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Tron - Expansion Chapter 6 (Enemy Ground)

A quiet stillness remained across Enigma, a gentle wind and the occasional crash of thunder in the distance. Noah stood on the dock, peering around the tunnel edge that obscured the network trap, ensuring there were no guards coming. Blu stood at the base of the stairs, rotating his arm both to test that his shoulder had been mended and that his bodysuit was put back together properly. With the sweep for opposition done, Noah cued Blu that it was time to go. They began moving across the open landscape, darting from one piece of cover to another. Their steps were muffled by the softer parts of the silicon they ran upon. Noah led in front, being of smaller stature than his sexy partner. There was the sound of flowing energy ahead, and Noah slowed, signaling for Blu to do the same. Noah peeked his head around the boulder they hid behind. Before him was one of the vast rivers, the liquid radiating white light upwards like a glowing vein in the land. The shore was completely bare, nothing but rock grazed by current, and obsidian particles.

"Well, we better get some transportation." Noah declared, eyeing Blu. Blu was so sexy, he had to give himself merit for his craftsmanship. Noah's eyes trailed from the broad chest down to Blu's waist..... and the baton that hung there. "Blu! Hand me your lightcycle!" Noah asked overjoyed. Blu pulled the baton off his hip, grinning, knowing it could be anything his creator wished, but it seemed he already had a plan. With his baton surrendered, Blu climbed up onto the boulder and looked around. Many directions were barren, but after a moment he spotted a gap in the rock. He had almost missed it but there was a road.

"Over there!" He declared, indicating the passage. Noah thought about what they had seen and how the rivers intertwined throughout the system. They likely would lead to the center of what could scarcely be called a city.... But Noah was unsure of the roads... they were dotted by the random chaos of happenstance buildings, slap dash constructs dropped all over the place. For all he knew the roads could have been built into paradoxes that never took them to a destination. Energy was easier. Current, flow, circuits. The rivers were dependable.

"The river seems like a better route to the city Blu." Noah acknowledged. "Here, lemme make a more compatible ride." Noah separated Blu's baton and began editing the code, light emerging and pouring from it. The light trailed down before forming a floorboard beneath Noah, raising him a few inches from the shore. Pontoons wrapped around the deck, creating a raft. The glowing wire frame spread to the rear of the raft and formed four thin pillars and a wide, short cylinder. A motor roared to life atop the four pillars and the stump hollowed, forming a pair of large fan blades.

Noah was seated in front of the motor, controls in hand. He waved Blu over to the fanboat, the fans humming to life as they were brought to idle speed. Blu was about to board but he saw the one flaw in his creator's plan. With the pontoons and deck fully formed, Blu braced his hands on the end and shoved it off of the shore and onto the light river before leaping over onto the deck. Noah turned the handle in his right hand and the craft took off, moving against the current and further into the system itself. They were on their way.... hunting down Vice in the midst of enemy territory.

***

Enigma had one too many changes since the Tron asset codes had been brought back. From roads to vehicles, buildings and even programs, Proxy was working hard to adjust to it all... but he had the perfect place to do so. Proxy knelt in the middle of his glass sanctum, kneeling on the second floor of the great pyramid. The faintly orange glass sprawled with code around him, letters and numbers sent from his creator and information from the system as a whole sent back to him. In every direction beyond the island was the pulsing white lake of pure white energy, the very same colors Proxy himself held. In many ways Proxy looked like a monk, kneeling in his white robes. It was ironic he had little concept of religion... but he was at peace with himself and his surroundings. It was easy for him to hear a difference in the hum of the room, even with the disturbance was stationary.

"Welcome back, Vice." Proxy said. Vice grimaced.

"How did you hear me?" He asked from where he had been standing at the doorway.

"It's what I didn't hear. You blocked the sounds of the energy flowing through the walls on that side, the sound of the lake coming up the lift shaft." Proxy replied, pausing, "You are troubled." He added without even looking.

"Don't tell me you can hear that..." Vice said, moving forward. Proxy smiled and shook his head.

"No, I couldn't hear it, I could... sense it?" He guessed, not sure of his word choice, "Ever since the upgrade I've been discovering a sort of intuition.... Perhaps as a function to better serve our user." Proxy replied. Vice moved around Proxy and knelt down in front of him.

"A user followed me here..." Vice said softly. Proxy's eyes opened, the orange strips on his robes glowing brighter as he transmitted the information, dying down again. He knew time for his user was slower than that in the system.

"Did you infect him, or... lead him here?" Proxy asked. Vice looked surprised, both by the suggestion and the fact that he didn't do it.

"He reversed my infection, he cut off my ties... Worse, I have brought a threat to our system." Vice said. Proxy shook his head.

"You have brought an opportunity. Seeker desires nothing more than to enter his system, and this user knows how to do it. We will apologize for your misdeeds, negotiate for the information." Proxy said. Vice gritted his fangs.

"He is a user, a true Tron user... He could dismantle our system in vengeance... At least protect yourself, restrict his movements until... we can find him." Vice proposed. Proxy shook his head.

"That might provoke him... We want to befriend this user." Proxy replied.

"At the cost of our own system? If this user damages Enigma, all of Seeker's work will be for nothing..." Vice said, reaching up to caress Proxy's cheek. Proxy's eyes slipped shut and he leaned into the hand. Vice smiled more, "Please, consider the risks... We won't send tanks... Just teams that form peace delegations..." Vice whispered.

"Well... We can't put our entire system at risk...." Proxy whispered. Vice gave a fang filled smile as Proxy listened to him, ending the caress and drawing his hand back. Proxy stood up and moved away from his spot of meditation, heading over to one of the pyramid walls. Vice stood up and followed, stopping just behind Proxy. His reflection glinted in the glass as Proxy put his hand to it, sending rippling waves of energy out into the structure.

***

The fanboat sailed across the river of light, taking Noah and his partner further into the heart of Enigma. Noah followed the artery that flowed throughout the system, the girth of that particular river enabling for his mind to examine the beauty that passed him as he steered. The hacker that made Enigma had to have great knowledge, even if he created the monster that was Vice. There was so much realism in the system that had been crafted without all of the Tron base code, far surpassing the uniqueness found in the Grid, let alone Eden. Noah took a glimpse at Blu as the synthetic wind whipped through his mohawk and fur. The wolfman was enjoying the sights of Enigma as well......though he seemed to be.... smelling the air, as if there were scents in it.

"Blu, what are you doing?" Noah asked, decreasing the fanboats velocity, only enough to keep it in place against the river's current. Blu pulled his head back, his ears flattening against his head. He looked confused for a long moment.

"I don't know... But something's wrong," Blu said softly, lowering his head, "I don't know how." He murmured. Noah acknowledged Blu's feelings and gave Blu a quick, loving embrace before climbing back into the elevated seat, ready to flee if there were battle boats or ships sent after them. The fanboat crawled forward up the river by Noah's hand, the user listening, watching, and sensing. The only sound that met both of their ears was the drone of the fanboat's engine. Out of the stillness there was a silence almost too complete, something on the edge of Noah's awareness... and then the realization. The atmosphere filled with light, the lightning above becoming oddly organized before shimmering walls of color rose up to meet the sky; orange, green, blue, yellow, red... There was no rhyme or reason, the colors were random. Their effect was not.

While the fanboat continued forward, the current died down in the river, choked off by the barriers. There was still flow, but it was precisely regulated. The entire system seemed to be segmented, cordoned off. Noah could see through the lemon yellow wall ahead of them, through half a dozen walls until their mutual interference built up enough to obscure their destination. They had been cut off. Noah looked at Blu as the engine was turned off.

"Well........what're we going to do now?" Noah asked, climbing down to stand beside Blu. He rested his arm around the program's torso, bringing him closer. "You got any ideas luv?" Noah cooed as he looked around, the wall pressing up to the 'heavens' above, far too high to fly out. Blu looked around, his eyes combing the vast reaches within their proverbial cell. He paused, spotting a structure in the distance. From the one side it looked like a normal rectangle, but as the fanboat started to slowly drift back on the slight current, they could see it was an optical illusion. The edge of the building curved out, forming a sloping triangular prism. From Blu's vantage point, it was surely a unique structure, and the only major sign of civilization within their reach.

"Maybe we could get information to help us out?" Blu suggested. Noah removed his arm from around Blu's torso and propped his foot upon the edge of the fanboat.

"It's our only hope for an answer.......let alone a way to get out of here." Noah added. He spun around and looked at Blu with a serious face, "I don't like the possibility of it being a trap... but it's better than staying here. I'll get us to shore." Noah explained, giving Blu a peck on the lips before climbing back into his chair. With a deft operation he took the fanboat to shore smoothly. Blu was glad they had traveled on the largest river. The rest wouldn't have been wide enough to maneuver so efficiently. Blu stepped off of the boat and onto the land, waiting for Noah, glancing to where the baton had integrated into the bow. Noah walked to the bow and casually jumped off, taking the batons with him, the fanboat dissolving into a pool of light before leaving no trace but the wake on the gravel shore. "Shall we?" Noah gestured, grabbing Blu's claw tipped hands, a smile upon his face.

Blu gave Noah's hand a squeeze and they began walking, crossing open ground. It was certainly slower than the fanboat had been but they drew less attention. Every so often they would pass a tiny crack in the ground, glowing white with subterranean energy. It seemed that Enigma's balance was offset from the Tron Norm... There was too much power coursing through the system and not enough substance. After what seemed like twenty minutes, the two were close enough to the building to make out finer details. It was even more abstract than both Blu and Noah had guessed. Grooves ran along the structure, creating strips of windows with now intersections. The way they curved and flexed and followed the contours would have been impossible in the real world. Noah's eyes were drawn to the single point of light above the doorway.

"Torre di Divertimento?" Noah articulated, reading out the exotic script that glimmered. A large program stood outside of the doors, his bodysuit an opaque, almost dusty black. The program's circuits were an unusual sort of a light brown, contrasting the program's very dark skin. Noah approached the large program with Blu, surprised by the bouncer's size. He was even taller than Blu, another outlier in the system. "May we get in?" Noah asked the program, tilting his head up in order to see his face. The man gazed on ahead.

"It isn't open yet." He said, his voice inhumanly deep and slightly distorted. Noah didn't want to provoke the brick shithouse, but he needed to get answers, and he knew there had to be a way inside. "I demand as your Creator to let us in!" Noah bluffed, causing the floor to reverberate beneath the behemoth of a program. Blu took a step back to try and sell the bluff to the guard. The guard did not waiver, his eyes gazing forward.

"It isn't open yet." The guard repeated with the same distortion... before his eyes moved down to look at Noah, "And you lack the proper color." The guard said. There was a sudden shudder from the building, much like the tremble Noah had caused... but much wider spread. Blu gasped softly, looking at the building. While the structure had appeared like a dull sandstone during their entire approach, it was changing... Like a toy in a filling tub, a silvery sheen was creeping up the walls. The tan was replaced by reflective silver. Noah and Blu gazed to their reflections on the walls, the guard seeming even bigger as his reflection was stretched on the sloped wall.

A strange, eclectic type of music began spilling out of the seams of the building, filtering through and out before it carried on the wind. Blu grinned in amazement as he watched. The groves of windows flashed, then other seams flashed as well. The entire building seemed to shudder and quake before portions began rotating out, shifting into new angles like a Rubik's cube blossoming into a flower. The silver sheen faded away on some of the moving parts, leaving completely transparent glass. The insides were filled with sleek furniture, moving lights, color changing floors and lamps that were so frail they seemed to be floating.

"It is open." The guard said, reaching to open the door for the two. Blu looked at Noah with a wry smile.

"Didn't you once have to explain to me being fashionably late?" Blu asked. Noah chuckled despite being peeved at the literal nature of the guard.

"Yeah... but I'm not. Let's go." Noah commanded, dragging Blu along with him. Noah and Blu crossed over a vast dance floor, the panels changing color beneath them... but it was more than that. The interlocking squares were colors, patterns, even looking like holes that led beneath the building from moment to moment... but Noah didn't stop, making his way to the far side of the entry way to the first bar he saw. Noah looked at the program behind the bar, the man polishing a couple glasses. "Bartender! Where can I find the owner of this establishment?" Noah forcefully asked, his gaze deadly.

"He is in the indigo room... if you are able to find it." The bartender said, sizing them up, "And if you're able to let yourself find it."

"What do you mean by that!?" Noah asked, grabbing the programs collar and pulling him over the bar. Noah's hand glowed with energy, his other pounded the counter, causing the newly polished glasses to shatter, the particles derezzing. "Tell me where it is! Or he'll need to find a new bartender!" Noah demanded. Blu's muscles stiffened as he looked around, trying to puff up his chest and look bigger. It was clear that Noah's technique was alienating the entire establishment. The bartender glared at Noah, reaching to pull a hexagonal token from the wall and offer it to Noah.

"This is a place of enjoyment. You will find nothing but errors if you try and use it for anything else." The bartender said. Noah took the chip from the bartender before dropping him onto the counter, still steaming mad.

"Where is he....?" Noah asked.

"The indigo room." The bartender growled. The token chirped, showing the layout of the building. Noah gave him a quick glare before leaving the bartender with his troubles, the map layout giving them a highlighted route of where the indigo room was. Blu moved over to Noah, staying close, feeling the music reverberate through him. They moved out of the main room, following the route. They passed several individuals lingering before sections, but when Noah glanced back to the token, the path was different. Turning around proved his suspicion... the room he had just left was no longer there.

Blu looked around, watching as the halls warped around them in smooth, slow movements. Programs meandered in doorways, bobbing their head to distant music, wearing necklaces that buzzed with energy cycling through the colors of the spectrum, their own circuits seeming to glimmer brighter as the necklace got to their own color. It seemed their search would not be an easy one, but Noah was dedicated and Blu was loyal. He would follow his user across any system, any void, any challenge.

***

A hundred shades of colored lights, built one beyond the next, segmenting the entire system into neat little pieces. Vice gazed out of the pyramid at them all, his eyes calculating. It was unnatural to have the barriers, unnatural to have a user in their system that was not his own. Of all the sensations and emotions and knowledge Vice had gained since his upgrade, this was particularly unsettling... He felt the sting of defeat, the pain of losing Eden. He actually felt concern for Vanguard, feeling a longing for his viral pet. Vice's claws balled up into fists and he glared, knowing the cause of it was out there... that damned user. Vice turned suddenly, his boots stalking across the floor. He had nearly made it to the lift shaft before a hand came down on his shoulder.

"Vice, you can't harm him, we need him." Proxy urged. Vice's head turned, his eyes almost glowing green.

"There are dozens of users out there, maybe hundreds. I will not let Enigma be unraveled by this stranger. I will not let my failure compound." Vice hissed. Proxy looked somber.

"We are not simple programs any longer. We are more, we are what Seeker aspires to. The emotions are strange, illogical, but from this chaos there is balance. Do not throw off the balance, look into yourself to find what Seeker would want, how you can best help." Proxy urged. Vice's eyes narrowed even further.

"I can best help by using the powers I was given... I will find the user that holds the information we need, and I will collect it from him." Vice said. Proxy shook his head.

"I can't allow you to do that. I can't let you jeopardize the user's plans." Proxy said, his grip tightening. Vice all but growled before he closed his eyes, taking a moment to calm himself down.

"Don't make me harm you... I promise... I won't harm them, I just need to find them... I'll let everyone know where they are and you can carry out the user's will." Vice said. Proxy looked at Vice, weighing all of the factors he had at his disposal before he nodded.

"Take a security Recognizer. They can pass through the shields." Proxy said softly, knowing it would give Vice the freedom he desired but he would also have to take other programs. Vice knew the same benefits and limitations but accepted them. Proxy took his hand off the virus and watched Vice move to step onto the lift, descending out of sight. Proxy took a deep breath himself, turning and moving back to the center of the pyramid, kneeling down. He gazed upwards, gazing into the heavens, waiting for the words of the user to fill him.

*** Why did the system have to be so difficult? It was so unlike Eden... It was as difficult as reality, though more... perfect in its own way. The whole system was hard to explain, for lack of better words, it was the perfect model of reality, all of it. Noah and Blu moved further, Blu leading the way with the acquired map. The rooms they had just left were quickly shifted away and taken to another portion of the constantly shifting club. It was still amazing how smoothly the rooms shifted fluidly between each other, and with no noise. Noah was so transfixed that he bumped into the now stationary Blu.

"Hey, why'd you stop?" Noah asked, rubbing his face in annoyance. The hallway revolved and they were now at the entrance to a spacious, dormant room. The walls were the brilliant shade of indigo, white circuits pulsing calmly across the floor, up tables, spiraling up the base of stools... but the lights were off, chairs were scooted in. The room was just as Noah had interpreted, dormant. Blu looked back and forth between the indicator and the room before them. "Hey, isn't he supposed to be in here?" Noah asked, annoyed

"Maybe he is... or there's a back room... Or perhaps he is offline." Blu said, moving into the room, his studded boots causing the floor tiles to illuminate beneath him as he took each step. Noah roamed around the room with a purpose, he was going to derezz that bartender program.....giving him false information. He walked to the large window, looking what was Enigma. From their vantage point they could see even further, the lake casting as much light as a sun up from the ground... a vast glass pyramid in the midst of it. It was quite the contrast to the helix Noah had in the center of Eden... the difference between religion and science.

"You must be Noah." A voice said adjacent to Noah. The unexpected appearance of the program sent Noah back a few tiles. "Fret not, I'm not going to harm you. I'm the guy you're looking for actually, quaint, isn't it?" the program assured. He strolled across to the bar in the center of the room. And with an acrobatic leap across the counter, he popped up behind it, both hands grasping a bottle. His body was lithe, his face chiseled with a distinct square, thin jaw. He watched Noah with vibrant metallic orange eyes, his hair was combed relentlessly into a well groomed fauxhawk, teal with silver highlights. He wore a tight fighting grey shirt, which pulsed with neon orange circuits that drew out a tie and some buttons. The pants were of a normal black, with a neon orange strip humming along the hem. Blu was taken aback by the complexity of his garb... although he felt a bit of pride in his own design. Still, it seemed they had the right place.

"Now, before I am rude any further.... I am Tropus," he introduced with a confident flare, "I know my way around things and know what you are looking for.... So, what have you to offer for my assistance the all powerful Noah?" Blu looked from the strange man to Noah before he pulled the customized baton off of his belt, offering it to his creator. It seemed they were at a disadvantage, this program knew all about them... Had he been warned by Vice? Was this some kind of trap? What could they offer him that wouldn't compromise their position? Noah brushed away Blu's offering of his baton, he knew how to handle people like this... They were in search of something that you couldn't get from a normal program. Tropus used a parry knife, and chopped up some abnormally neon violet mangos before placing them into a blender.

"I would," Noah began, though the roar of the blender disallowed any further speech with its loud whirring. Tropus tossed a few swigs of some various drinks and watched as Noah grew more frustrated, it was always fun to see his costumers grow weary of his antics. Noah looked at Blu and sighed, trying to maintain his composure, waiting for Tropus to finish his drink. The blender was soon off, and Tropus poured everyone a glass of the weird concoction. "I do hope you like this, it's a special recipe" Tropus said, gesturing for Blu and Noah to get their glasses. Blu was suspicious, highly suspicious... but they needed his help.

"Let me." Blu said to Noah, offering to taste test in case it was some sort of viral subroutine. He lifted the glass and brought it to his lips, letting the glowing purple liquid fill his mouth. Blu tried to compare it to the drinks he had in Eden... but it was so much... different. It wasn't pure energy, there was code there, an attempt at substance and form. Blu looked at Noah with the most adorable and pathetic expression of confusion. He had no idea how to explain it to his creator, let alone if it was safe.

Tropus spluttered at Blu's confused facial expression. He took a quick sip of his own drink and dabbed his lips with a black handkerchief. "Well, what were you going to offer now?" he asked Noah again, setting his glass down.

"I was going to offer you something that you have never felt before..." Noah coaxed, taking a sip from his own glass. The drink tasted like mangos, oddly enough, and a hint of raspberry, with the burn of a strong alcoholic liquor splashed in. This was far different than the drinks found in Eden, this had actual flavor. "Programs don't have the warmth....the touch....the....closure that you find from someone like myself." he continued, laying the bait for Tropus.

"It's true... Just by being close, you can sense... he is different... more." Blu reassured Tropus. He wasn't sure where Noah was going, but he'd follow his lead. Blu took a deep breath, just thinking of how different Noah was. Tropus was bubbling with glee, but he didn't want to break his appearance or give anything away.

"Oh, that sounds quite divine and all, but just for you.....? Have you ever tried to sneak two people through firewalls? It's far more difficult sneaking one, let alone you two... I need something more... filling... to balance." Tropus trailed off, his eyes examining Blu, before giving him a playful wink. Blu's head lowered to his shoulders a bit, feeling suddenly like he was being examined by a diagnostic drone. He looked over at Noah, wondering if this was part of his plan. Noah smiled at Tropus and looked at Blu, this was sort of in the plan, though he didn't expect Blu to be a part of it. But they needed to get to Vice, and stop him.

"Fine, you'll have the two of us...." Noah agreed, downing his drink before setting it back on the bar counter. "So, what you want us to do? We do it here? You have a private room?" Noah asked. Tropus merely chuckled and with a smirk on his face, he clapped his hands. The room lit up a bit more before two beams of light came down from the ceiling. They connected to the floor, pulling a portion up into a raised platform. The wall behind the programs opened up with shelves.

"You may discard your clothing... it won't be needed anymore." Tropus directed, stepping out from behind the counter. He grabbed his drink and a seat, watching the duo with intent eyes. Noah reached up with his finger and placed it to the collar of his bodysuit, drawing it down. The body armor pulled back and away before the cloth beneath simply disolved in pixels, leaving his chest bare. Noah leaned down, drawing his fingers over his legs to continue disrobing. Before long he stood in nothing but a black mesh pair of underwear that hugged his ass and hips, his identity disk managing to stay against his back somehow. Noah turned to Blu, looking at his program's slightly more clumsy attempt at undressing. He still hadn't quite gotten used to some of his new body parts..

"Don't worry, he's probably one of those who gets his kicks from getting a lap dance, we'll be fine." Noah whispered, assuring Blu as he returned the stare to Tropus. Tropus waved his free hand at Blu, gesturing to quicken their disrobing as he finished his drink. The eccentric program enigmatically tossed the empty glass behind him. It arched through the air before landing squarely on the counter.

Blu continued to disrobe, taking off his body armor and placing the sections neatly into the cupboards before he stood in nothing but the mesh. Noah gave a bit of a nod, seeing how well the body suit contoured around his muscles, his shoulders, his abs. It was certainly a show to him... Noah and Blu turned, starting to walk toward the glowing poles of light.

"Ah ah ah....not so fast... I want ALL of it off." Tropus insisted, giving a wink as he steepled his fingers together. Noah moved over to Blu, intent on helping his fellow program... though he knew he had more disrobing to do himself. Once more Noah's finger acted decisively, slipping down along Blu's ample chest. The fabric derezzed to reveal the rich skin tone, the intricate tuft of chest hair he had gained from his infection, the faint discoloration of scars on his shoulder from Vanguard's bite.

Noah kept going, revealing more and more of Blu's body. He drew his finger around the groin and the fabric pulled back to reveal his hanging, ample canine cock glistening with its own moisture as it hung over fat, furry balls. Noah kept working to reveal Blu's digitigrade legs and finally wide, clawed paws. He was most certainly a unique program. Blu blushed a bit, reaching to run a hand over his beard as he looked over at Tropus, hoping not to disgust the program.

"Hip hop....I'm getting bored over here." Tropus whined childly, faking a yawn. Noah took a breath and moved, drawing his hand over his underwear. The cloth faded from view, his package revealed fully. He glanced up at Tropus who simply nodded.

"Alright Blu." Noah said softly as they moved, stepping up onto the platform and moving to the poles. Blu looked at Noah uncertainly.

"What are we supposed to do?" Blu whispered. Noah put both hands on the pole and flexed his hips back and forth, limbering up.

"It's called a pole dance... It entertains people in a.....provocative way." Noah explained. Blu watched Noah's movements and then started simulating them. Before long Noah was limber and Blu seemed to be getting the motions. Noah started to move around the pole, relying on his grip for balance when he swung a bit, flexing his leg out, crouching down and sliding back up. Each move accentuated a part of his body, from his round supple ass to his ample groin, from his fair chest to his strong shoulders. It would have been obvious to any human that he hadn't done it before but that he might have seen some... Oddly, some would have guessed the same for Blu as he copied Noah with a great deal of precision, though there were a bit of differences as his tail flecked, his ears quirked on his head, and his claws scraped along the platform.

With the basics down, Noah decided to spice things up. He started exchanging tawdry glances with Blu, expressions of desire, of wanting, of longing. Blu nearly swooned seeing his creator look at him that way. His cock swelled, his tail swung, and soft moans escaped his lips. Noah grabbed the pole behind him, leaning for Blu, almost kissing before he pulled back, his dancing quickening. Tropus was deeply enjoying the show.

"Yes! The passion! The intensity! I love it!" he roared, sliding his chair back. Tropus stood up and creeped over to where Blu was shaking his stuff, enjoying the program's unique configuration. "Is it hard doing this.....with your little doggy legs. Oh but it must feel so nice having that big cock of yours.....isn't it?" Tropus toyed with Blu and reached his hand out to give it a touch. Blu hesitantly batted away the eccentric man's hand, hoping not to cost them their chance... but he belonged to Noah. Tropus giggled and retracted his hand, but the chastisement didn't deter him. As Blu lowered for an ass swoop, Tropus took advantage and groped that lovely butt, fingers digging into the fluffy cheeks. Blu gritted his sharp teeth but didn't pull away. If keeping the program at bay wasn't going to work, perhaps it was best to just get it over with. Noah looked at how unsettling Tropus was making Blu. It pained him to see him molesting his lover.

"Hey......Tropus." Noah cooed, bending backwards behind Tropus' head. The soft addressing took his attention away from Blu as he spun around. As he saw Noah, bent ever so dexterously backwards, a kiss was planted onto his forehead before the user went back to grinding that pole. Then Noah shot a glance at Blu, clearly it was just to distract Tropus from his unwelcome advances. Blu felt reassured and focused back on the task at hand, gyrating and moving more, giving Tropus glances and careful sways of the hips, trying to bring him to the end of his line. From what they had seen, the Tron code seemed new to these programs. Hopefully they hadn't learned how to hold back to prolong their pleasure.

Tropus was spinning in the flood of pheromones that Noah was giving off, the human chemicals interpreted into such an intoxicating wave of sensation that it nearly overwhelmed his senses. It was so unfamiliar, he had never felt such....bliss. Tropus couldn't control himself anymore, he was beginning to rub against Noah feverishly. Blu bit at his lip, hoping that Noah would be able to handle the program... though he was ready to leap in at a moment's notice and rip the program apart if he did anything. But Tropus was not harming Noah, he was just using his hands for his eyes. The feel of the human skin pulsating with blood, covered in a light sheen of sweat, my god the sweat. Tropus' circuits were pounding with light, he was surely going to blow a fuse... or at least an engram. The pulsing intensified, until, in a brilliant instant they shut off and left his torso dark... but only for a second. Tropus was on his knees, his simulated lungs lacking air, his hands tightly gripping the raised platform.

"Okay...." he gasped, trying even in his diminished state to save face, "Let... let me compose myself.... and I'll get you through those barriers." Tropus slowly picked himself up onto wavering legs, feet shifting to correct his balance. Blu moved forward, putting an arm around the program to try and steady him. They didn't need a guide that collapsed before their objective was complete.

***

The sky rippled with light, a vast aurora playing with the shimmering barriers segmenting the city. Vice walked with purpose, moving up the winding stone path that led up to the highest plateau in Enigma. The entire area had been re-purposed while he had been in Eden. Poles tipped with light marked the way, glimmering like electric torches leading to a mountain keep. Vice kept moving until he reached the summit, his destination clear. The plateau had been reconfigured into the start of a vast port. Row after row of massive Recognizers had been compiled and aligned, ready to be deployed at a moment's notice.

Vice had to stop for a moment in mere admiration for how far the system had come... and to feel a bit of relief even at his own failure... but that moment was short. Vice moved along the long walkway, heading toward a pair of security guards in the center of the port. Others patrolled the area, moving in the midst of the large dormant vehicles. They all seemed to have been made from the same root code, tall and lanky with surprising strength. Their circuits glimmered a coppery orange color and their eyes were focused on the displays regarding the progress of the search. They turned, sensing Vice's approach.

"How is it going boys? Any luck?" Vice asked.

"Nothing yet." The guard replied.

"Have you focused your efforts on the sectors nearest the tunnel? What about sector five?" Vice asked.

"Right away sir." One said. The two guards turned to check and with their backs exposed, Vice thrusted his arms out, his hands pushing into the gap in the center of their identity discs. The discs flickered and turned from orange to neon green, the same light spilling out through the circuits on their bodysuits. The guards shuddered, nearly going limp when Vice drew his hand back. They leaned against the console for support, regaining their composure. Vice let out a long, delighted sigh. It felt good to be connected again, to have the support of other programs. Vice looked them both over before nodding.

"It's time." He said simply, and the guards knew what their purpose was. They turned, striding along the plateau to the nearest recognizer. One stepped in, moving quickly to the control chair. He settled down and began charging the engines. The circuitry on the massive graft flickered and turned neon green, filling with life. Vice and the remaining guard stepped onto the platform just before it started to rise, moving to stand at either side.

The cabin ascended to the top of the legs just before the engines flared to life and the craft began lifting upwards into the endless night. Vice looked down at the port, seeing that the other guards had noticed nothing out of the ordinary. No alarm had been raised, no warning had gone to Proxy. A small sense of glee flooded through Vice before he turned, looking up to where the pilot was.

"Take us to the port, we will trace their path from there." Vice commanded. The guards obeyed, taking the recognizer for the nearest barrier. The violet wall shimmered, impervious to programs and batons, to light cycles... but not to the recognizer. The massive craft pushed through as if it was nothing but light, not even slowing down as it continued. Vice grinned wide, his fangs glistening with saliva.