Smoking on the job. What job?
Slipping the cigarette out from between his lips, Dante crushed the ashes into pixels against the ground as he moved forward and slid his helmet back into place. He might have felt stupid if he was capable of feeling anything at all—No, that was a disproven theory. He allowed himself to feel betrayed and anger stemmed from that betrayal that cut vast and deep from within. He’d let himself down. He had let everyone down.
By allowing CLU to slip between the cracks, he was just as flawed as his leader had become. Any sort of redemption would have to forced and taken. He was done with words, and he was done with their beacon. Pushing himself off the wall, he went to meet NOV at entrance of the throne room.
Jack’s Lament | The All-American Rejects | Nightmare Revisited
Conditions could hardly be more ideal. A cloudless sky greeted him and his lightjet, lightest of breezes carrying him toward his devoted team on the city limits. It had only been a cycle since his reawakening and the throne was already as good a his. Pride swelled at the thought of the force responsible for his rapid return to power. Loyalty as tenacious as Dante’s would no go unrewarded.
A group as large as theirs meeting in one place would not go unnoticed. Speed and efficiency would be key and to the perfectionist, he wasn’t going fast enough, right hand fidgeting irrepressibly on the controls. He didn’t even bother slowing his screaming speed as he landed, craft vanishing from under him, it’s owner rolling gracefully upright, his coat rezzing into place. With a crack of his neck, he entered the building, relieved he wasn’t the first to arrive.
Dante didn’t know where to place himself anymore. His former position as alpha told him to be suspicious of CLU, that he was now bad for their mission, glitch or no glitch. But the mission from the start had been to put him back in power, hadn’t it? He’d grown reckless by questioning his directive for so long. But it had clicked back in place, it was easy as few words to have him back on a leash, rolling over and fetching whatever he was commanded. Staying on top of the pack wasn’t the problem; the predicament was that he could no longer stay on top of CLU. Because of that although he headed the gathered group, he no longer stood before them, he stood among them, patient and waiting when he watched the former admin stroll through the door.
A scarlet glow pained the walls of the storage facility, his underlings having taken his preferred circuit colors. Even then, his second in command only took a glance to spot, insecurity rolling off him. His return must have still be something of a shock, so without a word, he strode over, giving the Black Guard a firm squeeze on the shoulder, moving to take his place at the front of the room. Reassurance, as well as a warning. If he made one false move, CLU would crush him.
Arms clasped behind his back, he waited motionless for the last to arrive and for the room to fall silent, helmet falling away. He was going to have to make this quick. ”Greetings, Programs. I see our numbers how dwindled since I last stood before you. Only the strongest remain, which is why you’re all here tonight. We’re going to take back what is ours. Recreate order from the chaos this slave of the Users has unleashed on our system. The plan is simple. The security team at the moment is a joke, so all we need to do is sneak into the place and eliminate every last one of them. Specifics will be downloaded to your discs when you pick up your batons. Let’s give ‘em hell.” The group gave him a militaristic grunt of affirmation, each of them going to pick up their vehicles and learn their part in the invasion, their leader smirking above them.
CLU headed over to Dante and his team, helmet locked again. “Sinon’s on the top floor. While these soldiers clear the building, we’re flying straight to him and his personal guards to destroy them. Understood?”
A good soldier is quite simple-minded. You take information, pick part, register and then hold until the completion of the mission. Nothing digests, nothing is run with a second thought. You’re job was to do, not think. These programmed qualities made Dante a good soldier. Standing here and taking the debriefing with little else whirring in his processor. Being a soldier wasn’t like being a predator and leading a hunt. The excitement simply… dwindled in war. “Affirmative, sir.” He answered with the most subtle movement of his helmet.
Conditions could hardly be more ideal. A cloudless sky greeted him and his lightjet, lightest of breezes carrying him toward his devoted team on the city limits. It had only been a cycle since his reawakening and the throne was already as good a his. Pride swelled at the thought of the force responsible for his rapid return to power. Loyalty as tenacious as Dante’s would no go unrewarded.
A group as large as theirs meeting in one place would not go unnoticed. Speed and efficiency would be key and to the perfectionist, he wasn’t going fast enough, right hand fidgeting irrepressibly on the controls. He didn’t even bother slowing his screaming speed as he landed, craft vanishing from under him, it’s owner rolling gracefully upright, his coat rezzing into place. With a crack of his neck, he entered the building, relieved he wasn’t the first to arrive.
Dante didn’t know where to place himself anymore. His former position as alpha told him to be suspicious of CLU, that he was now bad for their mission, glitch or no glitch. But the mission from the start had been to put him back in power, hadn’t it? He’d grown reckless by questioning his directive for so long. But it had clicked back in place, it was easy as few words to have him back on a leash, rolling over and fetching whatever he was commanded. Staying on top of the pack wasn’t the problem; the predicament was that he could no longer stay on top of CLU. Because of that although he headed the gathered group, he no longer stood before them, he stood among them, patient and waiting when he watched the former admin stroll through the door.
They have been finalized, sir.
I’ll come my ship again, save myself the trouble of finding a place to sleep.
Sir, the previous bombing of the arena has staked our success. Reports show that the root-kit’s fleet has been diverted from personal security.
… We can strike at… your word.
*stares out the window*
Perfect. What’s the number of programs we have at our disposal for the final attack?
Thirty-nine are formidable in combat… but fifty-three in total, sir.
And what does the root-kit’s security force look like?
*shakes head* A limited number now… not more than a few men. But the most recent data would come a Sentry program. Sentry 12.345.9—He would know more than I.
I’ll come my ship again, save myself the trouble of finding a place to sleep.
Sir, the previous bombing of the arena has staked our success. Reports show that the root-kit’s fleet has been diverted from personal security.
… We can strike at… your word.
*stares out the window*
Perfect. What’s the number of programs we have at our disposal for the final attack?
Thirty-nine are formidable in combat… but fifty-three in total, sir.
I’ll come my ship again, save myself the trouble of finding a place to sleep.
Sir, the previous bombing of the arena has staked our success. Reports show that the root-kit’s fleet has been diverted from personal security.
… We can strike at… your word.
