IC - 6 - Corporate Suite - Kiara

[Mephistophilis]

Day 1
11th March 2189
19:00 Earth Central European Time
Barnard's Rest Colony, Titan

Kiara arrives back at the corporate suites. Entering the quarters she shares with Sam, Nicole, and Ling Li, Kiara sees Li lounging in the common area, watching television. She inclines her head slightly in an apparent greeting.

[jp1885]

“Hi,” Kiara returns Li’s greeting. “Did you feel that tremor? Just need to compare some readings,” she explains.

Settling down at a terminal, she begins by searching for any information on pumping station six, including it’s location, data logs and the chemical composition of it’s output (assuming she finds anything at all).

She also attempts to access Montrose‘s logs and, if possible, medical files.

Computer use 65,[dice]0[/dice]

However she still can’t get to grips with the operating system?and sits back, sighing with frustration.

“I don’t suppose you’re any good with computers?” she asks Li.

[Mephistophilis]

Li just shrugs at Kiara's questions.

Kiara is unable to find any reference to Pumping Station 6 (or Waystation) in any of the colony records. She is not able to access any of Montrose's records as they seem to be behind various layers of security.

OOC,You could try and push the roll, perhaps by seeing if Isabella could use her decryption device. But if you fail someone or something might notice what you're doing

[jp1885]

What the hell...

Pushed Computer use 65,[dice]0[/dice]

Busted!

[Mephistophilis]

There is a frantic knocking at the door and then Isabella tumbles into the apartment. She is holding a datapad which is flashing red in a similar fashion to the one Kiara is holding.

'What did you do? I'm locked out of all CENTRAL's systems.'

[jp1885]

"Um, I don't know!" Kiara flusters, hands flapping around the keypad in panic. "I was trying to get to some information on station six and the system went haywire! Can you get us back in again?"

[Mephistophilis]

'Ugh, who knows? You seem to have triggered some kind of security protocol in CENTRAL's core systems.' Isabella sits down on the couch with her datapad. It is a custom model and she unfolds a keyboard underneath the touch screen and starts typing frantically. 'What is Station Six, I thought there were only five pumping stations?'

Keeper rolls,Computer Use 70%, hard 35% [dice]0[/dice]

Isabella's face darkens, 'I'm not having any luck here. Perhaps if I could interface directly with the AI itself, bypass the kernel, but I don't know where it's located.'

[jp1885]

“Station six is something to do with Waystation I think,” explains Kiara as she cranes her neck to see what Isabella is doing. “I think whatever they’re digging up there is causing these tremors.”

“I don’t know where AI servers are, but I guess we could ask CENTRAL? Failing that, there must be some physical backups of all the important files, perhaps we could find something there?”

[Mephistophilis]

Isabella laughs grimly, 'I don't think you quite understand what you've done.' She shouts out, 'CENTRAL, where is the core AI located?' There is no answer. 'CENTRAL, where can I get a cup of coffee?' Silence.

She looks to Kiara, 'CENTRAL is offline. Without it this whole colony will start to breakdown within days.'

[jp1885]

“What I’ve done?” Kiara stammers. “All I did was try to pull up some test results and coordinates! It’s not my fault they’re using a convoluted, antiquated system tied to a single - a single mind you - AI core! An AI, I might add, that picks and chooses which questions to answer! Where are the backups, standby systems and failsafes, hey?”

[Mephistophilis]

'Do you know how many times this has happened? That a core AI has gone offline? None. That's how many, because they're fucking infallible' shouts Isabella.

Li looks alarmed, 'What is going on?'

Isabella's shoulders sag and she sinks into the bland sofa. 'Look, Kiara, obviously you didn't make this happen, but something is seriously wrong here. CENTRAL AIs don't go offline.'

[jp1885]

"Okay, so we need to locate the AI core?" Kiara asks", calming down a little. "Do you think there might be backups or hard copies of the system schematics? They might tell us where to start looking."

"Failing that... she takes a deep breath. hating what she's about to suggest. "Maybe we could rig up an independent comms system and I could call my father..."

[Mephistophilis]

'Hang on, hang on' says Isabella, 'We can't access the core AI but the peripheral systems are still online. Give me a minute.' She starts tapping away on her datapad.

Keeper rolls,Computer Use 70% [dice]0[/dice]

'Go on, tell me about your father Kiara Khan, what have you been hiding?' After a few more minutes she shouts 'Bingo, I've found where they store the core AI, near engineering.'

Li, who has been sitting quietly observing the other two since her uncharacteristic outburst earlier, leaps out of her chair. 'I don't know what's going on but let's fix it. Right now.'

[jp1885]

Kiara sighs. “My father is Professor Hakim Khan of the Lahore Institute of Cosmology; you may have heard of him. What’s more important is that he’s a major shareholder of our beloved company and, insufferably smug man that he is, has sent me, the black sheep of the family, to find out what’s happening here. Hence my feeble attempts to use the computer system - I need a secure, encrypted channel to report back.”

[Mephistophilis]

Ling Li raises an eyebrow when she hears about Kiara's family background, but she doesn't say anything.

'Professor Khan, oh yes, I've heard of him, but don't be modest, that makes you one of the 'Magnificent Seven' doesn't it? Famous in your own right' laughs Isabella, slapping her thigh. 'I can set you up a secure channel to talk to daddy, although I'd think you could do that yourself. With CENTRAL out of action it's actually going to be easier to do.'

Keeper rolls,Computer Use 70% [dice]0[/dice]

OOC,Isabella will set up an encrypted channel to Earth. [b]Kiara[/b] should roll Computer Use to try and ensure it cannot be tracked. She can send a message and can receive a message back but there will be a 90min delay (so 3hrs turnaround). Kiara could divert the channel elsewhere. Time taken for messages elsewhere will vary, for example Ganymede is about 40min delay one way

[jp1885]

Computer use 65 finally a pass!,[dice]0[/dice]

”Oh, I’m the other, less-than magnificent eighth child that they don’t like to talk about,” Kiara says bitterly. “Hence the secrecy.”

To make her point, she retreats into her room to make the call, appraising ‘daddy’ of what she’s learned so far.

[Mephistophilis]

Li and Isabella exchange glances at Kiara's talk of being the eighth Khan and neither says anything when she goes into her room.

Kiara is able to send her message to Earth and she is fairly confident the line is secure. Any reply will take at least 3hrs but she is able to route it to her datapad.

[jp1885]

Kiara returns, looking somewhat discomforted about having to reveal her background. Blushing at the others' looks, she tries to brush the whole thing aside.

"Okay, I should hear something back in a few hours. So what next? Do we find the core?"

[Mephistophilis]

'No time like the present' says Isabella. 'You two coming?'

Ling Li nods and gets to her feet, looking at Kiara questioningly.

[jp1885]

“I’m not sure how much use I’ll be, but sure,” says Kiara, returning Li‘s quizzical look with a frown.