Cali & Drake (The Alliance Book 1) (16 page)

“Calinae.”

“Mother.”

They were faced off in the meeting room of
The Cali.
Vathral had transported to the planet this morning, to
help arrange this meeting. Also, he was tasked with finding out if Diandra had confessed
her duplicity to Nellia or Vareen. Cali hoped her friends hadn’t inadvertently
said anything to Diandra that would make its way back to her mother.

On her side of the room were Drake,
Mica,
and Nevir. Vathral was supposed to return with her mother but hadn’t arrived
yet. On the other side of the table
were
her mother, the other two members of The Council of Three, Tonn Dax and Taspa
Lor, her mother’s personal guards, additional guards, and more guards.

“This is a diplomatic meeting mother. You didn’t need so much
protection.”

“With only vague information about the people of Titus, we felt it
prudent to come prepared.” Her mother looked past her to Drake and Mica.
“Vareen Nas didn’t have much to tell us about the males that had taken you. Or
the ship
The Reliant
had
encountered.”

Drake went to speak and Cali hurried to say, “I’m sure Vareen told you I
went willingly.”

“There were…” her mother paused, “conflicting reports about what occurred
on the bridge. That you had a relationship with the male rescued from the pod
was widely known by everyone onboard. Not as many crew members agreed that you
went ‘willingly’ with the male from Titus. Some say you teleported right off
the ship, without a word to your crew.”

This was true, Drake had taken her right off the bridge.

“I’m to blame for Cali’s lack of communication with her
crew,
” Drake spoke in his defense, “The custom
of my people when dealing with a chosen
mate
is to claim that person without question or reserve.”

Her mother looked at Drake dispassionately, “I see, so my daughter is
this ‘chosen mate’ to you?”

“Yes.”

“Even if she is promised to someone else?” her mother inquired calmly.

“I would be forced to kill any male you tried to partner her with.”

Tonn Dax went to protest, since it was her son Cali was betrothed to, but
Aicen Edal held her hand out and Tonn closed her mouth.

Cali was instantly on guard. Something was going on beyond this meeting,
and her instincts
were
screaming at her
that it wasn’t diplomacy.

“Would this mating stand, if my daughter changed her mind? Told you of
her own free will that she didn’t want you?”

Drake stood stoically and finally answered, “Yes.”

“I would like to speak privately with Calinae.”

“No,” Drake’s denial was vehement.

“Why, is there a reason she might deny you as her mate?”

“There is nothing you could say that would make me deny Drake as my mate,”
Turning to him she placed a hand on his chest. “It’s okay, I’ll speak with her
alone.”

Drake obviously wasn’t happy with the idea, “Very well. If it’s what you
want.” He bent and kissed her before nodding to Mica and Nevir to follow him
out of the room.

Once the others had cleared the doorway, Cali stepped in front of her
mother, “We are supposed to be discussing the opening of trade and diplomacy
with Titus and Atheon, mother. Not my status as Drake’s mate.”

“We are not interested in trade or diplomacy, I just need you to see
reason, and return home to take your place on the Initiate Council.”

 
“I’m not staying on Cestori.”

 
“We’ll see Calinae. After you left
Cestori a few changes had to be made. For one, your father and I are uncoupled.
He is a criminal in the new
order
and has
been charged as such. When he is caught—”

“Father is not a criminal. What are you talking about?” Cali had never
seen the fanatic behind the façade before, but her mother was showing her true
colors now.

“I was forced to take drastic measures when you didn’t return. The
Council passed a new law recently making romanticism a crime.”

“You can’t punish people for having different beliefs than you mother,”
Cali whispered in shocked disbelief.

Was her father
a criminal on the
run? What was this “new order” her
mother
talked about? This trip wasn’t going to bring diplomatic relationships between
their worlds. They would be lucky to avoid bloodshed and all-out war at this
rate.

“From what I hear, Titus doesn’t embrace all of its inhabitants either.
So what is the difference Calinae?”

“They only punish those unaligned males that
act
against the clans. They don’t
actively
hunt them down. If they want to live separately, they are
allowed their freedom,” Cali argued.

“Well, you are arguing semantics really,” her mother denied calmly. Her serene
expression making her words all the more chilling. “You know we aren’t
barbaric, w
e fix the problem medically;
we don’t punish punitively. Anyone exhibiting emotional reactions has a
procedure done that reassigns their
synapsis
.
It’s painful, yes…that was unavoidable, but it only takes two weeks and then
the patient is cured.”

Cali thought she was going to be sick. Her mother was obviously crazy.

“People who have emotions don’t need medical intervention…” she began
only to be cut off.

“You’ll see reason Calinae.”

Before she could react her mother grabbed her hand and Cali felt the
familiar sensation of transporting.

Looking around her, Cali recognized the type of room she was in. It was
similar to the medical rooms in the Science Sectorate of
Thestori
. There was an exam table, with a strange
device hovering over it. Three additional figures moved about the room. Their
medical uniforms told her they worked here.

“This is the new Realignment Center.”

Cali spun to glare at her mother. “Bringing me here was a waste of time.
I won’t be having your realignment procedure.”

“Really Cali, it’s illogical to think that anything can stop me,” her
mother argued calmly. “Doctors, you have my permission to fix my daughter.”

Two guards grabbed her arms and pulled her toward the chair.

“This was a serious mistake mother,” Cali tamped down the panic that
burst in her chest. The guards forced her into the chair and started working on
the straps, “You might want to let go of me.”

“Why ‘s that?” One of them asked distractedly.

“Because she knows that if you don’t I’ll rip your arms off for touching
my mate.” Drake’s angry growl echoed behind her mother. He had arrived with Mica,
Nevir and a handful of males from
The
Cali
. All of them were in a rage if their electric blue eyes were any
indication. The guards immediately stopped working on her restraints. The
doctors who had come forward to work on the medical machine fled back against
the walls to
cower
.

“I wanted you to play your hand mother. I knew you wouldn’t be so calm if
you didn’t have something up your sleeve. This is what you had planned? To
bring me here and realign my brain? I guess it’s a good thing that Titus is
more advanced than you knew, and that Drake was able to monitor where you took
me.” Shaking her head sadly Cali whispered. “What a waste of an opportunity at not
one but two alliances and peace for Cestori.”

The look on her mother’s face almost made the whole ordeal worthwhile.
Her mouth went wide in shock and she stumbled toward her guard. Tonn Dax and
Taspa Lor ran toward the doors in a
panic
,
and when the doors opened a faint, agonized scream reached them.

“Was that Vathral?” Nevir’s whole body jerked at the cry and then she was
gone from the room in a flash.

Before she could look to Drake, there was an anguished scream from
somewhere closer than Vathral.

“Vareen,” Cali choked back tears. There was no denying the pained cry had
been her friend.

“Diandra helped us pick who might best influence you. Vareen was an
obvious choice, but Vathral was a surprise.” Her mother waved her hand
dismissively. “If I couldn’t talk you into having the realignment, I was hoping
you would do it for your friends. Unfortunately, your father’s resistance group
got to Nellia before we could finish the procedure on her. I’ve increased
security since then”

“What have you done?” Mica’s vicious growl ricocheted around the room and
Cali grabbed her ears. They were ringing from the force.

The guards moved to protect Aicen Edal.

“Mica, no. Some of them are innocent.” Drake grabbed his friend in a bear
hug, “Cali, I can’t hold him for long.”

“If they are in this building, they are not innocent,” Mica seemed to be
swelling with rage with every breath. The ominous charge to the room grew with
every second that passed.

Jerking out of the chair Cali yelled at her mother, “Evacuate this
building.”

“Honestly Cali,” Her mother moved slightly to the side so Cali could see
her face. “There are guards stationed everywhere. Vareen is almost done with
her reassignment—”

The growling from Mica got louder and Cali yelled. “Shut up mother! If
you won’t call for an evacuation, order the guards to drop their weapons at
least.”

Her mother remained stubbornly silent. So Cali ran to the communication
panel and hoped it would activate for her. Talking into the receiver she
ordered, “This is Calinae Edal. All guards drop your weapons and evacuate the
building immediately. This is not a drill. I repeat this is not a drill, disarm
and evacuate.”

Before she could repeat her order, one of her mother’s guards rushed at
her to knock her away. When his arm swept back, Cali flinched. The blow never
landed. Drake swept over and took the hit against his side.

Another wrenching scream came from the hallway. “You had better hope we
do not meet again.
Maxon,
I need
you to send
reinforcements to this building.” Mica glared icily at her
mother and then disappeared in a flash of black.

 
“No…wait…”

It was too late, Mica was gone. Turning horror filled eyes to Drake she
gasped, “How many will come down?”

Drakes glowing eyes snapped from her mother to her, “All but
a minimal
crew will be left on both ships. At
least one-hundred will have transported to the ground.”

“You can’t have transported through the shields. This is all just for
show,” her mother denied what she’d already seen.

“The shields won’t matter mother.” Cali hadn’t seen one of the guards
moving toward her.

Drake was
suddenly
a flash of
purple and before any of the other guards could move, they were knocked out
cold on the floor. Her mother, finally realizing her predicament, frantically
called for a teleport. Finished with the male threat, Drake stopped behind her,
his stance protective.

“You can stop calling for help. Your communication system is being
blocked by
The Maxon
. The warship
escorted us from Titus under
cloak
in
order to defend
The Cali
if it became
necessary. They are monitoring us.” She felt terribly sad and tired all of a
sudden, “You aren’t going anywhere until Vareen, Vathral and anyone else you
are torturing here
is
rescued.”

“Actually, you are both going to
The
Cali
. Your mother into a holding cell, and you into safety. I can’t have
you in danger.”

When Cali went to look at him, he caressed her lovingly on the neck. “
Maxon
, transport now.”

“Drake, I love you, be
careful,
”
Cali yelled as he started to disappear. The last thing she saw was the faint
amusement in his face at her concern for his safety.
Damn arrogant man, one of the guards could get a lucky shot in,
she
thought

When she reappeared it was to see her mother in a holding cell, and Cali
was on the other side of the containment beam.

“I honestly don’t know what the fuss is about. Vathral and Vareen are
happy to have the realignment.”

“Do you even realize what is happening on Cestori? Do you even care that
one-hundred valkie warriors are going to demolish your Realignment Center? You
saw what Drake did to your guards, and he isn’t even enraged. Mica and Nevir
are, which the other members of the
clans
will pick up on! You are torturing two chosen mates and they will remove every
threat between them and their loved ones.”

“The defenses—”

“Will fall and you could’ve saved countless lives if you had acted when I
asked you to. I don’t know that the guards would have listened to me.” Cali
couldn’t stand her mother’s presence any longer, “Titus is allied with the
people of Atheon. You should have taken a chance and talked peacefully with me,
but i
nstead,
you went to your stand-by of
manipulation and bullying. Look what it’s gotten you mother! When you get back
to Cestori look around at the destruction there. It might not be today, or in a
month, or a year, or one-hundred years, but the people will get sick of you and
your laws. Change is inevitable.”

“I don’t think—” her mother scoffed and Cali saw red.

“I won’t be seeing you again Aicen.” Cali wanted her mother gone, but
wasn’t willing to let her loose on Cestori just yet. “Bridge. When it’s confirmed
that our people are
on board
, transport
Aicen Edal into what’s left of the Reassignment Center so she can appreciate
what her politics has wrought.”

“Copy that captain.”

Walking away from her mother, into the hallway she ignored her demands
for release. It wasn’t until she was in the lift to her private quarters that she
allowed the tears to flow down her cheeks. Her friend’s cries had been anguished
and heartbreaking. If she had a
special
ability like Mica or Nevir she’d have been in a fighting frenzy too. How many
others were being held against their will? Her father? Conndra and Markus? How
many people had her mother imprisoned because of her? The only consolation was
that Drake would find them.

When she arrived at her quarters Cali moved to stand by the
holo-window
, “Computer, display the planet we
are orbiting.” An image of Cestori came into view. “Bridge, notify me when
Chan’ Drake has called for a teleport.”

“Copy that captain.”

Now all she could do was wait.