Bert_the_Turtle wrote:Now that's a plan I can support.

I thought you liked them hairy (*nudge Kelly*)

Better watch Kolya. As Koralth can attest, Bert has a mean smack.

Kolya, gotta kick your ass for that one.

Well, label it as "Funny cute kittens frolicking" for the ladies.

He's a man with diverse interests.

Kolya, this is a road you don't want to walk. The back of my head regrets that the squishy bits inside are so vulgar even while in the presence of Bert. He'll smack you good.

Really wish you worded that one differently.

Was it unfortunate wording? I hadn't noticed...

Agent Godhand.

Uhhh…I think I might be able to help. I think one of Bills higher level programmers still owes us a favor. I might be able to call it in but it depends how important it is. I regret I haven’t read through the entire thread so I don’t have a full grasp of the situation. This isn’t the kind of favor Greybeard calls in lightly. Especially now that our resources are so limited. So if someone can cliff note it for me I’ll be able to make the call (and I don’t need Fate’s boot up my ass if I blow it.)

Guys, not for nothing but I think you are coming at this thing all wrong.

This is some really f*cked up shit going on, not some dammed rogue computer virus.

Think about it. If it is mearly some corrupted computer program infecting computers and then KILLING people. Come on.

Ask yourself; Why does it show different images each f*cking time? That isn't an abnormality genius, its a f*cking clue.

And why didn't it attack KT & Adam. As I understand they had wards up, right? That means it attempted to enter on dimension, sensed danger or felt the magics and withdrew.
That shows an intelligent act
of some really f*cked up thing what ever the hell it is.

Also, what the hell does it mean by "We are watching you?"
And why, according to that new guy Tony is it registering at HUMAN?

I think this goes alot deeper than some damn computer virus
is going to fix.

We need to find the source, get to the reason behind all of this. Before it is too damn late.

No kidding it is not merely some virus, however it is contained in a data format, which means something that can be analyzed and studied.

I am betting on something similar to a summoning spell recorded onto the disks, but I don't have enough data to work with yet.

If it were data it would be constant. It isn't. I think that somehow an entity of some kind got absorbed into the disk.

I am willing to bet that the tracking code is non existant and the laser trace readout doesn't make sense.

Of course it is not all data, but that is a place to start.

The data can be constant while the results are not.

Which in and of it's self would give more data, Holister. I am already working on replicating the disk, through a bit acurrate laser burn in, that should produce an exact copy of the data on the disk. This should let us know if the issue is with the data, or if something else is responsible, as my recording system is well protected and warded - at least the case is, the only way something can get onto the burn, is if it resides in the data.

Remember, once you rule out the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.

Also, start with the most plausible, and work your way down.

Hope you do burn through a few more million dollars of equipment.

Although I think that is pretty cool to do.

Its not the disks themselves. Its whatever is using that particular medium to get around. Why do you think the old disks fry and the the new ones remain good as new?

Its how it spreads itself.

Sure wish I had all the answers...

Koyla, go crawl back under your vodka bottle you obnoxious prick.

Well, I do wish I had all the answers.

Nice slam by the way. I feel really small now.

I see the tradition of machismo and testosterone overload is alive and well.

Indeed Ron Caliburn, and as I am not skilled at combat, or magic, other than lore, I will focus my efforts on tracking the discs, and decifering the data portion of the phenomena. If it was able to affect someone who was tapping into an internet feed, there has to be some component that is raw data that is a large part of the transmission vector. Since the rest is out of my league, I will work within what I do best, gathering and analyzing data to provide a desired result.

I think attacking the technoloy end of this is all wrong though. Tracking this thing back to its origin may lead to more answers.

Right now this thing has killed how many people? To top that off it keeps saying "WE are watching you." That has to mean something.

We have no idea how many of these disks there are or if it is even magical. I am willing to bet that some damn spirit got absorbed by some egghead investigator's video recorder
and is killing at random who ever watches the disk.

I still can't figure out how it transmitted itself to another computer though. If this thing already passed through the internet, it might already be too late.

I hate computers!

If I can determine the part of the data that allows it to pass from one system to another I am likely to find a way to isolate it to already infected systems - rather like dealing with a computer virus or worm, you have to focus on stopping the spread first, so you don't get cases of re-infection.

I am still checking my databases of occult literature and lore to see what I can find on what was released, but have so far come up blank, so I am focusing on the data and code.

Ben, what we have here is something that we need smartguys to track down for us. We can't track this thing through back alleys and in sewers. Now, while they're figuring that out, odds are they'll find a way to stop its attack via technology. If we can render it impotent it gives us more time to search it out and destroy it. I don't want to end up in a position where hundreds or thousands of people are dying daily to this thing while we're still trying to find it.

I think proximit prevents us from participating.

But we are available if you need to bounce ideas from.

AIIEE!! I am so dense sometimes, Tony, can you tell me how those discs reached you, and any names associated with them on their path? I may be able to chase them down one hand at a time untill we find the point of origin. This would be much faster than looking for identifying markers in the code.