[10.2.1] Cache
Mission Details: Look into a strange network glitch.
Datalink established.
Tyndall: Warrior, we've been getting increased network glitches over the past few days. Diagnostics of our own machines haven't found a problem, so we think it may be due to interference from a third party.
I've got a relay system that I'd like you to check out. Packet loss there has been unusually high in the past hour.
Operator: Hm. Nothing unusual here. I guess you could ask our technician there if they've found anything.
And here I was thinking glitches in the simulation were gonna be a thing of the past now that Halborn and Carlyne and their override programs are gone.
Operator: Wait a second... That's an unstaffed station! Then who's the redpill I'm picking up in there?
Machine Ballista: Your shortsightedness really ticks me off.
Operator: Better check the computer. They must've been trying to mess with it.
Computer:Please log in:>*****/*******You are now logged in.>rd acclog t - 1 0 0Scanning access log...No entries found.>diagcheck -t -q -j4Diagnostic check in progress...No problems found. Run full scan?>_
Operator: Everything looks all right. I guess they didn't get into the system, but if it wasn't them, then what was causing the network problem?
I guess it could have been something downstream. I can try running a--
Whoops, I'm getting an urgent call from mission control. That little network problem will have to wait.
Tyndall: Operative, we've just received a very strange report. I'm sending you to Captain Colt, who will brief you on the situation.
Operator: Colt's in there. No hostiles in sight.
Zion Physician: Commander Lock finally made it to New Zion. I guess the Cypherites or somebody got wind of the transfer, and there was a huge hovercraft battle against Machines, Cypherites, and Mervs all at once, but our side sent them packing, and EPN's Captain Steelle passed Lock over to our captain RedBindi, who got him to New Zion safe and sound!
Question is, what's he going to do now? The Council put Roland in as Commander when Lock went missing after the Machines trashed the old city. We can't have two Commanders...can we?
Colt: All right, I don't know how the hell it's possible, but my old crewmate Mauser is alive... Not only that, but he's in the Matrix!
Mauser didn't have jacks, and hell, from what Deadbolt said, he was ripped to pieces by Sentinels after the Machines wiped out Zion. This doesn't make any sense, but one of my buddies just ran into him in the city, and swears up and down it was him. Surveillance image we pulled looks like him, too.
We've got to find him, and... *CENSORED* it, he's gonna have a helluva lot of explaining to do!
Operator: ...
I'm confused.
Colt: No, he disappeared at a hardline without saying anything.
I just don't get it. How can he even be here? What the hell?
Tyndall: Mauser was the head mechanic on Commander Roland's ship, the Mjolnir II, which crashed when the Machines uploaded a virus that wiped out our old mainframe. Colt and Roland, who survived the crash, both said that Mauser was on board at the time, and did not escape before the craft went down, but Sentinel footage captured by the Merovingian reportedly showed him helping Commander Lock through the ruins of the old city, and Commander Lock himself said that Mauser was killed by Sentinels sometime later, while leading them away from the Commander's location.
This is certainly very strange...
Hardline and other data traces show that Mauser is likely to have proceeded to the location I've marked for you. I hope you can find him, Neoteny.
Opeartor: Data, schmeta. I'm not getting any rading in there. I think someone's messing with us...
Operator: Still nothing... Keep going through the area; I've got a few hazy spots left on my scan.
Operator: Nope, nada: no dead man, no live man, no ghost. Hell, I don't know if anyone even works there.
Tyndall: Mauser was freeborn, which means he didn't have the hardware connections necessary to jack into the Matrix. That in itself makes his presence in the simulation highly unusual. We don't have any method for wiring and plugging in someone who wasn't born in the pods. Possibly the Machines could do it, but even aside from the technical issues, there would almost certainly be massive psychological hurdles for a freeborn to overcome if they were plunged into the Matrix for the first time as an adult.
We caught a few more disconnected blips at public hardlines that could have been Mauser. If he's jacking in and out quickly, he could be almost impossible to track. Hm... Wait... I've got his picture on a routine ID scan at an internet cafe near the last blip. Looks like we got lucky. Hurry, Neoteny!
Operator: The intruders were supposedly freeborn adults who jacked in, too... I guess people don't exactly count them as normal, though.
Okay... Various readings in there, lots of network activity. Nothing in particular jumping out at me yet.
Watchman: That guy? No...
Oh, wait. Yeah, I think I know who you mean. You must've just missed him. He sure wasn't here very long.
Operator: Aw, crap.
Who or whatever this is, I don't think they want us tracking them down.
Watchman: I didn't see him talk to anyone, but that's normal for this place. Huh... Probably one of those lonely hearts who gotta check their mail ten times a day, even though all they get is spam.
Yeah, it's pretty sad. But you know, I try not to judge people. I'm kind of a student of the human organism, you could say.
Yep, I've really come to understand people...
Computer:77Saan>: nub I pwn j00QBomXxX>: QQMisterDaMaN>: any1 have url??!?77Saan>: lawl~~~~>Sean I her your mom caling:: Error: Session expired. Please renew at the service desk to continue. ::
Bluepill: Darn, I lost that site's address...
Bluepill 2: Doggone it, someone wiped the cache on terminal six. That's against the rules. ... And I thought I'd set that to admin access only.
I swear, this new OS has more bugs in it...
Bluepill 2: It's because if the cache is gone, we can't prove that such-and-such activity did or did not take place from one of our terminals. You know: lawsuit city. People try doing weird stuff online... Hah, when I first started here, I found this one guy trying a scam where he was putting his own organs up on acution on multiple sites!
Come to think of it, I never did hear how tha tone turned out...
Computer 2: Logging is not active. Press NUMLOCK+PRNT+<^>V to begin logging.
Tyndall: Commander Roland is very concerned about this case, Warrior, and I think with good reason. I'll get back to you as soon as I get more information.
[10.2.2] Splice
Mission Details: Look for Mauser along a pre-Truce hardline network.
Tyndall: Warrior, we've tried blanketing public hardlines in order to catch Mauser, but he escaped through an unmarked line.
The line appears to be part of a restricted access network that predates the Truce. We believe most of it was documented in our old mainframe, but much of tghat data was lost when the Machines destroyed Zion. We've been able to gather some information from veteran operatives who used the network for special missions years ago.
Surveillance data shows recent activity at one of the old line terminals. I'm sending you to check it out.
Desk Phone: ...
Operator: Uh... Okay, we can't actually send you through the line, unless you're interested in coming out looking like the Assassin's chew-toy. I can fire some tracking packets through it, though, and we'll see if any of them make it out the other end...whereever that is.
Tyndall: We aren't sure how Mauser would know the old restricted lines so well. While he had prominent crew members such as Captain Colt and Commander Roland who used those lines before the Truce, he was never in the Matrix himself, nor did he act as operator for the crew while they were jacked in. Even the Captain and the Commander have only limited recall of the line system.
The system hasn't had maintenance in some time, and may not be fully functional. Also, it is possible that the Machines recovered some data on the system when they captured the old mainframe. Mauser is putting himself at risk by using it.
Operator: Some of the trackers I sent through the phone turned up there. Maybe Mauser did too...although I'm not seeing anything on the scan.
Desk Phone: This number is no longer in service.
Operator: That line's been compromised! Get out of there!
Agent Miller: We have some...questions for you, Mr. Slayboughn.
Agent Long: The suspect has not surrendered.
Agent Jones: How...predictable.
Tyndall: The Commander was worried this would happen! It could mean the Machines already know about Mauser. If they find him before we do...
Operator: I picked up another outlet on the line system. It was tougher to trace, so maybe the Machines won't--
You know what, I won't say anything. Might jinx it.
Careful, I've got a couple signals in there. Look like bluepills from here.
Robert Escarin: The phone company? But... Hey, you guys haven't sent me a bill since I moved in here! And do I call and complain when there's a little static on the line? No! Win-win situation, right?
Hiram Ackley: You sure dress weird for someone from the phone company.
Hiram Ackley: You sure dress...
Wait... Did I say that already?
But dude, you do dress weird for someone from the phone company.
Operator: Normal dial tone... And it doesn't sound like that guy experienced technical difficulties such as a large man popping out of his phone.
Hm... It could be a bounce point. I'll try firing some noise down it from this end of the line.
Tyndall: We've received a few other reports of Machine encounters near the old restricted lines. They're definitely trying to eliminate the system. Please be careful, Neoteny.
Operator: That's where the magic packets told me to send you. Hang on... I'm picking up a broadcast signal in there--we've got a redpill.
Operator: No good, that line's totally restricted. How's he getting access to these?
Operator: Uh-oh...
Mauser: I'm doing what I can to win this war.
I've already spliced this line. The Machines will be here soon.
Operator: @#%! He's right, I'm picking up increasing System chatter; they could have Agents on you any second.
Nothing I've thrown at that line has worked. He may be able to use it, but we can't! You'll have to get out of there the old-fashioned way.
Mauser: I'm taking the line. You should leave while you can.
Tyndall: We were monitoring that encounter, Neoteny, and everything the sensors picked up said that *was* Mauser. Not only is he alive and jacked in, he's also finding and manipulating restricted lines with incredible faclity. Even so, he can't hope to outrun the Machines forever, and his exploitation of those hardlines could jeopardize any of our operations to which they still connect.
We'll be comparing data here, operative. I'll keep you updated.
Naaah. And I'm sorry I've been slacking with these, folks. I'll try and post them a bit more promptly.
[10.2.3] Line Feed
Mission Details: Help narrow down the old network of restricted lines.
Tyndall: We're making significant progress at charting and securing or eliminating the old restricted-access hardline network, operative. Once we've completed this project, the network will no longer pose a security risk to our new systems, and Mauser will have to contact us if he means to continue whatever it is he's been using the network for.
Operator: Man, when are we gonna get hardlines in cell phone form, anyway? That would solve *so* many problems.
Colt's supposed to have something for you for taking care of more of the old lines. Coast looks clear.
Zion Karate Grandmaster: Man, buildings like this are almost enough to make me go work for the Machiens--or at least the Merv.
Operator: Jeez, you always have to stop and chat with everyone, don't you?
Zion Karate Grandmaster: Hey, what happened to that rumor about bluepills being taken out of their pods by Machines or something and vanishing, anyway?
Colt: *CENSORED* it, it's like he's pulling a Morpheus or something...and we all know how well *that* turned out.
Anyway, look: just take this disk to the spot Tyndall will mark out for you, and stick it in the computer there. The program on it should shut down a chunk of the hidden lines in that area.
Colt: What are you awiting for, an Agent to pop up and motivate you? Take this thing!
Colt: Bet your *CENSORED* we're shutting them down... At least we know where they are now. Maybe the Machines do, too.
Hell if I can see why Mauser's gotta go all lone wolf on us. Roland's pissed. Me... I dunno. I'm starting to think something happened out there with him and Lock.
Tyndall: With some of the data on the system in the Machines' hands, and it being forcibly brought to their attention like this by Mauser's recent activity, it's too dangerous for us to try to utilize most of the old line system right now.
You should find a terminal at the location I've indicated. It's a control hub for some of the old lines in the area. Our remote diagnostic said it was still functional, so you shouldn't have any trouble loading the shutdown program into the system.
Operator: Okay... I *think* you managed to shake that tail the Machines had on you. I'm not seeing any hostiles inside. The system's showing as online, just like Tyndall said.
Operator: Looks like it's doing its thing. A few more loose ends tied up.
Computer:Key verified. Shutdown initiated.-\|/-\|/-\Remote response confirmed.Shutting down port 1 of 5...
Tyndall: Well done, Warrior.
Data coming back from the shutdown routine pointed out a connecting line we didn't have charted. I need you to verify its location.
Operator: Hm... I don't know about this. The scan's showing coppertops in there.
Operator: A typewritten note? "Your contact's name is Soren. Any changes to your standing orders will come from him."
Erica Miller: Hey, how's it hanging? Did you see that show last night? Totally! Have a good one!
Clarissa Norment: Are you here to fix the copier?
I totally didn't know that I wasn't supposed to use waxed paper in it. I'm really sorry about that.
Operator: There's the phone, but the line's reading as restricted. Not surprising, but we don't have any information about how to access it. Hm... You'd better look the place over and see if you can find anything.
Clarissa Norment: The phone in there? Oh, I don't know. I'm not supposed to use it.
Trinity Haacke: You're... It's about time they sent someone.
... I suppose if you aren't on the level, I'm dead anyway.
The access code is star, 7, 8, 1. You have to wait two seconds between each key entry.
Operator: Whoa. Is she one of ours? I didn't have any contacts listed there. Weird... So, do we try that code on the phone, or not?
Trinity Haacke: No, the copier's in the other room.
Clarissa Norment: I really wouldn't mess with it...
Operator: Whaddya know, the code worked! I'm getting throughput... Okay, I think I can track down where that line comes out. I'll put it up on the map for you.
Clarissa Norment: I am so gonna get blamed for this...
Trinity Haacke: You'll have to ask the receptionist.
Tyndall: That's an unknown line you're dealing with, Neoteny. Be careful in there.
Operator: That's where the line trace came out. Area scan's running now...
What? That can't be right. Hang on, I gotta recalibrate this thing.
Operator: An override program! But... Those were all supposed to have been destroyed, or removed, or something. And how the hell'd this one end up at the end of our restricted line, anyway?
Uh-oh, if my scanner isn't on the fritz for real, you've got company of the Machinist kind.
Operator: *CENSORED*, the line's dead. Must've been knocked out by the override, I guess. No way we can get anywhere from that thing now.
Machine Skript Kiddie: I got 'em! Form on me!
Machine Gunslinger: Can't let you people go anywhere...
Tyndall: That is very surprising, operative. We'd thought those programs completely removed from the Matrix. The Machines themselves were very anxious to be rid of them. Carlyne and Halborn have been gone for weeks now; I have no idea how that program of theirs could have evaded detection all this time, and at the end of an old restricted line, no less...
We'll have to see if we can get any more information about this. For now, we've at least neutralized more of those old hardlines. We're sure to find Mauser soon.
(Pictures to come later. I just want to get these out here and done with since I've slacked far too long with them.)
[10.2.4] Entanglements
Mission Details: Follow Mauser along an uncharted line.
Tyndall: Warrior, some of our operatives almost caught Mauser using uncharted hardlines, but he escaped in the vicinity of the Hel Club when an override program appeared nearby. Where that program came from is unclear. However, we've been working on the ine he used, and we've managed to find a connection.
This could lead us to Mauser, and maybe some ansewrs about what's been going on.
Operator: The line's supposed to come out in these. See if you can find anything. I'll be sweeping the area for any more lines that--
Hey ,I've got an active program in there. Doesn't look like a Machine.
Bluescreen: Wrong number? Hmm? I often have that problem, oh, yes.
Fortunate you, this one I can fix. Hah. There are people... I need their computer...mm...offline, okay? Then I will see about your number for you. Now I will show you where to go.
Operator: *CENSORED*, short stuff must've seen something come through, and picked off the line feed. Either we play along or we get the hot--
Eh, I guess Tyndall would want us to try playing aong first.
Bluescreen: Heh. Tickles.
Operator: Da, I know where that is. Not too far.
Bluescreen: You will hear from me, okay? Remember: offline.
Tyndall: It appears that more and more groups are getting their hands on this information, Neoteny. We were right to begin shutting down the old lines. Do what you can to get the information from the Exile.
Operator: That's the address he gave us. I'm reading an active terminal in there. No sign of whatever "people" he was on about. Maybe they're out for tacos?
Operator: Oh, there they are. Watch it.
Computer: >frmt all -tThis will delete all data on the system.Continue? Y/N/M>YFormatting primary partition...
Operator: That should keep them offline until they can pirate another copy of the OS. This is why you should always back up your system...
Whoops, I think a few more of those furbals just trickled in.
I'll see about where we need to go to meet up with Bluescreen.
Computer: Insert boot disk, then press ENTER to continue._
Tyndall: We've got to take care of this problem before Exiles or Machines catch up to us. Command is very concerned that there's something more behind waht's been going on with Mauser. I know that they've talked to Commander Lock about it, but he says that even though he could only hear the encounter from the position where Mauser had hidden him, he was fully convinced that Mauser was killed by Sentinels; this was corroborated by blood and battle damaged found at the scene by EPN when they recovered the Commander.
Operator: It's weird calling people by their old title once their term of office has ended, so to speak. Who knows what Lock's gonna do with himself now. Guy oughta retire for good and take it easy, if you ask me.
Hang on, I'm getting multiple unidentified programs in there. Bluescreen better nto be pulling a double-cross on us.
Operator: This ain't good!
Without Bluescreen's info, we may be sunk, unless he left something behind there. You'd better look around, fast.
Lupine Lieutenant: You!
Operator: Hey, that's an unregistered phone line. Did he find the connection on his own?
Elite Guard: Didn't you get the message? Buzz off.
Operator: Got something... Hey, I think it's connecting! I'll try running tracers through it.
Tyndall: It will greatly complicate our task if Exile groups, or even the Merovingian himself, became involved in the search for Mauser. The Merovingian has been very active against the Machines on the surface lately; we think the increased storm activity to the north of the Machine city was his doing. Coud there be a connection between that and Mauser?
Operator: The line terminated in there. I'm reading pretty heavy program activity.
Lupine Scrapper: You got a lot of never, pal.
I hate nerve.
Operator: Huh? That's Flood, the Merovingian's pup. He's a royal pain in the--
Well, I guess you'd better get his excuse for existing.
Operator: No good; it's blocked.
Flood: Ah. Here we arrive at the crux of the matter, operative. Oh, you'll forgive me if I don't inquire as to your nom de guerre; I think a little professional distance is appropriate in these circumstances, and, at any rate, I don't care.
Now then: you're here because you've followed that Mauser fellow here. Inconveniently for both of us, "here" in this case falls within the Merovingian's domain. He doesn't much like your trespassing, to put it succinctlly, but he's willing to allow you to leave under your own power.
Your other option is to sacrifice yourself in opposing the ful might of our organization. Think it over--or rather, refer it to those qualified to do the thinking, hm?
Operator: Wait... Are we at war with the MErv? Can we just clean that guy's clock a little for him?
How about messing up his hair?
Dire Lupine Bane: Quite.
Dire Lupine Bane: ...
Flood: Please, don't struggle to form words and sentences in rebuttal; I am merely a humble and unusually eloquent bringer of tidings.
Adieu, adieu; parting is such sweet delight.
Tyndall: I see... We'll have to do whatever we can to prevent Mauser from falling into the Merovingian's hands.
[10.2.5] Blip
Mission Details: Look for information in Westview.
Tyndall: Warrior, there have been multiple developments in the Mauser case in the past week. Captain Niobe will brief you on the details.
I believe Captain Colt is there as well.
Operator: What's the deal with the Merv making the surface storm around Machine city worse, anyway? Not that we'd be sane to fly around there anyway, but still...
Zion Scattershot: Ever wonder about the hardline system everyone uses? It's kind of funny the Machines haven't found a way to shut it down. Or maybe they don't want to. Maybe they like us using loopholes they know about, instead of ones they don't, like all those old restricted lines Mauser dug up from before the Truce.
Zion Script Kiddie: This guy I know who hangs around a few Exiles says the General got whupped out there in the Machine no-fly zone. Nice to hear he got it put to him; I hope he took out some Machines for us in the process.
Colt: They're saying Mauser's outside now; I heard the Machines sent out hunting parties right into that big-*CENSORED* storm the Merv brewed up. It's close to where he was supposed to have been killed when he was with Lock, too; I knew there was something going on with that.
Colt: Hell if I can tell what he's doing. He never did anything like this before.
Hah, you know, I think he even swiped something from the Merv. I ran into Ookami and a pack of their operatives who sounded like they were pretty PO'd about something he'd done. ... Put up a pretty good fight, too.
Niobe: Here's the situation: we had people checking reports of someone generally matching Mauser's description in Westview. They didn't find him, but they ran across Joshua Maston, and he swore it wasn't Mauser who'd been over there, but the simulacrum of Morpheus. That thing's been AWOL since the Oracle was killed, so who knows...but something's over there, and we need to find out what.
Operator: Sounds like it's quality time in the Barrens for us.
Niobe: Either one of them has a lot of questions to answer.
Tyndall: We're going to have you check areas the Morpheus simulacrum has been seen in before in Westview. First up is a location in Gracy Heights.
Operator: How bizarre would it be if the Morph sim and Mauser were in cahoots somehow?
Hey, I'm just throwing ideas out...
Let's see... I'm reading some gang activity in there; not much else.
Crusher Jackhammer: Welcome to Gracy. Now, get the hell out!
Crusher Jackhammer: Let me show you this new move I just learned. It's called kicking your *CENSORED*.
Operator: Hey, there's a phone in there. But I didn't pick up a line connection... Check that thing.
Crusher Jackhammer: Totally uncool.
Operator: Those guys are real bundles of joy, huh?
Operator: Yeah, it's dead. That's what I thought. It must be on an old coppertop network... A lot of areas in Westview haven't had service in years--or ever, I suppose, depending on whose theory of time and simulation you subscribe to.
Weird that someone would keep a phone hooked up to a dead line. Hm... I'm gonna see if I can look up the old phone connections. Who knows, maybe it goes somewhere.
Tyndall: An out of service residential line? Well... All right, keep me informed of your progress, operative.
Operator: It's a shame about Guinness--could be real nice with that bay and all, if it weren't for the total decrepitude and all-around air of misery and despair. Different strokes for different folks, sure, but still, the Architect's gotta have a few bolts loose in the ol' cranial chamber to have come up with that place.
The city utility records I pulled up showed that the line used to connect--fictitiously or otherwise...if it even matters--to a switch box in that building. Looks like it's inhabited... Hey, some of those are redpill signals.
Operator: Cypherites!
Hey, it looks like they've got the door on the other side of that room locked. Now what would they be trying to hide in a place like that?
Cypherite Expert Rifleman: Locks can't keep us out!
Operator: No keys on those banditos. I wonder if we can pick that--
Hey! That's funny... That door's unlocked now. ... Did you do that?
Operator: Power cycle-- Network traffic-- What the hell...? Now it's gone... Something uploaded to the compute rin that room just as you entered, but the system disconnected almost immediately. It's still powered on, though.
Computer: >>Follow her eyes in the dark binary of the golden prime._
Operator: Say wha-?
That's it? But... And who unlocked that door, anyway?
Tyndall: "Follow her eyes in the dark--"
Are you sure you read that message accurately, operative?
No, I... Well, it just seems very strange.
Ah... If you have nothing else to check there, I need you to speak with EPN. They say they've found something.
Operator: What, they found Morpheus? That would figure.
Okay... Pluribus Neo's officer Shimada is supposed to be meeting you in there.
Shimada: Hello. We thought you should know that we detected a blip heading north from a deep tunnel system near the old city. It left scan range before we were able to pursue it, but when we backtracked along its flight path, we found an area at the end of an old maintenance tunnel, strewn with pieces from SEntinels and hovercraft. Soem of the pieces showed signs of heavy damage, but a terminal from one of the hovercraft sections was actually functional. It contained encrypted data that we're working on decoding now.
Operator: North? But that would mean wahtever it was is heading right into the storm.
Shimada: No, we aren't sure what the object was, but our readings showed that it was no larger than a mid-sized hovercraft. It was moving at approximately standard hovercraft speed, but th tunnels didn't allow us to approach it directly. We were fortunate to have picked it up at all.
Yes, we will keep you informed of progress on the data in the recovered terminal. It is a known encryption type, so we expected to be able to crack it.
E Pluribus Neo Crusader: Good to hear you got Lock back to your city after we handed him off to you.
E Pluribus Neo Crusader: I hope you've got that old hardline system of yours under control now.
E Pluribus Neo Crusader: The Machines tried capturing information from our scanners around the old city a few weeks ago. They'd disabled our security, and, well, we thought we were screwed...but then the security routines kicked back in somehow, and we were abe to secure the data. Some kind of glitch, I guess. It was a close one.
E Pluribus Neo Crusader: Hm... The Machines may have captured some data about the site where we rescued Commander Lock after the Machines wiped out the old city. We had a security incident a few weeks ago.
Tyndall: Thank you, operative. I'll see to it that intel gets this report right away.
