@Splinter you take control of the security node and while you now own the security logs, this node just doesn't have the juice to silence an alert.  Access codes flow into your deck and you can delete your presence from the logs. You were never here.

You also have a bead on the Knight who is pursuing you...

...it just arrived in the SPU where Venom has left the paralyzed Detective.

@Venom tech support gives you another thumbs up as the IC reboots. You fly down the dataline into an unprotected datastore...

::HUD ::

>>>Node: Datastore (tag: undefined)
>>>System Rating: RED
>>>Alert Status: PASSIVE
>>>Encryption [ ] [ ] [ ]

...the node is encrypted, it's going to take some time to crack this code.

Splinter tries to create a false trail for the knight to take, to throw him off Venom or Splinter trail.

Somewhere, Venom takes a deep breath, remembers what he hopes is an appropriate mantra ("Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.") and starts in on the decryption process.

(He's working as quickly as he possibly can, without rushing and making stupid mistakes.)

@Splinter spend 1 Hold...
Planting a decoy in the security logs does the trick and the Knight turns back from the SPU and starts heading back toward the center of the system. You have successfully bought yourselves some time.

@Venom Sling Code 19:32, Today: Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Venom, rolled 5 using 2d6+1 ((1,3)). Lockpick +1, spend 1 Hold = 7 WEAK SUCCESS
Taking care not to accidentally wipe the node of data, you struggle with the encryption algorithms. It is not without difficulty that you gain access to the decryption keys. Unfortunately, they are also encrypted and you will need to crack them...

>>>Encryption [X] [ ] [ ]

...your infiltration does not go unnoticed...

@Splinter
...you intercept a security log entry that requests an increase in the alert state.
>>>>>Query - upgrade alert state?
>>>YES? >>>NO?

This message was deleted by the player at 08:55, Sat 19 Mar 2022.

In reply to Venom (msg # 91):

Not you Venom... Queen Splinter sees the logs over in the Security Node

Queen Splinter has no idea what action caused the increase in alert but the queen is pretty sure that increasing the alert status would not be in her best interest.

So with the aloofness of a royalty she dismiss the request, NO, she does try to locate the area where the alert came from. If she managed to locate the area, she would attempt to tag the whole nod as faulty causing the system to ignore follow-up alert status requests.

Sorry, my mistake.


Venom presses on with the process.

@Slinter spend 1 Hold
You delete the log event without any trouble. You can see that the security incident came from the red datastore, and deftly trick the system into ignoring any requests from the node.

One of the cops looks over suspiciously, but says nothing. security tally +1

@Venom Sling Code 09:48, Today: Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Venom, rolled 8 using 2d6+1 ((3,4)). +1 Lockpick WEAK SUCCESS

Option 1:

You get most of the key, but aren't sure it will finish the job...

>>>>> Encryption [X] [X] [ ]

Option 2: edge bump STRONG SUCCESS

You get the whole key, this will certainly finish the job...

>>>>> Encryption [X] [X] [X]

Venom (still carefully) looks to see what information he can find, now.

(EDGE BUMP, btw)

Splinter Knight Errand face were designed by the best algorithm to induce trust and obedience. It was the perfect balanced female face and it gave the cops a nod. Yes, the nod said, I know it look odd, yes I am in control, there is no need to panic everything is under control I have a plan and I know what I am doing. It was a fancy algorithm and it costed a little fortune of fathers money to buy but it was worth every nuyen of it.

You’ve got what you came for. The datastore is filled with archived files from back when Rourke was an up and comer in Ares.

You want to sift through the data now, or snag a bunch of files from the right timeframe and analyse them later?

Splinter sent a PM to Venom

<<Yo, I hope you got what you need, I am keeping everything cool here but it is a matter of time before this kettle gonna blow>>

Got it. We're in. Do I have time to sort through it, or should I GrabNGo?

<<I can buy you thirty seconds, maybe a minute but no more... your call>>

Splinter seems able to keep everything cool while Venom fishes some gems out of the decades old archive.

-Rourke's contact list from his time as DepOps when the old Ares host was live, it includes a number of internal LTG numbers.
-A list of equipment purchase authorizations for the ops division which includes details on hardware and software deployed in the host.

With this info you each Hold 2 inside the wrekage of the old Ares host

And perhaps a little something for another time: the address of an Ares black site research facility. Wonder if that place is still up and running?

Splinter kept the address, it was always good to have such a juicy intel, even if Splinter couldn't exploit it surely there were some shadowrunner Splinter could sell it to. Even suggest a double run, one in meat space, one in real matrix space.

Splint sent a PM to Kali <<Got the goods... ready when you are to go down the rabbit hole.>>>

It was an odd expression, Splinter had used it a couple of time but never figured out what it meant or why people used it. The best Splinter could do was get a reference for an ancient Sim, no those were called movies back at the day called, ironically enough, Matrix. There was some rabbit there and some talks about jumping into a hole. The rest of the thing didn't made much sense, lame SFX and poorly quality Sim, the thing was nearly only two senses and just had primitive plastered all over it. Which was logical considering it was almost a century old.

Yeah. Cursor and Cursor. Venom replied, and indicated he was good to go.

So back to Kali's node on the edge of the wild SAC RTG to find out if she is coming or are you diving right in without her?

It is a three decker gig, I vote we get Kali

Good idea.

Clear of Mercury Transport, together you fly down the datalines back out to the broken node on the edge of the shattered LTG.

In the flickering light of crashed constructs and damaged hosts, you hunker down and wait for Kali to return.  It's not long before you get a response to the message Splinter sent letting you know she is on the way and ready to start across the wasteland into the corrupted host.

Legwork summary:
-Anyone in the crew may take +1 forward to Sling Code or Rock and Roll against any construct containing Lights Out payload code while travelling in SAC LTG

-Splinter: Hold 2 inside the wreckage of the old Ares host

-Splinter: when you try to crack any password set by Rourke you are boosted

-Venom: Hold 2 inside the wreckage of the old Ares host

-Venom: 1 Prep

The wait was the worse... how long would it take Kali get here... they were waiting for a whole ten seconds... it was terrible... sooooo long wait....

Splinter whirlwind of fragments turned faster and faster to convey their boredom. in the end Splinter decided there was no choice but to engange in the dreaded social conersation.

"So..." Splinter started not sure how to continue this...

"ahm... nice weather we have here..." somewhere in meat space Splinter poor excuse for a body wanted to facepalm itself for such a lame start.

"Yeah. Love the snow. Reminds me of Oslo."

[There was no snow, he'd never been to Oslo... but on the off chance someone tried to use that information, couldn't hurt.]
This message was last edited by the player at 09:26, Sun 24 Apr 2022.