"So this is my theory-" a shorter then average Irken male said pointing at the board. "I believe that all life, once their bodies have expired, can exist in the wired world of the Internet and computer!"
"And do you have proof, Ter?"
"Well... erm... no." said the red-eyed Irken, "But I'm positive-If you give me a second-I'll show you-"
"Ter," the board leader stood and sighed, "I'm sorry, we want facts, not fiction. We want hardcore realism, not your made up fantasies from Serial Experiments Lain. When you have true fact, please tell me. Until then, stay away from your Anime and take a long walk around town, my boy."
"NO! Professor-"
"Goodbye, Ter." The door shut and Ter threw his papers in the air.
"What do I have to do to prove I know this is true! GOD!"
He kicked the papers and picked them back up. No use now, they still were positive that his ideas came from an Anime. But he was positive that this was true! He knew you could program your "soul" into computer chatter and save yourself, be immortal! He sighed and left the building to his apartment, no one believed him and that was still the problem! Not a single soul.
Daaaaamn.
He kicked open the door to his apartment and sat down in front of his new computer. Ter smiled; at least his Comp knew he wasn't lying! At least it thought that Ter could program his Essence into it! He started typing up a new essay about this for his science class. Being a Diplomat in training was difficult, and he wanted to be just like Zix, Invader Moose and Kro's partner! He hit his forehead as he realized that he had just typed what he had been thinking.
What a silly thought, being a Diplomat. Not much in that job.
Ter froze. Since when did computers start writing to you?
"Who-are-you? And-why-are-you-writing-to-me?" said Ter as he typed.
Because the Void is as boring as-Well, let's not go there, shall we? The cursor paused for a minute for him to read. It is boring here, as I said, and I need some... FUN, lack of better wording. And, trust me, Diplomating is not as fun as it sounds.
Who are you?
I am someone lost and forgotten, don’t worry your pretty little head about it. What’s this essay you’re writing then, hmm?
It’s about this theory I have. An Irken being able to program themselves into the computer and staying alive forever!
Cool.
Isn’t it? No one believes me, except you. You’re the first.
Congrats to me.
Look, um, whoever you are-
Rim. Just call me that, Mister Ter.
Okay, Rim, I gotta get to sleep for tomorrow. Night.
Ciao, baby. G’Night.
Ter flicked his computer into sleep-mode and tumbled into bed with a happy sigh. Something was going right! Someone believed him!

"Moose, to the left-NO, MY LEFT, DINGBAT!" snapped Kro as the Voot missed the asteroid.
"Weeell! EXCUSE ME-"
"ou aren’t!"
"HUT UP! You wanna drive?" snapped Moose glaring at Kro.
Kro shook her head, "No thanks. I never did get my license, ya know."
"Thanks for enlightening me."
"No prob." Both glared at each other and turned away.
"Hey, let’s play the radio!"
"NO."
"Oooh, why not karaoke?"
"NO."
"Tough crowd, tough crowd! CD, I got the new Sugarcult one!" said Zix waving the CD in front of Kro.
"No, for the thousandth and thirtieth time! No one wants to listen to music!"
"Sing?"
"NO!!" screamed both Moose and Kro.
Zix shrugged, "Fine, fine. One last question-"
"Don’t you dare-" growled Kro.
"-Book on tape?"
"NO!"
Zix sighed and rolled over, "I’m gonna go to sleep. As I’m not needed!"
"Thanks," said Moose grinning, "We might’ve had to do something drastic, like-"
"Chuck you into the vacuum of SPACE AND LEFT YOU TO DIE-" interjected Kro.
"-No! Knocked her out with a crowbar!" said Moose. As the two argued on the best maiming methods, Zix quietly fell asleep.
None of them saw the warning on the dashboard.

Ter was practically brimming with confidence. This person on the computer was agreeing with him all the way! She said she even knew how to stash oneself onto a databoard! He danced around the halls and stepped into his first classroom. No one was there so he pulled out his laptop for some last minute prep on his paper (still hadn’t printed it).
Whatcha doin’? Looks like yesterday’s paper. What’s up? asked Rim. Ter smiled and told her he was working on.
Didn’t you do that YESTER-EVE?
I did, I’m just... fixing it.
Why?
What?
Why fix it? Isn’t it perfect?
No, not quite, thank you, though.
Not a prob.
Rim...?
Yes?
Do I ever get to see you? Like a picture or something?
Sure. I’ll do even BETTER then that, Ter.
Ter stared at the words on the computer. What was better then a picture? Was she going to show up in real life? In "the flesh" so to speak?
Suddenly, the screen blazed silver/black and a picture flashed on the screen.
"Hello, Ter." Her voice fizzled and static covered the page. Her voice was diguised, even an ill-read computer retard could tell THAT.
"My God, Rim?"
"That’s me," said the woman on the page. "Ter, I need you to do something."
"What’s that?"
"I’m going to soon send you a program file. Save it to the hardrive of the computer at your house."
"Okay, so when is that?"
"I’m going to start downloading the file as soon as class starts. After that I’ll tell you what to do, okay?"
"’Kay."
"Good...Class will start as soon as you close down the laptop." The screen fizzled and Rim was gone. Ter typed a few words to see if she was still there, but she had logged off to find the program. He shut down the laptop and class started, just like Rim had said.

Ter was the first out of class when the end bell rang. He ran to his Mini-Voot and drove home, totally destroying the meaning of "Speed Limit" as he went. He kicked the apartment door open and slammed it shut as he raced to his computer. Sure enough, it was slowly downloading a file called "RETALIATE".
Rim, are you there?
I’m working on downloading the file, but it seems to be doing well without me. Do you require my help with something?
No, I just wanted to thank you for this. Whatever it is.
It’s a program (as you doubtless know), that will help me find you.
It isn’t... dangerous or anything?
No, and you saw me and I won’t hurt you. I’m not one of those creepy people you sometimes find. Don’t worry.
Ter nodded, oddly comforted by this weird Irken's writing and pulled out a book to read and fell asleep presently.
Rim opened a movie playing file and watched him quietly, smiling with a little secret all her own.

"HEEEEEEY, RED-BOY!"
"Go away!"
"I CAAAAAAN’T!!"
"Why not?"
"Becauuuse!"
"That isn’t an answer, dangit!"
"Didja hear?"
"Your voice? Yes, I am constantly plagued by it!"
"Kro... WOULDN’T BE SO MEAN!"
"She’s your fiancé, of course she wouldn’t. But she’s cruelly honest too," said Red and turned, "Okay, what am I supposed to have heard?"
"The first micro-meteor storm in a hundred years is approaching! See it’s in the Vexan Times!" Red took the paper and read.
"Interesting... how strange, lookit this... says we should all stay inside, least one of the micro meteors clogs up the engine. Well, this means we’re gonna have to call everyone back."
"What about the Invaders?"
"They’re all on their planets, everyone is FINE."
"What about Kro?"
"I checked," Red replied grinning, "Kro, Zix and Moose are about ten hours away. The storm won’t hit them."
"Okaaay... I miss Kro..." Purple said.
"I know you do." Red stood and both headed out for breakfast.
"I wanna hold her and touch her and kiss her and-"
"THAT’S ENOUGH!"

Rim, did you hear? There’s a micro-meteor storm coming!
What’s that?
It’s a rare space storm!
Duh.
Yes, well, I wasn’t finished!
Do carry on.
God. Anyway, mini meteors from various parts of the galaxy are carried by space winds, right?
Right...
So a storm is where space gas and wind get shuffled together and the micro meteors are FLUNG EVERYWHERE!
Like a hurricane on Prem 36. Lovely in the summer.
Yes, but everyone is supposed to stay home and not to fly or anything cuz then they might get hit with the micro meteors.
Brutal.
NO! BAD!
Those with humor call it sarcasm.
Thanks.
No prob, thanks for the info, the program is nearly done. 80% done, so 20% is left.
Okay, I’m gonna go make dinner, I’ll write after dinner, okay?
Perfectimundo.
What?
Fine, genius.
Whatever, adios.
Ciao, baby.

"...Look, we put her in the glove compartment, lock it and BOOM! Problem solved." said Moose.
"No no! We take her and leave her on that asteroid over there! DUH!" replied Kro.
"Glove compartment!"
"Asteroid!" Zix awoke conveniently at that point and both stopped their quarreling immediately.
"Who’re we gonna put in the glove compartment?"
"MR. SNOOFULS!" shouted Kro and shoved the authors prized stuffed animal in the glove compartment and locked him up! Oh the raging terror!
Moose sighed, "The author will kill you for that!" "I’d like to see her TRY!" A small piece of paper floated lazily around until Zix caught it.
"Oh! Kro, it says that I’m gonna suffer!"
"Really? I knew all your debts would show up one day. All those CDs and everything...How're you gonna handle it?"
"I’m not."
"The bank will have a field day with you!"
"It’s for you." Zix handed the letter over to a flabbergasted Kro.
(A/N: Yup, Red Dwarf moment! It belongs to whoever owns it, by the way.)
"'Dear Kro, because of your incredible lack of sensitivity, I, the author, will do something really mean. Please meet me after the filming of this so I may have a talk with you. In the mean time, I’d be careful, think of what I can do! JUST THINK, DANGIT!
Not so Luv, the Author'" read Kro. "Oh-ho-ho! Told ya not to mess with the author!" said Moose. Kro chucked the letter into the backseat.
"Nevermind. I’ll talk with her later. So are we almost there yet?" demanded Kro.
"Almost, the last transmission said we were ten hours, but now we have about five hours left. Why?"
"No reason, I just have this feeling that something really bad will happen."
"Well, yea, the author just told you she was gonna get ya, so I’d think so!" said Zix.
Kro shook her head, "No I mean really bad. Like a storm or something. That kind of bad."
Zix laughed, "Kro, the last micro storm was over one hundred YEARS ago! We won’t get one-"
Suddenly, something hit the window.
"What was that?" asked Moose.
"I dunno! COMPUTER!" shouted Zix, paranoia getting the better of her.
"Eh?"
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT THING THAT JUST HIT THE WINDSHEILD?"
"Gah, I dunno! Lemma check!" Some lofty elevator music began playing as two more things hit the shield. "That, my fine friendth, wath a MICRO-METEOR! Ya know, we haven’t had one of them for like a thousand YEAR-"
"Ooooh boy..." muttered Kro as the tiny Voot rocked with the force of the starting storm. "What do we do?!"
"I would think try and get out of here! Computer, how long till the storm is completely on us?"
"About... oh, five hours. Convenient, ne? I mean, you have five hours to get to Fudge and all-"
"FULL SPEED AHEAD, MATEIES! THIS PUPPY’S GOIN’ INTO HYPER DRIVE!" screamed Zix and pushed a button on the dashboard. They were rocketing through the storm, meteors hitting them on either side, when something huge exploded behind them...

Beep, beep, beep...said the computer in Ter's house.
"Arrgh... I didn’t fall asleep! I swear!"
"Of course you didn’t. Who was this Tay you were talking about then?" asked Rim from the computer.
"Oh, no one!" Ter said, blushing. "Just-"
"A girl?"
"Yea."
"Well, its done, come here." Ter stood and walked over. The movie player flipped off and the word program opened.
Now then, enough sleep. You surprise me with your need. Doesn’t it worry you?
What?
When you wake up, and you don’t know what's happened while you were asleep? Oh well, never mind. Open the program, please.
Ter searched the desktop for it and found it, "Retaliate". He clicked on it and it opened to display several graphs.
A token of thanks, wrote Rim, for your help with this. This is how to turn the Irken Essence into computer data.
Ter's hungry eyes read it. How to program, how to live, EVERYTHING! Oh, Rim THANK YOU!
Later, Ter. Click on the second folder titled RATIFY.
Ter clicked it open and found a small program called "Fortress".
Open it. DO IT NOW, TER! Rim was getting slightly urgent now, thought Ter. He shrugged and opened it.
Okay, Ter, this is the last thing you must do! Open that folder and write into it VINDICTION. NOW!
Ter opened wrote and the computer exploded in a ball of pure silver lighting static.

They say Ter was out before he even hit the ground. A form stepped from the desk, lilth and tall. Her eyes were carnivorous for revenge and silver-black with the terrible suffering of many years, in or out of a computer. She smiled, pointed teeth glittering.
She turned to look at the dead, still form of Ter, "I never meant for you to be broken, dear. And all that hard work on those papers! Sorry." She touched his forehead and sighed, "Didn’t Mri tell you, the Diplomat business sucks? Oh well, no one listens to Mri anyway. Ciao, baby."
Mri sighed and stepped over him. She had some work to take care of.