The Matrix : Redefined Chapter 8
I don't own the setting or the universe. Wakowski Brothers do.
If you recognize I probably don't own em. If you don't, I might.
I just wanna play a little, that's all.
-----
Just wanted to say thanks to the reviewers so far. Your feedback
Provides both encouragement and help in improving my writing.
I thank you for this. I hope you continue to enjoy.
-----
AP 1 - Day 8 (After peace)
Matrix : The restaurant.
The moment Seraph reappeared Neo came alert. It was to fast to have found anything. What Seraph had to say though was enough to jar him into action. With barely a word to trinity who was still trying to get whatever information she could out of Cypher, he left. The speed with which he left was enough to alarm Morpheus greatly. He looked at Seraph, Seraph answered that not all was as it seemed right now.
Neo ignored the backdoors as away to get where he was going. High above the earth of the matrix he marveled for a moment at the sheer beauty portrayed below him. Then once more his mind was on the mission at hand. 'Been here, Done this.' Crossed his mind more than once as he went. Faster and faster he went not caring about the damage in his wake. He left it for others to fix if he succeeded.
Trinity never knew what told her about the next wave of attackers. Just that one moment she was trying to get what she could out of Cypher and the next moment some sense she had never really understood went off like a three alarm fire. Once again there were seven of them. Once again she seemed to be there favorite target. Once again she was at the limit of her abilities defying gravity and a few other rules to preserve herself and the others. Them it was like something flipped in her head. Not a switch, but, something like one. Nothing changed on the outside, she just realized that what she was doing was really only going to buy time. And time was something she could ill afford to buy. If something else was going on important enough to pull Neo away at a time like this then it was up to her to preserve what was here, no matter what it took.
Dodging bullets was not enough, Not being hit was not enough, She needed to do more, she needed an exception to the rules. She was the first one to ever kill an agent by other than dropping a building on one. She had actually hit one. The same kind of hollow feeling in her stomach was coming up, Almost like when you are going to get sick, only more lonely, She knew that what she needed would leave her more alone than any being other than Neo himself. She was his Anchor, Who would be hers?
Then as fast as the moment began it was over, The world slowed to a crawl. This time however it stayed there after her kick. She floated down gently giving her time to adjust her landing. All of the others except Seraph seemed to be holding still or barely moving at all. The bullets still moved quickly though, So she pushed harder and harder, finally even the bullets seemed to be floating gently across the room.
At this speed even the air in the room seemed to be thick. She felt it going by her almost abrasively. It was also she realized thick enough to walk on. One step at a time she went to each round in the room in mid flight. One by one she pulled them down. Done with this finally. It seemed like an hour though a look at the clock showed less than three seconds. Now she went to the guns of the attackers and pulled the clips. As she was slowing down to normal she caught the subtle change in the colors.
As she settled down to where the others were and the attackers were still confused Cypher made one last whispered word, 'NO!! it can't be!' and then he jacked out leaving his unarmed team behind as he watched Trinity not in the speeded up state step upon the air and seemingly float there a moment before taking the next one. She climbed several steps up this way before turning to the attackers and addressing them.
"Hear me now." Trinity said from about three feet in the air.
Morpheus and Niobe were stunned beyond words. How does one describe watching the impossible. How does one describe the feeling of having your attackers disarmed and then seeing them pause as they take in the new wholly absurd situation. What does one say when you see a person do the patently impossible. So deep was the shock that even Seraph a program was taken wholly off guard. The oracle had warned this might happen. However he had dismissed it as just one more of extra precautions against chaos.
Mute silence fell from the attackers.
"Put down your weapons now." Trinity ordered.
They still just stood and stared for a few more seconds. Then almost as one they attempted to attack. Trinity danced among them untouchable, Morpheus watched with near awe. Niobe in shock. Only seraph didn't let what was happening affect him.
Matrix : A building downtown.
Neo went through the window of the upper story as though it wasn't there. He was just fast enough to catch a door leading to a white hallway of backdoors before it closed. Inside he found a shock, Cypher with another team of seven. They attacked before he had more than seen them. The hallway became home to a deadly dance that Neo won in only seconds. Only Cypher remained.
"Why?" Neo asked.
"Well Thomas," Cypher replied smartly.
"Cut the crap Cypher," Neo said hotly, "You betrayed us. You killed Switch & Apoc for no reason at all."
"You still don't understand do you thomas?"
"Understand what you murdering bastard?" Neo growled in reply.
"This Thomas, all of this is just a dream."
"My name, is Neo!" Neo replied with a sudden shift in tone.
"Goodbye then thomas." Cypher said jacking out.
The host then reverted to original state, A youngish man with glasses.
Down the hallway Neo saw an open door and went to it. The inside was familiar, He had been here before, He recognized everything. Everything that is except for the trunk in one corner looking oddly out of place. He breaks the lock and looks inside. What he sees' is an obvious bomb. A really big one, Without thought he flies out the door and down the hallway. When he finds the door he came in he takes a rapid left though it. Flying for all he is worth he makes it barely two blocks when the building around him light up with a flash that no child of the late the late twentieth century could mistake.
Matrix : Restaurant lounge.
"Neo!" Trinity cries out.
"Trinity," Morpheus asks, "What's wrong?"
"It's Neo, He's in trouble, I have to go to him." She says heading for the now broken windows that look out into the mountains, "Morpheus, go back to Zion, I will call when it's safe to return."
She waits just long enough to see that they are through the door leading back to the construct before she reaches the porch area. Hesitantly she places a foot firmly in the air and steps upon it. Then the next one slightly above it. With baby steps she heads out into the open air toward the city in the distance. With more and more confidence the steps come easier. Soon she is walking faster and faster, then she is jogging. Soon the steps become a run as she passes the head of the little valley the restaurant is in. She then pauses and looks back at the restaurant in something akin to amused horror. She is looking at it when the hills around her fill with light.
The flash is over as soon as it begins. She turns in horror and sees' what the back of her mind fears the most. Logic is long gone as she finds herself running not as common sense would dictate, but toward the blast, toward the still expanding disaster. Toward the place where she fears she will fail to find the meaning of her life. Toward her heart, survival be damned, she will find him.
Toward the only acceptable future she goes.
Her eyes now firmly toward the city, No hills around her she does not see the flash behind her as the Restaurant goes the same way the building in downtown had gone. Her first clue is the pressure wave preceding the blast wave.
Zion : Main docks
Morpheus is little more than jacked out when he starts talking. Niobe stands quietly as Morpheus relates what had happened to the councilors. The conversation is interrupted by the news that the sentinels and their cargo is now coming down the main shaft. They have security to arrange.
Nervousness is the main emotion present as the sentinels come into view and stop. The phone on the already present sentinel rings.
"Morpheus." Morpheus answers picking it up.
"This is the dreamer, " A deep male basso voice says with a slight Irish accent.
"Hello dreamer, what can I do for you?"
"I am leading the contingent in front of you, We request permission to come in so we can deliver your ship back to you."
"You are another sentinel like the one here?" Morpheus asks.
"Yes," It answers, "However I am of a newer series than the operator Zion 1."
"Locke, " Morpheus says to the collection of people around him, "It's the sentinel in charge of the group out there. He wants permission to enter and deliver his cargo. Granted?"
A quick debate ensues between several people and the mobile suits that are operational go to full readiness. Once satisfied that they are as ready as they can be Locke gives the go ahead.
Once the message is passed the collection of machines moves slowly in to the main dock area. Once there they deposit the Logoss gently and several machines crawl out of it. As one most of the group move back out of the way. One lone machine remains though, It is the unit named dreamer and it goes up to Morpheus and lands beside him. This sentinel is a little smaller than most of them and stands barely Morpheus's own height. From a speaker in it's side they are all greeted by the sentinel.
"Hello Morpheus, I am the Dreamer. I have been assigned to act as liaison with you. I am to help you with whatever projects you have to do and to protect you in the event of your coming into danger. With your permission the rest of us would like to get started on our assigned missions."
"You are assigned to assist me?" Morpheus asked.
"Yes, though I am also to protect you if it should be necessary." It replied.
"And there are others?"
"Yes, there is one of us for the crews of the hammer, the logoss and the Neberkanezer. We are to help or assist in any venture you participate in and to protect you if it should become necessary." The sentinel replied evenly.
"Now see here" Locke broke in loudly moving toward Morpheus shouting.
Abruptly Locke found The sentinel in his way to getting to Morpheus. Several emotions waged a was for appearance on his face, self preservation finally won.
"What is the meaning of this?" Locke demanded of the sentinel loudly.
"As I have already explained to Mr. Morpheus commander Locke, We are here to assist in any way we can in the rebuilding of Zion and whatever other projects the crews of the named ships are participating in."
As the conversation progressed Morpheus just stood there and looked puzzled. He had the feeling that he knew all he needed to in order to understand what was happening, but, that he lacked vital however critical piece of information on understanding why.
Matrix : The park
The oracle was talking to the Architect and the conversation was far from encouraging to either of them.
"You're sure?" He was asking the oracle.
"Yes, Seraph said that there was going to be an attack just like the one that Neo used to get to you in the first place." She replied.
"That happened, though somehow they managed to trigger the failsafe just as Ythe one was coming into my main office area." The architect replied.
"Oracle," Seraph suddenly interrupted running into the park.
"Yes seraph," She asked.
"The city has been hit with a Nuke, Neo was just outside the building when it went off. Haven't found him yet. Worse yet, just as trinity was coming to join him the restaurant was also hit. No sign of smuggling in of anything so it must have been edited in. I have not been able to find Trinity either." He said speaking quietly and quickly as was his habit.
"A Nuke in my tower?" The architect asked worried.
"Yes, I rechecked in fact thinking there must have been a mistake." Seraph replied sounding concerned and almost scared.
"And a Nuke in the restaurant?" The oracle asked aghast.
"Did Morpheus and the others make it out?" The architect asked suddenly.
"Yes, they are all safely in Zion." Seraph replied.
"Excellent work then Seraph, My thanks to you." The oracle said smiling.
"there is a problem however," Seraph spoke quietly, "Just after the second group attacked Cypher morphed in like an agent would."
"Who?" the architect asked.
"He was a former shipmate of Morpheus's," The oracle replied, "So this time he just showed up in someone else's body?" She asked continuing.
"Yes, just like an agent." Seraph confirmed.
"He was the one that tried to make a deal with Smith before he was altered." The oracle supplied for the architect.
"Oh him. So he lived after all. We find how he survived, we find who is behind this mess." The Architect said grimly.
"Any other news as of yet?" The oracle asked.
"No." Seraph replied, "So I will heads back and look for Neo and Trinity."
Matrix : warehouse somewhere
"You are sure they are going to fix it all?" one voice asked.
"Yes," The second answered, "They will, and soon to."
"Be ready, there will be little time."
"We are ready, they will never even see the changes we make."
I don't own the setting or the universe. Wakowski Brothers do.
If you recognize I probably don't own em. If you don't, I might.
I just wanna play a little, that's all.
-----
Just wanted to say thanks to the reviewers so far. Your feedback
Provides both encouragement and help in improving my writing.
I thank you for this. I hope you continue to enjoy.
-----
AP 1 - Day 8 (After peace)
Matrix : The restaurant.
The moment Seraph reappeared Neo came alert. It was to fast to have found anything. What Seraph had to say though was enough to jar him into action. With barely a word to trinity who was still trying to get whatever information she could out of Cypher, he left. The speed with which he left was enough to alarm Morpheus greatly. He looked at Seraph, Seraph answered that not all was as it seemed right now.
Neo ignored the backdoors as away to get where he was going. High above the earth of the matrix he marveled for a moment at the sheer beauty portrayed below him. Then once more his mind was on the mission at hand. 'Been here, Done this.' Crossed his mind more than once as he went. Faster and faster he went not caring about the damage in his wake. He left it for others to fix if he succeeded.
Trinity never knew what told her about the next wave of attackers. Just that one moment she was trying to get what she could out of Cypher and the next moment some sense she had never really understood went off like a three alarm fire. Once again there were seven of them. Once again she seemed to be there favorite target. Once again she was at the limit of her abilities defying gravity and a few other rules to preserve herself and the others. Them it was like something flipped in her head. Not a switch, but, something like one. Nothing changed on the outside, she just realized that what she was doing was really only going to buy time. And time was something she could ill afford to buy. If something else was going on important enough to pull Neo away at a time like this then it was up to her to preserve what was here, no matter what it took.
Dodging bullets was not enough, Not being hit was not enough, She needed to do more, she needed an exception to the rules. She was the first one to ever kill an agent by other than dropping a building on one. She had actually hit one. The same kind of hollow feeling in her stomach was coming up, Almost like when you are going to get sick, only more lonely, She knew that what she needed would leave her more alone than any being other than Neo himself. She was his Anchor, Who would be hers?
Then as fast as the moment began it was over, The world slowed to a crawl. This time however it stayed there after her kick. She floated down gently giving her time to adjust her landing. All of the others except Seraph seemed to be holding still or barely moving at all. The bullets still moved quickly though, So she pushed harder and harder, finally even the bullets seemed to be floating gently across the room.
At this speed even the air in the room seemed to be thick. She felt it going by her almost abrasively. It was also she realized thick enough to walk on. One step at a time she went to each round in the room in mid flight. One by one she pulled them down. Done with this finally. It seemed like an hour though a look at the clock showed less than three seconds. Now she went to the guns of the attackers and pulled the clips. As she was slowing down to normal she caught the subtle change in the colors.
As she settled down to where the others were and the attackers were still confused Cypher made one last whispered word, 'NO!! it can't be!' and then he jacked out leaving his unarmed team behind as he watched Trinity not in the speeded up state step upon the air and seemingly float there a moment before taking the next one. She climbed several steps up this way before turning to the attackers and addressing them.
"Hear me now." Trinity said from about three feet in the air.
Morpheus and Niobe were stunned beyond words. How does one describe watching the impossible. How does one describe the feeling of having your attackers disarmed and then seeing them pause as they take in the new wholly absurd situation. What does one say when you see a person do the patently impossible. So deep was the shock that even Seraph a program was taken wholly off guard. The oracle had warned this might happen. However he had dismissed it as just one more of extra precautions against chaos.
Mute silence fell from the attackers.
"Put down your weapons now." Trinity ordered.
They still just stood and stared for a few more seconds. Then almost as one they attempted to attack. Trinity danced among them untouchable, Morpheus watched with near awe. Niobe in shock. Only seraph didn't let what was happening affect him.
Matrix : A building downtown.
Neo went through the window of the upper story as though it wasn't there. He was just fast enough to catch a door leading to a white hallway of backdoors before it closed. Inside he found a shock, Cypher with another team of seven. They attacked before he had more than seen them. The hallway became home to a deadly dance that Neo won in only seconds. Only Cypher remained.
"Why?" Neo asked.
"Well Thomas," Cypher replied smartly.
"Cut the crap Cypher," Neo said hotly, "You betrayed us. You killed Switch & Apoc for no reason at all."
"You still don't understand do you thomas?"
"Understand what you murdering bastard?" Neo growled in reply.
"This Thomas, all of this is just a dream."
"My name, is Neo!" Neo replied with a sudden shift in tone.
"Goodbye then thomas." Cypher said jacking out.
The host then reverted to original state, A youngish man with glasses.
Down the hallway Neo saw an open door and went to it. The inside was familiar, He had been here before, He recognized everything. Everything that is except for the trunk in one corner looking oddly out of place. He breaks the lock and looks inside. What he sees' is an obvious bomb. A really big one, Without thought he flies out the door and down the hallway. When he finds the door he came in he takes a rapid left though it. Flying for all he is worth he makes it barely two blocks when the building around him light up with a flash that no child of the late the late twentieth century could mistake.
Matrix : Restaurant lounge.
"Neo!" Trinity cries out.
"Trinity," Morpheus asks, "What's wrong?"
"It's Neo, He's in trouble, I have to go to him." She says heading for the now broken windows that look out into the mountains, "Morpheus, go back to Zion, I will call when it's safe to return."
She waits just long enough to see that they are through the door leading back to the construct before she reaches the porch area. Hesitantly she places a foot firmly in the air and steps upon it. Then the next one slightly above it. With baby steps she heads out into the open air toward the city in the distance. With more and more confidence the steps come easier. Soon she is walking faster and faster, then she is jogging. Soon the steps become a run as she passes the head of the little valley the restaurant is in. She then pauses and looks back at the restaurant in something akin to amused horror. She is looking at it when the hills around her fill with light.
The flash is over as soon as it begins. She turns in horror and sees' what the back of her mind fears the most. Logic is long gone as she finds herself running not as common sense would dictate, but toward the blast, toward the still expanding disaster. Toward the place where she fears she will fail to find the meaning of her life. Toward her heart, survival be damned, she will find him.
Toward the only acceptable future she goes.
Her eyes now firmly toward the city, No hills around her she does not see the flash behind her as the Restaurant goes the same way the building in downtown had gone. Her first clue is the pressure wave preceding the blast wave.
Zion : Main docks
Morpheus is little more than jacked out when he starts talking. Niobe stands quietly as Morpheus relates what had happened to the councilors. The conversation is interrupted by the news that the sentinels and their cargo is now coming down the main shaft. They have security to arrange.
Nervousness is the main emotion present as the sentinels come into view and stop. The phone on the already present sentinel rings.
"Morpheus." Morpheus answers picking it up.
"This is the dreamer, " A deep male basso voice says with a slight Irish accent.
"Hello dreamer, what can I do for you?"
"I am leading the contingent in front of you, We request permission to come in so we can deliver your ship back to you."
"You are another sentinel like the one here?" Morpheus asks.
"Yes," It answers, "However I am of a newer series than the operator Zion 1."
"Locke, " Morpheus says to the collection of people around him, "It's the sentinel in charge of the group out there. He wants permission to enter and deliver his cargo. Granted?"
A quick debate ensues between several people and the mobile suits that are operational go to full readiness. Once satisfied that they are as ready as they can be Locke gives the go ahead.
Once the message is passed the collection of machines moves slowly in to the main dock area. Once there they deposit the Logoss gently and several machines crawl out of it. As one most of the group move back out of the way. One lone machine remains though, It is the unit named dreamer and it goes up to Morpheus and lands beside him. This sentinel is a little smaller than most of them and stands barely Morpheus's own height. From a speaker in it's side they are all greeted by the sentinel.
"Hello Morpheus, I am the Dreamer. I have been assigned to act as liaison with you. I am to help you with whatever projects you have to do and to protect you in the event of your coming into danger. With your permission the rest of us would like to get started on our assigned missions."
"You are assigned to assist me?" Morpheus asked.
"Yes, though I am also to protect you if it should be necessary." It replied.
"And there are others?"
"Yes, there is one of us for the crews of the hammer, the logoss and the Neberkanezer. We are to help or assist in any venture you participate in and to protect you if it should become necessary." The sentinel replied evenly.
"Now see here" Locke broke in loudly moving toward Morpheus shouting.
Abruptly Locke found The sentinel in his way to getting to Morpheus. Several emotions waged a was for appearance on his face, self preservation finally won.
"What is the meaning of this?" Locke demanded of the sentinel loudly.
"As I have already explained to Mr. Morpheus commander Locke, We are here to assist in any way we can in the rebuilding of Zion and whatever other projects the crews of the named ships are participating in."
As the conversation progressed Morpheus just stood there and looked puzzled. He had the feeling that he knew all he needed to in order to understand what was happening, but, that he lacked vital however critical piece of information on understanding why.
Matrix : The park
The oracle was talking to the Architect and the conversation was far from encouraging to either of them.
"You're sure?" He was asking the oracle.
"Yes, Seraph said that there was going to be an attack just like the one that Neo used to get to you in the first place." She replied.
"That happened, though somehow they managed to trigger the failsafe just as Ythe one was coming into my main office area." The architect replied.
"Oracle," Seraph suddenly interrupted running into the park.
"Yes seraph," She asked.
"The city has been hit with a Nuke, Neo was just outside the building when it went off. Haven't found him yet. Worse yet, just as trinity was coming to join him the restaurant was also hit. No sign of smuggling in of anything so it must have been edited in. I have not been able to find Trinity either." He said speaking quietly and quickly as was his habit.
"A Nuke in my tower?" The architect asked worried.
"Yes, I rechecked in fact thinking there must have been a mistake." Seraph replied sounding concerned and almost scared.
"And a Nuke in the restaurant?" The oracle asked aghast.
"Did Morpheus and the others make it out?" The architect asked suddenly.
"Yes, they are all safely in Zion." Seraph replied.
"Excellent work then Seraph, My thanks to you." The oracle said smiling.
"there is a problem however," Seraph spoke quietly, "Just after the second group attacked Cypher morphed in like an agent would."
"Who?" the architect asked.
"He was a former shipmate of Morpheus's," The oracle replied, "So this time he just showed up in someone else's body?" She asked continuing.
"Yes, just like an agent." Seraph confirmed.
"He was the one that tried to make a deal with Smith before he was altered." The oracle supplied for the architect.
"Oh him. So he lived after all. We find how he survived, we find who is behind this mess." The Architect said grimly.
"Any other news as of yet?" The oracle asked.
"No." Seraph replied, "So I will heads back and look for Neo and Trinity."
Matrix : warehouse somewhere
"You are sure they are going to fix it all?" one voice asked.
"Yes," The second answered, "They will, and soon to."
"Be ready, there will be little time."
"We are ready, they will never even see the changes we make."