one ▐ video

[tomemyoutliers]

( the face that appears on the screen is open and friendly - framed by blonde hair. dressed in a blue and red outfit, it serves to put one in mind of a police force or military without obviously being a member of such.

rather than broadcasting from the terminal located in one's assigned quarters, the background is clearly a cafe in metal. )

Who must I talk to in order to place a complaint about these devices? ( a tap of a finger against the screen for extra emphasis. ) Not only are they extremely unintuitive, they're also impossible to modify. I could make so many improvements if they would stop melting every time I opened them up.

( how many terminals has shockwave gone through? it's probably best not to ask. )

My name is Shockwave, and I have a request for those of you with a talent for technology. Included is an attachment with different levels of encryptions that I've coded myself. I would appreciate it if you indulged my curiosity and attempted to break all of them, although you're certainly not obligated to try. Let me know how far you get!

( the coded attachment has four layers of encrypted code - one at 90%, one at 95%, one at 99%, and then one at an unhackable 100% - and when one encryption is broken, the next instantly takes its place. shockwave is aware that no one will get through the last one but it's the principle of the thing. and a bit of showing off - anyone who can get through to the last level will find that the final encryption is a thing of beauty from a coding standpoint. )

Comments

[video; encrypted to 95%]

[bludhavenknight]

I have no doubt about that. I just know it's not going to be mine.

[Yeah, you'd be surprised at that. A lot of people here are considered geniuses. And brilliant.] They are something else! I just try to keep up as best I can.

[video; encrypted to 95%]

[tomemyoutliers]

Of course.

( a nod of the head, even if shockwave's not completely convinced. after all the greatest voice of dissent came from someone far removed from the corrupt nature of the senate - those who don't want anything to with politics are sometimes the best people to do something. )

You've done remarkably well, all things considered.

( since shockwave made sure the encryptions wouldn't be easy )

[video; encrypted to 95%]

[bludhavenknight]

I might have picked up a few things by being around them. Maybe osmosis, something like that. [He laughs.]

[video; encrypted to 95%]

[tomemyoutliers]

Perhaps. ( another smile ) Or just a natural talent for learning things.

[video; encrypted to 95%]

[bludhavenknight]

I'm so flattered, you have no idea. [He laughs.] I've better with history then numbers, though. Much better.

[video; encrypted to 95%]

[tomemyoutliers]

Your favorite subject?

( they really only have archivists instead of historians - there's not a point in studying history that everyone can remember. )

[video; encrypted to 95%]

[bludhavenknight]

Oh yeah. I love history, knowing what happened in the past. Trying not to repeat it. I used to work with a museum, one of my better jobs.

[video; encrypted to 95%]

[tomemyoutliers]

A noble goal - one my species seems to lack, if only because we have not recognized the mistakes we've made as exactly that.

[video; encrypted to 95%]

[bludhavenknight]

That's the great thing about life. You get to experience it with all the mistakes, and the future can learn from it.

[video; encrypted to 95%]

[tomemyoutliers]

( shockwave's expression falls slightly, and the smile turns almost wistful. )

One would hope, at any rate.

[video; encrypted to 95%]

[bludhavenknight]

[He gives a little smile.] I hope so, for you, too.

[video; encrypted to 95%]

[tomemyoutliers]

I'm afraid it's too late for that - the matter is out of my hands, and has been for some time.

( and shockwave had such plans, too. )