true.” Admiral Webster said soothingly. “But in this case Ansel Webster is the son of my brothers son. I helped raise the boy on and off for several years just before and during the early part of our Second Civil War.”
“Let me guess, you taught him all of the basics he needs to know for command.” Admiral Crane said sarcastically.
“No, not quite, I and Seeker brought him on board her and we allowed our daughter to grow up with Ansel using a Body-Simulacrum. Ansel has a very thorough idea of what the TSN is about and what the ships are capable of.”
“Really?” Admiral Crane said in wonder.
“Yes, really. The problem here is that he doesn’t consciously remember that. To protect him from giving himself away we hid those memories under slightly falsified ones. And Ansel also thinks that we died during the Civil War.” Admiral Webster said sadly as he looked out the window to the far bulkhead of the Construction Bay.
“So where is your daughter now, Admiral? Somewhere around Jupiter?”
Admiral Webster looked at Admiral Crane and started to laugh first with a chuckle and then a full belly laugh. As he was laughing a feminine voice was heard.
“Why no Admiral Crane, I’m right here all around you.” Epiphany said with a happy chuckle in her voice.
Admiral Crane smiled wryly and sat in his chair furiously thinking. After a while he looked around at everyone in the room and said softly.
“I’m going to need some help with this one. I don’t know how to make ET2 Webster the Captain of the Epiphany and I know I promised that she would have the person she personally chose for that position. So how do we do this?”
“I believe I have a solution of sorts, Admiral Crane.” Epiphany said into the silence.
The Admiral cocked his head and then said, “Proceed.”
“My solution actually requires several steps. First we remove the blocks on Ansel’s memory. Second he and I talk this over and decide whether or not he wishes to continue to associate with me. If he does then I propose that ET2 Ansel Webster be released from the United States Navy. He will then join the Terran Space Navy and his duties will be as acting Captain and then Direct Liaison with the Captain that the United States Navy and the TSN thinks is appropriate for the Aircraft Carrier Epiphany.
This way he will be out of the Navy’s personnel rank structure yet have authority as the TSN representative on board.”
Admiral Crane and Admiral Webster looked at each other. Admiral Webster then spoke.
“I can’t come up with anything better off the top of my head. And it does require that Ansel’s memories be restored first. I propose that we do that first and then see what happens after that.”
Admiral Crane looked at his staff that had been standing quietly along the wall behind him. “Anything to add?”
They looked at each other and then by unspoken agreement LtCdr Dickerson stepped forward. “I think that this is so different and radical that there are no precedents to even look at. At least none I can remember. And as a Human I believe I would want my memories back. And if he decides against keeping them he can always have them blocked again. Or can he?”
Commander McAndrews looked at him. “I think they can be blocked again if he so desires. But I don’t KNOW it for a fact. We’ve never done it before. And blocking his memories the first time was more of a desperation move than anything else at the time. It did save his life and that of his parents though, so it did prove to be a prudent measure.”
Admiral Crane stood up and shook his uniform coat back into order. He then looked at Admiral Webster and Commander McAndrews.
“Let’s get this show on the road. How long will it take to do this memory restoration and how long before you release the Epiphany into the Ocean?”
Epiphany answered him, “Memory block removal will take about 5 minutes. I am not sure how long it will take for complete memory re-integration. I am guessing at this point but it might take several weeks or months. And even then the memories might be integrated as ‘movies’ that someone else experienced. There just isn’t much in the way of actual experience in this matter.
As for the second part of your question. At the current speed and course of Task Force 14 we should be able place me in the Ocean in three hours and 25 minutes.”
TSN/USN Epiphany – Central Pacific Ocean, 1030L November 7, 2026
“Uncle Carl, are my Mom and Dad ok?” asked Ansel
“Yes, Ansel. Your mom called while you and Ari were out feeding the chickens. They managed to get out of St. Louis before the rioters got to the Farmer’s Market.” Carl Webster told the young man.
“Thank you, Uncle Carl.”, Ansel paused for a moment and then blurted out. “Maybe next time Dad will listen to you! I heard you tell him that you thought that it was a bad idea to go this time. That there was a bad feeling about this trip. And seeing those rioters, burning and destroying everything because they said they were hungry. Why, Uncle Carl, Why
did they do that?.”
“Ansel, they were hungry…. And in my opinion they were also being manipulated. What better way of clamping down harder on people like us who produce the food. I am afraid that soon our food will be taken from us so that it can be given to other people. And then we will be hungry too and we won’t have the money to buy seed and fuel for the tractors. It’s a bad time Ansel, We will have food though. And I will do my best to keep on teaching you and Ari. And yes, I need to teach your Mom and Dad too.”
“I hope that they listen to you. I’m scared for them. Dad is just too trusting sometimes.”
* * *
The former Electronic Technician second class Ansel Webster now Commander/TSN Ansel Webster is standing in a room reminiscent of a Standard Combat Information Center and a mix of a Star Ships bridge. He massages his head with the palms of both hands and breathes in deeply.
Ariadne/Private Com Mode/ “Still having those headaches Ansel?”
Ansel/Private Com Mode/ “No, Ari. I am getting these strange Flashbacks or maybe they are false memories. What bothers me is that they can occur at anytime. That could be very distracting at a critical moment.”
Ariadne/Private Com Mode/ “Is there anything I can do to help?”
Ansel/Private Com Mode/ “No dear one. Yes they are bothersome but if I didn’t have the memories unblocked I would never have been as close to you as I am now. So it is worth it to me.”
Ariadne/Private Com Mode/ “On to business then, Admiral Crane is about to remove the Emission Control on our outgoing message traffic. “
Ansel/Private Com Mode/ “About time, is he going to open up the NIPRNET connections so that the Fleet can send and receive private e-mails?”
Ariadne/Private Com Mode/ “That is my understanding. I believe that we are going to censor anything to do with the TSN for the moment. Once Admiral Caparelli and Secretary of the Navy Dunbar have arrived on the George Bush and met with him, I expect that we will be getting a visit from them. I suspect that they have the latest satellite overheads showing us sailing with Task force 14. I would like to be a fly on the wall when they start to discuss us.”
Ansel/Private Com Mode/ “Yes, that would be something to hear. Now, did Harriet get that research done on a suitable Captain Candidate for the Epiphany?”
Ariadne/Private Com Mode/ “Yes, she put it in your inbox. She is giving you three candidates. I’ve looked over their Public and Service records. I think that she made good choices on each. I believe that Captain Jules Keppler might be the best though for the position. He has been a Commanding Officer of the Henry Morgan a Littoral Light Cruiser and the Ronald Reagan. He has been teaching at the Naval Academy in the Advanced Tactics Unit for the last three years.”
Ansel/Private Com Mode/ “Not bad and the others?”
Ariadne/Private Com Mode/ “Captain Edgar Harris is next. He has had one seagoing command, The Sullivans. He has also held two Base Commands. Naha, Okinawa and Newport News Shipyard. He is described as a good Officer and is on the List for Rear Admiral when openings occur. He also is a member of the Futurists Society and was accepted for Astronaut training but took the Command of the Sullivans when it was offered to him.
Then we have Captain (Retired) Christine Fuller, She was the first female commander of a Virginia Class submarine. Served with distinction during the Second Civil War. She is credited with sinking the Marie Celise when it had been discovered with the cargo of Nuclear Weapons and the High Jihad Crew.
Ansel/Private Com Mode/ “That had to have been a tough call. Although time has shown she was totally correct in her reasoning and actions.”
Ariadne/Private Com Mode/ “Yes it was, but as you know it did cost her, her command and eventually her career.”
Ansel/Private Com Mode/ “Let’s pass her on to Admiral Webster as a possible recruit. If she can pass the background exam and the entry process I think she would do very well in the TSN.”
Commander Webster turned and walked to the door leading to the enclosed bridge that looked out over the Flight deck and the foredeck of the Epiphany. Once through he spotted YN2 Harriet Chang talking to LtCdr Evana Thomas.
“Good Morning Ms. Thomas, Ms. Chang, Anything new for me?”
Like Ansel, Harriet and LtCdr Thomas were wearing TSN issued Shipsuits. Unlike his though, theirs were programmed to look like standard U.S. Navy Uniforms. His on the other hand was programmed to look like the uniform that Admiral Webster and Commander McAndrews had arrived on the USS George H.W. Bush.
“We were just discussing the possibility of doing catapult testing and possibly some launch and recover operations today.” Commander Thomas replied.
“Well Commander Thomas, I don’t have a problem with it, Epiphany doesn’t have a problem with it. Is the deck crew familiarized enough to attempt it? Did Chief Fleming get everyone through the Sims and basic familiarization courses? I talked to him yesterday about the differences between the Steam Catapult and the Linear Induction one. He personally was set to go, but did he get Chief Harnes and his people up to speed yet?”
Harriet said, “I talked to him this morning after breakfast. He said he was ready to start doing trial launches.”
“Did Captain Johansson get the Helo Squadron to send over some maintainers and pilots to check out the Super Seahawks?” Ansel asked, knowing the answer already.
“Yes sir. They have checked out two already and want to do check rides on them and the other six will be finished by tomorrow afternoon.” Commander Thomas said.
“Very good. I know that everyone thinks we are horribly shorthanded. But if they start using the automation more they will find themselves doing even more than they thought possible.” Ansel told them.
Epiphany broke in at that point. LtCdr Thomas and YN2 Chang heard her on their Earbud and Ansel with his implanted Comm unit. “Admiral Crane is requiring all Commanding Officers and their Executive officers to report to the George H.W. Bush in 30 minutes for a Teleconference with Admiral Caparelli. He will send a Helo over for you and Commander Thomas.
“Thank you Epiphany, please connect me to Commander Bastin.” Ansel asked.
Lt. Commander Bastin was in the Central Engineering Control room at the Central Watch Officer’s position looking over the shoulders of her three watchstanders monitoring the Epiphany’s three Helium Pebble Bed Reactors.
“Commander Bastin, this is Commander Webster. Please come to the Bridge. Commander Thomas and I are required on the Bush for a Teleconference and I need you to assume temporary command while we are gone.
“Aye, Aye sir. I’ll be there shortly.” Commander Bastin replied. “Chief, I’m needed on the bridge. You’re in charge until I get back.”
“Yes, ma’am. “ Senior Chief Grissom told her. As he got up from his position and moved to the Central Watch officer’s station.
USN George H.W. Bush – Central Pacific Ocean, 1145L November 7, 2026
Video Conference room #1 – Admiral Crane watched the commanding officers and their Executive officers of the naval vessels attached to Task Force 14. He was keeping an eye peeled for LtCdr Thomas and Commander Webster of the TSN. He still mentally had to shake his head at the scene he had witnessed where the former ET2 had his memories returned to him.
The young man rallied quickly though and within a day was ready to take his place with the TSN. Still it was odd on so many levels that the A.I.’s of the TSN had so much power and control over whom they would associate with. Was it just morality or was there something else at play there? Would he ever know?
According to reports that he was receiving back from the Epiphany the skeleton crew was shaking down and getting a handle on their new roles and the new reality they were living with. Lord knew though, how many more surprises were going to manifest themselves.
Just then TSN Commander Webster and Lt. Commander Thomas walked in just behind Commander Blevins and Lt. Commander Evans the Commanding Officer and Executive Officer of the USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke Class Des
troyer.
He watched as they all found seats together and smiled to himself when he saw Webster and Blevins talking to each other in a companionable manner. That was good to see, now how many others were going to break down their pride and talk to this young man who had been jumped up to rarefied heights of command over so many of their fellow officers?
Captain Steele and Lt. Commander Banks of the Cape St. George were last to arrive. He watched Capt. Steele walk over and give a hearty handshake to both Webster and Thomas. Lt. Commander Banks followed the lead of his captain and they sat next to Webster and Thomas at the U shaped table in front of the Primary Video Monitor.
Admiral Crane stood up and walked over to the lectern and started to address his officers.
“Good Afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen. It’s been a hell of a week hasn’t it?”
