by Paul Phipps
After using the Food Replicator to provide refreshments for each participant he returned to his seat. He sipped his glass of cold Ginger Ale and waited for the others to get themselves re-hydrated or fed.
Corpsman first class Fleming arrived at the cabin and was directed to the Conference room where he offered an assortment of Pain Meds to Captain Harris.
“Continuing then, The Epiphany was created to show what the TSN was capable of when it came to building ships. Why a Super-Sized Aircraft Carrier? We wanted something too big to be hidden or denied by the United States Government. Why do it in the first place? The TSN has a large number of ships in our inventory and only two human beings, myself and Fleet Admiral Webster. And yes, we are related.
So once again, why do it? We, the Terran Space Navy that is, want to enter an agreement where the Navy will act as a recruiting agent for us. In return we will build ships for their needs.
Therefore the entire crew of the Epiphany, which is now currently at 356 Officers and crew, went through a similar process as you are now doing. Each and every one of them has been interviewed and deemed acceptable by the Artificial Intelligence that controls the ship.
You are now in a unique position of being recommended by Epiphany herself for consideration as Captain of this vessel and are now being interviewed by her and by the current senior Navy officers of the United States Navy assigned to her.”
“I think I see, and yes this is weird.” Captain Harris said.
“If you really want weird then you should see how I came to be here in this seat.” Ansel stated with a deadpan look on his face.
Captain Johansson couldn’t help himself, he snorted and then started to laugh and Commander Bastin and Lt. Commander Thomas started to giggle and then laughed too.
Ansel just gave them the fish-eye stare and they laughed even harder. Finally he chuckled too. “Alright, alright, this is serious. And yes, if you weren’t living it this would be worthy of a comedy series.” He finished up shaking his head.
He looked at Captain Harris and the other two Captains who were frankly staring at the other four officers with alarm. He could see them thinking that this ship was filled with a bunch of giggling fools.
“Would you like to know why they are laughing like the local village fool?”
Captain Keppler spoke up, “Everyone here except us seems to know the story. Is it Germaine to our being here?”
Ansel sighed and nodded his head, “Yes, it probably is. The extremely short version is that I was an ET2 assigned to the Cape St. Georges. When the call for volunteers to man the Epiphany came out. I jumped at the chance.
After being interviewed I was later informed by Admiral Crane and Fleet Admiral Webster that the Epiphany wanted me for her Captain. To forestall problems with the Officers and crew I was released from the Navy and joined the Terran Space Navy. As a part of that deal the Navy would allow the Epiphany to sort through the Navy’s personnel records and pick out candidates for the position of Commanding Officer.
I on the other hand would remain as the TSN Liaison and temporary Captain until a permanent U.S. Navy officer took over that position, at that point my primary duty would be examining the Navy personnel assigned and passed by the Epiphany for recruitment into the TSN after their tours with the U.S. Navy were completed.”
“Excuse me Commander Webster, You did say that you were a ET2 in the Navy. How come you know so much about this vessel and the TSN?” Captain Keppler asked mildly.
Captain Fuller spoke immediately after the questions by Captain Keppler, “Commander Webster, I have been trying to figure out why I recognize you. May I ask you a question?”
Ansel glanced between the two and then said, “Pardon me Captain Keppler, let me answer Captain Fuller first and then I will get right back to your questions.
Please go ahead Captain Fuller with your question.”
She cocked her head to one side and then the other and then asked, “Are you Dr. Ansel Webster?”
The others at the table looked surprised at the question and gave her and Ansel a lot closer scrutiny.
Ansel looked surprised and then said, “Yes Captain Fuller, I do have that title also.”
“I thought so, your dissertation was the ‘Effects of Positive and Negative Feedback loops in heuristic circuitry and how they could occur even though the programming was specifically designed against that possibility’ Am I correct?” She asked.
“Yes, it was. Captain”, Ansel said with a smile. “How did you know?”
“My Doctoral Advisor gave me a copy of it and said that I would do well to use it as a guide in how to write and produce a Dissertation that would Quote, Unquote ‘Knock the committee’s socks off’.”
She then turned to look at Captain Harris and Captain Keppler who were both looking at her bemusedly. “Commander Webster here earned his Doctorate in Robotics at MIT when he was 21 years old. I tried to get in contact with him through MIT and was told that he was currently serving with the United States Navy. I assumed he was a ROTC Officer not enlisted.”
Captain Harris told her thank you for that information. He then turned back to Ansel and indicated that he should continue.
Ansel nodded his head to Captain Harris and then turned his head to look at Captain Keppler, “As to how I know so much about this vessel… Well the answer is simple the doing wasn’t. The TSN has a process called ‘Slowtime’ it is used in various situations such as intensive learning or combat. The effect is that when in ‘Slowtime’ a nanosecond is subjectively the same as a regular second. In that state I have been spending literally years in learning about the TSN and the capabilities of the AI’s and the vessels they control.
“I believe I understand the situation Commander Webster,” Captain Harris said and then marveled aloud, “You really are a remarkable person. What will you do after the Change of Command ceremony, remain as the TSN Liaison?”
“No, Ariadne and I have been given another assignment; we will probably be leaving tomorrow. In the meantime we will be assigning a new A.I. to the Epiphany. She and her new Captain will be forming their own relationship for managing the Epiphany.”
At that announcement Captain Johansson, Commander Bastin and Lt. Commander Thomas jerked their heads up and gave Ansel a stunned look.
Lt. Commander Thomas asked of Ansel, “Can you tell us what your new assignment will be?”
“Why Evana? Want to come along?” Epiphany asked.
“Frankly, Yes I do.”, she turned to Captain Harris and said, “Working as Commander Webster’s Executive Officer is one heck of a ride. And I really want to see where it is going to end up.
You might harbor feelings about a ‘jumped-up’ enlisted man. If so, I’m here to tell you that you are wrong on all counts. With Commander Webster titles don’t count it’s what you do and how well you do it. In his time here I am constantly amazed at what he knows and his willingness to pass it on to anyone who desires to learn.
And as a leader, well there he is a natural, I don’t think he knows how he does it and I and the crew really don’t care either. But we would all be willing to follow his lead even if it went through Hell and Back.
So once again, yes, Commander Webster if you are taking volunteers, I hereby volunteer to go.”
Ansel was looking a bit embarrassed at the praise but manfully kept his attention on her while she is talking. “Evana, I mean Commander Thomas, if I get the opportunity for volunteers, yes I will accept you.”
He then turned to Captain Harris and said. “I’ve been notified of a call by Fleet Admiral Webster. It might take some time. I would like you to watch a replay of the President’s address last night and if you get the time a replay of the Lucky meeting Task Force 14.” He grinned then, “That’ll get your blood pumping.”
He then stood up and said, “Captain Johansson please continue to brief Captain Harris, Captain Keppler and Captain Fuller about your Trip to the Lucky and your experiences with the Fafnirs. This might take m
e awhile with Admiral Webster.”
He then turned and left the Cabin.
Captain Harris watched him leave and then he looked at Captain Johansson. “How did the commander know that he had a call from this Fleet Admiral Webster? He wasn’t paged.”
Captain Johansson turned his head and showed a flesh colored plastic button that was hidden behind the outer ear. He then said. “This is an Earbud, as crewmembers we all have one. It gives us a direct link to the Epiphany so she can direct us to a task or answer questions that we might have.”
Captain Fuller asked “Who is Ariadne? We met her briefly on the George H.W. Bush. But she didn’t join us here.”
Lt. Commander Thomas answered, “Ariadne is new to us too. She is the private persona of the Epiphany’s Primary AI. And what you met was a Body-Sim.”
“A Body-Sim, is that a robot or an android?” Asked Captain Fuller.
“Yes, exactly that.” Lt. Commander Thomas said. “Epiphany, we need to see the recording of Task Force 14 meeting the Lucky” Then in an aside to Captain Fuller. “The video’s good but you should have been there in person. Goose-bump City is all I can say. Then… Then you need to see the President’s Address last night.”
* * *
It was almost two hours later before Ansel rejoined them in the Captain’s Cabin. As he walked quietly in they had just finished the recording of the President’s Address to the Nation.
He sat in his chair and listened as the Officer’s analyzed what they had seen and what the political impacts were going to be.
“Captain Keppler, you’ve been teaching at the Naval Academy for a couple of years now. Do you think you have a feel for what the Congress will do about the President’s two bills that he submitted today?” Captain Johansson asked.
“This is only the second Congressional session since the New Constitution was ratified by the states. The members of Congress have been very reticent in passing any bills through Congress. So that means I think that it may pass sometime in the next year or so, maybe not though. Don’t hold your breath.”
“Ahhh, Welcome back Commander Webster,” Captain Keppler said, “I think we are now coming up to speed here. What do you have for us next?”
“It’s now 1500L,” He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out three Earbuds. “What I would like to suggest to you is that you go for a walk around the ship. Epiphany and her replacement will interview you and answer your questions. Then I would like you all,” He looked at everyone in the room”, to join Ariadne and myself for Dinner. Since this dining area is larger than my own I believe we will use it.”
He then handed one Earbud to Each Captain and showed them how it attached behind the Ear.
"Just like that?”, Captain Fuller asked.
“Yes, Ma’am”, Ansel said and then smiled; “Just think of all the places you can get into that you would not normally see during a walk-through inspection. Please feel free to talk to or question anyone on board. Epiphany will warn you if you are heading into a hazardous location.
I do recommend the Fabrication area and to make yourselves known to Edison. And the Hanger and Flight Deck are a bit slow right now but we can show the Aircraft Preparation and launch activities.”
“What time will you be having your Dinner?”, Captain Keppler asked.
“Would 1830L be satisfactory with you gentlemen and ladies?”
There were nods all around.
“Very good, I need to go see Admiral Crane. I’ll meet you all for Dinner later then.” Ansel said to the group. He then got up quietly and left them.
“He doesn’t look too happy.” Commented Lt. Commander Thomas.
“No, he doesn’t, something is up. And unfortunately I have the feeling it’s going to be big.” Captain Keppler said.
“Epiphany, can you tell us what is going on?”, Commander Bastin inquired.
“I could tell you,“ Epiphany said and they could hear the grin in her voice, “But if you know how to read it. Everything that I can tell you now was in the last video of the President’s Address.
So if you figure it out before Dinner. I’ll tell you then, otherwise I’ll have you tell the others at the table your guesses.”
“Thank you Mother,” Said Lt. Commander Thomas semi-sarcastically.
“You’re welcome dear. Just remember you said it was a wild ride being around Commander Webster.” Epiphany added wickedly.
Captain Keppler looked at Captain Harris and leaned over to whisper in his ear. “Just remember the walls have ears. Literally it seems.” Then he laughed, “But it looks like this could be a great assignment.”
U.S. CVN George H.W. Bush, – Wednesday 1530L November 11, 2026
Video Conference Room #1 – Participants are Admiral Crane and his Flag Staff, Flag Captain Welles, TSN Commander Webster.
Pentagon Secure Video Conference Room #4 – Secretary of Defense, Under Secretaries of Air Force, Army and Navy, Joint Chiefs of Staff General Owens Presiding.
White House, Video Conference Room #1, President Richardson, Vice President Gruber, Secretary of State Flynn, National Security Advisor Heller-Crosby, CIA Director Chatsworth, NSA Director General Adams and Secretary of Homeland Security Edith Gore-Simmons.
“Good afternoon or evening Ladies and Gentlemen depending on where you are at.” President Richardson opened the Teleconference. “For some of us this looks like it is going to be a long evening. But I hope we can get to the meat of the matter quickly.
This meeting has been called because of information acquired by the Terran Space Navy and passed on to the U.S. Navy by TSN Commander Webster. Everyone invited to this meeting was given a Code Word Classified document with the information in it.
Before we continue, did you each read it?” The President examined the people in his own conference room for an acknowledgement, and then looked at the video monitors for confirmation at the other two groups of participants. Apparently he was satisfied with what he saw then continued to speak. “General Adams as director of the NSA you voiced some concerns to me earlier. Please do so again so that we may address them to your and hopefully everyone else’s satisfaction.”
General Adams thanked the president and then immediately started to dissect the information that the Terran Space Navy had provided. Eventually he asked Ansel a direct question. “Commander Webster how are you able to be 100% positive about the information and claims you have brought to us? Especially since the NSA has absolutely no inkling that either of these two projects existed."
“I understand your quandary General Adams”, Ansel began, “We developed the basic information only after we discovered the six human bombs among the volunteers who wanted to join the Epiphany’s crew. Pardon me while I digress here for a minute.
The volunteers are the only Navy personnel we have examined. And if there were 6 among the initial 460 volunteers it would stand to reason that there are a lot more in the general population and among the military units that you have at present. If I were you, I would be very concerned about that.
Getting back to your question, we were only 91% positive that the Iranian United Republic was the culprit. This was arrived at a deep interview process on the Human Bombs. It was determined that they knew nothing consciously about what had been done to them. In fact they are victims as much as anyone else around them would have been if the explosives had been activated.
However while they were unconscious under anesthesia their brains did record portions of the Doctor’s talking around them as they were operated on. That gave us our first clues where to start concentrating our search for information.
Once we had a handle on where to concentrate we were able to examine the last 30 years or so of medical literature especially Iranian Literature. This in turn turned up a handful of names of Iranian born or associated Doctors that had the necessary Biochemical knowledge and inclination to create the process used.
During these data mining operations we came across other references that led us to t
he ‘Shaitan’s Breath’ project.
Using the opportunity of the President’s Address the other night Admiral Webster presented an official communiqué to the IUR Ambassador in such a way that he had to take it and couldn’t deny its existence with so many witnesses to the delivery.
Using TSN technology that made the communiqué unreadable except to the authorized recipient the communiqué was by necessity taken to the two leaders of the IUR, their elected president and the Grand Ayatollah Al-Quds. We had previously placed listening devices in locations where we thought the communiqué would be read at. These listening devices confirmed our data analysis and that has led to this meeting.”
Ansel then sat quietly and awaited any further questions. While he waited, the others were examining and talking quietly amongst themselves.
