Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Two orange discs streaked through the air, their deadly edges slicing the wind in pursuit of their target, closing in like falcons diving for a kill, ready to tear effortlessly through. The target was a white clad program whose face was concealed behind a dark full shield on the front of his helmet. The only clue to his identity, and it was a false identity at that, was a "T" symbol on his chest made of four white squares. A symbol every program alive knew. The symbol of Tron, the legendary hero of the Grid, slayer of the MCP, and martyr for all who opposed Clu, the tyrant who betrayed Tron and proudly claimed to have killed him.

But the program in white was not Tron, though he looked like him.

Beck heard the shrill whistle of the discs behind him and threw himself downward a fraction of a second before the discs whizzed through where his head had just been. A moment later, they shot back over him, returning to the Black Guards who had thrown them. Before they hit their owners' hands, Beck was running again. He cursed himself for not bringing his lightcycle as he ran for the edge of the base. He was going to hear about this from Tron, he knew. As if confirming his thoughts, a lightcycle shot past in front of him, its rider grabbing the front of his suit and yanking him onto the bike just as a disc sliced the air where he'd just been.

"Thanks." Beck said, not expecting anything more than the grunt he got. Once they were away from the soldiers, he rearranged himself on the back of the bike. He was silent for the rest of the ride back to the base in the mountains. Even when they parked, Tron was still silent. So Beck remained silent as well and followed him inside. Only when they entered the large main room with the huge window overlooking the valley and Argon City did Tron speak.

"You weren't focused." he said, "You're lucky I was there to pull you out."

"I know." Beck replied, "I'm so-"

"You HAVE to be careful now. Clu himself is here and he'd love nothing better than to repurpose you and I. This is serious, Beck!" Tron finally faced him, "You can't afford to keep screwing up like you have been lately!"

"I'm sorry!" Beck shot back, more angrily than he'd meant to, "I'm trying the best I can!" He hadn't meant to sound so whiny. But it must've said something to Tron, because the older program's face softened as he walked over and placed a hand on Beck's shoulder.

"I know." Tron said, "I know this isn't easy for you, and I know you're trying. You wouldn't still be here if you weren't."

"I chose to do this," Beck said, "I knew it wouldn't be easy. I just..."

"Didn't realize just how hard it would be." Beck nodded. "I know, Beck. You're hurt inside, aren't you. And it's not from just now." Again, Beck nodded.

"I've lost Bodhi, Lux, Rilo, Able, and now Cutler, all derezzed. And now Zed and Mara are turning on me." Beck stared down at his feet. "It's not even Able's garage anymore. Pavel took it for the Occupation." Tron already knew this, as he'd allowed Beck to come and live at the base with him when the garage was taken. It was safer that way. But it also meant that Beck had even less time to be with his friends, whom Tron knew were the whole reason Beck had accepted Tron's invite to become his successor. For a gentle-hearted program like Beck, losing that could be devastating.

"The worst part," Beck continued, "is that they can tell something's bothering me and they want to help, but I can't even tell them. I know why I can't, and I understand it, but still..." He shook his head again, "The only person I could tell is you, but I know you don't care about my dumb problems when Clu is here in Argon." Tron recoiled a bit. It was true, he had been quite cold and distant with the young mechanic. Only now was he being forced to see and acknowledge the unintended harm he'd caused Beck.

"You're wrong." Tron said, "I do care about you, Beck. I know I haven't done a good job showing it at all, but believe me, I do care. And...I want to help you any way I can." Beck looked up and met the older program's gaze. He wanted to see if there was any alternate agenda going on here, since this was so unlike Tron. But he found only genuine concern and even a bit of worry there. Before he could stop them, his eyes grew misty.

"I wish Bodhi was here," Beck said at last, "He'd know what to do. He knew me better than anybody, except maybe Able." He sighed again. Tron couldn't help but feel sad for him. Beck was finally starting to feel the weight of his position as Tron's successor. He needed some kind of relief or he'd soon break, and that would be dangerous for both Beck and the uprising.

"Your friends made some sort of memorial for him," Tron said, "You should go and visit it. Then go somewhere with them tonight, if you feel like it." Beck looked up at him again, a small smile on his face.

"Thanks, Tron. I think I will."

"You know the code to get back in. And you know how to contact me if you need me."

"Yes and yes. And I'll be careful, I promise." Tron nodded and watched him go. Then he turned around and watched out the huge window as Beck's lightcycle sped away from the mountain base.

"You always are, Beck."

Chapter Text

The place wasn't hard to find. Beck had heard about the others from the garage doing this, but until now, he hadn't gotten to see it for himself. It was in what had been a park once, but now served as a cemetery filled with homemade memorials for programs who had been killed. It wasn't far from the garage. Beck derezzed his bike and slowly walked toward the obviously homemade memorial. Someone-probably Zed-had had engineered the stand to hold and secure Bodhi's disc so it couldn't be stolen. The disc was activated to show a 3D hologram image of Bodhi's head, and Beck felt his eyes sting at the sight. It was a perfect depiction of his friend, complete with bright eyes and the lively smile Bodhi was known for. Beside this, a 2D hologram screen looped a slideshow of pictures and videos of Bodhi, and it was this that brought Beck to his knees, so he was now eye level with the two holograms. Most of the pictures were of Bodhi with...him.

"I'm sorry." Beck whispered, a tear slipping out, "I'm so, so sorry, Bodhi. You didn't deserve this." Another tear, and another, slipped from his eyes.

"I'm sorry I didn't save you. And I'm sorry I didn't come here sooner. You were my best friend." Beck sniffed as he wept softly, placing a hand on his friend's disc, "I miss you. I wish you were here right now, 'cause I could sure use your help." Beck quietly sobbed his way through the story of how he'd acted out after Bodhi died, how he'd fled Argon and met Tron, and how he'd become what everyone called the Renegade. Tron had been right to send him here, he'd needed this. When he finished, he was barely able to talk as he cried against what was left of the best friend who'd been like a brother to him. He just sat there, letting all his grief and sadness pour from his eyes in rivers.

He never could've foreseen the disaster that was about to occur.

Zed and Mara finished their shift as quickly as possible and left the garage in the same fashion. Neither liked to hang around after work anymore. Where Able had been firm, but encouraging when he pushed them to do more, Pavel all but physically beat them He was basically a slave driver. Mara cried when he mercilessly derezzed Able's pet Bit, which had been the last piece of Able left in the garage in Mara's eyes. She still shuddered when Pavel looked at her, with that creepy sneer on his face. Zed had an arm around her as they left.

"What a creep." she said. Knowing she meant Pavel, Zed agreed.

"I think I'd start liking that Renegade guy a bit more if he'd just show up and kick Pavel's dumb butt to the other side of the Grid." Mara laughed.

"You already like him, and you know it. Come on, let's go visit Bodhi. We haven't been in a while."

"Yeah, and his supposed 'best friend' hasn't been at all." Zed scowled. Mara frowned.

"You know that hurt Beck more than anyone else in the garage. They were like brothers."

"Then why hasn't Beck been there, huh?" Zed challenged, "Or did he abandon Bodhi like he's abandoned us?"

"Maybe he can't, Zed!" Mara said. Then she added softly, "Maybe it still hurts him too much."

Way to look like an ass, loser, Zed thought, "Yeah. Maybe...or maybe he's just sick of us."

"Zed, I'm sure Beck has a good reason for being gone so much. He did move out of the garage, remember? He wouldn't just abandon us and you know it as well as I do."

"Sure seems like he has." Zed muttered.

Whatever Mara would've said was drowned out by the deafening explosion directly ahead of them. A huge fireball erupted toward the sky and they could hear panicked screams. The two looked at each other and ran as fast as they could in the direction of the blast.

When they arrived, the area was in chaos. Frantic programs screamed for others that were apparently nowhere to be found. To their horror, they realized this place had been the cemetery where they'd built Bodhi's memorial. Now it was in flames, blasted off the face of the grid. Zed was still scanning the destruction in disbelief when-

"BECK!" Mara screamed. Zed followed her gaze and ran after her, his anger at Beck erased by what he saw.

The injured program Mara knelt beside was indeed Beck, and he was badly injured. The entire left side of his torso had all but derezzed, and there numerous other wounds likely from shrapnel, flying debris, or burns. He lay on his back where he'd been thrown by the blast, eyes closed, unconscious. Mara gently pulled him into her arms, crying as she did and begging him to wake up. They didn't have to wonder why Beck was here. For clutched in his hand, with bits of its former housing still stuck to it, was Bodhi's disc.

"He needs help Zed." Mara said softly. Zed looked around for someone, but found no one. To add to the horror of the scene, the Black Guards had arrived. Zed watched as they started combing through the debris, shoving the grieving programs aside. Zed watched in shock as one approached a program with injuries similar to Beck's crying out in pain, and instead of contacting a medic simply derezzed the program.

"Mara, we gotta get him out of here. NOW." Zed hurried to help her lift Beck without attracting to much attention.

"The medical center's on the other side of Argon. He'll never make it, Zed." One look at Beck told him she was right.

"So what do we do then?" A voice answered, but it wasn't Mara's. They turned around to find its source, a tall program in all black with no lights and his face covered, standing over them.

"You come with me." he said, "Now."

Tron saw the blast from the base and was out the door before the fireball had even ended. He took the four-wheeled lightrunner, as it was faster than his lightcycle. He pushed the vehicle to its maximum speed, trying to outrun his dread and the thoughts that had entered his mind, all of them centered on Beck. Was he okay? Was he hurt? Was he...

Tron didn't dare finish that last thought. He couldn't bear it if that happened. Beck didn't deserve that.

He arrived to a disaster zone. The programs there were too frenzied to notice him or care about him. He spied two programs bent over a third who lay on the ground, injured. He choked back his dread when he recognized them as Beck's friends, Zed and Mara. And as he approached them, his dread was confirmed.

The injured program was Beck.

Mara was crying as she held him and Zed just looked lost as he asked what they could do. Neither noticed Tron until he spoke, telling them to come with him. Not knowing what to do themselves, they stood back as he lifted Beck into his arms and followed him as he walked quickly to the idling lightrunner. He was thankful his face was covered, so no one could see his eyes filling with tears.

She saw the two programs leave with the stranger who carried the injured one. The one she recognized. The one who didn't know that she knew his secret. That she had kept it to protect him, as a favor to him, since he unknowingly shared the emptiness of losing a friend with her. She had seen the extent of his injuries and knew he would require not only a medic, but a surgeon. She was both.

Making up her mind quickly and realizing there was no turning back from this, she removed a black blinking device from inside her disc, and another from her lightcycle, and threw both into the flames. Then she rezzed her bike and followed the stranger. Close enough to see where they went, but far enough back that they wouldn't know she was following.

She only hoped she wasn't too late.

When they arrived at the the mountain base, Tron rushed inside with Beck in his arms and all but threw him into the healing chamber. He activated the device at maximum power just as Zed and Mara entered. None of them spoke while Beck was in the chamber, until it signaled an error. Tron swore loudly and ran Beck into what served as his medical lab. He quickly hooked Beck to every piece of life support equipment he could find. Zed and Mara watched silently as the stranger worked. Only when they all knew Beck was stabilized-for now-did anyone speak.

"Who are you?" Mara whispered, "What is all this?"

None of your business! Tron almost snapped. But then he remembered what Beck had told him before leaving, about wishing he had someone to talk to. These programs cared greatly for Beck and were closer to him than anyone else in the garage. He decided instead to take a chance and trust them. For Beck.

His mask derezzed as he spoke and the two gasped, recognizing the face every program alive knew even before he finished confirming the obvious.

"I am Tron."

Chapter Text

Tron filled Zed and Mara in on why Beck had seemed to abandon them, and the explanation shocked both-Beck was the Renegade.

"I shoulda known!" Zed exclaimed, smacking himself in the forehead, "Who else would've known how to work the mods on my bike? And then there's the obvious; no one's ever seen both of them in the same place at the same time."

"See, Zed? I TOLD you he had a good reason!" Mara turned to Tron, "Though that's not exactly the reason I expected."

Tron said nothing. He was seated at Beck's bedside, staring sadly at the young program who he knew was getting closer to derezzing with every passing minute.

"How is he?" Mara asked, walking over.

"Not good." Tron replied, "I can't save him."

"What? You mean he's going to derezz?" Zed asked.

"Unless one of you is a medic...yes." Tron felt his eyes sting again as he said it. He heard Mara gasp quietly.

"Well this sucks." Zed remarked, "We can't get him to a med center, because then his secret's out and we all get derezzed, and we can't bring a medic here for the same reason. Beck's screwed either way, and so are we." Suddenly, the proximity alarm sounded. Tron flew to the nearby monitor and pulled up a camera feed. All three of them gasped.

"Looks like we're REALLY screwed now." Zed muttered.

On the screen was Commander Paige.

Paige slowly approached the door. She figured her arrival had probably set off some kind of alarm, or activated some other security system. Either way, they probably knew she was there and were watching her somehow. She turned around for a bit, noting the forcefield that hid the entrance to the base. From within, it looked like there was nothing there. But outside, it blended in perfectly with the rest of the mountain. The only way she'd found it was by following the lightrunner and two lightcycles ahead of her.

"Hello." she called, "I know you're in here...whoever you are...Renegade. I saw you back there. You're hurt, I know. I'm here to help! Look, you can analyze my disc-" she removed her disc and slid it forward out of her reach, keeping her hands up, "-you'll see I'm a former medic and surgeon. Please, I just want to help you."

Tron looked at the image of Paige on the screen. The enemy, as far as he knew. And now the enemy had discovered him. He would have to derez her now.

His hand was about to hit the control when a pained cry stopped him.

Beck screamed again, and Tron was at his side in an instant, trying to calm him, holding him close as the shock and pain of what happened finally caught up to Beck, his face contorted in agony even as Tron dried his tears and stroked his hair back, muttering softly to him. As he tried to soothe the young program, he knew he couldn't derez Paige. She might be the only person who could save Beck's life. He had to take that chance.

"Computer, bring her to our location."

Beck was only conscious for a fraction of a second before he was assaulted by pain, his entire left side feeling like it had been completely blown away. Through blurry eyes, he saw Tron appear at his side, then felt the older program's strong arms around him, holding him, a hand brushing his hair back and wiping tears off his face.

Maybe he was a bit delirious, but he could've sworn he heard Tron say "I love you, my little Beck."

And then, inexplicably, he saw Paige at his side, saying something to Tron, who reluctantly lifted Beck up so Paige could gently remove his disc. He wanted to ask what was happening, but all that came out was a soft whimper.

"Shhhh, Beck," he heard Tron say softly, "It's all right now. You'll be all right." Something glistened on his face as he spoke. Beck was shocked by what he was seeing.

Tron was crying.

Paige couldn't hold in the gasp when she saw that he was indeed the program she'd gone out with, the mechanic Beck. She was horrified when she saw the severity of his wounds. But she quickly snapped into her medical mindset, first administering a painkiller and a mild sedative before removing Beck's disc and preparing to operate.

"Please," came a voice from her left, and she realized it was Tron-the real Tron, very much alive-who had spoken.

"Please tell me you can help him," Tron begged, tears in his eyes. In all her life she'd never imagined Tron begging anyone, let alone her, for anything. But here he was, doing just that.

"It's bad," she answered, "Really bad. But nothing I haven't seen before. It's going to take a while, though. Don't worry, I have plenty of painkiller for him." Already, it was working. Beck lay half asleep in Tron's arms, barely acknowledging their presence.

"Thank you." Was all Tron could manage. He carefully laid Beck down and stepped away so Paige could work, which she started doing immediately.

While she worked, Tron sat with Zed and Mara and listened to them talk about Beck.

"I blamed him for killing Able." Mara was saying, "And at the same time, I yelled at him for not being there, I said he was never there. Now I know he was. He was always there for us."

"Hey, you didn't know he was the Renegade at the time, remember?" Zed chimed in, "We all thought he was just playing hooky and skipping work. And now we know it was that Cyrus creep who got Able killed." Zed shuddered, "I can't believe I called that guy cool."

"Cyrus didn't kill Able." Tron said suddenly, "No one did."

"Someone did," Mara said, "because he's gone."

"Yes, I know. He's gone," Tron agreed, "but no one killed him."

"Oh come on!" Zed cried, throwing up his hands, "He's gone, but no one killed him? How is that even possible?" Suddenly, Zed felt a firm hand on his shoulder and a familiar voice came from behind him.

"Because I'm not dead." Able replied.

Chapter Text

"Able!" Mara cried, "But...how?"

"Come on, I built Cyrus' prison," Able said, "Do you really think I wouldn't have a backup plan in case he escaped and came after me for putting him there?"

"But...but you derezzed!" Mara stammered.

"Hologram." Paige said without looking up.

"Correct." Able said, "I used holograms to hide myself when I jumped out after you two. Even my lightcycle was hidden by holograms. I came here to try and help Tron after Cyrus monkeyed around with his code, and I hid whenever Beck came so I could keep up the illusion of my being dead. If the Occupation got ahold of me...well, the only one who knows more about the Uprising than me is Tron, who was thought to be dead, so he didn't have the Occupation looking for him. I figured I better do the same, especially when I heard Clu was coming to town.

"Don't get me started on him." Zed muttered, "He let that creep Pavel take over the garage." Able's face saddened at this, before his eyes fell on Beck.

"Tron, what happened?" the old mechanic asked, concern and worry obvious in his aged features

"I'm not sure." Tron said softly, "I wasn't there."

"Beck was visiting Bodhi's...g-grave." Mara explained, "There was some kind of explosion. The whole cemetery was blown off the Grid. Beck..." she teared up again, "...Beck was hurt by the explosion." She wiped her eyes, willing herself not to cry.

"He's all but dead." Zed added gravely. In the silence they could hear Paige muttering quietly, either to Beck or to herself, though no one could make out the words.

Paige had listened to the others talking, though her main focus was her dying patient. Up close, the wounds were even more horrifying. But she doubted the pain from the injuries was anything close to what the program had been feeling before the explosion. She heard how he'd been found with his dead friend's disc in his hand, the only part of the mechanics' homemade memorial that had survived the blast.

She hadn't been expecting any of this. She hadn't expected the injured program to be someone she knew, or his caretaker to be the real Tron. And she certainly hadn't expected to be privy to everything they were saying. Perhaps they were hoping that if she heard it, it would kill her desire to go back to the Occupation, a desire she did have, but she wasn't stupid enough to act on it. If she went back now, they'd simply pull any valuable information and knowledge out of her, then derezz her. And then they'd find the mechanics as well as Beck and Tron and derezz all of them. No, like it or not, she was stuck here now, with Tron and a group of mechanics.

Well, there are much worse places I could be, she thought. She returned her focus to Beck as she tried to isolate the injured code from the rest of him so she could repair it. But the code was more complex than she'd anticipated. It was almost like she was looking at two programs instead of one, and only one was injured. It must be a security thing Tron did with his disc. No matter, she'd find a way to medically bypass it so she could get to his injuries. She just had to find a way to do it fast.

"Where is she?" Tesler growled when he heard only one set of footsteps approaching him.

"Where is who?" Pavel said smoothly. Or at least HE thought it was smooth. Tesler, however, found it sickening. Actually, he found everything about Pavel sickening. He'd distrusted Pavel from the second he laid eyes on him. Everything about the program screamed "slimy backstabber" and Tesler wasn't stupid enough to completely trust him, though he made sure Pavel thought he did. Tesler had seen it for himself when Pavel tried to frame Paige for insubordination. Tesler had seen right through him, though. His gloating nature made it too obvious, and he'd found out from Gorn himself what had gone on. She'd been only too happy to share what she knew.

"Paige, you idiot. I sent her out with you."

"Ohhhhhh, Paige. Yes, about her. Seems she's decided to go rogue on us. She ran off after someone. I didn't see who. Maybe she's still chasing the Renegade."

"Then you better go find her." the general snarled, "before I start chasing YOU!" Pavel shrunk back, as Tesler knew the little coward would.

"Y-Yes sir. R-Right away, sir." He all but tripped over himself as he ran out. Tesler shook his head, exasperated. What did he do to get stuck with such a dimwit officer?

Paige growled in frustration. No matter what she tried, she couldn't separate the code. She caught the attention of Able, who walked up behind her and looked at her work.

"What's the problem?" he asked.

"It's his code," Paige answered, "I can't isolate his injuries. It's like there's a second program mixed in with him. I-I've never seen anything like it before."

"Let me have a look." Able said. Paige moved aside as the old mechanic took her place.

It only took Able a moment to realize what the problem was.

"Tron, you better get over here." Able called. The monitor stood and walked over to him.

"Paige, can you give us a minute?" Able asked, though it was obviously not a question. She nodded and went to sit awkwardly with the other two.

"Tron, it's the overwrite." Able said when he knew the others couldn't hear, "It's keeping Paige from isolating his injuries. We gotta remove it."

"No!" Tron hissed, "There has to be another way!"

"Tron, even if there is another way, we don't have time to find it. Beck doesn't have time for us to find it. He's DYING, Tron, DYING."

"It's too soon, Able! He's not ready to know yet!"

"Ready or not, Tron, you don't have a choice. Either let me remove the overwrite or Beck is going to die." Able's tone softened, yet lost none of its urgency, "I know you don't want that. He may not be ready to know, but you're not ready to lose him because of that, are you?" Tron shook his head, "Then you know what has to be done."

"Guys?" Paige said, "Might want to hurry up. He's destabilized and I can't hold onto him much longer...I'm sorry, Tron, I tried, but it's like there was another program stopping me."

"There was," Tron said, "Beck has an overwrite. I had Able put it on him very early in his life, to hide him."

"Hide him?" Mara asked, "But why?"

"How did you know Beck that early? He'd never met you." Zed added.

"Yes he did, but he didn't know who I was. Able's overwrite hid those memories from him and gave him a new primary objective." Tron took the disc from Able and began removing the overwrite, "And I know him, Zed, because...I wrote him. I'm his User." The 'other program disappeared from the disc as Tron spoke and replaced it on Beck's back. There were audible gasps as Beck began to change, his light lines and even his body transforming into something else.

"Beck was never meant to be a mechanic." Tron said.

The general stared out his window at Clu's ship, parked near the Arena. Tesler had to be careful now, and watch his back at all times. One wrong move and he knew he'd be in the Arena next. As a participant.

He knew he could win. Being a military program, Tesler was a beyond excellent fighter and a brilliant strategist. That was why he'd been made a general. But if he knew anything, he knew that Clu didn't play fair. Ever. If he went in the Games, the odds would be stacked against him. He'd still have a chance to win, but it would be slim, and only for show. After all, who would watch the Games if the winner was known before the contest even began.

"Who indeed, Clu." Tesler muttered, "There's a chance you could lose this whole thing. And everyone is watching. It's your move." Tesler allowed himself a grin as he uttered the words that led to many derezzings.

"Let the Games begin."

Chapter Text

They all just stared in awe.

"Y-You're Beck's User?" Mara said. Tron nodded, and when the young mechanics looked to him for confirmation, Able also nodded.

"Early on, I started getting suspicious of Clu, suspicions that turned out to be very true," Tron explained, "So, while he was still free to do so as he pleased, I secretly left the Grid with Flynn. There, he and my own User, Alan, instructed me on how to write a program that could defeat Clu. Though at that time, I didn't use his name, since I didn't have any proof. Anyway, they helped me write the first of a type of program the Grid has never seen the likes of before, though the type has been theorized here." Zed gasped.

"You mean...Beck...is a..."

"A System Protector." Able finished for him, "That's right, Zed. THE System Protector, since he's the only one in existence."

"But...isn't that what you do, Tron?" Tron shook his head.

"No, I'm a Monitor. I'm designed to maintain the system the way it was when I was issued that order. Yes, I do defend the Grid, but a Protector is specially designed to secure it, to detect threats and eliminate them. It's basically a more powerful and more specialized version of me. Immune to repurposing and code altering. That's why I had to use an overwrite, because it was the only way to hide what Beck was from Clu."

"So Beck is just a weapon of some kind?" Mara asked.

"That was the idea at first." Tron said, "But when I left the Grid, I saw something in Flynn's world. Something wonderful, that I wanted for myself the more I saw it. Something they called a 'child', a young User. Usually, they're created by two Users who love each other. I wrote Beck with the help of another program, one I loved, named Yori." Tron's face grew sad here. "We were separated while fleeing from Clu's soldiers when Beck was an infant. She placed him in my arms, telling me to take him and run." He paused, then, softly, "I never saw her again."

"Ohhhhhh." Mara gasped, "That's so sad!" Paige nodded in agreement. She had no idea that even Tron had experienced a loss. Even more unbelievable was that his loss was at the hands of the Occupation that she had served. He had every reason to want every Occupation member dead. Yet he didn't kill them all. She was certain Beck had that ability, and Tron could've unleashed him at any time, yet he didn't.

"It's why I'm so worried for him." Tron continued, "He's all I have left of her. And there's so much of her in him. The most obvious is that he has her eyes...and her loving heart." He looked like he was going to cry again when a new voice spoke up, softly.

"Tron?" It was Beck, and Tron was at his side in an instant.

"I'm here, Beck." he said quietly, "Everything's okay now. You're okay."

"Tron...I'm r-remembering things...My User...It's...It's you...My...Father." Tron nodded and hugged Beck for real, as if he was afraid he'd lose Beck the moment he let go.

"I'm so sorry I kept it from you, Beck. I just couldn't bear the thought of losing you AND your mother. I-"

"It's okay, Tron." Beck said, "You hid it to protect me. Just like I hid my being the Renegade from Zed and Mara."

"Yes, my son, I hid it to protect you. Because I love you." He hugged Beck again, and this time Beck hugged him back. Paige felt a small smile cross her face and her eyes were misty. She noticed Mara was having the same reaction as her.

"I love you, too." Beck said. Tron smiled, actually smiled at him.

"There's some others here who probably want to see you now, if you feel up to it. Your injuries were completely healed when your overwrite was removed."

"My what?" Beck asked, confused.

"Your overwrite," Tron answered, "It's what hid you from Clu for so long by making him and everyone else think you were just some mechanic."

"But I am...aren't I?" Even as Beck asked the question, he was already hearing astonished gasps as he slowly sat up and then stood.

Beck's transformation was nothing short of amazing.

He was just a little taller now, but still had his lean build, though they could see slightly larger muscles under his lightsuit. That had changed dramatically. His circuits, which now formed patterns that looked almost like flames, were now pure, bright white, and a stylized image of a bird with its wings raised covered his chest and shoulders. When he turned around to look at Tron, they saw the light patterns on his back, on either side of his disc, that resembled a pair of folded wings But the most striking feature of all had already begun to materialize and complete the change. From the pair of folded wings materialized a pair of very real ones, black like Beck's lightsuit, but with white light lines along the feathers and the fronts. Even Beck was amazed when he saw them in his reflection, extending toward the ceiling until they had fully rezzed in. Somehow, Beck knew exactly how to drop and fold them, so they curved up above his head, the tips around his ankles.

"Oh my Users!" Paige gasped. Tron nodded.

"Those were Yori's idea." he said softly.

"They're beautiful!" Mara exclaimed as Tron walked up to Beck, who was still staring at his reflection in disbelief.

"This is what you were REALLY meant to be, Beck." he said quietly.

"A system Protecter." Beck whispered, "Me."

"I didn't mean to throw it at you like this," Tron said, "But I didn't have a choice. You...you were dying. Removing the overwrite was the only way to save you. Again, I'm so sorry for this."

"Don't be. I'm honored. And this explains so much now. My skill with a disc, my being able to fight Tesler and beat him,-" Beck looked at Zed, Mara, and Able, "-my defensiveness when it comes to my friends." Mara couldn't take it, she ran up and threw her arms around him.

"Oh Beck, I'm just glad you're okay." she said. He smiled at her. Then his eyes found his doctor.

"Paige." he said softly.

"I knew it was you." she said, "From that first time you saved my life, I started to figure it out. There were too many similarities with you and the Renegade. You talked like him, for one. I only knew for sure when you saved an entire train full of programs. The Renegade was the only program I knew of who would do something like that."

"No he's not." Beck replied, "You forgot yourself. You were trying to find a way to save everyone, you just didn't have this." He showed her Bodhi's wrench, which he always carried with him now. She looked at it and couldn't help but notice the careful way in which he handled the wrench, as if it were special to him. She then remembered why she'd kept his secret.

"That was your friend's, wasn't it. The one who got derezzed." Beck nodded.

"His name was Bodhi. He was like a brother to me. The joke in the garage was that we were twins, separated at birth." Now it was Beck who looked ready to cry.

"He's the reason I started all this," Beck continued, "The reason I hate the Occupation. The Black Guards just derezzed him without a second thought." A tear shone on his cheek.

"He didn't deserve to die." Beck sniffed, "All he wanted was the field back, so he could keep losing to me in our disc games. That's all he wanted, and he died for it."

Paige was silent. She didn't know what to say. Her thoughts strayed back to what she'd learned while waiting for Tron to remove Beck's overwrite. Listening to them talk about the things the Occupation had done to them and friends of theirs, she'd begun to question the Occupation herself. Finally, she'd used Tron's console to find the security videos from the day her friends were derezzed. And there the truth had hit her. Tesler had lied to her. He and the Occupation had killed her friends while searching for the two ISOs.

How could I have been so stupid!? Paige had thought, I should've checked this ages ago! She hated herself for believing a word the general had said.

"I'm sorry, Beck." she said softly, "For everything the Occupation has done to you...and everything I've done to you. Those things I said to you when we stopped seeing each other...That hurt you, and I never meant to do that, especially not after the way you stuck with me through Pavel's whole framing scheme." She stepped back from him and spoke louder.

"The truth is, I didn't come here just to save an injured program. I got rid of the trackers on both me and my bike." She paused as she let her lightsuit rerezz back to the green medical patterns she'd had before joining Tesler.

"I came here to join your Uprising. To save Argon, and the rest of the Grid. I-I want to help and heal again." Beck looked at Tron, who nodded. The Protector put his arm around Paige and smiled.

"Then welcome to the resistance, Paige."

Chapter Text

"You will create the perfect system."

"I will create the perfect system."

The words rang in his head as clearly as if they'd been spoken yesterday. Words of both a command and a promise, neither of which had been fulfilled yet. That's why he was here. He'd finally located one more thing that had kept him from being able to create a perfect system. That damned Monitor he'd thought he killed. Tron. He was alive here in Argon. And his time had finally run out.

Or so he thought.

But someone had dared to interfere. Now Tron was healed but NOT repurposed, which made him a cause for concern. That plus his little sidekick, "The Renegade", as the locals called him, meant Tron had help, which made him an even bigger problem. Now there were not one, but TWO programs getting in the way of him completing his directive!

You will create the perfect system.

"HOW!?" Clu screamed at no one, "How do I create the perfect system? What am I doing wrong?" He didn't expect an answer, he never did. His User had long ago abandoned him. Clu knew he was alone. He had been for years now, and it showed. His face was more worn and tired, and his hair had grayed since he was created. He amused himself wondering if Flynn would have even recognized him. Not that Flynn would care. It had taken a while, but Clu had finally and reluctantly accepted the idea that Flynn didn't care about him and never would. Never really had, if Clu was honest with himself. That part hurt, though the System Administrator would never show it or admit it to anyone except his personal physician, and even then only because his exam would give it away if he didn't. It hurt enough that the pain affected Clu's health, which was why he had one medic assigned to treat him and only him. As a result of having only one patient, the medic watched him like a hawk, and was alert to even the slightest change in his vitals. She'd prescribed a regimen of drugs to keep his vitals stable and the physical pain at bay. She was sworn to silence, of course. If anyone knew of Clu's condition, knew he had a weakness, someone would swoop in to remove him faster than a Bit could say "No."

Clu cursed his User for what was probably the millionth time in his life. How could Flynn, the Creator, do this to him? How could his own User make him sick like this and leave him crippled like he was? What had he done to deserve it? He felt he could answer that last one, though. It was what he hadn't done. His User had left him because he was a failure. His condition was Flynn's way of punishing him for his failure. And what better way to do so than leave him with a constant reminder that he was, and always would be, a failure. A brand of shame that only he could see, an ailment that would-no, was-slowly killing him. Clu knew how he would die, it was only a matter of when.

Yet still he tried as hard as he could to meet his User's demand. Maybe if he did, some small part of him hoped, his User would forgive him and take away his all but debilitating illness. But the rest of him knew it was a futile hope. And anyway, even if he did somehow get cured, he knew there were still many who wanted him dead and would not stop coming after him until he was. Clu wasn't stupid enough to believe Tron and this Renegade were his only enemies. Just yesterday, he'd reviewed Tesler's reports that detailed an elaborate plot by Pavel to oust Commander Paige. A plot that was foiled thanks to the Renegade and some mechanic named Beck who had been taken when Pavel was falsely arresting Paige. Apparently, the mechanic had tried to defend her and Pavel had been only too happy to take both of them into custody.

Clu stared out the window of his quarters on his ship. The captain's quarters, to the crew of the vessel. It looked out over Argon City, toward both the Outlands and Tesler's own ship. He knew his enemies were here, somewhere. All he needed to do was eliminate them and then he'd be that much closer to creating the perfect system. That much closer to either earning his User's forgiveness and respect or rubbing it in his User's face. Or he could just fulfill his directive, do neither of those things, and just live out his days on his perfect system.

A sudden spear of pain in his chest jerked him back to reality. Clu bit his tongue, holding back the cry that wanted to escape him. He would not give in to his weakness. He would fight it with everything he had, everything he was. It would not control him. He was the master, dammit! He'd closed off his heart and all but literally purged himself of emotion in order to over come this ailment! He would not-

Another lance of pain, so strong it tore the scream from him as he collapsed against the window, still screaming in agony as his vitals went insane, alerting a program in another room who came running. She broke in to see Clu writhing on the floor clutching at his chest, where a User's heart was located. She shook her head and knelt at his side. This was nothing new.

Clu dimly heard her enter, and only acknowledged her presence when he felt a welcome numbness, no doubt a sedative of some kind, spread through his body. His vision blurred as the drug took effect and he lost consciousness

He woke up in bed, the medic beside him, looking over her charts.

"You're getting worse, sir." she said flatly, "Your outbreaks are becoming more severe and more frequent."

"Up my dosage." Clu muttered. The doctor shook her head.

"That won't solve anything." she said, "You're getting to the point where I can't do much more for you. The point where I may have to issue an emergency medical order to contact your User. He's the only one who could fix this."

"Bits." Clu swore. Of COURSE Flynn would be his only option.

"I'm going to have to insist you wear a full monitor now, not just that basic wrist model. That way, I can keep an eye on your ENTIRE condition." Clu groaned and rolled his eyes.

Perfect, he thought dryly, Just fragging perfect.

Chapter Text

She stared out over the valley and Argon City below. From a small ledge on the roof of Tron's base, she could see Tesler's ship parked on the high plateau overlooking the city, and Clu's ship docked at the Arena. She wasn't sure which one upset her more, Tesler for killing her friends and lying to her, or Clu for giving him the power and authority to do so in the first place. Going by Beck's logic, the answer would probably be Clu, since none of it would have happened without him. But Tesler was the one who had given the orders, had spoken the words. Clu wasn't even there. For all she knew, Clu didn't even know the attack on the medical center had happened. Gallium, like Argon, wasn't exactly a major city for anything, except maybe crime and the black market. Clu himself had no reason to even blink at such a place. The only reason he was in Argon was because of Beck and Tron. He probably knew by now that Tron had an accomplice. She couldn't help but smile to herself. If Clu only knew what had lain hidden here for so many cycles. The ultimate weapon, right under his ski-slope-sized nose, as Zed called it.

"Thought I might find you here." came that soft, gentle voice, so unlike any of the others. She looked up as Beck soundlessly walked over and sat down beside her, dangling his legs over the edge. Just like their first date, when he'd sat with her atop the bridge in the city.

"Yeah. Can't exactly go to the bridge anymore." Paige said. He nodded.

"It's a lot to take in, I know. The world's pretty much done a flip on us. And you're not even the one most of this stuff's happening to." Beck smiled, laughing to himself.

"You're telling me, I'm still stuck on Tron is alive.." Her voice softened, "Except he's not like the Tron we've imagined at all. He was actually crying when he was begging me to save you, Beck."

"I know. I saw." he shook his head, "I'm still getting used to Tron being my User."

"For his first time writing a Program, I think it turned out okay." Paige teased. Beck laughed and drew his knees up as she did the same.

"I meant what I said down there. About us, I mean."

"What about us?" Beck asked.

"About us being together. I broke it off with you because I blamed you for...basically, Pavel being an idiot."

"Well that's nothing new." Beck snorted, "Did you actually slam his face into the window of a Recognizer once?"

"Yeah. It felt great and his face was priceless. All I had to do was slam on the brakes." Her tone darkened.

"You were right. Tesler DID lie to me. He killed all the patients. Quorra and Ada were gone by the time he arrived. I feel so stupid now. All I had to do was check the security tapes and I would've known what really happened and-" She felt his arm around her, hugging her to his side.

"And I might've never met you." Beck said, "I've had to learn the hard way, things aren't always going to go well, no matter what we do. But there's some good in everything if you look hard enough. Something good always comes out of it...At least, that's what Able used to tell me." Paige only nodded before she looked out over the city again.

Clu was not happy.

He'd been held overnight in medical, as was the standard procedure after major surgery. His operation had taken longer because his medic Circe did everything alone in order to keep his condition quiet. Now he sat back in his quarters on his own bed, a large monitoring device attached to his chest and torso. It didn't stick out like he thought it would, nor did it feel as heavy as he'd anticipated. However, he wouldn't be doing disc combat sims anytime soon, the monitor would get in his way. At least he could still ride a lightcycle and not look like anything on him had changed.

The problem now was how to hide it. Anyone who saw the device would know right away what it was. They would know he was sick. Then they'd make sure he got no help. They would make him die slowly, painfully, screaming the whole time until he crumbled into bits.

Just like SHE had done.

Clu slowly walked over to the wall and ran his fingers along it until he found what he sought. One panel that moved ever so slightly when his fingers touched it. He carefully slid it aside and pulled out a white disc, carefully activating it. The image of the disc's owner materialized and a tall woman in a long silvery-white gown looked back at him, smiling. She bore a slight resemblance to him, with the same light brown hair and deep blue eyes. She looked much like he had when they met, a soft face and warm smile, eyes sparkling with life. A tear came to his eye as he carefully ran a hand over the image, as if he were lovingly stroking her hair.

"I'm so sorry." Clu whispered to her as he sat down on the bed. "I'm sorry I didn't save you. I'm sorry I didn't try...It's my damn primary objective, my damn User. He...he hates me. He wanted me to lose you, because I couldn't do what he wanted." Tears came as he lay down with the disc in his hands. "He took you away from me. I'm sorry. I was too pathetic to fight him, too weak to say I didn't WANT to do this anymore...I was too much of a coward to save you." He sobbed, his heart aching as he said the words. He pulled his own disc off, pulling up his default appearance code. Looking at her, he'd remembered he had something that could hide the monitor from sight. He switched his defaults and the paused a moment before editing the code a bit. He wanted to keep her closer to him, too, and this would allow him to do that. He stood up and placed his own disc back on, his lightsuit changing into his long robes, the cape flowing down his back. The lack of multiple light lines on his chest hid the monitor perfectly. He reached up and felt across his chest for the thin slit he made. He then deactivated the white disc and slipped it inside. Even with the monitor, he knew the disc would rest against his heart. His tears returned as he lay back down, pulling his cape around himself like a blanket and hugging the concealed white disc against him. Even before he fell asleep, he knew the dream that awaited him.

Everything was in flames. The heat stung his eyes as he ran, hearing the sounds of the alarms and the other Programs screaming for the exits. Clu himself ran as fast as he could. Until one scream stopped him.

He turned down the hallway that led toward his room, the one he shared with her. He tore open the door only to find a wall of flames between himself and the Program he knew was inside.

"NOO!" Clu screamed. Without a second thought, he hurled himself at the wall of flame, ignoring the spears of pain from the burns he was receiving. And then he was through, already searching frantically for the woman. She screamed again and his heart sank as he saw her, her legs trapped beneath part of the building that had fallen. He was at her side in an instant, trying to lift it, but it was no use. The piece wouldn't budge. He cried as he told her he couldn't save her, as the walls of flame had started to close around them. Clu made his decision in that instant and lay down beside her, He held her close and cried with her, saying how much he loved her and he would not leave her, even as the flames finally consumed them both. When the disaster was over all that was left were two discs together, each showing its owner's last moments together. Their last words of "I love you."

Chapter Text

This was not what Paige expected to feel at all.

She'd thought it would be frightening, having to make sure guards didn't see her. But instead, she felt powerful, exhilarated. Looking out from a ledge on the side of a tall building next to Pavel's new Purgos base, she was like an eagle, watching and waiting for the right moment to swoop in and grab its prey.

Her reflection caught her eye again, and she looked at it, still somewhat not believing the program in white was her. With Able's help, Tron had made copies of his white suit for everyone, and that was what she wore now. It had actually been her idea, but she'd only voiced it as a joke, saying Pavel would go crazy once he found out there were more Renegades, which had earned a laugh from even Tron. That led to the decision that they all needed to look like The Renegade. Well, all except one.

Beck was crouched on the ledge beside her, his wings forming a black wall that camouflaged them with the rest of the building, hiding their lightlines from sight. Only her head stuck out over the feathered barrier.

"See anything?" he whispered, fidgeting with his own white disc.

"Not yet, but they should be close. They've been down there for a while now." After spying on Occupation transmissions, they had learned Pavel was secretly rounding up programs for classified experiments at his Purgos base...and the rest of the Occupation had no idea. So of course, it seemed the perfect time for the new Renegades to make their first appearance. And for rumors about the existence of a Protector to start. Though, for dramatic effect, Beck would enter in his Renegade suit.

The base was small compared to most other Occupation bases, but it was still a formidable complex. Of course, like many newer bases, much of this one was underground. In a way, that was a major flaw, Paige realized, as it limited escape routes should the base fall under attack. But this time, this feature was a disadvantage to the Renegades, who were there to rescue Pavel's test subjects, collect any important data, and do as much damage as possible to slow down any progress of whatever Pavel's ultimate plans were.

From two other points across the base from them, she saw the brief red light flashes that signaled Zed and Mara were in position, ready to storm the base at the signal from Tron and Able, who snuck inside earlier after stealing uniform code from some sentries. The two flashes meant that Beck and Paige could now move out to their separate positions. This way, four different areas would report seeing The Renegade charge into the base. As they stood, she hugged Beck close.

"Time for your big moment." she teased.

"Let's go save some lives." Beck smiled.

"And kick some idiot butt." Paige added, "And if you catch Pavel's reaction..."

"I'll take a picture and bring it to you in a frame." Beck said, hugging her back, "...I'm glad you're on my side, Paige." And with that, he jumped soundlessly into the air and soared out over the base toward his post, a fleeting shadow one would miss if they blinked. She waited until she couldn't see him before she took the lift down to her post, not far from the building she'd just done recon from. She signaled with her red flasher and saw Beck's flash a moment later. Now all they had to do was wait for-

A series of explosions rocked the base. Three green flashes from the others told her this was their cue. Her mask and helmet rezzed up as she sprinted toward the complex.

Beck stuck the white disc on his back as the explosions started. The familiar white suit materialized, and his wings derezzed, though he could still feel them there, able to reappear if he wanted them to. But right now, he needed to look like just The Renegade. So, he kept his speed and strength in check as he darted forward.

The explosions had been charges set by Tron and Able, once they found where the programs were held, to open the doors to free them. As dust cleared, he could see Tron standing before a large group of terrified programs who immediately became awed, shocked Programs when they saw The Renegade.

"It's alright," Tron assured them, "You're safe now." Beck walked up beside Tron, just as Zed, Mara, Paige, and Able walked up, each in a white suit.

"And remember to spread the word." Tron's mask disappeared, revealing his face, which shocked the programs even more, "Tron lives."

"Not for long!" Came a cocky sneer that could only belong to one Program. Pavel. The prisoners shrieked and ran as Pavel jumped out in front of his troop of Black Guards to face the Renegade, but paused when he saw not one, but SIX Renegades.

"Wh-Wha...DEREZZ THEM!" he shrieked. Paige bit her tongue to stop herself from laughing.

"Is he always such a wuss?" Mara asked over the comm.

"And just as annoying." Paige added.

"Guys, focus! I'd like to live through this!" Zed cried as he deflected a red disc.

"I'm back you fraggin' viruses!" Able yelled as he charged at another guard, and the rest of them followed, picking an opponent and locking them in. Paige was involved with two when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Pavel, making a run for it.

Not this time, she thought, You're mine! She quickly dispatched her opponents and took off after Pavel.

By now this part was easy for Beck, especially with his newly enhanced senses. He could hear would-be ambushers sneaking up on him, he could see even the slightest twitch of movement when they reached for a hidden weapon, and he could feel the heat in the air from their discs in time to dodge them. He slowly moved toward the edge of the pier where the base overlooked the sea, letting his opponents think they were beating him. He even added to his performance with a few grunts to sound like he was getting tired. Then he allowed one Black Guard to knock him over the edge. He screamed, like he was supposed to, and he heard the others yelling for him through his comm.

But then he heard something that wasn't planned. Paige screamed and he heard Pavel's jeering laugh.

Angrily, Beck switched from his Renegade suit to his Protector self. A huge downbeat of his wings sent him rocketing back up, his ears scanning for Paige as he shot over the heads of his friends and the dumbfounded faces of the freed prisoners. Then he spied his target. Paige was facing off against Pavel, but it was not going well He could see a gash in her side as she tried to avoid Pavel who he realized was using the booster disc. What surprised him was how slow and clumsy Pavel seemed now that Beck was also enhanced. Gritting his teeth, he dropped into battle.

Paige screamed as the disc she never saw slashed her side. Immediately she regretted pursuing Pavel, or at least doing it alone. She should've brought Tron or Able. No, Tron AND Able. Or better yet-

She was suddenly blocked by something big and black in front of her as the Program she'd just thought of arrived on scene. Pavel looked taken aback at the new arrival, Beck's wings spread in front of her. He also looked shaken when he realized he no longer had an advantage with his booster disc. Without it, he wasn't that great a fighter, and the same turned out to be true when he had it, but was pitted against another enhanced Program. Beck matched him easily, which seemed to both unnerve Pavel and tick him off at the same time. A pained cry from Paige caught Beck's attention just as Pavel leapt onto his back. Beck threw himself backwards, smacking his back-and with it, Pavel-hard into the ground. Pavel was stunned for less than a second, but it was enough that Beck was standing with a foot on his chest holding his disc when he recovered.

"Who in Clu's name ARE you, Renegade!?" Pavel demanded angrily, "Unhand my disc!" Paige backed away as she noticed the others coming to join them.

"I'm no Renegade", Beck growled, bending down low so he was in Pavel's face, "I am the System Protector."

The last thing Pavel saw was a baton coming at his head before he dropped to the ground unconscious.

Chapter Text

When Tesler heard about the attack on Pavel's base, he couldn't help bursting into laughter. He'd known something like this would happen, he just hadn't thought it would be so soon. To him, the incompetent moron getting his comeuppance was hysterical.

However, Tesler did note with utmost seriousness the amount of Renegades present...and the fact that Tron, the real Tron, had revealed himself to be one of them. And then there was the other Program, the winged one that attacked Pavel. That one piqued his interest more than even Tron did. He wondered if Clu had seen or heard about any of this yet. Surely the Admin was paying attention. Or maybe he was testing the general. That was always a possibility, Tesler realized. He had to be even more careful with his actions now.

Especially when he was going to do something that would mean instant deresolution for him if anyone found out about it.

Tesler didn't trust his ship or anyone on it to not be watching him, so he left quietly on his own after stunning a pair of sentries on his way out. He took their discs and locked the two in a maintenance room. Then the general quickly made his way to the small shop in Purgos, where his secret ally, the only person who knew what he was up to, waited.

"You're late, Tes." Gorn said, her newly restored voice quiet but stern, "They're already on the line."

"I had to deal with Pavel's idiocy. But today, it put me in a good mood. His cockiness finally caught up to him."

"Sounds wonderful," Gorn mused. "You'll have to tell me all about it when you're finished with your report." With that, she led him to the back of the shop, through the stockroom, and down into a cellar, whose entrance was concealed by a false wall panel. After a final door, they arrived in a small room with a single communications console in the center. Tesler nodded to Gorn, who shut the door and went back up to her shop. Once he was alone, the general turned to the monitor.

"My apologies, Moaat." he said. Moaat was a fierce looking Program, with dark skin, black eyes, and black hair in many long, dread-like braids. Only the glowing marks on her skin gave away the reason she was contacting him secretly like this.

Moaat was an ISO.

----------------------------------------------------------

"Sir? I think you'd better see this." Dyson barged in, datapad in hand, much to Clu's annoyance.

"See what?" Clu asked, as Dyson shoved the pad at him. It had a clip from a security camera around Commander Pavel's new base in Purgos. Clu was about to hand it back when he saw who was in the video. The real Tron, along with five others dressed like him. No wonder they couldn't catch this Renegade. They were only looking for one Program. But this also meant Clu's problem was worse than he'd thought. Instead of two problem Programs, he now had six to deal with. And then he saw the end. The unmistakeable winged form, something described only in theories, and yet here it was, very real, right before his eyes.

Tron was no longer his biggest threat. There was a System Protector out there.

----------------------------------------------------------

Once Pavel was knocked out, it wasn't difficult to sabotage all his horrific experiments. They saved the Programs they could, Paige rendering medical aid before tagging them to be picked up by emergency teams. Those they couldn't were quickly, though regretfully, put out of their misery to spare them further suffering.

Now the six were headed back to their base, Tron bringing up the rear. His son flew point, not needing a lightjet as his own wings carried him along just as easily. Actually, they made him fly BETTER, as the winged Program was more maneuverable, and faster with his maneuvers in the air. Even now, he could see Beck experimenting, angling one wing, straightening the other, seeing how his own movement affected his flight. He seemed like a young child again, meeting the world for the first time.

Zed and Mara bickered back and forth over something Tron couldn't hear, while Paige played music over her comm to try and drown them out. When they landed, Able finally stepped in to mediate.

"You okay, Paige?" Beck asked softly, trying not to cause a scene.

"Yeah, it's minor. I can fix it. Thanks, by the way." She looked down, "I thought I could take him."

"You could if he didn't have his booster disc. I'm just as enhanced as he is, and I mopped the floor with him. Which reminds me..." From behind his back, Beck pulled out a framed picture of Pavel's astonished face when he was faced with the Protector the first time.

"Oh my Users, you actually did that? Wow, you are BAD!" But she couldn't help laughing as she accepted it.

"I told you I'd get that for you. And I don't break a promise." Beck said, smiling, "And I never will."

----------------------------------------------------------

"Very good, Tesler. You are doing extraordinarily well." Moaat said when the general finished his report, "The time is coming for the next part of your mission, and it will likely be the most dangerous for you."

"What is it?" Tesler asked.

"We need to get this group of Renegades on our side. A Protector and Tron would be a great help to our efforts, and if everything succeeds, the Occupation will fall." Moaat looked him right in the eyes as she gave her next instruction, "We need you to leave the Occupation and join them."

"What? How? That would mean turning things over to Pavel, because I need a successor to officially resign and-"

"So don't officially resign." the ISO said. "This is part of why this task will be so dangerous for you."

"Are you...are you talking about desertion?" Tesler asked, eyes wide in surprise. Even before he finished the question, though, he knew what the answer would be. And when he thought about it, it made the most sense. It might even help him when he went to try and join the Renegades. He'd look more convincing having deserted the Occupation than leaving it officially.

He just needed to figure out how to get himself in with the Renegades.