Madlax > 10. Infiltration

Episode 10: 侵蝕 ~dive~/Erosion ~dive~

Vanessa:
Margaret, what are you asking?

Margaret:
Miss Vanessa. Sometimes I can't really tell what is right and what is wrong. How do I tell them apart?

Vanessa:
You sure ask tough questions.

Margaret:
Sorry about that.

Vanessa:
It's okay. Let's see... It's like each of us has our own opinions on what is right or wrong. I may feel that what I'm doing is right, but there's no way of knowing whether those actions are indeed right to everyone. Even if everyone agrees with me at this moment, in time they may decide that my actions were instead mistakes.

Margaret:
So you don't know right from wrong?

Vanessa:
Things can be considered "right" in any given moment, Margaret. But there is no "right" that lasts forever. Although I know one thing that never changes, and that's “the truth."

It's forever.

Charlie:
Come on, Vanessa. What's up? All the sudden, you decide to go over all the data. I guess you don't even trust me a little bit, huh?

Vanessa:
That's not it, Charlie. Something's just not sitting right with me.

Charlie:
What is it?

Vanessa:
It bothers me that there's nothing wrong. Doesn't it make you wonder when things go too smoothly?

Charlie:
Well, I never did before.

Vanessa:
Maybe I'm just a worrier.
All this data is perfect; They listed the export route for the materials, the o-site confirmation receipts, and even the routes traveled after arrival. There are no mistakes, absolutely no mistakes. However...

Carrossea:
They requested that the company supply materials as usual and they don't want Enfant to be in charge of weaponry.

Vanessa:
We're contributing to Gazth-Sonika's civil war. But why would our company be permitted to interfere with another country's internal affairs. Doesn't make sense.

Carrossea:
They don't want Enfant to be in charge of weaponry.

Charlie:
Vanessa. Vanessa. Hey, I'm talking to you. What's the matter?

Vanessa:
Uh, I-. Don't worry about it. It looks everything's in order. Good work.

Charlie:
Huh? But you've never told me about your trip.

Vanessa:
It was alright.

I'm up against Enfant. I must be careful not to draw attention to myself.

Business man:
This should be a lucrative business deal.

Carrossea:
Yes, sir. Let me escort you out to your car.

Business man:
Is something wrong?

Carrossea:
No. Please, come this way.

Friday:
We learned the identity of the sniper who targeted you. His name was Luciano. He was an agent in Gazth-Sonika.

Carrossea:
I see. Have you discovered who hired him?

Friday:
Hardly enough, the intelligence network cannot determine that. I'm surprised there is anyone capable of keeping information from us.

Carrossea:
Please continue the investigation.

Friday:
Of course, I will.

Carrossea:
Thank you, sir.

Friday:
Only after Gazth-Sonika, or something else?

Vanessa:
Still living on junk food, huh?

Badgis:
Yeah, all my money goes into my research.

Vanessa:
You don't change, do you, Badgis?

Badgis:
You're looking as beautiful as ever. Yup, you aged very well.

Vanessa:
Another comment like that, you're a dead man.

Badgis:
I'm just joking, I'm joking.
So you're saying that Bookwald is involved in Gazth-Sonika's internal affairs?

Vanessa:
Yes, and it looks we've been contributing to the civil war.

Badgis:
Whoa, now I get it. So I guess that's why you came to see me. If you wanna expose the company's wrong doings, you're going have to infiltrate into the host computer and retrieve the data. But you know, as my competitor for the valedictorian at the Academy, you should be able to that yourself.

Vanessa:
I'm afraid it's not that simple.

Badgis:
Why not?

Vanessa:
Because Enfant is involved.

Badgis:
Enfant, huh? Oh, that is serious. As a friend I feel it's my duty to warn you not to get involved, but if I know you, you won't back down.

Vanessa:
I would back down if I could, but this, this is a civil war that we are talking about. People in Gazth-Sonika are dying at this very moment. I can't sit and pretend it's not happening.

Badgis:
What do you wanna do?

Vanessa:
I want to find proof that Bookwald and Enfant are both somehow involved in the Gazth-Sonika's civil war. And I do not want to reveal who I am.

Badgis:
With Enfant, there's bound to be a few obstacles.

Vanessa:
Yes. I'm sure there will.

Badgis:
Okay. In that case it's time to debut True Cluster.

Vanessa:
What's True Cluster?

Badgis:
It's my latest model. I just got it fully operational last month. A super computer built with 2,300 commercial computers. It performs at a speed of 262.4 TFLOPS. This system is on par with the fourth fastest computer in the world. And it's my private property.

Vanessa:
Wow.


Badgis:
So I was finally able to impress you? It's been a pretty tough job. I even had to sell off all my patents to raise enough funds to finish it.

Vanessa:
So, what do you think the chances are that Enfant can hack into this system?

Badgis:
No chance in hell. The only help I got making this machine was from students studying in the lab. Besides, I write the source codes for the programs.

Vanessa:
Will you help me, Badgis?

Badgis:
What do I get?

Vanessa:
How about a sumptuous dinner on me?

Badgis:
It's a deal. Consider me yours, Vanessa. True Cluster's first opponent: Enfant.

Carrossea:
Vanessa Rene. Graduated with honors from Sodophine University with an Informational Science degree. Employed by Bookwald and is managing their international affairs. Impressive. It's no wonder she had the skill to rewrite the Allium Hotel's guest records. Now I have no information on that girl. But it's all right. I'll find it soon enough. I can't believe Secondai has been so close all this time.

Firstari is is in Friday's possession. The young girl has Secondari. And as for me, time will tell.

Elenore:
Where is she? I guess that she is not going to make it tonight.

Margaret:
I guess not.

Elenore:
She could've at least called to let us know.

Margaret:
Weird.

Elenore:
Huh?

Margaret:
She... She was acting weird.

Elenore:
Who was? Miss Vanessa?

Margaret:
Mm-hm, yeah.

Special Correspondent:
Yesterday before daybreak, the Government army of Gazth-Sonika began an operation focused on eradicating the resistance forces hidden within the country. As the result of this operation, 80% of the former Galza territory is now under Army control. They are concentrating on the area throughout the northeastern mountain region. It was previously assumed to be Galza territory. The press officer [said] Army's First Northern Brigade has [been subduing the surviving Galza forces] the entire area will be under Army control by the end of the week.

Vanessa:
What do you think? Are they telling us the truth? It could be lies.

Margaret:
How can you tell if they are lying.

Vanessa:
There's no choice but to investigate. I'll find the truth.

Elenore:
Come to think of it, her behavior was a little stranger than normal. Look, Miss Margaret. If you eat too many sweets, you'll lose your girlish figure.

Margaret:
Huh, really?

Elenore:
Yes. You will.

Carrossea:
This can not be investigated from a computer. And no matter what I do, I can never let him find out.

Badgis:
All ready to go. So how about we go shopping in your company's nerve center?

Vanessa:
Let's do it.

Vanessa:
Badgis. How are we infiltrating the host?

Badgis:
It's simple. I'm using the adapted access module I created. Basically, I'll make a normal connection and then steal low level access within the company. From there I'll raise my clearance little by little.

Vanessa:
That sounds pretty old school.

Badgis:
Simplicity and reliability go hand in hand. You see, True Cluster is able to do this with over thee million simultaneous connections. It's parallel compact modules operated the same time, adapt, change forms ,and hide themselves among dummy modules, they head for the main system. What do you think? Pretty cool, huh?

Vanessa:
Mm-hm. Yeah, I got goosebumps

Badgis:
Ready to gain access. Now.

There's a possibility that we could be traced, so I'll have the independent terminal to the right display a continual progress report. Well? Any results?

Vanessa:
A few.

Badgis:
Wow. I can't believe that True Cluster can't connect any faster than that. That entire screen should be filled by now. Well, I'm afraid that it just goes to prove that Enfant is definitely involved.

Vanessa:
Think you can break through?

Badgis:
Just you watch. I'm not missing out on a date with you. So far they haven't noticed our invasion. How about we take a little break and leave True Cluster alone to do its work.

Vanessa:
I guess I'll make some coffee.

Badgis:
Stuff here sucks.

Vanessa:
Well, this is going to be more and more like our college years, isn't it?

Friday:
I never would've thought that anyone would try something so very foolish.

Carrossea:
I feel like an old-time detective.

Badgis:
Oh, okay. The access rights are free. What's now, Vanessa?

Vanessa:
Collect all files having anything to do with Gazth-Sonika.

Badgis:
Roger. Looks like about 300 files.

Vanessa:
Can get them all?

Badgis:
Piece of cake.

Badgis:
What in the hell?

Vanessa:
Did they find us?

Badgis:
No. It's just that modules are being traced. That's all. I guess I overextended my reach. I'm sorry. I only got a third of the information.

Vanessa:
That's fine. Just hurry up and get out.

Badgis:
Hey, I'm faster than they are. It's okay. I'll get away clean.

Vanessa:
O-ow.

Badgis:
What is it? What's wrong?

Vanessa:
The connections are being shutdown.

Badgis:
What did you say?

Vanessa:
300 thousand of our connections have been cut off. The number of usable connections is dropping by the second.

Badgis:
Wait. Hold on. The connections are being shutdown. The modules are being repelled by the system. How in the hell did they do analysis so quickly?

Margaret:
So, red moon.

Badgis:
Damn. The rights are being overwritten one after another. If I can't crack this I won't be able to transfer the data.

Vanessa:
If you are being traced, that means you're being targeted by Enfant, Badgis. Break the connections.

Badgis:
No way! I can do this.

Vanessa:
We are down to less than a million and it looks they are tracing us at an increased speed.
Badgis:
I've got the access rights back. All I need to know is a place for the data.

Vanessa:
Only 700 thousand left. Fifty, You'd better hurry. They are catching up to us.
Thirty. Fifteen. Eight. Seven. Six. Five, four, three. Get out now!

Carrossea:
Hello.

Friday:
It's Friday.

Carrossea:
Is there something wrong, sir?

Friday:
Looks like your favorite little company, Bookwald was just hacked by someone on the outside.

Badgis:
I forced a system shutdown.

Vanessa:
Hope it wasn't too late. The data?

Badgis:
It did get transferred, using the last remaining connection. But there is no way to be sure whose computer it's on. I had to dump it too quick to be sure.

Carrossea:
And the hacker?

Friday:
Unfortunately, they slipped through my fingers at the last minute.

I know, it's a little too late for his revelation. I'm more than frightened by Enfant's power. However I did reroute the data to a place of our own liking.

Vanessa:
Badgis, where did you transfer the data?

Margaret:
Gazth-Sonika...

Friday:
The hacker may have some sort of connection to the man why tried to kill you. I'd like for you to help the situation.

Carrossea:
I understand, sir. I'll be there as soon as I can.

Vanessa:
Oh, God. You can't be serious. It's in Gazth-Sonika.

Carrossea:
What a shame. But we'll meet soon. Take care of Secondari.

Laetitia:
You don't like it? The red moon.

Vanessa:
I'm very sorry. That was way too risky.

Vanessa:
Is there any way to recover the data transfer? Is that even possible?

Badgis:
No. No way. I had to shutdown the connections. I had to; otherwise there would've caught me for sure. The information in Gazth-Sonika, it's completely isolated now. Unfortunately, the only way to recover the data is physically go there and retrieve it.

Vanessa:
I see...

Badgis:
I'm sorry. I wish that I could've done better for you.

Vanessa:
What're you talking about? C'mon, you did me such a huge favor. Thanks a lot.

Badgis:
I'm going to completely erase today's data. And I'm not gonna run True Cluster for awhile, either.

Vanessa:
Yeah, I think that's probably a good idea.

Badgis:
Phew, you know, I really can't help but feel like somebody brought me down a notch or two. I know it's a little late for this revelation but I'm more than a little frightened of Enfant's power.

Badgis:
This isn't anything worth endangering your life for. The war in Gazth-Sonika has been going on for a long time. Why on earth you would you get yourself involved?

Vanessa:
No choice.

Badgis:
Huh?

Vanessa:
Unfortunately, I have reasons that cannot be denied.


Chief:
A business trip to Gazth-Sonika?

Vanessa:
I think that it would be beneficial for us to evaluate the current situation there. I'd like to arrange an onsite inspections of the newly opened Gazth-Sonika transport routes.

Chief:
I heard that Gazth-Sonika's demilitarized zone is a tropical paradise. Why don't you get a little vacation time while you are there?

Vanessa:
Thank you, sir. I'll try.

Margaret:
I wonder if she's on that plane.

Elenore:
I guess it is possible.

Margaret:
Gazth-Sonika....

Madlax:
Welcome, to the war zone.


Changing the truth.
Not realizing the truth.
Grasping for the truth.
Running form the truth.
All of this is useless.