27. Welcome To IO
Enigma slowly woke up with a small grunt. Her head moved left and right, found herself in the ship's chamber. Similar to Neb, but much cleaner and more spacious. She forces herself to get up from the bed and take a look at her body. Seems they put some cloth on her. A pink sweater and navy sweat pants.
It feels very strange, waking up with a different body. She's still used to her small body compared to her adult body. Must be a side effect of 15 years in the Matrix and 60 years in the real world. She doesn't know which was the more terrifying of the two options.
And her right eye... she can use her right eye that was supposed to be damaged beyond repair after Smith hurt its retina. Not only that. When she touches her back, she realises there's an additional plug on the back of her neck. She remembered whenever she was sleepy, Trinity or Neo often stroked the back of her neck with a gentle touch. She remembered how often she gripped the back of their necks tightly before asleep. Now, Enigma would never have that warm sensation again.
The bedroom door opens and she sees a man, Seq, enter. "Hey, there."
"Hey," she greeted with a nod, moving her left hand that's plugged with an IV. He understands her gesture as he checks her vital. "Nice tattoo."
"Dad loves it," Seq explained with a proud smile. "And from him, I grow fond of it." He looks at her for a moment. "How're you feeling?"
She quietly looks down, finds her right hand touches her back, at a new plug at her back neck. "Feels strange," she confessed, taking a sharp breath. "I remembered waking up in the real world when I was 5 and took some time to adjust. Then, three years later, I watched my father die once. In six months, I got weird visions of the past, present, and future. One of those included my mother's death. Then I got told by the Oracle I carried some codes of The One. Then I watched Trinity die before Neo brought her back. Then I saw my parents get hurt very badly. Then I watched them die again." She shut her eyes. Trinity's body was impaled by metals like a butterfly. Smith stabs through Neo's chest as he takes over him. "And now, to know we're still alive and they kept us inside the Matrix again..." She rests a hand on her lap. "I don't know what else to feel."
"Must be mad," Seq quietly said, slowly unplugging Enigma's hand from the IV. "For you to experienced all of these..." he shook his head, takes a moment to look at her again. "Don't think I can cope watch my parents die twice in my life."
"I guess it runs in family," Enigma inclines her head, gestures Seq to sit beside her. "Us being strong against all odd together." She glances up at the ceiling and sighs. "At least I'm still good despite already old like a granny."
For some reason, Seq likes the way she talks from serious things to funny things. "My mother told me lots of stories after the war ended," he began, thinking of those days he spend sitting down with her before asleep. "It was very peaceful. Most people had a hard time believing it."
"War can create that," Enigma noted, Sparks' promise echo back. "I'm glad our action creates a difference." Her forehead furrows. "But the peace didn't stay long, right?"
Seq sadly agrees. "After some time, a war happened. Not us and Machines... but Machines against each other. 'Pure chaos', as my mother described."
She sees that vision ago, back when she and Neo met the Architect. Machines fire against each other, opposing like civil war. So, in a way, the Architect spoke the truth. "What happened to the other programs inside the Matrix?" She can't help herself asking that. "The Oracle, Seraph, other Exiles?"
"There was a purge. We don't know who and why thought."
A chill spine her bone. Purge. She doesn't know if her voice sounds angry or disbelieving. If she ever finds the Architect again - or another program that runs the 7th Matrix - she will break down their codes into pieces. "How's my father?"
"He's stabilizing. The last time I check, he's still asleep. Bugs' check him now." Seq gestures outside. "You want to...?
The cabin door opened again. This time Bugs and Neo are standing outside. "Hey," Bugs greeted with a raised hand. "You're awake."
Enigma nods slowly as she and Seq stand up. Seq excused himself in a low voice, seeming to know that this isn't a conversation he needs to hear, while Bugs waited outside the cabin, letting them have their own privacy.
With a slow motion, Neo held Enigma's right eye, stroking the corner of his eye gently. Enigma herself holds Neo's shoulders, looking at his brown eyes that used to be badly damaged by Smith. "I'm so confused right now," Enigma blurted with a laugh that sounds hysterical and shock.
Neo immediately anointed his daughter with both hands. Tears and sobs just came out of the two of them. Neither of them dare to let go of each other's arms, both wanting to feel the moment when they woke up from a sleep that was too long.
▪︎1001▪︎
After some minutes later, Bugs kindly takes them to the main deck, where more people gather. Both Neo and Enigma catch a sign that said Mark III no 10. Mnemosyne. Made in the EU. Year 2274.
"This is my crew," Bugs introduced. "You know our operator, Seq."
"Sequoia," Seq greeted Neo with a handshake, briefly gazes at Enigma. "But everybody calls me Seq."
"Nice to meet you," he replied, spotting the tattoo on his hand.
"Dad loved redwoods. When he escaped the Matrix and found out they no longer existed, it almost killed him. Lucky, he met Mom and here I am."
"This is Lexy, Berg, and Ellster."
"Hi," he said to them.
Enigma waves her hand. "Nice to meet you all."
"You two knew my grandfather," Ellster remarked. "Captain Roland."
Enigma's mouth wide open, remembers the man who disagree so much with their plan many years ago. "Roland?"
She chuckles, understanding her shock. "He always laughed, joking how he never believed in you two. But, in private, he said that you freed his mind a second time."
Berg steps in, shakes Neo's hand. "Uh, not to fanboy out here, but this is kind of a huge moment for me."
"Berg is our resident Neoologist," Bugs clarified.
Neo stares back. "A what?"
"There's a lot of people out there like me who are a little bit obsessed with your life."
"I would never have recognized your Modal if it weren't for him," Bugs confessed.
"Whenever you're feeling up for it, I've got, like, a million questions."
"Please tell me there's no Enigmatologist or anything related to that," Enigma commented, quickly spotting Berg's awkward face. "Oh my God," she exasperated and most crew laughs at her horror expression.
As Neo tries to keep down his smile, he spots three machines in the corner.
"It's okay. Come meet them," Bugs assured Neo and Enigma who looks tense a bit. "This is Cybebe. That's Octacles. That's Lumin8." Lumin8, the small one, starts jumping to Enigma's shoulder while making a small noise. "I think he likes you," Bugs remarked with a smirk as Lumin8 moves back-and-forth at Enigma's shoulders.
"Machines are on our side now?"
"They are synthients. It's a word they prefer to Machines."
"Your contact with the Synthient City had a huge impact on their world," Ellster added.
"That's what I meant," Bugs remarked. "What you two changed that nobody believed could ever be changed. The meaning of our side."
Cybebe gives Neo a headbutt that he replies without hesitation.
"Cybebe and Octacles risked their lives to help get you two out."
"Thank you," Neo thanked them. "But why?"
"Not all seek to control. Just as not all wish to be free," Morpheus answered.
"Whoa," Enigma gasped as Morpheus slowly appears in the real world in a form of something she can't describe. Lumin8 sits down above her hairless head.
"What is that?" Neo pointed out.
"An exomorphic-particle codex," Seq denoted. "It's pretty new. It gives programs access to this world. Within limits."
"Limits are the domain of the limited," Morpheus alluded as he steps to them.
Neo shakes his hand. "Morpheus. Thank you."
"It was my honor."
"Whoa," Neo bemused.
"That's insane," Enigma commented as she and others chuckles.
"How does it work?"
"Paramagnetic oscillation. If you want, I can download the codex manual for you," Seq proposed.
"That would be great," Enigma beamed as Lumin8 jumped back to Seq.
"Downloading used to be fun. Now it's all manuals and diagnostics," Bugs complained.
"Can I ask them something?" Neo alluded to synthients. Bugs nods and he turns around. "When you unplugged us, there was another pod."
Both Cybebe and Octacles make a soft warbling noise.
"Yes. We've analyzed the data," Bugs pauses. "It could be Trinity."
"It's definitely her," Enigma convinced.
"I figured we were going to have this conversation. Look, you two were not a typical flush-and-grab. You were in this weird tower that Cybebe had never accessed, and she's now exiled. We burned our one chance for you two. Even if it were Trinity and she wanted to be free, we have no idea how to do it."
"Yet," Lexy interjected with determinism. As everyone stares at her, Enigma quickly notices some of body languages change between her and Bugs. Like they're very close as lovers. "Nobody believed we'd ever find them, but we did."
"Okay," Bugs nodding her head. "We don't know how to get her out... yet."
"Captain, we're approaching security clearance," a man informed from the cockpit.
"We're here."
"Zion?" Neo asked as he and Enigma follows Bugs.
"Have a seat. This is Hanno. Best pilot in our fleet," she introduced him as Neo sits while Enigma stands behind him, holds his right shoulder, another deja vu strikes her. The three of them hold each other's hand, ready with whatever will come to them. She shut her eyes, tries to remove those, and focus with now.
"Quite a few Synthients deserve that title before me," Hanno remarked.
"Mnemosyne, you are cleared for landing. Welcome home," a woman from the speaker announced.
"Thank you, Control," Hanno replied.
"Um, we're about to crash," Neo pointed out as he grabs something and Enigma shut her eyes tighter.
"It's okay. You can open your eyes," Hanno assured Enigma.
She slowly opens it, realizing that they're actually inside some sort of hologram.
"General realized we were never going to beat the Sentinels, so... we just got better at hiding from them," Bugs shared. "Welcome to IO."
"IO," Neo mumbled above the view. In contrast to Zion which looks like a modern military encampment, IO is more like a safe place to build community together. Both Neo and Enigma are mesmerized by the stunning views of IO, especially with the blue sky illuminating it. "Wow."
"Beautiful," Enigma whispered as tears came out of her blue eyes. It's not as beautiful as what she and Trinity saw, but it's still beautiful regardless. Gently, she reaches her hand at her father, which he takes kindly, looking at what she saw in her mind, understanding her reaction.
"That looks real," he denoted.
"Bio-sky," Seq explained, approaches them. "Works kind of like grow lights. It's way more complex than that. It pulls water from the crust, hydronating the air. It balances the ECO and our SRI cycles. Plus," he sighs fondly, "it is pretty to look at."
"As opposed to that," Hanno gestures below when some people waiting at the dock.
"I guess the general sent us a welcome party," Bugs noted, not particulary happy.
▪︎1001▪︎
IO architecture is much more spacious and convenient than Zion. Yet Enigma misses the sound of the machine that fills Zion every time she arrives. Her hand continues to grip Neo's as the people they encountered on the dock led them to a faraway place.
A look of astonishment mixed with confusion caught Enigma's eyes and she herself cannot look at them. Despite looking basically like 30 years old but actually 68 years old, Enigma feels trapped in the past, back when she had just arrived in Zion while spotting the strange look that many people gave her when she held Trinity's hand.
Sheperd led them into a large room that had a view of IO. An old woman standing with her back to them. When she turns her head, Enigma instantly discovered some familiar features despite already being old.
"God damn," the older woman realized. "It is you."
"Niobe?" Neo asked, not believing this as well.
She smiles. "A few more wrinkles and a few less teeth, but wise enough to know I don't know anything. I sure as shit never saw this coming."
"Neither did us," Enigma admitted.
"I told you they were alive," Bugs told her.
"Captain, you and your crew have been grounded," Niobe denoted.
"General, if you'd just let me explain..."
"The protocols are put in place for everyone's protection."
"I'm sorry. I saw an opportunity and I was afraid we'd lose them. But, General, people have been waiting for so long. We found The One."
Niobe gazes at the father and daughter. "I don't believe in The One. I never did."
"We know," Enigma recalled that conversation that feels like eternity, despite for her and Neo, it was not that long. "But last time we saw each other, you gave Logos to us, despite Roland and the Council's said otherwise. You believe in my father, in three of us."
"The world was different, Enigma. We were different," Niobe insisted before glances Bugs. "Report to the docks. Scrub down the Mnemosyne. Transfer your access codes. You are done, Captain."
"Niobe...!" Enigma argued as Bugs and others left the room.
But the older woman doesn't budge by her tone and simply says, "We need to talk."
▪︎1001▪︎
Niobe pours some juice as she speaks. "When word first came that it actually might be you two," she looks at them, notices Enigma's gazes lock on some old pictures she hangs on the wall while smoothing her pink sweater. In particular, a photo of her, Neo, and Trinity. "I didn't know how I would feel in this moment."
Enigma looks at her again. Her hand holds Neo's as both look completely stunned with what they see now.
"It is nice to see you," Niobe admitted and gives them the juice.
"It's good to see you too," Neo replied as they clink their glass, drink it. "A long way from Dozer's paint stripper."
She chuckles. "Yes. A lot has changed," she agreed, looking at their young appearance despite 60 years passed. Neo looks around 50-ish while Enigma looks around 30-ish. "Except maybe you two."
"'There are some things in this world that will never change. But some things do'," Enigma recited. Her blue eyes sparkle beneath the light. "Morpheus told me that once."
"I can imagine that," Niobe denoted, remembering that words many years ago. "You two remember this?" She gestures around. Both nod their head. "It's so easy to forget how much noise the Matrix pumps into your head until you unplug."
Neo sighs while Enigma rubs her glass. "Yeah," he said.
"Something else makes the same kind of noise. Takes over every damn thing, just like the Matrix. War," she continued, memories of the past coming back. "I stood at the barricade of the Temple. Staring at the army of Sentinels, waiting for them to kill every one of us. But then... they left. They said you three saved us. I didn't believe it. Every night I would dream of attack sirens. But then... I would wake up to this... silence. I'm ashamed of it now. My pessimism of how long it took me to believe a world without war was possible. You three gave me that. You gave that gift to us all. And it is the gift that continues to bear fruit."
No words come out. Niobe can't blame them. Wake up again and see how everything's change in 60 years will take so much time to adjust.
"Come help me get up," she entreated. "Let's take a walk."
▪︎1001▪︎
"Is that...?" Enigma pointed out at butterflies fly around the Garden as they step in. Niobe nod for confirmation and she smiles with sparkles on her eyes, like a child witness something's amazing. Which, emotional intelligence speaking, she still is.
Niobe introduces them to two people on the Garden. An older woman and a program. "This is Freya, head of botany. And this is Quillion, our lead digitologist. I presume our guests need no introduction."
"Nothing travels faster than light, except gossip," Freya chuckled. "Welcome to the Garden, Neo, Enigma."
Both take a strawberry in their hand. "A strawberry?" Neo asked, in awe.
"Using digital code from the Matrix, we retro-convert it into DNA sequences," Quillion answered.
"And they... grow... here?" Enigma pondered, looking bewildered.
"It's not easy augmenting the genome to photosynthesize Bio-sky," Freya admitted, but..."
"We're getting there," Quillion finished with chuckles.
"Go ahead. Try it," Niobe suggested, laughing when sees their surprise reaction upon eating the fruit.
"We're quite excited about the blueberries."
"Blueberries too?" Enigma thrilled. "What about cookies?"
"We're still working on that," Quillion addressed. "We know how much you love cookies from Niobe."
"You remember that shit we used to eat? That slop that tasted like rust," Niobe noted. "Zion could have never made something like this."
Neo frowns. "Why?"
"Because we needed synthients and DI like him. Zion was stuck in the past. Stuck in war. Stuck in a Matrix of its own. They believed that it had to be us or them. This city was built by us and them."
Enigma bounces on her toes as Neo asks. "What happened to Zion?"
▪︎1001▪︎
"All of the troubles started in the Machine Cities," Niobe shared as they're walking inside a cave with many candles. Both Enigma and Neo help Niobe for a walk. "Power plants were unable to produce enough energy. Nothing can breed violence like scarcity. For the first time, we saw machines at war with one other."
The vision resurfaces on Enigma's mind, followed by another. Seraph carries her small body in a hurry as massive people chase them. Kamala types something on a digital keyboard as she looks down on a bed, Enigma lays down in a coma. Rama-Kandra speaks to Sati, looks more worried than ever. The Oracle holds Enigma's small hand, strokes her forehead while glaring at the front, at someone.
"We got word from the Oracle of a new power rising," Niobe continued, snapping Enigma back. "That was the last we heard from her."
Both father and daughter look above, at Morpheus' statue. "Morpheus," they whispered.
"After the siege, he was elected unanimously. High Chair of the Council. Oh, how he loved that."
"Lock must be annoyed by that," Enigma commented.
Niobe snorts. "Oh, he did," she agreed. "But as rumors of this new power spread, he ignored them. He was certain what you all had done could not be undone. All of these people never stopped believing in miracles, believing in you two."
Neo looks down. He thought his sacrifice, their sacrifice, would stop the fight between two side, not all this. "I'm sorry. How could I know this would happen?"
"We didn't understand all of it back then. No more than we do now."
"I didn't come here to cause you problems, Niobe, but we need your help," he looks at her. "Trinity is alive."
"Then there is another question. Why did they keep her alive?" Niobe asked back.
"We don't know," Enigma confessed. She had some ideas, but until she knows for certain, she couldn't express her opinion. "But if there's a chance we can save her, isn't that worth trying?"
"Even if it means endangering everyone in this city?"
"It won't be like that."
"How would you know about that?"
"You know how capable I am."
"I know that you're reckless enough to risk your life like your parents did."
Enigma raises her chin. Her eyes stare as sharp as sentinels. "At least I'm trying, not hiding like a coward," she quipped.
Niobe sighs, trying to contain her anger. "I'm sorry, Enigma, Neo. I won't let what happened to Zion happen to IO. I hope you'll forgive an old woman for asking you two to go with Sheperd, here, till we have better understanding of what's going on."
Enigma hides behind Neo, looks warry at Sheperd and his men. "You're going to imprison us after we just got free?" Neo frowns, not liking any of this.
"I know it doesn't seem fair, but neither does growing old," Niobe simply went on. "But you two don't hear me complaining."
"Well, how can we? It's not like Machines allow us," Enigma ventured, moving away without bother to look at someone she consider as good allies.
