The Beginning of the End

“No more… I can’t take it any longer, Grata. The hate is tearing me inside and out. I’m fighting a war for nothing more than mediocrity and stagnation of the human race. I can’t do it anymore.”

She sat lightly on her ankles, feet folded beneath her on the soft cushion. A cup of fragrant tea sat cooling on the table before her. Personanongrata sat across from her, his eyes shaded, a warm smile on his lips. She had invited him to talk… just to talk… not philosophy, not about the war, not even about their different callings within the matrix. And, it had led to this; the realization that Aiyalla SanguisAnore had been avoiding since the very beginning. There was no future she was fighting for. For so long, she had fought for the salvation of humanity, only to finally realize the truth. More hate. More empty violence. More stagnation.

Leelia sat on the opposite side of Jamicus, who, similarly, had felt a different calling. Aiyalla sighed softly, and allowed her gaze to fall on the faces before her. Personanongrata, SepherothX, Bourbon, Leelia, and Jamicus all regarded her intently. She smiled, removed her fleet insignia, and with a sharp crack, snapped it in two with her fingers.

“I have so much to make up for…”

*SephirothX was lurking around the Sai Kung area when he sensed the familiar presence of Aiyalla in close vicinity of himself. Aiyalla had always been a close friend of his whilst at the same time being neck and neck because of contradicting beliefs. Normally when Seph would sense Aiya in the area he would be cautious... but something felt different.

*When Seph walked into the restaurant he was slightly suprised to be warmly welcomed in by Aiyalla, and he listend to Aiya talk about the future and hope. A kind smirk crossed his face when he saw that Aiyalla had removed her mask.

SephirothX - You know Aiya... wearing that mask for song long gave you one ugly tan line...

*They laughed a little in what overall was a positive moment along with Personagratta, Jamicus, and Leelia. And when Seph saw Aiyalla snap her insignia in half, his smirk slowly turned into a warm smile.

*SephirothX thought to himself, in this age of violence, suffering, darkness, and pain, its amazing to see that one person he thought was lost in essentially a masked darkness had turned a new leaf... She had begun to rediscover his purpose, and at the same time she had renewed SephirothX's faith and hope in people as well.

‘What!?’

Procurator stared at his screen for a moment and leapt out of his seat to begin pacing the room furiously. The captain’s mind raced, trying to fit together the facts that had just been made apparent to him, desperate to find a pattern, solve the puzzle. His new job as Chief Archivist for the Glitch Society – a position assigned to him by d4sh by way of a punishment for his failure with the RITA project – left him with little time to go about his usual duties in the Matrix, and to an extent he’d been left out of the loop, picking up whatever he could from the mostly irrelevant documents that passed his desk. Just now he’d been scanning the Machinist communications channels for the latest reports.

‘The–, the sheer audacity!’

He lashed out to his side and sent a mug of cold coffee flying over his work station and into one of his many consoles. There was a crash, the machine let out a few hopeless sparks and died. Procurator stared angrily at his own mistake for a moment, then sighed. He turned again and left his room, bound for the broadcast bay.

Flare was leaning back in her chair in front of the operator’s console, paying little attention to the code analysers before her, which were focussed on the rest of the Aggregator’s crew. They’d jacked into the Matrix for a quick drink. Procurator had had to take a rain check, the first of many over the next few weeks. As he entered the large hall, she looked around at him and put on a cheery smile.

‘Hey Proc. All good?’

He seemed not to hear her, and walked up to the communications hub next to the screens.

‘Proc?’

‘No I’m not bloody alright!’ he growled, turning briefly to give her a withering glare. ‘Hand me that headset.’

The operator looked taken aback, but didn’t waste a moment. Her captain was rarely this angry, but she knew how he could get when he was. She certainly understood why he might be in such a mood: another strain of abscedosis had made its way through Zero-One, knocking out a good few operatives, including some members of the Aggregator. Frotee was in the Zero-One medical bay being treated, so Procurator had been forced to requisition a stand-in for the time being.

Procurator took the headset from her and placed it over his ears. He looked at the code on the screens for a few seconds, just to make sure his crew was there. ‘Listen up you lot.’

‘Evening Proc!’

‘Coming to join us, Captain?’

‘Party’s over. We’ve had a development in the Cypherite camp, and I don’t bloody like it…

‘Aiyalla and Jamicus – watch them. Closely.’

*Markus attempts to contact the captain of the devastator and manages to get a partial connection*

captain, ayialla....... no longer.......cypherite.

skies........clearing.

does not seem...........difficult to.......switched........sir, sir!!!!!

*connection terminated*

*Ozzin looks at his console and cannot believe what he is reading, a roarty laugh reverberates through the ship waking cilvar*

"ozz, whats up?"

"oh not much *chuckles* just thinking that dark magician might as well join EPN if what i just read is true"

((always room for another roleplayer, cail! hee hee!))

((*laughs* dont worry Nam nothing personal, you actually did my character's "perspective" pretty decently. But just remember that since Seph charges into battle doesnt mean he lacks a thought out plan   ))

*SephirothX sits in the cockpit of the Altruistic Prosperity, and whilst doing routine sweeps through the traditional com lines he stumbles upon a transmission between the Echelon and the Truthbringer. He listens over the entire conversation, quietly mumbling his own quiet responses to what he hears almost in a comical shock of what he's hearing.

... Aiyalla ... blue to red ...

*Chuckles* Old news already...

... Skyscream runs the show...

Nam Nam Nam... how little you know... The Believers don’t have a true 'leader'... we're all equal unlike how you tried to suppress us under a dictatorial hierarchy back in the days of the Vital Element... Hopefully your new malleable minds will realize this before they get dragged too deep into your personal vendetta’s.

... think Skyscream will hold Sephiroth's leash?...

Skyscream's always given me my freedoms, respected, and backed every decision I've ever made. There will be no ‘holding me back’, I wish the weak like you wouldn’t get involve in matters that involve the strong…

… He would rather charge into battle than apply any strategy…

And once again you forget that one does not need to live by the sword in order to die by the sword. Someday when you have no choice but to stare down the barrel of your enemies gun, you’ll finally realize that words will not stop that bullet as it travels through the coded air of the Matrix.

*Smirks* And just because I enter battle doesn’t mean I don’t have a thought out plan… I forget how one tracked your minds methodology decrypts situations.

... if Espi were to be defeated by him ...

Heh... not a matter of if but when, old captain.

... talk to Skyscream.  We want to be sure she can keep him calm enough ....

Ha!... I'm always 'calm' Nam, your own twisted perception of everything simply makes you think the world is souly out to hate you based on some vengeful lust. Lest how quickly you forget, your reason for wishing Espi dead is merely out of some sort of revenge for your lost Zaura.

... As for Aiyalla we will contact her immediately, just to swear her into the brotherhood that is E Pluribus Neo ...

*His eyes go wide momentarily* You're not serious are you? Where do you get the information that makes you come to the conclusion that Aiyalla wants to join E PLURIBUS NEO!? I've known Aiyalla almost since we were both fresh-out-of-the-pod, she would never ever commit to such a drastic change in beliefs like that.

*SephirothX sighs quietly as he turns off the com channels*

Those who know nothing… understand nothing… Go along with your small plans which will for all eternity end with you forcing your subordinates to complete your own personal goals as you pursue nothing more then to further your attempts to gain power and control.

… Just don’t get in my way, and leave Aiyalla alone… I really don’t want to embarrass you again…

No one said anything about being a terroist.

Nelks rose from the bench as Aiyalla darted away down the alley, apparently late for another meeting. Her step was telling, she ran with purpose, a vigor Nelks hadn't seen in her for a long time. There was a spark in her eyes that night, every tear burning with purpose, the woman was hope incarnate that evening.

Their meeting had been unusual, but then again, what was usual in the Matrix? She was no longer a Cypherite, but her recent change of heart was ironic to say the least. "I will watch as Zion burns. Then, we will all sleep." - Nelks remembered her words precisely, yet here she was, a Zionite now. Je ne comprends pas.

Nelks chuckled to himself at the situation. If he had told Aiya this is where she'd be only months before, she'd have laughed him off. Nelks, out of concern for her safety, had offered her entry into The Codemasons, but he knew deep down, she felt her true calling elsewhere. Was it the right choice? Je crois que oui.

"We all have a destiny M'lady, a purpose. We are notes in a grand symphony, nothing more. All of us, no matter how different, are the same. Only perspective chages." Nelks closed his eyes and listened to the "music" around him. The code sang, and reassured him. "I hope you find what you're looking for Aiya." - Nelks whispered the words to himself as she dissapeared from sight.

"Au Revoir, mes amie. Bonne Chance."

Recall the Code.

Believe in the Code.

There is no other Truth.

A figure crouches in the night shadows beside a communications array, face hidden, jacked into the dataport scanning miscellaneous data... *a sudden surprised intake of breath... A soft whisper*... "Wheels within wheels. Does not life continue to amaze?"... *Fingers work to seek out related datastreams*... "I am far too isolated... But... Does this really concern me? Hmmm..."... *Data retrieved, his head rizes to survey his surroundings, a single ray from a streetlight passes across cold blue eyes*... "This bears thought."... *The shadowy figure pads off into the darkness*

It was almost worth the trouble just to see the looks of astonishment on everyone's face. Her phone had been ringing off the proverbial hook, and everywhere she went, people that had once regarded her with suspician now smiled warmly.

Zionists and Machines alike called to her. Zion would never be in her heart, however... not after...

She sighed softly, pushing sad memories away, as she always did when the tears threatened to spill down her cheeks.

Veritas...
Commission...
The True Believers...

so many choices, and only one, small framed imp of a girl, fallen so far from the ranks of the misguided path.

The future was so bright, it obscured her vision.

Still another call to make, though. Aiyalla walked down the street, dialing a number she still knew by heart.

"Leelia? I would like to speak to you again.. when you have time, of course."

### OUTGOING TRANSMISSION ###

 ## Coded for: HvCFT Onesimus [Captain Leelia]

 ## Source: HvCFT Aggregator

 ## Date: 25.04.06-12.00 MCT

 ## Log by: Captain Procurator

Leelia,

I hope this message finds you well. This concerns the most recent matter brought to my faction’s attention by yourself: viz. the curious case of Aiyalla and Jamicus leaving the Cypherite movement.

With such a startling revelation, rumours naturally abound, and a great deal of hearsay and misinformation is flooding the communications relays. One rumour that seems to have a greater basis in fact than the others is the suggestion that Aiyalla has turned her attention to the sky of the Real.

Given that this is a particular concern of yours, I could only assume that Aiyalla was intending to contact your faction – whether it be for information and guidance, or to join it outright.

I must urge you: do not trust a thing she says. The woman is a devious, treacherous, evil creature, and whatever she’s doing (though I’m unable to fathom it at the moment) will be to further either the cause of the Cypherites or her own agenda. To be frank, I’m surprised she thought she could get away with this questionable change of heart: surely no one will believe her?

Treat everything she says and does with suspicion, and take the proper precautions when meeting her. She is a danger to the Machinists and Zionites alike, indeed to humanity as a whole. All I can do is warn you.

Regards,

 – Procurator

Chief Archivist of the Glitch Society

Captain of the HvCFT Aggregator

The dank rain streamed down his forehead as he rubbed his weary eyes with a deflated sigh. Directly behind him amidst the shadows, a nameless figure spoke seemingly to himself, recounting the events of late.

As he absorbed the news he stared forward at the twinkling river before him, the brisk wind breaking through his long padded jacket, sending chills down his spine.

The voice behind him had long since faded as his memories turned to what once was, almost a lifetime ago.

As he raised his right hand the distant moonlight accentuated the deep scars across his knuckles, a gift from the real world that he chose to bear in this one to remind him of how far he had come, and how hard he had fought.

With a quick flick of the wrist he signalled the messenger away to leave him with his thoughts.

He slumped forwards only slightly as he drew a long, weary breath, before speaking to himself in a voice that had not met conversation for endless months now.

"Oh Aiya, Aiya, Aiya... Sweet, Dear Aiya... look at how lost you have become... look at what this world has turned you into..."

He flicked his barely lit cigarette that had burned down to its filter down to his side as he turned to walk away, back to his solitude, a final phrase escaping his lips...

"My faith in you is gone, my dear"

Message Edited by kingcaw on 05-16-2006 10:52 AM