Kris Longknife's Bloodhound, a novella Read Online Free PDF Page A

option on the page.  It cost, but promised to give him the most up to date information on the construction of the ships and the latest press releases from the building yard.
    A bit more than a month ago the yard had announced that these ships would be made with the latest Smart Metal TM .
    “That’s interesting.  Why use smart metal for a merchant ship specialized for one specific trade route?  Why pay for the option to reorganize your ship when you’ve designed it down to the last fine point to be just exactly what you want?” Taylor muttered to himself. 
    He strongly suspected he knew the answer.
    He scrolled down for the very latest updates.
    He didn’t have to scroll much.  There hadn’t been an update in over a month.  There was no launch date, nor data on any changes to the design.  The latter was understandable.  It was harder, however, to believe that the yard’s PR had nothing to brag about concerning the first Smart Metal TM hulls.  As a point of fact, it was only slightly short of unbelievable.
    Taylor closed down his net access.  He needed to think about what his research showed before he talked with someone who knew just exactly what was going on, but had likely been told to forget it the moment she set foot outside her office.
    On a stray thought, Taylor paid for access to Jane’s All the Worlds’ Fighting Ships .
    No surprise, the USS Wasp had its own entry, although the final notation said the ship was being scrapped at High Chance Station.  It was the earlier entries Taylor found interesting.  The ship had started life as a single reactor something that quickly found its way into the pirate trade.  Captured by Princess Longknife, it came into U.S. hands after being condemned by a court on Chance.
    Taylor had to pause for a moment to smile.  “So, Princess, your ship began life at Chance and is now ending there.  Poetry anyone?”
    Since the universe did not answer, Taylor went on.
    Once in the US Navy, it had been subjected to an overhaul that amounted to little short of a rebuild.  It acquired a second reactor and four 18-inch pulse lasers.  It was also jumboized so it could carry more shipping containers.  Those containers had proven most versatile, carrying scientific equipment as well as quarters for the scientists.  The Wasp had been classified as a Exploration Corvette.  Oh, more containers had been added to support a Marine detachment, then more to support more Sailors who supported more of just about everything.
    “Princess, I do believe your ship just kind of grew.”
    The pictures in the file showed the ship as it grew more and more containers.  It was a boxy looking ship, but even with the largest collection it had when it departed with the Fleet of Discovery, it had been a compact looking affair.
    Taylor flipped back to the displacement of the refitted corvette.  Its deadweight showed it pretty solid.  Even with its containers, it was still quite heavy.
    “Computer, compare the tonnage of the U.S.S. Wasp with the tonnage of a similar freighter with the same number of shipping containers.”
    The computer found four small freighters.  Fully loaded, they still massed well below the Wasp .
    “There are containers for shipping computer components, and then there are containers for shipping scientists and Marines,” the agent muttered to himself.
    “Computer, can you find any specs for the containers the Navy is using for its ships.”
    “No, sir,” came back fast, but not as a surprise.
    The Wasp had not been outfitted to make a profit, but to take a princess where she wanted to go.  To let her see what she wanted to see, and get her out of any trouble she got into while there.
    Taylor pushed himself back from the table and stared off into space for a long, long time.
    He almost failed to notice that the restaurant was filling with after shift customers.  When he did, he had little trouble spotting his engineer.  She was the only lone individual looking