[TEXT] [LOCKED TO NEW HIRES ONLY]

[bringinghopewithme]

[After doing everything he can to verify he's locked this correctly, i.e. asking Stacia to check if he did it right, Bunny presses forth with testing Lonestar's claims.]

Well I haven't been interrogated or tortured any more than usual. Do we trust this thing or not?

[EDITED The next day comes an additional video message -]

I realized two things. Some of you rightly guessed I lied about stealing keys from Jorgmund. Some of you pointed out Jorgmund might somehow be smart enough not to take obvious bait. Well -

[He holds up one paw, and twirls a keyring around one digit.]

It's not a lie anymore.

It got me into a closet and now we have - [He re-angles the camera to show: a metal hammer, multi-bit screwdrivers with a wide range of interchangeable bits, an adjustable wrench, a tiny screwdriver set for delicate work, and a small soldering iron.]

Anyone thinks they can do something useful with any of this, come see me. I'm keeping them hidden and I'm not telling any of you where until I know for sure who talks too much and who doesn't.

Comments

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[xrater]

I could probably crack this if I tried, but everything up to what I believe Jorgmund's computer programmers are capable of just get deflected. And it shows far more imagination than the corporate mind is capable of.

It's a pretty little piece of programming. I'm still hesitant, but I believe it's safe.

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[bringinghopewithme]

So now the question is how much do we trust each other not to rat this tool out.

[This could be such a good asset, if only he knew everyone on the new hire team a bit better.

And if only Mac weren't already so clearly a huge loudmouthed idiot.]

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[stickypete]

[He went anon last time. This time, he takes a chance and doesn't.]

[It makes him feel naked to be doing this without the mask, even with going by "Ben."]

[The code is so advanced it was a little beyond him. He's good with computers but chemistry is definitely his specialty.]

[It reacted like it was almost alive. How curious Kermit "I made sentient AIs" the Frog hadn't weighed in. Hmm.]

I know people are worried about this code but right now it's all we've got.

If someone can come up with something more secure, great, but if not, there's a point where we're going to take on some risk and hope for the best. There's no way we're getting out of this without working together. We need to be able to talk for that.

And there are a lot of people here who want out, which means maybe we can trust that the captain of the Winnebago is one of them. And the fact they want their identity to stay secret kind of makes sense. They get caught, they maybe get tortured into explaining how they made the code, and how to undo it, we lose our new toy.

Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith.

Anon Text - Moose

[fromfryingpantofire]

[Sam hadn't even tried reading the code. He's no coder by any stretch of the imagination. Being able to crack into police records was a lot different than this.]

[So, he'll chance logging in since everybody else seems to be okay with it. And he catches that reference and can't help but grin.]

As long as the combination to unlock it isn't 1-2-3-4-5.

Pretty sure you're right, though. We have to trust in something at some point. This seems an okay place to start.

anon text

[gautiheir]

not sure what you mean by this winnebago, but i think you've got the right idea.
if we aren't willing to trust each other, we're not going to get anywhere.
maybe trusting this gets us in trouble, but it still more than likely gets us further than we get by keeping to ourselves.
i do recognize the irony of me talking about trusting each other while i think i'm making this anonymous/
but i 'm still getting the hang of this1
i'll stop playing cloak and dagger when i'm sure i know the rules to play in the first place. ;0

anon text

[turntex]

i mean if its cool with yall ill stay anonymous for a while
but hey glad to see the easter bunny didnt get martyred
thatd be a downer
what would we tell the kids

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[bringinghopewithme]

I'd rather see fewer names than more, truth be told. It is safer that way.

You wouldn't have to tell the kids anything. My mates wouldnt let Easter go un-done.

It wouldn't be as good because most of them don't have any taste, but it would still happen.

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[greyaria]

For everyone's information, tying identity to speech/writing patterns is easy to do, especially with a computer. People might want to mix up their styles if they're serious about anonymity!

[Why did she attach this to Dave this particular anon's post? Truly a mystery.]

anon text: Ace of Hearts

[cachedout]

I don't think the system itself is company. They can't even get their security cameras working, much less drop anything this slick to bait a trap.

What remains to worry about is if one of us runs to tattle.

So, if you all will be so kind as to forgive me, I think I'll keep the mask on so far as anything that matters goes.

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[bringinghopewithme]

Take care of yourself. It's better if most of us are low on their radar anyway.

Anyone know how to check which security cameras are working, and which are as good as for show? We could use a map of blind spots. Nothing on paper though. The less evidence they have the better.

anon text;

[heterochrocatic]

these guys run a pretty slapped together operation

and that's compared to some of the crappier ones i've seen

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[bringinghopewithme]

So you know this sort of environment pretty well?

What's the first thing you'd do to disrupt the operation if you had a set of tools?

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[partiallysquirrelblood]

It's pretty dang secure. As much as anything running on a network we don't have control of can be, anyways.

And it's not like any computer code I've come across before, so I'm going to have to agree on it not being Jorgmund's idea of a trap.

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[walkingballpit]

Because it’s not a trap? Wow that does feel weird to type. But it’s not a trap.

[becauseimacoward]

[Dojima had installed this just the day before. He had kept an eye on it, like he expected some development, but...nothing.

Until now. A message, hm...]

We won't know for sure unless someone pushes their luck, but that's not a good idea -- for obvious reasons.

[Some things are worth the risk. Given how bad the punishment could get...this doesn't seem like of those things]

[bringinghopewithme]

Yeah, I already did push my luck. I broke onto an executive deck and stole some suit's keys. I compromised Jorgmund security, now if they're seeing this, what are they gonna do about it?

For obvious reasons if we're going to know whether this is a useful, safe tool or not, we need to know now.

[pathkin]

Thank you for being willing to undertake this risk to make a point, because people need convincing for understandable reasons.

I know having this pop up before everyone had time to settle in and get a sense of Jorgmund's technical incompetence was suspect but I know how to work very fast with very little.

And waiting could lead to someone getting shocked to death in a fit of Planker's pique before we're out of here. I don't want to someday reach the day we're free and look back wishing that it'd be a only day or week sooner for someone else. So the second I got my hands on a computer I did whatever I could.

And the reason I could do this so fast is because we're facing down a big disparity between tech like this network and tech like the shock collars, their internal corporate computer systems, and door security access. They've devoted all their (probably limited, given it's the apocalypse) resources to their internal networks and security. I think for some of the tech they've given us, it's shoddy and easy to mess with because they're relying heavily on security from the shock collars to keep us in line.

Unfortunately, that means our network is separate. Despite being wireless, it has no wireless connection to their other systems. They must have a lot of their actually important workings hardwired with any wifi turned off or removed. For the actual shock collars we also have no idea if they've experimented with the Stuff's reality alteration to create something else to send the signals from their remote devices. For all we know that isn't even based in digital signals. I know they mentioned something about dimensions during my "intake" so they could have access to some random tech from other worlds, too.

But encryption and anonymous settings on this garbage network? Duck soup. So I immediately got cracking.

[He'd had to look up the idioms to get it right. Duck soup? Cracking on what? English idioms are weird.]

[xrater]

So you do understand why people wouldn't want to trust a mysterious anonymous network that just happens to show up on the same day we're finally pulling our heads together. I was wondering.

If you were fine with the Bunny potentially getting electrocuted to prove that your system wasn't something Jorgmund could break into, you should be fine revealing your identity instead of playing masquerades. And don't tell me that you don't know who to trust. If others can put their names on this thing and risk punishment, then you shouldn't hesitate to show the same faith that you want people to have in this. Instead, you hide.

That is why I have a hard time trusting you and this. I'll admit this program is cleverly done, but I cannot put my full faith in a system that even the creator doesn't.

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[gempathizing]

Everyone's gotta start building up their trust groundwork somewhere, right? Not tortured and not interrogated sounds like a pretty solid first step to me.

I'd say whoever set it up earned a fair chance.

[ He doesn't do coding or anything, he just holds to some base "everybody gets one" principles. ]

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[pathkin]

:|b

Everyone has very good reason to have their doubts.

I just want to help. And I want to find a way home, the same as everyone else.

And I also don't want to die just because someone had a big mouth.

There are reasons I'd step forward and surrender myself. If Jorgmund wanted to torture one of you to find out who I am, for instance.

But if I get caught, or need to tell Jorgmund I'm guilty, I'd prefer those circumstances to be reasonably dire.

anon text: Quaestor

[wheyoftheadept]

Hoi, well done on the keys. But I'd put them back when you're done using them, cover your tracks.

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[bringinghopewithme]

I think the less I'm around one particular suit the better, but I'll see what I can pull off.

anon text: 3rd Tiger

[credit_not_blame]

Alternatively: anyone here know how to copy keys? Things get misplaced all the time; as long as they turn up sooner rather than later, no harm no foul.

[ video, locked to new hires, in response to Bunny’s vid ]

[walkingballpit]

[ Robbie will match the risk level, because he trusts the code and because he’s not about to let anyone stick their neck out that far alone. ]

And you’re still all right?

[ Ge has other questions that he’s eager to ask, but that’s the most important. ]

[bringinghopewithme]

Still good. None of the suits have said anything yet, and I've been listening.