I do not own Tron : Legacy.
My Father, My Program
Chapter 14
"So, what do you think of it, Sam?" Clu asked proudly.
Looking around, making note of the number of ships alone, Sam admitted to being very impressed. "It's incredible, Clu. Does...does Dad know about it?"
Placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, Clu responded, "Your father didn't fully understand the need for this vessel. His plans were simple, with little vision beyond creating the Grid as a place where programs and Users would mingle and work together. I have loftier plans. I'll show you, if you're interested."
Sam decided he had better see what Clu was talking about. If he felt his dad should know, if he didn't already, he would say something. Following alongside Clu, Sam couldn't believe his eyes when he came to a platform overlooking the massive area below. There beneath them, stood hundreds of programs, all dressed like sentries and holding light staffs. "It's an army." Orderly and quiet, they seemed to be awaiting someone's command. It had to be Clu, Sam thought. He was creating an army along with this ship. But why?
"Every milli-cycle sees new conscripts being added. Soon, there will be enough sentries to bring my plan to fruition." Turning to Sam, Clu added, "I want you to join me in my crusade. Think of it. The son of Flynn and his greatest creation, together on a quest for perfection."
Sam looked at Clu, his eyes narrowing. "And just where were you planning to go on this...quest?"
Clu looked down at his army of re-purposed programs. Flynn hadn't known about the Rectifier since he wasn't here to see it being imaged, but soon he would know. Clu looked at Sam and grinned. "Outside."
OoOoOoOoOoOo
Flynn paced the floor of his prison. He had to escape and find Quorra. Once they were safe, he would go find Sam. As long as the portal was open, they had a chance to get off the Grid.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
"Outside? You mean, into the real world?"
Clu corrected the ignorance of the young User. "Sam, this is just as much a real world as your world. But for cycles, only your father has been able to come and go as he pleased. He enslaved us by allowing programs to believe he was some sort of deity. I feel all programs deserve the right to leave the Grid. How better to relate to Users by being amongst them. But Flynn would have none of that. He was a selfish Creator, who wanted to reserve the privilege of our world for himself. But I intend to make his world open and available to all of us, Sam. Think of it. Users and programs together, out there!"
Sam didn't know if what Clu said was a logical next step to his father's dream, or the rantings of a madman. "How is that even possible?"
"Our world will be a cage no more, Sam," Clu continued. "I only need one more thing in my possession."
"Dad's identity disk," Sam whispered. But Clu had heard him.
"Yes, Sam. With your father's disk, I can lead my army into the world of the Users. We will perfect your world, as we've perfected ours. Your world is full of turmoil. Change is needed. I will re-create it, Sam, and I want you with me. Flynn hasn't been a father to you anymore than he's been a partner with me. His promises meant nothing. Now, they're not even important."
"But Clu, Dad wasn't with me because he'd been trapped in here. It wasn't his choice." Sam was intrigued by Clu's vision, but there was no way he was going to help him take over the world's technological systems.
Placing both hands on Sam's shoulders possessively, he looked into the User's eyes, and with supreme conviction of his beliefs, Clu said, "Out there, is a new world, Sam. Out there, is our victory." Squeezing the boy's shoulders tightly, he went on. "Out there,...is our destiny."
OoOoOoOoOoOo
Flynn reached out to touch the door. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the very systems he had created. The door soon opened with a whoosh. "Hey, man, it worked," he exclaimed to himself. Quickly moving up behind the sentry guarding the door, he began to key orders into the program's disk.
A reverberating voice uttered, "You are not allowed to leave."
Flynn smacked the program on his helmeted head.
"Please come this way, sir," the program said in response.
Led by the sentry, Flynn went in search of Quorra. Stepping into the lift, he waited to see where the program was taking him. Stopping a few levels down, the sentry led Flynn down a corridor until he reached a blue door on the left. Flynn waited while the sentry keyed the door open, and proceeded into the room. Scanning the interior, Flynn called out, "Quorra, are you in here?"
"Flynn! Yes, I'm here." The ISO bounded out of the bedroom, a grin on her face.
Grabbing her by the arms, he was pleased to see her unhurt. "Are you ok, Q?"
"I'm fine, Flynn. Clu hasn't changed much. He wants you out of the way, and I think he planned to de-rezz me." Quorra looked up at her mentor. He seemed younger somehow, if that were possible. "Where is Sam?"
"I don't know. I imagine he's with Clu. Come on, Quorra, let's get out of here." Peering out the door, Flynn made sure no guards were around. Finding the corridor empty, he and Quorra quietly slipped out.
They took the lift to the lowest level, intent on finding transportation, but when the lift doors opened, they found themselves facing several sentries.
"Not again," Flynn uttered.
Quorra adopted an aggressive posture, leaning forward, and running through the surprised guards. In one fluid motion, she turned, removed her disk and swung it at one of the sentries. The program de-rezzed into glowing data cubes. Quorra retrieved her disk on its return, and was preparing to take out another sentry, when Flynn stepped up behind the remaining two, and removed their disks from their backs. Before they could strike him with their light sticks, he smashed the disks together, causing energy arcs to appear. The sentries stumbled as if blind, and fell to the deck.
Hearing the commotion, more sentries ran to the escaping pair. Quorra was about to fight these all on her own, when Flynn placed a restraining hand on hers, Flynn ordered, "Wait, Q. I'll take care of it." He took a few steps into the open. "Hey, dudes! I need that jet." The sentries had barely reached them when Flynn bent down, and palms flat on the glassy floor, sent an energy wave that knocked them off their feet. "Q, go!"
Quorra ran to one of the jets, started it up, and waited for Flynn.
After making sure the sentries had been dispatched, Flynn jumped aboard the light jet, sealing the compartment. "You've got this, Quorra. It's all in the wrists." He sighed as the jet flew up, its energy lines changing from red to white.
Watching from another vantage point, Rinzler saw the bold escape and pulled out his baton, rezzing a one-man jet around him. He headed for the same direction he had seen the Creator and the ISO go.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
Clu knew that Sam was feeling reluctance in supporting his initiative. "Is it your father, Sam?"
"No, man. It's more than that. You're talking about leaving the Grid to declare war on the Users. There has got to be something very weird about that. Like, it's impossible, Clu!"
"Impossible? I created this vessel. I repurposed programs to man it. I only need one more thing. Flynn's disk."
"How will that help, Clu?"
"Your father's disk is the key, Sam. With it, we can leave the Grid as he has done so often. More so, I plan on taking the Rectifier with me. Imagine if you will, this ship out there, where imperfection runs rampant. We can make over your world into one where your people and my programs will exist together, under my rule."
"I...I don't know, Clu. I don't think Dad would approve, let alone the governments of the world." Sam was beginning to wish he'd stayed with his father. His program was obviously running amuck.
"They'll learn to accept perfection, Sam. They'll learn."
A/N: sorry folks, short chapter. My life has been rampant with issues that make fighting sentries seem simple. Writing has had to take a back burner. Next chapter will have battles and confrontations, I promise. Until then...