Traask Nadill's Enforcer Training

[Rev]

Sevarcos II. Traask had traveled more than out of his way in search of some advanced training in the splicing and hacking techniques. His sources had pointed him to an organization known as Merkatua and their leader in particular, Iban Salid. The man he came to see was apparently a genius when it came to the skill set, and by joining the man's "business" Traask insured himself some degree of satisfaction by being promised to be taught in the unique trade.

Siryn's Call came down near an unmarked landing dock, the ship gently touching down in the loading and unloading zone before the engine finally hummed to a close. His eyes looked outward at the collection of workers than began to settle him into position before hitting the command on his wrist gaunt to lower the loading ramp. Seconds would pass and his 6'2" frame would slowly walk down the metallic platform, his facial features hidden behind the wide brim of his favored hat. Staring out from he veil, Traask's mind would begin to wander, wondering where this Salid fella would be.

"...Iban Salid. Where can I find him?"

Traask's voice would hit the man closest to him like an ice cube, his voice sending chills down the poor greeters spine before he tried to push out an answer.

"I-inside."

Traask simply nodded and began his slow walk towards the entrance of yet another unmarked building. If he had to guess it was some sort of office building, but far too large to be of typical nature. From the skies he had thought it to be a factory, but now that he was up close it billowed no smoke and was far too clean to be a union setting. He'd pace up to a desk before looking at the less than stellar receptionist behind the desk. Her look screamed professionalism, but her demeanor hinted that there was far more to her.

"Iban Salid, I'm here on behalf of Merkatua."

The woman simply gave him a nod before picking up a phone and hammering in a few buttons. She spoke into it only briefly before setting the phone back down then pointing to a chair in the "lobby."

"Have a seat, he'll be here shortly."

Nadill nodded to the woman just as he had the man out front before walking to the center of the room. He'd cross his arms and look around at the cleanliness of the place. He hated waiting, this Salid character better not be all talk was the initial thought to push itself into his mind. Then it was the memory that this was his newest employer and Traask would treat him with the same respect he had any other crime lord in the galaxy.. They held the credits, so they held his attention.

 

[Gringhost]

Iban had returned from several business deals and was in the process of reacquainting himself with his office when the secretary messaged him.

LARGE WHITE MALE...
ANGRY...
HAZEL EYES...
LOOKING FOR YOU...
WAITING...

These words flashed over his computer screen when she typed them. He sighed and patted his chair. "Wait for me dear."

He grabbed a glass of water and exited into the waiting area. "Traask Nadill, so happy you could make it here without any difficulty. I'm assuming you are here for your Enforcer training." Iban leaned against the wall.

"So what do you want to go over first?"

 

[Rev]

The soft patter of footsteps echoed down the lobby halls. Someone was coming. His eyes turned to the right where the only hall entrance appeared to be, and as he predicted, it was Iban. A half smile would grow on the smugglers face before dissipating as quickly as it had grown. The man's voice was welcoming, but it had a directness to it that only a con could pick up. They were one in the same the two of them, and Traask only hoped they would get along.

"Your assumption would be correct."

His arms finally uncrossed at the smuggler would reach out, extending his hand to the employer he was meeting for the first time.

"At your service, Iban. We haven't been formally introduced."

As he looked into the darker skinned man's eyes it was the brim of his hat he'd tilt away to reveal himself to Salid.

"Splicing. I'm no infiltrator.. I'd like to change that. I've heard around you're the best at what you do; I'd like to one day take that title from you."

He smiled at the stranger, only joking, but his words held a truth to them. He was a perfectionist, and if he wasn't perfect at what he did; he wasn't doing it right.

 

[Gringhost]

Iban took the man's outstretched hand and shook it firmly.

"Well, I suppose I can splice a few computers....and security systems. And I am sure that by the end of this training, you'll be rather decent as well."

Iban gave a half smile. "It may take a while to reach my level though." He chuckled silently.

"So Splicing and Hacking will be the focus. I have a particular room I use to hone my skill. Care to follow?" Iban spread his arms out at waist level and turned, motioning for Traask to follow in his wake.

 

[Rev]

Traask listened intently as his new tutor spoke. The man had a nag for this type of thing, he could hear it in his voice. Then his response to Nadill's own cocky comment was responded with the same attitude; this was indeed the man he needed to meet. At the request to take the training to a more private location he simply nodded his head and motioned for him to take the lead.

"I'm in your 'home' Salid, you make the rules."

He'd walk to the strangers right as they made their way to the training room he spoke of, wondering what exactly the man had set aside for exercises in hacking. He envisioned a room filled with various technological equipment, each needing to be broken in some way or another. However, time would answer his curiosity, for now he simply took in the new environment. This place was different than the Hutt worlds he was used to dealing in, it was a different but welcomed change.

"What other training services do you provide? I feel in order to be the best in an organization you should know all of the specifics for the job your taking.. I'd like to be sure that I'm your best candidate no matter the job."

 

[Gringhost]

"Very confident I see. That's good."

Iban pushed open a set of wooden double doors inlaid with bronze. These doors opened into a room with a single terminal in the center. It was roughly two feet by three feet and stood hanging from the ceiling. The walls were made of various metals, each distinguishable thanks to the color changes. In each corner of the rectangular room were mini Holo projectors, which the use of had yet to be revealed.

"I teach many things. Assassination techniques, hand to hand combat, pistol training, all manners of hacking, and of course stealing. Each of these are important in their own way to an Enforcer, for I will call upon you to deal with individuals, or several people at once."

"OUR business has many customers, which other groups wish to become theirs. Enforcers have the job of stopping that recruitment."

 

[Rev]

Traask simply ignored the man's comment, he knew he was a cocky one. The silence her let show seemed to flaunt the very point Iban made. Nadill would take in a deep breath as they entered the new room, his eyes searching it as if to find another exit; one which wasn't there. As they moved to the center of the room his eyes went from searching to the console that sat in place, then finally to the holoprojector in the corners. The room was unique, just as the man who had brought him here was.

"I have had formal training in all you speak of.."

He of course spoke of everything but splicing. He's stealing was below average, but he was more of a man to take out the target as oppose to thieve from the poor soul. Traask would get in front of the console and give Iban a look as if to say he was going to attempt to get into the system. His fingers began to desperately work at the keys, hammering in various commands before finally coming to the prompt screen. This is where he would get stuck. His eyes searched for a way to bypass the security but his mind drew a blank; this is where Iban would hopefully come in and show him some aid in the field.

 

[Gringhost]

At that point the Holoprojectors clicked on, showing the security on the console as various virtual walls.

"These walls are the security programs on the console, which is currently set at it's lowest secure setting. I like to use this as a way to see what you can't really see."

With each button Traask pressed a movement was made, walls were attack, jumped, and slammed in to. But none of them broke, or were they wormed through.

"In a real splicing event, you do not have the chance to truly see the security barriers set up. This training room puts you through every type of electronic security, so when you face it in the real world you know what template to follow to defeat it."

 

[Rev]

Traask listened, his hands hovering over the countless keys as his mind interpreted the information Iban dealt out. It was an interesting concept to see the actual "walls" that the security system put up. He had never been much of a visual learner, but a kinetic learner; hands-on. As Iban's words came to a close Nadill began to hammer away at the keys once again, the walls morphing with each key he pressed. He had personally hoped for something more automated; perhaps once he was skilled enough he could add a component to his custom wrist-gaunts. It was an idea for later he'd have to attempt.

He'd grit his teeth as his fingers clicked away. Minutes later the first wall would come down, a small smile forming at the corner of the Bounty Hunter's lips. His hands would soon begin the same work that they had done, his mind constantly thinking about the next move. His hands worked furiously on the keyboard before a second wall dropped. His ears perked up just in case Iban had anything more to say. Traask's own body began to relax as he was getting the hang of things, perhaps he'd figure out "splicing" after all..

 

[Gringhost]

"Now then, there are also things as false walls, where the security system's firewalls are purposely weakened so when you break through they tag you with a small program to find out what files you look at or where you have been in their system."

When Iban said that a small computer worm launched itself at the small computer avatar that represented Traask in the system.

"If you are supposed to break into a system and take as much info or particular information, then these little buggers are quite annoying. How do you suppose you get rid of one once attached?"

 

[Rev]

Traask watched as the almost moon worm looking creature began to chase the avatar representing him. Before long it inevitably attached himself and Iban would put the question out there for him to answer. He was no computer whiz, that was for sure, so the question burrowing into his mind took probably longer than most to answer.

"Represent yourself falsely. Make the worm think you're something you're not and it's bound to either find a different cause or overload itself on information that you as a splicer don't actually need."

He paused for a second before trying again to take out another wall. He'd looked up to eye Iban for a moment.

"..or kill it."

He smirked an went back to work on the computer, wondering if he was right on any level.

 

[Gringhost]

"Those are two of the ways to deal with these code worms. And as for killing it, that would leave evidence that someone has been there. Then the security firm could tell you where it was destroyed in system and with that information could track you back to the location where you began the hack."

Iban stood motionless.

"But if you were just trying to hack quickly and efficiently, and didn't care about any counter attacks, you could easily destroy it. It could also be used as a means to leave a message to whoever you are hacking."

 

[Rev]

Traask's hands felt little resistance or wear while typing, it was as if it were second knowledge to him. The third wall would drop and he'd begin looking elsewhere for random files, hoping to lose the worm that had attached itself to his "fingerprint." As Iban talked Traask listened, his cold eyes staring back into the business man's own; his fingers however still hammering away.

"And what if leading the worm elsewhere or trying to overload it on information doesn't work?"

His typing came to a close and the fourth wall dropped just as the past three had. Taking in a breath he took a step away from the console, curious what would come next.

 

[Gringhost]

"Create copies of yourself and add the "original" thumb print to these copies, and send them out in the system for random things. This also tricks the security system into thinking your are looking up those random things."

Iban watched as the worm continued to stay on Traask. He noticed that Traask halted the continued assault on the security network. Then, it's security pounced. Five small avatars in the shape of knives launched themselves from various positions, each intent on "stabbing" and ending the Traask's search.

 

[Rev]

He listened to Iban's words of wisdom before taking a step back to the console. It was at that instant the "knives" began their sheepish attack on him. His fingers quickly went to work once more, beginning to put distance between himself and the threats. As he hammered away at keys a another avatar of himself came to life. If he was correct executing the next command would multiply his footprint with each move he made. The two would become four, then eight, then sixteen; multiplying exponentially in seconds. What was once 1 threat grew into hundreds. The idea never had entered Nadill's mind and putting it there gave him a safety net to work with. In the mean time he moved his actual presence within the virtual world to a place in the system that was "safe."

"..annnnd.."

His words dragged on before finally hitting in the final command. The room falling silent once more as the keys stopped moving and his fingers ceased tapping. Looking up at the lights he waited, and almost on cue they began to flicker before finally shutting off. He'd managed to shut down the entire system; it'd need a reboot which would take seconds, but the "attack" was more than admirable.

 

[Gringhost]

"For a first time on a simple system, that was well done."

Iban waited till the system rebooted and he motioned for Traask to back away from the console.

"The difficulty of that is roughly what you'd expect to find on the outer layer of a Hutt boss' fortress. It gets more difficult. Just wait, you'll see."

Iban moved to the console, where he shifted entire layers for the training purpose. The holoprojectors were silent.

"Now, attempt to do hack in without the visual aid."

Iban had ramped the difficulty up by 10 roughly. There were multiple worms on each layer, and there were fifteen layers in each. Added to the defenses were counter hacking programs which sought to cut the splice off mid-stream, or at the source. Then there were basic AIs which could easily counter a program copy trick, and hone in on the source hack easily.

 

[Rev]

After Iban took a step away from the console Traask would again step in, looking over the program slightly before his fingers began to work their magic. He first looked around the room, the lack of visual aid didn't effect him, but it was however a little different. Narrowing his eyes on the small print that filled the screen he started off the hack as he presumed he always would in the future; with fake "splices."

He let loose a barrage of copy-cat hackers, each assigned to do no specific purpose but distract any worms or AI that could be in the system. It would be his job to break through each individual layer, if one of the added hacking systems did it; it was a simple bonus for him. It didn't take more than a few moments for him to break through the initial layer of the firewalls, upon this he moved to quickly cover his virtual "footprint." It was like a game of dejarik, a game he had one countless credits on.. even when he wasn't cheating.

 

[Gringhost]

"Not bad Traask, not bad at all." Iban was monitoring the situation of the hack on his arm band screen. "Just remember those AI aren't dumbs, they find the source or cut you off midstream. That goes for your copies and yourself."

 

[Rev]

He nodded at Iban's comment, preferring to stay silent as opposed to jabbering. He supposed it fit well with the title of "Enforcer." He'd always been the cold silent type and adding the title of Enforcer to his repertoire would only strengthen that dark persona.

With the strike of a key his copies multiplied again, doubling the already increasing number and he'd go back to work. Discreetly placing himself into the second and third layers simultaneously he'd knock them both out once the opportunity presented itself. He awaited the system to catch some of his "drones" within the main memory cache before taking out the two systems. Allowing himself more than enough time to jump to the fourth and take it out before "fleeing" to a more comfortable location within the expansive system. As he waited in "solitude" the idea manifested in his mind to create drones that would instead attach themselves to the worms; purposefully being caught in the wrong systems. With the execution of the command he awaited to see what the result would be.

 

[Gringhost]

Iban was impressed with Traask's idea to make copies that would bog down the worms purposely. It worked. The copies searched and found the worm programs and attached themselves, halting the worms' continued search. Soon the various worms were all subdued.

Now how will you deal with the AIs? They are still there, finding your hack source. I'd suggest you make a great plan, you seem to be very good at those."