I do not own Tron or Tron : Legacy.
Ultimate Ally : 21 years later
Chapter 7
When Sam opened his eyes, he saw several faces hovering above him. He recognized Steve, and of course Tron, since he was just a younger version of Alan. There was a young male program he didn't know, probably this Bas Alex spoke of. And then his eyes rested on the troublemaker herself. Sam picked himself up off the familiar glass-like surface, and turned to the one who started all of this. "I should fire you for what you did, Alex!"
"Come on, Sam. You've done a few reckless things in your time. And I do have a good reason." Alex held up her hands, hating having to plead, but since she wasn't sure if Sam was serious or kidding, she would assume he felt a bit of both anger and surprise. "Look, I can explain everything."
Bas, however, didn't know about User emotions, and took a protective stance near Alex. "I remember you, Sam Flynn. Since the Creator, your father, left us, things haven't been functioning as they should. Alex is trying to help us. If you are here to help us as well, then you'll be welcome. Otherwise..."
"I guess we have a few things to take care of then," Sam cut off the program, thinking it best not to give any details as to what really happened to his father and Clu just yet. Turning back to Alex, he continued, "I'm not really upset with you. But why didn't you confide in me?" Sam asked, as he hugged her, just happy she was safe.
"And you could have confided in me as well," Steve repeated, hurt that she hadn't let him know any of her plans. Hadn't they been friends for years, even if for his part, he would like to have taken it further.
"By the way, is it the lighting here, or do you look 20 years younger?" Sam peered closely at his friend, sure that it had to be the lighting, or lack thereof.
"I can explain that, too, Sam," Alex offered. "But later. Right now, we have a lot to do."
Sam decided that he'd let Alex give her reasons for using expensive equipment, without permission, to enter a place that wasn't supposed to even exist. He turned to the tall silent program next to Steve. "You must be Tron."
"I am, Sam Flynn. Has Alex explained our predicament?" he asked, all business. Yet, in the back of his memory, he felt that he knew this User. From somewhere many cycles ago. But how could that be? Tron had never met Flynn's son.
Sam threw an arm around Steve's shoulders. "Tron, Bas. This is Steve. He is one of ENCOM's top programmers. If anyone can find out what's wrong here, he can. Alex told me some about the system, back from her visit 20 years ago, and how she and Dad were attempting to stabilize the Grid. It seemed to work, so why is it having trouble now? That's what we have to find out."
Alex moved next to Steve, winking at him, as she snickered, "You made the trip, too, and willingly, I assume."
"Naturally. I'm no coward. Now Alan, on the other hand..."
Alex nudged Steve and shook her head slightly, frowning a warning. "Tron is Alan's program. I wouldn't say anything against "Alan1" within earshot of him. Programs practically worship Users, or at least, they used to."
Taking her by the elbow, Sam steered Alex aside. "I hate to tell you this, Alex, but Tron was once Rinzler, Clu's personal killer program. He was the one I went up against in the Disk Wars, the same one who later tried to kill me. Somehow Clu had changed his programming..."
"Yes, I know, Sam. Bas told me. But I think I subconsciously recognized him. Those light squares near his throat. I remembered when I saw them on Tron, and it hit me that Rinzler had the same pattern on his chest. In any case, we need Alan's help in restoring Tron to what he was before the whole Clu-taking-over-the-Grid thing. He's not acting right, Sam, and the system really needs its security program."
"Now wait a minute. Alex, you said you wanted to bring Clu back? So what makes you think that he won't be as bad as he was before? He tried to kill Dad, and me for that matter."
Alex refused to accept what Sam was saying at face value, defending the program she'd fallen in love with. "Did he kill you, Sam? Or your Dad?"
"Well, no, we..."
"No! And you know why? Because he couldn't. Your father was his Creator, and for all his other sins, Clu would not have killed him. I believe that wholeheartedly. Besides, this isn't like resurrecting that Clu." She pulled the necklace out of the collar of her lightsuit. "This holds all of your father's original program specifications. I will bring Clu back, but with some changes. Then he and I will able to rebuild, Sam. That's what the Grid needs now. But first, we have to find a power source. Without that, everything else is moot."
Steve had sauntered over, not meaning to eavesdrop. "This is all so amazing! It would be a crime to let it just vanish. I want to help, Alex. What do you need me to do?"
Alex looked over at her new friend and protector. "Bas, would you mind giving Steve a tour of the city, and some of the background story of the Grid, what's going on now and what we'll need to consider, all of that?"
Bas's face lit up, eager to get to speak with a User one-on-one. "Yes, of course I will! Please, come this way. I'll tell you everything while I show you around," Bas said eagerly, smiling as he held his hand out, indicating to Steve the direction to go.
Alex watched as the two walked away. "How cute is that. I'm glad to see not all programs hate Users."
"Yeah, it was that way before, with exceptions. Clu must have been pretty influential to be able to turn so many away from what Dad was trying to accomplish." Sam went silent as he remembered his father telling him about his dreams for the Grid. He wished his dad was here now.
"Hey," Alex said, placing a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Never give up hope, Sam. I haven't. If we can resurrect Clu, why not Kevin. You still have the disk you told me about, right?"
"Yeah, Alex, but it's been three years, what with all my research, and nothing to show for it." Sam glanced over to the tall but quiet program, who was doing nothing but observing. 'Tron, can you come here a minute?"
Tron obediently went to Sam. "Sam Flynn, your father was a great man. I never would have imagined being so close to a User, and have him call me his friend. I'm sorry that he wasn't able to remain on the Grid. After you, this place was his life."
"Tron, Dad didn't leave the Grid. He stayed here in an attempt to stop Clu." Sam spoke to the program as if he was speaking with a child. "There's a lot you don't remember, and Alan...Alan1... can help you with that."
Tron tilted his head, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "What are you saying, Sam Flynn?"
Alex stepped up to Tron, laying a hand on his chest, her eyes looking at the light squares on his chest, identical to Rinzler's pattern if not in color. "Tron, you said you don't remember anything after you and Kevin were attacked by Clu?"
"That's right, Alex. I remember Clu...standing over me." The program struggled as he ventured deep into his memory but it was as if part was buried so deeply, he couldn't access it. Or perhaps, it was just gone. "I can't remember anything after..." His even features were marred by a frown.
"It's ok, Tron. We understand. Now listen to me carefully." Alex looked deeply into his clear blue eyes, eyes that held complete trust. "Your programing has been corrupted. We're going to get Alan to fix you up. We can help you, if you trust us."
"Dad would want you strong again. He respected you, Tron. Not as a program, but as a friend," Sam said,
Tron looked down at the female User who was friend to both his User and Kevin Flynn. He smiled, the dimple showing on his face. "I trust you, Alex." He looked at Sam and nodded his assent
"Then we'll get you an upgrade worthy of you," she said, her hand resting on his shoulder. "I can't do anything without you."
OoOoOoOoOoOo
Bas gave Steve a truncated version of the Grid, its creation, the confrontations between Flynn and Clu that marked the beginning of the Administrative Program's tyranny, and the current loss of stable energy. He pointed out the various structures, and the now unused vehicles parked here and there. "What is your world like, Steve?" Bas asked without prelude, more interested in hearing about the outside than talking about the inside world he was familiar with.
"Oh, it's ok, I guess. We have the same things you have, only we have day as well as night."
"Day?" the program asked with interest.
"The sun. We have a sun who sustains our world. Keeps it warm, helps animals and crops grow. I don't even know what a place without a sun would be like. I suppose I could get used to it," Steve mused.
Bas hid a smile. This world had no such affectation, and this User didn't seem to mind. "Steve, do you think it would ever be possible for a program to visit the outside world, like your kind are able to come here?" Bas had heard whispers about Clu's desire to go outside, with an army no less. But whether that had happened, no one knew. All anyone knew was the Creator was gone, Clu was gone, and things, bad things, were happening to the Grid. Bas had known that Tron was Rinzler for a while, but never blamed the program for something that was out of his hands. Since his return from whereever it was he had been stored, Tron exhibited leadership abilities no other program had. Bas was ready to follow him as new leader of the Grid. He just hoped that with the Users here, they would be able to make Tron better. The security program was still in the clutches of the overwriting Clu had created in order to make Tron into a program loyal only to him. He had seen this on occasion. And now, so had Alex.
As they walked around the city, Steve found himself in awe of the buildings, and the way they were laid out across the city. Bridges gleamed in the distance, even in the dull lighting, connecting every sector, tying the entire city together. "Is it always this dark?" he asked.
Bas's smile vanished. "It's not supposed to be this way. The Grid is naturally a dark system, but the buildings, streets, everything here is its own light source. With the energy levels waning, there is little hope that the city will be able to sustain itself...or us...much longer. Things grow more desperate with each passing cycle."
"So where do you find this...energy?" Steve asked, as he scanned the area.
"Finding energy was never an issue. It was always accessible, all around us, as much a part of the Grid as anything else here," Bas explained. "We never thought about it, until it started to visibly decrease in power."
Alex had gone in search of Steve and Bas, and finally found them talking, as the friendly program was pointing out landmarks. Man and program were getting along pleasantly, obviously in tune with one another. Alex had noticed just how accomodating Bas had been, his deference to Users apparent. Alex could imagine the helpful program wanted to know more about them. Whether or not Tron had ordered Bas to accompany her, she thought he would have gladly volunteered just the same.
Just then, as Alex was approaching the pair, she felt a wave of weakness move through her body. Unable to catch herself, she fell to her knees. Just as she looked up to call out to Steve, Alex saw Bas collapsing.
Steve bent over him, checking to see if the program was ok. Just then, he saw Alex and rushed over to her. "Alex, are you alright? What happened?"
"I don't know. I feel so tired." She tried to rise, but had to lean against Steve as he placed his arm around her, helping her to stand.
Programs suddenly stopped all of their activity. They could feel something wasn't right, but they didn't know what it was. Then, one by one, they began quietly collapsing to the ground. At that moment, something happened that had never happened since Kevin Flynn had created the Grid. The internal lighting of every building, bridge, walkway, and sculpture fizzled several times, and went dark.
