4.01: The Spam Hits The Fan.

[mendanddefend_archive]

[after this]

Bob's halfway to Dot's Diner when his synchronizer goes off. He thought he'd have time to grab a shake before things got started; apparently, he was mistaken. With an exaggerated sigh, he wheels around and heads back toward the Principal Office.

The subsphere atop the P.O. splits open as he approaches and lands. A VidWindow pwinngs into existence next to him, showing Phong's face. "Diverting core energy," says Phong. "Releasing Tear... now!"

With a muffled boom and a blast of heat, the newly created Tear rises out of its enclosure. It's a Class 6, almost as large as the subsphere itself. For the moment, it's stable, hanging stationary in space and pulsing at an even rate.

Left to itself, the energy output of this Tear could destroy half the system. If it's utilized properly, however...

Frowning in concentration, Bob summons the proper algorithms from his code and projects them at the ball of energy before him. When they make contact, the Tear blossoms into a spherical portal, leading to somewhere in the depths of the 'Net.

Bob turns back to the VidWindow. "Portal stable. I've time-locked it to collapse in two nanos."

"Let us hope that is enough time," Phong murmurs.

Comments

[command_dot_com]

"Sorry Phong do you have something for me?"

Overhead and throughout Mainframe gunturrets came from their hidden compartments and took aim firing upon the incoming ships.

[nofileext]

"It is suicide! They do nothing to defend themselves!" User preserve us from fanatics...

[command_dot_com]

"Well, that's their problem. Mouse, bring 'em down!" Save the fanatics from Dot, she's got a few anger issues and they're making very good targets.

[l33t-mouse.livejournal.com]

"I'm on it!" Mouse says, giving Dot a thumbs up. She hits a few keys on her console.

Outside, Mainframe's automated defense cannons lock on to the Guardian ships and start firing.

[renegade-enzo.livejournal.com]

Back outside, Matrix chases after the Guardian ships as they headed for the port. He opens fire on them, critically damaging two of them. He manages to weave past the two ships before they collided with each other.

Matrix looked back with a smug expression at the resulting explosion before turning back to resume chasing the final ship.

[mendanddefend_archive]

From atop the Principal Office, Bob watches in horror.

"No... this can't be happening..."

[notascreensaver]

Since he seems to be fine, she doesn't see the point in hanging around. There are infected Guardians out there, talking doesn't change that.

"Bob, we've gotta help Matrix fight the Guardians!" Her voice is urgent, after all, Matrix can't have all the risk fun.

[mendanddefend_archive]

"Guardians??" Bob is stunned. Those are Guardians making a suicide run for the port?

And the truth that Bob's been trying to avoid finally hits him smack in the face. They're fighting a supervirus, but they're also fighting sprites. And not just any sprites, but Guardians. The people he trained with. His colleagues. His friends.

He has to do battle with his former friends in order to keep his new family safe.

How in the Web is he supposed to do that?!