Blinding the Cyclops |
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Stage 1 |
Location: | TIU Vanguard (L1 Halls) (15, 3) |
You put one step into the Halls, a light above you glows orange. You hold the Clearance Badge in your hand. It blinks twice. Then a low toning alarm blasts through the silence, the light above you turns red.
You start to run, guards start pouring out of doors wondering if this is another drill. You look at the floor and walk past them. Their arguments taking all their attention. Your luck holds, you find the Vanguard tech standing nervously waiting for you. |
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You give him back his Clearance Badge. The Tech takes it, confusion on his face. 'I don't understand, it should have let you through.' You smile at him. Then remind him that he has not left the Halls, so how could another Clearance with his Code number enter it? He nods sadly, 'Yes of course. The system keeps track of that to help against intrusion. It's nice to see that it's working.'
'Ok, we need to get past the Cyclops Turrets. Those things are just too good at their job. Luckily I've got a Maintenance cover, so I can access the Turrets files in the Datastore.' His fingers dance across the small Datascreen. A frown crosses his face. 'I can't deactivate the Turrets. I'm sorry but you will need to do that directly. Here - take this Cyclops Lightning Key Blueprint. From their schematics in the maintenance files, it says that the Guards have the facility to deactivate the turrets if the system got hacked. So there is your only chance to deal with the threat. I'll be waiting here when you are done, be quick.'
You receive 1 x Cyclops Lightning Key Blueprint |
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Stage 2 |
Location: | TIU Vanguard (L1 Halls) (6, 8) |
The Cyclops Turret is an efficient design. It is simply a silvered pole with a single red laser at it's top. The laser targeting system locks onto you. You will need to find a way to deactivate it. |
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You stand in front of the deadly laser turret and press the red button on the Key. The small black box emits a high pitched bleep and the turret sinks into the floor.
You just need to deactivate the last turret. |
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Stage 3 |
Location: | TIU Vanguard (L1 Halls) (16, 8) |
The Turret swivels toward you as you draw near to it. The red light of the target finder locks on. You will need to deactivate the Turret to live. |
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Lifting the Lightning Key you press the button. For an instant the targeting finder flickers, with a sudden flash of fear you think that it has not worked. Then with the shrill bleep the Turret sinks into the floor.
You should return to the Tech and tell him that you have deactivated the security Turrets. |
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Stage 4 |
Location: | TIU Vanguard (L1 Halls) (15, 3) |
The Vanguard Tech has opened up a floor panel and is messing about with some wires when you return. He looks up from his work, 'You done with the Turrets yet?' |
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He smiles, relief shows in his eyes, 'Good, just wait a sec.' His head disappears down into the hatch. Then with a bright spark from its depths the security alarm stops. He replaces the hatch and gets to his feet slowly. 'That's much quieter, now we need to get to the Engine Room first before we can do any good in Sensor Control, I shall meet you there.' |
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Stage 5 |
Location: | TIU Vanguard (L1 Engine Room) (13, 8) |
The Vanguard Tech waves you over when he sees you. |
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He types on his Datapad for a moment, then looks at you. 'Ok, the Sensor Control has a direct link to the Engine Room. This is to secure an independent power source for the Sensor Control and Emitter Rack. If we could install a small EMP device into the Plasma Node Junction this would send a spike into Sensor Control. I suspect that the system would shut down for a second to protect the delicate instruments there. That is important for us.'
'I don't know how you do it, get me an EMP Generator. I'll look into the detonation side of things, you get the explosive source.' |
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Stage 6 |
Location: | TIU Vanguard (L1 Engine Room) (15, 12) |
You have no idea how to make an EMP Generator, you need to find out and quickly! The first thing to do is to access the Vanguard Datastore. You might be able to get some idea from there.
You wander the Engine Room trying to look as casual as you can. You begin to panic that you will not find a terminal, when in a corner you find a battered Info Outlet.
On the terminals screen you see the TIU symbol spinning slowly. You press the keyboard and the TIU shield is replaced by an error alert. 'Id Required' You sigh, you should have known... You guess that one of the Drive Specialists has one. |
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You place the id into the scanner slot and an action list appears on screen. You look dumbly at the list, then see an button labeled 'Unit/Equipment'. You press this and the list vanishes, an odd pie chart appears on screen. The slices represent the amount held in the Vanguard storage of that particular type of equipment. The different titles attached to the separate options mean little to you. You start to wonder if simply asking someone would be better when 'Power Utilities' catches your eye.
There is a long list of weird electrical devices, the names are meaningless. You see a search box in the top left hand corner of the screen. Not expecting anything you type in EMP. You can't believe that you get a hit. Blinking next to the cursor is a Blueprint for EMP Bomb. Clicking on it, a large box opens onto screen.
In small and officious font you read, 'Mr Saunders, I wish to remind you that the Vanguard Datastore is not your personal play thing. I am allocating 1 week disciplinary into the Brig for this breach in regulations. I also see that from your misguided efforts, that you do not fully grasp the intricacies of Pulse Theory. I am therefore setting you a Module of advanced Energy Mechanics so that you can more effectively direct your enthusiasm. I have modified your ill advised scribblings so that your 'Bomb' will now work. After your time in the Brig, you will explain my modifications to your Blueprint. If you fail to so do correctly and to my satisfaction, you will return to the Brig for another week of further study into Energy Mechanics. Supervisor Elkon.'
If you ever meet Mr Saunders you will shake him by the hand. You quickly print off the EMP Bomb Blueprint.
You receive 1 x Saunders EMP Bomb Blueprint. |
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Stage 7 |
Location: | TIU Vanguard (L1 Engine Room) (13, 8) |
The Vanguard Tech is working on his Datapad when you return, 'You found an EMP Generator?' |
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He takes the makeshift bomb from you and looks at it. 'Ummm, this might work! Everything is here. I was having problems with thinking up a detonator but it's included in this already. All I need it to add a timer to this and we are good.'
He hands you back the EMP Bomb. 'Ok, I've added a timer. Just place it near the Plasma Node Junction that feeds Sensor Control and that should trip the systems there. The Node is located to the north west of here. Once you have set the EMP Bomb meet me in the Sensor Control.
You receive 1 x Timed EMP Bomb |
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Stage 8 |
Location: | TIU Vanguard (L1 Engine Room) (6, 2) |
You find the Plasma Node Junction, although it is obviously armored you still feel a static charge run over your skin from the Plasma flowing through the Junction. |
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You snap the EMP Bomb on the junction cover. You hear the magnetic clamps lock on to the armored plate.
You had better meet the Vanguard Tech in Sensor Control. |
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Stage 9 |
Location: | TIU Vanguard (L2 Sensor Control) (2, 13) |
The Weapons Tech has opened a hatch and is knee deep in wires. |
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He breaths a sigh of relief, 'I thought they had got you, I'm glad to see I was wrong. The EMP Bomb is soon about to go off. We do not have much of a window to access the Communications Logs. To give some added efficiency the Observers don't have Security tags or badges. But Implants that allows them to interface with the Vanguards sensor controls with increased speed. Something to do with the odd storms running through the ionosphere.'
He takes a deep breath, 'We can't access the the systems without that implant. I have managed to hack into a secured file dump and retrieved an out of date Observer Access schematic. The basic materials are good, just the software which will be an issue. But go get the hardware, I'll look for the software whilst you're gone.' He hands you a Blueprint, then goes back to working on the wires.
You receive 1 x Observer System Access Blueprint |
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Stage 10 |
Location: | TIU Vanguard (L2 Sensor Control) (2, 13) |
The wires are now in neat piles around the open hatch, 'Have you managed to get an Observer Access?' |
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The Tech opens it up and plugs the Processor into his data pad. 'Yeah, it has been reset. The OS is currently running on the Factory Settings. Hold it, I shall upload the current Patch.' After a few moments the face of the Access begins to shine. 'Thats it. I just need to re-route some of the data feeds to give us some more time before the Firewall is reinstated. That will cut our hack into the system.' He bobs back down into the hatch, he replaces the wires then hops out of the hatch and re-seals it.
He hands you the patched Observer Access, 'Ok, we just need to log into the Communications Station and see if we can copy the Coms Logs. From them we can see if what you are telling me about the Vanguard selling weapons to Mutants is true. I find it hard to believe, but I must check it out.'
You receive Observer Access V5 |
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Stage 11 |
Location: | TIU Vanguard (L2 Communications Station) (2, 2) |
The Communications Station is in a small cold room, a large computer terminal sits in the center of the room. The TIU Shield spins on the viewscreen. The Weapons Tech pushes past you , 'You got that Observer Access V5?' |
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He slips the access into the scanner, then frowns for a moment before clicking on a few files and data vaults. He selects a Commander Clearance level, the screen flickers � then a list of files and other documents open up. The Tech blinks at the screen, 'That should not have happened, maybe my messing around with the data links has done more than I intended.' His eyes go wide and he then points at a Command. 'I don't believe it, its real!' He prints off a Blueprint and hands it to you.
You look down at the Blueprint, on the small datascreen you see 'Odysseus Command', then look blankly back at him. The Tech flaps his hands around, 'I need to stop that EMP bomb, we need that Command. The Bomb will only alert them to what we are doing.' The Tech pushes past you, 'Go make that Command, I'll meet you back here.'
You receive 1 x Odysseus Command Blueprint |
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Stage 12 |
Location: | TIU Vanguard (L2 Communications Station) (2, 2) |
The Weapons Tech is prodding at the Comms Station when you return. He stops what he is are doing and turns excitedly to you, 'You got the Odysseus Command?' |
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He stares at it, 'I never thought I'd hold this in my hands.' You look blankly back at him. The Tech finally notices your lack of interest. 'You know how powerful this?' He just stares at you in amazement, 'Ok, we are on a Starship. There are no windows in the vessel to look out of so you are utterly dependent on instruments. As part of navigation through space you require to see where you are going, to do this you need a scanner. In this vessel there is just one deflector dish. Due to our cruiser size that dish is not open to Space like in a larger vessel. The signal from the deflector is channeled to an Emitter Rack. Each emitter does a separate function. So you can power several functions from just one deflector dish. The down side is that the emitters are not as clear as a dedicated deflector dish. But with the right crew, the ship can be just as effective.'
'This command is the termination order to the deflector dish. All scanning, targeting, shields will become non-functional on the Vanguard until the order has been re-issued by the required Officer. On the Vanguard that is just one Person, and he is off duty in his quarters right now. The Vanguard will not be able to move, shoot or protect itself whilst the deflector dish is off line.'
'The reason for the Command is so that when the vessel is in space dock it can be overhauled. The deflector dish gives off dangerous radiation which will cook you from the inside out if you are next to one when it's active. So you need to turn it off. With this we will be able to cause utter chaos and with our EMP Bomb we can reset the Sensor Controls systems. This will allow us to download the entire Communication datastore, not fragments, as well as get away. This is guaranteed success!'
He turns around, slips the Command into the scanner. Alarms erupt all over the ship. The lights turn off, and red emergency lamps com on. He then takes out a small box from his pocket and presses a button. 'That's the bomb gone off, I got rid of that timer and put in a remote connection to the detonator on your device.' he grins at you and then removes the Odysseus Command and quickly replaces it with a small black box.
He bites his lower lip and after flicking though a few menus he starts to copy the entire communication logs into the black cube. You see several bars creep along their progress lines. Then abruptly a DONE alert blinks on screen. He grabs the Black Datacube and gives it to you. 'It's better in your hands. You can handle yourself better than me. Let's get out of here. I'll meet you in Missile Storage. Thats the last place they will look for information thieves at the moment. Their main focus will be on the Life Pod Chamber. Quickly before they come to their senses!'
You receive 1,076,046 Xp + 15 Skill Points + 1 x Black Datacube |
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