Nanu's Story - Trinity and the Oracle

Nanu/Trinity

"Why exactly did you choose the name Trinity?"

"I . . . " she wraps her hands tighter around her coffee mug. The clock ticks loudly in the small apartment. Sun beams light up the kitchen where the Oracle and the young woman sit at the table.

(Trinity is nervous, feeling out-of-place in torn black jeans and singlet. Nanu can feel the tensing of muscle in her shoulders. A passenger in Trinity's head, she watches and listens.)

"I'm not sure," her voice is young, green.

(How old? Seventeen. She doesn't really want to be here, she doesn't trust the Oracle.)

Deep breath in, "I guess I've always felt like there are three parts of me."

"What do you mean by that?" The Oracle looks like a grandmother or great aunt, in a blousey dress and floral apron.

"Like," Trinity fidgets. "There's the part that was me, that was living the life of Linda Brandon. Then there's the part that wanted to get out of the Matrix. The part that's really strong, that never lets anything show," words tumble over each other in a rush to be said, "And that's the soldier, the fighter. It's not anything like the first part that feels things."

"And the third?"

"Is missing."

"Missing?"

"Uh, yeah. I feel like there's a part of me I haven't found yet."

The Oracle lifts her cup, takes a sip of tea. Trinity has a mouthful of coffee. It's made just the way she likes it, strong, with the slightest hint of sugar in the aftertaste.

"Do you believe in love?"

Trinity coughs and swallows quickly before coffee comes out her nose. "What?"

"Do you believe in love?"

"I don't know - "

"I think you do know Trinity. Answer the question." The Oracle sets down her cup, knits her fingers together.

"I . . . "

She waits.

"If I had to say either yes or no then yes, but - "

"But you don't believe it can happen to you, am I right?"

"What has this got to do with anything?"

"You know what Morpheus is looking for."

Trinity exhales. The Oracle dodges from one idea to another, not seeming to make any sense.

"Yes, I know. He is looking for the One."

"And what is your opinion of that?"

She shrugs. "I hope he finds him."

"Do you believe he will?"

"I don't know."

The Oracle gets up from the table and moves to the cupboard behind her. She lifts something down - a plate? No. A wide, shallow bowl made of silver.

"What's this?"

She doesn't answer, but places the bowl in the middle of the table. Lifting the coffee jug, the Oracle pours the dark liquid into the dish. Trinity watches, momentarily entranced by the way the coffee flows in rivers around the curves of the silver, then slows and settles into a black lake.

"Stand up Trinity."

The girl stands, pushing the chair to one side. The sunbeams are less, the kitchen suddenly dim.

"Look into the bowl. Don't think of anything but your name."

"My name?"

"Look into the bowl."

(Power surges into the room. Patterns form, unravel and reform. The lines and shapes blur then refocus sharply. Nanu stares through Trinity's eyes at the dark mirror. She listens to her silent voice.)

. . . Trinity. My name is Trinity. Three parts of one being . . . where is the third part? . . .

An image fades into view on the surface of the mirror.

A young man. He has black hair and a serious expression, his brow furrowed as he sleeps at his desk with his head on his arms.

(Neo.)

Then his eyes open. Light brown. But that tint is almost yellow. Like the eyes of something wild.

He sits up slowly.

(Trinity sees nothing but the vision. The world is gone to her.)

He wears a dark T-shirt, it's loose, hanging askew at his neck. His skin is pale, and his dark hair falls in his eyes.

(This looks like Neo. But his hair is too long. Who is this?)

He focuses on something before him, frowning. He's reading what's on his computer screen, but Trinity cannot see it.

(Forms shift. Trinity sees one thing, but Nanu can see something else too, like a double image. One image is Neo, looking like he does now but a little younger. The other image looks almost identical, except he is younger still - late teens, and his black hair reaches his shoulders. Who is this?)

The picture fades. The world returns and Trinity leans heavily against the kitchen table, looking up at the Oracle.

"Who was that?"

"Your third part."

"What?" Gingerly she sits down. She feels shaky.

"You remember what Morpheus told you about the first One dying, then the prophecy that he will return?"

"Yes." Breathe slowly. Breathe.

"People live more than once. A soul can come back again and again, living life after life."

"Reincarnation?"

"Yes, but without the Karma aspect. Nobody comes back as a rat, not in this world anyway."

"What does this have to do with that man I saw?"

"You saw what you did because you've seen him before. In your past life, you rescued him from death. Souls live different lives every time, but some souls meet again and again. You will know him, because you knew him before."

"Who was he before?"

(But she already knows the answer.)

"The name he was given was Kenneth Jackson. The name he chose was Raven."

"The One."

"Yes. The One."

"I'm going to meet the One?"

"More than that Trinity. He is the missing part of you. Your soul knows his."

Instinct says to scoff. Habit says to brush this off as ridiculous and sappy. But something in her throat catches. Broken pieces fit back together and Trinity hides her face in her hands. This doesn't make any sense. She can still see his face.

Your soul knows his.

Pain. This hurts.

An arm around her. Scent of old lady and cigarettes. Words.

"It's alright Trinity. It's alright."

Swallow. Swallow your pride and drown. Don't cry. Never cry.

"Get up, come on, up." Gently she is pulled to her feet. She looks down at the old lady, gritting her teeth to keep back what wants to come out.

"He's not going to know who he is, Trinity. He won't realise."

Focus. Focus on the words.

"His is an old soul but he doubts. He always did. You've helped him before and you'll have to help him again."

"How am I supposed to know who he is?"

"You'll know. He is to you what no other can be. The two of you . . . " she picks her words carefully. "Your souls are . . . close. Believe me, you'll know. There'll be a point when you'll be sure. Fear will go and you'll remember."

"Remember what?" Trinity stares.

But the old lady doesn't answer. She pulls a note from her apron pocket and hands it to her. "This is for Morpheus. There's a girl I'd like to see withdrawn, if the Neb can take her. Apoc should look after her. Now go, you'll be late."

"But - "

"Go. Watch your back."

Nanu

She opens her eyes. She's lying on the floor of the Main Deck in the recovery position.

"Are you alright now?" Trinity asks her. Nanu is surprised by the thirty-odd year old voice. She sits up slowly.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"You just collapsed, was it the program?"

"No. I think it was you."

"A memory?"

"Yeah, look Trinity I'm sorry - "

"Which one?"

"Your meeting with the Oracle."

"Then it wasn't your fault."

What?

"I've never told anyone about that day. But I wanted somebody to know what I . . . felt."

Trinity knots her hands together. Nanu doesn't dare move. This is the first person of the trinity talking, the one who feels things. She has a passing thought of how childish this must look, like two girls cross-legged in the playground, sharing secrets.

The woman looks up. Nanu is struck by how young she seems, black hair falling in her light blue eyes. This is not the soldier.

"I wanted somebody to know, but I never knew how to say it. I guess I knew you'd understand more than anyone else could."

"Maybe Neo would. Maybe you should tell him, so he knows - "

"That doesn't matter."

"How can it not matter?"

"Neo is the One." Trinity raises a hand and brushes the hair off her face. The soldier is back. "That means his first priority is us winning this damn war. When it's my 'feelings' for him versus the future of humanity then my feelings don't seem quite so important."

Nanu risks a smile. "Well when you put it like that . . . "

Trinity gets up, holds out a hand and pulls Nanu easily to her feet.

"At least you know now."

Nanu shrugs, "A problem shared is a problem halved, I guess."

"Depending on who it's shared with."

She looks up and meets Trinity's eyes. She sees the captain smile, nothing more than warmth in the ice of her gaze. Something connects.

"I believe you have passed my 'test', or whatever." Trin rests a hand on Nanu's arm. "Thankyou."

Nanu smiles back. And suddenly her headache and bruises don't matter any more. She feels right as rain.

***

She can't sleep. She's nervous. Tomorrow she's going to go see the Oracle.

She's going into the Matrix again.

Nanu really hopes they don't meet any Agents. She's more worried for the rest of the crew than for herself; they can't beat Agents. Gavin can't just fly away. Neo can of course, and he believes she can.

"What's going on here?" she whispers, rolling onto her back with her hands behind her head. Carefully she lets barriers, listens. Selectively.

Asleep. Each and every one of them, excepting Achi on watch.

Nanu rubs her eyes, opens and closes them. It makes no difference it's so dark.

"Goddamn insomnia."

She pulls the blanket closer and curls against the wall. Tries to think happy thoughts. Trinity's hand reaching down to pull her up. Neo laughing. Gavin's face, serene as a marble angel as he sleeps. The girl from the Agent training sim, with that red shirt and smile, honey blonde hair falling like a curtain as she turns slowly . . .

Happy thoughts.

Neo

Lights flicker and buzz. He opens his eyes. Trin stirs, and he sits up slowly. Their shared bunk is only regulation size, so each of them only have half the normal space, but neither of them mind.

"Is it morning?" she asks softly.

"Yes."

"Damn, I was having a really good dream."

"About?"

"Not telling."

"Why not?" he fakes a hurt expression.

"We'd never get out of here, that's why not."

He smiles, and her lips curve. A precious moment.

But Neo rolls out of bed and begins getting dressed. He pulls on trousers, then sits on the floor to put on his boots.

Alas, Reality calls.

Trinity sits up, combing her hair with her fingers. "We're going in today?"

"Yes."

"Has Biosa called back about her crew?"

"I got a message last night. She'd been busy with Wraith, they had some trouble arranging a meeting and she only came out last week."

"Trouble?"

"Agents kept turning up."

"What did Bios say?"

"That there was nobody she believes could have turned them in. She thinks there's a new model of Agent nobody knows about yet." For a second he pauses and just looks up at her sitting with her arms around her knees and her hair mussed. Blue eyes sharp and focussed.

"That could be true. You haven't noticed . . . ?"

"No, but I haven't been looking. It was Cunningham who caught us last time, but he's nothing amazing."

"Could he be upgraded?"

"I don't know."

Trin pushed back the blanket and gets up, taking two shirts from the locker above the bunk. Neo climbs to his feet and she hands him one.

"What time is it?"

He checks a bulky digital display hear the door. "0600 MCS time."

"Zion knows when we're going in?"

"Yes, but I don't know who else is in yet."

"It'll be on the report."

"I'll see you on deck."

***

Neo hoists himself into the chair, swivelling around and pulling a keyboard closer. Tapping quickly, he finds Zion's report and brings it up on a side screen.

Three ships are doing runs today, but the Solomon isn't one of them. The Endeavour is going in at 0900, the Lincoln at 1200, and the Dragonfly at 2030. Only the Dragonfly is going to the city. The Endeavour is a foreign ship, working (today) in Germany. Not a single member of that crew has English as their first language, but all of them speak at least three languages. The Lincoln is just scouting (Australia) in the interest of finding new targets.

Neo smiles. Scouting missions are interesting, if bittersweet. Unofficially, scouting missions are known as goofing off time in the Matrix. Under strict surveillance, crewmembers are allowed about ten minutes of fun.

It is the strangest feeling, he remembers, walking through a world that has forgotten you. Since he was unplugged, new games have been made, new technology developed, new music written, new wars waged. Of course he knows of these things; in order to interact with rookies sailors are encouraged to keep up with popular culture. But it's strange not being there when those things happen around him in his old world.

In Thomas Anderson's world.

Trinity comes up onto the deck, bearing a tin mug.

"Slop for your thoughts," she smiles the tiniest bit as she gives it to him.

"I was thinking we ought to take Nanu on a scouting run sometime. We haven't been out of the city for a while. And she's never travelled."

"And I'm sure this is purely for Nanu's education."

He smiles sheepishly. "You know me too well."

"Where did you have in mind? Europe?"

"Further south actually, maybe Sydney."

"Not in summer."

"Perhaps later then."

"What time are we going in?" They jump at the sudden sound of Nanu's voice, Neo almost spilling his breakfast.

"Don't do that!"

"Sorry, when are we going in?"

"0730."

Nanu hooks her thumbs through her belt, sighs heavily and turns to leave.

"Nervous are you?" Trinity asks.

The girl turns full circle.

"Hell yes."

***

(Author's notes. If anyone disagrees with the religious aspect of this story, sorry. The movie depends on the idea of reincarnation, and so does this story. Neo had a past life, so other people do as well.

I'm also aware that Trinity is horribly OOC. But this Oracle scene is twelve years before the movie, and people can change in that amount of time.)