Yet A(nother) Year in Seattle – Week 17 – Old Ways

Yet A(nother) Year In Seattle

Sunday, April 18, 2066 – an unexpected request

Sometimes I really wonder what is going on inside my daughter’s head.

I should have known something was up when she arranged for Schrödinger to join our family, but I was just happy to have a cat around again and truthfully I wasn’t thinking. I thought having to find a new home for Puck would have cured her, but it seems to have just redirected her energies.

It came to a head this evening at dinner when she announced, to the entire family mind you-that she wanted a baby brother. I don’t think anyone was expecting that, but if they were they did a really good job of hiding it.

It’s amazing. I can discuss medical procedures with almost anyone, but my daughter can turn me into a blathering idiot with one simple question. I tried to point out that a baby wasn’t something you could just ‘find a new home for’ if it didn’t work out, but something in her eyes told me that that was exactly why she’d opted for a baby brother.

I did a lot of stammering until Case intervened and assured her that “We will take it under advisement.”

I could tell from her expression she wasn’t going to accept his dodge for long. Little did I know it wasn’t a dodge and we did indeed… discuss… the matter.


Monday, April 19, 2066 – Miniature Secret Camera

In the interest of getting at least one job done, Case and I decided it was probably a good idea that I stay off the road as much as I can. on those occasions where that is not an option, however, I have added a button cam to my shirt… two actually one in front and another in back-at least until we figure this out.

Of course, it’s a little late to tell us anything useful about my attacker, but if someone tries it again I’ll be prepared.

I kept thinking about the sample and realized that anyone with proper connections would be able to get that information from the donor network no need for cloak and dagger which means that they either don’t have access to the database or they have other uses for it.

Case is looking into a few possibilities but he’s being very tight-lipped about it. On the bright side, I was able to get a coffee at lunch without incident.


Tuesday, April 20, 2066 – Bad Chips

Sometimes playing it safe is not a part of my job, and sometimes the risk isn’t even a choice.

Things started off normally enough. I gave Nathan and Ray a ride in to the hospital then stopped off to see Deputy Chief Young to pick up the JD files for distribution. I still don’t know if it was a good thing I slotted the chip to review it before heading into the office or not.

On a personal level it wasn’t the brightest thing I’ve ever done, but I’ve done it so many times the thought of it being corrupt or worse, virus-laden hadn’t even entered my mind. Well, it’s entered my mind, and wormed its way into every app and data file in my head. Still, if it had hit the computers at Citywide, or worse, some of my medics’ headware… it would have been that much worse. So I’m plus several hundred points for saving the corporate network and minus several hundred for corrupting my own files.

All I can say is: it’s a good thing I keep backups.

I ended up working with Lone Star’s Computer forensics department tracing down the virus and trying to figure out exactly who the target was. The jury is still out on the who and why, but the how was simple: the data chips had been delivered pre-corrupted.

The good news, we have 25 corrupt chips taken out of circulation. The bad news… it was a 30 pack…

When I left Young was coming up with some new and creative explicatives guaranteeing I won’t be letting Bri anywhere near the station for a while.


Wednesday, April 21, 2066 – Mapping Trouble.

Sometimes, things that might be considered good are overridden by the bad they bring, which I think is a left-handed way of saying ‘I’ve got some good news and some bad news.’

The good news is we’ve found four of the five missing chips. The bad news is we found them and the real purpose behind them today. There was the obvious threat I’d figured out yesterday in my head… or with my head – data corruption.

But this particular corruption was designed to cause issues with mapping software. That in and of itself isn’t all that bad… unless of course said mapping software is attached to a dispatching system used by Law Enforcement and EMS.

Sending assistance to the wrong place is bad enough, that can get people hurt or worse, but imagine if you will a sniper situation, not that those ever happen around here, where HRT is sent to the wrong address and the backup teams cordon off the wrong area and set up a staging area that rather than being safe turns out to be a killing zone.

Fortunately, my medics wear their vests and use their eyes. The first time they were shot at they sought cover and radioed in the situation.

It’s amazing how quickly someone can learn to depend on the latest and greatest technology and forget how to do things the ‘old fashioned way’. All things considered, we were lucky: Four wounded, one critical… it could have been much worse.

And the final ‘bad? There’s still at least one chip out there… I wonder if I’m too young to retire.


Thursday, April 22, 2066 – One of those days

Today was one of those days where it would have been better to have woken up on the wrong side of a dimensional rift.

Okay, maybe not that bad, but let me explain…

My day off, which I didn’t take since I was out most of last week recovering.

The plan:

  • Find funding for Magical Staff
  • Find funding for Specialized Training
  • Negotiate Medical Supply contract
  • Price out new vehicles and establish a budget
  • Review team performance
  • Go to the bank.

Of those you’d think, going to the bank would be is the easiest thing on my agenda and you’d be wrong. I know I was.

To be fair it wasn’t the ‘going to the bank’ part that was hard, it was the whole ‘getting out of the bank alive’ part that got tricky.

All I can say is, convincing a stressed out chip-head that you’re not the police when you’re wearing body armor, packing a gun and a radio is just about as improbable as it sounds. It is, however, a lot easier to convince said chip-head that you’re a medic when he’s been shot and you’re the one keeping him from bleeding out.

Thankfully the Star arrived before the nervous security guard acted on his assumption that I was in on the robbery and would probably kill them all when my ‘buddy’ died.


Friday, April 23, 2066 – Communication breakdown

Just a few days ago I was complaining about people forgetting the old way of doing things because something comes along that’s more convenient.

Today I have a new reason for the same complaint. It seems that sniping isn’t enough for some people-some people have to bring technology into it and add all kinds of complications we don’t need.

It’s simple – one sniper, one place to look for the sniper. If we have two snipers, you usually have two places to look and two people to take out. When you have one sniper using drones and remotes… well… the actual sniper could be anywhere and the bullets are flying everywhere.

Needing to get things under control quickly the Star broadcasted a blanket jamming signal, taking out the sniper’s connection to the remotes and in the process taking out all communications between all interested parties.

The Star couldn’t tell the medics to stand-by while they searched for the very human element of the sniper. They couldn’t call for help when he made himself known using a silencer and they certainly couldn’t call for us when they were finished. They couldn’t even call anyone to turn off the jamming equipment.

Not the way I wanted to spend my afternoon, that’s for sure.


Saturday, April 24, 2066 – Just Lunches

Well, it went from a Grand Gala affair to a dinner banquet to a luncheon, but Arthur finally got to show his appreciation for the medics who saved his life.

Three of the honorees were in wheelchairs; a fourth was walking with the aid of a cane. Looking at us, you’d think we were the ones in need of saving not Arthur.

The Mayor was in attendance, as were the heads of KE, Ares, Citywide and of course, Arthur’s company. I am happy to say we managed to get through the luncheon without anyone needing medical care.

Score one for us.


Copyright 2010 M.T. Decker

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