Dialogue

"...So you think that’s where things stand now?" Dot stirred the spoon in her cup. "I don’t know anymore..."

Ray raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I know what you said before is probably right. Defeat Megabyte before I work out my relationship with Bob. But..." Dot took a sip of cocoa. "Megabyte’s the one who *started* this whole mess anyhow. Now how can I forget THAT?" She shuddered slightly.

Ray gave Dot a sympathetic look then swallowed some hot chocolate.

"If I see him now, I’m going to think of what I almost did with him. What I almost lost."

Ray nodded.

"WHO I almost lost."

Ray winced, then nodded again more vigorously.

"It just..." Dot shook her head. "Pirates and Codemasters and viruses...Everything strange seems to happen in Mainframe. Are the other systems out there actually more *peaceful* than ours?"

The Surfer opened his mouth to respond when a vid-window popped open.

"Dot! Ray!" Mouse gestured with a katana. "Viral sightin’ on level 31, near Al’s. We’ve got to get things into gear. Dot, you got that plan ready?"

"Ready."

"Then see you both in the war room." The window flickered out.

Dot turned to the other sprite. "Let’s go."

The Surfer nodded grimly and hopped onto his board. He was almost out the door when Dot said "And Ray?"

He paused.

"Thanks for the conversation. It helped." Dot smiled.

Ray smiled back, gave Dot a small salute and sped off.

END