crux_fleet | For Science

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For Science

Despite ending up in some bizarre place that wasn't home, again, and running into someone that not even ten minutes before waking up in this place had been trying to kill him. Sam was doing pretty well, likely in part that after twitching out in a corner over seeing a younger version of a face that helped raised him on someone that was trying to kill him, he realized the murdering was not going to happen. For now at least.

This meant poking about the place. More specifically finding used or about to be thrown out electronics and other gadgets he could take apart and figure out. Mostly because he tuned out everything regarding becoming a student here and thus part of what exactly he would gain from such.

This little adventure proved a bit more profitable then he had originally thought, since he hadn't had to barter manual labor to get things. Now how to get it back to his little living space and where to start first was the question. Considering he was going to draw more looks if he kept wandering around carrying battered items.

((OOC: Action tags or prose is more then welcomed brosefs. Also placeholder but I work split shift today so I may not be able to get to tags until late tonight or tomorrow depending on how long I have to spend cleaning my kitchen after this parent dinner.))

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Judging by the smirk and the actual light of mischief in Tron's eyes.. yes, yes he does get some enjoyment out of that.

"I am not Jesus."

And also with the taking everything literally.

"I require clarification of User protocols."

"I'd fear for our souls if you actually were."

He will never get used to that aspect of you, it ruins so many quips if he has to turn around and explain what they mean.

"And I know you're not Jesus it's a figure of speech that would take way too long of a lecture to explain why and who he actually is."

...Seriously? You hunted him down because you didn't understand something. This is going to become a common thing isn't it?

"What confused you this time?"

And Tron just smirked some more as Sam flailed and tried to explain the term. Not that Tron completely got the explanation-- when something is said in the tone corresponding to expletives, that's generally what he figured they were.

"I am attempting to register my function with system administration. They gave me forms," he said, showing Sam the small stack of holographic paper that contained the paperwork for the various options available for someone with his skill set.. at least as far as anyone at the Renaissance Center had been able to figure out.

"This is unnecessarily complicated."

Since this was also probably going to take longer than a single conversation in the hall to clear up, Tron sighed and reached down to pick up the handful of things that had been dropped. This way he had a hostage against Sam running off again before he could get the data he needed.

He sees what you did there and if it wasn't for the fact he's still not certain if your aim is up to snuff yet or not he won't contemplate sacrificing those pieces to run.

"Well, I wonder why. Maybe because 'users' don't exactly have a clear definition of a function from the moment they start existing in the world. We also like to cause ourselves headaches in the form of paperwork. Don't ask why, we don't even understand why we do it."

He manages to shift most of the weight to one arm so he can hold out the other in a classic give it gesture.

"Let me see what poor admins they are trying to foist you on."

"Flynn said as much," Tron said, a sour note to it. He tilted his head as Sam motioned for the forms, raising his eyebrows.

"If you must."

He handed the forms over, watching Sam curiously.

In the end, the people at the Center had given Tron the forms for both military enlistment and militia enlistment, alongside an application for the civilian police force. There were also the requisite forms for enrollment into the university system to catch up on any coursework, and a more generic collection of ads for various places that could use some new workers and were willing to train newcomers.

"I can't read minds so if you want me to translate I have to know what I'm translating you ass."

It didn't take long, barring the awkwardness of going through pages, holomatter or not, one handed to get an idea of what they had offered him. It took a bit longer to mentally figure out how to translate what he knew and understood easily into a way that didn't just sound like him trying to verbalize root commands.

"First one is basically going out and taking care of out of system threats that would invade the system. This fleet. Pretty rigid and you'll have to work your way up from being told exactly where and who to fight to being able to tell others the same thing. Second is still fighting outside threats but you're not locked in to do that all day everyday unless a real threat pops up and they need your help. Sorta like activating a secondary firewall to bolster the primary during a hack attempt. Third is more in system. You'd roam around here and make certain people don't break the laws and not get into fights in the middle of the streets and such, throw troublemakers into quarantine and such until they serve the time or are ready to be let back out into polite society."

And he hands all of it back just as quickly as he asked for it.

"Take that enrollment form for the university and use it. You're in a user world right now buddy so learning how it operates means less of you stalking me in the streets because you don't know what is going on."

Tron hummed tunelessly, focus turned inward as he considered Sam's slightly harried translation of the various functions. It didn't look like this system had much room for an independent operator, at least not in terms of the various tracks that Sam had described.

It was... frustrating. He had no interest in surrendering his autonomy so soon after regaining it.

Sam's last comment, however, merited some response.

"Are you enrolling?"

It would help gauge how much that advice was just an attempt to make him go away and how much it was actually meant to be helpful.

If you had actually voiced that frustration Sam may have made a quip that would lead to disaster about mercenaries or such.

"Sadly, not much for formal education, but apparently I have thousands of years to play catch up in if I want to actually do anything here that a kid couldn't do already."

Tron snorted. Check. That was a transparent attempt to make him go away.

"What function will you take, then?"

They had two months, however long that was supposed to be. He didn't take Sam for someone who would appreciate being left in a random place.

"No clue, didn't really have one back home. That and after finding out you guys actually do exist and are alive is going to make doing anything regarding computers awkward. So thanks for that existential crisis there pal."

And like hell is he telling a firewall he use to hack into systems.

"Does it really make a difference to you?"

Flynn had never really hesitated about doing whatever he wanted. On the contrary, in Tron's memory he reveled in being able to do so much with so little effort once he had the hang of it.

"Dude, you guys are alive that kinda messes with the head just a little. I mean when you go from thinking you were just lines of code we wrote to that you actually you know have lives and thoughts you don't exactly just get over that. I'll probably not be able to delete a program again without thinking about that."

He's going to have nightmares now about that light cycle race and having someone die while he was trying to help him. You just don't shrug that off and act like nothing happened.

"Did you really think I worried so much about Quorra when you got her just to turn around and say it's no big deal because you're a program?"

Congrats, Sam. You have won a look of slightly incredulous incomprehension. Tron's posture might even have been a little familiar-- Rinzler had locked up almost the same way during that one tense moment on the Rectifier.

"Quorra is an ISO," he managed after a few moments, though there was a faint edge of.. hope? in his voice.

Excuse him if he flinches automatically at the posture change.

"I didn't know there was such a thing as an ISO before Zeus sold me out to Clu. Still don't really know what that means. Quorra is Quorra she saved me and helped me. I wasn't going to just leave her after she did that."

"Flynn didn't tell you about them?" Tron said, confusion and caution both in his tone. "How miraculous they were?"

There was a lot of bitterness in that. Flynn had never shut up about them, even as he was blithely ignoring the problems the entire rest of the Grid were having. By the end, the only real surprise had been that Flynn was so willing to leave Quorra behind and give Sam priority after all that he'd let be destroyed to keep her out of trouble.

"Dad didn't exactly tell anyone much of what was going on. Everything I knew about you I thought was just some bedtime story he made up. Alan said he was really secretive before he disappeared."

At least he talked to you about things. He spent his time growing up thinking all those stories were just a way to make him not ask all the time why he was never home. Only to have it all end up like it did.

Tron looked down, frowning. It explained a little, like why Flynn had never brought in another User despite his asking. How glitched had the User been, before Clu had elected to take matters into his own hands?

Sam, however... Sam was in front of him. And, at least for now, seemed worth following.

"Where are we going?"

Tron did have an armful of Sam's junk electronics, after all. He edged over a couple of steps, looking at least marginally pleased with himself.

And Sam realizes the mistake of staying and talking instead of fleeing when it was still a good idea. There wasn't even any way to decoy this out, at least not anyway he could see that wouldn't get noticed by his new stalker.

He also sees that slight pleased look you have and is a bit disgruntled.

"Back to my new home away from home."

Tron's smile just widened at the sour look Sam gave him. Too late, User.

"Let's go, then."

He would flip you off, but you likely wouldn't know what that means, and that would involve possibly dropping a few more things for you to pick up and act smug at him for.

"This is not an open invite for you to appear at all hours, whenever you want."

He's so going to get a room change request in tomorrow.

Aw Sam. Your protesting made Tron just feel more and more like he won something. And winning was awesome.

"Of course not."

Hacking door locks gets old after a while. Admittedly, he still had to get practice with the kind here, but...

"Somehow I don't believe you at all."

He hates you so much right now, especially as he's managed to squash most of the gibbering terror you caused in him the last time they met.

Tron was content to just smile at Sam, though maybe with a few more teeth than strictly necessary, and follow him to his quarters. If he was busy also memorizing the route, well... Sam clearly needed someone to keep an eye on him.

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