Neo returned to the ship to find it bustling with activity. He
recognized the toddlers that played underfoot, the teenagers that gossiped
by the wall. The refugees from Zion had arrived. Neo heard the laughter
of those around him, but the joy did not come easily, even the toddlers
seemed to feel the tension that so heavily resided on the ship. He spied
Zee over in a corner.
"I'm glad to see you're safe," she greeted Neo as he approached. She even managed to force part of a smile.
"I can say the same about you," Neo returned gratefully, "Did everyone make it out in time?"
"Mostly..." she replied after a few seconds, "We evacuated a quickly as possible. The Javelin and the Euphrates took as many people as they could. The Castor remained behind to gather the stragglers. We've not heard from them since."
"Presumed dead?"
"They should have been here hours ago," Zee whispered, "Neo, I'm afraid," Only then did he see the EMP gun she was dutifully repairing. "I'm afraid for my life, for Zion, for Link, for..." unthinkingly Zee gently placed her hand over her stomach.
"Your child?"
"I've not told anyone yet, not even my husband. Please keep it secret."
"I wouldn't tell anyone," Neo agreed, "But I think Link has a right to know," gesturing to the incoming operator.
"We just returned from scouting a few minutes ago," Link explained, "I think we've made a breakthrough. Trinity's went to her room to grab something before giving the full report to the captains."
"I'll go hear the details from her then," Neo said, grateful for the excuse to give Link and Zee some private time. He was nearly to his room before hearing his name being called
"Neo!" the kid called, rushing to meet him. "Have you seen Morpheus anywhere?" the kid inquired, trying to regain some dignity after running through the halls like a little child, "I was wonder on what our orders might be for tomorrow."
"I've not seen him since I returned," Neo answered, "You are going to fight alongside us?"
"After all that you've done for me, it's the least I could do," the kid stated solemnly.
Neo paused for a moment, trying to phrase his statement, "There will be other battles going on besides the attack of the Control Center. The machines have already reached the abandoned city. Once we attack, they will know where to find rest of the people. They will come here to destroy what is left. We are taking an all or nothing gambol. If you come to fight, the probability that you will return is very small."
"I am not afraid to die."
"I know, that's what I fear," Neo whispered to softly for the kid to hear. Louder, "I know you were looking for a name besides the one given to you in the Matrix. How about Bartimaeus?"
"Bartimaeus," the kid said, trying out the sound, "I like it." Contented, he waved good-bye and left to find Morpheus.
Neo entered his bedroom and found Niobe and Trinity talking. Evidently finished, Niobe excused herself and made a hasty exit. Though she didn't once look at Neo, he could see that she was resisting the urge to cry.
"What was that about?" Neo asked concerned.
"She wants to be alone," Trinity replied, "She just received word that Ghost was killed out on the front." She motioned for Neo to sit down on the bed. Somehow Trinity seemed to be more fragile then before. Neo also noted the freshly dried blood staining the floor.
"I didn't realize. "I'm sorry," Neo apologized. He was about to inquire about the spilt blood, but thought better of it.
"You have something on your mind," Trinity prompted. "Tell me. Now is not the time for secrets."
Neo looked at her but remained silent. Trinity patiently waited. "Do you love me?"
For an answer, Trinity slapped him clear across the face. "Don't you have a better question!" she demanded, "You know I love you. You don't need to waste a question on an answer you already know!"
Neo smiled at her and they kissed.
"Neo, back there, why did you save me?" Trinity asked solemnly.
Neo gave a part of a smile, "In the Matrix? Trinity, you know I could never let you die. I had to save you, I love you. I need you."
"But ..."
"Trinity, this is war. You know that we have no choice but to fight."
Trinity turned around and stared off into empty space. Neo couldn't figure out what he said that had caused this abrupt change of mood. He listened closely and heard Trinity muttering, "You don't understand..."
"I don't understand...what?" he asked helpfully. Again Trinity stared off into blank empty space, not responding. "I know you and Ghost were close, but he knew the risk of fighting to destroy the Matrix. We've all given sacrifices to that cause. Tank, Mouse, and Ghost paid the ultimate price to save Zion."
"I watched him die!" Trinity snapped angrily, "I watched Ghost die and did nothing to stop it! Do you understand that?"
Taken aback, Neo answered, "Yes. I watched Samuel die." Mentioning the child seemed to calm Trinity slightly. Neo continued, "But this isn't just about one person, is it? You've lost others you cared for as well."
"I have been involved in this conflict much longer than you," she slowly replied, showing a softer side Neo had never seen.
"How long?"
"For as long as I can remember. I was just a child, really."
"You lost your parents."
"I lost everyone I ever cared about."
"That's horrible. You must have been devastated."
"I built up walls of indifference, I just didn't care. I had lost my innocence. That was perhaps the greatest casualty of all."
"I'm not quite sure I understand."
"The Oracle contacted the ship earlier this afternoon. Go talk to her if you truly want to know. But I warn you: that knowledge can be more deadly than any other weapon."
"I'm glad to see you're safe," she greeted Neo as he approached. She even managed to force part of a smile.
"I can say the same about you," Neo returned gratefully, "Did everyone make it out in time?"
"Mostly..." she replied after a few seconds, "We evacuated a quickly as possible. The Javelin and the Euphrates took as many people as they could. The Castor remained behind to gather the stragglers. We've not heard from them since."
"Presumed dead?"
"They should have been here hours ago," Zee whispered, "Neo, I'm afraid," Only then did he see the EMP gun she was dutifully repairing. "I'm afraid for my life, for Zion, for Link, for..." unthinkingly Zee gently placed her hand over her stomach.
"Your child?"
"I've not told anyone yet, not even my husband. Please keep it secret."
"I wouldn't tell anyone," Neo agreed, "But I think Link has a right to know," gesturing to the incoming operator.
"We just returned from scouting a few minutes ago," Link explained, "I think we've made a breakthrough. Trinity's went to her room to grab something before giving the full report to the captains."
"I'll go hear the details from her then," Neo said, grateful for the excuse to give Link and Zee some private time. He was nearly to his room before hearing his name being called
"Neo!" the kid called, rushing to meet him. "Have you seen Morpheus anywhere?" the kid inquired, trying to regain some dignity after running through the halls like a little child, "I was wonder on what our orders might be for tomorrow."
"I've not seen him since I returned," Neo answered, "You are going to fight alongside us?"
"After all that you've done for me, it's the least I could do," the kid stated solemnly.
Neo paused for a moment, trying to phrase his statement, "There will be other battles going on besides the attack of the Control Center. The machines have already reached the abandoned city. Once we attack, they will know where to find rest of the people. They will come here to destroy what is left. We are taking an all or nothing gambol. If you come to fight, the probability that you will return is very small."
"I am not afraid to die."
"I know, that's what I fear," Neo whispered to softly for the kid to hear. Louder, "I know you were looking for a name besides the one given to you in the Matrix. How about Bartimaeus?"
"Bartimaeus," the kid said, trying out the sound, "I like it." Contented, he waved good-bye and left to find Morpheus.
Neo entered his bedroom and found Niobe and Trinity talking. Evidently finished, Niobe excused herself and made a hasty exit. Though she didn't once look at Neo, he could see that she was resisting the urge to cry.
"What was that about?" Neo asked concerned.
"She wants to be alone," Trinity replied, "She just received word that Ghost was killed out on the front." She motioned for Neo to sit down on the bed. Somehow Trinity seemed to be more fragile then before. Neo also noted the freshly dried blood staining the floor.
"I didn't realize. "I'm sorry," Neo apologized. He was about to inquire about the spilt blood, but thought better of it.
"You have something on your mind," Trinity prompted. "Tell me. Now is not the time for secrets."
Neo looked at her but remained silent. Trinity patiently waited. "Do you love me?"
For an answer, Trinity slapped him clear across the face. "Don't you have a better question!" she demanded, "You know I love you. You don't need to waste a question on an answer you already know!"
Neo smiled at her and they kissed.
"Neo, back there, why did you save me?" Trinity asked solemnly.
Neo gave a part of a smile, "In the Matrix? Trinity, you know I could never let you die. I had to save you, I love you. I need you."
"But ..."
"Trinity, this is war. You know that we have no choice but to fight."
Trinity turned around and stared off into empty space. Neo couldn't figure out what he said that had caused this abrupt change of mood. He listened closely and heard Trinity muttering, "You don't understand..."
"I don't understand...what?" he asked helpfully. Again Trinity stared off into blank empty space, not responding. "I know you and Ghost were close, but he knew the risk of fighting to destroy the Matrix. We've all given sacrifices to that cause. Tank, Mouse, and Ghost paid the ultimate price to save Zion."
"I watched him die!" Trinity snapped angrily, "I watched Ghost die and did nothing to stop it! Do you understand that?"
Taken aback, Neo answered, "Yes. I watched Samuel die." Mentioning the child seemed to calm Trinity slightly. Neo continued, "But this isn't just about one person, is it? You've lost others you cared for as well."
"I have been involved in this conflict much longer than you," she slowly replied, showing a softer side Neo had never seen.
"How long?"
"For as long as I can remember. I was just a child, really."
"You lost your parents."
"I lost everyone I ever cared about."
"That's horrible. You must have been devastated."
"I built up walls of indifference, I just didn't care. I had lost my innocence. That was perhaps the greatest casualty of all."
"I'm not quite sure I understand."
"The Oracle contacted the ship earlier this afternoon. Go talk to her if you truly want to know. But I warn you: that knowledge can be more deadly than any other weapon."