The Android Chronicles Book One: The Android Defense by Marling Sloan Page A

stage where
he’s ready to interact.”
    Luke followed the four
designers down the hall until they came to a room with a visible
window in the wall. Through the window Luke could see a tall
android with a fierce-looking face and a military shaved head. He
wore head to toe camouflage and was standing next to two
technicians as they examined him closely with tools.
    Lina opened the door and
they went in.
    The android immediately
raised his head and looked directly at Luke. There was something in
his eyes other than the blank expressions of the other androids. It
was ferocity and cunning.
    “Luke, meet Captain Martin
Mercenare,” Lina said. “Mercenare for short.”
    Luke locked eyes with
Mercenare who eyed him coldly.
    “I can see that he is an
android,” he said. “But he’s not one of the Adventis
androids.”
    “No,” Lina said. “Luke was
built somewhere else.”
    “He’s here to take a look at
you, Martin,” Ledia said. “And the other Super Soldiers. We’re
trying to figure out how to make all of you capable of withstanding
an explosive attack, harsh weather, in short, how to make all of
you combat-ready.”
    “My soldiers are all ready
for combat,” Mercenare said. “We need no … outside
interference.”
    “The Super Soldiers were
programmed to be tough and hard,” Lina said in an undertone to
Luke. “We think it may have also affected their programming in
other ways. Especially Martin’s. It’s a good thing he’s programmed
to obey orders, otherwise we might all be in big
trouble.”
    Mercenare yanked his arm out
of the grasp of one of the technicians.
    “Why am I here? There’s no
reason for it,” he said. “All day long, prod and poke, that’s all
you humans do.”
    “He’s not combat ready,”
Luke said. “He needs an armored exterior. That would go a long way
towards his improvement.”
    Mercenare threw his head
back and laughed.
    “Aren’t you the smart
android! An armored exterior? Perhaps your head is in need of an
armored exterior, before I break it open and smash its contents on
the floor.”
    “Try it,” Luke said, with a
provoking smile.
    Mercenare tried to lunge at
him, but the technicians held him back.
    “Okay,” Ledia said. “Maybe
we should leave Martin alone to calm down for a few
minutes.”
    “I am calm,” Mercenare said.
He resumed his still, haughty posture, though his eyes flickered
threateningly. “What rank does this android hold? What gives him
the right to voice his opinion?”
    “He outranks you, Martin,”
Joe said. “You’d be better off restraining yourself when you’re
around him.”
    Mercenare looked furious but
he did not move.
    “But no Adventis android
outranks me,” he said quietly.
    “No, you’re top dog around
here,” one of the technicians said, in a bored voice.
    “So, an armored exterior,”
Lina said, making a note on her clipboard. “What else do you
suggest?”
    “If you cut him open,
perhaps I will have more suggestions,” Luke said.
    Captain Martin snarled
audibly.
    “Maybe I’ll just show you
his imaging readings,” Lina said. “They’re back in my office. Let’s
move on to the next task at hand.”

Chapter 18.
    Luke was slightly relieved
when he returned to his room after his time on the product
development floor was over and saw that Miranda was not there. He
immediately took off his shoes and stretched out on his four-poster
bed, the first time he had been able to make use of it.
    He closed his eyes and
accessed his communication console. He touched the inside of his
wrist and the hologram keyboard appeared above him. He began typing
a message.
    “Miss Miles.”
    He sent the
message.
    After a moment Mandelie’s
message came to him.
    “How are you doing,
Luke?”
    “Well enough, I guess. I’ve
just been helping Adventis improve their android technology. How
are you?” Luke said.
    “Okay,” Mandelie said.
“Trista, Jake, and I finally got into the lab. We went there
looking for clues to what might