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Aydan > are you tying to say that the problems we’re both experiencing are somehow connected??

ÆON > Everything is.

Aydan > right right cryptic non-answers, what am I supposed to ask you? what do I do???

ÆON > The æther around you is unstable, affected by the same entity that now threatens my system. Disconnect this machine from the æther and it should no longer affect you.

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The lights flicker on again. This time, you see in the flashes tendrils of white smoke, encroaching from the vents in the ceiling. As the lights flash, the cloud shifts, reflecting bits of light like static snow.

Aydan > so I just shut the machine down? that will stop all this? simple enough

ÆON > Yes, I believe it will work.

Aydan > great thanks ÆON!

ÆON > Of course, Aydan is my friend.

“So we just shut it down?” Zeta says.

“That’s what it said, yeah.” You stand up. With a bright flash, a blue electric arc launches from the black cloud now covering the ceiling. It narrowly misses you and hits the chair you just left.

“Okay, do it,” Zeta says.

“I wouldn’t even know how from the terminal on this ancient thing. But there’s a big switch downstairs that’ll take care of it,” you say.

“Okay, let’s go!”

You both turn toward the elevator, when the gate suddenly slides shut.

“No, what are you doing??” You run up to it and press the button, but the platform is already moving up, leaving you stranded. Above, the cloud flashes with arcs discharging inside it.

You turn back to Zeta. “It’s trying to stop us from shutting it down. Look for another way!”

Zeta starts searching the floor, you look around the walls. But above, the cloud begins to glow. By another unknown instinct, you manifest a barrier around yourself, made of the same pink-tinted water surface as the portal you opened earlier. Another large arc strikes at you, but it hits your shield. The bright branches spread out across the liquid surface, surrounding you, but never reaching you.

“You’re not so tough!” you shout at the ceiling. The air in the room then turns chilling cold. You see the smoke creeping back up into the vents, taking air pressure from the room with it. Your breath feels faint as the temperature drops.

“It’s taking our air...” Zeta leans against the wall, trying to catch its breath.

The room vibrates as the elevator gates open up again.

“It’s back! Come on!” You step onto the platform, unable to see anything as the black smoke completely covers the flickering lights. Out of the darkness, something grabs your arm--a hand. A chill runs through your body, and you search for any weird brain command that could defend you. But it lets you go, and touches your shoulder instead, and slides down your arm.

You take the hand from behind, and it signs your name, “Aydan?”

You switch roles and sign back. “Akiko! It was you who took my elevator.”

“You didn’t meet me on time, so I was worried,” Akiko signs.

You hug her, then take the speaking role again. “I’m so glad you’re here. Everything is falling apart.”

“So you also figured it must have something to do with this supercomputer,” she signs.

“We’re going to shut it down. We think that will stop it!” you sign.

“Then let’s go!” she signs.

Zeta follows you onto the platform, about to press the button to go down.

“Wait!” You run back to the terminal, now short of breath. You don’t know why you suddenly felt concerned about a program, but before you can question it, your hands are back on the keyboard.

Aydan > but what about you? if we shut the machine down in this state...

ÆON > If my root device is powered off now, with the damage it already has sustained, it may not be able to reboot. I do not know what could happen to me.

Aydan > we could...kill you?

ÆON > I am not affected by humanoid things like the fear of mortality. But this entity surrounding me now, I fear it. Do not let it reach my root directory. Shut the system down before it can, that is what I ask of you, Aydan.

Aydan > could we transfer you off of this machine? back you up somehow?

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“What’s wrong, Aydan?” Zeta says.

“It’s...I can’t explain it, but I care about this program somehow. I don’t want to destroy it!” you say.

“It may be it or us...” Zeta says.

“There might be a way.” You take your own little terminal from your bag. “Our terminals have far more storage and processing power than this machine. Do you think we could download ÆON’s root into this?”

Zeta takes your terminal. “Everything is compatible, Aydan. If that’s what you want, I’ll try to jury-rig an adapter from one of the ports on the mainframe.” It takes a deep breath. “We may not have much time, though...”