The Veritian Derelict (Junkyard Dogs) Read Online Free PDF

Since she could never remember ever being as nervous as she was at this moment, it was no surprise that she reverted to her usual speech habits.
    " ...Proximity jump...low gravity compensation...I..." With her mind racing to find a solution to the seemingly impossible dilemma, in desperation she grasped at a decidedly unconventional tactic. "I...think I would attempt an Evens Maneuver, Sir," she ventured.
    "An Evens Maneuver? What in all four Quadrants is that?" responded Butenhoff, a scowl on his face.
    "Yes, Ensign, whatever are you talking about?" asked Commander Merilee Fendt, who had so far seemed a little more sympathetic to the young officer's current state of stress than the others on the committee.
    " ...Parisian Standoff...unexpected response...It was...Captain Eliza Evens of the Federation destroyer force at Harmony station in the Alsatian Region of the Santana Quadrant. She was able to avoid a firefight between her group of three destroyers and a much superior Clovian force, which included two heavy cruisers and six destroyers, by using the maneuver. Rather than fight them or surrender, she had all three of her ships execute a microjump while in the docking area of the station."
    "What kind of nonsense is that?" responded Butenhoff, his scowl intensifying.
    "Hold on a minute, Stuart," said Commander Fendt. "Harmony Station is freestanding, not in orbit around a planet. That tactic might actually work!"
    The grizzled old veteran looked doubtful as he thought through the Ensign's unconventional response. Finally he nodded his head in tentative agreement. "Alright, I'll concede that it might work," he said, grudgingly, the scowl still knotting up his face, "but don't be thinking that such tactics are sound Naval doctrine, Ensign!"
    " Duly noted...very good, Sir," replied the Ensign, relieved to have survived the question. She took a deep breath. The exam and the associated stress had been going on long enough that Carlisle found herself starting to get tired. On many occasions in the past, when she had gotten tired she had also gotten irritable. In fact, her temper had gotten her into trouble on more occasions than she cared to remember. During this short break, while the committee got organized for the next portion of the exam, she forced herself to mentally step back from the proceedings and suddenly realized that much of the exam had been designed to see just how well she would perform under stress. These wily veterans had been playing her like a musical instrument! She felt a touch of anger at the thought. At that moment the brilliant young tactician realized that she had absolutely nothing to lose. She would employ a Spacer tactic that had worked very well for her on many occasions in the past.
    She was going to take the offensive.
    "Now, about the Destroyer actions in the Succession War, the actual topic of your Ph.D. dissertation ," Butenhoff continued, seemingly determined to keep the Ensign off balance. "Your new information turns the official story completely around. It makes Admiral Jansson look like a complete idiot. Need I remind you that Admiral Jansson is a Federation hero? What makes you so sure that this F.C. Talbot person was telling the truth?"
    With the focus of the questioning having finally shifted to her dissertation, Carlisle was now in her element and, in spite of the stress she was under, felt a sort of calm settle over her as her nearly perfect memory went over pertinent details. She also allowed her anger to begin flaring while at the same time making a conscious effort to keep it rigidly controlled. The technique seemed to be working, even her stammer was gone for the moment.
    "I was onboard the Terrier just a few weeks ago, Sir, the same ship that Captain Evens was commanding during the destroyer action in the final battle of the Succession War and I have studied the actual battle video from the Terrier's log and heard the descriptions of the battle in the Captain's own words."
    "But the