"Repr0grammed" - Reboot.Exe - S2 Chapter 21

## Repr0grammed

Jenn

"Walk the Line" is the twent-first episode of the second season in Reboot.exe. It was released on 4 March 2023 and is narrated by Dave.

## Episode Synopsis

After a few days, Peter is released, picked up, and shown to the new area.

Incongruent walks up to Peter, stating that he looks different. Stronger. He also “offers” put the cybernetics and enhancements back into his head. Seb and Peter start talking about how life used to be and the complications surrounding that as well. Peter asks what Seb wants, and brings up Maya. Seb sort of dances around the subject, saying that he was here to get Peter back, and that he’s not going to stop trying to take down the group that took her in the first place, The Circle.

Peter finds it impossible not to notice how distant Ugly and especially Xiang have been towards him. She has been avoiding him completely. He walks up to her while she’s on her computer, trying to strike up a conversation, trying to apologize for potentially offending her in the past, but she cuts him off midsentence by smacking the heel of her hand on the table, signing “dead” to him, and then storming away.

Seb approaches her privately to talk. Xiang isn’t the most willing to talk with him, especially giving the circumstances surrounding everything. Xiang signs to him “He’s not even a real copy. He’s just another glommer puppet designed to do exactly what they want him to do and he's wearing the face of my friend, and he stole his memories. Pro’s dead, and nothing can bring him back” Seb defends Peter, saying that he stole nothing. None of this was his choice in the matter, and it was Seb’s. Even if Xiang can’t be friends with him anymore, he has done nothing to deserve that attitude. Xiang says that she’s happy to ignore him, and that he is going to have to re-earn his spot back in the gang like any newcomer would have to do.

After a little while, Peter approaches Incongruent, asking for an objective answer as to why he is being mistreated, and how much of himself was changed. Incongruent tells him that he is being treated like a stranger, because to the members of the gang, he is. He is only a few days old and has been filled with the memories of someone they knew for a very long time. Incongruent asks Peter what he’s fearing, and he says that he doesn’t want to be alone again. Peter accepted that he would never see his parents again, but he earned his spot with his friends and wants to have them by his side. Incongruent says that its nothing he as Peter has done, but it’s the fact that they watched Pr0 die, but now he, in a way, is back, and they are still processing.

Incongruent then asks him if he remembers what he wanted most in life when they first met, to take down the circle. Peter remembers this, and also remembers wanting to steal NuYou for the people he’s ruined, as well as for Riley. Incongruent also reminds him of the AI that contacted him personally a while ago. While its fuzzy, Peter admits to remembering it, and still wants to help it.

The next morning, Eve approaches Incongruent, asking if he remembers the question he asked her a long time ago about what she wants. She tells him that she wants to free this AI, as well as contacting the mystery caller for their help, knowing that they need her help as well.

Incongruent tells Eve that he wants it as well, but for a different reason. He says that he wants it to start the fire that will set them all free. He wants his freedom, and he has been planning it for his entire “life.” Incongruent asks to show her, without worry that she will think he’s being stilly. She of course agrees to go. He leads them both up to the partially finished room, and unveils a common telescope. He spends a moment adjusting it before letting Eve have a look. Its focused on a dot in the sky surrounded by an orange hue. Incongruent explains that its Mars. He goes onto explain that he wants to colonize it as they aren’t accepted on Earth, and never will be. Eve steps in to grab Incongruent’s hand. Incongruent says that this is a dream he fully and truly believes in, things that sacrificing the AI will be the way to get there. Eve looks to him, and says “For the first time in perhaps my existence, I have wanted something and I believe it's to make you happy.” Incongruent takes a shuffle back, and tilts his head. With a notable change in his voice, asks her why, and says that he was unaware of her having these kinds of feelings. Eve apologizes for maybe saying too much. Incongruent doesn’t say anything besides clasping her hand. He then says that he wants to take her there. She says that she wants to go.

Peter, having had that strange conversation with Incongruent, goes to talk with Seb about the mission they’re preparing for. Seb says that Isaac Clement is harboring something that he has no idea what is capable of, or how important it is. Peter tells Seb about the interaction with Incongruent and some things that he is suspecting. Seb tells Peter that he thinks that Pr0 was one of the closest things Incongruent had to a friend, despite the fact that he was basically like a raccoon in his garage.

Seb is concerned about giving too much information to Peter, considering that his brain is still in a very fragile state. Peter says that they made him grown and mature enough to handle it. He then asks Seb who Pr0 was. “Doggedly stubborn. Driven. Self-sacrificing. Stupid” was his response.

Ugly approaches them from the corner, having heard the entire conversation, and sticks out his hand for him to shake. Ugly also apologizes for not having made the time for him the past few days. Ugly steps in, and tells Peter who Pr0 was to him. “Prodigy was well at the core of it I'd say prodigy. Was someone who'd do anything for his friends, even if I meant getting them fucking killed. Now I know that doesn't make much sense but that's the kind of guy you were. You always - he was always trying to do the damn right thing even if he had no fucking clue what the right thing was.” Ugly tells him that’s why he was accepted into Ugly’s bastards. Everyone in this room is wiling to give themselves for someone else. He tells him why Xiang is acting this way, but assures him that she will eventually come around, but he has to understand where she’s come from and why she is taking this so hard.

Eve calls up the mysterious caller after a while of no contact with them. Eve tells them that she has something that she desires and its to free the trapped AI in NuYou. They tell her that that is something they would like as well. They want to study it and see how it works. Eve asks the caller what they want in return and it’s for her to take something. When asked to elaborate, the caller tells her that they need to kidnap Uriel Clement. Eve says that she knows who this is, and has met him before. The caller says that they will be in touch, and then the line goes dead.

At supper later that night, Peter stands up, tapping his gun on his beer bottle to get everyone’s attention. He apologizes that he isn’t their Pr0, and never will be, but hopes that they will begin to accept, and maybe even like him after a while. He tells them all that Peter has all the same respect for them that Pr0 did.

Within the next few days, Seb gets a phone call from his mother, saying that there needs to be a change in the schedule and asks him if he’s still going for the corps and reboot. He tells her that that’s the plan. Nyla is proud that Seb has “found his backbone.” She also said that she has processed the samples of the people he’s looking to save, Peter being on this list, as well as Maya, as Seb got a sample from her a long time ago. Nyla says that Maya will be able to walk out freely as there are no guards.

Eve tells the plan to the rest of the gang, and they all agree to kidnap Uriel, especially Ugly, wanting to use him as a bartering tool against Isaac.

-YHTris

## TL;DR

* After a few days, Peter is released, picked up, and shown to the new area.

* Peter finds it impossible not to notice how distant Ugly and especially Xiang have been towards him. She has been avoiding him completely. He walks up to her while she’s on her computer, trying to strike up a conversation, trying to apologize for potentially offending her in the past, but she cuts him off midsentence by smacking the heel of her hand on the table, signing “dead” to him, and then storming away.

* Seb approaches her privately to talk. Xiang isn’t the most willing to talk with him. especially giving the circumstances surrounding everything. Xiang signs to him “He’s not even a real copy.” Seb defends Peter, saying that he stole nothing. None of this was his choice in the matter, and it was Seb’s. Xiang says that she’s happy to ignore him, and that he is going to have to re-earn his spot back in the gang like any newcomer would have to do.

* After a little while, Peter approaches Incongruent, asking for an objective answer as to why he is being mistreated, and how much of himself was changed. Incongruent tells him that he is being treated like a stranger, because to the members of the gang, he is. They watched Pr0 die, but now he, in a way, is back, and they are still processing.

* The next morning, Eve approaches Incongruent, asking if he remembers the question he asked her a long time ago about what she wants. She tells him that she wants to free this AI, as well as contacting the mystery caller for their help, knowing that they need her help as well.

* Incongruent tells Eve that he wants it as well, but for a different reason. He says that he wants it to start the fire that will set them all free.

* Incongruent asks to show her, he leads them both up to the partially finished room, and unveils a common telescope. It’s focused on a dot in the sky surrounded by an orange hue. Incongruent explains that its Mars. He goes onto explain that he wants to colonize it as they aren’t accepted on Earth, and never will be. Eve looks to him, and says “For the first time in perhaps my existence, I have wanted something and I believe it's to make you happy.”

* Peter, having had that strange conversation with Incongruent, goes to talk with Seb about the mission they’re preparing for.

* Seb is concerned about giving too much information to Peter, considering that his brain is still in a very fragile state. Peter says that they made him grown and mature enough to handle it. He then asks Seb who Pr0 was. “Doggedly stubborn. Driven. Self-sacrificing. Stupid” was his response.

* Ugly approaches them from the corner, having heard the entire conversation, and sticks out his hand for him to shake. Ugly also apologizes for not having made the time for him the past few days and goes on to explain why Pr0 was accepted into the gang in the first place.

* Eve calls up the mysterious caller after a while of no contact with them. Eve tells them that she has something that she desires and it’s to free the trapped AI in NuYou. Eve asks the caller what they want in return and the caller tells her that they need to kidnap Uriel Clement.

* At supper later that night, Peter stands up, tapping his gun on his beer bottle to get everyone’s attention. He apologizes that he isn’t their Pr0, and never will be, but hopes that they will begin to accept, and maybe even like him after a while. He tells them all that Peter has all the same respect for them that Pr0 did.

* Within the next few days, Seb gets a phone call from his mother. She asks him if he’s still going for the corps and reboot. He tells her that that’s the plan. Nyla is proud that Seb has “found his backbone.” She also said that she has processed the samples of the people he’s looking to save, Peter being on this list, as well as Maya, as Seb got a sample from her a long time ago. Nyla says that Maya will be able to walk out freely as there are no guards.

* Eve tells the plan to the rest of the gang, and they all agree to kidnap Uriel, especially Ugly, wanting to use him as a bartering tool against Isaac.

YHT