The Veritian Derelict (Junkyard Dogs) Read Online Free PDF Page B

allegation that any of those destroyers could have sustained a direct hit from the main battery projectors of an opposition battlecruiser is absurd!" replied Butenhoff, his disdain for the entire concept apparent in his tone of voice and his expression.
    " With all due respect, Sir," she replied, "My companions on the Terrier and I coated the hull of that old ship with Federation silicon nanite reaction fluid, just as Captain Evens reported in the log, and that material allowed the Terrier to withstand a bolt from a 5000 gigajoule pulse beam projector and for the two men on her to survive." The newly intense look in her remarkable sea green eyes combined with the black-ink Spacer tattoo that swept up over her left cheek gave her a menacing look. "I personally witnessed the impact of that bolt. The Terrier is still intact as we speak and both of the men on board survived without any injuries. Begging your pardon, Sir, but I wouldn't call that absurd!"
    Her sudden shift to the offensive seemed to have caught the old man off guard. "But what of Jansson?" he asked
    " I do not declare him to be hero or fraud, Sir. As a military historian, I see it as my duty to study history as objectively as possible and to report my findings. Jansson was only human, just like the rest of us. He waited until the last moment before he finally did his duty and committed his ships to an attack on the Opposition battlecruisers but the real heroes of the battle were Commander Tobias Arthur and his destroyer squadron. Their gallant sacrifice gave Jansson the opportunity he needed to engage and ultimately defeat the enemy force. Besides with Jansson and Arthur and almost all of those involved having passed away years ago, isn't it about time that the real truth of the entire matter was brought to light?"
    The old Admiral still looked doubtful but ceased to press the question further. The questioning then went around the table from one committee member to the next for another half hour or so but the crisis portion of the exam seemed to have been reached and passed. In fact, after Carlisle had 'bared her teeth' so to speak, it seemed to her that some milestone had been reached and the members of the committee had begun to back off and treat her with a little more respect.
    Finally the committee had no further questions for the exhausted, increasingly irritable and visibly wilting candidate and excused her from the room. Out in the corridor, Carlisle went to the drinking fountain and to the restroom while waiting the twenty minutes usually required for private discussion by the committee before she would be called back into the examination room.
    Merilee Fendt came out to fetch her back. As Carlisle resumed her seat on the lonely side of the table, Commander Fendt was also the first to speak.
    "Congratulations, Ensign, or should I say 'Doctor ' Carlisle? You've passed!"
    "A very unusual solution to the Boswell paradox, Ensign," said Admiral Butenhoff, grudgingly. "Where did you come across it?"
    I found it w hile I was researching the Succession War destroyer action for my dissertation, Sir. I came across a reference to the Terrier's former Captain and had to follow up on it."
    " Very innovative, Ensign" he said, his craggy features finally breaking into what might be called a smile. "We've never seen that solution before."
    "Thank you, Sir."
    "I believe we're done here," said Commander Fendt.
    As she shook hands with each of the committee members, Carlisle felt an almost overwhelming sense of relief settle over her. Suddenly she herself realized just how tired she was. She barely heard the comments from the rest of the committee before they filed out and left her alone with Admiral Loftgren, the head of the Academy, who had been observing the entire proceedings from the darkened observation gallery in the otherwise empty room.
    "Congratulations, Dr . Carlisle," said Loftgren, shaking her hand. "Well done! Especially that bit about the Evens maneuver. That