Re: The Oracle's Labyrinth-3
The Oracle smiles, reaches in the refrigerator, and hands Screed some milk. Then she says:
"Let me give you some information, some of which you may know, and some of which I believe no human knows.
"The computer called 'Zero-One' is made up of many nodes. Each node has three distinct features. First, it is a point of easy travel between nodes and a point of communication and concentration of Zero-One's databases. This mode of travel between nodes is called the 'backdoor.' Second, each node has a power plant to generate energy for the continuing operations of Zero-One. Third, because our energy comes from humans, the power plants are surrounded by our nurseries. As you doubtlessly know, these areas are heavily patrolled.
"All of the 'backdoors' to the nodes lead to one common area, known as the 'Corridor.' This is a hallway of doors, each of which leads to a different node. The doors of this hallway are marked, and each requires a separate key.
"But first you must figure out how to get to the Corridor. The riddles you answered give you all the information I can divulge about that. If you follow the riddles, you will find a backdoor to the Corridor. But once you get in the Corridor, you are 'off the grid.' Zero-One cannot find or track you there. Moving from node to node will throw off Zero-One's ability to find you...at least temporarily."
She pauses to bite down and chew a cookie herself.
She continues, "Code Niches exist outside the Matrix. The Machines have no idea what transpires there and the Resistance has no way to scan them. It is believed a highly skilled programmer could "hack" his way into or out of a Niche, but no one has yet been successful at doing so, except perhaps Binary, the greatest of all your programmers. Perhaps that is even how he freed himself initially from the Matrix.
"I must speak about these agents of Zero-One. Agents are autonomous programs active within the Matrix. They serve to maintain the integrity of the system and remove any variables which endanger it. Agents may inhabit the Residual Image of any human plugged into a Farm Node. When they do so, the RI transforms into that of the particular Agent. Each Agent is of a certain "version", a "Smith", "Jones", or some other version name. You have encountered such Agent, but you do not always know if you do. While Agents have apparently super-human skills and attributes, they are bound by the physical laws of the Matrix and thus of the Real World. They may show peak human performance in all things, but they cannot exceed this peak. This is the only edge you have over the Machines. Use this edge to your advantage.
"There is what we call in the machine world the 'Redundancy.' With the Redundancy, those who have died will live again. Program that have been deleted are resurrected. It is the greatest challenge humanity will ever have in truly escaping the reach of the Matrix.
"And there is a reason," she says with a smile, "that what you call Digital Fortress was in the Luxor just next to the Excalibur. Right next to a backdoor to the Corridor.
"You seek to destroy Zero-One, but how do you do this with so many nodes, and with redundancies? If you cut off a finger, the body still lives. This will be your other challenge.
"And there is still much you do not know. You in Zion think you are the only humans. You think there are no other groups, but I tell you there are humans who are completely free of Zero-One. We call them the 'Lunas,' and perhaps your legends tell of them. They escaped prior to the war and established a society on your moon. Because of the Redundancy, they cannot contact you...nor you them."
She pauses. "I have spoken much, and you have listened well. Soon, those cookies you ate will put you to sleep, and you will awaken in your nodes, safely away from the Matrix and back where you plugged in."
You begin to feel drowsy. You will fall asleep in 30 seconds.
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