Terminal Compromise

Sunnyvale,

out it. What the hell was this disk anyway? Military secrets? Industrial espionage? Then why put it on the d

erences. Like calisthenics before work at those Japanese companies that satu- rate the West Coast. Sure it sounded like a threat, but this is OSO Industries we are talking

meant, and Max understood, was 'I n

way A

s of balancing arguments for both sides of the coin. Be concerned, this guy is nuts and meant

alked into Pierre's off

Pierre thrust the disk u

and gazed skyward. "A good start

sk to his mouth and blew on it so the disk holder bulged in the middle. Max pulled out the disk and pretended to read it. "What do you c

! Pl

trying new

years old." Pi

imme a break. OK, let

desk and inserted t

r for a listing of th

scrolled

:

\d

XE 01/01/80 567 FILE88.EXE 01/01/80 2981 FILE89.EXE 01/01/80 4324 FILE90.EXE 01/01

1457 Byte

:

they?" Max's lack of concern was understan

I'm asking you. What are th

. Games maybe? Small utilit

them to me. That's all." Pier-

see what it does."

d run the

C:\. "That one didn't work. Let's try 92. H'mmmm. That's curious, it doesn't do anything either

numbered programs. "I don't know

ax punched a few more keys. "Let me have this. I wanna take me a look

you going

see what's what. Probably some gar

ffice door again. Pierre was doing his ma

x as he strutted across the plush car

ust a minute. Pierre cut the reporter short on an obviously contrived weak exc

id you get this?

at's on it?"

s. Lots

Like contagious?" Pie

idiot. Comp

er virus? A machi

e in for a lesson now. Sit down." P

Amigo, but he had never asked Max to stop. Besides, now wasn't the appropriate time to e

st, a letter, accounting records whatever. The second type are called programs, we tweaks call them executables. Executables a

program to make it work. Everyo

es and so do some OVR and OVL files. In IBM type computers that's about it. Apples and MACs and others have similar situations,

orks. We essentially seam our-

le of them, disassembly takes a while. Pierre, if only one of these programs were on your computer, 3 years from now, the entire conte

won't have the same programs on my computer

n every one would be infected, would be sick. Every one would have the same flu if you wish. And then, 3 years from now, any computer that was infected would destroy itself. And, the virus itself would be destroyed as well. Kind of lik

o looking for viruses and

hide themselves, but they are dormant until activation; in this case on a specific date." Max continued the never ending education

tuff?" Pierre was trying to grasp t

mage, just embarrassment that called for a similar revenge. It was a game of one upmanship within universi- ty computer science labs. I saw a little o

I or don't I? He trusted Max implicitly, but what

mos

ked Max in

ve it to me." Pi

What

o put it on the dGrap

dGraph with their machines. In 3 years time we may have over a couple of million copies of dGraph in the field. And who knows how many millions more programs would be infected, too. Tens of millions of infected

, can't your vi- ruses be destroyed?" Pierre

ate software company would be shipping a product that would damage computers. The thought is absurd . . .it's madness. But brilliant madness. Even if a few of t

-D

us D

his for Homosoto?

and, if no one finds out before V-Day, all the PC's in the country, or Jesus, even the world, self destruct at once. It's then only a

rs since he and Max had come up with the Engine. Life has been real good. Sure, I don't get much music in anymore, and I have kinda b

on itself. But the intellectual exercises he performed at lightening speed, cranial neuro-syn-

That's about it." There was no reason to speak of the threats. No, no reason

yes widened as he exp

er

l wh

more like where are you going to tell him

d to Pierre. A determination and resolve came f

international politic that usually was second nature. He c

aux. I will see you sho

t he was sure that he knew how to handle Homoso- to. Homosoto didn't have th

t with the same shit eating grin he had left with the day

e this con- cerns a matter of honor between two me

now what kind of damage it can cause and you have the gall, the nerve to come in here and ask me, no, worse yet, tell me to distribute these along with dGraph

rose slowly and st

don't want the goddamned money. We'll stay private and wait for someone honest to come along." Pierre was speaking just as l

l give you some time to think about it." With that, h

ce up. That morning Pierre was looking for Max. They had a few last minute details to iron out for the upcoming press conferences. They had to prepare two types of statements. One if the stock purchase went as expected

al media consultant. He worked for the underwriters and had a strong

morrow? I'm so excited I cou

I, but we ha

hought of Homosoto.

re asked su

Pierre,

abou

crash last night. I just found out a fe

have brought him, this was the farthest from his mind. Max dea

ened? I don't believe it. Thi

y found a car, pretty well burned up, at the bottom of a ravine on I28

Mike. Who . . ?"

out, fallen asleep at the wheel, oh . . .it could be a million things. Pierre, I am so

re whispered. The tears we

erly. "Of course we're gonna p

Pierre said

you want to go through with this . . .at least wai

nothing without Max. Sure, he gave great image. Knew how to do the schtick. Suck up to the press, tell a few stories, stretch a few

l the phone rang. He ignored the first 7 rings.

reathed int

t was Homosoto. Jus

ha

s are with you. Is there anything I can do to help you in this time o

rating an extreme talent for vivid androgynous self gratification." Pierre w

s that I cannot help you, perhaps we should conclude our business. Don't you agree Mr. Troubleaux?" The condescen

scheduled. I assume that meets with your approval?" The Frenc

fer. I mean business about honor. I am

e answer is still no. No

t regret your decision." There it was aga

shoul

ecause it would be a terrible waste if the police obt

rched across Pierre's mind; white hot fire spread through his cranium. Was Homos

ury beyond a reasonable doubt, that you murdered your partner as part of a grander sche

to have Pierre look like the guilty party. What choice did he have. At least now. There's no proof, i

phone in abject frustration and then slammed the rece

am so sorry. What can I do?" She genuinely felt for him. The two had been a great team, even if Pierre had become

ents . . .?" The helpless look on his face brought out the

e of . . .do you

.that's all right, just

but your 9AM appointment is wa

hing I really car

w. He's from

e when do I get

k next week . . ." she said thinking she had just reli

. Maybe it'll get m

" Scott nodded at her

I'll sen

If this guy was applying for a job he was too well dressed for most of DGI. He looked more like a tanned and re

sensed that Mr. Hastings was going to run the conversation. So be it. "I am a software engineer with 4 advanced degrees as well 2 PhD's from Caltech and Polytechnique

ed with your credentials, and you

u don't know. I am M

me. May I have the

*

s, and the was a related human interest story, with financial reper- cussions. Max Jones, the co-founder of DGI, died in a c

true loss to the industry, as much as if Bill Gates had died. Max, though, was more the Buddy Holly of software, while Gates

*

ay, Sep

York

good reporter; he had the smarts, his writing was exemplary and he had

n socially before noon. If they didn't take the hint, he behaved obnoxiously en

documents that alleged America was as crooked as the Mafia. Good leads, admittedly, but proving them

and Stevenson. Scott's credentials as a re- porter for the New York City Times

. I would like to get a comment on the proposed

w can I help?" Robert Hen

ure that they will be used. But I have other questions." Scott hoped to misle

o give the press adequate information. What do you need?" Sco

say, if, the deal goes through, your firm will earn almost one million dollars in extra fees. However, the figures I have do not agree at all

denly developed at the revelation. "Where," h

n and a comment. We know the data is correct." Scott was

riate regulatory agencies. If you need anything else, then I suggest you

why files from your computer dispute figures you gave to

" Henson said abruptly.

econd Boston are substantially below those stated in your filings. S

. ." Henson hesitated and then decided to go on the offensi

Scott hung up after Henson rep

for Senator Rickfie

cott almost demande

debunker of the Def

ndi

s is in reference to?" The male

tt was overly polite

t Sui

e young aide as

o print." Scott commanded an assurance that t

ds of Muzak on hold bored Scott before Senator Merri

this about?" The

e record?" Scot

ou can't intim- idate me. I am a United States S

ral Young, shall we say, have . . .an understanding. As a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, you have helped pass legislation

made some serious accusations, slan- derous at least, criminal I suspect. I hope you are pr

to print, with or wi

ged pause followed.

busied himself with a

ield

, I will sue you and your paper r

ibution?" Scott knew that would pis

r a good part of the day, a

ere did you find out?" "There's no way you could know that." "I was the o

Committee. General Autos denied using known faulty parts in Cruise Control mechanisms despite the fact that Scott held a copy of a SECRET interna

name of thousands of AIDS victims in the newspaper. Never the less, the CDC refused t

; far from the accusatory claims which were universally denied for a wide variety of rea- sons, all of

in which everyone he called was a victim. One in which he r

s possession damning data, from an anonymous source, with, thus far, no way

confirmed. Doug McGuire decided that a bigger story was in the maki

pleasure of a father teasing his son, "follow

printout from Doug

virus!" He threw the paper on his

g said firmly,

these things ar

o. But say

*********************