Chapter Six
Welcome to Zion
As the Nebuchadnezzar approached Zion, Andy and Morpheus watched from the cockpit. As they did, Morpheus turned to Andy.
"Before we reach Zion, it's time for you to select a name for yourself," he said.
Andy raised his eyebrows, but continued to watch the approaching city. "You mean a name like yours? A code name?"
"No. Morpheus is my real name. The name I was called in The Matrix, before I woke up . . . that was the code name. You must select your real name."
Andy thought about it, and smiled. "The Matrix . . . it's basically a giant videogame, right?"
"I don't understand what you mean."
"It's an MMOFPS, a massively multiplayer online first-person shooter. Everybody just kind of plays out their roles, viewing through the eyes of a character they subconsciously created for the game. But that's all it is."
"Essentially, yes."
"Well, I consider myself a gamer, a game geek, if you will. Have you ever heard of Leet Speak?"
"No."
"Leet is 'elite' in Leet Speak. It's the language of hardcore gamers, or at least it used to be. Now everybody who knows what a medkit is uses it." Andy sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Alright, I've got one. From now on, my name is Leet."
Morpheus nodded. "Alright, Leet. Welcome to Zion."
The gates of Zion slid open, and the Nebuchadnezzar was inside.
----
Zion didn't seem like another country to Andy; it seemed like another planet. He stumbled after the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar, fighting his way through crowds of strange people. In general, he felt like a dorky tourist, but tried to hide it.
"Question," he muttered, catching up with Link. "It's great to be awake and all, but . . . where am I supposed to live now?"
"You're going to be staying with the other orphans. They have a big setup a few levels down."
"Okay, so do I just go up there and say 'Hi, I'm from The Matrix. Do you have a free room where I can crash until I'm 21'?"
"No, you have to be taken there by the captain, Morpheus. Just keep following us around, and he'll probably get to it eventually."
"Lovely," Andy grumbled.
After depositing the Nebuchadnezzar's supplies at his living quarters, and stopping for a lengthy chat with Counselor Hamman, Morpheus did, eventually, get to it. Dismissing the rest of the crew, he escorted Andy to the orphanage, where an old woman sat at a desk, typing on a dusty computer.
"Brought a new one for us, Morpheus?"
"Yes. His name is Leet."
"What?"
"Leet. L-E-E-T."
"Okay. Age?"
"Fifteen."
"Right. Come right this way, Leet."
"I will be back for you in a few days," Morpheus muttered. "You must be taken to see the Oracle."
"The who?"
"She is very wise. She will tell you what comes next for you."
"As long as she isn't Miss Cleo."
Andy was led into a large room with several tables, where children from all ages were eating a thick, oatmeal-like substance. Looking at it made Andy slightly nauseous.
The old woman approached a brown-haired girl, one who appeared about Andy's age, and tapped her on the shoulder. The girl turned from her good, and glanced up.
"Arwen, this is Leet, one of the newest orphans. You'll be his guide for now."
Arwen nodded, and extended a hand. Nervously, Andy shook it.
"Arwen? Like Arwen from Lord of the Rings?"
"Yeah." Arwen turned red. "Those used to be my favorite books before I woke up. I just wanted something from that life to hold onto." She gestured at a chair on the opposite side of the table. "Have a seat. You hungry?"
"Er, no thanks." Andy sat down, and drummed his fingers on the table, fidgeting slightly.
"So, you wanna talk about it?" Arwen gulped down another spoonful of the oatmeal.
"Talk about what?"
"Oh, come on. You probably just went through the single most traumatizing event of your life. Every single thing you ever knew and loved is now gone, and you can never go back. Doesn't that make you even slightly emotional?"
"Yeah. It does, but I usually don't really like to-"
"Open up? Oh, so you're one of those people. The bitter, sarcastic kind, or the nervous, quiet kind?"
"A little of both," Andy replied, now starting to smile a little.
"Then we should get along pretty well. You sure you don't want to talk about it?"
"No, no thanks."
"You will. Nobody can keep it bottled up for long."
As the Nebuchadnezzar approached Zion, Andy and Morpheus watched from the cockpit. As they did, Morpheus turned to Andy.
"Before we reach Zion, it's time for you to select a name for yourself," he said.
Andy raised his eyebrows, but continued to watch the approaching city. "You mean a name like yours? A code name?"
"No. Morpheus is my real name. The name I was called in The Matrix, before I woke up . . . that was the code name. You must select your real name."
Andy thought about it, and smiled. "The Matrix . . . it's basically a giant videogame, right?"
"I don't understand what you mean."
"It's an MMOFPS, a massively multiplayer online first-person shooter. Everybody just kind of plays out their roles, viewing through the eyes of a character they subconsciously created for the game. But that's all it is."
"Essentially, yes."
"Well, I consider myself a gamer, a game geek, if you will. Have you ever heard of Leet Speak?"
"No."
"Leet is 'elite' in Leet Speak. It's the language of hardcore gamers, or at least it used to be. Now everybody who knows what a medkit is uses it." Andy sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Alright, I've got one. From now on, my name is Leet."
Morpheus nodded. "Alright, Leet. Welcome to Zion."
The gates of Zion slid open, and the Nebuchadnezzar was inside.
----
Zion didn't seem like another country to Andy; it seemed like another planet. He stumbled after the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar, fighting his way through crowds of strange people. In general, he felt like a dorky tourist, but tried to hide it.
"Question," he muttered, catching up with Link. "It's great to be awake and all, but . . . where am I supposed to live now?"
"You're going to be staying with the other orphans. They have a big setup a few levels down."
"Okay, so do I just go up there and say 'Hi, I'm from The Matrix. Do you have a free room where I can crash until I'm 21'?"
"No, you have to be taken there by the captain, Morpheus. Just keep following us around, and he'll probably get to it eventually."
"Lovely," Andy grumbled.
After depositing the Nebuchadnezzar's supplies at his living quarters, and stopping for a lengthy chat with Counselor Hamman, Morpheus did, eventually, get to it. Dismissing the rest of the crew, he escorted Andy to the orphanage, where an old woman sat at a desk, typing on a dusty computer.
"Brought a new one for us, Morpheus?"
"Yes. His name is Leet."
"What?"
"Leet. L-E-E-T."
"Okay. Age?"
"Fifteen."
"Right. Come right this way, Leet."
"I will be back for you in a few days," Morpheus muttered. "You must be taken to see the Oracle."
"The who?"
"She is very wise. She will tell you what comes next for you."
"As long as she isn't Miss Cleo."
Andy was led into a large room with several tables, where children from all ages were eating a thick, oatmeal-like substance. Looking at it made Andy slightly nauseous.
The old woman approached a brown-haired girl, one who appeared about Andy's age, and tapped her on the shoulder. The girl turned from her good, and glanced up.
"Arwen, this is Leet, one of the newest orphans. You'll be his guide for now."
Arwen nodded, and extended a hand. Nervously, Andy shook it.
"Arwen? Like Arwen from Lord of the Rings?"
"Yeah." Arwen turned red. "Those used to be my favorite books before I woke up. I just wanted something from that life to hold onto." She gestured at a chair on the opposite side of the table. "Have a seat. You hungry?"
"Er, no thanks." Andy sat down, and drummed his fingers on the table, fidgeting slightly.
"So, you wanna talk about it?" Arwen gulped down another spoonful of the oatmeal.
"Talk about what?"
"Oh, come on. You probably just went through the single most traumatizing event of your life. Every single thing you ever knew and loved is now gone, and you can never go back. Doesn't that make you even slightly emotional?"
"Yeah. It does, but I usually don't really like to-"
"Open up? Oh, so you're one of those people. The bitter, sarcastic kind, or the nervous, quiet kind?"
"A little of both," Andy replied, now starting to smile a little.
"Then we should get along pretty well. You sure you don't want to talk about it?"
"No, no thanks."
"You will. Nobody can keep it bottled up for long."
