14
U.S.S. JOHN F. KENNEDY
ATLANTIC OCEAN
SUNSET
Under normal conditions, Commander Steven Gates considered himself a fairly reasonable man.
His job duties as the U.S.S. Kennedy’s Executive Officer were as extensive as the gigantic aircraft carrier herself. Captain Mercer gave the orders; Gates was responsible for carrying them out. He made sure everything ran smoothly, so The Old Man rarely needed to bother with trivial problems.
Whether Gates was overseeing the ship’s general cleanliness, securing needed supplies, or finding creative ways to improve morale, he took his duties seriously. No job was too big or small for the XO; everything onboard the Kennedy fell under his broad jurisdiction.
That included finding living quarters for occasional visiting dignitaries, a seemingly monum
