A/N: Final Chapter

Usual disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters or settings of The Matrix and I'm not making a profit.

The Matrix: Reverberations

09/06/25

"Damn!" I pinch myself. "How could you take so long to work it out!"

The Sentinel becomes alert.

I don't move from my chair so the Sentinel doesn't move either.

"It's obvious now." I don't care that I appear to be talking to myself as the only thing listening is the Sentinel and I suspect it knows more about me than I do. "The Councillors sent Webb because they want me back in the military. Back to those endless routines."

The Sentinel plugs into the keypad but doesn't say anything.

I gasp. Machine City, suddenly within The Bethany's view, looks more beautiful than I remember it. I send a communication with explaining my presence, although they're probably already aware.

"Would I have a future here?" I key.

"0."

I look at the Sentinel, but, of course, it shows no expression. "0?"

"We need you on Zion."

I nod. They need someone to check The Council intend to maintain The Truce and who better than the peacemaker's daughter?

"1?"

"?" I need time to think.

"Permission to land granted. Do not leave the ship."

I look at the Sentinel. Now I realise the real authority lay with it. The large machine I spoke to was a proxy, but the Sentinel couldn't afford to reveal that until now.

I steer The Bethany into the landing bay, and dock. The Sentinel waits until I've run through the routine checks. The Bethany's visual display shows the two commemorative plaques. I know I've been brought here deliberately.

I look at Trinity's plaque. She had a love of code that would have enabled her to communicate with the machines. However, she'd been at war too long: she was fatigued and couldn't see a way to peace. If she had survived, would she have let Neo back into The Matrix or would she have seen that as a battle too far with too many risks?

Activity on the keypad draws my attention.

"Her death wasn't planned. We were at war and attacked. She was weak from injury."

I nod: there's nothing to say.

Neo hadn't been at war for long. He could see a means to peace and grasped it, maybe unwillingly and Trinity's death freed him to give all that he could. If she'd survived, he may have hung back and that would have enabled Smith to terminate Neo. The war would have continued and I probably wouldn't have been born.

I open my locket and look at his picture, which was taken without him knowing. He's looking at Trinity.

"Damn you!" I mutter and snap the locket shut. But I don't mean that: it wasn't Neo's fault. "Sorry." I kiss the locket.

I turn to the keypad and delete the Sentinel's last two comments and my question mark.

It reaches out one of its cutting tools and touches me lightly on my wrist, leaving no mark.

"1," I type.