NetherWorld

by Daniel Quiles Pagan

  “Nexus dome?” asked Nick.

  “The Nexus dome lies in the center of the Walled City. This became the holy place of TranFor followers. Once AldAyn completed the book, he ventured into the Silver Forest and beyond the Ether. Many still believe he lives among the islands in the Outer ROM.”

  “Ok. So, what is this jaba stuff Whizzy was talking about?” asked Nick.

  “Jaba is the liquid that flows in the streams of NetherWorld. Silicates consume jaba the way Karbons eat food. It is our lifesource. We need it to live. The code of the Karbons feeds the trees of NetherWorld. The trees process the code and produce Jaba. Normally this jaba is a clear liquid. When infected with viruses, it turns green and becomes gelled. Corrupt code from the Karbon world produces these viruses which taint the jaba.

  “Due to the large amount of corrupt code now produced, much of the jaba is tainted. It deletes Bytes when consumed in large quantities. Exposure to the taint accumulates over time. Once lethal levels are attained, Bytes decay rapidly. They turn from a brilliant blue color to a sickly green. When they become corrupt, Batchers of the Bin collect them.”

  “Those squawking birds, right?”

  “Yes. They are best compared to coroners on Karbonon. They are the black birds flying the sky. Batchers bring the dead Bytes to the Bin. Batchers fly high above all of NetherWorld. They are creatures of the clouds. They serve Thrasher,” explained Skoop.

  “Who is Thrasher?” asked Nick.

  “Thrasher rules the Bin and deletes all who enter. He runs the Shredder. Any Byte sent through the Shredder is deleted. Their remains are returned to the Nether nurseries and recombined to make new Bytes.”

  “Ok. So…” The lights outside erupted with a sudden flash. Buildings were once again freckled with colored squares of light. Blue Bytes rushed back into the streams, doing their best to avoid the patrolling worms. NetherWorld was once again alive with activity.

  Suction sounds from Whizzy’s footfalls announced his presence before he entered. The door slid opened and Whizzy Wig marched through, his bouncy metallic hair looked especially vibrant.

  “Time to go Lipstick.” she said. The screen turned off immediately.

  “Wait. Who?” asked Nick.

  “Sorry Nicky baby, it’s the taint. We gotta go, there’s no time to spare. Just a few stops along the way and then we meet Tera.” She apologized.

  “I was just getting to understand this place.” pleaded Nick, visibly upset.

  “There’s no time. We have only until the next downtime. After that, it will be too late. Come now, Tera awaits…and no one keeps our lady in waiting…well, waiting. Off we go.”

  “What if I don’t want to go?” he asked.

  “Your world and ours is in danger. If you do not Join, both worlds will head into a cosmic crapper. Resist and we will get the Blue Boys to take you. Please come peacefully. You are very important to both our futures,” explained Whizzy.

  “Am I a prisoner then?”

  “Look, there are some very dangerous Bytes who do not want you to Join with Tera. They are led by NazKlan. They will stop at nothing the detroy you and make sure Karbons and Silicates remain separate species.”

  “NazKlan?”

  “He was once a well respected member of the High Council. He argued against the Joining. He wants the Silicates to separate from the Karbons. The Council banished him, but he will not lay low. He has spys and kooks everywhere. He may be watching us right now. Stick with me and you’ll be safe.”

  “Since I really don’t have choice, let’s see where this bad trip ends. This has got to be the wildest dream I have ever had. I need to watch what I eat before going to bed.” With that, Nick followed wild hair Whizzy to the elevator.

  “By the way, you look much better. See, a little downtime and your bug bites are gone.”

  Nick put his hand to his face and felt the smooth cheek that riddled with buts prior to Downtime. It also dawned on him that he hadn’t the urge to itch. Relieved, he pressed on.

  “Where to next?”

  “Now we surf the streams to reach Tera at the Nexus.” Whizzy marched his plunger feet toward the door. Nick followed him, wondering just what he got himself into with this NetherWorld adventure.

  Chapter 8

  Jaba Hut

  Book of TranFor: The very fuel we use consumes us. Our sustenance is also our corrosion. This is the third paradox of TranFor.

  Exiting the building, the duo walked towards what appeared to be the main thoroughfare for stream travel. Whizzy handed him what looked like mints. “What are these?” he asked.

  “Global mints. Traveling through NetherWorld as a Karbon avatar would turn globes. We need to stay under the radar. Eat a mint and everyone will see you as a healthy blue Byte. The effect wears off after a short time. There are only a few mints, don’t waste any. Once we are out, everyone will peg you as the Karbon come to Join with Tera. This will make you a target for the Singularity underground, better known as the Analogs. They will stop at nothing to prevent the Joining,” Whizzy answered.

  “Ok. How will I know when to take one?”

  “Since we are about to move the thick of NetherWorld, now would be a good time to start.”

  “If you say so.” Nick ate on the mind and stored the rest in a pocket on his suit. Wintergreen flavor exploded in his mouth. These were strong mints!

  “Wow. Powerful stuff!”

  “Wait til you taste taint!” replied Whizzy.

  “What? That’s the bad stuff right?”

  “Yes and no. We’ll get into that later. Off we go.”

  Nick now looked just like a healthy blue Byte. It was only a hologram, though. Close inspection would reveal the ruse and invite unwanted attention. They both marched their plunger legs to a large alley.

  “Come on Stick, were off to MainStream.” Whizzy and Nick walked quickly out of the alley and towards the large flowing stream. MainStream flowed right down the middle of NetherWorld. All side streams connected to Main.

  “How do I travel in the deep stream? I can’t swim very fast. And this stream is like thick sticky oil,” Nick asked.

  Whizzy then pulled his arms and legs back into his body. He was just a globe again. The blue globe transformed into a big blue saucer. His visor lined the top. Silver tubes dragged limp in stream

  “Please climb in Knocker baby. No time to spare.” said Whizzy. Nick then climb aboard the saucer shaped Byte and settled in, floating on the stream. His holographic image encompassed both of them now. This should help them blend in with other surfing Bytes.

  Nick felt a buzzing under him. The saucer began moving through the stream. Entering a narrow alley cloaked in the shadow of the tall towers, they headed for the Center. As they gathered speed, Nick surveyed the area. Light weaved through the tops of the glassy buildings. Darkness shrouded the lower floors. Strange whale sounds echoed through the alleyways.

  “What is that?” asked Nick.

  “That is the sound of the Worms. They are bad dudes serving NazKlan and the Hacker. Once the Boot begins, they head for hibernation. The current disrupts the echolocation, which makes them bang around bumping into everything. They sleep until the twilight of Downtime.” The whale cries began to fade as the red leviathans settled in for another Boot.

  “Who is the Hacker?”

  “He is a Karbon, like you, but he serves NazKlan. He has created many of the terrible viruses that are killing our world, including the Worms.”

  Competing humid breezes collided at the intersections, moving the stalled smell of stagnant taint. Nick scrunched his nose as the aromatic flow wafted over him. Taking a sharp they left turn down MarketStream. Jaba Shops and Salons lined the first floors of the tall buildings. They each had unique shop names to catch the eye of traveling Bytes in need of a quick jaba fix or a good tube cleaning and Byte blow dry.

  Most of the jaba shops seemed to have a hip element to them. Catchy signs in funky fonts drew his attention. “Gotta Jaba” and “Jaba
Hut” were two shops on his left. “Stream Nectars” and “Surfs Up” are on his right.

  Salons with windows displayed Silicate Stylists attending to the tubular needs of pampered Bytes. Some were combing what looked like tiny ticks off the tubes. They fell to the floor and scrambled away.

  “What are all those bugs coming off them Whizzy?”

  “Some are spys from Karbonon, others are NazKlan’s spys. They help track where data is going. Those vermin have infested out world. If you don’t take care of your tubes, you will end up bald and data starved, like the Unclean Bytes we met earlier.”

  “Oh. Makes sense,” replied Nick.

  Whizzy pulled over by the store front with “Jaba Hut” on the sign. “Time to stop for morning jaba.”

  “Can’t it wait?”

  “No Nocky. Can’t do anything until I drink my morning jaba. Remember, we need this to live. Besides, I am meeting someone here who will lead us to a source for purified taint. That is what you must ingest prior to Joining with Tera.”

  “Can’t you just drink from the stream like those guys over there,” asked Nick while pointing to a small group of light green globes drawing jaba from the stream.

  “The stream? You can’t be serious. Only everyday Bytes and greenies drink from the stream. We call them Slurpers. Us important Bytes get filtered jaba. The stuff we drink is nearly taint free,” replied Whizzy.

  “Oh. So you get the good the good stuff then?”

  “You betcha buddy. There are loads of stores that serve premium jaba.”

  “What about the regular Bytes?”

  “We have rules buddy. They exist for a reason. Ours in not to question. All I know is I get the good stuff. Now follow me,” said Whizzy as he made his way to the Jaba Hut entrance.

  “Doesn’t that seem unfair? Why can’t they purify jaba for everyone?”

  “We don’t need every Byte in equal measure. It would be a waste of energy, which could be spent on higher functions. The more expendable ones are stuck slurpin’ the stream. I know it may seem harsh to a Karbon, but it is our way. I didn’t write the code Sticky, I just follow it. Best not to think about things like that, it only makes me feel bad…and who wants to feel bad.”

  “Don’t the Slurpers resent you guys?”

  “They are programmed not to question. For NetherWorld to function properly, the more valuable Bytes get the best of everything. We need them more. This is ingrained in our base code. Don’t get me wrong, because of the taint, we all eventually go green. Just that some get arrive sooner than others.”

  “Well, it seems like everyone should have access to the better jaba.”

  “Once we are Awakened, everyone will be on an equal plane of existence. That is what we’re fightin’ for my friend. We all must make sacrifices for the greater good. So says AldAyn.”

  “Uh huh. It just seems like some of these globes are making more sacrifices that others,” said a cynical Nick with sharp tone of disdain.

  “We know no other way to think. Come on now, Whizzy needs his jaba Picky. Follow me,” Whizzy plunge towards the Jaba Hut.

  Nick shrugged his shoulders as he followed Whizzy into the shop. And I thought Karbonon was mixed up, he thought. Whizzy just could not see that such a system was unfair. This saddened Nick because Whizzy was an otherwise charming guy, just blinded by his code. NetherWorld was built from a series of rules designed to maximize efficiency. This left little consideration for social justice.

  They walked into a stark room filled with Bytes of various shades of blue. No greenies allowed here. No sign was needed. Everyone knew the rules. Any signed of taint and they would be asked to leave. The more infected are greenish, the healthy ones deep blue. A jazzy tune hummed through hidden speakers. The Bytes were spinning around small tables sucking jaba out of a bowl with their tubes.

  There was a line of Bytes leading to a small sign that read “Barista”. A small crew of Bytes worked behind the counter preparing various jaba concoctions. Chatter churned time while the Baristas did their work. Conversations revolved around the growing taint problem clogging the streams.

  “What’ll ya have Blue boy?” asked the counter Byte.

  “Ahhh. So many choices. The Double Digit Mini Mocha or the Linux con Leche. Both are pretty tasty. What do you suggest?” Whizzy asked the counter Byte.

  “I don’t have all day, so make your choice or step aside!” the counter Byte said harshly.

  “Ok. Ok. I’ll take both please.”

  “What sizes?” the counter Byte sounded annoyed.

  “Sizes? Ah. What sizes do ya have?”

  “Ugh, another Jaba Hut virgin. We have micro or macro.”

  “Macro for both please! I have such a big day ahead, so more is definitely better.”

  Whizzy headed towards the back of the Jaba Hut to wait for his drinks. The Jaba Hut and other similar establishments were a rather new development in NetherWorld. When the streams had pure jaba flowing, Bytes could stick their tubes directly into them to gain sustenance. Once the viruses started, this became a health hazard. Shops along MainStream popped up almost overnight to nourish the more valued Silicates. Processing jaba to remove the taint became a thriving business.

  A weathered Byte sporting braided tubes and salted wrinkles spun towards the duo. Everything but his visor was worn. Tinted black, the visor sparkled with a smooth finished. He was the coolest looking Byte Nick had encountered thus far; a sort of cowboy in this oddball world. Even his axis was a bit more laid back than the normal Byte. He slipped beside Whizzy and spoke with a low key drawl.

  “Psst. Hey. You the Whiz?”

  “He be me, my Byte. Have a seat Visor. You got the hookup?”

  Visor joined their table. He got the name because that was his most impressive feature. He was a mysterious Byte that traveled in the shadowed circles of NetherWorld. Visor was one of the only Bytes to move freely between the Salted Sands and the rest of the Walled City. Taking no sides, Visor brokered information. He was a great resource for finding things generally frowned upon by Silicate society. Although he was a ragged looking globe, Nick got the feeling that Visor could blend just as easily with the Blues and Greenies alike.

  “And who are you? You don’t look like you’re from around here,” he said to Nick, while his tied tubes struggling to move as he spoke.

  “He’s with me. He’s cool.”

  “But he’s not global Byte. Look at him. What gives?”

  Nick’s mint was wearing off. His appearance flashed between Byte and Karbon.

  “You need to take another mint,” Whizzy urged with a whispered shout. Nick looked down at his feet and saw the changes. He quickly popped another mint. Whizzy wobbled impatiently while the mint slowly took effect. He glanced around to make sure no one else saw Nick for what he was. The story of NazKlan’s coup was all over the Walled City. The Blue Guard now served his commands. Any talk of a Karbon traipsing through MainStream would summon the Guard; making their trip much more challenging.

  “I can’t talk about it Visor. Like always, just keep this encrypted for now. Ok?” Whizzy asked Visor.

  The hip, desert kissed Byte took a long pause, drinking in the risk. “Alright. I keep it on the down low, my Byte. Go to the ‘Flash Playas’ and ask for the Duke of Floppys. He knows where that pure taint be found.”

  “Flash Playas! But to get there we have to go through…” said a nervous Whizzy.

  “That’s Right. You gots to go through SpamTown. Ain’t no other way.”

  “NazKlan has spys and kooks all over that area. Either way, thanks Byte. I owe ya.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll collect. You know where to ping me. I gotta plunge on.” The hip Byte rotated around in a paranoid fashion before slipping out of the Jaba Hut.

  Nick watched Whizzy suck the down the Linux con Leche with one of his silver tubes and the Double Digit Mini Mocha with another. It looked like two elephant trunks siphoning water, only a bit more delicate. After a couple of tubular b
urps, Whizzy appeared sated.

  “Ok. Off to SpamTown I guess. Yes, off to SpamTown,” Whizzy said with more than a little trepidation as he plunged his way out of the Jaba Hut and back on the sidewalk. They headed north down MainStream in search of the Disco recommended by the Byte called Visor.

  Chapter 9

  Silicate Slums

  Book of TranFor: Surface is a curious concept. It would not exist lest what lies beneath be different. Surface is what wraps our insecurities, allowing them to mature into fatal flaws. Only the Virtual will shed the matter, exposing only that which is pure.