Faction Process.TCPClient(Aegis.Contract.)

[Enigma Iuda]

TAGS: Arken Lussk

So anyways, I’m in this Corpo’s set up, just trolling out and and I’m like What the? Haha oh you did not just try and run a trace on me, take that and that oh, I hoped you are someone who backs up their files, big daddy CEO is going to be pretty upset when he starts getting subscription letters to the Silver Jedi marketing list sent to him. Oh my god, what are you using for security down there, an Ewok in a cardboard box that says ‘no viruses pleez’ god, it’s called encryption, this is too easy, oh no nothing to worry about, just a harmless email, no key logger no trojan just a congratulations on the new little o-oh wow. You opened it. Like you just opened it, what kind of moron just opens it? But then I find this part of the system, separate from the rest, totally dark, security on it like you wouldn’t believe, I think I fragged three separate datapads trying to get in, took me aaaagggeess to get into it, I don’t think I slept at all, though that isn’t exactly new, a finally get a lucky break and I’m in. So here I am thinking I’ve got myself something juicy, I mean, if someone has a massive vault with a battle droid patrol locked in a black hole, you expect there to be something worth while in there right?

Wrong.

I find an Aegis inventory list, nothing massive which is probably how I managed to get in to begin with, just a list of goods, hardware, software, what you can get and where to get it. An hour later I get a similar inventory sent to me along with an invitation to try up against some of their encryption, that Darkwire was in the good books up with Aegis.

Thank god for that.

-Email conversation between Enigma and Hacks .

Sitting in the back of the speeder, Enigma tried not to gawk at the amount of flowing capes that filled the airways, every craft that carried someone of even the remotest importance seemed to have a flowing tail dangling behind it. The fact that there isn’t a crash happening every day in this place means either they have amazing luck or amazing pilots.

Travelling in person was certainly not the usual MO for the Slicer, but for a chance at a working relationship with a group that had access to encryption and gear that can make a maestro such as myself reconsider coming at in my spare time, I can make an exception.

Paying his fare, Enigma walked from the speeder into the complex, unaware of what he would face inside.

But the juice is worth the squeeze.

 

[Arken Lussk]

Serenno had a way of making every single thing of theirs regal. Be it the mere threads they wore, their beloved cruisers flying through the skies, or even their gold-rimmed datapads that they clutched so lovingly. It was a high-tech, high-speed sorta place that many were proud to call home. Something of a booming hotspot for all sorts of business, ranging from megacorporations to the old fashioned mom and pop shops wanting to make it into the big leagues.

Aegis fell somewhere in between all of that. Far from the galaxy-spanning corporations that graced the galaxy, like REC or Jaeger. Its interests, however, were far more inclusive than the rest. Some clients were far more willing to legally obtain their products - it was a free market after all. Who was Arken to stop a couple of small fry from buying his stuff? Credits were good no matter whose hand was clutching it. Who held it in the end was what mattered to him.

---

The Tower Shield
Fiyarro, Serenno

"Query: Shall I take care of that for you, master?"

Chopsticks stopped moving. "Hm?" The young man at the desk halted his slurping of noodles, "Take care of what?"

Victor motioned towards the other monitor behind his desk - one of about eight. Many of which displayed contents that belonged more so to a teenage dropout rather than a corporate executive. Some displayed streams of Holonet famous gamers, some were filled to the brim with shopping lists and orders for custom datapads and computers, while the center one displayed a Twi'lek streamer with abnormally large breasts.

Arken frowned.

"What exactly am I supposed to be looking at?" He lofted a brow and tossed another clump of noodles into his mouth, slurping nosily. "I'm watching something, y'know."

Victor considered sighing, but that was against his programming. "Observation: The alert, master. Second screen from the right."

It was Arken's turn to sigh. He hardly wanted to deal with work at the moment. That's what he paid other people for: to take care of things so he didn -- wait, didn't Victor offer to take care of it? Right. He swallowed hard and wheeled his chair over to glance at it, lazily clicking on the message ping - one from the front desk. Ah! The contact from Darkwire had arrived on station and was heading here already. In truth, this fella came a lot sooner than he'd expected but Arken was eager to get this whole thing over with.

"Sure. Head downstairs and bring him up." Arken glanced back at the center monitor, the Twi'lek clapping at something, sending her body into full motion. "I, uh, I'll be finished by the time you're back."

His droid companion remained silent, opting to offer only a nod as he hastily departed.

Enigma Iuda

 

[Enigma Iuda]

TAGS: Arken Lussk

Sitting in the waiting lobby Enigma was entirely oblivious to how much he stuck out from the rest of the various Serenno locals, he various collection of nobles, merchants, technicians and just general passers-by, clad in a variety of fashionably matching colours, the latest in jewellery and only the finest of fabrics and materials used to tailor the cloaks and capes they wore. At least, everyone above the status of burger flipper over at McSerreno’s seems to wear the damn things.

Sitting and waiting for roughly about 12 seconds (10 of which consisted of him tapping his feet and fingers in an increasingly frantic fashion on the floor and seat), Enigma grew bored and removed his datapad from its sleeve, taking a look at the various security encryptions the company was using at the ground level.

Lets see if they run the heavy duty stuff for everything or whether Norman the sysadmin is sitting streaming himself the latest release from Backdoor Hutts 9.


“Sir, they are ready for you.”

Holding up a finger, Enigma continued to scroll through, the code reflected on his screen enrapturing him more than any physical woman or man had ever managed to. This guy is the real deal.

Already imagining the glorious havoc they could wreak together, Enigma followed the droid attendant, lost in a fantasy of collapsing stocks, huge botnets and just general cyber-anarchy, the newest member of Darkwire was in heaven.

 

[Arken Lussk]

The conference room was all tidied up. Not a thing was out of place, everything sat in their proper places. Furniture was pressed evenly against walls, paintings were perfectly symmetrical, and even the blasted chairs were lined up so perfectly it made Arken want to puke. Perfection and all that jazz was never his cup of tea, though that was something he never said out loud when around the stockholders. Studies always said that geniuses and other brilliant minds were naturally fans of chaos and disorder.

I mean, what would the press say if they found out a Fortune 100 CEO's desk looked like absolute garbage? With random notes jotted down, half-empty stimcaf and noodle cups, and a plethora of random tech and video game magazines. That's right, magazines. As archaic as they were, it was so insanely satisfying to smell the crispness of the pages and feel their crinkle as they were turned. It was cathartic, of days long past.

Arken frowned at the conference room, in all of its dull and drab neutral colors. Then, sighing, he strode forward to lazily collapse into the one at the head of the table. Just in time too.

The door pinged once and then opened, with Victor leading in their newest friend. Clad from head-to-toe in what would appear to be grunge-y apparel? Or punk. He couldn't tell these days, but he definitely looked the look of someone who knew their stuff. Granted, if he had managed to get that far into their systems to see the troll messages Arken posted then he deserved to be here.

"Thank you, Victor." The young man nodded to the droid, who toggled the door shut behind them and stood to flank it. "And you, have a seat, sir. No need for names or anything here if that's what you're wanting. As long as you work for and represent Darkwire in this meeting is all that I care for."

His eyes found the table empty. Angrily, he shot a glance to Victor. "Caf and junk food, Victor. Make it quick."

Enigma Iuda

 

[Enigma Iuda]

Taking a seat, Enigma did a quick spin, whistling under his mask to indicate how impressed he was. Not only did this kid have a swanky office but he was using it for junkfood and streaming!? A man after my own heart.

Watching the droid walk off, the slicer ensured they were alone before he wheeled over to the desk, his mask flashing, indicating his excitement.

“So, what’s the deal here? Clearly you ain’t no script kiddie, not with the code that I saw earlier. Do you write? Is there some secret collection of AI running algorithms out back somewhere? That was software I’ve never come up against before and I go up against on the regular.”

Reaching into his case, Enigma pulled his heavily decorated datapad and placed it down onto the desk, booting it up to project a 3d schematic in front of the pair.

“Clearly you aren’t hurting for credits, but if you’ve got gear the likes of that, that’s a piece of pie we want to get our sticky fingers in. So, if its money that’s your vice, we can do that. Or, if there is something else you’re after, we can do that too. What’re we looking at?”

 

[Arken Lussk]

He nodded humbly, basking in the admiration of another man whose skillset was akin to his own. Truth be told, he hadn't been behind the keyboard for official work in quite a while. Most of his latest personal projects were exactly that. Ranging from malware to test his stuff on, random software deployments for stress testing, and other more malicious logic deployed to corporate or political opponents.

"A bit of a blend these days. I have some brilliant minds on my payroll and some AI that handles a lot of my day-to-day operations. I, however, do like to do a little customizing of the text and content displayed for deeper warning signs." He grinned, thumbing the datapad in his hand. "Though I make a lot more 'bad guy stuff' in my personal time that I am more than welcome to share with you guys - provided you don't use it against me."

Arken toggled the switch on the datapad's screen, dragging a finger across it to bring up his inventory of things. AI frameworks, droid armies, malware, network security devices, and custom orders. Then he deftly slid it across the table to the other man. Arken presumed he already knew what he wanted, but it was always a good idea to refresh his memory on what Aegis had to offer.

"Simply put: I am looking for friends. I have a feeling that we could help each other a lot in the future. I can give bulk discounts for all items on this and permission to order my more esoteric stuff." He shrugged. "But maybe you guys could work with me one day against people I don't really like. Other corporate bigshots, political and military entities. Testing my things against them always makes them nervous and more prone to buying from me, so its good for business."

With the silencing threatening to consume the room as he looked through the datapad, the door opening broke the silence. Victor strode in with a platter full of goodies. Candies, bagged chips, cups of spicy noodles ready to eat, and loads of energy drinks and stimcaf. It was promptly seated at the center of the table, close enough for each man to grab something without leaning too far.

Enigma Iuda

 

[Enigma Iuda]

Enigma stared, the code and inventory that was so casually being passed through on the display had enough power in it to cripple the networks of entire planetary systems, and to then to ensure that they stayed crippled. But this youth seemed to have no desire for it, content to relax in his office and just stream whatever caught his interest.

It’s like the younger brother I never had.

As the droid placed down a variety of goods before him, Enigma leaned forward grabbing himself a trio of stimcaf cans, downing the them all within seconds before leaning back with a bowl of noodles, relaxing as he began to get a feel for his new associate.

“Too many nowdays, get to a point and stop. They put the work in, slave themselves to one Corpo bunch, sell out another, all so they can change the name on who they kiss up to and to add an extra 0 to their pay check. But then, they get to where they want, and they give up. The 0’s are enough, they like who they suck up to now, no need to go anymore.”

He paused to slurp some of the noodles up, a pair of chopsticks in his hand, he gestured around the room before pointing them to Arken Lussk .

“We’re the reminder why they don’t stop. Because the second they get nice and fat and decide, we can’t be beat, life can’t get better than this, we sneak in and burn it down around them? And why do we do it?”

Another slurp of noodles.

“Because it’s fun. So, I definitely think we can work something out here, 100%. You seem like our kinda guy and you’ve obviously decided we fit your vibe, I think it’ll be great times. I am curious though, what sort of enemies does someone like you have running around?”