14893/Sorry Not Sorry

Sorry Not Sorry
Date of Scene:	04 April 2023
Location:	Bunker - Stark Tower
Synopsis:	Babs and Tony have a chat about computers and quid pro quo.
Cast of Characters:	Iron Man, Oracle

---

Iron Man has posed:
    << Sir, I am receiving a Voice Over IP transmission that has an elaborate and creative use of a series of VPNs to disguise its source of origin. I have it narrowed down to three locations, and likely through a brute force approach I will be able to identify them in fourteen minutes. Yet in the framing of the data it simply requests several words with you. Are you expecting clandestine communications? >>
    Across the way in the rather elaborate and large lounge in the penthouse of Stark Tower, Tony raises his eyebrows as he walks across the room, pulling an old vinyl LP out of its sleeve from its place on a rather lush collection there along the entire wall of the room. His eyebrows shoot up.
    "Clandestine communications. That sounds spicy. But no, I'm not..." He turns his head slightly, eyes distancing. "Wait." His brow knits. "No, nah."
    "Any idea what it's about?" He walks over to his newly acquired record player and lifts the arm of it, lightly tapping the needle, causing the speakers in the walls to make a 'whoompf whoompf' sound as his fingertip touches it. Then he straightens up.
    << No, but it does carry that ORCL tag that was used in the security breech on last Thursday. >>
    "Hmmmm, hm hm. HM!" Tony lightly slides the record over the metal rod in the center of the turntable, then lightly clicks it on, there's a faint 'skrtch skrtch' as the speakers start to play Elvis Presley singing a rendition of 'My Happiness'. Though the sound is a little low.
    "Put it through, JARVIS. I have fourteen minutes I can burn."

Oracle has posed:
Barbara was sitting at her workstation in the Clocktower, the multiple screens around reflecting the goings-on. Several news feeds, some from other countries with translation programs running. Picking up details that might need the attention of the Birds perhaps later. Though nothing in Gotham at the moment. But the day was still young.

When the line was opened, she smiled a bit to herself. There was a 'screen' image available this time. It was the Oracle image she used, simple green lines on a black background. If they opted to use that option. They may just choose to use voice, which was also computerized and modulated yet distinctly feminine sounding.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Stark. I apologize for the interruption but I wanted to congratulate you." A pause as she considered. "There are very few systems that are actually unable to be penetrated by an intruder with enough computer power and patience. Yet, yours has proven to be that one in a million."

Iron Man has posed:
    "Oh is it now?" Tony says as he takes the sleeve of the LP and flips it around, reading it to himself as his eyebrows climb. "I'm assuming you're the one who tried that run at my toys a few weeks ago was it?" His voice sounds a little distracted, disinterested, so very rich and unaffected by the events going on around him.
    "I was told that you were a naughty naughty sort. You realize because of your intrusion I had to put everything into lockdown for a few hours. I couldn't stream the next episode of EastEnders except on low resolution. Could barely make anyone out, and it was right as it was getting good with Dirty Den coming back to life and all."
    He sets the sleeve down with a rustle of paper and then starts to walk across the immaculately carpeted lounge. He swoops up a bottle of brandy off the rolling drink cart and starts to make himself a glass, the sound of ice clinking can be heard. "But they stopped you didn't they? One of the admins I was told."

Oracle has posed:
"With the help of some advanced algorithms I suspect came from someone above his paygrade. And an A.I. if I was not mistaken." Followed by a soft laugh. "And I'm not mistaken so don't try to play coy."

She listened to the sounds. The rustling of paper could be anything really though there was that hint of music in the background. A few keys pushed to try to isolate that sound, run it through a program, finding what it was and starting it playing on her own system in the background as well. Loud enough he'd be able to hear it but not overwhelming the conversation. "Elvis Presley. I would never have guessed."

Then moving back to the original topic at hand. She wasn't sure on the clinks. Maybe ice? Again not really something she could tell. "I'm sure you were able to watch EastEnders later in the high res and it lost none of it's appeal. Though I will say that your tech was very good. He forced me to shutdown for several hours as well. I believe he is new? I had never encountered him before on my forays into your systems. You should keep him and likely give him a raise. Or perhaps I can tempt him to my payroll."

Iron Man has posed:
    "Oh really?"
    Tony seems unphased by her words, in fact there's the soft gurgle of liquid heard in the background as he answers. "We don't reward failure here at Stark Industries. Had to fire him. Let him go. Pity. Since I heard he was a good guy. Runs a charity in his off hours. Something about orphans. You should feel real good about yourself."
    There's the soft sound of a sip, then Tony walks around the drink cart and _drops_ onto the sofa, propping his feet up. "But some people have to get their thrills poking their nose in other peoples' business. How is Gotham these days? Still the Atlantic City to New York's Vegas?"

Oracle has posed:
"Fishing too. You are full of surprises, Mr. Stark."

And there was that amusement in her tone. Though she sobered as she continued. "He's the first of your admins to actually spot me and interact with me. He's the one person you shouldn't have fired. My suggestion? Bring him back. I'll take up the space left by the other thirty or so I figure you have in place? Probably be less expensive than all of them as well. Though not that much less. You have plenty to spend."

She chewed at the inside of her cheek a moment as she considered. Could he actually have fired the guy? She hoped not. The rest he'd added on seemed like it was meant to evoke a reaction so he couldn't be serious. She'd just have to dig and see what she could find out about anyone no longer getting their taxes taken out while in the employe of Stark and she'd find anyone that was fired. Follow up on those and she'd see if the information was true. If it was, she'd simply help the man. Might take some digging but not impossible.

"Want to save me some time, give me his name and social so I can be sure he is compensated for his good work?"

Iron Man has posed:
    "Sure, want my credit card number too? How about my mother's maiden name?" Tony says as he smiles and then lifts his chin, "Jarvis?"
    The AI is smart enough to instantly prevent that last word from being transmitted downstream to whomever this Oracle may be and muted the information sent to her while Tony and his assistant had this brief conversation.
    << Yes, sir? >>
    "How much longer we have on the crawler?"
    << Nine minutes thirty seven seconds, sir. >>
    "Hm, hey buddy? Still there? Would you mind terribly staying on the line with me for another eleven minutes and thirty seven seconds? That'd be awful sweet of you." He sits up and takes a drink of his brandy and looks over at the flickering digital clock. "Or you could give me some hints I can follow. Are we likely to meet at Ed Dane's party next week? He throws a killer bash down in the Hamptons." He affects a hint of a hoitsy toitsy accent for the last.

Oracle has posed:
As she was muted for those few seconds, she did respond to his questions. Even as he chatted with Jarvis. "I already have those, Mr. Stark. So many credit cards. A few I opened myself, of course." Which was a lie. Sure, she could get his social because of the Social Security Administration having horrible security measures against her own systems. But that wasn't what she was about. After all, she was the voice in the sky for heroes. But Tony certainly would think she was more a thief, undoubtedly.

When he came back and continued their conversation, she had to laugh again. Looking at her own timer. "Sorry, You only get five more minutes. See if your AI can work faster. Or perhaps being such a genius, you might realize how I could potentially help you in your work? A mutually beneficial relationship. I help you with intel, you give me a little back door I can peek in from time to time when I need to do some research. Quid pro quo?"

Iron Man has posed:
    "Well if you're buying things on my dime don't forget me at Christmas." Tony says with a thoughtful look even as he listens to her, he rolls over and grabs a closed laptop off the arm of the sofa and draws it toward him. He flips it open and hits the escape key a few times, then lightly starts tip-tapping a few keys.
    He stops when he hears the last few sentences she speaks and his lip curves up. "Phrasing? Is that still a thing? But I'll tell you what, Oracle." He draws his lips inward as he ponders his display, blinking a few times. "You quid my quo like a pro and we'll discuss matters. I have a few thoughts about a few things. How about you set up an email somewhere you consider safe. Compuserve? Is that still a thing? Set that up and I'll drop you a line later. We'll see what we see."
    Then he turns to the side, "Jarvis, cut the line."
    << Sir? >>
    Though the line does get cut as JARVIS has learned that often seconds count.
    "Just a vibe, buddy. Though I have an idea. Going to talk to a few people." And as he says that he closes the top of the laptop, the Justice League gateway display flickering shut as he does so.

Oracle has posed:
Was Compuserve even a thing? She had no idea. Which had her starting to tap a few keys herself. And just as she opened her mouth to respond, she found the line disconnected.

A quick call sent back out to the number got her no results. Which had Babs frowning as she double checked. Nothing had gotten into her systems so why the sudden disconnect?

"Well that was rude. No hints for you after all. And I was about to let you know I'm 1% of the population to help narrow your search."