Chapter 9
"What's going on?" Hunter asked.
"We just got word from the Belshazzar, another ship in the area," Morpheus replied. "She detected a squiddy coming at us real fast."
"Squiddy?"
"Likely ya'd call it a Sent'n'l ," Splinter drawled.
"Gotcha."
"So we have to get out of here and shut down," Neo said. "Think you can survive that?"
"After surviving what you just gave me? Do you need to ask?"
When Neo looked like he might, Hunter added, "Just save the program and bring it back up without resetting. I'll be fine."
Neo nodded.
"Hey, before I forget, that sentinel most likely knows you're here. AI has a way to trace where any ship is that is hacking into the Matrix for more than 15 min."
Neo nodded again. "Thanks"
A few moments latter, Hunter was standing alone in the construct. As it began to fade away, he muttered "I sure hope I didn't lie about surviving just now."
And then he faded with the rest of the program.
Meanwhile, in the real world...
"Where should we set her down sir?" Tank asked Morpheus.
"Let's set down in this open area up ahead," he replied after a moment's consideration. "We don't want to be in this tunnel in case that Sentinel decides to use it."
They landed and started the shutdown process.
"What if it's already locked on to us?" Trinity asked.
"Tha's what tha EMP's fer, darlin'," Splinter replied, his hand already hovering over the trigger.
Trinity was about to retort when Morpheus motioned for everyone to be quiet and look the window.
"I think it knows we're here." Trinity observed.
The silver squirmy squid like sentinel was coming straight at them. And it already had its cutting tools out and laser glowing.
"Yep," they heard Laser say. She had just gotten to the bridge.
Very theatrically, Splinter stepped aside and asked, "Would ya like ta do tha honors, darlin'."
"Delighted, my good man," came Lasers reply.
Morpheous glanced back and said "Just fire it before that thing gets any closer."
"Oh, fine you Philistine." Laser said, as she turned the trigger. And a few moments later, the Squiddy fell, completely inert, 5 meters in front of the Nebuchadnezzar. And everyone but Splinter and Laser breathed a sigh of relief. They just went back to their theatrical antics. Much to everyone else's annoyance.
"Good shot, mi'lady," Splinter said.
"I thank you, kind sir."
"Are you two done?" Morpheous asked.
They looked at each other for a moment. "Is that an order or a question?" Laser asked.
"Hopefully an order," Trinity said.
"Yes," Neo agreed.
"She cracks tha whip an' ya jump, 's that it?"
"It was a suggestion," Morpheous replied, quickly trying to head off any confrontation. "And if you don't decide to follow it, I'll see you in the sparing program once Tank brings the system back up."
"Which I'm doing right now, so you better make up your mind quick."
"Alright, you Philistines, have it your way." Laser seemed on the verge of sticking out her tongue, but didn't quite get there.
Everyone was quiet for a minute. Then the lights came up Tank broke the silence.
"I've got everything back up and running."
"Good," Neo said. "Let's see if the newest member of our crew is still with us."
Hunter was back in the white room. He couldn't help but think that he should have been aware of more of a time difference, but for all he knew, the system could have been shut down for years, or just seconds. He stood and waited. And waited.
And waited.
He wasn't quite sure what he was waiting for. But still, he waited.
He turned around a few times and the third time he found a telephone and a stand had appeared behind him. He couldn't decide if it was more annoying or interesting that everything that could appear behind him seemed to do so. He had no doubt that the rooms would appear behind him if they could.
The phone started ringing. Just to entertain anyone who was watching, he made a big show about looking around for anyone else who might be there to pick up the phone. Then, he picked it up.
"Hello, this is Nowhere, Hunter speaking."
"Very funny." He heard two voices that sounded like Splinter and a female voice in the background, chuckling.
"Apparently someone thinks it is."
"You're even worse than I remember."
"That's because you're losing your memory in your old age."
"Watch it kid, your only about 2 years younger than me."
"Whatever you say old man." This time he heard more than two voices chuckling in the background.
"What's going on?" Hunter asked.
"We just got word from the Belshazzar, another ship in the area," Morpheus replied. "She detected a squiddy coming at us real fast."
"Squiddy?"
"Likely ya'd call it a Sent'n'l ," Splinter drawled.
"Gotcha."
"So we have to get out of here and shut down," Neo said. "Think you can survive that?"
"After surviving what you just gave me? Do you need to ask?"
When Neo looked like he might, Hunter added, "Just save the program and bring it back up without resetting. I'll be fine."
Neo nodded.
"Hey, before I forget, that sentinel most likely knows you're here. AI has a way to trace where any ship is that is hacking into the Matrix for more than 15 min."
Neo nodded again. "Thanks"
A few moments latter, Hunter was standing alone in the construct. As it began to fade away, he muttered "I sure hope I didn't lie about surviving just now."
And then he faded with the rest of the program.
Meanwhile, in the real world...
"Where should we set her down sir?" Tank asked Morpheus.
"Let's set down in this open area up ahead," he replied after a moment's consideration. "We don't want to be in this tunnel in case that Sentinel decides to use it."
They landed and started the shutdown process.
"What if it's already locked on to us?" Trinity asked.
"Tha's what tha EMP's fer, darlin'," Splinter replied, his hand already hovering over the trigger.
Trinity was about to retort when Morpheus motioned for everyone to be quiet and look the window.
"I think it knows we're here." Trinity observed.
The silver squirmy squid like sentinel was coming straight at them. And it already had its cutting tools out and laser glowing.
"Yep," they heard Laser say. She had just gotten to the bridge.
Very theatrically, Splinter stepped aside and asked, "Would ya like ta do tha honors, darlin'."
"Delighted, my good man," came Lasers reply.
Morpheous glanced back and said "Just fire it before that thing gets any closer."
"Oh, fine you Philistine." Laser said, as she turned the trigger. And a few moments later, the Squiddy fell, completely inert, 5 meters in front of the Nebuchadnezzar. And everyone but Splinter and Laser breathed a sigh of relief. They just went back to their theatrical antics. Much to everyone else's annoyance.
"Good shot, mi'lady," Splinter said.
"I thank you, kind sir."
"Are you two done?" Morpheous asked.
They looked at each other for a moment. "Is that an order or a question?" Laser asked.
"Hopefully an order," Trinity said.
"Yes," Neo agreed.
"She cracks tha whip an' ya jump, 's that it?"
"It was a suggestion," Morpheous replied, quickly trying to head off any confrontation. "And if you don't decide to follow it, I'll see you in the sparing program once Tank brings the system back up."
"Which I'm doing right now, so you better make up your mind quick."
"Alright, you Philistines, have it your way." Laser seemed on the verge of sticking out her tongue, but didn't quite get there.
Everyone was quiet for a minute. Then the lights came up Tank broke the silence.
"I've got everything back up and running."
"Good," Neo said. "Let's see if the newest member of our crew is still with us."
Hunter was back in the white room. He couldn't help but think that he should have been aware of more of a time difference, but for all he knew, the system could have been shut down for years, or just seconds. He stood and waited. And waited.
And waited.
He wasn't quite sure what he was waiting for. But still, he waited.
He turned around a few times and the third time he found a telephone and a stand had appeared behind him. He couldn't decide if it was more annoying or interesting that everything that could appear behind him seemed to do so. He had no doubt that the rooms would appear behind him if they could.
The phone started ringing. Just to entertain anyone who was watching, he made a big show about looking around for anyone else who might be there to pick up the phone. Then, he picked it up.
"Hello, this is Nowhere, Hunter speaking."
"Very funny." He heard two voices that sounded like Splinter and a female voice in the background, chuckling.
"Apparently someone thinks it is."
"You're even worse than I remember."
"That's because you're losing your memory in your old age."
"Watch it kid, your only about 2 years younger than me."
"Whatever you say old man." This time he heard more than two voices chuckling in the background.