In current high-speed data networks, such as multi-service platform systems using VERSAmodule Eurocard (VMEbus) protocols, a read request ties up the VMEbus network for the entire duration of the transaction.  In the prior art, there are two halves to a read transaction.  In the first half, a module requests data from another module.  In the second half, the requested data is transmitted over the VMEbus network.  In the prior art, there may be a significant time spent retrieving the requested data between the request and the actual transmission of the data.  The prior art has the VMEbus being suspended while the data retrieval is occurring.  This has the disadvantage of idle time between the first and second halves of the transaction, which negatively affects system performance as no other transactions can take place on the VMEbus network. 
Accordingly, there is a significant need for an apparatus and method that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art outlined above.