Free Laser by Viola Grace Page A

shock, the single unwrapped eye opened at his voice. There was pain in that eye, but also clear thought.
    Kellner came up beside him. “One blink for yes, two for no.”
    The lid slowly closed and opened.
    Norz said, “Do you wish to leave as a Volunteer?”
    The lid slowly closed and opened.
    Norz leaned forward and whispered, “Do you know who did this?”
    She slowly closed her eye and opened it.
    To Norz’s amazement, Kellner recited the alphabet slowly and when he reached a letter she recognized, Lee would slowly blink. Kellner started again.
    When she had selected three letters, Kellner cursed. “Cory?”
    She blinked affirmative.
    “Did he know you would be there?”
    She blinked twice.
    The healer moved in and looked for a patch of exposed skin to press his hands to. Finally, he slid a hand under the sheets and pressed it against her back.
    Norz leaned in. “Do you give us permission to rebuild you by what means are most effective?”
    She blinked once.
    He smiled. “Then, dear Lee Kellner, welcome to the recruitment office of the Nyal Imperium, Guardian Division.”
    She closed her eye and relaxed into the touch of the healer. When she woke, she would be in the Imperium.
     
    * * * *
     
    The blast played in her mind as she woke. She put her hands up in front of her face and nothing happened. No blast. No hands.
    Adora Lee Kellner opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a medical facility; her body was no longer wracked with pain, but she wasn’t able to move. “What?”
    A man in a red tunic with bright blue-green skin and a wicked smile came forward. “Welcome to the land of the conscious, Lee Kellner.”
    “Where am I?” The last thing she remembered was seeing her father next to a man with silver skin and huge black eyes.
    “You are at the Guardian Research Station in the Nyal Imperium. We are building you a framework that will help you regenerate a close approximation of your original limbs.”
    “My limbs?”
    He got a sympathetic look to his strange features. “Your limbs were lost in an explosion, as was a good portion of your upper torso and one eye. We are rebuilding you with the intention of your skills being used as a Guardian or peacekeeper. You are going to be one of the most heavily armed beings in the Imperium.”
    She blinked. “I can feel my arms.”
    “We are in the process of grafting the bases to you. Once they have integrated with your nervous system, you will have the full range of movement you previously enjoyed.”
    She was feeling panic welling inside her. She fought to move limbs that weren’t there.
    “Breathe deep. Exhale. Breathe. Exhale.” He came and touched her neck.
    She relaxed and did as he suggested. When she finished her surge of panic, he touched her forehead, brushing at her hair. To her shock, she could see every pore in his palm and down to the microscopic level. “What is happening to my vision?”
    “Your eye was destroyed; we used available technology to rebuild it; we had to remove the other one to match your vision, but they have your original colour and responses.”
    She swallowed, and with effort, she managed to reset her eyes.
    “I understand that this will be difficult for you, Lee Kellner. We will have counsellors for you, and your father has a com unit. You may speak with him along sealed frequencies.”
    “My father knows where I am?”
    The doctor stroked her cheek. “He is the one who ran to the Recruiter and signed you over to the Imperium before your people unplugged you. He saved your life.”
    She smiled weakly. “That sounds like him. When can I speak with him?”
    “When we get your limbs working properly. You are in the harness right now, but we have to wait until the attachment and regeneration units are confirmed before we seal you up. You will have to return here every six months for adjustments to the limbs, but in four years, you will have a new set of arms and legs.”
    Lee had to ask. “How are you so good at