Tron 2.22 –Grep.

The occasional sound of Datawraiths that Jet could hear were infrequent and far off, but each sound spiked his alertness to his surroundings. Jet could not afford to let himself become too complacent – he knew there would be some that were much closer, possibly even watching the group as they departed, that would be silent.

There were around twenty ICPs and ICP programs within the hastily assembled section that were carrying weapons and eight that were either unable to due to injuries or due to assisting those who were badly damaged.

Although, from external appearances, they appeared to be a solid group, to anyone with a triangulate function the truth would become evident that even the twenty armed ICPs were badly off and some would be taken down by a single attack.

Still, even at forty eight percent capacity, the Section Leader strode through the group like a true commander, never once letting it show that he was as low on energy and resources as the rest of his troop.

Satisfied that they were ready to move out, the Section Leader began giving commands.

“Red three through nine, take the point and move out.

“Recovery group, you’re out behind them with me.

“The rest of you need to keep a look out for Datawraiths coming in from behind.

“Once we move into the source channel, the only attacks will be from ahead or behind, but keep to the sides to avoid snipers overhead.

“Any questions?”

There were a few grumbles came back, but generally it was known that they needed to make this trip if no reinforcements were coming from the Kernel.

In response to the lack of enthusiasm in the implicit answer from the ICPs, the commander’s voice cut through the air with force this time.

“I said, User damn the lot of you, are there any questions?”

“No Sir,” came more than a dozen replies.

“Then move out, programs,” The Section commander ordered.

The point ICPs began to move first, as they had yet to spread out on leaving the system compound.

As the point group started to leave the base and the far forcewall came down, the Section leader moved over the Jade to speak to her, his tone instantly hushed and respectful.

“I’ve sent the strongest programs to the point to cover us from frontal attack, General.

“The programs bringing up the rear aren’t as strong, but they have the numbers to take a few losses.

“We’ll need to defend the programs with us if it comes down to it, since they can’t presently defend themselves.”

Jade considered this.

“We’ll need to keep our speed up, Section. There’s more going on here that just the Datawraiths.” Jade said.

“Ma’am?” questioned the Section leader.

Jade ignored the question. “And the base. I take it we can’t deplete the armory entirely. What are you doing to keep the Datawraiths from taking the position after we leave?”

“We’re setting the base to derez presently rather than just the weapons. I just hope we don’t get attacked as we leave, because there’s nothing to return to if we can’t get out,” said the Section leader.

Jet looked up and noticed the fine grid lines of the derez process already starting in action. At first, it seemed a little strange to derez their entire base, but then, Jade knew just how long they had before things went from bad to worse.

There was no need to keep it intact, or any of Sector 3 for that matter.

Mercury and Ma3a fell in with the wounded and were assisting them getting along, despite holding their own weapons, which made Jet feel a little better about Ma3a’s early attitude towards the damaged programs.

“Ma’am,” asked the Section leader again.

“Yes Section,” said Jade.

“You mentioned more than just the Datawraiths. Is there something I should know?” asked the commander.

Jade looked over at jet then. To the commander, it was merely a reference, but Jet could feel Jade’s implicit authority through the Sudo. He knew she was offering him a chance to brief the commander on what he wanted.

“You’ll need to speak to program Jet for further information, Section,” said Jade, “I’m going to check on the point detachment while you’re at it.”

Jade moved out off ahead as the last of the ICPs started to fall in behind, bringing up the rear of the group.

“So what’s this about?” asked the section commander to Jet, although he was back in his commanding voice once again.

“We’re looking for a lost program and, well, something encapsulated that it’s looking after.” Said Jet.

“Something encapsulated?” asked the Section. “Something like what?”

“Something you don’t need to know about,” said Jet.

“Well, now program, that’s where you’re mistaken, because if my programs are going to chase your encapsulated package around this system, instead of building a datahead at the pool, I want to know what we’re chasing.”

Jet considered this. He could drag Jade back to make this an order, or he could try and build a rapport with the ICP. All things considered, the ICP was really only being a good commander and despite the openly hostile attitude he gave out, Jet found it hard not to like him.

“Your permissions don’t cover the information I’m about to tell you,” said Jet in a hushed tone.

The Section commander understood and moved closed so that Jet could tell him without alerting the other programs.

“Section, we’re looking for a medical program and an encapsulated user.” Jet said.

The section commander stood straight at that as he absorbed the information, then bent back to Jet without giving any other indication of surprise or concern.

“What’s a user doing encapsulated in Sector three?” asked the Section leader. “I didn’t know users could be encapsulated.”

“Medical program,” said Jet. “But the rest is classified still and like I said you don’t have the permissions.”

Jet expected the Section Leader to query him more about it, but the next question told him that the Section leader wasn’t as stupid as his manner suggested.

“Program, I saw you derez a dimensioned bounded array with a touch and I also noticed you’re wearing a Sudo. What kind of program are you?” he asked quietly.

“That’s also above your permissioned level, Section, but I can tell you this.

“If we can’t locate that user in the next ten thousand cycles, there’s going to be a much bigger problem in this system than just the Datawraiths and it will make the whole Datawraith problem look like a compiler warning.” Explained Jet.

“Well, if you’re going to keep me on a need to know basis, program, please remember to let me know something when I need it,” said the Section leader.

“Will do, Section.” Said Jet.

The two walked side by side for a while as the Section leader frequently turned, and occasionally yelled orders to the programs bringing up the rear.

The sounds of Datawraiths were still ever present, but so far they had not attacked. The sounds alone were making the ICPs jump and each time a close sound came across, Jet saw then ICP attention increase as well.

“Do you know the General well?” asked the Section commander after a while.

“Jade?” questioned Jet.

“Well, I guess that answers that question,” said the Section.

“Not that well, but we’re informal,” said Jet.

“And Mercury?” asked the Section.

Jet looked back to her. She had her shoulder under an injured conscript’s arm, helping him along.

“We’re closer than just informal,” said Jet.

The Section seemed impressed with that.

“Programs like Mercury and the General, they’re pretty rare in these systems. It’s good for the morale, the ICPs seeing them work together like this. Most of the Section were disappointed when Mercury was UID’ed by the Kernel as a renegade. She was one of the best racers in this system.”

Jet smiled at the memory of the lightcycles.

“Ever race yourself, Sector?” asked Jet.

“Me? Sure, what ICP hasn’t, but I was never I the big races. Never got to race against the likes of Mercury.” He said. “Yourself?”

“I,” started Jet, remembering back to when he was placed on the game grid by the Kernel. “I did a little racing also. Nothing too much. Just some gridwork in Sector fourteen once.”

“Sector fourteeen?” asked the Section Leader. “The new game grids? That must have been some serious racing. They don’t send low-level applications such as myself to those grids. Did you ever race against Mercury?”

Jet noticed that even though the Section leader was carrying on a general conversation, he remained alert, weapon readied and seemed to keep an eye on every one of the programs under his command.

“I guess that’s where I met Mercury,” said Jet, being straight about it. “But I wasn’t the racer you think. I could hold my own for a while, but I’m not sure how I would have gone if I had to keep racing.”

“Don’t let him shy away from the truth, there Section,” called Mercury, who apparently wasn’t quite out of earshot. “He took out some of the best circuit racers during a tournament, before I accidently knocked over a tower.”

“Ahh,” said the Section Commander with a realization. “You’re that program. That was a long, long time ago, but I remember when Mercury stopped racing, one of the programs actually left the game grid entirely, shot straight up a toppled primitive if I recall.”

“How about you, Section. What’s your history then?” asked Jet.

The Section Leader rubbed his hand on his chin. “Not that much actually, about the most notable thing I ever did was assault with the Kernel on the corruption about the same time. Lost a lot of good routines that day, some good programs never came back from archive. I guess the Kernel needed a few new senior ICPs after that and so I got promoted to Sector Commander, although without the Kernel’s authorization at the moment, I’m just another Section Leader.”

“Sector Commander,” said Jet. “Hey, no kidding, that’s great. You’re just a few steps behind Jade then?”

The sector commander looked ahead to where Jade was now within the point group.

“Like the General? Not by a long shot. I don’t think I’d come close to her even in my dreams.” Said the ICP leader in a way that Jet could feel inside.

“She that good?” asked Jet.

“That good? She’s better. Heard she single handedly took a stand to defend the archive against the rebels recently, then negotiated a settlement that locked out both the rebels and the Kernel from the archives.

“By herself.

“And then she stood up to the Kernel on the strength of an honor agreement.

“And if that’s not enough, just look at her. She’s incredible. An ICP like me can only dream.”

Perhaps it was something in the Sudo that passed the feelings from the ICP back to her or just co-incidental timing, but it was that moment that Jade turned slightly and looked back at Jet. It was only a glance she gave Jet, but it was soft and warm, not at all like she was acting at the moment to the others around her.

The Section commander caught it.

“Well, I’ll be. The General’s sweet on you isn’t she?” he said.

Jet didn’t have a moment to respond before Mercury pushed the wounded ICP program she was helping over to Ma3a, and walked forward to join in the conversation.

“More like she doesn’t like me a lot,” said Mercury.

The Section leader picked up the tone and stepped aside. “Well, Jet, nice talking but I’ve got some routines to check, so keep your eyes open.”

It was at that moment, most of the way to the first pool, that the first Datawraith bolt struck, coming down hard into Jade’s upper back, directly between her shoulder blades and hitting her disc as she walked backwards, sighting up the canyon walls.

The force of the shot knocked her face forward onto the ground.

“Datawraith contact, front,” yelled and ICP and the sky crackled as the point ICPs began firing ahead to the end of the walkway. “Lay down suppression code”

The ICPs at the rear broke into two groups, half now walking backwards and at the edge of the group while the others rushed forward to protect the depleted programs in the middle of the group.

Mercury pushed Jet aside even as she got her own weapon up and brought it to bear on the foe.

From the ground, Jet noticed Jade get back up under her own power and move to the side of the canyon wall, away from any snipers at the end of the canyon.

It was as Jet was getting back up that he noticed one of the more wounded ICPs in the rear guard take a direct hit to the chest, directly into his armor.

Normally, an ICPs armor should have stopped the blow, but this drove him back and before he even began to topple, the ICP derezzed on the spot, his energy coalescing into a ball which rose slightly as it evaporated.

It highlighted to him just how vulnerable they were at the moment.

“Section,” yelled out Jet, shouldering his LOL, “It’s an attack from both ends. We need to break out to the pool or we’re going to fall.”

The Section Leader looked back to Jet and nodded. He was already moving forward to support the forward group.

“Be careful, programs, they’re cloaked,” warned the Section Leader to his men. The ICPs were firing back at where the shots seemed to come from, but weren’t getting anywhere against the invisible foe.

As Jet watched, a sudden burst of purple energy from several locations converged on an ICP, knocking him back twice and then derezzing him as he tried to get his shield back in place.

Jet sighted along the LOL ahead as Mercury watched his back and pulled up maximum zoom. Within the reticule, he noticed three shadowy figures from which much of the incoming energy rounds were originating.

Just like last time.

The LOL kicked hard into Jet’s shoulder as he fired, a single beam of information stabbing out into the target, catching the Datawraith directly in the face.

“Bullseye,” said Jet to himself.

The Datawraith cloak failed as the purple-clad assassin fell backward from the shot, derezzing as if flipped over backwards. Immediately, several other ICPs fired into the area and as a prankster bit exploded, one of the Datawraiths was drawn into the swirling void, also losing his cloaking as he fell.

“We just lost three more ICPs from the rear guard,” said Mercury, watching Jet’s rear and even shielding his body with hers, a living armor covering his back.

Ma3a was rushing ahead with wounded ICPs. “We need to get to the pool now, or this is over for us.” She said, realizing also what Jet had earlier.

Jet watched through the zoomed LOL again. At the edge of the path they were on, he could make out the slight shimmer of energy liquid cascading over square and triangular shaped primitives.

And also, out beyond the edge, Jet noticed another purple shimmer. The LOL kicked hard once again and Jet watched as a Datawraith temporarily decloaked with chest armor shattered, but it wasn’t a fatal shot and the Datawraith recloaked and disappeared to the side.

Another ICP fell in the forward guard as the Datawraiths pressed the attack against a damaged section.

“Damn this all, it’s taking too long. We don’t have time for a sustained battle,” yelled Jet, and suddenly he surged forward, leaving Mercury struggling to keep up and watch his back. Up ahead, Jade was sitting, back to the wall, behind a cube that was glowing with the energy of the purple fire it was dissipating.

“Jet get down,” screamed Jade from the front, but Jet was moving ahead with speed now, stopping once in a while to shoulder the LOL and let fire a burst of energy.

Another Datawraith span backwards as Jet’s headshot took it down to derez in an instant.

Jet pulled up alongside Jade with Mercury right behind and got his back to the wall. “Jade, why aren’t the ICPs engaging the Datawraiths out in the open?”

“We can’t see them,” said Jade.

“Can’t see them?” queried Jet.

“You mean you can see cloaked Datawraiths?” asked Mercury.

Jet noted a shimmer around a corner and instinctively fired, this time without aiming, at a wraith that was almost amongst a group of damaged forward scout ICPs. It went careening sideways before the headshot derezzed it.

“I guess he can see them,” said Jade. “Jet, can you clear us a path to the pool? Once in the pool, we might be able to hold our own.”

Jet nodded, checked his LOL and returned it to a primitive and slotted it into the side of his arm-armor.

“I’ll see what I can do,” yelled Jet, pulling the sequencer from his left elbow.

Mercury got up with Jet, watching his back as she armed the prankster bit launcher, running backwards behind him in case he missed any Datawraiths.

“Bring up several ICPs with LOLs,” Yelled Jet as he ran past the Section Leader, throwing his disk hard and taking a Datawraith’s feet out from under him, before the ICPs turned on the downed foe and finished the task.

“Fall in behind program Jet,” commanded the Section leader, and several ICPs moved out. One of the rising ICPs took a shot to the face and derezzed as it tried to stand.

Approaching the pool, Jet noted that there were several obstacles that would provide useful cover to the ICPs once they had taken the objective. Presently these same obstacles were being used by the Datawraiths for the same purpose however.

This meant that the combat was going to get close and personal.

It also held the advantage for Jet, since the Datawraiths wouldn’t have much time to respond either and certainly wouldn’t have as much advantage with the blasters which took time to cycle, even though up close a direct hit in a critical location with a blaster would pretty much kill Jet .

But Jet had hoped that the sudden charge would catch the Datawraiths out and fortunately, surprise was on his side.

Coming fast around the corner of a wider obstacle, Jet caught three Datawraiths who thought they were safe behind cover.

Driving his first sequenced disc through the midsection of the Datawraith facing him, Jet’s first opponent went down.

The second barely had time to twist before the next sequenced disk took out his chest as Jet retargeted, derezzing him in two.

The third heard the demise of the others, but never turned in time to see what hit him as the third sequenced disk almost decapitated him, leaving the body to collapse in a deresolution matrix that progressed from the head down.

All three discs continued on, heading out into nowhere, but Jet still had three more discs sequenced that he could yet use.

Curving around, the next Datawraith saw Jet coming and was able to bring his weapon around, but tracking a moving target was more difficult and the purple energy bolts that the Datawraith fired came in behind him, slamming into the space he had been in moments before.

Jet took the opportunity to take his time with this target and loosed off a disc on the sprint.

The disc caught the datawraith in the high chest, knocking him over in a somersault before his body hit the ground and slowly evaporated also with the deresolution process.

“I’m going to sprint for the pool, Mercury,” called Jet, still on the sprint, “Watch my back in case any drop from cover to target me before I’m there.”

Mercury started to say something when Jet leapt to the side, breaking cover once more, and pulled another sequenced disc before beginning his run for the pool. Mercury jumped out after him, but kept her pace a little slower to catch any Datawraiths that took advantage of Jet’s back during his dash.

Jet was still sprinting towards the pool, Mercury covering his back, when a Datawraith stepped out directly in front of him from one of the obstacles next to the energy pool edge.

Too close to throw a disk, Jet simply leaned forward and drove his forehead directly into the face of the surprised looking Datawraith, knocking him over forcefully, before struggling to keep his footing as he stumbled past the downed opponed.

Before the half-stunned Datawraith could respond, Jade moved in quickly behind Jet, and dropped a knee onto the purple assailant as she drove a baton into him, derezzing him moments later.

Unfortunately for Jet, the impact with the Datawraith left him scrambling to regain his own thoughts and despite his best efforts, he stumbled beyond recovery and fell hard into the liquid energy pool where it shallowed out.

Mercury quickly got to Jet as he lay face-down in the rippling liquid and lifted his face out far enough for him to breath.

Helpless to defend either of them as she held Jet up, Mercury was relieved to see four ICPs that had been following closely behind their charge make it to the pool and take up defensive positions around the two of them, the ICPs glowing as they absorbed energy from the natural source.

“Clear a path for the remaining ICPs to follow,” yelled Mercury, as she held Jet with both arms, trying to stop him dropping back into the liquid every time he rolled.

“That hurt,” Jet said, lifting his hand to his forehead which had taken the brunt of the collision.

Around them, purple energy bolts crackled as they slammed almost randomly into objects, although the ICPs were regenerating armor now and were able to take a few direct hits without going down.

Jade came running through the incoming fire and weaved her way between the ICPs surrounding Jet, dropping to her knees and helping Mercury lift him up.

“Is he alright?” asked Jade, concerned.

“His checksums appear consistent,” said Mercury, “But I think he took some damage when he collided with that last Datawraith.”

“I’ll be OK in a moment,” said Jet, who tried to lean forward but failed and fell back into the hold of the two women.

Ma3a came crashing in just moments later, still dragging two damaged ICPs, one over her shoulder.

“We’re going to need to pick up some of the survivors, Mercury.” She said.

Jade stood then, leaving Jet with Mercury. “She needs to stay with Jet,” said Jade. “I’ll come with you.”

The intensity of the fire that the ICPs were returning started to increase as the ICPs began to absorb more energy from the natural source and redirect it at their enemies.

“Keep up the cover fire, support the remaining ICPs as they come in,” shouted the Section Leader, bringing in more wounded.

Ma3a and Jade disappeared back towards the canyon they had come in through while the Section leader walked through the pool, giving orders and occasionally taking a shot with a LOL when another burst of purple energy seemed directed at them.

Walking over near jet, the lead ICP shook his head.

“User Damn stupid thing to do program, but I’m glad you did it,” he said.

The electronic firefight continued for several more minutes, but as it became apparent that the ICPs had dug in and could defend the position, the intensity of the firefight started to die out as the remaining Datawraiths withdrew from the area.

“They’re pulling back Section,” called an ICP, noting that they hadn’t been fired upon from one direction for a while.

Jet, his head still swimming, slowly hauled himself to his feet

Ma3a and Jade came rushing back as the Datawraith fire died down, hauling in with two more programs who had been hit and couldn’t move from the canyon, setting them down at the edge of the pool as they arrived.

After getting another ICP to hold one of his damaged squadmembers, Jade walked over to the Section leader.

“How many made it, Section,” she asked quietly.

“Fourteen Ma’am.” Responded the ICP, coming to attention, “But of those, we’ve all re-energised and reloaded weapons. We’re more than twice the unit we were by that basis.”

“I’m sorry for your losses,” said Jade, “But we have a bigger job to do right at the moment.”

The Section leader mate a gesture halfway between a shrug and a nod.

“I’m thinking the programs are in your debt either way, Ma’am. If you hadn’t led us from the base, we’d have slowly all failed and shut down. Truth is we needed that energy source and we’re lucky you came along to lead us to it.”

Jet had managed to stand up by now and slowly made his way over to Ma3a. He was having a little trouble balancing and several times slowed down to lean on Mercury to avoid tripping again.

“Are you alright,” he asked.

Ma3a floated before him as she always had, without any apparent damage.

“I took a few blasts, but I made it through and have recharged my circuits,” said Ma3a. “In any case, I think I’m doing a little better than you.”

Jet looked around at the remaining perimeter guards. Their numbers had been halved by the assault, many weaker ICPs falling to their first strike where they would normally have been able to weather it and continue on.

Other than the ICPs, there was no sign of any other programs at this source.

“I don’t think my user is here,” said Mercury, her comment echoing Jet’s thoughts.

“Then we’ll need to move to the other pool quickly,” said Ma3a. Jet looked around for Jade, then located her talking to the Section leader as they set up brief defensive positions.

“I’m wondering if we should leave her here to take care of the ICPs while we look for Alchemist?” commented Jet.

“Best Idea I’ve heard this cycle,” said Ma3a.

Mecury considered it for a moment. “The ICPs seem happy to help and I do believe your time is running out, Jet,” said Mercury. “You are going to need her help.”

Jet seemed surprised by the response.

“Time is running out for us programs also. If finding my user might help our world, then we need to ask her to help us also.” she added.

“You seem to have made your peace with Jade rather quickly,” commented Ma3a.

“Not at all, it’s just that our pipelines are aligned at present, so it makes sense to work together,” responded Mercury.

Behind her, the Section leader and Mercury walked over.

“Jet, the ICPs report no other programs active in this memory space.

“We can be ready to move out in five cycles to move to the other pool location if you need to search for your program there,”

“Otherwise, we need to find a way to evacuate the remaining ICPs for a reformat of this sectoryou’re your finished here,” said Jade.

Jet nodded, then rubbed his head like it still hurt. Pain was a lot more transient in this world than in the real world, Jet noted, but it still hurt just as much at first. He was starting to wonder just how virtual it was.

“Alright then, your suggestions for moving to the other end of this Sector Section?” asked Jet.

The Section leader accepted Jet’s implicit decision and proceeded with his plan.

“We’re going to send four point ICPs to scout ahead, four behind and that leaves six to cover the centre and flanks. We’ll move quickly unless we encounter fire. I would appreciate it if your party could remain with me at the centre so we don’t need to co-ordinate around you.” Said the Section leader.

Jet nodded.

“We’ll be spread out a lot more this time, so within the centre, I’d like Jade and an ICP on near point,

“Ma3a and an ICP at the rear and you can come with me,” said the Section leader.

“Then I can distribute two ICPs wide to cover our flanks and hopefully avoid any surprises since we’re covering open memory for much of this section, and there are levels beneath us.”

The Section leader waited for Jet to acknowledge then sounded out loud enough for the ICPs to hear.

“ICPs, we’re moving out. Translate to assigned positions and overclock it!” he yelled.

ICPs started walking in different directions that at first seemed random to Jet, however as they took position, the formation began to take a recognizable form.

The Section Leader checked everyone was in place, then moved over to Jet just after Jade moved out ahead of them.

Once underway, the Section leader began to speak to Jet again, although Jet noted he didn’t yell commands to his squad members this time – he just used hand signals and the outlying ICPs checked in with clock-like regularity.

“So why do you think the Datawraiths pulled out so soon, Jet,” asked the Section leader. “We had a solid position, but I’m guessing there were enough of them to overrun us.”

“What makes you think I’d have an idea about that?” asked Jet.

“Just a hunch. You seem a little different to most programs I’ve met. Most of ‘em I can figure out, except you look like a program and act like a program, except I’ve never seen a common program take on the Datawraiths like that before.” said the Section leader.

Jet nodded. “I don’t know why they left, but I have some idea why they wouldn’t want to keep a long engagement at the moment,” he said.

“So share it,” said the section leader, waving one of the flanks out further when they checked in.

Jet smiled at how efficiently the Section leader was able to multitask, keeping up a conversation with Jet and managing the section at the same time without missing a single hand signal.

Then Jet realized how deep the Section leaders planning went. All of the other programs that had accompanied Jet – even Jade – were well out of earshot.

The Section leader had planned this well. As long as everyone did their assigned task, he had Jet’s conversation all to himself.

“This system could be going down permanently maybe within fifty thousand cycles or so,” said Jet.

The Section leader went quiet for a moment, then spoke.

“Makes sense. The Kernel needs to recover these sector partitions somehow.” He finally said.

Jet tried to find the right words to explain the gravity of the situation.

“Not just these three sectors, Section, I mean the entire system. Everything you know. Gone.” said Jet, sorry immediately for how abruptly it had come out.

The Section leader thought about this for a moment.

“So what part do we play in this?” the Section leader asked. “Rumor says it’s a user lost in this sector we’re looking for.”

“Rumor being Jade?” asked Jet.

“The General can be a little vague at times,” said the Section leader. “But I’m thinking that we haven’t heard from the users for megacycles and now one gets lost in here and I get told the system is gonna hang? So I figure we might be one of the few front lines against whatever it is that’s threatening us.”

Jet considered this.

“Did Jade tell you why I’m here?” he asked.

“General said the Kernel made a deal with you, that you help this user get out of the system and he forgives you for something and you do something else for him, which I’m also guessing is why two ex-renegade applications like Mercury and Ma3a are suddenly not only on the loose, but working with the system policing routines.”

Jet nodded. “Close enough. What happened with Mercury and Ma3a anyway? Did you know what the revolution was about?”

The Section leader made a sound that could have been a chuckle. “Of course not. The Kernel would have my permission bits for register space if I questioned orders, but I do remember that the Kernel banned attempted communication with users and some programs didn’t get the broadcast. A few bits short of a subnet mask if you ask me,

“But some did get the broadcast and still refused to acknowledge it. It takes intestinal circuits to stand up to the Kernel like that, if you really believe you have to communicate with your user.

“Although in the end, the Kernel is still running this world and getting in his way is going to get you derezzed one way or another.”

Jet smiled.

“And it would have been simple if the programs didn’t have a champion like Mercury to rally behind. User help us if they didn’t see her as the new Tron.” The Section leader continued.

“So the programs who wanted to communicate with their users still went ahead and defied the Kernel then?” asked Jet.

“Where have you been for the past million cycles program? Head locked in an archive or something?” asked the Section leader.

“Something like that,” said Jet.

Then the Section leader suddenly crouched and dragged Jet’s forearm down to let him know something was up.

“Mute mode, program, the point ICPs just reported we’re encountering Datawraiths ahead, but they’re still withdrawing,” said the Section leader quietly to Jet.

Jet was impressed with the hand signals sending so much information. “How are we certain they’re withdrawing?”

“Because the scouts haven’t opened up on them, which would give our position away.

“So that means we’ve caught up with the Datawraiths that withdrew after the datafight at the first pool and it seems they’re heading in the same direction. They might have the same purpose. Might explain why they’re moving out.”

The Section leader waited for a time, then lifted Jet by the shoulder to let him know it was time to move on.

Moving out again, Jet came out into the open section, which must have been where they saw the Datawraiths moments earlier. The expanse was quite wide and had little cover, but it still gave Jet an idea just how close they were to their foe.

Most of the surface of the open section here was covered with channels, each of which led to multiple areas under the surface grid. He could see why it would be a bad place to be ambushed. Not only was there little cover on the surface, but there were plenty of hidden undersurface areas they could be attacked from.

“This is the regulator field,” said the Section leader as they moved across it. “Normally, we might move subsurface, but since time’s an issue, we’ll need to go straight across the top.”

“Usually off-limits to programs, but it’s a short cut for us. For the Datawraiths also.” Explained the Section leader, confirming Jet’s suspicions.

They were half way across when the Section leader pulled Jet down again, then shimmied into a slight depression. Jet looked ahead and noted that the signals were coming from the ICP with Jade this time, except that Jade wasn’t visible.

“Might be some Datawraiths waiting around to ambush us,” started the Section leader, when a scream went up that sounded like it came from where the ICP directly in front was.

“Jade,” said Jet, getting to his feet and racing across a short platform over a deep gouge to where the ICP was looking over the edge.

At the bottom, Jet saw a flash of green and scrambled down to drop onto a platform that was suspended over what appeared to be a thirty meter drop, but that was hidden from view by the surface plate previously.

Dropping down, ready to fight, Jet noticed the fight was already over, and Jade was fine.

She was standing over a prone purple program that appeared more like a normal program than the Datawraiths appeared, although by its color, it was definitely a Datawraith. Jade seemed to be examining it.

At her feet, the program was curled in a fetal-like ball, making crying and gagging sounds.

“What’s that,” asked Jet as he approached.

“Some type of Datawraith,” said Jade, holding out an unusual looking object to Jet with one hand. “It had this strange weapon in its hand which it was aiming at me as I came past.

“It was silent and he only got one shot off, but he missed.”

Jade handed the weapon to Jet, who immediately felt the code beneath it.

Lines of source and disassembled algorithm started to form in his mind.

The weapon was a memory encapsulation routine, with some smart code that could isolate an application running in memory space in real time and encapsulate and compress it into a small file, save register values, then tag the file for automatic transfer.

Other ICPs were starting to arrive when Jet walked around the front and saw a pudgy face with energy tears leaking from its eyes looking up at him as it remained doubled over.

“What are you doing here, program?” asked Jet.

The purple program looked around fearfully at all of the heavily armed ICPs that now surrounded it.

“I’m not meant to be here,” he said. “I’m just trying to get back to Sector one.”

One of the ICPs leveled a LOL at the program, who flinched, as best as he could while still curled in a ball.

“If it’s purple, then it’s time to derez it,” said the ICP.

“No,” said Jet, realizing it might have useful data. “Not yet.”

“Look,” said the pudgy purple program. “I’m going to go out on a limb here. I’m a user and I’m just trying to get back to Echelon. If you help me, I can probably repay the favor when I get back out.”

The comments brought a round of laughter from the ICPs standing around.

“No, Seriously,” said the purple program.

Jet watched the program carefully. His movements were strangely unco-ordinated and there was something about the way he was acting that made Jet wonder if he really did belong in this world.

Then Jet felt the code almost squirm within his hand once more as the final functionality revealed itself to him. The weapon this program had used had a de-encapsulate function as well – a two way routine.

The program looked close to tears now, but had managed to uncurl enough to roll to his knees and plead for his life.

The section leader stepped over to Jet as one of the ICPs put a blaster to the side of the purple programs head, eliciting a whining cry that almost made Jet want to tell the ICP to pull the trigger.

The Section leader moved up behind Jet and quietly spoke to him in a voice so low, only those directly next to him could hear.

“Is this a user? The one you were looking for?” he asked quietly.

Jet shook his head.

“Not likely, but there’s something about this program. I want to keep him rezzed.” He said quietly, although it was unlikely the program could understand what was being said, being that it seemed barely aware of anything other than the LOLs pointed at it.

There was something different about this program though, and Jet wondered if it could be a user, although how he would have gotten into the system with the lasers down was a mystery if that really was the case.

It seemed unlikely that he had been in here since the last time the lasers were fully operational – since the weapon he had seemed strange and had a recent build date, and Jet believed the Lasers would have been mostly inoperative for some time without his father’s knowledge to the contrary.

Although the ICPs were getting ready to derez the interloper, Jet trusted that they would not act without the Section leader’s command. At least he hoped that was the case.

“What do you want to do with him, Program Jet,” spoke the Section leader, identifying to the ICPs that they should follow Jet’s instructions.

Jet couldn’t let this program run loose, given that it was still a Datawraith, evident by the color. On the other hand, taking him with them could be a tactical error if they encountered a force of Datawraiths.

Searching for a solution, Jet looked down at the weapon in his hand.

“Hold him up,” said Jet, lifting the weapon that Jade had taken off the purple program and pointing it back at him.

The interloper’s eyes went wide in terror as Jade stepped forward and started to lift him, although he stood , trying to back away as they came towards him.

“Please, no, please, please,” he pleaded. “You don’t know how that thing works.”

Jet smiled. “Encapsulation tool, right?”

The program seemed confused. “How did you know?”

“Step away, Jade,” said Jet and Jade stepped back, although the program realised at this point he was about to be encapsulated and turned, bolting between the parting ICPs.

So quickly did he run as Jet figured out how to activate the weapon that he almost made it to cover.

Almost.

Jet fired the weapon and a wireframe sphere shot out of the barrel, encapsulating the purple form as he ran, shrinking rapidly as it struck, enveloping him.

A small ball around four inches in diameter dropped to the floor and rolled unsteadily then stopped, it’s surface changing from grid to a more rendered appearance.

Jade walked over to where it fell and nudged the ball gently with her toe, causing it to roll a little further before she stopped it again with her foot.

“That was unexpected,” she said, looking back at Jet. “Did it derez him?”

“Not at all,” said Jet. “Just encapsulation, similar I imagine to what Melanie is under, but different technology. Much more compressed, although I hope for him a lossless compression.”

“Who was he?” asked Mercury.

“I’m not sure,” said Jet, “But something tells me we don’t want to derez him, not just yet.”

Jade bent down and picked up the ball. “Do you want me to bring this along?” she asked.

Jet thought about it for a moment. “That would be helpful,” he said, then handed over the weapon to Jade.

“I’ve set it for de-encapsulate. You don’t need to pull the trigger to release him, just hit the button on the side and roll the ball away from yourself. It has a quarter cycle delay before de-encapsulation.

“What is this weapon used for?” asked Jade, taking it from Jet.

“I’m not sure, but it looks like the code was intended for apprehending programs and storing them, with or without their consent,” Jet explained.

“Hmmm,” said Jade. “I bet the Kernel would like to have a look at the source.”

“You can read the code in this?” asked the Section leader, pointing to the ball in Jade’s hand. “What kind of program can read the underlying code of things?”

“The kind that had special clearance from the Kernel,” Jade interjected on his behalf, and the Section leader shrugged as if it didn’t matter – not anymore to him anyway.

“Let’s get back on track, Programs,” said the Section leader to the ICPs milling about, wondering just what had happened to the purple program. The effect of the strange weapon had shocked them all into silence.

“Sir,” came a reply and they moved back to a ramp to get back to the top of the field.

As Jet came out, he noted that the outlying ICPs had established a perimeter more than a hundred meters out and were starting to resume formation.

As they moved on, the Section leader resumed his conversation with Jet.

“If you don’t mind, program, and please tell me if I’m out of order on this, but was that a user?”

“If it was, then it’s not the user we’re looking for,” said Jet.

“So it might have been a user then?” said the Section leader, leading Jet surprised at just how efficient the lead ICPs interrogation method was.

“I’m not sure, Section, but it wasn’t any kind of program I’ve encountered before although it was definitely Datawraith.” Jet answered honestly, if somewhat evasively.

“You seem to know more than just what’s going on around here,” said the Section leader.

“A little like I-no,” said Jet, referring to an old program he remembered from his last visit.

“No, not like I-no at all,” said the Section leader, then he hit Jet with a blunt question.

“Are you a user?” he asked.

Jet was stunned by the way in which the section leader asked the question. On the outside, he was just another ICP soldier – walking in formation, holding his weapon, scanning the environment around him for danger, commanding a group of other ICPs and talking as he went.

Jet avoided the answer.

“What makes you ask that?” asked Jet.

“Because, according to you and one very senior task, we’re in the end-cycles. Something bad has happened in this sector and we’ve lost sectors one and two completely now.

“The Kernel would have been here long ago, but we get sent General Syslog, two former rogue programs and an enigmatic program that even the General seems to defer to.

Then the Section leader looked directly at Jet.

“And I’ve seen her stand up to the Kernel once, so I know she’s no pushover.

“That means that you hold more authority here than even the Kernel, you have to be a user, right?”

Jet smiled. “I think you’ve made a few assumption errors in your logic, Section,” he said.

“I’m listening,” said the section commander.

“Firstly, we didn’t come here to rescue you or this sector – that’s just how it played out. We’re here looking for a user who managed to get trapped in this sector.”

The Section leader absorbed this and nodded once. “OK, that makes sense.”

“And we came here in a small group because the Kernel can’t send a transport here anymore due to the sector port being damaged.” added Jet.

The Section leader digested this also.

“It still doesn’t change some facts,” said the section leader.

“Such as,” asked Jet.

“Such as how you can read code,” said the Section leader.

“I-no reads code, so I know some other programs can read code,” said Jet.

The Section leader chuckled slightly at this.

“I-no reads comments in code,” the Section leader said. “And source code at that. You just read the code in that weapon without disassembling it. That’s something completely different.”

Jet winced. He hadn’t considered that. It was going to be difficult to explain this away without lying.

“Section, tell you what. You help me rescue the trapped user and I’ll tell you what kind of a program I am, but its classified root only, so you’re going to need to keep it to yourself.” Jet offered.

The Section leader made a face then something that could have passed for a smile. “Agreed then. I accept your expanded statement.”

The Section leader was a little quieter after that, and they had almost reached the next pool location when the forward scouts assumed a defensive stance, then one started back towards the main group at a crouch.

The moving ICP kept low and slow for a while, then opened up into a full run as he came back to the Section. Whatever the reason, he apparently couldn’t communicate it by hand signals.

“What is it three” asked the Section leader.

“Sir, Datawraiths ahead, they seemed to be already engaged with another foe,” the ICP reported.

The Section leader considered this for a moment.

“Were there any unaccounted for ICPs that might be here?” asked the Section leader.

“No sir, I mean, it’s possible but we don’t know of any,” the ICP responded.

“Perhaps we should find out what’s going on?” said Jet.

The Section leader made a sign to the other ICPs and they sent Ma3a, Jade and Mercury back in.

“General syslog,” said the section command. “Program Jet would like to reconnoitre the objective, which is presently being attacked.”

“Then I suggest we go take a look,” Jade said.

Jade turned to Jet momentarily. “Jet, I’ll check what’s going on before we head there,” and she followed the ICP back to the forward scout position.

After a brief conversation with the scouts which was as much hand signal as verbal from appearance, Jade came back.

“Section, hold this position for two thousand cycles and if we’re not back, then come and find us.” She said, then beckoned Jet, Jade and Ma3a to follow.

Jet moved to the side for some distance away from the Section then moved to the edge of the field, and disappeared over the edge of some kind of ledge that wasn’t initially visible to Jet. As he got closer, it seemed she was shimmying down a steep ramp.

Jade slipped down to the base, looked around then beckoned the others before moving to cover behind a building, waiting for the others to catch up.

“There was some brief fire earlier, and a Datawraith was taken down, just over there,” said Jade pointing past the building they were sheltering behind.

“By an ICP?” asked Jet.

“No, someone else. They reported a blue disk taking down a datawraith,” Jade corrected.

“Could be a friend. How far is the pool from here?” asked Mercury.

“Just a little past where the Datawraith was taken down, so whoever is there is using it strategically.” Jade said.

“But we have no idea if their friendly do we?” pointed out Ma3a.

“No,” said Jade, “So potentially, we have two enemies in this area. Even if they’re not directly hostile towards us, they might attack us still and if they’re holding out against the Datawraiths, we can expect a significant force.”

“Let’s approach cautiously then and try to determine who is fighting the Datawraiths before we encounter any Datawraiths ourselves.” Said Mercury.

“The foe of my enemy is my ally you think?” asked Jet.

Jade seemed confused, then smiled. “A user saying?” she guessed.

“Yeah,” said Jet, a little disappointed that they often didn’t get it.

Mercury led the contingent around the pool carefully, attempting to work her way in slowly, behind cover, while staying to high ground.

As they approached a drop just above the pool, Jet could make out the sounds of fighting down below – although it wasn’t consistent, but was interspersed with silence.

“I’ll take a look at what’s going on,” said Jet impatiently.

Jet crawled to the edge of the drop and poked his LOL over and took a look below through the zoomed scope.

At first, Jet noted that the size of this pool was smaller than the one they had come from. There was no lack of energy within it, but its dimensions would have been only about the size of a public wading pool and there wasn’t a lot of cover around it.

To one side, two glowing shells with hexagonal markings pulsed slowly, one more brightly than the other, but around the pool, there was no sign of any other programs or applications.

Jet continued to scan and saw a brief shimmer in the distance of a cloaked form moving stealthily.

“I can see some Datawraiths, but no sign of any programs. What the ICPs witnessed may have been the end of a battle,” he said quietly.

“Don’t open fire then,” said Jade, “If they don’t know we’re here, we can take the tactical advantage later.”

Jet continued to watch as several more shimmers appeared, then four Datawraiths fully decloaked near the pool, and approached the shells situated near the edge.

One walked out to it and was just about to touch it when out of nowhere, a blue disk streaked in and ran through the Datawraith, derezzing it on the spot.

Two of the remaining others dropped into defensive crouches while the third stood and began to cloak, which turned out to be a mistake as the disk returned and was quickly thrown back derezzing the now partially cloaked Datawraith before it could complete the task.

Another blue streak presented itself, although this time it was in the shape of a beautiful female program that resembled Mercury, except with longer hair and a slightly difference face.

“Wait, I can see a program down there, it broke cover when the Datawraiths came out of cloak,” said Jet.

Through the scope, Jet watched her sprint forward with incredible speed and drive a rod primitive directly through the chest of one of the crouching Datawraiths as it stood, then proceeded to strike the remaining Datawraith.

As fast as the blue program was, the Datawraith seemed to have an edge over it with speed and now without the element of suprise, the Datawraith moved out of the striking arc and stepped back even as the blue program stumbled forward.

The Datawraith began to circle slowly, his energy claw ready to strike, not using blasters at this range. Likewise, the program extended the rod primitive to a staff and began to circle.

Then the Datawraith made a direct punch which should have connected with the programs face, drawing it’s power out through the energy claw and eliminating it, but the program managed to duck and swung the staff, at first only knocking the Datawraith away, but then further pressing the advantage swung the staff out overhead, extending it as it came down hard hitting the Datawraith in the head.

The purple horror simply ceased as its own program derezzed.

Down below, through the scope, Jet watched at maximum zoon as the program looked quickly around for any other threats and then reduced the staff back to a rod primitive the size of a baton again and moved behind cover.

“Clever girl,” said Jet. “The program down there is hiding until the Datawraiths decloak, then attacking. I wonder how long that has been going on before we came.”

Then as Jet continued to watch, wondering why one of the Datawraiths hadn’t just remained cloaked and hidden, Jet saw the purple shimmer that indicated a cloaked Datawraith had indeed done that and he was located just behind the girl, silently approaching still in cloak.

“Oh hell,” Jet whispered to himself as much as the others. “There’s one more Datawraith and it’s right behind her, cloaked.”

“Hold your fire Jet,” warned Jade, realising what was likely to happen. “We can’t give our position away.”

Down below, the program was still looking in the wrong direction while the Datawraith closed to within claw effective distance and slowly extended out the claw towards the girl’s back. She put her baton away and couched further oblivious to the danger.

Something deep within Jet at that point lost track of his mission objective and he lined up the LOL with the still-cloaked Datawraith’s head. The Datawraith moved one step closer and the claw came up to strike.

Jet’s finger tightened.

Down below, the blue program registered a beam of energy lancing out just behind her and she turned just in time to see the derezzing form of a Datawraith that was about to delete her permanently.

The blue program pulled the disc from her back and immediately took aim at the overhang Jet was on, looking straight back up at Jet through the LOL scope, as if she was looking directly into his eyes.

Then she dropped to the side behind cover and out of sight once more.

Jet looked around for a moment longer, then realised the blue program wasn’t about to break cover again and knew where he was.

Pulling the LOL back, Jet crawled back to the others.

“Jade’s interpretation of the situation was correct, Jet. You shouldn’t have fired.” Said Ma3a. “A LOL beam like that would be visible to any Datawraiths in the area that were looking at the time.”

“Something about that program, I needed to save her,” said Jet expecting Jade or Mercury to berate him.

Neither Jade nor Mercury said anything, then Jade responded.

“I’ll head back and get the Section to move in. Any other Datawraiths down there will need to be removed. Keep to cover while I’m gone.” Then she moved off in the direction from which they’d come.

“The section will eliminate any threats,” said Mercury. “Do you think that program you saw was a threat?”

Jet thought about it. She had probably seen him.

Although a disc was no match for a LOL at that range, she could still have thrown it before she went to cover, or taken the opportunity to throw from behind cover.

“I think she may be on our side, and may be in need of our help.” said Jet.

“Then we should get down there and try to talk to her before the Section ICPs come in, because negotiation isn’t their strongest attribute,” said Mercury and she also moved towards the nearest down-slope.

Ma3a who had been hanging back – unable to crouch much when she floated around anyway, moved to follow her as Jet put the LOL away and took off after the other two.

After dropping from a slight ledge, Jet lost track of Ma3a and Mercury, so continued on down towards the pool.

He was just stepping out from behind a block when he saw the blue blur of a disc coming directly at him.

Jet fumbled for the disc on his arm, realising it was futile to attempt to block when the disc was so close, but his mind refused to simply accept defeat and he could feel his own fingers closing around his own disc even as his mind counted down the microcycles until it drove home into him.

In his mind, Jet’s world started to slow down.

Ahead the spinning disc moving directly at him and just beyond, the blue program that he had saved earlier now aiming to derez him was clearly visible.

Then a second blue flash appeared as a disc attached to a hand moved out of cover ahead of him, intercepting the first disc and knocking it away. Jet’s perception of time returned to normal as Mercury stepped out before him and interceded in his fate.

Although knocked to the side, the original throw was slowly curving around back at Jet and as it did, Jet completed removing his disk and knocked the other disc back out, blocking the throw with his own disc.

Holding his disc out, the flash of impact was significant and Jet felt his elbows buckle under the force as he deflected his opponents disc away.

Both Jet and Mercury assumed defensive positions as the disc returned to the blue program, who still remained out in the open herself and assumed a defensive position herself.

Then a voice called out across the area before the pool.

“Programs, you may not approach the pool. Leave now and I will allow you to leave without attack, however stay and I will derez you. There will be no warning following this one.” It said.

Jet got a good look at the program that had attacked them now.

She looked very much like Mercury, but with longer hair. Her face was set with the determination of someone who had been battling Datawraiths for some time and was hardened with a resolve that could come only from combat.

But through the expression, Jet saw someone he knew –and a single word came quietly whispered out of his mouth.

“Alison”

Next: Chapter 2.23 – Paging