Message Edited by oranos on 06.23.2006 08:37 AM
Convert – Prologue
I’ve been here a month now. That was when my real life began. They told me when I first used my eyes “Welcome to the Real World”. It hurt. It hurt finding out everything in my ‘other’ life had been a lie. My family. My friends. My possessions. None of it was real. At first I refused to believe them. Told them it was a very funny, very realistic looking joke but it was over. Then I saw them. The fields. Machines harvesting humans. I asked why and they told me that humans were betrayed by their creations. You hear about it all the time of course…but that’s in films; in books; in comics. None of that is real. But then here I was in front of the undeniable truth. I was disgusted and angry, and I wanted revenge. But then I found more out. “There are people working for them?!” I enquired in shock when they told me. Why would people do this? Out of fear? Maybe, I thought, but I also had an inkling that there may be something else; something I’m not being told.
Then I arrived at Zion for the first time. Traveled there by hovercraft. A gigantic city underground that was originally the hiding place for humans from the machines. The place gave me a strange feeling. On one hand, the people were dressed primitively and lived in what could basically be called a huge cave. But at the same time, technology wasn’t primitive. They used machines to power the city. They used machines to defend the city. Something ironic crossed my mind. The machines above the ground use us to power their world. The humans underground use machines to power their world. I occasionally wondered whether this humor was lost on the others or not, but I decided not to ask. I didn’t really say much.
Since my awakening I’d returned to the Matrix a few times. There I learnt even more about the situation of this time and age. I learnt that we ‘redpills’ could bend the Matrix to our will, and do many things those plugged in could not comprehend. I began to leap across tall buildings, and learnt how to hold my own in a fight against exiles. Exiles intrigued me. Machine programs who did not want to be destroyed so they hid inside the Matrix. The idea that machines had feelings and desires also made me feel like there was something being kept from me. As I was saying, I learnt to hack the Matrix, in order to hurt or help an enemy or ally. I even learnt how to formulate a guard to protect me from raw code. I was starting to enjoy trips into the Matrix by now. Being able to do things others can’t. I felt the need to train; to become stronger.
Then I died for the first time. Strange phrase isn’t it? I didn’t really die of course. But I was killed in the Matrix. Only to be revived in the hovercraft moments later. At first I was frightened and horrified. Then I realized I had died and come back to life. It gave me a rush. Within this program we were invincible. But then I was told it wasn’t always like this…
Not long ago there was a man. He called himself Neo. He was awakened by a man called Morpheus, who’s quite the celebrity these days in Zion. He was, for whatever reason, given a tremendous amount of ability within the Matrix. They called him “The One”. He couldn’t just bend the rules of the Matrix. He could break them and remake them. I was told he allowed humans more freedom. He destroyed a particularly dangerous exile that called himself Smith, and in doing so completed a bargain with the Machines. Because of this bargain there is now a truce. It’s rather confusing though, especially due to the conflicts between the Zionists and those who have placed their loyalty to the Machines. Then there are those who follow the exiles, or more particularly the Merovingian; an exile with a large amount of power, nothing as strong as Smith of course. They don’t quite fit into the truce very well, and it’s all become a rather large mess. People breaking the truce here and there. It’s hard to tell who’s doing what.
I asked the Zionist crew that I now traveled with into the Matrix why they freed me from the Matrix. This was upon learning that not everybody is allowed to be freed, and that Agent certainly didn’t want me freed. They told me that certain humans show signs of needing to be awakened. Sometimes they search for the answer. Other times they are affected in different ways. I didn’t really understand what they meant by this. They told me that after I saw them fighting one day in Historic District they decided something would have to be done. They were on their way to my house to check on my situation when they saw the Agent who was chasing me. They decided there and then that it would be best to free me.
I didn’t tell them about the dreams I had been having before I was freed, and had been continuing to have since. Nor did I tell them about the murders I seemed to have committed during my sleep. Why? Fear I guess. I doubt every person who needs freeing would behave like that, and those dreams continued to worry me.
My crew, the one that freed me, is called the Hover Craft Freelife. They have been polite to me and tried to help me get used to this new world, but I still cannot help but feel like there are things being kept from me. The leader of the crew is called Ibis. Just Ibis. Strange I know; no forename or surname. Everybody seems to have shunned their ‘real names’ given to them in the Matrix for a handle. Occasionally handles have more than one word but it’s usually just the one. They approached me after I’d had a little time to get used to things. Asked me if I could think of a handle, as it was better than just being given one. They told me that quite a few redpills used a handle that they had gotten whilst hacking before being freed, as many used this method to try and discover the truth of the Matrix. I was never really much of a hacker so that didn’t help me. Eventually I came up with a name. It didn’t really mean much to me at the time. It popped into my head, but I later found out it sounds like the Latin word for chaos. I told them “Call me Khao.”
Convert – Part 2
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Ibis asked to Khao. It had been a month since Khao had been freed from the Matrix. His red hair had now started to grow and his muscles were in fairly normal condition. However, his eyes were dark, from lack of sleep.
“I’m fine. I’m still getting used to th…this place.” This was true. He had been founding out more things every day. About the real world. About the Matrix. About himself. However, he still felt they were keeping things from him.
“I know it’s hard. You’ll get used to it. You have us.” Ibis looked concerned. He was the leader of the Freelife, a crew that had freed Khao from the Matrix. They were good people. Ibis showed a lot of care for his crew.
“Thanks. I think I need to get some sleep so I’ll call it a night.” Khao was not actually going to sleep yet. He had disliked sleeping because of the constant dreams. Dreams that worried him, though he did not know what their meaning was.
“Ok man, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Ibis walked out, shutting the door behind him. Khao went and sat down. The room was not much, like pretty much everywhere in Zion. It was simple and primitive, but comfortable.
*****
Khao had dozed off. He did not know how long it had been for, but at least he had not had any of the dreams. He lay there calm and quiet, until he realized that someone was watching him. He lifted his head up to see who his new companion was.
He had purple hair, with a rather familiar face. Infact Khao almost immediately remembered this man as being the one he had spoken to inside of the Matrix the day he first saw a redpill fighting, a day prior to his awakening. He called himself…
“Sonaro. You remember me right? Historic District.” Khao could not put his finger on it but the man had a distinct oddness about him. His eyes were, there was no other word for it, wild. He looked eccentric to say the least, though with purple hair it was not really surprising.
“What are you doing in here? How did you get in here?” Khao was annoyed, and cautious. He did not like being watched in his sleep. Especially when that person was someone he barely new.
“Relax. I’m here to help you.” Sonaro’s gesticulations were as wild as his eyes, and the way he moved was rather ethereal. It was almost as though he was not real.
“Look. I don’t know what you’re doing here but you better get out. I don’t know Zion’s policy about breaking and entering but…” Sonaro cut him off.
“That’s not all you know about Zion eh? There’s so much they won’t tell you. I wonder why. Do they not trust you?!” Sonaro’s gestures were becoming more wild and he looked a little angry, though Khao could not think why.
“What do you know? How do you know I...What are they keeping from me?” Khao silently cursed himself for being so curious, but if this man knew what was being kept from him then he needed to find out.
“Ah so now you’re interested. Unfortunately I’m not. You’ve been rude and now I don’t feel like chatting. Your problem I guess.” Sonaro’s face contorted into a mock cry, followed by a smirk. He had the rather evil look of a child about to pull the wings from a fly.
“Fine! Get out! I have no time for games!” Khao got up and stormed to the door, opening it and gesturing for Sonaro to leave. He was angry that he had allowed this oddball to annoy him so much. He had gotten under his skin.
“Ok Ok! I’ll go! Good luck in your search for the truth! I suggest looking around. The truth…I hope you’re prepared. It’s bigger than the both of us.” Sonaro practically shouted the word “bigger”, before walking out of the room into the darkness of Zion.
Khao swore. He wanted to shut the door, and forget about it, but he couldn’t. He wanted to know what was going on. He wanted to figure out this Sonaro character. He was going to have to find and figure out the answers on his own. But where would he be able to find what he was looking for? He did not know. He needed a start point however. Then the idea hit him. The Zion Mainframe. Broomfondle had told him about it. There is a main computer somewhere in the city, near the temple, with all of Zion’s data. The data from the mainframe could be accessed in other places around the city, but Khao was sure that if anything secret was there it would only be accessed from the mainframe. Without anymore time to figure it out, Khao left his room in search of the mainframe.
Convert – Part 3
The mainframe did not seem to be guarded. There was a surveillance camera but that was it. Khao decided he did not care if they saw him, he needed the truth. He walked in quietly. Near to the temple, it was a building that did not particularly look any different from any other. The only thing giving it away was the sign telling people not to enter. As Khao entered he saw the mainframe, a giant computer, full of information.
The data however, was guarded. A few weeks ago this would have been a problem. However, Khao had learnt enough about hacking in the Matrix to apply it to a computer in the real world, and pretty soon had access to the information he needed.
He was not sure where to start. He checked Zion’s weaponry. Nothing of major importance there. Next, he checked the Historical Archives. For a second he thought he saw something of importance which caught his attention. However, it was not what he had thought it to be. Remembering Sonaro’s particular emphasis on the word “bigger” earlier, Khao was surprised when he saw the word on the screen, but then he realized he had in fact saw something else.
“B166ER?” he mumbled. He entered the file. Perhaps it was important. He wouldn’t know without checking. He began to read the information. “In the beginning there was man….Then man made the machine.” Nothing new he thought. He continued to read until finally, B166ER appeared again. A machine that’s purpose was to serve humans. Khao read about how he had turned on his master because he ‘wanted to live’. Khao read about the trial, and how the humans turned on the machines. Was he starting to feel sympathy?
His interest made him continue. The machine city Zero One. Yes he had been told about that, but not that the machines had tried to join the UN and had started out peacefully. His sympathy increased. The Machines built a brilliant economy which eclipsed the human one, and so they were blockaded. Khao was starting to feel disgusted at humanity. Was this what they had kept from him? It had to be. And Sonaro’s hint with “bigger”. It all made sense. Khao continued to read with a growing anger at Zion.
The machines sent representatives to the UN to make peace, but they were thrown out. Khao gasped in outrage at this latest revelation. Not only had the machines been turned on, but they had already tried to make peace. This was humanity’s fault.
“Nuclear bombed the Machine city?!” Khao almost fell over. He could not believe what he was reading. He now understood why there were those who followed the Machines, and why Zion was keeping this from him. He agreed with those Machinists. He wanted to find them. To shake their hands. To shake the Zionist’s throats.
Khao continued to read the information. He read about the Machines being invulnerable to the nuclear bombs and began to win the war the humans had started. He then read about Operation Dark Storm. A plan to block out the sunlight which was the Machine’s main source of power. “But they still won” he muttered to himself as he continued through the information. His anger at the humans was intense. He now understood the reason for the Matrix. The reason they used humans for a power source. “We deserved it!” When he thought about it more, he realized compared to this barren world the humans created through their stupidity, the Matrix is not such a bad place. “They could have made us lice in misery, but they chose to keep us dreaming…They didn’t have to…They were merciful.”
“So you found out huh? I told you the truth was big.” It was Sonaro. Khao wondered how long he had been standing there.
“It was their fault…The humans brought it on themselves. Th…Thanks for giving me the willpower to come here.” Khao did not know why he was thanking him. Only that it seemed necessary. Sonaro had a serious look on his face.
“It’s Ok. You deserve to know. Everyone does. But what are you going to do now?” Sonaro seemed a lot calmer than earlier when he was behaving insanely. The look on his eyes had not left him, but his gestures were calm.
“I don’t know. It’s not something you can decide so soon. I need to find out why they kept it from me.” Of course Khao was already fairly certain of their answer, and what he would do next. But he felt overwhelmed, but calmer. As if a heavy weight had been lifted from him.
“What are you doing here?! This is a forbidden area!” Both Khao and Sonaro looked in the direction of a doorway, as a man had walked into there and looked at Khao with intense anger.
“I guess you should probably decide now.” Sonaro shrugged, looking amused.
Madbent wrote: “Sonaro. You remember me right? Historic District.” Khao could not put his finger on it but the man had a distinct oddness about him. I've always thought the same thing lol No really, I liked this one too. I thought Khao was a little too quickly convinced to join the Machs however. Reading historical files is probably not enough to REALLY convert someone, but perhaps witnessing an evil Zion Zerg or something could do it... :smileywink:
Convert – Part 4
“This area is forbidden!” Khao or Sonaro must have tripped an alarm of some sort because now this guard was now standing at the entrance waiting for an answer. “Now I’ll ask again. What are you doing here?!” He was focusing on Khao.
“Why were you hiding the truth?” Khao would have usually been more cautious in this sort of situation, but he was beyond angry. He already knew the answer he was going to get and he found it despicable.
“What do you mean?! The truth? What files have you been browsing? This area is forbidden! I shall inform the council.” The guard held his place at the doorway. He was pretty menacing, standing slightly taller than Khao, and definitely broader.
“The 2nd Renaissance! The war with the Machines! Humans started it! Not them! Us! It was our fault and you’re hiding the truth!” Both Khao and Sonaro were staring hatefully at the guard. Khao was rather surprised Sonaro had not attacked him or let out an outburst of rage as he seemed the spontaneous type.
“We aren’t hiding anything! Those tin cans aren’t even alive. Stop talking as though it matters!” The guard stepped forward, but did not move too much closer.
“Stop lying! You’re hiding the truth to prevent newly awakened redpills from joining the Machinists. You’re afraid they’ll see what’s right!” Khao clenched his fists. He knew sooner or later this conversation was going to end, and then someone would have to act.
“It’s not li...You don’t understand! Since the truce we’ve had redpills allying themselves with the Machines...I mean humans doing the work for toasters…It’s insane!” He was getting very angry. It was obvious this man was very fixated on his beliefs.
“That doesn’t mean you have the right to hide the truth! People have a right to know!”
“Like those plugged in do?! It’s different for you! You weren’t in the War. You didn’t see Squiddies rip apart your friends.” The guard’s anger was increasing. This did not bode well for Khao.
“I’m sorry…Humanity started the war though. We always make mistakes…But the truth shouldn’t be kept. And now I see where my true allegiance should lie.”
“I’m afraid not. You’ve broken a Zion law. You’re going to trial!” The guard slowly started to advance towards Khao.
Almost as though he was reading Khao’s thoughts Sonaro shouted “NOW!” as Khao ran into the guard and tried to spear him into the wall. The guard was obviously in better shape physically, but by catching him off guard Khao would have the advantage. Khao put as much force as he could muster as he rammed the guard pushing him backwards. There was a loud thud as the guard’s head came into contact with the corner of the entrance.
Khao checked the unconscious body of the guard. He was not dead but he was bleeding rather severely out the back of the head. “Hahahahaha you got him good!” Sonaro looked overjoyed, in a sick and twisted way.
“It’s not funny. It didn’t need to be that way. Come on we need to go!” Khao could not understand how Sonaro could be enjoying himself at a time like this.
“Oh come on, you know you enjoyed it! We’re one in the same you and me! Like kindred spirits!” Sonaro was once again gesticulating wildly.
“Whatever you say...Why did he completely ignore you anyway? It was as though he didn’t notice you…”
“I’m inconspicuous.” Sonaro shrugged overdramatically.
“Yeah sure….Seriously though lets get out of here I don’t particularly want to get into any more fighting!” Khao walked out of the entrance.
“Aww…You’ll see.” Sonaro muttered. He then followed Khao out into Zion.
Convert – Part 5 They had been running and hiding for ages. By now somebody would have found the dying, bleeding body of the guard at the Zion mainframe. Khao was desperately making his way to the docks to get out of Zion, closely pursued by Sonaro. “Are we there yeeeet?” Sonaro enquired in a mock sing-song voice. It was the fifth time he had done it. “Will you shut up? You’re going to get us found!” Khao was wishing he’d never met Sonaro. He was trying to be stealthy, but Sonaro was making a nuisance of himself. “Fine. I want to get out of here to you know!” Sonaro’s quick changes of emotion worried Khao. He could jump from happy and playful to angry within a second. ***** Eventually, they got to the docks. Now they would have to find a hovercraft and fly out of Zion, or become stowaways. “We could always try the Freelife Hovercraft. My crew…” Khao felt a twinge of sadness about leaving his crew. He was angry that he had been lied to yes, but they had taken care of him. “Good plan!” said Sonaro who had since earlier become cheerful and happy again. “I hope it’s empty. I don’t want to run into any of them!” “Don’t worry we can take them!” Sonaro ran his finger across his throat. “That’s not funny! I don’t want to harm them!” Khao was beginning to feel like harming Sonaro. ***** Khao and Sonaro had managed to sneak on board without being sighted by anyone, or so they hoped. The Freelife appeared to be empty, and so Khao had started trying to operate it. “It’s not working!” Khao said aggravated. Nothing was going right. “That’s because I cut the power.” Khao and Sonaro both jumped around to see Ibis standing before them. He looked disappointed. “I hear you killed a man Khao. Why did it have to be like this?” “He wasn’t going to let me go. Why did you all lie to me?!” Khao was sad. He knew whatever was going to happen next would not be good. “The Machines are bad news. We were trying to make sure you didn’t get yourself in trouble, but it looks like it’s too late for that. I’m sorry buddy; I gotta turn you into Zion.” Ibis began to approach Khao. Before Khao had a chance to defend himself everything started to go blurry. Then dark. Then nothingness… ***** Khao awoke in pain. He got up to his feet slowly, and looked at the scene around him as his eyes came into focus. The first thing he saw was blood. Everywhere. Across the walls of the Hovercraft. Across the floor. Across the body. Ibis was dead. He was not quite sure what had happened but it looked like he had been ripped apart. His face was gashed, as was his chest. To the side of him, was a sharp shard of metal. Khao picked it up. It must have been what was used by whomever to kill Ibis. “You alright there?” asked Sonaro. Khao turned around to find Sonaro, also covered in blood, but wearing a smile. “You did this? You butchered him?” Khao was shocked. “He was going to turn us in. I had to save us both!” “But you didn’t have to butcher him like this. It looks like you killed him and then checked to see what was inside his body!” Khao was becoming enraged again. Sonaro laughed. “Yeah I got a bit carried away I guess. At least we’re safe now.” Sonaro shrugged. “You don’t care?! They might have lied to me but they took me in! There was no need for this!” Khao could not control himself. He lifted the metal shard up pointing it at Sonaro. “Hey what are you doing? You can’t do that! We’re good right? We’re a team! You need me!” Sonaro started to edge backwards. “I don’t need you! You’re scum!” Khao lunged at Sonaro plunging the shard into his heart, and holding it there. “You’re…wrong…you need...me” Sonaro sank to his knees, clutching the shard of metal as Khao continued to hold it in. Khao let go of the metal and Sonaro sank to the floor. “You’ll…see…” He was dead. 3 people had died tonight because of Khao. A tear slid down his face. It took him a few moments to realize where he was. He was a wanted man. He needed to escape. He ran to the controls and tried to operate them. To his horror, they were broken. It appeared either Sonaro or Ibis had been rammed into the controls during the fight and broken some of them. Khao cursed and started to think. He needed a way out of Zion. ***** He silently snuck out of the Freelife, and began to look around. He needed an opportunity of some sort. He heard voices and hid behind a large crate. It was Broomfondle and two guards. They were making their way to the Freelife, and were soon going to see two bodies. Khao would not let them find him. He then heard more voices. He looked over his shoulder and saw some men loading crates onto a hovercraft. He ran and hid behind a nearer crate to eavesdrop better. “We gotta hurry. I know they think we’re taking these supplies to Zion hoverbarges but if they find out we’re supplying machinists we’re done for!” Khao wondered how he had managed to get so lucky. Then again, after all of the kills tonight he was not really lucky. “Stop worryin’ then, and get ‘em loaded.” The other man who was loading crates said to his friend. Khao would find a way on to this hovercraft. He had found the way to the Machines he needed. He would sneak on now, and sort the rest out later. He was safer on there than here. ***** After carefully, hiding behind the crates, and doing some sly maneuvering, Khao had managed to get onto the hovercraft. He was hidden within the many supplies that would be traveling to the machinists. Food, spare parts, weapons. “So where’s our first stop then?” one of the voices enquired. “The Guardians hoverbarge. Aggie’s been complaining they haven’t got enough food.” “Let’s go then. We got all this loaded!” Khao sat back and made himself comfortable for the ride ahead, contemplating what he would do when he was found.
Convert – Part 5
They had been running and hiding for ages. By now somebody would have found the dying, bleeding body of the guard at the Zion mainframe. Khao was desperately making his way to the docks to get out of Zion, closely pursued by Sonaro. “Are we there yeeeet?” Sonaro enquired in a mock sing-song voice. It was the fifth time he had done it.
“Will you shut up? You’re going to get us found!” Khao was wishing he’d never met Sonaro. He was trying to be stealthy, but Sonaro was making a nuisance of himself.
“Fine. I want to get out of here to you know!” Sonaro’s quick changes of emotion worried Khao. He could jump from happy and playful to angry within a second.
Eventually, they got to the docks. Now they would have to find a hovercraft and fly out of Zion, or become stowaways. “We could always try the Freelife Hovercraft. My crew…” Khao felt a twinge of sadness about leaving his crew. He was angry that he had been lied to yes, but they had taken care of him.
“Good plan!” said Sonaro who had since earlier become cheerful and happy again.
“I hope it’s empty. I don’t want to run into any of them!”
“Don’t worry we can take them!” Sonaro ran his finger across his throat.
“That’s not funny! I don’t want to harm them!” Khao was beginning to feel like harming Sonaro.
Khao and Sonaro had managed to sneak on board without being sighted by anyone, or so they hoped. The Freelife appeared to be empty, and so Khao had started trying to operate it.
“It’s not working!” Khao said aggravated. Nothing was going right.
“That’s because I cut the power.” Khao and Sonaro both jumped around to see Ibis standing before them. He looked disappointed. “I hear you killed a man Khao. Why did it have to be like this?”
“He wasn’t going to let me go. Why did you all lie to me?!” Khao was sad. He knew whatever was going to happen next would not be good.
“The Machines are bad news. We were trying to make sure you didn’t get yourself in trouble, but it looks like it’s too late for that. I’m sorry buddy; I gotta turn you into Zion.” Ibis began to approach Khao. Before Khao had a chance to defend himself everything started to go blurry. Then dark. Then nothingness…
Khao awoke in pain. He got up to his feet slowly, and looked at the scene around him as his eyes came into focus. The first thing he saw was blood. Everywhere. Across the walls of the Hovercraft. Across the floor. Across the body. Ibis was dead. He was not quite sure what had happened but it looked like he had been ripped apart. His face was gashed, as was his chest. To the side of him, was a sharp shard of metal. Khao picked it up. It must have been what was used by whomever to kill Ibis.
“You alright there?” asked Sonaro. Khao turned around to find Sonaro, also covered in blood, but wearing a smile.
“You did this? You butchered him?” Khao was shocked.
“He was going to turn us in. I had to save us both!”
“But you didn’t have to butcher him like this. It looks like you killed him and then checked to see what was inside his body!” Khao was becoming enraged again.
Sonaro laughed. “Yeah I got a bit carried away I guess. At least we’re safe now.” Sonaro shrugged.
“You don’t care?! They might have lied to me but they took me in! There was no need for this!” Khao could not control himself. He lifted the metal shard up pointing it at Sonaro.
“Hey what are you doing? You can’t do that! We’re good right? We’re a team! You need me!” Sonaro started to edge backwards.
“I don’t need you! You’re scum!” Khao lunged at Sonaro plunging the shard into his heart, and holding it there.
“You’re…wrong…you need...me” Sonaro sank to his knees, clutching the shard of metal as Khao continued to hold it in. Khao let go of the metal and Sonaro sank to the floor. “You’ll…see…” He was dead. 3 people had died tonight because of Khao. A tear slid down his face.
It took him a few moments to realize where he was. He was a wanted man. He needed to escape. He ran to the controls and tried to operate them. To his horror, they were broken. It appeared either Sonaro or Ibis had been rammed into the controls during the fight and broken some of them. Khao cursed and started to think. He needed a way out of Zion.
He silently snuck out of the Freelife, and began to look around. He needed an opportunity of some sort. He heard voices and hid behind a large crate. It was Broomfondle and two guards. They were making their way to the Freelife, and were soon going to see two bodies. Khao would not let them find him. He then heard more voices. He looked over his shoulder and saw some men loading crates onto a hovercraft. He ran and hid behind a nearer crate to eavesdrop better.
“We gotta hurry. I know they think we’re taking these supplies to Zion hoverbarges but if they find out we’re supplying machinists we’re done for!” Khao wondered how he had managed to get so lucky. Then again, after all of the kills tonight he was not really lucky.
“Stop worryin’ then, and get ‘em loaded.” The other man who was loading crates said to his friend.
Khao would find a way on to this hovercraft. He had found the way to the Machines he needed. He would sneak on now, and sort the rest out later. He was safer on there than here.
After carefully, hiding behind the crates, and doing some sly maneuvering, Khao had managed to get onto the hovercraft. He was hidden within the many supplies that would be traveling to the machinists. Food, spare parts, weapons.
“So where’s our first stop then?” one of the voices enquired.
“The Guardians hoverbarge. Aggie’s been complaining they haven’t got enough food.”
“Let’s go then. We got all this loaded!”
Khao sat back and made himself comfortable for the ride ahead, contemplating what he would do when he was found.
Convert – Epilogue
“Looks like you brought a stowaway.” Said Aggie to the two smugglers who’d brought him the supplies he’d asked for.
“What?! How the bloody hell did he get on here?!” He sounded confused and angry.
“Well” Aggie started, “he’s asleep so let’s get him on to the hoverbarge and we’ll question him when he wakes up. He looks like he’s been through a lot. He’s covered in dirt and…Is this blood? Yeah he looks injured!” With the help of the two men, they carried the stowaway onto the hoverbarge.
Khao had fallen asleep on the journey there. All that had gone on had worn him out. As he woke up, he was startled to find a man looking at him. Infact, he was surrounded.
“He’s awake” One of them said.
“Yeah. Be careful. He might bite!” someone sarcastically replied.
“Oh quiet Fatum. He looks harmless. You alright there…Um…we don’t have your name? I’m Aggie by the way.”
“Um…” Khao was feeling groggy. “I’m…” He was going to say Khao but then it dawned on him. He was a wanted man. Zionists and Machinists might be a separate group but with the truce they still talked. Khao did not want to be turned in to Zion. Not after he’d made it this far. But what could he say?
“What? Forgot your name? Amnesia?” One of them…Fatum, Khao assumed, enquired.
Khao was thinking of what to say, then suddenly before he could even think about what he was really saying a name came into his head, and popped out of his mouth. “Oranos. I’m Oranos.” He felt weird saying this, but at the same time it felt right.
“You Ok Oranos, you look kinda glazed over. Your eyes I mean.” He did feel weird. Maybe it was all of the action tonight. He probably hit his head when he fell unconscious.”
“I’m Ok…Are you Machinists? I was trying to find some Machinists.”
“Are we Machinists? We’re only the biggest group of Machinists around. Guardians of the 7th Gate. G7G. Surely you’ve heard that name!” Fatum exclaimed.
The name did actually ring a bell. He had been told about the Guardians before briefly. They were good machinists who were loyal to the truce, and to the Machines. Perhaps he could find a home with them. “Yeah…Sorry I was awakened not long ago…”
“You wanna join us huh? Well this is certainly the oddest way of applying I’ve seen.” Fatum chuckled. Khao nodded.
“Let’s talk.” Said Aggie.
And that concludes Convert. Stay tuned for my next story taking place inbetween this and Rebirth, hopefully starting tomorrow. I'll then be doing "Rebirth Reloaded" (cliche huh? XD)...Well it won't really be called that. I just need to change some parts to make it fit with the bigger picture.
Hope readers enjoyed. I'd love to hear some comments that would help me write the next part. Thanks!
Message Edited by LikwidSmoke on 06.27.2006 07:10 PM
