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 Forum index » Archive » Archive: Perplex City » PXC: General/Updates
[UPDATE] The Path of Least Time - September 8th
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neophoenix
Boot


Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 68
Location: where you can't celebrate the Kindling of the Flame

 		[UPDATE] The Path of Least Time - September 8th
Quote:
The Break-In
Thursday, September 8 2005, 06:24 PM
You might think that from the way I write, I don't spend a lot of time working. Surely a member of the Cube Retrieval Team wouldn't have enough time for fireworks celebrations, let alone paper airplane competitions? But let me turn it the other way around. Just imagine that I spend all of my time working at the Academy. 24 hours a day (minus eating and sleeping), seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. If I did that, then it'd be downright reasonable to go see the occasional firework, fold the occasional plane and meet the occasional Cube research expert.

It's not quite like that, but I do spend an awful lot of time working at the Academy. That's why I don't feel bad when I take time out for a break or for a run, like I did yesterday evening. I keep a running kit in my room on campus - all of the CRT members have been given free rooms in the student block indefinitely, presumably until we get the Cube back. A bit worrying, really - if I'm not careful I can go for days on end without seeing my own apartment.

Anyway, after finishing up work for the evening, I did my usual Academy run. I've worked out a perfect 45 minute loop that starts and ends inside the campus. It's a familiar, comfortable route that lets me take my mind off things and see a microcosm of the city - Old Town, New Town, river and parks.

The Academy backs right up onto Polygon Park, but I find it more interesting to run along the Old Town streets for a while. I put Roll For Damage's new album on and wove my way around the tourists on Academy End, pounded the cobblestones in Guardian Plaza and picked up the pace as I sighted greenery at the end of Plaza Walk. I've timed the route so that I reach Lake Ellipse and the Little Lake when I'm getting a bit tired, and just when the sun hits the water. You'd think that seeing the sun set over Ellipse would get old eventually, but it hasn't happened yet.

About two thirds of the way through my run, just as 'Hit Point' finished playing, I realised that I'd forgotten something. Summoning my reserves of energy, I sprinted to the Academy Security Centre and through its labyrinthine corridors to the control hub. I stopped; not even my clearance will get me inside there.

Instead, I had to wait in a reception room that adjoins the hub, where I could see the security staff at work, with their overpowered hardware, ultra-paranoid firewalls and top-spec imagers. I've often wondered whether it was a security risk, having a viewing gallery there, but I suppose better minds than mine have considered the problem. Maybe they do something with LCD glass or holograms, I don't know.

About five minutes later, as the effects of my run started to tax the reception's air condition system severely, Leo ambled in. I gave him a look.

"Oh, hi Kurt, what brings you to the ASC?" He threw himself onto a couch.

"You did, you fool, we were supposed to get some food! I've been waiting for you for twenty minutes!" I replied.
Okay, so I'm not averse to the occasional white lie about lateness.

"Oh, sorry. Why didn't you call me?"

I stroked my chin, trying to look thoughtful.
"Why indeed, Leo, why indeed. It's because I've been having problems with my key recently."
Now this is true - what with the military trace and the Tanraga stuff, a lot of odd things have been happening to it. I really ought to go and buy a new one.

Leo looked suspicious. "You can't even place a call? Yet you can play music? RFD's new album, I presume?"

"Network problems; I'm getting a weak signal here in the ASC. Something to do with your defective walls, I suspect. Anyway, do you want to talk about my key, or do you want to get some food?"
I stood up. Leo looked doubtful for a second and then followed me to the ASC cafeteria.

I like Earth food as much as the next person, but come on, surely you guys can come up with a dish that doesn't create so much mess? At least it let me listen to what Leo was saying about the new security protocols in between bites of his pizza. I knew I should've ordered that instead of spaghetti.

"I'm not too clear on what happened during the Cube theft - it's all eyes-only - but judging by the changes that we've made to our protocols, whoever disabled our systems did a seriously good job," said Leo.

I made encouraging noises, what with my mouth being full of pasta.

Leo went on. "Here's what I think. The attacker managed to knock down every single security and monitoring system we have guarding the Cube, and bunch of others besides. All of those systems failed, one after the other, including duplicates, backups and fail-safes." He started illustrating this with slices of pizza, and then gave up after realising he didn't have enough hands.

"All the logs were wiped, even the power was cut. Really, I have no idea how they could do that, they're supposed to be on separate circuits. It has the hallmark of multiple, simultaneous attacks."
Leo bit into a slice and shook his head.

I swallowed a mouthful of pasta, and asked him something I'd been wondering for a while. "I figured it'd have to be something like that. Are there really people out there who would have the expertise to do this? What kind of experience and knowledge would you need for that sort of attack?"

Leo looked towards the ceiling, thinking hard and fidgeting with his hands. "You'd need ten, no, twenty years of security experience, and a very sharp mind. But it's not like we don't have people like that here who've made our defences. That's why it's so baffling."

"This guy, it sounds like he must've been a genius or something," I said.

"Pretty much. Maybe two geniuses, maybe more. Who knows."

A message flashed up on my key, on a private band I hadn't seen used in a while. THINK BOTH MUST HAVE HAD INSIDE INFO DANGER TO SAY MORE. I deleted it immediately.

Back when Leo and I were students, we'd worked out a method of sending encrypted messages between our keys using a simple sign language detected by its motion sensors. We used it when we got bored during classes (we'd modified our keys quite a bit, back then); I was surprised Leo remembered it. We chatted briefly about work and what our friends were up to, but moved away from the subject of the Cube theft.

As I headed back to the CRT offices, I mulled over what Leo had told me. It'd been a favourite conspiracy theory in Perplex City ever since the Cube was stolen, that someone inside the Academy was involved. No-one had paid the idea much attention because there wasn't any solid evidence. There probably still isn't any, but Leo is a smart guy. He wouldn't have told me his suspicions unless he really believed them. And if he's right, the Academy has a serious problem.


EDIT: Corrected some "minor" mistakes. Embarassed
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 5:04 pm
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Marrec
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Joined: 12 Sep 2004
Posts: 303
Location: Las Cruces, NM

 		This may sound disastrous, but has anyone e-mailed Kurt about Scarlett's "vacation"? I'm getting more and more worried that poor ole Scarlett isn't going to come back and we will be partly to blame for not telling anyone. I am not sure that telling anybody will help but Kurts new post got me thinking is all.
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 5:45 pm
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European Chris
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Joined: 19 Jul 2005
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 		She must be fine-she posted to her blog.
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 5:48 pm
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Seej
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Joined: 30 Nov 2004
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European Chris wrote:
She must be fine-she posted to her blog.

Yeah, but she probably hasn't got to Viendenbourg yet.

PostPosted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 6:24 pm
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DogsHead
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Joined: 11 Apr 2005
Posts: 142
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 		You know, I wouldn't particularly like to be in ol' Leo's shoes either -
Quote:
A message flashed up on my key, on a private band I hadn't seen used in a while. THINK BOTH MUST HAVE HAD INSIDE INFO DANGER TO SAY MORE. I deleted it immediately.

- sounds like a sure fire plot reason to cop a Neuro-Suppresive device to the head, doesn't it?
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 9:46 pm
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judderman
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Joined: 06 Jun 2005
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 		BOTH!
HI all

in the context of Leo's message, BOTH sounds a very definite number. Do they know that 2 people were involved? Possibly more than 2 involved, but 2 highly competent in control maybe.

(tho it seems most are capable of hacking keys/security systems over there).

Regards, Judder

PostPosted: Fri Sep 09, 2005 6:29 am
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Seej
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Joined: 30 Nov 2004
Posts: 614

 		Re: BOTH!
judderman wrote:
HI all

in the context of Leo's message, BOTH sounds a very definite number. Do they know that 2 people were involved? Possibly more than 2 involved, but 2 highly competent in control maybe.

(tho it seems most are capable of hacking keys/security systems over there).

Regards, Judder

According to The Advisor the theft team was comprised of 4 people.

PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 7:14 am
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sledgecallier
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 		4 people but that doesn't mean that it was only two people who killed the security systems. Even simple bank jobs have a wheel man who sits with the getaway car running...
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2005 4:44 pm
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judderman
Boot


Joined: 06 Jun 2005
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 		4 Team Members
Cheers Seej

does
>According to The Advisor the theft team was comprised of 4 people.

come from the Salk stuff? I've gone through everything in about a fortnight, and it's just a mass of half remembered stuff - didn't know all this was going on while I was waiting for the cards to come out. Now I have time to think about stuff as it arises.

Still begs the question, why does he use the word both - I assume he's referring to 2 members in particular.

Regards, Stewart

PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2005 6:10 pm
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Seej
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Joined: 30 Nov 2004
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 		Re: 4 Team Members
judderman wrote:
does
>According to The Advisor the theft team was comprised of 4 people.

come from the Salk stuff?

Yes
judderman wrote:
Still begs the question, why does he use the word both - I assume he's referring to 2 members in particular.

It does make you wonder, doesn't it? Right now, I have no idea. I could spec for ages, but I can't think of anything solid....

PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2005 6:36 pm
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