I'm sorry it's not more. The code itself made limited sense to me until I saw how it had to be used. Even at that, I'd never have guessed the statue was a computer.
FROM: sturmhond@cdc.org
I thought perhaps it was mechanical. The extent was a surprise.
No. Which leads to the question of how it came to be there, doesn't it? It wasn't built by us. I didn't expect to find the bomb already built into the planet we were sent to destroy.
Could be competition. But if it was, it took its time doing something about us.
[ The contract that Banner sent him all those months ago - and then was publicly sent to everyone, seemed to imply there's more than one of these planet destroyers, and everyone answers to something called the PCU. He's still wary about opening discussing certain things on their network - and in general while on the ship, now that they're likely to be even more monitored than before. ]
FROM: rogers.steve@cdc.org
Wish we could have been able to tell how long it was there.
[ But he's guessing all the pieces had to be used to complete the reboot, nothing left to analyze.
If it'd been there for a long time, and only reacted to their work on the planet, that implies something slightly different than competition. ]
So do I. The rocks were buried in caves, for the most part. They seemed to have been there a while.
[ Seemed, being the operative word. Could they have been planted there more recently? Hidden, in the exact places where recruits were either directed to explore, or asked permission to investigate? There's a part of him that feels there's a chance it could have all been a setup, every inch of it. Another of their tests. He doesn't want to say that, not over the Network. He's no more convinced of its privacy than Steve. ]
FROM: sturmhond@cdc.org
The statue was always more than it seemed. It was after all well defended, until that very last moment.
It was Gale. He was there. You'll have seen him. He was the one in the message for Gliese, the man holding the cuffs.
[ And Sturmhond would personally love to know what that was about, too. He doesn't enjoy having more questions than answers, and since he joined the CDC, that's been the default position. ]
No. But there is no doubt in my mind that if not for him, our shuttles would not have made it off that planet. We couldn't even have touched the statue without his help.
[ Not to mention, they wouldn't have had the password without him. Sturmhond doesn't want to say that, because he's wary of mentioning the direct role that the Instructors had had in deciphering the code. The very key for understanding it had come from them. He wants to ask them to explain that, before he speculates. And certainly before he gets them in potential trouble with anyone else. ]
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no subject
It was a command code, for a computer. Or at least that's how it seemed. The stone I found had this message:
PROJECT_OPERATING_SYSTEM://REBOOTING
COUNTDOWN_COMMAND://BEGIN
FROM: sturmhond@cdc.org
It was one of four. Combined, we knew they were made to reset and reboot something. We didn't know what - until the statue activated.
no subject
Well, that's interesting.
Thanks for the info.
no subject
I'm sorry it's not more. The code itself made limited sense to me until I saw how it had to be used. Even at that, I'd never have guessed the statue was a computer.
FROM: sturmhond@cdc.org
I thought perhaps it was mechanical. The extent was a surprise.
no subject
Just glad for anything at this point. Wouldn't exactly have guessed it to be a computer either.
no subject
No. Which leads to the question of how it came to be there, doesn't it? It wasn't built by us. I didn't expect to find the bomb already built into the planet we were sent to destroy.
no subject
Could be competition. But if it was, it took its time doing something about us.
[ The contract that Banner sent him all those months ago - and then was publicly sent to everyone, seemed to imply there's more than one of these planet destroyers, and everyone answers to something called the PCU. He's still wary about opening discussing certain things on their network - and in general while on the ship, now that they're likely to be even more monitored than before. ]
FROM: rogers.steve@cdc.org
Wish we could have been able to tell how long it was there.
[ But he's guessing all the pieces had to be used to complete the reboot, nothing left to analyze.
If it'd been there for a long time, and only reacted to their work on the planet, that implies something slightly different than competition. ]
no subject
So do I. The rocks were buried in caves, for the most part. They seemed to have been there a while.
[ Seemed, being the operative word. Could they have been planted there more recently? Hidden, in the exact places where recruits were either directed to explore, or asked permission to investigate? There's a part of him that feels there's a chance it could have all been a setup, every inch of it. Another of their tests. He doesn't want to say that, not over the Network. He's no more convinced of its privacy than Steve. ]
FROM: sturmhond@cdc.org
The statue was always more than it seemed. It was after all well defended, until that very last moment.
no subject
Guess we'll just have to wait and see what's buried in the next caves.
[ Or if anything similar turns up on the next planet, conveniently placed next to camp. ]
FROM: rogers.steve@cdc.org
How did those defenses come down anyway?
[ He'd been focused on the rescue and evac when all this was happening, missed part of the show. ]
no subject
It was Gale. He was there. You'll have seen him. He was the one in the message for Gliese, the man holding the cuffs.
[ And Sturmhond would personally love to know what that was about, too. He doesn't enjoy having more questions than answers, and since he joined the CDC, that's been the default position. ]
no subject
That was awfully helpful of him. Guessing he didn't stick around to say much?
no subject
Very little. It's hard to know what side he's on.
no subject
Well, definitely not on the Captain's good one.
[ womp womp ]
no subject
No. But there is no doubt in my mind that if not for him, our shuttles would not have made it off that planet. We couldn't even have touched the statue without his help.
[ Not to mention, they wouldn't have had the password without him. Sturmhond doesn't want to say that, because he's wary of mentioning the direct role that the Instructors had had in deciphering the code. The very key for understanding it had come from them. He wants to ask them to explain that, before he speculates. And certainly before he gets them in potential trouble with anyone else. ]
no subject
FROM: rogers.steve@cdc.org
Seems like we owe him some kind of thanks then.
[ There's not much else he's willing to say on the line, so he'll just be leaving the conversation there on his end for now. ]
FROM: rogers.steve@cdc.org
And to your evac team. Thanks again.
no subject
FROM: sturmhond@cdc.org
We did our best. All of us did.
[ But not everyone had left Ajna alive. That had been a failing, and not one he takes lightly. ]
FROM: sturmhond@cdc.org
I'm also sorry that wasn't more.