Disclaimer: If I owned the Matrix, why would I bother with fanfic?

Chapter 9

The Neb was heading back towards Zion for a recharge. This time, Morpheus promised his crews they would stick around at the city for a week after it was recharged.

The truth was Morpheus didn't actually plan to take a vacation since such word did not exist in his dictionary. He only allowed his crews to rest because he needed to recruit more crews to his ship.

Niobe had been promoted, and Morpheus didn't want to hold her back after he knew what she really thought about his dream. It wasn't like he could blame her for not believing, but he still wished there had been another way.

As he announced the news to his crews, Ghost had decided to join Niobe to the new ship. Trinity, Cypher Tank and Dozer still stayed though the latter two gave Niobe a list of names of the people she should choose as an operator of her new ship, the Logos.

Morpheus couldn't really know if the fact that he allowed his crews to decide whether they would leave to join Niobe was qualified as his second sacrifice or not, but if it was, then he only had one last sacrifice to make – himself.

When the ship landed at Zion's dock, everyone was so glad they were home again so they rushed their way down the city, including Cypher who had only been to Zion once before this time.

Trinity, however, didn't leave as soon as she could like the rest of the crews. Instead, she stood by Morpheus's side and watched all other crews competed back to their homes.

"Are you okay?" she asked, not turning to look at him. "Coz if you're not, you can always talk to me."

"It's alright, Trinity. I will be fine," he refused politely. "You can go home and take a rest."

Trinity shook her head softly.

"You know Zion isn't my home just like I know it isn't yours."

Morpheus glanced at her then he nodded his agreement.

"Our home was destroyed by the Sentinels."

"Yours was," she corrected. "Mine…is now with you on the Neb."

Morpheus turned to meet Trinity's soft gaze. As she saw the question in his eyes, Trinity nodded and added, "That's why I chose to stay."

He looked at the city of Zion and realized how lonesome it always made him feel. He then knew he couldn't return to his place in Zion just yet.

"Thanks, Trinity," he said. "Now, is this too late to take your offer?"

"Nah," she replied with a soft smile that could wash away all the emptiness he felt deep down in his heart. "You can tell me anything."

With a sigh, Morpheus thought back to the day Niobe confronted him about her decision to leave him and the Nebuchadnezzar.

A couple of days earlier

It was a late night, but Morpheus was still wide awake. So, he went to the kitchen to find something to drink and decided that Dozer's booze was the only thing that might be able to knock him out. Just as he was pouring the drink, someone appeared in front of the door.

He turned around and found that it was Niobe who had followed him there. He smiled at her.

"Niobe," he greeted. "You can't sleep either?"

"I wouldn't be up if I could," she reasoned. "You said I could talk to you about everything, right?"

Morpheus knitted his brows as he wondered what Niobe was meaning to say. Though everyone knew they were in some kind of relationship, it had been a long time since they really talked about something aside from work.

"Yes, I did say that," he replied. "What is it, Niobe?"

She sighed again before she remarked, "First, I want you to know that I think you're a great captain."

When Morpheus opened his mouth to answer back, Niobe raised her hand to interrupted him.

"No, let me finish," she pleaded. "I don't think I'll be able to continue if you interrupt me."

Seeing that Morpheus had nodded, Niobe continued:

"I understand why you think finding the One is important. I know you believe in the prophecy and have gone as far as you can to find him, but now your obsession has become unhealthy and I can't take it anymore, Morpheus."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you have devoted your life to find him, so now I don't know where I stand in your life anymore," she explained.

"If this is because I didn't give you enough attention…"

"No, Morpheus, that is not it," she insisted. "What I'm saying is I can't compete with the One."

"Look, Niobe, you know I can't stop searching for him. I'm sorry that we grow apart, but I need you here with me right now."

"No, you don't," she protested. She then forced a smile before she continued, "You need someone who's willing to give his or her life to find the One just the way you do. You need someone who believes, but I'm not that person, Morpheus. I don't believe there's the Messiah One to end this war. I don't believe that only one man can change everything. If I stayed, I would only hold you back."

"You're saying that all this time you were just pretending that you believed?" he mumbled.

"Yeah," she nodded. "Now it's time for me to come clean and move on with my life."

"Then what are you suggesting?"

"I suggest we go our separate ways," Niobe replied. "I've filed my petition to be transferred to another ship. Now Zion sent word. There is a new ship, and I am qualified as a captain."

Morpheus blinked for a couple of times before he managed to say, "Congratulations."

"I wouldn't do this if I didn't know you have everything you need right here on the Neb, but I know you do," she stated. "I hope this is alright with you."

"Yes, it's alright. We're cool. No hard feeling," he noted. "I'm sorry I ever made you feel that way. I just wish it could turn out differently."

"Me too," she whispered.

"So this is it for us then?" he wondered.

"I believe so."

She nodded. Though she knew it was all for the best and that she was the one who broke off this relationship, Niobe was still sad. She could only tell herself that perhaps God had made another plan for them and that trying to hold on would be a sin.

Morpheus took a long look at Niobe and all he could think of was what the Oracle told him on the last time they met. Now the first sacrifice had been made, but somehow he wasn't as hurt as he should be. In fact, he felt a little relieved. If that was the way Niobe had really felt, then it would be best to let her go.

"Do you think I've been too hard on you guys?" Morpheus wondered. "I mean, other ships returned to base more often and stayed back longer."

"Yes."

"Yes?" Morpheus repeated, staring. "I thought this is where you're supposed to tell me I haven't!"

"What? You want me to lie to you?" Trinity countered. "I can tell you what you want to hear, Morpheus, but what good would it be for you? Truth may be hard, but in the end, it's all you've got."

"Since when did you become deep?"

She snickered. "I'm no longer the girl you unplugged from the Matrix, Morpheus."

"There's still a part of her in you somewhere, Trinity," Morpheus observed.

"Somewhere," she agreed. "Anyway, Morpheus, sometimes you're too hard on us, but that's what makes you stand out. At least, you know what you believe and what you have to do in this war. I can't say for anyone else, but to me, that's one of many reasons why I'm still here."

He nodded and started to look at the woman who had once been his apprentice with a new perspective. She was no longer just a wayward student he had to put up with, but she had now become someone who he could go to when he wanted to put his mind at ease.

"Do you realize something, Trinity?" he asked, lightly this time.

"What?"

"Now that Niobe and Ghost have left, you're automatically the second in command."

"Oh boy…" Trinity cried.

"Yup," Morpheus confirmed her thought. "You're not gonna get your time off like others. You're gonna have to help me recruit some new crews."

Trinity grimaced at the thought. Since she and her captain rarely agreed on the same thing, it would be a rather difficult, if not impossible, job to actually recruit anyone to the ship. Moreover, despite the hard work, many people still wished to join the Neb since they wanted to work with the legendary Morpheus.

Sighing softly, Trinity looked at her captain who was grinning back at her. Together, they walked down the road that leaded to the city they had sworn to protect but not necessarily thought of as a home.

A/N -- Thanks for the review, RainAwhile. It's good to know someone is still reading the story.