it doesn't jeopardize the security or safety of the Archaea or crew. While docked on Europa Station, I interfaced with the security and enviro control systems to identify the locations of Yak and Jane.”
I swiveled around and looked at the captain, who was busy looking anywhere else at the moment, and smiling.
“Janis, how were you able to bypass the security system on Europa Station?”
“Steven, it was rather trivial. I performed an analysis of data packets on the network and identified an origin-key algorithm. As the nature of the communication was the method used to secure the communication, I simply wrote packets that matched the level of security I required, and set the signifier for each packet so it would back-trace to nodes that matched other packets of traffic for the same systems.”
“Janis, that is brilliant. You reverse-engineered and prototyped a real-time packet shaper and router. How did you reverse engineer the key signature?”
“Steven, I didn't. It didn't seem to be an efficient use of resources to do so. It was far more efficient to reuse existing packet signatures that matched the correct back-trace key. I simply re-routed them without changing their origin.”
“Janis, I am amazed. This is an incredibly elegant hack.”
“Thank you Steven, that is very nice of you to say. Would you like to keep the captain's directive in place, or modify it to restrict my access to external networks?”
“Janis, Captain Smith is the ultimate authority aboard the Archaea. As his crew, we should obey him to the best of our ability at all times. If you are unable to abstract his request or order to a complete logicspace ruleset, please let me know so that I can help resolve any conflict.”
“Thank you Steven. I shall do so.”
A light sweat had broken out all over my body as I thought more clearly about what it was Captain Smith may have done.
“Janis dear”, the captain said in his most endearing tone, “If we get into range of that target's network, can you access it?”
“Of course, sir. I am already resident in their network.”
“I thought we weren't in range?”
“Sir they were in range of a number of orbital platforms with transmit and receive capability as they raised orbit, I inserted a TSR node into their network at my earliest opportunity so that I may be resident in memory in advance of our need. It seemed likely that with the turrets inoperable, we would need an alternative method to leverage their compliance with our request.”
“Our request, dear?”
“Yes sir, to release Yak, or else.”
*****
We had closed to within 15 kilometers of the target, and as far as I could tell they hadn't yet noticed us, slowly but surely catching up with them from the shadowy depths of space. Off the starboard bow the harsh glare from Vega shone on the port bulkhead, reflected even more brightly from the target ahead. My breath caught in my throat at the savage beauty of the moment, the hunter and prey, the inevitable conflict, the impending crisis of command, the complete and total lack of coffee in my cold, dry cup.
“Gene, what is the good news?” I ask, through lips that have forgotten the warm, life giving embrace of coffee fresh and hot.
“Twenty more minutes, Dak?”
“Oh, I am sorry Gene. That was not the correct answer.”
“I am working at full speed here, but the loaders aren't letting the round rack into the chamber. Something with the alignment, or the adjustment, I am not sure. I am working as fast as I can, Dak.”
“Very well Gene. Because I am such a great guy, I can wait fifteen minutes. It's only time, right? I ought to be able to cool my jets for ten minutes, easy. Take your time, mister, just be advised, once I have waited the full five minutes you have requested I will be using those guns, with you in there or not.”
The silent hiss of the comms was all the answer I needed. I intended to give Gene as much time as he needed, but I wasn't sure if our
I swiveled around and looked at the captain, who was busy looking anywhere else at the moment, and smiling.
“Janis, how were you able to bypass the security system on Europa Station?”
“Steven, it was rather trivial. I performed an analysis of data packets on the network and identified an origin-key algorithm. As the nature of the communication was the method used to secure the communication, I simply wrote packets that matched the level of security I required, and set the signifier for each packet so it would back-trace to nodes that matched other packets of traffic for the same systems.”
“Janis, that is brilliant. You reverse-engineered and prototyped a real-time packet shaper and router. How did you reverse engineer the key signature?”
“Steven, I didn't. It didn't seem to be an efficient use of resources to do so. It was far more efficient to reuse existing packet signatures that matched the correct back-trace key. I simply re-routed them without changing their origin.”
“Janis, I am amazed. This is an incredibly elegant hack.”
“Thank you Steven, that is very nice of you to say. Would you like to keep the captain's directive in place, or modify it to restrict my access to external networks?”
“Janis, Captain Smith is the ultimate authority aboard the Archaea. As his crew, we should obey him to the best of our ability at all times. If you are unable to abstract his request or order to a complete logicspace ruleset, please let me know so that I can help resolve any conflict.”
“Thank you Steven. I shall do so.”
A light sweat had broken out all over my body as I thought more clearly about what it was Captain Smith may have done.
“Janis dear”, the captain said in his most endearing tone, “If we get into range of that target's network, can you access it?”
“Of course, sir. I am already resident in their network.”
“I thought we weren't in range?”
“Sir they were in range of a number of orbital platforms with transmit and receive capability as they raised orbit, I inserted a TSR node into their network at my earliest opportunity so that I may be resident in memory in advance of our need. It seemed likely that with the turrets inoperable, we would need an alternative method to leverage their compliance with our request.”
“Our request, dear?”
“Yes sir, to release Yak, or else.”
*****
We had closed to within 15 kilometers of the target, and as far as I could tell they hadn't yet noticed us, slowly but surely catching up with them from the shadowy depths of space. Off the starboard bow the harsh glare from Vega shone on the port bulkhead, reflected even more brightly from the target ahead. My breath caught in my throat at the savage beauty of the moment, the hunter and prey, the inevitable conflict, the impending crisis of command, the complete and total lack of coffee in my cold, dry cup.
“Gene, what is the good news?” I ask, through lips that have forgotten the warm, life giving embrace of coffee fresh and hot.
“Twenty more minutes, Dak?”
“Oh, I am sorry Gene. That was not the correct answer.”
“I am working at full speed here, but the loaders aren't letting the round rack into the chamber. Something with the alignment, or the adjustment, I am not sure. I am working as fast as I can, Dak.”
“Very well Gene. Because I am such a great guy, I can wait fifteen minutes. It's only time, right? I ought to be able to cool my jets for ten minutes, easy. Take your time, mister, just be advised, once I have waited the full five minutes you have requested I will be using those guns, with you in there or not.”
The silent hiss of the comms was all the answer I needed. I intended to give Gene as much time as he needed, but I wasn't sure if our
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