forum ENCOM OS-12 | OxO | Closed unless you're a fellow Program/User/ISO | Stalkers get a free Light Runner

Started March 25, 2021 by @murphysgirl

tune

"You too," she said. The words felt less stiff in her mouth now - it felt good.

“Thanks for letting me join you.” Cor smiled as he made it into the VIP room. “Hey, Bit! Get away from there before you cause any trouble!”

No.
Nora whirled around. "Bit, no."
Yes.
Nora strode over to Bit and batted it away from the cabinet. "Do you want me to put you in your cage again?"
Bit hesitated, bobbing up and down uncertainly. No.
"Good." Nora turned back around, crossed the room, and pressed the button to close the glass again. "I'd offer you a drink, but I doubt you would want one with Bit around."

“I could probably keep it safe. But better safe than sorry.” Cor agreed, before looking around the room. “It probably wouldn't surprise you to know I’ve never been up here before.”

Nora nodded. "Castor was very… selective with the programs he allowed in here. Even I had only been in here a few times before inheriting End of Line."
Turning around to bat Bit away from the drinks cabinet again, she added, "There's only a handful of programs on the Grid who have been here. And, supposedly, a User."
She glanced at the ground as if it would show signs of… she didn't know what. Glowing imprints? A sign that someone with flesh and blood, not code and cubes, had stood here once?

“I heard about that.” Cor nodded. He’d actually carried messages about that, both publicly and privately, across the Grid between other programs. With so many rumors, there had to be some truth to it. Of course, that was always accompanied by the message on the destruction of the End of Line… “It doesn't surprise me that Castor played favorites like that.”

"Castor did nothing but play favourites." She sat down on the couch, keeping her arms close to herself, not spreading out like Gem. "He thought flattery could get you anywhere." A bitter smirk brushed her lips. "He was right, if only a little bit."

Cor scoffed slightly. “Flattery can help… Castor was a flat-out suck-up. And he chose the wrong program to please.” he said a little angrily as he sat down on the other side of the couch, leaving as much room as possible between them. “I don't get how he could turn on Flynn like that.”

Bit, clearly uncomfortable with how far apart they were sitting, bobbed at a distance exactly halfway between them.
"He wasn't always like that," Nora said softly, though she didn't want to raise an argument with him. "The old Zuse wouldn't have done it… but the promise of power made him greedy."
She closed her eyes. Why was she telling him this?
"When I… took over this office," she said slowly, "I was cleaning out the drawers and I found a data cube." She opened her eyes, the image playing in her mind. "Clu and Castor had arranged something. Something about how if Castor gave Clu Flynn's disc… then Castor would have control of the Grid. I think the promise of that kind of power was what finally turned him."

Cor looked up at Nora, frowning slightly before sighing. “It’s so weird to think that Castor and Zuse were the same program.” he said, knowing how hypocritical it was of him to say that. “Zuse was a hero… or at least close to for so many. But Castor was… I don't know, something else. The complete opposite.” he explained.
“Control of the Grid…” he questioned thoughtfully. “I have to admit that would be tempting… but personally I would never take that kind of a bribe.” he shook his head with a sigh.

"Bit would," Nora said, almost without thinking.
Bit bobbed up and down happily. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Cor laughed a little at that. “Well, thank Flynn that Bit wasn't involved in that deal… Though it might be safer under it’s control.” he joked, shaking his head to show he wasn't serious about that. He let out a sigh and looked at Nora thoughtfully. “But now I wonder… Since Clu and Castor are gone, as well as Castor’s first favorite; does that mean technically you have control of the Grid?” he asked completely innocently and out of genuine curiosity. He wasn't trying to offend her, it was just a random thought that seemed like a possibility.

Nora stiffened a little at that, then shook her head. "I was never a part of the deal. Besides, the Grid is not mine to control. I don't want to be another Clu. I just want to keep it safe."

Cor shook his head slightly. “I didn't mean to imply that you were like that. Keeping the Grid safe is more than enough… I just meant that since Castor played favorites, it makes sense to me that Gem would have been his second in command if he had succeeded. But since there's no one else, and if we're just going down his list, I mean he did give you the End of Line…” he tried to explain.

"I understand." She nodded. "Better me than Astra or Skye, in any case."

“Definitely.” he agreed with a small nod. “I can't imagine what this place would be like with one of them in charge.” Cor almost chuckled, having only a vague idea of that since he’d met both of them only once.

"It would be worse than if Bit was in charge," Nora said with a straight face, and Bit adamantly whizzed around her head. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Cor nodded again, laughing softly. “Better Bit than those two.” he agreed.

Bit, deciding that it had taken enough abuse for one night, whizzed out of the office, leaving Nora and Cor alone. There was a moment or two of awkward silence, then Nora coughed softly and stood up, heading for the drinks cabinet. "Now that Bit's gone, we can enjoy a drink. Do you want one?"

Cor nodded and stood up with her. “If you're sure Bit won't get into too much trouble without us, sure.” he smiled softly.

"Bit knows not to get into trouble when Rika's around," Nora said, opening the cupboard. "She's one of the staff. She's a lot less lenient with Bit than I am."

Cor hummed in acknowledgment and glanced back in the direction Bit had left. “I just hope Bit doesn't hold a grudge. Though I don't understand why it reacted that way.” he admitted.

Nora shrugged. “What’s interesting about Bit is that it likes doling out abuse and chaos… not so much receiving it.”
She got out two glasses. “What sort of energy do you want?”

“What abuse?” he chuckled. “All we were doing was saying that we would rather follow it than Astra or Skye.” Cor shrugged. “Umm, I’ll just have whatever you have.”

Nora shrugged and got out a bottle of energy. "Bit takes things differently than you or I would. Do you want ice?"

Cor gave a brief hum and shrugged slightly. “Sure. I’ll have some.”

Nora prepared the drinks and walked back over to the couch, handing his to him. "Here."

“Thanks.” Cor smiled softly, accepting the drink and sitting back on the couch.

Nora sat back down and eyed the crowd, unsure of what to say. Conversation was never something that had come naturally to her, and the only topics she could think of were either too trivial or involved the hidden programs at the docks. It still was freaking her out.

Cor smiled a little, following her gaze as he sipped on the drink. Normally, he wasn't one for much conversation either since it was usually safer for everyone involved if he kept his mouth shut. But there was something about Nora that just made it so easy. “This room has a very nice view.” he said, sticking with, what he hoped were, more normal topics.