Tipping Point: The War With China - the First Salvo (Dan Lenson Novels) Read Online Free PDF

teenager stood beside her, hugging herself. Both looked awed and out of place; the younger woman would not meet Dan’s eyes. “We’re Cobie’s family.”
    “Of course, I recognized you right away. Mrs. Kasson. And this must be Kaitlyn? Petty Officer Kasson’s—Cobie’s daughter?” They shook hands, the girl’s eyes still sliding away from his, her hand limp. “This is my wife, Blair Titus. Your mother was a real hero. Saved the ship, and the lives of the crew. You can be proud of her.”
    “I barely remember her,” Kaitlyn said, voice almost lost in the renewed blast from the band, which had struck up “Under the Double Eagle.” A tune he considered a waste of good notes.
    Dan said, “She wasn’t a standout at first. But when the pressure was on, we saw what she was made of.” He was reluctant to admit he barely remembered her. She’d been lower-ranking enlisted, in Engineering, a deckplate snipe; he’d see her only during inspections, or when something went wrong and had to be repaired. Not the best opportunity for socializing.
    “Captain? I can introduce you to the rest of the guests—”
    “Yes. I’m sorry, we’ll talk again.” He bowed, and Blair took his arm; they moved on.
    “They don’t look like much,” she murmured.
    “Who doesn’t?”
    “The mother. The daughter. Surprising.”
    “What’s surprising? They’re just regular folks—”
    “I mean, that they managed to get the ship named after their relative. That takes a lot of grassroots organizing. A lot of smarts, behind the scenes … Aha.”
    “Aha what?”
    “Vacherie La Blanc. Over there. Their congressman. Third District. Be sure to make a good impression, Dan. He’s going to be at your hearing next week.”
    Their escort led them on, to introduce them to Admiral Zembiec, COMSURFLANT; USS Kasson ’s first commanding officer; the squadron commander; a shipyard representative from Bath; the rest of the official guests. Everyone seemed to know who he was. He shook hands, made small talk. La Blanc was short, friendly, almost obsequious, but he and the congressman didn’t get to exchange more than a couple of words.
    Dan was nervous about his speech. They’d given him a draft, but it was so full of clichés and inaccuracies, especially about Horn ’s final hours, that he’d finally cut out everything except the intro and summary and rewritten the middle himself. Blair had looked it over, and suggested some grace notes. Cut a couple passages, where he’d let himself go. This wasn’t the venue. Or the time. “You can save it for your retirement speech,” she’d said.
    *   *   *
    WHEN he stepped before the podium the faces turned up to him, expectant, open. A moment of breathlessness. He gripped the wooden sides and tried again.
    “Admiral, Congressman La Blanc, distinguished guests … the Kasson family … the Honorable Blair Titus … Ladies and gentlemen.
    “It gives me great pleasure to be here on this occasion: the accession to the fleet of a new warship, named after a hero I personally had the privilege to lead. Naming this ship after her is an honor to all the enlisted men and women who have made the Navy and Marine Corps what it is today: not only the largest, and the most powerful, but the most respected armed force in the world.
    “You will hear a great deal today about the capabilities, armaments, and sensors of this new warship, built to survive and prevail in a hostile electronic environment. The Navy considers these new destroyers its most capable surface combatants. They incorporate advanced geometries and construction materials, to reduce the likelihood of enemy targeting. This tough, survivable ship will venture into high-threat areas to conduct antiair, antisubmarine, antisurface, and inland strike operations. Its designers and builders deserve the highest praise.
    “But I will not dwell on that. Instead, I want to talk about the woman this ship is to be named after: Engineman Gas Turbine