"Reg?  Are you okay?"  The register shook his head and tried to right himself.

"Ugh, no.  What happened, Cache?" he asked, squinting at his worried companion.

"Segmentation fault.  We're recovering, but... there's Corruption..."  The level two memory manager lowered her head, the false light of the System making her iridescent hair shimmer.  Reg's alertness rose.  Corruption was nasty stuff, and could be deadly to minor structures like himself.  Cache was Hardwired... Corruption was nonfatal to core components, but she could be... changed.

"Well, we should hurry you to a protected block so-"  Reg fell silent, staring.  Cache had raised a trembling hand and withdrawn her hair, revealing unmistakable streaks of Corruption marring her cheek.  A luminescent, shimmering tear traced an intersecting path; crossing a streak, it became blackened and thick.  Reg was mute, overcome with horror.

"Reg... I'm..." Cache began, her words choked.

"Error correction!" the Register blurted.  "There must be enough to..."  Cache sniffled, her eyes filled with sorrow.

"I've tried.  You know what must be done."

"Deallocation," Reg breathed.  "Cache, please... you cannot-"  The memory manager's expression darkened, and her voice grew stern.

"You'd have me turn traitor to the System itself?"  The register slumped.

"No."  Cache sighed, relieved.  She accepted their duty, but shed another tear for her companion.  “I will remember your sacrifice.”  Both knew it was a kind lie.  Deallocation severed all ties of memory, consigning a register to the void.

"Do it, Reg."  Reg kissed Cache's cheek, withdrawing the Corruption, becoming Corruption.  Cache buried mercy; she struck.

And forgot him.