Free Hunt for the Saiph (The Saiph Series Book 3) by PP Corcoran Page A

Speaker, that what I have to say is of more importance than a simple update on committee progress..." A brief wolf-like smile passed over Grant’s face. "I move a vote should be taken immediately to allow the chamber to hear my statement."
    Before the speaker could utter a word of protest, a voice from the upper reaches of the chamber called, "I second the motion."
    The speaker had no need to check the board in front of him to see who had seconded. The smooth, feminine voice of Senator Dikul was unmistakable. The government had been ambushed. With the motion proposed and seconded, chamber procedure left the speaker no choice. A vote must be called. "Very well. The motion is Senator Grant should be allowed to make a statement to the chamber. Please vote now." The vote was a forgone conclusion. With the government’s senators thin on the ground, Grant’s motion was easily passed.
    "The motion has passed. Senator Grant, you have the floor. Please continue." The speaker settled into his seat and could hardly fail to notice the vid cameras swinging toward Grant as he stood.
    "Mr. Speaker. Fellow Senators. Citizens of Earth. I speak to you this morning with a troubled heart. I have wrestled with my feelings throughout the last few days and my conscience will no longer allow me to remain silent. I speak of yet another decision made by the faceless, nameless servants of the so-called Commonwealth, which places the brave members of our armed forces in the front line once more and costs tens of millions of your tax credits without even having the common decency to ask you, the voting public, what you think." Grant clenched his fists and bowed his head as he leaned on the railing in front of his seat. The speaker, a long in the tooth politician, knew enough to know this was all an act for the camera and the public watching at home; however, he knew it had the desired effect of projecting Grant as a man wracked by internal conflict.
    "I refer of course by the decision of the Garundan-born Ambassador Jelav to provide the survivors of Edasich with millions of credits worth of aid on his own authority and then the decision by the leaders of the Commonwealth to expand the aid to include engineering and technical equipment, along with the necessary advisers to instruct them on the use of the equipment. Indeed, enough to support them until they become completely self-sufficient. The Commonwealth has arbitrarily committed itself, and therefore Earth, to an aid program forecast to last at least five years and costing billions of credits. A cost that will be borne in no small part by the citizens of Earth." Grant paused, allowing his last statement to sink in with the viewing audience. "Now, I am known as a compassionate man. The terror and destruction the Others have caused to the various races we have encountered cannot be underestimated. The planet Edasich was subjected to the Others’ standard orbital nuclear bombardment and its surface has been reduced to a radioactive wasteland. A wasteland we, of all the members of the Commonwealth, know will take decades of hard work and vast sums of money to repair. We know because we have been there! But, and this is something I cannot imagine the leaders of the Commonwealth have failed to consider, the position which Earth found itself in following the war which caused such devastation to our own home is not one which the Edasich find themselves in." Grant looked around the chamber and could see he had the complete undivided attention of his audience. "No. The Edasich have a choice we never had." Grant paused melodramatically. "So flabbergasted was I by this latest decision by the Commonwealth, I ordered my staff to research an alternative to the Commonwealth’s decision to support the Edasich and their moon base while beginning the massive task of making their home planet habitable again." Grant lifted his PAD and raised it above his head like some kind of holy grail. "On this PAD is an extract