House of Steel: The Honorverse Companion by David Weber Read Free Book Online

platforms for Silesia and commerce protection and the Conservatives and Liberals denying Haven poses any sort of credible threat. So as far as I can see, we’ve got to find a way besides sheer tonnage to give us that qualitative edge, which is why I say Dame Carrie’s more conservative than I’d really like. I think we need to be pushing the envelope, working to find some kind of technological equalizer, and she’s not really in favor of blue-sky concepts.
    “But I understand why she isn’t, and it’s hard to blame her. The Proceedings did an interview with her a few months back, talking about the Samothrace ’s weapons suite, and she said something very interesting. ‘A ship-of-the-wall is too important, too big a financial investment and too big a piece of our Navy’s combat potential, to be an experiment.’” He looked at his mother across the table. “She’s not about to go haring off after some elusive, technological silver bullet. Some sort of . . . of panacea , I suppose. Not unless and until she’s convinced it’s going to be a significant improvement on what she’s already got, at any rate. With the Star Kingdom’s military security at risk, it’s her job to avoid buying into a fleet mix that turns out not to work, and she takes that seriously. But she’s also still wedded to the notion that one lonely little star system can’t possibly be capable of pushing R and D farther and faster than something like the Solarian League. That’s why she’s continuing the policy—the long-standing policy, to be fair; she’s not the one who originated it—of emulating the SLN instead of pushing the envelope right here at home.”
    “And you seriously think we could push ‘farther and faster’ than the League?” Samantha asked.
    “I think we damned well better find out whether or not we can, Mom,” Roger said grimly. “I think we need to increase BuWeaps’ R and D funding. I think we need to find the best talent we can to look at every conceivable way we can improve our war-fighting capability. I think we need to keep it as ‘black’ as possible while we do it. And I think that if we can’t come up with some kind of ‘equalizer,’ then in the end, we’re screwed, no matter what happens.”

September 1850 PD

    “ I’M SURE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND why I might have a few . . . reservations about this particular routine personnel transfer, Commander,” Dame Carrie Lomax said dryly. Lomax was in her early sixties, her red hair going steadily gray, and her blue eyes were shrewd as she contemplated the newest addition to her command. “I can understand why it might have seemed like a good idea to Earl Mortenson and even to Admiral Spruance. I’m not too sure it’s going to be a good idea from my perspective, however.”
    “I beg your pardon, Ma’am?” Roger Winton said respectfully, standing in front of her desk with Monroe on his shoulder.
    “Just between the two of us, it’s going to be difficult for most of my people to forget who your mother is, Commander Winton.” Lomax leaned back in her chair. “Speaking for myself, I find your insistence on being treated like any other Queen’s officer laudable, but I doubt there’s much point pretending that everyone around you is really going to think you’re just one more lieutenant commander. And that leads me to all of the waves I can’t help thinking you’re likely to send scudding across my own personal hot tub here at BuWeaps.”
    “It’s not my intention to make waves, Ma’am. In fact—”
    “Please.” She raised one hand, interrupting him. “I didn’t fall off the produce shuttle yesterday, Commander. And that wasn’t intended as a criticism, really. But I have read your letters in the Proceedings , as well as reviewing your file, and your performance reports, and the systems critiques and analyses in your end-of-commission reports. With all of that rattling around in the back of my mind, I can’t quite convince myself that