USH'S MATRIX GAME- Zion play thread.

PLEASE READ THIS POST BEFORE POSTING IN HERE!

Zion- mankind's last city. A vast underground dwelling of 250,000 people; small in comparison to the great cities of old, but each one a great affront to the Machines that would see all of humanity enslaved. By concentrating all their resources in one city, mankind has built an unassailable stronghold from which to launch their attacks on the System. Zion, alone, is free/

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This thread is a cross between a discussion area for players and a general interaction zone. Not only can players do any form of social interaction or role-play here to their heart's content, it will also contain several storyline interventions by myself to aid the general interactive Matrix experience that I wish to build here. There are three main ways this will happen:

1. There will be occasional 'tutorials' here on how to survive in the Matrix
2. Plot events, discussions and relevations may take place here
3. When there is an assignment coming, the briefing for it will most likely take place in this thread.

When an Assignment comes along, I will provide a brief description of the Assignment and its danger. Anyone interested on going oin that Assignment needs only so sign up for it and when it starts they will be on the mission. Obviously, players on assignment will not be in Zion and hence cannot use this thread!

The upcoming 'Dojo' thread is also contained within Zion. Anyone using this thread can go to the Dojo programme whenever they wish- once I start it (soon).

Note- Anyone who has made a character in the character creation thread here:

http://www.killermovies.com/forums/f41/t13562.html

... may post in this thread. If you have not, PLEASE make a character first before posting in here- you will nto be allowed to otherwise.

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If you have seen the second film you know what Zion looks like; basically an enormous hollow cylinder underground, with the landing area at the top, countless streches of rooms and offices built into the walls all the way down, connected by service elevators, the temple and worship areas at the 'base', and the engineering levels underneath that. If people want to be messing around in non-Dojo simulations, on their own or together, the computer game makes it clear that everyone neural-active simulation equipment in their rooms so you may do that.

On the whole, this is also the best place to get to know each other- once on assignment, you are going to be a bit busy to ba making introductions!

I will kick off in a moment with an introductory plot post.

"Nebuchadnezzar, you are cleared to land."

Gliding in through the marvel that is the upper landing bays of Zion, humanity's most famous ship comes into land. Waiting and its landing bay is some two dozen people bearing gifts and offerings for its crew. There is talk of having such people cleared out of the landing area in future, for safety reasons- others complain that this will only lead to them crowding around the lifts instead. Each time it is more people.

Morpheus, Neo and Trinity descend from their ship to the docking platform. A still bewildered Neo accepts, cautiously, the offerings made to him, and promises to help where possible. Morpheus too has his followers and admirers.

But the Neb had to wait before it landed, because by coincidence another ship was returning to Zion at the same time- the Shahazarad, under Captain Dallas.

No-one was waiting for Dallas. No-one makes him offerings.

On the next platform along he watches the scene unfolding from the Neb with undisguised irritation. From behind approaches the Operator of his ship, a woman known as Ariadne.

"Look at him," speaks Dallas, with a Texan drawl. "Just LOOK at him! Morpheus carries a traitor, loses half his crew on one mission, and everyone treats him like a hero. Anyone else would be court-martialled for failure, but no, NOT Morpheus, he's a law unto himself..."

"If he's found the One then maybe it was worth it," says Ariadne.

"Ah, Jesus, you believe that crap?"

"I don't know Dallas... they say he can do some impressive things."

"Don't you start. Morpheus is a loon, Ariadne, everyone knows that. Anyway, no matter how good this Neo guy is, he and Morpheus aren't the ONLY heroes in Zion and people would do well to remember that!"

"People remember that," assures Ariadne.

"When they bring ME offerings, I'll believe you. Get the Shez re-charged and ready to go, I want out of here if HE is around..."

"I don't think so, Dallas," says Ariadne.

"Huh?"

"The starboard side hover-engines are getting worse. We have gone far too long without servicing them. We were picking up a lot of vibration at the end there. How stupid would we feel if they came loose with squiddies in the vicinity."

"They'll hold," says Dallas.

"Can you guarantee that? And you are going to want to be out for, what, months again? We should take the opportunity we have now."

"How long?"

"I'll need to dismantle the entire engine array. Days. Maybe a week or two." Dallas turned to face Aridane, tearing his gaze away from Morpheus.

"You have GOT to be shittin' me!"

"Better to get it done now and properly," says Ariadne. Dallas looks uncertain. "He won't stay," says Ariadne. "Morpheus is like you, he'll want out again as soon as possible." Dallas thinks the situation over for a minute.

"Do it," he says. He then turns to address the regular crew of the Shez, whom I believe we defined in the creation thread.

"Shore leave," he says to you all, simply. "Make the most of it whilst you can."

Dallas heads to the lifts.

Note- with the docking of these two ships, four ships and their crews are currently in Zion- Nebuchadnezzar, Shahazarad, Osiris and Caduceus

I yell:"Thank you Captain."
"Ariadne you think you can manage the engines? If you want some help just ask.(dunno how much a vet knows from these things but I assume I know something) Dallas should learn to work on his attitude against Morpheus. Wether or not Neo is the one I do not know. What I do know however is that Morpheus and his crew are in this for the greater good of mankind as we all are. We shouldn't be divided, anyway you think you can talk to him?"

(if ariadne needs some help I'll help her if not: "people anyone up for a drink at my place?"😉

"Oh, he'll calm down," says Ariadne. "He's always had a bee in his bonnet about Morpheus. Anyway, I don't know about Neo or not, I'm not an expert in that kind of thing. And please, if you want to stay and help, feel free, I'll be all day getting these engines off..."

(Hackers and Veterans both know at least a bit of engineering.)

Cloud stood at the door to his home/apartment, "Damn door, why does it always stick!" He was fiddling with the lock which didn't seem to be moving. He kicked the door, "Piece of crap!" He turned around so his back was against the door and banged his head backwards against it, sighing.

"Yea sure no Problem Ariadne"

Always a problem when you are in Zion, Cloud, is that not only do you have to pay for stuff you break, you also can't seem to punch through solid objects in the real world... in an odd sort of way, you (and other Naturals) tend to think of the Matrix as far more real than this place- after all, in there you can far more be what you want to be. It is here you are restricted.

The door remains resolutely unimpressed by your deep mental reserves.

People who stay and help Ariadne will be busy getting to work with spanners and other, more hi-tech, gizmos. Feel free to ask her any questions you like- she has been Dallas' operator, as far as you can tell, since the beginning of time...

"Any idea why Dallas has a grudge against Morpheus or is it just jealousy?"

"Dallas thinks Morpheus is a Zealot, not a Soldier," says Ariadne, de-coupling a power coil. "And he's right in many ways. Still, Morpheus frees a lot of minds and he has friends on the Council. The Council is smart if you ask me. They like to have Captains who thinks BOTH ways rather than forcing one view or the other- so long as they do their jobs. Of course, Commander Locke doesn't like Morpheus either- and we all know why THAT is!- but the people do, and the Council does... it's all rather well balanced.

"And yeah, Dallas is pissed right now because Morpheus is getting all the attention, and he's jealous."

"Not every soldier who has blind faith in something is a Zealot. and even if he is as you said he frees a lot of minds. Dallas should stop acting like a child. I mean he's a great commander and I'd follow him anywhere in the matrix. God knows I learned tons from him. But sometimes he needs to accept the fact that we are in this for the species not for personal glory."

"Dallas sees achievement as his duty, not a matter of personal glory," says Ariadne. "He likes to be seen to be doing it as much as anyone else- but Morpheus revels in it. He likes the role of Prophet. If you want to criticise someone for that, criticise Morpheus. THERE I agree with Dallas. And Dallas frees lots of minds as well. I wouldn't make waves if I were you; Dallas is as picky as Morpheus about his crew. Best keep an open mind and let Dallas go on as much as he wants; it is his ship, we do things his way."

"You know me I'll keep my mouth shut and I'd gladly give my life for that of Dallas"

"Yeah, I know," says Ariadne. "I know I am just an Operator, but the way I see it, it's best to listen to both sides and not have to come down one way or another until you really HAVE to. And I don't see that happening yet."

*walking up* "Sorry i took so long getting back, the lifts are full of Neo-followers. Its like all of a sudden everyone believes in the prophecy business, and follows him likes he's gonna recreate the world or something. Oh, well...Hey, Ariadne, do you need help with that servomotor? It looks jambed." *moves further into engine room"

"hello Coeus nice of you to come and help us."

"It's the starboard side we're worried about," says Ariadne. "Hard to escape sentinels when you can only turn in one direction."

"True"

Cloud walked through zions corriddors to the lifts beaten by the door. He had never seen the lifts so busy "It wouldn't hurt to go and look at this 'one'" Cloud said to himself