Author's Notes: Seen Revolutions yet? Good. Commence reading.

It ends tonight. Every life forgotten in the land of the dead will be remembered in the realm of realities. The struggle for life is set loose against a barrage of endless tribulation. And if you hold on, there won't always be enough hope to stay your hand.

Let Go

I thought you didn't believe in the One.

I don't. But I believe in him.

"They're gone, Morpheus," Niobe murmured quietly as she rested a hand on his shoulder. At the end of all things, their saviors had lost their lives to save Zion. She could feel his pain, but her own grief was still at hand.

"They can't be," he whispered as he leaned against the wall. His children were gone. They couldn't have died to save Zion. On the first mission Trinity had ever been on she had told him to do one thing for her. "Promise me we'll live through this war, Morpheus. Promise me I'll see the light of the sky again." He had, but what good had it done? She would never see the light of the sky with him as commanding officer.

"One of the sentinels informed us our negotiators were dead right before they left. They died so we could live." Niobe smiled sadly. They were would be no hope of seeing them or her ship again. She could always have another ship built.

"They were my hope, Niobe. Both of them have died before, and it was always to save someone else on the Nebuchadnezzar. And you know what I've learned?" Morpheus asked as he stepped into the docking bay.

"What?" she asked as she hung her head in respect to the graveyard in the dock. She knew what was coming. He wouldn't have it any other way.

"I should have died with them," he whispered as he stared in the bleak silence. It reflected his own inner turmoil.

"How can you even think that?" Niobe's repressed anger barely held attempt to shake him.

"Cypher killed most of my crew. Tank died from infections caused by Cypher. Switch, Apoc, Mouse, and Dozer didn't even have the chance to fight back. Neo died saving me, but Trinity brought him back. It was her belief in him that made him realize he was the one. Yeah, they went after me instead of just pulling the plug," he answered to Niobe's trembling. "Then, Trinity died to save Neo. He couldn't handle her death, so he brought her back. It wasn't her time yet. Now, they're both gone. I hope they went together," he finished as he began making his way towards the center of the docking bay.

Niobe didn't answer for the longest time. "What about Link?" she wondered as they slowly picked their way through sentinels and bodies alike.

"He still has time to live. I'm the captain of a ghost ship now," Morpheus spoke almost inaudibly.

"You'll always a place on my ship," Niobe spoke firmly as she caught his eyes in a fierce stare.

"And what if you're ship is a pile a scrap metal right now?" He asked as he lifted the first body to carry back to the entrance. There were already people setting up for the grave digging. Each person would have a proper burial by order of the Council. Niobe grimaced as she picked up an incapacitated body. They would find the head later.

"My baby is anything but a scrap pile. She'll hold on for them. I guess we'll have to build another," Niobe answered as she laid down the body in the second row. Each had to be identified by family or friends. Each nameless soldier had a story. The final battle would always be remembered if she had to write the goddamned story herself.

"And your crew?" It didn't really matter to him. He would never join another crew now that the war was over.

"We're here," Ghost and Sparks called from down the line of bodies. This was a messy job, but someone had to do it. Those someones were the rest of living soldiers. After all, they had seen death before, right? It was the way the council saw it. Free borns. They almost never wanted to get their hands dirty. At least Zee and Link out here with them.

"What do they want us to do with the machines?" Niobe asked as they drug another sentinel into a pile with the others.

"We're not allowed to use them for scraps. We're making a second graveyard for the machines," Morpheus grimaced as he brought a decapitated arm to place with the bodies. More people were starting to flood the service ramp now.

"Is there any hope left?"

"There is always hope."

"Jason said you were the one to believe in miracles."

"Miracles happen whether we know it or not." Morpheus smiled slightly. There was always a glimmer of hope. He would hold on to it forever.

"How far along are the repairs, Commander Locke?" Councilor Harmann inquired. The other councilors waited in silence.

"Two of the bridges of the bridges have been completed, Councilor," Jason Locke replied. He respected the council's decisions, as corrupted as they were to Morpheus' views.

"And the burial grounds?" The Councilor Shemond questioned.

"Several graves have already been dug under the dock, Councilor. About five hundred of the men have been identified. We await for your orders to proceed," Locke held his tongue in check. Arguing with the council would do no good today.

"Wait until all the bridges have been cleared before proceeding with the formal funerals. Are there any objections from the council on this movement?" Councilor Harmann asked as he stood before the council.

"There is one," Councilor Kaled spoke up. "How do we know the sentinels are not preparing for another attack?"

"We do not. If I may have permission to speak?" At Councilor Kaled's nod, he continued, "The machines could be preparing for another attack. The only thing we know is Neo and Trinity are dead, and are men need to be buried. Even if we are attacked again, we have no time to prepare. We must live on as if this war is over."

"We shall take your words into consideration, Commander. For now, continue on as you have," Councilor Shemond spoke. The council nodded in agreement.

"How many groups do we have out there, Commander?" Councilor Frerend asked as she looked down her spectacles at him.

"Three. Niobe's group and Morpheus' group are working on clearing the bridges and identifying soldiers. My group is repairing the third bay bridge as we speak," Commander Locke's voice never wavered. It was best to show authority with the council.

"What of the dead sentinels?" Councilor Frerend questioned roughly. Her cough was coming back from before the attack.

"I do now know, Councilor." He really didn't. He had been avoiding both Morpheus and Niobe since the end of it. He had taken his group as far away from theirs as possible. They had even avoided the grave digging duty. He didn't care to know if Niobe had gotten together with Morpheus again, but she had left him. You won this time, Morpheus. You proved yourself right.

"Oh? Have you not spoken to Morpheus about this?" Damn them. Couldn't his relationship problems with both them be left in peace?

"No, Councilor," he grated out. He hated the knowing look in Councilor Harmann's eyes. Why did they pretend to know him?

"As by order of the council, you are to send Morpheus and Niobe in with their reports in 0700. Do I make myself clear?" Councilor Shemond forced out. The glare in her eyes reflected the determination in his.

"Yes, Councilor." Locke gritted his teeth as he stared at the semicircle. Every pair of eyes on him showed stern commands. Only one pair of eyes showed sympathy, and he wouldn't take it.

"Do not withhold information from us again, Commander if you value your rank. I would suggest you note the reports of your two ranking officers. Dismissed."

Jason Locke forced his feet to continue moving him towards the docking bay. It was now or never. Niobe had attempted to approach him once or twice since the battle, but he had brushed her off immediately. He would go to her when he was ready, he had told her. Locke wasn't ready to face her quite yet, but insubordination often ended in exile to the council.

As he passed through the fields of, he avoided their eyes. The eyes of dead soldiers always held either fear or acceptance. He wasn't ready to face the latter as his comrades had so easily. Would this continue as such? He continued through the fields noting the people we had known at one time or another. This one had been one of the fastest pilots had ever met. This one was a hellcat with a gun.

The face of Mifune caught his gaze and he couldn't look away fast enough to catch the eyes of the bravest man out there. Mifune's face was almost unrecognizable as bloodied and battered as it was. If we have to give our lives, we give them hell before we do. The corps had given the machines hell before they died. Mifune alone had killed a thousand before the machines became too much for him. He would have one of the larger burial services.

Several other nameless faces came to pass before someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around to see the familiar face of Sparks. Niobe's crew was loyal to her until the last. "Don't do anything to hurt her," Ghost warned beside Sparks. "She's over there." He pointed a finger towards Morpheus and Niobe.

The sight of Niobe caught in his throat as turned to nod thanks to Sparks. He carefully made his way over to them by quietly stepping around the pile of sentinels. What were they going to do with the sentinels? They couldn't use the machines to rebuild their ships. The machines would be likely to start another war over that. He also avoided the small pile of detached limbs.

"Niobe," he called from his spot on the bridge. She looked up at him in surprise. He couldn't really blame her. "The council needs to see you and Morpheus." They looked at other and nodded.

"Ghost, Sparks, take over for us. We need this bridge cleared by tomorrow so we can start working on the tower," Niobe added as she glanced at Jason Locke one more time. It would be one of the lasts.

Author's Notes: The next chapter will be centered entirely on Neo and Trinity. Be patient with me. I have to focus on all the characters. Please review. Constructive criticism is welcome as always. Ja ne ~Insane Pineapple from Naboo