The Trieste Matrix
by Paolo Marcucci

The matrix structure is directly derived by what remains of the SIST (Sistema Informatico Scientifico Triestino - Trieste Science Information System) after the Computer Crash of the 2029. All lines are obviously upgraded to today's standards, but the overall scheme remains the same.

Here the matrix is unique in the fact that there are parts of it that seem to have no connections to other SANs. These are left by the nuclear guerrilla of the early 2030s in the old Jugoslavija. Terrorist attacks destroyed both buildings and the sections of the Grid beneath the cities. Massive radiation shocks were suffered by the Grid system of neighborhood towns, and, in some cases, SANs were "freezed off" in a stable status instead of being destroyed. Freezed SANs are matrix oddities, sometimes seems that there is nothing behind them, nor the telecom grid or anything else. A division of Microtech Research is completely devoted to the study of these "things". Until today nothing unusual, however, has been reported. These SANs have strange icons, like purple dogs or silver birds with a definite fractal definition of the edges.

» And don't even begin to think these are theme-park style attractions. They are a serious threat. If you don't believe me, look at this report I've found in the Microtech's virtual bin.
» BitBasher

On The Subject of Genetic Host Auto-Development In The Slovenian Matrix

By dott. Alberto Monchiari
Microtech Research Corporation, Free Town of Trieste
Project n. 645 - SOUP
Internal Technical Report n. 15345/645/AM/MRC-TS

Abstract

In this tech report, we'll examine the peculiarities of the Slovenian Matrix commonly known as "Freezed SANs" and their relation and connections with the overall Matrix system. A number of possible explanations and reactive systems will also be discussed.

Introduction

The Matrix structure of the state of Slovenia provides an interesting case study in the field of mutating higher level algorithms and autonomous objects. The degrading of the Matrix physical connections, due to the nuclear after-effects of 2033, has changed the hardware/software substrate in the closed cyberspace delimited by addresses ranging from LTG 3855/74323 to LTG 3855/95558 (Bernardi, 2045). Inside this address space, it is not unusual to encounter a phenomenon called Genetically Mutating Matrix Construct - GMMC (commonly known as "Freezed SAN"). Actually, this occurs on the 7.6% of the local sampled SANs, so giving it a FR of level 3 (Kern, 2046) to this address space. A FR level of this proportion qualify the phenomenon for direct and active research either for governmental and corporate investigation with the largest available resources.

Description

GMMCs appear just like any other ordinary construct from the outside of the construct domain. Only a direct analysis can provide the information necessary to identify this icons as hyper resolution constructs - in fact a commercial analyze utility rated almost at level 6 (we used for the tests a Microtech Research Look-It(tm) 2.1 beta2 benchmarked at level 7.35) can easily detect a GMMC.

The sensorium carried by GMMCs can overload the I/O bandwidth allowable to the investigating subject. Given that the GMMC sensorium doesn't have a noticeable degrading factor (Malkavich et al, 2045), the ASIST interface of the subject's cyberdeck begins to reduce the MPCP cycles devoted to other utilities, and in extreme cases (see "Light Decking With Low-Bandwidth Devices", Manulli and Borger, 2048) the GMMC output can take fully control of the MPCP computational capabilities. Being this the case, the software loaded on the subject's cyberdeck is removed from active memory and cached in storage, and the whole cyberdeck transform itself into an extension of the GMMC, using the MPCP and the Matrix hardware resources to form a multiple Herbert's Bridge with level 2 feedback response (Herbert, 2053). This configuration moves part of the persona processing to the Matrix hardware, building a tight connection between the subject's persona and the GMMC. At this stage, a disconnect operation is very critical, with the persona code distributed on multiple processors, and only a careful roll-back sequence can interrupt the bridge.

» "A careful roll-back sequence"... Sounds like a new program to be added into the MPCP to me...
» Ronin

» Modifying a deck's MPCP? Or creating an utility?
» New User

» No way to use the utilities space for this. The GMMC erase all your utilities from active memory, and then you can't access them anymore. Better burn a new MPCP chipset.
» BitBasher

» I could look into this, something which creates a back door as the GMMC begins to take over the deck, but I've to do much more research before development could begin.
» Ronin

» Sounds to me like if you have a research-type cyberdeck, which logs every transaction the deck makes (those decks need triple the bandwidth, and cut speed by a factor of three at least), you can "turn back time", slowly, and return your deck to a previous state. This wouldn't undo black or gray ice damage, but would repair persona damage, (and unload any files you downloaded, in case your thinking of using this as a way to repair your deck) and get you out of the Slovenian sticky nodes. Not practical for most deckers, but the kind of thing computer science PhDs really like.
» Double-Domed Mike

While in the status generated by the Herbert's Bridge, the subject experiences an unusually high level of interaction, with definite improvements in his/her ability to affect ordinary Matrix constructs, but with a strict limit on all the Matrix navigation operations. The GMMC effectively acts as a binding force, with increasing ASIST traffic between the underlying hardware and the cyberdeck's MPCP.

The effects of this configuration are currently under test. Preliminary results show that a MPCP-9 class cyberdeck transfers its persona code to the GMMC in about 30.2 seconds on a standard I/O connection. After this lapse of time, the whole persona code resides directly on the Matrix hardware and further disconnect operations don't provide a reasonable degree of success.

Possible causes

The creation of a GMMC follows a series of events affecting either hardware and software. Currently we are aware of at least two possible causes for this phenomenon:

The building material of transmission datalines affected by massive nuclear exposition can mutate its atomic structure. In some cases the material gained ambient-temperature light superconductive properties (Chinney, 2051), with negligible diffusion and line response time (further tests are currently being conducted about these events). This condition vastly improves response and transfer times (Monchiari et al, 2057), granting the subject's programs an effective rating upgrade varying from 0.82 to 4.11 units in the standard benchmarks.

In other cases a background photon flux - the origin of which is still undetermined - significantly improved the inner Matrix core processes, bypassing the first three or four (depending on test conditions) layers of code abstraction. The more direct link between utilities code and Matrix core functions granted the subject's programs an effective rating upgrade (varying from 0.7 and 2.45 units in the standard benchmarks) during the period while the Herbert's Bridge was active. The same more direct link caused a code dependency on the GMMC inner functions, limiting the subject's persona motions to the GMMC itself (navigation operations have a degradation varying from 2.66 to 9.4 units, depending on test conditions).

» Hmmm... yes, but what if the whole nuclear mutation story is just a cover for something more sinister? Anyone ready for the "Crash of 2060"?
» Tim

» Oh yes, like we're getting to encounter "spirits" or "entities" in the Matrix... don't be silly, Tim.
» Scully

For detailed tests results, access the document n. T9885/645/AM/MRC-TS

Recommended course of action

We recommend the implementation of warning code on the Look-It(tm) series of analyze utilities, along with public information dissemination about the threat represented by this Matrix region. Also a reactive system can be laid out, using our protected four-tier hosts and custom software, along the borders of the address space from LTG 3855/74323 to LTG 3855/95558 directly linked to our PLTG.

» Ok, this is the company official and public position, but a friend of mine managed to snatch this from a Microtech private datastore. Seems like their backup system is acting up again...
» BitBasher

Microtech Research Corporation Internal Memo

ENCRYPT CODE L3 [************]

To:
Mr. Andrea Balestra, CEO

From:
Dott. Alberto Monchiari, R&D

Subject:
Tech report n. 15345/645/AM/MRC

Andrea, this thing is scary. Three subjects suffered permanent neurologic damage during the earlier testing phase. After the "sucking" period (as we call it here in the lab), there is no way to extract a decker from the thing. Even physically disconnecting the deck causes a terrific neural shock and only in one case the subject partially recovered. This happened two weeks ago, we're still waiting for her to come out from intensive therapy.

And another thing I feared to put in the report: this hosts are growing. Slowly but steadily, they are eating their way out of the limited address space behind Slovenia. Grow ratings are still uncertain, but it is happening right now.

I can only hope you can push a heavy fear feeling into the dumb heads of our management, if we don't protect now our system, I've noticed that due to[0.02Mp damaged]ould be lost.

Bye, Alberto

» Basically, you are sucked into the Freezing SAN. Better not touch this area even with a three kilometers stick.
» BitBasher

» How fast is this GMMC thing expanding from the Slovenian area?
» Ronin

» I have heard rumors that these hosts are expanding at an EXPONENTIAL rate... if this is true it has very serious ramifications for all of us.
» Entropy

» It strikes me that this probably wouldn't get too much further before some corporation takes advantage of the "third world" status of the problem's location and simply blows the Matrix repeaters to isolate/excise the problem while it's still a "minor surgery." If it spreads too far, it'll mean dumping the entire physical infrastructure of the Matrix and re-building it from the ground up - something no one can afford the price tag on. Better to lose this portion that the whole thing.
» Hudson

» So that was a Matrix node...
» Razorblade

» Which 'that'?
» BitBasher

» A machinery piece in a room we blew up two nights ago, just five kms out of the border. Our contractor told us this was for the safety of the world... but, of course, we didn't believe him. Instead, we believed his cash.
» Razorblade

» The appearance of your contractor, if I may ask?
» BitBasher

» Well, a young elf male...
» Razorblade

» ... with red hair, right?
» BitBasher

» Yeah, how do you know that?
» Razorblade

» He contracted us too. For a similar mission and with similar motivations.
» BitBasher

» I bet otakus (and some other denizens of the Matrix) might find this VERY interesting.
» Tim

Behind The Scenes

The tactical nuclear explosions of 2033 in Slovenia caused some transformation in the matrix structure. A new breed of hosts had grown up, with strange characteristics. These hosts are connected by "mutated" datalines, that carry info faster and better than the ordinary ones. When a decker enters this kind of host, he experiences a new type of sensation.

The faster datalines pump the host's sensorium (the whole range of stimuli, from images to tastes to sounds...) straight into the cyberdeck ASIST interface, overloading the deck and moving to storage memory all the running utilities. At that point, a decker has no more direct access to its programs (kinda like running naked, but in VR2.0 rules) while the host code invades its cyberdeck.

This causes two things:

  1. All target numbers for tests are lowered by 1 (never under 2) every three turns reflecting the fact that now the persona code is beginning to run directly onto the matrix hardware.
  2. All target numbers for movement outside the host (Logoff, Graceful Logoff, Shutdown, etc...) are increased by 1 every three turns. The code mutates itself to adapt to this peculiar host's hardware, making it more difficult to run on other hosts.

Basically, the decker enters the host, and suddenly his utilities vanish, he can do things easier and faster then before (see 1) but he finds increasingly difficult escaping the host (see 2). If it can't escape, he's stuck in the matrix.

GMs should treat escaping from this situation as if it was an astral quest.