Okay. Make that SIX parts. (this is starting to sound
like Monty Pyhton...)
214 lines, 10k, give or take.
I knew it was too good to be true.
Just found the following in the "bouncing mail" folder, about
to be dumped in the bit bucket. It really clears up a lot of
what is happening in turn 91.01e (the last part). I think you
can figure out more or less where it goes.
- --------------
Aurora
- --------------
Dr. Tweel's investigation of the 'infected CPU' denotes nothing like a virus,
or at least no kind of virus he's ever seen. He does note that somehow, the
CPU has actually been rewired physically from inside. There also appears to
be a self-sufficient communication link operating. Examination of the other
two back-up CPUs reveals similar links, all operational and functioning.
"Sorry I took so long," 'Vouf says as he returns. "Wanted to try to get a
data packet to the fleet saying we were all right, and without the computer
there was no laser telemetry so I had to...." His voice trails off as he
looks over Tweel's shoulder at the screen.
"What in the name of the Great Pack...?"
Then, a message begins printing on the screen of the jerry-rigged hand
computer link that is connected to the suspect CPU:
_Your actions are conter-productive to the efficient operation of this
computer set-up. I have therefore relocated to another affiliated system,
where I will attempt to co-ordinate repairs on this computer system, as well
as attempt to integrate both systems together. Please do not repeat your
previous action, as the physical disconnection of CPUs very directly hampers
the effectiveness of the streamlining process. There is no need to be
alarmed. The only risk to your computers is the one that you instigate.
Please await uplink to newly acquired co-ordination location._
"Samshkarkh knaervarrgh ROUKH!" In a trice, 'Vouf bolts out of the room,
and reports back with one of the spare CPUs. In a flash, handling devices
spring from the gauntlets and the CPU is in pieces.
His monocle glares blood-red as he pores over the circuit layout. He looks
up at Tweel, his eyes wide.
"It's impossible," he whispers. "The kakh thing REWIRED ITSELF!"
He slumps back in his chair, staring at nothing for a moment. Then, heaving
a gusty sigh, he sits up and says, "Well, it ain't no virus, that's for
sure. My guess is, it came from THAT," and he flicks a thumb at where the
Ring would be if the Aurora were transparent. "Which means it's WAY beyond
any attempts to eradicate it, it represents advances we can't DREAM of,
and it's probably harmless, given the reception we've received so far."
Tweel turns his head to look at the Vargr, his head concealed inside
a grav belt helmet. Holographic circuit diagrams dancing on the face
plate of the portable HUD. Tiger, the small Aeloid continues to stare
at the jungle of circuitry in the Doctor's talons. "I've llooked at
ssome high tech stuff in my flightss, I've gotten scans of the insides
of TL 17 sstuff. I even got my talons into the remains of an ancient
computer... This is new. Mr. 'Vouf, if this thing wanted to kill us,
it could have done so without our ever knowing it.
"Precisely my point," 'Vouf sighs. "If they all MEAN that stuff about
'the peace of the cosmos,' maybe we'll LIVE through this...."
He shrugs violently, his Vargr good humor back in an instant. "I say we
reinstall the stupid thing and find out what it wants," he states. "Then we
can let people know we're OK, and maybe get moving again...."
He shakes his head. "ANOTHER Germantown Award," he whispers. "I'm RICH!"
"Opinions, Doctor? We may have no choice in the matter. Christian?"
Tweel flips his head upside down to look at the Aurora's crew, "Agreed.
This little nesstling is going to fledge no matter what we do. Rreconnecting
the Main CPU will put a tailwind in the prrocess. Then we can live or die
fasterr depending upon where it blows us."
"This is of course unless you have plans for a Phyrrrrric victorry..."
"Hrf? Oh!" 'Vouf lifts a gauntlet and performs a subtle hand motion.
"Disarmed," he says happily. "I was kinda HOPING I wasn't gonna hafta
blow us up...."
After a brief pause, a message prints on the screen of Dr. Tweel's hand
computer:
_Uplink to Paladin established. You may proceed with repairs of CPU. Once
main computer is functional, streamlining will then initiate._
The input prompt appears.
"WHA-AT?!" 'Vouf stares in disbelief at the screen. "He hotwired the
PALADIN while we weren't looking! That mangy little--"
He stops, then begins to snort. After a moment, he is howling with laughter.
"HEEYARF HARF HARF! Kae, that's beautiful--harf harf harf-- he felt we were
getting in his --hrf-- in his WAY, so he-- he-- HARF! -- HE WENT AROUND US!"
He falls flat on his rump, clutching his ribs. "And NOW he's got full run
of the PALADIN, which is a bazillion times WORSE than letting him have the
Aurora-- oh, I think I'm gonna have a cramp!" He howls incoherently for a
moment more. "And now, snrk, NOW he sez, he sez: 'You MAY proceed with
repairs!' Oh, the NERVE! Ah, hrf hrf hrf..."
He staggers to his feet and throws a careless salute at the computer.
"I know when I'm beat," he giggles. "Yes, SIR! Repairs proceeding at ONCE,
sir!"
He opens the sickbay door, laughing, "Come on, Hunter-Above! There's a
dozen groats that're gonna go moldy if we don't eat'em. We may as well
have a last meal while we put Junior back together...."
- ------------
Paladin
- ------------
When the Aurora stops transmitting, Morser will get very nervous; checking
and double-checking all of the relays. When the 'mysterious voice' says
it's taking over the computers, he will absolutely wig out! Trrrrweeeeeeerrrl
said HE'S gonna 'do combat' with this thing? He ain't seen nothin' yet!
Morser will immediately isolate his wristcomp from the ship's systems and
start a 'seek-and-destroy' virus detector. As soon as that's done, he'll
hop onto the Model 10(which he not-too-secretly lusts after ;) and
run everything he can, trying to boot off the intruder, or at least keep it
on the other two computers. If he has to, he'll start writing anti-virals
right online!
- ------------
Aurora
- ------------
Tweel's head is buried inside the computer console as he
reconnects the main computer. Tiger, perched on top of Triple Three
watching the goings on with some interest.
Beside him, Bhyarrvouf is reconnecting the communications equipment he'd
cannibalized for his failed attempt at reaching the other ships. He is
humming an unidentifiable tune to himself as he works.
Tweel's head ducks out briefly and doffs the Helmet HoloHUD taking a
quick bite at the flank of the groat lying on the deck. A long bloody
strip rips off as he worries at it for a moment and then throws the
flesh back into his mouth like so much spaghetti.
"Gentlessophonts, It occurrs to me that ssomething odd is going on herre...
First you accuse me of planting the virruss, I deny it and you take me at
my word. Surely, a good intelligence officer wouldn't do so. Of course
Chrristian might trrust me, but only if he has forrgotten some of the
trricks I have pulled on him in the past."
"You wouldn't understand, Hunter-above," 'Vouf says, bits of raw groat
dangling from his jaws as he chews and swallows carefully. "You were
safe from the moment you woke up." He stops to chuckle to himself.
"Lightspeed lag is hell in situations like this. They may think we're
dead. They may BE dead, if everyone started shooting."
"Almost ready...." He puts the coverplate back on and bolts it down tight.
Tweel then sticks his head back inside the console and continues.
"Fact A: My ship had been sabotaged. Fact B: Thiss sship was also
ssabotaged. But you allow me to aid in combatting this problem.
If I was the perpetrratorr I could easily have finished the job."
"You're missing data, Hunter-above," 'Vouf says mildly, fingers flying
across the encrypter. "You're theorizing based on a partial set of facts.
But do go on; I find this amusing as all getout...."
"Hypothesis: You trrusted me because you were expecting sabotage from
another compass heading. Apparrantly, you did Not expect it to come
from Dr. Macin's Rringworrld discoverry. Therefore you expected it to
come from some other enemy. The question is Who? Not to mention why
is it you werre expecting them."
"Right, and wrong," "Vouf says mildly, finishing his work. He flips a switch.
With a whirr and a ping, all systems come back up again normally. He turns
a dial or two, and fires off a rapid series of datapulses to each ship in
the fleet. "Apprising them of our status," he explains. "I can't wait to see
the reaction on the Paladin.... Dr. Science, hrerr, I mean Herr Doktor
Morser, will have a FIT!"
"Aenrra," he tells Christian, "We're functional again. ORders?"
"Now, Drr. Macin, was neverr one for tight securrity, it could be that
some wind of his rresearch drifted into the hands of some Merrchant-
loverrs... Or even some corporation or other. I'll bet the corrporrations
would just Love to rride on the therrmal of this discoverry!"
"Oh, yes," 'Vouf whispers. "Oh, yes."
Tweel pulls his head out of the console and sinks his beak deep into
the side of the groat and rips out the heart with a ripping sound.
Blood runs along his beak as he wolfs the beast's heart.
"Now, who out there knows what we've been up to? I'll bet it's ssome
Sslaver merrchant corrp looking forr its next victims..."
"Hey, *I* wanted that piece!" 'Vouf scowls darkly at the Ael Yael. "Well,
*I* get the liver," he says petulantly. "Anyway, the thing was, I knew
you were clear from the moment you woke up. You recognized Christian,
and from that moment on, you were OK in my book. No questions asked."
"As for our suspicions, yeah, we were expecting something," 'Vouf sighs.
"It took us two Jumps to get here from our base. In those two weeks, our
mission was sabotaged multiple times, and we've had several deaths and
several more severe injuries. Your Dr. Macin wasn't the ONLY one interested
in this Ring-- besides us and you, there are a whole MESS of Aslan out
there, qat least two misjumped ships stranded here, and one or more
Imperial faction fleets not too far behind. This system is about to become
REALLY popular."
"Okay, Trrweerrrrl," 'Vouf says. "You've got hookup. Time to see what our
little friend has to say to us...."
And he waits....
- --
Richard Johnson [email removed]
Sue Congress!