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gods help him but he needed it. Needed her.
     

5
    EARTH
    V ANCOUVER, EASC H EADQUARTERS
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    “ W HAT DO YOU MEAN, THEY’VE occupied Desna?”
    “I mean they’ve occupied Desna. They destroyed the orbital array weapons and, in the absence of a ground-based military presence to challenge them, landed, took the governor into custody and proclaimed it a province of the Senecan Federation. They’re expanding their borders.”
    Earth Alliance Strategic Command Acting Chairman General Liam O’Connell slammed his palm down on his desk. The force generated by his burly frame sent a tremor through the synthetic ironwood. He leveled a glower across the quivering desk. “They simply marched in and took it? Desna occupies a key strategic position—where were the defenses?”
    I don’t know, Liam, where were the defenses? EASC Director of Operations Admiral Miriam Solovy inwardly marveled at the bureaucratic machine which had resulted in such a man occupying the utmost position of military power in the galaxy. Outwardly she wore a mask of cool composure.
    “After Arcadia and now Desna, I think it’s clear Seneca has minimal difficulty taking out our standard defense arrays. The small military presence formerly stationed at Desna had been temporarily reassigned to Arcadia in the wake of the destruction of the military base there.”
    “You’re telling me it was completely unprotected?”
    “A single frigate was tasked with patrolling Desnan space. It managed to escape the offensive after suffering catastrophic damage but minimal loss of life, all things considered.” She didn’t mention she knew the captain of the frigate; no reason to offer Liam any opening to exploit an imagined weakness.
    “I’ll have Foster’s head for this!”
    “General Foster didn’t order the forces reassigned. Alamatto did—and his head is, regrettably, no longer available for ‘having.’”
    His gaze snapped back to her. “Thanks to your traitorous daughter. I’m amazed they still allow you in the building.”
    Her jaw locked so tightly she might require a pneumatic lever to pry it open later, but she did not flinch or look away. Under no circumstances would she grant him the satisfaction of provoking her. “The bombing investigation is still ongoing, but I’m confident she will be cleared of any involvement. Now regarding the war. The Northwestern Regional forces on the front lines are increasingly weakened and after Desna they’re down yet another frigate. Do you perhaps want to get your replacement in Southwest on holo and reassign a minimum of two regiments to Foster?”
    “I’ll make the military decisions in this war, not you.”
    “Of course you will. Do inform me when you decide to send the regiments to Foster, so I can ensure they successfully arrive there and are properly provisioned once they do.” She pivoted to leave, then with malice aforethought paused short of the door and glanced over her shoulder. “I’m sorry, was there anything else?”
    She received the desired response in his furious glare and exited the office suppressing a smile. But it was short-lived, as she departed the frying pan for the proverbial fire.
    After two ‘interviews’ from the lead investigator on the Headquarters bombing, she expected Major Lange from the Security Bureau in her office in seven minutes. He was coming to her office rather than she to his less as a concession to her rank and more as a courtesy to a colleague. For though she did outrank him by numerous grades, military police enjoyed power and liberties few others possessed. Should he desire to order her to his office or even an interrogation room, under the circumstances he could arguably do so.
    Unless the authorities had a trump card they had not yet revealed, the evidence against Caleb Marano and Alexis by association was purely circumstantial. It was not enough to convict in a court of law, but it didn’t need to be. In the midst of a war, when the flames of