Laguna Loire sat in his study, reading through a message he had received from one of the Anti-Adel Resistance members who worked on Dr Odine's staff.
"Chief,
Odine has recently begun researching a project involving Esthar's cyborg troopers. He plans to create a next-generation cyborg that will be the perfect assassin. So far he has only been given 'Lady' Adel's permission to develop a prototype. Although she has applied several conditions to his project, one of which is that the cyborg is to become her personal assassin, Odine has the final say in the design, and the staff that will work on it. I'm one of the staff he has employed to work on the programming for this new cyborg. I have an idea that I'd like your permission to try, but I want to discuss it with you in person. If you could send a message back via the same way you received this one, we can set up a meeting.
Sincerely,
Operative 47."
Laguna read the letter through again, before calling Kiros in to get a second opinion. Kiros read through the letter, and then turned to his boss.
"I'm intrigued as to what 47 has in mind. He's always been a good information source from O Lab. I think you should set up a meeting."
"I agree," Laguna said, "I'm interested in this new cyborg. Where would you suggest the meeting takes place?"
"I think the 'film set' would be good." Kiros replied, referring to Trabia Canyon where Laguna, Kiros and Ward had worked on a film set to earn some desperately needed cash to get them into Esthar, just over a year ago.
"Seems like a good place to meet. Very few people go to Trabia Canyon these days. Can we spare a car to get me there?"
"I'll have to check with Ward, since he handles our resources. I believe we can spare one. But, if not, the exercise would do you some good."
Kiros grinned as he said the last part, knowing Laguna would be offended.
"Hey! I'm in as good a shape as I was in the G-Army."
Kiros slipped out of the room, leaving Laguna to brood over his comment.
I don't need exercise. He thought, before starting to write a reply to Operative 47's message.
[Several days later]
Laguna and Kiros had returned from their meeting with Operative 47. His plan was to alter the programming of the cyborg so that it would, when one of several possible code words was spoken, only obey the Anti-Adel Resistance, and work as an anti Sorceress weapon to help kill Adel. It was risky, but the potential costs, in Kiros' opinion, were worth the risk. Having a powerful cyborg on their side would be a great asset to them. Operative 47 had also supplied them with a copy of the schematics that Dr Odine would be using for the new cyborg, as well as a copy of the file of the individual who was to undergo the alteration process into the new cyborg. Laguna turned to Kiros.
"Do you think 47's plan is a good one?"
Kiros was quiet for a minute.
"Yes, although it has risks."
"What plan doesn't?" Laguna countered, "I feel sorry for the young woman who is going to be the test subject though."
"You read her medical report though. With the strange illness she has, she'll be lucky to survive another year. With the mechanically augmented immune system the process will give her, she will be able to live without worrying about any illnesses."
"If it works," Laguna pointed out, "I don't know if it would be worth living at the cost of your humanity though, since she'll just become a drone for either Adel or us."
Neither occupant of the car said anything else for the rest of the drive back to the Resistance base. Once there, they informed a few other members of the possibility of gaining a new weapon for their war, Adel's personal assassin no less. The Resistance seemed keen on the idea. No one else had raised Laguna's concern about the way the cyborg would live: as a mindless drone. This concerned him quite a bit and he promised himself, once the war was over and Esthar was free, and if the cyborg survived, that he would do what he could to restore her humanity, and allow her to live as freely as possible.