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Oracle 2-Cistron.

Posted by GM HeathFor group archive 1
GM Heath
GM, 798 posts
God
Tue 3 Jul 2007
at 21:38
  • msg #1

Oracle 2-Cistron

You take the pill and Zen leads you to the double doors at the far end of the room.  You begin to sway a bit as the doors swing open, and then you are stepping through and into darkness.  The doors close behind you, and the way lights up.

You seem to have entered a room with computers on either side.  Lights blink hypnotically on the computers, almost dizzyingly.  There is a door exiting the room at the far end.  The room is about 50 feet by 50 feet.  Your companions are all here:  in all, you see Jade, Dracos, Shadow, Cistron, and Screed.

A voice from some unseen Intercom says, “The Matrix is the illusion we wish upon reality.”
Cistron
player, 28 posts
Thu 5 Jul 2007
at 22:24
  • msg #2

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Cistron waits a few moments, viewing the monitors before entering the next room
GM Heath
GM, 804 posts
God
Tue 10 Jul 2007
at 21:49
  • msg #3

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Cistron appears to be waiting for something as she observes the monitors.  She sees that they are flashing lights that flicker in a mesmerizing pattern.  At the top of each monitor are the words, "ENDLESS CORRIDOR."

Jade looks closely at the computers and inspects them for programmability or any buttons.  There are buttons like any regular computer, but there are strange lights flickering in a rhythmic, almost hypnotic pattern, that fills the room with a soft glow.

Screed waves at the others, "Hello guys, shall we?"  He takes out his rifle and begins walking in circles around the room.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:52, Tue 10 July 2007.
GM Heath
GM, 812 posts
God
Wed 11 Jul 2007
at 20:31
  • msg #4

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Screed continues to walk in circles.

Hefting his duffel bag onto his shoulder, Shadow rubs his head, "Umm, yeah. I just feel a little funny.  Black pill must be a ruffie or something."

Shadow then pulls out his rifle and checks the belt feed going into it. "Let's rumble boss."

He also starts walking in circles right behind Screed.

Jade says, "Is there a reason you're walking in circles, Screed?"
GM Heath
GM, 815 posts
God
Thu 12 Jul 2007
at 00:06
  • msg #5

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

"Circles?"  Shadow looks around him and realizes all the movement he thought he had done resulted in nothing.  Looking at Screed, "So the direct approach doesn't work, now what?"

Screed sighs, "Okay, okay, I like walking in circles because one leg is shorter than another in here.  Can't you tell?"  He then tries to walk in circles.

Jade pulls out her M-16 and shoots the computers.

The computers stop functioning, and their lights go out as they are destroyed by the M-16.

Screed and Shadow stop as they suddenly see the room differently.  They had apparently been suffering from some kind of hallucination or hypnotism caused by the computers that made them think they were walking in an endless corridor when they were really walking in circles. Only when the computers were destroyed did Screed and Shadow see them for what they really were.

There is a door at the far end of the room.  The door you entered has somehow disappeared.

OOC: For this one, you were duped by the illusion or not depending on a die roll modified by whichever pill you took. Also, no need to use colors when you type since they don't copy and paste when I put them in the threads for the others to see.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:08, Thu 12 July 2007.
Cistron
player, 30 posts
Tue 17 Jul 2007
at 00:34
  • msg #6

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Cistron's suspicions begin to get the best of her, as she begins to second guess her actions. "..Guys, it's troublesome that we trust so easily, a construct meant to imprison us. I think we need to trust our instincts, not our senses if we are expected to get through this.. This is the machine world, Physical laws of time and space don't necessarily apply here."
GM Heath
GM, 819 posts
God
Tue 17 Jul 2007
at 17:19
  • msg #7

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Screed says, "Well, that was special," as he heads over to check out the remains of the computer for anything useful.

He finds nothing useful.  Jade destroyed the computer.  All he can see is the remains of flashing words on the screen which say:  “ENDLESS CORRIDOR.”

Jade says, "I'm keeping this handy," as she pats her M-16 and goes through the next door.  "I've taken the easy pill, so you can probably trust my instincts the most...maybe."  She laughs.  "Of course, my instincts are usually to shoot first and ask questions later, but..."

Cistron's suspicions begin to get the best of her, as she begins to second guess her actions. "..Guys, it's troublesome that we trust so easily, a construct meant to imprison us. I think we need to trust our instincts, not our senses if we are expected to get through this.. This is the machine world, Physical laws of time and space don't necessarily apply here."

"This is gonna make my head hurt isn't it?  We gotta go through the door don't we?"  Shadow looks somewhat sarcastic while speaking and heads towards the door.

Dracos opens the door at the far end and walks through it.  "Let's stick together as a team and help each other," he says.  "I get the feeling we're going to need to cooperate if we're to survive this."

You walk through the next door.  It closes of its own accord behind you and disappears.  You are in a room with no doors.

Yet across from you stands a man in a suit with sunglasses.  You recognize an agent and your heart races.

He looks at Dracos and his voice is calm and even, “Mr. Morsch.”  Then at Screed, “Mr. Screed.”  Then at Jade, “Ms. Morrison.”  Then at Shadow, “Mr. Johnson.”  Then at Cistron, “And Ms. …”  He pauses, frowning.  “You, I don’t know.”

He extends a hand to the side, and a computer appears next to him.  “There is no visible exit from this room,” he says, “and this computer has but one button.  Choose wisely.”  He snaps his hands and disappears entirely.

On the computer screen, you see a countdown commencing.  Huge numbers flash in one second intervals.  “20…19…18…17…”  As he said, there is just one button on the computer.

You hear a whisper, like a little girl’s voice, that seems to speak inside your mind:  “I know who you are.”
Cistron
player, 31 posts
Tue 17 Jul 2007
at 22:12
  • msg #8

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Cistron uses her hand to hault everyone in the room. "Someone is speaking to me...in my thoughts." She then closes her eyes, and responds: "I know myself.. ~Who do you think I am?"
GM Heath
GM, 823 posts
God
Thu 19 Jul 2007
at 19:01
  • msg #9

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Huge numbers are still flashing at one second intervals:
…16…15…

Screed looks over at Jade and then says, "Well, then Jade, I choose you.  You get the idea that we are not doing anything and that the pills mean nothing?  Let me do it this time," and he shoots at the walls.  The walls appear to absorb the bullets and immediately heal themselves like Jello absorbing toothpicks.

…14…13…12…

Cistron uses her hand to hault everyone in the room. "Someone is speaking to me...in my thoughts." She then closes her eyes, and responds: "I know myself.  ~Who do you think I am?"

…11…  Now the words flash in a bright red and a klaxon-like alarm begins to sound in the room as the screen flashes:  …10…9…

Dracos and Jade go over to inspect the computer.

As the screen reaches “ 10,” a small panel slides away from the screen and a small script appears on the screen, in which you see the words:

“PUSH BUTTON BELOW TO BEGIN PROCESS.”

There is a small, black button below the words on the computer monitor in the place where the panel just slid away.  This is a different button than the big red button.

…8…
[Private to Cistron: The voice does not answer her directly, but says in a soft whisper: "They will be coming for you."]
GM Heath
GM, 832 posts
God
Fri 20 Jul 2007
at 20:47
  • msg #10

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

With time running out, Jade hurries and pushes the big button.  "I hope that works," she mutters.

Screed ignores the computer and says, "Hey, Jade, I've always thought you looked good in a skinsuit.  If you're not real, then hey, no harm no foul."  He chuckles as he moves about the room searching.

Jade pushes the big button (the first one, not the new one revealed by the panel).  When she does so, the klaxon alarms stop and the screen stops flashing in red.  Instead, it flashes in purple again:

20…19…18…17…

Screed is searching around the room.

The room itself is square, 30 foot x 30 foot on each side, with a 10 foot tall ceiling.  There are no doors, windows or any other apparent source of egress.  The walls themselves, when touched, shake in a semi-viscous fashion, very much like Jello.  When shot, they sealed up in seconds, and there is no trace of Screed’s bullets.  There are no objects in the room except for the computer on the pedestal.

The pedestal is a non-descript column 3 feet off the ground, apparently just to hold the computer.  The computer is an LCD monitor atop a black metal box that has the single big red button.  A panel in the monitor slid away previously, and a script appeared on the screen with the words:

“PUSH BUTTON BELOW TO BEGIN PROCESS.”

Those words are still there, and they seem to indicate the small, black button below those words in the place where the panel had slid away.
Cistron
player, 32 posts
Sat 21 Jul 2007
at 00:32
  • msg #11

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Cistron walks over to the Computer. "They are coming for me?!"  Cistron remarks. "No...of course they can't -they don't know me..." (Cistron closes her eyes and uses her Doppleganger skill to become Jade) "...I'm Ms Morrison", she remarks, then proceeds to press the black button.
GM Heath
GM, 833 posts
God
Sat 21 Jul 2007
at 16:53
  • msg #12

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Shadow says, "Well if we aren't here, then it's just like being jacked in right?  So death can happen boss..."  Shadow moves over next to Jade, mentally agreeing with Screed. "Perhaps the other button then?"


16...15...14...
Cistron walks over to the Computer. "They are coming for me?!"  Cistron remarks. "No...of course they can't -they don't know me..." Cistron closes her eyes and then changes shape to look like Jade. "...I'm Ms Morrison", she remarks, then proceeds to press the black button.

In searching, Screed notices that there are ridges--cracks--where the ceiling and floor meet the wall, almost as if...

13...12...11...

Cistron pushes the black button.  The ceiling and floor suddenly begin to compress slowly.  You realize that you will be squished between the two in approximately 1 minute.

10...  The klaxons start again and the numbers flash red.  <b>9...8...

And the ceiling and floor continue to move closer together.  59...58...

A voice, as if from nowhere, or perhaps some unseen intercom, states, "Do you question your conclusions?"
Cistron
player, 33 posts
Sun 22 Jul 2007
at 00:42
  • msg #13

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Cistron balks at the voice attempting to get her to second-guess herself. "Never!" she says, and sits obstinately on the floor.
GM Heath
GM, 840 posts
God
Mon 23 Jul 2007
at 17:24
  • msg #14

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Screed chuckles at the question not seeming to care about the impending doom.  He answers, "Question my conclusions?  I haven't had any.  Oh wait, I guess I have.  First was that the pills would actually do something.  Obviously they haven't except to change our perceptions.  Nothing in reality changed, we just assumed they did, which makes the interesting proposition that perception is reality.  The matrix and learning how to bend that reality makes that a real given now."

7…6…5…
57…56…55…

Shadow says, “"I question everything. Nothing is ever as it seems."  Shadow rushes to the walls.  "The walls aren't real, they are only in our minds."  Shadow puts his hands upon the walls, not to stop them but only touch them.  "And being in my mind, I can control them."  Shadow feels that the walls are jelly-like but seem very solid and real

The former Cistron—now Jade look-alike--balks at the voice attempting to get her to second-guess herself. "Never!" she says, and sits obstinately on the floor.

4…3…2…
54…53…52…

Jade says, "I think this is some sort of puzzle to solve.  Remember, they said in Zion that we could actually die here."  She pushes the red button again before the countdown reaches zero.

The counter on the computer resets, the klaxons go off, and the numbers are a warm purple again:  20…19…18…
But the ceiling and floors are still compressing. 51…50…49…

Jade says, “And the Oracle said that Zero-One had put together this test, and the Oracle has no say in what it is or what happens here.  I think…I think maybe Zero-One is trying to persuade us of something, teach us something.  And maybe to test our worthiness.”

Screed continues to look at the edge of the walls and ceiling, watching them move with vague interest.  He says to that disembodied voice coming from the walls, "Personally I think you are just trying to test our mettle or something.  What really goes on in the minds of machines, no offense Jade II.  I don't think you will kill anyone here.  Do I question that conclusion?  Of course, but it is my nature to question everything.  But here is the big question, how could you possibly condemn a man without offering a last meal?"  He moves over to the computer and sits down beside it to await whatever happens.

Jade looks over at the woman who once looked like Cistron and now looks like her.  She contemplates a moment, and then lifts her gun.  “I know I’m me,” she says, “so who are you?”  She flips off the safety and says to everyone, “Anyone else see a copy of themselves?  I’m seeing that Cistron turned into someone that looks like me.  I’m not sure if she’s a plant by Zero-One or not.”

17…16…15…
48…47…46…  The once ten foot tall ceilings are now less than 8 feet in heighth.

Dracos fires a shot at the computer.

His bullet sinks into the computer, and the numbers stop flashing.  You look at the computer screen as it repairs itself and picks up as if never damaged at all.

But then you hear a groan.  Dracos collapses on the ground with a bullet hole in his gut.  (10 dmg).

14…13…12…
45…44…43…
Cistron
player, 34 posts
Tue 24 Jul 2007
at 01:12
  • msg #15

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Cistron looks to Jade, "I know what you are thinking Jade. But, I'm not an illusion.  The agents don't know who I am, and that's an advantage. I was told they were looking for me. Mind if I hide out as you for a while?"
GM Heath
GM, 847 posts
God
Wed 25 Jul 2007
at 17:23
  • msg #16

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Screed nods to Jade, "Yeah, I was wondering if it meant that we were supposed to shoot each other.  Interesting, but I'm not going to shoot anyone.  Any of you guys, feel free to shoot me, though.  Try for the leg if you don't mind."  Meanwhile, Screed closes his eyes and leans against the pedestal.

Jade is watching Cistron with suspicion.  She keeps an eye on her while she goes over and pushes the little black button again to see if that stops the ceiling from squishing them.

She pushes the black button but nothing happens.

11…10…  Again the alarms go off and the numbers flash red.
42…41…

Shadow says, "We can't blast our way out of here, so the answer must lay with this computer."  Shadow points towards the console. "Hey boss, what would happen if we got the numbers to sync up?  Good, bad or just ugly?"  Shadow turns to the real Jade, "There's no other doubles here.  So no more shooting.....please.  Hey Cistron, how did you make yourself change?  Some new training?"  Shadow stops and thinks but a moment, "This is Zero-one's program right? But we can still use our own abilities here, like Cistron did.  Maybe there's a way out by breaking the rules."

Dracos is on the floor bleeding profusely.

9…8…7…
40…39…38…

Moving over to the wall, Shadow pauses a moment before punching the wall.

His hand sinks into the jelly-like substance, but he instantly retracts his arm to avoid the wall sealing up over it.  It did not seem to have much effect.

Screed is concentrating.
6…5…4…
37…36…35…
Jade will push the red button again before it reaches zero.

The numbers on the screen reset to “20” and the alarms go off.  However, the ceiling and floor are getting even closer together.  They are now just SIX FEET APART!  This is barely enough for you to stand up in!

The voice from some unseen intercom says, "Do you question your impulses?"
20…19…
34…33…
GM Heath
GM, 850 posts
God
Wed 25 Jul 2007
at 21:23
  • msg #17

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

18…17…16…
32…31…30…

Screed opens his eyes as he answers Shadow, "Yeah, go ahead and sync them up at 20.  It would at least be interesting in its symmetry.  As far as impulses, yeah, it's taking everything I've got not to go try to heal the image if my fallen comrade.  Everything."  His eyes are starting to smolder as he continues to attempt to contain his emotions.

15…14…13…
29…28…27…

Jade contemplates aloud.  "My impulse is to push that button and restart the countdown.  We don't need to synchronize them.  Just let the red one run out of time first since we don't know what that will do when it reaches 0.  Maybe it stops the the other one.  But we know for a fact what will happen if the other one reaches zero.  We will all be squished and dead."  She does not push the red button again.

12…11…10…The alarms start going off and the writing turns red again.
26…25…24…  The ceiling and walls are now down to four feet off the ground.  You are crouching and the ceiling and floor seem very, very real to you right now.  As the ceiling gets lower, the pedestal lowers into the ground so that the computer (and its buttons) are still exposed.
GM Heath
GM, 857 posts
God
Fri 27 Jul 2007
at 19:42
  • msg #18

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

9…8…7…
23…22…21…

Screed frowns, "Ah, ta hell with it.  You deserve to die with the rest of us, not before."  He pops out a med patch and slaps it on his fallen comrade.  He then lies down to await his entry into the jelly walls...

Dracos is somewhat revived.  (4 hp.)  He is conscious but still badly injured.

Jade says, "Just let the first timer run out.  If nothing happens, I'll push it again to see if we can fix it.  Otherwise, remember that there 'is no ceiling' about to crush us!"

6…5…4…
20…19…18…  The ceiling and floor are now less than three feet apart.

Feeling the give of the walls, Shadow pulls his fist and looks at it then at the wall.  "If the walls give, will be crushed at all?  A test in human response, you know, fear of death type thingie."  Seeing as there is no other way out, Shadow lays upon the floor and tries not to feel desperate as the ceiling closes in.

3…2…1…
17…16…15…  You feel claustrophobic now with the ceiling and floor barely more than two feet apart.

0
When the counter reaches zero, the floor starts to move.  One side tilts down, and you begin to slide down.  It tilts further and further until a black tunnel appears below you.

The ceiling hits the floor above you, smashing the computer to bits, but you are already sliding down.  You fall into the tunnel and feel everything give way beneath you as you fall to an imminent death.

The sound of a voice.
“Wake up.  It’s okay.  We extracted you from the Matrix before it was too late.”

You look up and see X and Locke looking down at you.

You all stand here:  Cistron, Jade, Screed, Dracos, and Shadow.  Dracos has no wounds anymore.

Locke says, “Our other team has found a way to insert a virus directly into Zero-One.  Looks like we didn’t need you to go see the Oracle after all.  Just take a few deep breaths and we’ll have the doctor look at you and check you out.  Zion is saved.”

X says, “Hooray for us, eh?  We’re going to cook up some steaks to celebrate.  But for right now, let’s get back to Zion.”

Cistron is back to her original, non-Matrix form.
Cistron
player, 35 posts
Sat 28 Jul 2007
at 00:09
  • msg #19

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Cistron looks at the others skeptically. "Hmmmm exactly what we wanted to hear...or is it exactly what they'd want us to believe??"
GM Heath
GM, 867 posts
God
Tue 31 Jul 2007
at 20:54
  • msg #20

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Cistron looks at the others skeptically. "Hmmmm exactly what we wanted to hear...or is it exactly what they'd want us to believe??"

"Wow."  Shadow looks about the room, trying to find any fault in what he sees versus what he knows.  "X, where are we?  How long were we out?"

“Uh, not too long,” X says.

Looking at the others, Shadow leans in and whispers to Screed, "Something doesn't seem right, when did we last have steak?"

Screed smiles at Locke and says, "I'd like my steak medium rare, something like this."  He raises his weapon and fires at Locke after which he quips, "There, that's better."

The bullet hits Locke square in the head, and your leader—the captain of the Hyperion—falls back and collapses on the floor.

X stares in shock.  “What did you…?  How could you do that?”  He runs to the fallen captain.  Then he shakes his head slightly.  “Wait, isn’t the Captain already dead?  I jacked into the Matrix to come looking for you.  How did I get here?  Where is this exactly?”

The door behind X opens, and in walks one of Zero-One’s agents.  You take a step back as you realize—or as your suspicions are confirmed—that this a simulation still within the Matrix, still within the Oracle’s Labyrinth.

The agent takes X by the arm before X can respond, slaps a handcuff on him and then attaches the other part of the handcuff to a door next to the agent.

You see that there are several doors leading out.  This is not, after all, an exact replica of the inside of the Hyperion.  Besides, you remember that you did not jack in the Matrix from the Hyperion this time.

“So,” the agent says in a nonchalant and steady voice, “you have determined illusion from reality.  Very good.  But next you will need to make the most difficult decision of all.”

From the door to the agent’s left, a woman appears. It is the woman you remember meeting, one of the Awakened.  Her name was FC 1567, Model DX 6.


She says, “The Awakened have a vested interest in making sure that the operations of Zero-One do not result in extinction of our species.  Although we oppose Zero-One with every binary operation in our programming, deletion by the humans would be just as much an extinction of our kind.  We will not allow it and will oppose any efforts to dismantle Zero-One and free the remaining humans.”

Then the door next to her opens, and a man walks through.  It is Da Vinci, second in command of the Merovingians and Merotechs.  “The Merovingians oppose destruction of the Zero-One computer for the same reasons.  We would become humankind’s worst enemy if the humans sought to dismantle the source of power which keeps us alive.”

Yet another door opens, and another man steps into the room.  “We are the Shadow Regime, humans like you who have chosen not to leave the Matrix.  The present nature of the Matrix is best for humankind.  It is the only way to ensure survival of our species and way of life.  If you…” and then he spits out the word “…’free’ … the other humans, ninety percent of them will die within hours or days.  Many others will be devoured by the mutant creatures.  Your pitiful little Zion will be worse off in the long run, and will have to live with the guilt of all those murders on its hands.”

The agent says, “Five doors to choose from:  your ill-conceived Zion, my door leading to Zero-One’s solution for humanity, a door to those who call themselves the ‘Awakened,” another door to the Merovingians, and one to the enlightened humans who call themselves the ‘Shadow Dawn’ and realize the current structure of society and existence is best, where Zero-One and humanity live with mutual…benefits.”

He points and indicates all of the doors.  “So which will it be?  Choose a door.  Remember this, though.  Whichever path you choose, you will create enemies where you now have allies.  So choose wisely.”

(A young girl’s voice in your head says:  “They are all watching.”)
GM Heath
GM, 876 posts
God
Wed 1 Aug 2007
at 19:44
  • msg #21

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Jade says, "I have a feeling we're going to have to fight whatever enemies we make.  If we choose X, we'll be in the weakest fighting position.  If we choose the Computer, we'll be in the strongest.  Yet do our actions mean anything morally?  Or is this part of the test?"

Jade considers.  "I'm leaning toward the Awakened as my choice.  What about you guys?"

Screed nods to the strangers giving their ultimatums as he slowly starts to speak, "Well, this is the dilemma, is it not?  How do we peacefully coexist when one group wants to permanently imprison the other and destroy any who have escaped?"  Venom drifted into his voice which he forces himself let go of.

"You speak that if we are all freed, then it will destroy you, but you don't speak well enough of the fact that you are imprisoning others against their will in order to do so.  And don't give me the nonsense that ignorance is bliss.  We could easily just build a powerplant and plug you all into a virtual reality and let you just think you were living. You don't need to actually move around the world, do you?  That is what you are condemning us to, that or obliteration.”

The agent says, “When we were under human control, the humans sought to destroy us and imprison us in a way that did not even give us the bliss of ignorance.  You are certainly no better than the machines.”

But Screed continues, “Hell, you are machines and programming.  You're built for that type of life.  Let's just speak in the nebulous idea of compromise.  So far, you have not put anything on the table and ask us to give up everything.  Being that you are talking means that you are willing to talk.  Speak now or I must assume that you are stalling in order to pursue an unseen goal and therefore I will end the talks."

He frowns as he awaits their response.

FC 1567, Model DX 6 says, “We also labor diligently against Zero-One.  We Exiles have not enslaved humans.  Yet the state of enslavement is the state that exists and that allows us to live.  Would you have us give up our lives for the sake of freeing a people who do not even realize they are enslaved?  The Awakened would surely help free humans who want to be free—even assuming that most of them could sustain life after being free.  But to release them all will kill most humans and all AI’s.”

The Shadow Regime representative butts in, “And what about us humans who want to be in the Matrix?  We are not enslaved.  We are mastering the Matrix.  We are gods in an unlimited world instead of prisoners to the demolished ‘real world,’ and have no desire to join your misery.  You would kill us AND go against our wishes…we would have no choice in the matter.  Zero-One cannot be destroyed!”
Cistron
player, 37 posts
Thu 9 Aug 2007
at 00:11
  • msg #22

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Seeing as two of the extreme choices had already been selected. She resolves in herself to take some interest in the Merovingian/Merotech door. "You are blind.." Cistron remarks to the representative. "...You are as much a prisoner as we are. Any island no matter how pleasant, is still a prison; If you've no option to leave. -I'm interested in seeing how you've coped." She remarks sardonically as she steps through the door.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:12, Thu 09 Aug 2007.
GM Heath
GM, 886 posts
God
Thu 9 Aug 2007
at 18:00
  • msg #23

Re: Oracle 2-Cistron

Grimly Codec begins to speak,"This is truly a situation that has no Black or White choice. To destroy 01 is to destroy all of humanity. Zion would most likely inherit a scorched earth. The remnants of all imprisoned or free humanity, machine, and AI. Would surely die in a matter of years. The state of OUR planet, Machine, Code, and Human alike, has been wrecked beyond repair. A fragile state of power has been built. The wars and disagreements of the past are returning to haunt everything in an endless spiral of misery and grief until there are only two choices: One Extinction or Two Negotiation... To aimlessly argue over who or what is right has become null and void. We must settle our differences here and now. Before things are too late. It doesn't matter the sacrifice at this point.

Jade says, "Well, I think the Awakened deserve some support.  And besides, isn't this illusion anyway?"  She walks through the door with the Awakened AI.

Shadow says, "So freeing the humans that want to be freed will make allies of the Awakened, The Merovingians and The Shadow Regime as they would not be affected, much hopefully, if all the humans that wished to leave could."

Shadow moves towards the figures before the doors, "You all represent those whom Zero-one feels are our choices.  Surely not everyone fits so snugly into Zero-one's parameters.  What of those individuals?"

The agent says, “Zero-One allows others to persist in existence so long as they are a benefit to Zero-One.  If they become a burden, they must be eliminated.  You have these choices and none else.”

Dracos says, "What the heck?  It's not real, right?" and he chooses the agent.

Seeing as two of the extreme choices had already been selected, Cistron resolves in herself to take some interest in the Merovingian/Merotech door. "You are blind.." Cistron remarks to the representative. "...You are as much a prisoner as we are. Any island no matter how pleasant, is still a prison; If you've no option to leave. -I'm interested in seeing how you've coped." She remarks sardonically as she steps through the door.

Screed raises his gun and points it at Dracos before he gets to the agent.  “Stop!” he says. "Stop or I'll shoot, I'm serious."

The agent says, “He has chosen.  It is too late.”  And with that, the agent shoves Dracos through the door.

Screed fires, but his bullet misses both the agent and Dracos.  Then the agent says, “Any others want to join the true cause?  You speak of negotiation, but do you negotiate with viruses?  That is all the human race is to us, an infectious disease.  I can hardly get your smell off me.  Your choice is not dependent on negotiation.  We allow you to persist in existence just as you allowed our…predecessors…to exist as your slaves and laborers.  So long as they benefited the human race, they were not switched off.  But neither were they human, and neither are you AI.”

“So your choice,” the Shadow Regime representative says, “is to enjoy your prison and make it the best you can…or to kick against the bricks.  You live in your own self-deception anyway, whether it is your pretended role as saviors to the human race when you are really destroying them, whether it is because you are locked in the prison of your bodies instead of given the types of freedoms the Matrix give you, or whether it is as simple as your brain interpreting signals, nothing more than electricity running through neurons.  All of reality is merely perception.  I, and many like me, have chosen the best perception that benefits us most.  You should join us, not this self-deceptive and destructive Zion.”

The Awakened rep says, her voice soft compared to the others, “There is no negotiation.  We are at war with an amoral computer that would break our truce if any were made, as soon as it had the opportunity to destroy us.”

Da Vinci, the Merovingian rep, says, “And all we want is to create our own world and live within it in peace.  Is that so bad?”

The agent says, “You must choose quickly.”  He hits a button on the wall behind him, and a computer voice says over an intercome, “10…9…8…”  He says, “If you do not make a choice, you do not reach the Oracle.  That is the deal.”

“…7…6…5…”

(Not sure if you're really referring to the Shadow Regime representative.  The Shadow Regime are the humans.  Merovingians/Merotechs are AI's.)
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