| This was done in part out as a friendly gesture, and out in part in
guilt. See, back during the nerve racking time when the one Military ship
caught wind of what the Lizards had found on what would become known as
Terra Prime, it seemed like the Military was always one step behind. First,
as an initial vanguard of Military soldiers were landing in a shuttle,
they had the unfortunate luck of being exposed to the Phage just as Minestus
activated it's deadly features on human beings. That put the Military people
on the spot, for while they could conduct their warfare via Avatar units,
it wasn't quiet as effective and efficient as actually being there. There
were Military fighting assets that couldn't be used since nobody could
go down there without fear of the Phage. That being the case and THIS
battle
had gotten to what could be termed as "sudden death" in sports, the Miliary
had to use questionable means to save their bacon (and Terra Prime's, when
you get down to it). That is, they needed to know the actual lay of the
lay in teh way of potential native allies and enemies. In other words,
to be blunt, they spied on a LOT of people. People including those like
Astra la Post and friends! Oh, afterwards the Military was abash and apologetic,
but the adventurers understood (considering the stakes). Unable to really
get rid of the information (though that option was tossed around), instead
the Military made a promise to keep the files under the tightest of security.....on
par with the something like Top Secret and then some in the days of old
on the Earths back Home!.
Blaine just tried to waltz right in and steal the files, and basically
got creamed! Not only the software/Black Ice traps did a number on him,
but also the dozens of Military (and Alliance) AIs who converge on the
haplass, pyschotic Blaine!
Roland and the others stare in shock as Blaine gives off what sounds
very much like a human scream.
"What in the name of the gods did you do?" Roland gasps, looking over
at the smug looking Astra.
"Oh, just tricked our egotistical computer into blundering into a spot
in the Net that he shouldn't have gone," she said softly.
Astra was rather pleased with the results, because while she'd been
making great strides in familiarizing herself with the technology of the
Military (she had only recently gotten a degree by correspondance courses
in Computer Science) since she loathed to be left behind, she knew well
indeed that it might not be very effective against a Dipolar computer.....where
as she was more familiar with the ilk found in the Military (such as the
recentgell cell technology in computers). It might not translate effectively!
Anyway, Astra prays that the trap that she sent Blaine into works and
those in the realm of the Net will finish him off straight away. But......
Probe looked over at his analogous brother from the Alliance (the group
from Elrondir's universe.....where the Company and Military hadn't split)
in the aether of cyberspace, who shrugged back at him as they overlooked
the battle being waged between the dozens of Military and Alliance AIs
against the gross, huge bulk of that which was called Blaine.
"Looks almost like an old style steam engine given humanoid form," Probe
2 muttered, shaking his head.
"Yes, it does at that," Probe agreed.
He'd only been visiting friends and family on the Net when all Hell
had broken loose with this weird, alien presence trying to power it's way
into the most secure file fortress on the Net (an ultra advance, powerful
descendant of the Internet of the 20th century that now spanned hundreds
of realities via the a similar kind of technology that made dimensional
jumping possible). This "Blaine" fellow sounded....familiar.....
Probe, checking his data files, suddenly comes across the reference,
and swears an oath that, while vile, wouldn't mean anything to human beings.
"Blaine is that crazy train from the Dark Tower by King!" Probe
shouts over to his surprised brother.
Meanwhile, an increasingly desperate Blaine takes one last stand.....one
last gamble that he hopes will save him.
"I swear I'll derail them! I swear!" he screams, showing a wavering
interior shot of the inside of the train with Astra and the others.
Probe and Probe 2 shout for the others to cease fire, but stand fast,
while they come forward.
"As if you weren't going to do that anyway after that round of riddles,
you putz!" Probe shouts at the surprised Blaine, "What do you think Roland
said ‘F**ck you' when you told him to ask you riddles to pass time. There's
no incentive for them to comply!"
"Huh?" Blaine asks, surprised, and suddenly interested.
Meanwhile, the others have overheard most of this conversation that
has been going on....and Blaines desperate scream of "derailing" them if
the others don't back off!
|
