EXT. An abandoned building (Matrix). The Vintage Ride Niobe and Ghost are driving brakes sharply at the foot of the building. Niobe takes out her cell phone and dials.
INT. Logos, operating station.
SPARKS: Operator.
NIOBE (V.O.): Is the exit clean?
SPARKS: As vestal as my bunghole.
NIOBE: I'll see you soon.
INT. Abandoned building (Matrix). A small black phone is ringing on a table in the middle of the bottom floor. Niobe and Ghost walk to it.
GHOST: Captain-
NIOBE: After you.
Ghost picks up the phone and vanishes. Then Niobe replaces it, waits for it to ring, and vanishes too.
INT. Zion Control construct. A white room inside a simulation where Zion manages its ships. Six controllers sit in a circle, each working away on transluscent keyboards and screens.
ZION CONTROLLER: This is Zion Control to the Logos. Gate Three is standing down, your path is cleared to Bay Two. Welcome home.
INT. Logos cockpit. Niobe is driving, as always, and holding an intercom in one hand. Ghost is in the opposite seat.
NIOBE: Thank you control. It's good to be home.
GHOST: Damn good.
INT. Logos. Another angle of the cockpit, this time from behind, so that Zion can be seen. Niobe looks to her left, counting all the docked ships.
NIOBE: Look at that. Almost a full house.
GHOST: No Neb.
NIOBE: If I was Morpheus, I wouldn't be in a hurry to get back here.
GHOST: What do you think the Commander will do?
NIOBE: I don't know, but I'm staying as far away from that as I can.
EXT. Zion, in front of Niobe's quarters. Someone is banging harshly on her door.
INT. Niobe's room. Niobe, who looks like she just closed the door behind herself, turns around in an annoyed fashion and returns to the door, yanking it open.
EXT. Zion, on the other side of the door. It opens and Niobe looks outside, glaring at the person who had interrupted her.
LOCK (Offscreen): I need a moment with you.
Niobe frowns even more.
NIOBE: I literally just walked in.
LOCK (Offscreen): Please.
INT. Niobe's room. Niobe lets Lock in and walks away, straightening her clothes and leaving Lock to close the door. She flops into a chair and looks at Lock irrately.
LOCK: I presume that you were present during this latest act of insubordination?
NIOBE: I was.
LOCK: You were in charge of the recall. How could you let this happen?
Niobe raises her hands in defeat and sighs.
NIOBE: What do you expect me to do? Shoot him?
LOCK: Yes, you would save me the trouble!
Niobe stares at the cieling, avoiding Lock's eyes.
NIOBE: Jason, you can have my testimony at the debriefing.
LOCK: I don't want your testimony.
Niobe looks at Lock sharply.
NIOBE: Then what do you want?
LOCK: Your help.
NIOBE: All right.
Lock sits in a chair next to hers.
LOCK: Tell me why. Why does he do it? Is it because of us?
Niobe shakes her head.
NIOBE: No. It has nothing to do with you or me. Morpheus does what he believes he has to do.
LOCK: And I'll do what I have to.
NIOBE: You can't.
LOCK: Why?
NIOBE: Because you need him.
LOCK: The hell I do!
NIOBE: Jason, can you honestly tell me what went through your mind when you saw the tape from the Osiris?
Lock says nothing, but his expression visibly darkens.
NIOBE: Exactly. I thought the same thing. Anybody from this city would. Every damn one of them! Except him. Morpheus believes we will win this war. He makes other people believe it, too. That's why you need him.
LOCK: How about you? Do you need him?
Niobe scoffs.
NIOBE: All I need is a hot shower and something to eat that requires teeth.
LOCK: Thank you for your candor, Captain.
NIOBE: Any time, Commander.
They stand up, facing each other.
LOCK: Can I see you tonight? After the gathering?
NIOBE: Of course.
Lock smiles, and then draws Niobe into a kiss. It's not anywhere close to the passionate kiss Niobe was forced to give to Persephone, but more like the bad one.
LOCK: Is something wrong?
NIOBE: No, uh, nothing. I'm just tired. So I'll see you tonight?
LOCK: All right.
He leaves Niobe's room, while she stands in the same place, thinking.
INT. Ghost's quarters. Someone opens the door and walks inside. Directly in front of the door and a few feet away is his bed, where Ghost is lying, jacked into his personal processing unit.
The 'someone' is Trinity. She looks at Ghost and smiles like she's about to play a joke on him.
INT. Zen Garden, Ghost's favorite program. He's in the middle of it, wearing a tunic and his Matrix sunglasses, doing a one-hand handstand on a rock. Everything is silent...
...And then Ghost gets whacked on the head with a rock and falls flat on his back.
GHOST: Ow!
Trinity appears leering over his head, tossing a rock casually in the air.
TRINITY: You call that concentration?
Ghost stands up.
GHOST: I didn't think you'd have the guts to come back here after the last
ass-whooping I gave you.
TRINITY: That, dear brother, was an act of mercy after beating you how many
times? Gosh, I must've lost count when it hit double digits.
GHOST: That, dear sister, was merely an act of sympathy used on the weaker sex
to cajole them into playing.
TRINITY: Oh, that's it. You've done it again. You'll eat those words and half
the rocks in this garden.
She tosses another rock at Ghost's head. This time he catches it with ease.
GHOST: Come on Trin, make me!
The assume a fighting stance and start to spar.13
*If Trinity loses:
[TRINITY: You've gotten good.
GHOST: Not really, you're just distracted.]
*If Trinity wins:
[GHOST: I haven't taken a beating like that in years.
TRINITY: Sorry. I guess I have a lot of pent-up frustration.
GHOST: I'm happy to serve as your personal punching bag anytime.
TRINITY: Appreciate the offer.]
The two sit down on a bench in the garden and look at the mess they made.
TRINITY: Made a mess of your garden.
GHOST: I kind of like it this way.
TRINITY: Ghost, can I ask you a serious question?
GHOST: Of course.
[insert!!]
INT. Ghost's quarters.
The two, lying next to each other on the bed, awaken from the program at the same time, and sit upright. Trinity looks at Ghost, giving him the once-over.
TRINITY: When are we going to find you a girlfriend?
GHOST: (Smiles and looks towards the door.) Like Augustine, I'm devoted to a higher purpose.
TRINITY: (She smiles.) What's that?
GHOST: Onanism.
TRINITY: Is that why so many saints are blind?
GHOST: Celibacy is a hands-on job.
TRINITY: Mm-hm. (Her expression becomes more serious again.) Thank you Ghost.
GHOST: Any time.
She leaves, and Ghost watches her do so with a melancholy look on his face.
INT. Oracle's kitchen (Matrix). The Oracle14 is sitting in the shadows by a table. Her face is concealed by darkness, as is the rest of the house, save for the starlight coming in from the windows. She appears to have just set a fresh cigarette in the ashtray on the table with her frail hand. Seraph enters the kitchen without a sound.
ORACLE: Thank you for coming so quickly.
SERAPH. You have no need to thank me. I am forever indebted to you.
ORACLE: It is now I that needs your help.
INT. Meeting room, where the rebels met with Niobe not too long ago. Footsteps break the stillness as Ballard walks down the stairs, looking around. As he begins to explore the room, Seraph approaches Ballard from behind. Despite the fact that Seraph makes no sound, Ballard whirls around and aims his gun at Seraph's head once he is a few feet away.
BALLARD: Who the hell are you?
SERAPH: I am Seraph, guardian of the Oracle.
Ballard looks him over, clearly not believing him.
BALLARD: Is that so?
SERAPH: I can take you to her. But first, I must apologise. (He lowers his head in a slight bow.)
BALLARD: For what?
Seraph brings his hands together in a sign of respect.
SERAPH: For this.
He kicks the gun out of Ballard's hand, sparking a fight. Eventually, Ballard gives Seraph a good kick in the chest that sends him stumbling backwards. After this, Seraph stops and extends his hand in friendship.
SERAPH. Good. You do not truly know someone until you fight them. (He gestures to behind him, where the nearest door is.) Come with me.
BALLARD: Only thing you know 'bout me is that I was about to kick your ass!
INT. Oracle's kitchen.
ORACLE: Time has grown so short. The shadow has already begun to spread.
SERAPH: Does the One know?
The Oracle doesn't answer.
INT. Building with glass roof (Matrix).
Smith grabs Bane and plunges his fingers into Bane's chest. A black, shimmering liquid starts to cover Bane's body.
BANE: Oh God...
SMITH: Smith will suffice.
The liquid envelops Bane completely.
INT. Oracle's kitchen.
SERAPH: Will he succeed?
ORACLE: There are so many factors between here and there. There are so many choices, and so much fear.
INT. Lock or Niobe's room. Lock is sitting on the bed, watching Niobe as she ties ribbons into her hair in front of a mirror.
LOCK: Niobe, I have something to tell you. It's a strategy to counterattack the machines using the ships' EMPs.
NIOBE: How many ships?
LOCK: All of them. Except yours.
Niobe turns around, surprised at his statement.
NIOBE: What?
LOCK: I convinced the Council that the Logos was too small, the EMP too weak to have an impact.
NIOBE: That's not true.
LOCK: Maybe, but it's done.
NIOBE: Jason, I am a captain, the same as every captain.
LOCK: No, you're not the same. You're the woman I love.
Niobe shakes her head.
NIOBE: It's not right.
LOCK: I'm sorry, but I had to.
He takes Niobe by the waist and brings her closer to him.
LOCK: I couldn't let you go Niobe. I- I just couldn't.
He rests his forehead against her chest, like a child seeking comfort from its mother. Eventually, Niobe places her hands lightly on his shoulders, but does not draw him any closer to her.
INT. Oracle's kitchen.
ORACLE: Truth is, the path of the One is made by the many.
INT. Zion Council Chambers. All the captains and crewmembers have assembled to hear the strategy to counterattack the machines. But some want to find out what has happened to the Nebuchadnezzar.
COUNCILLOR DILLARD: Are there two among you that would answer such a call?
ORACLE (V.O.): Each of us has our own steps to take, our own choices to make.
Niobe stands up.
NIOBE: Captain Niobe of the Logos will answer the Councillor's call.
She looks at Lock.
INT. Oracle's kitchen.
ORACLE: And if but one fails, all fail.
INT. Logos main deck. Niobe, Ghost, and Sparks walk in, the two men rather reluctantly. Niobe begins to move around, turning on various pieces of equipment. When she notices the others are not, she stops and glares at them.
NIOBE: What? I told you. All we're going to do is jack in, contact the Neb, find out what's happening, and jack out. Any questions? No? Then move like you have a purpose.
INT. Abandoned Building (Matrix). Niobe dials her cell phone.
LINK (V.O.): Operator.
NIOBE: Link, It's Niobe. We've been sent to bring you in. I need to talk to Morpheus.
INT. Nebuchadnezzar's operating station, where Link is working away furiously.
LINK: Believe me Niobe, he needs you.
NIOBE (V.O.): Where is he?
LINK: Just follow the sirens.
INT. Abandoned Building. Niobe hangs up the phone and nods to Ghost.
NIOBE: Let's go.
With sirens blaring in the background, they get into their Firebird and peel off towards the freeway.
Index - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - Hacking/Glitches - Credits - Music - Resources - Notes - Updates