Starshine: Aurora Rising Book One by G. S. Jennsen Read Free Book Online Page B

befitting the importance of those who utilized it.
    A late afternoon sun shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows lining the penthouse conference room. Shielding filtered the sunlight to reduce the glare without marring the view of the Pacific, seeing as the room had been placed on the western-facing side of the building specifically for its magnificent view.
    General Price Alamatto waited until the door had closed behind the departing aides before turning back to the gathered Board members. “As I was saying prior to the interruption, with a minor readjustment to the Sol System construction budget we will have the funds to assemble an additional six high-orbit arrays and deploy them to the Fionava and Deucali Provinces.”
    Miriam Solovy leaned forward in her chair while keeping her shoulders firmly squared. It was an assertive posture she used often to persuasive effect. “And if we supply them to Fionava and Deucali, then New Cornwall and Messium will want them as well, and probably Karelia and Nyssus, too—all on account of a mythical threat from nonexistent aliens forever on the cusp of the frontier. And indulging them will wipe out the Sol System construction budget.”
    She shook her head in a terse but firm motion. “No. If those funds are truly available, better for us to use them to reinforce Earth’s outer defense web with a redundant backup power grid and install the new longer-range emission signature sensors. Added redundancy will increase security and the sensors will give us significantly earlier warning should unwelcome visitors target Earth.”
    General Liam O’Connell cocked an overly bushy eyebrow in her direction. “Careful Admiral, lest someone insinuate you were advocating an ‘Earth First’ agenda.”
    O’Connell was the Southwestern Regional Commander, and seemed to believe overseeing the largest region in terms of kiloparsecs gave him the right to be an arrogant prick. He was incorrect, not that it stopped him.
    She regarded him coolly. “I don’t particularly care what someone insinuates about me, General. I am doing no such thing, save for the irrefutable fact that both the knowledge and capabilities of the Earth Alliance are concentrated here on Earth, and we should recognize this and act accordingly.”
    Alamatto cleared his throat from the head of the table. “You make a commendable and valid point, Admiral. Nevertheless, we must not appear to be Earth-centric in our decision-making. Earth has plenty enough resources on its own. We need to be cognizant of the reality that the colonies often lack our inherent means and require our protection.”
    A strong Earth was a strong Alliance; she’d never understand why more people didn’t see this. She worked to protect the best interests of the entire Earth Alliance, colonies included.
    Her glare was steel across the table. “Which protection we won’t be able to provide if our defense web goes down and we come under attack.”
    O’Connell snorted from the safety of his holo. “Who do you think is going to attack Earth, Miriam? Seneca? They wouldn’t dare. Raiders from New Babel, or maybe some nutcases from Pandora? Be realistic. Earth is by far the most fortified, heavily defended world in settled space. No one is coming for Earth.”
    Inwardly she sighed, though she was careful not to let it show. At this point the Board was in danger of becoming completely dominated by the Regional Commanders. Alamatto was too weak a leader to keep them in line and there wasn’t another faction to counterbalance them. The other three Earth-based members were too beholden to competing political benefactors to act in concert with her or Alamatto.
    She was fighting a losing battle and she knew it. But so long as she held a position of any power, she would not fold. She dropped her chin and gazed slightly up and sideways at O’Connell, one eyebrow arched; the impression created was of a master disappointed in the ignorance of the student.
    “If I