Flight
Far as long as Henry Norton remembered life had been one big disappointment after another. First when had had joined the Guardian collective, he had hoped to see foreign and exotic systems, delete viruses and meet beautiful females. Instead he stayed in the Supercomputer, ended up being almost deleted by Daemon herself and ended up guarding an injured female floating in a tank in Lab 18. Turbo said it was an honour to protect this girl that he was one of his most trusted men. Well if this basic job was an honour Turbo could shove it up his ASCII.
This resentment he had over life made Henry a perfect tool for Daemon. The beautiful, childlike virus came to him in a dream, she was in everybody's dreams now but this was different.
Daemon spoke softly, the screaming She devil had disappeared, "Henry you must help me to complete my function."
"How My Lady? I am but a low ranking Guardian I do not even have a key tool," he asked. Even though Norton hated viruses Daemon was an exception.
"Norton, Hexadecimal is blocking my influence. She is Chaos herself and must be stopped. I need you to find her and delete her and the counter virus she carries. I promise you all the glory you deserve."
"I will do my best My Lady."
Norton was one of just thousands.
**************************************************************************** ****
There were times when Turbo wondered why he got out of his energy bed. This was one of them. Firstly Bob's last report was extremely disturbing, the blue sprite had shown signs of definite steady mental deterioration and Turbo didn't think it was caused by stress. No something else was wrong he could tell although he did not know what it might be. Secondly his plans to send in an elite squad of Guardians to Mainframe had been overturned. The reason sending in raiding team into lone system might cause undue tension with the rest of the net. Turbo tried to get them to see it his way but the Guardian Council would rather sacrifice innocent lives than endanger the Guardian Collective. Now he had to attend another meeting about how to clean up the mess Daemon caused.
The Boardroom was dark and quiet, too quiet. The lights flashed on suddenly and there before him stood his friends and council members, their faces set and grim. The Prime Guardian had walked straight into a military tribunal.
"Ah, Prime Guardian Turbo kindly tell us why you are sheltering a Class V+ chaos virus in Lab 18?" asked an orange skinned woman.
"That virus happens to be Hexadecimal the saviour of the net herself."
"But still a virus why not let her delete now that we're done with her?"
And the barrage of questions and accusations began.
Deep into the second they were still at it, going around in circles.
"You say that this Hexadecimal was not dangerous when she was cured but what about the rampage she had when her cat went missing?"
"That 'rampage' actually saved two lives and it proved she was willing to assimilate into society," Turbo parried back.
"But is society willing to assimilate her?"
"Good point, I have a plan to use her rescue Mainframe from her brother. When she does she can settle there. After saving them twice the citizens should be willing to accept her and if they don't, well it is an isolated system."
"Good intentions aside, is it not true that she suffered severe trauma after being exposed to the Web what about her mental condition?"
"I have the best psychologist in the net working on her. Dr. Chandra says that neurologically she's fine."
"Still you brought in civilians to a top secret mission. What will happen when it's revealed that our saviour is a virus that ended up infecting the entire net? Think of the panic it could cause."
"I have already managed to keep that secret once, in a live net forecast no less, and the only one in Lab 18 who knows Hexadecimal's true nature is Dr. Chandra."
"Still we-"
A vid window popped open. Inside was a frightened cadet.
"Sirs, riots are breaking out all over the system. There is a crowd trying to get into the academy. They all appear to be infected. We've tried holding them off but ah, FAQ! Sir several of our own seem to be with them"
Turbo stood up, "Well ladies and gentlemen it appears we have bigger fish to fry."
By the time Turbo had entered the main hall the crowd had already broken though the gates. They had set many fires and broken windows in the halls. The mob surged and swarmed through the halls like a pack of nulls looking for a meal. Any Guardians who got in the way were quickly over whelmed and deleted. This mob was no ordinary set of data forms. They acted like they were sprites possessed. Turbo recognized the trademark signs of the Daemon infection.
"Kill the adversary, kill," chanted the mob.
"If they want to kill Hex so much, then I better save her," thought Turbo.
Rebooting in to civilian clothes, the standard jeans and a tee shirt. Turbo crept past them trying not to be seen. It did no good in the end.
"There's My Lady's traitor," shouted someone pointing right at Turbo. The Guardian was ashamed to see it was one of his own.
The Prime Guardian fled to his office and barricaded the door behind him. Hastily he smashed the window and left a strip of his clothing on the glass as the crowd hacked and pounded at the door. He went into the safe and grabbed his stash of weapons and money, opened the secret door and left for Laboratory 18.
When he got there he found the door barricaded, quickly he broke through using Copeland and found Dr.'s Chandra and Apple alone with the virus.
"Right decant Hexadecimal now. The academy has been taken over; I've weapons and supplies. Rom how are you at guns?" the Prima Guardian asked grimly.
"Actually I don't know how to,"
"Fine, take this one. At least you can't delete anybody with it. Chandra patch on a PID on her and let's go!"
The young girl plopped down onto the floor and shivered as Dr. Chandra cleaned her.
Chandra looked up and blinked, "We don't have any clothes for Hexadecimal yet."
"Fine get a sheet and wrap it round her. Mr. Norton you don't know how glad I am to see you. Help me escort these people to my house boat."
The large young sprite ignored him and aimed his gun at the young girl coughing and spluttering on the floor.
"Death to the adversary," he said.
"No!" screamed Rom as he knocked down the infected Guardian.
"Good work doctor," said Turbo as he stunned Norton. "Now smash that consol there Dr. Chandra."
"But that will create overload and possibly a tear," she cried
"Exactly we're going to form a portal to the docks. Dr Apple you needn't come with us."
"I want to."
When they reached the houseboat Turbo wasted no time. He took the wheel and shouted instructions to the doctors. After casting off he put the boat into full throttle and formed a portal into the web.
"Alright everybody I've set the houseboat's coordinates to a nearby system to stock up on supplies we can either take a shortcut to Mainframe or go a longer safer route," Turbo announced.
Hex fell down into Dr. Chandra's arms. The art of walking eluded the virus.
"She's going to need a little bit of physiotherapy, no muscle memory," said Chandra sheepishly.
"Fine then we'll take the long way then"
"There's still the matter of clothes," said Rom.
Turbo looked around quickly it find something that would do. It was literally his cottage and was not meant to be used as a rescue vehicle with all its sports memorabilia and comfortable yet ugly furniture. Turbo wasn't even sure he had enough places for everybody to sleep. Finally he found something. Taking a picture frame from off the wall, he pulled out the autographed football shirt and gave it to Hex. The young virus stared at him. Sighing he pulled the purple shirt over Hexadecimal's head himself.
"This is going to take awhile," he thought to himself.
Far as long as Henry Norton remembered life had been one big disappointment after another. First when had had joined the Guardian collective, he had hoped to see foreign and exotic systems, delete viruses and meet beautiful females. Instead he stayed in the Supercomputer, ended up being almost deleted by Daemon herself and ended up guarding an injured female floating in a tank in Lab 18. Turbo said it was an honour to protect this girl that he was one of his most trusted men. Well if this basic job was an honour Turbo could shove it up his ASCII.
This resentment he had over life made Henry a perfect tool for Daemon. The beautiful, childlike virus came to him in a dream, she was in everybody's dreams now but this was different.
Daemon spoke softly, the screaming She devil had disappeared, "Henry you must help me to complete my function."
"How My Lady? I am but a low ranking Guardian I do not even have a key tool," he asked. Even though Norton hated viruses Daemon was an exception.
"Norton, Hexadecimal is blocking my influence. She is Chaos herself and must be stopped. I need you to find her and delete her and the counter virus she carries. I promise you all the glory you deserve."
"I will do my best My Lady."
Norton was one of just thousands.
**************************************************************************** ****
There were times when Turbo wondered why he got out of his energy bed. This was one of them. Firstly Bob's last report was extremely disturbing, the blue sprite had shown signs of definite steady mental deterioration and Turbo didn't think it was caused by stress. No something else was wrong he could tell although he did not know what it might be. Secondly his plans to send in an elite squad of Guardians to Mainframe had been overturned. The reason sending in raiding team into lone system might cause undue tension with the rest of the net. Turbo tried to get them to see it his way but the Guardian Council would rather sacrifice innocent lives than endanger the Guardian Collective. Now he had to attend another meeting about how to clean up the mess Daemon caused.
The Boardroom was dark and quiet, too quiet. The lights flashed on suddenly and there before him stood his friends and council members, their faces set and grim. The Prime Guardian had walked straight into a military tribunal.
"Ah, Prime Guardian Turbo kindly tell us why you are sheltering a Class V+ chaos virus in Lab 18?" asked an orange skinned woman.
"That virus happens to be Hexadecimal the saviour of the net herself."
"But still a virus why not let her delete now that we're done with her?"
And the barrage of questions and accusations began.
Deep into the second they were still at it, going around in circles.
"You say that this Hexadecimal was not dangerous when she was cured but what about the rampage she had when her cat went missing?"
"That 'rampage' actually saved two lives and it proved she was willing to assimilate into society," Turbo parried back.
"But is society willing to assimilate her?"
"Good point, I have a plan to use her rescue Mainframe from her brother. When she does she can settle there. After saving them twice the citizens should be willing to accept her and if they don't, well it is an isolated system."
"Good intentions aside, is it not true that she suffered severe trauma after being exposed to the Web what about her mental condition?"
"I have the best psychologist in the net working on her. Dr. Chandra says that neurologically she's fine."
"Still you brought in civilians to a top secret mission. What will happen when it's revealed that our saviour is a virus that ended up infecting the entire net? Think of the panic it could cause."
"I have already managed to keep that secret once, in a live net forecast no less, and the only one in Lab 18 who knows Hexadecimal's true nature is Dr. Chandra."
"Still we-"
A vid window popped open. Inside was a frightened cadet.
"Sirs, riots are breaking out all over the system. There is a crowd trying to get into the academy. They all appear to be infected. We've tried holding them off but ah, FAQ! Sir several of our own seem to be with them"
Turbo stood up, "Well ladies and gentlemen it appears we have bigger fish to fry."
By the time Turbo had entered the main hall the crowd had already broken though the gates. They had set many fires and broken windows in the halls. The mob surged and swarmed through the halls like a pack of nulls looking for a meal. Any Guardians who got in the way were quickly over whelmed and deleted. This mob was no ordinary set of data forms. They acted like they were sprites possessed. Turbo recognized the trademark signs of the Daemon infection.
"Kill the adversary, kill," chanted the mob.
"If they want to kill Hex so much, then I better save her," thought Turbo.
Rebooting in to civilian clothes, the standard jeans and a tee shirt. Turbo crept past them trying not to be seen. It did no good in the end.
"There's My Lady's traitor," shouted someone pointing right at Turbo. The Guardian was ashamed to see it was one of his own.
The Prime Guardian fled to his office and barricaded the door behind him. Hastily he smashed the window and left a strip of his clothing on the glass as the crowd hacked and pounded at the door. He went into the safe and grabbed his stash of weapons and money, opened the secret door and left for Laboratory 18.
When he got there he found the door barricaded, quickly he broke through using Copeland and found Dr.'s Chandra and Apple alone with the virus.
"Right decant Hexadecimal now. The academy has been taken over; I've weapons and supplies. Rom how are you at guns?" the Prima Guardian asked grimly.
"Actually I don't know how to,"
"Fine, take this one. At least you can't delete anybody with it. Chandra patch on a PID on her and let's go!"
The young girl plopped down onto the floor and shivered as Dr. Chandra cleaned her.
Chandra looked up and blinked, "We don't have any clothes for Hexadecimal yet."
"Fine get a sheet and wrap it round her. Mr. Norton you don't know how glad I am to see you. Help me escort these people to my house boat."
The large young sprite ignored him and aimed his gun at the young girl coughing and spluttering on the floor.
"Death to the adversary," he said.
"No!" screamed Rom as he knocked down the infected Guardian.
"Good work doctor," said Turbo as he stunned Norton. "Now smash that consol there Dr. Chandra."
"But that will create overload and possibly a tear," she cried
"Exactly we're going to form a portal to the docks. Dr Apple you needn't come with us."
"I want to."
When they reached the houseboat Turbo wasted no time. He took the wheel and shouted instructions to the doctors. After casting off he put the boat into full throttle and formed a portal into the web.
"Alright everybody I've set the houseboat's coordinates to a nearby system to stock up on supplies we can either take a shortcut to Mainframe or go a longer safer route," Turbo announced.
Hex fell down into Dr. Chandra's arms. The art of walking eluded the virus.
"She's going to need a little bit of physiotherapy, no muscle memory," said Chandra sheepishly.
"Fine then we'll take the long way then"
"There's still the matter of clothes," said Rom.
Turbo looked around quickly it find something that would do. It was literally his cottage and was not meant to be used as a rescue vehicle with all its sports memorabilia and comfortable yet ugly furniture. Turbo wasn't even sure he had enough places for everybody to sleep. Finally he found something. Taking a picture frame from off the wall, he pulled out the autographed football shirt and gave it to Hex. The young virus stared at him. Sighing he pulled the purple shirt over Hexadecimal's head himself.
"This is going to take awhile," he thought to himself.