Free Alliance of Serpents by Kevin Domenic

hall
outside the gym, he'd made seven new friends, each wanting him to
set aside time to either train or share lunch at the cafeteria. It
was strange for Arus, considering that Vultrel had always been the
popular one, but that wasn't to say that the experience was
unwelcome. Friends would certainly help him feel more comfortable
onboard the Refuge , especially if he was going to be staying
for a while. Though they'd admittedly been a bit wary of him at
first, these young men hadn't judged or ridiculed him for what he'd
done under Truce's influence, and instead accepted him as a fellow
soldier with open arms.
    He was still in such a state of shock when he
left that he didn't even notice Kitreena leaning against the wall
beside the door. "Hey," she said softly.
    The greeting startled him so that he nearly
jumped. "Oh, hello," he responded with a smile. "I'm sorry, I
didn't see you there."
    "I came to find you because I feel there are
a few things you should know," she said. Arus didn't like the sound
of her voice. "First off, Vultrel will be boarding a transport to
return to your planet later tonight. I know you don't believe your
people would receive you well, but I felt you should have the
opportunity to join him. Please understand that we don't want you
to put yourself in any situation where you wouldn't feel
comfortable. We will send you home if you wish, but you are more
than welcome to stay if that's what you'd rather do." Can't say
I'd blame you.
    Arus ignored the thought she attached to the
end of the sentence. More than likely she hadn't meant to. "I
appreciate the offer, but I cannot go home like this. If anything,
it could possibly be more dangerous for me there than it
would be here." He almost thought he saw her wince at the
statement, though her face was smooth again in an instant.
    "Well, that's the second thing I wanted to
talk to you about," she began as they headed down the corridor.
"We've just finished listening to a transmission between Sartan
Truce and Olock. It seems that Truce has worked out a deal with the
Vezulian Armada to form an alliance of sorts. They plan to come
after you."
    Arus did grimace then. He knew Truce would
want to recapture his prized invention, but he hadn't expected it
to be so soon. "What is the Vezulian Armada?"
    "There you are!" Damien's voice called down
the hall. He sped his walk to a brisk jog as he approached and
smiled at Arus. "I apologize; I had to go over a few things with
some of my men." He looked at Kitreena. "Have you informed him of
everything?"
    "I was about to explain what the Armada is,"
she said. "Or should I let you do it?"
    A silent exchange occurred between the two;
only a fool could've missed it. Kitreena widened her eyes at
Damien, who barely shook his head in response before turning his
attention back to Arus. For once, Kitreena's thoughts were silent
on the matter. "We should discuss this privately. Come, I have to
go to the library to pick up a few things."
    They led him to a sliding door that appeared
to lead into a closet. Damien and Kitreena stepped inside without a
second thought, and Arus had no choice but to follow. A series of
buttons lined the wall beside Damien, and once the doors were
closed, he pushed one marked "Sixteen." Arus felt a slight
vibration beneath his feet, and then the floor seemed to fall away
beneath him, though not fast enough for his feet to leave the
ground. His stomach sailed into his throat, and he looked at
Kitreena with wide eyes. Somehow, though he couldn't fathom how,
the room was going down.
    Kitreena found his reaction humorous, of
course. She giggled so softly to herself that, even amidst his
terror, he couldn't help but gaze at her beauty. She's so pretty
when she's not angry. I wish she'd show that side of herself more
often. Her smile was replaced by a brief glare as soon as the
thought rolled through his mind, and he quickly spoke up. "What is
this room? Are we moving?"
    Apparently, Damien hadn't even noticed