Alliance of Serpents by Kevin Domenic Read Free Book Online Page B

restore your vision in that cybernetic eye, along with some
of the programming Truce put in to enhance your abilities."
    "No." Arus' voice was quiet, but firm. "No
programming. Just me, and that's all."
    "I understand your feelings," Damien said,
"and Doc Nori will not do anything without your consent. But I
think you should at least consider the possibilities. If we could
reactivate your scanners, you'd be able to know exactly where every
enemy stands around you on the battlefield. If we enabled the
various battle programming, you'd have a ton of skills at your
disposal that normally would require years of training to
perfect—"
    "No!" Arus shouted, slamming his fists on the
table. "I will not allow this bloody thing to control me any
more than I have to in order to survive. I'll allow the doctor to
reactivate my vision if he can, but I won't be programmed for anything!"
    Kitreena held up an open hand. "It's all
right, Arus. We aren't going to force you into anything you're
uncomfortable with. I promise that."
    Damien shifted to his other side. "My
apologies. Please, do not think that we would ever consider trying
to make you do anything that makes you uncomfortable. We're here to
help, and whatever you'd like us to do for you, we'll make our best
effort."
    Arus wiped a tear from his human eye. "Thank
you," he said. "I don't mean to be touchy about it; I just don't
want to give the implant any more control over me than I have
to."
    "I completely understand." Damien patted his
shoulder. "I'm sure Doc Nori will not argue, either. But his
research will completely revolve around your—"
    The overhead speaker crackled a moment before
the voice of Sergeant Lueille spoke. She monitored the
communications systems, and her recent breakthroughs over the past
several months had most certainly secured her a promotion at the
next round of soldier reviews. "Damien, we have something down here
you're going to want to hear." Kitreena knew what that meant.
Another intercepted transmission, and likely another bonus in the
Sergeant's pocket. "I recommend you bring Kitreena and Commander
Naelas."
    "Understood," Damien nodded. "Should I be
excited?"
    "Not this time. Transmission is forthcoming,
but regardless of what it says, we've got trouble on our
hands."
    "Understood." He looked at Kitreena and
rolled his eyes. "I suppose Truce had no reason to alter his
security encryptions since our plan for the castle failed."
    Kitreena gave Arus one last pat on the
shoulder and stood. "We're probably better off that way, if this
transmission is bringing us more trouble. At least we'll have some
warning."
    Arus looked up at the two of them as Damien's
statement apparently registered. "Failed? Your plan failed? Wait,
what was your plan then? You rescued me and Vultrel and stopped
Truce—You did stop Truce, didn't you?—so what part of it
failed?"
    "Well, our original plan did not include
Kitreena's transformation," Damien laughed as he spoke. "Using the
schematics of the implant that Sergeant Lueille intercepted, we
came up with a plan to use a portable terminal to emit a
combination of electronic pulses which, in theory, would've
disabled the implant's balance-control mechanism."
    Arus looked at Kitreena. "You . . .
what?"
    She smiled back at him. "We had planned to
make you so dizzy that the only thing you'd have been able to do
was fall down and possibly vomit a few times."
    "At which point we would've dealt with Truce
ourselves," Damien added. "But when Kitreena transformed, the
resulting explosion she unleashed knocked nearly everyone out cold.
I was one of the few to stay conscious, along with Truce and a few
of his men. He immediately fled the castle once he saw you were
down."
    "I'm lucky he was conscious enough to catch
me," Kitreena motioned toward Damien, "or else I would've landed
right on my head and split my skull."
    "And what happened to Truce?" Arus asked.
    "He disappeared into the forest," Damien
replied. "We would've pursued him, but