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."

No comments: