Chapter 10: Integration
"The supreme paradox of all thought is the attempt to discover something that thought cannot think." ~Soren Kierkegaard
There was no way around it. Smith was never going to cooperate, especially with Trinity and Morpheus. There was just no way, and time was running out. They needed to find out what happened to Neo and get him out of that coma as soon as possible.
They were going to need a specialist. Captains Roland and Morpheus deliberated over it for quite sometime. They were going to need someone that could intelligently deal with the new and unpredictable emotions that Smith was expressing. They required all the expertise they could find in order for things to be done right. They wanted no mistakes.
A call was made out to the Pygmalion to request assistance, and the two ships met after determining a secure location. A crew transfer was made.
The Hammer was then in possession of one of Zion's most accomplished psychological doctors. Galatea mainly dealt in human affairs, helping newly unplugged people adjust to life in the real world, but she also had developed an interest in machine psychology. She would be useful in helping both Neo and Smith. She would also be present for the insertion of Bane's possessor into the construct prison.
*****
Bane's sedated body was removed from the brig and carefully placed into one of the interface chairs. The crews of both the Hammer and the Neb gathered around, accompanied by their new addition.
Ignoring the fact that the Smith copy had destroyed Bane's mind, each of them paid their respects to the body of the man that they once knew, each voicing their happy memories of him and commending his contributions to the success of mankind.
Galatea did not know Bane personally, but she too made mention of the great things she had heard about him, namely his bravery.
Morpheus and Trinity both settled into a pair of interface chairs as well. They were going to destroy the copy once it was transferred to the construct.
"Wait," Galatea said to Morpheus.
"What is it?"
"From the information that I've been given, I think it's best that you not destroy Smith's copy."
"Why not?" Trinity said.
"See if you can get him to reintegrate his copy. The copy experienced things in a human body that he couldn't have experienced as a program. If the original Smith takes in these new sensations and emotions, it would most likely be easier to get him to cooperate."
"Or he could be more volatile," Morpheus pointed out.
"That's true sir, but if he ingests Bane's memories, he will have a taste of what being human is really like…and we will have a better chance of him understanding our side of the fight."
Morpheus exchanged a look with Trinity. He knew that they needed to do anything possible in order to help Neo. The chance better be worth taking.
Trinity nodded. "It's best to listen to the expert."
The settled themselves in, and both Link and Orion slid the interface needles home. The pair jerked involuntarily, then opened their eyes.
They were standing in the construct, and moments later, the Smith copy appeared beside them. Released from Bane's body, he was now conscious. He had been rendered immobile by Link and appeared confused and flustered.
The original Smith was standing before them, almost as if he knew they were coming had been waiting.
"Morpheus," he said languidly. "I hadn't expected you to come visit me in this…prison." He expressed his irritation as forcefully as possible.
Morpheus's stoic facial features did not falter. He remembered the misery that Smith had subjected him to, and memories of long hours of ruthless interrogation came back to him. He pushed them away for a moment.
"Smith," he stated shortly, returning the callous greeting.
The smug program walked towards them, each perfectly calibrated stride exuding threat. Link was at the ready.
Smith spoke again, his tone sepulchral and sustained.
"It surprises me that in spite of your…lack of intelligence, you've still managed to come to the conclusion that my copy here—" the copy curled its lip and glared at Trinity "—was occupying the body of one of your compatriots. I'm impressed, really."
He moved to and stood face to face with his copy. The copy spoke to his 'father.'
"Something went wrong"
"Obviously."
"I was sedated as soon as I was discovered."
"Then you should have acted sooner."
Smith turned back to Morpheus and Trinity.
"Just another pitiful deficiency," he scoffed. "So easy for the human body to be taken out of commission."
"That's enough," Morpheus commanded.
Both Smith and his copy raised an eyebrow.
Trinity spoke next, her voice seething. "Get rid of him now Smith, or we will."
He squinted at her suspiciously.
"Why, I wonder…am I being asked to destroy my own copy?"
"I'm not asking you. I'm telling you."
"No." He challengingly stepped towards Trinity again. "I don't think I will."
Trinity inwardly smiled. Hopefully if she prodded him enough to 'kill' his copy, he would finally become frustrated enough and resort to absorbing the copy back into himself…if he thought that it might spite her. And she knew that Smith loved to irritate her.
She whipped out her pistol and aimed it at the side of the copy's head. The copy turned to look at her so that the barrel scraped against one of his sunglass lenses. His feet were still planted to the floor.
"I've never seen an agents brains before," she mused. "He can't run, he can't even transfer into another body. This could get interesting."
The copy sneered at her. "One, I am no longer an agent. Two, we are all occupying the same reality…as soon as you shoot me, I could easily transfer into your body or his." He nodded to Morpheus.
"You forget," Morpheus said complacently, "that we control this construct. In the Matrix, you have the ability to become whoever you want, but here," he gestured around him, "you no longer have that ability."
The copy turned his head back to Smith, the pistol now aimed again at his temple. The side of his face twitched.
Was that…fear? Trinity thought. She pulled the hammer back on her pistol.
"It's happening right now whether I do it or you do," she growled at Smith.
He sighed heavily, as though this was all just one big chore for him.
"Fine," he said lazily. With that, he drove his hand into the chest of his copy. His twin spasmed as the viscous black fluid began to envelop his body. He seemed to shrink away as all of his memories and experiences were integrated back into Smith.
However, Smith appeared to be having problems. There was so much data that it was overwhelming. It was like being caught in a heavy wind. He tried to stand up straight and concentrate on the transfer, but he couldn't help succumbing to the immense sort of weight that seemed to be filling him. He vaguely noticed that the copy had regressed to become a formless, gelatinous, black…thing.
When it was finally over, the weight seemed to balance itself out and he stood in complete silence staring straight ahead into nothing. He was completely oblivious to Trinity and Morpheus. A look of amazement beyond comprehension crossed his face. His mouth opened slightly. It was amazing. The information.
Slowly he lifted his left fist, opened his fingers, and looked down at his palm. He could remember where his copy had cut into Bane's hand. He could still feel the residual effects of it. He flexed his fingers as he remembered the pain. The scent of it wreaked brutal havoc on his digital mind, and an angry bliss swelled within him. He felt absolutely…powerful. He smiled as he retrieved other memory files.
Smith was so enthralled with these new mind-opening sensations that he never noticed Trinity and Morpheus evaporate.