005 ~ Radio

[i_speak_softly]

[Today, anyone who cares to turn on their radio will find the following transmission being broadcast on several frequencies. At the end of the sequence there is a few seconds' pause, followed by the same sequence again. This seems to go on all day.]

002003005 007 011013017019 023 029031037041043 047053059061067071073079083
089097 101103107109113127 131137139149151 157163167

Comments

[sonjaofyellowcomet]

What message? Can you point it out?

[i_speak_softly]

Ah... tune to - [He names a frequency on which the mystery transmission can be heard.] - for a minute.

[sonjaofyellowcomet]

1105181815 1801180919 200805 131520080518 1920091212 1209220519
1915212008 03011204051801 02051405012008 200805 02122105 052505

Well that's interesting.

Just like your code, we can tell that these are cleanly divided into two digit numbers because of the arbitrary positioning of zeroes:

11 05 18 18 15 | 18 01 18 09 19 | 20 08 05 | 13 15 20 08 05 18 | 19 20 09 12 12 | 12 09 22 05 19
19 15 21 20 08 | 03 01 12 04 05 18 01 | 02 05 14 05 01 20 08 | 20 08 05 | 02 12 21 05 | 05 25 05

Just from the way you can see repeated letters, this looks like a simple substitution cipher.

Let's assume 11 05 18 18 15 is HELLO - 11=H 05=E 18=L 15=0

HELLO L*L** THE *OTHEL *T*** ***E*
*O*TH ****EL* *E*E*TH THE ***E E*E

Maybe 20 08 05 is THE? 20=T, 08=H

08 is following 20 a lot, isn't it? I think we're on the right track. Although I'm not convinced now that HELLO was the correct first word.

Actually if 20=T and 08=H and 05=e then its not even a complicated cypher: its just replacing letters along their position in the alphabet.

[We'll just handwave that its in the roman alphabet and its in english]

K E R R O | R A R I S | T H E | M O T H E R | S T I L L | L I V E S
S O U T H | C A L D E R A | B E N E A T H | T H E | B L U E | E Y E

Is that... right?

It seems to be. What the heck is Kerro Raris?

[i_speak_softly]

[Don just sits there, stunned. It's not a mathematical progression, it's a cryptographic substitution.]

[Quietly, he reaches over to the console and kills the cracking programs.]

Once again, I am an idiot...

[sonjaofyellowcomet]

No worries, we obviously each have our own strengths :D

How do you feel about meeting in person and trying to investigate this message further?

[i_speak_softly]

Um... [He casts around. When did he last eat, sleep, or shower? Does he care?] Of course. Where?

[sonjaofyellowcomet]

Midnight Hotel commons. I have a room there. I'll be the awkward girl sitting alone.

[ Can't end a conversation without throwing in a little self-deprecation. Setting the bar low means that he won't be disappointed ]

[sonjaofyellowcomet]

[helpful link]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don considers mentioning that he'll be the giant turtle, but... nah.]

I'll be there in half an hour.

[That will give him time to shower and stuff something in his face. Sleep will have to be foregone for a little longer.]

((To here.))