- Index -

Tyndall: Warrior, the Ouroboros network blueprint we extracted from Sheldon Brewer's brain finally led us to their security records of the attack on their systems that was probably made by Mauser. The records have provided us with the network addresses of systems hacked during the attack. Now we need to access those systems so that we can determine what Mauser--or whoever it was--was going to so much trouble to obtain.

Operator: Okay, this is it. I've got signals in there--look like security patrols.

[Hostiles: Ouroboros Security]
[Attackable: Bluepill]

Ouroboros Security: Identify yourself! Identif--

Ah, to hell with it!



Operator: Son of a--!
Larmon Harlick: What...? Who's there? Help! Security! Help!

Help! It's the hacker!

Ouroboros Security: Open fire!




Computer:
Ouroboros Corporation
Security Interface Level 6
>**********
Checking...
Access error.
>******** ***** **
Checking....
###@#@@@@@@@@@#
Warning: unsigned certificate.
Sys alert sent.
##&#####&&&&&&&%%%%##

Operator: *CENSORED*, what the heck is this? It's completely different than their corporatesystems we've accessed. Does that mean he isn't after Ouroboros business secrets? But then...what is this?

I'm gonna need al ittle time with this... You'd better get out of there.

Computer:
&&&&&&&%%%%%%%%&&&&&####$$$$$$$$##@@%%

Tyndall: I understand the difficulty, operative. This is the first time we've encountered that part of their network. I'll let you know if I'm able to obtain further information from our other sources.

Operator: It was ugly, but I managed to get a whiff of a terminal in there from the last one you found.

Man, those security guys aren't kidding around anymore. You're gonna have your hands full with this one.

[Hostiles: Ouroboros Security]

Operator: The terminal is in the next room, but they've got a security seal on the door. It isn't responding to anything I've it with so far. Crud. Uh... Try knocking over those guards. Maybe they have an access code.

Ouroboros Security: Control, in pursuit of intruder in sector 24.




Operator: *CENSORED*, nothing. I guess that only works on TV. I still can't get anywhere with that door. I think we're gonn have to try somewhere else.

Tyndall: We still know very little about Ouroboros. We know that they have unexpected resources, and some reach into the real world. There are rumours that they have faced off against the Machines in recent weeks, and that override programs were involved at least once. The Merovingian has been orchestrating his own hacking initiative against the corporation, apparently in an effort to decipher data he found in the restricted area 800 miles northwest of the Machine city, an area some think the intruders may have come from.

Operator: Okay, this is another terminal that was on the security record, and made a connection with the first terminal we checked. Still don't know what was at terminal number two, but maybe we'll have better luck with three.

Got signals on the scope--look like security, and an alarm system.

You know, we haven't even caught of sight of any normal Eddie Punchclock clerk types on this run--only that technician, and a whole pack of security goons. I'm no expert on the home electronics industry, but I'm just gonna guess that this high goon to pencil-pusher ratio is a little unusual.

Computer:
OxS[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

Operator: Hey... I got something here. It's partly encrypted, but...that sure as hell looks like Machine-format surface coordinates. About a thousand miles north... *CENSORED*, where's the longitude?

What's this stuff? Something about... Power ratings, network linkages... I really wish I could see all of--

What? Crap, it's been cut off! Looks like trouble. I've got a couple more signals heading right for you.

[New signals detected!]
[Ouroboros Security, Seraph]

Ouroboros Security: How-- [dies]

Operator: Seraph?!

Seraph: My apologies for the interruption. I have to ask you to please stop your investigation of this data. If the secret is revealed too soon, the slave will never go free.

Operator: Oh man. Dude's been gone for moths, meanwhile all kinds of stuff breaks out around here, then he pops outta nowhere just as we're about to get some answers, and says to stop looking.

Wait. If he's been gone, then how'd he know...?

Well, crap. Our feed there has already been pinched off. We're gonna have to call this in and see what the hell we're supposed to do now.

Seraph: I can say nothing more. I must ask you...to trust me.

Tyndall: Seraph? I see... Yes, please stand by. Captain Niobe is jacked in, and I'm going to contact her about this immediately.

...

Operative, the captain has just finished a meeting with Brenda Utley, and will be able to see you alone now. I'm sending her coordinates to you.

Operator: Hey, we haven't heard from Brenda in a while. Wonder how she's doing. I heard she got subpoenaed by the Machines about the Wright thing and, well... working with us.

[Friendlies: Zion operative]
[Heroes: Niobe]

Zion Soldier: I heard the Mervs ran across some Ouroboros guards who'd been "accelerated"--you know, sped up by an override code like the intruders used to throw around.

Niobe: Seraph? And that's all he said? Goddamn it, we spend all this time trying to find out what Mauser was doing, and he shows up out of the blue and says to drop it? He's really pushing it with this trust thing...

Hell. He knows I'd do it, too. If he'd explained how I'm supposed to convince the Council, I'd really have been impressed.

He'd better be right about this...

This business thing has *not* been going well. Utley gave us some good leads, but now the feds--the Machines--are threatening to shut her down. There's been more trouble from Wright Research, and even a business scandal implicating both of their companies that I just bet the Merv had something to do with.

We know he *and* the Machines have been drilling their own holes into Ouroboros' network... They were probably ahead of us anyway, and now we're supposed to stop, or else the "slave" won't be--Now just what the hell was that supposed to mean, anyway?

[Mission End]

Tyndall: Seraph may not want us to keep looking through evidence from the attack on Ouroboros' systems, but you did find out that Mauser--if it was him--accessed information having to do with a distant location in the Real--possibly some kind of surface installation.

He disappeared shortly after he hacked into that data, over six weeks ago. A long trip in the Real would explain a prolonged absence, but where could he have been going? And why? And why wouldn't Seraph want us to find out more about it?

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