Kadance

40

"These guys are good, I'm unable to get in," Candlen says in frustration. "I've never run into a program I couldn't hack," Candlen sits back.

"I'm not having much luck on their security systems either," Rackem calls out.

"So what are they hiding? And more importantly who designed their security?" Borden wonders.

"All I know," Jayse says angrily, "is if we can't find out what's going on we're not going down. I won't go down blind with Kadance." They all agree on that.

Tommy looks at the boys and smirks, "Knowledge is power, remember that. You might learn something you'll never use, but all knowledge is good. Lack of knowledge might get you and others killed. Always learn all that you can about what's going on. A good deal of that is irrelevant, but sometimes it's life or death. That's why we won't be going down if we don't get that info. That's usually not an option with the shifters, so you must learn how to get that information.

"Candlen and Rackem are good. Two of the best, but there's always someone better. They've just run into that someone. That's something else you need to know. Who is better than you in any given field or skill? Learn from that person if you can. Always strive to improve." Tommy lectures even as he takes a seat at one of the computers and puts in a few commands and he's in. He sends it to Candlen and then he does the same for Rackem.

"Know the players of any given game. Each person has a feel, a signature for how they work. That's key, knowing the signature tells you how to gain what you want," Tommy finishes .

By then the whole team is looking at Tommy in amazement. File after file is downloading, decrypted and ready to read. Security footage is online and streaming real time.

"Your homework today is to help look through these files. Look for illegal activity and put together any case necessary if it needs to go to court. These are your holdings, you need to be familiar with them. Remember knowledge is power."

Tommy looks at the team staring at him mouths agape, "What?"

"How'd you get in? I've been trying for hours," Candlen demands.

"Have you managed to break my security? No? Well if you do you'll find a lot of things. I base my security off of this guys. Actually I think it's a she. Anyway, she's top notch and I haven't heard of anybody better. Only thing," he faces Jayse, the only person not surprised by his ability to hack the info, "She's a warrior class and shouldn't be working for civies and definitely not here. Something is way off." Tommy looks at all of them. "Dig deep on this one. Brainy's like this one don't redline and there's no way they'd let her off Gaia.

"Borden, I know you have contact on Luna Two, see what you can find out. Amgle, Mareton, Dest, Trader do any of you have contacts down there?" They all reluctantly nod. "I don't need to know who they are, but contact them. Intel never lets a large group of redliners around unless they have someone watching them. Find me the info I want. I'll try to find Tanker, this is going to be fun. NOT." Tommy gives his orders and not even Jayse dares to countermand them.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Lighten offers to Tommy quietly.

"Would intel ever have let Baron off of Gaia?" Tommy asks just as quietly and very intently.

Lighten pales slightly, "That's who you're talking about? About three years ago, shortly after the time Sigma went down Baron disappeared. She didn't show up to work and when we went to her place it had been trashed. No way to tell if anything had been taken. There had been no sign of her at the shuttle ports, she just disappeared. All intel agencies are to report anything they find."

"It's her signature, her program. Programmers are a touchy people when it comes to their programs. There's no way she let someone else touch that program. At least not willingly. So either she's working there under duress, working there willingly betraying her class or she's dead and they used her program. Talk to Admiral Jannsen, give him a heads up, but do it on the most secure signal you can. Use this," Tommy says handing lighten a half sphere made of metal. "Set it next to your comset like so. When activated only the person directly linked will be able to understand the message."