'Digital Fortress Chapter 40\r'

'Outside knob 3, Chartrukian looked desperate. He was trying to convince ram that TRANSLTR was in trouble. Susan raced by them with single one thought in mind-to find Strath more(prenominal).\r\nThe panicked Sys-Sec grabbed Susans develop as she passed. â€Å"Ms. Fletcher! We surrender a virus! Im positive! You possess to-â€Å"\r\nSusan shook herself free and gl atomic number 18d ferociously. â€Å"I thought the com humannessder told you to go home.”\r\nâ€Å"But the Run-Monitor! Its registe shout eighteen-â€Å"\r\nâ€Å" commander Strathmore told you to go home!”\r\nâ€Å"FUCK STRATHMORE!” Chartrukian screamed, the lyric resounding without the dome.\r\nA deeply part boomed from above. â€Å"Mr. Chartrukian?”\r\nThe terce Crypto employees froze.\r\nHigh above them, Strathmore stood at the railing outside his office.\r\nFor a moment, the only sound at bottom the dome was the un uncons leanated humming of the generators below. Susan tried desperately to hitch Strathmores eye. Commander! squeeze is trades union Dakota!\r\nBut Strathmore was fixated on the untried Sys-Sec. He descended the stairs without so such(prenominal) as a blink, confirming his look clever on Chartrukian the whole mode down. He made his means across the Crypto floor and halt six inches in effort of the trembling technician. â€Å"What did you say?”\r\nâ€Å"Sir,” Chartrukian choked, â€Å"TRANSLTRs in trouble.”\r\nâ€Å"Commander?” Susan interjected. â€Å"If I could-â€Å"\r\nStrathmore waved her off. His eye never left the Sys-Sec.\r\nPhil blurted, â€Å"We go an infect file away, sir. Im sure of it!”\r\nStrathmores touch sullen a deep red. â€Å"Mr. Chartrukian, weve been through this. There is no file infecting TRANSLTR!”\r\nâ€Å"Yes, in that location is!” he cried. â€Å"And if it makes its way to the main databank-â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Where the pitfall is this infected fi le?” Strathmore bellowed. â€Å" base it to me!”\r\nChartrukian hesitated. â€Å"I cant.”\r\nâ€Å"Of course you cant! It doesnt experience!”\r\nSusan verbalize, â€Å"Commander, I must-â€Å"\r\nAgain Strathmore stamp down her with an angry wave.\r\nSusan eyeball whole nervously. He seemed smug and detached. It makes perfect(a) sense, she thought. salutary wouldnt be worried about a virus; he knows whats actually release on inside TRANSLTR.\r\nChartrukian was insistent. â€Å"The infected file exists, sir. But metal glove never picked it up.”\r\nâ€Å"If gantlet never picked it up,” Strathmore fumed, â€Å" and so how the hell do you know it exists?”\r\nChartrukian fulminantly sounded more confident. â€Å"Mutation draw, sir. I ran a full analysis, and the probe turned up transition arrange!”\r\nSusan now understood wherefore the Sys-Sec was so concerned. Mutation string, she mused. She knew mutation strings were programming sequences that modify data in highly complex ways. They were precise car park in com puller viruses, peculiarly viruses that altered large blocks of data. Of course, Susan to a fault knew from Tankados E-mail that the mutation strings Chartrukian had seen were harmless-simply part of digital defense.\r\nThe Sys-Sec went on. â€Å"When I first saw the strings, sir, I thought Gauntlets filters had failed. But then I ran some tests and tack together out…” He paused, looking at suddenly uneasy. â€Å"I install out that somebody manually bypassed Gauntlet.”\r\nThe statement met with a sudden hush. Strathmores face turned an even deeper shade of crimson. There was no doubt whom Chartrukian was accusing; Strathmores store was the only one in Crypto with clearance to bypass Gauntlets filters.\r\nWhen Strathmore spoke, his voice was like ice. â€Å"Mr. Chartrukian, not that it is all concern of yours, tho I bypassed Gauntlet.” He went on, his temper hovering border on the boiling point. â€Å"As I told you earlier, Im running a very advanced diagnostic. The mutation strings you see in TRANSLTR ar part of that diagnostic; they atomic number 18 there because I put them there. Gauntlet refused to let me cut the file, so I bypassed its filters.” Strathmores eyes narrowed sharply at Chartrukian. â€Å"Now, will there be any matter else before you go?”\r\nIn a flash, it all clicked for Susan. When Strathmore had downloaded the encrypted Digital Fortress algorithm from the earnings and tried to run it through TRANSLTR, the mutation strings had tripped Gauntlets filters. do-or-die(a) to know whether Digital Fortress was breakable, Strathmore decided to bypass the filters.\r\nNormally, bypassing Gauntlet was un speculateable. In this situation, however, there was no danger in direct Digital Fortress straight into TRANSLTR; the commander knew exactly what the file was and where it came from.\r\nâ€Å" With all due respect, sir,” Chartrukian pressed, â€Å"Ive never heard of a diagnostic that employs mutation-â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Commander,” Susan interjected, not able to see an early(a) moment. â€Å"I really contain to-â€Å"\r\nThis time her voice communication were cut short by the sharp ring of Strathmores cellular phone. The commander snatched up the receiver. â€Å"What is it!” he barked. Then he trim down silent and listened to the caller.\r\nSusan forgot about Hale for an instant. She prayed the caller was David. split me hes okay, she thought. Tell me he found the ring! But Strathmore caught her eye and he gave her a frown. It was not David.\r\nSusan felt her breath grow short. totally she wanted to know was that the man she loved was safe. Strathmore, Susan knew, was impatient for other reasons; if David took much longer, the commander would have to send backup-NSA field agents. It was a gamble he had hoped to avoid.\r\nâ€Å"Commander?” Chartrukian urged. â€Å"I really think we should check-â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Hold on,” Strathmore said, apologizing to his caller. He cover his mouthpiece and leveled a fervent stare at his new-fangled Sys-Sec. â€Å"Mr. Chartrukian,” he growled, â€Å"this discussion is over. You are to leave Crypto. Now. Thats an order.”\r\nChartrukian stood stunned. â€Å"But, sir, mutation str-â€Å"\r\nâ€Å" promptly!” Strathmore bellowed.\r\nChartrukian stared a moment, speechless. Then he stormed off toward the Sys-Sec lab.\r\nStrathmore turned and eyed Hale with a confuse look. Susan understood the commanders mystification. Hale had been quiet-too quiet. Hale knew very well there was no such thing as a diagnostic that used mutation strings, much less one that could keep TRANSLTR busy eighteen hours. And up to now Hale hadnt said a word. He appeared indifferent to the unblemished commotion. Strathmore was obviously wondering why. Susan had the answer.\r\nâ₠¬Å"Commander,” she said insistently, â€Å"if I could just speak-â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"In a minute,” he interjected, let off eyeing Hale quizzically. â€Å"I need to take this call.” With that, Strathmore turned on his heel and headed for his office.\r\nSusan opened her mouth, but the words stalled on the tip of her tongue. Hale is North Dakota! She stood rigid, unable to breathe. She felt Hale everlasting(a) at her. Susan turned. Hale stepped deflexion and swung his arm graciously toward the Node 3 door. â€Å"After you, Sue.”\r\n'