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The Final Blow
By: Albert Einome
Professor Albert Einome let the Game energy quickly seethe through him, then go all the way through and solidify. The Professor had just defeated a viral attack on the Principle Office, turning all the viral binomes back into healthy, normal citizens of Mainframe. An evil virus had been sent by Daemon to reclaim control of Mainframe, but had been stopped by the Professor. Right now the Professor was about to test his newest invention in a Game which had just landed.
In the Game, it seemed to be a bright and beautiful second. A few butterflies were flying around, and a tranquil stream was babbling softly. The Professor and his assistant looked around and wondered what kind of Game this was. Suddenly, an explosion told them. It was a war game. The User turned towards the Professor and snarled. The User was a guerilla with a bandanna on. He then turned away. The Professor took out his invention.
"Vell, I hope zis one vorks. Ze odds zeem gut, conzidering my last inventions." He put it out in front of him, and turned it on. The device started to hum. Instantly, in front of the device, the Game was distorted- it started to implode. But when the device had stopped humming, the Game popped straight back into place. "Zat vas... odd." He studied the screen of his invention.
On it had some choices:
GAME: BATTLEZONE '99
GAME DIFFICULTY: Easy|o----|Medium|-----|Hard
USER OBJECTIVE: TO DESTROY ALL GAME SPRITES AND BINOMES.
SPRITE AND BINOME OBJECTIVE: TO DESTROY THE USER'S THREE MARKED
MEN.
The Professor studied the objectives and quickly planned a strategy. He then changed the difficulty to Hard. The Game again went through some changes; this time small copies of the User separated from the User and disappeared. Also, bullets fell out of his gun and disappeared. Those changes were to compensate for the change of difficulty to Hard.
Looking around and wondering why he lost lives and a bunch of bullets, he called on his three headhunters, marked with a red flag, and told them to attack. The three men scampered forwards, and then helicopters, tanks, and the sort started appearing out of nowhere, firing at each other.
The Professor found this Game to be very confusing, and tried to stay out of the way. But soon, the Game sprites spotted him, and some attacked, others protected. After dodging a few stray bullets, the Professor decided to reboot. He double-clicked his icon, and said the magic word. He went through the normal change of data, and when it moved away, the Professor looked very ready for war.
The Professor had scars on his eyeblock and mouthblock. On his lower block two hand grenades were stuck on, like Velcro. Also, the Game had deposited a machine gun next to him. He picked it up and started to fire.
* * *
The virus smiled at the good fortune of events. A Game had landed, and the Professor would probably enter it and save the day, and be the hero again. But now he was prepared.
Calling on his viral powers, he attempted to open a Vidwindow to the Supercomputer. He tried and tried, and when he was just about to faint, the Vidwindow opened. He felt drained of energy, but was still able to talk. An infected Guardian appeared in front of him.
"Hey! Who is this? I thought this was a private line!" the Guardian yelled.
"It is private. I am affiliated with your master," the virus said.
"Well, then what's your name?"
"Copperplate."
"Um, lemme see.... Copperplate... Copperplate... ah, here it is. Well, my Queen is in a meeting with other viruses, so I can take a message."
"It's very imperative you get this to her right away, though!"
"Well, just tell me what you want first!" The Guardian started to get angry.
Copperplate's anger matched the Guardian's. "Well, tell Daemon that the dissidents are really revolting, and I need more help."
"Oh, right, you're the guy assigned to that one system. Mainframe?"
"Yes, that's it. I want an answer, not questions!"
"Well, excuse me. Okay, lemme try." The Guardian went off-screen and picked up a small telephone-like thing. He started talking into it, but then Daemon started to yell back at him.
"HE NEEDS HELP?" She calmed down. "Well, whatever. I'm a busy virus, so give him this!" A small package appeared in mid-air. "Goodbye!"
The Guardian went back on screen. "Well, I think you heard her. Here, I'll deliver it to you."
A Portal appeared in the Tor, and the Guardian stepped out.
"Here. Good luck in conquering this system. Now I've got to get back to work, or Daemon won't be happy."
"Thank you very much. Goodbye."
"Bye, Copperplate." The Guardian went into the Portal, and it closed.
"Now what could this be?" Copperplate asked rhetorically, fingering the small container.
* * *
The Professor dodged and dived, and fired some more bullets. Even for Hard, these sprites were very tough! Suddenly the Professor noticed his gun was no longer going CHIK-A-CHIK-A, it was going CLICK CLICK CLICK. The Professor knew what that meant. He was out of bullets.
He got up and ran towards his assistant, who had kept out of the way quite successfully. They hid behind a hill, and wondering what to do.
"I hav run out of bullets! Now zer iz notzing I can do!"
"Calm down Professor! You still have Glitch!"
"Yes, but Glitch iz broken. He is very limited in his commands." Glitch beeped a sorrowful reply.
"Well, there's got to be something... maybe you can throw your game stats invention at them! Or better yet, use it in front of the sprites to distort them!"
"No, I can't do zat. For one, I don't vant to break zis; it's very useful! And two, I can only distort ze Game by turning it off, losing my changes, or changing the difficulty to Medium or Easy!"
"Maybe this viral eraser can be of use..."
"You hav zat?"
"Well, I was carrying it when the Game landed."
"It might to somezing. It's vorth a shot! Vet's go."
The Professor got up from his small hiding place and ran towards the three marksmen. They began to fire, but they soon ran out of bullets. They had been fighting as long as the Professor, and were on empty!
The Professor decided to use this chance to throw the viral eraser at them. Then he took out Glitch.
"Okay, Glitch, turn on ze viral eraser!" he said.
Glitch did as told, and the antenna started to glow. The Game was again distorted, this time by the device getting the energy it needed to fire the viral rays. The marksmen looked very comical, their faces were stretched out, or their legs grew taller. Then the Game snapped back, and the anti-viral rays shot out. This interfered with the Game sprite's code, and the sprites were deleted. The User snarled, and the System Voice came online.
"GAME OVER."
The cube lifted, dropping the two right where Dot's Diner used to be. The Professor had dusted himself off, and then bore a grin. His assistant did as well, and they high-fived each other.
"Nice thinking Professor!"
"Vell, you brought up the idea in ze first place."
"Well, I wouldn't have if you hadn't invented that thing in the first place!"
"Say, vere did my anti-viral zing go?"
"It must have been picked up by the Game."
"Oh vell. I can always make another."
The two were interrupted by an odd sound coming from the Tor. They turned to look, and saw something very... interesting.
"Pro-professor? What's that?"
"I don't know. I don't know."
* * *
Copperplate saw the whole Tor change before his eyes. The cobra-shaped structure was not looking like a cobra anymore. It had grown and sprouted many different structures. Each side had a small arc-shaped thing, and all over towers were appearing. It looked as if the Tor was about to fall of its base. Speaking of which, then the base grew until it touched the edge of Mainframe. The Tor was not the Tor anymore. Or at least it didn't look like it.
"Perfect! Daemon's bugs are so effective. Let's see what's been changed..." A Vidwindow appeared, showing technical readouts of the morphed Tor. "Wow, she sure has outdone herself. Two times the artillery, and now even special mounted guns! Now I shall CERTAINLY rule Mainframe! For the time being. Copperplate opened the door, and walked into his new base.
In Baudway, the binomes were staring, mouths gaping. The Tor had changed right before their eyes! Professor Einome was also wondering how someone could build something that quick. Then he remembered an old file on bugs. He remembered this bug was one of them! But how could the virus get such a powerful and rare bug? Professor Einome didn't stop to think very much. He took his assistant by the hand, got out his zipboard, and zoomed towards the Principle Office.
Nanos later they touched down in front of the P. O, then ran inside. In the control center, the binomes were just lying around, but when they saw the Professor come in, they stood up.
"It seems the virus has morphed ze Silicon Tor using an old and vare bug. Now, ve can probably get through his defenses, but ve need all ze CPUs we can get. Also see if you can get zose old ABCs vorking properly. Ve must hurry! I don't know vat ze upgrade has given him!"
The binomes heeded his words, and ran in all different directions. The CPU commander ran off to get his crew ready, and to see if the ABCs worked right. The other binomes went to their places and waited.
* * *
In the hangar, the pilots were readying their ships. They were just about ready to take off. Meanwhile, some other pilots were having trouble turning on the ignition to the ABCs.
"I think something's wrong with the engine!" a One yelled.
"Where is the engine?" a mechanic said.
"I don't know! I thought you did!"
After much exhaustion, the ABCs were up in the air, following the CPUs. The plan was settled as follows: Half the CPUs would ground and take the Tor by ground force, the other CPUs and ABCs would fire from the air. Zooming towards the Tor, the commander made last minute checks.
"Okay, guns at full power, all CPUs and ABCs accounted for. Let's move in!"
The CPUs and ABCs started to fire at the Tor.
In the control center, the Professor was toying with Glitch.
"What are you doing, Professor?" his assistant asked.
"I'm trying to fix Glitch. Ze most he can do now are give game stats and make simple commands, like turning on remote controlled zings, creating Portals, mending tears, zee like."
"Oh. Having much luck?"
"No."
"Sorry to hear that."
"Oh, it's okay. I zink I should vatch ze battle now, anyvay."
The Professor got up and walked towards the control room. Once inside, he noticed a large commotion. The binomes had seen the Tor's new destructive power! The mounted lasers were firing at the ships, downing at least two so far.
On the ground, the CPUs were running down the hallways, stopping some guards, but there weren't many of them. Finally they reached a main crossroads. The CPUs decided to stop here and plant the bomb they had been given. A Zero took out the small black device, and set the timer for 5 micros. He then signaled to everyone else, and they ran as quick as possible out of the Tor.
In the air, the CPUs and ABCs heard the call: "We have planted the bomb, now escaping!" The ships took heed and fired a few last shots towards the guns. Down below, the pilots entered their ships and flew off towards the P. O.
* * *
Copperplate watched with glee.
"So, they are finally retreating? Well, that will show them enough to mess with me!"
In the basement, the clock slowly ticked away. 1:30, 1:00, :30, and then :00. It exploded with the fury of a Destroyer virus.
Copperplate felt the ground move, and almost fell out of Megabyte's old chair. "WHAT?" he yelled. A Vidwindow popped up, which showed that a bomb planted in the basement had destroyed his entire backup arsenal. "Those binomes are a step ahead of me! Now how will I stop them?"
In the darkness, a tiny squeak was heard. A green blob slithered towards the virus. It was Nibbles, Megabyte's pet null. He climbed up the chair, and "looked" at Copperplate. Copperplate looked back, and then an evil grin appeared on his face.
"That's IT!" he said, jumping out of his chair and knocking Nibbles to the ground with a "splat". "I will control all the nulls in Mainframe using my transfinite energy, and tell them to attack the Principle Office!" With that he retreated to an elevator and pressed the "Roof" button.
Back at the P. O, the binomes were celebrating. The CPUs were just landing, and they were met with open arms.
Meanwhile, Professor Einome was studying the situation, sipping a shotglass of RAM. Yes, the virus had been defeated for now, but would he return? He then noticed an odd look to the ground. Every now and then, a streak of color would dart across an alley and then disappear. He shook his eyeblock and went back to drinking some RAM.
The nulls all combined in front of the Tor, "looking" at Copperplate who was standing on top. He looked at them back.
"Hello, nulls. Many seconds ago, you helped Hexadecimal, a resident virus here. Well, now I am calling for your help! I need you to ATTACK THE PRINICPLE OFFICE!"
The nulls squeaked, chanting. Then they spun around and headed for the Principle Office.
* * *
As the Professor finished his drink, a binomes called him aside.
"Hey Professor," he said, "See those blobs of color?"
"Yes, I see zem. Vi?"
"Well, I think those are nulls, and if I'm not mistaken, they're heading straight for us!"
"Nulls? Zat must mean..."
"The virus has control over nulls, like Hexadecimal!"
"Zat's not gut! You go varn everyone!"
"But how will we stop them?"
"I don't know... just varn zem." The binome left. "You can't veally destroy zem... but I do hav somezing... but zose accidents..." A flashback came on.
The Professor had just made a new invention that might change nulls back into binomes or sprites. He wanted to test it out, so he got a few nulls, and zapped each one. It worked, but with horrific results. Sometimes the gun would almost explode. Most of the time the binomes would be altered, with their arms on their eyeblock, or no mouth, or worse. Some would not be able to have all their data restored, and so they would slowly be deleted. The Professor knew he had worked hard... but would it worked now?
The Professor shook out of the flashback to hear the sounds of binomes running like mad into the Principle Office. Some binomes were about to shut the big doors when the Professor said, "Vait. I zink I can get somezing to help."
* * *
The Professor hurriedly zoomed to his lab and went in the back. After rummaging through his countless inventions, he found his ray gun. After doing some test shots and finding it really didn't work that well, he found it was missing a key component. Game data! He got back on his zipboard and zipped back.
Along the way, Glitch, who was on his lower block, beeped. He picked up Glitch, and on the screen was his assistant. Around him were the countless files of the Archives.
"Oh, Professor! The nulls- there were too many- we had to come down here for shelter! They're all swarming around, it looks weird."
"Stay zer. I need somezing from the Archives anyvay."
The Professor went through the doors of the Archives and into the main room.
"Hello, say, do any of you know your vay around zis place?"
A One spoke up. "Well, I have been here a lot, and I can find things, but it takes time."
"Okay, I need a file on Game data. Any file vill do, just as long as it's small."
"Okay, Professor. BRB!" The binome zipped off in search of the file. After a few micros, he returned with the file. "Here you go."
"Thank you. Now to put zese together..." He opened a small latch on his invention, and put the file inside. He turned it on so the file could process. After it stopped, he said a quick "Goodbye" he zoomed back up.
He hovered over the Principle Office. Using a pocket cutter, he made a small opening in the roof. He landed inside the Principle Office. He then called out, "NULLS! I'M IN HERE! COME AND GET ME!" After a few nanos, a rumbling was heard, and it got louder. The Professor got the point. He zipped up, and then the nulls busted through the doors. They swarmed in, and started to look around.
The Professor hoped this would work. It had worked sometimes when he had tested it before, but this was a lot of nulls. He hoped for the best and turned the gun to "WIDE-SPREAD" and fired. The Professor was knocked back by the force of the gun, and flew off his zipboard. He fell, and did see the rays of the gun go inside, and some loud screeches. He then fell to the ground. The last he did before fainting was call into Glitch, "Help... I'm hurt... AAA..." He then went unconscious.
* * *
The Professor opened his eye. He saw blurred binomes, and then the world became clear.
"Vat... did it vork?" He quickly sat up, but then lay back down from the pain.
"Yes, we think so. We sent in a squad to check it out." A Vidwindow appeared. "That must be them!"
"Sir! The gun did work. But since nulls are binomes as well as Game sprites, many of the sprites are trying to follow their code as best they can and are a bit... unruly." The view changed to a panicky binome.
"YEA! THEY ALMOST BIT ME!" he yelled. It went back to the other one.
"I know, I know. Anyway, we've managed to subdue most of them; all that are left are the friendly ones. Should we subdue them too?"
The Professor said, "No... no. Ve need them. Zey can probably help in our fight against ze virus."
"All right sir. I'll bring them out." The Vidwindow closed.
Later, the squad had brought the sprites out. Most were AIs who would be very helpful. They were all different. Behind them were the binomes, who kissed the ground or looked at the sky with joy.
The Professor was feeling better, and just wore a bandanna around his eyeblock to cover a cut.
"Zese look like good sprites! I'm sure ze'll be very helpful."
"I'm sure they will be. Let's go make a new plan to attack the virus."
"Okay. Come on, you Game sprites. You know, now I hav to learn all your names!"
The other binomes laughed. The sprites did too. They walked into the Principle Office.
* * *
Copperplate was trying to figure out what to do next. They had taken both of his armies and turned them into their own. That Professor, he thought, he is sure is their main hero. If only I could get him away from Mainframe, this would be a lot easier. He sat in his chair, and pondered.
Finally, he stood up and said, "I have it!" He then began to walk.
"It's so simple, it's almost BASIC! I just leave Mainframe for about 2 micros, saying 'I'm going to go stop Bob, Dot, and the others', when really it's just a lure to get the Professor away! He'll leave, and then I'll come straight back! He'll never know! And Daemon can take care of the Professor, and then Mainframe will be MINE! HA HA HA!" He opened a large Vidwindow to the outside.
"Hello, citizens of Mainframe. You have worn me down so much, I have decided to go and stop your friends, Bob, Dot, and those other sprites from escaping Daemon's wrath, which I'm sure they'll do. But don't worry, your system will be fine... until I'm through with them! Ha ha ha! Goodbye for now, Mainframe." He then concentrated to get a Vidwindow to the Supercomputer, and he succeeded. The Guardian there opened a Portal to the Tor, and Copperplate said a last "Ta-ta" before jumping in and disappearing. The Vidwindow closed.
At the Principle Office, the binomes heard his evil speech. The Professor frowned and then stood up. "I hav to save Bob and ze others from zat virus."
"Professor Einome! You can't! You need to help us stop Mainframe from him!" his assistant protested.
"Yes, but we are not in danger now- Bob and ze others are. Besides, you hav zese Game sprites to help you make a plan."
"But Professor-"
"No buts! I'm going. Come on Glitch, search for a tear."
Glitch beeped, and the Professor got on a zipboard and flew where Glitch directed. After one last wave, the Professor had Glitch change the tear into a Portal, and he disappeared.
Watching from the front of the P. O, the Professor's assistant started to cry.
Copyright information: ReBoot, Bob, Dot, Glitch, Daemon, and related indicia are © Mainframe Entertainment Inc. ReBoot, Bob, Dot, Glitch, Daemon, and related indicia were used for a non-profit purpose and therefore it is OK. Albert Einome, Copperplate, the Professor's assistant, all those cool anti-virus things, that null invention, and the main story are © Albert Einome (me). You can copy this story for non-profit purposes only. If otherwise, contact me (agbstarwars@hotmail.com) Thank you! Have a nice day.