I do not own Tron : Legacy.
My Father, My Program
Chapter 12
A/N: Just a bit to clarify things. Sam has developed some feelings for Clu, having thought of him as his dad since he arrived on the Grid. It's hard to just disregard that emotional tie. I hope no one sees this as sexual. I have read slash and enjoy it, even though my stories never involve slash relationships. I was afraid someone might think that. Clu has feelings for Sam as a father might, with interest, pride and so on, only because Clu sees himself as a duplicate of Flynn, a replacement as it were when Flynn wasn't on the Grid. As Flynn's absences grew more frequent and lengthened in time, Clu felt he was equal to the Creator and could take over as the Grid's protector. Since he'd heard so many stories about Sam as the youngster was growing up, seeing the real Sam in person caused Clu to relate to the boy as Flynn would. Like a father would. I don't want to castrate the ACP however. I still like Clu a little bad.
Ok, back to the story.
Clu headed upstairs after giving Rinzler his orders. He wasn't quite sure what he was going to do with Flynn or his companion. That much he hadn't calculated yet. He needed to see Sam first. Entering the holding area, Clu went towards the cell where Flynn's friend was cooling her heels. He had a guard turn off the stasis field so that he could confront this traitorous program personally. Clu grabbed her by the arm, turning her to face him. When he realized who it was he had captured, he grinned malevolently.
Clu took a step closer to the familiar ISO he had once worked with back when Flynn had hoped Basics and ISOs could live together in peace. "You are a very rare bird, aren't you." He tugged at her sleeve, revealing the glowing mark that labeled her kind. Gently pulling the sleeve back up to cover the mark, Clu circled the ISO slowly, trying to intimidate her. "What are you doing here, Quorra? Keeping Flynn company?" he asked. "It must have been so lonely out there, just the two of you. Tragic to be the only one of your kind left alive." He smiled cruelly, staring her down. He hoped to see fear in her eyes, but Quorra was not one easily made afraid.
"I've seen what Users are capable of, Clu. You don't belong with them," she replied, returning his stare without the least bit of deference.
Having the lone surviving ISO in his control gave Clu pause. He had to find a way to make good use of her. Killing her would be a waste, and he knew she would never willingly pledge herself to him. He could re-purpose her as he's done Tron, but he had the feeling she wouldn't be the same if he altered her programming in any way. As Clu peered down at the proudly defiant ISO, he also realized that she fascinated him. Maybe he should take his time deciding what to do with her. He reached out to touch her hair. "I have something very special in mind for you," he said, his velvet tone masking a threat. Expecting her to tremble beneath his touch, she turned away instead. To a guard, he ordered, "Take her upstairs. Don't put her with Flynn." To Quorra, he said, "You'll have to excuse me, but I have important things to do for the moment. But don't worry. I'll tend to you shortly. I promise." Giving her one last glance, Clu walked away, leaving the ISO in the charge of his Guard.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
Sam could see the plaza that lay at the foot of Clu's tower. He started to run faster, knowing he was getting close. Just as he crossed the open area, he found his movement impeded by a program. Sam made a sharp left turn as he continued running, but the program jumped onto a decorative wall, and making a running start, flipped over a statue, landing directly in front of the User. The program removed his disk from his back, and splitting them, held them out not a foot from a now frozen Sam.
It's Rinzler. "Tron, wait. I'm a User, Tron. I'm Kevin Flynn's son. You were once a good friend of my dad's." Holding out his hands defensively, Sam tried to reach the program, knowing who he was and what he stood for. "Don't you remember who you are, before Clu messed you up? You're Tron. You fight for the Users."
Rinzler looked at Sam, knowing only that he was under orders to bring the boy back to his master. But as he continued talking, bits of his own memory intruded upon his directive. He tried shaking his head to clear out the interference. Instead, he heard a voice, his voice. Flynn, go!
Sam watched the program warily, not noticing the internal struggle taking place. He didn't know that Rinzler wasn't going to kill him, but when he heard the distinctive purring noise once more, he tried to flee. Rinzler clutched Sam's arm, and with the re-joined disks in his other hand, he led the User back to Clu's tower.
"Hey, Rinz, I was going there anyway. You don't have to be so rough, man," he said, tugging at the restraining hand. "Ok, Sam, think. You've gotta stay focused."
OoOoOoOoOoOo
Rinzler brought a wet and very angry Sam before Clu. Jerking his arm from Rinzler's grasp, Sam ran his hands through his dripping hair. "Is it true? Is my dad here?" He glared at Clu in a way that touched something deep in the ACP's programming.
Clu reached out to clasp the boy's upper arm in welcome, but on seeing the look on the User's face, he drew back his hand. "Sam, my boy, yes, Flynn is in my protective custody. He knows you're here, and is eager to meet you after such a long time apart. Come on, I'll take you to him." Seeing Riinzler start to follow, Clu gave the warrior program a curt shake of his head.
As the pair left, Rinzler watched them go, his head tilting, as if he were listening to small voices in his memory. We made it, this far. I have to get to that input-output tower. Listen, Yori, we have to make plans. My User has information that could make this a free system again...free system...free system...system check...programming over-ride successful. Turning, Rinzler headed back to the control room, to await further instructions from his master.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
Flynn paced his room. Clu hadn't exactly left him in a dark cell, but he was a prisoner just the same. Cursing himself for his stupidity, Flynn paced some more. He had power, but hadn't used it for much more than creating things for he and Quorra at the safehouse. Closing his eyes, the Creator of the Grid saw in his mind's eye, the boy he had left behind. Would his son be able to forgive him for not being there? Was Clu telling the truth when he said Sam felt affection only for him? "Damn!" Flynn uttered aloud. He tried to focus his thoughts, tried to rein in the negative emotions building up inside. His brief reverie was interrupted by the door sliding open. He turned to see a young man standing next to a smug Clu. A coldness moved through his body as he stared at the boy. "Sam?" he asked, knowing it was his son. He could see his mother in his face.
"It's been a long time," Sam replied. He glanced over at Clu, who gave him a slight nod.
"You have no idea," Flynn said, not sure why he had said it. As he stepped closer, Flynn whispered, "You're here." Ignoring Clu, the elder Flynn reached the younger, and hugged him tightly. "You're here," his voice raspy with emotion.
"I'm here," Sam said as he let Flynn hug him.
Flynn finally released Sam and stepped back. Looking over his son, he observed, "You're big."
Sam returned his father's look, "You're..."
"...old," Flynn finished. He was grateful to see Sam smile. "How did you get here?"
Sam wondered if he should say anything about Alan in front of Clu. If the page had not been from his dad, but Clu, he didn't want the ACP to know that his plan had worked even better than he'd imagined. "I found your office under the Arcade."
"The office, of course," Flynn said, remembering his old gaming establishment.
Clu felt left out of the reunion between father and son, and stepped closer to Sam. Placing a hand across his shoulder, Flynn's creation remarked, "Isn't he something, Flynn? A Grid warrior in the making. I couldn't be more proud."
"I don't want him here, Clu, not competing in your blood sports!" Flynn went for Clu, disregarding Sam's presence.
"Dad, stop!" Holding his father back, Sam tried to reason with him. "Come on, Dad. Clu never hurt me. In fact, he's just been showing me everything you two created." As much as Sam had wanted to meet with his dad, he didn't want to let Clu think he was being ignored by him now. Part of him feared what he might do to his father, but part of him wanted to show his gratitude for the time he'd been here with the ACP.
"You're right, of course, Sam." Clu squeezed his shoulder. "We need to mend the fences, Flynn, for Sam's sake." A grin appeared on Clu's face as he looked at the Creator and his offspring. Extending his hand, his grin grew. He waited.
Flynn lowered his chin as he stared at Clu through narrowed eyes. He glanced over at his son, who was watching his reaction. Making a quick decision, Flynn held out his hand, grasping Clu's tightly. In doing so, he was attempting to convey to his creation that his Maker was not a weakling to be used or toyed with. This wasn't a game Flynn would play, if that was Clu's intent.
Sam smiled at seeing his father and his substitute program being civil with one another. He'd feared the worst. "This is great!" Sam said, grinning from ear to ear, his childhood dream having come to life in front of him. "Now I can see how it was in the old days."
Clu grabbed the back of Sam's neck and squeezed. "You're so right, Sam. It'll be like it used to be, right, Flynn?"
The grin on Clu's face never seemed so fake to Flynn, but for the sake of his son, he had to go along with this. He clapped his son's back. "Right, man, just like it used to be." He stared over at Clu, his eyes saying what he dared not say aloud. Sam is my son, not yours. "Sam, I need to speak with Clu a moment, ok?"
"Yeah, Dad, sure," he answered, reluctant to leave him just now, but he did as he was asked.
While Sam stepped away to look out the window at his father's greatest creation, Tron City, Flynn took Clu aside. "Where's Quorra?"
"Ah, your little ISO companion. It's been a long time since I've seen her." He laughed low. "Of course, I thought she'd been de-rezzed. She's safe, Flynn, for now. I'll just keep her hostage to ensure you keep your part of the bargain."
"Bargain! What bargain?" Flynn asked, keeping his voice lowered.
Clu leaned closer to Flynn, whispering in his ear. "The implicit promise that you won't tell Sam the truth about the past. Our past. He doesn't need to anything about that right now. I concede that he's your flesh and blood. But it's only right we let him choose where he wants to be, and with whom he wants to stay. I have more to offer him. What can you give him, a place to hide in the Outlands? Let's show young Sam everything he can enjoy here in the city, and then we'll let him choose." Leaving Flynn's side, he headed over to the boy, pointing out details of the jewel of the Grid. Lightning streaked across the sky, highlighting the cloud cover as rain fell in sheets, giving everything a sheen.
Watching his son being so familiar with his oppressor made Flynn's heart ache. How could he, an old man, compete with this simulation of his younger self? He had to find a way to get his son back, and keep Quorra safe. Already his mind was awhirr with ideas.
A/N: ah the green monster, jealousy. These two very similar beings competing for the affections of Sam. And what about Quorra? What has Clu in mind for her, and how will Flynn keep order without ruining his Zen thing? Stay tuned.
I used some lines from the film, and changed around events.
