"We've got a problem!" John spoke as he strode into Rodney's lab.
The scientist wasn't in the mood to solve anyone else's problems at that moment. He had a very interesting, complex problem of his own to solve. He continued working at his computer, basically ignoring the military leader.
"Rodney, did you hear me?"
"It's difficult not to when you come hollering in here."
"Well, why didn't you react?"
"Strangely enough, my world doesn't revolve around your problems."
"I never said that it did. But I need your help."
"Of course you do. Everybody needs my help. Radek needs my help to fix the generators. Elizabeth needs my help to sort out the personnel files that have become scrambled. I wouldn't be surprised if Ronon needed my help to devise some sort of fighting program. So why should I stop what I'm doing just because you have a problem?"
"Forgive me Rodney." John's voice dripped with sarcasm. "I forgot how indispensable you are to everyone."
"Hrmph," was Rodney's elegant reply before he settled back down to his work on the computer in front of him.
John remained where he was, leaning against one of the work benches.
"Well, haven't you got something more important to do?" Rodney didn't like being watched.
"Nope," John replied. "I'm just waiting on you finishing up your "vital" work. Then I'm going to ask you to help me find our computer hacker."
"Hacker!" Rodney all but yelped. "Why didn't you say so?"
"Just did,"
"And that is so helpful," the scientist replied scornfully. "Okay, do you want to give me a little bit more information to go on?"
"Last night, some confidential files were accessed – the personnel files that are generally sealed."
"How do you know they were hacked? There are several people who have authorisation to look at these files."
"Thank you for stating the obvious, Rodney."
"You're welcome." The scientist deliberately ignored the sarcasm of John's remark.
"So why do you know it wasn't someone who was authorised who looked at the files?"
"Well, Elizabeth and I were together, reviewing some of the mission reports. You were with Radek, fixing the fault with the generator, and that only leaves Carson."
"And he was sleeping like a baby in his room."
John nodded. "So you see, someone must have hacked into the files."
"Why those files?" Rodney was still trying to puzzle out what was going on. "Surely if someone wanted to hack into files, they'd choose security or schematics or weapon?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. All these files deal with are personal details of the people here. Elizabeth suggested it might be someone interested in blackmail. Apparently something like that happened when she was working for the UN."
"So what do you want me to do?"
"Can't you sort of persuade the computer to tell you who accessed the files?"
"Persuade the computer?" Rodney spluttered. "What do you think I'm going to do – sweet-talk it?"
"Does that mean you can't do it?"
"Of course I can. It's not exactly difficult to do."
"Yeah, but you know me and computers."
"Yes, unless they're flying an aircraft, you don't get on with them."
"Strange . ." Rodney had been working on his computer as he been speaking.
"What's strange?"
"Well, who ever accessed the files hid his tracks very well."
"Does that mean you can't find out who did it?"
"Of course I can." Rodney bristled with indignation.
"Even stranger."
"What?"
"Well, the files were accessed from Carson's computer, using Carson's access codes."
"Is it possible it was Carson who accessed them?"
"Sorry, I left my crystal ball in my room."
"You're a genius," John reminded him sarcastically. "Guess."
"Well, if it was Carson, why would he hide his tracks?"
John had to nod in acknowledgement of that remark.
"Also, this was done by someone quite sophisticated. Carson managed to turn his computer on, tap in a few voodoo phrases and turn it off again. He couldn't hide his tracks like this even if he wanted."
"He was also fast asleep in his room at the time," Elizabeth added from the doorway. "I was just speaking to Dr Cole and she said Carson slept the whole night – like a baby."
"How does she know?" John still wanted to make sure they were dealing with a security breach and not just a workaholic medical doctor.
"They are still monitoring Carson in his room, in case he has relapse, and the readings remained consistent all night, and were completely consistent with a deep sleep."
"OK, now we know we've definitely got a problem." John chewed a finger nail as he contemplated this.
"Could someone have gone into Carson's room?" Rodney looked at Elizabeth inquisitively.
She shook her head. "No, the monitors would have shown if someone else was in the room as well."
"Then what the hell is going on?"
oOoOoOo
Carson sat in his room, trying to force his battered mind to remember something, anything, of the past 6 hours. But there was nothing. No recollection of having done anything; seen anything; heard anything.
And yet he had no sense of having slept, or even rested. There was just nothing!
He was so deep in puzzlement that he didn't hear the door chime. The second chime was accompanied by an irritated Rodney shouting through his ear-piece.
"Carson, will you open this door."
As the door slide open, Rodney continued his tirade.
"Why didn't you let us in? What are you doing, sitting here in the semi-dark? Are you trying to avoid us? Are you hiding something?"
Carson flinched with guilt. Was he trying to hide something? He didn't know.
"Rodney!" Elizabeth's tone held reprimand. She placed a soothing hand on Carson's shoulder. "How are you feeling, Carson?"
"I'm doing fine, Elizabeth."
Elizabeth glanced at John and saw her own concern mirrored in his face. Carson looked far from fine. His skin was very pale, giving him an almost ghostly tinge. He sat slumped in his chair, his shoulders slumped as if the weight of the world was weighing him down. And his bright blue eyes lacked their usual sparkle. Instead, they were dull and lifeless, and tinged with fear.
"Carson, has anyone been in here, other than us?" It was Rodney who stepped right in, as usual side-stepping any social niceties.
"What do you mean?" Carson's eyes were now filled with puzzlement.
"Some confidential files were accessed last night," Elizabeth added by way of explanation. "We checked the computer records and they were accessed from your computer using your access codes."
"What files?"
"The classified personnel files."
"You know the ones only the four of us have access to." Rodney was trying to be helpful!
"Aye, Rodney. I know which ones you mean. But I've not been looking at them recently. And I most certainly wasn't looking at them last night."
"Was your computer here last night?" John asked.
"Aye, it's been here since before I took ill. And I've not used it since I recovered."
"And did anyone visit you last night?"
"Not after you left, Elizabeth."
"It's obvious someone is trying to cover their tracks," Rodney said, clicking his fingers impatiently.
"But how did they get my codes?" Carson asked.
"It is fairly easy to do if you really want to and your dishonest enough to break a few rules to get it."
They all looked at Rodney, rather shocked by his remark.
"Well, it would be easy for me, if not for you."
"Thank you, Rodney," John said ironically.
"You're welcome. Now I must get back to work. I need to track down who could have accessed those codes. By the way, Carson, you might want to change your codes and passwords. So our hacker can't use them again."
With those words, Rodney bustled out of the room, followed by John. Elizabeth lingered, giving her CMO an anxious look.
"Are you really fine, Carson?"
"Aye, love," he replied with a gentle smile. "After a wee bit of rest, I'll be as right as rain."
She gave him a smile, then taking the hint, left him to rest.
Alone, Carson sat looking at his computer, thoughtfully, worriedly. Could he have accessed those files during those missing 6 hours? For some reason, he'd felt an overwhelming reluctance to tell the others of his missing night. It wasn't just that he didn't want to worry them; or to be sent back to the Infirmary for observation. It went deeper than that. At some instinctive level, he didn't want anyone to know. And that worried him even more.