Sheentastic Voyage
by Gary D. Snyder
Chapter 10:
As Jimmy and Cindy were assessing the situation in the Other World Sheen and Libby continued to press forward in the Cyber World. Although they had no clear idea where they were headed they both assumed that following the trail of destruction would bring them to the virus that had invaded Jimmy's computer. Libby kept a close eye out for more signposts and the few that she and Sheen encountered convinced her that the central processing unit was the intended destination of their quarry. For a time the chore of tracking kept Libby's mind busy, but eventually nagging doubts began to filter through. Some thoughts concerned whether they would be able to catch up with whatever they were pursuing. Others concerned what the two of them would actually be able to do if or when they did catch up. Sheen's voice broke into her thoughts.
"You know, it's kind of funny, Libs," he said.
"What is?" she asked.
"We've been running non-stop for a while now and I don't feel tired at all. Usually I get winded after just a few minutes."
Libby shrugged. "It's not so surprising. We haven't really been going that long. Plus, these really aren't our bodies. We're just pieces of information in Jimmy's computer."
Sheen thought about that. "You'd think that if we were just pieces of data we'd be able just teleport places or something like that."
"Maybe that wasn't what Jimmy needed when he invented that virtual interface thing," Libby pointed out.
"I suppose so. Still, you'd think that since we're more than just programs that we'd have some kind of superhuman powers in here."
The idea intrigued Libby. Up to now she had assumed that they were just bundles of information like everything else in Jimmy's computer. But Sheen had a point. Unlike programs or data packets they had sentience and free will. It made sense to her that they should have some special abilities in here. "What kind of superhuman powers?" she asked.
"I don't know." Sheen shrugged. "Like flying, or making things materialize or vanish, or other kinds of stuff that would make the other things in here think that we're gods or something."
"I think maybe we already are," Libby pointed out. "After all, a person like us created everything in here."
"Good point," observed Sheen. In a deep and melodramatic voice he boomed, "All right, you programs! Heed my words! I am your supreme master! Hear the voice of your god and tremble!"
"Oh, stop it," Libby grumbled. "Don't be blasphemous."
Sheen simply grinned. "Oh, right. Like I'm really going to be hit by lightning or something in here."
Both Sheen and Libby were shocked into silence and immobility when another voice that echoed down the corridor and seemed to shake their surroundings called out, "Libby! Sheen!"
After his initial astonishment Sheen dropped to his knees and wrung his hands. "Spare me!" he cried. "I didn't mean it! It was Libby's idea that I was a god. Not mine!"
"I've found them!" the voice called, but apparently not to them.
"That voice sounds familiar," Libby mused.
"Now that you mention it, it does, doesn't it?" added Sheen as he recovered from the initial shock and regained his feet.
"Sheen! Libby! It's Jimmy!" the voice called.
Libby sounded delighted. "Jimmy? Where are you?"
"In the lab. What are you doing in my computer?"
"It's a long story," Sheen began. "Somehow I loaded a virus into your computer and Libby and I came in here to stop it."
Libby joined in at this. "But we don't know how to do it. I'm not even sure if we can get to it before it crashes your computer."
"Where are you?" Jimmy asked.
"Somewhere between the memory cache for the interface we used and the hardware subprocessor," Libby called back. "I'm not sure how far between them."
There was silence while Jimmy seemed to consider this. "All those systems are completely down," he finally answered. "You're right. You'd never make it to the CPU going that way. At the rate the computer systems are failing you'd never reach a place to resynch with the system clock again."
"Well, now that you're here you can fix things, right?" Libby asked.
"No, I can't. Vox's containment routines have locked me and everything else out of the system. There are only a few connections with the outside world still working, like this communications link. And I don't know how long that will hold up." There was another silence. "I hate to dump this on you, but right now you two are the only hope of beating this thing."
"So what we supposed do?" asked Sheen.
"You'll have to abandon the main data pathways and get into the autonomous regulatory system. That should let you resynch and get to the CPU before the virus gets there."
Sheen sounded puzzled. "The automobile what?"
"The autonomous regulatory system." Jimmy repeated. "It reaches every part of the computer system and runs pretty much independently of the main processes. It's responsible for maintaining the health of the system, kind of like the human immune system."
"Okay, so if we do get there in time, how do we stop the virus?" Sheen wanted to know.
"It's hard to say without knowing what the virus is," Jimmy answered. "But I'll try and give you access to some of Vox's files to help you out."
Libby sounded doubtful. "How are files going to help us?"
"The same way they do in real life. You access them and use the contents."
"We can do that in here?' Sheen seemed both puzzled and delighted by the news.
Jimmy sounded surprised. "Sure. You're Users, after all. You just need to get to a functional file access terminal that you have permissions to use." His voice was suddenly sober. "But you have to get to an access way to the autonomous regulatory system to make it to the functional parts of the system. I'm pretty sure you'll be safe taking that way."
"Wait a minute!" Libby objected. "What do you mean, 'pretty sure'?"
"Well, like I said…" Jimmy's voice faded and Sheen and Libby missed his next words.
"What was that?" Libby called out.
After a pause Jimmy's voice faded in again. "…ations are starting to fail. Just be careful. You'll recognize the access points…red signs…sentries…stay away…" Jimmy's voice again faded away.
Libby shook her head in frustration. "Wait a minute! We didn't get all of that! Repeat!"
The only answer was silence. Sheen looked at Libby and shrugged. "I think we've lost him."
"And at the worst possible time. It figures." She frowned. "He said something about red signs. Have you seen any red signs?"
"I haven't really been looking for any," Sheen confessed. "But I thought I saw some doors here and there with red letters on them."
"Those must be the access ways that Jimmy mentioned." She gave Sheen a concerned look. "Did he sound worried to you?"
"It must be because the virus could crash Vox."
Libby sounded unconvinced by Sheen's answer. "Maybe. But I think there's more to it than that and that he just didn't want to say anything to us about it." She sighed heavily. "I just wish we could have heard what he was trying to say about that regulatory system and why he was only 'pretty sure' we'd be safe using it."
"He was probably just worried that the virus might shut that down while we were using it and that we wouldn't get to that CPU thing in time."
"I'm not so sure of that. But we'd better get going and find one of those access ways." Together the two sped off down the corridor, their eyes alert for any door or hatch with a red sign of some sort on it.
In the Other World Jimmy gave up his attempts to raise Sheen and Libby again and sank back in his chair. "Well, that's it," he said. "The communications link is communications gone as well. They're really on their own now."
"Are those sentries you mentioned really that bad?" Cindy sounded as worried as Jimmy looked.
"Normally, no. But with so many things failing at once the system is probably on high alert and ready to react to anything it thinks is trying to infiltrate the secure areas. Sheen and Libby were both given pretty high permissions so as long as they don't try to actively interfere with anything they should be safe." He paused and repeated the last words to himself. "Should be safe. But," he went on, "if they try anything that even hints of some sort of threat to the system it will protect itself. It's like when something infects a living body. The immune system is alerted and reacts to the infection. It could be pretty dangerous in there."
Cindy sat down next to Jimmy. "And it isn't out here?" she asked, pointing to the reactor. The needle on a meter indicating the amount of power drawn from the reactor moved slightly closer to the red region of the dial. Cindy buried her head in her hands. "I just hope that they're careful."
"That's just it," Jimmy answered. "There's only about fifteen minutes left. They may not have time to be careful."
End of Chapter 10
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