Ivory: A Hacker’s Tale

Author - Kathryn Isabelle G Embuscado (the underlines are the figurative languages)

Chapter 1 – Hey, I’m Cheri

Hey, I'm Cherí. Cherí Vale. And... I am a rebel. I've been part of this faction... No, this family, for quite a long while now. The "Strays of Techniria", as its
founders named it, S.O.T., for short. Maybe you're wondering how I ended up here, running from robocops (who are called the Automata). Well let's start from
the beginning.....

I was a kid. 12, to be exact. I was raised by two amazing scientists, Charice L. Vale, my mother, and Zerac Vale, my father. I was blessed to have a life like this,
but life had other plans...

One day, I had arrived home from my school... "Mami! Papi! You wouldn't belie-", I cut myself off. There was no one home. And my house was a mess... broken
glass, furniture all over the place, holes in the walls, it was like someone had a wrestling match in here. I ran out my house and an Automata, appeared behind
me, seemingly out of nowhere and started dragging me somewhere. "Let me go! Where's my parents?!" I yelled. After minutes of struggle, I managed to get
away.

I didn't know where I was, I looked around, but I couldn't get a hint of recognition. I was like a deer in headlights. I ran into one of the alleyways, and that's
where I stayed... for 4 whole days and 4 whole nights. I wished and hoped for my parents to be okay and that they would find me... But nothing... Those days
lasted forever... But one day, the fifth day, a certain someone had found me... His name was Durante. "What are you doing here, little one?” he questioned. I told
him everything that happened. I was scared, and I was lost as well.

This man, whom I didn't know was so kind enough to take me under his wing. He brought me under a subway station. "This is where you live?” I asked, slightly
unimpressed. He chuckled, "No, but I want to show you a secret" he replied. He showed me an entrance, he whistled in a certain rhythm, as if it was some kind
of password or code. The doors opened and he showed me to an entirely different world I never seen before. The Strays of Techiniria... "This is amazing...!" I
looked in awe. Durante smiled and knelt down to my level, "This is the S.O.T. Here we take in refugees and displaced people. People like you... We give them a
home. Away from this regime's hold".

"Regime?” I asked. My eyes were opened to the truth. Techniria wasn't a haven. It’s a regime... Wanting to control us all. I felt disgusted and frustrated by that
thought... I HATED it...

From then on, Durante trained me, taught me, and very well, raised me. He was my mentor, friend, and guardian. I went by the name “Cherí Smoke”, and was
given the alias “Ivory”, due to my slight pale complexion, along with my hair, which was white, like the snow. I continued to look for my parents through the
years... Information, codes, anything that could help me... Nothing. It was like they were erased from the world. Like they vanished into thin air.

I will NOT stop looking for them. Or at least until I know what happened to them...

Please don't be dead.

Chapter 2 – The Hunt
I'm 21 now. Still no sign of my parents. Yes, it has been 9 whole years, and I'm still here. Durante had died 2 years back, after an Automata
raid. The pain in losing Durante was like a multiple stabs through heart, not just for me, but for everyone here in the S.O.T. Lyra was
personally destroyed, as she was also one of those children Durante took in... She will be fine.

But as of now, my goal is to find out what happened to my parents. It's what I have done for ages. Why should I stop now?

"Lyra, any intel on anything that may connect to my parents?” I asked her, my arms crossed. She turned around from her computer and
looked at me, "I think so. Found some files on these tech your parents were working on dated almost eleven years ago. Looks suspicious.” she
answered. "Okay then, send me those files and I'll check it out.” I said, walking away..." Hey! I found a really nice foodcourt down in at
Proxima Square! Holo me if you wanna come!!” she yelled after me as I left.

"Psh... Like I'd have time for that...” I mumbled under my breath. I went to my desk and I sat down, accessing the files Lyra sent me. I
scanned it for the next 3 to 4 hours. "Files... Vale... Huh...!” I noticed something. "Rootkits?” I muttered. Those were viruses. Viruses that can
control technology remotely. And my parents were making these viruses to infect all of Techniria? That's insane! Literally! No... They would
never do that, I thought to myself.

I needed to get to the bottom of this. I stood up, geared up and stormed out of the base. Lyra noticed me, she ran after me. "Hey, hey, Cher!
Why you all red?” she asked as she grinned. "I'm going on a mission Lyra. Keep your comms on.” I replied, irritated. Lyra was as pure as a
melody. It was sometimes annoying. It's like she never even been through anything. I walked away, heading out.

"Oh. Sure then, Cher! Take care.” she yelled in a slightly disappointed tone.

I arrived at my parents' old lab. I entered the rather abandoned old lab, papers and vials everywhere. A tornado must've swept in here at this
point. I kept searching, and searching and searching... Until I found the files I needed.

"No...”. My parents did design the 'Rootkit Protocol'. They designed this virus. To control all of Techniria... But it was unfinished. I noticed
ashes on the desks… Something was burned. But why? Who did that?

Whoever it was, they didn't want anyone getting their hands on the Rootkits. "This must be my parents doing...” I whispered to myself. I
couldn't accept the fact my parents would create something that could harm this city, this world. That's impossible!

But then again... Who knows?

Chapter 3 – Searching for the Truth
I then heard a noise. Whirring. "What in the name of Techniria..?” I thought to myself. I looked behind me and saw a shadow. It was an
Automata. I turned on my cloaking device to sneak away. Thank goodness it didn't see me. I was used to those types of encounters at this
point, a fish in its habitat. But I got the files.

"Lyra, I sent you everything I found. Decrypt the files and send the coordinates and information you may find to me.", I called Lyra on my
comms. "Yes, ma'am!” she replied back. I waited.

I had received a transmission from my comms again, "Did you manage to decrypt the files?” I asked sternly.

I heard a dark chuckle through the transmission. It sounded like a rather guttural laugh. Deep and menacing, like the rumbling thunder.
"Ah... Ivory,” she said, her tone dripping with poison. It was the Kaiser, Idris. "I couldn't help but notice you trespassing on my territory, in
my facility", she added, displeased.

"That is none of your business, Kaiser.” I said the last part with a hint of hatred. "Why, why now, little one... That's not how you should talk
to your ruler... Plus, I have something very valuable to you.” I could practically hear her smirk from the other end of the line. OH, how much I
hated her! To the moon and back.

"Oh? What do you have that could be SO important to me?” I asked sarcastically. "Information about your pretty little parents, why of
course!” she replied boisterously.

I was stunned. It was like I was mute for a minute, then I replied, frustratingly, "WHAT?!” She chuckled once more, this time more
amusingly. "Well, that's all the time I have, dear Ivory. Farewell!” She ended the call… I was... Furious! Was she playing with me?! She decides
to hang up just like that. What? What could she know about my parents? Did she take them?! Did she... No, no. They can't be...

"LYRA!” I contacted her through her comms. I heard a sudden THUD from the other line. "Cheri! Heyyyy!” she replied sheepishly. "Lyra,
are you okay? What happened?” I was worried. "No, no! I just fell off my seat. You scared me there, Cher!” she answers with a laugh. I rolled
my eyes and got on with it. "Did you decrypt the files?" I questioned sternly. "Yea, yea, I did. One of the coordinates caught my eye.” she says
in response. "Oh?” I was curious. "Mhm! The coordinates trace to the Lunios Spire. You know, where the Kaiser lives."

"...", I knew it. Kaiser Idris must know where my parents are. I needed to confront her. But entering the Lunios Spire won't be easy. It was
going to be entering a deathtrap. You would be one of the most stupid people on the planet if you broke in there willingly.

"Thanks Lyra. I'll contact you if I need more assistance.” I said to her. "Alrighty then! Keep safe Cher!” she ends the transmission.

I looked up at the Lunios Spire, the center of this city. And where the Kaiser lives... I will find out the truth. Get ready for me, Cressida Idris.
Chapter 4 - To the Lunios Spire
I went about and hopped on my hoverboard, as I swiftly glided across the city towards to Lunios Spire. Dodging hovercars, Automatas, and fellow Technirians.
After about some time, I was at least a few blocks away from the Spire.

I couldn't just rush in there. I needed a plan. I surely couldn't take on all the Automatas and the Nanovas (A more elite team consisting of androids.). I could
die! I checked the model of the Lunios Spire with the holographic projection I have made on my holowatch.

"Lyra.", I contacted her once more on the commlink. "Yea, what'cha need?” she said back, as I could hear the music in the background. "I nee-. Lyra, is that...
Music, I hear?” I asked, confused. Lyra replies, "Uh, yea? I'm at the foodcourt at Proxima Square." I pinched my nose bridge, seriously? Now?

"Lyra, I thought we agreed that you stay at the base whenever I'm on missions?” I scolded her, pissed off. "I know, I know. I was hungry and I couldn't just leave
you with Krass as your right hand! She's annoying!” she argued back. It was reasonable, I honestly did not like Krass. Let alone trust her. Me working with
Krass would be a volcanic eruption happening.

"Fine, I'll let you slide Lyra.” I told her, my irritated tone disappearing. "Anyways, I need you to hack into the surveillance cameras. I need to know which areas
are undetected by the Automatas and Nanovas...” I added. "On it.", she responds back.

A few minutes later, red lights appeared on my hologram of the Lunios Spire, those were the locations of the Automatas and Nanovas in each sector of the
building. There were a lot... It looked like fireworks, the way they were scattered. Less on the outer sectors, more on the inner sectors.

After some time, I had made a plan. ... Yes, it took maybe at least an hour to make, but you can never ever go wrong with a plan. If it weren't for these plans, I
would've been dead the moment I started working on the field.

I got up, adjusted my gear and looked up at the Lunios Spire once more. I was about to head off until...

"Hey, sorry to interrupt!", I heard a voice.

I whipped my head around to the source of the noise. I saw... 5 teenagers? What..?

"We're really sorry to bother you, but we had a... weird happening, and well, now we're here...” she said. She had a polite smile and a kind tone.

What should I do..? Carry on with my mission? Or... Help these people..?

TO BE CONTINUED...