Fragmentation III

Title: Disappear into the trees

Summary: file two: divide and conquer, hide and deceive.

Disclaimer: Tron/Tron: Legacy and all things related are property of Steven Lisberger, Bonnie MacBird and Walt Disney Studios (and some other guys I'm probably forgetting but can't care to remember).

Updated: 8/17/2018

Quorra sat silently on the floor of the Solar Sailer, eyes downcast and focused on her bare hands - cracked and stiff from baton abuse. The silence of the open world juxtaposed against the city sirens and spotlights in the distance made the reality of her situation all the more clear. "Are you alright?" Mercury's melodic voice snapped the young program out of her stupor. The elder program knelt in front of her, pale blue eyes and complexion illuminated by the white circuitry of the sailer.

"No," Quorra shook her head. Her gaze turned toward the city shrinking in the distance. "Everyone's being deleted as we speak, how can I be fine about that?" Mercury shook her head. She dare not supplement an excuse or a kind of false morale for her friend. There was no denying the truth in front of their eyes: Basics and ISOs alike were being nullified in the name of "justice" and "peace". To be even seen with an ISO was an immediate death sentence for a basic program (let alone a Game Bot), yet here she was helping one. The simple fact that she managed to get just the two of them out of the city undetected amongst the chaos was a blessing from the User.

Rising from her crouched position Mercury started toward the back of the sailer, arms folded. "If we're lucky, we'll able to bypass the Port Authority and get you into the Outlands without issue," She explained, fiddling with the controls. "We can't use this mode of transportation for long as it's connected to the core system. We're most likely being tracked as we speak."

"What about you, Mercury?" Quorra regarded the back of the Game Bot with uncertainty. The entire time she was leading her to escape none of her plans ever seemed to include her. It wasn't a bother a first, but now, now that they were so close to freedom, Quorra needed to know. Mercury turned away from the control panel and smiled. "It would be too risky for the both of us to go. There are others that need my help getting out," She said. "You'll do fine on your own."

"Mercury, going back to the city is too much of a risk! You'll be deleted on sight if they find out you helped me," Quorra argued. Rising from the floor she closed the distance between them and hugged her. "Please, come with me. I can't lose you too."

Mercury, however unfamiliar she tended to behave when confronted with moments of intimacy such as this, allowed her arms mimic Quorra's and hugged her back. "I'm sorry, but I can't. Clu and Ma3a have to be stopped, and we can't do that without help." Pulling away from the Sprite Mercury returned to monitoring the systems of the sailer. "We have to show them we won't and cannot stand for this kind of tyranny in a free system. Once you're in the Outlands, find Flynn."

"Flynn?"

"The Creator," Mercury replied. "He had the highest access on the Grid. Data streams, I/O nodes, portals, everything. If we find him, maybe we can end this."

"Are you sure?"

"No, but it's worth a try. Anything is at this point," Mercury turned to face Quorra one last time, a weary smile on her lips. "Our survival is key. We have to do everything in our power to ensure it," She said. "I know you can do this, Quorra. You have to." Quorra bit the inside of her mouth, taken aback by her Mercury's words. No choice, no other option than the road presented to her? It hardly seemed fair to the ISO, but considering the circumstances, maybe a singular path was necessary, however problematic.

Pressing her fingers against her palm, Quorra nodded solemnly. "Alright, I'll find Flynn and come back with help," She said.

"No, you can't return to the city, Quorra. Just do what you can with the survivors, build a resistance strong enough to fight them," Mercury warned.

Quorra wanted to argue against Mercury's insistence to play the martyr of their cause. She didn't see the point in going back despite the positives her friend presented. There was too great a risk of being caught before she even got to do anything. "Mercury, don't get caught."

Despite of the doubt she was feeling, Mercury continued to smile. "I'll try not to."

FIN.