Disclaimer: I own none of the matrix or it's characters.
A/N: So sorry for the wait, I've been unbelievably busy.
"I don't give a damn how human he is!." Locke bellowed at a mute Shadow, Locke's face was furious, and he had his lips pulled back from his teeth, pulling his mouth into an ugly grin.
"Commander, if you'll just listen -" Shadow tried to speak, but Locke cut him off with an angry slam of one his fists down onto the table, a book went scooting off the desk and landed on the floor by Shadow's feet.
'How can one person be such a PRICK?!!!.' he yelled inside his head, he wanted to say it, but his lips had apparently gone numb.
He let out a calming breath, waited for Locke to gain some control over his raging temper - if that was possible - and calm down a little.
Locke showed no sign that he was even considering those things, but Shadow gathered some courage, and even raised his voice at the anger beliddled Commander Locke.
"Locke. Listen. For once in your fucking life, just listen." A pause. Shadow expected to be shouted at before being escorted to the Stockade, but Locke just sat there, looking angrier and angrier. "Smith....I know what he deserves. I don't like him any more than any other Rebel that has heard the stories about him and Neo. But...we must consider the doors helping him could open for us. The Machines...they believe in purpose for all programs, obviously they are punishing Smith for not only straying badly from his assigned purpose, but for trying to destroy their beloved Matrix. But...by making him human, they could have given him a new purpose....if we let it. He could be very helpful to us. I know the war's over, but lets face it, you and I know it won't last long, and when it ends, and one attacks the other, we shall have the upper hand, if we take this oppurtunity, that is."
Locke appeared to be listening fully now, and his face seemed to show that Locke had regained at least some of his sanity, so Shadow continued.
"Also, we know that Smith was Neo's negative. And a negative cannot exist without a positive, so......Neo could be alive somewhere, sir." Shadow looked at Locke hopefully, waiting for a reply.
"You know, Captain, I should have you put in the Stockade for how you spoke to me....but I shall not do that, because you do have some valid points, so I will let it go, for now. But, never, you hear me, never refer to me in that manner again. Understand?."
"Yes, Commander."
"You may leave. We shall be discussing this matter with the Council, of course."
Shadow nodded, and turned and walked away, swearing at Locke in colorful languages in the conflicts of his mind as he did so.