Wanda

by carl smothers

  Scott obtained time and coordinates data from WNS, and entered the space-time coordinates. Just as the mole had planned, the virus transferred part of the system code to the MOA Waziristan Valley weapon complex.

  Scott then directed the wormhole to create a new bridge between Earth and Polaris 2. The star map began to contort and bend. As it moved, it twisted and folded space-time, creating a strange star pattern. After a few minutes, the bridge stabilized and the desired short cut connected the two worlds.

  “Bridge established to Polaris 2. All system metrics are within specified tolerances.”

  “Okay, Marc, let’s incorporate the starship trajectory into the wormhole. That should give us the max data transfer rate we wanted to test,” Harry instructed.

  Marc nodded, then announced, “Computer, insert the ship trajectory into the bridge with a 0.5 light speed.”

  “Trajectory incorporated. End point PL 2 established. All data transfer rates are within the system bandwidth specifications. The system is stable.”

  Harry smiled, took a deep breath and a drink of his coffee. At this point, he didn’t care that it was cold. He just needed something to wet his mouth and throat.

  Wanda abruptly interrupted his thoughts. “Harry, stay alert. I’m detecting some peculiar transient system actions. I’ll check it out. Looks like a stability issue. Something has changed in the system.”

  Damn, what now? Harry wondered. After a few minutes, the system metrics changed slightly. The stability matrix parameters showed small variations and the status board flashed warnings indicating several feedback control loop parameters were on the verge of instability. Warning horns sounded, the yellow caution lights flashed, and the AI protocols displayed corrective action options.

  Marc and Harry entered data in response to the corrective action recommendations. I hope this thing’s not about to break loose on us. Harry thought. If the shutdown protocols don’t hold, we’re in for a shitload of trouble here.

  The stability matrix grew worse as the computer gave a warning:

  “Alert, alert. System stability is in jeopardy. Take recommended corrective action immediately.”

  “What the hell do you think we’re doing? Stupid computers!” Marc growled.

  Harry selected an option, entered an override command and held his breath. The system slowly responded, and the stability metrics returned to their normal configuration. The horns shut down, the lights quit flashing and the computer announced:

  “System is stable. All metrics are within system design tolerances.”

  Marc sighed in relief. “I thought the system was about to go nuts on us. I’m sure glad we implemented those AI shutdown protocols and corrective action algorithms.”

  “I’m just thankful they worked,” Harry replied. “We need to beef up the power system. Did you see the lights dim when we brought the synthesizer systems on line? That really concerns me.”

  Marc replied, “I agree. I’ll have additional power units flown in tonight and installed as quickly as possible. I’ll make sure we have plenty of margin from now on.”

  Harry sat down hard and shook his head. Man, I thought it was all over.

  “Are you all right, Tiger?” Wanda asked. “It appeared worse than it actually was. I ran a check and we still had a fair degree of margin left. I will say this; we need to do some more work on our compression algorithms. There’s something else is going on inside the system, but I haven’t identified it yet. ”

  “I’m just a bit shook up — in fact a lot! Let me know what you find. When you get time, give me your recommendations on the compression algorithms.”

  ~~

  Two days later, after installation of the new power systems and complete system diagnostics and virus scans, Marc and Harry considered their go forward position.

  “Well, Harry, what’s your thoughts? I’m not sure we’re ready to fire this thing up again.”

  “That hiccup scared the crap out of me. I suggest we task the guys do some additional investigative work before we go any further.”

  “I agree wholeheartedly. Next time it might not be so easy to fix,” Marc said as he stood and stretched.

  “Pepper, we want you, Wanda, Ronnie and Scott to run a systems analysis to see if any of our code has changed. I also think we need to do additional virus analysis. I’m not sure, but both Wanda and I think something changed, and we need to know what and why,” Harry said. “We’re going to put the beta test on hold for a while.”

  “Roger that, Harry,” Pepper replied. Scott, Ronnie and Wanda joined Pepper at the diagnostic console. “Let’s start with a complete system code diagnostic,” she suggested.

  “Guys, I bet we have multiple problems,” Ronnie surmised.

  “I sure hope not,” Pepper commented. “One’s bad enough. Computer, run a comprehensive code check. We want to know if anyone or anything made changes to the field equations or any other subsystem code.”

  “Working on all files, Doctor.”

  “I sure hope we find something.” Pepper scanned the metrics and diagnostic display trying to uncover some clue to the near mishap, waiting for the computer to report its findings.

  “Analysis is complete. The change-tracking registry shows minor changes to the field equation metrics at system startup. That changed the data transfer rate. The correction protocols reversed the modification and restored stability.”

  Confusion marred Ronnie’s face. “Nothing in the system code would cause that. Right, Scott?” What the shit’s going on?”

  “Beats the hell out of me,” Scott said as he scratched his head. Nothing in the field equations are conditional. There should not have been any changes.”

  Wanda then broke in. “Pepper, we need to do a password correlation analysis. Maybe someone inadvertently made a change. This also smells of some type of virus. I’m beginning to suspect we have multiple issues.”

  “Okay. Computer run a password correlation analysis against the code modification time line,” Pepper ordered.

  “Yes Doctor. Analysis complete. There is no record or correlation with any password used to make the code change.”

  “This is really strange.” Pepper frowned. “It makes no sense. Code doesn’t change on it’s on. It has to be a virus, but how can that be?”

  “You know, Pepper, the data also implies a simple transient malfunction of some sort,” Scott said, giving her a sideways analytical glance.

  “That’s possible, but the pre-op system diagnostics should have caught it,” Pepper replied.

  “Maybe, but transient conditions are hard to capture.”

  “I agree with Wanda. I think we’ve been hit with a clever virus. It’s probably smart, and it won’t make the same mistake again. It was just too easy for the corrective action protocols to fix it. The question is how did it get into the system?” Ronnie said.

  “Harry, the analysis appears to be indeterminate. I think we need to run a complete system diagnostic and a heuristic pattern virus scan. Wanda thinks we have multiple issues. At any rate, we need to find the underlying cause of this … quickly. We may not be so lucky next time.”

  “Okay by me, Pepper. If no one entered the system at the time the code was modified, then it has to be a system transient malfunction or a maybe a latent virus component.”

  “It’ll take a while. I’m going to work with Wanda to modify the scanner strategy and add a few new routines. If there is a virus component, the current implementation is not cutting it. It’ll take a bit, so bear with us.”

  Four hours later, Pepper and Wanda completed the changes. “Computer, run a complete system diagnostic and virus analysis on all subsystems. Integrate the new routines and provide status board reports as each subsystem is completed,” Pepper commanded.

  “System diagnostics, heuristic analysis and virus scan is in process.”

  Eight hours later the computer completed the analysis.

  “Analysis complete. No virus infestation found. System diagnost
ics is complete. No errors were uncovered.

  “Well, Harry, the team’s back and I think we go ahead,” Marc, suggested.

  “I don’t know what else we can do. Okay, let’s go on.” he replied.

  Attention, team,” Marc announced. “We’re going to initiate system startup and then keep the wormhole in place for eight more hours. I want all consoles manned continuously. Congratulations and good work.”

  After the system came on-line and stabilized, Harry rose up and stretched. “I think I’ll go to my office and call Bill.”

  ~~

  Yasaid was in his office in Anwar reading his morning news and drinking tea. The phone rang.

  “Yasaid. Speak to me.”

  “This is Omega. I have a report.”

  “Go on.”

  “The system was brought on-line. We successfully created the wormhole and navigated it to both Polaris 2 and Alpha Centauri 5. The system will be on for the next seven hours. I inserted a polymorphic virus to cause a stability issue, but the AI correction protocols found the changes and corrected it. I’m going to have to make a change to the virus to prevent this from happening again.”

  “Was it the chameleon?” Yasaid asked.

  “No. That component’s not ready. Besides, I need time to assess the true stability of the system before I launch Chameleon. The current virus is complex and very hard to detect. However, I plan to allow Pepper Martin to find it. I want them to think they have the situation under control so they’ll get complacent and continue operations. I’m convinced stability is okay. However, we should not assume it’s working properly. I’ll contact you again as more data becomes available.”

  “Thank you, Omega.”

  After talking to Hart, Harry entered Wanda’s access code and she appeared next to his desk.

  “Hi, Harry.”

  “Well, you’ve been involved in the testing. What’s your prognosis?”

  “I have. The backdoor codes allowed me to monitor everything. I’ve been in-and-out of the system all day. As far as I can tell, everything’s stable and operating to spec. The data transfer rates are critically close to the edge of the network’s bandwidth capability. We’re stable but, in my opinion, marginal. I’ve calculated a 77.09 percent probability of success. I have not detected a virus; however that doesn’t mean it’s not there.”

  Harry pondered a bit. “I wish you were more positive.”

  “Me too. As I told you before, be ready to initiate shutdown at any time. If I notice anything starting to creep out of tolerance, I’ll initiate a warning on your Qtab — green is okay, yellow is caution and red is shutdown immediately.”

  “What about the compression algorithms?” Harry asked.

  “The compression algorithms need more work before you actually put people in the wormhole. I also have a somewhat reserved position on the simulation algorithms for the field equations. I think they need some refinement. The optimization criteria we’re using to achieve our field equation solutions is another concern. I’ve done some analysis on it and so far so good. Numerous conditions can affect a stable solution. Ultimately we’re going to need a somewhat better criteria and convergence criteria.”

  “Do you think we should abort for now?” he asked, his concern mirrored by the furrows in his brow.

  “I recommend we keep monitoring things and be ready to shut down in a heartbeat if the system starts to go unstable. It’s very possible we have some kind of virus component. If so, I assure you this is not your usual garden variety. It’s smart, and obviously fooling the scanners. I don’t know where it came from or how it got into the system. I don’t see how anyone could have hacked in. It has to be an insider.”

  “I hope not!”

  “We also shouldn’t rule out some intermittent glitch in the system code either. With almost two billion lines of code, it’s possible there’s a bug somewhere. The system’s stable. Unfortunately, a simple metric variation could possibly push it over the edge.”

  “You’re not making me feel good. Stay on top of things.”

  “I will,” she replied. “See you later, she said as she shut down her link.

  Her need for more data and analysis nagged at him. The issues they were experiencing was terribly disconcerting. That glitch could bite us. Wish I knew what caused it. We’ve done everything we can think of to correct the first project’s mistakes. I wonder if I should shut this whole thing down for a while. How do I justify that? If I do shutdown and spend weeks analyzing the system, then find nothing, I’ll be severely criticized for delaying the project and expending excess funds. If I go ahead and something bad happens, then what? I’m damned if I do and Damned if I don’t. What a hell of a predicament to be in.

  Pepper arose from her diagnostic console, put her hands in the fold of her back and stretched her tired, aching muscles. She had reinitiated the system diagnostics and virus scans. It would take a while since they were time multiplexing. “Computer, how much time to complete the diagnostic and virus scan?”

  “The diagnostic will be complete in one hour and thirty-one minutes. The virus scan will take two hours and fourteen minutes longer. Completion time is 1645.104 hours.”

  “Computer, make sure you continue to link all results to CODE W234,” Pepper said.

  “Transmitting all data to code W234 as it becomes available, Doctor.”

  The wormhole seemed benign … for now. The calm before the storm, Pepper thought. I wonder what’s really going on inside of that system. Wanda may have to go in and do an extensive investigation. I don’t think our methods are going to uncover the problems we seem to have. I’m more convinced than ever we have multiple issues.

  They had managed to keep the beast in check, but it was just waiting for some mistake … any mistake. The monster was straining to break loose. She shivered at the thought of it getting out of control. Think I’ll go visit with Harry. I should have gone into teaching. This is just too intense to suit me.

  Pepper rode the elevator up, walked down the hall and walked through Harry’s door.

  “Want some company?”

  “Sure, always glad to see you. You’re looking tired.”

  Warily, she dropped into the guest chair and let her head roll back. She sighed loudly. “I am.”

  Harry fiddled with his pen and asked, “It got a bit scary this morning.”

  Pepper brushed her hair back. “You know, I’ve been in situations where everything seemed to go like clockwork. Everyone relaxed and then the hammer fell. We need to stay on top of this situation. It could bite us. That thing is just waiting for an opportunity to break loose. It doesn’t like to be constrained. We could all wind up wormhole food.”

  Harry laughed. “That’s funny, but true. I talked to Wanda. She’s got reservations about several things — the metric Ronnie and Kimberly modified, an underestimated data transfer rate, and she’s undecided about whether we have a software glitch or some kind of smart virus, or both.”

  “What do you think we should do, Harry? We don’t want this thing to get out of control.”

  “Wanda’s been monitoring operations inside and outside the system. She hasn’t recommended a delay or shutdown … yet. If this thing starts to go south on us, our only fallback position is the shutdown protocols. I just hope they continue to work. If your analyses don’t disclose anything, then I’m not sure. We can’t just shut the project down and chase our tail. I want you to make this is your top priority and focus on it, to the exclusion of everything else, until we run this thing to ground. We have to be as thorough as humanly possible.”

  “I will. I can try several things, and I’m sure Wanda will have some good suggestions. I instructed the computers to give Wanda all of the diagnostic results real-time, and I’m coordinating the analysis with her. The best thing we can do right now is let the system and diagnostic routines run and collect all of the data we can.”

  “I hope we find out what caused that glitch. It’s really bothering me. I keep thinki
ng this things going to go berserk at any moment,” Harry said.

  “Sooner or later we’ll nail this thing.”

  She was dying to know what was going on with Jamie Dunn, his girlfriend. She didn’t want to ask but couldn’t help herself. “By the way, how are you and Jamie getting along? The last time we chatted, things were getting pretty serious.”

  “We broke up a couple of weeks ago. She thought I spent too much time at work and was ignoring her. I guess she’s right, but I have no choice. This project seems to consume all of my time.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. I hope it didn’t upset you too much.” It’s about time he dumped that slut. Pepper put a fake empathetic look on her face. She was delighted they had broken it off. She wanted Harry for herself. “Well, I think I’ll go to my office, put my feet on my desk and chill out. Let me know when you’re ready to go back down.” As she arose she gave him a nervous look. “I’ve got a very uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, and I don’t like it.”

  Harry stared back and nodded. “Me, too. The butterflies in my stomach are out of control.”

  Pepper grinned all the way to her office. I’m going to make sure that woman doesn’t weasel her way back into his life. I want him for myself.

  Chapter 23

  STL

  Wormhole Development Facility