Authorization

"Authorization? Of course, why didn't I think of that sooner!" you exclaimed. "MPAD-24, send a message to Specs to let him know I need the authorization code to access 6T9's files." Hopefully that would work.

As you waited for a reply, you decided to find out as much as you could about 6T9's situation. "Hopefully it won't take long for Specs to send the key code to me," you began. "In the meantime, can you tell me more about the damage you've sustained?"

"Several of my systems are damaged. I can't access the controls for form or movement. Segments of the data storage are corrupted. Communication ports were failing, but now appear to be functioning at limited capacity."

"Do you know how much of the data is corrupted?"

"No. The mechanism only detects that that sections of the data are corrupt. That's enough to know that it can't be trusted and therefore shouldn't be used."

Since this was a highly redundant system, it made sense that simply detecting corrupted data would probably be sufficient to know that it should be discarded, and then a new copy would be obtained from a functioning node. However, that wasn't an option at this point. You'd need to examine the data and try to determine if there was enough remaining to recover 6T9.

"Authorization key incoming," announced MPAD-24.

"Apply it to the access control on this door," you replied.

In response, the symbols began lighting up one after another in a blur as MPAD-24 applied the authorization code. After a sequence of what must have been hundreds of symbol entries, the outline of the door frame began to glow dimly. Then the door slid open revealing a room that was no longer empty.