~Chapter One~

Melissa Benson sat at the window seat in her bedroom reading a book on the history of the cybersite Solaria. It was 10:00 P.M in Pompadoria (one of cyberspace's most elegant cybersites), far too late for an eight-year-old cyborg to still be up. But little Melissa was so wrapped up in her book; she simply could NOT pry her sapphire eyes from the pages. That was, until, she heard the piercing cries of a little boy.

"Marbles!" she thought in a panic as she leapt from her window seat and rushed to her brother's bedroom. When Melissa saw that he was merely having a nightmare, she breathed a sigh of relief. "He's safe," she thought, "For now…"

Though their parents tried to hide it from the children, eight-year-old Melissa could tell something was very wrong in cyberspace. Their father, Clyde had worked as a spy for cyber-ruler Sir Dalhart since before she was born. However, in the past two years, Melissa had observed him become more engaged in his duties. She would walk by his study room and glimpse a look of fear in his eyes as he read through his cyber mail. Late in the evenings phone calls could be heard between him & other government members. Melissa would catch bits and pieces of her father's conversation, such as:

"The rebellion is growing stronger everyday sir", "His men will stop at NOTHING to defeat you", "I've discovered more disturbing schemes of theirs", "I worry what this means for the future of cyberspace", and - in a more recent call- "Sir Dalhart, I received blackmail from Abaddon. His men have tracked down our location and he has promised revenge on Eileen and I."

Melissa had overheard that last conversation just a week ago. When she thought about it, it sent chills through her circuitry. Whoever this Abaddon man was, he was clearly a threat to many. Melissa worried every day that she and her family would be destroyed. She worried especially for her little brother. He had been the light of her life since the day he was born and the idea of anyone harming him made her feel sick. "I MUST protect him!" she would tell herself. "I must be there for him."

Melissa snapped out of her thoughts and quickly walked over to Marbles' bedside.

"Marbles! Marbles! Wake up!" she said lightly shaking him. The six-year-old cyborg opened his golden-brown eyes, relieved to see his older sister's face, rather than the face of the green monster from his nightmare.

"Melissa!" Marbles cried, his face soaked with tears.

"Ssh… It's alright," she said as she hugged him tightly and stroked the back of his head consolingly, "It was all a dream."

"It felt so real though Melissa. The monster was so big and he kept chasing me in his ship. He said he was gonna hurt you and that I'd never see you again."

Melissa held her brother closer as his tears soaked her pink nightgown. "Nobody will ever hurt me or you, I promise. I'll always be here for you little brother. Nobody can take me away from you." She continued to embrace him, remaining silent, allowing him time to calm himself.

"When will Mommy be back from Control Central?" he whispered into her ear.

Melissa was just about to speak when they heard a familiar voice say, "I'm already back."

Melissa and Marbles turned around to see a tall woman with long nut-brown hair, light blue skin, and blue eyes just like Melissa's.

"Mommy!" they both squealed as they rushed towards their mother, practically knocking her to the ground with hugs and kisses.

"Yes, Yes. I missed you too!" the blessed mother of two exclaimed, hugging her children back, "Now back to bed you two. Your father and I have a big day planned for the four of us tomorrow."

She tucked Marbles into bed and kissed him goodnight before stopping her eldest child as she entered her bedroom.

"Melissa," she said as the sweet child turned to face her, "I heard you in there. Thank you for taking care of Marbles while I'm on my business trips. He really does look to you as both a sister and a second mother."

"You're welcome Mom," Melissa replied blushing. Eileen followed her daughter to her bed and tucked her in.

She then noticed the abandoned history book on the window seat. "I see my little genius has been up past her bedtime," she said tickling Melissa.

"I can't help myself," Melissa laughed, "There's so much I wanna learn! I wanna be just like you and Dad when I grow up!"

"And you've plenty of time to prepare yourself my dear," Eileen said as she kissed her daughter's forehead. "If you try to cram it all in at once you'll never remember it all."

Melissa sighed. "If only I were a computer program, like Pompadoria's twentieth king. I'd have a big enough memory card to store everything!"

"No, No child! The king only did so because he'd have died of illness otherwise. His son was still too young to inherit the throne. Programming someone's consciousness into a computer is only done in dire situations like that one."

"But Mommy..."

"No buts!" she interrupted. Her tone of voice then softened. "Besides, if you were a computer program, how'd you go on those little 'adventures' of yours?"

Melissa thought this over for a moment. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I know I'm right, Eileen answered, "Now good night." She gave her daughter another kiss and then went downstairs.