thisavrou | audio; may 14

{OOC: Grid-jumping volunteers can thread their digital adventures out here.}

[The voice on the other end of the MID transmission comes out in a rush of words, tone urgent bordering on panicked.]

This is Alan Bradley -- I’m on Amissis-Re, outside the Ingress. Rinzler -- he just… He fell through. Alone. [Tries to remember the exact consequences for that transgression. Can’t. He’s not thinking about the aftermath on this side of the portal at all.] Someone needs to find him and bring him back. If this Ingress is supposed to take people back to where they came from, then… Then he’s going to end up on the Grid.

[Likely a meaningless term to most of the crew, but the way Alan says it makes it clear that this is not a good thing. He tries to slow his racing mind long enough to string together an explanation.] It’s the system he was in before he was on the Moira. There’s another program there, Clu; if he’s there and he finds Rinzler… [There’s a pause as Alan tries to collect his thoughts, order them in a way that will make people understand what’s at stake.] Programs can’t write programs of their own, but they can edit others -- that’s what he did to Rinzler. He took a program I had written to run independently and tried to rewrite him into someone who would obey without question. And if he finds Rinzler and sees how his code has changed, he’ll try it again.

[Alan knows how this must sound. How ironic it must be, for the crew to hear the man accused of trying to recode the program himself pleading with them not to let it happen at someone else’s hands. But the situation is far too dire to worry about what the crew may think of him. All he needs is for them to trust him enough to believe that he truly is acting towards Rinzler’s protection this time.] I know none of you have any reason to trust me. Not after what I did. But I never meant to hurt Rinzler or to take away his free will. Clu will not have those same reservations.

[If Clu finds him. If Rinzler goes to him. How long would it take for Clu to detect a change in his programming? In his memories? Alan’s voice grows edged with desperation.] Please, if anyone can help, I need them here as soon as possible. I don’t know how much time we have. I--

I can’t let this happen again.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No, Clu is kind of singular in that whole lobotomy thing.

[ He even had it on an industrial scale. ]

I'll go.

Sam. You don’t have to go. [Alan knows Sam could be an asset when it comes to navigating the Grid -- he’s one of the only two people on the ship besides Rinzler who have any experience in the system. But knowing what Sam had already been through there, Alan is hesitant to see him go back.]

You could offer support on this side; people will need to know what to expect before they make the jump.

Not getting left by another Flynn.

[ To be honest, that's something that's always bothered Sam. Sure, his dad thought Tron was dead, and Alan never knew he had been stolen in the first place, but knowing there had to be rumors of Rinzler and still dad didn't go back or at the very least ask Quorra to look, then check her disk--

In all that time he was in the Outlands, locked away in a basement…and he did nothing. Whatever Sam's issues with stepping back onto the Grid, he wasn't going to abandon anyone to an unending hell of having their mind altered. ]

[Sam’s wording takes Alan by surprise and for a moment, he wants to counter in Flynn’s defense: what had happened to Tron had been Clu’s fault, not his. And yet… Flynn isn’t entirely blameless in what happened either. Someone had to bring Tron onto the Grid. Someone had to keep it a secret. And of course, someone had to create Clu.

But none of that had been Sam’s fault.]

You know, a couple of months ago you were telling me not to take responsibility out of guilt. If this is your choice, then I won’t stop you. But it should be your choice -- not something you think you have to do to make up for your dad’s mistakes.

[Alan doesn’t want Sam to go. But he’s knows it’s not his decision to make.] Are you sure you’re ready to go back?

No

[ If it were anyone else but Alan asking, Sam might not admit the truth. His dad's mistakes do play a role, how can they not, but this is Sam's choice. He saw how horrible and bleak it had gotten in there, and if Rinzler went in there in the worst sort of accident imaginable? Sam wouldn't be able to live with himself if he just sat this one out. ]

But there's no way I'm letting Tron face Clu on his own. No one is getting abandoned to that insanity.

[ No matter how much Sam thinks Rinzler hates him. ]

[A slow exhale, worry coiling tight in Alan’s chest. He doesn’t want this to happen, but it’s clear Sam’s mind is made up. And for all his concern and anxiety, he can't deny that he feels a certain pride in Sam's decision. It doesn’t make the worrying any easier, but it’s there.]

Thank you, Sam. And I know you don’t need to hear this, but be careful. Please.

I could actually use you in a support capacity if I could borrow you for a bit.

I can use the Training Sim room to build a map that could be programmed into the MID. Considering the limited time people have in there, it would be faster to know where they're going. Especially if different groups are necessary.

Mapping isn't the problem. Once they're inside, I'm not sure if communication will work? I mean I can help you lay a map out and maybe it would be best if Tron went in there but, I don't want to ask him to essentially see the Program that mindfucked him before by himself.

Understood. I have some handheld communication devices and they have good range, but I don't know if the physics of your world would accommodate. I'm willing to send some along though.

I'll set up the Training Sim room regardless. Hopefully we can make it work.

I'll go with you, Sam.

[He's kind of not talking to Alan directly right now, but this needs to be done.]

[ Well this might get awkward. ]

It might actually be better if he didn't see me. If he just sees you, able to break free, he'll know he can too.

I don't know if he's ready to break free from Clu's control on his own. I think he knows that I did, but he hasn't been able to. Or hasn't tried.

[Tron isn't about to leave Rinzler back on the Grid, though.]

Well, even if it's only you he's seeing, you're not in there alone.

[ Sam isn't debating this, just like he's not asking you to face any version of Clu on your own. There is difficulties to go around, though; ]

The real problem is going to be keeping everyone together, not caught, and not hurt.

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