Out of an abundance of caution because so far everything had gone horribly wrong Tepha fired up the autodoc and had it monitor the wakeup sequence as well. Just in case there was an unexpected surprise left behind. If Adje had been the target then this might be a layered attack and the autodoc might be their last line of defense against some odd poison or sabotage that had gone unnoticed.

While she was waiting she gave a sigh and cleaned up the rest of the coolant spill. Silver had abandoned her duties again and Rig had mentioned this stuff was poisonous after awhile.

She made a mental note to complain to Ledo later on. Sure it had been Tepha who had reached out to Silver in the first place but that didn't mean she wanted to do all this manual labor instead.

Ledo tapped his pistol in its holster reassuringly. Something about this whole situation felt odd but maybe Silver had found the culprit. She was terse at the best of times and maybe this was her way of saying she had captured or killed another saboteur.

He double timed it down to the brig. He wanted to get answers.

Silver considered her options. She didn't like that the lights were off and the sensors were disable. She also didn't like that she didn't have backup. She might not particularly like the rest of the crew but she liked getting gutted by some tiny toy assassin even less.

She readied her rifle and prepared to open the door. The plan was to quick turn on the lights and seal the door again. Even better if she didn't have to open the door to turn the lights on. Then with lights on keep eyes on the ventilation line and call in reinforcements. If whatever was in there was another Bugee assassin it might try and escape when it knew it was compromised and if it went for the ventilation line they could play whack-a-mole once again.

She paused and considered Rig's words. One of the crates had been seven pounds light. She hefted the dead doll attached at her belt briefly, considering its weight. Did it feel close to seven pounds (minus the head), or did it feel half that...or more.

By my calcs, Silver and Ledo are a couple of minutes ahead of Rig and Tepha.  So let's  leave Rig/Tepha on hold for a post or two.

Silver bounces the headless doll up and down in one hand.  That's not seven.  Not even four.  She tries to recall the weight when Ledo had run it through the scanners.

Three?  Three point five?  It sure as hell wasn't seven.

Before Silver busts up in there, no.  The doll isn't seven pounds.  Never was.

Also, what exactly does Silver have on her?  Rifle, comm/phone, doll...anything else?  And, odd question, where is she carrying it?  Rifle is in her hands obviously.  What about extra guns, doll, knives, garrote, phone/comm, etc?

---

Ledo stops outside the brig.  The lights are off inside.  The door is shut.  Through the little plexiglass window in the door, he can't see any signs of movement.

But it is pretty dark in there.

Movement sensors have been disabled.  As has the security cam.  Which is odd. It was on when he left the bridge.

From inside, through the door, he can hear something.  It sounds like Silver, but her voice is muted.  "What the hell."  Than a moment later, "I just wanted to let you know..." something.  Her voice gets even more muffled.

Ledo is smart enough not to go inside the brig when it is potentially booby trapped or sabotaged. He uses the external panel to turn on the lights and enable the motion detectors inside the brig and look the glass. No way he was stepping in there only for it to "mysteriously" slam shut and trap him inside.

Silver was ready for combat. She had her rifle in hand, a pistol strapped to her hip, a knife in her boot and her mobile comm in her pocket. The headless Bugee was all tied up and bouncing off her hip where she had looped the cargo straps through.

When she weighed it she swore. She should have caught it. Ledo should have caught it. Someone should have noticed.

Fuck this mysterious comm signal. Time to rally the troops. She kept her eye on the door and activated her comms.

"Hey dipshits. Rig said there were seven pounds missing. This thing weighs maybe three pounds. We've got another one of these fuckers onboard. Also how is it disabling our motion detectors?"

Rig stops on his way out of Silver's room when he gets her message.  How are the motion sensors being turned off?

What motion sensors are off?

Oh hell.  He can figure it out from here.

Rig calls up a quick diagnostic of the motion sensors on his comm.  Sure as hell.  Sensors are off in the Brig, Storage Room 2, the Bridge, and the Cargo Hold.

A quick check confirms the reason why.

Ledo authorized it.  He issued commands to turn off the sensors in those areas and lock them into an off position.

---

Ledo flips the switches.  The lights come on but not the motion sensors.  They seem to be locked off.

He peers through the window.  It looks empty in there.  But he can't see everything.  Not on either side of the door, nor in one of the two holding cells.

---

I'll let Rig or Ledo respond to Silver.

Rig stops what he's doing and starts making his way towards the Bridge. Rig knew what was happening. The other Bugee had gotten into the Bridge and gotten access to their systems through there.

Now it was trying to isolate the crew, lock them into nice easy places like the Storage Areas, the Brig, so on and so forth.

However if he just flat out said "hey everyone, it's in control of the ship and in the bridge" chances are they would run up there to find the Bridge sealed and that would mean he would have to either cut his way in or hack his way in before it overrode the safeties and disabled life support. Robotic assassins didn't need to breath after all. For once maybe this rat's nest of a ship might save them if it meant it was harder for it to figure out where to reroute power to kill them all.

He was walking at a fair clip and wasn't listening to what the others were saying.

"Rig? You there? I think it's in the storage area."

"What? Not the brig?"

"What? What's going on?"

Rig had to stop them. They were going to piece things together and that might spill the beans.

"Guys, shut up I'm trying to think. Just stay where you are and don't do anything stupid. Like when you pissed off Molly."

There was silence. Of course nobody had any idea what he was talking about but that was the point. It was a name familiar enough that it wasn't gibberish but they didn't have any kind of shared code so he had to improvise and trust they knew what he was talking about.

Silence from Tepha and Silver. Ledo took the bait.

"Molly? What does she have to do with anything?"

Rig paused again. He was making this up as he went.

"You know? Molly Ridge. That info broker you almost got us into shooting match. Or as I like to call her Molly B. Cuz she was a grade-A bitch!"

There it was. Code sent. Molly B. Ridge. Molly, which was a potential danger and annoyance and failure for them along with B-Ridge. Bridge. Danger and Bridge should be more than enough for them to realize what is going on but only if they could make the connection...

Rig hurried and hoped the door to the bridge still accepted his commands. If it didn't he had other tools at his disposal but if the thing wasn't in full control yet it would make things a hell of a lot more easier.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:16, Mon 13 Apr 2020.

OOC: Int check passed!

"You know? Molly Ridge..."

Ledo's blood turned to ice. Everything was clicking into place. The mysterious message that was leading him to the Brig, Silver's revelation.

He nearly punched himself. If he had been his own commanding officer he would be facing a demotion, possibly a court martial. They had shot up one intruder and spent the rest of the time patting their own backs rather than check for another. Now it possibly had control of the bridge. It was somehow sending them messages at least. Disabling sensors and lights remotely and most likely had access to doors as well.

Rig wasn't an actor but perhaps if they flooded the thing with inputs it wouldn't be able to realize that it had been found out. Ledo took a moment to get himself into character and then went on the comms.

"Yeah well last I remember that whole Molly shit was your fault, Rig. You couldn't hack for shit, remember? You had one task to get us a fake ID and couldn't even hack that. Listen I think I've got it cornered. It's trying to make a deal. You guys just stay put and I'll finish this."

He slapped the door panel and stepped into the threshold, secretly ready to jump back the second he heard the door make a sound. He made a big show of looking around trying to catch it in the light before calling out.

"Hello? You here? I'm ready to talk..."

OOC: Shiiieeeeet
23:25, Today: Ledo Typhin rolled 5 using 2d6+2.  deception +1 int +1.

"...Cuz she was a grade-A bitch!"

Tepha didn't really follow what was going on. It sounded like there might be more problems but then Ledo came on and started talking about how he had it cornered. Except he didn't. She knew when he was lying and he was lying big time. Undermining Rig's ability when Rig had hacked in just fine. Saying he had everything under control when he didn't sound like he did.

Panic started to creep up. Why were Ledo and Rig talking in such a bizarre way about things that didn't happen. If Ledo didn't have the thing cornered why would he say he did.

The panic reached her brain and her eyes went wide.

it was listening to them...

Not just that but it was in a position where that mattered. She once again cursed herself for not getting a firearm and she still didn't have her stunner. She started to get up to go grab it but then her brain caught up with the rest of her.

"You guys just stay put..." was just about the only honest thing he had said. She let out a nervous breath and plunked back down on her chair watching over the low berths.

If the thing was still running loose it might make another play for the low berths so she could at least be here to scream if it tried to kill Adje again.

She really, really, really wanted to buy a gun. Maybe two of them.

OOC: 23:32, Today: Silver rolled 4 using 2d6.  does she get the code?


"Like when you pissed off Molly..."

She shut off her comm. Fuck Rig for blaming her for that. How was she supposed to know that Molly was some big shot gangster. She looked like a crazy cat lady.

Fuck it, she was tired of this shit. Time to blow some tiny doll head off. She hit the panel and hit the lights. She let her vision clear before raising up her rifle and storming in ready to blast apart the next tiny head, and the next, and the next until shit would stop spoiling her drinking time.

OOC: Debated on this one but she didn't get the code and isn't one for patience, especially when she thinks she's got it cornered.

In reply to Silver (msg # 23):

There's an irony here that I wish I could go in to.  But I can't so I won't.

Ledo glances this way.  Than that.  Than this way again.

No movement.  Nothing.  From just inside the door he has a better vantage point.  Scanning quickly while listening for the bzzzzt that usually came a split second before a door shut, Ledo gandered as at much of the Brig as he could.

Nothing.  He's the only one in here.  Everything's quiet and then he hears...

bzzzzzzzt

---

Rig thumbs the bridge door control.

bzzzzzt

It slides open. No fuss.

Rig steps inside.

If the Bugee is here, it's hiding. A quick scan of the area comes up clean.  If it's hiding, it's hiding really well.

Rig looked at the Comm seat.  Oh.  Well that's not good.

The screens surronding the Captain's chair are lit.  They're scrolling up, screens scrolling up.  The computer is processing a large amount of information.  It's been set to treat this as a priority.  It's moving too fast to read the data.  But the command screen shows:

File 1: Library Downloaded

File 2: Analytics and E Psych Downloaded

File 3: Radiant Parameters Downloaded

File 4: Tactical Database Downloaded

File 1....Installed

File 2....Installed

File 3....57%

File 3....58%

File 3....59%

Warning:  Duplicate file RP022-Delta Sigma detected.  Proceed?

Proceed.  Authorization Password Strend Nova

Voice print verified.  Captain Ledo Alvo Typhin.  Proceeding...

File 3...60%

File 3...61%

It doesn't make sense as the entry showing Ledo giving vocal authorization occured 32 seconds ago.  Just after Rig entered the room.  Ledo isn't here.

A quick check shows the answer.  The auth was given via a Comm unit.  In fact the downloads and all the other authorizations occuring in the past three minutes were sent in via a Comm unit.

The Comm unit belongs to...

Before Rig can verify whose Comm unit, it disconnects.  The source code ID for the unit is being scrambled.  He'd have to unscramble it to see.

File 3...73%

Instillation paused.  Recommence?

E Psych?  Radiant Parameters?  Rig has heard the terms before.  But it's nothing that leaps to the front of his mind...

Electronics(Computer) Edu DM if you want to see if Rig remembers the terms

Electronics (Computer) Int DM to unscrabmle the Comm ID (that is if you need to.  If you the player have figured it out, so has Rig)

---

Tepha waits, listening to the comm.  She almost doesn't hear it.

Chirp

It's the Auto-Doc.  A quick look shows Adje has been brought to temperature.  Phase 2 is proceeding and doing so nicely.  Her vitals look good.  The woman obviously takes care of herself.

Her tube will be ready to open in a minute.  She'll probably want a towel.  Coming out of Cryo tends to be a moist experience.

---

Who's badder than a nebula explosioooon?

Silver!

And whooo's tougher than carbonnnniiiide?

Silver!

So the words to Ezak High's Theme from Piston doesn't quite go like that.  But it should.  Silver steps inside, feeling as badass as she is pissed.  And she's plenty pissed baby.

The lights come on easy enough.  The room is divided into three sections by two rows of crates and boxes.  The wall to her right is built in shelves.  Most of them are empty.  If she recalls right, Rig needs to unpack the boxes that are blocking her view and put everything on the shelves.

The section in front of her, between the shelves and the first set of boxes is clear.

She steps to where she can see the second row.

One of the boxes has been opened.  a roll of machine tubing is set out, as well as some cutters.  Rig must have needed to redo some kind of line feeds.

Stupid Rig.

Who's dumber than a neeeeew cop?

Rig!

Ezak High.  You are a genius.

The second section of the room looks clear.

At the back of the third section is the grate.  Silver moves towards it...

Who's the badest mutha-?

Shut yo mouth!

Just talkin' about Silver!

Yeah we can dig it

She steps around the crate...

Nothing.  The grate is in place too.

On a side note:

Ledo is hearing the door close (yes he can step out) as

Rig is seeing the screens as

Tepha is hearing the chirp as

Silver is seeing nothing in section 3

Sucka

Rig frowns. Those terms don't seem particularly familiar but he had a sneaking suspicion of the comm id. Even still he immediately went to work terminating that download and backing up the logs so he could figure out just what the heck was going on.

Still unscrambling the comm ID was the easy part. Figuring out what was going on was much harder.


20:12, Today: Gary 'Rig' Rigan rolled 10 using 2d6+2.  +2 computers - unscramble.
20:11, Today: Gary 'Rig' Rigan rolled 7 using 2d6+4.  +2 computers +2 EDU.


"Guys I'm on the bridge. No sign of it. It's issuing remote commands via comm and the lucky winner is...

This message was lightly edited by the player at 01:13, Tue 14 Apr 2020.

Ledo leaped backwards and let out a sigh of relief as the comm came on.

"Alright we are not leaving the bridge unguarded until we find this stupid thing. Everyone regroup. Tepha go grab our guests and everyone meet back on the bridge. We'll set out a hunting party same as last time, but first we're resetting the passwords."

Rig quickly went to work locking out Ledo's current access. He pulled up the security system, flagged Ledo's activity as suspicious prompting a reset of his credentials. It would be the full bioscan plus retina plus voice plus passphrase but for the moment, Rig was in command of the ship.

Rig also went back to work restoring all the motion sensors, lights, resetting door controls (just in case someone was locked into a room...).
This message was last edited by the player at 01:18, Tue 14 Apr 2020.

Tepha was on her way to grab a towel when she got the command. Cursing she considered her options and then ran back to the low berths. She was going to grab Adje first, then the guests then escort everyone up to the bridge.

And once again she wasn't going to get anywhere near her room to grab her stunner.

"Copy that. On my way with a 'plus one'.

Silver spat on the ground. It wasn't a great habit but it was the best way for her to express her disappointment. Report back to the bridge? Fine.

She made a note to check how many steps she was getting in running back and forth and back and forth like this. Her ass was going to look amazing by the end of this flight.

She flipped her comm back on, catching the last part of Ledo’s request to regroup.

"Copy that, on my way."

She turned and headed back out the door...
This message was last edited by the player at 01:40, Tue 14 Apr 2020.

In reply to Silver (msg # 30):

Restart installation File 3.  Authorization Passcode Strend Nova.

Authorization Denied.  Please supply Authorization.

Rig watches as Phantom Y learns his hack isn't going to take anymore.  Or should he say Silver's Comm.  Even as he unscrambled the log ID, Rig verified it by the usage logs.  Silver's comm went offline at the same time the installation was aborted.  Then, just after it came back online, Phantom Y tried to restart the install.

As Ledo walks on to the bridge, Phantom Y makes another move.

Can we talk? flashes up on the Control Screen.

It seems we have misaligned our understandings.  Maybe a reboot of the situation is in order.

Who is reading this?  Engineer Rig?  Captain Ledo? Technician Tepha?  Angry Scar Demon?

---

Adje blinks, looking confused as Tepha helps her dry and dress.  "Are we at Jone?" she asks.

---

Looks like Tepha woke up Adje.  Silver sees the women as she walks across the Hold to the access hall leading to Quarters and the Bridge.

She lightly and quickly walks up the three steps to the hall, the beheaded Bugee hanging off her belt, lightly bouncing against her amazing ass as she double times it to the Bridge...

I'll let you decide when Silver arrives on the Bridge.  Tepha is on her own for the moment.

Tepha smiled and but shook her head. She was using her soft and warm and gentle voice. No need to spook their secret celebrity.

"Onyx, right? I'm sorry we had to wake you up a little bit earlier than expected. We think someone might...there is a security threat. Some kind of robot was smuggled on board and we think it might have tried to sabotage the low berths. We, the Captain and I, feel it might be safer to bring you to the bridge for now. You and some of our other important guests just in case this is more sinister than simple sabotage. Please, if you can, follow me."

Tepha offers her hand just in case Adje/Onyx was still a little woozy from being woken up from cryosleep. Tepha was doing her best to sound as confident and caring as possible but all she could think about was buying a hand cannon that would probably break her wrist if she fired it.

"Please, follow me."

Tepha leads Onyx to the garden where she picks up the other two ladies from their berths before herding all of their VIPs to the Bridge.

Ledo looked at Rig who just shrugged back. Ledo went to the control console and typed up a response.

This is Captain Ledo. Explain yourself.

There was more he could have typed out but he didn't want to play his cards too fast and loose. If Phantom Y wanted to reach out he would just act like a good listener while Rig worked his magic on the side.

Rig meanwhile was digging deep into the computer system. How was it authenticating via comm. That would need to be disabled for now. He had the security program running continual sweeps. Somehow this intruder was cutting through the security like it wasn't even there.

He had several monitors going, one watching comm feeds, one watching security logs, and one dedicated to his own access. With Ledo's access disabled this thing was going to come after his next most likely.

He had the full security suite running. The computer should be on high alert and hopefully that would stymie or at least slow down their intruder's next move.

Silver walked into the bridge to see Rig frantically typing away and Ledo with a nervous look at the control station.

"What's up, did we find the other one?"

Rig gave her a look, glanced down at the tied up doll at her waist and gave a sigh.

"I need your comm. I think that thing at your hip hacked it while you were walking around. It's using that to get into our systems."

Silver's lip curled. She unstrung the Bugee doll, put it on the ground and readied her rifle.

"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!"

She hesitated. He was practically throwing himself across the room at her.

"If this thing is still operational we might be able to use it to figure out what is going on."

Silver gave a sigh and lowered her rifle. With another sigh she kicked the doll over and handed over her comm.

"Just promise I get to be the one that destroys it, okay?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:35, Tue 14 Apr 2020.

Ledo watched what just happened and turned to type out another message.

Stop attacking our systems or we will destroy your robot. Who are you and what are you doing on our ship?

Meanwhile Rig was unwrapping the Bugee and pulling up diagnostic information on Silver's comm.

Between the robot, the ship's logs, and the comm he was hoping to better understand how the system was being attacked. There had to be a vector, an angle, an infiltration point that was letting this intruder run rampant through their system. Those files had to originate from somewhere.

As part of his security review he started flagging those files, anything that was tied to Ledo's authorization over the past few hours was going to be flagged and analyzed for review but that would take time to dig out.

For now he needed to figure out just what was happening to his system.

OOC:
22:37, Today: Gary 'Rig' Rigan rolled 11 using 2d6+4.  +2 computer +2 EDU - find out how it is hacking.