Chapter 3: Month One
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
Chapter Author's Notes:
This chapter shows the remainder of the events in July 2013. We will touch each of the training for the trio and the folks back home each month.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
DEMON'S HORN: ITALY, ROME - THE TEMPLE: 5 JUL 2013,
ALDIRE (LAUREL)
The next morning Laurel and Dafdae waited in the large meeting hall for their new mentors. Laurel was excited. She was finally going to learn how to use the knowledge from Ivo to eliminate more of his kind. Evil sources. She was eager to refine her technology skills. I can use this for good. They will help me learn everything Ivo refused to teach me. To expand on his knowledge.
Laurel knew Ivo kept things from her. That he refused to teach her some things. She figured he didn't want her to become skilled enough to stop him sooner. His restraint did not help him. His evil was still eliminated.
Al Mai, Laurel's mentor, entered the meeting room. The blue piping indicated her Hasub status. She walked up to the two kneeling recruits. "Al Aldire, come," she ordered. She waited until Laurel joined her before she led her out of the Meeting Room.
Laurel followed her to a new hallway near the Sacred Place. After some distance, the hall ended in a spiral staircase leading up. Laurel climbed several floors. They entered a new chamber at the end of the staircase.
This room was large. The sound of an automated cooling system were heard. It was the only time Laurel heard an air conditioning unit while she was in the League, but she could easily see how the contents of the room warranted it.
A large section of the room consisted of servers. Massive computer cores. Each one was accessible to the humans who maintained them. The rest of the room contained several computer stations. Around the perimeter of the room, were several additional rooms. Most had their doors open to the cool air of the main room. They were individual workstation rooms.
Laurel was impressed. Ivo had nothing like this on the Amazo. He was limited to four networked computers. The largest was where he kept all his vile data. His computer was only adequate for the job. These were state of the art. The latest and most advanced of any technology she had seen to date. Her excitement grew. Not only am I going to learn about technology, but I am going to learn about the newest and best technology.
"We will begin working in here," Mai said as she led Laurel into one of the smaller computer rooms. The room contained a large desk with several chairs. A row of smaller books lined a shelf. Each was labeled with a strange name. C, C, Java, Python, Ruby, Haskell, Perl.
"This is the computer room. We Hasub call it the Hub," Mai told her. "Each Branch of the League has a computer room. A Hub. For the start of your training, we will begin here. We will spend afternoons sparing. We don't want you to lose your warrior skills," she said with a gentle smile.
Laurel stood erect at the back of the room while her mentor closed the door. The room wasn't sealed. A thick grouping of cables snaked through an opening next to the door. The door itself left wide gaps at the top and the bottom of the door. Laurel could only assume that these were to provide ventilation.
"As I told you yesterday, I am al Mai," Mai introduced herself again. "Sit," she ordered as she pointed to the chair in front of the computer terminal. She sat in the chair next to that one. "In order to best serve you, I need to know what kind of training you currently have," she stated.
"Oh," Laurel replied. "I have no training. Not formal training anyway. I was a college student in my former life, but... then Ivo happened. I made myself useful to him. I... I couldn't..." she stopped and shuddered. She composed herself and continued. "Ivo taught me more about programming and hacking, but it was never formal. It was just enough information to be useful to him. I learned how to operate and repair all the medical devices on the Amazo. He did give me some basic instruction on the formation and use of robotics, but again... nothing formal."
"I see. Where are your interests?" Mai asked.
"My interests?" Laurel asked surprised. "What do you mean?"
"The field of technology is very large," Mai started. "Most Eadi know about computers and how computers communicate with machines. Few have an interest in the machines themselves, if they can tell them what to do. I want to know where your interest lies. It appears you have some skill in both computers and machines. I can help you gain basic knowledge in both areas. However, you will learn better if you are interested in the subject."
"Oh," Laurel replied. "Both really. I mean. I can see how computers, coding, and hacking will be useful, but I enjoyed working on the medical machines. I even touched on the robotics Ivo was willing to teach me."
"Interesting. Computers, mechanics, and robotics. Your training will be a challenge," Mai said while contemplating how to approach the training. "We will start with computers. I will ensure you have a basis in mechanics. Robotics… I will need to outsource your learning on robotics. It is a very specialized field."
"Then no one in the League is trained in robotics?" Laurel asked in surprise.
"Not at this time, but it is a good field for the League to gain knowledge in," Mai replied with a soft voice. Then she firmed up her tone. "Now, I will start with programming languages. This is the most basic method to communicate with computers, machines, and robotics. If you know these, you will be able to communicate with any machine," Mai smiled at her. "We will progress quickly through the subjects you know."
"Programming language? Like Russian?" Laurel asked.
"Yes," Mai replied. "A programming language is like learning a foreign tongue. However, instead of being able to communicate with people in that foreign tongue, you will use it to communicate with machines." Mai reached over several books off the shelf. "Each language has its own set of rules. These rules are not flexible as they are in human languages. If the language tells the machine to stop. It will stop. Not slow. Not swerve. Not decelerate. Stop. Machines do not have a concept for consequences. They have no self-preservation unless they are told to preserve themselves. They do not evolve unless they are instructed to evolve. That evolution usually requires some type of virus to update all the coding the virus touches."
"These..." Mai said as she pointed to the line of books. "...are all different programming languages. Some can communicate with the other programming languages. Others cannot. You will be learning several of these languages. For now, limit yourself to C, C, Java, Python, HTML, Ruby, and Perl. Those languages will be able to cover all the things you need to learn about coding."
"That's… a lot of languages," Laurel said as she took the books. Ivo had taught her some of the coding languages, but he never named them. He made them all seem like one language.
"It is, but most of the programming languages are similar. It will make them easier to learn. Likewise, they are more limited than learning a foreign tongue," Mai explained. "Security, both physical and cyber, are very important to the League. This is why we must learn all the coding languages. We need to know what the limitations of each language are and how to close the security loop holes those limitations provide in the outside world," Mai grinned. "This also allows us to use those same vulnerabilities when our members are on a hunt. It will be your job as Hasub to help identify those vulnerabilities for your Qayid. You will show your Qayid how to exploit those vulnerabilities."
"What is a Qayid? Will I be going on hunts?" Laurel asked. Her eyes lit up with excitement. Coding was not the only thing she wanted to contribute to the League. She trained her body to be a weapon. She wanted to use that weapon.
"A Qayid is your hunt leader. The Command Path. They are trained to know and utilize the various specialties in the League. And yes, you will be assisting in hunts," Mai replied with a grin. "Hasub are expected to operate as Shadow Warriors first. They provide additional skills to the Qayid in planning and execution of the hunt, but they will join the hunt in the field. The Qayid is the hunt team leader. They rely on your skills to make the hunt successful. They will rely on you to tell them about computer and technology vulnerabilities. If you do not know something, tell the Qayid up front. Do not pretend knowledge you do not have."
"That can lead to the failure of a hunt," Laurel replied with a nod of agreement. "I understand."
"Good," Mai said solemnly. "The world of technology is too vast for a single Hasub to gain complete knowledge. The Qayid knows this. The Qayid depends on you to relay the knowledge you have, not to have all knowledge of technology."
"Now, programming languages serve different functions," Mai told her. "Some languages communicate up front... Before the user... Other languages communicate in the back... In a more hidden manner. HTML and JavaScript communicate at the front. You are familiar with the internet? HTML is one of the coding languages used to interface with the human user. Python is one of the coding languages used to communicate behind the scenes. Where the human user cannot see. This is frequently where viruses are located."
"Coding languages are also classified as High and Low level." Mai continued. "High level languages are complex and in depth. They allow you to perform complex operations. Again, Python is a High-Level language."
"However, some coding languages need to be simple. These are the best languages for communicating between computers or machines. It has many vulnerabilities because the coding is usually very simple and limited," Mai stated.
"The other classification of programming languages has more to do with their use. This is interpreted or compiled language," Mai said. She tried to focus her thoughts. "Your brain is a complex computer. Every operation you do on your body is a series of commands your brain gives the rest of your body. One interpreted command you send out is to make your heart beat, but you also issue compiled commands. When you spar, you give compiled commands to increase your adrenaline, make your heart beat faster, breathe differently, narrow your eyes, increase your sense of touch, and much more. You do not think about it, you just do it."
Laurel nodded. "Those would also make those commands back end," she said as she wrapped her head around the analogy.
"It would," Mai said with an approving smile. "Again, those classifications are just one way to sort the purpose of the programming languages. Coding languages are also sorted by function. This is a different classification system. The function is the purpose of the commands. Procedural, Functional, Object-oriented, Scripted, Logic, and Imperative. Each coding language can use one or multiple functional classifications."
"The Procedural Function uses procedure to abbreviate and categorize code," Mai continued. "Each procedure is considered a sub-program for a specific task. The procedure calls upon various parts of the whole program to complete an action. For example, the command leave the room would be the procedure you execute with your brain. To complete this action, the tasks are to stand, walk, open the door, exit the room, breathe, balance, look, touch, and heart beat."
"I understand," Laurel nodded. "Why look and touch?" she asked.
"You have to see the exit and you have to touch the door handle," Mai replied with pleasure. "Likewise, it would not become a completed action if you heart stopped beating and you didn't breathe."
"The procedural function is frequently used in engineering and robotics... As our example illustrates," Mai told Laurel. "But the function can be more data oriented. Such as in Gaming and Finance. Most software programs use this type of function."
"Why is that?" Laurel asked.
"Because it is flexible. It allows you to reuse various parts of your coding. 12=3. A key on the keyboard always displays that symbol. It also allows instructions and will influence data stored based on the variables presented," Mai explained.
"Oh," Laurel said. "I think I took some of that coding for granted. Like with my phone and computer."
"Yes," Mai replied. "The procedure has become ingrained in Western Society to the point where is no longer a front-end classification."
Laurel nodded. She could think of hundreds of other examples that were common in the modern world. "That means when the procedure fails, the user is frequently lost. They don't know what function in the procedure failed. When our computer locks up, we take it to an expert," she said with understanding.
"And you are going to become that expert," Mai told her with a smile.
Laurel smiled back at her. "Yup," she said with a happily.
"Now Object-oriented classification defines the data and behavior of objects," Mai continued. "This is the main classification is used to build intricate systems. It allows you to interconnect objects. To give the machine a decision tree."
"An object being... A machine?" Laurel asked.
"A machine, a part of that machine, a computer, a server, a phone, a tablet..." Mai elaborated. "It essentially hides your implementation components from the user by encapsulating it. The action of walking is a perfect example of this. The muscles on your thighs and caves work in different configurations. Your knees have several opposite functions. Your feet have multiple functions that include movement and touch. Your ears have a function for balance. Your hearing has a function to include danger alerts. Your sight has a function to identify potential obstacles or your target... And much more... All these tasks are required to walk." Mai paused. "A decision tree would accept input from those tasks to change or modify the program to complete the task. Like avoiding another person in your path."
"And my body is the machine being given commands..." Laurel said as she speculated.
"Exactly," Mai continued. "The Object-oriented classification allows you to construct intricate systems that ensure you are not stressing a single component of that system. In our walking example, the feet are not over stressed. The legs and arms help relieve some of the stresses of feet."
"The Imperative classification is when a program provides a specific set of instructions to a computer that allows you to manipulate the state of the program and the information within it," Mai stated. "This is the classification used to infiltrate various computer programs. It gives commands to the machine. It does not allow the machine to ignore the commands."
"What about the anti-virus software?" Laurel asked. "If we give commands to the machine, won't the anti-virus software cancel the command? Are those affected by the classification?"
Mai smiled. "Anti-virus software is usually a type of Imperative code," she replied. "Just like viruses are usually a type of Imperative code. It is impossible to weed out good code from bad code without examining the specific command. However, when the outside world is finally able to identify bad code, they create good code to combat it. They then attempt to close the vulnerability exploited by the bad code. That is the purpose of anti-virus software. It is also why that software requires constant update."
"12=3 is a standard mathematical model. It is a basic function, but it is good code," Mai explained. "Just like hitting the Enter key on your keyboard executes a specific sequence of actions. An interface with the user and the computer. The imperative requires the computer to execute those actions every time that key is hit."
"And viruses disrupt those actions. Those commands," Laurel replied in contemplation.
"Exactly," Mai replied. "The most invasive viruses are those that do not disrupt those actions, but add to them. Those are more difficult to identify and counter. 11.41.6=3. Two new imperative commands replace the 2, yet 3 is still the result. A virus can remain undetected like this because the 2 command has been replaced by to two different commands. Commands that have the same result as 2 in the operation."
"I see," Laurel replied. Her mind was already taking those instruction and spinning the scenarios in her mind. "What if the virus is not identified and countered? What happens then?" she asked.
"Then the virus is not taking overt actions. At least, none that can be identified in relation to the user interface," Mai said as she considered the implications. "It would remain hidden and propagate with all the interfaced technology."
"Interesting," Laurel replied as Mai brought her attention back to the lesson [4].
"Now... The Functional Classification..." Mai continued.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
DEMON'S VENOM: PERU, LIMA - THE FORT: 5 JUL 2013
SAH-HIM (OLIVER)
The next morning Oliver and Tayir Alfiniq waited in the large meeting hall for their new mentors. Oliver wasn't sure what to expect. He didn't know what this sensing gift was about or what it meant. How am I supposed to train it? How am I supposed to be able to use it? He was nervous. He knew he would have some of his answers soon.
Al Namla, Oliver's mentor, entered the meeting room. "Al Sah-him, come," he ordered and then strode over to one of the smaller meeting rooms.
Oliver hopped up and quickly followed his new mentor to the smaller meeting room. He stood erect at the back of the room while the mentor closed the door.
"I was introduced to you yesterday, I am al Namla," Namla introduced himself again. "Sit," he ordered. He then lowered himself to the ground in the lotus position.
Oliver copied him and sat in the lotus position and waited for further instruction.
"What do you know of the Ruya?" Namla asked him.
"The what?" Oliver asked.
"The Ruya. Your gift," Namla replied.
"My sensing gift? I know that I am supposed to see ghosts," Oliver said. "The ghosts are supposed to help me. They did help me in Hong Kong… I think…"
"I see," Namla said in contemplation. "What about your Inner Eye?" he asked.
"My what?" Oliver asked in confusion.
"Your Inner Eye. Your Mind's Eye. Your Third Eye. Some call it your Mystical Invisible Eye," Namla told him.
"I have no idea," Oliver replied. "I didn't know I had one."
"Then we will have to teach you how to open your Inner Eye," Namla told him. "But not right now. Right now, I need to teach you what you are," he said with a smile. "You are a Ruya. A Ruya is a seer. With training, a Ruya can see visions. They can see the auras of the living. They can see and communicate with the spirits of the dead. They can use precognition and clairvoyance. This is often mistaken for intuition. They can contact a Nexus. And, in some rare cases, they can travel across vast distances out of their bodies with just their minds."
"Wow," Oliver replied. "I… I can do all that?" he asked.
"With training, we will determine what you can do. Within the League, a Ruya holds a special place," Namla told him. "We are ranked as Elite among the Shadow Warriors once our field training is complete. You will become a Journeyman Wahy. However, we are never given command. This is by choice. We are advisors. We do not seek power for ourselves. Our duty is to communicate with the Earth. To maintain balance for the Earth and the League. Our gift limits our ability to command." He tapped his purple piping on his shoulder. "This indicates the status of Wahy. An oracle. One stripe for a Journeyman Wahy. Two stripes for a Master Wahy. You achieve Master status when you have been in the field for five years."
"That makes you a Master Wahy," Oliver said in confirmation as he read the uniform of his new mentor.
"Yes," Namla replied. "The uniforms of other Shadow Warriors are marked similarly. If you see a solid color on a shoulder guard, that is a Fasir or a Qas. Piping on the shoulder is for Elite. The color indicates their path. One bar indicates Journeyman. Two bars indicate Master. Three bars indicate a Chief. Three with a white bar indicate a Critical. The piping on the chest is for Support specialties." He tapped the piping that ran down the seal of his uniform closed. His was black like the rest of his uniform.
"Critical?" Oliver asked. "Is that a ranking?" he asked.
"Yes," Namla replied. "Majahid. The Warrior's Path. They hold a red stripe. This is the fighter's specialty. They are the only specialty that holds the Chief rank. Critical is the rank for Haris. The Guard. The Critical are the only ones authorized to guard Ra's al Ghul. This is their purpose. It is a very high honor. Few follow the Guard's Path."
"I see," Oliver said. "Only the best and most experienced fighters would hold those posts." He nodded to himself.
"Yes," Namla replied. "Back to the Ruya. The first aspect of Ruya I want to teach you about is aura perception. Once you can open your inner eye, you will see an aura around all living things," Namla began. "The simpler beings have simple auras. None of these auras will be touched by evil. The wolf or the cougar may kill man, but they do so because they are threatened, or hungry… not malice."
"Simpler beings?" Oliver asked. "Does this make people complex beings?" he guessed.
Namla smiled. "It does," he replied. "Not just humans. There are many complex living beings. Many are myths, but a few stay away from modern humans. Some of them are not visible to humans, like the jinn. All sentient beings are complex beings."
"The jinn are alive? Can I see them?" Oliver asked, surprised.
"Yes," Namla said with a smile. "You can also see Gnomes, Faeries, Goblins, and Leprechauns. They tend to stay out of sight, but are still fairly numerous in most human populations."
"They are?" Oliver asked. "I'm surprised. I would think that people would notice faeries and goblins walking among them."
"Most modern humans only see what they want to see," Namla said. "Most faeries are mistaken for small birds. Goblins are mistaken for ugly, short humans. How many of those weird garden Gnomes do you think people buy?" he asked with a grin. "Last time I checked with my Inner Eye, all the garden gnomes were real gnomes."
"I… Huh," Oliver replied. "I figured it was a really weird trend."
"Your modern mind dismissed them. Many of the others have been hunted to extinction… or nearly," Namla replied. "Centaurs, Griffins, Fauns, and Minotaurs had large populations several hundred years ago in Europe. As humans expanded, they were hunted. The League is aware of a few remote populations, but they are dying out now."
"That's sad," Oliver said. "I think a modern man would want to find some of those populations."
"Some of them, yes, but others would like to exploit them," Namla replied. "The League is certain Dragons, Unicorns, Phoenix, Basilisks, and Hydras are now extinct, but the Sasquash still have a thriving population in the Pacific Northwest of North America and the Yeti still have a decent population in China."
"What about down here in South and Central America?" Oliver asked curiously.
"There are several werejaguars populations," Namla replied. "They will appear as human to outsiders.
"Werejaguar?" Oliver asked. "Is that a thing?" His eyes were wide.
"Yes," Namla said with a slight smile. "Shape-shifters are very real. Werewolves, werejaguars, wereleopards, werelions… pretty much a were-anything predator is out there… but… their auras will tell you if they have turned to evil or not. They hide in the world where their animal half is natural. Usually the remote areas."
"They are shifters," Oliver replied. "They have to be evil."
"No," Namla replied firmly. "To the outside world, that is a lie told to everyone. Just like magic is not real. The truth is complex. They are thinking beings. Sentients. Evil is not a fixed state. It is a choice. An action. All sentient beings can chose good or evil. Humans are a prime example. The shifters have more tools to commit evil, but fewer reasons to do it."
"Fewer reasons?" Oliver asked.
"Yes," Namla replied. "The animal they shift into does not care for evil. It cares only if they are threatened or not. The human side will avoid other humans to avoid that risk. They fear discovery. They stay in less populated and wild areas to avoid being threatened. They shift where they are free of constraints."
"Okay," Oliver replied as he though more about the issue. I have some cultural bias as well. I must work on that.
"Now, let us talk about auras," Namla said. "Around each living being is a glowing halo of light. You are familiar with the glow of light around a street light at night?" he asked.
"Yes," Oliver replied.
"It is like that glow," Namla replied. "The glow surrounds the being for short ways beyond the edges of the being. Each color of light can tell you about the motivations of the being at that moment. It is only a snapshot of the being at that moment. The simpler the being, the easier it is for them to change the color of their aura."
"The color of their halo changes?" Oliver asked.
"It does," Namla replied. "A child's aura changes as they grow. There are nine groups of colors. Four of the nine are closely related." Namla turned to the side and grabbed a book. "This is a book on the Chakras and their meanings. The auras are related to the chakras. I want you to study this book in your spare time, but for now, I will go over the colors and their meanings."
Oliver took the book and placed it next to him. "Okay," he replied. Another book for my bookshelf.
"Red is the Root Chakra," Namla started. "It is action-oriented. It means that the person is fiery and grounded in the here and now. For a simple being, their intent is to take action."
"Orange is the Sacral Chakra," Namla continued. "It is experience-oriented. It has sexual energy. It means that the person is creative. For a simple being, their intent denotes sexual or creative interest. The Barkih often display an orange aura."
"Barkih?" Oliver asked.
"Magic users. Mages," Namla answered. "Yellow is the Solar Plexus Chakra," Namla said. "It is leadership-oriented. It has charismatic and magnetic energy. It means that the person is empowered and confident. For a simple being, their intent is to be a leader for the pack or herd."
"Green is the Heart Chakra," Namla continued. "It is compassion-oriented. It has music and natural energy. It means that the person is very compassionate. For a simple being, their intent is musical or natural compassion. Parents nurturing their children will show a green aura. You will see this often with orange in birds. They sing to attract a mate."
"These next two are very closely related. Both are the Throat Chakra. Blue and Pink," Namla said. "Blue is Truth-Oriented. It means that the person has great mental depths. Pink is Compassion-Oriented. It means that the person is kind, caring, and loving. Blue is for complex beings. Pink is also seen in a mother caring for her offspring. Love and compassion."
"These next two are also very closely related. Both are the Third-Eye Chakra. Indigo and Purple," Namla told him. "Indigo is Empathic-Oriented. It means the person absorbs the thoughts and feelings of others easily. Indigo indicates a person with strong empathy for others. Purple is Intuition-Oriented. It means that the person is psychic, intuitive, or sensitive. Wahy often have a purple aura. Both colors are for complex beings."
"White is the Crown Chakra," Namla said. "It is Whole-Thinker-Oriented. It means the person is quick-minded and a perfectionist. This color is also the domain of complex beings, but this color also encompasses all of the other colors. Many evil sources have a tainted white aura."
"There are two other colors… or shades… you need to be aware of; black and rainbow," Namla said.
"Is black a color for evil?" Oliver replied.
"In a way," Namla replied. "But first, when an aura has two dominant colors, the being is strong in those two areas at that moment. Like the Green and Orange in birds. Red and yellow would be a strong leader with a strong grounding in action. These two colors are not mixed. This helps you to determine intent. When it comes to black… When you mix black into color in a paint palette, what happens?" he asked.
"Uh… the color becomes darker by a shade?" Oliver replied. "But it doesn't turn black."
"Yes," Namla replied. "It is the same with auras. When a person is doing an evil deed, they mix the black into their aura. They taint their aura darker. Their red becomes dark red. Their dark red becomes maroon. And so on…"
"Is that how we can tell an evil source?" Oliver asked.
"It has become very dark, yes," Namla replied. "But no evil source I have seen has become all black. Not even demons."
"Demons from Hell, demons?" Oliver asked in shock.
Namla chuckled. "Yes," he replied. "Hell exists. It exists in another dimension where evil souls are caged. Demons cross over into our dimension occasionally. Demons like to possess those humans who open themselves up to possession. Or even worse, soulless creatures."
"Soulless creatures?" Oliver asked, confused. "Do those exist too?" he asked in confusion.
"I see I need to make my teachings more basic," Namla replied. He paused and collected his thoughts. "All living beings have three parts. The body, the mind, and the soul. The body is the physical portion of the being. That is the part that is damaged and heals. The mind is the part that holds memories and actions. It allows decisions. It moves the body. It is grounded in the body. The Soul is the part of the living being that makes it unique. It is the part that breathes life into the being. It is where a being holds compassion, passion, and interest. It comes from the Source. That is the part of the being the Ruya sees. It creates the aura."
"The body, the mind, the soul," Oliver repeated.
"If the body is damaged, the mind can retreat and hide. This is a brain-dead individual. They have a body and a soul, but no mind," Namla said.
"Very rarely, you can have a body and a mind, but no soul," Namla said. "This being is waiting for a demon to possess it. A body can contain two minds. It is best to destroy these bodies as quickly as possible."
"Much more frequently, you will have the undead," Namla replied. "Zombies are bodies with no mind and no soul. Simply reanimated corpses. Vampires are bodies with minds, but no souls. Usually, demons possess the vampire. The demon provides a second mind and the soul. More rarely, you will find demons. Some have crossed over into our dimension with a body, but most do not. They have a mind and a soul, but no body. All demons require a Barkih to banish back to Hell."
"Finally, you have Spirits or Ghosts. Banshees are considered spirits," Namla replied. "These are minds and souls with no bodies."
"Wait," Oliver said. "The ghosts have their minds? They can make decisions?" he asked.
"Some decisions," Namla replied. "Limited decisions. They can also relay new information. This is why they can help us on hunts. This is why we frequently call the deceased spirits, not ghosts. They may have lost their body, but their mind and soul still exist on this world as a sentient being."
"Yes," Oliver said, nodding. "I can see how it helps to see them as sentients."
"But they are limited," Namla cautioned him. "Spirits are tied to a person or a place. They cannot go far from that person or place. You must often convince them to assist you in your hunt."
"They may not want to help me?" Oliver asked. His confusion was apparent.
"No," Namla replied. "Remember how many modern humans see only what they want to see? It is the same with spirits. You must convince them it is in the interest of their person or themselves to help."
"How do I do that?" Oliver asked.
"That will depend on the spirit and what you are hunting," Namla replied. "I will show you and we will see how it goes."
"I… I guess," Oliver replied. "It seems like it's something I have to do to figure out."
"It most likely is," Namla replied. "Now I want you to get more comfortable in your lotus position. We are going to try to open your Inner Eye."
Oliver adjusted himself slightly and straightened his back. He placed his hands back on his knees and waited.
"You need to straighten your back more. Close your eyes. Push the top of your head through the ceiling," Namla coached. "Yes. Now place your hands on your knees, palm up. Touch your thumb to your second finger and relax the rest of your fingers. Good. Now just breathe in and out. In and out. As you breathe in, imagine energy traveling from the ceiling through the top of your head down your spine to the floor. As you breathe out, imagine energy traveling from the floor up your spine and out through the top of your head to the ceiling. Up. Down. Up. Down. Up. Down."
Oliver focused on this image in his mind for several minutes. He felt tingling coursing through his whole body. Suddenly, he could see while his eyes were closed. "Woah!" he whispered.
"What do you see?" Namla asked softly.
"Everything," Oliver replied. "You are right in front of me. I see your aura. You have a pale lilac color aura shot with raspberry and pale yellow. I see two more auras in the next room over. I see four auras over to the left. There are more even further away."
"Good," Namla replied. "Can you recognized the feeling of opening your Inner Eye?" he asked.
"I'm not sure," Oliver replied. "I was breathing and then I was tingling. Then I could see."
"Hum," Namla paused. "Open your eyes."
Oliver opened his eyes and was given the ghost images of the auras beyond the solid walls of the room. "That's disconcerting," he said.
"Yes," Namla said. "Your range is much farther than I anticipated. You have a very strong gift. The Nexus is amplifying it. Having your eyes open will help you navigate your Inner Eye senses."
"Okay," Oliver replied. "How do I turn it off?" he asked.
"Imagine a wall blocking the energy from traveling out of your head," Namla said.
Oliver imagined the wall and the ghostly images of the other auras faded away. He was only left with the four solid walls of the room. "Good," Oliver sighed. "Back to normal vision."
"Now we try again," Namla smiled at him.
Oliver widened his eyes in shock briefly. Then he straightened out his posture and with his eyes open this time started to imagine the energy. He felt the tingling immediately and the auras popped back up. He blinked a few times. "Okay," Oliver replied. "Inner Eye open."
"Now close it," Namla remarked. "We will practice this several more times."
Oliver repeated the exercise several more times until he was mentally exhausted.
"Good," Namla remarked. "We are done with Ruya training for today. Take your book to your quarters and report to the training area with your sword and armor. Our remaining morning will be spent sparring." [5]
"It will be done," Oliver replied as he rose and picked up his book.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
DEMON'S SPINE: NEW ZEALAND, CHRISTCHURCH - THE CHURCH: 9 JUL 2013
YAD ALQADAR (THOMAS)
Thomas spent the last three days sympathizing with the headless chicken. Between his training with al Asim and his posted duties, Thomas felt like he was being run ragged. In between his random sparring sessions, Thomas was directed to learn to play various types of games, manage teams through exercises, and learn a startling amount of new information. He was also advised to report any time he hear the word monkey in any language to Asim. Which usually ended up with an interrogation of who said it, what they looked like, what was the context of the word, what language was the word in, and who was the individual talking to about the monkey.
Thomas was still trying to figure out how, or even if, he was being tested or not. He was certain the games were a part of his test. Chess, Backgammon, and I-go were obviously strategy games, but the team exercises were less obvious. He was told to lead a group in a specific task. He wasn't sure how well he did in these tasks. He was proud his team captured the flag of the other team, but he figured it had more to do with the competence of his team, than his leadership ability.
I need more sleep, Thomas thought to himself. He pulled himself down to the Dining Area. This morning, he was not on duty rotation. Yeah! I just have the other twelve things to do today. At least I found someone to work on my Māori.
Thomas finished his morning meal and sulked into the Meeting Room. He and al Samita had started each day with al Asim. He usually directed them to other locations from there.
"Good morning, Apprentices," Asim greeted them as he walked into the room. He was accompanied by another Shadow Warrior. The Asian woman was solidly built, but not heavy. She had two yellow strips on her shoulder.
A master Qayid, Thomas thought. His learning material delved into the markings, ranks, specialty, and limitations for each of the League specialties.
"Today, I am handing off the training of Yad Alqadar to al Fayr," Asim said as he gestured to the woman next to him. "Al Samita, today we will start in the training rooms."
"What weapons should I bring?" Samita asked.
"Your preferred bladed weapon," Asim replied.
"It will be done," Samita replied and then stood to retrieve her arms. Asim followed her out of the Meeting Room.
"You are Yad Alqadar?" Fayr asked with a formal tone.
"I am, Master Qayid," Thomas remarked.
"Good," Fayr replied with a nod. "Al Asim has transferred you to the Command Path. You will be my apprentice from now on." She walked over to one of the smaller Meeting Rooms. "We will be meeting in this room from now on when we are not on a hunt. Come," she said as she entered the smaller meeting room.
Thomas followed her into the room. It had a table with a large stack of books on it. He sat where directed.
"Now, You have started on the Command Path. To this end, you need to understand what is command," Fayr said as she made herself comfortable across from him. "To have command means you have direct authority of other members of the League. For all intents and purposes, a Qayid has a military command. We follow a chain of command with Ra's al Ghul holding sole authority at the top of the League."
"The chain of command is a solid line of communication," Fayr instructed. "As a recruit, you report to the training leader. As a trainee, you report to the instructor of that class and ultimately to the training leader. As an apprentice, you report to your mentor. Your mentor reports to the Fasir. The Fasir reports to Ra's al Ghul. This is your chain of command."
"I understand," Thomas said.
"Your place after you complete your apprenticeship will depend on where you are assigned," Fayr reported. "However, some structure will remain. All Qayid report to the Fasir and their Second. Your place in the Qayid is based on your seniority," Fayr continued. "One stripe is a Journeyman Qayid. Two stripes is a Master Qayid. On a hunt, all Journeyman are junior to all Masters. As the newest Journeyman, you will be junior to all Journeyman Qayid."
"I understand," Thomas repeated.
"During your training, I will place you in command of the hunt," Fayr told him. "This is to give you experience. However, I retain my seniority. I will modify your hunt if needed. I will avoid it, if possible. We will not hunt yet. You still have much to learn about the specialties." She reached over to one of the books on the table. "We will begin by discussing motivation and how they can be used in various tactics…"
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
DEMON'S HORN: ITALY, ROME - THE TEMPLE: 12 JUL 2013
ALDIRE (LAUREL)
Laurel entered the small computer room and started up the computer. She was rapidly learning everything about the different programming languages. She now had a good foundation for her programming needs and a solid understanding in what those languages could offer her and how to use them.
Since her first day of learning, Laurel toyed with the idea of a computer virus. To ease computer access for League members. She knew Thomas had a hard time infiltrating a computer system without a password. His natural talents were elsewhere. Oliver was better at using and infiltrating systems, but he was far from an expert. All three of them grew up in America where the technology was familiar. She knew some of her fellow recruits were lost even using computers and phones. Infiltrating them was near impossible.
"If they had an imperative command that allowed access the system, they wouldn't have to learn infiltration coding," Laurel speculated out load.
"Al Aldire," Mai greeted Laurel. "How are you doing this morning?" she asked.
"I am well," Laurel replied. "I was just thinking about how I could make life easier for those League members who are unfamiliar with coding."
"What did you have in mind?" Mai asked.
"A virus," Laurel replied. "It would be an imperative command. It would need to be near invisible to non-League users. The League could deploy it with a USB drive and then gain access to various computer systems and phones."
"It is a good idea," Mai nodded thoughtfully. "You need to deploy it through various physical connections. Some computers, phones, and other computer driven technology do not have a USB connection. Likewise, most computers are safeguarded from infiltration by a USB drive."
"A connection hub?" Laurel asked. "One with a USB input?" she clarified.
"That would work," Mai said considering. "The hub would likely be a piece of specialty equipment. LAN, USB, Lightning, eSATA, Firewire, and HDMI would all be needed. S-Video and DVI for older systems. It would be difficult to manage for the average Shadow Warrior. That is not even considering the variations of each type."
"That is quite a few," Laurel acknowledged. "What about creating a hub with the most common types?" she asked. "The outside world has hubs available that allowed access to older systems before they were upgraded."
"That would work better," Mai replied. "Luckily most of those connections are unique."
"LAN for sure. USB3 since that is backwards compatible with USB. USB C because it can also connect to phones. HDMI for screens so that they can propagate down to connected systems," Laurel started to list out the connections she thought would be the most common.
"Firewire 6," Mai added. "Most servers use some type of Firewire 6 to connect to various types of data storage. Then the virus could propagate down to connected systems." Mai nodded her head in acknowledgment as she thought through the problem. "Perhaps your virus could be stored on a USB C. That is the most common connection in upgraded technology. The outside world is trying to standardize their connections. Although, most of those devices also utilize wireless connections too," she stated.
Laurel beamed a smile at Mai. "I like it. Now I just write the virus," she said with enthusiasm. She turned to the computer and immediately set up a test environment for the virus. This would allow her to create the virus without creating a permanent effect on the computer. Isolating it.
"Alright," Laurel started. "The virus needs to be subtle and easily propagate over wireless. That means it will have to be small. Most anti-virus software can detect large amounts of code being loaded."
"You are best in creating it in C or C. The base code will remain undetected for longer," Mai added. "Python is back end, but high level. I would avoid front end coding."
"Okay," Laurel replied. "Would low-level be better than high level?" she asked.
"Yes," Mai replied. "Most low-level commands are considered too simple to be screened for viruses."
"So... Low-level, back end, compiled," Laurel replied. Then she had a brain storm. "Most common commands already exist on the various systems. The compiled commands could utilize their own systems for execution."
"Correct," Mai replied with a smile. "Now you just need to determine the exact purpose for your virus."
Laurel paused. "To provide complete access to the data in the system. I also want it to flag the data with certain key words," Laurel replied. "But how will those key words be updated?" she asked.
"If you propagate your virus to download additional instructions, then the key words could be managed here in the Hub," Mai replied. "The device would connect here to receive additional instructions and to download key words. The Hub can manage the key words remotely. The next time the device connects to the internet, it updates the variable key words."
"Then I need two viruses," Laurel stated. "One to open a specific system to the Shadow Warrior and a second to infiltrate the system remotely. I can make them smaller that way."
"You can also create the first virus with an instruction to load the second virus," Mai replied. "Then the Shadow Warrior will be able to remotely access that computer or device at a later time."
"Then I better get started," Laurel replied with a smile as she began typing away on her computer.
"I will check on you in an hour," Mai replied. "We will see how far you have gotten with your Silea Virus."
"Right," Laurel replied distracted. "I need to create the leech before I create the skeleton key."
"I think I prefer it to be the Fath Virus," Mai replied. "It unlocks a system. I never understood the skeleton thing."
"It's a cultural," Laurel replied with a shrug. "In Western culture, it just means universal key." She continued to type away at the computer. Laurel was focused on creating the virus.
Mai smiled and left her to her work.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
DEMON'S VENOM: PERU, LIMA- THE FOR: 12 JUL 2013
SAH-HIM (OLIVER)
A week had passed. Oliver was learning to open and close his Inner Eye. To expand his Ruya senses. He needed this to become easy. Second nature. He felt comfortable practicing alone. It was mentally exhausting. He finally reached a new level. He saw his first spirit. The ghost of his father.
"Dad?" Oliver asked in surprise with this latest development. He knew he could see ghosts. He just hadn't realized he would see ghosts he knew.
Robert Queen turned and looked over at his son with a smile. "Hello, Oliver," he said with a jovial smile.
"I… I didn't expect to see you," Oliver said. "I mean… I knew I would see ghosts, but…"
"I know, son," Robert replied sadly. "I've been watching you. Looking out for you."
"Thank you, Dad," Oliver replied as he started to tear up. "I found the others. They survived too."
Robert nodded. "I saw that," he replied. "I'm glad. They didn't deserve to die."
"Do… Do you think we made the right choice? Joining the League?" Oliver asked him cautiously. He was afraid his father would disapprove of him staying away from Starling. Joining the League kept him away from home. His dad had wanted him to go home and protect his mother and sister.
"I think you made the right choice for you three," Robert replied. His spirit walked over to his book high on one of the shelves. "I see you found my message… but you still have not watched it," Robert said pointing to the small flash drive next to the book.
"No," Oliver replied. "I… I'm not ready yet. It was hard enough to sit at your desk."
"I understand," Robert replied. "These," he said pointing to the book and the drive, "can wait a bit."
"It can?" Oliver asked. "You seemed pretty insistent on the raft."
"I didn't know I would ever be able to talk to you again," Robert said with a soft smile. "This is a nice surprise," he said as he motioned between the two of them.
"Yeah," Oliver nodded. "It is."
"What you are learning is important. Know that I am proud of you, son," Robert said. "I'm going to explore while you study."
"You can explore?" Oliver asked suddenly. He felt warm knowing his father was proud of him. He was curious. He wanted to know what his father did as a ghost. A sentient being, Namla's voice echoed in his mind.
"Of course, Oliver," Robert replied. "I'm dead, not stodgy. Some of the businesses are very interesting."
"That's… you can understand them?" Oliver asked stunned. He had been working hard on learning Spanish, Portuguese, and French. Luckily, Spanish was more of a refresher. French and Portuguese were similar to Spanish.
"My dear boy," Robert smiled at him fondly. "Most international business is in English, French, or German. I speak all of it. I even learned Russin, Chinese, and Spanish because of where QC holdings were located. I just can't learn anything new."
"You can't learn new languages?" Oliver clarified. That would be hard.
Robert sighed. "No. I no longer have a body to save the data. I can retain some information, but not much," he replied. "I still know everything I learned while alive. I would rather remember Laurel and Tommy survived the yacht."
"Yeah," Oliver replied. "I would rather you remember that as well. Have fun, Dad."
"Thank you, Oliver," Robert replied as he walked out the closed door.
Oliver sighed and imagined closing his Inner Eye. Dad hasn't gone to heaven. Why? He said he wasn't a good man. Is that a part of it? Is that why Dad is still here? How do people become ghosts?
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
DEMON'S VENOM: PERU, LIMA- THE FOR: 13 JUL 2013
SAH-HIM (OLIVER)
The next day, Oliver presented his confusion to al Namla at the start of their lesson. He didn't want to think his father was condemned to wander the Earth because he wasn't a good man. That he was denied heaven. He wanted his father to find peace.
"Al Namla," Oliver started as he settled into the lotus position. "I was practicing last night and I saw the spirit of my father. Is my father evil? Is that why he didn't go to be judged by the Source?" he asked.
Al Namla considered Oliver for a moment before he spoke. "Your gift is developing deeper if you have progressed to seeing spirits. All Ruya can see spirits eventually, but to be able to see them this early in your training demonstrates how strong your gift has become. Have you seen spirits before last night?" he asked.
"Yeah," Oliver said. "Once… I was asleep or in a dream state."
"Ah," Namla replied. "Spirits, as I have told you, are the mind and the soul of the complex being. All spirits that remain on Earth are benign sentient beings. None are evil beings. Evil beings are sent to the Source for Judgement. Benign beings can remain behind on Earth until they decide to ascend to Judgement by the Source. Then they can then be given their reward."
"Oh," Oliver replied. "Then if I saw my father…"
"He is likely tied to you and considered a benign spirit," Namla finished for him. "We will continue our exercises today. With your increasing power, I think tomorrow it will be time to introduce you to the Nexus of Lima. Then we will travel to Tiahuanaco. The Great Southern Nexus." They started their lesson.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
DEMON'S HORN: ITALY, ROME - THE TEMPLE: 15 JUL 2013
ALDIRE (LAUREL)
The Silea and the Fath Viruses were done. Laurel and al Mai tested them against every form of modern anti-virus software in the outside world. Mai bought in several commercial universal connector hubs. They provided the most common types of connectors; USB3, USB-C, HDMI, and Ethernet. That would do for the testing phase.
Laurel and al Mai created a user interface to manage and input new key words. For now, this software only existed on this computer. If the test of the viruses succeeded, they could begin to deploy the viruses. Laurel was hopeful. She really wanted to contribute to the League. Her need to be useful to Ivo found a new home in the League, but it was no less potent.
The viruses were designed to remain undetected. The Fath virus used code to initialize a computer. This was very basic code. The Fath Virus loaded before the initial operating system was loaded. It inserted an invisible user to each of the systems with complete remote access to the system. Some computer companies were already using this type of coding, but this coding was invisible to the computer manufacturers. One of the first things it did was to load the Silea Virus. It scheduled the Silea Virus to run concurrently with the anti-virus software on that system. Essentially, making the data usage invisible.
The Silea Virus was modified from its original premise. It propagated on all digital systems using the computers ping interface. A computer would scan the area for Wi-Fi frequently. This happened even if the computer was not connected to any Wi-Fi. Thus, the virus spread even if the computer was isolated from connection. Once the computer was connected. The virus would transmit the data with any key words to the Hub. The next ping would update the key words. The next time the device was connected to Wi-Fi, remote access to that computer was granted. Even if it was not connected to a network.
The benefit of using the ping was in identifying a specific location for that computer. Even if that user created a false digital trail, their computer would ping from one location. This was infinitely useful for the League. They needed to know the exact location of evil to observe it. The digital information assisted them in finding that evil. The ping gave them a location.
Ikram and Dafdae dispersed the Silea virus to six mostly legitimate businesses around Rome using the Fath Virus. Then they would type in a key word in an email and mail it to someone on the contacts list for that computer. This was to determine if that computer was identified back at the Hub. It also tested the propagation of the Fath and Silea viruses.
The Silea Virus propagation would be seen if more than twelve computers were identified back at the Hub. This determined the propagation aspect of the virus was working. To prevent an excessive amount of data being identified, the test key word was aimtihan, or test in Arabic. To determine propagation, they would look to see if more than twelve computers could be remotely accessed. The key word would only flag those 12 computers.
As the test continued, Laurel was given access to the six computers across Rome. She remotely perused the data on those computers and its peripheral data connections. Soon, Laurel was able to access hundreds and then thousands of computers across Rome as the virus propagated across commercial Wi-Fi networks and the internet.
"It looks like it works," Laurel replied with a smile. "This is many more connections than I anticipated."
"It does," Mai said with pride. "Too many connections is not a bad thing. You still have only the 12 computers with the keyword. It looks like keyword management is vital in managing this list. Come. Let us talk to al Khafifa."
"But..." Laurel said with eyes wide. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked. She couldn't figure out why she would be called before the Fasir. Have I failed in some way?
"No, my Apprentice," Mai said with a fond smile. "You have done very well. Al Khafifa will determine how to utilize the Silea Virus here in the Horn. What computers to load the tracking software on. Who will monitor the virus as it propagates. What key words will be used. If this test goes well, it is likely that she will take your Silea Virus to Ra's al Ghul to deploy across the League." She grinned at Laurel's amazement. "You did a very good thing. Come. We need to collect Ikram and al Dafdae before we go to al Khafifa."
"It will be done," Laurel replied with excitement. My virus. I am making a difference [6].
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
USA, WA, STARLING CITY - QUEEN CONSOLIDATED, CEO OFFICE: 22 JUL 2013
Moira Queen took a deep breath and walked into the CEO's office of Queen Consolidated. I have been away for too long, she thought to herself. Robert expected better of me.
"Moira," Walter Steele greeted her from the CEO's desk. "What a pleasant surprise."
"Thank you, Walter," Moira greeted in return. "I was away for too long. My responsibilities include this company as well as my family."
"They do, Moira," Walter said while standing. "No one here voiced any issues with your absence. You must take care of your family. I take it you are returning on a more permanent basis."
"I am," Moira replied. "You and Ned covered for me long enough. I need to get back to work as the CEO."
"I'm glad to hear that," Walter said with a smile. "Where would you like to start?" he asked.
Moira closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Because I know you and Ned have already perfected the numbers, I would like to start with Finance."
Walter chuckled. "Not a problem," he replied. "Have a seat and I'll grab the folder for you to review the latest spreadsheet."
Moira moved over to the CEO's desk and gently sat in the chair. Robert's pictures were still in place. She took a deep breath as Walter set the folder down in front of her. She took her time and carefully focused on reviewing the numbers and asking Walter pointed questions about specific line numbers that changed in the last few months, but as she suspected, Walter and Ned perfected the numbers. They knew the Finances inside and out.
"Alright," Moira said with a breath to steady her. "Give me an overview of recent operations changes and what is on today's schedule."
Walter gave her a fortifying smile. "Starting with recent acquisitions…"
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
Chapter Endnotes:
[4] Programing Basics: I did a ton of research to create this chapter. I am American and I was horrified to learn how stupid I was on this topic. I thought I was knowledgeable. I'm not. The sad thing is this was the equivalent of learning ABCs. I only included as much as I did to provide the basics for plot development. Yes. You need the gist to get the direction of the plot.
[5] Ruya, Auras, Inner Eye: I have a very detailed chapter on Auras and their meanings in Part X. The auras do mirror chakras. However, you may be familiar with the mental exercises used by Oliver to open his inner eye. That is one of the first and most basic types of meditation techniques. The Ruya is a sixth sense. I used this technique to allow him to open and close his inner eye.
[6] Fath and Silia Viruses: This is why you needed programming basics. Which, frankly, makes me paranoid about computer viruses. I'm not evil, but I can easily see how this basic knowledge would be exploited by evil. Thank goodness the League is good in this AU.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~