The Matrix: Evolution

[Paendragon]

OOC: Please post on characters on OOC thread before joining.

And PLEASE wait for confirmation before posting. Thanks all!

This is set in the world of the Matrix, but in an alternate world. There is no 'One' character, no Messiah-like characters at all.

Please, no movie characters either, if it can be helped. The same rules apply as in the movies. Agents are faster/stronger/tougher than the human rebels.

Any other questions, please ask them in OOC thread here.

 

[Paendragon]

Merlin

The war is raging. Worse in recent months than in the past. Agents are everywhere, it seems. Crawling out of every alley and every doorway, hunting any rebel human they can find.

Zion is the goal, he knew. Zion is the threat to them, the only thing they fear... if machines can fear anything. He wasn't sure... he had already seen too much for any man. But all there was left was to fight on. To fight on and win. For humanity.

He looked out over the bow of the hovercraft Freedom as it sped through the old sewers of one of the Great Cities. He had no way of knowing what its name might have been; the machines had long since removed any vestige of human history from the surface of the now desolate planet Earth. These empty sewer lines were all that was left of most of them, except for the few wrecked skyscrapers that hadn't been recycled into some new monstrosity by the machines, that were used in their neverending quest to hunt down the few remaining free humans and exterminate them.

A free human doesn't die easily, though. Or quickly. And they fight back with all they've got, which isn't a whole lot in the grand sceme of things. In fact, when you lay it all on the line, humanity has little to lose... and a whole world to gain.

"Take us up to broadcast depth," Merlin said. "Remember, quick strike, we go in, meet up with Zales, and get the hell out. I'm not sure what was so important that he wants to meet us inside, but I trust him."

He looked back over his shoulder, at the crew. "Still, keep your eyes open."

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Sekhmet

"Broadcast depth in....seven mintues." Sekhmet checks the screens. "No squids in sight; no current annomolies on my screens."

Even as her eyes scanned the screens she twisted her long dark hair into a knot in the back of her neck. Unlike the others she would never see the Matrix from the inside. Zion born and raised she could read the screens and load the programing they would need to navaigate inside the Matrix, save their lives from the outside, but when they talked about the texture of the place it remained two dimentional to her.

She often found herself at odds with the freed humans. They tended to want to free more humans without looking at the resources available. It made her angry and hot-headed at times. Couldn't they see that it was that type of thinking that lead them to this mess in the frist place?

"Almost there." She glanced up her captain, he had his serious game face on. "Hey, what do you get when you cross a squid with an agent?" She wiggled her eyebrows at him.

 

[poohlive]

"Yeah buddy," Alloc banged against the tight walls of his quartered room. They were up, ready, and going to be plugged in.
He could barely contain his excitement. It was as if he wanted to jump out of his skin, and plug into the matrix right this minute. It was coming, oh it was coming.
Glancing in the mirror, he gave himself a serous look, "Free your mind."
He laughed, running up to the broadcast room. He saw that the captain and Sekhmet were already there. He leaned over her shoulder, looking at the Matrix bumbling down the computer screens.
His eyes jumped from symbol to symbol. Every now and then he caught something familiar, but for the most part it was still just code to him. He wasn't out long enough to understand anything more than basic fundamentals.
"Captain," He saluted, before going back to the screens, "Have we got agent sightings yet?"

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Sekhmet

Sekhmet rolled her eyes a bit at Alloc. "Calm down, buddy boy and take a few deep breaths."

She took a few moments to point out lines of code to him; what a hardline like the one they were going to use to jack in looked like, what a system sweep looked like when checking the hard lines for traces that might lead agents to them, the squid radar.

"See, the agents need the hardlines just as much as we do to keep the different parts of the matrix connected and operateing...but...for reasons we don't understand and can only theroize about...they don't monitor them closely." She shrugged. "Or at least not like we would if we knew we had a weakness."

 

[Maka]

"Still, keep your eyes open"

"Yeah, yeah", said Frost to himself, "Yeah, yeah, yeah"

He entered the broadcast room from the metal causeway linking it to the crew's quarters. Another trip into the Matrix. As always, he felt a little sick, at the base of his stomach, at the thought. Maybe this time he'd be too slow and fuck up and then they'd get him. He knew it was going to happen sooner or later.

Nobody lived forever.

He hated the Matrix, hated the dizzyingly claustrophobic feeling being inside it gave him, and knowing how helpless his real body in the real world was left.

"I'm here", he announced, scowling at what members of the crew had already assembled, and sitting down by the back.

 

[Paendragon]

Merlin

He didn't reply to Sekhmet immediately, he just smiled.. a small half smile. The other members of the crew entered, each in there own way. Alloc, a little over exuberant, Frost... well, Frost was Frost. And Sekhmet... always trying to lighten the mood a bit.

"Nothing yet, Alloc. But they're in there. Remember your lessons, and stay close. And remember... if you see an Agent, you get the hell out of there..."

He turned to look back at Sekhmet. He had a feeling he would regret asking, but what the hell...

"I give up... what do you get when you cross an Agent with a squid?"

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Sekhmet

"I don't know, but make sure it washes it's ALL it's hand after it uses the bathroom." She quirked a eyebrow. "What? Thoth told me it's the hot new joke at school. He laughed his ass off when he told it to me."

Talking about her little brother always gave her a smile, and she liked to remind everyone what their trips were really about in a gentle way. Making the world safe for little kids to make fun of the real dangers that threatened them.

"Broadcast depth, all clear. Prepare to jack up." She said as she landed the Freedom in what once had been an elegantly large hotel lobby.

 

[Paendragon]

Merlin

Merlin nodded.

"Let's go." He turned and left the bridge, immediately making his way to his chair to be plugged in.

"You know where to drop us Sekhmet. Get us as close to the meeting point as possible.

He waited for Sekmet to ready the construct program, and then come and plug him in.

"Sqiddies and Agents..." He couldn't stop the small smile from spreading across his lips.

He sense of humor might be... different... but he was glad to have her as their Operator, watching their back.

 

[poohlive]

Alloc jumped up into the relining seat, laying back to stare up at what was the ceiling. He teamed with excitement, ready to get in there and get things done.
He could take an agent on. He felt he could. One on one, just plow the man down with his awesome moves. People were afraid, but he thought that was the real problem. They were afraid, so they hesitated fighting. He wasn't afraid, he could fuck them all up without thinking about it.
That's what seperated him from everyone else. No fear. At least not yet. Nothing to fear yet.
"Ready, steady, jacked and loaded. Send me over the rainbow."
He closed his eyes, waiting to be taken into the Matrix.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Sekhmet

As she leaned over to jack Merlin in she whispered in his ear. "Keep the new kid on a short leash, will you boss? He seems just too eager." She gave Alloc a slant eyed glance. "I don't know if he was trained properly." She patted his arm and moved over to the newbie.

As she leaned over Alloc she looked into his eyes earnestly. "You know, Alloc, your new and hot and all that. But if you get captured I will jerk this plug faster that you can say Zion; and there's no one to mourn you. But, you do your job and I'll do mine and try to get you back safely."

Standing up she kissed her amulet and looked around for Frost. "You coming on this jaunt, Frost, or hanging out with me for the ride?"

 

[Maka]

Frost nodded, and sank into a reclining seat.

"If you let anything, and I mean anything, happen to my body while I'm in the Matrix, I swear I'll find a way to come back and rip your fucking head off", he said.

It was the traditional admonishment he gave Sekhmet every time, passing somewhere between an in-joke and a genuine threat, of sorts. Frost's body was unnaturally stiff and tense as he lay there, his Matrix-claustrophobia already beginning to close in.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Sekhmet

Sekhmet kissed Frost's forehead.

"What you talking about? I"m going to have my way with your body while your out of house just like I always do." She winked at him and grinned before moving over to the boards.

"Buckle your seat belts, gentlemen, it's going to be a bumpy ride." She said.

"Closest I can get you is ...four long city blocks away from the meeting site in a underground garage." She skimmed the screens. "Still looks green to me."

 

[.:iceman1987:.]

spyke

hey guy you forgot about me gimme chance to get on my dentist chair
while i sat down i had a bad feeling about this trip into the illusion that is the matrix

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Sekhmet

Sekhmet looked at Spyke and then down at her chest, where her ankh lay between her copper colored breasts. She shook her head sadly and said; "I'm not a guy."

She patted him reassureingly on the chest. "That's ok, buddy boy, you'll figure it out when you grow up the difference between boys and girls."

 

[Paendragon]

Merlin

Merlin only nodded up at her about the new crewman. "Schedule another sparring construct when we get back, if you still have doubts. I'll run him through myself."

If Sekhmet had doubts, he trusted them. If they didn't need every set of eyes and ears they had inside the Matrix these days, he would have left Alloc out, but the sad fact is, they needed him, if only to warn them.

She plugged him in, and he felt the familiar rush, as his consciousness was downloaded into the construct. His clothing was dofferemt now, of course. Gone were the Zion-made clothing... instead, he wore a long black coat, over black pants, and a deep burgundy colored round-necked, button down shirt. And of course, the shades.

The others popped into existence around him, and he pulled his cell phone out from his coat. "Weapons, and surveilance gear, Sekhmet."

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Sekhmet

Sekhmet muttered to herself and she downloaded her crew mates into the Matrix. "One, two, three, four, sent my buddies through the looking glass door, five, six, seven, eight...give me WMA's to celebrate..."

"Your in, your looking pretty, and your loaded up with toys." She told her crew. "Keep safe now, and bring me back a Big Mac and fries."

 

[.:iceman1987:.]

we will bring back your "real" food and im ready for a trip into the unknown world any way lets get goin.
i took my twin uzi's and a silenced pistol and walked out to the street where our black mercedies was waiting for us, i wasnt sure where we were going but i was sure that it wasnt gonna be easy

 

[poohlive]

His hands felt up and down the new fabric covering his body. It was incredible, like going into a movie one was just watching. He could feel his hair, now long and straight, come down past his ears. It always used to be short and curly, but since he had begun to manipulate his residual self image, things were for the better.
Already he had grown a few inches taller. Yeah buddy, the ladies sure would like him now.
He grabbed a few deagles out of the weapons stash. Something to make him feel more comfortable. They were useless against agents, but something about the weight of them made him feel better.
He could take out any stupid little human without fail. Those agents would take a bit more finessing though. He could do it... one on one, just give him a chance.
A small smile rose to his lips.
"Who's driving?"
An eager look on his face revealed that maybe he was waiting for a particular answer to that question.

 

[Paendragon]

Merlin

He stayed away from the automatic weapons, instead picking two 9MM handguns, with a bunch of clips, and a nasty looking hunting knife.

He then waited as Sekmet downloaded them all into the Matrix. The famiar rush was there, again, as the crew materialized inside of an abandoned warehouse in the garment district.

He motioned for Frost to take the lead, and then for Spyke to go second. Alloc, he kept by him.

"Who's driving?" Alloc asked.

"I am. You ride beside me, and watch my back. Keep your eyes peeled, and remember your training... don't try to be a hero. If you see an Agent, you get the fuck outta there, understood?"

The others he wasn't concerned about. They were all vets in this sort of thing.

"Let's go gentleman," he said as he slipped into the drivers seat.

The drive didn't take too long, about 15 minutes. Their destination was a small laundry in the Asian district. He parked the car far enough to be unnoticed, but close enough that they could get to it if they could.

Spyke, Frost, and Alloc were out of the car as soon as it stopped.. Merlin followed after, but took the lead through the streets. The laundry was about four blocks away, and they made it rather quickly, considering they were on foot, and trying not to draw too much notice to themselves. They came to a stop accross the street, and he turned to the others. he nodded to Spyke and Frost.

"You guys know what to do."

He then pointed at Alloc, "You're with me."

He crossed the street and entered the laundry...

 

[Connavar]

"She's a wreck. There is no way we are letting the Hammer go out of Zion again. You've lost your EMP, your engines are at half-efficiency, and the hull is nothing but scrap iron. This is it, the Hammer is being retired."

The council member stood by the side of the ship, one hand lay on the cooling hull. Thor, or Chris Sharpe as he was known in the Matrix, was finally having his ship taken apart. A grim look came across his face, and his jaw was set, a fine layer of stubble the only sign of stress and tiredness. He looked away from the council member and looked at the massive caverns of Zion, amazed by the sheer size of the place, it never failed to surprise him.

"Look, I understand you're annoyed and you want to get back out there, but you can't in this ship, you'd just be a liability. As it is, you're running a skeleton crew!" He took his hand from the ship and put it on his shoulder. "Perhaps it's better for you to rest, get ready to go out again, and go with a fresh ship and crew." The council member looked troubled, and sucked in a deep calming breath.

"This is the thing Sharpe, we haven't got another command for you. There's no other ship to spare. You'd have to go on to another ship as an XO, or as a crewman. And without your crew." He winced as he said the last, they hated splitting a crew.

Sharpe took in a deep breath, and swallowed, his hands clasped behind his back. "Very well sir, I shall await your orders." He said this without a speck of emotion and turned to look at the council member. "Sir, with respect, I have to remove my belongings and inform my crew. I assume they have other ships also?"

The councilman nodded and told him of the crews re-allocation. Sharpe nodded and turned to the Hammer.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Sekhmet

"Mama told me not to come" Sekhmet flipped some switches to her sub-routines, the ones that were quasi-illeagal, that scanned for new music, books and art in the Matrix. "She said that anit the way to have fun, son."

"..And the smell of cheap purfume." She also had rutines that were trying to crack the communcations code for the squids so that she could redirect them or be able to tell when they were being assigned to an aera they were in.

She frowned oat a blip on the main screens. Something odd in the Matrix near her crew....but it didn't occur again.

 

[.:iceman1987:.]

ok guys lets do this and do NOT try anythin fancy kid we dont wanna die i then phoned up the operator anythin strange if not then we will move in.

 

[Maka]

Frost adjusted his mirror-shades, and stared at the laundry ahead. He and Spyke had to stake it out, make sure that Sekhmet hadn't missed any agents or cops. He was glad of the chance to personally verify her surveillance. Frost didn't like trusting his life to anyone else.

He didn't bother checking to see that Spyke was going the other way: he could at least rely on the other veterans, as he took a slow, careful circuit of the buildings, hands always near the machine pistols hidden in his white coat.

He strained his senses, sharpened by paranoia, for any warning signs.

"Seems clear", he said at the end of his circuit.

 

[poohlive]

"Yes sir," Alloc walked just behind the captain, a small sneer on his face. It stayed there for a moment, as he saw Spyke walk off. Frost had left just as quickly.
That was the reason he wanted to do something in here. Everyone thought of his as some new rookie who didn't know anything. Fresh fish unable to comprehend the Matrix. Well, fuck them all. He knew what was going on. Hell, he practically hacked himself out of the program. He didn't need anyone's help.
Sekhmet, Frost, the Captain... but especially Spyke. He didn't need any words of stupid advice from an old hack like him.
Inside the Laundry shop, he took off his shades, staring back through the dirty windows outside. People walking to and fro, ignorant to the mindless dream they were all in.
If he could just show one of them that he could take an agent, then he would prove his worthiness. Just one.
Giving a bit of a smile at this ludacrous thought, he nodded to Merlin and stood guard at the window, looking out at the Matrix before him.
The meeting was about to start...