"I've adapted the program" said Riko.
This was... a difficult task to say the least. The strangest thing was that the mathematics of the program was not at all as a human would make- yet there was something almost organic about it. Whatever this virus was, Hiro's own systems created the cybernetic equivalent of an immune response creating another program as a counter. Through careful manipulation, they found they could actually 'connect' to Hiro's cybernetic systems through the anti-program and establish a link to the unknown program.
It was a tenacious connection, but they understood Hiro's systems far more then the foreign program. Through this they had created a 'sand-boxed' system with the anti-program shell surrounding the unknown program.
Hiro braced himself. This should be safe... but when they activated the program before, it had completely bypassed all his firewalls like they were not even there. Of course he didn't have a digital fairy to keep an eye on any unusual processes, and Riko was going to watch. The savage tigress-like digital fairy was still very worried though.
"What kind of a program do you want to try hooking to it?" Asked Riko warily.
"I'm going to try using tenet protocols again," said Hiro. "It seemed to work before."
"Aright. I'm going to stand guard at your central processor- but- I really think we should get Mikey involved."
Hiro bit his lip. Mikey... reminded him too much of his own little sister. The full gynoid might be better at processing things, but she was just a little girl... and Hiro had done far too much damage in his life, to want to involve a child. "Just maintain a logfile to send to her... in case... at the first sight of any trouble, gate to the internet."
The cyborg looked at the anti-program shell. Dare he... attempt it? He would have to trust that his systems could hold whatever it was at bay from taking him over. The program seemed to access multiple dimensions but as long as it was contained in the anti-program shell, itself also occupying multiple dimensions (No human could have programmed that) it should be a lot safer though it was still uncertain what would happen.
"Channel open," said Riko warily. "What should we say?"
"Um... I dunno," thought the Cyborg. "I guess we try with Hello."
Hello Hiro sent into the program.
Hello.
The response came back instantly. there was no pause and it made Hiro wonder if it was just echoing his own words back to him. Riko shrugged, there was no way to really tell. That was until the next response came.
Hiro Hibiki identified.
"They... seem to know you," said Riko.
"Yeah..." This was getting a little creepy. Who are you?
One of many, many of one. Integrate
The cyborg tensed. "I- I guess the program is working," said Hiro cautiously. He could sense his processors spike as 'something' happened in the background.
"It's trying to analyse the sandbox, said Riko.
"How?"
"I- I don't know. But your cybernetic systems are keeping ahead of it. Somehow." The digital fairy took out her own editor. Unlike the other digital fairies, hers appeared as a stick with a crystal tip at the end. It continued the theme of a savage tigress. Riko wasn't exactly happy with it... but having something distinctly different was interesting all the same. The writings of her editor appeared in the facets of the crystal.
Who are you? Asked Hiro again.
What was, is, and will be came the response.
Hiro had to think a little. Whatever was on the other side seemed willing to talk in this way... but it was hard to tell why. Perhaps there was something about this method of connection that compelled them to act in a certain way? Perhaps that was it. Why did you try to take over my systems?
To seek the numbers
Who are the numbers? asked Hiro.
The numbers are existence. The numbers are fundamental. The numbers are real.
Hiro glanced at Riko. "Well... that's weird. Any idea?"
The cat-taur shook her head. "Maybe they are mathematical beings?"
Hiro had to wonder a little about that. Why do you try to hurt us? he asked.
Resolution
The cyborg bit his lip. Well we don't want to be 'resolved' he replied.
Immaterial.
Hiro wasn't quite sure how to react to that. He had so many questions. These things seemed to be some kind of 'higher dimension' life form? Was that even right? Yet his telnet program seemed to be providing a method to get a response out of them. But how much of their world did they know? clearly not very much, if their words was anything to go by.
What are you? Hiro asked.
The last they stated.
The last what? Hiro tried to probe further.
The last number...
