Tron: Deliverance

CHARGE

Cycles experience built in her subroutines told her that they were dangerous. But she couldn't tell much else.

"Ah, I see. You've done your job. Well then, I'll have to extend my deepest apologies" Tesler's modified arms started to glow orange. The mechanic before him shrunk back, likely knowing the capability of those arms more than anyone else.

Tesler stood and raised his glowing fist. "Your skills have been invaluable to me. But you see, I don't tolerate traitors" His lines glowed overload bright.

He shot out his glowing hand, to punch the mechanic through the chest. But Paige was already falling.

A hard sizzling sound rent the air as she cut clean through the arm.

The vent clattered to the floor. As did the cubes that had been Tesler's hand and forearm.

"Funny you should draw the line at traitors. Given how many you've betrayed" Paige stated, crouching in a ready stance.

Tesler was frozen for half a nano.

The mechanic behind her spoke first "Who are you supposed to be?"

She spared him the edge of a glance, her eyes still on Tesler. "Don't remember me huh?"

The mechanic shrugged, slowly getting to his feet "I don't remember most people. You're not special on that front" He turned to stand back to back with her, facing the guards instead of Tesler. They had not moved, even with her explosive entrance.

Tesler looked down at his shortened arm. "Paige. Its been too long" He said, false geniality making her lips curl into a sneer. His gaze skipped to Tron's symbol on her chest.

"The Renegade. Or one of them at least. You really have been busy since your retirement" he purred. Eyes too bright. That made her shift.

"Its time for a reckoning Tesler"

He lifted his severed arm away from his body. It glowed impossibly bright. "I agree" With a flash his shattered arm reappeared, drawing itself out in wireframe before orange energy poured in and charged the cubes.

A harsh intake gushed out of her. Did he just recompile his own arm?

"Coulda told you cutting off the arms wouldn't work" The mechanic behind her said with grim snark.

"That's good to know NOW" She hissed back, energy pulsing through her core. She tensed, ready to lunge. Then a rumble of force shook the structure below her. Tesler stiffened, casting a quick look to the screens attached to his command chair.

"An attack? How impudent Paige" he turned back to her "You enjoy failure so much you try to take my city again? You really should know better by now"

"They're just here to topple you" Paige jerked her head towards the door, where the battle was likely underway "I'm here for more personal reasons"

Tesler let out a single scoff "If you insist on getting derezzed this cycle I certainly won't stop you" The structure rumbled again. Paige crouched to spring.

The door behind her slid open with a deafening hiss , making Paige jerk. "Tesler, you're needed outside" a cool, emotionless voice came from the doorway

"It must truly be a devastating occurrence for you to think you could interrupt me Algol" The General retorted.

The hooded figure didn't even flinch "Its appears the Mods are attacking to regain their lost Boss. The city drones will be required. Under your command of course"

Tesler's arms dimmed slightly.

"And your disciples can't handle it because?" His sneer was somehow petulant.

"The Visionary is very close. He cannot do with a distraction at this juncture. We are within a cycle of victory, General"

Tesler snarled, wordless and frustrated. "Fine" He flicked his fingers at the lady renegade and mechanic, dismissive "Take care of this for me"

He turned on his heel to stalk off.

Paige was after him before her processes could start spinning, disc raised, snarl on her lips. She only made it a few bounds before a glowing orange arm lashed across the room to catch her in the gut. Pain and error messages flashed as she flew backwards. Hitting the floor with a thud that made her intakes stall. She crumpled, gasping to restart them.

Tesler only raised an eyebrow at her. "As much as I would enjoy ripping you apart myself. I have more important problems to crush" A door at the back of his command bridge slid open, he left without a backward glance.

She wanted to scream but couldn't seem to properly sync her intakes. A quick diagnostic revealed shatter lines along her torso. The damage slowly righting itself, but certainly not fast enough for her to chase after him. The old mechanic looked down at her with an unimpressed expression. "You alright?"

She gave him a baleful look in return. "I'll be just glowing when I derezz him" her voice was extra flanged from the damage.

He snorted "Well I suggest you get yourself running". He took a fighting stance, energy glowing inside his own modded arm. "We've got bigger problems"

Paige struggled to stand, looking beyond the mechanic to the three cloaked programs in the primary doorway. The door slid closed, chiming as it locked.

The tallest one at the center let his hood fall back. Revulsion rose in Paige's core at the sight of his face. He was...wrong. Light lines akin to shatter lines crawled across his cheeks like the aftermath of a virus. His eyes almost completely white and fogged over. He had hardly any light lines apart from the ones on his skin.

Those fuzzy eyes focused on her. Specifically, he stared at the symbol on her chest. A slow, almost lazy smile cracked the light lines on his face.

"My my my, a disciple of Tron. I had truly thought that mark had been wiped from the Grid" he cocked his head "How fitting, all lines coming together for their end. That which stood at the first cycle bearing witness"

Paige blinked, she cast a glance to the old mechanic "Was that supposed to make sense or is he just fragged?" she asked in a dry voice.

"He's fragged" the modded program confirmed.

Paige took a fighting stance as well "Let's finish this quickly. Then I'm hunting Tesler. Even if I have to follow him to the end of the Grid"

"Slow down there Lady Tron. We gotta survive this first"

The central figure cocked his head, the smile smoothed into something empty. "Tag the disciple with an injector. Keep the mechanic alive. For now"

They charged.