[Note: This is the next chapter, following Recreation - Lessons Learned.]
The hovercraft Akira was small in design, and surprisingly manueverable despite the firepower that had been incorporated into its construction. Blue lights illuminated the tunnels, as each of the ship's hoverpads crackled with electricity and bent the laws of magnetism and gravity to push the ship forward, slowly. It had been little over a ago that Phrack had secretly constructed a small hovercraft that had been designed specifically for the purpose of swift raid-like attacks on machine outposts, but when a battle had left this classified ship in shambles, Phrack had found himself stashing its remains within the rubble and debris that adourned many of the tunnels of the real world. It had been almost a year ago, now, that he had begun reconstructing the ship, improving on the design, and incorporating newer technologies into it. Lined with the armor of fallen sentinels, and even a small signal converter that would disguise the ship's energy and radio frequencies as another sentinel. Fueled by the fall of the truce, Phrack had been determined to make the new ship an even larger success than its predecessor, the Red Queen. The result had been the Akira. Phrack's latest creation, and his pride. Of course it had only been a prototype, but it was more dependable than he could've ever dreamed. It bothered him that the ship would soon be grounded in the rebuilt ruins of had once been proudly known as the "last human city." When that happened, the ship would be ransacked by EPN security officers, who would, as procedure dictated, sweep the ship's computers and inner-workings, searching for potential threats and evidence that would be used against him in the impending trial. Every communication, to and from the Akira, would have its logs pulled. Every log entry, every map that had been used for navigation, every operator's record... it would all be in the hands of the uppermost elite of EPN, and would be used to judge Phrack's latest actions before handing down a ruling that he would have to live with for the rest of his life. Not that he didn't have enough to have to live with, already.
"We're on approach." said the Crusader who had taken over piloting the ship, as it was escorted home. Ahead, outside the cockpit window, the familiar sight of the city's main gate could be seen, sending a plethora of memories rushing through Phrack's mind, as he stood silently, his wrists bound, and watched. Beside him, Captain Irah, the man that had been charged with bringing him into custody, watched the scene with all of the strength of a man that had put in almost thirty years as an operative. "Confirmed, powering down hoverpads five and six." The Crusader said into his headphones, to control, as the gate began to open, slowly, ahead of them.
"Watch your speed. If you come in too fast, Shimori will have my butt in a sling." Irah told the young pilot, as he looked out the cockpit window with a mixture of vigilance and pride. "And not in the way I'd like her to."
Phrack chuckled softly at the comment. He didn't dislike Irah. Not at all. He just disliked what he was having to do. It had been years since Phrack had been awakened, and he remembered what it had been like to see operatives that were much more experienced than he was. He'd always looked up to them to share their experience and strength with him, but that all seemed so long ago. Most of the older operatives that had been in service before Phrack had awoken were long gone, either dead from missions gone awry, or retired into civilian life. Since those times, Phrack found that the junior operatives that he'd trained with had now become the distinguished war veterans. And yet, Irah here, had been active since long before the truce was around, and had a wealth of experience about him. Only Neo could've known what kind of high-ranking military position in Zion Irah had given up when he joined EPN. Hell, he could've possibly succeeded Lock himself.
"Our ship is preparing to dock. The Akira will be next, on dock four, and then Captain Darminian's ship on dock six." The pilot informed his commanding officer, as the hovercraft passed through the gate, giving full sight of the rebuilt docks.
"What of security?" Irah asked.
"Minimal, with the exception of a small guard unit accompanying Michael." The Crusader answered.
"Huh, Kid himself is waiting for us to dock." Irah commented to himself, aloud, before turning to Phrack. "Wonder how you managed to get on his bad side."
Phrack just smirked his response, silently. He was doing good to even be standing after spending the last five months continuously jacked in. Even now, his legs were aching and weak from the mere task of holding him up, and would probably collapse beneath him, if he wasn't leaning on the bulkhead to help support his weight.
"It's a very long and very detailed story." Phrack finally said.
Irah didn't say a word. He wasn't going to ask... because he already knew. He just wanted to see what Phrack's response would be. Irah had examined Phrack's records during the course of his investigation, and knew of every exploit he had performed that EPN had frowned upon. From his support of Morpheus, to his support of TaeCross, to the punishments he'd received for callous comments toward his superior officers. He'd publicly attacked one of his liaisons in mid-trial, for the entire redpill community to witness... he'd walked out on another of his liaisons, and he'd landed himself the label of indefinite probation. He was a loose cannon, like his mentor before him, and Michael, among several others, had a severe problem with that. But Irah could fully understand and respect it.
"Commencing landing sequence." The Crusader exclaimed, interrupting Irah's thoughts. "Michael is waiting for us on the dock."
"Then get us set down. No sense in making him wait any longer than he already has." Irah said, half-snarling, before turning to Phrack. Carefully, he wrapped an arm around his prisoner and helped him limp out of the cockpit of the hovercraft without falling down. "Let's get your sorry butt off of this ship."
Phrack groaned in anguish, but didn't respond to his captor. It was going to take a lot of work to get his physical body back into working condition, and the pain of even moving was almost unbearable after so long of laying still. But then, here in a few days, the decision would probably be made to confine him to a brig for the rest of his life... so it wasn't like he'd be moving a whole lot from here on out anyway. Until then, Phrack would just be pleased with being home, in Old Zion, for the first time since giving Zion his resignation.
The hovercraft Akira was small in design, and surprisingly manueverable despite the firepower that had been incorporated into its construction. Blue lights illuminated the tunnels, as each of the ship's hoverpads crackled with electricity and bent the laws of magnetism and gravity to push the ship forward, slowly. It had been little over a ago that Phrack had secretly constructed a small hovercraft that had been designed specifically for the purpose of swift raid-like attacks on machine outposts, but when a battle had left this classified ship in shambles, Phrack had found himself stashing its remains within the rubble and debris that adourned many of the tunnels of the real world. It had been almost a year ago, now, that he had begun reconstructing the ship, improving on the design, and incorporating newer technologies into it. Lined with the armor of fallen sentinels, and even a small signal converter that would disguise the ship's energy and radio frequencies as another sentinel. Fueled by the fall of the truce, Phrack had been determined to make the new ship an even larger success than its predecessor, the Red Queen. The result had been the Akira. Phrack's latest creation, and his pride. Of course it had only been a prototype, but it was more dependable than he could've ever dreamed. It bothered him that the ship would soon be grounded in the rebuilt ruins of had once been proudly known as the "last human city." When that happened, the ship would be ransacked by EPN security officers, who would, as procedure dictated, sweep the ship's computers and inner-workings, searching for potential threats and evidence that would be used against him in the impending trial. Every communication, to and from the Akira, would have its logs pulled. Every log entry, every map that had been used for navigation, every operator's record... it would all be in the hands of the uppermost elite of EPN, and would be used to judge Phrack's latest actions before handing down a ruling that he would have to live with for the rest of his life. Not that he didn't have enough to have to live with, already.
"We're on approach." said the Crusader who had taken over piloting the ship, as it was escorted home. Ahead, outside the cockpit window, the familiar sight of the city's main gate could be seen, sending a plethora of memories rushing through Phrack's mind, as he stood silently, his wrists bound, and watched. Beside him, Captain Irah, the man that had been charged with bringing him into custody, watched the scene with all of the strength of a man that had put in almost thirty years as an operative. "Confirmed, powering down hoverpads five and six." The Crusader said into his headphones, to control, as the gate began to open, slowly, ahead of them.
"Watch your speed. If you come in too fast, Shimori will have my butt in a sling." Irah told the young pilot, as he looked out the cockpit window with a mixture of vigilance and pride. "And not in the way I'd like her to."
Phrack chuckled softly at the comment. He didn't dislike Irah. Not at all. He just disliked what he was having to do. It had been years since Phrack had been awakened, and he remembered what it had been like to see operatives that were much more experienced than he was. He'd always looked up to them to share their experience and strength with him, but that all seemed so long ago. Most of the older operatives that had been in service before Phrack had awoken were long gone, either dead from missions gone awry, or retired into civilian life. Since those times, Phrack found that the junior operatives that he'd trained with had now become the distinguished war veterans. And yet, Irah here, had been active since long before the truce was around, and had a wealth of experience about him. Only Neo could've known what kind of high-ranking military position in Zion Irah had given up when he joined EPN. Hell, he could've possibly succeeded Lock himself.
"Our ship is preparing to dock. The Akira will be next, on dock four, and then Captain Darminian's ship on dock six." The pilot informed his commanding officer, as the hovercraft passed through the gate, giving full sight of the rebuilt docks.
"What of security?" Irah asked.
"Minimal, with the exception of a small guard unit accompanying Michael." The Crusader answered.
"Huh, Kid himself is waiting for us to dock." Irah commented to himself, aloud, before turning to Phrack. "Wonder how you managed to get on his bad side."
Phrack just smirked his response, silently. He was doing good to even be standing after spending the last five months continuously jacked in. Even now, his legs were aching and weak from the mere task of holding him up, and would probably collapse beneath him, if he wasn't leaning on the bulkhead to help support his weight.
"It's a very long and very detailed story." Phrack finally said.
Irah didn't say a word. He wasn't going to ask... because he already knew. He just wanted to see what Phrack's response would be. Irah had examined Phrack's records during the course of his investigation, and knew of every exploit he had performed that EPN had frowned upon. From his support of Morpheus, to his support of TaeCross, to the punishments he'd received for callous comments toward his superior officers. He'd publicly attacked one of his liaisons in mid-trial, for the entire redpill community to witness... he'd walked out on another of his liaisons, and he'd landed himself the label of indefinite probation. He was a loose cannon, like his mentor before him, and Michael, among several others, had a severe problem with that. But Irah could fully understand and respect it.
"Commencing landing sequence." The Crusader exclaimed, interrupting Irah's thoughts. "Michael is waiting for us on the dock."
"Then get us set down. No sense in making him wait any longer than he already has." Irah said, half-snarling, before turning to Phrack. Carefully, he wrapped an arm around his prisoner and helped him limp out of the cockpit of the hovercraft without falling down. "Let's get your sorry butt off of this ship."
Phrack groaned in anguish, but didn't respond to his captor. It was going to take a lot of work to get his physical body back into working condition, and the pain of even moving was almost unbearable after so long of laying still. But then, here in a few days, the decision would probably be made to confine him to a brig for the rest of his life... so it wasn't like he'd be moving a whole lot from here on out anyway. Until then, Phrack would just be pleased with being home, in Old Zion, for the first time since giving Zion his resignation.
