United: An Alienated Novel by Melissa Landers Read Free Book Online Page B

something didn’t add up. There was no reason to believe humans and L’eihrs would attack other worlds. And Zane had said the Aribol didn’t like to interfere. So why would they sit back for thousands of years of war and genocide on Earth and then step in now? There had to be a different reason, an ulterior motive for banning the alliance. “Maybe they’re the ones planning a takeover. Maybe they’re trying to weaken us for an invasion.”
    Alona remained silent for a while, both hands folded on her lap. “An interesting theory, though they didn’t ask for the surrender of our weaponry systems.”
    Devinder pointed out, “And we exaggerated our defenses to the mechanical probes by showing them multiple images of iphal cannons. The Aribol believe we’re heavily armed.”
    “My gut’s telling me something’s not right,” Cara insisted. “What do we know about the Aribol? Can we track Zane’s transmission to see where it came from?”
    “I already did.” Alona brought up a digital screen and swiped at the data with an index finger. “His signal originated from a galaxy our Voyagers discovered last year. We’ve yet to explore it.”
    Last year? Cara frowned. Wasn’t that when the probes had begun falling?
    “As for what we know,” interjected a male Elder seated to Alona’s right, “the Aribol are a mystery. One of our scholars, Larish, compiled ages of research and rumor to form his own theories about their kind, but they’re just that—theories.”
    Cara knew Larish. He was a middle-aged academic who specialized in humanities. She’d visited him months ago, when she’d first suspected that Jaxen and Aisly were part Aribol. According to Larish, the race predated every known life form in the universe, they possessed extreme psychic abilities, and they wielded technology advanced enough to blow her “Noven” mind. She’d always assumed the Aribol were a bunch of bored ancients who amused themselves by playing god.
    Looked like she was right.
    “We need more information,” she said.
    “Agreed.” Alona peered at her fellow Elders. “In addition to the transport, we have one Voyager ship the Aribol missed. It’s away on a mission. I’ll call it home and send it to investigate Zane’s location. To be safe, all humans will return to Earth at once.”
    Panic squeezed Cara’s windpipe. “All humans? Can’t some of us stay behind to help the Voyager crew?”
    Alona frowned. “Perhaps, but you won’t be among them. I need you on Earth to act on behalf of The Way.” As if reading Cara’s thoughts, she added, “You may bring Aelyx with you. If we’re forced to meet the Aribols’ demands, he can return to L’eihr before the deadline.”
    “Do you mind if I assemble a team to come with me?” Cara asked. “Including Larish? He can inspect the probes that were sent to Earth.”
    “You may,” Alona agreed. “If I require his input, I’ll confer with him remotely.”
    The meeting adjourned, and as soon as Cara’s com-sphere shut down, Aelyx rushed in from the bedroom and swept her into a hug that lifted her toes off the floor.
    “I won’t leave you,” he murmured in her ear. “No matter what happens.”
    She hugged him close and nodded into his shoulder, but deep down, she knew neither of them would risk the lives of billions in order to stay together.
    She didn’t want to think about that right now.
    “Let’s call an emergency meeting in the dining hall,” she said. One month was barely enough time for a L’eihr transport to make it to Earth and back. Every minute counted. “We need to be out of here before dawn.”

    Devinder relayed the news in his native language to the colonists, and those who didn’t speak L’eihr used translator earpieces to listen. When he was done, Cara stood up and added a few words of her own.
    “I know life here has been an adjustment, and we don’t always see eye-to-eye. But no matter how you feel about the colony, ending the alliance is bad for