The Tyrant's fighters were closing fast on Ship. Aiming their laser weapons they struck the starboard engine. Mouse fought to keep control as Ship spun into a barrel roll. She restablised her control.

"I'm sorry sugah," she said to Ray who sat beside her, "We stayed too long in that last port."

"We had ta have a honeymoon somewhere love," Ray smiled.

Mouse had to push away the memories of their romance. She had to concentrate."The engine's burnt out! We'll hafta bail!"

A tractor beam hit Ship. The Tyrant dropped down towards them opening it's front cargo hold. The two fighters took parrellel postions on either side.

"Do not move! Remain in the ship!" they ordered.

Mouse slammed her fists on the dashboard.

"Mouse?" Ray extended his hand to her.

She took it in hers. "Ray, I-"

"No regrets."

"I only wish we'd met sooner."

"So do I. Now. As the captain would say, if we have ta go down, lets go down fightin'!"

***

Avar sat in his main meeting room. Here he waited for presentations of tribute from systems he raided. He sat high on a throne chair examining the good's with his critical reptile eyes, stating his pleasure or disappointment.

He rang a bell on his armchair. "Leah? My drink."

Leah parted the curtains to the harem caring a goblet on a tray. The auburn haired sprite had bright golden eyes and ivory colored skin. The skirts of her harem gown were blue and lavender, its top made of bright matching sequence. She bowed to him and held out the tray.

"Very lovely colors Leah," complimented Avar drinking down the contents of the goblet.

"Thank you my lord."

"I want you to stay. There is a new girl being added to the harem. You'll be in charge of cleaning her up."

"Is this the one who escaped from Stellar?"

"AndrAIa? No. It's the other one."

"Oh. The Mouse. She'll need a lot of work."

A ruckus of sound approached the outside doors of the chamber. Two troopers guarding the entrance opened them. Three more troopers came in carrying Mouse as she kicked and screamed like a trapped animal. They were followed by five more troopers carrying Ray, three to handle his sprite half and other two to hail along Surfboard. The troopers dumped them at Avar's feet before saluting their superior. One presented him with Mouse's katanas, which he took and admired. Avar put them aside and took the last drops of the drink on his tongue, savoring them before placing the cup back on Leah's tray. Avar scrutinized Mouse. Her body bore some bruises and her hair was ruffled out of place. She and Ray put up quite a fight.

Avar sighed. "Mouse. You made a mess out of yourself. I wanted your hide undamaged."

Mouse growled at him and began to get up. Two troopers grabbed her arms to restrain her as she tried to reach Avar. A third stood behind her, his rifle aimed at her back.

"Hey! Leave her!" Ray started to rise.

Two troopers stepped up to hold him by the arms as another threated him with his weapon. Avar got up. Her carefully went up to Mouse and straightened out her hair. Her twirled the front lock in his finger to curl it more. Mouse bared her teeth in anger.

"So hostile Mouse! I'll overlook it for now because you brought me a gift! The search engine from Mainframe!" Avar crossed over to Ray and held the surfer's head by the jaw. He opened Ray's mouth and examined his teeth as if her were buying a cybersteed. "Yes. I think he'll do nicely!"

"I'm not workin' for you!" Ray shouted at him.

"My dear sir..uh...pardon me. I don't know your name."

"Ray Tracer."

"Really. My, my! Your wanted by the guardians. It's a good thing I found you first! At least I can protect you."

"You mean enslave me!"

"Enslave. Protect. We all have different words for it. I have a contract with Mouse for it."

"You tricked me!" she snarled.

Avar shrugged. "You missed the fine print. It's not my fault."

"That contract don't include Ray!"

"But he was in your possession Mouse. That makes him my property."

"Avar. Come on sugah. We can make a deal."

"Mouse! We ain't makin' no deals!" Ray insisted. "Not with a pychopathic slave driver who was born as Web spore runnin' a floatin' penal colony!"

The third trooper punched Ray in the stomach using the but end of his rifle, causing no affect.

Avar rolled his eyes. "I'm surrounded by idiots!"

He gestured to the two troopers holding Surfboard to bring it towards him. He tapped on it. He then took a handkerchief and wiped it off to check for dirt.

"Nice but it needs something," he scratched his beard and framed it using his fingers. "Oh. I know!"

He flipped his claws out. Using his pointer finger her picked a place to begin his dirty work.

He looked at Mouse and said. "If I remember correctly Mouse..."

He started to carve a circle in Surfboard. Ray gasped and clinched his teeth to keep from crying out.

"...you signed the contract. Yes or no?"

Mouse growled and answered. "Yes!"

"You contract says I bought your services..."

The nail squeaked as a piece of chalk as he completed the circle. Ray's knees trembled but he bit down the pain.

"...yes or no?"

"Yes!"

Avar carved a small oval within the circle. Ray flinched as his electical blue wet suit fluctuated from the torture.

"The fine print says it includes everything I find in your possession..."

Avar carved a second small oval and then started to draw a curve. Ray's knees gave out. The troopers roughly pulled him up.

"...so this means I own Ray too, doesn't it?"

"STOP IT!" roared Mouse.

"Oh Mouse! Look at what you made me do!" Avar stepped away from Surfboard. The smiley face had a crooked grin. "Now I have to start over!"

He took his hand and raked them deeply across the smiley face. Ray screamed from the torment. Mouse fought to break free from the troopers holding her, her eyes full of venom. The troopers had to double their efforts to hold her back, her rage making her strength almost triple its normal state.

Avar smiled. "There is my fiery sprite!"

"Let him go! Or I'll-"

"Or what Mouse!?! I haven't even started! You remember my whip? Or better yet!" Avar went to his throne and pulled one of Mouse's katanas from it's sheath. He held the blade to Ray's neck. "Tell me how many pieces you want me to leave for you Mouse? I'll slice him up very evenly!"

Mouse screamed. "Avar! Let 'um go! I'll do anythin'!"

"Anything?! You said anything?!" he emphasized.

Mouse glared at Leah holding Avar's electron power whip, then back to Avar holding the sword to Ray's throat. Avar had her. She gave in. This is what love does she thought, that's why they say only fools fall into it.

Mouse clinched her eyes shut and spoke. "Anythin'. You want me tah keep the contract. I'll do it."

"Mouse! No!" implored Ray.

Avar thought about it. He lowered the sword and walked over to Mouse to twirl the lock of her hair on his finger again. This time she made no effort to resist the move. He then took another look at Ray.

"Well...I really have my heart set on getting Maxine." he sat down on his thrown and gestured to Leah to put away the whip and take the katanas away. "Take the search engine to the hatch and dump him outside."

The troops dragged Ray towards the door. "NO! MOUSE!"

"Ray! Honey! Go! Just go!" she called after him.

She wanted to tell him she loved him but to say those words in front of Avar would be a sign of further weakness. Four troopers had to lift Ray off the ground to carry him out. The fifth took Surfboard who was joined by a sixth to help him and followed them out. Two troopers closed the doors.

"Such a fuss," observed Avar, "you'd think you two were married or something."

Mouse bit her lip. The troopers let her go and moved back.

"Leah," Avar leaned back in his chair," Mouse is going to need a waredrobe upgrade. Something in red to match her hair will look smashing!"

Mouse paid no attention to Avar. She only heard Ray yelling in the hallway. Then more yelling. Then laser fire. And a scream of pain that cut deeper then Mouse's katana.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" she shrieked.

Mouse charged the doors. The troopers got in her way. She kicked one in the abdomen and punched the other in the jaw before she yanked open the doors and ran into the hallway. Avar motioned for the remaining troopers to hold back and calmly walked out first.

"I have to give these drones some memory upgrades," he muttered.

***

"Ray! Ray!" called Mouse.

Her search engine mate staggered towards her, the light of his blue surf suit flicking on and off. Mouse caught him in her arms as he collasped in them. She dropped to her knees and cradled him in her arms, wishing she could rock away the pain and shock she saw on his face.

Ray swallowed before he spoke. "They...shot...me..."

Ray's sprite body had no wounds. Mouse looked down the hall. Surfboard had been blown apart and lay smuldering around the red carpeted hallway. The troopers stood together on one side, studying their mistake.

Avar walked up to them, surveyed the damage and snapped. "Who did this?!"

They pointed to each other.

Mouse winced her eyes shut. Why Ray hadn't died instantly from the damage was a mystery she'd never solve. Mouse yelled at Ray."Why sugah?! I told yah tah go!"

"They...wouldn't...let...me...kiss ya...goodbye..." he swallowed again and tried to smile.

"Yah love me too much," she resisted wanting to pound him on chest and instead caressed his cheek.

"You...look...beautiful...when...yar...angry...with me..."

"Ray if I ask Avar tah help yah-"

"Wagon's...broke...love...Sorry..."

"No! Don't yah leave me sugah!"

"I...never...can...We shared....our...code...remember..?"

She nodded. One of the first things sprites did in their marriage was exchange their PID codes, the most personal act of devotion. It went beyond downloading of a program command from an icon or repairing a section of damaged code. The entire PID contained the very key to the sprite or binome's private self, the key to their very soul and what made any viral takeover even more horrible to the victim. To give a copy of it to another was the ulimate way of saying the two were now one.

Ray gasped. "Please...escape...You have...ta...be free..."

"It won't be worth it."

"If your...not...too...mad...can I...have...my...kiss...now..." She kissed him the way he enjoyed it. When their lips parted, he saw a tear slipping out of her eye. He reached up and brushed it away as he whispered. "Never..let...him...make...you...cry...Promise...?"

"I promise."

Mouse jumped when she heard the blasts of a laser rifle. The six troopers who were in charge of Ray were now blown apart among the remains of Surfboard.

Avar gave the weapon back to one of his drones. "Note to myself, scrap the personality chips for better intellegence!"

"You!" Mouse placed Ray down on the floor and stood with her fists ready. "You did this!"

"Now Mouse! We had a deal!"

"IT'S OFF!"

She leaped at him and knocked him over, ripping at his robe. Avar actually cried for help. Mouse knocked the troops away as they attempted to pull her off. Ray had to smile dispite his fate. He felt no more pain. Only numb shock now. A dozen fresh troopers came in the hallway and hauled Mouse away as she kicked and flailed and screamed.

Avar stood over the search engine, his robe torn up. Ray smiled at him. Avar took offense in it and bent down to grab him by the throat. Ray in turn got his fists closed around the cloth of Avar's tattered garment and glared at him in anger.

"If...you...hurt...her..."

Avar laughed. "Who will stop me search engine? Not you! No! She's mine now! All mine!"

"You'll...never...keep...her..."

"I'd tell you to watch me but that will never happen. I own her! Every lovely pixel! And she will obey me!"

"Good...luck...You'll...need it..."

Avar let go and shouted. "Clean up crew. Get this garbage off my rugs. I want a course set for Port Land right away! I have business there!"

He stepped over Ray and went back to his throne room. As Ray closed his eyes he said. "Good...bye...love...It...was...fun..."

***

Maxine had dropped off passengers at Outpost Omega. There were rumors the system would soon break from the rest of the Net, so many binomes and sprites seeking refuge were trying to gain access to the port before the Guardians restricted travel. For Maxine part, she'd try to keep out of the mess until she decided she had to pick sides. She soon figured she would be a fugative like Ray Tracer, hunted by the Guardians. Then her job's excitement level would hit an all time high.

She wanted no trouble but it found it anyway. The large battle cruiser, The Tyrant quickly approached her from the rear of the Internet highway. Maxine engaged a cloaking devise and gave it plenty of passing room, fearing Avar would decide to pick her up to add to his collection. The Tyrant passed her but dumped a load of garbage in its wake.

"A road hog and a litter bug!" she fumed flying out of the way of the refuse. The blaster body of a viral drone flew by her. "Ewww! No respect for personally chips."

A piece of the debris went past her. She noted its shape and color. Another piece, only a little large went past. It too looked familar to her.

"Don't go random Maxine!" she told herself. "It's not who you think."

A large third piece flew by, the tail end of a surfboard. Then she saw Ray's body floating toward her.

"Oh no!" she moaned. "I hate it when I'm right!"

Part 2 - File Recovery

FIRST OFFICER'S LOG- SAUSY MARE II:

It is sad to say that the peace of Mainframe cannot be shared across the Net. As more systems break away from the Guardians, rumors of all out war grow in every cycle. Prime Guardian Turbo acts as a spy, aiding the resistance across the Net and keeps constant contact with Bob and Enzo Matrix the only guardians capable of saving the known Net.

Guardian Bob has spear headed the rebellion on the growing "Free Network", helping provide honest trade and peaceful travel. Daemon is fighting back. She has put a price on Bob's head so large to pails next to the Mare's former profit margin for the last five hours. Anyone from a viral guardian to a greedy mercenary would enjoy cashing in. But getting near a guardian who is on what Bob calls "The Next Level" is not easy. Bob can tag incoming entries to the system to the nanosecond, knowing if they are friendly or hostile, a superior extention of his primary format of blocking illegal entries. Former virus Hexadecimal has taken responsibility of being Bob's back up and, oddly, a protector. She wants to make sure no one gets to Bob before he destroys Daemon's hold on the Collective.

Dot Matrix, or Commander "Dot" Com as many like call her, has already created commerce links to other free ports to trade and help in the liberation of even more systems. The captain looks forward to participating in transport of supplies as soon as the Saucy Mare II is completed. Thanks to AndrAIa's expertise, we hope the ship will be done by the end of the next two minutes.

Acting Guardian Enzo Matrix acts as a go between to the Super Computer, preferring to take the risks going to visit Turbo then Bob, who did promise to remain in Mainframe. Matrix handles the recruitment of new cadet guardians through the underground of the Super Computer to be trained as quickly as possible for replacement duty. Matrix's work has made him a serious source of fascination to his back up copy brother Little Enzo. The child wants to know everything! I hope his patients holds up as well as Bob's has...

"GOOOOOOOD MOOOOOOORRRRNNNNNNING MAINFRAME!"

Bob's eyes open. "Why me?"

"It's another beautiful day in the city! Blue skies are smiling at me! Nothing but blue skies as far as you can see. And nothing but blue skies from now on! And with our true blue guardian at the helm!"

"I hope Bob hid my gun," growled Matrix rolling out of his bed.

Bob got up quickly and ran for the door of his bedroom. "Enzo's going to delete him this time!"

"So let's get up! Up! UP MAINFRAME! We've got a big day ahead! Air traffic is light this morning. Not a bit map of trouble to be seen on this beautiful day! Did I mension the sky is blue! Nothing but blue skies-"

Mike found large cork in his mouth, a gift Dot gave Matrix when he decided to move in with Bob and Mike in Kits Sector.

Put a cork in it. Really funny.

Mike stared up at Bob and Matrix who all had their arms crossed to reflect their emotions.

"Mmmm mmmm mmmm mmmm mmmmm?"

"Yes you woke us up!" snapped Matrix.

Mike pointed to Bob. "Mmmmm mmmm mmmm mmmm mmmm?"

"Yes I had a good night's sleep Mike. No more nightmares for almost half the minute."

"Why do we let you stay here?" Matrix wondered.

"Mmmmm mmmm mmmm mmmm mmmm mmmmm?"

"What?" Bob pulled the cork out.

"For my charming good looks?" Mike batted his eyes.

Bob shoved the cork back in.

Matrix informed Bob. "I have to go to the docks. The captain wants AndrAIa to check the specks on the new engines. I'd like to help work on the ship for a while."

"I'm meeting Dot at the diner," Bob said. "I want to find out if Ray and Mouse have contacted any of the free ports."

"Mmmmm mmmmm mmmm?"

"No you can't come!" they told Mike.

"Mmm mmm," Mike sighed. He took the cork from his mouth. "So much for my camo in this story."

***

Kit's dry dock area had become a very busy area for the past several seconds. The building of the Saucy Mare II progressed slowly but cheerfully among the crew of the Crimsom Binome. Parts and labor were provided by Dot but Gavin and his binome's wanted to supervise the construction. Matrix and AndrAIa were on hand every cycle they could.

"Look lively me hearties!" shouted the captain. "I'll have no laggards workin' on my new ship!"

"Aye aye sir," chimed the crew.

"By Gar Mr. Christopher! We'll be sailin' the sea soon enough!"

"It's the only way to make a profit," the zero binome replied. "We've been in the red quite a while."

"Aye. But red or not it was worth it to save Mainframe."

AndrAIa studied the ships blue prints. "The new engine coils will arrive from Gamma within the next cycle captain. The are making an even trade for power converters for fighting the system rebellion."

"It be good to have them on our side lass."

"We will be on schedule to completing the ship as planned."

"Great lass! I shall miss Mainframe but it will be wonderful to be at sea again. I hear you and Matrix may join us for a spell. Are you certain you want to leave?"

"It will be a good way to visit the free systems. And maybe liberate more. His work in the underground has been getting to him. I know Matrix will hate to leave everything behind. Except maybe his significant other."

"But I thought you were comin'."

"I mean the other significant other."

Matrix approached carrying several planks on his shoulder tailed by Little Enzo who spoke so fast it seemed impossible to figure out when he breathed to start his next sentence. Lately the child got on Matrix's bits by asking him about his new assignment. Little Enzo was prying out the details of an incident involving a recrutted cadet guardian.

"So you really tried to hit him?" Little Enzo asked

"He had it coming to him."

"Before or after he called you a two bit cadet?"

"After that."

"And after he called you Bob's messenger boy?"

"Yes."

"And a pretend guardian who didn't deserve to give him orders?"

Matrix through the planks on the dock. "Kid. Could you give me some free space right now! I don't want to talk about this!"

"What do you want to talk about."

"Nothing kid! Will you go play with Frisket?"

"But I wanted to help with rebuilding the Mare!"

"All you'll do is get in the way kid."

"Enzo! Call me Enzo! It's my name!"

"It was my name first!"

"Enzo!" AndrAIa snapped.

Both of them turned to her and said. "Yes?"

AndrAIa sighed. "Matrix. I meant Matrix. Can I talk to you. Alone."

"Thank you," Matrix said. "Go find Frisket kid."

"Sure," jeered Little Enzo, "after all he is my dog!"

Matrix's cyborg eye glowed. After Little Enzo left he said to AndrAIa. "I needed to be bailed out of that."

"What you need is more patience! You were like that you know."

"Yeah. How did you put up with me?"

"I loved you. And you do too. I mean you love Little Enzo. I can tell."

Matrix became miffed. "Can we please discuss this somewhere else? Excuse us captain."

Matrix and AndrAIa walked away.

"Patience is a virtue Matrix has never had," Mr. Christopher remarked.

"Aye Mr. Christopher. And he can't buy or trade to get it. That he has to earn."

***

Hack and Slash stood outside the diner entrance, arms crossed but greeting the early morning patrons with cheer.

"Good morning guys," Bob zipped up to the door.

"Morning Bob!" the chimed.

"It's a beautiful day!" said Hack.

"Yes. Very pretty," added Slash. "Lots of blue skies. I like blue! I like being blue. Don't you?"

"Everyone's on a blue kick! There's nothing wrong with being red! Is there Bob?"

"No Hack. There isn't. May I go inside?"

"Sure!" they answered opening the doors for him.

Cecil meet him.

"Good morning sir."

"Good morning Cescil."

Cecil froze. "Did you call me Cescil?!"

"Yes."

"Are you well sir?"

"I'm fine."

Cecil didn't believe him. He put his hand on Bob's forehead.

"Are you sure your not ill again sir?"

"I'm fine Cescil. No more Bug bites for me," Bob raising his eyebrows when he saw Dot at a nearby booth. She wore her golden yellow and dark orange outfit, something she hadn't worn in quite a while. She had her eyeglasses on, studying something in her organizer.

"Follow me sir."

He glided in front of Bob, leading him to the table. Bob said. "Good morning Miss Dot Com."

She smiled. "Good morning Mr. Guardian."

She took off her eyeglasses, got up and kissed him on the cheek. She then told Cecil. "Juice, a pot of fresh java and bit biscuits with butter Cecil."

"Right away Madam."

They sat down across from each other.

""Did I hear you call him Cescil?" teased Dot.

"Yep. I must be in a good mood."

They heard a couple of female binome's at the next table giggling. In Mainframe there was no secret that Bob and Dot were hopelessly in love with each other. Rumors were Bob had already proposed and/or they were already secretly married. Some insisted they saw Dot wearing a ring resembling a daisywheel, Dot's favorite flower.

"How is Matrix?" Dot asked.

"Still angry. I don't know what sounded worse. The two bit cadet comment or the pretend guardian comment."

"I thought it was the Bob's messenger quote. Megabyte was as cruel to him."

"Good thing Turbo broke it up. Even if the other new cadet guardians don't like it, they won't tell Turbo what they really feel."

"What do you think they're saying?"

"That Turbo is playing favorites only because of me by giving Matrix the title Guardian. But Turbo always favored certain guardians over others."

"Like you."

"Have you heard anything from Mouse and Ray?"

"No."

"I never should have let them leave! Avar isn't going to give up until he recaptures Mouse."

"All we can do is wait and hope."

"Its seems it's all we ever do now," Bob took her hand in his. "The entire Net is depending on me to save it. All I can do is rescue it one System at a time. If Daemon wants this to end she should come to me and we'll finish it!"

"Will we be ready for it?"

"We have to. With the ports open we can expect more surprise visitors anytime."

***

Little Enzo walked along side Frisket as they visited on of the piers.

"You like both me and Matrix don't you boy?" he asked the cyberdog.

Frisket barked.

"Who do you like better?"

Frisket's ears dropped and he whined.

"I'm sorry fella," he patted the dog's head. "I shouldn't have asked that. It would be like asking Dot the same question. And Matrix lets you stay with me. But he misses you. I can see it."

Frisket whined again, then growled.

Enzo head a noise. He turned to see a portal open on the pier behind him.

***

Dot tapped a new log into her organizer engrossed by her work but still aware enough of Bob to tell him. "Your staring."

"Hmmm?" was Bob's only answer.

He had his hand under his chin, gazing at her lost in lovesickness.

"Bob? You java is getting cold."

Bob snapped out of it. "Oh. Sorry baby. I was thinking of how beautiful you'll look dressed in white."

She blushed and smiled, "It's alright angel."

Dot saw the look in Bob's eyes, one she learned to read before.

Bob rose from his seat, staring out the window."We have an illegal entry! At the dock!"

***

Matrix and AndrAIa walked the docks trying to find Little Enzo and Frisket.

AndrAIa warned." If I don't push you too to apologize, Dot or Bob will do it."

"I know. I've had to live with alot of mistakes in my life. I guess this is one mistake I have to learn to get along with."

"Admit it Enzo. You like having him around. You wouldn't be so involved in helping train him if you weren't happy."

"It gives Bob the guardian he wanted."

"He has that Matrix."

"But is too wierd sometimes! I'm helping my sister and Bob raise me!"

"He is you. But he's his own format and so are you. You have parts of my code and Bob's code in your PID. Why else does the system think your another sprite."

"Phong had to delete Enzo from my name too. The system log refers to me only as Matrix. Not Enzo. Sometimes I still feel as if I'm a stranger in my own home," he grumbled.

"You miss Ray amd Mouse too? Is that it?"

"We never should have let them go AndrAIa. After what Avar tried to do to you-"

Matrix and AndrAIa saw the portal opening on the main docking area. Concerned they ran towards it. Frisket snarled and barked as Maxine pulled up to the dock.

"Maxine!" Matrix remembered.

AndrAIa nodded thinking about Matrix's story about Bob keeping the search engine from being captured by Megabyte. She in turn had told Matrix about her meeting Maxine at the docks in Bauddad system when she tried to book passage home to Mainframe.

The silver Ship locked itself to the port. Then Maxine formed out of her Ship, her pixels solidifying her to stand on the dock.

"Alphanumeric!" Little Enzo said.

"How come I'm not surprised to see you again," Maxine said to AndrAIa.

Bob and Dot arrived riding on zipboards, Hack and Slash following them using their jetpacks.

"Maxine!" Bob greeted her. "You always drop in uninvited."

"Bob! Have you changed! I'd love to small talk but I've got an emergency! I've got a almost deleted passenger! I had no other place to bring him!"

Dot took out her organizer. "I'll have a medvac brought in right away. What are we dealing with?"

"A search engine! His name's Ray Tracer!"

"WHAT?!" they all exclaimed.

"You know him?!"

Matrix ran to the passenger car and jumped inside. He returned carrying Ray in his arms. Ray's usually bright blue suit was dark and his face transparent.

"Where's the surfboard?!" Matrix asked Maxine.

"In the trunk," she said.

Matrix passed Ray to Bob and AndrAIa and returned to the passenger carrier. They laid Ray down on the pier as Matrix hauled out a large steamer size truck and put in on the dock beside Ray. By then Captain Capasitor and some of his crew had gathered to find out what was happening. Matrix opened the trunk and almost wanted to throw up.

The Captain looked inside as well. "By Gar! Bob! This is-"

"Bad! Extremely bad!" Bob put his hands on Ray's face sensing the extent of the injury. "He's almost gone."

"No!" A tear fell from AndrAIa's eye and onto the dock. "We have to do something! Anything!"

Maxine stood by Dot, distraught at her fellow search engine's demise. "If only I could have gotten here sooner."

Little Enzo looked up confused. "What happened Dot? Why is Ray erasing?"

"A search engine can't survive without its vehicle Enzo. Surfboard is destroyed. So Ray will die."

Bob looked over to Matrix. "Dump it out!"

"Bob?"

"Do it!"

Matrix tipped in over, spilling out the puzzle of pieces that were once Surfboard. They were charred and unbearable to look at. Bob searched through the fragments and found the tail section. The red light on it beeped weakly as if a faint cry for help.

"Hold on Ray. I have to try something," he spoke to the piece of Surfboard. "It's your only chance. We fixed Hexadecimal. I know we can do this."

Matrix knew Bob spoke to Glitch, his dear keytool friend forever buried within his guardian programming. Matrix knelt beside AndrAIa as she held Ray's hand and wept. They watched as Bob kneeled in front of the destroyed surfboard and scanned the pieces. He slapped his hands together and rubbed them, causing them to glow bright and golden. He then touched Surfboard's largest section. It glowed and vibrated. The energy splitted out onto the other pieces, bringing them to life. They floated off the dock and began to reposition themselves, finding where they belonged as Surfboard started to pull itself together at Bob's command like a puzzle being put together.

AndrAIa felt Ray's hand grip hers. She saw the search engine open his mouth to moan. His surfer suit gave off a small glimmer of power as his face turned more solid. Matrix awed as Surfboard's fragments completed moving into place. The cracks fused together, chips of missing pieces regenerated. Then Surfboard slowly settled down and rested on the dock back in one piece, still looking battered but repaired. Bob ended the surge of energy. Most of the scarring still remaining was removing itself without Bob's aid. Ray's face was back to normal.

"I think that's got it," Bob let out a huff of air from relief.

Everyone on the dock cheered.

Maxine said to Dot. "It's more then the outfit that's changed!"

Matrix patted Bob on the shoulder. "You saved his life."

"Hey! A guardian's got to do what a guardian's got to do."

Ray whispered. "Mouse..."

The sprites gathered around him. Now semiconsious, Ray opened his eyes his vision vaguely clearing. He saw faces around him.

"Mouse...?"

"Wrong girl Surfer," AndrAIa responded.

"AndrAIa...? How...?"

"Maxine found you. Your going to be alright."

"Mouse...Port...Land..."

"What Ray?" Matrix urged him to speak again.

"Port...Land..."

"It's a port on the Net," remembered Maxine. "Avar goes there to gather tribute every minute."

"Avar did this!?!" Matrix's cyborg eye turned red.

"The Tyrant threw him out of its ship with the garbage!"

"Avar..." Ray coughed. "Mouse..."

"Hang tough Ray! We'll get her back!" Matrix promised.

"Mouse..." Ray passed out.

"His body needs to keep regenerating," said Bob. "We have to take him to the Principle Office."

Matrix stood up. "Maxine? Can you take AndrAIa and I to Port Land?"

"Hold on here! You know Net travel is restricted! If I'm caught taking you anywhere we'll all be deleted!"

"But we have to rescue Mouse! AndrAIa and I know Avar and we've been inside the Tyrant. Bob! I know we can do this!"

"You'll need a plan first," Bob looked at Dot. "Think we can come up with one?"

"We are Matrixes," Dot said.

"Let's get to the PO and get started."Part 3 - Who is the Master?

Avar strumed his fingers in impatience. He heard a another crash from the harem next door and more squeals from the girls. Mouse roared making them squeal even louder.

What a fighter he thought. He picked this sprite well. Now all he needed to do was tame the fire he admired without quetching the flame.

Leah came out of the harem, her outfit all bereveled and her finely groomed hair all out of place. The chief consort pulled on a long golden linked chain fettered to Mouse's wrists. The hacker put on a mighty tug of war. Avar grinned at the display. Mouse wore a harem pant suit of scarlet red (think Jasmine from Aladdin in her enslavement outfit). Her hair was curled and tightly held in a ponytail by a beautiful golden clasp. He arms were decorated in matching braclets and a necklace of fine red and gold beads were around her neck.

Leah finally got close enough to hand the end of the chain to Avar. "I'm sorry it took so long my lord. She shreaded every outfit with a shirt we tried on her."

"It will do. Go clean yourself up."

Leah bowed to him. Mouse snarled at her making her leave the room in haste. Avar stood up and threaded the chain in his belt. He then began to circle Mouse.

"Yes. Very lovely," he complimented.

Mouse only curled her lip. She wanted to get her hands free as soon as possible and make Avar pay for the loss of Ray.

"It needs something," he scratched his metal beard in thought.

His words made her more angry.

"I have it!" he snapped his fingers. He moved to a vase of flowers standing on a table on one side of the room. He took a purple colored prism bloom from it and placed in in Mouse's hair. "There now! I think you look beautiful!"

She hissed at him.

"Ah my tigress! You are as fine as the flower in your hair and can be easily crushed in the wrong hands. Think about the guardians. They will not spare your life anymore then mine. In that we share a common bond."

As he circled her he drew up behind her and gathered her ponytail in his hand and took a whiff of her hair. Mouse growled and pulled away. Avar took a firm hold of the chain and pulled back. Mouse only fought harder.

"Oh Mouse! Stop it! If you weren't being so difficult I wouldn't have restrained you in the first place!"

She pulled again. Avar let out some slack, causing Mouse to fall on the floor. Enraged, Mouse got up, took the vase from the table and threw it at Avar. It hit him on the shoulder and crashed to the floor.

Avar sighed deeply. "'It's Ray Tracer isn't it? I was going to let him go Mouse. You saw me do it. Ray forced my men to fire. I thought destroying them for you might make you happy."

Mouse roared and charged Avar to tackle him. This time the virus stepped out of the way and Mouse landed on the floor again.

Avar warned. "Will you stop wasting your energy. At this rate you will make yourself wish you had died."

Mouse rose up and spoke. "Nah! Ya'll wish ya'd killed me!"

"Oh you finally said something to me. It's not what I wanted to hear but I'll take any response for now." He went to sit on his thrown yanking her along after him. He sat down and drew her closer. "You will learn to appreciate me."

"Never!" she snapped at him.

"Do I have to start threating you?!"

"Yah can go ahead and try tah hit me with yah whip again if yah want! I'll rip your arm out of it socket with my hands!"

"Your hands are tied!"

"Not for long!"

"You really want me to play my hypercard again don't you? Very well. Open vidwindow. Guardian 452 file index." The vidwindow opened next to Avar's throne showing Bob's original silver haired face. "Guardian 452. He's worth a lot of credits, you know? Or maybe you don't? The reward being offered by the collective of very tempting. Five hundred thousand units now. I'ts gone up alot since he started taking systems off the main Net to protect them from the guardians. He's changed very much from the photo but the hair and costume can't hide who he is."

Mouse stayed silent as Avar kept turning the knife he stabbed. "Daemon will be very happy to know where he is, won't she? And she might end up destroying Mainframe to get him. All your friends get deleted anyway and all this running will be for nothing. So Mouse, I ask you what are their lives worth?"

Mouse curled her lip. "You'll never get away with this Avar!"

"One e-mail call to the Super Computer and its over! I'll ask you once more, what will you give me to buy my silence?"

Mouse stared at the floor a moment before she stepped foreward and she kneeled at Avar's feet in submission.

"It's a start," he grinned and stroked her hair. "Look at me Mouse!"

She obeyed.

He leaned towards her face. "When I see those eyes tear, you'll be mine! Now go pick up the pieces of the vase you broke!"

Mouse followed Avar's command, keeping her temper in check. As she gathered up the flowers she thought of the inpromto wedding in the Arboretum.

"'Til deletion do yah part," she muttered under her breath.

"Did you say something Mouse?" Avar asked.

Mouse only replied. "No."

***

Leah lead Mouse to her quarters in the harem. It actually was a curtained off chamber, allowing for some form of privacy during sleep mode. Mouse's new home had a post in the center surrounded by fluffy mats and pillows. The post had a steel ring and lock for attaching the chain's end to in what should have been a vain attempt to keep Mouse from escaping.

"You'll do well here Mouse," Leah encouraged her. "If you remain constant in your duty to Avar, he'll remove your chain."

As Leah snapped the end to the post Mouse asked her. "How long have yah been wearin' yours?"

Leah cocked her eyebrow. "I haven't worn a chain for hours."

"No honey. Yah still wear one. Yah just can't see it."

Leah pointed to the lock. "The Mouse I remember can pick this in a nanosecond with her eyes closed. You escaped from Avar so easily."

"Envious? You coulda came. What made yah stay? Did he threaten people yah loved too?"

"He destroyed my home. I have nothing to go return to. So do you. Because your search engine is deleted."

"His name was Ray!" Mouse refreshed her memory. "Ray Tracer! And I was stupid tah fall in love!"

Leah backed away. "I'm sorry. Avar will need tending in the next cycle. I'll summon you when he's ready."

"GET OUT!" Mouse threw one of the pillows at Leah. The keeper of the harem closed the curtains, leaving the furious hacker alone. Mouse crouched beside the post to examine the lock.

Escape...

'"Please...escape...You have...ta...be free..." '

'"Daemon will be very happy to know where he is, won't she? And she might end up destroying Mainframe to get him. All your friends get deleted anyway and all this running will be for nothing. So Mouse, I ask you, what are their lives worth?" '

"How right you both are," Mouse said to herself. "If I stay here I'll die. If I leave my friends might die. I have tah delete Avar. It's the only way but...I'm no murderer. I've kept a code tah fight in self defense. I've hung around guardians too much."

Mouse collasped on the pillows, crushing the flower in her hair. Remembering the bloom, she picked up her head and removed it. Seeing it damaged made her dispair grow larger. She rolled one her back and started at the wounded flower. She ran her figures on the crumpled petals, thinking of Ray.

"What did I do tah yah?" she now blamed herself. "My past ended our future Ray. But I have yah name now. And if...when I ever leave here, when people ask what my name is, I'll tell them my name is Mouse Tracer."

Her eyes began to water.

'"When I see those eyes tear, you'll be mine!" '

'"Never..let...him...make...you...cry...Promise...?" '

"I promise."

Mouse put the flower on the pillow beside her and closed her eyes. At least in her dreams, Ray and her were together.

Part Four - The Mission

Ray lay unconscious on a biobed of the Principle Office Medical wing. Maxine and Phong were monitoring the search engine's condition.

"His life signs are steady," Phong noted. "It is a good sign."

"They're still pretty weak," the silver sprite commented, "but considering he shouldn't even be alive, this is acceptable. Now I wonder what kind of excuse I can come up with to explain where I went. If the guardians figure out I crossed over to the free Net, I'll be as wanted as poor Ray."

"Personally I am glad you risked your safety to bring him here. So are his friends."

Bob walked into the room. Captain Capasitor was with him, paying a visit on behalf of the crew.

"How be the lad?" asked the captain.

"His condition is the same."

"It be far better then where he was. Quite a guardian ye be now Bob. Since findin' ye in the Web I have seen things far grander then all me days sailing the Net. Ye have become quite a miracle worker."

Bob smiled. "Thank you captain. If not for Glitch's final act of kindness these things never would have happened. So Maxine? Does this little visit mean your going to be working for the Free Net?"

"You need my help to mount a rescue. I always wanted to fight a desprite battle against impossible odds."

"What are friends for huh?" Bob shrugged.

"I consider myself a friend to Ray, but I feel viral for not getting involved sooner. If AndrAIa and Matrix hadn't broken Ray out of prison, he'd be dead," Maxine glanced to Surfboard laying on a medical table beside Ray.

"What is it?" Bob asked.

"Avar tortured him."

"You can sense it to?"

"It's a search engine thing. As hard to define as how we coexist as two beings. If Ray weren't a next generation engine, I think he would have been dead long before I found him. How did you know?"

"When I healed the damage I felt part of the original wound on Surfboard. Avar craved his surface using his claws like a stylus pen."

"The scruvy dog," spat Gavin. "He must have used poor Ray to get Mouse to hed him. And surely she must think he be deleted."

"If so, I almost feel sorry for Avar and what Mouse might do to him," Bob put his hand on the edge of Surfboard. "He's moving."

Ray's sprite form whispered. "Mouse..."

Bob crossed over to Ray's bedside. Ray picked up his head, attempting to recall where he was. Surfboard tried to float off the table. It slipped, forcing Maxine and Phong to grab hold of it and push it back on.

"Ray," Bob said. "Stay still."

"I've...I've got...ta find...Mouse..."

"Not in you current file state. Your too weak. You need more time."

"I...made a...vow...I...have ta...I can't...stay...Bob...please..."

"Ray. I know your loss. But you can't help Mouse if your sick."

"Bob...Please...help...me...I...have...ta...find...her..."

Maxine and Phong had to shift Surfboard on the table again as it kept trying to fly. Ray's wounds, both physical and mental, troubled Bob. He took the search engine's hand. "Here. Let me."

Bob sent a warm wash of energy into Ray.

Ray's fear eased. "Thanks...mate..."

"Sleep mode Ray. You'll be fine soon."

"But...Mouse...needs me..."

"She'd want you well. She'll wait for you. Sleep."

Ray dozed off. Surfboard settled down.

Maxine sighed in relief. "That was close. Once Ray gets his mind set on something, he does it."

Bob put Ray's hand down on the biobed. "Keep an eye on him. I'm going to find out how Matrix and AndrAIa's plan is progressing."

***

AndrAIa sat at her workstation, writing the special program upgrade as fast as she dared.

Dot watched her and commented. "I've seen some fancy waredrobe upgrades processed but nothing like what your attempting to do."

"If I'm going to join Avar's little caravan I need a disguise far above a change of cloths. This rewrite will work as if I rebooted in a game. It will change my skin, hair and eye color."

"Will you be able to undo it?"

"It can be turned off as soon as this little game is over unless Matrix wants me to say that way."

Matrix stood at a holographic scematic of the Tryrant taken from the scans of the ship pointing out the lay out to Bob. "There is a large network of maintanence tunnels. I saw them in the cargo bay. They run throughtout the ship. I plan to slip through them, find the engine room and set the explosives."

"Will you fit?"

"It might be a tight squeeze in some places but since Avar uses the drone sprites to care for the ship, I can fit where ever they go."

"Do you intend to destroy the ship?"

"Entirely. So Avar won't be able to get anywhere. And if he dies along with it, it will be his choice."

"You won't delete him?"

"I'm not even sure I won't. I'd like nothing more then to do it after how he almost killed Ray!"

"Matrix. You learned the act of revenge was wrong. When I found out you refused to erase Megabyte, I was impressed."

"But what if I do leave Avar alive and he tells the guardians?"

"We'll cross that modem line when we reach it. The important multitask is to rescue Mouse and destroy the Tyrant."

A CPU officer came up to Matrix carrying the sprite's icon. "Your wardrobe upgrade is ready."

"Thanks," Matrix took the icon and placed it on his chest. He tapped it to activate the alteration. He wore a black and grey camoflage suit and a full flack jacket with a hood to place over his head. He also had a knife on his belt to join his gun. "What do you think?"

"It's you. But remember-"

"I know," Matrix flipped his icon to game sprite mode. "I don't need any guardians thinking I'm you."

A second CPU came in caring a sprite sized backpack. "Your explosives are loaded. The timers are ready for you to set."

Matrix nodded and put the pack over his shoulders.

"I'm ready," called AndrAIa. "How do I look?"

Matrix turned to see the reformatted AndrAIa. His jaw dropped open at the transformation. Not only did AndrAIa wear a stunning golden long sleeved harem suit but here skin was a deep olive green, her eyes icy blue and her hair ebony brown. She had the hair tied in a high ponytail. A set of veils wrapped her neck, meant to be pulled up to cover her face. Her ears were round and there was no sign of her fins even thought she wore long sleeves.

Matrix joked. "Excuse me miss? Have you seen my girlfriend? I seem to have lost her."

Giggling, AndrAIa put the veils over her face. "I'm her replacement handsome."

"Promise me you won't let Avar examine the goods too closely."

"If Mouse had escaped already, this maybe a waste of our time."

"I sure hope so."

Dot handed AndrAIa a cloak. "I followed Maxine's directions and forged you a pair of authorization codes in case you run into any guardians. But I hope you won't."

"So do we," Matrix gave his sister a hug. "We'll be careful. You take care of Ray."

Bob told them. "Once Ray is better, he will try to come after you. I'll do my best to keep him here until you contact us."

"Then you'll need more luck then we will."

AndrAIa said. "Tell Ray we'll bring Mouse home."

"Telling him will be easier then making him understand. It's not his girlfriend who is in danger. It's his wife."

<))):=

Leah gathered the harem girls and Mouse together in Avar's throne room, as if she were a hen bringing chicks to be inspected by a fox. Mouse had an imprompto introduction to the other sprite maidens who went by the sickening sweet sounding names of Mirth, Chirp, Star and Bit. Mouse figured they were pet names. It make her even more displeased to see them happy in there function of being Avar's property.

Avar entered and greeted them. "Ah! My flowers! Fresh and beautiful as ever!"

The girls giggled. Mouse rolled her eyes.

Avar motioned to Leah, who handed him the chain bound to Mouse's wrists. He smiled. "And my tiger lily! Are you feeling more at home now?"

"This isn't my home," Mouse said flatly.

"Still being stubborn. Because of you Mouse I had to purchase a little add on to my security to keep you in check."

"What now? Yah bought a golden cage tah try an' lock me in?"

"Oh no no! I want to expand your freedom to move about the ship Mouse. So I bought some insurance," He whistled. "Pincer! Sting! Come to daddy!"

Two Soldier Bugs came leaping out of Avar's personal quarters. The girls screamed and gathered together behind Leah for protection. Mouse stood her ground, noticing the Bugs were muzzled but not in the way a person might restrain a dog. A metallic muzzle enclosed their stinger areas. Each had a studded collar on their necks. They came to Avar and he patted them on the heads.

"How do you like them Mouse? These are only first two. The troopers will have others to help guard the engine room and patrol the hallways once I've finalized the deal with a virus training them for me. Its not too hard to teach them since virus aren't attacked by Bugs."

"Sort of a professional curteousy?" Mouse watched as one on the Bugs ran its feelers along her leg to sniff her. She stayed prefectly still. Its jaws could cut through metal so her leg could be serverely mangled by one bite.

"I can see you know how deadly they can be. I plan to keep these two close by me in case someone gets out of line!"

"Yah goin' through a lot of trouble tah protect yahself."

Avar snickered. "You think I'm more afriad of you then you are of me?"

"Exactly."

A trooper entered the throne room. "Lord Avar! We have arrived at Portland."

Thank you." As the trooper turned to leave the virus asked. "You forgot to knock when you came in?"

"An oversite sir. It will not happen again."

"Your right. Pincer! Sting! Erase!"

The drone trooper may have screamed if he hadn't lacked a personality chip. The Bugs tore the robot to shreds and started to devour it for food.

The girls ran out of the room, screaming in terror.

Leah told Avar, "I'll go get the them."

Avar nodded before telling Mouse. "That can easily be you Mouse."

"And ruin yah prize sugah? After yah gone through so much trouble?" she fired in retailation. "I don't think so! I'm the one yah can't break in Avar! I'm goin' tah be a great big thorn! Not any flower!"

Avar clamped his fingers around her ponytail and pulled her to his face. "For that I intend to start you on the bottom Mouse! And I will make sure it takes you a long time to climb up in the ranks!"

"Go right ahead! Do yah worst! I'll never be yah lap dog!"

"You are as leashed as my Bugs Mouse! Your friends lives will depend on it! YOU WILL OBEY ME!" He threw her on the floor actually letting the chain go. "Pincer! Sting!"

The Bugs came towards Mouse. She showed no fear as they twitched their feelers only inches from her face. They had not been commanded to attack, so they simply guarded her.

"Keep an eye on her my pets," Avar sat down on his throne laughing.

Avar left her that way for a good part of the cycle. Mouse stayed still, letting the Bugs sniff around her.

'"Never..let...him...make...you...cry...Promise...?" '

"I promise," she whispered. "And I never break my word."

Part 5 - Something Wicked This Way Comes

Hexadecimal watched her mirror, concentrating her minimal power on the object.

"Come on," she strained. "Please. A little more."

The mirror image changed to show another system.

"I did it! I did it!" she proclaimed in glee spinning herself around." I can get access to other systems! I can spy for the Free Net! Bob will be so happy! I have to tell him!"

Scuzzy rolled up to her, squealing in fright.

"Scuzzy? What is-?"

A young Soldier Bug jumped on Hex's pet. Scuzzy screamed in pain. Hex screamed too.

<))):=

Hexadecimal killed the Bug and brought it and Scuzzy to the Principle Office as fast as her format allowed. If the Bug stung Scuzzy, he would have died instantly, but Hex's quick action kept the worse from happening.

Hex sat on a biobed in the medical wing, holding Scuzzy in her lap. His entire body had bandages on it. He limply wagged his tail as Hex spoke to him. "There, there love. Mommy's here. No more bad Bugs will hurt you."

Bob, Dot and Phong were examining the dead Bug on a medical table. Only the size of a Scout, the yound Soldier still had its lethal combination of jaws and stinger and if not dead would certainly attack anyone of them.

"My children," Phong said shaking his head, "you know what this means?"

"Yes Phong," Dot whispered. "But we can't start a panic. We'll have to take precausions."

"The Queen has to be bredding somewhere in the city," Bob said. "We have to find the lauder right away. And shield the Principle Office and... the Command.com."

"Mainframe's people are in more danger then I am Bob."

"Your wrong Dot. The Queen needs the core of the PO to grow her offspring faster and more deadlier. And she'll want the Command.com so she can have full access the the Net."

"I don't understand."

"I don't want to explain it to you now. We have to hurry."

"Bob," Hexadecimal said. "I'm sorry. It looks like I'm bad at intellegence gathering."

"No Hex. You've done good work. We both missed this. We'll find the Queen before its too late."

<))):=

Bob and Dot walked hand and hand to the medical wing to check up on Ray. Bob gave Little Enzo the task of watching Ray to see when he woke up. Bob explained that the red light on Surfboard meant Ray still was in a diganosic mode. A green light meant he was perfectly healthy. He remember how intendly the child kept his eye on the light as he left the room.

Dot spoke. "Bob. We promised to be honest to each other."

"Yes. I know."

"Then tell me what happens when a Queen Bug captures a Command.com."

He halted and looked at her. There was a hint of fear, not for his personal well being, but for hers. "You brother saw it when he scanned the Queen he fought in Quadra. The Queen has a sack on its chest large enough to hold a sprite in. The captured com is placed in the sack. There is a fluid in the sack to preserve the Command.com while the Queen taps the Read Only Memory. The liquid in the sack is deadly. It will suffocate the victim in five microseconds."

Dot took a deep breath. "Well. I had to know."

"Whatever happens, you and Phong have to be kept away from the Queen." Bob held both of her hands and noticed something was missing. "Where's the ring?"

"It doesn't quite go with this outfit," Dot looked over her body armor.

"Dot!" Bob complained.

Dot pressed her fingers to Bob's lips to quiet him before reaching into the compartment on her belt. She removed the ring and a small slip of paper. "I always keep it with me."

Bob took the ring from her and slipped it on her right hand. "I know its not the right place but I want you to wear it. Especially now. Remember what I told you? The homing signal?"

Dot nodded. "You never want to loose me again."

Bob took the piece of paper from her and smiled when he read it.

Dot

Remember to stop and smell the daisywheels.

Love, Bob

"You still have the note."

"I never want to loose it. Or you."

Bob took it as the prefect cue to kiss her.

Little Enzo interrupted by running up to them. "Bob! Ray's awake!"

"Where is he?"

"In the hall. The captain stopped Ray from leaving. And is he steamed!"

"We're coming."

<))):=

Captain Capacitor and several of his binome crew were blocking the main exit to the medical wing in a casual manor. Ray stood on Surfboard, waiting for the first free nanosecond of conversation to leave.

"Me and me crew were worried about ye lad," the Gavin said. "Are ye sure your up to travelin'?"

"No more need to fret Captain," Ray retained his patience. "I know ya want ta make sure I'm fit but I can't waste anymore time here. I have ta find Mouse."

"Ray?" Bob arrived with Dot, Phong, Little Enzo and Frisket. "Where are you going?"

"Don't need to be blunt mate but I figure it might be obvious. I'm goin' ta Port Land to get Mouse."

"Ray. Matrix and AndrAIa left for Port Land milliseconds ago. They have a rescue plan."

"Good. I'll meet up with 'em."

"Ray. The plan doesn't calculate for you showing up. If you do at the wrong nanosecond and Avar discovers them-"

"That ruddy virus all but murdered me! Mouse thinks I'm deleted! I have ta go!"

"You could ruin the chance they have to save her!"

"So what do ya expect me ta do?!"

"You wait here."

"Are ya basic?! I made a vow Bob! Mouse is my wife now! Have ya forgot that?!"

"No. I'm only asking for you to give Matrix and AndrAIa the chance they need. And Mouse is hardly a damsel in distress as it is."

"Distress?" Ray's face saddened. "Ya didn't see the look on her face Bob. I told her not ta cry. I said goodbye. And she thinks it was forever. She has ta know I'm alive."

"Matrix and AndrAIa can tell her. For all we know they maybe wasting their time. Mouse might be there or might have escaped. We should wait."

Ray snapped. "Ya can't make me stay!"

"If I wanted I could lock down the ports to keep you here."

"That would be a fine impersonation of a guardian by lockin' me up! Why not order me deleted too while yar at it?!"

Frisket found the rash statement and Ray's manor annoying. He snarled. Little Enzo hushed him, surprised by the dog's choice to take Bob's side.

Ray's comment cut Bob like a knife. Ray had the character of being jovial and optimistic. But the anger and deep pain over loosing Mouse overwrote the good nature. Bob said, "No Ray. I'm not like the others. You have a free will to follow your own format. And you belong with Mouse. If you insist on going, I won't stop you."

Bob crossed his arms and stayed silent. Satisfied no one else would say anything, Ray turned to leave. He felt a prick. He looked down to see Gavin's hook resting on the edge of Surfboard.

"Ray Tracer! I've known ye only a brief while and learned ta respect yaur knowledge and yaur bravery but despite what's happened ta yaur dear, sweet Mouse, ye have no right ta speak ta Bob in such a disrespectable manor! I watched this lad pull ye from the brink of deletion when it looked as if there were no hope for ye. Ye owe Bob yaur life. Treat him as such!"

Guilt swelled up inside Ray. The Captain had the talent for taking people down a peg by handing them a good cold dose of the truth. Ray stepped off Surfboard and it rose up far enough for him to sit down on it. He stared at the floor a long time.

Bob walked up to him and asked. "Ray? May I?"

Ray gestured for Bob to sit next to him. After another pause Ray said. "Bob...I'm sorry."

"Ray. I understand how you feel but you know Mouse now even more then I ever did. She can take care of herself and she is a survivor."

"And she is quite an escape artist," Gavin nudged Ray's arm. "She gave me and me crew as much a hard time as when we shanghaied poor Bob!"

The crew of the Mare laughed.

"Quite a forgivin' lot," Ray cocked his eyebrow to Bob. "Mouse told me those stories."

"Your a bit of a pirate yourself Ray. Mouse knew what she wanted in her life. She finally found someone who fit the mold." Bob read the grief in Ray's eyes. "I don't want you to stay Ray. The truth is I need your help."

"What's wrong?"

"Bugs."

"The ruddy beasties have popped up?!"

"I believe there is a lauder somewhere in Mainframe. That will mean a Queen."

Ray looked at Dot and Phong. "Then the sooner we find the beasties the better!"

Ray got up. So did Bob. The guardian decompressed his zipboard and turned to Dot. "Raise the shields after we leave. We'll stay in touch."

Dot began. "I don't have to tell you-"

"Be careful. I know."

Gavin held out a pistol to Ray. "A little file lockin' protection for ye. Take care."

"Thanks Captain. Especially for the speech."

Bob and Ray flew off. Phong said to the binome, "Well spoken."

"Thank ye Phong. Shall we stay ta help guard ye and the lass."

"The more, the merrier."

Part 6 - Arrival

WELCOME TO PORT LAND

LET'S GET TOGETHER AND HAVE A FEW LAUGHS

Matrix and AndrAIa stood on the pier of Port Land staring at the cheerful sounding sign that greeted new arrivals to the system. Binomes and other types of sprite life walked around the docks, going about their trades. Matrix saw them as a tough lot, the kind of people Gavin and his crew enjoyed as company

AndrAIa remained optimistic. "At least they sound friendly."

"Sound yes. Looks are another thing," Matrix glared at the Tyrant in a parking orbit high above the docks.

Maxine, never emerged from her ship symbiont. She told them, "This is my cue to scadoo! Avar has his mind set on catching me the way Megabyte did. You be careful."

We will Maxine. And thanks."

The search engine pulled out from the dock and reversed course out though the tear. Matrix ajusted the hood of his flack jacket over his head. AndrAIa covered her head as well using her cloak's hood. They had to keep their true intentions a secret for now.

"Lets find the command.com," Matrix said.

AndrAIa put her arm around Matrix's elbow as they walked. She kept her eyes on the ground so no one might take in her outward appearance clearly. Every once in a while she heard Matrix snort or snarl, meaning someone took too long a look at them and he warned them to back off.

"Matrix. We're hoping too much about Mouse's ship being on board the Tyrant."

"If it isn't we'll steal one of his other vehicles. Stick to the plan."

"Which one? There seem to be several," she said coyly.

"Very funny. Do you have the homing signal on?"

She showed him the bracelet on her wrist. "It's active. Once you get the explosives set you can find me right away."

"Good because I'm not leaving you in that lion's den one nanosecond longer then you have to be."

AndrAIa put his head on his shoulder. "My hero."

***

Matrix and AndrAIa found a group of CPUs loading a transport with various kinds of goods outside a box shaped building meant to be the system's Principle Office. This was to be tribute for Avar, his bribery to prevent the virus from harming the system. Matrix asked casually for the command.com, saying he had a business proposal for him regarding Avar.

The CPUs were suspicious and uncooperative at first, thinking he could be a spy. Reluctantly they escorted Matrix and AndrAIa to and old one binome, warning them if they showed any sign of giving trouble, they would be subject to arrest.

That aged one binome called Command.com Macro asked. "Who are you two? And what do you want from us?"

"You can call me Matrix. This is AndrAIa. And what we want if for you to get us on board Avar's ship. We have our own business with him."

"What kind?"

"The kind to destroy him once and for all," Matrix roughly outlined the reason they came and what they intended to do.

"Are you suicidal?! I am paying this virus to leave us alone for the next minute. If you go on board his ship and fail in this crazy attempt to get rid of him, he'll wipe out Port Land."

"And that will be your worse situation?" Matrix countered. "Do you want to spend the rest of your cycles paying him off, watching him take whatever catches his eye away from you?"

"Better that then be deleted. As it is, Avar grows more and more impossible to please. If I don't satisfy him, he will only demand more."

"You know his taste, right?" AndrAIa asked.

"Yes. Very well."

"Do you think I'll fit his bill?" She drew aside her cape to show her harem outfit.

The looks AndrAIa received made her laugh under her breath. One of the CPUs who had been taking a sip of data, spat it out in surprise. They had never seen a more attractive sprite in Port Land.

"I...I...see your point," the command.com stammered.

One CPU sergaent stated. "Give us another reason to go along with this plan? What is to stop us from handing her over to Avar and arresting you?"

Matrix pulled Gun out and aimed it at the CPU's face.

"That's a good reason," glupped the CPU.

"You want Avar never to come back?" Matrix snarled. "Then let us do the job. WHEN we succeed it will prove our intentions."

"No one gets something for nothing," Macro figured. "What is your payment?"

"You get logged off the main Net."

AndrAIa clarified. "We are part of the Free Network. We can offer you a chance to not only get Avar to leave you alone but have the Guardians no longer harrass or threaten you."

"You can promise it?"

"It's all we can give in exchange."

The command.com thought it over. "Very well. Let us get to your plan."

***

The girls were going through the multitask of caring for Avar. Mirth and Chirp filed and cleaned Avar's nails. Star polished his hair and beard as Leah past food to Bit to place byte by byte in his mouth to chew. As Avar had promised, poor Mouse got the lowest task of buffing the virus's feet.

Now I know what Cyrus when through, she thought.

"You missed a spot Mouse," Avar informed her.

She sighed. Mouse had no idea were the spot she missed exactly was, so she polished his entire foot over to make sure.

"Very good Mouse," praised Avar. "Your learning quite well."

Avar took a piece of food from Leah's tray and threw it to Pincer and Sting. The Bugs fought over it, before each managed to rip a chunk of it away from the other and shallow it down. A knock came from the door before a trooper entered and bowed. "Lord Avar. Command.com Macro is here to present tribute."

Avar took his goblet from Leah's tray and waved "Very well. Send him in. Sit my flowers."

The girls sat down on either side of the throne. Mouse curled up her feet and intending to stay where she was. Avar pulled on the chain to make her move closer. She obeyed but refused to look at him. Avar stroked her hair. Mouse clinched her teeth trying to tolerate the patting.

Macro entered. Several binomes came in carrying smaller boxes of goods and placed them around the front on Avar and bowed. Avar saw the cloaked sprite enter as well and became very curious. "Have you anything good for me this time Marco?"

"Only the finest quality for you Lord Avar," Marco bowed. "You can upload the log to see for yourself."

Avar opened a vidwindow beside his chair and analyzed the list of wares. "It's adequate. Acceptable for now."

"Oh but the biggest surprise isn't on there my lord. I only recieved one gift for you this morning! She came from another system in a deal for better merchandise," AndrAIa stepped up to stand beside the command.com. "My lord! May I give you Jewel."

AndrAIa threw aside the cloak to show off her golden harem suit. The veils covered her face save for the icy blue eyes of her false outfit. The binomes oohed and aahed at her appearance. Avar almost forgot how to blink.

Avar gave Mouse's chain to Leah and got up. "My! My! Aren't we a fetching creature."

AndrAIa betted her eyes and acted shy.

"A lovely mink like you shouldn't have to hide her face," Avar reached for her veil. AndrAIa playfully swatted them away. "Oh! We are keeping secrets are we now?"

She nodded.

"All right then," Avar spoke to Macro, "if I find your extra gift promising I will forget next minutes tribute."

"Oh thank you my lord!" Macro kissed the virus on the hand. "I know she will serve you well!"

"Leah. Take the girls inside and find a place to put Jewel. I will finish my business with Macro in private."

"Yes my lord. Come girls! You too Jewel!"

Leah guided the harem to their room. Macro asked. "May my men finish unloading the rest of your tribute from the shuttle my lord?"

"Yes they may. Macro? From where did you find this exquisite file named Jewel?"

"Bauddad my lord. She is already trained to service you. You will be pleased."

"I hope so," Avar sniffed, thinking why does she smell so familiar to me?

***

In the hanger several binome's were unloading the crates of goods to hand over to Avar. They struggled to place a fairly large box over a section of grating in the floor. Once they had it where they wanted, they put in down. They casually all leaned on the container, acting tried. A CPU came over to the crate and whispered. "Your in position. The hacker's ship is in the center on the hanger bay."

Inside the crate Matrix's muffled voice answered. "I can see through the box. I'm opening the false bottom now. Where's AndrAIa?"

"Your female will be in the harem by now."

"In the loin's den you mean," he slid aside the compartment in the crate's belly and pulled up the grating beneath. "I'm leaving."

"I wish you the best. For all our sakes."

"Thanks," Matrix climbed down inside the small and narrow Jeffrey tube. He grunted as he squeezed in, thinking of the time Frisket shoved him in an air shaft in Silicon Tor to escape Megabyte.

As soon as he cleared out of the box he put the false bottom in and replaced the grate. "I'm clear."

The CPU yelled at the other binomes. "Get this box back in the shuttle! If we give Avar bad files, he'll fry all our circuit boards!"

Still acting as if the box weight the same, the binomes hauled it up the ramp and inside the shuttle's cargo bay. Matrix used their grunting as a chance to start crawling along the matinence shaft. He pushed the backpack of explosives along in front of him. Bothered by the dark, he tolerated it until he reached a conduit. He stared at the power cables lining the tubes. They were his map to the engine room.

He took a small pen size light from the backpack and flipped in on for less the a micro. The tube appeared to go on for bit blocks.

He sighed. "Welcome to Port Lard. Let's get together. Have a few laughs."

He flicked the light out.

Part 8 - The Heart of Danger

Dot was running through the War Room, giving commands to all her people. "All nonessential personal are to leave now!"

"That means me," murmured Little Enzo in quiet complaint.

"No exceptions!" Dot wasn't meaning to single her youngest brother out. She had to be firm and as Command.com she must follow protocol. "Secondary are to leave afterward! All CPU are to leave last!"

Frisket whined to Little Enzo to express his own dismay at Dot's orders. Hexadecimal put her hand on the little sprite's shoulder. "A guardian in training needs to listen to his commanding officer love. Even if she's your sister."

Dot turned to the former virus. "I want you to escort him out Hex. And watch over him for me until I come and find you."

"You're asking me?"

"Who else can I ask?"

"I'm flattered," Hex smiled her eyes turning blue, "but I should help protect you."

"Hey!" Hack piped up. "What do you think we're here for?! Vidwindow dressing?!"

"Hack!" Dot warned him before saying to Hex. "I'll feel better if you keep him save." Frisket now snarled as if resenting the notion of his inability to keep his master safe. Dot told the guard dog. "And you can guard Hexadecimal. Okay?"

Frisket snorted and made a noise similar to grumbling but agreed. Dot bent over and gave Little Enzo a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be right behind you."

"Be careful," the child said.

"That's my line," she smiled.

Captain Capacitor hobbled over to Dot. "If I may lass, I wish to stay with ye until ye leave. It will give me some peace of mind."

"I beg your pardon Gavin but these Bugs are very fast and deadly."

"Lass. This old sea dog might have lost a few of his teeth but he can still bite hard!" He pulled his sword. "I will not let ye stay to face these blaggards without the Crimson Binome to protect ye!"

"All right captain, but I want you to watch out for Phong. He can't move as quickly to get away from Bugs as I could."

"At your command my lovely lady." Gavin bowed.

Mister Christopher wattled up to his captain. "Uh...sir...does this mean..?"

"No Mister Christopher." Gavin rolled his eye and waved. "You can leave."

"Th...thank you sir!"

Captain Capacitor turned to Dot. "Take heart lass. This ship won't go down without a fight!"

The Tyrant

"I'm getting too big for this," Matrix complained to himself as he shimmed along the narrow vents of the virus ship. Some of the shafts were a very tight fit for his bulk. He pushed the backpack of explosives along in front of him, being careful not to jar them. "What I wouldn't do to be little. Only for this part."

The vent reached a larger maintenance shaft. He put the pack on his shoulders, listening to the humming sounds close by. The engine room! He found it!

Matrix crawled until he reached a grating and looked down. The room had robot drones monitoring the control panels. There were also a few troopers guarding the place. There was no need for a confrontation. All he had to do was set the explosives in the tube, retrieve AndrAIa and Mouse, and get off the Tyrant.

He started to move forward, passing over the grating which he discovered too late hadn't the strength to support his weight. He fell down into the center of the room. The drones and troopers turned as one towards him.

Matrix got his gun off his hip and targeted everyone in the room. He had no choice. And the choice was far easier since none of the lifeforms possessed personality chips. When he opened fire, he disintegrated all the drones and troopers before they could alert anyone.

Well, almost anyone.

"Engineering come in." a voice called over the intercom.

Matrix pushed aside the droid's body that had hit the console button to open a hailing channel to the ship's bridge. Matrix adjusted the microphone on the counter.

"Uh? Hello?"

"Is something wrong down there?"

"No. Uh everything is...uh fine. Situation normal. We're fine....How are you?"

"We're sending a squad down."

"Uh no. Wait! We have a...uh...containment leak!"

"Containment leak? What in the Net are you talking about? Who is this? What's your PID?"

Matrix huffed and shot the console and then fired on the locking mechanisms for the engine room door. "Boring conversation anyway."

<))):=

Two troopers in the hallway heard the gunfire and ran for the engine room. They found the doors jammed shut. One said to the other. "Inform Lord Avar immediately."

<))):=

Matrix rung the charges in every nook and cranny he could hide them before he climbed back into the maintenance shafts. He took the timer out, locked it to the side of the wall and linked it to one last charge. He hesitated on setting the clock. How long would it take to get AndrAIa and Mouse? If he set it too long the troops might manage to find the timer and stop the countdown. If it were too short, they may not get off the Tyrant in time.

He settled on fifteen microseconds and activated the countdown. He consulted the watch on his wrist that also had the receiver for homing signal. "I'm coming AndrAIa."

Mainframe

Bob hoovered beneath the carved entrance into the Archives. He heard the faint scratching of Bug's legs and feelers echoing out of the nest. Bob encased himself in the glow of his energy shield, slowly building power. His voice came out surprisingly calm as her concentrated on focusing his energy. "Ray. I'll pull you up after I get through. Be ready to fire on any Bug coming at you."

"Sure thing mate."

Bob's eyes closed, he added softly. "And get my zipboard."

Bob lifted off of his zipboard. Ray had listened to Matrix and AndrAIa's account of Bob's merger with Glitch. The effort to fly took so much effort, Bob had decided to rarely use the power. Despite the drawbacks Ray found it more the impressive as the guardian floated up though the entrance to the bugs lair. Ray took the hooverboard and compressed it. As he placed the small silvery disk on his belt, he heard the sounds of beating wings, then an eruption of laser fire silenced it.

"Bob?!" Ray called up.

A beam of golden energy lifted Ray from his surfboard and drew him inside the Bug's lair. Surfboard flipped itself vertically and followed Ray. Bob extended his shield even further. The energy encased Surfboard to protect it from any stinging attacks. When Ray saw Bob, the guardian had used a vidfile tilted horizontally to stand on. Many of the windows in the archives were also in the same position acting as stairs for the Bugs who had no wings.

Bob put Ray down on Surfboard saying, "It's quite a mess. Hexadecimal never made this much damage."

"Where's her majesty the Queen of Bugdom?" Ray wondered.

Bob pointed above them."The archive entrance way is large enough for her to squeeze in."

"We're there! Hop on!"

Ray pulled up next to the broken vidwindow so Bob could join him on Surfboard. Unfortunately a freeloader climbed on board as well. A young Soldier leaped from one of the higher vidwindows and landed on Surfboard's tail lend. Bob's shield prevented its stinger from causing harm but the weight caused Surfboard to shift throwing the two sprites off. Surfboard shook the Bug off it and dove after Ray and Bob, catching them both.

Bob sat up. "Nice catch."

"Thank ya," Ray grinned. "Best put your shield back up. Company will drop in again."

Just as Bob raised his shield over them, the same Soldier landed on Bob's back, trying to sting him but having no success. Bob screamed. "GET IT OFF ME!!!!"

Ray took the file lock pistol the Captain gave him and fired. The green cube formed around the Bug and sent it falling away. Bob sighed. "Good aim. You could have frozen both of us."

"Can't have that. This party needs ya."

"So does Dot! Let's get to the Queen."

Surfboard climbed vertically towards the archive entrance way. On the way up, both sprites encountered Soldier Bugs guarding the Queen's home. Bob used his red energy beams while Ray opted to continue using the file locker. Other Bugs scrambled along the over turned vidwindows, trying to hide from the intruders.

"They think they own the place," Ray said in disgust.

"And they've done more damage then Hexadecimal did when she broke in!" Bob noted. "I'm going to delete that Queen personally!"

Surfboard pulled up to the hallway. They noticed the vast number of eggs and young hatchlings lining its walls. And the absence of their primary quarry. Ray looked further up the Archive room. "Bob she's gone huntin'."

Bob saw the hole chewed in the Archive's ceiling. "Cursors!"

Enraged Bob threw several balls of glowing energy into the hallway. The energy mortars blew up, incinerating the nestlings and the eggs. Bob blasted a few shots more for good measure. Ray waved his hand in front of his nose to disperse the burning Bug smell. "You done usin' the barbe?"

"Yes! Let's get inside the PO and find the Queen!"

The Tyrant

Avar eating dinner meant feeding the virus his meal. To Mouse this brought another level of humiliation. AndrAIa poured a goblet full of Rom for the virus to drink. The Bugs watched her carefully, their multi lens eyes examining every move she made as she approached their master. The game sprite in turned observed Avar. Mouse held an apple out to him in her chained hands which he nibbled slowly. The fruit's juices dribbled down his mouth and onto Mouse's hands. Instead of wiping it off, Avar played with the string of beads around the hacker's neck.

"I promise Mouse," he said in a voice as soothing as a Bug's sting, "as soon as you earn my favor and respect I will let you have a longer leash. I want you to handle the ship's portal navigation to new systems. I'm sure you knew of dozens of wonderfully rich places willing to accept my protection from the soiled guardians. Your hacking skills are very superior. These lovely hands should be punching a keyboard for me."

"Yah should be careful," she warned. "I'm libel tah hack us right inta the super computer. Or worse. The Web!"

Avar pulled on the beads causing Mouse to choke a little. "Careful tiger lily! You might end up there all alone! And with no search engine to help you!"

AndrAIa had enough. As she reached to put the goblet in Avar's hand she purposely dumped it in his lap. Avar roared and stood up. "You idiot! I thought you were fit goods for my use!"

A trooper opened the doors to the dining hall and ran in. "Lord Avar!"

Avar shouted. "DIDN'T I WARN YOU DRONES ABOUT KNOCKING?!? CRASH! STING! DELETE!"

"But Avar-!" The trooper got pounced on before he could say another word. In those moments AndrAIa stepped away from the virus and turned her icon. The disguise washed off her.

"ANDRAIA!" snarled Avar. The virus figured he still had plenty of leverage. He pulled on the chain holding Mouse, planning to use her as insurance. But the chains now lacked an occupant. Shocked by the empty manacles dangling in his hand he stared a long moment at Mouse.

The hacker curled her lips in a savage gnarl. "My first name is for my friends you murderer! Yah can call me Mrs. Tracer!"

"Mrs?" he whispered in sudden terror. Avar felt something hit his neck. AndrAIa's paralyzing spines injected their venom. The virus fell face down to the floor. AndrAIa activated her trident and faced the two Bugs. The deadly file erasers knew their master was hurt or dead and they must retaliate against the aggressors. Hissing a warning they advanced on the two sprites, but a grating in the roof fell on them. Squealing from the weight they shoved it aside only to be blasted by energy beams. Matrix then fell into the room. This time he landed on his feet.

"Hello ladies. Having fun without me?" he smiled.

AndrAIa lowered her trident and stepped closer to him. She kissed his cheek. "Never."

AndrAIa felt her trident being taken from her hand. As she turned she and Matrix saw Mouse standing over Avar's paralyzed body. She pointed the trident at his neck.

"Mouse! No!" AndrAIa cried.

Mainframe

Dot stood at the main console over looking the War Room, finishing her work. The last CPUs were evacuating through the same exit used when they were forced to flee Megabyte's arrival. Phong and Captain Capacitor stood on either side of Dot trying to persuade her to quicken her departure.She wished she had Mouse's speed as she typed. She told them. "I've nearly got the core defenses online! I'll go then! You two leave with the CPUs!"

"Dot. You are the commander of this system," Phong reminded her. "You safety is paramount."

"So is Mainframe's. You stayed to face Megabyte Phong."

"And do you also remember what it almost cost me?" Phong rubbed his neck.

"I'm the last person who should evacuate now! You must go!"

"I am remaining for Bob's sake as well as yours."

"And so be I," Gavin said. "Ye have to be safe Dot. It's all that matters to the lad."

Dot kept going until she finished. "I'm done. We can go. Hack! Slash!"

The two robots moved to either side of her. Dot ushered Phong towards the evacuation tube. At that moment the Queen smashed down the main door. Dot drew her weapon, hesitating only at the sight of the creature's hide color. It was electric blue and its eyes were green as if it had been infected by Megabyte. One of its feelers hit Dot's arm. The gun flew out of her hand. The Queen caught a good whiff of her scent when the feeler struck Dot.

Command.com! This was her quary!

Hack screamed in fright. As he backed away, he fell over the railing and crashed to the floor. Slash tried to be braver. He put himself between the Bug and Dot. The Queen chomped her pincers down on the robot's torso and bit him in two. A shower of sparks burned Dot's right arm. She cried out in pain as she shoved Phong and Gavin into the evacuation entrance. The Queen tossed the remains of Slash to one side and grabbed Dot in her jaws. The Queen didn't use the same force she had to dispatch Slash. Still the pincers cut through the metal of her armor. She screamed as the Queen carried her out of the room.

The Bug hesitated long enough to use her front legs to open her containment sack on her chest. She then pushed Dot inside to preserve her for the task of accessing the portal command codes. As the cold liquid started to drown her, Dot thought about Bob.

Angel. Forgive me. I love you.

Part 9 - Through the Fire

The Tyrant

"No," AndrAIa carefully moved closer. "Mouse? Listen to me. Ray isn't dead. We can leave. Revenge won't change what's happened here."

"I can't let him live! He's ruined my life for the last time!" Mouse spoke with her eyes still on Avar's body.

Matrix remembered his own words when he held the same trident to another virus' face. He said. "Megabyte ruined my childhood Mouse. He sent Bob to the Web to die. He decimated Mainframe. If anyone deserved to delete it was him. But I wanted Megabyte to have a worse fate. Defeat is his worse punishment. The Web was a bonus you included and I was proud of you. The Tyrant will be destroyed in another few microseconds. Leave Avar to his fate. He will loose all his power and quite possibly his life along with it. We have a few other girls to rescue. Please Mouse?"

Leah exited the chamber housing the harem carrying Avar's whip on her belt. She saw Avar on the floor and Mouse standing over him ready to finish off his life. Matrix removed Gun from its holster and aimed it at Leah. Leah instinctively reached for Avar's whip. He warned her. "Don't try anything stupid."

Leah let the whip fall from her hand. She admitted. "I never liked Avar. If she wants to delete him, she has my blessing."

"There are other options," AndrAIa said hopeful. "Mouse? Please listen to Matrix."

Mouse breathed hard and steady as she thought it over. "What if he gets away?"

"With your hacking skills, how can he get away."

Mouse smiled. "I think I get the idea."

She handed the trident to AndrAIa. Mouse then took her katanas off the wall and rebooted out of the harem outfit to her warriors garb. "Let's get the girls and get out of here."

The sprites followed Leah out of the room. The head of the harem made a critical error in leaving the whip behind. Avar's body twitched. The eyes blinked. His mouth curled at the edges in a snarl. "Mistake Mouse. BIG mistake!"

Mainframe

Bob zipped into the War Room to see the nightmare he dared not believe possible. Bob looked down to the second level over the railing. Slash was broken apart, inactive, and still shooting sparks. Hack stood over him, shaking from terror and sobbing.

"I'm sorry Slash. I blew it," he cried. "I really blew it."

Ray entered the room on Surfboard, seeing Bob approach Phong and the Captain. Bob demanded the truth. "Where is she?"

"She tried to protect me," sighed Phong.

"I'm sorry lad," Gavin said. "The Queen took her."

"NO!" Bob tapped his icon, unscrewing it from the gold star on his chest. He held it in his palm. A light came out, projecting a holographic compass arrow. It spun, the tip flickering a silent pulse only Bob heard and with it were the numbing thoughts of Dot's shrieks for help being suffocated in the Queen's sack. "Hang on baby! I'm coming! Ray! Follow me!"

Bob flew out of the room. As Ray pursued Bob, Phong called after him. "Dot activated the core defenses! You must stop the Queen before she reaches the core entrance! The trap is deadly!"

Ray said to himself. "It's rainin' it's pouring. Let's not have another Esha. And another Genna."

The Tyrant

Leah walked to the center of the harem, explaining a way out to the others. "There is an escape tunnel in the back of this room. It leads straight to the hanger bay. Avar put it in in case we needed to get off the ship."

"I'm surprised he even cared if you lived or died," remarked AndrAIa.

"We're property to him until he no longer wants us. Our deletion is his last resort."

Mirth, Chirp, Star and Bit came out of their alcoves at Leah's command. They gathered around what had become their mother hen, wanting to know what became of the rooster. When they saw Matrix they let out some shy giggles. Matrix grinned awkwardly then looked at AndrAIa for support. AndrAIa told them. "Sorry girls. Handsome's with me."

They let out an disappointed groan. Leah informed them. "We're leaving ladies. And we don't have anytime to loose."

Avar lumbered into the room holding his whip. "Your time is already up!"

Matrix spun around, drawing Gun. Avar lashed the whip out, hitting Matrix's hand and sending Gun spinning away. AndrAIa put her trident out to threaten the virus. Avar cracked the whip around its prongs, sending an electrical charge into the trident. AndrAIa screamed as the power surged through her body. Mouse threw one of her katanas, severing the whip from the weapon. AndrAIa collapsed on the floor, crying from burns on the palms of her hands.

Avar focused his eyes on Mouse. "Its time I gave you a thorn in your side Mouse!" The virus took a Bug stringer from his belt, its sack full of deadly poison."A gift from one of my dead pets!"

Matrix, seething from rage at AndrAIa's injury, got in between them and punched Avar across the room. He then told Mouse. "I'll get the trash! You get ready to put it out!"

"Best hurry sugah! We don't have much time left!" Then Mouse realized, she had no idea how long until the charges Matrix set blew at all. And Matrix had decided to forget about it! "Leah! Take AndrAIa and the ladies tah my ship! Matrix and I'll meet you there!"

"But you don't know the way!"

"Trust me Leah! The Mouse always finds her way!"

Mainframe

Bob flew as fast as he dared along the corridors of the Principle Office following the holographic compass point. The Queen kept changing direction fast. And from the blaster noises both Bob and Ray knew why.

"The ruddy things tryin' ta get around the core defenses," Ray said.

"If the Queen is shot it could finish Dot off as well!" Bob halted to study the compass only for a nanosecond as the arrow spun to point in a different direction. Bob flew to the next intersection. "Cursors and crashes! The Queen won't sit still long enough to keep a fix on Dot!"

"We gotta cut it off!" Ray said. "Get ta core control first!"

Bob flew right into the path of a missile battery mounted in the hallway's ceiling. It dropped down, aiming at them. He raised a shield wall in front of them in time to keep from being deleted. Bob fired a red energy beam through the wall next to them. They flew through the hole and into a storage room, finding some fresh holes of the Queen's efforts to burrow around the corridors already there. There were energy puddles, meaning the Queen was already hurt. Ray scooped up what appeared to be a piece off of one of her claws. Bob screamed for a vidwindow. It opened, showing Phong. He yelled at him. "Shut the defenses down Phong!"

"Dot insisted the protecting of the core came first."

"Dot is going to die! Override them now!"

As the vidwindow shut, Bob looked at Ray. He saw the search engine had removed his goggles. Rays eyes were shining a color very familiar to the guardian. Bob's mouth went dry as he realized what Ray was doing. Ray focused his eyes on several of the crates in front of him. Small shards of light radiated out, causing them to vibrate. The crates exploded forming a tear. Ray put his goggles back on. "You know what ta do!"

Bob consulted the compass then pointed his hand at the tear. A beam of golden energy struck the tear, making a portal. He ordered Ray. "Go through! I'm right behind you!"

Ray went in. In Bob's mind, the mental clock keeping track of the elapsing time started ringing. In another two micros Dot's life would be beyond saving.

The Tyrant

Avar stumbled to his feet feeling his chin. It was out of place and the joint had fractured on the left side of his cheek. The sprite broke his jaw! Matrix came at Avar again. The virus raised the stinger up and plunged it towards Matrix's head. Matrix blocked it using the knife he carried as add on protection. Each opponent grabbed the other by the throat. Matrix was surprised at Avar's strength.

"You hurt AndrAIa!" Matrix growled.

"I'll do worse to you!" Avar shot back.

Matrix heard a beep, his timer way of warning him they only had five microseconds left. Matrix told him. "Actually I've done the worst to you! Your loosing everything Avar! EVERYTHING!"

"Not yet!"

Avar shoved Matrix away. The virus saw his damaged whip on the floor. He snatched it up and cracked its tip at Matrix. It shot out sparks of energy. The embers caught onto the curtains around the harem, causing fires it break out. Matrix backed away. Avar became more confident but then he smelled the smoke and heat closer on him then he expected. He looked down. His own robe was on fire!

He dropped the whip and started beating on himself to dampen the flame. Matrix used it as an opportunity to attack. He hit Avar it the face again and again. The virus screamed at the pain and tried to use the stinger still clutched in his other hand. Matrix caught him by the wrist and twisted to make Avar let go. Avar broke Matrix's hold but his momentum caused the virus to stab himself in the thigh.

Shocked at his mistake, Avar glared at Matrix. "Virus are supposed to be immune."

"You wish!" Matrix slammed the virus in the stomach. Avar doubled over. His robe still smoldering. Matrix looked around. The harem began to burn faster and hotter. He put his hand out. Gun flew over to him at his command. He put it on his hip.

"Matrix!" Mouse yelled. He saw the hacker at several vidwindows on the far side of the room. She opened a large white vidwindow. "Take out the trash!"

Matrix picked up the virus. "Time to leave!" Matrix hurled him across the room and through the open vidwindow. It snapped shut. Matrix then ran over to Mouse. "We're done to nanoseconds to get out of here!"

"And I have the short cut ready," Mouse pressed a few keys at the vidwindow terminal. Another white vidwindow opened. "Let's go!"

The two jumped inside.

<))):=

They emerged right beside Mouse's ship. Leah was firing a laser rifle at several troopers on the far side of the hanger bay. The engines on Ship were already ignited. Matrix took Gun out and blasted away, removing the troop problem very quickly.

Leah told Matrix. "Your woman took the liberty of getting us ready to leave despite the pain she's in! What kept you so long?"

"Telling Avar goodbye," Mouse winked to Matrix.

The sprites climbed on board. The glass canopy shut and the engines roared to life. Mouse accessed the hanger bay controls and flew the ship out.

<))):=

Avar clung to the outside of the Tyrant for his very life. The toxin inside his system wasn't crippling him or even deleting him, but he felt sick and strange as if it were doing something even more sinister. He watched as the ship's tear generator activated. The enormous tear it formed sent out dangerous bolts of volatile energy towards him. One hit him. He screamed but still managed to hold on. His insides were burning. What was happening to him?

Now he saw the tear stabilize into a portal of swirling red hues.

The Web!

Avar saw Mouse's ship swing past on an escape route. It rolled back and forth, the hackers way of saying goodbye good riddance.

"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUSE!" Avar screamed.

The tyrant slipped into the Web just before the engine room blew up causing a chain reaction of explosions destroying the vessel.

<))):=

"He's gone," Mouse said in relief.

She looked over to Matrix in the copilot position. He unbuckled his seat belt and went to AndrAIa sitting in the passenger seat. The game sprite's hands were raw and blistered. Her eyes were glassy from crying. Matrix kissed her cheek.

"Great job," he said.

"You too."

Leah opened the cockpit door telling them. "The girls want to know where were going."

Matrix simply answered. "Home."

"It may take a while," admitted Mouse. "I still have a busted engine. If we set down in Freespace I can do some slip shot work and get us goin' again."

"Whatever it takes Mouse. We both have people waiting for us."

Mouse nodded her mind now only on Ray. "Don't fret sugah. You'll see Dot and Bob again real soon."

Mainframe

The Queen crawled along the hallway of the Principle Office. Ahead of her the steel safe style door to core control had several missile turrets around it. They were suppose to react to her presents. They stayed silent. Encouraged, the Queen went closer. She saw the access panel and the palm print interface for the door mechanism. She reached for the sack on her belly. Slowly she freed Dot's right hand from within the liquid cage. Pale and lifeless, the hands ring made a small chirping sound.The Queen cared nothing about it. She needed the imprint from Dot's hand to gain entry. The Queen was so caught up in her excitement her feelers picked up the sent of danger a bit too late.

Golden energy hit the Queen flipping her onto her back. She shrieked and thrashed trying to break free. Her green eyes saw Bob, firing the onslaught of power. She roared in complaint, wanting to be set free. Bob only increased his hold. He shouted at her. "You have something that belongs to me!"

Ray said. "I'll get her out! Just hold the Bug still!"

Bob strained to concentrate on the task as Ray flew over the Queen. Bob pushed to keep the creatures legs and wings down, allowing Ray to access the sack of fluid. Ray touched Dot's hand. So cool. Too cold. Ray used the shard he found from the Queen's leg. It cut open the sack faster then him trying to pull Dot out though the flap. All the while the Queen screamed. To Bob it still sounded as if Dot were crying to him mixed with the cruel laughter of Megabyte. The blue skin and green eyes of the Queen showed its legacy. The guardian screamed. "You did this Megabyte! I hope you rot in the Web!"

The fluids of the Queen flowed all over as Ray finally freed Dot's body from the prison. He saw her face in his mind as his first love Genna, dead because of these same kind of monsters. The surfer carried Dot away to Bob. He said to Bob. "Let the ruddy thing up! I'll finish this!"

Dot's frail body hung so limp in Ray's arms. Bob cut the energy shield and took Dot from Ray's arms. The Queen floundered in her own energy a moment before she turned herself up right. Snarling, she focused on Ray Tracer as the sprite removed his goggles.

Bob bent Dot over, letting fluid from the Queen's sack fall out of her mouth. He pounded her on the back to make certain more came out before her laid her on the floor. A bright flash of light distracted him for one nanosecond. A tear now existed where the Queen had been once.

Bob put his hands on the center of Dot's chest. He sent a shock of energy into her heart. Her body twitched then relaxed.

Ray put his goggles on and opened a vidwindow to Phong. "Phong! Were outside the core! Get a med team here! Now!"

As the window shut, Ray was forced to watch Bob continue a manual restart of Dot's system. Bob bent over and blew air into Dot's lungs. He pleaded. "Please baby. Breath."

Bob repeated the actions again. The shock to her heart jarred her, but again she remained lifeless. Bob breathed more air into her. Ray swallowed. "Bob...I think..."

Bob only continued. He shocked Dot's chest for the third time saying. "I love you baby. Please come online."

As Bob leaned over to breathe air once more, Hexadecimal winked into existence beside Ray. The search engine shook his head in sadness. Hex's eyes were blue as she kneeled beside Bob. When he put his hands to Dot's chest, Hex placed hers on top of it. She had no power within her to help. It was only a gesture to show Bob she wanted Dot to live as much as he did. Bob shocked Dot again. He saw Dot's lips move. He touched her neck. A very weak pulse. Bob blew in an extra dose of air to make sure. Dot's breath came out faint and soft.

"She's breathing," Bob sobbed. "She's alive."

Ray let out a long sigh of relief. Hex put her arms around Bob and hugged him as he cried. Ray found himself staring at the tear thinking of what wrath and vengeance made him do. And suddenly he feared not for himself but the woman he missed,the new wife he loved.

"What have I become?" Ray whispered.

Part 10 - A Time to Heal

Ray spent a restless night in guest quarters Phong lent him within the Principle Office. He had helped in the clean up effort, aiding in the erasure of all the Bugs left in the Archives. Phong was confident they got the entire infestation removed. It failed to ease Ray. He received little sleep during power down. The thoughts of Mouse, Dot, Genna and how he terminated the Queen in the Principle Office haunted him. Worse, poor Dot still was in a critical file state. Every time Ray got even a short nap in he woke startled by the nightmare of her dying. The grief of losing Genna had nearly vanquished him to a life of solitude as a Web surfer. How would Dot's possible deletion affect Bob and her brothers?

Early in power up, Ray exited his room and headed for the Principle Office medical wing. He found many of the pirates and Phong in the hallway waiting for word on Dot's file state. The old sprite wheeled up to Ray. The search engine asked. "How's Dot?"

"The same," Phong said in sorrow.

Ray needed to apologize. "I yelled a little harshly at ya yesterday when I called ya. I-"

Phong put his hand on Ray's shoulder. "So did Bob. He wanted to say he was sorry but there is no need."

"Any word in from Matrix?"

"Nothing my son."

"I gotta get out there and find 'im."

"The ports are in lock down. Bob must reopen the access."

"I hate to disturb 'im. But..."

"Come with me."

As he walked beside Phong, he asked. "How is Hack and Slash holdin' up?"

"Slash is being repaired but his file state is as severe as Dot. Hack's problems are mental in origin. He blames himself for what happened. I fear I will have to turn him off."

"It's rainin' it's pourin'." Ray said.

"How very true." Phong cracked the door to Dot's room before he let Ray inside. Dot lay on a biobed in the center, her skin paler then the green hospital gown she wore. He usual bright red lips were purplish in color. Her life signs above the bed were weak but holding. Her right arm had bandages on it from the burns she received. Her breathing caused her body discomfort. The wounds from the Queen's pincers had been deep, damaging her rib cage. The fluid from the sack infected her lungs as well. An IV ran into her left arm, feeding her the energy to help her recover.

Bob sat in a chair on her right side, his right hand firmly holding hers. He looked haggard and sleepy, as vulnerable as Dot. A small pulse of golden energy passed from Bob into Dot. He gave her something else the IV couldn't, his love. It reached thought the darkness for Dot, trying to wake her injured mind for its deep trauma. His eyes were focused on hers, waiting for them to open.

Hexadecimal sat on a couch not far away. Little Enzo lay fast asleep beside her. Scuzzy sat in his mistresses lap, still bandaged from his attack by the young Soldier. Frisket sat on the floor, ears dropped and whining. Hex scratched the big dog's ears. Frisket was too upset to warn Hex to stop. She knew so and said softly. "Were all hurting fella. But not as much as Bob."

Phong wheeled over to Bob and touched his shoulder. "Bob. You are exhausted. You need rest."

"He won't listen Phong," Hex spoke. "I know. I've tried."

Bob whispered. "One of her memory blocks is damaged. I'm trying to fix it. She can't wake up."

"Ray needs to find the others. The ports to the Net must be opened."

"I can't leave her."

"I know my son but Matrix, AndrAIa and Mouse must be brought home. Where ever they are."

Bob looked at Ray. How could he keep the search engine locked up here after all he did to help rescue Dot? "Your right. They have to be found. Matrix has to know about Dot."

Bob shifted himself to stand, feeling the stiffness in his body from sitting on the chair all power down. He brought Dot's hand to his lips, kissing the fingers along her ring and telling her. "Carry on. I'll be right back. I promise."

He was ready to put Dot's hand down on her chest. Hexadecimal got up and put Scuzzy on the couch. She touched Bob's arm. He looked at her as she said. "Let me. I can talk for hours without stopping. I'm a regular chatter box you know."

Bob placed Dot's hand in Hex's and left the room with Ray. Hex and Phong gazed sadly at Dot. After a few microseconds Dot's lips parted and a weak whisper called out. "Bob...?"

***

When Bob exited the room, the gathered pirates all wanted to say something to him. Bob stared at Captain Capacitor and said. "There's no change."

Ray walked beside Bob as they headed for the port controls in the War Room. Bob's silence added to the heaviness in Ray's spirit. The surfer gave him words of confidence. "She's goin' to make it Bob. Ya got yourself one tough lady in your life."

Bob never took his eyes off the floor as they walked. The guardian asked. "Did you tell her Ray?"

"Tell who what?"

"Did you tell Mouse that you could convert tears out of other matter? I don't mean to pry but I have to know. It's a guardian thing."

"I told her."

"She understood how dangerous it is?"

Ray became agitated. "Yes. She did. I asked her if she still wanted ta marry me and she did. She loved me for me Bob."

Bob looked at him. "Good. I feared Dot would become scared of what I came home as. I thought I..."

Bob swallowed the lump in his throat. Ray put his hands out to halt Bob and said. "I'm sorry Bob. I am upset and quiet frankly scared by what I've done. I don't know what ta do now."

"I won't tell Ray. It will be a secret I'll keep from the guardians. I don't want to see you hunted because of this power."

"They'd think I'm dangerous."

Bob nodded. "Generating tears will be seen as a weapon Ray not a positive ability for a search engine to use. I'll never say anything."

"Thanks."

"Thank you for helping."

***

As Bob made his way back from the War Room, he found Hack in one of the med wing hallways with his head pressed against the wall.

Doesn't this look familiar, Bob thought. Then he whispered. "Hack?"

The robot jumped. When he saw Bob he began to shake violently from fright. Pieces of himself started falling all over the floor. Hack stammered. "G-g-g-get away from me!"

"Hack," Bob said softly, "it's okay. I won't hurt you."

"M-m-maybe you should."

"No. No revenge. Not even if you did something wrong."

"I-I-I let you down! I-I was suppose to protect her! Now she's all messed up! I-I-I- can't..." Hack rolled further away. Bob managed to get close enough to hold onto of Hack's arms. The robot pleaded. "Please just turn me off."

"Hack. That won't help you. What you need are friends to tell you its alright to get scared and to make a mistake. I said you were allowed to remember?"

"Uh huh," Hack sobbed. "I made a big logic error Bob. Do you forgive me?"

"Yes. Will you come with me to see Dot?"

Hack shook his head. "I gotta wait for Slash. I want him to be okay too. I mean he's my closest family! My best pal!"

Bob patted Hack's arm. "Sure. I'll see you later."

"Okay," Hack rolled back against the wall, staying as dejected as before. Bob wanted to speak to him more but he had to go to Dot. As he walked into the adjoining hallway he saw Phong outside of Dot's room speaking to the pirates. The binomes were smiling and slapping each other on the back in glee. Bob stopped, suddenly afraid to go closer even though the outward signs were happy.

Phong saw him and said. "Bob. Dot wants to see you."

***

Dot gazed through half opened and exhausted eyes at her little brother. Despite the trauma of seeing her so pale and near deletion's door most of the day and night, Enzo spoke to his usual rushed and cheerful manor. It made Dot smile weakly in light of the dull pains in her chest.

"The PO's all cleaned out and the archives are back online! We lost some good programs but Phong says we can get them from backup or from other systems when we trade! You should have seen the mess the Bugs made.It was-"

"Enzo!" Hex warned."Your sister's been awake for only a few microseconds! Don't try to update he program all in one nanosecond!"

"It's okay Hex..." Dot said softly. "I'm happy to here him...Thank you for keeping an...eye on him..."

"I should have been watching over you. I owe Bob that."

"You don't owe us anything anymore..." Frisket let out a small growl when Bob burst into the room. Dot turned her head to look at him and grinned a little wider. "Hello angel..."

Bob's voice quivered as he said her name. "Dot." He came to her bedside and cuffed her face in his hands before kissing her forehead. His eyes dampened as he explained. "I wanted to stay but Ray had to leave. He has to find the others."

"They're not home yet...?" Dot said.

"No," Bob caressed her hair and cheeks with his fingers. "I never should have left you."

"You had to...I felt you here...but I was so weak...When you left...I had to find out where you went...I had to wake up..."

Hex whispered to Little Enzo. "This looks like a private format young man. Let's go in the hallway. Come Scuzzy. Frisket."

The cyberdog grumbled but obeyed. Hexadecimal gathered Scuzzy up from the couch and followed Enzo and Frisket out.

Bob rephrased his last statement. "What I meant is, I shouldn't have left you in the Principle Office. I should have made you evacuate sooner. I almost lost you."

"You saved me...Your my hero..."

"It was too close Dot," Bob blinked hard, trying not to cry. "Too close. I should have come faster! I-"

"Hush," She warned him. "You'll pop you mother board...No more nanosecond guessing..."

"I love you..."

"Copy that..." Bob kissed her gently on the lips. Dot ordered. "Now get some sleep... you look exhausted..."

"Yes dear."

Dot sighed and slipped into sleep mode. Bob went back to his chair, positioning it close enough to lay his head beside hers. He held her hand and fell asleep.

***

The infection in Dot's lungs cleared by the end of the cycle allowing her to eat and have more visitors. As Dot regained her strength over the next few days, she fussed about having to stay in the med wing when her home inside the Principle Office was so close by. Since Bob already had moved in to watch over Little Enzo, the doctors agreed to her going home as long as Bob took care of her. She had to stay off her feet as much as possible to let her wounds heal. She spent most of her first day at home tucked in bed, a soft pink robe wrapped around her attire of satin floral pjs. She kept her organizer and glasses handy, trying to do some kind of work much to Bob's annoyance. But he knew better then to make her cross by hiding them from her, so he enlisted Enzo's help in making sure she rested.

"Are you sure your not working?" Dot's little brother pried.

"It's only a read me file Enzo. A story. See?" She held her organizer up for him to look.

"I hope you get better soon. Bob's not a good cook."

"It's better then the IV or the stuff they called food in the med wing. It's a wonder people get healed from eating it."

"Bob's sure acting like you too are married."

"Um hum," Dot focused her eyes on the read me file.

"Are you married?"

"Enzo!? Where did you get such a random idea?"

"Phong? The Arboretum? Remember?"

"That didn't count!"

"Are you sure?"

Dot took off her glasses and put her organizer down. "Enzo. I promise we'll be married soon."

Frisket had laid himself down in the doorway to Dot's room. Bob came to the threshold, holding a glass of data in his hand. Bob made an attempt to step over the sleeping dog. A loud growl was the response. He shrugged and went back to the kitchen. He returned and dropped a biscuit in front of Frisket's nose. The dog gobbled up the treat as Bob stepped over him. Bob walked up to Dot's bedside. "Bribery. It works every time. Here's your glass of data. At least I can't burn this."

She took the glass and said to Enzo. "It's time for you to port off to bed. Go get yourself cleaned up and tucked in. Bob will check on you."

"Good night sis," Little Enzo gave her a peck on the cheek. He the walked to the doorway. Frisket got up to let him out and gave Bob a parting snarl before he followed his young master out.

Bob asked Dot. "Does Frisket understand one day I may move in and not leave?"

"Enzo's explained it to him. He just won't listen." Dot sipped the data wondering why Bob had said "may."

"How do you feel?"

"Sore. A little weak." Dot put the glass down on the nightstand. "I've been meaning to ask you something. How is it I'm alive?"

"You don't need an explanation Dot."

"You told me what happens to a Command.com when its captured by a Queen. Tell me how I survived."

"The Queen's fluid crashed your systems. In all sense, you were deleted. But the fluid preserved your body and your mind. After Ray pulled you out I had microseconds to restart you before the crash became permanent. Guardians learn how to preform a manual restart in those rare moments to save the life. If not for Glitch, I don't think..." Bob's eyes were glazing over. "Sometimes I think you're the stronger one."

"Your wrong. You're a survivor too Bob. You lived in the Web."

"It would have been for nothing if you..." Bob swallowed away the tears. Dot sat herself up, groaning from the mild pain in her ribs. Bob turned to her. "No. Dot. Lay still."

She put her arms around his neck. "You fussing over me the way I fussed over you in Quadra. Shoes on the other foot now. You told me not to blame myself for what happened to you. Now I'm telling you the same thing. Don't cry over it angel. I'm going to be here. I promise."

"Promises. They're too hard to keep Dot. Too hard."

"You not telling me something. What is it?"

"I got a email from Turbo. Daemon raised the bounty to two million units. Any systems expected of being sympathetic to the rebellion are being placed under marshal law. Part of the Super Computer has been turned into a slave labor camp for prisoners. Unknown numbers of people have been deleted for violating system travel and Turbo thinks he only has several cycles left before he's either discovered as a double agent or looses his ability to fight off Daemon's infection."

"You have to go fight her."

"I thought she'd come here but why risk the home I swore to protect. It's better I go to her."

"I'm going with you."

Bob touched her cheek. "You can't."

"You jump, I jump remember?"

"Not this time! Not if- Dot I may not-"

She touched his lips to quiet him. "Don't say it. Make sure you come back. We are going to get married. And I won't let you break that promise." She kissed his cheek. "Your my guardian angel. And I love you."

"Copy that," Bob kissed her in return. "Try to get some sleep. I'm sure Matrix and the others will be home tomorrow."

"Why are they taking so long? What if-"

"Hey! If you worry you won't sleep. Now let me tuck you in."

Dot smiled as Bob helped her settle under the covers and fluffed her pillows. She said, "When my father took care of me when I was sick, he stayed by my side until I fell asleep so I could rest easier."

"Sounds like a good idea."

Bob knelt beside her bedside, keeping a gentle hold on her hand as Dot closed her eyes. It only took microseconds for her to drift off into sleep mode. He got up, putting her hand down on her chest and turned down the light. He then crept to the door and let himself out.

Little Enzo peeked out of his room. "Bob?"

"Enzo? You should be in bed."

"I forgot to say thank you. I'm so glad you saved Dot."

"So am I. Your welcome."

"And get married already!"

"Enzo!"

The child giggled and closed the door. Frisket's snarl could be heard from inside Enzo's room. The boy hushed him. "Frisket! You've gotta give Bob a break. He's going to marry Dot whether you like it or not!"

Bob heard Enzo's words. Bob looked at the closed door of Dot's room. He ran his fingers over the wood and whispered. "If the worst happens at least I won't make you a widow."

***

Dot moved to the living room the next morning. She dressed in a loose white shirt, simple blue denims and flat shoes. She laid down on the couch to remain resting. Hexadecimal came over to help make breakfast, which of course included tea instead of java. She put out a small spread of toast, jam and muffins. Phong arrived to join them, intrigued at trying one of Hex's blends of B-tree roots and leaves. It also gave Phong a chance to brief Dot on the last several cycles of system activity. Hex had brought Scuzzy along, who was finally rid of his bandages and happy to be moving around. Little Enzo gave him one of Frisket's balls to play with. The cyberdog attempted to be nice about his master giving Scuzzy the item but after having Bob in the home for several days, Frisket's tolerance had waned.

The ball rolled over to Frisket. He snarled. Scuzzy scooted over to his mistress and hopped in her lap, nearly making her spill her tea. Hex's eyes turned red for a few blinks. Dot warned the dog. "Frisket. Scuzzy is a guest. Behave yourself."

Frisket whined and got up, walking to the kitchen. A moment later Bob ran out. He pointed back. "Now what did I do? He gave me a look as if he wanted to eat me for breakfast."

"Just a bad mode Bob. I'll go calm him down." Enzo went to the kitchen.

Scuzzy hopped back on the floor and started playing with the ball again.

"Come. Sit." Dot tucked her feet up to let Bob sit beside her. "I was about to compliment Hex on the tea."

"Yes," Phong said. "It is quite good."

Hex poured a cup for Bob. "Mainframe's favorite guardian was of some help."

"Yeah. I boiled the water," Bob smiled. "I can't stay long. A game might show up today. And Ray may log in any nano."

Hex sighed. "I must have channel surfed for cycles yesterday using my mirror," complained Hex. "No sign of the Tyrant anywhere."

Phong stated. "I believe Matrix's plan succeeded. The Tyrant has been destroyed."

"The Tyrant could have left the normal Net ways," Dot said. "I could be in a system no one knows or can reach."

Bob tried to be optimistic. "Avar wouldn't leave his normal route. From Turbo's intelligence reports this is a heavy tribute time for him. He'd want his units owed to him."

"Then where are they? What if-what if they were forced to game hop?"

"No. Don't think that. Please."

The door bell rang. Little Enzo ran from the kitchen. "I'll get it!