Set post Season One and pre Legacy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Tron. I wish I did, but I don't.
"Tron," Beck's voice broke as he stared at his teacher in fear.
Tron, the security program of the Grid, released a small growl as he stared at the other program. Beck placed his disc back on his back, trying to look as non-threatening to the re-purposed program. He held his hands up in a show of no harm. Tron followed his every movement, but he didn't make a move.
"Tron, it's me, Beck," the young program said slowly, carefully.
It was like he was trying to tame a creature from the User's world. And given how dangerous Tron was at the moment, it was probably appropriate for Beck to approach the man cautiously. Beck looked at his mentor, feeling guilt course through him.
This was all his fault.
He and Tron had snuck into C.L.U.'s airship, determined to bring it down once and for all. Beck had suggested to split up, despite Tron's arguments against it. And now it led to this. Tron was reprogrammed, making him C.L.U.'s greatest asset.
Maybe he's still there, Beck thought to himself as he made careful steps towards the program. Maybe I can still reach him, like when he reached me when I lost my disc.
"Tron, this is Beck," Beck said. "Focus on me. Can you remember me?"
Tron made no noise, nor movement. Beck approached anyways, making sure he was careful to not spook the other program.
"I'm your friend. You're my mentor. You're the program who protects the Grid," Beck stated, watching the brows on Tron's face furrow. He might be breaking through.
"You were programed to protect the Grid for programs and Users," Beck continued. "You're stronger than this Tron! Fight it!"
Beck reached out and gripped Tron's shoulder. He still hadn't done anything, and Beck saw that as a victory.
"Come with me Tron. I'll find a way to reverse this and-"
Beck was cut off by Tron back-handing him across the face. The force of the hit was strong enough to send Beck to the floor. The young program looked up in shock, finding Tron stalk over to him.
"Tron-" Beck began, sounding wounded and scared because this can't be happening but that was all he was able to say.
Tron punched Beck in the head, and the sheer strength behind it was enough to knock Beck out. Beck's last thought was how he had failed, and how he had lost yet another friend.
The repurposed program stood over the program he had just knocked out, leering down at him. He seemed to be out, and so Tron left him where he laid. He was the Renegade, if memory served right, but something in Tron wouldn't let him kill the young program, and so Tron left to floor; someone would handle him later.
Tron walked down the halls of the massive warship, somehow knowing exactly where he was meant to go. Masked programs stopped to watch him as he walked; none dared to get in his way, and were quick to move aside if they were. Tron passed through grand doors and found who he was looking for.
Dyson, who heard the doors open first, saw his old friend walk in. He looked as intimidating and powerful as he had before the repurposing. Dyson bided the program a small head nod, but Tron was more focused on his master, C.L.U..
The program in question was smirking to himself when he saw his old friend. Leaving him for dead had been the biggest mistake of his life; having Tron on his side would ensure C.L.U.'s rule. The leader of the Occupation walked over to the other program from the old mainframe, and clapped him on the shoulder. Unlike with Beck, Tron made no move against him. He accepted the gesture.
"My friend, it's been a long time since I've seen you. I was starting to worry that we'd never find you," C.L.U. said with a smile.
Tron nodded, though he didn't say a thing. C.L.U. smirked more; it had all worked. Tron was officially under his control.
Since the destruction of his first re-purposing that had been sent after Tron, C.L.U. had been working on a new way to repurpose Tron specifically. It was a liquid-like injection that replaced the coding with whatever C.L.U. wanted. The first and foremost was removing Tron's memory, and implanting his own versions inside. All the new memories consisted of C.L.U. being his master, to whom Tron serves loyally. Another was that Tron was kidnapped by a group determined to undermine his cause, and was only recently recovered.
"I'm glad you're back with us, Rinzler," C.L.U. said to the other program. "It's time to go home."
Rinzler didn't say a word, he just nodded like the good soldier he was, and followed C.L.U. to the viewing screen, standing just behind him and to the side. C.L.U. kept the smile on his face, knowing this was the beginning of a new age for the Grid.
And nothing would stop C.L.U. now.