Rectified

Chapter 3: Gatecrasher

The order was simple; oversee the programs being loaded into the Recognizers that will be taken to Clu's Rectifyer. That was what was commanded of Primal, Rinzler and Jarvis. The three of them would wait for the recognizers that brought in the stray programs gathered up after curfew and brought to a waiting station. Then they will be divided into those who would be sent to games and those who would be rectified.

There were a few who weren't sent to either. They were those who had lost track of time and were on their way back to their quarters or on their way to where they were supposed to be. Those were few and far between. They always had a respect for authority; always had their disks and they would always answered Jarvis's questions.

Primal counted three of those who were not meant to be here.

"You are free to return to your quarters," Jarvis said in an authoritive tone of voice. "Do not let this happen again."

"I'm sorry," the program said. His dark hair was cut short and his circuitry was accents to his suit collar, the outlines of his vest, belt, on his wrists and ankles. "I will not allow that to happen again."

"What is the name of your employer?" Jarvis asked.

"Teco," the program answered. "He runs the largest data pushing firm in Tron city."

There was that name again. Every time Primal heard Tron he had a feeling in the back of his head that he had heard it before and each time he heard it he tried to process his memory banks to try and find out where and why.

ERROR the odd detached voice rang out in his head. ACCESS TO FILE IS FORBIDDEN.

Forbidden because Clu had deemed it so and Primal did not try to access it again. Clu did not want him to find it and he would not question his creator's motives. Clu had made him and his brother to be perfect and he will do whatever Clu had asked of him.

"Teco," Jarvis repeated. "I will have a stern talk with him at the start of the next millicycle. He needs to learn to manage time better. He cannot keep his employees longer than necessary if it means they will be out past curfew." He looked down at his note pad again. "You may proceed to pad three. The Recognizer will return you to your quarters."

"Thank you, sir," the program said and he went to the third pad along with the two other programs who accidentally missed curfew.

"I need to speak with our great leader," Jarvis said while he shook his head. "All three of the loyal subjects were out due to their employers."

"Are they trying to defy him?" Primal asked. Not complying with Clu's orders and law should be the grounds for deresolution. It may not seem like much, but there was a chance that it could be the hint of an uprising and Primal wished to stamp it out before it could grow.

"There is no way to tell at this time," Jarvis said. "Go and wait at platform two."

Primal nodded and walked to the second platform where several programs where gathered. They were all waiting to be rectified and not a single one seemed pleased about it. Clu had told them that was a telling sign that a program was infected badly, not only were they disobedient but they did not want Clu's help. They would not want to be fixed, have their imperfections removed.

All of the programs had turned to face him when he stood in front of them. Their expressions changed from sorrow to fear at the mere sight of him. Primal had that effect on all programs. Clu had told him they would fear and respect him, like they should.

One of the few female programs broke away from the group and ran up to him. Her eyes were filled with tears. Primal knew this program. He had hunted her down once and she fought against him, even managed to strike his wrist before he knocked her out. After he had sent her away he went to Clu who put a patch on his injury before Rinzler could see the red micropixels that leaked out of his wound.

"Why?" She asked. "Why are you doing this?" She grabbed onto his shoulders. "Don't let him get away with this."

"You are imperfect." Primal told her as he pulled her arms off him.

"You are not like us," she said. "I saw you bleed. The only one who did that was the creator."

"Our leader does not have the same type of inner pixels that I have."

"Those are not pixels." She did not see Jarvis march up behind her. "It's called blood. Clu is not the creator, Flynn is."

Flynn? That was a name Primal had heard before. Clu had said he was a User, one of those who wished to enslave the programs. Clu had told Primal there was a resemblance between him and this Flynn and Flynn tried to take credit for creating their world.

There was also something else. A file deep within Primal's code that told him Flynn was something else. He was a friend and they knew each other way-

ERROR. The voice screamed in Primal's head.

"Usurper," Primal said. "Flynn is an usurper."

"Flynn is a user and so are-" She did not finish her sentence. Jarvis had clamped his hand over her mouth and struck her against her temple knocking her out.

"She has many error glitches," Primal said as one of the black guard dragged the deluded female program back to the platform.

"She was the one who gave you you're injury?" Jarvis asked and waited for Primal to nod. "Her infection is what drove her to be this insane."

Primal nodded again and turned to the platform when he heard the sound of a Recognizer coming in to dock. He turned to face it. He planned on riding inside it along with the prisoners. He looked up to see if any more were coming and saw something, or rather someone else instead.

There was a program standing on one of the walls. Part of her suit contained a black angular overhang, almost like a nonsymmetrical skirt. She had no sleeves and long black gloves that went up past her elbows. A helmet obscured her face.

"You," Primal cried out and pointed at the program.

The mystery woman threw something at the recognizer and jumped off the wall.

"Get down," Primal cried out and threw Jarvis to the ground as the explosion happened. He looked up to see the remaining chunks of the Recognizer as it rained down.

"Who was that?" Jarvis demanded.

"I'll find her." Primal climbed the wall where he had last seen the gatecrasher and stared down on the road below to see her running away. He scaled down the wall and the second he landed he took off running after the rogue while he removed the disk from his back.

She was fast but so was he. Primal able to catch up to her within nanoseconds. He struck out with a kick that she blocked it with her disk. Primal leaped back to avoid being struck.

"So this is one of Clu's enforcers," the female program said.

Primal said nothing and lashed out at her with his disk again only to have it blocked with a sword. She was well prepared. He had to give her that, but so was he. He removed his own sword baton and generated the blade. He brought it down against hers.

They were well matched. Every strike he took at her she blocked and he blocked all of her advances. It wasn't a battle as much as it was a dance. She moved with such grace and precision, it was less like a program and more like a puma.

Puma? Why did his data banks generate that word? What was a puma? He thought he should know, but not right now. He had to subdue her and then he will personally take her to Clu. He would know what to do with her.

"Who came through the portal?" His opponent asked. "We saw the light of the portal open. Who came through it?"

Primal said nothing and continued his fight against her. She was just trying to throw him off his game.

"I know Clu had recovered the User," the female said. "Is he or she still alive?"

"No prisoner," Primal said as he struck at her legs. He made a successful blow, causing her to fall on his backside.

She grunted in frustration and kicked up as he leaned over her. The force of the kick was enough to cause the wind to be knocked out of him and send him falling back. The rogue got up on her feet and ran, leaving something in behind.

Primal rolled on his knees and saw that the object she dropped was a light grenade. He was only able to see it for a few second before it was kicked away.

"Down," the voice of his brother echoed through his ears before Rinzler tackled him to the ground and forced him to roll over.

The grenade exploded and sprayed them with debris. Rinzler received most of the damage.

"Thank you," Primal said as they got to their feet. He pulled a few shards off his brother. It pierced through the armor, but the leather like suit was untouched, as was his skin. "I owe you."

Rinzler tilted his head and shook it. His way of saying "Don't mention it." Before he made that sound, that vibrating purr like growl sound that he often made. Primal had tried to imitate but it did not sound the same.

"She got away," Primal said.

Rinzler nodded. "Clu won't be happy." He did not speak much, but when he did his voice was the same as Primal's.

"I'll report to him." Primal disguised how hurt he felt. He had disappointed Clu. He would not deserve his touches or embrace. "You need to get your exterior repaired."

Primal did not need to be told that Clu wanted to see him. He had a feeling his glorious leader would want to speak with him about the gatecrasher. He stood outside the door or Clu's private quarters and waited for the invite.

"Primal, you may enter," Clu said.

Primal entered the room. Clu was staring out the window with his back towards him. He did not acknowledge his enforcer until Primal walked up to him.

"I have been informed of this intruder," Clu said. He had his hands behind him and he led them there as he spun around. "I have also been told that she got away."

Primal hung his head and tried to make the same growling sound as Rinzler did. He growled whenever he was angry, frustrated, or about to fight.

"I am disappointed with you, Primal. You should have been able to defeat her." Clu paced around him. "She is a blight to my system and we can't have her imperfecting it."

"I am sorry I failed you."

"She had to be quite skilled and sly to defeat you," Clu said as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "Never the less we need to step up your training. You will work harder with your brother. I will make some adjustments to you, but first you do need punishment.

"I accept."

"Good now derezz the lower half of your suit and follow me."

Primal made the clothing that covered in his waist and below melt away and approached Clu who was sitting on his bed and pointed to his lap.

Primal knew what the punishment was and climbed onto his creator's lap.

"You have failed me this time, Primal," Clu said.

Primal winced at the pain as he heard the crack of Clu's palm striking his backside.

"You have failed yourself." Another smack followed. "You have failed the system." There was a third smack. "You let a rogue program escape."

Primal closed his eyes with each smack. Part of it because it pained him. The other part was that he enjoyed the sting, the force of the smack and the way they both shook with each crack. He felt his exposed flesh tense and heat up with each crack. He was not the only one to harden. He could feel the bulge in between Clu's legs grow, threatening to tear through the material.

This was what he deserved. When they were done he will train to become stronger and faster. He will find that Gatecrasher.