Chapter 10: Year 300, Days 7 and 8

[BackworldTraveller]

All
The 6th having slowed and finally slipped into sleep, the team wake the following day, refreshed. Compared to the bustle of the North Pole, the South Pole's Yacht Port is subdued and almost restful. This gives the team time to undertake those tidying and welding jobs that were needed and ignore (for a while) the frustrating failures that had been dogging their investigations. It is only the 8th, the first day of a (hopefully less frenetic) week that they return to those questions

• What is in the computer?
• What is in the crate?
• Which of those crates has the new set of heads for the zero-g torque wrench?
• Does my new Vacc Suit fit?
• Does the new look of my cabin please?
• Why is that cat sat on my new linen?
• What shall we do now?

That isn't to say that the world stopped. The news has been endlessly investigating the attack on the spaceport; the bloggers have linked it to the attack on Noor and the ship has fended off innumerable enquiries with the useful phrase "I'm sorry, but we are unable to discuss this at this time".

[joertexas]

All
The 6th having slowed and finally slipped into sleep, the team wake the following day, refreshed. Compared to the bustle of the North Pole, the South Pole's Yacht Port is subdued and almost restful. This gives the team time to undertake those tidying and welding jobs that were needed and ignore (for a while) the frustrating failures that had been dogging their investigations. It is only the 8th, the first day of a (hopefully less frenetic) week that they return to those questions

• What is in the computer?
• What is in the crate?
• Which of those crates has the new set of heads for the zero-g torque wrench?
• Does my new Vacc Suit fit?
• Does the new look of my cabin please?
• Why is that cat sat on my new linen?
• What shall we do now?

That isn't to say that the world stopped. The news has been endlessly investigating the attack on the spaceport; the bloggers have linked it to the attack on Noor and the ship has fended off innumerable enquiries with the useful phrase "I'm sorry, but we are unable to discuss this at this time".

Indrani resumes her work restoring the computer.

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor

Noor tries her luck again at establishing the provenance of the crate. Who is it from, where, and when? Plus tracking its movements for the period before it got to the port.

She asks for assistance from Assana or anyone who could help.

"Captain. Maybe Assana could help determine what that foreign part injector is. I suspect it's key. Maybe even what was serving up that VR scenario."

[ateno]

Pranit will ask the Vacc suit people to come to the ship to take measurements.

"Captain, would you like me to call the lawyer?

Pranit

[joertexas]

Noor

Noor tries her luck again at establishing the provenance of the crate. Who is it from, where, and when? Plus tracking its movements for the period before it got to the port.

She asks for assistance from Assana or anyone who could help.

"Captain. Maybe Assana could help determine what that foreign part injector is. I suspect it's key. Maybe even what was serving up that VR scenario."

"Go ahead and ask her," Indrani says.

[joertexas]

Pranit will ask the Vacc suit people to come to the ship to take measurements.

"Captain, would you like me to call the lawyer?

Pranit

"Yes, please."

[BackworldTraveller]

Indrani resumes her work restoring the computer.

Indrani logs onto the VR from the Bridge and finds the airlock open...

Queen's Core - 1st Section.jpg (41.82 KiB) Viewed 904 times

At the entrance she can see the Queen's image wielding a broom. As she sees Indrani's avatar, she waves the broom at it and shouts Go - Before they find you - then steps inside and shuts the inner door. There is a suggestion of movement at the periphery of the avatars senses and a shadow vanishing into "001010100100100010010110010101110010010011111100010"'s.

[BackworldTraveller]

Noor

Noor tries her luck again at establishing the provenance of the crate. Who is it from, where, and when? Plus tracking its movements for the period before it got to the port.

She asks for assistance from Assana or anyone who could help.

"Captain. Maybe Assana could help determine what that foreign part injector is. I suspect it's key. Maybe even what was serving up that VR scenario."

Not at all looking forward to the upcoming task of threading the admin (OK - Another attempt roll please) she is on the bridge making those enquiries when Indrani is surprised by the VR change. Off to one side, Assana is carefully inspecting the boards of the computer's main core.

That odd chip is really obvious now the casing is off. I'm surprised no-one onboard saw it if it was a problem. It must have been a new addition or it must have been something the crew installed for their own defence. Or it was installed by someone just before they were taken. Who would have done that? Or it was installed by someone after the ship was taken.

And it's just clipped into power and data - piggybacking on the normal chips. That is quite high-tech - but you don't need much skill to install it. Noor. You used to look stuff up. Where can you get chips like this made? I mean chips aren't something you can build on a 3-D printer. It takes money and gear and stuff. A semi-bio chip designed for easy installation isn't an off-the-shelf item.

So do I just pull-it, or do we leave it in?

[joertexas]

Noor

Noor tries her luck again at establishing the provenance of the crate. Who is it from, where, and when? Plus tracking its movements for the period before it got to the port.

She asks for assistance from Assana or anyone who could help.

"Captain. Maybe Assana could help determine what that foreign part injector is. I suspect it's key. Maybe even what was serving up that VR scenario."

Not at all looking forward to the upcoming task of threading the admin (OK - Another attempt roll please) she is on the bridge making those enquiries when Indrani is surprised by the VR change. Off to one side, Assana is carefully inspecting the boards of the computer's main core.

That odd chip is really obvious now the casing is off. I'm surprised no-one onboard saw it if it was a problem. It must have been a new addition or it must have been something the crew installed for their own defence. Or it was installed by someone just before they were taken. Who would have done that? Or it was installed by someone after the ship was taken.

And it's just clipped into power and data - piggybacking on the normal chips. That is quite high-tech - but you don't need much skill to install it. Noor. You used to look stuff up. Where can you get chips like this made? I mean chips aren't something you can build on a 3-D printer. It takes money and gear and stuff. A semi-bio chip designed for easy installation isn't an off-the-shelf item.

So do I just pull-it, or do we leave it in?

"There's no way to tell when it was installed?"

[cybersavant]

Reven Stiilpahth gets up and before everyone disperses he asks, "Captain, XO, where do you want me today?"

[joertexas]

Reven Stiilpahth gets up and before everyone disperses he asks, "Captain, XO, where do you want me today?"

"Repairs, but you and Pranit can work out the details."

[The Bindoner]

Nālani is, as usual, woken by Hoshiko sitting on her. Switching off her Sphere, and allowing the sounds of the ship into her bunkspace, she centres herself for the day, chooses an outfit and hairstyle, feeds the cat and eats breakfast while the styler creates her look.

When assana leaves for the Bridge Nālani follows. This holo environment on the Queen is most fascinating. I would like to learn more about it.

So do I just pull-it, or do we leave it in?

I would not remove it until we know more about it. We do not know what it is connected to, both on the Queen and outside.

[ateno]

Captain, the lawyers want 400cr a hour or half the winnings, and a meeting, here, there or VR. What’s your call?

Pranit

[Monsieur Rose]

Noor

"Assana. Can you tell what data the bio-chip is pushing? Can you examine the data before the chip, and then after? Like a wire-tap? Or cloning a phone? I'll do my best to track it down. Can you give me a picture or any other markings on it?"

"Captian? What's wrong?" Assuming she gets the download: "They find you? Something is monitoring the Queen? Hunting? Do we have the capability of fighting back in VR?"

Noor starts tracking down the crate and the chip.
Crate Admin(2): [2d6]=8+2=10
Chip Admin(2): [2d6]=9+2=11

[joertexas]

Captain, the lawyers want 400cr a hour or half the winnings, and a meeting, here, there or VR. What’s your call?

Pranit

"I'll give them a quarter of the winnings - take it or leave it. They can come here. We have work to do."

[joertexas]

Noor

"Assana. Can you tell what data the bio-chip is pushing? Can you examine the data before the chip, and then after? Like a wire-tap? Or cloning a phone? I'll do my best to track it down. Can you give me a picture or any other markings on it?"

"Captian? What's wrong?" Assuming she gets the download: "They find you? Something is monitoring the Queen? Hunting? Do we have the capability of fighting back in VR?"

Noor starts tracking down the crate and the chip.
Crate Admin(2): [2d6]=8+2=10
Chip Admin(2): [2d6]=9+2=11

"Noor, I'm in over my head here," Indrani says, borrowing a dirtside expression. "If you and Nalani can help guide me, I think we'd do a lot better."

[The Bindoner]

"Noor, I'm in over my head here," Indrani says, borrowing a dirtside expression. "If you and Nalani can help guide me, I think we'd do a lot better."

I am Pilot, Captain. It is my job to take you where you need to go.

[BackworldTraveller]

I would not remove it until we know more about it. We do not know what it is connected to, both on the Queen and outside.

Chip.png (21.44 KiB) Viewed 861 times

Peering over Assana's shoulder, and shining a light at it from your hand-comp, the chip appear to be a piece of fluorescent sapphire (But has a texture and thermal conductivity nearer that of shiny carboard when touched) with a thin connector that has seeped into the join between the main card and the data bus. The blue appears to be throughout with veins of darker colour just at the threshold of what the naked-eye can resolve. It is unmarked. At the bottom of the cabinet is a small, square piece of shiny white, plasticised paper that may have been the backing for a sticky pad. (The kind backing you just peel off). After a bit of fiddling, this is retrieved, but also appears unmarked.

As the light is removed, the chip reverts to black.

[joertexas]

"Noor, I'm in over my head here," Indrani says, borrowing a dirtside expression. "If you and Nalani can help guide me, I think we'd do a lot better."

I am Pilot, Captain. It is my job to take you where you need to go.

"True, but another set of eyes is always good to have."

[The Bindoner]

"Noor, I'm in over my head here," Indrani says, borrowing a dirtside expression. "If you and Nalani can help guide me, I think we'd do a lot better."

I am Pilot, Captain. It is my job to take you where you need to go.

"True, but another set of eyes is always good to have."

I am used to working in Holo, Assana to walking around in other people's computers. Between the three of us, we should find our way. I have my Holo-suite, Assana the new hacker deck, and you the legal authority. Shall we try again?