Nanu's Story - The Infirmary
Gavin
Days go by. Life on the Neb continues much the same. But Nanu remains in the infirmary, unconscious. Key is perplexed. An unofficial vigil is kept; the medic, himself, Neo or (rarely) Trinity keeping watch over the rookie.
He comes down the hall and into the small bright room, to change places with Neo. The man is sitting on the second bunk, legs folded, watching Nanu. Gavin pauses in the doorway, unnoticed. He looks at his captain.
Joint captain really. Whenever they are on a run in the Matrix, Neo is indisputably in charge, but Trinity has over fifteen years experience in the real world, while Neo has barely four. On the ship, she is the captain.
The man on the bunk folds his arms, seeming cold. The sleeves of his shirt are stretched, too long, and all his clothes are too big. Neo is tall, but thin, and his baggy clothes make him appear thinner. As Gavin sees him now, he looks human, not the dark angel in his black coat, but a man, wrapped up in a thin grey blanket against the cold.
"Hey," Gavin comes in and Neo looks up.
"I've been thinking," he says.
"About what?" Gavin has become accustomed to Neo's way of launching into an idea or conversation.
"Nanu. About why she's unconscious like this. And about what she said last time."
Gavin knows his line, "What did she say last time?"
"She said if she jacked-in she'd be fine, that her head wouldn't hurt. And she was right. She was walking around in the Matrix like she'd never passed out. But now there's this," he makes some helpless gesture toward the girl's sleeping form.
"So?"
"So I was wondering what would happen if she was jacked-in now."
"Right now?"
"Yes."
"Key wouldn't allow it."
"I meant theoretically of course." He unfolds his legs, dangles his feet over the bunk. "What do you think would happen, anyway?"
"Make it worse."
"Why?"
"The first time she fainted and woke up about ten hours later. Then she jacked-in, and now she's been out of it for almost four days."
Neo gives the shadow of a smile. "Why is it that everyone talks me out of these dumb ideas?"
Gavin doesn't answer. There's really nothing to say.
Neo slides off the bunk, "What time is it?"
"Three p.m., Matrix City Standard time."
"My shift on Matrix watch then." He moves slowly for the door, clapping Gavin on the shoulder in passing. "Keep an eye on Sleeping Beauty."
"I will."
"Yell for Key if she wakes up."
"I will."
One last smile, then he goes. Gavin walks to the bunk and finds the warm spot Neo just left. And he settles down to watch Nanu, whispering song lyrics to keep himself awake.
If I give up on you, I give up on me
If we fight what's true, will we ever be?
Even God himself and the faith I knew
Shouldn't hold me back, shouldn't keep me from you
Tease me by holding out your hand
Then leave me or take me as I am
And live on lies, stigmatised . . .
Nanu
She opens her mind. Neo has left, some time ago; Gavin is in his place. It's late . . . and he's fallen asleep.
She opens her eyes, slowly. The fluoro tubes are out, only a small globe above the door glows with a soft blue light. All is quiet. Gavin lies on his back on the other bed, his hands folded over his stomach.
Nanu sits up carefully. The pain in her head is faint, barely noticeable. Her clothes have been changed, probably for ease of examination. She now only wears a dark singlet and her trousers; her boots have been removed. She's got an IV plugged into her wrist again, the jacks in her arms glint in the light. She's still not quite used to them. She pulls out the IV.
Why did she pass out like that? Is it because she flew?
Every time she's ignored the program, or changed it dramatically, it's been at the cost of a splitting headache. The second and third time's it's been so bad she passed out.
Nanu's not sure why.
Headache . . .
Does it hurt to think that hard? To wrestle and defeat and ignore and change the rules? That would make a strange kind of sense.
But she knows that it shouldn't hurt.
A feeling, something like déjà vu, like when she had remembered what the Matrix was, washes over Nanu. She remembers that at one time, she had been capable of anything. And it hadn't hurt.
No . . .
That's not quite right.
Someone else had been the powerful one, but she'd been so close to him/her that she'd shared the feeling/gift. Like flying in the arms of superman. The two people/souls are so close they blur and Nanu cannot tell which one is which or which one she was. It's damn confusing.
The strange memories fade as she hears Gavin stir. But he's still dreaming.
She keeps her mind closed to him, still regretting the last time she spied. After seeing the memory of his brother, it had been days before she could look him in the eyes. He'd known something was wrong but hadn't asked what.
His breathing quickens and his face changes as she watches him slowly wake up. He seems to age.
When he opens his eyes he looks at the ceiling. He blinks, and a frown crosses his face, like he's wondering why he's not in his room. Then he turns his head and sees her sitting up.
"You all right?" he asks.
"I'm fine."
"That's good."
"You're tired," she can see it in the shadows under his eyes.
He shrugs. His clothes make sshhing noises against the bunk mattress. "I don't sleep well."
"Why not?"
Sshhrug. "I don't know."
A pause. She decides to change the topic.
"Have you ever been to Zion?"
"A few times."
"Did you like it?"
"S'ok. It's big, lots of people. It's like being inside an ant's nest, with everyone going everywhere with a dozen things to do. It's easy to get lost in there."
"Are there more Zion-born that there are Jacks?
"It's about equal, but there are obviously more Jacks who work on ships or with them." He yawns.
"What sort of things do they have in the city?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like," she spreads her hands. "Does Zion have things a Matrix city would have, like bars? Or shops?"
"There are soup kitchens for food, and just about everything else you could need, from clothes or furniture to equipment, is bartered at the traders'. There's a war on, there's always been a war on. There's a different mentality in Zion than anywhere in the Matrix . . . " he fades out into another yawn, putting one hand over his mouth. There is a sudden, 'tock' sound and he says, "Ow."
"What?"
"My jaw just popped."
Nanu laughs.
"Why is that so funny?" his green eyes slit at her in mock annoyance.
"Nothing, it's so normal it's weird."
"You're weird."
She smiles sweetly and he smiles back, then looks away. They say nothing for a few minutes. Gavin's eyes drift closed. Nanu can hear his breathing; he's asleep again.
She allows her mind to relax, curling up on her bunk. And she falls asleep watching him.
***
Okay, that was short, but the next one's longer, I promise.