THE MATRIX V 3.03
EPSIODE 7 HOMECOMING
BY ROBERT ‘CHOI’ BOEHM
b4483@alltel.net
BLACK SCREEN
We see the following message being displayed in green letters on a
black screen.
Sara,
Not a day has
gone by since I made that fateful decision that I haven’t though of you. That decision is what has prevented us from
being together. The only way that I can
hold you in my arms once more is if you were to make that same decision. I wish I could tell you the choices that you
have to make. I wish I could tell you
the truth. What I can tell you is that
everything you know is an illusion and that you are being kept under control. If you want to know the truth you will have
to trust me.
I will be unable
to contact you for the next few days.
When I come back I hope I will be able to open your eyes for the first
time, but I can only do this if you let me.
Until we meet again,
Gary Stryker
The message is displayed for a few moments with a blinking curser below, we then see the
following typed.
Send 192.168.76.186
FADE TO:
EXT. SEWERS
We are shown a sewer passageway in the real world. The passageway appears to be vacant, all
except for one sentinel. It can barely
be seen perched up against roof of the sewer.
It’s body is lifeless, it’s eyes are black. Then a rebel hovercraft flies into view from around the
bend. As the hover craft is about to
pass underneath the sentinel. The
sentinel’s eyes light up a sinister purple then jumps on to the back of the
hovercraft. It holds on with two
tentacles and flails out the others as if he’s getting ready to strike. Electricity begins to surge throughout the
sentinel’s body and once fully charged up, the sentinel thrusts it’s tentacles
into the hovercraft. The electricity is
transferred from the sentinel into the hovercraft. The hover disks of the ship begin to fail and turn off. The sentinel then jumps off of the
hovercraft as it begins to spiral out of control, and watches it crash into the
bottom of the sewer and screech to a halt, then begins to fly over to it.
FADE TO:
INT.
The Nostradamus is seen flying through a
INT. NOSTRADAMUS HALL
We see Talon walking through the Nostradamus hallways, Signat is
following behind her. They stop at a
cabin door, it is open, Talon knocks.
Carnan is there packing his bags.
TALON
See you in seventy-two hours
Carnan, don’t get into too much trouble.
CARNAN
Oh, you can count on me Talon.
– See you later Signat.
SIGNAT
Yeah…
Talon and Signat continue to walks down the Nostradamus Hallways. They turn the corner just after Carnan’s
cabin and walk all the way to the end of the passage. The hallway ends into a door that Talon opens up. They step through the door into the loading
dock. Xandara is there, she has just
lowered the exit ramp.
XANDARA
Hello Talon, Signat.
TALON
Hello Xandara, all to good to
be home
XANDARA
Oh yes.
Xandara grabs her bags and heads over to the ramp with Talon and
Signat.
XANDARA
How you feeling Signat?
Signat smiles.
SIGNAT
I’m fine
XANDARA
Good.
They head down the ramp. There
is a woman there waiting for them.
EXT.
WOMAN
It is good to have you back
Xandara, and you as well Talon.
TALON
Thank you Nixie, it’s great to
be back.
Nixie looks over to Signat.
NIXIE
Welcome home Signat, I am
Nixie, I will be your guardian here at
SIGNAT
Guardian?
Nixie looks over to Talon.
TALON
We extracted him just before
we came home. He doesn’t know much
about
NIXIE
I see.
Nixie looks back over to Signat.
NIXIE
I am a guardian for the
orphanage here at
Xandara looks over to Signat
TALON
Don’t worry, we’ll visit
before we leave.
NIXIE
Then if you’ll come with me…
Signat picks up his bags.
SIGNAT
Okay.
He turns to Talon and Xandara
SIGNAT
I guess I’ll see you later
then.
He walks away with Nixie.
TALON
You want to get a drink?
Arbiter starts to walk down the ramp.
XANDARA
Thank sounds like plan to me.
Xandara looks back and sees Arbiter.
XANDARA
Want to come with?
ARBITER
No thanks, I have business to
attend to.
XANDARA
Suit your self.
Talon and Xandara part ways from Arbiter as they walk away from the
Nostradamus.
FADE TO:
INT. ABYSSAL TAVERN
We are shown a tavern comprised of table tops neatly fashioned out of
stone and steel chairs, welded together and slightly rusted. The room is dimly lit with a warm red
tone. In the background there is a band
playing Jazz on steel fashioned instruments giving it a unique twang
sound. We see Talon and Xandara sitting
down at a table, both nursing dark lagers in frosty glass mugs.
XANDARA
Zion Wheat, you’re my only
friend.
TALON
So what are you’re plans now
that your home?
XANDARA
Oh, just the norm. Visit my family, catch some R&R. And everything else that’s not exciting.
TALON
A family, now that’s what I
need.
Talon looks over to the guitarist in the band just as they wrap up
their set.
TALON
I think I’ll start looking for
one over there.
Talon smiles over to Xandara as she stands up from the table and
proceeds over to the stage.
FADE TO:
INT. COMMANDER VAGRANT‘S OFFICE
Commander Vagrant sits behind his steel rusted desk in his office busy
at paper work. His office is also
comprised of steel and has various rust spots throughout the room. There is a knock on the only door into this
room.
VAGRANT
Come in.
The door opens and Arbiter enters.
VAGRANT
Welcome back Captain Arbiter.
ARBITER
Thank you Sir.
VAGRANT
Please have a seat.
Arbiter takes a seat opposite of Vagrant’s desk.
VAGRANT
Captain Arbiter, in your past
four tours you have only unplugged three minds, and in the past three tours you
have only retrieved one. How do you
explain the inefficiency of your crew?
ARBITER
The subject that was target
three tours ago drown during is extraction.
The event has been reviewed and determined that none of my crew was a
fault. For the past two tours you have
been focusing my crew’s efforts of the individual Satin. I have been proven correct that attempting
to extract an individual which is so mature is difficult and extremely
dangerous. Our first attempt, as you
already know, resulted in Talon loosing her cover and the death of Balder, one
of my crew members.
VAGRANT
This is all interesting
information. I am sorry for your crew’s
misfortune; however none of this is news to me.
ARBITER
Our second attempt to extract
Satin was a little rough and forced a premature attempt at an extraction; it failed
and during the attempt we learned that her abilities were not from her mind,
but from her equipment. She is able to
control her vehicle through the use of a customized stabilizer.
VAGRANT
But that would mean that
Somnus’s interpretation of the prophecy is incorrect.
ARBITER
Or the prophecy is false.
VAGRANT
Watch your tongue captain.
ARBITER
How am I supposed to follow a
prophecy I don’t believe in?
Vagrant raises his voice.
VAGRANT
You are a soldier, captain,
and you follow the orders of your superiors.
It is not your place to question their reason.
Vagrant lowers his voice.
VAGRANT
In twenty-four hours I want
you and your crew back in the field.
You will continue working along side Somnus’s crew of the
Arbiter stands up and leaves Vagrant’s office.
FADE TO:
DARK
We are shown the inside of a dimly light apartment of
FADE TO:
EXT.
Talon is sitting on a bench which is on a bridge that extends from the
central support pillar to the outside wall.
Her face is resting in her hands and her elbows are on her knees. Tachyon steps up next to her and into view.
TACHYON
And who were you last night?
Talon looks up and sees who it is, then smiles.
TALON
Hello Tachyon, I think I went
with Athena last night.
TACHYON
Ah, Athena always goes over
well.
Tachyon sits down next to Talon.
TALON
Why can’t I just settle down
with a nice guy like you?
TACHYON
Because nice guys like me
always chase after that which they can not have.
TALON
And who were you last night?
TACHYON
Last night… Oh you could say I
was Acheronian.
TALON
Ah, Acheronian never goes over
well.
Both slightly laugh.
CARNAN
Yo! Tachyon, Talon
Carnan is walking up the catwalk toward Tachyon and Talon.
CARNAN
Wutch yo’ up to?
TACHYON
Absolutely nothing Carnan,
what about you?
Carnan walks up in front of Tachyon and Talon.
CARNAN
Nodda thing. You’d think there’d be more to do in this
bucket of bolts.
TALON
How about we hit the
simulators? I promised Signat I’d show
him before I left.
CARNAN
Sounds like a plan, It’s
always fun to grease a plebe.
Talon and Tachyon stand up and they walk away with Carnan
FADE TO:
EXT.
Talon, Carnan, Tachyon, and Signat are walking on a balcony along the
INT. CHARLATAN LOUNGE
The Charlatan Lounge is
composed of numerous kiosks. Each kiosk
is comprised of five reclining chairs facing away from each other in a circle. Each chair has a flat panel monitor above
it. The chairs that are occupied have
displays of the people in the chairs roaming around in different environments,
in different time periods. Unoccupied
chairs just have black screens with blue scrolling matrix code. The Lounge is crowed with numerous people,
the noise pollution is rather high with people talking and music is in the
background. Talon, Carnan, Tachyon, and
Signat walk through the gauntlet of people to an empty kiosk. Talon speaks to Signat, raising her voice up
over the noise.
TALON
Signat, now these chairs
aren’t quite like those you used on board the Nostradamus. They are fully automated. All you have to do is sit down, lay your
head back, and push this red button.
Talon pushes a button at the end of the right arm rest. A jack thrusts up through the head rest, a
loud beep is heard, then the jack retracts.
As Talon shows Signat this Tachyon and Carnan sit down in chairs, make
sure their neck plugs are exposed, lean back and push the red button.
TALON
Go a head and load your self
in.
Signat sits down in the chair and loads him self up as Talon walks
over to a console, makes a few selections, then loads her self into a chair.
FADE TO:
INT. CONSTRUCT
Tachyon and Carnan are there selecting different guns and weapons from
racks scattered out through out the area.
The rows and columns of racks extend as far as the eye can see. Signat appears in the room followed by Talon
right behind him.
TALON
Signat.
Signat is startled and spins around.
TALON
Sorry if I scared you.
SIGNAT
No, it’s okay.
TALON
Alright, there are a few
things you need to know about the simulator. – First off you can not get hurt
in the simulation. The software
monitors the pain being sent into your body, and if the pain is too great, the
software will then unload you from the simulation. The pain is registered on a 900 point scale. The threshold is currently set at 350,
meaning I could probably slug you in the face, and you’ll still remain in the
simulation; however if I were to shoot you, you would be unloaded. Now, if you check your right jacket pocket
you will find your ULD, Unloading Device.
Its primary function is to unload you from the simulation.
Talon retrieves her ULD from her right pocket. It is a small black rectangular box that
fits in the palm of her hand. In the
middle of the box is a red button, and sticking out of one end of the box is a
red stub.
TALON
Whenever you are in the
simulation and need to be unloaded back to the construct or from the construct
to the real world, then remove the red stick from the one end and stick it into
the other.
Talon demonstrates by twisting the red stub one half turn and removing
a stick, then she slides it into the other end and twists the stick one half
turn.
TALON
And push the red button.
Talon mocks pushing the red button, but then replaces the red stick
into the other end of the ULD.
TALON
And be sure NOT to loose your
ULD. If you loose the ULD the only way
you can be unloaded from the simulation is to kill your self. Even though you won’t feel any pain, it is a
very hard thing to bring your self to do.
Talon walks over to a weapon rack and collects four Uzi’s, two in each
hand. She then walks back over to
Signat and hands him two.
TALON
The game we will be spawning
into is a Recursion Deathmatch. Every
time you frag somebody, your score is increased by one plus the score of your
slain opponent. Every time you die,
your score is decreased to zero. Score
limit is at one-hundred. When your
ready to spawn, all you have to do is press your red button, or simply shoot a
firearm.
Talon looks over to Tachyon and Carnan.
TALON
You boys ready?
Tachyon and Carnan both nod over to Talon, they knock they’re pistols
together and shoot at each other’s head and dematerialize in blue matrix code.
TALON
There’s currently 23 people in
the game, you’re better off sticking by me.
Signat nods his head. Talon
places on hand on Signat’s shoulder and fires her gun. A megalopolis cityscape appears miles below
them and rushes up under their feet.
EXT. CITY ALLEY
Talon and Signat are now in a back alley way standing in front of a
1956 Jaguar XK SS convertible top pulled back (Steve McQueen Style). Signat looks around confused with his hands
in front of this face as if he’s trying to grab an illusion.
TALON
The number that you are seeing
in the upper right hand corner of your vision is an illusion produced. The number is your score over the leaders
score. Player flags are also on so
that’s why there’s a colored arrow above my head.
Signat still blindly waving his hand in front of his head.
SIGNAT
Awesome…
TALON
So are you ready?
Signat lowers his hand to is side and slightly nods.
SIGNAT
This is what I was born for.
Talon smiles.
TALON
Great, You’ve got shotgun.
Talon walks over to the drivers side, opens the door and gets in. As Talon starts up the car Signat leans
against the passenger’s side door nodding his head and begins to smile. He then hops over the door and slides into
the seat. Talon raises her brow, then
accelerates out of the alley and power slides into a busy city street.
EXT. CITY STREETS
As Talon swerves in and out of traffic Signat reclines his seat.
TALON
I don’t think this is a good
time to lay down.
SIGNAT
Why said anything about laying
down.
Signat slides up and stands on the seat with his right foot forward,
then crouches down.
SIGNAT
Just please don’t hit
anything.
We are shown Signat’s vision for a moment, “21/0” is seen in the upper
right hand corner of the screen and a small blue arrow is revolving around
Talon’s head. Signat looks right and a
small yellow arrow appears in the middle of a building. The camera moves left out of Signat’s vision
and pans to the right. We see Signat
ready his Uzi’s. The camera then
quickly mores forward to the next intersection where we see a silver 2004 BMW 6
standing out from the rest of the traffic.
The Jaguar makes it to the intersection just before the BMW. The camera instantly slows down and zooms in
on the action as soon as Signat opens fire.
The camera speed increases as a hail of bullets rain on the BMW. Signat turns around and follows the BMW as
it just misses the back of the Jaguar.
The man inside of the BMW returns fire as he passes behind the Jaguar
and Signat quickly ducks for cover as the camera speed returns to normal.
TALON
Hold on.
Talon whips the Jaguar around in a 180 and starts to chase after the
BMW.
SIGNAT
I’m out of ammo.
TALON
Eject your magazine
Signat does so and looks at the magazine, it’s full. He slides the clip back in.
TALON
Now just reload. You don’t need to pull it all the way
out. Just drop the clip and slam it
back in.
As Talon round the turn to chase after the BMW, Signat drops the clip from
his other Uzi and slams it back in against his thigh before it falls out. The hammer slides forward. The Jaguar races up behind the BMW. Just as Signat stands up and is about to
fire, the BMW turns right then immediately pulls the e-brake and slides around
to the left. The driver then starts to
fire at the Jaguar, the windshield is shattered and Talon is stricken by a
bullet and collapses in her seat.
Signat sees Talon dematerialize in code, he then runs up on to the hood
of the jaguar and jumps over on to the roof of the BMW, reloading his guns in
mid air. As Signat lands on the BMW we
see the Jaguar collide with oncoming traffic.
Signat immediately fires down into the BMW, striking the driver with a
bullet and killing him. The car screeches
to a halt, a moment later he dematerializes.
Signat looks right and sees a car about to collide with the BMW. He jumps up and over the car just before it
collides with the BMW and summersaults as he hits the pavement. A red Yamaha FZ6 stops in front of him. He draws his gun and hijacks the motorcycle
from the NPC and drives away.
CUT TO:
EXT. CITY STREETS
Tachyon and Carnan are standing in front of a massive car pile
up. Most of the cars are burning and
charred. Carnan is holding a rocket
launcher and Tachyon is wielding an assault rifle.
TACHYON
Was that third rocket really
necessary.
CARNAN
That fucker shot my coat… I
like this coat.
TACHYON
I can get you a new on if you
like.
Tachyon turns and points his rifle at Carnan. Just then a thin blue light shots down from
the sky just behind them and Talon materializes in matrix code. Tachyon and Carnan raise their rifles at
her, then realize who it is and stand at ease.
Talon examines the environment and raises an eye brow.
TALON
Looks like you boys are having
fun. – You guys should check out Signat, he’s a natural.
TACHYON
I’d love to, but Carnan wired
our car with explosives and blew it up.
Just then a Corolla pulls up and starts honking his horn. Carnan pulls out his side arm and caps the
driver in the head as he looks over at Tachyon.
CARNAN
You seem to forget that AI is
much smarter in the Matrix.
TALON
I think I’ll drive
CUT TO:
EXT. CITY STREETS
We are following behind Signat on his motorcycle. He is swerving around the busy city
streets. Ahead in the road is a turn to
the left. Buildings no higher than
three stories line the streets like a gauntlet. Then just as Signat looks up and the camera slows down as sniper fire
is shot from the building directly ahead of him. Signat quickly into an alley to the right. The bullet ricochets of the bike and the
camera returns to normal speed. Signat quickly
comes to a junction to the left in the alley, he stops and turns is bike. There is a straight stair case that leads all
the way up to the top of the building.
Signat pauses for a moment and rubs his chin, then lets out a slight
laugh.
SIGNAT
There is no spoon…
Signat revs up his motorcycle twice then takes off for the staircase. He pulls up the front wheel as he hits the
bottom of the staircase and rockets up the stairs. Once he reaches the top of the stairs he is propelled into the
air. The sniper reacts to his presence,
but is too late. Signat pulls an Uzi
from behind his belt with his right hand and shoots the Sniper. Signat lands on the roof top and soon after
the Sniper dematerializes, leaving only his weapons.
CUT TO:
INT. COROLLA
Talon, Tachyon, and Carnan are in the car. They just came up to the city block where Signat is.
TACHYON
You see that shit?
The car comes to a stop.
CARNAN
I’ll give that kid some shock
and awe.
EXT. CITY STREETS
Carnan steps out of the back seat with his bazooka. Just then we see Signat walk up to the ledge
of the building where the sniper was.
Carnan hoists the rocket launcher onto his shoulder and fires a rocket
straight at Signat.
EXT. ROOFTOP
Signat sees the rocket and quickly grabs the sniper rifle and runs in
the opposite direction. The rocket hits
the side of the building and explodes.
The camera slows down and rotates around the blast. Signat is propelled into the air by the
blast when his body lands back on the roof the camera resumes normal
speed; he slides to a stop.
The upper side of the building has been demolished. Signat pulls out the sniper rifle and
shooting from the hip, fires a round at Carnan. Carnan quickly jumps out of the way and fires another rocket at
the building. The rocket hits the side
of the building and explodes, creating an even larger hole. Before the dust settles, Signat tosses the sniper
riffle aside and runs at the smoke cloud, grabbing his Uzi’s and reloading
them. He jumps through the dust cloud,
firing upon Carnan. As his body emerges
from the cloud, Carnan launches a third rocket at Signat which misses high. Bullets from Signat find their way to Carnan’s
chest and he falls to the ground.
Signat lands on the roof of a parked car, crushing it. He stands back up as Carnan dematerializes. Signat flairs out both arms, Uzi’s in hand
and looks over at the corolla.
SIGNAT
You guys wana play?
INT. COROLLA
Tachyon and Talon look at each other for a moment, then bolt out of
the corolla in opposite directions; firing their guns at Signat. Signat jumps back and takes cover behind the
crushed car. Talon, keeping low, makes her
way around the abandoned cars, firing his rifle over toward Signat frequently. As Talon and Signat exchange fire we see Tachyon
running full speed along the side of the building opposite of Talon. Just before he reaches the end of the
building Talon jumps thirty feet off the hood of a car and fires down upon
Signat. Signat stands up and fires
directly at Talon and strikes her in mid-air, but before he knows it Tachyon
lands directly behind him. He takes a
hold of his arms and braces them against his chest, pointing his guns right
into his chin.
TACHYON
You’re good Sig, but you’ve
got a lot to learn.
Tachyon squeezes the trigger of on of Signat’s guns. A bullet is fired up into his chin and blood
spatters all over Tachyon. We see Signat
fall to the ground from Tachyon’s view point.
As Signat’s body dematerializes, we see Tachyon’s score increase from
28/79 to 107/107. There is a bright
white flash and we are back in the Charlatan Lounge.
INT. CHARLATAN LOUNGE
The camera pulls away from the kiosk that Talon, Signat, Tachyon, and
Carnan are sitting at. Tachyon looks
over a Signat.
TACHYON
How’s that feel buddy?
Tachyon slightly smiles.
Signat, still laying back, he spits a small about of blood in the air.
SIGNAT
That felt great.
Signat closes his eyes and smiles.
TACHYON
Wana go another round.
SIGNAT
Hell yes.
We see Signat push the red button on his chair.
FLASH TO BLACK:
To Be Continued.