Tron 2.45 – Short Circuit

Jet opened his mind and pushed his way into the code that made up the wall of the building that his friends would be located in.

The transition felt rough and as the code came into Jet’s mind, it wasn’t clear, just as when Melanie had shown him.

Fragments started to clear as he concentrated on them, but before long they slipped away and were lost to him as if he was in a dream where the information just wouldn’t stay in his mind.

He pulled his hand back and looked at his friends. While he had been inside the code of the wall, Melanie had built a room around them.

“You were gone a while,” Simon said. “What did you find.”

“Nothing,” said Jet. He didn’t mention it had seemed like moments to him. “How long was I under?”

“Around fifteen cycles,” said Mercury.

Jet turned to Melanie.

“Melanie, can you enter this code?” Jet asked.

Melanie looked forward at the wall, then placed her hand on it. She closed her eyes for a moment, perhaps a few seconds subjective time, then opened it.

“I can’t see any way through here, Jet.” She said.

Simon looked to Jet, as if waiting for extra instructions when Melanie added “But there does appear to be an access corridor that leads into that building over there.”

“Uh, that’s not a building we want to enter,” Simon said.

“Why is that?” Jet asked.

“Datawraith central.” Said Simon.

“So we can hide ourselves in these boxes Melanie makes like we’ve done on the way here,” Jet said.

“You think you might notice a new wall in your house, because I’m pretty certain I would and that’s familiar territory in there.” Simon pointed out.

Melanie looked to Jet.

“It’s worth a try. Worst case, we end up caught.” Jet said.

“And I go to prison for life,” said Simon, “Which is a heck of a lot longer in here.”

“Simon,” pleaded Melanie, and Simon snorted.

“I take it that means yes,” Melanie said.

Again Melanie had shown the influence she held over Simon. That was something he really wanted to ask her about later.

Melanie derezzed their present cover and Simon led them out into the main corridor, then down a ramp.

“This is one of the power regulators,” Simon said as they moved into an area that seemed to contain many machines.

“I thought this part of Echelon was virtual,” Jet said.

“It is, and this is a virtual power regulator,” Simon said. “If we were in the main system, we wouldn’t be able to come this way. It’s here just to fool the operating system into thinking it’s real.”

“It looks real enough,” Jet noted.

“Yeah, it does, well can you keep an eye out here while we get somewhere safe. It’s pretty open in here in places.”

The rest of the team moved out ahead as Jet moved into the shadows. A movement the way they had come from caught his attention for a moment, but nothing came out of it.

He waited a moment to be sure then moved out into the mostly open corridors and walked backwards, looking for anyone that might notice them, keeping as low and close to the machines as possible.

Jet followed in the direction the others had gone but after walking what would have been a hundred meters in the real world, he was stopped by a wall.

“Damn, I’ve taken a wrong turn,” Jet said. They were too close to the Datawraith base to start calling out now. Jet doubled back.

There didn’t seem to be too many other paths around here, so Jet wasn’t sure how he lost the others. He walked between what looked like it could be giant electrodes in the real world then backed into a cavity abruptly to avoid being seen as a purple suit came around the corner.

Jet held his breath for a moment and fingered the edge of his disc. Simon said they didn’t work against the Datawraiths, but if the purple program spotted him, he was certainly going to try it.

“Be quiet and don’t move,” Jet heard Melanie whisper from behind him somewhere. The sound startled him and he nearly jumped out into the corridor before he recognized the voice. He looked around, but there was no one there.

The purple suited figure started coming closer and Jet detached the disc from his arm. He was about to jump out and take the figure down when a hand snaked around his waist and one around his mouth.

“Shhh” said Melanie, whispering directly into his ear.

Jet turned and looked into the cavity he had backed into. There didn’t seem anyway to get to him, but Melanie was right there beside him. Jet nodded, although her eyes were almost against his.

Melanie slowly took her hand away from Jet’s mouth and smiled. Jet turned to look at the purple figure just as it turned around and began to walk in the other direction.

After a few moments, It had gone.

“How did you?” Jet started to ask, his voice still low.

“Parts of this world are more virtual than is apparent,” she said, then taking his hand, led him through a section of digital machinery that just rippled like an illusion as he walked through it.

“How?” Jet asked, then knew. “It doesn’t exist right?”

“More so even than just if it was virtual. The code doesn’t exist for all the machinery here. Just the parts the operating system needs to make the illusion that we’re in a physical server.” Melanie said.

“How do you know this?” Jet asked.

Melanie gave him a strange look. “I don’t know. I guess this system just feels natural to me. I spent a lot of time programming in containers when I was doing the early work to see if it was possible to cure my mother. It seems ironic now that after that I got ill and my sister took up my work.”

Melanie took Jet’s hand and started to lead him towards another section of machinery that Jet assumed she could also see a path through when he pulled her back to him.

“Melanie, what’s with Simon. Can we rely on him?” Jet asked.

Melanie looked around as if wondering if the others could hear her, then responded slowly.

“You can rely on him Jet, he really has committed to helping us.”

“How can you be sure.”

“He’s,” Melanie started, then paused, “I just can.”

“But why?” Jet asked.

“He’s trapped too, only you can’t see it.” Melanie said.

“Help me to see it,” Jet asked.

“I can’t. That wouldn’t be right.” Melanie explained. “If Simon wants to tell you, he’ll tell you.”

“You like him don’t you,” Jet said.

“In a way, yes.” Melanie said. “He’s become a good friend since I’ve been in here and I think we’re going to stay friends. Sometimes it just happens like that.

“I don’t know you well either Jet, in fact, I’ve spent less time with you than I have with Simon, but I trust you too don’t I?”

“That’s because so far I’ve been risking my life to get you out of here,” Jet said, then immediately regretted it. It sounded hollow.

“Simon’s also risked his life for me, and from what I know of him, he’s been taking risks for you for some time.”

Jet nodded. He didn’t want to admit it, but Simon had been at risk when he helped Jet and had nothing to gain from it.

“So sometimes you have to go with that.” Melanie pointed out.

“Alright,” Jet said. “I’ll take your word on it.”

“No, Jet, you really need to understand this. Without Simon’s help, we’re all in trouble and I’m going to die again.”

“You’re not going to die, not if I can get Mercury out.” Jet said.

“And can you?”

“Yes, I’m sure of it.”

“So I’m trusting you with my Life, Jet. Without question. And I’m following you into this plan of yours in case there is anything I can do.”

Jet looked into her eyes. There was something deep down inside of her that seemed to burn right through Jet when she looked at him.

It was the same with Mercury.

“Jet, while we’re here, can I ask you a question?”

Jet paused for a moment, then answered. “Sure.”

“Do you love Mercury?”

Jet paused, then answered.

“Enough to give my life for her,” he said.

“Enough to give my life for her?” Melanie asked.

The words hit Jet hard. Stopped him in his tracks as he considered the implications.

What did he think about it.

“Well I,” Jet started, but Melanie interrupted him.

“Think about the answer, Jet,” Melanie said. “I can tell if you lie. I won’t say how, but I can tell. If you don’t consider your answer, it’s a lie. If you choose not to tell me, it’s a lie also. I’m giving my life to you, in your hands now. I’m choosing to do this, so don’t lie to me.”

Jet thought about it.

“I don’t know how to answer you, Melanie. I’ve given my promise that nothing will happen to you if I can help it. That’s something I intend to do. I’m not lying.”

Melanie’s gaze didn’t ease up. She sat there staring for a moment as if looking deep into Jet’s soul.

“I have a proposition for you then.” Melanie said.

Jet waited for her to speak.

“You may yet have to decide who you’re going to save. As selfish as I feel for doing this, I want to make you think about that and what it means.

“I don’t want to die Jet, not now. Now since I can live again and be whole, even if it’s just inside this computer.

“So I want to know if you would choose to let me die instead of Mercury.”

Jet started to open his mouth, but Melanie put her finger on it.

“Don’t answer that yet, it wasn’t a question. As much as you don’t want to admit it, there is also an equivalent possibility that Mercury may not make it out of here.”

Jet began to get angry with Melanie over where the conversation was going, but she ignored him and continued.

“And if it comes down to the line and I’m the only one here, you can take me in her place.”

Now the anger started to rise significantly in Jet.

“Melanie, I think it’s time to end this conversation. There’s no way I’m choosing and there’s no way I’m going to take you in Mercury’s place. What even makes you think you can make that kind of offer.” He said, his anger tinging his voice.

“Because I’m Mercury, Jet. We’re the same Person.” Melanie said, stopping Jet again.

“From here on, I’m yours to choose. If you choose to save me, you choose that. If you choose to derez me, that’s your choice also. But I think you need to understand exactly who Mercury and I am. We’re the same person, just with different experiences.”

“Melanie, stop, I can’t,” Jet started to say, but Melanie interrupted him once more.

“No, I’m serious. Jet, I’ve come to some conclusions lately and I’ve realized a few things talking to Mercury.

“It may not be obvious, but she and I are the same person. I understand now what that means.

“If you’re in love with Mercury, Truly in love with Mercury on more than just a superficial level, then you’re in love with me also. We’re just two faces on the same experience. The same person, just from different realities.

“And I realize now that it may come to one of us having to go so that the other can survive.”

“Just wait a minute,” Jet interrupted, But Melanie put her hand on Jet’s chest and pushed him back.

“No Jet, this is my minute, and you owe it to me, to Mercury, to listen to me.

“Now, there may come a time when one of us has to go. The choice may not be yours. The choice may be taken from you, but still it might be yours.

“This is something you need to know. I’m human like you. I don’t know you and I don’t love you, but you love me, whether you realize it or not.”

“Melanie, I don’t know why you’re saying this,” Jet said, “It’s just not true. You’re Mercury’s user – no more no less. You created her, but that’s as far as it goes.”

“Then I’ll have to prove it to you,” Melanie said, then before Jet could act, darted forward and grabbed the back of Jet’s neck, pulling it forward towards her.

Before he could say anything, Melanie pushed her mouth onto Jet’s and kissed him deeply.

Jet felt her slide her body up against him and the feeling was more than just that of touching.

His eyes closed as if the response wasn’t his to make and as he tried to recoil, the connection between him and Melanie was made and for a very brief moment, their code was shared and Jet saw the truth.

Falling deeper into the kiss, the reality of the situation started to become apparent, opening it’s secrets to Jet and the being that stood before Jet in this meta-world inside this digital creation was, just as Melanie had said, the same one Jet knew to be Mercury.

Jet wasn’t sure how he knew, but there was no mistaking it.

Melanie and Mercury were more than just user and program. They were as she was saying, the same being, even if they were different people.

On a level that Jet didn’t understand, on a scale that Jet couldn’t comprehend, but that his body and being did, he knew utterly that what she said was how it really was.

Jet felt his arms move around Melanie with the same urgency that they had previously moved around Mercury. He tried to pull her closer, but a pressure against his sternum wouldn’t allow it. The code retracted from around Jet and there between them was Melanie’s hand – still against his chest, pushing him backwards and out of the shared code experience.

As his mind returned to the present, Jet stepped back and realized that Melanie didn’t share the feelings that Mercury had for him, despite her sudden and unexpected demonstration.

Melanie wasn’t going to let him in.

“I’m sorry Jet,” said Melanie, her gaze hard and uncompromising. “I didn’t want to do that, but you have to see. She’s not human and I am, but we’re still the same person.”

Jet opened his eyes wide with the shock of it and breathed in hard. Melanie stood there before him, like a white version of Mercury, looking different, but now Jet knew, the same. On a level Jet didn’t understand.

“You, you’re.,” Jet started, but Melanie finished it.

“The same, except we have different memories, Jet. We don’t share the bond of soulmates yet, but our selves are moving towards that destination.

“What I’m offering you Jet is myself. When the time comes to choose, if I’m the one you choose, which I don’t expect to be, but if I am, I will honor the bond of my other and become yours, if you choose it.

“You have told me the truth of your love for Mercury and it’s not something you can control anymore. In time, if she is not here to receive that love, then I will fall in love with you also as she has.

“We are, afterall, one.

“But it’s important that you understand what that means and that you know I don’t love you at the moment.”

“But,” Jet said, trying to understand what was going on, “you don’t love me.”

Melanie nodded slowly.

“But you just kissed me,” protested Jet.

“Because when we kiss, you’re kissing Mercury, not me. I just become a proxy to her. But when I kiss you, I’m still kissing a stranger at the moment.

Jet’s mind swam in confusion.

“Like I said, I’m going to leave the decision as to who to save with you, Jet.

“Call me selfish, because I can’t kill myself, either self, and I hope that I might still have a chance to live if that choice eventually needs to be made.

“But I can’t lie to you either.”

Melanie closed her eyes, looked down in shame, then turned her back on Jet. She walked away from Jet towards the equipment.

Jet was still shaken by the experience. One brief kiss that should have simply been a kiss that Jet rejected had turned Jet’s world upside down.

“It’s not going to come to that, Melanie,” Jet called, but she didn’t turn around.

She walked straight through the side of the equipment in front of her like a ghost.

Jet followed after her but paused when he got to the same spot. He put his hands up against the edge of the structure and felt it instead.

It was solid.

Jet pulled his hands back slightly, then a wrist and arm came through and grabbed Jet’s hand, pulling it through the equipment and the illusion faltered for Jet.

They appeared on the other side, the others waiting for them in a small box shaped room.

“Where did you get to?” Simon asked.

“Took a wrong turn somewhere,” Jet said.

Then the realization struck him.

Melanie had engineered the encounter.

Her hacking skills must have been exceptional. Not only could she understand this place and see through the obfuscation as Jet could not, but she must have been able to change the place around them without anyone else noticing to ensure Jet became lost.

“Alright, let’s get moving,” said Simon and started to lead them towards the building they were moving towards.

As Jet followed within the group, Mercury came up beside him.

“She has told you?” Mercury asked.

“She?”

“My user. She has made the offer?”

“Merc?”

“She has offered herself?”

Jet suddenly felt guilty. He had cheated on Mercury, even if Melanie had forced herself onto him. He had kissed back, yet he was certain that what she said was true. Mercury was Melanie. Could she hack that too?

“She has made me an offer,” Jet said, the guilt stopping him from saying anything else.

“She has offered herself,” Mercury said quietly so that only Jet could hear.

“No,” Jet said, then as Mercury stared into his eyes, “Yes, but I won’t have her. She’s not you, Mercury.”

“She is my user, Jet, She is all that I am and more. I live through her, but I live for you. She had agreed to offer herself, should the time come, to replace me.”

Jet stopped for a moment, and held Mercury back, no anger, betrayal or hurt in her eyes. She knew everything.

“You set that up?” Jet asked.

“Yes,” Mercury said simply.

“Why?” Jet asked.

“Because it is how I can still be with you, if I cannot go on,” Mercury said.

“You’ve been talking to Melanie about it,” Jet realized.

“And she does not wish to perish, so we have come to a binding arrangement. If there comes a time a decision gate must be reached, then I want you to derez me.

“She will replace you and love you as I,” Mercury said.

“She doesn’t love me,” Jet said.

“She will come to,” Mercury reasoned, “ as I did also.”

“She’s not you,” Jet protested.

“Neither am I,” Mercury pointed out.

Jet stopped.

Mercury was right.

The original Mercury that Jet fell in love with perished in the sector reformat that took Ma3a’s previous home.

The one he loved now was the rebuild. She had absorbed some of the data from her former self, but not all of it.

Jet had lost something with that copy perishing. Something he couldn’t define, but something he could nonetheless feel.

Mercury then turned and walked off in the direction the party was heading.

It was then that Alchemist walked up to Jet and started speaking.

“Jet, may I discuss an issue with you?”

“You too?” Jet exclaimed quietly. “Just what is going on between you and Mercury?”

“With me, nothing, but Ma3a said I should inform you.” Alchemist said.

Jet continued to work his way through the simulated power grid.

“Inform me of what?” Jet asked.

“Quantum correction has continued. Remaining three point two percent.” said Alchemist.

“What?” Jet asked.

“Remaining quantum data missing is now three point one percent.” said Alchemist.

“When did that happen?” Jet asked.

“The last transition? Just before you queried me again,” Alchemist said.

“No, I mean when did it start to correct?” Jet asked.

“Spontaneous correction occurred shortly after your arrive. Since that point, User::Melanie’s structure has been self-correcting.”

“How could that happen?” Jet asked.

“That is something I cannot respond to. Ma3a said that you were the correct person to respond.” Alchemist said.

“What is different to before I arrived?” Jet asked.

“Before you arrived, You were not here,” pointed out Alchemist.

“Thanks for that, Alchemist, that helps a lot,” Jet said, a little too sarcastically, but then his mind was still reeling over the sudden turn of events.

“Also, Program::Mercury was not here,” added Alchemist.

Jet paused again.

What was going on here? Melanie was offering herself in Mercury’s place. Mercury herself seemed to be behind that.

And now Melanie was progressing towards healing.

Ma3a came up behind Jet.

“Jet, we’re wasting time. We have limited time left.”

Jet shook his head, trying to get his thoughts together. Something was going on.

“Sorry, Ma3a, I was deep in thought.”

“Well, might I suggest you may want to process that a little faster. I understand our time is limited.”

Jet moved on behind Ma3a, taking up the back end of the formation, as his mind continued to churn with the information he had now obtained.

At the front of the progression, Simon had located a small ramp leading down through a tunnel towards the Datawraith building from the virtual power regulator, and was already at the bottom, the rest of their group spread out between him and Jet.

They continued down for some way, moving through several turns that Jet assumed left them deep inside the Datawraith base in this small virtualization.

At the bottom, Simon was waiting for them.

Finally when Jet caught up with Simon, he led them all into a small room that seemed to have five portals on one side and two on the other inside enclosed cylinders.

“What’s this place,” Jet asked as he caught up with Simon.

“Central transfer point. The operating system is responsible for transferring programs into different loops here.”

“Over there,” Simon pointed to the two enclosed portals that appeared unaccessible, “Are the access pointers for out-system transfers.”

“Can’t we just use those separately?” Jet asked.

“They’re locked Jet. Hardware locks. They only open in the event of a serious system stability issue.” Simon said.

Jet gave Simon a puzzled look. Simon elaborated.

“In the event of virtual system instability, the DWs need a way out in a hurry. We’re virtualized, remember? No access to the laser loop.

“If something really bad happens, they’re an escape path for the DWs.”

“I thought that Datawraiths could just return with a little memory loss,” Jet said.

“First time, sure, but some DWs can’t do that, and need to be shutdown gracefully. They connect directly to the laser digitization system on a priority stream. Think of them as an emergency exit.” Simon explained.

“So how do we get to the captured programs from here?” Jet asked.

Simon pointed to the five portals on the other side of the room.

“One of those, the one on the left, most likely.

“One other thing Jet, the moment we transfer out, we’re going to alert the operating system.

“You have to know that the moment that happens, it’s going to be an entirely different situation here and you have to be prepared to accept the consequences of that action.”

“Which are what,” Jet asked.

“That the operating system may choose to purge the data stores and eliminate all programs if it feels threatened.” said Simon.

Jet looked over at Mercury.

The main threat was to Mercury. But if what Simon said was correct, then opening up those connections might provide access to out of system loops – isolated loops.

And if Melanie were self healing now, then she just might be able to take one too, resolving all of Jet’s problems.

To find a way to safety, Jet needed options. Having friends about if he needed them might give Jet those options.

“There’s not much time left. Let’s take the chance. With Jade, I might be able to find a way through this system.” Jet said.

“Are you sure about that?” Melanie asked.

Jet felt anger rise in him, then he pushed it down. Melanie had a right to question Jet. She had, afterall, placed her life in his hands, but he was having trouble forgiving Melanie for what she and Mercury had agreed to.

“She’s system, Melanie. If anyone knows how to get around this systems restrictions, she might.” Jet said.

“All hells going to break loose once you break them out Jet.” Simon warned.

“I can take care of the situation,” Jet snapped back.

Simon stepped back, towards Melanie. “I really hope so, Jet.”

“Are you with me then?” Jet asked.

“For the moment? Sure,” Simon said.

Jet walked over the room to the leftmost portal.

“What’s at the other end of this portal?” Jet asked.

“Programs to be stripped of all useful routines and deleted.” Simon responded.

“Sounds like where I’d expect Jade to end up, also.” Jet said, then stepping up, located the bit which controlled the portal.

Jet flipped it over and the portal sprung to life. He turned to the others and looked from one to the other.

“Coming?” he asked, then Jet stepped through it.

Manny woke to the sound of a telephone and woke, sitting up, his eyes wide in fear. He hadn’t expected to awaken here.

It was dark, except for the light coming in from the large window, which really didn’t show anything.

“Relax,” called Walter Gibbs, his voice appearing out of the darkness. “Just a phone call.”

A voice came from the kitchen beyond and a light was switched on past the doorway, although it was very dim.

“Looks like Steve’s involved with this,” it came.

“Jasmine?” Walter called out.

“Looks like it,”

“Too damn smart for her own good then.”

“She wasn’t always like that.”

“Well, she’s making up for it now,” Walter called back, then he turned to Manny once more.

“I think I may know what’s going on. That’s good, because it means I might be able to help, but it’s also bad, because it means this is a bigger problem than I realized.” Walter said.

“What,” was all that Manny managed.

“Just get some more sleep. There’s nothing we can do at the moment and we’ll need to be as rested as possible for the morning,” Walter said.

Manny watched as the large figure in the chair beside him, now a little easier to recognize in the dim reflected light.

The he reluctantly closed his eyes.

Sleep was still a long way away.

Jet walked into a large corridor filled with cells with a portal at one end. The corridor seemed to stretch for more than what jet would estimate was a kilometer in the real world, and that wasn’t including the intersections that Jet could see every few hundred meters.

On both sides of every corridor, Jet could see forcewalls covering cells. The forcewall formed one of the four walls of each cell, inside of which was a small capacitance dispenser, what looked like a bunk and a seat.

There was little else in the way of structure to it.

Inside each cell, two to three ICPs were stacked, sitting, standing, pacing. They were crowded in every way.

Jet moved past another cell and the pattern was repeated. Behind him the portal sounded as each of his friends came through.

“There’s more ICPs here than I expected,” said Jet.

“More than one system has authenticated into this realm,” Simon said.

Jet moved past another, then another.

“They have hundreds of ICPs in here,” Jet called back.

“ICPs are a significant threat to the stability of our system. They usually only answer to one program that spawned them and they tend not to contain useful code,” Simon said back, raising his voice as Jet got further away.

“I’ll never find them,” Jet called back, then as he ran past a corridor, Jet heard a familiar voice.

“Jet,” it called out.

Jet stopped, then backtracked.

“Over here,” came the voice again.

Crypto stood as close to the forcewall as he could get without it burning him.

“Crypto,” Jet called.

“They got you too?” Crypto said, looking out at Jet.

Crypto held up his hands.

Jet examined the Cell. It was basic with walls roof and floor, but the forcewalls prohibited any escape and no walls appeared to exist at the front of the cells – just forcewalls separated by pillars.

“Have you seen Jade?” Jet asked, pushing his hand against the pillar.

“No, they separated us. But she’s here,” Crypto said. “Can you get me out?”

Jet felt for the code in the pillar.

It was difficult to understand just as the others outside were.

“Melanie, can you help me here? Take this pillar out,” Jet requested.

Melanie stepped forward and pushed her hand against the pillar.

“Stand back,” Jet said, then Melanie closed her eyes, blinked, and a deresolution field appeared around the column.

“That was impressive,” said Crypto, then the column derezzed.

Crypto was just about to step through the gap when the forcewalls on either side flashed and snapped shut like doors, cutting Crypto out, pulling his face back just in time.

“Sorry Crypto,” Jet said, stepping back. “I don’t think that’s going to work.”

“These cells are well designed,” said Simon. “Each time a program escapes, they analyze it and reprogram it. They have heuristic algoryths to close off any holes.”

Jet nodded to Simon then looked back to Crypto.

“I think I’ll be here a little longer,” said Crypto.

Jet grimaced as he thought about it. He hadn’t expected that. If Crypto made it halfway out, it might have been very very bad.

“Crypto, just hang in there – I’ll be back.”

Crypto lifted his hand and waived.

Jet turned to his companion.

“Jade’s system. You all know what she looks like,” then looking at Simon, “Green, so let me know what you see. Stay in groups of two and avoid all contact with Datawraiths.

If you see them, don’t let them see you. If they do, then fight, but let us all know.” Jet finished.

“Actually, if they see you, just surrender. You can’t do anything to hurt them,” Simon said.

Melanie stepped forward to Mercury and they started walking off before anyone could say anything. He turned to look at Simon who just smiled strangely.

“You don’t have many cycles left, Jet. It’s your choice. How do you want us to look?”

Jet picked a direction and started walking.

Next Chapter: 2.46 Forged Permissions