"Yes," says Marduk, "and here is that recording."
---
-----
[The three Agents stride into Melitus’ chamber and approach Melitus in his iron lung. As they get close they seem to recognise who it is. Melitus looks angry, and refuses to look at the Agents]
Agent 1: You. What are you doing?
Agent 2: You should not be involved in these matters.
Agent 3: They do not concern you. They are not your function.
[At this point Melitus turns to look at the Agents]
Melitus: How dare you talk to me...
ssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...
...I am well outside your … jurisdiction. There is nothing…
ssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...
...that you can do to me… Leave at once!
[The Agents pause]
Agent 3: This is not why you were allowed here.
Agent 1: This matter will be reported. All irregularities will be investigated.
Agent 2: You will have to answer for what you have done.
[The Agents turn and leave]
"The creation of Agents is something we are not entirely aware of the process involved within. I cna offer two possible explanations for Melitus' behaviour. First, that for technical reasons, creation of such things are out of his ability, and that copying talent that already exists is the shortcut he is using.
"Secondly... Melitus is fascinated by Humans. This might have an impact on it.
"But all of this underlines how little we really know. We don't know what led Jericho and his crew into that situation. Did he deliberately leave Bounty vulnerable? Did he really want to live on in Machine form, even if meant dying as a Human? Did he believe that was immortality? There is no connection between Jericho's human and I self, after all- for example, both could have been active at the same time. The original Jericho is certaunly dead.
"But the amount of unanswered questions we have about Melitus are still greater."
"Melitus' nature may be ambiguous, but his existence, and objectives, are still of concern. And besdies which, the Xiao Emo confirmed exactly what some had been worried about.
"There have been rumours of such things for a long time- since we ever met the Oracle, and so since the beginning. Machines that are not part of the System. Our misison confirmed once and for all, that they did indeed exist. They may pose a security threat to Zion. Our mission is to investigate that threat.
"The Oracle has let us know some more since this happened, though as is her way, she has told us that we must walk this path for ourselves. She set us on this path when she sent us after Jericho, so at least we can take some comfort that this is no random waste.
"We have learned that among the Machine world, such things are known as Exiles. By choice or by force, each has chosen to leave Machine society, and live within the Matrix, feeding off the power there. For whatever reason, most likely because they see us as the bigger threat, the Agents mostly ignore them, but this is dependant on them not causing trouble.
"The reasons behind becoming an Exile are unclear. The Oracle told us that some are forced into the position, by being replaced or becoming unstable. Machines without a purpose any more are a waste for Machine society, both on grounds of ower and their basic philosophy of purpose, and so they are deleted- or they flee. But she led us to believe that this was only a taste of something more complex. Some Exiles are definite results of replacement- some of the more disruptive ones are early attempts at keeping order in the System that were more trouble than they prevented. This disruption takes the form of their impressive abilities inside the Matrix, and this way explain the Xiao Emo. But Machine society is massive and the numbers do not seem to add up for replaced programmes flooding into the Matrix. And we are led to understand that some Exiles have other reasons. Draw your own conclusions about the Oracle.
"We are not sure what is meant by 'break down', either. We assume that Machines can fix either data or physical breakdown. But Captain Morpheus reports that the Agent who interrogated him was suffering from what, in a Human, would be called a severe psychiatric obsessive illness that was impeding his function. It may be that some Exiles are inside from a form of machine madness- so perhaps that explains the Xiao Emo instead.
"Zion must know more. I have told you thr background of all this so that all can understand, so that you will know what to do on the off-chance that we meet Melitus, or even Jericho, Medea, the copies. But we may as ell ask to go to the Moon for all the hope we have of that. Our main objective, our mission, is simply to find Exiles. ANY Exiles. And learn what we can about them."
The scene fades to the white of The Construct.
Dallas is waiting for you. Along with the representation of his hat, he wears a long, brown trenchcoat, straight out from a Western, and mirroed shades.
"Ok, kids. Get yourself two leaders and get yourself into two even teams. I hope you can manage that, but squabble like schoolkids for long and I'll pick for you.
"Get to it."
"Oh F*ck!" Barb exclaims. "If Melitus had access to Jericho's Abilities, talents and Memories...." He pauses, thinking a moment. "Would he not have gained all of Jericho's intimate knowledge of Zion's workings, including Defenses? Along with our main protection, it's hidden Location!"
Barb is visibly shaken by the thought.
Originally posted by barbarossa
"Oh F*ck!" Barb exclaims. "If Melitus had access to Jericho's Abilities, talents and Memories...." He pauses, thinking a moment. "Would he not have gained all of Jericho's intimate knowledge of Zion's workings, including Defenses? Along with our main protection, it's hidden Location!"Barb is visibly shaken by the thought.
"Yes, that is a great concern," says Melitus. "Zion's access codes have been changed since, of course, but Jericho's knowledge of our strategy and defences is great. Furthermore, Jericho had a great knowledge of the sewer system. He could easily lead the Machines to Zion. It is well that he is unlikely to be alive, and our experiences thus far indicate that Melitus having our code is a different thing from him understanding our thoughts. With luck, Jericho told him nothing."
-
FO of the Percy is not yet set.