Thursday, July 30, 2009

Code Bombs.


A Cypherite called Pentothal tried to assassinate the kid last night. Not in the Matix but in the real. However, in order to do this he needed the location of the Neo's Hope. The hovercraft that's Micheal and the EPN's Flagship.

Now the kid has grown up a little, he put out some CPDs out into Debir Court to bring Pentothal out of hiding. He took the bait and a huge brawl kicked off in Debinr Court. The devices were eventually disabled but it meant that Pentothal was hounded all around Richland.



He was captured just south of the Tabor Park North Hardline and then taken away. What
people didn't find out about until later was an Operative called DaemonRoute had kill code bullets ready for Pentothal if he should fail to find the Hope. Just when we thought Pentothal was safe, he was shot and died both in the Matrix and the Real.

DaemonRoute was captured shortly afterwards.



The Problem I had was I couldn't ask the Kid if what my contact was telling me was true or not. Is there a 'Virtual Instance of the Matrix'? Are we loosing thousands of Blue Pills an hour?

If that isn't the cause of this Matrix failure, then what is?



Not as many Answers as I hoped for.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

I've never seen it so bad.


Normally round mara central, we have a little faction war. It's where the redpills for each organisation let off steam by basically kicking each other's backsides. Good for stress relief I suppose.

But things are different, the Matrix is exploding, disintigrating and reforming around us at an exponential rate. The Specal Agents have become more agressive and don't get me started on the Corrupted.



For two hours straight, Mind, Pool and myself hit them with everything we had but it felt that the degration was getting worse, not better. And for once, most of the redpills worked together. I was fighting next to a Machine operative and at one point a fellow Zion Ballista, LittleWyvern, and I were fighting back to back.



I haven't heard from my contact for a couple of days, I'm just following her sugestion that we need to try and keep things running for as long as possible. Rumor is, the kid is comming to visit tomorrow and I for one am eager to hear what he's got to say. I don't even know if my contact is who she says she is or if we are loosing bluepills by the thousand. All I can say is this world is falling apart.



There are other rumours about the return of Neo or Morpheus as well but I guess, until We hear from the kid, I'll just keep on kicking agents.

"erm Guys, " Says LittleWyvern, "Look up"

Angels, about fifty of them, dropping down on us from the eye filled sky. This is going to be tough.

Monday, July 27, 2009

B0xMaster

Now this is strange. Mindx, Xenin and myself have just got away from the Sai Kung trap by the skin of our teeth. And here we are over at Hampton Green. There's appears to be a problem down the street, close to the hell club as matter of fact.

We can see a major battle shaping up round there.

"We red or blue on this?" I ask.

"What do you think?" replies Xenin.

"Red!" orders Mindx.

"No Suprise there." Xenin grins.

We charge in. There are lupines, corrupted and, of course, Agents all mixing it up. The body count is going up amoungst all of us when Xenin notices something from the entrance to the Hell Club. There is a man stood by the entrance in front of two boxes which are negating the matrix around them.



There is a man standing between them, the B0xMaster. Xenin tries to talk to him but he just gives vague threats and sarcastic comments about how the Frenchman has escape plans. It's hard to see what they could be. He going to try to rewrite a red pill and become human? Escape to his castles. Can you imagine that? You'd be like a prisoner by any other name.

If the Oracle is right, then he's only got six days.

I don't get a chance to find out more because before I know it we're under attack from Lupines. I've got to find out if Xenin was able to get anything useful out of him.

Then the mobile goes. The Kid is joining us in a couple of days.

What's next?

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Answers, at last!



Sat at Mara C,I get a call. Xenin and Mind call me over to the Sai Kung dojo. There's a truce and people are discussing the situation. We're all stood around waiting for an old school photo. That's when the connection drops in.

"Aw, don't you all look pretty!"



Well, i feel like we're getting our backs against the wall for a firing squad.

"Hope you've got your running shoes on. "

As always. How's things at virtual?

"Well, remember that all three organisations got access to the machine mainframe?"

Yeah. Sounds fun.

"It was one hell of a fight. But it was bit strange. Everyone against the oligarchs."

How come?

"The oligarchs had started to kill blue pills. Zion starts hitting the oligarchs in
realitation and the machines are wanting free from their control. Even the Frenchman
responded to this. Can you believe it, he acctually got his hands dirty."

What did he do? Bore them to death or cover them in merde?

"Heh, nope. But to be honest kiddo, we're all up to our necks in it!"

Oh?

"If it had been a co-orindated effort, it might have done some good but the Oligarchs are too good. Nobody could stop them and they got to the source. However, the Kid and Niobe made a discovery. Helian's location in the real."

Aw Cool.

"So the Kid grabbed ghost and headed straight there, They found Helian still plugged in but his brain had siezed up. He was a total vegitable."

Can't think of a nicer person for it to happen to.

"Well, it didn't take much but a couple of quick hacks and they released Trinity back in the Matrix."

But she could only get to virtual.

"Yeah. I know that it's difficult not being able to do anything but bare with me. This was about three weeks ago. Since then, the Oligarchs went crazy. If we thought they were powerful before, that's nothing to what they've done since."

Let me guess, the power loss can only mean one things. They're killing the Blue pills in their pods.

"By the thousand, the oligarchs have almost total control of the source and we're having trouble dealing with it. That's why things are getting so bad. "

And when the power falls away, then that might means Smith could get back in as well.

"Always a possibility."

But if the power is going, that shouldn't lead to the breakdowns I've seen.

"Well, that's because the Bluepills are more than just batteries."

Hang on a second, you've always said that is all we were to the machines.

"No, I just didn't tell the whole truth because I wasn't allowed to. After the Trainman, I've discovered a little bit more freedom than I used to have."

Great, more secrets.

"One of the reasons, I'm closer to humans than machines is because of you're minds. It was my whole purpose to try and logically understand the human mind and it's wetware, the brain."

Good Luck, I've got one and I don't understand it.

"The mind and the human brain is still one of the most powerful computers on the planet. Did you know that the number neutal connections between brain cells can be greater than the number of atoms within Machine city?"

Surly not?

"But the brain only uses 9% of it's potential."

So the Machines use the remaining 91% for their own use?

"Heck no, any bluepill would burn out so quick it wouldn't be worth it. But you have
millions of bluepills, each having 1% taken to help the machine maintain the matrix, well you have the most power coputational devices since god said let there be light."

Ha ha ha!

"What's so funny."

You love us for our minds not our bodies!

"In most machines case, it's both. But here's the catch. We're loosing bluepills at such a rate, soon the system will collapse. To much strain will be put on the minds of the remaining bluepills."

It an exponential curve.

"Exactly, my latest predictions will have the system crash in five days unless some kind of miracle happens."

Billions of people all wiped out. An entire civilisation destroyed.

"Getting rid of the Machines has always been Zion's goal."

I never delt with the machines during the first war, so I don't have the same hated as some of the older operatives. I don't think anybody has the right to commit genocide.

Suddenly, there is a large crack. and suddenly the dojo is full of tactical squaddies and their orders are kill any redpill. It was a trap and we walked right into it.

Gotta Go.

"Get over to Hampton Green. There's someone there you should talk to."

The bullets start flying, as do my feet. It feels I've got every nut job with a gun after me at the moment. I manage to reach the hardline and jump. I check the watch and start a countdown.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Pink Snow?

I'm almost there. I've got new abilities left to learn, but in order to gain them. I have to code them. In order to code them, I need code fragments and Bits and one of the hardest things to get in the Matrix is the Red Code Fragments will allow the creation of these advanced abilities. I also need new clothes.

I've got two of red fragments I need, and I need another two. I'm running round union hill, kicking the Exiles there back to the source. There's also another Red Pill Is here. An Ally of the frenchman, who's also kicking Exile Backside. I guess he's after the same code fragments but at the moment we're working to crack exile heads.

That's when the strangest thing happens. Pink Snow. Both the redpill and I stop and look at each other for a second.

"You ever seen pink snow?" he asks.

"Nope," I reply. "Seems to be a new version of the black snow. Looks nice and fluffy though."

"Or Maybe not" he says pointing up to the sky.

"Whoa!" We both said it at the same time.

"Now that is Freaky." I comment.

The Gray Sky has gone. It's been replaced with a blood red sky with made up of eyes. It feels like god is watching us in the Matrix. The eyes swirl round the sky and, like the eyes in painting which seem to follow you round the room, look straight at you. Or more accuratly, straight through you.



The other redpill doesn't say a word. He's staring up at the sky, just like me.

"Agents!" I yell.

They shouldn't be here, we've both hacked the access point. But they arn't the full powered ones, we're able to handle them.

"It's getting worse, isn't it."

"Yup. And the worst thing about it is that there doesn't seem anything that we can do about it."

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Now it's getting serious.



Here at Mara central, things are a little difficult. The Sky is steel gray but every now and then you see flashes of green. Matrix Green. The infrastructure is not holding up to the power loss. Every now and again, the whole system freezes and everybody turns into bright Matrix Green lights.

It's like the leaks you see when you're data mining but Worse. With the Black snow and the occasional corrupted turning up it's a little scary. On the plus side, my awareness has increased recently. Lately, that rush of knowledge has become addictive.

Another batch of Programs appear round the hardline. They're angels! It almost makes you want to fall on your knees and pray. And that's when they start kicking people. Before I know it, I'm freezing one of them, while MindX and Edinx show them that Kung Fu can Break wings just as easily as Heads.

That's when the connection drops in.

"How are things holding up Kiddo."

Me I'm good, I reply. Everything else is bad.

"I know. It hasn't been this bad since Smith."

This all because of the Oligarchs in the Machine Mainframe?

"Partly. The Machine operatives all managed to get in and started to kick Oligarch backside. You should have Veil go. That woman is Ruthless. The Oligarchs had clerk programs running for them. Her and the Cypherites went through them like an avenging angel."

Funny you should mention angels! Clerk Programs?

"Like Agents but without the style. The bodies were piling up left and right in the mainframe. Tesarova wasn't going to stand for that, so she and all the other Oligrach's jacked in at once."

And that was the start of the power drain?

"Got it in One Kiddo. I always thought you were a smart cookie."

So Why did Persephone want to say hello?

"She remembers you from when she had a crisis of confidence."

Oh Yes, I told her she needed to find some new purpose apart from being something nice to look at on some body's arm.

"Exactly, She found her new purpose. She's helping everybody at the moment."

And talking of everyone french?

"heh, yes. The Frenchman managed to get to the trainman and brought him back."

Bet he wasn't expecting an additional passenger.

"Yes, he got quite a shock. It was quite funny really. That strutting peacock got his feathers ruffled. Thankfully Niobie, Ghost, Seraph and the Morpheus Sim got in at just the right time and hey presto, I was back in the Matrix."

Cookie cutters at the ready?

"Well, there's more to cooking than a recipe you know."

So the Frenchman now has access to the Mainframe?

"Yes, but so do we. Seraph and I were able to get into the mainframe."

Didn't you need the keymaster for that?

"Nope. When Smith took hold of me, I also had a little peek at some of the things he knew. And one of the those things was the Access Codes."

He was in the white rooms.

"Exactly"

So all three organisations have access to the source?

"And the Oligarghs."

How does it feel to be back?

"Oh, good. Nice to sati again. But I've learnt a few things."

An Angel drops down right in front of me. He grins, knowing he's got an easy target. He swings a punch. I know it's gonna hurt!

"Like this."

There is an immediate rush of awareness, but nothing like I've experienced before. I can see so much more. My Mind seems to leave my RSI for a second and I look down and see myself fighting the angel. I pull a Hacking Stance and let rip with a logic cannon program. The Angel can't break through my defenses and the Cannon Program hits him dead center. Denial and Surprise cross it's face, before the light leaves it's eyes and it falls over backwards in a heap.

Whoa.

"That was very Neo."

I wish.



"But it's a pity. I had hoped you could join us in virtual but it looks like you're RSI has reached it's limit. I'm afraid you've reached your full potential."

But It's not enough is it.

"Sorry Kiddo, I hate giving good people bad news. We could have really done with you and the rest of the Black Code over here in virtual."

Now what?

"Hold down This end of the system. Try and keep it running for as long as possible."

How long do you reckon we have?

"A week? Maybe slightly longer. One way or another it will all be over by now. Don't worry I'll be in touch."

And the Connection drops.

Oh Man. I call up my ship comms.

"Mind?" I say, "Captain, you ain't going to believe what just happened to me."

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

There are times I really hate Crusties.

Werewolves.

I hate these mangy, flea bitten, smelly mutts with a passion. Only the Goths (vampires) wind me up as much. I'm playing through the zion training archive and we're hitting on the Effectuator. However, he's surrounded himself with these crusties and I'm having a hard time working my way through them. One on one, they have no chance, but I'm swamped by four and five of them. They're wiping the floor with me.



Now I know why there are so many at the moment!

I'm sitting down on a bench recovering near the Tabor Park Hardline, watching the weather do it's general weirdness these days when there's another connection.

"You need more Silver Bullets."

Tell me about it. I just never get use them.

"Pity I can't get more over to you."

Well, I'll ask Mind and Poolshark to give me a hand next time.

"Well, with the Oligraphs gone for the moment, everyone really took a deep breath. Veil got away from the Kid after they'd finished they're upload. She got called to a machine meeting. Turns out that the Machines had had enough of being nice to the Oligarchs and as they have difficulty in reprogramming the source, they asked the Cypherites and their human operatives to do it. But since when does a secret like that stay silent?"

Oh, two maybe even three minutes?

"Exactly, Before you knew it, the Frenchman wanted in but there's only one member of his staff that has any chance of getting in."

Let me guess. The very Trainman he exiled and where your backup code was sent to? It's typical that just when you're making progress there's always complications.

"Well, only my RSI was destroyed by Halion. I've been floating around since then, whispering in peoples ears here and there. Little bit of prodding people in the right direction never hurt. The Trainman was able to pull me together again and I went from being an effective ghost in the Matrix to a prisoner on his construct. Mind you, he was a prisoner there with me so it wasn't so bad, could have been Smith."

Now there's someone I'm expecting to turn up at any minute.

"I'd keep on expecting if I were you."

Well, I've still got all these cookies to use up from last time.

"Anyway, the Merv has to go find out how to un-exile the trainman. So he's away doing that. Zion decided that they were going to try to backpack on the back of the Machine operators into the Source. No such luck. I may be no fan of Agent Pace but she certainly has enough of Ghost's number to stop him at every turn."

No luck there then. You've never told me how long ago this all happened?

"Oh, well, that was a couple of months ago. Virtual has been slowly eating more power than the other instances and it was beginning to show. The Architect says he's using the other power grids from the other systems to supplement it, but that's causing power loss in Machine City itself."

That why you keep on dropping out? The Power loss?

"Kiddo, it always feels like we're on empty over here. By the Way, Persephone says hello."

Really? I have no idea why but send her my regards if she wants them.

"I'll do th....."

And the connection drops yet again. What ever is going on over in Virtual and the machine source is bad. Mind you it might good from a zion point of view.

But Why would Persephone want to say hello. However, if these power drains are as bad as the Oracle says, How long until the other matrix instances collapse. Imagine, if a Matrix instance fails, all the bluepills wake up and that looses the machines even more power. The chances are it will cause a domino effect across all the whole thing.

Mind you, if the machine's power goes, so does the Frenchman and the machine city. Humanity would win.

What are the chances it would be that simple?

My train of thought is interuppted by a noise behind me. I turn and look.

Aw Pants!




Now we have Zombies as well!

Monday, July 20, 2009

Under the Weather

I must admit, the weather is getting wierder and the sluggishness is getting worse. It was black snow today. The sky is steal gray and it moves fast. It's like there is a storm overhead but you don't feel the wind.



It's Ironic to say that feels un-natural. When I was in Mara Yesterday there were two suns! TWO? Has someone been give Sati too much Sugar?

I was in downtown earlier, which is completly deserted. I don't think there was a single red pill though the entire district. Six months ago, I'd be scared of the history district. Now, the exiles here just ignore me. Fine by me. The Exile Gang I hate the most is still the A.S.P.s over at west view. I still head over and give them a good kicking just for fun of it.



But I'm always drawn back to Debir Court, watching the Black snow. That's when I feel a connection made.



I'm getting used to you turning up now.

"It is difficult to make this connection. If you can feel it, then it might mean it can be traced. So where did we get up to?"

Trinity taken from the Merovingian.

"Oh he was mad."

Much to the amusement of his wife.

"To be honest, I haven't seen Persephone so happy in years. But then they both saw the signal trace on Tesarova get to where they though her base was and then come right back."

Back?

"Oh yes, Back into the Matrix but without the wireframes."

So they used Trinity?

"Yup, chained into their server, held in place by firewalls that Machines can't even penatrate."

Bad?

"Try imagining be held in a sensory deprevation tank. Not able to move, not being able to see, hear or even touch anything. It will only be a matter of time before a mind will crack."

So why did they come back?

"They wanted changes made to BIP. Make her more obidient."

She was fighting them too much.

"Exactly."

But who would know how to change the BIP. IF the Machines could do it. They would have gone straight to the Architect. And I doubt that the Merv would have helped them after the trick they pulled.

"Who leaves?"

You?

"Exactly. So they brought a few of their friends with them."

Friends?

"Hunter Seaker Programs."

Well, they were off after the Kid and Veil?

"Hell no, Seraph."

Poor Seekers.

"Well, no. It took Veil, Niobe, The kid, Ghost and Seraph to deal with them. The machines tried talking to Helian but he wasn't having any of it. He wiped the floor with agents just like Neo used to. Still, Veil managed to upload the files to the train man. "

And you came back?

"The Trainman does owe me a couple of favors. I used one of them up. The only problem is then getting out of his contruct."

Didn't Neo have that problem?

"Yes, well not as much trouble as the Oligarchs had. There was an issue with trinty's program."

There are always bugs in a program.

"In order to stop the BIP being abused there is a logic trap placed into it. If someone tried to hack either Neo or Trinity, then it fires. The logic trap got Helian, after the Machines hit him with the big guns. All they found was his frozen RSI. When that happened, then Tesarova ran."

How did you get Veil to do what you want?

"The Cypherites want the Oligarchs gone and she's willing to do anything to get rid of them. Even working with the kid."

Ok, I'm with you so far. But the infrastrucure appears to be getting worse.

"I know, we're trying out best. But sometimes it's not enough."

And with that you can feel the connection break.

Not Good.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Corruption is spreading



There's a corrupter on the loose in Mara. These things are nasty. There's always one been on the loose in Barthy Way but it's no way as powerful as this one. It's a complete breakdown in the fabric of the Matrix, altering everything around it. Red pills are affected by it but it turns the blue pills mad. They go corrupt and attack. It's the only time that Zion allows Blue Pills to be killed.

The only way to delete the corruption is to take out the corrupted blue pills, the remains can be taken for analysis and from that code is generated to fix the problem. It looks like fly spray but it works. It takes a lot to deal with the one in Barthy Way but after analysing it this one is two or two and half times more powerful.



The sky is doing strange things as well. I've never seen it change so fast. One minute it's as hot as a sunny day, then it's pouring rain and then the snow comes down. Ever been to Edinburgh? well, it's like that but worse. If my contact is right, then the power drain else where is really beginning to bite.


I'm sat here, watching various red pills try their luck. Not many appear to have the Insecticide.

"How bad is it?" asks the voice.

Well, A corruption at Mara Central. I reply as a couple of Red Pills try and shoot the corrupter. It has no real effect.

"I didn't realise it was so serious"

I thought you were supposed to be all knowing?

"Well, I've really got my hands full over here."

OK, Whys Zion Not telling us about this power drain.

"Because they really don't know. Only Operatives who have a certain level of understanding can gain access to the Virtual Instance. As far as Zion's concerned, some of their crews have gone missing in action."

So Virtual is like the White rooms?

"Heck no, you can buy you're way into those. Virtual is different."

I don't like being a spectator, makes me feel useless. Nothing I can do?

"Well, just try and keep things contained here. It might divert some attention from Virtual to here, which would give us a bit extra. We could certainly do with that."

So what happened after next.

"Where did I get to?"

Veil and the Kid. Must have been a fun meeting.

"Well, I didn't think that the kid had so much discipline. He listened to Veil and accepted her proposal. The two of them, teamed up and went looking for the Trainman. "

Why him?

"Because in the trainman's construct, he's a god. And god's can do miracles."

Aha, I can see where that's going.

"All in good time. Helian and the Architech cut a deal. The Machines would hunt Trinity. But Zion, EPN, and the Cypherites stopped him at every turn."

Those three working together?

"The Cypherites want to free the machines from the Oligarchs. They're willing to work with anybody to achieve that goal."

Wow, another Miracle.

"The Merv thought he seduced Tesarova and she promised to capture Trinity, But then Morpheus attacked him."

MORPHEUS?

"Sorry, the sim."

Oh. You got my hopes up there.

"Sorry, So the Frenchman figures that if the Morpheus Sim will Protect Trinity, so will Seraph. So arranges a strike against him using darts made out of Seraph's old pinfeathers. They're quite successful but He wasn't going to protect Trinity anyway."

So Trinity was ok.

"Unfortunately Not, Even though the Helian was stopped, there was no-one left to stop Tesarova, apart from Persephone. But Tesarova said something to her and she just stepped aside. Tesarova took Trinity back to the Merv."

Great, The Frenchman win's again.

"Not really, Because as Tesarova and the Frenchman are discussing what they can do, Helian turns up. Both Oligarchs have been working together and they both take Trinity."

Oh Crap.

"Well, the Merv wasn't that stupid. Tesarova was eating some of his cake when Helian turned up."

Aha, His tracking program.

"See you are quite smart sometimes kiddo."



I can feel the connection go and I'm left back in Mara, wondering what next. Just as I do a redpill called DeadCell fires some insecticide into the Corrupter and it implodes in on itself. He manages to pull from the remains one of the biggest hand guns I've ever seen.

Well, at least something good came of it. Unlike what happened to me when the corruption got me (See Below) Last time I saw a backside that big, it had a harpoon in it.

What The Heck happened here? Does my butt look big in this

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Farming Hell.



How long does it take to get a red frag. I hate this part of the system. I really want a new ability but I'm missing a red frag to get it. So it's off to vauxton to break a few exile heads until I get one. These exiles are no where in the same league as me so I'm cutting through them like a hot knife through butter. Pity I'm not learning anything from it and there's no sign of this red frag.

Then The Voice starts again.

"Busy are you?"

It's OK. I can Multi-task! I reply as my Logic Bomb smashes through another runner. You do pick you're moments through.

"Well, this whole thing started with the new Oligarchs."

Helian and Tesarova?

"Well, they both want hold of the Biological Interface Program."

Trinity.

"Exactly. Problem is all orgs want her but for their own reasons. Zion, want to reclaim her. The Machines see her a threat and the Merovingian wants her to work for him. The Frenchman even offered her a new human body. She turned him down flat."

Looks like the lady has the world at her feet. Must be nice to be wanted.

"Anyway, the Oligarchs are after her as well but they both decided to try different ways to do it. Helian goes straight to the Architect and cuts a deal. Merv goes to Tesarova."

Oh Yes, He thinking he can work his charm with the ladies again?

"Well, he is french. Mind you, you know all he wants is her to work for him."

His Wife won't be too pleased with that.

"Heh, you have no idea."

So what else happened?

At this point an Agent appears.

aw pants! Gonna have to run.

It's one of the big ones. Two Jumps later, I've lost him but he almost got me. Crap! Those guns really hurt. I activate my new abilities and slowly the torent of blood running down my legs into my shoes, turns into a trickle and finally stop. I take a deep breath.

"You still there?"

Barely, please continue.

"Well, the Kid lost a lot of their infastucture in the real But they got a load of Intel about the Oligarchs and got ready to hit them."

Would he been able to take them out?

"Nope, That's when Veil got involved. The Cypherites don't want the Oligraphs anywhere near the Machines. She got through to the Kid that it would be a waste of effort and said that if he held off, they she's be willing to give him the code she stole from Shimada as well as the code the oracle gave her."

That's you right.

"Well, you'll see."

YOu could almost hear the smile.

"Oh By the way? Duck!"

I throw myself onto the floor. Bullets fly overhead. There's the same agent from earlier, empting his gun at me. I focus and Jump, all while checking for the nearest hardline. Who says blokes can't multi-task.

"I think they're after you personally now."

Because you're talking to me?

"Something like that!"

You're going to have to tell me why Zion hasn't said anything about this?

"Next time, You've got more pressing problems."

The Agent, is still following. I get to the Hardline and jack out. What have I got myself into?

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

"Sit Down Kiddo, I got a story to tell"

I'm sat at Burly Park, watching the snow come down and cover the jack o lantern. Well, it doesn't really. the Snow in the Matrix never settles. It just disappears when it hits the ground. But the voice is not leaving me alone.

"Things have changed." comes the voice.

Really, I never would have guessed!

"There's no Need to be Sarcastic. It is the lowest form of wit you know?"

Sorry, But aren't you supposed to be dead?

"Well, there's more to deletion in Matrix. Just asking Trinity."

Ain't that the truth.

"Well, what do you know so far?"

About What?

"about how the the Matrix works?"

Well, I know it's a Computer Simulation of 1999, which uses some clever algorithms to fool you that 1999 is always the present. The older you get the the earlier you're birthday is. There are three versions, which I can access, each slightly different but I prefer to run through the syntax version. Apart from that, well, I know things from my experience, the goths, the crusties being from previous versions, the Frenchman, the Architect and the one. You want more?

"No Kiddo, you know the basics. But here's the Biggie, there's another version of the Matrix that only a few people can access. It's called 'Virtual'."

So that's where every one's gone? Niobie, Ghost, the kid?

"Got it in one, you're a little bit quicker than other's aren't you?"

Now who's being sarcastic.

"Heh, one all. "

But let me guess, what's happening in Virtual is affecting the other instances?

"Of course, All Four are connected. How do you think that the One could reboot the whole system? There wasn't a 'One' for each instance."

So you die in one instance, you died in all?

"Well, Yes but like I said..."

There's more to deletion...

"Exactly."

OK, so that's been happening in Virtual?

"What was the last thing that you remember happening here?"

Well, that was six months ago. A couple of new Oligraphs turned up ...

"Helian and Tesarova"

and Ghost discovered that BIP was Trinity's mind but without her body.

"Ah yes. Well. The problem with the Oligraphs is that the machines are programmed to like them."

Machine's liking humans?

"Hey Kiddo, I like you and I'm a machine. Not that I want us to start picking out curtain patterns."

OK, Two - One?

"Heh! The Oligraphs betrayed the human race and helped the machines in the original war. They had access to the source and wrote in, 'you must obey us/like us' routines. Most Machines have no choice, all the other's know that there's no choice and don't like it."

Puppets that can see the strings?

"Nice, steal that one?"

Of Course.

"Anyway, The architect put in place a scheme. The other instances were put on a holding pattern and the war has effectively moved to 'Virtual'. This is where we've been dealing with the Oligraphs."

Or trying to. With the effects here, I take it you're not doing well. That where all the agents went to as well?

"The power drain is enormous, huge amount of resources are being diverted and as you can see the effects."

OK, Is there anything I can do to help?

"Sorry, but nobody else can get into Virtual but if you're about tomorrow, I'll bring you up to date."

Count on it. It would be nice to have some answers, same time?

But there's no reply. It would explain much but I'm going to run a few archive missions. Everything seems out of our hands now, and that's the frustrating thing. It looks like we're all puppets who can see the strings.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

I'm now hearing things?

Now I can hardly see the hand in front of my face. It's getting more difficult. I said yesterday it's like skimming cotton, now it's like walking through goo. The Snow's getting worse as well. I got jumped by a couple of yeti, who almost ripped me to bits. Not something you expect in the middle of Mega City.



I have reached a new level of understanding within the matrix. I can now heal a lot faster than I used to. This has already been put into practice against the for mentioned yetis but the glitches and problems keep on coming. Mara Central was over run by Japanese Demons. The usual Reb Pill crowd that hang round there soon saw them off but that's becoming more and more common.



In order to try and understand the mess we're in, I've been going over the old archive missions, since trinity reappeared. Could this breakdown be happening because the one was not returned to the source properly? I know we've still got two Oligraphs running about but I know nothing about them, could this be causing it?



Just when I ponder these questions, A voice pops into my head. "You want answers, well, if you got the time, I'll tell you how it should have gone." I know that voice from somewhere but I just can't place it.

Monday, July 13, 2009

You can feel something's wrong. It all started a couple of weeks ago, there were strange weather patterns, then we got a week of darkness with zombies running about the place. At present the day is running too quickly, Night comes before you blink. Yes, there is something very wrong with the Matrix at the moment.




It's the pressure, normally when you run the matrix, it feels like you are sliding on silk. Lately, it feels rougher, like cotton. There's more resistance and everything feels sluggish. There's no-one to turn to, the Black code have dissappeared. Only Mind and Mash are about now and again, but they're busy kicking the machines and Merv all over the shop.



You get the feeling things are going to get stranger. There are now snow storms, Jack o lanturns which spew out exile programs. Even the blue pills can sense something and when that happens. You know there is going to be trouble.