Re: The Show Must Go Off

[Herr D]

Thrash and his fellow revolutionaries gave us a little space but stayed right in earshot and looked generally amused and curious as I began. “They seem irritated, want you to buy back your safety, and expect an explanation.”
Eyes still big, she nodded. “I was–“
“NOT to me. I’m not even sure why they’re miffed at you. Type it to Them.” I nodded at the podium screen where a graphic appeared of a stick figure waving it’s index finger right at her. She raised her eyebrows. She wasn’t at a predictable angle to the screen. She turned slightly to the arena screen and did the math.
“They have infiltrated ALL the hardware here, haven’t they?”
I smiled at her. “I wouldn’t be surprised to hear they own hidden hardware all over V-gamma-7.” Heh heh. –Not yet. . .
She nodded and slowly typed ‘The Enforcers already know I hack, so they WILL be after me for information on you. Is there anything you would LIKE me to tell them?’
The graphic disappeared and a chatbox jumped up showing what should have appeared to be an accidental glimpse at an argument in code between The Surgeon and The Shade. Then it disappeared. A short pause followed. This was going about as I thought it would. “I thin-” I interrupted myself for effect as the next header came up, reading ‘DO NOT MENTION CONTENT OF THIS MEETING WITH NEW ASSOCIATES. TELL ENFORCERS EVERYTHING ELSE YOU KNOW OF US. DO NOT DIVULGE YOUR ROLE IN TODAY’S SHOW. DISCUSS PLAN WITH Q AND DO WITHIN TEN HOURS UNLESS TOLD NOT TO BY Q.’ The header took up the whole box. I let the screen go blank before I broke the respectful silence. “I was right; they want me to tell you the plan. These men have footage we want in the system, but we want it in the system as if the system’s cameras filmed it.”
Upclose nodded, “How much footage?”
Thrash spoke up. “There’s less than an hour’s footage ready. It’s sorted by location and time index.”
Upclose frowned, “Have you already made sure there’s no other footage for those places and times?”
Thrash looked surprised, and turned to the group. ‘C’ was nodding. “And all arenas.”
Upclose nodded, “That’s good; the system won’t kick it out, even during a self-audit. I’ll have to fake system tags and camera signatures and maybe some upload garbage temporary files–” Her eyes grew big again “–within ten hours?! I can’t do that! The cameras are all off in the arena area! The uploads will be flagged even if I sneak them in unless these cameras are on!”
I knew she had her limits. “Upclose?”
“Yes?”
“If you prep the uploads, the Six can toggle the cameras on and off and erase evidence that they did that.”
Her eyes narrowed at me. “What?”
I smiled widely. “I’m pretty sure they’ve done that to hide peoples’ movements.”
She shook her head. “There are LIVE Enforcers that watch feeds.” Yikes.
I nodded along. “So there would have to be a big diversion or something.”
She blinked. “Well, it wouldn’t have to be LONG. An upload should take about 20 milliseconds.”
I pretended to be impressed. “We’ll leave the exact timing to them then. I guess I’ll ask two of these fine young men to come with me and leave the footage with you?” She nodded. We had a plan.

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