Chapter VIII:
Ignis Fatuus

The two Guardians, the search engine, the renegade, and the hacker stood on the main deck as the Aurora approached the boundaries of the Energy Sea. The ex-virus hung about the main mast, far above the deck, letting loose a delighted cackle now and then. The crew conveniently found other duties to perform to avoid being in her proximity. The captain watched solemnly from behind the navigator, wondering what fate awaited his comrades at their destination.

The presence of Hexadecimal was unpleasant but had a purpose: she was needed to open a portal to the Web. Under normal circumstances, Bob or Ray would have formed the portal, but the Guardian would need to be at full strength, and creating a portal large enough to admit the Aurora would be too draining. Intelligence reports stated that Daemon's forces were pursuing all sources of nonviral portals, rendering the Surfer's portal-forming abilities useless for the time being. Hexadecimal, though a normal data sprite in most aspects, still retained her viral abilities and peculiar characteristics.

The Aurora slowed, and halted smoothly at the border of the Energy Sea.

"Hex, it's time," Bob called up to her.

"Already?" She floated down to the deck, a slightly pouty look on her bleached face. "But I was having so much fun." She whined like a child being told to go to bed.

"You'll have time for fun later." Bob guided her to the stern; the others kept their distance. "Now, remember how we practiced?"

"Yesssss…" Hexadecimal lifted her arms, gathering power, then paused for a moment, forgetting what came next.

"Concentrate," he prodded.

She slowly closed her eyes and focused. A pinprick of light appeared before the ship. Slowly, it expanded into a sphere of light that became as immense as the Aurora herself. Opening the liquid green pools that were her eyes, Hexadecimal floated upward, closer to it. She lightly placed her palms upon the surface, fingers splayed, and a yellowish light glowed about her hands. The Web appeared in the orb of light, stretched across the sphere, twisting in bizarre shapes and colors.

Bob repressed a shudder upon seeing it again. Even now, before he was to enter, the dark swirling eddies of the Web made his stomach knot in dread. Too many dark memories of that place skulked in the shadows, and he didn't wish to add to them.

Hexadecimal, her duty done, disappeared in a flash of white light, transporting back to Mainframe and to her lair.

Ray leaned his head close to Mouse. "How does he stand her, love? That woman's more random than…well, more than anything I've come across."

Mouse shook her head. "Ray, I've known that sprite maybe the longest out of all of us, and I still don't know what's going on in his processor." She slid an arm around the Surfer's waist. "Sometimes he worries me."

"I've only known that bloke for a little while, but…somehow he's different from the rest of us." Ray planted a kiss on the hacker's forehead. "Something tells me he'll be all-right, once this is all o'er, love."

Both looked up as the Captain gave the order to raise the shields. The Web shielding appeared overhead as if by magic, thanks to some creative programming on Mouse's part. The ship was shrouded in temporary darkness until far above the lights switched on with a dull hum.

"All right, Mr. Norton, guide us through," the Captain said, and the Aurora pulled into the portal. It snapped shut as soon as she entered, swallowing the ship whole as if she had never been.

Bob moved back to join the others gathered a distance away from the stern, telling them to head on to the ship's conference room. As he lead the way Zara hung back, so that she walked in step with Matrix.

He acknowledged her with a thin-lipped smile, his expression troubled. "You noticed how…off Bob's been lately?"

She murmured a yes. "You're worried about him too?"

Since she had arrived in Mainframe, Zara had almost immediately noted the changes in her friend, besides the obvious physical ones. Bob's jokes were now few and far in between. The aura of cheer that she had though always surrounded him had dimmed to an almost nothingness. He just wasn't…Bob anymore.

Zara was answered with a barely perceptible nod. "Yeah." A pause. "He's not the Bob we knew, is he?" Matrix's voice was grim, and his good eye dark with worry, though focused on the Guardian walking ahead of them.

She glanced at the blue-skinned sprite. He walked steadily, yet there was a sag to his shoulders, his head bowed in deep thought. "No, he isn't."

~~~~~~~~~~

They had gathered at the long table in the conference room to review their plans. Maps and charts of the Super Computer lay scattered about. Bob had one displayed in a vidwindow, and was visibly tracing a route to the Principal Office with his finger.

"According to Turbo's messages, the perimeter of the Principle Office is patrolled by armed troops, every seven nanoseconds," Bob was saying. He paused and glanced at the others. Mouse and Ray were paying some attention, but Zara and Matrix were merely staring blankly at the map, their thoughts obviously elsewhere. Zara's eyes had that glassy, unfocused look that had often occurred during her more lackluster classes. Bob sighed and closed the vidwindow. The movement brought Zara and Matrix back to reality.

"Okay, I think it's obvious we need a break," Bob said, absently running a hand through his dark hair. "We've been at this for awhile. Everyone meet back here in about a cycle or so, and we'll finish going over the plans."

He smiled at his friends aa they got up from the table. Mouse leaned over with a smug smile Bob knew well and whispered something to the Surfer. Ray grinned as she led him above deck. Rolling his eyes, Matrix pushed away from the table and headed to the galley to grab a bite to eat. Bob was about to follow when he noticed the smaller Guardian still seated, her head in her hands like a fragile vase.

"Zara? You all right?"

"I'm fine," she muttered, without turning to look at him.

Concerned, but not wanting to bother her, he started out the door, but Zara grabbed him by the wrist. "Okay, maybe I'm not fine."

Bob sat down next to her as she let go, worrying about his young friend. It had been a long time since he had seen her at such a level of distress. "What's wrong?"

Zara rubbed at her temples with the heels of her hands. "This whole mission, attacking Daemon and all that…I don't know if I can handle it." Her voice grew faster and more high pitched as her anxiety grew. "I mean, I'm just a system Guardian! They never told us about this sort of thing at the Academy! I don't know how I managed to get involved in this!"

"Woah, now wait a nano! Slow down; sometimes you're worse than Enzo after an energy shake binge."

"Oh, thanks. You're making me feel much better," she muttered sarcastically, but a hint of smile graced her lips with Bob's attempt to humor her.

"Zara, you were one of the top of your class. If you-" He paused, searching for the right words. "If you weren't as strong and capable as you are, you wouldn't have survived the Academy or manage to get all the way to Mainframe on your own. Trust me, you'll make it through this."

His words warmed her heart, but did little to abate the ever growing fear that was ready to blanket her completely and consume her will.

"Are you as scared as I am?"

Bob stiffened and looked away. The terror he had been able to keep at bay in preparing for their encounter with Daemon showed him its face for a single horrifying moment. Reminding him he could die anywhere along their journey, and his friends and love would perish under Daemon's hand. Don't show your fear, don't show your-

If you don't, it's just gonna make things worse.

He looked at her straight on, caught and held the blue eyes. He breathed out a sigh.

"Yes."

"I'm not alone, then?"

"No." His voice cracked audibly, but Zara took no notice of it.

She reached over and wrapped her arms around his neck in a friendly and very grateful hug. "Thank you, Bob."

"Don't mention it," he said, hugging her back. "I promise you, we'll all get through this and you'll be back with Michael before you know it." If the User wills it… a tiny voice whispered. He released her and stood up. "Wanna get something to eat with me and Matrix?"

"Sure."

~~~~~~~~~~

The Aurora came to a stop before the glittering ball of light, casting dark shadows that twitched and jerked across the hull.

"We've arrived at the Web address of the Super Computer, Cap'n," announced Mr. Norton, releasing the wheel and flipping up his single eye patch.

"Thank you, Mr. Norton." Gavin turned to Bob. "Are ye sure you want to go through with this, Guardian?" he questioned softly. "The Super Computer is a nasty place these megacycles, and Daemon isn't too keen on visitors."

Bob stood next to the airlock, dressed in his Web armor, helmet under one arm. He turned to Gavin. "I think we're the Net's best, and perhaps only chance." Bob gave the Captain a small smile, though the lines of his face were grim. "I'd rather be back in Mainframe at the moment, but would you have us wait until Daemon finds us, old friend?"

"Aye lad, no," Gavin murmured in answer. "Wouldn't wish that fate on anyone." He stretched up an arm and gripped Bob's shoulder. "Luck be with ye, lad, and may the User watch your back."

Bob dipped his head. "Thank you, Gavin."

The Captain turned to a crew member standing nearby. "Mr. Sigma, open the hatch!"

"Yes sir, Cap'n sir." The binome pulled a lever, and the heavy door of the airlock swung open. Matrix entered first, followed by Ray, Mouse, Zara, and Bob last. The door closed behind them, and locked as Mr. Sigma spun the wheel. Bob nodded, the signal to put on their web protection. Ray tapped his icon and was encased in the reptilian skin of his web armor. The others pulled on their helmets and sealed them into place. Bob was thankful for his new helmet, which allowed him to see and speak normally.

Mouse wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Sugah, is it supposed to smell like something died in here?" she asked, addressing Bob.

He rolled his eyes mockingly. "Well, the armor is made from dead web creatures."

"Can we just get a move on so I get out of this thing?" Zara muttered. The foul stench of her web armor repulsed her, and already the bulk of it was becoming heavy.

Matrix moved to the inner door and rapped on it with knuckles. "Ready, Captain." His voice, like those of the others wearing helmets, was muffled and hollow.

A short buzz sounded and a red light appeared over the inner door. There was a hiss as the air was removed. With another buzz, the light over the inner door turned green and the outer door unsealed itself, sliding open silently. The atmosphere of the Web rapidly filled the small space, a chilling gust that seemed to penetrate thick armor and settle in the bones.

Despite his best efforts, again Bob could not repress a shiver. With an almost visible effort to force himself to take control of the situation, he said, "Let's move out."

Ray was closest to the outer door. He stepped onto his baud and glided out the exit, Mouse at his back. He was used to the Web, but this dark megacycle, even he felt the iciness. This wasn't a normal trek into the Web. This was something he might not come back from. Mouse had once asked him why he stayed in Mainframe. His answer had been he had finally found someone that made his stay - perhaps a permanent stay - worth every nanosecond. That, and he had found people he could call friends, which until then had numbered pitifully few.

The others followed him out on their zipboards, making their way to the huge tear that represented the Web address of the Super Computer. Ray stopped before it, and motioned for Mouse to move back on the baud. "If you're too close, love, you might get a little shock."

Behind the dark goggles, the surfer closed his eyes and focused. What he was about to do was difficult, and if it wasn't done correctly, he and the others in the near vicinity could be hit with the shockwave of a backlash strong enough to cause pain. Ray hadn't told them of this after-effect; not even Mouse knew of it. He was aware that while the Mainframers trusted him, they were still wary of his outlandishness and strange abilities. He wasn't sure what how their perceptions of him would change should this backfire, but it would not be for the better.

Ray slowly drew in a single breath, and allowed the energy to flow through him and gather at his hands. Mouse, several feet behind him, could feel the crackle of the forces gathered about him, as his hands began glow blue. He opened his eyes and let a small trickle of blue energy flow from him. It hit the tear, concentrating on one small area. He clenched his fists, and the blue energy pulled away, taking part of the tear with it, forming a smaller tear, dwarfed by the original. Ray's arms trembled with effort as he guided the small tear nearer to him so that the original would not interfere with making the portal.

The energy about his hands changed from blue to greenish yellow. The baud swayed as he shot the energy at the small tear, forcing Mouse to crouch down and grab hold. Ray breathed out in relief as the energy made contact, swirled, and the image of the Super Computer spread out over the newly formed portal.

A hand squeezed his shoulder. "Good job, sugah. Knew you had it in you." He clasped her hand in return, then guided his baud through the doorway into a new world of nightmares and dreads. Bob, Zara, and Matrix were right behind them. The portal dissipated into nothingness after Matrix passed through it.

A/N: 'Ignis fatuus' is Latin for 'a deceptive goal or hope'.