alltheheroes | let's pretend this isn't everything

let's pretend this isn't everything

He was a robotics professor, a pioneer in the field, a genius in development- so why was he acting as basic tech support?

The answer, of course, was because he had chosen this; he had been the one to take it upon themselves to create the support in the first place. He hadn't done it alone, of course - the other students had shown their own skill with computers - but Robert Callaghan had, by far and above, commandeered leadership here by virtue of being the one who would get the most usage out of it. Whether it be monitoring frequencies or mapping locations or conveying information, if he wouldn't be out in the field - so to speak - then he could at least support the field, and for that he'd have to support himself, too, in the maintenance of such.

It didn't make it any less frustrating when what should have been a simple set of code refused to parse, properly, and ended up with him taking apart one of the smaller towers to do some investigation in to another problem.

The basement here was dim, but it only bothered him so much; a working flashlight and even his constructed optic picked up enough light to function. Infrared and low-light were on the list of upgrades, but so were a hundred other things; there was simply not enough time to work on them all, and support the team, and continue the few classes he still kept teaching in his 'spare' time...

Making a low hnh of frustration - a grunt, really - he snapped the delicate connectors back in to place, reset the cover, and let it boot back up. While that cycled itself back on, he hauled himself back in to his seat, and let his attention drift back to the great array of screens and projectors that connected him to city itself.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

For the first time since taking up that position as a sentinel of San Fransokyo, a shadow of city reaches back through the connections woven to tap into the various networks.

There is no flare to the intrustion, no early sign of detection or warning following the breaching of the firewall protecting the massive collections of systems within the institute. The infiltration had been performed slowly with great caution, steps taken to open the path directly to one single monitor.

Without prompt from any input device, the basic notepad application for the computer that feeds to the central lowest monitor at the main desk boots to life. The pad opens on that single screen, defaulting to its usual starting position in the center. For a mere two or three seconds, the flashing line noting the selected destination of keyboard input is all that seems to be active...then a message appears with a rapid flash of characters pouring into the single line.

Professor Robert Callaghan?

All quiet, all quiet- Go Go's out for a ride, that's not surprising, she's been restless as of late and Callaghan almost makes to see if she has a course in mind when his attention is caught by something else.

That's not one of his programs. That is a program, but to someone who's hacked together the OS from a handful of others to say nothing of the UI itself - that's not him.

Something else.

Someone else.

For a long few moments, he's stone-still, a veritable statue; then, finally, his right hand reaches for the keyboard.

You have to ask?

A bit of a jibe back, perhaps, but- if there's someone else here, there's no telling how much they have access to. There's no guest-level access on this, he's the only user, the only admin- he has to assume they can see everything.

Which means Go Go - and the others - are all in very real danger, and he's already looking back down at the booting computer to see how much longer this will take.

That cursor blinks only twice before it jumps down to a new line and flies across the notepad space.

"Hey you" sounded too informal and abrasive.

Especially when I have come to you with a request.

Edited 2015-01-01 00:16 (UTC)

My email is in the school directory. I check it daily. Or would you prefer a listing of my office hours?

Boot up, boot up...he could just rip out the connection line, and he's very tempted to do so. Assuming whoever this is has visual access to his desktop- they'll notice him quickly opening up another file, a task manager to run a quick scan on all open and active programs as he scans for anything out of the ordinary.

Nine times out of ten, intrusions can be noticed by shell programs acting extremely wrong- a word processor connecting to the internet, a browser taking admin access in to a drive. There's a clear message, there, of distrust.

Visual access is indeed present on that other end, and watching as Callaghan begins to take steps towards shutting him out without snapping the hardline, there is something of urgency pushing the conversation forward in the next message that scrolls into existence.

Contacting you now has nothing to do with the institute, nor does it have to do with any interest in your personal files.

I want you, and your students, to stop chasing after me.

There is only one entity that could be making such a request, and while previously Tengu has been wordless as stone, it would seem enough pressure has finally been placed to crack that exterior shield of silence. The robot, or controller of it, has made contact.

...oh.

That does give Callaghan pause, his hand hovering over the keyboard as his good eye widens - and his bad one brightens. Nonetheless, even with that piece of the puzzle, Callaghan can't quite commit himself to it, not without offering some bait and having it taken-

And who are you?

Because if this is Tengu, then the fact that they've accessed Callaghan's servers is all the more worrisome.

A quiet beep at his leg alerts him that the other system's finished its' startup; barely taking his vision off the screens before him, he reaches down to fumble for another cable, one so he can switch a monitor in to the other one and work on that as a separate entity.

The media has dubbed me 'Tengu'.

The media had not only given the arsonist bot that name, but the original design of the armor had taken a turn with inspiration from that label. With the upgrade of flight capabilities, wings had been added to allow for more precise steering, and the design of those unfolding structures loosely resembles the feathered wings of the mythological creature of war.

Even so, Tengu does not claim that identity. If it has another name, there is no willingness to provide it.

As I remain unknown, so will the identity of you and your students.

Callaghan doesn't appreciate being threatened, or even having a threat implied. As nice as it is to know for 'certain' who has managed to get through his security, the following comment...

He's worked hard to ensure there's little to connect them with their 'normal' lives, if anything at all. The idea of someone ruining all he's worked for...

You act as though that's something in my control.

We're only following your lead.

Login, and then- a moment of hesitation. Because if he does unplug the primary server, he protects the data on there- but also cuts himself off from the rest of the world. He can connect computer to computer and search for weaknesses that way...

After a moment, he does begin to set up a connection, but only as a secondary shell. Maybe he can find the exploitation, and then the source, using this as a means to mask his counterattack.

Then all of you must cease to follow me.

My encounters with your students have escalated significantly. They are at high risk of injury.

Krei Tech has already hurt them, and you, enough. I do not wish to compound the damage.

At the last tussle with Tengu, the robot had actually doubled back on his escape route- not to attack as the students had believed at the time, but to protect them. It had actually intervened and prevented a collapse that could have crushed several of them. As a result, his escape had been mere centimeters from the grasp of the microbots, and the damage he had sustained preventing the collapse had set him back.

Secondary console carefully set up on the edge of the desk, Callaghan once again takes a few moments to reply. It's - interesting. About as interesting as the footage he received from that tussle, no less. Fred had guessed that 'Tengu' was there to finish them off, but upon review, the well-timed collapse that had pinned down the robot temporarily hadn't seemed to be timed at all...as if their enemy had known it was coming, and had positioned themselves to be there.

If he hadn't, it might have crushed them all. Callaghan had many words for them regarding an order to 'pull out', after he'd gotten over his relief that they were still alive.

Again, you act as though things are in my control.

They've promised not to stop until they uncover the truth. If you're so concerned about being followed, then you could spare us all the time and trouble and share it now.

It's only so difficult to finish that connection, and- all right, it does look like there's another connection, if he squints. But even so, that's...not in the least going to be easy to track. It's changing its source by the second, the IP practically unrecognizable.

He tracks it anyway, monitoring the pattern of numbers, looking for any actual patterns within.

Edited 2015-01-01 02:38 (UTC)

I have made no efforts to compel you or your students to pursue me.

Most of what I once knew regarding the truth about Krei Tech I had already made available to the public at large. It was not well received. My warnings failed, and since then I have uncovered much more. This new information would likely be dismissed as well if shared widely, and given to you or your students, could serve to undermine my objectives further.

The only truth that matters in regards to myself is that I must stop Krei Tech before they can destroy any more lives.

It will be hard to find a pattern when the generation of the IP number stream is set to a random mechanism.

If he was better at identifying algorithms, he might be able to make sense of this- all he can, for the moment, is track and record for later perusal. A good majority of computer security - on either side - has to do with waiting and watching...

...and it dawns on him just how long Tengu has to have had access to the systems, if he's just now making himself known. A cold chill runs down Callaghan's spine, the realization that everything he has is compromised...

...on the bright side, if everything is compromised, he has nothing left to lose.

None of us are particularly fond of Krei Tech. Robert least of all, but- I don't mind seeing them burned to the ground, but there are a lot of other factors here that you're not acknowledging.

He loads a packet sniffer, lets it play with the masks in place- then starts setting up a new proxy.

The variables you think I have failed to consider are not as important right now. We have very little time left to communicate since you are no doubt attempting to locate me.

So let me ask you instead; what price are you and your students willing to pay for the 'truth'?

Ever since Tengu had gained flight capability, the chases of the students attempting to capture him had become much shorter, but had grown severely more intense as a result. It had escalated far beyond what Tengu is willing to tolerate, and if things continue...

Someone will end up in the hospital.

Edited 2015-01-01 18:06 (UTC)

It's a question that Callaghan has asked them, more than once; for himself, he has very little to lose other than his life. True, after a stay in the hospital he's come to appreciate that life very much, but-

What are you so afraid of, Tengu?

You've made your threats, you've made your position- and you're making it very clear you intend to continue. So let me make this clear;

For all anyone knows, you're nothing but a criminal arsonist, and we have no reason to suspect much more than that.

That gets a pause from the other end, but when the lag ends, the writing comes all the faster. It would seem Callaghan has touched a nerve.

As far as the law is concerned, that is exactly what I am. I won't deny that. But I refuse to become something worse. I will not be like Krei Tech.

I refuse to hurt anyone!

What I fear is Krei Tech being left unchecked as it was before I began. You haven't even the slightest inclination of the plans Alistair Krei has made. And even if you knew, there is nothing you can do about it without compromising your life and the life of your students.

Leave me to my work. Even if you cannot stop your students, you can stop aiding them in finding me.

I have no reason to trust you.

The more active Tengu is, the more his presence is recognized; it may not be wise to try and aggravate him further, but Callaghan's interest is piqued.

You may have refined your methods since the beginning, and less people may be getting hurt, but you have already hurt people and you need to be stopped.

It's too bad you didn't take care of Krei in the first fire.

Criminal arsonist, indeed.

There is no lag this time, but the implication from Callaghan manages to invoke a much more extreme response, one that starts to affect the computer itself. If there was any doubt the robot Tengu is managed by a human mind, it can be laid to rest.

The color of the monitor starts to change with alteration to the scale, increasing the presence of red light as words flow in a rush into the notepad.

I am ͜no͘t͏ ̵re͘s̢p̢ons̛ib͘ļe̴ ͟f̧o҉r̛ the ̀f̷irst ͏fi̧r͡e ̵at̕ ͏th͜e sc͞h҉oo̡l! ̡ ̴I did͝ ̢n̶òt ͜s̴àb́ơta͏ge ͢t͡h́e̡ ̀sh҉o͝wcàs͢e!͏!!

I̴ ̢ǹev͏e͢ŗ ͢ḿeant ̷fo͘r͡ ̕a̧ny̨o̕ne͡ ̨t́o ͞get͜ ́h̨úrt ͝in͞ t͞he f̛i͞res I͜ ḩave͜ ̧set.͡ ̸I ͏h̴av̵ę ͝tr̕i̢e͟d t͏o͡ w͞atc͝h them͟,҉ ̸t̷o̧ ́prote͏c͘t ̨p͢eo̷p̡l̢e̡ ̨fr̛om͡ th̵ęm,̛ ̴but you͝r ͜s͜t͜u̴de͢n͜ts ̨çh̨ás͜e̛ m҉e ̀a͘ẃay!

Without warning, the screens around that lowest central monitor display error messages as connections into city networks are disrupted, their number flaring as fast as the fire the robot weilds. Tengu is beginning to attack the computer system and doing so assiduously.

I͓̖̠̮͔̞̲f̣̥͈̳̣̩ ̴̙̱͚̳͓ͅy͙ọ͉̼͇̖u̬̭̪̪͍ͅ ̯̱̣͈̟̼̪w̥͔i̺̟̜͇̣ļ̮l̖̟̜̬̱ ̷̟͔̟ṇ̻̖͝o̡̲̲ṭ͍̯̰́ ̯̥r̭̪̟̙̜̟̥͜e͏̮̱̗͚͕̬le̢̪̞͍͙̘n̶̻̝̳͕̰͔̙t̹̱̙̱̱,̲̝͎̫̳̳ ̨̬t͙̲̘̬̗h̛̤̝̟̠̫e̜͓͖̩͔n̦̭͟ ͇̩̬̝̜̻I̦͎̻͖̰̩͙ ͎̗̗̝̻͉̯w̹̜͓͚i̬͜l̠̜̯̦͍͉l͖̯̼̹̲ ̮͙f͙͖̖͔͍̖̹͝o͉̥̣r҉̦̞̹c͏̳̩̗e ̯͈y̴͎ơ̜̲̖̝̠u͍̲̩̝̯͖͖ ͈͢ṯ̴̳̪o̩̭ ̯͇̣̟̟r̘eb̺͔̞͟u̱̯i̳l̶͍d̥͓͎̯̮͠.̪̜̟̜͕ͅ

I͇͍̯̟̖̙͇̎͊͒̍͑ͦ ̥̻͕ͥͪͯ̉͋ͤ͘w̢i̧̗͊̑̌̄l̟ͣ͗͜l̘̭̜͖ͯ̈́̿ ͧ̀́̽̄͌͏n̟̫̋̈̃̂ͅò͍t͈̼͊ͫ̿̂ͅ ̓ͣ̃҉̺̳̲̱ḻ̠̤͇͙ͦe͙̬̫͆͒ͬṫ̊ͥͭ̂͢ ̳͍͓̪̣̘͍̓a̰̞͔̓ͥnͭ̃͏̮̪̲̹̮̹̰ơ̦̗͙͕̟̇tͣ̈ͦ̔̕h̜̤̹̓ͫ̅͗ͩͭͣé͐ͪͩͧͬͦȓ̢̜̥̹̣̯͈͐ s̥̺͖̤̫͖̏͌͊̕ͅp̮͚̥̰̱̪͐̓ͫ͌̽ͩ͑̕ȧ͔̻͇̤̖̎r͓͍̕ȓ̘̺̙̗̖ͯͫ͞ò̫̹͙͎͚̆͠w̱̥̝̿ͪ̿͠ ̮̩̪̪̠̙̺̔ͥ͊ͦ͒͗ͥ̕b̴̋̂̀̀̓̾͋e̱͕̹̿͟c͠o̠͎͙ͧͯͧͭͤm̹̟̠̓̾̄͆̄̓͘e̘̭̞̮͖͂͝ ̯̭̒s̘͍̖̳̿̒iͬ̒̆̚l̵͍̙̯̫͂ͣͬͪ̂͂ͮe̬̻͆̄ͪͮ̾͒n͈͙̰̦̭͂́ͬṫ!ͦ͒ͥͅ

It will not stop Callaghan, but it may be enough to buy some time to finish repairs and complete the next arson before Callaghan can get back online if Tengu can take down this hub or at least cripple it.

Edited 2015-01-01 21:15 (UTC)

That might not have been the reaction Callaghan was after, but it's still a reaction. And one that warrants only one response;

Unhesitating, without concern for files under attack or assault- Callaghan leans over, grabs hold of the power plug, and pulls. Immediately, the screen array goes dark, the only one remaining lit his secondary console- but with such an extreme response from Tengu, it is the only response he can do if he wants to salvage anything.

He'll worry about file repairs later, but with the siege revealed for what it is- he has to swallow his concern and only focus on what he can do, and that is mitigate what chaos Tengu is aiming to work.

At this rate, though, he'll have to remake the whole security. Callaghan grimaces, glancing at the lone screen still lit, which itself has lost connection due to the main hub being down- aside from the dim lights, it's his only illumination here in the basement.

It makes him feel alone.

...but that's better than under attack.

Mere minutes pass, the quiet hum of his single computer nearest to him mixing with the more distant and ever present sounds of the basement; the temperature system still churns without disruption, pipes gurgle softly in their cycle, and the faint buzz of major electrical power conduits run in a separate area.

Then, breaking through the quiet, a rather unusual sound file starts to play from the overhead speakers of the institute. Strangely, the speakers present in the basement do not engage, but remain offline. The sound only echoes down through the vents and entry to the basement from the first floor.

I am not responsible for the first fire.

The claim 'repeats' over and over in Callaghan's head, for all distorted text can do so; he goes over that, and everything else, trying to understand what he can draw from it- because for all Tengu has compromised his files, his security, has invaded his proverbial castle- there's no way to do it completely without a trace, he thinks, he just has to find it- and besides, this is the only communication they've had with the machine.

Program?

Then- Callaghan blinks, looking upwards, the sound reminiscent of his very, very first attempts at getting online, decades ago by now- but-

What?

Then it hits him. He practically falls out of his chair in haste, barely catching his footing before rushing for the stairs.

Please let this be someone's idea of a prank. Because if it is, then he can settle for yelling at them as opposed to nearing panic.

Unfortunately for Callaghan, this is no prank.

The sound file continues to play until the teacher makes it to the top of the stairs. It cuts out midway through the course with a whine of the speakers, then nothing but sharp, angry static follows to replace it. The decibels of the speakers are not maxed out with this, instead kept to a tolerable level for human ears, but thinking might be a little more difficult with the noise.

Seconds after the shift in the audio system, the monitors that line the hallways intermittently to display announcements are activated across the level. Black background, code text appears with the final message from the robot repeating itself over and over, beginning to scroll even as the text starts to crumble.

I will not let another sparrow become silent! I will not let another sparrow become silent! I will not let another sparrow become silent! I will not let another sparrow become silent! I̸ ̸w̷i̢l͢l͡ ͝n̨ót ̴l̷et ͠an͜ot̛h̀e͡r ͠s̕p͝arr̀òw ̵b̷e̵come ͞s͘įle͏nt!͘ I wi̕ll ͠ńot̢ l͝e҉t ̡a͏nǫt́h̀e̡r sp͞a̴rr͡ow͝ bećo̴m̡é si͜len̸t! ͝I wil̀l n͜o͘t̡ ͠lèt ́ano͡theŗ sparro̴w͠ ̡b̛ec҉o͘m̸e si̢l̕e͘nt! I wi҉ll n͢ot͟ ͝let̛ ͟a̶n̶othe̵r sp̶a҉r̢r҉ow ͘b͞e͝c̨o̷m͟e s̛i͞l̷en͘t! I w͢ ͞i l҉ ĺ ͘n̸ o ͠t ҉l͟ ̡e̸ t͝ ͟a̵ ͝n o̡ t́ h̢ ̨e ̡r ͞s ̡p ͝a͟ r ͡r ͟o̧ ͢w͏ b e c ̴o ̛m ̴e ̨s̸ ͜i ̢l͜ ͠e n͟ ͜t ! I ̴w͢ ̢i l̶ l̕ ͘n ͡o t̷ l͡ ̴e t̸ ̨á n͠ ͠o t̵ h҉ e͟ ̵r s p ͟a r ͡r ́o̵ ͢w ͟b̧ e҉ c ̢ó ̡m̕ ̸e s ͡í l͞ ̷e n t̷ ͜! ͜I ͞w i ͏l ̧l ͢n ͠ó t͞ ͜l̨ ́e̕ ̷t̀ á ̡n o̕ t ̛h ̡e ͡r̢ s ͠p ̶a r ͝r ǫ ͠w ͜b ̷e c o̵ ̕m̕ ̢e ̀s̡ i͡ ļ ̴e ̧n̷ t̶ ! ͝I ͓̻͉̬͔͞ẃ̦͕̳̬̩͓̞ ͎͎̙͉̻i̠͚͡ ̢l̩̟̳͚̦ ̺̦̼̩̭͞ͅl̯̖͓ ͚̙̗͚n̛̪̪ ̘o̴̖̼̩̝̥ ̬̥̺̱̬ͅt̸̠̪̼̙͓ ͠l ̫̝͉̤̠̭͠e͍̯̲̼ ̭̠͓̯̟͜t̜̝̞̞̼̼͚ ̧̤̦̥̝̘͓a̹͚͓̘̦̟ ̥͟n̻͘ ̧͇o̯ ̵̲̯̹͙t ̭̦̮̱̦̼͇͢h̢ ̤̩̮̣͡e̪̤̪̩ͅ ̺͔̹̮̰͚r͚̤̦͉͎ ͇̰̝̭́s͏͔̲̣̙͕ ̬̩̗̺̯͚͜ͅp̸̖͈̙̬̻̜̲ ̫̘̝͙̀a̮̥͚̰̥̪͟ ̢͈͍̭̩r҉̥̜͇̩̯̬ ̨͓͎͎̬ͅr̨̜̞̱̖̫̰ ̤̺̯o̡̹̩̭ ͔͉̪͎w͈̺̜̯̼ ͡b̡ ̺̟̫̞͎̮́ͅe͓͈ ̢̝c̫̩͓͙̲̣͞ͅ ̣̜͎̫͔͉̰͟o̲̠ ̹̹͙̰̀m͈̬̘̰ ̵͍̰̰̝̞̭̟ḛ̬̳̳̙͎͞ ̺̣s͚ ̨̗̗i̵̤ ̘ͅl̘̥̫͉̖͖̣ ̣̤̗̜̪e̩ ͚n̮͈̫͎͞ ̯͔ṯ̷͙͇̦͈̱̟ ̻͔̠!͘ ̞̀

On it continues, but Callaghan may notice that the cameras along the hallway have all turned off their normal alignment to face towards him.

Tengu is watching. He is in the security system for the institute.

He stumbles, at the twist of sound; one hand presses against the wall as the other reaches to his ear, a low hiss of discomfort emitting from his throat. The vocal chords can still only do so much; for lectures, Callaghan relies on a speaker that's keyed in to his subvocalizations to help reduce stress. But that's still downstairs, left and forgotten in his rush to investigate, because now it's made very clear that the entire school has come at risk.

He's pushed too far.

Callaghan rushes down the hall, barely paying attention to the monitors until he's set to turn a corner for the building's own server room- and then he practically skids to a stop, then actually trips in his haste to try and get back up, get back to see, because even from on the floor-

i will not let another sparrow become silent

Combined with the dawning realization that the cameras have followed him, are pointing at him, propped up by his arms as he stared wide-eyed and bright-optic'd at the screen before him-

It's raw feeling of being exposed that runs along the fear of everything else, because there's no way that's anything but an outright strike at him, personally, but is it merely that? Or is it a threat? Tengu's insistent that he's trying to save lives as he goes after Krei, does this mean-?

"W-what do you mean?" he croak-whispers, heart pounding away in his chest.

Edited 2015-01-01 23:27 (UTC)

The cameras turn as Callaghan passes them, making a rush for the server room, while the monitors still repeat the same message until it finally receives recognition from the teacher. The result that follows is a bit more dramatic than originally intended as the intrusive presence had hoped Callaghan had read it before cutting the power to his own personal station for the team, but at least now he has processed it.

With Callaghan on the floor, the static from the speakers overhead cuts out completely as the monitor ceases to scroll that message. The text vanishes, leaving blackness even as the power continues to feed to the monitor ahead of Callaghan with the others along the hallway turning off.

That whisper, barely picked up by the audio portion of the security system in the institute, is met with a different sort of reply. The monitor switches input, and suddenly a video clip plays. The clip itself is very short, and the subject...

"We were asked to do the impossible. That's what we did. We've reinvented the very concept of transportation. Friends, I present, Project: Silent Sparrow."

The video ends, disappearing as the feed to it is cut harshly away. There is no intention to make Callaghan relive it more than necessary to be perfectly clear.

A few seconds delay, then new text fills the monitor.

Stay out of my way.

All at once, the power shuts down throughout the building. The lights, the monitors, the cameras-everything around him turns to pitch darkness as Tengu cuts the electrical energy supply to the entire San Fransokyo Institute of Technology.

It might be time to upgrade the security system; and this time, Callaghan has something to use to convince the board to approve for the proper funding.

We were asked to do the impossible.

He remembers that day well; remembers how proud he was, then how terrified- and how sick he became, a sickness that morphed in to raw anger and fury and pain- it spreads within him now, a helpless sensation that leaves him weak and knowing that, even with this being in the past-

-this isn't over. It isn't over, he has no reason to believe Tengu, this has to be a trick, a lie, a way of unsettling him and making him doubt he can't doubt, not for the others, not for himself, he has to believe in something and this-

-this shakes that belief.

Barely aware of the subtle tremor in his good hand, or the anxious fluttering in his torso, the professor remains on the floor for nearly a full minute after the power is cut. Without an outlet, the helpless feeling remains, the knowledge that he can do nothing, and the few things he could do...

Stay out of my way.

With a low groan, he stops supporting himself and lets himself lie back, covering his face with his hand as he struggles to find some semblance of composure or serenity within. Something he can use, in the face of...

This.

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