Alliance of Serpents (24 page)

They conversed for a bit, discussing
everything from the possible uses of the implant technology to
Kitreena's potential as a Morpher. Damien seemed pretty optimistic
about her talents. He said she was something called an Elemental
Morpher which, according to him, was a rarity. Although he'd been
trying to help her harness her strength, he knew little about how
Morphers channeled their energy. And since she was a rare breed,
there were no others alive who could properly train her. Damien
admitted that it made him feel a little less guilty about taking
her from her homeland knowing that no one there could've taught her
anyway.

"I just couldn't leave her there," he said.
"When I found her in that alley, she was so scared, and she didn't
want to go home to any of her other relatives. She was terrified
that the Kyrosen were after her, and she didn't want them to kill
any other family members while trying to get to her. Reassurances
that something like that wouldn't happen proved useless. I was left
with the decision of either leaving her alone on the streets to
fend for herself or taking her with me when I left the planet. So I
offered to take care of her. It took some convincing, but she
agreed to it. Given her options, it made the most sense. And I'm
glad she agreed. I may never have a child of my own kind, but Kit
has been the best family I could've asked for."

He went on to thank Arus for urging Kitreena
to abandon her vengeful desires. She'd made no such commitment,
according to Damien, but she was quite taken with Arus, and he
believed it was more likely that she'd listen to him than anyone
else. "As much as I hate to say it, she has a stubborn way of
ignoring my advice the way most children shrug off their parents'
instructions," he said. "You've got a good head on your shoulders,
Arus. Don't let her discourage you. Keep trying; you may be the
only one who can pull her away from the dark path she treads."

Not that Arus had any intention of abandoning
his efforts, but hearing the encouragement and appreciation was
nice. Doc Nori shared Damien's feelings on the matter. Apparently,
Kitreena had told both extensively about that first night on the
Observation Deck. One afternoon, while allowing the doctor to
examine the implant before heading to dinner, Nori made mention of
the subject.

"I hear you and Kitreena have been spending
quite a bit of time together," he said, turning Arus' cheeks red.
They seemed to be doing that a lot as of late. "I'm sure I don't
need to warn you what you're getting yourself into, oh no!" He
shook with his usual jolly laugh and wiped perspiration that didn't
exist from his brow before going on. "I exaggerate, of course."

Lying on the examination table, Arus tried to
think of any topic of discussion that would embarrass him less.
Nori didn't give him a chance, though. He tinkered for a moment
with a pointed tool and a small magnifying glass, then shifted to
his tool cabinet and began rummaging through it. "To be frank, I
believe you're probably the best friend she could have right now,"
he said, speaking as though he were simply thinking aloud. "As
someone who's been through his own share of hardship and come out
on the other side of it all with a positive and optimistic outlook
on life, you could help dissuade her from what she has convinced
herself will give her some of closure to the pain of her past." He
finally drew a pointed gripping tool from his drawer and returned
his attention to the implant. "Besides, you two are cute together!"
That brought more eccentric laughter from the old man.

"I'm not going to push her," Arus told him.
"I can only tell her what I've learned and what I believe. It's up
to her to decide which path to take."

"That's all anyone can ask," Nori said with a
nod. "Now, let's see. I think if I remove this piece . . ."

Arus heard a snap, and the room began to
spin. Instinctively, he put his hands on his head and squeezed his
eye closed. "Ugh, what was that?"

"That was once of four electronic circuits
that allowed for the input of commands to be transferred to your
brain," Nori answered. "There are three others still in place. If I
remove them and solder off the connections, it should prevent
anyone from ever controlling you through the implant again."

"I'm dizzy," Arus groaned. "Are you sure it
was the right piece?"

"It will subside. Though it wasn't actively
controlling you, there was still a flow of data being transferred
though the piece I removed. The dizziness will stop once your brain
adjusts to handling the flows of information on its own."

The wooziness only got worse as Nori removed
the other circuits. For nearly an hour, he lay there moaning softly
as he fought the urge to empty his stomach over the side of the
table. But a little nausea was a small price to pay to prevent
himself from ever begin controlled again, even if Truce were to
capture him once more. Of course, Truce could likely remove the
"soldered" connections—Arus was going to have to ask what that word
meant—and replace them with new ones, but whatever stumbling blocks
could be placed in front of him were welcome. While Arus recovered,
Nori also mentioned that he had rewired the implant's sensors along
with the eye laser. Arus didn't want to use either, but Nori
programmed them to be dormant until activated by Arus himself. He
insisted that they could be valuable assets in keeping Truce at
bay, and while that was likely true, Arus had no intention of
resorting to them.

Through it all, he kept his training as his
first priority. Every time his body felt as though it could go no
further, he pushed harder. When his mind was exhausted from the
strain of concentration required both in dueling and in piloting a
starfighter, he deliberately added an hour onto his training
session. There was no telling how powerful his enemies were, and to
allow himself to limit his own abilities was akin to saying that no
one in the universe was stronger. That was untrue, he knew for
sure; only a fool thought otherwise. And even though he knew that
there would always be a greater foe out there regardless of how
much he honed his skills, it only drove him to work harder so that
he might one day be able to meet their challenge. He would never be
the best, but with the right amount of work, perhaps his abilities
could at least be . . . enough.

After all, if he couldn't even defeat
Vultrel, how could he expect to stand up to the villains of the
universe?

On the afternoon of the sixth day of travel,
Damien's communicator beeped while he was enjoying lunch with Arus
and Kitreena in the cafeteria. "Go ahead," he spoke into the little
silver device.

The voice of the helmsman, Jindar Tradek,
responded. "Sir, we have a problem. Approximately three minutes
ago, we received a distress call from Aeden Outpost Twelve. The
fleet is under attack."

Damien nearly dropped his fork. Arus stopped
short with a spoon of corn halfway to his mouth, and Kitreena was
already rising to her feet. "What? By who?"

"The Vezulian Armada, Sir. Kindel must've
issued orders to any Armada starships in neighboring systems to
gather together and launch an attack once he realized his own band
of ships wouldn't be able to catch up to us. Scans are picking up
at least four starcruisers, two battleships, and an assortment of
assault transports and starfighters."

Damien spared Kitreena a grim look. "The
sword has been drawn, then. This is nothing less than a declaration
of war."

"There's more, Sir," Tradek continued. "While
I was receiving the transmission from the outpost, our sensors
picked up two large ships obstructing our flight path. The
proximity alarm went off, and the safety protocols automatically
deactivated our engines. We've got two Vezulian cruisers sitting in
front of us, and the
Black Eagle
is quickly gaining."

He couldn't have given a worse report. Damien
was on his feet in an instant, wiping his mouth as he headed for
the door. He was flanked by Arus and Kitreena, fierce determination
mixing with uncertainty in their eyes. "I'm on my way to the
bridge. Perform evasive maneuvers immediately." He clicked a
smaller button on the top of his communicator to activate the
ship's intercom system. "Attention all crewmembers. This is Damien
speaking. The Vezulian Armada has launched an assault on Aeden
Outpost Twelve, and I have no doubt they are coming after us. I
want all certified starfighter pilots to their stations as soon as
possible. Be ready to launch when I give the word. Combat troops,
prepare to repel boarders. I expect you experienced fighters to
keep an eye on our rookies out there. Commander Naelas, please meet
me on the bridge on the double."

The corridors leading toward the lift had
never seemed so long. People were rushing up and down the halls in
an organized frenzy. Tension was thick in the air, especially
amongst the younger cadets that ran along with creases of worry
framing their inexperienced faces. Damien had long expected a war
with Kindel Thorus and his Armada, but he certainly did not welcome
it. Many lives would certainly be lost—
I wonder how many have
already died at Outpost Twelve?
—and if the Aeden Alliance
failed, then the Vezulian Armada would have gained one of the most
technologically advanced weapons in the history of the universe. It
could not be allowed, no matter what the cost. Some of the greatest
tragedies in history had begun with the creation of revolutionary
weaponry, yet the intelligent decision-making abilities of a living
species had never been combined with the precision and versatility
of machinery. The possibilities of such a concept were vast, and
the dangers more so.

To his right, Kitreena made her irritation
apparent, though Damien detected a hint of anxiousness lacing her
mood. Her hands flexed unconsciously as she marched beside him, and
narrow eyes combined with her tight lips creating an icy stare that
could've squelched the heat of the sun. If she'd had a tail, it
would've been lashing about like a steel whip. Damien was surprised
that she hadn't begun flipping her whip back and forth as she had a
habit of doing. In time, likely.

As for Arus, he seemed more uneasy than
anything else. No doubt the strain of the situation was wearing on
him; it couldn't be easy knowing that some of the most dangerous
men in the universe were pursuing him. Still, he walked with
purpose, giving no lead to either Damien or Kitreena. A brave
youth, that was for sure. Damien hadn't seen anyone with such
courage or drive since meeting Kitreena. He had unlimited potential
despite his age, and that had little to do with the implant.

Lieutenant Meni began speaking as soon as the
three exited the lift and stepped onto the bridge. "The
Black
Eagle
and her escorts are within visual range aft, Sir. They'll
enter attack range in approximately ten minutes."

Lieutenant Tears added her report nearly over
the tail end of Harold's. "I've alerted the Aeden fleet to our
position and situation. They're sending a cruiser and several
squadrons of fighters and assault transports to assist us while the
Outpost summons reinforcements."

The sight that greeted Damien through the
viewport was nothing short of terrifying. Not that he hadn't seen
worse over the course of his career, but no amount of experience
ever made it easier to stand up straight when confronted by hostile
forces, especially when those forces were under the command of
Kindel Thorus. The Vezulian starcruisers were positioned
head-to-head just in front of the
Refuge
, blocking the path
to the Aeden Outpost. "Hard to starboard," he ordered. "Get us
around them." They were quite majestic looking, plated with shining
titanium along their long t-shaped hulls with rounded off heads
where long panes of glass identified the bridge of each craft. The
bellies of the ships dropped down in a wide section where the
hangar doors stood open, ready to launch starfighters and
transports if necessary.

"They are matching our movements, Sir,"
Tradek warned. "We have no room to maneuver."

Damien racked his brain for options, but
feasible ideas were scarce. "Lieutenant Meni, how long until
assistance arrives?"

"At least twenty minutes," Harold reported.
"They're having some trouble breaking away from the battle."

"And the
Black Eagle
?"

The lieutenant's expression was bleak. "Seven
minutes."

The
Refuge
did not have nearly enough
starfighters to properly defend herself, not against two fully
armed starcruisers, the
Black Eagle
, and her escorts. That
left diplomacy as the sole remaining option. In any other
situation, that would've been Damien's first choice, but it was no
secret what the Armada was after, and no amount of negotiation
would make him hand Arus over to Kindel. It was unlikely that
Kindel could be convinced to abandon his pursuit of the implant,
either. "This is going to get messy," Damien muttered.

Kitreena leaned close to his side. "We've got
to secure Arus. We could put him in the security vault with a bunch
of troops or something."

"It's not going to stop Kindel from trying to
force his way onboard," he told her. "But if we launch fighters to
try to hold him back, they'll get slaughtered out there. I want to
minimize the loss of life, yet doing so would pretty much mean
inviting Kindel to come on over."

"He'll board us anyway," she said, folding
her arms across her chest. "He can teleport, remember?"

Damien looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"So what makes you think Arus will be any safer in the vault?"

Apparently, he'd spoken too loudly. Arus'
ears perked at the mention of his name. "What? What vault?"

Kitreena sighed as she turned toward him. "We
have a security vault in the center of the
Refuge
where
weapons and sensitive materials are stored. In the event that the
Refuge
was destroyed, this vault would remain intact to be
picked up by another Aeden ship later on. It would keep you safe
from Kindel so long as he doesn't think to look for you there."