Omigod omigod omigod!!!! I'm actually on someone's favorites list!!! *dances with joy* Wow, I feel SO special! YAY!!!!! Thank you again to my faithful, Mouse-adoring public. Sorry the updates have been so few and far between; I promise I'm working on it.
This chapter has a little more *stuff* happening. Well, I decided we need some sort of event, eh? Oh, the drama! Do tell me if you like it.
Entry 10
Well, that was certainly what could be called an interesting night. We met up with the Cassandra at almost precisely 1900. Morpheus is nothing if not punctual. And Malik, the captain of the other ship, is practically a drill sergeant. As a matter of fact, apparently that's what he was going to be before he was unplugged. He must be nearly as old as Morpheus now. Which is really old, by our standards.
Anyways, they found a really old but still intact sewer system near what used to be Beijing. We set down there, right near them but not close enough to link yet. Always best to double-check for old security systems or something. Those are the ones that kill you; the ones that could never work in a million years, and yet somehow they do. And that's good enough to bring the Sentinels. Then you're toast.
Toast would be good right about now. Raisin bread, with strawberry jam. Strawberry's the best. Man, I want some real food! I'm always so hungry. After all, it's not like I can just walk into the kitchen and make myself a BLT. Hah. I wish. Fresh tomatoes are something I haven't had in, oh, seven years? Something like that. I loved tomatoes. God, I'm rambling, worse than usual. It must be the exhaustion- I'm really tired after tonight.
Yes. Tonight. Must talk about that.
As I said, we rendezvoused with the Cassandra in a relatively safe part of the sewers. After Morpheus and Malik decided that it was safe, we extended the bridge between the two ships. The bridge is a small round tunnel that is stored in the side of the ship. It sort of unfolds when you need it, and you can attach it to another ship to allow the crews to go between ships. So that's what we did.
The crew of the Cassandra is seven people. There's Malik, the captain. He's kind of like Morpheus, but even more grounded. After all, he hasn't spent his whole life chasing after some shadow of a hope of a reincarnated legend. He's about the most matter-of-fact person I've ever met, because he tells you exactly how it is. No fancy stuff, no trying to soften the facts. He just tells it like it is, and I respect that. I wish I could do that, but I'm a sympathetic person and an optimist and I hate to hurt other people. I just can't stand the look on their face when you tell them bad news. Absolutely kills me to see it, so I try to avoid causing it whenever I can. Pollux is his second-in-command. He's a bit like a male version of Trinity. Tough as nails, and he doesn't cut any corners. He's the kind of guy you want with you when you're backed up against a wall with five Agents right in front of you. Pollux is the kind of guy you'd trust with your gun, your secrets, or your life. You just trust him completely, and that's it.
There are two women on the Cassandra. Well, one of them is pretty young- about Aria's age. Her name is Brita. She's not half as pretty as Aria, but she's so funny. It never ceases to amaze me that someone could keep their sense of humor totally intact out here in this wasteland. And yet she does. You can't be around her for more than ten minutes without her making you laugh. That's just the way she is- outgoing and happy. She and Aria seemed to be getting along really well, which is good. At least Aria has some semblance of a friend. The other girl (well, not really a girl, I just have an in explicable tendency to refer to most females as 'girls') is probably about Tank's age. Then again, I don't know Tank's age, so I'm really just guessing. Her name is Cristyl. It's a nice name, but it's one of those sneaky double-meaning names. Like me, I'm Mouse. I act like a mouse, I look like one, hence the name. Cristyl, though, it's a real name but she's a Seer. She could have been written into the Oracle program. Hell, she could've been the Oracle. So it's kinda like those crystals that are supposed to help Seers. I don't know which came first, the name or the Sight. Then again, that's a bit like arguing chicken-or-egg. And does it really matter? Just something else for me to puzzle over in my spare time. I think she and Tank have something going, though. It's just the way they look at each other. You can tell sometimes.
One-night things are pretty common out here. Like I said, you never know if they'll die the next day, so it hurts too much to try any kind of serious relationship. Basically, you pick a person you can stand, and you go have fun. Then the next day you leave, and you probably never see them again. That's the way it works. There isn't usually any stuff going on within the crew, either. It can distract you from your job, what you're really out here for. You can be friends, you can be casual lovers, but nothing serious. Like I said, after a while you learn not to care about people like that. Emotions can cost you everything, and so we learn to live without them. It's really not that hard- after a while, I got used to the harsh reality that I could never have a best friend because one day I'll wake up and he'll be dead. After you accept that, it's all downhill from there. In terms of accepting the facts.
So, all things considered, it's kind of surprising that Switch and Apock have managed to stay together. Then again, I wish I could have something like that. That kind of link with another person. With Tank and Cristyl, I don't think it's anything more than a casual interest in each other.
So. We bridged, and the crew of the Cassandra came over onto the Neb. We sort of looked at each other for a few minutes, then Morpheus came down the ladder and said hello to Malik. After that, it was all friendly. I guess there's some sort of unspoken rule about letting the captains greet each other first. So on their crew, it's Malik, Pollux, Brita, Cristyl, a guy named Diablo (he's very weird, but damn is he smart), and two other guys. I can't remember their names. Diablo has tattoos all up and down his arm, and a pierced lip. Apparently he had a lot more piercings in the Matrix, but out here he only has one. Aria had this funny look when she saw him; like she was half afraid and half fascinated. Maybe it's the tats, or his really low voice, or the dark black hair, but there's something about him that she either doesn't like, or loves. Or both.
Anyway, after we all decided to be courteous, we went down to the kitchen, which is the only vaguely comfortable place big enough to hold all of us. I ended up sitting between Pollux and Brita, who had Aria next to her. They talked the whole time. My god, do girls ever shut up? It's amazing how much they can talk about the most insignificant things. Me, I'd rather be quiet. Yeah, I talk a lot, but when I need to, I hold my tongue, and I listen. Listening will get you a lot farther in life than chattering, and that's a fact. You can quote me on that.
After a bit of talking, a larger bit of time, and an even larger amount of Dozer's moonshine, we were all a lot more relaxed. Well, me, Apock, and Aria didn't drink much, and a few people on their crew didn't either. You always need a few alert people in case of an emergency. You can't all be stumbling around in a stupor if the Sentinels come. It's ok for a few people to chill out, but only a few at a time. So we're all just sitting there in the kitchen talking happily. Dozer, Morpheus, and Malik are up front of the Neb, checking all the systems. You can never be too careful.
All of a sudden Brita turns to me, and asks me if I know where Aria went. She was just talking to Brita two seconds ago! But she's not there anymore. As a matter of fact, quite a few people have disappeared. Trinity left a while back, muttering something about needing a nap. Tank and Cristyl are gone (hah! I knew it!), and Diablo is gone too. I think he went to go find Cypher, who is god-knows-where. Probably lurking in a corner somewhere. But Brita looks worried about Aria, so we get up and tell the others we're going to look for her. Nobody else knows where she is either.
We get out into the hall, and I decide that she could either be up front with Dozer, Morpheus, and Malik, or she's in her room. Betting that she might have just wanted a break, we head up to the front of the Neb. Morpheus and Malik are just sitting, talking, and Dozer's on his knees rewiring something. Malik's watching the pattern of the Matrix- all those teeny numbers and symbols. It's never made any sense to me, but I guess some people get used to it, and after a while it comes as natural as breathing. They haven't seen Aria, and when we tell them that Tank, Cristyl, and Diablo are gone, too, they look a bit anxious. Malik stands up and says he'll come with us, 'just in case.' I'm not sure what's going on here, but it doesn't look too good. Dozer stands up, too, but Morpheus motions and he just stands there, watching us. We leave the bridge and walk back down the main corridor. Aria's door is at the end of the hall, and I knock on it softly. No answer. I knock louder. Still nothing. Finally I try to open the door, but the handle won't lift. See, now even I'm getting a bit annoyed. We're never supposed to lock our doors. We can shut them, yes, but if there was an emergency, the lock could cost precious minutes. And time is everything.
Malik pushes on the handle so hard it comes off in his fist, and the door swings open. And dear god, I wish I hadn't been the first one to look in the room.
Diablo's standing in front of Aria, who's pushed back against the wall. She looks so panicked, and he's talking soft and fast, his voice flowing and confusing. I can't hear a word he's saying but just the way he talks is practically hypnotizing. He has one hand around her neck and the other on her waist, and his hips are keeping her pinned back. He looks furious and she looks terrified, and I'm so glad we got there when we did because who knows what he could have done if we hadn't. Malik grits his teeth and marches over to Diablo, who looks even angrier now, if that's possible. He yanks him away from Aria, grabs his shoulder, and pulls him out into the corridor, slamming the door behind him. I can still hear his booming voice, though, yelling something about "Told you not to drink so much…" and "…promised this wouldn't happen again…" and "once more…Zion…reassignment…." Diablo mutters some form of apology and they walk away.
Brita runs over to Aria, who's crying, and hugs her. I'm not really sure what to do, and I'm about to leave, but Aria sniffs and says, "No, stay here." Ok. I walk over and sit down next to them on the bed. Brita's rubbing her back. I look at her and ask what the hell just happened. She shakes her head and sighs.
"Well, the thing you have to understand about Diablo is that he has anger management problems. He's always had them, but he takes medicine for them and he's been a lot better lately. The only thing is, he really shouldn't drink, because it counters his meds and obviously screws with his thinking. I mean, he's a brilliant programmer, and I don't know where we'd be without him, but he certainly offers his share of problems. Tonight I guess no one thought to remind him not to drink, and, well, that's all I can figure. What happened?" she asks Aria gently. "You don't have to say if you don't want to."
Aria shakes her head, sniffs, and sits up. "No, that's ok. I can tell you." She wipes her eyes and sniffs again. "I don't drink, so I got bored after a while, and I wanted to come back here. I've been working on this great program lately, and I'm so close to finishing. I thought maybe I could get it done. So I was walking down the corridor, and I thought I heard someone behind me. I turned around, but nobody was there. Maybe it was him, I'm still not sure. I saw Tank and Cristyl go into Tank's room- maybe I heard them walking behind me. Anyways, I came in here, and I was sitting here on my bed working. All of a sudden the door opens. I thought it was one of you, or maybe Morpheus, but it was…him. He came in and locked the door. I was about to tell him that we can't lock the doors, but he grabbed my arm and twisted my wrist so I dropped the stuff I was holding. He pushed me back against that wall-" she points with her chin "-and he was trying to say something, but I couldn't understand. He was talking too quiet. So I told him I couldn't hear him, and he said that didn't matter. Then- well, I…I'd rather not say what he said. He was talking really fast, and then you guys came in. I know he was drunk, and he didn't know what he was doing, but I was still scared."
She really was shaking. Her whole body, especially her hands, is shivering like she's cold. Brita wraps her arms around her, and looks at me. Yeah, ok, I get the hint. I hold Aria's shoulder, and she leans against me. God, I had no idea it would be this hard to be near her. I really want to hold her like Brita is, but I think after what just happened, that would be about the worst thing I could do. Right now she just needs me to be here, so I'll do that for her. I don't want to scare her away.
Later we rejoined everyone else. It was a lot more subdued, though. Diablo was nowhere to be seen- I think Malik sent him back to the Cassandra. It was pretty quiet until Tank and Cristyl came back. Everyone laughed and teased them, but they take it so good-naturedly that it was just fun. Finally, they had to leave. We'd spent about as long as we could in the same place, and it was time to move on. They went back onto the Cassandra, and we detached the bridges, rolling them back into the sides of the ships. They sent a goodbye signal and then they left, disappearing into one of the hundreds of dark tunnels surrounding us. We swung around and headed vaguely towards Dublin. I wonder if we'll ever see them again. I hope I never have to see Diablo again. That bastard! I don't care if he was drunk out of his fucking mind- how dare he do that to Aria! If I ever see him again…. well, I just hope I don't, or I may have to break the law about hurting members of another crew. But something tells me that we're not going to see them again. It wouldn't surprise me. Nobody ever lasts long out here. They'll be lucky if they make it another year. We all will. And don't we know it.