Hacking in
A Decker Story
By Misterebony
 
(NOTE: Since the game seems to be gone from online, if anyone would like a copy of the game shoot me a private message, and I can send it.)
 
(OTHER NOTE: This story is based on actual play)
 
 
Griff sat alone in his grimy little apartment. But that was just fine. For a criminal such as him it was good, especially when his real home was interconnected with his items on the table: A jet black cyberdeck, and a series of wires and a central box called a datajack. he used both in his profession...
 
DECKER.
 
As he finished refreshing himself with a bottle of Neuro-Nectar(Copyright 2071), He returned to his chair, well worn with all the work he did. He sat there and plug in his datajack, and suddenly his view was filled with holographuic screens and messages.He checked the contracts first, as he always did, looking for the best one to help pay his rent.
 
He finally settled on a goodie: A competitior to a genetics lab was wanting to do some... after hours research. To do that, the electronic doorlocks had to be deactivated. And it had to be done that night.
 
Griff wasn't worried, he hit THESE guys before, and they still were unable to figure it out. Low grade security protocals, higher pay. Perfect for his nasty mind.
 
With a smile he made the connection, and his whole world changed. Once more he was in a massive data chamber, his entry a vortex. Nearby, a simple attack program floated about aimlessly, inert. Those only activated when the alarms went off anyway so Griff wasn't wsorried. What worried him was a datagate barring his way. Nervous but not overly so, he pushed through. Thanks to his hide program it was a breeze, he was in, undetected. By now, so late, most of the guards would be asleep, save for a few night watch deckers. Pathetic.
 
Unfortunetly, as he searched the nodes he soon came accross a probe program. These were a form of passive securty ICE, or intrusion countermeasure electronics, similar to the datagate. Griff knew if this probe sounded the alarm his node would be flooded with attack ICE quicker than a bar on free beer night. He had to be cautious.
 
Moving slowly, he waited for the probe to leave the room, then went south. It was a mistaken concept to think data nodes and systems had directions, but to use them helped to keep the Decker from getting lost. Good thing too, becasue with another turn, he arrived in a vast data chamber that looked to the unknowing like a cammond center. Griff knew this was an I/O node. But what did it control? Using his analyze program, he scanned the room.
 
Curses. Admin alarms, not what he was looking for. Worse, deactivating them might trigger an alarm of their own. Too risky on this job. Griff quickly left the chamber and moved back into the 'corridors' connecting the nodes.
 
His next find was a central hub computer, complete with a owerful protectorf program and a hulking brite assult ICE. These were nasty ones that, if attacking, damaged all the way top the neural synapses of the brain. That was how most Deckers died in this buisness, but Griff was cautious. Carefully he tried to get the data map. It took a couple tries but he got it, and was still undetected. Griff examined it in a new holowindow.
 
From the look of it, there were five I/O nodes, each handling specific functions. The system had gotten a major upgrade since his last visit. Griff eliminated two as his target, as both of them were directly linked to admin functions: ICE insertion and alarm notification. That left three to check. Temptingly, one was right next to a data stroage area. Griff, feeling greedy, went there first.
 
No luck. A scan revealed it only controled the sprinklers. Activating them would set off an alarm for sure. Sighing, Griff manuvered to the next node.... or tried.
 
But blocking him was another datagate. And this one had spotted him. Griff began to sweat. He quickly silenced the node and triwed a password. But the program failed, and the gate now was trying to alert the systems. Time was against Griff now. If he failed to destroy the gate before the node was loud again, then he would be surely caught and deleted.
 
He had no choice but to break the gate.
 
 Worse, he also had to deal with a probe that was now in the node. TIme was running out. He activated his attack program, sending out blasts of data lightning, first to the probe then to the gate. It took three attempts, but he was able to destroy the alarm programs befroe they could trigger an alert.
 
Breathing a sigh of relief he continued his search. He passed through a subsystem and a few more hallways before reaching the second I/O port. This one was more likely, as a monolithic Guardian program sood watch. Guardians were basic level ICE, similar to probes, except they remained in key nodes in the system, guarding important areas. This made Griff nod. This had to be it. He did a scan to make sure.
 
But it was a folly. It controlled several video players and nothing more. A dead end. Worse, he knew the Admin would soon find out some of the programs were missing thanks to what happened in the OTHER I/O node. He had to move fast. There was one I/O left to check, and he knew how to get there. carefully he moved out.
 
But he was stopped by another datagate. Seemed his stealth was failing. Nervous, and with little time, he silenced the node and tried his stolen pass key... And this time, it worked. He breathed a sigh of relief as he passed several silent attack programs and entered the final I/O node. It was the one he was looking for.
 
But now he had a problem. the chamber was lined with passive ICE, clearly making this a well guarded node. If he was detected there would be nothing he could do. Crossing his fingers, he flipped the switch.
 
DAMN! Detected! Grif knew he had it now. He silenced the room as usual and tried his passcode... and it failed. The attack programs in the chamber hummed to life. They emitted what looked to the untrained like lazers. In truth they were assult programs, capable of even damaging the brain. Griff had no choice but to fight, letting his lightning fly. He ducked low as it flew over him. He got hit, and Griff felt it in his mind. Angered, he charged a super blast of lightning and slammed the attack ICE. He watched as briefly it split in two, then dissolved into unless data, easily removed with a system defragmentation. But he wasn't done yet. If the node gained volume again the Guardian in the chamber would announce his presence to everyone.
 
Griff turned his sights to the Guardian and began Zapping it. Just before the node stopped being silent, the guardian collapsed. Griff laughed as he saw that his path was clear now. He was hurt but not bad. Smiling he disabled the doorlocks. Mission accomplished.
 
But he wasn't done yet. He decided to check the data storage nodes again, just to see what he could steal to sell on the black market. Genetics labs were known for having some awesome stuff in their database. Entering the nodes, he began his search. he did get detected... but a single ZAP and the questioning ICE was deleted. He then set to work. Sadly, it seemed to be an off day, most of the data was useless or worthless. But he did find some security recordings, and a passcode that might prove helpful in the future. For fun he altered some sales reports, then headed for home. Mission Accomplished.
 
Later that night Griff got an email from the Johnson (or contracted individuals) that they were greatful, they forwarded the pay, as well as an added bonus for what was iun the security tapes.
 
171 Nuyen, the equivalent to about $500. Griff nodded at a job well done and sent most of it to pay the rent. Logging out, he settled into his little cot in the room and read a holonovel on Kama Sutra. He couldn't wait for the day he would buy a babe to try it on.
 
Good to be bad.
 
 
THE END