12 Noon Data Processing and Storage [7]
Sam was friendly enough, but couldn't think of anything they might need another Tech for. Fortunately for DJ, even Sam admitted that was not the call of a 22 year old, fresh out of college, first assignment tech. So DJ was invited to “make himself comfortable” while Sam went to get Mark.
The coffee was very good, so DJ spent the time examining “Bartleby”. A perusal of its capabilities suggested some advanced programming with it operating at about the culinary skill level of Steward-2 … a professional chef (if not Michelin Star quality). That had to be close to state-of-the-art for non-military programming.
Mark arrived from somewhere in the Server Room portion of the building and invited DJ into his office to talk. The door slid closed and the glass wall turned opaque … revealing a beach scene. Mark was a large man in his mid-forties with all the earmarks of a sedentary lifestyle. He was slow and not particularly graceful in movements, but his eyes were sharp … missing nothing. DJ attempted to talk about his record and skills, but Mark shut down the conversation with a simple request to see his ID. Upon presenting the ID, Marc scanned it and the walls of the room - on every side - came alive with data and images. DJ’s entire life was laid bare upon the office walls. There were even Personnel evaluations from ships he had served on a decade ago displayed on the wall.
Mark studied the wall for a moment, smiled, and extended a thick-fingered hand.
"Welcome, Mr. Dawson. It will be a pleasure working with you." Mark sighed
"Sam means well and, who knows, one day he may even be useful. However right now, he is a college educated fool - all theory with no experience - gifted to me as a political appointment because of a well connected family, so that I can teach him. I would get rid of him, but he is not incompetent, so the chances are good that whoever replaced him would be worse. However, I have a problem that requires someone with more than basic theory … I need someone with practical experience and a track record."
Mark explained to you that what they do is “delicate” and that you were expected to exercise a certain professional discretion in discussing anything you see or hear within these walls. With a smile on his face but a tone that informed you that it was no idle threat, Mark informed you that if you betrayed his trust, he would erase all traces that you had ever existed - your service records, employment records, bank accounts, birth record - you will live the remainder of your existence as a non-person.
DJ followed Mark through the Server Room with rack after rack of data storage units - DJ estimated the room to contain the equivalent of a Model 2 Starship Computer - about 28 cubic meters of hardware. Beyond that lay a security door and another room with 56 cubic meters of electronics. Mark explained that he needed your expertise to resolve an issue with the connection between THIS system and the Server in the next room and the Fiber Optic COMM link that connected both to the planet-wide network.
DJ set to work tracking down the problem. It was a tricky issue - not because of the actual problem itself [that was a common interference issue causing data to be rejected and need to be resent]. It was the HARDWARE that made it tricky. At one end was the FIB (Fibre Optic) Comm Network. In the Middle was this Starship Computer server. At the other end was a system with an unfamiliar - and probably experimental - structure. It resembled the BIS (Improved/Advanced) computer designs one encountered on some Starships that allowed smaller computers to perform like larger computers … a Model 1/bis could function as a Model 2 computer in half the space; a Model 2/bis could function as a Model 3. This, on the other hand, appeared to have ORGANIC circuitry instead of ELECTRONIC circuitry … making it something like a Model 3/bis or a Model 4/bis prototype computer.
Mark was unable to help with the repair, but never left DJ’s sight. Most of the time was spent waiting as systems ran diagnostics, DJ analyzed the results and made a few adjustments, and more waiting on diagnostics. It was a tedious grinding process of elimination that crept slowly towards the goal. That allowed DJ and Mark plenty of time to just talk. You learned that DJ had retired twice and this was his third “retirement” … he didn’t garden and needed to do something with his time, so managing an office in the Colony was quiet work. Mark had originally started out as a “White Hat”, working for the Government. He retired from government work to join Corporate Cybersecurity as a “Gray Hat” until he used his parachute and retired. Now he just runs this little Computer Office in the Colony.
DJ successfully completed the repair and headed back to the “living room” with Mark, who was delighted with both the quality of the repair and its speed. DJ took the opportunity and ‘good mood’ to “wonder out loud” about the Arctic Comm Repair Job. Mark just smiled and DJ knew that the man had seen through his subtle attempts … Mark was SHARP - like REALLY sharp. Yet the gamble still paid off, because Mark was in a good mood and both HAD information and was happy to share it with DJ - quid pro quo - DJ did something for mark, so …
VET - Ville d’ Espoir Technologies - was a large corporation that owned and operated orbital satellites (among other things). There was a POLAR satellite that monitors atmospheric activity in the Arctic region above 60 degrees latitude. The data from this satellite was vital to the ability to accurately predict weather (which impacts agriculture, transportation, mining - multiple economic sectors) not to mention critical functions like Tornado Prediction and Hurricane Tracking. The data from this satellite was transmitted to a reception tower in the Arctic. That tower stopped functioning six days ago. Every day that tower remained off-line cost the company Cr 100,000 in damages and twice that in lost stock value. They REALLY wanted that tower repaired.
Five days ago, a repair team arrived to fix the tower. All communication with them ceased after the first transmission acknowledging their arrival and that they had begun repairs. Three days ago, a group from a nearby village arrived at the tower to check on the Repair Crew … they found some blood and no sign of anyone. The LOCALS refused to return to the Tower. The Government fast-tracked an authorization for the Army to repair the tower. As of this morning, the Army was scheduled to arrive at the Tower to begin repairs in 14 to 21 days.
VET was offering the Cr 100,000 per day to anyone that can fix the tower before the Army. No questions asked. If you had repaired the Tower by noon today, VET would have paid you 1.4 million credits. If you repaired it by noon tomorrow, they would pay you 1.3 million credits. It’s worth 1.2 million credits the day after tomorrow. And so on, until the Army arrives and the last Cr 100,000 expires. It was just business to VET … they were going to spend the money either way and just wanted results.
Mark accessed some video of the Tower shot by the Villagers. DJ sat on a sofa enjoying lunch as he watched home movies of an abandoned Arctic COMM tower and relay station. There was one area that had blood stains … a LOT of blood … but like the report said, nothing else. No damage to structures. No abandoned equipment. No bodies. Just a blood stain on the steps and ground, and empty buildings that looked like no one had been there in years.
[NOTE: Another pause before the main “reveal” of the quest … which happens in PART 2, when I apply the final result of your OOC skill roll. Have fun.]
