Chapter 8 - Communication and Preparation
Faced with the Taelon shuttle's virtual mainframe, once more, Lili was faced with the same problem as the day before. What I wouldn't give for a cup of coffee, she thought to herself, as she considered the problem before. She felt the desperation of her need to accomplish her task sweep over her. She felt so close as to almost reach out and touch Da'an, but the pain at not being close enough was almost impenetrable.
Da'an…The Taelon swept through her mind in a flurry. She remembered the secret authenticator code he had left for himself as a backdoor for emergencies. The one he had secretly given her during the sharing after their shuttle had crashed in the Earth forest all those years before. Wasn't it possible that it still existed? If it's status remained unchanged, of course. Deciding it was worth a try, Lili began to input the code that had been filed at the back of her memory for so long.
The wait for verification was excruciating. The seconds seemed like minutes, crawling by in a manner of their own accord. She hardly dared to believe it when the words "access granted" flashed across the screen.
"Balvak, do you have the reconfigurations?" She demanded, her voice shaking. He looked up in surprise but handed her a small disc.
"I think they are almost ready, but I am not certain."
She didn't reply. She inserted the disc into the drive and began to download.
It took a few minutes but the words "download successful", when finally announced, were akin to the sweetest music Lili had ever heard.
Not wanting to waste any time, Balvak proceeded directly to the computer console containing the Jaridian database, in order to complete the reconfiguration and finally stabilise the connection. Lili appeared behind him, watching him as he worked.
"We can use the same code to send Da'an a secure, encoded, message." She offered. He grinned.
"Would you like to do the honours?" He asked, stepping back from the console to allow her room. She stepped forward with an eagerness she hadn't quite realised the depth of.
The voice recorded message received from Da'an, later that day, was definitely authentic. Lili had wasted no time in checking.
She could hardly believe it was his voice, nor did she expect the conflictions it inspired within her.
She had listened to the message several times, and now it was firmly etched on her memory. He had been both pleased and surprised to receive her message, and sent instructions for the final reconfigurations to be added to the shuttle. The reconfigurations that would activate the shuttle's i.d. drives. He had also sent her coordinates, with the request that they meet him in 14 hours. It wouldn't give them much time to prepare, but if they worked quickly it might just be enough.
"Balvak, what are the possibilities that this is a trap?" Lili asked, suddenly.
"Less than 3 percent. We authenticated the message, but it's obviously still a risk, and we know that. The question is; are we willing to take that risk?" Balvak replied. Lili sighed, inwardly.
"The question of risk is really no question at all, in my mind." She told him, her tone hushed. He nodded in silent understanding.