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Post by Admin on Nov 8, 2014 10:12:54 GMT
((Not continuation of previous story... this is set in far future of same timeline))
« Thread started on: Jan 23rd, 2013, 7:43pm »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (began 1-24-2013 by Jas and Llewel)
Classified Location -05:00 Mission Time
The heavy blast door slid ponderously open, drawing the attention of the six men and women in the room. Standing just beyond was a squat man in a paramilitary uniform of ash grey bereft of markings beyong the two red slashes across his left shoulder. Eyes of liquid silver scanned the gathered team, evaluating with lightning precision. After an eternal moment, the officer took one precice step inside the briefing room and keyed the blast door shut. The hiss of the thick plating sliding home was the only sound that could be heard. All eyes were on the newcomer. There was challenge in the officer's eyes, as if he dared any of those gathered to so much as breathe before he gave them permission. His was a posture of one who was used to being obeyed, each movement hard and precise. No flaws, no softness, despite his appearance of perhaps twenty-five years.
Finally, the officer stepped to a simple podium and pressed his thumb to the corner of the polished surface. A thin red line swept along his thumb before winking out of existence. The podium's surface flickered to life, displaying a keypad and a list of blue commands in neat, stylized lettering. The officer took a quick breath then pressed a few simple commands with practiced ease, his hands flowing over the glowing surface like a pianist at a concert. The lights in the room dimmed, casting all in thick shadow as the wall behind the officer began to glow like soft moonlight. One final command triggered a light above him, illuminating him and only him.
"My name," the officer murmured in a neutral tone, "is Vander Rahjod, Chief of Security for Vangard Enterprises and Vice-Director of Research and Development. Your introductions can all be delayed until later, because we have a time-critical situation on our hands. What I am about to share with you is considered highly classified and is not to be shared with anyone. It also is a high-risk assigment, of which most--if not all--of you are not expected to survive. Ladies and gentlemen, be honest with yourselves for one brief, shining moment in your lives. If you do not believe that you can keep Vangard's trust, look out for her best interests, or are not ready to risk your lives for those interests, I would ask you to leave now."
Vander waited patiently, but no one present so much as twitched in their seat. Nodding, the security chief entered a few more commands. A red light over the blast door came on just as information began to flow across the giant screen behind him. After a moment, the logo of Vangard Enterprises--a cruciform scythe--resolved itself in the center of that screen in pristine white.
Another key sequence began a slideshow of images, of polished buildings and picturesque scenes. "When most of you think of Vangard Enterprises, the two most prevelant notions are energy and medicine. Twelve countries and dozens of companies utilize Vaguard technology every day to power their homes and vehicles, and tend to their loved ones. The Rahjod family legacy has been to ensure the safety and security of those we serve. We have pursued this legacy with diligence and honor.
"Our chief competetor has, for the last twenty years, been the Atrus Corporation. Our interests have clashed more times than either company would care to admit, and for good reason: where Atrus controls the vast majority of the market, they have been unable to secure key contracts that have made Vanguard the tiny powerhouse that it has become. Our company cannot overcome the giant that is Atrus, but nor can they break us. In essence, we have agreed to disagree. Like wolves, we have kept to our territory and they theirs."
An image of the world faded into view, twenty-seven small dots winking in orbit. Vander made an expansive gesture, drawing the eye to a schematic of a compact satellite floating beside the other image.
"Our first breakthrough in the defense industry was Odin: the Orbital Defense Newtork. The first generation of satellites were basically missile factories that were designed to destroy any stellar debris inbound and keep the skies clear of anything that might trigger another Apocalypse. The average citizen is unaware that Odin watches over them as they sleep at night, and that's the way we like it. Six generations of the Odin satellite later, we'd rather not have the technology to fall into the wrong hands."
Another schematic appeared on the wall screen, a structure that looked much like a sinister six-pointed snowflake of flat black. Vander took a deep breath before continuing.
"While there are many known projects that operate outside of Odin, there are several that are not; our high-orbit station, Dark Star Three, happens to be one of them. DS3 is a tightly-controlled and monitored R&D facility where much of Vangard's next-gen technology is brought online and pseudo-field tested before it is issued on the general market. At present, no less than forty-eight prototype projects are in their final test phases on DS3. They range from biomechanics to genetics to good ol' fashion weaponry. Our primary project is, of course, energy production. « Last Edit: Jan 25th, 2013, 7:37pm by Jason Wolfe »
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Post by Admin on Nov 8, 2014 10:16:02 GMT
« Reply #1 on: Jan 23rd, 2013, 8:50pm »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Any child is familiar with our clean energy products, ranging from gen-pacs to full resonance generators; Atrus has similar technologies that it uses in many of its primary facilities. Neither company had come close to a completely-limitless energy source until about four years ago, when covert sources inside Atrus brought us a report that mentioned a breakthrough in zero-point energy. Our teams have been unable to put an eye on actual data, but the rumor sparked a flurry of activity and several of our best minds were moved to DS3 to begin work on a mirror project.
"I won't bore you with the details, but six months ago it was reported that DS3 had produced a working prototype generator that harnessed dark energy. This particular energy breakthrough aided in the advancement in several other projects, including a device capable of transferring matter into a subspace pocket tentatively dubbed an 'etherspace.' Not only was Vaguard Technologies in a position to corner the endless energy market with the premier of our new generator, but the transport venue as well. Hardly the stuff of a classified security meeting, I know, but we haven't quite reached the good part yet."
Vander cued up the lights in the room to a dim glow and returned the display screen to its default logo, taking note of which of those gathered were paying attention and who weren't. Thankfully there were more of the former than the later.
"Twenty-seven hours ago, we lost contact with DS3." The chief of security paused to let that simple statement sink in. "Being that it is a highly-sensitive asset orbiting in the dark reaches of space, DS3 only makes contact with Vanguard once every twenty-four standard hours via an encrypted databurst on a very specific frequency. No variations, no exceptions. When DS3 missed its scheduled report download, a corporate security liason was dispatched to investigate. They did not check in. All inquiries to Aerospace Control show that no space flights or launches were conducted in that spacial quadrant for the last three days. With one hundred and seven lives and thousands of hours of research on the line, I am not willing to take chances.
"I have been authorized by our corporation to regain control of DS3 as quickly and safely as possible. Since the orbital platform is, well, orbital, it does not fall under any particular country's jurisdiction. DS3 is neither bound to, nor protected by, any laws. This means if some form of espionage has taken place, we are the only recourse Vanguard has. Each of you has been hand-selected for this mission due to your military or civilian backgrounds and individual skillsets. You will all be responsible for securing key areas of DS3, as well as restoring communication with headquarters planetside."
Vander dimmed the lights once more, queuing up an interior diagram of the orbital platform. A red line zigzagged its way through the virtual corridors, marking out a specific path.
"Your transport will dock at the loading bay before returning to the planet. Safety protocols dictate that nothing can leave the station until everything checks, so this could be a one-way trip if things go wrong. If you are unable to dock properly, you will perform a low-G insertion into one of the nearby maintence hatches. From there, you will proceed to central control and attempt to reestablish contact with Vanguard. While the situation is properly assessed, the power core and research bays must be secured as well. If you encounter hostiles, you are authorized to defend yourselves and any Vanguard employees. Containment is key."
"If," Vander sighed heavily, giving the podium a look of disgust, "DS3 has been compromised to such a degree that it cannot be recovered, you are do whatever it takes to secure the control room. There, you will execute the self-destruct sequence and abandon the platform. Are there any questions?"
From the back came a deep voice that sounded almost bored. "When do we get underway?" « Last Edit: Jan 23rd, 2013, 10:57pm by Jason Wolfe »
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Post by Admin on Nov 8, 2014 10:16:38 GMT
« Reply #2 on: Jan 23rd, 2013, 11:29pm »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Orbital Platform Deep Star Three 00:00 Mission Time
"Eyes up, people," the transport pilot called back. "On final approach now. No response to hails, but the automated systems seem to be working. Looks like I'll be able to drop you kids off at the front door. Make sure your hard suits are sealed up tight."
Ian "Talon" Gregor sighed heavily, then looked to his team. They all looked nearly identical in their special-issue environmental suits, matte black hard suits that looked more like streamlined suits of armor from medieval times than something meant for harsh environments. At the right angle, Ian could see the biomechanical mesh between the plates, a thick weave of compound fibers that Vanguard assured him was able to stop most weaponry and fit comfortably. His mind still turned over how such a flexible material could protect him, but his chance to back out was long since past. Nodding to his partner, he pressed a hidden catch on the armor's thick collar and held still as a helmet literally built itself around his head. Darkness engulfed him for a brief moment before the transport's cargo area once again melted into view.
Taking their cue from from their team leader, Ian watched as the others engaged their helmets. It was interesting to see the mixture of responses--from horror to amusement--as their heads were literally swallowed by the armor. Despite the fact that he could see them clearly, they looked back at him from faceless cover plates like unfinished sinister mannequins. Once he was sure that the rest of the team was secure and performing their own final checks, he did one of his own.
The seals on the armor all came back green, and the gen-pac secured to his back registered full power. The suit's environmental systems were operating perfectly, and the power transfer systems to his sidearm came back ready. He reached up with a gauntleted hand and tapped his chestplate twice over his heart. A visual display of his biometrics came up in his visor, as well as a few other small icons to display his environment and situation. He gave the pilot a thumbs-up as the HUD informed him when his suit's computer established contact with Vanguard Command. Checking the energy pistol mag-locked to his hip one more time, Ian opened his short-range comm channel.
"Talon, ready."
"Kodiak, set," his partner growled. Anton Ramirez was as much a bear of a man as his codename, good-natured unless angered. As Ian watched Kodiak check his particle rifle, he offered a prayer that he wouldn't have to see his second-in-command in action. Ramirez was about as handy with computers as he was with a rifle, which made him an excellent fit for the mission.
Across from him, Ian nodded to Andrea "Apache" Granger as she announced that she was prepared in that curious accent he had been unable to place since they had met. A killer body and a small frame, she had been able to make Anton back down during a minor "misunderstanding" before launch. What information he had been able to glean from Vander, Andrea was an expert in stealth and reconnaissance. Her partner, Melisande "Paladin" Eckhard murmured her readiness in that sweet, soft tone that went with her round face and wide eyes. Ian had blinked at her extensive service record despite her assignment as the team's medic.
"Nuke is ready tae blow... er, go," Nicolas O'Bannon chuckled from the end. The yound man's fiery hair went well with his proficiency with explosives, as well as his cavalier attitude. Thankfully, he respected Ian's authority enough to keep his impulses in check. Nic's partner, Anthony Weber, gave a heavy sigh that conveyed so much without a word being spoken. Anthony had wanted nothing to do with the "young hothead," but Vander had insisted his engineering skills would be useful if Nuke's talents were required.
"I'm good," Anthony sighed. "Drifter is set and uplinked."
Ian nodded to the pilot before turning to his team. "All right, folks, we're it. Vanguard isn't going to give this place any more chances than it has to. The next thing coming up will be some heavy hardware to put this heap in the ocean. I aim to make sure that doesn't happen. Mister Rahjod gave us some fancy toys, but we need to make sure that we get things done regardless. We get in, do our job, and get the hell home."
"Tell it, boss," Kodiak rumbled.
"First order of business, secure the cargo hold and make sure it's safe. Everyone stick with your partner, no rogue exploration. We stick to the mission plan, no exceptions. We're gonna handle this thing one set at a time. Got it?"
All heads nodded assent as the transport came to rest against the docking halo with a solid thump. The rear hatch yawned open and the team piled out into the airlock, weapons out and ready. Ian frowned as the control panel failed to respond to his touch.
"Pilot, can you seal the airlock?" he sighed into the comm.
The response was tinged with static, but the pilot's voice was clearly heard. "Aye. Sensors aren't penetrating DS3's hull, so I can't tell you what's beyond that door. Good luck, and good hunting."
The outer airlock door sighed shut, leaving them all in darkness. Ian shook his head as he heard the transport detatch from the platform's hull. It was a very final sound, empty and devoid of hope. Turning his mind to task, he pulled the control panel's cover out and felt around for the small metal conduit that Vander had told him about.
Wrapping his hand around the conduit, Ian tapped his wrist twice with the first two fingers of his other hand. A holodisplay appeared over his forearm, displaying several of the armor's system options. Sifting through the simple menus, Talon keyed a command and the display winked out. A simple warning chirped in his ear a moment before the suit fed power into the conduit through the special contacts in his fingertips. With a heavy thud, the inner airlock door unsealed. Kodiak stepped to the front of the team and heaved the heavy door open, then made a disparaging noise in his throat.
"Power's out." « Last Edit: Jan 24th, 2013, 12:20am by Jason Wolfe »
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Post by Admin on Nov 8, 2014 10:17:11 GMT
« Reply #3 on: Jan 24th, 2013, 12:39am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Anthony stepped forward as Andrea spoke up, “Power panel just outside door to right, Sir.”
“I'm on it, boss.” He responded before the leader could call on him. This was his specialty and he knew exactly what to do. As Andrea stepped thru the doorway first, sweeping her weapon at the same time her own helmet's infrared reassured her there was no body heat, and thus no people nearby, she covered him as he began removing the panel and started working on restoring power. Within a few moments he was smiling up at Talon. “How much of the station you want lit up, boss? Seems the main wasn't thrown, just some varied interruptions here and there. Think I can light up most of this quarter of the station, or just the surrounding halls and immediate rooms.” he looked up from where he was kneeling to await the response.
Andrea chimed in with the intel she knew he was thinking of asking. They had been a team long enough she could almost anticipate his needs before he could. “There are two nearby corridors with three rooms on the outside, and a central living space between with five rooms, Sir. No high risk or priority rooms on this floor matching our immediate needs list.” « Last Edit: Jan 24th, 2013, 11:01pm by Llewellynn »
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Post by Admin on Nov 8, 2014 10:17:52 GMT
« Reply #4 on: Jan 24th, 2013, 12:52am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ian stepped past Kodiak, pistol held low as he swept the cargo area with both visual and electronic methods. Completely empty. He thought carefully as his team did what they were trained to do, going over the schematic in his head. After a moment, he started towards the main blast door.
"Kodiak, are these lines secure?"
The big man nodded. "Short range, double encrypted frequency with a splash of my own to make it the best possible. No one in our heads other than each other and God."
"Good." Ian stopped at the door, looking it over carefully. "I want power to this section only. Isolate the security feeds if you can, keep them off. We still don't know who or what brought DS3 down. If there is someone hostile here, I don't want them knowing about us until someone has a weapon on them." « Last Edit: Jan 24th, 2013, 12:52am by Jason Wolfe »
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Post by Admin on Nov 8, 2014 10:18:33 GMT
« Reply #5 on: Jan 24th, 2013, 01:24am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “No problem, boss.” Anthony replied as he set to work. Within a few heartbeats, there were emergency lights lit at various intervals on the floor level. And one above each door. “Emergency lighting won't set off anyone's alarms. I figured it was the best bet. Also rigged all the locks off on this floor. No one will know they are off unless they double tap the panels.” He smiled as he stood up and placed his tools back in his leg pouches. “Doors usually open upon single tap. But I figured if someone had locked them and chose to check, a single tap wouldn't give us away.”
Andrea nodded down the right corridor. “We have two labs and a research room down this hall to the left. Identical layout in mirror image to the right, Sir. And between the two are five personal sleeping quarters with a central living space and eating area. Looks like all the rooms are linked meaning we can split up down the hallways, meet in the middle to check in, then split again till we reach the end of the corridors. Which way would you like us to go, Talon?” She glanced back over her shoulder to see if he had heard her and smiled at Anthony for his quick and creative thinking. He was smart for his age. He was able to do things no other person she knew of could do with circuits.
A voice chimed in over the com units. It wasn't very loud but it was definite and confident. “Talon, Sir. The atmosphere hasn't been compromised. We should reduce the helmets to HUD ONLY mode and conserve our oxygen. We don't know what other levels may have been compromised nor how long we may have to remain here.” Melisande stepped up to the left of Talon, still within the bay, unable to see Anthony or Andrea, and steering as wide a birth as she could from Kodiak, whose sheer size intimidated her though she had done enough missions with him to know his soft side was bigger than his aggressive side. She had just come to automatically remain out of this personal space because when he was ready to move, he did so quickly and sometimes without thought if something was going wrong. Few people stood up to a Kodiak... thus the appropriateness of the moniker. « Last Edit: Jan 24th, 2013, 11:10pm by Llewellynn »
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Post by Admin on Nov 8, 2014 10:19:10 GMT
« Reply #6 on: Jan 24th, 2013, 01:47am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ian listened to the reports of his team while absently going over the section schematics in his head. Giving the door panel a double-tap with his free hand, he swept the dimly lit hallway with his pistol before motioning Kodiak through. Once the big man was crouched a pace down the hall with his rifle at the ready, he motioned for the others to follow.
“Apache and Paladin, to the left. Labs and research, then meet in the central living space. Nuke and Drifter, take the furthest labs and research, then meet in the central spaces. I want a clean, quick sweep for hostiles and threats only. I don't care what these people are reading or growing in their petri dishes unless it's got teeth. Kodiak, on me.”
As an afterthought, he glanced at Melisande. "Let's keep full functionality up until we secure the control room. We may be here a while, we may not. These suits are pretty loaded, and I want every bell and whistle up and running to keep us safe until we've got DS3's eyes and ears on our side."
Ian didn't bother to look to make sure his team followed orders as he headed down the far corridor, Kodiak at his back. They moved quickly and efficiently down the hall to the end. Kodiak ducked into the lab first, and Ian suppressed a laugh as the huge man hunched down. There was simply no way the man could present a small target, but he did try. Talon covered his flank, sweeping the room while Kodiak returned to secure the door. A half-empty glass of water sat next to one of the computer terminals, now proudly displaying some virtual model of whatever the individual had been working on. He half expected someone to wander back to their station and ask him what the hell he was doing there. There were no signs of a struggle, tampering or otherwise. It was as if everyone had gone for coffee... at the same time.
The adjoining lab was much the same, stations simply left as they had been. There was even the remains of a sandwich with a tuft of lettuce only slightly brown at the edge. It was all very routine, and for some reason that unnerved Talon more than if he had found bullet-ridden bodies strewn across the deck like cheap toys. Kodiak moved past him into the second office, then came back out with a simple shrug.
"Talon to team," he sighed into the comm. "Forward section is clear to the bulkhead. No contacts. It's like everyone is just... gone."
"Same here, chief," came Nic's bored reply. "Ah go' a couple report displays oop, but nothin' tha' screams merder or espionage. Maybe somethin' happened an' they had tae abandon th' platferm?"
Ian shook his head, then admonished himself. "If something had gone wrong, they would have reported it to Vanguard. If, that is, it was orderly. I don't know, but something doesn't feel right. Everyone, finish your sweeps and meet up at the central living space." « Last Edit: Jan 24th, 2013, 11:24pm by Llewellynn »
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Post by Admin on Nov 8, 2014 10:19:45 GMT
« Reply #7 on: Jan 24th, 2013, 11:57pm »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Andrea nodded at the orders and she and Melisande headed down the corridor. At the first set of doors on their left, Andrea readied her weapon while Melisande palmed the door. They swept the room like they had so many other rooms in other places. Like Talon, their results were the same. “Talon, Apache here. Rooms are the same here. No activity or bodies. Computers left on, machines blinking awaiting the next command entry. It's like they just up and walked off and never came back. I am seeing no signs of blood or struggle. And no unusual signs that point to booby traps, or anything else untowards.”
Melisande piped in when her partners report was finished. There was no hesitation as she made her report. “Sir, these labs seem to be geared towards virus and cancer research. Most of the reports, labs and chemicals point to the making of vaccines and cures, or perhaps even germ warfare. Hard to tell specifically without logging into the computers. But nothing here gives rise to the reason for the abandonment.”
The women acknowledged the order to meet in the central chamber and headed back into the hall, keying the doors shut, and soon were entering the central living space. There were four rooms, two forward, and two aft, off the main space that included viewing screens in cubbies for privacy, perhaps communication or recording stations. There was also a food dispenser and a table with several chairs around it.
“Talon, Sir...” Andrea said as they entered. “Any sign of life in the private rooms?” She motioned to the four rooms around them.
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Post by Admin on Nov 8, 2014 10:20:23 GMT
« Reply #8 on: Jan 25th, 2013, 12:16am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ian and Anton finished the last of their sweep, meeting in the hallway once more. As Kodiak stepped out of the research hall Talon keyed the door shut. Frustrated, he slammed the flat of his hand against the bulkhead. Kodiak didn't so much as twitch; the set to his shoulders spoke volumes about his own thoughts. His face took on a very hard cast as Apache and Palaidn delivered their individual reports. After a moment of thought, Ian led the way to the living section to meet up with the others.
"There's just too much of this nothingness for my liking," he grumbled when they were all gathered. "No fuss, no muss. Just... gone."
Ian made to scrub his face with a hand, then changed his mind. Such a gesture was natural to him in stressful situations, and the fact that he was trying to make it despite wearing a helmet told him how much the "ghost station" was getting to him. Folding his arms across his chest, he looked to Melisande.
"You said that this section is devoted to viral and chemical research." She nodded. "Is it possible that there was an accident that forced the researchers to abandon the section? Maybe not to the emergency level; maybe a contaminant that haz-mat needed to clean up before work resumed?"
"Standard protocol fer tha' kind of event is tae lock dewn th' section, no' evacuate it." Nic tapped his wrist and pulled up a small projection of the orbital platform, zooming in where the core section met up with the research arm. "If somethin' like tha' were tae happen. the main doors at th' security cell close automatically unless overridden. If th' computer senses any major threat tae th' rest of th' station, charges are set off and the section jettisoned intae space. In case ye haven't noticed, we're still here."
Ian sighed. "Nuke, you and Drifter finish your sweep to the security cell. I want you to make sure that those charges haven't been tampered with, in case something dangerous was purposefully let out. I haven't quite ruled out sabotage. Paladin, take Apache back to the labs and do whatever you need to do to make sure this section is environmentally safe. Priority is to make sure we don't pick up anything we don't want to take home. Once everyone is done, we'll rendezvous at the auxiliary core and decide our next move."
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Post by Admin on Nov 8, 2014 10:21:06 GMT
« Reply #9 on: Jan 25th, 2013, 01:30am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Melisande nodded. “Nuke is right, Sir. If there had been a breach, even one that didn't contaminate to the level needed for ejection of the entire section, the offended lab would have been secured and there would have been signs of the lab that was contaminated. When Drifter reactivated the power on this level, the protocols would have kicked back in and we would have at least seen the signs of the attempted seal. There would have been additional lights and perhaps even a deeper lock on the door to the contaminated lab.”
With the new orders given, the group once more split up and Melisande and Andrea returned to the research room. It didn't take them long to realize there was nothing there to show what had happened. Within the allotted time they were back at the core giving their findings.
With no further reason to remain on this floor, they moved to the upper level and then down to the lower level. Each one proved the same. There were signs of life being there not too long ago, but no sign what had caused the mass exodus from the section without even a closing of programs or saving of paper journals, usual protocol in the case of an evacuation.
After about an hour, Apache and Paladin returned to the core room to join the rest of the group and await Talon's choice to depart or continue into the central core and into the remaining sections of the facility. “No signs of life, Talon.” Apache said shaking her head as she arrived.
Melisande arrived behind her shaking her head in mirror reaction. “And no signs of what happened. Nothing toxic or volatile left out, but nothing really 'put away' either. Just like they had walked off to refill their drinks, and never returned.” « Last Edit: Jan 25th, 2013, 01:32am by Jason Wolfe »
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Post by Admin on Nov 8, 2014 10:22:10 GMT
« Reply #10 on: Jan 25th, 2013, 7:05pm »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Orbital Platform Deep Star Three Auxiliary Core VI 01:15 Mission Time
Kodiak grumbled some very choice oaths, then extended his hand to Talon. The team leader helped him to his feet before peeking towards the door again. Nuke and Drifter were still not back, and despite the fact that he could see their biometric readings his hackles prickled. Without more than two words mumbled under his breath, Anton was back at the auxiliary computer controls. Melisande was quietly inventorying her med kit for what had to be the tenth time, while Andrea was familiarizing herself with her suit's functions. Once in a while, she would give an appreciative whistle before returning to her studies.
Kodiak grunted, then turned to Ian. "I don't get it, boss. Nothing is wrong with either the backup systems or the computer. It should all be working, but it just isn't."
"That doesn't make sense," Talon sighed.
Kodiak held up a finger. "Maybe it does. I found a few lines of code inserted into the root security files disabling the systems despite all of the redundant coding elsewhere. Whoever wrote that code knew what they were doing."
"An inside job?"
"That's where it gets weird, boss." Anton made a rude noise. "Well, more weird. See, I did some probing around the rest of the root files after I found the anomaly, and I found out that wasn't the first time the code had been altered at the root level. Thirty-eight hours ago, someone tapped into the root files for each section globally and monkeyed with the system. It wasn't as elegant as the later hack that turned everything off, but it was pretty damn close."
"All right, I'll bite," Ian said, making a face. "What did the first hack do?"
Kodiak tapped a few keys on the central console, bringing up a series of display windows, all with hundreds of lines of code. A few more commands, and two windows moved to rest side-by-side. Kodiak gestured to the left-hand display.
"This is the first hack. According to the records, it came directly from central control. It set the cameras into a forced diagnostic loop, which is preceeded by a shutdown. The same with internal sensors. The security protocols for all interior doors and hatches were set to minimal, while all exterior doors were sealed with critical-level protocols."
Ian cursed. "Meaning the cameras and sensors have been off this whole time. This is beginning to look more and more like sabotage. But if the outer hatches were made to think that the station had been compromised, why didn't the station jetison this section?"
"Look here," Kodiak replied, gesturing to several highlighted lines of code. "The systems were modified in that order: recording, sensors, and then doors. Since the computer's last readings were of a perfectly-functioning station before all this took place, there wasn't any reason for seperation protocols to trip."
"So whatever was going on, our saboteur didn't care if anyone moved around so long as they weren't trying to leave." Ian shook his head and swallowed down the hard lump forming in his throat. "If it started in central control, the hacker must have been someone of priviledge. Retaking the station may be a lot harder than Vanguard first thought. What about the second hack?"
"That's the strange part, boss." Anton motioned to several highlighted strands of code on the right-hand window. "The second hack was placed just eleven hours ago. It returned the doors to their default setting before forcing the section to power down and stay that way. What I don't get is this last series of lines, where the hacker leaves backdoors in specific places."
"That explains a few things," came Anthony's voice from the door. Ian sighed in relief as he and Nuke sauntered into the control room. "When I tried to access power and lights, I couldn't find my way in via standard channels. But the backdoors Kodiak was talking about weren't hard to find. Basically, the front door was sealed tight but the window was cracked."
Ian nodded. "Report."
"Th' charges a' th' security cell have nae been tampered wi'," Nic murmured. "Someone did check on em, though. Still, they're ready tae detonate if we need em tae."
Drifter nodded. "The rest of the section checks out, boss. We didn't try the main security doors to the central hub, but I don't see a reason why they would be any different than the others."
"Kodiak," Talon sighed, "is there any way that you can tell if the first and second hack were made by the same person?"
Anton shook his head. "Nope. They're just patches, boss, and they look identical to me. If complete sections had been rewritten, I could tell you. Coding is like fingerprints: the more of a print you have, the better you can tell who it belongs to. But this would be like getting a match from one smudge the size of a pinhead. Each hack was quick and precise, altering the root code cleanly. Each hack took less than a minute, so whoever did it was in and out. The only difference between the two is that the first was done globally from central, while this second hack was done right here in auxiliary control."
"No way to tell how many saboteurs we may have," Ian grunted, shaking his head. "All right, so we've got confirmation that this wasn't just an accident. Our primary objective is still to regain control of the station and establish contact with Vanguard. Thougths?" « Last Edit: Jan 25th, 2013, 8:27pm by Jason Wolfe »
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Post by Admin on Nov 8, 2014 10:22:54 GMT
« Reply #11 on: Jan 25th, 2013, 10:56pm »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Andrea shook her head. “My guess would be that if they weren't trying to jettison sections, then chances are the personnel are all secured in a central location. Someplace they can be monitored easily. My suggestion would be to go from section to section. The two best choices to keep a large number of people would be the auditorium. There would be seating enough for everyone, and food dispensers. This would allow them to stay in a central area for an untold amount of time.” She frowned a moment as her hands danced over the controls on her arm pad. “Only problem I see, is that the entrance to the auditorium is directly outside this section. That means there is a good chance that once we enter the central core area, there will be at least one guard if not more.” She paused a moment and glanced from one team member to the other.
Melisande caught the thought thread and finished it out loud. “So that would mean a space drift to one of the other landing bays, or a trip to a farther section, so we come into the core from a less direct and immediate vicinity. If we can get into the central area without being seen, we can use the station's feeds.” Her eyes lit up as a thought kicked in. Glancing at Drifter, she smiled. “Can you hook into the computers and find out which doors were activated last? It may give us a starting point to go by. The last doors activated will either be where the faculty is being held, or where the hackers are holed up.”
Andrea touched Talon's arm in excitement. “Sir, weren't all personnel implanted with location devices? I mean isn't that standard procedure for sensitive personnel in land based institutes. Makes sense it would be a standard once hired. Not necessarily limited to a specific duty station, right? I mean you wouldn't always have time to be implanted if you were suddenly transferred. So if we can find where the personnel are, that would give us a place to start as well. If they are in the auditorium then we obviously want to come in on a section farthest from the area. To give us more chance to clear and secure escape routes and also give us time to figure out how many infiltrators are involved.” She stopped half breathless and smiled at Melisande as once more their thoughts seemed to mirror one another like the twins they were sometimes teased as being.
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Post by Admin on Nov 8, 2014 10:23:49 GMT
« Reply #12 on: Jan 25th, 2013, 11:34pm »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ian frowned slightly, then brought up his own schematic of the station. He looked over several routes, turning all his options over in his mind. As much as he prided himself on bravery, taking a space walk between sections--more than once, no less--didn't thrill him in the least. After a moment, he closed his holodisplay.
"Two problems that I can see right off," he murmured, holding up a pair of digits. "One--and this is assuming we have more than one saboteur aboard--is that there are two places large enough to hold a large group of people, the other being the officer's auditorium. Both have direct access from a security cell, but my money would be on the officer's auditorium. It's got higher secuirty on the doors, which means I would have more head's up if someone were to try to bust out my hostages.
"The second is, these places are built to withstand spacial radiation and provide the researchers with a pure environment. Remember how the pilot had trouble talking to us even right inside the airlock? I'm not sure our sensors will reach very far beyond the bulkheads. If we're not careful..."
Talon let the words hang for a moment. Kodiak grunted, then spoke up.
"Boss, I ain't so sure there are too many hostiles. Mister Vander said that this was a high-profile place, and we've seen tons of security so far. Inactive or tinkered with, sure, but tons. One saboteur would have a lot to go through to get this high, let alone a team."
Ian sighed. "Much as I'm going to hate it, it might be best to take the middle ground with this. We'll make sure this section is locked down tight, then head back to the airlock. We'll take a zero-gee walk to the adjacent section, then make straight for the security cell. Kodiak and Drifter will cover our six to make sure the doors are sealed as we go. Once we secure the cell and check the charges, we move to the interior corridor ring. Should be easy to sweep towards the auditorum and check Apache's theory out. Any questions?"
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Post by Admin on Nov 8, 2014 10:24:57 GMT
« Reply #13 on: Jan 26th, 2013, 12:12am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It didn't take them long to return to the original insertion point and prepare for the short 'jump' to the next section. They chose the one clockwise in direction around the hub. It seemed a more likely place to come in clean and clear than the other direction.
Once inside the new section, it was quick work to repeat the procedure in the control panel to activate the emergency lights and this time Anthony came up smiling brighter than he had before. “I added a little something this time, boss. I made sure the communication's link between here and the central hub was completely severed. No one can send a message in or out of here if they are in here at all. And all of the doors are keyed to our personal codes. Anyone on the team can key open a lock, but no one on the station will have access in or out of their current area.” He smiled and nodded to the others to include them in the list.
Andrea came back from her glance down both hallways. “No one in either hall. So we have a clean shot to the security lock, Sir. Same formation as the last section?” She tapped her arm pad and brought up the bio reader. “I am not sensing any bodies, alive anyway, in the closest rooms to this hall.”
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Post by Admin on Nov 8, 2014 10:25:49 GMT
« Reply #14 on: Jan 26th, 2013, 12:50am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Orbital Platform Deep Star Three Research Wing IV 02:05 Mission Time
Ian and Anton posted up on the starboard door, the captain crouched with his second behind him with his rifle at the ready. Paladin and Apache were mirrored likewise facing the port security door. Nuke had his back to the wall between the doors while Drifter was doing some last-minute adjustments to yet another control panel. After a moment, Anthony looked over to his superior. Ian nodded.
A hollow thunk sounded, and the team counted to ten collectively before anyone so much as moved a muscle. Nuke and Drifter moved to the door closest to Ian and pulled it open manually. Not a breath behind, Talon and Kodiak moved in low and swept the interior of the security cell before giving the all-clear. Once the team was inside, they repeated the process to open the blast door leading to the central module. Ian and Anton secured the hallway to starboard while the women checked port. Once again, Nuke and Drifter were the focus of protection as they moved to the secuirty door between the two. After a moment, Anthony's confused voice came over the comm.
"Um, boss, we have a problem."
Kodiak tapped Talon on the shoulder, and the two backpeddled to Drifter's position. Anton nodded to Ian before taking up a crouched position a half-pace ahead of the three. Ian held his pistol low, then glanced at the security door. He almost couldn't believe what he saw. The seam where the two door panels slide closed looked welded shut. It was sloppy work, a molten scar in the middle of the polished metal, but Ian had little doubt that it was better than locked. What stunned him even more, however, were the large blisters here and there about the door panels. Each was bigger than his head, and had dappling that made him think of a fist.
"Sweet God," he whispered, "what the hell is going on here?"
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