Running the Shadows

Fear is a mind-killer. Have to focus. I'm going sub-vocal. I focus better when I verbalize. But I don't want the group to hear my panic. For Christ-sake, I now have a gun. Nikita gave it to me and told me to act as if I know how to use it. This is madness!

I need to talk to myself, focus on what I need to do. My skills are of use to the team. I may not be able to use a gun, but information is the key. We can't go in blind. We need intelligence. That I can get. Use all my abilities, make Leech proud of me. I can process a 10 tera block in my sleep. I know different security protocols that Ares uses. Macrotech isn't as advanced as Ares, I hope. First things first.

Step one. Assumptions:

• Rig off the coast of Florida, in international/intercorporate waters (couple hundred miles)
• Some time ago (maybe 5 years), marine research was supposedly conducted off the rig. Done mainly by science subs and other unknown underwater equipment. No details on who financed the research & why.
• It would appear that the rig has not served to pump actual oil in years.
• Some time ago, Macrotech “outsourced” the rig. Assume the rig is now under proxy-control.
• Assume now a rogue operation.
• Eight months ago, a yacht with a father-daughter were waved away from the rig.
• No details could be found about a regular supply connection. Supplies can arrive any way or any time.
• Estimate 20 people on the rig.
• Assume armed and dangerous. Most likely have surface to air missiles.

The key is to help and find things to do to keep the team alive. It is useless if they die and I survive. And make sure the platform is not severely damaged in any way. It would be useless to set up camp there if we blow away a pylon and have the rig listing. And I need the main databases active and undamaged for later.

In many ways, I need them more than they do me. But there action points, things I can do to help:

• Action: Get blueprints of the rig
• Purpose: Know what we are getting into
• Difficulties: Available blueprints may be out of date.

• Action: Determine key in & out-bound communication points
• Purpose: Talk to them, if necessary. Jam out-bound transmission.
• Difficulties: Multi-ports, heavy security, unbreakable access code

• Action: Find call codes
• Purpose: Simulate we are friendly. Come in without fire
• Difficulties: Inaccessible, don’t have any

• Action: Get access to internal links like cameras, sensors, drones.
• Purpose: Guide the team from remote, assess situation as we advance, phantom their view
• Difficulties: Unable to hack into main system, find appropriate codes, disabled by current personnel.

• Action: Find if original marine tech still at rig
• Purpose: May be unusable by Nikita.
• Difficulties: Not there, inaccessible, disabled

• Action: Get list of personnel
• Purpose: Determine number of people on the rig, who is in charge, who do they report to.
• Difficulties: Inaccessible

One possible subterfuge we could use to get onto the rig is making the people think on the rig we are coming from Ares. I could dictate a directive from my father that was sent a couple of months ago that Macrotech has given Ares a temporary lease for the rig. We have been waiting for a response, indicating we were sending a team to take possession of the rig on this date.

The directive presented a generous severance package for those who wished to return to the mainland while those who wished to stay on board would receive a comprehensive package from Ares during the time of our use of the platform.

I can plant the directive in an open area of the Ares directives in case they try to access their system. This could give us landing rights on the platform without any attack.

And it is important that we take the rig with as little damage as possible. Especially their data. I will need that data if we survive. Macrotech will come after us but with the data of what the current occupants have done over the past while gives me leverage.

At the same time, I want to hack into the diary of the father/daughter. Make subtle changes to make it look like his daughter was sick and he needed to stop at the rig. But because of the current tenants, it put his daughter in danger. Luckily he was able to get quickly to the next port of call.

Macrotech is a AA company with AAA envy. They are promoting the “mom & apple pie” image. Even though the platform seems to be outsource, they are responsible for their activities and behaviour. It is still a Macrotech operation. Any and all bad publicity I can threaten them with will give us some breathing room as we set up shop. If we survive the next few hours.

I need to pause for a moment. And say a prayer my mother taught me before we went to Denver.

Posted by Loekie on Monday, August 21, 2006 at 8:47 PM | Permalink