By: RoeBoot
By: RoeBoot
Epilogue - Infection
It felt like a headache, something any Guardian might overlook if it hadn't been accompanied by a flash of green light. Pixie was knocked out of her chair. The throbbing pain had a name which imbedded itself in her mind.
Daemon.
Having access to viral cures came as an advantage. Before the infection could alter her judgment, she had injected herself with an extra dose of anti-virus treatment. She quickly gathered all the ingredients for more doses and put them in her backpack. She changed to her guardian field uniform and headed out of the office. She had to find Turbo right away.
As she exited the room and started down the hall, someone caught her by the arm, pulled her into the specimens lab, and locked the door. Instead of her finding Turbo, Turbo had found her. Pixie saw the glowing veins on his forehead. She gasped and pulled away, raising her keytool.
Turbo put his hands up and warned, "You've got to get out of here. They know you've found a way to block the infection."
"They?" Pixie asked.
"The other guardians. The ones without keytools are totally under Daemon's control."
"Am I supposed to trust you?"
"I've always trusted you. And you know how tough it is to infect me."
"I should inoculate you too."
"No. Daemon will sense cutoff. She's after you, Pixie."
Pixie understood. "A Super Virus! User have mercy! She'll find out about Bob!"
"We have another problem. Where's Fetch?"
"In the next room."
"You've got to take him with you. The immune factors Bevel bred into the dogs make them unpredictable. Daemon is ordering them to be destroyed."
"Oh, Net, no!" Pixie ran to the adjoining room. The nulls were all shaking and squealing in their cages, sensing the unseen virus. Pixie found Fetch hiding under the examining table. The puppy made crying sounds. Pixie took Fetch in her arms and tried to soothe him. The pup snapped at Turbo, smelling the infection. Turbo said, "Daemon doesn't like the dogs, so they don't like us. You have to leave."
"But there are other pups in the Armory."
"I already got them evacuated. I had Cal State smuggle them to Freespace with Bevel Jet."
"Cal is clean?"
"She's too fast for the infection to take hold. You will have to help Bevel. She's not doing too well. I promised her there would be a K-9 core again. But it's even more important that Daemon doesn't get Bob. If she finds out-"
Turbo shushed her. He heard someone coming. "Quick! This way!"
Turbo and Pixie slipped out of the viral wing and into Claris's office. Turbo aimed Copland at the secretary's java machine. "Copland! Wide flied energy beam!"
The blast blew up the device, forming a tear. Pixie ordered, "Quark! Portal."
The tear converted into a portal showing a vast space of golden hills with a few cybercows in the distance.
Pixie said, "I'll try to find Chip. Hopefully he hasn't been infected."
"Good idea. Now go," Turbo insisted.
"How can I leave you?"
"Because it's an order."
Pixie gave Turbo a peck on the cheek before she ran thought the portal. It closed behind her.
Turbo sighed, "I'm going to miss you too."
* * *
Pixie stood in the wilderness of Freespace holding Fetch close to her. The pup licked her face, tasting the tears on Pixie's cheek. Fetch whined. Pixie spoke to her little charge, "Don't worry. We'll be home again real soon."
She walked towards the nearest outpost, not certain of the future, with only a pup to comfort her and having hope that the one sprite who could save the Net would survive.
Bob.
END.