Chapter 4 - First Meetings
She looked exactly as I remembered. With the exception of her hair being much shorter and the unnatural paleness of her skin, here before me was that face. The face that had haunted my dreams for more years than I could remember. Those eyes. Blue as the sea and the sky that she wanted to see more than anything. One night in Zion, before that final mission, she had asked me what I wanted more than anything. I had told her I wanted the war to end, to finally save humanity. She sighed, sat up in bed, and looked at me.
"I wish I could say I want something so grand. All I really want is to see the sky before I die."
"Don't you want peace?" I asked, looking at her oddly. She gave me her trademark smile, the one that only played upon the corners of her mouth.
"I know you will save Zion. That's not a wish. It's a fact."
I took a deep breath and proceeded towards the bay to meet with Trinity and Morpheus. As I came closer to her, I suddenly felt the urge to flee. I was sure those eyes would see my soul. Neo. The man who she was so sure could save Zion and in the end couldn't save her. The man who couldn't show her the sky. Or love. A failure. Would she see me? Would I finally feel the hatred that I knew I deserved?
Instead, in those eyes I saw uncertainty, a fear. While she had her innate gracefulness, her uncertainty transposed itself into her gait, making her appear almost clumsy in comparison to the cat-like grace that I remembered. I felt the love that I had denied burn inside me, but I knew I had to squelch it. She could not know. No one could. Funny, when I could have shown her love I chose not to and now that I couldn't, and in reality it was not the same Trinity, I felt it more strongly than ever.
"She's a girl." I chided myself, realizing that if I didn't keep it in check I would wind up looking like a pervert. No, Trinity did not need me as a lover. That role would now be passed to someone else. Actually, I was even too old to be like a father-figure. Try it out, gramps.
"Counselor Haman," Morpheus smiled brightly, "I present to you Trinity."
My mouth went dry and briefly I was unable to speak. In front of me stood the face that haunted my nights. Her eyes were bright, and she gave me the shy smile I remembered from our youths.
"Don't let her down this time." I thought to myself, taking her hand. I felt a warmth burn up my arm, searing in its purity. Control Haman, I thought to myself. Control.
"It is a pleasure my dear." I said "And words of your accomplishments precede you. the IRSd base. Oh, you are quite the smart one, aren't you?" Later on, Lilith told me that I sounded like a department store Santa Claus in my quest to sound paternal. Thank the heavens none of the Neb's crew members noticed anything strange. Trinity stood straight as a rail, but her smile became wider and her eyes sought the floor.
"Thank you counselor." She said softly, with just a touch of pride.
"No, my dear, thank you. You will doubt serve us well in our struggle. In fact, one of our best soldiers have come out of retirement to assume your training."
Morpheus furrowed his brows, disappointment obvious. The previous Morpheus had a family of his own to play father to, this Morpheus only had his crew. It was obvious from his reaction and demeanor that he viewed Trinity as his special child. His protégé.
"Don't worry, Morpheus," Dillard stepped in, giving a small smile, "She will be with you in one year's time. Until then, I'll take good care of her."
Morpheus' upset turned to shock. "Counselor Dillard!" Suddenly his smile became wide. Trinity was watching him, as if to take a cue on how to react to these developments. Morpheus patted her on the back, pride evident.
"Trinity," Counselor Dillard is a legend in Zion. No one could outrun an agent like her in her day."
"Pardon me, Captain, but one more "in her day" remark and I'll meet you in the Construct just to show you its still my day." Dillard then gave Trinity her real smile, the bright one she so rarely used. She took her by the arm, "Let's leave these two to their bantering. We have work to do." Blue eyes met blue eyes, and the two women walked away.
She looked exactly as I remembered. With the exception of her hair being much shorter and the unnatural paleness of her skin, here before me was that face. The face that had haunted my dreams for more years than I could remember. Those eyes. Blue as the sea and the sky that she wanted to see more than anything. One night in Zion, before that final mission, she had asked me what I wanted more than anything. I had told her I wanted the war to end, to finally save humanity. She sighed, sat up in bed, and looked at me.
"I wish I could say I want something so grand. All I really want is to see the sky before I die."
"Don't you want peace?" I asked, looking at her oddly. She gave me her trademark smile, the one that only played upon the corners of her mouth.
"I know you will save Zion. That's not a wish. It's a fact."
I took a deep breath and proceeded towards the bay to meet with Trinity and Morpheus. As I came closer to her, I suddenly felt the urge to flee. I was sure those eyes would see my soul. Neo. The man who she was so sure could save Zion and in the end couldn't save her. The man who couldn't show her the sky. Or love. A failure. Would she see me? Would I finally feel the hatred that I knew I deserved?
Instead, in those eyes I saw uncertainty, a fear. While she had her innate gracefulness, her uncertainty transposed itself into her gait, making her appear almost clumsy in comparison to the cat-like grace that I remembered. I felt the love that I had denied burn inside me, but I knew I had to squelch it. She could not know. No one could. Funny, when I could have shown her love I chose not to and now that I couldn't, and in reality it was not the same Trinity, I felt it more strongly than ever.
"She's a girl." I chided myself, realizing that if I didn't keep it in check I would wind up looking like a pervert. No, Trinity did not need me as a lover. That role would now be passed to someone else. Actually, I was even too old to be like a father-figure. Try it out, gramps.
"Counselor Haman," Morpheus smiled brightly, "I present to you Trinity."
My mouth went dry and briefly I was unable to speak. In front of me stood the face that haunted my nights. Her eyes were bright, and she gave me the shy smile I remembered from our youths.
"Don't let her down this time." I thought to myself, taking her hand. I felt a warmth burn up my arm, searing in its purity. Control Haman, I thought to myself. Control.
"It is a pleasure my dear." I said "And words of your accomplishments precede you. the IRSd base. Oh, you are quite the smart one, aren't you?" Later on, Lilith told me that I sounded like a department store Santa Claus in my quest to sound paternal. Thank the heavens none of the Neb's crew members noticed anything strange. Trinity stood straight as a rail, but her smile became wider and her eyes sought the floor.
"Thank you counselor." She said softly, with just a touch of pride.
"No, my dear, thank you. You will doubt serve us well in our struggle. In fact, one of our best soldiers have come out of retirement to assume your training."
Morpheus furrowed his brows, disappointment obvious. The previous Morpheus had a family of his own to play father to, this Morpheus only had his crew. It was obvious from his reaction and demeanor that he viewed Trinity as his special child. His protégé.
"Don't worry, Morpheus," Dillard stepped in, giving a small smile, "She will be with you in one year's time. Until then, I'll take good care of her."
Morpheus' upset turned to shock. "Counselor Dillard!" Suddenly his smile became wide. Trinity was watching him, as if to take a cue on how to react to these developments. Morpheus patted her on the back, pride evident.
"Trinity," Counselor Dillard is a legend in Zion. No one could outrun an agent like her in her day."
"Pardon me, Captain, but one more "in her day" remark and I'll meet you in the Construct just to show you its still my day." Dillard then gave Trinity her real smile, the bright one she so rarely used. She took her by the arm, "Let's leave these two to their bantering. We have work to do." Blue eyes met blue eyes, and the two women walked away.
