Aberrant: Nova Reality - Security

[Access]

Access has been brewing over a particular idea for quite a while, and there was just no simple way around it. He sent a message to Jager, "Jager, I need to talk to you as soon as possible, I'd like to talk to you about our security upgrades and how they'll exactly effect you and us."

He know it won't take him too long to show up, he's just not sure what will come of the meeting.

[Jager]

Sure enough, Jager shows up with five minutes. He seems somewhat more somber today, but maybe that's a good thing.

"What can I do you for, Access?"

[Access]

"I've been going through my plans for the security upgrades, both for the city, and for our headquarters here, and I believe I have identified our largest security risk. Normally this wouldn't be a problem to take care of, but this time it's a little more difficult. I mean this with the most respect, but you're the largest security risk the Windy City Knights has at the moment."

Access uses some juice to throw up a large holographic screen listing the security measures he's planning on implementing so far. "As you can see, there is at least one of these that won't be able to distinguish IFF for every member of the Knights, except for you. The way you exist in the universe makes tracking you very difficult, even when I know exactly what to look for." The current holographic screen behind him widens, and shows a 3-dimensional schematic of the building. "Every single person is represented here, and I'm able to filter between the individual members" the schematic focuses on the lab "this is the problem, you don't show up. Distinguishing between the baseline staff was easier than this, and they don't even have unique signatures. I can simply hand them a security badge, I refuse to allow our members security badges though, they can be lost or stolen too easily. Basically, what I'm trying to get to, we need a way to identify you, and I'm wondering how good are your math skills?"

[Jager]

Jager nods.

"My math skills are good. Quite frankly, I've relied on my nefarious pass to get around much of your security until now. I was taught sneaky from Day One. E didn't have much of a chance to make the kinds of improvements that would have caused me much grief."

He leans against the wall,

"But I see your point. Moreso, it shows your thinking beyond the conventional," with a glimmer in his eye, "finally."

"What do you have in mind, Access? How are you going to track someone who has been trying the better part of seventy years not being seen?"

[Access]

"You can't be tracked, I can only track changes in systems around here. Once these changes are done, I'll be able to tell if a flea farts in one of our secure areas. I can't give you a standard password, those can be guessed, overheard, any multitude of things. What I've got to offer you is a very complex mathematical algorithm. I will need you to call in before you arrive, I will give you a complex number, you will apply the algorithm, and you will repeat the solution back to me. It is imperative that you are able to solve the algorithm, if you are off as far as a decimal point, the alarms will go off in full force when you enter a secure area. It is important that you are able to handle this. This will be your entry protocol. Once inside your protocol will be different. I have gone through a bit of Alchemists research on the mainframe and came across something that would be useful here." Access opens a desk drawer, and pulls out a thin metal case that highly resembles a business card case. He opens it and pulls, what resembles nothing other than a business card from it. "It's a short life security badge. It's got a lifespan of under 6 hours, it will keep the alarms from sounding as you move around inside, once again, I will be your source for these." Access places the card on his desk and it begins to dissolve into a cloud of orange smoke. "I know the regulations are tough, and you really are the only one getting the enhanced protocols, but it is the only way I can see to keep us secure short of having the all of the Knights mobilize any time you want to use a bathroom on a secure floor."

[Jager]

It may surprise Access that Jager just nods.

"That makes sense. Your not here to do less than your best, and I should only stay if I can accept that may not allow me to live my life exactly as I like."

He takes a look at the orange smoke.

"We'll do it your way. We can start with some Bacon algorithms for starters, to give you a benchmark of what I can handle in a six second window and you can go from there."

He stops before leaving the office.

"I have had someone keeping a cyber-eye on this place in your absence. I didn't have a chance to talk to E about it. I would like her to keep it up ... maybe give you a four hour window of attack, but something to keep this place on its toes, internally. Think you can hanlde that. She's quite good, if a tad paranoid."

[Access]

"You mean our very own wargames? It sounds interesting, but in real life I wouldn't have any window, so tell her not to give me one. I'm glad we could have this chat, it's a rather large relief."

[Jager]

Again Jager nods.

"You need to think about this as our community, Access. You don't need to be a screaming terat, or worshiping Mal's ass, to realize novas are going to have to create their own way in the world. I would like the Knights to be something like that. Our ... us novas, in a community, living beside and with baseline humanity. We need to think on different levels. If you think about it, outside of T2MAmericas, were are the strongest gathering of novas in the Western Hemisphere. We can do something here, if we let ourselves."

Jager shrugs, having said his piece, and leaves.