Europareich 2057 - A Cyberpunk CYOA

[skuphundaku]

skuphundaku Remember that any security system is still tied to the network. If you manage to get in and connect the uplink, McKay or one of his ECK associates will erase any trace of you on the footage. Whether or not anything or anyone will spot you earlier is an entirely different matter. This is a black op in foreign country, there is always a risk even if you do nothing.

OK, that's good to know. I still believe that, if we were to choose C or D, D (going in during daytime) would be preferable. That is because, at night, there are less distractions for anyone watching the cameras in real time or for any security guards that may be on the university grounds, so they will have more chances to spot us. During daytime, we will have better chances to hide in plain sight in the crowd of students. Under these circumstances, the real choice is between D and E. D means breaking & entering (actually breaking a lock/multiple locks, lock picking, taking advantage of careless personnel going in/out of restricted areas etc.) while E means stealthily stalking a mark, lifting his/her keycard and getting in using that keycard while carrying ourselves like we belong there. I think that breaking & entering is more likely to attract attention than stealing the keycard.

 

[Seerix]

Under these circumstances, the real choice is between D and E. D means breaking & entering (actually breaking a lock/multiple locks, lock picking, taking advantage of careless personnel going in/out of restricted areas etc.) while E means stealthily stalking a mark, lifting his/her keycard and getting in using that keycard while carrying ourselves like we belong there. I think that breaking & entering is more likely to attract attention than stealing the keycard.

I agree, the most important part of this mission is to make sure that we don't cause any mess that could be linked with disappearance of one of the students later on. And Sven Borg seems to be the least conspicuous team member.

I change my vote to E1

 

[Monty]

There are risks to both options. Sure it would be safer to have a card to get into the library (although we did have some training in breaking into buildings), but option E also adds risk in that we can't just lie low until nighttime, we have to be outside following our target and then getting their key card. Given that we can't speak the language, and have a bionic arm, I think we'll stick out a mile and any time we spend on the streets brings risks of its own.

That said, I think C or E are the best options. Option D, breaking into the library during the day and then unplugging one of the computers in full view of everyone using the library seems incredibly risky. It's not like we look like a student, after all, and won't be able to answer even a simple question without giving ourselves away. I'd rather take the chance that the nighttime security at a library is unprofessional or easily neutralised than take those chances in a busy library.

 

[laclongquan]

Beside, just think about it.

Our operation is greased, hard. We got provided with guides and vehicles every steps of the way. It's highly possible the other agencies will operate piggy-backed on our operation. Therefore it's in our interests to get in and out with the least fuss and witness possible. E is a fancy option with potential witness who will remember us. C, unless the encountered guardians get a very clear look at our face, is the invisible thief route. We get in, hack it, destroy electronic surveillance data that have our entry, do our thing, then get out.

 

[Hellraiser]

Shit forgot to mention, you should have gotten +1 lockpick considering you got that training. I'll fix that.

 

[Arpad]

E4 would be better than E1 if the guys sitting in the van get some unwelcome attention. The rest of the team would fare much better together, especially since we don't really gain needed skills from bringing someone with us.

 

[laclongquan]

Mhmmm no. When you do any kind of operation, always prepare your exit. If things go to hell, you will have a ready vehicle, and two guys outside who can make a distraction so the inside team can get away. Get in there in full force risk a siege situation. Not good. And one guy out is not that better.

 

[Stygian Lurker]

C1

 

[Seerix]

Flopping to C1, there's no way we can pull of E if we can't speak spanish and it's certain someone will ask us what are we doing/who are we or for example there will be security guard in front of the library and knocking him out won't be an option in the middle of the day, not to mention any people that may be in the library. Overall, I think choosing E may also cost us a fate point, with so many ways it could go wrong.

 

[Hellraiser]

Oh come on E isn't that suicidal, you're not wearing a towel on your head or speaking with an Arabic accent.

 

[Seerix]

We aren't very good at playing cover agents to begin with, we do not even know the language of the country we are infiltrating, not to mention we are trying to kidnap and interrogate an accomplice of a minor terrorist attack and not someone really important. Plus, it's a future so police(or maybe even a nearby military patrol) may get there really fast if we screw up and alarm goes off. Breaking in at night, at least we don't have to worry about crowd of witnesses.

 

[Hellraiser]

They're too poor to have VTOL transport, cars didn't really get any faster. At least not within a city.

 

[Monty]

you're not wearing a towel on your head or speaking with an Arabic accent

Damn, there goes my next suggestion. Thought we could cover up a few scars.

 

[skuphundaku]

We aren't very good at playing cover agents to begin with, we do not even know the language of the country we are infiltrating, not to mention we are trying to kidnap and interrogate an accomplice of a minor terrorist attack and not someone really important. Plus, it's a future so police(or maybe even a nearby military patrol) may get there really fast if we screw up and alarm goes off. Breaking in at night, at least we don't have to worry about crowd of witnesses.

It is safe to assume that a couple of people walking around a busy university campus will not arouse ANY suspicion and the chances of them being able to go anywhere and do almost anything without having to talk to people is quite high. Universities are not high-security facilities, even if they may have some restricted areas here and there. Finding a publicly accessible network terminal should be piss easy. Why break in at night when you can walk in during the day? Don't you think that the second option will raise far less suspicion?

 

[Seerix]

It's all based on probability. Going in the night, in the worst case scenario we will leave at least one door with damaged lock(if we fail the lockpick), one or few unconscious guards(if we fail the sneak) and completely clean footage which may raise suspicions. In terribad scenario, we also get injured and get cops on our tails.

Going with the card, we first have to find one of the university employees and secretly either steal the card or knock them out and take it, then we have to find the library at the University and while it's doubtful it'll be guarded(lots of people are probably going back and forth trough it) two employees of "Raul’s Cleaning Goods" walking about the university campus may be quite conspicuous, not to mention a possibility of access card having ID of the person we took it from. And I don't think they actually let random people just use computers whenever they feel like it. Worst case scenario, we will get a lot of witnesess mentioning german workers and said workers being suspected of assault of university employee. Even if we are safe, our superiors won't like that kind of crap. Terribad scenario may involve police siege.

They're too poor to have VTOL transport, cars didn't really get any faster. At least not within a city.

Sorry, I meant that since it's the future then police station will probably get instantly notified of alarm at University, since everything is networked and all that. I'm sure that we will have enough time to get out of the building, maybe even have a nice police chase trough the city.

 

[laclongquan]

It's the number of potential witnesses.

Going in the day you cant even count how many people will see your face, disguised or otherwise. Going in the night the number of total people out and about reduced drastically. And if someone look at you from afar, they will need night vision glasses, not exactly an everyday accessory.

Deniable is paramount. They may know someone break in, they MUST NOT know that perpetrator(s) are from our government.

 

[oscar]

A single internal burglar alarm is enough to fuck up going in at night (whole neighbourhood wakes up and police surround the perimeter). We need to keep this as simple and foolproof as possible.

I assume that we'll ditch the cleaning uniforms once we've mugged the university member? Might also be wise to ditch them when we're doing the mugging so any witnesses just think it's your usual street thuggery.

 

[skuphundaku]

It's all based on probability. Going in the night, in the worst case scenario we will leave at least one door with damaged lock(if we fail the lockpick), one or few unconscious guards(if we fail the sneak) and completely clean footage which may raise suspicions. In terribad scenario, we also get injured and get cops on our tails.

My answer to this is:

A single internal burglar alarm is enough to fuck up going in at night (whole neighbourhood wakes up and police surround the perimeter). We need to keep this as simple and foolproof as possible.

Moving forward:

Going with the card, we first have to find one of the university employees and secretly either steal the card or knock them out and take it, then we have to find the library at the University and while it's doubtful it'll be guarded(lots of people are probably going back and forth trough it) two employees of "Raul’s Cleaning Goods" walking about the university campus may be quite conspicuous, not to mention a possibility of access card having ID of the person we took it from. And I don't think they actually let random people just use computers whenever they feel like it. Worst case scenario, we will get a lot of witnesess mentioning german workers and said workers being suspected of assault of university employee. Even if we are safe, our superiors won't like that kind of crap.

Why in the world "two employees of "Raul’s Cleaning Goods" walking about the university campus" would be "quite conspicuous"?

Let me tell you about the network access in the two universities I'm most familiar with: In one of them you have true open WiFi access, so you can just wander off the street, sit on a bench somewhere in range of an AP and get on the net. In the other you have open Wifi with a captive portal where you need your college credentials to get through, secured WiFi that you connect to with college credentials and computer workstations in some hallways/near the common rooms that anyone can access using their college credentials. Again, you can just wander in off the street if it's during daytime. Given that we have a team of ECK hackers at the other end of the line, getting around silly things like the need for a college username and password is going to be a non-issue. As long as we don't get in dressed in a way that screams "we don't belong here" and we don't go around loudly talking in German, then there is no way we couldn't get to a network connection during daytime without anyone noticing.

I assume that we'll ditch the cleaning uniforms once we've mugged the university member? Might also be wise to ditch them when we're doing the mugging so any witnesses just think it's your usual street thuggery.

The plan is not to mug, or otherwise forcibly get it somehow from someone/somewhere. The plan is to get it without anyone even noticing. The desired effect is the mark wondering "Where the heck did I put that keycard? I must have dropped somewhere. Fuck, I need to ask for a new one again..."

 

[Monty]

there is no way we couldn't get to a network connection during daytime without anyone noticing.

Yes, it would be handy if we could just use wifi, probably wouldn't even have to go into the library then. But Hellraiser clearly told us we have to physically plug the uplink into a network cable so it's not quite this easy. And doesn't our military grade bionic arm scream "we don't belong here"?

 

[skuphundaku]

there is no way we couldn't get to a network connection during daytime without anyone noticing.

Yes, it would be handy if we could just use wifi, probably wouldn't even have to go into the library then. But Hellraiser clearly told us we have to physically plug the uplink into a network cable so it's not quite this easy. And doesn't our military grade bionic arm scream "we don't belong here"?

It may not be that easy, but it's not much harder either. As for the bionic arm, don't they have long-sleeved shirts and gloves in the future?

 

[Monty]

As for the bionic arm, don't they have long-sleeved shirts and gloves in the future?

I guess they do, but unless we have the gloves already it's another thing we need to obtain. And even wearing gloves I'm not sure a battle-scarred soldier who can't speak Spanish is going to fit in in a bunch of students during the day. What if the card flashes up a photo of the registered user when entering, as most security cards these days do?

I realise there are risks to breaking in at night, such as an alarm going off and us being apprehended before we can escape, but I also think there are risks in trying to follow people around the campus, steal their access card, and then use it to access the library in full view of the staff. We are soldiers after all, not professional spies and I doubt we can be very unobtrusive.

So I suppose the balance in voting between C, D and E lies in how everyone weighs those relative risks.

 

[skuphundaku]

I guess they do, but unless we have the gloves already it's another thing we need to obtain.

Military operatives on a black ops mission without any gloves? My suspension of disbelief for Hellraiser's artistic license has limits and a black ops team not bringing along gloves or appropriate clothing is definitely crossing over that line.

And even wearing gloves I'm not sure a battle-scarred soldier...

Scars don't mean anything. You should see the tattoos on the workers and builders doing regular maintenance around various universities.

...who can't speak Spanish is going to fit in in a bunch of students during the day.

We don't need to speak. We just need to act and carry ourselves in such a manner that we don't get spoken to and need to reply.

What if the card flashes up a photo of the registered user when entering, as most security cards these days do?

That would only matter if we would need to show the card to a human. For access control, the card would have either a magnetic strip or an RFID chip and we would only need to swipe it through/wave it in front of the reader and we're in, no matter what picture is printed on it.

I realise there are risks to breaking in at night, such as an alarm going off and us being apprehended before we can escape, but I also think there are risks in trying to follow people around the campus, steal their access card, and then use it to access the library in full view of the staff. We are soldiers after all, not professional spies and I doubt we can be very unobtrusive.

We don't need to stalk one individual all over the campus for a whole day. The vast majority of people on campus will be carrying an access card. We need to pick out of the crowd someone careless with his/her card and act. All we need is patience and a little sleigh of hand. Borg has the patience, with him being a hunter and everything. As for the sleigh of hand part, that's why we're sending two people in: to be able to assist each other in completing their mission. One can run interference while the other lifts the card from the mark, or something of that sort.

The library staff won't even bat an eyelash because you swipe, you get it, you go in the library and look for a computer. Unless you start doing truly foolish while you're in there, then nobody will notice anything. This is one of the weaknesses of electronic access control that old school guard at the gate setups didn't have: the staff will trust the system implicitly and, if you can fool the system, the staff will never bother you because of their trust in the system. The people are never on their toes because they consider the system infallible.

So I suppose the balance in voting between C, D and E lies in how everyone weighs those relative risks.

Risk assessment is based on knowledge. If you have incomplete information, your risk assessment is going to be flawed. The reason I have been writing all of these posts is that many may not be aware of what it entails to get to a networked terminal in a college environment.

 

[Hellraiser]

I just want to say that for more drama technical reasons you can't just walk onto the campus and connect to the wifi. It's got shitty packet loss and packet loss makes McKay angry, he's got a hard on for efficiency after all. Hence you need an actual network cable. McKay does have a point, the faster he can interface with the main server the less likely he is to be detected and the sooner you can disconnect the uplink and leave. Assuming a third world university Net Admin could detect somebody who's half computer himself anyway and probably thinks in binary by now.

Obviously you have gloves, a lockpick set and inconspicuous cloves (plus some stealthier ones for the night). After all breaking into at least one apartment was the plan from the start. You aren't really dresses out of the ordinary, your cover is being cleaning goods salesman or delivery people, that job doesn't really require a special uniform. Now if you provided actual cleaning services, then you probably would have needed those.

 

[Seerix]

Oh well, flopping back to E1. You're right, skuphundaku. And I'm way too paranoid.

 

[skuphundaku]

McKay does have a point, the faster he can interface with the main server the less likely he is to be detected and the sooner you can disconnect the uplink and leave.

Have you ever remotely connected to a computer over ssh or telnet? Do you really think that 56kbit/s, 2Mbit/s or 1Gbit/s is going to make any difference? They either have a smart enough IDS/IPS (intrusion detection system/intrusion prevention system) and he'll be detected almost instantly, or they don't and they will never detect anything. The bandwidth of the connection will make no difference. The time it takes to get the job done is not determined by the connection bandwidth, because we're not downloading media, but by how long it takes McKay to find what he's looking for.

Edit: I understand your need to create drama somehow, but for me all the technical inconsistencies are really sticking out and killing my suspension of disbelief.