Identity

Kem rushed towards him. "Whoa, whoa. Where do you think you're going?"

Grid pointed towards the center of the room. "Who is that?" he croaked with urgency.

Kem raised an eyebrow, as he watched Grid point at absolutely nothing. "No one, Grid. No one's there. Now lie down."

Grid deflated back onto the table. "She was there... Taazki. She was right there a micro ago. She..."

It was times like this that Kem prayed for the roof to cave in, or something to happen. Anything, just so that he wouldn't have to comment. "Uh... really?" he asked clumsily.

Grid was silent for a while. "Forget it... I got hit harder than I thought, didn't I?"

Kem raised an eyebrow in concern. "Maybe you should get some rest."

"No." Grid shook his head. "I need to talk to Dot, and the others."

On cue, the rest of Mainframe's sprites barged in. Bob looked over at Matrix and AndrAIa. "What happened to him?"

Grid supplied the answer. "I got whacked upside the head, is what happened. You people, on the other hand, have a bigger problem."

"Why am I not surprised..." Matrix muttered.

>"I take it you mean the game?" Bob asked. "The one that I suppose no one got to in time?"

Grid chuckled grimly. "Hardly. Although I guess you have that too. No, I'd say your biggest worries you have right now are the ones that kept me away from the game. The same ones that sent me here in the first place." He closed his eyes.

Dot pushed through the group. "Sent you? What are you up to, Grid?"

Mouse sneered. "I always knew you was nothin' but a dirty little sneak." She grinned after a moment. "Mighty proud of ya."

Grid ignored her. "Like I said. I didn't come to Mainframe by accident, and the re-initialization didn't wipe my memory clean... although it did suffer considerable corruption in parts." His lips twitched mischievously.

"All this time..." Matrix shook his head. "Why didn't you-"

"I'm telling you now!" Grid snapped. "I know now I should have in the first place, but I didn't! I can't do anything about that, but you people are in big trouble. If you want to get out of it, you need to listen to me."

"Enough." Bob decided. He stepped forward. "I am Guardian 452 of system Mainframe. State your name, and function."

Grid almost smiled. "I'm getting to that. Now please, try to pay attention. I'll make this as brief as I can, but I don't want to leave anything out. I want you to know what you're up against."

"Glad you didn't leave it until the last nano, Grid," said AndrAIa, bitterly. "Before anything horrible happened."

"I said I made a mistake!" Grid stammered sadly. "What else do you want to hear? That I'm sorry? That I should have known better? I can't change what's happened, all I can do is try to stop it from going any further!" He faced Bob, and settled back down onto the table. "You want my name? You want to know what I am? All right. It's not like it matters now. My name... isn't important anymore. Call me Grid Run... I like it. As for my format..." he sighed. "I'm an Avatar. And very soon, the Net is going to be hearing a lot more of that word..."

The entire room was silent. Grid took a long breath. "Now, if no one objects... This is going to be a very long story..."

Now I wish I had paid better attention to the stories of my Home's history, but I can give you a general idea of how my people became what they are. From what I understand, very long ago, there was a time of great peace. The Avatars prospered and built villages, though nothing so advanced as Mainframe. They learned to trade with neighboring towns and live peaceful, if sheltered lives.

Now, no one knows for sure when this happened, but many generations ago, the Users went to war. The heavens rocked from the great battles that took place in another reality. The Coming of the Games was upon us...

Only, the Users never attacked each other directly. Instead, they would take Avatars. It didn't matter who. They would whisk them away from their homes and families... You don't know fear until you walk along the road speaking with someone, and then suddenly find that they're not there anymore. Avatars who are chosen find themselves on the Users' battleground. They're armed with terrible weapons, and altered in appearance... and then they're forced to kill others like them. No Avatar in that state has any conscious control over his own body. The User can manipulate them any way they want. This way, there is never a decisive victor, as the loser is never truly vanquished... only his Avatar.

And that's how it works. If you lose, you die, and another Avatar is chosen to replace you. If you survive, you are returned Home... But no one ever comes back from the Games unchanged.

Everyone was afraid. A feeling of terrible helplessness drove many beyond insanity. They needed to fight back, but how could they? The Users were untouchable, and Avatars being chosen was becoming more and more of a common occurrence. People needed a war they could win. They got one.

Ideas for tools and weapons came from the games. With these, neighbouring villages would pillage one another, trying to acquire dominance over something. These battles lasted for generations, until there were only five dominant sects. The names escape me for the moment, but all five controlled vast amounts of territory, and weaponry. It was considered an honour to die for your sect... at least that way you were deleted fighting for your own cause.

But as with all wars, it eventually ended... Now, we move closer to present-cycle. All other sects had either submitted, or been vanquished completely. A council was set up with some of the most powerful Avatars to maintain control over the public. But now, with that war over, new problems arose. There were so many people that the council had great difficulty maintaining control over everyone, especially now that people were once again more concerned with the ever-growing number of Avatars being taken to the games. They had lost the focus and the meaning their lives had while they were at war. But now there were no more places to conquer and no more wars to fight. This was the Home I was born into...

The council needed to find a way to maintain control. They needed to find a goal for people to achieve... a life for them to fight for.

Bob nodded in understanding. "And then someone discovered the Net."

"Bingo." Grid replied. "For megacycles, we'd known there were portals, and unstable tears to the Web... Only we had no idea that they went anywhere at all, let alone a place that we could survive in. Then one day, the shell of what you would call a Web Creature came through one of those portals... and people began to wonder. We would do ridiculous things like tying rocks to a long string, and throwing them into the portals, pulling them out again after a moment. We had no idea where the portals led... but the council intended to find out, one way or another."

Another explosion rocked the complex. It was the third this cycle that had almost leveled the entire structure where what remained of Hova Sect bunkered, waiting for the end. Kallet Sect had beaten them back to the heart of their territory, and now it was just a matter of time before they would realize Hova had nothing left to fight them with and would move in for the kill.

These had been the longest seconds of Crok's life. Hova Sect had been the one military power that thought they had any chance of defeating the Kallets. What had gone wrong? Even after their border territory had been taken, they had plunged deep into the enemy's grounds. Severe damage had been done to Kallet Sect's manufacturing plants. That was supposed to have turned the tide. It hadn't. Kallet had continued to plow through their defenses, and now they had backed all of them against the wall. He had sent Sattop, the only known ranking officer apart from himself who still survived, to let the Kallet troops know that they were beaten. One cycle from now, according to the laws of the Sects, the final battle would take place. It would be a slaughter... but it would be one to remember.

Sattop and his party entered the large mess area that would soon serve as their final resting ground. He looked nervous, and didn't take his eyes off the floor.

"Well?" asked Crok calmly. "Did you meet with them?"

Sattop nodded. "Face to face... peacefully, for the first time in my life."

"Then the time is set?"

One of the women placed a hand on Sattop's shoulder, when he didn't reply. "Tell him," she whispered.

Sattop's gaze shifted uneasily around the room. "Sir," he began. "I know we went to arrange the final battle, but... we discussed something else instead."

<"What in the Net could you have been discussing with the Kallets?" Crok grumbled.

Sattop hesitated. "The... terms of our surrender."

Within an instant, a table had been overturned, and Crok was nose to nose with his colleague. "What?!" he roared. Two of the other men restrained him from attempting to remove Sattop's head. He looked around at all the faces he had once known to be those of Hova soldiers. Men of courage and loyalty. He could see none of that in them now. "So..." he growled. "You're all in on this outrage, are you?"

"Please understand," begged Sattop. "We went to them, and were welcomed with open arms, because we had not come to fight. We sat with them, accessed food with them!" He held out his hands helplessly. "You don't know how it feels to see the faces of your own kind and not feel fear, or hatred... I want to feel that way for the rest of my life. I'm not ready to delete for a lost cause." He looked adoringly at the others. "And neither is anyone else here."

Crok thrashed about, trying to break the holds of the ones who held him. "Traitors!" he cried. "Let go of me, you cowards! Are you afraid of them? Will you cower in fear under the flag of Kallet Sect for the rest of your lives?! That's no world for our children to live in!"

"This is no world for our children to live in!" shot back Sattop. My daughter will grow up in a Home where she doesn't have to fear the dawn, because it won't mean another assault... It will be a new day where the Avatars of Kallet will rebuild our homes and let us live together in peace! But if you would deny her and all of us that Home, then you don't deserve to see it!"

Sattop drew his energy pistol. Immediately five other Avatars followed suit. The ones holding Crok released him, and took their places behind Sattop. Crok could only watch in horror. "Cowards..." he accused. "Then delete me and be done with it! I won't kiss the boots of those who take our land from under our noses!"

Sattop hesitated, then asserted his footing again. "Ready..."

"Traitors," cried Crok. "I'll see you all burn for this!!"

"Aim."

"Then I die for the glory of Hova and my people! When you delete, Sattop, you will go as a puppet!" He smiled cruelly. "And so will your precious child..."

"Fire!!"

NET/TIME JUMP

"My parents had me trained as a data-runner for the council... Apparently they saw that another war was imminent. Just a matter of time before Kallet's rule would end, and we would return to the old ways. By the time I was ten megacycles old, there were so many Users... No one was safe. As a new member of the council's runners, a high-ranking Avatar named Pelk chose me. I'd remember that name, if I were you. He was in charge of my mission, and I'll bet everyone a shake that he's the one who's here in Mainframe right now." Grid sighed.

"The day before I was to be zipped, and sent through the portal to the Web, I made one last shot at escaping..."

NET/TIME JUMP

Grid slammed himself against the wall. He propped himself up it, and for the first time, wondered how his running would make any difference. They would eventually catch him; it was only a question of when. Still, when he watched the great purple and black portal stabilize, and saw great tentacles waiting to seize him and tear him apart... It was more than his young mind could handle, and he had rushed out of the Council Hall as fast as he could.

He could hear them just a few corridors away. "Spread out! He can't get far!"

Grid bolted. He hadn't gotten more than ten steps before he was grabbed around the waist. He went limp with defeat.

"Now why would they send a tiny null like you to the Grid?" asked the voice of his captor.

Before long he had returned to the Council Hall. By now, all the members were there, including Pelk, who brought him forward. Grid shivered with fright as another council member approached.

"Is this the boy?" he asked warily.

"It is," replied Pelk, in his deep, gruff voice.

The other Avatar smiled weakly. "I understand your fear, boy. But you are a young man, untouched by the games. You are the best choice we have for the successful completion of this run. Therefor, by order of the council, and with great regret, it is my duty to assign you this mission. You will be zipped into an archive and transported to The Grid. There you will asses it's potential for colonization and if necessary, alert us of any life that may exist there already."

"Yes sir." Grid managed after a moment.

"Your mission in the Grid may be critical to the council maintaining control over all Avatars. Report in at earliest opportunity... oh... and you're aware of the risks to your memory banks while traveling in zip mode?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. The portal awaits. Fight the good fight, and complete your mission. Farewell, child... and User be with you."

Pelk leaned over, and whispered into Grid's ear. "Don't fail me."

NET/TIME JUMP

"Then 'Grid Run'-" began AndrAIa.

"Wasn't my name before I came here. It was the name of my mission," finished Grid. He snorted. "As for how I copy the User's status into my code... It's just like ReBooting. I put a hand over my icon, and say the magic word. In my case, 'Avatar'."

"All right!" Dot silenced him, and rubbed her head. It was too much information in too little time. "Now that we've established that they're here, how do we find them?"

An alarm klaxon went off, and Specks' face popped up on a two-sided vid-window in the middle of all the sprites. "Scanners are back online and reading unidentified signals in Kits Sector!" he reported.

Bob looked up. "That was quick."

Grid lifted himself out of the bed. "Let's go... I'm going to see to it they go back where they belong!"

Kem nodded. "You sure you're OK?"

Grid chuckled. "Every time I go near one of those games, I end up stretched out on a table here. But I'll be fine. I just need my file-locker... And that energy cannon."

Bob and Matrix ran ahead, Mouse and Dot only a few steps behind. Kem had remained behind to help Grid to his feet.

"You know..." began Matrix, "Enzo's been doing some thinking about what he's going to do when he's finished with school." Matrix had long ago become accustomed to referring to his younger self as 'Enzo', although it had taken some getting used to at first.

"Oh?" asked Bob between huffs.

"He says... well... he may not want to become a Guardian like I did, even if we beat Daemon anytime soon. He says he might rather help Dot run the system... maybe even become Command.com some day."

Bob nodded. "I'm proud of him... Besides, he's only had you and I as role models for this kind of profession."

"But you're the best," Matrix smiled. "At least I always thought so."

"My Academy final exams suggested otherwise," Bob grumbled bitterly. "I graduated second in my class."

Matrix didn't truly see how that was much of a failure, but was still intrigued. "Who was first?" he asked.

Bob frowned. "Her name was... now why can't I remember? I should remember her name..."

"Bob?"

"It'll come to me..."

"So..." Dot said slowly, "I'm almost afraid to ask, but where's the Surfr?"

Mouse found herself struggling to keep up with Dot. Obviously married life hadn't slowed her down a step. "Ray? Aw, who knows? We decided to split a while ago... not permanently. We go our own separate ways now an' then... but somehow, we always bump into each other again eventually." She smiled. "He's fine, Ah'm sure... Now as fer you," she got a mischievous glint in her eyes "Bob told me about Coral..."

"Oh, don't tell me you still remember!" Dot allowed herself a smile.

"Dot, y'owe me twenty credits, hon," the hacker gloated gleefully.

Grid looked over the file-locker in his hands. "I never thought I'd need to use this again," he said. "But we don't have much choice. As for the energy cannon, we can pick it up on our way out. It's right here inside the Principal Office."

"We're not 'picking up' anything until you're in better shape to move," Kem frowned.

"I'm fine," Grid insisted, attempting to get to his feet. He wobbled considerably before sitting back down.

Kem sat down next to him. "Listen... I'm sorry what I said earlier. About Taazki?"

Grid nodded. "Yeah... so am I."

Kem paused a moment. "So... what did she say?"

"Pardon?"

"You said she was here just a nano ago, right? Did she say anything?"

Grid chuckled. "Please, I wish you wouldn't humor me."

Kem shrugged and smiled. "Just wondering..."

"She said..." sighed Grid. "Forget it... I don't really remember the dream too well myself." He looked over at Kem, and offered his hand. "Truce?"

"Nah. Friends," amended the sprite, taking Grid's hand

Grid got to his feet once more. "All right, then. Let's go kick some Avatar ASCII!" Suddenly, something caught his eye on the floor beside the table. He bent over, and picked it up.

"Hey... My .jpg," observed Kem.

Grid looked in confusion at the picture of Kem and Taazki. "But I could have sworn..." He shook his head and placed the .jpg back in his sleeve.

"Whatever that interference was, it's gone completely now," announced Bob as the four sprites entered Kits Sector. Accessing his keytool aspect, he concentrated on the source of the alien signals. "They're in the Kits power center! All right, people. AndrAIa's back at the Principal Office alerting the CPUs to standby. Until then, we're on our own. Follow me, and stay frosty!" Mouse, Dot and Matrix looked at each other, shrugged and did as Bob said.

Each sector contained an independent emergency power center, usually a small, dome-shaped building as was the case with Kits Sector's. Their purpose was to serve as back-ups in case main power ever went off-line. The problem was that they were unreliable. They were also, on the other hand, a perfect place to gain entry into Mainframe's file library.

Bob motioned for them all to be quiet as they reached the bunker-like structure. He placed his hand on the steel door, and soft pixels drifted out of his fingertips. They quietly pushed the door open, revealing the darkened interior. After a moment of hesitation, the Guardian stepped through. Dot held her breath as he disappeared into the blackness.

"Okay... Come on in..." whispered Bob from inside.

They all slipped in easily, save for Matrix, who had to duck to get through the entrance. It was too dark to see anything. "Glitch," whispered Bob. "Flashlight- d'oh! waitanano..." He didn't get any further as the steel door slammed shut behind them. Blinding lights came up around them, and although he couldn't see, Bob could hear a distinct clicking sound. "Oh... not good," he said, shielding his eyes. "This is not good..."

At the other end of the oval room were about a dozen pale creatures. All but one had a rifle-style weapon trained on them. He was brandishing a long wooden staff. His attire indicated that he was the one in charge. Matrix reached for Gun, but Dot stopped his hand.

The old gray man smiled cruelly. "No doubt, introductions would be a waste of our time."

"Pelk..." seethed Dot. "Grid Run told us you were here."

"'Grid Run'?" chortled Pelk. "He's not very inventive when it comes to names, is he?"

"Down!" cried Mouse, pulling something unseen from he pocket and tossing it behind her at the door. It was blasted open, sending the sprites sprawling on the ground. In the confusion, Matrix rolled towards the Avatars. He pulled Gun from its holster and fired, hitting one of them in the arm. A micro later, there was a sharp sting on his hand as Gun was shot out of his grip. He felt a rifle at his back.

"That's enough!" called Kem's voice from where the door used to be. Although his voice was more commanding than it had ever been, he had obviously positioned himself behind Grid.

Grid glared at Pelk. "I'm not very inventive?" he shot. "You're one to talk."

Pelk grinned in amusement. "So good of you to join us, Pelk. How's your head?"

"It was you!!" accused Grid. "I knew it was you!"

Pelk gestured with exaggerated boredom. "Dear inhabitants of the Grid, I'd like you to meet my son. Oh... why the odd looks? Didn't he tell you?" He moved forward. "Didn't he tell you he was an Avatar like us? That he's here to help us move in?"

"I'm not here to help you with anything," Grid said angrily.

"No, you never were much good for anything, I suppose. It doesn't matter. We're just passing through, cleaning up your mess. We'll be leaving shortly."

"I don't think so!" Bob said, getting to his feet.

Pelk laughed. "You're in no position to do much about it."

"But I am!" shouted Grid. Opening his mouth, he began to make fast, strange clicking noises. Like Web-chatter, only more garbled. Bob didn't catch a word of it, but it must have held some meaning for the Avatars, who all stared in surprise at the young man.

Grid Run's eyes narrowed. "Well, Pelk? You're position on the council is being challenged... Are you going to choose your weapon, or do I go Home as your superior?"