Epilogue
*~*~*~*
"Is there a list of ships?" The woman handed over a disk, inserting it into a viewer.
"I don't think you'll find anyone you know on it Trinity."
"I want to check." The Hammer was quiet, the body of the One lying not so far aware, within an arms length. She still wouldn't leave him. The other woman left in silence and the dark haired warrioress watch the names and faces scroll past. Most were unfamiliar to her bar via communications and occasional meetings in the Matrix. She stopped for a moment, stilled completely. The faces that were side by side making her heart ache. The word formed on her lips even as she registered the truth. Casting a glance at the man who meant more to her than she could ever say, Trinity turned the monitor off, removed the disk and placed it on a table. Silently she lay her head lightly on his chest.
"We're on our own Neo," the tears had yet to touch her voice, "we've lost them." He didn't reply, his heartbeat still even beneath her ear. She had no way of knowing that the bodies had looked like that. He had fallen first, the girl rushing to his side only to join him moments later. The words the boy had said as they had left the Neb echoed in Trinity's ears.
"As long as there is breathe in our bodies, we shall fight for you above all else. We have a duty to the pair of you and nothing will stand in our way." He had walked down the ramp then, hand in hand with the girl who had found them. She had turned back and smiled.
"One day all there will be of us is a name on a file, but you will be great Trinity. No matter what, someone will miss you and think of you when you're gone. Take comfort in that. The rose blooms for you and he, we're just the gardeners." She had waved, turning away. Trinity, resting her head on the warm platform of her love's chest, closed her eyes.
"You are more than a file, Harregale Deephaze. I will not forget you." The image of the girl's smile the morning they had first heard her laugh in joy flashed into her mind and the warrioress finally allowed the tears she had been holding back to seep out. Later, the woman who had given the disk to Trinity was overheard complaining that the infirmary door wheel needed checking. She had been trying to get back into it for almost an hour but each time she had touched the metal it was as though she had pushed her hand through a rose bush. It was unexplainable.
~Fin~