No Technology Is Invincible (The Death Prophecies-Book Four 4) by Saxon Andrew Page A

finally said, “Why did that bother you when nothing anyone else says does?”
    “Because I also respect Professor Hilo. His comment cut me in a way I can’t explain. I knew that without your stepping in and stopping Admiral Connor, I would not have accomplished my goal of being ranked number one and you were giving me the opportunity to knock you out of the top spot. I decided that if our scores were tied, I would still be number one and since my last name is alphabetically ahead of yours, my name would appear at the top of the list.”
    “But it’s impossible to tie my scores with that rogue grade in my transcripts.”
    “Not really. All I had to do was ace the first four finals and answer two questions along with one question on a six-part question along with one question on a ten-part question. We aren’t tied six decimal points out but the Academy only uses four decimal points in computing grades. We ended up with the same raw score.”
    “I’ll bet you really struggled with making this happen?”
    Gabby smiled, “Not really. The fact that I was able to do it has every professor at the Academy scratching their heads. I also received a message from Professor Hilo telling me that the best person won. That message made it all worth it.”
    Gabe stared at her and started slowly shaking his head, “Captain Bartoli.”
    “Yes, Sir.”
    “My sacrifice at allowing you to go back and graduate pales in comparison with what you did. If anyone asks you in the future if you know of anyone that likes you, give them my name.”
    Gabby stared at him and he saw her eyes moisten. She nodded and turned back to her panel. Gabe turned to his console and knew he was little. He was so…little. There was more going on inside this young woman than he ever thought possible. He felt small.
    • • •
    Three hours later he received a message on his panel. He read it and looked at Gabby, “Captain, you need to go to the quartermaster and get fitted for armor.”
    “Sir?”
    “You have to be fitted for the armor you’re going to use on our mission.”
    “Yes, Sir.” Gabby stood up and walked off the small bridge and Gabe wondered what was bothering her. He went back to looking at the stars around the Carand’s Galaxy on his panel and thirty minutes later he saw his message light illuminate again, “This is Admiral Eagle.”
    “Sir, Captain Bartoli refuses to be fitted with armor.”
    “What?”
    “She refuses to be fitted.”
    Gabe stood up, “I’ll be right there.” He left the Eyes and walked to the rear of the hangar and found Gabby sitting in a chair fuming. The Lieutenant in charge of fitting her was also red in the face, “What’s going on?”
    “She refuses to be fitted, Sir.”
    Gabe looked at Gabby, “What’s the problem, Captain?”
    “I will not wear that uniform under my armor!”
    Gabe looked at the single piece grey uniform on a hanger and looked back at her, “Why not?”
    “It doesn’t fit.” Gabe looked at the Lieutenant and she rolled her eyes. “Doesn’t fit how?”
    “It’s too small, Sir.”
    Gabe fought his impulse to tell Gabby that she was being silly but forced himself to think it through. He looked at the Fleet Uniform she was wearing and saw that it was a size too large for her. He remembered that the Cadet Uniform she wore in their first encounter was also one size too big. He pulled up a chair beside Gabby and looked at the lieutenant, “Give us a minute.” The Lieutenant left the room and Gabe turned to Gabby, “Would you go out into space without a spacesuit?”
    Gabby looked at him, “Of course not, but this is different.”
    “What if the only way for you to put on a spacesuit is to wear a uniform under it that was tight fitting?”
    “Then I wouldn’t go out in space.”
    “There are circumstances where serving on a Fleet Warships removes the choice. If the ship is damaged, you wear it or die.”
    Gabby looked at the grey uniform and shook her head, “I think I’d