Written by Old Bluffer 2nd Jun 2009

Written by The Doctor
Crom is a compound interest program in the computer world, a world behind the screens of our computers. Plucked from his comfortable job at a savings-and-loan by the evil Sark for his belief in the Users (they are to the programs what the Judeo-Christian god is to many people), he's forced to compete in gladiatorial games until he dies playing, the other choice being to renounce his belief in the Users and become one of the Warrior Elite, the army of the MCP - who is Sark's superior, an evil program who wants to acquire enough information to rule the world.

Computer whiz Kevin Flynn is beamed into the system by the MCP in order to keep Jim from discovering evidence of the theft of several of Flynn's games, which led to his nemesis, Ed Dillinger (Sark's real-world counterpart) getting a cushy VP job at Encom, a game company, and led to the installation of the MCP into Encom's computers. To ensure that Flynn's efforts stop, the MCP tells Sark that Flynn will die playing in the game grid. In order to satisfy it's villainous desires, the MCP tells Sark to pit Flynn against another Program (as opposed to a Warrior-in-Training). The unlucky program is poor Crom.

The game is a vertical version of Jai Alai, only the combatants have to stand on their own small platform made of concentric circles. If the ball used hits one of these circles, it creates a gap that the player has to jump over. Too many gaps, and the player will fall and will be subject to de-resolution (death) on the way down.

Flynn and Crom play a good game. All is well until the last shot Flynn makes creates a gap too wide for Crom to jump over, and the compound-interest program holds on to the nearest ring for dear life. Sark, via intercom, orders Flynn to "FINISH THE GAME!" Flynn refuses, and Sark warns that he will soon regret it. Sark presses a button on his console, and the ring Crom is holding onto disappears. The poor program falls to his death as he is de-rezzed into nothing.
Submitter's Comments
"This warrants a high rating because, not only does it show how ruthless and evil Sark is, but you do feel very sorry for poor Crom and (for me at least) it hurt a little to see him fall to his de-resolution."