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[songofthephoenix]

[SPEC] Who stole the Cube?

[Slithy]

Well, it's way too early too tell for sure, but I think the most interesting plot twist would be if Sente himself stole it.

[LordKinbote]

[RI_Barnica]

I'm still not convinced that the cube was actually stolen. I think it was an accidental event (based on ill-conceived actions, as these accidents often are). I expect Fran was mis-using the cube for her own purposes (getting shoe patterns for her friends?), and had selected the Ball as a time when no-one would be likely to interupt her in the process of misusing academy resources. Then, something went wrong (power surge?containment breach due to increased tetrionic flux? ) and the cube was shifted to earth, killing Fran in the process. The security systems being off-line looks like a red herring to me. We've been given what I think is a clue in Henrik's scolding of Sarah that the test systems weren't shut down properly. He asks if it might be a "maintenance problem" before going into the scold. I think its important. Just the kind of clue we'll be slapping our foreheads over in a few weeks.

[Alex Smith]

[maxim]

I don't think Sente stole it per se, but I am suspicious of his motives for getting it back. The cube itself has been portrayed as both a scientific and religious object... I would assume that Sente is more of a Scientist, but how can we be sure? Who really wants the cube... the cubists or the scholars? There certainly seems to be a group (notably Ian Shivuto) who would rather the cube were not found. Not to suggest they are to blame necessarily, but it's something to remember. There are a lot of different 'suspects' and parties who have ties to this cube. Maybe a list of these parties and motives would be a good idea at some point?

[rose]

no, not Sente

[Demontague]

Re: no, not Sente

[Darun]

From the first time I read the security logs and internal emails, Lyssa has been my prime suspect.

1. Her sister works the security gate, which gives her a bit of inside knowledge regarding the security procedures.
2. The gatekeeper system assessed her as having a 15% positive emotional state - even Henrik, with Sente breathing down his neck, had an 89% positive state.
3. She was distracted when her sister let her in, claiming she was thinking about "them" (us?).
4. In the friendly emailing back and forth about the shoes, she was the only one who didn't contribute to the conversation.
5. When Henrik warned Sarah about not shutting the equipment down properly, she says that Lyssa was also running tests at the time. Telling Henrik to check the logs suggests she is confident of her innocence, leaving Lyssa as the probable culprit.

I think Lyssa had both the means and the opportunity. As for motive, that's anyone's guess.

[tanner]

[POTUS]

I searched for something I had read before but cannot find it - about the times in the error logs. Feel free to make that fish slap cold and extra-clammy.

Henrik & Fran
:: start 074302 +000000
:: start 074412 +000000

Lyssa & S
:: start 184302 +000000
:: start 185212 +000000

I do not 'get' there being two start times. In the first example the difference between the two is 1:10 (70sec). In the second it is 9:10(550sec). Regardless, the two logs are exactly 11 hours apart (if you take it that they were generated on the same day). This number is *too* even and regular for my tastes. There are (60s x 60m x 24h) 86,399 other possible differences. Why exactly 11? And why 550 / 70 = exactly 8. This is too perfect.

Maybe the alleged hacker, or even the Djinn virus could not accurately alter the logs.

However, Lyssa is thinking about "them" and not about shoes or James. If she is referring to Earthlings then this would lead me to believe that she was aware of our significant role when she said it, meaning, she knew the cube was missing. Because the other log has Fran alive earlier in the day, the two logs must have been generated on different days. (Note the importance of "IF")
. . . . . . . .

Now, time to fetch your hip-waders . . .

"The Receda Cube was stolen from the Academy museum last night in a raid which left one security guard dead . . . Academy security personnel discovered the theft at 2am when security guard Mendling failed to check in for her shift change."

Fran works 2am - 10am (no lunch for you Fran!)
Lyssa works 10am - 7pm (eat at your desk Lyssa!)
??? works 7pm - 2am (this person may eat at Crispy Heaven!)

If Fran works the same shift each day then she never even made it to work. We are not told WHERE the body was found. Why? WIth the prevalence of Keys in the PC society, perhaps they do more than register you, and transfer funds - perhaps they transfer people as well. Fran may be able to check in, even guard a cube, without having to actually move her body.

If Fran does not work the same shift, or the night of the ball was a special shift for her (low seniority at 42?) - she still did not show up for her shift change.

It's very confusing (to me).

[thanks]

Speaking of 2a.m., isn't that when the Sentinel is updated?

[halfbakedbliss]

[spugmeistress]

not necessarily, i'm pretty sure the sentinel wasn't updated at 2am either GMT or BST this Monday, cos i was still awake and checking.

rach =)

[POTUS]

I think S Ling is in cahoots with Mitchell Alba.

These people have interacted with the Gatehouse:

489ae Fran Mendling
529ea Henrik Tanner
640ea L(yssa) Ling
995ae S Ling

If 400 is Security level, and 500 is Director level and 600 Researcher level, what the heck is 900? Admin or Guest? It's anomolous.

I would suspect that Henrik, much like Fran, is older than Lyssa, and that would support the idea that badge numbers have a sequential portion of integers relevant to who was hired first. Fran then Henrik then Lyssa then S. But there is a 355 difference in that last number, or 30% of the known badge number range.

If Fran has Security access and has an "ae" then it seems to reaffirm that "995ae" is very powerful in two respects.

// passive badge {present}
// badge query {tanner, h {529ea}}

{extrapolated: badge {line 16} extracted}
{gatekeeper system 24;
active badge interrogated, passed}

Henriks's and Lyssa's badge numbers are deduced/extrapolated from line 16 in their numbers and successfully extracted. Fran and S Ling seem to be present at the Gatehouse, or 'known' to the system in advance.

How did Lyssa end up saying "Oh - you suprised me!" if she walked up to the gatehouse? It would seem that S Ling could easily be a guard, but why would Lyssa be suprisd to see S there?

S Ling is a hacker.