Nanu's Story - The Second Jump
Nanu
Tank and Nanu are the only ones on deck, going over the chairs.
"Basic maintenance," he is checking the wiring, she is on her knees wielding a rag. After every run we have to make sure the circuits and all the tech stuff is fine, and we check the chairs themselves regularly." He points to chair four with his screwdriver; "The headrest on that one is unravelling."
Silently, Nanu moves over. It's Gavin's chair, there are blond hairs on the cloth strip she unwraps from around the stuffing. Duct tape, or something like it, holds the stuffing down. She begins to rewrap the cloth.
"How long have you known Neo?"
"Four years, maybe less."
"How old is he?"
"Thirty five I think, I'm not sure." He looks over, "Why?"
"He just seems younger, that's all." She decides to change the subject. "What's Zion like?"
"Warmer. Crowded. And very noisy after being on a ship with only seven other people for months on end."
"You were born there?"
"Yeah, me and Dozer."
"Dozer?"
"My brother. He was my brother."
"Was he on crew when Cypher . . . ?"
"How do you know about him?"
"Gavin told me," at last she can give a normal answer.
"Gavin doesn't know the story as well as some, he wasn't there when it happened."
She ties a knot in the cloth, the headrest fixed. "Who was there?"
"Neo, Trinity, Morpheus, Dozer, me, Apoc, Switch and Mouse."
"And Cypher."
"May he burn in hell."
There is no humour in Tank's voice.
"Mouse was only a little older than you. He'd talk forever but he was a brilliant programmer. Wrote most of the programs we use now." Tank keeps working as he talks and Nanu doesn't move, just listens.
"Apoc and Switch were always a team. They could probably clear a police station in two minutes so long as they were together. She was always so cynical, she and Mouse could have had us all laughing if they'd tried; he was enthusiastic about everything and she could act cold to the point of it seeming silly."
"What about Morpheus?"
"He was our captain."
"Was?"
"He's in Zion now, you'll meet him one day."
Nanu goes back to oiling. As she works her way through the chairs she moves around the core, a structure like a pillar that goes through the whole ship - the power source. A battered plaque is fixed to the side.
Mark III no. 11
Nebuchadnezzar II
Made in the USA 2069
A roman figure two is scratched next to the name.
"Nebuchadnezzar the second," Nanu reads. "Is that the name of the ship?"
"Yeah," Tank is a chair behind her, going through the wiring. "She was built from the remains of the first Neb, that one got totalled after a squiddy attack. We only just made it back to Zion and after that she couldn't take any more.
"I helped build this ship. Her registered name is Nebuchadnezzar the second but we still call her the Neb." He smiles a little, lays a hand on the core.
"That plaque is from the first ship. They were going to melt it down for a new one, but I wanted to keep it."
"How long had you been on the Neb?"
"I was first drafted on when I was nine. That's about 15 or 16 years ago now."
"A long time." That's Nanu's whole life.
"Yes," Tank's voice goes soft. "A long time."
***
"Nanu," Neo comes up the ladder, Tod following. He moves, and talks, quickly. "Nanu I'd like to run you through the jump again."
"But I've passed it - "
"I know, but this is a different jump."
"Why?"
"Tomorrow you're going for your first run in the Matrix. Normally I wouldn't worry but now . . . anything could happen. I'd like you to try something first. Tod's been working on a new program."
"It's much the same as the first one," Tod says, "but the way it's encoded is different."
"How different?"
"It's," Tod hesitates, glancing at Neo. "It's Matrix code."
"So trying to change it is just as hard as in the Matrix?"
"Or harder."
"Do you want me to run through it now?" she asks Neo.
"I've just done chair five," Tank says. "It's ready."
"Then we'll run you through now," Neo moves to his chair. "And I'll go in with you."
Neo
The view is exactly the same. The wind is the same, cold, almost stinging.
"Can you still do this?"
She doesn't answer, just closes her eyes and lifts one foot like she is going to step up onto something. Looking faintly ridiculous, her mouth moves, and Neo can hear her whisper to herself. She doesn't seem to realise she's thinking out loud.
"Solid, this is solid. I'm not going to fall, this isn't real, I can do this I can change this its' hard but I can I know I can."
Muscles tense, her hands clench, then she steps up. She stands about a yard off the ground, on nothing.
"Did it work?" she asks, eyes still screwed shut.
"Yes," that one word is all he can get out.
She opens her eyes, looks down and smiles slowly. Her shoes scuff audibly on the concrete as she steps down.
"I can ignore this too. It's louder, but I can."
"How much do you think you can do?"
She shrugs.
Neo turns away, considering. He looks back to her, and then,
Takes off.
He springs off the roof and flies straight up.
He can hear his heartbeat, although it's not real here. The air has the consistency of water, smooth and almost tangible, the feeling of wind on his face, pulling his coat as he cuts through the sky, is amazing. How ironic, that he should enjoy this lie.
He looks down, sees Nanu still on the roof, looking back up at him. He dives, rapidly losing altitude, the world rushing past him.
Nanu
He turns in the air and lands smoothly, crouching with his coat flaring out around him like a cloak. Very slowly he straightens, a smile playing around the corners of his mouth.
Damn.
She has no doubt that there is nothing on this earth like the man in front of her. If sheer presence can save the world, Neo's got everything under control.
Neo
"Cool," she grins. "But I might need some practice before I can do that."
He says nothing, just looks at her. Her jeans, brown boots and grey jacket are the same she was wearing on the night of her unplugging, and the same she's worn in every simulation since. Her hair is still in a braid.
"What?" she says. "You're staring."
"I just thought you would have changed by now. I mean your clothes."
"Why?"
"Are you going to wear the same things forever?"
"Course not. But it's not exactly a high priority." Abruptly she turns away, walks to the edge of the roof. She pauses on the brink, looks back. Smiles.
And jumps.
She leaps out and up, and up, and up. Neo stares, his lips parted, as she soars above him, twisting and diving and moving through the air like she's been doing it all her life. Like it's natural.
"This is crazy," he mutters, and flies up after her.
Trinity
She comes on deck, sees Neo and Nanu in the chairs. She freezes. Slowly she walks up to Tank.
"What's going on?"
"She's going through the new Jump program."
Trinity grips the back of his chair.
"But we haven't run an auto through that yet."
"It's okay, Neo's in there."
But it's Neo she's worried about.
"How's she going?"
"Good. She's fine." Tank seems uncomfortable. Trinity doesn't know why.
Nanu
Memories swim through her vision, snatches of a lost life. There should be arms around her now, but there aren't. She files as easily as if she's Superman, and it's wonderful. Neo comes up beside her, but for an instant she almost sees someone else.
Raven.
Then it's gone. Part of her mind wrestles with the lies, but the rest just enjoys the ride, grinning at her teacher as he tries to catch up to her.
Trinity
She's in the galley, putting away dishes. Tod comes in and gets out a freshly washed bowl for lunch.
"You okay captain?" he asks, pouring slop. "Tank said you were worried."
"Did you test that program Tod?" she stacks mugs in the cupboard, three high.
"No." She looks up. He meets her eyes briefly. "I see your point."
There is about a minute of silence. Tod starts eating and Trin begins to mix a new batch of slop.
"I wonder what they're doing in there," he says suddenly. The words themselves are innocent, but there is something in his tone Trinity doesn't like.
"Meaning?"
"Nothing, just wondering. It can't take so long to jump from one building to another." He ducks his head, fiddling with his spork.
"Tod. Say what you mean."
"Haven't you noticed they're kind of . . . you know."
She forces herself to stay still.
"I found them once. In here."
She breathes slowly.
"I came in and they were just staring at each other."
He's blowing it out of proportion. What he's insinuating can't be true. Neo chose her because the physic thing showed up in her signature code . . . that's the only reason he sees her as special . . . there can't be any other reason.
"Whatever you saw Tod, was just the end of a conversation. Neo is training a new recruit. Nanu doesn't know anyone on this ship except him and Gavin.
"So I don't know what you're thinking, but I'm sure you're wrong. Now get back to work." She closes the lid of the slop canister with a bang. Tod leaves the galley.
Neo
Hours go by. He teaches her everything he knows, and is amazed and worried at how much she is able to do. She can move fast enough to dodge a bullet, run up and flip off the wall, and her aim with a gun is almost superhuman.
They walk for ages, Neo sometimes trying to explain how to will something to happen, only to find she can phrase it better than he can. Occasionally they bust into a sparring match, and Nanu lasts longer than most before being beaten.
***
"How are you doing all this?" he asks. "I've never known anyone else who could do this, only me."
"Well, I think it's mainly the physic thing than helps me ignore this," she replies, hands in her pockets as they walk through the park.
"Mainly? Is there anything else?"
"I think I've got part of your mind."
He stops, "What?"
"When you gave me the red pill, it was salty from your hand," Nanu explains hesitantly. "When we're in here, what I see is your mind, so I guess your sweat on the pill was a little bit of your mind. Not much, but enough to make ignoring this easier."
"Oh." He pulls up his sleeve to check his watch. "We'd better go now. There aren't any more revelations hiding in your pockets?"
"Not today."
"Tank," Neo says into nothing. "Get us out."
Nanu
She opens her eyes and light comes charging in. the click of the plug going back into it's holder thunders like a timpani in her head.
"My . . . God," she whispers, and gamely tries to sit up. She almost manages to pretend she's okay, but then she passes out and falls to the floor.
***
She wakes up in the infirmary, with Key standing over her.
"Are you sure you don't know?" she hears Neo whisper, outside her range of vision.
"I can't find anything wrong with her, she should be fine."
"Key - " Nanu's voice is small but she catches the medic's attention.
"What is it?"
"The run tomorrow - "
"The run today Nanu, you were out for ages. And anyhow there's no way you're going in like you are."
"No," she raises her head, ignoring the pain squeezing her temples like a vice. "Key, once I jack-in I'll be fine - "
"Nanu, you are not going on a run in your condition," Neo moves to where she can see him. "We're not going to risk - "
"Dammit." Nanu sits up, swings her legs over the bunk edge. "Look, I'll be okay, just let me jack-in - "
"No Nanu."
" - or I'll follow you anyway."
He covers his eyes with his hand, then runs it over his hair to rub the back of his neck as he looks at her.
"Trin is going to kill me . . . " he mutters, and shakes his head. Key looks from one to the other, frowning. Neo sighs.
"God damn you Nanu. Alright."
***
Next chapter - First Run.