Ty became very engrossed in what he was doing on the supercomputer console, editing code, studying logs, etc., and wouldn't explain any further. "Please don't interrupt. I'm not sure whether I actually have enough time to fix this. It would be much easier and faster if I could transform myself back into a program, but unfortunately I can't." He transferred more data from the laptop to the supercomputer, by way of the SSD.
Lisa and Dustin continued to worry. Ty's pronouncement that they were geniuses, together with his burst of activity on the computer, gave them hope that Ty would solve the problem, but would he really be able to do it? Would he have enough time?
Eventually, Ty's activity stopped. "I have a solution," he announced. "The supercomputer will reassemble another copy of me. A correct copy." He started that processes, and the monitor displayed progress information, saying that the estimated completion time was around 16 minutes. "Now that it's going, I can rest, and explain what I've done. Lisa, when the supercomputer is done, you will be able to transform the copy of me in the supercomputer to human form."
They sat in the chairs, and Ty started explaining.
"When I set out to get a VIN for Dustin's car, I thought I knew what I was doing, that I had everything figured out, and that it would all be easy. With my powers, or I should say, my former powers, since I don't have them now, what could possibly go wrong? But I was overconfident, and that was my downfall. If I'd known then what I know now, I would have been fine.
"Although in program form I could think and react faster than in human form, I was dealing with software that couldn't 'think', per se, but could perform its programmed actions much faster than I could. I was found by intrusion detection software, and it took all of my effort to avoid getting deleted. I succeeded at that, but not without cost.
"I wasn't going to be able to get out entirely intact, or in one piece, but I knew that if I could get all of my pieces out, and give you instructions, you'd be able to use JSF1 to reassemble me, just as I've previously used it to reassemble Lisa and June. The trick was that you had to be able to actually get to JSF1, without my being present to teleport you. I had to somehow give one of you that ability, without being present. I couldn't convey that new ability to you remotely, either. Somehow I had to actually be there with you.
"The directions I sent, the 'Ty Rescue Plan', was actually one part of me, and I made sure that it had my powers, in order to be able to give one of you the teleportation ability. That was one of the strengths of my plan, but as it turned out, also one of the weaknesses.
"The Ty Rescue Plan made it back to my computer, and led you through the necessary steps, which brought you here. My plan was almost entirely successful; it came very close to putting me back together. But ultimately it failed, as you can see." He pointed at his own distorted visage. "I can feel the continued deterioration of this body, and I don't know if I'll even survive long enough to see the outcome of the second attempt, now in progress.
"Based on this situation that I've found myself in, and studying the logs on the computers, I have identified three things that went wrong.
"First: When I sent the Ty Rescue Plan back to my computer, for you to use, I had to include my powers. But I didn't realize that it would take ALL of my powers. It left the rest of me with none.
"Second: When I planned for the supercomputer to reassemble me, and put in the Ty Rescue Plan the information you needed to enter as commands, I didn't anticipate that the Ty Rescue Plan itself, being part of me, needed to be included in the reassembly. The second attempt," and here he waved his hand toward the supercomputer console, "is now incorporating the Ty Rescue Plan, as well as my other pieces.
"Third: When I had to use the supercomputer to reassemble June, it was a stroke of good luck that, even though what had happened to her was substantially different than what had happened to Lisa, such that there were vastly different numbers and types of pieces to be reassembled, the program I'd written for the task actually worked. This time, I wasn't as lucky. Because of what happened to me, there were significant differences in the nature of my pieces, and how the program needed to reassemble them. Aside from one important piece being entirely missing, the program couldn't really put the pieces together correctly. That's why you got the 'internal error' message, and had to tell it to proceed anyhow. That's why I am... this.
"The program still did the best it could do, which is important, because if it had failed, I wouldn't even have this mangled form," and he waved his hand in front of his hideous body. "Although this body is failing, thankfully it lasted long enough for me to fix the problems, improve the reassembly program, and start the reassembly again."
Lisa and Dustin were amazed. "So in not too long, you'll be good as new?" Dustin asked.
"I'm afraid not," said Ty, "but there will be another me, and that one will be good as new."
Lisa said, "And when the new you is ready, you can merge back together!"
"Unfortunately I can't do that either," Ty said. "Even if the new reassembly is perfect, if I merge this corrupted form with it, with the new me, I risk corrupting that me as well. I'm afraid that this me, having served its purpose, has to cease to exist."
Dustin was stunned by this revelation, and Lisa was in tears. She overcame her revulsion at his form, the form that she had been convinced that he would fix, and kissed him. "There must be some way that when the new you is ready, You can fix yourself and merge. It's not right that you should have to sacrifice yourself."
"Lisa, I appreciate your concern," Ty said, "and believe me, I want to do that, but it's just too risky, and the new me will reach the same conclusion. But even though this me won't continue much longer, and frankly, that's a mercy, what will I really have lost? Less than an hour of tortured existence, which I brought upon myself. I am just happy that another me, without the problems of this me, will continue. So this me won't ever see my, no, our, future, but I console myself in knowing that we will have one."
Lisa held Ty, and cried. Dustin was speechless, and stared out the window into space.
Eventually, the supercomputer made its alert beep. The three stood up, and gathered around the console. This time, the program said, "Assembly successful. 100% complete."
"Lisa, would you please transform the me in the supercomputer into human form?" Ty requested.
Lisa concentrated for a moment, and another Ty appeared in the room, this one looking entirely normal, as if nothing bad had happened to him. New Ty looked at old, damaged Ty, and asked, "What the hell happened to me?"
"It's a long story," old Ty said, and turned to Lisa. "Lisa, please take Dustin back to the house. Ty and I have some things to discuss, but he'll rejoin you at the house in a few minutes."
"Oh, I don't want to leave you!" she cried. "Either of you!"
"Please, Lisa," old Ty said. "It's for the best. You'll be reunited with the proper me," and he waved his hand at new Ty, "in only a few minutes."
Lisa kissed old Ty. "I'm so sorry," she said.
"Not your fault," old Ty said. "Now go!"
Lisa took Dustin's hand, and they vanished.