CHAPTER FIVE
WAR PLANS
The young binome tightened her grip on the green teddy bear she held. Her one eye nervously watched the many binomes around them, but her mother put a hand on her shoulder, a sign to not wander.
All of the citizens of Mainframe had been crowded into the Principle Office the second after Tessa's kidnap during the semi-fluke of the icon procedure. Since then, rumors — and only rumors, because none of the sprites would talk about it — had been said that communications between Mainframe and the Twin Cities had been destroyed after Welman Matrix had vehemently talked back to Guardian Bob.
Everyone had known this time would come. A few seconds after the system reboot they had all been called to the Principle Office. The heroes of Mainframe had come to stand before them; strong but scared inside, though the citizens couldn't see that. The same sprites stood before them today, with the exception of Mouse the hacker and her companion, the Surfr Ray, who had left on a mission to find information about Daemon and visit various systems in hope of finding some aid in the upcoming war.
Back on that second, when they realized that all was not well, that the euphoria of the restart was not going to last for long, Dot Matrix had been the one to step forward and announce the news of Daemon.
"There is a new evil in the Net; a super-virus called Daemon." . . .
The girl binome had been there for that news; and Dot's words had sent shivers through each and everyone's processors. They all knew what it meant: the war was back, and all they could do was plan and fight.
The teddy bear slipped through her fingers, and the girl bent to retrieve it.
No one — especially a child — should have to experience war and its factors: pain, destruction, loneliness. . . . The thought that they would all have to go through this again — and more — made the girl binome's stomach churn violently.
She looked back to the stuffed toy. Its green stitched face smiled up blankly at her; and for a moment, she smiled back and held the comfort object tightly to her.
She wanted to keep thinking happy thoughts. But it seemed that with each passing second it grew harder and harder to do so. The girl sniffed and reached out for her father's hand. He clutched her hand tightly. Her mother put an arm around her, and the child burrowed into her parents' embrace, wanting only to be away from this place.
Dot sighed as she watched the citizens gathered in the Principle Office's hall. They looked so scared and bewildered; they all knew of Daemon and the war, but none of them knew how Mainframe was going to stop her. It's our job to give them solace, she thought. It's up to us to keep Mainframe together in this time.
Standing behind her, Bob rubbed her shoulders comfortingly. "Time for you to go up," he whispered in her ear. "Give `em something to cheer about, Dot," he said, and his voice held a ring of his old humor.
Dot smiled at her love. "I will," she replied softly. She moved away from Bob and came to the podium in the front of the room.
"Citizens of Mainframe," she said; and immediately, they fell silent.
"Got to hand it to her — to them," Kode muttered from his spot in the crowd. "They really respect those sprites."
Dot looked out at the faces of every citizen of Mainframe: young and old, male and female, all innocents. "As you all know now, at least two of Daemon's infected Guardians penetrated Mainframe somehow and hid out in Level 31. They were taken care of the other second." She didn't say the real truth, which was that while Covin and Blair had been struck unconscious, they were missing as of that second and their bodies hadn't been spotted by the CPUs sent to guard the lower levels of the system.
"We know that the time to defeat Daemon is fast approaching, and so we have developed plans for attack on her and her armies." The seven sprites and the most trusted CPU binomes — from all the way back to the war over Mainframe — had met together the previous downtime, to put together real plans and determine each sprite and binome's part in the preparations. "Now I will tell you what will be done."
Dot paused to glance back at the others, to make sure that they were ready. Matrix gave her a thumbs-up, and she felt reassured.
She turned back to the podium and said, "Bob and Matrix will begin training CPUs to fly to the Supercomputer to fight Daemon's armies in a surprise attack.
"AndrAIa is our new head engineer, in Mouse's absence." The game sprite looked mildly surprised, then nodded, as if she had partly known that was going to happen. "She is continuing Mouse's plan to shield our CPUs. I myself am working with Phong to look for information within this system about Daemon — to analyze it to find some sort of weakness.
"This, the shielding, and the training will take a while, but today starts the preparations before the time is on us."
Bob stepped forward and spoke, "We'll be ready for Daemon when the time comes."
"And when will that time come?" Mr. Pearson asked; it wasn't an argument, just a question.
Dot swallowed and glanced at Bob. "We don't know yet," she said. It took a moment for the grim answer to sink in. "Mainframe will be ready," Dot finished, her voice strong, so that the sentence sounded like a sure promise. "We will be."
The crowds of binomes slowly dispersed. Many stayed back; some wanted to talk with the sprites, and others just wanted to feel the security of the Principle Office's walls.
When some Mainframers asked Dot if things would be all right, all she could say was "Yes." Of course, no one had any idea how the war would turn out, but they didn't want to weigh the citizens down with doubts and fears.
Dot remembered seeing a young binome girl talking quietly to AndrAIa. The girl carried a teddy bear that, Dot noted with a smile, was green and dressed in a Guardian uniform but had a strand of Mouse's hair on its head. As she watched, AndrAIa spoke a few words to the girl and hugged her; and when the binome pulled away, the bear bore a small shell on its outfit.
Dot scanned the room until her eyes fell on Enzo, sitting on a bench kicking his legs aimlessly. She glanced at Bob; he nodded. The two of them threaded their way through the departing binomes to the bench where Enzo sat.
Enzo looked up, and he smiled his wide smile. Dot noted with shock that the smile wasn't as bright as it used to be, and his voice, when he spoke, was soft. "Hey, Bob. Hey, Dot. How's everything going?"
The Guardian swallowed hard; his eyes showed no trace of mirth. He took a seat next to Enzo. "Enzo, Dot and I have something we need to talk to you about," he said solemnly.
"Okay." Enzo nodded a little nervously.
Dot sat too and took Enzo's small hands in her own. "Enzo, we love you so much. And I know things are different than they used to be — with the war." She bit her lip. She was afraid of telling Enzo too much, or too little.
"Enzo, we won't beat around the bush," Bob said. "The war's getting pretty bad. So far, we haven't met any systems that have been able to resist Daemon, except for those traders who came, and they're only a few. That's where Mouse and Ray are going; to find systems — or at least sprites and binomes — who have resisted Daemon, and ask them to help us."
"But what if they don't?" Enzo asked.
Bob sighed. "We don't think they will find anyone; or those they find will get infected. Daemon's very powerful, and I think she's capable of nearly anything."
Dot shook her head in violent protest. Tears pricked her eyes, but she fiercely didn't let them fall.
"Oh, Dot," Enzo whispered. It scared him tremendously to see his sister cry. He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his head in her side. "Please, Dot, don't cry!"
"I'm fine, Enzo," she said. Her voice shook for a note, but she steadied herself. She framed his face in her hands and studied him for several nanos. He had a face like an innocent, shining cherub. Dot remembered how, in the war against Megabyte for Mainframe, she had seen new shadows darken his face every second, as Enzo saw violent and horrifying things. Then, he had become Matrix. That Enzo had become consumed by the shadows — No. No, Dot thought. Enzo's coming back had been like a second chance for both of them. She had vowed never to let Enzo learn those things. She wouldn't let the shadows darken his face and his soul.
If I had one wish, it would be that Enzo would not have to grow up with this war, Dot thought. She remembered the countless times she had thought this helpless thought, and her throat constricted painfully.
Dot kissed his forehead. "Promise me, Little Brother, that you'll stay by my side all the time," she said softly. "Unless -- Enzo, unless I end up in danger —"
"No," Enzo protested.
"Unless I end up in danger," Dot repeated, "and I tell you to go. Go to Bob, or Matrix, or AndrAIa. They'll keep you safe if I can't."
"No, Dot," Enzo said. "I can't — I won't let you —"
"Enzo," she said, and her voice was fiercely compassionate, "I know you want to help us in this war. But you are so young, and I can't bear for anything to happen to you, on accident or on purpose. Promise me, Enzo."
Enzo's lower lip trembled. "I love you, Dot," he whispered.
"I love you too," she said. "Please."
"Okay," Enzo said. "I promise, Dot."
Dot hugged Enzo tightly. Bob wrapped his arms around the Matrix siblings.
"Thank you, Enzo," Dot said.
They sat there for several nanoseconds. Enzo felt a twinge in his core-com. He had been so happy when the system had restarted, and everyone had been safe and well — and Bob and Dot, together! But it had all darkened when that announcement about Daemon's existence had been made. Enzo didn't act like it, but he was frightened, more than he had ever been. Bob and Dot's words shook him terribly; and for the first time, he thought he was going to lose his childhood, just like Matrix. A silent tear slid down his cheek, but he quickly wiped it away.
Dot reluctantly pulled back. "You should be getting to school, Enzo," she said.
Enzo sighed. "Do I have to?" Suddenly, he thought of something. "Dot, could we visit the hospital?"
Dot bit her lip in thought. Finally she said, "I think you'd be allowed time off school to visit."
Enzo jumped off the bench in excitement. "Alphanumeric! I haven't seen Tessa for a full second! Will you come too, Bob?"
The Guardian shook his head. "Sorry, Enzo. I'm late as it is. Matrix and I start training today."
"Oh, right." Again, Enzo felt that twinge. He pushed it away and tried to act tough. "That's fine. I'll see you later, Bob."
Bob rested a hand on his shoulder for a nano. He smiled, but it was tinged with sadness. "Go, Enzo."
He squeezed Enzo's shoulder reassuringly, then he let go, gave Dot a kiss, and created a portal, which he disappeared into.
Dot took Enzo's hand. "C'mon, Enzo. Let's go visit Tessa and Hexadecimal."
"Hey, Bob." Matrix tried to smile when the Guardian entered the room, but it looked more like a grimace.
"Hey, Enzo," Bob said. "Are they all here?"
Matrix nodded. Bob looked to the lines of binomes standing in front of them. Before they had come, they had all been briefed on Daemon: who she was, what Mainframe knew of her infection, on both sprites and systems, and the power of her and her armies. The Mainframers had listened to the information with grim and even some scared looks, but they had swallowed it all and now waited for instruction.
Bob looked back to the younger sprite. "You ever had to train sprites?"
"Tons of times," Matrix replied. "In lots of systems."
"Did they live through it?" Bob muttered, as a half-joke.
Matrix narrowed his eyes. "Of course they did. There was even a kid that reminded me of — myself. I mean, Enzo." He didn't say any more; but Bob could see that Matrix was thinking about Enzo's innocence as much as the rest of them.
"You?" Matrix asked.
"Hmm? Oh, me," Bob said. "Uh, yeah, I taught some classes in self-defense to Guardian cadets at the Academy — before Glitch chose me, and I ended up in Mainframe. A lot of the sprites I taught made it to full-fledged Guardians, and some even got to go to systems instead of working traffic patrol," he said proudly. Then his expression sobered as he looked out at the lines of binomes waiting. "These binomes won't be so lucky."
Matrix said nothing as he studied the binomes. They all looked tense and anxious; but they were also excited and ready to serve Mainframe. He looked to Bob and smiled a small smile. "Ready?"
The Guardian nodded and stepped forward. The binomes saw him and fell quiet, watching him with wide, expectant eyes.
"First off, I'd like to thank you for offering your services to Mainframe in the war," Bob said. He smiled warmly at everyone, and they smiled in return. "Your dedication to our home is a wonderful thing to see. Matrix" — he nodded at the large sprite — "and I will teach you all we know about attacks and plans, so that when the time comes you will be ready."
Matrix interrupted, "You'll attack your enemies head-on, with all the force you can."
Bob frowned at the younger sprite. That hadn't been how he had wanted to explain the plan; it sounded as if they were going to send the binomes into full battle, without any training. Out of the side of his vision, he noticed some of the binomes growing nervous, and he quickly stepped in front of Matrix.
"What Matrix means, is we'll teach you stealth and surprise; and when the time comes for battle, you'll all be strong and ready."
The binomes let out a collective sigh of relief. Matrix glanced at Bob, slightly irritated that Bob had needed to intervene on his words. The expression disappeared, then, and he took a deep breath. Bob did the same, to stay calm.
"If you'll follow us, Matrix and I will teach you several drills in your transports." The binomes followed them to the hangars.
The nurse led Dot and Enzo to Room 16, where Hexadecimal and Tessa were staying. She carefully opened the door, and Enzo poked his head through. They couldn't see much, except for the still form of Hex, lying on a hospital bed, breathing slowly.
"Remember to be quiet; she hasn't gotten much sleep," the nurse instructed. Dot remembered that when Hex had first been brought in, no one seemed to approve; but she was a person in need, and they couldn't deny her. "And keep the visit to a maximum of ten milliseconds."
Dot nodded. "Thank you very much," she said. The nurse smiled and left to check on other patients.
"Tessa?" Enzo called softly as he and Dot entered the room.
The girl was sprawled in a chair besides Hex's bed. At the sound of Enzo's voice, she raised her head. A slow smile tinged with weariness, spread across her face. "Hi, Enzo," she whispered. "Hi, Dot."
Dot put an arm around the girl's shoulders. "How are you doing, Tessa?" she asked in concern, for there were dark lines under her eyes, and she fought a yawn. "Did you get any sleep?"
"Sort of," Tessa answered sheepishly. "I — I've been watching over Hex. She woke a couple times, but mostly she's been sleeping. She seems okay, and I'm happy."
Dot hugged her around the shoulders. "Hexadecimal is very lucky, to have someone as kind and devoted as you to watch over her." Tessa smiled, a little embarrassed.
"We just came to check up on you guys," Dot said. "I need to get Enzo to school, anyway. Tessa, would you like to come to the Diner with me? Hex will be fine here."
Tessa smiled but shook her head. "I'd like to stay here, please," she said, her voice soft but determined. "I'm sure the doctors and nurses are great, but I would like to be here for Hexadecimal. Thank you."
Dot nodded. Enzo hugged Tessa, and then they left. Tessa waved and whispered, "Good-bye" as they left the room, quietly shutting the door behind them.
"She's really devoted to staying with Hex," Enzo commented as they zipped through the sectors.
Dot smiled. "Hexadecimal did sort of adopt Tessa in her early seconds here, and she let her stay in Lost Angles when she was alone." Enzo glanced away, guiltily remembering his earlier dislike of Tessa for her looks.
"C'mon, Little Brother," Dot said with a wry smile, "time for you to get to school."
Enzo sighed, but he and Dot zipped to his school, where she dropped him off and headed back to the Principle Office.
It seems like I've been spending all my seconds here lately, she thought sadly. Seconds of planning, and waiting, and new, unknown happenings. That's life, I guess. For now, at least.
In her personal office, Dot settled into a chair and fitted on a headset. She opened a VidWindow at her left and typed in a frequency. The window fizzed with static for several moments, then finally Mouse's face broke through the static, grinning. "Hey, Dot." Dot nodded in reply, glad that her friends were all right so far. Mouse continued, "We took off fine; nobody noticed, since they were all busy at the P.O. hearing your plan."
"The less who know you left the better," Dot said. "Are you and Ray ready?"
Mouse nodded, a look of fierce determination in her brown eyes. "We check fer systems that can help, then give you the list," she said, reciting the short plan. "And hopefully, we'll find out more about Daemon -- `specially since her Guardians are here now."
"Net protect you, Mouse," Dot said with a sad smile.
"Same ta you." Mouse smiled, then disconnected the communications, and Dot was sitting by herself in her office.
"Let's go, then," Ray said as Mouse turned off the communications. Ship hovered right outside the portal surrounding Mainframe. In front of them was the dark Web.
Mouse thumbed the controls, and Ship's engines glowed white. She took a deep breath and pressed the button, and they shot off, following a plan that would lead them to unknown systems and sprites.
There was a knock on the hospital room's door. Tessa opened it to see not only Enzo and Dot, but also Bob, and even Matrix and AndrAIa. A nurse stood with them, too, having come to check on Hex.
Her mouth opened in surprise. "What are you all doing here?" she asked, perplexed.
Bob knelt in front of her; and Tessa noticed that he carried some flowers. "We wanted to visit with Hexadecimal," he said. "The doctor told us that she's well enough to take visitors."
Tessa nodded. "Sure. I mean, come in." She opened the door all the way to let the sprites come in. Then she ran to the bed and gently shook Hex's arm. "Hex, Hex, wake up."
The registered virus groaned and opened her eyes, but when her eyes fell on Tessa, she smiled. "What is it, my dear?"
Tessa smiled widely. "You have some visitors."
She stepped back, and Hex saw Bob, standing over her with a smile. "Hey, Hex," he said. "How're you doing?"
"Hello, Guardian," she replied softly. "I'm all right."
Bob brought his hand out from behind his back, and Hex gasped with delight. He handed her a bouquet of flowers. "I got these for you. To, uh, make you feel better."
"Why thank you, my dear boy," she said, smiling. "But I doubt Dot would approve."
"Actually, it was my idea," Dot said, stepping out from behind Bob. She smiled at Hex. "I felt it was a special occasion."
Hex arched an eyebrow. "I don't understand . . ."
"You risked your life for Tessa," AndrAIa said. She smiled. "We figured you couldn't be so bad."
Hexadecimal smiled back. "Thank you, then."
"Are you still tired, Hex?" Tessa asked in concern.
"A little," Hex answered; it came out more as a sigh. She closed her eyes, then opened them. "I feel as if I'm drifting . . ."
"You used up most of your energy, trying to protect Tessa from the Guardian," Dot explained. "And, we won't be staying for too long. We also wanted to talk to Tessa."
"Talk to me?" the girl asked, surprised. "How come?"
"You should sit down," Dot said.
Tessa did, looking worried. Enzo stood next to her, looking tense. Tessa looked between the adults and saw that all of them shared the same expression. "Well, what is it?" she asked.
"When we went to save you from the Guardians the other second," Dot began, "one of them —"
"Covin," Bob cut in.
"Covin called you one of Daemon's Children. He said that she needed you back, to continue processing — meaning, Tessa, that you were tied in with Daemon."
Tessa's breath quickened; tears pricked her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Instead she said, in barely a whisper, "What did he mean? How?"
"We don't know," AndrAIa answered. "We've never dealt with a super-virus before, so we can't know what it means to be one of Daemon's Children, other than you're tied to her in some way —"
"Tessali is one of the sprites who will be Daemon's hosts." Everyone looked to the bed, where Hex had pushed herself up on one arm. It was clear in her face and voice that she was weary, but her eyes shone with rage and sorrow.
"What — what do you mean, Hex?" Bob asked.
Hexadecimal looked at Tessa, and laid one hand over hers. "All viruses have heard at least a little bit about Daemon, and how she has survived for so long."
" So long'?" Dot asked. "Hexadecimal, you're not making any sense."
"Then listen!" Hex shouted. She angrily sat up in bed; shocked, the nurse rushed to push her back down, but Hex glared at her. Her next words were in a quieter, calmer tone. "Daemon has been around the Net for about twenty hours."
"Twenty hours?" They weren't sure who exactly had said that; it seemed they had all exclaimed it at the same time.
"She may have been around longer than that, but she began taking over about sixteen hours ago," Hex said. "Somewhere between sixteen and twenty hours, she must have built up armies and power, because the first systems she attacked came under her power instantly.
"The only ones who have seen Daemon's true form have been deleted. But it's said that Daemon relied heavily on elements of the Web, and she may look like someone who has been through the Web." Hexadecimal was interrupted by a fit of coughing. She waved away Tessa when she tried to help. "I'm all right, dear. Where was I — ah, yes.
"To survive, Daemon took many forms — hosts, mostly women sprites, preferably young women. She transferred her code into each one, so that it would appear that the sprite could walk around, alive and well, but in truth, Daemon controlled the sprite totally.
"It's said that she could only live in each host for a short while; and eventually, when sprites became aware of her presence, she couldn't find enough sprites for hosts. So, she used technology to create new hosts."
Dot gasped in horror and looked to Tessa. Suddenly, it all came together: her arrival to Mainframe, her odd aging, even her looks — no child created in a normal way would have dull, dead-looking skin and no hair.
Tessa understood too, and tears of anger and sorrow streamed down her cheeks. Enzo wrapped his arms around her; and however awkward his hug was, Tessa hugged him back, crying silently.
Hex looked sadly at Tessa. When her tears ceased to sniffles, Hex took the girl into her lap and rocked her gently. Her face and her voice were grim as she next spoke.
"The created sprites are called Daemon's Children. Not much is known about them; only that Daemon creates them to grow quickly and become young, healthy hosts for her to inhabit. As for the looks, I have no idea."
"So there are others exactly like me," Tessa said quietly. "I'm not an individual."
"No, Tessali!" Hexadecimal said fiercely. She gripped the girl-sprite's shoulders and made her look at her. "I named you, child, and I raised you."
"We all did," Bob said with a smile. "Each and every one of us."
"You're a Mainframer, Tessa," Dot said.
"And Mainframers stick together," Matrix added.
Tessa smiled, though it was wobbly. She sniffled once more. "Thank you," she whispered, and she buried her head in Hex's shoulder.
Dot stared at Hexadecimal. "You mean — you knew all this?" she asked in disbelief.
Hex stroked Tessa's head. She looked up at the sprites and nodded. "Yes. All viruses have heard of Daemon — especially myself and my brother," she added in a lower voice, looking down.
"What do you mean, you and Megabyte would know?" Matrix asked, eyes narrowed viciously.
"We came to Mainframe an hour or so after the Twin City's explosion," Hex explained. "When we arrived, we could feel Daemon's presence immensely — in the remains of the City."
Time seemed to freeze after she spoke. Dot's head whirled with the sudden onslaught of thoughts and suspicions of the last few seconds working themselves into what Hexadecimal had just said. It couldn't be true!
She couldn't find the ability to speak for several nanoseconds. When she finally got her throat and mouth to work, she demanded, "What? You felt Daemon's presence? In the City?"
Recognition dawned on Bob's face. "Oh, sweet User," he whispered.
"No, it can't be!" Matrix hissed. "Tell us about that — about Daemon's presence!" he ordered Hexadecimal.
"Her power hung heavily over the City, but not so much over Mainframe —" Hex started; then, her eyes slid closed, and she fell back onto the bed. Tessa jumped off and tried to shake her. "Hex, tell us more! Wake up, Hex!"
The nurse had been standing nearby but hadn't heard the conversation while she was setting up a gurney. She rushed to Tessa and tried to pull her away. "Let her rest, dear."
"We have to talk to her!" Matrix growled. He looked ready to fling the nurse aside, but Dot said, "No, Enzo, it's all right. Hexadecimal needs to rest; she can't tell us anything more."
Matrix muttered something vicious under his breath and spun around. He stormed out of the room, with AndrAIa and Bob following. Dot started to go, then she looked back at Tessa.
The girl was trembling, and her eyes were bright with tears. "Dot," she whispered, "I'm scared. I want to be away from here; but I don't want to leave Hex. . . ."
"Come to the Principle Office with us," Dot said gently. "Hex will only have to stay here for a little while longer, and the doctors will take care of her."
Tessa nodded. She bent by Hex and kissed her face. Then she rushed to Dot and let the woman take her by the hand and lead her outside.
They caught up with the others at the Principle Office. Dot took Tessa to Phong's office.
They came in without knocking. Phong looked at their haggard faces and asked, "What is it, Dot?"
Dot quickly explained what had just happened. "Can you take care of Tessa, please, Phong?" she asked.
"Of course, child," he immediately answered. "Come with me, Tessa" and he led her to a small, but cozy, room.
Dot waited until Phong came back. "Thank you, Phong," she said. "The Principle Office can protect her like none of us could."
He nodded, and took her hands. "Dot, child, are you all right?"
Dot shook her head and fell to her knees. "It's horrible, Phong," she whispered. "All the planning, and waiting — and what Hexadecimal just told us, about Daemon being here in the time of the Twin Cities . . . I'm so scared. She was here before; she's here again, with the Guardians. I don't know what to do."
"Neither do I, my child." There was silence for several moments. Then he spoke again. "But I do have something for you, Dot," Phong said. He pulled a small disk out of his drawer. "The other second, Bob found this in the Archives. I believe it to be a log from the Twin Cities, but I have not yet watched it. I think you would like it?"
Dot thought of Hex's words, of how Daemon had somehow been involved with the Twin Cities. She nodded, and he handed her the disk. Dot thanked him and left, holding the log in a death-grip.
"One more thing, Phong," she said before she left. "Terminate all communications with the Twin Cities. If any of their citizens try to come here, place them under guard before I can talk to them."
Phong's eyebrows shot up, and his glasses fell off his nose. He retrieved them and nodded gravely. It seemed to Dot that somehow he already understood her reasons for this action. "Yes, my child. It will be done."
When Dot got to her office she placed the log in a drawer in her desk. She regretted that she couldn't watch it at that moment, though she desperately wanted to. Instead, she had to go to the hangars to check on AndrAIa.
When she reached the lower levels, she found the game sprite welding a steel plate to the side of a CPU. Dot waited until AndrAIa had turned off the flame-thrower before she spoke.
"How are you doing, AndrAIa?" she asked, coming down the steps.
AndrAIa lifted her helmet and smiled wearily at Dot. "All right; I'm a bit behind, though."
"Let me help, then," Dot offered. AndrAIa nodded, and Dot donned one of the protective suits. She knelt by AndrAIa and handed her a plate. AndrAIa flipped her helmet back and pressed the flame-thrower to the plate, melting its edges to the adjoining sides of the transport.
It was slow work to shield the whole CPU, and the two women took a moment to rest after they had finished.
"I'm sorry you have to do this all yourself," Dot apologized. Unfortunately, there was no way around it. Once Mouse had left, AndrAIa had taken the job on herself, and there was no one they could spare who knew as much as she.
"It's all right," AndrAIa replied. "It gives me something to do; and it's my part in all this."
At that nano, a CPU streaked by. Dot and AndrAIa lifted their helmets and watched it fly by, followed by another, then another, and a whole cluster. The CPUs spread out into an attack V, rushing at full speed. Then, suddenly, they reversed direction, to turn back around. But one bumped into the other, which caused the smooth drill to be ruined.
AndrAIa laughed softly and replaced her helmet. "Those poor binomes are going to get the training drilled into them, if I know Matrix."
Dot took a turn with the flame-thrower, as AndrAIa held the plate against the next CPU. "I hope he and Bob can work together to train them," she said.
Matrix rolled his eyes in disgust at the binomes as they filed into the hangars, looking sheepish from just messing up the drill. "That was horrible," he growled.
"Enzo," Bob tried to reason, "it was the first drill."
"I know." Matrix sighed. "This isn't gonna be easy."
"Nothing these seconds is." Matrix reluctantly nodded at Bob's comment.
"Okay, that wasn't too good," Bob said aloud. The binomes fell silent; some looked at him, while other glanced away in embarrassment.
"It's all right," Bob continued. "But we need to have it right as soon as we can. Remember this." Each binome nodded, fully understanding. "Now, let's try the same drill again, but a little different: Fly out slowly, in a group. Gather speed as you turn and form into the attack V. Then, the first two fly forward, followed by the next two, and so on."
The binomes all listened, committing his instructions to memory.
Matrix cut in front of Bob. "But if you did that, it'd be too slow to attack."
Bob frowned. "We don't know how Daemon's troops would attack. For all we know, they'll go for the large group. By spreading out, the CPUs will have a better chance."
"And before they can shoot, the enemy will shoot them down, one by one," Matrix argued. "A larger group is more powerful."
The binomes were looking between the two sprites, unsure of whose instructions to follow.
"Spreading out gives more power," Bob said.
A binome raised a hand. "Um, excuse me —"
"Wait," Matrix snapped to the binome. "Bob, why won't you listen to me?"
"Because I know what I'm doing, Enzo," Bob said. Matrix gritted his teeth. Bob turned back to the binomes and tried to finish explaining the drill. "If you were in the real battle, you would then shoot at your targets."
The same binome raised his hand again. "Exactly what sort of attack are we doing?"
"The one I said before," Bob answered.
"They should be going for brute force," Matrix argued again. "We have enough power."
"Matrix, I'm trying to tell you, strategy is better than a full-blown attack when no one knows what they're doing!" Bob said, having trouble keeping his voice level. "Besides, do you think about what would happen if we did send all our troops out, and Daemon deleted every single one? We'd have no forces left, and we'd be vulnerable to attack!"
Matrix glared at him; Bob glared right back. Finally, Matrix broke his gaze and stared at the ground ashamedly. "You're right, Bob," he muttered. "I'm sorry."
Bob sighed and put a hand on the youth's shoulder. "So am I, Enzo. This turned out to be harder than we thought, with us having different ideas on the subject."
Matrix shook his head. "It was my fault. I didn't think."
"Actually, I think you might have had some of a plan going there," Bob said. "Part of a plan, at least. Why don't we try and see if we can incorporate both our ideas together?"
Matrix hesitated, then nodded haltingly. "Sounds good."
Bob drew him aside, and they talked in hushed tones as the binomes waited impatiently.
Bob said, "What if we start it the same — but send them out in groups, like I planned." Matrix nodded. "We'll have a few groups, I think. And in each one there would be a few CPUs that immediately split apart from the others and go for weak spots. Then, the rest attack in a slower force."
A hint of a smile appeared on Matrix's face. "Sounds like a real plan. Thanks, Bob."
"Thank you," Bob said with a smile. "We'll have to teach those binomes some tricky maneuvers. I believe you might know some tricks, guessing that you spent some time in flying Games?"
Matrix looked much happier, now that he had come to terms with his hero, (for the moment, anyway). "I might have a few that'll surprise Daemon's troops . . ." he said, as they stood in front of the binomes.
"All right, here's the new plan," Bob said, and started to explain. The CPUs understood quickly, and they began to board their transports.
"I doubt you could fit into one of those," Bob said to Matrix, "so you'll need to instruct them through a communications link, okay?"
Matrix smiled slightly and shook his head at Bob's comment. Then he said, "Got it. Let's go."