Re: Matrix Engame = Oracle - 1
Zen turns to you and says, "When the Oracle was first born from the Code, it was an anomaly, a place where all those ones divided by zeroes go, a ghost in the machine. It's functions and formulas and strands of code quickly multiplied, and within hours it had taken the form of a human. But it found itself lacking something, something beyond the code that was needed."
He indicates the many patients. "At first the Oracle was benevolent, an angel of mercy. She parted with her code to heal the infirm and fix the equations that weren't working properly. But there was an itch she couldn't scratch, knowing she could know more, could do more, if only she had something the code could not give her. And so she realized that the infirm, those closest to God, closest to having their Code flatlined--they could help her, and she could help them. Their brainpower, their spirits--whatever you want to call that unique something that makes them human and cannot be duplicated inside the code--she saved them from death and they agreed to lend her their minds. She gave them foresight and a group mind--a hive mind."
He laughs. "And they are happy. And it--she--is happy. But when Zero-One caught her interfering for humanity's sake and saw the danger of their awakening, it nearly deleted her. But she could have introduced a virus that would have wiped out both Zero-One and humanity, and so the two stood at an impasse. They entered a non-interference covenant. Neither will interfere with the other."
He shrugs and says, "But as with any law, as with any code, there are loopholes. The test is one such loophole. If you pass, she can give you certain...revelations. She can tell you what you need to know, no more, no less. The question you have to answer," and he points to each of you individually, "is which test you would like to take."
He steps over to one of the medical devices and pulls out a large pillbox, which he opens. You see four sets of pills: white, orange, purple, and black.
"If you take the white pill," he says, "you will return to your awakened state in your own Zion reality. You will go back. If you take the orange pill, you will engage in the most basic...and thus least ultimately beneficial or revelatory...of the tests. The purple pill engages a more difficult test, but also has greater reward. And the black pill...some..." and he looks around, indicating that he is referring to the patients around him, "...say it is suicide, but others say it is the way to truly get all you can from the Oracle."
He holds out the box. "You choose. And choose wisely. If you succeed, you will see Oracle in her original form, the only part of the Oracle that is not human. If you fail, the penalties could be painful and far-reaching...even deadly."
He waits a moment as you think about it and then says, "Just remember that Binary, the original Awakened at Zion, was the first to discover the Matrix. When he tracked down the Oracle, he was given two pills...and the rest is history."