Cali & Drake (The Alliance Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

in her embarrassment.
    “We know what you meant,” Diandra laughed and the sound had all the
friends smiling.
    “The last communication from Conndra said your mother is getting desperate. Maybe she will be willing to talk since
so much time has passed.” Diandra turned the topic back around.
    “I don’t know.” Cali rubbed her head, loosening the tightness of the bun.
She hated having her hair up, it gave her a splitting headache. If not for
trying to keep a semblance of protocol on The Reliant , she would let everyone
wear their hair down.
    “We know Vathral is still trailing us, it’s only a matter of time before
we’re caught. Sending those probes gives us away, not to mention the trail we’re
leaving with the caterpillar drive.” Vareen added, “Even with the changes I’ve had
made, we’re still expelling used energy, and that can be tracked.”
    “We have to send the communication probe so we get information about home .” Cali ran a hand through her hair. “How
else would we have learned that my mother posted my betrothal announcement. As
soon as I return to Cestori, Vathral and I will have to go through with the
commitment ceremony.”
    Cali was adamant they would stay in contact with Conndra, another friend
from the Academy. Out of all of their group, Conndra was the only one who had
taken a life-partner. She and Markus had
performed the commitment ceremony before placement, and upon graduation, had submitted
their DNA for offspring consideration. This meant they weren’t allowed
placement on spacecraft and would be bound to Cestori. It was a sacrifice the
couple had been willing to make.
    The last Cali heard, their DNA hadn’t been selected. Genetic
compatibility was strictly enforced by the Science Sectorate . Every couple submitted their DNA when a life-partnership
agreement was entered into. If selected, you were allotted one offspring. No
exceptions were allowed, and gender selection of that offspring was strictly
prohibited. Cali knew that generations ago, gender selection was permitted but
the male population became so sparse because of this practice, it was quickly
banned.
    Cali sighed, Conndra would make a wonderful mother. It was too bad
genetic compatibility was more important than feelings or true desire for a
child.
    “We need to come up with a plan.” Vareen broke in again. “As I was
telling Cali, we are getting dangerously close to the edge of the Buffer Zone.”
    Cali took another sip of her drink. “Since Titus isn’t spacefaring it
should be the perfect hiding grounds.”
    “I still think it wise to alter course.” Vareen advised, “Perhaps pirates
and ships from Atheon have the same theory.”
    “We could alter course to head toward Cestori.” Diandra suggested, “That
way we will be in familiar territory
should we cross a ship from Atheon.”
    “Conndra would warn us if she’d heard they were in the Buffer Zone.” Cali
shrugged, “But I agree. Let’s skirt the Buffer Zone for a few more days along
Titus’ border, then veer toward Cestori. We can adjust for that heading once we
are through our maneuvers to lose Vathral,” Cali ordered her friend.
    “Captain, we’re picking up a distress beacon.” The young navigation officer’s
voice came over the loudspeaker.
    Cali hit her comm badge, “Do you
have a lock on the signal?” she asked when a connection was open.
    “ Yes, captain. We have the location
as 145.27 mark 8. The transmission is on all known frequencies.”
    Cali met her friend's troubled
eyes. “Computer privacy.” She called and knew the computer would mute their
conversation to the command deck. “That location is in the Buffer Zone straight
ahead. Do you think it’s a trap?” she asked her friends once she knew the
wouldn’t be overheard.
    Nobody wanted to say what they were all thinking.
    “Vathral could be getting creative and is trying to draw us in with a
fake distress call.” Cali had to say it, though she knew in her heart