Grant Alba
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grantalba.bsky.social
Grant Alba
@grantalba.bsky.social
400 followers 120 following 460 posts
he/him
Read me on Medium: https://medium.com/@grant_alba
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grantalba.bsky.social
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When Earth auditor John Marshall uncovers what appears to be routine corporate fraud, he has no idea his investigation will force humanity's scattered civilizations to answer a single question: who decides for Earth? John Marshall is a meticulous but isolated auditor living alone with his cat, avoiding human connection since his parents' deaths. Assigned to audit Xtract, a mysterious mining company, he discovers millions in fictitious equipment transfers and revenue from non-existent operations—a massive fraud concealed within deliberately complex corporate structures. Working with April Collins, his lead researcher with rock-hard ethics, and Angela Fleury, the sophisticated office manager whose "ice queen" exterior masks genuine warmth and fierce ambition to build her own business empire beyond her family's wealth, John uncovers over $200 million in fraudulent activity. But the fraud is merely cover for something darker. When John's investigation leads him to an abandoned mining town in Tybo, Nevada, he discovers Xtract's true operation: massive "floating steam-punk factories" that serve as fronts for an interstellar human trafficking ring. Simultaneously, First Kaera Figuera, an elite intelligence officer of the K'tk't Federation—a galactic civilization guided by biologically-driven Queens who nurture through negotiation rather than control—has been tracking the same trafficking operation across Federation space. The conspiracy involves rogue Federation humans who reject the Federation's assimilationist culture, seeking to establish authoritarian human leadership on Earth. They view its uncontacted population as future subjects to exploit for wealth and power, with Earth's criminals as willing collaborators. The two investigations converge explosively in Nevada. Kaera uses a sedative and cerebral scan to verify John's integrity, then—with his explicit consent—implants a communication node in his brain, creating a covert alliance. John, April, and Angela commit fully to exposing the conspiracy, constructing a fake audit showing Xtract as merely struggling with fiscal challenges while John secretly feeds critical financial intelligence to Kaera through the node. The traffickers discover John's involvement and send enforcers to eliminate him. He survives a brutal attack but suffers severe injuries. The assault becomes a crisis point that transforms his relationships with April and Angela from professional partnership into committed polyamorous bond—mature, ethically grounded, and strengthened by shared purpose. As John recovers, the investigation escalates to Federation-wide priority. The Queen herself authorizes coordinated military strikes across multiple star systems. John's financial analysis provides breakthrough intelligence identifying the trafficking network's structure and leadership, including Oriana Synn, a sophisticated antagonist who believes humanity needs strong authoritarian leadership, not the Federation's assimilationist culture. The operation accelerates when Kaera discovers the traitor in her ranks: Mykos, whose suspicious early return and theft of his aircraft signals the traffickers have been warned. Federation forces execute immediate simultaneous raids before the criminals can flee. Kaera's team assaults the Nevada base while other task groups strike at trafficking operations throughout Federation space. The trafficking ring is dismantled, exposing not just criminal conspiracy but fundamental questions about Earth's sovereignty. John's ethical choices throughout the investigation become symbolic evidence: Can humanity police itself? His partnership with April and Angela, his willingness to risk everything for principle, and his collaboration with Kaera demonstrate Earth's capacity for ethical behavior—arguing for autonomy rather than external control. Kaera earns recognition and a promised boon from her Queen. John, April, and Angela establish X-Ite, an investigative firm positioned to pursue the Earth-based criminals who enabled the trafficking operation—individuals still beyond Federation jurisdiction but not beyond human justice. The larger questions remain unresolved, but one auditor's choices have proven that ethical action matters. DESTINY asks: When power claims benevolent intent, who decides what's truly beneficial? When scattered civilizations share common humanity, who speaks for humanity's homeworld? And can individual ethical choices prove a species deserves sovereignty? Earth's fate hangs in the balance—decided not by wars or treaties, but by whether one auditor's principles can demonstrate his species is ready.
October 10, 2025 at 1:18 AM
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Banner for "The Auditor: Destiny - A SciFi Thriller" a novel by Grant Alba. Abstract, non-photo-real space ship hovering over a desert landscape. Young woman in t-shirt & jeans watching the ship. Woman is seen from rear three quarter profile.
October 10, 2025 at 12:20 AM
grantalba.bsky.social
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A poem: The last turning point. Young Mr Kirk had quite a life, debating all and sundry, When he could set the stage he'd beat kids every day but Sunday. (that's the lord's day, y'know) His life was chill, his podcast shrill, yet his TP printed money He spent his whole life grifting. It's just opinion, honey. Yet for all his wealth , for all his reach, his words were met with scorn, From online far right Gruypers, Nick Fuentes' evil spawn. A fight 'tween two such factions, Kirk was not so pure, you see The Fuentes feud, a Turning Point, But still no empathy ('cos that's just left wing cuck sauce, there's only sympathy for ME). Then young Tyler, failed at life, his MAGA fam too simple decided he would right the wrongs, and make Kirk an example. He took his gun, and ammo, engraved for just this purpose and shot young CK in the neck. Poetic, no. Nor justice. The media, loud and wrong again, proclaimed "a left wing plot" they flew the flags at half staff, in memoriam - what rot. Until, of course, the truth came out, no left wing hands were there. Just a sad sack kid, they'd weaponized. "But how?" they cried, "not fair!" It must have been the colleges It must have been TV It must have been the games he played It surely wasn't ME. NO assholes, it was all of you, who made right wing tropes a trend You said "gun's don't make a killer." NO. But YOU did. The end.
September 14, 2025 at 2:52 AM
grantalba.bsky.social
Exactly my thoughts
An orange Ibanez af75
August 20, 2025 at 1:37 PM