=== *Crew briefing, mess hall* === "Nuez, I want you to attempt to access the SSF networks and find out what they know about the situation. They know less then us, that's for sure, but I want to know just how much they know about this whole thing," The agent smiled inwardly. Going into the Confederation's own computers was a piece of cake compared to alien systems. Then Sparrow was speaking again -- "Walters," Sparrow said, nodding after Ceranski's words. "I want you to work on developing some sort of neuro-comm virus. We might be able to gain an edge if we are able to disrupt their communications." Ooh, now -that- sounds interesting. Nuez decided he'd have to drop in on the 'Hawk's medic some time and see what he was coming up with. === *That evening, Nuez's quarters* === 02:15. Nuez drained his third hot chocolate of the night, setting the mug down on the tray from the hamburger eaten an hour ago. He leaned back, reclining in his his high-backed hover chair (custom built!), feet up on the desk, with a large PADD configured as a keyboard on his lap. The fact-finding mission had started out easily, going through established Section 31 taps into a number of Starfleet systems. However, given the circumstances of the Firehawk's latest mission, Nuez had been warned off from making full use of the known channels, since the rogue cell was also Section-trained and -equipped, and they could well have traces set up to alert them when anyone came looking. This meant Nuez was up against not just the Special Forces computer experts, but the Section's as well. In all likelihood he needn't have worried, but that's not the way for a spy do to things if that spy wants to keep on being a living spy. Most computer intrusions these days never resorted to something so mundane as a stolen password; the immense complexity of computer systems meant that a sophisticated cracker could, with proper equipment, start with an anonymous public login and work up the ladder from there - fundamental system architectures were involved, but mostly the phenomenon was a side effect of just how complicated systems had gotten to be. Even with machine-assisted design, a modern computer system was simply too big to be able to make completely secure. Not to say that some systems didn't come damn close; the best, hardest-to-crack networks were usually those designed and built for a single, specific purpose. But Nuez was having none of that. Venturing out into a Section 31 database, he retrieved account information for a handful of computers within the Starfleet Secret Service, Starfleet Intelligence, and Starfleet Special Forces networks. He then eschewed further use of insider channels, and began chaining connections through the subspace network, Starfleet nets, and then local communication grids to get to the first computer on his list. Opening the final communication session, he sent the first set of authentication data... Later, 03:30. All of the important SSF computers were of course thoroughly bugged. One could not so much play a cards game on their networks without one's score ending up in a half-dozen different illicit databases. This is exactly what Nuez counted on. He had connected to every system that was likely to have links to the Marduk project and made routine-looking status inquiries about files with interesting names and subjects (and simultaneously filching the contents of the files themselves). Now he shut down all his proxies and tunnels, having completed his assignment from Sparrow. There was still more to be done, but that could wait until tomorrow at least. The Tech Expert took a few more minutes putting the documents into a rough report format, then shut his terminal down and headed for bed. <<Primary objective accomplished. The next part involves going after our wayward colleagues in a more agressive fashion>>