Let's Play Uplink
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Chapter 7: Andromeda Strain
As it happens, we have some work for you to get started on immediately. We are getting ready to test out Revelation and we want you to help. Please read the attached mission description and get started as soon as possible.
No doubt you will incur some expenses for this mission, so please accept a small donation of 10000c to help you with any equipment you might need.
The attached file is to be used as part of your mission. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RUN THE ATTACHED PROGRAM LOCALLY.
The mission is pretty simple! Crack Arunmor Internal Services and run the program they just sent me. Succeed, and get 10000 credits.
However, while I was reading this, another email came in!
You must read the headlines, and by now you have probably guessed what ARC are up to. Our sources tell us you are about to test run ARC's secret project on OUR computer systems. We can only pray this message reaches you before you go ahead.
Whatever ARC have offered you, we can do better. We have a vested interest in stopping ARC, so we would like to offer you a counter-proposal. Send us a copy of whatever ARC sent you, and we'll reward you with 15000c. You can work for us full time.
Simply reply to this email with the ARC data attached.
Before you answer, think about the moral implications of what you are about to do. Can you really trust ARC, who recently made the news by murdering two of their best Uplink Agents?
This is an important decision point. Do I go with Arunmore or ARC? The answer lies in a second question:
Am I Chaotic Evil...
...or Chaotic Neutral?
Thanks to your submission, we will now be able to catch up with the research of our counter virus to Revelation. We have already deposited the full reward into your account.
We will have some work for you soon regarding this project. We will let you know.
Suck it, ARC!
In the meantime, let's do some MISSION
My goal is to destroy the Mirage Developments Central Mainframe. Just like with ARC, security is very tight.
Same pattern again - find the identity of the Sysadmin, steal their voice pattern, then bounce a connection through Internal Services...
Break through some fairly unimpressive security, and we're in!
And to the console!
Now, we have work to do.
Steps:
Go to the USR directory, where all corporate files are stored. Delete everything.
Go to the LOG directory, where access logs are stored. Do the same thing.
Go to the SYS direectory, where system-critical OS files are stored. Do the same thing again.
Then, shut down, and when it tries to boot back up, it fails.
System destroyed!
Mission complete!
However, there is more interesting stuff afoor now.
Arunmore says they had received word that they were about to be attacked by a group of hackers working for the controversial Andromeda Research Corporation. So far, Arunmor has not said why they suspect this company. It is believed they had some kind of inside information.
This latest accusation casts Andromeda Research Corporation in an increasingly bad light.
Unfortunately for you, you are the only Uplink Agent who could have sent them this copy. This makes you our new enemy.
Take this message however you want - but Andromeda Research Corporation will not let this betrayal go unpunished. We'll be watching you, and when we finally come after you, you're going to wish you had never heard of Arunmore Corporation or Uplink.
Nice guys!
Now to do some more generic missions to kill time and increase my Uplink ranking.
A company spokesman said that 'We cannot allow any virus, including the so called Revelation virus, to roam freely around our corporate networks. Project Faith will actively seek out Revelation and other destructive viruses, and will totally eradicate them. At this moment we are seeking Government assistance, as this project could help everyone. The recent attempted attack on our network highlighted how weak internet security is. We intend to put a stop to this.
Arunmor has taken the unprecedented step of offering a reward of 25000 credits to anyone who can help them with their research into Revelation. Anyone with any data related to this virus should send it to internal@Arunmor.net to claim their reward.
A new option has appeared in the main menu, titled 'Faith Progress'. Clicking this option will show you the current latest versions of both viruses. This data is based on reports of these programs on the Web, so they may not be entirely accurate.
Pretty good so far here, I think!
'Revelation is the most destructive computer virus we have ever seen,' said the CEO of Arunmor Corporation earlier today. 'At first we thought it was targetted specifically at us. It has now become clear that the aim of Revelation is to totally destroy the internet, from the inside.'
'Once released, it will spread like wildfire to all the main systems, then eventually to the entire internet, destroying everything in its path. Its payload is extermely well designed, and it will take down any system it comes up against.'
'We have hired a small number of capable Uplink Agents to help work against this.'
'Our Faith project is now aiming to provide a counter-virus that will stop Revelation in its tracks.'
Federal agents today began an investigation into the activities of Andromeda Research Corporation.
'Our investigation so far has uncovered a number of disturbing facts however no concrete evidence has yet been discovered,' said a Federal spokesman. 'It would appear that ARC are developing a software tool in an attempt to damage the operation of the Internet. So far, no evidence has been found and no witnesses have come forward to back this up.'
'It is our belief that ARC were responsible for the murder of Simon Platter and possibly one other, but until we acquire evidence, we will be unable to act in any legal way.'
'Most importantly, we have determined that Andromeda Research Corporation is privately owned and controlled by the secretive group 'Andromeda', and that the CEO and the Managing Director of ARC are both core members of this group. Our profile of Andromeda lists them as well funded Anti-Capitalist Techno-Anarchists, which would seem to fit the charges against them. So far, we have not had any success in finding this group.'
'Their only real-world presence that we are aware of is their Public Access Terminal, but the registered contact details of that site are all fake.'
'We intend to continue our investigation and appeal for anyone with any information to come forward.'
Destroying more computers!
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Next time: More Arunmor work!
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