CHAPTER SEVEN
MAINFRAMERS AND MERCENARIES
Author's Note: I made a slight change in the scene where the Mainframers and the mercenaries are going to system Azrael. Please reread said scene, because it's crucial to the story. Thanks a lot, and sorry for not adding it until now.
"What with all the people here, I'm not going to have any room left in my apartment when this is over," Bob laughed. They all sat in the War Room, now: the two Guardians, the Game sprite, the former and current Command.coms, the little sprite, and the six mercenaries.
"I can't believe it," Codec told Matrix and AndrAIa after spending half a millisecond staring at them in disbelief. "It's been about an hour since we saw you, and you were barely teenagers. How, then, can you be my age?"
"Game-hopping," Matrix explained, "speeds up your code and makes you compile ten times faster. We were in the Games for an hour, twelve minutes. For each minute, we aged an hour."
Eide shook her head and laughed bemusedly. "And that makes total sense."
"How's your eye working out?" Axis asked Matrix.
Matrix rubbed the cybernetic implant and answered, "Fine. It's great."
"What happened after we left you?" Dram asked.
"We hopped through Games for more hours — I mean, minutes," AndrAIa said from where she sat in front of a VidWindow. She seemed engrossed in her work, but she had heard Dram's question. "Then we met some old friends, took a trip through the Web, and saved Mainframe." She grinned.
"You're making me feel old and useless," Codec complained with the unmistakable wry affection of an uncle. "Granted, we've had our own adventures, but we never saved a system from total shutdown."
"We took some more jobs; protecting people, `cause that's what we do," Eide added. "Some were easy, some pretty hard. We continued our work and picked up young Tab on the way." She tweaked the 1.7-hour-old's ear.
"I'm not as young as they were when you took them in," Tab reminded Eide. To AndrAIa and Matrix, she added, "They always talk about you."
"This Daemon person sounds remarkable, from what you've begun to tell us," Axis said to Dot and Bob. "You say that she can take corpses and fill them with some energy so they walk and talk like living sprites?"
"That's pretty much it," Dot answered.
"Fascinating," Axis murmured. When Codec and Eide shot him identical glares, he quickly added, "But horrible, very horrible."
"Are you the brains of the group?" Dot asked Axis.
He shrugged modestly. "Well, yes. I have performed some surgeries on wounds, you know — Actually, I implanted that mechanical eye into your brother's eye socket when he had lost the original."
"Really," Dot said, unable to formulate a better answer.
"Yes." Axis looked extremely proud of himself.
Codec explained, "Eide and I are the two in-command chiefs. Balu is our martial-arts expert, Axis is the scientist, Dram has the ship, and Tab — our newest recruit — has a knack for mechanics." Tab grinned shyly.
"Our friend Mouse is like that," Bob said. "She's in the Net right now, with our other friend, a Web Surfr."
Dot was curiously gazing over AndrAIa's shoulder at the VidWindow in front of her. "What're you checking out, AndrAIa?" she asked.
"This is a Net-wide newsgroup," AndrAIa explained, turning away from the window. "It has information on the recent happenings in all different systems in the Net."
"Does it mention anything about our little adventure in the Supercomputer?" Matrix asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Actually, that's why I'm at the newsgroup," AndrAIa replied. "It has tons of information dating back for hours that could be linked to Daemon's activities. I'm reading over the recent obituaries — I'm looking for any sprites who could potentially be Daemon's new host." She returned her attention to the newsgroup and scrolled down through the list of recently deceased sprites, in all systems.
Balu watched over her shoulder. As AndrAIa reached the second page, he frowned and laid his hand over hers. She paused and sent him a curious glance.
"Click that link," Balu instructed, tapping his finger on the screen. AndrAIa did, and the article, from less than a cycle ago, came up.
" System Azrael: After a fulfilling life, Count Header Misoun met a peaceful end.'" Balu nodded, and AndrAIa stopped reading.
"What does this have to do with a group of mercenaries?" Bob asked.
Codec replied, "Count Misoun hired us to take care of his heir. He knew he would reach his deletion soon, and he wanted to ensure that his granddaughter would be safe. When Misoun deleted, Avina — his heir — inherited everything, including his title and all the systems he owned."
"Wait a nano!" Axis exclaimed, and everyone looked questioningly at him. "You told us that Daemon has been infecting young women with wealth and power. Countess Avina is relatively young — 1.8, but a legal adult in her system — and she has just inherited all of Misoun's riches —"
"–The perfect opportunity for Daemon," Dot concluded. "We have to get to the system! Where is it?"
"We were on our way before we stopped in Mainframe," Codec answered. "But now that Daemon's gotten into this, we'll need a Guardian — or two," he said, looking pointedly at Bob and Matrix.
"Whoa, hold on a nano," Dot said. "These guys just came back from a mission in the Supercomputer."
"Dot," Bob said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder, "I know you're worried about us. But this is something that, as Guardians, we have to do."
Dot looked into his eyes and smiled sadly. "I know," she replied calmly, "and I'm sure you'll go. But, I'd rather you get a second of rest before leaving again." She covered his hand with hers.
"We can make arrangements for a second's delay," Codec said.
Dot nodded. "Of course. Tomorrow we'll make final plans." Without it needing to be said, the sprites separated for their homes. Before leaving for the Diner, Dot watched Bob, AndrAIa, Matrix, and the six mercenaries all head toward his apartment complex. Sighing as their forms eventually disappeared, she took Enzo's hand and led him back to Baudway.
"Morning," AndrAIa greeted Matrix, leaning up to kiss him.
"Hey," he returned, wrapping an arm around her waist. He lifted his other hand to rub at his eyes, and he tried to cover a yawn.
"Tired?" AndrAIa asked, raising her eyebrows.
"I didn't sleep well," Matrix answered, lifting one shoulder in a shrug. "It's nothing," he said, which made his significant other believe that it was more than something.
"You ready?" AndrAIa asked, leading him toward the doorway with one hand.
"Yeah," her lover answered. "Thank the Net that stuff came out," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. Though he had washed his hair after returning from the Supercomputer, flecks of yellow dye had still remained around his scalp. "I didn't want to stay a blonde."
"You sure you got all of it?" AndrAIa asked, raking her fingers through his spiky hair. "I could've helped you wash it out. I still can," she offered with a grin.
"Another time," Matrix replied, stealing a kiss. "We were leaving?"
"Right," she pouted, playing with the lock of hair that constantly hung over his right eye. "The others are probably waiting."
After lunch at the Diner — some things never changed — they returned to the Principle Office for planning. The group of sprites headed back to the War Room, Dot already working out plans in her mind. She sighed sadly, wondering if it would ever end, if she would just one second run out of plans and lose. She gave herself a firm mental shake. Not the time to think about those things.
Walking beside Codec and AndrAIa, Matrix stumbled. He froze in place for several nanoseconds, his frame trembling. The metal on the walls around him vanished and was replaced by wet, green vines. Rows of stiff, blank-eyed sprites stood before him, and the entire scene shimmered hazily.
Then the dim image brightened until his eyesight was filled with a searing light. Matrix groaned under his breath and rubbed his eyes furiously until he refocused on his surroundings.
"You okay?" AndrAIa asked, slipping an arm around his waist.
The vision had been just like the one that had troubled him the previous night. "Fine," he answered, but his voice sounded as weary as he felt.
AndrAIa still stared at him with concern. "I hope you're not coming down with something," she murmured.
Matrix snorted, and some of the worry left AndrAIa's face. "Me? Sick? I don't think so."
Codec had seen Matrix freeze, and he sent the other sprite a curious look. Matrix waved a hand, signaling that he was all right. Codec relaxed as they herded into the War Room.
"This place is getting a little cramped," Dot observed. "Used to be, there was a handful of us in here. If we get any more now, we'll have to find somewhere else to meet." She shook her head. "Let's get down to business."
"The mercenaries are right about the Countess," Bob started. "We can't let Daemon gain another host and more systems."
"Right." Dot nodded. "Codec" — the blue-skinned sprite lifted his head — "your team is already set to go to Azrael?"
"Somewhat," he answered. "Like I said, we could use Bob and Matrix's help the most, especially where this super-virus is concerned. I can spare a few members of my team to pass up the mission."
"Then Bob and Matrix will definitely go," Dot said. "AndrAIa should go with you, shouldn't she?" The Game sprite nodded. "And you?" Dot asked The Net's Own.
Codec looked over his companions and decided, "Eide, Axis, and Dram will go. Tab, Balu, and I will stay here, in Mainframe."
"Agreed, then." Codec nodded and grasped Dot's outstretched hand.
Codec turned toward everyone and spoke. "We're expected to arrive in Azrael, today, if you're all ready?" He received a chorus of positive replies. "Good. Dram, go power up the ship."
While the pudgy sprite jogged off to do as he had been commanded, Codec took Eide aside and murmured something to her. She nodded, her eyes calm and serious. Codec concluded their conversation with a grim smile and a firm clasp of her hand.
A device at Codec's belt flashed red three times. "The ship's ready," he announced, leading them all outside.
The mercenaries' ship was settled outside the Principle Office. Its engines glowed red, and steam curled out from under the ship.
The Mainframe sprites exchanged brief good-byes. "I'm sorry you have to do this," Dot said to Matrix and AndrAIa as she hugged each of them.
"Don't worry, Sis," Matrix told her. "This is a lot less dangerous than the Supercomputer."
AndrAIa caught the older woman gazing sadly at Bob. "Don't worry, Dot," AndrAIa said. "We'll watch Bob for you." She patted his arm.
Dot laughed, albeit a small one. She hugged Bob tightly, then let go and stepped back. Matrix, Bob, and AndrAIa disappeared inside the mercenaries' ship. Dram was already at the controls; Axis, then Eide slipped inside, and the hatch closed with a clang.
The Control Tower created a portal in less than a millisecond, and the ship darted through. The portal closed, and the Mainframe sky shone bright, clear blue once again.
Once the three sprites closest to her had left — would this never end? she wondered wearily -- Dot retreated into the Principle Office to finalize her plans. As Mouse and Ray had promised the sprites they had met in the Net, Dot -- accompanied by Captain Capacitor and his pirate crew -- planned to visit the "living" systems, meet the Command.com of each, and set up communications so that they would be able to plan together in preparation for the upcoming final battle with Daemon.
Dot hated to leave Enzo in Mainframe, without her or Bob there with him. But she had made the plan to visit these systems long before AndrAIa had proposed the idea of going to the Supercomputer, and before the mercenaries had appeared. And Dot had to carry out her own plan.
Like Bob had said before going to the Supercomputer: "No time like the present." Now that one scheme was in motion, it was time for another to begin. Before leaving the Principle Office, Dot downloaded a casual-clothing format onto her icon, and she kept the list of the systems with her.
A few micros later, Dot, Enzo, Frisket, and Phong stood at the Mainframe docks. Capacitor and the pirates waited on another borrowed ship from Mr. Mitchell.
"I'll be seeing you guys in less than a cycle," Dot said. She leaned down to give Enzo a hug, then the same for Phong.
"Be good, Enzo, all right?" she pleaded.
"Do not worry, my child," Phong told Dot. "I will watch over young Enzo." Behind the old sprite's back, Dot could see her brother mouthing "Young Enzo, young Enzo" with a disgusted look on his face.
Dot smiled. "Bye, guys. See you in a little while." Phong and Enzo followed her to the edge of the docks, where Dot climbed into Mr. Mitchell's ship with the pirates. Some binomes loosened the ties holding the ship in place, and the ship began to float on the data sea. Those in charge of the engines switched the controls to "full power" and began to turn the ship in the direction of the edge of the system. The engines flared bright orange and red.
"Bye, Dot!" Enzo called, waving his hand wildly. The ship, having gathered its power, shot at lightning speed for the edge of the data sea. Mr. Norton powered up the portal generator. As the ship picked up speed, it opened up a portal. Mr. Mitchell's ship passed right through the portal, and it closed with a *pop*.
Phong placed an arm around Enzo's shoulders and led the little sprite back inside the Principle Office. Frisket followed, wagging his tail emphatically.
"Just like old times, eh, Dot?" Capacitor asked with a hearty laugh. "Captain Capacitor and Dot Matrix, back in business together."
Dot smiled along with him. "I can't thank you enough for coming along, Gavin. It could be dangerous."
"Ah, danger," Capacitor scoffed, waving his hand as if to dismiss the idea. "Me and me crew were getting restless; it's good to get out in the fresh air and get a little action. That's what the crew of the Saucy Mare do -- face action and fight to the death." His smile was more of a frown at the mention of his late, beloved ship.
Dot placed a hand on Capacitor's shoulder. "We'll find you another ship, Gavin. Not something to replace the Mare, but -- we'll get you a real ship, I promise."
"What's the first system, Dot?" Captain Capacitor asked thirty milliseconds later.
Dot had `booted into a black-and-white business suit and checked her appearance in a mirror. At Capacitor's question, she glanced at her list and answered, "Kompu. Mouse says the Command.com is Sans," she continued to read to herself. "He's ready to help. Perfect."
As with Mr. Mitchell's other ships they had borrowed from time to time, this one traveled quickly and swiftly through the Net. In no time, they reached system Kompu. They sent ahead a message stating who they were and what their business was.
A group of sprites and binomes had already begun to form as the ship entered the docks. As Dot was stepping out of the ship, the Command.com hurried to her side and extended a hand to help her.
"Thank you," Dot said, shaking the hand he had held out to her. "I'm Dot Matrix, Command.com of Mainframe. This is Gavin Capacitor," she explained, placing a hand on Gavin's shoulder, "captain and leader of the crew of the Saucy Mare."
"Software pirates?" the Command.com frowned. "And on your side? You have some power there, ma'am." The man smiled and shook her hand just as heartily. "Forgive me. I am Sans, Command.com of this little system. Now, your friends were here a cycle earlier, and they told us about your plan to stop Daemon." Several citizens gasped at the name, and Sans sent them stern glares.
"Yes, I'm organizing a meeting of all Command.coms," Dot explained. "We just restored the communications in Mainframe, and I'd like to be able to plan with you during the upcoming cycles until battle."
"It sounds dangerous," Sans said soberly.
"It is," Dot admitted. "I won't lie to you. This is going to be hard. But if we all want to live through the Daemon threat, we have to work together. All I can ask is that you align your forces with ours to defeat Daemon."
"That's a great speech you've got. Be sure to use it with all the other systems," the Command.com said, and Dot smiled. "I can't turn you down when you say it like that. You've got our support, Ms. Matrix — always," Sans said. "Isn't that right?" he shouted, turning toward his citizens.
"Yes!" they yelled, pumping their fists in the air.
The sprites' willingness made Dot's core-com lift, and she couldn't help but smile like a giddy child as they chanted their support.
"Thank you, Sans," she said, shaking his hand again. "And please, call me Dot."
Once Dram had set in Azrael's coordinates, the ship traveled on autopilot. He relaxed in the pilot's chair and looked back at the passengers, occasionally flicking his glance back to the controls to ensure that nothing went wrong.
Eide folded her arms behind her head and leaned back in the co-pilot's seat. "Here's what's going on," she told the three Mainframe sprites. "Count Misoun hired us to protect Avina from potential enemies, what with all her riches and power, and that's just what we're going to do. When we get to Azrael, we act like we're all the mercenaries."
"Should we tell her about Daemon?" Bob asked.
Eide contemplated for several moments. "We should tell her, so she understands what's going on."
"But not in public," Axis put in. "We can't risk being overheard by any spies. Would Daemon have put spies in the system?" he asked, turning toward AndrAIa, Matrix, and Bob.
"She might have," AndrAIa answered. "We've dealt with some Guardians in our own system already. It depends if Daemon even knows about the Countess. We just found out ourselves."
Axis was sizing up the Mainframers. "We don't have any disguises," he murmured. "I hope she doesn't recognize two Guardians."
"We can fix the Guardian part," Bob said. He and Matrix simultaneously turned their icons to game-sprite mode; AndrAIa's had already been switched. "Other than that," Bob continued, "we can't change anything."
"Great," Dram sighed, his voice edged with an irritated growl. "Our whole cover could be blown by the Guardians." He frowned and had trouble speaking the word, as if it were a vile thing that dirtied his tongue. All eyes turned to him; his fellow mercenaries looked annoyed, while the Mainframers were more puzzled.
Eide heaved her own sigh and rounded on Dram. "You listen to me, Freeware," she snapped. "Bob and Matrix are Guardians, but they're clean. Daemon hasn't infected them. They're on our side. So I don't want any B.S. from you about it." Her companion's jaw tightened with anger, but after stubbornly glaring at Eide, he broke the gaze and turned back to the controls without a word.
Bob opened his mouth to ask what was going on. "It'll be fine," Eide assured him before he could speak. "Just follow my lead."
"Location of Azrael is confirmed," Dram announced, his voice more timid than a moment earlier. "We've got about a half a micro till we reach it. If you want, you can get some shut-eye. I'll keep an eye on the controls." He frowned and rubbed the patch over his left eye thoughtfully.
Bob, Matrix, and AndrAIa settled back in their chairs, but none of them were tired enough to sleep. There was silence in the mercenaries' ship.
Finally, the thirty milliseconds were up. As Dram announced their descent into Azrael's atmosphere, the sprites sat up and stretched while Dram gave their identification to the Azrael inter-system guard. The other five crowded around the windows to see the huge system. Azrael was the size of Mainframe and the Twin City put together. In the distance, the naked eye could make out the shapes of at least three other systems, connected by bridges to Azrael as the Twin City had been to Mainframe.
The ship emerged into Azrael itself and touched down on a landing pad on top of the star-shaped Principle Office. Once the ship had docked safely, it was brought down to the docking bay. Guards were present to help the mercenaries and other sprites out of the ship, and other guards made sure the ship was closed off.
As they stepped off the transport, Bob caught Eide's arm. "What was that thing all about with Dram?" he murmured, casting a glance back at the ship. Dram was still inside, powering down the controls while a squad of Azraelian guards waited.
"Dram has a problem with Guardians," Eide answered. "It's nothing personal, at least not toward you or Matrix; I think he had a bad encounter with some awhile back. Don't worry," she assured Bob, seeing his concerned look, "he's always been like that. He needs someone to blame the smallest things on."
Feeling slightly better at ease, Bob laughed. "Yeah, I know a couple of people like that."
The first group of guards led the six sprites to an upper level where, they explained, the Countess would be.
In place of the Command.com's office, there was one for the Countess. A small dais was set up in the center of the room, on which a young woman sat in a chair overseeing the happenings. As the sprites entered the room, she stood and approached them.
"Welcome to System Azrael. I am Countess Avina Param Misoun, overseer of this system and others with it."
Countess Misoun was 1.8, as Axis had said. Her skin was a pale brown color, and her long indigo hair had been braided and piled onto her head. She wore a headdress over her braided hair, and a long, dark red dress that reached to the floor.
Another female sprite stood calmly beside the Countess' chair. This sprite's skin was a smoky gray, like a pale gray pearl, and her mahogany eyes stood out in her pale face. The sprite's hair was crystalline, and cut sharply around her shoulders. Though at first the color of her hair seemed transparent, as she turned her head, it caught a multitude of colors in the light that shimmered through her hair. The second sprite didn't hover beside the Countess; rather, she seemed to easily meld into Avina's shadow.
"Allow me to introduce my court," Countess Misoun said. "This is my bodyguard and shadow', Ferias." She gestured to the pale, silent woman behind her. "And these are my trusted guards — the best fighters in their training classes." Four guards ringed the perimeter of the office, watching the new arrivals.
The 1.8-hour-old's dark blue eyes carefully studied the six who stood before her. After half a millisecond of scrutiny, she seemed satisfied with them. However, the Countess did raise an eyebrow when checking the number of sprites who had entered her system. "I understand that Grandfather wanted me to be well taken care of," she murmured thoughtfully. "Are you all of the mercenaries he hired?"
Bob swallowed and stepped forward. "Yes, your Grace. We are — the —" He fumbled to remember.
Eide fluidly stepped to Bob's side and clasped his arm. "The Net's Own, Your Grace," she finished. "We were hired to protect you."
Avina nodded. "Very well." Her forehead crinkled slightly. "And yet, so many of you?" She shrugged and turned to step off the dais. Ferias was immediately at her back, and two of her guards walked beside her. "Please, come with me," the Countess called back. The "mercenaries" quickly followed her.
Seven systems, some not even completely intact. The seven on Dot's list were the only systems Mouse and Ray had visited before starting toward the "dead" ones. Though they had strengthened Mainframe's power with Kompu, Dot's hope began to falter as they visited each of the other systems on Mouse and Ray's list.
Granted, they had made more allies. Word of Mainframe had been spoken nonstop in the last cycle, and the sprites and binomes let out cheers when they saw the pirates and Dot approach their system. Systems Trimmean, Hyperlink, and Paix welcomed the Mainframers with open arms and enthusiastic determination to help. In the other systems, the sight of abandoned, run-down homes and eerily silent streets gripped Dot's core-com with a chilled hand.
"The last system on the list," Dot found herself announcing four seconds after they had left Mainframe, "is Hybris. The Command.com is Galero — he's not supposed to be too bright."
"Take us down, Lad," Capacitor instructed Mr. Jimmy, and he brought the ship into the system.
"Great," Dot muttered. Upon entering Hybris, she could already feel the quiet of an abandoned city. Her muscles tensed involuntarily in preparation for what they would find.
Though Mouse had mentioned Hybris' Command.com, no one came out of the crumbling Principle Office to greet them. Capacitor hurried off the ship beside Dot and lingered by her side, darting his one eye back and forth as she cautiously studied their surroundings.
"Come on, Gavin," Dot said, mustering her bravery. As they entered the Principle Office through a rusting metal doorway, a memory from long ago returned, too clear for her liking. Ever since the destruction of the Twin City, Dot held a sickened disgust for blackened, decimated areas. It reminded her too much of her own loss and the gnawing pain that came with it.
"Hello?" she called out, if only to comfort herself with some noise. Her voice echoed off the walls without an answer. "Mr. Galero?"
A gangly sprite popped out from around a corner, brandishing a large gun. "Dirty sprites," it hissed, and shot at them. Dot ducked, and the pirates jumped behind a doorway.
Dot leapt to her feet, dropping her list and yanking a small blaster out of its holster. She aimed it at the sprite's gun hand and pulled the trigger. The sprite let out a screech that made Dot's ears ring, and it stumbled to pick up the gun in its other hand.
"Gavin!" Dot shouted. The Crimson Binome was right at her side. He jumped forward and restrained the sprite in a file-lock. The sprite's head was free, and he hissed and cursed at Dot, who held her gun out for protection.
She narrowed her eyes and studied their attacker, then drew back in shock. "Galero?"
"Dot — ye should see this," Capacitor said, his voice strangely quiet. Keeping her gun trained on Galero, Dot circled around him and looked at the back of his head. Her mouth dropped open when she saw the pulsing veins that covered his fatal head wound.
"He's not alive," she whispered. "Oh, User, Daemon got to him! But what about Mouse and Ray?" Dot handed her gun to Capacitor and retrieved her list of the systems. She hurriedly flipped through the notes until she found Mouse's last posting. " System Hybris. Going to System Freenet, will send information soon.' User, Mouse and Ray are heading into a trap. They could already be captured!
"Captain, you and your men guard Galero," Dot instructed. "I'll be right back." She ran out of the Principle Office and back to their ship. Once she had jumped into the transport, she quickly powered up the ship and searched for communications. She punched in the code for Ship's private channel and waited impatiently for a connection.
The console beeped affirmatively, and Dot spoke into the mic. "Mouse, Ray, can you hear me? Mouse, Galero in Hybris was lying. He was infected. The Guardians are probably in Freenet. You have to —" The connection broke abruptly, with no assurance that the sprites had received the message.
Dot punched in the code again, praying that it would be picked up. The machine beeped three times, then text scrolled across the screen: UNABLE TO MAKE CONNECTION. RECIPIENT MAY BE TOO FAR AWAY TO RECEIVE MESSAGE.
Dot slumped in the pilot's chair and covered her face with her hands. "No."