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25The small, secluded room was dark and dank. The techs weren’t sure when the last time any of them had seen the light of either of the suns. It had been only their work which occupied there attentions for too long to remember. But something, maybe just a sparkle, but it looked like they had finally found something. “Take a look at the Gamma Alpha batch. Charlie!” one of the techs said to another, finally displaying some emotion. “That one might be a segment of the Rimera virus. It looks like it from topside.” He handed the other man a small holo-generator and a small plate of glass. “And run the seventy-second poly’rithim through it. We might find something in that too.” They went back to their slow but steady pace of work.
26It had been a long and hard day, especially for one as busy as Rolowski. She now had to deal with the Internal Affairs Director charging into her office and demanding that she report back to Command immediatly, and refused to tell her what it what it was about. She was led by a silent guard into the classified labs, filled with equipment and papers that didn’t even exist. He led her to a door labeled “Interogation Room,”and motioned for her to enter. She smoothed out her uniform and stepped through. Inside, sitting at a table, was Datatech Sindar Roze. Sindar rose to her feet and greeted Rolowski.27“Empath, please sit.” She motioned Rolowoski to a chair. “Now Empath, this investigation is not regarding you specifically,”Sindar began. “However, any attempts at cover-up will be detected and you may be punished. So please, be completely honest. Now, for starters, where was your superior, Empath Giardi?” So was suspicion sowed.
“You must listen to me, Academician! I tell the bitter truth, and you do not accept it!” A hand slammed down on Zarhakov’s desk “Why do you persist in such utter nonsense? We both know that they will not come up with anything! Is it simply a gesture of power?!” All this came from the mouth of a man who was storming through Zarhakov’s office.28 He whipped around and stared at Zarhakov. “Don’t just sit there! Answer me!”
Zarhakov calmly looked back at the man. “Alexandri, you must not get so angry. It is bad for morale. Yes, I know that all results coming from the labs have been negative. But you must believe Alexandri! Believe! Is it not worth the risk to find out?”
Spit flew from Alexandri’s mouth. “Indeed, it is worth it, if it was possible to even find out! But these algorithms that have been developed are simply recurring loops in the standardized form as proved by the Urian Theorem. You know that!” Alexandri threw his weight into a chair, exhausted.
“I know that the theorem says it can’t be. I also know theorems can be wrong.” Zarhakov reached into a drawer and pulled out a bottle.29“Here. Would a little vodka help? It isn’t the original, I don’t have much of that left, but it is good and strong!” With a tilt of the bottle, he fills up two glasses, and handed one to Alexandri. “To the good times, old friend.”
“To good times and those to come.” With a gulp, he drained the vodka and smacked his lips. “Now then, it is time to do something about those foolish Pirates. Do you agree?”
Zarhakov smiled, an evil smile. “Yes, it is time. And I think I have just the thing......”
Once again, the Paer’dt was on the move. The security teams had missed him on the last sweep, but he needed to work fast.30He activated the timer on a diversionary device, and planted it to the right of the path. Lastly, he called out with his mind for the worms and began running. About twenty-five meters down the trail, he heard the first scream from his device. He dove for cover, and began to crawl along the bank of the trail. He heard gunfire, and voices. Inside his head, he heard a little voice telling him to stop, but he had long since stopped listening to it. From his pack, he pulled a batch of explosive material. He next hefted it in one hand, to estimate its weight and how large of a detonator would need to be used on it. Another set of blaster fire rang out, much closer. He stuck the material back in his pack, and crawled on.31 As he reached the beginning of the sensor grid, he removed a small pen-like device from his pack. Slowly, and with precise movement, he pointed it at the sensor. A small, bluish stream was emitted, similar to a tuning tool. The sensor beeped once then went quiet. He removed the tool, and did the same thing to the next sensor. Next, he stepped out into the field, and activated the grid....
Alarms in the networking center of Zybroski began sounding. The techs raced over to the terminals are read the messages. Someone was in the network. Immediately the loudspeaker began giving orders out, and someone commed the on-duty technician in charge of network patrols. Armed with standard security measures, he entered the system.32 The first thing he noticed was the damage. Someone was in his precious system, and didn’t mind leaving tracks. He armed the first tracking probe, and set it loose, keeping his eyes ‘open’ to watch for signs. A rush from the left, and three hunter viruses swirled towards him. Focusing, he bounded up, sweeping them out with a viral probe. He looked around for his assailant, but saw nothing. His arm went up, then nothingness. He blinked his eyes, and found himself back at the data port. Realizing what had happened, he tore the link from its socket and threw it on the floor. 33 Sparks began to fly out of the socket. He grabbed the nearest com-link. “Get electrical down here, priority urgent!” After the repair team came down and went to work, he slumped back into his chair, disgusted. He had been so close. They didn’t even have a probe on him, so the other patrol technicians were going to be having trouble.
Indeed, the others were having trouble. The Paer’dt was skilled in cyber-combat, and had the advantage of being on the attack, which is almost always a good thing. The only problem is that it can be turned against you very easily. The techs were attempting to trap him, but he would never come all the way after them.... It was almost as if it was simply a distraction. The tech that used to work at University realized this first, and sent a com out.34 Command got the word out to patrols in the right areas to be stepped up. Meanwhile, research was trying to find out where this guy had come from..... The only place where people get this good was with the Data Angels, and they hadn’t been having problems.. Had they? Long-range communications was impossible, so they couldn’t find out very easy. Bolt fire rang out through the voice, and the sound of a returning volley. Sensor techs had alarms sounding around the area, and patrols gathered to defend the base like bees are drawn to honey. More bolts rang out, and then the screams were heard. Quickly, several patrols rushed forward.... to find the remainder of the perimeter patrol, who had been assaulted by... droids? 35 They quickly examined the remains, to find nothing incriminating. Nonetheless, they took the parts for further tech examination. After clearing the area, they headed back, making sure to leave some patrols behind. By the time they made it back, there had been a full network shut-down, incapacitating production for now, but ridding their systems of the intruder. It had been a very bad day.
The Data Angels were reasonably infuriated by the claims made against them. They vigorously denied having any rouge personnel36 . This forced network evaluation of every system within linkage distance of Zybroski. This, of course, delayed production for a while, and the normal insurrectionist activities used this as fuel for their war campaigns. Security activity was severly increased, which created more discontent. Meanwhile, the leaders of the factions were in severe standings with each other, the effect multiplied due to lack of good communications. Everything was coming together, and the end approached.....
Defensible positions on the fungal ridge arose.37 More sensor grids were erected, and constant checks were run on the surveillance equipment. Aki-Zeta started upping prices on her sensor algorithms, and began to have energy pour in. Morgan’s monopolies began to vanish beneath him, and Svensgaard became more in more withdrawn. Drone uprisings and revolts happened frequently, nearly everywhere. The Free Drones became generally regarded as terrorists, as the closest represenative of their kind. Empaths started congregating with each other, and avoiding normal people. Generally, the social structure that had been built up began to erode beneath the factions.38 Everything was coming apart and together at the same time.....
The University was the first faction to notice it. More accurately, the lack of it. When tech shifts ended, and the new ones moved in, a relative newcomer decided he wanted to see the flares again. He shifted view to the view of Hercules. Nothing. It looked normal. His eyes flared open, but he didn’t say anything, for fear of falling victim to a practical joke. He pulled up a communications window to a Consciousness base, a good distance away, that they hadn’t been able to communicate with. He sent a test firing out..... and got a return signature!39 A powerful one at that! He fired a few more test fires, and got returns every time. Finally, as a final test, he tried a private com to a friend he had there. The vid-link came up on the screen, her face showing bright. “Bryan! You didn’t tell me you were coming! Where are you?”
Bryan deadpanned,”Working. At base. The lines are open!” When this brought his friend’s eyes open, he said,”No telling yet! I get first!” He broke contact, and turned to announce it.40 This produced instant disbelief, but they took a look, just the same. When they realized what they were seeing, the lines began filling up with traffic, trying to verify this, before they announced anything.
The announcement went out on the University nets, and went from there to all the Conciousness nets, and then throughout the factions. For some reason or another though, the Pirates net was closed down, and nothing could get through their links, so all ambassadors were cut off.41 This made for some very slow negotiations, until the Pirates began expelling the ambassadors, and gunship activity was stepped up. For some, such as the Conciousness, this was the final straw. Their cruisers were taken out of storage, and their techs began studying blueprints from fifty to a hundred years ago, with outdated weaponry and shielding. New platforms would be needed, new AAA batteries, basically everything had to be adapted. Soon, the machine that was their manufactoring system began to wake up, and mass produce the new Tachyon Amphibious Cruiser. 42 Specially designed for ship-to-ship warfare, the troops aboard each ship were trained in boarding operations, and were skilled with normal hand weapons, and equally skilled in hand-to-hand combat.
The Data Angels had spread their security patrols, and information scans over a large area, but had not turned up and good leads on the location of the missing Empath. It was almost as if she had been swallowed by Planet. When this news reached Datatech Roze, she began her rampage. “We are called the Data Angels! This is the best that we can do? Are you trying to get me out on the networks? Do I personally need to run this search?”43 Her advisors attempted to calm her, but with no result. She brushed through them, saying,”Is she that good? The head Datatech of the entire faction has to go out to find her?” As she spoke the words, a chiming sounded. One of the techs raised their voice, as they typed furiously on their board.
“I have something, Datatech. You may want to look at this...” Roze launched herself over to the board, and stared at the screen. 44 A large diagram was shown, and a flashing icon in the corner.
Roze clinched her hand tight on the tech’s shoulder, and said,”Maximize the image!” The icon grew larger, revealing text. Roze read for a few moments, then turned. “Polito, we need five rovers ready to move, and three enhanced infantry armed and ready in two hours.” Her military advisor, who had been watching, nodded and reached for his com-link.
45 The University had sent up several ships to examine Chiron’s Station, all armed with the newest Tachyon technology. It had been up there for a while, and there was no telling how bad it had been contaminated by the fungus. Containment suits were mandatory on all walks around it, and there was a general area quarantine on merchant and transport traffic. Most research techs were busy analyzing the satellites data from the solar flares.46 They didn’t have much time to notice small overusage alarms that were going off... which resulted in some very bad things. Deep inside their data network....
The last of the mercenaries extracted themselves from the link, rubbing at the data terminal at the side of their neck. Svensgaard, standing there impatiently, asked quickly of them,”Did you get it?”
The leader, still rubbing his neck, responded,”Keep your men back. We got your data chip. Now, if you don’t mind, our pay?” Svensgaard handed him a cred-chip, and nearly ripped the data chip out of the man’s hand. Without another word, he rushed out of the room, and to his personal terminal. 47 Inserting the chip into the input drive, he loaded the data onto his screen. A set of building blueprints came up on the screen. After examining them, he stuck another chip in a second slot, and copied the chip off. The original chip he removed and hid it. The copy he took to the manufacturing supervisor, to see what he could do with it.48 Once the supervisor saw the plans, his eyes grew wide.
“Where’d these come from? I’ve only heard of this from two places, one that doesn’t exist, and one from a person that never was here. The last I knew, the..... Gaians were trying to develop this!”
“That, you don’t need to know. The question is, can you build it?” Svensgaard asked.
“Well...... let me see. Right materials, and a goodly allotment of techs. Maybe. I’d say..... fifty percent with techs and the highest quality materials. And that’s the best probability you’re going to get this side of whoever developed this.”
Svensgaard said,”Write up a list. I’ll see what I can do.” With that he strode off, not waiting for an answer.
49 Morgan stood waiting, attempting simply by standing and staring to speed up the price transfer from the off-planet Morgan exchanges. As the last of the data made its way across the cables, he transferred all of it straight into the stock net, before the trading ended. As it went through what he felt were unnecessary barriers that scanned all the data, alarms began to sound, and his station went black, along with all the lights in his sector. He looked up, becoming suspicious. “Lights!” With no response from the automated system, he flashed his quicklink on. Nothing. The link was blanked out. 50 He heard the pounding of footsteps down the corridors. Then, a faint bit of light began to shine from the door. In a moment, the door blew back and a faint bit of light seeped through. Two men stepped into the open, and shone large lights into the room. They spotlighted Morgan, and said,”Anyone else in here?” not even recognizing him. He stood tall and stared them down, and began to approach them. A flash of recognition flashed in their eyes. They reached for their links, and said,”We’ve found the CEO. Repeat, we have found Morgan. Med team down here right away!”51 Morgan shrugged them off.
“I’m fine! Nothing happened to me... what happened to the computers and power?” The men looked at each other, than back at Morgan.
“You mean, you didn’t know?”
“Why would I be asking if I knew,”Morgan raged.
“Data link was corrupted, sir. Someone had a tracer in files going over our networks. Probably trying to get some data. We snapped them hard though, I doubt they’ll be back.”52 Morgan looked at them suspiciously.
“How many other sectors had this problem,” Morgan asked. He noticed both men twisting themselves to try and hide something.... guns? So that explained it! He looked accusingly at them. “You were going to shoot whoever was in here, weren’t you! You thought that someone was purposefully adding the tracer into the datastream in here! Who gave you the orders? Tell me now!”
“Director Aring, sir. Do you need any more help?”53 Without saying a word, Morgan stormed off past them.
Together and apart the loop pulled. Never ceasing in its endless revolutions. Aki sat contemplating the figure that was displayed on the viewscreen. A half-helix. It spun around nothingness, a point that was not there and yet was. It was times like these, that most of all, she let Luttinen have control. It was odd, such a severe personality acting like a little child. She could gaze endlessly at the spiral in front of her. Alas, she had not the time for such things, but such is life.54 She smiled briefly, then closed the contact on the circuit board, bringing up a display of the communications going through to Svensgaard. Tracers ran down the board, displaying known data from their own databanks. Next, Aki accessed the other factions databases, looking heavily at the Data Angel reports. Finally, she sent tracers on all the numbers contacted, checking for usage out. Now that that was done, she moved onto some slightly less critical things.
55 The mobilized gunboats moved about as little blinking lights on Svensgaard’s screen, as he waited to hear from the local supervisor of manufacturing. A small tone sounded. He activated the link. “Captain Svensgaard here!” he answered it. A lower chime that was the sound of the switching of circuits reached his ear, then the voice of the supervisor.
“I have the list you asked for, Captain. I’m transmitting it right now.”
Ulrik waited for receipt verification, then closed the channel with only a brief,”I’ll get back with you.” He looked down the list..... Nothing too hard to find.56 He looked over it once more, then opened up his list of suppliers.
26It had been a long and hard day, especially for one as busy as Rolowski. She now had to deal with the Internal Affairs Director charging into her office and demanding that she report back to Command immediatly, and refused to tell her what it what it was about. She was led by a silent guard into the classified labs, filled with equipment and papers that didn’t even exist. He led her to a door labeled “Interogation Room,”and motioned for her to enter. She smoothed out her uniform and stepped through. Inside, sitting at a table, was Datatech Sindar Roze. Sindar rose to her feet and greeted Rolowski.27“Empath, please sit.” She motioned Rolowoski to a chair. “Now Empath, this investigation is not regarding you specifically,”Sindar began. “However, any attempts at cover-up will be detected and you may be punished. So please, be completely honest. Now, for starters, where was your superior, Empath Giardi?” So was suspicion sowed.
“You must listen to me, Academician! I tell the bitter truth, and you do not accept it!” A hand slammed down on Zarhakov’s desk “Why do you persist in such utter nonsense? We both know that they will not come up with anything! Is it simply a gesture of power?!” All this came from the mouth of a man who was storming through Zarhakov’s office.28 He whipped around and stared at Zarhakov. “Don’t just sit there! Answer me!”
Zarhakov calmly looked back at the man. “Alexandri, you must not get so angry. It is bad for morale. Yes, I know that all results coming from the labs have been negative. But you must believe Alexandri! Believe! Is it not worth the risk to find out?”
Spit flew from Alexandri’s mouth. “Indeed, it is worth it, if it was possible to even find out! But these algorithms that have been developed are simply recurring loops in the standardized form as proved by the Urian Theorem. You know that!” Alexandri threw his weight into a chair, exhausted.
“I know that the theorem says it can’t be. I also know theorems can be wrong.” Zarhakov reached into a drawer and pulled out a bottle.29“Here. Would a little vodka help? It isn’t the original, I don’t have much of that left, but it is good and strong!” With a tilt of the bottle, he fills up two glasses, and handed one to Alexandri. “To the good times, old friend.”
“To good times and those to come.” With a gulp, he drained the vodka and smacked his lips. “Now then, it is time to do something about those foolish Pirates. Do you agree?”
Zarhakov smiled, an evil smile. “Yes, it is time. And I think I have just the thing......”
Once again, the Paer’dt was on the move. The security teams had missed him on the last sweep, but he needed to work fast.30He activated the timer on a diversionary device, and planted it to the right of the path. Lastly, he called out with his mind for the worms and began running. About twenty-five meters down the trail, he heard the first scream from his device. He dove for cover, and began to crawl along the bank of the trail. He heard gunfire, and voices. Inside his head, he heard a little voice telling him to stop, but he had long since stopped listening to it. From his pack, he pulled a batch of explosive material. He next hefted it in one hand, to estimate its weight and how large of a detonator would need to be used on it. Another set of blaster fire rang out, much closer. He stuck the material back in his pack, and crawled on.31 As he reached the beginning of the sensor grid, he removed a small pen-like device from his pack. Slowly, and with precise movement, he pointed it at the sensor. A small, bluish stream was emitted, similar to a tuning tool. The sensor beeped once then went quiet. He removed the tool, and did the same thing to the next sensor. Next, he stepped out into the field, and activated the grid....
Alarms in the networking center of Zybroski began sounding. The techs raced over to the terminals are read the messages. Someone was in the network. Immediately the loudspeaker began giving orders out, and someone commed the on-duty technician in charge of network patrols. Armed with standard security measures, he entered the system.32 The first thing he noticed was the damage. Someone was in his precious system, and didn’t mind leaving tracks. He armed the first tracking probe, and set it loose, keeping his eyes ‘open’ to watch for signs. A rush from the left, and three hunter viruses swirled towards him. Focusing, he bounded up, sweeping them out with a viral probe. He looked around for his assailant, but saw nothing. His arm went up, then nothingness. He blinked his eyes, and found himself back at the data port. Realizing what had happened, he tore the link from its socket and threw it on the floor. 33 Sparks began to fly out of the socket. He grabbed the nearest com-link. “Get electrical down here, priority urgent!” After the repair team came down and went to work, he slumped back into his chair, disgusted. He had been so close. They didn’t even have a probe on him, so the other patrol technicians were going to be having trouble.
Indeed, the others were having trouble. The Paer’dt was skilled in cyber-combat, and had the advantage of being on the attack, which is almost always a good thing. The only problem is that it can be turned against you very easily. The techs were attempting to trap him, but he would never come all the way after them.... It was almost as if it was simply a distraction. The tech that used to work at University realized this first, and sent a com out.34 Command got the word out to patrols in the right areas to be stepped up. Meanwhile, research was trying to find out where this guy had come from..... The only place where people get this good was with the Data Angels, and they hadn’t been having problems.. Had they? Long-range communications was impossible, so they couldn’t find out very easy. Bolt fire rang out through the voice, and the sound of a returning volley. Sensor techs had alarms sounding around the area, and patrols gathered to defend the base like bees are drawn to honey. More bolts rang out, and then the screams were heard. Quickly, several patrols rushed forward.... to find the remainder of the perimeter patrol, who had been assaulted by... droids? 35 They quickly examined the remains, to find nothing incriminating. Nonetheless, they took the parts for further tech examination. After clearing the area, they headed back, making sure to leave some patrols behind. By the time they made it back, there had been a full network shut-down, incapacitating production for now, but ridding their systems of the intruder. It had been a very bad day.
The Data Angels were reasonably infuriated by the claims made against them. They vigorously denied having any rouge personnel36 . This forced network evaluation of every system within linkage distance of Zybroski. This, of course, delayed production for a while, and the normal insurrectionist activities used this as fuel for their war campaigns. Security activity was severly increased, which created more discontent. Meanwhile, the leaders of the factions were in severe standings with each other, the effect multiplied due to lack of good communications. Everything was coming together, and the end approached.....
Defensible positions on the fungal ridge arose.37 More sensor grids were erected, and constant checks were run on the surveillance equipment. Aki-Zeta started upping prices on her sensor algorithms, and began to have energy pour in. Morgan’s monopolies began to vanish beneath him, and Svensgaard became more in more withdrawn. Drone uprisings and revolts happened frequently, nearly everywhere. The Free Drones became generally regarded as terrorists, as the closest represenative of their kind. Empaths started congregating with each other, and avoiding normal people. Generally, the social structure that had been built up began to erode beneath the factions.38 Everything was coming apart and together at the same time.....
The University was the first faction to notice it. More accurately, the lack of it. When tech shifts ended, and the new ones moved in, a relative newcomer decided he wanted to see the flares again. He shifted view to the view of Hercules. Nothing. It looked normal. His eyes flared open, but he didn’t say anything, for fear of falling victim to a practical joke. He pulled up a communications window to a Consciousness base, a good distance away, that they hadn’t been able to communicate with. He sent a test firing out..... and got a return signature!39 A powerful one at that! He fired a few more test fires, and got returns every time. Finally, as a final test, he tried a private com to a friend he had there. The vid-link came up on the screen, her face showing bright. “Bryan! You didn’t tell me you were coming! Where are you?”
Bryan deadpanned,”Working. At base. The lines are open!” When this brought his friend’s eyes open, he said,”No telling yet! I get first!” He broke contact, and turned to announce it.40 This produced instant disbelief, but they took a look, just the same. When they realized what they were seeing, the lines began filling up with traffic, trying to verify this, before they announced anything.
The announcement went out on the University nets, and went from there to all the Conciousness nets, and then throughout the factions. For some reason or another though, the Pirates net was closed down, and nothing could get through their links, so all ambassadors were cut off.41 This made for some very slow negotiations, until the Pirates began expelling the ambassadors, and gunship activity was stepped up. For some, such as the Conciousness, this was the final straw. Their cruisers were taken out of storage, and their techs began studying blueprints from fifty to a hundred years ago, with outdated weaponry and shielding. New platforms would be needed, new AAA batteries, basically everything had to be adapted. Soon, the machine that was their manufactoring system began to wake up, and mass produce the new Tachyon Amphibious Cruiser. 42 Specially designed for ship-to-ship warfare, the troops aboard each ship were trained in boarding operations, and were skilled with normal hand weapons, and equally skilled in hand-to-hand combat.
The Data Angels had spread their security patrols, and information scans over a large area, but had not turned up and good leads on the location of the missing Empath. It was almost as if she had been swallowed by Planet. When this news reached Datatech Roze, she began her rampage. “We are called the Data Angels! This is the best that we can do? Are you trying to get me out on the networks? Do I personally need to run this search?”43 Her advisors attempted to calm her, but with no result. She brushed through them, saying,”Is she that good? The head Datatech of the entire faction has to go out to find her?” As she spoke the words, a chiming sounded. One of the techs raised their voice, as they typed furiously on their board.
“I have something, Datatech. You may want to look at this...” Roze launched herself over to the board, and stared at the screen. 44 A large diagram was shown, and a flashing icon in the corner.
Roze clinched her hand tight on the tech’s shoulder, and said,”Maximize the image!” The icon grew larger, revealing text. Roze read for a few moments, then turned. “Polito, we need five rovers ready to move, and three enhanced infantry armed and ready in two hours.” Her military advisor, who had been watching, nodded and reached for his com-link.
45 The University had sent up several ships to examine Chiron’s Station, all armed with the newest Tachyon technology. It had been up there for a while, and there was no telling how bad it had been contaminated by the fungus. Containment suits were mandatory on all walks around it, and there was a general area quarantine on merchant and transport traffic. Most research techs were busy analyzing the satellites data from the solar flares.46 They didn’t have much time to notice small overusage alarms that were going off... which resulted in some very bad things. Deep inside their data network....
The last of the mercenaries extracted themselves from the link, rubbing at the data terminal at the side of their neck. Svensgaard, standing there impatiently, asked quickly of them,”Did you get it?”
The leader, still rubbing his neck, responded,”Keep your men back. We got your data chip. Now, if you don’t mind, our pay?” Svensgaard handed him a cred-chip, and nearly ripped the data chip out of the man’s hand. Without another word, he rushed out of the room, and to his personal terminal. 47 Inserting the chip into the input drive, he loaded the data onto his screen. A set of building blueprints came up on the screen. After examining them, he stuck another chip in a second slot, and copied the chip off. The original chip he removed and hid it. The copy he took to the manufacturing supervisor, to see what he could do with it.48 Once the supervisor saw the plans, his eyes grew wide.
“Where’d these come from? I’ve only heard of this from two places, one that doesn’t exist, and one from a person that never was here. The last I knew, the..... Gaians were trying to develop this!”
“That, you don’t need to know. The question is, can you build it?” Svensgaard asked.
“Well...... let me see. Right materials, and a goodly allotment of techs. Maybe. I’d say..... fifty percent with techs and the highest quality materials. And that’s the best probability you’re going to get this side of whoever developed this.”
Svensgaard said,”Write up a list. I’ll see what I can do.” With that he strode off, not waiting for an answer.
49 Morgan stood waiting, attempting simply by standing and staring to speed up the price transfer from the off-planet Morgan exchanges. As the last of the data made its way across the cables, he transferred all of it straight into the stock net, before the trading ended. As it went through what he felt were unnecessary barriers that scanned all the data, alarms began to sound, and his station went black, along with all the lights in his sector. He looked up, becoming suspicious. “Lights!” With no response from the automated system, he flashed his quicklink on. Nothing. The link was blanked out. 50 He heard the pounding of footsteps down the corridors. Then, a faint bit of light began to shine from the door. In a moment, the door blew back and a faint bit of light seeped through. Two men stepped into the open, and shone large lights into the room. They spotlighted Morgan, and said,”Anyone else in here?” not even recognizing him. He stood tall and stared them down, and began to approach them. A flash of recognition flashed in their eyes. They reached for their links, and said,”We’ve found the CEO. Repeat, we have found Morgan. Med team down here right away!”51 Morgan shrugged them off.
“I’m fine! Nothing happened to me... what happened to the computers and power?” The men looked at each other, than back at Morgan.
“You mean, you didn’t know?”
“Why would I be asking if I knew,”Morgan raged.
“Data link was corrupted, sir. Someone had a tracer in files going over our networks. Probably trying to get some data. We snapped them hard though, I doubt they’ll be back.”52 Morgan looked at them suspiciously.
“How many other sectors had this problem,” Morgan asked. He noticed both men twisting themselves to try and hide something.... guns? So that explained it! He looked accusingly at them. “You were going to shoot whoever was in here, weren’t you! You thought that someone was purposefully adding the tracer into the datastream in here! Who gave you the orders? Tell me now!”
“Director Aring, sir. Do you need any more help?”53 Without saying a word, Morgan stormed off past them.
Together and apart the loop pulled. Never ceasing in its endless revolutions. Aki sat contemplating the figure that was displayed on the viewscreen. A half-helix. It spun around nothingness, a point that was not there and yet was. It was times like these, that most of all, she let Luttinen have control. It was odd, such a severe personality acting like a little child. She could gaze endlessly at the spiral in front of her. Alas, she had not the time for such things, but such is life.54 She smiled briefly, then closed the contact on the circuit board, bringing up a display of the communications going through to Svensgaard. Tracers ran down the board, displaying known data from their own databanks. Next, Aki accessed the other factions databases, looking heavily at the Data Angel reports. Finally, she sent tracers on all the numbers contacted, checking for usage out. Now that that was done, she moved onto some slightly less critical things.
55 The mobilized gunboats moved about as little blinking lights on Svensgaard’s screen, as he waited to hear from the local supervisor of manufacturing. A small tone sounded. He activated the link. “Captain Svensgaard here!” he answered it. A lower chime that was the sound of the switching of circuits reached his ear, then the voice of the supervisor.
“I have the list you asked for, Captain. I’m transmitting it right now.”
Ulrik waited for receipt verification, then closed the channel with only a brief,”I’ll get back with you.” He looked down the list..... Nothing too hard to find.56 He looked over it once more, then opened up his list of suppliers.
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